5 comments about Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music.

1. From all the festivals organized during the late sixties this is the best covered from them all, both on audio and image. I personally love it and I am currently looking for more information about it. My main concern is the MUSIC performed at the event either on audio and / or video.
   
   This 1994 version is a good effort because it gives us more music performed at the event and it is chronologically more accurate than previous releases, but it is still incomplete and some artists are still lost in the archives (Blood Sweat & Tears, Bert Sommer, and The Incredible String Band).
   
   MESSAGE FOR THE RECORD COMPANY: ¡¡ Please release a definitive edition and help us to save some money !!
   
   The booklet included in this box gives a lot of information and a string of photographs. Nevertheless I do not like it. That sort of archival look is definitely not for me I wish it had included more photos with better definition and graphics that actually can be read. (Is there any other shot of Johnny Winter performing at Woodstock rather than the one of Elliot Landy?)
   
   Song by song analysis:
   
   Disc: 1
   1. Handsome Johnny - 2. Freedom - Richie Havens
   OK: first day (the acoustic day) and first artist. Havens performed at least 8 songs and he even created "Freedom" at Woodstock from the traditional "Motherless Child". This portion is edited.
   
   (OMMITED: Swami Satchidananda appearance on the stage. He is only seen on the film)
   
   3. The 'Fish' Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag - Country Joe McDonald
   OK: day one and second artist. He performed at least 5 songs
   
   4. Rainbows All Over Your Blues - 5. I Had a Dream - John B. Sebastian
   OK: day one and the third artist to appear. His full set is on "Faithful Virtue" CD on RHINO Recs. That acoustic guitar is actually Tim Hardin's.
   
   (OMMITED: Sweetwater, the first band ever to appear at Woodstock. They performed at least 8 songs. Only one of them was released on a RHINO label compilation of the band)
   (OMMITED: Bert Sommer. His manager was co - organizer of the Festival Artie Kornfeld and he performed 10 songs one of them (Jennifer) is shown on Woodstock Diary DVD. Another song (America) can be listened in Bert's site on Internet).
   
   6. If I Were a Carpenter - Tim Hardin
   We are still on day one and the only song officially available from his one hour set.
   
   (OMMITED: Ravi Shankar. He briefly appears on Woodstock Diary DVD. His full set was available on vinyl records and CD. He actually performed in the pouring rain)
   
   7. Beautiful People - Melanie
   She jumped on stage instead of Incredible String Band because their manager Joe Boyd didn't allow them to perform while raining. Her entire set of three songs is officially available.
   
   8. Coming into Los Angeles - 9. Walking Down the Line - Arlo Guthrie
   Apparently he performed 4 songs. The complete live version of "Coming..." has not been released
   
   10. Joe Hill - 11. Sweet Sir Galahad - 12. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man - Joan Baez
   
   Joan headlined day one and she performed 8 songs.
   
   (OMMITED: Quill. This is day two (progressive - psychedelic rock day) / first artist to appear. They are briefly shown on Woodstock Diary DVD. Their full set is unavailable)
   
   (OMMITED: Incredible String Band. Here they are after refusing playing in the pouring rain on day one. They are briefly shown on Woodstock Diary DVD performing the beautiful "When you find out who you are". Their full set is unavailable)
   
   13. Soul Sacrifice - Santana
   This is day two 2 PM. Santana full performance is available on the CD re issue of their first album
   
   (OMMITED: Keef Hartley Band. They performed at least 6 songs all of them unavailable).
   
   14. Blood of the Sun - 15. Theme For An Imaginary Western - Mountain
   They are in the wrong order. They performed 13 songs after Canned Heat. L. West has released the band performance at Woodstock. It is said that "Theme..." was not performed at Woodstock.
   
   Disc: 2
   1. Leaving this Town - 2. Going up The Country - Canned Heat
   Four songs set. "Woodstock Boogie" is a long (14+ minutes) and strong track lost in the archives; once available and heavily edited on Woodstock II vinyl.
   
   3. Commotion - 4. Green River - 5. 99 And A Half (Won't Do) - 6. I Put A Spell On You - Creedence Clearwater Revival
   Part of their 11 songs set. It's said that John Fogerty didn't allow any CCR stuff were released. By the way they are filmed and the material is available...somewhere
   
   (OMMITED: Grateful Dead. They performed at least 4 songs all of them officially unavailable. they are filmed and the material is available ... somewhere)
   
   7. Try - 8. Work Me Lord - 9. Ball & Chain - Janis Joplin
   Part of her 10 songs set including two encores.
   
   10. Medley: Dance To the Music/Music Lover/I Want To Take You Higher - Sly & the Family Stone
   This set isn't complete and it's edited. They performed over 50 minutes.
   
   11. We're Not Gonna Take It - The Who
   4 AM: a strong performance of 25 songs (not been officially released) reduced to a couple of tunes. Even the Abbie Hofmann incident is filmed or at least the moment just after the affair. By the way this is not "We're not gonna take it".
   
   Disc: 3
   1. Volunteers - 2. Somebody to Love - 3. Saturday Afternoon/Won't You Try - 4. Uncle Sam Blues - 5. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
   6 AM on day three. Almost complete set. One track "Plastic Fantastic Lover" is also available on J. A. Loves you Box Set.
   
   6. Let's Go Get Stoned - 7. With A Little Help from My Friends - Joe Cocker
   2 PM on day three. Part of his 9 songs set with the Grease Band. It is said the Grease Band performed a couple of numbers without Joe. On the film he announces "Just Like a Woman" to a stage announcer.
   
   (OMMITED: The BIG storm. The complete performance won't be released)
   
   8. Rock & Soul Music - Country Joe & the Fish
   They were the first band that jumped on the dangerously wet stage after the storm.
   
   9. I'm going Home - Ten Years After
   Not even Alvin Lee knows exactly what they actually performed. They did 5 long numbers. Drums for this tack were recorded later under the approval of Alvin Lee.
   
   10. Long Black Veil - 11. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever - 12. The Weight - Band
   They performed at least 11 songs.
   
   (OMMITED: Blood Sweat and Tears. They performed at least 5 songs all of them unavailable except for the one shown on VHS - Laserdisc "Woodstock: the Lost Performances". There are 3 songs filmed and the material is available...somewhere)
   
   13. Mean Town Blues - Johnny Winter
   This is the only known track from his 9 songs performance. Nevertheless this is just a portion of the complete songs which lasts for 8+ minutes (drum beat and slide guitar solo intro. are missing).
   
   Disc: 4
   1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - 2. Guinevere - 3. Marrakesh Express - 4. 4 + 20 - 5. Sea Of Madness - 6. Find the Cost of Freedom - Crosby Stills Nash
   Their set was 10 songs for the acoustic set and 8 for the electric set. Some people say that N Young didn't allow to be filmed ... WRONG there is at least one song by him with S. Stills filmed.
   
   7. Love March - Paul Butterfeild Blues Band
   This is day four at 5 - 6 AM. Only two tracks from 5 songs set are available. "Drifting Blues" is also available.
   
   8. At The Hop - Sha Na Na
   A long and endless 8 - 9 songs set.
   
   9. Voodoo Chile / Stepping Stone - 10. Star Spangled Banner - 11. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
   This man really hooked me on a new audio dimension. Only 2 tracks have not been officially released "(Call me) Mastermind" and "Gipsy Woman" both with Larry Lee on vocals.



2. This product arrived timely and appears as advertised. I have not seen the contents as it is a Christmas present but am assuming that it is in brand new shape which is how I bought it. It is still in plastic packaging which leads me to believe it is brand new.



3. Well the Peace and Love generation has finally left us the FULL legistration of that Magical late 60's era.Mud and all! What a wonderful album with every artist giving their most.I love "Joe Hill" By Joan Baez-Still in her set today -the magnificent Creedence Clearwater Revival Rockin' thru a reportoire that makes water to wine to water-CSNY nervously singing-helplessly hoping to be loved -the Band on top form-Long Black Veil just FAB! Jimi Hendrix His Star spangled Banner right up the flagpost of American Hippie Culture.Dear Old Joe Cocker up there stoned but singing his Big Heart out! A MUST for every serious Collector-Well done Atlantic



4. If you are trying to get the original first audio cd on woodstock.just buy the DVD instead.turn off the TV,you will have a instant memory of your life.I got the Dvd.think of it as a audio cd.IMAGINE//////////////



5. Fantastic collection from the Woodstock era - went down a blast at our Woodstock themed party

5 comments about Last Train to Hicksville.

1. I have been a Dan Hicks fan for many years - have all his vinyl and now collecting the CDs. Catchy, real life stories in his songs. Excellent group and instrumentalists. Fun to listen to. Enjoy.



2. Released in 1973 this was Dan Hicks' fourth album and last for awhile. It is 37 minutes.
   
   The problem with these MCA CD releases is that the sound quality is poor. The sound can be fuzzy, muted and lack dynamic range. This was transferred to CD in the early days of CD's, when CD sound quality was typically poor. That is why you see so many "remastered" CD releases today. This is CD in big need of remastering. This album would be so much better if the sound quality were improved.
   
   This album is a very nice collection of songs, but it doesn't have any of the monster songs that were on the early Dan Hicks albums. Nothing on it compares to Music From Up the Street, I Scare Myself or Canned Music. But, it still has good songs.
   
   What I do like is that the band's sound has evolved. This was needed, or this album would be a tired repeat of earlier work. There are some electric instruments and drums, adding some depth to the music. But, they are used sparingly and do not overtake the patented Dan Hicks sound.
   
   The other nice thing is that the Lickettes take on some of the lead vocals. This adds some interest to many of the songs.
   
   Agian, it is unfortunate that the CD has such poor sound quality. If you have the LP, you should cherish and buy a new needle for your turntable.
   
   If you want to hear how good the band can sound, get the CD, The Most of Dan Hicks. It contains most of the songs from Hicks' first album, Original Songs, plus other unreleased recordings and has excellent sound.



3. I have been a Dan Hicks fan for years. This album (CD) is one of his top three. I highly recommend it.
   Enjoy.



4. Or Spike Jones meets Asleep at the Wheel? Cowboy music for city slickers? Dan's band was a revolving door with many permutations and pretty tough to classify. The one thing you can tell is that they sure did have fun making this music. 'Last Train to Hicksville' has always been my personal favorite. It's their tightest (all things being relative--these were pretty loose folks) sounding effort with an eclectic mix of songs for all ages and the best corp of Lickettes.



5. I was soooo stoked when my ex-boyfriend Joe popped this tape in my car one day. It never, ever, never ever EVER came out of there again....until we broke up (it WAS his, I'm not cruel!) And besides, I found it on Vinyl up in Portland 2 years later! Delicious, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, how can you NOT like everything this guy does? Even my grampa likes this record, and BTW I'm 24, he's 84. :)

5 comments about Led Zeppelin Remasters.

1. After carefully picking my way through all of the Zeppelin collections and
   albums out there, I settled on this one. Why? Because it has the best song list of all with no junk fillers. This is your best value in terms of price and delivery of the heaviest of Led Zeppelin's
   hits.



2. Okay, just look at the track list for this compilation and you know this is one of the best in classic rock history.
   Priceless re-playability, if you're a Led Zeppelin snob you'll undoubtedly find something you don't like about it, as an honest fan I keep it on permanent station in my car's 5 disc changer so nobody can "borrow" it.
   The fact is, if your reading a review of this album, I'm preaching to the converted. You know its good, you just want to see how many ways people can say it.



3. Doesn't have ALL the greatest songs (because they wouldn't fit in two CDs), but the selection is very good. Every single song on this album is a classic and has a great remastered sound! I really recommend it for people who want to discover this amazing hard rock band.
   For completionists, I would recommend these two box sets for a richer LED ZEPPELIN experience:
   Led Zeppelin
   Led Zeppelin Box Set, Vol. 2



4. Some people are rabid Led Zeppelin fans who think everything the band did was golden. That ain't me. I'm a fan who thinks 4 of their 9 studio albums are worth owning in their entirety, those being LZ III, LZ IV, PHYSICAL GRAFITTI and the much-maligned PRESENCE. The others all have stellar moments, but they have a lot of ho-hummery in them, too. Come on, be honest, when was the last time you had a craving to play "Thank You," Your Time Is Gonna Come," "Fool In The Rain," "The Crunge" or "Bonzo's Montreaux?" So this retrospective is welcome in that regard, containing most of the essentials in very nicely remastered glory. My one caveat is that I can think of at least three different songs from LZ III I would have preferred over "Since I've Been Lovin' You," probably one of the Zep's LEAST effective blooze numbers, but that's quibbling when I can hear "The Song Remains the Same, "The Rain Song," "D'Yer Maker," and "No Quarter" from HOUSES OF THE HOLY without having to deal with the aforementioned "Crunge" or "Dancin' Days," both songs that didn't serve HOTH very well at all. So, altogether a good setting for both the hits and the AOR-staple tracks, but if you want to purchase only one other Led Zeppelin CD besides this one, make it LZ IV. Together you might have all the Led Zeppelin you'll ever need.



5. The songs are great. No question about it. However, I happened to be sitting next to the right speaker of my stereo system when Immigrant Song began and I noticed the sound from the right speaker sounded a bit choppy. At first I thought the problem was with the balance control on my receiver, but I then played the CD on my PC and noticed the same problem. (Has anyone else noticed this on their CD?) I checked Atlantic Record's web site for an email address to ask if this was a known problem or if it could just be my CD. While on Atlantic's site I noticed that the art work for "Led Zeppelin Remasters" did not match the artwork on the "Led Zeppelin Remasters" sold on Amazon. The order of the songs is also different. Furthermore, the album on the Atlantic site that has the same artwork as the "Led Zeppelin Remasters" sold on Amazon is a 4-CD set, not a 2-CD set. Apparently they package the CDs differently in different countries. Maybe I'm just biased/suspicous, but I sort of suspect the sound quality problem might be due to the fact that the CD is an import. I could be wrong about that, but... I think the next time I purchase CDs on Amazon I will avoid ones listed as "Import". I could be wrong about that

5 comments about Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond.

1. I love the music. I bought this from Boarders but got a defective disk, ordered another box, got a defective disc, ordered another box, got a defective disk. After this I just had the store hold them all and I had to listen to each disk multiple times, over and over, (I can't tell you it's painful to have to do this with music you love) and between 3 boxes and 4 disks swapped in and out, I finally got a complete set that did not skip. Don't put yourself through this. Rhino has replacment disks, so don't put up with a disk that only skips in, say, one place, (by the way, none was so defective that it jammed up totally.) Hold Rhinos feet to the fire on this. I am sure there are lots of bad copies out there. It was not only this box; it was Nuggets I too that I ordered that was defective. I feel sorry for any small dealers who had to put up with disatisfied customers because Rhino wants to cut corners on production. I mean it, hold Rhino's feet to the fire because I don't trust their manufacturing anymore.



2. I love Nuggets I & II(Children of Nuggets will be up next to listen to this week). I thought that I'd be skipping over many songs, since I'd hardly heard of any of them, but I was wrong. These volumes have clued me in on how much great music I missed the first time around in the 60's. Most of the songs hold up on their own, and should have been heard more widely on these shores. Between the quality music, and the informative notes, this is a must-hear for lovers of Rock.



3. The bits and pieces of the British invasion that mostly never left port and a few from their neighbors is great.....all are interesting....most are just good rock 'n rolling from that time period....influences abound....its a joy and a treasure



4. Nuggets 2 is packed. 109 songs giant booklet - great songs. Problem is atleast 30-40% of the tracks are deriative sound-alike garage rock that after listening to once i dont listen to again. I must say the booklet artwork and presentation is class all the way and there are atleast two dozen great great tunes here- especially the more pysche tinged numbers but in my humble opinion this could have been a cheaper priced double cd set that would have been flawless. If you can buy it used then its a good deal and ebay prices confirm youll make most of your money back if you just want to burn the cds. Standouts include Tomorrow- Timebox- Winstons Fumbs- Fire- The Mickey finn- The Creation and the Eyes whose "rowed out" sounds like i cant explain-! There are some obscure bands that its nice to be able to hear most likely only on this comp but wellknown groups like the Small faces and the Pretty things are not done justice with the tracks picked to represent them. Ofcourse everyone's favorite songs will always be different so this review is based on my particular views on what makes a good tune- i do prefer pysche to garage but atleast two of my favorites are total garage but with a creative (pysche twist) in particular Real Crazy Apartment by Winstons Fumbs is stellar.



5. While the original Nuggets LP and the first box set concentrated on the American pop and rock scene, the second Nuggets box shifted its focus to the rest of the world, collecting cuts from the United Kingdom (such as the Pretty Things and the Small Faces), Canada (The Guess Who and The Haunted), Japan (The Mops), Australia (The Easybeats, The Masters Apprentices), Iceland (Thor's Hammer) and Brazil (Os Mutantes). Practically none of these songs are well known in America, with only two of them being US hits ("Friday on My Mind" by the Easybeats and "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the Status Quo). The rest of the songs may be obscure, but they are oh so wonderful. It's like listening to the greatest hits of an alternate Earth. Fans of '60s pop and rock music, and especially the garage band sound, should get this for sure.

5 comments about Grateful Dead: Beyond Description (1973-1989).

1. This is a must have for Deadheads and anyone who appreciates American roots music. The Dead have always been able to blend rock, blues, jazz, country, and folk... the American songbook... into a product that is uniquely theirs but accessible to everyone. It is great to hear the progression of the band through their greatest recordings (American Reality and Workingman's Dead)and see the evolving vision. All of the CD's include new tracks. The box is lovingly and beautifully packaged. Well worth the price even if you have the original recordings.



2. This boxed set is a great collection, but I had trouble with skitter on a number of tracks. iTunes error correction corrected most of the issues except for the Shakedown Street disc. Maybe I just got a bad copy.



3. Early in most Dead collectors history, they would forego the band's studio albums and seek out bootleg live material. This collection has two benefits. As a completist collector, it gives one the satisfaction of having ALL the Arista "albums". "Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie" has been returned to the Reckoning CD that was left off of earlier pressings. "My Brother Esau" is included on "In The Dark" which wasn't on all releases at the time either.
   I personally bought this set for the bonus tracks added to each disc. There are some tasty cuts on here. One of my most treasured fillers on a live tape was Phil's demos of "Pride of Cucamonga" and "Unbroken Chain" acoustic. And here they are with no generation loss. "Distorto" is a thrashing instrumental version of "Crazy Fingers". "Hollywood Cantata" is "Music Never Stops" but with the Robert Hunter lyrics. There are many grooves and jams and check out unreleased songs like "Ascent" and "Equinox". Bobby's acoustic demo of "Weather Report Suite" makes me rethink my earlier Bobby bashing and recognize not many rhythm guitarists can stand next to Jerry for all those years. And the bonus material for both Reckoning and Dead Set are two entirely separate discs from the era.
   So listen to the bonus material and treat your ears to a refreshing session of "new" Grateful Dead music.
   
   Grateful Dead: Beyond Description (1973-1989)



4. Okay , the Dead's studio material declined a bit between 1973-1989. So what.There's still a veritable treasure trove of previously unreleased material here. Hours upon hours. And who could own "The Golden Road" without owning the follow-up ?



5. If you look back in time, who is the greatest American band. Doors? CCR? Nope, its the Grateful Dead. Not taking away anything from the Doors or CCR but The Dead could do everything those bands did but better. Although the albums are not on par with there earlier works, its still a must own set. The box set cover is pretty sweet. The music is amazing and for the price, its worth every penny. I cant stop listening to the music.

5 comments about The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection.

1. Without a doubt, this is the best album that I have ever owned...well maybe next to Steely Dan's Aja, which was the first I ever owned. I love the lyrics, the tempo changes and the genius that is Burt Bacharach and Hal David. This album is even more haunting for me since the untimely death of Burt's daughter Nikki. Nikki was one of my favorite songs, even before I ever knew who it was written for, but even more so now. All the Dionne Warwick hits plus Tom Jones, Trini Lopez, Bobby Goldsboro, Dusty Springfield et al, this is a must have for any true Bacharach afficianado.



2. Fantastic Voyage, Ursula Andress, AM Radio, Sean Connery, Paisley, Man From Uncle...
   
   In short, Burt Bacharach represents pop culture of the 1960's. At it's apogee. Like a moon shot Bacharach's gorgeous melodies and Hal David's brilliant lyrics spanning the decade from the Blob to Movie of The Week. From Bobby Vinton to the Age of Aquarius. Sock Hop to Woodstock.
   
   Essential: Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, Airplane, Sinatra... Bacharach.
   
   Great music of... and beyond... it's era. Timeless... as long as Anyone Has A Heart and The World Needs Love.
   
   This is MUSIC. Not hip hop. Orchestral, composed, inspired.
   
   Genius.



3. WOW. This series of albums is wonderful PLUS A whole CD of Dionne Warwick doesn't hurt!
   
   I'm amazed at how many of these songs i've forgotten but when I hear a few notes I recall the entire song... sort of like I had amnesia or something! Its amazing that so many of the songs in this list are in the mainstream ... still after as much as 40 years!
   
   This is a definite BUY



4. my late uncle hipped me to ole burt. i love what he did with a track.........those percussive horns, man!!!!! i dig this. although i do not like all the joints on here, it's a good thing to have. what stands out for me on here are the lou johnson joints. i especially love REACH OUT FOR ME. more standouts for me are IT'S LOVE THAT REALLY COUNTS (IN THE LONG RUN) by the shirrelles and PLEASE STAY by the drifters. now i like some of the dionne warwick songs on here, but in the liner notes, i think her reasons for doing some of those songs were ridiculous. i thought it was her on WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE. i had no idea that it was a white lady. amazing vocal arrangement. another that just came to mind is DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. actually, that is like my fave on here. i wished that they would've put dionne warwick's version of YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART ON HERE though. the stylistics did their thing, but i prefer the original. all in all, it is wonderful, but then again, it is another reason i am a skeptic whenm it comes to box sets.



5. This is not a "greatest hits" set, though many of Bacharach's greatest hits are contained here. Rather, it's a fascinating historical view of the progression of the songwriter(s) through four decades. It is truly instructive to listen to some of the less well-known pieces. The book that is included in the box set is an essential component: The writers really knew what they were talking about, and I've spent hours reading along with the (very detailed) descriptions of each song's history.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey.

1. If you've seen the movies and got frustrated at the short performances here is your solution. Definitally a great complimentary to the DVDs as now you can also enjoy hearing the music in full.



2. I owned this previously and I am glad to have it again. It will teach about the blues from their inception at the turn of the 20th century to the present day. All the classic songs that were later done by UK acts are here as well. If you can find it used, it is a better bargain because there is a lot here that is "filler not killer" but if you want to get a blues education, buy this collection.



3. This collection is an excellent synopsis of the Blues from its earliest roots on the rercording medium to modern times. It also shows how far and wide this genre covers in the musical landscape with its influence on rock-and-roll and jazz. Besides having over 115 songs, there is also a companion booklet that documents every track. I really recommend this collection to anyone not familiar with the Blues, because it can be a great starting point for you to expand on an area you find more interesting, like the Kansas City blues in the 30s, Chicago blues in the 50s, or diverse individuals such as Lead Belly, T-Bone Walker, Howlin' Wolf, John Jee Hooker, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.



4. IMO, this 5-disc set is par none the best blues compilation spanning over 50 years. Not everything noteworthy has been included, but it is the best bang for your buck you're going to find anywhere for a wide blues selection from early to recent, and Marty Scorese did a fantastic job in selection. I have given it as a gift several times and it is the gift that keeps on giving. Some very great tunes.



5. This box set compliments the film series very well. Musically, the set is wonderful until the middle half of the fourth disc and wans quite considerably on the fifth disc. This is not only a matter of bad taste in choosing appropriate music for these parts of the set, it is merely a matter of musical history: the blues at the time in which these portions of the set cover was simple not very good music.
   These portions would have been much better off if they included work by the likes of Carey Bell or RL Burnside instead of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Cock Rocker of Blues, Stevie Ray Vaughn.

5 comments about The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2.

1. Rhino hit the mother lode when they released the first "Doo Wop Box", but doo-wop is such a rich musical genre that there was plenty of gold left to mine, and they've reaped a sizeable haul in "The Doo Wop Box, Vol.2". They included some veritable gems omitted from the first box such as the Rivileers' "A Thousand Stars In the Sky", "Crazy For You" by the Heartbeats, "You Baby You" by the Cleftones, "The ABCs of Love" by the Teenagers (I always thought this was their best song, followed by "I Want You to Be My Girl"), "Pretty Little Girl" by the Monarchs, "The Woo-Woo Train" by the Valentines (Bye-bye, baby, move on down the line), "Castle In the Sky" by the Bop-Chords, "We Belong Together" by Robert and Johnny (one of the least known and most under-appreciated doo-woop groups -- these guys were great), and the hauntingly beautiful "Bad Girl" featuring Smoky Robinson's incomparable tenor as lead singer with the Miracles. But this volume also explores the flip side of some records that were less known than their original hit sides, such as "Hey Señorita" by the Penguins (the other side of "Earth Angel"), "I'll Be Forever Loving You" by the El Dorados (the flip side of their hit "At My Front Door"), and "Two People In the World" by Little Anthony and the Imperials, the flip side of -- and way better than -- their hit song "Tears On My Pillow". My friends and I, coming up in the 1950s, always said the DJs pushed the wrong side of that record.
   
   Like the first volume, "The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2" spans the period from 1955 to 1962, and the earlier tracks are better than the late ones, when much of the street spontaneity that gave doo-wop its attraction had been diluted by wannabe groups that didn't understand what it was all about. The last disc on this set is probably the weakest of the four. But there's more than enough in the first three to make up for it.
   
   Could this set have been improved? As I said in my review of the first Doo-Wop Box, if only Rhino had included two tracks by Nolan Strong and the Diablos, "The Wind" and "You Are", two of the greatest doo-wop songs ever recorded, I'd be in doo-wop paradise. But this set is very, very good. And for comic relief, check out a track on the second disc, a hysterical piece by the Chips called "Rubber Biscuit". Second only to the Cadets' laugh classic "Stranded In the Jungle" (nobody ever topped that one), it's the funniest doo-wop song ever written.
   
   Judy Lind



2. While all of the music is good, there are only a few well know songs so I feel it was a big waste of a lot of money.



3. The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2 takes up where the excellent Box #1 left off.
   For the most part the songs are great, with the notable exception of The Falcons "I Found A Love" which suffers from not being doo-wop (it's proto-soul) and having terrible sound to boot. But only one clunker out of 101 is a pretty good batting average!
   The rest of the songs are great and the recording quality is excellent.
   This is a must-have set for fans of the genre.



4. Many of these songs are not commonly found on other CD collections. They are all the original versions and are of excellent quality. A couple of them are the same songs as on a Time-Life doo wop CD I bought over 10 years ago and the difference in sound quality is amazing.



5. Most of the great classics of the genre are on the first Doo Wop Box, so Volume II has far fewer readily familiar titles to its credit. But if anything, the relative obscurity of most of these songs makes the second collection fresher and rootsier than the first. It definitely reaches deeper into the doo-wop canon.
   
   Although few of this collection's songs were hits, many of the artists were successful elsewhere in their careers. There are lots of one-hit wonders represented here with their non-hits, quite a few of which have held up better than their more famous song(s). There are also at least two great entries in the "before they were famous" category: "Bad Girl" by the Miracles (about two years before "Shop Around" put them on the map); and the delightfully lush "Dear One" by the Scarlets, featuring a pre-Five Satins Fred Parris. Speaking of the Five Satins, the less famous of their two hits, "To The Aisle," is also here.
   
   The collection is a pretty good mix of ballads and uptempo numbers, but it's heavier on the ballads. There is a surprising number of jazz and pop standards from long before the rock era (it's easy to forget that doo-wop didn't start out as proto-bubblegum!), but some of these are among the collection's best. Standouts include The Larks' "My Reverie," The Moonglows' "Secret Love," and the album's finale, The Classics' "Till Then." A more uptempo entry, The Four Tunes' rendition of "Marie," is less convincing but a lot of fun.
   
   Of course, plenty of the ballads are in the more familiar '50s rock and pop style: The Vocaleers' "Is It A Dream," The Hearts' "Lonely Nights," Robert and Johnny's "We Belong Together," and especially The Five Keys' "My Saddest Hour" are sure to conjure your favorite necking-in-the-backseat scene (as are dozens of other songs included here; those are just my favorites). There are quite a few fast songs thrown in as well, to keep things from getting too misty. My favorites among these are The Cleftones' "Heart and Soul" (did you know that song had words?!), The Falcons' "You're So Fine," "In My Heart" by The Timestones, and The Spaniels' fast but still silky rendition of "Stormy Weather."
   
   And there's more where that came from in all of the above categories. If you liked the first set, don't be gunshy about this one just because you don't know as many of the songs.

5 comments about The Crown Jewels.

1. If you are a Queen fan and still don't have any of their first eight albums, then this is a must buy! Queen was easily one of the best rock bands in the history of the universe!
   
   The albums included were remastered and they are "Queen" (1973), "Queen II" (1974), "Sheer Heart Attack" (1974), "A Night At The Opera" (1975), "A Day At The Races" (1976), "News Of The World" (1977), "Jazz" (1978), and "The Game" (1980).
   All these albums are fantastic and show diverse songwriting styles. These guys, (singer/piano player Freddy Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor), were never afraid of trying any style that they could think of. All four members of the group get a chance to show their songwriting skills and with the exception of John Deacon, they also get to sing lead vocals throughout too.
   
   Throughout this box set there's hard rock ("Keep Yourself Alive", "Liar", "Great King Rat", "Sweet Lady"), folk rock ("Night Comes Down", "39", "Leaving Home Ain't Easy"), lots of piano driven ballads ("Doing Alright", "Nevermore", "Dear Friends", "Jealousy"), excellent pop singles ("Killer Queen", You're My Best Friend", Seven Seas Of Rhye", "Don't Stop Me Now"), progressive rock ("The March Of The Black Queen", "The Prophet's Song"), jazzy ballads ("My Melancholy Blues", "Dreamer's Ball"), funk rock ("Fun It", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Fight From The Inside", "Dragon Attack"), new wave-influenced tracks ("Coming Soon", "Rock It"), heavy metal ("Stone Cold Crazy", "Brighton Rock", "Dead On Time"), a latin-infused pop number ("Who Needs You"), arena rock ("It's Late", "Spread Your Wings", "We Are The Champions"), punk rock ("Sheer Heart Attack"), rockabilly ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), blues-rock ("Sleeping On The Sidewalk"), opera-influenced passages ("Bohemian Rhapsody"), and even an eastern influenced song ("Mustapha"). Man! Talk about diversity!
   
   Some minor complains:
   The live album released in 1979 "Live Killers" was left off. So don't forget to get that one too!
   The albums come in mini LP style cardboard covers that look really nice, however they are quite fragile. Of course the booklet, while containing an essay and all song lyrics, is a little disappointing though. More rare pictures could have been added. Also, some unreleased songs would have been a good addition too.
   
   But those are only minor complains. It's still an excellent box set with awesome remastered sound so this is, by far, the best way to get these eight classic albums in one package.
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



2. This box set captures Queen at their highest peak. Every album is essential Queen.
   
   BUT, as a box set, I feel like Hollywood Records could have done a much better job. The blue velvet box is quite nice, but the racks inside the box are cheapy vacuum-formed plastic, and not even very well glued in. The booklet is long, but it's primarily just the lyrics and a single essay. No extra photos, no critical analysis. Bummer.
   
   I love the mini-LP jacket reproductions, especially the gatefold covers! It's too bad the shortcomings really subtract from the nostalgic geeky joy of the packaging. The inner sleeves are all plain white, so we're missing out on a lot of the original packaging. The Game's chrome treatment is missing, and it has a different (inferior) cover photo (oddly, the correct photo is reproduced inside the lyrics booklet). Jazz's gatefold photo is poor quality. And what happened to the cover of News Of The World? There's a horrible green border around all the front and back covers.
   
   Anyway, enough ranting. If you don't have this music already, buy this set! As for me, I'm going to listen to the great Crown Jewels CDs and drag out my old albums to enjoy the full experience of the sleeves, art and inserts.



3. It was my very first time with Queen and I would like to say, WOW.
   This Box includes the first 8 records and all of them are "remastered".
   The musik of Queen don't need any emplaination, she is timeless good.



4. This is my opinion but this was the height of their career. Although the 80's and 90's Queen was good, it didn't come up to their epic grandeur embodied in their 70's recordings. This box set has all the good stuff from Queen to The Game. Queen did it all progressive, hard rock, heavy metal, speed metal, ballads, rockabilly, vaudeville, glam etc. like no other band. No other band could pull off this pastiche with such skill. All the band members strengths shine through. Freddie's Operatic vocals, Brian's texture laying guitar, John's throbbing bass lines and Roger's expert rippling on percussion. Though they had a awesome career after the 70's this still was their best and a good band at it's prime. Buying all these albums seperately used comes to the same price as this set, so if you are a fan of classic rock and a good band, by all means get this set you won't be disappointed.



5. ...they conquered the world on their own conditions and terms. Few bands could have done what Queen did in the 70's (and even in the 80's and 90's). This box show so much talent, creativity and guts. It really took and (still are) takin` a big demand on the listener. You have to be open minded about music. There is no bounderies and rules of what you can do as a rock band, and that's what I love about Queen. If you want to go on a musical journey and open up all doors in music history - this is what you're looking for. It's hard to pick one album, I love them all like my own children. But I have always had a soft spot for Queen II and News of the world (NOTW). The march of the black Queen (Queen II) was before Bohemian Rhapsody and you could already tell that Freddie Mercury was able to go over the top at anytime. NOTW really is so much more than WWRY/Champions. Listen to the break 2.30 into Sheer heart attack, and it shows the fantastic energy that Roger Taylor delivers with his guitars (yes it's not Brian May). It's Late is something of an overlooked gem on NOTW, fantastic singing from Fred and guitarwork from the old Red Special creator Dr May. And don't forget the live favourite Spread your wings (written by John Deacon who's an underrated bass player).
   
   I really wish that Hollywood could release Crown Jewels II so people in the States could learn a thing or two about all the classics that were missed after Hot Space in 1982 (and were big time all over the world accept in the US). I mean songs like Radio Ga Ga, I want to break free, A kind of magic, Who wants to live forever, I want it all, The Miracle, Innuendo, These are the days of our lives and The show must go on (and more). They are really up there among all the classics on this Jewels box. Buy The Platinum Collection and you will know what I mean.

5 comments about Perception.

1. If you are a Doors fan/lover, then this box set will easily satisfy you. I do prefer some of their other versions to some songs, but most everything else was right on. It was worth the price, and Amazon did a great job on the gift wrap. It was a memorable birthday present for my girlfriend, and even better for me since she moved in. Now we share this great Doors collection.



2. If you are a Doors' fan then this is a new way of listening to them. Out takes and new versions of old favorites.



3. The DVDs do have DVD-Audio (MLP) 24bit 96khz 5.1 tracks for every song.
   
   I couldn't find this info before ordering (Amazon is not very good at properly describing hi-res audio products).



4. if you own a high end audio system w a dvd-audio player this set is a must have for any doors fan.the 5.1 versions are smokin hot, the 1st album not so much probably due to the quality of the original tapes but by the time you get to break on through or wishful sinful you will be weak in the knees, la woman is the same release that was independant some years ago with the kickoff of the dvd-a medium. but the collection is well worth it if you are an audiophile, the other reviews that tell you to purchase the old packages obviously do not have dvd-a players



5. Without getting into all the technical points of this boxed set, this boxed set sounds awesome. Liner notes are outstanding. A must for the Doors fan. This is all you need!