Replicas Redux Review

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(More customer reviews)The 30th anniversary re-release of Replicas is a treat, offering the original versions of the album and b-sides from this era, as well as 'early versions' of the same material.
Interestingly, Disc 1 does not include all of the original b-sides, not sure why. It's missing original versions of The Crazies, Only A Downstat, and We Have A Technical, which are available on the previous Beggars Banquet re-issues of the album. Interesting gap. Disc 2, meanwhile, contains early versions of these songs, as well as the other b-sides, in addition to the album. The early versions are a real treat, remastered and crystal clear. Nothing is drastically different, but different enough to be very enjoyable for the fan, with extra instrumentation in some cases, and even more synths. Numan's unique voice is also mixed differently, giving the tracks a different feel.
Numan himself is selling a limited edition of this album through his own website, which contains a third disc of remixes and yet more early versions. That's the version to get as it has the most material for a few bucks more. (It has four additional early versions, and two Renegade Soundwave remixes).
The whole thing holds up remarkably well 30 years later, combining guitars and early synths with Numan's effortless ability to generate hooks and catchy tunes. Inspired by Philip K. Dick novels and sci-fi comic books, Numan was doing his own thing right from the teenage years, and he continues to be influential to legions of artists, yet he still doesn't get the due he deserves. Highly recommended rock album.

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In early 2008 Gary Numan celebrates his 30th year in music and turns 50. To celebrate this, the pioneering electronic album Replicas will be re-issued as Gary Numan & Tubeway Army - Replicas Redux on February 25, 2008. The album includes the breakthrough single 'Are 'Friends' Electric?', which gave Numan his first simultaneous Number 1 single and album when Replicas joined it at the top of the charts a few weeks later. 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' originally charted as a picture disc and Beggars Banquet are promising a very limited edition picture disc of the track plus 'Down In The Park' as the flipside as recognition that both songs have remained influential for three decades. The new Redux re-issue also features for the first time a complete earlier version of the Replicas album recorded in late 1978 and January 1979, along with the original B-sides and further out-takes, adding up to 27 tracks across the two CDs.

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Seven Year Itch Review

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(More customer reviews)I used to have Siouxsie's name inscribed on my pencil-case. But after seeing her live in 83 in the Wellington Town Hall, with Robert Smith on guitar, I moved the inscription to my heart. (Mainly for the music, but there was also the way she nearly dented some particularly obnoxious audience members, shaven-headed boot-wearers who admired Hitler, with a deft swing of the microphone stand, which in those primitive days had a base made of concrete. All without missing a note: ahhh, Siouxsie...)
I'm a fan. I still list "Spellbound" somewhere in my top 20 songs, and I still have moods where only the thunder of the Banshees and Siouxsie in full cry will really do. I've even tried to persuade people that the Cure were the second best band that Robert Smith played guitar in. (I usually lose that argument, but win the fall-back position that the Banshees' _Nocturne_ is the best album he ever played on.)
So I bought the "Seven Year Itch" concert DVD the moment I saw it, expecting a nice dark romantic energy transfusion. And I got a serious disappointment instead.
The first five or so songs are performed in a sort of monotone muttering, not only by Siouxsie herself, who seems to have spent the last 10 years smoking and coughing, but also by the Banshees. But those first songs were never my favourites anyway, so my expectations lifted again when Siouxsie announced "Happy House". "Happy House" always had a nice line in obsessive incantatory power. But as performed by the new Siouxsie, it doesn't even have a tune any more, let alone any power. After that, "Christine" came and went without even conjuring up a ghost, a faded wisp, of the glorious song that it ought to be. More muttering from Siouxsie, more off-hand rumbling from the Banshees. And then I took the DVD off, since this was too damn depressing for words.
A few days later I tried "Spellbound", on the theory that the song is damn near indestructible, and surely it would galvanise even this batch of Banshees into some sort of life.
Tester's report: "Spellbound" not indestructible. Banshees still shambolical. Siouxsie still lost her voice.
So. As an irrationally passionate Siouxsie and the Banshees fan, I'm here to warn you that this hideous travesty is not only awful in its own right, but it can have a sort of reverse halo effect, seriously tarnishing the memory of some great music. The cure, after hearing as much of this as you can stand, is to play _Nocturne_, the Banshees' 1983 live album, which is all the proof you need that the Banshees were a brilliant live band with an awe-inspiring catalogue of songs.
Buy _Nocturne_ instead, if you don't already have it; it's virtually a best-of, up to 1983, with versions that often improve on the studio originals. But whatever you do, don't succumb to _the Seven Year Itch_.

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Your Funeral My Trial Review

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(More customer reviews)Not Nick Cave's best overall album, but certainly a very good one indeed. The title track puts things in the right context, followed quickly by Stranger Than Kindness (a very rare non-cover cut that Cave didn't co-write.) Next up is The Carny, still one of Cave's most endearing songs. The pseudo-carnival music backing is the perfect backdrop for Cave's psychotic carnival-horror lyrics, that remind me a bit of books like Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. Hard On For Love is... not a ballad, but, more accurately, a perverse confession of lust, made likable by Cave's over-the-top vocal performance. The highlight of the album however, most would argue, is Sad Waters. Perhaps Cave's first truly strong ballad, this is still considered one of his best songs to this day. A very strong cover of Tim Rose's Long Time Man is handled deftly by Cave and The Seeds, and it's lyrics of spousal murder coupled with their totally commanding performance will leave you finding it hard to believe that they didn't write the piece in the first place. For all intents and purposes, this is the last song on the album. Following it is Scum, a semi-hilarous non-song that will appeal to those who appreciate Cave's sense of humor. This set is, in many ways, the step between Cave's first handful of albums and what many consider to be his masterpiece, Tender Prey. Thus, it is an excellent album, and must be purchased for this reason.

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Impeccable Blahs Review

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(More customer reviews)Attention 30 somethings... sick of that angry, pouting, self-glorifying, heavily marketed and over-produced garage music? I am... and I bless the day when the cocky angst-ridden cd store kid pulled this gem out of a haystack of INDIE releases... and presented it to me... smirking at me like I might be too lame to appreciate it...
SHTYM creates very clever music - simple yet memorable melodies... very creative lyrics that fully employ your tacit knowledge.
This music does not rock... it does not make you feel like you are flying, fighting or saving the world... it won't set you on fire... But it's what you want to reach for when you are alone...
You'll listen to it a lot. It will never really make it into your storage bin... it will probably stay surfaced in close proximity to your stereo for easy and frequent access... You'll be anxiously awaiting their next release...
This was the first CD I purchased from them... I love it. I have since purchased all of them... A few other tracks from other albums that you really don't want to miss out on are: A Hit in Sweden, Super (from Numbers and Mumbles) and Dersmormos... (from discosadness)


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The fourth record from this Brooklyn band "...recalls the futuristic feeling of Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie...that intellectual battle with impending modernity and the feeling of alienation from real humanity explored by Grandaddy and Radiohead...Eno-esque with eerie, fantastical motifs" - Spin. Their brand of quirky indie-pop on previous efforts has garnered critical acclaim and chart topping radio play (#26 on CMJ's Top 200), landed them TV spots on MTV and CBS, and earned them live slots with the likes of American Analog Set, Mates Of State, The Wrens, John Vanderslice, and Headphones, as well as a full tour as main support for Nada Surf. This new record is their first for The Rebel Group. "Cheeky, fuzzy electro-pop" - LA Times. "A delightfully fractured fairytale of Williamsburgian proportions" - Time Out NY. "On a homemade PC, Say Hi assembles slow, statuesque indie rock with analog synthscapes, overlapping distorted guitars and lots of low-end" - Pitchfork.

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Whammy Review

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(More customer reviews)We are going to pretend that "Mesopotamia," the album the B-52's did with David Byrne, and talking about their fourth album, "Whammy!" as if it were their third. So just nod your head and play along, because this 1983 album gets the mavens of kitsch back on track, albeit aided and abetted by drum machines and synthesizers. This is not a great album, but it certainly is fun and easy to dance to, which was always the strength of the B-52's (What? You thought it was the lyrics reflecting Fred Schneider's philosophy?). Fans of the group would at least have to judge "Song for a Future Generation" as being the best track on the album, but "Legal Tender," "Whammy Kiss," and the instrumental "Work That Skirt" are pretty good as well, but "Butterbean" is the song you will embarrass yourself singing in the kitchen. Overall "Whammy" is not as great as their debut album or as good as "Cosmic Thing," but a lot better than their next album "Bouncing Off the Satellites." For fans of the B-52's this one is certainly worth having. Note: There is one significant difference between this CD reissue and the originally "Whammy!" album. Gone is a cover of Yoko Ono's "Don't Worry," because of copyright troubles, and in its place is "Moon 83." I never heard the original so I cannot comment on the substitution beyond the obvious fact that "Moon 83" is one of the weakest tracks on the album.

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At the BBC (3CD + DVD Set) (PAL/Region 0) Review

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(More customer reviews)So, if you're a Banshees fan, just buy this. If you've bought the brand new, beautiful-looking (and more importantly, BEAUTIFULLY-SOUNDING -- YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THESE ALBUMS TRULY UNTIL YOU HEAR THEM IN 21ST CENTURY SOUND) crop of Siouxsie remasters (1982-1986), buy this excellent collection. This is a great companion to DOWNSIDE UP, because this prodigious collection has its own quirky mannerisms about it, just like that 2004 B-sides collection does. In fact, there is a goodly amount of B-side renditions on this BBC box set; some of the best being, "Red Over White" (this must be the precursor to their now-Classic THE THORN version, and just as good), "Head Cut" (I might like this version over the album version...Siouxsie completely loses her vocal mind on this one), and their version of "Supernatural Thing" puts their B-side version in a premature grave...the band gets very funky and R&B-ish on this one at BBC; "Coal Mind", "Shooting Sun", "Something Blue" ...there really isn't a bad rendition of any of the classic A or B or Album tracks on the whole thing. And the John Peel stuff (especially from the JOIN HANDS period onwards) is CLASSIC, as is the Skinner, Jensen, and Long sessions in the 1980s.
For those fans who purchased THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH in 2003 and thought there was something defective w/ their CD (I think you know what I mean), Discs 2 and 3 of this box set make up for that loss: Siouxsie has the CLASSIC Siouxsie range here, and, for the most part (you have to keep in mind, folks, that throughout these two concert performances, she's dancing and gesticulating her soul out), HITS THE FAMILIAR NOTES we all know and love. For you Gen-Y or 3rd generation Siouxsie fans, who never got to hear them live, this is a great 24 song collection to comfort yourselves w/ and really get the gist of what their live material sounded like in the hey day (old and new Banshees fans alike, this live concert collection rivals, and, perhaps, even bests the NOCTURNE concert of 1983; and for proof, listen to "Preacher Man", "Sweetest Chill", "Melt!", "Night Shift" (whoa! this version may be better than the JUJU version), "Pulled to Bits" and "Switch") -- 1985 - 1988, especially the selection of songs from the PEEPSHOW TOUR in '88, which was the tour to see them in if you were ever going to see them in concert. I was at the mid-October concert in NYC at Radio City Music Hall in 1988, at the tender age of 14 (my Mom had to take me), watching the skinheads, bondage freaks, Hardcores, and Punks up close in my conservative clothes...quite an experience. That was the 1st time I ever saw a female rocker singing and dancing at the same time (Tina Turner was the only other one I'd seen on TV doing that, and it amazed me), while able to hit and hold notes, doing ballet splits and high kicks, spinning from one side of the stage to the other. Even my Mother was impressed by this cool, 31 year old lady, who had more than meets the eye going for her. When I heard the recorded tracks from Disc 3 of their Peepshow tour at The Royal Albert Hall (they never seemed to have bad gigs there, did they?...NOCTURNE just gave them forever good juju at that venue, pun intended), just one month before they came over to America and NYC, it gave me vivid soundtrack memories of a show that I still remember...I still remember the lighting effects, set design, the set list (though I never got a tour program, I looked at one), which is very much the same here on this box set. So, young fans, don't despair that you couldn't hear them then; it's here in a very good sampling (wait 'til you hear the triple attack that is "Skin" / "Spellbound" / and "Hong Kong Garden" -- CLASSIC!).
Disc 4 is a compilation of their live TV performances from 1978 to 1991. For those of you who've seen ragged, jagged pieces of these performances on YOUTUBE, these versions are clean, remastered, and pretty clear for TV shows. People, this DVD doesn't seem to play on American DVD players, but it does on PC DVD players and/or CD-ROMS, so keep that in mind. Anyone who doubts Siouxsie's natural singing ability, give a listen and an eye to the early live versions of "Metal Postcard" (virtually the same as her version from THE SCREAM), "Jigsaw Feeling", "Playground Twist" (yes, she's singing that one live...a rarity on "Top of the Pops"; just like it was a rarity for Debbie Harry and Stevie Nicks to be allowed to perform live on "Solid Gold" over here in America), and the truly haunting Alt. Jazz song that is "Tenant". If you could show only one performance to give example of what The Group was about, this might be it.
Also, the Essay and Liner Notes by Long Time Siouxsie Critic and Fan, Paul Morley are excellent. He seems the best scholar of the band, and writes in the most poetic, eloquent manner that it reads like literary Nonfiction. He could write poetry, short fiction, novels, whatever. And, the mastering and remastering is mind-blowing. It's like you're sitting inside the BBC studios w/ them, or right next to the console at their concerts.

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Siouxsie and the Banshees at the BBC is a stunning 84-track, all digitally-remastered, 4 disc hard-back book set of exclusive BBC sessions, live concert tracks and TV performances recorded between 1977 2001 split across 3CDs and a DVD. All tracks hand picked by the band and featuring Siouxsie s introduction to the liner notes.Includes alternative versions of 18 classic hit singles Hong Kong Garden, Playground Twist, Arabian Nights, Candy Man, Happy House, Cities In Dust, The Last Beat of My Heart, The Killing Jar, Christine, Melt!, Wheels on Fire, Spellbound, Israel, Fireworks, Dear Prudence, Peek-a-Boo and Kiss Them For Me, Swimming Horses,Discs 1 and 2 feature key session tracks from 1977 1987 and a concert recording from the Apollo Theatre in Oxford in 1985. Includes the complete John Peel sessions alongside sessions recorded for Kid Jensen, Richard Skinner and Janice Long. Features 21 unreleased versions.Disc 3 contains highlights from their BBC concert recordings at the Apollo Theatre in Oxford and the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1988, where the band performed a storming set 3 nights in a row to a sold out crowd. Highlights include a breathtaking Last Beat of My Heart , Christine and a rip roaring crowd pleasing end of show version of Hong Kong Garden.Disc 4 is the real gem; a 29 track DVD of the band s BBC TV performances. Features the complete Old Grey Whistle Test broadcasts from 1978, 1982 and 1985, the Something Else performances from 1979 and 1980, the Rock Goes to College broadcast from 1981 and the band s complete Top of the Pops performances, complete, in places, with cheesy intros. This is a fantastic visual documentary of the band, starting with the OGWT performance of tracks from their debut album in1978; Metal Postcard and Jigsaw Feeling through the dark years of Juju, performed for the Rock Goes to College show and culminating with the beautifully pure pop bliss of Kiss Them For Me from Superstition.Includes a fantastic 30 page booklet with extensive sleeve notes by Paul Morley. Features interviews with all the band members and a unique and insightful introduction written by Siouxsie.

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The Lexicon Of Love Review

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(More customer reviews)1981: Just when you thought you had heard every David Bowie and Bryan Ferry imitator to warble his discontented angst into the wind, along came ABC. They were smart like Bowie, fashion-mad like Ferry, and (before he became producer du jour) sonically adventurous with Trevor Horn at the dials. Lyrically witty to the point of brilliant, "The Look Of Love" remains a sonic marvel. It combined the lush orchestrations of disco with the propulsion of Motown, with enough English mannerisms to broach "new wave." Horn's production touches also made it sound completely unlike anything else on the radio or dancefloors at the time.
Yet there was more than a dreaded one hit wonder here. Songs like "Poison Arrow" and "Tears Are Not Enough" had more hooks than a hardware department and made radio sound vibrant in the early 80's. Lead Singer Martin Fry also had the looks down for the early generation of MTV, and the high style of the band's early videos (including one of the earliest longform music vid/movies in "Mantrap") gave them the extra boost that they needed to conquer the US. But what really mattered was, and remains, the music. "The Lexicon Of Love" has held its original splendor years after many of the other MTV bands of the period have lost their sheen. This was one of the first CD's I bought when Disc players were relatively new, and the remaster here, as it does with Roxy Music's "Avalon," brings out even more of the original disc's depth and sparkle. I can't imagine my record collection without "The Lexicon of Love."

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Digitally Remastered, with Two Extra Tracks:Look of Love Pt4 and theTheme from Mantrap.

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Pornography Review

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(More customer reviews)Unquestionably this was Robert Smith's darkest hour. This 8-track release is oppressive in its bleak attack. It deserves 5 stars due to its sheer brilliance and originally; nothing ever sounded like this before or since. But for newcomers reading these great reviews be forewarned - I did not use the word oppressive by accident. Every moment of 'Pornography' is black, despeairing and tortured. If you are on the verge of suicide this could be a rope thrown to save you or it could be a mack truck with a plow on the front driving you further over the edge. If you can get past that then what you will find is a stunningly creative album that creates some of the most sepulchral music ever heard.
The band at this time was stripped down to 3 members: Smith on vocals and guitar and keyboards, Simon Gallup on bass, and Lawrnece Tolhurst on drums. Strangely it may have been Tolhurst's lack of musical talent (an issue that would later get him fired) that created much of the atmosphere. The drumming is very flat and mechanical sounding creating an absolutely dead feel throughout; even sound dies as the stick hits the skins. Smith's voacl sound desperate and often deranged filled with lurid, bizzare imagery. Gallup's bass is potent and overwhelming in a style that only he could pull off.
My favorites are "One Hundred Years" with its sense of desperation and unrequited longing. "A Short Term Effect" is saturated with doom as the characters of the song try to laugh in the face of what may come, "Something small falls out of your mouth and we all laugh". "A Strange Day" is angst-ridden but with soemthing bordering on beauty buried deep within. Finally the title track is an complete descent into madness, as the closer on an album like this should be.
One of the great black-to-the-core albums ever and arguably the darkest. The Sisters of Mercy came close with the rare 'Reptile House EP', but that work is more of an exploration of drug-addicted frustration where this is just suffocating hopelessness.

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PornographyThe Cure Label: Elektra / WEA Release Date: 10/25/1990 1 One Hundred Years - 6:402 A Short Term Effect - 4:223 The Hanging Garden - 4:334 Siamese Twins - 5:295 The Figurehead - 6:156 A Strange Day - 5:047 Cold - 4:268 Pornography - 6:27

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Songs About Fucking Review

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(More customer reviews)Big Black is one of the key creators of industrial music. over the years, i have read enough stories about them to go out and buy this album (as a import copy) at a record store. when i got home, i found out that it was only 30 minutes long. furious that i spent so much on a imported CD that was barely longer that a sitcom, i went and played it anyway. I WAS FLOORED. this was one of the most darkest, sickest albums i have ever heard. starting off with "The Power Of Independent Trucking", Albini takes off into songs that are truly sick and twisted, with him screaming lyrics over punishing guitar riffs and equaling damaging drum machine loops. and all this with a (as we record engineers call) "incorrect" mix of the songs, sounding like they're coming out of a transistor radio that you would hear over machine gunfire. the whole album sounds like what you would have if you could capture the moment of suicide across the length of a record. i can see where Trent Reznor got his ideals from, but this album makes Nine Inch Nails sound like Disney records. this album is a must-buy, but it is not for the weak. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

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No Description Available.Genre: Popular MusicMedia Format: Compact DiskRating: Release Date: 12-FEB-1992

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These Four Walls Review

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(More customer reviews)This is, without a doubt, the BEST new band and album that I have stumbled across in a loooooooong time!
As a guy in my mid-30's (wife, kids, & job have taken over my life)... it's very frustrating trying to find "new" music that is compelling, original, and meaningful. Equally hard to find an entire album that can be enjoyed from start to finish. These guys have managed to accomplish ALL of these things!
I won't try to overly categorize this band. Suffice it to say that they clearly manage to express some punk-rock influences without "being" overtly punk-rock. The prevailing style of the album revolves around driving anthems that crescendo into beautiful climaxes. They don't seem interested in being or sounding like anyone else in particular. The energy that these guys generate is infectious. And the vocals just seem so sincere that, despite the obvious and unapologetic Scottish accent, it becomes intriguing and makes you WANT to listen more closely.
2 listens and it was over, for me. I was HOOKED! This is the type of band that you can't help wanting to share with others... primarily b/c you just know that your friends will ultimately thank you for it.
Buy 2 copies of this album!!!...(so you'll have an extra copy to give to that person you know, who always finds the best new bands first, but has not heard of these guys, yet!)

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Like fellow Scotsmen Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks bring emotional intensity to the forefront in their immensely appealing rock anthems. Adding nimble, driving rhythms and bristling tension to the mix, they unfold their songs into effortless-seeming choruses imbued with romanticism and pop sensibility.

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Zooropa Review

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(More customer reviews)Give U2 credit for not settling into a comfortable groove after the massive success of "Ach-Tung Baby," and just releasing more albums in that same mold. On "Zooropa," Bono and the boys decided to experiment with their sound and take it in unusual new directions. And while it doesn't always work, enough of it does to excuse them for not producing another single as catchy as "Mysterious Ways."
The album is best characterized by "Numb," in which seldom-heard-from guitarist The Edge mumbles the barely sensical spoken word lyrics over a gorgeous synthesizer background. Other oddities include the slowly building opening title track, the strange vocals on "Daddy's Going to Pay for Your Crashed Car," and the Johnny Cash collaboration "The Wanderer," with some bizarre apocalyptic imagery that closes things on an appropriate note. Even the more conventional songs, like "Babyface," "Stay," have an otherwordly quality about them.
Overall, "Zooropa" is not the place for casual fans to start their U2 collection. Nevertheless, it is a worthwhile challenge for the already commited.

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Same as USA Version.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Favourite Worst Nightmare Review

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(More customer reviews)Picture this: a band of guys that are barely adults come out of nowhere and create an album that although doesn't sell a WHOLE lot (well, in the U.S., anyway), it makes such an impact that it was the fastest selling debut album EVER in their native England, and it was even nominated for two Grammys in the States. Yes, I'm talking about Arctic Monkeys and their electrifying debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. But then the question is, how do you measure up to something like that? The answer: make an album like Favourite Worst Nightmare.
I initially thought the Monkeys would be taking a break after bassist Andy Nicholson quit the band just before last year's North American tour (which I wish I was at, but it doesn't matter; nobody ever comes to Milwaukee anyway). But in came new bassist Nick O'Malley, and he blends in quite well with the other members. Alex's songwriting is invigorating as always, and he and the rest of the band continue to impress, as shown by tracks like "Old Yellow Bricks" and "Teddy Picker".
One song that I have to mention, though, is the lead single "Brianstorm" (not brainstorm; "BRIANstorm"). That's the album's opening track, and the way those guitars start just blow you away AND invite you in at the same time. It's also interesting to hear a few mellow tracks that don't sound so clichéd, like "Only Ones Who Know" and "505". Speaking of romantic tunes, "The Bad Thing" is pretty funny.
I also like the metaphorical "Balaclava" (which is the proper term for a ski mask; at first I thought it was a unique way of saying "baklava"), but my favorite song on the album would have to be...hell, ALL of them. I don't know what's more impressive, that the Monkeys made another great album, or that they did it all in less than forty minutes. Whatever the case, pick up Favourite Worst Nightmare NOW.
Anthony Rupert

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While this sophomore release is unmistakably Arctic Monkeys,everything's a little more muscular and aggressive. Each song is embeddedwith revelatory moments, as if some sort of critical mass is achievedthrough skillful song craft and sharp arrangements until an explosiverelease of energy or emotion is inevitable. Arctic Monkeys have exceededexpectations with this record.

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Achtung Baby Review

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(More customer reviews)In a word: staggering. I don't know if I've ever heard an album which can even come close to capturing the kaleidoscope of sheer emotion that floods from these twelve songs. Just as Alice in Chains dragged us to the pitch black depths of heroin-addiction with "Dirt", U2 does the same, only with lost love and heartbreak as the backdrop.
Amidst the gloomy themes of the album, rays of hope still shine through in the form of The Edge's signature effect-soaked licks and some serious head-bobbing rhythm from Clayton and Mullen. The great thing about this album is its accessibility: it literally has it all. Techno/hip-hop/rockers like "Mysterious Ways" and "Even Better Than the Real Thing", and the arena-friendly chorus of "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" will bring a smile to the face of mainstream (and hardcore) U2 fans, while deeper, more experimental fare such as the industrial-tinged "Zoo Station" and the indescribable guitar orgasm of "The Fly" will challenge the listener on their inaugural spins but eventually yield rich rewards. The heart and soul of the album, however, lies in three songs..."One", "Acrobat", and "Love is Blindness". Listening to these in this order under the right circumstances could change a life, rekindle a forgotten passion, or simply reduce the listener to a sobbing heap. They are THAT powerful.
The range of feeling captured in Bono's wailing vocals on "One" is absolutely incredible, especially in the surreal crys that end the song. "Acrobat" dabbles in electronic influences and uses thick sonic brushstrokes to paint a cavernous musical environment that is completely encompassing (and this is before Bono even utters a syllable). The album ends with one of the most bittersweetly-beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard in "Love is Blindness". From the almost gothically-eerie organ intro to the penetrating echoes of Adam Clayton's bassline, the song literally stabs at your soul. And the lyrics are poetic - for example: "Love is clockworks, and cold steel, fingers too numb too feel...squeeze the handle, blow out the candle, love is blindness." Words simply can't describe how perfectly this song captures the agony of loss. You have to hear it for yourself...and that goes for this entire album. Easily U2's best, if not the best of the entire 1990's.

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Same as USA Version.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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The Pixies - Sell Out (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)It was the tour that no one thought would ever happen. In 1992, the Pixies were on top of the world. While they hadn't quite broken through into the mainstream in the United States, they were a huge hit in England, almost reaching stadium status. They played some of the largest European rock `n' roll festivals and even opened for U2. And then their lead singer Black Francis announced that the band had broken up.
Black Francis and Kim Deal seemed as if they would never bury the hatchet and fans would never see their beloved band together again. And then it was announced last year that the Pixies were indeed going to be re-forming for a tour in select cities in Europe and the U.S. Anticipation was high and, if you were lucky enough to see them live, reportedly they did not disappoint. Now, you can get an idea of what it was like with this new DVD that gives you a sample of the band live in concert.
Black Francis' voice sounds as ferocious as it ever did. He gives it a good workout on "Something Against You" and "U-Mass," the latter a giddy, psychotic ode to the University of Massachusetts. Later on, he tears it up on "Tame," alternating between almost-whispered verses and deranged howling choruses. Joey is still the unsung, low-key guitar god he always was, delivering the insanely catchy riffs that the Pixies were revered for.
They pull out such memorable hits like "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man" along with underrated gems like the surreal "Subbacultcha." The only minor, personal caveat I have with the DVD is the short shrift given to the criminally underrated and much maligned Bossanova album. Only a dreamy, surf-soaked rendition of "Velouria" is played in their set. Also, their misunderstood swan song, Trompe Le Monde is also largely ignored in favour of older material.
There is a selection of 14 songs performed on the 2004 tour all over the world with optional interview segments from two of their long-time tour crew members. One of my personal favourites, "Planet of Sound" gets a fine workout in New Orleans while the Bossanova album is shown more love with a nice rendition of "Is She Weird" in Lowell, MA.
Finally, there is "MX Monkey's Choice" which allows you to switch from six different angles with your DVD remote while watching a live version of "Monkey Gone to Heaven."

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In 1992 the Pixies disbanded after releasing four acclaimed albums and one mini-album in a five-year period. The Pixies are widely regarded as one of the most important rock bands of the past 20 years-and influenced a new wave of alternative bands with their Quiet/Loud/Quiet song structure. Paraphrasing Kurt Cobain: "Nirvana would not have existed without the Pixies." Since the band split up, the leader, Black Francis, started a solo career as Frank Black, and Kim Deal, the bassist and vocalist, went on to form The Breeders. The band reunited in 2004 for a trimphant worldwide tour that saw the band playing better than ever, injecting the classic songs with renewed energy and universal critical response. The band's legacy and reputation has only grown stronger in the 12 years since they broke up, see her as the play in front of enthusiastic audiences, far larger than they had drawn in their heyday. Track Listings: Bone Machine, Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf), In Heaven, Something Against You, River Euphrates, U-Mass, Bone Machine, Cactus, Ed Is Dead, I Bleed, Monkey Gone To Heaven, Hey, Levitate Me, Subbacultcha, Dead, Gouge Away, Velouria, Mr. Grieves, Crackity Jones, Broken Face, Isla De Encanta, Tame, Here Comes Your Man, Holiday, Song, Where Is My Mind?, Vamos, Wave of Mutilation, Gigantic.

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60 Miles An Hour Tour EP Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm a huge New Order fan, I own all of their albums and singles, but when I saw them live a few years back when they released Republic, I couldn't believe how much they rocked on stage. When they play live, they are much "harder". I own a couple of live concert cd's and even my friends who dismmiss New Order as "Euro Weenies" are impressed by live tracks such as Temptation. Well, the two live tracks on this import are True Faith and Temptation and this EP was totally worth the import price I paid for it. If you are a true New Order fan, this is a must have. God knows when they'll release something else new after "Get Ready".

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Aussie exclusive single off the 2001 album, 'Get Ready'.Featuring six non-LP tracks including two live tracks n.a.on the UK single. Tracks, '60 Miles An Hour' (Radio Edit &Supermen Lovers Remix) 'Someone Like You' (Funk D'voidRemix), 'Sabotage', 'Truth Faith' (live at Reading Festival '98) & 'Temptation' (live at Reading Festival '98).

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