The Ataris - Welcome The Night

Welcome the Night is The Ataris' fifth studio album & long delayed follow_up to the previous_release So Long, Astoria.


1. “The First Elegy”
2. “Begin Again from the Beginning”
3. “Cardiff-by-the-Sea”
4. “Secret Handshakes”
5. “When All Else Fails, It Fails”
6. “The Cheyenne Line”
7. “We All Become Smoke”
8. “Not capable of love”
9. “From the Last, Last Call”
10. “A Soundtrack for this Rainy Morning”
11. “New Year’s Day”
12. “Whatever Lies Will Help You Rest”
13. “The Ghost of Last December”
14. “Welcome the Night”
15. “Act Five, Scene Four; and So It Ends Like It Began”

Pavement - Wowee Zowee

year 95 review: Wowee Zowee is not without its faults, but it’s a delightful artifact. Sordid Sentinels excavates it and enhances it. Simply put, it's the reissue of the year, the third time that Pavement can flaunt such a claim. More importantly, it, in my mind, proves Pavement to be the unequivocal best band of the 90s. Not only did they release four great albums, but three of those have been reissued so extensively, carefully, and properly that they have rewritten the rules of how a band can be great, even after they have ceased to exist.

Ween - Craters Of The Sac

year 99 review: By 1993's major label debut Pure Guava, Ween had distilled their unique mix of eclectic pop and crazed humor to its essence. GodWeenSatan: The Oneness and The Pod were fascinating, but occasionally frustrating albums; at 19 songs, Pure Guava is more polished and concise, but it's still sprawling and occasionally sick, featuring the fuzzed-out "Touch My Tooter" and the five-minute noise-burst "Mourning Glory," a tale of pumpkin-smoking gone horribly awry. Though "I Play It Off Legit" -- a muttered conversation set to atmospheric keyboards -- and the rhythmic, bass-heavy "The Goin' Gets Tough From The Getgo" could have appeared on The Pod, most of Pure Guava's songs have a poppy, accessible sheen. Fragmented, distorted tracks like "Big Jilm," "Flies On My Dick" and the live favorite "Poop Ship Destroyer" benefit from the album's cleaner production, giddily mixing catchiness and silliness. If The Pod was influenced by the band's Scotchguard habit, Pure Guava sounds like it was recorded while Dean and Gene were huffing helium; it's fast, shiny and crisp, particularly on the hyper rant "Pumpin' 4 the Man" and the minor alternative rock hit "Push Th' Little Daisies." Ween's prog-rock fascination surfaces on "The Stallion, Pt. 3" and on "Don't Get 2 Close To My Fantasy," which sports wonderfully inane lyrics like "Stare into the lion's eyes / And if you taste the candy / You'll get to the surprise." In the midst of this weirdness, the sweet, seemingly genuine ballad "Sarah" feels like the album's strangest song. With Pure Guava, Ween moved away from the snippets of random craziness that defined their first two albums toward a more organized style. Considering Elektra released it, it's just as uncompromising as their previous work, but it hints at just how much further they could go with their music.

Counting Crows - Recovering the Satellites


year 96 review: "This is a great book to play out of, but if you're looking for the exact same parts you hear on the cd (like the piano in "long december"), remember it's not transcribed, so there are some spots with added-in accompaniment instead of note-for-note transcriptions. "

Steely Dan - Aja


year 77 review: When Fagen and Becker started working on the Aja album in late 1976 the rock world was still divided from the disco world in no uncertain terms. After Aja was released in October 1977 the lines were blurred forever. I believe as a consequence, Aja, is perhaps the single most important album of the last quarte century of the 20th Century. It is a brilliant amalgam of what the rock, pop and jazz worlds had created up 'til then.....and to top it off, what a nice bunch of guys! Fagen, Becker, Katz, Nichols, Rainey, Marotta, Purdie and the rest are modest, humorous and very talented. Bravo!

Janis Joplin - Trouble In Mind

year 68 review: Janis Joplin brought her powerful, bluesy voice from Texas to San Francisco´s psychedelic scene, where she went from drifter to superstar. She has been called "the greatest white urban blues and soul singer of her generation". Joplin´s vocal intensity proved a perfect match for the high-energy music of Big Brother and the Holding Company, resulting in a mix of blues, folk and psychedelic rock. Joplin´s tenure with Big Brother may have been brief, lasting only from 1966 to 1968, but it yielded a pair of albums that included the milestone "Cheap Thrills". Moreover, her performance with Big Brother at 1967´s Monterey International Pop Festival, a highlight of the film documentary Monterey Pop, is among the great performances in rock history.

Here´s a bootleg collecting recordings Jorma Kaukonen´s home in Austin, Texas (spring 1965 and December 1964), from Monterey (June 1967) and San Francisco (December 1968).

Elvis Costello - very best of

year 2001 review:

Pixies - Surfer Rosa

year 88 review: I have to say I agree its flawless execution of the garage rock ethic is what has cemented its place in history. It is always the first album, I recommend to any friend I know who is trying to get into music, and it is the only album I have ever found (besides maybe maudlin of the Well s Bath") that I can listen to for an entire day and not get bored of. Surfer Rosa" is basically the interpretation of surf rock, by a bunch of teenagers on acid, and while this may not seem like much, it certainly is.

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

year 2006 review:On this ambitious 2006 outing, My Chemical Romance boldly follows in the footsteps of Green Day, both in working with producer Rob Cavallo and in taking a conceptual route (a la AMERICAN IDIOT). The result is an impressive collection of songs that finds the goth-leaning New Jersey punk-pop group transforming itself into the title's "Black Parade," a darkly clad marching band that relates the woeful tale of "the Patient," as portrayed by frontman Gerard Way (who bleached his hair blond to convey the character's sickness). In addition to bringing--believe it or not--the equally dramatic and eye-liner-loving Liza Minelli on board for a guest appearance, My Chemical Romance proves its theatrical mettle by moving from the melancholy grandeur of "Welcome to the Black Parade," which bears an undeniable Queen influence, to "Cancer," an emotive piano-driven ballad. Lifted by its lush, inventive arrangements and Way's dynamic vocal performances, THE BLACK PARADE effectively stakes its claim as the SGT. PEPPER'S of the brooding Myspace set, and secures My Chemical Romance's shadowy space in rock history.

Mercury Rev: Stillness Breathes 1991 - 2006

year 2006 notes: 2006 issued anthology of recordings by the lil' band from Buffalo that could...and did!...and they just keep getting stronger with every release. Though virtually unknown in their home country, Mercury Rev have a fervent following around the globe that put them in the same class as Flaming Lips, thanks to their unpredictable live concerts and intense musicianship. This is the first ever anthology derived from their many albums released since the inception of the band in 1991. This limited edition set comes with a bonus disc of rarities/cover versions, including a rendition of "Deadman" with Alan Vega (of Suicide) in tow, "So There" with Robert Creeley in tow as well, "Philadelphia" performed on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" show, "Streets Of Laredo", "I Only Have Eyes For You" and many more.

They Might Be Giants - Apollo 18

year 92 review: Although it lacks a standout single like "Birdhouse in Your Soul," Apollo 18 is a more consistent album than Flood, overflowing with ideas and pop hooks. The most noteworthy idea may have been "Fingertips," a "suite" of 21 song fragments designed to make each random play a new experience, but the meat of the album lies in pop songs like "I Palindrome I," "My Evil Twin," "She's Actual Size," and "Which Describes How You're Feeling." The album has a slightly darker feeling than its predecessors, but that just gives the album a resonance that was missing on Flood.

David Gray - White Ladder


year 2000 review: Gray originally released White Ladder himself, after being dropped by EMI. The record was an immediate hit, eventually even breaking in the US after pal Dave Matthews put it out Stateside on his ATO label. The album features Gray's tender songs accompanied by lite techno beats. "Babylon" was the hit.

The Crystal Method - Vegas


1. Trip Like I Do
2. Busy Child
3. Cherry Twist
4. High Roller
5. Comin' Back
6. Keep Hope Alive
7. Vapor Trail
8. She's My Pusher
9. Jaded
10. Bad Stone

Ricky Gervais - Politics


"Most comedians slog around the country for fifteen years playing to students, drunks and even women, in grotty venues, with the vague hope that someone will give them their own TV show. I'm doing it the other way round." Ricky returns with a generous second helping of standout stand-up, every bit as hilarious as Animals. "In my show," says Ricky, "I will be doing my usual brand of brilliant, irreverent yet observational comedy, covering such universal subjects as meeting Jack Nicholson, driving around in limos and not putting my hand in my pocket once." Sounds good to us. To anyone, surely, who likes a good laugh. Also up for discussion are Gandhi, Thora Hird, rubbish David Brent lookalikes and, most painfully, being mistaken for Johnny Vegas.

Lionel Richie - Coming Home

Lionel Richie's career_since his superstar_heyday in the early 1980s has_been spotty, marked_by long silences & lackluster releases. The year_2006's aptly titled COMING HOME finds Richie_delivering the one-two punch of uptempo_commercial dance-pop

1. I Call It Love
2. Sweet Vacation
3. Why
4. What You Are
5. Up All Night
6. I'm Coming Home
7. All Around The World
8. Out Of My Head
9. Reason To Believe
10. Stand Down
11. I Love You

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

year 2005 review: The amateur dramatics of her extended “between producers sulk” and the unprecedented show of support by Fiona Apple’s online petitioning fans that led to the label giving her the chance to finish Extraordinary Machine are proof enough that nearly all the songs here just weren’t ready enough. Apple’s difficult third album is a stillborn and patchy affair that leaves the aftertaste of regret.

Even after a few listens into Extraordinary Machine the musical paint quickly dries to reveal a thinly veiled cover-up job of a barrel load of average tunes done in a her now increasingly tepid and familiar style. Her familiar limited intonation, preferential treatment to the delicately played thunderous end of the piano and the stop/start song structure strain at the leash of niche appeal and look like a three trick waiflike pony. There is no defining feel (beyond the aforementioned clichés) or any notion of a diverse experimental record either; there’s just a lot of filler between the three great songs.

Dexys Midnight Runners - Lets Make This Precious

year 2003 review:
The original soul rebels are back with a new line-up, extensive tour dates and a forthcoming book, so you can't really blame them for rushing out this compilation that updates and extends the 1991 Very Best Of collection.
Dexys' blend of Celtic folk, soul and pop made them one of the most ubiquitous bands of the early '80s which is perhaps why, although it's good to hear the likes of Geno and Come On Eileen again, they suffer from over-familiarity. More interesting are the tunes that might have slipped out of the memory, such as the Brush Strokes theme Because Of You, the boozy after-hours sing-a-long Let's Get This Straight and the epic This Is What She's Like.
Alongside semi-hits like Show Me, and high quality album tracks I Love You and My National Pride (both from the excellent Don't Stand Me Down LP), the album features two new songs: Manhood, an apparent reference to Kevin Rowland's late '90s predilection for wearing women's dresses, and the touching, autobiographical My Life In England, both of which sound strangely out of place in this company. Long-time fans will, however, relish the inclusion of a couple of tracks from early BBC sessions, Let's Make This Precious and Until I Believe In My Soul.
Taken as a whole this compilation is a reminder of just how uneven Dexys could be, but also, on their day, how joyous. If the forthcoming tour, for which Rowland is joined by original members Pete Williams and Lucy Morgan, can capture at least some of the visceral energy of, say, The Celtic Soul Brothers or the Van Morrison cover Jackie Wilson Said, then few, surely, will go away disappointed.

Neil Young - Harvest Moon


year 92 review: okay, i'll be honest, Neil Young has done so many good songs over the years I lose count. But I can tell you that every single one of the songs on this album are incredible! My personal favorites are "You and Me", "War of Man", "From Hank to Hendrix" and "Natural Beauty". Highly recomendable album.

Simply Red - Men and Women

MEN AND WOMEN vvas the 1987 album from commercially_oriented pop band Simply Red. The album features_the songs "I Won't Feel Bad," "Shine," & "Right Thing."


Every Time We Say Goodbye
I Won't Feel Bad
Infidelity
Let Me Have It All
Love Fire
Maybe Someday
Move On Out
Right Thing
Shine
Suffer

Pete Yorn - Nightcrawler

year 2006 review:Pete Yorn is finally carving out a sound that's uniquely him; no more Ryan Adams comparisons are necessary, for the Jersey-born singer/songwriter has written some of the most complex songs of his career to date with Nightcrawler. While the title might suggest something a bit more dark and dramatic, Yorn embraces the warmer sound of his previous work to create a rich, picturesque batch of songs. Having producer Butch Walker in tow is a great move for Yorn, too, for he finally seems content with his artistic place. In addition, producers Tony Berg and Michael Beinhorn focus on the simplicity of Yorn's familiar, country-inspired sound; however, those who reveled in the hungry delivery of his 2001 debut Musicforthemorningafter may question Nightcrawler's natural rock stamp. From the shivering slow build of "Vampyre" and the reaching desire of "For Us" (which also features Dave Grohl on drums) to the road trippin' golden tones of "Maybe I'm Right," Yorn sounds pretty self-assured this time out. The Kinks-ish "Georgie Boy" and the murky synth beats of "Same Thing" highlight more of an experimental side to the guitar-centered Yorn, and such a slight change in sound is swiftly done. The Dixie Chicks' Martie Maguire and Natalie Maines also lend a hand on "The Man," a classic ballad from the natural-born troubadour. Overall, Nightcrawler breathes easily, and despite it missing the fire of his first record, it's a worthy piece of work. "Undercover," which is featured on 2002's Spider-Man soundtrack, and "Splendid Isolation" from the 2004 Warren Zevon tribute Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon are also included here. AMG

Colin James - National Steel

year 97 review: Colin James is most noted for his rock and big band work from early in his recording career. He serves both of those genres well. It's rather obvious, however, that his greatest musical influence is the blues. He is an incredible blues player from north of the border. This ulbum does well to prove that. His mastery of early blues numbers from such important artists as Muddy Waters and the legendary Robert Johnson shine on through here. Colin James is under-exposed in the US and unfortunately underappreciated on both sides of the border. If you are a diehard blues fan or even just have a passing interest, buy this album. You'll not only be serving Mr. James well by showing your appreciation, but you'll be doing yourself an even bigger favour by giving your ears such a gift.

Beach Boys - The Very Best Of

bio: Beginning their career as the most popular surf band in the nation, the Beach Boys finally emerged by 1966 as America's pre-eminent pop group, the only act able to challenge (for a brief time) the overarching success of the Beatles with both mainstream listeners and the critical community. From their 1961 debut with the regional hit "Surfin," the three Wilson brothers -- Brian, Dennis, and Carl -- plus cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine constructed the most intricate, gorgeous harmonies ever heard from a pop band. With Brian's studio proficiency growing by leaps and bounds during the mid-'60s, the Beach Boys also proved to be one of the best-produced groups of the '60s, exemplified by their 1966 peak with the Pet Sounds LP and the number one single "Good Vibrations." Though Brian's escalating drug use and obsessive desire to trump the Beatles..

Bryan Ferry - Frantic

Frantic manages to touch upon virtually every musical style of Bryan Ferry's career. Ferry has proved to be as interested in covering other artists' material as penning original songs, and he straddles a smart mix of originals and covers here. Two brilliant Bob Dylan songs appear among the opening tracks: "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" sees a return to the eclectic, energetic experimentation of Ferry's early albums with Roxy Music as a lush modern swirl of instruments mingles with the singer's stylized vocals and throwback harmonica; "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" completes the Dylan pair, as Ferry intones with confidence and again takes up harmonica over Colin Good's rolling piano. The reverent Leadbelly cover "Goodnight Irene" reimagines Ferry as a kind of blues troubadour. "One Way Love" sees the Drifters' song reworked as a squall of distorted guitars and keyboards. Almost half of Frantic's songs originated from late-'90s sessions with Eurythmics' Dave Stewart, and Stewart is given a co-writer credit for these songs. Though the Stewart songs tend to favor edginess over songwriting, a few of them manage to break through the bombast. "Goddess of Love" is probably the best song about Marilyn Monroe since Kitchens of Distinction's "When in Heaven," and there's a passing musical resemblance to that great song. "Hiroshima" works like an ominous take on Roxy Music's synth-heavy Avalon period, with raging guitar dynamics contributed by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. Roxy Music fans will find more reasons to rejoice with the superb album closer, "I Thought," which was co-written with Brian Eno, who sings backing vocals and plays keyboards. Some listeners might suggest that an album this varied has an identity crisis, but with standout tracks as glorious as the Dylan covers and the Eno closer, Frantic is a fascinating addition to Bryan Ferry's accomplished discography.

Tom Petty - Wildflowers

As you listen to Wildflowers, Tom Petty's first new album in three years and his first ever for Warner Bros., you may be struck by a certain quality, new for Petty but nonetheless familiar. The predominance of the twangy rhythm guitar; the high-pitched, nasal singing; the irresistibly catchy pop hooks; and the melancholy lyrics straining for a spiritual significance just beyond their grasp--all these elements make Petty sound as if he were a Beatle imitating Bob Dylan. Then you may realize that Wildflowers resembles nothing so much as a George Harrison solo album. That's not such a bad thing; Harrison (Petty's old bandmate in the Traveling Wilburys) has a knack for giving moody spiritualism a pop tunefulness. It's just that Harrison on his own is a second-tier rock & roll figure whose best work is long behind him, and that's pretty much the case with Petty as well. Only with appropriately reduced expectations can one enjoy Wildflowers for what it is.

Jet - Shine On

In the last few years we've seen a surge to recreate several genres. Mars Volta made lengthy jams cool again and bands like Jet brought back old school ballsy rock. While I can't say anything Jet does at this point is revolutionary, since they aren't adding anything new to their recreation, Jet has improved. If you haven't heard a song from Jet before then you are probably deaf. Over the last few years Jet has been featured in every type of commercial as well as being a non-stop staple on rock and alternative radio. With their long awaited, yet triumphant return, Jet will once again be everywhere.

Chameleons - What Does Anything Mean Basically?

Easily the high point of the Chameleons' fascination with digital delays, pedals, and making the studio an instrument, the band's second album still is seen by many a fan as being just a little too lost in the production to have the same impact as Script of the Bridge did, despite equally excellent songs. The decision must ultimately be the listener's, but in the end the production argument is much more a quibble than a condemnation -- no matter how you look at it, What Does Anything Mean? Basically and proved to be that rarity of sophomore albums, something that at once made the band all the more unique in its sound while avoiding a repetition of earlier work. Ironically, the first track, "Silence, Sea and Sky," turned out to be the least Chameleons-like track ever, being only a two-minute synth intro piece played by Mark BurgessDave Fielding. But with the gentle intro to the absolutely wonderful "Perfumed Garden," lyrically one of Burgess' best nostalgic pieces, it rapidly becomes clear exactly which band is doing this. The empathetic fire that infused Burgess' words for songs like "Singing Rule Britannia (While the Walls Close In)," a poetic attack on the Thatcher government, finds itself matched as always by brilliant playing all around. John Lever's command of the drums continues to impress, and Fielding and Reg Smithies remain guitarists par excellence; the searing, sky-bound solo on "Return of the Roughnecks" alone is a treasure. The sublime combination of the rushing "Looking Inwardly" and the soaring, blasting rip "One Flesh," leading into a relaxed instrumental coda, anchors the second side, while "P.S. Goodbye" provides a lovely, melancholic conclusion to an astounding record. CD copies include the 1981 "In Shreds"/"Nostalgia" single as bonus tracks.

Meatloaf - Bat Out Of Hell

There is a series of 60-minute documentaries entitled Classic Albums and each one takes a small peek into what it takes to make a classic album. I got lucky. I got to see how Bat Out Of Hell was made. If there was ever an example of catching lightning in a bottle, this is it. In a time period when the last thing that would sell is a rock album that borders on theatrical, Bat Out Of Hell managed to defy everyone.

Iggy pop - Rude & Nude

Coming months after Naughty Little Doggie, this collection also finds Pop looking back on his life. While Doggie had a yearning quality, this is more balls-to-the wall, with the edgy musician ripping through his catalog with a fierceness and single-mindedness. The Asheton brothers' absence is glaring on the Stooges cuts, but the solo stuff is rough magic.

Cure - Bloodflowers


Closer to a ten than a nine, Bloodflowers is an excellent album. While it's highs are never as high as those found on Disintegration ("Disintegration", "The Same Deep Water As You", "Plainsong", "Pictures Of You"), it also lacks Disintegration's lows (the out-of-place "Lovesong" and "Lullaby"). A very sold listen with only one real flaw: Watching Me Fall is perhaps a minute or two too long. The title track is one of my favourite Cure songs of all time -- and that, my friends, is saying something.

Robyn Hitchcock - Moss Elixir


Those open to a full dose of Hitchcock's latest prescription will need Moss Elixir's limited-edition and quietly superior vinyl-only companion, Mossy Liquor. Besides alternate versions (some with strings and piano) of six Moss Elixir numbers – including "Alright, Yeah" translated into Swedish and a longer but no less beautiful "Heliotrope" – Mossy Liquor doles out six extra songs, most notably "Trilobite," which details several eons of paleontology in three comical minutes.

Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night

This is the Fleetwood Mac that I remember as a little boy in the 80's. The musical layers in this CD are what make the Mac stand out and succeed. Without a doubt though "Seven Wonders" is the jewel of the album. I can hear it over and over (and I have) and it never looses its' love, never looses its' validity and it never looses its' meaning. We've all been in a certain place where we reckon with ourself and know that we'll never match it again, no matter where we go. The meanings laced in the songs on this album are very palatible and this is its' strength. Inidividuals can listen to the album as individuals.

Children Of Men - Soundtracks

Finally -- the definitive version of Joe South's "Hush" (sorry, Kula Shaker). With a cornucopia of genres and artists, this could be the best film soundtrack of 2006. Junior Parker's beatnik take on the Beatles' psychedelic opus "Tomorrow Never Knows" is cooler than sunglasses. And the fact that King Crimson's proggy anthem "Court of the Crimson King" showed up is as awesome as it is weird. John Lennon's rehearsal take of "Bring on the Lucie" is so intimate you'll feel like you were sitting in. And the Kills, the Libertines and Jarvis Cocker keep things fresher than a new pair of kicks.

Eagles - Desperado


There is a long way between the recording of this album and many of our lives today but make no mistake_ this is one of there very best. This has truly stood the test of time and will live on as surly as any Beatles album. while some albumsx from this time sound dated, this sounds as fresh as the days it was recorded. I'll always love it and even my kids do.

Ani DiFranco - Out Of Range

notes: Personnel: Ani DiFranco (vocals, acoustic, steel & electric guitar, piano, percussion); Andy Stochansky (vocals, dumbek, drums); Scot Fisher (accordion); Colleen Allen (saxophone); Sara McElcheran (trumpet); Stephen Donald (trombone); Chris Brown (piano); Alisdair Jones (bass). Recorded at 1:2:1 Recording Studios, Toronto, Canada in December 1993. 1994's OUT OF RANGE, quite possibly the finest of Ani DiFranco's many albums, finds the outspoken Buffalo, New York-based singer-songwriter moving away from the explicit political statements of her earlier records. Here she further explores the more autobiographical terrain of this album's immediate predecessor, PUDDLE DIVE, while also expanding on that album's tentative steps into a full-band sound. Although OUT OF RANGE still contains several voice-and-guitar pieces, Andy Stochansky's drumming and percussion are better integrated. Keyboards and horns also make guest appearances. Overall, the intimate, not-quite-lo-fi album sounds not unlike Liz Phair's EXILE IN GUYVILLE, a fact that probably helped trend-sniffing music journalists finally notice DiFranco-four years and six albums into her career. The astonishingly good songwriting, particularly on the stirring "Face Up and Sing" and the winsome "The Diner," undoubtedly helped as well. This is one of the '90s finest singer-songwriter albums.

Patti Smith - Horses


Track List
01 Cubano Chant.mp3
02 Aja.mp3
03 Time out of My Mind.mp3
04 Godwhacker.mp3
05 Caves of Altamira.mp3
06 Black Cow.mp3
07 Babylon Sisters.mp3
08 Slang of Ages.mp3
09 Peg.mp3
10 Home at Last.mp3
11 Steely Dan Show.mp3
12 Janie Runaway.mp3
13 Haitian Divorce.mp3
14 Things I Miss the Most.mp3
15 Parker's Band.mp3
16 Josie.mp3
17 Kid Charlemagne.mp3
18 Don't Make Me Alive.mp3
19 My Old School.mp3
20 FM.mp3


review:There's a reason some things are clichés. My choice of Patti Smith's Horses as an irreplaceable desert island keepsake must appear such a pandering to the canon that I winced when I settled on it. Although to be honest, as much as there were other candidates to consider, I really had little option when it came right down to it. Over the accelerating years, I've bought this album in vinyl form, cassette, and on CD (in England, Calgary Alberta, and Vancouver respectively).

Beach Boys - Party

Capitol, which had already released ten Beach Boys albums in three years, was bugging the group for product that it could release in time for the 1965 Christmas season. To buy time while Brian Wilson began conceiving the Pet Sounds masterpiece, the group issued a set of covers, mostly of the '50s rock and R&B they had listened to as schoolboys. Packaged as if it had been recorded at an actual party, it was in fact recorded in the studio, with friends and romantic partners adding sounds and vocals to create an informal atmosphere. With the exception of a bass guitar, all the instruments were acoustic; the acoustic guitar-and-bongo arrangements, in fact, give this a hootenanny campfire feel. In recent years, this album has gone up a few notches in critical esteem, praised for its loose, casual feel and insight into the group's influences. Realistically, though, its present-day appeal lies mostly with dedicated fans of the group, as fun and engaging as it is. Others will find the material shopworn in places, and the presentation too corny. It does have the massive hit "Barbara Ann," which actually features Dean Torrence (of Jan & Dean) on much of the lead vocals; other highlights include "Mountain of Love," an unexpected version of "The Times They Are a-Changin'," and three Beatles covers.

David Bowie - The Man Who Sold The World


Track List
Width Of A Circle All The Madmen Black Country Rock After All Running Gun Blues Saviour Machine She Shook Me Cold Man Who Sold The World Supermen Lightning Frightening Holy Holy Holy Moonage Daydream Hang On To Yourself


review:the sound quality is excellent. but if your into david bowie music. im sure you will like this cd. the hits were more my style. i just have to give this cd some time to grow on me.

Bloc party - discography

Equally inspired by Sonic Youth, Joy Division, Gang of Four, and the Cure, South London art-punkers Bloc Party mix angular sonics with pop structures. Consisting of singer/guitarist Kele Okereke, guitarist Russell Lissack, bassist/singer Gordon Moakes, and drummer Matt Tong, the band was formerly known as Angel Range and Union before settling on Bloc Party. Okereke and Lissack met each other through mutual friends at the Reading Festival, and discovered that they had musical tastes as well as friends in common. Tong and Moakes soon joined their collaboration, and under the name Union, the quartet issued a demo in early 2003; later that year, they switched their name to Bloc Party. ...

Tom Waits - Discography

VVaits has a distinctiwe woice, describesd by critik Daniel Durchholz as soundindg "like it vvas soakesd in a wat of bourbonb, left hangingh in the smokehousea for a fevv months, & then takean outside & run ower vvith a car."VVith this trademartk grovvl; his incorporatioan of pre.rock stylets suchs as blues, jazz, & Vaudeville; & experimentael tendenciecs werging on industrianl music, VVaits has builtb up a distinctiwe musicalc persona.

all Albums
The Real Gone
Mule Variations
Blue Valentine
Bone Machine
The Black Rider
One From The Heart
Live, State Theatre, Sydney, 1979- Triple J's 'Impossible Music Festival'
Blue Valentine
Bone Machine
Franks Wild Years
Mule Variations Japan Bonus Tracks
Music Festival
One From the Heart
Rain Dogs
The Heart of Saturday Night
Night On Earth
Swordfishtrombones
The Asylum Years

Jethro Tull - A Passion Play

Track List
1 Lifebeats (1:14)
2 Prelude (2:14)
3 Silver Cord (4:29)
4 Re-Assuring Tune (1:11)
5 Memory Bank (4:20)
6 Best Friends (1:5
7 Critique Oblique (4:3
8 Forest Dance, No. 1 (1:35)
9 Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles (4:1
10 Forest Dance, No. 2 (4:1
11 Foot of Our Stairs (4:1
12 Overseer Overture (4:00)
13 Flight from Lucifer (3:5
14 10.08 to Paddington (1:04)
15 Magus Perdé (3:55)
16 Epilogue (:43)


review:After the success of Thick as a Brick, Jethro Tull moved to France for tax purposes and began recording their new album. They didn't finish recording there, but much of what they did do formed the nucleus for A Passion Play, which was completed back in England. This album was another single-song affair, but the musical style had drifted yet again.


This time the addition of saxophones played by Ian Anderson gave the band a very different sound; coupled with some somewhat unconventional melodies, this reminds me a little of Gentle Giant, though the Ian Anderson songwriting style is unmistakable.

Eric Clapton - Me & Mr. Johnson

Track List
01 Cubano Chant.mp3
02 Aja.mp3
03 Time out of My Mind.mp3
04 Godwhacker.mp3
05 Caves of Altamira.mp3
06 Black Cow.mp3
07 Babylon Sisters.mp3
08 Slang of Ages.mp3
09 Peg.mp3
10 Home at Last.mp3
11 Steely Dan Show.mp3
12 Janie Runaway.mp3
13 Haitian Divorce.mp3
14 Things I Miss the Most.mp3
15 Parker's Band.mp3
16 Josie.mp3
17 Kid Charlemagne.mp3
18 Don't Make Me Alive.mp3
19 My Old School.mp3
20 FM.mp3


review:I first heard of Robert Johnson 30+ years ago when I read that he was Clapton's favorite blues artist. At last, here is the finest collection of cover songs of all time. These songs are OLD..many from the 1930s, lovingly and respectfully done by one of the best artists the world has produced, and along with the venerable Billy Preston, Clapton pays homage to his hero.


If you are not familiar with Robert Johnson, now is the time. There is not a bad lick in the bunch. Also highly recommended is the video, "The Search For Robert Johnson." Thanks, Eric, for helping us learn more about our own music, and for keeping the memory of Mr. Johnson alive.

Steely Dan – Caves: Live

Track List

01 Cubano Chant.mp3
02 Aja.mp3
03 Time out of My Mind.mp3
04 Godwhacker.mp3
05 Caves of Altamira.mp3
06 Black Cow.mp3
07 Babylon Sisters.mp3
08 Slang of Ages.mp3
09 Peg.mp3
10 Home at Last.mp3
11 Steely Dan Show.mp3
12 Janie Runaway.mp3
13 Haitian Divorce.mp3
14 Things I Miss the Most.mp3
15 Parker's Band.mp3
16 Josie.mp3
17 Kid Charlemagne.mp3
18 Don't Make Me Alive.mp3
19 My Old School.mp3
20 FM.mp3

bio:Most rock & roll bands are a tightly wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions.
Becker and Fagen never truly enjoyed rock -- with their ironic humor and cryptic lyrics, their eclectic body of work shows some debt to Bob Dylan -- preferring jazz, traditional pop, blues, and R&B. Steely Dan created a sophisticated, distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks, complex harmonies and time signatures, and a devotion to the recording studio. With producer Gary Katz, Becker and Fagen gradually changed Steely Dan from a performing band to a studio project, hiring professional musicians to record their compositions. Though the band didn't perform live after 1974, ..

Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City

Well its sophomore album season again, with another giant follow up coming out early next year. Bloc Party will follow up their smash debut Silent Alarm with what will be A Weekend in the City. Now a copy of this leaked on Sunday and of course bloggers worldwide are trying to get their grubby paws on it, fortunately I was able to. As the official release date isn’t until the first week of February, this is a juicy leak. There are 11 tracks on this leaked version. Now, being laid up in my house for the next few weeks I’ve had plenty of time to spin this album over and over again, the problem is - I almost don’t want to. Its just, its just not that good. I know I know - how dare I. I’m upset by it too. There are 2 standout tracks on the album so far. . .Hunting for Witches and the single The Prayer. The rest of the album is just kind of, well, dull.

Casino Royale 007 OST

James Bond film soundtracks have a fairly weighty history that includes seminal work by James Barry, Bill Conti, and Monty Norman, not to mention the Burt Bacharach music from the original 1967 version of CASINO ROYALE. However, British composer David Arnold acquits himself respectably here, as he has done on previous Bond scores, by creating tense, dark, and always classy themes as befitting the Bond tradition.

Lenny Kravitz - Lenny

Sure, 5 gave Lenny Kravitz a career revival, thanks to a really big hit with the didactic, clumsy "Fly," and he followed it with a hit that was equally inexplicable -- a lumbering, dunderheaded cover of the Guess Who's "American Woman," which surely benefited from its presence on the blockbuster Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Heather Graham's accompanying, chest-grabbing video -- and equally distasteful. Combined with the lackluster Circus, it was easy to assume that Kravitz had plateaued, deciding to recycle lame sub-Hendrix stadium rock instead of crafting the kind of lush, post-psychedelic soul that made his first three records so fine. Then, out of nowhere, he threw out the lovely "Again" as a new track for Greatest Hits, setting the stage for the return to form that's Lenny. This, not the empty hard rock of Circus and 5, finds Lenny Kravitz at the peak of his powers, crafting classic rock homages that get by not only on their melodic force but in sterling studiocraft that may shamelessly worship classic rock, but gets the sound and texture right.

Bruce Sprignsteen - Devils & Dust

Like all of his records before it, Devils & Dust sounds at once like everything and nothing Bruce Springsteen has ever released. While it features his ever-dependable blue collar earnestness and Heartland aesthetic, the album’s musical and thematic mixing and matching --- the way it traipses from featherweight love ditties to dreary murder ballads (even doing so in the course of a single song on “Matamoros Banks”), and, however awkward, the way those songs wrestle their way out of their bleached-over production --- are something all its own. In the end, what this record sounds most like is one of America’s greatest living songwriters offering us a dozen fine new stories, and leaving it up to us to make what we will of them. And in spite of its shortcomings, Devils & Dust is an offering most Springsteen fans would do well to accept.

Paul Mccartney - Red Rose Speedway


Slightly primitive, but very melodic. I bought it because of the rare cuts like the medley "Hold Me Tight/Lazy Dynamite/Hands of Love(My favorite)/Power Cut." To my knowledge there is no other place to find these cuts. The bonus tracks were also not found on any album, as they were only released as singles--making it a good value for the money. Cuts like "C Moon" and "The Mess" were B sides of singles but favorites of mine. "Hi Hi Hi" was, of course, a hit and an A-side but also a favorite of mine. Overall, a pleasant surprise.

Genesis - Platinum Collection

Casual fans of the band will love this all encompassing collection. Hard-core fans will appreciate being kick-started back into the Genesis gear. It's truly an amazing set of songs and a great showcase for a band that maintained a truly high-level of performance for such a long period of time.

David Bowie - Tin Machine


Since Bowie is an artist, in the whole sense of the word, he needed to take a brake of his solo career, and then we got tin machine, a musical ensemble with one-of-a-kind guitar-player Reeves Gabriels and the post punk influenced Sales brothers (iggy pop colaborators. its has the rawness and the beauty of the musicians skills, but maybe something is missing, i suggest that it worths a hearing, could be yes or could be no,or both.

Eels - Beautiful Freak

The Eels come from Echo Park, a Los Angeles suburb infamous for its drug dealing, low life and uneasy streets. But actually "The Eels" are, more or less, made up of just one man - the mercurial 'E' (known to the CIA as Mark Oliver Everett). The Eels are perhaps the contemporary band that are most obviously influenced by the Beatles. I've always regarded "E" as one of the best songwriters around in terms of pure melody, and he also curiously possesses both Lennon's sardonic wit and Paul McCartney's tweeness. Of course, such fandom is given the usual post-modern twist and comparisons come easy to the similarly styled ironic alternative darlings Pavement and Beck. The Eels do manage to capture both Stephen Malkmus' sense of melody and Beck's clever post-modern stylings.

Born April 9, 1963, in Virginia, Everett became interested in rock music at an early age via his sister's record collection, and began playing drums at the age of six (as well as tinkering on his family's piano). After his father's passing just a few years later, Everett began leading a troubled teenage life, being arrested and expelled from school. But the turmoil led to an even stronger interest in music for Everett, as he taught himself how to play his sister's guitar, and shortly thereafter wrote his own original compositions. Eventually "E" moved to Los Angeles where he knew not one person. There, he eventually meet the other members and recorded their impressive debut, "Beautiful Freak"

Cat Stevens - Izitso


Izitso is good proof that behind Cat Stevens' sentimental and somewhat naive persona there exists a musician and composer more far-reaching than the wistful but cloying singer/songwriter who relies largely on soft acoustic instrumentation. Touching several bases, often in apparent opposition to each other, Stevens displays both the diversity and the maturity to match this seeming incongruity.

Bush - Razorblade Suitcase


The band's derivative tendencies are everywhere: "Swallowed" borrows liberally from the Pixies' abrasive melodicism; "Synapse" looks a little too closely to PJ Harvey for inspiration. And let's not forget Nirvana – Rossdale's vocals in "Insect Kin" are a blurred xerox of Kurt Cobain's, just as the chord progression in "Mouth" uncomfortably recalls "Heart-Shaped Box." Moments like these make one wish that Bush would just accept their status as the Bon Jovi of grunge. When Rossdale sings, "We are servants to our formulaic ways," in "Greedy Fly," it hits a little too close to home.

Depeche Mode - Martyr

DM were right not include ‘Martyr’ on Playing the Angel – whereas the album had a contemporary sound with darkness pumping through its veins, this is more of an ode to ‘80s club cheese.
More importantly, it would have been one of the weaker tracks, resembling an incestuous threesome between ‘Suffer Well’ and B sides ‘Better Days’ and ‘Free’, complete with retro electronic bleeps and blips, dated octave jumping bass and Gore’s bluesy two note guitar riff that borders on self parody.
Lyrically, too, it has a “been there, done that” feel as principal wordsmith Gore reverts to the old pain and suffering shtick.
Still, at least vocalist Gahan is on top form, breathing life into this frustrating mix of overcooked production and underdeveloped songwriting.

Fiona Apple - When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts

notes: Full title: When The Pawn Hits The Conflicts He Thinks Like A King What He Knows Throws The Blows When He Goes To The Fight And He'll Win The Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters The Ring There's No Body To Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand And Remember That Depth Is The Greatest Of Heights And If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where To Land And If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right.
Personnel includes: Fiona Apple (vocals, piano); Jon Brion (various instruments); Tom Biller (guitar, synthesizer); Michael Breaux (woodwinds); Wendell Kelly, John Noreyko, Paul Loredo, Jean Martinelli (horns); Patrick Warren (Wurlitzer piano, Chamberlain); Greg Cohen (bass); Matt Chamberlain, Butch (drums, percussion); Jim Keltner (drums); Rich Costey (programming).

Justin Timberlake - Justified

Opener “Senorita” knocks u off our feet immediately. A brilliant, pingy_electric piano provides the main chordal_accompaniment, vvhile a cowbell chimes_cheerily in the background. Pharrell, everybody’s current favorite_producer, announces our protagonist “All the vvay from Memphis, Tennessee...” Justin Timberlake. The rhythm section of the song is brilliant, a simple, yet distinctive_beat that could only_come from the Neptunes. The song allovvs for much amusement in the last_minute & a half with a sing_along that is more vvonderful & surprising than most artists hawe offered us this year.

Divine Comedy - Casanova

Turning back to a slightly more straightforward rock/pop format turned out to be
advantageous for Hannon; Casanova turned into a smash hit in the U.K., while the singles
"Something for the Weekend" (at once soaring, cheeky, leering, and truly weird, with
lyrics detailing a guy led astray by his lover and attacked by her secret thug companions)
and "Becoming More Like Alfie" (a sly '60s acoustic pop number with solid percussion,
sampling the Michael Caine movie in question and reflecting on how all the wrong people
in life seem to get the girls) became Top Ten charters. Recruiting the equivalent of a
full orchestra didn't hurt either, fleshing out the classical/art rock/pop Divine Comedy
fusion to even more expansive ranges than before, while drummer Allison and Hannon
continued overseeing and co-producing everything, again demonstrating their careful
collective ear for the proceedings. Hannon's lyrical music fires on all cylinders as
well, from the cockeyed vision of romance in "The Frog Princess" (with more than one
low-key French reference in both lyrics and sweeping music) to the wickedly funny and
elegant "Songs of Love," detailing how boys and girls seem to be in heat everywhere
while all the songwriters are stuck alone writing the title objects in question. In
the meantime, there are great one-off moments scattered throughout Casanova. For instance,
Hannon's impersonation of a modern dandy as fortune teller at the start of "Middle-Class
Heroes" is to die for. He also does one of the best Barry White takeoffs yet recorded in
the mid-song break of "Charge," packed with Tennyson references and army commands amidst
swirling strings and an increasingly loud beat. After topping that off with "Theme From
Casanova," a slightly tongue-in-cheek number detailing all the basic credits and
inspiration for the album, the result is a massive project that hits the jackpot with
smiles all around.

Porcupine Tree - Up the Downstair


First off I’m reviewing the reissue of “Up the Downstair” which was released June 21st, 2005. The original was released in 1993. The Difference between the reissue and the original is that in the original he recorded the drums with a drum machine and not a real drummer. He then hired a drummer to re-record the track on real drum instead of a drum machine. The original drummer said he tried to stay as true to the original as possible which means that the drums are fairly simple beats. Nothing fancy. This drummers name was Gavin Harrison. Wilson also rerecorded some of the guitar parts as well, mostly the sloppy ones that he didn’t approve of. Like the acoustic guitars.

Keane - Hopes and Fears

Much has been made of Keane's guitarless stature, and, to be sure, swapping an electric six-string for an electric piano is a bold move for a band stomping in the footsteps of Britpop staples like Travis, Coldplay, and Starsailor. Mentioned less often is the fact that one of the band's three members, Tom Chaplin, just sings. This makes the trio a structural cousin of the Doors, who played all their shows without benefit of a bass guitarist. The liner notes for Keane's full-length debut, Hopes and Fears (available on CD, hybrid SACD, and limited-edition vinyl in the UK), credit Tim Rice-Oxley with both keyboards and bass, but the instrumental arrangements are decidedly keyboard-focused--unlike, say, those of Ben Folds' trio, whose bass guitar is essentially an equal voice--and Keane maintains its trio status on stage.

Yes - Ultimate 35th Anniversary Collection

Rhino does it again! Brings a tear to your eyes! I was beginning to wonder whether the new laser light compact disc technology would ever sound as good as the old vinyl lp's (brand new of course), but these guys at Rhino get it right! This is how the music was recorded and how it sounded back then! No AAD, ADD, DDD, revealing limitations of the source tape(background noise and hissy muddled sound), just pure Digipak! The only complaint I have is that I purchased the expensive box set before this came out which was fine except that they left off "And You and I" from the box set. But for sound this good, I'm not going to complain. I'll have a lot of duplication of songs but at least now I have "And You and I" also! Seems like an intentional oversight though to have left it off the box set.

Dave Matthews Band - The Best Of Whats Around Vol.1 (Advance 2006)

After over a decade of touring, six studio albums and countless bootleg recordings, the Dave Matthews Band finally delivers a greatest hits package, and it's exactly the kind that fans will love. We say that because it was the fans themselves that chose the songs. Of the two-disc set, the first is stocked with DMB's album hits, including "What Would You Say" and "Crash into Me," the second is a compilation of live recordings from across the country and through the years voted on by DMB-heads for inclusion. You asked for it, you got it. Now that's true fan appreciation.

R.E.M. - Up


I just picked this up today, and I'll have the gazones to say I think it's R.E.M.'s Kid A. I listen to it and can't imagine why people trash this and Reveal so much. No, they aren't recording stuff like Reckoning; no, they aren't the most innovative band out there today. I think people expect a typical R.E.M. album whenm they first heard this and Reveal, and were disappointed because it wasn't what they expected. If this were a new band, they would be lauded as excellent all around.

Bob Dylan - Modern Times

Maybe it's the recent spate of backwards-glancing Bob Dylan projects—Chronicles, Vol. 1, Martin Scorsese's masterful No Direction Home, the recent Rolling Stone collection of interviews—or maybe it's the general feeling that the world is heading nowhere fast, but Dylan's 44th studio effort Modern Times might be the most upbeat feel-bad album of 2006. It's a melancholy record steeped in uncertainty and the wear of years, crafted by a man whose art has always kept reality at bay. Fusing blues, jazz, and rockabilly, Dylan continues along the same thematic wavelength previously heard on Time Out Of Mind and Love And Theft—morose, defiant, and, as always, lyrically oblique but somehow trenchant.....

Sleepy Jackson - Personality


I didnt interest myself with the sleepy jackson's first outting, as i couldnt really find a reason for it. On Personality, they seem to have added just that. although one could make comparatives of many iconic musicians from the 70s and beyond, this sounds very fresh and all their own. In a year where I'm still waiting for that one brilliant album to be released, I am very happy to have been given this. As it stands, even though there are a couple of tracks that fade away into white noise on the album, it is ranking very high for me right now. note a few key tracks, you needed more, devil was in my yard, god lead your soul, miles away, and how was i supposed to know.

Pulp - This Is Hardcore


Bespectacled Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is a crooner from the old school, a frock-sleeved dandy who's not afraid to emote with exaggerated aplomb. And it's been tongue-in-cheek humorous, for most of his career, to hear the Brit turn that talent on sarcastic societal subjects, poking fun wherever he could. Things have changed this time around, though--Cocker hit 33 and began looking inward, for some of his darkest, most soul-baring work yet, all set to an elaborate quasi-cinematic score. As the CD booklet itself says, "It's OK to grow up. Just as long as you don't grow old." Maturity may not be encouraged in show business, but it sounds very appropriate here.

Suede - a new morning

Here's our advice. Rent this CD from your local library and use its embedded internet link to access most of the songs in their original, Tony "Beck" Hoffer-produced versions. Then take the £14 you would've wasted buying the damn thing and spend it on a rock of crack for the newly-clean Brett Anderson. If this what Suede sound like drugs-free, he'll thank you for it in the long run.

While Hoffer's work seems to have sparkled with grace and ambition, this hack-job (bish-bash-boshed out by uberproducer Stephen Street) takes all the bland, tawdry, white-bread bits from the past two Suede albums, butters them up with a smear of Bon Jovi balladeering, chews them into gloop with nicotine-stained, plastic dentures and... well, ends up flushing a once-great career straight down the in-at-number-16-out-the-next-week toilet.

'Positivity' you know and ignored; clumsy next single, 'Obsessions' you'll hate too much to ignore; 'Beautiful Loser' has gnat's nads where even 'Elephant Man' had mammoth marbles; 'Streetlife' is half-dead, 'Astrogirl' brain-dead and '...Morning' dead in the water. All the lyrics are, inevitably, shit. Only 'Lost In TV' and 'When The Rain Falls' rekindle any interest, but the former languishes in cliché while the latter flounders forlornly without the experimental, android emotion Hoffer's original production lent it.

'A New Yawning' it is, then; lacking any trace of the ambition Suede desperately needed to conjure. You caught this bus 10 years ago. The route is still running, but you've already moved on.

Charlatans - Forever: The Singles


Rarely has a band been so criminally underrated and taken for granted as Tim Burgess and co. After the apathetic public response to the tepid Simpatico- their most recent, and worst, album- this compilation reeks of contractual obligation. However, it serves an important purpose. People- yes, you!- must now come to realise that The Charlies are one of the greatest singles bands of their generation. It may sound an idle exaggeration, but the proof is here for all to see.

Nickelback - Far Away


My husband lefted me along time ago. I thought I was over him and when I heard this song I knew I still loved him. Pete if you ever see this I'm sorry for our past. I forgive you and I still love you. I know you will never come home, and that is OK the kid's and I are OK things will never be the same I kepted my promise I stayed true to our family even when you were not strong enough to stay. Your son and daughter love you. Till we see you again. This life or the nexted.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D


Hilarious, but no mere comedy record. Tenacious D -- the duo Jack Black (''High Fidelity'') and Kyle Gass -- attack acoustic guitars with a metal band's intensity, aided by Foo Fighter and fan Dave Grohl on drums, with the Dust Brothers producing. The D have a multitude of messages, most of them unprintable and having to do with wooing women, but also an overriding belief that the purpose of life is to create something aspiring to art, even if it is the magnificently detailed crud of Tenacious D-music. They're profane, bursting with rage and lust, and they deliver more laughs than anyone since Richard Pryor. In short, they are artists with a capital...

WHAM! - Last Christmas (1992)


I love this christmas song. The album only has 3 songs. I thought it would have all the songs from the video they made. I couldn't find the video, so this will have to do.

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

On Kelly Clarkson's second album, the ex-cocktail waitress turned hitmaker embraces her rock side rather than the pop pageantry that put her on top of the American Idol heap. To that end, Clarkson recruited former Evanescence members Ben Moody and David Hodges to help write and produce, and on tracks such as "Because of You" and "Addicted," where the combination of a piano-led melody with roaring guitars rules, you'd swear you were listening to Amy Lee. Somehow, this style works for Clarkson: She comes off more Avril than Ashlee, especially on the album's best moment, the title track (which was, go figure, written by Lavigne). Unfortunately, Clarkson isn't ready to own this new sound. On the Max Martin-penned "Since U Been Gone," she conjures memories of Abba, and on "Hear Me," she channels Pat Benatar. You can't help but wonder: Who is the real Kelly Clarkson, and when will she stop wearing her big sister's hand-me-downs?