2 comments about Epoch Eclipse: 30 Year Anthology.

1. This is a 3cd best of by the space-rock(and therefore prog-rock) band, Hawkwind. If you've not heard them, you will be surprised. Their sound has nothing to do with Pink Floyd or old U.F.O. The one constant presence is a steady, almost trance-like drumbeat that underpins almost all of their songs throughout their history. Their newer stuff is almost industrial, and they seem to have aligned themselves with the trance/house crowd, which takes nothing away from the music. In short, this is basic hard rock with a mechanical beat. Only occasionally do they resort to typical space-rock formula. Well worth the money!



2. This is it!! The ultimate collection for all those people out there who have not yet bought a single Hawkwind c.d.,l.p.,or cassette.For us oldsters it's thrilling to know that you kidz out there have a chance to aquire music that does not sound dated.Now there is no excuse,('cept maybe the price)save your allowance!Cut the neighbours grass! THE BEST Hawkwind spacestuff is on this collection.Maybe if enough of you out there show interest and purchase it maybe,just maybe we'll see another Space Ritual tour.Ahhh being a concertgoer in the 70's.....If you are fortunate enough to have the vinyl ,perhaps it would be smashing to include this in your collection as back up when they stop making needles for our stereos.(hell better be frozen)Every song on this compilation is a winner.And you will feel like a winner when the postman puts this Tasty Treat in your postal box.Stella Marz says"Listen,You'll like it....bullocks you'll bloody trip on it! And no space radiation burns!"

5 comments about Led Zeppelin.

1. my husband was very satified with this product and it made the perfect father's day gift.



2. This is a very good collection of Led Zeppelin tunes, and the remastering by Jimmy Page highlights the guitars (surprise surprise). An outstanding collection for those who don't want or need the full albums. But beware, Atlantic Records is releasing a new compilation, "Mothership" in November 2007. Overall, this set is much more comprehensive with its four CDs than Mothership's two CDs. Mothership will also be available in an edition with a bonus DVD, but according to news reports that will also just be recycled material from the earlier issued Led Zeppelin DVD. This set, along with the full DVD, is probably better, because you get more Zep. But very casual fans may find "Mothership" adequate.



3. Let me make clear at the outset that this review is NOT intended to be critical of Led Zeppelin as a musical group, and hopefully avoid some terrible comments and negative feedback. I like Led Zeppelin. I have every song they ever recorded. Wonderful band. Unfortunately, no matter how great of a band they are, that can't save this boxed set from being truly awful.
   
   Honestly, I can't begin to understand the inspiration behind this collection. It's four discs of music containing almost - but not quite - everything the band ever recorded, including some off-album tracks that can be harder to get. Certainly, this set collects the majority of the desirable Led Zeppelin tracks, but unfortunately, it also collects a large amount of other detritus that will only be of interest to the dedicated fan and will most likely be skipped over by the casual listener. I don't know what the audience of this boxed set is supposed to be, but the odds are you aren't it.
   
   Aside from being a somewhat scrambled set, this box carefully avoids collecting all of the tracks from even one of Led Zeppelin's original studio albums, no doubt in a ploy to force listeners to purchase another CD or 10. The completist will be dissatisfied with the fact that there are gaping holes in this collection, while the casual fan or an individual just looking for radio hits, in addition to finding a couple of notables missing, will find much, much more material here than he could ever want. For a short while, the Led Zeppelin Boxed Set Volume 2 2-CD set served to complete the box and turn it into a complete collection of studio recordings, but that box has long since gone out of production, forcing anybody who finds that they like the majority of the music on these 4 discs to either lay out for the 10-CD boxed set or buy the CDs individually, and in both cases utterly invalidates their purchase of this set.
   
   I can't recommend this set to anybody. Led Zeppelin is a terrific band - II, IV, Houses of the Holy, and still more are all classic rock recordings - but this boxed set has an audience of exactly nobody. For dedicated fans, I recommend that you go out and get the 10-CD complete recording set, and for casual fans, I would recommend one of the many other 1 and 2 CD greatest hits compilations, or just going straight to the original recordings to get a taste of what the group is all about. This box, however, will ultimately satisfy nobody.



4. I bought both Vol.1&2 Box sets and I really regret doing that, the songs are in no particular order and growing up hearing Zep songs your used to certain songs running together such as "Heartbreaker" into "Living loving maid" or "you shook me" into "dazed and confused" you get none of that classic line up on here. Led Zeppelin were an ALBUM band and their Classic music should be listened to as they intended it to be heard, one album at a time. I plan in the future to buy all of the individual albums.
   I highly recommend anyone else to go that direction also.



5. The order arrived 5 days late, and my emails to inquire about it went unanswered. So when it did arrive, I was a little upset. The packaging of this collection is exactly like that of an old LP collection, and I immediately thought "Oh great, they sent the wrong media!". But it turned out to be right. There are some minor flaws with the CDs (this is not their fault either) in that they play correctly, but iTunes could not convert 3 songs on 2 different discs. To get around the problem, I had to use another program to rip the songs to hard disk, then import them.

1 comments about Doo Wop Collection.

1. The song selections were good. However, what I messed when I looked at the albums was "Original Artist Re-recording".
   
   Folks my age want to hear what they heard on their radios in the late fifties and early sixties, and on American Bandstand. This wasn't it.
   
   Still, I enjoyed the album. I would be great for someone who wasn't familiar with Doo Wop and wanted a feel for the music of that era.

5 comments about The Abbey Road Decade 1963-1973.

1. This has got to be the ultimate Cilla Black collection. By far my favorite song of hers is "Step Inside Love" (written by the Beatles, but not released by them in that era), and there are *three* versions of it here! My next favorite is the very rare "Work Is A Four-Letter Word" and there are two versions of that! On top of those is every greatest hit I've ever heard by her, and the cutest photo I've ever seen of her (in a short skirt) in the booklet. Whew!



2. I'm in the states and have been a Cilla Black fan since her incredible 45 "Your My World" hit the U.S.charts in the summer of 1964. This CD set has virtually everything! There are truly many surprises. The remastering job that was done was terrific. Of course my two favorites by Cilla were included: "Your My World" and "Yesterday". The booklet itself would be worth the price alone. The CD set is wonderful in every way. Simply astonishing.



3. I'm in the states and have been a Cilla Black fan since her incredible 45 "Your My World" hit the U.S. charts in the summer of 1964. Cilla should have been much bigger in the United States than she was. You folks in England have truly been fortunate to have had this very talented individual for all of these years. This CD set has virtually everything! There are truly many surprises. The remastering job that was done was terrific. Of course my two favorites by Cilla were included: "Your My World" and "Yesterday". The booklet itself would be worth the price alone. The CD set is wonderful in every way. Simply astonishing.



4. This is a lavish 3xCD Set. It has all of Cilla's A & B Side Singles from 63-73. All songs are produced by George Martin who is acclaimed for working with The Beatles, Celine Dion etc. CD3 also contains some WONDERFUL unissued tracks/rarities like Track #64 which is an absolute corker, as well as a demo version of the Lennon/McCartney song "Step inside love" which also features Paul ! It comes with a very informative colour booklet and an unlisted out- take which suprisingly appears after CD3's Track #65 finishes. This is just a Goldmine of Classic Cilla !!! A must have for any music lover :-)



5. This is a lavish 3xCD Set. It has all of Cilla's A & B Side Singles from 63-73. All songs are produced by George Martin who is acclaimed for working with The Beatles, Celine Dion etc. CD3 also contains some WONDERFUL unissued tracks/rarities like Track #64 which is an absolute corker, as well as a demo version of the Lennon/McCartney song "Step inside love" which also features Paul ! It comes with a very informative colour booklet and an unlisted out- take which suprisingly appears after CD3's Track #65 finishes. This is just a Goldmine of Classic Cilla !!! A

5 comments about El Cancionero: Mas y Mas.

1. Excellent overview of an American treasure. The "lost" tracks are particularly pleasing. A box set that gets it right. Highly recommended.



2. There are two rock groups who through their musical excursions set the standard when it comes to exploring Americana. The Band was the first and it appears that Los Lobos has inherited and expanded on that journey along with a strong dose of latin flavor added to the mix. They share the same multi-instrumental abilities of The Band,utilizing an eclectic selection of material that takes them far from their East Los Angeles roots. As the foremost purveyors of chicano influenced rock, Los Lobos pays honor to not only their Mexican heritage but to all the other musical styles they were exposed to growing up in the neighborhoods of L.A. This box set wonderfully reveals the full extant of their relationship with various genres encompassing the blues,country & western,mexican folk (rancheras,norteno,cumbias,etc.)R&B,Rock AND Roll,jazz,and soul music. Los Lobos are an American treasure and this collection is a reflection of that.In fact this box is treasure chest unto itself. America's premier roots rockers. Five Stars Plus. Own It!!



3. Los Lobos is, by far, one of the most talented bands on the planet; and this box set is evidence. I cannot wait for the next collection as they have recorded so much more since the release of this.
   
   El Cancionero tracks the band from its early East L.A. stages playing , essentially mexican/american folk music flavored with a little all-american rock-a-billy.
   
   The set then demonstrates the bands eclectic talents in rock, soul, country, and of course, muchos rancheras,corridos, cumbias, as well as the band's ventures into mariachi style music as documented on its critically-acclaimed release La Pistola y El Corazon.
   
   The set comes complete with a full-color booklet documenting LL's history as well as track by track notes from Louis Perez.
   
   A definite must for any Los Lobos fan.



4. ....just another band...this gracious and generous box not only covers the rocking, fertile ground plowed by the "Just Another Band from East L.A." double, but also includes hearty samplings from their more modern, experimental, avant-garde-y era...I'm more of a fan of the earlier, more rootsy stuff, like "I got loaded" and "How will the wolf survive", but still, the latter era has its moments, like the gorgeous and seductive, "Kiko"...so, it's all here...
   
   Combine that with great extras and covers like "What's Going On" and "Tomorrow Never Knows", and it adds up to a first-rate collection and a must for the roots rock fan.



5. EL CANCIONERO is without a doubt one of the best box sets to be released in a long time. We have over 80 songs that stretch from the very beginnings of LOS LOBOS until the present day. If you listen to these songs, you will soon find that there is alot more to this great band than just LA BAMBA. While that song is included here, it is overshadowed by the great songs that this band has consistenly made. We have all the hits from the group: ONE TIME ONE NIGHT, WILL THE WOLF SURVIVE?, SET ME FREE (ROSA LEE), THIS TIME. We are also treated to songs from the various side projects and solo albums that the group members have worked on. If this isnt enough of an incentive to buy this set, how about unreleased tracks and tracks from various soundtracks and tribute albums. You get everything you could possibly want from this band and then some. I highly suggest that you go out and get this set. You will not be disappointed, I'm not

3 comments about Greatest Hits of the Seventies, Vols. 1-3.

1. WHAT A BARGAIN 13.99 FOR 3CD'S AND GREAT MUSIC IF YOU BUY THIS IT WILL PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE YOU ACTULLY SAVED MONEY FOR A CHANGE.



2. A fine, representative cross-section of 70's era music, and worth the price. However, if you're looking for Argent's elusive original version of "Hold Your Head Up", and not the butchered version these compilations always seem to push, your search will not end here.



3. I'm so glad i found this 70s collection.It has a great variaty of music from the decade, and I couldn't believe the price. I grew up in the 70s and went through high school then so there are many memories in these disc's. I would recommend this for anyone who likes 70s music.

5 comments about A Strange Mess of Flowers.

1. Anyone who went to school in Texas in the 90s knows who David Garza is - formerly of the Lovebeads, then solo, then going by "Dah-Veed" before returning to David Garza. His ability to craft alternatingly warm and sultry sounds with jangly good-time music was matched only by his ability to write clever and interesting lyrics - so rare in a market that is glutted with love songs.
   
   As someone above already mentioned, this collection touches on only a few of his lesser known albums. I noted there is only one selection from EYES WIDE OPEN (my personal favorite) and even that song sounds like an acoustic re-recording ("Overwhelmed").
   
   But, a major bonus here is the tracks from his first recordings (formerly available only on cassette, which you would only have found at his live shows). These songs: ("Joan of Arc," "My sister," "Butterflies") are among my favorites of his. I lost interest with David when he shed his original sound and began this journey into more esoteric territory (around the time of the DISCOBALL release) - but this collection has many of his best tracks. Check it out!



2. I have waited a long time to write my personal opinion of this album, it will take you a while to digest all of Davíd's different abilities. He's just amazing at everything he writes, plays, sings and composes. It's unbelievable that you will not find his commercial songs in this album (discoball world, or Slave from the Great Expectations Sdtrck). This material is from his many independent albums (almost 20 years of his work) that are not easy to find, but if you're a fan you already know this, but if you're new, you must buy this collection, not just because of the price, but who else is going to select his own songs on 4 music CDs, and add some solo performances in a DVD? It all goes from piano to acoustic to electronic to poems to ballads to rock... Davíd puts his soul into his work, he will make you dance, sing along and cry. He's gifted and he's sharing his beautiful work, luckily he will keep bringing the best music out there. To add, all artwork is done by Davíd. Give great music a chance.



3. I can't even explain how much I adore David. I've been a fan for years, but considering Fiona Apple knows her stuff and currently has him on tour with her, I have a feeling he may finally become more popular. I would complain about this, because I am so attached to and in love with his music that I almost feel as if it is mine, but he deserves to be a millionaire, so bring on the new fans!
   I first saw David in a Best Buy commercial, and loved the little 30 second snippet of his song "Kinder" so much that I recorded the commercial the next time it came on TV. In it, he said, "My name is David Garza. You don't know me yet, but you will." And YOU SHOULD! Later on I purchased the soundtrack to one of my favorite movies (Alfonso Cuaron's Great Expectations) and found him there with "Slave," one of the most gorgeous songs I had ever heard. It was a struggle to find his albums--I had to special order most of them--so when this came out, I couldn't have been any happier.
   First of all the packaging itself is gorgeous: David's own artwork and all of the lyrics. And the music! Inexplicible. It's so perfect, it's beyond words. It'll make you cry, smile, dance, remember, and sing along. I cannot praise this man enough for his songwriting skills, his magnificent guitar playing, and his beautiful voice. I can't think of even one other musician who could put out a box set with this many songs on it and end up with nothing but amazing tracks. You'd be hard-pressed to pick even one song on here that is lacking.
   I guess if I had to compare him to someone, I'd quote my friend who said he sounds like Jeff Buckley, Conor Oberst and Elliott Smith all rolled into one. But he's so original that it's basically impossible to compare him to anyone accurately. He is blazing his own trail and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for making the most beautiful, extraordinary music in the world.



4. some stats:
   CD#1= 56:46
   CD#2= 61:05
   CD#3= 61:09
   CD#4= 67:15
   CD#5= DVD
   
   So much can be said about this inexpensive 4-cd box set with DVD (including all the lyrics AND his personal artwork!). The MASS of collected music assembled here defies easy catagorization. David Garza makes music from all genres and is quite good at it throughout this massive offering.
   
   This set is the essence of pure artistic genius, so complete in itself that one could argue that it's all the David Garza you could possibly need, or want for that matter. If A STRANGE MESS OF FLOWERS could have a downside I suppose that would be it.
   
   The truth of it is...I am hard pressed to find anything to complain about. Sure, there are some tracks I prefer over others,what's new about that? There still is a BOUNTY of top-notch material here (98% worth).
   What's his music like? First I would suggest reading over the 6 prior reviews for a "feeeeeeel" of what others say his 'sound' is.
   If you like singer/songwriter alternative acoustic folk music, sometimes infused with brian eno'esque sound collages and minimal support musicians, backed by lyrics both personal and mystical and often twisted with strange cosmic wordplay, David is worth a grand listen.
   
   As mentioned by others, David Garza has a full range falsetto, though I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that his vocal phrasing can be (is!) a spot-on Marc Bolan, so exact in all the nuances it's uncanny. More than a few tracks could be misconstrued as bonified T-REX or TYRANOSAURUS REX. Just listen to the tracks 'Your Sister's Leopard Coat' or 'Valerian Aquarian' for examples. Even those song titles hint of Bolan's fantastic imagery (and I think it was Garza's intention too).
   
   You'll have to make your own associations regarding his 'sound'. The output here is so diverse yet coherent that I hear elements of Bob Dylan,T-Rex,Brian Eno,Pink Floyd,...to name a few. There is no Tejano(sic) music here whatsoever. Do not confuse him with the other artist of the same name. The music presented here is something ELSE altogether. I have'nt even gotten around to the DVD yet!



5. Although one could call this a 'best of' or 'greatest' album, I found it to be much more than that. It's the closest thing to an entire collection that I have been able to come by since my downloading days in college. This 4 disc set incorporates David from his earliest stages and the influence of Tejano, to his newest and more experimental stages. Overall this is an excruciatingly memorable album. Watch out for disc two's "Foul Jasmine", it makes my heart break everytime I hear it. If you are in the mood to really get to know David Garza as an artist, I think this is right for you (man, it's 4 cds and 1 dvd -how cheap!)

2 comments about Epoch Eclipse: 30 Year Anthology.

1. These three discs spanning Hawkwind's career up until 1999 is a rather accurate representation of their music through the years, which is why this gets five stars. However, this doesn't mean ALL the songs are good. Whether just starting out with Hawkwind or a long time fan, this collection provides most of the highlights of the albums. But still, having the experience of hearing the full albums cannot be replaced by a mere 3 disc compilation.



2. I picked up this disk after hearing some good things about Hawkwind over the years. I am not an expert on the band but to me I really like the first disk of this set but found the other two disks pretty tedious. If you are interested in this band you might be better off getting their best albulms in their entirety.

5 comments about Crossroads.

1. TYPICAL 1980'S CD BOXSET.
   
   This was your typical 1980's boxset, when CD technology was first emerging. It contains about 60% previously released material, and 40% unreleased material (many of which should have never been released). Personally, I was not a fan of these releases, but I bought them anyway because the CD selections at the time were very limited.
   
   Since this is an 1980's boxset, the sound quality is poor. Well, it isn't horrible, but it isn't very good. The sound is a little flat and muffled. It certainly, is not very good by today's CD standards.
   
   The sound quality on most CD's 1980's CD's was not very good. Sure they sounded better than cassette tapes (which were the most popular media of the time), but they did not come close to the sound of a good quality LP. It is why there were so many vinyl snobs at the time. But then, the CD's didn't have the pops and noise that even brand new LP's could have.
   
   It should be noted that many of the CD's from the 1980's, into the early 1990's are now being remastered for better sound. This boxset could really use it, but I doubt it will happen. Again, the sound quality is not horrible. If you were going to just load this into iTunes and play it on your iPod, it is probably acceptable. However, it you want a true retrospect of an artist's career, it deserves better sound quality.
   
   Since this CD was released in the 1980's the time of each disc is close to 74 minutes, without going over 74 minutes. (At this time, the maximum length of a CD was 74 minutes...I'll explain below).
   
   As you can see from reading the song titles, this set contains a sampling of Claptons work from the 1960's to the mid 1980's when the boxset was released. Most things are covered here, except Clapton's adventures as a guest musician on many other people's albums.
   
   Of note is about 3/4 of an album that would have been the second Derek and the Dominoes studio album. And that probably almost makes buying this boxset worthwhile.
   
   In the 1980's this boxset was an interesting buy. But, now, you can get the whole Clapton catalog on remastered CD's with much better sound. You can buy the things you like and forgo the other stuff. If you want a Clapton boxset, I would suggest getting Crossroads 2 instead.
   
   Why were CD's only 74 minutes and they are now 80 minutes long? The real time of a CD is 74 minutes. But, there is a manufacturing tolerance to the bit size and sampling speed. So, to get 80 minutes out of a CD, manufacturers just use the upper end of the spec limit.



2. It's a sad actuality that neither Eric Clapton, nor one of the many bands he was in, ever generated a "Sgt. Pepper" album. Why is this? Probably due to the fact that Clapton moved from one band, on to the next, and on to the next, etc. I think his best shot for a big album would have been with CREAM but, egos being what they were, this super-band unfortunately didn't last all that long.
   
   So here's what we're left with, "Crossroads" is a superb Eric Clapton compendium album, a body of work completed in this great guitarist's lifetime... with a little help from his friends. This album is the one you want if you plan to own only a single Clapton CD -- it pretty much contains every ACTUAL hit he ever had. Yes, some will say that this one or that one was a big hit (mostly guitarists will say this), but I'm talking about what was popular and played a lot on the radio during The Great Days, and some since that time.
   
   Here's MY list, all of which are on this CD set: For Your Love, (Yardbirds); I Feel Free, Sunshine of Your Love, White Room, (Cream); Layla (Derek and the Dominoes); After Midnight, Let it Rain, I Shot the Sheriff, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Lay Down Sally, Wonderful Tonight, Cocaine (Eric Clapton). These were SUPER-hits. Yes, I'm aware that the very name of this album is "Crossroads" -- but that song simply never caught on. When it came out, it fell into quick obscurity with the D.J.s across the country.
   
   Sadly, Blind Faith held incredible potential but pretty much only produced really impressive studio jams -- they were a bit aimless. And Clapton's period with John Mayall produced nothing notable. There were some other brief bands but I've covered the important ones.
   
   As far as I can tell, the NEW "Complete Clapton" CD release (being heavily marketed now) apparently bypasses Clapton's time with The Yardbirds -- if that's the case, they should have called it "INcomplete Clapton" because if it's missing "For Your Love," then it's a beautifully packaged ripoff!!!
   
   Complete Clapton
   
   So, what I'm telling you is that there are a ZILLION Eric Clapton compendium CDs on the market, under his name and sometimes under various band names. For some reason (probably copyright limitations), most of these omnibus albums each contain a few hits and are otherwise glutted with Clapton boogie-jam leftovers. These (often bootlegged CDs) typically proclaim 'The Best of Clapton'... not so. Honestly, they could have scaled the "Crossroads" CD down to the Big 12 and it would have been fine with me.
   
   I've given you the BIG hits and they're all on this CD. I've been a guitar player since Clapton first got rolling so I've been heavily influenced by his brilliant artistry -- I'm just a little sad that The Big One never happened for him, given the large number of hits he's generated, with one band or another.



3. Great album. My boyfriend loved it as a birthday gift. Haha, he plays it all the time now. :)



4. This is an excellent boxed set to get, especially if you can find at a reasonable price.
   
   However Clapton has done such a lot of good stuff since 1988, that it now represents only about half his career. So theres nothing from Unplugged, From The Cradle, 24 Nights, Me and Mr Johnson, Riding With The King etc etc. Its also worth baring in mind that Claptons 80's stuff was frequently over-produced and his choice of material was veto'd (the album August being a good example) by the record company. If in doubt have a listen to the samples on disc 4.
   
   That said its still a great collection:
   The Yardbirds, John Mayalls Blues Breakers, Cream, unreleased Cream at the BBC, unreleased Derek and the Dominos, previously unreleased live solo recordings. This gives you 73 tracks on 4 cd's. The unreleased Derek and the Dominos stuff is superb. Apparently not only is it unreleased its also unfinished. Well I'll tell you if thats how unfinished sounds, there are a lot of record companies out there who have no idea how to produce records, because these tracks sound fantastic.
   
   The box is LP size (thats 30cm square for the younger generation) and the booklet that comes with the box is informative and well written. The artwork for the cover is by Ronnie Wood.



5. Although this set doesn't go past 1988 (the year it was released),"Crossroads" includes some of Clapton's best material with the various bands he was a member of (The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos) and solo. While some of these previously unreleased and rare tracks have since shown up on some other reissues, this is the only place (to date) to find early versions of "Tell the Truth", "Roll It Over" (both produced by Phil Spector and one track featuring George Harrison & Dave Mason on guitar. These were produced during the "All Things Must Pass" sessions)and the tracks from the unfinished second Dominos album.
   
   The sound quality on this set is quite good. The masters aren't as compressed (if at all) compared to the reissues of Clapton's back catalog. As a result the CD doesn't sound quite as "loud" (much of that volume on the remasters is due to the dynamic range being squashed and the masters EQ'd taking much of the musical "punch" out of the music) as the Clapton remasters. Detail is very good on most of these tracks and although with some restoration on the Yardbirds tracks at the beginning because of the fragile nature of the masters they were pulled from. Overall, Bill Levenson and his team did a terrific job here.
   
   This is a terrific set with a nice mix of live material, songs that Clapton performed on ("Comin' Home") and recorded as a solo artist. While his guitar didn't blaze quite as hard on the studio recordings for many ofhis solo recordings, this was a phase in Clapton's development where he was developing and focusing on his singing as much (if not more)than focusing on his guitar playing. That's not to say that he doesn't play well, it just sounds different than his hot, crazed playing for Cream and the tortured blues solos as a member of Derek and the Dominos.
   
   The booklet has notes by Rolling Stone writer Anthony DeCurtis (interesting note--Clapton was so devasted by a critical Rolling Stone article about Cream that it helped convince him to break up the band. The article was completely out of line but managed to push Clapton into something that would have happened eventually given the volatile nature of the egos in Cream). Although this remaster is nearly 20 years old, it still sounds extremely good. Unlike many remasters, this was remastered pretty flat without all the compression and goosing that many remasters feature that make things louder but worsen the sound quality.

3 comments about Blues Classics.

1. The consolidation of record companies is generally bad, but this 3-CD box set was only possible because MCA acquired the rights to some outstanding early "race" record labels (Vocalion, Decca) and classy early R&B (e.g. Chess). The result is an intelligent, sequenced collection that is much more than a jarring, random assortment of songs by blues masters. Starting with the Delta blues, the mix seems subtly slanted in favor of bawdy, roadhouse-style blues performances--why it's the devil's music and you can't stay away from it. Whether it's Peetie Wheatstraw, Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker or Etta James, these performances will seduce you. Good quality sound throughout (even the old stuff), with a handsome booklet.



2. I own tons of blues CD's and records but I find myself going back to this collection over and over again. The songs represent some of the strongest recordings by the masters of the blues. Whether your interest is delta blues, piano blues, jump blues, Chicago blues or smooth urban blues; you'll find plenty to peak your ear. If you're lucky as I was, you'll find some unfamiliar and great artists to lead you down new musical roads. Some of my personal favorites are: That's No Way to Get Along - Robert Wilkins, What's the Matter with the Mill? - Kansas Joe McCoy, Floating Bridge - Sleepy John Estes, Mother Earth - Memphis Slim, It Serves You Right to Suffer - John Lee Hooker- just to name a few. Since I've got a 1,000 word limit in this review it prevents me from listing every great track on the collection and all the reasons you should purchase it. Suffice to say, buy it now and you won't be sorry!



3. I have purchased a lot of Blues recordings recently, but for a single purchase, this collection would be the best. It has the one or two most recognized songs from the most prominent Blues artists from 1927 to 1969, without the "scratches" of the old '78's!!!