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!

3 comments about Costello & Nieve (Ltd. Ed. Live 1996 5-disc box set - LA/San Francisco/Chicago/Boston/New York).

1. Picked up this somewhat hard to find live collection from a used-like-new vendor on Amazon for under $30...an excellent value. It's surprisingly well produced for the most part, though I do find myself tweaking the volume control occasionally.
   
   Only some narrowness of song selection and a couple of 'clunkers' keep this from 5 stars. 'All This Useless Beauty' tunes are the centerpiece. If you don't like ATUB, you'll be wasting your money here.
   
   'It's Time', 'Man Out of Time', 'You Bowed Down', 'Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes' and 'I Want to Vanish' are among the best cuts. However, the versions here of 'Little Atoms' and 'All This Useless Beauty' far exceed their studio-brothers and are the real finds for Costello completists looking to embellish their desert island best-of collections.



2. Excellent stuff, better than I expected. They play almost all of Useless Beauty (a favorite of mine) and a bunch of older tunes. The commentary between tracks is funny and insightful. Grab this if you can find it!



3. Unsurprisingly these songs sound fantastic stripped down to guitar and piano (Pete Thomas plays drums on a few cuts). Only 30,000 of these were pressed ... 5 eps from 5 different concerts that the duo played in 1996. Your EC collection is incomplete without this one!

5 comments about The CD Singles, Vol. 2: 1991-1995.

1. This box set contains a treasure of melodies and poetry.This singles can make us get fun but no without make changes in our mind and soul.morrissey knows the measure of the sadness and happiness of the human soul.Morrissey makes the words means a lot and his music fills the empty spaces in our souls.Listen " Interlude" and try not to think about love and life.



2. Being that there are 9 cds included in this set, it is a bit overwhelming at first. This period in Moz's career happens to be my personal favorite, and there are some absoute gems included in this collection. As other reviewers mentioned, the single for "Now My Heart is Full" is not included. However, the Bsides for that are easily obtained: Moonriver (extended)is included in this boxset (on the "Hold Onto Your Friends" single), and Jack the Ripper (live) is on "Beethoven is Deaf." So the exclusion of that cd does not detract from the overall package.

   Actually, for the time period in question ('91-'95), there are 3 excluded singles that are required for the absolute completist. Those singles are for "Dagenham Dave" and 2 singles for "The Boy Racer." As you know, those singles are from "Southpaw Grammar" and I'm assuming because the rights to those singles are owned by RCA Victor, they could not be included in this box set. The Boy Racer singles each have 2 live tracks as B-sides, which are not as critical, BUT the Dagenham Dave single is A MUST BUY. The b-sides on that are "Nobody Loves Us" and "You Must Please Remember." They are both amazing songs and are not to be missed. Please find this single on ebay, so you can enjoy these bsides.

   Now that I've covered what's NOT included, back to the box set:

   The packaging is basically cardboard sleeves for the singles, which have reproductions of the original cover art. While this isn't as nice as having actual jewel cases, it isn't so bad. You can still get a general sense of the cover art for each single. I should add that the single for "We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful" has a "gatefold" cardboard sleeve. A nice touch (and the least they could do!). The box itself is also cardboard, my only complaint with it is that the flip top "cigarette" style lid will not stay completely closed. It's always hanging slightly open. All in all though, the packaging is pretty nice.

   The music included in this collection is classic. We all know that Moz's bsides are usually of album quality (if not better!). The live bsides are nice to hear, but the real gems here are the studio bsides. Highlights include "Jack the Ripper," "Moonriver," "Whatever Happens I Love You" and "A Swallow on My Neck."

   Save yourself the effort of buying these singles seperately. This is definitely a nice collection to have. I highly reccomend it.

   One final note: since everyone seems to wonder, the song "There Speaks a True Friend" cuts off at the end. Your copy isn't broken...they all do that.




3. The single for "Now My Heart Is Full" was only released in the United States. The B-sides; "Moon River" and "Jack the Ripper(live)" are both readily availible elsewhere. This set and the first singles box contain every originally released UK single 1988-1995.



4. I was elated beyond compare with the first collection of Morrissey's first ten solo singles, and equally pleased to note the release of a second companion set. Beginning with one of his prettiest singles, "My Love Life", through the cuts from "Your Arsenal" and "Vauxhall And I", and the last few singles before "Maladjusted" rounds out the set quite nicely.
   
   In addition to the familiar a-sides and the hard-to-find b-sides, perhaps the most thrilling aspect of this set is that the cd sleeves duplicate all the original artwork the individual singles originally had. "Hold On To Your Friends" even replicates the gatefold design, replete with lyrics and a photograph of Morrissey.



5. Hello ! Before i start this text, i must excuse me for my bad english ! I'm from Quebec so i speak french... Do you accept me ?
   This second issue of box-set collection is a pleasure for all the fans of Moz. This cigarette case is enjoyable and the pleasure to have a complete singles collection is also "plastic"- the pleasure to have the covers arts. But in fact, if you have all the albums of Moz and you like all of his songs, you dont have arguments to unlike this second box-set ! Enjoy it !

1 comments about The Collection: The Clash/London Calling/Combat Rock.

1. i have the clash on broadway, which is awesome, but it has a few "edited versions", why? i dunno, somebody needs a smack. anyway if you are like me and trying to get your albums/tapes on cds while also buying all the great new stuff that's out there, it can get pretty *^%&()* expensive and let me tell you, this is CHEAP! it also comes with 3 little booklets, london calling and combat rock have all the lyrics in case you don't already know them, and if you don't wtf are you doing even looking @ this, go buy blink 182 or something. that's right. :P

3 comments about Erasure 3 / EBX Singles.

1. This review goes for all the four box sets. I, for one, cannot see the point in all these pointless remixes. Once you have heard the song, fine...what I think would have been better would be to collect a double album of all erasure's B-sides. That would be more comprehensive and interesting, rather than 100 remixes of 'breath of life' for example.



2. Where as boxed sets 1&2 still managed to leave a tiny bit of stuff out, this volume gives everything you'd want from every single on it. Plus, this is the ONLY place you'll ever get the complete Crackers International in its entirety on 1 single disc. Some things to note on this volume:
   
   CD1
   FLAWLESS. This is what the original US release of Crackers International should have been-but instead, it omitted God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman and gave us EDITS of some of the extended versions. This disc has the original mixes of Stop, the hardest part, and Knocking at Your Door, AND the full length 12" remixes. And of course, the two Christmas songs, God Rest Ye and She Won't Be Home.
   
   CD2
   this is an EXACT replica of the original US CD single of Drama. Only difference is, the order of the tracks is slightly different.
   
   CD3
   AT LAST, the Mark Saunders fast dance mix of You Surround Me is readily available, along with 3 other mixes. Plus you get more mixes of 91 steps and Supernature than I ever knew existed.
   
   CD4
   All 4 versions of Star from the original US CD single, but here, you get 2 extra mixes of Dreamlike State.
   
   CD5
   So much more than the original US CD single, which didn't include the original versions of Runaround on the Underground and No GDM. They are both here, as well as the 2 remixes. The Zeuss B. Held mix of No GDM from the US CD single is called the "Unfinished mix" here. Plus you get all four mixes of Blue Savannah. And of course, Supernature, the Orbit mix, which was on the US CD single, is included on disc 4 of this boxed set.



3. This is a 12" dance remix collection, so be advised. You'll hear the same songs over and over again, but remixed. These are the actual 12" singles the club DJ's used in the late 80's.

   Having said all that: This collection of music is honestly just great! The casual Erasure fans will want to pass this by. The description says it has five singles: 'Crackers International', 'Drama!', 'You Surround Me', 'Blue Savannah' & 'Star'. Well, `Crackers International' was NOT a single, but an EP. The original album contained six songs: "Stop!" "Hardest Part" "Stop! [12" Remix]" "Knocking on Your Door" "She Won't Be Home" and "Knocking on Your Door [12" Remix]"

   Look at Disc 1, it contains all those songs, but has two versions of "The Hardest Part" (a longer version) and three versions of "Knocking on Your Door".

   All of these 12" singles came out at the height of Erasure's popularity. Now don't kill me all you Erasure fans (I'm one too!). I know they're still making albums! I've been blasting "Other People's Songs" more often then not, but all these tracks were HUGE club hits in their day. I remember the dance floor being packed when I spun "Stop!" and "Drama" and the crowed screaming when "Blue Savannah" or "Star" was mixed in.

   These tracks show what true remixing is. Each remix really is a song in and of itself, not just "another version" of the track. I think the four versions of "Star" really show that. Each is great! Different from one another, yet you know they are the same song.

   There are four box sets: Ebx1 - 3, and Erasure 4. I'd put this one, Ebx3, as my #2 favorite. #1 is Erasure 4. You gotta love a box set that includes "Abba-Esque".

5 comments about Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology.

1. "Between Thought and Expression" is a good starting point or survey of Lou Reed's career while on the RCA and Arista labels, but much like the man himself it can be erratic and challenging and is far from a complete picture. Reed has made a career out of challenging people's perceptions of him as a vocalist, songwriter, and musician and if anything this box set will reaffirm that! Reed played an active role is the song selections and sequencing rather than having outside individuals tamper with how he is projected to the world; typically him isn't it? Many of Reed's most memorable tracks (I can't really call them hits; he never had that many) are all here and included are many other surprises including "Metal Machine Music" from the widely panned eponymous release. Along the way "Between Though..." shows Lou Reed's (dare I say) maturity as an artist and showcases his considerable songwriting talents. Daresay that "The Original Wrapper" is no "Sweet Jane" but then again Lou was, and is, all about challenging who you perceive him to be. Yes, there are tracks I'd like to have had included here and others I could do without, but this is good enough for a start. Prepare to be challenged!



2. Lou Reed's solo career is notoriously erratic, and for anyone looking for a good introduction or a good summary, this is your best choice. A three CD set over three hours long, it has almost everything going for it. Everything's been remastered by Bob Ludwig from the original sources (in many cases, much better than other currently available CD's), the extensive liner notes by Rob Bowman is very well-written, incorporating a great deal of input by Lou himself, and the track selection by Lou and Bowman is very good. Every studio Lp recorded from 1972 (Lou's self-titled solo debut) to 1986 (MISTRIAL, his final Lp with RCA) is covered as well as a handful of choice live cuts and rarities. Every important aspect is given equal representation, from tender confessionals ("Think It Over"), raging confessionals ("The Blue Mask," "The Last Shot") political anthems ("Voices Of Freedom"), avant-garde experiments ("The Bells"), and even expert pop ("My Friend George").

   This is almost everything you'd want from Lou Reed's RCA/Arista output (later Sire/WB albums like NEW YORK and MAGIC AND LOSS are worth owning), but it's not definitive. A few key tracks are missing, at very least, "Perfect Day" from TRANSFORMER, "I Wanna Be Black" from STREET HASSLE which Lou was hesitant to include, "Families" or "All Through The Night" from THE BELLS, a few more tracks from THE BLUE MASK and LEGENDARY HEARTS, and "I Love You Suzanne" from NEW SENSATIONS (his finest pop hit ever).

   It's a minor complaint, because TRANSFORMER is a popular album, THE BELLS is love-it-or-hate-it (some think it's one of his best, others think it's a career killer), and THE BLUE MASK, LEGENDARY HEARTS, and NEW SENSATIONS are three rock-solid albums, arguably Lou's best run, so anyone who misses those tracks will probably buy the albums.

   Normally I wouldn't recommend a three-CD box set as a first purchase, but in used condition, this set can be found CHEAP. Look around on ebay, or better yet here (as of this writing, there are THREE complete sets selling here for less than $10). Why pay $12 for one of Lou's subpar single disc collections, or a two-disc "NYC Man" when you can get this set for less? A nice introduction, after this set, check out THE BLUE MASK and NEW YORK, and if you still want more, check out TRANSFORMER, LEGENDARY HEARTS, and NEW SENSATIONS for Lou's more accessible side, and THE BELLS, BERLIN, and MAGIC AND LOSS for Lou's darker, somewhat more experimental side.




3. One could argue that Lou Reed peaked early in his career. His first band the vaunted Velvet Underground's influence re-wrote rock and roll's codes of values (at some level at least)in their short exsitance of 1966 through 1970. Their four studio albums have defined a style which still has impact today, some thirty years after they broke up. Though Lou's solo career never reached those daunting levels consistantly, this box shows that some of that early magic has continued well into the 80's.

   Reed's solo career has been filled with numerous peaks (THE BLUE MASK, BERLIN, TRANSFORMER), valleys (METAL MACHINE MUSIC, MISTRIAL, ROCK AND ROLL HEART) and a whole lot of in betweens. This collection contains the highlights from his good albums and rescues a number of great tracks from his lesser works, and has a generous helping of good, quality unreleased and rare tracks to boot.

   Any VU or Lou Reed fan would be well advised to check this out, especially if there are gaps in your collection. I'm sure that anyone would add and subtract certain selections, as I would, but overall this is of excellent quality.




4. Those still trying to ward off the 'Ecstasy' CD can put down their crucifix's and play a little reminder of when the old groaner could turn out the odd diverting ditty. His voice has been likened to the creaking door of Frankenstien's castle, and he can be self indulgent with it live, often irritatingly refusing to keep time. Here, the live cuts keep this under control. 'Berlin' needs to be heard as a whole and room could have been made there for a couple of other rarities. Overall, ain't got no complaints.



5. Lou Reed's recorded catalog is frustrating for the average music buyer. He has plenty of great songs that are buried onto mediocre or ill-conceived albums. Fortunately, "Between Thought and Expression" contains many of his best moments from before the release of 1989's "New York" album. The best part is that it contains six cuts from his best 1970s album "Berlin" and mercifully contains only a short snippet from the atrocious double disc "Metal Machine Music" album that nearly destroyed his career. His biggest hit single "Walk on the Wild Side" is here along with his smokin' extended live version of "Sweet Jane." The only truly regrettable exclusion is "Wild Child" which is one of his best songs. Overall, this is a fine anthology album from one of rock's most eccentric figures.

3 comments about Greenpeace: Rainbow Warriors.

1. I picked this up while I was in college from a second-hand store. These two tapes turned out to be the best. road. tapes. ever. Very useful considering I had a 5.5 hour drive to visit my family and the big city. Brilliant.



2. There are 2 discs in this set both with the same # 075992423625.
   
   Tracks Disc #1:
   1. 4:34 U2 / Pride (In The Name Of Love)
   
   
   2. 4:15 The Pretenders / Middle Of The Road
   
   
   3. 4:07 Belinda Carlisle / Heaven Is A Place On Earth
   
   
   4. 4:17 World Party / Ship Of Fools
   
   
   5. 4:30 Eurythmics / When Tomorrow Comes
   
   
   6. 4:22 Bryan Ferry / Don't Stop The Dance
   
   
   7. 3:32 Sting / Love Is The Seventh Wave
   
   
   8. 4:01 Aswad / Set Them Free
   
   
   9. 4:25 Greatful Dead / Throwing Stones
   
   
   10. 5:18 Little Steven / Balance
   
   
   11. 3:10 INXS / This Time
   
   
   12. 4:23 Thompson Twins / Lay Your Hands On Me
   
   
   13. 3:01 R.E.M. / It's The End Of The WorldAs We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
   
   
   14. 4:43 Huey Lewis And The News / Small World
   
   
   15. 7:13 The Silencers / Scottish Rain
   
   
   16. 3:45 Lou Reed / Last Great American Whale
   
   
   17. -69:23 Talking Heads / City Of Dreams
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   Tracks Disc #2:
   1. 5:08 Simple Minds / Waterfront (Live)
   
   
   2. 4:44 Bryan Adams / Somebody
   
   
   3. 5:38 Peter Gabriel / Red Rain
   
   
   4. 5:29 Bruce Hornsby And The Range / Look Out Any Window
   
   
   5. 5:07 John Farnham / You're The Voice
   
   
   6. 5:00 The Waterboys / The Whole Of The Moon
   
   
   7. 4:13 Basia / Miles Away
   
   
   8. 3:51 Blue Rodeo / Rebel
   
   
   9. 5:19 Terence Trent D'Arby / Let's Go Forward
   
   
   10. 4:19 John Cougar Mellencamp / We Are The People
   
   
   11. 5:46 Martin Stephenson And The Daintees / Wholly Humble Heart
   
   
   12. 4:04 Hothouse Flowers / Hard Rain
   
   
   13. 4:58 Robbie Robertson / Somewhere Down The Crazy River
   
   
   14. 4:45 Sade / I Will Be Your Friend
   
   
   15. 5:18 Dire Straits / Why Worry



3. I assume the proceeds from this went to a worthy cause. But more importantly, this is a great sampler of the late 80's alt/pop music scene. It's a 2 cd set, although I believe you can get them seperately. DISC ONE has 17 tracks of great bands like U2, Pretenders, Sting, INXS, Bryan Ferry, the Grateful Dead, REM, Lou Reed, and many more. DISC TWO is 14 tracks with Peter Gabriel, the Waterboys, John Mellencamp, Sade, and others. Disc one is the better of the two. It would be nice if Greenpeace released a new compilation like this. Too bad there's just not the same quality of groups around today. And too bad this is out of print. Peace.

5 comments about The Stiff Records Box Set.

1. Look over the list of artists on the CD, the ones you recognize - go out and buy all their CD's. While STIFF was great in the late 1970's as the conveyor of UK/Euro indie music - most of the best artists moved on - what's left is an interesting time capsule of that the last 70's and very early 80's. There is reason Humphrey Ocean & the Hardy Annuals or Mick Farren are forgotten. At the time, they were loud and brash and a nice antidote to the soft rock era of the 1970's but from that emerged Costello, Nick Lowe, and hundreds of artists you can name & remember ... and of course, leaving most of these guys & women behind ... so if you're a completist collector, you'll want these tracks but for listening beyond the names you recognize? Not so much. They are pretty much out-dated minor league stuff and the sound quality is not that great here so for a lot of reasons, you're better buying artist specific CD's or a more accessible collection of pre-new wave tracks that contain the "one-hit" wonder tracks anyway.



2. Disc 1 & 2 are the whole reason to buy this, with a few cuts from disc 3 thrown in as a bonus. Probably more economical to have your old 45 RPM versions converted to CD (and keep those goofy quips engraved in each record's blank space next to the label).



3. Stiff is one of those wacky labels that always seemed to sneak by just under the pop radar.

   I received this set as a gift a few years ago, and couldn't be happier about it. This collection is so full of unknown bits of whimsy and little-known cuts by more popular artist that it starts to become more of a treasure chest than a "best of."

   Ian Drury of "Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll" fame appears as vocals on several other cuts including "Kitchen at Parties." This collection is full of simmilar fun little nuggets.

   So much of the "alternative" music scene that was largely contained by British borders seems to be archived here, and it's fun to tap into it. Americans (such as myself) who always thought that the band Madness was largely a one hit wonder will be surprised by the spastic "Baggy Trousers," a song I enjoyed so much I have purchased several Madness CDs since hearing it.

   While Elvis Costello originally got his start on Stiff, he has only one song here - probably a god thing, as we all have a good idea what he sounds like - leaving more room for the lesser known artists of Stiff.

   There is a charming wackiness to this collection and to the whole Stiff attitude. This is a great collection for exploring what the Brits were doing while we tollerated Dexy's Midnight Runners.

   Oh! Special bonus: There is a fabulous (FABULOUS) cut of Desmond Dekker's "Isrealites" on disc three. This along merits purchasing this set.




4. Strange...I remember trying to search for this boxed set earlier in the year and coming up with nil for my efforts. Then, after accidentally finding it in a New York record store and acquiring it right away, I find it on here. Must be my mind playing tricks on me.

   In any case, I'm not old enough to have lived through the era from which these songs sprung, but the appeal of the music easily traverses the generation gap. I haven't even yet explored all of this set and it's already been some of the most fun listening experiences I've had while listening to "older music": Elvis Costello, The Belle Stars, Nick Lowe, Kirsty MacColl...and personal favourite, spunky popster Rachel Sweet. Vivacious and highly entertaining. My only complaint is that the liner notes are somewhat flimsy. Though full of the kind of tongue-in-cheek humour that, apparently, Stiff Records was famous for, the result of the non-journalistic approach is that there's very little real information on the music, the history, the label, and the context, hidden by the cheeky writing and witticisms. I for one would've liked some more detached, professional journalism to inform me of the significance of this music such as in that Amplifier article I had read (which led me to look for this boxed set in the first place). So on the packaging front, much is left to be desired. But the music is uniquely appealing, a world of its own.




5. I was in my teens when this kind of music was played on the radio , I lived in ex Yugoslavia and I was reading a lot about the new wave and all those stuff i England. I loved those groups but I never actually had a chance to listen all those recors ( I Lived in ex Yugoslavia for Gud`s sake ) , now I lived in Sweden and have money to buy records but I am not 13 , 14 , 15 years old anymore and the music doesn`t mean EVERYTHING to me. This box remaind me what music can do with your life and how it is to be 17 again . By this one , no metter how old you are , this is history.

5 comments about Lazy Line Painter Jane.

1. Apparently the old ep's from this group were, atypically for almost all bands releasing as many as B&S did, reliable for quality. No complaints here, although anyone who is a fan would know this particular ep would be a biased starting point to judge, since the title track became one of their most beloved tracks. Although it is not needed for those who have plenty of lp's to go, rest assured the brief time is marked with quality.



2. Now look, I don't care what else is on there, but I just spent 2 hours listening to the title track and being a Velvet Underground-o-phile I can say this is what the VU anno 69 might have sounded like if Uncle Lou had allowed a great female voice once in a while. True she sounds a little overly theatrical at first, but then again what do you expect from a song recorded in a church. Anyway, this one has less Smiths (you know, the group with the great lyrics but boring vocals), les Simon & Garfunkel and less Hazey Jane II (Nick Drake) in it than their other early songs, and more VU... so you won't hear me complaining.
   As it happens, the other three are also good, though not as astral as the title track. Combined with the text on the cover, it is a feeling we've all been to. Long ago maybe. But then again, it should never be long ago. Sweeping chorus. I was just thinking how absolutely right this would sound sung by Iggy Pop & Kate Pierson... mmmm



3. This is a superb box set and showcases songwriting as elegantly economic and sincere as lazy Jane's art. The keynote of great art is sincerity and that's what resonates here. Oh yes, "She will have a boy tonight"! The subject of the cover art is the breathtaking Thea Martin. I wrote this for her:
   
   Not A Poem
   
   (For Thea Rosamund Caromy Martin)
   
   
   This is not a poem, this a kiss:
   
   Pure joy, pure hope, pure passion between lips:
   
   True God, from true God, pure light from pure light.
   
   Warms you through the night, ends all dreams.
   
   You've always known this kiss exists.
   
   
   
   Loves you completely, from the first,
   
   Shares every chimera, every wish when you wake,
   
   Honours your best, forgives your worst;
   
   Loves you at a moment's reconnaissance
   
   of your olive eyes and sizzling lips, cerise;
   
   
   
   your finespun frame and golden breast,
   
   wrapped in red-ribbon and jet jacket,
   
   vested in genius wit, in words that tease and strip
   
   to Thea Rosamund Caromy Martin: soul, mate -
   
   sagacious, conscious, correctly proud not to be pathetic
   
   
   
   At your worst, you are God's church:
   
   the sinfully rapturous sinews of strength that fit, no, furbish
   
   your summer dress as I walk with you, along the criossette
   
   and cannot hide under your Annie Hall hat
   
   the masterpiece you read in me or the heart in you saying yes
   
   
   
   that yeilds to kindness because it is kind and
   
   cannot camouflage with the ice of a gifted mind
   
   your wisdom once unheralded: girlish intuitiveness
   
   that always understood the universe,
   
   in your smile, scent and kittenish purrs;
   
   
   
   nor the wisdom won in bloody battles, of the woman exalted:
   
   by the pervading pulse and secret sighs of your soul's home,
   
   you speak the truth alone: melted musical, sprinkled manna;
   
   merry mouth, lovely, salted sores of centuries,
   
   little sugar droplets ceaselessly stirring
   
   
   
   while I shiver beneath the cinerous sky,
   
   under the hovering torrent that worked its way inside.
   
   So how could you not notice I am still student?
   
   still convict on last ship to Australia, lying low in soup kitchens with
   
   cats just coolin' to escape college or gallows;
   
   
   
   yet, in your visionary grasp, suddenly I've outgrown my in-jokes
   
   to be on quest, mote jueste, for a signature grail
   
   for a word to rub and heal your poor, tired feet,
   
   hammer a nail, sling an axe, bow to bride,
   
   if words such as these are truly more than poetry
   
   
   
   to unlock a kingdom's chest or spin the gold of your breast:
   
   not words at all but your kiss in my kiss and, again, your kiss.
   
   all that is me is yours: my reach in rivers overflown
   
   my fingers in your hair, my face in your hands,
   
   my heart thumping hard at your soft, soft centre of self.
   
   
   
   This kiss is not a clanging bell, it is music.
   
   This kiss is not an infidel, it is tantric.
   
   This kiss is not science, it is mystic.
   
   This kiss always listens before it speaks.
   
   This kiss is not a patriarch, it is holy spirit.
   
   
   
   This kiss is karma: Life giving to life,
   
   goodness giving to goodness, giving back safely all magic and bliss
   
   that began in the moonlight of the Petit Majestic
   
   Is life's rich marrow, yesterday, today and tomorrow:
   
   Slow and serene, it melts but never goes away
   
   
   
   This kiss does not possess, does not scream, "Me!",
   
   never asks if its happy. It just is.
   
   This kiss waits peacefully and authentically:
   
   in celebration, the act of love,
   
   without condition, without risk.
   
   
   
   © J Harkness 2005



4. Belle and Sebastian have been making great pop music for nearly a decade now, and some of their best work isn't on any studio album. You'll find great gems like "Lazy Line Painter Jane" and "The State I Am In" on this set, but why stop there? You could pay $18 for this box set. But there's a better option now.
   
   A new 2 disc set has surfaced, thanks to Matador. It's called PUSH BARMAN TO OPEN OLD WOUNDS, and it contains all these songs and more for a cheaper price. If you're looking for non-album tracks from Scotland's best band, I'd say the decision is a no-brainer. Buy PUSH BARMAN instead - it's the price of a single disc album, and you get 25 tracks from all EP's 1997-2001. What a deal.



5. Unabashed pop music, but richly so in a melancholy vein. Like a slow gin fizz. When the band's emotions get pumping, as on the track "Lazy Line Painter Jane", you can expect a shattering climax. Belle & Sebastian's early EP's are gathered together here impeccably, with great sound and artwork(but with teeny-tiny liner notes). It's the band performing at almost their peak(which eventually came with the "Arab Strap" album). Be sure to listen for the hidden track on the third disc. The lack of a female lead vocal(except on the title track)may be disappointing, but the melodies surely make up for this. Quite beautifully felt, surprisingly not redundant or repetitive(as the band became on "Waitress").

5 comments about Classic Rock Hits.

1. Er... this would be 80's popular hits... not classic rock, as it is normally defined. Good songs if the CD were titled "80's Hits."



2. It's not really about "classic rock." That's just a term made up by some marketting company, to help radio stations make their corporate playlist seem believable. Any station playing Orthodox Rock will not deviate from the catechism (list of songs) - listen carefully. To paraphrase Led Zeppelin, one of the pillars of orthodox rock, the songs remain the same.
   
   For example, the Carpenters are not a part of Orthodox Rock, but they are a part of (true) classic rock history... I mean, they were the biggest selling group of the 1970s (which pointing out usually makes Orthodox Rock believers most unhappy).



3. This boxed set isn't really classic rock except for a few tracks, but even still, it's some pretty good music. And for the price, you get 3 cds, you can't beat it. If you're looking for some cool tunes, pick this one up



4. Pls tell me tat tis BoxSet is a JOKE!!!! Classic Rock - REO, Romantics ... BANGLES??? its more like Classic New Wave. Only thing good would be the price. Pls ... who ever the A&R people are ... pls ... pls ... design something better



5. THIS IS A PERFECT COLLECTION TO BE TITLED HARD TO FIND HITS FROM, ETC.. I FIND IT VERY HARD TO FIND THE ONE HIT ARTIST SONGS I WOULD LIKE I GUESS IF YOU LIKE THESE SONGS IT WOULD BE NICE TO BUY JUST THIS ONE CD! i WISH THEY WOULD PUT MONY MONY, ITCHACOO PARK, SPIRIT IN THE SKY, LOUIE LOUIE ALL of the ones I really don't feel like buying the entire CD's again since there is so much new stuff I would rather spend my money on!