5 comments about From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters.

1. I would recommend this for anyones collection. Elvis is great, the music is great & the sound is great. No re-mixes!!!!!! Its just the way Elvis wanted it to sound like. No one can improve perfection. I wish they would leave his music alone. These cd's are great!!!! You also need to get the 50's & the 70's Masters to complete the collection. All 3 of them are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. This five CD collection features all of Elvis Presley's "essential 60's masters". This does not include soundtrack recordings, gospel songs or live performances. Elvis' 1960s recordings sometimes don't get much respect, mostly because many of the soundtrack songs were pretty bad. But the non-soundtrack songs were of a much higher quality. Nearly all the songs in this collection are very good. A few unreleased recordings (mostly alternate takes) are thrown in to appeal to collectors. This is a great collection that reevaluates Elvis Presley's '60s recordings.



3. It's about time this box set was rereleased with better packaging and more recent remasters. That goes for the 70's masters box set, too.



4. Great collection of Elvis 60's music. Be sure to treat yourself to the 50's and 70's collection to complete your collection. There are several songs not included on other cd's. You won't be disappointed.



5. Why isn't that song on here? That's a fantastic song! Mercy!

5 comments about In My Lifetime (3CD).

1. This boxed set is in a beautiful case with an impressive colour booklet and his comments on all the songs. I can't fault the lovely presentation, and yet as a product it falls short of what it could have been. Instead of 3 disks, why not use the space in the large box for 4 disks? And why include all the songs that every fan or even casual listener already knows? The truly fascinating ones were the demos and rarities. The set should have contained ONLY demos, rarities and alternate takes. We already have all the other songs and do not need them again! In fact I have THREE different greatest hits compilations besides this one, because I was trying to get all the tracks I did not have. Even this "definitive" collection does not have everything so it's just another, except for the booklet, the case, and the few rarities!
   
   I have to say, in reviewing the "new" material, the previously unreleased tracks (very few), that these were highly enjoyable and just made me want more. In fact I loved Scotch on the Rocks a lot more than the final version, Love on the Rocks. And I loved hearing his daughters join in with his early rehearsal of Beautiful Noise.
   
   I guess for some this could be fun just as it is, and listened to straight through as a retrospective, but to me it's just another collection missing a lot of tracks, and I bought it JUST for the couple of rare tracks, and it was quite pricy for that!



2. I love every song on the album and he really is a great singer. I will treasure this set of CDs for many years to come.
   Neil Diamond was one of the highlights of my lifetime and was a very pleasant part of my era.



3. I haven't opened this yet, as I purchased it for a Christmas gift. However, I do want to say that it contains almost everything Neil Diamond has recorded, and some that I haven't heard. I know my husband will be thrilled on Christmas morning.



4. Well, I finally got old enough to let myself buy and listen to whatever I want whether or not it's considered "cool". I rememberd I always enjoyed the earlier Neil Diamond classics when I heard them on the radio years ago, and then I wondered why I never actually bought any of his music.
   
   Some may think that this guy is corny, but let's face it, he's got a great voice and he wrote some classics, and the arrangements are often excellent too, so why not load up on Neil Diamond at this price? Anyway, I looked at all the options, the greatest hits CDs and various compilations, and I settled on this one.
   
   I must say it's great to hear these old classics without the DJ talk over the beginning and the end, and on a high quality sound system. It's also great to hear some of his not so well knows stuff thrown in there too. It's plenty listenable, but I won't get sick of it quite as much as if it was just the "favorites" one after another. Great stuff!



5. ..Neil Diamond obnoxiously assumed we would be entertained/intrigued/touched by letting his little kids be present on a few songs. It killed the CD set for me. I have copied the best songs and sold it already. Very disappointing. Otherwise he was great and his songs bring back alot of memories from the '70s.

5 comments about Music to Crash Your Car To, Vol. 2.

1. Fantastic product. New and old Crue songs, remixed and live. Great pictures and comic book included.



2. Even though I prefer the 80's Motley Crue era music to that of the 90's, this set does a great job of giving you the next installment of music after their first 4 albums. It combines 5 whole albums into 4 discs without giving you anything twice. It also contains extra tracks exclusive only to this set. The packaging mirrors MTCYCT: Vol 1 so you feel like it all belongs together. The full color booklet has photos I've never seen before, plus a fold-out poster and comic book. The ONLY downsides are that it does not contain the original album covers, and there are no photos of John Corabi. Even though he's not the original singer, I'd rather have pictures of him than Vince during his PHP (Pink Hair Period).



3. Motley Crue has been popular for over twenty years, and they were one of the few bands that survived once the hair metal era was dead and over with and grunge had taken over. And now, thanks to all of the artists/bands from different decades who have had their own box sets, it is great to see that Motley Crue has had TWO box sets. Their first box set, "Music To Crash Your Car To", had a pretty positive fan reaction to it, but if you can't tell by reading some of the other customer reviews on here,the reaction most Crue fans have had to this box set has not been too good. I picked up a copy of this box set today, and I was really excited after I bought it. As a matter of fact, I am listening to it as I type this. So,how does this box set measure up compared to the negative reaction it has been getting from most Crue fans? Read on for my review of this:
   
   Pros:
   
   Following up on where Volume One of this box set left off with the albums "Too Fast For Love"(1982), "Shout At The Devil"(1983), "Theatre Of Pain"(1985), and "Girls, Girls, Girls"(1987), this box set contains the four albums Motley Crue recorded after those albums: "Dr. Feelgood"(1989, which made it at #1 on the Billboard charts),their first greatest hits package "Decade Of Decendance:81-91"(1991),their self-titled grunge album with John Corabi on lead vocals(1994),and the rare VERY hard to find "mail order only" "Queternary" EP (1994)which also featured John Corabi on lead vocals and also found Motley Crue attempting grunge. If You're new to Motley Crue and don't own any of their albums, this box set will be a great starter for you, and not only that, you will find yourself lucky enough to buy one item from Motley Crue instead of four before(or if)you buy/decide to buy the rest of their albums.
   
   A small booklet comes with this box set, which features liner notes written by Connecticut-based music journalist and Metal Edge Staff writer Roger Lotring. Rare photos are also to be found inside the liner notes (the only one that should not have been included in there is the picture of Nikki Sixx standing next to Mick Mars, Tommy Lee, and Vince Neil wearing none or very little clothes, yuck, who would want to see that except for mothers of hormonal teenage childern???!!!)and there is info on all of the songs/albums that this box set has with it.
   
   A poster from the "Decade of Decedance" album comes with this, which kind of showcases the career of Motley Crue and their lives outside of the band; the poster is very cool and it is already hanging up in my room.
   
   A comic book that has THREE comic strips inside it comes with this box set; one is called "Motley Crue:West Coast Wildmen",one is called "Snotley Crue", the other is very short and is simply titled "Addiction" while it is making fun of Nikki Sixx. Both of the comic strips are not only very funny,but they are also accurate: Motley Crue did open for KISS and they did get accused of trying to be too much like them,Nikki Sixx was once engaged to Vanity, and I won't give away everything, but if You're a die hard Motley Crue fan with a good sense of humor that already knows a lot about the band, then You'll probably enjoy these comic strips.
   
   As I already mentioned at the top of this review, "Queternary", which was a very rare EP that was a "mail order" only thing is in here, and having it here is a nice touch,because it is very hard to find, and not even Amazon or the Barnes&Noble website has it. Not only that, if that EP wasn't here,if you wanted it,You'd probably have to hunt down several die hard Motley Crue fans that do have it.
   
   Cons:
   
   The bonus tracks on the Japanese version of "Decade Of Decedance" are not to be found here, so even though the compilation producer of this box set was smart to include "Queternary" with this box set, what was he/she thinking when they decided not to include the bonus tracks available on the Japanese version of that album(Decade)?
   
   While this box set covers stuff from the Motley Crue era with John Corabi, even though you will find his name in the liner notes (info on the albums and the story that comes before the info on the individual albums)they did not include his picture in there. Sure, Corabi wasn't Vince Neil,but since this box set has stuff from the Motley era with Corabi on lead vocals,it was inexusable not to include a picture of him with Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Mick Mars.
   
   The first eleven seconds of "Power To The Music" off of the self-titled album with John Corabi were chopped off- the worst thing about it is that if You've payed close attention to that album being re-issued(the remastered album sold seperately has fifteen songs,the version on here has thirteen songs)then you may have noticed that they did not have to put the bonus tracks on a seperate disc-the version to be found here and the remastered album sold seperately.
   
   A little bit of wrong information on the album notes for "Dr. Feelgood"- yes, Steven Tyler did sing background vocals on "Sticky Sweet" off of that album, but the guy who typed the info on the individual albums liner forgot to mention that he also did "Slice Of Your Pie"-if You've heard that song before You'll notice his vocals on that song, and not only that, in the liner notes for that album sold seperately,they even thanked him for doing the background vocals for that song.
   
   Overall:
   
   Despite It's few faults, this is an excellent box set, and it is one of the few Motley Crue compilations that is worth shelling out your cash for. Still not sure whether or not you want this box set? Then log on www.real.com,install the music program Real Rhapsoady on your computer, start listening to it, and then make the decision to whether or not you want this box set.



4. Considering that theyve only released one really good album in the last ten years(a lot of people dont cound the s/t, generation swine didnt sound like motley), and that theyve released ANOTHER greatest hits album and two catalog reissues(the only differenc being the newer ones have a video), I see no reason to get these box sets other than if you dont have the albums.



5. Motley Crue could have released the first volume of this three-box series and left it at that. Volume I included their four classic albums from 1981-87, plus all the associated bonus tracks. As an added bonus (or piece of bait, depending on your point of view) they included the entire Leathur Records mix of their debut, freshly mastered, never before released on CD. It was an excellent complete set of music covering the classic years. It allowed you, the Motley Crue fan, to purchase at one reasonable price every piece of music from those years, and sell your originals off if you had them.

   Volume II takes all these positive points, throws them out the window, and adds a heck of a lot of confusion to boot. This box technically covers the years 1989-1994. If they followed the same format as the previous box set, it would include four albums and bonus material. Instead we get two complete albums, and a lump of miscellaneous tracks from a bunch of albums available elsewhere.

   First of all, the two complete Motley records you do get are Dr. Feelgood and the amazing 1994 self-titled album with John Corabi. You also get all the bonus tracks associated with the Hip-O re-releases of those discs. What you do not get in completion is the other record Motley released in that time: Decade Of Decadence. (Although you do, for unknown reasons, get a fold out poster of that album's cover.)

   What Motley Crue have done instead is to give you all the material that was exclusive to Decade Of Decadence: Three remixes, two tracks from compilations, one live song, and the three new tracks. (You do not, however, get the two live tracks from the Japanese pressing of Decade.) They have interspersed those songs with a bunch of tracks from the Vince era of Motley that were previously released on Supersonic And Demonic Relics (1999). The majority of these songs are completely out of place on a box set that covers 1989-1994. On another disc, Motley Crue have taken the John Corabi era tracks from the Supersonic album, mixed them in with all the rare remixes from that era, and the entire Quaternary EP.

   Here's the good news: When I say entire Quaternary EP, I mean it. It has all the tracks from the super rare Japanese version, too. And the remixes included are generally pretty rare. The really rare one was the "Hooligan's Holiday" derelict version, which I have only ever seen once before on a numbered European single.

   Here's the bad news: If you're into the concept of an "album", Motley Crue have just wrecked two in one fell swoop. I've always felt that Decade Of Decadence was a great, perfect greatest hits record, well thought-out and sequenced. Now it no longer exists: can't get it on this box, and it's been deleted and replaced with the updated "Greatest Hits" CD. Supersonic is still available, but it's hard to part with your old copy now that all its tracks are jumbled up here. There's also a glaring error in the liner notes that was probably designed to make you feel like you needed this box set a bit more. "Knock 'Em Dead Kid (Demo)" is listed as only available on the Japanese Supersonic CD, but it's not. You can get it on the currently available Hip-O reissue of that CD.

   Like the previous box set, this one too elimates all original album artwork, packaging, and liner notes (except the aformentioned Decade Of Decadence, which puzzles me.) Instead you get yet another drooling essay about how great the band is. Like the fans need an essay to make them feel OK about liking the band, or something. You also get a mini comic book reprint, which is pretty nice.

   My recommendation: Only buy this box set if you don't already own these albums, or if you feel you'll have no prayer at all of finding the B-sides from the Corabi era. If you're a Motley fan though, chances are you've already collected all this stuff. There is nothing here to bait the die hard collector, like there was on the first box. This box is strictly for beginners, it seems.

   This also raises some questions as to what will be in box III. Generation Swine, for certain, a couple tracks from Greatest Hits, both discs from New Tattoo and both discs from the live album? Can it all be fit in? I suppose we will find out.

5 comments about Metalogy.

1. This box set arrived on time, in great condition, and is a box set most collectors would want. It's packaged with metal studding around the box for novelty, and the CD's cover all the great tunes you'd want to hear, as well as a few hard to find songs. There is a bonus DVD included which is cool. If you love Priest, this is a must have.



2. METALOGY is a box set of 4 cds and 1 dvd released in 2004, just before the reunion-with-Halford album ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION. The 4 cds feature a total of 64 songs spanning their entire career up to that point, whereas the dvd is concert footage from the 1982 SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE tour. The dvd is one-and-the-same as LIVE VENGEANCE '82, which was recorded in Memphis, Tennessee.
   
   Of the 64 songs on the 4 cds, I would say a whole 2/3 of them are mandatory Priest tunes. Yes, there are a few needless turkeys, like Invader. And, yes, there are some glaring omissions, like The Ripper (although this song does appear on the dvd), Dreamer Deceiver, Burning Up, United, Bullet Train, Cathedral Spires, Hell is Home and Subterfuge, but the collection does make up for it with numerous other essential obscure selections, like Stained Class, Dissident Aggressor, Delivering the Goods, The Rage, Solar Angels, Blood Red skies, Blood Stained and Feed on Me.
   
   METALOGY means "the study of metal," which is a perfect title since Judas Priest have recorded and performed practically every form of metal in their 35-year career. In fact, they created the artform (yes, Black Sabbath is heavy, but Judas Priest is metal).
   
   Let's face it, with all the various forms of metal bands out there today, who has the time or cash to keep up? A safer bet is to just invest in Judas Priest since they encompass practically every metal style throughout their career and do it as-good or (more likely) better than any. METALOGY is a great sampling of the numerous songs in their discography. If the price is too steep, then pick up METAL WORKS '73-'93, which is an excellent 2-cd collection.
   
   Want proof that Judas Priest comprises practically every form of metal? Allow me to list their 16 official studio albums and touch on the many metal styles they feature:
   
   ROCKA ROLLA (1974): Zeppelin-ish rock/metal.
   
   SAD WINGS OF DESTINY (1976): gothic metal.
   
   SIN AFTER SIN (1977): gothic metal.
   
   STAINED CLASS (1978): regular metal and speed metal.
   
   HELL BENT FOR LEATHER (1979): heavy metal.
   
   BRITISH STEEL (1980): heavy metal and pop metal.
   
   POINT OF ENTRY (1981): heavy metal and pop rock/metal.
   
   SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE (1982): heavy metal, power metal, speed metal and pop metal.
   
   DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH (1984): ditto.
   
   TURBO (1986): 80's hair/pop rock.
   
   RAM IT DOWN (1988): hair metal.
   
   PAINKILLER (1990): heavy metal, power metal and speed/thrash metal.
   
   JUGULATOR (1997): brutal death/doom metal and speed/thrash metal.
   
   DEMOLITION (2001): ultra-heavy modern metal.
   
   ANGEL OF RETRIBUTION (2005): heavy metal, power metal, speed metal, doom metal and pop metal.
   
   NOSTRADAMUS (2008): epic heavy metal (concept double album) touching on most past styles with numerous acoustic/symphonic elements.
   
   Really, the only style Priest have never dabbled in is black metal, no doubt because they were never anti-Christian (listen to Metal Messiah or Angel if you doubt this), but they do insert slight aspects of this style in their music here and there.
   
   BOTTOM LINE: This METALOGY box set is "the study of metal" and features a solid 40 mandatory Priest songs (out of 64 on the cds). These numbers are an excellent sampling of the entire spectrum of the metal genre. Plus you get an energetic concert dvd from their 1982 SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE tour, which many claim to be their prime era. I disagree. I believe Judas Priest are in their prime NOW. Their last 5 albums feature some of their all-time best output (PAINKILLER-NOSTRADAMUS).



3. Leather sweat and pure raw energy. Rob, KK, GLEN, AND IAN are true gods of Metal.



4. Awesome collection, remastering is pristine. A nice booklet comes with this box set, explaining the history of this metal god. The extra bonus tracks are really good. When I first listened to Metalogy, I wanted this box set to be all studio tracks and no unrealeased tracks, and definintly no live tracks. As I listened to Metalogy straight through on my discman, I enjoyed the extra unreleased studio tracks and the live stuff. All 65 tracks seemed to blend in beautifully for an incredible listen. There are the negatives with Metalogy, ex: live songs and unreleased bonus tracks or there could have been more tracks, but really this box set has to be listened to in its entirety. You hear Judas Priest in all their illustrious career. The 5th disc is a dvd showing the scarce "Screaming For Vegence Tour" Dec.12th 1982. This dvd is worth the the price of Metalogy alone. When you watch this dvd, you see the Priest in a mystical top form as they were in 1982. Yeah, I know there could have been another 5th or 6th cd of music with Metalogy, you know what, I remedied that situation by getting all the Judas Priest remasters. These remasters have excellent linear notes and bonus tracks of live and unreleased songs, the remastering on each of these remastered series cds in incredibly pristine. If missing songs bother you with Metalogy, just get all the Priest 2001 remasters. Metalogy is great for die hard Judas priest fans, but to me Metalogy is a great introduction to The Metal Gods for new fans or the seasoned Priest fan who wants an extensive Priest greatest hits collection thats more comprehensive than Metal Works, Metal Works '73-'93. A must buy for any metal fan period.



5. Ahh......The Priest, one of the godfathers of heavy metal, and a band that was the blueprint for the twin guitar lead attack that perseveres to this day. "Metalogy" is a 4 CD (plus a 5th live DVD) box set from the band that covers their career from the beginning up through the Ripper Owens years at the turn of the millennium. Priests stuff is almost comic book in nature at times, and part of the reason it works is that they never took themselves too seriously. Still, this is serious metal for the heavy rocker. The twin guitar assault of K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton plus the bass of Ian Hill (and several different drummers over the years) set the stage for Rob Halford's screaming vocals. Halford was (and still is) one of the great voices in heavy metal and in the latter years Ripper Owens carried on the legacy stamping his own more modern approach onto two studio albums. This is mainly a retrospective without a ton of extras, although there are a few unreleased tracks to be found here and there. The remastered sound, especially of the early material, is outstanding.
   
   Disc one covers the early years when the band had a slight glam bent to them for a short time, but all under the metal banner. Lots of highlights on this one including "Victim Of Changes", their cover of "Diamonds And Rust", "Exciter", "Beyond The Realms Of Death", "Better By You, Better Than Me", "Stained Class" and their first brush with radio airplay, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Green Manalishi". All great stuff.
   
   Disc two covers the period where the band went from cult status to true metal superstars with the release of albums like "Hell Bent For Leather" and "Screaming For Vengeance". The big hits are here "Breaking The Law", "Heading Out To The Highway", "Living After Midnight"as this disc represents the band's high water mark commercially. Great album cuts are also included, "Evening Star", Grinder", Desert Plains", "The Hellion / Electric Eye" all classic priest.
   
   Disc Three for me sees the material dip a bit in quality. Albums such as "Defenders Of The Faith" and "Turbo" were good, but not quite up to what they had been doing. The disc starts off with more material from "Screaming For Vengeance" including the bands biggest hit "You've Got Another Thing Coming". After that things get a bit more haphazard but highlights include "Freewheel Burning" "Night Comes Down", "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll", Turbo Lover" and the closest thing Priest has ever done to a ballad "Out In The Cold".
   
   Disc Four finds the band at its heaviest. The albums "Ram It Down" and "Painkiller" was scorching metal in every sense of the word. Halford and company take on contemporaries like Metalica at their own game and it mostly succeeds. The guitars are blazing, the drums heavy, and Halford at his screaming best. The last half of the CD cover the two albums made after Halford's departure with former Priest tribute band singer Tim "Ripper" Owens at the helm. The band tried to move to a more modern sound in the vein of something more like Pantera might produce. The songs are great, but somewhat put off the bands older fans who wanted more of a classic metal sound. The last track "Feed On Me" has owns sounding almost like Ronnie James Dio. The material on disc four is solid and although the band was not selling albums at the same rate as they had been, artistically these were strong times for them.
   
   The box also contains a DVD of the band recorded on their "Defenders Of The Faith" tour in 1982. I happened to see that tour and it brought back some great memories.
   
   This is really a great overview of the band and is pretty much everything one would need up until the re-union with Halford in 2004. This box is highly recommended for Priest fans.

5 comments about The Complete Collection and Then Some....

1. I bought this collection for my mom at Christmas. I find that I'm stealing it away from her to listen to it. It's a wonderful collection. The packaging is beautiful too, right down to the retrospective booklet included. If you're a Manilow fan, you'll want to get this collection. It includes remastered songs, live tracks, conversations, and a DVD.



2. I bought this as a gift for someone who just loves Barry, not my choice as a musician but for the person who likes him, they will adore this set. Was an excellent gift for the price.



3. Fantastic collection of his hits many I knew about and many more that I had no idea that they had ever been recorded or existed. A great buy and one I have enjoyed very much in addition to the DVD which included some great clips of some classic performances



4. What's different about this set is that it has some alternate recordings of songs we all love. There are several "live" recordings and some songs sung the way they were originally written. I especially liked the original version of "I made it through the rain." You also receive a book with comments from the original composers/arrangers of the songs - lots of "behind the scenes" information. Thanks, Barry, for continuing to feed our hunger!



5. To potential buyers of the Barry Complete Collection: I grew up singing his songs and have never stopped. I went on to have a 20 year classical singing career but Barry always remained part of my "I call it happy Music"....This collection is interesting for it combines so many different styles and Barry himself is not shy to try for EX: Ave Maria which is my least favorite. I also have never been a lover of the very fast Copa and and other's like it. I have alwys been a ballad gal at heart. Barry does not fall short here with this extended 4 CD and one DVD collection. What I lOVE is that he shares with us so much of his early years with demos where he can even make a mistake and we won't care. He shows us he is a human who sighs and may sing a note that is too edgy or added words on a never released song that you do not hear on the released album. I find this a lot of fun and the added booklet gives you a solid history of the background of Barry's talent which is immense. His voice is his voice and he never feels that he needs to make a big deal about it. It is and appropriate for what he does and he is one of the best song writers we will ever have. I am and will always be a true fan of Barry Manilow. If you ar a die hard Barry fan "This one is for you"

5 comments about Velvet Underground & Nico.

1. It has to be historically accepted that The Velvet Underground & Nico is one of the most inspirational and crucial albums ever made in rock 'n' roll history. This new deluxe edition has great additional features with Nico's voice as well as fine mono versions of the stereo versions of the original album.
   This album was released before other masterpieces of other groups were released. Examples are the following: The Beatles-Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Doors(self-titled album), Pink Floyd-Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Jimi Hendrix-Are You Experienced? However, hardly sold; it only reached 199 on the charts. Well, it just goes to show that commercial success and artistic merit do not always go hand in hand.
   
   This album has one of the most groundbreaking songs of all time, "Heroin". It starts off quiet and slow, then it goes faster during the first verse. During the second and third verses, it does the same thing. Then, in the fourth verse where Lou Reed sings 'Heroin', John Cale starts to play his viola like a buzzing chainsaw. He does this until Lou Reed sings the last line of the song, 'Oh and I guess that I just don't know'. Finally, the song is fairly calm and slow again.
   All of this is execeptional for this avant-garde type of music. All the songs on this album are great. A few in particular which I like besides "Heroin" are "Venus in Furs", "I'm Waiting For My Man", "Run, Run, Run", "All Tomorrow's Parties", "The Black Angels Death Song", and "European Son". Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker, and Nico demonstrate that you do not need to play exact same instruments over and over again or have a clean and clear signing voice to be a fine rock 'n' roll band.
   They were the kind of musicians who thought outside the box and challenged the way rock 'n' roll should be played.
   
   Lou Reed is one of the first artists to treat rock 'n' roll as an art. He uses just about any kind of instruments in his songs as well as writing poetic lyrics. We should get back to the song "Heroin".
   In the first verse he sings,
   'I don't know just where I'm going
   But I'm gonna try for the kingdom if I can
   'Cause it makes me feel like I'm a man
   When I put a spike into my vein
   Then I tell you things aren't quite the same
   When I'm rushing on my run
   And I feel like Jesus' son
   And I guess that I just don't know
   And I guess that I just don't know'
   In my opinion, Lou gives you an impression or surreal situation about what a person experiences and feels after he/she injects heroin inside his/her body.
   Do doubt has this song changed songwriting from then on!
   
   This band is extremely fortunate to have a man like Andy Warhol as their friend and motivator. He designed an innovative album jacket. You see this white album with Andy Warhol's name and a banana on the front. In the upper right hand corner, you read, 'Peel Slowly and See'. Then when you do peel it open, you expect to see something vulgar like a penis. Yet it turns out to be a pink banana. Gotcha!
   
   Well, I would say that since its release in March of 1967, it has gradually had a huge influence on musicians that would follow: The Stooges, Queen, KISS, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, The New York Dolls, Blondie, The Ramones, Television, Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, INXS, Devo, Marilyn Manson, Sonic Youth, REM, David Bowie, U2, Jesus and Mary Chain, and others.
   This is why I think this is one of the places where modern rock started!



2. All agree that listening to the mono and stereo sides are a completely different experience..also, the Nico tracks are fine,as is her entire Chelsea Girl album...the 45's are a great bonus and the booklet with lyrics and overall packaging (slick lamination harking back to those European import albums of long ago) peel-able banana is good and a total anachronistic trip faithful to the original.
   The anti-elitists Elitists 1st offering.
   You can't go wrong.



3. After buying the lp, the first cd and the box set, I've been hard pressed at justifying this purchase. I spotted a used copy at the local swap shop; the guy at the counter asked (in so many words) "Is this really going to improve your love life?" No, and it won't get me into a band with Brian Eno either.
   
   But I've always found the standard release of this classic album pretty brittle on the sonic side, especially on Nico's numbers. So when I read that there was an "original mono" version of the disc, I've really been curious as to whether this would be any significant improvement.
   
   It is. Nothing is ever going to turn the original primitive tapes into ECM ambiance, but it is also clear that Tom Wilson's stereo re-mix was enough to edge lo-fi into no-fi back when. Besides some noticable reduction of distortion, the guitars are now front and center, while the vocals sound stronger.
   
   Is it worth the extra purchase? Hard to say. It would be nice if the mono version was available as a single disc, or part of the box set. If you are a hard core VU fan you should try to hear this version sometime.



4. This 2CD reissue contains all of the original lineup's commercially released recordings. Period. That includes Stereo and Mono mixes in addition to all of the 45rpm singles & B-sides. The singles & B-sides ARE different than the "LP" mono versions, both in length and the mix. Your VU collection should, without question, begin with this 2CD set.
   
   Personally, I think the Mono mixes sound better than Stereo mixes!
   
   To the reviewer who said NOT to buy this reissue, the reason why the Nico solo tracks were included was because Lou, Cale, and Sterling had a lot to do with those tracks, from the writing to the production. You are right, Nico's work needs to stand alone to be truly appreciated, but those tracks from Chelsea Girl are basically the result of a VU "side-project." It worked, too.
   
   There are a number of people selling this for well below its original $25+ price tag. Take advantage and make the purchase.



5. This album is great. Lou Reed's vocals and guitar playing is top notch. John Cale's viola and bass add something extra and unique. Moe Tucker's uncanny drumming skills are great. Sterling Morrison's lead guitar is excellent. This album is an essential recording of '60s rock 'n' roll. Granted the stereo and mono versions may be a bit much for just a casual fan but some songs just sound better mono and some sound better stereo. Also the addition of the Nico tracks are a plus. If you like The Who, The Rollings Stones, or The Kinks do yourself a favor and check this out.

5 comments about Peel Slowly and See.

1. Hard to criticize the great music on this box set, but there are some missteps in the track listings and packaging. You would expect the demos, live tracks, & extras from the respective time periods to be at the end of the official releases, right? Not so. It's also disappointing that this isn't the box set that includes everything that is commercially available.
   
   On disc 1 there are demo versions exclusive to this release. We are all excited to hear new Velvet's material, but it's mostly Cale singing the same verse over and over accompanied by Reed on acoustic guitar. Interesting, but you won't be anxious to hear this more than a couple of times.
   
   On disc 2 there's the short version of All Tomorrow's Parties (Single Version) which is before The Velvet Underground & Nico. There is no reason for this to start the disc; it's the shorter, lesser version of the song. The huge bonus on this disc is the live track Melody Laughter, which is VU live w/Nico; wish there was more tracks like this on here.
   
   Disc 3 features demos and live tracks before the main release that is White Light/White Heat. Again, all of these tracks should be at the end of the official release. The live tracks Guess I'm Falling In Love and Booker T. are particularly noteworthy, but are awkward listens before the showcase release.
   
   Disc 4 has a live version of What Goes On and you get to hear the "closet" version 2 tracks later. A minor annoyance, but still. The live and bonus tracks on this are outstanding.
   
   Disc 5 I have little to complain about. Loaded precedes all of the great extras.
   
   On to the packaging. Comes in a great book shelf worthy cardboard case w/a vinyl peel off banana that encloses the discs themselves which are in plastic cases as opposed to the annoying cardboard digipacks that are customary these days. There is also the awesome 80 page booklet w/musings from the Velvets as reported by David Fricke. What is disappointing about the packaging is that the original LP covers are reduced to thumbnails on the back of the cds. These are replaced, on the front cd cover, by scans of the analog tape cases w/hand written notes; very cool, but not worthy enough to replace the original covers.
   
   In conclusion, lots to like here, but my big gripe is I wanted an all inclusive box set w/track listings that were suitable to my tastes.



2. Must have for all Lou Reed fans. The bonus tracks really throw it over the top.



3. Astonishing in its diversity, this influential album appeared like a supernova and endures as a classic because of the quality of the songs. With the exception of the discordant Black Angel's Death Song and to a lesser extent European Son, every song is underpinned by a lovely melody line.
   
   This is especially evident on the melancholic Sunday Morning, the resigned Femme Fatale and the wistful All Tomorrow's Parties, but by no means lacking on more confrontational tracks like Venus In Furs or Heroin. I'll Be Your Mirror has the same folky feel as Sunday Morning, while the roughness of Black Angel and European Son (the latter dedicated to poet Delmore Schwarts, one of Reed's heroes) has become more digestible as the mainstream has caught up with this pioneering work.
   
   The voice of Nico, the archetypical Teutonic Blonde, adds a strange and eerie dimension to the album as a whole. These songs have often been covered; to name just a few of my favorite interpretations: Sunday Morning by OMD, Waiting For The Man by John Cale and Nico on various of their solo albums, Femme Fatale by Propaganda, All Tomorrow's Parties by June Tabor on Freedom and Rain, There She Goes Again by REM on Dead Letter Office.
   
   The legacy of the VU, and of this album in particular, may be observed in the beautiful sonic sojourns of bands like inter alia Mercury Rev, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, and Swans. The "Banana" album remains a monument to the fierce spirit of rock 'n roll.



4. I regret that i got carried away by the recommendations given on my previous purchases as well as the other reviews on this compilation
   "Peel slowly and see" is definitely one of the worst in my collection.
   
   It sounded more like a jam session by a not so talented garage band! Do i say more.
   Can i have my money back or atleast exchange the same for some better music?



5. i've owned this set about three times for one reason or another. i always come back to it, though because it holds up well. it actually holds up better than most of the music that came out of that hippie era because the experimentation was way ahead of its time. i also like the way the avant garde blends with pop melody, to make it more accessible in some way..this music really is not as hard, as say Ornette Coleman is to fully digest. you just have to have an ear for it..beleive me, the rewards come in great dividends for sticking with this music.

5 comments about Wipers Box Set.

1. Band leader and songwriter Greg Sage (guitar/vocals) formed this awesome punk trio in 1977. Included in this mini box set are the band's first three albums which are: "Is This Real?" (1980), "Youth Of America" (1981), and "Over The Edge" (1983). They have been remastered and sound better than ever! Plus there are a lot of bonus tracks that range from alternate takes of songs from the albums, a couple of unreleased songs, and alternate mixes. Also included is a pretty good booklet that features liner notes that explain the recording of the albums and band line-up, all written by Greg Sage himself!
   
   The three albums are all excellent and show the songwriting talent of Sage. This band became influential for the grunge movement too as Kurt Cobain from Nirvana covered the songs "D7" and "Return Of The Rat" from the debut album. However there's so much more to this band than those two songs. In this debut there is a nice ballance of pop infused punk with more dark sounding songs. Highlights? "Mystery", the title cut, "Tragedy", "Let's Go Away", "Telepathic Love" and "Wait One Minute"!
   For the second album, Sage got a little more experimental. The title track "Youth Of America" is more than ten minutes long with a phsychedelic middle section while the rest of the songs continue in the dark direction. Standout songs are "When It's Over", "Can This Be", and the album title cut. For the third album, Sage mixed the dark sounding songs with the pop direction more prominent on the first album and the outcome is a fantastic record all the way through! Favorites include "Doom Town", "So Young", "Generation Gap", "What Is", and the excellent "No One Wants An Alien"!
   
   Those are only some highlights though. I'll say this is the definitive way of acquiring these awesome albums by this sadly overlooked band called The Wipers.
   All three albums are underground punk classics to say the least!
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



2. The Wipers had some really great tunes and were fronted by Greg Sage, a supremely prolifict song-writer who would often go against the grain of style present in the American underground of the late seventies and eighties. Long songs, solos, melody... Still, a lot of us would come to recognize the Wipers as cult heroes and their albums classics. If you're young, or from the east, then you've probably onyl heard the Wipers via Cobain's gushing in the early ninties and Nirvana's covers. Be sure to check out the source.
   
   My favorite song, bar none, is "Mystery." The song comes off the "Is This Real" album. There's also a demo version, which, to be honest, I prefer. You really get your money here; the first three albums plus the amount of songs availible to us back in the eighties is doubled for you here with the inclusion of unheard demos, live songs, and alternate versions. A valuable, inspiring, collection.



3. I got this cd for My grandson (off his birthday list) and he loved it!



4. every year brings not only great new music to the ears, but also great music that was somehow missed when first released. this set of 3 albums recorded between 1980 and 1982 (with plenty of bonus tracks thrown in) is a fantastic batch of punk/post-punk recordings. greg sage is such a talented guitarist i can't believe he flew under my radar for so long. quite a find, this. while i would not rate it quite as highly as i do husker du, it is pretty close; and i would say that all fans of husker du should have this. after 1st hearing this, i purchased a couple of other wipers cds and a solo greg sage effort, as well. everything is excellent. i highly recommend this to punk rockers, post-punk rockers, and all fans of rock and roll in general.



5. Like Syd Barrett, Greg Sage has been afflicted/blessed with a condition known as synthaesia, the ability to 'see' sounds and 'hear' color. One of the guys from Crackerbash said that the Wipers sound like Portland in the winter. Listen to 'youth of america' and you will know what months of rain and grey skies look/sound like...
   One more thing, that guy that said they had no songs is stupid, "Messanger", "Romeo" and "Window Shop.." are standouts among many...

5 comments about Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll: 1954-1963.

1. Back in the mid-1950s when rock 'n' roll took off like a runaway rocket, doo-wop pretty much ruled the airwaves. You'll find the best of these in the first two Doo Wop Box collections. But there was plenty of great rock 'n' roll by both black and white artists that didn't fall into the doo-wop category, and some of the best of that is represented here. The first disk, covering 1954 to 1957 is the best of the three. This is where you'll find Bill Haley's all-time classic "Rock Around the Clock", Big Joe Turner's original "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (Haley recorded it later, but Turner's is the best), Chuck Berry with "Maybelline", Gene Vincent's "Be-Bop-A-Lula", Carl Perkins's unforgettable "Blue Suede Shoes" (Well you can knock me down, step on my face, slander my name all over the place, you can do anything that you wanna do, but uh-uh, honey, lay offa my shoes), Little Richard screaming "Bob-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom" on "Tutti Frutti", Shirley and Lee letting the "Good Times Roll", the incomparable Bo Diddley singing his signature song, Laverne Baker with "Jim Dandy", and the Cadets' hysterical "Stranded In the Jungle" that used to have me on the floor laughing every time I listened to it.
   
   The second disk covers 1958 to 1960 and has some great tracks including Jerry Lee Lewis with "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", Mickey and Sylvia's "Love is Strange", the Del Vikings' "Come Go With Me", The Elegants singing "Little Star", the Coasters' hilarious "Yakety Yak", and the Flamingos' exquisitely beautiful "I Only Have Eyes For You".
   
   The third disk goes from 1960 up to 1963 and is the weakest of the three, but there is still some very good stuff on here: Ray Charles with "What'd I Say?", Richie Valens singing "La Bamba" which was the flip side of the more popular "Donna" and was way better than "Donna" (some of the DJs back then had a bad habit of pushing the wrong side of some records), The Skyliners with "Since I Dont Have You", Wilbert Harrison's "Kansas City", Brenda Lee with "Sweet Nothin's", and Gary U.S. Bonds singing "A Quarter To Three". The rest of the third disk is more or less forgettable, but the first two make up for the weakness of the third.
   
   I'm giving the collection four stars instead of five because of a couple of appalling omissions. First, of course, is the absence of Elvis Presley who had an enormous impact on rock 'n' roll and no golden era collection can be called complete without at least two of his early hits (I'd go with "Dont Be Cruel" and "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"). Secondly, no Ike and Tina Turner. How in the world could they leave out "A Fool In Love"? And third, a couple of songs don't represent their artist's best. The Everly Brothers, for instance, are on here with "Bye Bye Love" which was their first hit, but "Wake Up Little Suzie" was by far the better record.
   
   Taken as a whole, though, "The Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll" is a very good collection indeed. For those old enough to remember it, listening to these CDs will bring back a lot of good times and good memories. For the young folks, it's a great introduction to early rock 'n' roll.
   
   Judy Lind



2. This is a great set of all original songs. Excellent sound quality. Well worth the money.



3. This collection has most of the greatest Rock 'n' Roll songs of the 50s and early 60s. There are even the songs that you know you've heard but couldn't have put a name to!
   The fact that there is no Elvis is no drawback as any Rock 'n' Roll fan should probably have a classic Elvis record anyway!
   The best compilation around.



4. About half of the songs on this CD are essentials, in my opinion; which makes this collection a bit more worth the cost than many others I have seen and/or bought. The liner notes have some very good insight in there as well. Overall, if you need a collection for a history of early rock, this CD set is worth having as part of that collection, and certainly more worthy than many you find in stores.



5. I bought this CD set in order to play it at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary...it was PERFECT!!! I downloaded it onto my ipod to play during the party and then gave the CD set to them as a gift. Now they can enjoy all the music from their era and their party!!

5 comments about Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet.

1. I first heard of Nilsson from a song he did with John Lennon on Lennon's album Walls and Bridges. I later found out that the hypnotizing backing vocals on Ringo Starr's cover of "You're Sixteen" were also Nilsson's. So when I found out that Nilsson was declared the Beatles favorite singer I realized I had to check him out. This album is simply sensational all the songs show a man who loves to sing and who can sing with the best of them. Pandemonium Shadow show has the powerful and humorous "Ten little Indians" the beautiful and heartwrenching "1941", the wry and catchy "cuddly toy", the gorgeous "sleep late my lady friend" the simply genius "without Her" and the clever Beatles tributes "You Can't Do That" and "She's leaving home". These tracks are all of high quality and are sung beautifully.
   The next album Aerial Ballet starts with the fun, catchy, and unsettling "daddy's song" the adorable "Good Old Desk" the beautiful "Don't Leave Me" the thought provoking "Mr. Richland's Fav. Song" which, according to legend, was John Lennon's favorite. The legendary cover of "Everybody's Talkin'" which made Nilsson a Star and the song does not disappoint. Three Dog night also covered Nilsson's original song "One" which is both haunting and reminiscent of Paul McCartney's Rubber Soul-Revolver songs while maintaining a distinctive voice of it's own. The remix album besides being the first one in history is fun and the bonus tracks are smashing. Overall this compilation is fantastic and if I have not convinced you then I will say that this music is perfect for dating because it sets a terrific and fun mood. Thanks Nilsson for all the wonderful music!



2. 
   In 2006, after painstakingly purchasing and comparing all the Nilsson domestic, European and Japanese CD versions, I posted a review on the best-audio edition of each title. That was split between four UK, one domestic and six Japan CD's, and this CD was one of those titles.
   
   However, time and technology have marched on. In Q307, the entire Nilsson pre-1978 catalog (except "The Son Of Dracula", announced but subsequently canceled), were remastered anew and released in mini-sleeve format by BMG Japan.
   
   So, what was slightly confusing before, with all the different international and domestic versions, has now been simply resolved: In terms of the best audio available, the fifteen new BMG remasters are head-and-shoulders superior to any pre-existing Nilsson CD. While the older versions were no slouches, these new BMG's are absolutely GLORIOUS. And, finally, there's complete, matched-mastered sound through the entire catalog, in contrast to the dynamic range variations in the older releases from varying remastering schemes.
   
   In A/B comparisons between the new and older versions, it is also obvious different masters were availed of, because there are snippets of additional audio on the BMG's that never appeared elsewhere.
   
   In addition, there are now approximately seventy bonus tracks spread out through the new BMG set; demos, alternate takes, singles and non-album tracks. Only one previously-available track is not in residence on the BMG set: "Waiting", which is found only on the "Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman" UK 2-fer.
   
   If you are a true Nilsson fan, then don't delay in getting these, as all mini-sleeve releases are limited edition. It is possible, of course, that BMG will release these as less expensive jewel-case releases down the road. However, as the original Nilsson LP jackets were often wonderfully imaginative affairs, having these exact replicas only heightens the joy of ownership.
   
   Amazon only allows 10 product links per review, so below are the first ten titles. The remainder, you'll have to find on your own (TIP: look for the 2007 release date when searching):
   
   Pandemonium Shadow Show
   Aerial Ballet
   Skidoo
   Harry
   Nilsson Sings Newman
   The Point!
   Nilsson Schmilsson
   Aerial Pandemonium Ballet
   Son Of Schmilsson
   A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night
   P*ssy Cats
   Duit It On Mon Dei
   Sandman
   That's The Way It Is
   Knnillssonn
   
   Just in case you find this review after the `sleeve versions have sold out, here is a list of the previous best-in-audio jewel-case CD versions. I will re-post this review on each of the previous editions:
   
   Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (2CD) (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe (catalog number) 74321 757422
   The Point (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757432
   Harry/Nilsson Sings Newman (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757442
   Schmilsson (2004) RCA 82876 572652
   Son Of Schmilsson (2000) UK BMG/Camden Deluxe 74321 757462
   A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37249
   P*ssy Cats (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37251 (the UK has one extra track not on the K2)
   Duit On Mon Dei (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37252
   Sandman (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37253
   That's The Way It Is (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37254
   Knnillssonn (2002) Japan K2 BVCM-37255
   
   WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?
   
   Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.
   
   Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 13.5MM X 13.5MM cardboard-sleeve, precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, everything else packaged with the original LP is precisely replicated and included, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and die cuts. An English-language lyric sheet is also included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.
   
   Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have Japan-dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2 or K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.
   
   Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "OBI" ("oh-bee"), a Japan-language promotional strip. The OBI often also lists the original album's release date, the Japan street date of that particular disc, the catalog number, and mastering info. Bonus tracks are always only listed on the OBI, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork.
   
   The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake copies of Japan `sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.
   
   Also, there are older Japan mini-sleeve releases that have been supplanted with newer ones, usually with updated audio (such as JVC-Japan replacing older K2-mastered titles with new K2HD mastered releases).
   
   All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common with some of the Japanese companies (but, again, not always). Mini-sleeve collecting can get expensive quickly, so, if you're a novice, it is highly advisable to seek the advice of an experienced `sleeve collector!



3. Harry Nilsson entered in my life about a couple of years ago and God, I just don't knew what I was losing!!! I firstly bought a twenty-two-tracks-best-of, but rapidly I was delighted and got his records in single cd's...But I was mad to find his first two, "Pandemonium Shadow Show" and "Aerial Ballet" and only this compilation could satisfy my true desire!! I must say that the sound of this Camden Deluxe is not the clearest, but damn that, I was so happy (and moved) in hear this beautiful songs of a superlative composer/singer, I think too (and shamelly!) underrated...
   Well, we can forget, for moments, the remix-album "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" (seems it was the "first" remix-album, chronologically!) that came with this edition, it's only a experted reworking of some songs of both albuns, with a couple of good ideas...In fact, I'll give all the money for the bonus-tracks, everyone of higher quality, not deserving the second-hand interest. "As I wander Lonely" (hey, is it Divine Comedy!??), "Miss Butter's Lament" and "Wasting My Time" are prime-Harry Nilsson moving songs, with that peculiar melancholic tenderness. And "Sister Marie" a bit appart with a much more acid arrangement (dubbed keyboards?).
   But first cd is a masterpiece, both of records being a perfect collection of songs...Harry Nilsson is so inventive in his solid musical ground, playing with a dozen of recording possibilities, just in time with the masters Beatles, certainly his great influence. It's not saying that he was the nearest american-clone of Lennon-McCartney (like a Janus statue!), no, he just deserves a great place in musical pantheon and be recognized by the masses!!
   What we could say about the intrepid rhythm of "Ten Little Indians" with intriguing nursery-rhyme lyrics; the truly sentimental beauty of "1941" (delicious harmonium and trombone!) and "Sleep Late, My Lady Friend" (gorgeous, gorgeous!) or the happy-erotic keyboard (with Nilsson's comment "Oh, beautiful") of "Cuddly Toy"??? Say nothing, just give a thousand listens and bring joy to our life!!
   The two covers here are quite great, in fact I think "She's Leaving Home" surpasses the original, more rich in details (magic tablas here!); "River Deep-Mountain High" is not so "Spectoresque" but it works in dramatic pulsation...
   Nilsson is simply gorgeous in love songs, giving only the essential, sometimes with a sad regret and disappointment, like in "There Will Never Be" (a lonely dance), "It's Been So Long" and "Without Her", the latter one the most perfect whispered love song (great flute!), the true loneliness without indulgence...In another hand, he chose happy counterpoints in the ragtime approach of "Freckles" or the extraordinary meddle of Beatles work "You Can't Do That"...
   "Aerial Ballet" is a kind of second chapter to "Pandemonium...", some more of magnificient crafted songs in an ecclectic manner (Nilsson's scat is a copyright!), so distinctive and not a single moment dated!! Truly masterpieces here are "Don't Leave Me" (another touching love song! Notice the superlative last scat!), "Together" (probably his second best song!!Impeccable!!), "I Said Goodbye To Me" (superb bass backing vocals!) and all the last four tracks!! More commercial-oriented hits like "Mr.Richland's Favorite Song" and "Everybody's Talkin'" aren't also easy listening.
   "Mr.Tinker" is a deep social meditation of a lonely person; "One" is probably Nilsson's best song (beautiful lamenting cello at the middle section) and "The Wailing of the Willow" is that late-sixties new thing called "bossa-nova" so softly inspired in Nilsson's hands!! "Bath" is a remarkable shouting farewell...And then go straight to bonus tracks again, the remix-album is just a interesting variation, this edition is an essential one!!!!



4. This is an irresistible package for anyone tracing (or revisiting) Harry Nilsson's sadly under-rated and neglected catalogue.

   The "Pandemonium Shadow Show" album is a 1967 charmer, introducing Nilsson's unique and brilliant singing/songwriting talents. It features classics like "1941" and "Without Her". It could be accused of being overly in the thrall of the Beatles, but that would be to deny the charm of "You Can't Do That", which manages to cram much of the Beatles stylistic repertoire into one arrangement. At least he's wearing it on his sleeve. This playfulness remained one of Nilsson's many endearing characteristics.

   The "Aerial Ballet" album is a real revelation; an achievement on equal terms with the Beatles, rather than standing in their shadow. With only one non-original song on the album ("Everybody's Talkin'", the one Nilsson song I guess everyone's familiar with), the strength of the songwriting ("Good Old Desk", "I Said Goodbye To Me", "One", etc) would stand alone even without the often breathtaking vocal performances. Most of the songs dissolve into Nilsson's inimitable "scat" vocalising in the final verse, which adds a level of poignancy and poetry beyond language. Running out of lyrics was an opportunity for such a talent! The vocal multilayering is very effective, and, I guess, technically advanced for its time.

   The "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" remix album is an interesting addition for the sake of completion. It was more successful saleswise than the original two albums, but I find myself sticking more with the original versions of the songs.
   The bonus tracks are all very worthwhile, particularly the spine-tingling "Wasting My Time".

   The sound quality appears to be fine, although I have my doubts about the "remastering" on these BMG reissues. I have nothing to compare "PSS" and "AB" to, but the reissue of "The Point" (double with "Skidoo") sounds markedly inferior to my original CD of that album.
   Now, speaking of reissues, what about the post "Pussycats" albums?




5. The original mastertapes were in shambles. When BMG went back to Harry's original masters for his first two albums for the Personal Best Anthology they found that the tapes needed tender loving care to bring out the best sound. Like lots of recordings from the same time frame, the tapes hadn't aged well.

   This 2 disc set gets things right. Yes, there is still a significant amount of hiss but, trust me on this, it's better than having BMG reissue these classics using sonic solutions no noise (which was used on the Badfinger reissues from Apple--it's one of the reasons they sound so bad).

   Of the three albums included here APB sounds the best. Harry went back and remixed many of these tracks reducing many of the overdubs and, hence, improving the sound quality in many cases. Fans should note, however, that the bonus tracks on APB here are different from those found on the US edition.