4 comments about The Definitive Collection.

1. I have been a fan for decades - and she continues to change and grow and still, I am a huge fan!!! In concert she is sheer perfection. One of those artist who sound the same in person as they do on CD. Buy all her albums...don't hesitate, you will enjoy them, especially good is this one and her latest with a nod to Dusty Springfield. Pure sounds from a talented performer.



2. ....country, sort of jazz, pop/rock...this album will give you an excellent overview. From the early country to the much heavier "I Am Shelby Lynne" she has displayed a clear, strong voice that is always a pleasure to hear. [All of the above could be said of her kid sister, Allison Moorer].
   
   If you only want one record of a great singer, or if you're looking for an introduction, grab this; the girl can flat-out sing.



3. This career-spanning compilation (1989-2005) is a nice introduction to Shelby Lynne, with cuts from all stages of her career in chronological order. Recommended.



4. Shelby has a remarkable voice of musical emotion when she sings. She can take the most "tired" song and sparkle new life in it. You won't be disapponited in adding this CD to your collection, no matter what your musical tastes are...

5 comments about There Is Nothing Left to Lose.

1. I just recently got There Is Nothing Left to Lose, and I think it is one of the Foos best records they have done. It starts of good with Stacked actors, which is good, and then Generator and personaly, my favorite song, Aurora. All of the songs are really good and catchy. The last 3 songs are really good, Aint It the Life is a really good catchy song that sounds like it could be a b-side or another part of Big Me. All In all i love this album, and if you are a foo fan get it. I recentyl saw them live, and it was an amazing concert.



2. while this CD has a lot of very strong material it just doesnt have enough. i found only half of this CD to be worth while and the rest acting in as filler. songs like Learn to Fly and Stacked Actors are very very quickly dismissed and songs like Break Out although very good isnt enough to hold my attention.
   
   this CD is different from other Foo efforts because this is the first time since the S/T debut has Dave been the only one writing and playing the guitar parts.
   
   songs like Aroura and Generator are very very catchy and worthy of praise.
   
   IMO this is a SO SO effort from Foo Fighters.



3. What else can I say, I didn't truly appreciate this album until I saw some of the material played live, like, "Aurora." Or, simply have low expectations when you first put the album in, and make sure you've heard none of the other Foo Fighters albums beforehand.



4. This is a great album. No doubt about it.
   
   The songs are extremely well written, but what has always endeared me to this album is the phenomenal RECORDING. TINLTL ranks very high amongst my favorite rock recordings by any band, EVER! Each instrument is balanced perfectly and shines through uninhibited by the others, creating a truly remarkable sound scape. The drums are rock solid and crystal clear. The guitars jangle with remarkable clarity and Grohl's ever-improving voice has never sounded better. Some of the more recent FF albums have suffered quite a bit from muddy recording techniques, in my bold opinion. However, it also helps that this collection of songs is amongst the best you'll find on any rock album from this era.
   
   While this album can be considered the FF's foray into pop rock, there is still plenty of crunch and plenty of that unmistakable trademark Grohl loud/soft dynamic. "Generator", "Aurora", and "Headwires" are a few unheralded standout tracks. BUY THIS!



5. I always felt that a song's ability to withstand the test of time was the true measure of its value, and not much can be said in that regard for There Is Nothing Left to Lose. Now, don't get me wrong - it's a fine album. But it's not the Foo Fighters' best album. There are plenty of catchy songs on it, but compared to other efforts in the band's collection, there is nothing remarkable about this album, as much as it pains me to say it.
   
   "Learn to Fly" got a lot of radio play (and a hilarious video to go along with it, as the Foo often do), and some other solid songs are sprinkled into the album - my favorites being "Headwires" and "Generator." Ultimately, though, the delivery is more or less flat. I think the biggest problem with the album is that there's nothing musically new or challenging for the band; it's almost as though they're beating a dead horse. This was corrected on every subsequent album.
   
   I am an enormous Foo Fighters fan, and I adore all their CDs. This one just happens to be the weakest in the collection.

5 comments about It Still Moves.

1. Ya know this somehow reminds me of the Screaming Trees when they were coming up. A little Red House painters/Sun Kil-Moon as well. The album is low-fi, perhaps partially reminding me of early Screaming Trees studio efforts.



2. Indie-darlings My Morning Jacket get a call to the majors and...well, does anyone really love this record? I suspect that affection for earlier work influenced the mostly good regard and praise heaped upon It Still Moves. In fact, the problem is ironic considering the title: it hardly moves at all. Most songs stretch five minutes and more, but feel nearly twice as long as that. And at seventy minutes of music, that is one long slog.
   
   The reverberating echo effect is alternately mesmerizing and annoying; the tracklist full of decent but rarely exceptional songs. The highlights include the pretty "Golden," the strong opener, "Mahgeeta" (and one of the few songs that feels longer than it is, but in a good way), and the bluesy "Run Thru." Having not listened to the band's earlier music, I don't know if this is just another case of an indie losing authority on a major label, but they straightened out their problems with the flawed but often stellar follow-up effort, Z. I suppose the fan-base was strong enough to make this record seem better than it actually is.
   
   Best cuts: "Golden," "Mahgeeta," "Run Thru," "Easy Morning Rebel," "Masterplan," "Dancefloors," "One in the Same"



3. I really wanted this cd because I love the song "Golden," and I thought at the rest of the album must be at least passable. So it was surprising to hear how bad the rest of the songs are, mostly due to the gimmicky "echo chamber" sound to all of them. "Golden" is so different from the rest that it seems like it was done by another band altogether. A big disappointment! Sorry, but that's my opinion. . .



4. this is a rock and roll album that is a classic. i really can't say much more. the disc plays long, over 70 minutes. i love every song, and i play this cd very often, almost once a day...still.
   
   this is a must have, and a no-brainer!!



5. reverb drenched guitar, a big sound worthy of neil young's crazy horse band, i can't get enough of these guys. if you haven't heard them, you need to. as fast as you can. a rock band with melodies and riffs and a haunting sound, this is a great album.

5 comments about Songs in A & E.

1. This is what we have come to expect from Jason Spaceman: awe-inspiring melodies, majestic in their pathos, their simplicity.
   
   As good as any of their records (i have them all), if not better.
   
   Don't listen to anyone who slags off the lyrics--who cares about lyrics in pop songs, anyway? If you want poetry, read Eliot or Shelley or Wallace Stevens, or Dylan, for heaven's sakes.
   
   Plaintive, heartbreaking, ambitious in a sort of safe way, cathartic, lovely--as good as THE BLACK WATCH's masterpiece, released early this past summer.
   
   If you like Radiohead, The Verve (ick!), or Flaming Lips--you will adore the new Spiritualized.



2. To me, this is the best Spiritualized record since `Ladies and Gentlemen'.
   
   First lyric point: I think this is his most lyrically interesting work. Content wise, JP seems to have wallowed in the self-pity of drug addiction. I found his musical glorification of his wretched state a bit annoying. But maybe as a non-drug user, I just couldn't relate. The lyrics on this record seem to be much more honest. Dwelling on death is probably as much of a rock lyric cliché as the addiction/redemption dichotomy, but I think he explores it with more insight and heart. (As an aside, I've read that most of this record was written prior to his major illness. So I find the fact that he got to this point without the actual brush with death all the more impressive.)
   
   Second lyrical point: JP's penchant for parodying clichés as a basis for lyrics seems to be gone. And I'm glad. Other than `She Kissed Me and It Felt Like a Hit', I found these groan inducing rather than funny or insightful.
   
   Musically: I thought "Let it Come Down" was really overblown and sterile (relative to L&G. It's still sonically a very impressive sound). And I thought "Amazing Grace" was good but a bit too raw and under-produced. But for me, I think this record is the perfect balance of the two sounds. It has great dynamic range in the arrangement and mix/master which is a welcome change these days. The loan acoustic guitar sounds detailed but hushed, and the orchestra sounds massive but with a lot more restraint than LICD.
   
   And I really like the Harmony Interludes and how they help pace out the album.
   
   In summary, I know Jason Pierce hasn't been labouring for the last 10 years trying to make a second great record to please me personally, but I must say, he has succeeded.



3. First, I definitely like this album. J-Spaceman's first album after his life-threatening illness is not a disappointment. It is a little different and I don't like it overall as much as his last few records.
   
   Favorite songs: Baby I'm Just a Fool, Soul On Fire, The Waves Crash In
   
   I must admit that I laughed when I read the other reviewer's comment that the acoustic songs sounded like Adam Sandler singing his silly songs. I don't necessarily agree but the acoustic songs are definitely the weakest songs on the album.
   
   Overall, if you are a longtime Spiritualized fan, you would be insane to skip this. There are definitely some classics on here.
   
   For new fans or younger folks getting into psych, shoegaze, britpop, etc - this ain't a bad place to start (although "Ladies & Gentlemen" is a way better record of course).



4. While maye not as great as "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in Space", this is an extraordinary record by today's standards. While I also prefer his Spacemen 3 period J Pierce is one of the ebst songwriters in mdern rock. To some degree it is surprising that he has been able to keep on producing such high-quality music for over a decade now (or 2 even. A gem.



5. I can't really understand it, but for some reason, the country that gave the world the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, Clapton, Hendrix's Experience, Pink Floyd, Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, etc., has been virtually ignored by American music listeners since, well, the late-70s/early-80s (we can argue about British punk in America). I've heard it explained this way: hip-hop never really caught on in Britain but exploded in the US, and wiped England off the musical consciousness of Americans. Who knows. I have an alternative theory: that America's rightward shift, profound conservatism and navel-gazing resists more adventurous music and instead seeks out sound-a-like bands that mimic whoever's big at the moment (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Beck, NIN, whatever).
   
   The fact remains, the Smiths barely registered in the US, as did the Stone Roses, My Bloody Valentine, the Libertines, Suede... Oasis caught on a bit, but Blur sure didn't. Even Radiohead (minus "Creep") have been more underground in the US than above- (kinda like Bowie was in the 70s, when he was at his artistic peak).
   
   Spiritualized may well be the greatest British alternative "band" of the 90s-to-present that most Americans have never heard of (ditto for Pierce's Spacemen 3 in the 80s). I'd call "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" the "Dark Side of the Moon" of the 90s, except those who expected guitar solos and instead were treated to white noise and free jazz workouts would probably throw it out upon first listening. Although "Let It Come Down" has some incredibly great songs, I think "Songs in A&E" *is* their/his best and most consistent album since "Ladies and Gentlemen..." I too was at first bothered by the seeming sparseness of some of the arrangements, as well as the cracked vocals which are way out in front of the mix, but it has really grown on me, and definitely seems like a good direction for Pierce to move in (unlike the atrocious latest from Sigur Ros).
   
   Other songs on the album may jump out quicker (e.g. the Stones-like "Sweet Talk," the much remarked-about "Death Take Your Fiddle," and the catchy "Soul on Fire"), but the song that gains in depth every time I hear it is "Baby I'm Just a Fool."
   
   If you're new to the band, I recommend this, "Ladies and Gentlemen," "Let It Come Down," "Lazer Guided Melodies" and "Pure Phase." And Spacemen 3.

5 comments about City of Evil.

1. Believe it or not, I'm not a huge A7X fan. When I heard Bat Country on the Radio, I couldn't help but think "This is ridiculous! Who came up with the idea for this, Rosie O'Donnell?". However, a year later, a friend had played A7X around me and I had gotten used to it. Then I DLed a few A7X songs and thought, "Hot DAMN this is some good stuff!", and then later, I had bought City of Evil, and I LOVED it! I mean, while Iron Maiden are my favorite band, I definitely consider this to be a metal milestone. What you get is 10 fun and creative songs. Beginning the album is "The Beast and the Harlot", which is known on Guitar Hero II. A very fun and catchy song, irresistible and in-your-face. My favorite track off of this is "Burn it Down", which is very fast and wastes no time stopping to slow down. Great lyrics and M. Shadows' voice shines. The ballad Seize The Day is very slow and great, kind of reminds me of some of Iron Maiden's slow stuff. The album finishes off with M.I.A, an angsty Anti-Bush song that is very angry and in your face. Overall, if you're looking for some angry and in your face music, get this album!



2. When I first heard Avenged Sevenfold, it was in a car on the way to the guitar store, and I really didn't like them too much. I bought City of Evil after constant listening with my friend, and it grew on me. I loved Beast and the Harlot from the first listen. Burn it Down is great and I love how it transitions to Blinded in Chains. Bat Country is instantly loveable, and what isn't there to like throughout the album? It is truly one of the best guitar albums in recent memory. The relentless leads, the catchy riffing- the vocal delivery... Honestly, what isn't there to like about this album? Now, the hardcore A7X fans may hate this album, but I don't see actual singing as a reason to hate an album. The talent that composes A7X really shines through, be it guitars, vocals, or drums- the musicianship is stellar.



3. Please ignore Squash N' Squeak's review since he obviously did not listen to the album. Anyway, after a nice hard workout to some great Beatles tunes, I couldn't help it but think about some metal group called "Avenged Sevenfold." I have ignored these guys for quite a while until a friend showed me City of Evil (I just remembered that I didn't buy this on Itunes. Too many dang albums...) I regretted letting this album past by. This isn't just metal, its also blends in some classic rock/metal (Motorhead, some Black Sabbath, which is easy to guess since the guitar solos are finally back), accoustic, and even classical (the middle of "Wicked End" speaks for itself as you hear a brief, but memorable point of CoE.) Surely you'd think this was a horrible idea; but it ain't. A7x manages to blend all that in one juicy album that you will always come back. Since Waking the Fallen was considered death metal, this album will come to a shock to some fans if they have been sleeping under a rock or just started off with Waking the Fallen because in many occasions, lead singer M. Shadow actually sings rather than screams. This album will obviously be easier to swallow for some music lovers that can't bear the popular cookie monster vocals.
   
   What makes CoE unique is that it feels like a story is being told (many parts are based on Genesis and Revalations, especially "Beast and the Harlot".) My few gripes is that a few songs last too long, Trashed and Scattered doesn't deliever as well, and the artwork is sort of cheesy (maybe I've been staring at WtF artwork for too long.) But even stupid gripes doesn't destroy the album. Although my personal favorite album is still Waking the Fallen, City of Evil is still my 2nd favorite and will probably remain so. Trust me folks, if you haven't heard City of Evil, you are missing out on a lot of good stuff (a dozen guitar solos included.)



4. Avenged Sevenfold has truly mastered metal with their beautifully brutal "City of Evil."
   
   This is quite possibly the best album recorded in the past 20 years. It has everything: Mind-melting guitar solos, powerful singing, heavy riffs and curse words being screamed at high tempo. Somehow, Avenged Sevenfold brilliantly put all of these together in 8 minute long masterpieces that flow from bridge to bridge, solo to solo with relentless intensity and drive.
   
   Guitar. Lots of electric guitar. With overdrive. Playing really fast. Then some acoustic. And a full orchestra. Then a solo with the orchestra. And another solo with the acoustic guitar. This album doesn't stop. It's genius. It's melodic. It's heavy. From the first full-out scream by the vocalist to the final blues solo played over a sad, echoing melody, "City of Evil" shows all of us what true metal, no, what true music should be like, and utterly destroys any preconditions "Waking the Fallen" may have instilled.
   
   If there were a just and loving God, this album would have gone multi-platinum in its first week. Buy "City of Evil." RIGHT NOW.



5. This is a GREAT album!!! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! I have to say that I have just become so DAMN Hot for these guys and their music it's crazy. I have this whole CD Posted everywhere I go...in my car...my ipod...home computer...at work....my alarm...my portable dvd player...my lil cd player in the bathroom for when i shower...yeah their in there with me too!! City of evil is freakin awesome!! Beast and the harlot is a down to it song!! STD is frekin great..words to live by...But my absolute favorite song, must have at least 10 times a day is Strength of the world!! Taste of Chaos is here this weekend and I'll be there FRONT ROW CENTER!!! Can you dig it? Best or I'll BURN YOU DOWN!! (O:

5 comments about 9.

1. Damien Rice set the bar ridiculously high with his 2004 release, O. On his debut, there was incredible production and amazing sounds coming out of every track. While the follow up to O, also a single character title, 9, is a solid album, fans expecting the artistic saturation found on O will be somewhat disappointed. While Damien Rice's song writing is solid, his voice is great and the lyrics provide good images, we don't get anything like the backwards singing on "Cold Water," or the clinking glasses on the drunken "Cheers, Darling," or the raw emotion so direly expressed in "The Blower's Daughter" or "I Remember" or the Sweedish opera singing on "Eskimo." Instead we hear Rice producing an album that is more straight-ahead and with fewer layers. There's more electric instrumentation on this record as well, leaving fans thirsty for the acoustic tranquility of O as well. Don't get me wrong though, it's a pretty good album and if this were Rice's debut, it would probably score 4 stars or maybe even a 5. However, those of us wanting something equal to or greater than O will be a little confused by 9. It's still worth the money, but don't get your hopes up. Personally, I'll forgive Damien for a little sophomore slump and anxiously await his next release.



2. For me, this album wasn't packed with as much feeling as 'O' was, which was really, super disappointing. I was also excited about him releasing 'Me, My Yoke and I' but when I listened to it, it wasn't as full of energy as the live version I have of it. All in all, this album was a great disappointment with a few pick me up every three songs.



3. I am not a suicidal person. Never really occurred to me before.
   
   Listening to "9" is an experience for me. I can't just listen to one track. There's a journey for me from start to finish.
   
   From the first time I got home with "9" (I was studying in abroad when "O" was released and got it there, hadn't heard anything about 9 until I saw it in a store later) I was crushed by its power. Yes the lyrics are simple and often repetitive during a song, but combined with the music, they are powerful.
   
   I've never though about suicide before, but somehow "9 Crimes" is erie enough to make me want to sit at my kitchen table with a handgun, my best bottle of whiskey and a glass, wearing an undershirt and hiding my head in the shadows. And then the misery passes and "The Animals Were Gone" and it's the recovery from the misery, a chance for something.
   
   I've listened to this album in the dark with the whiskey and I've listened to it on an ipod riding through the midwest after an ice storm watching the dead ground as I was mesmerized by the torture of the music. The natural world, in my living room or the barren fields is emphasized by "Elephant" with it's chilling opening of "this has got to die."
   
   The opening of the album crescendos to the cathartic "Rootless Tree", which may be the most poignant break up song of all time, before the salvation of "Dogs."
   
   Although the album weakens some in the last half, it is still a terrific feat in my opinion.
   
   If you ever needed a voice in the back of your head, buy this and listen to it enough...then it will be there.



4. I'm just as happy with this CD as I am with his first one. I play both
   of them all of the time. It's very easy and enjoyable to sing along with it.



5. I adored O. Absolutely adored it. Beautiful, sweeping melodies that brought me to my knees they were so amazing.
   
   This release is insanely disappointing. He's trying to reach the same emotional heights he did during O but he's trying too hard. Simply singing softly and strumming the guitar don't make the emotions real. These songs lack the depth and brutal honesty of O's songs. And, worse yet, he doesn't venture out into new territory to at least give him high marks for trying something a bit different.
   
   What's aboslutely maddening about this album, too, is that you have to be sure that when you listen to it, you are able to be w/in reach of the volume button at all times. The album goes from a maddening "was that silence or was there a soft voice there" to "CAN YOU TURN THAT DOWN, I'M GOING DEAF" in the span of about 20 seconds.
   
   And what is EVEN MORE ANNOYING is all that hidden space/hidden track at the end. For the love of God, can artists QUIT DOING THIS????? It's got to be the most annoying aspect of CDs.
   
   Hugely, hugely disappointing release. He's become a very bad cover version of himself.

3 comments about Paper Planes: Homeland Security Remixes.

1. Here is the accurate tracklisting:
   01 Paper Planes (feat. Rye Rye & Afrikan Boy) [Blaqstarr Remix]
   02 Paper Planes (Remix for the Children by ADROCK)
   03 Paper Planes (feat. Bun B & Rich Boy) [Diplo Street Remix]
   04 Paper Planes (DFA Remix)
   05 Paper Planes (Scottie B Remix)



2. I first heard the remix from Ad Rock (from the Beastie Boys) on a college radio station in NYC in May of this year. The DJ gave me the info that it came off this EP. I got it and like Ad Rock's remix the best. Now in Aug I've heard the original song starting to get some air play. It's a good song and humorous (and/or controversial depending on your view) as well. I think most will be pleased and entertained with this EP.



3. "Paper Planes" is one of the most oddest pop singles of the year -- how often do you hear guns used as percussion?
   
   Regardless, this sharply pointed song -- as inexplicably controversial as it is catchy -- makes a pretty good showing on "Paper Planes: Homeland Security Remixes", along with four solid. The original is one of M.I.A.'s highlights, and fortunately it does not lose its magic when other people have reworked and remixed it.
   
   It's a glorious combo of cool airy keyboard, solid beats, and a sample from the Clash. In the meantime, M.I.A. tells us that, "I fly like paper, get high like planes/If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name.... Pirate skulls and bones/Sticks and stones and weed and bombs/Running when we hit them/Lethal poison through their system."
   
   For the record, it's apparently all about immigration. And the song would merely be entertaining if it weren't for the chorus -- a bunch of childlike voices singing, "All I want to do is..." followed by a string of gunshots, and a cash register pinging. It's so deliciously unexpected, and so perfectly woven in to the infectious rap melody.
   
   And then there's the remixes -- the DFA mix skewers the song with a muscular bassline and lots of electronic tinkles, while Scottie B revs it all up to eleven. Sure, it loses that cool shimmery sound, but instead you get this wild frenetic dance-time beat and wildly tinkered-with vocals from M.I.A -- sometimes she's too slow, sometimes she's fast. Delicious.
   
   Two mixes don't quite make it as well -- the Afrikan Boy & Rye Rye mix mainly enhances that cool ringing sound and includes some guy rapping, as does the Diplo Street Remix. Big Bun and Rich Boy are more impressive-sounding, but they simply don't fit in that well with the original song.
   
   So basically you've got the typical run of remixes -- some are brilliant, some are merely decent and somewhat disjointed in their style. But it always helps to have a solid song as the base for the remixes, and in the case of "Paper Planes," it's among M.I.A.'s most infectious and most message-laden.
   
   The original song is pretty much ideal in its composition -- lots of gorgeous earthy beats, a shimmery backdrop, and gunshots and cash registers instead of typical percussion. And M.I.A's clear, vibrant, lightly accented voice runs through it all, making her not-so-subtle prods against the perception of immigrants.
   
   And the song is so solid, in fact, that adding extra beats and basslines doesn't derail or cover it up at all. The only thing that puts me off is the other rappers coming in, because their deep gritty voices don't play well of M.I.A.'s. But at least their raps tend to mesh well with the original song, with laments about "fresh from Nigeria... someone stole my visa!" and "world wide worry/with the hunger and the thirst."
   
   "Paper Planes: Homeland Security Remixes" is a pretty decent remix EP, highlighting one of M.I.A's best songs. Definitely worth immigrating for.

5 comments about Follow The Lights.

1. I am a huge Ryan Adams fan, so lets get that out of the way.
   
   Follow The Lights is less a Ryan Adams album and more of a Cardinals project. Previously released Ryan Adams songs such as "This is It", "If I am a Stranger", and "Dear John" have all been re-arranged to fit in with the band.
   
   The songs are tighter, sound better, but I have to say that I kind of like the original takes just because they captured a state of mind. If this is your first experience with the tunes, I am going to guess you will prefer these versions.
   
   Adams has a gem with the Cardinals and hopes he keeps the band personnel stable and stays with the concept of having a backing band. It suits him.



2. Like many fans, I was awaiting the box set release of Ryan's records recorded between the records and was surprised to find just an EP. I was also worried when I saw the music's tie to October Road, having never seen the show I wondered how it may effect the music. The end result, however, is a great one. With several new recordings, a couple covers and reworkings of Ryan's original work, it is enough to tie both casual and hardcore fans over until the next full release. I especially enjoy the new versions of This Is It and If I Am A Stranger. The band is hitting a real stride and if you haven't been a long time fan this is the perfect place to start and wet your appetite for one of today's most prolific singer/songwriters.



3. A biased review because of my long time fanship of Ryan but he has put together a wonderful EP. It mixes new with restructured old and another fantastic cover. I am not a huge cover fan but when an artist takes a song and turns it on its head then it is worth it. I usually decry most of Hollywood and the modern music scene for not being original and remaking everything that has been done before but his renditions are so different. Buy it, it is great.



4. I love the music of Ryan Adams but this little CD is more or less a side dish compared to the main entrees of his other works. "Dear John" without Norah Jones and "If I am a Stranger" are highlights (I don't mind ol' Norah but it's nice to hear how the song might be without her).
   
   For the price, well, it's a good price. If you're a fan, definitely pick it up. I did. I don't regret it but of all his CDs I have, it's the one I put on at rare times - which is not bad, comparatively speaking, I don't own Rock N'Roll and don't plan to purchase it in the near future. ("If I Am Stranger" - I think is my favourite track...I love the acoustic rendering...)
   
   If you're new to Ryan Adams, start with Gold and work your way around, feel it out, if you prefer the alt-country (Cold Roses, Jacksonville City Lights) aspects or the folk-rock n'roller (Heartbreaker, 29, Love is Hell). This CD is not the best place to start. It's the kind of CD you want because you are a fan but if you could live without it, you would.



5. Well, something short and sweet for the Ryan Adams fans. The sound is mostly light and breezy-love the song "Blue Hotel" and the live toned down version of "This is It." Nice, soft, ear candy until you get to the cover of the Alice in Chains song "Down in a Hole." There is nothing light and breezy about this song-think Johnny Cash singing "Hurt." Adams' version is so good, you can hear and feel the devastation, even close your eyes and conjure up a vision of the broken man-perhaps because he was that man. The song is sequenced right in the middle of the cd, so unexpected, it just about took my breath away. I don't usually recommend a cd because of one song, but you are cheating yourself if you don't hear this version of "Down in a Hole." The rest of the cd is good too. Mr. Adams should keep The Cardinals around. They suit each other well. Go buy it. Now!

5 comments about Speaking in Tongues.

1. I second the pull up the roots comment! Might be my favorite song on the whole album. This entire album is awesome though, and its really good on a long drive in the summertime.



2. The Talking Heads' 1983 album "Speaking In Tongues" is a dazzling, groove-oriented collection. The music here is so impeccably crafted and paced that you're truly left in awe, that is if you're not busy simply dancing and/or singing along.
   
   The album is remarkably cohesive, yet intriguingly varied at the same time. The massively funky "Girlfriend Is Better" has one of the most insanely catchy choruses ever, plus hilarious vocal asides from David Byrne. "Making Flippy Floppy" and the huge hit "Burning Down The House" are ultra-funky gems as well. "Slippery People" has an incredibly catchy gospel-ized call-and-response chorus, sumptuous bright keyboard textures, and a neatly 'off-the-beat' bass line. The swinging "Swamp" is fittingly titled, with a swampy New Orleans R&B groove, Byrne singing much lower than usual, and an amusingly growling singalong chorus. "I Get Wild/ Wild Gravity" has a light reggae feel and yet another irresistible chorus. The closing "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)", with its memorably looping guitar line, has a weirdly optimistic tone and is a wonderful way to end the record.
   
   In short, "Speaking In Tongues" is a marvelous must-have record, from a terrific band, that any serious music fan will want to listen to over and over and over. One of my all-time personal favorites.



3. I have a special edition of this with a DVD side and I can listen to this in 5.1 surround sound. It is an earth movign experience. I love every song on this album. In fact, I think this is my favorite album ever by my favorite band ever and it includes my favorite song ever, This Must Be the Place.



4. I picked this album up used at an old record store. Popped it in my cd player and WOW! This is by far the greatest Talking Heads Album Making Flippy Floppy is a really well composed song. What is neat about this album is it has a sort of reggae funk to it with all kinds of random lyrics. YOU WILL ENJOY THIS IF YOU ARE A TALKING HEADS FAN OR ARE NEW TO THEM!



5. ALSO AVAILABLE AS A DUAL DISC WITH SOME EXTRA TRACKS.
   HOPEFULLY IT HAS BETTER SOUND.
   
   Released in 1983, this is the Talking Heads' fifth studio album. It came after three years after Remain In Light. In those days, 3 years between albums was a long time. In the sixties some groups released a couple of albums a year. If they didn't you wondered what happened to them. Now, groups go up to a decade between album releases.
   
   The sound quality on the original CD is OK but not excellent. It is a little bit muddled and not as sharp as it should be, especially considering the musical style the band used at the time. There is new version out, on a dual disc. One side is a normal CD and the other is an audio DVD. There are some extra tracks on this.
   
   This might be the Talking Heads best album, if it didn't all sound the same and eventually get stale and boring. I think if they had left out Pull Up the Roots, the album would have been near perfect. Pull Up The Roots just drones on with a disco beat. It almost sounds like one of those extended mixes created just for discos.
   
   Otherwise, this CD is just filled full of great songs and real classics: Buring Down the House, Girlfriend Is Better and Swamp. When I first heard Swamp, I had no idea who it was.
   
   This album is the basis for much of the live CD/DVD, Stop Making Sense. I think that many of the songs are even better on this live album.
   
   If you like this album, than you should check out the early Tom Tom Club albums, especially Dark, Sneak, Love Action. Tom Tom Club is spin off band featuring Franz and Weymouth.

2 comments about 2.

1. 2 (2008, Dangerbird) Darker My Love's second studio album. ****
   
   Doing modern psychedelic music is a pretty tough act; drugs like LSD aren't nearly as commonly used as they were back in the late 60's, and most of the bands that did psychedelic music were self-indulgent. But modern bands such as MGMT and the Black Angels have tried to bring it back, and now another band, Darker My Love, has stepped up to the plate.
   
   2 offers an eclectic mix of influences in its bag, with phases of the album exerting different sounds. The beginning is riff-heavy and recalls bands such as the Guess Who, especially on "Blue Day," which features a Steppenwolf-like sputtering organ. The Beatles and Cream show through on "White Composition," which has a jazzy drumbeat and a soft, rolling guitar melody. And an obvious tribute is paid to the Beatles on "Talking Words," which drops its excesses and features a deliberate imitation of Paul McCartney thirty seconds before it's out. 2 almost suffers from conjuring the sounds of too many influences (from the Velvet Underground to Radiohead), but the songs are so well crafted that it's hard to knock them. In fact, there are several moments that mark the music as primal; the airy psychedelic pop of "Even in Your Lightest Day" features a very chunky bass line, and "Northern Soul" has releases in its "Yeah yeah yeah's" that make the feeling organic. While there are no super-overdrawn "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidas," some jams still take too much time, such as the Verve-inspired "All the Hurry and Wait," who's string arrangement is somewhat similar "Bittersweet Symphony," though it is still compelling. Surely they've some work to do, but 2 is still worth the listen, for several moments are magnificent. (Blue Day, Even In Your Lightest Day, All the Hurry and Wait)



2. This is a fantastic CD....these guys are destined for the top. They are amazing and orginal.