5 comments about Thirty Years of Funk: 1969-1999.

1. Grand Funk has always been a favorite of mine. What they lacked in their early recordings they made up for with their instinctual soul and groove. They finally hit their stride in the mid 70s and put out some great music. Why this band's body of work (along with Badfinger) continues to be shunned and not taken seriously by the powers that be never ceases to mystify me, and this collection backs up my view (can you hear me, Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame ?). Any fan of straight-forward, melodic rock'n'roll should have a copy.
   Highly recommended.



2. I recommend this CD set for all Grand Funk Railroad fans. It has everything I ever wanted from Grand Funk Railroad. Includes all the songs I couldn't find on other CD's. This is definitely complete. As far as I can see there's only one song that isn't on there from the early years and
   that's T.N.U.C....basically a drum solo. That's the way it is with all greatest hits, best of CD's...they always leave one song out. It may
   be that the song was banned for the reverse spelling but in any case this CD set is the most complete that I ever found. LIVE ON GRAND FUNK RAILROAD!!!



3. Every record company thinking of compiling a "Best Of" for any band at all should review this 3 CD set to see how it's done properly and comprehensively. Not only was GFR just sensational in its day, this set ensures they remain sensational today. There is not really anything to fault about the set - everything is covered and then some - and proves the timelessness of the band. The only other GFR recodings you might want over and above this compilation is the debut "Red" album and then "Survival" both of which really demonstrate the raw power that GFR delivered and in my opinion were the highlights of the "30 Years of Funk"!



4. This is some of the greatest rock you'll ever hear from the 70's. My favorite songs on this set we're the ones produced by Frank Zappa. Let's face it, the ratings that the critics gave this band made KISS look like Bob Dylan. But if your a GFR fan like I am, we all know that the music critics can kiss our asses! Wish I could give this box set more stars.



5. All this digitally remastered old stuff is really great, but did you know that the PRESENT GFR line up is the best there has ever been. By looking for their CD's you would never know that, as there are none from this group as it is. They are the best of the best and the world will never know it if they don't produce a new LIVE CD. Write letters, do whatever is necessary to get it done, but the world and the present band need this. I have seen them and it is true, they are the best live band I have ever heard in my 48 years. Grand Funk Railroad LIVES!!! Let's have Grand Funk Railroad LIVE 2006!!!!! From Alarmingmusic.

5 comments about The Pet Sounds Sessions.

1. Any fan of any music secretly wishes that she or he can peek behind the curtain to witness the moment of creation. With the release of The Pet Sound Sessions we get more than just a glimpse of creation. What we get instead is a front row seat to the reinvention of Brian Wilson's Beach Boys as they conjure one of the most beautiful, touching, and enduring soundscapes ever produced. When Pet Sounds was first released, the Beach Boys were viewed, from the perspective of the 60's, as an antiquated hold-over from a more innocent time when rock and roll had been bleached and tamed to make it less liberating and revolutionary. Performing in striped shirts and white pants and singing about summer, surfing, cars and chaste romance, the Beach Boys created the impression that parents had won the generation war. As a result, Pet Sounds received a luke warm reception from a rock press more attuned to the likes of the Beatles, the Stones, and the emerging West Coast scene.
   The Pet Sounds Sessions proves that everyone was wrong in their judgements about the Beach Boys. Hindsight is, truly, 20-20. From acapella arrangements, through instrumental run-throughs, and culminating in both mono magic and a reworked stereo masterpiece, this collection sets the record straight. Not only does it affirm Brian Wilson's genius -it offers hard-core and casual listeners insight into the mystery of creation. However you approach it, Pet Sounds is a great piece of art. Accessable to everyone, it demonstrates how good music transcends the boundaries of age and attitude, race and gender - and whatever categories we set up to pigeonhole music. In truth, wonder is unsayable. Close your eyes. Listen. Feel. Pet Sounds is Brian's gift to you.



2. What more can be said about Brian Wilson? I always knew he was great and hard working, but I somehow didn't realize that he wrote all the charts for this project. It's no wonder Paul McCartney was so impressed. The Beatles had George Martin, the Beach Boys had Brian.



3. An amazing journey into the creation of a musical masterpiece. Pet Sounds Sessions might be overkill to the casual Beach Boys or rock fan but it should be listened to by all music lovers. Pet Sounds Sessions lets you hear the construction of each of the Pet Sounds songs. All thirteen Pet Sounds songs are extensively examined and disected. The Beach Boys talk during the recording demos is a fantastic trip into the construction and start of the psychedelic 1960s. You hear the genius of Brian Wilson verbally and the harmonies of his fellow Beach Boys as well as the professionalism of record producer and writer Phil Spectors wrecking crew. Brian needed this wrecking crew (musicians) to make his vision and sound come out properly on Pet Sounds. I dont believe Brian really knew what the finished result of Pet Sounds would be during these recording sessions. That is how far ahead Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys were vocally and musically with Pet Sounds over any rock band of the time, yes including The Beatles. There are two booklets with this Sessions box set discussing in depth the Pet Sounds recording sessions. Disc one tracks 1-13 are the stereo mix of the complete Pet Sounds. The vocal sessions on disc three are an incredible listen and sound like a chorus of heavenly angels and will have you singing along with the included song lyrics. On the fourth cd you get to hear Pet Sounds as it was originally presented in 1966 with a new remastered 1996 mono mix). Here is how to listen to Pet Sounds Sessions: Start on cd-1 with track 14 (SLOOP JOHN B highlights) and listen all the way through to disc four to the Pet Sounds Mono Mix. After you listen to the this new mono mix you realize the greatness of Pet Sounds and how far ahead of its time it was and still is. The Beatles were so amazed and blown away with Pet Sounds and "Good Vibrations" that they tried to emulate the Pet Sounds sound in their 1966-1969 recordings. The Beatles 1966 Revolver' through their final recording 1969s "Abbey Road" were rock masterpieces but could never match the sound and creativity of "Pet Sounds" or Good Vibrations". "Pet Sounds" and "Good Vibrations" served as a blueprint for all Beatle recordings through 1966-1969. Beatles producer Sir George Martin has stated "if I had to pick one living musical genius it would be Brian Wilson". Sir George Martin has also stated that Sgt. Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds. Attempt??????? this came from Sir George Martin the producer of the worlds greatest musical band. Pet Sounds is definitly the Tchiakovsky of rock music...........



4. In 1965-66, I sang in my high school's "Select Choir." I've also sung in various quartets and played lead, rhythm, and bass guitar, and harmonica. So I know about music and harmony.
   
   I always knew The Beach Boys were top notch vocalists. But when I listened to them on just the VOCAL tracks of this Pet Sounds box set, even I wasn't prepared for it...it blew me away! The instrumental tracks are also very beautiful and inspiring. If you get this box set, you should listen to the vocal and instrumental tracks SEPARATELY in a quiet place with no distractions or interruptions. And, of course, listen to the vocal & instrumental tracts TOGETHER (as the released version). You need to listen to them in the setting described above to be able to really (and fully) appreciate this musical masterpiece.
   
   The only thing that could top this Pet Sounds box set is... if VIDEO had been taken of the guys singing their vocal parts along with the sound being recorded, too. To have such a video/audio DVD made available to the public would be absolutely AWESOME!
   
   Paul McCartney was once asked by a Japanese radio station what his ten favorite songs were. At the top of his list was "God Only Knows." But I believe the words of George Martin, the PRODUCER of The Beatles, carry even greater weight. He said: "If there is one person that I have to select as a living genius of pop music, I would choose Brian Wilson...[Sargent] Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds." Notice that Martin used the word, "attempt." Think about it: this man was the producer of the records of the group that many still believe is "the world's greatest group"... yet, he says he would choose BRIAN WILSON if he had to name just "one" person as a "living genius of pop music."
   
   Pet Sounds is a masterpiece, Brian Wilson is a genius...period.



5. I thought 4 CDs of Pet Sounds and its outtakes would be too much. I mean, I agree that Pet Sounds is a colossal album, a triumph of all times, but 4 CDs? Yes. It is worth it. If you're a big fan of the album itself, you'll enjoy hearing it dissected, hearing all the different parts and how they were put together. Then... You listen to the stereo mix of the final album (not released at the time) and you realize that the hype is warranted. Pet Sounds is THAT good.

5 comments about Box of Scorpions.

1. Very happy with my purchase, and have ordered 2 other products since and have been very satisfied with all my purchases....



2. Scorpions have changed the way people look at heavy metal. Led by Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker, their music fueled the late-'70s/1980s heavy metal scene.
   
   Hip-O/Mercury's 'Box of Scorpions' collects every aspect of their career. From their 1970s years on RCA, to their 1980s years on Mercury, to their 1990s years on Sanctuary, they are all covered here. And, every single hit from every single era is here. 'In Trance,' 'Rock You Like A Hurricane,' 'No One Like You,' 'Can't Live Without You,' 'Another Piece of Meat' and 'Winds of Change' all appear on this set.
   
   And, I give Hip-O tons of credit for remastering this. The sound quality is simply incredible!
   
   Overall, if you are just a casual fan looking for a complete set without buying the studio records (Their RCA records are getting harder and harder to find), than this set is perfect for you.
   
   Highly recommended for any Scorpions fan. ENJOY!!!



3. After reading several of the positive and negative reviews of this compilation I have a different way of reviewing this "box set". Some were critical of the fact that it isn't really a "box", some were critical of the song selection, or the mastering (which is important), and some were saying that it is okay for the casual Scorpions fan but not the serious fan because of the lack of extras or B sides. But for an older, serious fan of the Scorpions like me who had most of the albums on vinyl and who doesn't want to deal with that format anymore, this is a great way to get a comprehensive set of Scorpions music on CD without having to replace all the LP's with CD's. I know that having the individual CD's is great because most of the songs that didn't make the top 40 or top 10 are some of the best songs available from any group but for $40 this is a great collection. Just remember to have fun with it and enjoy the music!!



4. This is the most comprehensive of any of the best of collections out there, even the newest "Platinum Collection", which did well on the newer stuff "Animal Instinct", which was a vastly underrated CD, but everything is way better on the "Scorps Box Of". I have to say, though, the remastering is 24 bit and good on this one, but I think when the band switched over to Capital Records to release the "Platinum Collection" it must have also remixed or something, because the sound quality on THAT, especially the bass response is just UNREAL (awesome). The best remaster but not the best collection. Too many softies on Disc 3 (reminds of their new Humanity Volume 1, which is going for the world politics approach again), but we don't have as much of that on this Scorpions Box.
   
   I can't give this collection an affirmitive five stars only because it missed a few key tracks like "Hey You" and from Animal Magnetism, "Falling in Love" and "Only a Man". Someone may disagree and I think most critics do, but "Animal Magnetism" was actually overall just as good an album as the U.S. chart-breaking "Blackout", which came out a year later. The good thing is this includes some tracks that will likely never be seen on a compilation like this again: "Don't Make No Promises (Your Body Can't Keep)" and "Twentieth Century Man"- both excellent songs and a surprise to me; finally some representation from the mighty "Animal Magnetism" album! Let's not forget this collection includes "Don't Believe Her" from "Crazy World" and also "We'll Burn the Sky" the od to Jimi Hendrix from his former girlfriend, who then went on to date Ulrich Roth. Lots of passion and some memorable guitar riffs. Good stuff.



5. The "Box Of Scorpions" 3-disc set is probably the best of the many Scorpions compilations that have been released to date. Credit must be given to the folks at Universal Music for getting it done right with this set.
   
   Here's what makes this set pretty decent compared to the other Scorpions packages:
   
   1. A fair representation of tracks from the entire era of Scorpions music, including tracks from albums released under the RCA label. (Not to complain, but it would have been nice to see "It All Depends" here).
   
   2. A number of tracks that have not appeared on other sets, such as "Don't Make No Promises", "20th Century Man" and "Mysterious". It's good to see different tracks other that the same ones that appear over and over again.
   
   3. Three discs as opposed to two or one. Let's face it, any compilation of the Scorpions that does not contain at least 3 discs or maybe 4 just doesn't do justice to the band or its fans. The Scorpions have been around too long to have one-disc CDs being released with their hits. These small compilations will not contain all of their best stuff.
   
   If you are new to the Scorpions or a long-time fan, do yourself a favor and pick up this set. It has the best of what the Scorpions are all about and you won't be disappointed.

5 comments about No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion.

1. I'll keep this short.
   
   PROS:
   - Great packaging and booklet
   - A lot of great songs
   - Some not so obvious selections (both bands and songs)
   - Wire's "Mannequin"
   - The large box has the four CDs in their own individual cases, so you won't have to lug around a cumbersome box.
   
   
   CONS:
   - $65.00? Are you joking?
   - It would have been better if each band only got one song.
   - The Dils are on it. The Dils suck. You just try to listen to "Mr. Big" and not feel stupid.
   - A lot of the songs are very obvious choices.
   
   
   At the moment I'm typing this, the used price is just under $35. That's a good price for this compilation. Keep in mind though, that this is best for people who are getting into the music and not those of us who are familiar. I know that I own, or did at one point, own a large portion of this.



2. The one thing Rhino Records did get from the Sex Pistols (Johnny Rotten/Lydon) was the name of this box set. The way I heard it (from a music insider) is that Rhino wanted to include the Sex Pistols but when Johnny Rotten/Lydon was asked about the inclusion of a song, His reply was simply "NO THANKS!" So don't blame Rhino, they did a great job! On the other hand, Johnny, you are just rotten!!!!!!!!!



3. Bit of controversy about the worth of this box set, which seems about right given the subject matter. But I think it's okay for a 4CD overview, which can only be fairly shallow and a bit random, no matter how thoughtfully compiled. If you got really serious, for example, you'd need a full CD, or at least a solid half of one, just devoted to Australian bands. I mean, for starters, no Birthday Party? Huh? In fact The Saints are the only inclusion, with their most routinely anthologised track and all. But of course by then you're looking at ten or twelve CDs in a box costing several hundred dollars, which might be overkill.
   
   And what is punk music anyway? If you mean what "punks" actually listened to at home, which Rhino sort of seems to (e.g. Devo, Cure), then including no ska-dub-reggae seriously misrepresents the era, too. But hey, Cherry Bomb and Another Girl Another Planet and Roadrunner and Chinese Rocks all made the cut, so I'm happy. What's there is pretty good. It's a decent blast from the past, and it certainly brings back the time for me, weird though it was. Even the bad and pointless stuff is acceptably representative.
   
   It would also, I think, make an excellent one-stop-shop introduction for someone born in the 1980s or 90s, because of rather than despite it's scattershot and sometimes unsatisfactory nature. Punk was a glorious, disjointed, and genuinely absurd mess from go to whoa, and no one really knew what it was about even while it was happening, so in a sense this collection is VERY faithful. (Ending the set with Love Will Tear Us Apart is perfect in so many ways.)
   
   But then I'm probably in one of Rhino's target demographics, i.e. middle-aged baldheads with ruined livers who miss hearing some of the songs, but don't particularly want to devote what's left of their lives (no future really starting to kick in at this point) to collecting them all over again.
   
   (But ignoring the Pistols and PIL must just be a legal issue, surely? Or else, yeah, too insane.)



4. Lets get one thing out of the way, the music is timeless.
   
   Last I heard "punk" was not a style.
   It's obviously a cash-in aimed towards hot-topic punks that enjoy name-dropping obscure bands as if it meant something. These songs are great yes, but the albums they came off of are even better. To dillute the whole life of these bands to just one or two tracks is an absolute shame. If you don't care about history or music feel free to get this.



5. This boxed set has many great and classic punk songs. I would recommend it particularly to young people today who didn't live in the late '70's. Back in '78 or so, some of this type of music is what really got me interested in rock'n'roll to begin with. I think it's a great collection, but Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and some others who were really not true punk rock, don't really belong on this set. However, it's good to see many of the New York (CBGB) bands here. This is the true rebellious music of the 1970's, just like rockabilly was in the 1950's, even though the genres and styles are completely different.

4 comments about The Ike & Tina Turner Story [3CD].

1. This is a good overview of the Ike and Tina Turner Review. The third disc is a favorite of mine. It is a live concert at the Basin Street West. I had the original LP but this concert has never been released on CD before. While I admit that Tina's solo career was brilliant, I still think her days with Ike (not her personal life of course) were pure musical magic. This box set shares some of that magic..



2. Hard driving and tumultuous--just like their marriage--THE IKE AND TINA TURNER STORY cd box set rocks and rolls at an unrelenting pace that it becomes hard to keep still while listening to it. The pulsing beat of each song, along with Tina's urgent power-house vocals, reach out and grab you in so much soul and funk that you just want to get up and get down...
   
   The remastering makes each song sound better than ever! This set comes with three cds; the third being a cd of the album "In Person" which was a live album from 1969. The other two cds contain all of the hits Ike & Tina are known for like "Proud Mary" and "River Deep, Mountain High" along with their cover of the Beatles "Come Together." Also on cd #1 is the hard to find song "I'm Blue(The Gong-Gong Song)" by the Ikettes (for some reason this song is not included on the Ikettes compilation "Fine, Fine, Fine").
   
   This set comes with a mid-size book with color/b&w photos of the duo along with the story behind-the-scenes.
   
   All-in-all this is a great box set for any Ike and Tina Turner fan. For those who would like an intro to Ike and Tina or want to know more about their music but don't want to spend the extra money on this set, try Proud Mary: The Best of Ike & Tina Turner.



3. Most fans of Ike & Tina Turner know there are many Ike & Tina Turner compilations out there. Most of them interesting, but none that are complete. The Ike & Tina Turner Story is the most complete collection of the R&B duo's tumultuous career. The first two discs features the major hits "Proud Mary", "It's Gonna Work Out Fine", "A Fool in Love" and their superb covers of "I Want To Take You Higher" and "Honky Tonk Woman". The third disc is a live recording, which makes sense because Ike and Tina were highly respected for their sensational live performances. This is a chance to hear what it might be like to hear them live.
   
   The excellent remastering and liner notes make it a worthwhile compilation, but the one drawback is that due to licensing issues, the original version of Tina's recording of "River Deep, Mountain High" is not featured here. In its place is a live recording. I also prefer the version of "Baby Get It On" featured on Tina's "Acid Queen" album from 1975. It's funkier and snappier than the slowed-down version featured here.
   
   But despite the quibbles, this is a great compilation of Ike and Tina Turner, whose work deserves such a compilation.



4. Let's deal with the elephant in the room. It could have been called, "Ike & Tina Turner, The Coat Hanger Years," because Ike, a B+ producer and A- multi-instrumentalist, terrorized and abused his superstar wife the whole damn time. King of a chitlin' circuit, never a winner in major label player competition, he dealt with the insecurities of his tiny, limp laurels by beating his wife, not like the guy two houses down on at least one side of your home, reader, but like the most sought-after drill instructor in Satan's cream dream basic training camp for demons. That's where the coat hangers came in, and then Tina's rise from a bottom so desperate that we can't imagine it to a place where she gives us hope if she's over that nightmare today.
   The trad. Blues guys have an unspoken conspiracy going on now to bring Ike back into accepted American musical society, and that's an embarrassment for the form. This reviewer is perfectly aware that Robert Johnson sang, "Me and the devil / was walking side by side / I'm gonna beat my woman / 'Til I get satisfied," and that Ike Turner was the first official stand-up piano player on the official first rock and roll recording, Jackie Brenston's "Rockett 88..."
   ... getting worked up at this point, unable to let go of the Ike thing and focus on this important CD anthology, which is my job, I sought counsel from a respected voice, SAFFIRE's Gaye Adegbalola. Her response increased my admiration for her general wisdom, soul and grasp of musicians' roles. I will refer readers to her article, http://www.adegbalola.com/writings.html, article #10, and get back to my job.
   Ike & Tina Turner gave a common language to, in their day, still-separate black and white popular music fans. By doing so, they increased vocabularies on and off the bandstand. These recordings call to mind a quote variously attributed to Charlemagne, Joseph II Hapsburg and Goethe -- "To have another language is to have another soul." That's the gift Ike & Tina gave modern American music.

5 comments about The Singles 1986-1995.

1. This collection includes all of Duran Duran's singles from 1986-1995. Also includes B-sides and remixes of the original singles, all of which are worth listening to and adding to your ever-growing Duran Duran collection.
   
   I'm not really into the remixes (but I will admit they are pretty good!), I enjoyed mostly the singles and their B-sides. "Burning the Ground" is mix of all their classic hits added in a dance-beat and song title chanted throughout. "Decadance" is similar to "Burning the Ground," only shorter and has a few new twists added in. "Needle & the Damage Done" great soft rock acoustic cover of Neil Young's song, just beautiful. "Yo Bad Azizi" is funky, it's based on the line "you're about as easy as a nuclear war" from their song "Is there something I should know?" "Throb" is 4 minutes of dance-pop goodness. "We Need You" "All Along the Water" "Water Babies" and "I Believe/All I Need To Know" are all great tracks and you'll enjoy them! Finally, "God" and "This is how a road gets made" are spoken tracks on the single for "Do you believe in shame?" So many good songs! Check them out!
   
   Five stars for an awesome collection. Wished we had more B-sides/unreleased tracks and not so many repeats of previous songs. Also, it's missing one B-side that needed to be part of this collection- STOP DEAD!!! You can find it on the "Come Undone" single, but it's not included with this collection.
   
   Hope they release another singles box in the future! Put those "Astronaut" tracks (Salt in the Rainbow, Beautiful Colors,TV vs. Radio, and Pretty Ones) on it, too!
   
   The "Mad Mind" has spoken.



2. I was very pleased with this product . The box set is fantastic , lots of singles to listen to and all good .
   If you are , like myself a very big Duran Duran fan then this is a must for you .



3. Duran Duran The Single Collection 86 to 95 is a really good set. The B Sides (We Need You, I Believe All I Need To Know, Decadance, Throb, Yo Bad Azizi, and The Needle And The Damage Is Done) along with the remixes are very interesting. One of the best parts of the collection is Burning The Ground which is made up different melodies and lyrics from different Duran Duran songs throughout the 80s woven together very smoothly. However, the singles for Ordinary World and Come Undone contains reruns. My Antarctica is on the Liberty album, Save A Prayer (single version) and Rio are on the original Rio CD and the rest of the 80s songs are on the Greatest album as well as the first singles collection. Do not know if EMI have any plans for re-releasing the UK Tour Edition Bonus CD from the Wedding album. However, this collection would have been complete if EMI would have included Fallen Angel, Stop Dead, Time For Temptation, Too The Shore (alternate version), and Diamond Dogs. Dispite that, this collection is a great addition for any Duran Duran fan.



4. Much like the first installment of singles, seeing these remixes and b-sides come out on CD in ANY form was a welcome sign.
   
   There are so many good tracks here like "We Need You," "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" and several excellent live recordings that its hard to overpraise the music contained herein.
   
   The packaging however is tough. All single CDs... I am sure I am not the only one to quickly make a compilation CD of the rare tracks and put the nostaglia sleeves away for safe keeping.
   
   Wish they would have done that for me.....



5. This is a companion collection to the original singles box 1980-1985. The packaging is similiar in that you get individual discs in original artwork of single sleeves. I finally get the single version of Meet El Presidente. I really enjoyed the B-Sides as well, as most of my singles were vinyl and don't play as well anymore. This is an awesome addition to a Duran Duran fans collection.

2 comments about The Essential Marty Robbins: 1951-1982.

1. I had no idea I was a Marty Robbins fan. Sure, I was familiar with some of his hits like Devil Woman and A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation), but he kind of flew under the radar otherwise. I do love all genres of music so my friends laugh as I listen to jazz one minute, hip-hop the next and now Marty Robbins, sampling anything and everything to find the best. And this box set is among the best! Marty Robbins had a fantastic soulful voice, highly underrated, and this set shows his amazing versatility as he goes from old country with Smokin' Cigarettes and Drinkin' Coffee Blues, folk with Beautiful Dreamer, early rock 'n' roll with Unchained Melody to standards, such as All The Way, and he does each one perfectly! The sound quality on this set is excellent! There are 50 tracks and I want 50 more! I now recognize Marty Robbins is a true music pioneer and major talent!



2. With the exception of Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, and Johnny Cash, no other Country artist had as big an impact on the more lucrative Billboard Pop singles charts than Marty Robbins, as no less than 24 times did he crack the Top/Hot 100, with another eleven just missing by making the "bubbling under" charts. And among that 24, four were Hot 100 hits only as Cap & Gown [# 45 in 1959], Is There Any Chance? and Ballad Of The Alamo [# 31 and # 34 respectively in 1960], and I Told The Brook [# 81 in 1962] did not make the Country charts.
   
   He had, to his credit, SIXTEEN # 1 Country hits, beginning with his very first for Columbia way back in 1952 [I'll Go On Alone] and ending in 1976 with Among My Souvenirs. Both are in this box set. In addition, he had 78 other Country Top 100 singles.
   
   So, yes, it would be rather difficult to put together a set containing 50 selections and not leave off SOMETHING of significance. In my case, for example, I would have loved to see Ballad Of The Alamo included.
   
   But hey, what is here is worth the price because, not only does it contain 24 charted hits, they are fully detailed in the 22-page booklet that accompanies the 2 CDs. This also contains informative liner notes written by Rich Kienzle in July 1991 along with many great photos of Marty over the years, as well as album cover reproductions (including his first), and personal appearance/movie poster reproductions.
   
   For once Columbia did something right.

5 comments about Synchronistic Wanderings.

1. I own both "Synchronistic Wanderings" and "Pat Benatar Greatest Hits", and I must say "Synchronistic Wanderings" does a much better job of covering her career. If you're unsure of which to get, go with this more inclusive collection. For only a few more dollars you can get this collection (used), but you get two extra CD's worth of material, including rarities and tracks from her 90's albums "True Love" and "Gravity's Rainbow", not to mention a biographical booklet with commentary by Pat and Neil (her husband/guitarist).
   
   Also, some of the tracks from her "Greatest Hits" album have been shortened by a few seconds to fit as many songs as possible into one CD. It's only a minor annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless. On this collection all the songs are their original length.
   
   "Synchronistic Wanderings" is a great collection, by one of the greatest rock singers of our time.



2. Pat Benatar is, in my mind, the greatest female rock singer of all time. She had an amazing voice, was incredibly sexy, and made some great music. Up until now, my only introduction to her was the single disc "Greatest Hits" album released this past June. It had some amazing stuff on it. But I wanted more.
   
   So, I went searching through Amazon, and I found the three disc boxed set "Synchronistic Wanderings". I saw it and went, "I got to get this". And when I saw how cheap it was, I said, "I have to get this now.
   
   Well today, I finally found it. I popped it into my cd player. My thoughts? Read on for the practically inevitable positives and negatives.
   
   Positives:
   -Three discs filled with nothing but Pat! What more can you ask for? This cd has all the big hits, including "Heartbreak", "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", "Hell Is For Children", "Shadows Of The Night", "Love Is A Battlefield", "We Belong" and "Invincible" are all included.
   -Many underrated album cuts and rarities are incuded as well, including b - sides, demos and live performances.
   -Fantastic liner notes.
   -Great remastering job.
   -No edits! All songs are in their original length.
   -This set is CHEAP! I thought I had to shell out a good sixty or seventy dollars for it, but I got it for less than forty bucks. That is one offer you should not pass up.
   
   Negatives:
   -While the remastering job is great overall, there are one or two songs that sound a little flat, namely "Ooh Ooh Song" and "Invincible. But other than that, everything sounds great.
   
   Overall, this is the best Pat Benatar compilation on the market. If you're a casual or beginning fan, than this is the collection to own.



3. Disk two and three are the best, after Pat and Neil had a chance to mature. (Steven Stolder, don't give up your day job.) Bolth ear candy and social commentary. can't get enough!! Best song is the Freeking Rocking All Fired Up.



4. For my money this box set lacks nothing. In terms of extras, the demo versions and b-sides are very cool. My personal favorite inclusion is the song "Shooting Star" from the Harry Chapin Tribute. If you saw the concert on PBS, it was a moving night to begin with- and when she first appeared she seemed almost out of place with the folksy stars like Judy Collins and CSN. Then she belted out this tune and turned the theater upside down. Probably my personal highlight of the show and I'm thrilled to have a copy on something other than an old VHS tape. Well worth the relatively inexpensive box-set-price.



5. This is a 3 CD anthology covering 1979-1999. Everything that I like and dislike about Benatar is here. The early rock stuff sometimes makes me cringe with Neil Giraldo's simplistic but bombastic '80s power chords. Benatar has a great voice but never reached her potential due to working within the constraints of AOR radio...which paid off handsomely considering she had 19 top 40 hits. There are a fair amount of unreleased tracks and alternative versions here for the die hard, but what I enjoyed most were the liner notes. Every single song has very enlightening insights from Pat and Neal, who shared their feelings separate from each other, making for some very interesting contrasts. It's great from a music standpoint as it explains why they left some things in (that's John Lee Hooker laughing at the beginning of Rise) and what they were trying to accomplish with other things, what songs they still love and others that they can't stand anymore. Reading along also allows you to really feel what they have gone through the last 20 years, from making artistic compromises with Chrysalis, to the birth of their kids and the highs and lows of their careers. Interesting reading and usually good listening.

1 comments about The Collection: Really Rosie/Music/Tapestry.

1. You can't go wrong with Carole King. I wanted to replace my copy of "Music" and hadn't ever owned "Really Rosie", so this was an affordable option. Keep in mind, this CD set is not a compilation, but individual copies of each CD packaged together. It is more affordable than purchasing all the CD's individually. It's a great way to share wonderful music with everyone in the family!

5 comments about Brainwashed (Special Edition with Bonus DVD).

1. A great last go for one of the fab four. A beautiful album from start to finish.



2. During the Time that much of the Music on this Recording was created, George, was very aware that his Life was almost over. And going in, I had never heard a Note of this CD called: "Brainwashed". As, I could only imagine what he was dealing with in the Last Year of his Life, I was expecting this Music to be Dire and Depressed in content. These Great Up-Lifting Songs and the General Tone of Happiness that I found here, for me has really Re-Inforced the Commitment of George Harrison as a Man of Great Faith and Spirit. And because of this, my Respect for this Man and his Art has Multiplied.
   
   From the Wonderful Acoustic Guitars that ring like Bells on the Opener: "Any Road", right on through to the Closer: "Brainwashed", this is Joyful Music that ranks up with any of George's Greatest Works. Like "Cloud Nine" and the best Moments of The Wilbury's, this is the Work of an Mature and Worldly Person, that seems very content and at Peace.
   
   On repeated listenings this Record holds up so Well, my Favorite track keeps on changing, right now "Pisces Fish" is at the Top, but this is an ongoing thing for my Ears and Heart, so I'll bet another of these Gems takes it's place as I absorb this Record again and again.
   
   I will agree with some of the other Reviewers and say that as the DVD is Beautiful in Content, and gives us a real personal look at George, {Who was Sooo Private about his Life} I sure do wish it was Longer. That said, I really think that this The Deluxe Edition is they way to go, it is special and fitting for this Record to have all the 'Extras' included.
   
   It's still Difficult to be without George Harrison in our World, but his Spirit is so Vast, he is now The Universe above us Forever.
   This is a Fantasic CD...FIVE STARS !!!



3. This is by Far my Favorite Album by George...
   Lyrically it is lightyears beyond where he has gone before.



4. This album is a must for all Harrison fans, and deserves a listen even by those who are not. His talent and spirituality are up front in the music and lyrics, which are mostly explorations of Harrison's feelings about life and God, with a few surprises in the form of more whimsical offerings like "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", and the bluesy "Rocking Chair in Hawaii", which point to his versatility as an artist. The chant performed by Harrison and Dhani, his son, at the end of the title track is especially poignant. The album released posthumosly and finished by Jeff Lynne and Dhani is a testament to a musician and man who was much loved by his family, friends, and fans.



5. I have been a Beatlemaniac since age 5, when my parents gave me my first Beatles Album (The Beatles Again; 1970). I purchased this album on recommendation from a fellow Beatlemaniac. I have listened to this album virtually every day for a year and a half. George left it all on the vinyl, and most lovingly. Thank you George, for this musical treasure.