5 comments about Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO).

1. Classic rock and roll at it's all time greatest. Including songs that many would say are the best ever recorded,including my self.
   
   A timeless masterpiece that I will enjoy until I die.



2. Beware that the MP3 album for sale here is NOT the remastered version, even though it's linked to the remastered CD version on the amazon site. I discovered this after purchasing and listening to it. The audio is muddy and full of dropouts, and basically sounds like an old audio cassette. This is why it's only $8.



3. It took me forever, but I'm just finally learning to appreciate Zeppelin's most famous album right now. I won't say it's my favorite - I, II and III are just as good, and Houses of the Holy is better. But I now like it. In fact, I think I liked it all the while, but I refused to admit it. See, this marks the point where "Led Zeppelin the band" and "Led Zeppelin the cultural phenomenon" become the same thing. And while I'm definitely a fan of Led Zep the band, I'm kinda shaky on Led Zeppelin the cultural phenomenon. And, I mean, this is the BIG one. The pride and joy of fans, critics, and DJ's everywhere. That and it's got "Stairway to Heaven," a cultural phenomenon within a cultural phenomenon within a cultural phenomenon. Sort of a Russian nesting doll deal there.
   Methinks the problem I had with this for so long is because I listened to it expecting it to be the great masterpiece so many people say it is, and I never really heard it that way. But recently, I did the smart thing: I let my defenses down, and listened to the album for what it was. And I found that it was quite good.
   Let me be up-front about why I'm only giving this four stars. First off, I don't really like "Four Sticks." Parts of it are nice, and parts of it aren't. Secondly, there's the issue of Robert Plant. I've never been his biggest fan, but here he's too much for me, almost ruining a couple of his songs with his "vocal acrobatics." He nearly kills the stop-start, riff-filled "Black Dog" entirely for me with his moans, groans, and grunts behind the guitar solo. Yeah, so it fits with the song's lyrics. But it still sounds bad. And "Battle of Evermore," despite being genuinely gorgeous, also showcases Plant right up in the front. He makes his voice turn somersaults, backflips, and cartwheels, and it just annoys me. Every phrase he gets, he oversings somehow. And then he pulls that crap with an echo effect near the end. It really annoys me. 'Tis a shame they didn't just let ex-Fairport Convention member Sandy Denny sing lead on the whole track, because she's got a beautiful voice. Not only that, but she's also got an authentic English folk voice, and "Evermore" is an English folk song. With a fantastic mandolin part.
   Okay, now I can get to the really good parts. First off, I almost hate to admit it because I'm sick of everyone saying it's the best song ever (gimme a break, it isn't even Zeppelin's best!), but I really, really like "Stairway to Heaven." I won't dwell too much on it, because everyone is probably familiar with it at this point, but it's earned its reputation as one of the greatest guitar tracks in history, and it's definitely a great rock epic. The Hendrix maniac in me thinks "All Along the Watchtower" is the best, the Beatlemaniac in me puts "Hey Jude" in second, and the Who freak in me would rank "Won't Get Fooled Again" as third. But number four (or maybe number five or six, because I can never allow myself to forget "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or "Jungleland") is certainly nothing to sneeze at, especially considering how many genuinely wretched "rock epics" there are out there. Great song, even though I'd take "Over the Hills and Far Away," "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," and "Ramble On" over it in the Zeppelin catalog. That's just me, though. No "serious" person likes "Misty Mountain Hop," but I think it's fun. Yeah, the lyrics are dumb, but in the harmless, "'70s pothead who says words like 'dude' and 'cosmic' a lot, laughs at absolutely nothing, and eats ten bags of Cheetos a day" sense, not in the "offensively stupid or ignorant" sense. In other words, harmless, and kinda funny. Actually, all the lyrics in Led Zeppelin's entire history that aren't about sex are like that. Plus it's so bouncy! It's the only Zeppelin song you can dance to! How about that? It's a guilty pleasure for me, but I still enjoy it immensely. "Rock and Roll" does just what it promises, and it's my favorite of Zeppelin's short, punchy rockers. Bonzo's rhythm is unbeatable, and there's a multi-tracked guitar solo. Despite my seeming lack of manliness (yeah, I'm a guy), I do have some testosterone, and it really gets what little of it there is pounding. By the opposite token, "Going to California" is one of the prettiest, most quaint, folksy, and downright cute things in Zeppelin's catalog. Despite me not being much of a Robert Plant fan, I still love the way he sings, "La-la-la-la-la" after one of the verses. It's just so damn adorable! And I know that every Zeppelin fan who wasn't theoretically stabbing my hypothetical picture already is doing so now, but hey. Adorable is good. And you want a searing musical interpretation of a hurricane? Check out "When the Levee Breaks," a very successful mood piece and arguably the best song on the record. Bonzo's drums thunder - his intro is justly one of the most famous of all time - Page's guitars sting, burn, and all kinds of other stuff, and Plant's harmonica wails away. John Paul Jones doesn't do much, which is a shame, because he's my favorite member of the band. But hey, you can't have it all.
   If you were to cut out "Four Sticks," and give Robert Plant a bit less time at the mike, this would be a better album. But it's fine the way it is. I still refuse to admit it or anything else Zeppelin ever made is a masterpiece. If that's the way you roll, more power to you. But it's not the way I roll. So no power for me. Oh well. Still, this is probably my second, third, fourth, fifth, or whatever Zeppelin album. It's tough to decide between those first four. They're all very worthy four-star records, and I actually think they're of the exact same quality, more or less. Whatever. Zep's first five all are great.



4. This album ROCKS, with a capital R. John Bonham's drumming is the best. Every song on here is awesome, especially Rock and Roll, and Stairway To Heaven. Another Great song is When The Levee Breaks. It is no wonder that so many rock fans, and magazines consider it to be one of the greatest rock albums ever made.



5. By the far the best Led Zeppelin album you can buy and one of the greatest rock albums you can buy. This is Led Zeppelins best period of time and when they sounded the best and were the best. All eight songs on here are great and this album should be bought by any fan of rock music.
   
   1. Black Dog, a nice start too this album and has good blues singing(Robert Plant), and plus the beat on here is very cool and that guitar sound is very nice. Great song 5/5 stars
   
   2. Rock N Roll, this song has one of the coolest drum intros of all time and its riff and beat cant be sold. A classic song that so many people today still download. Nothing else too say except its a great song and if you havent heard it than download it now. 5/5 stars
   
   3. The Battle Of Evermore, pretty good song but its too soft and gets a little boring 4/5 stars
   
   4. Stairway Too Heaven, great song and great guitar on this song. I love this song great zeppelin song 5/5 stars
   
   5. Misty Mountain Hop, now this is where things start getting heavier. This Led Zeppelin back too the beggining. A nice cool rock beat and a cool drum beat also great song, 5/5 stars
   
   6. Four Sticks, another good song and has a cool drum intro to this and has a nice riff. great all around song,
   5/5 stars
   
   7. Going Too California, a great song also not much more too say, 5/5 stars
   
   8. When The Levee Breaks, a nice way too end this album and has a cool heavy blues rock beat too it. Great song 5/5 stars
   
   buy this album now if you dont have it...

5 comments about Greatest Hits.

1. What's up with fans crying "sellout" over this album? If you're a longtime fan and have all these songs already relax - this disc wasn't meant for you. As if you don't have any 'best ofs' of other artists in your collection. Any artist with a catalog as extensive as Neil's should have a few compilations for newbies and casual listeners. At least there isn't a new track on this disc that isn't available elsewhere. Now THAT'S a cheap sellout gimmick.
   
   That said, this compilation could have picked up where "Decade" left off.



2. What can I say that I haven't already said in my other review of Neil Young DVD live show? He is a master singer and songwriter. I never get tired of any of his performances, which is why I buy his works whenever I can. There is something about Neil's music that brings out the best in feelings when listening to his music. You're just glad to be alive, especially when watching his live show DVD that I recently rated. By the way, I have already watched his live show more times than I can remember and love it every time. You are one of the best Neil and I thank you for sharing your talent with us all!



3. I was skeptical to buy this, because I'm an old fan, and I had most of the songs on older CD's. But from the very first cut "Down By The River", I could tell these songs jumped out with more presence than I ever heard them before. Actually, these most all are my Neil Young favorites and these are most of the songs you'd want to hear again and again anyway, so this is a very logical choice for the new or the old fan. All of them sound like they were just recorded this morning. Highly Recommended!



4. Welcome to this production. It is great! What I really like about this stuff, is the best of 2 worlds. Good music and good musicians. Today a lot of music is computerized. It does not match the way that Young and others play the quitar. You can listen to every tiltle and enjoy. It is worth it to purchase this cd, plus you get his best works all in one!1



5. Greatest Hits
   Excellent remastering of Neil Youngs music!!! I hear detail I have not heard before.

5 comments about Black Butterfly(Limited Fanclub Edition).

1. Like many people, I can't wait for Buckcherry's new albums and buy them immediately. Black Butterfly, however, sounds like a label pushed the guys to throw something out there quickly. Josh's vocals are almost swallowed up by instruments and his vocals are a huge part of what makes Buckcherry so loved. It's not a bad album and there are some good songs but mostly it just doesn't do it. Too Drunk is fun but it's kind of dumb compared to their other radio station releases. You'll like this album ok if you're a fan but it won't be a favourite. Hopefully the tour doesn't comprise songs from just this album.



2. The new Buckcherry album Black Butterfly is everything you could want in a good rock album. It has the hard and heavy songs like Rescue Me and Talk to Me, the ballads like All of Me and Don't Go Away and the token BC song to played in every bar across the world... TOO DRUNK...
   
   To ignore this album would be to ignore greatness. Although their previous platinum selling album 15 was their break through record not many people apreciate them and see them as Aerosmith and AC/DC posers. And they are no where close to them. They have their own original rock sound with a touch of the classics and mix it up with some country and blues. They are an amazing band on record and even better LIVE...



3. Buckcherry is a classically known for their Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll attitude at an extreme level, and this album has all of that and then some. With songs like Too Drunk, Stayin High (Demo), and Imminent Bail Out, this album is ready to party when you put it in. Not groundbreaking material at all, but they are doing what works for them, and have not compromised in any way, and the sound is still very pallitable.
   
   As for the fan club edition, excellent. The two bonus tracks of Stayin High and Nothing (both demo's) are nice addtions for a few dollars more, but the online access is really cool too. You also get to sign up for a t-shirt with the voucher and club sign-up, much like the Staind fan club edition. Worth the extra few dollars.



4. Had to get the Fan Club edition version of this album since Buckcherry is one of my top 5 fav bands of the last 10 years or so. This one contains two bonus songs, one of which ("Nothing") I would rate higher than at least 2 songs on the regular release "All Of Me", and "Don't Go Away", maybe even "Dreams" too? The other bonus track is "Stayin' High" which sounds a bit like Enuff Z'Nuff (and the topic sounds like something they would record now doesn't it?) It is a decent song also and I rate it higher than All Of Me and Don't Go Away also....what can I say, I am a big fan on Z'Nuff also!?
   
   The album has alot of promise to me, I after 3 or 4 listens put it ahead of "15" for sure. "A Child Called 'it'", "Rescue Me", and "Fallout" are my favs right now. "Rose" followed by another rocker "Imminent Bail Out" sound great back to back. "Imminent Bailout" is also up in the top tier group of favs...which may change on a daily basis now that I think about it. The song "All Of Me" doesn't belong here at all, and it to me their weakest track ever...I have yet to be able to listen to it all the way through (4 try's). "Rose" is a nice song, sorta a mid tempo ballad type thing or whatever that works, but the interruption of All Of Me is me reaching for the remote to skip it...time to get back to rocking!
   
   They do plenty of that on here, very good blues based hard rock with a dab of sleaze to be found abundant on any Buckcherry release, to be played loudly and enjoyed in all it's raucous splender.
   
   Love the guitar work on here, some nice fills, abbreviated but necessary solo's that add to the feel of each song also. The feel is good on this one, and they are to me expanding a bit and trying some somewhat new things, but at the same time not straying too far from the formula also in the process if that makes any sense? I would rate it above "15" for sure right now...I still like "Time Bomb" better...but maybe after a few more listens not by much.
   
   
   The "Best Buy Version" as it may be referred to in many circles includes a one year membership to the fanclub *explained on an insert in the packaging of the CD*
   
   With this you get:
   - 24/7 access to the members only fan club site
   - Chances to meet Buckcherry
   - Members Only Message Board (Like OMG!!111!!) j/k
   - Contest with drawings and prizes
   - And Much More (apparently)
   
   There's a coupon code on the insert that you type into a spot on the site to redeem/activate I guess.
   
   And of course you get the 2 bonus songs which are worth it for a few extra bucks.
   
   I guess depending how into this band you are, is what you decide on. Buckcherry doesn't disappoint in unreleased songs/material, if only they could better decide on a couple songs here and there to put on each CD (after Time Bomb), but I do give this one 5 stars for being 1. Generous with the 2 songs. 2. Fan Club stuff, inside info etc. gained (even if only for a year).
   
   
   Favs:
   1. A Child Called 'It'
   2. Rescue Me
   3. Fallout
   4. Rose
   5. Imminent Bail Out
   6. Too Drunk
   7. Tired Of You
   8. Cream
   9. Talk To Me
   10. Nothing (bonus track - demo )
   11. Dreams
   12. Stayin' High (bonus track - demo)
   13. Don't Go Away
   14. All Of Me



5. Just as we all knew it would be....Amazing. Nice to know Buckcherry is around still making real Rock N Roll. A def MUST buy!

5 comments about The Mamas & the Papas - Greatest Hits.

1. This album had all of the songs I was looking for and some that I never heard of before. Well worth the price anyway.



2. It took Amazon just one second to find the CD I wanted, prompted me for a list of the best prices, one click to order and it came when promised just a few days later.
   
   Throughout, I was e-mailed on the progress of the transaction and delivery.
   
   Can't beat it!
   
   Steve H.



3. I too wanted to hear the Sweet Harmony of The Momas and The Papas. The collection of songs aweome! Everyone of them a winner. Twist and Shout and Dancing in the street odd to my ears but but hey the rest of the Album brings back many memories. But alas I downloaded this Album as a MP3 and the playback is horrible all you hear is the lead vocal the harmonies are absent! The music plays faintly in the back ground and the lead vocal might as well be singing accaplla and all alone. I don't know what went wrong but Amazon is refunding my 5 bucks. I have downloaded music before on Amazon and this the first time I had a problem. And this one is a bummer. I looked forward to adding this to my Mp3 player. I will order the Album (CD) direct this time. ------All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray....:( 5 star album, 1 star download



4. if you like the sounds of this era and want the hear some classic folk music, this is great. wouldn't want to miss adding it to your collection.



5. What a bizarre afternoon. I was going along the foothills of my beloved Idaho, when my legs gave out on me. I fell down after what seemed like an eternity and landed yoga position into what seemed like a rabbit hole. I was a little dizzy, but I could see where I landed with the penetrating sunlight. Had I fallen into a prairie dog hole? There aren't any prairie dogs here, and the only ones I've ever seen are in Colorado. For that matter I've never seen rabbits here, either. So what gives? Amazingly, I got up and found myself no worse for wear. I felt a little foolish; for as I stood up and rubbed my knees, they were not even close to being broken. After a few wobbly steps, I went forward with my usual stride, and after a few feet I felt the pain melt away from my knees.
   
   Getting out of that hole wasn't easy, but seeing a set of tree roots, I took off my belt, threw it up until the buckle fastened to one of its sturdier lines, climbed up along the edge of the inner walls until I was high enough to reach another branch-like extension. Grabbing a hold of it, I climbed up until I could reach the rim at the top of the hole.
   
   To my surprise there was something completely different on the other side. As I pulled myself up, I was in a different neighborhood now. The streets were slanted by large, steep hills, and Victorian houses with bright rainbow colors flanked both sides of the street. I looked down, and it appeared without any evidence of metal, I had climbed out of a man hole while the nearest tree in sight was several yards away. At my near right was a girl sitting at what looked like a lemonade stand. She was wearing a Victorian-style dress, had long blonde hair, and wore a little lapel button that read "Alice" on it. On the front of her rustic, wobbly framed stand was a white sign with lettering that made me wince. With neon pink paint was written, "Electric Kool-Aide 10 Cents a Glass".
   
   "Would you like a glass?" she asked me. I hesitated. I was slacked for thirst, and realized I had left my water bottle back in the hole. "I could give you a free sample," she prodded, but I looked at a folded paper sign that she had on her stand where "Drink Me" was written in day-glo blue letters with an equally luminous smiley face drawn on it. Attached to the smile was painted a long, blue electrical chord that went to a mini picture of a wall outlet--same color. It was just below a large pitcher of that sugary red kiddie punch with half-melted ice cubes floating on top and sweat dripping along the outside of its volcanic shaped sides. In the front I noticed a familiar smiley face etched in its foundation. Except as I looked more closely, I noticed the smile wasn't a smile at all, but a grin turned terrible with eyebrows that gave the facial features a sinister appearance.
   
   `Where did you get that?' I asked in quiet horror. Seeing I was gazing at her pitcher, she replied, "My sister gave it to me. It's a joke. Don't you get it? It's like have a bad day. It's just supposed to be funny." I was partly relieved; for having thought I fell into a time warp, I now thought maybe the pitcher was taken from a Bon Jovi C.D. cover.
   
   `No thank you.' I said absently even as I swallowed with a dry throat. Just then I heard singing. Beautiful singing. Heavenly singing. I mean women and men making a siren's cry all around me. I was seduced by the sounds of harmonies that blended, but became more sonorous as it came near me. The sounds were coming from the left of where I first stood from the hole. Then at the top of the sidewalk to my left I saw two couples walking down the hill towards us. There was a tall guy with a furry, Russian hat and a pencil-thin moustache. Then there was a young woman next to him with thin, blonde hair wearing periwinkle in her long locks. Diagonally behind them was another couple. A man with an oval face and dark, Beatle-cut hair was just behind them with another woman beside him. I started to notice that I heard her voice most distinctively of the whole group. She was a large woman with long, dark hair. At first the sound came as a burst, but then it became more distinct. They were singing "California Dreamin,'" and I was indeed in San Francisco in what had to be 1966 or 1967. John, Cass, and Denny were alive and well, and Michelle was quite young and with them, singing along the way.
   
   I was enraptured as they came nearer to us. I felt a seductive wall-of-sound envelop me as I forgot my stiffness and my thirst. As they came toward us, they locked eyes with me, and I couldn't help but stare at them. They turned their eyes from me and looked at Alice, and, undoubtedly John, smiled at her and asked her for a glass to drink. He eyed me a little more warily, for it isn't polite to stare; I know this.
   
   With my mouth slightly agape, I blurted out, 'Do "Twelve-thirty"! Do "Twelve-thirty"!' "Do you mind?" John reproached me gently. "We need this stuff right now." 'Oh, sure,' I said feeling a little idiotic.
   
   "What's 'Twelve-thirty?'" It was Mama Cass who turned and asked me this. "I mean who's it by? Who sings that one?" I stumbled a little, feeling the hairs on my neck stand up as I realized that song hadn't been invented yet. `I don't know,' I blurted out stupidly. `I was hoping you might know it...It's my favorite song.'
   
   "Sing a few bars for us," said Denny. Between my nervous infatuation with the band and my dry throat, I croaked out the words in a nearly tuneless monotone.
   
   "Interesting concepts there," said John.
   "I think it needs a little work," offered Michelle in an off-hand way.
   
   "It's really your own song, isn't it?" asked John. I tried to speak, but John put his hand up to silence me. "It's all right," he said with a disconcerting smile. "We get that all the time." After a brief pause he added, "It's not bad; it just needs an extra verse or two." By then I admit I felt a little dizzy.
   
   "Will you be joining us?" Cass asked me lifting up a glass like she was giving a toast.
   
   `No, thank you,' to which when they looked at me curiously, `I'm a diabetic,' I lied to save face.
   
   As they slacked their thirst, they started to walk down the sidewalk. People were starting to do the same on both sides of the street as interest was picking up about their new visitors, who, if memory served me correctly, resided somewhere around L.A.
   
   I couldn't hear what they were saying as they left, but as they were talking, I heard Cass start to hum a lingering melody. After a few bars, I recognized it. It was "Dream a Little Dream of Me." As they walked, I noticed John started to wince at the sight of the nearby houses. It looked like they made his eyes hurt.
   
   I knew out of necessity I had to go back to the hole. Still, the timelessness of their music rushed back to me: "Monday, Monday," "I Saw Her Again," "Go Where You Want to Go," the ethereal "Look Through My Window," the idiosyncratic "Dancing Bear," and the funny, self-effacing, "Creeque Alley". Ah, I was so refreshed; maybe I didn't need a drink, after all, as a cool breeze came from the Bay to hit my sweaty face.
   
   Just before I left I saw another familiar face up the street. A little boy, looking no older than seven, had a round head with red hair and plastic, black rimmed glasses. "Come here, Mister; my lemonade doesn't have sugar. It has saccharine instead," he said confidently. I felt my thirst return, so I went across the street and a bit to the left to his lemonade stand. He had a similar set-up, but he had a yellowish-green figure on his banner that looked like Buddah and a caption that read in neon-green letters, "It's Bad Karma to Steal Lemonade."
   
   'What's it got in it?' I asked apprehensively.
   
   "Only the freshest lemons, water, and, of course, no sugar." He looked at me eagerly as he pushed up his glasses, and then added proudly, "I have a corner on the market for people who are on a diet."
   
   I paid just a nickel, which I fortunately had because I seldom carry cash, and I looked at the boy who had a huckster smile if there ever was one.
   
   "Would you like to buy my special of ten glasses for forty cents?" he asked smugly. I grimaced, and being a little tired of the displacement chided, 'You sure are a precocious little boy, aren't you?' The boy looked a little dour and a little hurt. After a little pause, he smiled again and said, "When I grow up I'm going to be a writer." After that offhand announcement, a lizard came out of nowhere and walked across the top of his lemonade stand. I was so startled, I nearly spilled my glass of lemonade. "I want to write because of people like you," he added without a trace of petulance. "I'm going to try to make this world a better place." I immediately regretted my calloused remark, and said amiably, 'Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.'
   
   After I drained the liquid down my parched throat, I felt friendly again. `Where did you get the gila monster?' I asked.
   
   "Oh, it's no gila monster. That there is my pet dragon." I smiled at him warmly, pleased that he seemed to at least have the imagination of someone his age. 'What's his name,' I asked, 'Puff?' and started to laugh. He looked down and a little perturbed like I had asked something he didn't understand. "He doesn't have a name--not yet."
   
   He readjusted his glasses, then asked, "What's your name, mister?"
   
   'You can call me J.P.' I said amiably.
   
   "Nice to meet you, Mister J.P. My name's Eddie."
   
   `Eddie?' I said stupidly.
   
   "Eddie--or you can call me `Metamorpho`, that`s my nickname."
   
   And just then, I was transfixed by the eyes of the dragon. For indeed that's just what the little lizard was. As his eyes glowed with a hot, red glare, I was hypnotized into a trance. After some spinning that made me feel more dizzy, I felt myself float...rise above the ground, and found myself suspended in the air. I found myself traveling, and instead of ending up on the warm, sunny footpath of the outdoor trail, I was transplanted to my computer monitor, where I just had to write down and tell you this incredible tale...

5 comments about Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix.

1. We loved this Jimmy Hendrix CD. We found some 8mm video tapes that my husband took while he was in Vietnam in the 70's. We sent the tapes off to have them put on a DVD and had them put the Jimmy Hendix cd as the background music. It turned out great !!! Brought back a lot of good and bad memories !!!! CD was worth every penny we paid for it !!!



2. As a diehard Hendrix fan... like who isn't, I have to confess I felt that some of Jimi's best songs are conspicuously missing from this album. For example, I can live without "Dolly Dagger" but not without "Spanish Castle Magic"! I wish they had consulted me first when picking songs... but, oh well, heavy sigh, they did not. Still, even with its organizational faults, Jimi still rocks.
   
   This is a classic CD; I carry it in my car at all times. I know I am in the universal flow when I turn on the radio and find myself catching the next Jimi song on the radio waves. (It's called hanging ten on the Tao.)
   
   There are some things you simply cannot get enough of, and Jimi Hendrix is one of them. If you are not going to sit down and burn your own customized CD with your favorite Mr. Jimi songs, then get this album. It is the next best thing.



3. I wanted some Hendrix and this CD was it. Took me back to the days when he was monster. Amazon delivered quick in perfect condition.



4. I'm a new fan of Jimmy Hendrix, so I wanted to find the one CD collection that contained his most famous hits. This CD is definitely the one to go with if you want the best bang for your buck.



5. Words don't do his music justice this is the one that I simply could not live without. It's incredible.

5 comments about ZZ Top - Greatest Hits.

1. ZZ Top you hate em or you love em. I dont hate these guys but i just honestly dont like really any of the songs on this album except three, Sharp Dressed Man, LA Garange, and Tush. Every other song on here i really hate ecsepcially, "Planet Of Woman", or "Legs". ZZ Top all they do is sing about hot women and getting some. Thats there whole basis for there band thats it every song thats what they sing about. Arrggg whats next Journey, "Be Good To Yourself", come on people pick up Dark Side Of The Moon instead of this shameless music



2. My family and I are going to see ZZ Top soon. I wanted my daughter to here their music as she is not familar with them, so this CD was perfect for her to listen to ( her dad and I too )Thanks fot the quick shipping!



3. ZZ Top is the eclectic Texas blues/boogie and hard rock band that features the two front men (Billy Gibbons on guitar, Dusty Hill on bass) with trademark dark sunglasses and very long full beards. Drummer Frank Beard has no beard. All three are original members from the band's inception as a cosmic cowboy blues/hard rock trio in 1969. Billy Gibbons is widely respected as one of the best electric blues/rock guitarists in the business.
   
   ZZ Top - Greatest Hits (1992) mostly covers the Texas trio's 1980s techno-boogie working-class chic MTV years, but that doesn't mean that this collection isn't worthy. On the contrary, this is great stuff that any true ZZ Top fan would like. Sure, they use drum machines and electronics on a lot of these songs, but Billy Gibbons' loud and bluesy guitar and humorously sly vocals are still front and center, and everything here is unmistakably ZZ Top.
   
   The collection does briefly touch on the band's early years. La Grange, Tush, Cheap Sunglasses, and I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide are all from the band's Tex-Mex blues and boogie years in the seventies, but unfortunately the classic Waiting For The Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago wasn't included, and that is why I docked this collection 1/2 star. That's an unforgivable oversight, but it doesn't suck all the joy from this set. There is still a lot of good ZZ Top music here. Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, My Head's In Mississippi, Rough Boy, Tube Snake Boogie and much more. They even threw in a couple of new songs, Gun Love and their version of Elvis' Viva Las Vegas.
   
   ZZ Top - Greatest Hits includes eighteen songs, and if you're in the mood for hearing ZZ Top music from their highly successful MTV years, this covers the era as well as it really needs to. I'm a fan of the band's early years (Tres Hombres is my favorite ZZ Top album), but I like this era as well. So while I mostly listen to the early stuff, every now and then I'll break out ZZ Top - Greatest Hits and recall all of those cool ZZ Top videos that were on MTV in those days and rock out Tejas style.



4. There is no one else like them. An absolute must have for fans of the unique style of none other than ZZ Top!



5. Listen to it everyday. It gets my work done faster & I'm rockin the whole time. Love these guys

5 comments about Please Please Me.

1. Their first time out with the rawness and powerfully,explosive sound unmatched by any other artist,with the exception of Elvis,Please Please Me,consist of hard rockers and ballads showcasing each member of the band,McCartney's,I Saw Her Standing There,and,A Taste Of honey,Lennon's,Twist And Shout,and,Anna,Harrison's,Do You Want To Know A Secret,and Chains,Ringo takes the cue and wails on the potent rocker,Boys,featuring one of the better Harrison leads and of course there's,Please Please Me,the Beatles were probably not the best musicians in the world,gradually improving through the years,but there was a certain chemistry within themselves that combined a unit of one,with their tight harmonies and the brilliant songwriting,8 of 14 tracks are Lennon/McCartney compositions on here,the rest being covers,of course after this album they went a long way baby,a long and winding road,a great Beatles achievement,and an early glimsp of the geniuses at work.



2. This old stuff is fun to hear, you can hear them grow from one Lp or Cd to the other very raw.



3. I love the Beatles. They can do no harm. No matter what phase of music they were in, they did it well. This is classic, bee bop, love song Beatles and I love every song.



4. After doing gigs in Hamburg for a while The Beatles finally decided to record their first album titled Please Please Me. The group presents a collection of raw 50's style rockers as well some of the sweetest, harmonious pop songs ever put on record. Given, this is not a cohesive LP or semi-concept album such as Sgt Pepper or Abbey Road. Like nearly all LPs of the time, it is a collection of singles as well as "filler" tracks. Also, alot of the material consists of covers rather than original songs.
   
   This is The Beatles early in their career. Long before they cared about making grandiose artistic statements, the fab four simply wanted to make fun Rock-n-Roll numbers. And that they did, with the shout 1.2.3.4 and the driving rhythms of, "I Saw Her Standing There" they rocked harder than few groups did at the time. Aside from rock-n-roll, The Beatles knew how to make soft lush pop on such tracks as, "Ask Me Why", and the girl group covers of, "Chains", and, "Baby It's You". Indeed the Beatles took cues from all of their influences including Chuck Berry, Goffin and King, 60's girl groups, and even R&B artists.
   
   The group had been perfroming as a skiffle group prior to this recording. Like all other skiffle groups, they simply wanted to follow in their heroes (50's rockers) footsteps and make good raw, rock-n-roll. The Beatles were one of the few such groups to make it big. Probably because they had the most talent. Though the songwriting on this album is definitley not as amazing as it would shortly become, the group shows some innovation on the pop rocker, "Please Please Me", and the shout fest, "Twist and Shout". "Love Me Do" shows up here: an early single featuring just drums, bass, acoustic guitar and, of course, John Lennon's harmonica.
   
   Though, in the long run, Please Please Me, may just be a prelude for better things to come, it's still a wonderful piece of rock-n-roll and pop. The Beatles never would never make anything that sounded as simple or striped down again.



5. There is really not much to say. Everyone knows the beatles and their music. There is very little that I would not like. There is always a song or two that don't particularily empress but for the most part it's a good album or should I say CD.

5 comments about Highway 61 Revisited.

1. Well here we are. One of the most renowned and praised pieces of popular music in history. Last time we saw Bob Dylan he was proving that he was more than a simple folk singer. This time around, he's proving that he should be held in the same regard as Michaelangelo and Socrates.
   
   The most famous drum crash and organ blast ever. "Like A Rolling Stone" is the song that needs no introduction. It's the song that is continually voted as the greatest and most important song of all time, even almost 45 years later. It changed what pop music could be, it changed what could be considered a "hit" song, and as everyone from the Beatles to Springsteen to Wilco will attest to- it proved that shooting for the moon could pay off. It's the song that starts this album here and sets the table for what will follow. "Tombstone Blues" is next- it's Bob's scathing oppinion on various topics of the time- war, crime, hypocricy, religion, etc- in a vain similar to "Maggie's Farm" from his "Bringing It All Back Home" album. "It Takes A Lot To Laugh..." and "From a Buick 6" are the next two tracks, and both seemingly deal with a woman in Dylan's life. While "Buick" seems to hold in high regards the woman who takes care of Dylan and keeps him grounded and in check, "It Takes..." appears to serve almost as a warning to her- Dylan wants to be a certain way, and much else should not be expected of him. "Ballad of A Thin Man", an attack on a magazine columnist whom Dylan felt had him misunderstood comes next, and is then followed by "Queen Jane Approximately", a song that appears to be laiden with disdain for a woman Dylan once knew and loved, who is now living a glamorized, fake existence. Lyrically, a great song in which Dylan asks her to come see him again once she's gotten her head out of the clouds and her feet back on the ground. The title track (as per Dylan, inspired by blues legend Robert Johnson) and the fantastic piano driven "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"- (featuring great lyrics about temptation and things not being as they appear) are the final 2 songs before the epic Dylan masterpiece "Desolation Row". Widely considered one of the most complex and difficult Dylan songs ever written, "Row" is a nightmarish narrative that essentially is Dylan's response to a letter he receives from someone. Full of metaphors and symbolism involving many of literature's most famous characters- the song goes to show once and for all, how talented a writer Dylan really is.
   
   Angry and mean, yet passionate and emotional. Dark, complex, disturbing and brilliant. "Highway 61 Revisited" is one of the best examples of why Dylan is held in such high regard. The only thing perhaps more amazing than the quality of these compositions, is the fact that the writer was only 25 when they were created.



2. This CD is a real classic. I would have given it 4 1/2 stars but the computer didn't seem to be able to give it that rating. Anyway, I love the CD and I can't believe it took me so many years to finally buy it. But it is a great CD and one everyone should have in their collection.



3. He's made too many great albums to count, but rarely has Bob Dylan ever managed to top the psychotic hillbilly proto-psychedelic rock `n' roll dreamscape masterpiece that is Highway 61 Revisited. There are plenty of reasons for that: For one thing, the record is soaked in raw energy and electrified excitement. As the first complete rock `n' roll album of Dylan's career, Highway 61 Revisited bristles with palpable enthusiasm, the sense of gleefully leaping into the void, of playing around with new sounds and textures, without any particular regard for the feelings or traditions or opinions of others.
   
   It's also a display of Dylan's genius at its absolute zenith. His songwriting is phenomenal, full of backwoods surrealism and backalley melodies. As a performer, he's rarely been as inspired as he is here: He's hilarious and angry and poetic and visceral. His vocals are full of emotion and detachment. He's cynical and big-hearted all at once. He's insane and cool and intellectual. He's giddy and lethargic and everything in between. The music's great, too. Lots of bluesy guitars and throbbing organs and undulating rhythms. It's garage rock, but with a higher purpose. It's sheer genius.



4. It seems hard to believe now both as to the performer as well as to what was being attempted that anyone would take umbrage at a performer using an electric guitar to tell a folk story (or any story for that matter). It is not necessary to go into all the details of what or what did not happen with Pete Seeger at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 to know that one should be glad, glad as hell, that Bob Dylan continued to listen to his own drummer and carry on a career based on electronic music.
   
   Others have, endlessly, gone on about Bob Dylan's role as the voice of his generation (and mine), his lyrics and what they do or do not mean and his place in the rock or folk pantheons, or both. I just want to mention a couple of points here. Any song that starts out like Desolation Row with the line- " They are selling post cards of the hanging, they're painting the passports brown" will automatically get my attention every time- and keep it through over 11 minute of stream of consciousness, word play and harmonica energy. If I had to pick my number one favorite Dylan song (and the one that I have listened to the most) this is the one. Start me off with the "When you are lost in the rain in Juarez " of Tom Thumbs Blues as an appetizer and I am all set for a while. How is that for back-to-back treats- harmonica thrown in gratis?
   
   Having mentioned my two favorites on this album I have hardly completed comment. I am not sure whether Bob Dylan was the voice of the generation of '68, or whether he wanted to be. However, few can deny that Like A Rolling Stone was one of the anthems of our generation- with or without direction home. Highway 61 Revisited, the title track, has over the years gone up in my estimation as a song with an interesting story line (yes, who was doing what down on Highway 61) and a very rock beat. Of course, with Dylan one needs some thoughts of lost love, longing and perfidy so Queen Jane Approximately fits the bill. Well, I could go on and on but you get the point this is a Dylan album you must own. More than that though if you want to get a feel for the trials and tribulations of the 1960's by one of its best troubadours you NEED this album.



5. "Once upon a time you dressed so fine
   Threw the bums a dime in your prime
   DIDN'T YOU?"
   
   And so begins one of the greatest songs (albums) in rock music history. As Bob Dylan chronicles the downward spiral of an unidentified smug soul's fall from grace, he wisely places himself in the background as an innocent observer with lower status. While he obviously takes satisfaction in rubbing salt in the wounds of this person, it was arrogant recklessness and blind self righteousness that brought this one down, not Dylan's treachery.
   
   ...Aah, the beauty of poetic justice.
   
   Highway 61 Revisited (1965) was Bob Dylan's first legitimate full rock music album, and with Mike Bloomfield playing the guitar and Al Kooper on the keyboards, it's both a satisfying and competent blues/folk-rock venture all the way through. There is really some consistent musicianship here. Highway 61 Revisited is also where Bob Dylan's name became a household word, and everybody in the music world and beyond started to watch his every move.
   
   The songs are angry and imaginitive with a host of surreal characters and interesting places. Dylan uses these characters to enigmatically expose corruption, apathy, and haughtiness. In Tombstone Blues, Dylan rails against, among other things, the emotional clutter of superfluous and misguided distractions.
   
   Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain
   That could hold you dear lady from going insane
   That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
   Of your useless and pointless knowledge
   
   The macabre piano blues, The Ballad Of A Thin Man, is a carnival like, demented, and very effective depiction of counter-culture shock paranoia.
   
   And you say, "Oh my God
   Am I here all alone?"
   
   Because something is happening here
   But you don't know what it is
   ...Do you, Mister Jones?
   
   Queen Jane Approximately revisits the fall from grace scenario, but with a different, just barely more compassionate, twist. The title song is a surreal blues-rock Biblical story/folk ballad/madcap fairy tale, complete with slide guitar and a toy siren. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues is a humorous, yet cynical, ballad of several different circumstances encountered in Juarez at Eastertime.
   
   The eleven minute-plus Spanish folk ballad epic, Desolation Row, closes the album and features a cast of characters that includes Cindarella, Romeo, Cain and Abel, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Good Samaritan, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and a place called Desolation Row (which is most likely near The Gates Of Eden).
   
   Highway 61 Revisited is the album that made Bob Dylan a rock star/saviour, and although he may have lost some folk purists as fans, the album brought him many more new fans. Dylan had worked with a rock band before, but not to this extent, or with this kind of success. Like A Rolling Stone is a monument in rock music, and it's Bob Dylan's best known song. Highway 61 Revisited is also a monument, and it's Bob Dylan's greatest album, even though legitimate arguments can be made that it's not actually his best. Either way, if you like Bob Dylan, you don't want to miss it!

5 comments about The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 : Rare And Unreleased, 1961-1991.

1. This is an absolutely incredible collection that anyone who even remotely likes Bob Dylan should own. I purchased it brand new and it came in wrapping, but it consistently skips on one song at the same place. I noticed slight gouges in the CD.



2. This is the first of the Bob Dylan official Bootleg Series offered by CBS/Sony and it offers up a delicious set of recordings that any Dylan fan just has to love. Most of these songs have appeared on Bootlegs over the years, but not all of them. There are some gems here that must have been shockers to both Dylan fans and Dylan bootleggers alike, especially the hauntingly beautiful "Farewell Angelina" that Dylan gave to Joan Baez to record. Hearing Dylan do it himself is a pure pleasure. And the two closing songs, "When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky" and "Series of Dreams" are just outstanding. What a rock song, "When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky" is. Wow!
   
   I particularly like the Infidels outtakes on disc three, from "Tell Me" through "Blind Willie McTell." But wait! There's more," the Alternate take of "Subterranean Homesick Blues," is just as good as the original and will have you singing the words right along with Dylan, if you still know 'em, that is. "Nobody 'Cept You," left off of Planet Waves is a heart rendering love song, "She's Your Lover Now," left off of "Blonde on Blonde, because they never got the last verse right, is a song I play all the time. Actually I play this whole set all the time. It's just great.



3. I am very pleased with the product-most liked tracks were the later ones particularly willie mctell



4. I would let all of the 5 star reviews on here speak for themselves but I feel compelled to interject with my twocents. I bought this compilation way back when it was released (1991-ish?) and I was quite frankly blown away. That the music is unique in both content and substance goes without saying, however there is a certain depth here. This is music that has the ability to move you and open new spiritual horizons. Humor, sincerity, a plea to the better angels of our nature, etc.; all of these you will find for your listening pleasure on the Bob Dylan Bootleg series, lo these 17 years hence.



5. This is by far the best album in my collection and every time you listen to it I feel like I could be sat in a little club in the sixties listening to Dylan on stage.
   
   A must have for any collection 5 stars!!

5 comments about Essential Heart.

1. THURS. 09-04-08 Ann & Nancy Wilson (Heart) filed a cease & desist order to the McCain Palin Campaign to stop playing 'BARRACUDA'!!
   A statement by Nancy Wilson expressed her feeling as "being fu*ked over" having their song used at the Republican Convention in St. Paul because she does not share the same views as the Republican Party. The same also goes for John Mellencamp, Jackson Brown and Boston. REPUBLICANS LET'S KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF ANY OF THIS MUSIC IN THE FUTURE. OUR MONEY IS NOT WELCOME HERE. I think there are still some that would be happy to have all people play and enjoy their music. Most people just didn't assume or care that the Wilson sisters were in anyway supporting the McCain Palin ticket when hearing the song, so why make people hate you now Ann and Nancy. Take your O-balla and go home. About this CD, who knows? I wouldn't buy your music now!



2. The sisters are so much better live in concert. They haven't aged a bit. I saw them at the Oregon state fair 2007. What an awesome, flawless performance.......Tanya



3. This collection is great - it has all their best songs, I listen to it over and over, and never get sick of it!!



4. This covers Heart's entire catalog--some may favor the older songs, some may like the newer ones, but we think the entire collection is great. If you like Hart we believe you with like this disk



5. For any Heart fans out there this is the CD for you. It has all their greatest songs and many more. It is 2 disc's of great music. I would recommend this CD to anyone who is looking for all the good songs on one album.