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 Is There Anybody Out There? / The Wall Live Pink Floyd 1980-81 (Deluxe Limited Edition).

1. While this might be a great collection of live songs comprising "The Wall" from Earl's Court, there is an unofficial video of one of the Earl's Court shows that is, IMHO, much more pleasing. Though imperfect, I have to believe that this show could be restored and officially released. It's clear that it was professionally filmed for some reason. Incidentally, though i don't know if they're credited on this CD, the Floyd had a complete backing band on this tour- a second guitar, bass player, drummer, and keyboard player. The power of some of the live songs is a result, in part, of the fact that there are, essentially, two bands playing the same song at the same time. Obviously, they've got the audio cleaned up well, if they would just clean up the video, we'd have a fantastic DVD release.



2. I you are a fan of Pink Floyd and/or "The Wall", then you will love this CD! It is really interesting to hear The Wall played live in its entirety. It's an incredible record to begin with, but the live version adds another element to it. I wish I had been there to see it! Get the deluxe version for the book that comes with it. The book tells the story of "The Wall" from each band member's perspective. Great buy!



3. Drop dead gorgeously clear live Pink Floyd doing "The Wall Live" and "Is There Anybody Out There". Definitely one of the top live albums of all time.



4. this is the best limited edition album i ever bought. great sound and well made cover.



5. Pink Floyd's Is There Anybody Out There?: The Wall Live was released in April of 2000 in a standard version and this the deluxe packaging/slipcase hard covered book.
   The album was released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of The Wall. The album was originally slated for release in late 1999 but producer James Guthrie(who co-produced the original album) had to bake the master tapes to get the sticky glue off after sitting in storage for years. Also, the band had problems with their US record companies. The band had just inked a new distribution deal with Capitol/EMI worldwide and were set to release but Columbia/Sony in the US and Canada were initially against the album but reluctantly agreed to release the album as the band's final album with Sony in the US and Canada after the band switched labels which were licensed the music(the band have the final say on what gets released and not released).
   Is There Anybody Out There? was recorded at London's Earls Court Arena during the band's performances of The Wall in August of 1980 and June of 1981, the shows were a bona fide spectacle. More than anything, Is There Anybody Out There? captures the volume, the bombast and the grandeur of these famed performances with remarkable accuracy.
   These performances are astonishingly faithful to the band's studio versions although the band does get to stretch out on In the Flesh(pt. 1), The Thin Ice, Another Brick in the Wall(pt.1), Another Brick in the Wall(pt. 2), Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky, Young Lust, Hey You, Comfortably Numb, The Show Must Go On, In the Flesh(pt.2), Run Like Hell and Outside the Wall with either extra guitar solos from David Gilmour showing why he is one of rock's greatest guitarists or extra keyboard solos from Rick Wright or extra verses or extended musical pieces.
   The other tracks Empty Spaces, One of My Turns, Don't Leave Me Now, Another Brick in the Wall(pt. 3), Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, Vera, Bring the Boys Back Home, Waiting For the Worms, Stop! and The Trial were arguably better than its studio counterparts although remained faithful to them.
   Although they were kicked out in 1979 and 1982 respectively by Roger Waters due to his uncontrollable ego, co-founders keyboardist Rick Wright and drummer Nick Mason played better than on the studio version of The Wall, especially Rick whose Hammond Organ work buries that of its studio counterpart. Roger Waters didn't play much bass on this live album as he perfectly recreated the role of Pink and left Andy Bown to play bass in his place. David Gilmour's musical arrangements and guitar and vocals were superb as well.
   Run Like Hell is classic with Roger Waters' classic intro.
   This live Wall album also includes two unreleased tracks. What Shall We Do Now was left off the original release due to space constraints and The Last Few Bricks was a reprise of Happiest Days, Young Lust and Empty Spaces as an instrumental for wall builders to catch up to the band.
   Also, Storm Thorgerson's artwork of the four Floyd member face masks is striking and the book has recollections from the four Floyd members plus road crew and stage designers with some cool pictures.
   This live album did well for a from the vault release hitting #19 on the album charts and #1 on the Internet Album Sales chart and went Platinum in a month of its release. This live album has zero overdubs and is one of the best live albums I ever heard next to Pink Floyd's Pulse, Led Zeppelin's How the West Was Won and The Song Remains the Same 2-CD reissue, Rush's Different Stages, Queen's Queen Rock Montreal, Genesis' Seconds Out, The Who's Live at Leeds and Supertramp's Paris among many others.
   Highly recommended!

5 comments about Box of Fire.

1. What an awesome collection...it has Aerosmith's early beginings...to their knock you out of your seat hits!! I purchased Aerosmith's box of fire for my husband who is a huge Aerosmith fan...this collection has alot of extras that you can't find elsewhere!



2. Box of Fire
   It's Incredible, It's amazing ... It is certainly the best time of the band. A box unparalleled, 100% Rock & Roll, 100% Attitude, 100% of good music, a very good opportunity for people who know the band recently.
   
   This has got to be one of the best sets ever, it has pretty much all the hits, and some bonus songs too. It is excellent, and so is Aerosmith. Aerosmith Rocks!!!!!!!!!!



3. I see a lot of reviews that seem clueless as to why this box set was released the way it was. Some history might clear this up.
   
   Aerosmith started off on the Columbia label, under which they released 12 official albums. This box set includes those 12 specific albums in their entirety, along with a bonus EP of rarities. After cleaning up their drug problems in the mid-1980s, they switched to Geffen in 1985 and stayed with them through 1994. November 1994 saw the release of both "Big Ones" (a compilation of hits from the Geffen years) and "Box of Fire".
   
   This was no coincidence, because the band was ending their contract with Geffen and returning to Columbia (on which they released everything from 1997's "Nine Lives" onwards). You have to realize that in the music world, a band's label largely determines how the release of compilations and box sets are made. When a band with a huge back catalog signs to a new label, it's not unusual to see the new label re-release the old catalog themselves, because a new label is not interested in promoting a band that has classic albums that still sell on a different label! In this case, Aerosmith returned to Columbia, who in turn remastered and rereleased the Columbia catalog here in "Box of Fire".
   
   Some people are complaining about the redundant tracks, or the fact that you could use less discs to fit the same music. Again, this is a re-release of the first 12 Aerosmith albums, as a collector's set. They're going for completeness. They were however released for individual sale too, so boxing 12 of what they were selling separate seemed simple enough I'm sure. Unfortunately, the band is notorious for having way more than their share of live albums and official studio compilations. In the case of their first dozen albums, 3 were live, and 2 were compilations!
   
   So who would want to buy the first 12 at once? Especially with "Greatest Hits" included? (The other compilation, "Gems", is at least unique in that it has the rare single "Chip Away at the Stone"). Granted the box is beautifully put together, the music is classic, and buying this is cheaper than buying the discs individually. But die-hard fans would no doubt already own the CDs, and casual fans of old Aerosmith would be happy with the 1991 "Pandora's Box" box set.
   
   One last thing to keep in mind is that in 1994, many were finally replacing their cassettes and vinyl with CD. So for fans who didn't make the switch yet, this was a good all-in-one buy! It worked for The Police box set and "complete studio" Led Zeppelin too (then again these had no redundant tracks to deal with). "Box of Fire" is still good for the price, but these days I'd say it's overkill for all but the die-hard fan.



4. thats really dumb i wish i knew whos bright idea it was to but aerosmiths greatest it cd wen al the songs on it are in te first 5 albums before it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! plus i think tey could have puttin other albums instead of live stuff on some cds but overall great collection!



5. A superb 13 - CD box set and all,but WHO has time to listen to this? You obviously need to check out,say several discs at a time to make it fun. 'Box Of Fire' includes all twelve of their albums from '73's self-titled Aerosmith to '87's 'Permanent Vacation' plus one five-track EP that has some real tough-to-find songs of theirs including the instrumental "Subway" and "Circle Jerk". A great find,but 'Box Of Fire' is obviously aimed toward the HUGE Aerosmith fan, with a hunk of disposable income. A must-have, but PRICEY.

5 comments about Storyteller: The Complete Anthology.

1. I have owned this since it first came out in 1990. Other reviews cite the great sound, but to my ears, it has always sounded extremely hissy for a high-end boxed set, and I notice the price is now about half of what it was in 1990. Has this been remastered? If it has, it might now be worth replacing my old copy. If it hasn't, what's wrong with all your ears??? For this reason, I can give it no more than three stars.



2. While this collection does a really magnificent job collecting all of Rod Stewart's major radio hits, the fact remains that Rod's solo career was pretty consistent in the early days, which means this 4-disc set isn't able to capture every single one of his best songs. However, looking at the set as strictly a hits collection, it doesn't get any better than this. After the 80's I stopped paying attention to what he was doing in the music scene, and thankfully this collection stops after the 80's. In the early days (in the late 60's) he was really pumping out wonderful songs with Jeff Beck and the Faces.
   
   However, focusing entirely on his solo career, I'd say the first five studio albums are really excellent and you really need to buy those if you want to hear a man who had an amazingly talented music career. After hearing the first five albums, you might not be so interested in wanting to purchase this 4-disc box set.



3. This 4 CD box set of Rod Stewart is extremely great, from start to finish, it's got a vast assortment of songs that Rod recorded between 1964-1990, all of which are great, you get a little of everything from Rod, during this time period. You get all the hits, plus some great rarities! If you love Rod, you'll love this, indeed! Also, I am pleased with the booklet that comes with it, lots of nice pictures and nice to hear Rod's comments on the songs.



4. Box sets always bring up arguments as to what's missing but there is very little missing from this set. Having every one of Rod''s CDs, the only three missing tracks that I would have put on here are "I Feel The Whole World Go Round" from the 60s band Shotgun Express, "Farewell" from Smiler and "The Wild Horse" from Out of Order. (OK and maybe two or three others!) but overall, the selection was excellent. It puts Rod Stewar in context, and much of the 80s stuff holds up every well to the sacred early 70s stuff. (Rod was always a great singles artist, though some of his albums are really terrible.)
   
   The box set was thrown together very quickly though, and the packaging is weak. The book is thin and flimsy and features just one essay by writer Robert Palmer, who does a good job of praising without going overboard. But Warners always treated Rod Stewart like [...] and this box set deserved a better package.



5. He's done it all in his career: Classic rock, pop and now he relives the past in his The Great American Songbook series. This box set is of course is all about Rod at his very best. Not really a bad song in the four disc set which shows his transition from classic rock ("Street Fighting Man", Maggie May", etc) into the pop world ("Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?", "Downtown Train, etc). He has been one of only a few artists that could transition to different genres and still be successful. Very successful. I give the set a 4.5 based on sound quality (not remastered) otherwise, it's a 5.

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 Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman.

1. Without question Randy Newman's seminal work "Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman" is a "must have" for anyone who appreciates his music, and especially someone who likes to understand the lyrics to a well written tune. I was pleased with the way Randy organized the tunes and his comments showcase his unique sense of humor.
   
   Anyone who writes a song about turning Australia into an amusement park for Americans will always receive my full respect and attention.
   
   Dave Gubanc



2. This album had many good songs and typical Randy Newman style. Enjoyable to listen to!



3. I have bought all the above Randy Newman CD's. I adore his work. Agree that "Guilty" is up there with Randy Newman songbook 1. But truly every song this wonderful man writes is a gem. Every single one. I have many friends who've never heard of him??? I have closer friends who love him as I do.
   
   Folks do not cheat yrselves. Buy one album of the two above and write a review yourself. He's a genius, underappreciated for too long. Or go here him in concert. He's great, the best, my favorite and I love all kinds of music. RN is for that dessert island, the only one you are allowed to take. Think about it...



4. I've been a Randy Newman fan "ever since there WUZ no Randy Newman," and so picture my delight when my very own kids bought me this boxed bonanza for Christmas (so I wouldn't have to). Randy Newman on the stereo on Christmas morning is about as Newmanesque a way to disturb the warmth of home and hearth as you can imagine. At one time or another I've owned every Newman album ever recorded, so I needed this collection like another hole in the head, but I have to recommend it as much for the surprisingly revealing biographical data as for the song selections. There are surprises here for even an old Newman trivialist like myself, and it was a relief to read of Randy's hardships as well as successes, since the dark side of this dark soul has too often been danced around in past articles and interviews. We learn that Randy's father, Irving Newman, MD, was an overbearing and cantankerous coot not above slugging it out with perfect strangers on public highways. We learn that the distracting eye condition Randy was born with, and the failed surgical attempt to correct it, may have helped to mold not only Newman's unique world view, but his discomfort with public attention. Interviewers (myself included) have generally conceded that "Randy Newman just can't look you in the eye," but then, why should he when he has such a gift for cutting straight to the heart with his nostalgic sentiments and shark-attack wit. Of the many selections in this package, my standouts are his 1962 demo Golden Gridiron Boy, a delight to hear at long last since throughout Newman's career it has appeared as nothing more than a musical history anecdote. Turns out it is a quite competent version of that idiotic pop sub-genre of the '50s and early '60s when unrequited love burned teenybopping hearts alive to the accompanyment of snickering female vocal backups. Then comes Jesus in the Summertime, the highly unlikely mock spirtual that has the distinction of having been so offensive to so many ears that a session musician actually walked out of the studio rather than play on it. Now THAT's chutzpah! Personally, I like it, and find nothing offensive about it, other than the fact that it has the name Jesus in the title. Finally, there's Laugh and Be Happy, an unfortunately incomplete demo that features Newman at his Tin-Pan-Alley best, with a catchy ragtime riff and a delightfully mocking lyric. This number is for my money one of the best tracks ever laid down by one of our most consistently rewarding, if challenging, singer-songwriters. Thanks for the memories, Randy!



5. Well, first, Randy Newman is unbelievably talented. He is a song writer, a singer, and last but not least at all, a film composer. And what a composer! This multi talent has a family name, which can be a real pain in the ars. But Randy seems not to be bothered by it at all. He wrote some of the most beautiful scores of the 90-s. His music for Pleasantville should have won him an Oscar. But remember The Natural, Toy Story, Awakenings, just to name a few. This really nice compilation and anthology gives Newman the treatment he has long time deserved. I love the title: Guilty: 30 years of Randy Newman. This man does not seem to take himself serious. Yet his art is pretty serious, and he is aware of it very much. Randy Newman is there in the world of music, yet he is not there. You have to listen to this man to get to know him, and once you meet him, you do not want to part from him, he will be a friend of yours forever.
   Randy Newman is right by the side of the greatest composers, Williams, Goldsmith, Bernstein or his late uncle Alfred Newman.
   Buy this anthology and get to know this musical giant.

5 comments about Dreams.

1. This is a hard product to find in any store, but if you do find dreams in a store you are one lucky SOB. Buying dreams was money well spent, not only do you get great best of and as well as songs from there earlier recordings you get a booklet of all the history on the allman brothers. I would definitely say if your a allman brothers fan this is one for the collection.



2. Great compilation and valuable addition to my ever-expanding Allmans collection. Lots of unreleased stuff. Eg, 'Statesboro Blues' is a studio version. I was hoping that 'I'm gonna move to the outskirts of town' was from the Fillmore but its from 'Live at Ludlow Garage'. Never mind. It was on a Fillmore set that came out on the Greatful Dead label some time back and has been deleted as far as I know. (anyone wishing to sell that album, please contact me).
   
   My only bitch is the way its packaged. Instead of a small box with the cd's packaged one behind the other, the cd's are packed beside each other so you have a LP-sized box to find room for. Having said that, I think they did it that way so you get a decent-sized booklet which has all sorts of cool pics in it and track information.
   
   Anyway, buy it. Its worth it. Lots of goodies there for the serious ABB fan and lots of tracks from 'related bands'.
   
   I would love to give you a full tour of the set but my wife is calling. "Yes my petal, coming ....."



3. This is just the way box sets should be made. First of all, I think box sets are not designed for casual fans but for the devoted ones. And this one has enough of the classic stuff, enough of some unreleased gems and everything else that made Allmans what they are (Hour glass, Allman Joys, solo Gregg and Dickey, etc.). That is the reason any devoted fan should buy this collection. Also it's good sequencing, and makes a pretty good listening experience (many compilations simply don't do that). So 5 stars for this one.



4. If you like allman brothers you will love this.I had it on cassette and
   wore them out.amazon has the cds for $33 which is the best price I have
   found.



5. This was a Christmas gift and it was delivered on time. The recipient loved the item!

5 comments about The Crown Jewels.

1. If you are a Queen fan and still don't have any of their first eight albums, then this is a must buy! Queen was easily one of the best rock bands in the history of the universe!
   
   The albums included were remastered and they are "Queen" (1973), "Queen II" (1974), "Sheer Heart Attack" (1974), "A Night At The Opera" (1975), "A Day At The Races" (1976), "News Of The World" (1977), "Jazz" (1978), and "The Game" (1980).
   All these albums are great and show diverse songwriting styles. These guys, (singer/piano player Freddy Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon, and drummer Roger Taylor), were never afraid of trying any style that they could think of. All four members of the group get a chance to show their songwriting skills and with the exception of John Deacon, they also get to sing lead vocals throughout too.
   
   Throughout this box set there's hard rock ("Keep Yourself Alive", "Liar", "Great King Rat", "Sweet Lady"), folk rock ("Night Comes Down", "39", "Leaving Home Ain't Easy"), lots of piano driven ballads ("Doing Alright", "Nevermore", "Dear Friends", "Jealousy"), excellent pop singles ("Killer Queen", You're My Best Friend", Seven Seas Of Rhye", "Don't Stop Me Now"), progressive rock ("The March Of The Black Queen", "The Prophet's Song"), jazzy ballads ("My Melancholy Blues", "Dreamer's Ball"), funk rock ("Fun It", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Fight From The Inside", "Dragon Attack"), new wave-influenced tracks ("Coming Soon", "Rock It"), heavy metal ("Stone Cold Crazy", "Brighton Rock", "Dead On Time"), a latin-infused pop number ("Who Needs You"), arena rock ("It's Late", "Spread Your Wings", "We Are The Champions"), punk rock ("Sheer Heart Attack"), rockabilly ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), blues-rock ("Sleeping On The Sidewalk"), opera-influenced passages ("Bohemian Rhapsody"), and even an eastern influenced song ("Mustapha"). Man! Talk about diversity!
   
   Some minor complains:
   The live album released in 1979 "Live Killers" was left off. So don't forget to get that one too!
   The albums come in mini LP style cardboard covers that look really nice, however they are quite fragile. Of course the booklet, while containing an essay and all song lyrics, is a little disappointing though. More rare pictures could have been added. Also, some unreleased songs would have been a good addition too.
   
   But those are only minor complains. It's still an excellent box set with awesome remastered sound so this is, by far, the best way to get these eight classic albums in one package.
   Thanks for taking the time to read!
   Later...



2. This box set captures Queen at their highest peak. Every album is essential Queen.
   
   BUT, as a box set, I feel like Hollywood Records could have done a much better job. The blue velvet box is quite nice, but the racks inside the box are cheapy vacuum-formed plastic, and not even very well glued in. The booklet is long, but it's primarily just the lyrics and a single essay. No extra photos, no critical analysis. Bummer.
   
   I love the mini-LP jacket reproductions, especially the gatefold covers! It's too bad the shortcomings really subtract from the nostalgic geeky joy of the packaging. The inner sleeves are all plain white, so we're missing out on a lot of the original packaging. The Game's chrome treatment is missing, and it has a different (inferior) cover photo (oddly, the correct photo is reproduced inside the lyrics booklet). Jazz's gatefold photo is poor quality. And what happened to the cover of News Of The World? There's a horrible green border around all the front and back covers.
   
   Anyway, enough ranting. If you don't have this music already, buy this set! As for me, I'm going to listen to the great Crown Jewels CDs and drag out my old albums to enjoy the full experience of the sleeves, art and inserts.



3. It was my very first time with Queen and I would like to say, WOW.
   This Box includes the first 8 records and all of them are "remastered".
   The musik of Queen don't need any emplaination, she is timeless good.



4. This is my opinion but this was the height of their career. Although the 80's and 90's Queen was good, it didn't come up to their epic grandeur embodied in their 70's recordings. This box set has all the good stuff from Queen to The Game. Queen did it all progressive, hard rock, heavy metal, speed metal, ballads, rockabilly, vaudeville, glam etc. like no other band. No other band could pull off this pastiche with such skill. All the band members strengths shine through. Freddie's Operatic vocals, Brian's texture laying guitar, John's throbbing bass lines and Roger's expert rippling on percussion. Though they had a awesome career after the 70's this still was their best and a good band at it's prime. Buying all these albums seperately used comes to the same price as this set, so if you are a fan of classic rock and a good band, by all means get this set you won't be disappointed.



5. ...they conquered the world on their own conditions and terms. Few bands could have done what Queen did in the 70's (and even in the 80's and 90's). This box show so much talent, creativity and guts. It really took and (still are) takin` a big demand on the listener. You have to be open minded about music. There is no bounderies and rules of what you can do as a rock band, and that's what I love about Queen. If you want to go on a musical journey and open up all doors in music history - this is what you're looking for. It's hard to pick one album, I love them all like my own children. But I have always had a soft spot for Queen II and News of the world (NOTW). The march of the black Queen (Queen II) was before Bohemian Rhapsody and you could already tell that Freddie Mercury was able to go over the top at anytime. NOTW really is so much more than WWRY/Champions. Listen to the break 2.30 into Sheer heart attack, and it shows the fantastic energy that Roger Taylor delivers with his guitars (yes it's not Brian May). It's Late is something of an overlooked gem on NOTW, fantastic singing from Fred and guitarwork from the old Red Special creator Dr May. And don't forget the live favourite Spread your wings (written by John Deacon who's an underrated bass player).
   
   I really wish that Hollywood could release Crown Jewels II so people in the States could learn a thing or two about all the classics that were missed after Hot Space in 1982 (and were big time all over the world accept in the US). I mean songs like Radio Ga Ga, I want to break free, A kind of magic, Who wants to live forever, I want it all, The Miracle, Innuendo, These are the days of our lives and The show must go on (and more). They are really up there among all the classics on this Jewels box. Buy The Platinum Collection and you will know what I mean.

5 comments about One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found.

1. I think this a fun boxed set from the music to the packaging. It has a TON of great songs youd never get to hear. I had been wanting it for a while although I wasnt familiar with a lot of the songs. So when it went on sale I bought it as a gift to myself. If I had known Id enjoy it as much as I do I would have bought it a long time ago. Worth every penny.



2. Ah, girl groups. Who doesn't like them? Especially if they're the teeny-bopper, bubble-gum classics from the 1960s. This compilation of girl-group sounds will enable you to relive a past era when chiffon dresses and hair done up in beehives were all the rage. If, like me, you didn't get to experience this music from the fairer gender firsthand, then it will help you realize a unique genre of 60s pop music.
   
   Many of the musical gems in this collection were either songs that were passed over by radio stations, or B-side tunes that didn't chart well and were rarely heard; a few were chart toppers or otherwise fared well on the hit parade. In either case, these short, mostly 2-1/2-minute-long mini soap operas (mostly B-sides or released on obscure labels) were largely responsible for defining the unique girl-pop sound that was so popular back in the day. The "Brill Building/Hit Factory" treatment can be heard in many of these tunes.
   
   A note about sound quality: most of the songs in this collection were transferred directly from the original three-track master tapes, with a few transferred from vinyls or acetates when tapes weren't available. While some of these tracks are in stereo, little remastering of any kind was performed. This means you'll hear each song exactly as it sounded when it first hit the airwaves and record stores. The result is various levels of distortion and/or over-driven audio amps in some songs, or vocals on one channel and instruments on the other in other songs, due to the three-track recording process. Many young listeners may consider the sound quality poor, while purists will find non-remastered music refreshing. Certainly, any remastering of this collection would have destroyed the unique "ambiance" inherent in these recordings. Kudos to Rhino for leaving them alone!
   
   The 200-page booklet accompanying this collection contains very informative notes about the genre in general, and on each track in particular. The "hat box" is a little cumbersome but also very novel, and four discs, each crammed with 30 tracks of great music, make this collection want to stand up and be counted.
   
   Rhino really outdid themselves on this collection! If you like 60s girl-pop music from such groups and singers as The Chiffons, Darlene Love, The Cookies, The Supremes, Leslie Gore, The Shangri-Las, Connie Francis, Reparata & The Delrons, Petula Clark, The Shirelles and many others, then you'll want to indulge in this collection. I highly recommend it if you want to live or relive 60s girl pop in all its glory, from the first notes of its childhood to the last chords of its maturity. "One Kiss Leads to Another" is one collection you won't want to miss!



3. I use many of these songs in my US History class when talking about the evolution of rock and roll.
   
   This collection is a true anthology--a representative sampling of an often neglected or misconstrued genre in rock history, and not just a "greatest hits" CD set. The tracks are splendid at representing the depth and vitality of the "girl group" genre--. This collection songs that defined the genre but have faded over the years. The liner notes really give impart a sense of the genre's importance.



4. You could spend the next year (or more) and hundreds of dollars (or much, much more)tracking down these gems of the Brill Building Pop era, or you could buy this fabulous set, which is, hands down, the best girl group compilation available today. First-rate in all respects, including song selection, programming and informative notes. The less-than-knowledgeable reviewers knocking the sound quality obviously have no idea how bad a MINT unplayed copy of many of these recordings, particularly those on smaller labels, could sound! Most of these tracks were recorded on two-track machines, with overdubs adding a new generation of tape hiss with each pass. It wasn't until the mid-60s that 4-track and, by 1968, 8-track consoles became common, so even a pristine tape from 1962 will have some hiss. That having been said, most tracks sound clean and sharp but the audio restoration is not consistent, probably depending on source material, although Rhino typically attempts to obtain first-generation masters whenever possible. They also do cross-label licensing, so label affiliation is not an issue here, permitting a wonderful overview of the genre. If you have even a passing interest in the girl group sounds of the early '60s, start here, then explore some of the excellent compilations that England's Ace label has been compiling over the last few years, particularly the "Phil's Spectre" series, and the "Growin' Up Too Fast" set on Mercury, which, although restricted to the Mercury-Philips-Smash family of labels, still encompasses some real gems.



5. Packaged in a life size replica of a 60s hat box, containing a thick booklet of background info, historical essays, and rare photos, and naturally 4 CD's jam-packed with some of the greatest music you've never heard, ONE KISS CAN LEAD TO ANOTHER is proof positive why music collectors and oldies fans worship at the feet of Rhino Records. If you're even remotely interested in picking this up, you're already on the right track to discovering a wealth of incredible music that contemporary oldies stations simply won't play. Of course you've heard The Chiffons, The Shirelles, The Angels, The Supremes, and the Shangri-Las on the radio. But have you heard The Chiffons' hypnotic wonder "Nobody Knows What's Goin' On In My Mind But Me"? The Shirelles' "Boys" (later popularized by The Beatles)? The Angels' sophomore single "I Adore Him"? The Supremes' first semi-hit single "When the Lovelight Starts Shining in His Eyes"? And most importantly, The Shangri-Las' emotional roller coaster rides "Out on the Streets" and "The Train from Kansas City"? And how could I forget The Crystals! You hear their Phil Spector songs on regular radio rotation, but why have brilliant pop records like "That's When the Tears Start" and "Good, Good Lovin'" been suppressed even after The Blossoms were a popular fixture on SHINDIG! The only song on the set I've ever heard on the radio is Maxine Brown's "Oh No Not My Baby", which is great to be sure, but another of her singles on the set, "Whatever Happened to Our Love", is a breath of fresh air and further proof of her unsung superstar status.
   
   There are far too many highlights to mention here, and that's a good indicator of how few filler songs there are here to skip over. Some of my favorites include Nita Rossi's "Untrue, Unfaithful", The Cookies' "Only to Other People", The Four J's "Will You Be My Love", Roddie Joy's "If There's Anything Else I Can Do Let Me Know", The Whyte Boots' "Nightmare", The Goodies' "Sophisticated Boom Boom", The Velvelettes' "Needle in a Haystack", The Girls' "Chico's Girl", The Pussycats' "Dressed in Black", The Lovelites' "How Can I Tell My Mom and Dad", The Young Generation's "Hideaway", Mally Page's "Life and Soul of the Party", the list goes on and on and on....! Let's put it this way: the obstacle of licensing Phil Spector records is one that can easily be glossed over, as there's no loss of excellent material to be found here! Of special note, the two very best girl group Wall of Sound-a-like records are also included here: Reparata and the Delrons' "I'm Nobody's Baby Now" and The Palisades' "Make the Night a Little Longer", both achingly romantic singles with great emotional impact. As an added bonus, check out Reparata's revamped sound on CD 3 with the memorable "Saturday Night Didn't Happen", when the group took a detour into psychedelia. You also get rare early records (most of them excellent!) from famous names like Dolly Parton ("Don't Drop Out"), Toni Basil ("I'm 28"), Twiggy ("When I Think of You"), and Carole King ("Crying in the Rain").
   
   To address other complaints within other reviews here: rather than focusing too much on Motown, the set actually does a great job illustrating how the Detroit Sound influenced a number of just as deserving girl groups, like The Flirtations ("Nothing But a Heartache"), The Geminis ("A Friend of Mine"), and The Jewels ("Opportunity"). Additionally, don't be disappointed by the number of single-girl singers there are on here (girls without groups, like Lulu, Sandie Shaw, Chris Clark, Evie Sands, all superb!). They're still a valid part of the girl-group sound, as the genre does have a rather loose definition, including soul, pop, R&B, mod, folk, and psychedelia, and the influence of so many women rocking the airwaves and the charts of the 60s surely led to many of these solo ladies having singing careers. And re: the British singers appearing on a comp commemorating an American movement (the girl group): listen to The Breakaways' "That's How It Goes", Twinkle's "Terry", and Sylvan's "We Don't Belong" and tell me you're not glad they're included here!
   
   A few have mentioned the set is exhausting with the amount of songs per CD, bordering on overkill and some of the songs/groups sounding identical. Of course I disagree; the mammoth track listings on Rhino boxed sets is common by now, so casual rock/pop fans can't be blamed for feeling overwhelmed. But if you feel up to the challenge and adventure of diving into the deep end, this is one of the best musical journeys you can take. I would advise that you begin by listening to one CD per day, once or even twice, for easier digestion, reading through the booklet during only ONE of the listening sessions. Over the course of four days, your awareness of this great, neglected part of musical history will greatly expand and the joy of discovering so many memorable tunes over an extended period of time will blow your mind in the best way possible. On the 5th day, consider inviting some friends over for a shindig and play your favorites!
   
   So, Rhino, when can we expect "One More Kiss Leads to Yet Another"???

5 comments about The Singles 81-85.

1. The price on this boxed set kept me away from it for a long time. When I finally found it for a decent price on Amazon through a re-seller, I jumped on it. I am so glad that I did.
   This boxed set is amazing. It is like having all of the 7 inch 45s singles (for you younger fans, that's the small vinyl records that played at 45RPM, as opposed to the 12 inch 33.3s). There are 13 disks- each with at least two songs (A side and B side), some with as many as four songs.
   With this set, you get otherwise unreleased songs (not on any albums):
   1. Late Bar
   2. Khanada
   3. Fame
   4. Faster Than Light
   5. Like an Angel
   6. Faith In This Colour (two versions)
   7. Secret Oktober (my fave B side ^_^)
   8. Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)~live
   
   It also has the "night versions" (made for night clubs, I believe) of the following:
   1. Planet Earth
   2. Girls on Film
   3. My Own Way
   4. Hungry Like the Wolf
   
   In addition to all that, there are live versions and alternative mixes of the basic singles.
   
   The coolest thing about this boxed set is that the CDs are individually packaged in mini-record jackets. It's just like having the actual singles in your hands when you have these. And the insert with the list of all the song has an awesome photo of the band from what looks like 1981 (they were all just so young! Nick was just a baby!! <3 LOL)
   
   Okay, the draw-back to this set...it's a pain to load into your computer for MP3 or iPod use. There are 13 disks, so it takes some time...but that's it. Other than that, I have absolutely no complaints about this boxed set. In fact, I think every Duranie should own this!
   >^..^<



2. I had most of these singles on 12" vinyl back in the day and lost them when my self-storage unit was burglarized in college. That was 17 years ago, and now I can listen to some vintage b-sides with this collection. Yes, I agree the packaging is wasteful (the entire compilation would fit on just a few CDs), but it's nice having reproductions of the original cover art, and for those who actually care about discography, it's a reminder of how the songs were originally released. In any case, unless you were a Duran Duran fan, especially their early stuff, you probably won't enjoy this set. Recommended for the over-35 crowd with 80s nostalgia.



3. I'm loving the various versions of the hits I so enjoyed as a kid. I especially like the night version of Hungry Like the Wolf. I remember listening to that on the vinyl LP and then feeling really disappointed while listening to the CD version (not the same). The packaging is well done. It's nice to see the original artwork from the old singles. I agree with one of the other reviewers that 13 discs is overkill. I would've been happy with 2 discs and inserts with the original artwork. Regardless, if you are a fan of DD this makes a nice addition to your music collection.



4. Original artwork, B-Sides, great music. What more can be said.
   This compiliation includes all of their singles from Planet Earth to A View to A Kill in the original sleeve artwork (UK artwork). A must have for any D2 fan.



5. I absolutely love this collection! Sure,there have been compilation CDs that have several of these songs on them, but to have them on CD as they originally were, complete with the original artwork, makes the experience that much more special for those of us who had the 45s back in the day, back when we'd sit and look at the cover while the music was playing. It is truly a must-have for anyone who considers themselves a Duran Duran fan.