5 comments about We the Kings.

1. Although I am biased, being that Travis Clark (lead singer/guitarist) is my little cousin and all, it's a very good album.
   
   I love the fact that the music is up-beat & fun, clean lyrics (hard to come by & even harder in a complete album) & each song is catchy!
   
   It's an album that you can listen to from beginning to end. And in no time, without looking through the lyrics, you will find yourself singing correctly along.
   
   Bravo, Cuz! Have fun in the UK and see you Christmas!



2. An awesome album from fresh faces, We The Kings. This band is very comparable to bands like Blink 182, New Found Glory, and Fall Out Boy... so if you like those bands you stand a VERY VERY good chance of liking these guys too.
   
   Truthfully, We The Kings follow the same tried and tested formula of the pop-punk band, and don't REALLY bring much originality to the genre, yet still somehow manage to really stand out. This is a surprisingly memorable album. Its enjoyable right the way through, it has a great pace, and feel good factor is through the roof!
   
   'check yes Juliet' and 'stay young' are the stand-out tracks.
   
   ...Get on the band wagon now cos these guys are gonna be huge.



3. These guys are really good. Of course, I first heard Check Yes Juliet on the radio and decided to pick up their album. This really is a great album, but is it just me, or does every chorus sound the same? Anyway favs: Skyway Avenue Check Yes Juliet Stay Young and All Again For You.



4. I first got interested in this band because I went to high school with these guys. At the time I thought they were just some kids that entertained well at talent shows. But i decide to show some support for our local stars and bought the cd. I was very impressed. Its pretty good music. Some of it is geared toward the high school audience but I still enjoyed it, even though those days are a few years behind me. Buy We The Kings. This band is going places.



5. It's not too often I come across a band that I can listen to the whole album all the way through. This one, I can. I mean, any Blink or NFG album I can too, but these guys are fun. Bottom line, is they are fun and catchy. great disc...

5 comments about Let It Die.

1. When I bought this album 2 years ago I immediately latched onto it like a long lost friend. I found that I couldn't put it down and it became something that I used to help me get through bad times, stressful times, times when I just needed to chill out and forget about life for an hour.
   
   I still listen to it on a weekly basis to this day.
   
   There are few works of art in music which are as sublimely beautiful as this. Feist has been blessed with one of the purest, most beautiful voices is music and she imparts her delivery with a cool, detached demeanor which is very seductive.
   
   Although her sound is unique to herself, the vibe that her music gives off is very reminiscent (to me) of one of my favorite all time singers..Sade.
   
   Feist's versatility is amazing. She runs through a number of different genres and excels in each.
   
   One Evening and Leisure Suite are two of my favorite tracks and are absolutely gorgeous R & B. Definately music to play for a romantic evening.
   
   The sparse songs like Gate Keeper and Let it Die put Feists vocals on center stage and she is more than up to the task as she laments love's inconsistancies but remains hopeful (Gatekeeper) even while she mourns for a failed relationship (Let it Die).
   
   Mushaboom is charming and catchy folk rock song. When I Was a Young Girl is a haunting take on a traditional folk song that will have you hitting the replay button.
   
   Her cover of the Bee Gees Inside and Out is an absolute Home Run. A great dance song but still retaining her classy, laid back vibe.
   
   This is a great album. One that you will enjoy over and over again. Extremely listenable ..pop no doubt, but very well done and tasteful pop which elevates the listener to a wonderful and dreamlike state.



2. Simply one of the best CD's I've ever owned. Just a delight from start to finish, Feist's vocals are gorgeous without being sing songy. This album remains in a very small list of my all time favorite albums. Great songwriting and lovely melodies. Just perfect!!



3. An absolute dream. A wonderful musical feast from a very gifted songstress. Buy this record. The perfect mix of pop, soft rock, folk, jazz and yes, even disco. It's a perfect 10. The Reminder isn't bad either, but you want to start with this, and most likely you will stick with this...like I did.



4. I first heard of Feist with Mushaboom on an online music program I had at work. No radio stations would ever play it and I could never remember her name to buy a CD! Finally, I was in a restaurant and heard Mushaboom on their dining room radio. After that I went and bought the CD just for that song. I ended up skipping over (and still do) Gatekeeper but love just about every other song on that CD. It's so real, the lyrics and even the instruments just pull you into her moment with the song. Even if you aren't deep into lyrics and all that, it's a fabulous CD and worthy of a purchase!



5. The songs are great, the energy is great. If you like Feist this is one of my favorite.

5 comments about B-Sides and Rarities.

1. I've been a big fan for a number of years and this album is a bit mediocre. A couple of the covers are fantastic but as an album it is just average.



2. I don't know whether they've run out of ideas, they're hard up on cash, or WHAT the exact explanation is here, but after three years between the release of "Pressure Chief" and this "thing", I expected a LOT more from what I consider to easily be one of my top five bands.
   
   Don't pay over eight bucks for this album because you're not really even getting an album. With two instrumental tracks, several covers (none of them fantastic) and a god-awful rendition of the muppet's "Mahna Mahna", this collection simply didn't deserve a retail release, and I feel ripped off. I should have just gone with my gut after listening to the previews at Barnes and Noble. You also get two unnecessary, crappier-sounding, early versions of "Short Skirt Long Jacket" and "It's Coming Down". If anything, these tracks seem thrown in just to pad the unbelievably short length of this release.
   
   After the serviceable but minor let-down of the 11-tracked "Pressure Chief", I was really hoping that Cake would step it up to the greatness of their best album "Fashion Nugget" again. Cake has yet to even show ANY indication that they have the creativity left in them to produce anything worthwhile.
   
   With three years (on average) between the releases of their albums, they'd better not be counting this turd, thinking they can rest on their laurels til 2010.



3. Cake has always delivered a creative sound and a unique production. I fell in love with them all over again with this album. It's refreshing to hear a band develop. Anyone who appreciates Cake's funky brand of sound will undoubtly be pleased.



4. So I love Cake and have been waiting for this release for a long time, but I was sort of disappointed when I finally got it.
   
   I like some of the covers, those are cool, but really, there is not much substance on this disc.
   
   If you are Cake fans, pick it up because this is the first truly indie release by Cake since they got away from a horible record company and I will always support them, but if you are not that big of a fan, this is not a needed disc.



5. MY WIFE AND I ARE CAKE FANS, AND HAVE ALL OF THEIR CD'S. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CD THOUGH. IT DOESN'T HAVE WHAT YOU COME TO EXPECT FROM A BAND AS TALENTED AS CAKE. THEIR REDO OF OLDIES IS NOT ON PAR WITH PREVIOUS MATERIAL THEY HAVE COVERED. SORRY CAKE, THIS WAS A BOMB.

5 comments about The Velvet Underground & Nico.

1. Very experimental album indeed. Realesed at the height of Psychedelia in 1967 this album never was really that popular because it was too "out there" but although that this album has reamained a classic. Some key tracks on here are, "run run run", "heroin", "venus in furs", "all tommorows parties", and more. Great album for anyone who craves for experimental psychedelic music, trust me if you like piper at the gates of dawn you'll like this album.



2. The debut album from NYC's own Velvet Underground is a terrific and by some accounts, a landmark album. I probably wouldn't call it a landmark album, but nevertheless, it's still very good. The immediate emergence of Brooklyn's Lou Reed (my hometown) as a songwriter and arranger takes off from this album to his terrific solo work in the not to distant future from when this was made (check out Lou Reed's Transformer album). Noteable songs include, "Venus In Furs", "Heroin", and "European Son". Warhol was able to catapult them to near superstardom by designing the album cover and parading them in front of the media (some say it was for his own benefit). When in actuality, this debut had its own legs from the beginning as evident of Warhol bailing on the band after this album. If you enjoy '60's psychedelia as I do, pick this album up.



3. This album narrowly edge Loaded as VU's finest album? Why? Nico. Her haunting vocal are so different from Reed's but they compliment each other so well. The songs are experimental enough that it's interesting but not too experimental that it's unlistenable.
   
   1. "Sunday Morning" 5/5
   2. "I'm Waiting for the Man" 4/5
   3. "Femme Fatale" 5/5
   4. "Venus in Furs" 3/5
   5. "Run Run Run" 3/5
   6. "All Tomorrow's Parties" 4/5
   7. "Heroin" 5/5
   8. "There She Goes Again" 5/5
   9. "I'll Be Your Mirror" 4/5
   10. "The Black Angel's Death Song" 2/5
   11. "European Son" 3/5



4. The cd contains the a remastered edition of the original album. I don't know what the engineers had in mind, but the remastered edition makes my ears bleed. The sound volume has been boosted to a way too high volume and results in completely distorted music. Some of the songs are totally unlistenable. Sure, the loudness of the original album is much less than most current releases, but this is no excuse to change that.
   To conclude: the cd is no remastered edition, but a mismastered edition of this great album.



5. I can say in one sentence why I love this album, but that sentence needs about forty more sentences giving some fundamental cultural history background to clarify its deeper meaning. So please bear with me as I work my way up to my one sentence.
   Everyone who knows anything about the cultural history of the USA knows that the roots of rock and roll music are mostly outgrowths of African-American rebellion and cultural expression. There is some intertwining of these African-American roots with purely European-American rural cultural roots that kept early rock and roll from being purely African-American music, but there is no doubt that the slavery-originating rebelliousness and cultural expression of African-Americans is the Ur-root that jazz and blues and then rock and roll mostly grew out of. And one of the things that distinguished this music from more "highbrow" American and European music was how oriented it was by PHYSICAL experience. Rock and roll is very physical music in the sense that part of its point is to get an emphatically physical response from the performer and the listener. It's not that classical music (or the watered-down forms of popular music that derive from it) induces no strong physical response in its devoted listeners, but this physical response is guided and controlled by what is considered the deeper "spiritual" qualities of that music. But because of the African-American experience there was a heavy emphasis on physical release, on a kind of physical inhibition and "freedom." It's not that the music has no non-tangible qualities, but rather that everything is focused into a very physical expression. This is not surprising when you consider the negative physical quality of existence in African-American history. And it is no accident that the European-American culture that could relate to African-American culture and partially blend with it was that of the rural and urban poor. There was a radical need here to "shake off," and find liberation from, a kind of deep physical alienation as well as mental and spiritual discomfort. This physical alienation clearly came from a negative quality of physical life. One can in a sense shut down one's mental and spiritual aspirations and still go on living on a more animal level, but when this oppression includes physical oppression then there is nothing left but rebellion or utter despair and death. And let me note that I am fully aware of the fact that native African music and all forms of primal folk music are already more physical than European classical music, but the physical nature of rock and roll has a peculiar rebellious and alienated quality that does not exist in native forms of music. And it is absolutely no accident or mere coincidence that a physical form of escape like the non-medicinal use of narcotics and other drugs (including alcohol) is so prevalent in the history of jazz, blues, and rock and roll music. There were many modern classical music artists in the 20th century, such as Bartok and Berg, who were highly intelligent and radically rebellious artists, but one finds no trace among these artists of the kind of need for physical escape that is revealed by the drug and alcohol use among jazz, blues, and rock and roll artists. I would add that the level of deafening sound volume that rock and roll eventually reached is also part of this pattern. And finally we have the fact that eventually even many kids from high-income backgrounds expressed a mental and spiritual alienation reduced down to a purely physical need that they tried to meet by participation in the rock and roll cultural revolution that had its original roots in the experiences of African-American slaves and European-American economic outcasts. These privileged rich white kids spiritually identified, whether it was realized or not, with humans who had come to be casually and familiarly known as poor niggers and white trash. My goodness, where did all this alienation with a physical face come from?
   
   So all this finally brings us to Lou Reed and VU. We can focus here by asking the question of why we would and should still be interested in a once-obscure rock and roll album that is 40 years old and whose high point is a song about self-willed human nullification through heroin addiction. The answer to our question lies hidden in the fact that this cornerstone song has a strange self-consciousness about it. The character singing (is it Lou Reed or just a fiction?) makes it clear that he doesn't care what you think about him, about what he does, or about anything else. Yet notice how carefully crafted the song is. It goes so far as to even have drum beats that are startlingly off-beat to signify the racing of the heroin addict's heart trying to maintain itself in the rush. And then when everything is reduced down to pure physical sound expression of this nightmare reality, the electric viola is used to produce screeching feedback that is actually carefully and artistically controlled. This feedback is like the true and chosen voice of the addict who refuses to have a voice in his society. This is the voice of the maximal alienation that is a window on American history. But in the end it doesn't really nullify itself accept in the sense of refusing to be an ordinary conforming citizen. In the end it turns its tormented screeching into art and defies the oppressing powers in the only way it can. People who have a negative view of this album say that it is about nihilistic decadence and corruption and pretentious self-indulgence which they don't approve of, along with the fact that it is bad music; and many people who have a positive view of the album also say that this album is about those things which they also don't approve, but they still find the album cool and interesting because it's good rock and roll. But I say (here is my one sentence): I love this album because it expresses a low and inevitable point of American despair and alienation which it escapes by transforming it through rock and roll into a defiant Yes of art.
   Whatever one may think of Lou Reed, in the end he is a genuine artist and genuine art is never really nihilistic though it may have to make its way through hell to show its true face. The fact that Lou Reed is an artist rather than a suicide or a raving killer ("thank your God that I just don't care") is a good sign for the USA though in its determined blindness it may not realize this fact. He made the decision to nullify his life (in reality? in fiction? it makes no difference) then made another decision to recreate himself as an artist. Somewhere in the dark of that subtle and profound decision lies the key to the USA's escape from its own eventual nullification. But one seriously wonders, however widely regarded this album has become over the decades, how deeply its real value and meaning will penetrate into the culture of the land of the free where rock and roll has become a paper tiger with a multi-million dollar bank account and a very low tolerance for reality. One wonders if there will be any kind of artistic vehicle of liberation for the unborn but coming suicides, killers, and whatever other forms the alienated take in the future.
   THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO is more than just a good old rock and roll album. It's a powerful lens through which one can see a great deal, if one wants to.

5 comments about Remain in Light.

1. Whilst the first half of this album contains the CLASSIC Once In A Lifetime and excellent The Great Curve, Crosseyed And Painless and Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On), the second half of this album is rather a snooze fest, with slow, moody songs with sparse instrumentation.
   
   The first four songs are worth this purchase, though be warned about the last four. I particularly recommend the 2006 CD/DVD remaster, the two videos live from German TV show RockPop are great, but the 5.1 remix doesn't do much for me.
   
   Overall, weak compared to their superior previous album, 1979's Fear Of Music. Get that before getting this one.



2. The Talking Heads' fourth album is really really freaking good. `Nuff said.
   
   Okay, maybe not. Here's what you should know: Remain In Light sees the Heads (with longtime producer Brian Eno in tow) creating some of the most intricate, colorful, original, and downright stunning soundscapes in the history of music. The sound of the album is an absolutely ecstatic mixture of funk, punk, and new wave with elements of electronic music, African rhythms, twisted pop, post-psychedelic experimentalism, and good ol' fashioned rock `n' roll. It's the sound of a multitude of musical influences being molded together, shaped and structured in terms of one another, like some kind of musical funhouse mirror. It also rocks.
   
   I mean, just listen to "Crosseyed and Painless." Just listen to it! Listen to that ridiculously propulsive rhythm, which finds the common ground between Chuck Berry, James Brown, and King Sunny Ade. Listen to that squirming bass line, and Byrne's sweaty, paranoid vocals. It's friggin' amazing! And then there's "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)," with its tight polyrhythm and morphological keyboards. "The Great Curve" mingles heavy metal guitars with a swirling maze of drums. "Once In A Life Time" is a warped new wave classic, with vocals that bring to mind a Revival-era preacher, and densely layered melodies.
   
   The album's second half is a quieter, less explicitly rhythmic affair, but it still packs a wallop. "Listening Wind" is a supernatural tale of imperialism thwarted set to a skin-crawling whisper of melody, while "Houses In Motion" boils with tension. "Seen And Not Seen" is strange, funny, and hypnotic, while "The Overload" is pure slow-burning apocalypse.
   
   It's stunning. Buy this!



3. This is a very special album. One of the best ever by anyone. Daring, original, brilliant, and enduring. If you love music, owning this album is not optional, it's essential.



4. A friend of mine in high school bought this album, and hated it. I bought it from him for a few bucks, and it was some of the best money ever spent. While the album has a mere 8 songs on it, they are all excellent. A lot of people don't like the last 4 songs, but I think they're just as good as the first 4, though not as up tempo (obviously). Born Under Punches (The Beat Goes On) is a great way to start the album, followed by one of favorite Heads' songs, Crosseyed and Painless. The Great Curve has some of the best harmonizing on the chorus that I've ever heard. Once in a Lifetime is a hit single that great to listen to and to think about (a rare combo). The last four are very moody and eerie. I love them all, especially Houses in Motion and The Overload. Many talk about the intricate rhythms, and yes, they are very, very cool, but I love the vocals here. They're very well arranged, and really blend it to the experimenting here. This album was released in 1983, though it sounds like it could be released at anytime. This is my favorite Talking Heads album. I love the adventurous sounds that Talking Heads and Brian Eno (who is more like a co-colloborator here than just a producer) string together here. Magnificence from the 1980's....



5. Beginning with the intricate funk of "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)", this is the cream of Talking Heads' crop. Brian Eno produced their amazing second album "More Songs About Buildings and Food" and the great if somewhat uneven "Fear of Music" but on this disc his presence is much more fully felt as the entire album was also co-written by him. There are a few more awesome funk numbers such as "Crosseyed and Painless" (dig that Byrne rap near the end), "The Great Curve", the radio hit "Once in a Lifetime" which has had an incredibly long life as you still hear it in films and TV shows now and then, and "Houses in Motion" which features an excellent trumpet solo by Eno collaborator Jon Hassell. "Seen and Not Seen" and "Listening Wind" both follow the polyrhythmic template of the rest of the disc but are more subtle than the previous tracks. The CD concludes with a song that is very different from the rest of the album but fits right in anyway- the minimal, atmospheric and very Enoesque "The Overload".
   
   It's a shame that aside from David Byrne, the rest of the band was not exactly thrilled to have Eno involved in the album to the extent he was but David was clearly inspired by their partnership, going on to collaborate with B.E. on the wonderful "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" which has influenced me enormously as a songwriter. If blue-eyed funk is your thing, check this old classic out now!

5 comments about Licensed to Ill.

1. When examining the over-the-top gangsta posturing of mainstream hip-hop in the past 15 years, it's easy to see why some cats neglect to pay homage to one of the golden age's finest. This album single-handedly popularized hip-hop in all aspects of mainstream music, as it was the first #1 album in hip-hop history. Rick Rubin's uncanny mix of old school party beats over highly memorable rock samples is one of the most copied formulas in hip-hop history. It stands as some of Rubin's most memorable and excellent production ever. The production isn't the only reason this album was as wildly successful as it was. King Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D were three of the most relatable emcee's in history. They were a tight-knit crew of white party-loving fratboy-type dudes that appealed to the white suburbanite crowd on a grand scale - boosting their success to unrivaled numbers.
   
   Every cut on this 1986-classic is fire - forget about skip material. I remember listening the opening cut, "Rhymin & Stealin", for the first time ever, and being blown away by the Sabbath, Zeppelin & Clash samples. It seemed revolutionary from the get-go. My two favorites were always the Trouble Funk-inflicted "The New Style" & ridiculous stylings of "Posse in Effect". The undisputed classic singles are "Fight for Your Right" (who doesn't remember this video!), "Paul Revere", "Brass Monkey" & "Hold It Now, Hit It". Even the non-singles, such as "No Sleep till Brooklyn" & the goofy "Girls" were classic tracks, and the mashed-up samples in "Time to Get Ill" were phenomenal.
   
   Overall, if you're taking a pass on the Beastie Boys, you are missing out on an essential piece of hip-hop history, now matter how you slice it. This classic-filled gem may be one of the funnest rides in the history of rap. This was just the first of many outstanding albums from this unstoppable trio.



2. I like there later stuff, but Rap like rock reaches a point where there's no where new to go!



3. I love to listen to Jerry Lewis rap. I have a good time every time I listen to this album.



4. Classic but dated. If you looking for Beastie Boys albums that have great Hip-Hop beats and don't have that 80's Young MC/Run-DMC sound, purchase Ill Communication or Check Your Head. The Root Down Ep is also ace! If you're looking for some great instrumental Jazz/Funk/Lounge music, The In Sounds From Way Out is a great purchase. But if that 80's hip-hop sound is what you're looking for, this is the album to buy.



5. listen to licensed to ill and...party! there are lots of party classics on this album.(you've gotta)fight for your right (to party),brass monkey,no sleep 'til brooklyn,girls,hlod it now hit it,she's crafty,and time to get ill still sound good and funny today. so check out this album,party,and laugh. ed wilson

5 comments about Violent Femmes.

1. This is a good album, but I was expecting the two bonus tracks and it came rather late so I gave a 4 star. I really wanted Gimme The Car but IT IS NOT ON THE LP release. You should be aware if you are purchasing this on vinyl! This does not have Ugly and Gimme The Car.
   All in all, this is probably the best album of the 80s. Gano's angsty lyrics are the teenage soundtrack but he expresses his frustration so much better than the screamo bands of today. Fall Out Boy, Paramore, HIM you know I'm talking about you!



2. Growing up in the Minneapolis bar and music scene in the 1980s, I thought the only good thing that could come out of Wisconsin was Interstate 94. How wrong I was.
   
   The Violent Femmes hit the Prince-saturated live music scene here like a plate of steaming-hot cheese nachos and a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Gordon Gano came from a place and a time where if your girlfriend dumped you, you could get drunk, get high, have a neurotic fit, and not hurt anybody but yourself. Actually, their music is the soundtrack for that kind of activity.
   
   Other reviews complain that the Femmes could never top this album. Then, again, I think few bands could. Remember, the Femmes have put up four genuine rock and roll anthems like "Add it Up", "Blister in the sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "American Music".
   
   Let's not criticize the perfection of the first album in light of the imperfections of the following works.
   
   This is a must-buy collection of indigenous American folk-punk. I am pleased to see from all the reviews that it has found it's rightful place in American music history. Even if it did come from Wisconsin.



3. I don't know of anyone who grew up in the 80's and hasn't heard this CD - it's a classic, pure and simple.



4. Once again, another great record that I was turned on to in the mid 80's by a great college radio station. Easily the best of their records this quirky little oddity was one of the best albums of the 80's and is a classic example of what alternative used to mean - under produced and unique. The tacked on CD songs don't add much - Good Feeling is where this record really ends and rightly so. Listening to this record in the years since high school always briefly takes me back to that place but the catchy greatness of this album imprints it in the present as well. I have no other way of defining the qualities of a great recording.



5. . . .is the fact that these guys are amazing songwriters and instrumentalists. At a glance, I didn't see anyone talking about that here so I felt compelled to bring it up.
   
   To some, the tone of this album is a turn-off. But it's just not overproduced. What I love about it is that you can HEAR the instruments as if the band was in the room with you. There are no dramatic arrangements to cloud the water. It is pure music, served without garnish for your enjoyment.
   
   This collection of songs will remain in the High Canon of American music for generations to come.

5 comments about The Cars.

1. Front to back, this has to be one of the best debut albums of all time. You'll want to surf this new wave again and again.



2. While Van Halen were redefining metal with their debut album in 1978, The Cars did something even more improbable the same year -- they invented a new kind of rock: "new wave". This weird album could have stiffed at the cash register, but for some reason it took off. Five nerds from Boston reinvented pop music, and people dug it? So why did it work? You can choose melody or lyrics, and either way you win. Upbeat tunes, catchy arrangement, and instrumentation that we now take for granted (choppy guitars and synths) added up to hummable music. No matter that the lyrics were often dark, cynical and depressed. That just added to things. (When the local metal cover band is bellowing "let's party!", the Cars sophisticated world view seemed more appealing, especially if you were as big a nerd as the band seemed to be. Of course, Ocasek ruined that by marrying a super-model, but no matter.) Together, the hiccuping guitars and yearning vocals added up to a musical tension-and-release that perfectly mirrored the bedroom fantasies of the nerds who were listening. The Buzzcocks were more obviously about that connection, but the Cars were better. One of the greatest rock albums of all time. Five stars.



3. "Just What I Needed" was already an oldie by the time I was a high school sophomore, but that didn't stop it from being one of the most relevant songs I could get my hands on. It simultaneously fulfilled all of my most pertinent musical cravings, serving up a flawless three-and-a-half-minute cocktail of crunching power chord heroics, sharp melodic hooks, hopelessly clever lyrics, and vocals that were both quirky and impassioned. It was the perfect pop song, but with enough spiky alt-new wave attitude to imbue it with a sense of genuine cool. Every time I cue it up, it takes me back to tenth grade, to that joyful year that saw me fall helplessly in love with my best friend. "Just What I Needed" is the sound of pure, hopeless joy, of butterflies in the stomach and lightness in the head, of wry, knowing angst and cheekily self-deprecating humor. It's the sound of smart people letting their emotions sneak up on them. Beautiful!
   
   But the most mind-boggling thing about "Just What I Needed" is that it's not even my favorite song here! That honor would probably go to "Bye Bye Love," which is a brittle, cynical masterpiece. It's a simple breakup song that somehow manages to turn the whole notion of love inside out, and every one of its hooks is stuffed with bitterness and paranoia and caustic wit. In fact, I'd say that this album is worth the price of admission purely on the basis of Ric Ocasek sneering "you think you're so illustrious/ you call yourself intense." It's one of the most withering putdowns in the history of pop music, rivaling even the more acidic moments of This Year's Model and Highway 61 Revisited.
   
   The other seven songs are icing on the cake. I love icing. There are sweet, gooey gobs of it all over this disc, in the form of such irresistible classics as "My Best Friend's Girl" and "Don't Cha Stop." "I'm In Touch With Your World" is marvelously quirky, and "Moving In Stereo" is endearingly creepy. "You're All I've Got Tonight" is desperate and paranoid and surprisingly fun, "Good Times Roll" is a panicked (anti-) party anthem, and "All Mixed Up" is really atmospheric and kinda sultry. And the chorus is beautiful, sort of. Yeah. This album'll blow your mind with its inescapable wonderfulness. Treat yourself to it.



4. Strong debut for the Boston post-punk/new wave band, fronted by the legendary Ric Ocasek (though bassist Benjamin Orr could almost be considered a "co-frontman"). Snide charm and effortless hooks dominated this effort, with several deserved hits along the way (and at least a couple more that probably could have been smashes as well). Heavily influenced and influential, its flavor is dulled a bit by time--their fusion of punk/new wave with catchy hard rock is no longer quite as new.
   
   "Just What I Needed" is, of course, the standout of the bunch, but the underrated minor hit "You're All I've Got Tonight" is nearly its equal. Meanwhile, the hit track, "My Best Friend's Girl" hasn't aged quite as well, but it's got such a goofily fun hook that it's nearly irresistible. Surprisingly, one of the weakest tracks, "I'm in Touch With Your World," is the one that works hardest to stand apart; unfortunately it falls victim to a weak melody and the clichés of punchy psychedelia.
   
   Best cuts: "Just What I Needed," "You're All I've Got Tonight," "Good Times Roll," "Moving in Stereo," "Don't Cha Stop," "My Best Friend's Girl," "All Mixed Up"



5. This is one of the best albums of all time. Clever lyrics, amazingly woven melodies, technical brilliance, all offered without arrogance. It's like great modern art translated to audio. Each of the Cars' subsequent albums had a few tracks that hit these heights, but on the debut album, every song is a gem, and you hear something new every time you listen to it.
   
   Still missing the incredibly beautiful, versatile and wide ranging voice of the late Ben Orr, whose interviews online showed him to be a smart, warm sweetheart of a guy, in interesting contrast to the cold, edgier image he sometimes portrayed on stage.

5 comments about Candy-O.

1. Since the Cars had created a perfect album with their 1978 self-titled debut, it would be nearly impossible to top it. Instead of laboring long and hard over a follow-up like many '70s bands did after a huge commercial success, the band cranked out their sophomore effort, Candy-O, almost exactly one year later from the first LP. And while the album was not as stellar as its predecessor was, it did contain several classics, resulting in another smash album that solidified the band's standing as one of the most promising new bands of the late '70s. The first single, the Top 20 anthem "Let's Go," proves to be the best track, but plenty of other standouts can be found as well. The title track remains one of the band's best rockers, while the gentle "It's All I Can Do" also deserved to be a hit. The band pays tribute to T. Rex on "Dangerous Type" (the main guitar riff resembles "Bang a Gong"), rocks out on "Got a Lot on My Head" and "Night Spots," shows their softer side on "Since I Held You," and embraces modern pop on "Double Life" and "Lust for Kicks." Their second strong release in a row, Candy-O proved that the Cars were not one-hit wonders, like so many other bands from the same era.



2. On CANDY-O, the Cars not only avoided the sophmore jinx, but came through with an album that's just as good as their debut. Granted, the cover art is somewhat overly suggestive, and could inspire inappropriate sexual behavior, but the songs are uniformly strong and there are very few clunkers here. This CD and the debut are really what you need by the Cars. After this album, the band tried too hard and too many things in an attempt to remain relevant as musical tastes changed.



3. The Cars grow more interesting with time. They are forever lumped in with acts like the Pretenders, Blondie, Elvis Costello, XTC, etc. Their sound belongs to a certain era. Even though "Candy-O" came out in the late 70s, the music itself definitely has an 80s feel. In fact, one could argue this album was a bit ahead of its time as far as synth-heavy, high-production, new wave with serious pop hooks (to say nothing of Candy-O's predecessor, the brilliant "The Cars").
   
   That said, the hits have aged well but the albums are a bit hit-and-miss. Candy-O itself, while not as good as "The Cars", remains a true New Wave staple and a hit. The lyrics throughout are excellent, even on the radio hits (She's got wonderful eyes/And a risky mouth/And when I asked her before/She says she's holding out). What a vixen! And she's seventeen.
   
   Ocasek's ear for power pop is evident with Let's Go, It's All I Can Do, and Dangerous Type, but the album's ventures into darkness lack the requisite snarl or danger of other New Wave efforts. If Ocasek and company had focused on making 11 singles (not an easy task), they might have carved out a more lasting niche for this album. Rightly or wrongly, Candy-O is a bit of a footnote in any discussion of the Cars' body of work.
   
   Overall, the Cars just don't have the bite of the Pretenders, or Cheap Trick, or Elvis Costello, or even Blondie. Their sound is too glossed-over and shiny, and though a hint of darkness rescues the Cars from being
   pure bubble-gum, it still feels a bit toothless, like New Wave Light.
   
   This sound culminated in the form of 1984's "Heartbeat City", probably as pure an 80s album as it gets, from the synths to the lyrics to the MTV videos with Ocasek standing on water, or flying around attached to a bug's head.
   
   The Cars will go down in history as a singles band -- and there's not one thing wrong with that.
   
   Overall, I give Candy-O itself four stars, as opposed to "The Cars", which I would rate five stars (and one of the best debut albums of all time).



4. This CD brought back memories. I have several Greatest Hits CDs from the CARS and while they have the "hits" there are so many songs that are under the radar and deserve attention. This CD is chock full of such songs. Worth the listen.



5. I finally got around to purchasing this CD. I had the LP when it first came out but sold all my vinyl years ago. I bought the Greatest Hits and Debut CD a while back but was still missing hearing some of my old favorites (Double Life, Nightspots) from this album. What a treat to listen to them again and have them loaded on my MP3 player now. Next up....Panorama, I love the title track as well as Gimme Some Slack and The Down Boys.

5 comments about Ramones.

1. I first heard this back in 1985, and everyone kept telling me how great this album is. So when I listened to it, I thought: "This is it?"
   
   This is nothing special. This is pop music hidden in the name of punk. In fact, if it wasn't for the Ramones, pop punk bands like Green Day would not exist. Not to mention the stupid songs. Nothing like the catchy hooks of "Blitzkreig Bop", "Beat on the Brat", and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue".
   
   Punk rock is supposed to be angst ridden, violent, and rebellious. It is not a bunch of harmonious songs that you sing along to, and that's what this album is (along with the entire Ramones catalog). Thanks a lot guys. I hold you responsible for Good Charlotte, the Misfits, and the other bands like them. See you at the Billy Joel concert! NOT!



2. great punk album. realesed in 1976 its only 30 minutes long and 14 tracks. thats what punks all about. cool tracks on here are, blitizreg bop, beat on the brat, etc. great album buy today



3. Historically significant? Yeah, I guess. It did usher in the New Testament era of rock `n' roll (that metaphor goes a surprisingly long way), opening the floodgates for a thousand billion hungry freaks to chew away at the foundation of crusty old geezer rock and express themselves however they damn well pleased. It did make way for the Clash and the Sex Pistols and Black Flag and, aesthetically speaking, R.E.M. and the Replacements and just about every other musical underground (and, often, above ground) movement there is, while simultaneously fulfilling the prophecies of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground and the Monks and the Green Fuz. Yeah, the Ramones' first album is one of rock's greatest touchstones. Elvis and Chuck and Mick, recharged.
   
   But history is for books. I don't mean that disparagingly- it's really fun to read about- I'm just saying that when you're shopping for music, you want something that's fun to, you know, listen to. Something that sounds good, that you can dance to, or relax to, or play air guitar to, or drive to, or make out to, or write to, or whatever other sick things you do when you think that nobody's watching. Ultimately, by that standard, I think that the Ramones' first album deserves only four stars.
   
   Why? Well, here's the thing: It's a lot of fun, but it gets old. Even over the course of its compact running length, the sound gets monotonous. The best songs- "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Chainsaw," "Loudmouth," "Listen To My Heart," and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement," by my measure- are blistering classics that I'll be more than willing to blast every day `til I kick the bucket. But after a listen or two, it all starts sounding the freaking same! Same guitar chords, vocal inflection, same feel, same everything. Hating Peter Frampton is cool, but that doesn't net you five stars. Influence or not, future classics like Leave Home and Rocket To Russia were more fun, and therefore they pick up the five star ratings. Still, this is an incredibly fun record to listen to, and a great historical artifact for nerds such as myself. Rock out, friends.



4. The Ramones -- just like the Sex Pistols and the Clash -- have made a huge impact on the punk rock scene, being a major influence on tons of bands since they began. They stripped typical rock n roll to the bare basics, focusing on three power chords and powerful guitar notes with catchy poppy vocals. Joey Ramone made a name for himself with his simple, yet mindlessly funny vocals about beating on brats with baseball bats, sniffing glue and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They were nothing the rock music world had seen in 1976.
   
   Although being a punk rock band these New York outcasts were influenced by all types of music, not just punk. They took the influences of surf music, '60's girl groups and pop, blended it together, speeding it up, creating something new and refreshing. They start with a simple "hey ho, let's go" chant and blast right on through the album. They were a breath of fresh air and added a new life to the music scene.



5. No matter how much time passes by, this album will stand as a testament to true punk music, and quite possibly the epitome of it. It's quite shocking, honestly, to see how so many guys and gals of my generation (this current one) have no idea what the real "punk rock sound" is. Well, don't worry, I'm not doomed to the same fate.
   With a great production and lots of extra tracks, "Ramones" runs it at 22 song at over 44 minutes. This means that each song average out to about two minutes. While many bands can make great songs that last far longer, I still think The Ramones are awesome just the way they are. The songs are loud, hard, fast, and quite often funny. Between the energetic anthem "Blitzkrieg Bop", to the horror-themed "Chainsaw" and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement", and even the punk-ballad "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", this album really delivers.
   Basically, "Ramones" is a fast-driving, ageless rock classic and shows you why so many bands inspired to be like them. If you wanna experience great music that doesn't give up, "Ramones" is gonna rock you! Thanks for the time, and peace.