5 comments about Forty Licks.

1. Fantastic journey through the blues soaked soul of the greatest rock band of the 60's through 90's. Amazing to see how their sound evolved through time- maintaining a tight signature sound that seems to always remain fresh. Truly a band- in that the sum of their parts far exceeds the contributions of each Rolling Stone! Simply Delicious...
   
   For a band with such far reaching influence, catalog, and musical tastes- a two disc set can't possibly comprise their musical genius. For those wishing to put together a Rolling Stones Career Retrospective of their most enduring tracks- I humbly submit you add the following MP3 downloads to this fine two disk set:
   
   
   As Tears Go By
   Get Off of My Cloud
   Harlem Shuffle
   Heart Of Stone
   Heartbreaker: Doo Doo Doo Doo
   Midnight Rambler
   Moonlight Mile
   Play With Fire
   Rock and a Hard Place
   Sway
   Time Is On My Side
   Ventilator Blues
   
   Hope you don't get Sticky Fingers as you enjoy what assuredly is not a
   "Beggar's Banquet!!" Goats Head Soup for All....



2. Forty Licks is probably one of the most listenable Stones collections available. Worth getting but sorely missing one of my favourite tracks: Time is On My Side. This is a poppier upbeat collection rather than the ballads route. Most importantly, it does a good job of mixing the old with the newer tracks - not an easy feat, but tracks like "You Got Me Rocking" and "Don't Stop" blend in well. Agree that this could've and should've probably been 3 discs. But it's a nice punchy mix as it is. There will probably never be a perfect Stones collection, but this works for me. Viva Rock and Roll!



3. The Rolling Stones album Forty Licks is a great CD to listen to. To buy it new only costs twenty dollars from Wal-Mart. The album was released in 2002. My favorite song off this album is "Beast of Burden". The lead singer is Mick Jagger. This album is rated four out of five stars because it's so great to listen to.



4. A good compilation that covers all the hits. A good way to introduce yourself to a band with an overwhelming catalog.



5. I love the Rolling Stones. It is no wonder to me why they are rated # 1 rock & roll band of all time. This
   is one of the best CD's I own now. Every song on this CD is a winner. Unbelieveably Good!! You wont
   be sorry if you buy this album I promise. If your any kind of Stones fan YOU NEED THIS ALBUM. Peace
   & Love

5 comments about Lightbulb Sun.

1. I have been a PT fan for a long time and have always enjoyed the progressive movements of Steve Wilson. Gavin Harrison is simply a virtuous drummer with crazy skills and texture. Where's Gavin? Gavin adds so much texture to the movements of PT that is so significant and beautiful to the pieces that it makes the album fall short just a bit since he isn't the drummer on this one. The drumming on Shesmovedon by Gavin is so tasty on Deadwing that it makes it hard for me to listen to it on Lightbulb Sun.



2. I waited long and hard for this re-release, and I'm happy I was patient. The 5.1 mix is beautiful, and the stereo disc sounds great, but this is no news for PT fans used to Steven Wilson's wizardry.
   The album is great, better than Stupid Dream in my opinion. The songs have more personality and identity and the album has enough variety to keep things interesting.
   More akin to Stupid Dream than to In Absentia, but still showing sings of evolution in that direction.
   I like comparing this version of Shesmovedon with the one in Deadwing. It's hard to improve a great song, leave that to Steven Wilson.



3. This is my favorite Porcupine Tree album.
   The new stereo mix sounds so much clearer than the original, and makes me love the album more. The 5.1 mix is great and adds new dimension to the band (as usual).



4. I do not understand why this band is not No. 1 in the American charts right now!!! OK, maybe I do...the charts are simply not what good music is about anymore...not since Dark Side of the Moon or The Beatles, anyway...
   
   Lightbulb Sun was the first album with which I fell in love with the British band Porcupine Tree. It blew me away! There has been NOTHING in the mainstream media to compare with it since the seventies progressive rock era, apart from the very rare few modern-day bands who still keep themselves unique, such as Radiohead, my other favorite British band...What sets them apart most of all is not only their accessibility, their hybrid of just the right types of music, it's not simply their progressive rock leaning either -- it is that combined with the type of uniqueness not found in most bands today. I went straight from loving THIS album to loving EVERY album going back one to Stupid Dream, and then Recordings (I was lucky to get ahold of a copy when it was still available!) and then onwards to In Absentia (perhaps my favorite), Deadwing (or perhaps this my favorite), and their latest releases: Fear of A Blank Planet, which is best combined with its addendum, Nil Recurring.
   
   Every single album of theirs has continued to "blow me away," even those that came before Stupid Dream, which was a departure from their older material, which did come more closely to a more simply progressive rock with a touch of the 80's occasionally mixed in...If you have not yet discovered this band, you are missing out!! Radio cannot provide for you anything as wonderful and unique as Porcupine Tree will. They do not fail to deliver!
   
   Hint: If you're a Pink Floyd fan, or a fan of Radiohead, check this band out! If you're a fan of both of these and the heavy guitar riffs once hailed in the 90's, be prepared to be blown away farther than 90's grunge (aka Nirvana) ever could have!



5. Thank you Steven Wilson and company for providing more Porcupine Tree music which I find I must have periodically to exist musically. Since Fear of A Blank Planet, I have been yearning for more and I'm sorry to say Nil Recurring did not do it for me. This recording is a very nice mellow album heavey on acoustic guitar which is a triumph from the English lads. Bravo! Lightbulb Sun gives us some really solid tunes in How Is Your Life Today (shades of the Beatles), Shesmovedon (a personal favorite), The Rest Will Flow, Russia On Ice (with its slow build up and epic length at 13:03)and the catchy "Hatesong". I highly recommend this album to any Porcupine Tree fans or folks tired of the same old radio BS being "manufactured" to sell cars and fast food. Ciao.

5 comments about Workingman's Dead.

1. Workingman's dead a true classic from the Dead,could be classified a companion to American Beauty,both released in 1970,Workingman's Dead first,could've easily been released as a double album,Workingman contains a mixture of different genres,blues,country,funk,and rock,yet in a subdued way,listen to,Uncle John's Band,a definite classical touch and the Dead's best weapon of course are the tight harmonies flowing consistently within each song,as so do the strong lyrics. Jerry Garcia's steel guitar also stands out on,Dire Wolf,Garcia,a fine steel player,shows off his stuff,playing steel on C.S.N.& Y.'s,Teach Your Children Well,and could've stood to be more defined on American Beauty. Easy Wind,is a catchy tune that would fit well on a Hendrix album,and other notable songs such as,The Cumberland Blues,and High Time,adding to this album a great classic repertoire,it's hard to say which two albums are better in comparison,Beauty or Workingman's,if I had to choose I'd pick Workingman's Dead,though a tough choice. These Rhino releases are excellent and loaded with Grateful Dead music with bonus tracks,mostly live,and single released tracks,a little more for your money.



2. "Workingman's Dead" is music for truckin' down a dusty gravel road. It paints a sonic landscape of Southern mines, railroads, vast desert mesas, tumbleweeds, and purple sage. This is a Grateful Dead album that's a little bit country, a little bit rock n'roll, with some psychedelia thrown in for good measure. In a sense,it's a predecessor to the "freak folk" of Devendra Barnhardt and Kimya Dawson&the Moldy Peaches. This is down home country music, as earthy as a bowl of grits, from the San Francisco Bay Area.
   
   "Workingman's Dead" opens with the hopeful country hymn "Uncle John's Band." Uncle John "comes to take his children home"--a hopeful hymn about the hereafter. There's a sense of homecoming. "Dire Wolf" is a dark ballad with the refrain "please don't murder me." I've had the "Cumberland Blues" earworm. It's a catchy song about the workaday world. "I've got to get down to the Cumberland mine/that's where I spend my time." "Black Peter" has Hammond organ;it's a mournful song. "Casey Jones" is an anti-drug. It's a warning song,with a moral. A train conductor,high on cocaine,heads to disaster.
   
   "Workingman's Dead" in the remastered version,has extra treats. The live version of "Dire Wolf" was performed in Santa Rosa,at the Veterans' Hall. The live versions of "Cumberland Blues" and "Mason's Children" were performed in Portland and Corvallis, Oregon, respectively. The Dead seemed to live in the Wine Country and the Pacific Northwest.
   
   "Workingman's Dead" is psychedelic country! Join Uncle John's Band.



3. Getting to hold this disc, place it in my stereo, and hear the bliss brought forth by such, great fails to capture the sensation; 'though, it does, you know?



4. Duane is correct in his opinion of the band, and I checked out samples of that Quicksilver CD that is out in May...UNREAL. I'd like to hear even more of the Quiksilver, but I'll have to wait for it's release I guess...



5. This purchase was to replace an old, long-lost copy. I've always liked their studio-produced stuff, much to the chagrin of some more serious aficionados. Every once in a while it's nice to hear a nice crisp rendition than to have to pore over tons of bootlegs to find just the one.

5 comments about On the Threshold of a Dream.

1. I was a major Moody Blues fan back in the era of this release. I owned every one of their albums on vinyl. I saw them in concert around 1970 and they were amazingly good live considering the amount of "studio" they always put into their work. I recently went back and purchased "Threshold" and "Lost Chord". The vocals and arrangements hold up pretty well and these guys were good players. However, some of the lyrics almost seem hokey and hard to take seriously (I really took this stuff seriously as a young kid). The poetic input is almost comical at times, but does help to frame the thematic nature of the album. Personally, I always liked "Threshold" the best with it's airy feel. Top tracks are "Lovely to See You", "Never Comes The Day" and "Are You Sitting Comfortably". I always felt that the Moodies were a great band to get high to back in the day and were very much an acid trip vehicle to evoke high-minded conversations pertaining to the universe and life's meaning etc. I was always bummed to hear that they were supposedly anti-drug guys during this period. I told myself for a long time that they only wrote the Timothy Leary is dead lines to throw us off - oh well. No matter how you cut it - the Moody Blues were "trippin" in those days and made some great "mood" music.



2. ON a threshold of a dream...I know the album in time was endless,he keeps on going the end track ...and it's surely the master piece off The Moody Blues, only for listening too the typical British accent off the storyteller...and that back in time mellotron ...great album that smells the unlimited time of the end 60 beginning 70 .



3. I will not be wordy. Our entire wedding service was taken from lyrics of various Moody Blues songs .......... to this day, # 1 my Mom is still looking for the passage in the Bible, and #2 our friends who know " MB " are amazed that we could pull it off ......... and #3 we are still looking for opportunities to see Moody Blues 36+ yrs after the ceremony !



4. On the Threshold of a Dream
   It was a great album and it's a great CD!



5. So many great albums by this band and this one stands out as my favorite. Probably the Moody Blues album that most constantly reminds me of Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull in places and seems to be heavily influenced by both bands. Check out the song you would mistake for Tull if you are only slightly familiar with Tull. Tull fans just laugh like I did. Anyway if you love progressive rock you will need this album in your collection without question. The concept and storyline put this ahead of its time and progressive albums were not normally like this till the 70s. Very much unlike other albums of its time and a giant leap for the Moody Blues. Every bit as influential to progressive rock as King Crimson in 1969.The Moodys will never get enough credit for establishing the progressive rock genre and this album is proof of that all the way through.

5 comments about John Barleycorn Must Die.

1. In the telling, Traffic was this great band with two front-men, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason, which fell apart over egos and ambition and then reformed, without Mason, after Winwood's Blind Faith excursion crashed and burned.
   
   In reality, the Winwood-Mason group was really a different band, a fine band, but far less ambitious and innovative than the band that was born on "John Barleycorn Must Die." Losing Dave Mason didn't deplete Traffic; it freed the band from the strictures of its previous incarnation as a generator of hit singles and allowed the fruitful collaboration among Winwood, Chris Wood and Jim Capaldi to reach its full apogee. "John Barleycorn" doesn't sound anything like the Traffic that did songs like "Feelin' Alright" or "Heaven is in Your Mind."
   
   Nor is this version of Traffic -- which continued through the remainder of its career -- a "jam band" in the sense that those words now signify. The compositions on "John Barleycorn..." as well as on subsequent classics like "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" are highly structured. Built into that structure were opportunities to perform solos. Both were multi-instrumentalists, so for some songs that means Winwood soloing on organ, guitar and piano, and Wood on flute and saxophone. Or some combination thereof. Both were virtuosos whose solos had much more to say, musically, than 95 percent of rock instrumentalists. And you couldn't pin them down. Their muse pulled them in many directions: Rock, folk, jazz, R&B and various subgenres. What Capaldi provides here and would blossom later into a signature quality was an incredible suppleness of rhythm. He could lay down a fat groove or a solid 4/4, or he could swing lightly, or he could click away in an ethereal mist. Whatever the song needed. Rhythmic adventurousness was Traffic's foundation beginning with this album.
   
   The only drawback I find to "John Barleycorn..." is a wish they had gone further. Clearly, this group was awaiting an African drummer -- you can almost hear it on some of the tracks. Of course, that drummer arrived in time for the next Traffic album, "Welcome to the Canteen," and is one of the factors in making the next three Traffic albums the unheralded classics that they are.
   
   As for the individual songs -- I can't think of a better suite than the three songs that made up the original Side 1 of this disk: "Glad, "Freedom Rider" and "Empty Pages." Then you've got the wondrous title song, which was the centerpiece of side 2. "Stranger to Himself" is an R&B style tune, in the mode of the previous incarnation's great final single, "Shanghai Noodle Factory/Medicated Goo." It's just a wonderful slab of music that you'll play a long time before getting tired of it.



2. The album itself is fantastic. A genuine classic.
   
   The problem is in the totally crappy re-mastering job. There is audible dropout at the beginning of "Glad" on the left channel, which eventually straightens out after a few seconds, but ruins the song. "Empty Pages" is really bad. It has a wow/flutter effect throughout that might have been in the original recording, but I doubt it. It basically sounds like cassette tapes used to sound when they would get old and worn out, creating a fluttering sound quality.
   
   I suspect the master tapes have gone bad here in spots, but it could just be my system. I listen on headphones, which might make me more sensitive to flaws. But, I think anyone thinking of this purchase might want to test a track via download before investing in the entire CD.



3. This is a truly a masterpiece, and the re-mastered tracks sound great. But one star off for the bonus tracks, especially for the one stuck in the middle. I'm not a big fan of bonus tracks in general; they rarely add to the experience, but at least stick em at the end where they can be properly ignored. The liner notes for the re-issue give a clue to their cluelessness: "Along with Fairport Conventions Liege and Leif, John Barleycorn Must Die stands as a pivotal statement in late 60's/early 70's British folk rock music". Huh? Did the person who wrote that even listen to anything besides the title track???



4. There are old stand-bys in Metamorpho's world like life perservers when the going gets tough and Metamorpho gets moaning. Not that I am ever known to whine people. (I hear laughs! Search the audience! I want names, dates, places on my desk in the morning!). O.K., where was I? Oh yes, there are just great recordings that I rely on to get my fair share of joy and revelry in this poor, old (and sometimes) pathetic world. This is one of them. A pure pop-rock-jazz influenced gem if there ever was one.
   
   Did I not tell you (it seems like leagues ago) that Clapton and Winwood gave a great show with Blind Faith, but the best was yet to come. Well, I already gave you the Layla Lecture (a noted high point in your beloved Seer's career), but now I give you Winwood's triumph, John Barleycorn.
   
   It is magikal, effervescent (sort of like the bubbles that make their way to the top of Metamorpho's champagne glass), creative exhuberent music. This is music with heart and soul. And you will be totally enthralled by the riffs (sometimes keyboard oriented) and the whirlwind (or Winwood?) expertise contained herein. You doubt my word? How bold.
   
   The fact that this music was accomplished by only 3 extraordinary musicians should peak your interest for sure. The sound is the unmistakeable sound of Traffic (sorry Dave Mason) with the inclusion of woodwind instruments. Well, what would you expect with names like Steve Winwood and Chris Wood? Very appropriate, if you ask me.
   
   The sound is hardy, solid, sometimes mixed with soul and jazz kisses. There is really no other album like it. The genius behind Steve's talent is that he was able to go from album to album and make each one a unique entity. Discovering new grooves along the way. This is one of his highest, finest moments. Of that, I have no doubt. (Then again, Seers rarely doubt their intuitions). ;)
   
   This is a classic. Miss it at your peril. From the beginning instrumental of "Glad", you will get on a ride that will last the whole album. Listen to that piano riff with sax people! Are you going to sit there and tell me this is not great stuff? If you do I will vote you off the island! That sax note (the off center one) that Chris Wood hits in "Freedom Rider" is infectuous and will work itself into your brain that you will wait for it to please on subsequent listenings. Believe me, I know.
   
   The opening organ joy riff and following ride on "Empty Pages" continues along this overindulgence avenue. And then Winwood gives you that wonderful, disjointed piano jouney with "Stranger to Himself" including that wirey guitar addition and fuzzy lead guitar. Everything here is so well done. Me, with all my ultimate wisdom, could not help to create a better blend of instruments.
   
   They then take on an olde English folk tune, "John Barleycorn", and this, my people, was sheer genius. They give you rock-pop-jazz and then tone it down to this. Amazingly effective and brilliant! Supposedly, it was a tune against alcohol but, in the end, John Barleycorn won out. As stated in the liner notes "but there are many other interpretations". So kind of Traffic to leave it up to our imaginations! "Every Mother's Son" gives Steve free range on the keyboards while allowing his vocals to reclaim the soul he had with the Spencer Davis Group. This song is not a rave by any means, but it's meter reveals many colours.
   
   In closing, this is one of my treasured and most liked albums in my archives. It is one of the few that I keep under lock and key. Only dragon fire can break the lock (and, believe me people, he is far away in an unused part of my castle!). Anyway, if you like late 60's-early 70's rock music at all, this one should definitely be in any worthwhile collection. If you have it-you know all my words ring true. If you don't have it - take heart, salvation is yet to come with the purchase!
   
   as always, thinking of my vast public -- your own, Metamorpho ;)



5. One of the best pieces of music ever recorded. Not a bad song on the whole CD. Unique ---unlike any others. LOVE "Traffic"

5 comments about In Search of the Lost Chord.

1. I love all of the Moody Blues Albums up until the Seventh Sojourn.I have yet to further explore anything after that.Obviousley Days of Future Passed was the masterpiece that got them started,but if I had to pick a favorite this would be the one.It has a very natural feel to it as if the whole band was on the same page with what the finished product would be.Very very mellow music.I was only 18 when i first heard this one and I have very fond memories of that time.As a matter of fact it is hard to look back around that time in my life and not think of this album.You can press play and listen to it all the way thru so it is hard to pick out highlights.My favorite part of the album is from "Voices in the Sky" up until "The Actor".It is impossible for me to listen to these four songs and not feel somewhat nostalgic about the place I was at when I first heard them.Not that it doesn't work as a whole album,the second half just seems to have some extra mellow sixties magic to it.Highly recommended for those of you whose ears bleed when they hear death metal or gangster rap(In other words bad music)Long live the Moody Blues.



2. I don't know where this CD was made, but it is a terrible recording. Not worth the free shipping.



3. What better way to journey back to the fun and foolishness of Pyschedelia than with a talented troupe of young Brits? You might laugh at the faux oratorio format of "House of Four Walls" or the overindulgence in sitar throughout the album, but it's really more a matter of innocence than of pretense. And there are many moments of true beauty, rare in rock in any era, including "Voices in the Sky", and the joy of "Ride My Seesaw" is irresistible. Stuck as we are with the dreariness of much post-modern rock, it's nice to be reminded of the multi-instrumental virtuosity of Moody Blues arrangements, not all that far away from the colorful lushness of some operatic and classical music. And this is the kind of album meant to be listened to from beginning to end, pretty much conceived of as a suite. "You can fly", the guys intone, "High as a kite, if you want to/Faster than light, if you want to/Speeding through The Universe/Thinking is the best way to travel." Thinking with your ears, that is, and in this day and at my age, it's a bit safer than mescaline.



4. The Moodies would find out here if they'd succeed in a major revamping of their sound. Most Moodies fans know that they started out with Denny Laine at the helm, sounding like if the Rolling Stones were less punky and more bluesy (try "Early Blues"). Then along came "Days Of Future Passed", but that was no indicator of what was to come--concept albums using full orchestra seldom mark a major change. The tend to be a "special treat". Hell, you take out the orchestral and spoken interludes and you end up with a pretty short album. But now it was back to doing song albums. And this one proved that the Moodies we know today were here to stay--a whole new sound under an existing name. Take a Graeme Edge poem that ramps up in intensity until it ends in hysterical laughter and segue into a driving but melodic "Ride My See Saw" and off we go. Next is the elementary school folk sound of "Dr. Livinstone I Presume" where Ray Thomas makes like Stephen Foster. I'll reserve comment on the "House Of Four Doors/ Legend Of a Mind" medley--it was trendy back in those days to see Timothy Leary as a heroic fugure. Then we open side 2 (vinyl version" with Justin Hayward's now-famous baritone in "Voices In the Sky". Keyboardist Mike Pinder gnext gives us "The Best Way To Travel", which has an annoying toot-toot-toot figure in the last verse that makes you think there's a bearing going bad in your player. "The Actor" is by far the best song on the album, proving that you can mix an acoustic guitar and flute and still have a good solid beat. No, Jethro Tull did NOT do it first. I suppose "The Voice/ Om" can be forgiven--those were days when it was fashionable to think that Western culture was an abomination and Eastern was the way to go. Rather than take the "raga-rock" direction, the Moodies did like the Beatles and built this song in that ole Subcontinental style from the ground up. But with the exception of that and the Leary hymn, this was the way they were to go over several albums. And thereby avoiding becoming the "Also-Rolling Stones" and carving a niche with an immediately recognizable sound. Maybe they've never been truly rock and roll in the true sense. Graeme Edge didn't trash hotel rooms. John Lodge didn't get say "I'm sick of being nothing but Hayward's tenor harmony" and walk out for a solo career--he's still there. Ray Thomas didn't die of an o.d.--he retired like any working man. Which is why I can draw my own pension and still listen to the same act I heard on the radio as a college undergrad. Neil Young once said "It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps", but that ideology only impresses the very young and very angry.



5. This album by the Moodies is a bit dated what with its references to Timothy Leary and so on. Very current at the time but not now. A different world today, unfortunately. However, that said, the usual Moody Blues attention to engineering sound, good melodic lines, and so on.

5 comments about Abbey Road [Vinyl].

1. A thousand reviews? I only can echo the majority. This is simply another masterpiece from the greatest band that ever cut a record. These four were in a class by themselves. The Beatles and then there were all the others. Abbey Road blew everyone away when it came out and still is an experience and not just a set of songs put together for listening to while you run the vacumn cleaner. I always think of some of the assertions that have been made about Shakespeare when I take in the entire catlog of the Beatles. It seems impossible that one small rock combo could come together and create art the way they did the same way that so many people can't imagine one person writing as many classics as Shakespeare did. During the time of the Beatles, it was one set of songs after another, album after album of music that cut a new path a little deeper each time. Abbey Road was like a non-stop freight train and a must for anybody that can grasp the significance of this time period and the effect of this music on what was happening.



2. Abbey Road by The Beatles,1969,almost the end of the road for the group,This is the Beatles final album,leaving behind a legacy mechanically unmatched,surpassing the word classic which is an understatement,Frank Sinatra once said,Something,was the best song of the decade,nobody was inclined to give ol' blue eyes an argument,if anybody knew about songs it would be Sinatra,speaking of songs on Abbey Road,there's too many to talk about,but a good example of the classical touch,The Beatles showed the world,the timeless,Sun King,revealing the harmonies,that was always self evident in the early days,and probably the main ingredient for their success,along with the brilliant songwriting. Another notable song to mention,the McCartney ballad,Oh Darling!,McCartney showcasing his full potential as an established singer,rehearsing this song for weeks breaking in the harshness in his voice for this recording,and this recording,Abbey Road,a true timeless masterpiece,and a cool cover to match the title,The Beatles are like a fine wine aging with time.



3. Until about 5 years ago, some friends and I would rent a house every summer down the Jersey shore. About 8 or 9 of us would check the house parties in Belmar, then hit all the clubs including Bar A, DJ's, The Parker House etc.
   
   One night there was a concert at the Garden State Arts Center featuring The Black Crowes with special guest Jimmy Page of the classic-rock band Led Zeppelin. Being that Page is possibly the greatest guitarist of all time, a friend and I decided to check out the show.
   
   The Black Crowes had solid hits including 'Remedy' and 'Salvation' recognizable to most fans. But the thing that struck me most about that evening was the rather large difference in music quality between the Zeppelin classics, and even the best Crowes' music. The vintage stuff was simply on another level playing songs like 'In The Evening' and 'Ten Years Gone'... Which brings me to the point; that superordinary class of music rings true on the Beatle's album Abbey Road. It is clearly superior music to what other bands are able to play.
   
   Now, I'm not the biggest Beatle's fan out there, but strangely enough, during the 1970's a teacher at our rather conservative Catholic school talked the nuns into taking the 6th, 7th and 8th graders to see Beatlemania in NYC. If I remember correctly, everything was cool until they showed that big, hippie-momma with the oversized mammaries nursing twins au naturel on the big-screen.
   
   Anyway, there's been a lot of talk between Beatle's fans about which album is their crème de la crème. Is it Sgt. Pepper? The White Album? Or maybe even Let it Be? I'll throw my dusty cowboy hat into the ring and say Abbey Road is hands-down the finest album ever recorded by the Fab Four. Every fan of rock music deserves to have it in their collection. It's THAT good. Considering it was their second to last recording, it makes you wonder what might have been had they stayed together another ten years.



4. Eevn though I am a die hard Thrash/Death Metal fan I have am a huge fan of Classic Rock. The Beatles are my favorite band of all time, and this album shows why. Flawless writing and playing. If you do not own this album you need help.



5. Following the relative failure of the "Let It Be" project, John, Paul, George, and Ringo were able to get back together to make music one last time, and named their final LP, released in the fall of 1969, for the studios in which they had done all their recording--somehow, an appropriate gesture. The late George Harrison's songwriting was peaking just as the Fab Four were disintegrating as a group--he contributed the album's two best songs, and, with "Something," finally got the A-side of a single. The second side's medley is a masterful interweaving of varied song fragments, none really strong enough to stand on its own, into a rich musical tapestry--like master chefs creating a gourmet meal out of leftovers in the refrigerator. "Her Majesty" is a brief anticlimax; the group, knowing it was dying, didn't want anyone crying at the end. Down came the curtain.

5 comments about Obscured by Clouds.

1. Sandwiched between Meddle and Dark Side is this album, which is unjustly forgotten about due to the fact that it's overshadowed by the masterpiece that immidiatly followed it. Which is a real shame, becuase there's some good stuff on here that definetly paved the way for Dark Side Of The Moon. Listening to this album, you can tell that they were destined for greatness, but it hasn't quite shown just yet. There's some damn good melodies on this album that's closer to Dark Side then Meddle. The title track and When You're In are both highlights with it's gritty synth patterns, carefully constructed guitar bends, and one powerful 3-chord riff. It's definetly a "cities burning" type of track that Pink Floyd did so well in the 70's. It's more accented on playing than sound, which is great. Childhood's End is another underrated classic, basically the blueprint for Time. It even has the tick-tock clock effect! Wot's...Uh The Deal is another classic, with lyrics about getting old (here we go again with Dark Side) and a melody that would easily fit on said album. Burning Bridges is essentially a reprise of Echoes, and also, a precursor to Breathe too. The Gold It's In The is a really upbeat rocker that always manages to move me, and Free Four, a little country tune about Roger's dead father, is another deep track that I enjoy. Anyone who loves Dark Side and doesn't listen to this album is surely missing something. It really is the next link to bigger and better things.



2. When I heard this anew I was shocked to hear how terribly dated this recording is, as in 'The pink panther' movies-dated or Manson-trial dated.
   Nevertheless this album is arguably PF's finest release to date, and, sadly, their last worthwhile attempt. All successors well, kinda sucked. DSOTM, WYWH, Animals, Wall are arguably worst in a lifetime acheavements.
   This would arguably deserve a huge 5 stars, but I have to give it 4 for being so terribly dated.



3. not quite the pink floyd we know and love. i think that the songs on here are two short there all just three minutes long which is not pink floyd in least in some cases. and the type of music on here just isnt so much them but still is pretty good
   the album before dark side of the moon
   pretty good for any big floyd fan



4. Sandwiched between two "core" Floyd albums (Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon), Obscured by Clouds is often overlooked by casual fans. In reality, most fans of those two albums would enjoy this more-than-solid LP.
   
   Stylistically, this album falls comfortably in the 1970-73 Floyd style. The collaborative spirit that characterized Floyd in the late 60s and 70s is fully present, with the only exception being that the results are packaged into a relatively compact form (no songs over 6 minutes in length).
   
   The songs with vocals are generally in a fairly straight-ahead rock style. "What's Uh... the Deal" is really the highlight here, a beautiful slightly folkish tune. Gilmour's "Childhood's End" anticipates "Time" stylistically, while Waters's "Free Four" (an otherwise unremarkable tune) foreshadows his later interest in darker themes. The two Rick Wright tunes are nice and pleasant if a little too soft-rockish for some fans.
   
   The instrumentals are also relatively straightforward, with little of the experimentation present on A Saucerful of Secrets or Ummagumma. "Obscured by Clouds" and "When You're In" were played together live and function as a fine intro. "Mudmen" is also great - a combination of psychedelic keyboards with intense, wailing guitar solos. (Clearly an antecedent for "Marooned", on The Division Bell.)
   
   Many fans of Pink Floyd's most popular albums will find lots of material to enjoy here. Recommended.



5. This is the last album before Dark Side of The Moon and the last soundtrack that they had made. It's often unfairly overlooked because Dark Side of The Moon came next and....well you know the whole story with Dark Side of The Moon. But this album should be given greater credit than it is given. The band finally get to grips with the machines that they had been trying to mastering since 1967....and while those albums are brilliant in their own way, they still gave you the feeling that they were haunted by Syd, musically. They always were haunted by Syd of course, but pre-Dark Side seemed to show it even more. It was only by the time Meddle had arrived that they were beginning to shift musically and were beginning a more settled patch.
   
   From the start of the album, the album sees a band more confident in their abilities. The songwriting is more assured although perhaps missing some of the quirks that made some of their earlier albums a bit more fun ( I use that term loosely, some people might not see it ). But the quality of the music cannot be faulted.....as I've said it is more assured, more powerful and while not quite forceful, it certainly doesn't descend into mania like what would've happened earlier. It's the first time where you really sense they've learned to control themselves without hampering the music. It's also quite pastoral too which is quite welcome.
   
   Having said all this, it still strikes me as an odd album for a soundtrack because if you take away the fact that it was a soundtrack this would be a very decent rock album. Having seen the film, it underused many of the tracks and does the music a disservice I feel. But then that's not the point really is it? The film's not much really....but it would be a crime to forget about this album because it's not Dark Side of The Moon or it was the one before. If you want the big picture you've got to look at the finer details that went on beforehand.

5 comments about Band Of Gypsys.

1. This is one of the most important rock/soulful CD's you can have in your collection. It's like a beautiful and intense painting that you have to engage with. A rock mantra. For all guitar players to enjoy.



2. Growing up, I loved Jimi Hendrix's Experience. I had never tried his Band of Gypsies vinyl back in the day. I bought this on sale to add to the Hendrix collection and I'm not sure if it will stay. This album is the first after his breakup with them and it's a live recording from 1969.
   
   Some say it's the beginning of the end, I cannot say that. It's good, solid blues, but I prefer hearing Hendrix rocking.
   
   This is a six song collection, that is almost 46 minutes long. You get a lot of live jamming on this CD, which is mostly worth hearing. Vocals on "Who Knows" just annoy me; however, "Machine Gun" is excellent--good strong playing and one of my favorites of all his work.
   
   I don't regret hearing this CD, but I think I'd rather remember Jimi rocking with the Experience than bluesing with the Gypsies.
   
   Rebecca Kyle, May 2008



3. I yield to no man when it comes to admiring Jimi Hendrix - indeed, watching and listening to him perform in a tiny club, way back in '67, was one of the highlights of my life. It was transformational. That said, let's be honest about Band of Gypsies - it's a mess. Of course, the failures of Hendrix transcend the triumphs of mortals, but still.
   
   Hendrix freely admitted that he was no great singer, and his limitations have never been more evident. Even Buddy Miles, who was better, sounds awful. Perhaps the live concert environment meant they couldn't hear themselves. Indeed, this album would have been much better had there been no vocals at all. The jams, naturally, smoke like a southbound train, Hendrix is in great form. But play the CD again and imagine how much better it would sound purely instrumental.
   
   Swapping out Mitch Mitchell for Buddy Miles was like trading in a Rolls Royce for a Yugo, Miles is particularly unexceptional here. The bass contribution by Billy Cox could have been handled just as well by a table lamp. Most egregious of all is the material itself. From a song-writing point of view there is little to cheer, particularly when it comes to lyrics. This would be more palatable if the singing were expert; unfortunately, the awkward vocals Hendrix delivers draw attention to the inadequacies of the lyrics.
   
   Of course it's worth owning and listening to, but, for a variety of reasons, it is just not up to the standards of the 3 "Experience" albums.



4. Jimi Hendrix-Band Of Gypsys *****
   
   Complete with ex-Electric Flag drummer Buddy Miles and old army buddy Billy Cox on bass and the man himself Jimi Hendrix on guitar at a loose New Years Eve concert at Bill Graham's Fillmore East jam Band Of Gypsys is the essential Hendrix recording, as well as his best.
   
   The rhythm section of Miles and Cox is in my opinion better than that of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Also I must say, that to me this is the best Hendrix ever played, nothing I have ever heard from him on any other release even comes close to this, maybe 'Voodoo Child (Slight Return)' from Electric Ladyland comes close but nothing else. His songwriting is also amazing here. I am not going to say it is better then on his other recordings though because I feel that Jimi was an amazing songwriter his entire career.
   
   'Who Knows' kicks things off on this blues-fusion album and does so greatly. 'Machine Gun' is perhaps the greatest thing Hendrix ever did. The guitar work is breathtaking, and the Vietnam conscious lyrics are heartfelt. Buddy Miles' 'Changes' is killer. The guitar and vocal work is some of the best and most raw blues ever recorded. 'Power To Love' and 'Message To Love' go hand in hand and should only be listened to back to back in succession. 'We Got To Live Together' closes the album and does so with a bang. The group vocals really get the message of the song across, and Hendrix's guitar sound on this track is head scratching, and Cox's bass playing on this track owns anything by the Experience.
   
   Band Of Gypsys was Hendrix's anti-celebrity album. He wanted to get away from the showmanship of his earlier recordings and performances because he and his black audience felt it was demeaning much like it was for the fantastic Louis Armstrong. I think he achieved what he set out to with Band Of Gypsys and so much more. This is a fantastic record that should be heard by everyone.



5. To make it short and sweet.Just listing to Machine Gun with all those war sounds coming out his guitar shows me Jimi Hendrix was and still thousand ahead of any computrize sounding guitar player of today.Hendrix is god !

5 comments about Best of the Animals.

1. The Animals: Eric Burdon on vocals, Chas Chandler on bass, John Steel on drums, Hilton Valentine on guitar, Alan Price and Dave Rowberry on organ and piano. And this group made some of the best blues rock music of the 1960s. This CD includes works recorded in 1964 and 1965.
   
   It starts out with the classic "House of the Rising Sun." This is rawly sung and sung in a compelling manner by Eric Burdon. He had one of the truest blues voices of the 1960s among younger singers. The organ of Alan Price adds a really neat element to this song, with foreboding lines such as "[this house] has been the ruin of many a poor boy, and Lord I'm one."
   
   I also enjoy their effort at singing Chuck Berry. His "Around and Around" is a wonderful little rock and roll piece, and the Animals cover it nicely. Burdon does a credible job singing this familiar Berry work, with classic lines such as "never stop rockin' until the moon went down." And Hilton Valentine plays nice Chuck Berry guitar work.
   
   John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" is a classic blues song. How well to the Animals cover this? Good blues guitar work by Valentine and a nice organ element by Price add to the song greatly. Burdon isn't John Lee Hooker "listen to the latter's vocal styling!), but he does a nice job in his own terms. In short, a satisfying cover of a fine blues song.
   
   I could not resist commenting on their version of a Goffin-King composition, "I'm in Love Again." The Animals imbue this with a nice blues-rock sensibility.
   
   And then one of their classic anthems, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." Key line up front: "You'll be dead before your due." This is about living in a working/lower class situation; Burdon sings of his father's desperate life. He sings of how he and his girl have to escape, with the lines (poignantly and rawly sung): "We gotta get out of this place, if it's the last thing we ever do," in order to achieve a "better life." A pretty somber picture of life at the bottom. This contains an awful lot of social commentary, scaffolded by some fine rock and roll instrumental work.
   
   My last illustration of the work from this CD--"Story of Bo Diddley." They begin with that distinct Bo Diddley sound, played quite nicely. This is the story of Bo Diddley, with mention of the Rolling Stones, Beatles, and references to Bob Dylan and so on. Enchanting!
   
   So, the bottom line? This is a wonderful collection of the Animals' best works. Obviously, one can argue that 15 cuts cannot do justice to the work of the Animals. But this is one unbelievable set of songs, so I have no beef on that point. A must buy if you want the best of the Animals.



2. Whereas THE BEST OF ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS covers the Animals' Decca years 1966-69, THE BEST OF THE ANIMALS covers their 1964-65 period on EMI under producer/manager Mickie Most. Although it's obvious that the band matured considerably on a musical level after leaving Most for R&B stalwart Tom Wilson, their early years with Most producing were almost as good, if a little on the poppy side. Many of their songs from this period were written by Brill Building songwriters or were vintage R&B covers, but the band still managed to make them their own, which is quite commendable considering that at EMI they were on a fairly short leash. If you buy the two CDs together, you'll have a fairly complete picture of what the Animals did during the 1960s.



3. Another great CD that brings back the best music ever made. These songs stand the test of tome. All the songs were reproduced to bring you superior listening pleasure. Don't hesitate to buy this one.



4. Yes Yes... I am here safe in my castle sipping brandy and quite warm by the fireplace. I tell you people it is cold out there. Sub-zero temperatures, my laundry freezing on the line, and the moat is totally frozen. Even the sea serpent begged me for refuge. I did have a pantry that is only 30 degrees, so I let him stay there. He is so grateful that he wants to give testimony of my generosity to the world. I told him not to bother, they already know that. You DO know that people, don't YOU?
   
   Anyway, aside from various creatures in and around my castle home, I decided it was time to review the Animals. How bold to name a whole group after a species - but there you go. The Animals came with the 60's British Invasion and they were very different in their musical approach. I tend to think it's a matter of influences. What drove the Animals were a mix of John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley and Same Cooke - just to name a few. Coupled with the fact that these English guys put their own spin on this music made them very unique indeed.
   
   You know, I can imagine club hopping in London back then and hearing this band give it everything. Alot of these songs have a club feeling to it. Just imagine yourself in that setting while you listen to this - you will see what I mean. This music is a blend of rock-blues-soul that, if not masterful, is rewarding on so many levels.
   
   You have the harsh, whiskey imbued vocals of Eric Burdon. I can think of no other singer that came out of that era with his ability. So, when he sings of pain, or loss, or love - the grittiness of his voice and experience gives it the stamp of reality. He comes across as the bad boy - much more prominently than Mick Jagger ever did. And, I think this adds a little more mystery in his efforts.
   
   There are pure pop gems included here that no one should be without. Shall I name them? O.K.- stop twisting my arm! They are "House of the Rising Sun" (which I believe was a folk tune they transposed), "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (Eric's plea that he really does try to be good and well-intentioned), "We Gotta Get Out of this Place" (an urgency to leave a soiled environment behind), and "It's My Life" (which is a strong warning against outside control). These songs are essential to any respectable collection of 60's tunes. To be without them is to be like having no heat in the castle on a day like today. Be an icicle at your own peril!
   
   The other songs on this album all contribute to the vibe. "I'm Crying" with that organ groove, "Baby Let Me Take You Home"- a stomping romp the leads to a rave-up, and "I'm In Love Again" which follows a classic rock-rythmn and blues progression. Some mid-60's groups tried to copy the feel of the Animals music with mixed success. They shouldn't have bothered. Eric and company do a far better job.
   
   In closing, I should say that these musicians, although very competent, are not vituosos by any means. They are streetwise English boys who worked hard and made it on grit, stance, and a whole lotta heart and soul.
   This is a fine memory of how the simple things were, in many ways, superior to the over technical music we have today.
   Gotta go now. Jack Frost is outside threatening to huff and puff and blow my castle down. Hah! Let him try. It's amazing what a Seer on brandy can do!
   
   I'm just a Seer whose intentions are good ---Metamorpho



5. I was expecting a re-master collection of songs. The recording of this CD sounds like how I first listened to this music, thru a 2 inch speaker on a portable transistor AM radio. There is some attempt to create stereo sound on a few of the songs. Too bad, the music is great! Eric Burdon was great with the Animals. Almost makes me miss the sixties and all that went with it!