5 comments about The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2.

1. Rhino hit the mother lode when they released the first "Doo Wop Box", but doo-wop is such a rich musical genre that there was plenty of gold left to mine, and they've reaped a sizeable haul in "The Doo Wop Box, Vol.2". They included some veritable gems omitted from the first box such as the Rivileers' "A Thousand Stars In the Sky", "Crazy For You" by the Heartbeats, "You Baby You" by the Cleftones, "The ABCs of Love" by the Teenagers (I always thought this was their best song, followed by "I Want You to Be My Girl"), "Pretty Little Girl" by the Monarchs, "The Woo-Woo Train" by the Valentines (Bye-bye, baby, move on down the line), "Castle In the Sky" by the Bop-Chords, "We Belong Together" by Robert and Johnny (one of the least known and most under-appreciated doo-woop groups -- these guys were great), and the hauntingly beautiful "Bad Girl" featuring Smoky Robinson's incomparable tenor as lead singer with the Miracles. But this volume also explores the flip side of some records that were less known than their original hit sides, such as "Hey Señorita" by the Penguins (the other side of "Earth Angel"), "I'll Be Forever Loving You" by the El Dorados (the flip side of their hit "At My Front Door"), and "Two People In the World" by Little Anthony and the Imperials, the flip side of -- and way better than -- their hit song "Tears On My Pillow". My friends and I, coming up in the 1950s, always said the DJs pushed the wrong side of that record.
   
   Like the first volume, "The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2" spans the period from 1955 to 1962, and the earlier tracks are better than the late ones, when much of the street spontaneity that gave doo-wop its attraction had been diluted by wannabe groups that didn't understand what it was all about. The last disc on this set is probably the weakest of the four. But there's more than enough in the first three to make up for it.
   
   Could this set have been improved? As I said in my review of the first Doo-Wop Box, if only Rhino had included two tracks by Nolan Strong and the Diablos, "The Wind" and "You Are", two of the greatest doo-wop songs ever recorded, I'd be in doo-wop paradise. But this set is very, very good. And for comic relief, check out a track on the second disc, a hysterical piece by the Chips called "Rubber Biscuit". Second only to the Cadets' laugh classic "Stranded In the Jungle" (nobody ever topped that one), it's the funniest doo-wop song ever written.
   
   Judy Lind



2. While all of the music is good, there are only a few well know songs so I feel it was a big waste of a lot of money.



3. The Doo Wop Box, Vol. 2 takes up where the excellent Box #1 left off.
   For the most part the songs are great, with the notable exception of The Falcons "I Found A Love" which suffers from not being doo-wop (it's proto-soul) and having terrible sound to boot. But only one clunker out of 101 is a pretty good batting average!
   The rest of the songs are great and the recording quality is excellent.
   This is a must-have set for fans of the genre.



4. Many of these songs are not commonly found on other CD collections. They are all the original versions and are of excellent quality. A couple of them are the same songs as on a Time-Life doo wop CD I bought over 10 years ago and the difference in sound quality is amazing.



5. Most of the great classics of the genre are on the first Doo Wop Box, so Volume II has far fewer readily familiar titles to its credit. But if anything, the relative obscurity of most of these songs makes the second collection fresher and rootsier than the first. It definitely reaches deeper into the doo-wop canon.
   
   Although few of this collection's songs were hits, many of the artists were successful elsewhere in their careers. There are lots of one-hit wonders represented here with their non-hits, quite a few of which have held up better than their more famous song(s). There are also at least two great entries in the "before they were famous" category: "Bad Girl" by the Miracles (about two years before "Shop Around" put them on the map); and the delightfully lush "Dear One" by the Scarlets, featuring a pre-Five Satins Fred Parris. Speaking of the Five Satins, the less famous of their two hits, "To The Aisle," is also here.
   
   The collection is a pretty good mix of ballads and uptempo numbers, but it's heavier on the ballads. There is a surprising number of jazz and pop standards from long before the rock era (it's easy to forget that doo-wop didn't start out as proto-bubblegum!), but some of these are among the collection's best. Standouts include The Larks' "My Reverie," The Moonglows' "Secret Love," and the album's finale, The Classics' "Till Then." A more uptempo entry, The Four Tunes' rendition of "Marie," is less convincing but a lot of fun.
   
   Of course, plenty of the ballads are in the more familiar '50s rock and pop style: The Vocaleers' "Is It A Dream," The Hearts' "Lonely Nights," Robert and Johnny's "We Belong Together," and especially The Five Keys' "My Saddest Hour" are sure to conjure your favorite necking-in-the-backseat scene (as are dozens of other songs included here; those are just my favorites). There are quite a few fast songs thrown in as well, to keep things from getting too misty. My favorites among these are The Cleftones' "Heart and Soul" (did you know that song had words?!), The Falcons' "You're So Fine," "In My Heart" by The Timestones, and The Spaniels' fast but still silky rendition of "Stormy Weather."
   
   And there's more where that came from in all of the above categories. If you liked the first set, don't be gunshy about this one just because you don't know as many of the songs.

5 comments about My Lives.

1. Came quickly and package appropriately so CD's were not damaged. Fabulous collection of Billy Joel music. Can't go wrong for the extreme Billy Joel fan!



2. I still love Bill's output from 1971 to 1981, and a few songs after that. But the songs on this compilation are terrible. They should have stayed in the dusty cardboard box at the bottom of the closet. I couldn't even listen to all the discs because they're so poor. After enduring as much pain as I could I realized I wasn't a Billy Joel fan after all. Beware.



3. This box is for very serious Billy Joel collectors/fanatics, who are looking for demos, b-sides, lives, soundtrack, alternative versions, and pre-Billy Joel solo/root material of songs. Some of the songs due to the nature of its recordings have some echoes and do not sound as great as the releases versions of the songs, however, the collector should expect that. The DVD is super since it includes software that allows you to remix 'Zanzibar', "I got to Extremes".
   
   If this set was targeted for the serious collector, which I think it is, I don't see why we would need the album studio tracks of some songs such as innocent man, still rock 'n roll, since any fanatic of Billy Joel would have these songs on their original albums, and remasterd CDs, or even the great compilation.
   
   In short, this box is for Billy Joel fanatics. Others would be served with "1973-97-Complete Hits Collection" much better.



4. There is too much overlap with this CD and his *many* other compilations. One gets the feeling that the compilations try to inclue too much and are just unfocused. For example: He has included a live version of "Captain Jack" that didn't sound as good as the other live version on "Songs in the Attic." Another problem is that on his 4-volume "Greatest Hits," he included a question and answer session with the audience, but none of the alternate versions of songs that are included here. Real Billy Joel fans might have liked an extended Q&A session ALONG WITH the alternate versions of various tunes here.
   
   Add to this the fact that many of the tunes that are here are easily found on his "Greatest Hits" CDs, and that true fans of his work will *already have that.*
   
   Another thing that was not necessary was the last disc that included a lot of his live performances. His live performances (to put it charitably) leave a lot to be desired.
   
   There are things that you can't find on here, like "Why Should I Worry?", but this CD is MOST DEFINITELY not worth the purchase price if new and *just barely* worth the purchase price second hand.



5. I was very impressed with the album. Listening to the maturing process of great storyteller and get a glimpse into the origins of some of my favorite Billy Joel songs was incredible. This album reminds me of "Songs in the Attic," some of it raw, some of it refined, but all of it Billy Joel.

5 comments about The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection.

1. Without a doubt, this is the best album that I have ever owned...well maybe next to Steely Dan's Aja, which was the first I ever owned. I love the lyrics, the tempo changes and the genius that is Burt Bacharach and Hal David. This album is even more haunting for me since the untimely death of Burt's daughter Nikki. Nikki was one of my favorite songs, even before I ever knew who it was written for, but even more so now. All the Dionne Warwick hits plus Tom Jones, Trini Lopez, Bobby Goldsboro, Dusty Springfield et al, this is a must have for any true Bacharach afficianado.



2. Fantastic Voyage, Ursula Andress, AM Radio, Sean Connery, Paisley, Man From Uncle...
   
   In short, Burt Bacharach represents pop culture of the 1960's. At it's apogee. Like a moon shot Bacharach's gorgeous melodies and Hal David's brilliant lyrics spanning the decade from the Blob to Movie of The Week. From Bobby Vinton to the Age of Aquarius. Sock Hop to Woodstock.
   
   Essential: Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, Airplane, Sinatra... Bacharach.
   
   Great music of... and beyond... it's era. Timeless... as long as Anyone Has A Heart and The World Needs Love.
   
   This is MUSIC. Not hip hop. Orchestral, composed, inspired.
   
   Genius.



3. WOW. This series of albums is wonderful PLUS A whole CD of Dionne Warwick doesn't hurt!
   
   I'm amazed at how many of these songs i've forgotten but when I hear a few notes I recall the entire song... sort of like I had amnesia or something! Its amazing that so many of the songs in this list are in the mainstream ... still after as much as 40 years!
   
   This is a definite BUY



4. my late uncle hipped me to ole burt. i love what he did with a track.........those percussive horns, man!!!!! i dig this. although i do not like all the joints on here, it's a good thing to have. what stands out for me on here are the lou johnson joints. i especially love REACH OUT FOR ME. more standouts for me are IT'S LOVE THAT REALLY COUNTS (IN THE LONG RUN) by the shirrelles and PLEASE STAY by the drifters. now i like some of the dionne warwick songs on here, but in the liner notes, i think her reasons for doing some of those songs were ridiculous. i thought it was her on WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE. i had no idea that it was a white lady. amazing vocal arrangement. another that just came to mind is DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. actually, that is like my fave on here. i wished that they would've put dionne warwick's version of YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART ON HERE though. the stylistics did their thing, but i prefer the original. all in all, it is wonderful, but then again, it is another reason i am a skeptic whenm it comes to box sets.



5. This is not a "greatest hits" set, though many of Bacharach's greatest hits are contained here. Rather, it's a fascinating historical view of the progression of the songwriter(s) through four decades. It is truly instructive to listen to some of the less well-known pieces. The book that is included in the box set is an essential component: The writers really knew what they were talking about, and I've spent hours reading along with the (very detailed) descriptions of each song's history.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about The Fabulous 50's [3-CD Set].

1. One star minus one star=zero stars!
   Buyer beware. Madacy sells the bottom of the barrel product. Bad remakes (90% of the tracks) and poorly mastered originals (the remainder). Waste of money unless you want new versions of classic records. Just note: even then, they aren't very good.
   The worst part of this company and their marketing is they lead you to think you are buying original recordings.
   Don't waste your money...



2. There is not even one original song by the original artist on this CD. Maybe that's the reason it's so inexpensive. It consists of updated versions, admittedly by the original artists, or at least parts of their groups. Frankly, I'm surprised that an organization as reputable as amazon.ca would offer them for sale without a warning to unsuspecting customers. As a person who knows rock'n'rock history, particularly the '50's and '60s, modesty side, I would place more value on the jewel box in which this CD, and others like it, are packaged than the CD's themselves. The only reason I rated it "1" is that the option of "0" isn't available.



3. These CD's rock. There is not a reason out there, for you not to own these. If Superman enjoys this music, you will also.



4. I was not expecting this set to be of non-original recordings and was disappointed that it wasn't mentioned in any part of the ad. Some of the tracks are pretty good, but I was expecting originals.



5. Don't buy anything on this label. Ever. Only 2 minor flaws - they are either not the original recording (alternate tracks or rerecordings)or the correct track was mastered from a record fulminating in your Aunt Gertrude's closet for the past 30 years.

No comments about Songs for Insane Times: Anthology 1969-1980.

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 Nine Lives (Box Set).

1. Very neatly packaged and nice re-mastering too. All of Mr. Plant's solo CD's with bonus tracks, plus a DVD. A great vehicle for the casual fan to get well acquainted with his solo work.



2. All of Plant's solo work (even the dreaded Shaken and Stirred), with plenty of live cuts and bonus tracks on each disc, plus a full-length bonus dvd with all the promo videos and some live footage. A bit expensive, but when you cost it out you're getting a better value than if you bought all the titles one at a time. A must-have if you're a serious Plant fan.



3. I love this package and the problem with saying what I like about it is that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!
   
   People seem to forget that they are only giving their opinions in reviews like this. It is alright to say a particular track is the best ever but the package is spoiled by the inclusion of another track, because guess what? Someone else will like that track.
   
   Previous people have said that there were 'mistakes' but some of those mistakes are Robert's quoted favourite albums. I don't think saying that I love a particular album will get anyone to buy this, nor that I hate one but what I will say is that Robert's music, just like Led Zeppelin, has been a great discovery for me and it's all here, honest and laid bare and so different and yet with a continuous thread running though it that is Robert Plant.
   
   There are songs and tunes to ponder and dance to and rock out on and the extra tracks are gems in my opinion and really add to the cd, as does the interview with Robert and the twenty promotional music videos. the packaging is beautiful and I think one of the best ways to present ten cds and a book so they don't take up too much space. The cost of the package works out as a medium priced meal in a restaurant (near me anyway) and I think for all the listening pleasure it has and will afford me in the future, plus the compact nature of it, it was cheap at twice the price.



4. Aside from the duplicity of releasing a box set including his prior CD coming out a year before AND relesing all these CD's seperately with the same identical bonus tracks the set really ignores the whole set of songs from CD 2 of "Sixty Six To Timbuktu" while including some lame live tracks. This could have been done so much better but I imagine the money hungry bean counters will release another, more inclusive boxset next year! just like The Doors and their numerous sets! RIP OFF!



5. The preceeding reviews are adequate for you to determine if this package is for you or not. There's really not much new to say, but I did want to reiterate one or two things.
   
   The first thing is, the remastering. I did a back to back comparison of "Principle of Moments" last night. This is my favorite Plant work, and was the one I most wanted to hear.
   
   The truth is, it really isn't all that different. Once again, they've simply boosted the volume of the disc. So, you put in the remastered disc and set the volume, ansd then put in the original disc, and you can barely hear anything.
   
   Turn up the volume on the original disc though, and you have pretty much the same sound as the new one. It's got the same clarity, the same detail. Perhaps there are minor differences, slightly tighter bass, a minute bit of detail more, but honestly, it's not anything to get excited about.
   
   So in all honesty, the "remaster" is a bit of a red-herring. It's a shame, because that was the main pull for me.
   
   As for the bonus DVD - the hour documentary is reasonably interesting, although it's far too brief. Plant only talks about songs that have accompanying videos, which means my favorite tracks never get a mention. And with only and hour, he doesn't get to give any real details about the various periods the albums were made in.
   
   As for the 20 something videos - they're all here. The good news is, they're in stereo, DTS 5.1, and Dolby 5.1. Always a nice bonus that.
   
   The bad news is, they videos themselves are all basically unwatchable. That embarassing 80's stuff is cringeworthy to the extreme, and Plant mostly makes a fool of himself.
   
   The packaging is great.
   
   The individual releases have the full liner notes taken from the box set included, so if you simply go for the titles you care about, you don't miss anything.
   
   Still - if you're a Plant fan why not grab this? It's not ASTONISHING - but it's pretty good and complete.

5 comments about Peel Slowly and See.

1. Heroin, sadomasochism, paranoia, hangovers, seductive ladies and a big banana on the cover. The Velvet Underground was unique in 1967 -- even if it never made big sales -- and remains unique to this day, no matter how many bands are influenced by them. Not bad for an arty band with zero mainstream appeal!
   
   Lou Reed tears through a variety of songs, ranging from gritty hard rock to strange ballads. The most memorable song here is undoubtedly slashing, exotic S/M ode "Venus in Furs" ("Comes in bells, your servant, don't forsake him/Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart"). Elsewhere, he dips into pure rock in the desperate "Run, Run, Run," but takes a softer turn with surreal junkie ballads and the eerie, soft "Sunday Morning."
   
   However, German ex-model Nico -- who departed the band in hazy circumstances after this album -- leads with her seductive monotone. She only had a handful of songs, but they remain some of the best: singsong "Femme Fatale," steady and slow "All Tomorrow's Parties," and the exquisite ballad "I'll Be Your Mirror."
   
   The Velvet Underground was probably the first real art band in rock history, formed at a time when megabands like the Rolling Stones were at their peak. But they couldn't have been more different from the heavily-publicized bands -- creepy, dark, and both beautiful and ugly. The Velvet Underground was the reverse of mainstream.
   
   The music isn't complex, but it is strangely compelling -- the wiggling guitar at the beginning of "Black Angel's Death Song," or the tambourines Nico played in her songs. Nowhere else could musical compositions like "Sunday Morning" -- the delicate tune reminiscent of a music box -- seem so haunting as they do here.
   
   The vocals are excellent, although listeners will probably like one or the other. Lou Reed's high thin voice is a sharp contrast to Nico's accented, husky croon. (Nico left the band after this album, which is a shame), but it's the writing that makes it stand out The songwriting is outstanding, and since the frank references to kinky sex and drugs are nowhere near as shocking now as they were then, the raw quality of the songs can shine.
   
   The sparse, slithering music and excellent singing add solidarity to the reputation of the Velvet Underground as a classic. Dark and brooding, debut album "Velvet Underground and Nico" is an exceptional album.



2. 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.



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



4. 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.



5. 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 comments about Asylum Album Box Set (9CD).

1. This Box houses the first six Eagles Albums {"Eagles" through to "The Long Run"} with the two disc: "Eagles Live" and a single: "Please Come Home For Christmas/Funky New Year". It is a Limited Edition Set at 20,000 produced. There are no extras included herein, no outtakes, no demos, no newly discovered live tracks. These are reproduced versions of the Albums {and Gatefolds} in paper sleeves.
   
   For folks that only own Greatests Hits Collections, this is the proper way to fill in all the gaps between 1972-1980. This Set is indeed a bit "Pricey" when compared to buying these CD's separately, but with a bit of shopping knowledge, this can be found for a reasonably price. I purchased mine at a Record Collectors Show, brand new in the shrink rap for $60.00.
   
   These CD's sound great, and are packaged as LP reproductions, {Mini Sleeves} with all the Original Graphics intact {Smaller, wear glasses!} As I have never been a fan of CD Hardcases that break so easily, for me this is the way to keep this Music together in one spot, and in the correct format.
   
   If you want to take pokes at the Band for their Music, their Dramas, Their Political Beliefs or their Haircuts...That is indeed your business.
   But for me, the Peak of Country/Rock and or Folk/Rock or even California/Rock, is right here on these Albums. The Eagles didn't kill the "Dream" that started in 1965 with the first record by The Byrds, they lived that dream like nobody else could. Just check out History between 1972-1980, so much changed during those years, just about everything changed within that brief time span, as did The Eagles.
   Great Band, Great Production, Great Packaging, Great Price? Yes, if you shop around.
   Four Stars !!!



2. You're probably already an Eagles fan if you're reading this. This review is about the construction of this boxed set edition, not the music. If amazon allowed half stars I'd give it a 3.5.
   
   It's a good looking collection, with each CD sleeve duplicating the original vinyl album in great detail. The gatefold album covers are well made, but the inner and outer sleeves of the other discs are far too fragile. I'm sure they will start tearing, even though I take immaculate care of my music collection. Also, the textured white cover of _On the Border_ sits in between the dark _Desperado_ and textured dark _One of These Nights_, and the covers are rubbing off on each other.
   
   The other drawback is that the text is mostly illegible because of the small size and the variety of fonts. But that's always an issue with these "vinyl replica" type CD sleeves.
   
   I had put off buying the Eagles on CD for a long time, so since I found this set at a good price I'm glad I finally have it. Just be aware that you'll need to be very careful with it.
   
   (For quality comparison, the Doors box set from 1999 and Queen's The Crown Jewels box set have very nice, well made miniature album sleeves.)



3. excellent set of cds.......all they made and then some other versions. very enjoyable. if you like the eagles you will love this



4. The people who should pick this up are the ones who want to get the Eagles catalog remastered in one shot and want the original style packaging. The songs are classics and there's a lot of stuff that you won't get on the greatest hits package (although "Very Best of" manages to cover a lot).
   
   But for a very limited edition that has a higher pricetag, Don, Glenn, Joe and Tim should have autographed each set (because it is their devoted fans likely buying the set), even if it meant raising the price on the set even higher.
   
   I also think that the entire set should've been a CD/DVD collection, as a lot of rare footage exists from this era as well, some of which has been shown on VH1 Classic. I just think it's far more fun to just watch the archive footage with its flaws than the flawless "Hell Freezes Over" concert.
   
   The "bonus" CD should've had the "Get You In The Mood" B-side from "Take It Easy" that they have never put out on CD.
   
   The only other thing I can think of is that "Eagles Live" should include more songs as the original 2 LP release had time constraints. Hopefully one day they can do a proper "Eagles Live" box set to cover the original Eagles with Leadon/Meisner as well as the Felder/Walsh/Schmidt lineup, because a lot of great songs they'd done live were left off.
   
   I think that because they have been putting out more repackages than new material (they really don't need to put anything out to justify touring), I don't see it appealing to anyone who already has all their CDs to begin with.
   
   Bottom line: The Eagles have repackaged themselves one too many times (the DVD-Audio version of "Hotel California" probably the only repackage worth its weight) , yet they have a lot of live material in the vaults that are far worth exploring than yet another repackage of what we've all heard many times over as well as concerts they've recorded for TV and have on film.
   
   But DO watch out for the Eagles "Farewell I" DVD to be released sometime in June 2005 and shown on network TV.



5. By now most of us have the all of the albums, even the remastered ones on this box set. Many of us (not me) bought the Very Best of the Eagles collection last year, not to mention the last box set, or "Hell Freezes Over", or Eagles Live...
   
   Or the previous two greatest hits cds. It goes on and on, and so far no sight of their long awaited "new" studio album.
   
   So why are Glenn, Don, Joe and Timmy hitting us with still another remastered, repackaged set of the same old songs? And why are people still willing to pay the big bucks their albums always run???
   
   "How Long", a marvellous, country-rocking Frey-Souther composition, was an early Eagles live staple. How come it has never seen the light of day on a recording? There's no reason why they couldn't include it on this set, except maybe that Henley and Frey would still prefer to besmirch the contributions of Leadon and Meisner (and Felder too).
   
   Don't you think it is high time to release that (not-so) new studio album, and give us new music, Henley??? You talk about CORPORATE GREED, DON, so what do you call this over [...] dollar turkey?
   
   Glenn, are you listening too?
   
   Either get those creative juices flowing again, boys, or cut the prices or the [...] You are millionaires so many times over it isn't funny.
   
   Unless Bernie and Randy are benefiting from this, don't bother. Or get yourself a Chris Hillman,(who has a wonderful new album coming out very soon) Herb Pedersen, Bernie Leadon, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, or even a Burrito Deluxe cd. At least these musicians are keeping the honored tradition of California Country Rock alive. Glenn Frey and Don Henley sure ain't.

5 comments about The Capitol Albums Vol. 2 (Brick).

1. Other reviews are ok to read. Some are BS though.
   What quality issues are brought up are from people who grew up in the age of the CD and should try listening to a 45 (single) or a 33 (album) sometime while eating your Big Mac, then type.
   And another thing - that complaint about the stereo version had a miscue and the mono didn't - was the way it was released in the US years ago. Get over it. Capitol execs know what's going on, the others at Capitol just stopped squeezing pimples a few years ago.
   NOW - it's Beatles 101 class for you youngin's - FYI - and so there's no misunderstanding, I'm 'Classic_Rocker' - the reviewer and editor from years past when online meant sitting at the teletype 100 miles away from 'the computer'.
   There isn't much more to release other than (some of) the US version instrumentals from A Hard Day's Night and Help! (and some of those can be found if you look hard enough at instrumental material available on CD) and a few strays.
   What's intersting is that few people actually understand that Capitol had The Beatles back in the studio to lay down new vocal tracks of many UK versions, but that didn't happen past 1965.
   AND even fewer people know that back when Tollie, Vee-Jay and Swan had the rights to release singles in the US (She Loves You, Love Me Do, etc), it was Capitol's rerecording of vocal tracks that created 4 versions of Love Me Do (and now we have those!) - the original (with sit-in drummer Andy White and Ringo playing with himself - off the UK album Past Masters), the secondary album version (with Ringo at the drums - off the UK album issue), then Capitol's two versions of mono and stereo with new vocals that we in the US are hearing for the first time on CD because they were US album only issued back then!
   Even Capitol screwed the US when the 'Red' album was issued on CD - the US Tollie version was reissued, not the Capitol version.
   What don't we have in stereo or reissued as a Capitol version to date (as a single or album only cut)?
   US Year 1963 - Misery.
   US Year 1964 - A Hard Day's Night, Can't Buy Me Love, I Should Have Known Better, There's A Place, Act Naturally, Day Tripper, Drive My Car, If I Needed Someone, I'm Down, Nowhere Man, We Can Work It Out, What Goes On.
   Yes, we have these songs but what I'm saying is - there are different versions originally issued in the US back then.
   So theres your missing album, not to mention the US issues of A Hard Day's Night and Help!
   And by the way, now we at least have the Help! version we grew up with (that begins with the chase music aka incidental music) that was also deleted from the 'Red" album reissue.
   And the next rocket scientist is about to say I'm missing something - what about the german versions of She Loves You and I Want To Hold Your Hand.
   Yes, you're right, but who cares.
   And don't bring up the different versions of Across The Universe. Buy the Anthology CD sets and you're covered (Wildlife version, especially).



2. It's the Beatles....nuff said! it's the Beatles doing what they do best. Pop rock with every imaginable hook they could write. And nobody did it better. the original album cover sleeves make it even more fun and having each song available in stereo and mono versions is even cooler! Pick it up!



3. Okay, we're ready for Vol. 3 now, please! I eagerly await the next four albums, "Yesterday And Today", "Revolver", "Sgt. Pepper" and "Magical Mystery Tour". Is Capitol stalling because of EMI's imminent release of the remastered British albums? I hope not. I'd like to see Capitol finish the series all the way through "Abbey Road". And for good measure, throw in "The Beatles Story" and the UA version of "A Hard Day's Night" while you're at it. If anyone in the marketing department at Capitol is reading this, I implore you to release "Yesterday And Today" with the original butcher cover. It's been more than 40 years since that album's release and I don't think anyone today would find it in poor taste. So come on! Let's get the next four out!



4. I've read commentary on what might or should be included in the next release in the series, The Capitol Albums Vol 3. Since this series is meant to recreate on CD, the original tracks both in mono and stereo, that capitol released in the U.S. from 1964 through 1967, the only logical choices are Yesterday and Today, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour. All subsequent Beatle albums were released on their Apple label. They should not be included and I trust will not be included in this capitol series. Just a note: A Hard Days Night (the UA version) was released by Capitol in the late 70s' or very early 80s' as was their entire catalogue (including the Apple releases) until EMI decided to release only the European versions in the late 1980s' But only contained stereo mixes in those releases.



5. As you can see, Capitol released the second set of Beatles albums onto CD for the first time in the US configurations. This will represent the four LPs that were originally released during 1965: "The Early Beatles", "Help! Original Soundtrack", "Beatles VI" and "Rubber Soul".
   
   The highlight of this set is definitely the US "Rubber Soul", which actually has a more folksy feel than the UK counterpart. Incredibly, I find it more preferable to the UK one as I find songs like "Drive My Car" kind of out of place in comparison to other material on the US version.
   
   Don't get me wrong, I love "Drive My Car", but since I first heard it on the "Yesterday and Today" compilation in the 70s, I have always thought of it as a 1966 tune, more appropriate for "Revolver" than a 1965 tune on "Rubber Soul". Time has allowed me to get used to the UK version of "Rubber Soul" (We've only had 19 years to listen to this version in the US.), but the US version is one of the best "compilations" of mid-60s Beatles music ever to come out if you don't want to consider it The Beatles actual vision.
   
   As far as the other discs go, they are actually very weak in comparison to other earlier and later material, and with good reason. With constant touring, The Beatles well had basically dried up for a time. So all of the material from the UK "Beatles For Sale" and US "Beatles '65" and "Beatles VI" LPs are slightly more weak. That's just being nitpicky as they always seemed to put out great stuff.
   
   People quibble about the US version of "Help!". I may be in the minority, but I enjoy those Ken Thorne instrumentals. I hope that Capitol sees fit to release the United Artist "A Hard Day's Night" soundtrack with its instrumentals intact as well. It makes it seem like a movie soundtrack than just a collection of songs like the UK "Help!" is.
   
   I definitely prefer the UK "Please Please Me" to the US "The Early Beatles", but what can you do? Capitol got the rights back to the early songs and duly released a belated collection that everyone had purchased a zillion times over on Vee-Jay, so I am glad it is here for that reason alone.
   
   Another MUST BUY!