5 comments about A Musical History.

1. It's all here...Sixteen years as a touring unit...Begining with The Hawks, Bob Dylan, Big Pink and on through The Last Waltz. Sure there were bigger acts during The Band's tenure. The Stones, The Beatles, Led Zeplin and The Who undoubtly grossed more ticket receipts and record sales. But can anyone deny them their place in rock history? Did any other record album of it's time ever have the impact of Music From Big Pink? Unique...Why I dare say The Band was about as unique as a three horned unicorn.
   
   I'll not bore anyone with a song by song analysis of the material comprising this anthology. Suffice to say it is the most comprehensive collection of The Band's awesome sixteen year output. The selections draw heavily on a wealth of unreleased live material from The Festival Express Train Tour, 7/70 to The Royal Albert Hall, 6/71 to The Academy Of Music 12/71 to The Palladium, 9/76 and of course their swan song Winterland Palace, 11/76. There's also an ample serving of unreleased studio out-takes and live rehersal tracks.
   
   The Band - A Musical History will satisfy first time listeners and afficonados alike. As they say in Life's A Carnival..."You can walk on the water or you can drown in the sand.....It's a restless age". It sure was a restless age way back in the late 1960's up until 1976, when The Band offically gave up touring. One thing's for sure during their long and faithful run they absolutely walked on water. Listen and try to keep from drowning in the sand.



2. Great and luxurius box for The Band fans, fantastic pictures and a great collection of songs in chronological order.
   
   Recommended for every The Band fan!



3. Beginning with the Hawks material shows The Band smoking a Bo Diddly riff on 'Who do you love?'That's Levon laying down that voodoo beat and shaking it up better than at the Last Waltz!
   Van Morrison's rehearsal versions also best the Last Waltz.
   The 1976 live version of 'Forbidden Fruit'is one of the most exciting tracks ever, aside from 1974's tour with Bob Dylan. That's Levon, again, in high gear! (Pun acceptable)
   This Band encompassed everything good about an ensemble. Three headed vocals, incomparable rhythms, songwriting comparable to Beatles and Dylan, and the one man orchestra Garth Hudson.
   The DVD man!
   Robbie,I know you held back some more material. Give it up!
   Buy this box and take a journey thru American via rock-n-roll.



4. I became aware of the product from iTunes which has a review of the set but does not actually have all of the tracks from the set.
   
   Listening for the first time, I was reminded of something my dad told me: their songs are great, but sometimes, their singing is the pits. That's especially noticeable on "Will the Circle Be Unbroken".
   
   But that does not impact the value of this set. It gives a complete picture of The Band and their history. The accompanying book (I would call it liner notes, but that minimizes its impact) does not delve into the lasting rift between Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson, but it still makes great reading. If you're a fan, this set is worth the investment.



5. The collection of the Band is outstanding. It contains multipule versions of famous tracks as well as previously unrecorded or unreleased material. Features several great versions of the Band's "Don't Do It" which is a hard one to find. The book and DVD are cool as well. A must for the Band fan.

3 comments about Billboard Top 10 Karaoke, Vol. 1.

1. This CD does live up to it reviews. It is an excellent compilation of the decades passed. i love it. A must have for any karaoke r.



2. The music is not the original artists but is music "made famous by the original artist" and is only evident once you read the fine print. It seems a bit dishonest to use the Billboard Top 10 as a selling vehicle. I rated the item a 4 because the music is ok and after all it is Karaoke. Worst of all is the price--I found these at Walmart for $30.



3. The songs are fine, but there is no way to tell how close you are to the next lyric when in between verses. Unless you know the songs it can be tough to track. Many other competitors have ...s or something to signal how close you are to the next verse.

5 comments about Anthology.

1. John Lennon is shown here in this box set as a true individual that he was. Afforded independence to do what he wanted, one gets a feeling of honesty which one rarely hears from major artist. On the other hand, if your not a complete Lennon nut like myself, I wouldn't buy this set. I would try a "greatest" CD first then if it's to your liking, come back
   and get this Box set. To me, this set was just what the doctor order...I needed a little of Dr. Winston O'Boogie to get me through the "Holidays".



2. I'm more of a "casual fan" like the kind mentioned in Annie Van Auken's review. However, I really enjoyed this set. It's a nice collection of live tracks, alternate takes, and pre-production, stripped-down versions.
   
   Some of the major highlights:
   1. Love (which doesn't have the almost too quiet to hear opening like the album version)
   
   2. Remember (which shows that, even when something has him tickled, John still has a powerful voice despite giggling in parts of the song,
   
   3. John Sinclair and the audio of the quote prior to the song which is on the previous track (Apathy isn't it, and we can do something. Ok, so flower power didn't work, so what. We start again.)
   
   4. Two nice alternate takes on Mind Games.
   
   5. Stranger's Room - which is a wonderful early cut of I'm Losing You
   
   6. The Hank Williams-esque Life Begins at 40, which is very eerie to hear now for obvious reason.
   
   
   These and some superb in home and live recordings of old favorites, including three versions of Imagine, and a nice rendition of Come Together.



3. This album presents the potential purchaser with an imaginary line. Whether or not you should buy ANTHOLOGY really depends upon which side of that line you're on. For completists, LENNON * ANTHOLOGY is a godsend or revelation; for the casual fan, this collection is a jumbled rough-cut head-scratcher. If you don't own all of John's solo albums, you probably won't want this one.
   
   More so than the BEATLES ANTHOLOGY series, this set is replete with fragments, false starts, incomplete demos, slight or off-key vocals and silly chatter. If John was still alive, he never would have released most of this stuff, and with good reason. There's something to be said for specifically detailed Last Wills.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
   DISC ONE (Astor) -- 65:41
   DISC TWO (New York City) -- 65:01
   DISC THREE (The Lost Weekend) -- 63:25
   DISC 4 (Dakota) -- 72:52



4. I've looked at this set for many years, but never could bring myself to pay the premium price for it. I finally gave in and bought it and I'm really glad I did.
   
   It's a fantastic set, both in content and packaging. It's refreshing to hear different versions of the songs we're all used to hearing. And there's plenty of music that I had not heard previously.
   
   Overall, the sound quality is very good, but some songs do suffer the limitation of being home recordings but are still very listenable. I actually prefer John's solo "Real Love" over the doctored up Beatles version.
   
   I could have done without Sean's contributions, but as he was an important part of John's life, I can accept them.
   
   Like Johnny Cash's "Personal File" this is an intimate look at the performer; kind of like having him sitting in your living room and playing a private concert just for you.
   
   Yoko often gets criticized for her handling of John's material, but this is a quality offering in every respect and shows us John the Man vs. John the Beatle.
   
   Highly recommended.



5. The only knock on this excellent box set is that there is a little too much chatter. I really don't need to hear Lennon talking. The music does the talking here.
   
   5 stars - excellent amazon purchase.

5 comments about Different Stages: Live.

1. THE BAND: Geddy Lee (vocals, bass, keyboards), Alex Lifeson (guitars), Neil Peart (drums & percussion).
   
   THE DISCS: (1998) 39 tracks on 3 discs totaling 200+ minutes (Disc-1 at approximately 70 minutes, Disc-2 at 69 minutes, and Disc-3 at 62 minutes). Included with the discs is a 7-page foldout containing band pictures, a collage of various tour paraphernalia, a list of crew members, and what songs were recorded where and when. Discs 1 and 2 capture the band somewhere between 1994 and 1997 (25 of the 28 songs are recorded in 1997 in support of the "Test For Echo" tour... cities included Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Toronto, Miami, Philly and Mansfield, MA). Disc 3 is a bonus disc of older material - recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon - London 1978. Disc 1 is enhanced - showing cluster artwork from Japanese artist Hisashi Hoda. The tri-fold case is a medium thick cardboard. Label - Atlantic / Anthem.
   
   ALBUM REPRESENTATION (1st two discs only): 2112 (1 song - though divided into 7 sections - the complete 2112 Overture), A Farewell To Kings (1), Hemispheres (1), Permanent Waves (3), Moving Pictures (4), Signals (1), Presto (1), Roll The Bones (3), Counterparts (4), Test For Echo (3).
   
   COMMENTS: Behind Rush's raw 1st powerful live album "All The World's A Stage" (1976), I like this "Different Stages" best. It seems we are treated to a live Rush release every 5-7 years... so after such a long and prosperous career, there are several live albums to consider (among others - "Exit... Stage Left", "A Show Of Hands", "Rush In Rio", "R30", "Snakes & Arrows"). For me, the song selection on "Exit... Stage Left" (1981) might be near perfect - capturing the band truly in their prime - but the sound production is sub par. THE GOOD: In a nut shell - "Different Stages" delivers lots of music, great song selection, a nice foldout CD package, and stellar sound production. Highlights include: the entire "2112 Overture" (worth the price of the disc by itself), a great rendition of "Natural Science", a nice inclusion of "Analog Kid", rocking versions of "Animate" and "Stick It Out", and the 2 instrumentals - the closer "YYZ" and the ultra smooth "Leave That Thing Alone" (leading into Peart's 8-minute drum solo on "The Rhythm Method"). Disc-3 is a treat - throws you back to the "Hemispheres" tour featuring classic tunes live - "Bastille Day", "By-Tor & The Snow Dog", a shortened version of "Cygnus X-1", "Fly By Night", "Xanadu", "A Farewell To Kings", etc. THE NOT SO GOOD: Two things stick out to me. One - as you'll notice on later Rush live albums, Geddy Lee's bass really takes over (drowning out Lifeson's guitar in spots). In some songs here, you can really notice the volume on Lee's bass. Two - several classic songs are missing. As stated above, Rush has so many live albums, you're bound to be able to find your favorite Rush tune live somewhere... but this "Different Stages" (discs 1 and 2) release sounds so good... I wish ALL the best songs were here. Absent is anything from "Caress Of Steel", "Grace Under Pressure", "Power Windows", or "Hold Your Fire". Classic tunes missing - "Red Barchetta", "Subdivisions", "Distant Early Warning", "New World Man", "La Ville Strangiato", "Force Ten", "Lakeside Park", etc. OVERALL: Nice package with lots of music covering old and new material - 1974 through 1996 (5 stars).



2. A little history, I grew up in the 70's and have always been a big music fan and listener. I have heard Rush, respected rush but never have seen them live or purchased any of thier music. So, in December I'm driving home from work and an independent radio station cranking and heard this killer guitar and drums. It sounded familiar but I had never heard it before. I was blown away. Turns out to be live Rush cygnus and anthem.
   Well I had to get some live Rush and this was the one.
   It's a powerhouse of a set and it just drives home that Rush is very underrated by the masses.
   This is rock solid.



3. Rush's fourth live album Different Stages was released in November of 1998.
   The album was released after the deaths of drummer Neil Peart's daughter Selena in August of 1997 and wife Jackie in July of 1998 to a car crash and cancer respectively. As a result, bass player and singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson decided to put Rush on indefinite hiatus and left the choice to Neil to either come back when recovered or call it a career.
   As a result, Geddy and producer Paul Northfield sifted through the concert tapes that the band had recorded on their 1994 and 1997 sold out tours to come up with initially a double live album with most of the tracks recorded in Chicago in June of 1997.
   Discs one and two have the best versions of "Dreamline", "The Trees", "Nobody's Hero", "Stick it Out", "Closer to the Heart", "Test for Echo", "The Analog Kid", "Resist", "Leave That Thing Alone" and "Natural Science" I ever heard. The highlight though on the first two discs is the entire "2112" suite. The reason I say this was I was at the show they recorded this and Leave That Thing in Mansfield, Mass in June of 1997. Hearing the whole 2112 piece live was spellbinding.
   The other tracks on the first two discs of this live album which are "Limelight", "Driven", "Bravado", "Animate", "Show Don't Tell", "Freewill", Neil's killer drum solo "The Rhythm Method", "The Spirit of Radio", "Tom Sawyer" and "YYZ" are all superb as well.
   The double live disc changed to three when Geddy found an unused multi-track tape of a Rush performance from 1978 in London on the Farewell to Kings tour. Originally, it was to go to radio but Geddy didn't like the way his voice sounded so they scrapped it. Then 20 years later, they decided to give the fans an added bonus live disc to Different Stages making the triple live album the price of a double (if that isn't bang for your buck I don't know what is).
   The performances of "Bastille Day", "Something for Nothing", "Anthem", "Working Man", "Fly by Night", "In the Mood" rival the versions on All the World's a Stage. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" is short but still good and the Farewell to Kings material, especially "Cygnus X-1" and "Xanadu" are excellent as is the title cut and the closing "Cinderella Man".
   Like always, Different Stages went Gold immediately confirming Rush's place in history as the most successful rock band ever to come from Canada. Sales notwithstanding, this is the best Rush live album as you get Rush live from 1978 to 1997.
   Highly recommended!



4. RUSH - Different Stages "Live" 3 Discs (2hrs 20 mins)
   
   This is part four of a comprehensive four part series of Music Reviews of the Progressive Rock band Rush. This is a band that has been around now for over 30 years, and has gone though many musical phases. I consider the bands 1990 releases as their "Contemporary period". Albums included are Presto (1989), Roll the Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), Test for Echo (1996), and Different Stages "Live" (1998).
   
   With the prospect of working on the next new Rush album put on an indefinate hold by the personal tragedies that fell upon Rush's drummer, Neil Peart during 1997, Geddy Lee, the band's bassist, took it upon himself to go ahead and work on getting something out to the fans.
   
   Different Stages is Rush's fourth Live album up to that point, and in my opinion, the best of them all. It's the most comprehensive live set ever offered. Basically it's a live "greatest hits" package with live versions of some songs presented for the first and possibly last time. Different Stages comes mostly from Rush's Test for Echo Tour in 1996. That was the first time they played to fans with no opening act. It was billed as "An Evening with Rush" and what an evening it was! Awesome long shows running 2 1/2 to 3 hours long. They even played "2112" in it's entirety! Awesome. I saw the show at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on December 6th 1996.
   
   There are two discs filled with Live Rush from that tour, and then, as a bonus, you get a vintage 1978 show recorded in London from the Farewell to Kings tour. This was originally recorded to be a radio show that was never broadcast. It's nice to here them play some of these songs from back in the day. A real treat for long-time fans like myself.
   
   This is a bargain set for around $22.00 filled with lots of great music.



5. You know it! Take it from this fan too, I saw them quite a few times back then and have heard every note on every release many times - THIS ROCKS! The version of each song is selected nicely and very strong, each disk is fantastic to me. None of the enthusiasm or talent is missing, you could even say they have just gotten better over the years. By the way, Alex Lifeson is one of the longest-standing and best arena-rock guitarists on the planet (have to leave room for other talented galactic string benders I may not be aware of). Neil & Geddy are still spoken of with that same regard as well. This bands impact is huge! Who said you slow down when you get older??? Just watch the Rush In Rio dvd if you need further proof ... the Vapor Trails material (the whole darned concert actually) on there shows a band just finding its higher self. They rocked Rio's world those two nights. The psychedelic connection has been strengthened lately too it appears, maybe a great new stage is about to present itself? One can hope. That Hammersmith disk from 78 is especially sweet, maybe my favorite single cd offered. I do have to say that this is a five-star release if there ever was one (in my opinion, I love it!). Enjoy on a BIG POWERFUL SYSTEM for full effect ~ ~ ~

5 comments about More Hot Rocks: Big Hits & Fazed Cookies.

1. If you trust everyone to do good, bless your bleeding heart. If you've been burned, well well well.
   
   The Beatles always traded in the utopian moment, no surprise they always got the X-mas release. Say the word and you'll be free. The Stones described the waiting, the frustration, the lost moment. I can't get no satisfaction, you can't always get what you want ~ the key sentiment: can't. Even later, stoned and rich, Jagger convinced with I'm fumbling and I know my car don't start. Can't. Don't. Won't. And, later still, making love and breaking hearts it is a game for youth. You have to get older to sing a blues like that. McCartney you would think could achieve that but, no, hi hi hi instead. Now then. Big party tonight, booze and lose your clothes. Losers. I'll be working instead. Working alone. I got my pink transistor radio and it will be blasting elemental oldies. Can't get no. Can't always no, no and nope. Keyed up. I live in an apartment on the ninety-ninth floor of my block. Sexy and aggravated. Aggravated IS sexy. Wanna know the secret to life, love and happiness? It's SUPPOSED to piss ya off. I'd deny you nothing.
   
   If cleaning up after lazy slobs gets you off, then socialism is a dream come true.



2. When I bought this collection I was interested in one song that was not on any other Stones album at that time: "We Love You". From the closing of the jail doors (Mick and Keith had been arrested prior to recording this.)
   and the dragging of chains to the horns in the background this is just a goofy song. And if it sounds like there are too many voices for the Stones alone - John Lennon and Paul McCartney also sang on this recording. Because the single did not do well in the US (#50 on the Billboard Charts) It was not included on the US release of "Through the Past Darkly (Big Hits, Volume 2)" although the flip side, "Dandelion", was. Since then it has also been included on both "The Singles Collection: The London Years" and "Rolled Gold+: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones". Now....if someone can put out the Beach Boys / Jan & Dean / everyone sounds drunk version of "Barbara Ann"..



3. Hot Rocks - Big Hits & Fazed Cookies, is an amazing early collection by the Stones. I had the album back in 1981 but lost it. Amazon gave me a great deal on the CD, and with new digitized sound, the Stones are better than ever! I highly recomend it.
   Gary Kent
   Satisfied Amazon Customer



4. I just love this record - it has the lesser known Stones gems, especially from their psychedelic era, together with then-unreleased early songs. This shows a more mellow side of the Sontes... TLA cinema in the early '70s used to play the second LP between movies, and listening now brings it all back...
   
   The sound on this reissue is excellent and natural, I hear details not evident in the LPs I bought when they first came out.



5. Don't get me wrong I love the Stones, but "More Hot Rocks, Big Hits & Fazed Cookies" shouldn't have been released in 2002. Why? Most of this material could have been bonus material on the appropriate albums, but I understand show biz greed. Also, fans may have fond memories of this album, such as my brother, who I bought this for. One big problem he had was the opening track, "Tell Me," which was longer than the LP version back in the 70's. I can't believe no reviewers have noticed this, and that was one of the key reasons he wanted this collection; and it's not there! I call that tampering with history wouldn't you? Another problem he had, was the bonus material [disc 2] screws up the running order he so fondly remembered.
   
   If you're buying this for nostalgic reasons you may be disappointed. If you are new to this collection it might be just fine.

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 Crossroads 2: Live In The Seventies.

1. Oh My God... the cd is excellent. Eric Clapton is with out a doubt the best guitarist of all time. this cd, which takes you back- let me tell you I thought I was sitting in the audience smoking weed - shows how absolutely wonderful he is, and how we miss that style of rock, GET THIS CD- it's great.
   You won't be disappointed. I also bought his new autobiography, but I can't stop playing the CD. Side 2, in the late 70's,the original Layla, etc., great. I can't say that enough- GREAT.
   I saw Eric in the 70's -live- and I cannot forget it- the best concert of all times, and I have seen everybody.



2. Being a long time Clapton fan, I can say with subjective certainty that the Tusla backup band, as heard on this retrospective, was the best that ever stood behind the man. In many cases, he stands in the background while the rhythym section just cooks- "Little Wing" and "Badge" serving as notable examples. Terry is superb both as a rhythym and lead guitarist...never again, not with Albert Lee, not even with Mark Knopfler, would the interplay be THIS smooth, THIS breathtaking, THIS raw. Oldaker is reminiscent of Levon Helm or Gene Parsons, and leads that band charging through numbers with his perfect touch. Dick Sims, on organ, sounds incredible, with his playing hovering between the background and foreground, much like Clarence White's guitar playing in the Byrds. It's there, and it's perfect in every case. Same for Radle- by this time, Radle had been Eric's longest standing bassist and knew Clapton's habbits. Listen to how spotlessly he counters them. And Elliman and Levy provide perfect harmony.
   In sum, Eric's best band and Eric's rawest and BEST playing. Never again would he reach these heights. Ever.



3. Being a long time Clapton fan, I can say with subjective certainty that the Tusla backup band, as heard on this retrospective, was the best that ever stood behind the man. In many cases, he stands in the background while the rhythym section just cooks- "Little Wing" and "Badge" serving as notable examples. Terry is superb both as a rhythym and lead guitarist...never again, not with Albert Lee, not even with Mark Knopfler, would the interplay be THIS smooth, THIS breathtaking, THIS raw. Oldaker is reminiscent of Levon Helm or Gene Parsons, and leads that band charging through numbers with his perfect touch. Dick Sims, on organ, sounds incredible, with his playing hovering between the background and foreground, much like Clarence White's guitar playing in the Byrds. It's there, and it's perfect in every case. Same for Radle- by this time, Radle had been Eric's longest standing bassist and knew Clapton's habbits. Listen to how spotlessly he counters them. And Elliman and Levy provide perfect harmony.
   In sum, Eric's best band and Eric's rawest and BEST playing. Never again would he reach these heights. Ever.



4. This collection shows Eric at his best and his worst. These were days fueled by a lot of alcohol...and on some songs it shows. But for the most part this is a great collection of some of his live work in that era. Some of the jams are wonderful, "Badge" and "Eyesight." He's simply magic with the guitar. However, some, like "Crossroads," sound like he doesn't know which of the twelve blues bars he's supposed to be singing in (that was an unintentional pun.) Juxtapose this with "24 Nights" - this collection is a gritty, loose sound, while the latter is more of a clean, polished performance (that was an intentional pun). I love EC and hope he continues to release his live vault...no matter which of his phases it come from.



5. Someone once told me that Eric is best listened to live and this set proves the point!
   Of course there are a few dodgy tracks and yes, I agree, there should have been other tracks added and others omitted.
   But!
   This is the master at his best, it doesn't get any better than this.
   Favourite tracks, too hard to say which are my favourites but there is some wonderful guitar playing on all tracks.
   I have been an Eric fan since the Yardbirds and this CD set takes pride of place in my collection

5 comments about The Doo Wop Box.

1. Although considerably overpriced at $70 list, Amazon had this on sale for about $40 and that is a hell of a bargain. Great music and great sound for the era and then some. Rhino excels at this sort of thing and this is no exception. If you like doo-wop, keep an eye out for the next sale- or splurge if you can afford it.



2. I purchased this collection for my father after watching a special on tv featuring the golden era. As I began to listen more to the songs, I realized that I enjoyed the CD's as much as he did. It is a very well put together collection that will satisfy many listeners. There was even a song that my 7 year old recognized from a kids' movie! He loved it and wanted me to keep playing it. The book that accompanies the 4 cd's is a very entertaining history of how the era all came together. Definitely a great purchase.



3. Like the cover says, this box features "101 Vocal Group Gems From The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll". My dictionary defines doo wop as "a vocal style of rock and roll characterized by the a cappella singing of nonsense syllables in rhythmical support of the melody". That's as good a definition as any, but there isn't really a consensus as to what songs qualify as "doo wop". The first disc includes early groups like the Orioles, the Drifters and the Platters that aren't usually considered doo wop, but were big influences on the doo wop groups. Regardless of what is or isn't doo wop, these are terrific vocal group recordings. Most of them were hits, but there are also many obscure gems included. This box is a "must get" for fans of the vocal group sound.



4. What a great box set...sooo many good songs. And, I especially like the feature that Amazon gives us the ability to listen to the actual song!



5. This was too good a buy. It has almost EVERY GREAT HIT from it's era! Songs like "Maybe" and "Devil or Angel" just relax me to the fullest. Do you love Doo-Wop? Then BUY THIS BOX SET!

5 comments about Läther.

1. If you were from the planet Mars and wanted to know who Zappa was, and what he was about, I would tell you to start right here! Back "in the day" I would always have difficulity in introducing someone to Frank's work mainly due to how much is actually out there. Short of making them a mix-tape (and even that would depend on what I knew of their taste in music) I would usually recommend 5 or 6 albums to start with. But, even then, I would inevitability leave something out!
   
   With the release of this long awaited collection, the Zappa family has almost done my work for me! Originally released as 4 albums; "Live in NY", "Sleep Dirt", "Studio Tan" "Orchestral Favorites", (and a few tracks off "Sheik Yerbouti") this triple CD box has a little bit of everything. Biting satire (Titties and Beer, Greggery Peccary), Blues rock (Illinois Enema Bandit, which contains one of Frank's better guitar solos), Orchestra (Naval Aviation in Art), hard rock (Tryin to Grow a Chin, Broken Hearts) and blistering jazz/rock that would stand against the best of Beck, McLaughlin, Di Meola, et. al. (Filthy Habits, RDNZL and the brilliant Ocean is the Ultimate Solution, though the latter, at 8 minutes, is almost cut in half compared to the original 13 minute version on Sleep Dirt!?!). It also contains many of the between song spoken interludes that later ended up on Sheik Yerbouti and Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar.
   
   Barring a few omissions (I'd still buy "Sheik Yerbouti" on it's own for Flakes, Jones Crusher and `Yo Mama), this is the perfect example of the wide variety inherent in Frank's music, the brilliance of his talent and backing bands, should please any fan of Rock and/or Jazz music, is the perfect place to start and is a TRUE 5-star release!!



2. FZ at his finest. A must for any FZ fan!



3. SI ARRANCAMOS SABIENDO QUE EN REALIDAD ESTE DISCO, POR CAPRICHOS DE LAS COMPAÑIAS DISQUERAS, FUE DESMENUZADO EN VARIAS EDICIONES...SI TENEMOS EN CUENTA QUE ZAPPA EN REALIDAD LO CREO A MEDIADOS DE LOS '70, QUE LO DIFUNDIO POR RADIO ANTES DE QUE SALGA AL MERCADO...COMO UNA OBRA ASI PUEDE LLEGAR A SER TAN COHERENTE, TAN ORGIASTICA, TAN DEMENTE, TAN DESPROLIJA, TAN GENIAL..TODO A LA VEZ???????? AQUI LA GUITARRA DE ZAPPA ADQUIERE UNA EXPRESION Y LOCUACIDAD REALMENTE EXASPERANTE...filthy habits..the ocean is the ultimate solution...tenes hasta boogie!!! esta edicion puede parecer demasiado, incluso para fans de zappa....en mi humilde opinion es una obra bestial, arrogante , impredecible que por primera vez puede apreciarse como lo quiso el artista!BUY IT, BUY IT, BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



4. Much has been made of the record company's trifling with this material. I agree with those who see Zappa as a great musician and composer who just happened to have a tacky sense of humor. The all-inclusive character of this album is therefore a mixed blessing, but there is plenty to glean. Most of the best material was released on Sleep Dirt and Orchestral Favorites. Those albums captured the artistic range, without subjecting me to such gems as "The Illinois Enema Bandit" (in which I found more embarrassment than amusement).



5. You can read the previous reviews to get the story on this album, so I won't repeat it. I will cut to the chase to explain why you should get this.
   
   There are some different versions of some songs, and some different mixes of others (most notably the "Sleep Dirt" stuff without the added vocals), but basically they're songs available on 4 previously released albums. Those 4 were packaged by Warner Brothers thematically - live songs on one album, orchestral on another, instrumental on another, etc. From the very first one, Zappa's albums were more than a collection of songs. If you listen to 200 Motels or Uncle Meat, you get a wonderful mix of all kinds of different styles, live and studio recordings, and other juxtapositions, sometimes in the same song. He often did deliberately harsh and abrupt edits. Zappa hated it when people tried to pigeon-hole his music (good luck, anyway!). That is precisely the beauty of "Lather". As a whole, it is a masterpiece.
   
   If you don't own this music in any form, buy this first, because you will get a clearer sense of what the artist intended to do. Eventually you will want the other albums because there is some music not found on Lather. If you already own the other 4 albums, you are probably a big enough Zappa freak that you'll want to get it anyway, for the reasons I mentioned.

5 comments about Five Guys Walk into a Bar....

1. !. Because it's the Faces.
   2. Allmusic's Review and the Reviewers on this page.
   3. This is one Box Set that lives more than up to it's 5 stars.
   4. The Experience of trying to pimp my Rolling Stones collection on main street.
   5. For giving my 5 stars worth.



2. This collection is excellent for those who wish to hear what is considered the true, basic Rod Stewart and the Faces. Before the all the stardom and sometimes thought of over production seem to control
   the music. Great basic raw cratfmenship shines in this product.



3. If your wife, girlfriend or someone you know loves rod stewart as much as my wife then they will enjoy this pre solo stewart era band.



4. actually, i think that rod and ron consecutively re-launched the faces and then rod's solo career on the basis of having so much material to lay down following their creative and psychedelic stint with the jeff beck group. the first 2 jeff beck recordings are stellar examples of rod's impressive vocal skills. also, the first 2 rod records sound identical to the faces material from the same period. all of these releases still sound great today



5. I wasn't terribly familiar with the Faces, but a friend got this and I was blown away. Booze and blues. Great stuff. A four discs are fantastic. If you like British blues this is for you.
   
   Only negative is the packaging is the typical nonsense these days. It is a book format with four overlapping CDs. What should come is four jewel cases with a separate book. The book here is epoxied to the binder and weak and anything resembling a digipak sucks and scratches the discs.
   
   Put the discs in jewel cases and enjoy the book.
   
   Great stuff.