5 comments about Blind Faith.

1. Kinda hard to beat this album.Blind Faith released in 69 was the only album they ever released and thats allright because if Clapton and Winwood attempted to follow this up with a better album chances are they would have killed themselves in doing so.This doesn't sound like music by men living on the edge.It sounds like music made by men who actually jumped off over the edge and somehow made it back alive.CLASSIC stuff here.No surprise this was the first music project Clapton did after hearing Music from Big PInk by "The Band".He was inspired by them to make an album that meant more than being a guitar king.You can here the soul in the music.Although Clapton had not yet found confidence in his voice yet,I probably would trust Steve Winwood to get the job done too,ha ha.And he sure did.His vocal on "Had to Cry Today" nearly outshines the brilliant guitar interplay by himself and Clapton."Prescence of the Lord" may be the best song Eric ever wrote besides maybe"Layla" the next year.The guitar solo on it is insane.All and all a great album with even Ginger Bakers drum solo and Rick Gretch's violin solo contributing greatly to Eric and Stevies vision.Better than Cream,better than Beatles,better than a lot of stuff.But than again thats just my opinion.Watch Clapton's 2007 guitar festival if you want to see him and Stevie take another trip to the edge of existence by performing these timeless songs nearly 40 years later.Could not have been done better.I truly hope Clapton and Winwood will continue to play together and maybe record some more,they are an unbeatable duo.



2. Blind Faith's first and last album, more than 30 years old and counting, remains one of the jewels of the Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and Ginger Baker catalogs, despite the crash-and-burn history of the band itself, which scarcely lasted six months. As much a follow-up to Traffic's self-titled second album as it is to Cream's final output, it merges the soulful blues of the former with the heavy riffing and outsized song lengths of the latter for a very compelling sound unique to this band. Not all of it works -- between the virtuoso electric blues of "Had to Cry Today," the acoustic-textured "Can't Find My Way Home," the soaring "Presence of the Lord" (Eric Clapton's one contribution here as a songwriter, and the first great song he ever authored) and "Sea of Joy," the band doesn't do much with the Buddy Holly song "Well All Right"; and Ginger Baker's "Do What You Like" was a little weak to take up 15 minutes of space on an LP that might have been better used for a shorter drum solo and more songs. Unfortunately, the group was never that together as a band and evidently had just the 42 minutes of new music here ready to tour behind.



3. This is one of the greatest rock recordings of all time. I know it, critics know it, history has proven it. Listen to it and you will know it, too. As for the person who agrees with Clapton that Ginger Baker is the best drummer of all time, sorry. Baker is good, not great. Clapton said that in agreement with Baker (who does have the greatest ego of all time), because he was working with him at the time. Anyone who seriously thinks Baker is the best has apparently never heard Buddy Rich, Keith Moon, Ray Fean, or at least a hundred others.



4. We have the original album, but it nice to have it on CD to preserve the old album. Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton! It just doesn't get much better than that! A timeless classic for any rockers collection.



5. Blind Faith is hailed as THE "supergroup" of the era. The performances on this record are excellent and the tunes are certainly above average, especially "Can't Find My Way Home" and "The Presence of The Lord". Naturally, one is want to compare this record to anything released by Cream, Traffic or Family. Unfortunately, this record is not greater than the combined value of the aforementioned, but rather an adequate compromise. The players are first-rate, but the LP simply doesn't live-up to the hype that has surrounded it since its release. The band itself fell apart under that weight. Still, this record has more to offer on the basis of the participants than many records by obscure artists. I guess it's all relative to notoriety.

5 comments about Are You Experienced.

1. There is no questioning Hendrix and his influence on generations of musicians and guitar players and Are You Experienced is a definative records. From the opening riff of Purple Haze, the wonderful version of Hey Joe to the hauning Wind Cries Mary Hendrix's playing shines and still holds up after all this time.
   
   Though there are many records released of Jimi, including some nice compilations/greatest hits, Are You Experienced, Electric Ladyland and Axis: Bold as Love are must haves.



2. ."Jimmi Hendrix, baby believe me, set the world on fire!"
   
   In Eric Burdon's great song Monterey, about the Monterey Pop festival, is this prophetic line about the great one, and it turned out to be so true.
   
   In his brief solo career,(he was once guitar player for the Isley Brothers for a time) Hendrix went from the opening act for an infamous Monkees concert, to one of the most influential musicians of rock music. I can still remember the first time I heard this album as a kid, and still have the songs burnt into my brain after all these years.
   
   So here's the deal,
   
   This CD is a great commuting album, or a good introduction to youngsters about how there is much better music to be had than what is coming out these days!



3. You ask anyone knowledgeable of the history of rock, "What are the ten greatest rock albums of all time", and "Are You Experienced?" has to be one of them. It's almost silly to write a review of this album, as anyone looking at its contents can identify at least six or seven all-time hits - "Hey Joe", "Foxy Lady", "Purple Haze", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", etc. You ask me, "What's the greatest rock debut album of all time?", and I'm having trouble thinking of one that tops this one.



4. excellent hendrix. just the right amount of soul-close your eyes you can see them in concert. All the best songs plus a couple off the beaten track. turn off the lights, light a bunch of candles-let the purple haze envelop you.



5. I don't care if you've never even heard of Jimi Hendrix...Jimi's first album is a must have,so jump on this CD,today,right now,this minute!
   
   This is the first of the triumvirate of Jimi's releases of 1967-68,the others being "Axis:Bold as Love" and "Electric Ladyland".These three albums basically tell the story of Jimi's albeit short,but brilliant studio work.
   
   On "Experienced" all the early hits are here: "Hey Joe,Fire,Manic Depression,Purple Haze,Foxey Lady" and many more.I personally think this is the best album out of the three."Axis" was rushed due to his non-stop gigging and jamming,"Ladyland" is not technically proficient,but "Are You Experienced" has that feeling of excitement of doing something new for the first time.Although this was not Jimi's first foray into a studio,it was the first time where he was the star and all production revolved around him and his music.I would venture to say this is one of the top five rock albums of all time,although list's are subjective.
   
   But do yourself a favor and jump on this CD immediately,as you're not just buying a great classic rock album/CD,you're buying a piece of history!

5 comments about Detours.

1. Detours being Sherry Crow's latest release is a good release that is a bit too political. As anyone whom has read my reviews knows, I have a big aversion for political music. Political music often becomes politics light. Meaning that it dumbs down politics to one liners. Sometimes I get the felling that Crow is trying to hard. Like on the song Peace be Upon Us. The lyrics sound pressed and forced. The social commentary also falls flat many times. Like on the track Gasoline. The book-let is really nice. Crow in many different poses in different outfits that actually looks like she would wear. I like how we get the information of who played what instrument. The lyrics are also presented in an easy to read font. 3/5.



2. Sheryl has outdone herself on this one. All the songs are lyrical as usual, but the lyrics have alot more to them this time. This is her political protest and she has used this venue well to voice her opinions for an end to the war and our dependence on gasoline. Even a simple ballad like 'God Bless this Mess" has a very poignant message about our current administartion. The "Peace Be upon us" with the Arabic is over the top. She has employed her gift to relay some heartfelt and importatant messages. Viva la Sheryl!



3. I was thinking it was in a plastic case because I didn't see if it stated what type of case it was in.



4. Thank you, Sheryl, for doing what so few of your colleagues have dared to do: taking on Bush, Cheney, et al foresquare, with candid, courageous lyrics about what's gone wrong, and why. . .as well as inspirational choruses expressing and engendering hope for a progressive, post-Dubya future. The music itself is adventurous and eclectic, and the CD deepens and richens with each listen. "The Globe Sessions" is still her masterpiece, but this is right up there w/ "Sheryl Crow" and "Wildflower" as Silver-Medal Sheryl -- and her second-bests whomp most artists' "bests."



5. Sheryl Crow has come a long way since her debut in the 90's "Tuesday Night Musical Club." Granted her style may have changed a bit, but I think it's for the better. My favorite song on the album is "Love Is Free." I love the message and its video. If you're a long time fan of Sheryl Crow you'll enjoy this. If you're just a fan of her radio hits and not a die hard fan you may be dissapointed. If you're open about new styles of music I think you'll enjoy it like me. The songs are well-written and good quality. I only expect the best from Sheryl Crow. She even goes in political and personal songs on this album. I just happen to agree with her politics. Even if you disagree the music still sounds good, you have to admit. Overall I would definately reccomend Sheryl Crow's most recent album "Detours"!

5 comments about Kinks (The Ultimate Collection).

1. i was in junior high school when the british invaded, listening to
   this album brought back a lot of memories, i give this 5 stars
   if you like the kinks, you will love this cd



2. This is a must have for any serious Kink collector. There is no need to repeat the other reviews which list in detail all of the great tracks. For those negative reviews, face facts. No greatest hits or compilation has it all, or even covers all time periods. Probably a record company conspiracy to make you buy more music. Any band with a lot of decent output is going to have songs over decades. If your into a band, you simple have two choices. Buy all the albums, or start with an excellent compilation like this, and then start filling in the gaps with either individual albums or songs. If you don't want to shell out, that's why the invented iTunes and now Amazon mp3 downloads.



3. This is a great! CD collection for Kink fans! mastered very well!
   I have no problem at all except how could they have left "Sleepwalker"
   off this CD... beyond me. You won't go wrong with this CD otherwise.



4. Why does this set not include Village Green Preservation Society?.......I think some other songs are missing too.......?



5. I had no idea of how good they were before Ray and boys took themselves real serious. There's a lot of great 60's britpop songs as well as their later hits that most are already familiar with.

5 comments about Rumours.

1. This is a classic album--really the best of Fleetwood Mac. We had it as a record as a kid and it was time for me to own it. A great one!



2. I can't think of a better release by any other band. 30 years of listening and it is the only album I can still stand. I remember so many times claiming that a different album is the best of all time. Such as the Wall, Styx's Pieces of 8, Foreigner's Head Games, Journey's Escape. I'm just naming a few but there are many others. Maybe Sgt. Pepper or Pet Sounds would beat out Rumors but I would walk away with Rumors if I had to chose. Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds were before my time anyway.
   Lindsey Buckingham really put together a masterpiece here. My favorite song on the album is "Go Your Own Way". What a great breakup song that is! The reason I was checking out the reviews is I was curious who the $#!^ would give Rumors less then 5 stars? The Amazon average is 4.5 stars so some of you turkeys don't know good music. Maybe you put on the Britney Spears on by mistake instead of Rumors. :-)



3. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1VPG0HS79DJ4Z My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



4. as i sit, listening to this album, i'm immediately cocooned in the struggle of the feelings surrounding lost love. the songs on this CD hold you, drain you, move you. after 30 years, it still possesses the power to bring me back to the original struggles i experienced in losing my first love and finding myself, or, at least, finding "not myself". this CD brings you back to the 70s and all that came with it. fantastic classic piece!!!



5. A friend of mine called 'Mike the Bike' put me on to 'Rumours' an age ago. As his name suggests, Mike was a wretched 'macho' biker, (a contradiction to start with - a man who wears leather and goes out to meet...other men!) who used to shoot razorbacks when he lived in Australia. That sounds impressive, til' you consider your average razorback is about the size of a cairn terrier, but Mike apparently loved every blood-spilling minute of it.
   Anyway, in normal life I'd rather sleep with a razorback than take a musical recommendation from Mike. He's firmly in the 'metal' enclave, he and his road-tearing associates live in a jelly outside time and listen to Queens of the Stone Age and Kings of Leon when they're not burning rubber on the (real) Queens highways and byways.
   While 'Rumours' was Mike's guilty pleasure, it didn't take your raving correspondent long to recognize it for what it really is - a true great.
   To bear the burden of greatness for 30 odd years is a task in itself, but the Fleetwoods easily carry it off. In truth, 'Rumours' is that good it probably doesn't deserve to be reviewed on these pages. It's certainly too good for me in a false modesty sense, so why bother, why waste all the words and sleep-hours in pursuit of descriptions of it's profundity and glory?
   Prattish vanity, rockist bravado and pride are my motives for creativity (and it's not going un-noticed, I've already been offered a column in 'Cow Breeders International' magazine. I was tempted, but it's not really my field.(!) ), and it does give one a perverse thrill of challenge, to 'review' one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, albums of all time.
   'Rumours' has everything. It rawks; ('Go Your Own Way') it's sexy; ('Dreams', You Make Lovin' Fun) it has GORGEOUS ballads;('Songbird' in particular. I've racked my brain and I can't come up with a better one.) It is a complete, criticism defying, reviewer-proof package.
   And speaking of sexy, as I usually am, what about that sensuous siren Stevie Nicks, I hear you all cry out as one voice in the darkness. Well, I'm not going overboard like I did with Theresa Bazaar, ("Never praise a woman, it will only spoil her" - Vladimir Putin) but I will say, my affectionate regard for her high beauty is in stark contrast to my lurid opinion of her ghastly solo out-pourings, but she's central to 'Rumours'. Her voice is folky, funky and fun, and it soars above the songs, like a junior Sandy Denny, (and that's HUGE praise!). She's smiling sweetly on the cover, but where it matters, in the grooves, she's down and dirty, with all guns blazing, and in a real sense, she's the Annie Oakley spirit of 'Rumours'...
   It's a romantic album. It can stir you, soothe you. You can play it when your up, down or anywhere in-between. You can work out to it, do your accounts to it, write reviews to it, (!) and crucially, it's the album you choose when nothing else fit's the bill.
   Not much else to say. Reviewing 'Rumours' is a thankless task, is there anybody out there not familiar with it to some degree? Anyone who is just finding it now, I envy you.
   When the final gongs are handed out, it'll be up there with 'Blood on the Tracks', 'Astral Weeks and 'Closer', maybe even eclipsing all three..
   On the down-side it is rumoured that Stevie Nicks has incredibly ugly toes, information which if true, would have me scuttling back to square one, excising Mike the Bike, and beginning the 'Rumours' review with fresh new perspective and insight.
   Thank God I don't believe what I read...
   Note: Information on shooting razorbacks and all other bush inhabitants can be found on Discovering [...].

5 comments about Stay Positive.

1. Stay Positive, when compared to the previous releases of THS, does have a feeling of a smirking smile, even in the midst of the subject matter. Everything from (dare I say) Springsteen style epic rock ballads and subject matter, to beat poetry and phenomenal lyrical story telling.
   
   I've read that Craig Finn has indicated that he sings about the specific to describe the general"- and he does it quite well. Often times, its a bit didactic, hes repeating the same lines which didn't need underlining and emphasis. But there is brilliance, and pretty consistent brilliance.
   
   Songs like "Constructive Summer " and "Sequestered in Memphis" are smooth and quite perfect- and "yeah sapphire" is a rock guitar gem. IF you like indie/alternative rock, and respect the classic rock aspect, this is a must own.



2. To be honest, I have a love affair with the Hold Steady. Their songs, although growers, are such great stories of life, friendship (and drinking). To me "Stay Positive" is definitely a grower-type album. It starts off SO strong with "Constructive Summer" and "Sequestered in Memphis" and then kind of drops off for "One for the Cutters" and "Navy Sheets." But the album comes back strong (but soft) during "Lord, I'm Discouraged." After that ballad (which is kind of acts the same way "Citrius" did on "Boys and Girls in America"), it is all uphill. "Both Crosses" is deal-able. But everything else is so solid. They tell stories of Holly and the usual cast of Hold Steady characters. The places are the same and the debauchery carries many of the same themes. I know Craig Finn said this album is grown up, but I still see themes of youth in the music and in the lyrics.
   All in all, "Stay Positive" is 11 track album with two 'eh' songs, one 'so-so' song, and seven Hold Steady masterpieces.



3. C'mon!!!!!! its a lyric music voice imitation of the bad seeds and Mr. Nick Cave! i hear a lot about this group the best album of the year stuff and all of that but... it was shocking! i buy the cd and i hear nick cave, i mean its a good album beacuse is a copy of a great band, im a nick cave fan for many years, i knew lyrics music and voice to the perfection and i already hear this in many albums of the seeds... well shame... sad nobody in this reviews know The bad seeds...



4. The Hold Steady have shown a lot of promise, and now they get it right: killer sound with lots of crunchy guitar, more confident vocals, great sing-alongs, lyrics that stick in your head like shards of glass ... this is their first fully realized recording. It's a monster. Everyone is talking about "Sequestered in Memphis," and it's a great song, but every song here has something special to offer -- especially the closer, "Slapped Actress." Don't wait to hear this Bruce Springsteen Meets Mott The Hoople rock n' roll Frankenstein; get it now!



5. "Sequestered in Memphis" is such a great song, and the album got such big hype, that I was expecting much more. The production of the album is poor from a sound quality standpoint. You can't really hear all the instruments, the sound is garbled, and the vocals are not easily understood. Pretty much a disappointment.

5 comments about Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits.

1. Fleetwood Mac was one of the most popular bands of all times and this Greatest Hits shows why. Putting it on bought back all of the memories on first hearing the songs. "You Can Go Your Own Way", "Rhiannon" and others you will start humming or singing with right away. Though I was not a big fan when I first heard "Tusk" it is better than I remember and an interesting song. Very good album.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2B563HA2B0OJ6 My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



3. Glancing through the 100 reviews (so far) on this item, it's obvious that those who are devoted fans of Fleetwood Mac are ready to accept anything sent their way without questioning the title of the album, and hence assign 5 stars, while some others tend to be a little too critical. The only 1-star review was given that assessment because the customer got the wrong CD in the mail! Sort of defeats the purpose of the system wouldn't you say?
   
   Another assigns 2, lamenting the lack of their "hits and great songs from 1967-1974" while another claims that "the only good song is Tusk ... the rest of it is fluff." I tend to agree with most that give it 3 stars and for much the same reasons. First of all, the two pages of liner notes, written in 1988 by Stephen Davis, are rather "lame" - as one reviewer accurately puts it - focusing not on the "greatest hits" aspect of their career but rather on the goings-on at a 1988 concert a Wembley Stadium in London!
   
   As for the contents, to be fair they did do a somewhat decent job of covering their "greatest hits" if you keep in mind that, to most out there, a "hit" denotes the Billboard Pop Hot 100 singles that got them heard on radio/TV, in juke boxes, and sold as 45 rpm singles at record shops (or perhaps those that made the Adult Contemporary (AC), R&B, and Country charts, depending upon the genre and artist). And since their first big such hit didn't come until late 1975's Over My Head (# 20 Hot 100/# 32 AC), I'd say this 1988 release does a fair job of presenting their other 21 hits that followed to that point.
   
   One track - No Questions Asked - is misplaced in a volume so titled since it never was either a "hit" or the B-side to one. They also omit a minor hit (# 55 Hot 100) that came out on Reprise 0883 in early 1970, which is too bad really because that WAS their first charted single, with Part 1 of Oh Well becoming the hit side. It was primarily an instrumental culled from their album Then Play On, containing about 20 seconds of vocal over close to 9 minutes, counting both sides. Their first four hits, in fact, were on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label, the others being Over My Head (mentioned above) - which emerged over five years after Oh Well - along with Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win) and Say You Love Me (respectively, # 11 Hot 100/# 33 AC in Spring 1976 and # 11 Hot 100/# 12 AC in late summer 1976).
   
   They also leave out three straight charters from 1980/81, the first being Think About Me (# 20 Hot 100/# 39 AC in spring 1980), Sisters Of The Moon (# 86 Hot 100 in June 1980), and Fireflies (a live recording that hit # 60 Hot 100 in March 1981). As with Sara (# 7 Hot 100/# 13 AC in late 1979/early 1980) and Tusk (# 8 Hot 100 in late 1979, recorded at Dodger Stadium with The USC Trojans Marching Band), both Think About Me and Sisters Of The Moon were culled from the album also titled Tusk.
   
   Other omissions are: Love In Store (# 11 AC/# 22 Hot 100 in late 1982), Oh Diane (# 35 AC in May 1983), Seven Wonders (# 13 AC/# 19 Hot 100 in summer 1987), and Family Man (# 23 AC/# 90 Hot 100 in April 1988). These, along with Big Love (# 5 Hot 100/# 23 AC in spring 1987), Little Lies (# 1 AC for 4 weeks/# 4 Hot 100 in late summer 1987), and Everywhere (# 1 AC for 3 weeks/# 14 Hot 100 in late 1987) were all taken from their album Tango In The Night.
   
   All their hits after Say You Love Me came out on the Warner label and, as the years wore on, and the personnel changed, they became much more popular on the Adult Contemporary, or Easy Listening, charts than on the mainstream Hot 100. In fact, they would have three AC # 1's (the two mentioned above plus As Long As You Follow, which registered late in 1988), but it could only manage a # 43 Hot 100. Their one Hot 100 # 1 was Dreams in May/June 1977, and it also made it to # 11 AC.
   
   The so-called "classic lineup" of Fleetwood Mac consisted of drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie, vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie, guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, and vocalist Stevie Nicks, and this is the gathering that was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1988. You don't get in there by doing "fluff."



4. If I had to take 1 album with me onto a deserted island, it would be this. It is a great compilation of Fleetwood's best.



5. Greatest in the case of "Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits" actually epitomizes what a greatest hits album should be all about: ALL hits, no add-ons. This particular CD is thoroughly enjoyable and definitely a must for enthusiasts of true music who, like me, did not purchase their albums when the group was in its prime many years ago. For me, I became a Fleetwood Mac fan after hearing Nikki McKibbin attempt to sing a Stevie Nicks song, Edge of Seventeen, on American Idol a couple of years ago. Nicks was an essential member of Fleetwood Mac and has produced some memorable songs as a solo artist. However, it is Fleetwood Mac - collectively - that has recorded some of the best sounding music ever!!

5 comments about The Best of Bread.

1. If you could only use one word to describe this collection hits that's it... BRILLIANT.
   
   Put on this CD (slab of vinyl would be even better) and immediately be morphed to a kinder, more gentle time when the soft rock of David Gates and Bread ruled the AM airwaves.
   
   There is some serious baby-making music here, folks!



2. When Bread formed in the late sixties, the band had modest aspirations. They wanted to keep the musical spirit of the sixties alive, and when you listen to some of the folkie tunes like "Daughter" or the minor 'social' rock of "Mother Freedom," you can understand the the pristine mellow hits that the band is best known for was not the only thing Bread was about. Indeed, before David Gates began wrestling with James Griffin over control of the band, Bread had as much in common with The Byrds or even The Eagles than The Carpenters. You'll hear hints of folk, country and protest songs scattered throughout their full length CD's.
   
   But when Gates' Immaculate "Make It With You" topped the charts and "If" became a standard soon after, Bread's place in pop history was cemented in cheese. Without Bread, there would have likely been no England Dan & John Ford Coley or Orleans. Christopher Cross would just be another Texas session man. I mean this in all honestly. Bread were peer only to Karen and Richard Carpenter for their dynamic, immaculate middle of the road chart-toppers during the 70's.
   
   Which makes this expanded and remastered single disc Best Of a true guilty pleasure. You can try as hard as you want, but the catchiness of songs like "Baby I'm-a Want You" and "Sweet Surrender" is inescapable. The band had a solid hand at folk-rock, as the songs here "Trucking" and "Let Your Love Go" attest (and the albums often would contain as non-singles tracks). Gates' voice is also one of the most clear and expressive in the soft-rock world, making such sensitive/hurt lyrics like "Diary" and "Guitar Man" ring honest. The hits will pry their way from your brain if you were listening to radio in that decade.
   
   This could have been a five star set if maybe Gates' solo singles ("Goodbye Girl" or "Clouds") were included. Get the Retrospective 2CD Set if you're a total Bread Head, and you'll find them. But for immaculate production, melodic songwriting that has kept its staying power, and yes, the true beginnings of soft-rock, "The Best of Bread" is totally worth it.



3. I was lucky enough to be exposed to many different types of music growing up. My dad was into the harder rock while my mom was into softer rock. This is the ultimate soft rock/ballad album. After many years of not being able to even find this album, it didn't fail to make me smile as I remembered every one of the songs. It was amazing and I still remembered all the words! The song, Diary, still brings back the mellow memories.



4. I was very pleased with the product that I ordered. It came very quickly and in perfect condition. The CD itself is good with several songs that I remember from years past.



5. I like most of the songs on this album
   I would recommend it for people who love romantic songs.

5 comments about Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits.

1. Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits is a good compilation of a great rock band. Mark Knopfler is a great guitarist, lyricist and a gruff but alright vocalist. Robert Sandall has written a well-written and informative short synopsis/bio about the band. The cover is ok but a bit boring. The photographs are all very nice and well done especially the one shot of Knopfler as it captures his intensity as he plays his guitar. I definitely recommend this album. 4 stars indeed!



2. Like a previous reviewer I am a huge DS/MK fan, have been since the early 80's. Out of the 3 dire straits/mark knopfler compilations this is probably the best one. However, quite a few early tracks have been missed out on all of these compilations. Wild West End & Down To The Waterline from the first album and Where Do You Think You're Going and News from the 2nd just to name 2. Industrial Disease from the Love Over Gold Album.
   I hope one day they can get it right and release a best of remastered with these tracks included, perhaps leave a few of the latter ones off and throw in some B-Sides/Unreleased tracks on a bonus CD. And oh yes as someone else said, the original full length versions also please.



3. A couple of years ago, my car got stolen and all my cassettes were gone, including all my Dire Straits cassettes. Instead of replacing all of my collection, this is next best thing. The selection of Dire Strait's greatest hit could not be better, except for a couple of songs. This is a must for any die hard Dire Strait fan. I am going to purchase Alchemy Live next.
   
   Regards,
   
   Marino



4. MONEY FOR NOTHING = NEUTERED!!! It's about half of its original length and drastically edited. The awesome build-up at the beginning is gone. Get the original 'Brothers In Arms' album if you want 'Money For Nothing'. The CD as a whole is good though. I had to give it 3 stars though because the most famous track was stepped on.



5. This is a good collection of the bands biggest hits, but I simply LOVE the mellow, moody atmosphere and guitar playing on the very first Dire Straits album. I recommend you buy THAT album before this one. You'll thank me, I guarantee it!! Talk about an album you'll want to play on a hot summer night! I truly believe if you like the song "Sultans of Swing" you will love the rest of the songs on the debut. The rest of the album maintains the same kind of vibe. The high quality of the songwriting mixed with a great rhythm section is another highlight. Just... awesome! Skip this Very Best Of collection.

5 comments about Pet Sounds.

1. As a landlocked kid growing up without ready access to beaches or a car, I had a hard time relating to the Beach Boys. Their celebrations of sun, surfing, and hot-rodding were too removed from my own experience. It wasn't until I got older that I appreciated them. Songs that had once sounded frivolous suddenly revealed multiple layers of emotions which had previously eluded me.
   
   Mind you, that wasn't true of every Beach Boys song. But classics like "Surfer Girl" and "Don't Worry Baby" were wistful and beautiful evocations of love and longing - both questioning and reassuring.
   
   Brian Wilson then outdid himself with his compositions for the landmark 1966 album "Pet Sounds" - their apex and finest achievement - and arguably the greatest record ever released by an American band. Paul McCartney has said that if you haven't heard it, your musical education isn't complete. He further said it inspired the Beatles to make "Sgt. Pepper". I don't really hear "Pet Sounds" influence on that record, but I do on "Abbey Road" - especially on tracks like "Because" and "Here Comes The Sun King".
   
   This CD contains the full album in mono and stereo. Wilson's musical and vocal arrangements still sound stunning to this day. If for any reason you've resisted buying this, you shouldn't. At the very minimum, any serious music fan should own "Pet Sounds" and a good collection of their hits such as "Sounds Of Summer" (2003).
   
   Wilson's solo career has also been of interest. "Brian Wilson" (1988) was a good one. So was the belatedly completed "Smile" (2004), which was originally intended as the follow-up to "Pet Sounds" - wherein he proved himself to be a latter-day Gershwin. "Smile" collaborator Van Dyke Parks and Wilson had previously released the excellent "Orange Crate Art" (1995). Recently, Wilson issued "That Lucky Old Sun" (2008), another innovative song suite in the style of "Smile" - and it's fine. All are highly recommended.
   
   Whether you live in California or not, don't miss out on the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson.



2. It's really difficult to overrate 1966's "Pet Sounds". Aside from its influence on other musicians ("God Only Knows" spurred on Paul McCartney, for example, in the game of one-upmanship between the Beatles and the Beach Boys during the late '60s), it remains, quite simply, one of the most enjoyable pop albums ever released--like your favorite cold beverage on a very hot day. Even the two instrumentals, "Let's Go Away For Awhile" and "Pet Sounds", fit into the sequencing perfectly. The other Boys may not have grasped exactly where Brian Wilson's head was at (there's not a single car or surfing song on the entire record), but they deliver vocally--listen to Carl Wilson's lead on "God Only Knows", and Mike Love's backing on "Wouldn't It Be Nice." (If you want to spend a few more bucks, buy the "Pet Sounds Sessions" box, which contains outtakes demonstrating Brian's total control in the studio.) Not only the best album by this vital group, but, quite simply, one of the very best pop albums ever made.



3. Pet Sounds is easily one of the most revered albums in the history of pop music, but does it deserve to be revered? Heck no. Pet Sounds, for me, is terrible and legendary. What, you say, well Finulanu kind of went through the same thing with his review of White Light/White Heat. Here it goes, courtsey of Finulanu, Untitled 1 (U1), who hates everything about it, and Untitled 2 (U2) who loves everything about it. The two can't be countered or silenced, which sucks cause I can't enjoy this all the way. OH well. Anyway...
   
   U1: Pet Sounds is extremely overrated. Brian Wilson is a little whiner who can't shut up and it ruins the entire thing. Forget the subpar music that probably wasn't even made by him, Tony Aster or whatever the idiots name get songwriting credits. What are they hiding, anyway?
   
   U2: Oh, like it's just Aster's record. So what about the lyrics? Just because they aren't Sesame Street? Does some of the instrospection hurt you? And the music, just listen to the orchestration.
   
   U1: Good one, U2. Carolina No is said to be about Brian Wilson whining about how Carolina cut her hair, written by Aster. You call that introspection? And I listened, it's pop music with more instruments.
   
   U2: Pop music with more instruments? Or you mean lush instrumentation with a pop vibe. I thought you liked that stuff, Mr. I like pop goodness. And did I say all of the music is introspective? no. Besides, hair might reflect something like a cult, you never know.
   
   U1: Please, stop trying to feel deep. I hate people like you. Brian Wilson could easily change his mindset and not think this way. For all of the whining and lyrics, he can change what he's whining, feel he's made for these times. He's in control, and he chooses this whiny lyrics.
   
   U2: How do you know he's in control? Some people have defects in their brains! They can't get that component back that easily, you know. People are different. Besides, things in the mind that trouble don't also go away easily. He's confronting the problems in his minds, and that just might make him dispell them so he can get it out and go on and recover.
   
   U1: Knowing that there are better things and that he can use those to get over the problems and become stronger can be done as well. Why go th rough the inner parts. Who says that he automatically is going through that and what you said above is affecting him?
   
   U2: Your right, it might not. But how do you know your opinion would work best for him. YOu don't.
   
   U1: That's why I choose not to hear the whining. Well, I hope there is one thing I agree on, the instrumentals are nice.
   
   U2: Okay fine, there's one thing. Now get out of here, you loser. Just for arguing with me, you have been doing introspection in one way, by the way.
   
   U1: Your a loser too. And nice introspection!
   
   To be continued? Don't get me started.
   
   Well, Pet Sounds should at least be listened to, definitely. You may end up really liking it, you may think it's overrated. I don't know, but it's drastically hard to choose one view on this record.
   
   PS Any comments on this review will not be read, as for everything else. So let me say thanks to all kind comments, now, before, and ahead. All other stupid/rude/I don't like you because you don't like Radiohead trite, no thanks to your sir.
   
   Grades: 1 out of 10/9 out of 10, which in total, is a 5/10.



4. Es sencillamente magnífico el trabajo realizado con Pet Sounds para DVD Audio, no sólo el sonido (que con sòlo eso valdría la pena comprarlo) sino también los extras: incluye videos, comentarios, y promocionales, que con seguridad quienes han disfrutado de Pet Sounds y de los Beach Boys lo harán. Además no se requiere un equipo de DVD - AUDIO para disfrutar de todas las mezclas especiales y de los extras.
   
   El sonido, la presentación y todos los extras son sencillamente magníficos. Cinco estrellas.



5. It's a very beautiful album. Brian Wilson had a knack for making symphonic pop music, and on Pet Sounds he lets that knack run hog wild. His orchestrations are large and complex. Instruments are layered on top of each other, bellowing hypnotic labyrinths of melody with majestic energy. The melodies are gorgeous, too: evocative, dreamy, surreal, memorable, and intricate. They express emotions, they create images, and they stick with the listener. They're wonderfully conceived and flawlessly executed. The orchestration conveys them rather than swallows them up. The music sounds powerful rather than pretentious. Brian wasn't full of it when he talked about making "teenage symphonies to God." This stuff gives Phil Spector a run for his money.
   
   But even though it feels like a symphony in 13 movements, Pet Sounds succeeds because of its individual songs. The best ones are little slices of magic: "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)" is impossibly beautiful, so beautiful that it can make your heart stop. "That's Not Me" does a crackerjack job of invoking youthful angst and longing. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is one of the most exuberant pieces of music ever created.
   
   Really, the only misfire is "Sloop John B," which is cheesy and a little bit annoying. Everything on this album is pleasant, if nothing else. The best moments are virtually perfect.