5 comments about Going Blank Again.

1. This has to be in your collection. The songs always cheer me up, even when i'm already extatic with joy, and i'm always so impressed with Ride's songwriting capabilities. They have such a unique sound, and this is probably my favourite shoegazing record (yes, ontop of Loveless). I can't summarize how good this album is...the reverbed vocals, the dreamy chords, the thumping basslines, the harsh drumbeats...it all mixes so well, and all these 'indie' bands like Bloc Party, Death Cab, etc, should be taking notes from this classic.



2. Ride was a UK indie/shoegaze/britpop/dreampop band that broke up in 1996.
   The band had two main singer/songwriters playing guitar - Andy Bell, who went on to form the britpop group Hurricane #1 (featured in a Volkswagen commercial with "Step Into My World") and then join Oasis as a songwriter and bassist; and Mark Gardener, who formed the britrock supergroup The Animalhouse, and is now doing solo work.
   
   To me, "Going Blank Again" is a special album for a variety of reasons. First, it was THE album that really knocked me off my feet and drew me into the so-called "shoegaze" sound. It was a bridge for my less ignorant college self to really go back and truly explore the bands of the 60s and 70s; specifically, the "Wall of Sound" sound. I don't think I could enjoy George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass" as much if I hadn't discovered Ride first.
   
   This album is special because it marks the absolute zenith of the band's mastery of the noise/dream pop sound that made them indie darlings in the UK. Previous EPs and their first LP had very high moments indeed - including one of the best tracks of the 1990s, Vapour Trail - but didn't have the consistency of Going Blank Again. GBA also featured the band continuing to grow musically -- individually, and together.
   
   Leave Them All Behind, the first track, a UK single, is sheer bliss. Taking a bit of organ swagger from The Who, it drones on like My Bloody Valentine with an eye toward the Stone Roses. Head bobbing, psychedelic, foot-stomping, dreamy, and a bit cocky all together. A fantastic track, and really, the lasso that brings you in.
   
   Twisterella - another UK single - shows that they can be jangly, pop oriented, and fun. A good radio song.
   
   Chrome Waves - the little brother of Vapour Trail - beautiful, sonic dreamscape. Listen to this track. Again and again.
   
   Other standouts include Not Fazed, which is essentially a jam, Time Machine, and Ox4.
   
   The remaster of this album has GREATLY improved sound and really makes the album as a whole better. It includes extra tracks, like the title track, which are worthy of the record.
   
   After this album, Ride changed direction. I liked their change-up, but many fans didn't. For many fans, this still remains the album that represents a much-missed group at their peak.
   
   Highly recommended. 5 stars of 5.



3. This album made Ride a little more palatable for the casual listener, which should have really given them some sort of success because this is good record. The arrangements are all really simple, but still sound great with all of that distortion and layering washing over them. I saw them at the 930 club for the tour of this album and they were excellent. I had seen them previously for the Nowhere tour and they were with Lush. That show wasn't so good. Hmmmmm... Wish I could go dig the CD out of storage right now.



4. This album made Ride a little more palatable for the casual listener, which should have really given them some sort of success because this is good record. The arrangements are all really simple, but still sound great with all of that distortion and layering washing over them. I saw them at the 930 club for the tour of this album and they were excellent. I had seen them previously for the Nowhere tour and they were with Lush. That show wasn't so good. Hmmmmm... Wish I could go dig the CD out of storage right now.



5. It' simple really. If you, like me, are a huge fan of Ride's album "Nowhere," when you heard "Leave it all Behind," (the first song on Ride's third album, "Going Blank Again") you were pleased as punch that the band would continue their "Shoegazer" styled sound. When you heard the second song, "Twisterella," your reaction was "what the **** is this!" Of course, if you like "Twisterella," then you probably thought that the song was a refreshing departure from the band's past.
   
   In my opinion, "Going Blank Again" has two songs which meet the extremely high standard set by its predecessor, namely the aforementioned "Leave it all Behind," and "Chrome Waves," which received some college radio play. "OX4" is very pretty, and kind of reminds me of the Flock of Seagulls' "Space Age Love Song." "Mousetrap," "Time After Time," and "Time Machine," are fine. The rest to me is just filler.
   
   I suppose that the "Shoegazer" genre had a shelf life, and maybe the members of Ride felt like going more mainstream. Unfortunately, this made for some rather dull entries on "Going Blank Again." Still, this album is better than Ride's two subsequent (and last) albums, "Carnival of Light" and "Tarantula."

5 comments about Super Hits.

1. The Romantics was one of the many hair bands of my generation in the 1980s. They were popular with their videos like "One in a Million," and "I hear you talking in your sleep." The songs are still played on the radio but MTV no longer plays the videos like they used too. Not even VH-1! So, we have the compact disc collections out there. I bought this one because I liked some of their songs but I could give and take the other ones. They were a good group and I wonder if they are still around.



2. oh man, this would be a massive hit album! if you listen to it the melodies, the guitars, the influences (60's pop, surf, and ska!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a album! pick this up for a good time to be had by your ears! you'll thank yourself later.



3. This is actually a pretty good cross-section of the Romantics' music, because it includes songs from four of the band's five albums from 1979-1985. The song selection was pretty good for this (although there are several I would have chosen over "Do Me Any Way You Wanna" and I can't believe they left out "A Night Like This"). The band has a new album due out Sept. 9 titled "61/49." If you buy this collection, you should try the new album too, because from what I've heard of it on the band's website ..., it's a more up-to-date, full sound than much of the older stuff.



4. This Detroit-based band were different from a lot of new wave groups in that they never forgot rock's roots in r&b and the blues. Anyone who grew up in the 80's will remember hearing their straight-to-the-point rock, all over the radio airwaves. Led by propulsive drumming and the no-nonsence vocals of Jimmy Marinos, they left behind a legacy of great 80's power pop. This album features, as it says, their 'Super Hits', and all have been digitally remastered which is a plus and a necessity for true fans.



5. This is OK, but the Romantics' true "super hits" are all found on their debut album, which completely creams any of their hits compilations. That album has the best stuff. The later songs pale in comparison.

5 comments about Sunshine Lies.

1. Sunshine Lies could easily fit between Girlfriend and Altered Beast as a secret mail away album. Sweet has been flying under the radar for couple of years by collaborating with others and not strictly releasing his own songwriting. Not much has changed with his sound either; it's like the grunge movement and everything that came after has never happened.
   
   This album is simple guitar pop and bubblegum rock. The musicianship is really quite good, as Sweet has used his long-time sidemen Richard Lloyd (Television), Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & The Voidoids), Greg Leisz (Beck, Bill Frisell), Ric Menck (Velvet Crush), and a guest vocal by Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles). The album does have a few missteps, such as "Let's Love" and the Tom Pettyisms of "Burn Through Love". Just as the Girlfriend album didn't follow any guitar trends, this one follows suit and it makes me happier for that reason.



2. Because it is by Matthew Sweet, and perhaps because many fans of his disagree as to what his best two Lps are, this set already has a contentious reception, and even some shrugs. But if this album had been released by a mystery band in 1972, it would now be spoken of in the same sentence as the great double Lps of the late 60s. I tend to like all of his records, and "Sunshine Lies" runs the gamut from his tougher "dinosaur act" stuff to the gentler tones of his Lloyd-less records like "Mars." "Sunshine Lies" has some remarkable songs, including the title cut and "Byrdgirl" and "Let's Love." (The set is all strong, but side two of the vinyl version is brilliant.) It has a lovely sense of melody, a wild and sweet variety of guitar sounds, and many songs that combine a fascinating sense of craft, a feeling spontaneous necessity, and rock-poetry reminiscent of masters of desire and understatement like Lennon and Berry.



3. A rock solid return to form for Mr. Sweet. I've been a big fan from the beginning. I will admit to being a little disapointed with the last two disc. Sunshine Lies grabbed me instantly with great lyrics, melodies, and numerous heavy guitar riffs. Matthew is in great voice throughout. Sweet's high vocal range is countered again by the tangled, jagged soloing of Richard Loyd and Ivan Julian. I caught the band live 2 weeks ago. Excellent show. The new stuff played well along side the classics. (Ric Menck is the coolist drummer.)
   
   Fall Out Boy? All American Rejects? Etc.. Please. Matthew Sweet is back. Buy this record.



4. As rabid fan of the big 3, I've liked the most recent CDs fine. I liked this one quite a bit too the first weeks I had it. Something happened though, at the GAMH show in SF: Great band + Hot groovy fun, and suddenly I could properly hear Sunshine Lies, even the tracks he didn't play that night. Somehow the key to the puzzle was transmitted to me--by means of feedback, I'm guessing...the mechanism is unclear.
   
   This is an extreme set of songs, seriously over-the-top as both ear candy and lyric sincerity. I think the step required to access Sunshine Lies is awakening the silly 16 year old rocker within, so play it LOUD. Delivering rueful musings of experience wrapped in these shimmery Pet-Sounds-kind of pop gloss produces a dissonance that works for me. Sunshine Lies asserts sweet optimism even after all that young rocker has seen and done, a neat trick.
   
   (I Need A) Room to Rock In is our new house motto. And Back of My Mind is the best album-ender since Party Girl.
   
   Thanks, Matthew!! I needed that.



5. He did it again!In the great songwriting vein of The Byrds,Beatles,Big Star...i.e. songs with singalong choruses,harmonies,melodies,chunky guitar solos,all wrapped up in a shimmering and vibrant and punchy style,man it just rocks and flows and my 19 month old daughter Daisy just LURVES ''Lets Love''!!!!!Terrific!!

5 comments about Initiation.

1. After the somewhat scattered sound of the 1974 album Todd this album was not only a huge creative return but a more focused one. During this period Rundgren's productions became much brighter and ahead of their time. "Real Man" is a great example-musically it's an extension of Todd's melodic rock/soul combination but the sound wise it sounds more like a re-recording from a decade or so later-it isn't and that's the beauty of it. "Born To Synthesize" also looks to ten a decade into Todd's musical future as it merely presents Todd's voice as the instrument,sometimes wonderful lead vocals and othertimes abstract and sometimes hammy harmony parts. Musically these two songs begin an exploration of the albums overall theme of spirtituality. Rundgren is a man of very clear headed ideas but at the same time he expressess so many of them at the same time that is gives off the appearance of being overwelming.Actually,it isn't. The general theme of the this album seems to be philosophically close to unitarianism and/or the idea of the "one world under many gods" kind of concepts.Considering all of the people turning to Hari Krishna,EST,Moonies and one guru to another throughout the 70's for some sort of insight to life Rundgren was apparently taking it upon himself to try and make some sense of it for people and come to a desicive answer rather than indulge himself in,say one of his own spiritual journey's. The song on this album that explores this idea most is the title song,a very keyboard led jazz-funk-rock-pop type tune featuring a great David Sanborn sax solo. "The Death Of Rock N Roll" is the one hard rock song on the album and the one tune that closley resembles the rockier previous album. "Eastern Intrigue" is another very spiritually inclined song,whose lyrics pretty much follow the lead of it's title and is a potent combination of progressive jazz with a sort of Asian type melody. "Fair Warning" is a great slow fusion style number featuring members of The Edgar Winter Group;Winter's sax solo's throughout are worth it by themselves. The 34 minute "A Treatise On Cosmic Fire" has some of the flavors of the first couple of Utopia albums but are not exactly the same. The suite starts and concludes on this keyboard-led funk-jazz note sandwiching a lot of synthesizer......noodling in the middle. I don't enjoy using that term especially when applied to someone as talented as Rundgren but this was a guy who was able to take any kind of sound and make it sound musical. A lot of times here it just doesn't go anywhere. But it terms of using sound to engender different emotions it's enough to qualify this album as a five star album. For the most part this is one of Rundgren's most focused releases,speaking for the first six songs and presents him as a creative and very soulful artist of a very high caliber.



2. There are several tracks from this release that must be considered essential for Rundgren fans. In my opinion these are "Fair Warning" which is a yearning ballad; "Initiation" which is a danceable extravaganza... almost a show tune complete with the classic flanged alto solo by Sanborn; and "Real Man" which though I personally have no use for it is still a classic vamp. Other frankly more knowledgeable fans (than I) may favor other tracks, but I feel these are the classics here. I also have little use for the highly derivative 36 minute tune because though it has merit, I have much more refined and creative music of the genre in my collection. Another factor is that this is very poorly transferred to digital and --if anything-- is likely to sound worse than decent vinyl. This is a shame since the overall quality of music deserves better treatment (perhaps there is a better transfer available?).



3. I remember owning this on vinyl back in the stone age when music was produced by scraping the tip of a rock across a glossy black platter. "Initiation" included my all-time favorites by Todd, "Fair Warning", "Eastern Intrigue", and "Real Man". If I were assembling a playlist for my portable mp3 player these songs would dovetail nicely with the Beach Boys' "Surf's Up".
   
   I was disappointed that "Fair Warning" and "Eastern Intrigue" didn't appear on the 2CD best of Todd that came out in the mid-eighties, and it made me wonder what other delicious progressive rock moments of Todd's were overlooked in favor of more pop material. Like the Beach Boys, I'm sure that Todd has his critics who think he should stay close to the "I Get Around" moments in his catalog. Don't get me wrong, I love "Bang the Drum All Day", "Real Man", "Hello It's Me", "Can We Still Be Friends" and other pop gems of Todd's catalog, but his ability to make musical discovery accessible equals or supercedes his ability to create top notch pop classics.



4. I'm glad I finnaly found this piece of Todd's work on CD. It brought back memories of days well gone by.
   I've searched high and low for his "Works" and finally found it without bidding against other fans on ebay.



5. If there ever was a reason to stay drug-free, Initiation proves it. Todd, easily one of the most gifted songwriters in pop rock history, completely falls off the deep end with Initiation. I'm not going to experiment with what Todd used to come up with this album, but perhaps that means that I won't ever appreciate this album. I'm fine with that--the bizarre album is virtually unlistenable except for the first track. Todd has dozens of classic songs, so even devoted Todd-ees can skip purchasing Initiation and have a real complete disography of his work.

5 comments about Utopia.

1. Todd Rundgren and Utopia ventured into the pure Pop realm one time with this wonderful album, and every song is a classic. A Must buy!



2. One of my favorite albums! Item came as described, without any problems. I would definitely purchase from the seller again.



3. This was a change of pace for the progressive band, and a stellar new wave effort for Todd and company. The bonus track (a dance version of "Hammer in My Heart") was unnecessary, though. Too bad this CD is out of print in the US (I didn't think Canadian imports were *that* expensive). Definitely recommended.



4. This album is so great (considering Utopia's power-pop/rock side, not the earlier prog side), that any attempt at a retrospective of their career pales comparing to this single album. And that's saying a lot.
   
   It's the prog fan in me that brought me to Todd's "A Wizard, A True Star", then "Todd Rundgren's Utopia". Over the years, I've found many a TR/Utopia LP that I listened to, enjoyed three or four tracks fully, maybe appreciated one or two more, and felt turned off by the rest. ("Swing to the Right" was the nadir, with only "Lysistrata"'s name bringing good musical memories.)
   
   I almost fast-forwarded an Internet radio station when Utopia's "Feet Don't Fail Me Now" (from this album) came on a "Gentle Giant"-themed radio station. Say what? My preoccupation with work ended up being a major bonus that got me to the surprisingly catchy chorus, which avoids being saccharine due to the fact that none of the four has a particularly sweet voice (each has its own edge).
   
   And so I started looking around to see if I could find a copy of the song. My only hope was (gulp!) buying the CD. Listening to the sound samples on Amazon, I gulped harder. This didn't sound very friendly.
   
   I received the CD yesterday. I am in _awe_. I played it three times last night (a rare feat for me). There are so many insanely great "nerdy-chords-meets-catchy-melody" moments that few apart from Utopia could pull off that I can't really get bored listening to it. I wonder, had "Perfect Heaven" been pulled off the album so that everything could fit on one 45-minute LP, if the album would have fared better in the shops.
   
   Definite highlights are "Neck on Up", "Say Yeah", "Burn Three Times", "Call It What You Want", and the aforementioned "Feet Don't Fail Me Now". But selecting highlights is an injustice to the album, as "Libertine", "Bad Little Actress" and "Hammer in my Heart" are superior to 90% of the songs on the other albums from their poppier years.
   
   At the risk of sounding like I'm gushing endlessly, it really sounds as if Utopia set out to better every highlight of their "power pop/rock" years with this album. "Say Yeah" beats Deface the Music's similar "That's Not Right" with sheer exuberance. "Libertine" comes really close to matching Oops! Wrong Planet's "Trapped". Roger Powell even screams out a note right at a breakdown in "Burn Three Times". It even seems like Utopia seriously worked this one out before going into the studio, with all four singers demonstrating remarkably similar vocal delivery, hitting most every note dead on. Solos are often eschewed so that the whole arrangement stands out, and at times the right "different chord" can be heard in _just_ the right place during the last chorus. This should have been all over the airwaves in the '80s, alongside the Cars' "Heartbeat City" and Yes's "90125". And the samples on here don't do the album justice. If you're too nervous to buy a copy, do yourself a favor and borrow a friend's, or hunt the local 2nd-hand record shops which still allow you to preview the album. The only thing that stops me from calling this "Utopia's Party Album" is the presence of three ballads, of which I feel one is superfluous ("Perfect Heaven"). (And hey, I could always program my CD player to skip it, or them, were I to play this CD at a party.) It may or may not be my absolute fave Utopia album (the first one is hard to beat), but it'll definitely be my most listened to. I want to start an "original songs" band based on this album alone. Any takers?



5. Todd went through many phases, both individually and with Utopia. Here he dons the new wave duds, the two-tone attitude, and shows he can do power pop/new wave as well as anybody who's ever attempted it. Too bad poor promotion and releasing this after the brilliant but obtuse Deface the Music pretty much meant Todd, once again, killed the buzz. As another reviewer mentioned, they limped off with two ok but not great albums, never to have reached the summit that seemed quite attainable after the well-received Adventures....
   
   But the three-sided artifact those silly Utopians left is great -- tremendous tight harmonies, crystal clear production and glistening guitar runs, clever lyrics, too-cool melodies -- it's a solid, consistently superior package. It's hard to put this on and not feel the infectious, upbeat, intelligent melodies put you in a better mood - from the clever "Princess of the Universe," to the moody "Bad Little Actress" to the Beatlesque "Chapter and Verse," to the should-have-been hit rock ballad "There Goes My Inspiration." Add to that the hits (for Utopia)"Feet Don't Fail Me Now" and "Hammer in My Heart" and you have an irresistable top notch package. As this will surely go out of print again soon, I recommend this for any serious music collector, and the casual Todd fan as well.

5 comments about Normal As the Next Guy.

1. First off, did you like the album `Zoom'? If you did, you will absolutely like `Normal As The Next Guy'. This is a great companion to that Knack "comeback" effort from 1998. The standout power pop songs here are `Les Girls', and even more so `Normal As The Next Guy'. Lead singer Doug Fieger is having fun with the vocals on both of these while Berton Averre matches up with great guitar licks. `Les Girls' has a Jimmy Buffet feel to it. `Girl I Never Lied To You'and `It's Not Me' are gems that show you pop is not dead. `Seven Days Of Heaven' and `A World Of Our Own' two other songs right out of the `Zoom' playbook and rank up there with any of the songs on that very good album. A few of the tracks harken back to their early 80's LP `Round Trip'. `Disillusion Town' reminds me of `Just Wait And See' and `Dance Of Romance' is jazzy like `Little Cal's Big Mistake' was. `A Reason To Live' is a beautiful heartfelt ballad while `One Day At A Time' is a slightly stripped down redo of a song from `Serious Fun'. `Spiritual Pursuit' and `The Man On The Beach' go off the board a bit. `Pursuit' takes a corny stab at religion while `Beach' is a tribute to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. These two are my least favorite tracks but add body to the work and are still very enjoyable.
   Personally, I rediscovered The Knack in the mid-2000's. I was originally on board a long time ago having bought `Get The Knack' right out of the gate and loving it back in '79. But it was fits and starts and missteps for the band thereafter. They released their third album, then broke up two months later. Must be a lousy album I thought...(fooled - it's good). They roared back to life in '89 with a song called `Rocket Of Love' but quickly disappeared when the record company shelved that album. Then I saw The Knack live in the mid-2000s. My expectations were tepid. I was fooled again, they were great! I purchased `Re-Zoom' (a rereleased version of `Zoom') and loved it. Little by little I filled in my collection of past Knack items. Albums I had written off long ago and DVDs I had never even heard about. Each time I was pleased, though the production value on a DVD called `Live At The Rock `N Roll Funhouse' was not perfect. So why did I wait until now to buy `Normal As The Next Guy'? Seeing The Knack live twice, they never played any songs from `Normal As The Next Guy'. Must be a lousy album I thought. So I dogged it, and now with Doug Fieger's passing I bought the album just to round out my collection. Fooled again! This is a great effort. Viva Les Knack!



2. In 2001, The Knack went into the studio, recorded, and released this CD. Like all of the group's previous records this one would be different from the previous release. The group's leader, the late Don Fieger once described this CD as their "White Album," because it was so eclectic. Previously the group had released "Zoom" which was a pop power house. On "Normal as..." the band still rocks, but they add more colors to their otherwise colorful pallet. The CD opens with 'Les Girls,' a song that retains all the catchy colorful sounds one associates with the Knack, but the arrangement could easily fit with Kenny Chesney or Jimmy Buffet. The next real gem here is the countrified "Girl I Never Lied to You." The poignent melody and the bittersweet lyrics are the material that hits come from. I was humming this song for days after I first heard it. The title cut is a stomping, rocking, piece that highlights Prescott Niles' bass playing. And what a bass payer he is! This CD also features something the group had never done before. They re-make 'One Day at a Time,' from the 'Serious Fun,' CD. Only instead of the pop-metal ballad they did on "Serious Fun," they arrange the piece in a folk rock mode. The old adage: "A good song is a good song..." surely applies here. The new arrangement takes nothing away from the old arrangement. Instead the listener gets a completely new and fresh song. The group even takes on the jazz rock that was once Steely Dan's monopoly. Not only does the 'Dance of Romance,' have that sweet jazzy sound we associate with The Dan, but Berton Averre does a magnificent job of laying down lead lines that could raise pangs of envy in Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter. The band returns to their famous sound with 'A World of My Own,' only to switch gears admirably to the Beach Boyish "Man on the Beach." Do yourself a favor and 'get' The Knack. Unfortunate as it is that the group's leader recently passed, perhaps this will inspire people to open up their minds, let go of all the negative silliness the music press heaped on these guys, and give them a try. You won't regret it.



3. Horrible album cover, and the music is even worse. Doug must be back on drugs again. Not one song on this collection is memorable, singable, or any damned good. Are these guys the ones who did My Sharona? Wonder who wrote Sharona for them? This album blows. They should have hung it up after Serious Fun.



4. 1. Les Girls
   Terrible. What a bad way to get this CD off to a start!
   
   2. Disillusion Town
   Quality Knack!
   
   3. Girl I Never Lied To You
   Decent Pop track.
   
   4. Normal As The Next Guy
   Total Junk!
   
   5. Spiritual Pursuit
   What a load of CRAP! What were they thinking? A joke? Who cares!
   
   6. It's Not Me
   Decent Pop.
   
   7. One Day At A Time
   This is a classic Knack tune but they already released this way back on "Serious Fun" and THAT version was better! I guess they were at a loss for material for this release?
   
   8. Seven Days Of Romance
   Actually the title is "Seven Days Of Heaven" and it's a great Knack pop song!
   
   9. Dance Of Romance
   Horrible, Horrible CRAP!
   
   10. Reason To Live
   Doug should have not gone for the high notes in this tune (his range is not what it once was) but this is a very moving and powerful song!
   
   11. A World Of My Own
   Decent Knack tune... but you can take it or leave it.
   
   12. The Man On The Beach
   Great "beach boys" style tune but could have been produced to offer a more "expanded" sound. The limited production leaves it far short of beach boys territory.
   
   ----------
   
   This was a great chance for the Knack to make some waves (they had a deal with Image to release this CD and a DVD at the same time). They totally dropped the ball and delivered this MESS. There's some good Knack tunes on this disk but only a Knack fan will want to wade through the junk to find them.
   
   -JM



5. I wrote a review of this CD in 2001. Here is a copy of that review:
   What Happened To This Band?, October 11, 2001
   I was excited to get this record as The Knack have always been a true force in power pop and one of my favorite bands. This is why I feel so bad about this review. Something went terribly wrong with this recording. The songs are third rate, the production is way off, The drums or lack there of are totally amateurish. There's even a horrible Beach Boys tribute song included. Doug is no Brian Wilson!! Don't get this Knack..
   (2005)
   Being a true Knack fan I was so excited to hear it. I couldn't believe my ears. What a miserable boring album. Just the other day I decided to give it another listen thinking I would be open minded. Guess what? It still stinks.

5 comments about Greatest.

1. In a short career that spanned barely 5 years and 4 albums, The Raspberries ran up a string of brilliant singles. Their goal was to reclaim the mantel of early Beatles and Who singles, while rejecting the overblown pomposity much of 70's prog rock had meandered into. They even wore matching suits and poofy hair on the first album cover, along with a scratch and sniff Raspberries sticker. The first hit from that album, "Go All The Way," roared out with loud, sweet guitars and Beach Boy harmony, setting up the future for the band.
   
   Centered mainly on Eric Carmen's McCartney-esque voice and songwriting, The Rasperries began knocking out single marvels with the consistency of the best Badfinger hits. They used lyrical teases instead of blatant come-ons to make their songs cover more ground, like when Carmen chirps "Oh! I wanna be with you! So Baaaaaaad!" or the winsome want of "Let's Pretend." The band also were excellent mimics, with "Drivin' Around" a flawless Beach Boys concoction.
   
   However, Carmen began to exert domination over the band and tension caused both Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti to split after Side 3. Regrouping led to the appropriately named Starting Over and Carmen's last single masterpiece with The Raspberries. With the plea for success that is the pocket symphony "Overnight Sensation," Carmen blended Brian Wilson's songwriting with Phil Spector production to create one of power pop's perfect four minutes. About midway into the single, Carmen and the band get sucked into a car radio and the tinny speaker cranks out the boys as they chant "want a hit record, yeah!" across the nation's airwaves. I can still occasionally get the goosebumps when I hear this song.
   
   That bit of wishful thinking not withstanding, The Raspberries broke up soon after. Eric Carmen had a fairly successful solo career and Wally Bryson went on to join power pop maestros (and cult faves) Fotomaker. But for a brief and fiery moment, The Raspberries made the kid of guilty pleasure music you didn't have to feel guilty about.



2. I just don't get it. I like Raspberries music. I thought they were (are) a great rock band. They were more than "Go all the way". But here we have yet another Raspberries "Best of" and this time somebody doctored the tapes. Wally Bryson's great "Party's over" is different from the original found on the Starting Over album. You have to listen carefully but the song has been edited to exclude the line "call me crazy but I don't give a Sh.." You know what I mean. The ultimate "I know the band's hit the skids, but I'm gonna carry on" song has been changed. They deserve more than that. What is Capitol/ EMI afraid of?



3. This was a great album to buy as it is reminiscent of the 80's.



4. I own all the Raspberries CD's and records. This is one of my favorites of all of the more than 400 CD's that I own. There is no better guitar player than Wally Bryson and there is no better voice than Eric Carmen. Also great are Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfonti. One of the best songs ever is GO All THE WAY! The beginning of that song sends shivers down my spine. Great CD!



5. I love this CD! I had forgotten how much fun they are to listen to, and how talented they were. I'm glad to hear they're touring again, and hope they come around my way. I haven't stopped listening to this since I bought it about a month ago!

5 comments about Serious Fun.

1. I stumbled across this album in a Dollar Tree which was an amazing find, and I must say the music on this album is a real jewel, from slower relaxing tracks like Won't Let Go to some of the more upbeat ones like Doin' The Dog. And you just gotta love the album artwork.



2. For me this is probably one of the best Knack albums released. Bone crunching guitar riffs, great solos, great vocals and great drumming. This is one album you can play from beginning to end and enjoy every track. BnB Beatles Depot



3. I ordered this CD three times, from three seperate dealers and always ended up getting the 1991 Charisma records release, without the extra tracks. Make sure the seller you're buying from has listed the correct CD! You may want to ASK the seller before ordering if it is indeed the 2002 re-release with four extra tracks (16 total).
   
   Great comeback album for the Knack! Not "classic" Knack, but certainly an interesting direction!
   
   JM



4. I am a die hard fan of The knacks self titled album and was pleasantly surprised to get my hands on this CD. These guys still have that same edge and sound to Serious Fun. Some bands change over the years but the knack still have what initially made them more than one hit wonders as far as I'm concerned.
   The production and songwriting material is ace with classic knack vocal style and lead breaks with a catchy choruses just be aware the album requires more than one listen to grow on you. .



5. The Knack's best, but largely unappreciated, album. I was shocked to see it go so quickly to "cut-out" in its first release on CD. Great to see its re-genesis with the Knack remasters. BY FAR, the best "road" disc you could ever take on a trip. The miles fly by as you bop maniacally in your seat. If you don't have this one--get it!!

5 comments about Shh. Just Go with It.

1. The Good
   Every Avenue decides to kick things off with the anthemic track "Day of the Old." I think many listeners can relate to a good 'remember when' song. Muted guitars and faded vocals jumpstart "A Story to Tell Your Friends." The track is anchored by a catchy chorus and heartfelt lyrics. Electric fuzz and melodic vocals dominate "Trading Heartbeats." You can never go wrong with a 'whoh oooh' vocal break. "Freak Out!" delivers some hefty riffage for a pop song, but is kept in the pop arena with plenty of hooks. "Between You and I" is a piano-based ballad that is both tender and heartbreaking.
   
   The Bad
   Only two of the six songs from their 2007 EP Ah! made it to this full-length release. The songs that were left out happened to be one's that I really enjoyed.
   
   The Verdict
   Every Avenue still has plenty of power-pop hooks and cathy lyrical sections to please the most complicated musical pallet. The songs are easy to connect with without being oversimplified. I would have liked for the entire EP to make it to the full-length because now some of the strongest material is missing.



2. This cd is a great buy and great for fans of Hit The Lights, All Time Low, Mayday Parade and bands of similar genres. I saw them in concert Dec. 22nd, 2008, they played well, but there was many screaming girls. The most memorbale songs were 'Think of You Later' and 'Where were you?', 'Between you and I' and 'Chasing The Night'. Some of the songs were a bit bland, but had a bit of flavor in all of them but it definitely showcases the talent they will have in the future.
   
   8.1/10



3. This CD is incredible. As described in the other reviews, every single song is catchy and complex, and not a single one is skip worthy. It has quickly become one of my top 3 favorite albums of all time. I hope they keep giving us great stuff. This is a fantastic CD!



4. yes, every avenue sounds like every other pop-emo band out there. but theres one exception. every song is catchy. with all these new dime a dozen bands out there, there are usually one to two songs that are catchy enough to be considered good. with this cd, i cant find one song that i dont like. if youre looking for that pop-punk band that isnt fob or all time low, this is the band for you. best track is days of the old



5. This CD has been on repeat in my CD player since I bought it. The choruses are catchy, the melodies are infectious, and the singing is phenomenal.
   
   Fearless Records' pop-rock bands never disappoint me, they only get better.
   
   If you like Mayday Parade or Just Surrender or any other bands on Fearless Records, or any label for that matter, that sing music like that, you'll love this CD and you'll love this band; because I know that I do.

3 comments about Back on the Streets/King Cool.

1. Donnie Iris's 3 great songs were "Ah, Leah", "Sweet Merilee" and "Love Is Like A Rock". The other songs were pretty mediocre, IMO.



2. Great cd as all Donnie Iris discs are! Only wish they put "Too Young To Love" on it



3. It is good to see that there is still enough interest in Donnie Iris hat his first two albums are back in print. His last two of his four albums on LP have yet to even merit a CD issue, so being able to find these is a treat.
   
   Iris burst forth from Pittsburgh PA after a tenure with one-hitters The Jaggerz ("The Rapper") with his solo album "Back on The Streets." This is the Iris album that has "Ah Leah!" on it. Problem is, it was pretty rocky going after that. Iris and partner Marc Avsec played everything on this album, and it comes off a bit stiff. Also, there is too much going on here to make Iris sound like he was doing much else other than chasing styles. Aside from "Agnes" and "I Can't Hear You," there is little here that sounds like an artist defining himself. (Nonsense like "Joking/Shock Treatment" didn't help his case, either.)
   
   After this, Iris put together the Cruisers and cut the far superior "King Cool." Three best songs on "Back On The Streets" are on the 20th Century Masters - Best of Donnie Iris set.
   
   Iris and his new Cruisers launched forth with a semi-concept album for his second effort. "King Cool" was a street bard with love for "Sweet Merilee" and a knack for Buddy Holly pop. In the span of ten songs, King Cool sees his love rise ("Love Is Like a Rock") and ultimately crash ("The Last To Know"). In between, Iris and his band tackle a variety of styles. From Elvis Costello new wave ("Pretender") to Huey Lewis Top 40 hits ("My Girl"), "King Cool" expertly wove an album as solid as the eighties could provide. This was Donnie Iris' best full length album, even though he still turned out some top flight singles on all his albums. The proof of the kind of ecstasy that Iris was able to pry out of his work is best witnessed in "That's The Way Love Ought To Be." As the song nears its climax, Iris/Cool asks Merilee to "come a little closer, a little bit closer, and kiss me" just before leaning in with a perfect rock and roll yelp of "oh oh oh yeaaaaaahhhhhhhh" delight. As poppy as Huey Lewis, but not as threatening as Joe Jackson or Elvis Costello, Iris walked a fine line all the way through "King Cool."
   
   One can now hope that maybe the third and fourth albums ("The High and Mighty" and "Fortune 410") finally see the laser light of day. A full-on retrospective off ALL Iris and Avsec's material - he's still recording and touring - would be cool, as well.