5 comments about Cheap Thrills.

1. As Janis' first mainstream outing, I believe that this album is the finest of her career. You can feel the enthusiasm between the band personnel in the all out "balls to the wall" drive of the music.
   Done before the influence of the monied producers, you will hear a miracle. Artists doing what they love.



2. How do you 'rate' your long-gone youth? I still have the original 33 rpm purchased way back then and play it every so often. I have always feared that something would happen to the album and the music would be lost for good. I love the CD, the sound etc... is excellent - but of course I am used to listening the the original. I cranked my CD player up and I was in Seventh Heaven, moving and singing along with Janis. This has been one of my absolute top favs since it was released. Be proud sad little girl from Port Arthur, we haven't forgotten you and you will always be special to us. You made your mark and it is here to stay.



3. I'll spare you all the technical details to just say that THIS is the Janis Joplin album that you want if you are only going to own one of her recordings.
   
   Here, you'll get the true, raw Janis Joplin with the band that matched her best of all. The know-it-alls at the studios were always trying to separate her from Big Brother and the Holding Company, supposedly because they were not "professional" enough. Bullcrap!
   
   This is the single beauty of retrospect. This compendium of her songs simply blows "Pearl" away. Her later bands and releases were WAY too superficial and polished to achieve the great rock guttral ambiance that Big Brother yielded.
   
   Just take a listen to "I Need A Man to Love" -- the opening will give you a sense of the entire work. It just bowls me over every time I hear it. I've been a rock guitar player for 40 years and Big Brother did some fine work... and Janis was the perfect complement to their Woodstock-era excellence.
   
   Buy this one -- you'll not be disappointed.
   
   See my "listmania lists" for more great Classic Rock recommendations.



4. This is a replacement for my original cd that skipped on one of
   the tracks. The extra tracks were a pleasant bonus.



5. To bad that most people have never heard Janis singing the classic song 'Summertime.' The soul and emotion in that song is classic blues at its BEST! And the rest of the album only confirms that Janis and Big Brother were a once in a time magical musical experience that will never be equaled in intensity and pure performance quality!!!!

5 comments about Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus.

1. "12 Dreams" is the original Spirit's great swan song. Recorded just before fracturing into Jo-Jo Gunne and a depleted Spirit, the band was peaking (literally) during the making of this psychedelic classic. If you can get the vinyl, do so, as that mix features a better balance of sounds than the CD. However, the CD features a more playful Hendrix-like swirl of stereo effects than the original, so depending what state of mind you're in you might like that.



2. A great "theme" album. The instrumentation, vocals/harmonies are unbelievable for that era. It is a little tinny in places, as the remastering will expose. I would recommend this album to anyone with a little 60's and 70's hippie/psychadelic music interest.



3. I spent a fair amount of time in my early teens, listening to the 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit. It was fun, upbeat music that didn't sound like anything else. So, I was delighted to see that Amazon had the CD (re-mastered) for only $10. What amazed me was how fresh it still sounds! 37 years have not been unkind to this recording! From the lovely finger-picked acoustic intro to Nothing to Hide to the acoustic guitar, cowbell and tympani accompanied Natures Way (has that instrumental combo ever been used since?) to the sweet, multi-layered Life Has Just Begun, this is a creative smorgasbord of clever, catchy and lilting music that seems fresh and new almost 40 years after it was created. There are some quirky moments, like in Animal Zoo and Mr. Skin, that may turn some people off, but all in all, this is a deightful CD that highlights crisp songwriting, great musicianship and a fun-loving and interesting approach to arrangement that stand the test of time very well.



4. THIS IS A VASTLY UNDERAPPRECIATED RECORD,THAT STILL SOUNDS FRESH AND INNOVATIVE DECADES AFTER IT WAS RELEASED. BUY IT, ENJOY, AND LET THE GROOVE INSINUATE ITSELF INTO YOUR MIND.



5. Of course this cd is one of my favorites from way back. Having to replace my old lp's and glad I found it.

5 comments about Live Yardbirds! Featuring Jimmy Page.

1. This is a great CD, historically and musically. The sound improvement due to remastering must have been a labor of love from what I've heard about the quality of the original album. A keeper, for sure. That said, Russ Garrett of Mooreland Street Records says that only 1000 CDs were ever produced of this special reissue with the additional sound check tracks that didn't exist on the album's release in 1971. The quantity of used CDs for this particular album seems too good to be true. I'm not going to say "don't buy this because it might be a pirated copy", just use your own discretion and as they say, "buyer beware".



2. This CD is indeed a Master Piece, I own the Original Pressing of the Album. It had been killed for release several times by Jimmy Page. Sure there some funky over dubs and such. But the this is the Real Deal!!! A young and hungry Jimmy, his playing is second to none on this. Right from Train Kept a Rolling on till I'am a man. The Yardbirds never sounded more heavy and bluesy, I would like to have seen him during this period. This is a must for any Led Zeppelin Fan or Yardbirds. If I was Jimmy Page I would be proud of this, it shows his guitar with amazing tone and power and the licks are as good or BETTER than anything done with Beck or Clapton. If only it would be released so every fan could purchase it.
   "LONG LIVE JIMMY PAGE NUMBER ONE OF ALL TIME"



3. I had this on vinyl at one point. At the time I thought it was a promotional copy because of the white label, though later I learned this was a bootleg. I also in the early 1990's saw this concert on an import CD, with some bonus tracks from the Olympia Theatre in Paris. I should have snatched it up them because when I returned a few days later it was gone. The concert itself it noteworthy because of its rarity, not because it is a particularly great show. Anyone who likes the Yardbirds has heard and probably owns the 1963-64 era live recordings and will recall that their first proper release of a LP was a late 1964 concert recording from the Marquee Club in London. The fascination from this is that other than the 'Little Games' LP there is very little Yardbirds music available from 1967 or 1968. As others have noted, Page is in fine form here, he seems like he is enjoying himself as part of a band as opposed to being a sesion player which he did earlier in the 1960's. And of course, he was about to launch into something enormous in just a few short months. Relf is tentative here, although he does communicate a bit with the audience between songs. Perhaps he knew deep down that the end of the band was near. The most annoying thing is the dubbed in crowd noise which is totally unnecessary. I hope soon that Page will live and let live and authorize a proper reissue as it happened -- minus the added crowd noise.



4. Most unfortunate that Jimmy Page suppressed this amazing document; the band gives a great performance and the sound quality is quite good. If you want a small taste, go to YouTube and search "Yardbirds Dazed and Confused": you'll get a performance broadcast on French TV of the last-gasp Yardbirds doing their seminal version of this tune, and it's every bit as revelatory as this recording.



5. I have a copy of this entire show on a Yardbirds rare tracks disc. My brother bought this on LP back in the 70's and I am pretty sure this recording is a bootleg and a very famous one, but it's still a "boot". I remember Page not liking this release much, stating that some of the crowd noises were added. Page said "the crowd cheers could have been lifted from a bull fight for all I know" It's funny because before I read that, I would imagine the crowd going wild as it does sound that way! The album starts off with an excellent version of "A Train Kept A Rollin'" a jamming version of "Mister You're A Better Man Than I" that goes right into a pumped up version of "Heart Full Of Soul" There is a song called "I'm Confused" which would later be re-worked for Led Zeppelin's first album as "Dazed and Confused". The set is really interesting and I'm glad I have it. If you can find it, it buy it! It is one hell of a good performance and the recording is pretty damn good. Please remember it was a "boot", so the sound quality is very good, but not perfect(a little tinny). Well worth hearing and owning!

5 comments about Cream - Royal Albert Hall - London May 2-3-5-6 2005.

1. I really enjoyed viewing this video. I bought another copy for a friend in England and plan to give it as a Christmas gift. Can't get enough of these guys. My friend's band opened for Cream in Birmingham in 1966.



2. I had seen grey-haired Clapton and absolute geezers Baker and Bruce in a cut from this DVD, on VH1 (I think). It was impressive, and I'd hoped the DVD would be worthwhile. It's fantastic, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
   
   I'm one who feels Clapton has not lived up to his potential for the past 30 years. Here, he has never been better. In an interview segment, Baker noted that he an Bruce are jazz musicians, and that they consider Clapton a jazz musician, as well. This shed light on why I've always had such a hard time considering them a rock band -- along with their leanings to blues, and some hard-to-define tracks from their albums.
   
   The audio and video productions are first rate. Great lighting and camera angles, and the sound is full and crisp.
   
   I made the mistake of watching a DVD of another 3-man rock hall-of-fame band soon after watching this one. By comparison, they did not come close in regard to skill, versatility, vitality and overall production.



3. The marvellous idea of gather them was fortunately recorded digitally for the posterity and the new generations to come. Royal Albert Hall was the place where they played in May 2005.
   
   You will be able to watch how their emblematic battle songs like Crossroads, Toad, Sunshine of your love, Politician, Sitting on the top of the world and Badge were played with a freshness that really mocks about the fat than almost forty years had elapsed. Bruce in the bass, Baker with that fabulous solo in Toad or the living legend of the guitar Eric Clapton at their best, proving the quality and artistic conviction make fun of the time.
   
   What a great CD. For you it's a must-have.



4. I can't believe the talent of this band still. The energy and voices from these guys is just like it used to be. What a blast from the past.



5. Took a chance on this on blind faith... (pun intended). I loved the fact that while they are the same people, they are NOT the same artists they were in 1969. They tackle material that must have faded in their memory with vigor, and obviously had a good time in the process. Highlights for me were We're Going Wrong (stunning) and Stormy Monday, which has the absolute BEST performance by Clapton I've ever seen or heard. It is breathtaking, and it's CREAM. I would have purchased the DVD just for this one cut alone. Play this DVD on the best system you can find, the audio is superb, and the camera work and editing are spot-on. Buy this DVD. Period.

5 comments about The Rolling Stones - Rock and Roll Circus.

1. This has to be my favorite "music video" of all time. This is more David Lynchian than anything David Lynch has ever produced. It is such an odd episode in time, such a weird floating bubble of brilliance. It is a Festival of the Bizarre and the Hilarious. And, in my opinion, the music is superb. Approach this with the right expectations, and you will be dazzled!!!
   
   For starters, the colors are super-saturated, rich and deep reds and oranges and blues. It is a warm viewing experience. Every attendee is wearing a truly strange pull-over type robe with bright colors. Everyone is preternaturally happy and involved. Coupled with all the other other-worldly behavior, one wonders exactly what planet this circus tent is on. Is this a rock show, or Star Trek?
   
   Then we have Jethro Tull take the stage. This guy jams on a petite little flute like most rock stars jam on a Flying-V. It is a great performance. Someone says it is dubbed. If so, I never even noticed, and it doesn't really matter. The ambience is one of pure elation.
   
   Marianne Faithful is unbelievablly beautiful and elegant in a very formal performance which is in wonderful contrast to the raunchy rock festivities around her. She's wearing a beautiful dress, and she sits on the ground. Classic-beyond-belief.
   
   The Who: Great. Daltry and Townsend are in their primes, and everyone else looks sober, even Moonie and Entwhistle.
   
   Okay, the ultimate killer here is this: John Lennon does an awkward little comedy shtick with Mick Jagger. Lennon ends up handing Jagger his dinner plate, and Mick nibbles the left-overs. Very charming because it all seems so natural and unrehearsed. They display a fondness for and a familiarity with one another, but with a little bit of competitive edginess. Lennon actually seems like a guy attending a party or a barbeque. He does not seem to be performing here; he is participating, and having a good time. He does his little jam with Keith Richards, Clapton, and Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Think of that!!!! That's the equivalent of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ronald Reagan, Churchill and Teddy Roosevelt doing a session!!!! This is monumental history folks!!!! Beyond Belief!!! And then Yoko comes out and starts screeching this painfully odd wail. The pain is deep and vast. This is where the experience become priceless: look into the faces of the musicians, look into the faces of the intimate little audience: they all look like they are about to bust out laughing at this strange noise emanating from Yoko's mouth!!! They are as astounded as we are!!!! The confusion and disbelief is palpable. John Lennon keeps on jamming, looking a little embarassed, but fully supporting his nihilistic little wife!! David Lynch must be crying as he watches this, a celluoid moment of astonishing inexplicability, contrasting vectors of logic and nuance which quite simply blow-out our normal thought processes. Try as he might, he can never match this kind of shtuff!
   
   The the Stones climb on up and have at it. Mick steals the show. It is a 110% Stones experience in four songs.
   
   Pete Townsend does an interview as an extra and it is worth watching as he recollects on the events of that day. He describes how Mick handled the entire project with his characteristic "responsibility and ruthlessness." Apparently Brian Jones was falling apart during the course of the filming and Mick was having to help him remain composed, as well as dealing with all the other logistics. And, Keith was literally "green" from his ingestions of God-knows-what. So, Mick has to run the show from a business perspective, and then he has to perform. I personally thought he was awesome, especially in the rendition of "Sympathy for the Devil." The man quite simply defines Larger-Than-Life-Legend as far as I'm concerned.
   
   Folks, the four-star reviews here are missing the point just as much as the one-star reviews. Don't buy this for the music, per se. Buy this for the Overall Weird Scene Which Hails From a Bygone London Era. This is beyond mere psychedelic, this is Alternative Universe Stuff. The intimacy of it, the authentic, ad hoc nature of the entire setting, accented by little circus performers here and there. If I could chose to go back in time to this R&R Circus or to Woodstock, I would take this in a heartbeat. There's something for everybody here, and it is all good, and all strange in a friendly sort of way. It doesn't get much better in my book.



2. Very fun. Loved Mary Ann Faithfull and Mick Jagger was so young and pretty and full of energy and full of himself. GREAT!



3. A very decent little concert! The stones allegedly pulled it because the who outshined them (which they did... sort of), but the big reason to grab this one is the had to find little bits, John Lennon and Mick talking over a bowl of noodles, The Dirty Mac band, with Clapton and Lennon on guitars and keith richards on bass, with Mitch Mitchell on drums and yoko in a plastic bag as "the darkness" is just great. If you're looking for definitive performances of these bands, this dvd may not be for you. But if you want some insight into what the swingin' 60's and early 70's rock scene was all about, pick this up. Hell, at this price, pick it up anyway.



4. This is a fascinating piece of rock and roll history, and puts to rest the ridiculous claim that Brian Jones was incapable of contributing anything musically by 1968. E.g. "No Expectations" serves as the perfect swan song for the Stones' classic lineup. It's not only sad but infuriating to hear everyone from Pete Townshend to David Dalton drone on about how Jones was beyond any kind of help, when the simple fact is, those who were in a position to save Jones refused to lift a finger, and simply watched this man destroy himself. It illustrates why the 1960's, after all the talk and hype was little more than a fest of selfishness, ignorance and self-abuse.



5. This video is at least a must-have for those of us that grew up with this music during the late 60s. The video is great, not so much for the coverage of the Stones, but for the excellent performances by The Who and by Taj Mahal.

5 comments about Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976.

1. Donovan has a bad rep. He was considered poor cow to Bob Dylan bull.
   
   Donovan was an English folk singer that had the same tenor and earnestness, but a sweeter lick on the ear. Donovan had a huge mid 60's hit capturing Dylan's sweeping lyrical with "Catch the Wind". Donovan recorded a couple of LPs, released on Hickory (a C/W label !) as the new Dylan. He signed with Mickey Most, the premier producer of English bands, Animals, Herman's Hermits, Lulu, etc...
   
   Things changed...Donovan went from folk angst to hippie prophet to gentle smile to selling lipstick wear your love like heaven!
   
   This 2CD set has the start of his folk promise and his excursion into the new wonder of the mid/late 60's. "Mellow Yellow", a 1966 song that still revererates, "Season of the Witch", and "Sunshine Superman" + more.
   
   Essential and goo goo barajagal



2. TROUBADOUR: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION 1964-1976 contains the absolute cream of Donovan's crop of folk-turned-psychedelic folk-rock style, quickly moving from his early days as the British Dylan to a more psychedelic sound that was perfect for the flower-power era. The folk years are only represented by four or five songs, as Donovan quickly moves into more hippie-oriented turf. Even though I've never even tried any drugs not ordered by a physician, I must say that these songs are great whether your stoned or clear-headed. The fact that Donovan, like so many other post-1964 rock artists, opposes Indonesia's trumped-up 2005 drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist makes TROUBADOUR: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION 1964-1976 an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.



3. There are a few songs I have on vinyl that are worth using to make this a three CD set, but this'll do.



4. No doubt about it, this is a good set.Fantastic for the price but for one downfall. The majority of the songs are reproduced in mono not stereo.
   I personally feel that this is a definite problem. Donavon's music is deserving of better treatment than this.
   The most off putting thing about it, is that this information is not made known, I was unable to find any mention of it in the product description.
   Needless to say I was very disappointed when I received my copy and played it.
   Perhaps for those of us that want a better version there will be one available in the future. In the meantime I will keep the CD (I did consider returning it)and make the best of it.



5. Donovan was and always will be among the top 5 favorites of mine. I am very selective with music and I agree with many reviews here that Donovan deserves the highest respect as a song writer, singer and artist. (True humans often get dismissed in the jungle of crazy ideologies).
   I was searching for his 'Happiness Runs' song and ended up downloading 2 CD's and some...Here I am, staying up all night listening and remembering our fragile humanity with this great Soul's sensitive, brilliant yet simple melodies. Blessings to you, Donovan!

5 comments about Fresh Cream.

1. Cream was one of the first bands I saw live when they were playing on the Murray the K show (two songs, five times a day) with The Who, The Blues Project, Mitch Ryder, Wilson Pickett, and special guest stars The Blues Magoos. I don't have to tell you which two bands shook the roof, but Cream was one of them. The band came out and played NSU and I'm So Glad with Eric taking his solos with his back to the audience.
   
   The recording is not clean--doesn't matter that there's a claim of remastering--but that's what made it work. Sure there is some primitive overdubbing, but even with that, it captures pretty well the excitement of the power trio--something that was new in '67. Cream was a perfect equalaterial triangle: each member weighed in equally as they competed for attention. What a band, and this is probably their best studio recording. If you haven't lisened to it in 40 years, give it a try. I bet you'll have to admit that it's damn good.



2. A note about Fresh Cream's release date(s). I read in a Cream bio that the US release date of Fresh Cream was March 1967. The UK release date being December 1966. The US record was under a different record label than the UK label. If these dates are true people in the US did not hear this excellent album until a couple months into 1967.



3. music quality is fantastic, my shipping was combined to save money...what can I say---great! good photos and liner notes.



4. Many think that this album is inferior compared to other Cream albums. This is my favorite Cream album, Clapton's guitar work is beyond compare. "Spoonful", "I Feel Free" and "Sweet Wine" show Clapton's talent as a top guitarist as well as his talent as a blues musician on blues songs "Sleepy Time Time", "I'm So Glad" and "Cats Squirrel" as well as his lead vocal on "Four until Late." Gingers drumming is also at its peak on his showpiece "Toad" as well as doing more than keeping time on "Sweet Wine" and others. Jack Bruce's range as a vocalist combined with his talent as a bass and harmonica player are shown on this album more than on any other Cream Album. Though many of the songs aren't original, they sound like no other band when coming from Cream. I would take this album over any other made by Cream, or any other band!



5. Highly recommended for the unbelievable "creamy" guitar tone on these 4 tracks Sleepy Time Time -Spoonful -Cat's Squirrel -I'm So Glad.
   This album and the "beano" Bluesbreakers album are the reason was people still use the Gibson Les Paul in rock 40 years after these recordings, period.

5 comments about 90125.

1. After the "Drama" album and tour the Yes camp pretty much split up and it looked like the band was done. Trevor Horn went on to be one of the most successful producers in rock, and would produce, but not participate in the "90125" album. Geoff Downs and Steve Howe went on to have great success with Asia. This basically left Chris Squire and Alan White as the odd men out. Enter a very talented young guitarist / vocalist from South Africa by the name of Trevor Rabin. Rabin had done several solo albums and had also had moderate success with the band Rabbit. Squire, White, and Rabin began working together eventually bringing in original Yes keyboard player Tony Kaye calling themselves Cinema. Cinema came close to putting an album together, but before that happened former Yes vocalist Jon Anderson came into the picture and suddenly a new version of Yes was born. "90125" would be another major change in direction for the band with a much more commercial less progressive rock sound. Rabin had the ability to write very catchy tunes and "90125" became the first and only Yes album to produce a #1 single in "Owner Of A Lonely Heart". The album also produced two other top 40 hits with "Hold On' and "Leave It", and most of the rest of the tracks received AOR airplay. The album turned off some older Yes fans, but also gained the band a whole new following. For myself I always liked the album and thought that Trevor Rabin brought them some new blood and gave the guitar sound a lean towards metal at times which gave the band some balls. Every song on this album is good, and the band do throw a bone to their progressive past with the instrumental "Cinema" and the album closer "Hearts". The Yes of the 80's was a lot different from the Yes of the 70's, but I love both versions of the band.



2. YES 90125 has always been a favorite of mine. I really enjoy the bonus tracks too.



3. Yes' 1983 record '90125' brought the group their first #1 hit with 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' and also brought the return of original keyboardist Tony Kaye, who left the group in late 1971 after the release of 1971's 'The Yes Album.'
   
   Jon Anderson returns to Yes after leaving in late 1979 before the recording sessions for 'Drama' started when he replaced by Trevor Horn of the Buggles. Chris and Alan are also back as well, but Steve Howe would not return to Yes. Instead, he joined John Wetton, Carl Palmer and former Yes member Geoff Downes (keyboards: 1980) in the supergroup Asia.
   
   Replacing Howe was the South African Trevor Rabin, who also sang backing vocals and sang lead vocals on several numbers.
   
   And the result? 1983's '90125,' which to this day, still gets panned by '70s Yes fans. I must say, as a die-hard, this is nowhere near my all-time favorite Yes album, but it's Yes, and for that reason, it's five stars.
   
   And the music is great. 'Leave It' is classic; 'Cinema' is a cool instrumental featuring sweet keyboard lines from Kaye; and who could forget the minor classic rock radio staple 'It Can Happen'? They all appear on the record that brought Yes their first and only #1 hit.
   
   'Owner Of A Lonely Heart' is obviously the highlight here. The keyboards are amazing, and Jon's vocals are in top shape, even at age 39. Listen closely to Chris' bass lines and chances are you'll be impressed. After all, he is one of the best bassists of all-time.
   
   Overall, if you're a strict '70s Yes fan, you are not going to like '90125' very much. It's experimental, but it brought them success as well. But if you're a strict '80s-'90s Yes fan or a Yes fan in general, you'll love '90125,' or like it, anyway.
   
   Highly recommended for any Yes fan that wants to experiment. It is very different from, say, 'Close to the Edge.' But it's still very good stuff.
   
   ENJOY!!!



4. As one of the legendary bands that helped to establish progressive rock during the early 70's, the varied exchanges and exit and re-entry of most of the band members at one time or another caused Yes to have as many gray periods as they've had successful ones. The second coming of Yes happened nearly 25 years ago with the release of 90125. What always made Yes so unique was their deeply spiritual outlook and how they could create the idea of God and mystic teachings in just about everything they wrote about. Musically, their craft was not lost, and while 90125 has some noticable sonic differences that were hip during the 1980's, the guitars and brilliantly composed arrangements are as fresh as ever. 25 years later, I can sit down and listen to these songs and still enjoy them. But the band also deserve recognition for never sacrificing their style during an era now considered by many to be a sort of decline in how the quality of most of the music from that time was produced. 90125 continues the evolution of Yes. Like 1971's Fragile and 1972's Close To The Edge, and just about everything in between, Yes never lost sight of their passion nor their ability to make cutting edge progressive rock. They brought the 70's into the 80's, resulting in further proof how their songs and style are as magical and timeless as ever.



5. Some Yes fans dislike the fact that some of the songs on this album have a more "pop" quality than classic 70s Yes, but the high quality and superb musicianship that characterize Yes at their best are very much evident here. I've never heard a more upbeat and inspiring song than "Hold On," and the instrumental piece "Cinema" is gorgeous. Overall a great Yes album.

5 comments about Arriving Somewhere (2pc).

1. A great band performing great songs. The dvd itself is pretty good in terms of presentation and features, but it's the footage of the band live that is what it's all about for me, and in this respect, it rocks! If you like this band, it's a must-have. If you're still on the fence about them, then you will LOVE them after seeing them perform on this dvd.



2. I've been around a long time and heard almost all of them. This is the best for a number of reasons:
   
   1) Steven Wilson
   2) Porcupine Tree, damn they are great and Gavin is a killer, listen to this version of Hate Song.
   3) DTS version, if you have it or know someone who does, listen there
   4) best song writing going out there now, the world is full of crap now, but this you must hear.



3. This dvd is a must for any lover of great rock/theatre live shows.Porcupine Tree are truly of the hidden gems of the music scene with their mix of metal and laid back moments.The anti sell out lyrics of Steve Wilson compliment the music brillintly.I would say to any fan who likes rock music the way it should be to put Arriving Somewhere at the top of your list.



4. This DVD has everything you may wish for. I have successfully managed to get numerous friends interested in Porcupine Tree just by showing them some songs from this DVD.
   
   Production is excellent, with fantastic audio in stereo or surround (except for "The Start of Something Beautiful" in the stereo mix, which unfortunately has the vocals mixed a bit too far to the background), and interesting live footage treatment by Lasse Hoile that adds to the atmosphere.
   
   The band is in excellent shape and performs some of their best material of the time mixed with daring and great re-interpretations of older material. Especially "Hatesong" is mind-bogglingly excellent.
   
   If you like Porcupine Tree, this is a must-have that you will never regret buying. If you don't know Porcupine Tree yet, you may start liking them based on this DVD.



5. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to music and bands but for some reason this band was not on my musical radar. What a mistake! A buddy turned me on to a couple of tracks, one being Blackest Eyes, and I found myself doing a double take. I wasted no time in ordering this DVD and continue to be thoroughly impressed. This is one killer live band! The musicianship is top shelf as are the compositions. Gavin Harrison is not only a superb drummer with great chops, he is extremely tasty. He doesn't let his chops get in the way of playing for the song.
   I've never been one who needed a band to have a flashy light show and dry ice machines or fireworks to impress me. I'm all about the music and this band delivers bigtime! There's no striking of the obligatory rock star poses here, the band pretty much stands fairly still but still kicks all kinds of you-know-what. I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who likes superb, well executed rock tunes on the progressive side.
   You can keep your overly choreographed shows with the obligatory scantily clad dancers who add nothing to the show. That's all fluff and eye candy. This is ear candy and it's the real deal!!
   www.electriceyes.us

5 comments about Passover.

1. Great beat, use of drone gives an unusual effect, almost like 60's music, with a new beat. Turn down the lights, turn up the sound and enjoy!



2. This album was strongly recommended to me by a friend so I went out and got it. Once again, my friend's taste in music proved correct - this is a great album. Other reviewers have pointed out similarities between The Black Angels and the Doors, and that's totally accurate. Passover also brought to mind Jesus & Mary Chain's early albums. The influences are obvious, but "influenced by" never moves over into "totally ripped-off" territory. It's an album that stands on its own. The whole album is good; the first four songs are great. This is a great start for a band - let's hope they can keep this kind of musicianship up.



3. Heavy duty Trudy. You best have a real stereo to handle the load. Not for kiddies.



4. 
   This cd has bore a hole in my brain and its making me crazy.A mind altering trip.



5. Passover by The Black Angels is an album that has so much meaning & is so addictive, it gets into my mind & won't let go. This band has combined compelling lyrics sung with an unexpected voice with tribal beats & droning, effects-laden guitars to create a singular & important piece of work. Anyone who is into music incorporating drone & guitar effects needs to own Passover because it is a stand-out in the genre. It may sound a bit montonous the first few listens, but after about 4 listens, you will start to realize what the music is doing to you. It's magical, and a huge listening experience for anyone who is initiated. Highlights are: the whole album start to finish, & keep playing 3 minutes past the last song for an acoustic song called, sort of, (they never actually named the bonus track) 'Iraq'.