5 comments about Amnesiac (2-10" LPs).

1. A lot of people hate this record and its predecessor, "Kid A". I mean, they really HATE them. I know Radiohead fans who threw them out after a week. That's understandable, if rather drastic. In the '90s, Radiohead were dependable for a great alternative rock anthem. They were good at it -- maybe too good. "Pablo Honey" is a good (not great) record and "The Bends" is better still. But when "OK Computer" hit, everyone went crazy. It got saddled with "Best Album of the Decade" tags. It mixed Radiohead's established strengths with considerably better lyrics and just enough experimentation to please those who were bored with the more conventional formulas of the band's previous two albums. No doubt about it, "OK Computer" is a master piece of an album. It's rare that a record can have twelve songs that are all memorable, potential singles even, and still retain as much artistic merit as "OK Computer" did. But with a pedigree like that, who can blame Radiohead for maybe freaking out a little when it came time to do a follow-up?
   
   So they retreated into the studio and came out in 2000 with "Kid A", embraced by critics as another masterpiece and dividing the fan base straight down the middle. On one side: the people who liked Radiohead as they were, and wanted more standard Brit rock-pop. On the other: the people who recognized the merit of the first two Radiohead records but felt that the experimental flourishes of "OK Computer" were a step in the right direction. Given that "Kid A" eschewed traditional rock structure and instrumentation in favor of dense electronics, atonal horns, and eerie, filtered falsetto vocal work, you can guess which side love dit and which despised it. Personally, I fall into the second camp, those who embraced it. It's my favorite Radiohead record -- not as immediately awesome as "OK Computer", but over time revealing its beauty, intricacy, and poignancy.
   
   Which brings us here, to the much-maligned "Amnesiac". I get the hating on "Kid A", but to be honest, I'm surprised that this record hasn't gotten more love. It's pretty much a compromise for everyone -- still very experimental, but bringing back the elements many missed most on "Kid A": more conventional song structure and, um, you know, guitar. Opener "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box" sets this tone well, as Radiohead openers tend to do, composed mainly of electronics but following traditional structure (and featuring an addicitve refrain of "I'm a reasonable man, get off my case"). The strings-n'-piano number "Pyramid Song" is beautiful enough to mesmerize the less adventurous Radiohead lover, but the real fun lies in its weirder side, especially the way the piano swaggers drunkenly around, trying and failing to find a steady beat until the drums come in and help it out. The rest of "Amnesiac" mostly follows these songs' lead. "You and Whose Army?" is a lovely cut that expands from paino ballad to full-band rocker. "I Might Be Wrong" is the closest Radiohead has come to a dance song, and is very accessible, and "Knives Out" is a standard rock number that plays like a direct bid to regain fans lost as a result of "Kid A". All of these songs find middle ground between the divided fan base, applying the electronics found on "Kid A" to more accessible song structures.
   
   But there are other songs that inspire as much division as anything on "Kid A", suggesting that Radiohead, while recognizing that some fans wanted easier-to-digest alt-rock, intended to keep moving forward with their experimentation. "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" is one of these, and although it might seem forbidding to some, it's actually a pretty awesome song, blending elements of techno and industrial music to a great drum-and-bass combo line, and featuring weird but not grating treated vocals reminscent of "OK Computer"'s most experimental track, "Fitter Happier". Closer "Life in a Glasshouse" is a piano ballad tricked out with a very drunken horn section, furthering the forays into jazz begun on "Kid A" songs like "The National Anthem". It's a great song, unexpected but not out of place.
   
   Then there's "Hunting Bears" and "Morning Bell/Amnesiac". I really like this record a lot. It's pretty great in my opinion, up there with "Kid A" and "OK Computer". I like rock music as much as the next guy, and as much as I love "Kid A" is still appreciate the effort Radiohead put into making these songs more accessible. But these two tracks are serious detriments. "Amnesiac" is comprised of tracks from the "Kid A" sessions, but these are the only two moments where you'd know it. It's a solid record but for them. "Hunting Bears" is a reprise of "I Might Be Wrong", except that it's just Jonny Greenwood on the guitar and nothing else. It's given grating production treatment and doesn't do anything "I Might Be Wrong" doesn't do. In fact, it does a lot less and is no fun to listen to. "Kid A" had an interlude called "Treefingers", and I get the impression that this song is trying to do the same thing, but where that track was beautiful and a great segue, this one is annoying, dull, and doesn't connect the songs bookending it. "Morning Bell/Amnesiac" is just a new version of "Morning Bell" from "Kid A" with a short intrumental appended to the outro, but the production is messy and lacks the grace of the earlier version. This cut and "Hunting Bears" cause "Amnesiac", an otherwise excellent batch of Radiohead tunes that show them blending their experimental tendencies and their songwriting skill, to feel a bit like a "Kid A" B-sides collection when it deserves to be heard as a beautiful, complex, and just plain awesome piece of music in its own right.



2. I rarely give ANY product this kind of review - but Amnesiac is one of those rare CD's that can be listened to in entirity. Moody, extremely layered, sad, whistful.
   
   Listen to it once and you will be hooked.



3. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE CD AND THESE GUYS ARE AWESOME LIVE!
   LIKE SPINNING PLATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



4. Rock music does a lot of things extremely well, but one emotion that it seems to have difficulty capturing is despair. I'm not talking about the blues. The blues involves reveling, often in a kind of self-satisfied way, about one's awareness of how badly one's life is going. There's nothing smug or self-satisfied about despair: it is a prelude to the death of hope, the reaching of a point from which one can't "come back." "Amnesiac" captures despair better than just about any rock album I can think of (another great entry in this abject sweeptakes would be Fleetwood Mac's masterpiece "Then Play On").
   
   "Amnesiac" is to most music dealing with misery as opening up a bottle of whiskey in a darkened room with a loaded gun on the table, alone and with the phone disconnected, is to a bragging drunkalogue delivered to a crowded AA meeting. If you don't understand what I'm talking about consider yourself fortunate. If you do, get "Amnesiac." It does perfectly what it sets out to do, with no compromises or gratuitous bows to commercial acceptance or normal rock and roll conventions. It couldn't be the high art that it is if it had been done in any other way.



5. I remember listening to this album while reading at the library on cold winter days somewhere in upstate New York when the sun did not shine (which was often). These songs have a haunted feel that perhaps matched my surroundings and my mood. I agree that this album is maybe not right for every single occasion, but I feel I have to defend some songs on this album that have been pounded on by others. In my opinion, this is one of the best albums in terms of interesting music that you can actually enjoy listening to. I have listened to this album (as well as all of the other Radiohead albums) from start to finish many times, and for some reason, Amnesiac is the most fun. As for the disjointed sound, who is bothered by this now? How many people have not gotten used to listening to a wide range of music on iPod shuffle mode? I am not one of those guys who defends avant-garde art because it's daring or clever. I actually like these songs for what they are. In terms of favorites...
   1.Life in a glass house--like being drunk in an old French wine bar on a wet night walking home with your crumpled hat and clinging to a telephone pole for support. I was shocked to see other people don't like this song. It gives me chills every time I hear it. But hey different strokes.
   2.Pyramid song--driving through an unknown mountain town on a cold still night alone. I like how this song builds into that dreamy, melodic nowhereness.
   3.You and whose army--I like how weak his voice sounds in contrast to his big words--overall it gives me the feel of a weak person reminding someone who is tormenting him that we are all weak and there is strength in numbers. Do not mess with us!
   4.Hunting bears--as a post-apocalyptic source of nutrition, bears will be hunted. It will be a sad time. This song will make it sadder.
   5.Spinning plates--probably not good enough to listen to on repeat, or maybe not ever, what the hell, skip this one.
   6.Knives out--sounds more like a Radiohead song than anything else on this album, and it's good, but not as good as some of the other songs on Amnesiac.
   Anyhoo, if you don't like this album I can't help you. It's not worth trying to change someone's opinion regarding music anyway. (Have you ever tried to recommend something you are super excited about to someone and they are like, eh..) I feel that way about this album. I'm just glad I have it and can listen to it on my headphones so as to not annoy those around me.

5 comments about Only by the Night.

1. Unlike many reviewers here I'm not comparing this album to their previous work when I say it is not what I expected - instead, I'm comparing it to their single release "Sex on Fire". I'm new to Kings of Leon, with Sex on Fire being the first of their songs that made me want to know who this band was. Go ahead and label me "mainstream" but Sex on Fire was a great song, great beat, unique vocals.
   
   So what about the rest of the album. I admit there is enough there to make me listen to it - but just as something to play in the background. Nothing stands out, everything else blends together, and nothing else is like the one single I heard. I went back to their older albums to get a feel for the band and I liked those albums even less. Just not my kind of music.
   
   So, if you like the old Kings of Leon you may well be disappointed here as this is different. If you liked the single "Sex on Fire" you may also be disappointed as there are no other songs on the album that sound like it.
   
   In the end, I gave it 3 stars, as it isn't bad it is just mediocre and, yes, boring.



2. because of the times was my first album by KOL and i love that album then i bought an older one (Aha Shake) and thought it was "good" so i wasn't sure what to think of there lastest until i listened in full and i have to say it rocks. if you liked "the times" like myself, you will love this album...thank you kings, for not sucking.



3. Loved the first two records but even 'Because Of the Times' was beginning to show signs of 'rockstars for Pepsi' tendencies (as Bill Hicks would have put it).
   
   More importantly though, just what can you do if your sex is on fire?
   
   1. Remove all flammable materials from the area.
   
   2. Have a fire extinguisher handy.
   
   3. Roll around on the ground, just like Caleb does in the video.
   
   4. A cold shower will work (on two levels).
   
   5. Maybe you should have considered a flame retardant lube beforehand?
   
   6. If this is a recurring problem for you, abstinence may be the only way to go, sorry.



4. Been listening to this album pretty much every single day on my way to work and back since it was released. (I've got a 45min drive) I really love it and am excited to hear it live this Halloween in Chicago. But with that being said, Because of the Times was ultimately a better album. A little more substance and awesome instrumentation. Not that Only By the Night is bad by any means, just not amazing. It is definitely one of those albums I'll put on the shelf once the newness wears off. And I probably won't listen to it for a long time. However like I said in the subject, 7 out of 11 songs are good. Can't say that for most of the albums I purchase anymore. So should you buy this CD? I say yes...if you dig KOL. If not, no worries. You won't miss much.
   
   Top 10 albums in the past 20 years
   
   10. Pearl Jam - Ten
   9. Smashing Pumpkins - Melon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
   8. Fiona Apple - Tidal
   7. John Mayer - Continum
   6. The Strokes - Is this it?
   5. Weezer - Blue Album
   4. Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris
   3. Alice in Chains - Unplugged
   2. Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live at Luther College
   1. Radiohead - Kid A



5. This album is a huge disappointment. Songs like "I Want You" and "Notion" are humiliating for KOL. They have lost all authenticity and credibility. The core of their sound has been stripped away for generic, bland corporate rock. I thought KOL was committed to serious and original music and thought someday their name would be mentioned up there with the greats like Led Zeppelin. Instead, they are trying to be the next Nickelback which is tragic. I am devastated by KOL's sell out.

5 comments about A Rush of Blood to the Head.

1. I was given this album as a gift three years ago and while it was new to me I immediately noticed that the lead vocalist had no idea of how to break away from singing very "clunkily" in syllables...to every song!!!
   I haven't read all the reviews to this album (would take days) but wonder if he annoys anyone else as much as he annoys me?



2. The Coldplay album to get if you're only going to get one, but all of them are good.
   this isn't as mellow or low-key as Parachutes. amazing orchestration, sweeping melodies. i admit this isn't for everyone.. some may find it depressing but i think the songs aren't straight depressing- they're more bittersweet, melancholy, hopeful. simple lyrics everybody can relate to.
   i still play this cd all the way through sometimes and i've had it for years.



3. I like this CD, but after a while all of the songs on it sound the same. Coldplay is a great band and I recomend this CD for anyone who likes that kind of music.



4. No matter how many CDs I buy, I find myself listening to this one again and again. Invigorating and soothing at the same time.



5. The music is very great. the songs do make you feel like life and everything is over your head. take this cd and play it on the road and you'll see how music flows right through you. amazon does comes through with shipping and packaging. thank you for the care and service to customer.

5 comments about PARACHUTES (VINYL).

1. Once I listened to the Viva La Vida CD, I went back and purchased all of Coldplay's previous albums. This is one truly awesome!



2. For someone who says he's going to be bigger then U2 this album is by far has one of the worst songs ever written. That belongs to the song Yellow. Not only is it a pointless song it's one of the worst songs in history. One reason it was because it was so overplayed.
   The other reason is because Chris Martin sounds like a prepubescent little girl whining at mom for not buying her those thong panties at Victoria Secrets. Not only that he fails miserably at his attempt to be better then U2. In fact most of his other albums sound the same with that whininess. The only good song that Coldplay has come out with is Clocks. Every other song is horrible. The only reason why he even is able to sell a cd is because some women think he's hot. They don't listen to him on his musical ability.
   
   Chris Martin is more of the Jonas Brothrs. At least the Jonas Brothers have a chance to have their voice change when they hit puberty, Chris Martin hit puberty and still sounds like a prepubescent little boy. I'm sorry what is the world coming too with such worthless songs as Yellow!



3. Seriously, stop already with the Radiohead comparisons. This sounds nothing like Radiohead, not Pablo Honey, not The Bends, not ANYTHING EVER by Radiohead. Just because Coldplay's singer tries to sing in a high register like Thom Yorke sings, doesn't necessarily mean the two bands sound alike. Coldplay, for instance, sucks big ones. Radiohead is sort of a brilliant band. There's one difference right there, just for starters.
   But whatever, you're not a loser or anything if you like this garbage. Lots of people like garbage even worse than this! So there, feel good knowing that you're not utterly, totally, hopelessly devoid of taste (maybe).



4. This is beautiful music. I distinctly recall direct comparisons to Radiohead at the time of this release, and I must say, I can draw virtually no comparisons between the two artists. Radiohead stinks. Radiohead is useless noise. Coldplay really delivers some beautiful, oftentimes powerful melodies throughout this disc. Sentimental moments abound here. Minimalism WORKS when it is executed correctly, and "Parachutes" is a testament to that. This album is extremely relaxing and even gives me the chills at times. Songs like "Don't Panic", "Shiver", "Sparks", and "Trouble" are tremendous achievements. Solid album through and through from a terrific band.



5. Coldplay delivers yet another hit album. Parachutes delivers on the growing quality of Coldplay repertoire. You won't be disappointed with picking this up, especially if you are already aware with what Coldplay did with their full album debut.

5 comments about The Slip [Vinyl].

1. Well after the daydreaming record Ghosts I-IV, NIN gave us again the power we are used to hear of them, the difference, now Trent is doing it in independent way, with any record label involved, but wait, the quality of music remains incredible, the art is amazing, in this limited edition pack you can find a CD and DVD with the rehearsals with the new members of NIN, and really worth the price, so if you dont have it go and get one, there are only 250,000 copies, just 10 songs, but every second of every song is an amazing experience, so thank trent for giving this album for free, but the art of the record make me bought the physical one, awesome.



2. i don't know whats happened to nin as of late but the music (and i use that very lightly) they have been putting out has been garbage.maybe i got to used to the good stuff like head like a hole. this "music" doesn't fill me with any emotion or feeling at all.it makes me sleepy as a matter of fact. spend your money on something a little more worthwhile.you'll see reviews about how this is so good because he's not restricted by the recording company...bull it seems as he needs someone to tell him when he sucks instead of just putting anything out there...the title the slip really fits on the other hand as this "music" has slipped right down the toilet



3. The price of admission for a Nine Inch Nails album has hit all ends of the spectrum. From high prices for The Fragile and Still to a fascinating marketing campaign for Year Zero, to a choose your own price and format trick following in Radiohead's footsteps (which Reznor subsequently trash talked), and now to the ultimate price, free.
   
   Yes, that's right, you no longer have to pay anything for a Nine Inch Nails album, but unfortunately, you probably wouldn't have paid that much for it anyway. The sad truth is that The Slip sounds like a rehashed With Teeth, except worse in almost every respect. In fact, I'm sure we could line up tracks from either album back to back and anyone who had not heard either album before could not distinguish any stylistic differences. The music features pounding drums like With Teeth, tired riffs with the same tonal leaps and dull modulations, and lyrics that once again work against Trent Reznor's for the most part excellent vocal talent.
   
   Almost every song is disposable. The album starts out like it might actually be doing something worthwhile. A first impression might sense that Reznor has decided to keep each track moving at a fast pace, improving upon the With Teeth style flaw that was many slow, boring passages. However, both 1,000,000 and Letting You are fairly forgettable. Even the single, Discipline, has nothing new to offer. But nothing much anyone can say will ease the blow of the downright embarassing Echoplex.
   
   The album is not without it's successes. The victories come in through the hushed soundscapes of 999,999, Corona Radiata, and Lights In The Sky, which says something about Reznor's knack for his recently taken up ambient style. But until Ghosts V-VIII, we have The Slip to listen to, and the ambient tracks will not save it.
   
   Anyone except a Nine Inch Nails fan would want to skip this album, even at the free price. And fans will be disappointed too. The style that With Teeth established was never that great to begin with, but The Slip makes With Teeth look like The Downward Spiral. The fact of the matter is that Trent Reznor will never make any albums as good as Pretty Hate Machine, The Downward Spiral, or The Fragile ever again, and it is time to stop believing that he can.



4. I should start off by saying I've never been the biggest NIN fan. I've heard a decent amount of their music, and I've always liked them but they just never stuck with me. With Teeth seemed a bit like the sellout point to me, and I didn't pay attention to them for awhile. When I heard The Slip was free on their site, I eagerly downloaded it, and I've gotta say it's absolutely AMAZING! With the exception of Corona Radiata (which I'm sure will grow on me soon), there is not a dull moment with The Slip, and I plan to order Ghosts I-IV ASAFP.
   
   Update: I forgot how depressing NIN is. Listening to it makes me feel like bashing my skull in, but it's such amazing music that I CAN'T TURN IT OFF! Also, With Teeth doesn't seem as bad now.



5. This album is really cool, I just wish it was a bit longer, and without so many instrumentals, but honestly I think this album would've been superior to both With Teeth and Year Zero if it was the average NIN length album. The intro 999,999 is a really cool sounding intro, typical of NIN albums. 1,000,000 is a very drum-centered song, and the chorus is just incredibly melodic. Getting Away is an anti George Bush song, I believe, with the chorus, "And we are letting you get away, and we are letting you get away, with it", I just get a complete feeling that he is talking about "Dubbya", very cool industrial beat to this one. Discipline is a song which I completely relate to as a person who has been addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is about trying hard to stay clean, but knowing the possibility of relapse, and how you will act once you relapse. This song is very radio-friendly, but do not let that ruin the fact that it is an awesome song, kind of sounds like Fragile-era NIN, which I absolutely loved. Echoplex is also another Fragile-era NIN sounding song, I absolutely love this song, definitely one of my favorites from this album, the lyrics are incredible. Head Down is a very noisy/industrial beat with an undeniably melodic chorus, the beat to this song is really fu**ing cool, I love it. Lights In The Sky is a very, very slow song, with only Trents voice and a piano, not really my favorite song at all, but many people may love it. Corona Radiata and The Four Of Us Are Dying are both instrumentals and very cool ones at that, they are very hallucinagenic and if you like hallucinogens, these would be cool tracks to throw on while experiencing that. Demon Seed is the final track on the album and has a really cool beat, the music sounds like Downward Spiral-era NIN, really cool closer! The vocals are kind of in the background to the beat in about half of this song, this track may take a few listens, but it is awesome. Overall, this is a really solid NIN release, and I do not think it will disappoint hardcore NIN fans at all, and even newcomers to NIN will probably really like this one. Pick it up or download it for free at NIN's website, and support this cool band, and really cool dude Trent Reznor! Trent is one of the most influential and original artists of all time, he is the reason that other forms of rock started infusing industrial elements into their music!

5 comments about Ten.

1. I don't knowif it was just my copy or what, but the 2007 vinyl reissue that I got has serious audio issues, like the left track cutting out intermittently on a frequent basis, seems like either i just got a bad copy or it was a cheap cash grab by Sony/Epic



2. Although, I am up to date with the ipod/mp3 era, I wanted to go back and buy some of the classic cd's I once owned. This is one of the best albums in my opinion.



3. Containing many of Pearl Jam's early hits and some less famous gems, Ten ranks among one of the best albums of all time and is probably the best to emerge from the decade of the 1990s.



4. Ten is a landmark not only in rock history but in music in general. The album has been certified as 12x platnium, thats above Nirvana Nevermind album. First of all, there is a lot of great songs on here. Alive is a song that is totally misunderstood, most people think its an ispirational anthem, it is part autobiographical and part fiction. The kids mom tells him that he thinks is his father is his stepdad and his real dad was dead and the mom turns to sexually embrace her son. JEREMY is about a kid who was real quiet and goes in front of his classroom and shoots himself. RELEASE is a song about his father. OCEANAS is a song about eddie that had love for his surfboard. PORCH is a song about if you love someone, tell them



5. Ten by Pearl Jam is an album that deserves every bit of praise it gets. It's loud, angry, anthemic, and smart. Eddie Vedder's growling baritone voice expresses the concerns of a generation with his powerful lyrics, while guitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready create flooring guitar riffs and melodies. Every song on Ten can stand on it's own, while still demonstrating the quality of the album.

5 comments about The Downward Spiral.

1. ...I always wanted to try this album out...I'd heard "Closer" and "March of the Pigs" before hand and liked the rhythm to them even if they still had pop tendencies attached to them the sound still felt very raw...there are those nay sayers that say "This isn't industrial look it follows a simple beat and melody and is just reliant on Trent's vocals"...well done...I'm glad you can point out the obvious...this is reliant on Trent's very clever vocals and yes...it is rather likely that the melody samples made are very simple...however; this does not mean it's a bad album at all...in fact it is the best mainstream album I've heard since Muse's "Origin of Symetry" and I cherish and regard that album quite highly...allow me to analyze the tracks...
   
   Mr. Self-Destruct 10/10: Fell in love with this song...what starts with a movie sample implodes into a very fast beat...which someone said was 13/4...this is a lie...it is just basic 4/4 time signature but nice try...the whole time Trent explodes into this synthy hook and shouts...it's fast and hurried and throughout the whole time the tempo seems to increase your heart rate to an unnatural point...it then suddenly breaks into a very quiet whisper and bass...which in one place where I was listening to it quietly had thought the track had actually stopped...it then very gradually gets louder until exploding with a sforzando and ends how it starts...relentless and aggressive...oh and with a lot of static feedback...to a crazy guitar ostinato which had me very impressed...very impressed indeed...
   
   Piggy 8/10: A much more relaxed begginning...the bass quietly grooving to itself while Trent sings about pigs of some sort...there's a chorus key change also where you can hear the ghost of the mechanical noises of the previous track...the synths then enter in the second verse...it's one of those tracks when everything gradually builds up on eachother as is the fashion in most industrial music...but to be honest it's not the best in my opinion...maybe because it's overshadowed from the previous track but it just didn't have enough emotion or aggression for me...
   
   Heresy 9/10: Starts with some very dark synthy bass and the typical industrial drums...Trent's voice is put through a machine...it sounds very electronic and gives off this oh so dark feel with his falsetto...within the chorus the whole synthed instruments explode with the line "GOD IS DEAD!!" from Trent...the guitar then enters with a repitive evil mechanical riff...another straight up industrial track with nothing special...but I accept this is of mainstream media and incredibly good at what it does...
   
   March of the Pigs 10/10: I can't help but enjoy this incredibly short song...the whole quick build up from the drums to the quick bass and then the sudden explosions that are suddenly stopped by a calm piano interlude only to explode right into action again...it's a very simple concept but work so so so well...one of the highlights...the only problem is I wish they did more with the track...
   
   Closer 9/10: Probably one of the more fampus songs on the album (Hurt is more well known due to Johnny Cash's cover) starting with a very simple synthetic beat Trent turns the entire song into an obvious innuendo with his vocals...personally it reminds me slightly of Terrible Lie in the previous album only with alot more going on and the instrumentals with a lot more of an interesting arrangements...I especially like the very funky bass...the ending is also a very good gradual window to some calm and desolate synthetic notes...well done Trent...well done...
   
   Ruiner 10/10: Starts with some very interesting sampled noises put in a melodic sequence transferring over to a synth loop...Trent adds his magic by going crazy in the chorus with drums and sound completely muffling everything and turning into what seems like a holy synthesiser noise Trent asking "How did you get so big" until being dragged back into the land of crazy noises...a random woman's voice is now added and backing vocals of his own voice sounding like he's arguing crazily to himself...and then the holy synths come back for the chorus...only to be dragged into a simple bass beat on its own...a distorted guitar then attempts to solo over the bass without falling apart and the drums try and give it some moral support...it then returns to a darker more evil version of the chorus with the holy synths no longer present until they return a few bars later...the whole track feels alive and is of course one of the main reasons I enjoy it so much...
   
   The Becoming 10/10: Starts with an awkward toy like bass line that sweeps into a synthy bass beat with random people screaming in the background...Trent enters talking calmly over the screams and trying to sound normal while the clunking of metal can be heard...who knows what's happening to these people right now...they just won't stop screaming over the beat...in time to the beat as well...they must be all musicians or something...hurrah...he clearly seems to be in a lot of musical pain at this point...it's then broken with an accoustic guitar quite cleverly...the screaming turns to breathing and groaning and Trent talks about something or other...I enjoy his crazy thoughts but the lyrics are rather...something...the machine then comes back at full blast with lots of crazy sound not staying in one specific octave and going all over the place...Trent then keeps talking in the hope to reassure the machine but failing quite badly at beating the noises in his head...an amazing track...
   
   I Do Not Want This 10/10: Alot more of a dark and solemn track...primitive like drums used played over a piano and good old singing Trent who decided to randomly sample other people's voices too...he doesn't want this apparently...it then explodes into this crazy "DON'T YOU TELL ME HOW I FEEL!" tantrum which then very suddenly fades away back into a variation of section A which sounds like it has a life support machine in the background...random crazy talking samples added makes this track very dark in it's own right...not like Sopor Aeternus or Sunn O))) dark but still...in it's own crazy way...dark...the fuzzed up guitar then takes first in line in the mix and starts playing really heavily and unnoticable notes will pass your ears until it gradually grinds to a halt...there is a lot going in this track...yet again another amazing track...just too much stuff for me to point out everything that happens...
   
   A Man With a Big Gun 8/10: Another short and intense track...this time about the problems of gun trouble within america and how men use it to magnify their masculinity...it's pretty good but so short there's a chance that it'll never actually kick in with you...unlike march of the pigs and Mr. Self Destruct it just seems to be a consistent barrage of noise with no actual evolution...
   
   A Warm Place 9/10: Starting with a soft choral sound that keeps slowly appearing and disappearing...the calm sonars in the background as these calm waves of chords slowly rise up with the sonar of this giant machine...the synths add their own very eerie melody to this beautifully fragile piece of music as it tries to find its feet...no drums at this point...just the calm drones of music...the key changes as the waves of chords decide to take a new direction and stay in a swirling pool for a while...these calm organs come in as the synthesisers add a new melody to a new tapestry...it feels like someone is slowly drowning and they don't know how to feel about it...this makes me really interested in Trents instrumental tracks however...
   
   Eraser 9/10: The light thud and scrape of drums starts this track as there is awkward voice noises slowly carrying it until the true drum track comes through and the voices get all deformed and distorted...the synths then enter with a one note ostinato reliant on its rhythm...a higher synthed sound adds a bit more melody varying in notes sounding like the creaking of a gate if you put it through a computer (if that makes sense) and as it begins to build more and more the whole melodic part gets doubled up and gradually louder and louder as time goes by...ever so slowly so you can take in everything it's trying to say to you...Trents voice then cuts out the entire atmosphere with his piano and awkward cutting like drums...then exploding into his own creation all together shouting "ERASE ME!! KILL ME!!!" Probably wanting to create some kind of suicide anthem or something...very low static then slowly builds up and the track dies away...
   
   Reptile 10/10: Starting with a calm "Nothing on TV" tone out comes this popping sound of percussion that builds up into an explosion of awkward sounds...to me it sounds like bunnies getting their heads very quickly chopped off...but I'm sure there's a more logical sound to think of...Trent and the thundering bass enter and he sings about...something...it then explodes into this other sound crazy sounds everywhere but alot more controlled and restrained at this point...and still chopping bunnies heads off...the distorted guitar then enters sounding like a tyrannosarus for some reason (well the song is called reptile Oliver)...this then goes on for a while with Trent still singing yada yada (it is 8 minutes long after all) and the chorus is brought back...and he doesn't stop with the bunny head chopping...and ends with crazy voice sounds and the guitar comes back sounding like a crazy roar...maybe that's what's decapitating the bunnies...OF COURSE!! It all makes sense now...
   
   The Downward Spiral 10/10: Starting with a cold howling sound slowly building into some chattering noises...the guitars enter with gradually growing pings in an awkwardly quiet yet busy atmosphere...we then hear a melody that we heard at the end of Closer with those cold evil notes...now in accoustic form we can see its true colours...turquoise...who'd ever thought...ends with crazy muttering and a muffled scream...it's definetely a track that you will either feel very powerfully about...or just say very ignorantly "Duuur this sounds so emo"...it's all personal preference...personally I love what Trent is trying to get across...
   
   Hurt 9/10: And of course we end with the most sucessful song...a dark and eerie ballad of hurting oneself...I'm not even going to bother analyzing it because it's very likely that you've heard already and I'm wasting enough time writing this review as it is...
   
   ..overall I found this album to be a much more interesting treat then I expected...although the bass lines and drum beats would be simple to perform...they all work together to develop textures of very very very evil hate...Trent really did well with this album and I expect him to carry on in this evolutionary way to stay within the good book of my mainstream outlook...
   
   ...unfortunately I have to skip reviewing the Fragile...it would just take to long to review every track in a double album so I move on to their apparent "sell out" album when Trent sobers up...what will I find?



2. A lot of people seem to bash a review titled "A Kid's Review," so I'm going to start off by saying that I am 14 years old, not 13 or under, and I don't consider myself an expert on Nine Inch Nails or on music in general. I just like putting my opinion out there to help people make informed decisions about the music they buy.
   
   Now, I think it's generally pointless to pigeonhole an album as "the best album ever." It does a disservice to all the other great albums out there, just as it seriously narrows your or anyone's taste in music. On a similar note, an album doesn't have to be totally obscure for you to like it. Don't tell me this is pop. Sure, it has elements of a pop-like structure, but just because other people actually know about an album and like it doesn't make it mainstream.
   
   So now we're at The Downward Spiral. What Trent has here is a fairly depressing, not-so-easy listening mix of techno beats, synth, static, sound effects, loud guitars, screaming, whispering, occasional singing, and a bunch of melodic hooks. No, it's not metal, and I never said it was. It doesn't easily fit into a genre, but it's not genre-shattering. It's just a snakier, more sinister, depressing version of what Trent was already doing. The lyrics supposedly depict one man's descent into insanity, which is more or less suitable. The lyrics are not earth-shattering, but those who say they're inane are missing the point. Big Man With A Gun is satirical, Closer is desperate, Heresy depicts religious fanatics, not religion. This is an album meant to show, not to tell. It describes, it doesn't instruct. Don't take it to heart. If anything, it says what not to do if you wish to remain sane and alive in today's society.
   
   If nothing else, Trent Reznor is a master of texture. If, perhaps, you're turned off by Closer's chorus (which you shouldn't be, for reasons I've already explained), then listen carefully to the final two-and-a-half minutes of the song. When a hook comes in that you really like, focus on it, and be amazed as the other hooks and beats surrounding you complement and enhance it. Switch focus to the piano melody, and I'm sure you'll be pleased to find that this crazy layering effect applies to everything in the song. Do the same to the exploding March Of The Pigs and suddenly it seems more melodic, rather than Reznor merely screaming "I wanna f*** it up!" and such as you may have thought at first. The piano coda stands out more, and the synth line is melodically interesting.
   
   All of the above said (and I know it was long, but hopefully it was helpful), The Downward Spiral isn't for everyone (at times, myself included). If nothing else, buy Closer and listen to it in the manner that I suggested, and you might find something you like. If you like it enough, buy the whole thing and let it sink in. But let it sink in multiple times so you can actually appreciate what Reznor has done here, instead of dismissing it as "mainstream," or the opposite extreme, "just noise."



3. Not much can be said about this that hasn't been said before.Yes,it is dark and intense and explores the deepest parts of the psyche but i don't think this is necessarily a bad thing.I think this album can be very therapeutic in a way to help release built up emotions.Embrace the way you feel when you listen to this album as it is in all of us humans."The Downward Spiral" is an emotional rollercoaster and is well worth the ride if you stay on till the end.I got this cd when it first came out and it STILL gets regular play at my house.Buy,cheat,or steal a copy of this if you have to.Just get it whatever you do!



4. This is one of my favourite album of all "extreme" music of ninety years. Music and lyrics are quite all about social and sexual disease, swinging from anger and hate to a deep latent anxiety and a self-annihilation desire. The sound, as the rest, is very innovative and deep. Try to listen something for a better comprehension.



5. First of all, owning all the throbbing gristle, coil, skinny puppy, laibach, wumpscut, or whatever other " real" industrial LPs doesn't make you some kind of expert on music.
   
   downward spiral is highly overrated by the mainstream music critics but at the same time it is highly underrated by people who's main mission in life is to only listen to underground music and to constantly talk about how mainstream music will never be as good.
   
   All the bands listed above are great. That doesn't make nine inch nails bad. Saying that there is no musical talent on this album is absurd. in fact pretty hate machine to the fragile are all really good albums
   
   i'm not going to bother going into detail on this album because there are six hundred other reviews to do that for you.
   
   its a good album. regardless of whether or not you usually listen to silver mt. zion on vinyl with all your snobby friends. Its possible to like underground music and also be able to appreciate something more popular. its called listening to what you like instead of what your supposed to like in your close-minded music elitist world.
   
   good music is good music. get over yourself

5 comments about Way To Normal (vinyl).

1. This needs another review like ExxonMobil needs a tax break. But if you like Ben, you'll love it. If you think it's not as good as Songs for Silverman, then that's great--go listen to SFS and quit complaining.



2. I have enjoyed Ben Folds for years. I think this album has a few GREAT songs including You Don't Know Me (Regina Spektor is wonderful with Ben) and Cologne is quietly intriguing.



3. I actually like this one a lot better than Songs for Silverman. Ignore the bad reviews. This one is worth getting.



4. I was amazed when Elton John released The Captain And The Kid in 2006, how wonderful music can one make in this century. Now, two years later I am very happy to say the same with new Ben Folds record. So many interresting music ideas are sorted in good sequence, the album is like real album of photos. Backing vocals are composed very funny, on many places quite dominating. In two or three songs it seems to me I hear Scissor Sisters. But it does not matter 'cause as I've written - this stuff is connected in very nice block of songs sorted from agreable beginning into the meaningful end. Honest recommendation especially for people who love strong sound of piano in pop music. I don't understand how anybody can mark this album only by one star. Let's play it whole, not just in 30-seconds clips.



5. In my opinion, this album confirms that Ben Folds has officially sold out to the new generation of teens who spend their money on CDs and at iTunes, instead of on bills. In doing so, he has left the fans, like myself, who have enjoyed his music for more than a decade. This transition to fast paced and extremely "pop" music (which was evidenced with the Supersunnyspeedgraphic albums) appears to be complete.
   
   I've listened to Ben Folds (and Ben Folds Five) for over a decade, and I've enjoyed his shrewd music compositions and unique use of multiple instruments and vocals. Moreover, his story-telling ability has produced lyrics ranging from thoughtful to whimsical, but complex in either form. Take, for example, "Late" from Songs for Silverman. The words of that song painted a precise picture while telling an impassioned story. The same can be said of most songs on that album.
   
   Now, with Way to Normal, Mr. Folds tells disjointed and pointless stories with random language that feels pasted together as opposed to carefully constructed. Hiroshima has no point, Dr. Yang is annoying, and I'm sure if Mr. Folds spent more than 5 seconds, he could have found a word instead of diaper that wouldn't have stuck out like a sore thumb.
   
   Overall, I'm know that we all want to make more money, just ask Sally Struthers, but by targeting the young listener who doesn't even understand that reference, Mr. Folds has abandoned the artistic style that made his music good.

5 comments about MTV Unplugged in New York.

1. The clarity of this "soundtrack" is simply amazing. MTV did a superb job with the setup of this event. I was blown away when I heard the cd version, but hearing it with my cheap Yamaha equipment in DTS took it to another level. It is a shame he is still not around; what an amazing talent this guy had. RIP KC.



2. It's amazing, but not unexpected, to see such a lack of pretense throughout these acoustic translations of much heavier material. The entire concert was bathed in Cobain's tragic warmth and frazzled soul, injecting a tremendous amount of integrity into nearly every strum and vocalization, while the band backs up at their restrained best, revealing a side seldom seen, and one fans were most fortunate to have seen before the end.



3. In my opinion, the greatest MTV Unplugged album ever. They proved that they were more than just a grunge band, and Cobain brought his pain briefly to the surface.



4. When I first got this album I simply could not stop listening to it not only one of the best live albums but one of the best albums ever and that says a lot since before i got this cd I wasnt into acoustic cds i liked my music load and heavy and now because of this cd I now love acoustic songs , which I think its a good change of pace.even thou I hate Mtv ,its nirvana so what the hell here are my favourite songs
   1 jesus dont want me for a sumbeam
   2 come as you are
   3 polly
   4 lake of fire
   5 were did you sleep last night
   be sure to pick up the dvd of this classic album



5. Nirvana was a rock band. Their style was loud, raw, aggressive. Kurt Cobain abused his guitars. Dave Grohl pounded the living daylights out of his drums. Krist Novoselic jumped around on stage like a madman.
   
   So what happens when you hand Cobain an acoustic guitar, tell Grohl to play his drums with brushes, and force Krist to sit still?
   
   Well, you get a very interesting album. I will agree with many of the glowing reviews on here, this performance has alot of emotional punch - in places. But I wonder if perhaps too much of this emotional stuff is read into these performances in light of Cobain's death. Yes, he screams and plunks his guitar with great vigor, but he was also high on herion.
   
   It's somewhat interesting to hear Nirvana play "Come As You Are" unplugged - but it's much better played full-force with electric guitars. And it's okay hearing Cobain play "Pennyroyal Tea" solo, messing up the lyrics and hitting the wrong chords - but it doesn't hold a candle to the full electric arrangement.
   
   The best parts of this album are the cover songs. "The Man Who Sold the World" is a fun song, as are the three Meat Puppet covers; and most folks are in agreement that "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" is spine tingling. If you get this album for no other reason, get it for the cover songs.
   
   So while this is an interesting foray into "what happens when you strip a rock band of what made them famous" - it's not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. It's the point of "Unplugged" to put a band in unfamiliar waters, but that doesn't mean it always turns out well.
   
   Nirvana made music that was intended to be plugged in. That's what Nirvana was - loud, kick-your-teeth-in rock. "Unplugged" does not do them justice.

5 comments about X&Y.

1. I haven't heard this album in years but this was the single biggest let down/insult/disappointment I have ever heard.I was a huge fan of the first two albums and remember when no one had heard of them and I mentioned them (along with Travis) to people who said they liked Radiohead. The new album(Viva La Vida) is passable but this album apart from Fix You is the stalest most derivative uninspired album I've ever heard. If you want to hear the original version of this album check out Kid A. Not only does Coldplay's X&Y rip this album off shamelessly, but they do a horrible job of it.
   
   Like I said I loved the first two albums and I defended Coldplay when people said they were completely unoriginal. I've always liked Radiohead better but before this album I still thought Coldplay brought something to music that was their own or at least if they ripped off Radiohead they did a good job of it. But this album made it abundantly clear to me that they were COMPLETELY ripping off Radiohead. It's one thing to be influenced by a band and use it as a starting point for your band, but when your musical direction completely mirrors the musical direction of that same band it becomes something else.



2. I love X & Y. this is my favorite Coldplay album by far because from the opening track of "Square One" to the very end, it doesn't have any filler tracks. Every song is great and could be a potential single.



3. This CD is my first exposure to Coldplay and I am at a loss as to why all the fuss over this band. Then again if you enjoy mainstream, commercial music this is for you.
   
   Soon after inserting the disc into my player I removed it to thinking I had selected a U2 disc in error. No error had been made on my part.
   
   The same vocals, the same maddening I feel like marching drum beat, the same simpleton bass lines, the same lack of substance on the guitar. Plain and simple, a ripoff of a commercially successful band from the past.



4. My favorite Coldplay album yet, with lots to love: Talk (great), Fix You (excellent), Speed of Sound (super!), Square One, Low, and Swallowed in the Sea! Great stuff, no klunkers; we listen to this one a lot.



5. Lost my 1st...Not sure how! They just keep getting better and better in my opinion. If you like this one you HAVE to get Viva La Vida!