5 comments about Lost Souls.

1. I see it's already been said, but it's true: this is hands down the album of the decade. If you're at all debating purchasing this album, stop now and buy it - you won't be disappointed in the least. The Doves later albums have their moments, but Lost Souls is a home run all the way through. Fantastic. A must have for every collection.



2. This is my favourite album of the last 10 years, brilliant songs. I just wanted to give it 5 stars here....
   
   You cant really compare this to other albums, the songs are rich, well paced, melodic, and consistent. Its an album the really suits Autumn and Winter and dark evenings....



3. If I had to explain this album in one word, it would definitely be "unique". How often do you come across an album that starts off with a mellow instrumental? Not often. Hence the originality of this album, which first drew my ears in the direction of Doves. Aside from the uniqueness of the alubm, the band placed the songs very cleverly so it's a good listen the whole way through. It's a very impressive debut, to say the least. The overall sound of the album is very meloncholy, but there are some songs that are more upbeat than the rest. Very melodic and sometimes beautifully symphonic-sounding rock. I highly recommend this album.



4. I went on a trip with a buddy of mine to Cincinnati Ohio to visit his brother. While we were there his brothers roomate played some music for us as we began to play poker. The music he played instantly caught my attention as it began to send shivers down my spine. It was like nothing i had ever heard before in my life. The music was beautiful. Not as an understatement it was full of pure exotic sounds. It was something new and refreshing. Every instrument, every sound, flowed together in a way that was so soothing and so smooth. I had never heard of the band the "doves" untill i had gone on that trip with my friend but i am very greatful that i did not only because i had a good time, but i was introduced to one of the greatest bands my ears have had the pleasure of hearing.
   Lost Souls comes into effect with the amazing intro of "firesuite" which reminds me somewhat of the matrix for some odd reason but starts out the album in an excellent way. The more upbeat sound of "here it comes" begins the second song and sinks you into the mysterious, refreshing music of the Doves. "Break me gently" mellows things out a little bit and creates a more mellower, somber tone to the album. "Sea Song", which happens to be one of my favorites on the album, cant be described in words, it flows so well and smoothly. You have to hear it for yourself to get a feel for it. "Rise" is another fantastic song. I love the harmonica during the middle of the song which ties the sound together so beautifully. "Lost Souls" is another good one with a catchy verse and an "ok" chorus. "Melody Calls" is very good with an excellent verse and a very catchy chorus.
   Whatever i'm sick of describing every single song in detail but you get the point. Theres not really one downer on this entire album. I enjoy every single track and instead of wasting my time reviewing every song I'll recommend every song. The first time i listened to this album it blowed my mind and words cant describe how great this album really is. Listen to it for yourself and discover the unique, astonishing sound of the Doves that will for sure enhance your tastes towards actual beautiful music. Before this album i was blinded by what beautiful music acually was but i have discovered it through Lost Souls which is indeed a beautiful album with beautful rythms and beautiful sounds.



5. I first came upon this amazing album while working as a manager in a music store.
   I won't mention the name of the store, but it is in the Northeastern part of the U.S. & 6 in 10 customers is a college student.
   It's one of those types of stores in which every employee makes some sort of either a fashion, or snobbishly opinionated musical statement.
   In other words, everyone there was knowledgeable about music, & some made it painstakingly known that they were king or queen sh*t.
   
   So now the question becomes how can a staff of 20-30 egomaniacal musical snobs co-exist without tearing each others lungs out?
   What music could one possibly play to sate the savage Punk, Indie, Shoegaze, Brit-Pop, Electronic, Classical, Jazz, R&B, Classic Rock, Folk headz...
   
   Well this became one of those rare cd's....
   
   In a promo box it came, with no fluff or filler.
   A soft plastic sleeve that simply said DOVES - Lost Souls & a White CD....
   I was intrigued somehow, & i decided that I would use one of my 2 slots in the 10 cd disc changer to check it out.
   
   Within the first 30 seconds it grabbed me by the chest & just never let go.
   What happens normally, is that by the 2nd or 3rd track one of the other employees has a wise a@@ed comment to make..
   What happened this day is that all 3 of the employees on shift came to inquire what was playing...
   Not only did this happen, but everyone, myself included, wanted to replay it after it ended....
   
   Needless to say this CD became the store favorite, & there was only one employee who ever b*tched when it was played, but he was the type if he won the lottey, would complain that he only won 6 million instead of 20 million..
   Just a generally wanabee negative 22 year old Smiths fan who wore black all the time & lived with his momma..
   
   This story is true...
   If this cd could keep the peace in a store like ours where image & bullsh*t ruled the day...
   If it could calm the savage sales snob.
   
   It has the magic to earn a strong 5 from me...
   Not to mention that I just love it, & will only be repeating what was said before me.

5 comments about Treasure.

1. I drift into connecting with this material sporadically. I know it is a highly regarded album from an influential dream-rock pioneer, though most of these calibrated confections in retrospect feel too contrived to offer anything but esoteric mood music in the moment- rarely does the swirling moon-drenched beauty aesthetic of it all transform into anything more then the hammered idea. Although a fairly solid release, demonstrating other-worldly vocals and instrumentation with an array of pros and cons in the production department, they have done more engaging, if less blatantly whimsical work.



2. The clarity and balance in this remaster is worth replacing your old copy. I was not sure after reading other reviews, but rest assured you will have a new reason to play these albums over and over.



3. Cocteau Twins are one of my top five favorite bands of all time and this is an album (released in 1984) that has slowly gained my appreciation through the years. I've always loved the album but just recently when I happened to think about it, subconsciously, the melody from the fifth track on _Treasure_, "Pandora" played in my head and I had to admit what a great song that is. I just listened to this album the other day and "Pandora" is quickly becoming one of my favorite CT songs.
   
   There are several other great songs on here: the dark and violent "Persephone", (one of the most percussive Cocteau Twins songs), "Lorelei" with its bright bounce, the hopeful but cautious mood of "Aloysius", the surreal and eerie peacefulness of "Otterley" which leads into the stunning, anthemic closer "Donimo". The Twins have a history of excellent songs to close out albums and this one is no exception.
   
   Elizabeth Fraser's vocals are perfectly mixed and "Treasure" features some of the best use of dubbed backing vocals of any Twins album.
   
   This album was quite influential to bands in the 80's and 90's making dream pop, shoegaze or even goth music.
   I call this the Twins' breakthrough masterpiece and it's not even my favorite album of theirs. (I prefer "Blue Bell Knoll" and then "Victorialand".) That just shows how much great music Cocteau Twins put out while they were active.



4. If you could only have one album by Cocteau Twins (really, you should get them all), this is the one I would put forth not only as a primer to their music, but as the defining moment of the genre known as "dreampop." "Treasure" is the bridge between the Cocteau Twins' earlier, darker sound and their later, increasingly ethereal and melodic output. Guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Simon Raymonde lay down dense walls of echoey dreamscape, through which floats, and sometimes stabs, the very unique and immensely powerful voice of Elizabeth Fraser. If you are not thoroughly mesmerized by the end of the second track, "Lorelei," then there is just something wrong with you.
   
   Many other bands have been labeled as "dreampop," but no band has ever managed to sound as hauntingly beautiful and original as Cocteau Twins. That Fraser in particular has never been properly acclaimed is a crime.



5. I am a relatively new fan of Cocteau Twins. It wasn't until a few years ago when the band started to remaster and re-release its albums did I get around to checking out their music. "Treasure" was the first Cocteau Twins album I bought. I was immediately hooked on the album's intoxicating ethereal melodies and fragile female vocals of Elizabeth Fraser. There definitely is a post punk edge through out the album that is reminiscent of Siouxsie & The Banshees like on "Persephone". The jagged guitar riffs and Elizabeth's wailing sounded an awfully a lot like Siouxsie & The Banshees and I mean that as a compliment. One of my personal favorite songs is the wistful sounds of "Pandora for Cindy". The song is so light and airy. If clouds could emit a sound or make music, I think this is how they would sound like. My very favorite track on the album has to be "Donimo" based on the gorgeous melodies. Elizbeth Fraser has one of the most original vocals I have ever heard. I like that she uses her vocals as an actual instrument. It really shows through on this album especially on the tracks that are more about vocalizations than lyrics. There is not one single track on "Treasure" I did not like. Every song is great. I feel like I am being transported to another dimension when I listen to this gem of an album. "Treasure" is truly a treasure worth owning.

5 comments about Kiss This: The Best of the Sex Pistols.

1. I recently bought the 20 track version(accurately listed on Amazon) for a reasonable price, and I'm very happy with it. It contains all of Never Mind..., plus other great tracks. I had Never Mind... on vinyl, and this is the perfect, updated, replacement (or supplement - I'd never get rid of my vinyl albums). A great buy, and the only Sex Pistols CD I'll ever need.



2. Ideally yes, this is better than Nevermind The Bollocks in terms of giving you all the essential Pistols tracks (if you get the imported 20 track version versus the 17 track version). That being said, some change in mastering must have occurred between this and the latest cd release of Bollocks because these tracks sound a little hollow ("tinny") compared to that CD.
   
   Truthfully, the difference is not enough to bother anyone except for more astute or intense fans who are used to the sound of the songs already. So, if you're a newcomer to the Pistols, this is a great start and possibly finish to your collection. If you're already a fan and just want everything in one place, maybe not so much. Plus, it's the edited version of "No Fun", which just sort of cuts off at the end. Wish they would just sell the first disc of the boxed set separately.



3. For some unknown reason this band produced some fantastic songs that stand the test of time.Problem is they were not around long enough,and not enough songs were made.Some will argue but to me the songs are inspirational,and can get you fired up.Now their songs do have emotion in them.Its like they realy meant what they said.The best song is Bodies.Yes i know it has not got the geatest lyrics,the subject is unusual to make a song about - abortion.But the way he sings that song,its just amazing and it realy gets to me,and when its finished you have to play it again.That song gets me going in the morning,when you just want to go back to bed.Holidays In The Sun is another great song,man that is a great song.The whole album of Bollocks was a sensation.Pretty Vacant was a hit from Bollocks and is another great song.A track that is missing from here is lonely Boy by Steve Jones.He did the bulk of guitars on Bollocks after Glen Matlock left.Sid did not play too well and hardly did anything on it.He has a tune here called My Way.Great song,hard to follow his accent without the lyrics.He did have another 2 songs not here on the Swindle which could have been put here -Something Else and Come On Everybody.But realy there is the best of them here.Its realy sad Sid died so young,but in reality he didnt contribute that much musicly to them.I have 2 concerts from their American tour in 1978.They were great shows,but you find that you end up milking the well for more Pistols tracks,there simply is not enough.Another favorite song of mine is New York,i love that tune just brilliant.No Feelings and Liar are also great tracks.There is not one bad song here.



4. Beware that there are two prices for what appears to be the same CD, and both advertise the same track listings on Amazon. I paid $28.99, thinking I would get an expanded version, yet there is a $15.49 price for what appears to be the same CD. The $28.99 product is NOT a two CD set.
   I think the merchant needs to clarify what is exactly on both versions and not advertise the same version at two different prices. It's very confusing because the labels are identical. Hence the three stars. Other than that, my version has all my favorites except for "Friggin in the Rigger," but not the extras some customers mentioned. Sound quality could be better; it's a little muffled, but much better than my old cassettes and the nostalgia is well worth it. A great tension releaser/tonic. Don't know if the the $15.49 version is any better, but I don't want to futz with an exchange.



5. One needs only two Sex Pistols' albums: "Never Mind the Bollocks" and "Rock n Roll Swindle." There's just nothing out there that even remotely resembles the Pistols' version of 'Roadrunner' ("Steve, wait...wait....I don't know the f'n words!") and the pieces by Jones and Cook are excellent, and a great preview of their work together in The Professionals. For those who wish to go deeper, in addition to "Swindle" and "Bollocks," I'd recommend John Lydon's first album with PIL featuring "Religion I & II," ("Fat pig priest, sanctimonious smile...") along with PIL's greatest hits or Metal Box, also any work Lydon did with Leftfield, e.g. "Open Up"; anything by The Professionals is great ("I Didn't See It Coming"), and the soundtrack to 'Sid & Nancy' if only for the atmosphere provided by Pray for Rain and The Pogues. (By the way, if interested, you can probably find a few clips of Steve Jones and The Professionals in action on YouTube. Highly entertaining.) Additionally, the band sounds great on "Filthy Luchre Live" and the two DVD documentaries "Never Mind The Bollocks" and "The Filth and the Fury" are worthy, although the "Bollocks" DVD is superior, in my view, deconstructing the making of the album, featuring interviews with band and producers. Lastly, for Steve Jones completists, check out his stint with the Neurotic Outsiders and his first solo album, "Mercy," which is something of a lost masterpiece.

5 comments about The Kick Inside.

1. this is one to best album that famale artist ever made, the music and Kate's voice is thirll but charming, the album is unique. pp



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RY2716H0YKIV8
   My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



3. I have loved Kate Bush since the seventies and still love to hear her sing "Wuthering Heights". What a beautiful song and a magnificent voice.
   "The man with the child in his eyes" is another of my all time favorites. Bravo Kate. May you live on forever.



4. Here we have the stunningly original and utterly charming debut of one very young English lass, Kate Bush. While the piano-driven melodies are obviously inspired by Carole King, the rest belongs to Kate and Kate alone. This is definitely a product of the 70's and, as such, has a classic rock feel to it. As a result, many who might give it a first-time spin nowadays might find it a bit dated, perhaps even a bit corny, and that's a darn shame. In my old age (well, OK, middle age, I'll cut myself some slack for a change), I've become just as jaded and cynical as the next guy, but, in order to enjoy this masterpiece for what it is, you really need to just check all that baggage at the door and allow yourself to be enchanted. This now inspires me to hop up on my soapbox for a minute: I'd like to say that I am really, REALLY tired of all the young little divas in recent years who pretend to be all sexy, soulful, and world-wise. Like there's such a thing as a 19-year old from the `burbs who knows the first thing about life and how to live it! Please give me a break! I wish the current batch of diva-wannabees would go back and take a page out of Kate's book. Of course, that would require that they actually get creative and write some real SONGS, but that would involve real work and we certainly can't have THAT, now can we? It's much easier to have other people write a bunch of titillating drivel for you, and then have some producer lay down a cookie-cutter groove with everything altered by computers. Yawn, ho-hum, whatever. Whew, that feels better! I'll step back down from my soapbox now.
   
   So, what's a teenage white girl (who's had a reasonably privileged, sheltered upbringing) supposed to write about if she's going to do it all herself and be honest about it??? Well, as it turns out, all sorts of things. She could pretend to be a character in her favorite novel. She could write about fantasy scenarios based on old movies. Or, as a thesis, she could start out with seemingly mundane, everyday events and imbue them with a sense of the mystical. The sky's the limit, really. Of course, there's the expected musings on love and romance, mainly in the wide-eyed sense of what the future might have in store. There is some sexually-oriented stuff, but it's quite honest and relates the clumsiness and awkwardness, as well as the beauty, of an early encounter. As far as the songs themselves go, there's not a clunker here. But, aside from the classic "Wuthering Heights", I'd like to say that I especially enjoy "Moving", "The Saxophone Song", "Oh to be in Love", "L'amour Looks Something Like You", and the haunting title track. "Them Heavy People" is lyrically very interesting and concerns her struggle with intellectualism, a theme to which she would return throughout her career.
   
   While Kate would go on to make technically better albums (e.g. "The Dreaming" and "The Hounds of Love"), this would come at the price of at least some degree of solipsism and artistic pretension. Also, her voice hadn't quite developed yet into the powerhouse it would later become (refer to her re-recording of "Wuthering Heights" on "The Whole Story" compilation - wow, what a difference!), and a little weakness is evident as she occasionally has to strain to sing over some of the arrangements. However, her debut is tough to beat in terms of outright charm. Finally, if you dig this, be sure to get a copy of her "Live at Hammersmith Odeon" video and you'll be able to see many of these songs performed onstage as little theater-pieces.



5. I was 12 yers old when I first heard the music from The Kick Inside. It was one of my favorites. Since then I have had many favorites, but usually only for short time. Now I am over forty and The Kick Inside is still one of my favorites. This is absolutly the best record of all times.

5 comments about The Best of Blur.

1. Blur has a way of writing lyrics that elevates them above most bands. They are intelligent, ironic, and most importantly, funny. I've always related them to Weezer, based on lyrics more than music style. This collection gets the job done as far as providing a solid and complete collection of their radio hits. The songs themselves are all excellent, but they feel strange in the order presented. I agree with another reviewer that they were better when part of their original albums, in their original context. Maybe it's just because I enjoy listening to complete albums more than singles, but I prefer their original albums to this collection.
   
   If you're only interested in owning their radio singles, give this a try. Otherwise, buy their original albums.



2. The CD was exactly what I wanted and was delivered exactly as promised. I'd do business with them again anytime.



3. Really, there should be no question about the quality of this record. It features over an hour of the most sublime pop music ever recorded. Every track is a stand-out, but particular highlights include the Euro-disco of "Girls and Boys," the orchestral grandeur of "The Universal," the gospel-tinged ballad "Tender," and the grunge parody "Song 2," better known Stateside as 'whoo-hoo.'
   While diehards may have some qualms with the track selection (NOTHING from Modern Life Is Rubbish, save the single version of "For Tomorrow," made the cut), this album is probably the best starting place for newcomers to the Blur discography.
   From here, the first place to go is Modern Life Is Rubbish, which is not adequately represented here, but still key to understanding the band's discography.



4. Not just great Brit Pop - actually - just great Music! There is so much more to Blur than "Song 2" (woo-hoo!) After getting into the Gorillaz with Damon Albarn - I bought this disc and discovered what I missed the first time around. Blur's songwriting is very strong and this Best Of disc showcases the depth and variety of their musicianship. Now, if only they would reunite and tour the US!



5. While Blur were the undisputable kings of 1990s Britpop, on this side of the pond Blur were virtually unknown outside of alternative rock circles. While the band had considerable success in the UK racking up hit after hit they scarcely charted in the states even though their songs popped up here and there, including commercials. "The Best of" bundles those UK hits spanning 1990 to 2000, which should go a long way towards establishing Blur's hit-making credentials with US listeners. "Best of" aptly demonstrates Blur's musical capability and songwriting prowess and showcases the wide variety of musical styles they could strike, from the moody atmospherics of "She's So High," and "To the End," to the heavy metal of "Song 2," the eclecticism of "Tender," the melodic catchiness of "Coffee and TV," and "There's No Other Way," and the downright nutty "Boys and Girls," and "Country House." "The Best of" pulls in 18 of Blur's biggest hits and throws in a bonus second ten track live CD of their 1999 Wembley show covering many of these same tracks; a great starting point for a casual listener or for someone just starting to dig into Blur's oeuvre.
   
   Indeed these tracks show Blur to be probably one of the best musical acts in recent years, definitely in the same milieu as the Kinks and the Beatles, yet not mindlessly aping either of those groups and at the same time showing a true spark of originality that is all their own. If anything "The Best of" SHOWS THAT Blur remained consistently good throughout their career, while other groups burned out or put out rubbish. Consistently satisfying from start to finish, "The Best of" truly earns that title.

5 comments about Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead.

1. Picked this CD out of the rack after not listening to it for years.
   
   Los Lobos' Bertha interpretation is close to the original, but with a nice hint of accordion. Bruce Hornsby's Jack Straw is great, one can tell he played with the Dead many a time and I (for one ;-) think that he performed wonderfully with them over the years. Whatever you think of him, he can play piano.
   
   Forget The Hashed Mellows' US Blues, what a disappointing straightforward rock-ish version that is. Elvis Costello's Ship of Fools is sort of interesting in the sense that he has some of Jerry's raspiness and I like the instrumentation.
   
   Suzanne Vega's China Doll sounds like, well, a Vega tune, which isn't bad, but perhaps a bit dull. Happily her Cassidy is much livelier, certainly besting her 1988 appearance with GD in New York. Her delivery makes me appreciate the lyrics more than I did though.
   
   Dwight Yoakim's Truckin' is kind of fun, which kind of scares me because I'm no country fan, and catches the spirit of the song. Warren Zevon/David Lindley's Casey Jones is utterly forgettable.
   
   Indigo Girls' Uncle John's Band provides a harmonic touch, but they seem bored with the tune. Bit I sure liked Lyle Lovett's Friend of the Devil, a nice acoustic version of the classic.
   
   Cowboy Junkies' To Lay Me Down makes you believe this was a Junkies' song all along, with the typical Timmins guitar sound and ability to make any song a sad one. Midnight Oil's Wharf Rat may bear the least resemblence to the original, but provides some much needed interest to the CD.
   
   Burning Spear's Estimated Prophet is the reason to buy this CD. Hard to believe Rodney hadn't listened to the Dead before, because it's so right. Actually, I like this version better than the original.
   
   Dr. John's Deal is somewhat overdone. Finally, I know folks here like Jane's Addiction's Ripple, but I think it strips the song of its beauty, like sung by a bunch of drunks at a karaoke bar, oh wait...



2. All the songs are well done. Midnight Oil does a unique and impressive version of "Wharf Rat," but it is Jane's Addiction's cover of "Ripple" that stands alone as the one song on the album that actually surpasses the original Dead song as well as surpassing all the other songs on the album in quality. "Ripple" rocks. If anything, all Jane's Addiction fans (and maybe Midnight Oil fans) should own this album. Thank you, boys!



3. I guess everyone has diff. likes & dislikes, but I appreciate this album b/c it introduced me to Lyle Lovett through his tremendous cover of "Friend of the Devil", and the Cowboy Junkies, which at first I couldn't stand, then couldn't get out of my head, now love. Without waxing too poetic, I think of all the covers, the CJ's offered a poignant version of the Dead classic. Anyway, this CD offers something for everyone- I highly recommend it for a lifetime of listening.



4. The best tracks here are keepers for the ages; but the duds have only withered over time. Originally released in the late 1980s, this tribute album offers the original covers by artists who followed up by keeping the Dead tracks in their performing repertoires. Los Lobos' "Bertha" is a classic. Dwight Yoakam's "Truckin'" stayed in his live shows for years. Lyle Lovett's "Friend of the Devil" likewise. And the all time keeper of this collection must be Burning Spear's "Estimated Prophet," which captures the spirit of the song in a way even the Dead never imagined. I remember hearing an NPR interview with Winston Rodney, Burning Spear's leader and founder, in which he said he'd never heard of the band much less heard the song before. But that learning it, playing it and recording it changed him. He still plays the song to this day. The midlin' tracks on the CD are Hornsby's "Jack Straw", " Dr. John's "Deal", Indigo Girls' "Uncle John's Band", David Lindley ("Casey Jones") and Elvis Costello ("Ship of Fools"). All are good, some reach for great. A few even make it. But the duds ... ouch! ... are Jane's Addiction's murderous misinterpretation of "Ripple", Midnight Oil's bewilderingly clueless "Wharf Rat" (they'd never heard of the Dead and were included by the producers to take full advantage of the band's popularity at that time), Suzanne Vega's whispy-voiced "China Doll", which reaches for tragedy and ends up just plainly annoying, and Cowboy Junkie's meandering "To Lay Me Down."



5. Back in the days before there were tribute albums for every band you've ever heard of (and some you haven't), there was Deadicated, and it quickly became apparent that it would be a tough act to follow. If you know the Dead, but not the contributing artists, you will surely be compelled to look them up after hearing them here. If you are a fan of one or more already, buy this CD and learn about the underappreciated songwriting talents of Garcia, Hunter, Weir, and Barlow. All we need now is a tour...

5 comments about Chairs Missing.

1. This album is incredible. You will never hear another one like it. Thirty years later, no band in this genre has topped it. Not even close. A must-have for any serious music fan.



2. Those of you who hold punk music in high esteem know only too well the invaluable role that Wire and "Pink Flag" have played in shaping the genre. And though I could never give enough credence to the likes of "12XU," this classic punk-rock headbanger does not even approach the full gamut of musical treasures that Wire has imparted over the years. "Chairs Missing" is the perfect case in point. Perhaps marking the most courageous and innovative leap from one style of music to another, "Chairs" (the follow up album to "Pink Flag") is replete with provocative and downright alluring musical textures that are sure to please. No individual claiming to love punk should be without this classic. And for those of you who are curious about punk, getting "Chairs" for your collection is no-brainer. After all, when you're talking about a staple classic, such as "Chairs," making the choice to get this CD is easy.
   Enjoy!



3. If you like Post Punk or are interested in getting into "Post Punk" or New Wave or Power Pop then this is one of the many albums you NEED to get. Or even if you just like good music that is different than the rest- you NEED this album. Along with 154 and the first Wire album Pink Flag of course. I actually kinda resisted getting into Wire's early stuff untill a friend of mine (thank you forever Jules Hart)sat me down, smoked 8) and played this CD for me. I had to have him play the song French Film Blurred back for me at least five times! While I had listened to much of the early to mid to late 80's Wire such as A Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck etc and liked it ok enough listening to Chairs Missing and then 154 really showed me what Wire is all about. You need to have at least Chairs Missing and 154 in your collection. Buy them. Get the 90's releases if you can as they have bonus tracks that are very cool but if you cant find those get the remastered ones ASAP. They will change your life.



4. Please get this album. You will like it.
   While not as well known as Wire's debut, Pink Flag, this album, in my opinion, is much better. Wire's increasing use of synths really helps the music as well as adding yet another experimental quality to it.
   
   Also, if you plan to get any wire album, why not get all three of their essential albums:
   
   Pink Flag (1977), Chairs Missing (1978), 154 (1979)



5. In 1978, being qualified as "the Pink Floyd of the New Wave" might have come across as something of an insult; and by today's artistic strategies of rampant revivalism such a pithy remark may ring true to many a listener. That statement was, in fact, the critique prescribed to Chairs Missing, Wire's second album, as the album decelerated the pogo punk minimalism found on their first album with an increasing use of experimental production. In hindsight, Chairs Missing is the perfect transition between the high-strung velocity of Pink Flag and the staggering gloominess of 154; yet most transition records have a clunkiness about them, like a lanky teenager not quite able to fit into his sunday best. But Chairs Missing is miles above the average transition album.
   
   To many a listener, Chairs Missing stands as the ultimate Wire album, with near perfect pop songs alternating between anthemic punk and eccentric production techniques (i.e. atonal synth drone, staccato guitar chops, overdubbed guitar distortion, etc.). Where Pink Flag kept many of the songs under a minute and half, Chairs Missing is downright baroque in its presentation of 3 minute tunes. The genius of Chairs Missing is how Colin Newman, Robert Gotobed, Bruce Gilbert, and Graham Lewis manage to steer through the diverse songwriting landscape, in how the album's opening track "Practice Makes Perfect" transitions from a delicate prance for jangled guitar into a precise expression of menace, in how "Outdoor Miner" creates the catchiest, Beatlesque chorus you'll never be able to sing back to yourself given the complexity of its rejoining, nonsensical syllables, in how jaggedly clean the guitars of Newman and Gilbert attack each other, in how Lewis' bass is fluid and effortless, in how this run-on sentence seems to have lost its way trying to fathom the complexity of Wire.
   
   If you believe that the length of my reviews directly correlate to how good the record actually is, then I have failed as I would need to write a f-cking a book about how stunning this album is. Yeah, Chairs Missing is incredible; and if you don't have it, you really should.

5 comments about Misplaced Childhood.

1. This album is a stunner, every track is outstanding. In my experience with Marillion (so far I own this cd and Script for a Jester's Tear), this one really hits the ball out of the park, and it's from this cd where we see Fish and the band really hit their stride. I highly recommend this cd.



2. At a time when the front leading Prog bands of the 1970's were either fading away (King Crimson, ELP) or adrift without a clear vision of what they wanted to accomplish (i.e. Genesis), Marillion (with Fish) took over the lead in progressive rock and delivered this masterpiece, giving Prog a much needed shot in the arm. MISPLACED CHILDHOOD has it all: a great story, intricate yet beautiful lyrics and incredibly amazing melodies. Those who love the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis, specifically SUPPER'S READY, will love this album.



3. What can I say, this is a must own album by fans of Neo-Prog. Basically anything by Marillion from the Fish era is outstanding, but to me, Misplaced Childhood is where they truly found their stride and began to take their place as a mature band. This is Marillion at the top of their game.



4. THE BEST MARILLION ALBUM
   
   Released in 1985 this was Marillion's third studio album. It is 41 minutes long and the sound quality is very good.
   
   People shy away from the topic, but these guys were really a copy of Genesis. In almost every successful form of entertainment, there are copiers. It is true in TV and it is very true in rock music. Every successful progressive rock group had their imitators. Yes had Flash (which was a spin off) and Star Castle, Emerson, Lake and Palmer had Triumverat and Exkeption and Genesis had Marillion.
   
   But, Marillion sounds like what later day Genesis would sound like if Peter Gabriel remained in the band and sang the Phil Collins songs. Marillion sounds like early Genesis, but only a little more bouncier. The guitar playing is very much like what Steve Hackett used to do, and a little like Mike Rutherford's after he moved from bass when Hackett left the group.
   
   Even though it is a derivative of Genesis, it is still an excellent album. It is a concept album and is just one long, 41 minute suite, except maybe for Kayleigh. The songs all segue into the next song, except for a two second gap between side 1 and 2. In many cases, it is hard to tell when on song ends and the next one starts.
   
   Although slightly lighter and bouncier, this rivals the best of Genesis, including The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway and Selling England By the Pound.



5. Marillion would reach their commercial peak with this album. It was a huge hit in Europe and was able to get pockets of airplay in various locations in the U.S.A. "Childhood" is really a classic progressive rock album and still holds up well today. Most consider it to be Marillion's best and I would have to concur with that assessment. The album is a concept piece that basically revolves around Fish and his failed relationships, and growing up in general. The album produced the band's biggest hit "Kayleigh" which was followed up by the almost as successful "Lavender". The whole album flows like a smooth running stream from the opening strains of "Pseduo Silk Kimo" to the grand finale of "White Feather". Steve Rothery produces some of his best guitar work here and Mark Kelly's keyboards continually shine throughout the disc. The lyrics are all great and Fish is on top of his game in the vocal department. If you are into Marillion or progressive rock in general, this one is a must own.

3 comments about Singles Going Steady.

1. Singles Going Steady is a great compilation of songs that span the most important years of this band's career. There are a ton of solid songs on this CD (24), which, when bought used, makes it a steal. This is a major staple worth jamming into your music library. It's also a great introduction to Buzzcocks music if you've never heard much of their stuff before. You can really hear the influence these guys have had on younger bands that try to copy the punk/post-punk sound. But of course, Buzzcocks do it better every time.



2. It would be hard to give "Singles Going Steady" anything less than 5 stars, ever. In any context.
   
   This remaster is, in most cases, excellent. The sound quality is generally better -- but I kept my old, unremastered copy too, if that tells you anything. The new mix is thicker, but I like the rawness of the original mix just as well for high-volume listening.
   
   A few of the bonus tracks sap the energy from the original release. But a few of the bonus tracks nest like litter-mates with this already awesome collection of non-album singles.
   
   Get this album one way or another -- whether this souped-up version or the older, clankier (but just as pleasing) version.
   
   And the "Spiral Scratch" EP too.



3. The Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady not only boasts superior sound, but now includes two singles from 1979's "A Different Kind of Tension" ("You Say You Don't Love Me" and "Raison D'Etre"), and 1980's "Parts 1,2,3" EP. Superior melodic pop - some of Shelley's and Diggle's finest work. Essential to any undertanding of UK punk and pop music of the late 70's early 80's.

5 comments about Parklife.

1. Never in my life have i heard such a terrible album. First of all, it's annoying. Second of all, it's boring. It's not trendy, not unique...i can't find anything good about it. I picked it for $10 and i want my money back. I was hyped up about getting into Blur, hearing top stuff about them, but this was just a horrible experience. I'm not picky with music either...i barely throw back anything, and i listen to a huge variety of music including alternative rock, punk, ambient, electronic music, acoustic music, electronic music, doom/drone metal, jazz, blues, funk, rap, JEEZ the list goes on and i hope to never hear Blur again.



2. It seems I have some explaining to do right from the get go: for all those who claim that Blur's Parklife is the beginning of Brit Pop, there are just as many--maybe more--who would place this "movement" if not squarely at the release of Suede's first album, or even Oasis' "Definitely Maybe", then surely the its inception is more vague, consisting of a slow build, and based upon several releases and a general change in attitude. One thing for certain, there is at least some good reason to believe that Brit Pop is somewhat reactionary, as an antidote to the imported grunge rock coming from the states, and the general "Americana" that had suddenly eclipsed what was by all accounts a major British music movement that never seemed to reach stateside with the intensity it had in England, that being Madchester, representative of bands like Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, The Farm, Flowered Up, and the New Fast Automatic Daffodils, among others. Even the first Blur album, "Leisure", was to some degree associated with the Manchester sound.
   
   But truth be told, the naissance of Brit Pop belongs to all of the above. As with any "movement" there are all sorts of reasons converging and catalysts a plenty. Nevertheless, I hold steadfast in my assertion: Parklife is the Beginning of Brit Pop. But why? Why not other bands, or even previous releases by Blur? Surely Modern Life is Rubbish should be considered! It is, after all, quintessentially English if not more than a little anti-American. But if Brit Pop is to be remembered as more than a one dimensional idea qua philosophy replete with an attitude, style, and general mode of being its crystallization must be found in once source, and that source is Parklife.
   
   Unlike previous Blur albums and certainly the other great albums by Brit Pop's elite, Parklife mixes its metaphors and is an interpretive history of all that is and has been noteworthy within popular British history: Mod, Punk, Northern soul (subtly its there), James Bond cool, Pub dirge, a show tunes a la Noel Coward. And with guest appearance from Phil Daniels of "Quadrophenia" fame, as well as Lætitia Sadier from Stereo Lab (never mind she's French) it marked itself as a timeless as well as timely remark on why it was much cooler to turn on to a style that was ostensibly slick as opposed to turn off and be disenfranchised and angry, or maybe indifferent, which was what, essentially, American music was offering--or at least it seemed that way at the time. Whereas the Seattle scene was donning flannel and ratty jeans, Brit Pop was about wearing trainers, football jerseys, and haircuts. It sounds superficial now, but if you were listening to The Smiths, The Bunnymen, etc. in the eighties, then the Manchester and Shoegaze bands of the late eighties/early nineties, American grunge was disappointing.
   
   But all this is not to trivialize Blur or Brit Pop. It was, and is, certainly not just a style without substance. To the contrary, its substance and content are rooted in its context, and Parklife is the seminal expression of the convergence of all of this. In short, Parklife discloses the mood and feel, dare I say optimism, of the early to mid-nineties.
   
   Listen to it with an old copy of the NME, Melody Maker, or a Select, and you will know what I'm talking about!



3. Quite honestly, playing this album makes you want to like... Walk through the streets of the UK toting your guitar case headed towards band practice while wearing your union jack bearing leather jacket in the chilly november air. It's inspiring. While listening to it, you're wishing you could make music like this. I love blur. I think it's always been a close tie between them and oasis, but blur always comes out on top because of Albarn's voice. Definitely one of the best albums of the 90s, definitely one of the best in my personal collection, and definitely one of blur's best. you get this, you won't regret it and you'll play it everyday for about 2 months.



4. Parklife is a fantastic album, it really is. The songs are all impeccably well-crafted, the lyrics are clever without being full of themselves, and the playing is peerless. Opening track "Boys & Girls" is a wonderful dance track, finding the mid ground between Britpop and Hip-Hop (Kind of. I just liked how they rhyme). The only downside to the album is a matter of location. Starting with their second album, Modern Life is Rubbish, blur were known for their ability to capture the feelings and emotions of the time and place where they were. Parklife is revered as Mid-90's England captured in song, and while I like the album very much, I feel like I missed something because I didn't hear it in it's own time. A small grief, but a grief none the less.



5. Hailed by many as Blur's best album, "Parklife" was my first sampling of them. After many years of being a huge fan of 90's alt/rock, I decided to check this band out. What do I think of this album? read on...
   
   I was familiar with the first song on this album, "Girls & Boys" from seeing the video on Vh1 classic late one night. This song was the reason I got the urge to check this band out, a very catchy tune. The album continues next with "Tracy Jacks," and the comparisons to the Who and the Kinks come to mind with this certain song. "End of the Century" is one of the albums highlights. This song should be up there with the likes of Radiohead's "High and Dry." The next song, "Parklife" is more fun brit-pop, I'm not much for spoken word, but this song comes through with its catchy chorus.
   
   The next four songs bring down the album just a tad bit, "Bank Holiday" is a quick punky song. "Badhead" is a great mellow song, but it seems out of place between "Bank Holiday" and the instrumental "Debt Collector." "Far Out" is a short, more experimental song. I like this song, it reminds me of the psychedelia of Syd Barret, and early Pink Floyd. Its a shame the song is so short.
   
   The album picks up again with "To the End," this is easily one of my favorite songs on the album. Its a very british song, and I love the chorus. This song has a more epic feel, which I like.
   
   The rest of the album is hit or miss. "Clover Over Dover" is one of my fav's from the album. More of a downer of a song with its depressing lyrics, and thats what I like. "This is a Low," the longest song on the album, and its many peoples favorites. I have to agree because its a very well written song, and its a good way to close out the album.
   
   Blur's "Parklife" was better than I expected, and I'm ready to dive deeper into Blur's other albums. It's a great start if your a blur noobsause like me.
   
   Blur's "Parklife" - Final rating: 77%