Storm Front Review

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(More customer reviews)In March of 1990, when I was 27, my long time friend Betsy Matteis told me she had several tickets to Billy Joel's then-current Storm Front concert tour. She had watched (with some bemusement, I think) me become a Joel fan over the years, and three months before she had stood in line at a local Ticketmaster outlet for hours so we could go see the Piano Man perform live at the Miami Arena. At the last minute she could not go, but she arranged it so that two friends of hers would accompany me to Overtown and attend the concert.
Of course, Billy's live performances were never really replicated in the albums they promoted. Rather, they tended to be a mix of the new material being presented and a selection of older songs that audiences can sing along to. (The Billy Joel: Live from Yankee Stadium DVD is very close to the content of the Miami shows, down to the sing-along of "Piano Man.")
Storm Front was one of Joel's last pop music albums -- his last offering of original songs, River of Dreams, would come out in 1993 -- and it is one of his best. Six of the 10 songs in Storm Front were included in his Greatest Hits Volume III album, including "Shameless," "And So It Goes," "Leningrad," "The Downeaster Alexa," and "We Didn't Start The Fire."
"We Didn't Start The Fire" is a guitar based song (a rare such one for keyboardist/pianist Joel) that sums up major events in Billy's first 40 years. It's pretty catchy (but difficult to sing along to without the booklet of lyrics) and has had the unexpected but welcome effect of getting kids to remember historical events. Joel, in the DVD of Greatest Hits III, says that teachers would say to their students to listen to "We Didn't Start The Fire" and write the words down.
"Shameless" is a down-and-dirty tribute to the late Jimi Hendrix, who had insouciance to the max and would even chew gum as he sang. Well, here Joel also sings and chews gum at the same time, to the accompaniment of the guitarists in his band. The lyrics are very Hendrix-like, and "Shameless" is an ode to the power women have over their lovers: "I'm shameless, baby I don't have a prayer...."
"Downeaster Alexa," (the name being inspired by Joel's daughter Alexa Ray) is Billy's earnest attempt at writing a true folk song. With a driving backbeat (provided by drummer Liberty DeVito) reminiscent of Celtic music, it deals with the struggles of the Long Island fishermen. "I was a bayman like my father was before," Joel has his narrator inform us, "Can't make a living as a bayman anymore." The song mixes both defiance and wistfulness for a way of life that is passing.
"Leningrad" is an ode to the end of the Cold War. Its opening piano intro sounds very Russian, and the song itself tells the parallel lives of Viktor, a Soviet "child of war" who lost his father during World War II, and Joel, who was "a Cold War kid born in McCarthy times." It is both a requiem to the many victims of the Cold War and a hymn of hope for reconciliation ("we never knew what friend we had/Until we came to Leningrad") which resonates even 14 years after the song was written.
"I Go To Extremes," a song written especially for drummer DeVito, is really an ode to manic depression. In his remarks about the song on the Volume III DVD, Joel explains that most creative people tend to be manic depressive. Whether this is true or not I can't say, but this song is definitely a rock song. With the pounding drums, the restless keyboard, and the pulsing guitars, "I Go To Extremes" talks about the extreme highs and lows most of us face in life.
"And So It Goes" is perhaps the most melancholic song on this album. Dealing with the theme of star-crossed love ("So I would choose to be with you/That's if the choice were mine to make; But you can make decisions too/And you can have this heart to break"), it talks about the feelings lovers have when they know they are in a relationship they know can't last. It's sweet yet sad, and its stark simplicity simply adds to its power to elicit tears.

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True Colors Review

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(More customer reviews)This album certainly has a lot of memories attached to it for me. Then again, all 80's music has a special memory for all of us. The first time I remember hearing "True Colors" was in late November of 1986, I was 17 and a junior in high school working late in the town grocery store. I was the only person left in the store to close up late, and I turned up the radio and Cyndi Lauper started singing her song. It had been a while since I had heard her voice on the air. Her last hit was "Goonies" in late summer of 85'. I really loved "True Colors" it came out at just the right time of year. In late November of 86', when its cold outside and the wind is blowing and you had to wear a coat. Those were great memories, and also about 2 months later in January of 1987, that's when I first heard "Change of Heart". Both of these songs remind me of my small hometown in Oklahoma during the fall and winter. Of a fun job that I didn't have to take too seriously and mopping the floor after the store closed. Turn up the 80's tunes! If you like Cyndi Lauper, then you'll love this album. It's quite a bit slower than her first album "She's So Unusual", but then again it's also 2 years later also. The music started to change as the world started to change. I urge you to buy this album, it's truly a classic!
David

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Strange Behaviour Review

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(More customer reviews)Since their beginnings, DD always lavished great care on their extended versions, working only with the best artists in the field and producing songs that, unlike the norm (especially today!) have their own consistence alongside the originals. DISC 1 The remixes in this disc are real classics: the longer timings and the splendid arrangements reveal the full melodic potential of the DD classics from the first half of the 80's. They're all masterpieces, real pop classics, but I would just like to mention the splendid "Planet Earth": this is the "night mix" which is actually different from the well-known "night version". And Nick Rhodes' tour de force in "Union of the Snake"! And the heavy, speaker-to-speaker drumming of "Wilder than the wild boys"! Ok, ok, I'll stop here, but I should add that those who, like me, already have some (or all) these songs in previous compilations should not hesitate, because the whole set has been superbly remastered at Abbey Road Studios, and the older recordings sound better than ever. DISC 2 Here there's something more to say, because these later remixes are much less well known, and were, for the most part, published only on maxi-vynil singles. They're uniformly great, but in my opinion the highlights are: "American science": I didn't know this "chemical reaction mix" and it's absolutely mesmerizing, a superclassy remix for one of DD's classiest songs. "I don't want your love" and "All she wants is" are both by Shep Pettibone, displaying the intricate, rich dance-sound typical of him, with some of the best electronic percussions ever heard. "Too much information" (jellybean benitez): this was already great , but jellybean makes it funky and clarifies the arrangement, to stunning effect. And also stunning, in a steamy, funky way, is the Nile Rodgers version of the unfairly underrated "Meet El Presidente". "Drowning man" was a surprise, because it's even better than the original: that was somewhat over-dense, but here the extended timing and D:ream's great arrangement really make this song ROCK! A final line: this anthology proves once again that these are really good songs, because they sound great in every arrangement imaginable AND after many years. (Planet Earth is 18 yrs-old!) I think that the best punishment for all the critics that poured s*** on DD in the 80's is just what happened: they're condemned to live in a world ruled by Boyzone and Britney Spears!

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Two disc collection with 24 mixes of their hits from the '80s & '90s. Includes the treasured 'Night Mixes' of flashback faves like 'Planet Earth', 'Girls On Film', 'My Own Way' & 'Hungry Like The Wolf', as well as remixes of gems like 'Too Much Information', 'Come Undone' and 'I Don't Want Your Love'. Double slimline jewel case. 1999 release.

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Revenge (Reis) (Dlx) (Dig) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Revenge" caught Dave and Annie on the road to Arena Rock Superstardom, and they created a record with a crack band that would sound good blasting out at concertgoers from enormous speakers. In doing so, they abandoned the intimacy of their early work--one of their great assets.
That's not to say that this is not a good album--it is, featuring "Missionary Man," (one of their best singles), and "Thorn in My Side." The other singles here, though, sound a little trite and insincere--"Miracle of Love" and "When Tomorrow Comes." Just a little too much commercial lip gloss on those two. But "Let's Go" and "A Little of you" are great album cuts.
The remastering is good, the bonus tracks, alas, are not. I have personal memories of dancing around arms flailing to the Missionary Man remix in my youth, but all their remixes sound a little dated, especially in comparison to the original tracks, which, miraculously for pop music, have not aged a bit.
After this, Eurythmics produced one last great album (Savage), and then occasional sparks of brilliance. But this was the beginning of the end.

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This edition has been digitally re-mastered from the original master tapes by Eurythmics mastermind Dave Stewart, with input from collaborator Annie Lennox. In addition, there are six bonus tracks: a mixture of b-sides, remixes, and previously unreleased material (notably a cover of Mary Wells' classic "My Guy"). The packaging is a six-panel digipack redesign orchestrated by Laurence Stevens Design, the firm who art-directed all the original releases, while the thick booklets contain rare photos and insightful, new sleeve notes.

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Some Great Reward Review

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(More customer reviews)'some great reward' is perhaps depeche mode's funniest album title. as the band inched closer and closer to the global domination that would one day be theirs, one can help but wonder if a be-skirted martin looked at sun-in'd-bangs dave and said, 'is this all we get?' or maybe it's the bands nod to its increasing fanbase, or a middle-finger to those who thought there were going to get another mildly poppy, pleasant, inoffensive DM album (though it started with 'construction time again, let's face it, this was the death knell of the 'photograph of you,' 'see you,' 'new life,' 'just can't get enough' dm brand of music).
no, no, dear friends, this wasn't your daddy's dm. suddenly martin was clad in s&m gear, handcuffs, leather (or was it pleather?), dave put a little sun-in in his hair, alan was a full-feldged member, and fletch, well, he was fletch (pushing his mic back and forth on stage and little else). 'some great reward,' i believe, was the blueprint for albums like 'pretty hate machine,' everything nitzer ebb did do, front 242 would do, and spawned a generation of knock offs (red flag, seven red seven, cause and effect). 'industrial' music? it started with 'some great reward.'
'some great reward' is the album that came to define the depeche mode *sound.* it's cold and detached, it's pervy undertones bubbling just below the surface. from the get-go 'some great reward' sounds like an album recorded squarely under the fist of the iron curtain. 'something to do' sounds like heavy machinery dropped off a 100ft ledge--agressive and relentless. 'lie to me' and 'if you want' drip in ambiguous sexuality. of course there's 'master and servant' and it's fairly blatant s&m references and 'blasphemous rumors' in which martin (?) questions God's role in every day life. i'll forgive martin for 'somebody'--a song so sweet it should by right come packaged with a tube of toothpaste and mouthwash.
'some great reward' pointed DM in a new direction they would later build on with 'black celebration,' 'music for the masses,' and culminate with 'violator.' in this regard it serves as an important stepping stone in the band's evolution--it was a precursor to the defining DM sound. perhaps that reason alone is enough to merit buying this album. and if that reason's not enough, it's still got some KILLER songs, truly memorable singles, and just enough dark matter to keep the trenchcoat kids and enough catchy melodies and verses to keep the preppy polo-wearing goofs happy.

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No Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: DEPECHE MODETitle: SOME GREAT REWARDStreet Release Date: 07/07/1987

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Night & Day Review

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(More customer reviews)First off, let me make something clear: The original Night & Day album is a classic, worthy of 5 stars on its own. The review here--more to the point the 2 star rating--is for this particular "deluxe" reissue.
For the "deluxe" series of reissues, started by Universal a few years ago, a formerly single CD album is expanded to two CDs, with the second CD typically filled out some combination of outtakes, b-sides, live tracks or other material that was recorded in the same time-frame as the album. So far, so good. Some of these deluxe reissues has been great, some less so.
This one falls distinctly into the latter catagory. Why? The second CD of bonus material is simply a mugging. The contents of the second CD are as follows: 1) The vocal tracks from the Joe Jackson soundtrack to Mike's Murder; 2) The second side of the 2 LP (2CD) Live 1980/86 set; and 3) demo versions of six of the songs from the album. The Mike's Murder tracks are OK, and it's nice that they are finally available somewhere on CD, but they really don't belong here...they belong on a reissue of the Mike's Murder soundtrack. The second side of 1980/86 is just a waste of time. These tracks were easily available on CD for many years as part of 1980/86. Any serious fan--and anyone buying this expensive set is presumably a serious fan--already has this material.
OK, that brings us to what, for many people, is the real hook: The six demo tracks. I wish I could say that they're great, or that they at least shed some light on the finished album, or that they really bare repeated listening in any way. But they don't. They are too close to the final album versions to be particularly interesting, and all are inferior to the completed album versions. Listen once, then file away.
So in the end, the second CD consists of inessential froth, material available elsewhere, and material that should have been made available elsewhere. It's sucker bait for the hardcore fan. Many of whom will probably bite, but few of whom will be happy they did.
Unless you're a completist, save your money and buy the single CD version instead.
dap

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Universal Deluxe 2 CD edition. Includes the remastered original album on disc one, while the bonus disc features demo's, live tracks and songs he contributed to various films. Beautifully packaged with extensive liner notes. 2003.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Diamond Life Review

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(More customer reviews)There has never been a singer quite like Sade Adu. Although she is of Nigerian origin, and her voice is clearly that of a woman of color, she is equally influenced by her English upbringing; the resulting combination of African heat and British coolness, particularly when combined with her band's elegant mixture of both American and European jazz idioms, is as original today as when it first appeared. Superficially cool and seemingly detached, everything about the band simmers with an underlying passion.
While Adu and her band (collectively known as Sade) have done many memorable recordings since they debuted, DIAMOND LIFE remains their single finest recording: it is pure liquid elegance every step of the way. Opening with "Smooth Operator," which makes particularly good use of Stuart Matthewman on sax, the entire collection flows effortlessly from cut to cut--some dark, some slightly dissonate, some slightly upbeat, and every one of them memorable in the most haunting way imaginable.
Like "Smooth Operator," both "Your Love Is King" and "Hang on to Your Love" actually broke into the charts as singles--a truly amazing feat for a jazz-oriented club band in the ultra-synthetic 1980s. But in truth, be it "Cherry Pie," "When Am I Gonna Make A Living," or "Sally," there isn't a bad cut on the entire CD. Everything shimmers with a sultry yet subtle beauty, pulling you into an atmosphere in which you seem to feel the pulse of a midnight lounge, the atmosphere of the club scene fromw which Sade emerged.
As a band, Sade is sexy, cool, smart, delicately shaded, and brilliantly shaped, and the aptly titled DIAMOND LIFE is perhaps one of the best debut recordings made over the past fifty years. Mix yourself a drink, turn the lights down low, drop it on the stereo, and dream of smoke, the clink of cocktail glasses, and the murmur of voices gone suddenly silent when the band begins to play. Strongly recommended.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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Midge Ure - Rewind - The Greatest Hits Tour (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I havent been an Ultravox fan but I bought this after revisiting them via Live Aid. This is one of those serendipitous discoveries you make when you take a risk.
It is just a really great concert. Midge sings with great emotional expression and the music is really full-bodied and up to date - even those older hits he covers really well. His words are poetic and reminiscent to me of David Grey.
It is well filmed and there is really not a weak song on it.
It also has one of the strongest starts I've seen to a concert.
I am now won over and will be keeping an eye on him in future.
He is also someone who would appeal to a wide range of agegroups.
This is a 'Wow' rating from me.

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Tracklisting 1. Cold, Cold Heart 2. Call of the Wild 3. Fade to Grey 4. Dear God 5. I See Hope 6. (You) Move Me 7. No Regrets 8. Alone 9. Breathe 10. One Small Day 11. Monster 12. Beneath a Spielberg Sky 13. Lament 14. Vienna (Duet with Russel Watson) 15. Love's Great Adventure 16. If I Was 17. Hymn 18. The Voice 19. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes

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