Waiting for the Sun Review

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(More customer reviews)The Doors were--and are--one of rock's greatest bands, with a unique sound all of their own. Flamboyant frontman Jim Morrison may have been the face & image of the group, but these guys always worked together like a classy four-headed machine to produce some of rock's greatest music. Picking a favorite Doors album is hard---even the criticized "Soft Parade" album has got some terrific Doors gems on it. But 1968's "Waiting For The Sun" is my personal favorite from The Doors. It's a great Doors classic that sees the band masterfully walking the tightrope between the hard rockers and the softer ballads. For their third album, singer Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger & drummer John Densmore decided to go for an earthier, softer sound on some of the tracks, which lends this Doors album an extra kind of beauty. Even Jim Morrison himself sounds more down-to-earth on this album, as his vocals on the first two Doors albums were very echoey, making him sound like he was a disembodied spirit, or recording his vocals inside a cave. Not that there's anything wrong with that---I love "The Doors" & "Strange Days"--- but Jim sounded on those first two albums like he was always floating in the clouds above his three musical co-horts. But on "Waiting For The Sun," Jim's voice is warmer, not so echoey, and on definite equal footing in the mix with his bandmates, which is a plus.Great Doors songs are everywhere on "Waiting For The Sun"---the huge hit "Hello I Love You," the beautiful "Love Street," the bizarre "Not To Touch The Earth" (an extract from an even longer Doors composition, "The Return Of The Lizard King," found on the live "In Concert" CD), the haunting "My Wild Love," and other Doors classics like "The Unknown Soldier," "Spanish Caravan," and the terrific rocker, "Five To One." Say what you want about Jim Morrison's strange lyrics & poetry, but give the man some credit---this guy definitely had a way with words, AND he had a monster voice & presence to match. He was the quintessential rock singer, and he is greatly missed. Ray Manzarek can stroke the keyboards like no one else on Earth (and NO ONE plays the organ as brilliantly as he does). Robby Krieger is a mean guitarist, serving up some incredibly memorable licks, and John Densmore is one of rock's finest drummers, whether slamming his drumkit like a man posessed, or just kicking back with a steady beat. I suppose "Waiting For The Sun" is also my favorite Doors album because it captures the band right smack in the middle of their lifespan, with two albums behind them and three more to go, and with so much life left in them as a great musical force. They rocked all the way to the end, in fact, right up until Morrison took his leave of planet Earth. But "Waiting For The Sun" is, I think, the band's masterpiece. It's an amazing Doors album filled with variety, feeling, and tremendous power. Pick it up! :-)

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Digitally remastered pressing of The Doors third album from 1968, a mellower affair than their previous albums but certainly just as melodic and exciting. The Doors' mixture of Rock, Blues and Jazz combined with vocalist Jim Morrison's poetic lyrics and powerful vocals created a musical Molotov cocktail that could make your senses explode...in a good way! 10 tracks including 'Hello I Love You', 'Spanish Caravan' and 'The Unknown Soldier'. Warner.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Not Without Sorcery Review

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(More customer reviews)Helios Creed, the acid-punk, space rock genius, has been recording albums/music constantly and consistently since he first joined up with Damon Edge to make CHROME what it was, back in 1977. And of course has since carried on the CHROME legacy and as well has gone on to record his own solo material with a bevy of absolutely incredible albums- many of which are, sadly, out of print.
These tracks on "Not Without Sorcery" are what Helios recorded, for lack of better words, during an "interim" period; meaning these are recordings that lie between the recordings of his last full length album "Deep Blue Love Vacuum", and his forthcoming albums (CHROME and Helios Creed solo), which will hopefully be released sooner than later.
For anyone who isn't already a Helios/Chrome fan- this may not be the best example of what Helios is all about, as it definitely isn't produced or configured the way most of his other albums are. Nonetheless, it's Helios all the way, and a great little EP that- for those who know, love and "get" Helios- is an absolute MUST have. All of the tracks are great, and definitely showcase his knack for coming up with super catchy, and trippy riffs- along with his dark goofiness, which comes shining through in "Win you over Again" where he's definitely not hiding the fact that he truly enjoys, and has a blast making music. The fun is pretty damn contagious! In my opinion, the highlight of this EP is the track "Lion's Gate" which is spacey, catchy, and outright beautiful with a captivating intensity but, as I stated before- ALL the tracks are great. And may or may not end up appearing on any future release(s) so my final recommendation- PICK THIS UP! While you still can. There were limited copies produced, and the price seems to spike up and down depending on demand but I have yet to see this go for less than $7-8. Definitely a collector's item and one to enjoy and play as well as hold on to. :-)

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A limited 5-track EP to support his upcoming (Sept/Oct) 30-city "Dual Forces" tour. Contains two songs exclusive to this release and three songs from his forthcoming Transparency CD/2LP. Helios plays guitar, bass and synth as well as vocals; Paul Della Pella plays drums.

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Jefferson Airplane Review

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(More customer reviews)It's funny when you lived something and can go back later on in time to reevaluate things. I remember how incredibly excited I was at the news of the Airplane's reuniting in '88. I bought this CD when it was originally released. A fan of both the Airplane (in a more mythic fashion) and Hot Tuna (in a more real fashion), I was prepared for an incredible musical explosion like the World had never seen before. I was dissappointed in 1989 when this CD came out. 13 years later, I think I know why. It wasn't a bunch of old bandmates at the top of their games when this came about. The end of the 80s was a musical wasteland that hadn't been too good to any of these players for awhile. This CD was something to do, hoping to recapture something they knew they could still get away with due to the nostalgia. Essentially they picked up where they left off with Long John Silver. An album of music by two bands playing together, but not as one. Jefferson Starship meets Hot Tuna. It's only too bad they didn't get Papa John Creach in for the reunion. He still had a few good years. The rest seemed to disappear after this album, perhaps for good- with the exception of Kaukonen and Casady who continue to thrive as Hot Tuna- even recapturing an earlier sound during their electric performances I thought was lost. Maybe they can all take another stab at this someday. I was lucky enough to enjoy a live performance during the tour for this album which absolutely made up for any shortcomings in the studio. Old and new, altogether on stage. "Crown of Creation" live in 1990 was every bit as good as it may have been 20 years earlier. For now, it is nice to be able to look back after so long and place this CD alongside the others to take its place in their collective history. It's not bad, but could have been so great.

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Double Compilation from Jefferson Airplane. 16 Songs Including White Rabbit, Today, Plastc Fantastic Lover and Others.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Legend Of The Black Shawarma Review

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(More customer reviews)This album is basically exactly what you would expect from IM if you have followed them for their last few albums. Viscous Delicious was a big step on the way from pure trance to the unique sound that IM has developed. You will recognize, in this CD, several themes introduced in Viscous Delicious CD, but the songs and sounds are evolving and more refined than they were in Viscous Delicious, while still raw and in your face. I am not certain that this CD has quite as much energy as say 'Eat it Raw' and a couple other songs on Viscous Delicious had, but overall, I think I like it better, as there is not a single track on this CD that is boring. Perhaps the best way to state it is that if Viscous Delicious had moments ranging from 6-10, this album is a solid 8-9 all the way through.
Personally, I feel there is plenty of pure trance out there, if that's what I am looking for, but when I am in the mood for IM, there is nothing else like them. I am so glad they decided to continue on the evolutionary path they are on, because there is nobody else doing what they do and I love what they are doing.

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These psy-trance innovators have become one of the biggest electronic bands on the planet. Twice ranked among the world's ten best DJs by the bible of the scene, the UK's DJ Magazine, the Israel-bred, LA-based duo bring a frenetic rock energy to the form. Their explosive show, featuring guitars, live drums, intensely passionate vocals, and an ambitious multimedia backdrop ranks among the genre's most unpredictably joyous events. Their recordings continually venture where other electronic acts fear to tread. The follow-up to 2007's "Vicious Delicious" marks a return to their metal roots. Guests include Jonathan Davis (Korn) and Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction, Porno For Pyros, Satellite Party).

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Blind Faith (Deluxe Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Now often overlooked, Blind Faith was guitar god Eric Clpaton's first move after Cream imploded at the end of 1968. Joining forces with the multi-talented Steve Winwood(vocals and keyboards), who has just left Traffic, seemed like an unbeatable idea, and the addition of drummer extraordinaire Ginger Baker and bassist Rick Grech made Blind Faith seem like a "can't miss" project. Six months later it was over. Rushed into the studio by greedy and insensitive managers and then sent on a long and chaotic tour, Blind Faith never had a chance to gel as a band. After one promising album, the original supergroup broke up.
Judged a disappointment at the time Blind Faith's one and only album has some very fine moments. Clapton had yet to develop the confidence needed to be a convincing lead vocalist, so he deferred to Winwood, who was at his peak as a singer. Clapton's guitar work is simply magnificent, as he is already maturing beyond his work with Cream and pointing towards his renaissance with Derek & the Dominoes that began a year later.
Polydor has remastered "Blind Faith" using state-of-the-art technology, and reissued it with outtakes and jam sessions from the original 1969 recording sessions. The original album is a revelation; the sound as crisp and full as is imaginable. The clarity is astounding, and even if you think you know every note of this album, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you hear on this new version. Songs like Winwood's "Can't Find My Way Home" and "Sea of Joy," and Clapton's "Presence of the Lord" have aged very well and sound better than ever.
The outtakes are a mixed lot. A couple have appeared on Clapton and Winwood's anthologies, and several others have circulated for years on bootlegs, albeit with inferior sound. These tracks are interesting but not essential.
The jams, alas, are largely a waste. Playing riffs for ten or fifteen minutes while waiting for a musical idea that's worth keeping is not my idea of fun for the listener. These tracks are not even built around a reliable and basic format like 12-bar blues. There are some fiery moments - how could there not be with these musicians - but, like the three CD "Layla" box a decade ago, most of the unreleased material is disappointing.
Still, fans of Clapton, Winwood and their various bands will probably want to own this set. The remastered "Blind Faith" is a gem, and stakes a viable claim for the album as one of the best of its era.

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Dig Out Your Soul (Limited Edition CD/DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Oasis returns to the music scene with their newest album in 3 years, Dig Out Your Soul. Like every album they've released since their heyday in the mid-90's, critics, fans, and the band themselves have raved about every album they've released, particularly the last 3, but the hype proved bogus on many occasions: their 2000 album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was messy, 2002's Heathen Chemistry was good but flawed. The only exception was 2005's Don't Believe The Truth which was great but had just a few sloppy moments. I am a huge Oasis fan, and I can honestly say that Dig out Your Soul is their greatest work since 1995's What's The Story Morning Glory!
The album opens up with the aggressive rocker Bag It Up, Noel's ode to the days when he used to get high, which features crisp vocals by Liam. With lyrics like "Someone tell me I'm dreaming, the freaks are rising up from the floor", Bag It Up can't go wrong, and finds itself amongst Noel Gallagher's classiest rock anthems. This is followed by the toned down, low-key rocker The Turning, which has fast become one of Noel's best compositions and songwritings despite recent claims of plagiarism from a Cliff Richards song. The song features excellent singing by Liam, and has even more interesting lyrics than Bag It Up, take for example the chorus that starts with "So come on, shake your rag doll, baby, before you change your mind." Noel takes over singing duties next with Waiting for the Rapture, a song that borrows the guitar riff from The Doors' Five to One, and, for what its worth, is a great song. The first single, the fast paced, wildly aggressive rocker The Shock of the Lightning comes next, and it is quite simply Oasis's finest single in years. Hearing it the first time, it gave me flashbacks of hearing Definitely Maybe in 1994, particularly the songs Rock 'n Roll Star and Supersonic. The song comes charging at you like a stampede of bulls running through the wilderness. Liam's beautiful ballad, and only ballad on the album, and future hit single, I'm Outta Time, follows. It's a song that Liam doesn't shy away from showing his affection towards his rock hero John Lennon, and expressing his vulnerability with lyrics like, "If I'm to fall, would you be there to applaud?" The song even includes a Lennon soundbite from an interview he made with the BBC 2 days before his untimely death.
Noel returns to the vocals in the next 2 songs, the first, the heavily psychedelic Get Off Your High Horse Lady, a song I've described as a cowboy ditty on acid. The second song is Noel's best, and one of the highlights on Dig Out Your Soul, the elusive Falling Down, where Noel questions his religious belief. Up next is the George Harrison influenced, Gem Archer penned, To Be Where There's Life, a song that doesn't include any guitars, but relies mostly on bass, sitars, and Zak Starkey's drums. The song does feature the best singing by Liam on the entire album in my own humble opinion. Speaking of Liam, the next song is his second where he's credited as songwriter. The song is Ain't Got Nothin', and even though I despised the song when it first leaked online about 3 months ago, I've come to appreciate its straightforwardness. The song is about the fight Liam was invloved in a Munich hotel in 2002, and includes, as a result, Liam screaming and cussing in faded out vocals near the end of the song as to act out the fight. Andy Bell's The Nature of Reality is next, and it is one of my personal favorites on the album. A loud cool rocker, layered with cool guitar riffs influenced by The Beatles and to some extent Led Zeppelin. It succeeds thanks to Liam's snarling lines like "The nature of reality is pure subjective fantasy". It's also the closest sounding song to Definitely Maybe, particulary the song Columbia. The final song on the album is Soldier On, the third song written by Liam, which after repeated listenings will reveal its depth, and a fantastic way to end another Oasis classic album.
My final verdict on this album is that it is massive! Oasis are definitely back with a vengeance. For those who've had doubts about Oasis's legitamacy as one of the greatest rock bands of our time, this album will, and should, wash all that away!
I'm mad for it all over again!
Highly recommended
A
Track picks:
Bag It Up
The Turning
The Shock of the Lightning
I'm Outta Time
Falling Down
To Be Where There's Life
The Nature of Reality
Soldier On

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Oasis, one of the most commercially successful rock bands in history, joins Warner Bros (for North America) for the iconic British band's seventh studio album (produced by Dave Sardy), Dig Out Your Soul. The group's first album since 2005's Don't Believe The Truth, Dig Out Your Soul marks a new sound for Oasis. Hailed as the band's best work in a decade, Dig Out Your Soul offers a musical oasis for rock fans everywhere! This Special Edition disc includes a DVD with a 28-minute making of the album, as well as a making of 'The Shock Of The Lightning' video. It also includes a 24-page bound booklet.

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Sweet Oblivion Review

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(More customer reviews)I hadn't heard of the Screaming Trees in the Summer of 1993, after I'd just gotten my driver's license. My sister told me she'd buy the ticket for me, if I drove her up to the Orange County Fairgrounds to the Screaming Trees, Spin Doctors and Soul Asylum concert. I balked for a couple of reasons, but mostly because I hadn't heard of the Trees and the Spin Doctors made me nauseous. The Spin Doctors did little to turn me around that night. The Screaming Trees, however, did good work. Very good work. I picked up Sweet Oblivion the next day.
Mark Lanegan's hoarse voice, which at times is barely audible, gives this essetially Seattle grunge band a full force push in the right direction. "Nearly Lost You," (off of the Singles soundtrack) is the obvious standout here. However, I was just as impressed with several of the other songs on the album, including "Dollar Bill," "Winter Song," and "Shadow of the Season." They are an extremely talented band, with the Connor boys backing up Lanegan on guitar and bass.
The Trees never reached the height of popularity they should have, based mostly on poor timing. Sweet Oblivion was released prior to the Singles soundtrack, rather than the other way around, which didn't allow the band to build anticipation for a new release. Add that to a 4 year break before releasing a new album. Mix liberally and you have a band that was musically capable but unfortunately didn't become as successful as they should have.
What you do have here is a great album with a great sound, solid guitar work and a bonafide would-be hit. Buy this album.

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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. 1992 album from the Alt-Rock band considered to be one of the Godfathers of Grunge. Although they were one of the best Seattle bands of the early '90s, they never achieved the commercial success of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. Lead singer Mark Lanegan started a very successful solo career after the Screaming Trees, working with the likesof Queens of the Stone Age, Greg Dulli (Afghan Wigs), Isobel Campbell (Belle & Sebastian) and UNKLE.--This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

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Strange Days Review

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(More customer reviews)"Strange Days" was The Doors' sophomore effort, the attempt at bringing back for another round the kind of feverish, poetic magic attained in their classic debut. Few follow-ups have achieved the kind of artistic, sonic accomplishments The Doors got here which is why many consider "Strange Days" their best effort, second only to their first album. Now in light of the 40th anniversary of the band's introduction to the world, Doors engineer Bruce Botnick has taken all their albums and remixed them from the original master tapes, what he achieves here, as with the remastered debut, is a complete resurrection of a classic recording. The album now breathes and screams with fierce energy and detail. The opening title track is now a true gothic opus as the effect of the first synthesizers is better appreciated in Jim Morrison's menacing delivery of a world gone insane. John Densmore's drums are heavy and intense while Ray Manzarek's organ is more defined. "Love Me Two Times" is a ferocious blues rocker with a killer bass now more audible while the creepiness of "Horse Latitudes," a spoken-word piece Morrison wrote in high school, is more striking this time as many of the layered effects are clearer. "Moonlight Drive" has better piano/organ parts. Some purists have been scoffing at the remixing, claiming these are not the same albums. This is a wrong analysis, what Botnick has done is create a more clear, defined piece considering the older recordings suffered from the original technological setbacks of the 60s and in the case of the first album even the speed was off. Solos and instrumentals are easier to hear now and the sound quality is superior to anything previously released. This is the same debate that was sparked in 2002 when "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits" was released and was also bashed for taking the original masters and remixing them. These are the same songs, same vocals, same instrumentals, simply put back together to sound as they were originally intended to sound. "My Eyes Have Seen You For Example" has a sharper bass and piano section. Morrison's voice never plowed under, it is even more ferocious in this mix. The great epic "When The Music's Over" is a glorious powerhouse of musical expression and poetics mixed with rock. Morrison's frantic screams are brought up and Robby Krieger's masterful solo is also more detailed here. The song is a timeless work that is fitting for our current, uncertain times. In it Morrison speaks for a world caught in a war and a youth culture waiting to explode. If only he had known that in the Bush/Iraq era, his words would still be perfect for the times. "Strange Days" itself was originally released in 1968, right when Vietnam was starting to heat-up and more and more young Americans were returning in bodybags as others took to the streets. And yet what sets The Doors apart from other bands of the era is that their music is fitting for all times, all moods, because darkness is an ever present reality. Morrison was ahead of his time, this is more clear now than ever. His black leather-clad image of a wild, poetic frontman has been emulated countless times over, even his stage attitude was a precedent for Iggy Pop and Punk, listen to "Horse Latitudes" and you can see where Patti Smith was spawned. "Strange Days" is one of those great rock n' roll albums that will live on as long as there is music in the world, Jim Morrison will remain an icon for generations of rebels and the sound the Doors produced is set in stone. Now remixed and remastered, this album lives again, more potent, more dangerous than ever.

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STRANGE DAYS, first out in October '67, went to #3 andintroduced the Doors classics "People Are Strange," "Love Me Two Times" and "Strange Days." In-depth liner notes by BarneyHoskyns, co-founder of online rock library Rock's Backpages. Two bonus extras include previously unreleasedversions of "People Are Strange" and "Love Me Two Times."--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Brave New World Review

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(More customer reviews)This was not my first album as a teenager, by far, but it was my first Steve Miller album. Steve Miller's third album, Brave New World, is among the best rock and roll ever. This album, which I first got when it was originally released, has fueled a 34 year love for his music. In all that time, it still remains my favorite rock and roll album ever.
Though the original vinyl has long since been lost, every time I have rebuilt my music collection as I raised a family, Brave New World was always the first album or CD I purchased.
There are only 9 songs on the album, but there are no fillers - this is all great stuff. I am not sure why it is, but the title track, Brave New World, has never made it into any of Steve's many, many "greatest hits" compilations even though it is one of his best works ever. Of course, 6 songs out of 9 on this album regularly show up in the compiliations: Celebration Song, Kow Kow Calculator, Seasons, Space Cowboy, LT`s Midnight Dream, and My Dark Hour. My Dark Hour, by the way, includes Paul McCartney on guitar as Paul Ramone.
So with 6 out of 9 songs considered to be among his greatest hits - and the other three songs are great music as well - this album belongs in every Steve Miller Band or other classic rock and roll collection, no matter how many versions of The Joker and Fly Like An Eagle you have in the compilations.
Updated: Just for the record, track 5 is not Kow Kow. It is Kow Kow Calculator. While the track was called Kow Kow on some of the compilations later on, the original name, as it was on the LP and still is shown on this CD, is Kow Kow Calculator.

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Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Electric Prunes: Rewired (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)most will recognize their well known songs like ' had too much to dream last night ' and 'get me to the world on time'- two classic 60s tunes-... but there are some other great garage-beat songs from thier past and long lost gems like the primal 'the great banana hoax' ,some chunky slabs of psychedeli-pop and new stuff like 'devils candy' -with some impish phrasing'- from their 2001 cd 'artifact'...they also do a awesome cover of 'got my mojo working'
The footage is shot with a real 60s feel....some great videography, effects and a light show that will remind those who participated, and can still remember, the famous oil-slide lightshows that were the background at places like the Fillmore and Avalon...lots of cool easter eggs, funny stuff and clips of their Europeean stops rom their 2002 tour and the shenanigans and mishaps on their UK tour...they dont make em like these guys anymore and its good to see they're still out there and still rockin up a storm...

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A Wizard, A True Star Review

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(More customer reviews)Try to imagine: the year is 1973, you're already well on yourway to being a die-hard Todd fan (a lifer), you were thrilled by hislast album, "Something/Anything", and you buy his next one (this one) the very day it comes out. You put the record on your turntable and for the next 59 minutes or so you sit transfixed at the sound of what you are hearing. It's Todd all right, but like you've never heard him before.
"A Wizard, A True Star" is one of the most revolutionary albums ever recorded - Todd's 'Sgt. Pepper' if you will - and in the 27 years since it came out I have yet to hear anything that remotely resembles it, not even from Zappa (80's band Game Theory's "Lolita Nation" begins to approach). Revolutionary in both the personal sense and recording industry sense, AWATS almost single-handedly created the Todd persona that his fans know and love. Listening to this album now is still the same mind-bending/altering experience it was then...and that's good. Peter Pan ("Never Never Land") mixes with Motown (the "Ooh Baby Baby" medley), touches of punk ("You Need Your Head"), Todd's own perfect pop ("Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel"), and the just plain bizarre ("Da da Dali"). The man could literally do just about anything and has never been afraid to followed his creative impulses, wherever they've taken him. A true original. Personal favorite: "When the ( ) Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd." - but that's just me.
There's a lot to love here in the soundscape, not the least of which is Todd's musical risk-taking - experimental pop music at its best. There just aren't enough superlatives for this album or its creator. END

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Digitally remastered reissue of his 1973 album for Bearsville. Contains the original cover art & all 19 of the cuts that first graced it, including the hit 'Sometimes I Don't KnowWhat To Feel'. 1999 release.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Nighttiming Review

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(More customer reviews)Historically, whenever actors have tried their hand at being rock stars, things haven't faired so well (see David Hasselhoff, Don Johnson and Keanu Reeves). In the case of Jason Schwartzman, things are a little different. First, this isn't his first foray into the music gig; he played the skins in the moderately successful band Phantom Planet. Secondly, Schwartzman's acting career has earned him some solid indie cred in the film world. So, it's certainly feasible that he could churn out a solo project that might get taken seriously in the music scene.
At least in the case of the aforementioned mega-stars turned wanna-be rockers, there was novelty value (the very notion that they were trying to be musicians was entertaining enough). Schwartzman, however, is actually talented enough to be taken seriously as a musician, so there's no novelty value in his first Coconut Records outing, Nighttiming. To the contrary, in fact - it's a self-consciously serious affair. The problem is, it feels more like a tour de indie rather than a sincere, cohesive collection of tunes. The album opens with a cinematic introduction, and the record is sprinkled with similar segues and interludes throughout its brief run time of 30-some minutes. It's almost like the soundtrack to a non-existent indie flick, the kind Jason would star in.
The faux soundtrack ambience would work a lot better if there was any sense of continuity from song to song. But there isn't. Take first single (and hands-down best track on the record) "West Coast." It's a gorgeous, bittersweet pop number with an infectious hook and the most sincere-sounding sentiments on the disc. Following that up is the hammy, blatantly Weezer-aping "Back to You," which, aside from being the cheesiest song of the lot, is the only song of its kind in this uneven collection. Then we get the art-folk of "Summer Sun," a pretty ballad but once again, totally out of sync with the neighboring tracks. The album's title track suddenly finds Schwartzman doing his best Julian Casablancas impression, with equally Strokes-y disco beats and guitar riffs. This could have been another saving grace for the album, except that its plagued by a painfully childish rhyme scheme - something that kills the mood of other potentially decent tracks elsewhere in the set.
All in all, I expected more from such a cool, talented dude. But then again, the album feels like an act; he's stepping into the shoes of his indie-rock influences and doing a pretty good job - you can tie each song to pretty much one artist's direct influence. If Schwartzman can manage to make his music more believable and incorporate his influences in a subtle way rather than wear them on his sleeve, he's got the basic ingredients to make the next Coconut Records release truly engaging and original. The shining gem "West Coast" is evidence of that.


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Nighttiming is the debut release from Coconut Records, aka Jason Schwartzman. This is Schwartzman's first musical project since Phantom Planet. Nighttiming was produced by Mike Einziger of Incubus.

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For Your Pleasure Review

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(More customer reviews)The second, and best, Roxy album, and the last before Eno left the group. For me, this choice is the most rooted in personal nostalgia. While I do think it stands worthy in a top 10 list, its presence here is admittedly partly because Roxy Music was pivotal for me, and this album more than any other. As an early teen, I was blindsided by this lush, complex, and defiantly sexy sound. Half from Brian Ferry's James Bondish presence, half from the experimental rock backing him, I was changed. I would lay in my room at night with headphones on listening to Roxy Music for hours. In Every Dreamhome A Heartache is simultaneously beautiful, silly, sexy, absurd, epic. It just dares you to not smile, and swoon.

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Roxy Music Photos More from Roxy Music

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Blame It On The Fish (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Maybe I'm just one of those closed-minded people mentioned earlier, but I found the self-indulgent random filler that the film-maker used to "connect" the segments boring and irritating to the point that it gave me a head-ache. I'm a die-hard Primus and Les fan, but I would recommend 5 Gallons of Diesel and/or Hallucino-Genetics rather than this. Or go to Primuslive.com and download 4 shows for under $30 and you'll be able to hear Primus live without interruptions and in their entirety. I'd recommend Kool Haus in Toronto, the Greek Theatre, the Halloween show and Bonnaroo as some of the best.
Borrow it from a friend and watch the Fish On and Primus 2065 extras without even bothering with the main feature. Les, Ler and Tim are at their best and I hope they'll keep going in all their incarnations for a long time...just don't use Matthew J. Powers again. It was a little too much about being abstract and not enough about the guys and their music. Primussucks!

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