5 comments about Famous.

1. This was my first Puddle of Mudd CD (and my first CD purchase is in quite awhile) but I liked the majority of the song clips I heard so I went with the CD instead of individual song downloads. I was not dissapointed with my decision to purchase the entire CD.



2. This album is worthless for so many reasons. First and most importantly, the music is pretty much just watered down Nirvana over and over. The same light verse, heavy chorus, the same type of vocals. With Puddle of Mudd, however, we are lucky enough to be subjected to a glitzy string-infused sugar coating over the sharp-edged pill that was grunge, but without any of the artistry and bite. That leaves this music little more than a Pop Rock CD alternately pissing on and sodomizing Kurt Cobain's corpse. The lyrics are (as always with this band) inane, woman-hating frathouse material. No offense to any fratboys who are actually cool and respectful to women. They -and anyone else who doesn't think of women as whorish sex-objects - should avoid this disc at all costs.



3. Do yourself a favor and do as other reviewers are saying and check out the new Fozzy All That Remains Reloaded. It's absolutely incredible. All That Remains Reloaded (W/Dvd)



4. I consider myself a music snob adn I have to say this might be the best cd i ever bought. The guitar rocks, the drums pound and the whole thing just sounds awesome.
   
   Jim Clarey
   Hoboken NJ



5. Read some reviews on this CD on this site and it sounded like people were describing it as metal. So i went out and bought it on that basis. Boy was i disappointed. There is no way this CD is a metal CD. It is wishy washy pop rock at best. Nothing heavy about it at all. I must admit i have only listened to it a few times but i can't see myself listening to it much more. A lot of the songs are slow and no heavy guitars no screaming solos' the singing a mild. I like a lot of other bands that seem to lumped with this one like Breaking Benjamin, Hoobastank, Evans blue, 10 years and Three days Grace all great bands this band isn't in the same league to those band.

5 comments about Music from the Motion Picture "Purple Rain".

1. That Minneapolis sound...wow, it has all been stated by others, but the intro to 'Purple Rain'...that BIG, lush, twangy, warm, full-bodied Richenbacker 330/12 string is one of the masterpieces of Prince's career. He does more with those few bars than others do with an entire cd. It sets up a great song and lays the foundation for Prince to come in later with his odd looking, but razor sharp axe, and slice and dice his way through a song that has held up amazingly well since 1984...Man, what a guitar!



2. This has got to be the best CD ever recorded. It was hot back in 1984, and it's still hot!



3. I ordered this product and within a day received an email confirming that my purchase had been sent and had I received it yet and I had not received it yet and wasn't concerned at the time but after a week of it not arriving I wrote an email and got a response that it was lost in transit and the sender then agreed to send another cd in its place because there were none of the one I had purchased then a few days later received the cd I had originally had ask for only to see that it was so badly damaged that none of the tracks could be listened to and along with that came another cd that the sender had never discussed with me and it was something I would never listen to and it was a good gesture but in customer service you should have asked what the consumer would enjoy not assume and send something I disliked and just threw away anyway and the sender enclosed a letter stating that if they had gotten another copy of my originally purchase it would be sent and to this day has not showed up...



4. ..."masterpiece". All this album does is take me back to a place in time that is gone forever and that I wish so dearly that I could go back and relive again. It was a happier time in my youth and a sample of what the music business was like in the late 80's and early 90's. When will it ever be like that again? If you haven't ever heard this album or seen the movie (where have you been the last 2-3 decades?), I'm envious of you. The experience of the first time will never leave you, I promise you.



5. This is what I grew up with and this is what I've been missing! This is the Prince that I'm talkin about!

5 comments about Only Through the Pain.

1. I was so excited that Trapt was coming out with a new album full of new material. Their Live album was just an appetizer of what I thought would be a great album. (The 2 new songs on the Live album I loved.) Listening to Only Through The Pain I was pretty disappointed. A couple of the songs were heartfelt ballads which I expected but gone were the hard rock that gets the blood pumping that I came to expect from this band. They have gone the road of mainstream and seem to be trying to appeal to the masses instead of being true to who they really are or used to be. Gave it 3 stars on the hopes that as I listen to it more and more it will grow on me.



2. This third album of trapt is better than their last album of 2005.All songs are great.I can hear this cd every day.



3. When i bought this the day it came out, i popped it into my car cd player and got hype the minute it came on. From the high energy somgs that are great to work out to to the emotional songs with catchy choruses and hooks that "Trapt" is known for, this album is top knotch. Dont let these haters fool you, if you liked their earlier stuff you will like this album. My only complaint is the number of songs on the album. 11 isnt enough for those of us hungry for as much new material as we can get! I highly recommend the song "Contagious," i think its the best song on the album and should also be released by the band as the next single. Check it out people, its well worth it.



4. Love the new album, I can never get enough of Chris' voice, and he is amazing on this album! Wanted a little more of the heavy rock but definately not dissapointed. Absoulutely love track 5!



5. Although there isn't a stellar track on this albumn like their first albumn, it a a well put together albumn from start to finish. Definately worth adding to your collection. You can listen to it over and over.

5 comments about Father Time.

1. I love Hal....have since the first time I saw/heard him on CMT in 1990. He has such a distinct voice that is so refreshing since most of the radio singers sound the same. This CD is definitely more "soulful" than others, and that is not usually the type of music I listen to, but he makes them sound fabulous. My favorite Hal songs are "Past the Point of Rescue", "Stay Forever", "Satisfied Mind". The songs on this CD don't have the same feel, but his voice and musical ability is absolutely AMAZING!!!!
   You can't go wrong with anything Hal Ketchum!!!



2. As always, Hal Ketchum delivers a collection of songs with melodies and lyrics that truly "stay forever" in the mind of this listener, an admitted Hal Ketchum fan since the early '90s. Having had the opportunity to see Hal perform several of these new songs in January of this year at the Crazy Horse in West Covina, CA, the CD delivers equally stirring performances. There is not a single song on this CD that I would consider less than a "five star" effort--from the heart-string tugging "Ordinary Day" and "The Day He Called Your Name" to the absolutely hilarious "Continental Farewell" (be sure to read the liner notes on this song). What was an absolute surprise was the inclusion of "Millionaire's Wife"--a tune that I had not heard Hal perform in several years; I guarantee it will stick in your head and you'll find yourself singing the melody, "She has a house and a big, black Lincoln" for days to come. Yes, Hal Ketchum is indeed a national treasure!!!



3. Loved it! One of his best and I saw him live recently and he performed four of the songs, wow! A definite purchase if you are a Hal fan and if you aren't you will be now!



4. There is nothing quite like seeing Hal Ketchum in person. This is another CD I will have to call a favorite and I have only listened to it once. Hal Ketchum is what I believe to be " America's voice " in the Country Music arena.
   
   Thanks Hal and I look forward to seeing you when you visit the Northwest ( soon I hope ). I was so so pleased with the release of " Millionare's Wife "
   
   Mike and Maureen Foreman
   Portland , Oregon



5. Ketchum's been a country hitmaker since the early '90s, with consistently interesting albums that have often shaded to the smoother, adult-contemporary side of Nashville's output. In 1998 he split the sessions for I Saw The Light between Nashville and Austin, employing a more rustic choice of material and arrangements for the latter. The resulting album wasn't as cohesive as his earlier releases, but taking the sessions individually one finds Ketchum standing authoritatively in both worlds. More importantly, the alternatives to Nashville's way would again be exercised the following year with the electric blues "Long Way Down" and the Zydeco-inspired "You Love Me, Love Me Not." Ketchum continued to revert to pop-influenced country, but he also wailed on a Bo Diddley beat for 2003's "The King of Love," found a soulful vocal gear for "On Her Own Time," and championed the common man on the shuffle blues "The Carpenter's Way."
   
   Ketchum's last album, the 2007 release One More Midnight, was released in Europe but not the U.S., making this CD his first domestic issue in five years. In addition to some fine new songs (most newly written, a few selected from Ketchum's catalog of previously unreleased works) and superb vocal performances, the presence of this live-in-the-studio recording is ear opening. Ketchum and his engineer (Craig White) capture the sort of intimate sound one used to expect from vinyl half-speed masters and direct-to-disc pressings. The purpose-built band, featuring Bryan Sutton, Darrell Scott, Eddie Bayers, Chip Davis and other A-listers, responds to the live challenge with performances miles beyond the baffle-separated, multi-track chart readings of modern recording. And it all took two days, no overdubs and only a few second takes.
   
   From the opening track you can hear Ketchum roughing up the polish of Nashville's manicure as his first-person narrative explores the human estrangement and philosophical implications of a panhandler's hopelessness. A soulful backing chorus provides a taste of Muscle Shoals, but it's Ketchum's pained, emotional vocal that brings the song's protagonist to life. He manages the same feat on "Ordinary Day," crossing genders to voice the tired-but-satisfied voice of a waitress, and on "Sparrow" he laments the cost of war from the perspective of a Civil War soldier. More fantastically, the jazzy bluegrass and cooking Southern funk of "Millionaire's Wife" backs a steamy noir-styled tale of cheating and betrayal, ending with the imprisoned mark's death sentence: "She got a house and a long black Lincoln / I got a ticket straight to hell." Think of Body Heat or The Postman Always Rings Twice as told by a poor sap on death row. A swampier second-line rhythm can be heard on the kiss-off "If You Don't Love Me Baby (Just Let Me Go)," and the band fires up gypsy jazz sounds with Bryon Sutton's fleet-fingered acoustic guitar playing on "Million Dollar Baby."
   
   Ketchum frequently writes about family, including a loping Marty Robbins-styled waltz, "Yesterday's Gone," that profiles his grandfathers' decline upon the passing of their spouses, and the poor-but-rich nostalgia of "Surrounded by Love." His great-grandmother's passing provided the inspiration for the moody "The Day He Called Your Name," and the album's only cover, Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" is sung as a soulful fiddle-and-steel country love song for his Jersey-born wife. Closer to home, "Down Along the Guadalupe" paints an inviting picture of a summer evening on Texas' Guadalupe river, with Spanish-tinged guitars providing fittingly lazy accompaniment. As noted earlier, Ketchum's always been a consistent album artist, but freed to record as a musician (rather than a studio artist) he's delivered a CD whose lack of production artifice inspires a level of artistry and soulfulness well beyond his middle-of-the-road hits. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

5 comments about Walk the Line.

1. I was real excited to get my "Walk the Line" CD. It was an enhanced version of the movie soundtrack. There was a problem. If you wanted to hear the CD you had to join Rapsody. This was a very sneaky way to get you to join. You people at Amazon.com are really very good to work with and yes, you did give me a refund. HOwever, you cannot believe how disappointed I was in that transaction. This will not stop me from ordering from you but please tell all about your products. Anyone who sees the word "enhanced" on the cover of a CD be careful before you buy. Auburn Betty.



2. I loved the movie and get to re-live it everytime I play the soundtrack. Joaquin Phoenix is awesome and Reese Witherspoon steals the show, you won't believe the chemistry here. Tour de' force performances....



3. I enjoy this CD very much but it is not for a Johnny Cash purist.
   This is Joaquin Phoenix singing Johnny Cash songs so if you are a true Johnny Cash fan you would be better off buying another CD. But I am a Joaquin Phoenix fan so I got what I wanted. I gave it four stars because I wanted even more of Joaquin's singing. If you buy this CD expecting to hear lots of Reese Witherspoon you will be disappointed. She was in the movie enough to win an Academy Award, but you won't hear much of her on the CD.



4. LOVE THIS GREAT CD. WELL WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME. GOES GREAT WITH MOVIE.
   WOULD BY IT AS A GIFT FOR ANYONE.



5. This soundtrack is absolutely wonderful! After having the movie for years, and watching it over and over to hear the songs, I thought it about time to get the actual soundtrack.
   
   Reese and Joaquin put a beautiful new sound on these old classics, and it works! I could listen to this CD over and over.
   
   Now "Times A Wastin'" isn't on the CD, and I saw that someone gave it a bad review because of that. Well June wrote "Times A Wastin'" with her first husband, which is the main reason it's not on the CD. It's not a song that she was inspired to write because of Johnny; it was just a song that she said she'd never sing again, especially with another man, and she did sing it again, with Johnny.
   
   This is an absolutely wonderful compilation of old songs with a new twist. I highly recommend it.

3 comments about Wrecking Ball.

1. I have heard this band many times and this is their masterpiece but believe Brantley and Hardy will write some more great stuff in the future when they get pissed or crapped on. I also really think they should move to Seattle to capture the Nirvana fans but tour the south so we can see them too. Good luck guys---great CD!!!!



2. I have seen this band live 3 times now. Amazing performance each time. This disc captures some of the raw, magnetic power that is Dead Confederate. No disc will ever do their live show justice.
   
   Track Reviews
   1) Heavy Petting (9/10) - A great rocking curtain jerking track to start this album off right.
   
   2) The Rat (10/10) - This is the song that created the DC buzz. A rerecord from the earlier EP version. I like both recordings, but once again, this one does more justice to the live DC sound.
   
   3) Goner (10/10) - DC had the demo for this song on their myspace page for while. This rerecord is better than the demo and this song just plain rocks with a slight southern twang.
   
   4) It Was a Rose (9/10) - Lyrically, a masterpiece. Listen closely and be drawn in.
   
   5) Yer Circus (8/10) - One of the albums low points, but still better than any of the crap you hear on the FM radio.
   
   6) All the Angels (11/10) - Yes, an eleven. The haunting vocal melody in the verses sends chills down my spine.
   
   7) Start Me Laughing (10/10) - Ultimate rock out w/ your cock out song.
   
   8) The News Underneath (8/10) - Another low point, but can you really expect and album full of masterpieces?
   
   9) Flesh Colored Canvas (10/10) - An absolute emotional roller coaster.
   
   10) Wrecking Ball (9/10) - Title track. Metaphors galore.



3. Wow! This album is fantastic from beginning to end. They don't make em' like this anymore. Dead Confederate is a cross between Nirvana/Black Crowes/Doors and wholly original.
   
   "The Rat" is the song that got me into these guys, and while that song is great, it doesn't prepare you for what else these guys have in store. From the driving hard rock of "Heavy Petting" to the slow burn psychedelia of "Flesh Colored Canvas" and "Wrecking Ball" this album is great - top to bottom.
   
   You won't be disappointed. If you get a chance, pick up their ep, it has 4 other songs as well as a different version of "The Rat".

5 comments about Mezzanine.

1. WHOA. Did I read that somebody skips-over "Inertia Creeps (#4)??"
   Wow. That's pretty crazy, given that "Inertia Creeps" is one of the dopest songs on Mezzanine. It's like being in a knock-down-drag-out fist-fight in slow motion. What's not to like about that?
   AND people down-grading "Black Milk?" What are you guys thinking?
   
   #7 "Man Next Door" is my least likeable, but overall this album is epic as far as 90's music goes. Well yeah, it's pretty epic overall.
   
   And seriously, give 100th Window more of a try. Songs like "Future Proof" and "Special Cases" are vintage Massive Attack. Period.



2. The first four tracks on Mezzanine are masterpieces, probably the apotheosis of Trip-Hop. Dark, dreamlike, beautiful, stunningly sculpted -- one senses the hundreds, even thousands of studio manhours that went into each song. The rest of the album is brilliant as well, though the "comedown" tracks #5 & #11 might be skipped on repeat listenings. Tracks #6-10 continue the greatness in different directions -- sometimes sly and funny, sometimes crunching rock. Each song has an arc, which takes multiple listenings to understand. This might be sounds repeated at the beginning that are layered upon, then layered upon again, until the whole things unwinds and you are left with the same sounds (the heavy thudding beat in "Angel," the looped feedback in "Dissolved Girl") in a new context. Songs unfold like dreams, with images and bits of narrative fading in and out. Be sure to listen to this on a good stereo; Mezzanine uses the entire audio spectrum, including some very deep bass. (E.g., at 1'30" into "Angel," you should be alarmed at how the stygian bass is getting even louder...right before the "door-ajar" car sound which is the tolling bell of doom.) This might be the most tightly controlled album I have heard. Brilliant stuff.



3. I have to admit I really hated most of the other songs, outside of Tear Drop and Angel, when I first listened in the car on a long road trip, but on the way back to my city, they got in. This is one of my favorite CD's ever. I have them on rotation on my iPod, on burned CD's in my car, on my work computer, my brother's xBox. You do have to be in a certain mood to thoroughly enjoy Mezzanine, but if you are you're gonna love it, not to mention is perfect for a late night with you special person, oh my goodness "Angel." This album is just about perfect.



4. Didn't know this group from Adam. Bought it for just the low bass to test out my speakers and new subwoofer. Has some catchy tunes, not a bad CD.



5. This cd is priceless. I'm so glad I got it.
   
   
   Nope, that's really it.

5 comments about Rain Dogs.

1. I consider "Rain Dogs", "Swordfishtrombones", and "Heartattack and Vine" the three core albums that any Tom Waits fan must have. While his earlier albums have an an aesthetic that some fans enjoy--I don't as much--these three show him finding his new footing as an artist. They are the three that I simply could not do without. The subsequent albums are treasures as well, but are, to a certain degree, fine tuning of his style, with a few variations. "Rain Dogs" contains a perfect balance of sentimentality and noir callousness in brilliant poetry that any artist can achieve once in a lifetime if they're lucky.



2. Tom Waits is really one of those artists that perfectly fits into the "love or hate" category, but no one can deny he is a great musician. Rain Dogs perfectly combines the experimentation of Swordfishtrombone with the melody of his early material. There are some "noisy" songs on here, but for every "noisy" song there is a softer one such as the beautiful "Anywhere I lay my head." Overall even if you aren't the biggest fan of Tom Waits I think it is worth checking out before making judgments.



3. With most of my favorite musicians I can't pick one CD that stands out over all the others, but much as I love Tom's other work I am convinced Rain Dogs is the best album.



4. One thing you need to know about Tom Waits is that you can't have just one of his albums. Not because at so many of his records on this site are labeled Essential Recording (those don't mean ______ remember?). It's true, if you get hooked on this guy, you will need more of Tom Waits. Chances are, if you really like albums like Rain Dogs and Bone Machine, don't hesitate to dig deeper into the library of Tom Waits, he's got quite a bit. True, all of his albums may not be winners for you (or me), but that's what sound samples are for (as well as listener reviews, but they shouldn't be your main source for wanting to buy albums).
   
   Regardless if you like Tom Waits or not, you got to give the man props for getting such a rabid fanbase and a voice that no one else can match. Indeed, there will never be a singer like Tom Waits. And he's on top form during the 80's.
   
   The term Rain Dogs refers to a dog who has lost all scents from the rain and can't get home, and the whole album are about those people like those dogs. Signapore, Cemetary Polka, Anywhere I lay My Head, Downtown Train, and Rain Dogs are all about the following. Indeed, the lyrics on here are fantastic as usual, he creates a character that you can't help but like. It's another one of those albums that don't have lyrics about one certain thing that's so obvious. Some will open your imagination, while some are quite unexplainable. But those characters are all rain dogs. It's got imagery that will conjure up as well. Really, how could you go wrong?
   
   The best thing is the music, of course. It's got the signature Tom Waits blues and country, but some of the songs are more than that. Clap Hands, Cemetary Polka, Midtown, Signapore. Talk about unconvential. I do love the way Cemetary Polka sounds like a carnival song, Signapore's Sea Shanty. Indeed, there's a perfect balance of totally listenable and cryptic music. No matter what his band does, it works. I tip my hat off to Marc Ribot's guitar playing. Love his playing.
   
   Oh, and you got Tom's voice, as emotional and ruff as you want it. I think that goes without saying, his voice is incredible. Eat your heat out, disney. You'll never touch the way real singers do.
   
   I'll say one thing bad, Downtown Train is a musical disaster. Not only is the song rather weak (Wait's version), Rod Steward killed it. Thankfully, all the other tracks make up for it. It's nearly an hour, anyway.
   
   It's common these days that the word singer/songwriter ain't exactly that powerful. With hacks like Daniel Prowter and John Mayer plugging up the airwaves, it's not getting any better. But this guy is truly a talented soul. I understand this guy, and you just might to. If you don't, that's fine. If you do, you've found an artist.



5. ...There's almost no in-between. The majority of the tracks on 'Rain Dogs' are listenable and fun. Just a couple of clinkers. This is a good CD for the car when your on a long trip alone. Never try to explain Waits to a lady friend.

5 comments about Emotionalism.

1. I've seen The Avett Bros live once and they were awesome. This CD has been spinning in my CD player non-stop for months and I do not get tired of it. Just booked to see them again next month. I haven't been this excited about a group since the DMB. Talented musicians and songwriters and just a load of fun! They are energetic and know how to mix it up.



2. ok, I'm editing this review because I feel bad giving them such a hard time. About five songs are really good. The rest was just weepy without being very interesting.
   
   Compared to other bands it's an ok album, just not nearly as good as "Four Thieves Gone" and "Mignonette". They loose a lot of their raw edge and punk-y-ness. Sentimental gives way to sappy here. There is nothing gripping in the sound here either.
   
   What happened to those bluegrass-y punks that screamed and yelled through their songs and made me feel like I was drinkin' in the back of a truck, driving in the country while my friends (and I) rock on guitars and banjos?
   
   I don't even want to play this one for friends - I used to show off the Avett Bros. coolness before.



3. Great CD!! I saw these guys live and it just might have been one of the best shows I have ever seen.



4. The Avett Brothers are some of the best songwriters out there today. They have a way of cutting topics down to the simple heart of them and revealing something very true. Their CD Emotionalism is one of my favorite CDs I have in my collection, up there with U2/the Joshua Tree and Bob Marley/Legend (I have many more interesting selections but that's for another post). I simply cannot play the album enough times. The album is somewhat mellow, and you should know that they take on a completely different persona live and play with tremendous energy live. They scream a good bit too, giving it something like a punk-bluegrass feel to it (One of the brothers Scott moonlights in a heavy metal band called "Oh what a nightmare"). In short, the concerts are FUN and they are building a very loyal following, myself included.



5. My wife and I saw these guys in Nashville this past Friday night at their Grand Ole Opry debut and they are definitely on to something new! They are cutting edge, not really country and not really alternative but somewhere in-between. Whatever category you put them in, they are great! Once I heard them, I bought their album the next day. Listen with an open mind and they will grow on you quickly.

5 comments about Division.

1. This is 10 Years' fourth album, technically. First two aren't that well known at all...and they changed lead singers after their first album. Anyways, I was very excited when I heard about this album. I have been a fan of 10 Years for a long time. The first time I listened through this album, I absolutely loved it and I still love it. I love the subject matter, music, and, of course, the vocals of Jesse Hasek.
   
   The album is diverse enough sound-wise to keep me interested the entire time through. In my eyes, there is only one weak track on the album and that's "Picture Perfect." Other than that, the album is solid. As much as I love this album, however, I think "The Autumn Effect" is much, much better overall.
   
   The main problem with this album is that the song structure is very *yawn*. Every song follows the V1-C-V2-C-BR-C-C pattern. It get very boring after awhile. Thankfully, the vocals and the lyrics are good enough to cover up the boring structure of the songs.
   
   If you liked "The Autumn Effect," I'd suggest this album. If you've never heard "The Autumn Effect," but that first.
   
   P.S. If you can get a hold of the special version with the two extra tracks...do it; They're my favorites on the album, actually.



2. As a an unexpected purchase, I was pleasantly surprised by this cd. Despite what others say, I don't hear Keenan's voice at all in 10 years lead. Honestly he's just not on that level that Keenan is, and to compare is doing Keenan a great disrespect. He sounds more like Taproots lead to me, and the music is about on par. I don't really think you're going to find anything highly original in this cd, but you will find a solid rock cd, with transparent lyrics, solid vocals, and a little mix of all kinds of rock genre sounds. If you're looking for some music that you can easily identify with, that isn't too far off from the norm, this is the one for you.



3. to "The Autumn Effect"...Didn't run out to buy right away,even though I was very impressed by the previous.But after hearing "Beautiful" several times,it has won me over.Sorry I waited so long.Solid from beginning to end...Actions & Motives,Beautiful,11:ooAM(Daydreamer),Russian Roulette,Drug of Choice & So Long-Goodbye highlight this real fine album.If you are like me and hesitated on this album,don't wait any longer.Get it now!!!!! It is intense...



4. This album is just a great as their first...would recommend to anyone who likes their sound.



5. This entire CD is great. Refreshing sound, and thoughtful lyrics. We love it.