5 comments about Direction Reaction Creation.

1. Direction Reaction Creation is the ultimate Jam package, offering 117 tracks over five discs -- essentially the band's complete studio recordings. With a strict adherence to chronological order, the box presents each single followed by its B-side(s) (six of which appear on CD for the first time, including the brilliant "See Saw"), followed by the proper album tracks -- oddly, though, the album versions of the singles are chosen in most places. Unfortunately, this approach sometimes disrupts the flow of the albums, especially in the case of All Mod Cons, which loses three tracks to the treatment, and Setting Sons, which loses "Eton Rifles" to a separate disc. This is a small point for purists to debate -- the difference is really unnoticeable in light of the truly great music found on the discs. In addition to the regular studio tracks, disc five offers over an hour of studio demos -- 22 previously unreleased tracks of considerably different takes of better-known material, a few never-before-heard Weller and Foxton originals, and some interesting covers like "Rain," "Dead End Street," and "Every Little Bit Hurts." A lavish 88-page booklet accompanies the set with great liner notes, an extensive band chronology and discography, and the band's complete gig list, along with plenty of rare photos and memorabilia. The Jam, simply put, were one the finest bands in rock & roll history, and Direction Reaction Creation offers the proof, showing both their remarkably rapid growth and their incredible consistency.



2. An excellent 5 CD collection (if you take the CDs out of their tight cardboard sleeves and put them in normal cases on your shelves). You also get a book documenting the Jam with photos etc.
   Here's the break-up:
   CD1: Albums in full: In the City & This is the Modern World (plus loads of singles released around the same time).
   CD2: Albums: All Mod Cons (I still bought the All Mod Cons deluxe edition for the demo versions), and loads of singles from the same time.
   CD3: Albums: Setting Sons (in full), and "Sound Affects" (excludes the album version of Start! Does provide the single version though). Other singles from that time period also included.
   CD4: Albums: The Gift (replaces the album version of Precious with the 12" version). Also singles from the same period, and The Beat Surrender (EP with 4 other songs).
   CD5: Alternate versions of earlier songs, and some other singles and b-sides, and some songs I'd never heard in my addictive Jam collecting days of the 1980s-90s: "Rain" "Dead end street" "Stand by me" "Every little bit hurts" "Walking in Heavens Sunshine".
   
   The exclusions of album versions of Start! and "Precious" are annoying, but don't let that put you off. You can always order "The Gift" and "Sound Affects" as well, or keep your old vinyl.



3. 
   First of all, kudos to dcbuys, one of Amazons' partner resellers who advertised this box as new factory sealed....they delivered what they promised.
   
   As for the box set, well there's not much I can add to other reviews here. The fidelity is tremendous throughout, the lack of any live material is a bit of a putoff (I'd rather have had the fifth CD full of live stuff instead of demos and alternate versions), and the original song running order of the various albums are all scrambled. But if you've purchased enough box sets, that's something you've learned to live with. The booklet truly does a wonderful job of tracking the history of the band from start to finish.
   
   These minor complaints aside, you can't ask for much more as a Jam fan. The Jam were truly one of the finest bands from any era. The album tracks and the period singles truly paint a picture for the listener as to how it was. The musicianship was always top rank and Weller's songwriting seemed to grow with each passing month.
   
   No doubt everyone has their favorite Jam album. Mine was always Sound Affects......which sounds truly glorious here. Get this box, it's beyond placing a value on it.



4. QUE QUISIERON SER LOS JAM?..LOS WHO BASTARDOS, LOS SMALL FACES SIN GLAMOUR?? NO IMPORTA..TODO LO CREATIVOS QUE FUERON ESTA REFLEJADO EN ESTA MONUMENTAL COLECCION, QUE ENCIERRA LA TOTALIDAD DE SU LEGADO..(ALGUNAS COSITAS PUEDEN LLEGAR A FALTAR, PERO...)GRAN SONIDO, GRAN BOOKLET, EL CD 5 TRAE RAREZAS Y GRABACIONES INEDITAS...SI SOS FAN DE ESTE GRUPO, ES IMPRESCINDIBLE TENERLO..SI TE SIMPATIZAN TENES LA RECOPILACION SNAP QUE ALCANZA Y SOBRA!!



5. This is a first-rate box set. Practically everything a non-completist Jam fan needs is included, and the sound quality is much better than the various individual remastered CDs floating around, especially the latter albums. Check out the bass on "Set the House Ablaze" for a comparison-- it's practically nonexistent on the 1997 "Sound Affects" import, but here it sounds full and richly textured.
   
   Completists, though, will still need more: none of the Jam's BBC sessions or live material from "Live Jam" and "Dig the New Breed" are represented here, and there are additional demos and alternate versions on the "Extras" compilation. And there's at least one troubling omission in the box: the album version of "Precious." Instead, we get an extended single mix that adds some horn soloing and subtracts some vocals. Both the album and single mixes of "Smithers-Jones" are present, so why does "The Gift" (my favorite Jam album) get shortchanged?
   
   Still, the five discs of "Direction Reaction Creation" give you practically everything the Jam ever put to tape in the studio, all in sterling quality. That's a good deal, and I'd recommend this set even if you already own most of this material on other discs.

No comments about Themes, Vols. 1-5.

5 comments about Chaos for Breakfast.

1. "Chaos for Breakfast" gathers early singles from Killing Joke's career together with a disc of unreleased demos. Each of the early singles ("Nervous System", "Wardance", "Requiem" and "Follow the Leaders") are presented on their own disc with the demos on a bonus disc, this is packaged together with a number of photos and brief liner notes. The music sounds brilliant and in your face, remastering is done to assure it sounds fresh and crisp, in your face like it was recorded yesterday (certainly better than the unremastered releases for the albums sound).
   
   The music itself-- the "Nervous System" single is actually very unique sounding, even Killing Joke would largely abandon this sound-- its very open, with funky, dub rhythms and really non-dense guitar playing. The material itself is essential, in particular "Turn to Red" and "Are You Receiving" (the latter being a bit more punky than the rest of the material).
   
   Two singles are included from their first album-- "Wardance" and "Requiem". "Wardance" is a different mix than appeared on the album, though I much prefer the album version-- this is more the classic KJ sound, the dub bass, tribal drums, and dense, punky guitars. Its B-side, "Pssyche", is one of the really great Killing Joke features, a live favorite certainly, with its dance beat and tossed off vocal, its full of the sort of energy and power that made the first Killing Joke album so amazing. The third disc, "Requiem", is largely extraneous-- its not that the material isn't great, the dark, churning, "Requiem" and the dance beats driving "Change" are among the best Killing Joke material, its just that these two tracks are available in this form on the band's first album, albiet not sounding as good as this. The demo of "Requiem" on the end of this is really not substantially different from the released version until the ending, where it suffers from some bizarre production choices thankfully not used on the album.
   
   From the second Killing Joke album comes "Follow the Leaders"-- a dub/punk song presented here in its original version and with a dub mix and the original lyrics intact. While the album version (and the b-side "Tension") are both available on "what's THIS for...!" (although again, they're both great songs-- in particular the rhythm section is on fire on "Follow the Leaders"), the two mixes are nice to have. THe dub mix is more or less an instrumental take on the song, smartly shortened in length to prevent its repetitive nature from getting annoying. The original lyrics are largely unnoticable-- the piece itself is nearly identical, but its nice to have from a collector's standpoint.
   
   The fifth disc is probably the most interesting for collectors, its nearly an hour's worth of demos from the first two albums. While this sounds interesting, much of it is just the album versions minus a few overdubs, and the 19 minute dub piece gets really irritating after a while.
   
   In the final analysis, this set is a bit expensive for what it is-- just under two hours of music-- the presentation is beautiful, but its really for collectors only.



2. I had drooled over these singles in the past, but between scarcity and cost I had been unable to pick up many of them. This truly is some of the best work Killing Joke did and any fan of theirs definitely needs to hear these songs. That being said, someone mentioned that the price was too steep, and I agree. If you go on amazon's uk site however, you can order it for the equivalent of about $22, which is only a fraction of the $70 something they charge on this site. Don't ask me why their system works that way, but it did and I saved a whole lot of money.



3. I have to say, this set is just awesome. In it are faithful reproductions of the singles as they came out on vinyl. You even get little stickers and things with most of the singles. The quality is great and you also get a little folder with a bunch of vintage pix of the band. The only thing I wish it included was some commentary from the band about each single and maybe some lyrics, but thats minor compared to the overall set.
   
   I would like to point out the one reviewer that ignorantly stated that this was a set of remixes. It is not! He obviously has not seen nor heard this set and placed his review purely on ignorance and bias towards box sets. Anywho...
   
   This is truly a must have item for those fans of The Joke! I know I don't regret making this investment in fine music :)



4. For anyone who wants to understand why Killing Joke were such an influential group in the post-punk period, this boxed set from Malicious Damage is absolutely required listening. Mike Coles, the original graphic designer for KJ who runs the Malicious Damage record label, has painstakingly recreated the original vinyl releases from the band and remastered them on individual CDs. This package also includes all the original album artwork, plus two booklets of images that document the band's visual development. From Nervous System to the original 7-inch version of Wardance to the original version of Follow the Leaders, these are powerful songs that showcase Geordie's stinging guitar sound, Youth's pulsing bass, and Big Paul Ferguson's riveting drumming, as well as Jaz's electronic shroud and apocalyptic shrieking. However, the real hidden gem in this box is the CD of demos of songs from the first two albums. This CD alone is worth the price of the boxed set. A must for any fan of the Joke!



5. First of all let me say KILLING JOKE rules ! ! But even the most die hard is not going to spend that kind of money on a bunch of re-mixes !I'm sure the re-mixes are better than the original ! But come on, its too much to spend on an impot !

5 comments about Black Box: Wax Trax! Records, The First 13 Years 3 CD Set, Includes 76-Page Book.

1. This is a timeless compilation of bands. WAX TRAX records really were the God-fathers of realing industrail music.



2. ... after the first printing of this collection, let me say LOUD and CLEAR that WaxTrax! (now TVT) Records NEEDS TO RE-RELEASE THIS COLLECTION OF CLASSICS!!! As it stands, Black Box is a hard to find collector's item, as the prices for used copies can attest (nobody's gonna have a new one available, kids, at least not for a reasonable price). You're lucky if you can find someone who kept immaculate, anal-retentive care of the discs. I was lucky to find a copy of this set at my local record shop, but the condition of the CDs would rate as GOOD, VERY GOOD at best. I'm just glad that after 13 years, they will still play in my CD player.
   
   I'm not going to fire off a huge, elaborate critique of the set. If this kind of music from this time period pushes the dopamine receptors in your brain over the brink (and you know who you are), then this collection is for you. Yeah, it's primarily industrial in nature, but there are hints of techno, hard/goth rock, and dark experimental music. The 3-CD set clocking in at roughly 3 1/2 hours of music represents a nice, thick, bloody slice of a time and a place, and yes, it's just that damn good. Read the other reviews for point by point details. At worst, this one gets 4.5 stars. At best, it easily garners 5.



3. My interest in industrial music and its history lead me down the path to this little almost forgetten jem at this point.
   This is industrial music as its not made anymore, as industrial music since the death of this label has become even more of a minor niche market fading into the obscure. But this box set captures industrial's golden age. An interesting mix of styles and history, it actually prompted to go visit the orginal WaxTrax store in Denver while on vacation(ironicly seeing one of the artists on the boxset.KMFDM). With all the music revials going on, I wish someone would revive this kind of industrial music, before its completely forgotten. The track that is the most well known is probably the cover of "Supernaut" with the Trent Renzor vocals, but that is to over look alot of other amazing material. You can feel the energy, the thoughtfulness, and the pioneering spirit racing though every track. The only shortcoming i'd say would be that Front 242's material couldn't be included.
   Music history buffs will also get a kick out of this, there is a little booklet helping outline the history of the label, and quite a history it is. I find it quite sad that there is no real written books about WaxTrax and the chicago industrial scene of the 80s like there is for punk,hardcore,indie and their counterparts.
   I recommend this comp 100%, and hope that you can feel the same love for this music as I do.



4. I dj'd at college radio stations for 5 years in the late '80s, and was always pleasantly excited when I found a Wax Trax! label in the New bin. (Unfortunately, I usually did my shows in the dark and thought the name was "Wax Traxi" for the longest time!) The label was a mainstay of industrial music, and founders Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher consistently managed to sign and produce the most exciting musicians of the time -- the many incarnations of dear troubled genius Al Jourgensen, The Young Gods, FLA, Coil, Controlled Bleeding, Doubting Thomas, A Split Second, Lead Into Gold, Psychic TV, Foetus -- they are all here on three great discs packed with music that makes you want to move and feel. Disc One, Track One: Trent Reznor covers Black Sabbath's 'Supernaut' with 1000 Homo DJs -- a version previously unreleased, and then you are zipping through Sister Machine Gun and The Young Gods and oh so many more seminal industrial bands. Divine puts the "fun" in funky with "The Name Game", the label's second release. I was also happy to hear a few groups that had somehow slipped past me the first time around, like Wreck. I had a great time listening to this collection and am still listening to it. You can put in any of the three discs and be happy for a long time.

   The packaging is beautiful -- a heavyweight black box covered with hip lettering and disturbing images; three black CD cases containing labeled discs and a listing with artist, cut, time and version information; and a terrific booklet that relates the anecdotal history of Wax Trax! -- it's artistically interesting as well as substantive and entertaining.

   If you enjoy industrial music, you cannot go wrong with this incredible collection of the music and people that started it all. And why not put a few bucks into the pockets of the guys who loved the music more than the profits?




5. This Chicago-based record label compilation is an awesome chunk of the work done by most of the best industrial bands that came out of N. America and Europe in the 80s. Very interesting and innovative music- fans of industrial music or darker techno should like most of this stuff quite a bit.

4 comments about Electromagnetic Steamboat: The Reprise Recordings.

1. It is a pure pleasure to hear these tomes once again. And, as others have said, this is especially true of their album, "It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest." The enduring popularity of The Fugs is a testament to word of mouth advertising since many of these songs were banned for airplay by a number of radio stations. I know this first-hand since I was a DJ when The Fugs were in vogue. I chanced to play "The Divine Toe" (parts 1 & 2) one evening at about 1:00 AM ... and had my timeslot cut back by two hours when the manager who was listening in expressed his disapproval the next day (grin).
   
   The real puzzling thing is the fact that this CD set is made by Rhino Records ... and buying it new from their website is [...] cheaper than buying it here at Amazon.com. Go figure...



2. Can't believe someone called the music dated. Must be one of those effete snobs Agnew used to rail about. LOL. I guess you could call Gregorian chants dated. I guess you could call Floyd Cramer-ish country piano dated. Hell, punk rock is dated, now. Its all dated now. If it isn't hip-hop, its dated. (and some would argue that's dated, too!) What a weak arguement.
   
   Simply put, the Fugs ICIMHH is their masterpiece. Listen to how many styles they tackle successfully and weave them seamlessly together in a scatalogical pastiche that no one else could match, or even attempt. The second side of It Crawled Into My Hand is the Fugs' paean to Abbey Road's second side. So many classics.
   While our other reviewer thinks the early ESP albums are the heart of the Fugs oeuvre, I beg to disagree. It was here, while the band was signed to a major label and could afford to bring in top session players, that they were able to flesh out their songs and reach their maximum potential. Listen to the blistering guitar on Crystal Liason, the aforementioned, country piano on Ramses II, the operatic baritone on The Divine Toe Pt.II. There is no question this is a fully realized production that makes the ESP albums sound almost amateurish.
   Finally, this long forgotten masterpiece gets to see the light of day again. Too bad you have to shell out so much for it. It would have been nice to see this as a single release since it was the apex of their career.



3. So far, this is the only CD release of the Fugs' finest album, their out-of-print masterpiece: It crawled into my hand, honest. The best-funded and best-produced of the Fugs' albums, ICIMHH is rich with references to surrealism, Egytpology, politics, psychedelia, and (of course) the arcane sexual practices of Sixties hipsters. The range of musical styles is pure post-Beatles anything-goes, from Gregorial chant to chamber orchestra to folk to Nashville country, and the lyrical/satirical (satyrical?) wit of Ed Sanders, Tuli Kupferberg, and Ken Weaver is stroboscopic. The 40-page liner-notes booklet is a knowledgeable and honest history of the permutations of the Fugs throughout their career.
   
   Other Fugs albums included in this 3-CD collection have not stood up as well to the passage of time (as least, of my time), but it doesn't matter. Start with Track 11 to begin ICIMHH. I expect some previous Amazon reviewers didn't get that far, and I sympathize.
   
   ICIMHH is an important incursion of the avant guarde into rock history, on a par with The Mothers' We're only in it for the Money. It's funny, and it's beautiful, and, oh yeah, it's not for the easily offended.



4. these recordings are where the fugs mix of sexual outrageousness, political radicalism and social satire started to wear thin. since neither tuli kupferberg or ed sanders were musicians their music got weaker as they went along. some of the musical styles satirized here were already passe in 1970 and are now totally extinct. strangely these recordings are both politically radical and musically dated. look, the fugs first album and the fugs second album are classic and essential to anyone who wants to know or understand what the 1960s counterculture was like. both cds are miracles and highly recommended. electromagnetic steamboat is for diehard fans only.

5 comments about Live: 07-08-03 & 07-09-03 New York, NY.

1. Moving tribute to New Yorkers for post 9/11 concert.



2. The 7/8 show is good, but it's overrated- Eddie mentions on the next bootleg how memorable a night it was, but you don't get that from the bootleg. It's just an OK Pearl Jam show. It's got an inordinate number of Riot Act songs, most of which (I Am Mine, Cropduster, 1/2 Full) are card-carrying members of the momentum-killers club. They also butcher "In My Tree" by removing Matt Cameron's stellar drumwork from the forefront, and they let Ben Harper sing lead on Indifference, which is not a good thing. On the plus side, the 7/8 show does include good takes on hits Evenflow, Black, and Betterman, as well as rare covers Crown of Thorns, Sonic Reducer, and Baba O' Riley.
   
   The 7/9 show is almost the opposite: Low on radio songs, but big on obscure fan favorites. It's got Glorified G, it's got State of Love and Trust, it's got Deep, it's got Present Tense. They could have made this one into a DVD and I would have liked it more than the 7/8 one.
   
   The good thing about this bundle is that the places where one show comes up short, the other one picks it up. That being the case, I have to recommend this, even if it isn't exactly the band at their best either night.



3. Will be now and forever the absolute best concert I will ever go too. Mansfield was as good, but no doubt NYC CD be a clasic CD in years to come.



4. This was a pretty shotty CD, the quality was bad. Singing some times out of key. I love Pearl Jam but this was their worst live album I've heard. They didn't play some of their hits as well.

   Still not bad, only cost me 12 bucks new.




5. Great shows. More than 50 different songs, including gems like Crown of Thorns and Breath; along with classics like Do the evolution, Alive, etc.I prefer the first show, but both of them are great performances by the band. Get them both.

5 comments about Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection.

1. First off, the design of this boxed set is outstanding, from the 3-D panels showing a brain in fluid to the CDs and cases themselves, which highlight various grade-Z schlock sci-fi themes. The construction, however, is another story, as the box itself is sloppily made, and the foam padding which houses the CDs is not the ideal method, as it makes re-inserting the CDs without damaging them a bit annoying. The accompanying book is an interesting (if hodge-podge) overview of pop sci-fi culture. As for the music itself, kudos go to Rhino for their excellent compilation, which is head-and-shoulders above other compilations of novelty music, though one can argue that some of the obscure selections should remain obscure. Still, many should enjoy the discs devoted to movie and TV themes; I, for one, was overjoyed to see the inclusion of the theme from The Blob (by Burt Bacharach!) on the Novelty disc.



2. The first thing you will notice is the beautiful box. Though not metal (decorated to look as if), it has a really cool hologram on three sides, with all track listings on the back. Decent construction, though some may not like the foam insert inside which holds the 5 discs and book.

   The 5 discs are packaged with their own cardboard sleeve that is decorated in a 50's style retro design and categorized by a main theme: T.V., Movie, Lounge, Novelty & Pop. But the best part of the inserts is the small hard cover book included. It is chock full of old B-movie posters and artwork, news/articles, and information/history on 'space' related music over the years. This is truly a gem and adds quite a bit to this collection. You will spend hours marveling over the old retro designs and comic like appearance of all things sci/fi that are within this books covers.

   Now why only 4 stars? Well though you will be giddy to hear old show tunes like 'Lost In Space', 'The Outer Limits', and some of the movie themes and lounge, it does lack some heavy hitters. One can argue that Rhino probably had hundreds of tunes to sift through, and they picked what they could for licensing reasons and taste, but while others may enjoy some tunes, others will wonder how this made it into the collection. For me, I was a little let down by the Novelty disc....some songs were actually annoying to me.

   The biggest let down, and I realize the issues behind it, were the absence of a few major players: There is no Star Wars theme, no Cantina, no Dune, no Klingon music, a few TV shows that were not represented, but you can't please everybody right?

   Otherwise a very good collection...and a stellar book.




3. If you're the kind of person that stays up weekends until 4AM just to see a rare '50's sci-fi drive-in movie on the tube, start saving up,you've got to have this. The other reviews point out the superb packaging (I can't imagine anyone bringing out a better graphic design for CDs this year,give the Grammy right now) and the esoteric music, and I fully agree. But I think I've found how to enjoy this set the most:stick all the discs in your 200-CD jukebox and use random play mode. This stuff is the greatest for spicing up your round-the-house listening! Extremely highly recommended (if you're into old sci-fi and unusual music).



4. This offering from Rhino Records sets a new standard for graphic design! Really, it's absolutely terrific. Before ever getting around to opening the box, I luxuriated in the marvelously rendered details, the perfect switches and gauges, the tongue-in-cheek labels from the "brainstorm" light to the warning to "replace fluids every 3000 hours." I got more kicks from just reading the box than I've gotten from many novels!

   And the box is only the beginning! The 200-page booklet is a sheer delight for fans of 1950s sci-fi B-flicks. Really, you can't appreciate the genius that went into this package until you experience it for yourself! More than a box, it's Art.

   Very highly recommended!




5. With an ultra-cool holographic box that instantly transports you back to the sci-fi B-movie days of the past, "Brain in a Box" also serves as a fairly comprehensive library of all kinds of music relating to science fiction, from movie and TV themes to pop and novelty songs. If I had to introduce someone to sci-fi music, this wouldn't be a bad way to do it. I could easily quibble over what's missing, but I prefer to focus instead on what you DO get: an excellent hardbound book with info and commentary, several tunes I would never have heard otherwise (like "Tiny Space Man"), and the amazing brain storage container that is it all comes in. I do have complaints: the sound quality varies widely (couldn't be helped, I'm sure)

5 comments about Family Tree.

1. Björk made her first CD "Gudmundsdottir" when she was 12 years old.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Bjork-Gudmundsdottir/dp/B000GWCM4E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1212173691&sr=1-6
   
   It's pretty darn interesting especially if you are interested in exploring her evolution through the Sugarcube era to her stuff today. Interesting to see the evolution to sophisticated artist she is. Unlike most of today's media creations Björk is a true artist who was not afraid to take chances at 12 and is still taking chances.



2. I found this at a local music store in New York for 35 bucks, so I would recommend going somewhere other than Amazon for it, but I would certainly recommend getting it.
   
   There are a few songs I never would have heard if I didn't get it and many of the alternate versions are actually quite a bit better than the originals. A lot of the tracks are taken down a notch so her voice is really highlighted and several of the tracks really blow my mind. All of the stuff with the string quartet is incredible; the Icelandic version of "Birthday" (the Sugarcubes hit) is wonderful, and even the Greatest Hits According to Björk, which could perhaps seem a bit useless, is a very interesting addition to my growing half-knowledge of the lovely Icelandic lady.
   
   The downside to all of this is that there is not so much beyond the music in this expensive and quite small box set. The design is quite cute and at first glance when I popped open the little pink box and found a bunch of mini-CDs running around I was very excited, but then I looked around and couldn't find very many words. I was hoping for some information about the selection of the songs, why some versions were chosen over others, etc. All I got was a paragraph by Björk in somewhat mysterious language explaining how Roots, Beats, Strings, and Words make up every human. She does give a tiny little description of each of the collections, but it's so general... I'd just like a little more.
   
   To make it simple: If you are a huge fan of hers, and you probably are if you're even reading this, it's worth finding a copy of this. Sixty bucks? I'm not so sure, but you can certainly find it somewhere for a reasonable amount. It is certainly worth it for the music.



3. The music is a must for all Bjork fans, but the small discs dont play on all players. My Mac laptop can't read them and I can't put them on my iPod. I guess this adds to their mystique in some way, they can only be experienced with my walkman on special occasions! Just a word to the wise.



4. I've been a fool and have suffered as a result of my ridiculous preconceptions. I'll start by saying that I went many years being aware of Bjork's existence, but being really oblivious to her music. I guess I just wasn't paying attention. I saw occasional pictures of her in magazines or on news reports (attacking a photographer or wearing a swan dress), and I wrote her off as some avant-garde fringe artist. But I never listened to her music!
   
   Then about a year ago, my eyes and ears were opened! One of my best friends sent me a collection of songs on a disc, (thanks MI-2!), one of which was HUNTER by Bjork. Well, this song jumped out at me like a neon light in a pitch black room. Shortly after hearing that track, I heard a copy of the HOMOGENIC album and I quickly realized that I wasn't just listening to some edgey girl singer with a nice hook; I was experiencing true art. The more I listened, the more I loved the music. Now I'm kicking myself for all the years of listening that I've wasted.
   
   I purchased FAMILY TREE as a sort of jump start to get up to speed with the rather large Bjork catalog of work. The songs span her career and give a wonderful overview to her work thus far. Some of my favorite tracks include PAGEN POETRY, BACHELORETTE, and VENUS AS A BOY. I also really love the alternate versions of five songs on the "Strings" mini disc, including a stunning version of the song that started it all for me, HUNTER.
   
   At first, I found the price a little steep for an artist I wasn't all that familiar with, but I now consider it some of the best money I've spent on music in a long, long time. This is a great collection that any fan will enjoy. And if you're like I was, a little timid to explore the unknown, all I can say is don't delay any further, you don't know what a remarkable experience you're missing!



5. I feel like I have been cheated. I mean, sure I read these reviews before purchase and knew that the packaging was...odd and that the price was...not worth it. Oddly enough, the box is better than many people have said. Sure, the box is going to bend and the discs are going to look squished, but come on, if you saw this in the store, you should have realized that the six discs were not going to have much room. If you feel like you have been cheated because of the packaging, than you should have realized what you were buying, but if you feel cheated because of the price, I can relate. I can see how this box is this expensive (how much do you think all the artwork, papers, mini-disc containers, and pink n' white embossed box cost the company?) but it seems like they could've compiled it all in 2 or 3 CDs for a cheaper amount. Am I happy? Yes. Do I feel like this could've been done better? Yes and No. I think the box really adds character and I found no problem getting everything back in, but I do miss the cash I shelled out for this. And the mini-discs really were cool and hi-tech looking which added to the flair but I keep wondering about something...The second section (Beats) had only one disc, so instead of having a cardboard-like container for two, it was only in a plastic sleeve. So, my question is, why couldn't they have put each of the five mini's in seperate, single sleeves marked, "Roots Part One", then "Roots Part Two", etc. Then the box wouldn't be under so much weight. And if they combined the "Words" booklet and the map of "Family tree" in one slightly larger booklet, it could make up space too. So, yes the originality is neat but they could have made it with the same materials, just in smaller packages. I'm sure you're wondering if all this is really worth it but for me I think I'm quite happy on the whole. Plus, when I was reading past reviews of the box the suspense was killing me to see what it really looked like, so maybe this review will not only help you to decide to buy it but make you crazy with anxeity over what you will find when you tear away the shrink wrap...

5 comments about Children of Nuggets: Original ARtyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era - 1976-1996.

1. If you approach this box set expecting a bunch of neo-garage revivalism, you will be instantly disappointed; the fluttering guitars and soaring harmonies of "Vanishing Girl," the first song here, have nothing to do with the Standells and only a passing similarity to the Electric Prunes. It's not like anything you'd really find on a Pebbles or Back From The Grave disc, and its psychedelic flourishes aren't even remotely acidic. The song isn't raw or crude or wild. Instead, it's an otherworldly pop masterpiece, full of quiet anguish and subtle humor, with delicately bewitching vocals shimmering over and around a stunning cascade of emotive melody, underneath which is a 60s-inspired rhythm full of sunshine and hypnosis. After that comes the Lyres' "Help You Ann," which is a quintessential anthem for garage rock revival, with tremolo guitars and snarled vocals and a cheesy organ and all that other good stuff. This set isn't dominated by either sound- "Vanishing Girl" and "Help You Ann" help set the template for Children Of Nuggets, but they're not the entire blueprint. Sparkling pop and pounding garage rock sit comfortably aside neo-psych, post punk, surf revival, new wave, power pop, and just about every other cool method of sound creation that existed between 1976 and 1996. The result is, first and foremost, that a bunch of great music is rescued from obscurity. This is a beautifully guided tour of everything that happened beneath the surface of the post 'Nam, post Nixon, post Frampton planet earth, a gorgeous affirmation of the freewheeling spirit of the 60s. It's living, breathing, rockin' proof that people really did put the lessons of the Beatles and the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan and the Green Fuz to good use. Sometimes, they even hit the charts!
   
   Does this multi-genre approach contradict the Nuggets spirit? Well, I would like to remind you that the original Nuggets LP, as compiled by Lenny and Jac, wasn't just about the Count Five and the Seeds. I mean, how do you explain the inclusion of Sagittarius' stunning pop symphony "My World Fell Down," or the Cryan Shames' sparkling "Sugar And Spice," or Mouse's Bob Dylan-inspired "A Public Execution," or the sheer studio art of bands like the Strangeloves and the Third Rail on the original LP? Nuggets wasn't just about mining the dingy garages of America, you know- it was about diving headfirst into the untapped musical gold mines of the 60s, peering into the shadow of the 'Stones and the Monkees to see what else was going on, and finding out that the answer was a resounding "a whole lot!" It's about artyfacts, man, artyfacts, and it don't matter where you dug 'em up from as long as you really dug 'em, dig? And that's why this set is a great addition to the Nuggets family, and why every fan of great music owes it to themselves to pick up a copy.



2. Forget the "half-loaf" commentary, this set of 'off the radar' progressive rock music is excellent. I've been listening to Nuggets collections since the original two record set was released in 1976. This particular collection of music from '76 to '96 is flawless in recording and content. Each cut is a hit in and of itself. If you loved college radio through the 70's, 80's and 90's, this is THE collection that brings it all back. You'll find no filler, no 'top 40' garbage, no tricks, just plenty of guitar, hooks, blues riffs, rhythm and vocals...'three chords and the truth' is what it's all about. Check out ALL the Nuggets collections, they're all really great, but there isn't enough stars for this one.



3. The previous 2 nuggets were incredible. Fortunately, the 3rd edition does not disappoint either. A treasure trove of great pop ditties and well worth the purchase price. These 3 editions are the best compilations ever.



4. With such a fertile field of recordings to draw from and guys like Little Steven involved, I thought it would be a lot better. I love garage rock and the era of garage rock revivalism, but I found this set to be about 2/3 filler with alot of bands included that I just wonder why they were selected... and then of the bands selected, I can't figure out why they picked the songs they did when I know the artist has far superior work. Get your self an FM tuner and a CD burner and record just about any episode of Little Steven's Underground Garage show and it will be better than this collection. Some really great gems in there though if you have the cash to pop for this expensive set.



5. Unlike the first 2 Nuggets boxes which were both chock-o-block with essential garage classics, this one has about half a disc of essentials and the rest are YAWN!
   And since when do rockabilly, surf music, sunshine pop or prog rock get included under the "Nuggets" banner? Those styles would never have made it onto the original Nuggets collections, so why this one? The spectrum of "retro" influences seems to have widened too far to make any conceptual sense.
   Nevertheless I'm very happy to have discovered a few treasures I probably wouldn't find anywhere else. But at this price, not so happy!

2 comments about Volume I.

1. Listen Folks, let me preface this short review by saying that I adore Billy Bragg's early catalog. His music was so important to my psyche back in college during the mid to late 80's. I owned the original Vinyl releases. I purchased this box set on the strength of the rarities and the DVD's. Everything sounds fab and there are quite few music eye openers. Great job on compiling the b-sides and rare tracks. But, and I mean a huge but, what is the deal with no liner notes (History, timeline, details on songs more and/or rare photos)? I mean isn't a box set the time for an artist to really shine with background history? You get one very sort blurb from Wiggy in the booklet and a few reproductions of album covers, very few photos and tiny credits for each disc, and lyrics from original Album and EP tracks only. No separate booklet or sleeve notes for any of the 2 disc re-releases. The sound is great and I'm half glad I purchased the box set, but I'd whish they put a little more time and effort into the package as a whole. Billy's core fans deserve more! (Note: The individual 2 disc re-releases are no different than the ones contained in box. The only real bonus is the extra DVD)



2. I'm a big Billy Bragg fan; I find him one of the most musical songwriters around and a real poet; he's equally gifted at both. This is a full collection of his solo (post Riff Raff) work of the 1980's and very early 1990's, still as fresh and as vital today as on release. Having the whole set of these disks together reminds you of how *consistantly* good he is; particularly when the only weak tune to my ears is a cover (train train). It makes you realize how thin most albums are when they typically can barely contain a couple of good singles (that may or may not stand the test of time); here are 5 (on four discs) strong and complete works together. Oh yeah, and bonus DVD, rarities, outakes and demos are a treat to a fan.