A Casual Affair: The Best of Tonic (Deluxe Edition CD/DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great collection for any fan, or someone new to Tonic who wants to check out a variety of their songs from different albums. Almost anyone will remember one of their biggest hits "If You Could Only See", and you'll probably also recognize "You Wanted More" from the American Pie soundtrack as the only tune off the soundtrack that was released as a single. "Irish" was a huge crowd pleaser when they were touring, and it took a couple of years for them to finally put it on their last studio release in 2002.
I've been listening to them steadily since I was 15 or 16(which is scary being I'm 29 now) with their first album release. I grew as a fan as time went by, and it would be nearly impossible for me to name a favorite album or song, as there are many and it depends on the day of the week. Their musical outlook seemed to flex and change throughout the years, but at the heart you can always tell it is this amazing trio of musicians and most definitely the Tonic sound. I think the music can span and dabble in a few genres from pop to rock to a little bit of a country flare now and then, and is worth checking out for any music lover. Once you hear this, you'll most definitely want to get the other albums in their entirety.

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Deluxe edition features bonus DVD with 5 music videos! After TONIC scored a platinum album, a pair of Grammy nominations and several hit singles - including "If You Could Only See," the most-played rock radio song of 1997 - the Modern Rockers went on hiatus in 2004. This summer, however, TONIC returns, first with a tour and then this fall with its first new album in seven years. In anticipation, the group's first retrospective, A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC revisits the enormously popular band that blended the raw honesty of rock with unabashed pop appeal, killer melodies with revved-up guitar heroics. Featuring 12 selections from TONIC's three albums, A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC provides a refresher for today's musical malaise. The three previously unreleased bonus tracks on A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC are a live version of their signature cut "Irish," an acoustic take on "You Wanted More," and their live rendition of "Sugar." In 2005, after nearly a decade together, the band members decided to go their separate ways. Singer Emerson Hart released his successful solo debut, Cigarettes & Gasoline, guitarist Jeff Russo recorded with the Low Stars and scored TV series, and bass player Dan Lavery recorded and toured with The Fray, among others. With A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC and the band reunited, TONIC's meaningful relationship with its fans continues.
Track listing:
CD
1. You Wanted More
2. Take Me As I Am
3. If You Could Only See
4. Knock Down Walls
5. Count On Me Somebody
6. Sugar
7. Soldier's Daughter
8. Lemon Parade
9. Mean To Me
10. Open Up Your Eyes
11. Casual Affair
12. Irish
13. You Wanted More (Acoustic)
14. Sugar (Live)
15. Irish (Live)
DVD (NTSC, All Regions)
1. Open Up Your Eyes
2. If You Could Only See
3. Soldier's Daughter
4. You Wanted More
5. Mean To Me (Director's Cut)

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Live Era '87-'93 Review

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(More customer reviews)For six years, between 1987 and 1993, Guns N' Roses ruled the rock world. It was six years of accusations of being racist, riots, tempter tantrums, swearing on live TV, urinating on planes, very public feuds with other bands, and of course, unbelievably great rock n' roll. From the days of when GN'R brought authenticity back to rock n' roll, when Bon Jovi were considered the premier rock band, to surviving the onslaught of grunge, GN'R were rock gods. In 1999, five years after the semi-original Guns N' Roses rocked an arena for the last time, the posthumous "Live Era '87-'93" hit the stores.
While "Live Era" is quite good, it could have been better. Guns N' Roses was a great band, and put on an exciting live show, there's no denying that. "Live Era" is filled with classics, from each release, minus "The Spaghetti Incident" (1993). The band sounds great and performance on each track is top-notch. That said, "Live Era" is flawed in two ways-its chronology and production.
As the back of the CD states, the songs on this CD were "recorded across the universe between 1987 and 1993." For some bands, like Nirvana or Motley Crue, it wouldn't be any problem to compile a live album with songs from different years. With Guns N' Roses, however, it doesn't quite work. That's because the original Guns N' Roses went through four distinct phases:
Phase I: 1986-1990: Axl Rose- vocals, Slash- lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin- rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan- Bass, Steven Adler- Drums. This lineup, generally regarded as the definitive one, recorded "Appetite for Destruction" (1987) and "GN'R Lies" (1998). This lineup was basically Aerosmith on speed, with an element of punk and the Rolling Stones.
Phase II: 1991: Axl Rose- vocals, Slash- lead guitar, Izzy Stradlin- rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan- Bass, Matt Sorum- Drums, Dizzy Reed- Keyboards. The addition of the very proficient, yet slightly bombastic Matt Sorum and keyboard player Dizzy Reed made GN'R's sound slicker, less rough-around the edges. With this lineup, the band ventured out and experimented considerably, with the very ambitious epic "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (1991).
Phase III: 1992: Axl Rose- vocals, Slash- lead guitar, Gilby Clarke- rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan- Bass, Matt Sorum- Drums, Dizzy Reed- Keyboards. In addition, many backup musicians, such as female backup singers and a horn section were added. GN'R purists often regarded this period as the weakest link in the bands career. It is said that GN'R became very bloated during this leg of the tour and all the horns and added singers watered down the bands sound. I tend to disagree with that assessment. It was an interesting phase in the band's career and many of the songs, like "Move to the City" and "November Rain" sound enhanced with the extra musicians. Unfortunately, in 1992, when compared to the stripped down, unadulterated rock n' roll of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Guns N' Roses huge backup entourage seemed excessive and bloated. Still, it was just an experimental phase, something that people often forget. As a live guitarist, Gilby Clarke outshined Stradlin.
Phase IV: 1993: Axl Rose- vocals, Slash- lead guitar, Gilby Clarke- rhythm guitar, Duff McKagan- Bass, Matt Sorum- Drums, Dizzy Reed- Keyboards. All the excess musicians are gone. While not as raunchy as the early days, GN'R comes full circle and goes back to playing pure rock n' roll. Many of the songs are played even more stripped down, acoustically.
The problem with "Live Era" is that there will be one song from the AFD/Lies era, then one song from the horn era, then back to the AFD/Lies era, and then will leap into '93, before going back to '91 and so on. While the songs are great, no doubt, the album overall is a little disjointed. It would have been better if disc 1 were strictly from the '87-'90 AFD/Lies era,, and disc II were from the experimental, '92 horn era.
The other problem with "Live Era" is it sounds overproduced. The songs sound tampered with. There is some speculation that Axl Rose even re-recorded his vocals (although this is just speculation). They should have just left the songs as is, without trying to touch them up.
While this list of criticisms seems long, it is not meant to imply that "Live Era" is a bad album. Indeed, the songs are still classics and if you are a fan of the band "Live Era" is well worth owning.


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Japanese 2 x SHM paper sleeve pressing. Features 2009 remastering. Universal. 2009.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Skin & Bones Review

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(More customer reviews)I've always been a fan of the Foo Fighters. Sure, they are loud, most of the time that is. But hey, who in rock and roll can top Dave Grohl's marvelous sense of humor? Whenever I take a plane I think of the Foo's Learn To Fly video and start laughing as the crew prepares their usual take off procedures.
Everybody knows Dave Grohl as having been Nirvana's drummer. So it is to no surprise that people compare this semi acoustic live album to Nirvana's terrific Unplugged in New York.
But Dave isn't Curt - he doesn't want to be, doesn't need to. He's an amazing songwriter in his own right and the Foo Fighters are a terrific band.
In Your Honor, the album they brought out one year previous to this one, already had one disc with just acoustic songs. They were a truly amazing set of songs.
Here they play songs from all their previous albums showing that great songs can be played in a lot of different ways. They will forever be great songs.
But don't think of this as stripped down. It's perfect the way it is. Nothing is missing. It's just another take. That's what I expect when I go to a concert, to be surprised; not another album played live with every note as I already know it.
This set has 15 songs recorded in August 2006 live at Pantages Theater, Hollywood. A perfect recording with great mastering by ... Bob Ludwig (who else)
My favorites: Razor, Over and Out and Cold Day in the Sun
Apart from Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett, you'll find Petra Haden on violin, mandolin and vocals, Drew Hester, percussion and vibes, Rami Jaffee, piano, mellotron, accordion and organ, Pat Smear, acoustic and electrical guitar, Danny Clinch, harmonica.

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Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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