5 comments about Let It Die.

1. Simply one of the best CD's I've ever owned. Just a delight from start to finish, Feist's vocals are gorgeous without being sing songy. This album remains in a very small list of my all time favorite albums. Great songwriting and lovely melodies. Just perfect!!



2. An absolute dream. A wonderful musical feast from a very gifted songstress. Buy this record. The perfect mix of pop, soft rock, folk, jazz and yes, even disco. It's a perfect 10. The Reminder isn't bad either, but you want to start with this, and most likely you will stick with this...like I did.



3. I first heard of Feist with Mushaboom on an online music program I had at work. No radio stations would ever play it and I could never remember her name to buy a CD! Finally, I was in a restaurant and heard Mushaboom on their dining room radio. After that I went and bought the CD just for that song. I ended up skipping over (and still do) Gatekeeper but love just about every other song on that CD. It's so real, the lyrics and even the instruments just pull you into her moment with the song. Even if you aren't deep into lyrics and all that, it's a fabulous CD and worthy of a purchase!



4. The songs are great, the energy is great. If you like Feist this is one of my favorite.



5. Another late to the dance review here, but I am glad I picked this up. Over the last 6 months, I have not been able to get this cd out of my car changer. At first you may feel this is a a bit lite to be taken so seriously. But "Let It Die" will keep pulling at you until you just accept the fact that this "is" a truly wonderful recording. I like this more than Reminder. It is more concise and the pace is just better.

5 comments about Final Straw.

1. That is how I describe a band that I stumble upon (thank you Grey's Anatomy) and fall in love with. Snow Patrol hit my radar while I was starting to lose faith in the music industry in finding new, exciting and unique bands. I can't tell you the last time I'd found a new band to be excited about (this was in 2006)...Snow Patrol renewed my faith in music and unique, modern, worthy bands.
   
   I bought Eyes Wide Open first and loved it so much that a month later I bought Final Straw. While this CD is not as good as Eyes Open, it's still a pretty damn good CD! I think in this CD they may have sort of been honing their skills and finding their nitch, style. But with a talented lead singer and musicians, and great songs...you can't go wrong. I think in part what makes Snow Patrol songs so likeable, are the lyrics and that many of the songs are relatable. Some of my favorites are: How to be Dead, Chocolate, Wow, Spitting Games and Grazed Knees.
   
   If you like alternative rock, alternative or indie, I'd highly recommend Snow Patrol. You might want to start with Eyes Open though if you don't already have it. Thank god for new, youthful, unique bands, this is like a breath of fresh air!!



2. The 3rd album for Snow Patrol, 2004's "Final Straw," was the album that first got this amazing Irish group noticed. Gary Lightbody & crew serve up a healthy dose of melodic, breathtaking rock, decorated by impressive production work too, such as various tape effects, etc. Standouts include the sing-song quality of "How To Be Dead," the gorgeous, anthemic "Run", the sinister rock of "Ways & Means," and the wistful but effective finale, "Same." Lightbody's breathy voice is amazing, and his lyrics are sharp. He & his bandmates play this material to perfection, too. Just one curio: nine of the album's twelve songs don't mention the song titles in the lyrics. "Grazed Knees" is a great song, but why is it called "Grazed Knees"? Why is "Gleaming Auction" called "Gleaming Auction"? Why is "Tiny Little Fractures" called "Tiny Little Fractures"? Somebody get Gary Lightbody on the phone! But other than that, this is a truly great album. "Final Straw" shows that Snow Patrol are truly a musical force to be reckoned with.



3. It beats me why people compare this band to Travis, Coldplay and Keane. They are about as far from the classic pop sound of those bands - esp. Travis and Keane - as you could get. Instead, Snow Patrol have a driving, bass-heavy barre-chord driven sound with simple song structures. It brings out the beat, where Travis's songs bring out the strumming guitar and delicate chord changes. I guess the similarity lies with the emotional nakedness of Snow Patrol, which is what really makes them - and this cd - special. They are nowhere near as melodic as Keane, and, in fact, some songs verge on a kind of tedious blandness. But there is an obvious intelligence to the lyrics and an open anger that reminds me more of early Pub Rock or New Wave - Elvis Costello type stuff. I wouldn't mind a few more effective hooks (like the guitar riff in "Gleaming Auction"). This is driving rock - not the fairly light Britpop we've been listening to.



4. NEVER HEARD OF THIS BAND, FELL IN LOVE WITH ONE SONG, BOUGHT THE DISC AND LOVED IT ALL
   
   GREAT NEW SOUNDS



5. Don't bother with anything earlier than this album with Snow Patrol. This is really where they finally got their act together. Get this one and Eyes Open and you'll be set.

5 comments about Houdini.

1. The Melvins found themselves in the right place and the right time in '93, as record companies were desperately looking for the next big grunge band. Atlantic swept up the band, a somewhat odd move as really, none of their previous records were particularly "grunge", nor were they accessible for mainstream listeners. Questionable move or not, the result was the Cobain-produced "Houdini", a monolithic sweep of huge riffs, grooves, vocal harmonies and eccentric experimentation.
   
   With the exception of the quirky "Sky Pup", every song on "Houdini" has something to give. The album is packed with Melvins classics, such as the brooding "Night Goat", which showcases Buzzo in fine form, switching vocal styles with ease and laying down monumental riffs. "Goin Blind" is a superb adaptation of the Kiss original, shifting it into a glorious heavy onslaught juxtaposed with excellent vocal harmonies. "Hag Me" is Melvins at their sludgy, sloth-like best, reverting back to their roots (a la "Lysol") and swaggering through wonderfully thick walls of tone and gritty vocals. Another major positive is the album's sense of flow, with many songs seeping into one another. This is particularly evident in the later stages of the album, with the short combinations of "Joan of Arc", "Teet" and "Copache", all of which combine the thundering guitar heroics of Buzzo with delicious vocal melodies.
   
   The Melvins always experiment and create moments of true dementia. And while "Houdini" has a very quirky feel to it, it balances the levels of experimentation perfectly, resulting in arguably the band's best release. Fans of heavy rock looking for something a little different should pick this up.



2. the only songs u dont want to listen to is sky pup and the final 2 songs
   everything is awesome. you can tell from this album how much kurt cobain and nirvana took from the melvins.



3. this is the Melvins' major label debut. back in the early 90's, the big grunge boom of the northwest was going on, and major record labels were busy signing bands left & right that sounded even remotely similiar to Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden. when Atlantic signed the Melvins, they didn't know what they were getting into. I don't think they were meant to be a big multi-million dollar phenomenon. nevertheless, Houdini was a kick-ass, weird, demented, rock album and is probably the best of their career (next to their self-titled album). in my opinion, this is probably one of the best rock albums that came out that year. when I think of my favorite albums of '93 I think of: Tool - Undertow, Tad - Inhaler, and Melvins - Houdini.



4. i am not new to the melvins by any means, but this is only the third album that i have purchased by them. and i deffinatly have to say that "houdini" is my favorite out of the three that i own.
   i was expecting alot more then what i got.. when i purchased "stonerwitch" even though it was a great album i think it is far from their best, next i bought "gluey porch treatments" which was awsome,but the other day when i got "houdini" i couldnt quit smiling it was exactly the type of melvins album that i had been searching for. it is full of heavy dirge groove riffs in songs such as "hooch" and "nightgoat" but then it also has heavy fast insane hook songs like "honeybucket"
   so in my opinion this is the melvins best album....



5. Wow. All I can truly say is that this album is something to behold. Melvins purists may knock it slightly due to it being a major label album (their first), but hands down, this is their tightest and most face-eating accomplishment. If Boris, Zodiac and Your Blessened were on this album, it would be the greatest album of all time - and in fact there would be no more need to make music. Ever again.
   
   The entire album rocks steadily. (Ironically, the worst track on the album is Sky Pup, in which Kurt Cobain lends his crappy guitar talent).
   
   Standout tracks and my personal favourites are: Lizzy, Going Blind, Honey Bucket and best of all Joan Of Arc. If I were a boxer or ultimate fighter, Joan Of Arc would be my entrance music. In fact, this song is so [...], that I'd by default be ahead of my opponent on the judge's scorecards.
   
   If you like head-nodding, sludgey riffage at its finest then you must own this. An album no Melvins fan, or metal fan should be without.
   
   Hail to the Melvins.

5 comments about Stoner Witch.

1. people sometimes say that you need drugs to enjoy melvins music but ive always thought their music is drugs. if you let it, it will take you somewhere inside. shevil is the perfect track to do it. she's evil. meandering and atmosperic. buzz sings from behind a concrete wall. it's gentle but tense and yet relaxing at the same time. i always wished this number closed the album.
   stoner witch has a great mix of wierd with accessable material. revolve could easily be a metallica song as many people often say. roadbull in a similar vein. queen is solid and streight forward as melvins get. sweet willy kicks off like an amphetamine rush. goose freight train takes you down a slow hynotic journey and has some of the most bizarr lyrics you'll find any where.
   sadly skweetis never really goes any where, june bug, although you gotta love the title, is forgettable and lividity really has nothing to offer.
   kind of a mixed bag but overall highly recomended for anyone looking for heavy music that is above and beyond the norm. and as always the album art is beautiful. a contradiction to the actual music behind it. mackie osborne (buzz's wife) is responsible.



2. This album, OH MAN THIS ALBUM!!!
   
   I bought this CD because it had two of my favorite songs on it (i.e. "Sweet Willie Rollbar" and "Revolve")
   
   it is a good CD, don't get me wrong, but there are like two tracks with no music on it (like the last track) which kind of pistons me off when a band will do that, put ambient noise on an album and title it as if it were a song!



3. On the excellent "Stoner Witch" the Melvins churn through song after song with a dense primordial energy--think neutron star emissions--buffered with excursions into the darker recesses of imagination. The band is not content to lock in to one particular vibe and often zags when you thing they are about to zig.
   
   It took some guts to concoct this work, and it will take some fortitude to listen intently and loudly. Expect to do so alone if friends, like many of mine, cannot range far from the safe and sure when it comes to music. There's none of that to be found here.
   
   If you enjoy a good dose of lunatic rock, that is distorted guitars, sludge drenched bass, and map cap percussion, intermixed with ambient music from Hell, then Stone Witch awaits.



4. Pacific Northwest rock shamans the Melvins are among the innovators of '80s and '90s "grunge," though they easily defied this simple categorization with every release. For every churning bucket 'o' sludge like Bullhead they released some off-the-wall album of ambient noodling like Ambient Noise Takeover or Honky. Stoner Witch, one part of the trio released during the Atlantic era (the other two are Houdini and Stag), combines both sides of the Melvins' sound into a surprisingly coherent whole while adding a small dose of commercial hard rock sensibility for good measure.
   
   However, don't be mislead into thinking this is some pallid sellout effort, 'cause it's anything but. If anything, the fact that this band ever got signed to a major is a mystery to me (and I mean that in a positive way, of course).
   
   The first four songs kick Stoner Witch off with a bang, with one-minute opener Skweetis (I wish it were longer--Dale Crover's legendary drumming kicks arse on this one), insidiously catchy stomper Queen, balls-to-the-wall speed of Sweet Willy Rollbar, and the excellent Revolve, a minor hit which stands as one of the most accessible and catchy entries in their catalog. King Buzzo's gruff howl and guitar playing is in fine form here.
   
   Then it starts getting weird. You've got nice chilled slow burns like Goose Freight Train and the dreamy 6-minute Shevil; a dark evil dirge titled At The Stake that would've fit right in on their earlier albums; and Roadbull and Magic Pig Detective, which screw with expectations in some entertaining ways--the former starts like one of the earlier, more accessible tracks before turning into a marching tune complete with whistling, and the latter starts with a wall of noise then suddenly drops in a bit of rock to make it go down easy.
   
   The best two songs, however, are saved for last. June Bug is a great little instrumental with excellent dynamics and melody that cries for a longer run time. The album closes with Lividity, a 9-minute creeping ambient drone that somehow manages to be driven mostly by a handful of REALLY HEAVY bass notes and sporadic Dale hits seemingly placed just right to make you jump. Fans of Earth, Sunn0)))) and the like (all Melvins-influenced, natch) will love this one.
   
   All in all, Stoner Witch is one of the most interesting and varied "major label" albums ever. If you're going to start with any Melvins record, make it this one. Chase that with a round of Houdini then the sonic extremity of Bullhead and Ozma/Gluey Porch Treatments. If you're not singing the Buzzo's praises by then consider yourself lame.



5. lets get one thing straight: Melvins are one of the greatest hard rock bands in metal/punk/alt. history, hands down. they're not only one of the heaviest, they're also one of the loudest and most expressive, and most experimental, never becoming predictable or boring. with each album the band takes one step beyond what you'd expect, but is always--ALWAYS y'hear?--remarkably similar to themselves. in every track on this glorious CD, one of their least hard 'n' heavy, the band takes early 90s Grunge to fantastic new levels of Sludge and dire weirdness, the standouts (to me) being BULLHEAD and MAGIC PIG DETECTIVE. If you want the sameole MTV, corporate radio, emo andor Nu Metal filth thats acting as a plague to modern music, then go away. you won't like this because, quite frankly, your brain has bee shrinked to a level so small as you can never understand what is so special about this music. Melvins use both ambience and talent to pump out one of the strangest and most entertaining bunch of songs ever recorded, and this is, in my ohsohumble opinion a PERFECT companion piece to HOUDINI. if you like these two, move forward and get THE CRYBABY and HOSTILE AMBIENT TAKEOVER before checking out their earlier works. If you don't like it, besides being a musical retarded, you won't like much of this band's legend. 'nuff said...
   
   but thats just my opinion. i could be wrong.

5 comments about Bad Music for Bad People.

1. Ahhhh... the classic Cramps. This album is perfect in everyway. Not as good as Psychedelic Jungle but perfect none-the-less. Don't even mess with this band you posers. You just don't understand if you don't like this one.
   
   Killer tracks:
   All of them except Uranium Rock



2. "Bad Music For Bad People" is low-down minimalist rock & roll at its best! From catchy-camp to the always strange Hasil Adkins cover ("She Said") this album is a good time, anytime.
   
   The downside to it all is that, if you already own "Songs the Lord Taught Us" then you have a substantial amount of this record as-it-is.



3. The Cramps are great as was my whole experience with amazon. Quick delivery,fair price,good condition of product.Bad Person



4. The Cramps-Bad Music For Bad People ****1/2
   
   
   Originally released in 1984 Bad Music For Bad People is the reason why The Cramps are so revered among punk and rockabilly fans. Combing those two genres to create psycho-billy is what The Cramps are best known for and this is the best example of this.
   
   With jingle-jangle guitars and course out of time vocals being sung about 'spooky' things Bad Music For Bad People is the epitome of the psychobilly genre. 'Goo-Goo Much' and 'Human Fly' both went on to be Cramps classics and are considered among the bands best songs. Others like the angry opener 'Garbageman' and the New York sounding 'New Kind Of Kick' and the excellent 'Drug Train' make this bar far the best Cramps album available, and really the only one worth owning.
   
   Bad Music For Bad People is the only Cramps album that's worth a darn, the rest have some good songs but not enough to warrant buying the whole thing. This is the best of it's kind and one of the only of it's kind and one that I would recommend to all rock fans.



5. I've always thought that a dream show would be Southern Culture on the Skids, The Reverend Horton Heat and The Cramps. As they tour, they could swap running order spots, because not one of them would suffice being an opening act for any of the others, though I would think that SCOTS and the Rev would volunteer to take a step back in deference to the mighty Cramps.
   
   And this release is probably one of the most amazing collections you can find of the pioneers of psychobilly. Aside from being a great gateway to classic rockabilly with their scorching versions of "Love Me," "She Said" and "Can't Hardly Stand It," The Cramps also touch on the fact that punk music has a source spring, as "Garbageman" attests, but that rock is sleazy and inventive and just plain out of this world. "New Kind of Kick" is the anthem for the burnt out, "Goo Goo Muck" confirms that all of us street urchins are quite simply monsters and deserve to torment the beautiful people, and "TV Set" makes being a mass murderer sound fun and icky at the same time. The Cramps tread two feet in many different kinds of worlds, and this sings to the creep in me.

5 comments about Kick Out the Jams.

1. If not, quit wasting time and get it NOW.
   
   If you already have it, check out Mighty High...In Drug City.



2. MC5. Punk rock heroes. This live performance is the perfect view on them and their times.



3. MC5 was one of the best rock bands in the 60's. Kick Out The Jams is my fav. I rate it a 10.



4. For the uninitiated..hold onto something, this cd will blow you away!! Not punk..not metal..not jazz or blues..but containing elements of all and blasted out with more volume and energy than humanly possible! Yep, it's from Detroit..and even contains a bit o' soul for good measure. Although many bands are credited with being the 1st at a specific genre..Blue Cheer-metal...Ramones-punk...etc....the Mc5 predate them all.{and blow 'em away} This was ahead of it's time and still sounds impressive today. I saw 'em live back in the day and still have the hearing loss to prove it! If you are into anything remotely heavy, you owe it to yourself to check this out...these guys invented "heavy".



5. ESTA EDICION ,QUE GUARDA LA INCANDESCENTE ACTUACION DE MC5, DEBE SER UNO DE LOS TESTIMONIOS EN VIVO MAS CREIBLES DE TODA UNA EPOCA, MUY PARTICULAR, POR CIERTO... LA CRUDEZA, DESPROLIJIDAD Y CREDIBILIDAD DE ESTE SONIDO REALMENTE ERIZA LA PIEL...ES COMO HABER ESTADO AHI..EN ESE PRECISO INSTANTE DONDE DOS GUITARRAS DESQUICIADAS DESMORONAN CONVENCIONALISMOS QUE LAMENTABLEMENTE HOY SIGUEN PRESENTES... ES LA EXPLOSION DE UN VOLCAN QUE LUEGO SE APAGARIA PARA SIEMPRE, PERPETUANDO NO ERUPCIONES SINO ERUPTOS QUE TOMARIAN LA FORMA DEL PUNK ROCK.....

5 comments about Space And Time.

1. This album, a compilation of tracks from earlier recordings, is an excellent introduction for anyone unfamiliar with the music of Steve Roach. I enjoyed it thoroughly.



2. I enjoy dark ambient music and particularly enjoy the music of Steve Roach. This CD is a survey of twenty years of his work and for me may be a guide to buying his music in the future. Plus the price was right too.



3. If you enjoyed the masterful magnificent void, by Roach, you will love this. Roach is quite
   possibly, along with Stearns, the greatest composer of ambient and or space music
   the U.S. has produced. If you love deep space, buy this.



4. I bought this CD at the price of $4.98. If you are new to Steve Roach and want to learn more about his music, it's a steal, and will help you understand the fine work that he produces. But know that it is more of a sampler and does not stick with one thing for very long. It is easier to get into a meditative state with his other discs that have tracks that are longer in duration. I haven't come across any Steve Roach that I didn't like, including his many collaborations. I own Structures From Silence, The Magnificent Void, Empetus, Dreamtime Return, the 4 disc Mystic Chords and Sacred Spaces (the last 2 discs only available at his website www.steveroach.com and www.projekt.com), and the collaborations Strata, Soma, Somewhere Else, The Serpent's Lair, Body Electric, and Light Fantastic. I could recommend any one of those discs to you if you are into ambient music. I enjoy the Steve Roach in my collection. There is so much to choose from, and pretty much everything that Steve Roach has made is profound and enables you to at the very least, get calm and relaxed, and sometimes even reach higher consciousness and a meditative state. You have found the king of the genre. Now it is only a matter of choosing your favorites. Happy hunting!



5. This has become my favorite ambient CD. I listen to it specifically on Saturday mornings when the house is still quiet and the smell of coffee is in the air. It's a must for any lover of ambient, "Hearts of Space" style music.

5 comments about Pacer.

1. This 1995 release by Kim Deal was a gem to discover. Breeders fans will appreciate the musical history imbued within its facets, as it foreshadows things to come. Simply put, it is well worth the money if you are into the Breeders on any level, at a minimum just to experience Tipp City, Full on Idle and Empty Glasses.



2. I'm not a Pixies fan; Pod and Title TK didn't float my boat. Last Splash is one of my favorite albums ever. I considered trying out Pacer with low expectations due to the poor ratings I've seen on different sites. I was pleasantly surprised and love it just as much as Last Splash. It's laid-back with an ah-shucks bashful grin and grinning boisterousness. I can't believe I enjoy this album so much when many seem to be saying the album's no big deal. It just makes the album more special to me.



3. Kudos to Ms. Deal. I don't thinks she's ever complimented her abilities as well as this. It's a classic.



4. Pacer has on it the very best work of her career. "Breaking the Split Screen Barrier" is sheer perfection, even if you can't make out the lyrics. "Dedicated" could very well be one of the greatest songs of all time. Innocent, melancholic, with that ingenious chord progession.
   
   "She's a girl" is equally as brilliant, Kim Deal kickin ass.
   "Bragging Party" is womby and hypnotic, although indistinguishable lyrics make it hard to sing along.
   
   Personally, I don't care much for side one. "Pacer" and "Tipp City" are great retro songs, capitalizing on Kim's sound, but I've always felt "I am Decided" and "Mom's Drunk" just don't quite capture it. "Full on idle", however captures a very atmospheric, darker country edge of reality, prozac nation kind of vibe.
   
   It's a good record, overall.
   Kim saves the best for last.



5. Before the Breeders reunited in 2002, the rock group had splintered into three other groups. One of those side groups was the Amps, headed by Kim Deal. Though the Amps produced only one album, "Pacer" is a low-fi, subtle creature that takes a while to really show its complexity.
   
   It's raw garage... pop. Not quite rock, but deep indiepop, with bits of rock and punk mixed in. It was recorded in a minimalist style, with sunny pop suddenly seguing into the rockin' "Tipp City," where the tempo and sound are upped in a big way. Deal lets rip vocally here, and the music does too.
   
   Other songs sound rough around the edges, but not quite enough to be alienating -- the heavy, thick "Mom's Drunk," the dynamic rock of "Breaking the Split Screen Barrier," and the stripped-down excellence of "Empty Glasses," where the instruments come out into the front.
   
   Compared to the Breeders, there's a feeling of harmony in "Pacer" -- since it was done quickly and with great energy, there's no underlying rivalries or conflicts here. It's just a good band, making good music. And after you've listened to it a few times, it becomes clear that it's also wildly underappreciated.
   
   The musical style does take a little getting used to, just because it will not sound familiar. It's so stripped-down, so lo-fi that it sounds totally unlike your average rock band. But it has a refreshing honesty and lack of pretension, and complex melodies come out if you listen hard enough. Luis Lerma and Jim MacPherson mold their bass and drums into the rock-hard, minimalist basis of each song.
   
   Kim Deal sounded like she was having a good time in "Pacer," whether shouting with ecstacy, yelling, or drunkenly inquiring where the waittress is. Her spiky vocals can be cute or rough, depending on the song, and she brings a sense of vitality to "Pacer." No drowsy monotones here -- Deal wears her limbic system on her sleeve.
   
   The Amps were only a one-shot band, which is saddening, because the promise that brims from the energetic "Pacer" could have lasted a lot longer.

5 comments about Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.

1. I once read in "EG" in the Melbourne "Age" that Pavement were a landmark band - something never challenged until the bitterly critical reviews by "janitor-x" who saw Pavement as a "rip-off" and emotionless. I really felt I had to listen, and my brother's record collection made that task easy.
   
   Slanted and Enchanted was as bad a mess as you will ever hear: not so much emotionless as unfocused and often overblown so that it is not the alternative it is presumed to the terrible grunge that dominated the airwaves back then. On their second album "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain", Pavement at least become much more focused than they were on their debut. They write actual songs in a way seldom in evidence on "Slanted", and "Stop Breathing" is quite touching even if it is a type of song I have heard rather too much of in recent years.
   
   The famous "Cut Your Hair", however, could be grunge if it were less sparsely produced and Malkmus's voice really is terrible when he tries to hit the loud parts. The badge on the inside which copies Aerosmith exactly, suggests Pavement secretly want to be a true "hard rock" band but still have credential with the rock critics. "5-4 = Unity" is actually a real rip-off of Sonic Youth as "janitor-x" said many times, whilst "Range Life" predates the annoying radio pop of the 2000s and Pavement seemingly refuse to rage. "Hit The Plane Down" sounds like funk-metal with terrible synthesised vocals. "Fillmore Jive" though, has quite real passion without being overblown, yet is not enough to redeem all the failed experiments of previous tracks, especially as Malkmus' voice lacks real intimacy and is too close to hair-metal for comfort.
   
   Whilst this is better than Pavement's debut, it is still quite ordinary and even the better songs have been done more consistently elsewhere. Also, people see Pavement as "lo-fi" innovators, but beyond their recording methods they often sound either like grunge with hair metal vocals or ordinary 2000s radio pop. "janitor-x" really has a point about them being one of the most overrated bands in music history.



2. One of the few major alternative rock bands from the 90s to be able to honestly grasp that title (most were either too obscure to be major or got a lot of radio play and lost that "alt" label), Pavement did score a big underground hit with "Cut Your Hair," one of the best singles of the decade that a lot of people have still never heard. On their second album, Pavement continue their slacker vibe tradition and crank out warm and melodic pop songs with a hard rock attitude. They didn't go for the pink noise effect or try to change the world with their "omniscient" observations, but preferred the less groundbreaking method--and it worked.
   
   "Fillmore Jive" is a rare epic for them, and one of their all-time best tracks. "Unfair" and "Stop Breathin'" are thoroughly underrated gems and "Silence Kit" has a smooth and buried melody that's gorgeous beneath the hard-tuned guitar line. Only the disappointingly tepid "Heaven Is a Truck" doesn't hit the mark.
   
   Teeters on the brink of great album and true masterpiece--replayability threatens to tip it over, but its product-of-its-times factor keeps on pushing it back (so many smaller bands have aped their successful ingredients, that it loses some of its freshness). Fans of the band probably own about three copies of this by now; fans of indie and alternative rock must have it if they don't already.
   
   Best cuts: "Fillmore Jive," "Silence Kit," "Cut Your Hair," "Unfair," "Stop Breathin'," "Newark Wilder," "Gold Soundz," "Range Life," "Elevate Me Later," "5-4=Unity," "Hit the Plane Down"



3. I enjoy pavement. Reviewing music is difficult due to the fact that liking music revolves around personal taste. That being said, if you are a fan of pavement, this cd is for you. I enjoy the vocals, melodies, and lyrics of this album. This is my 2nd favorite album by the group, and if you don't own it and are considering purchasing it, GO FOR IT, YOU WON'T BE LET DOWN.



4. I was in Florida on vacation the day Kurt Cobain shot himself. I remember staring out into the ocean trying to understand why he would do such a thing. Later that night I saw the video for 'Cut Your Hair' and my world shifted ever so slightly. I bought this record on the recommendation of a friend who was an avid ministry fan. I'm not sure how or why he knew about it but I owe him big time. The thing is when I got this record I hated the sh*t out of it. It was terrible, the worst music ever, oh my god, my allowance for the year...WASTED. But somehow I kept listening and slowly it crept in between my synapses and has been blocking the flow of relevant thoughts ever since. When you listen to the music you feel filled with sad beams of sunlight. You are traveling across the desert with an ex-girlfriend to drop her off in a different city. But you are strangely at peace with this and you are angry in a fun way. You want to f*ck s*it up...melodically. Gold Soundz, Fillmore Jive, Elevate Me Slowly, Unfair, Range Life, and Silence Kit are all brilliant individually. The rest of the songs are essential to make the album whole. This is my favorite album of all time.



5. i didn't get why my older bro used to liek this, though i always thought cut your hair was funny, but now i think i get it,

5 comments about The Modern Dance.

1. smashed glass, loud crowd...the reverse of ambiant misuc; what is it: tnaibma sicum? birdie go fly fly, fly fly! this is the real world as it stood and as it stands; if every serious and pseudo music collector had one Pere Ubu album this is the one; if you are stcuk on a desert island take this one as a reminder of the human condition and its discontents



2. It's funny -- growing up in Cleveland, I always saw advertisements for
   Pere Ubu concerts that happened in the most random places. They would
   always play these cheesy street festivals on the same bill with Dead
   cover bands, or carnivals or off-nights at the Agora.
   
   I never heard any critical discussion of them, or Rocket From The
   Tombs or the Numbers or the 15-75-60 bands, other than that Mark
   Mothersbaugh used to be involved with the Numbers and Robert Kidney
   before he left them to go and form Devo. The Akron bands got all the
   attention (for good reason). Of course Rocket from the Tombs was
   before my time as well.
   
   It seemed that not only did Pere Ubu fly under the radar, but they
   kind of ignored it altogether. Though I always saw them being
   advertised in the late 70s and throughout the 80s, I never saw them,
   cause I figured I always could.
   
   The loss is mine. The Modern Dance is a truly timeless album. I
   wouldn't necessarily call it punk -- maybe avant-punk. The lead
   singer's voice takes some getting used to (although he kicks the Godz'
   lead singer to the curb), but the guitar work throughout is extremely
   inventive. Other tracks like Sentimental Journey definitely fall into the avant-garde camp.
   
   The whole album is almost anti-punk, if that even makes sense. Even
   punk rock had a bit of formula by the late 70s and Pere Ubu completely
   broke away from that formula. In fact, Captain Beefheart or the Godz
   come to mind a lot when I listen to this album.
   
   As with the best albums, it gets better with each listen.



3. As a musician who has played music since the late 70's I think it is important to point out that this band is one of the most infuential acts in the history of Rock n Roll. If it were not for Pere Ubu, the Talking Heads would have not existed.
   
   Enough said. The Modern Dance is Pere Ubu at their best. Recorded in the late 70's and released on CD in the early 90s, it is Filled with intelligent attitude, a good beat, and some of the best noises ever. (There's even the sound of breaking glass bottles) Dave Thomas voice is brilliant. The allure of Pere Ubu is that they exist in a space of their own. These styles did not exist before them. They are inventing on this album, and that's what makes it neat. You will hear things that make you wish you had thought of them. Buy it and enjoy.



4. Just like the debuts by The Beatles, Velvet Underground and Roxy Music, this deservedly sits way up there..life altering!! True, David Thomas' vocals are challenging...and an acquired taste. True, the atmospherics can get rather bleak at times...and the synthesizer by Allen Ravenstine sounds like radiator steam hissing. Therein, however lay its charm. Fantastic stuff! Makes so many other bands' efforts pale in comparison. They have set the bar pretty damn high. Highest recommendation!



5. Looking back, I remember when I first bought this record not knowing what to expect. A friend of mine, who knew I was into the Pixies suggested I check out The Modern Dance by Pere Ubu.
   Within a few days I bought The Modern Dance and was eager to put it in my stereo first thing, as I normally would when something "new" to listen to comes along. My initial reaction was this is a bit strange, but I wanted to listen to all of it before judging it at all.
   A weird siren type of sound begins 'The Modern Dance' with the opener "Non-alignment Pact" then a blast of screeching feedback and David Thomas' bizarre type of word usage. By the end of the album I was hooked!
   Throughout listening to 'The Modern Dance' it was evident that I could too see the comparison made to Black Francis of the Pixies and this (madman) artist. All the yelping and apocalyptic type poetry.
   I enjoy every song on here except for "Sentimental Journey" -I just can't get over all the glass breaking, a bit too out there even for me.
   Post punk. Experimental rock. Alternative. New Wave. Avante Garde. Whatever you want to call it.
   Although Pere Ubu didn't sell very many records and not a whole lot of people(it seems) have heard of them - Pere Ubu begin with this debut and changed the face of modern rock/alternative music.