| 1. Why Did I Listen To You? |
| 2. N28•Fading |
| 3. Missed My Slot |
| 4. Too Young |
| 5. Shot One |
| 6. Bang Bang |
| 7. Knife |
| 8. Lines |
| 9. Real Life |
| 10. Bad |
| 11. Wasting My Life |
| 12. Media Control |
| 13. Friend |
| 14. Tell Me Why |
| 15. Machine |
Editorial Reviews
The Nerve
"Chunky rhythms, brooding vocals, and tight, catchy arrangements make this instantly enjoyable…"
Product Description
Back to once again prove that you don't have to be a teenager to produce angry and insightful punk rock, Amsterdam's NRA have been at it non-stop since 1989 and "Machine" may be their finest moment yet. At Gearhead, we've always been impressed by this veteran band's musical ability to draw only from universally respected influences like Naked Raygun, Dagnasty and Black Flag, who blend seamlessly into their incendiary trademark sound. We are never going to stop pushing these guys, so surrender already!
Machine
I enjoyed many of the songs, but I'm sure my kids can relate more to her lyrics. That being said, she shows a lot of talent and I'm looking forward to more of her work in the future.
I'm neither right nor left wing, I dunno what I am....perhaps libertarian? Either way, as I got older, I really found Zach De La Rocha's politics distasteful. In a nutshell, it appears to be this:
-White people: Bad
-Successful white people: Even worse!
-Capitalism: Bad, even though it pays the bills and puts money in RATM's pocket and allows their families to prosper instead of waiting for government handouts
-Education: Bad, although by "bad" they mean it isn't a bunch of Noam Chomsky/Howard Zinn claptrap that enforces white guilt and American self-hate
-Communism: Good, even though it has shown to be a failure
-Socialism: Good, though people seem to rather live in America than Venezuela(why is that Hugo?)
-Illegal immigrants: Good, even though they take jobs, drive down wages, exhaust schools and hospitals and bring their third world crime culture to quiet American communities
-Mumia Abu Jamal: Good, even though the evidence for him murdering a police officer is about as strong as the evidence that Bush invaded Iraq on the basis of lies and greed
In any case, I still enjoy the music, but try and keep an open mind when you listen to this stuff.
Like a great cup of coffee this album combines rich, thick flavors that mix bitter and sweet for a fabulous buzz and lasting after taste. "Two thumbs up - way up" and all of the stars that Amazon allows.
Apart from token lines like: "With airy but moody synths and keyboards...", there's simply no reference at all to Andy Summers' incredibly ingenious and unique guitar playing with all its different colours and textures, his imaginative use of rhythm as well as his unforgettable riffs.
No mention of Stewart Copeland's breath-taking playing. The drumming that influenced a whole generation...
Nor is there any mention of Sting. Yes, he is a master song-writer but what about his instruments? He would have to be one of the most underrated bass players in the history of good music. As a bass player I've always admired his warm sound and his thoughtful playing. He's supportive and mostly sparse without ever being boring and possesses tonnes of tasty-ness. And what can we say about his voice?! Simply an amazing voice. A rich, totally unique tone that's instantly recognizable, combined with beautiful melodic ingenuity. And, when informed by Sting's tremendous musicality, it makes for some of the most heart-felt singing in all of popular music.
It is not my intention to ignore lyrics or their meaning. I love good lyrics as much as anyone else and I am fully aware that for a song to be a 'good song', it has to have both great lyrics and great music working in harmony. All I'm simply saying is that to concentrate exclusively on lyrics (brilliant as they might be) and to ignore the musician's/producer's contributions to the overall creation of a song is to basically relegate music's role to simply background filler. Like a movie soundtrack or a boring one-bar-loop repeated ad-nauseam in a bad Rap song.
The members of The Police deserve much more than that.
Given the frontman's Chicano heritage it is valid to identify Evil Empire as de la Rocha's most personal work, no mean feat for an artist not known for keeping his emotions bottled-up.
The album opens with 'People of the Sun', a spiky number documenting the hardships of the Mexican people and their oppression throughout history at the hands of colonial powers, corruption and bureaucracy, and their neighbour to the north.
Fundamentally connected to the opener are the staccato 'Vietnow' and 'Without a Face', the former condemning the bellicose ideology of right-wing neoconservatism and the expansionist maxim prevailing in Occidental discourse, and the latter detailing individual small-scale delinquency as a simile for larger-scale dissidence and insurgency (as in the case of the Zapatista movement) engendered by colonial signification eroding indigenous identity.
Elaborating on the theme of colonial subjugation, Evil Empire's hit 'Bulls on Parade' underlines the machinations of dominant capitalism, pointing an accusatory finger at the US administration's military-industrial complex whilst disparaging of a governmental inability to identify any correlation between arms production and violent crime.
Musically, Evil Empire is informed more by hip-hop modes than the band's other two original works (1992's Rage Against the Machine and 1999's The Battle of Los Angeles), with the stop-start aesthetic allowing more scope for Tom Morello's typically innovative, often atonal guitar. Bassist Timmy C and drummer Brad Wilk (both of whom went on to become members of Audioslave, along with Morello) are the key players on Evil Empire's propulsive instrumentals however, combining to thunderous effect on 'Revolver' and 'Tire Me' in particular.
Evil Empire is de la Rocha's story though, and despite the polemic subject matter, he delivers each line with a cohesion and clarity superseding Rage's other work.
In these troubled times a lot of people need Rage Against the Machine to lend a voice to their discontent, we can only hope that new material follows their much-vaunted reunion shows. If ever there was a time for Rage to reclaim their vacant mantle of Most Imporant Band in the World, unfilled since they disbanded in 2000, it is surely now.
Many people have claimed that this album sounds similar to or follows the same formula as 1992's self-titled album, but I disagree; it sounds very different, much slower and darker. There were significant changes in how it was mixed; Zack de la Rocha's vocals are distant, not as clear or up-front as before; Brad Wilk's drums are louder and more expansive, as he tries out different rhythms; Tim Commerford's bass is higher and more frequently distorted in the mix, and isn't nearly as funky or bright, making each song darker; Tom Morello's guitar is almost always heavily distorted, making it sound more like a machine than a string instrument. In fact, this sounds more like a rap-metal album than a funk-metal album. There's pretty much no melody here. Each of the instruments, including the vocals, sound almost audibly equal in volume, blending together into a mush of sound, while their self-titled was careful in making each instrument distinct and bright. The pace has also been slowed significantly and, subsequently, most of the energy has been sucked from this album. This is a bleak listen, and it isn't nearly as colorful or fun as their previous effort. Surprisingly, the only thing different here is producer Brendan O'Brien, with Andy Wallace still behind the mixing tables, so it's possible that the band wanted it this way.
I must give Tom Morello some mention, of course, since his solos are interesting and innovative as always. The highlight here is "Bulls on Parade", where his solo sounds like a DJ scratching a turntable; the fact alone that the man has to duplicate this live is insane. He also adds another dimension to their sound with his electronic playing, creating very unique metallic textures, but it doesn't sound soulful or organic. At times it simply sounds a machine, plowing through the music.
The lyrics were great, and the subjects have become more varied; social commentary seems to share as much of the lyric sheet as the anti-government sentiment. However, Zack's slogans aren't nearly as catchy or energizing as in the debut, maybe because it's so hard to hear them. The biggest problem here would be the vocals; they aren't clean or clear, and they're actually brought down in the mix to the levels of the instrumentation. Zack's vocals add power to the band's sound, but because they seem to blend right in, they don't stand out as much. When he screams, the rhythm section drowns him out, making each scream pointless. Why scream if you can rap normally at the same volume?
This isn't packed with instant rock classics like in their self-titled, with the whole CD feeling more like a rap-oriented metal album, and some of the tracks are a real drag (I struggled to get through "Wind Below" without switching tracks; the whole carnival guitar effect is sweet, but listening to it trudge on is so damn borning). If you're a first-timer, I advise you get their self-titled debut if you want to see the band at their prime. If you're a fan, I definitely recommend this, although I suggest you keep your mind open and brace yourself. There are some moments where this album really shines, like "Bulls on Parade", "Revolver", and "Snakecharmer", but other times I found songs to be bland (especially "People of the Sun" and "Vietnow"). Don't get me wrong, I love this band and I tried like hell to get into this CD, but "Evil Empire" just doesn't do it for me. Thankfully, they recapture their sound on their next album, "The Battle of Los Angeles".
People of the Sun (6/10)
Bulls on Parade (10/10*)
Vietnow (6/10)
Revolver (8/10)
Snakecharmer (9/10)
Tire Me (8/10)
Down Rodeo (8/10)
Without a Face (7/10)
Wind Below (5/10)
Roll Right (5/10)
Year of tha Boomerang (7/10)
* Favorite track
& "Killing in the Name"), Rage Against the Machine released their sophomore album "Evil Empire." Sophomore albums are usually albums made in a euphoria and the work rushed, so they're usually not that good. This album has it's lows, but there's not a "bad" song on the album. A good portion of the album is solid, a few songs are less-than-spectacular; But the album is definitely an improvement over their already great first album. Singer/Rapper Zack de la Rocha is in full political-f**k the system glory here. His lyrics are powerful, intelligent, and sound great when sang. Tom Morello's guitar solos are spectacular, this guy is one of the most underrated guitarists around; Tim Commerford has a lot of chances on the album to show off his heavy basslines, and there's Brad Wilk of course filling out the rhythm section nicely. The song arrangement is great on the album, but what amazes me the most is this...The biggest hit off this album was Bulls on Parade, even though the song Tire Me won the band a Grammy. I think the song Down Rodeo is the best song on here, you can't beat his chorus (Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse. So make a move and plead the fifth, cuz you can't plead the first. So now I'm rolling down rodeo with a shotgun these people ain't seen a brown skin man since their grandparents bought one). Even though the band didn't make it past 4 albums (and the best, I think, is their 3rd "The Battle of Los Angeles) this is still a strong and spectacular album that you can easily jam too as you're rolling down Rodeo. Sorry for that lame joke, but, anyway, here's the tracks and some in depth opinions:
1. People of the Sun-5/5-The lyrics are awesome, the song is catchy, the guitar is infectious, the basslines are great; A great, great, song.
2. Bulls on Parade-5/5-This song took a while to grow on me. I love the beat, lyrics are intelligent. It's a very good song.
3. Vietnow-5/5-Some people may find this song annoying, I love it. Extremely catchy; It got stuck in my head for a long time.
4. Revolver-5/5-This song is a love it or hate it song. Zack screams a little too much on this song, but it's pretty good.
5. Snakecharmer-5/5-This song has vocals that are barely there, but it works well enough with the music that it...Works.
6. Tire Me-4/5-This song won Rage a Grammy, but I think it's kind of a weak song. The basslines are superb, but the song can be kind of annoying at times.
7. Down Rodeo-5/5-I think is the best song on the album; It's got one of the best lines ("Rolling down rodeo with a shotgun, these people ain't seen a brown-skin man since their grandparents bought one") and is really catchy; The beat is one of their best.
8. Without a Face-5/5-Very cool song.
9. Wind Below-4/5-This song has it's high points and its low points. Mostly the latter.
10. Roll Right-5/5
11. Year of tha Boomerang-5/5-This is a great song, one of the best on the album.
GRADE: A-
Many a Rage fan as well as critic well tell you that The Battle Of Los Angeles is the very best album that Rage ever made. Is this the case, is this really better then the self titled debut Rage Against The Mahine, probably. But you will have to be the judge of that one. One thing is for sure if this isnt the bands all time best effort it is a vert close second. The bands cover album Renagades was good, but this is better, Evil Empire was a killer album but once again this takes the cake of that one as well. The bands only equal comparason is the debut.
The Battle Of Los Angeles is a solid album through and through, not a bad track to be heard. Being released in late 1999, early 2000, at the dawn of a new millenium when the band was reaching its breaking point and on the eve of spliting they managed to hold it together and create one of the best rock albums of the last 25 years. Zack De La Rochas lyrics were the most focust and coherent they had ever been, and his vocal delivery is insane. Tim C, and Brad Wilk who may make up the greatest rhythm section in all of rock n' roll hold the album together as a whole. Then there is Tom who once again raised the bar as far as what is possible with the guitar. Tom Morello is easily one of the greatest guitarist ever to pick up the six string. Not only with his effects pedels but without them as well.
Songs like the major hit singles 'Testify' 'Guerrilla Radio' and the phenomenol 'Sleep Now In The Fire' helped to propel the album to the number one spot and sell millions of copies. Those three songs have gone on to become radio staples still seven yers after the album was released. 'Calm Like A Bomb' 'Mic Check' and 'Born As Ghosts' are similure and slower songs that really are nice for a change of pace. 'Born Of A Broken Man' is one of the better songs the band ever recorded. You can really here the punk influence on this song. The album closes with 'War Within A Breath' which is the prefect song to close the album.
Once you end the album all the messages in the songs come together into one and you can really here the cry for the great state of California that they love and how it has gone so far down hill. And in the end The Battle Of Los Angeles is an amazing album by on eof the greatest rock bands of all time.
1. Testify-5/5
2. Guerilla Radio-5/5-One of my favorite songs on the album.
3. Calm Like a Bomb-5/5-One of my favorite Rage songs. It's really catchy and you can't beat Tom Morrello's riffs.
4. Mic Check-5/5-I love the lyrics; I love the chorus. Great song.
5. Sleep Now in the Fire-5/5-The guitar riff in this song is awesome. As are the lyrics; One of my favorite songs on here.
6. Born of a Broken Man-5/5-Zack De La Rocha speaks the verses and then pours energy into the chorus. I know some people who don't like this song, I love it.
7. Born as Ghosts-5/5-My 2nd favorite song on the album.
8. Maria-5/5
9. Voice of the Voiceless-5/5-It's short, but it's a great song.
10. New Millenium Homes-5/5-This probably ties as my 2nd favorite song. It sounds a little like Bulls on Parade, but the lyrics and music are awesome.
11. Ashes in the Fall-5/5-The music is awesome. De La Rocha whispering "Like ashes in the fall" is kind of creepy; Angry lyrics that definitely get their point across.
12. War Within a Breath-5/5-And a very impressive album closer. Some of the best drumming is on this track.
GRADE: A
The only annoying track on here was "Mic Check," everything else was good, especially "Guerilla Radio," "Ashes in the Fall," "Maria," and "Voice of the Voiceless."
Its not great, but its defitely better than "Significant Crap" from Limp Bizs**t.
If you're a Rage' fan, I suggest you pick this up.
However, this one digs into the band's favorite topics a little deeper and what it uncovers is hideous and depressing. From songs ranging about the destitution-to-desperation of the poor in Mexico ("Maria") to the us-against-them nature of abandoned/forgotten ethic groups/gangs in the inner city ("Born As Ghosts") to a song about one of their biggest causes, the freedom of (perhaps wrongly) convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal and other so-called criminals that may be in the same boat ("Voice of the Voiceless"), this album doesn't relent until the CD ends.
However, the one track that has always stuck out in my mind as the glimpse behind the curtain to which all others should be compared is the masterful "Ashes in the Fall," perhaps the band's most gut-wrenching, soul-searing track in its entire career.
The song takes an unflinching look at poverty and the plight of the lower class, immigrants and homeless: the very people that the government should be taking care of that it instead allows to fend for themselves. Starving, desperate, abused, and neglected, these people see no other way out of their situation than resorting to violence and crime...actions for which they are arrested and imprisoned, if not killed outright. The song's most gripping moment is when Zach de la Rocha mockingly screams, "Ain't it funny how the factory doors close 'round the time that the school doors close? 'Round the time that the doors of the jail cell open up to greet you like the Reaper?"
In other words, while most children are entering/leaving school, the pvverty-stricken are walking into factories where they can be promised low wages and grueling work until the whistle blows. If not that, then finding trouble and expending what little life is left inside them in the confines of a prison cell. It is a bleak image and all too true in the darker corners of every city in the United States.
As others have said, the reference to the new sound being just like the old sound is a snide reminder to the listener that the grandiose speeches of the government's appointed representatives are just echoes of all that was said by those who came before them. And all the while, a voice can be heard in the undercurrent calling for the expulsion of all "non-natives" in favor of the so-called "chosen" people of God, a direct contradiction to everything the founders of the nation believed it should be about, according to the Constitution.
It is an exceptional song on the strength of its lyrics alone, but the band truly outdid itself with the music, from the high-pitched cry of the guitar to the soft rhthym of the bass during the build to the song's final crescendo.
I don't know if there's a human being that can listen to this song and not feel his or her soul quail in horror at the images it creates. If such a person exists, I hope we never meet.
Best album since since Heaven Shall Burn's "Antigone" - for me at least.
While I don't discourage others from getting this album, it won't be in my collection. Already traded it in... Sorry.
Does anyone own the live & rare Rage cd, if you listen to it, Zack states lets bombard this Leonard Paltere's (SP) mail box until we win, maybe all us Rage fans need to bombard the record company's or the members of Rage themseleves until they do what they again do what they do best & that is make music as Rage Against The Machine.
Yo Check it, as I listen to their material daily even today I can find more passion in Rage than a run down mill scrap band that is Audioslave (namely due to Chris Cornell's semi attempted alright vocals), most of their mateiral in their first 2 albums could have easily been reworked for Rage as a lot of Rage was coming through & the only difference is Chris Cornell was on lead vocals & I am glad I did not see them live when they started playing Rage material (what kind of hypocracy is that?) - man he would have ruined all meaning & destroyed the funk blast!
So cut the chord & get this musical act of RATM back on track, you guys would with ease be no. 1 (not that you lot would care about the fat checks due to the political nature/agenda of the band).
Tom Morello - you are an outstanding guitarist, I could not believe those sounds could be made by guitar but a lot of what you did in Audioslave was just borrowed from Rage, however the rhythm section of Audio is great (esp. Brad he really takes drumming to new levels).
Hopefully the panther the brother De La Rocha has in his 7 year absence written some stronger much needed material due to the musical junk out there today & if there is any hope & in life if I saw a mission that is accomplished it would be Rage reformed & continuing on til their last breath/s.
Not everyone is gifted as musicains so why throw it away guys for a half rate band Audislave? Give me the mic so I can scream "COME ON...AAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"
When I think Rage I can with ease think of their song titles:
Bombtrack, Killing in the Name Of, Take the Power Back, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, Township Rebellion, Freedom, People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Vietnow, Revoler, Snakecharmer, Down Rhode, Without a Face, Year of the Boomerang, Testify, Guerrila Radio, Mic Check, Sleep Now In The Fire, Voice of the Voiceless, Maria, Ashes In The Fall, War Within A Breath, No Shelter, Microphone Fiend, Pistol Grip Pump, Renegades of Funk, How I Could Just Kill A Man, Street Fighting Man, Maggies Farm...Wow!!!
Zack - we need & long for you in the music industry more than ever as there has been no one out there able to spit truth like it needs to be done on a microphone only you as the front man of Rage Against The Machine can pull this off.
Peace out my panthers my brothers!
Hearing Zach spit out rhymes on hip-hop classics such as "Microphone Friend" and "How I Could Just Kill A Man" sounds only natural, but it's when the band ventures into other, less predictable territories that this album really shines. Perfect example would be their cover of Devo's "Beautiful World," a haunting, moving and surprisingly melodic commentary on the state of the world that still holds up today, just as it did in the 80's, and takes the Rage sound into a new realm. On the flipside, "Kick Out The Jams" (originally by MC5), is a brilliant merger of the signature Rage style with the fury of old-school punk. One of the more energetic tracks, this song is truly the point where the album takes shape. "In My Eyes" (originally by Minor Threat) takes on the same tone as "Kick Out The Jams," and remains another highlight, but elsewhere, on the Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen covers, "Maggie's Farm" and "The Ghost Of Tom Joad," the band shows some true influences that never really stood out before. The 12 song set is supported by two bonus live tracks: "Kick Out The Jams" and "How I Could Just Kill A Man," which just further solidify Rage's reputation as one of the best live bands of their time. The latter even features a guest appearance by B-Real and Sen Dog of Cypress Hill.
Overall, "Renegades" is a proper goodbye, that shows it's true roots and honors the band's influences with large amounts of respect and excellent musicianship. It's a shame that their last studio album wasn't original material, but this is just as good. With a Rage Against The Machine reunion on the horizon, who knows what the future will bring. But even if they don't make another album, "Renegades" still shows the band at their best, turning some classics into new anthems for the new millennium.
Zach's crisp strong vocals are gripping as always and the band is peaking here.
Highlights are Microphone Fiend, Beautiful World, In My Eyes & Maggies Farm.
Pure heavy funk, not just for Rage fans....
2. Pistol grip pump - Volume 10
3. Kick out the jam - MC5
4. Renegades of funk - Afrika Bambattaa
5. Beautiful world - Devo
6. I'm housin' - EPMD
7. In my eyes - Minor Threat
8. How could I just kill a man - Cypress Hill
9. The ghost of Tom Joad - Bruce Springsteen
10. Down on the street - The Stooges
11. Street fighting man - The Rolling Stones
12. Maggies farm - Bob Dylan
Every thing here is pretty well perfect, the bonus tracks are pretty cool, and feature, "How I Could Just Kill A Man" with some other arttists.
Every thing here is near perfect, there isn't much more to say.
Album Highlights...
Microphone Fiend
Housin'
How I Could Just Kill A Man
Renegades Of Funk
Personally I think this is the music that our generation has been waiting for. Falling firmly into that tricky Genre of "protest music", this actually comes off as Genuine. Much of the protest music for our generation, such as Green Day, feels like an old artist trying to stay cool and relevant. Morello's new album feels the opposite. In fact, he has almost guaranteed himself no airplay and low album sales. This is very unsubtle, we need to change the world music. But its greatest strenght is that he has rediscovered the idea that made Dylan and Guthrie so good. Dont spend all of your time pointing fingers at who has done bad by you. Instead, he tells the people to stand up and fight for the wrongs of the world. Open your eyes, get up and change the world. Good job Tom.
The moment that Tom started singing "One Man Revolution" at the Sundown Stage at the Wakarusa Music Festival [following North Mississippi All-Stars, a far better act] I had a good cathartic laugh because now I knew that people would experience the Tom Morello that I know:
A relatively talentless guitarist who hid two-note riffs behind Zach de la Rocha and layers of fx,
A lyricist whose politics seem to be an expression of opportunism more than conviction,
and a man who has no sense of subtlety.
So thanks to you, Tom Morello.
Now everyone knows you like I do.
Weather or not you liked Rage Against the Machine is really no indication of weather you'll like this album. Both were political, but that's really the only common thread. The album reminds me a lot more of Bob Dylan then Rage Against the Machine.
And don't be fooled, fiona is still amazing.
Her voice takes on a solid, more mature tone in this album. Deep and rich and at times eerie.
And the lyrics are better than ever. She is witty, clever and concise; a goddess at rhyme who's lyrics possess a powerful sting in and of its simplicity; the kind that you have to read twice, three, four times to get. She is the sing-song Dorothy Parker of the 21st century. Brillant.
Highlight Lyrics inlude:
1. From "Window"---"I had to break the window/It just had to be/Better that i break the window/Then him, or her, or me."
2. From "Red Red Red"--"I don't understand about diamonds and why men buy them/Whats so impressive about a diamond?/Except the mining?
3. From "Parting Gift"--"Oh you silly, stupid past time of mine/You were always good for the rhyme.
4. From "Get Him Back"--"Wait till i get him back/He wont have a back to scratch.
This album is also perfectly balanced. A perfect combination of upbeat power songs ("Get Him Back, Tymps, Not About Love), gut-wrenching ballads (Oh Well, Red Red Red, and Parting Gift) along with some light fluety, fun tunes (Please Please Please, Waltz, Extraordinary Machine.)
In short, youd have to be a perfect fool not to buy this album. It is Fiona Apple's best yet. She has raised the bar yet again; vocally, lyrically, and melodically. This album goes from the margin to the center in terms of emotion, too. Screaming and growling and belting out whatever raw feelings that have been buried underneath, seeming to surface like a great big crashing wave that will completely smother you in its prescence.
It is great to have her back and in such a wonderful way.
Very few words are needed to express the beauty of this effort.
"Chunky rhythms, brooding vocals, and tight, catchy arrangements make this instantly enjoyable…"
Product Description
Back to once again prove that you don't have to be a teenager to produce angry and insightful punk rock, Amsterdam's NRA have been at it non-stop since 1989 and "Machine" may be their finest moment yet. At Gearhead, we've always been impressed by this veteran band's musical ability to draw only from universally respected influences like Naked Raygun, Dagnasty and Black Flag, who blend seamlessly into their incendiary trademark sound. We are never going to stop pushing these guys, so surrender already!
Machine
Machine,NRA,Gearhead,Alternative Pop/Rock,Hardcore Punk,Netherlands,Pop,Punk,Punk Revival,Rock
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Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift Manufacturer: Big Machine Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Contemporary Country
| Country
| Styles
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General
| Country
| Styles
| Music
Contemporary
| Bluegrass
| Country
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Modern Postbebop
| Jazz
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Hard Bop
| Bebop
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ASIN: B000I5YCCO Release Date: 2006-10-24 |
Tracks:
- Tim McGraw
- Picture to Burn
- Teardrops on My Guitar
- A Place in This World
- Cold As You
- The Outside
- Tied Together With a Smile
- Stay Beautiful
- Should've Said No
- Mary's Song (Oh My My My)
- Our Song
Amazon.com
Three years ago, a 13-year old Taylor Swift set out to be a star and moved from Reading, Pennsylvania, to Nashville. By 14, she had a publishing deal, and by 15, a recording contract. In these days of Bianca Ryan (and before her, Tanya Tucker and LeAnn Rimes), many are called, but few are chosen. Swift, it appears, is one of the chosen ones. Her vocal talent is modest, though sweetly affecting, her style seemingly influenced by the radio hits of early Sheryl Crow and Michelle Branch, and perhaps Cyndi Thomson. And at times, her youthfulness shows--she encoded messages in the lyrics of her CD booklet, starting with the name of the boy who cheated on her from "Should've Said No" (the album's strongest offering). But in writing or co-writing all 11 songs on this debut, Swift demonstrates remarkable maturity, particularly in crafting a hooky, radio-ready chorus. Though she sounds ridiculous looking back from the perspective of an 87-year old woman on "Mary's Song," to her credit she mostly writes about what she knows--unrequited high-school crushes ("Teardrops on My Guitar"), teenage angst ("Tied Together with a Smile"), and complete immersion in starry-eyed romance (her breakout hit "Tim McGraw"). Swift has such wistful charm and tunefulness that only a curmudgeon could dismiss her, and in fact, more than 60,000 fans lined up to grab this CD the first month of release. No wonder Rascal Flatts and George Strait added her to their tours. Look out, Carrie Underwood--there's a new kid in town. --Alanna NashCustomer Reviews:
Taylor Swift.......2007-07-05
Best Country Debut Album Ever!.......2007-07-03
Nice Debut Album - great future for this talented girl!.......2007-06-28
I enjoyed many of the songs, but I'm sure my kids can relate more to her lyrics. That being said, she shows a lot of talent and I'm looking forward to more of her work in the future.
Really good debut--a teen would love this........2007-06-27
Taylor Swift CD.......2007-06-27
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Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
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General
| Rock
| Alternative Styles
| Alternative Rock
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General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
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ASIN: B0000028RR Release Date: 1992-11-10 |
Tracks:
- Bombtrack
- Killing In The Name
- Take The Power Back
- Settle For Nothing
- Bullet In The Head
- Know Your Enemy
- Wake Up
- Fistful Of Steel
- Township Rebellion
- Freedom
Amazon.com
Not since the days of the Clash and the MC5 has rock seen such political force as in the uncompromising debut from this L.A. quartet. Expanding the hip-hop/metal style of bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage tap the spirits of vintage Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with hardcore punk intensity and Public Enemy-style grooves. "Bombtrack" opens the LP with a shot of adrenaline and singer Zack de la Rocha's infuriated chorus of "Burn, burn, yes, you're gonna burn!" The intensity doesn't let up an inch on the militant "Killing in the Name" (with the inspiring chant, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!"), the ultrafunky "Bullet in the Head," and the engrossing "Fistful of Steel." Tom Morello combines time-honored metal guitar riffs with sounds that suggest a hip-hop scratcher over a rhythm section that simply takes no prisoners. Intelligent and aggressive, this is unimpeachably one of the best hard-rock records ever made. --James RotondiCustomer Reviews:
Rage brings a new outstanding element.......2007-07-04
(Not a kid)The music is still good but...........2007-04-22
I'm neither right nor left wing, I dunno what I am....perhaps libertarian? Either way, as I got older, I really found Zach De La Rocha's politics distasteful. In a nutshell, it appears to be this:
-White people: Bad
-Successful white people: Even worse!
-Capitalism: Bad, even though it pays the bills and puts money in RATM's pocket and allows their families to prosper instead of waiting for government handouts
-Education: Bad, although by "bad" they mean it isn't a bunch of Noam Chomsky/Howard Zinn claptrap that enforces white guilt and American self-hate
-Communism: Good, even though it has shown to be a failure
-Socialism: Good, though people seem to rather live in America than Venezuela(why is that Hugo?)
-Illegal immigrants: Good, even though they take jobs, drive down wages, exhaust schools and hospitals and bring their third world crime culture to quiet American communities
-Mumia Abu Jamal: Good, even though the evidence for him murdering a police officer is about as strong as the evidence that Bush invaded Iraq on the basis of lies and greed
In any case, I still enjoy the music, but try and keep an open mind when you listen to this stuff.
The Landmark Heavy Album of the 1990's.......2007-04-03
Still awesome.......2007-04-02
The best of the genre.......2007-03-25
Like a great cup of coffee this album combines rich, thick flavors that mix bitter and sweet for a fabulous buzz and lasting after taste. "Two thumbs up - way up" and all of the stars that Amazon allows.
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Missundaztood
Pink Manufacturer: La Face ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00005RFAI Release Date: 2001-11-20 |
Tracks:
- M!ssundaztood
- Don't Let Me Get Me
- Just Like A Pill
- Get The Party Started
- Respect
- 18 Wheeler
- Family Portrait
- Misery (w/Steven Tyler)
- Dear Diary
- Eventually
- Lonely Girl (w/Linda Perry)
- Numb
- Gone To California
- My Vietnam
Amazon.com
There's a rule in commercial pop: don't bite the hand that feeds you. Translation? If you're getting love on TRL, it's best leaving well enough alone and tinkering only slightly with the sound that pays your bills. So you have to give Pink a whole heap of credit. The Philly-raised songbird may have made her rep with infectious and rugged pop-R&B hits like "There You Go" and the remake of "Lady Marmalade," but like the fuchsia coif she once sported, that sound is gone. In its place is a more driving alt-rock attack, liberally laced with some late-night blues and heartfelt lyrics that, while they sometimes come off like diary entries (the simplistic bon mot "Your pain is painful" in "Family Portrait"), are clearly Pink's thoughts, as opposed to words someone put in her mouth. Helping Pink express her inner Alanis are Dallas Austin, who produced the insistent rocker "18 Wheeler," and former 4 Non Blonde Linda Perry, who Pink has resurrected from one-hit-wonder status. Mixing up thumping beats, ("Get the Party Started"), with folksy confessionals, Pink's potent vocals and her honest determination make this a risk worth hearing. --Amy LindenAlbum Description
Asian exclusive limited edition pressing of her sophomore album includes one bonus track, 'Catch 22', along with a bonus CD sized spiral bound 40 page 'Dear Diary' note pad that's housed together with the CD in a special slipcase. Enhanced with photo ogallery and lyrics page. 15 tracks in all. 2002.Album Details
Features a Track Not on the USA Version, 'catch 22.'Customer Reviews:
Latest album is much better.......2007-06-28
understood and admired.......2007-06-12
One of my favorite albums of all time. She is an amazing songwriter. .......2007-03-26
out of the gate and running hard.......2007-03-26
Pink.......2006-12-31
![Ghost In The Machine [Digipak]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/11RDB5Y4Q5L.jpg)
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Ghost In The Machine [Digipak]
The Police Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00008BRDW Release Date: 2003-03-04 |
Tracks:
- Spirits In The Material World
- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
- Invisible Sun
- Hungry For You (J'aurais Toujours Faim De Toi)
- Demolition Man
- Too Much Information
- Rehumanize Yourself
- One World (Not Three)
- Omegaman
- Secret Journey
- Darkness
Amazon.com essential recording
Dark, somber, and thematically unified as no previous album by the Police, Ghost in the Machine deals almost exclusively with the negative effects of modern political and technological culture. The only departure from this focus is "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," a perfect pop song and radio hit. Elsewhere, the album treats such issues as the hope underlying resistance to oppression, the dismissal of most of the nonindustrialized world, the daily bombardment of words and images that overload the senses, and the frequent recourse to violence for personal or political expression. The songs are presented in what are, for the Police, unusually dense, layered arrangements. Andy Summers's guitar lines are even more ethereal than usual, with Sting's bass parts bobbing in a mix seasoned with keyboards and sax and propelled by Stewart Copeland's unmistakable, idiosyncratic drumming. While Synchronicity gave the Police their greatest success with hits and videos, Ghost in the Machine is the band's best recording. --Albert MassaCustomer Reviews:
The Police On Fire!.......2007-07-17
This One, Not So Much..........2007-06-29
Didn't have even the album yet.......2007-05-13
The Darkest Police CD .......2007-04-03
Lyrics VS Music.......2007-03-29
Apart from token lines like: "With airy but moody synths and keyboards...", there's simply no reference at all to Andy Summers' incredibly ingenious and unique guitar playing with all its different colours and textures, his imaginative use of rhythm as well as his unforgettable riffs.
No mention of Stewart Copeland's breath-taking playing. The drumming that influenced a whole generation...
Nor is there any mention of Sting. Yes, he is a master song-writer but what about his instruments? He would have to be one of the most underrated bass players in the history of good music. As a bass player I've always admired his warm sound and his thoughtful playing. He's supportive and mostly sparse without ever being boring and possesses tonnes of tasty-ness. And what can we say about his voice?! Simply an amazing voice. A rich, totally unique tone that's instantly recognizable, combined with beautiful melodic ingenuity. And, when informed by Sting's tremendous musicality, it makes for some of the most heart-felt singing in all of popular music.
It is not my intention to ignore lyrics or their meaning. I love good lyrics as much as anyone else and I am fully aware that for a song to be a 'good song', it has to have both great lyrics and great music working in harmony. All I'm simply saying is that to concentrate exclusively on lyrics (brilliant as they might be) and to ignore the musician's/producer's contributions to the overall creation of a song is to basically relegate music's role to simply background filler. Like a movie soundtrack or a boring one-bar-loop repeated ad-nauseam in a bad Rap song.
The members of The Police deserve much more than that.
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Evil Empire
Rage Against the Machine Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0000029D9 Release Date: 1996-04-16 |
Tracks:
- People Of The Sun
- Bulls On Parade
- Vietnow
- Revolver
- Snakecharmer
- Tire Me
- Down Rodeo
- Without A Face
- Wind Below
- Roll Right
- Year Of Tha Boomerang
Amazon.com
As the vitriol spewed from Evil Empire, Rage Against the Machine's long-awaited follow up to their 1993 debut owes much to Chuck D.'s polemic fury and rapid-fire urgency--though as always the band rages without hip-hop machinery in favor of the heavy-duty power tools of rock. But no matter if Rage against the Machine amounts to revolutionary rap, protest metal, or a combination of the two, the band's command of sonic rage makes Evil Empire a powerful assault in any musical language.But wait, there's more to the name. Raging against the machine, like yelling at the TV, is woefully misdirected. Lyricist Zack de la Rocha is clearly someone with strong political views--particularly when it comes to the plight of fellow Mexicans on both sides of the border. He vents his indignation sharply at times ("Vietnow," "Without a Face"), rather clumsily and artlessly most others. Music this angry should be aimed at something more specific than an entire race or nation or government, or else it risks sounding like the empty rants of confused postpubescent rebellion. If only Rage against the Machine's raw musical muscles were grinding over a focused message, lord knows how potent they could be. --Roni Sarig
Customer Reviews:
"Don't mothers make good fathers?".......2007-06-13
Given the frontman's Chicano heritage it is valid to identify Evil Empire as de la Rocha's most personal work, no mean feat for an artist not known for keeping his emotions bottled-up.
The album opens with 'People of the Sun', a spiky number documenting the hardships of the Mexican people and their oppression throughout history at the hands of colonial powers, corruption and bureaucracy, and their neighbour to the north.
Fundamentally connected to the opener are the staccato 'Vietnow' and 'Without a Face', the former condemning the bellicose ideology of right-wing neoconservatism and the expansionist maxim prevailing in Occidental discourse, and the latter detailing individual small-scale delinquency as a simile for larger-scale dissidence and insurgency (as in the case of the Zapatista movement) engendered by colonial signification eroding indigenous identity.
Elaborating on the theme of colonial subjugation, Evil Empire's hit 'Bulls on Parade' underlines the machinations of dominant capitalism, pointing an accusatory finger at the US administration's military-industrial complex whilst disparaging of a governmental inability to identify any correlation between arms production and violent crime.
Musically, Evil Empire is informed more by hip-hop modes than the band's other two original works (1992's Rage Against the Machine and 1999's The Battle of Los Angeles), with the stop-start aesthetic allowing more scope for Tom Morello's typically innovative, often atonal guitar. Bassist Timmy C and drummer Brad Wilk (both of whom went on to become members of Audioslave, along with Morello) are the key players on Evil Empire's propulsive instrumentals however, combining to thunderous effect on 'Revolver' and 'Tire Me' in particular.
Evil Empire is de la Rocha's story though, and despite the polemic subject matter, he delivers each line with a cohesion and clarity superseding Rage's other work.
In these troubled times a lot of people need Rage Against the Machine to lend a voice to their discontent, we can only hope that new material follows their much-vaunted reunion shows. If ever there was a time for Rage to reclaim their vacant mantle of Most Imporant Band in the World, unfilled since they disbanded in 2000, it is surely now.
Raging With the Metal?.......2007-03-04
Many people have claimed that this album sounds similar to or follows the same formula as 1992's self-titled album, but I disagree; it sounds very different, much slower and darker. There were significant changes in how it was mixed; Zack de la Rocha's vocals are distant, not as clear or up-front as before; Brad Wilk's drums are louder and more expansive, as he tries out different rhythms; Tim Commerford's bass is higher and more frequently distorted in the mix, and isn't nearly as funky or bright, making each song darker; Tom Morello's guitar is almost always heavily distorted, making it sound more like a machine than a string instrument. In fact, this sounds more like a rap-metal album than a funk-metal album. There's pretty much no melody here. Each of the instruments, including the vocals, sound almost audibly equal in volume, blending together into a mush of sound, while their self-titled was careful in making each instrument distinct and bright. The pace has also been slowed significantly and, subsequently, most of the energy has been sucked from this album. This is a bleak listen, and it isn't nearly as colorful or fun as their previous effort. Surprisingly, the only thing different here is producer Brendan O'Brien, with Andy Wallace still behind the mixing tables, so it's possible that the band wanted it this way.
I must give Tom Morello some mention, of course, since his solos are interesting and innovative as always. The highlight here is "Bulls on Parade", where his solo sounds like a DJ scratching a turntable; the fact alone that the man has to duplicate this live is insane. He also adds another dimension to their sound with his electronic playing, creating very unique metallic textures, but it doesn't sound soulful or organic. At times it simply sounds a machine, plowing through the music.
The lyrics were great, and the subjects have become more varied; social commentary seems to share as much of the lyric sheet as the anti-government sentiment. However, Zack's slogans aren't nearly as catchy or energizing as in the debut, maybe because it's so hard to hear them. The biggest problem here would be the vocals; they aren't clean or clear, and they're actually brought down in the mix to the levels of the instrumentation. Zack's vocals add power to the band's sound, but because they seem to blend right in, they don't stand out as much. When he screams, the rhythm section drowns him out, making each scream pointless. Why scream if you can rap normally at the same volume?
This isn't packed with instant rock classics like in their self-titled, with the whole CD feeling more like a rap-oriented metal album, and some of the tracks are a real drag (I struggled to get through "Wind Below" without switching tracks; the whole carnival guitar effect is sweet, but listening to it trudge on is so damn borning). If you're a first-timer, I advise you get their self-titled debut if you want to see the band at their prime. If you're a fan, I definitely recommend this, although I suggest you keep your mind open and brace yourself. There are some moments where this album really shines, like "Bulls on Parade", "Revolver", and "Snakecharmer", but other times I found songs to be bland (especially "People of the Sun" and "Vietnow"). Don't get me wrong, I love this band and I tried like hell to get into this CD, but "Evil Empire" just doesn't do it for me. Thankfully, they recapture their sound on their next album, "The Battle of Los Angeles".
People of the Sun (6/10)
Bulls on Parade (10/10*)
Vietnow (6/10)
Revolver (8/10)
Snakecharmer (9/10)
Tire Me (8/10)
Down Rodeo (8/10)
Without a Face (7/10)
Wind Below (5/10)
Roll Right (5/10)
Year of tha Boomerang (7/10)
* Favorite track
best Rage album.......2007-02-23
DUDE its RAge.......2007-02-19
Exactly What a Great Album Should Be.......2006-11-02
& "Killing in the Name"), Rage Against the Machine released their sophomore album "Evil Empire." Sophomore albums are usually albums made in a euphoria and the work rushed, so they're usually not that good. This album has it's lows, but there's not a "bad" song on the album. A good portion of the album is solid, a few songs are less-than-spectacular; But the album is definitely an improvement over their already great first album. Singer/Rapper Zack de la Rocha is in full political-f**k the system glory here. His lyrics are powerful, intelligent, and sound great when sang. Tom Morello's guitar solos are spectacular, this guy is one of the most underrated guitarists around; Tim Commerford has a lot of chances on the album to show off his heavy basslines, and there's Brad Wilk of course filling out the rhythm section nicely. The song arrangement is great on the album, but what amazes me the most is this...The biggest hit off this album was Bulls on Parade, even though the song Tire Me won the band a Grammy. I think the song Down Rodeo is the best song on here, you can't beat his chorus (Can't waste a day when the night brings a hearse. So make a move and plead the fifth, cuz you can't plead the first. So now I'm rolling down rodeo with a shotgun these people ain't seen a brown skin man since their grandparents bought one). Even though the band didn't make it past 4 albums (and the best, I think, is their 3rd "The Battle of Los Angeles) this is still a strong and spectacular album that you can easily jam too as you're rolling down Rodeo. Sorry for that lame joke, but, anyway, here's the tracks and some in depth opinions:
1. People of the Sun-5/5-The lyrics are awesome, the song is catchy, the guitar is infectious, the basslines are great; A great, great, song.
2. Bulls on Parade-5/5-This song took a while to grow on me. I love the beat, lyrics are intelligent. It's a very good song.
3. Vietnow-5/5-Some people may find this song annoying, I love it. Extremely catchy; It got stuck in my head for a long time.
4. Revolver-5/5-This song is a love it or hate it song. Zack screams a little too much on this song, but it's pretty good.
5. Snakecharmer-5/5-This song has vocals that are barely there, but it works well enough with the music that it...Works.
6. Tire Me-4/5-This song won Rage a Grammy, but I think it's kind of a weak song. The basslines are superb, but the song can be kind of annoying at times.
7. Down Rodeo-5/5-I think is the best song on the album; It's got one of the best lines ("Rolling down rodeo with a shotgun, these people ain't seen a brown-skin man since their grandparents bought one") and is really catchy; The beat is one of their best.
8. Without a Face-5/5-Very cool song.
9. Wind Below-4/5-This song has it's high points and its low points. Mostly the latter.
10. Roll Right-5/5
11. Year of tha Boomerang-5/5-This is a great song, one of the best on the album.
GRADE: A-
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The Battle of Los Angeles
Rage Against the Machine Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00002MZ2C Release Date: 1999-11-02 |
Tracks:
- Testify
- Guerrilla Radio
- Calm Like A Bomb
- Mic Check (Once Hunting, Now Hunted)
- Sleep Now In The Fire
- Born Of A Broken Man
- Born As Ghosts
- Maria
- Voice Of The Voiceless
- New Millennium Homes
- Ashes In The Fall
- War Within A Breath
Amazon.com
Having successfully fused music and politics from their start, inspiring both moshing and young minds in the process, Rage Against the Machine emerges in peak form with merely their third album in seven years. Guitarist Tom Morello is one of the most distinctive and innovative players of his era, and his foil, vocalist/lyricist Zack De La Rocha, is as unrelenting and inspiring as ever on The Battle of Los Angeles. Rage, whose past antics include performing naked with duct tape over their mouths to protest censorship, released Battle on Election Day, but the politics of the group can be separated from the sounds. Indeed, the 45 minutes of mayhem heard here can be enjoyed solely as rousing aggro hip-hop rock. There's more variety found on Battle than on its predecessors, however. "Sleep Now in the Fire" is one of their most straight-ahead rock tunes. The trippy guitar on "Calm Like a Bomb" is out there even for the adventurous Morello. And "Born a Broken Man" serves up lovely musical interludes. Overall, the more finely honed Rage heard on Battle may not inspire a generation of young revolutionaries, but they still stir up more mutinous spirit than the rest of the current rock pack. --Katherine TurmanCustomer Reviews:
The Battle For Los Angeles.......2007-04-24
Many a Rage fan as well as critic well tell you that The Battle Of Los Angeles is the very best album that Rage ever made. Is this the case, is this really better then the self titled debut Rage Against The Mahine, probably. But you will have to be the judge of that one. One thing is for sure if this isnt the bands all time best effort it is a vert close second. The bands cover album Renagades was good, but this is better, Evil Empire was a killer album but once again this takes the cake of that one as well. The bands only equal comparason is the debut.
The Battle Of Los Angeles is a solid album through and through, not a bad track to be heard. Being released in late 1999, early 2000, at the dawn of a new millenium when the band was reaching its breaking point and on the eve of spliting they managed to hold it together and create one of the best rock albums of the last 25 years. Zack De La Rochas lyrics were the most focust and coherent they had ever been, and his vocal delivery is insane. Tim C, and Brad Wilk who may make up the greatest rhythm section in all of rock n' roll hold the album together as a whole. Then there is Tom who once again raised the bar as far as what is possible with the guitar. Tom Morello is easily one of the greatest guitarist ever to pick up the six string. Not only with his effects pedels but without them as well.
Songs like the major hit singles 'Testify' 'Guerrilla Radio' and the phenomenol 'Sleep Now In The Fire' helped to propel the album to the number one spot and sell millions of copies. Those three songs have gone on to become radio staples still seven yers after the album was released. 'Calm Like A Bomb' 'Mic Check' and 'Born As Ghosts' are similure and slower songs that really are nice for a change of pace. 'Born Of A Broken Man' is one of the better songs the band ever recorded. You can really here the punk influence on this song. The album closes with 'War Within A Breath' which is the prefect song to close the album.
Once you end the album all the messages in the songs come together into one and you can really here the cry for the great state of California that they love and how it has gone so far down hill. And in the end The Battle Of Los Angeles is an amazing album by on eof the greatest rock bands of all time.
If you like Rage, this is the best album.......2007-04-03
Fantastic Album.......2006-08-21
1. Testify-5/5
2. Guerilla Radio-5/5-One of my favorite songs on the album.
3. Calm Like a Bomb-5/5-One of my favorite Rage songs. It's really catchy and you can't beat Tom Morrello's riffs.
4. Mic Check-5/5-I love the lyrics; I love the chorus. Great song.
5. Sleep Now in the Fire-5/5-The guitar riff in this song is awesome. As are the lyrics; One of my favorite songs on here.
6. Born of a Broken Man-5/5-Zack De La Rocha speaks the verses and then pours energy into the chorus. I know some people who don't like this song, I love it.
7. Born as Ghosts-5/5-My 2nd favorite song on the album.
8. Maria-5/5
9. Voice of the Voiceless-5/5-It's short, but it's a great song.
10. New Millenium Homes-5/5-This probably ties as my 2nd favorite song. It sounds a little like Bulls on Parade, but the lyrics and music are awesome.
11. Ashes in the Fall-5/5-The music is awesome. De La Rocha whispering "Like ashes in the fall" is kind of creepy; Angry lyrics that definitely get their point across.
12. War Within a Breath-5/5-And a very impressive album closer. Some of the best drumming is on this track.
GRADE: A
Better than "Evil Empire.".......2006-04-08
The only annoying track on here was "Mic Check," everything else was good, especially "Guerilla Radio," "Ashes in the Fall," "Maria," and "Voice of the Voiceless."
Its not great, but its defitely better than "Significant Crap" from Limp Bizs**t.
If you're a Rage' fan, I suggest you pick this up.
Worth owning for one song, but the rest are very good too.......2006-03-29
However, this one digs into the band's favorite topics a little deeper and what it uncovers is hideous and depressing. From songs ranging about the destitution-to-desperation of the poor in Mexico ("Maria") to the us-against-them nature of abandoned/forgotten ethic groups/gangs in the inner city ("Born As Ghosts") to a song about one of their biggest causes, the freedom of (perhaps wrongly) convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal and other so-called criminals that may be in the same boat ("Voice of the Voiceless"), this album doesn't relent until the CD ends.
However, the one track that has always stuck out in my mind as the glimpse behind the curtain to which all others should be compared is the masterful "Ashes in the Fall," perhaps the band's most gut-wrenching, soul-searing track in its entire career.
The song takes an unflinching look at poverty and the plight of the lower class, immigrants and homeless: the very people that the government should be taking care of that it instead allows to fend for themselves. Starving, desperate, abused, and neglected, these people see no other way out of their situation than resorting to violence and crime...actions for which they are arrested and imprisoned, if not killed outright. The song's most gripping moment is when Zach de la Rocha mockingly screams, "Ain't it funny how the factory doors close 'round the time that the school doors close? 'Round the time that the doors of the jail cell open up to greet you like the Reaper?"
In other words, while most children are entering/leaving school, the pvverty-stricken are walking into factories where they can be promised low wages and grueling work until the whistle blows. If not that, then finding trouble and expending what little life is left inside them in the confines of a prison cell. It is a bleak image and all too true in the darker corners of every city in the United States.
As others have said, the reference to the new sound being just like the old sound is a snide reminder to the listener that the grandiose speeches of the government's appointed representatives are just echoes of all that was said by those who came before them. And all the while, a voice can be heard in the undercurrent calling for the expulsion of all "non-natives" in favor of the so-called "chosen" people of God, a direct contradiction to everything the founders of the nation believed it should be about, according to the Constitution.
It is an exceptional song on the strength of its lyrics alone, but the band truly outdid itself with the music, from the high-pitched cry of the guitar to the soft rhthym of the bass during the build to the song's final crescendo.
I don't know if there's a human being that can listen to this song and not feel his or her soul quail in horror at the images it creates. If such a person exists, I hope we never meet.
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The Blackening
Machine Head Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
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Industrial
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ASIN: B000N3ST9I Release Date: 2007-03-22 |
Tracks:
- Clenching the Fists of Dissent
- Beautiful Mourning
- Aesthetics of Hate
- Now I Lay Thee Down
- Slanderous
- Halo
- Wolves
- A Farewell to Arms
Album Description
Bay Area metal masters Machine Head are back with The Blackening, a glorious follow up to the critically acclaimed Through The Ashes of Empires. An evolutionary album, The Blackening features Machine Head staying true to their roots with some of the heaviest riffs ever recorded while incorporating many beautiful, melodic choruses. Produced by Robert Flynn (Machine Head vocalist/guitarist) and mixed by Colin Richardson (Fear Factory, Cradle of Filth, Bullet for My Valentine), The Blackening marks Machine Head's strong return to the forefront of the metal world. A heavy, technical album that, while rooted in 90s metal, pushes the boundaries of hard music well into the future with songs like "Aesthetics of Hate," "Halo," "Now I Lay Thee Down," "Beautiful Mourning" and more. Machine Head are Robert Flynn (vocals/guitar), Phil Demmel (lead guitar), Adam Duce (bass/harmony vocals), Dave McClain (drums)Customer Reviews:
Hands down best album of their career (and best album of the last few years, at least for me).......2007-06-25
Best album since since Heaven Shall Burn's "Antigone" - for me at least.
The Blackening !!.......2007-06-20
The solo are great but..........2007-06-18
Heavy..., but boring.......2007-06-14
While I don't discourage others from getting this album, it won't be in my collection. Already traded it in... Sorry.
A return to form.......2007-06-08
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Renegades
Rage Against the Machine Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
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General
| Rock
| Alternative Styles
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
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General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
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Pop Rap
| Rap & Hip-Hop
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General
| Rock
| Styles
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Rap Rock
| Rock
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Alternative Metal
| Hard Rock & Metal
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General
| Hard Rock & Metal
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ASIN: B000053EZW Release Date: 2000-12-05 |
Tracks:
- Microphone Fiend
- Pistol Grip Pump
- Kick Out The Jams
- Renegades Of Funk
- Beautiful World
- I'm Housin'
- In My Eyes
- How I Could Just Kill A Man
- The Ghost Of Tom Joad
- Down On The Street
- Street Fighting Man
- Maggie's Farm
- Bonus Track 01
- Bonus Track 02
Amazon.com
If Renegades proves to be the last Rage Against the Machine album to feature singer Zack de la Rocha, who quit the band after nine years, it's a cool way to go out. Produced by Rick Rubin, Renegades is a salute to the artists who made Rage what they are--or were. While it's easy to hear Rage's rap roots in songs from Afrika Bambaataa, EPMD, and Volume 10, it's more interesting to see their take on rock in its classic and punk forms. Rage capture the raw spirit, if not the quite the intensity, inherent in the MC5 classic "Kick Out the Jams." A superior second live take appears at the CD's end, followed by a concert version of Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill a Man," with help from B-Real and Sen Dog. Devo's "Beautiful World" is rendered quietly unrecognizable, while Minor Threat's "In My Eyes" is given a wonderfully melodic, ultra-aggro treatment. The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" takes on a techno vibe that's unsettling and Bob Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" is also effectively modernized. Ultimately, Renegades is a must-have for its song selection, musical execution, and the unhappy fact that it's likely the ultimate offering from one of rock's most musically and politically relevant lineups. --Katherine TurmanCustomer Reviews:
Reun1te / Political Agenda.......2007-02-14
Does anyone own the live & rare Rage cd, if you listen to it, Zack states lets bombard this Leonard Paltere's (SP) mail box until we win, maybe all us Rage fans need to bombard the record company's or the members of Rage themseleves until they do what they again do what they do best & that is make music as Rage Against The Machine.
Yo Check it, as I listen to their material daily even today I can find more passion in Rage than a run down mill scrap band that is Audioslave (namely due to Chris Cornell's semi attempted alright vocals), most of their mateiral in their first 2 albums could have easily been reworked for Rage as a lot of Rage was coming through & the only difference is Chris Cornell was on lead vocals & I am glad I did not see them live when they started playing Rage material (what kind of hypocracy is that?) - man he would have ruined all meaning & destroyed the funk blast!
So cut the chord & get this musical act of RATM back on track, you guys would with ease be no. 1 (not that you lot would care about the fat checks due to the political nature/agenda of the band).
Tom Morello - you are an outstanding guitarist, I could not believe those sounds could be made by guitar but a lot of what you did in Audioslave was just borrowed from Rage, however the rhythm section of Audio is great (esp. Brad he really takes drumming to new levels).
Hopefully the panther the brother De La Rocha has in his 7 year absence written some stronger much needed material due to the musical junk out there today & if there is any hope & in life if I saw a mission that is accomplished it would be Rage reformed & continuing on til their last breath/s.
Not everyone is gifted as musicains so why throw it away guys for a half rate band Audislave? Give me the mic so I can scream "COME ON...AAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"
When I think Rage I can with ease think of their song titles:
Bombtrack, Killing in the Name Of, Take the Power Back, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, Township Rebellion, Freedom, People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Vietnow, Revoler, Snakecharmer, Down Rhode, Without a Face, Year of the Boomerang, Testify, Guerrila Radio, Mic Check, Sleep Now In The Fire, Voice of the Voiceless, Maria, Ashes In The Fall, War Within A Breath, No Shelter, Microphone Fiend, Pistol Grip Pump, Renegades of Funk, How I Could Just Kill A Man, Street Fighting Man, Maggies Farm...Wow!!!
Zack - we need & long for you in the music industry more than ever as there has been no one out there able to spit truth like it needs to be done on a microphone only you as the front man of Rage Against The Machine can pull this off.
Peace out my panthers my brothers!
Rage Keep On Rockin' 'Til The Morning Comes.......2007-01-26
Hearing Zach spit out rhymes on hip-hop classics such as "Microphone Friend" and "How I Could Just Kill A Man" sounds only natural, but it's when the band ventures into other, less predictable territories that this album really shines. Perfect example would be their cover of Devo's "Beautiful World," a haunting, moving and surprisingly melodic commentary on the state of the world that still holds up today, just as it did in the 80's, and takes the Rage sound into a new realm. On the flipside, "Kick Out The Jams" (originally by MC5), is a brilliant merger of the signature Rage style with the fury of old-school punk. One of the more energetic tracks, this song is truly the point where the album takes shape. "In My Eyes" (originally by Minor Threat) takes on the same tone as "Kick Out The Jams," and remains another highlight, but elsewhere, on the Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen covers, "Maggie's Farm" and "The Ghost Of Tom Joad," the band shows some true influences that never really stood out before. The 12 song set is supported by two bonus live tracks: "Kick Out The Jams" and "How I Could Just Kill A Man," which just further solidify Rage's reputation as one of the best live bands of their time. The latter even features a guest appearance by B-Real and Sen Dog of Cypress Hill.
Overall, "Renegades" is a proper goodbye, that shows it's true roots and honors the band's influences with large amounts of respect and excellent musicianship. It's a shame that their last studio album wasn't original material, but this is just as good. With a Rage Against The Machine reunion on the horizon, who knows what the future will bring. But even if they don't make another album, "Renegades" still shows the band at their best, turning some classics into new anthems for the new millennium.
Rage Covers It All.......2006-12-16
Zach's crisp strong vocals are gripping as always and the band is peaking here.
Highlights are Microphone Fiend, Beautiful World, In My Eyes & Maggies Farm.
Pure heavy funk, not just for Rage fans....
The Original Artists.......2006-02-03
2. Pistol grip pump - Volume 10
3. Kick out the jam - MC5
4. Renegades of funk - Afrika Bambattaa
5. Beautiful world - Devo
6. I'm housin' - EPMD
7. In my eyes - Minor Threat
8. How could I just kill a man - Cypress Hill
9. The ghost of Tom Joad - Bruce Springsteen
10. Down on the street - The Stooges
11. Street fighting man - The Rolling Stones
12. Maggies farm - Bob Dylan
Music Orientated When Hip-Hop Originated, Fitted Like Pieces Of Puzzles....Complicated..........2005-11-28
Every thing here is pretty well perfect, the bonus tracks are pretty cool, and feature, "How I Could Just Kill A Man" with some other arttists.
Every thing here is near perfect, there isn't much more to say.
Album Highlights...
Microphone Fiend
Housin'
How I Could Just Kill A Man
Renegades Of Funk
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One Man Revolution
The Nightwatchman Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
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General
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ASIN: B000NVJRBO Release Date: 2007-04-24 |
Tracks:
- California's Dark
- One Man Revolution
- Let Freedom Ring
- The Road I Must Travel
- The Garden of Gethsemane
- House Gone Up In Flames
- Flesh Shapes The Day
- Battle Hymns
- Maximum Firepower
- Union Song
- No One Left
- The Dark Clouds Above
- Until The End
Amazon.com
For more than a decade, Tom Morello used earsplitting riffs to make his point, first with Rage Against the Machine, then with Audioslave. But on his solo debut as the Nightwatchman, the man named one of Rolling Stone's 100 greatest guitarists of all time tries a different approach. Taking cues from six-string radicals such as Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash, Morello reinvents himself as a singer-songwriter armed only with an acoustic guitar, gravelly baritone, and renewed political fervor. The lyrics are unavoidably blunt, whether tackling the plight of third world workers or being a member of two of the biggest rock bands of the past two decades: "On the streets of Havana I got hugged and kissed/ At the Playboy Mansion I wasn't on the list," he sings on the title track. The real discovery is that he's capable of making the same old racket at just a fraction of the volume. --Aidin VaziriAlbum Description
Tom Morello appears as The Nightwatchman on his stark new acoustic album One Man Revolution. These 13 songs create a dark, urgent portrait of a world in turmoil. Morello, the Grammy Award-winning guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, pinpoints the sociopolitical struggles of the American leftist underground in this series of self-penned originals. Brendan O'Brien (Peal Jam, Bruce Springsteen, Incubus, Rage Against the Machine) produces `One Man Revolution,' which is Tom's first time singing on record.Customer Reviews:
Stick with the Whammy pedal Tom..............2007-06-28
Not the same old Tom.......2007-06-24
Personally I think this is the music that our generation has been waiting for. Falling firmly into that tricky Genre of "protest music", this actually comes off as Genuine. Much of the protest music for our generation, such as Green Day, feels like an old artist trying to stay cool and relevant. Morello's new album feels the opposite. In fact, he has almost guaranteed himself no airplay and low album sales. This is very unsubtle, we need to change the world music. But its greatest strenght is that he has rediscovered the idea that made Dylan and Guthrie so good. Dont spend all of your time pointing fingers at who has done bad by you. Instead, he tells the people to stand up and fight for the wrongs of the world. Open your eyes, get up and change the world. Good job Tom.
Back to the Future.......2007-06-11
The moment that Tom started singing "One Man Revolution" at the Sundown Stage at the Wakarusa Music Festival [following North Mississippi All-Stars, a far better act] I had a good cathartic laugh because now I knew that people would experience the Tom Morello that I know:
A relatively talentless guitarist who hid two-note riffs behind Zach de la Rocha and layers of fx,
A lyricist whose politics seem to be an expression of opportunism more than conviction,
and a man who has no sense of subtlety.
So thanks to you, Tom Morello.
Now everyone knows you like I do.
Great protest music.......2007-06-04
Pretty Good.......2007-05-30
Weather or not you liked Rage Against the Machine is really no indication of weather you'll like this album. Both were political, but that's really the only common thread. The album reminds me a lot more of Bob Dylan then Rage Against the Machine.
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Extraordinary Machine
Fiona Apple Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000B0WOEO Release Date: 2005-10-04 |
Tracks:
- Extraordinary Machine
- Get Him Back
- O' Sailor
- Better Version Of Me
- Tymps (The Sick In The Head Song)
- Parting Gift
- Window
- Oh Well
- Please Please Please
- Red Red Red
- Not About Love
- Waltz (Better Than Fine)
Amazon.com
Fiona Apple, brooding, brainy belter and capital-A artist of near forbidding depth, begins her much gossiped-over third CD on a lark. The title track, one of two songs produced by Jon Brion before the label dispute that prompted hip-hop producer Mike Elizondo (50 Cent, Eminem) to step in, sounds like a Judy Garland number slathered with irony or something Rufus Wainwright might have had a hand in--strings soar, beats bump around skittishly, and notes require a ladder. But playful as it is, by the time the chorus kicks in it's clear why the world has missed Fiona Apple so much. Young female artists who have stepped into the spotlight since she fled it six years ago-- Nellie McKay and Joss Stone spring to mind for their cleverness and heat, respectively--seem slight in comparison. With every track ticked off, in fact, Extraordinary Machine moves listeners a little closer to what might be a correct assumption: that everything they've dipped into since 1999's When the Pawn ... was filler. Fans will feel it especially on "O'Sailor," a gimlet-eyed lament, and "Tymps," a tight piano track with a tip of the hat to hip-hop. It's "Window," though, with its lyric about "a filthy pane of glass" fogging up a clear view, that sums up the experience of this CD best. "I had to break the window," Apple sings, smoky-voiced as ever. "It just had to be." With Extraordinary Machine, she shatters already sky-high expectations. -Tammy La GorceCustomer Reviews:
I hate to say it but..........2007-07-13
Her Best........2007-06-28
And don't be fooled, fiona is still amazing.
Her voice takes on a solid, more mature tone in this album. Deep and rich and at times eerie.
And the lyrics are better than ever. She is witty, clever and concise; a goddess at rhyme who's lyrics possess a powerful sting in and of its simplicity; the kind that you have to read twice, three, four times to get. She is the sing-song Dorothy Parker of the 21st century. Brillant.
Highlight Lyrics inlude:
1. From "Window"---"I had to break the window/It just had to be/Better that i break the window/Then him, or her, or me."
2. From "Red Red Red"--"I don't understand about diamonds and why men buy them/Whats so impressive about a diamond?/Except the mining?
3. From "Parting Gift"--"Oh you silly, stupid past time of mine/You were always good for the rhyme.
4. From "Get Him Back"--"Wait till i get him back/He wont have a back to scratch.
This album is also perfectly balanced. A perfect combination of upbeat power songs ("Get Him Back, Tymps, Not About Love), gut-wrenching ballads (Oh Well, Red Red Red, and Parting Gift) along with some light fluety, fun tunes (Please Please Please, Waltz, Extraordinary Machine.)
In short, youd have to be a perfect fool not to buy this album. It is Fiona Apple's best yet. She has raised the bar yet again; vocally, lyrically, and melodically. This album goes from the margin to the center in terms of emotion, too. Screaming and growling and belting out whatever raw feelings that have been buried underneath, seeming to surface like a great big crashing wave that will completely smother you in its prescence.
Amazing CD.......2007-05-21
Beautiful Music.......2007-05-14
It is great to have her back and in such a wonderful way.
Very few words are needed to express the beauty of this effort.
Fabulous!.......2007-05-13
Rock Music:
- Mad Season [Australia CD Single] [CD-single] [Import]
- Math & Science
- Maximum [Import]
- Music of the Year: 1980 [Import]
- Music of the Year: 1982 [Import]
- New Love
- On Air [Live]
- Overused [Import]
- Paul Stanley [Import]
- Poor Man's Dream [Import]
