5 comments about Revolver [UK].

1. Released in August, 1966, at roughly the same time the Beatles stopped touring for good, "Revolver" remains amazing in its sheer variety. The songs are all over the map: Paul McCartney pays tribute to Motown with "Got To Get You Into My Life"; Ringo sings about the joys of living in a "Yellow Submarine" (later the basis for their delightful third motion picture); George Harrison expresses his Indian interests in "Love You To" (and delivers a jab to the Inland Revenue with "Taxman"); John Lennon explores his own head with "She Said She Said" and the astonishing "Tomorrow Never Knows", in which his voice, filtered through a revolving Leslie speaker, is combined with backward-masking to create an eerie masterpiece, unlike anything heard from a pop group before, even the Fab Four themselves. This new, far more complex music could not have been successfully duplicated onstage, and the group thereafter left live performing behind. Now, the recording studio was their painter's canvas, and would remain so for the remainder of the group's existence.



2. With haunting melodies like "I'm Only Sleeping", "Eleanor Rigby", "Good Day Sunshine" and "She Said She Said" to name just a few, this is a very pleasing Beatles effort to listen to. If anyone needed proof that there's more to the Beatles than their hits, look no further. This album fluctuates effortlessly between Lennon & McCartney's vocal-centered pieces and George Harrison's much-loved sitar-driven melodies, and here I've only scraped the surface of the creativity that goes into the instrumentation.
   
   For Revolver is a creative album, a joy to listen to and to take in. The melodies are a true musical mind-scape, ranging from easy-going melodies to the mysterious sound effects of "Tomorrow Never Knows". It is, finely put, a mystery of an album in itself. A truly solid piece of music-making, a year before Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which is generally considered a cornerstone in that area. Revolver is a very special album to me, and as I hear "I'm Only Sleeping" drifting through my mind yet again, I can see why.



3. Easily one of the Beatles best albums! Diverse songwriting styles are showcased with each song seemingly having a different style yet they blend perfectly with each other. Of course in charge of the production was George Martin as always. It's amazing how much ground this album covers given the fact that none of the fourteen songs featured actually lasts more than three minutes and a half!!
   By the time this album was released in 1966 the band's sound had evolved a lot indeed. Especially when you think that their debut collection was released just three years earlier!
   
   Let's start with guitarist John Lennon who sings five songs here. The first is "I'm Only Sleeping" with a simple band sound of drums, bass, and a lone dominating acoustic guitar is one of the album's best cuts. But, for me, the highlight comes in the middle when Harrison steps in to play an awesome backward guitar solo overdub! Next comes "She Said She Said" with it's lyrics based on an LSD trip is pure power pop with it's loud, bright sounding rhythm guitar and cool lead guitar work thoughtout too! You could say this is early hard rock at it's finest! After that we go into "And Your Bird Can Sing" with a stunning melodic lead guitar intro by Harrison, great vocals and rhythm guitar from Lennon, and memorable bass from McCartney combine to create another power pop classic!
   In "Doctor Robert" a straightforword rock style is showcased with distorted guitars that is nothing short of excellent. In the middle an organ comes in for a nice change. Listen carefully at the end for that awesome arpeggiated, bright-sounding, distorted guitar!! Too bad it fades so quickly!! Now it's on to, by far, the most avant-garde inspired song on the album "Tomorrow Never Knows" that utilizes strange sound effects, a backward guitar solo and a tape loop producing what sounds like a seagull while Ringo keeps it all together with his steady drumming. On top of that Lennon sings some apparently drug inspired lyrics. Very innovative experiment to say the least!
   
   Let's move on to bass player Paul McCartney who also gets to sing in five songs. "Eleanor Rigby" is a stunning two minute neo-classical piece with psychedelic lyrics but it's the great string arrangement by George Martin that really steals the show here! Now it's on to "Here, There, And Everywhere". This got to be one of the band's best love ballads ever! Paul lead vocals harmonize perfectly with the background vocals throughout the song's haunting melodies.
   A nice change of style comes up in "Good Day Sunshine" with it's prominent grand piano but it's already time for another sharp turn and we find "For No One". Nice chord progression played on harpsichord, and after a haunting chorus a really cool trumpet solo comes in. The last one is the seemingly Motown inspired "Got To Get You Into My Life" with a memorable vocal by Paul but the most important thing here got to be it's unforgettable brass arrangement!! Without this the song's impact would have been greatly diminshed!
   
   George Harrison contribued three drastically different songs. "Taxman", the album's opener, is an awesome rocker that's made even better by it's aggressive guitar solo in mixolydian! "Love You To" is by far the most ambitious in which he trades the guitar in favor of the sitar. The result is mesmerizing fusion of Indian and rock music. Note the distorted guitar that comes in for the chorus. Finally "I Want To Tell You" is surpirsingly pop sounding after the more ambitious previous song. It starts with a cool riff. No matter how poppy it may sound there's still room to experiment. This time it comes in that slightly dissonant chord used throughtout.
   
   Drummer Ringo Starr got only got one song to sing: "Yellow Submarine". Probably one of the most popular of this album that later was included in the movie of the same name.
   
   So there you have it! An essential album for the rock fan to say the least!!
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



4. What happens when you get four guys from Liverpool, songs like "Taxman", "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" and throw in some LSD here and there? You get a rock & roll classic my friend. Revolver was released when rock music was wedged between Folk and Psychedelia, so it should sound way ahead of its time. Does the album stand for the test of time? Read on for my review!
   
   From the opening proto-punk riff of Taxman to the childish nature of Yellow Submarine to the Syd Barret era-Pink Floyd of Tomorrow Never Knows, this album, like I said before, was ahead of its time. Not one song of this album is filler, even Yellow Submarine doesn't get old! George Harrison shines on this album from the bitterness of Taxman to the spiritual Love You To to the difficulty of expressing himself on I Want To Tell You. Paul McCartney also does a superb job with songs like Here There and Everywhere (inspired by "God Only Knows"), the devil may care attitude of Good Day Sunshine to the bitter For Know One and praising pot, that's right POT on Got To Get You Into My Life. Ringo's voice fits Yellow Submarine perfectly and his drumming is fantastic! He keeps it simple yet does a drum fill nice suitable to the songs he's playing. A very UNDERRATED drummer in rock. And who could forget the man himself... John Lennon. His song writing is without a doubt spectacular! Every song that he wrote here is amazing! Seriously, I'm Only Sleeping, She Said She Said, And Your Bird Can Sing, Doctor Robert, and of course, Tomorrow Never Knows. So what are you waiting for? Got out and buy this rock centerpiece. No classic rock fan should be without this album!
   
   Recomended Tracks: Taxman, I'm Only Sleeping, Love You To, She Said She Said, Tomorrow Never Knows



5. What do I love about this album? The opening coughs and the countout "one, two, three, four, one, two" - a dirty way to start a Beatles album - aren't they supposed to be those clean-cut lads from Liverpool? It's the first clue that this is going to be a different journey than we expected. The witty George Harrison, tongue-in-cheek, with a song that vocalizes a universal suspicion that our money is being unfairly commandeered by the government, a sentiment that resonates more strongly as I've gotten older.
   What else do I love? the lovely vocal harmony and the strings on Eleanor Rigby. The striking images painted by Paul. So original - name any song that even comes close to sounding like it. Love the way it ends - like in "Amadeus" the song ends when it's supposed to, no big bang necessary for the ending.
   What else? John's nasal tenor, sweet and dreamy, coming through on "I'm only sleeping", the perfectly match for a lazy afternoon, or a lazy day.
   What else? "Here, There, and Everywhere" - their best love song ever IMHO, even better than George's "Something". Again, my humble opinion. It's sweeter and not so overproduced.
   Even Ringo makes a classic appearance here - a children's song that, as poorly sung as it is (admit it, Ringo aint a singer), still holds a charm that will keep it beloved forever. (my favorite Ringo is "I wanna be your man")
   What's just okay? She Said She said, Doctor Robert, and And your Bird can sing(just never caught on with me), Good Day Sunshine - (reverting back a little to their old bubble gum ways, still a lovely song).
   Intriguing songs - Tomorrow never knows - very intellectually stimulating music. For no one - seems a bit incomplete at the end.
   Got to get you into my life - Actually, Earth Wind & Fire did a cover on that terrible movie, "Sgt pepper's lonely hearts club band". EWF was one of the best parts of the movie, and I think I like the cover a little better than the original.
   All in all (no pun intended, for those who get that-kudos), this album is fantastic. Even the just okay stuff is great if you're in the right mood for it. Every time I hear it (and I do tend to listen to it in its entirety), I smile.

5 comments about Chronicle, Vol. 1: The 20 Greatest Hits.

1. If there is a single Classic Rock disc to own, this would be it. When you consider this music provided the soundtrack to the Vietnam War, you might consider buying it to be owning a bit of history. Go back up above and read down those song titles. Do you have any fond memories associated with any of them? My problem, at age 56, is that I have a fond memory associated with EVERY ONE OF THEM.
   
   Now CCR plays music that's pretty accessible to everyone that hears it, but when you go below that layer, the things that make the songs stand up for all these years is dynamic songwriting and kickass musicianship across the board.
   
   If you don't believe me, pick up the concert DVD by John Fogerty: The Long Road Home and SEE these hits performed. I believe it's impossible to be unaffected by what you see and hear there. He still performs his music with that 'fire in the belly' you like to see in older musicians.
   
   So back to this disc... he originally recorded these in his 20's. Imagine the 'fire in the belly' factor then...
   
   This one is good stuff. You need to own it.



2. This replaces my husbands 8 Track Tape! For the CCR fan, a must-have.



3. This CD is Creedance Clearwater Revival's original recording, and is one of the few with the full, long version of my favorite piece, Suzy Q. The CD was in excellent condition and came in a very short time. I recommend this seller for future purchases.



4. I saw Creedence Clearwater Revisited last year. That band takes a lot of heat for having a capable Fogerty sound-alike stand in for Fogerty. I understand some fans' complaints about the heart and soul of the music being compromised, but my argument was, and still is, that these songs are timeless gems and are worth hearing no matter who's singing them.
   
   So, on to my review ... this is a very admirable greatest hits CD of one of the best bands of the late sixties. All of my favorite Creedence songs are here, including "Bad Moon Rising," "Lodi," "Run Through The Jungle" and "Travelin' Band." To me Creedence Clearwater Revival is the perfect example of how to be a rock band. Fogerty, the band's principal songwriter, can be serious when he needs to be but also knows how to have fun. For example, at the time of the Vietnam War, he wrote songs with such depth and emotion as "Who'll Stop The Rain" and "Fortunate Son." On the other hand, he wrote songs like "Travelin' Band" and "Down on the Corner" -- harmless and fun classics. I also like that this CD includes "Someday Never Comes." That song is very underrated, if you ask me.
   
   This CD has gotten some complaints that "Born on the Bayou" is missing. It is on Chronicle Volume 2 but some fans don't want to pay all that extra money for one song. I have a suggestion on how to remedy that: buy this CD, then download "Born on the Bayou" from iTunes as a single.



5. Awesome collection of hit songs from the 70's....brings back many memories of good times back then. A must for any person over 50!

5 comments about Stay Positive.

1. This album is certainly along extremely similar lines to "Boys and Girls in America" If you liked that album, you will definitely like this one and vice versa. The band continues to rock with some great up-beat and realtively heavy alternative tunes. The lyrics are also have the same intoxicated one-night-stand theme. I was worried that it would sound exactly the same as the last album, but there are enough variations on the theme to keep it interesting while maintaining their unique style throughout. Overall, a great album, but I would start w/ "boys and girls.." if you haven't heard that one first.



2. This album is about half way between the brilliant Separation Sunday and the dismal Boys and Girls. In sound, it probably rates closer to BAGIA, but lyrically it is stronger than that album. Personally I prefer the harder and darker sound of Separation Sunday, which to me sounded more adult and mature, while I find the keyboard-filled easy-listening rock-n-roll of BAGIA and this album to be a bit boring. So, in summary, if you loved BAGIA (as I know many people did) you will probably really enjoy this album.



3. I've been a big fan of the Hold Steady since their early days. Actually, since before their early days, when Craig Finn fronted Lifter Puller (check that band out if you haven't heard them!!). Despite a lot of critical acclaim, the Hold Steady still doesn't get the respect they deserve. "Stay Postive" is yet another in a string of solid rock and roll albums from this phenomenal band. Craig Finn's unique lyrics and vocal delivery, which is more than just a little reminiscent of Mr. Springsteen, make every song an adventure of the most pleasurable kind. There really isn't a bad song on this record. For anyone who likes good old-fashioned rock & roll with some clever, witty, and intelligent lyrics, the Hold Steady will more than satisfy you. And if haven't seen this band live, you MUST do it the next opportunity you get. They put on a heckuva show!!



4. I'm an old guy, so holding steady in general is fine for me, and the tracks on this are consistently sound, non-repetitious and combine rock with melody. Not head-bangingly hard nor soft - that in-between spot that few bands achieve these days. I don't do thrash nor do I like working hard to pick out the lyric, so I count this as one of my best recent buys. Check the band out on YouTube and see whether you agree - before you buy!



5. I am a genuine Hold Steady fan. The Hold Steady remind me of pre-Born-to-Run-Springsteen--a torrent of words and attitude. I fell in love with the group after hearing their second album, Separation Sunday. When I first heard "Your Little Hoodrat Friend," it felt like a "first kiss." I have liked everything they have done since (and before).
   
   Even after hearing the songs on Stay Positive just a few times I can safely say that this album is as good as anything they've released so far. After hearing them a few more times, I wager some songs may turn out to be even better.

5 comments about The Who: The Ultimate Collection.

1. Very nice album and very nice to have in the collection
   Guy
   Zoetermeer, the Netherlands



2. The Who were such a great band!!! And this CD is a great collection of their songs.



3. I've been a fan of theirs since the mid 60's and always felt their earlier recordings to be the most exuberant, spontaneous and whimsically creative. After their peak with Who's Next (1971), they took themselves way too seriously with Quadrophenia and then after that they sounded angry and lost their youthful innocence, which was so charmingly foppish to begin with. To me, the first CD is the best, it features early quirky gems like: The Kids Are Allright, Happy Jack, Boris The Spider, I'm a Boy, Pictures of Lilly, I Can See For Miles, Substitute, I Can't Explain and others through the Tommy opera and parts of Who's next. CD 2 picks up with some of Who's Next then finishes through Quadrophenia, By Numbers, and Who Are You. I hardly listen to CD 2. For me, early Who is the best. Keith Moon was a very original drummer. I could never understand however, why they would destroy their instruments. If someone put a smudge on my guitar, I couldn't sleep at night. Yet, Townsend would smash his Les Paul or Strat to bits for effect. Maybe back then, it was for rebellious shock value, but today it looks stupid, senseless, violent and wasteful. The music is still very cool however. In my opinion, the three Who CDs to own are this one, The Who Sell Out (1968) and Who's Next (1971). Live at Leeds (1970) is also highly recommened if you'd like to catch their live jamming at their peak too. This collection however is ESSENTIAL for any rock fan or historian.



4. This has to be the greatest collection of songs from The Who , a lot of classic's like who are you and the rest of your favorites , great collection , highly recommended.



5. Recently, what's left of The Who (Daltrey and Townshend) showed that they could still produce interesting music, with their "Endless Wire." A great album? No, but a solid one. And this collection of 35 cuts in all provides a terrific introduction to The Who's oeuvre. There can be questions about why certain cuts were included and others were excluded, but this is not one of those flawed compendia with idiosyncratic selections. The 2 CD set begins with "I Can't Explain" and ends with "Eminence Front," with a lot of music in between.
   
   A sampler:
   
   "My Generation." An anthem of the 60s generation for many. A certain poignancy in this phrase:
   
   "Talkin' bout my generation,
   Hope I die before I get old."
   
   Two of The Who did die before their time (Keith Moon and John Entwistle). The instrumental work is raw and pulsating. Roger Daltrey's vocal work is an exemplar of rock and roll. One of their earliest hits--and it still sounds good today!
   
   "Boris the Spider." Come on, how could I leave this quirky song off this brief description of my reaction to a few cuts! An odd little number (one of the few not written by Townshend--in this case Entwistle did the job). The focus is on Boris the Spider, "crawling up the wall." Nice guitar work and cool singing.
   
   Then, "Pinball Wizard." This is from the rock opera, "Tommy." What a toe tapper! Daltrey's singing is excellent; he shows a lot of growth as a singer from the early days of the group. This is about a character who "sure plays a mean pinball." Didn't Elton John later have a hit with a cover of this song? I recall his version being fine, but this is the real deal.
   
   "Baba O'Riley." I used to think that the name of this song was "Teenage Wasteland," for references to that phrase in the latter part of this 5 minute piece of great music. The sound shows a maturing of The Who as a group. The keyboard in this song adds a delicious element t5o the music. The guitar work is neat, Moon's drumming is great, and Daltrey's singing measures up. Again, a great 5 minutes of rock and roll.
   
   And on it goes. . . . "Won't Get Fooled Again," "The Kids Are Alright," "Happy Jack," "I Can See for Miles," "Summertime Blues," "Long Live Rock," "Squeeze Box," "You Better You Bet," "Who Are You?," and so on.
   
   Who could resist such a plenitude of The Who?

5 comments about 15.

1. I bought this CD after seeing Buckcherry at Cruefest. Everyone song on this CD is really good. I have had it in my CD player ever since I bought it. I really recommend this to any rock fan.



2. I purchased the explicit version of this cd...I can handle it but I have to be careful to not let the grandkids get ahold of it. It's a really a great cd and I love rockin to it turned all the way up!!



3. These boys rock!!! If you like it loud and raunchy, this is the album!



4. Was glad to see they are indeed back again with a new CD out in September (Black Butterfly) after this comeback CD.
   
   This one I cosider their 3rd best CD behind Time Bomb and the S/T.
   Some good songs, a bit short. Favs include "So Far", "Next To You", and "Onset". "Carousel" is one I like although "Sorry" (both together) is a bit much on the softer side, although they have proven they can tone it down effectively, this band to me doesn't have to put 2 ballads on every record, so I hope they don't keep that trend up, especially back to back. Also, can't forget (who could) the overplayed profanity laden single on every Buckcherry CD...and this one is..."Crazy Bitch".
   
   "Too Drunk" (from Black Butterfly) is the newest to follow that trend, and you've probably already heard the horrid radio version on your local radio station.
   
   "Everything" is a song I like to a point, but it just seems kinda soft and doesn't quite get to enough of a raucous level for me, and is a bit to trendy alternative...almost to a point of being early 90's retro alt rock, I'm hoping this is not the direction they are going. "Out Of Line" has a very pronounced AC/DC feel to it, more than alot of thier songs that are hard rocking blues based songs, this one kinda reminds you right there where it came from, and it doesn't seem to get to a level we expect Buckcherry songs to get to either along with "Brooklyn" which is probably my least fav song of all time by them, along with probably "Broken Glass", and perhaps "Sunshine"...this CD has a few of my least fav Buckcherry songs on it hence the rating, but since it had been awhile, and their were some lineup changed going into this album, I let it slide. A good start with better times ahead I'm sure.
   
   A nice start to the comeback as it were, so I hope they get back to prime form they cut short after Time Bomb on this next release.



5. I bought this CD for my 19 year old son. I listened to it myself and found that it is quite good. He was very pleased to get it as a birthday gift. Great sound. I would recommend this to anyone who likes modern rock, and maybe even classic rock.

5 comments about Eagles - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975.

1. This is a compaltion of all there tunes you will hear eery hour on most classic hits station. The eagles were awesome and this captures their best stuff.



2. The main reason I'm giving the Eagles Greatest Hits a perfect 5 star rating is because it does a PERFECT job collecting all the major hit songs from the Eagles. While I feel many of these songs have overstayed their welcome, and even though I've moved on to other classic rock artists, what matters is how solid a greatest hits collection is, and let me tell ya- they don't get any more solid than this!
   
   However, it's probably best to pick up some of the bands regular studio albums instead. Start with the very first one and go from there.



3. The Eagles still remain as one of my favorite bands (along with Pink Floyd, ELO, Allman Brothers, and Led Zeppelin). Every song on here is great. Witchy Woman, and Already Gone are my two favorite songs of theirs



4. There isn't much I can add to the other reviews in terms of this legendary group, inducted into the R&R Hall Of Fame in 1998. However, for those who are conditioned by the term "greatest hits" meaning those renditions that made it to the Billboard Pop Hot 100, be advised that these are all LP cuts.
   
   For example, while the hit single version of Witchy Woman, which came out on Asylum 11008 in 1972 (# 9) is 3:53 in length, the version presented here is 4:14. Likewise with Lyin' Eyes, a # 2 in 1975 on Asylum 45279 at 3:58, whereas the cut here is 6:24.
   
   For those seeking the single versions, and even those not overly concerned with such things, I would still recommended looking around for recent compilations which present upwards of 20 to 25 cuts, complete with informative liner notes and discographies. This has nothing in either regard.
   
   Also how, exactly, does Desperado fit within the term "greatest hits" - LP cut or not? That not only never made any singles charts, it wasn't even the B-side to one of their charted singles.



5. My first car had a stereo radio and tape deck and one of the first songs to get my attention on it was "Lyin' Eyes" because of the beautiful five-part harmonies on the song. It inspired me to buy the album and later to buy "Hotel California" and others, including "Hell Freezes Over" and "Long Road To Eden." Some of these I own in both CD and LP.
   
   These guys have the bestselling album of all time for good reason - it's great music flawlessly performed. And even with the changes in personnel over the years (including Don Felder's "firing"), they remain a must-hear act and if anything, they are keep getting better.

5 comments about Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits.

1. As a longtime Bruce fan, I found this release just a tad bit disappointing. I still bought it and it's a great single-disc collection, nonetheless.
   
   But now there are so many other collections. '18 Tracks,' 'The Essential Bruce Springsteen' and the 'Live 1975-85' are all out, and are quite a bit better than this, especially '18 Tracks.'
   
   But this has all of the Bruce standards. 'Born To Run,' 'Badlands,' 'Hungry Heart,' 'Atlantic City,' 'Thunder Road,' and 'The River' are all on this set. And the sound quality is superb.
   
   But why didn't they include a song like 'Rosalita,' 'Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,' 'The Tunnel Of Love' or 'Blinded By The Light' as opposed to one of the new songs like 'Secret Garden'? I loved the two new songs 'This Hard Land' and 'Blood Brothers,' but 'Secret Garden' and 'Murder Incorporated' just can't hold a candle to those two.
   
   Overall, this is a good Bruce set that has it's moments, but if you want a definitive Bruce set, buy something else. If you are a die-hard fan just buying this for the new songs, than it's well worth it.
   
   Recommended, but only for die-hards or really casual Bruce fans.



2. This item arrived sooner than I had expected it to. The condition of the merchandise was as described in the offer for it. I am pleased with the service that I received.



3. Anytime a major artist releases a CD labeled "Greatest Hits," all bets are off! There will always be disagreements over what is (or should be) on the CD. Surely no difference here, as one can see from the variety of reviews already posted.
   
   However, my own sense is that this is not a bad collection of Springsteen's hits. It opens with a song that helped propel him to greater fame and renown than previously--"Born to Run." One of the best rock songs around (and one nice aspect of this CD is that the lyrics show up, so that people can see the actual words of the songs). Other top notch songs appear on this CD: "Thunder Road," "Badlands," "Hungry Heart," "Dancing in the Dark," "Born in the U.S.A." and so on.
   
   The collection captures the range of Springsteen's work, from the hard rockers to more introspective songs, from the sound of the E Street Band joining him to sparer instrumentation.
   
   Questions? Sure. Nothing earlier than "Born to Run"? There were some very nice pieces before that iconic tune. Also, I could see other songs as candidates for inclusion--"10th Avenue Freezeout," "Jungleland," and so on. Nonetheless, this works well as a Greatest Hits compilation for Bruce Springsteen. Fans may have all his CDs, but it's sometimes nice to have a compilation available of some of the best works available. And if you don't have a lot of Springsteen's works, then this is "must hear music."



4. I am buying this CD to replace my well worn tape and old scratched cd. Hopefully my kids will take better care of this one than my previous copy. This is my favorite Springsteen album - but I have not heard all of Magic.



5. for the die-hard Springsteen fan, no, this collection does not have all the songs that you would hope for. It is mostly a collection of his top charting singles with a few questionable choices thrown in SECRET GARDEN? which is a great song but I wouldn't pick that over JUNGLEAND or REASON TO BELIEVE. But still pop it in the car cd player and crank it up because this is a great cd with high rockability factor and Springsteen songs are perfect for listening while you're driving. The continuity of the collection holds up pretty well considering Springsteen albums are put together almost as a storybook. I'm a Jersey boy and Springsteen fan for life so this collection is as fine as any Greatest Hits collection we could hope for.

5 comments about Wish You Were Here.

1. lf Syd asked Roger or Nick to pinch his taint, he'd probably still be alive. Shine on Syd...shine on.



2. Giving this album 1 star is actually being way too kind. It's best used as a whetstone to sharpen your cuttingknives before you give this crazy waste of space (OK I hear you think 'now, now, you hold it sonny, don't belittle our pacifier pinkyvoid!) the final blow. Run off into the woods and stay there and leave us kids alone.
   
   Brian Heap (11 yrs old)



3. 'Wish You Were Here' could have been originally, the second LP on the "Dark Side Of The Moon". And it would have certainly reached the same fame & fortune, Pink Floyd reached with 'The Wall'.
   
   It happened to me that, after listening to 'Dark Side...', I found I didn't feel satisfied until I immediately heard 'Wish You Were Here'. This is because both albums, at no doubt, are Pink Floyd (and British Psychedelic Rock) real masterpieces!!!
   
   Very unlucky you, teenager guys and gals of the 2000s, for not having the chance of enjoy Out-Of-This-World bands like Pink Floyd... Anyway, you have the chance of getting these CDs right now, and enjoy them!



4. I am absolutely shocked to conclude that an album so vile and promoting terrorist acts can be named a classic.
   For starters the cover is clearly a suicideattack victim being torn to shreds by some strange mafia character.
   
   The theme Shine on a crazy diamond is clearly a drug-related matter, either opium trade or pcp (remember on their previous album there was a song Any colour you like which dealt with sleeping pills and psycho-medication).
   Wish you were here deals with panic attacks, wishing a counsellor was here.,
   Welcome to the machine- welcome to the druglaboratory.
   Have a cinder: druginduced plans to conquer the world.
   
   and you people call this a classic????
   
   Rufus (Richard) Thorne



5. By 1975, Pink Floyd was no longer a cult act thanks to the huge success of Dark Side Of The Moon. The success seemed to be a little too late, unfortuantly, as the band felt that they were "creatively spent after making Dark Side." While this might be an argueable claim, I believe the band still had it in them to make some great records, and they at least made 2 and 1/2 great records before things got bad. It's a bit hard to rate this album due to the fact that I'm a bit biased towards Dark Side. Not that there is anything wrong with this album, not at all. It's just not one that I like to put on a lot. The concept of this album is a bit more straightforward than Dark Side, though that may or may not be a good thing. I really liked the surrealism that Dark Side had with it's story, this one is just too straightforward. Band signs to label, gets screwed by their label and distruibution, gets in a rut recording, and wishes their old leader was still sane and with them. Eh. It's alright. The music continues in the same vein that Dark Side had, with a few experimental Meddle-ish tunes to back it up too. Shine On's 1st part is achingly beautiful, but it seems to run on a few too many minutes over. And the keyboard tone on this track is a bit cheesy sounding. Come to think of it, the keyboard tones on this album are severely lacking compared to earlier masterpieces. Only does the keyboard shine during the intro to Shine On's second half (the main reason it remains my favorite track on the album.). All in all, though, it's just your average spacy Pink Floyd tune. There's your choir, there's your slow guitar solos, there's your fade-out using special effects to carry it to the next song. Can't forget the sax solo! Sorry guys, you did this better on the last album. Welcome To The Machine is a bit better, what with it's cold robotic feel and dark lyrics about being sucked into coporate greed. Have A Cigar is another classic, a funky blues number sung by Roy Harper with some excellent guitar solos. When is David not shining with a guitar solo? Wish You Were Here, the title track, is another famous tune with some sweet singing from David. It's a real timeless ditty with a general "lost" atmosphere. Wish You Were Here is not an unworthy album at all. In fact, it pretty much could've been Dark Side Pt. II, had they trimmed some of the excess minutes on Shine On. The band was definetly in a creative rut, and it would take one guy with a HUGE ego to change all that

5 comments about Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.

1. great album, great band
   five years waiting
   It is very intense, and is the new recovering the satellites , gil norton was the best choice
   I am hoping that for the next T bone becomes the choice
   
   And Brazil is waiting for the crows



2. The first listening of this album didn't grab me like `August and Everything After`, But I found my self singing the lyrics all day, and more I listened, the more it hit me like a ton of bricks. The lyrics start coming through and tie together with songs from previous albums. Once I grasped the meaning I cranked up the volume and it ROCKED! They are all brilliantly written. My favorites at the moment are Cowboys, Insignificant, and Sundays. But like most Counting Crows songs, your favorite changes depending on the mood your in at the time. Awesome Job Guys! You never stop making me fall in love with you.



3. I am a huge fan of CC and have waited a long time for this new record. I have listened to this thing probably 15 times and it has yet to truly grab me the way all of their previous cd's have. Too bad.
   
   There are some good songs here. My favorites being 1492, Insignificant, Hanging Tree, and Le Ballet D'Or. The rest are simply filler for me and not worth additional plays. The powerful lyrics and the memorable melodies are just not there this time around.
   
   I have tix to the live show and will certainly be there. They are still a great live band but my hopes is they get back in the studio soon and really kick some butt.



4. Counting Crows latest is a great sounding cd, definitely some of their best work. The subject matter deals with the conflict that plagues Adam Duritz in his soul from giving into the temptations of fame. The cd probably deserves 4 stars or more but like Bono once wrote: "Every artist is a cannibal, every poet a thief. They kill their inspiration and sing about the grief." Poor Adam can't get no relief. For the last 15 years he's had countless beautiful women throw themselves at him. He's indulged in everything and now he is empty inside; at least he can write eloquently about it all. Personally I can't relate to this and can't see myself listening to Adam's angst too often. But maybe you're different - If you are rich and/or famous, have lived a hollow, shallow life with no intention to change and are miserable - this may be your favorite cd ever! As for you Adam: since you are so miserable with what you are doing why don't you stop doing it? If you are unable to do this on your own you could always ask God for help.



5. I suppose Counting Crows fans will enjoy their latest work, but I found it a little too "jammy."

5 comments about The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered).

1. I grew up with my parents playing Kool and the Gang, Village People,Boney M, Tavares and other 70ies rockmusic groups like Hot Chocolate.
   I kind of thought these were likable albeit a bit childish.
   Then, they discovered Pink Floyd The Wall,
   
   It was then that I moved out of the house to go live with my aunt Erica, it was too much, yuk!
   
   Paulie Gerrits



2. I'm going to take a different approach to reviewing albums on Amazon. Instead of going in depth on each album and describe each album in detail, i'm going to simply rate each album with how many stars I feel each album is worth based on the below criteria. I hope this helps you make a better decision on purchasing this album with a simple individual rating. If it doesn't help read another review.
   5 stars- Classic, Album goes beyond description, Perfect in every way, Could remind you of a certain time or place, Lifetime replay value.
   4.5 stars- Near Classic, Incredible album, Maybe only one song that is skippable or just overall doesn't quite deserve classic status. High replay value.
   4.0 stars- Awesome album. Very solid album from start to finish. Met every expectation and more. Maybe only one song or two that is skippable or just doesnt' quite deserve a classic or near classic rating. High replay value.
   3.5 stars- Above average album. Solid from start to finish but there are a few songs worth skipping. Met expectations, minimal replay value.
   3.0 stars- Average album. Nothing bad but nothing great either. After the initial appeal will collect dust.
   2.5 stars- Major disappointment. You had high expectations that were ruined as this album is not good at all. There might be only one or two songs worth listening to. No replay value.
   2.0 stars- Below average album. This album doesnt bother you to hear as background music but you would rather not listen to it if you didnt have to. No songs really appeal. No replay value.
   1.5 stars- Terrible album. Makes one sick to hear it. No songs really appeal but there might be one song that you could stand to hear. Would rather throw in garbage than even waste space in your collection.
   1.0 stars- Makes one cringe and the ears bleed!
   *keep in mind, each album review might not be based on opinion of the band but the album itself in the bands discography



3. The best Pink Floyd album in the post Dark Side of the Moon years, this relentlessly bleak and bitter rock opera is three sides of angst and anger is so meticulously produced that - some 25 years later - it still strikes nerves. Be it Roger Waters' working through his own personal disintegration (the oft-repeated story of his spitting on a fan who kept screaming through acoustic passages), to a life-story of a rock-star with a bad/oppressive childhood or yet another glance askance at the band's lingering emotional weight about Syd Barrett, "The Wall" looks at the many ways we barricade ourselves.
   
   Theatrically produced by Bob Ezrin (KISS, Alice Cooper), it also found the Floydians tightening their songs from meandering electronic experiments - think the multi-part "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" from Wish You Were Here - to the point where "Another Brick In The Wall Pt 2" unwittingly became a hit. It also found songs kicking up the tempo to the point were some of these compositions actually "rocked." "Run Like Hell" and "In The Flesh?" became AOR staples despite their segueing into each other. But some of the other songs were so perfect that they have become classics (or played to death, depending on your POV), like "Comfortably Numb" or "Hey You." Also, like so many of Bob Ezrin's best work, he pulls amazingly theatrical performances, particular the vocals. Waters' tortured wail on "Don't Leave Me Now" can give you shivers.
   
   The theatricity is also the album's final undoing. On the original double LP, it was side four that could not hold "The Wall's" weight. The operatic "Waiting For The Worms/Stop/The Trial" climax flies so over-the-top that it becomes the weakest brick. It's also kind of telling that, in Pink Floyd - The Wall Movie, it's almost entirely animated. It's as if it was so unrealistic as to be incapable of being portrayed by actual humans. And as the protagonist rocker ("Pink," who seems to be a snide reminder of the "Which one's Pink" line on Wish You Were Here) slowly drifts into emotional fascism, the mental/musical bombast of this CD overshoots itself.
   
   Be that as it may, "The Wall" has few equals when it comes to the insistent self-loathing of self-centered rock and roll stars; perhaps The Downward Spiral comes closest. Perhaps the bleakest thing about "The Wall" is that Pink Floyd/Waters sees all this as a viscous cycle...the first words on the album are "we came in?" and the last ones are "Isn't this where..." Now if THAT isn't depressing, then what is?



4. This was one of the first CDs I ever spoke, and as a teenager its anger and bitterness really spoke to me. Now, looking back 15 years later, the music just doesn't resonate and some of it actually makes me cringe. That's not to say you shouldn't pick it up - lots of people genuinely love this album - but that you should know what you are getting into.
   
   In the case of The Wall, the tunes played on the radio are a fairly good representation of the album's best work. "Comfortably Numb", "Run Like Hell", "Hey You", "Run Like Hell" and "The Happiest Days/Another Brick #2" are all enjoyable, if (to many radio listeners) played so frequently that they offer few surprises at this point. There are a few gems hidden elsewhere - "Mother" may be the best song on the album, and "Nobody Home" is a very poignant Waters + piano + orchestra ballad. "Goodbye Blue Sky" and the acoustic guitar sequence on "Is There Anybody Out There" are worth mentioning as well.
   
   And then there are sides 2 and 4 of the original double album. The album's key weakness is an excessive focus on lyrics over the music, and the second half of each CD really showcase this problem. The sequences from "Empty Spaces" to "Goodbye Cruel World" and "Waiting for the Worms" to "Outside the Wall" are, at best, boring and occasionally unlistenable. There's a common argument from Waters critics that the songs cowritten with Gilmour are the best on the album, but that conveniently ignores the lame "Young Lust". And "The Trial" - yikes - awful, awful, awful, even worse than "The Dogs of War".
   
   The Wall remains enormously popular with many listeners - I think it is still Floyd's best seller after Dark Side of the Moon - and most people will enjoy it. But it is flawed, and for those who prefer Pink Floyd's "head music" through 1975, a likely disappointment.



5. By this time Pink Floyd were starting too reach the breakup and this was pretty much there last great album(The Final Cut was really just a Roger Waters solo album) Rick Wright was already out of the band at this time but they still mannaged too make a rock opera. The Wall is a story of about a rockstar named Pink the first disc shows his humble begginings but by track 9 he's grown into the Pink we know. By disc two he's pretty much gone insane and in the movie his sink is filled with blood and he cuts himself but the main song out of this album is, "Comftarbly Numb", about when he overdoses on drugs. All in all this album is timeless and is for every pink floyd fan alive new or old,
   buy today