2 comments about TV Terror: Felching a Dead Horse.

1. Sitcoms: one of the most terrible blights concealed within modern television. There are so many things wrong with the concept of laughtracking and oversimplification, from who they provide us in thirty-minute glimpses some weirdling landscape to the tops themselves, but nothing compares to the horrible songs they produce. Sitcoms have this thing with producing something terrible that seems to repugnant to sooo many of us, but that is simplistic enough that it worms into the mind and won't go away. I can still remember "Great American Hero" way too well, and "The Facts of Life" sometimes floods to the top for no apparent reason.
   And that's terrible.
   
   The reason I like this album so much is because it corrects some of the wretchedness to those sounds, allowing one to take them and claim them in ways the shows never dreamed. Now I can hum those tunes and not remember what they were originally and I like that, because it feels like I've broken some horrid cycle that owned some ugly portion of my subconscious. Coupled wit that is the fact that this album has a nice artist presence, and that these artists do justice to songs that would otherwise sicken me to listen to. I'm partial to the L + Shirley redux done by Alien Facktor (w/ Pain Station) because I hated that show and hated the song until they touched it up and made it - dark. Now I can sing it to myself and laugh, finding it empowering. I also like Haloblack's Fat Albert mix, because its a strange array of technotronic sounds with a "Hey, Hey, Hey" that barely identifies it, and the additions of Numb and Electric Hellfire Club. And there are quite a few others that taste delicious as well.
   
   If you're like me and enjoy some of the bands provided in the mix, then this might be something for you. Seeing forces like EHC and Haloblack on the same album is nice, and seeing them overhaul songs that make me feel ill is greater still.



2. k this double cd r0x0rz but only becos of a select few trax on it. most of it is good yes, but some of the trax are done in a way that you cant even tell what show its from. yea its good to be original but you want people to at least recognize which show youre doin. some good ones on the other hand were charles in charge, mr rog, and facts of life, which sounds like a sad song the way hate dept does it. i wish they did some other shows too like mamas family (has a great bass riff), silver spoons, or punky brewster even. who is maude? get this cd to play real loud and impress the neighbors with frightening versions of their fave shows, but like i said some of the trax are hard to recognize.

3 comments about Camp Skingraft: Now Wave Compilation.

1. If you like some of these bands, listen to the Amazon sound samples for all of them and you will surely find more favorites!
   
   I am so glad I bought this way back when. Just looking at the photos in the enclosed booklet, I knew I had found kindred musical spirits! There are photos of shows with audience and band members dressed as Santa Claus, mummies, Kermit the Frog, and fighting cardboard robots!
   
   Many of my favorite bands are represented here, including U.S.Maple, Melt-Banana, 2 Boredoms side projects, Ruins, Scissor Girls, Lake of Dracula, Quintron. Also comes with a "Now-Wave" sticker so you can support the scene.
   
   If you're anything like me, that "just say no, kids" review below (which I think is supposed to be a negative review?) will convince you that you need to own this album.



2. of course i think the sound of inserting a short wave radio into a small child is a good description and makes me want to listen-i'm a chicagoan so maybe i wasn't as surprised by skin graft's output-having enjoyed the label for quite some time-also check the neo-nietzschean rambling of chuck falzone telepath on this one -



3. Everyone knows that politicians waxing ignorant about the evil drug menace is utterly futile. Most of them don't know sh*t about drugs, or if they do they're not gonna admit it. So, I propose that a copy of this mid-priced sampler CD should be presented to four-year-olds on their first day of junior school. Any kid with the power of hearing will be so utterly horrified by the synaptically-challenged nature of the 33 tracks here that they'll never so much as touch a candy cigarette again in their lives. Best/worst tracks: Yona-Kit (sound like a very pissed Shellac); UFO Or Die (what you'd hear in your head if you inserted a metal plate into it, killed your family and stood under a very big generator); Flossie and the Unicorns (I hate to say this, but... 'Teletubbies' on acid. That really is the size of it); Zzzzz (the sound of a shortwave radio being inserted into a small child) and, as they probably don't say because it sounds too cheesy, many more. I'm not a young child any longer, and I don't consider myself easily impressionable, but this record could almost convince me to give up drugs.

2 comments about Buried Alive: The Best From Smoke 7 Records 1981-1983.

1. This cd is amazing especially if you love old school punk I can listen to this cd everyday and never get bored of it if you want an amazing punk comp look no more also look for buried alive 2 just as great as the first so check it out.



2. THIS COMPILATION BRINGS BACK PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF THE EARLY 80'S CALIFORNIA SCENE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE GREATS HERE:YOUTH GONE MAD,SIN 34,GEZA-X, DEMENTED,REDD KROSS,the most rare SADIST FACTION,CIRCLE ONE, AND SO,SO MUCH MORE. ALL THESE CLASSIC HITS ON A SINGLE COMPACT DISC. '5'STARS ALL THE WAY.

No comments about Knock Out Ska: Treasure Isle Ska Instrumentals.

5 comments about Goth: Music of the Shadows, Vol. 1.

1. Referring to your comment on Switchblade Symphony, the song Mother is found on "The Black Bible", a 4-disc compilation of goth and industrial music. Most of the songs on there are unreleased, rare mixes, b-sides, or anything else that makes a track hard to find. I suggest anyone with an ear for Goth and related styles, check this set out!



2. This is a great start for the "Beginer Goth" and those looking for a few popular and hard to find songs on one cd by well known and lesser known artists. The song 'Drool(Mother)' by "Switchblade Sympany" is an example: hard to find song (at least by me) from a very popular artist. I've only found it on one other disk, and for the death of me, I cannot remember what it was! Grr >:( The 3-disk set "This is Goth" is similar in feel and content -a great companion to Goth:M.O.T.S vol.1 that isn't in the M.O.T.S. series.



3. i bought this album a little while back and i have been listening to it non-stop... it is totally fantastic and a very good introduction for those interested in the darker side of the goth scene... it has a great selection of songs, including classic goth superstars Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, and All About Eve, along with a few i had never heard before, like Gitane Demone, Switchblade Symphony, and X-mal Deutschland... in fact, i wholeheartedly believe this is a great addition to a record collection of new and seasoned goths alike... as with all compilations, there were one or two tracks that didnt take my fancy, but that is subjective... if u can get it second hand on the cheap, grab it!



4. I just wanted to correct A Music Fan when he said that K-Tel used tracks without permission. I was a bit surprised when I first heard the rumour about the London After Midnight track being used with no consultation. When I e-mailed the band to point out that I had suggested the majority of the tracks, and assumed K-Tel had done everything properly, Sean e-mailed back to say that there hadn't been any problems. The company who deals with licensing their tracks had simply forgotten to inform the band! Things like that do happen, and can't be helped.

   As to bands being missing - well it was only a single CD, and I wanted to reflect some sense of the old but concentrate on a broad range of new names which were established, because I felt the compilation would obviously be aimed at newcomers.

   Compilations can be awkward beasts to pull off. The Gothic Rock ones, done by Jungle/Cleopatra, were the first big ones to really get noticed, and I came up with the idea when doing my second book. That was quite easy, but you still don't get certain bands because some simply don't want to be involved, so if you ever see a comp and think something's missing it doesn't mean the person organising it didn't ask. Then I did the Hex Files ones with Nova Tekk, and that was nearly all new bands, because that's what my Hex Files book was about, concentrating on what was happening at the time. Now I've done my new book I'm looking for a label to do a new compilation. And so it goes on....




5. ...This is (to my knowledge) the best Goth compilation there is, minus those Cleopatra box sets which are of equal standards. It amazes me how far Gothic music has come since Bauhaus first recorded "Bela Lugosi's Dead" back in '79. Sadly, many of the greats have either fallen from their respected grace, broken up, or key members passed on. All the more reason to have Black Tape For A Blue Girl and London After Midnight on this album to show that Gothic music is still very much alive and well. In fact, "Kiss" (almost) holds it's own with the more legendary bands here. Speaking of legendary, Bauhaus's "Dark Entries" is one of their best songs. Daniel Ash's guitar playing has had a profound effect on mine and I worship this band. I'm also glad there's other legendary Goth bands such as Sisters Of Mercy, Alien Sex Fiend, Sex Gang Children, and, most of all, Christian Death to show those important Gothic roots. I'm having a VERY hard time tracking down a copy of Christian Death's "Only Theatre Of Pain" on CD, so anything from them that will tie me over until I get it (assuming I do; if anyone can get me a copy of it, please e-mail me) will just have to do. But as good as this disk sounds, it does have it's drawbacks. First of all, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you release a CD of great Goth music, it'll spark our interest. Unfortunately, most of us have at least a few of these songs already. Secondly, there was a few bands that I felt were missing. Joy Division, The Cure, Dead Can Dance, and Siouxsie & The Banshees (I'm not a fan of this band, but they did make a big contribution to the scene). How the hell can you leave them off? Perhaps K-Tel couldn't get the proper licensing for these bands or something. I mean, I highly doubt whoever put this compilation together just forget about them. That's just not likely. Still though, this album is a great place to start for those interested in what we listen to, as well as a good album for those that want a little bit of everything on one disk. Five stars for newbies, four stars for those who already call ourselves Gothic. Also, you might want to go and check out Bauhaus's "Crackle". They are the genre's Gothfathers, after all.

3 comments about Dynamite with a Laserbeam: Queen as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G.

1. ok so if you like Queen, then you might not like this so much. These songs are hardly recognizable as Queen ballads, but thats what makes this scrumtrelescent. Das Oath's we are the chamions is absolutely hardcore while still being true to the emotion of the song. The blood brother's under pressure is arguably better than the original; i would argue that anyways. Gogogo Airheart does beautiful work with death on two legs. I give it three stars because some songs get a little vague (see Get Hustle's another one bites the dust-- very Get Hustlesque). But if you like to hear songs covered experimentally, then this is wonderful. to wrap up this sham review ill end by saying: Queen is boring. This makes their music interesting. yeah.



2. You must have an open mind for this one. That, and a taste for chaotic noise-metal. But there's definitely better music from these artists.



3. Forget it. Simply forget it. I've heard better music when my tapes were playing on the reverse side and running at double speed. Utter rubbish.

No comments about Skanarchy, Vol. 1.

5 comments about Virgin Voices Vol. 1: A Tribute To Madonna.

1. thesse people mad because gothic rock bands doing madonna for one i like this cd what if i said to thesse people madonna was going to do rush,s subdivisions if you want madonna than go buy madonna cd,s
   
   
   for one i think thesse artists are awsome thesse crybaby fans they can,t handle somebody who does their queen tunes than don,t by tributes!
   
   IF MADONNA covered rush thesse people would think that be awsome!
   
   it,s crazy but fun it has flaws but nice do this cd is awsome better than my rush tributes cd !
   
   thesse guys doing madonna is great for one i haven,t heard from madonna in 9 years
   
   the people on this are doing on this cd is what most people in the pop world won,t do parising madonna thesse guys parise her before
   
   the pop world did



2. Astralasia shines on this LP. Any fan of Madonna would SAVOR and SALIVATE over this collection of "tributes". It's pure fun to hear these artists record these songs. What great fun to critique and poke fun as needed. This isn't rocket science, but even some of Madonna's rather bland tracks: "Swim" and "Live To Tell" are brought home. Another shiner is "Frozen". Applause to Cleopatra Records. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap....(fade)



3. I personally love Cleopatra Records' tribute albums, let alone goth and industrial music. And being a big Madonna fan, I thought the idea of synth-pop, goth, and industrial artists/bands covering Madonna's songs were a wicked idea. Normally I'm not wild on tribute albums, especially nowadays when even Britney Spears and NSYNC have tribute albums out (i.e a bunch of unknown singers covering bad pop music). Personally I prefer the second volume of "Virgin Voices". Still the first album had some first rate cover songs. One of my particular favorites is Loleatta Holloway's cover of "Like a Prayer". She turns the pop song into a house classic. I didn't realize until later on that this tribute album would be my first introduction to one of my favorte pop/rock artists Amanda Ghost. I'm not wild on "Bad Girl" as a song but Amanda's contributions to the song was enjoyable enough for me. I thought KMFDM and Front Line Assembly did an excellent job of giving the listener an earful on their versions of "Material Girl" and "Justify My Love". Their abrasive, industrial beats allowed them to turn Madonna's songs into their own. I can't say that I like "Like a Virgin" as a song nor did I like the version that Bow Wow Wow singer Annabella Lwin did. Being a big Dead or Alive fan, I loved their version of "Why It's So Hard". That isn't really one of my favorite Madonna songs but they way they covered the song made me appreciate the song even more so. The only other miss I found on this album was the "Burning Up" [Interface Mix] by The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black. I'm not really familiar with the song itself nor did I enjoy the TVHKB's version. Other than that and "Like a Virgin", I loved what the artists and bands brought to the table with their renditions of classic Madonna songs.



4. My opinions on this CD stem from my enjoyment of industrial music and unique takes on cover songs.

   I agree with other industrial or techno fans that The KMFDM, Gene Loves Jezebel and The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black covers were really good. They satisfy my craving for industrial while providing a fresh perspective on hit songs.

   The Dead or Alive cover was pretty good as well. As far as most of the other tunes, I felt like I was listening to a close copy of the original. Is it a tribute to Madonna to attempt to perform and sing a song in the style that Madonna sang it? I don't think so. My idea of a tribute or good cover is to provide imaginative and creative angles on a classic song. A good example would be Garbage's version of a Beach Boy's tune in the song "Push It".

   Judge for yourself and listen to the samples before buying.




5. KMFDM's Material Girl is worth the price of the CD. My only complaint is what's missing: Pig. Raymond Watts always does these Industrial tribute albums. I would have loved to hear him do an evil-lounge-singer cover, as he did with NIN's Head Like a Hole and KMFDM's Disobedience (didn't he do the vocals on the original version, too?). Buy this album and you get to hear En Esch singing about panties. Very cool.

1 comments about Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80's, Vol. 6.

1. As a person who spent their formative years through the eighties, I collect music from that era. To those who didn't live it, it would be less geeky to collect stamps or wheat pennies. But I tell you, the confections found on this series is purely delightful. It is the songs many of us grew up with. We cranked up the radio in our big, gas guzzling cars and cruised the strip to this music. Sure, the "preps" were listening to Michael Jackson and Madonna, while the "burn-outs" were listening to AC/DC and still going off in shop class about Van Halen using keyboards in their music. But those of us somewhere in between listened to THIS. We knew The Cure and REM were musical geniuses. Of course, we also thought the same about Kajagoogoo and Bow Wow Wow, but hey...we still love to hear them and remember some of our finer days.

   The collection has some songs that were radio favorites, such as Men At Work's "Who Can It Be Now" and Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" There are lesser known songs that only those of us who were really proud of knowing obscure bands and songs will be aquainted with. If you are looking for only the popular 80's stuff, songs like "I Predict", by the Spark's, and "Wot" by Captain Sensible may leave you cold. But if you like the unusual, the sound quality is so much better than the tapes you made off the radio in high school!

   So, this cd, as well as all of them in the series have some true gems on them that sound as fabulous now as they did then. The others are good for strolls down memory lane, and those days when you are looking at old photographs of your self in turquoise parachute pants and a Members Only jacket. Admit it...you miss those old sythesizer, big haired days!

2 comments about State of the Union: D.C. Benefit Compilation.

1. I bought this CD because it featured songs from many D.C. bands that don't have records in print any more such as RAIN, and KINGFACE. I was not disapointed. Highlights of the compilation (for me) are Anger Means by Ignition, Worlds at War by Rain, and the acoustic Swan Street by Three. Some of the music is pretty poor, but it is easily made up for by the power and intensity most of these bands perform with. It is difficult to find music like this anymore. Get a copy before it goes out of print.



2. If you are wondering what the DC scene was like back in the late 80s and early 90s pick up this comp. Its an incredible slice of the scene at that time and represents some of the best emo/punk bands on the East Coast. A couple of the songs don't appeal to me but the tracks by Ignition, SoulSide, Marginal Man, and Fire Party stand out. When this came out I picked up a copy and played it constantly for months. Even now, 11 years later, I still break it out every few months and listen to it with the same excitement I did then.