5 comments about Greatest.

1. Duran-Duran is the greatest!!! This cd is magnificent!! I thought I'd heard most of their songs, yet I found a few on here I had no idea of.
   
   I really love "Serious"...such a relaxing song. Also "Skin Trade" rawks. And of course the old classics "Rio", "View to a Kill" and "Save a Prayer" are fitting for any occasion.
   
   Definately an needed add to any D-D fan or avid 80's music fan such as myself!



2. I've always been a big Duran Duran fan back in the days, but I completely forgot about their hits until I went to their Red Carpet Massacre concert a few months ago. It was awesome!!! I then had to have their greatest hits CD. I absolutely love it, and it makes the car ride so much fun!



3. "We used to be a very chi-chi name to drop in '79, but then the Fab Five hype started and something went wrong. Something went really wrong."--John Taylor.
   
   I confess. I became hooked on Duran Duran's "Fab-Five" sound from the very first time I saw the Godley & Creme video of "Girls On Film" (banned in Britain and heavily-edited for MTV) in 1981. It was that video (featuring women pillow fighting and mud wrestling) that prompted me to hunt down copies of Duran Duran and Rio at my local record store. Those two albums, with a big push from MTV, sparked a worldwide Duran Duran version of Beatlemania for the polished, yet Wild Boys in the band: Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and Simon Le Bon. By 1986, the hysteria had waned and the band was losing much of its momentum due to fatigue and tension.
   
   Greatest is an update of the band's earlier, ten-year anniversary compilation album, Decade: Greatest Hits (1989). It captures the band in peak form, including a definitive selection of the Duran's hits from the 80s ("Girls on Film," "Rio," "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Save a Prayer," "Notorious," and the James Bond theme song, "A View to a Kill") and four singles from the 90s ("Ordinary World" and "Come Undone"). Complete tracks include:
   
   1. Is There Something I Should Know 4:10
   2. The Reflex 4:23
   3. A View To A Kill 3:35
   4. Ordinary World 4:42
   5. Save A Prayer (Single Version) 3:47
   6. Rio (US Edit) 4:44
   7. Hungry Like The Wolf 3:25
   8. Girls On Film 3:27
   9. Planet Earth (Single Version) 3:57
   10. Union Of The Snake 4:22
   11. New Moon On Monday 4:16
   12. The Wild Boys 4:17
   13. Notorious 4:00
   14. I Don't Want Your Love (Shep Pettibone 7'' Mix) 3:47
   15. All She Wants Is (45 Mix) 4:26
   16. Electric Barbarella (Radio Edit) 4:17
   17. Serious (7'' Edit) 3:56
   18. Skin Trade (Radio Cut) 4:25
   19. Come Undone (Edit) 4:14
   
   G. Merritt



4. The CD has all the main hits (pre Astronaut) plus a few lesser known hits. Some songs are edited versions so if that is an issue, beware. This is especially evident on the Rio tracks and Ordinary World. For most people, though, these are the versions they know having heard them on the radio for 20+ years. I could say that such and such song should have been included (OK, Violence of Summer) but can not find any real fault in the selection. The sound quality is fine which should not be a surprise; the sound quality of DD was always top class.



5. Great CD. I has the most popular tracks on it. Very good length for a CD with 19 songs. Does not dissapoint.

5 comments about The Best of 1980-1990.

1. I like these songs, doesn't have everything I want, but what collection does? U2's Great success has continued: (Billboard Boxscore, and Ray Waddell of Billboard magazine): The Worldwide "U2 Vertigo Tour" played March 28,2005 to Dec 9, 2006 and earned $389,047,816 from 131 shows - 4,619,021 tickets sold - tour producer Arthur Fogel of Live Nation - $96.92 average North America ticket price (from Poillstar) This type of popularity and earned success doesn't come around everyday: Senator Hillary Clinton has it: In the 2008 Presidential Primary race, Hillary Clinton not only earned more votes than any of her rivals, she earned more votes than any other Presidential Primary candidate in the history of America (and earned 311 electoral votes, to her Party's presumptive nominee who earned 227 - 270 needed to win in November - On August 28,2008, the Party chooses it's nominee for President)



2. Hidden track on a CD? I was listening to this CD in full from one song to another. The whole album flowed all the way to the last track titled "All I Want Is You". Once the song ended and 30 seconds had passed the track kept playing in the car's CD Player. A minute and 12 seconds later there is a surprise. There's a secret track after "All I Want Is You". It's "October", the title track from U2's 1981 album, "October". A great song from their title album.



3. I am late to U2 fandom. And even now I really only like the 1980's U2, but if you like U2 from the 1980's this is the CD for you. All the songs from Rattle & Hum and a few I had never heard before. The best of U2 all on one CD.



4. Who the hell is the kid on half of their lame album covers. Bono is a retard, U2 sucks, and the songs on this album proves it and shows how "rock" they are.



5. The best music from one of the best bands of the 80's and 90's. If you own all their other albums then there isn't much for you here but if you are new to the band then this is a god place to start appreciating them.

5 comments about Achtung Baby.

1. Out of my whole U2 collection, I'd have to say this is my favorite one. U2 is a band that comes out with albums that never sound the same, but you know it's them. I love this album because it was an area U2 never explored as far as modern rock. Just like Bono said on the "Achtung Baby" Video, it's the most serious album with the least sounding title.
   I love the whole allum, but "One", "The Fly", and "Ultra Violet" are my favorite tracks. Just like any other album they came out with, all 4 band members shine through with they're playing skills. I'm so glad the always do "One" when in concert. This is A MUST album to get for any U2 fan. I love this album so much, I can never get sick of it!



2. This is my favorite U2 album. I saw them on their legendary, amazing Zoo TV tour (at the World Music Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois, more on the show later). This is a wildly creative, ambitious album. It's not the work of idle artists, but vibrant ones. U2 has managed that rare feat in rock and roll to keep exploring and pushing themselves without sounding self indulgent (except for Zooropa).
   
   The opening track, Zoo Station, is a favorite, and the song they kicked the concert off with. One is one of their best ballads, and I absolutely love Until the End of the World. It was written for the Wim Wenders film, and it's one of the best things about Wenders's film (which, honestly, is a bit of a mess). The single Mysterious Ways (replete with a belly dancer during the show) is one of their best singles ever. I love the CD booklet as well, which has some amazing photographs and is one of the best examples of making a great CD jacket. It's like a great album cover, which is quickly becoming a lost art.
   
   When I saw this concert, one of the best things was when Bono called the local police (honestly). The sound system that U2 was using was for huge arenas, and the World Music Theater, while a large outdoor arena, wasn't a huge one, but the sound system didn't know that. The Tinley Park police department received many complaints about the noise, so Bono called them on the third show they did in that venue to complain about the noise. Us in the crowd cooperated with Bono to let the police know that there was too much noise, if you know what I mean. It was a sensory overload type concert, with many monitors, lights, and even a car hanging above the stage (or a fake car). It was a very memorable concert, one of the best I ever saw. And this is my favorite U2 album....



3. the time is the early 90's, gone are the excesses of the 80's, technology is trickling down to the hands of the masses. the world is in transition as the cold war has thawed. europe is changing, as mindsets, politics and geographic borders are different.
   
   music is changing as it is going away from slick production to a more grimier, less polished finish.
   
   U2 is aware of the world changing and are influenced by it.
   
   rumors circulate about how U2 are changing their sound. a sample of it is released on "red, hot and blue", the song, "night and day" and it just made my jaw hit the ground.
   
   then in the fall of 1991 "the fly". i heard it at 6AM, waking up to the dj talking about the new U2 song and how it was being played for the second time that day. when i heard that opening guitar lick, U2 had put rattle and hum and the joshua tree into a wood chipper (mind you there is nothing wrong with both albums).
   
   when i finally purchased the album, it was just incredible.
   
   from the opening "zoo station" all the way through "love is blindness", i was plugged in and could not put down my headphones.
   
   every song stands out for me, with no favorites as i love them all.
   
   this is U2's best album, hands down, no other album even comes close.
   
   the tour was way ahead of its time, a mobile television studio, a true multimedia experience before the phrase was ever used in popular vernacular.



4. U2's Achtung Baby (1991) is an album that I really like. Now, I like War and The Joshua Tree, too, and consider those two to be the band's finest work. I also consider Achtung Baby to be on the same level as both of those albums. The best songs on War and The Joshua Tree are political in nature, but there are no overt politics on Achtung Baby. If there is a theme here at all, it's the fascinating nature of women and a cynical view of relationships with them. I like the modern sound of Achtung Baby. It's full of sound effects, feedback, and recording studio pyrotechnics. There's still plenty of emotional substance and melodic structure, it's just that the sound is more daring and stylish.
   
   Zoo Station and Even Better Than The Real Thing both feature the new sound along with the classic U2 melodic rock formula. The Edge's guitar work here is some of his very best. It's bold and dramatic, and it's experimental sound gives the album it's character. One is a great song, one of the band's best. The purity of love gets lost in the haze sometimes.
   
   Have you come here for forgiveness?
   Have you come to raise the dead?
   Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head?
   
   Ultraviolet (Light My Way) and Mysterious Ways are highlights, too, and both are great songs. I also like The Fly, and Love is Blindness.
   
   Achtung Baby is rocking, interesting, and inventive, and it's one of U2's best albums. This is one that you don't want to miss.



5. On Achtung Baby U2 decided to completely change and renovate their sound and it has turned out to be quite effective, not only has this turned out to be one of their best albums ever but its also one of the best albums of the 90's this album has also managed to sustain their level of success.
   Just from the opening riffs and electronic sounds of Zoo station you could tell that they were experimenting with song structures and some dance beats this however really does work and doesn't sound cheesy.
   
   The album also has some swirling guitar riffs from The Edge as well as layers of effects and Bono seemed to have more personal lyrics this time instead of the usual political stuff, I always thought he was a brilliant lyricist and songwriter as proven in songs like One, Until the end of the world and Mysterious ways which has some brilliant drumming and a nice rhythm those songs were the highlight.
   The album also was a huge hit and from start to finish there is not a single bad song, U2 have definitely delivered on this album especially after the huge success that was The Joshua Tree and in my opinion Achtung Baby was a hell of alot better than that album not that theres anything wrong with Joshua its just that this album rocks alot harder and I tend to listen to this album more often.
   Achtung Baby is a great epic album which has some great acoustic numbers with some great rock songs like Even better than the real thing, The fly, Mysterious ways these songs are very energetic and almost have a tribal or world beat to them.
   
   I consider this to be my favorite album of all time and despite it being 17 years old it still sounds as cutting edge and fresh as the day it was released, the general concept or theme of the album is about love and betrayal with some more emotional and inspired lyrics and Bono does a great job with these songs just check out the excellent So cruel it has a simple piano sound and some great and honest lyrics "You say in love there are no rules/sweatheart your so cruel" and the song Tryin' to throw your arms around the world where Bono sings I'm gonna run to you.
   The rhythm and solid guitar work was great although the drumming at times could have been better like in the song Who's gonna drive your wild horse but thats just a minor complaint, this album is definitely a work of genius the type of album you would listen to over and over again, I cannot recommend this album highly enough.

5 comments about The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself (CD/DVD).

1. There is 13 video clips on this CD/DVD. For example Hot in the City, Rebel yell, Dancing with myself and so on. The video quality on a few of the clips could be better. But I put this down to time when they were recorded back in the early 1980s.
   The DVD format is NTSC not PAL, this may or may not be a problem. Other then that there is a good number of his songs on this best of collection.



2. If you are looking for Billy's original hits and videos you can't go wrong here. Great old videos!



3. This Album was great, and i was feeling like an Teenager.
   Great Songs and Great Videos.
   All Guy who loves the 80's buy it.



4. I own 3 of Mr IDOL's GREATEST compilations ( VITAL IDOL, GREATEST HITS and Idol songs 11 of the best) and probably you also own at least one of the 5 greatest hits By BIlly
   but this is the best one;by far WHY? because it has the killer dvd together!incluiding great,excellent masterpieces of an era that wont come back,.(raw outrageous videos full of power and glory)
   The DVD makes this package WORTH!!



5. I remember the first time I ever saw a Billy Idol video, I was 8 yrs old. in the old Howard's Department Store(Remember those?) it was 1982 on the new MTV channel was Billy Idol doing his new "White Wedding" it was the first music video I ever saw. When they showed the scene of the nails going into the coffin I remember turning to my brother and going "He's a devil worshipper." Fast forward to 1987 Im riding my BMX Bike and on the Top 40 after they play "La Bamba" the new Billy Idol "Mony Mony Live" comes on, and I've fallen in love. Billy Idol became the cool image I wanted to be when I grew up, the look, the personality, the total awesomeness. To this day he is my favorite artist of all time. When I finally saw my first concert in 2002 and I was able to get up against the stage and almost touch him (missed by less then an inch) I almost died.
   When I first got the internet my screen name was "Fatalcharm" after a song off "Whiplash Smile". So I'm a fan, get over it.
   
   Billy Idol is going through the Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick stage where you keep re-releasing greatest hits packages within every 2 studio albums, that way you have a package to tour to. This album has all of his hits some 10 top 40 hits counting 4 top 10 hits or so. Its a good lineup of solid rockers, crossing the strange mix of music Billy has been successfull at pop-metal "White Wedding" Hard Rock "Rebel Yell" Punk "Dancing With Myself" Pop "Eyes Without A Face".
   
   So whats the Problem.....
   
   This album wasn't necessary its the 2001 album plus 2 new tracks, a Devil's Playground Track and not much more. For the purpose of the DVD its a good add on I guess but that doesn't excuse the same line up.
   Its pretty much the same as Idol Songs,(minus a few tracks after 88) and 2001's greatest hits.
   
   Now you ask how could it have been different?
   
   Here's an idea Billy's only #1 hit was the live version of "Mony Mony" not the 1981 or studio version on the last 2 greatest hits package and thats what really gets me this version is so dry. Its rare for a live song to hit #1 and here we don't even get it on the greatest hits package. The song only made its appeareance on the Idol Song's Import and a few singles.
   
   Where are the Vital Idol Tracks?
   
   Vital Idol was the FIRST remix album to ever go Platinum. Its version of "Flesh For Fantasy" and "Forgot To Be A Lover" haunted dance clubs for years. Not to mention these version rock harder then the studio versions. Yet once again we get the same old rehashed versions. Which is really a let down for the newer fans who never heard these on the radio which isn't remix friendly.
   
   Newer Tracks on a greatest hits, how innovative....
   
   The newer tracks are okay but how about the tracks that just dissappeared, such as "Im gonna find my Way", that was yanked from Mp3.com a few years back on the song he played in his 2001 concert something along the lines of "My Monster" (I can't remember the exact title) these tracks just straight up dissappeared. And Cyberpunk "Shock To The System" was not the trademark to this album a small metro area where I live still has "Wasteland" in their rotation. "Adam In Chains" deserved a spot on this disc, is there a moodier Billy Idol song?
   
   So this isn't a bad album just a bad concept, no Vital Idol, his biggest hit of All time Live "Mony Mony" is missing for 2 greatest hits packages and Cyberpunk is once again understated. This album if not for a dvd isn't really necessary. Giving this album 5 stars would be like writing a different review for the Mona Lisa everyday for eternity and giving it 5 stars each time. I mean where is the variety?

5 comments about October.

1. OCTOBER has some real stand out tracks on it; I'm enjoying them more than ever before. In fact, i haven't listened to this album in decades until now, and I am surprised how much I love a lot of the songs. Perhaps in part due to how much better the music sounds than it did on my original vinyl and CD. The same team that re-mastered JT and BOY, and WAR, Arnie Acosta and Cheryl Engels at Bernie Grundman Mastering, did this one, and they did a wonderful job, IMO. Not too loud, thank goodness, and really open and clear, and with details I never noticed before.
   
   This is my favorite bonus CD so far, because I love all the live performances. It is great fun to compare the live versions of songs to their studio counterparts. And, as all have already said, how cool to have all the singles on one CD.
   
   Again, packaging is great, as on all of the U2 re-releases. Oh well, read everyone else's reviews, as they've already said it all. Just don't forget to listen to this underrated sophomore album from a great young U2, unafraid to express spiritual thoughts in a time when this really didn't occur too often.



2. This one is so far the second best remaster behind the first album. Excellent sound and highly recommended to fans as well as collectors. As with all the U2 material, had all the second CD material on vinyl. If your really looking for excellent U2 recordings, get this one and the first one as well. If you already have this on CD originally, it still a fine album but the second disc adds all the extra excitement.
   Search out little site on the web "Judemac Forever" and drop us a visit.



3. This was my least favorite U2 album originally when I was a kid just getting into them, like so many, after MTV started playing their rocking "Sunday Bloody Sunday" at Red Rocks music video. This album I think had a bit darker and deeper subject matter than their debut Boy (or U2 3). That might be why it took until I was a bit older to appreciate it, which I do and find myself continuing to go back to for great tracks like "Rejoice", "Scarlet", "October", and "Is That All?". It's awesome to get the rarities in proper form on this re-master now though. "A Celebration" is early U2 rarity at its best (though not so rare really if you watched the TBN Christian network's late night show Real Videos back in the day, then you would have seen this video in heavy rotation along with most of The Unforgettable Fire's videos and some of The Alarm's early stuff like "The Stand"). Classic.



4. A darker, more audacious effort than Boy, and comparatively less reaching than what War would go for, this is one of the better U2 albums in their catalog, the sound of which is now vastly improved thanks to a superior remastering effort. I distinctly remember this album being part of what seemed a powerful and rich triumverate, with Echo & The Bunnymen's "Heaven Up Here" and Psychedelic Furs' incredible "Talk Talk Talk". These 3 albums, it seemed at the time, were at the forefront of something distinct and special, steering punk away from the generic, emotionally direct path it had been on since its inception. It was now okay to be consciously creating "art". There was a piercing, post-punk sound around, The Jam was growing way beyond their borders, the sonic explorations of groups like Ski Patrol, Killing Joke, Adverts, Au Pairs, and the entire Batcave-pre-goth era (Sisters of Mercy, Sex Gang Children, Virgin Prunes which were somehow connected to U2) - that sort of thing - a new sound and October was an effort to lead it, quite typical of the confidence of this band, even with only one album under their belt. Played alongside Heaven Up Here and Talk Talk Talk, this makes perfect sense. Played alongside War and Joshua Tree, it is just as powerful.
   
   The guitar exploration on tracks such as "I Threw A Brick", "Fire" (an amazing single at the time), and "Rejoice" showed a newfound aggressiveness that is completely at odds with what I have read about the recording of the album. These are not songs that find you (as on War) but ones you have to seek out, which may account for the reputation of it as difficult. I don't know how you can make this kind of reach-for-the-sky music in just your second LP, but the reach and grace of stuff like "Tomorrow" and "A Celebration" are the mark of a band with something special to say. I remember playing the second side of this LP over and over at the time, and still think it holds up gracefully.
   
   The extra tracks here are well worth the extra price tag. A couple of dynamic live performances, the crucial single "A Celebration" (a precursor to War both lyrically and sonically), and "Trash Trampoline" in its pre-U2-Incorporated state. I can do without the Common Ground remix but I'm thinking big picture: it's great to see an album and single that were so important at the time get the overdue respect.



5. October seems to be the album that gets the mildly positive reviews of U2's 80s albums. Critics loved U2 after "Boy" and on initial release thought this was a good album and compared it favorably to "Boy" but then as the decade went on, this one seemed to get slagged more and more. Not entirely fair. There are some telltale signs that this album wasn't all it could have been. The band doesn't seem all that happy with it 27 years on, the cover with brown print and tracklisting on the front looked haphazard, and, of course, "Sophomore slump". I think the music on this album is better than people remember. If you can remember what it might be like to hear U2 on college radio in the early 80s, or you were there for those small-club shows early on, you probably have a great appreciation for their progress through the 80s.
   
   I jumped on board in 1987 with "The Joshua Tree", so I joined in when lots of others did, I guess. I can't claim to have been at any of those shows in Boston in 1980 or '81 (of course, I was just 12), but I do remember hearing "Gloria" on the radio and thought it was pretty cool. And in 1987, I requested "I Threw a Brick Through a Window" on UMass Dartmouth's radio station. For those five minutes, I felt what it must have been like to be a fan from the beginning. "The Joshua Tree" was #1, and U2 was no longer hip for college radio, but I wanted to hear this song. On the radio.
   
   That's my standout track on this album, but then there's "October", "Tomorrow", "I Fall Down", "Stranger in a Strange Land". I think once "War" came out, this album suffered some backlash and it almost seems like they went from "Boy" to "War", and people forget this step. (And listen to "Rejoice" and then "New York" from almost 20 years later and notice how Bono sings the titles.) Give this album another chance, and by all means, listen to some of those bonus tracks! Again, they're young here, but "A Celebration" is a fun song and "J. Swallo" hints at some of the experimentation that you'll hear on The Unforgettable Fire reissue.
   
   I guess "October" is a sensible title with all the wintry feeling of "War", (and the "New Year's Day" video where Larry's snare isn't in synch with the music) but I digress. This really is a great and underappreciated chapter in the U2 story.

5 comments about The Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates.

1. I am a casual fan of the duo. I started looking for a compilation of their greatest hits and came upon "The Very Best Of Daryl Hall & John Oates". I thought great. Then I started looking at the tracks for my all time favorite "She's Gone". It was no where to be found on this compiliation. What? Are you kidding me; no "She's Gone" on "The Very Best of Daryl and John Oates". That song is arguably their greatest hit. Omitting it from the collection is a major infraction. As such this compiliation is not worth two cents to me.



2. Hall & Oates - the very name (OK names) takes me back to the early 80s, and my college years. The songs echo and re-echo through my memories - Sara Smile, Rich Girl, One On One, Did It In A Minute. And now I have them back. This is a very good Best Of album, containing so many great Hall & Oates hits. It has 18 tracks, which adds up to a lot of that great Rock and Soul sound of Hall & Oates.
   
   Now, though I dearly love this album, but it does have a few omissions that seriously undermine it. I mean, where are Everytime You Go Away and She's Gone? But, that said, it is a great album, and one that I am very glad that I bought it. If you like that great early-80s sound, or just plain like good music, then get this album. I highly recommend it!



3. This is one of the best Greatest Hits compilations I've purchased in quite a while. This compilation spans the career of Hall and Oates and includes all their hits in one package. This compilation is a must for everyone.



4. I bought this CD for my girlfriend because she loves Hall and Oates. Luckily, she loves this compilation as well. In my opinion, this is way more Hall and Oates than anyone would ever seriously need, but she, being a fan, gave it her stamp of approval so that must mean something. If you want even more Hall and Oates, then you are probably already in their fan club and wouldn't be shopping Amazon anyway.



5. These songs bring back alot of memories. I can listen to all these songs over and over.

5 comments about Sam's Town.

1. I've owned this album for so long now and it still finds its way into my CD player all the time.
   "Sam's Town" is really underrated. The Killers have definitely shown growth from their first record on to this one. Lyrically, this album has so much to offer and is quite thought-provoking.
   The album is built around "When You Were Young," "Bones," "Bling" and "This River Is Wild." - Four amazing songs. The rest of the record is almost equally good with a complete lack of filler songs.
   I REALLY reccomend this album. If you don't own it, please give it a try :)



2. It's a good album. It definitely does not sound like their debut album, but it's not bad at all. Fewer songs stick out individually to me, but the album as a whole flows better.



3. Where do I start. First off this is a good CD and a great selection of songs from the Killers. Personally I just love the Killers and the more I listen to this CD the more they become my favorite band. You just have to give this a listen and you'll feel the same way.



4. I can't say I was a fan until I saw the Killers in concert on their 'Sam's Town' tour. That really made me go back and listen to their material with a bit more interest.
   
   Save three songs, I think this disk is extremely solid.
   
   At first I was put off by the Springsteen-esque riffs in "When You Were Young", but they really make them work. And though I loved "Bones" when it first came out, I think I overplayed it a bit. It's still good, I just overdid did it.
   
   But I am a huge fan of the title track and actually almost all the songs. I can do without "Uncle Johnny", "Bling" and "My List". They are the three that keep this from being a 5-star disk.
   
   I even like the "Enterlude" and "Exitlude" - though like others, I think it would have kind of made more sense for the former song to be the first cut....but that's hardly a big thing.



5. Sam's Town I loved the previous album but this one was disappointing; a self-indulgent sophomoric snooze.

5 comments about Lifeline.

1. It seems like each and everyday Ben Harper's music continues to grow on me. I have known his music for a decade but didn't really become a fan until a couple of years ago. He is trully one of the most creative artists of his time. He can go from rock, soul, funk, R&B, gospal, and even bluegrass over a course of an album and it never sounds forced or chessy.
   Lifeline is a fantastic album. "Into the Colors" is a great first single and the album is packed with great tracks throuhout. If you are a Ben Harper fan then you will not be disappointed with this purchase. This is one of the best albums in the music industry over the past few years.



2. Perhaps I was a little harsh when I gave Ben Harper's last album Both Sides of the Gun a three-star rating. The problem I had with that album was that, well, I realize that Ben changes his style quite often (especially evident by sometimes doing collaborations with different backing bands for entire albums), but the songs on that album were a little TOO different from one another. Thankfully, things flow more smoothly on Lifeline.
   
   Ben hooked back up with the Innocent Criminals this time around, and it's a good thing he did because the songs are excellent. Well, actually, the album's opener "Fight Outta You" has him singing in a very unorthodoxly low voice, but if you skip past that, you'll find quality in tunes like "Fool for a Lonesome Train", "Heart of Matters" and "Younger Than Today". And although "Needed You Tonight" isn't spiritual, the vocals still take me back to the There Will Be a Light days.
   
   The instrumental track "Paris Sunrise #7" is also good, even better when it successfully flows into the title track. You won't need a lifeline to help you find great music after hearing this album, so check it out.
   
   Anthony Rupert



3. My friends introduced me to Ben Harper's remake of Sexual Healing, and his killer tune Steal My Kisses. This is the first CD I bought and it's upbeat and happy. I love it. I'm going to buy more.



4. I ABSOULTLEY LOVE THIS C.D. I HEAR THE INFLUENCE OF AL GREEN AND HINTS OF THE GREAT BOB DYLAN. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS C.D. BRINGS A MODERN SONG WITH A CLASSIC FEEL...I JUST LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS.



5. Okay, so I can't bestow a prize on Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. But I would if I could! I loved this CD. It's in continual rotation on my CD player. I know all the songs by heart. And boy is my heart happy! Yes, I'm a fan, as anyone who knows me is fully aware. This band's music speaks to me. Maybe it's because their sound is kind of retro, kind of today, kind of universal. I love all kinds of music, just so it moves me emotionally. The music and words of LIFELINE definitely do that. Was it nominated for a Grammy? If not, it SHOULD have been! As a couple of other reviewers have said: It's music to groove to. You rock, guys!

5 comments about Iron Maiden: Live After Death (Two-Disc Set).

1. First of all, I own the VHS of Live After Death. They put on one heck of a monster show, one can not expect anything less of Iron Maiden. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because the sound quality is something to be desired. But of course I do own the "original" release. I do not know what the soud quaility is of the CD version. But, all in all, this sould definatly be a part of any Maiden fan collection. UP THE IRONS!



2. This is without a doubt, the Best Iron Maiden filmed concerts. The energy in their preformance is incredible. The fun side of it is it was filmed in the '80's so the spandex pants will make any child of the '80's smile. The music is flawless. Dickerson's voice powers through on all songs. It is like watching the albums. The quality is very good! If you are a hard core Maiden fan or if you if you just have been curious about Maiden. This is the DVD to have. Long live Rock and Roll!!!



3. I won't go into details, as it's been stated here already, BUT, this is truly everything a fan could want in a definitive release. And, evan a casual fan would appreciate all the extras.
   Truly amazing!



4. This concert was and is the best concert I have ever seen! I wish more bands today did the non-lip sync thing. All the songs are over the top!
   I'd suggest this DVD to any rock lover.



5. This is by far the best Iron Maiden live concert DVD. This proves that Maiden are not only excellent musicians, but showmen as well. Nicko's drumming is some of the best ever heard on a Maiden DVD and Murray's moving guitar solo on the number "Powerslave", make this DVD worth purchasing. The extras are great too showing how hard this band has worked for it's fans. The interviews are great as well, I especailly like the interview with Harris, McBrain and Dickerson, concering the argument Harris and McBrain had and Dickerson recorded. Very funny. It's great that this DVD is availble as the current tour "Back Somewhere in Time" uses a simaliar stage to the "Powerslave" Tour from the 80's. I have seen the current tour and it's like going back in time. For any Maiden fan that has not purchased this DVD, it's well worth cost. If you don't purchase any other Maiden concert DVD's and only purchase this one, you did the right thing. Up the Irons!!!

5 comments about Pyromania.

1. Many people assume that Def Leppard is heavy metal and so do not try them. However this album and Hysteria are must haves for any music enthusiast. The songs are well crafted and with a lot of attention to production.
   Once again Mobile Fidelity has done a fine job of bringing out the best from the original recording without resorting to compression or other nasties. The bass is deep and strong, vocals are very clear and every instrument can be heard. A must for audiophiles that like to rock!



2. Perfect Blend of Pop and genuine metal...more edgy than Hysteria. Photograph is the best pop metal song of all time...and Def Leppards best (despite all the success of nearly every song on Hysteria).
   
   Also...
   
   Pyromania has nearly caught up to Hysteria in album sales...10 million plus against 12 million plus. DL is one of five bands all time to have two diamond albums (Beatles, Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Eagles).



3. I'll be the first to say I am not a die-hard Def Leppard fan. I LOVE hair metal, and groups like Scorpions, Motley Crue, Dokken and Whitesnake never fail to please me. Def Leppard is a great, rocking group that knows how to make some great music.
   
   And 1983's 'Pyromania' is probably their finest moment. 'Billy's Got A Gun,' 'Photograph,' 'Rock Of Ages' and 'Foolin'' got tons of radio airplay back in the day, and they all remain classic rock radio staples even today.
   
   Mutt Lange produced this classic, which is, in my opinion, one of the best produced records of all-time.
   
   Overall, this is a classic album from a great hair metal band. Highly recommended for any Def Leppard or classic rock fan. It's an essential release that skyrocketed Leppard to fame. ENJOY!!!



4. This is the album that really broke Def Leppard to the masses. Nearly every song is a classic and two of their best epics appear here in "Die Hard The Hunter" and "Billy's Got A Gun". This is one of those albums that everyone should own, it's just that good. This will be the last hurrah for Pete Willis as he was dismissed during the recording process. His influence is all over the record though. Def Leppard will never have the same big riff style that they had with Willis but he drank himself out of the band so what can you do. We all saw what happened to Steve Clark when he couldn't handle the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. New guitarist Phil Collen's impact will be very apparent on Hysteria.



5. God I hate this music. It's crap and always has been. I really think that people who like this stuff have something wrong with them. It seems like only girls should like this music. This is the musical equivalent of that show Full House. Everyone knows it sucks, but there are a few weirdos who think it's the best thing ever... and they are all girls. This music is pure cheese and the people who enjoy it are cheesey. I don't know at what point you trade in your testicles for a fondness of Def Leppard, but it seems to have happened to a lot of people. The only people who should listen to this album are the ones who use Aqua-Net or Stiff Stuff on their bangs and think that Bon Jovi is a better musician than an actor.