5 comments about Brushfire Fairytales.

1. The best new artist in this sphere of music is Nick Worrall. Google him and get his debut album for FREE. Incredible.



2. Wonderful music! My daughter found this artist on Pandora Radio we will probably buy many more of his CD's



3. makes you want to close your eyes and smile, not to mention marvel at how simple can be so beautiful



4. This CD is true to the talents of Jack Johnson. I was not disappointed with the music/songs on this disc. If you like previous CDs that Jack Johnson has done, you'll love this one too.



5. Who doesn't like Jack Johnson!?! I listen to this one every morning, because of the relaxed (yet upbeat) music. Good buy!

No comments about Boy [Vinyl].

2 comments about Sam's Town (Picture Disc).

1. The LP sounds great, but I had some trouble with this album. I actually bought 2 diferent ones just to be sure it wasnt my turntable. It got stuck on a few grooves and skipped on a few. Maybe something about the picture interface some turntables have trouble. Also it weighs heavier than regular vinyl which oculd also explain it.
   
   I think it should play fine on really high end turntables. But I wouldnt reccomend for an older one or a cheaper turntable.



2. This is a limited edition Picture Disc LP. Its amazing just to look at. Not your standard vinyl record. You'll really be impressed with this piece in your collection!
   
   Looks and sounds great!

5 comments about Mezzanine.

1. The first four tracks on Mezzanine are masterpieces, probably the apotheosis of Trip-Hop. Dark, dreamlike, beautiful, stunningly sculpted -- one senses the hundreds, even thousands of studio manhours that went into each song. The rest of the album is brilliant as well, though the "comedown" tracks #5 & #11 might be skipped on repeat listenings. Tracks #6-10 continue the greatness in different directions -- sometimes sly and funny, sometimes crunching rock. Each song has an arc, which takes multiple listenings to understand. This might be sounds repeated at the beginning that are layered upon, then layered upon again, until the whole things unwinds and you are left with the same sounds (the heavy thudding beat in "Angel," the looped feedback in "Dissolved Girl") in a new context. Songs unfold like dreams, with images and bits of narrative fading in and out. Be sure to listen to this on a good stereo; Mezzanine uses the entire audio spectrum, including some very deep bass. (E.g., at 1'30" into "Angel," you should be alarmed at how the stygian bass is getting even louder...right before the "door-ajar" car sound which is the tolling bell of doom.) This might be the most tightly controlled album I have heard. Brilliant stuff.



2. I have to admit I really hated most of the other songs, outside of Tear Drop and Angel, when I first listened in the car on a long road trip, but on the way back to my city, they got in. This is one of my favorite CD's ever. I have them on rotation on my iPod, on burned CD's in my car, on my work computer, my brother's xBox. You do have to be in a certain mood to thoroughly enjoy Mezzanine, but if you are you're gonna love it, not to mention is perfect for a late night with you special person, oh my goodness "Angel." This album is just about perfect.



3. Didn't know this group from Adam. Bought it for just the low bass to test out my speakers and new subwoofer. Has some catchy tunes, not a bad CD.



4. This cd is priceless. I'm so glad I got it.
   
   
   Nope, that's really it.



5. Excellent. If you like to hear to different music genres, you have to try Massive Attack. I tried to listen to Massive Attack more than 10 years ago, when I was around my 20's. To be honest, I wasn't ready. Now I am enjoying every single song from this band, all rhythm and sounds. And I can understand how these guys made a huge evolution to the music.
   
   Are you ready for Massive Attack?

5 comments about Sea Change.

1. I never really liked Beck's music prior to Sea Change. His music just didn't resonate with me. It may have been fairly creative and original, but it was seriously lacking in warmth. Too much style and too little substance. Lost Cause, the first single off the album, surprised me, since it was much more of a folky singer / songwriter type of song. So I took a chance and bought Sea Change - a good decision. It's a beautiful piece of work that flows very nicely indeed, with tasteful production by Nigel Godrich (Air). I first bought it on cd and recently bought it on vinyl, too.



2. Who'd have thought it? Beck Hansen, the onetime ironic champion of ironic trash culture, has grown up. The Beck we see here eschews sampling and sarcasm entirely, and doesn't rap at all. Instead, the backing tracks are warm, and lush, and Beck switches from rapping to crooning in a gentle baritone inspired by Nick Drake. There's often an orchestra, but it never overwhelms the main focus: the lyrics. It's a breakup record, and it's the most genuine thing Beck ever put out. He doesn't do any screwing around, he doesn't once try to display how clever he is. He just sings from his heart for fifty minutes or so, and the result is the best record Beck ever made. I know most prefer Odelay and Mutations, but I think this bests either of them. It's a very melodic, haunting, gorgeous record. The string arrangements are inspired ("Paper Tiger," "Lonesome Tears"), the singing is much better than it ever was ("Guess I'm Doing Fine," probably the most emotional song Beck's ever released; "Lost Cause"), and the lyrics are dead earnest, heartbroken, and much better than any others he's ever done ("Golden Age"). There is also some excellent production supplements scattered about, including prominent electric piano on "End of the Day" and odd sound effects that fit completely with the album's somber tone everywhere. Even lesser songs like "It's All in Your Head" have likeable touches such as stand-up bass. The best song is probably the eerie, spacey mood piece "Round the Bend," though it's also hard to argue with "Lost Cause" and "Guess I'm Doing Fine". He also gets points for using elements of the Far East in his vocals and guitar tone on "Already Dead", which demonstrates quite an able falsetto as well. He even works in some wary, cautious optimism into the chorus of "Sunday Sun," which has a U2/Coldplay style chord progression and an abrasive ending. A bit more variety would've helped the record, as it closes with two good but disappointing acoustic ballads ("Little One," "Side of the Road"), but as it stands this is as good as I've heard from Beck.



3. If you are the kind of guy that likes music equal measures Dylan and Drake, don't mind a little grit mixed in with your smooth, and know what it means to be knocked out and unable to breathe when someone you love leaves you...well, then you will have an inkling about what kind of music Beck makes on this album, and very likely, you will love it. This is simply the most elegantly heartbreaking break-up album by one of the most eloquent songwriters of our time. The miracle and beauty of the album is that nothing sounds fake, precious, or pretentious--simply honest and lovely. Beck doesn't shy away from the places that hurt when he writes. He walks right up to the bruises and pokes them. It hurts, but at least he knows that he can still feel. I hope he's doing fine.



4. I doubt that I can say anything that hasn't been said in the hundreds of other reviews, but I wanted to add my voice to the choir since this is one of my all-time favorite albums. When it first came out I saw it in a store and bought it immediately, even though I hadn't been aware that he had a new album out. Beck's just the kind of artist I feel comfortable buying from without hearing a sample first, reading any reviews, etc.
   
   When I put the CD on in my car I had the windows down and the traffic was loud and I really couldn't hear it very well. I was surprised that it was an acoustic album and all of the songs sounded the same in that environment. Still, I was sure that they would distinguish themselves after a few careful listenings.
   
   Surely enough, Sea Change stayed in my CD player for almost a month straight and I listened to it as many as 8 times a day while I worked on a really difficult project for my Distributed Operating Systems class. I remember working so hard to meet that deadline and being so appreciative that I had found a landmark album like Sea Change right at the perfect time.
   
   Now that grad school is over and life has settled down I save Sea Change for moments when I can fully appreciate its perfection and savor the fact that I'm not in school anymore.
   
   This is one of the few albums on which every song is one that I love; I wouldn't change a note.



5. In his ongoing effort to prove his eclecticism, Beck dove headfirst into heartbroken drone for "Sea Change." Gone are the gimmickry productions (well, maybe the breakdown at the end of "Sunday Sun" counts) and the overly wry sarcasm of previous efforts. This has been well noted as a "break-up album," yet if you'd never heard Odelay or Mellow Gold before this, you'd swear you'd just stumbled across a devotee of Nick Drake or The Blue Nile's Hats. "Sea Change" is straight out of that intimate heartbroken school of lush, atmospheric depression.
   
   Granted, someone expecting the hipster anthems like "Loser" are going to be seriously disappointed. But if you have followed Beck long enough to pick up on the undercurrents of personality in his best work, or thought that Johnny Cash covering Beck's "Rowboat" on Unchained was a natural fit, then the mainly acoustic and downbeat nature of "Sea Change" will seem like just another one of Beck's many changing moods. There are two great songs here, the lushly orchestrated "Paper Tiger" and the evocative "Lost Cause."
   
   In fact, "Lost Cause" is just one of many titles that should clue you in to Beck's mindset when creating "Sea Change." Dig on these: "Lonesome Tears," "End of The Day" and "Already Dead." That last one rates with the darkest songs Beck's ever recorded, and I'd include Guero's "Farewell Ride" in that subset. Thing is, all his other albums were jumbles of styles, collisions often occurring inside one song. Not so on "Sea Change." Beck forces his focus here, and indirectly makes you do so along with him. It's a bleak ride indeed, but if you take "Sea Change" as a whole. it's every bit the equal of his best albums.

No comments about Hey Ma.

4 comments about Ghosts I-IV.

1. This is the first NIN album I've enjoyed the entire way through since Downward Spiral. You can tell from listening that Trent once again enjoys making music and no longer feels trapped by the expectations of fans, his label, or even himself. From someone who generally doesn't care for instrumental music, this album is definitely worth a listen.



2. This was a quick release with Trent Reznor releasing last year the political Year Zero. Oftentimes when bands come out so fast with another record they wind up wishing they hadn't, but that's not the case here. Trent Reznor left the record company he'd been with for a very long time to do his own thing. And doing his own thing is what he did here, putting out thirty-six tracks on four discs
   
   The mood is very ambient with melodic piano compositions, then going into his typical industrial jams that you are used to with Trent and Nine Inch Nails. Due to it's length the "big" moments are scattered throughout the album, making it one you have to listen to a lot to truly get it, but it's so good, you won't mind.
   
   Trent does what he does best with obscure lyrics and electronic sounds that are weird, but interesting. He has put out great music over many years now and this album will not disappoint any Nine Inch Nails fan.



3. I purchased the disital download of this album fully aware that it was an instrumental album, and that there would likely be nothing I would ever hear on mainstream radio.
   
   That being said, I really enjoyed this album. It uses a lot of the same counterpoint style of composition that Trent Reznor really started using heavily during "The Fragile". It is a good study in how classical training can be used in other forms of music.
   
   Many of these tracks would be wonderful in movies (such as the heavy use of NIN's music in "Man On Fire"). There is a certain quality to the way the music is layered and many of the peices build to a very pleasant climax.
   
   If you enjoy NIN for the music between the hits, you will love this album.



4. Simply amazing, it seems that Trent is going back to his roots. This record sounds a lot more deep then Year Zero or even With Teeth. It's Awesome, a Nine Inch Nails instrumental album is some what a dream come true.

5 comments about SPIDERLAND.

1. Unfortunately, Spiderland was the last album Slint ever recorded (an EP was released later, but was recorded prior to this album). That said, it meant that they didn't make any career mistakes, as both this and Tweez, their first recording, are very good, and in the case of Spiderland, absolutely out-of-the-stratosphere amazing.
   This should really be listened to as an album, not as individual songs, but here's my personal opinions of the songs contained within.
   
   Breadcrumb Trail- I liked this some when I first heard it, but it's gotten a lot better to my ears as I listen to it more and more. The lyrics are a pretty straightforward narrative about a carnival, but Brian McMahan's word choice and vocal style makes the story somewhat eerie and dreamlike. 9/10
   
   Nosferatu Man- A very interesting riff (which I believe is in 5/4, but I could be mistaken) which reminds me a bit of Discipline-era King Crimson, albeit more dissonant, opens this math-rock opus with surreal lyrics possibly about a vampire. Like the previous song (and most of the others on the album) there's some mumbling and then some screaming in the vocals. The instruments are what drive it along though, particularly the drumming of Mr. Britt Walford. 10/10
   
   Don, Aman- Don, the song's protagonist, goes through some routine (but a bit skewed, of course) experiences as the guitars interlock to create a creepy, avant-rock background (with a bit of distortion now and then, of course) with no drums involved. Sort of scary. Good, though. 9/10
   
   Washer- Very sad and ominous mini-epic (well, not quite mini, it's 9 minutes in length) possibly about a broken relationship. Prominently features the acclaimed dynamics Slint is famous for, with some soft strumming leading to loud bashing after the words "I am safe from harm..." Warning- this can make you feel quite depressed. 10/10
   
   For Dinner...- Solid instrumental, not the best. An interesting atmosphere is created, though. 9/10
   
   Good Morning, Captain- This Rime of the Ancient Mariner-derived piece is the strongest track on the album, in my opinion. It's also very disturbing. It'd be worth it to get this album just for this track. Amazing. 11/10
   
   I know I cheated a bit on the last track, but that adds up to 58 out of 60, a definite A-plus. This has had such a huge influence on the post-rock scene, along with Laughing Stock by Talk Talk (see my review [or don't, it's OK]), that it is just ridiculous. I mean, for God's sake, if you added a string section to this album, merged it with the samples found on Tweez, and tripled the song lengths, you've basically just created a little band called Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
   Also, the musicianship is really top-notch. The drumming is full of energy and quick fills, the guitars create some of the most awesomely unique, angular riffs found in underground music today, and the bassist holds everything together like Gorilla Glue. A desert-island disc if there ever was one.



2. This is one of those albums you need to listen to in one continuous sitting. That being said, it is a fantastic journey. Slow, melodic runs building into fuzzed out chaos and returning to tranquility, it is a formula now used by many many bands ranging from Tortoise to bands like ISIS and Pelican.
   
   Listen to this album a few times before judging it, at first it can be hard to take the almost nonsensical lyrics serious. It will all make sense in time, as will the utter genius of this album. Essential for any music lover.



3. Slint's 1989 debut album Tweez had been mainly generic thrash metal with a few quieter moments, but none that hinted they were to move to such a new plane as they did on "Spiderland". Indeed, as has been said many times before, they did something that had almost never been done.
   
   The amazing thing about "Spiderland" is the way in which Brian McMahan and David Pajo are able to make their guitars sound so soft and then turn into a "loudness" (that's really the wrong word) without the slightest trace of pomp as dominated on the short songs of Tweez. On the opening track "Breadcrumb Trail" the band sets the tone with a simple hybrid of folk guitars and almost punkish drums before the electric guitar enters to create an effect that hits one in the heart much more deeply than pompous metal or stadium rock ever could. "Nosferatu Man", though danceable, is the closest of "Spiderland"'s tracks to Tweez and does not have the same impact, but with "Don Aman" Slint move further-ot than ever before. In the process they create a song in which every note seems to have the emotional effect of an entire song on most other albums. The guitar might seem like Joni Mitchell's "Coyote", but it is so much sharper and slower. "Crystalline" might be a very apt word given the way in which each note is made for maximum impact.
   
   "Washer", the longets track on the record, does not have quite the impact of "Don, Aman", but the stark instrumentation on most of the track is not only tender and beautiful but truly passionate. "For Dinner" is a surprisingly light instrumental piece that does not have the remarkable qualities of "Spiderland"'s best material, but the closer "Good Morning Captain" is really explosive, especially at the end when McMahan screams "I miss you" with the kind of helplessness that I myself often feel when in despair.
   
   Even if the second and fifth tracks are not up the remarkable standard of innovation and passion of the rest of the album, it is impossible not to give "Spiderland" the full five stars. A record of such genuine passion is a true treat not to be missed, and its influence on the post-rock generation through showing how music could be made more emotional than ever before is further reason to elevate "Spiderland" to a high status.



4. 'Spiderland' is currently a album that I have been listening to more often these days. It's an album I have had for about 10 years now, but it just recently made it's way back into my stereo. This time I actually like it.
   'Spiderland' was first released in 1991 and it was Slint's second album after 'Tweez'
   I read many reviews over the last few years, still not sure how I felt about this. Many stated this is the first True Post Rock album.
   A statement in some ways I still don't get, but no other band influenced by Slint has come close to matching it's depressive, but atmospheric intensity.
   There has been rumors that the band members of Slint had to be institutionalized during the making of 'Spiderland'-
   The sound is very lo-fi. Filled with off key guitar distortions which are quite eerie and strange(one of the reasons why it took me so long to get into this record). Very disturbing, and full of slowed down tempo.
   Brian McMahan's voice switches from grunge induced screams to mere whispers. And yes, I do prefer this album over another (landmark) album which also came out later in 1991. Although 'Spiderland' was sadly much less known and it still is.
   This album truly does mix garage rock, grunge and punk and it's also full of mutters and talking. Really creepy, may be a turn off for some.
   The song "Washer" is a very dark track. The protagonist knew his fate, but couldn't avoid it in the end. Despair can be heard throughout.
   Opener "Breadcrumb Trail" - A truly gut-wrenching listen, dissonant guitars over McMahan's intensity. Then on through the closer, and best known track "Good Morning Captain" where the last lines are McMahan screaming "I'm in Hell...I'm in HELLL...I MISS YOU...!"
   - It is hard to believe that these guys were just teenagers when making this album. A Record that inspired Math Rock (?) and bands like Explosions in the Sky and Tortoise. This is a 'must hear' listen and it should be heard on vinyl.



5. Unheard of by many, revered by almost all those that own it, Slint's second (and last) album is regarded as one of the most influential alternative records ever released.
   
   Brian McMahan's primarily spoken vocals offer a haunting juxtaposition to David Pajo's (later of Tortoise and Zwan) jaggedly ornate guitar playing, with the lyrics seemingly having little connection to the stop-start syncopation of the instrumental. From McMahan's tale of a ride on a roller-coaster with a gypsy fortune teller at a carnival in Spiderland's opener 'Breadcrumb Trail' to his reworking of Coleridge's opus The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ('Good Morning, Captain'), at the album's close, Slint's final work runs the gamut of marginal human experience, abstracted against a backdrop of jazz time signatures and 'spidery' guitars, to create a stifling air of impending doom. For all that however, 'Washer' is one of the most startlingly beautiful elegies committed to record.
   
   Sexy, claustrophobic, unashamedly arty and conceptual, Spiderland is considered by many to be the first true 'post-rock' album, following their Steve Albini-recorded 'post-hardcore' debut, Tweez (1989).

No comments about Keep It Like a Secret.

5 comments about I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings.

1. A compilation of what I believe to be the Kid Amnesiac-era tour, considering that out of these eight songs, three are from Amnesiac and four are from Kid A. And really, that's all I can come up with about this album. It's certainly good, but it's only necessary for the converted. However, if you are converted, you'll find that there's a lot to like, including the huge reworking of "Like Spinning Plates", when it becomes a thoroughly beautiful piano ballad! Yes, that's right, it goes from some crazed, frigged-out avant-techno experiment to that! How did that happen? Well, however it happened, I like it. "Dollars and Cents" is also massively improved upon, removing the freaky noises and as such turning it into a somewhat great song. And the moody "True Love Waits", which never made it on a studio album, is the other fantastic highlight. Thom Yorke's falsetto and his acoustic guitar are a very good combination. On the other hand, "Morning Bell", "Idioteque", and "I Might Be Wrong" are nothing to write home about. If you've heard the originals (and I'm assuming you have), you're heard the remakes. They don't do anything particularly wrong, since "Morning Bell" and "Idioteque" so happen to be two of the best songs from Kid A (same with "I Might Be Wrong" on Amnesiac). It's just that, given what they do to "Like Spinning Plates", there was so much more potential. Come to think of it, the only song I'm really unimpressed by is "The National Anthem". Yorke's vocals just don't do the job for me, and the barely audible vocal scatting taking the place of the crazy horn section ruins the song. Let's face it, two or three people singing scat isn't going to wipe you out the way a horn section blowing whatever they please does. The remake of "Everything in Its Right Place" isn't the best, either. Still, it's interesting to hear Radiohead take some of their most challenging songs and put them in a live format, most of the songs are good, and none of them is bad. So it's a worthwhile addition to any Radiohead collection.



2. I want to know, why, one of my favorite bands would release a live disc like this.U2 did this as well in 1983(Under A Blood Red Sky).8 songs?I was lucky enough to see the band, when they played in Victoria Park, Warrington ,England,10/02/00, the day before the release of Kid A.The show was recorded by BBC Radio 1.My buddy, who resides in London, recorded the show and sent it to me on two cd's.The sound is great and it has 20 songs.20,not 8.This live disc is a total ripoff.How do you get the nerve to charge your fans full price for a cd that is 30 min long?Discs, as everyone knows ,can hold nearly 80 min of music,so whats the deal?Why couldnt they have added a few more songs?The thing is,the live versions of songs from both,Kid A and Amnesiac sound much better live.But,this disc does have its moments.True Love Waits is the jewel here.It is a fantastic ,emotional,slow acoustic song perfomed by Thom Yorke solo.Like Spinning Plates is another song that sounds great live,the studio version from Amnesiac is weak and it has too many loops and other wacky sounds going on, that take away from the song.This version is Thom at the piano,its very moving and strong.The songs from Warrington,sound much more powerful than the tracks presented here.The National Anthem is not as loud or intense as the version from Warrington.Its actually quite dull.That is quite shocking,considering I have heard other live versions of this song, from this tour and they were great.This version is from Paris,France.Enough said.Why would the band release this version??Im sure, some of you, have been lucky enough to have a copy of the Warrington show.If you dont have it,somehow try to get it.You will understand what I mean.The band also allowed 2 shows from 2001(Rock Am Ring Festival,Germany,06/01/01 and Oxford,England,07/07/01)to be broadcast over BBC Radio 1.They both sound great,since they,the band,recorded the shows.The entire Rock Am Ring show was also broadcast live on German tv.4 out of the 8 songs here, are from the Oxford show,the bands hometown.The show was obviously recorded by the band. Why wont they release one, if not all 3 ,of the gigs I have mentiond.Instead,we get 8 tracks.Someone over there at the Radiohead camp dropped the ball on this one.Most hardcore fans,like myself, would,without question,love to pay and own each show ,IF, they were available.How great would it have been if say,the band released the Oxford show in its entirety.They played 24 songs that night.But,no,we,the fans get ripped off with only 8 tracks.Did I mention that enough.Sorry but,that really pisses me off.We could have used a little effort on this one.Thanks guys.Oh and,God forbid,you release a live dvd from this tour.Since,again,at least two, that I know of, were filmed.Maybe in another few years they will,like the Astoria show from 1995 ,released in 2005.That made sense right.Hang in there fellow frustrated fans.



3. Radiohead live... you can't go wrong. Quit reading others analyzing this record... just buy it! You won't regret it. Take care :)



4. In short, the recordings are excellent I think. For the most part, songs don't vary TOO much from the album versions, but the avid Radiohead fan will notice, and appreciate, the differences. The acoustic version of True Love Waits, which I don't believe I've seen on any other album, is another great Radiohead song and lyrically one of the most complex and interesting I've ever heard.
   
   Cheers to Radiohead, and boos to the haters who leave bad reviews for this album.



5. Okay. I love Radiohead to death. But i have one problem. Where in the heck is "Fake Plastic Trees"? That song is supposed to be on here. Live Recordings? I am so glad that the dreadful "Creep" isn't on here, although it wouldn't be too terribley bad. I am happy with everything else, but am saddened that "Trees" didn't make the cut. I wonder why? Is the song not good enough? I have heard the song played live plenty of times, and that's why i'm surprised that it isn't on here. Oh well. I'm not complaining as much as i could be. :)