5 comments about Stiff Upper Lip.

1. This album is more laid back than any of their material since the '80's, with somewhat rawer production and without the more obvious "arena anthem" type songwriting we saw on The Razor's Edge. Consequently, the album eases into a solid mid-intensity groove and pretty much sticks with it until the end. Personally, I find it a really nice listen. But others might conclude that the band is playing it safe and that some of the fire is gone. It's a thin line, usually, between laid back and boring.
   
   Once again, the Young brothers write all of the material, including the lyrics. While I always prefer it when Johnson writes his own lyrics, I think the Youngs do a better job on Still Upper Lip than on Ballbreaker or The Razor's Edge. The double entendres are less forced and the subject matter is less weird. It's great to hear Phil Rudd on this record. His drum playing is straight down the middle and no frills, but nobody brings more feel to a straight hard rock four-four beat than Phil Rudd does.
   
   In summary, this should not be one of your first AC/DC albums. However, if you have most of their catalog, I don't think you'll be disappointed. The band has nothing left to prove to anybody. However, with this album they show they still rock.



2. OK, to say that AC/DC has an huge amount of change on their style of music is really going out on a limb. Everyone pretty much knows that AC/DC's style has been taking basic rock and blues beats, and putting them with Brian Johnson's raspy vocals. (of course the band seemed to have a bit more variety with Bon Scott, but I believe that he just fit a bit better with AC/DC then Johnson has)Of course this doesnt mean that AC/DC's material sucks with Brian, nor does it mean I dont enjoy their style of rock music, and even though 2000's "Stiff Upper Lip" is better then "Fly on the Wall" & "Blow up your Video" I was hoping of an album with more of a heavy metal feel to it such as the great "The Razors Edge" which was released as Hair Metal was ruling the airwaves, Yet the band took a diffrent approach and released a pure Heavy Metal album (with no ties of Hair Metal at all) with "The Razors Edge" So we fast foward a few years to 2000, where Nu Metal and Metalcore are ruling the airwaves (in the rock world) and what does AC/DC do? They take things back to basics and pretty much re-live their blues sound that we really havent heard since the days of Bon Scott. Some of this really works. There are some good songs here such as House of Jazz, Hold Me Back, and Safe in NYC, Meltdown, Satellite Blues, COme and Get it, All Screwed, and Give it up. So thats 8 out of 12 tracks that are pretty solid. But even though these songs are good, there arent really outstanding. They also suffer from sounding to much alike (I dont mean the AC/DC sound) but some of it is almost like listening to the exact same song just with different lyrics. So I give the band a break. This is an album released twenty five years since the debut album (which was released in 1975, yet didnt make it to the states til 1981) and of course the band has been together (minus a few members, for longer) and to still put out an album that is listenable, is impressive, yet it still doesnt manage to grab you like the albums of old, but still above average. 3 1/2 stars. ENJOY



3. An attempt by AC/DC to return to bluesier material and to turn away from the arena rock feel of many Brian Johnson era albums, Stiff Upper Lip has a more laid back feel to it than many AC/DC albums from the last 25 years.
   
   But despite a return to roots formula, the album is a bit of a mixed bag. There are a lot of solid songs here, but very few that are remarkable, as the band is less than inventive with their riffs and lyrics, and it's not until "Safe in New York City" that anything interesting happens on the guitar.
   
   The duo of "Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll" and "Satellite Blues," which start the second half of the album, is one of the stronger portions, with interesting guitar, good lyrics and vocals, and...well, it just feels more like AC/DC than does much of the rest of the album.
   
   The second half is considerably stronger than the first, with generally more entertaining songs, and I can appreciate what Angus and the boys were trying to do here. But there's just too much repetition, either of a less than amazing riff or of a lyric line, to be a top notch AC/DC album.



4. Good hard rock for your ears. Great big band with good themes: Satellite Blues, Stiff Upper Lip and Give It Up are the most remarkable.



5. Ok, so it's a little more mellow than your Highway to Hell or your Powerage, but this album just rocks. There are only two songs I don't like and they both come close to the end. Safe in New York City is their best song since Thunderstruck. Stiff Upper Lip improves on Ballbreaker. It has a similar sound. AC/DC sounds a bit different now, but I love it just as much as their old stuff.

5 comments about The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking.

1. This first solo album by Waters is largely unlistenable. The concept is a nightmare but the real nightmare is if you are a huge Floyd fan like myself who believes Waters was the mastermind behind it all and you loved the Final Cut and then you have your high expectations crushed by this dismal effort. Roger simply talks for 40 minutes with a cacophony of miscellaneous sounds in the background that I guess is called music. Rock legend Eric Clapton is totally wasted here. There are no melodies, rhythm or beat, just nothing. The title song is funny but really just a novelty song like Frank Zappa. From there it is all down hill. I am a huge Waters fan, but I am not obsessed with him like the other 100 reviewers here who to quote Waters himself would rave about the sound of a dripping faucet if it had his name on it and was put out for sale. Keep that in mind as you read the 100 positive reviews here. Radio Kaos is the best of his 3 solo efforts, but even it has weakened over time. Floyd is nothing without Waters and Waters is nothing without Gilmour, the sum was much greater than the parts.



2. This album is very tough to evaluate without knowing exactly who is reading the review: does one review it for the general music-buying public or fans of Pink Floyd/Roger Waters? For the general public who just know Waters from Pink Floyd and only like the radio hits like "Money," "Wish You Were Here," and "Another Brick In The Wall," I can honestly say there is next to nothing here for you. Much as it pains me to admit it (because I am a big fan of Roger Waters), David Gilmour was right when he has stated that one of Roger's flaws is his willingness to simply repeat ideas over and over if that's what it takes to find room for all the lyrics he's written. He's done that successfully on Pink Floyd's "Animals" with two versions of "Pigs On The Wing" and on "The Wall" with multiple takes on the "Another Brick In The Wall" theme, but on Animals the repeated tracks were very short (under 2:00) and on The Wall, each reprise of the lyrical "Brick" theme featured different music. He would do it again later on his 1992 solo album "Amused To Death" with three takes on the "What God Wants" lyrical theme, but again varied the music at least some on one of the reprises.
   
   On Pros and Cons, this flaw of Roger's is on full display as much of the music is so repetitive and non-melodic as to make this album a pretty tough listen (Waters himself considers it flawed, calling it "a bit spotty"). On first listen, the only tracks with any potential to grab a casual listener would likely be "Sexual Revolution" (the most Pink Floyd sounding track...), the ballad "Every Stranger's Eyes" and perhaps the title track, which is burdened with nonsensical lyrics that make absolute no sense outside of the general concept of the album (and still don't make total sense within the framework of the concept).
   
   The music here is expertly played by a backup band anchored by the legendary Eric Clapton on guitar and session-pro Andy Newmark on drums, but their skills are under-utilized. Apart from the 3 songs mentioned previously, much of the rest of the music here is simply repetitive background music to the story Roger aims to tell.
   
   Another flaw is that the concept of this album is far from immediately evident. It centers on the dreams of our protaganist, with the time before each song representing the actual time of morning the dream occurs. Throughout the story, "hitchhiking" is used as a metaphor for sexual freedom as the character in the story dreams of a carefree relationship, only to settle down and have the burden of familiarity and routine intrude on his new relationship until his newfound love eventually leaves him for another. In the end, in the "Moment of Clarity", our character awakens to find it was all a dream and that his original love is asleep next to him after all.
   
   The themes in this are not quite diverse or universal enough to have a wide appeal which is why when given the choice, the other Pink Floyd members chose to develop and record The Wall instead of The Pros and Cons (Waters had written and done demos for both projects in 1978-79 and then gave the band the choice of which to make a Pink Floyd project). Between the weaker concept and the repetitive music, this is Waters' least appealing album with or without Pink Floyd excluding some of the pre-Dark Side of the Moon work he did with Pink Floyd, and it's a pretty safe bet that only hardcore fans will grow to like much (if any) of it.
   
   That said, if you're willing to give this several listens, it does grow on you, particularly when the concept of the record is clear. Waters has never been a great vocalist in the traditional sense, but here he does deliver some of his most heartfelt and angst-filled vocals with all the soul and passion anyone could possibly muster. On Side 2 in particular as he sings of the deterioration of his relationship, one gets the sense that he's exorcising more than a few demons from the breakup of his own marriage a few years before.
   
   In one moment he sounds genuinely sad, as in "For the First Time Today, Pt 1":
   
   For the first time today
   I feel it's really over
   You were my everyday excuse
   For playing deaf, dumb and blind
   And who'd have ever thought
   This was how it would end for you and me...
   
   
   In the very next song, he's near physically ill as he ponders the man that stole his love:
   
   With his neat feet
   And his clean fingernails
   With his wise but twinkling eyes
   He's a rock standing out in an ocean of doubt
   And compromise
   I'd like to go on with this bit of a song
   Describing this schmuck
   I'd like to go on, but I'm gonna throw up
   
   
   All told, the Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking is not for casual fans and I seriously considered giving it just 2 stars. I gave it 3 because I'm one of the few that gave this chance after chance after chance until I grew to like it a fair amount, but it's still nowhere near the best effort musically from Roger Waters and is in fact possibly his worst.
   
   For fans of Pink Floyd looking to explore Waters as a solo artist, I would recommend 1992's "Amused To Death" or 1987's "Radio KAOS" before this as both are nearly twice as good. Both of those have better defined concepts and are more interesting and varied musically. Amused To Death in particular is a strong effort on par with the best work he did with Pink Floyd. Waters considers it one of his 3 masterworks along with Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, and I'm inclined to agree.



3. my fav out of his 3.
   
   radio kaos is great pop. amused is decent but boring.
   
   fav tracks are apparantly they were traveling aboard,running shoes, sexual revolution, and pros and cons.
   
   nice album cover
   
   the final cut is slightly better if you consider that a waters solo album. hehe



4. This WALL rehash is the very reason they had to kick Waters out of Pink Floyd. He makes music that only he himself and a handfull of acid heads could like. Weird nonmusical and just plain dull. Waters used to actually be able to write good music and even sing fairly well, but this is a shell of his former self. Maybe he can go make a duet album with Syd Barrett. After ANIMALS Waters career was over, meanwhile the rest of the band actually got better without him.



5. Arguably the darkest album of RW's, you can only understand it if you hear it as a whole, however, a really must have, if no, olnly just to hear slow-hand-Clapton at one of his best preformances until 24 Nights.
   
   If you have TW at hand you will hear similar passages and tunes, mostly due to the fact that it's something of what was left behind...at least, so it was in RW's believe...
   
   A must have, a must enjoy.

5 comments about Third Stage.

1. There is a great article on Wikipedia about Boston, which can give you some insight on Tom Sholtz's way of thinking, and why there was an 8 year hiatus between Don't Look Back and Third Stage. No matter what people might think about Tom, his style of playing and technical contributions to the electric guitar have changed rock music, the way it is recorded, and how it is played. Although Brad Delp's vocals define Boston's characteristic sound, to say that there could be a Boston without Tom Sholtz would be naive. You have to imagine what it was like to hear the songs for the first time, when you had never heard a "dive bomb" before, to understand why so many guitarists looked up to the guy...
   
   Anyways, this album's first side (yes, my first listen to it was on vinyl) is one of the best arranged sequences of songs I've ever heard, in my opinion. "Amanda" is such a powerful song, then to follow it with "We're Ready" and "Cool the Engines" is just amazing. We listened to this over and over on the way to college in 1986. It gave me chills then and it still does now.
   
   One clarification: The first two albums were such strong works, I could never take anything away from their first 2 albums - every song was an instant classic. On the contrary, I will always consider Third Stage to be an outstanding and worthy completion of a legendary Boston "trilogy". The material that follows the first 3 albums could only be weaker, in my opinion. So that is why I highly recommend Third Stage - to complete what was started in Boston and Don't Look Back.



2. I remember buying this album(literaly) the first day it came out back in 1986. At first my feelings were so-so for it because I was expecting it to be a rocker like the first two albums. In time however, this album grew on me and it is on my top 25 list of my favorite albums of all time. I saw Boston live in concert in 1987 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas Tx in front of a crowd of 70,000 people. Boston was actually the headliner and it was in support of this album that Boston was touring and drawing large audiences. Every song in the album is good, except "To Be A Man" just didn't do it for me. The stand out tracks are "Amanda", "We're Ready", "Cool The Engines", "My Destination", and "Can'tcha Say/Still In Love", and "Hollyann". If you like Boston, this album is highly recomended. Pay no attention at the reviewers that keep saying that this album falls short in comparison to the first two. It's just that it is a bit different that's all. I mean you still get Boston's traditional guitar sounds and studio gadgets plus Brad Delps(RIP) sweet vocals and harmonies.
   By the way the current cd needs to be re-mastered. The sound output is very low in comparison to the re-mastered "Boston", and "Don't Look Back" and also the sound could be "clean up" a little bit.



3. After enjoying succes with "Boston" in 1976 and "Don't Look Back" in 1978 Boston seemingly disapeared and for the most part where unheard of.Boston experienced trouble with its original lineup as with the exception of guitarist Tom Scholz and vocalist Brad Delp everybody left.Then came the trials with the company and it seemed like it was the end and the album they were working on was never coming out.Then as a surprise it exploded on the charts in 1986 when it was finally released after an 8 year long wait.It was an instant classic and best of all the trademark Boston sound was still there.So many bands changed their sound to adapt to the 1980s sound but not Boston,it sounds like classic Boston and its just as good."Third Stage" provided plenty of great songs and the band's biggest hit : "Amanda" which reached # 1 in 1986.The album for some part featured a spaceship concept(songs 2 to 5)and another concept that is maturity(songs 1,6-10)so its sort of a concept album no matter what you say.The songs are mostly great and you'll find yourself to be liking probably each of them,they're all different but they fit really well on the same album.One would think that the two concepts,that is spaceship and maturity,can't go togheter and would rather need to be on seperate albums but it works for "Third Stage".The mix of songs is good,ballads(Amanda,My Destination...),rocking tracks(Cool The Engines,We're ready...),slower ones(To Be A Man),there's even a combinaison of two songs,"I Think I Like It/Can'tcha Say"(very good)like they did with "Foreplay/Long Time" which was present on the first album.The songs don't sound like each other.Exception "My Destination" which from the first time I heard I recognized as another version of "Amanda"(slower than Amanda),and to be honnest at first it bothered me but I grew to accept it."A New World" had me a little deceved as it rocked and it was great but it turned out to be the (great)intro to "To Be A Man"(if it isn't then it surely ain't a song on its own!).A few songs from this album wounded up on the "Greatest Hits" album and I'm glad as their third album is an excellent and much worth-owning one.'What is left to say?Nothing much,this album would make a great addition to your collection with all the great songs it has and its colourfull music.They managed to come back succesfully when it seemed like they were gone and done and that's not easy but Boston handled the task perfectly.Along with Boston's self-titled debut album this is the absolute best of Boston,"Don't Look Back" is quite good also,think before getting the greatest hit,this would be really great too.Do I really need to explain my rating?What an easy decision,five stars all the way,"Amanda" really surprised everybody and the whole album is nothing short of excellent!Much more than an area,AOR band oor whatever name you call them.I can't really say any more,highly recommended!



4. This was the first Boston album I heard. It came out in 1986 as I was starting my senior year in high school, and I was hooked. Later I discovered their earlier albums which are by far more memorable, but I still like Third Stage just because it was my first exposure to Boston, but for those who'd heard the earlier albums, they were not as impressed by this one. At least it's better than "Walk On". That was terrible!



5. When an early version of the smash-hit Amanda by BOSTON and Tom Scholz leaked to radio-stations in the US during 1984 the word was out - THIRD STAGE - BOSTON's triumphant comeback from 1986. Kickin' off with Amanda followed by We're Ready, Cool The Engines, To Be A Man, I Think I Like It, Can'tcha Say and Hollyann. All of them excellent songs and as always the key to success is in the quality of the songs. THIRD STAGE has to this day sold several millions of copies around the world. Listen to it and you'll know why...

5 comments about The Best Of Alice Cooper: Mascara & Monsters.

1. I have this cd, bought it recently. Most of the main classics are on this cd. But my problem is, where are the 3 classics "Hey Stoopid", "Feed My Frankenstein", and "Lost in America"? If those 3 songs were on the cd, along with all songs already on there, then it would really be the best of Alice Cooper!



2. Where are classic tracks such as Raped & Freezin', Halo of Flies, Ballad of Dwight Fry? A greatest hits is just that, the hits. A best of should represent what the artist believes are his best tracks regardless of chart status. I look forward to the apocalypse when maybe, just maybe, a label will get this format right.



3. It has been suggested by some that this is a good place to start for those who are not completely familiar with Alice Cooper. I've always loved Alice Cooper, their/his music and stage originality, but am almost ashamed to say I've never owned an Alice Cooper album. The very beginning was slightly before my time, but that's no excuse. Alice set the stage for so many that came later, and is truly an original icon. This cd is exactly what my collection needed.
   
   I realize there are some classics lacking in this collection and also that it's light on the early stuff, but all the major hits are here, plus some other lesser known tracks to complete the picture. I know there are those who thought Alice got a little wimpy later on as he tried to sound more "legit," but I don't care. I love the ballads, even though they are far from what the "founding fathers" had in mind, and listening to them is my guilty little pleasure.
   
   I agree that this is a good place to start, or for those more seasoned fans wanting a neat summary of Alice's music. The liner notes are fantastic and contain short blurbs by Alice (and two other band members) detailing what the songs are about and where he was in his life when they were written. A very interesting read.
   
   Summary: Essential for those not wanting to dip into the boxed set.



4. Alice Cooper the band is 100% better in every respect than Alice Cooper the solo performer. So why so many solo tracks? And the boxset is even worse! Please Rhino/WEA: a two disc best of Alice Cooper the group. Or maybe a four disc box with live tracks and rarities? Is this too much to ask??



5. This is a fine compilation of 22 Alice Cooper songs from the 1971-89 era, clocking in at 76 minutes.
   
   But, as my title blurb states, there's too many important omissions. Where's "Devil's Food/The Black Widow," "Dead Babies" and "Go to Hell"? These songs are MANDATORY Alice Cooper tunes and should be on any serious compilation.
   
   Plus there's too much emphasis on forgettable DATED material like "Department of Youth," "Muscle of Love," "How You Gonna See Me Now" and "Generation Landslide." Many older songs like "Billion Dollar Babies," "I'm Eighteen" and the three noted in the previous paragraph are timeless and still sound great, but these others don't have much place on a "Best Of" album.
   
   THE SETLIST: I'm Eighteen, Is it My Body, Desperado, Under My Wheels, Be My Lover, School's Out, Elected, Hello Horray, Generation Landslide, No More Mr. Nice Guy, Billion Dollar Babies, Teenage Lament '74, Muscle of Love, Only Women Bleed, Department of Youth, Welcome to My Nightmare, I Never Cry, You and Me, How You Gonna See Me Now, From the Inside, Clones (We're All) and Poison.

5 comments about A Kind of Magic.

1. This is an odd album in the Queen catalog, essentially half a soundtrack with some other stuff thrown in. And it feels about halfway successful to me. "One Vision" is a great rocker and album opener. The title track is rather charming, and "Who Wants To Live Forever" is a goosebump-inspiring ballad. Unfortunately there is also some obvious filler here. Roger Taylor's "Don't Lose Your Head" is utterly pointless. I feel sorry that Freddie had to lend his voice to such rubbish. "Princes of the Universe" is an okay rocker, but with incredibly inane lyrics. Recommended for Queen fanatics and completists.



2. I don't understand how some people hate this album!!?
   C'mon! Princes Of The Universe, Gimme The Prize (seriously rocks!)
   One Vision, Who Wants To Live Forever, my god they're all Queen classics!
   I don't care, I love this record to death!



3. This is by far the worst album Queen has ever produced. Everything on this tired, flat & uninspired offering sounds like they were simply going through the motions. Drentched in cold sounding synths with no heart or soul. They couldn't even make up their minds whether to make this a soundtrack or not. It contains two of their worst songs ever (Pain is so close to pleasure & One year of love)
   It is small wonder why their popularity waned in the USA



4. I find the 5-star reviews here absolutely hilarious. This album is an embarrassment, and proof positive that Queen had exhausted all originality and creativity by the time this travesty was released in 1986.
   
   Compare the bland, slick, by-the-numbers, synth-laden junk on this album to albums like "A Night at the Opera" or "The Game." Where is there any of that distinctive Queen essence on this album? "One Vision" is an OK rocker, but "Gimme the Prize" is simply annoying. Freddie's new penchant for extreme oversinging (perhaps due to his lack of interest in the material) is on display in both songs, as well as in John Deacon's pleasant but utterly pedestrian "One Year of Love." How lazy do you have to be to write lyrics such as "a shooting star right through my heart"?
   
   "Don't Lose Your Head" is a complete waste of time courtesy of the band's worst songwriter (but fantastic drummer), Roger Taylor. "Pain is So Close to Pleasure" and "Friends Will Be Friends" are rare collaborative efforts from Deacon and Mercury, but both are lifeless and forgettable. But they are nothing compared to "Princes of the Universe," which is without doubt the most embarrassing song Queen every committed to disc. Freddie Mercury had used his last worthwhile ideas on his 1985 solo album, "Mr. Bad Guy," and this song, which substitutes noise for melody and features incredibly stupid lyrics, shows that he had nothing more to offer as a songwriter. It's hard to believe that the man who wrote "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "It's a Hard Life" could write something this godawful.
   
   Brian May's "Who Wants to Live Forever" is by far the best thing here--haunting, beautiful, and majestic. Roger Taylor's title song has a nice bassline and great guitar playing, but if this is a highlight of a Queen album, how far have they slipped?
   
   Only someone with no real appreciation for what Queen produced in their creative prime could give this album a rave review. Unfortunately, the follow-up disc ("The Miracle") was just as bad.



5. Queen's thirteenth album A Kind of Magic was released in June of 1986.
   The album was the band's first since their triumphant appearance at Live Aid. Before Live Aid, the band were about to split up but the band stole the show at the Wembley Stadium Live Aid show and were arguably the day's best act although Led Zeppelin's reunion performance at the Philadelphia show rivaled it.
   After the band won the crowd and gained more fans (yet still didn't convince the US that Queen were still superb), they went back in the studio to record A Kind of Magic where most of its tracks would appear in two films, Iron Eagle and Highlander. Is the re-juvanation good or bad for Queen, read on!
   We begin with the group composed "One Vision" which was written and recorded after their triumph at Live Aid. This great rocker just rocks and is one of the band's best 80s rockers and appeared in the movie Iron Eagle. Next is drummer Roger Taylor's composed title cut to A Kind of Magic and was written for the film Highlander. This pop number is a great song and was a classic 80s Queen track which not surprisingly did well outside America(Top 10 in most countries outside America). Next is bass player John Deacon's beautiful ballad "One Year of Love" which featured lead singer Freddie Mercury giving one of his best vocal performances. The saxophone solo from Steve Gregory complements nicely. Next is the Mercury/Deacon collaboration "Pain is So Close to Pleasure" is an up song with a soul influence, a great falsetto vocal from Freddie, solos from guitarist Brian May and is just a great number. Next is another Deacon/Mercury composition called "Friends Will Be Friends" which is a great triumphant song akin to We Will Rock You with some great vocals from Freddie and guitar solos from Brian.
   Brian outdoes himself on the album's second half opener "Who Wants to Live Forever" which is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs ever written. The orchestrations by the late Michael Kamen ties it in with the film's score seamlessly, and the vocal interplay between Brian and Freddie will bring tears to the eyes. Brian also composes the next track which is the rocker "Gimme the Prize" also known as Kurgan's Theme. Loud, bombastic, thundering, majestic and just plain evil sounding, this song captures the character of Kurgan. One can sense from the sound of this song the man's evil and his thirst for death. The samples from the movie showcasing some of the character's best lines certainly add to the overall atmosphere, and the guitar solo sounds oddly Scottish with an almost electric bagpipe sound. The drum and guitar riffs also tie in nicely with Princes of the Universe. Great song. Next is Roger's God-awful "Don't Lose Your Head" which is an annoyingly bad song. Its music and synth bassline was only used briefly in the film, but it worked. Here, it just sounds BORING and the lyrics were repetitive. Joan Armatrading's backup vocal was useless. The original vinyl albums ends with Freddie's short but epic Highlander unofficial theme "Princes of the Universe". The song is chock full of Queen's trademark vocal melodies and choruses, layers upon layers upon layers of guitars and vocals. Roger's drumming is top-notch on this song, just powerful and loud. Deacon's bass keeps the sound grounded, while May's guitar licks just soar to unbelievable heights.
   A Kind of Magic initially did well in the UK hitting #1 whilst in the US (trapped in hair metal and new wave city) stalled at #46. However, it would attain Gold status in later years.
   In 1991, A Kind of Magic was re-relased with two bonus tracks. The instrumental version of Who Wants to Live Forever called "Forever" and an extended version of One Vision.
   Great album although Don't Lose Your Head is an awful track.
   Recommended!

5 comments about Fireball.

1. I owned this album when it was first released- Anyone`s Dsughter is not the correct title- It was "Farmer`s Daughter", and I believed the name got changed because one lyric were considered very profane at that time. I quote, "Now they`re be no food and water- because I`ve laid the Farmer`s Daughter". End of subject



2. The recording equipment that was used to make this album was very poor, in my opinion. The music rocks hard, yes, but it doesn't sound as good as other hard rock albums from the same time period such as Sabbath's Paranoid and Zeppelin IV.
   
   The songwriting is a bit weak in places as well. Sometimes vocal melodies just pass by harmlessly, but without much in the way of excitement. There could be some more of Ritchie's great guitar playing since that is one of the best things about Deep Purple. It does feature two of their best songs- "Strange Kind of Woman" and "The Mule".
   
   It's still a really good classic rock album though, and maybe even better than In Rock. It doesn't rock as heavy and hard as In Rock, but it's still a great listen.



3. "Fireball" hasn't aged as well as a few of DP's other so-called classics, but then again, not a lot of their catalogue has. The music is mostly unimpeachable, but it's all so Tyrannosaurus-dumb, that even while one bangs their head, they can't help but grin at the utter "monstrosity" of the whole thing.
   
   It doesn't help matters that there aren't any truly great songs on here, though all of the radio hits are good enough. Actually, the best song is the goofy and innunendo-laced "Anyone's Daughter," succeeding thanks to a wonderfully un-bombastic, bluesy melody. But even then, it is very much out of place with the rest of the prog-ish heavy metal. Not an essential album by any stretch, but just good enough to make the grade. And, of course, fans must have it.
   
   Note: get the special edition; the US and UK originals alternately omit one of two key tracks ("Strange Kind of Woman" or "Demon's Eye").
   
   Best cuts: "Anyone's Daughter," "Demon's Eye," "The Mule," "Strange Kind of Woman," "No One Came," "Fireball"



4. Not as good as "Machine Head" but really great. Mine is a Holland import on which Strange kind of Woman is replaced with "Demon's eye".
   Don't worry, I have "Strange Kind of Woman" on another cd (The very best of DP) This song is one of my favorite from the band. The title track reminds me "Speed King" from "In Rock" and it is a real good rock song.
   Overall this cd from the 70's in a must have for any Deep Puprle fan's and rock music lover in general.



5. I've had this album since I was about 16 years old, and I finally bought this CD. This is a great CD! I especially like No No No!, Anyone's Daughter, and No One Came. If you're a Deep Purple fan and you're looking for some great classic hard rock, this is not to be missed. Deep Purple really mixes up there songs on this one, sort of an experiment, I guess. Great vocals by Gillan, great guitar riffs by Blackmore, and great organ and piano by Jon Lord. I think that's what really set Deep Purple apart back in the late 60's and 70's. If you're new to Deep Purple, and you already have Made in Japan and Machine Head, you should get this one next!
   Mike-"The Old Rocker"
   Eagan, MN

5 comments about A Day At The Races.

1. Looking back at the 1970s, sometimes many forget how big the band Queen was. Even as Queen moved into the 1980s, while their popularity did slightly decline in the United States, it continued to be very high in Europe. Their performance at Live Aid is widely considered one of the greatest of all-time and their subsequent "Magic" tour is considered one of the all-time greatest concert tours. If it weren't for Freddie Mercury's death in 1992, we might still be talking about Queen being as big a band as the Beatles. When Queen released their 1973 self-titled debut album, it showed all of the signs of greatness to come. This album would show how the band embraced a "theatrical" feel to their music as well as embrace a sound that would evolve into what would become Heavy Metal. The next three albums, "Queen II", "Sheer Heart Attack" , and "A Night at the Opera" continued down the road of the theatrical sound. It was that third album, "Sheer Heart Attack" that would not just become a commercial breakthrough album for Queen, but also become an album that would showcase Mercury's abilities as a Hall of Fame vocalist. "A Night at the Opera" would begin to expand the band's musical horizons (most notably, the legendary track "Bohemian Rhapsody" as well as some ragtime tunes. The fifth album "A Day at the Races", while not as strong as the third and fourth albums will continue to show the band expanding its musical horizon.
   
   Queen is an example of the sum of the parts actually being greater than the whole. However, if you take each of the four members of Queen, they easily stand on their own as a top musician in their profession. Freddie Mercury is easily known to be the emotional and flamboyant lead vocalist of Queen who indeed has a legendary voice. Brian May is the legendary lead guitarist and probably the second most popular member of the band. Roger Taylor and John Deacon go extremely underrated. Listen to Taylor's thundering drumming in the studio or live and one can easily understand why he was asked to participate in an All Star Drum Jam (The S.O.S. All-Stars) at the Live Earth concert. As for John Deacon, he might be one of music's all-time underrated bass players. Many of his bass lines have proven to be the foundation for Queen's musical sound. In addition to being top musicians, all four members play integral roles in the songwriting.
   
   Like its predecessor, Queen takes a title from a Marx Brothers movie. Here is a track by track synopsis of the original ten tracks:
   
   "Tie Your Mother Down": This is a legendary Queen track. The highlight of this is some incredible guitar work by Brian May. While this song sounds better live, the studio recording is still outstanding. Roger Taylor's crashing drums blend in perfectly. I like the theatrical-like beginning as it sets the tone for the album.
   
   "You Take My Breath Away": The song opens with a cappella-like vocals all done by Mercury. This is a slower song done on the piano. Not my favorite song, but it does show some thinking out of the box by the band.
   
   "Long Away": May never disappoints when he is on vocals and once again this track highlights he could have easily been a full-time lead vocalist. This song doesn't have a theatrical feel, but more of a classic Rock feel to it.
   
   "The Millionaire Waltz": This song opens with a "Vaudeville/Ragtime" feel similar to some of the tracks heard on "A Night at the Opera". Nice job by Queen combining the theatrical-like harmonies with the Ragtime feel. The song has a segue into a Hard Rock part and then back to the ragtime part. Eventually both parts (ragtime and Rock) will nearly blend by the end. Overall this is an innovative track.
   
   "You and I": This was John Deacon's contribution. The piano playing almost has an Elton John feel to it. Theatrical-like harmonies are also prevalent throughout this track. Terrific guitar bridge by May takes place midway through the track.
   
   "Somebody to Love": This is the other well-known track on this album. This is classical Rock-Opera sounding Queen. The song is highlighted by outstanding Mercury vocals, terrific background harmonies by May and Taylor, and a hall of fame guitar bridge by May 2+ minutes into the track.
   
   "White Man": Sometimes I don't give Queen enough credit for their lyrics - and this track shows Queen at their best. On this track Queen talks about the suffering of the Native Americans at the hands of the Europeans. Queen integrates their theatrical sound on this track that adds more realism to the track.
   
   "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy": This is another "Vaudeville/Ragtime" track. Deacon's bass work is underrated on this track as it helps contribute to the tempo.
   
   "Drowse": Like May, Roger Taylor could also be a full-time lead vocalist. Taylor has a knack for hitting the higher octaves than Mercury. He also brings a heavy metal-like voice to his vocals. This song is another winner by Taylor.
   
   "Teo Torriate (Let's Us Cling Together)": Possibly one of the most underrated Queen tracks out there. This starts out with as a slow, somber piano ballad. It then has a segue into a sound that easily could be a theatrical finale. Perhaps the most innovative part of the song are two verses sung in Japanese. This is a perfect way to end the album.
   This album did require a few listens by me in order to get into it. While I did put this a notch below "A Night at the Opera", I still thought this was a very good and innovative album. This is an album that core Queen fans will easily like, but after a few listens, the casual fan will appreciate this. Highly recommended.



2. Although it stands in the shadow of "A night at the opera" this offering by Queen is every bit as good and better in some ways. There is not a weak song on this entire CD. Everything is meticulously recorded, thought out & performed. You almost get the feeling that this could have been a concept album. The eight tracks by Freddie & Brian are flawless and dripping with inspiration. They were certainly firing on all cylinders here.
   1. "Tie you mother down" rocks with sheer brilliance
   2. "You take my breath away" is absolutely beautiful and haunting
   3. "Long away" easily could have been a single
   4. "Millionaire waltz" is campy and powerful
   5. "You and I" proved John Deacon was no fluke as a songwriter
   6. "Somebody to love" is the true jewel here. The best song about longing ever written
   7. "White man" rocks with dark overtones and profound lyrics
   8. "Good old fashion lover boy" is catchy, bouncy & delightful
   9. "Drowse" is hypnotic and subtle
   10. "Teo toriate" is alluring and mysterious
   
   The bonus tracks are pretty much worthless remixes.
   Queen reached its creative and artistic peak with this album. The album shines like a crown jewel.



3. Not much worse - or different - from the last one.
   
   At this point in their career, after releasing a mega-smash-super-hit album, quite a few artists become afraid of being typecast, for lack of a better word, so they veer off into a different direction with their music (sometimes it's only a slight adjustment, sometimes it's a radical overhaul). Well, Freddie Mercury isn't about to change for anyone, and rather than shying away from making a copy of 1975's "A Night at the Opera," Freddie and the boys embrace their new-found success. For heaven's sake, even the cover art is almost identical between this and ANATO, 'cept the font's a little different and it's black instead of white. Look for yourself.
   
   Despite the striking similarities on the oustide, this is both a similar...and sometimes completely different beast than its predecessor. You can see parallels between the two albums, but that's not how I'm going to go about reviewing this, except in a few minor spots. So here we go. This baby kicks off with Brian May's slightly perverted rocker "Tie Your Mother Down." It's a very cool song, and the only other thing I'm ging to say about it is, I can only wonder exactly what inspired Bri to write those lyrics (I find myself wondering the same thing when listening to Fat Bottomed Girls too). Hmm. Next, Freddie makes his first songwriting appearance here, the gorgeous "You Take My Breath Away," with the beautiful harmonies (sung entirely by the overdubbed Freddie Mercury Choir!). Lyrically, it's a bit stalker-ish ("I will find you anywhere you go, I'll be right behind you right until the ends of the Earth")...only in one verse, and it predates Sting's "Every Breath You Take" by a full seven years! Good job, Freddie. Brian checks in again with the slightly poppier "Long Away" - nice, but pedestrian. Then we get the closest thing this album has to a Bohemian Rhapsody (and it's not that close, actually)..."The Millionaire Waltz," with one of Brian's most famous guitar lines, Freddie's German accent, and one of the best examples of John Deacon's bass prowess in the entire Queen catalog. Speaking of Johnny, his contribution's up next, the typical Deacon power-pop "You and I." "You're My Best Friend" it is not - heck, it's even a bit dark in one spot - but it's still John Deacon, and he'll always write some nice little pop tune to make you smile.
   
   "Somebody to Love" is next, the one song on here almost everyone knows (and if you're expecting the Jefferson Airplane rocker in any way, you'll be sorely disappointed). It's my favorite Queen song, so I won't really go into that. "White Man" is Brian's, a song about the repression of the American Indians (Brian is drawing from some strange inspirations on this album), my least favorite song on here, it's nothing special. "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" is the other hit on here, albeit in the UK, and it's a typical Freddie show tune type thing. "Drowse" is Roger Taylor's entry, a mix of strange distorted guitars and Roger's gravelly vocals. No idea what it's about. Some people hate it, I like it. "Teo Torriatte" is the grandiose closer, complete with children's choir and Queen singing in - yes - Japanese! (for their massive fan base over there, of course.) Elegant and sweeping, it's probably the most epic thing on this album, one of the better Brian songs around.
   
   That turned out a lot longer than I expected. Well, couple pedestrian songs on here, a couple good ones. I can't give this anymore than four stars, but if you like Queen, there's a lot of typical Queen here, so you'll probably enjoy it. I do....recommended.



4. After the VERY successful Night at the Opera album, Queen certainly had their work cut out for them if they wanted to repeat, or come close to repeating, the brilliance of the previous album. In comes Day at the Races. It's not as good as Night at the Opera, but it has more than its fair share of excellent songs. In fact, most of it is nearly classic material. It's about what you'd expect from a rock band attempting to release another quality album. It works, and they succeeded.
   
   While I enjoy most of it, I do NOT like "Tie Your Mother Down". It sounds like a badly written glam rock song. However, the guitar parts are nice. "You Take My Breath Away" is another unique Freddie Mercury ballad. Only Freddie could write a song like that. Give it a chance and it will grow on you. It's written in a complex way and takes time to adjust.
   
   "Long Away" is just BEAUTIFUL, "The Millionaire Waltz" is a multi-part structured progressive rock piece, "You & I" is pretty good, "Somebody To Love" is the gospel ballad classic, "White Man" is a somewhat average rocker (very similar to the Styx song "Renegade"), "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" is incredibly good, "Drowse" features a very unusually depressing and unique guitar riff with a solid vocal melody, "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" is a beautiful (though somewhat predictably-written) ballad. Overall, an album that truly deserves 4 stars. The songwriting is still excellent. Queen did NOT turn into an average band.



5. Queen's fifth album A Day at the Races was released in December of 1976.
   This album is the perfect sequel to its predecessor, 1975's Top 5 charting A Night at the Opera!
   The album marked one change and that was the band self-produced for the first time after working with Roy Thomas Baker on their first four efforts and this time pressure was on to deliver an album that was either as good or better than its predecessor. Would the album be good or a bad repeat of Opera, read on and find out (as I did when I bought the cassette in May of 1992 (and would then acquire on CD)).
   Guitarist Brian May's hard rocker "Tie Your Mother Down" kicks off the album. The track features a killer intro (which is repeated at album's end) and is a great rocker which peaked at #51 in the US. Frontman Freddie Mercury's vocal masterpiece "You Take My Breath Away" follows and is a great vocal and piano track. Brian steps out in front on the next track "Long Away" which was a great rocker and was the third single from Races released here in the US (the only Queen song which did not have Freddie on vocal to be released as a single in Freddie's lifetime). Next comes Freddie's "The Millionare Waltz" which featured one of the greatest guitar solos in rock and is part-waltz and part-rocker. The first half ends with the pop-rocker "You and I", written by bass player John Deacon and is a great song.
   The second half of the album kicks off with the first single "Somebody to Love". The track is the Bohemian Rhapsody of this album. Freddie wrote this ballad and has a great gospel-tinged backing vocal and the song peaked at #11 in early 1977 here in the States. Brian's hard rocker "White Man" follows and is a great rocker. Freddie's odd and campy "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" follows and is a great song which was a British Top 30 hit. Drummer Roger Taylor's rocker "Drowse" follows and features great slide guitar work from Brian and Roger ripping some great rhythm guitar work and a great vocal from Rog doing both harmonies. This album closes with "Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)" which has the chorus partially sung in Japanese and Brian wrote this after Queen's first successful tour of Japan.
   When released, A Day at the Races peaked at #5 and was the band's second Platinum album in a row and second masterpiece.
   This album is highly recommended!

5 comments about Look into the Future.

1. This would be Journey's last album before Steve Perry came aboard.Not to put Steve Perry down but I liked Journey better without him.



2. Eu daria todas as estrelas que estão no ceu porque o disco é uma obra de arte.



3. The final of 3 before the Perry era comes in.There is a little more vocals but still the rock foundation is evident.Another good choice for music and collection.



4. LOOK INTO THE FUTURE, Journey's second album, is totally wonderful. Blending such influences as Rare Earth, Santana, Joe Cocker, the Allman Brothers Band, Steely Dan, the Grateful Dead, Traffic, the James Gang, Genesis, Leon Russell, Return To Forever, Humble Pie, Chicago, Little Feat, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Grand Funk Railroad, Yes, Led Zeppelin, the Buffalo Springfield, and the Marshall Tucker Band, Journey once again breaks boundaries and creates progressive hard blues-rock with jazz and R&B twists. The only minus here is a cover of the Beatles' "It's All Too Much." Buy this album, the self-titled debut, and NEXT, and you won't be disappointed.



5. It's amazing just how different the first few Journey albums are compared to the popular stuff. Look Into the Future has some very good songwriting moments that will surprise and delight just about anyone who's a fan of mid 70's rock.
   
   The title song has some Robin Trower-like dreamy guitar playing, and soulful vocals as well. What a masterpiece! I think most people would like this song a lot. The album also points the way to the commercial pop band Journey would soon become with some catchy tunes on the first side. I really like this album and recommend it to everyone.

5 comments about Queen - On Fire at the Bowl.

1. This is truly great concert! The editing was very well done, too.
   If anyone ever doubted Freddie Mercury's voice and range, well, all they have to do is watch this concert and be amazed. What a talent! Virtually every other singer pales in comparison. The entire band is at at it's height, and having seen may groups in my day, I will say Queen is on a very short list of the best 5 bands ever! Everyone that has seen it has said "WOW!!!"



2. I bought this for my son, who somehow at 18 is a Queen fan. The video is awesome. I had seen it at my athletic club, and it makes you keep on the treadmill, even when you are tired!



3. I had 14 DVDS of QUEEN/Freddie & My Ex decided to keep them ALL..So now I'm rebuilding and this is one of my FAVS besides Wembley..Freddie is beyond the most incredible Performer there ever was!! (Even have a tat with his name and birth/passing date) From His Solos To all Of QUEEN I'm NEVER disappointed in any of their stuff..I've got every CD they have out and slowley I'll have All the DVD's again!



4. If you are as much of a rock 'n roll music fan as I am you must have this live DVD. Even if you are not crazy about Queen, you will be after watching the amazing skills of the late Freddy Mercury and the guitar wizardry of Brian May. Anyone who says the performance is lacking is certainly not a musician or a pop music lover.



5. In November of 2004, Queen released its fourth live album and fifth concert video Queen On Fire Live at the Bowl.
   This live DVD and its off-shoot album was recorded and filmed at The Milton Keynes Bowl outside London, England on June 5, 1982 and directed superbly by Directed by Gavin Taylor.
   Not officially released on video or CD, Queen On Fire Live At The Bowl marked the first time a recording of this concert has been LEGITIMATELY available to own as a 70 or 80 minute edit had been available on the bootleg recording circuit.
   Audio producers Justin Shirley-Smith and Kris Fredriksson returned to the original 24 track analog tapes recorded by 80s Queen co-producer Mack and Mick McKenna with The Rolling Stones Mobile Truck and created brand new regular stereo(for the CD and one of the two DVD mixes)) and DTS 5.1 surround sound mixes(found on the DVD).
   We kick off as the band hits the stage with the entrance music of Flash before the band dives into a spirited version of The Hero. Next is a killer We Will Rock You (fast version) complete with Brian May popping a guitar string and the music was left alone. Next is Action This Daywith drummer Roger Taylor and Freddie Mercury duetting on this rocker and John Deacon adding some bass which was muted on the studio recording and Brian playing his Red Special backup as his Red Special had to get a new string and Morgan Fisher did a great synthesizer solo substituting for the saxophone solo. Then Freddie does a nice piano intro which goes into an excellent Play the Game. Next is another Hot Space track Staying Power which is transformed into a rocker with Deaky and May playing guitars plus Roger bashing live drums and Freddie being on fire here. Next is arguably this live set's best track Somebody To Love which buries its studio counterpart by a longshot. Next is Now I'm Here which is excellent with a Freddie/audience vocal duel before segueing into Dragon Attack which rocks although Brian blew yet another string on his Red Special guitar and had to use his Red Special back up for the finale solo and the reprise to Now I'm Here. Next is a nice version of Love of My Life with Brian playing an impromptu teaser of Las Palabras De Amor before starting the track. Save Me is next and is done with more power than the studio counterpart. Deaky's Back Chat ends the first CD as the funk track is turned into a full-on rocker with Roger playing the drums like a man possessed, Brian's guitar dominating, John playing his Music Man Stingray bass and Freddie singing his heart out.
   The second CD begins with Get Down Make Love which is a great short version which then segues from its middle section into Brian's Guitar Solo which is amazing despite the fact his guitar cord came undone(you can see this on DVD unedited) and Brian finishes with some help from Roger's drumming. Roger does an uncredited 30 second Drum Solo at the end of the guitar solo track as a lead in to Under Pressure which is an excellent version of the track. Next is Fat Bottomed Girls which rocks and Freddie's voice was electronically fixed on the part where he says LOCALITY which his voice cracked on the original Milton Keynes BBC airing. We then have a rocking Crazy Little Thing Called Love which is great. Then we have Freddie play a nice piano solo leading into possibly the best live version of Bohemian Rhapsody ever. We then rock out with the set closing Tie Your Mother Down which rocks. The first encore of Another One Bites the Dust is a great spirited version. Sheer Heart Attack follows and is more aggresive than either the News of the World version or the Live Killers version. We then have the second encore of the traditional We Will Rock You with audience participating and a stellar We Are the Champions. We then have the band say farewell as God Save the Queen plays over the PA.
   The second DVD features interviews with Brian and Roger backstage before the Milton Keynes show. Also, interviews with Roger and Brian and a separate Freddie interview filmed for Austrian TV talking about ten years of Queen. We also have some of the long out of print video Queen Live in Japan 1982 which has the band pulling out some songs not on the Milton Keynes how like Impromptu, Put Out the Fire and a spirited Teo Torriatte. Also, there is a photo montage set to the previously unreleased live reading of Calling All Girls.
   This DVD is recommended!

5 comments about AC/DC : Plug Me In (2 DVD set).

1. AC-CD LIVE SHOWS ARE SURELY ADRENALINE PACKED!!! YOU'LL NEVER GET BORED & SLEEPY SEEING & HEARING BON, ANGUS & BRIAN DOING THIER HARD ROCK N ROLL LIVE KICKS!!!



2. 
   As a huge Bon Scott fan I just love this DVD!!!
   Put together extremely well it shows live footage, interviews and a scrapbook! Sadly at the end of the scrapbook you see the anouncement of
   Bon's Death! Bon was it when I was growing up in the seventies!
   The ultimate Frontman in my book! The DVD continues with Brian whom I have a lot of Respect for. This DVD is a must have for any AC/DC Fan!!!



3. This DVD is GREAT fun! If you are an AC/DC fan, this needs to be a part of your music library. I especially loved the old footage of a very young Bon Scott and Angus Young! The mind's image of Bon Scott in a dress and pigtails is rather repulsive, but when you actually see it, it's very funny.
   
   I read the reviews below which panned this offering because it didn't have Dolby sound. Well, I'm not a sound expert, so I can't tell you whether it does or doesn't have Dolby sound, but I can tell you that it sounds GREAT to ME. That's all I care about! Besides, if you look at all the reviews that have been posted on Amazon by the others who have whined about the sound on this DVD, you will see that the vast majority of them are negative reviews. Seems like some people just enjoy looking for anything to complain about and when they find it, they have a field day.
   
   I do understand that sound is much more important with music DVDs than regular movies (to me, anyway). I get that. The fact is, though, that unless you are a sound expert, or someone who can hear a pin drop 50 feet away, then this DVD sounds just fine. Great, in fact! I give it five stars. No, it's not perfect, but then, nothing is. The five star rating is because I don't know how to give it four-and-a-half. AC/DC fans, get this DVD today!!
   
   Peace.



4. I'll keep this short. If you dig Family Jewels, you'll love this as a live addendum. If you don't get that last sentence, avoid this DVD set and go for AC/DC "No Bull" live, which is definitely the best w/ Brian show ever recorded and released. Gotta go, my Kilkenny is getting warm.



5. I obtained this set for Christmas which I added to my existing AC/DC DVD collection. This piece of work is the worst of the lot. The sound lacks 5.1 and DTS, plus the picture quality for the most part is equally as bad as the sound.
   
   Save your precious dollars and steer clear from this dud. "Live at Donington" is what you should be looking at getting.
   
   Shame on the boys from down under. They pulled a fast one on their audience.
   
   BTW, thank God that I didn't get the 3 disc set.