5 comments about The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

1. The first song Purple Haze was the same arrangement Jimi Hendrix did when I saw him in 1967. What an incredible compilation. Exceptional for any Jimi Hendrix collector!



2. I bought this boxed set after my old Hendrix CD's mysteriously disappeared. I thought the set would replace the classic albums, but every track is an alternate version. With the exception of a "Star Spangled Banner" (which bears NO resemblence to the awesome Woodstock version) the cuts make acceptable -- and occasionally superior -- substitutes for the classic Hendrix hits.



3. This is a must have it you like Jimi Hendrix. This set includes studio songs and several unreleased live songs, which I have never heard before. Included is a 79 page book loaded with pictures and information on the band. This is one of the best CD sets that I have ever purchased and added to my collection. Enjoy.



4. este es un gran ejemplo de como realizar un box set..... excelente compilacion, temas ineditos, booklet grandioso, sonido atronador, y encima estamos hablando de un conjunto de composiciones maravillosas, que aun pueden elevarnos muy por encima de la alarmante mediocridad a la que nuestros oidos se estan acostumbrando hoy en dia....si no tenes nada de jimi, COMPRALO..si tenes algo, COMPRALO.. si tenes todo..COMPRALO IGUAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



5. you are a timeless legend jimi!!! you are the god of the electric guitar!!! and furthermore you will always rock!!!

5 comments about Beach Boys - The Greatest Hits Vol. 2: 20 More Good Vibrations.

1. For a contemporary comparison try Nick Worrall's debut album, it has been compared to the classic 'Friends' album and is FREE to download.



2. Yes Yes folks. Here I am, still in Malibu, enjoying the sun and surf and the company of Ingrid and Helga, members of the Norwegian Women's Volleyball League. Well, I did manage to make them stop fighting. It was decided that they would alernate my company in order to be fair. One would have me in the morning one day, then the next day in the evening. This schedule would go back and forth for my stay here. Sort of like a volleyball.(!) I tried to convince them that it wasn't fair to the other members of the team but they wouldn't hear of it. I suppose there just isn't enough of me to go around, (but I did try people!).
   
   So, anyway, we are chatting, laughing, and having pina coladas at the beach tiki bar when two men approach us. One had a suit on, and the other had a camera around his neck. "Excuse me sir, are you the famed Metamorpho who has solved many a world problem and is now on vacation?", one asked. "Why yes, yes, I am the one", I said, totally happy that my fame has spread even to this little beach in Malibu. "Well, my name is Cashin", the one in the suit said, "I work for a marketing firm in L.A., and this is my photograher Papa Razzi." "Nice to meet you", I said. "Mind if we take some shots of you?", they asked. I agreed and after they were done they said thanks and walked away laughing. Sensing something, I called out and asked why they wanted the pictures? "We are presenting ideas to the Horrorcraft company for a new Halloween mask. I think this is going to be bigger than that Scream mask"! People, I totally forgot about my massive zinc oxide and sunglasses. As they sped away I called out weakly "Don't forget my royalty cheque"! But people, I am not worried. No. If it's a big seller I have a lawyer. And that means I would'nt have to hit up my fans for plane fare next time. ;)
   
   Anyway, they had this selection playing on the boom box at the tiki bar, so I might as well review it. This is part two of their greatest hits, and it's just as essential as part one. The selections here are an extension of the motifs I discussed in part one. (What? You haven't read it? People, you must learn to stay tuned - always). Anyway, to repeat, The Beach Boys were masters of music in the California scene of the 60's (and afterwards). Motifs? Sun, sand, waves, surfing, fast cars, girls, girls, girls, and the heartache and joy of young love. The Beach Boys music, the American flag, and Mom's apple pie are synonymous. So, now you get the picture.
   
   This volume does not include alot of blockbusters like volume one. However, it does include enough here to make it a most worthy companion piece. Perhaps a long time ago, executives discovered that Brian Wilson also made a lot of "B" side songs on their hits. And since, they've included some of those on subsequent compilations. But songs like "In My Room", "The Warmth of the Sun", "Don't Worry Baby" and "You're So Good to Me" are just as good as the major hits, in fact, in some instances, better.
   
   We also have here their unusual hit "Heroe and Villains" which escaped the shelving of "Smile" which was to follow Pet Sounds but never was released (until recently). Also, a motif which I had forgotten previously - the loss of innocence. Evident in the superb "Caroline No", but also in the lesser hit of "The Little Girl I Once Knew". The interesting thing to note about that song is the meter and structure he used to construct the song. The passages here foreshadow Brian's evolution towards more inticate and experimental modes. If anything, this led the way in revealing new found growth.
   
   Many of their later songs are also here. Essential to include "Darlin'", "Do It Again", and "I Can Hear Music". Gems in their own way. In all honesty, there are some tunes here your Metamorpho could forego hearing at the tiki bar, but there really are no clunkers.
   
   I realize that they are probably one group that has been re-packaged more times than Helga and Ingrid have hit a volleyball, however, if your thinking about a pretty comprehensive overview of a great American group, volume one and this volume two are sure to bring you sunshine. Even on the bleakest, coldest snow filled day in Maine. Or, so I've heard. ;)
   
   Now, I must go. (Is that a disappointment groan I hear from you people?).
   Don't worry people, everything will turn out alright. But, I can see a fight brewing. Yes. The rest of the team are trying to meet me and being prevented from doing this by Helga and Ingrid. Ah well. Fame does have it's drawbacks, I suppose. :(
   
   Happy 4th! ------- Metamorpho ;)
   



3. This album brings together all the all time favorites from the infamous Beach Boys. In My Room, Don't Worry, Baby, and Friends are all included in this CD that is guaranteed to get your blood pumping. Its hard to resist getting up and dancing to these wonderful tracks. If you like the Beach boys, you are sure to love this album. Its got all the right tunes and grooves. It makes you feel as it can be summer all year long. I highly recommend this album to any person of any age, its safe for kids, another perk of these amazing tracks.



4. As the album title indicates, this collection picks up where Volume 1 ends. Although some of the songs barely cracked the Top 40, I feel these songs are just as important and do more than just "supplement" Volume 1. Like Volume 1, these songs are short radio versions.

   The liner notes are enjoyable along with the colorful pictures, song credits and chart positions. As stated in my title, you can't just buy this without getting the other two volumes. Plus, this three volume set may save you from buying their more expensive box set which contains over 100 songs. With this three volume, three CD set, you get 60 songs you will want. Highly recommended.




5. In many ways the Beach Boys GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 (along with Vol. 1 and 3) is a better choice than the 2003 single disc SOUNDS OF SUMMER. You not only still get all of their Top 40 singles (which SOUNDS OF SUMMER can't claim), you get some key album tracks and singles that charted outside the Top 40. So Vol. 2 not only gives you the big hits like "When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)" (1964, #9) and "Heroes and Villains" (1967, #12), you get Beach Boy favorites like "Wendy" (1964, #44) and "Friends" (1968, #47), along with b-sides like "Please Let Me Wonder" and the U.K.-only single release of "Cottonfields" from 1970--where it was one of their biggest hits at #3!

   Even at 20 tracks the album is still a bit skimpy (running time - 51:12), but it helps provide a solid overview of the Beach Boys first decade. Like Vol. 1, the 12-page foldout booklet is awkward, but the essay by Beach Boy author Brad Elliot offers some terrific insight, the photos are wonderful and the track-by-track studio info is informative. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

5 comments about The Family That Plays Together.

1. I no longer listen to a lot of music from those days, but Dr. Sardonicus is a CD from that era that still gets an occasional spin. It has no bad tracks, and several great ones. I bought that LP in 1972, played it to death, and replaced it as soon as it was available again on CD. (Which means I don't have the remastered and extra tracks versions.) I bought this LP a couple of years later, and while I liked it, I never warmed to it as much as Dr. S. The sound was thinner, the quality of writing was lesser, the tightly controlled and yet insane creative energy and wacky arrangments heard later had not matured, and there seemed a bit too much self-indulgent noodling around.
   
   I still feel the same way. There are several good tracks on here, and I Got A Line On You is indeed one of the finest pop songs of that (or any other) era, but there is a whiney dirge-like quality that just doesn't attract me. Nothing dreadful, but Dr. Sardonicus is a triumph, and this is not. Listen to "It's All the Same" and tell me you didn't get bored. I sure did..... And "Silky Sam?" Come on, guys, this was hackneyed even in 1968. So, one glorious song, a couple of very good ones, and a few too many dogs. Acceptable, but not eternal.



2. Certainly "The Family That Plays Together" along with "12 Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" are Spirit's finest two albums. Here we have "Family" remastered for CD with crystal clear sound and several heretofore unreleased bonus cuts. A must for any Spirit fan, and for the uninitiated - Spirit, along with Love (oddly both L.A. groups) - were the 60's greatest underrated bands. Check it out.



3. "Spirit" was an incredibly talented and innovative group from the late sixties that were not mainstream enough to make it "big". Their songs covered about every subject under the sun and the group is just as much at home with jazz as they are with rock and pop. They are one of the few sixties bands who do not sound dated today. The album includes several previously unissued cuts that are every bit as good as the original offerings from 1968. "I GOT A LINE ON YOU" is the hit single off of this album and is their most commercially successful offering. For those who only know SPIRIT by this song, ALL THE SAME, JEWISH, AREN'T YOU GLAD, and SHE SMILES will be pleasant discoveries. The previously unissued and jazzy FOG and the enigmatic NOW OR ANYWHERE are surprising omissions from the original work. After SARDONICUS, this would be SPIRIT at their best.



4. I first encountered Spirit in 1978 when I ended up working a at pizza joint with Larry "Fuzzy" Knight's wife and had the opportunity to see the revamped Spirit trio perfom live at several venues. Since I was too poor at the time to buy a lot of albums, I picked up this one in a used bargin bin. At that time I was only interested in cool guitar riffs, so I would just listen to the same 3 scratchy songs on this LP over and over at first. Over the years I came to really appreciate all the music here and was delighted to buy this CD and actually be able to hear the whole thing without skips.
   
   This album has gradually worked it's way into my all time top 10 album list. Virtually every song is an interesting study in music without barriers, from rock to bluesy jazz to classical motifs. The songs flow in a fascinating manner into one another and produce a smooth, mellow, slightly melancholy feeling. The background horns and strings are tasty. California's droning minor scale licks are great to dream to without falling asleep. I don't indulge in the old wacky weed anymore, but whenever I listen to this I feel like I've just had a big hit of something really good and it takes time for me to emerge back into the "real" world.
   
   This CD has 5 bonus tracks that, unlike most bonus stuff, are actually worth listening to and fit into the overall feel of the CD. Three are instrumentals: Fog is a short pretty thing, Mellow Fellow and Space Chile give the band a chance to jam a bit and both have some nice solo drumming by Cassidy, which is always a pleasure.
   
   I'd say that if you enjoy the music from this era this is a really fine CD that you will want to own. By all means, if you have not heard Spirit you owe yourself the experience; if you know Spirit then this should already be in your collection.



5. If you are already a "SPIRIT" fan, this is a nice addition to your collection. New to "SPIRIT"? I suggest you buy a greatest hits and work backward. A band that had an age range from 15-40 sumptin' and spun off into later bands, is well worth every track.

5 comments about Anthology.

1. My negative review friend(s) , I think I have two, they have returned.
   
   
   I promised them this time to make a 1 sentence review , as it obvious they do not actually READ my reviews, only to make a negative voting choice..
   
   This ONE SENTENCE REVIEW will enable them to vote negative more quickly, and they can have more free time to create in their coloring books.
   
   If my little negative voter "friends" like this offer I extend , also you please to email me private!
   
   I will have my 6 yrs old nephew, he can assist you to color within the lines and teach to you so not to drop your saliva all over the page while you drool!
   
   I am always glad to be of assistance! my services~~gratis! (NO charge!!)
   
   So now..my review..
   
   "I do not listen to this type of musics but being very popular USA 60s-70s groups, they made some nice hits, and some not so nice hits!"
   
   I await your negative votes my little friends! Hope my review helpful and that it is understood!
   
   all the best my little friends,to you two I offer hope, HALF A MIND is a terrible thing to waste!
   
   and ALL the best to everyone else here at Amazon also!
   
   
   
   Peppi (PS, I do like Cristal Blue Persuasions a bit, it was a big slow dance hit at many a party in the latino community! )



2. Love this cd. I graduated high school in '67. Crystal Blue Persuasion was and still is my most favorite song; in fact I looked to see if I could use it as a ring tone for my cell - no such luck. But, truly, I loved the 60s music, listen to it while on the treadmill daily. My stereo system has a repeat button and believe me I use it! Tommy James, I might add, had alot of hit songs that still sound good.



3. I bought this item for my father for Christmas. I'm sure he is no expert when it comes to Tommy James and the Shondells, but he claims that the songs were re-done. I read the reviews on many different versions of the "Best of Tommy James" CDs, and I thought I was going with the right one. Perhaps he does not remember how the songs originally sounded, I'm not sure. I just wanted to let everyone know because he was very disappointed.



4. This is a comprehensive double-length collection (27 songs), conveniently on a single disc. I looked over all the options before I purchased this, and Anthology appears to be the best of the Tommy James and the Shondells compilations.
   
   The selections include all of their most familiar famous Top 40, like "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Crimson and Clover", as well as the best of their more obscure tunes like "Love's Closin' in on Me" and (my favorite TJ tune) "Sugar on Sunday".
   
   All in all, NOT typical 60's pop rock. A unique niche - much of it is kind of bubblegumish, but an acid-rock slant definitely comes through. Generally feel good stuff that is easy to listen to and get in to.
   
   Listening to all of this in one stretch brought a new realization (or the reminder)of what I had not really noticed before (or had forgotten) . . . This guy and his band were the whole package on a top shelf level. He is a superb writer, and was WAY ahead of his time in use of electronics effects. James has a clean well controlled voice that he uses with an edge, and the aforementioned guitar and keyboard effects are catchy even 40 odd years later.
   
   Good mixing/sound quality, and the price on Amazon is a bargain. I've had this CD for a couple of years, and never tire of giving it another listen when I need a little classic/pop rock boost. As I said, it's easy to listen to and like - I can't imagine anyone not getting a kick from this.



5. If you love the music of the 50s,60s & early 70s,as I do,then this is the collection for you. Tommy James & The Shondells made some really great music. I especially love"I think We're Alone Now","Crimson & Clover"and"Crystal Blue Persuasion"-all are beautiful. The rest of the collection is great,too. I highly recommend that you buy this-you'll love it!

5 comments about Maggot Brain.

1. I don't know what drugs Clinton and co. were on when they recorded this classic. I probably don't want to. The first two were pretty weird as well, but this one makes 'em look tame. Here, you get a lot of the acid funk-rock stuff the group was doing in their early days, only what they did was took that formula and improved on it. The winding, stoned jams that took up most of the first record are better, so are the loud, crazy freakouts that took up much of the second one. And the short tracks rule as usual.
   First up, there's "Maggot Brain," with Eddie Hazel playing a guitar solo worthy of Hendrix. It's amazing how much emotion he pulls out of it, and the huge variety of feelings he expresses just with is guitar. It's wonderful stuff, but part of me thinks I like the bonus full band mix more, just because you get a cool marimba part with that one. Either way, it's one of the top five (if not top three) tunes that ever came out of the P-Funk camp. "Can You Get to That?" rules, too. It's totally different from the emotional odyssey that was "Maggot Brain" - it's a down-home folk song with a great melody and awesome baritone vocals, and it actually manages to almost be as good as "Maggot Brain." Not quite, but close. Then you get a couple sweet acid-soul songs, with Bernie showing off his weird organ stuff: "Hit it and Quit it" and "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks." Totally cool tunes, both of 'em. Then it's back to the rock, with the uber-heavy "Super Stupid," with another one of Eddie's Hendrixian solos. It's yet another highlight - everyone gets a chance to rock out, and they don't waste it. I'm a bit disappointed by "Back in Our Minds," though. It's okay, but isn't particularly interesting. It's made up for by "Wars of Armageddon," though. That's the best freakout ever to come from Funkadelic. A ten minute celebration of all things sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Most people don't like it, but I think it's quite cool.
   Bonus tracks! You've got the alternate mix of "Maggot Brain," "I Miss My Baby" (cool song!), and "Singing a New Song" (eh.) Worth a purchase! I don't know what to call this one. It rocks harder than most "funk" albums, and has more groove and bottom than most "rock" albums. Funkadelic was always cool, but the early stuff is insanely creative.



2. Funkadelic-Maggot Brain *****
   
   Funkadelic's Maggot Brain is one of the most rewarding albums in my entire musical library, and I have a very big and vast library. Rewarding in the since that I have taken more away from this album than just about any other. As a musician any Parliament or Funkadelic, or any funk album in general is going to test your skill and this is no exception. Being a guitar player, hearing Eddie Hazel play is a lesson every time, and upon each listen my mind is blown. The title track, 'Wars Of Armageddon' and 'Super Stupid' are among some of the very best guitar playing I have ever heard. The rest of the group as well from the signature bass to the great percussion this great.
   
   As a musical fan this is a rewarding album on that front as well. Songs like the elegant title track still give me chills. And what is great about anything with George Clinton is that like his hero Sly Stone all his funk is fun but contains and important social message. 'Can You Get To That' is loose and a great comment of the economy. But aside from the funk 'Super Stupid' is just one example of how Funkadelic was versatile, this is one of the very first heavy metal tracks recorded. With one listen to that track and you'll be able to see where Lenny Kravitz got his funk.
   
   For me Funkadelic was always a favorite over it's counter part Parliament, while I love them both, Funkadelic always was more free with their musical endeavors, where Parliament was pigeon holed with one genre, and Maggot Brain is the best example of this, even more so than One Nation Under a Groove. Maggot Brain is a rewarding album on so many levels that I feel no musical collection is complete without it, which I feel okay saying because this has something that would fill a whole in any genre's collection.



3. This CD is for the true funk lover. Gotta love that George Clinton! Great CD!



4. Face it. This album is a classic for one reason, its title track. Maggot Brain is a one-of-a-kind guitar solo, as good today as ever. The rest of the album is forgettable.



5. Musicologists love to debate where Jimi Hendrix may have ventured had he not tragically died in 1970. It is true the master was going to work with Miles Davis, and that would have been monumental. It is worth exploring the possibilities of a foray into the newly developing funk scene as well, and nobody came closer to carrying on the Hendrix legacy than Funkadelic's guitar wizard Eddie Hazel, a true contemporary of Hendrix and Jeff Beck. Unfortunately, he has not enjoyed the mass appreciation of other guitar gods, and that's a crime.
   "Maggot Brain" opens with the title track, a simple rhythm guitar backing Hazel in a ten minute opus that belongs in the rock god pantheon. George Clinton wisely lets Hazel shine, knowing genius when he hears it. If "Maggot Brain" isn't enough, Hazel soars throughout, welding funk with metal and making it work. It makes you wanna boogie and play air guitar at the same time, which would look really stupid, but that just proves how well the two styles of hard rock and funk can work together.
   As with great jazz musicians like Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane and Charlie Christian, to name a few, it's a shame more young black musicians aren't interested in making real music, preferring instead to rap over minimalist backgrounds and completely ignore their musical ancestry that invented blues, rock and roll, and jazz. "Maggot Brain" belongs in every collection.

5 comments about Forever Changes.

1. "Oh, the snot has caked against my pants/It has turned into crystal."
   
   That's how 'Live And Let Live' begins, and it is easy to see why this was Jim Morrison's favorite band. Acoustic guitars everywhere and beautiful harmonies The Beatles would love, and I could not recommend this anymore.
   
   I have listened to "Pet Sounds" and while I tolerated it I didn't see what all the big deal was, but this...My introduction to Love was the song 'Always See Your Face' in the movie "High Fidelity" and instantly I had to know what it was. I listened to the song quite a few times, but this album is even better. After "Alone Again Or" I was hooked. While this album could easily be a soundtrack to a great music film never made, the closer 'You Set The Scene' plays like a film on its own.
   
   "There's a private in my boat and he wears
   Pins instead of medals on his coat
   There's a chicken in my nest and she won't
   Lay until I've given her my best"
   
   Does it really mean anything? I don't know, but I like it. And I think you will too.



2. No album, even Sergeant Pepper's, captures the ambience of the 1960's for me like this one. A bittersweet collection of often tender, Spanish-influenced melodies with a folk psychelic flavor and some sad racial overtones--Arthur Lee, like Jimi Hendrix, was an avant-garde Black artist doing rock at a time when music was segregated and his place uncertain and lonely. A truly great recording.



3. Love-Forever Changes ****
   
   So I had heard the album a few times from friends and family but never bought it for myself because while I loved most of the album there where parts of the album that left me cold, and honestly still do. However to say that this is an important piece of 1960's culture and San Francisco legend would simply be a great understatement. With Forever Changes Alvin Lee and the gang totally encapsulated the feeling and images of the movement going on at the time and it is nothing short of a bizarre beauty.
   
   'Alone Again Or' is accessible and easy going, yet deprived off life which makes it amazing. 'A House Is Not A Motel' is in short one of the most perfect songs this reviewer has ever heard. 'Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale' adds new flavor to the album with flamenco guitars, Santana like rhythms before they even were, and a wonderful horn chart. I think this song more than any other represents the variety that was San Fran at the time. The rest of the album is good to say the least with two exceptions.
   
   'Live And Let Live' is hippie-yuppie at it's worst, the message is nice and all but I can do with out. Though all is not lost as there is a pretty great guitar solo. 'AndMoreAgain' is one of the most pretentious things I have ever heard and it plays like a bad Moody Blues tune.
   
   Over all it could have been better but even still it is the classic that everyone raves about, and it truly is an album you can get lost in very easily. As for the bonus tracks, this could have done with out. They are mostly just alternate mixes that don't sound much different and the new tracks don't add anything really new, so just stick with the standard release.



4. It has been called quintessential, a masterpiece, the great lost gem. Never has an album so encapsuled the tumultuos times we are living than Love's Forever Changes. From the ultimate strums of Flamenco Guitar on Alone Again Or to Sitting on a hillside watching all the people die on The Red Telephone and to facing each day with a smile on You Set The Scene, the listener is hypnotically bombarded with the most fascinating lyrics that seem to forever change with each listen, amazing orchestration, and barrages of electric guitar that influenced oh so many from Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Move, and The Doors to The Ramones, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Robyn Hitchcock, Television, Lenny Kravitz, and Urge Overkill. This album, this band, and Arthur Lee, its leader, deserves to be in the Rock Hall of Fame, and they will be when we stop teething.



5. 
   This review is for people who are thinking of buying their first Love album and want to get an idea if they should take a chance. I'm offering an opposing opinion to the many cult members whould like to give Love 10 stars. I am reviewing two albums here.
   I heard LITTLE RED BOOK, ALONE AGAIN OR, LIVE AND LET LIVE, and YOU SET THE SCENE forty years ago. I wanted to hear them again So I bought LOVE and FOREVER CHANGES, hoping to hear even more good music. What I got for the price of two CDs were the four songs I wanted (very good songs that stand the test of time), a lot of lame flower power folk rock from LOVE, and a prelude to psychadelic music and lyrics from FOREVER CHANGES This is of historical value, but only 3 good song here.
   Here's a reason to get an MP3 player. Download those four songs for $3.96, and you will have The Best of Love
   Love was an important, influential group in the 60's but thay are also a product of those times. The songs sre irrelevant to today's listeners. Ask my daughter. It's to bad Love wasn't able to evolve into better musicians and grow wit the times.
   But I've been stuck in the sixties too long. I want hear new music.
   Because most of music is weak and dated, I don't reccomend it. There is far better music fom that era.
   
   P.S. Love's thin vocals and some of their songs remind me of the group named Spirit, and their album THE TWELVE DREAMS OF DR SARDONICUS This a a much better album that FOREVER CHANGES. It is timeless,Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus and it still has meaning today If insist on 60's music, Spirit is a unique high quality group

5 comments about Their Satanic Majesties Request.

1. After Sgt. Pepper many bands were obviously wanting to evolve. Were it not for that album, I'm sure Jefferson Airplane would not have given us After Bathing at Baxter's, and the Grateful Dead with Anthem of the Sun. Or Zappa with We're Only In It For the Money (which spoofed the Sgt. Pepper album cover and packaging). The Stones obviously didn't want to feel left out and come Their Satanic Majesties Request at the end of 1967. And it was their response to Sgt. Pepper, but to me, it's hardly a copy of that album. The album sported wonderful artwork, complete with that 3-D cover.
   
   Many fans and rock critics have never been too kind to this album, because it's so far removed from their R&B roots. Psychedelia, with some art rock and space rock tendencies is what you find on this album, musical styles many felt the Stones should not have touched with a ten foot pole. And guess what? The music works great. And the music is much better than I expected, given how much of a drug-induced haze the band was in by that time. Plus Brian Jones got himself a Mellotron, first used on the "We Love You" single and put to great use on this album!
   
   The album is full of great creative twists and turns, with nice Mellotron used on many of the cuts, from the singalong quality of "Sing This All Together" to the spacy "In Another Land" (where Bill Wyman handles lead) to the jamming of "Sing This All Together (See What Happens), and of course "She's a Rainbow" which received radio airplay. Strings were conducted by none other than John Paul Jones, then doing session work, before finding his big fame and fortune with Led Zeppelin. And you can't go without mentioning their own space rock anthem, "2000 Light Years From Home". This is simply one of the all-time great Mellotron songs, but for some reason doesn't get mention in the same league as "Strawberry Fields Forever" (Beatles, of course), "Nights in White Satin" (The Moody Blues), "Watcher of the Skies" (Genesis), "Siberian Khatru" (Yes) or "Epitaph" (King Crimson) (and no, not Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven", tron was only used when the band performed it live, multi-tracked recorders were used on the studio version, it's "Kashmir" and "Rain Song" that you can call Zeppelin's great tron moments) as one of the all-time tron classics. It ought to!
   
   This album never got the respect of Sgt. Pepper (of course) or Pink Floyd's The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but I have to say that the Stones did a great job at their try at psychedelia. It was basically the negative reaction that caused the band to return to their roots with their next single, "Jumping Jack Flash" and the Beggar's Banquet album released a year after TSMR. Really, I'm with all those who feel this is an underrated album, I was really taken by surprise. And I have to say this coming from someone not big on the Stones.



2. This has always been my favorite Rolling Stones album. Always will be. Sure, it's spotty and flawed, the sound quality and/or mix is weak in places, parts of it are seemingly thrown together, but that becomes part of its charm, its strength, its mystique. What it does for the imagination, for me, is inestimable; the possibilities are endless. A wistful romanticism shines through the tarnish. What it lacks in polish, it more than makes up for in character. From the opener "Sing This All Together", a rousing hiking march sung in unison with Hobbitlike exuberance, you know you are going on a trip, a journey both physical and sensory as you are transported over varying terrain and through unfamiliar vegetation with subtle changes in the purposeful and multifarious percussion, finally sliding into the medieval "Citadel" with its strained, strange and brazen instrumentation (a Stones hallmark), and its rather complex arrangement (for pop music) with contrary instrumental lines. "Men at arms shout 'Who goes there...'" Stand forth and declare yourself. "...Here the peasants come and crawl, You can hear their numbers called..." I always loved the lyrics; for one, I was reading science-fiction and fantasy at the time. No doubt Mick & Keith were having some fun with this one, commenting on their cloistered existence as pop stars, and venting their antipathy toward conventional society. The traveller then shuffles along to the next attraction in the sideshow, the plucky harpsichord induced otherworldliness of Bill Wyman's "In Another Land" (I wish he'd done more like this gem, & "Shades Of Orange"), a cool, breezy, dream-within-a-dream which ends all too soon with the dragonlike snore of oblivion. Nicky Hopkins does some of his finest work here on the keys, evoking a wistful, timeless place where "the sea and the sky and the castles were blue". The track regularly emerges from the trance with a typical Stoneslike (although the bulk of the Stones did not participate until after the fact, Steve Marriott and Nicky Hopkins filling in with Bill and Charlie) refrain of barbaric intensity (oddly muted) and irreverence (the half-hearted vocalization of a trumpet, for instance). "And nobody else's hand will ever do, nobody else ('s hand) (will do)..." Romantic.
   
   From the medieval we fastforward to "2000 Man", a futuristic hillbilly ballad with impressive, lovely acoustic guitar picking, and robust, though peculiar drum time which unexpectedly fits the meter of the song, then into the organ surging refrain and a continuation of the sci-fi tinged lyrics: "Oh daddy, proud of your planet, Oh mommy, proud of your sun..." Yes, there may be a pun in there. It doesn't have to make sense does it? This is impressionism; the whole album abounds in colorful glasslike fragments, like the 3D photo on the cover.
   
   "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)" A free form, free fall instrumental continuation, replete with lots of percussion, of the opening track, amply summed up in the Newsweek article cited below.
   
   "She's A Rainbow" I have long wondered: Is this a paean to Mia? "Have you seen the lady Farrow?" That's what it sounds like to me. After all, this was a time when, along with the Beatles, other pop stars and celebrities such as Donovan, Mike Love, Mia Farrow (whose sister, also at the ashram, was immortalized in John Lennon's song "Dear Prudence"), and Mick Jagger were spending time with the Maharishi. A continuation of the Stones formula to pop music with the one-two punch of the delicate and airy (the Stones could be quite elegant and courtly at times) on one hand, countered by the brutal and beastly on the other. Effective combination, later taken to dizzying heights of success by their understudies, Led Zeppelin. The song shimmers with iridescence, with tight little neoclassical musicbox piano sections, flawlessly executed, strings (arranged by John Paul Jones) and unknown instrumentation (characteristic of the entire lp), offset by the heavy pop rhythm, finally breaking up into the ominous foghornlike stylings and twittering violins segueing into...
   
   "The Lantern" Distant church bells clang with foreboding as the song drifts into perhaps the most engaging double guitar intro in all popdom. Taken in combination with the prior song's outro, is this not contemporary classical music? Also, for me, among this album's highlights has long been those short, poignant instumental passages in this moody, atmospheric track. Very moving...
   
   "Gomper" Ahh... "By the lake with lily flowers, While away the evening hours, To and fro she's gently gliding, On the glassy lake she's riding..." Is this not poetry? Music in the Eastern mode, this, with killer guitar line, augmented by Jones' sitar flourishes and flute, and the drumming and percussion is still with us to move us along on our trip. I see a late, golden afternoon sun scene interwoven with images on some ancient tapestry. Thus the gliding, aquatic themed song progresses along, until portentously turning into a disjointed, insectoidal/electronic freakout. What's not to like?
   
   "2000 Light Years From Home" I was partial to this early on, with its science-fiction theme. Since I had discovered sci-fi, astronomy and pop rock at about the same time in my early adolescent life, I had long made a connection between them, and so was happy to receive this verification. And eagerly anticipated more. Eerie mellotron tones by Brian, evoking those lonely light years in the vast reaches of space, that he seemed destined to drift into on a more personal level. "It's so very lonely, you're two thousand light years from home..." I have always been fascinated with the throaty, raunchy guitar section in the middle, with attendant pulsating rhythm section, in all its glorious simplicity. Oh yeah, the only music video promo I know of from this lp is of this song, and it is a good one (good luck finding it---oh yeah, YouTube). I hope there are more (though I do doubt it)...
   
   "On With The Show" Catchy tune, that, reminding us that all is glittering sham and that we're still in the show back here on planet earth, after all (time to start the album over). No doubt this drew further unflattering comparisons to "Sgt. Pepper" (i.e.: that the Stones "copied" the Beatles' idea of the Vaudeville, minstrel show concept prevalent on "Pepper"). Maybe so, but who cares? This is still a great album, and actually owes little to the Beatles' opus. After all, both bands were very much in "show business". Incidentally, "Child Of The Moon" (B side to "Jumpin' Jack Flash") belongs with TSMR, with its goin' against the grain musical motif. In fact, so does "Jumpin' Jack Flash", with its odd, dark fairytale lyrics---and these two were recorded mere months after the Satanic sessions. They were clearly transitional pieces---Request, with a boost in raw power, and were hailed as the Stones' "return".
   
   This lp has often been compared unfavorably to the Beatles offering "Sgt. Pepper", which became THE record album against which all future albums would be measured for some time to come. Sure, Pepper was released prior to Request, undoubtedly informed and inspired the Stones' (& everyone else's) effort, was sheer in-your-face genius when establishment media pundits were gleefully predicting the Fab Four's demise every year, was arguably the first "concept" album (which spawned hundreds of others by various groups), but. Pepper and Request occupied different universes. Whereas the Beatles album was an earthbound, transcendant, ironic small town carnival ride, the Stones offered a trip through the outer cosmos, through time and space. You could get lost there. While it celebrated the familiar and mundane, Pepper was really about the inner journey. Where Pepper was introspective, Request was strictly outward bound (what could be construed as an appeal to the inward search, "Open our heads, let the pictures come..." was more an invocation to submit to the sensory magic of the voyage), ranging from the Middle-Ages (even prehistoric: "...Pictures of us painted in our caves...") to the interstellar---eclectic, outlandish and strange, and it would have been interesting had the Stones continued on that trip.
   
   But then, the drug busts and attendant chaos had entered the studio with them. They managed, in spite of it all, to finish the album. But sooner or later the Stones had to come back to earth. They were too far out. Back on terra firma with the delta blues; earthbound once more, like Icarus with his melted wings.
   
   Point of fact, some early reviews of "Their Satanic Majesties Request" were quite favorable. One in Newsweek for January 1, 1968 related a music critic's "amazement and admiration" upon hearing "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)", later referring to it as a "masterpiece" (strange as that may seem), a "fantastic eight-minute pocket opera of a disoriented world, a perfectly articulated jetstream of sound which vacuums out of the air everything from pure melodies to fragments of conversation, screams, volcanic rumblings, mad ornithological croakings, Stravinskyan karate chords, turning itself rhythmically inside out like a wind sock, and ending with a choral climax..." He goes on to say, "It is the Stones' look into the abyss, their giant anthem of the new chaotic togetherness that leaves no one either connected or alone." A fellow high school pal of mine at the time related another glowing review of the lp, though I don't now recall his source or much detail. Condemnation became quite fashionable later (one negative Rolling Stone magazine review comes to mind), everybody scrambling to get on the bandwagon, because the Stones had dared to make a departure from the same old tried and proven formula. Back to the blues, rock 'n' roll, back to the cotton fields, the salt mine, at the expense of any further exploration. What a shame. Even the Stones have felt compelled to be apologetic about this album ever since, so great was the animosity directed towards it. Once again, people in the main prove themselves to be hidebound, deaf and blind fools. And groups such as Pink Floyd have been extolled for the very thing the Stones were denounced for.
   
   Of course, I'll be among the first to say that some of the Rolling Stones' best work was their powerful blues renditions. Nobody did it like them. And the gritty rock numbers, not to mention the lyricism of their folkish tracks of yore. But don't let anyone convince you otherwise; there's not a bad song on this album, and it does draw from their past work.
   
   The Stones really had been building up to this, at least since "As Tears Go By". Not content to merely cover great blues standards, and needing to branch out into pop music (where the money was) with original songs possessing a diverse mix, due in no small part to Brian Jones' virtuosity and fascination with exotic instruments, they began to experiment with more original sounds. So the progression toward Request was in that sense inevitable. If you listen carefully to "Going Home", the long track from "Aftermath" of the previous year, somewhere in the break you can hear traces of that incipient melody that would later grow into "Sing This All Together".
   
   I have been fascinated with this record from the first time I saw it hanging on the wall at the record store, with its white smoke and blue cover bordering the enigmatic 3D color photo. With a cover like that, it had to be good, I reasoned. So when my sister asked what I wanted for Christmas, I said that album. And it was a great Christmas present---one of the best I ever received. For one thing, Yule was a great time to explore that record, what with all the time off from school. And explore I did. I don't remember anything else about that holiday season, except listening to TSMR. Over, & over, & over... Sitting in the cushioned chair with my head between the speakers, looking at the cover front and back, inside and out. Later on I bought a second copy just so I could stack the records to hear both sides without having to get up. Omigod, this has all the earmarks of brainwashing (now gaze into the 3D image). And happily did I take that trip...



3. With the soundscapes of Brian Jones, the Rolling Stones have never sounded more adventuresome before or after, with a definitive Eastern flavor & African-inspired rhythms.
   
   Released in December 1967, this is definitely the crowing achievement for Brian Jones, as his brilliant vision included performances on percussion, concert harp, organ, Mellotron and electric dulcimer & recorder.
   
   Delving past the three bona fide classic cuts - Citadel, She's a Rainbow and 2000 Light Years from Home - there are a trio of numbers which nip at their heels - Sing This All Together (See What Happens), Gomper and The Lantern.
   
   With a strings arrangement by John Paul Jones & backing vocals - on Sing This All Together (See What Happens) - by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the album is a nod to the star power which was pushing pop culture to new heights, along with the studio wizardry that could be accomplished due to this celebrity status.
   
   A vastly underrated gem, the original release included three-dimensional picture of the band, which seems to sum up this very briefly traveled artistic avenue that quickly faded once the demons of the times engulfed Brian Jones.



4. i'm really a Bowie/Donovan/Dylan/Floyd/Simon and Garfunkel/U2/Velvet Underground/Yes fan, but TSMR easily falls into my Prog/Folk Rock collection.
   
   the album has a very unique history that many reviewers have already expressed, so i'll just go into what i liked about the album:
   
   - my Phillips DVD/CD player does better with the DSD format than it did with the SACD, so i'm very happy about that,
   
   - it easily puts me in the mood to meditate and reflect, sometimes relax to, but i mainly bought it to write along with,
   
   - "Gomper" has a strong Indian musical influence combined with... i'm not sure, but it plays a lot funkier and less pop-structured than The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Comes",
   
   - most importantly, these songs don't usually turn up on Best Of's and Stones compilation albums, so this one is a must-have if you like any songs on the tracklist,
   
   - the snoring at the end of "In Another Land" reminds me of "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" on Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother", recorded three years later,
   
   - in fact, 2000 Light Years From Home also reminds me of longer, but similar efforts on the entire "A Saucerful Of Secrets" also by Floyd,
   
   - most importantly, these songs don't usually turn up on Best Of's and Stones compilation albums, so this one is a must-have if you like any songs on the tracklist.
   
   5/5



5. Excerpts from from Perfect Sound Forever feature, Feb. 2008:
   
   And that's why Satanic Majesties is arguably the boldest piece of work the Stones ever conceived. Despite its flaws, it's a radical departure from the norm that few artists have ever attempted. For one time only, it seems, The Stones ditched their monochromatic sound and worldview for a multihued, anything-goes mindset that really was "like a rainbow," to paraphrase the disc's only major hit song.
   
   ...
   
   Here, they morphed into a different band, much the way XTC did when they developed their psychedelic "alter ego," The Dukes of Stratosphere. There is no song on Satanic Majesties that could ever have easily fit on another Stones album. The rocking "Citadel" comes close, but its angular, stop-start rhythms and metaphorical, storybook lyrics (ostensibly about Andy Warhol's New York City scene) are far from typical Stones fare. Also, the R&B drive that fuels almost every other Stones LP is completely missing. Songs don't plow over you; they slowly seduce you with art rock arrangements. Brian Jones purportedly plays no guitar at all on this album.
   
   The mold-breaking qualities of Satanic Majesties spawned a cult audience, but not amongst most Stones fans. This album tends to turn up in the collections of psychedelic music or art rock fans. One high-profile enthusiast is Peter Gabriel. The former Genesis front man said in the Jan. 1983 issue of Trouser Press magazine that "For me, Satanic Majesties is far more interesting than (The Stones') other albums because they were trying to do something a little different. But they got so slagged off by the press and avoided by the public that they decided, I think, never to take such a risk again. That's a pity.
   
   More at Perfect Sound Forever.

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

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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. After 37 years apart, the original power trio is back. Cream defined the power trio that spawned later acts like ZZ Top and Rush among others, and their influence is still felt to this day. In 1966, Rock 'n Roll was moving toward a more eclectic sound incorporating more precision and improvisation. Along with Jimi Hendrix, Cream grabbed this concept by the horns. Some have said that the Jimi Hendrix Experience may have defined the power trio as well. Almost true, but The Experience was more or less a spotlight for Jimi's godlike guitar powers while Cream kept it to more of a group unit. Jack made bass playing more melodic and intricate that gave John Entwistle a good run. Ginger can be safely labeled as Rock's first true drum soloist. And Eric? Well, you have to remember, he was called God at one point here.
   
   During their brief 2 year tenure, Cream threw everything including the kitchen sink into their work; blues, jazz, classical and psychedelia. Some of today's progressive rock buffs look at Cream as prog forefathers along with The Beatles, The Doors, Pink Floyd and others. Unfortunately, tensions mounted within the group as musical differences swelled to the point of getting physical.
   
   Now all is forgiven and the long awaited reunion (save the R&R Hall of Fame ceremony) has come to fold. Eric, Jack and Ginger may have slowed a tad with age, but they still have the old chops. According to an interview with Eric, he said it took some practice to get back to the more fuller guitar sound for the trio after decades of playing in bigger lineups. Jack and Ginger headed more into the jazz foray after the breakup, so hard driving rock may have been a little alien to them after all these years.
   
   Never the less, after several months of planning and rehearsals the guys put on a stellar performance at the same venue they performed their farewell concert at in 1968, the Albert Hall which ironically had future prog giants Yes open for them. Many chestnuts are performed here with the usual standards of Crossroads, Badge and, of course, the obligatory encore of Sunshine of Your Love with only White Room being the most noticeable absentee from the song list for some reason. Many less radio friendly obscure cuts are performed with gusto such as NSU, the lengthy Spoonful, Ginger's spotlight Toad and a cut they've never performed live, Pressed Rat and Wart Hog, with Ginger's only lead vocal. Too much to go over, but it's all great.
   
   One of the things I like about this concert is that you get Cream as a unit and it is NOT presented as "Eric Clapton and Friends" being that Eric went on to a more super-stardom level than the others. In fact, Eric always being the humble man he is does his best to keep a low profile. Eveything is divided equally with playing duties and even the camera shots are spread out equally. The picture quality in the discs is terrific in high definition video cropped at a 1:85 aspect ratio. The audio is just perfect especially in DTS, Ginger's drums just thunder through. Certainly a far cry from that poorly filmed and rotted farewell concert film!
   
   While they may have lost just a little steam over the decades, the guys can still crank it out and this reunion is worth every note of it.

5 comments about Mothership Connection.

1. They put "Swing Down", the old southern gospel song, right in the middle of their second track! It makes no sense, it's just fun! It's funk. It's great music that you can move to.
   
   If you like funk, this is a great album to buy!



2. I remember getting into George Clinton's solo joints, and being told right away that his work with Funkadelic / Parliament is better. After checking them out, I can indeed say that claim is true. I still dig his solo work though, for it does have its moments.
   
   If I were to choose a favorite Parliament album, this would most likely be it, though Up For The Down Stroke comes close. From start to finsh this album is solid, and never gets dry. One thing I really love about this album (and every other album by this artist) is that so many people can get into it. I work with a wide range of different people and we're always arguing about which music to put in. Once I introduced them to this, they never argue when I suggest it. Honestly, who can resist the ultra funkalicious melodies of the great P Funk? I can't say I've ever met anyone who can. The song structures aren't too complex, and the lyrics (which are mostly George's dialoque, and group chorus's) aren't necessarily poetic, but when combined they equal something so magical, unique and innovative. Not only did they revolutionize Funk, they created many commonly used phrases used in modern day speech; (tear the roof of the mutha sucka) (the bomb) (put a glide in your stride and a dip in your hip) those ALL came from this. Perhaps its biggest inlfuence is the Hip Hop/Rap world. The first time I listened to this, I couldn't believe how many producers have sampled this. Espeicially Dr. Dre on his '92 classic album - The Chronic. But you can't blame them for wanting to add a little Mothership Connection to their own music.
   
   If you've never taken a ride on the mothership, you owe it to yourself to hop on. I must warn you though ... you will come back for another expedition.



3. The CD arrived in express time; The quality is superb and I will be ordering more...What more can I say?



4. Parliament-Mothership Connection *****
   
   George hit the the nail on the head, or hit the groove in the right place is more like it. By the time of Mothership Connection George Clinton had perfected what he took from Sly and James and created something so strange and something so original, too original in fact that it should not have worked. Oh boy did it work though. Mothership Connection remains the groups biggest and most popular album even more so than Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome, and Funkadellic One Nation Under a Groove.
   
   So here's the deal. It's a concept album. Not the strongest concept mind you but being the genius Clinton is he makes it work, and work wonderfully. Funk from outer space is here (star child) and it is going to retrieve the funk from the pyramids. Sounds crazy? Well just wait till you actually here the music...
   
   'P-Funk' opens the killer album with a George playing a radio dj as he was known to do. He never did it better then here. The subtle guitar lines make for and atmosphere that more then compliments the driving bass line from Bootsy and the vocals from the Brides. 'Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (The Bumps Bump)' is well....hilarious. One of the funkiest tunes in all of the kingdom of funkdom! This is truly George's song and he completely kills it. Gangsta Rap would have been nothing with out this one that's for sure. ' Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)' went on to become the groups biggest single, even better then the superior 'Flashlight.' Though it has been sampled more times then one would care to count it is the true original that dominates. Bootsy's licks and the group vocals make for one of the most memorable tunes in all of funk history. To go track by track and list why each track is a highlight would run trite and tedious, besides these three tracks are worth the cash flow anyways.
   
   Mothership is the perfect place to start a funk or Parliament collection. While I myself am more of a Funkadellic man myself, you can't have one with out the other. It would be like having the Kool with out the aid. Essential.



5. I have seen The ParliamentFunkadelic Thang about 15 times. This is classic funk at it's best. You have to understand the thinking that Brother George was puttin down back in '76. I see by some of the reviews that we have a couple of Sir Nose's friends. They had the *^%#%^ nerve to only give up one star, and that does not mean staying on the "one". If you do not already own this piece of Parliament history then search no further. Peace and Hair Grease

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

1. 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.



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



3. 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.



4. 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. I was so disappointed in this CD. Only a few of my most loved songs are on it. It was a gift. I was just dying to hear it. The songs I am not familar with I disliked, I am sorry to say. I guess this old hippie is too old to know how much he changed since the 60's. If I was to pick a gift over again, I would buy his first two albums. Sorry that I do not have more information. I only listened to it once because I thought it was cheaply done and thrown together. Truthfully, I couldn't bare to listen to it again unless I edited out most of the songs.