4 comments about Collector's Edition, Vol. 1-3.

1. I love having the Spoons' songs all together, because how could I ever choose? They were part of the "love life, down with war, and let's just be happy" movement as much as Beatles, Stones and Dylan songs. Here are Daydream, Jug Time Music, Six 'Clock, Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind, Do You Believe In Magic, Summer In The City, Nashville Cats, etc.,etc.etc. So, with this collection, You Don't Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind!!
   So buy it, and get on with your life, like I did!



2. Help! I'm up to my ears in "best-of" Lovin' Spoonful reissues! The whole thing is becoming really quite silly...and senseless. Why, oh why can't we just have the original releases? The oodles of various compilations will never satisfy those of us who truly love this band. At least the first two albums ("Do You Believe in Magic" and "Daydream") seem to be back in the catalog. I own a CD copy of "Hums of," but that one as well as "Everything Playing," "Revelation: Revolution '69" and the two soundtracks are out of print. (Was "Revelation: Revolution `69" ever on CD?) So, concerning the Spoonful on the silver disc, we are faced with a quagmire. What to do?

   This box set gives us 36 songs for a reasonable price. These same discs are also sold individually, but that's no help because the songs are spread willy-nilly across the three discs. Each disc contains a few songs from each of the original albums. Thus, if you already own - and you should! - the first album ("Do You Believe In Magic") you will still need to purchase all three of these discs to get the other songs you need, while duplicating what you already own...except for one song. Sound complicated? Some marketing genius had to have thought this up. Anyway, that's problem number one. Problem number two is as follows. Once upon a time - in the 60s and early 70s - producers had taste and understood the art of choosing the order of songs for an album. Albums had a "musical flow." The songs aesthetically followed one another. Today it seems we must accept the "art" of placing the titles in a basket, tossing them high in the air and however they fall, that's how they go on the CD. So with this box set, you will have to bounce from 1965 to 1967 and back to '65, and so forth. It just doesn't work. If you have a CD burner, you can create your own order. But of course that's an extra expense, extra time and energy, and this whole thing would be so much easier if the damn record company would just give us the original releases! Three discs, 36 songs and still no solution. The 26-song "Anthology" wasn't any better. (At least with that, we got the delightful "Pow" - which was the only major reason to buy the "Tiger Lily" soundtrack.)

   Here's my solution: "Do You Believe In Magic" and "Daydream" are both available. Buy them! Spend the least amount of money possible for the other songs you must have and wait, hope and pray for the rest of the original albums to return to CD. Sometimes it's a tough world out there.
   Cheers,
   Murray




3. Is there another band that has gotten shabbier treatement thanthe Lovin' Spoonful in the CD-era?

   BOOS: Only 12 tracks per disc ispretty skimpy. Nothing is included from the What's Up Tiger Lily soundtrack. There's no real thought given to the sequencing of the songs. The weakest Spoonful album (Everything Playing) has nearly as many tracks on this collection as one of their best albums (Daydream). There are virtually no liner notes and no track-by-track information.

   BRAVOS: You get 36 original recording songs from the Spoonful's four studio albums--plus a couple tracks each from the You're a Big Boy Now soundtrack and Revelation: Revolution '69 (essentially a Joe Butler solo, but "Till I Run with You" and "Never Going Back" are terrific songs and fit in nicely). All but one track ("My Gal") from their debut Do You Believe in Magic is included here. And all but three tracks ("Bes' Friends," "Voodoo in My Basement" and "Henry Thomas") from Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful are represented here.

   Given the sorry state of the Lovin' Spoonful CD offerings, this one isn't too bad. And while it duplicates a lot of the Rhino Anthology, this has 13 tracks not on the Rhino release.

   Let's hope that after the Spoonful get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year, that Buddah will do right by one of their label's biggest successes and rerelease their original albums--and alternate takes and/or unreleased tunes as bonus tracks would be nice.




4. For a collector's edition [BOX SET] is way too expense for your money's worth. Besides these songs are not in proper chronological order they're all mixed up for a comprehensive ultimate sixties rock'n'roll music collection on three double-discs. I think the anthology is much better listening enjoyment than this compilation CD right here!

No comments about Hi-Fi Daze: Cocktail Nights, Vol. 1.

2 comments about April 10, 2002 - Omaha, NE: On the Road.

1. I was first drawn to SCI after reading an article about this Colorado-based quintet referring to its bluegrass origins (they have frequently played the Telluride Bluegrass Festival) and its awesome live shows where they would stretch out with ten- to twenty-minute jams. Six of the songs on this collection are more than 10 minutes and "Rhythm of the Road" is nearly twenty minutes. [And when they bookend the group-penned "Cold Train Jam" with two versions of John Coltrane's "Impressions," you get a 24-minute instrumental tour de force!]

   While the band certainly has its roots in bluegrass, it is just as confortable with jazz, funk and even rock, which all blends together to give SCI its own unique sound. [In fact the only two real bluegrass songs are the two closing numbers. (And according to the introduction to the songs, it's the first time they've closed a show with two bluegrass songs.) They are Bill Monroe's instrumental "Goldrush" and "Hobo Song," a song originally recorded by Old and In the Way, a group that included Jerry Garcia (an obvious SCI influence).

   SCI, since 2002, has released more than sixty 3-CD concert sets, and it's difficult to recommend one over the other. [I've since bought two more--the Orlanda and Atlanta sets.] No two concerts are the same, and their cover songs run the gamut from the Stanley Brothers to Bob Dylan to Weather Report to Aerosmith. If you're looking for something new and different and exciting, SCI is the band you're looking for. [Running time: 41:09, 67:56, 68:11] HIGHLY RECOMMENDED




2. Get this show if only for the very tight Lost>Can't Stop Now and the Rhythm of the Road>Come As You Are! Also this show features the elusive Blackberry Blossom. The Impressions is great as usual.
   Peace,
   Dave

No comments about Wonders of Nature.

2 comments about SKA! The Ultimate Collection.

1. One of the best ska CDs around! English ska revival!



2. I just want to be the first one to rite a review. Thats all

No comments about Famous Overtures (Box Set).

No comments about The Beautiful World of Classical Music, Vol. 6-10 (Box Set).

No comments about Classic Electronica.

5 comments about Legendary.

1. You can listen to parts of these songs from Amazon before you buy. Call 'em Re-made, Rip-off, Whatever..... Still for under $15 used, not bad. Good Songs and a Good Voice. I've wasted money on a lot worse things, but to me this seems to be a nice collection, for a decent price. Don't like it.... Don't get it. I bet he sings a lot better in the shower than you do! The 3rd disc. is a little weak, but I still think for the money, you still have a lot of good music



2. Not the original recordings.... but don't just blame the Aussies here... part of the blame goes to Roger for re-recording them!



3. Kudos to M. B. Richardson's assessment of this classic rip off, complete with non-original recordings, PLUS his opinions of the Australians responsible for this sham! And pftttttt to Barron Laycock "Labradorman"'s review which "forgets"
   to mention "the problem". At least somebody's honest out there.



4. Excellent collection of Roger Whittaker's recordings. Great selection.



5. two people give this product a bad review...and the third person gives a commercial advertisement for how great the product is. I think i'll trust the first two, and ignore the fact the the producer of the product is trying to boost his rating by posting a bunch of crap that doesn't seem to be accurate.

2 comments about Diary.

1. OH,GOODNESS THIS IS A CD TO HAVE OR SHOULD I SAY,"TO ADD TO YOUR OTHER CD COLLECTION ". I MUST SAY THAT THE ARTIST CAN BE RELATED ON MANY LEVELS. AND ITS UNIQUE . I ALSO LIKE THAT FACT THINK ITS REAL AND NOW A DAYS YOU DONT REALLY FIND TO MANY ARTIST WHO ARE REAL , BUT YOU CAN REALLY RELATE . WELL, DONT JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT GO OUT AND GET YOUR COPY. AND I PROMISE YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED.



2. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT TRANEEN HAS A VERY NICE CD. ITS A CD THAT I CAN RELATE TO IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. AND WHEN I FRIST HEARD HER LIVE IN WAS LIEK I'M REALLY FEELIN THIS LYRICS TO I WAS LIKE I GOT TO GO OUT AND COP HER CD.AND I DID AND ITS VERY HEAR CATCHING SO TO ANYONE U HASNT COP IT YET GO OUT AND GET IT ESPECIALLY TO ALL THOSE LADYS OUT THERE CAUSE I PROMISE U THAT U WILL BE A BLE TO RELATE.