5 comments about Hot Rocks 1964-1971.

1. This is some of the best rock and roll music ever made and it is all you need if you want to hear The Rolling Stones' greatest music.
   
   This is music made when they were a great band --and not filthy rich corporate shills that rock out for aging, middle class and yuppie baby boomer corporate drones; while sticking it to the people with absurdly high ticket prices, all for the glory of their lost youth and Budweiser or whoever the corporate god is to whom they pay tribute on that particular tour.



2. The Rolling Stones fall into a category similar to the Beatles and Beach Boys in that they have had so many hits and songs that they will never have a good greatest hits album because of the large number of songs they recorded. This includes most of the hits for the 1964-1971 hits of the Stones. If you are a huge Stones fan, you'll need another album in addition to this one to have complete "SATISFACTION" to have a more complete collection of the Stones hits. Every song on this album is a "Hot Rock" and the album is worth every penny especially for those who like only the Stones' songs from the 1960s and very early 70s.



3. When you talk about greatest hits albums by rock and roll stars, this is on the short list of the all-time best of such compilations. The Stones' "Hot Rocks" records some of their hottest rock hits. One could argue that other songs deserved to be on this album (e.g., "I'm Free" or "Not Fade Away" or one of the better tunes from "Their Satanic Majesties Request"). Nonetheless, this stands up extremely well.
   
   The 2 CD set begins with some of the oldest hits--"Time Is on My Side," "Heart of Stone," and "Play with Fire." Then, one of their greatest songs of all, "Satisfaction" (with the great guitar work of Keith Richards on this one). There follow several songs that have very different atmospherics--from the softer sounding "As Tears Go By," "Ruby Tuesday," "Let's Spend the Night Together," and "Wild Horses." There are also the more raucous rockers like "Get off of My Cloud," the marvelous "Jumping Jack Flash" (with one of the classic guitar riffs of all time), and "Street Fighting Man," the raunchy "Honky Tonk Women," and "Brown Sugar." Among the most exciting of such songs is "Midnight Rambler," a live version of their "tribute" to the "Boston Strangler," with lines that are quite evocative. Another of those strange raucous rockers: "Sympathy for the Devil." Here, they tell the story of misery over time, with the Devil at the heart of Jesus' death, the Czar's Death with the Bolshevik Revolution, World War II ("I rode a tank while the bodies stank") and the American political murders of the 1960s ("Well who killed the Kennedys?"). There are also those songs that tell stories that make one reflect a bit, such as "19th Nervous Breakdown," "Mother's Little Helper," "Paint It Black" (one of the bigger downers among hit songs in the 1960s), "You Can't always Get What You Want."
   
   All in all, a wonderful compilation of their greatest hits from 1964 through 1971. So much quality material was produced that there was enough left over for the follow up "More Hot Rocks." While there is much good and even great Stones' material since 1971, there is nothing like the density of quality work from those few years. But, one wonders, how could there be?
   
   If anyone is interested in understanding the roots of the Rolling Stones body of work, this is a must buy.



4. The Rolling Stones were the original Bad Boys of rock. The Beatles and other groups of the early and mid-60s had a clean-cut image that the Rolling Stones deliberately flaunted with their facial expressions, appearance, and blues-influenced music that lyrically was more challenging than most other popular contemporary groups. The closest contemporary group to the Rolling Stones was Aerosmith, before they too became more commercial. Now so many groups attempt to affect a bad boy image that the image has been watered down and no longer has much meaning. But in the 60s, the Rolling Stones were the definition of rebellion and thinly veiled sexuality.
   
   This collection of hits recalls the Rolling Stones at their most rebellious and cutting edge. In the still relatively proper (read Victorian-like) year of 1965 the song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" bordered on being scandalous. When the boys sang with their shirts open with movements that pushed beyond Elvis Presley's hips, you knew that these lads were something different. Later songs such as "Let's Spend the Night Together" pretty removed the pretense of veiled sexuality.
   
   As the Rolling Stones moved into the late 60s their music changed steadily, frequently anticipating the direction of popular music. The ubiquitous sitar of psychedelic 60s music makes an incredible appearance in "Paint It, Black." Their music became heavily blues influenced in songs like "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Wild Horse." The vocals on the last song particularly were heavy, plaintive and emotional, very different from the Stones' early music.
   
   There is an on-going debate over the value of this CD versus "40 Licks." I do not have "40 Licks," which is also a fine CD. Many of the songs on this CD are represented on "40 Licks." However, "40 Licks" seems to me to belie the original Stones bad boy image because of the inclusion of so many commercial songs from the later decades of their career. "Hot Rocks" still provides the illusion of the original Bad Boy Stones at their 60s anti-establishment, rebellious best. Understanding the flavor you get from each CD, pick the one that fits what you want to hear, or buy both.
   
   The Rolling Stones were heavily influential in the 60s. The music on this CD represents that influence, and shows The Rolling Stones during their most consistently creative and stylistically unique best. This CD is a valuable recording for any collector of Rolling Stones music or cutting edge music of the 60s.
   
   Note that there is also an SACD version of this CD available, though at a price that is usually different from the price of this CD. Choose the version that best fits your needs!
   
   Enjoy!



5. This greatest hits package got me very interested in the Stones in the mid 70s and marked a major transition in my musical tastes from pop to rock, back when I was about 13 and just starting high school. While I was long tacitly aware of them, when I was younger, I simply didn't get them. Once I became a teen, I did.
   
   Covering on the first disk the Stones major hits, we see their transition from an r&b influenced band to a pop hit maker in the midst of swinging London, to a kind of dark, rebellious force in music (or so the press would have the world believe), exploring some rather dark, adult oriented, and/or political themes which had not apparently been explored in combination to quite that extent. Let's Spend the Night Together is the perfect track to end disk one, as it nicely segues into the classic Stones sound of disk two. It is here in which their sound becomes much looser and much more sensuous and primal. Rarely has a band written as many classic rock and roll songs as Street Fighting Man, Jumpin Jack Flash, Sympathy For The Devil, Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, and Midnight Rambler. There would be more to come, but these songs, along with all the rest of disk two, are where the Rolling Stones secured their legend and their reputation as "the world's greatest rock and roll band." Who am I to argue with that assessment?

5 comments about Jericho.

1. Despite the absence of Robbie Robertson (who declined to take part) and Richard Manuel (who had already passed away), Jericho is a great return for The Band. It won't make anyone forget the glories of the first two albums, but it's as good as anything they've done since Cahoots. The first half of the album is solid, with the exception of Springsteen's Atlantic City, which did nothing for me; The Band has always traded on rural mythology, not urban, and it's a misfire here. The second half can't keep the pace, but it's still good. Only Amazon (River of Dreams) is a clunker, with its canned rain forest sound effects.
   
   The real standout here is Caves of Jericho, an epic track about a mining disaster and corporate greed. Richard Manuel's posthumous vocal appearance, on Country Boy, is deeply affecting - moreso than Rick Danko's touching but obvious tribute to his former Bandmate, Too Soon Gone.
   
   Still, considering the circumstances - only three original members, and without its primary songwriter - Jericho is nothing less than a resounding success.



2. I bought this CD shortly after its release but never lived with it long enough to form an opinion. Apparently I cheated myself out about 13 years of fine, fine music. I think of The Band as one of those magical ensembles in a class with the Beatles, with each carrying their own weight. So you might not even notice the missing choppiness of Robertson's guitar.



3. There is an overall mournful tone to the music on this disc, but its original appearance in 1993 was a cause for rejoicing among fans of the '60's-'70's group known as the Band. Three of the founding members of that quintet got back together with a shoestring budget and some younger personnel to produce this small miracle of an album. (A fourth founding member, Richard Manual, who had died in 1986, is also represented by an archival track of him singing "Country Boy," as well as by a song written as a memorial to him, "Too Soon Gone," beautifully sung here by Rick Danko.) The separate musical identities the now-middle-aged musicians had established are reflected in the eclectic choice of material, but the re-formed group performs as a cohesive and skillful unit. Highlights include a couple of bluesy rockers ("Remedy" and "Stuff You Gotta Watch"), covers of Dylan's "Blind Willie McTell" and Springsteen's "Atlantic City," the aforementioned "Too Soon Gone," and a catchy gospel number, "Shine a Light." "Amazon," a tale of environmental degradation featuring another fine vocal from Danko, would also make the highlight list but for the obtrusive jungle screeching sounds overdubbed onto the track -- but that is the only significant error of judgment reflected on the album. If you care more about good honest music than about styles and trends, you should definitely give this record a chance.



4. I'll make this short and sweet. This is one of the Bands better albums (or cd's) with or without Robbie. Very impressive.



5. I was a big fan of the original Band, especially their first 3 albums, which I bought when they were originally released. I also bought "Cahoots", but the album never really "hit" me, and though I liked several songs on later albums like "Moondog Matinee", "Northern Lights" and "Islands", I more or less forgot about them until Capitol began their reissue series of all their albums with extensive sleeve notes and great bonus-tracks.
   
   I knew they had reformed and recorded new albums in the 1990's, but with Richard Manuel gone Robbie Robertson gone, I had a feeling that these recordings would be disappointing and only pale reminders of what once was. How wrong you can be!!
   
   "Jericho" was their first re-union studio album, with original members Helm, Danko and Hudson together with guitarist Jim Weider, Drummer Ciarlante and Richard Bell on piano.
   
   "Remedy" sets the scene right from the beginning. Classic Band sound, with Helm vocally in good form and horns that bring up memories of old albums like "Rock of All Ages" of "Cahoots" - written by Weider and Colin Linden.
   
   "Blind Willie McTell" is a completely stunning recording - it has all the best qualities of classic Band. Great melodic tune (Dylan) and outsstanding changing lead vocals from Danko and Helm. Moreover I really enjoy the acoustic guitar and Hudson's harmonica. The song wouldn't have sounded out of place on "Northern Lights, Southern Cross".
   
   "Jericho" is an almost equally strong track - sounds like a Robertson song. Could have been a forgotten track from the "Brown" album sessions.
   
   The high standards are continued with the Band's version of Bruce Sprinsteen's "Atlantic City" - sung by Helm with harmony vocals from Danko.
   
   Stan Szelest who guest-appeared on "Atlantic City" wrote the tribute "Too Soon Gone" to the memory of the great Richard Manuel. Sad to think about that Stan himself was gone before the release of the album. Beautifully sung by Danko.
   
   The greatest tribute given to Manuel, though, is that the Band let him appear on the album himself. The inclusion of the 1985 recording with Manuel, "Country Boy", makes this album even more authentic. Great vocal performance from Manuel, as always.
   
   Somehow second half of the album loses a little steam. The straightforward "Move to Japan" has a nice rockabilly rhythm and nice vocals from Helm - but is not particularly memorable.
   
   "Amazon" is a slow slightly droning song with jungle sounds and more beautiful vocals from Danko - again reprising the atmosphere of "Northern Lights" - even the guitar sounds like Robbie Robertson.
   
   "Stuff You Gotta Watch" is Muddy Waters blues - played with a quite free and easy feel; but apart from Helm's vocals it doesn't really sound like the Band.
   
   Willie Dixon's "Same Thing" - is a nice track, but nothing more. Again sung by Helm.
   
   "Shine a Light" is a gospel-inspired song, with shifting lead vocals from Danko and Helm. Quite inspiring and bringing back memories of "Stage Fright", which isn't bad at all.
   
   "Blues Stay Away From Me" is a 6 minutes blues; I have a feeling that had this been in the old vinyl-album days with playing times around 40 minutes, this would have been the track that was left out.
   
   Because of the strong first half of the album I feel I must give it all five stars; and"Amazon" and "Shine a Light" are really good too!

5 comments about Against the Grain.

1. I was a Rory fan in my youth and have recently rediscovered his music. I had not heard this LP before but it is every bit as good as the others I have owned.



2. I first got this recording on vinyl, a day after seeing Rory in concert in 1976. From the start, I remember being amazed at the variety. Riff-based blues and acoustic folk, a little fusion jazz and just good old rock. Rory's voice is amazing, the lyrics (which I never put too much weight on) are really cool (for lack of a better term), and the band is tight and exciting. "At the Bottom" is my personal favorite, right next to "Souped-up Ford" which is as close to a typical Rory-type song as you can get.
   I delayed getting the CD because of the reviews that say it is inferior, but I found it used and took a chance, and I don't hear any problems with it. If by cleaning up the original recording some things stand out a little more, or some instrument is freed from the frequencies around it,
   then it is probably closer to the original intent than vinyl could do. Anyway, it's a great sounding CD, full of superior songs by one of the best guitarists that ever lived.



3. from the day i first heard rory open for deep purple on the boston common in the early seventies,i knew there was no one like him;incredible musician,master showman,and an extremely intelligent and articulate man who had an amazing knowledge of many types of music,not just the blues-as far as the reissue of this wonderful musician's catalogue is concerned,i would rate it right up there with that of the who as an absolute botch-lousy remixes,missing songs,original running order of songs changed,you name it-this mania for remixing/remastering the life out of wonderful music like this is beyond comprehension-if you want to hear rory's music on cd the way it was MEANT to be heard,seek out the now deleted issues on the capo/intercord label from germany;the original lp mixes in superb fidelity.....long live rory!



4. I clearly do not understand the negative reviews of this CD.I have owned the original vinyl of this and now the CD.The sound is just as good on the CD as it was the vinyl.This is one of Rory's best ever releases.Souped Up Ford,I Take What I Want and All Around Man really showcase his great guitar skills and vocal abilities.Do yourself a favor and pick this CD up,you won't regret it.



5. -
   I'm not sure what the last reviewer from Chicago is listening to, but this CD re-release of "Against The Grain" by Buddah sounds like a different album!
   
   I too have owned the old Crysalis LP as well as the Castle CD and this version sounds like a demo tape. It almost sounds like alternate takes were used, or that the EQ was changed drastically, as another previous reviewer has stated. I know because I owned the vinyl back in the 80s and this does not sound like the same album I used to listen to, so I'd hardly call the differences, "slight".
   
   I'm glad a few others here know what I'm talking about because I was totally shocked when I heard this CD for the first time. Unlike the rest of the remasters in this series (Blueprint, Deuce, Tattoo etc...), Buddah really did a mess with this one. Take my word for it.
   
   If you truly want to hear this the way it was intended, find an old vinyl copy of it. Or see if you can get a used CD copy of the Castle release and give this one a pass.
   
   There's no "fear" here. Great music like this, poorly presented, deserves a one star.

5 comments about From the Wood.

1. Pat Mcgee has a great "acoustic songwriter" sound. However, I was pretty disappointed with the sappy love song lyrics with no depth (which every song on this CD was a love song). I thought with such a soothing sound and so much talent on the guitar that the words would have a little more stregnth behind them. If you are a music fan that prefers sound over lyrics or are a "sucker" for sappy love songs, than I definately reccomend this CD. But if you are a fan that needs both aspects of the song, like I do, than I'm telling you to keep your money.



2. The Pat McGee Band has released an awesome CD that I never tire of listening to. Even though they aren't from Athens, Ga, every time I hear the song, Girl From Athens, I feel as though it is about me. The music has that feel of local flair to it that is quite common around the college town of Athens. I love this band and the entire CD. Each song varies from the other with enough of the same feel to make it that predictable comfort that comes with a favorite band. Why are they not more popular is my question. Check out this CD and pass it on to friends. That way you can tell them that you were the first to love them. This is a CD that you can roll down the windows to, turn the volume up on and not worry that about being embarressed at the stoplight when the light is red. Buy From The Wood today and be happy.



3. I started listening to this CD back in 1996 in college. It is simply the best Pat McGee CD's of the three. I remember my buddies and I would play the hell outta this CD. I figured Pat McGee would be a household name by now, but still continues to be a local favorite in the Northern Virginia area.

   The best song of all time is "Haven't Seen for Awhile", it brought tears to my eyes plenty of times since the song fitted my wife (girlfriend at the time) and our long distance relationship. The song was so instrumental that we played it as our theme song at our wedding in 1998.

   Gotta love Pat McGee music! Please support this bands music...you will not regret it!




4. Pat McGee Band is one of those bands you hear about from friends before hearing their music, and then go out and try to find them based on a recommendation; well here is mine to you. I have heard all their CDs and though this one isn't long at all I think every song is excellent, and I have only a few CDs I say that about, and mostly because they grew on me.

   This didn't really need to grow on me because the music doesn't take hard listening to enjoy, it just lets you love it. Nothing complex to decipher, nothing dark and mysterious, no varying themes really. Just put it on in your car or when you want to just listen to music and you will really like this great upbeat acoustic sound.




5. Pat McGee is an AWESOME musician! He was my swim coach and this is what he really wanted. I am so excited that he is making it and I knew he could do it! Get the CD and all of his others cause you will love it once you hear his CD once.

5 comments about Alive II.

1. KISS' first live album, "Alive!" was a fluke...nobody expected it to perform as it did, and that album basically started KISS on thier meteoric rise in fame amd world-reknown. "Alive!" was really just a live set of thier first three studio albums, all that they had released up to that point in thier career. KISS tried to duplicate that formula for "Alive II", and released a set of live performances of thier following three studio albums: "Destroyer", "Rock and Roll Over", and "Love Gun".
   Many things conspired to prevent this album from turning out as awesome as the first live album: This was the era when wireless guitars and amps were just becoming practical for concert use, and KISS was one of the early-adopters of the technology for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, this also imparted a rather trebly, tinny sound to the recording which dramatically reduced the bombast and thrust of the music. Compounding this was the venue where it was recorded: The LA Ampi-theatre, a large outdoor complex, which made the acoustics something less than favorable for a professional recording.
   For the first live album, many of the studio songs were lengthened with longer intros, longer guitar solos, and in the case of a couple of tunes, an additional, second guitar solo. This enabled the meager amount of songs to nicelty fill up 4 album sides of the first release, a double album.
   For "Alive II", the songs were played with no 'extras', so they were all realatively short. Even the 'long' drum solo in "God of Thunder" was miniscule as compared to the drum solo on "Alive!" Consequently, there was not enough material to fill up four sides of a double album by using tunes only from the last three studio releases. KISS even went so far as the record three songs 'live' that they did not actually play during that 3-night concert: "King of the Nightime World","Hard Luck Woman" and "Tomorrow and Tonight" were all recorded 'live' during the day-time soundcheck before that night's actual concert, and the crowd noise was edited into the tracks for the album.
   The fourth 'studio' side was a harbinger of things to come. Not one of the studio songs on the album contained all the members of KISS playing on the same track. These were more like preliminary efforts made for thier up-coming individual solo albums.
   Whereas the first live album, "Alive!", definitely improves on nearly every studio version of the songs they played, "Alive II" almost universally presented inferior versions of every song. The fact that KISS' production values made a vast improvement in studio recordings from thier first three studio albums to thier second set of three studio albums has a lot to do with that.
   Nevertheless, "Alive II" is not the phnomenon that "Alive!" was (and still is!)
   To make it clear, "Alive II' is a good album when compared to most other typical albums of the era (especially the average 'live' album), but "Alive II" has the unfortunate disadvantage of always being directly compared to "Alive!"...a comparison that very few albums could ever hope to end up favorably.



2. If you're a Kiss fan, Alive II is essential. If you're not a big Kiss fan, start with Alive!(one) before II if you're looking for their best stuff. To any member of the Kiss Army, Alive II is a classic. But what a difference from the raw, powerful rock of Alive! to Alive II's pomp and circimstance. Still a must have though - it's Kiss in 1978, still riding their peak. This album has been in steady heavy rotation for my listening from 1978 until today. With three sides live and the forth of studio efforts marking the beginning of the end for the original line up this album is not only great for the music but a huge chapter in Kisstory as well. Standout tracks: Detroit Rock City, Love Gun, Dr. Love, Shock Me, Larger Than Life, Rocket Ride.



3. While overall this is a good album it does have weaknesses. The sound is not very good on the live portion of the album. It needs some remixing. The studio efforts for the most part sounds stiff to me, with the exception of Rocker Ride And Anyway You Want it. I think the resoning is the lack of teamwork especially since Ace only played on one studio song. Still a good album that deserves recognition.



4. Although it is great that classic Kiss albums like this are available on CD now, there is a little of the original magic missing. Kiss Alive II is a perfect example of this. The CD does feature several studio tracks; however, the Live portion of Kiss Alive II is what makes this great. If you want the best, you got the best, the hottest band in the world.... Kiss. The Shock Me offereing on this CD is one of the gems for those of us that favored Ace. He was always my favorite, but each member has at least one standout moment on this CD. A must have for Kiss fans. I wore this album out as a pre-eenager, and as a teenager, and a little as an adult.



5. The problem with this record and all other live records after it, is that it will forever be compared to 1975's perfect "Alive!" If one looks at this record for what it is...it is very very good. It sounds phenomenal - more agressive and hard rocking than ever. I think the studio side of new material was cool, but I wish that stuff could have been turned into a KISS album for 1978. But I know that couldn't have happened because at this point they were starting to want to kill each other. I would have loved to see "Hooligan" "Take Me" "Do you Love Me" included here. But...die hards are always going to want more in the set list. Taken for what it is...Alive II is a real live masterpiece and really kicks serious butt. The highlights are "King of the Night Time World" "Shock Me" - which includes the greatest live solo ever from Ace, and the most demonic, high speed version of "God of Thunder". The studio cuts are all great especially Ace's "Rocket Ride" and Gene's "Larger Than Life". But I like "All American Man" as well. More songs they should have been playing live!!

5 comments about On the Third Day.

1. ON THE THIRD DAY is a thrill ride, a gutsy swing for the fences that connects on many levels. On this, ELO's third album, the vision that Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne originally had for the fusion of classical strings/arrangements with rock and roll begans to really take shape. The groundwork for the band's masterpiece follow-up album, ELDORADO, is well-laid here, as strings and electronics blend smoothly, rather than being in conflict. Richard Tandy, the band's outstanding keyboardist, really comes into his own here. Mik Kaminski's violin work is also stellar. Jeff Lynne's vocals are in fine form, particularly on the Marvin Gaye-influenced hit song, "Showdown." And how about the incredible guitar solo Jeff plays on that cut! Spiritual themes crop up throughout the album, particularly on "King of the Universe," "New World Rising" (a forerunner of "Mr. Blue Sky"), and the intense and visionary "Dreaming of 4000." A jaw-rattling rocker, "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle," has become an all-time ELO concert favorite. If you ever wondered if strings could rock, check this one out. (Marc Bolan of T.Rex plays uncredited guitar here alongside of his buddy Jeff Lynne.) And, two of ELO's best instrumentals are also here: "Daybreaker," a lively, superb synth-rock hit (#87 in BILLBOARD), and the epic "In the Hall of the Mountain King." The first time I heard "In the Hall of the Mountain King," I flipped. I had never heard anything like it before...I don't know that I've ever heard anything like it since. For sheer drama, ON THE THIRD DAY ranks up there with anything ELO has ever produced. It's still a little uneven compared with some of their later work, but ELO was never more spirited than ON THE THIRD DAY. This CD holds up extremely well today, more than 30 years later.



2. ...Have absolutely nothing to do with this album.
   I'll let you guess from the title what number album this is (and from the review below mine). This would be a jump ahead for the ELO as they adopt the pop sound here, but then drop it for their next album, Eldorado before picking it up again (metaphorically- probably spelt wrong) for Face The Music.
   This does not men I don't like this album, in fact by rating suggests the oposite, as it is a a very good effort. Some call this a forgotten masterpiece, and that is half right, it is generally forgotten, but not a masterpiece. A masterpiece I can happily sit through all the way over and over, and all though I could with some tracks, others I fear I would end up becoming very irratated with.
   All the same, for you the buyer, if you're an ELO fan and are curious as to what this ones like, should not be dissapointed if you're into either early or latter ELO. If you want to try ELO this a fairly good example of what they are. Either way it's worth the asking price.
   I hope I've been of service... Toodle Pipskie (Is that how you spell it?)



3. I would have to aggree with the other reviewers who say that Lynne's vision of what the group would eventually become starts to peak through the cracks here with this album. I really do love the first 2 E.L.O. albums for different reasons but this album shows the most development of the first 3. You're absolutely deaf if you can't here the influence of the latter period Beatles here. I'm a sucker for those slow 4/4's with ascending melodies - LOL. The arrangements are dipped in equal parts Sgt. Pepper, White Album with a heaping helping of Abbey Road to much success. I love the way a lot of the tracks are segued together like a suite (ala the second side/half of Abbey Road). Also, this sounds best when listend to in its entireity as a complete work. Give it a try!



4. Just a great album... more raw than the following albums, all of which are also great... but this just has an energy and quirkiness that lends itself to me very well. Very Beatlesesque in parts, it was no wonder that John Lennon during this era (concerning the song Showdown specifically) called ELO "Son of Beatles" or something like that... not sure if that quite applies to their later albums as much (lets not forget that they are great, but ELO had definitely developed its own unique flavour by then, comparisons to the Beatles are strained at best). As is said in the title, my favourite ELO album... for now anyways!



5. With their third album, 1973's "On The Third Day," the Electric Light Orchestra continued to evolve into a terrific symphonic rock group. Although their first two albums certainly have their share of gems, "On The Third Day" is, in my opinion, the band's first truly good album, with Jeff Lynne & company finally hitting their stride. Wonderful ELO tunes on this one: the classic hits "Showdown" and "Ma Ma Ma Belle," as well as other fine prog-poppers like "Ocean Breakup/King Of The Universe," the instrumental "Daybreaker," the excellent "Dreaming Of 4000," and an awesome re-working of the classical favorite, "The Hall Of The Mountain King." Great melodies, production, performances, and strong lead vocals by Lynne combine into a masterful ELO disc. With "On The Third Day," the Electric Light Orchestra were finally on their way, and their music would only get better. A highly-recommended ELO album.

5 comments about The Very Best of Bob Dylan.

1. This is a very well done "greatest hits" selection. If you want Dylan's best work from the origins to 2000, this fills the bill nicely. On the other hand, there are no interesting if offbeat choices; there aren't some of those intriguing live cuts (which can sometimes be interesting). This is about as safe a set of songs as one could imagine (and that is somewhat disappointing). Nonetheless, that said, what a set of hits is represented here!
   
   From the early years, we have classics such as "Blowin' in the Wind," "The Times They Are a Changin'", and "It Ain't Me Babe." Might have been nice to have had something from his interesting introductory album.
   
   The transitional years--as he changed his style and musicianship. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." Then, the early classic electric Dylan: "Like a Rolling Stone," "Rainy Day Women # 12 and 35."
   
   Softer sounds from after "Blonde on Blonde"--"I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," "Lay Lady Lay," and "If not for You." On to "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," "Forever Young," "Tangled up in Blue," and "Hurricane."
   
   Then, the religious works, such as "Gotta Serve Somebody." Then, on to "Jokerman," "Things Have Changed," and so on.
   
   All in all, then, a nice compilation of hits. But it would have been nice if a bit more imagination had been used in selecting cuts, to include some interesting items beyond the most obvious tunes. . . .



2. I bought this for my husband who loves it. He has a lot of Dylan CDs but this one has all of the classic Dylan songs that made the singer great.



3. Throughout the years the suits at Columbia, then Sony have tried to make more money of Mr. D by mixing and matching his material, not just in a Greatest Hits compilation, but as a "Best of Import" from Japan, Holland, Sweden, or some other far away place. They tout them as better, different, remastered, a gold version and lots of times they'll build these compilations around a song that hadn't appeared on any other album.

   The current favorite is the wonderful song, "Things have changed," which shows up on five different sets available today.

   "The Best of series Vol. 1 and Vol. 2" Imports are the only one of the 5 sets that you can get separately and, since they couldn't put "Things Have Changed on both CDs, they put "Shelter From The Storm," from the Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding move "Jerry Maguire" on the first disc. If you were to buy both discs in this set you'd be out over fifty bucks. Of course, there isn't a bad song on the discs, but if you're like me, you already own most of them.

   "The Very Best of Vol. 1 & 2" Swedish version has 33 songs on it, all available elsewhere except, of course "Things Have Changed." The songs are about the same as on the other compilations and this one will set you back thirty-three dollars.

   "The Ultimate Collection," is of course not the ultimate collection, but it is a collection of 33 songs, very similar in scope to the songs in the other collection and built around, "Things Have Changed." This version will shrink you wallet by thirty-nine dollars.

   "The Essential Bob Dylan" double CD set has 30 songs on it and has a nice flow to it. Like the other compilations mentioned here it features "Things Have Changed." You'll have to fork over twenty-one dollars to get this one. It's the most reasonably priced of the bunch, and so it's the only one I'm giving five stars to.

   "The Essential Bob Dylan" Import has six more songs on it and it'll cost you 16 more dollars. That's a lot of money to pay to get those extra six songs.

   Okay after rounding them up and telling you a little about them, I have to say that I'm pretty disappointed in Sony about this group. Unlike "Greatest Hits, Vol. 2" which like these isn't really a Greatest Hits compilation, these CDs cost a whole gang of money and give us only one new song. "GH 2" gave us a half dozen new tunes, so we (not me, cuz I wasn't born yet) didn't feel ripped off when we bought it. Also, the "Biograph" compilation was stuffed with new songs. Ah well, my recommendation would be to buy the American version of "The Essential Bob Dylan" for twenty-one dollars and shine the rest of them on. Five stars for that one, four for the rest.

   Reviewed by Stephanie Sane




4. This is an excellent buy for new Dylan fans or people like me who are trying to replace their old vinyl collections with CD's. It has all of the tunes from Greatest Hits #1 and the most popular songs from 2 and 3. Of course, you can always quibble about some of the selections, but overall the songs are well chosen. Another nice feature, at least to my way of thinking, is that the tracks are arranged chronologically.



5. Another import that sets the standard for Dylan's incredible music legacy. A must for anyone who is serious about Dylan or cares about American music that will stand the test of time.

5 comments about The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975).

1. The cd was here quickly and was in excellent condition. I was very happy with the product and would purchase again from this seller.



2. I loved this CD. Brought back some fantastic memories. The songs still sound great.



3. 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.



4. The Eagles are one of my favorite 70s bands. Their music is a combination of country and rock. This cd is a collection of their hits from the 70s.



5. 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.

1 comments about Best Of The Gold: Fleetwood Mac.

1. This in terms of track selections is the best Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac compilation that's out there. This version though is virtually identical to the version of the same name that's out there except that it's a gold disc and costs a lot more.
   
   The sound quality is good but really should be remastered for a better sound. There are other single disc compilations like this out there but for some inexcusable reason, they don't have both "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues" and "Albatross" together on one disc; the former is a blues instrumental classic that should be on any/all compilations like it is here.
   
   If you absolutely must have this now, I'd recommend getting the cheaper identical non-gold version (really not worth the extra bucks) or you may decide like I have to wait for a better remastered version to come out in a mini-lp style packaging. Our friends in Japan seem to be very adept at doing just that and they have already started with a few of Fleetwood Mac's early albums.
   
   Let's hope they get around to remastering and repackaging not just this album but also "Rumours" and "Mirage." I wait with bated breath!

5 comments about Dynasty.

1. So, for a KISS studio album, this is good. It pretty well captures the KISS sound. Not as well as the live albums by any means, but probably better than any of their other albums I own. I don't own all their studio stuff, so some may disagree with me. But this is a good album. Rock out.



2. First off this album is a disco rock album and isnt like other Kiss albums from the 70s. Second tensions in the band were at an all time high and peter criss didnt even play on this album instead they got anton fig too do that. he would leave in 1980. this album isnt like other kiss albums its more disco but i still think its a good album because some of the songs on here are pretty good but its just not like the old kiss.
   
   1. i was made for loving you 5/5 stars
   2. 2,000 man 5/5 stars
   3. sure know something 3/5 stars
   4. dirty livin 4/5 stars
   5. charisma 4/5 stars
   6. magic touch 5/5 stars
   7. hard times 2/5 stars
   8. x ray eyes 4/5 stars
   9.save your love 2/5 stars



3. Coming off the heels of their solo album project, Kiss returns with an album alittle different in sound than what KISS fans were expecting. The music is more polished and the songs written were more aimed for the top 40 sound. I do like DYANSTY as well as their follow up UNMASKED, but the average Kiss fan may not enjoy this as much if they are looking for an out and out rocker. KISS were back, but the strains of the problems inside the band were showing in their musical direction.
   
   I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN' YOU, MAGIC TOUCH AND SURE KNOW SOMETHING are the stand out tracks in my opinion.



4. I give this CD 3 stars for effort. It's not bad... Everyone always lumps this record in with their worst, but it's not as bad as some say. Yes, "I Was Made For Loving You" is cheesy disco pop, but there are some solid songs on here like "Sure Know Something" and "Charisma". Ace once again saves the day (at least for me) because he's got "2000 Man" and "Hard Times" on here, two of my faves. This CD isn't raw rock n' roll like their early stuff, but it's a good Contemporary (for 1979) Pop Rock Record, the drums are tight and if you're a big KISS fan, you'll dig it.



5. With the 1979 release of Dynasty KISS has become a shell of their former selves and is starting to reveal the effects of what a burst of success can exact on four guys who were willing to do anything to make it. Soliciting the help of Vini Poncia, it was obvious KISS wanted to sell records to mainstream America. The departure from the traditional sound, however, duly rendered this record the beginning of the end. KISS was doomed from the concept of the solo records and Dynasty underscored this fact.
   
   From Stanley's dance-inspired and ill-conceived "I was Made For Lovin' You" to Simmons awful "X-Ray Eyes", this record was an embarrassment to those of us waiting for another raw studio effort. Poncia's influence was not understated and Simmons and Stanley phoned this one in, perhaps they had tired of the grind and expectation. Frehley is the only bright spot, though his awkward vocal takes some getting use to. "Hard Times" is unmistakable KISS - not terribly well-written, but raunchy guitars, intresting drums and a solid solo performance help.
   
   As a drummer who started out by mimicking everything Peter Criss did, it's obvious Pete did not play a whole lot on this record - or, for that matter, the studio offerings on the ALIVE II record. Pete was having a bit of trouble staying sober, as was Ace - the band was in turmoil and Dynasty was the residual effect of four guys who were not happy with each other.
   
   KISS would not again capture the magic in the studio and the tour that followed Dynasty suffered - many empty seats proved that the gents had overstayed their welcome. I was the ripe old age of fifteen when this record was released and it was becoming increasingly difficult to counter KISS detractors (KISS SUCKS!) - my hope was that the follow-up to Dynasty would prove that KISS had hit a bump in the road - they would once again rise and deliver. Imagine my disappointment.....
   
   Peace