Total Pop Deluxe Box (3CD/1 DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here's a band who's been around for almost 25 years, and they've never stopped. After their massive pop success, many figured them to be over and done. In fact, they continued their brilliance and it's just kept getting better and better.
For old and new fans alike, this boxset will have delights in store for all. Never before seen pictures in a thick, hardcover book (yes, BOOK), that will simply astound. There is a CD of remastered live tracks from various tours (actually I believe all the CDs in the set contain remastered material), as well as a DVD of some of their most treasured live moments.
The second half of their musical history is a testament to their creative genius. And with a new album already slated in the works (back to their electronic roots, we've been told), life looks up once more, with Erasure at the helm. Bravo!!!!

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Since they formed in 1985, Erasure-Andy Bell and Vince Clarke (founding member of Depeche Mode and Yaz) have sold more than 15 million albums with their world-conquering anthems of love, lust and longing. From dance-floor symphoniesto swooning ballads, the definitive synth-pop superstars have proven themselves one of best loved and most enduring success stories in modern British pop music history. Rhino shows Erasure more than 'a little respect' with TOTAL POP!, a four-disc (3CD/DVD) box featuring: all their singles from 1986-2007, newly remastered in 2009; live recordings spanning 1987-2007; and a DVD disc that unreels BBC performancesfrom 1986-2005.

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The Casualties: Can't Stop Us Review

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(More customer reviews)The Good
Can't Stop Us is more of a documentary than is a concert video. The first half of the DVD focuses on the punk group's tour in Mexico. This section is padded heavily with behind-the-scenes material. In between that you do get some live performances, but most are not presented to completion of the song. It was interesting to see how rabid the fans were for this group. I have never heard of them, but clearly the people of Mexico have. There were two interesting segments that caught my attention.
The first took place in Mexico City. The Casualties were set to play a festival type show with a 2am set time. The set time wasn't the shocking part. The shocking part was when a gang of kids decided that they didn't want to pay to get into the show. All hell broke loose and the show was eventually postponed to the next day. The fear that the band was experiencing was quite genuine. The second incident took place the next day when the show finally went on. A fan was heckling the band when frontman Jorge brought him on stage to find out why.
This guy goes into a rant on how The Casualties are Capitalists for charging $15 dollars for a concert. The guy had a lot of balls, and The casualties showed a lot of restraint. It just goes to show you that everyone doesn't have it as good as the U.S. and other countries. The second half of the DVD highlights a tour through Japan. You can clearly see a difference in culture from the Mexico tour. This portion of the DVD focuses more on the wild and frenzied live performances. It still has its share of interesting tour footage.
The Bad
You can't just go into this blind, you really have to be a fan of the group to enjoy it thoroughly.
The Verdict
It's nice to know that The Casualties are out there keeping the spirit of punk rock alive. On their latest DVD you really do get to see a different side of the music industry. Instead of the typical big production shows you get with concert DVDs, with top-notch lighting, a huge stage, a packed arena, and perfect sound; Can't Stop Us now gives you a taste of old-school, down-and-dirty touring the hard way. I don't think The Casualties would have it any other way.


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This 90-minute movie documents their recent tours of Japan and Mexico. Includes insane live performances (over twenty songs) and all the behind-the-scenes mayhem you'd expect. From riots in Mexico City to DIY stitches and multiple emergency room visits, "Can't Stop Us" captures all the action. A must own for the band's rabid fan base.

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Knives (+4 Bonus Tracks) Review

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(More customer reviews)Finally picked up the album today, and it's AWESOME. The sticker on the package is right, you have not heard AIDEN like this before. It's hard, in your face, fast...and those that were thrown off from their last album, "Conviction", this is TOTALLY opposite of it, and a darker, more evil version of what they used to sound like before the last disc. Did I have a problem with the last album? Not really, but it's not what I knew AIDEN was. However, they're artists, and they're allowed to toy around with their emotions. It was like a glam version of what they once were. But, this isn't a review of the last album. It's a review of this one. It's fast, rough, in your face, evil...F***in awesome disc.
My favorite tracks on here are: Crusifiction (hands down my favorite one...maybe my favorite Aiden one yet) and The Asylum. Now, the whole album is great, songs that don't drag too long, a creepy interlude ("Portrait"), awesome booklet.
All in all, a serious step up for Aiden. Their darkest disc yet, best disc yet, and I can't wait to see them on Warped Tour this year!

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Includes 4 bonus tracks that can't be found anywhere else! 2009 album from the Seattle-based Post-Hardcore rockers. Knives is guaranteed to be the album that will close this decade off with style and open the floodgates to a whole new chapter for dark defiant Rock. Knives is an absolute adrenalin rush that leaves the listener completely winded and wanting more. It is a balls-out, hammer to the skull, Punk Rock 'N' Roll record that does not let up. Loaded with biting, haunting and epic tales of fallen angels, Countess Bathory and the day Elvis died, Aiden have crafted their finest work yet. The world had better be ready, this is truly the record that will make you love (and fear) Aiden.
Track listing:
1. Killing Machine
2. Let the Right One In
3. Scavengers of the Damned
4. Elizabeth
5. Crusifiction
6. Asylum
7. Portrait
8. Excimmunicate
9. King on Holiday
10. Black Market Hell
Track listing:
11. Black Market Hell (demo)
12. King On Holiday (demo)
13. Elizabeth (demo)
14. Let The Right One In (demo)

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The High End of Low (Deluxe Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)I approached "The High End of Low" the way I would a corroded anti-tank landmine--hyper-cautious, and nauseous with anxiety: I expected to either be totally finished with Manson, or be reveling in his return to form.
What I got is what I should have ultimately anticipated: just enough to bring me back to the well next time. "The High End of Low" is a step back in the right direction (which I largely attribute to Mr. White's return), but on my third listen through this album, I was thunderstruck when I finally put my thumb on what had been bugging me. The thing that Brian has lost over time could probably be mapped convincingly against a chart chronicling his loss of band-mates. His ego has spilled out of control and damaged his art. This is the second (arguably third) album from Manson the man, as opposed to Manson the band.
Let me be clear--I intend no character attack. Whatever his future efforts produce, I will remain a steadfast fan of Marilyn's work on the strength of his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th albums. However, his art has become unbalanced toward the personal, which is a disappointing regression in my eyes.
There is variety, wit, and a sense of play in the sonic/musical qualities of this album. There is also a shocking lack of variation in lyrical subject matter. Listen to this record carefully, and skip to the next song any time you hear one of the following words: I, Me, My, Mine, You, Your, We, Us, Our. The first-person narrative repitition is mind-numbing.
"Antichrist Superstar" is an industrial-metal stew of atheism, young-adult angst, and porn-shop occultism strained through melodrama, three-act structure, and The Church of Satan. "Mechanical Animals" is a right-brain/left-brain identity crisis expressed in hyperreal glam, androgyny, and sterile poignancy in a blurry, blue-and-white, pharmaceutical landscape. "Holy Wood" draws paralells between the "Manson" character from the previous two albums with Jesus and JFK ,while weaving together themes of martyrdom, conspiracy, and nihilism. "Golden Age" is a bleak experiment in Dadaist word-play and electronica-cum-Nurembourg dance beats glammed up in zoot-suits and faux-silver tooth-caps.
"Eat Me, Drink Me", and "The High End of Low" feature progressive musicianship, ego, synthesizers, and a total lack of thematic variety (barring a tiny few songs which feel half-hearted and out-of-place). They also take drugs from muse, to metaphor, to excuse.
There's your mini-review of the last six Manson albums. Pick one.
I'm all for artistic growth, but forgive a burly curmudgeon who came of age on "Angel with the Scabbed Wings", "Man that you Fear", "Speed of Pain", "Coma White", "The Nobodies", and "In the Valley of the Shadow of Death", for not giving a damn about Brian's love life. He's become too literal. Not to take a man to task, but I've got to take a man to task. It, "wipes the floor," with everything you've done before? Not remotely. You're not more than the sum of former parts. You've, "got [your] fire back[?]", it's guttering right now man, but I've got faith--the kind based on on observation as opposed to hearsay--you've a bonfire or two left. Just get over yourself.


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DELUXE EDITION - CONTAINS SIX BONUS TRACKS!Marilyn Manson's anticipated reunion with longtime friend and foil Twiggy Ramirez inches closer with the release of "We're From America," the first listen from the forthcoming The High End of Low. The album's official first single "Arma... geddon" will arrive at radio Spring 2009. Manson's new lineup including Ramirez (for the first time in close to a decade), plus keyboardist Chris Vrenna, and dummer Ginger Fish, will close themain stage at the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, this July through August. Manson will also kick off his world tour with a headline festival run this June in EuropeProduced by Manson, Vrenna,and Twiggy, The High End of Low was recorded in his Hollywood Hills studio and also features the track, "I Want toKill You Like They Do In The Movies." Manson says of the new album, "I think my life definitely ended and began. The record sounds very final, but it's almost optimistic - though that feels like a strange word to use. It's a phoenix from the fire and a redemption resurrection."Since emerging from South Florida (in the early 1990s), Marilyn Manson has continued to upend the mainstream with each new release. The tumultuous relationship Manson has cultivated with the public worldwide has resulted in multi-million records sales, sold-out tours, protests, legal battles, hate, adoration, award-winning distilled spirits (Mansinthe) and most importantly, a long list of some of the most enduring and genre-defying music in the rock era ("Lunchbox," "Sweet Dreams," "The Beautiful People," "Tourniquet," "The Dope Show," "This Is The New Shit," "Mobscene," "Heart-Shaped Glasses,"etc.) The new era of Marilyn Manson and The High End of Low begins now.

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No Time To Bleed Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a fan of the more extreme side of metal, and after reading many great reviews of this album and seeing it on several "Best of" lists, I picked this up. Maybe it's the whole deathcore thing that I don't get, but I find this album almost unlistenable. It's loud and fast and aggressive, but there's not much as far as groove, and the songs are quite forgettable. I guess I'm more of a progressive metal fan (Mastodon, Gojira, Meshuggah) and this is just not for me.

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2009 sophomore album from the American Deathcore Metal band.Suicide Silence, an astonishingly well-developed five-piece from Riverside, CA, are a true product of the always thriving underground, a band single-mindedly focused on creating rabidly heavy and aggressive music. Unlike their previous album, The Cleansing, No Time To Bleed was tracked in the studio as opposed to being recorded live in the studio, straight to tape.

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Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King (Super Deluxe Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, let me just say that I am NOT one of those sycophants who automatically give anything by Dave Matthews Band five stars and just rave about how they're the best and anything they do is just the greatest thing ever. While I don't think "Stand Up" and "Everyday" were as bad as some of the reviews I've read, those albums were obviously not their best work. So I was anxious (and a little nervous) to see what this album would bring.
I needn't have worried; Dave Matthews Band are back with a vengeance. There is an energy, a vibe, a passion, a groove that is present on this album that had been missing on the stuff that followed "Before These Crowded Streets". I've read that there were tensions in the band over the last couple years, and that at one point they were on the verge of breaking up. If that's the case, I guess it's true that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. After "Grux", a prelude showcasing since-departed saxophonist LeRoi Moore, the album kicks right into "Shake Me Like a Monkey", a flat-out rocker that allows the whole band to shine. After that, the album never really lets up; other stand-out tracks include "Funny the Way It Is", "Why I Am", "Alligator Pie" and "Seven". There are others great songs too but I've only listened to the album once so I haven't tied all the titles to all the songs yet.
Bottom line: if you've ever liked Dave Matthews Band at any point in their history, you will really like this album. They've got their fire back, and they know it: I watched the show they did at the Beacon Theatre in NYC last night, and you can really tell they love these songs and are having fun playing together again. Pick this album up, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

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Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King CD Bonus CD (4 never before released tracks) "Big Whiskey Documentary" DVD 16 page CD booklet 24 page saddle-stitched booklet (Tribute to LeRoi Moore) 40 page perfect-bound photo book 14 prints of drawings by Dave Matthews; one for each song Everything packaged together in a special collector's box.Produced by Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance), Big Whiskey has been hailed by Rolling Stone as the group\'s "heaviest album yet, both musically and emotionally," which went on to note: "Throughout, Carter Beauford beats out elaborate, propulsive groves; bassist Stefan Lessard lays down Flea-style funk bass lines; violinist Boyd Tinsley plays cresting, intense runs; and Matthews mirrors Moore\'s saxophone lines with scatlike singing." Billboard, in a cover story on Dave Matthews Band, praised Big Whiskey as "its best album yet… Highlights include the funk-rock rave-up 'Shake Me Like a Monkey,' the stirring ballad 'Lying in the Hands of God,' the swampy rocker 'Alligator Pie (Cockadile),' radio-friendly fare like 'Why I Am,' which features playful horns over a solid rock riff and a hooky chorus, and 'Funny the Way It Is,' which parlays a subtle intro into a soaring, syncopated anthem."

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Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version with bonus DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Optimism and Springsteen haven't gelled well in the past. "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town", the 1992 two-fer that saw Bruce waxing truly optimistic for the first time in his career, rate among the least memorable efforts of his career; they weren't bad, per se, but they lacked a certain something. (The songs were recorded without the E Street Band, which was undoubtedly a contributing factor; but above and beyond that, the arrangements and lyrics suffered from a certain sameiness and genericism that left the majority of the tracks unmemorable.)
Fans will be pleased to know that, while "Working On A Dream" (Columbia, 2009) sees Bruce once again venture into the realm of the positive, he's both a) with E Street this time and b) kept his songwriting skills on top form.
The first thing longtime Springsteen fans will notice about this album is that the focus here is firmly on the music. The album is bookended by two of his more narrative-driven songs - eight-minute epic Western "Outlaw Pete" and Golden Globe-winning movie theme "The Wrestler" - but elsewhere, it's all about the sonic experimentation, rather than storytelling. The songs here hop across a veritable plethora of genres and styles: "My Lucky Day" is a foot-stomping rocker that sounds like it was written in the "River" sessions. "Tomorrow Never Knows" is a beautiful easy-listening tune that sounds more like the '50s than anything Bruce has ever written. "Working On A Dream" is an Orbison-esque plush pop tune. "Good Eye" is what can only be described as electronic rockabilly.
This variety makes the album one of the most enjoyable listens in Bruce's history. On first listen, you've no idea what will come next: harmony-laden "This Life" segues into the cacophonous "Good Eye"; the relentless joyful "Surprise, Surprise" - possibly the Boss' poppiest tune ever - fades into the melancholy, calliope-backed "The Last Carnival", a touching track clearly dedicated to dear departed ESB member Danny Federici.
"Kingdom of Days" is one of Bruce's finest ballads of all-time: the guy from "Born to Run" is all grown up now; no longer desperate to get out of this place, he's happy to lay on "the wet grass, as autumn breeze drifts through the trees", and "count the wrinkles and the grays" of his lover beneath the covers. Bruce's maturity pervades the album: reflecting on past lovers who were "life itself, rushing over [him]"; coming to recognise that "where the river flows, tomorrow never knows".
Not everyone will enjoy every track. Many have criticised the "trite sentiment" of "Queen of the Supermarket", and the "lyrical simplicity" of "Surprise, Surprise". These may be valid criticisms, but they did not hamper my enjoyment of the album even slightly.
The deluxe version of the album comes with a 40-minute DVD that includes some footage from the studio sessions creating the album, as well as the video for "A Night With the Jersey Devil", a Halloween song Bruce released for free via his website last year.

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Limited CD/DVD edition includes a bonus DVD that contains 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage on the making of the album. 2009 album by one of the finest American songwriters of his generation. Working on a Dream was recorded with the E Street Band and features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track: 'The Wrestler'. . It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album. Springsteen also wrote an eponymous song for Darren Aronofsky's 2008 film The Wrestler. The song, also titled 'The Wrestler' won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. SBME. 2009.

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Abnormally Attracted to Sin Review

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(More customer reviews)I personally have not been impressed with Tori's recorded output since Scarlet's Walk, which I felt was the last great album she released with beautiful songs and captivating lyrics. Since The Beekeeper, her last three albums have been filled with the same production problems, poor lyrics, or uninspired and generic music. The Beekeeper had some promising songs that were lost in over or bad production and dry vocals. American Doll Posse's production was no improvement with flat mixing and her husband's less than great electric guitar. With Abnormally Attracted to Sin we find an improvement in overall production but still nothing that sonically creative besides some tracks such as Starling, Lady in Blue, and Abnormally Attracted to Sin. The electric guitar is still there from American Doll Posse, and instead of adding ambiance, adding cheesy 80's riffs that drown everything else in the song. In addition, the length of the album is excessive and once again Tori is need of desperate editing. In terms of vocals, there are some good moments as in Give, but she has increasingly relied on this weird accent that no one can understand what she is saying, and it sounds childish and just bad. Another negative of the album is that the lyrics which are anything but great. I don't know what happened to the days when she would craft thought provoking and mysterious lyrics, but on this album we are faced with some of the most cringe worthy lines of Tori's career.
Tori Amos' increased vanity is really exposed all throughout this project whether it's the fake posing and air-brushed beyond belief glamour shots of the album artwork or of the embarrassing visualettes --embarrassing being the only word to describe the accompanying videos of the deluxe version. Instead of visually intriguing films, we are presented with Tori Amos playing more dress up in horrible thousand dollar designer outfits walking, driving around aimlessly.
I am a huge Tori Amos fan but these reoccurring bloated albums with unimpressive results have caused multiple disappointments. She desperately needs to hire a producer to help record an album that does not contain filler, but a cohesive collection of strong, unique, emotionally-captivating songs that show off her amazing abilities as a musician (that are still there evident from a lot of her live performances last tour) found in her other albums. She should stop letting her husband play electric guitar that does nothing but drown the rest of the music. She should take the time to write the amazing lyrics she was known for. And she should stop the increased phoniness in her image and reconnect with reality and her old artistic integrity.

When compared to all her other albums, it's about a 2.5/5 stars. In other words, if you were looking for the 'return to form' of Tori Amos you'll probably have to wait a little longer.


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This Deluxe version of "Abnormally Attracted To Sin" will include a bonus fan DVD that include 17 visualettes (special music videos) for songs on the album.

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Sounds of the Universe (2 LPs/CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)When a band has been around for close to thirty years and is still making music, it probably means one of three things: 1) they're trying to recreate the past, or 2) they're trying to do something very different, or 3) they're recombining elements of their catalogue to make something kind of new and kind of familiar. Sounds of the Universe falls into that last category.
The latest Depeche Mode album features thirteen tracks, all of them using early-eighties synthesizers with no apologies. At times, these tracks sound like they could have been made in 1984, using the melodic sophistication of Some Great Reward and the sonic textures of A Broken Frame. Sounds of the Universe bleeps and thumps and hisses with a seemingly primitive array of manufactured noises in a way that only deep fans of, say, Orbital, Autechre, Kraftwerk, or early Nine Inch Nails can really appreciate.
But to dismiss this album because of its Atari arcade sound effects would be a mistake. For one thing, Sounds is not strictly a throwback in the sense that many of the songs use an actual guitar to great effect, which would have been unthinkable to the band in its earliest years. "Wrong," for example, owes as much to the twang of "Personal Jesus" as it does to the robotic drone of early Depeche Mode dirges such as "Photographic." The same applies to "Fragile Tension" and "Come Back," and even "The Truth Is/Miles Away" and "Perfect" use guitar strategically to great effect, something that never would have happened before Music for the Masses at the earliest.
But even the songs which rely completely on a synthetic sound don't suffer as a consequence. "Little Soul" and "Jezebel" may not be for everyone, with their Exciter-era tempos and "mature" feel (which some would argue is the death knell for any band)--yet they work well for anyone who has enjoyed the quieter moments of past albums. If you're looking for a faster track, "In Sympathy" is probably the best on the album, with its sunny intro and a bridge that delves into a melancholy club-thump, and "In Chains" continues a long tradition of kinky songs with single potential while still remaining true to the album's subtexts of justice and fairness.
Admittedly there are some questionable decisions in the making of Sounds of the Universe, such as predictable rhymes and the campiness of Dave briefly dipping into an Elvis Presley impression as he croons "The Truth Is/Miles Away." And "Peace" is a little embarrassing in its sincerity. But when in the band's career have Dave and Martin sounded so good as vocalists?
Part of me wishes for the return of rock opera masterpieces such as "Enjoy the Silence," and any legitimate DM fan will probably agree that Violator was either the band's best album or a serious contender for the title. However, that is not going to happen, because that sound is inextricably tied to departed band member Alan Wilder and Flood, Violator's producer. As a trio, Depeche Mode are still making very good, if not great, music--and if you can square yourself with that reality, you may find yourself listening to this "grower" of an album for quite some time.

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The CD+DVD set includes "Sounds of the Universe" + the album mixed in 5.1 surround sound, the promo video for Wrong, Sounds Of The Universe - A Short Film and remixes of three new songs.--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Abnormally Attracted to Sin Review

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(More customer reviews)By now there must be a division of Tori Amos fans--the ones, like myself, who like her earlier work, and the ones who like what she has done over the past decade. I'm sure there are die-hard fans like myself who subject themselves to everything Amos, and who might be lulled into a comfortable coma that feels (on the surface) blissful, but then the inability to come to sets in.
"Abnormally Attracted To Sin" carries on the Amos tradition set forth by "Strange Little Girls" back in 2001. Slick production, that also sounds flat and bland--like it was made behind a wall. Amos's clever and wry lyrics about the same old subjects--religion, sin, womanhood, etc. Plus her inimitable vocals which don't reach the dizzying heights of her earlier work anymore. She sounds like she's been taking Valium for the past decade, lazily churning her own butter, far from the taste buds of her adoring fans.
There's nothing here to get excited about. The songs come and go with no particular track standing out. This is just like her last three albums, and what's strange is she jumped record labels only to make the same album for a fourth time in a row. All of her albums this decade have been overstuffed (can Amos actually make a 40 minute album? She seems musically challenged to do so).
"Welcome To England" is a mediocre first choice as a single. What's she singing about? I don't know, I fell asleep already. To her credit, I liked "Give", "Maybe California", "500 Miles", and well, all the songs are just fine, really. That's the problem--there's nothing compelling or gripping here. Amos is supposed to represent intensity, originality, experimentation. All gone. It all died after "To Venus And Back" in 1999. Amos has gone through a longer blue period than Elton John.
Wake up and smell the coffee, Amos. Oh wait, that's all you've been doing for the past decade, because it's the only place your music has been heard--at Starbucks across the U.S. I expect more from you. I want my money's worth. Surprise me next time.
Here's how "Abnormally Attracted To Sin" compares to her other work:
1992 Little Earthquakes: Five Stars
1994 Under The Pink: Five Stars
1996 Boys For Pele: Five Stars
1998 From The Choirgirl Hotel: Five Stars
1999 To Venus And Back: Four Stars
2001 Strange Little Girls: Two Stars
2002 Scarlet's Walk: Three Stars
2005 The Beekeeper: Three and a Half Stars
2007 American Doll Posse: Three and a Half Stars
2009 Abnormally Attracted To Sin: Three Stars

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ABNORMALLY ATTRACTED TO SIN, Tori's tenth studio album, is another innovative chapter in the artist's trailblazing story. Every track on the album will be accompanied by a corresponding `visualette,' featuring footage that has been captured over the past year. Shot in HD and Super 8, the visualettes will incorporate a documentary style. Tori's most recent album, AMERICAN DOLL POSSE, which has been hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as `her best album in years,' was released in 2007 to a chorus of rave reviews. The captivating album, like many of her previous efforts, adhered to a strong conceptual theme, with Tori inhabiting multiple archetypal female personae, a testament to her willingness to continue to push the boundaries of the female singer/songwriter. Regarded as one of the most emotionally fearless live artists in music today, her most recent world tour, launched in the summer of 2007, saw her soar with her first full-fledged rock band in nearly a decade. Media platforms such as the BBC lauded both her live show and album as `returning Tori Amos back to the forefront of a genre she defined...still pushing her own boundaries.' With more than 12 million albums sold, and commanding a significant and uniquely loyal audience from the rock, pop, alternative, and under-the-radar regions of the music world, Ms. Amos has influenced a new generation of artists in a myriad of platforms. Most recently, she was the catalyst for a one-of-a-kind anthology chronicling her career, the 500 page Graphic Novel, Comic Book Tattoo, featuring stunning visual interpretations of her songs by more than 80 artists, (including an introduction by friend and creative influence artist Neil Gaiman, creator of the Sandman series). Her genre-shattering breakthrough in the early 1990s, including 1991's `Me And A Gun' EP, and 1992's masterwork, Little Earthquakes, single-handedly revived the piano-andsinger motif in rock music. Little Earthquakes went on to sell more than 3 million albums worldwide, with subsequent Grammy® nominated albums such as Under The Pink (1994), 1996's Boys For Pele, 2001's Strange Little Girls and 2002's Scarlet's Walk continuing to explore broader themes. Nominated for multiple awards, including ten Grammys®, Ms. Amos has been working on a musical for London's British National Theatre called The Light Princess tentatively scheduled to debut in 2010.

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Insomniac Tour Pack Review

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(More customer reviews)Simple. Juvenile. Immature. Yep, that's the essence of Green Day. It can be a good thing though - being a grownup all the time isn't good for you, and punk is nothing if not a celebration of everything bratty and angry. For all the criticism it invites, Insomniac nevertheless succeeds very well at what it does, more so (in my opinion) than its breakthrough predecessor Dookie. It may be impossible to be objective but even now, years onward from the time I practically wore the disc out as a depressed high-schooler, I have to say it stands up remarkably well. It's energetic, it's bouncy, it's mindless, it flows effortlessly, it's got the same kind of fluffy sing-along quality that AC/DC elevated to an art form. (Sort of. Maybe. Well what would you call it?)
The music is mostly as basic as it gets; people usually need some simple basic fiber in their diets among the more fancy stuff, and Green Day did manage to do more with three chords than anyone since the Ramones. But there's a little extra here - the tight instrumental opening section of "Panic Song," the chunky minor groove of "Geek Stink Breath," the sinister plodding "Brain Stew," the subtle-but-impressive bass work behind "Stuart and the Ave." It's nothing that'll blow anyone's mind, but it adds enough flavoring that the whole thing avoids being a string of similar riffs throughout. (For more variety, try Nimrod.)
The band has moved on to other things since, even currently having a punk-rock opera in the works - I guess everyone has to grow up sometime - but Insomniac remains the highlight of the catalogue for me. Even when it can also make you want to break some furniture. No.. *especially* then.

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Approaching Normal Review

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(More customer reviews)Approaching Normal. The title of Blue October's new album is both fitting and ironic. Musically it leaves behind the overdubbed vocals, echoes, unnecessary sounds and electronic trickery that drew the ire of some longtime fans after the release of the band's previous album, Foiled. On this effort, the band instead embraces a variety of instruments to produce the necessary sounds that drive their music, and although synthesizers are used on many of the songs, they are employed to complimentary effect. Gone too are the days of Ryan Delahoussaye's violin being the lead instrument, a trend which began with Foiled. Although Delahoussaye is omnipresent on the songs, his strings take on new roles and are used to produce a variety of sounds which provide the supporting textures of the songs. Ryan's mandolin, piano, and voice are also more prominent on this recording. In other respects the music is far from normalized. Blue October is still one of the most eclectic bands producing music today, and the new album is no exception, featuring hard rockers, ballads, pop songs, dance numbers, hip hop, even a lullaby. Lyrically, it can be argued that Justin Furstenfeld's words are the furthest from normal that they have ever been, with two of the songs graphically describing violent fantasies. As Furstenfeld (and thousands of Blue October fans) have discovered, expelling these thoughts from your mind and into creative art, is the best hope for sanity and normalcy.
The album begins with "Weight of the World", a song which showcases the dichotomies between loud and quiet, harsh and soft, frantic and calm (a persistent theme throughout the record). The verses feature Justin peacefully singing with minimal instrumental accompaniment, whilst the choruses are an onslaught of heavy bass and synthesizer. An epic album opener that builds well.
"Say It" and "Dirt Room" are the most straight forward rock songs on the album. "Say It" has a good rhythm and gets synthy towards the end and has great drumming too (oh the boom!). You can tell how much fun Justin is having singing it, at one point he yells "wooo!" in between verses.
"Dirt Room" features a violin solo reminiscent of Blue October's older material. I'm looking forward to seeing this one live, and I'm also loving the backing vocals (wooo hoooo woooo).
"Been Down" is a mellow song driven by violin, piano, and a smooth bass line. We're treated to bells and drums, and towards the end C.B.'s electric guitar emerges. Justin's voice sounds great, and the lyrics are well-crafted "I meant to sympathize... I meant to be a friend... I know apologies won't erase the end... But I learned that moving on is where I must begin... Cuz when our colors mixed we couldn't fix the way they wouldn't blend." As a breakup song it makes you think, but is also accessible and catchy, reminding me of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", and Blue October's own "Two A.M. Loveick", "Let it Go" and "It's Just Me." The song is an instant classic, I can see it appearing in a relationship movie, just after the part where the boy loses the girl.
Plucked out on acoustic guitar with backing violin, "My Never" is hushed and romantic. Bass and shimmering symbols kick in midway through the first verse, and there are some spacey sounds and mandolin. The vocals are full and strong on the choruses and almost whispered on the verses. The song is quite slow, and as a fan of the rocking songs that opened the album, I'm afraid I'll get bored with "My Never" faster than most other fans.
"Should Be Loved" is my new favorite. Within seconds I'm tapping my feet, and then dancing. This quick-paced retro dance number features heavy use of synthesizers and takes me back to the 80s. You can't help feeling happy and wanting to dance while hearing this song. This is one that will really get the audience moving at the shows.
At this point I'm loving the album. We're only halfway through, and already we've traversed a wide range of emotions - love, regret, depression, hatred, elation.
"Kangaroo Cry" is slow and serious, and breaks new ground for Blue October by becoming political. A poignant song, it captures the emotions of saying goodbye to a loved one who is about to travel to a place where you can't protect them.
"Picking Up Pieces" starts off slow with piano and bass. It's a spoken song that quickly becomes upbeat with marimba and oceanic percussion (much like "Into the Ocean") and by its midpoint is a dancable tune.
"Jump Rope" embodies how I feel about this album. It's a constant up down up down. This song is happy and hippy hoppy (think Bobby Brown's album "Don't Be Cruel") with violin and rapped lyrics. It gives advice about life's up and downs, and how you've got to keep your head up, and don't be ashamed to cry.
"Blue Skies" zooms and soars and has a fun instrumental bridge with keyboard and guitar and clapping.
"Blue Does" is a lullaby about how beautiful and amazing Justin's daughter is. You can hear the love and fatherly tenderness in his voice, and midway through the song Ryan joins in on the singing. This song could be confusing to people who don't know Justin has a daughter named Blue. Whilst this song is pretty, again as a fan of the rockers, I must confess I would have preferred to have seen "The Fern" or a heavy version of "It's Just Me" on the album rather than this song.
Violin plucking and building suspense, a sense of urgency and uneasiness - like we're driving into war.
Vocals are whispered and creepy. "How far will I go?" Justin asks, and then reveals with each successive verse. Gunshots ring out, further emphasizing the brutal anguish of "The End."
Regardless of how you define normal, I doubt Blue October could ever allow themselves to become it, and I doubt their fans would want them to. Blue October thrives on being abnormal and eschewing conventions; this is what makes them unique; this is what makes them a great band. So fear not fans, Blue October may be approaching normal, but they're still far from it.


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Explicit Version. 2009 album from the Texas Post-Grunge quintet. Approaching Normal is Blue October's follow-up to their platinum-plus selling 2006 album Foiled and the 100k selling Foiled Deluxe. Famed Twilight author Stephanie Meyer says this about the band: ''...there is empathetic power in Blue October's music - the listener doesn't just sympathize with the feeling of the song, the listener has no choice but to feel the song as if the emotion was his/her own.'' 13 tracks including the first single 'Dirt Room'.

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When The World Comes Down (Australian Tour Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)With this year being packed with so many big artists and groups releasing mediocre music, I was more than relieved to find that the All-American Rejects and 'When the World Comes Down' was one of the few exceptions. This album is great. In many ways, I think this release is more on level with their first release which was very pop-rock orientated with great vocals that only this group seems to be able to pull off. The strength in this release is that each song stands on its own, creating an album that is actually worth buying for every track rather than just one or two. There's a great spread of songs and styles on this release, great vocals, harmonizing and an all-around fun album.
"Damn Girl", "Gives You Hell", "Back To Me" are stand-out tracks because they're mostly upbeat and unlike many alternative/rock bands these days, the lyrics, vocals and instrument backings don't clash with one another. There really aren't any tracks worth skipping and the release leaves you wanting more and even puts a smile on your face. I'm hesitant to say 'When the World Comes Down' is the group's best album yet but it comes pretty close. This was more engaging and better produced than their last album 'Move Along' and offers a little bit (style wise) for everyone. Buy this release -- it's well worth the money and one of the best to come out this year.

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Producer Eric Valentine sits behind the console in his Barefoot Studios control room and imparts his bohemian brilliance. On the soundstage beyond the wall are The All-American Rejects. Welcome to the womb of creation where minds meld, riffs congeal, voices carry, lives alter, skin sheds and a modern rock Multi-Platinum success story swing, swing for the fences. But for The All- American Rejects, the road to When the World Comes Down, their third long form musical offering, has been anything but a straight line.

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Middle Cyclone Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm going to start my review talking about the album art, which is spectacular. It has more of Neko's signature artwork than her other albums and expresses the concept of the album much like her drawings on "The Tigers Have Spoken" and "Fox Confessor"--if there were some kind of award for this, Neko would win it.
What is so great about Neko Case is that nobody captures the essence of nostalgia quite like her. Her nostalgia is not the sentimental kind--not a wistful longing for what once was--but a deep ache for what we have unthinkingly destroyed. Her voice itself has an organic reverb that is not created by a production mixer. For people who tuned into Neko as an indie rocker, I encourage you to download individual tracks that sound like her old work, like "This Tornado Loves You" and "The Pharoahs"--"Middle Cyclone" is kind of a departure from her previous work if you are looking for songs that use her voice as the main instrument to play darkness with sweet melodies.
"Middle Cyclone" uses experimental sounds like the "piano orchestra" made up of forsaken and abandoned pianos, music boxes, and the notorious 32 minute track of frogs being so panned by critics. I think these experimental instrumental changes make the album less "poppy" because they decenter Neko's vocals inside a wall of sound, a move that reflects her collaborations with the New Pornographers and The Sadies. I'm really curious how these arrangements will play live on tour. I think some fans are going to be disappointed with "Middle Cyclone," though there are a few catchy tunes on the album. Long-time fans will see this album as a constellation of her work with other musicians, a return to psychedelic instrumentation, and "get" the centerpiece--a rework of the 1974 "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth."
About the frogs. The 32 minutes of frogs, which play like a sleep-sound machine at the end of the album, had the same impact on me as the song "The Tigers Have Spoken." They're lovely, like the melody to "Tigers," but their message is wrenching. How many of us would give anything to fall asleep to the sound of real frogs rather than blasting a sound machine of "nature" to mask the noise pollution of subwoofer terrorists, the whine of freeways and traffic, and the hum of our own houses/heads? What we have damaged is irretrievable...completely razed. Like the found pianos that make up the piano orchestra on the album, the frogs are free to sing; Neko found some frogs outside of the barn-studio that make a wall of sound; it is a frog orchestra. For the "Mother Earth" we have turned our backs on, not a maudlin song about saving, but a long, dark goodbye.

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The fifteen-track Middle Cyclone is Neko Case's first release since 2006's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, the best-reviewed and best-selling album of her career. Middle Cyclone was produced by Case with Darryl Neudorf and recorded in Tucson, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Vermont. It features Case backed by her core band - guitarist Paul Rigby, bassist Tom V. Ray, backing vocalist Kelly Hogan, multi-instrumentalist Jon Rauhouse, and drummer Barry Mirochnick - along with numerous guests including M. Ward, Garth Hudson, Sarah Harmer, and members of The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Calexico, The Sadies, Visqueen, The Lilys, and Giant Sand, among others. In addition to twelve new songs written by Case, Middle Cyclone includes covers of 'Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth' by Sparks, and "Don't Forget Me" by Harry Nilsson.

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Liebe Ist Für Alle Da (Dlx) (Dig) Review

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(More customer reviews)The New Rammstein album. All the fans have been waiting for ages for the album to come out. But, finally: Here it is. Should we be happy; I would say: yes! Worth waiting for. Let's start off with the review of the tracks. At first I would like to say that I also would go into the lyrics(luckily I master German), which are great! Very solid album, worth 4.5 stars.
1. Rammlied
The improved version of "Rammstein"(the track of Herzeleid). More aggresive, faster, sounding better and it "works" better. The intro is great and the lyrics show you that your waiting was not for nothing. "Wer wartet mit Besonnenheit; der wird belohnt am rechten Zeit. Nun das warten hat ein ende"(Who waits with composure, will be rewarded. Well, the waiting has come to an end). YOU as listener are rewarded for your patience. In the track they also mention that they are BACK! At the Bridge Till Lindemann is shouting out his "EIN RICHTUNG!!!" etc. verse; it sounds a bit like Hitler's Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer, but I'm sure as heck that Rammstein did this intentionally: They WANT to be controversial, even though they are NOT nazis.
2. Ich Tu Dir Weh
I hurt you; I don't feel sorry, it feels good to me, when you're screaming! That's essentially what the chorus says. It's "funny"; so absurd; just great. The main riff is catchy as well as the whole song. One of my personal favorites of the album. It's about someone who loves him; but he doesn't love the other one. Actually the person Till sings about is being torture badly. "Bei dir hab ich die Wahl der Qual"; a nice word play. Usually in German it is "qual der wahl"(the problem of choice; which one to pick??), in this case it's the other way around: which way should he choose in order to hurt the person in question. Anyway, back to the song itself: the production of this song is very solid; one of the tracks you would listen over and over again!
3. Waidmann's Heil
A song about hunting in my opinion since "The Creature must die!". It sounds a bit heroic and the beginning, coming to the riff, which is so good compared to Rosenrot for instance. Just a quick moment of reflection; if you would place this album into a time period I would place in the gap between Sehnsucht and Mutter(according to the style of music etc.). The song is solid with some nice drum accents and Flake with his keyboard.
4. Haifisch
Not a bad song, nor the best. It's about sharks; crying into the sea. You can't see the tears since they are in the water and it is the reason why the sea is salt. It's quite an empty song, with a quite easy riff and some accents of Flake. The chorus is quite good with vocal back-up like we know from Rammstein(a bit like Morgenstern, but more on the background).
5. Buckstabu
The word is basically made-up and it stands for nothing; just like Till says: "Don't do it, Let it be, don't touch it, just say no", coming down to the same point. The song starts a bit "dark". The riff is great with a good bass guitar and same dark piano accents. The chorus is wild and raw: GREAT, Rammstein like we used to know them! The chorus is backed up with great guitar intervention at the end. The bridge is also vocally very strong. The solid production comes forward once more.
6. Fruhling in Paris
At first I thought that Rammstein would nick the "Springtime in Paris" rhythm of the Jazz song, but no. An unplugged intro. The lyrics are in French and German. The main thing he(Till) says is that he doesn't feel sorry for anything. Personally I think this is the weakest track of the whole album. I don't want to spend much of my words to this song because I like to move on the good tracks!
7. Wiener Blut
Blood of Vienna basically. It's about the story of a young girl, trapped under the house of a certain Austrian guy(Jozef Fritzl). The lyrics are truly with a double bottom. It's sound all great(love nest beneath the house etc.), but the chorus reveals the true nature of the song: "Welcome to the darkness, the solitude and the sadness; for eternity. Welcome to reality!". The song is built up great. With an intro of: Come with me to my castle into my basement of love etc.. Then the song starts off properly, showing the reality of the story. Pure musical strength in my opinion; being able to mix everything together and expressing the correct feelings with the music, the way they intended it, and the way it should be.
8. P*ssy
It's not just a bad song, with a vulgar music video. It HAS a message. It's about people getting out of the country to have cheap sex in countries like Thailand etc. Mercedes Benz, the freeway. "Driving abroad on my own, travel travel, driving pleasure. I just want to have fun, I don't wanna fall in love. Just a little bit, be my little b*tch". The text is ironic as well; I can't get laid in Germany. Some double bottom lines like: lightning war with the flesh gun, stick my sausage in your sauerkraut and so on! You can see that this is the single. It's maybe the most accessible track of the album and the lyrical content is not that hard(a lot of chorus).
9. Liebe Ist Fur Alle Da
Love is there for all. The album title track. Not the best track in my opinion. The chorus is good though. The lyrics are quite confusing. Love is there for all; not for me, but later on he says the opposite. It might be that he's telling stories from different perspectives. The music is less good than the rest of the album, the normal riff doesn't go like an oiled machine. The guitar solo is typical Rammstein.
10. Mehr
More! To me this sounds like the culture of grabbing everything there is to grab, even when it has no use. This song is inspired on the global economic crisis, so I think. The song is built up like it should be. Intro, drums and the "violence" rolls on! Quite a good song.
11. Roter Sand
Red Sand. It starts of with someone whistling. When you've heard it once, you'll whistle it yourself. Then some dark guitar tunes pop up. It's a love story with a dramatic end. They both had guns(Two pistols, two rounds), but one pulled quicker, one died, the other one survived(It's deep in my chest). The song is great in his simplicity. The song just expresses the correct feelings once again. It just fits all together somehow. Just great!
And now... CD 1 has ended, but luckily you've bought the DLX version, so you will be rewarded even more. 5 More tracks await you. At first, a quick review of disc one. Solid, the old Rammstein seems to be back. Even Rammstein themselves call it a comeback. This album is the one that will make Rosenrot dissapear. With all due respect, the album Rosenrot was just made up from album take-outs of Reise Reise and some other recordings that didn't make it to an album. The normal version is worth buying but the 2 disc version(for just a couple of bucks more) is even worth more. With a nice booklet and deluxe cardboard package(which works quite complicated though; you have to practice how to fold it back).
Now disc two; five more tracks. Fuhre mich(Lead me) is first. It starts of mysteriously dark again. This really is a good track with some subtle details and a really (vocally) good chorus. Some "opera" features are in it as well. Donaukinder comes next(this track has some dark lyrics as well. Missing kids, a river, rats satisfied with food, poisoned water springs...this suggests that something happened to those kids(probably decomposing) at the Donau river; but like the chorus says: "where are they? Nobody knows what has happened here" ), also a good track which will give you the feeling you want more. This truly sounds like Rammstein from the days of wayback somehow. Halt is up next; sounds dark(again!), good track once again. Good chorus and again (sorry for mentioning this over and over again) sounds like the old Rammstein! The Roter Sand orchestra version is not very different from the normal version and could be more differing in order to make it better in my opinion. Still, it is a good track. Last one; Liese. Starts of with the whistling theme again. Has the same intro as Roter Sand(Orchestra) but with different lyrics. Also good, good vocal work!
Concluding to this; if you are only slightly interested or "made warm" for this album, do NOT hesitate to buy it; because it will be worth your money. This album can be played over and over again without getting boring. The only drawbacks are Fruhling in Paris and the fact that the second disc only contains 5 tracks. For the rest of it: Great. Four and a half stars: ****+
RAMMSTEIN IST WIEDER ZURuCK!
Regards,
Tom from the Netherlands

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Limited edition digipak pressing includes five bonus tracks. 2009 release from the German Metal band, their sixth release overall. Liebe Ist Fur Alle De is the long awaited follow-up to the 2005 album Rosenrot. The features a blend of the classic Rammstein sound mixed with more texture, energy and power. Features 16 tracks including the first single 'Pussy'.

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Brand New Eyes Review

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(More customer reviews)I started out as a casual fan of Paramore, but gradually, both albums grew on me, and now they're one of my top 5 favorite bands. I tend to think of myself as being a little outside the demographic of Paramore fans, being in my late 20's, but I don't care! I've been anxiously awaiting the release of this album, and to be honest, it's one of the first time in years that I've paid attention to the 'official release date' from any album.

Paramore has catchy, rock driven tunes with smart, well written lyrics. Hayley Williams' vocals are amazing...for such a tiny person she sure has a set of powerhouse pipes. I actually had expected this album to be a lot darker then the 1st two albums, after hearing the first single, "Ignorance" and also knowing they were going thru some personal band turmoil while recording "brand new eyes". But besides "Ignorance", there is no huge addition of somberness compared with the other albums.
Paramore has progressed and grown, while still retaining their distinct Paramore sound. I also think the drummer, Zac Farro, was given a little more liberty in letting the drums really lead and set the tone on a few songs. There are two quieter, pretty songs "Misguided Ghosts" and "The Only Exception". Thinking back, I can't recall any slower jams on the other albums that are acoustic and lacking drums like "Misguided Ghosts", and that stood out for me. But don't take that the wrong way, they're both awesome songs, and show a different side of what Paramore can accomplish. After listening to the album for at least a week straight, I really have been looking forward to those two tracks, as well as "Careful" and "All I Wanted".

While writing this review I struggled to find something I didn't like about this album(trying to be well rounded and not just chock full of praise!), and I'm sorry, but I couldn't come up with anything, I'm a fan, not a critic.
On the whole, the album is awesome and I think will stand out as one of the year's best Rock/Alternative albums, just like "Riot!" did in 2007. A must have in my opinion.
Also if you have a chance to see them live, go! I don't like live shows as much as I used to, but I never miss Paramore, they put on a stellar show.

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Over 2 million records sold, three gold and one platinum single, a gold DVD release, countless sold out tour dates and numerous awards and nominations including the 2008 Grammy Nomination For 'Best New Artist' Award, you can say that Paramore has reached mainstream stardom. Arguably one of the most anticipated releases of 2009, 'brand new eyes' is by far the band's most personal album. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Kid Rock, My Chemical Romance) and co-produced by the band, the long-awaited follow-up to 2007's platinum certified second album, 'Riot!' The 11-track collection is unquestionably Paramore's best and brightest album to date, fit to burst with all the exuberant melodies, breathless hooks, and irrepressible energy that has made the Nashville-based band one of the most popular rock outfits in recent memory.

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Forever Is the World (Tour Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like a lot of my favorite goth-metal bands, these guys have had their ups and downs, along with a few abrupt musical style changes (see "Musique" or "Assembly" ). Then, with the loss of their signature singer Liv Kristine, the band had to weather a new vocalist, as well. Thankfully, the album that came out of that upheaval, 2006's "Storm", was sort of a return to form - the Euro-electro sound of the two previous releases was gone in favor of a more typical gothic metal direction, and overall, became one of my favorite recent albums within that often-repetitive genre . Unlike, say, Paradise Lost, who have felt an increasing desire to abandon the atmospheric gothness of their past, and now try to pummel 15-year old metalheads with a sound that mimics every band who have come after them (just check out their new album "Faith Divides Us"), the new ToT is truly a gothic band again, not afraid of keyboards and atmosphere, and while not a return to the highpoint sounds of the great "Aegis" album, this is definitely the best they've been since then. In fact, "FITW" could best be described as a combo of "Aegis" and "Storm". Thankfully, they also decided to forgo the latest Lacuna Coil approach to "female goth rock", and chose not to produce complete blandness in a desperate search for stardom. For me, that makes this album the best of the genre (although much of this record could hardly even be described as "metal" at all). If you don't mind NOT having your ears hammered for fifty minutes, and thirst for some dark beauty back in your goth, here it is!

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Tour edition of the group's 2009 release. BONUSES include "Empty" (which was the bonus cut on the limited digipak edition) and a 10 track EP "Adennda" which features rare/unreleaded tracks: The Breaking (only found on the vinyl pressing of FITW), Beauty in Deconstruction (original version from the "Storm" sessions), Frozen (Ambrosius remake), Empty (extra album track), Deadland (Tommy Olsson remake), Revolution (Flip Wicked remix), Highlights (bonus track on "Storm"), Illusions (Zensor remix), Empty (E&A wedding mix), Forever is the World (Chamber version). 21 tracks total.

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