The High End of Low (Deluxe Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(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.


Click Here to see more reviews about: The High End of Low (Deluxe Edition)

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.

Click here for more information about The High End of Low (Deluxe Edition)

All The Women I Am (CD/DVD Combo Deluxe Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It's been a bit of a while since we've been treated to new music from country music megastar Reba McEntire who is simply going by "Reba" these days. All the Women I Am is McEntire's 34th studio album (seriously) and she shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. She channels all of her years of experiences into this new album that has tracks that touch on everything from motherhood to being a divorced woman in today's world. With Dann Huff, who produced albums for Faith Hill and Keith Urban, at the helm you'd expect this to be a real all-out country affair. Not quite, unfortunately. All The Women I Am is good, but not one of Reba's best as it lacks a focus that her music and past albums have had.
The Good: There are some good tracks in this collection and most of those tracks are within the first half of the album. The album's first track (and first single) "Turn on the Radio" has Reba playing the role of jilted lover who's breaking up with her former love and telling me he'll have no access to her beyond hearing her voice and songs on the radio. This track's style doesn't sound much like the Reba McEntire we're used to and has her singing a song with lyrics that seem destined for Carrie Underwood but she does well on this country/pop song and obviously has a lot of fun with the change in style. Reba adds another great cover song to her collection by taking on Beyoncé's "If I Were A Boy." There's no need to worry - Reba and her producers add a country twang and new instruments to the background to make this a real country affair and for the first time in a while we get to hear a song where McEntire really stretches her voice. I liked that though many are familiar with this song that Reba's treatment of it doesn't really sway far from the original but she sounds just as emotionally tied to the lyrics as Beyoncé. "The Bridge You Burn" is probably the most country, and perhaps the best song, on the album, period. With guitars and banjo picking and flairs of blue grass and old-time country songs, the song is classic Reba with her comforting a woman who's suffering from a broken heart and telling her she'll find a better love soon enough. These tracks were among the best and encompass the qualities that have made Reba a household name and mainstay in country music. They each pack a punch but neatly show off the different sides of her personality.
The Bad: There are just some songs on 'All The Women I Am' that sound as if Reba just isn't sure of what her sound is these days or has her experimenting just a bit too much. "The Day She Got Divorced" stands out in my mind as a track that while good and it has a story within the lyrics, it stands out like a sore thumb on this album and isn't something I'd want to listen to beyond one time. "When You Have a Child" is nice but it's nothing unique lyric and music wise. The title track "All the Women I Am" is a good track with great lyrics but the instrument backing sounds a bit weak and lacks the punch that the lyrics and words of the song has. What I missed from these tracks and a few others was the lack of Reba's signature vocals running throughout the album. She seems to take a backseat to a lot of these songs and only shines on a few tracks. The other tracks feel as if anyone with half of her talent and voice could have pulled them off.
In all, it's a decent album and one that I'd probably give 3 and half stars to. This is not Reba McEntire's best and it even pales in comparison to her last release. Still, anytime we get new music from Reba it's an occasion worth celebrating. Though not all the songs are strong, there are plenty worth putting on repeat. I've come to realize that with this release we're given a sampling of the Reba over the years: the tracks and styles touch upon the different moods, genres and styles she's taken on over the course of her career (thus all the different "women" she's exuded).
Listen To These: "The Bridge You Burn", "Somebody's Chelsea", "If I Were A Boy"

Click Here to see more reviews about: All The Women I Am (CD/DVD Combo Deluxe Edition)

Reba's 34th career studio album highlights include the smash hit, "Turn On the Radio," the break-out "Somebody's Chelsea," co-written by Reba, as well as the superstar's popular cover of Beyonce's hit, "If I Were A Boy," which became a viral sensation when she first performed the song on CMT Unplugged earlier this year.ALL THE WOMEN I AM, marks Reba's first project with award-winning producer Dann Huff (Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts) and her second album for The Valory Music Co.The Limited Deluxe Edition of ALL THE WOMEN I AM includes an interview and video performances of Reba's 4-week #1 "Consider Me Gone," the Top 10 hit "Strange," "I Want a Cowboy," and "Eight Crazy Hours (In The Story of Love)" from Reba's recent AOL Sessions. The bonus DVD will also include Reba's much buzzed-about performance of "If I Were A Boy" on CMT Unplugged. In addition, theLimited Deluxe Edition will include a dance remix of "I Want A Cowboy" and behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the "Turn On The Radio" video as well as the "Turn On The Radio" music video itself.

Click here for more information about All The Women I Am (CD/DVD Combo Deluxe Edition)

This War Is Ours Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After reading the earlier reviews, they made me a little upset. This album is spectacular. I recently heard these guys in concert, and loved them. I think it is unfair to judge this album compared to the previous album. I think it is funny that people are asking them to change their name so they don't get confused. Just because you are too simple minded to understand and hear the difference between Ronnie and Craig, doesn't mean that they have to change the name of the band.
All albums should be judged independently of any other releases from the band. If this album is worth 5 stars, give it 5 stars, if it is worth 4, give it 4. But what you shouldn't do is give it a low amount of stars because you still have a crush on Ronnie. Let's remember, it isn't Craig's or ETF's fault Ronnie isn't in the band anymore.

Click Here to see more reviews about: This War Is Ours

Escape the Fate - This War Is Ours -Deluxe Version includes, 4 brandnew studio tracks nad 6 Videos.Escape the Fate went through a lot in 2008, not the least of which was the incarceration of singer Ron Radke. Now re-loaded with Blessthefall vocalist Craig Mabbitt, the band has struck back with the dynamic THIS WAR IS OURS. Neither a raging storm of hardcore screams nor a wounded, emotional mess, the album focuses on Escape the Fate's strengths. The opener, "We Won't Back Down," is blazing and anthemic, with classic "whoas" in the chorus, and the title track balances metalcore toughness with urgent melodies that sound like a band on a mission.

Click here for more information about This War Is Ours

Abnormally Attracted to Sin Review

Average Reviews:

(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.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Abnormally Attracted to Sin

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.

Click here for more information about Abnormally Attracted to Sin

Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (Special Edition)(CD/DVD) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off if your a huge Zombie fan then you should love this album. It seems to me that a lot of people quite don't understand his style and i understand it's not for everybody but those who do understand how his brain works will love the sequel to Hellbilly Deluxe. With that said it's also important to know that this album won't sound like the first Hellbilly because it's a different band and a different decade. I loved the Industrial stuff Zombie did in the 90's and miss it at times on his new album but when you have a guitar god like John 5 in your band you just have to use him. Another great thing about John 5 is that he brings a wide range of sounds and styles to Zombie that I find very refreshing. To me Devil's Hole Girls and the Big Revolution has a old White Zombie feel to it because of the main riff. You have a mix of heavy songs, fist pumping songs and some awesome halloween 60's groove songs like the new Michael song about Michael Myers. Everything is Boring is a song that fits nicely on the album and the chorus has been stuck in my head the past couple days. I like that the acoustic intro to Mars Needs Women is a song all by itself now so if you want you can just skip right to the beginning of the drums and the lyrics. Even the middle of The Man Who Laughs is cool because it breaks into a kind of arabian gypsy kind of guitar sound which again just shows the various styles of music John 5 can play. Essentially the Special Edition is Hellbilly Deluxe II on steroids. It has three new killer songs and the changes made have only improved the cd.
The only bummer was the dvd part. I was hoping it would include the music video to Sick Bubblegum as well as some entire live performances off the recent tour but you only get bits of it here and there in the documentary which i feel could of been better. I was hoping for a documentary that left you with the feel of what it's like to go on tour with these guys from rehearsing, to traveling and performing. Instead you get a couple cool scenes and a lot of weird stuff like slurpy machines and close ups of pouring coffee and i don't know it was just weird, I wanted more talking. Essentially just a bunch of random stuff edited together that left me wanting more.
Overall I'm very glad with this Special Edition. The album was good originally and it sounds even better now. The only improvement to me would be the the dvd features. Having just seen them during Mayhem Fest and knowing they recorded those shows I would rather of had a live concert dvd instead because that tour was epic.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (Special Edition)(CD/DVD)

'Hellbilly Deluxe 2' is the sequel to the mulit-platinum solo debut, 'Hellbilly Deluxe.' The album harkens back to that classic album with its music and artwork and is exactly what the Rob Zombie fan has been waiting for. Lead by the first single 'Sick Bubblegum' the album picks up where the first 'Hellbilly Deluxe' left off. -Features 3 bonus tracks and a reimagining of 'The Man Who Laughs' all featuring Joey Jordison on Drums.-DVD featuring a 30 Minute tour documentary directed by Rob Zombie as well as the 'Mars Needs Women' music video and 'School's Out' (live) - with Alice Cooper.

Click here for more information about Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (Special Edition)(CD/DVD)

Slash (2CD/DVD) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having to buy an album that you already own, stinks. However, this bonus disc is incredible. In my opinion, the bonus tracks are as good as the album. The track Slash plays with Alice Cooper is my favorite track on this two disc set. Also the new version of Paradise City with Fergie and Cypress Hill, rules. Slash put out a masterpiece with this collection. I paid about thirty bucks for this c.d. and feel that I got a great deal! You need the bonus disc. I listen to it as much as the album.
I am sorry to report that the bonus dvd is not that great. It needs more footage of Slash playing live. But please don't let this review make you decide if you will purchase the deluxe edition or not. If you don't own this edition you are missing out.
Thank you Slash for putting out such an outstanding product! I got to see him at the Hollywood House of Blues walk out and guest with the Joe Perry Project. Seeing Slash jam with Mr. Perry was one of the greatest nights of my life. My two favorite guitarists on stage together was magical.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Slash (2CD/DVD)

The ideafor SLASH Deluxe Edition came about from Slash himself as a way to takefans on a journey of the start-to-fi nish process of making his fi rst solo album.Comprised of everything from the earliest demos conceptualizing his albumall the way through to live video footage from the album release secretshow performance at the famed Roxy, this Deluxe Edition features newcontent any fan wouldwant to experience.

Click here for more information about Slash (2CD/DVD)

Rock Dust Light Star Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In the last several years before this long awaited 'creative' effort, JK (like many other artists) has spent (& lost) lots of his energy fighting his previous record label (Sony) for more artistic control.
Now that he is freed from the evil tyrants (that made him a star) & been fully granted all the control he'd seek, it is quite aggravating, brutal even, to witness the lack of creativity presented here. Sadly for any music lover & even sadder for any true fan, five years in the waiting, what you get here is a mismatched, uninspired, time-filling, disconnected mixture of what could have barely graced b-sides of his past-life singles.
Be-side (pun intended) 'White Knuckle Ride', an uplifting & infectiously effective 'disco-electro' classic JK track (that I suspect, as it is so far off the rest of the album, was destined for a previously unreleased effort), there isn't anything quite aurally spectacular anymore about Jamiroquai's music. The writing is rather futile (compared to his usually intricate lyrics), the arrangements are repetitive & uninspired, the melodies are, for the most part, weak & fast forgotten. Even the self-loathing cover of the record suggest he's over the hill or well on his way there.
When JK was in his prime, the Buffalo Man was often used to distance his pretty looks from his art. And since the art was so incredibly good, one couldn't care less that no pics were found inside the booklets. One would focus on the groovy music & luscious, deliriously vintage arrangements instead. If there was a time I wished the B-Man was dusted off & put back to use on a cover, it has to be on this one. JK looks almost ridiculous. Even his facial expression seems to suggest: 'Don't I look silly?'
Don't get me wrong: I simply adore & respect this artist, i really do. Jamiroquai (Jay Kay) is a master at what he does. A skilled producer, a (usually very) inspired & inspiring writer surrounded by great, almost surreal musicians / vocalists. But let's be frank, if Jamiroquai was still under Sony's management, this record would have NEVER been released.
Stupendously, tyrannous record companies will often protect artists from attempting to release any crap they make, especially when they're so full of themselves to think ANY of their offering is good enough to go platinum. This was, several years ago, why JK got out of Sony, yet this is exactly one of those moments when a higher power should have stopped this mess from happening.
I am now 15$ shorter & terribly sad to admit that this album has only one undeniable quality: It makes ALL its predecessors scream genius, virtuosity & talent. This ain't no Dynamite, this ain't no Cowboy, no Synkronized... Nope.
Very rare are the artists that have actually been able to produce succesful, quality records after the epitaphic 'greatest hits' collection of their past successes. I am afraid there will never be a 'High Times' part 2.
'Pressure, it gets ya'. Nicely put JK, nicely put.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rock Dust Light Star

2010 release, the seventh album from British Jazz Funk pioneers Jamiroquai. Fronted by the charismatic Jay Kay, this is the band's first album in five years, following Dynamite with the kind of catchiness that made Jamiroquai a household name. Recorded between Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Thailand, Rock Dust Light Star features the single 'Blue Skies', a Take That-esque uplifting pop song - a departure from tracks such as 'Space Cowboy'. This record shows the group's talent remains as strong in 2010 as it was in 1994.

Click here for more information about Rock Dust Light Star

The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased The Best Damn Thing explicit/DVD deluxe, and all I have to say is that she has come a long way since Under My Skin three years ago! This album combines the perfect blend of classic punk-rock Avril with enough ballads to keep those satisfied who prefer the slower, emotional side of Lavigne! The best part of this particular edition is that the DVD (almost an hour long) shows all kinds of scenes with Avril recording and writing for this CD. Listen to it again after watching this, and you will get a better understanding of what her songs mean to her! So buy The Best Damn Thing right now, and discover the new, Limoncello drinking Avril Lavigne!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition)

Studio: Sony MusicRelease Date: 04/17/2007

Click here for more information about The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition)