1 comments about Live It Like You Love It.

1. This CD includes most of my favorite charlatans songs including Impossible, Weirdo, and How High. Some of the songs sound a little rough but all in all it's pretty good. It was worth the high import price. If you are a true Charlatans fan, I don't think you have a choice but to buy this album.

5 comments about Live in Montana.

1. The studio version of "I Can't Be Counted On" was just alright, but the live version is incredible. I'd buy this CD again (if I didn't already have it) just to have a copy of this version of "I Can't Be Counted On"! The rest of the CD is pretty good, but anyone who hasn't heard the live version of "I Can't Be Counted On" really needs to get this CD!



2. Live In Montana covers two live shows from 1988 and shows the band at their best as well as their worst. The first eight tracks are absolutely killer. The version of "Touchdown King" is fantastic as the band changes tempo throughout while Curt's soloing is top notch. "Maiden's Milk" shows the awesome interplay between Cris and Curt Kirkwood. Cris's bass playing is amazing here and surprisingly way up in the mix. The heavier tracks, "Automatic Mojo" and "Liquified", are scorchers and are much more intense than their studio versions. The versions of the now classic Meat Puppets II songs "Lake of Fire" and "Plateau" are both great. The tracks "I Can't Be Counted On" and the amusing "Cotton Candy Land" are also very good. Although the vocals are off key throughout, it's the passion of the performnace that truly stands out. Having said that, it seriously sounds like the band is ripped on the last four tracks. "Dough Rey Mi" is a country rave up that sounds like something you'd hear at the local bazaar. "S.W.A.T." is very cool and funky but as the band goes into "Attacked By Monsters", the drunkenness takes over and it continues through a destructive version of Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou." You want bad vocals? Look no further. "Party Til the World Obeys" isn't nearly as bad even if it's one of their weaker songs. While the version of Small Hours is well played, the vocals are way off. Then, as all drunk bar bands must do, they play some easy ones, in this case sluggish versions of "Paranoid" and "Sweet Leaf." If you took just the first eight tracks, this is close to a 5-star album. But the beer kicks in and it's all downhill from there. Their other live release Meat Puppets Live which only features Curt Kirkwood from the original lineup is actually a better album even if it has a weaker songlist.



3. Live in Montana is a historic and sentimental offering that only long-standing Puppet fans could appreciate. In other words, when my wife is in the room, I'm not allowed to play this gem. Michele, please give them a fair chance, you know how important these geniuses are to me! Recorded at close to their artistic height in the late 80's, the listener gets the feeling that they're sometimes intentionally trying not to sound good, with gobbly incoherent vocals and uncohesively loose guitar/bass riffs. Nonetheless this collection compiled by Bostrom last year is a real treat for true fans. Does anybody know if Chris is officially dead?



4. this is the most incredible live-recording I ever heard of any band! one for the island!



5. Definitely the Meat Puppets in top form. Though this is probably my least favorite time period in Meat puppets history, there is no denying their musical prowess on this CD. One good thing is I've never before heard Cris play bass so damn well. The vocal growls that Curt used at this time period (kind of like Johnny Winter) can get pretty annoying, but it doesn't really bother me to much. Maybe because I'm already a converted fan. If this was the first Puppets album I ever heard, it would probably annoy me. Therefore I'd reccommend this album only for those who are already fans. Oh and by the way. Derrick totally rips on the drums on this. Don't let anyone tell you he's not a good drummer! -JOE BAKER

No comments about 30.

2 comments about Remain in Memory: The Final Show.

1. Awsome live album w/ a solid set list mixing most of the best songs off all their releases. Wonderful west coast HC band... sad to see them done.



2. Good Riddance has always been one of the most consistent contributers to the hardcore scene since they were formed. Finally, the energy of thier live shows has been laid down on wax, and serves as a 31 track retrospective of almost 15 years of touring and albums. The live version of "Mother Superior" alone is worth the price of this disc. Despite some sloppily played riffs here and there, the album does not suffer and Russ' voice is better now than its ever been. After seeing Good Riddance a handful of times in the NY/NJ area years ago, I can tell you that this compilation of thier final three shows in Santa Cruz, CA last May, put me right back in my high school shoes, front row at thier shows, when punk rock still meant something.

5 comments about NYC 1978.

1. What can I say, this is the Ramones at their best. I don't think they were ever quite the same after Tommy left. The sound is more raw than on the more engineered "It's Alive" album and better for it. This is the perfect complement if you have the first three Ramones studio albums (and if you don't, then go buy them right now). And one more thing, if your neighbours don't listen to the Ramones, then turn it up REAL LOUD so they can!



2. I love the Ramones, especially the music on their first three albums, which is exactly what is featured on NYC 1978. This recording is a long lost radio concert from the King Biscuit Flower Hour which has, as far as I can tell, not been altered in any way from the live concert version. This is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you get to hear what a Ramones show sounded like when they were hungry and in their prime. On the other hand, however, the sound is too raw and unpolished to be enjoyed over multiple listenings. For example, the background vocals that embellish the studio versions are either not there or drowned out, Johnny's guitar crashes in proto-metal fury, completely overshadowing Tommy's drums and Dee Dee's bass, and Joey's vocals are also quite ragged. Therefore, I view NYC 1978 as a very cool historical document, but not such a great entertainment value. Stick with the original records.



3. This Ramones concert took place seven days after the concert that was released as the It's Alive album. How does this concert differ from that one? Not by much, really. The set list is identical and even in the same order, with the exception of "Judy is a Punk" not being played during the second encore this time. Despite having one less song, this CD actually runs a bit longer than the other one, because on It's Alive some of the breaks between songs were cut down, most notably the breaks between the three encores. Joey's stage patter is, of course, different at the two shows. Other than that, there are no real differences between the concerts. Ramones NYC 1978 is a good, solid Ramones concert, and so is It's Alive. I would recommend getting either one, but only the Ramones biggest fans will need to get both of them.



4. This record made It's Alive obsolete, no joke, simply because It's Alive has fake crowd noise and the vocals overdubbed in a studio, this one doesn't. This is a true representation of what the band sounded like on this era, and regardless of that, it simply rocks more than It's Alive



5. I used to have a copy of "It's Alive," which I thought was a great live CD. However, one day I was browsing the shelves at a local music store, and I noticed a copy of this CD on sale for $10. I looked at the track listing and noticed it was almost the same as "It's Alive," and one of the guys at the store
   told me that someone had bought that same copy, then he returned it because "It sounds like every other Ramones' CD." Go figure.

   Anyway, I figured, "What the hell? It's only $10." I bought it and took it home, and it sounded INCREDIBLE!!! I think it's better than "It's Alive" because the concert takes place on the Ramones' home turf, so they feel more within their element. The sound is more rough and raw and in-your-face, and it captures the Ramones at their finest.

   Don't get me wrong, "It's Alive" is still a great CD, but it just doesn't quite have the same energy. I gave my copy to a friend, so now I just listen to "NYC 1978."

4 comments about The BBC Sessions.

1. this album contains my favourite version of my favourite dinosaur jr song, raisans/raisins. it's good. buy it.



2. I love this cd it has all the stuff that is worth listening to for dinosaur my favorite was in a jar it sounded more grungy then the origanal so did get me and bulbs of passion. This was very cool I highly recommend this.



3. If you like Dinosaur like I do. Nice sound quality, and Great selection of songs from the YLAOM/BUG era, it is a little short- only about 36 minutes but that doesnt effect how many stars i give it. I just throw this in my three disc changer with Youre living all over me and Dinosaur, and hit the continous button it all sound great to me i really enjoy it and you will to if you are a D.J fan.



4. This is a great document of several live-in-the-studio Dinosaur, Jr. performances, most (all?) of them done for John Peel's famous BBC radio show. A lot of these tracks have been available previously only through bootlegs. The songs are selected mostly from the "You're Living All Over Me" and "Bug" era. The quality of the recordings are not spectacular, but they are definitely very listenable. Sometimes the guitar is not as high in the mix as you'd like, and sometimes the vocal or bass might not be high enough, but in general these are clean recordings that you will have no trouble listening to over and over again.

   I'm not sure if I'd recommend this disc to someone who is new to Dinosaur Jr. I'd send such a person to "Bug", "You're Living All Over Me", and "Green Mind" first. Regardless, Dinosaur Jr. was one of the most important bands of the 80's decade, and their raw power and strange beauty is capture excellently here.

1 comments about Live at the Knitting Factory, Vol. 3.

1. "This last one we're gonna do should be familiar to all the cats out there that know the stuff. This is called The Wedding Dance. You know what I'm sayin'?" And with that, Don Byron opens the most danceable track on the album, an old Jewish klezmer tune by Mickey Katz. It is a prelude to the clarinetist's subsequent Don Byron Plays the Music of Mickey Katz album.

   For years now, an old knitting factory in New York has been a concert club featuring the best jazz from around the world. This is an early sample of some of the fresh sounds coming from The Knitting Factory. Most of the tracks are instrumental jazz pieces, ranging from funky and groovy, to avant garde and free form.

   One of John Zorn's many side projects, Slan is featured on two tracks here. Their Z.O.G. is what caught my eye. Do they mean Zionist Occupied Government? What could a song named for Nazi propaganda sound like? Z.O.G. starts with a flurry of drums, and then breaks into Zorn's crazy squealing saxophone. Quite unlike his Masada String Quartet albums, this style is that of his Naked City jazz ensemble. Slan's other track is similar in nature.

   You Must Choose by Negativland is also a standout for me. The experimental group is known for stringing sound bites, samples and a variety of musical and non musical sounds and noises together.

   The story of a frustrated man who's TV goes on the brink right in the middle of watching The Playboy Channel is so weird that it makes me laugh every time I hear it. On a side note, Negativland also has a version of Tevye's Dream from the Knitting on the Roof album. This is a unique album to have for fans of jazz and for something a little strange. You have been warned.
   ...

No comments about Stuck on A.M.: Off the Record in Minneapolis.

4 comments about WBCN Naked 2000.

1. I guess I'm getting old, but I don't like the songs on this disk as much as I like the acoustic numbers on Naked 1 and 2.
   
   On the other hand: "It's Too Late" by The Jim Carroll Band is worth the price of the entire CD. It's a live cut and pretty rare, I think. Buy it if you can get a good price on it. I got one used in new condition for a few dollars plus shipping. You can't argue with that!



2. This CD is a good collection of new music recorded live in concert settings.

   It does not have the diversified or acoustic "in the studio" flavor of past WBCN releases.

   Good if you like the genre of harder alternative music. Not too good if you are looking for one of those good acoustic recordings of the artists' works.




3. this is a great album for you if you like live stuff, this album is full of the best live shows of 99/early 2000... this cd is made by my hometown radio station WBCN the rock revolution 104.1 boston! i luv the station and the cd, so if ur in need of sum great live stuff, by this album, you wont be dissapionted.....



4. Of the 3 WBCN albums this is heavier and has more live concert performances- it reflects '99 well with songs by Korn, Limp B, 311, Blink 182, Kid Rock, Moby, and Everlast. The performances are more live shows vs. live studio like the other albums. There's not as much depth or complexity unearthed in the songs, but you get more raw energy- very different than Naked 1&2, but still good

No comments about Unplugged Im Wiener Burgtheater.