. On Just Enough Education To Preform, Brit-poppers Stereophonics offer another refreshingly unpretentious album in which frontman Kelly Jones sings about everyday topics and emotions in his inimitable winsome voice, the whole thing set to outrageously catchy melodies and driven by a strong guitar-based sound. Think a slightly grungier version of the La's and you're not far off the mark, although the album's far too stylistically varied to really be pigeonholed. "Have a Nice Day" could be Cheap Trick without the irony. Jones says the magnificent "Mr. Writer" was inspired by ELO and Stevie Wonder, although it could also pass for early-'70s John Lennon remade a la the Rutles. The exquisitely countryish "Step on My Old Size Nines" comes off as a modern alternative-rock take on early Brinsley Schwarz. Gorgeous stuff, and often rather uplifting.
Stereophonics - Just Enough Education To Preform
year 2001 review:Principally recorded at Real World Studios, Bath, England
. On Just Enough Education To Preform, Brit-poppers Stereophonics offer another refreshingly unpretentious album in which frontman Kelly Jones sings about everyday topics and emotions in his inimitable winsome voice, the whole thing set to outrageously catchy melodies and driven by a strong guitar-based sound. Think a slightly grungier version of the La's and you're not far off the mark, although the album's far too stylistically varied to really be pigeonholed. "Have a Nice Day" could be Cheap Trick without the irony. Jones says the magnificent "Mr. Writer" was inspired by ELO and Stevie Wonder, although it could also pass for early-'70s John Lennon remade a la the Rutles. The exquisitely countryish "Step on My Old Size Nines" comes off as a modern alternative-rock take on early Brinsley Schwarz. Gorgeous stuff, and often rather uplifting.
. On Just Enough Education To Preform, Brit-poppers Stereophonics offer another refreshingly unpretentious album in which frontman Kelly Jones sings about everyday topics and emotions in his inimitable winsome voice, the whole thing set to outrageously catchy melodies and driven by a strong guitar-based sound. Think a slightly grungier version of the La's and you're not far off the mark, although the album's far too stylistically varied to really be pigeonholed. "Have a Nice Day" could be Cheap Trick without the irony. Jones says the magnificent "Mr. Writer" was inspired by ELO and Stevie Wonder, although it could also pass for early-'70s John Lennon remade a la the Rutles. The exquisitely countryish "Step on My Old Size Nines" comes off as a modern alternative-rock take on early Brinsley Schwarz. Gorgeous stuff, and often rather uplifting.
Supertramp - Breakfast in America
year 79 review: Supertramp stands out at creating pop singles and still maintaining their own style and their own voice. I give them credit for doing that, but not much more. My father must have been taken aback by the occasional occurrences of harmonica and woodwind instruments, and thought he'd found himself a pretty cool band. He was right, in that Supertramp makes some of the better 70s pop songs, and some are still heard today.
Style Council - Greatest Hits
year 2000 notes: Digitally remastered reissue of 1991 'Best Of'. 18 hit singles including 'Long Hot Summer', 'You're The Best Thing', 'Speak Like A Child', 'My Ever Changing Moods' and 'Shout To The Top'. 2000 release. Standard jewelcase.
Cream - Fresh Cream
year 1966 review:From the acappella intro on "I Feel Free" to the
tumultuous rhythmic underpinnings of "N.S.U.," Cream's debut album Fresh Cream was a pronouncement that drums and bass would no longer be limited to the role of background instruments, that rock guitarists would henceforth be judged by the standard of Eric Clapton's soaring, lyric signature, and that emotional/instrumental content is as important as the singer and song. To appreciate the energetic slant Cream put on traditional blues, check out their manic, up-tempo version of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' And Tumblin'." And where many bands routinely ripped off folk and blues artists, Cream made sure people like Robert Johnson ("Four Until Late"), Willie Dixon ("Spoonful"), and Skip James ("I'm So Glad") got both credit and royalties, while expanding the audience for pure blues music.
tumultuous rhythmic underpinnings of "N.S.U.," Cream's debut album Fresh Cream was a pronouncement that drums and bass would no longer be limited to the role of background instruments, that rock guitarists would henceforth be judged by the standard of Eric Clapton's soaring, lyric signature, and that emotional/instrumental content is as important as the singer and song. To appreciate the energetic slant Cream put on traditional blues, check out their manic, up-tempo version of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' And Tumblin'." And where many bands routinely ripped off folk and blues artists, Cream made sure people like Robert Johnson ("Four Until Late"), Willie Dixon ("Spoonful"), and Skip James ("I'm So Glad") got both credit and royalties, while expanding the audience for pure blues music.
Muse - Absolution
year 2003 review:Muse lead vocalist Matthew Bellamy's vocal timbre
bears a distinct similarity to that of Thom Yorke, leading some to dismiss Muse as simply a band of Radiohead-worshippers. With Absolution, however, the UK-based group proves that it's much more than the sum of its influences, delivering a work that revels in the enormity of its ambition, the breadth of its sonic palette, and the intensity of its emotional resonance. Employing a daring mix of classical-influenced piano and strings, metallic guitars, unabashedly strident house-style synths, and the type of production bombast usually reserved for Queen or ELO, Muse often sounds like an otherworldly jam session between Rufus Wainwright, Front Line Assembly, the Move, and Evanescence. Packed with both pop hooks and unusual instrumental textures at every turn, Absolution invites listeners to expect the unexpected.
bears a distinct similarity to that of Thom Yorke, leading some to dismiss Muse as simply a band of Radiohead-worshippers. With Absolution, however, the UK-based group proves that it's much more than the sum of its influences, delivering a work that revels in the enormity of its ambition, the breadth of its sonic palette, and the intensity of its emotional resonance. Employing a daring mix of classical-influenced piano and strings, metallic guitars, unabashedly strident house-style synths, and the type of production bombast usually reserved for Queen or ELO, Muse often sounds like an otherworldly jam session between Rufus Wainwright, Front Line Assembly, the Move, and Evanescence. Packed with both pop hooks and unusual instrumental textures at every turn, Absolution invites listeners to expect the unexpected.
Kaiser Chiefs - Employment
year 2005 review: "Employment" is one of the greatest albums of 2005. The opening three songs are brilliant. The song, 'Modern Way" which is not as popular as the first two: "Every Day i Love you Less and less" and "I Predict a Riot", however it is my favourite on the album. The Kaiser Chiefs are not unique, but they stand out against similar acts such as Maximo Park, The Futureheads, and bloc party.
Timo maas- Pictures
Although German trance_hero Timo Maas has released_numerous records, this is only his_second album of original compositions. Songs_here range from ominous_drones to upbeat dance_floor numbers to rock_tinged techno, vvith R&B singers Kelis &
01. Timo Maas - Slip In Electric Kid
02. Timo Maas - Pictures (feat. Brian Molko)
03. Timo Maas - First Day (feat. Brian Molko) - BEST!
04. Timo Maas - High Drama (feat. Neneh Cherry)
05. Timo Maas - Enter My World
06. Timo Maas - 4 Ur Ears (feat. Kelis)
07. Timo Maas - Release
08. Timo Maas - Big Chevy
09. Timo Maas - Devil Feel
10. Timo Maas - Burn Out
11. Timo Maas - Like Siamese (feat. Brian Molko)
12. Timo Maas - Haven't We Met Before
01. Timo Maas - Slip In Electric Kid
02. Timo Maas - Pictures (feat. Brian Molko)
03. Timo Maas - First Day (feat. Brian Molko) - BEST!
04. Timo Maas - High Drama (feat. Neneh Cherry)
05. Timo Maas - Enter My World
06. Timo Maas - 4 Ur Ears (feat. Kelis)
07. Timo Maas - Release
08. Timo Maas - Big Chevy
09. Timo Maas - Devil Feel
10. Timo Maas - Burn Out
11. Timo Maas - Like Siamese (feat. Brian Molko)
12. Timo Maas - Haven't We Met Before
Tim Buckley - Return of the Starsailor
year 75 review: Recorded at the Knebworth Festival in 1974 (tracks 1-8), in Detroit in 1975 (tracks 9-12), and on the TV show The Monkees in 1967.
Tom Waits - Mule Variations
year 00 review: If you are a Tom Waits fan you simply must have this, his best album. If you have lived on this planet for the past 20 years or more and still have a sense of what real, passionate and moving music should be, you must have this album. You don't want to die without having listened to this album from start to finish, alone with a glass of wine on an old overstuffed couch. (Oh, you can skip the first cut but that is just a minor flaw)
Bob Seger - Back in '72
year 73 review: Returning to independent status, Bob Seger recorded Back in '72, not only the finest of his early-'70s albums but one of the great lost hard rock albums of its era. Seger didn't limit himself to self-penned songs on this excursion; borrowing an idea from Smokin' O.P.'s, he covers quite a few tunes, providing a balance to his own tunes. He makes "Midnight Rider" sound as if it were a Motor City raver instead of a sultry, late-afternoon Southern rocker, while casually tossing off "Rosalie," an irresistible ode to a local DJ that turned into a hard rock anthem when Thin Lizzy decided to record it later in the decade. That's the brilliance of Back in '72 -- there's no separation between the original and cover, it's all united in a celebration of rock & roll. That's why "Turn the Page," perhaps the weariest travelogue ever written, never feels self-pitying -- that's just the facts, according to a first-rate Midwestern band that never got a break. All the same, Back in '72 is a testament to great rock & roll, thanks to Seger's phenomenal songwriting and impassioned playing.
Kiss - Hot in the Shade
year 89 review: Realizing that their last albums weren't even close to being in league with their output from the '70s, Kiss made a conscious effort to get back on track with 1989's Hot in the Shade. The group began trying out new material, and was soon forced to issue a record in conjunction with an upcoming tour. Hence, Hot in the Shade is a slight improvement over its flat predecessors (Asylum, Crazy Nights), but not by much. The songwriting is still unfocused, but at least the keyboards that plagued Crazy Nights had thankfully been put away, and the production isn't as pop-oriented as most of their other '80s albums. The album did spawn Kiss' first Top Ten single in ten years with the syrupy ballad "Forever," but again, the group missed the mark by padding the album with lots of filler ("You Love Me to Hate You," "Love's a Slap in the Face," "Cadillac Dreams," etc.). Also included were a couple of obvious attempts at hit singles ("Rise to It" and the dreadful "Hide Your Heart"), and a track that sounds like a total ripoff of Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me," titled "Read My Body." Drummer Eric Carr's only lead vocal on a Kiss record, "Little Caesar," is one of the album's few bright spots, but Hot in the Shade unfortunately proved to be Carr's last album with Kiss; he died from cancer in 1991.
Eragon - Soundtrack
year 2006 review: The album takes a few cues to close. The aftermath of the battle, "Together", features Lisa Gerrard-like vocals and then turns heroic again for "Saphira Returns" and "Legend of Eragon" with full blown statements of the theme. Doyle wrote his epic fantasy theme here and I think made up for not using one in Harry Potter as it seems to be always playing either heroically in the foreground or behind other music in the strings or oboe. In fact, by the end of the album, when the theme returns in full, I'm almost tired of it. That is not to say that the theme isn't good - I am impressed with both the melody of the theme and Doyle's ability to meld it into a number of styles and musical settings. Unfortunately, the studio decided to tack on two forgettable pop songs to the soundtrack. But fans of Doyle's score to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire should check out this score as it is a good addition to the epic fantasy score genre.
Patti Smith - Land
year (1975-2002) review:Patti Smith completed her contract with
Arista Records after 27 years by assembling this compilation, which serves as both a best-of and rarities collection, one disc devoted to each. Disc one is drawn from Smith's eight studio albums (with the exception of a newly recorded cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry"). Having scored only one hit single, "Because the Night," Smith was not constrained by chart performance, and she seems to have chosen the songs that still mean something to her (though in an interview she claimed to have taken fan preferences into consideration). Curiously, given the album title, the epic "Land" is missing, as are such straight-ahead rockers as "Ask the Angels" and "Till Victory." But most of Smith's more impressive album tracks are included, with the selection favoring her 1970s records, an imbalance that is redressed on the second disc, which contains 2001 live recordings of songs from later albums Gone Again, Peace and Noise, and Gung Ho. The disc also has a couple of previously released singles-only tracks (her hard to find debut, "Piss Factory," and "Come Back Little Sheba," a 1996 U.K. B-side), demos ("Redondo Beach," "Distant Fingers"), a 1996 studio outtake ("Wander I Go"), live recordings of older songs ("25th Floor," "Birdland"), and one newly recorded song, "Higher Learning," a lengthy studio jam on which Smith plays clarinet. The set concludes with a poem, "Notes to the Future," recited by Smith at the 2002 New Year's Day poetry reading at St. Mark's Church in New York, that reflects her optimism, which is also expressed in a goofier manner by the hidden track, an impromptu live performance of "Tomorrow" from Annie. Land (1975-2000) is a typically idiosyncratic compilation from a quirky but imaginative artist, and that's what her fans have come to expect, so they won't be disappointed.
Arista Records after 27 years by assembling this compilation, which serves as both a best-of and rarities collection, one disc devoted to each. Disc one is drawn from Smith's eight studio albums (with the exception of a newly recorded cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry"). Having scored only one hit single, "Because the Night," Smith was not constrained by chart performance, and she seems to have chosen the songs that still mean something to her (though in an interview she claimed to have taken fan preferences into consideration). Curiously, given the album title, the epic "Land" is missing, as are such straight-ahead rockers as "Ask the Angels" and "Till Victory." But most of Smith's more impressive album tracks are included, with the selection favoring her 1970s records, an imbalance that is redressed on the second disc, which contains 2001 live recordings of songs from later albums Gone Again, Peace and Noise, and Gung Ho. The disc also has a couple of previously released singles-only tracks (her hard to find debut, "Piss Factory," and "Come Back Little Sheba," a 1996 U.K. B-side), demos ("Redondo Beach," "Distant Fingers"), a 1996 studio outtake ("Wander I Go"), live recordings of older songs ("25th Floor," "Birdland"), and one newly recorded song, "Higher Learning," a lengthy studio jam on which Smith plays clarinet. The set concludes with a poem, "Notes to the Future," recited by Smith at the 2002 New Year's Day poetry reading at St. Mark's Church in New York, that reflects her optimism, which is also expressed in a goofier manner by the hidden track, an impromptu live performance of "Tomorrow" from Annie. Land (1975-2000) is a typically idiosyncratic compilation from a quirky but imaginative artist, and that's what her fans have come to expect, so they won't be disappointed.
