5 comments about Liz Phair.

1. Very disappointed. Heard her on NPR and she seems to be getting a bit desperate as her career progresses. Album has 2 good classic Phair tunes other than that she sounds like a whiner. As a women, I would say grow up- if you even start going down the Allanis Morrosette road- Don't, you would be a sell-out and let us all down as women. Who cares- you like sex!!!!!



2. Years ago when this came out I didn't like it because my friend S---- got OBESSESSED with La Liz and spent all his time ont eh Internet and listening to her that we didn't do scenes together (we are actors and if you don't do your scenes you lose your chops). He called her his favorite MELF (which is a very degrading word I wont tell what it means in case there are women reading this). AngryI got made so I spread some rumours about liz Phair first atn school then ion the net! I know that thye must have hurt her. They were very hurtful and wrong. Liz I am sorry for any pain I caused you. Good news. I have since repaired my friendship and have given this cd another try and it is Great! So, forgibve me Liz and make more music!



3. The fourth album by Liz Phair, the darling of the indie rock scene when she released her debut ten years prior to this re-invention of sorts, is a nice mix of the old and the new. Yet, many of the critics of this release lament the blatant pop quality of some of the songs that found their way into regular radio airplay as well as movie soundtracks. Let me get something straight; the Beatles have been hailed as the greatest rock band of all time by largely focusing on pop songs and yet Liz Phair is ostracized as a sell-out when she does the same? Factor in the scads of reviewers who can't reconcile or stomach a woman writing a song about semen when the entire history of macho rock and roll has focused on the male perspective of sex and objectified women's bodies and sex far beyond the pale and we have evidence of something more closely resembling latent misogyny or at the very least a double standard rather than an opposition to a cd which has a far more approachable radio-friendly vibe than they were expecting from the pigeon holing they demand of artists.
   "Red Light Fever" is a pointed and emotionally-stirring song, "Why Can't I?" is fun and catchy and the heartbreaking "Little Digger" shows the world through the eyes of a child who carries the confusion and scars of his parents' divorce. These are songs straight from the life of a woman going through divorce, starting to date again, discovering younger lovers, feeling comfortable in her new life, and trying to make sense of it all. Phair has been nothing if not lyrically blunt and she keeps that trademark alive on this cd. The aforementioned "H.W.C." is funny yes, but moreover, in your face and the kind of song we should be thanking her for writing. Stop the over-romanticizing of love and sex and just tell it like it is. I'm glad she avoids the cowardly and sophomoric metaphors everyone from Prince to Kiss to Madonna to Aerosmith and all points in between have used to talk about sex and just talks like an adult. How refreshing. Why does that make so many people uncomfortable? Clearly your discomfort says more about you than her.
   There are enough songs on here that hearken back to her previous lo-fi releases to satisfy hardcore traditionalists, but it's the proudly poppy songs that keep this cd in heavy rotation for me years after its release.



4. Apparently this is the album where Liz "sold out". Nonsense. This album has LEGS. It just gets better with each listen. I've bought every Phair release. I tried to like "Exile", I really did. Didn't happen. Liz has been working with a vocal coach and it really shows here, her voice sounding almost mellifluous on a number of tracks. In fact this album and "White Chocolate" are the only ones of hers that are still in my collection. A terrific production with a really gutsy sound too. Now if you want to call a terrible, commercial Liz album then "Somebody's Miracle" is definitely it. Just terrible. But do buy this one.



5. OK, so I didn't pick up a copy of LIZ PHAIR for the first 5 years of its existence, but other reviews have inspired me to jump into the fray (no pun intended). Yes, Ms. Phair has waded hip-deep (at least) into producing power pop, but to me one of the most boring things in the music realm is the ubiquitous snob who looks down his upturned nose at pop music -- as if something being popular represents a sin against true progressivity. I say thank goodness one can not know for sure what to expect from a Liz Phair release. Pet peeves aside, I'm also coming down strongly on the approval side of LIZ PHAIR. The CD is aurally pleasant from start to finish, but just "H.W.C." would have been worth the price of admission. Who needs hidden meaning or deep exploration of a lyrical theme when she gets our attention almost immediately? I challenge any straight man listening to the tune while admiring LIZ PHAIR's front cover to successfully avoid actively imagining giving this multi-talented (not to mention fetching) woman exactly what she's requesting! Any truly good pop song has to have a hook, and there is no doubt that Liz Phair has hooked me with this one. Now I'm only hoping she'll consider taking a break from her obvious 2003-current preference for younger men.

5 comments about The Spirit Room.

1. This album has such gorgeous songs on it...I listen to it over and over. The meaning and feeling in each song is wonderful. Michelle Branch has such an amazing voice and she is such a great songwriter. True talent!



2. When I first discovered Michelle Branch in high school, I quickly became obsessed, and now she is my favorite artist. She's one of the most talented female singer/songwriters out there today. She writes, sings, and plays guitar in all of her songs, but none of them are repetitive or become too mainstream pop (i.e. Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson). The mark of a true artist is that they aren't afraid to collaborate in other genres, and Michelle has done just that with Santana and as half of the country duo The Wreckers. I do admit that I like her solo projects the best, though, and in many ways, I think her first album The Spirit Room is her strongest, becuase it's so raw and real and created her original sound. For me, it's a classic and one that I can listen to over and over at anytime, anywhere.



3. Well, i asked for this for Christmas, and i must say i am impressed. I already had Hotel Paper and loved it, but i was heisitent to get her first one. Here are the best songs.
   
   All You Wanted
   Everywhere
   Here With Me
   I'd Rather Be In Love
   
   i think this CD is an A+



4. I don't know how old Michelle Branch was when she recoded this CD, but I am sure she's old enough to be my daughter that I would have had in my 20's. Her lyrics are ingsightful without alienating audience in her age group but retain a certain sophistication beyond her years. Imagine she wrote most the songs, co-wrote some, played the guitar and the base, and what a crystalline voice, the kind that is timeless and can transcend her listeners. It is nice to know that The Woman Song Writing tradition started by Joni Mitchel, Joan Armatrading and such will be continued, for this reason, I think Michelle Branch will be around for a while.



5. It's pop, that isn't OVERLY poppy. Somewhat like Vanessa Carlton. I appreciate Michelle's lyrics because they are just so true sometimes. She's a bit angsty, she's left wondering and she longs for love...in mildly interesting ways and it shows. It's just really nice to be able to truly relate to someone in the music industry. I mean it happens, but not as often as we like sometimes.
   
   And don't get me started on John Shanks. This guy is a musical genius. He works with Michelle Branch on production and helps write five of the eleven songs on this nice full length debut. He is also responsible for the catchiness of Ashlee Simpson songs, which most of them I love.
   
   Best songs:
   All You Wanted
   Goodbye To You
   Drop In The Ocean (this song is amazing)
   
   Honorable Mention:
   Something To Sleep To
   
   If you don't own any CDs by this talented singer/songwriter/guitarist/etc, etc. It would be wise to start at the beginning with The Spirit Room.
   
   The only thing that bothered me a bit was the song titles: Maybe I'm in the minority, but some of them were just too predictable, leaving some of the songs to lack a bit of depth. I believe Michelle was rather young when she wrote some of these songs though...
   
   Anyway, 4 stars!
   
   P.S. My favorite line is in the song Goodbye To You. It's capitalized:
   
   "I've been searchin' deep down in my soul/Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old/Feels like I'm starting all over again/THE LAST 3 YEARS WERE JUST PRETEND...

5 comments about To Bring You My Love.

1. Recorded during September and October of 1994 at Townhouse Three in Battersea, Polly Jean Harvey's second masterpiece "To Bring You My Love" is an everlasting piece of art. The record has garnered Polly a large cult following, a spot on end of the year lists, global recognition and it went platinum in 1995. It's no surprise--the material found on "To Bring You My Love" is brimming with potency and strength. Guitars, organ, vibes and E-Bow fuel the fire in "To Bring You My Love", the opener of all openers. It continues with the brilliant beat set by Jean-Marc Butty in the stomping "Meet Ze Monsta". Polly's demanding performance makes you understand that she means business--big time. "To Bring You My Love" marks the most confident vocal delivery of PJ's career.
   
   The minimalism of her work is near perfect: "Working For The Man" bears but a small melody on a watery guitar and she barely sings the words; "I Think I'm A Mother" is a bluesy number that works as a homage to one of Polly's greatest heroes, Don Van Vliet (another direct homage on the album is "Teclo" which has a chorus melody taken straight from "Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles"). And although "Working For The Man" and "I Think I'm A Mother" leave something to be desired, the coherence of the record is one of its strongest points. The rest of the material on "To Bring You My Love" doesn't fail to astonish. Each song on the record--the excellent singles "C'Mon Billy" and "Down By The Water", the hard-rocker "Long Snake Moan", the guitar and strings driven "Send His Love To Me" and the elegant closer "The Dancer"--is filled with longing, lust and loneliness as the lyrics suggest. Polly plays many an instrument (chimes, organ, piano, bell, vibes, guitar) and she's a marvelous musician.
   
   "Down By The Water", a pure '90s classic, sounds like a frizzy drink with its excellent guitar melody led by Joe Gore and a murderous whispering coda at the end. The material on "To Bring You My Love" is simple, but original and unique, the singing is powerful, the lyrics close to being best of her career. String arrangement by Pete Thomas adds a delicate touch to the album, as does percussion by John Parish, the second genius behind this work. The songwriting touches upon religious themes and remains inspiring. Polly tried on the mask of desperation for the second time and played it so well that she can deservedly be called an actress, among other things. The most surprising thing about "To Bring You My Love" is how nothing on it sounds dated, mostly due to the album not being contextualized in terms of time and space, music-wise.
   
   It took her some time to recover from the overwhelming acclaim she received; it wasn't until 1998 that she released another album. Other than that, she stated in an interview that she was having the time of her life. "To Bring You My Love" seems cold and unwelcoming at first, but it demands active participation, as most of Polly's work. It is highly rewarding after more listens, and it showcases Polly as an album artist in the most strictest sense. She never repeated this move and it's no wonder--an artistic statement like this one happens only once in a lifetime.



2. It's cool that there are so many reviews (mine'll make 100) regarding this CD. Most are enthusiastic, and that's cool, too. But those recommending this work should be more up-front with themselves and others that what they love about the "raw emotion" et cetera is really in the vocals and lyrics. The music itself is substandard, and folks, I grew up as a punk guy (Dead Kennedies, et al) and musical proficiency is still NOT a priority for me.
   
   Positive reviewers should realize that the negative reviewers are probably more "in tune" with the lack of hooks or other non-lyrical proficiency on this CD (with the exception of "Teclo"). Put another way, this CD is not "accessible" and it's probably why the enthusiasm level is so high amongst many reviewers. It's different, even from PJ Harvey's other works. So please continue to recommend it but try to put an "advisory" or give background on your musical preferences.
   
   My take? The lyrics are very spiritual (PJ for or against God) so I'd listen to it in a car to think about it. But as background music, like now when I'm typing at a computer, I'd never play this CD.



3. Truly she is an amazing sensual Goddess!
   PJ Harvey has unbelievable vocal talent.
   I have bought almost all of her work and I am craving more.
   Her music is a Haunting, Sweet, and brutally honest journey into the minds of us all, so humanly perverse yet innocent.
   Surround yourself with her music and and feel it.



4. I bought this somewhat on a whim, having only seen the video for "Down By The Water," along with PJ's other album Rid Of Me. Honestly, I expected to like the other better, but I have absolutely fallen in love with this record. It's so dark and haunting and beautiful--and not really what I was expecting based on just one song. But I suppose that's fitting of all of PJ's work.
   
   If you're at all interested in PJ Harvey, or alternative music or female musicians, you must own this album!



5. This was the first PJ Harvey album I bought - I saw her that summer on tour with Live and Veruca Salt and a friend of mine had issues with the lack of great drumming (and the occasional use of a drum machine). In a recent interview, she said that there were 3 albums she was satisfied with at the time she made them - this one, Is This Desire? and White Chalk. Before this album, I'd never heard the guitars sound the way they do and some of the music was featured in movies as well (some movie with Leonardo DiCaprio where he plays... I forget). Long story short, if you like her, you probably already have it in your collection. If you don't have it in your collection (and you're a fan), you should =D

5 comments about Burn to Shine.

1. I love Ben Harper and this has to be his most creative CD yet. You can find Bens classc acoustic sound to high gain slide guitar to the delta blues and even some jazz. It is one of my favorites now.



2. Most of us in our mid-20's went through that Ben Harper phase around 2000 when he started touring campuses around the nation and the buzz built. Some of his other albums have come and gone but Burn To Shine is his masterpiece that will forever endure. It's his most even album and I still listen to it semi-regularly 5 years later.
   
   Harper's music is guitar driven poetry. It's mellow with the occasional upbeat tempo thrown in to liven things up. There are many immitators out there but I think what separates Ben from the rest is the raw emotion he emits not just from his angelic voice, but also from his ingenious guitar. At times subtle, at times barraging, he wears his heart on his sleeve through every song.
   
   The great thing about this album is that it can stand alone with a glass of wine or can be great in a background setting. It's not overpowering (except perhaps the best song - Please Bleed) and I often read or do work with this on in the background.
   
   Bottom Line: Great for all music lovers. Appropriate for all ages. For the younger crowd looking for some music they might have missed out on....this is disc you must have for your collection.



3. I had heard "Steal Your Kisses" on the radio and fiogured I'd see what the whole album sounded like. I am not disappointed. What a great artist. You can really feel the emotion in his music.



4. Working on a college radio broadcasting team - we continually obsessed with playing the song "Always Have To Steal My Kisses" on a regular basis - as it's upbeat gutair sequence and drum kicks mix perfectly for a sort of southern type sound, with pop written all over it, always put us in a good mood.
   Thinking it not be the style of my more hard-rocking mates I was suprised to look into their CD case and see a giant collection of Harper CD's. This intreged me to buy "Burn To Shine"
   
   As soon as I flipped it into the CD player I was already impressed with the army-like drumming to introduce the first song "Alone" a song that I immediately fell in love with. The song sounding a bit more sinister and darker than the rest of the album, a good kick start.
   Following this album was the almost Hendrix-type-soul, "The Woman In You" this song is tremendously laced with Harpers voice and strong lyrics.
   Just a few tracks away stands the best track of the album "Two Hands of A Prayer" 7 minutes and 50 seconds of pure brilliance of a song - this is what a song is all about.
   Other strong points along the album are "Suzie Blue" which inspires from a jazz-blues type area, and the awesome track "Forgiven" which is probably the easiest song on the ears as far as the lyrics are decent - and the rock of the song will keep you listening.
   Track 11 and 12 is a strong way to finish too - "Beloved One" is a piano, and violin backed song that I listened to probably eight times continually when I first really got into it - and continually do now - on a regular basis.
   And "In The Lords Arms" is Harper all over, easy voice and decent lyrics.
   Apart from some - B Grade songs such as "Less" and perhaps "Please Bleed" (although I wont skip the track) the album is top notch all the way, Ben Harper as a music writer - covering almost every style possible (and making each style seem like it's his front style) and The Innocent Criminals have put together another masterpiece - this probably being his best in my opinion.
   
   Get A Hold of it. Don't miss out......



5. It gets tiring hearing the same bands who play the same songs over and over again 12 times and call it an album. This Album is the exact oposite. It provides proof that you can always distill the essence of Rock and Roll down to a solitary man alone with his guitar and concience. It is inventive, yet firmly rooted in the blues-rock singer/songwriter/guitarist tradition.
   
   Ben's music taps into the soudns and souls of musicians that have lived before him and explodes histories of oppression, love and courage. Harper's music enables me to listen to something

5 comments about Little Plastic Castle.

1. 3 1/2
   
   DiFranco strives at creating consistent, edgy folk punk with a feminist slant, and although she has a distinguished career amongst her peers, has rarely created an album that engages full-throttle throughout. Little Plastic Castles is known as one of her stronger discs, and it does showcase her many talented styles of various acoustic alchemy with little effort. But only about half of the album's material truly stands the test of time, usually centering around DiFranco's excellent up-tempo numbers. Her talent for mesmerizing strum patterns in these songs simply outshines mid-tempo predictability coupled with (at times) strained vocals/lyrics or poetry-styled readings.



2. Ani DiFranco is in my opinion the best female folk singer songwriter ever. If you haven't heard her this Cd is a great one to start with. It will open your eyes to a beautiful world. Her lyrics are so fabulous and thought provoking and the guitar is incredible. All music lovers should be educated about Ms. DiFranco, otherwise they do not know what they are missing! Check out a few choice songs on here AS IS being one of my favorites. The lyrics are incredible. Its really an amazing album. You just gotta give it a chance.



3. Like some others who've posted here, I'm not necessarily an Ani-holic, but I have huge respect for her honesty and integrity, and the way she ran her career from a completely outsider approach into what is now a time-honored creative dynasty. She's not someone I listen to constantly, but I return to her regularly for a fix of the kind of blunt and exhilarating earnestness she represents.
   
   That being said, I've always felt that after a certain point she just made too damn many CDs, so that at times musically she covered the same ground again and again. Try making a compilation sometime of your favorite Ani songs and you'll realize quickly just how many have the same tempo, the same key, the same basic structure and feel but (and this is the difference that saves them) new thoughts in the lyrics.
   
   But LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE probably is the best combination of all of Ani's best instincts along with the greatest variety in style, tempo and overall musical creativity. She also achieved a kind of unusual level of spontanteous vocal excitement on this album where she sounds even more intense and exuberant than her usual standard (which is always pretty intense!).
   
   For me, this album and IMPERFECTLY are her two finest efforts, although I love many things scattered throughout all the rest of the CDs. If you are not already an Ani fan, this CD may be the best way "in," since if you don't like this one, I can't imagine you could generate much affection for Ani, who is so exuberantly accessible here.



4. Background info before writing this review will probly help Ani fans reading it. I'm not an Ani fan in the sense of agreeing with all her messages and supporting the things she does. I am a fan, however, who admires her outspoken honesty. She knows exactly what she feels, thinks, and believes and isn't one bit afraid to put it out there & in your face. That takes guts, more power to her. This world we live in (especially this country, USA) could greatly benefit from exercising her unapologetic frankness.
   
   This was the first album I got by Ani, and I have to say my favorite to date. Personally, I'm an eclectic & enjoy ALL music (I tend to stay mainstream [not Britney Spears-type, though], but enjoy many types of music). When I first heard Miss DiFranco, I was really quite turned off by her sound. A friend of mine had been playing her music in the car on our trips & activities, and I almost couldn't stomach it. She played Revelling/Reckoning, To The Teeth, Evolve, and probably Dilate. I just remember thinking "What is this???" Ani has a musical style all her own, very raw and real. I suppose my ears were just so used to sugar-sweet candy pop that I was somewhat disgusted. But even 'alternative' rock like death metal & all that don't have anything on her; she's got something that so many other artists, whether or not I like them, don't have.
   
   Anyway, back to the task at hand: reviewing "Little Plastic Castle." I'm pretty sure the reason I like it so much is it is probably one of the more musically melodic albums she has out. What I mean is someone who is used to pop and things like that would probably do well to buy this CD as their first Ani album because it's closest to what they know. It's very effective in that way because it tunes the pop listner in by using sounds they can handle while presenting very deep messages and opinions that aren't so popular like the sound they are carried by.
   
   Listening to number 1, the title track, really made me step back and think how boring things can get as far as the music industry and TV, etc. Some lyrics from that song are: "In a coffe shop / in a city / which is every coffe shop / in every city / on a day which is every day / I pick up a magazine / which is every magazine / read a story and forget it right away" She has a very good point here about how the media (TV, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc) train us to know what is 'normal,' and keep spoonfeeding us those stereotypes.
   
   The lyrics to song 2, "Fuel," are hard-hitting & heavy. They talk about racism (slavery), politics, and many other things. It's a very good song to sit & ponder because at the end of it she sums all of her scenarios up by describing them each one as "a fire just waiting for fuel." One of my favorites!
   
   Track 5 is good, "Two Little Girls." It's sad and dark but it's a good listen, it compells me all the way through each time.
   
   I reccomend this CD highly because it helped me break out of the pop mindset, even though I was eclectic I never really understood how narrowminded I was musically (as well as politically, etc). Go for it! Do your best swan dive into the bold, bold world of Ani DiFranco.



5. This was Ani DiFranco's first really synthesized, fancily-produced album. And it's a whole different world from the style she was known for before this. Listening to this is definitely like being introduced to a whole new artist. There are more electronics, more experimental song styles, and even her voice has changed a little -- it's a tad raspier.

   The lyrics are still just as good -- but don't buy it expecting the old Ani ... you have to love it as something completely new.

   And I DID love it!

   The songs are made not more watery, but more powerful by the elaborate compositions. The topics capture so many sides of life -- from the pretty to the dark.

   One song urges rude people to "just suck up and be nice".

   Another song, whose entire atmosphere tells of a desperate hour proclaims, "If you think you know what I'm doing wrong, you're gonna have to get in line."

   GRAVEL has a catchy, hardcore beat and really gets across the humor in having an ex that you just seem to keep taking back, no matter what he does.

   And it all leads up to the climax -- the final song -- that is more of a hypnotic symphony than a song. It only has a few spoken words -- the rest it says in its swaying rhythm -- but it is absolutely powerful. An expected pinnacle.

   The first song or two on the album are just warm-ups. Skip past them to really delve into the riches of this outstanding record.

   This album is not to be missed by anyone who likes true-to-the-heart, poignant, powerful experimental music.

5 comments about Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.

1. PJ has always been very avant guard. This cd is probably the least strange of all her stuff. Still, although I like it, it's not something I can listen to all the time.



2. I was hesitant at first but after I listened to this CD I came to realize that every song is catchy and interesting. I listen to this CD every day.



3. P. J. Harvey is an English songwriter who has performed as a solo artist since her 1993 release Rid of Me. Although many critics have frequently compared her to Patti Smith (a comparison which she dismisses as "lazy journalism"), Harvey says she was influenced mostly by Soft Cell, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, the Pixies, Television and Slint. Personally, I can hear the Patti Smith influences as well. (For instance, on Harvey's song "Horses In My Dreams," I can hear Smith's album Horses.) In concert she is known for her "Joan Crawford on acid" look: ballgowns, pink catsuits, wigs and garish, vampish make-up. With songs written in Dorset, Paris, and New York, Harvey's Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea is her best album to date for several reasons. First, it features a duet with Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) on the track "This Mess We're In," as well as his backing vocals and keyboards fon the songs "One Line" and "Beautiful Feeling." Second, the album is more accessible than most of Harvey's other albums. The material here is uncharacteristically melodic, with pop-rock sounds fused with the gritty, thrashing, guitar-driven punk energy she is also known for on her other albums. Complete album setlist includes:
   
   1. Big Exit (3:51)
   2. Good Fortune (3:20)
   3. A Place Called Home (3:42)
   4. One Line (3:14)
   5. Beautiful Feeling (4:00)
   6. The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore (4:00)
   7. The Mess We're In (3:57)
   8. You Said Something (3:19)
   9. Kamikaze (2:24)
   10. This Is Love (3:48)
   11. Horses In My Dreams (5:37)
   12. We Float (6:09)
   
   G. Merritt



4. Polly Jean Harvey is a rare thing in modern music. She is an incredibly uncomprimising, risk-taking artist, and definetly the most inspired, consistently inventive female singer-songwriter to come out of the 90's, even more so than Bjork or Tori Amos. She is also constantly reinventing her musical persona. From the crackling garage rock of "Dry", to the roaring, heartbroken blues-punk of "Rid of Me", to the creeping, swampy avant-blues menace of "To Bring You My Love", to the muted, ethereal soundscapes of "Is This Desire?", PJ Harvey is a true musical chameleon. With "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea", she modifies her musical powers yet again, this time to focus on slightly more polished, urban-inspired pop/rock. This may come as a shock to some who have listened to Harvey's other work, as nothing she's done has ever been called polished or, God forbid, pop-oriented. But, surprisingly, it works incredibly well for her, as she finally manages to find a balance between the gritty urban blues of her early work and the more experimental textures of her latter-day work. "Big Exit", the album's opener, is a big, intense bullroar of a song, with the guitars blaring like ambulence sirens and Harvey wailing and swooning with that diva-with-a-grudge voice she's always known for, enchanced with an expansive echo effect. "Good Fortune" is an unbelievably pretty song, with lyrics describing a rapturous New York love affair that stretches from Chinatown to Little Italy, and Harvey feeling "like some bird of paradise" while Pretenders-style guitars chime behind her. This is the first of many songs that are steeped in the magic and kinetic energy of New York City. "A Place Called Home" is an ethereal slice of folksy dream pop, with lots of gorgeous keyboard bits and even a honking harmonica. "One Line" and "Beautiful Feeling" are the first of songs featuring vocals by Thom Yorke, with the former being a sweetly urgent ballad and the former a darkly atmospheric folk-blues song. "The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore" is a thrilling, blistering rock song, with the enormous guitars conjuring up an active New York during the day and Harvey's call of "This city's ripped right to the core" an eerie forshadowing of 9/11. "This Mess We're In" is a heartwrenching duet with Yorke, who takes lead vocals, and "You Said Something" is a starry-eyed, Manhattan-set love song that almost approaches country music. The storming "Kamikaze" is yet another unintentional forshadowing of 9/11, with its lyrics about "pilots flying" and its title, and "This Is Love" is straight ahead punchy blues-rock. "Horses in My Dreams" is an almost ghostly song, with the bluesy guitars counterbalanced with piano and ethereal keyboards. The closer, "We Float", is absolutely amazing, set to a gentle, swaying beat and Harvey's soaring chorus. My top three tracks are "You Said Something", "The Whores Hustle" and "We Float", and this is PJ Harvey's best album by a mile



5. I'd heard PJ Harvey over the years, as her music has appeared on multiple soundtracks I own. And I'd never heard one of her songs I didn't like. But I never owned one of her albums. Then, on CNN.com they had Time's Top 100 Albums of all time, and lo and behold "Stories..." appeared. I thought, what a strange selection amongst Ray Charles, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, etc. So I bought the album.
   There was no doubt in my mind after one listening, this is not only as good as any of the aforementioned artist's work, but sometimes better. And the modesty... she even let's Radiohead's Thom Yorke take the lead on one song, apparently conceding just for the better of the project. This sort of rare artistic integrity is so rarely seen and so very welcome. I played this CD at home, in my truck, at work for a month straight non-stop! And I even shy away from putting back in any player as it becomes all I want to listen to.
   This is an incredible collection of songs. PJ is a genius.

5 comments about Joy - A Holiday Collection.

1. Yes, this one even pushed the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack out of number 1. It's a wonderful collection. My favorite Christmas song is "O Holy Night" and I have a very hard time finding good versions of it. This one is beautiful. The only downside is that she only performs one verse. I would have loved to hear the entire hymn, even if it would have been 10 minutes long! But it's still great.



2. One of my favorites in my Christmas music collection. I listen to it every day during the season. Her song "Face of Love" I added to my Christian CD and listen to it year around. Her voice is like an angel singing.



3. Jewel's Christmas album is just an ok cd. It's too bad because I love Jewel, she is a gifted singer/songwriter. Joy only has a few great tracks, she does a Christmas version of Hands, probably the best on the album and beautiful rendition of Ava Marie but the rest of the songs lack inspiration. Songs like Winter Wonderland and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (sung with her mother) are cute but I can't think of any of other songs that are worth mentioning. This is Jewel's worst album, I highly recommend her other albums instead.



4. I really enjoyed songs such as: Joy To The World, O Holy Night, Silent Night, Winter Wonderland, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, and Ave Maria
   
   These songs fell a little flat for me:
   Hark the Herald, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Face Of Love
   Medley: A. Go Tell It On The Mountain/B. Life Uncommon/C. From A Distance
   I Wonder As I Wander, Gloria
   
   The most exceptional song by far was: Hands (Christmas Version)



5. A generally uninspired album - at times it sounds as if Jewel is simply phoning her performance in. Her voice isn't powerful, and when the orchestra gets loud she simply gets drowned. The better tracks are definately those where the production is kept to a minimum (Rudolph, I Wonder). In a few others (O Little Town, Go Tell it on the Mountain) her voice gets unpleasantly thin, which I found distracting.
   
   Overall this is a forgettable set; personally, I really wasn't moved in a Christmasy sort of way. If you're a Jewel fan it's maybe worthwhile but other folks will find that there are better holiday albums available.

5 comments about Elliott Smith.

1. Emerging from the shadow of Kurt Cobain in the late 90's, Elliott Smith was perhaps the greatest singer songwriter of his generation. Smith's genius was his unabashedly honest, naked, poetic lyricism that was so beautifully complemented by his unpretentiousness acoustic guitar. Like none that came before him, Smith delivers note after note of haunted, sparkling melancholy. Far from gloomy, his songs radiate with incredible emotional intensity. Combining an unbridled punk rage within the guise of an acoustic folk song, his songs speak for themselves. Reflective and introspective, each song unfolds like a delicately wrapped package, revealing itself slowly. Smith's songs present themselves like late night thoughts that just won't go away. Concerning themselves with drug abuse, depression, and troubled relationships, Smith exorcises his inner demons and releases them in a beautiful, blinding, luminosity, albeit born from dark, painful emotional despair.
   
   Elliott Smith returned with twelve brand new songs on his second self titled album a year after his debut on the Kill Rock Stars label. Sonically, ES is virtually indistinguishable from his debut Roman Candle, although the songwriting was becoming increasingly sophisticated and developed. There is also slightly more raw aggression in both his playing and vocal delivery. Smith has said himself that ES was recorded on his girlfriend's borrowed guitar, and that it was tuned down and he didn't realize it. Fortunately, it works to his favor. What works so well for Smith's sound is the intimacy that comes across, lyrically and instrumentally. Listening to this in a quiet, dark room, you can literally feel Smith breathing down your neck. Complementing his introspective lyrics, the delivery is no less than perfect. Sounding more and more haunting with each verse, Smith brings us deeper and deeper into his dark world of despair and desolation. Confronting drug abuse, depression, and alcoholism, Smith exorcises his demons in a beautiful, emotionally confessional arc of songwriting. The first half of the album leaves the listener breathless, Smith bares his soul, not looking back. Lyrically, there is not a "weak" song on the entire album. There is incredible cohesiveness and an intimacy bordering on uncomfortable. Slowly, it becomes apparent ES is a step forward from Roman Candle, each songs begins to immortalize itself into your consciousness with each repeated listen. His subtle melodic arrangements are so brilliantly crafted that they only begin to reveal themselves upon repeated listen. It is at this time that you realize his lyrics follow the exact same pattern. Again, so perfectly is his songwriting complemented by his paper thin deliver, that you can't imagine it being played by anyone else. On "Coming Up Roses" Smith begins to embellish his songs with drums and harmonica(used in RC). The effect positively gives his songs a more three dimensional feel. Stylistically, ES is perhaps the climax of his first three releases- catching him in his prime, between Roman Candle and Either/Or before he moved on to greater production and a richer more full bodied sound. Track 1 "Needle In The Hay" was featured in Wes Anderson's film The Royal Tenenbaums. Elliott Smith is perhaps the definitive work of arguably the greatest singer/ songwriter of his generation.



2. I love Elliott Smith's work(Mostly his lo-fi stuff). I got this on vinyl, and it's amazing. Hearing his fingers shift on the guitar is such an amazing sound that you just don't get anymore. Powerful lyrics such as Needle In The Hay and Coming Up Roses really give yo something to awe over.



3. If dead men can have fan boys, I would be one. The album is amazing like everything hes written. This one does have a more distinct grungy? feel. It feels rougher to me than the others, don't know the words to describe that.
   
   The proceeds just go to his abusive father and his label, so do what you will with that info.



4. Despite what many folks might say, its a wonderful time to be a music fan. Given the informative power of the internet combined with the fact that a majority of worthy music finally has (and still is) making its way onto Compact Discs. We have the power to sample, pick and choose music from around the globe. Bliss. I am still discovering stuff from the 70s, that I missed when I was a kid. So why am I jibbering on about this when this is supposed to be an Elliott Smith review? I think I wanted to point out that if you think this is good. And given the reviews, many people love this guy - You have reached some sort of bottleneck in your quest for music. The material, as on all of his records, is mediocre at best. Some say its dark, contemplative, beautiful and deep. It try's to be, but like a weakling trying to do a pull-up, it just can't get its chin over the bar. And on top of that, it is sorely deprived of any thing musically redeemable. You want thought provoking lyrics? No not hear. You want cool alt-pop that sticks in your head? Sorry, try again. And these are actaully the types of things Elliott Smith gets credit for. I am completely convinced that this guy is both melodically and harmonically challenged. If anything, I will say that he is consistant. Creating one forgettable tune after the other without even stopping is maybe something to be proud of. You would think just by chance be might stumble onto something good, I mean they do keep letting him make records. There is so much better out there in the genre of 'whimsical, quasi-dark, singer soungwriters'. You can say that I don't get it. I don't.



5. i originally heard the first track on this album while watching the Royal Tenenbaums. I liked the song so much i bought this album. I am a new fan of elliot smith's music.

5 comments about This Way.

1. I put this on infinite repeat whilst doing housework. My wife came home and asked why I was playing country music.
   
   That's right, Jewel's gone back to her folk roots (not country) with this one, leaving me wanting. I picked it up for "Standing Still" and found a few other tracks that were more pop-ish, but if you're into neo-folk, this is the one for you.



2. This could be construed as the album that made Jewel a crossover star. Standing Still is the catchy first track that appealed to the masses, even the country crowds as she opened for Garth Brooks here and there. Wonderful lyrics and catchy tunes make up this 14 song set. Cleveland is a wonderful song, and Love Me, Just Leave Me Alone shows Jewel has the juxsy to boss the boys around. Great album all around, no doubt about that.



3. It rocks, it swings, it's cute, it's passionate. I listen to this album over and over again and it never gets old. Jewel has a refreshingly wise yet innocent outlook on life and a great voice. She's not afraid to experiment, but no matter the genre or style, her music is genuine, plain and simple.



4. I've liked Jewel and sexually since her major label debut in like 98. This is a much more similar album toi her debut that got her on the MTV spotlight. Jewel certainly is a big sell out, and where's the money they put into it? She has a nice body, voice and can play for a woman which is rare.



5. Although I just got this recently, I already notice a lot of the songs to be different than her older work, on a country note, on a romantic note, on a lighter note. She sounds like the Jewel never heard before, and I like it! It might take a while, though, as seen in the rating. So far I have only listened to this once, but I look forward to hearing from it again; I mean, why else would I get it?! My favorite song on here has to be "Till We Run Out of Road" because it reminds of those days when I had to make those transitions in life and just decided to ride one path for the longest time. Oh, it is my latest Jewel CD and I don't think I have made a bad choice at all. I may have fallen for it as much as my older ones and don'y even know it yet. This leaves a decent aftertaste in my mind after the nice food for thought I have been given, and on this album she just may have it right. Keep up the good work Jewel; I am right behind you!

5 comments about To Venus and Back.

1. Ambivalent, multifaced, dark and full of light , thats Tori Amos with "To Venus and back" one of her most admirable pieces of work, in this album Tori delighted fans with not only a full lenght album of then previously unreleased tracks such as "concertina" , "Juarez" , "glory of the 80s", "a thousand oceans" and "bliss" but she added an extra gift, with a bonus live cd were she recreates her now classics like "space dog" in an amazing way, "Mr. Zebra", "cloud in my tongue" (one of my alltime favorites)and "girl" among others, this were also the times were Tori developed her "friends" (songs)as she uses to call them, to make them more colorfull with the addition of drums, bass, percussions, and not only guitar and her Bosse or harpsichord as she used to do after the release of "under the pink", she is Tori Amos, more than prolific, always giving her fans an excess of information, a charming confussion in her lyrics and providing her fascinating personality for our free interpretation, To Venus and back is a basic in her discography.
   
   HM



2. This is a very awesome album. The live cornflake girl and spacedog are out of this world. Tori is a Goddess.



3. God, I love both halves of this album. tori is a goddess. The live section is awesome, the original stuff is remarkable.... buy this.



4. This review is for CD 1 of this 2-CD Set. The second CD is a compilation of some of Amos' live recordings. For Toriphiles like me who collect entire concert recordings of her performances, the second CD was redundant and also quite insulting to my sensibilities, considering some of the versions of the songs they put on there were possibly the worst renditions of the songs ever. That said, the first CD contains all new recordings (at the time, at least), and is a proper `studio' album in the strictest sense of the word.
   
   Why is "To Venus and Back" so unlistenable? Even as a Toriphile, this and "Strange Little Girls" hardly get any airplay on my player or my Ipod. I don't even host this on my Ipod. It just sits on my laptop asking to be added on, but I can't bring myself to do it. Its one of these oddities that you either `get' or don't get. I've been trying for years to possibly bring myself to find something here worth playing, and it still hasn't happened. No matter though - the album has its' own set of cult followers, and I'm glad they have found something here to love.
   
   "Bliss", in my estimation, is the best song here. The opening line itself is worth the price of the album. It has a slow, thumping bassline with a chorus and melody that far surpasses the rest of the compositions here. The same however, cannot be said for the rest of the tracks. "Concertina", which many fans consider an excellent single, is baffling. It has a very mediocre sound and chorus, and I really can't see myself playing this or even listening to it in concert - its dull and lifeless. The same goes for "Riot Proof", which rates very highly on my list of Tori Songs never to hear again.
   
   Still, there are a few gems here that could possibly grow on you with repeated listening. One of these is the `classic' "1000 Oceans". This song has spawned various cover versions, and is certainly beautiful in its' own way (though decidedly sub-par when compared to Tori's own back catalog of singles). The other song of note is "Glory of the `80s", which was released as a single. Fans drool over the song, but I guess I missed the bus on this one. Its as lifeless yet overblown - not a good combination.
   
   The problem is the faux-electronica sound that defines this album. Electronica is a unique genre and its easy to go wrong with it. Not to mention that Tori going the William Orbit way is a concept that should have been handled with great care and tenderness. What we have here instead is one stomping bassline over the other, with very little attention to production or melody. The lack of any cohesive melody on ANY of the songs is what prompts me to award this album a paltry two stars.
   
   So yes, this is perhaps the worst Amos album alongwith the hideousness that was "Strange Little Girls". I've known electronica fans who thought it was garbage, and I've known Amos loyalists who consider it her big mis-step. Still, seeing as there are enough people out there who write positive things about this CD, it might well be that I am not musically schooled enough to appreciate records such as this one. Be that as it may, I still cannot bring myself to listen to this over-produced, messy lump of an album.
   
   Two Stars.



5. Though I don't care much for the studio portion of this release, the live tracks more than make up for its lack. Tori, live, in her zenith.