Singles-Gold Disc [Import]

Product Description
European only Gold-Disc pressing is housed in a die-cut slip case, exposing the gold disc. In a few short years, the Clash transformed themselves from one of English punk's hardest-edged bands to an adventurous outfit with their hands in reggae, dub, dance, and funk. Nowhere is that range more evident than in this collection of singles spanning their entire career, from the three-chord fury of 'White Riot' through the swooning pop of 'Train in Vain' to the dance groove of 'Rock the Casbah'. While no substitute for the likes of the self-titled debut, London Calling, or Sandinista!, The Singles does offer up a succession of tunes that helped make the Clash the world's biggest punk band. The addition of two tunes not released on any of their original albums ('Bankrobber' and 'This Is Radio Clash') add to the value of this retrospective. 18 total tracks. BMG. 2005.

The Singles,The Clash,Bmg Germany,British Punk,Hard Rock,Pop,Pop/Rock,Punk,Rock,Rock & Roll,Rock/Pop

Average customer rating: Ga ga over Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Showing a different side 3 and 1/2 No Rock and Roll sensibility Root for the 'underdogs' of indie-rock ladies & gents - they're brilliant!

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Limited Edition Bonus Disc) Spoon Manufacturer: Merge Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Our Love to Admire Icky Thump Easy Tiger Sky Blue Sky The Reminder ASIN: B000RGSOQO Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

1. Don't Make Me A Target
2. Ghost Of You Lingers, The
3. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
4. Don't You Evah
5. Rhythm And Soul
6. Eddie's Ragga
7. Underdog, The
8. My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
9. Finer Feelings
10. Black Like Me

Amazon.com

Something happened to Spoon between records five and six--they got big. It's not as if these unprepossessing Texans were unpopular before, but after Gimme Fiction, their music was everywhere. There was Britt Daniel, who has since moved to Oregon, singing karaoke on cult favorite Veronica Mars, there was his soundtrack for deadpan Will Ferrell vehicle Stranger Than Fiction, and then there were the countless times their tunes, especially 2002's "The Way We Get By," appeared in other movies and TV shows. The irony is that they hadn't signed to a major label (they tried that in the 1990s; it didn't take). Nor had they given their sound a major overhaul. Maybe it was a change of publicist, or maybe the times had simply caught up with these "faux punks/gentlemen dudes." In any case, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is the mark of men confident enough to give their album one of the world's goofiest titles (at least it's an improvement over Queen's "Radio Ga Ga"). If Gimme Fiction was a transitional work, record number six moves even further away from the angularity of Wire and other early influences. "The Ghost of You Lingers," for instance, is downright dreamy, while "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" is brass-bedecked power-pop (with chimes!). Open-minded listeners will surely find this Beatlesque song cycle irresistible. Fans of the Spoon's darker, more dramatic material might want to check their expectations at the door. They'll be glad they did. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Album Description

This record starts with "Don't Make Me A Target", a song that builds on Spoon's familiar minimal rhythmic piano/guitar vamp popularized on earlier hits like "Small Stakes" or "The Way We Get By". The album quickly moves into uncharted territory with the atmospheric "The Ghost Of You Lingers" and moves through several different stylistic changes from the explosive "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" to the wall-of-sound horns of radio single "The Underdog". Their most heartfelt batch of songs since 2001's "Girls Can Tell".

Customer Reviews:

Ga ga over Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.......2007-07-19

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga might not be Spoon's best album, but it certainly is their most challenging. Gone are the easy guitar riffs and hooks from Kill the Moonlight and Gimme Fiction. Instead what you find on this album is a wide variety of layered sounds (horns, chimes, etc.) that signals the band is maturing and definitely moving in a new direction. It takes a few listens to get into the groove of their new sound, but once you do the album gets better with each listen. The album flows well and except for "The Ghost of You Lingers" (which seems better suited for the bonus b-sides disc) all the songs are good, just don't be expecting to have your camera turned on. Recommended.

Showing a different side.......2007-07-18

I am liking this cd for the mere fact that it sounds like what I "expected." Nothing mind-blowing, like Gimmie Fiction or Series of Sneaks, but nonetheless, a solid Spoon-like sound. Safe songs that are radio-friendly (The Underdog, Don't make me a target), the few songs that are without a doubt Spoon showing us a different side of them (Eddie's Ragga, My Little Japanese Cigarette Case,etc.), and of course my least favorites, The Ghosts Of You Lingers and of course Yr Cherry Bomb, which to me sounds like it should be on a "Supremes" album.

**In my opinion, buy this album if you truly like Spoon's music, (not the OC soundtracks) and you will not be disappointed.

3 and 1/2.......2007-07-17

I have to say this is maybe my least favorite Spoon album so far. Weird as it is, that's not really a bad thing. I feel Spoon is typically so good that anything lesser by comparison, is most likely still pretty good...Does that read as stupid as I think?

Anyway, I won't go over the songs individualy, since several people already have. However, I will list it with the other Spoon albums in order from favorite to least favorite to give an idea of how I categorized it.

1. Girls Can Tell - the first Spoon album for me, and still the strongest all the way through.

2. A Series of Sneaks - This album, to me, is almost as good as GCT, but it doesn't flow quite as well.

3. Gimme Fiction - I think this album would be my favorite if it stayed as strong as it started. The last few songs feel repetitive, and not in the good Spoon way.

4. Kill The Moonlight - Great songs, but it feels more like a singles collection than a proper album. Very brief too.

5. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - This one has a bit of the issue that Gimme Fiction has. Fairly strong start with a weak finish. Except the last song picks it back up. With more time, I may feel differently.

6. Telephono - I like it alot, but they hadn't quite gotten their own style yet. Good songs, though.

If I was to throw any EP's in there, I would probably put Soft Effects between 5 & 6 and I would place Love Ways between 1 & 2.

No Rock and Roll sensibility.......2007-07-17

I agree with Black Griffin. And I know that Pitchfork gave this album an 8.5 out of 10. And I know that they called this album a "grower". And I know that that implies that those of us who "don't get it" will be called shortsighted and unfeeling ignoramuses. But there's not much to this album. Nothing has the Rock and Roll energy on this record that is found on "Gimmie Fiction", "Kill the Moonlight", or "Series of Sneaks". But maybe that's what they were going for... Maybe their idea of becoming more experimental this year means lilting around on half hearted riffs and singing words that are entirely replacable over and over again. If that's the case, then yes, this album is experimental, but I hope that for their next release they get back their Rock and Roll sensibility and put out something Good.

Root for the 'underdogs' of indie-rock ladies & gents - they're brilliant!.......2007-07-17

I'll start this review by first saying that I've never even bought nor heard a full Spoon album prior to purchasing the exceptional GA GA GA GA GA. What turned me on to the band was a promotional download I received for the single from Spoon's GIMME FICTION, "I Turn My Camera On". I missed out on actually buying GIMME FICTION (which I still want to pick it up), but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to buy the much anticipated follow-up album. It is brief, but despite its brevity, it is consistent from top to bottom, beginning to finish. Can you say f@#&!*) brilliant?

My favorite numbers here are "Don't Make Me A Target" which serves as an exceptional opener. "The Ghost Of You Lingers" is incredibly outside of the box, but the piano-centric production and the indie-quality of the track are unmistakibly brilliant. What is most potent for me concerning "Don't Make Me A Target" is the fact that it may be the most credible tone-poem I've heard for a while; the reverb with Britt Daniel's vocals represents the sound of a ghost. "Don't You Evah" and "Rhythm and Soul" are great as well but nothing steals the thunder of the absolutely marvelous Jon Brion (the man's a genius) helmed "Underdog" which gives Spoon's infectious "I Turn My Camera On" a serious run for its money, and that is saying a lot. Though I've lauded specific tracks, I think the album as a whole is a masterpiece, specifically for all us guys who have a soft-spot in our musical hearts for indie-rock music. One of 2007's best is presented via GA GA GA GA GA ladies and gents! 4 stars.

Average customer rating: Won't be unknown for long Refreshing and Emotional An Indiana Treasure for sure! Saw Jon in Concert in Savannah, GA Indiana

Indiana (with Bonus Disc) - Amazon.com Exclusive Jon McLaughlin ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Chasing Mississippi Everything in Between Undiscovered Who We Are The Break-In ASIN: B000P0IW4G Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

1. Industry
2. Beautiful Disaster
3. Just Give It Time
4. Already In
5. For You From Me
6. Human
7. Indiana
8. Anthem for American Teenagers
9. People
10. Amelia's Missing
11. Praying to the Wrong God
12. Perfect
13. Until You Got Love

Tracks:

1. Conversations
2. Throwing A Line
3. Industry (live performance video)

Amazon.com

While his friends were cramming economics, science, and business, Jon McLaughlin was studying piano, and his major-label debut confirms that the Indiana-bred singer/songwriter finished at the top of his class. Three years after his self-titled debut, which was the result of a competition triumph at his music school, McLaughlin meshes his upbringing with his adult-life influences (Billy Joel, Ben Folds) for an ambitiously crafted and extrovertly performed album of piano-led rock and balladry. Essentially a memoir for the twenty-something artist, Indiana wanders through admissions and opinions about love, conviction, close acquaintances, and familial bonds. McLaughlin's classical ties are rarely missing and most evident in songs like the good-natured "Industry," the yearning-for-home title track, and "Amelia's Missing," where he shamefully asks, "I can't find my wallet, so how in the hell am I supposed to find the one that I love?" The latter is the kind of heart-on-the-sleeve, fingers-on-the-ivory sincerity that has garnered McLaughlin a loyal contingent wherever he plays--one that's likely to breed as these 13 songs hit the street. --Scott Holter

Album Description

This Amazon.com exclusive version of Indiana includes a 3-track bonus disc, "B-Sides from Indiana", featuring the songs "Conversations" and "Throwing A Line." The bonus disc is also enhanced with the live performance video for "Industry."

Through its emotional ups and downs, its sweeping, hooky and earnest piano-pop, Indiana finds the 24-year-old, Indiana based singer working through romantic tests, and even finds him candidly discussing the status of his young career. "There are songs about relationships, girls, faith, friends, family, and there are even some songs about the music industry," he says. "It's a debut album. Nobody knows how the album's gonna go, I don't know how my career is gonna go, so some songs are about that--me trying to venture out into the big world, and make it work." It's also an album about taking stock of all that's good and bad in your life. McLaughlin dubbed the album Indiana during a point when he was in California and away from his Midwestern hometown for the first time in his life for an extended period of time -- at a time when he was better able to recognize what's beautiful and easily taken for granted in small town America. In the song's sly stanzas, the title track pays homage to his home state, via a string-laden piano ballad. But the songs on Indiana deal in emotions as prevalent in Timbuktu as they are in the heartland: "After all, we're only human," McLaughlin sings in the chorus of the ultra-catchy jewel "Human."

Customer Reviews:

Won't be unknown for long.......2007-07-18

What a fantastic CD!! I heard one amazing song, "Beautiful Disaster", and decided that I had to hear song samples of the rest. After that, I was sold. The CD is a absolute must!

Refreshing and Emotional.......2007-07-16

I thoroughly am enjoying this disc. John is in my eyes very comparable to Gavin DeGraw in that you have an immediate emotional tie to his music. You know that he is truly an artist, and not just someone out there singing a song because he can. I would reccomend this to anyone looking for a new disc to buy.

An Indiana Treasure for sure!.......2007-06-08

Jon McLaughlin is an amazing artist which you will find out very quickly after listening to any of his songs. He has an awesome sound and if you get the chance to see him in concert don't pass it up!

Saw Jon in Concert in Savannah, GA.......2007-06-06

Had'nt heard of him before a couple of nights ago. He opened up for Jonny Lang at the historic Lucas Theatre. He was fantastic. AND after he played he hung out in the lobby posing with fans, signing autographs etc. Just bought Indiana.

Indiana.......2007-05-30

I have not enjoyed a CD so much in so many years! I can't get enough of his music! Jon is the most refreshing musical artist out there today.

Average customer rating: Excellent A Great CD for Tweens and Teens Can't Go Wrong HANNAH MONTANA CD TOTALLY 5 STAR Hannah Montana 2 Disc Special CD/DVD pack

Hannah Montana: 2-Disc Special Edition Soundtrack Original TV Soundtrack Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus Disneymania, Vol. 5 Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profile Hannah Montana, Vol. 1 - Livin' the Rock Star Life High School Musical 2 ASIN: B000N4SA8W Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Best of Both Worlds - Hannah Montana
2. Who Said - Hannah Montana
3. Just Like You - Hannah Montana
4. Pumpin' Up the Party - Hannah Montana
5. If We Were a Movie - Hannah Montana
6. I Got Nerve - Hannah Montana
7. The Other Side of Me - Hannah Montana
8. This Is the Life - Hannah Montana
9. Pop Princess - The Click Five
10. She's No You - Jesse McCartney
11. Find Yourself in You - Everlife
12. Shining Star - B5
13. I Learned from You - Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus
14. BONUS TRACK - Nobody's Perfect - Hannah Montana

Tracks:

1. Exclusive Hannah Montana Backstage Secrets (30 min.)
2. Live Performance of "Nobody's Perfect"

Amazon.com

The Hannah Montana special edition soundtrack arrives so coolly p ackaged and with such a bonanza of extras that it might even induce budget-conscious tweens who already own the original to break open their piggy banks a second time. All the same hyper-charged, deliriously fun songs are here--the Radio Disney hit "If We Were a Movie" and the speaker-hazardous "Pumpin' up the Party" included--but so is a new number, "Nobody's Perfect," that again reaches out with a message from Miley Cyrus, a.k.a. Hannah, without mitigating the sky-high mood. Toe-tapping, indeed, is mandatory. Throughout. Other deluxe-edition tack-ons include signed snaps of the double-life-leading superstar, a certificate for a free "This Is the Life" ringtone, and a starter course of celebrity dish: in addition to a concert sliver featuring "Nobody's Perfect" on disc two (the DVD), Miss Cyrus leads her breathless fans on chummy, if minimally revealing, backstage tour. --Tammy La Gorce

Hannah Montana Photos

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-07-06

This album is better than the 2nd one. This is the house favorite! this album is more suitable for smaller kids.

A Great CD for Tweens and Teens.......2007-06-13

I like the songs by Hannah Montana on this CD because they don't talk about boys and relationships but are focused more on a positive self image. There are a few songs at the end by other artists which aren't as good.

Can't Go Wrong.......2007-06-04

If you (or your kids) are (bubblegum) pop music, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, or Disney fans, this is definitely a soundtrack for you. Like the regular soundtrack, this 2-Disc Special Edition Hannah Montana CD is full of fun, get-your-body-moving songs that kids and adults can relate to. The bonus track and the extra features (backstage secrets hosted by Miley Cyrus herself, a live performance of "Nobody's Perfect," and 4 polaroid-style pictures) make it well worth shelling out that extra ten dollars.

This is a must buy!

HANNAH MONTANA CD TOTALLY 5 STAR.......2007-05-25

The Hannah Montana Double CD/DVD totally rocks. It is fantastic,
fun filled and awesome music. GREAT JOB !!!

Hannah Montana 2 Disc Special CD/DVD pack.......2007-05-21

Great CD and DVD combination! Great birthday gift!

Average customer rating: Awesome Musical SUNSHINE Baby!! A great album filled with hits at every turn! Norms One It's Barenaked Ladies, how could you go wrong!

Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001 Barenaked Ladies Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Barenaked for the Holidays Barenaked Ladies Are Me Everything to Everyone Stunt Barenaked Ladies Are Men ASIN: B00005R1Q8 Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

1. The Old Apartment
2. Falling for the First Time
3. Brian Wilson
4. One Week
5. Be My Yoko Ono
6. Alternative Girlfriend
7. It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland)
8. If I Had $1000000
9. Call and Answer
10. Get in Line
11. It's All Been Done
12. Jane
13. Lovers in a Dangerous Time
14. Pinch Me
15. Shoebox
16. What a Good Boy
17. Too Little Too Late
18. Enid
19. Thanks That Was Fun

Amazon.com

Electrifying performers and pure-pop songwriters of the highest order, Toronto's Barenaked Ladies have emerged over a decade as that strangest of beasts. They'll never land a dishy cover story in Mojo Magazine, but as they reflect on those ribald years between 1991 and 2001, the five can allow themselves wry smiles, knowing that sometimes, just sometimes, the cream rises to the top. In addition to familiar radio staples such as "Pinch Me," "The Old Apartment," "Jane," "Alternative Girlfriend," and the ubiquitous "One Week," there's a trump card on All Their Greatest Hits that will prove irresistible to completists: the Ladies' buttery, acoustic version of Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers in a Dangerous Time." Recorded eons ago for a Cockburn tribute disc that almost immediately went out of print, the song has until now been a rare and highly coveted collector's item. Two news songs--"Thanks That Was Fun" and "It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland)"--were recorded specifically for this collection, while two others ("Brian Wilson" and "What a Good Boy") are captured live. But what really brings this album home is, ironically, "If I Had $1,000,000." One of their very first hits cut as the Ladies were learning to dovetail their so-called "acoustic hip-hop" into slicker pop sensibilities, "$1,000,000"--a simple knock-kneed love song with harmonies so tight they're practically braided--is a snapshot of a band with all the pieces in place just as the planets were about to align. --Kim Hughes

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-07-12

We love all the Barenaked Ladies songs! This is a repurchase of the disc after we lost the first one and couldn't live without it.

Musical SUNSHINE Baby!!.......2007-03-14

Okay, so, if we were in a western, I wouldn't exactly be quick on the draw, but personally, I like getting to things in my own sweet time.
Six years (?) after the fact, the SpiritWorld is graced with this FANTASTIC cd-of 19 tracks, thank you very much-GET IT NOW!!
I was only familiar with the high inducing 'Falling For The First Time' track that's on the Malcolm in the Middle soundtrack, and only vaguely familiar with a few of the others, so I come to this as a newbie and I LOVE IT!!
Their quirky loquacious lyrics are funny, smart, smiley, honest and paranoid, the music is played with heart, it's beautiful and even the slower tracks you can snap to. A couple of the tracks are live versions which makes a nice change to the polished studio feel and it's sweet because you can hear the fans singing along in the background.
I can honestly say there's not a Homer's favorite brand of beer track on here; they're all FABOO, and some that are the faboo-est include the aforementioned Falling..., If I Had $1000000 and the spectacular Pinch Me.
I'd like to buy a doll house, use a shrinkomatic on these guys and have them play for me every time I opened the door. Or we could all just live together. I am so getting their entire back catalog and all their new and future ones, which, considering I'm more of a soundtracks girl, is saying a lot.
Lyrics aren't included in the booklet, but you do get a funny little story behind each song, and besides, they sing clearly enough, and you won't be able to stop playing it either, so you'll pick up on the words.
Bottom line: I HIGHLY recommend this, especially if you have a red cadillac and are going for a road-trip across America. Even just in your head. It's like pure musical sunshine.

A great album filled with hits at every turn!.......2007-02-23

I purchased this album after hearing only "One Week" and "If I had 1000000 dollars" from the radio. The two give you a taste of the wacky and zany streak that touches several of their songs, including the irreverant "Be My Yoko Ono." But they show a softer and more reflective side with tracks like "Call and Answer" as well. The variety of tracks is impresive.

As a rule, "best of" compilations tend to be littered with bad songs, but BNL really nailed it with this fantastic collection of songs. If you've heard and enjoyed any of their music, you owe it to yourself to check this one out!

Norms One.......2007-01-20

There is some good with bad along with this review. I felt previous reviews had recommended highly, but it did not live up to expectations. Having written that - there were some good tracks.

It's Barenaked Ladies, how could you go wrong!.......2007-01-03

I am a fan of the BNL, and this CD did not disappoint.

Average customer rating: Plain and simple Elvis Costello: The Real King Great Debut the first and greatest elvis. Elvis is King!

My Aim Is True (With Bonus Disc) Elvis Costello Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: This Year's Model (With Bonus Disc) Armed Forces Get Happy!! Imperial Bedroom Trust ASIN: B00005MLU0 Release Date: 2001-08-21

Tracks:

1. Welcome to the Working Week
2. Miracle Man
3. No Dancing
4. Blame It on Cain
5. Alison
6. Sneaky Feelings
7. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes
8. Less Than Zero
9. Mystery Dance
10. Pay It Back
11. I'm Not Angry
12. Waiting for the End of the World
13. Watching the Detectives

Tracks:

1. No Action
2. Living in Paradise
3. Radio Sweetheart
4. Stranger in the House
5. I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself
6. Less Than Zero (Dallas Version)
7. Imagination (is a Powerful Deceiver)
8. Mystery Dance (Honky Tonk Demo)
9. Cheap Reward (Honky Tonk Demo)
10. Jump Up (Honky Tonk Demo)
11. Blame it on Cain (Honky Tonk Demo)
12. Poison Moon (Honky Tonk Demo)

Amazon.com

Elvis Costello kicked off his debut album with a formal device that would also serve his next two long-players well: the first thing you hear is his voice. That opening phrase--"Now that your picture's in the paper..."--was more than sneakily, if not intentionally, appropriate, since Costello was quickly declared the second coming. It's become de rigueur to dis the pub-rock backing of U.S. band Clover, but their work here is satisfactorily edgy; guitarist John McFee makes some of the arrangements with his wailingly articulate fills. The remastered Rhino reissue includes a full second disc of demos and rarities. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Plain and simple.......2007-04-10

One of the best debut albums--what they were called back before CDs--ever released. Though Elvis' infamous anger has tempered and he has ventured into an admirable array of musical genres, the depth and urgency of his songwriting skills are evident and prophetic here. Just try to grow weary of repeated plays of "Mystery Dance" and "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes." You will fail because they are endlessly listenable. This is a text book of rock music.

Elvis Costello: The Real King.......2007-02-01

More Classic '1977' Gold. This contains some of Declans finest Moments and really none of his banter. Songs like "Blame It On Cain" and "Watching The Detectives" set to Prove that 1977 was the Peak year!!

Great Debut.......2007-01-01

I'm not sure of the exact date, but it was the winter of 77/78, and my friends and I drove thru a blizzard to catch Elvis in a little lecture hall at C.W. Post College on Long Island, N.Y. Did it ever open our eyes, ears and minds. He played most of this album plus some of what was to be "This Years Model".I had purchased "My Aim Is True"after hearing, "Alison" on the radio but that song was only a hint at the rest of what was on the album. Songs like "Watching The Detectives", "Mystery Dance" and "Less Than Zero" are brillant and still stand up some 30 years later. This is one of the all time best debut albums and previewed an incredible output for the next 2 years. I wish that the Attractions had played on this but the playing on it is fine but not nearly as intense as it was live. It's albums and shows like this that remind me why I love rock 'n roll.

the first and greatest elvis........2006-05-23

at the time that this album came out i had just lost my little boy, my husband had left me for a woman 24 years my junior, & i had a serious rash all up & down my left side. i was DEPRESSED. then i heard this music & suddenly i wanted to wear lipstick again. i wanted to wear lipstick & i wanted to dance. what a great album. and to this day in 2006 it still is! the best elvis costello album known to man (and that's saying something).

Elvis is King!.......2006-04-19

The angry young man hit a grand slam with this debut album. EC ain't much of a guitarist, but hey when you can capture what an entire generation is thinking within your lyrics...well, they call that genius! Back to back, the tunes here are all winners. Alison is a particular favorite of mine. This album is the beginning of a remarkable body of work that is still evolving.
Keep it up Mr. Krall :-)

Average customer rating: We Love This Music! Loved it! Perfect for long car trips with children....... fun, but not appropriate for kids - violent lyrics Breath of Fresh Air

Not for Kids Only Jerry Garcia , and David Grisman Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Jambands | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: For The Kids Jazz for Kids: Sing, Clap, Wiggle and Shake For the Kids Too! No! Mary Had a Little Amp ASIN: B000003913 Release Date: 1993-10-20

Tracks:

1. Jenny Jenkins
2. Freight Train
3. A Horse Named Bill
4. Three Men Went A-Hunting
5. When First Unto This Country
6. Arkansas Traveler
7. Hopalong Peter
8. Teddy Bears' Picnic
9. There Ain't No Bugs On Me
10. The Miller's Will
11. Hot Corn, Cold Corn
12. A Shenandoah Lullaby

Amazon.com

An aptly named album if ever there was one, Not for Kids Only combines the talents of two legendary performers, the late Jerry Garcia, singer-guitarist of the Grateful Dead, and David Grisman, mandolinist and father of "dawg music," a melding of bluegrass, jazz, swing, Latin, and Jewish klezmer sounds. On this 1993 recording, the two devoted friends make seemingly effortless music, adapting traditional and old-time folk into a personalized sound so "homemade" (with jew's-harp and tambourine) as to inspire any child, young or old, to pick up whatever's at hand to play along. From the jaunty rhythms of "Jenny Jenkins" to the cornball humor of "Arkansas Traveler" and the laugh-out-loud lyrics of "A Horse Named Bill" ("I had a girl and her name was Daisy / And when she sang the cat went crazy"), this album, with Garcia's delightful hand-drawn cover art, tickles from top to bottom. --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews:

We Love This Music!.......2007-05-23

This CD is wonderful and every member of my family loves it. It is perfect for my preschooler, who can listen to it any time of day or night. Appropriate for daytime listening because the lyrics in many songs are hilarious, and also mellow enough for his bedtime. The CD closes with a beautiful Brahm's lullaby. My husband and I are happy to expose our child to music that is played beautifully by talented musicians, with fun and clever lyrics. Plus we know that the purchase of this CD helps sick children, so we feel really good about having bought it.

My 3 year old just walked in, saw the picture of the CD on the screen, and said "I love that CD! For Kids Not Only!" How's that for a testimonial?!

Loved it!.......2007-03-16

We were looking for a new motivator to get our three year old to stay in his bed at nightime. He loves this CD! Funny, relaxing songs that work in the bedroom, but can also be great in the car. The songs are kid and adult friendly as well. It's a great combination of songs!

Perfect for long car trips with children..............2007-01-10

If you are tired of listening to Barney or the Wiggles, or any other obnoxious children's CD in the car with your kids, buy this CD. This is a collection of perfectly played children's favorites by two of the best bluegrass musicians of their time: Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. Yes, the very same man who fronted the Grateful Dead played bluegrass music and was very very good at it. Children will love the fun sing-a-longs like "Ain't no Bugs", and "Freight Train", and you won't mind them either. Adults will laugh every time they hear "Arkansas Traveler" because the jokes are so corny, they are funny. Everyone will have "Hot Corn, Cold Corn" in their mind after a listen.

As the title says "Not for Kids Only", this CD will make any long drive a pleasurable experience vs. one that you wish you had brought along the sedatives.

fun, but not appropriate for kids - violent lyrics.......2006-09-24

This CD is fun and musically intriguing, but not appropriate for kids... one song talks about "what can you do in a case like that but stamp on your mother, and your toothbrush, and on everything that's helpless." Another talks of being an immigrant to the country and says "and they beat me, and they banged me, and they left me on the ground." And another says "I'm a great sharpshootress. There is nothing that I can't shoot in the eyes, or the ears, or the teeth, or the fingers." Musically it's fun and goofy and intriguing, but I was appalled when I realized what I was encouraging my young child to listen to.

Breath of Fresh Air.......2006-07-14

Wonderful instrumentals and lyrics. A Shenandoah Lullaby is simply beautiful. I love the way the ending segues into Brahm's lullaby. His version of Arkansas traveller is refreshing. Teddy Bears' Picnic is a quaint song that few people have heard. There Ain't No Bugs On Me is my two-year-old daughter's favorite, judging from the way she belts out this song and giggles from time to time. I like all the songs on the CD. A breath of fresh air for parents who prefer real instruments to synthesized pop.

Average customer rating: If you haven't experienced "Born to Run"... The Boss at his Best Still good after 30+ years on Worth it Great album and package

Born to Run: 30th Anniversary 3-Disc Set Bruce Springsteen Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions Devils & Dust Bob Dylan - No Direction Home Bruce Springsteen - VH-1 Storytellers Hammersmith Odeon London '75 ASIN: B000BJS4OY Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

1. Thunder Road
2. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
3. Spirit In The Night
4. Lost In The Flood
5. She's The One
6. Born To Run
7. The E Street Shuffle/Having A Party
8. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City
9. Backstreets
10. Kitty's Back
11. Jungleland
12. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
13. 4th Of July Asbury Park (Sandy)
14. Detroit Medley
15. For You
16. Quarter To Three

Tracks:

1. The Journey
2. Third Album Pressure
3. "Born To Run"
4. A New Band
5. The Studio
6. The Mix
7. The Record Release
8. The Hype
9. End Of The Journey
10. Credits

Tracks:

1. Thunder Road
2. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
3. Night
4. Backstreets
5. Born To Run
6. She's The One
7. Meeting Across The River
8. Jungleland

Amazon.com

The first retooling of any album in the mighty Springsteen catalog is an exemplary labor of love by Columbia. The original 1975 release was the make-or-break record of Bruce's career and arguably still his best collection of material. It is presented here on one disc unsullied by outtakes or inferior versions--just pristine digital remasters of those eight grittily romantic songs of street life that defined the artist's signature styles. The substantial bonuses are two new DVD programs, one featuring a full concert performance by Bruce and the E Street Band on their first date outside the U.S. at London's Hammersmith Odeon in November 1975, and the other a "making of" documentary including band interviews and contemporary concert footage. The whole handsome box truly honors a legendary recording while providing generous value for fans.

The meat of the bonus material is the London show. A mythology has built around it that the band were so disorientated by travel and culture shock and Bruce so enraged by label-generated hype that they gave one of the worst performances of their career. Primitively shot by today's standards, the footage captures the brilliance of the relatively new band's ensemble playing. Highlights include a "Thunder Road" accompanied only by keyboards that opens the show, fiery solos on "Kitty's Back," a dynamic "Saint in the City," and a number of songs that have long since been retired. It's certainly notable how pensive and joyless Springsteen appears when compared to his later, animated stadium persona, but it's also fun to see the far greater role as foil played by Clarence Clemons. As he now testifies in the sleeve notes, putting lie to the myth, on that night they had "gone for broke," and as this writer can bear witness, the British audience exalted the show as the arrival of the greatest live performer of his generation. --Rob Stewart

---

The Best of Bruce
by guest editor Steve Perry
Steve is the editor-in-chief of City Pages newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle (1973)
After a folk-rockish debut album that bubbled with ideas and dense lyrical play, this is where Springsteen began to find his voice as a rocker and as a songwriter. The prisoner-of-love romanticism of "Rosalita" and "Incident on 57th Street" hinted at what was coming, and this early version of the E Street Band--jazzier and more spare than later versions, thanks largely to David Sancious's piano--sounds great, if a little ragged, these many years later.

Born to Run (1975) and Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
These two records, which belong on any compilation of the top 100 rock albums of all time, sketched the themes that he would spend his whole career chasing, and defined the expectations fans would bring to his records ever after. The first chords of "Born to Run" sounded like freedom itself the first time I heard them on the radio, and the album lived up to them. "Thunder Road" is still the greatest rock & roll love song anyone's ever written. The record sounded so big and impassioned and propulsive it was easy to miss the dread running underneath it. Darkness... put the dread front and center. There are more of his best songs here than anywhere else, even if the sound is muddy and leaden at times.

Nebraska (1982)
After The River (the best record that didn't make this list) and the ensuing tour answered his rock & roll prayers--he was a big star now, not just a perennial critics' favorite--Springsteen holed up in a rented house on the Jersey shore, where he wrote these songs and sang them into a four-track recorder in his living room. The tape was supposed to be a demo for the band, but after several false tries he concluded that the tape he'd been carrying around in his pocket was the record. Quiet and bleak, Nebraska nonetheless grabbed you by the collar and made you listen as surely as his rock & roll records ever had.

Tunnel of Love (1987)
The glare and hubbub surrounding the Born in the USA tour (the tour was great--the record itself overrated) made him pull back again, this time to write a cycle of songs about love and fear and self-doubt. After this, Springsteen's first marriage broke up, and he started a family with Patti Scialfa, disappearing for the better part of 10 years, notwithstanding the pair of not-bad, just-disappointing albums he released in 1992, Human Touch and Lucky Town.

The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995)
Some call it Nebraska II, but his second acoustic album was not a repeat of his first--the characters and settings had changed, and their circumstances were more expressly desperate, and social--though it did share the same interest in what happens to people whose isolation or marginal status renders them invisible.

The Rising (2002)
Everybody, including Springsteen, seemed to think it was a record about 9/11, but the subject was broader--death and loss as seen from more than halfway down life's road. Dave Marsh nailed it: "A middle-aged man confronts death and chooses life" Brendan O'Brien's production sounds great.

Album Description

30th ANNIVERSARY 3 DISC SET

CONCERT DVD Never-before-seen 1975 concert from Hammersmith Odeon, London featuring over 2 hours of music.

DOCUMENTARY DVD Definitive story of "Wings For Wheels: The Making of Born to Run" with new interviews & rare archival footage.

BORN TO RUN CD First time in newly-remastered digital sound. Includes 48 page booklet of rare and unpublished photos.

Customer Reviews:

If you haven't experienced "Born to Run"..........2007-07-07

For me, it's just unimaginable to know music, and especially rock, without "Born to Run." This is one of the albums that I've grown up on since childhood, until each song has been so eternally emblazoned on my psyche that it brings so many memories. But outside of pure nostalgia, "Born to Run" is one of the premier rock albums ever in my mind. Bruce's third effort and first on a big budget, "Born to Run" captured people in 1975 with its good-time rocking music and lyricism that was all too real. But besides being a landmark triumph from a musical perspective, "Born to Run" accomplishes an amazing task by profiling the lifestyle of middle-class America in the seventies, surely making a grand statement. Bruce's depressing stories of the "losers," the wage-laboring men and women who get their weekend kicks by driving cars, hitting the boardwalk, and struggling through relationships, are inspirational and moving to someone of any economic standing. But outside of the lyrical content, the songwriting is phenomenal. The verses, solos, hooks, instrumentals, are all perfect. This is the album, to me, where the E-Street Band comes out of the background (although you could certainly say the same about The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle). Clarence Clemmons' sweet sax riffs, Gary Tallent and Max Weinberg's valuable contributions, and Steve Van Zandt's backup guitar simply add to the perfect product that is "Born to Run." The music is incredibly catchy, and each song in its own is a separate masterpiece. These are the kind of songs that will remain with you forever for numerous reasons, from the lyrics, the hook, the instrumentals, and the arrangement. If you own five music albums...make sure one of them is "Born to Run."

The first song is the rock n' roll classic "Born to Run," where Bruce evokes the spirit of Roy Orbison to create a simply beautiful rock and roll song, undoubtedly one of the greatest ever. And the twangy, piano-heavy rock of the joyful "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" makes just another absolutely timeless song. "Night" is an incredible ride through the nightlife of New Jersey, and it showcases the band in the spotlight. "Backstreets" is nothing short of incredible, from it's pumped-up intro with the piano, organ, and guitar to the rallying late-song chorus. The title song is certainly one of rock n' roll's finest, just a perfect song to me. "She's the One" and "Meeting Across the River" are probably the two lesser known songs from this album, but both embrace the musical and emotional spirit of the rest of the album. The final song is possibly my favorite, "Jungleland." Simply an amazing rock song.

If I haven't been able to express it to this point, "Born to Run" is a purely astonishing work of rock n' roll music that can be enjoyed on so many levels. Young listeners just getting into rock and roll might consider making this one of their first purchases. Otherwise, this is simply a must-have piece to any musical collection.

I would recommend the 3-disc remaster only for fans who are already familiar with the album and are further interested. The bonus material includes a "making-of" documentary and a live performance in London. Having seen Bruce live, I can say that the concert footage doesn't do him justice. The spectacle that is a Bruce Springsteen performance is a spectacular experience, and it's impossible to portray on video. Besides, Bruce is very young and appears a little overwhelmed in this footage, and I'm sure there's better available if that's what you're looking for. The packaging is pretty bulky. Old fans will probably enjoy the 30th Anniversary edition, but new fans should stick to the more economical Born to Run package.

The Boss at his Best.......2007-05-29

What can you say but "The Boss" Springstein at his best. I highly recommend this.

Still good after 30+ years on.......2007-05-13

I never would have purchased this set until I heard the live version of "Kitty's Back." Boom... Ordered it that night. Not only was the remastered CD a good trip past the years but the DVD! The band is tight and dressed out except for Springsteen. Made me dust off the Santana, Steely Dan, Van Morrison and Sinatra - believe it or not.

Worth it.......2007-05-07

The remastered album will only sound different from previous CD versions if you have very good headphones or a very good stereo, but the concert DVD (Live at the Hammersmith Odeon London 1975) and the documentary (Wings for Wheels) are worth the price on their own. There's also a booklet of small but sort of grainy pictures, taken from the tour and, possibly, the recording sessions.

The documentary has all sorts of interesting and funny insights into the production of the album, as well as insights into Springsteen himself. The concert DVD has shoddy picture, which is to be expected, but the sound quality and the quality of the performance itself more than make up for it. The picture booklet seems almost perfunctory, an afterthought, but even still, there are some interesting shots in it. And, again, the remastered audio will only sound different if you've got good headphones or speakers to begin with, but if you have that, it's wonderful.

If you're a fan, if you like good documentaries, or if you like a good concert on DVD, get this album. If you just want the songs and you're not an audiophile, just pick up the cheaper, non-30th Anniversary CD (which I don't believe was remastered, but I may be wrong).

Great album and package.......2007-04-29

This is great stuff. The original album needs no introduction every track is a winner - its a 5 star album. From Thunder Road to Jungleland via Backstreets this is one of the great Springsteen albums. Perhaps what make this album standout from other Springsteen albums is its epic scale. This isn't prog-rock though, despite the length of some of the tracks. As I think Springsteen once said, he was trying to capture the drive of the Rolling Stones (at there early 70's peak), with the voice of Roy Orbison, and the production of Phil Spector. An ambitious combination, but the result is worth it.
The documentary DVD is interesting, but you may only watch it once - however documentaries are very subjective and what I found uninteresting you may love.
The concert DVD as other people have said is a bit dark! However, the performances are excellent, the E Street band are on fire, and I found it enthralling to see (or not!) Bruce and the band 30 years ago performing with such passion.
If you haven't already got Born to Run you should buy this, if you have, do what I did and get as a birthday present.

Average customer rating: A rock classic beautifully rendered on cd elvis's 2nd album, one of the best by about anyone Well worth re-buying His masterpiece enhanced by second disc I think this is Costello's best...

This Year's Model (With Bonus Disc) Elvis Costello Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: My Aim Is True (With Bonus Disc) Armed Forces Get Happy!! Trust Imperial Bedroom ASIN: B00005Y1XZ Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

1. No Action
2. This Year's Girl
3. The Beat
4. Pump It Up
5. Little Triggers
6. You Belong To Me
7. Hand In Hand
8. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea
9. Lip Service
10. Living In Paradise
11. Lipstick Vogue
12. Night Rally
13. Radio, Radio

Tracks:

1. Big Tears
2. Crawling To The USA
3. Running Out Of Angels (Demo)
4. Greenshirt (Demo)
5. Big Boys (Demo)
6. You Belong to Me (Demo)
7. Radio, Radio (Demo)
8. Neat Neat Neat (Live)
9. Roadette Song (Live)
10. The Price Of Love
11. This Year's Girl (Alt. Version)
12. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (Alt. Version)
13. Stranger In The House (BBC Version)

Amazon.com essential recording

Only months after his initial conquest with My Aim Is True, Elvis Costello delivered an even fiercer diatribe. His first record with the long-running Attractions, 1978's This Year's Model remains one of that blistering rock year's most indelible albums. Orwellian even when not directly alluding to the great man (a sly nod to 1984 on "Living in Paradise"), the 22-year-old and band crashed through the raging anti-party of "Pump It Up" ("When you don't really need it"), the perverted Spectorisms of "Hand in Hand," the punk manifesto "Radio, Radio," and the stylishly anti-fashion "This Year's Girl" (in the season of Suzanne Somers, no less) with no less force than the Clash. Probably his greatest, most elegantly imagined and rendered long-player. The bonus tracks on Rhino's 2002 edition include an "Alison"-style take on Costello's country ballad "Stranger in the House" and a cover of the Damned's "Neat Neat Neat," both early proof of the new king's adeptness at outfitting his sets with conceptually brilliant surprises. --Rickey Wright

Album Description

Next batch of Rhino Records expanded reissues, each beautifully remastered and presented with a bonus disc of rarities. Bonus disc material Running Out Of Angels (Demo) 'Greenshirt' (Demo), 'Big Boys' (Demo), 'You Belong to Me' (Demo), 'Radio, Radio' (Demo), 'Neat Neat Neat' (Live), 'Roadette Song' (Live), 'The Price Of Love', 'This Year's Girl' (Alt. Version), '(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea', (Alt. Version) & 'Stranger In The House' (BBC Version).

Customer Reviews:

A rock classic beautifully rendered on cd.......2007-01-30

The merits of this album need not be discussed here. This Year's Model has been widely regarded as a rock classic for over twenty years now. What does need addressing, however, is the sound Rhino has acheived in rendering this recording on cd.

The 'remastering' game that has been going on for the past decade has yielded mixed results. Record companies promising superior sound have come up short more than half the time when it comes to reissuing classics. Lucky for us, that's hardly the case with Rhino's treatment of Elvis Costello's back catalog.

This Year's Model is what every fan hopes for when plunking down hard earned cash for an album he already owns. The sound is incredibly warm with every instrument coming through distinctly. It is as if the Attractions have set up shop in your living room. Seriously, the immediacy of this recording is so impressive that I had to play it on the cheapest stereo in my house just to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

Revisit a classic and hear what you missed the first time around. This Rhino series will be the death of our pocketbooks.

elvis's 2nd album, one of the best by about anyone.......2006-09-13

i had been in a deer hunting accident. i awoke in a hospital and down the hall a boombox was playing this album very loudly. i knew everything was going to be okay.

Well worth re-buying.......2006-04-27

I owned an older CD of this from the 80s, one of his rocking-est albums and my favorite, along with "Delivery Man". The definitely superior sonic remaster (not a lot of obvious re-mixing for a change!), the bonus disc and informative liner notes really made this worth buying. I subsequently bought the other remasters with bonus discs, and now have a huge library of THE Elvis (as I heard him claim on a radio interview in 1977), with loads of demos, alternative versions and tasty goodies.

His masterpiece enhanced by second disc.......2006-03-15

This second album by Elvis Costello is far better than My Aim is True, in my opinion. The tunes are more immediate with much more of a pop flavour whilst the music is also more rhythmically varied and compelling. It marks the transition to his wonderfully accessible Armed Forces masterpiece.

There is even a reggae beat in (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea and a ballad with lovely piano - Little Triggers. My favourites on the original disc are the up-tempo Pump It Up, You Belong To Me and the poignant This Year's Girl, plus of course the pulsating Radio Radio with its subversive lyrics. Night Rally is somewhat dark and disturbing.

The second disc includes a wealth of previously unreleased tracks, demo tracks, live and alternative versions. Not all of these alternate takes are as gripping as the familiar versions but they are certainly interesting and worthwhile, demonstrating various facets of his extraordinary musicianship.

I think this is Costello's best..........2006-01-26

In truth, I've only been exposed to ten or eleven of Elvis' 30+ records. Some are very good. Some are very bad. Still others are just okay. But This Year's Model beats 'em all, except possibly its sequel, Armed Forces.
The first thing you may notice about this album is the difference in bands. Clover, Costello's collaborators on My Aim Is True (his third-best), were just another bar band. Not the Attractions. The Attractions were an anaglam of punk, New Wave and a bit of funk (listen to Bruce Thomas' bass, and you'll know what I'm talking about). They're also far more fierce. They don't just rock, they rock with a vengeance. And everybody adds something important: Bruce and Pete Thomas give a strong, supple, funk-rock rhythm section; Steve Nieve, weird, sometimes cheesy keyboards. And Elvis of course gives the VENOM.
Then there's the songwriting, which is even sharper than it was first time out. The melodies are always strong, whether the song itself is great (the Beatles-like No Action; the cynical This Year's Girl, lightspeed Lipstick Vogue) or just okay (Little Triggers, Hand in Hand). But even the just-okay songs are listenable. And the lyrics. Remember how I talked about venom? It's all over the place. You've got your big, bad, funky anti-hendoist classic Pump It Up (with the ultimate shout-along chorus - arena-ready, but in a good way. And that bass solo!), the nervy, paranoid, very underrated Beat (which I think is my favorite on the album - I love the chorus and Neive's keyboards), the unforgivably nasty, take-no-prisoners attitude of This Year's Girl (Based on the Rolling Stones' Stupid Girl, which it manages to one-up in the anger department); the aforementioned Lipstick Vogue, which again spares nothing in putting down an ex-lover ("Sometimes I almost feel... just like a human being" - great, GREAT lyric), and my second-favorite, (I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea, where Costello unloads all his ire against vanity. And it's funky, with Elvis almost rapping over the tight groove. Love it. Oh, almost forgot the Spector-esque protest Radio, Radio. WHAT A SONG! While Costello was mad with everybody, he decided corrupt, payola-influenced DJ's would be another valid target. And while it's essentially whining, who can argue with the brutal lyric "They say you'd better listen to the voice of reason/but they don't give you a choice because they think that it's treason" (or something like that)? Love the video, too. I'm not the kind who sits around watching MTV or VH1 - I saw it at a Hard Rock Cafe - but it was amazing, just so unpretentiously fun - look at Steve Nieve in the background, totally making a fool of himself. (It's worth noting that, right afterwards, GN'R's pompous, unintentionally hilarious video for Estranged came on - no need to ask which one I prefered, I hope). More to the point though, that's a hell of a video.
And this is a hell of an album. Like My Aim is True and Armed Forces, it's all the Costello a beginner needs, along with a compilation of some kind.

Average customer rating: Shady Grove Review Shady Grove Pure Brilliance Jerry without the Dead in a different style!! An instant favorite

Shady Grove Jerry Garcia & David Grisman Manufacturer: Acoustic Disc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Jambands | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Grisman & Garcia The Pizza Tapes Not for Kids Only Breakdown: Live Recordings 1973 That High Lonesome Sound ASIN: B00000391J Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

1. Shady Grove
2. Stealin'
3. Off To Sea Once More - Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
4. The Sweet Sunny South
5. Louis Collins
6. Fair Ellender
7. Jackaroo
8. Casey Jones
9. Dreadful Wind And Rain
10. I Truly Understand
11. The Handsome Cabin Boy
12. Whiskey In The Jar
13. Down In The Valley

Amazon.com

Throughout his life, Jerry Garcia had an abiding fondness for the banjo, bluegrass, and roots-folk music. It not only helped shape the Grateful Dead's vast repertoire, but also led him on various musical excursions outside of the Dead. One of his most consistent collaborators in his extra-Dead adventures was "newgrass" mandolin master and bandleader David Grisman. The two of them formed the nucleus of the short-lived but influential bluegrass ensemble Old & In the Way in the early 1970s. These 13 delightful folk songs were culled from numerous laid-back Garcia-Grisman sessions that took place in Grisman's studio between 1990 and 1995, often joined by Joe Craven on fiddle and percussion and Jim Kerwin on bass. Garcia and Grisman pulled these songs--some of them quite obscure--from a variety of American eras and genres. Included is a vivid rendition of Mississippi John Hurt's "Louis Collins," as well as folk odes like "Casey Jones," "Whiskey in the Jar," and "The Handsome Cabin Boy." Throughout, the resulting music is mellow and evocative, likely to appeal to both neo-folkies and open-minded Deadheads. --Bob Allen

Customer Reviews:

Shady Grove Review.......2007-05-20

Garcia and Grisman were superb together. this particular album is unique.

Shady Grove.......2007-05-12

If you likes The Grateful Dead and if you like bluegrass, then this is something you have to have

Pure Brilliance.......2006-02-22

My musical journey hasn't even reached a 2 digit number of years yet, but it's been quite profound so far. I count my album collection by the hundreds. I really truly love all the albums I own, but I've been blown away by an album only so little times. (Nevermind, Dark side of the Moon, Blue, Moon Safari).
Now - when I say blown away - I mean it. Literaly. Blown away, to me, means having to sit back and re-think everything you thought you knew about music and discovering a whole new genre, a new approach. Discovering you like something else. That's blown away, as far as I'm concerned. And this album definately blew the hell out of me.
I remember hearing it for the first time, on some early morning train ride, that went through the sun, through the rain, and back to sun light again. From that first string pluck to that very last "truly obnoxious instrument" monolog, I was simply amazed. I never thought I'd like country music, or anything related to it, for that matter.
And the whole atmosphere of the album - so relaxed, so free, so "we're here just for the fun of it. really" kind of feeling. I've only heard that feeling come out of one other album - "Traveling Wilburys Volume 1". The only thing David and Jerry wanted to get/achieve in these recordings was the shere pleasue of hearing each other play together, and the excitement of what the music may do while they play.
If you're a dead head, you'll probably get this album anyway. If you're not, if you only have a couple (or less) "dead" albums, then pick this one up. You're exactly where I was when i pressed that "play" button.

Jerry without the Dead in a different style!!.......2006-01-15

Different styles of bluegrass,and old tunes make this a very interesting musical find!!! Once you hear the title track you will find it hard to keep the song out of your head,I cant quit ,singing ,humming and whistling it.

An instant favorite.......2006-01-06

My ears first delighted to this jewel of an album on a driftboat trip through the Rogue River valley, and it's been one of my favorites ever since. Highly recommended to anyone with an appreciation for great music.

Average customer rating: Young Folks Unlistenable Garbage I hvae writer's block Great new band! Five Stars because of Amsterdam

Writer's Block (LTD Edition with Bonus Disc) Peter Bjorn and John Manufacturer: Almost Gold ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Sweden | Scandinavia | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Swedish Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Good, the Bad & the Queen We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank Sound of Silver The Reminder New Magnetic Wonder ASIN: B000MGTFD0 Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

1. Writers Block
2. Objects Of My Affection
3. Young Folks
4. Amsterdam
5. Start To Melt
6. Up Against The Wall
7. Paris 2004
8. Let's Call It Off (Single Mix)
9. The Chills
10. Roll The Credits
11. Poor Cow

Tracks:

1. Ancient Curse
2. All Those Expectations (Weak Remix)
3. Self-Pity In The Trashcan
4. Let's Call It Off (Original)
5. Young Folks (Sitar Version)
6. Young Folks (Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Re-Animation)

From Amazon.co.uk Review

As fine an album as this might be (and indeed it is), it serves a much higher purpose for which it must be immediately recognised. The twee Swedish trio have single-handedly tugged whistling out of popular music's pits where it was stuffed by German soft metal granddads The Scorpions back in the early 90s. It's not even particularly proficient whistling - it's a bit skewiff really, a little out of tune - but it's tacked onto the irresistibly bobbing, Velvet-Underground-via-The-Concretes infectiousness of "Young Folks", augmented by the warm-ember vocals of ex-Concrete Victoria Bergsman herself, and by association sounds fairly heroic. Accidentally anthemic, perhaps, but anthemic nonetheless. Result.

Which sets a tone for the rest of this off-kilter lo-fi record. Draw a slightly wonky line from Simon & Garfunkel through to The Shins, making sure you take in the sharp Scandinavian indie-pop of the '90s (Wannadies, The Cardigans) and modern day peers (Radio Dept, Shout Out Louds) and you have a folk album that isn't really all that folk, swimming through its own dreamy washes of ambition. The drumming on tracks like "Let's Call It Off" and "Paris 2004" is so elementary you might as well add your own, but it keeps the intuitive, simplistic 60's beat melodies trickling steadily onwards. The underlying appeal is that things could snap like an elastic band at any moment, that things are beautifully limited. Less writers block, more loving the detail of your first chapter so much you have no inclination to move on. --James Berry

Album Description

US only edition includes a bonus disc of rarities! 2007.

Customer Reviews:

Young Folks.......2007-07-19

Dreamy and beatnik with a cool throbbing tempo -- the ultimate song to drive your car to. This is a must have for any music library.

A Bjorn Winner!

Unlistenable Garbage.......2007-06-04

This band is bad in a way that's hard to describe. In the indie world, there's no real premium on really good musical chops, so it's not fair to say that they're not really very good musicians -- though they aren't -- their problems are much deeper.

Their songs are poorly formed, weakly presented, and seemingly without motive. It's not even like listening to a high-school band. It's like listening to a rehearsal by a band that hopes to be able to play for a middle school dance, if they can just figure out a cool name.

This is a band with nothing to say that should learn not to say it.

I hvae writer's block.......2007-05-23

Swedish pop group Peter Bjorn and John are apparently trying to confuse us, and for a brief time, it works.

Their third album "Writer's Block" has the misfortune to open on a rather saggy note, but fortunately hoists itself up for a blurry blend of indiepop and northern atmospheric synth. So straggle through the first two tracks, because the indiepop that follows is solid, multilayered and quite excellent.

It opens with a faint, atmospheric little track that sounds like Sigur Ros tuning up. Then suddenly it careens into nonstop guitar pop in "Object of My Affection," with drums pounding right over those steely riffs. "And you still can make sense/if you just show up and present an honest face/instead of that grin," Peter Morén sings happily.

Not only is it a lot simpler than the other songs, but I got a headache from those relentless drums and guitar. At that point I was groaning, anticipating a whole album of the same. But I was wrong.

Things start perking up with the shimmying, sunny indiepop of "Young Folks," which has some enchantingly feathery edges and constant whistling. The other songs have a similar mix of shimmery keyboard and solid indiepop -- thumpy little marches, swirling psychedelic hymns, gentle ballads blooming into driving guitarpop, folksy ballads, and the shimmering prettiness of "The Chills."

For your info, there is no Peter Bjorn -- it's actually "Peter, Bjorn and John," three Swedish guys who play the instruments and all provide vocals. And despite a couple of mediocre songs on "Writer's Block," these guys really know how to make great indiepop -- lots of northern wind and snow, and a delightfully sunny 1970s pop mentality.

There's plenty of ringing, peppy guitar and unstoppable bass from Morén and Björn Yttling, while John Eriksson provides some fast drumming as well. Yttling swaddles almost all the melodies in a hazy edge of soft, colourful synth, and turning some of them into bittersweet, chilly pop. Most of the songs are pretty upbeat, even with a bit of harmonica and whistling to remind us to be cheery.

Much of the album is about sort of ambiguous -- half of it seems to be about breaking up with a lover, and the other half is about how much you adore them. "Your tongue is sharp/but I miss the taste of it/You said time heals/there's not enough of it..." Moren sings in his slightly nasal voice. It's just a few songs after, "Hours seems to disappear/everyone is leaving -- I'm still with you."

"Writer's Block" has a couple tracks that don't quite fit in, but the overall album is a delicious blend of cheery pop melodies and blurry keyboard. Definitely a good listen.

Great new band!.......2007-05-13

If you heard one of their songs on the radio and are debating whether it's worth buying the album......it's worth it. There are 4-5 very good songs on this one. Which isn't a bad ratio these days. Amsterdam, Chills, Young Folks and Paris 2004 among them.

Five Stars because of Amsterdam.......2007-05-13

This album is fantastic. Amsterdam is the best song of the century.

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