5 comments about Electric Ladyland.

1. Great CD i love the songs and etc. Only thing is it took a while to get it shipping wasn't very fast.



2. Electric Ladyland is, in my humble opinion, the single greatest recording ever made. 'nough said.



3. I am at a loss for words [speaking of Jimi]. I've purchased this recording at least 4 times !!! Since it first came out on vinyl !!! The only question to ask is, Quality of the reproduction?
   
   YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET !!! If you buy a cheap quality reproduction ,,, it will sound like poop.
   
   Pay the money and get GREAT QUALITY ,,, take it from a wise man who has traversed the trials and tribulations of a ca. 60's baby-boomer !!!
   
   THIS CD IS AWESOME, MOST EXCELLENT ,,, IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT !!! enough said, peace



4. A great album timeless. Its not just a rock album but a, jazz, blues, funk, and mainly psychedelic rock album. Coming out in the summer of 68' this was a huge hit. This album is also really experiementing with the wah-wah pedal a lot. Some key tracks on here are, voodoo child(slight return), still raning still dreaming, rainy day dream away, gypsy eyes, all along with the watchtower, 1983 a merman i should turn too be, house burning down etc.
   1. ... And The Gods Made Love 4/5 stars
   2. Have you ever been to electric ladyland 4/5 stars
   3. Crosstown Traffic 5/5 stars
   4. Voodoo Chile 5/5 stars
   5. Little Miss Strange 4/5 stars
   6. Long Hot Summer Night 5/5 stars
   7. Come On Let The Good Times Roll 4/5 stars
   8. Gypsy Eyes 5/5 stars
   9. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp 5/5 stars
   10. Rainy Day Dream Away 5/5 stars
   11. 1983(a merman i should turn to be) 5/5 stars
   12. Moon Turn The Tides Gently, 4/5 stars
   13. Still Raining Still Dreaming 5/5 stars
   14. House Burning Down 5/5 stars
   15. All Along The Watchtower 5/5 stars
   16. Voodoo Child(Slight Return) 5/5 stars



5. Jimi Hendrix's third and final album with the original Experience found him taking his funk and psychedelic sounds to the absolute limit. The result was not only one of the best rock albums of the era, but also Hendrix's original musical vision at its absolute apex. When revisionist rock critics refer to him as the maker of a generation's mightiest dope music, this is the album they're referring to.
   But Electric Ladyland is so much more than just background music for chemical intake. Kudos to engineer Eddie Kramer (who supervised the remastering of the original two-track stereo masters for this 1997 reissue on MCA) for taking Hendrix's visions of a soundscape behind his music and giving it all context, experimenting with odd mic techniques, echo, backward tape, flanging, and chorusing, all new techniques at the time, at least the way they're used here. What Hendrix sonically achieved on this record expanded the concept of what could be gotten out of a modern recording studio in much the same manner as Phil Spector had done a decade before with his Wall of Sound. As an album this influential (and as far as influencing a generation of players and beyond, this was his ultimate statement for many), the highlights speak for themselves: "Crosstown Traffic," his reinterpretation of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," "Burning of the Midnight Lamp," the spacy "1983...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be)," and "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)," a landmark in Hendrix's playing. With this double set (now on one compact disc), Hendrix once again pushed the concept album to new horizons.

5 comments about Are You Experienced.

1. There is no questioning Hendrix and his influence on generations of musicians and guitar players and Are You Experienced is a definative records. From the opening riff of Purple Haze, the wonderful version of Hey Joe to the hauning Wind Cries Mary Hendrix's playing shines and still holds up after all this time.
   
   Though there are many records released of Jimi, including some nice compilations/greatest hits, Are You Experienced, Electric Ladyland and Axis: Bold as Love are must haves.



2. ."Jimmi Hendrix, baby believe me, set the world on fire!"
   
   In Eric Burdon's great song Monterey, about the Monterey Pop festival, is this prophetic line about the great one, and it turned out to be so true.
   
   In his brief solo career,(he was once guitar player for the Isley Brothers for a time) Hendrix went from the opening act for an infamous Monkees concert, to one of the most influential musicians of rock music. I can still remember the first time I heard this album as a kid, and still have the songs burnt into my brain after all these years.
   
   So here's the deal,
   
   This CD is a great commuting album, or a good introduction to youngsters about how there is much better music to be had than what is coming out these days!



3. You ask anyone knowledgeable of the history of rock, "What are the ten greatest rock albums of all time", and "Are You Experienced?" has to be one of them. It's almost silly to write a review of this album, as anyone looking at its contents can identify at least six or seven all-time hits - "Hey Joe", "Foxy Lady", "Purple Haze", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", etc. You ask me, "What's the greatest rock debut album of all time?", and I'm having trouble thinking of one that tops this one.



4. excellent hendrix. just the right amount of soul-close your eyes you can see them in concert. All the best songs plus a couple off the beaten track. turn off the lights, light a bunch of candles-let the purple haze envelop you.



5. I don't care if you've never even heard of Jimi Hendrix...Jimi's first album is a must have,so jump on this CD,today,right now,this minute!
   
   This is the first of the triumvirate of Jimi's releases of 1967-68,the others being "Axis:Bold as Love" and "Electric Ladyland".These three albums basically tell the story of Jimi's albeit short,but brilliant studio work.
   
   On "Experienced" all the early hits are here: "Hey Joe,Fire,Manic Depression,Purple Haze,Foxey Lady" and many more.I personally think this is the best album out of the three."Axis" was rushed due to his non-stop gigging and jamming,"Ladyland" is not technically proficient,but "Are You Experienced" has that feeling of excitement of doing something new for the first time.Although this was not Jimi's first foray into a studio,it was the first time where he was the star and all production revolved around him and his music.I would venture to say this is one of the top five rock albums of all time,although list's are subjective.
   
   But do yourself a favor and jump on this CD immediately,as you're not just buying a great classic rock album/CD,you're buying a piece of history!

5 comments about Disraeli Gears.

1. this is an essential British blues-rock album, with a great meshing of talents. Jack Bruce had better power in his voice than Clapton, so Bruce was the principal singer. Clapton did his guitar-God thing, with the usual choices of unusual (but beautiful) chords. Ginger Baker bangs the hell outa them drums, and voila!
   
   Beautiful music...



2. Realesed in the summer of 1967 it demonstrates Cream's expirementing with acid rock. All 11 tracks on here are great and its good old fashioned 60s rock music. Some key tracks on here are, strange brew, SWALBLR, tales of brave ulysses, etc. It also has one of the first albums with the wah-wah pedal on it. All in all a great buy and you should buy it today along with all of the other great 1967 albums. here are some classic 60s albums that you should buy,
   Grateful Dead(debut album)
   Jefferson Airplane Surrealistic Pillow
   Jimi Hendrix Are You Expereinced
   Pink Floyd The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
   The Beach Boys Pet Sounds
   Cream Disreali Gears
   The Doors(self titled debut album)
   Jimi Hendrix Axis Bold As Love
   Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited
   Jimi Hendrix Electirc Ladyland
   Grateful Dead Anthem Of The Sun
   Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
   etc.



3. Essential...as all Cream (or 'The Cream' as originally called in the UK)is essential. There is not one Cream album better than any other. They are ALL essential. This is hard, blues based, psychedelic, heavy, rock music at its ever loving best. Cream was and is in a class by themselves, as is Led Zeppelin, early Fleetwood Mac, and The Yardbirds. All white-boy blues at the supreme level.



4. Cream at their peak. From Classic Rock favorites to interesting diversions - the band is on the money and the digital remastering is good. What else can I say...



5. I just received this in the mail today(thanks [...] again).I still have my old vinyl copy of this and actually bought a copy of Cream Gold which I recommend to people who want a mixture of the best of Cream's studio and live releases. But I had to have "Disreali Gears" as I remembered it on that old slab of vinyl.This to me is a landmark release for many reasons:"Sunshine Of Your Love"- NOTHING sounded like this back when it came out (I was 10 at the time and dug surf, soul and British Invasion stuff),DG was recorded in just 3 days(the bands visa for their US tour was about to expire) thanks to Tom Dowd and Felix Pappalardi and this is the introduction to us mortals of Clapton's Woman Tone and Wah Wah work(Hendrix was digging this as well-Up From The Skies anyone?)."We're Going Wrong" is the supreme use of the Woman Tone(along with tremendous feel and note choice) as well as "Outside Woman Blues","SWABLR" and "Take It Back"(the intro any way).The funny thing is,the same day I received Disraeli Gears I also received the latest Fender sales booklet "Fender Frontline At Home" with guess who on the cover? None other than the great one, Eric Clapton(pretty cosmic). After all this time it finally dawned on me that the TBX circuit in his signature Strats is trying to cop the Woman Tone from Disraeli Gears. Sorry,Eric. Too fuzzy.The clarity is not the same.This release also shows Eric's love for Albert King's playing as can be heard in the leads for "Strange Brew" and "Sunshine of Your Love".Can't forget the most powerful rhythm section of their time,maybe all time, Jack Bruce on Bass and vocals and Ginger Baker on Drums and vocals(?).Jack's "Dance The Night Away" is a great example of this man's bass playing,song writing and arranging skills.I love the counterpoint work during the chorus with ascending and descending vocal melodies happening at the same time.Even Ginger's "Blue Condition" is a good track with a bluesy,swinging feel and Ginger on vocals.I can dig it.ANYWAY,if you just want to replace your worn out vinyl or wonder what all the fuss was about this needs to be in your collection.One of the all time greatest rock records.

5 comments about Every Great Motown Hit of Marvin Gaye.

1. The irruption of the soul in the middle sixties, was the final result of a long wait. Chronological and sociologically it seems to coincide with the tragic end of Martin Luther King, but there's much to say. The black people lacked of a musical flag, a genre that conveyed their special contour. After the first generation of rock in the middle fifties, came the arousing of The Beatles, Elvis Presley, The British Rock, the summer songs and the emerging of a genius of the guitar Jimmy Hendrix. On the other hand, the Latin Jazz (Carl Tjader, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Dave Valentin) had been growing at exponential rate and the classic Jazz was tied to a far tradition that expressed those memories and unsaid livings, but this generation was over the thirties and the young generation just didn't feel represented themselves with Parker, Ellington, Bassie, Webster, Coltrane, Mingus, Montgomery, Davis, Peterson or Satchmo, faithful Ambassadors of the Post War generation. They needed the arousing of a dancing movement capable to compete with the commercial tendencies by then. Under these circumstances, the soul emerged by an almost mperative genetic that was being expected, this new musical expression became for the black people the materialization and concretion of their own urban poetry, a true fire exit - if I may - to drag and share in those friendly meetings.
   
   The great beginnings belonged to enthusiastic and unforgettable ensembles such as the Supremes, Temptations Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Jr. Walker and The all Stars, but the second big wave began to show renowned soloists with a feeling. Steve Wonder, Wilson Picket, James Brown, Otis Reading, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Gladys Knight irrupted in the great stages to show the world the soul had been arrived to stay. You may realize for instance, Vietnam as thematic inspiration was practically absent until the arrival of the theme "War" in 1969 sung by Edwin Star.
   
   Marvin Gaye was what we might label as the wonder kind in the soul genre. Even it could be said his originality was always a step ahead his musical colleagues. As a matter if fact, he always knew to impress his personal style a sort of a refined detachment, in which lyrics and music shook hands and the outcome produced curious results Somehow he remained in the musical memory since the first time you listened him. Somehow he influenced three remarkable figures of the early seventies, Billy Ocean, Lou Rawls and Bill Whiters.
   
   The way his brief career was interrupted certainly belongs to the annals of the unexpected universe, and would seem to suggest us the tragedy nestles like an invisible shadow behind every one of us.
   
   Don't miss this album because Marvin Gaye is part of the legend.



2. Before I ordered it, I listened to the sample of each song! The songs brought back so many wonderful memories! As soon as the mail carrier left it in my mailbox, I torn open the package and began listening! The quality is excellent, I am very pleased with the product!



3. Isn't funny that my favorite track on cd 1, I had never heard of before?
   "You" speaks to my spirit, and touches me emotionally. It is my favorite, and I even found the lyrics so I can read and sing along while listening. I play this track over and over. It makes me feel like I am in the church about to catch the spirit. It is so uplifting, Marvin's interpretation. There is a Temptation feel to this song, a David Ruffinish sound.
   
   I feel that on cd one, Marvin was in the process of evolving into his signature sound. I feel that cd 2 is where he evolved and where he established his true voice. These songs I feel are spiritually based, in that they touch the spirit.
   
   You
   
   You WHOOO You, you I see in my mirror in the mornin'
   Instead of seein' me
   I see you, I see your face
   And inside me is a growing need for your embrace
   In the light of day, though our faces meet
   Someone there might see so we never speak
   Till the dark of night, while the moon is new
   When we whisper words of love in our secret rendezvous
   Though it's wrong I know, girl I love you so
   Yes I need you, I need you baby
   
   Oh you, my sweetest joy
   You can't afford the best of life
   I'm just a hard workin' boy
   Oh you've given your love to me
   Girl, I can't let you hurt yourself by being seen with me
   We're worlds apart, so close yet worlds apart
   So we must hide the love we're feelin' in our hearts
   We meet in shadows, your friends must never know
   That we are lovers, darlin'
   Alhough it hurts me so, for your sake no one must see
   The precious love you're givin' me
   But you know, I need you baby
   
   One day I'll make the break, my lucky star willshine.
   I can tell the world that you are mine, all mine
   Till then we must go on the way we have before
   And never let it show we love each other so.
   I'll never one-way track 'cause there's no turnin' back
   Oh I need you baby
   
   (repeat verse 1 and fade)
   
   I highly recommend is like excellent vocals, lyrics and live instrumentation.



4. I received the Margin Gaye cd in just a couple of days, which was great. This cd is awesome, it includes songs with Tammy Terell as well. I highly recommend it. I grew up listening to Marvin Gaye and listening to this cd brought back great family memories!



5. I received this CD very quickly. I am happy with the product and the services provided to me. Thank you.

5 comments about The Very Best of the Doors [US Version].

1. The Very Best of the Doors takes you back into time, time when my Brother had a Super sport car, and lot's of dates. When I was Six years old and i would hang out with him while he worked on his car and we would listen to the Doors' When the Song Gloria would play we sing it out loud, and move to the beat. The Very Best of the Doors is by far the best, I now let my son (17)listen to it. The melody intertwine with two generations together. I with the old school records, and his i-pod tactics, but its still all the same music; rockin' 'n rolling till we die!!!



2. If you are a fan of the Doors, this is a worthwhile CD to get. I've been a fan of the Doors for MANY years and really enjoy this on my ipod.



3. I had an older Doors greatest hits cd, the one cd version that sells in bargain bins for $9, and quite frankly it was too raw for my liking, lots of treble, not much midrange or bass. I'm deaf in one ear from birth, so my opinion is obviously going to be slightly different than most people. By the way, I never understood the stereo concept though, "oo guitar is to my left, hold a sec now he jumped over to my right!"
   
   Kidding aside, I like this mix a bit better and it seems like a solid choice of songs. I do agree with one of the reviewers (my apologies I can't seem to scroll back to find your name and give you credit where it's due, you know who you are), it sounds as if they laid the drums a bit heavy on a few songs. But overall, a good mix and less of the back and forth I'd normally get listening on headsets most common in 70's when frequent panning left and right was "the thing". I know I represent a very small population out there but if you're out there my one eared friend, check out this collection.



4. If, like me, you've been a Doors fan since high school, but never an "uberfan", you've probably had more than one of the studio albums and probably one of the anthologies/best ofs, etc. By first wife sto-, er, "permanently borrowed" and/or sold my copy of "LA Woman" (ironic, hunh?) and one of the anthologies.
   
   Now the discs that were "ex-wife'd", were discs made BEFORE the Industry decided there was a huge vein of gold to be mined by "remasters". So I've been able to replace long-lost discs without spending unnecessarily on albums I already have. (Even ex's have their uses, I suppose.)
   
   If you are a newb to the Doors, this collection is not only a great deal (39 tracks for $15), it sounds great. It has all of the "great" songs which made the Doors legends; tho' I agree only the most casual of fans isn't going to have some quibble with all the choices of any anthology (by any band).
   
   You're still encouraged to buy, at the very least, "L.A. Woman" if this collection confirms your taste for the Doors. The last studio album to be released before Morrison's death in Paris, Many of the greatest songs are on that album anyway.
   
   The "classics" are all here; as are some gems usually neglected by AOR--"The WASP: Texas Radio and the Big Beat" (now condescendingly called "Classic Rock" by these punk kids who think that "rock" began with Nirvana, "Oh ye of little knowledge (and less taste!)"
   
   As for the sound quality, I found it excellent (especially compared to the three or four songs I'd downloaded from iTunes @128kpbs AAC; good codec but at the bit-rate you can't expect much).
   
   Over all, the remastering benefits this set.
   
   In particular, the remaster of "Love Me Two Times" is exactly what a remaster should be. It brings out depths--and heights--here to fore missing in analogue-to-digital transfers of the material. I felt like I sitting at Robby Krieger's feet as he plucked out the jangling signature notes of the song's hook.
   
   "People Are Strange", perhaps the most "perfect" song they ever recorded, sound wonderful clean and its sardonic refrain never cut more precisely.
   
   More generally,
   
   Manzarek's organ has gained a sharpness and a smoothness that I've never heard before on a Door's recording (and my first one was on vinyl--yes I know how I'm dating myself!). The often muddied passages on both analogue and digital media, have vanished, leaving this stop-gap for synthesizers (I'm almost happy that the Doors never had the chance to move into synths; Morrison's voice, as pointed out by another reviewer, WAS the band's primary instrument. The tendency of synths to become the centerpiece of a band's sound regardless of the vocalist's skill/charisma was never something that the Door's had to face.)
   
   The "imitation" bass used on some cuts sounds, unfortunately, even more "imitation." The tracks where session bass players were brought it are immediately noticeable. It's too bad that Krieger was the ace on bass that he was on guitar where he must be placed in the first row of the second tier of World's Greatest Guitarists.
   
   The drums, as they almost always do, gain from having as much of analogue's hiss (and vinyl's snap-crackle-and-pop) eliminated. Always properly-miked, I gained new respect for just how carefully the Doors crafted their sound. While not in the same league as Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin in that department, neither of those two bands had a phenom as a lead singer (no slight intended to Robert Plant, but Morrison has an almost Sinatran [?] ability to control his phrasing; and when he's on his game, he could match Ol' Blue Eyes. A strange comparison, I'll admit, but if you're familiar with the Chairman of the Board and the Admiral's Son, then pick a few tracks of Sinatra's and a few Door's gems and listen to them. You'll see that the Southern California Navy brat had chops almost as polished as the working-class kid from Hoboken.
   
   One downside of the remasters' new clarity is the strain that can sometimes be heard in Morrison's voice, whether from over-singing (perhaps pushing to meet deadlines or simply conscious of how little time he had left) or the insane lifestyle that he led (anyone wanting a guide on how to "live young, die fast and..." and squander talent on loan from God, should check out, "No One Here Gets Out Alive" by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugarman, the title coming from the lyrics of "Five to One"; thankfully the book is still in print; search Amazon in books and look for the $10 paperback).
   
   On "Roadhouse Blues" I can hear Morrison straining to reach for the higher notes, probably the results, of drinking, smoking and his industrial promiscuity.
   
   A word on the whole phenomenon of remasters....which has been called one of the greatest rip-offs ever perpetrated by the record companies.
   
   
   Sometimes this has been true, sometimes not. Though I should think even the most experienced PR flack would be hard put to answer the question, "Why weren't the albums remastered when first converted to digital?
   
   The results haven't always been worth the wait or the extra cash. The Rush Remasters, over all, haven't done much to improve the sound--which was always excellent even the bad, old days of vinyl acetate (don't be fooled by the bellyaching of those pining for snap-crackle-and-pop of LP records: CDs are an improvement in everyway).
   
   The remaster of the Who's seminal classic "Who's Next" sounds almost identical to the first CD I ever bought of it. Apparently, they nailed it down the first time they recorded it; large applications of that questionable medication "Studio Magic" weren't needed.
   
   We can argue whether or not the Doors' NEEDED to issue this remastered set. I say yes. For the reasons I outlined for both newbs and for those of us whose collections went the way of "The Lizard King", this set fills in the crucial gaps for those bereft for those just beginning to explore Jim Morrison's "Doors of Perception."
   
   The "pre-remastered" Zep CDs sounded better, in my view, than Pagey's multiple remastering efforts. They were punchier, "warmer" (subjective as that term is), somehow more raw. The newer versions are sharper, clearer, colder, more precise. Something is gained , something lost.
   
   My BIGGEST complaint is that these discs ARE not SACD Hybrids. I know the format is generally considered to have failed to catch on with all but audiophiles (which, in Industry Speak means jazz and art--"classical"--music lovers), there are still plenty of us who know the Doors deserve the absolute best in digital reproduction and SACD is it!
   
   If you, like me, once had more extensive (music) collection and had it suffer from losses from poverty/fire/theft/ex-wife, etc, and don't particularly feel like buying all six of the studio albums or a hefty (price and other-wise) boxed set (what was the point of including duplicate DVD-As? in that set? the smart thing to do would have been to issue them as single, Hybrid SACDs, that way those interested in the highest fidelity available, would have the option while the SINGLE disc would still work in everyone of the 600M CD players on Earth, this gives you everything you loved about the Doors. After all, SACDs can travel with you and will play in your car stereo CD (or their copies, if you be wise enough to burn personal copies to protect the original--a must if you ask me: it keeps your CDDA collection in pristine condition).



5. I didn't give it five stars because in my humble opinion I can't think of any valid excuse for not including "Hyacinth House" (which could replace the awful "Moonlight Drive") and the wild, wacky, but melodious "The Soft Parade" (which could replace the even more awful "When the Music's Over" - Actually, Jim, you *can* 'petition the Lord with prayer!' RIP.)
   
   Also, I wouldn't have minded "My Eyes Have Seen You" getting the ol' heave-ho in favor of adding "Blue Sunday," "Indian Summer," and "Yes, the River Knows;" but I guess if I keep going almost all six full albums would be in the compilation so I'll stop here.
   
   Even so, it's a nice big Doors collection for a great price.

5 comments about Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd.

1. This really has all the hits that the casual fan would desire on a convenient double CD. I can see that die-hards would be upset with the way some songs have been edited. Well they can stick to their original collection and stop whingeing as far as I'm concerned. There has been a lot of talk about how Gilmour and Waters have put their differences aside to select the songs. And that means that Barrett songs have been magnanimously included which improves this collection even though these songs have quite a different, "happier" feel. However it seems to me that Gilmour and Waters insisted on some of their very "special" songs to be included just to be difficult leading to inclusions of forgettable songs like Flether Memorial, When the tigers..., Keep talking. These spaces could have been filled by better songs. For a band that IMHO has quite a few duds on their studio albums they have managed to concentrate the good Pink Floyd songs onto a very worthwhile double CD.



2. Let's get all the nitpicking out of the way. Firstly, it's a bit funny this compilation is called "Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd," when Echoes is presented in an abridged form. This isn't the only song that suffers from being cut short, as the classic Shine On You Crazy Diamond also suffers from unnecessary edits. Breaking apart the songs from Dark Side of the Moon gets rid of the notion of the album being one 42 minute long song. Original segways of songs into other songs are replaced with new ones to fit the track listing of this album.
   
   So why did I give this compilation five stars? Well, given the few flaws stated above, this is still a really fantastic collection of Floyd songs. Every era of the band is represented, and you're given the early singles "Arnold Layne" and "See Emily Play," along with other Barret era songs. Sure, you may feel that there should be more tracks from certain albums, but the track listing gives you a taste of many different times in Floydian history. What's really noteworthy here is the price. For what you're paying, typically no more than $20, you get a hefty amount of material. It's a perfect listen if you want to listen to a Pink Floyd playlist, rather than having to switch out albums.



3. I am a big 70s music fan, and Pink Floyd is one of my favorite bands from the era. The whole CD is wonderful, and I think all of the songs that are in the compilation deserve to be there. I also like that they included music from the Syd Barrett-led era of the band, as well as the Roger Walters-led era. Great compilation.



4. In the last year or so, I have read in various places that the vinyl LP is making a comeback, a resurgence, or just not dying out altogether in the CD and MP3 age. As someone who grew up with vinyl as the medium where I heard my favorite music (the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Yes, etc), this comes as little surprise and much delight for me -- the whole experience of the vinyl LP encompassed not just the music on the 12" vinyl slab, but the artwork, graphics, and visual component that was the album cover. and countless PInk Floyd fans who held onto their LPs of 'Dark Side of the Moon' (and kept replacing them as they wore out) and just about any of their other albums would concur with me that they are among the top bands who excelled at providing as compelling visuals as the music itself. Granted, having long now been accustomed to CDs, hearing an entire album in one sitting without having to deal with changing a side of a record, admittedly is a nice convenience, itself more or less rendering the idea of vinyl LPs (with their nasty ticks, pops, and scratches) to the dustbin of audio history. Once Pink Floyd decided to issue as comprehensive a 'best of' career-spanning compilation in 2001, it was released as a two-CD set, and was a very good, non-chronologically sequenced set of Floyd classics that flowed particually well in two sets of thirteen songs apiece -- starting and ending with a Syd Barrett-era track.
   
   However, much to the delight of this particular fan of the vinyl LP, the 2-CD set was issued some time later as a four-LP box set, on heavyweight vinyl. Both discs' track listing of course is broken up to be spread out over eight sides of vinyl -- this, plus that each LP is wrapped in an individual cover and inner sleeve resplendent with superb Storm Thurgesen visuals (right down to each record's label -- see my images I provided), the 'Echoes' LP box set is very much a winner for any Pink Floyd fan who would prefer to hear this set the way the original albums (except for 'The Division Bell' for which the LP was limited and by then, CDs were de facto) were issued, and the sound of the remastered tracks on fresh vinyl is something to look forward to, for you analog, vinyl fans. The 'Echoes' LP box is the closest way to hear almost all of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" on one side of an LP (they present parts I to VII -- some day it would be nice to hear all nine parts as one cohesive track).



5. this is a good CD if you're a casual listener looking for Pink Floyd's best songs. less expensive and less cumbersome than buying their complete set and not bogged down by lesser songs. if you're a hard core fan you will probably find this CD lacking in continuity. Pink Floyd albums were not simply a collection of singles they were a coherent continuous package. that continuity is lost when compiling a greatest hits album.

5 comments about The Division Bell.

1. This review is a personal tribute for Richard Wright who died this week, for all of us Floyd fans a very sad moment.
   
   Since Wish You Were Here, Wright did not composed music for any album of the band; on Animals and The Wall he just graced the music with his excellent and unique Floydian keyboards; he was not on The Final Cut; on A Momentary Lapse of Reason he was a session musician due to some legal details and just played some here and some there; which leave us with The Division Bell, his major return to full composing status: Cluster One, What Do You Want from Me, Marooned, Wearing the Inside Out, Keep Talking. All of them, not only beautiful and elegant songs, but Floydian.
   
   I'm very amused when I read some reviews that claim that this is 'soft rock', this is a tremendous musical misconception, comparing Pink Floyd with Hall & Oates, just because the playing is 'soft' or not 'hard'. Look again, the only 'soft' aspect in this album perhaps is Nick Mason's 'soft' drum playing, nothing else. This is indeed a dense album, musically, production wise and in the lyrics. Not only the band is playing in full spirit since Animals, but Floyd is there, now with Wright's important contributions: Marooned shares the same status of ANY Floyd ethereal classic, with its haunting piano, keyboards and guitar; Wearing the Inside Out is in the same vein of Summer 68 and Stay, vintage Floyd songs from the pre-Dark Side era
   
   Only for the songs that Wright composed, this album is a must for all Floyd fans; any Roger Waters hardcore fan who thinks he IS Pink Floyd, is missing a whole and huge point of why Pink Floyd is what it is. Marooned won a Grammy for Wright and Gilmour. I rest my case.
   
   Other songs like Poles Apart and High Hopes, would be missing a lot without Wright at piano, keyboard, organ and kurzweil command.
   
   With Wright gone, a imposible to fill gap leaves Pink Floyd without the secret weapon to construct its typical unique and more than excellent music. A Musical Master who will be missed for the rest of our lives, but will live forever in every meloniac, for all ages to come.



2. Musically this product is superior to prior efforts. Concept albums are a throwback to the 70's, and this is an exceptional product about the complexities of relationships.



3. I wonder....
   I really do.
   Who is the advocate for fascism here?
   Look at the horrible cover for this dreadful CD?
   Now I'm gonna ask you again:
   who is the advocate for fascism here?
   Terrible, horrible people, just gross!



4. Come on let's get honest here. Floyd music post Water's is just regular well polished soft rock. Their is no edge to it at all, not that it is bad but it is not what I would call Floyd worthy. But I guess that is what Pink Floyd is now.
   
   Take for example Nick Mason's drumming, it is just a tempo, a beat to keep up with. If you listen to,or watch him perform "Set the Controls..." or "A Saucer Full of Secrets" he was a major player in the sound of Pink Floyd. And really all through every Floyd record to "The Final Cut" Here reduced to that of a session member.
   
   If you listen now to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" performed live for example on "Pulse" or any of the live shows Gilmour does now or any recordings from live shows of Floyd, post 1983 It is so polished and soft. Easy to listen to, I must admit, and yes still good, but not the hard rocking song with strong guitars, when they first began to play it in 1974. In the live shows from them it is absolutely rockin'and experimental, along with all their music up untill 1983.
   
   Gilmour showed us what he was truely into from his self proclaimed favorite Floyd album "Wish You Were Here" to his self titled solo record to the last two studio albums. It is all just melodic (yet good, I must say)soft rock music but that is all. In no form can you relate this to previous works. No denying what an influence role Waters played in the making of every Floyd album he was associated with.
   
   Please don't get the idea that I am bashing Gilmour or the music he has made. But it is undenyably different from, and inferior to, any thing pre 1983. I know that thier are legions of Floyd fans who will not agree for the sake of loyalty to Floyd as a whole. I am, barring none, the biggest Pink Floyd fan of all, but this is just easy listening, soft rock music. >>>---Zen--->



5. Im the sentimental kind . I remember spring of 1994 , working on a paint crew , and enjoying this excellent album in my truck's stereo before and after work . And , the awesome experience of seeing the band in Ames IA - Cyclone stadium - in June 1994 .
   
   I was 19 , and it brings all sorts of beautiful memories of my hard earned life . Especially that year ( It's like that for most = ) ]
   
   Ive heard hard reviews against this album , as well as positive , constructive views of its atributes . My father took me to my first PF concert in 1988 in Cedar Falls , IA ( our hometown ] . So , my Floyd palate has a strong Gilmourish base . Although years down the road ( at 25 years old ] i discovered , the ' other ' side of The Floyd - Piper .. , Saucerful .., Atom heart .., Obscured by clouds . Basically all of the strong ' progressive ' output from the late 60s and 70 s .
   
   This band has such an incredible catalog . They leave me w out words , really . As i write this , i remember sitting in a lawn area , at the opposite end zone of Cyclone stadium , kicking back on the grass ( it was such an excellent and cheap seat = ) ) and seeing the sunset , the laser lights and ' One of these days ' blasting through the June Iowa night

5 comments about In the Court of the Crimson King.

1. I know this is suposed to be a masterpiece and probably was groundbreaking at the time, but I am not digging it. I'm a fan of a lot of music from well before my time but I just can't get album. Maybe I'll try again but I just think it is dated.



2. Bought this for a couple of the songs on it. The quality is not what I expected, but that wasn't what I was after. I wanted this for stricly nostalgic reasons and for that I did get what I was after. Would I recomend it? From a quality stand point, no, but if you are just after the memory of the time, then go for it.



3. Saw Greg Lake open the Ringo tour several years ago and they opened with "21st Century", which blew me away! Ringo certainly held his own, as did Greg Lake! A groundbreaking album!



4. While soaking in "Children of Men", I heard the long forgotten "Court of the Crimson King" used throughout the soundtrack for the film. On a whim, I jumped online and purchased this album...and I was blown away. It's an album that would stand out even now if it were released tomorrow. From beginning to end, you feel like you've found a diamond that someone put in the back of a closet and forgot about. From "21st Century Schizoid Man" to "In the Court of the Crimson King" I found myself saying "how did I miss this?". Not only that, when I heard "Moonchild", I went "they did that?, Woah." Needless to say, it's become a favorite overnight. Well worth the purchase.



5. It's like the Sgt.Pepper of progresive rock. An authentic iconoclastic and lawbreaker revolution. An icon for the nonconformist university students then. A new way of making music that lasts and survive until now all through the different ages and band lines up, always with Robert Fripp at the front. Later albums like Island, Red o Thrak can minimize its final score but it passes the passage of time. A great classic.
   YOU STILL GET A SHOCK WHEN YOU BUMP INTO THAT COVER IN THE RECORD STORE OR THE PC SCREEN!
   ---------------------------------------
   Es el 'Sgt. Pepper' del rock progresivo. El primer álbum genuinamente progresivo, iconoclasta, transgresor y revolucionario. Era el emblema de los universitarios inconformistas e intelectuales de la época. Una nueva forma de hacer música que ha evolucionado hasta hoy día a través de las diferentes épocas y formaciones del grupo cuyo estandarte es Robert Fripp. Albumes posteriores como 'Islands' 'Red' o 'Thrak' lo hacan más simple y sencillo pero sigue superando el paso del tiempo. Absolutamente un clásico genial. La portada es aún un sorprendente icono cuando te la topas en la tienda de discos o en la pantalla del ordenador.

5 comments about All Things Must Pass [BOXED EDITION].

1. All Things Must Pass [DIGI-PAK EDITION was Harrison's first solo album after the Beatles broke up 1970 and it is a dandy of a record. One wonders why so little of Harrison's tallent was used during his days with the Beatles. Harrison was a surprisingly adept lyricist and a much better vocalist then I was aware of. Yes, the book-let is a strange one. Harrison in purple boots, big brown hat surrounded by gnomes. Harrison has also written a very well-written and thought worthy essay regarding the recording. I love the photographs and one can see that he was a very pensive and cerebral man. This is a recording not to be missed.



2. When the Beatles were recording in the 1960s, those of us who were total fans and knew every album and single word-by-word also knew we were missing out since there never seemed to be enough room for more than maybe one George Harrison song.
   
   After the group split, the album All Things Must Pass proved to be filled with songs Harrison fans had always just known were sitting inside his quiet and spiritual demeanor. George Harrison may not have been able to answer all the big questions but he sure tried - especially in this varied collection.



3. George really was way too underrated. This album will always be a classic.
   Delivered within a few days and in perfect condition. I've played it every day since I received it and love it.



4. Do yourself a favor: buy this album. When it arrives, put everything else aside, get your headphones on, lie on your bed, close your eyes, and listen to it beginning to end. This is an album that deserves to be listened to in one sequence before you start listening to each song individually.
   
   This album is a journey through George's soul, and if you're lucky, your own soul as well. Yes, it's long, but all meditations are long. Listen carefully to the lyrics as you lie there, try to get the imagery in your head.
   
   This is the best album by any solo Beatle. Yes, better than Lennon's "Imagine" and "Plastic Ono Band", better than McCartney's "Band on the Run". Those are phenomenal albums with some great individual songs, but this one stands alone as an experience to be treasured.
   
   The only flaw with this album is that some of the jams at the end are kind of filler. You'll probably only listen to them once. You'll probably be in a trance by then, so it'll be really cool, but once you snap out of it you'll realize that you're hungry and the album is running a bit long. But that's okay, because more is better when it comes to George Harrison. Bless you, George.



5. The 30th anniversary boxed-set edition was remastered by George Harrison and is much better than the original 1970 release. As a bonus you get a booklet written by George, explaining his views about the old and new versions. Plus, you get bonus tracks not included on the original release.
   
   This was and is George's best solo album and this version is as good as it gets. As you may know, the original recordings made shortly after the Beatles dissolved, featured Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman. Dave Mason, Badfinger, Billy Preston, Ginger Baker, Phil Collins, Bary Brooker and others.
   
   I could go on endlessly trying to explain why this album is great and worth purchasing or repurchasing if you still have the original version. All I can say is, spend the twenty dollars. You will not regret it. This album will last a lifetime. Thank you George. We miss you.

5 comments about The Ultimate Collection.

1. As all of you know, Election Day is fast approaching and I am running for President. This means hard work! But make no mistake- I realize this review will be antiquated in a few weeks so, who really cares? After all, time is swift, and most things will be forgotten eventually (minus, of course, the pens I've created that can write even on the moon, if you should ever visit there).
   
   Well, I am at a whistle stop in Detroit at the current moment (on the caboose of a train, no less), and the crowds are receptive and they are cheering. Mostly, they cheer "Elect Metamorpho and, please, make him stop reviewing on Amazon"! Such adoration brings a tear to my eye (carefully hidden from the press). After all, if they got a whiff of sentimentalism, the papers and newscasts would bray "Seer not fit to Rule! Has Human Emotions"! This could be devastating, especially in politics. Better if I run off with tons of the public money than show emotion. Ah well, it is, after all, the quagmire we all face everyday.
   
   Anyway, this is Motown, and the hard working, blue collar people, need someone to trust and to believe in. They cheer and raise bonfires and pitchforks! I am uncertain as to whether they think I'm Frankenstein or the new Messiah. But, I will get back to you and let you know. (If I'm able, of course).
   
   But, you didn't tune in here to hear my vainglorious aspirations. No. You came here to read a review of The Temptations. And, I don't blame you. Awhile ago, I realized my vast collection was in dire need of some classic 60's tunes from a very considerable group. And, I have to say that this collection fit the bill very nicely. I will say that, it should be a wise choice to fit in to your collection. However, there are a few tunes that should have been included. But, it's a ploy you know. They force you to purchase more to get those songs. However, this collection includes most of the essential hits. And, if you want to get a taste of what Motown was all about, this is a good starting point.
   
   "The Temptations:The Ultimate Collection" kicks. It surely does. There are so many charged songs here and it's a definite pleasure to hear. These guys have it down. From the pleading to the soft, from the desperate to ensemble bliss. I get into this. The blend of the lead vocals, the back-up, all contribute to the total enjoyment. And, do not forget the exceptional band playing on these songs. Absolutely, and without a doubt, these guys are experts in providing the mood and what's so needed in the musical recording process. They can bring you to the highs with horns, dramatic bass, and drum beat of "Ball of Confusion" to the softness and delicate balance of "Just My Imagination".
   
   These guys are great. The vocal and the heart which they sing is a true joy of life. Really. They give you, probably, the ultimate similie ode with "The Way You Do the Things you Do".
   
   i.e; "The way you swept me off my feet, you know you could have been a broom
   The way you smell so sweet,you know you could have been some perfume"
   
   etc. etc. You all know the deal.
   
   But, good grief, there is so much classic 60's soul here to keep you satisfied for ages, AND, to reflect on. Included here are such great soul songs, "My Girl", "Get Ready", "(I Know) I'm Losing You", "I Wish It Would Rain", "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Ball of Confusion", "Just My Imagination" and, one of my very favorites "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone". Listen to the amazing intro to that song. There is rarely, if ever, such a great beginning in music that I have heard.
   
   Of course, for my Presidential aspirations, I am asking to include their "Ain't To Proud to Beg" as my offical political song. Maybe if I beg enough, they'll agree. Oh well, time will tell.
   
   In closing, if you have only one choice, and want to get a fine slice of what the Temptations were all about, then this is the collection for you. Granted, it isn't totally complete, but it includes a lot of the very essential ones that you should have if you want to aproach the level of Metamorpho's vast archives. Get it if you love soul, or rather, get it if you love music. You won't be disappointed. A time capsule from the 60's that is vibrant and lives today.
   
   Now I must go. The cameras are leaving and the crowd is dispersing. We just can't have an empty crowd on the 11 o'clock news. Now, I must get busy and approve those insistent attack ads. They do work, or so I'm told. Credibility is so hard to come by these days.
   
   Vote Metamorpho - Candidate with Soul and (maybe) some Substance!



2. The Temptations was the soul band that captured me most in those years when I was entering in my early adolescence. Their sense of dynamical rhythm, their variegated gamut of timbers, imaginative compositions and frenetic proposals really engaged not only me, but besides a vast audience all over the world. So, when they decided to join with the Supremes to create that unforgettable song "I'm going make you love me" - one of the most original soft ballads of 1968 - together with "Sitting on the dock of the bay", "Honey", "Little green apples", "Hey Jude", "Over you", "I say a Little pray for you", "This magic moment", "Promises", "Angel of the morning", "I love how you love me", I`m coming home" and "Release me" - among my affective memory retains - they reached an even major recognition around the world.
   
   But mostly, they knew to readapt themselves as band as any other soul ensemble with three master-songs , "Papa was a rolling Stone", "Psychedelic shack" and "Ball of confusion."
   
   That outburst of igneous creativity was indeed, their golden passport for the immortality, neither more nor less.



3. I recently purchased the Temptations: The Ultimate Collection, the CD is great, a wonderful collection of Temptations' hit songs, I would recommend this CD to all my friends and family. I play it in my car,
   I have downloaded it to my Ipod. I've played it at work and my co-workers
   enjoyed it as well.



4. I am enjoying this CD and have had it playing for a week. I am enjoying the sound quality. I like the selections, but am not happy to hear the "new" temptations songs, especially. The "a capella" classic song which closes the CD is to die for. I highly recommend this CD as it is one I relish having, and after looking over the complilations available, this former CKLW/Detroit/Windsor listener in the teen years feels like she's home.



5. Can't say enough for this cd; just love it - alot of great songs - just love My Girl!! Great to listen to while I do the treadmill thing each morning - love the replay button on my remote stereo system. Well worth the money and would recommend highly!