5 comments about Hairway to Steven.

1. On this classic BHS recording one hears the influences of just about every art-music genre (electro-industrial, trance, psychedelia, noise, grunge, etc.), yet each song is well-crafted and they all seamlessly flow together into one organic whole.
   
   For me, track one seems by far the most powerful and creative. In part we listen in on a child-abusing father and his victim daughter whose innocence is completely destroyed. Part II seems just as powerful and haunting as we hear soothing guitar and farm sounds in the background. It gives the listener a chance to reflect on the sad lives of the characters, and how, although on the surface life seems tranquil and "normal", there is a very disturbing vibe carried over from part I (in part brought on by the father's mostly incoherent ramblings in the background) that undermines the otherwise peaceful sounds. A less daring and creative band would have told this painful story from the third-person narrative, but BHS takes the listener upfront into the psyches of both the attacker and victim. This makes the experience all the more powerful. Regarding the subject matter of this track, I want to emphasize that the essence of BHS lies in creating art through music. And much of art involves creating unique views of human experience and the human condition. And for this listener track one evokes much sadness and pain, because it in general speaks of human brutality towards other humans. I believe this is the effect the band wanted to achieve. For example, the father is provided one of the most demonic sounding voices one will ever hear on a music recording; but very appropriate when heard from the perspective of a child.
   
   The other bookend to this cd are the last two tracks which seem very experimental but alluring due to the driving rhythmns and heaviness brought on by layers of electro-industrial sludge, screeches, screams, and distorted/fuzzed guitar.
   
   Sandwiched in between these bookends are very creative yet catchy pop-rock tunes; each one having its own interesting BHS twist.
   
   Obtaining this cd along with Locust Abortion Technician, and Rembrandt Pussyhorse will IMO capture the very essence and best of BHS.



2. their 2'nd best next to locust abortion technician, from the sickening music and artwork, to the members of the band and their freakish onstage antics, they scored pretty good with this, i think. since there are no song titles on the album, i thought i'd put them here and how long they are.
   1. jimi (12:48)
   2. ricky(2:36)
   3. i saw an x-ray of a girl passing gas (4:56)
   4. john e. smokes (6:40)
   5. rocky (3:45)
   6. julio iglesias (3:05)
   7. backass (6:07)
   8. fast song (1:35)
   
   5 stars+



3. Even if Gibby & the boys didn't blow the doors clean off for the full length of this LP I would've still gotten a hold of a copy on account of it being for my money the greatest album title of all time. But they did. So that's like eleven thumbs up right there. And eleven too, might I just add, in honour of the one and only Nigel Tufnel, eleven too is the volume you want to set your controls at whenever you get round to plonking this thermogenic Texas doojigger in the Toshiba.



4. I love the Butthole surfers but this one didn't do it for me. Too spacy just to be spacy, it doesn't make me go oh ya that's some cool music. Independent worm saloon and Electric Larry Land are fantastic albums and one or two that i can't think of now. But this one is a thumbs down from me.



5. I have an extensive collection of the Butthole Surfers, including their DVD. This CD is their best. Unlike some of their other creations (which do contain phenomenal songs), this CD is very consistent; it doesn't contain any down time. It flows beautifully from the first song to the last.
   
   "Hairway to Steven" showcases their talent, musically and lyrically. For someone, who is not familiar with the Buttholes, this is a good place to start. "Hairway" does lack some of the demented/scary songs of their earlier works, but that is ok. It's almost a pleasure. You can listen to this CD with Butthole virgins and not hurt them; they might even like it...

5 comments about Oh My Gawd!!!...The Flaming Lips.

1. The Flaming Lips trudge on, getting a bit more mastery of their instruments, with OH MY GAWD!!... And the results really vary. The first track, "Everything's Explodin'", sounds very much like the first album, except for the slightly different drum sound. It's another garage rocker with a nice acoustic bridge... Oh yeah, they go acoustic a lot in this album.
   
   The second track is a Pink Floyd knock-off. It's nine minute long and quite progressive, and I must say I'm impressed with what they made of two guitars, a bass, and a drum set. This is the pretentious album cut, much like "Jesus Shootin' Heroin" was on HEAR IT IS. Sometimes it feels like it's going nowhere, but it's quite the tribute.
   
   "Maximum Dream Of Evil Kinievel" is one of those songs that is very, very bad... but at the same time, it's endearing and kind of hard to resist. It's got very punchy verses with punk riffs in between the lines, and a Beatles reference. Speaking of The Beatles, they include a clip of "Revolution 9" at the very beginning and a clip of "Tomorrow Never Knows" at the end of this album.
   
   "Can't Exist" is an acoustic song contributed by the Richard English, and of course they couldn't help but plaster feedback all over the place. It's a mediocre song, and the vocals suck... This is why drummers should not contribute songs (I'm only kidding!) Actually, the main drawback of this album is the vocals. Wayne really needed work on his voice here, but he fortunately fixed that throughout the next album. "Ode To C.C. Part 1" is just backwards noise and talking... not the best of their tracks, for sure. "Celin' Is Bending" is bland, and apparently stole the very music of one of Alice Cooper's songs... Tracks 4-6 are pretty much the low point of this album.
   
   "Prescription: Love" is one of my favorite tracks here, with a very, very lengthy intro following the basic blues/punk formula with the I-IV-V chords, but it's damn catchy. I like the lyrics, as well. "Thanks To You" is the second song contributed by the Richard English, which is very much better than "Can't Exist" as far as the music goes, but the vocals are still pretty terrible.
   
   "Can't Stop The Spring" is a great song, in my opinion, and they had some amateur string sampling thrown in, but it works. "Ode To C.C. Part 2" is a good folksy acoustic ditty. The vocals are much better here, and Wayne's showing more promise as a singer. "Love Yer Brain" is my absolute favorite, though, and the piano really makes it. Four basic chords repeated over and over, with some lovely lyrics thrown in and the destruction of a piano... How could an album end any better? BY THROWING IN A BEATLES SAMPLE? I guess so.
   
   So it's quite the rocky album, but the good tracks are definite improvements over "Hear It Is," and leaves one intrigued to see what comes next.



2. There's a couple of other obscure references here besides the obvious Beatles samples; like the first 45 seconds, the verses and the ending of "The Ceiling Is Bendin" which are a spot-on cover of the Alice Cooper Bands' song "Levity Ball" (from their first album PRETTIES FOR YOU). Not to mention the classical sample at the end of "Can't Stop The Spring;" any guesses?



3. Ok, this album rocks. It was a great buy. Someone once told that it wasn't worth it to get their early music, because they had a different vocalist then what people are use to. Well whoopie-de-do! This album is awesome! It's like late 60's rock/ acid punk rock. I loved this band the moment I heard them with Yoshimi, but I am starting to love their earlier work more now because it's heavier, more raw, loud and just darn cool! A very good mix of songs...these are the ones that stick out to me...
   
   "Everythings Explodin" is a pretty good opener which starts off with a piece from the Beatles song Revolution #9, "Take this brother may it serve you well" and then it starts off into the Lips song.
   
   "One Million Billionth of a Millisecond on a Sunday Morning" Is over 9 minutes of pure awesomeness! The first time I heard this I was in awe.
   
   "Can't Exist" I very nice slower song that is on the edge of beautiful. It sounds very nice.
   
   "The Ceiling is Bending" great lyrics and a really good drum beat to it.
   
   "Prescription: Love" is an awesome jam song. Just listen to it, it rocks!
   
   "Thanks to You" Another really nice mellow song I really liked the first time I listened to it like most of the album.
   
   The REST of the songs are awesome as well, but don't stick out to me as much as these. The album is amazing. You really should get into the original Lips, because Oh My Gawd!!! ...It's The Flaming Lips! And they are an amazing band. Their drums stick out so much more in their early years. Their guitar is bleepin' great, grungy, raw and crazy!
   
   Warning: They sound nothing like the later stuff.(BUT YOU SHOULD STILL GET THE EARLY ALBUMS!!!)
   
   Pretty awesome band for being from Oklahoma! Weird! No offense to anyone from Oklahoma.
   
   Flaming Lips are a really awesome hard rockin' acid punk grunge wonder of a band and are turning into a very obscure unique artistic band. I love everything they do! (but I hear that their first album isn't so great) BUT, everything else after it they ROCKED HARD!!
   
   EGAD!! THE FLAMING LIPS!!



4. This is definately a great Flaming Lips album, and one you should definately check out. It's also their first great album, their debut is kinda boring.



5. After the debut, the band decided to expand their creativity and this album was what slowly began to open the door for this. Dropping the more gritty, bluesy, punk sounds that was found in places on "Hear It Is" they adapted Art/Progressive rock and began seriously using atmospheric effects... reverb,echo, acoustic guitars, backward loops, and other sounds from various effects or electric guitar flow about through this album and create textures very new and almost uncompomisingly different from most late '80's indie music, retreating to a psychedelic idealism and experimental attitude. They also were growing longer hair, dressed, and were more refered to as hippies... but for the album... songs of life,love,joy and visions from Wayne Coyne's perception create a great album.

   Ben.
   the 15 year old.

5 comments about Earthquake Glue.

1. At that time I want to buy Interpol' Turn on the Bright Lights, but it was sold out, then the clerk recommend me this album. It's awesome and became one of my favorite.



2. though no one will ever confuse earthquake glue with bee thousand, there are moments here when you remember why you fell in love with this band in the first place. there are, however, problems. what's with that annoying sound all the way through i'll replace you with machines? does bob think my kind of soldier is a good enough lead-off track? why are kevin's drums almost inaudible? didn't he mine the whole "i want to sound like the who" thing pretty exhaustively with choreographed man of war? either way, i like this record and it's better than the following year's GbV swan song, half smiles of the decomposed. i just get a little sad listening to this.



3. I recently purchased this CD because I'd been hearing the song "Useless Inventions" on Little Steven's Underground Garage station, and I really liked it. But after purchasing the album and listening to it, I really wish I had never bought it. "Useless Inventions" is the only good track on this CD. Everything else is just bland and boring.
   If you're a die-hard fan of this band and have to have all of their albums, wait until you can find a used copy of this one for 4 or 5 bucks, because you probably won't listen to it a second time.
   Oh well, at least I've learned that this band had much better albums than this one.



4. I'm listening to this album now, and I got to tell you I dig it. It is definitely Pollard's Who album (GBV rocks, in every stage of their career, by the way. I'm not going to engage in useless debate about old vs. new)....I've heard alot of influences on Uncle Bob, but I always thought The Who was the biggest. So here you go.....A great album.



5. "Earthquake Glue" took about a year for me to get into. As a long time GBV fan, I initially didn't like this at all, I should know by now, as a lot of Robert Pollard's music takes time to give rewards. I kept wanting it to sound like "Isolation Drills" or "Alien Lanes", but once I listened to it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be, I loved it. So many brilliant songs here, like "Mix Up The Satelite", "Useless Inventions", "Beat Your Wings","Dead Cloud", "My Kind of Soldier" and "Dirty Water"...these tunes are really fresh and exciting. Don't expect "Glad Girls" or "Echoes Myron" part 2, though-this is Robert Pollard evolving and moving forward, a nice contrast to the prevoius album, "Universal Truths And Cycles". The arrangements and moods are really fascinating, maybe a little downbeat, but also uplifting in places. Of course, amazing lyrics here and every song paints a colorful picture. Listen to this at home at high volume, and be open minded about it...The drumming of Kevin March is awesome, well done. Another classic in the GBV library.
   -Mike A.

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 Killers and Stars.

1. I am a huge fan of this album. It is very raw and a very honest feel to it. Both the music and lyrics are very engaging and grow on me with each listen.



2. this is the first album that i bought by patterson hood. i am a very big fan of the acoustic guitar and this is a perfect example of how its supposed to be done. i also think that he has a great voice.



3. First of all, I admit that I don't own a single Drive By Truckers CD--something I plan on taking care of. I bought this CD on a whim after listening to clips of "Uncle Disney" and "Rising Son" and being very impressed. When I was able to listen to the complete CD, I immediatly fell in love.
   
   This CD could have easily been cleaned up but, thankfully, it remains beautifully lo-fi and raw. From creaking chairs to string noise to the occasional off-key lyric, KILLERS AND STARS is a brutally honest recording even if you choose to ignore the intelligent songwriting. Hood's voice embodies each song like a backporch storyteller revealing more character with each note.
   
   This is a real folk album done right. I wouldn't change a thing.



4. Every once in awhile a singer or a band releases a diamond in the rough. That's the case with Patterson Hood's Killers & Stars. You might know Hood as the venerable leader of the very cool Drive By Truckers, one of the best bands out there today.
   
   Hood recorded Killers in 2001 at his dining room table during a low point in his life personally and professionally. The band was in limbo and he was in the process of a divorce. The result is a CD that's low fi and dark, but brilliant nonetheless.
   
   With the songs consisting just of Hood's voice and acoustic guitar, there's a certain rawness here. And that's a good thing, because Killer's songs are just that - raw. Hardship, uncertainty, frustration, melancholy and resignation are all in evidence.
   
   The songs are all great, but I especially like Pay No Attention to Alice, a cover of a song written by country great Tom T. Hall about a friend of his whose wife was an alcoholic. And Frances Farmer is another great song. Farmer, of course, is the tragic actress that went off the deep end in the '40s. Back then they called it manic-depressive psychosis. Today the neat term for it is bipolar. Maybe Hood understood how Farmer must have felt when she was carted away to a nut house against her will and given shock treatment. Anyhow, that's a glammed up Farmer you see on the cover.
   
   Enough about that. Buy this CD right now.



5. It took Patterson years to finally record and release this album...and while most musicians would succumb to the urge to "over-polish" older material, Patterson did not. The songs are raw and masterfully played as if all of those memories were fresh in his mind. Patterson is truly one of the greats, not only of his genre, but in all music.

5 comments about Live in Buffalo: July 4th 2004 (CD & DVD).

1. Cd is in perfect conditions. And it arrived faster than expected. They were great !



2. This is an album that is a must have for your Goo Goo Dolls collection. There is nothing like a live show in Buffalo. Whether you are watching the DVD or listening to the CD, you will not be disappointed. It is amazing. It is a must have for every Goo Goo Dolls fan!



3. Amo este show e amei o DVD. O detalhe da razão dos pingos d'água na capa é fantástico.
   A banda é demais, o show foi ótimo e a produção do DVD idem.
   O cd bônus é ótimo tb.



4. This DVD is a really great introduction to the live Goo experience! They've put out some great songs over the years, but the albums can only give you so much. To really appreciate Goo you've got to see them live and if you can't get tickets, this is the next best thing. They've got a really great energy and despite the rain, they give their all to the show.



5. This is the kind of concert you want to sit back, get up, jump around and then sit back again...it rocks!

5 comments about Stag.

1. In fact, I own it on vinyl and CD.
   
   I agree with another reviewer who stated this was the best Melvins record while they were with Atlantic Records. Humorous as it may be, most of the songs are abstractions. They include the typical Melvins sounds cape which explores many different facets of the bands' style.
   
   The album is more experimental than Stoner Witch or Houdini (not taking away from those records - they are both awesome in their own regard). This has led me to believe that the Melvins were not planning on attempting to continue a relationship with a major label. These hints are confirmed by some of the sound bites on their next record - Honky.
   
   In essence, the way this album was laid out shows how the Melvins overcame their bizarre relationship with a major label. They attempted to release PRICK on Atlantic and the label frowned immediately. So instead, they released it on the minor label - Amphetamine Reptile when the major wouldn't. Buzzo and Dale most likely knew they had to put out something which fit them but which was also safe. Stag was the record.
   
   While it was safe enough to be released - it seemed as though it acted as a compromise to allow both the band and the label out of its 3 album contract. Apparently the Mevlins wouldn't provide Atlantic with an attraction that Nirvana gained for David Geffen. But perhaps the Melvins will at some point be recognized as more path breaking than Cobain and his crew. But with the way the media drools over dead superheroes of the past and fails to recognize those who are presently hard at work. I won't hold my breath.
   
   Sadly, its lack of major label support eventually led to its removal from store shelves in the United States.
   
   The songs stretch from blues (Cottonmouth), to weird (Skin Horse) to metal (the Bloat, Bar X and the Bit). That is why I like the record. It is seamlessly original and has a good flow to it.
   
   If you like the Melvins (or even Tool and haven't heard of them yet) I would suggest getting this album with Stoner Witch and a recent album called a Senile Animal.



2. I love this album so much that if I weren't already married to a super wonderful woman I would try to marry it. It is in my top five albums of all time. Buy it now and listen to it all the way through after a big fat doobie for the full effect... You will thank me.



3. i could do an essay on this album. i'll fight to keep it short n simple. stag has a little of everything. if i divided melvins career into three parts, this would be the middle portion. every fan of rock music should have this.



4. This album is one of my favorites. The Bit is probably one of the best songs they ever recorded.



5. i've been listening and following the melvins for over a decade and i think this is there most creative album that is still in good taste. this was recorded with mark d on bass and out of all the incarnations of the melvins i believe the melvins sounded the most cohesive with mark d on bass. each member wrote different songs on here by themselves and a lot of the songs are more complex than on other albums. if your new to the melvins don't pick up houdini or a senile animal. get this. its the best.

5 comments about Let's Talk About Feelings.

1. Lagwagon has always put out great records except for thier first two. "Angry Days" ,"Coffee Mug" , and "know it all" are their only good songs from thier first two records.
   Thier best record is a toss up between "hoss" and "let's talk about feelings".
   My favorite songs on this cd are "After you my friend" , "everything turns grey" , "love story" , "may 16", and "owen meaney".
   The cool thing about lagwagon they have their own unique sound. they don't sound like 75 other punk bands. My only issue that the record is only 25 minutes long. That's punk rock.
   If your new to lagwagon pick up "hoss", "double plaidinum", "let's talk about feelings" ,"let's talk about leftovers" , "blaze" ,and "resolve".
   Pick up "duh" , and "trash" last. If you buy their first two ablums first you will not like the band.



2. This is still one of my favorite albums (by lagwagon, or any album in general). I read somebody saying that "Blaze" was their best, no way buddy. That might be one of their worst, but yet..it's still good. All of Lagwagon's albums have yet to dissapoint me, but this album specifically is the most fun to listen to. Lagwagon along with The Get Up Kids are one of the most greatest underground bands to ever write music! RIP T.G.U.K.



3. This was the first lagwagon CD i bought a while back an it rules! There's no down sides to this cd every track is amazing, alot of people have said it is on a different wavelength to their other cd's and i agree but thats why it stands out. Its got more character than blaze which, dont get me wrong is an awsome cd and once your into it its amazing too, but i really think this cd stands out! :D Tony Hawk fans will remember may 16, anyone who loved that song will love this buy it now!!! Lagwagon fans without it, buy it trust me you need it!!! :D



4. The feelings cd is a good cd in general. The songs on the cd stick more or less to the same theme. The highest quality song on the cd is "love story" followed by "after you my friend", "train", "may 16", and "messengers". If you really like lagwagon then gun in your hand and leave the light on are good as well. The artwork on both the cd and cover for the cd are humorus especially in comparison with the boring cover on double plaidinum. This cd does seem to be on a different line of thought than lagwagons other albums but it is still good.



5. a cool album, standout tracks are After You My Friend, Hurry up, their cover of Agent Orange'd everything turns grey (great song) and the really cool, optimistic May 16 (you may have heard it on tony hawk 2)

5 comments about Adventure.

1. Okay, so it's not the raw piece of meat for your ears that 'Marquee Moon' was. They played those songs live for 3 years before going into the studio with Andy Johns and made a post-punk garage rock masterpiece. Initially, I was disappointed with 'Adventure', and I let it sit, going on to wear out my copy of 'Marquee Moon'. But recently, I've pulled out the Tom Verlaine/Richard Lloyd follow up to their masterpiece, and you know what?? I love it!! From the beautiful melancholy of 'Days', to the saw tooth guitar interplay of 'Foxhole'. I was turned off initially by the spruced up production, the reverbed drums and the shiney vocals. But now, I think it's the perfect counterpoint to 'Marquee Moon's' sparseness and raw energy. Alot of 'Adventure's' material was written in the studio, as opposed to on the road. 'Careful' has nice radio friendly quality, while still overflowing with Verlaine's cynical look on the world. "Ain't That Nothin" has some great guitar noodling from Mr. Lloyd, and 'The Dreamer's Dream' is just plain beautiful. If you're a fan of Television, you need this. My advice, if you have neither of these classic albums, buy 'Marquee Moon' first, let it soak in, then move on to 'Adventure'. Highly recommended!!



2. Television were a breath of fresh air in the 1970s with their unique psychedelic rock, sparse but based on long, yet always melodic and even delicately soft guitar lines - producing melody even through chaos.
   
   "Adventure", their second album following the massively-acclaimed Marquee Moon, was highly accessible due to the slick production and absence of extended jams. Nonetheless, the rapid tightening of commercial radio formats and the ineptitude of noncommercial radio restricted Television to the tiniest cult audience in their homeland, although "Adventure" made them stars in Western Europe.
   
   Compared with the deceptively soft sound of Marquee Moon, "Adventure" lost out in terms of the unique textures due to the rather intrusive production, which verged on pompous on the disappointing "Ain't That Nothin" and blunted the edge from the guitar lines of "Glory", which is largely carried by a touching vocal. However, "Carried Away" moved the clanging guitar sounds to piano and organ with surprising effect, and the largely instrumental closer "The Dream's Dream" blend's the undeniable guitar talents of Verlaine and Lloyd with a sound that was remarkably rich and soft for a time when stripped-down aggression or bombastic stadium rock was the order of the day.
   
   The almost insanely catchy "Foxhole", their third and last European hit single, however, was the stunner here, with perhaps the finest guitar work ever made coming from Richard Lloyd. Especially in his closing solo, Lloyd played with a skill that even the radio-oriented production utterly failed to thwart. Verlaine's lyrics can appear to be shallow or intelligent (sometimes at the same time) but the music of "Foxhole" will never leave you: probably, in fact, the best song of the late 1970s.
   
   "Careful" sounded like a radio-ready pop song, but in a good kind of way: Verlaine's gift was his knowledge of human aspiration. "The Fire", an appropriate description of a summer heatwave, expresses the opposite feeling.
   
   Really, "Adventure" carries on the sound of Marquee Moon in a more heavily produced manner: the psychedelic sparks are still there, but are not always easy to hear - just as critics have always been saying.



3. Tom Verlaine's guitar has a unique voice. Either you love it - or you don't - Typically, big fans of groups like Styx, Toto, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Boston, Kansas and The Doobies... might not appreciate Verlaine's voicing and style. It's just off the radar enough to miss major classic rock radio play... you are more likely to hear Verlaine on a college radio station.
   
   Adventure is my favorite Television album -Marquee Moon may be better - but I just like "The Fire" too much to knock this one down. The soloing is brilliant and the mood of the songs are laced with anticiaption that fully delivers.
   
   I would especially recommend this album to a guitarist who is searching for a unique and brilliant sound.
   
   If you do not like this music, it is strongly recommended that you buy a buick, grow a horrible mustache and start selling Amway products.



4. When this album came out in the late seventies the critics said it didn't hold a candle to their debut album Marquee Moon. Over time its reputation grew until it was finally recognised for what it is- a work of near brilliance. It doesn't have the hard edge of MM, but that is where its appeal lies- the hard edges have been smoothed out and replaced with a dreamy, surreal quality that acheives moments of greatness- check out "Carried Away", one of the few keyboard-based Television songs, and especially the final track "The Dream's Dream"- the interplay of guitar work between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd has never been better than on this track. One of the best late seventies albums, no question.



5. As a casual fan, this is my favorite Television record. Marquee Moon is good, but this is just better in my opinion.
   
   "Foxhole" is a leftover from the MM sessions, and it definitely sounds like it. It's totally out of place, and consequently is my least favorite song on the album. (If it had been on MM, it would have fit right in, and I probably would have loved it). Other than that, this album has a terrific flow to it, and is great for a laidback listening experience. Television is known as a guitar band, but that amazing and heartwrending piano from the MM song "Guiding Light" is back, in spades, on Adventure. With songs like "Days," "Careful" and "Carried Away," Adventure could have been titled: NYC Punks Discover Country & Western. Then subtitled: And Make Some Damn Good Music As A Result. The only skip-worthy song on the whole album is the weak 6-minute instrumental, "The Dream's Dream," which just meanders and goes nowhere. The bottom line though, for me, is that Adventure surpasses any of either Verlaine's or Lloyd's solo work--making it as the logical next step if you have heard MM and you want something more.
   
   And yes, the awesome red cover helps a little bit too.

5 comments about Mercy.

1. hate Burden Brothers. this is the kind of bar-bashing butt rock that i didn't think anyone of Toadies fame would be capable of. definitely a disappointment.



2. I was instantly hooked after the first listen. I am a huge Toadies fan so that was one of the main reasons on getting this CD. The sound is different from the Toadies, but it still hooks you in. The songs stay stuck in your head for days. "Still" is one of the best songs Vaden has written.



3. As several people mention, the production on some songs is much slicker than the Toadies, but that isn't necessarily bad. It changes up the sound of the CD and makes it that much more enjoyable for me.
   
   The songs themselves range from sounding just like Todd's former band to sounding nothing like them. There are a few songs that seem to have very similar chord progressions and rhythms, but overall I think this blows away about 90% of the other music released in the past couple of years.



4. Somewhere along the line we, the audience of pop music, singled out the frontman(woman) as the sole identity of the group. To be fair, there are several occurences of the lead guitarist with public image clout as well, garnering attention as part of the creative force that drives the ensemble (Page/Plant, Jagger/Richards, etc) And even rarer still, one of the other members of a group gets 'face time:' Flea, Nikki Sixx, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Peart, etc. Why is this important, you ask? Because it is flawed thinking - the ensemble creates the sound, the essence, the being - which brings us to the Burden Brothers.
   
   Vaden Todd Lewis is not the Burden Brothers.
   
   Now, having said that, we see him, we hear him, we know he is there - but this is a BAND, and a damn fine outfit at that. They are a tight bunch of players who sling their sonic fortitude at the listeners with a casual, slack precision that embodies pure attitude. Taz' Drumming, Casey/Corey/Zack doing their thing - all makes up a part of the end result - which brings us to shocking truth number two:
   
   The Burden Brothers are not the Toadies.
   
   I know, I know, Vaden's voice, and his singing, for that matter, are featured prominently in both ventures. While Burden can, from time to time, venture into near-Toadies territory, they are their own band, and should be viewed as such. That said, let's get into Mercy.
   
   This album starts off with a hauntingly breathy piece called "Its Time," which, frankly, this reviewer just doesn't get. So, onto the next tracks: the uptempo rockers "Shine," "Still" and "Everybody is Easy (We Sink, We Swim)" - good solid rock and roll, no two ways about it - simple construction of melodies, excellently arranged and executed.
   
   Burden kind of takes an interesting turn with the remainder of the record though, as it pumps up the gain, the chunk, ad the 'sludge factor' for "Good Night from Chicago" and "I am a Cancer," the latter being a sultry, riffing delivery, wrapped up neatly with a venomed tongue lyrical ribbon. "...Find another break up song, and sing it to yourself..."
   
   Following the heavier turn, Mercy gets lighter, and more airy with uptempo tunes like "in my Sky" and the bouncy "On our Own" featuring a bassline from Zack that'll be sure to have your head nodding.
   
   The album closer, "Liberated" is a slow building rage-ballad that serves as a great way to finish this album's journey, befitting, as the lyrics house imagery of hopping in a car, and rolling down the highway.
   
   The sophomore album effort from the Burden Brothers is a fantastic rock and roll record, and it should be judged as such - its not Toadies-quirky, nor is it a raucous as Burden's own 'Buried in your Black Heart,' but it stands on its own, and doesn't let you forget it or regret ;) )



5. These guys, Burden Brothers have great Chemistry. The album has a range from good ol' American Rock to easy listening ballads. Lead singer, Vaden's lullyby turned guitar riffin' chaos, "Still" stands out along with the first single, "Shine". My personal favorite is going to have to be "Trick of Logic" and I will personally recommend this album to anyone who doesn't have it.