5 comments about War.

1. This release was my first introduction to U2. Sunday Bloody Sunday was phenomenal, and it still is. The highest praise I can give is thanks.



2. Forgot what you know about Modern Day U2. Since they are still on top of the pop charts, I am sure that there is a younger fan base that might like some of their newer material. If you do, then there is no way that you shouldn't purchase "War" "War" is easily U2's best album. Even though "The Unforgetable Fire" and "The Joshua Tree" produced hit after hit, "War" is a different U2 then some are used to. This album is dark, and the Edge does some great guitar work (in which he seems absent for the more modern albums) If you aren't even into the band (which I am not, I just love this album) then I highly reccomend it. If you are a huge fan, and dont have this in your collection, you are missing their best material. ENJOY



3. I find it hard to believe that I have never written a review for this album.
   First of all I believe U2 had never been as rocking and driven as they were with WAR, they have not been since it either.
   Song by song the album might not seem as good, but this is one of those strange situations where the whole is much more than the sum of it's parts.
   This album features their first two real master pieces New year's day and drowning man.
   The latter not as known to newer fans, it is a haunting song that provides us with a different U2.
   The anger and determination, their youthful energy, talent and focus, just blended perfectly in this album, creating the epic closer for their early album trilogy.
   If this album misses the label 'masterpiece' is by frustrating inches, probably because of "The refugee" it would have been a much stronger record without it, as it stops the flow of the record and sounds totally out of place.
   This is all of course my opinion... but I feel WAR is light years ahead in terms of musical and lyrical contents than pretty much most of their albums, specially their two newer ones (yes that ones that sound like a rehash of their "old" sound cough *sellouts* cough) All that you can't leave behind and How to dismantle an atomic bomb.
   
   WAR
   Master pieces: New year's day, Drowning man
   Oustanding songs: Sunday bloody sunday, Seconds, Like a song...,
   Good songs: Two hearts beat as one, surrender, red light
   Regular songs: 40 (Great lyrics and all but as a song itself it feels weird)
   Bad songs: The refugee
   
   If you have heard U2 and recall their "old" albums (Joshua tree, Unforgettable fire)
   Do yourself a favour and listen to their true old sound and roots... I guarantee this four young lads will impress you way beyond the Joshua tree and you will, now, truly know what you REALLY can't leave behind.



4. With this album, U2 reach the international market with hits like "Sunday bloody Sunday", and "New year's day". Other tracks are really good like "Surrender" and "40", the rest is good but not great.
   The best was just coming soon...



5. This is probably one of U2's most focused and hard rocking album's to date, while their later albums tend to focus too much on pop music War has a more edgier sound to it and there is obviously a little bit of pop. I consider this to be one of my favorites from U2 of course not alot of people are going to like this cause U2 are a band that you either love or hate, my friend hates these guys and thinks that their music is pointless and very dull, oh well thats just his opinion. The album starts of with Sunday bloody sunday which is one of thier biggest hits, its an anti-war and protest song and is very effective cause of the way Bono sings he sounds very emotional and the song has a very nice drum beat done by Larry Mullen then theres the song Seconds which also sounds like a protest song. The other hit single from this album and one of my favorites New years day is one of the best songs that U2 has ever made, if you haven't heard anything from U2 yet I suggest you hear this song first so you might get this album as well. Bono of course being a great song writer and lyricist attempts to write a great love ballad with Two hearts beat as one and his vision carries through the rest of the album which has a strong political and religious theme to it. I have to admit that Refugee is not a fovrite cause it sound a bit outdated and bad like a synthpop new wave song but still doesn't matter since the rest of the album was absolutely amazing and The edge has some great guitar riffs especially in the song New years day where he makes a slightly echo like sounding riff that complements the nice basslines and piano, this song is absolutely phenomenal. I highly recomend this to U2 fans or those who are looking for a great 80's rock album.

5 comments about The Future Is Unwritten.

1. I like this, and the film I saw on IFC, i brought the cd after watching the movie,, there is quite a mix, some old stuff you can tell was not done in a studio but it has a nice feel not too polished like old stuff a bit scratchy but it adds to it



2. Bad fluctuating sound levels from song to song. There is a cool alternative version of rock the casbah that is definetly worth checking out...you can just buy the single song through itunes or somewhere. The rest of the album pretty much sucks.



3. When the ancient Greeks were creating their myths, Gods and heroes, they had men like Joe Strummer in mind. Epic entities possessed of such intense power and influence that their cult alone could sway the course of mortal men. Dionysus thought flutes could cease all worry. Strummer's guitar thought you weren't worried enough. The most appealing thing to me about Greek mythology is that their Gods were flawed and their heroes doomed. Give me a God with a God-complex and I'm a believer. A tale of an effed-up fallen hero? We will tell that story till the end of days.
   
   I'm glad Joe didn't go out like Sid or Kurt, but his passing was reported with a barely audible whimper. He deserved better. How many statues of Apollo are there? Joe never caused a plague. His aim was true. Release the doves!
   
   There's a rumor going 'round that ..Julien Temple has made a documentary about Strummer called "The Future Is Unwritten". For reasons that defy understanding, it isn't being screened in the U.S. until November (maybe). Meanwhile, it's been playing in Europe for months. Just to rub a cake of salt into the wound of the frothy mouthed faithful, the soundtrack to said film HAS been made available in the states of disgrace.
   
   Well...that'll do. It's easily the most riveting bunch 'o' songs I've heard all year. Back in the early eighties Strummer orchestrated a pirate-radio broadcast from a London rooftop, RADIO CLASH. It was probably pretty great but I wouldn't know because I never heard it. Nor did I have the opportunity to listen to his BBC shows from 1999-2002. What "The Future Is Unwritten" soundtrack offers is a chance to experience a bit of what those shows were like. You can play the U.K. version of The Clash debut until the needle turns to dust (and you should), but you won't get closer to the soul of the man than you will here. If you follow the arc of Joe's music...from the 101ers to The Clash to Latino Rockabilly War and the Mescaleros through to his last solo work on Hellcat...you see a man searching for a sound. A fearless sonic explorer. A man with an exotic aural appetite. Joe was an exemplary musicologist. He would have exhausted Harry Smith.
   
   What if...you could sit in a room with Joe Strummer and have him play you some of his favorite records? How much would that be worth? Julien Temple, Ian Neil, & Alan Moloney have scoured those old broadcasts and assembled a jaw-dropping example. Running the gamut from Elvis Presley's "Crawfish" (from what is, for my money, the finest soundtrack ever...King Creole) to the live MC5 version of "Kick Out The Jams" to Eddie Cochran & Woody Guthrie...from Bob Dylan to Nina Simone. If you've never heard Tim Hardin or Ernest Ranglin before, you will certainly be seeking them out upon hearing this.
   
   Lest you think Andres Landeros' jaunty "Martha Cecilia" might taint your Mohawk, there's a healthy dose of the Strummer music arc I spoke of. A blistering (how else to describe The Clash?) demo take of "White Riot"...a Manna-from-heaven never before released Clash song "(In The) Pouring Rain"from a 1984 Seattle show...The 101ers classic "Keys To Your Heart"...Joe's indescribably beautiful instrumental "Omotepe"...and not only that, kids...but interspersed between all this are little sound-bites and introductions from the Punk Rock Warlord himself!
   
   Whereas the Strummer/Cash duet on Marley's "Redemption Song" had reduced me to tears (3 ghostly heroes on THAT song? I defy you not to cry) a few years ago, this album is filled to the brim with life-affirming discovery and awe-inspiring passion...and F&*# YOU if that's not punk rock. The hell it ain't!



4. I think this is a great album! It is, of course, a soundtrack strictly speaking but it sounds more like a mix CD from a very cool friend with broad musical tastes. Yet it does all tie together because of who it's about. There are few compillations that cover so much territory and yet flow so evenly. I can't wait to see the film!



5. It's hard living off the scraps that may come our way now that the great man has gone and I'm sure there will be some pretty crass compilations in days to come! This however is skillfully put together and paints a picture of the man through the music he wrote and the music he loved. The opening studio take of just his voice singing White Riot sends a chill and as the full song commences memories flood back of sweaty Top Ranks and the band blasting away within touching distance of the audience.Following thisThere is a very unusual rendition of Rock the Casbah in Arabic however the most part is taken up by Joe playing songs from his radio show all of which are special. My particular favorite is the U Roy song. Many of you will have bought the 'Front Line' album back in 76 as it was sold at a promotional price of 69p the track that appears here is a version of the original and to my money superior, what a voice!!
   I enjoy this album because it flows and it something to keep as an aid to remembering Joe Strummer, the songs are linked by passages of dialogue, a sprightly sounding Topper Headon is just great to hear at last, but most moving is Joe's passage about the ability and power of people to change things. His voice seems to crack with the emotion and intensity of what he is saying and I'm afraid to say I cried again!!

1 comments about 1916.

1. ah..the good old days.buying cigarettes underage,losing my virginity at age 14,sneaking my first couple of beers,ah and of course,my first motorheaad cassette. this record is timeless. lemmy and the boys deliver with gutteral force. songs like "i'm so bad baby i dont care" and the war ballad "1916" are a constant reminder of how these guys are old but man can they still rock.if you dont own any motorhead stuff,get this record. you wont be dissapoined.

5 comments about 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Donnie Iris.

1. I always loved Donnie's sound and many of his songs. A couple I had forgotten were his. I love that he stayed true to his style and made it work. Proof that the roots of rock-n-roll are still the best part of it. The hook of Love Is Like A Rock, the story of Agnes, the smooth harmony of Ah! Leah and the throw back to The Rapper are awesome. Love Donnie and his sound. Fun CD to own.



2. 20TH CENTURY MASTERS: THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION is a great piece of new-wave power-pop from Donnie Iris, who first came to fame in the Jaggerz with the hit "The Rapper." His best, and biggest, solo hits were "Ah! Leah!" and "Love Is Like A Rock", both of which are included here. The music on this collection, despite its slickness, holds up better than most other early 80s postpunk, perhaps because instead of spewing insults (a no-no in my Jewish faith), it attempted to deepen a tradition. This CD is an essential purchase for anyone who loves pop in its purest sense.



3. I buy MANY albums for one song... this one was no different. If you are REALLY a Donnie Iris fan, get it, otherwise, try to buy the song you want from iTunes. It's not worth 20 bux to get one song.



4. I have been looking for this collection of music, from a singer and band who are from the area I went to college near, and finally found it. The songs brought back great memories of when Donnie Iris performed at my alma mater, Slippery Rock University, where he also attended and grew up near.



5. Maybe it was me but this and Back on the Streets were expensive and kinda hard to find got both at decent price they sound fine sometimes this is good place to find elusive cd's

5 comments about Outlandos D'Amour [Digipak].

1. This is what The Police would sound like if you got them to play in your garage. Outlandos D'Amour is like taking a snowshoe upside the head, while Copeland, Summers, the other guy laugh at you. A hoot dang.



2. The very first Police album doesn't really contain the heavy punk attitude and aggression some of you may be wondering about, but it does show the beginning stages of what punk would soon become, and some emotional vocals and memorable songwriting to make up for the lack of anger and rebellion. Since I'm more interested in quality songwriting skills, count me happy about that. This album is LOADED with underrated songs, such as "Born in the 50's", "So Lonely", and "Peanuts". There's a distinct feeling of loneliness in the singing style of Sting that I happen to find appealing, and to me, that's one of the best things about this album. A must own.



3. The Police burst on to the scene at the height of the punk explosion in England. Although embraced by the punk crowd The Police were never really a punk band. In fact they were something of an all star project. Drummer Stewart Copeland had come from the progressive rock world of Curved Air. Andy Summers had been a member of The Soft Machine, The Animals and even a touring member of Neil Sedaka's band. All music that was the antithesis of what Punk was rebelling against. From a purely musical perspective all 3 of these guys could play rings around the majority of punk bands of the day. Along with Summers and Copeland vocalist / bassist Sting (Gordon Sumner) completed the trio and they pretty much set the world on fire right out of the gate. "D'amour" contained the huge hit single "Roxanne" and the rest as they say is history. I kind of came late to the Polices early albums and kind of wrote them off at the time they were released, but going back now I think this is a really strong effort. The album is all over the place musically with elements of rock, reggae, jazz and even some experimental stuff thrown into the mix. 3 big hits came from the album "Roxanne", "So Lonely" and "Can't Stand Loosing You", and the album cuts are just as good if not better. I especially like the last half of the album with "Truth Hits Everybody", "Born In The 50's", "Be My Girl - Sally", and "Masoko Tanga". It is easy to see why these guys rocketed to success as fast as they did.



4. I enjoy all the songs on this one except "Born in the 50's" and "Be My Girl - Sally". I like how the songs are so varied. You get reggae with "So Lonely" and "Roxanne", punkish sounds with "Next To You" and "Truth Hits Everybody" and even some jazzy chords with "Hole In My Life" Even on this first album you can tell these guys had a boat load of talent and Sting's songwriting was top notch.



5. You can't discredit ANY Police album, even their weakest effort Ghost in the Machine which, aside from having the three worst Police songs in a row (Hungry For You, Demolition Man, Too Much Information), is chock full of signature classics and solid material that, like the best material on all of their albums, wouldn't quite sound at home on any of the other four albums. The worst thing you could say about any Police album is that it doesn't have a classic song from another Police album. The songs themselves are just that great. And although my absolute favourite Police songs come later, and I consider every Police album solid through and through, the first one, I think, really was the most impressive in using every minute available to create a truly unique listening experience. Every single track is a winner.
   
   You got the great rockers Next To You, Hole in My Life and Truth Hits Everybody. Next To You and Hole in My Life both showcase Stewart Copeland's versatility at the kit. In the former's case, his ability to play around with a simple song and experiment creatively. In the latter's case, he plays a truly original drum beat that really rocks and makes the song what it is.
   
   You have the three Police-iest songs ever, all on the same album, Roxanne, Can't Stand Losing You and the sublime So Lonely. Not every signature Police classic can be on the same album, but with all three of these winners on the same album, who could ask for anything more?
   
   And the more quirky Peanuts and Be My Girl - Sally showing that The Police's songwriting wins; quirky or serious. Peanuts, like Synchronicity II later, is compositionally very complex with a lot of interweaving sections but still manages to succeed as a good, solid pop song. The Be My Girl section of By My Girl - Sally (the Sting penned section) on the other hand, is as simple as a song can be, and is every bit as solid.
   
   Born in the 50's is the furthest thing from filler. On many other albums it'd probably be the standout track, but here it's just one more among nine other gems. The whole album never lets up. Nothing on it is anything short of amazing, and that's what sets Outlandos d'Amour apart. They don't waste a single second, giving you a listening experience unlike any other on the planet earth.
   
   Rounding the whole thing out is the bizarre Masoko Tanga, a landmark Police track unlike anything else they've ever done, or anybody's ever done really. To hear it is to believe it, it's an utterly unique piece of music. It's well-crafted and grooves in an unearthly way, with those signature Andy Summers block chords on beat 2 and 4 forcing me to bop my head in time every time I hear it. Where Don't Stand So Close to Me, Message in a Bottle or Every Breath You Take are Police classics, Masoko Tanga is a Police masterpiece.
   
   This is the place to start with The Police for sure. An amazing listening experience that always seems too short.

5 comments about U218 Videos.

1. Ok where do I start.Why does such a great band as U2 do this.Release after release of tunes we ALREADY own.And again,they do not include A Celebration.I Will Follow,Two Hearts Beat As One and Gloria as well.Those are but a few tracks/videos left off...why????.Just like the first BEST OF 1980-1990.This is already the 3rd best of,some great tunes are left out.Why cant someone over there get it right.You have a picture on the cover from the band when they were all not even 21.And we get vertigo,not once,not twice,but 3,three!!!! times.Why? Believe me..once is enough.The Saints isnt even on the video..its the live clip????..and Window In The Skies isnt on this either.The 2 new songs are not included.I guess they had to rush this out for the holidays in 06 like each year huh.We Have 2 versions of Stuck and Walk On..again.WHY????You can fit almost 3 hours of time on one dvd,so..why not include the tracks we did not get in the first 2 best of 80/90 and 91/2000???? Frustrating is what it is.Just like the fact that u2 DO NOT have NOT ONE live cd.For a band that is as great as u2 are they tend to drop the ball at times.But hey,at least we have the Vertigo lisbon version AND the hq versions to go with the reg. version right? and 3 versions of one?..I love the song but is the buffalo version really that important????.And not one version of Gloria.Whatever.Close to 30 videos could have been included.Maybe when u2 release the 4th best of next year, just in time for the holidays in 2008,again,we will get A Celebration?.Wishful thinking Im sure.



2. Best U2 video dvd out. It has the best of the ones released before, plus a couple of songs that hadn't. Excellent picture quality, and the sound is superb. A must have for people who haven't got the previously released ones.



3. Often U2's videos don't impress on the level of their music. Yet their videos remain intriguing, if only as they provide a glimpse into the creative process of the band. For that I'm hook line and sinker.



4. There are actually a few flaws in this collection, I have to mention that I was expecting the brilliant "Window In The Skies" video versions, I think they released the DVD too early, it would have been worth the wait. "The Unforgetable Fire", "All I Want Is You","Gloria" and the rare "A Celebration" would have hit the spot perfectly, but the sound, even if it's just 2 channel stereo is marvellous



5. If you've come to the realization of the depth in U2's music, adding videography to your interpretations will probably bring you one step closer to knowing. This DVD is not comprehensive of all of U2's music videos, but it's a good start and it's very nice to have their most popular works in such a handy disc.

5 comments about Boy.

1. Fans already familiar with U2 may feel a pleasant surprise or a jolt to Boy. For those old enough to have bought it around the time it was released, they undoubtedly have a different perspective than mine own. It is a deceptively good little album. The Boys and Steve Lillywhite were really just kids who really knew little idea of what they were doing, either with their instruments much less in a studio.
   The words popularly used to describe it in reviews are words like "raw" "youthful" "innocence" etc and I those are undoubtedly the case. I think unbridled, earnest, mature and humble are some others. "Cat Dubh" was a favorite of mine with these slinky, almost sultry, guitar riffs. "Out of Control" ("Our first single! We hope you like it!" for those who've seen U2 Go Home Live from Slane from 2001) shows bits of their anthemic future within it. The innocence is surely there in "Stories for Boys" and "The Ocean" in its airy waviness was often used to both start and finish their shows at the time.
   
   All in all, a weighty, modest, and gently inspiring first effort.



2. No need to go into detail about "Boy." "Into The Heart," "An Cat Dubah," "Stories For Boys," "I Will Follow," "The Electric Co.," "Out Of Control..." are all timeless classics and propelled U2 into their universal acceptance and popularity.
   
   You never see it mentioned in Rolling Stone or Billboard these days, or talked about as an influence by popular or indie musicians, which is too bad. Before U2 finally laid an "Atomic Bomb," next to the Stones, they have the longest running legacy in rock music, and this album is where it all started.



3. U2-Boy *****
   
   Hardly the band they would become but still amazing. If anything the boys from Dublin seemed to have more heart back then opposed to modern times. Maybe not more heart, but certainly more angst. More of a punk band than the rest of the groups releases, and yet their is hardly anything to call political or socially conscious here, it's just the album feels more honest than any of the bands other offerings, more true, more angry, more passionate than anything the band ever released. Now don't get me wrong I not saying this is U2's best album, it isn't but it truly is one of their top albums.
   
   For a debut they knew what they were doing. 'I Will Follow' stands out among all other songs the band released, even with 'One' from Achtung Baby, and 'With Or Without You' from The Joshua Tree. The religious rocker is nothing short of stellar! Truly one of the bands lost gems. 'Out Of Control' rocks just as hard as anything the band ever released. 'A Day Without Me' is spacey and slightly on the verge of A Flock Of Seagulls with it's very new wave feel, but is saved by Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton's rhythm section. 'Shadows And Tall Trees' closes the album with a hint of what was to come, leaving fans wanting more, as all closing tracks should do, and that is saying a lot because it is the weakest song on the album.
   
   The Edge hadn't totally found his sound yet as a guitar player, and Bono hadn't really found his "Godly voice" as his name suggest and his lyrics weren't as imperative to the bands music but I still cannot give this album less than five stars in good faith. The heart in this album is unmatched by just about everything that would come in the following decade of disposable music, and for that I have to give Boy a five star rating and a massive recommendation to anyone interested.



4. Easily one of U2's most underrated albums, Boy is a very melodic and interesting album from start to finish. This was when U2 was in the beginning stages of their career, and focused on writing memorable hooks and quality songwriting. One the bands best albums in fact, right next to October. A masterpiece like this has to be treated with the respect it deserves.



5. "I will follow" is by far the best song of U2's debut album. BOY is a great sample of this band's potential. Songs like "Out of control" and "Stories for boys" sell the album as well, but the rest of BOY doesn't reach the level of these three classic hits.

5 comments about Heart and Soul.

1. If you want to get some Joy Division on CD, you need to get this box set. It's just about their complete discography of official releases and contains everything you need - both studio albums, all the singles, and a nice bunch of live recordings. The music is outstanding - kind of a blend of the Doors, The Cure, mixed with a Sex Pistols edge... you can tell JD were a huge influence on U2 and many other bands that followed. Really they have a unique sound all their own that stands out from everything else before or since. The packaging on this box set though flat out stinks. The 2nd time I opened mine it fell apart, seriously. And while the book is thick, the information isn't that good - the writer tried to be artsy and it doesn't come off well; I would prefer a detailed band bio and stuff about the songs. But if you want Joy Division, Heart and Soul is THE item to get. Highly recommended.



2. all i can say is i love this box set, it is perfect and i love joy division.....buy this set now!!!!11



3. I'm in another phase of (re)exploring Joy Division, on the heels of finally watching the excellent Ian Curtis bio-pic "Control", which never made it in the theaters here in Cincinnati but I saw recently on DVD. It happens to me every couple of years that I feel the need the re-listen to this set from start to finish. I bought the original UK-issue of this, back in 1997.
   
   "Heart and Soul" (4CDs, 81 tracks, 309 min.) brings just about everything that Joy Division ever recorded. CD1 (21 tracks; 78 min.) centers around the 1979 debut album "Unknown Pleasures", augmented by assorted singles and outtakes. Listening to tracks like "She's Lost Control", "Shadowplay" and "I Remember Nothing" reminds me why this band is still relevant, almost 30 years later. CD2 (17 tracks; 76 min.) centers around the 1980 album "Closer", again with lots of additional tracks from that era. CD3 (24 tracks; 78 min.) capatures everything else, including the early "Warsaw" music, 3 tracks from the "John Peele Sessions" and a bunch of unreleased stuff, such as the fantastic "Ceremony" and "In A Lonely Place". CD4 (19 tracks; 77 min.) is a collection of live tracks. The sound quality for many of them is not great, but they are still essential. The best of the bunch are the last 5, recorded in December 1979, when the band previewed a number of tracks that would eventually make it on the "Closer" album (released in July, 1980). Check out the live version of "Heart and Soul" and then listen to what it would eventually become in its final studio version, simply fascinating!
   
   This box comes with a wealth of information, including studio session dates, release dates of singles and album, various articles and great liner notes. The article "Good Everning, We're Joy Division" (which was originally published in MoJo in 1994, according to the liner notes) is an eye-opener. This box is essential for any serious Joy Division fan (is there such a thing as the 'casual' fan? maybe, I don't know). And frankly, this is essential for any music lover, as the influence of Joy Division over the years has only grown (check Interpol, She Wants Revenge, and many other bands of this era). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



4. I travelled far and wide through many different times,
   What did you see there?
   I saw the saints with their toys,
   What did you see there?
   I saw all knowledge destroyed.
   I travelled far and wide through many different times.



5. This is as close as you can get to the definitive Joy Division collection. The live material is just as good, with all of the concert recordings coming from the soundboard. This is a welcome change from years of scratchy vinyl audience-recorded bootlegs. The best part of this box set has to be the studio demos of two songs never properly released by Joy Division due to Ian's untimely death - 'Ceremony' and 'In A Lonely Place.'
   
   Although 'Ceremony' was performed at the last live JD venue in Birmingham and found on the Still double LP release, this studio version includes audible lyrics for the first verse. We can't hear Ian in the Still version until the second verse due to soundboard problems. I was disappointed that Peter Hook cuts off 'In A Lonely Place' just as Ian started singing the version that contains, "Hangman looks 'round while he waits; cord stretches tight then in breaks." The official word on this is that during the original demo, the quality of the recording deteriorated after that verse. If that was the case, I'm sure the band would have recorded a second demo after they heard the playback.
   
   After witnessing this release, I was expecting a similar release for New Order, but unfortunately, the New Order box set excludes many early rarities, like Homage, Haystack, and original 1980 recordings sans Gillian Gilbert.
   
   Overall, Heart and Soul is a must have for the avid Joy Division aficionado.

5 comments about Painkiller.

1. Man, the boys must of taken some viagra and chased it with a crack pipe. This is some heavy stuff. Its really good throughout... and I think its the best Priest out there, and I love their older stuff. I didn't think they would top SFV or BS but they have with this monster. Awesome stuff.



2. With the dawn of the '90s comes Judas Priest's "Painkiller", possibly the greatest and one of the most influential speed metal albums of all time. Between Rob's always-impressive range of vocals shattering the air, KK and Glenn's jaw-dropping guitar work and newcomer Scott Travis's complex, thundering drumming, this album is one of the absolute finest releases by the Metal Gods.
   There's no doubt when it comes to the fact that Judas Priest has experimented a bit over the years. Their earlier works were bluesier and more progressive, their '80s classics delved in New Wave of British Heavy Metal. In terms of the sound on this album, if compared to other artists, it's kind of like taking the thick, rich epic guitar-and-drum tone of Mercyful Fate, mixed with the speed and sinister riffage of Slayer and the melody and talent of Van Halen, only faster, heavier and a more epic sense of melody. However, that's only comparing them to other artists, I feel that "Painkiller" has a sound that totally original Judas Priest. And "Painkiller" is the Holy Grail of adrenaline-driven metal of the past 20 years. It's the high-water mark probably most metal bands today aim at. And you've got to be honest and say that all these songs, as fast and wild as they are, still are very well written.
   One great thing about the album is that it's a concept album. The Painkiller is the hero, and the Nightcrawler is the villain, and most of the album between those two songs is about triumph in battle, and the evils that lurk in the night. Yes, this is indeed Priest at their finest.
   Another thing that makes this album more interesting is the order of the songs. I mean, sure, they've gotta be in a certain order to make a sensible concept, but I love how the songs go from tense to comfort, and back and forth. The dynamics of the album are just as impressive as the musicianship, songwriting and singing.
   Some of my favorite songs on this metal classic are:
   "Painkiller": The six-minute epic that opens the album, kicking the song off with some blast beat drumming and a heavy, sinister guitar riff. Lots of blazing, power-packed guitar soloing fill out this album, with Rob screeching all the way through with his signature power.
   "Hell Patrol": A nice contrast of "Painkiller", like I was talking about. It rocks just as hard but it's got more of a comfort level than a tension like "Painkiller". More great riffs, and Rob uses his cool mid-range voice for this song.
   "Metal Meltdown" opens with 30 seconds of pure guitar shredding, a great way to open the album. In comes a fast, melodic but sinister riff and lightning drums, and Rob using his powerful voice as always.
   "Nightcrawler": The headbanger of a song that's about the villain in the concept album. Features a creepy and tense, quiet section where Rob sings about the Nightcrawler being like a villain in a slasher film. Very interesting song.
   "A Touch of Evil": An epic song at over five and a half minutes, combining awesome keyboards, guitar work and lyrics. One of the best metal songs ever, indeed.
   "One Shot At Glory": Is the lengthy, epic anthem that closes out the original album with a bang!
   In addition, the album comes with the moody "Living Bad Dreams" and a live version of "Leather Rebel". So to sum myself up, "Painkiller" is one of the best speed metal/ power metal albums ever to be released. I strongly recommend this to all Judas Priest fans, and all metal and rock fans, because it's an amazing, well-written classic. Thanks for the time, and peace.



3. English metal gods Judas Priest released their 12th studio album entitled Painkiller in September of 1990.
   After the disappointment with 1988's Ram it Down, Judas Priest reached their mid-career crisis. First, bands like Metallica and Megadeth were fighting hair bands like Bon Jovi and Poison for metal supremacy. Second, longtime drummer Dave Holland quit Judsa Priest leaving lead singer Rob Halford plus guitarists Glenn Tipton and KK Downing and bass player Ian Hill without a drummer. That all changed when they replaced the somewhat Phil Rudd-ish playing Holland with a fast footed and armed American named Scott Travis from Racer X (Scott's influences were John Bonham, Neil Peart and Alex Van Halen all rock drumming legends). Also, the band were embroiled in a lawsuit after two families sued the band for claiming their kids killed themselves after hearing backwards masking on the 1978 album Stained Class.
   With the problems facing Priest, the band went in the studio with producer Chris Tsandgeries to record what is possibly one of the greatest metal albums EVER RECORDED!
   The album's opening title cut is one of the best tracks the band ever recorded though I must admit when I first heard this on the radio and MTV in late 1990, I thought I was listening to an album by Slayer but it was Priest with Rob Halford's shrieks and KK Downing and Glenn Tipton's fiery riffs. Travis' drumming breathed new life into a band that were arguably heading for mediocrity, Priest were never known for lightning double-bass drumming prior to that. Next is another great classic "Hell Patrol" which is another great song. We follow with the heavy "All Guns Blazing" which just kicks serious arse. Next is another great piece "Leather Rebel" which is a great but underappreciated gem in the Priest canon. The first half ends with "Metal Meltdown" which sees Halford shrieking like he had some Devil trapped in his body and the dual leads of Tipton and Downing just rocking out in a serious way.
   The album's second half picks up where it left off with the heavy "Night Crawler" which rocks. Next is the classic "Between the Hammer and the Anvil" which was another great Priest rocker. Next was the album's second single "A Touch of Evil" which features keyboard work from Don Airey (famed for work with Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Brian May) and speaks of demonic possession and metaphorically speaks of love and features one of Halford's best vocals, especially his scream at the end of the bridge and the three Halford singing/screaming the last chorusand one of Tipton's best solos. "Battle Hymn" is a great instrumental which serves as an overture to the classic speed metal closer "One Shot at Glory" which sees Halford joust between singing and screaming. He ends the track with a high scream and would end his tenure with the band for 14 years after this.
   While many hold Painkiller in high regard (like myself), unfortunately the record buying public disagreed and this album flopped when first released due to stuff like Poison and Vanilla Ice. Painkiller barely hit the Top 30 and scraping Gold.
   In 2002, the album was re-issued with two bonus tracks. One of which called "Living Bad Dreams" was kept off the album due to time constraints whilst the live "Leather Rebel" rocks as hard as studio version.
   Highly recommended!



4. Put quite simply, a masterpiece of aggression from one of the creators of modern heavy metal. Sounds as good now as it did then...A must have for any metalhead.



5. This album is amazing. Classic metal, and Classic Priest. Rob sounds amazing. Guitars are flawless, as are drums. Just amazing. "Night Crawler", "Leather Rebel" "Between the Hammer and the Anvil", and "All Guns Blazing" are probably the best tracks. Buy it. Hell, buy two copies. LONG LIVE THE PRIEST!

5 comments about Spirit of Eden.

1. For several years Pink Floyd has been my one and only favorite band of all time. Talk Talk's "Spirit of Eden" was enough to catapult them to share a space right next to my (now other) favorite band.
   
   It is sometimes difficult to believe that this album was released in 1988. Think about some of the music that was topping the charts at that time... synth laden pop catering to chart climbing. Talk Talk did start out at a new wave act, and after the success of some of their previous albums could have easily continued a similar formula for a quick buck. But they didn't (and the preceding album to Spirit of Eden, "Colour of Spring" hinted at this). This album sounds more like a release from the 90's, when all of that so called "post-rock" was coming out. Horrible name for a genre though it may be, Talk Talk, in my opinion, created the first "post-rock" album. Years ahead of their time with this album, Talk Talk.
   
   Jazz, blues, ambient, it's all here, as well as much more. They even manage to actually rock the hell out a bit on the chorus of the third track, "Desire." But this is an album of dynamics. If you are going to listen to this album for the first time I suggest you do so alone, with either headphones or an incredible speaker system cranked up. You will be knocked out of your seat, provided you have patience. This is an album that rewards its listener many times over, but you must be able to appreciate the fact that this album is a single, cohesive work of art.
   
   For some reason this album apparently bombed back when it was released in the eighties. A critical success for the most part but a commercial failure. Talk Talk released one other album after this, "Laughing Stock," which picks up where this left off, full of beauty and plenty of atmosphere to take you somewhere in your head, but with much more emphasis on minimalism. Beyond that, Talk Talk was no more, and I selfishly find myself angry at their disbandment, wanting to know what more they could have done. However, they did well enough with Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock, as well as Colour of Spring, which is also worthy of a checkout.
   
   Unfortunately Talk Talk is still pretty much unheard of. I'm sure most people believe Gwen Stefani wrote "It's My Life," but that's the way it goes. Hollis deserved the royalties, at least. But there are people out there who know, and these albums, I think, are coming around and finally getting the attention and appreciation they deserve. Not to mention the bands out there who are well aware of Talk Talk and their genius work (Doves, Elbow, Shearwater, Engineers).
   
   You owe it to yourself, if you're into "space rock," "ambient," "post-rock," "art rock," "experimental," or anything similarly styled, to try this album out. Some people will not like it, that is true, music is a subjective experience. But this band is far too overlooked. More people should be aware of this beautiful work.
   
   I don't have many "5 star" or deserted island albums. This is one of the few.
   
   Footnote: I used quotation marks rather heavily in this review, but that is because this album defies description and can not be easily pigeonholed.



2. This is one of those albums that reaffirms your faith in the power of music, and in the possibility that there is something worth saving, and that there is something in the world that is not tainted. It works brilliantly on every level. It is musically compelling. It is clever. It has a fantastic sound. It is a special secret. It is timeless, dense, and deep, one of those albums that you might play once a year for the rest of your life, without growing tired of it. It works. It is the kind of record, the kind of thing, that might make a man pack up his job and travel the world.
   
   Ever since I can remember, I have associated sounds and visual images all together. When I listen to Spirit of Eden, I visualise ice floes in the Northern Latitudes, and the sun is shining. It is a glacial record, slow and deliberate, but not cold. It's not a sad record. The sparse lyrics are delivered in a breathless, haunting voice by the lead singer, as if he was channelling a higher truth, as if he was not afraid any more. The instruments are equally breathless. They are usually played softly, a distant wash of sound. There are only a few moments that rock; "Eden" has swirling electric organ, the end of "The Rainbow" has a blistering harmonica solo, and "Desire" is punctuated with a full-on cymbal-crashing crescendo that seems louder because it is surrounded by quiet.
   
   It seems louder because it is surrounded by quiet. A lot has been written recently about the dynamics of pop records, the way that pop records tend to be very loud all the way through from beginning to end. Spirit of Eden is not like that. It has crescendos, it has long stretches of quiet punctuated by bursts of noise. The bursts of noise seem louder because of the surrounding quiet. Talk Talk developed the idea further with their next and final record, Laughing Stock, which transformed the quiet bits into shattering crescendos, but that is another story.
   
   Spirit of Eden is essentially one long song. There are shifts of mood, and if you listen to the record several times you can detect verses and choruses, but it is the kind of thing you have to listen to in one sitting, perhaps several times in a row. For this reason, it's not the kind of record you are likely to pop onto the turntable whilst you have a bite to eat, but you'll never be without a copy.
   
   Look, if the doctor told me I had cancer, and the prognosis was not good, I would still listen to this record. And "Land of 1,000 Dances", and also "Rockaway Beach". And lots of other records too, but I would listen to this one particularly. If only it had been longer.



3. When you open your heart to this album, it will make the rest of your album collection pale and seem very insignificant in comparison because no other album can move you in the deepest and most emotional ways that this one can. This is the album that first anticipated the term "post-rock" but unlike the countless artists and albums that followed in its wake, none can match the grace, power, beauty, and majesty (the textures, mood, and atmosphere, the light/shade, silence/sounds, and catharsis) of this album. From the seamless three-song suite which encompasses abstract jazz ("The Rainbow"), delicate ambience ("Eden"), and earthy, visceral blues/rock ("Desire") on the first side to the second side where quieter yet even more captivating drifting passages of complexity ("Inheritance") share space with one of the greatest songs ever written ("I Believe in You") and a closer with closure and redemption ("Wealth"), Spirit of Eden is, quite simply, a record that stands out because it actually speaks to and becomes part of your most interior and emotional moments--it is one of those rare albums that actually deserves to be called a "soundtrack to life".



4. It must be admitted; I had for the longest time a rather negative view on Talk Talk. I first discovered Talk Talk via their first singles - Talk Talk and Today - that became moderate hits. Despite being decent songs, the group was an obvious Duran Duran light outfit, with Duran's same producer on the helm and the name in the same vein as Duran.
   
   Some respect was added when It's My Life, Dum Dum Girl and Such a Shame were released. All 3 remain pop classics. I even became tempted buying their Colour of Spring album based on very favorable reviews and the hits Living in Another World and Life's What You Make It. Like so many other people, I settled for their Natural History collection which I have listened to regularly for many years.
   
   That collection included 2 of the songs on Spirit of Eden. They did not, however, fit in any way with the rest of the collection so I most often simply stopped listening at that point. Having, however, read rave reviews about the album for many years, I became curious to hear how it actually is. Could it be that as a whole, it sounds better than the fragments I had heard on the Natural History collection? I finally gave in and bought it a couple of years ago. In most cases, such shots in the dark lead to nowhere (Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens are recent examples). This time I struck, however, gold.
   
   This is a demanding album and really unlike almost everything else. Yet, I became instantly hooked on it. I have been constantly playing it since I bought it, always discovering new dimensions. Being such a unique album, it is difficult describing the music. The songs are long (only six of them) and in most cases relatively mellow. Comparisons that come to mind are David Sylvian, Miles Davis, Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Of course, these artists differ widely in styles but that simply underlines how difficult it is to pinpoint this album.
   
   I have now bought Talk Talk's other great albums, The Colour of Spring and Laughing Stock. Both are fantastic in different ways. For me, though, Spirit of Eden is their best album and is part of my short desert island music list.
   
   April 24th, 2008
   
   After listening to Spirit of Eden constantly for over a couple of years, I finally came about experiencing it via the use of headphones. Usually that is a different experience; obviously one hears subtle sounds that are not heard when listening with speakers in addition to the added depth and clearer image. This album, however, blows practically all other albums away. It is almost as if one gains an added dimension using good headphones. The sound is not crystal clear - this being an analog recording - but the care and feel of the whole set in a way embraces the listener and yet sets the sound stage wide open. I am really at a loss for words, but strongly recommend not limiting listening to Spirit of Eden through load speakers but also using headphones, most preferably better ones than the typical small sets included with iPods.



5. My story with this CD begins with my friend and I going to a high-end audio store pretending that we were going to actually buy something. My friend had worked in a recording studio for a couple years, so he knew the ins and outs of what the guy was saying, but I just stood there drooling over all the pretty things I could neither understand nor afford. Near the end of the tour, the two of us and the saleman went into a room with a couple chairs, a recliner, a couple amazing looking turntables, and a set of speakers in the front of the room. Of all the CDs, my friend pulls this one out. After making sure the speakers were perfectly balanced (of course I couldn't tell the difference) we popped in the CD. I nearly fell off my seat. Then my friend offered the recliner to me, which was situated directly in front center of the speakers. I had NEVER heard anything so beautful in my life. It made me tear up right there in the store.
   
   I love this whole CD, from that amazing harmonica to the percussion spectacle in the middle of "Desire". My friend was right in saying that he's ruined me for life. The production and emotion of this album can only be truly appreciated blasted on decent headphones or speakers. One part of me wants to buy a bazillion copies of this and air-drop it over the world so everyone can hear it, but another part of me likes having it as my own personal gem. An incredible piece of work.