No comments about Ready Already.

1 comments about Return to Dunn's River Falls.

1. by far the worst recording i ever hear

3 comments about Bob Marley: Soul Almighty, Natural Mystic II.

1. i agree with the first person. bought this cd not knowing what was in store, sold it a month later. weak vocal recordings of bob put to souped up music some dudes did in a studio ten...twenty or more years later....to make a buck. i don't think bob would buy this, and neither should you.



2. This isn't the Wailers playing. They took weird unused Marley stuff nobody wanted and added junky new music to it to hurt Bob's memory. Not cool, not worth the cost.



3. Soul Almighty - The Formitive Years is a truly amazing album. One of the richest examples of Bob's passion for the sound that he calls his own. Song's like "Bend Down Low", "Rock Steady", and "Splish for My Splash" are brilliant examples of reggae and pure soul as well. Bob has a way of displaying the power that music has, to rejuvenate and inspire the people who make it as well as the people who are listening. The only reason I did not give this album a pefect score is because some of the tracks are a bit murky in places(which fortunatley, in my opinion, fails to take away from the music), and also there are a couple of remixes on the tail end of the album which aren't really my bag. But if you like Bob or just plain hip swaying soul, then I would definately pick this one up. Send me your opinions!

5 comments about The Lot.

1. the good news: this is a really nice box set from a great band.
   
   the bad news: although all the tracks represented in the track line up are technically on the physical CDs - they are not all in CD audio, therefore not playable on a CD player... and some of these are the BEST singles.
   
   these CDs combine CD audio with CD-ROM data, enabling the ability to view the videos on a computer.
   
   however, many of the videos included in the CD-ROM section are omitted from the CD audio. The result: an incomplete reissue of these great albums. when you listen to this on your CD player, you will NOT hear: house of fun, driving in my car, it must be love, the sun and the rain, wings of dove, waiting for the ghost train.
   
   if you are a fan who wants to purchase a CD version of all these great albums convienantly: this ain't it. the highly compressed computer videos are cute, but the sound utterly sucks and you can only experience them on your computer.
   
   it's too bad amazon didn't catch this and take these songs out of the track line up.
   
   the record company (virgin) took a GREAT idea ("the lot") and made it kind of suck. too bad.



2. I was born in London and grew up listening to Madness from the late seventies until mid-eighties. I left England for the USA in 1985 and whenever I get that urge to return to London spritually and mentally I turn on my madness songs! I love this nutty group! I love their videos each one has its own flavor and mood. The Lot is a superb collection!



3. If your a MADNESS fan then you need to buy this. Its totaly right on. Granted its the original 7 albums but its even got the videos for the singles off of the specific album. Its totaly kick @$$



4. One of the most underrated bands of all time, Madness incorporated elements of reggae,ska,music hall and big band in their marvellous catalogue. All of you who remember Dan Akroyd's "Blues Brothers" dance routine, take a look at the early Madness videos and see what you have been missing. What seperated this group from their peers, was the ability to write and perform in a multitude of styles, with a touch of humor and soul. My daughter and her friends love to dance to the early hits. I hope that Virgin will get around to releasing all their great videos on one DVD shortly as it is a pain having to constantly change discs - my only complaint.



5. In this collection of the first six 'original' Madness albums, you get a lot of material heretofore missing from American releases. The tracks from "Rise and Fall" and "Seven" are worth the full price of the box set alone. A lot of these tracks have often been hard to track down in the US (especially the RaF material) and are greatly improved on with remastering. While Madness is often viewed as a simple cog in the Ska-revival wheel, the tracks on discs 3-6 prove that they were quality songwriters in their own right and even the overproduced, far too depressing "Mad Not Mad" tracks turn out to be good material on a 5th or 6th listen. Combine this with "The Business" CD set and you have all the Madness your heart could desire.

No comments about Move Along.

5 comments about 24 Hour Roadside Resistance.

1. This is the best band I've ever heard, I've not yet heard there other CD's, but this is fast and hard punk with a horn in a few spots and an extreamly strong and clear message...



2. Yeah? So what if this album is almost absent of ska and horns? Jdog,you couldn't be more wrong about this CD. This CD slams into you headfirst from start to finish. I love all their cd's,and this cd makes their catalog even more delicious. If you like just straight-ahead punk rock,just pick this up already.



3. When I bought this cd I thought i would get to here the catchy happy horns I got to here on all fall down but there was no horns except for on two songs and on the second song they only played for a couple seconds. I read the other reviews for this album and cant understand how it got good ratings this album .... They are not turning punk they are getting hardcore and there singer's voice is all scary.The lyrics are more politicial but who says thats a good thing All Fall Down was better because they had Politicial lyrics and songs about skateboarding and other things that more people can relate to. I do not recomend this album to anyone you should buy all fall down or destroy what destroys you.



4. Against All Authority consistantly puts out great political ska/punk albums. This album may actually be their best, their lyrics are top notch on 24 Hour Road Side Resistance, and the music is great, even though it is different than on previous albums. Everyone else has already mentioned that there are virtually no horns on this album except for on a few songs, so the music is a lot more punkish than on their previous two albums. If you like All Fall Down or Destroy What Destroys You I'm sure you'll like his album too.



5. As people have stated in their reviews this album is far less ska than other previous albums, only two of the songs actually have brass instruments. Having said that it is better for this. All Fall Down is good but is not in this albums league. The lyrics in this album are extremely good and you get a lovely sleeve with the album with good pictures. Danny Lore has a great voice and musically this album is excellent. Some bands just rely on good lyrics but against all authority incorporate both to great effect. I would definitely recommend that people buy this album but not if you are a big trendy because you won't like it.

4 comments about Absolutely.

1. I believe Madness started things powerfully with "One Step Beyond" and "Absolutely." Their vibrant spirit dwindled a bit with each release afterwards, until I hardly recognized their sound by the time "Our House" became a hit in 1983.
   
   While "One Step Beyond" is my personal favorite release by Madness, this album comes in a very close second. The opening song "Baggy Trousers" foretells the prankster essence of the entire CD--- where "One Step Beyond" had the soul of happy-go-lucky nutzy young men, "Absolutely" brings out a rowdier, slightly brattier crew, yet still shining that innocent funboy spirit.
   
   The songs on this CD were never hits here in the U.S.A., which means there are a lot of past & modern day ska fans missing out. The show stealer is "On the Beat Pete," the leader of the high-gear songs like "E.R.N.I.E" and "Not Home Today."
   
   I hate to spend to much time pointing out which song rules over another on "Absolutely," only because this is a fantastic and one of the most underrated albums within the 1970s-80s ska archive. This CD is just plain fun. Give it a go!



2. Having followed Madness from the beginning through to their embarassing demise (after the departure of Mike Barson). I have to say - 20 years on this CD is still the best they did. One Step Beyond was great - always a classic, but the songs on Absolutely make this a great CD. The next CD Madness 7 had it's moments - both good and bad but this was Suggs & Co. at their very best. Great band, great memories.



3. Certainly, it doesn't radiate the same sort of classicism that made One Step Beyond so exceptional, but there's lots of nice stuff here nonetheless. Baggy Trousers and Embarassment are both classic singles, and songs like Close Escape, Solid Gone, and Shadow of Fear are the sort of fun ska-pop that make Madness so irresistable. Worthwhile.



4. When I bought Madness 1st album, I thought there was nowhere to go but down. How could they possibly improve on a debut where EVERY song was so good, it just had to be played over and over? Then I heard Baggy Trousers on the Rodney on the ROQ show and I knew they did it again. I was never really sure which album was better until I found myself playing it twice as much over the next 18 years!!! If you like the first album, you HAVE to get this one or you will be seriously denying yourself the joy and pleasure that only a truly great record can bring. By my definition, a record you can listen to over and over for 18 years and never gets old or out-dated. Buy it before its out of print forever!!!!

3 comments about The Battle's Just Begun.

1. Jersey is great. I just saw them in concert with Yellowcard and Eve6. They sound just like rancid in "and out come the wolves" so if u like that cd u shouuld really check these guys out



2. Jersey is probably the best new harcore sk8 punk band I'm the town punker and i think these guys are a wicked ... sounding band that sounds a little like rancid (My fav band) so pick up thte cd



3. If you don't own this album, or hell, haven't even heard of these guys, then it would be a good idea to check em out. If you like the sound rancid can give on "and out come the wolves", then you'll probably like what these guys are about too. it's a good time.

No comments about Red Hot Reggae.

2 comments about Kings & Queens of Rocksteady.

1. You can't go wrong with this fine sampling of 60s Jamaican hits culled from producer Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label. Great vocals, great rhythms. Think early Motown if it had been located in Kingston Jamaica instead of Detroit.



2. This album is a must have for all lovers of Jamaican, no Caribbean, music. Rocksteady is a unique bridge between Ska and Reggie, which was strongly influenced by the mid-sixties soul and R&B sound coming out of Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and other US cities. The musical odyssey (much to short) begins with the Paragons "The Tide is High", a classic from the era, and runs through a number of must have songs for any music lover. Hopeton Lewis' "Boom Shaka Laka", The Melodians' "Come on Little Girl" and The Sensations' "Every Day is Like a Holiday" are just a few of the nuggets from an period of music when everything seemed possible. This is the best collection of this genre I've run across, and one that requires a more comprehensive tribute.