1 comments about Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 2.

1. This cd set is fantastic. If you like the band you'll love this. The sound is amazing!!!

No comments about Singles Box, Vol. 3.

2 comments about Eighties Complete, Vol. 2.

1. with a great mix of 80s hits, many US hits plus some that were only hits in Australia, this boxed set is a nice way to start your 80s collection. But for collectors who are trying to replace their old vinyl 12" singles on CD, there are two unexpected treats here. You get the full 6 minute Steve Thompson 12" verison of "Too Late for Goodbyes" by Julian Lennon AND the 5 minute and 35 second 12" version of "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters! Totally awesome!



2. Some really great songs but some one hit wonders that make you wonder why they were even wonders.

2 comments about Ambient Boxed: A Guide by Instinct.

1. None of the mono-thump-thump here. Disc 3 has the earthiest depth, reminding me of Biosphere or Robert Rich, and equally varied. Other disks can be what people tend to call experimental, but then all real music is experimental. Maybe it's not even music, but atmospherics or (I'll say it) "ambient." I keep coming back to this, just as I keep going back to "Substrata" for my fix of strange inner goings on. This four-disc set is worth every penny at twice the price. This is not just a good place to start; it's a great place to revisit regularly.



2. ah, Instinct. one of the premier ambient labels, on the same level with FAX, WARP, and several others. the type of label where you can feel confident buying any release because you know they don't put out crap...

   the new 4 CD box set covers a lot of ground, and provides a great primer for the new ambient lover, or especially for those of us who don't want to pay outrageous prices for the out of print Instinct stuff on ebay.

   most of the artists that have released ambient music on Instinct are represented here in this set. great intro essay as well in the booklet that comes with the set.

   highly, highly recommended. 21st century thinking music.

5 comments about Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century.

1. This is an impressive collection-- a century's worth of great music. 26 discs, covering many different genres.
   
   And while there is plenty of variety here, it is very much weighted to the modern era. Only eight of the 26 discs contain pre-1950 material, and of those eight, most contain only about half-a-disc's worth of pre-1950 material. It is certainly true that fewer recordings were made in the early days of the technology, but to call it a "Soundtrack for a Century" and ignore half the century seems very misguided.
   
   What would have made a much more interesting collection would have been a set that looked at the most popular recordings of each era and genre. Since there are six discs of "pop" music here, why not divide the discs into roughly equal spans of time (1900-1915, 1915-1930, 1930-1945, etc.) and include the top-selling records of that era? The same with classical, jazz, r&b, and so on. This would make for a much more balanced collection.
   
   I recommend this set only if you find it for an incredibly good price. There is a lot of fascinating music here, but the collection is not good enough to warrant the extremely high price tag.



2. When it comes to box sets it is really hit or miss. And any box set that is over $100 has a bigger chance of sitting on the shelf for years than a cheaper one. Sony should have sold the disks individually. I think they would have made A LOT more revenue off this unit. I ended up getting a lot of the songs I wanted (20s, 30s, 40s) from iTunes. Just because selling it as a box set makes it convenient doesn't mean it will set. There are 5 or 6 discs that I would buy. But I can't afford nor want it ALL. Check it out on iTunes before you buy. It was a great idea and effort on Sony's part. I wish more studios would do these kinds of compilations!



3. The sample tracks are actually the first five tracks on disc 25 (even though they are next to the first 5 tracks of disc 1. There are over 400 hundred tracks- but only 5 sample tracks we can listen to- doesn't seem right.
   Many good songs- but the collection is way to pricey. If you don't have any of these songs, or not too many, maybe it is a good deal, but most people already have a fair amount of these songs.



4. Yes, there is some great music on this set. That is undeniable. No, I wouldn't even dream of buying it. Basically, to sum it up, anything set that places work by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong next to the "work" of Will Smith or Mariah Carrey is an abomination that must be scorned at all costs. By placing art beside garbage, the attempt is to elevate the garbage, but the result is that it defames the art. The existence of this set insults me. I could just see the vapid Sony Music suits pieceing together this monstrosity--- This set, in a word, disgusts me. By placing the sublime beside the profane, Sony has insulted serious music fans everywhere. At best, this could serve as a thesis about the Kamikaze-decline of popular music over the years. Revolting. Go build your own record collection, don't let some dim-wit corporate tool do it for you.



5. I was happy to see Bob Dylans work on the albums so many times. His work is truly brilliant but i don't know why they put The Byrds version of Mr.Tambourine man instead of his.

5 comments about Space Box: 1970 & Beyond (Space, Krautrock & Acid Trips).

1. When I first got this fantastic 3-CD collection,I believe that I,personally contacted the label,Cleopatra to tell them just HOW MUCH I like,no make that nearly worship 'Space Box...'.When I first recieved this release,I hadn't even heard of most of the 36 different artists.In the CD booklet,they let you know the address of most of the artists so that interested parties can contact the bands themselves to find out more.I've done it and THANKS to 'Space Box...' I'm actually in touch now with a few of the bands.Some of my favorites through out the three discs are Architectural Metaphor whose track "Brainticket" I simply cannot get enough of.Also really like Kluster's "22:09",Conrad Schnitzler's "Contrapuntal Interstellar" and Dark Matter's "Past Zero Time".So MANY cool tunes here,also liked the couple of Chrome cuts like the trend-setting "3rd From The Sun" and Helios Creed's eerie "Leaving The Body".Melting Euphoria has a non-lp never released tune on here,"In Aquarian Dream" which pretty much defines modern day space rock in itself.There are several Hawkwind and related tracks present,like the 12" version of "Valium 10",Nik Turner's recital of "Ten Seconds Of Forever",Michael Moorcock's "Time Center" and Harvey Bainbridge with "The Changing".Should mention that this was the place where I first discovered the bands Guru Guru,Faust,Harmonia and Porcupine Tree.Never has such an exclusive collection,like this has ever put me in touch with so many cool bands.Just about EVERY one of the 36 cuts did it for me.Consider the 'Space Box...' in a sense sort of the krautrock sacred scrolls.



2. So deep that it's almost impossible to come up with a box that spans three decades and covers a topic as broad and diffuse as "space" music. Nevertheless, this is a very fine overview of major contributors to the music genre that involves gurgling synthesizers, repetitive rhythmic patterns, and weird sounds in general. If your acquaintance with this type of music goes no further than Pink Floyd's Meddle or Kraftwerk's Autobahn, this is a fine place for further exploration. I have an extensive collection of music, and still much of this is new to me, such as the Gong sound collage that isn't on any of my many Gong albums.



3. I was pretty disappointed with a lot of the tunes on this box set: many sound like sound checks or rehearsal space jams that go on a lot longer than they should. There are a few good tracks sprinked throughout. Alien Panetscapes is a standout - but I played bass with this group for a few months (not on this lineup) so I am biased ;-).

   For some mind expanding sounds:

   space rock:
   Gong
   Hawkwind
   Ozric Tentacles (sp?)
   Alien Panetscapes

   Electronica from the 60's and beyond (academic sound):
   Ilhan Mimaroglu - Wings of the Delerious Demon
   Morton Subotnick
   Pauline Oliveros
   Milton Babbitt - Philomel

   ...




4. When I discovered "Space Box" at amazon.com I had two completely opposite reviews staring me in the face. One said it was garbage and the other said it was great. I decided to take a chance, since it was priced so economically. Boy, am I glad I did! If you like such artists as Helios Creed, Cluster, Chrome, Hawkwind and Faust, snag this one right now. Listen to these CD's a couple of times and you're liable to find yourself dialing up a few of your old friends in search of a handful of tabs! Get out your synchro-energizer and let the likes of Guru Guru and Amon Duul II take you on a little departure from our world. Actually, better make that a little departure from our galaxy! So, you ask, do I like "Space Box"? Get real. I don't like it. I love it! If you don't scarf up this set now, don't come crying to me later about how you have to shell out $50 to get it from some used CD store. I'll only say "I told you so".



5. While some material on this cd is quite good (Hawkwind, Cluster, Harmonia, the older stuff) the tracks by most of the newer bands are just plain silly, uninventive shlock that makes for filler. Try a Faust or Can album, or some Fripp/Eno stuff before wasting time on this one. The worst part is that the box is so cheesy, not to mention the typos (the worst being the exclusion of song 6 on cd 2 in the track listing -- come on, cleopatra, don't you hire someone to check these things?)

5 comments about Supernatural Fairy Tales: The Progressive Rock Era.

1. As a long-time progressive rock fan, I already own most of this stuff and as such, did not find the set particularly enlightening. Admittedly however, there were a few pleasant surprises including the unreleased track by electronica giant Klaus Schulze and the appearance of the hard rock group Wishbone Ash and a few other bands that I did not think fit under the progressive rock umbrella (and that I now enjoy very much). Regardless however, I do feel that for the prog "newbie", the set is somewhat misleading in that it delves far too deeply into styles related to progressive rock. I also wish that the compilers had restricted their coverage to the 1971 to 1976 timeframe, which was essentially the "golden age" of progressive rock.
   
   Most (not all) musicologists define progressive rock through the work of the English symphonic progressive rock groups. In this regard, Yes, Genesis, ELP, Gentle Giant, Curved Air, Renaissance and Van der graaf Generator are represented on this box set. King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Camel were not included, yet are very much part of the English progressive rock scene (evidently, Rhino experienced licensing problems). Of these groups, the absence of King Crimson on a box set (ostensibly) devoted to progressive rock is pretty bad. I say "pretty bad" because it was their 1969 debut In the Court of the Crimson King that signaled the emergence of progressive rock as a distinct genre and was an extraordinarily influential album.
   
   A number of musical styles related to progressive rock are, however, well-represented, which is a nice aspect of this box set. Progressive rock was, above all else, highly eclectic and borrowed from these related styles to varying degrees. In this regard, alongside tracks from the classic English progressive rock bands, examples of proto-progressive (The Nice/Moody Blues), psychedelic rock (Pretty Things), hard rock (Wishbone Ash/Argent), acid/space rock (Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come), Rock in Opposition (Henry Cow), Chamber progressive (Magma), Electronica (Klaus Schulze), British symphonic pop (Electric Light Orchestra), progressive folk rock (Strawbs), Krautrock (Amon Duul II/Can/Faust) and Canterbury Rock (Hatfield and the North/Caravan/Gong) are represented, in addition to other styles.
   
   There are positive aspects to the box set including the fact that it points out the very real differences between the stylistic/compositional approach of the classic English symphonic prog bands and those groups that placed greater emphasis on styles such as blues, hard rock, jazz, and the European avant-garde. Another plus is the inclusion of some of the lesser-known continental European progressive rock groups (particularly the Italian groups). My favorite "lesser known" groups include Banco, PFM, Focus, Wigwam and Le Orme. Finally, the compilers did have the sense to pick the best albums from each band, although the track selection did not seem too carefully thought out.
   
   As far as the box set itself goes, the sound quality is OK and the booklet features photos/informational blurbs for each band, along with liner notes. Unfortunately, the introductory essay was not particularly insightful and really should have focused on providing the reader with an overview of the English progressive rock style and discussed the approach to composition, the artwork and lyrics etc. In short, those properties that made the genre distinct. These properties could then have been contrasted with those associated with the related styles.
   
   All in all, I was not really sure what target audience Rhino was going for. For folks like me (part of an "aging" taste public) this box set did not present anything new. Was it then directed at the newer (possibly younger) fan that might not be familiar with this body of music? Although pretty expensive and a bit of a mess, the set does bring all of these disparate acts together into one place. Ultimately then, the set might help folks explore progressive rock and the related styles and decide for themselves what styles they like the best. Fortunately for me, I love all of this stuff.



2. Rating systems attempt to convey a sense of value for the item being reviewed - "Is this thing (cd, book, movie, gadget, etc.) worth your time and/or money?" Well, this is the lowest-rated item I've ever reviewed, and I'll try to explain why.
   
   Even as a sampler of European prog from the years 1967-76, "Supernatural Fairy Tales" fails on many levels. The first problem is that there are just so many different sub-genres of prog, including Canterbury, Symphonic, RIO, Space, Electronic, Progressive Pop and many more. So even if you like a certain sub-genre (say, RIO), you probably won't like a bunch of other stuff here (say, the prog/pop stuff).
   
   Of course, we can all quibble about how representative one or two songs could be of an entire output from one band; or how this collection excluded some obvious prog giants of the era altogether (for whatever the reason) - King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Camel, National Health...all European by the way. I can't even envision a boxed set of some of my favorite prog groups, much less of an entire sub-genre (much less of the entire genre!). If we like many of these groups, we've probably already got all 6 or 7 albums they put out between 1967-76 anyway, right? Plus you lose here the whole "concept album" idea that is so frequently integral to a progressive rock album. So this whole undertaking was very formidable, if not ill-conceived.
   
   One might indeed wonder "Why bother with this boxed set at all?" Well, if you have to pay the prices that show up here on Amazon or even on eBay, I'd say "Don't". It is not worth your time OR your money.
   
   BUT...I'll let you in on a little secret, folks. There are some pretty pristine copies of this set floating around the public library system nationwide. If, like myself, you are able to procure a copy (relatively small fee) through the interlibrary loan desk of your local branch, THEN you may have found something of value. At the very least, the packaging is attractive (with Roger Dean art work), and it comes with a fairly nice booklet with a short description of each band, their style, and the significance of the cut chosen for this collection. You may also find that odd song that you've always sought elsewhere (e.g. "America" from The Nice); or be pleasantly surprised by a song from a band that you would have never expected (e.g. "Lothlorien" from Argent); or be able to listen to that small sample of a band about whom you have always been curious (e.g. Le Orme - good shtuff!).
   
   In summary, unless you have a very wide appreciation for many styles of prog (and very little to show for it in your own personal catalog of music), this is not a very good value for your money. But find it for less (or borrow it for free!), and you may appreciate some things about the ambitious effort that Rhino made in producing this.
   
   Just don't overestimate the value of nice album art work...I give this set a lowly 1-1/2 stars.



3. 
   This 5 CD set covers a lot of ground and there is something here for everyone, particularly if you are a fan of progressive rock. All the famous bands are featured, including Yes, ELP, Genesis, Focus, Gentle Giant etc. But we also have the welcome presence of Italian proggers like Banco and PFM, and other international acts. The average listener will not like everything, but there is much here to enjoy and admire. There is a well written booklet with this boxed set with entertaining articles about the prog experience. The cover is by Roger Dean. Go on...treat yourself!



4. Every review (mine included) talks of bands left off and ones who shouldn't be there.
   This is partly because, WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE ROCK??? Define it. Hard isn't it. ELO are here with a orchestral version of Chuck Berries classic. Is it Prog? Idon't think so, although they could be considered a prog band from their early albums before they went poppy. As stated by another reviewer, some bands are left off for due to who owns the rights and thelike so we can complain, but there is nothing we can do.
   In all honesty I reccommend you buy all the albums the songs are on than this set as you will only wind up getting them anyway.
   Hope I've been useful... Toodle Pipskie (is that how you spell it?)



5. If I could give this zero stars I would. First of all, I'm a big fan of Yes, ELP, Genesis, Gentle Giant and Roxy Music. I'm not one of these people who hates this genre. This box set is incredibly depressing; it makes me question even the music I love. For example, it's great to hear Genesis' The Musical Box, but surrounded by terrible music, it sounds overblown and pretentious. Same with Karn Evil 9 and others. It feels like it was put together by someone who secretly hates progressive rock. Just because something is obscure doesn't make it "bloody glorious" as the Amazon reviewer put it (he probably doesn't like progressive rock either). If you are a fan of interesting, complex, very musical, exciting music, don't touch this box set with a ten-foot pole - it's a huge waste of fifty bucks.

3 comments about Mcluskyism.

1. They're loud, they're abrasive, they're witty and they're criminally unknown. They're the answer to the question, "what comes out when you toss Steve Albini, the Jesus Lizard, and John Lydon into a wood chipper?"
   
   Mcluskyism is a great overview of Mclusky's short career. The early tracks are stripped down blasts of punkish noise. The Albini era saw the full flowering of Mclusky's genius--distorted, sneering vocals, loud guitars, huge bass and drums.
   
   The live set on the third disc pushes the limited edition of Mcluskyism way past the single disc version. Not only is Mclusky's performance ferocious, snarling, and mean, but the way the band repeatedly slams a couple of hecklers with withering words from the stage is priceless.
   
   What's not to like? Unless you're one of those overly sensitive emo wussses.



2. I've had my eye on McLusky for quite some time now, but they've generally been expensive and, for some reason, hard to find. And I didn't know what kind of music it was. So when they came out with this reasonably-priced 3-cd set, I went ahead and got it. I was definitely not disappointed. While I tend to stay away from the harder-core stuff as I've gotten older, I still know what's good from what's junk, and this is some amazing stuff.
   
   McLusky is a harder brand of 90's post-punk ala the heavier Sebadoh or Modest Mouse, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., et al. They're from the UK and have recently disbanded. Although they never broke out of their relative obscurity, their catalogue has been enthusiastically reviewed by just about anyone with a website. The one major complaint most have had, and that I've noticed is that the first cd is a little short. Not a problem if you have the 3 cd set, of course. Also, others have noted that a few favorite tracks were left off.
   
   Get the limited 3-cd set while you can. The first cd is great, but not long enough. The second is just about as good, and the third cd offers a mish-mash of live & unreleased/alternate takes. The live stuff on cd 3 is great, much harder than you'd find on the albums, almost sounding like the Blood Brothers, and great sound quality as well.



3. Ok first off there are two versions the normal and the limited edition, get the limited edition, cuz for like $2 more you get 44 extra songs. McLusky were amazing, duh, hopefully you're already a fan, if not run out and grab this, and "McLusky Do Dallas" and" the difference between you and me..." That should cover your bases. Anyway this lil box set has everything you need to rock out: The genius "To Hell with good intentions", Alan is a cowboy killer, without msg I am nothing, rock vs. single parents and c-c-c-collagen rock! So McLusky are gone but not forgotten and so pick this baby up and cry alone in your room. Also pick up the singers new bands cd Shooting at unarmed men, its not McLusky but it's fun too. My love is bigger than your love we take more drugs than a touring funk band Sing it!

No comments about X2.

2 comments about Greatest Hits.

1. This import Box Set from Argentina is a great deal, considering the low cost. It has the 18 songs listed of The Cure's Greatest Hits, those same 18 songs performed in an Acoustic version and a Region Free DVD of the Greatest Hits which does play in my Region 1 DVD player. The DVD has videos of all 18 of the Greatest Hits, plus six videos of Acoustic versions, including A Forest, The Lovecats, Close To Me, Lullaby, Friday I'm in Love and Just Say Yes, as well as three hidden videos of The Caterpillar, Close To Me and Pictures of You. Both the picture and sound quality are great and I got my copy on Amazon.com for only $10.95 which included the cost of shipping!
   After seeing the well crafted videos of these songs, and hearing the Acoustic version of them, it has given me a whole new appreciation for The Cure. Considering the individual cost of The Greatest Hits CD or The Greatest Hits DVD, this is by far the best bargain and why you should Just Say Yes!



2. The Cure! How can you go wrong? You really can't. The Acoustic Hits are GREAT!! And I mean GREAT!! The arrangements and Sound Quality are AMAZING. BUT BEWARE! The discs are labled incorrectly. Disc 1 is labled Acoustic Hits and it is really the Greatest Hits. Disc 2 is Labled Greatest Hits and it is really the Acoustic Hits. Also the DVD is a PAL not a NTSC/All Regions as in the editorial notes. Be prepared to have a DVD player that converts PAL to NTSC. Whatever you do, buy this on for the Acoustic Hits, even if it is labled wrong.
   
   Someone who has this box set, please respond. What is your experience with this?