Ny Batteri [Import]

ny batteri [import]

Track Listings

1. Rafmagnið Búið - Sigur Rós

2. Ný Batterí

3. Bíum Bíum Bambaló {From Angels of the Universe}

4. Dánarfregnir Og Jarðarfarir {From Angels of the Universe}

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Import only 4-track CD single. Fat Cat Records.

Ny Batteri,Sigur Rós,Fat Cat,Alternative Pop/Rock,Ambient Pop,Chamber Pop,Iceland,Post-Rock/Experimental,Rock,Rock/Pop,Space Rock

Ny Batteri [Import]

Average customer rating:

So much better? Better than what?
Do not by even if its free
Welcome Back Carl
It's a shame His first album was the best r&b baby maker ever
GET IT!!!!

So Much Better
Carl Thomas
Manufacturer: Bungalo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Special Occasion

ASIN: B000Q364BK
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

If I Could (Intro)
Another You
2 Pieces
Thought You Should Know
Somthin' Bout You
If That Ain't Love
Late Night Rendezvous
Get You Back (Interlude)
So Much Better
Oh No You Can't Be Serious
Can't Get Over
How Can We
If You Ever
Say I Do
I Miss You (Interlude)
Home
Late Night Rendezvous
Oh No You Cant Be Serious

Amazon.com

As easy as Carl Thomas' So Much Better is to love--the lyrics poke at the heart, and the singing swerves from soft to determined in a way that satisfies consistently--its admirers will fall into a couple of camps. Under one tent you'll find mainstream R&B fanatics, the kind who never heard a skillful handclap and ooh-baby combo they weren't willing to vibe along with, and hanging out under the other will be old-schoolers who never stopped mourning Donny Hathaway. Thomas's knack for delivering both groups the soul-stirring, love-centric songs that thrill them is no small thing--his ability to dig beneath a song's shiny surface and pull out pure emotion would do his iconic predecessors proud. Plus, he makes it all seem easy: midtempo tracks like the reggae-fied "On No (You Can't Be Serious)," on which his voice takes on tinges of John Legend, send out bursts of genuine joy, while straight-up love laments like "2 Pieces" land on the ears with a believability so real it almost burns. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

So much better? Better than what?.......2007-07-09

It starts off really well. The intro "If I Could (Interlude)" promises so much and I so desperately wish he could've stretched it out into a full song. But he didn't. "Another You (Steppers Mix)" is okay but nothing new. If I wanted this kind of stuff I'd buy Ne-Yo's new CD, I found myself thinking. "2 Pieces" is also instantly forgettable, as far as I'm concerned. "Thought You Should Know" featuring Lalah Hathaway is interesting but only in the sense that Hathaway only seems to be doing backing vocals (alongside Troy Taylor, Claude Kelly & Gordon Chambers). In fact, I wouldn't have known she was on the song at all if it wasn't mentioned on the CD cover and I've been a fan of hers since day one. It gives a new and inventive meaning to the word 'featuring', if you ask me. Here's what I'm trying to say: Hathway has a distinctive voice; one of those that is instantly recognisable and consummately memorable. Check out the song "Earth" on Meshell Ndegeocello's brilliant Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape for a real example of what the woman can do as a backing vocalist. It doesn't even say 'featuring Lalah Hathaway' on the title but you know she's on the song as soon as you hear it.

Things are better with "Somethin Bout You" featuring Brandy but only slightly. She's also someone who's vocals I usually recognise immediately and I can hear her clearly here but whatever the woman does on the song, she does not duet with Thomas on lead.

"If That Ain't Love" is another yawn inducer and by this time it's starting to dawn on me that I've probably made a mistake buying this CD. Things finally get cooking with "Late Night Rendezvous" and this is more like the kind of thing I was hoping for on this album, at least musically. Lyrically, well, that's another issue. He sings on the chorus for instance: "Mama, I'm leaving the club/ I was wondering if you were up/ For a late night rendezvous..." I mean, please.

"Get You Back (Interlude)" is what it is and the title track is okay, I guess but again, nothing special. That being said, it is one of the tracks on here that could grow on me in time. "Oh No (You Can't Be Serious)" is another interesting one. Reggae influenced. Good vocals by Thomas and for the first time, I actually believe that he feels what he's singing. It reminds me of the raw emotion he displayed on "I Wish" back in the day. I also give him credit for venturing outside his comfort zone. I also like "Can't Get Over" featuring Dave Hollister. Great lead and background vocal performances and this is the only really soulful song on this CD.

The rest of the CD (apart from maybe "If You Ever", which is a pretty decent ballad and "I Miss You (Interlude)", which again, would've been so great as a full blown song) is just a waste of time, including the alternative versions of earlier mentioned songs, one featuring E40 and another that features Baby Cham. Neither is an improvement on the original, in my view. The sentiment behind "Home" is sweet but the delivery just falls flat.

So there it is. "If I Could (Interlude)" is a definite yes, "Late Night Rendezvous" is another yes but only musically. The lyrics left a lot to be desired. And then there's "So Much Better", which is a maybe, "I Can't Get Over You", which is another definite yes and "If You Ever", another maybe and finally, "I Miss You (Interlude)", another definite yes.

Overall, while there are some good moments, it's just not particularly rewarding. I very rarely post negative reviews but I was expecting so much from this CD and got so little, I just couldn't go without registering my disappointment. 14 out of the 18 tracks here (including the interludes) are written by and produced by Mike City and I feel that's probably been part of the problem. I was ready to blame the executive producer(s) but Thomas himself executive produced the project, alongside Mike City and Jheryl Busby, so ultimately I have no one to blame but the artiste himself. He calls this album "So Much Better" and my question is, so much better than what? 2000's Emotional was a phenomenal album but I was just too busy to check out his 2004 follow up. If it's true that this album is better than that one (as a number of reviewers are suggesting) then I'm now doubly glad I missed it. It must've been jaw-droppingly awful.

I've always loved Thomas's voice and have always put him up there as one of my main r&b singers of choice. I still feel he's an awesome talent. It's just that I also believe he can do much better than this. So much better, in fact.

Do not by even if its free.......2007-07-05

I am a huge carl Thomas fan but yet when i found that he had a new album and it wasnt advertised i thought it to be weird. Either way i bought the album because Carl always comes out wit a good album but this was just horrible.... All the songs sounded as if he was talking and the beats he used are not good at all. It should have been known that he is no longer with bad boy records. The label he is with now is just no good and made his album very bad....I wish that i would have not bought it even if it was 10 dollars.

Welcome Back Carl.......2007-07-05

As a true Carl Thomas fan, I must say that this a great CD. It does not top Emotional, but a gret work indeed. I appauld Carl for sticking to his guns and not making music to fit in today's model. His music is so smooth and just makes you feel like he has put his heart in things. Great job. Can't wait for the next CD.

My favorite cuts: Home, Say I do, So Much Better and Can't Get Over. Those are my favorites, but you will enjoy the whole album.

It's a shame His first album was the best r&b baby maker ever.......2007-07-04

This album will definatly derliver what you are looking for. carl's soulful sound is hypmotizing. If you are looking for somthing better than emotional(thomas's 1st album) you will be disaponted. buy the album a take it for face value.

GET IT!!!!.......2007-07-02

From front to back this album is great. If you're a fan of real R&B then this album is for you. So Much Better is well worth wait. I've listened to this cd every day since it was released and I still cant get enough. Carl definitely doesnt disappoint on this one. My favorite tracks are "If That Aint Love", "Home", "Say I Do", "So Much Better", "I Miss You",...I like the whole damn album and Im sure you will too.

Out Of Africa: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

Simply beautiful
CD has missing track
Disappointed
Worth Buying!
Great Album

Out Of Africa: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack

Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Out of Africa
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ASIN: B000002O4X
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Main Title (I Had A Farm In Africa)
I'm Better At Hello (Karen's Theme l)
Have You Got A Story For Me
Concerto For Clarinet and Orhestra
Safari
Karen's Journey - Siyawe (African Traditional)
Flight Over Africa
I Had A Compass From Denys (Karen's Theme II)
Alone On The Farm
Let The Rest Of The World Go By
If I Know A Song Of Africa (Karen's Theme III)
End Title (You Are Karen)

Amazon.com essential recording

The great irony of John Barry's Academy Award-winning score for Out of Africa (which also took the Oscar as Best Picture) is that it almost never was; director Sydney Pollack had originally envisioned the film with native African music, going as far as laying the indigenous score down as he was editing. But the weight of John Barry's arguments--not to mention his considerable track record and composing gifts--held sway, and the composer delivered on his intent: a lush, romantic masterpiece for the ages. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Simply beautiful.......2007-01-11

Out of Africa is a CD with beautiful music. When I listen to it, I imagine myself in the nature of Africa. You will enjoy it!

CD has missing track.......2006-12-03

John Barry's compositions are pleasantly sweeping. There's nothing wrong with this album, just not really enough to recommend it.

I was puzzled to learn that some time between my buying the LP record and the issuing of this CD, the track "The Music of Goodbye (love theme from Out of Africa)" was omitted. It's not that this song, sung by Melissa Manchester, is a must-have; it's more that it's sneaky to leave off tracks when you reissue a soundtrack in another format.

Disappointed.......2006-11-10

I absolutely love the music from Out of Africa, but I do not recommend this CD at all. The sound quality is so poor that I could only bear listening to it once.

Worth Buying!.......2006-11-06

Highly recommended for those who love instrumental music. A lot of beautiful flute, strings and some piano and harp. Very contemplative and hauntingly beautiful music.

Great Album.......2006-11-04

For me, one of the best music of last decade. Romantic, full of sense. Please give a listen at least

Average customer rating:

Accessible rock that's rough around the edges
Good introduction to rock
Im Passing Away onto the better life
Not at all what I expected...
'The Better Life' couldn't have been much better...

The Better Life
3 Doors Down
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004C4QQ
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Kryptonite
Loser
Duck And Run
Not Enough
Be Like That
Life Of My Own
Better Life
Down Poison
By My Side
Smack
So I Need You

Amazon.com

The Mississippi-based quartet 3 Doors Down has only one thing that sets them apart from other hard rock bands: lead vocalist Brad Arnold is also the drummer. The group shops the sounds of Pearl Jam and the Goo Goo Dolls, pointing at what they like, picking it off the shelf, and throwing it into the stew. While the music on The Better Life, their debut, sounds overall both competent and confident, the songs themselves are equally uninspired and clichéd. For example, the riff from the track "Loser" is straight out of the Alice in Chains songbook, adding much more cringe-worthy lyrics ("Addiction needs a pacifier, the buzz of this poison is taking me higher"). In fact, most of the lyrics zero in on well-worn rock themes of aggravation, confusion, and frustration, feelings that 3 Doors Down will easily coax out of discriminating listeners. --Jason Josephes

Customer Reviews:

Accessible rock that's rough around the edges.......2007-07-09

3 Doors Down's 2000 debut "The Better Life" is an appealing album from a band that exudes a lot of potential. While they don't really distance themselves from familiar sounds of lots of 90s alternative rock, they display some good songwriting and instrumental talent. Singer and drummer Brad Arnold speaks of anger, depression, and troubles in life, but his delivery and raw emotion set him apart. Musically, their sound is unrefined rock, often pretty hard. The heavy guitars and rough percussion are tough, yet the songwriting is clever enough to put them to effective use. There are some well-constructed pop songs here, as well as some deep-album tracks that are equally worthy. The songwriting is not consistent to the point that every track is as good as the last, and towards the end there are a couple skip-worthy songs. But overall, "The Better Life" is a worthy modern rock album.

The first song is the monster single "Kryptonite," an unforgettable pop rock song. Arnold's lyrics emit loss and confusion, yet very emotionally. The guitar riffs at the end of the song and early pluckings are part of what make this song so great. The next song was also a single, "Loser." I like this song a lot. The lyrics speak darkly of depression and addiction. My favorite part is towards the middle, when the song breaks into a furious guitar battle, before dipping back into the spinning midtempo of the beginning. "Duck and Run" is an inspiring song with a great performance from Arnold, a highlight. I think my favorite song, though, is "Not Enough," a well-written and memorable song about a struggling relationship. "Be Like That" is a slow, sad songabout troubled yet hopeful folks, I remember this being a hit too, and for good reason. "Life of My Own" comes off as very similar to "Not Enough," but it's pretty good too. The title track is fast, classic-sounding hard rock with a great guitar line. "Down Poison" is the album's most disturbed song by far, an eerie and loud but quite effective track. "By My Side" is not bad but forgettable, and the faster "Smack" is better. The final song "So I Need You" isn't very memorable either.

"The Better Life" is a very solid and enjoyable album of late-90s styled alternative rock, but it's a very accessible sound that should appeal to many types of listeners. Except for a few slight missteps towards the end of the tracklist, it's a very nice album to have and I recommend it.

Good introduction to rock.......2007-02-07

This is the first rock album I owned. It got me into rock at a time when talentless hacks like Limp Bizkit were dominating the airwaves. I, like many others, got into it after hearing the catchy Kryptonite on the radio. Back then I would have given this album 5 stars. But as I said, it got me into rock music and as a result I found out about much better bands. Six years later, after hearing a wide variety of music, this album just seems a bit bland to me.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad album. It's got some pretty good hooks and the guitarists aren't bad. Brad Arnold is a decent vocalist, although he can sometimes be a bit monotonous.

But now I'm going to focus on the negatives, because not many reviewers have done that yet.

I didn't really like the guitar tone. I can't really explain why but I think it needed better production. Of course, this is a minor problem.

Also, I didn't like how the guitarists always played in a staccato style. Although it works really well on fast paced songs like Smack, they often used it when it was inappropriate. I felt they should have held their notes longer on songs like Kryptonite and Better Life. Often there will be very noticable gaps between their notes, with nothing to fill them in, and it ends up sounding pretty amateur. It also makes the playing sound very mechanical and lifeless. It kinda takes the soul out of the music, if you know what I mean.

Also, the drummer, although he gets the job done, was pretty ordinary. It just seems like he's playing the same drum beat in every single song. This is exacerbated by the bad sound production, which makes the bass drum and the toms harder to hear and the cymbols easier to hear. In the end, it just sounds like he's just sitting there hitting the symbols the whole time.

My greatest problem with this album, however, is not the individual songs, but the album as a whole. The songs on their own a very good, but it's difficult to listen to the 11 tracks consecutively because they are too similar to each other. The whole album is very monotonous, lacking in variation to keep the listener interested. There is little variation in the tone and dynamics of the album as a whole. Most of the songs have the typical soft chorus with acoustic guitar followed by a loud chorus with powerchords from the electric guitar type of song structure which was popularised by Nirvana in the early nineties. The problem is this song structure has been so overused by rock bands in the past 16 years that this album automatically becomes mediocre for its overuse of it. Every song on the album except the ballad Be Like That and the last 3 songs utilises this song strucure. The only difference is, the first 6 songs start with an acoustic guitar riff and the rest (apart from the last one) start off with an electric guitar riff. None of the songs start with a drum beat, or ambience or anything different. Most of the songs seem to have the same mood or themes and this makes it very tedious. Brad Arnold's singing is also very monotonous. He hardly changes pitch or volume throughout the whole album.

This is not a bad album for those who are new to rock. It certainly contains quite a few catchy hooks. But in the end, the album, as a whole, comes off quite bland due to its monotony. If you want something heavy, alternative, or if you want variety this is not the album for you.

Im Passing Away onto the better life.......2006-08-18

This is the perfect cd by 3dd before they changed their sound (much to my dissapointment). The songs are all in your face, straightforward rock songs so no bulls**ting around and no soft songs (except for 'Be Like That' which kicks @$$!). The better life is my fav song on the cd but all the songs are worthy of 5 stars as they display real talent and appreciation towards the rock genre. I cant compare this cd to any other as its sound is very unique and special in its own right. Pick it up today and ROCK ON!

Not at all what I expected..........2006-07-05

When I first got this album years ago, through a CD club - I fully expected to sell or trade it. Well, I sill have it.
Everyone knows the hits Kryptonite, Loser, etc. - you couldn't turn on the radio back then without hearing one of them. Those songs are fine however, the best songs on the album may be Not Enough and Life Of My Own. Both songs are straight ahead rock with hooks and melodies that grab you.
This album isn't anything new. It's just basic rock that came back after the "grunge" era. A very good rock album and well worth the inexpensive price.

'The Better Life' couldn't have been much better..........2006-06-30

Anyone who knows me knows of my fading love for this band. When this album dropped I was floored at the presence this small, out of no-where band had, but with each following release I've become more and more hesitant to pick 'em up. The whole reason a band stays with you is the fact that they can evolve into something better, and 3Doors had a great start and should have kept growing, but with each album we get the same recycled songs, and quite frankly none of them are half as good as the ones found on this album. SO that brings me to here and now and the fact that this review is for 'The Better Life' and so I'll stop griping and start writing. 'Kryptonite' was a large success and rightfully so...it was new, it was good and it was catchy. 'Be Like That', which was on the American Pie soundtrack, was also a success, mostly because of the success of the film, but the sound they aquired by stripping things down and delivering a ballad suited them perfectly and provided a base for them to work from. Songs like 'Duck and Run' and 'Down Poisen' stand out as the two best tracks here, while 'So I Need You' serves as a brilliant closing track and a sweet love song at that with great lyrical content and a catchy vibe to it. This album is awesome and will stand time as their best effort, which is sad because if they would only improve they could knock this of the park.

Average customer rating:

Not quite as good as their first
virtuous among us, walk among us.....
So much better!
So much better
Extraordinary

You Could Have It So Much Better
Franz Ferdinand
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000B0WODA
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

The Fallen
Do You Want To
This Boy
Walk Away
Evil And A Heathen
You're The Reason I'm Leaving
Eleanor Put Your Boots On
Well That Was Easy
What You Meant
I'm Your Villian
You Could Have It So Much Better
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Outsiders

Amazon.com

After more than a year spent on the road behind their breakthrough self-titled debut--just how many times can Alex Kapranos sing "Take Me Out" without getting his skinny tie into a knot, anyway?--you might expect the members of Franz Ferdinand to feel a little frayed around the edges. But if You Could Have It So Much Better was supposed to be a bloated sophomore album focusing on bad airline meals and cold hotel swimming pools, somebody forgot to tell the Mercury Music Prize winning Scottish quartet. Instead, the Franzies return with a disc packed with thrilling punk-pop treatises like the single "Do You Want To," political rabble-rousers such as opener "The Fallen," and lovely psychedelic ballads that explore the common ground between the Beatles and Bowie, like "Eleanor Put You Boots On" (about Eleanor Freidberger of the Fiery Furnaces, no less). It's a stunning, confident piece of work that suggests the band is merely getting started. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Not quite as good as their first.......2007-06-27

Franz Ferdinand went downhill a bit with their sophomore album, but "Outsiders" is one of the best songs they've ever released so this album is still worthy of purchase.

virtuous among us, walk among us............2006-09-23

I have to admit, I REALLY like this album. I don't own the first album yet, but I can't imagine how it can be much better than this. It took me three tries to get fully embroiled in this album. Once that happened I have been playing it non-stop. There is definitely a punk base to all their songs, but there's something about the pace of their music (ever changing, pulsatile and jagged, then smooth...) that keeps you imbalanced yet wanting more. I can't wait to try the first album.

So much better!.......2006-08-05

Although I'll admit I like the eponymous album a little better, I find this album a breath of fresh air to my somewhat-jaded soul. I've seen FF on SNL and Austin City Limits; the lyrics blend very well with the music, and there's enough of the unexpected to keep me entertained. I look forward to hearing a lot more from these guys!

So much better.......2006-07-16

This album is amazing. The first 7 tracks are all good, and then there is a mix amongst the last half. To think of the career of Franz Ferdinand reminds me now of the path the Cure took with Boys Don't Cry. There is a great amount of structure to each song, and nothing beats the 3-4 hits such as This Boy and Walk Away.

Extraordinary.......2006-06-08

An extraordinary second album, it's even better than the homonymous.
Songs filled of intelligent lyrics about a group of people living in an industrial and decadent city. The stories are from Glasgow but, like all local stories, the identification is global.

Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album

Average customer rating:

Capture the essence of a live show!
AMAZING!!
Their best live album!
If you like hepped-up ska. . . .
It kicked my @$$

Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album
Reel Big Fish
Manufacturer: CD Baby Inc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Keasbey Nights, Vol. 2
We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy
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Cheer Up
Turn the Radio Off

ASIN: B000GEU6OA
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

Trendy
Everything Sucks
The Bad Guy
Maximum Swearing
Ban The Tube Top
She's Famous Now
Drinkin'
Boys Don't Cry
I Want Your Girlfriend To Be My Girlfriend Too
Dateless Losers
The Set Up
Somebody Hates Me
Valerie
Talkin' Bout A Revolution
Beer
Take On Me
S.R. (The Many Version Of)

Tracks:

Kiss Me Deadly
So Much For Rock And Roll
The 90's
She Has A Girlfriend Now
The Kids Don't Like It/In The Pit
The Fire
A Little Doubt Goes A Long Way
I'm Trying To Be Funny
Awesome
Turn The Radio Off
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Nothin'
Best Band Ever
Don't Start A Band
A Fond Adieu
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Customer Reviews:

Capture the essence of a live show!.......2007-06-03

No matter how long you've been listening to RBF, this album is sure to please. With awesome recordings and live antics, it appeals to any kind of listener

For older fans, it showcases their best work, with fresh recordings and pleasurable stylized versions of songs. These unique performances give a variety to those who already own the original CDs, and make the purchase worth it.

For new listeners, it invites you to see the breadth of their work. And, like a live show, it builds as it goes on, so listeners are encouraged to listen through to the end. This compelling nature of each track leading to another gives their music a great, fresh feel.

For the low cost of this album, and the immense length of it (over 3.5 hours), including a DVD with an entire show, make this a great deal all around. I can't think of another live album I've enjoyed so much.

AMAZING!!.......2007-05-08

Best RBF album yet. Hilarious and great music. A must for any RBF fan or any human actually.

Their best live album!.......2007-04-10

Fans of Reel big fish and fans of ska and the like, rejoice. Finally Reel big fish released a live album. Giving people the chance to experience the magic of RBF live. Although it still doesn't beat going to their show, it gives you a nice look of what they have to offer. Especially (The many versions of) S.R. gives me the feeling of standing in front of a stage where they go and have fun with music.

A must have for fans of Reel big fish and a recommendation for everyone who loves ska or just music in particular.

If you like hepped-up ska. . . ........2007-04-10

. . .this album is for you. Few live albums catch the true feel of a band in the concert hall, but this one does. I've seen RBF live, and this CD (with bonus DVD) does one of the best jobs of replicating the experience. Okay, I'll admit, Aaron and Scott's "witty" banter gets a little annoying at times (damn, need the Tivo for music), but the energy of the songs makes it worth putting up with. This band like few others know how to engage an audience in a show, and the CD captures that experience as best as is possible. No ska band playing today can match their horns (sorry, Bosstones fans). Don't miss the chance to catch RBF live, but if you can't do that (and even if you do), this is the next best thing to being there and having the F-bombs dropped on you in person.

It kicked my @$$.......2007-04-04

This is the best CD i have ever purchased. It sounds awesome for having been recorded live and the diolouge is pretty entertaining and just fun to listen to. 2 CDs and a dvd for 15 bucks its a steal! seriously if you even kinda sorta like ska youll effen love this cd. Its an andvanced cd so it doesnt play on older cd players...like mine. I just ripped it to my comp and then burned it and that seemed an easy way around that. realy this is an amazing album.

Average customer rating:

Smoothjazz.com Review

Something To Ride 2
Dee Lucas
Manufacturer: Mo Better Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000OFP97A
Release Date: 2007-03-03

Tracks:

Method To the Madness
Something To Ride 2
Nothing That I Do
I Can't Stop Loving You
Bayou
Chameleon
Never Felt This Way
Reconcile
Chameleon (Bonus Club Mix)
Into the Night

Product Description

Smooth Jazz With A Twist of Funk & Urban Grooves

Customer Reviews:

Smoothjazz.com Review.......2007-04-16

Wow, what a stunning follow-up to Dee's outstanding George Howard tribute disc of a couple of years ago! When I reviewed "Remembrance," I mentioned what an impressive job Dee had done in re-creating the distinctive George Howard style while putting his own unique signature on each tune. I was thinking to myself at the time that as good as that album was, I couldn't wait to hear the next Dee Lucas project, when he performed music that he could truly make his own. SOMETHING TO RIDE 2 is that project, and my expectations have been exceeded. This album is rich, tasty, classy, and I could just keep adding positives! This truly is a first-rate collection of soprano sax-driven music, and it should indeed be a breakout release for Mr. Lucas. There's not one throwaway track on this disc, with the hits "Bayou" and the cover of Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" (including a bonus mix) in the forefront. Speaking of covers, Dee's takes on Kem's "I Can't Stop Loving You" and Brian McKnight's "Never Felt This Way" are exceptional. This is just a quality outing from first note to last... smooth and mellow, with an understated urban funk groove as a foundation. I told you that "Remembrance" was a "must have." Dee Lucas' new one, SOMETHING TO RIDE 2, is absolutely in the same category, and I expect it to propel him to the forefront of the Smooth Jazz format. You will fall in love with this album! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN

You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough

Average customer rating:

Essential Down-Home Blues
Essential Blues
Great Collection but Not All Inclusive
A True Icon of Blues
No-frills, serious but fun

You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough
Junior Kimbrough
Manufacturer: Fat Possum
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Burnside on Burnside
Wish I Was in Heaven Sitting Down
First Recordings
Most Things Haven't Worked Out
Chulahoma

ASIN: B00006AWM0
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

Release Me
All Night Long
Meet Me in the City
You Better Run
Done Got Old
Sad Days, Lonely Nights
Old Black Mattie
Most Things Haven't Worked Out
I'm Leaving You Baby
Keep on Braggin'
Tramp
Nobody But You

Amazon.com

When Junior Kimbrough died in January 1998, part of the spirit of Mississippi hill-country blues went with him. He was a proud musician, aware of his African roots and his artistic singularity--perhaps the last unique voice in the genre. The sound of his bawling singing and unpredictable, serpentine guitar were as eerie as a warm wind humming through a field of tombstones, as hypnotic as the ancient village drum music it was based on, thanks to his complete command of his rhythm sections. This collection serves full notice of Kimbrough's authenticity, from his first recording, an impromptu-sounding "Release Me" played with rockabilly cult figure Charlie Feathers, through his last '90s albums for Fat Possum. It's in the latter cases that Kimbrough paints a colorful portrait of his hardscrabble life just above the Delta. Rape is wrongly equated with love (in the brutal-but-fascinating title track), and sexual prowess ("All Night Long") is the only true coin of manhood. Finally, "Done Got Old" serves as the best epitaph for this blues hell-raiser, whose decades of bootlegging, boozing, and womanizing seemed to catch up with him in his final years. Nonetheless, that song and the 11 others prove that no matter how tired and worn he became, Kimbrough's crackling music never lost its edge or its feeling of danger and menace. --Ted Drozdowski

Album Description

A career spanning collection of tracks from one of the most influential & original blues musicians in the past fifty years, Junior Kimbrough, hailed by such folks as Bono & Iggy Pop as a primal force in American music, Junior never reached the mass audience that he deserved while alive, but his music endures & continues to be discovered by music fans from all walks of life. 12 awesome tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Down-Home Blues.......2007-06-19

"You Better Run - The Essential Junior Kimbrough" serves as a fascinating collection of tunes from one of the most hypnotically, bare-bones musicians on the twentieth century.

Junior Kimbrough was a Mississippi Delta bluesman to the core, and these tunes, all recorded live, reveal a classic musician who perfomed at his own juke joint in the Mississippi woods, and seemed to be playing for himself as much, if not more, than for others.

"All Night Long," "Meet Me In The City," "Done Got Old," "You Better Run," and the outstanding "Most Things Haven't Worked Out" display Kimbrough rough-hewd vocals and mezmerizing guitar playing.

This collection shows that there will always be musicians who live and play on their own terms. Junior Kimbrough was definitely one of the best.

Essential Blues.......2007-04-20

You thought Robert Johnson's Hellhound On My Trail was spooky? You haven't heard anything until you've heard Junior Kimbrough's You Better Run. How this brand of blues was overlooked for so many years is inexplicable, yet understandable as the Mississippi delta and Chicago styles of blues dominates what record labels choose to release. But up in the hill country of north Mississippi a different style of blues developed. You can hear echoes of it in Mississippi Fred McDowell and John Lee Hooker. Thank God that Fat Possum Records brought bluesmen like Kimbrough, RL Burnside, and T-Model Ford into the studio and preserved this music for future generations. Start here, then search Amazon for "Fat Possum." You will never listen to blues the same way again.

Great Collection but Not All Inclusive.......2006-08-02

I am not one to write a review when so many people have already said so much (and they are all spot on) but there was something I needed to add here. This was the first Junior Kimbrough album I bought and it blew me away. I love Junior Kimbrough's brand of punk blues. Enjoying this collection prompted me to pick up all his other works (6 CDs in all) and they were all worth it. What I'm getting to, in a roundabout way, is that not all Junior's albums are represented on this collection. His two earliest Do the Rump and All Night Long seem to be left off of this collection, or at least the versions of songs from those albums. It is worth your money to buy this as a starter but I deplore you not to stop there pick up Junior's other works- he really deserves the spotlight which he has never gotten.

A True Icon of Blues.......2006-05-20

Everything that the above reviewers stated I thank them for. What you hear is respect for the music of a stand up man that worked and had his own, very unique way of expressing himself. A gem, a jewel; Like all the Masters, his music has the uniqueness that is David Junior Kimbrough.

I grew up in Houston listening to Sam Hopkins on records and after I got older, in person. If one could have managed to put aside the egos that most hard working, hard playing real blues players need[ed] to survive, I can only imagine what that collaboration might have sounded like. Junior taken Lightin' into the mystical, hypnotic place, and Sam workin' fearlessly, fiercely, and deep behind Junior in a whole new scene as only he could have done. Where ever they are, I know they are friends; sitting on a porch somewhere; maybe a little jug on the floor between them, and keepin' the good lord slappin' his hand on his knee and shufflin' his feet to the beat whenever he/she/they is[are] in the neighborhood...

No-frills, serious but fun.......2006-01-06

For those who value the unspoiled era of Blues music, You Better Run: The Essential Junior Kimbrough is a highly recommended addition to your collection. The music is pure.

Average customer rating:

What's Goin' On? Now I'm Only 15 Years Behind the Times!
poor choice for second single
Interesting, but plenty of filler.
cloying vocals......at best
I Love It!!

Bigger, Better, Faster, More!
4 Non Blondes
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Blind Melon
Bloodletting
Recollection: The Best of Concrete Blonde
Mexican Moon
In Flight

ASIN: B000001Y5D
Release Date: 1992-10-13

Tracks:

Train
Superfly
What's Up
Pleasantly Blue
Morphine & Chocolate
Spaceman
Old Mr. Heffer
Calling All The People
Dear Mr. President
Drifiting
No Place Like Home

Amazon.com

This sorta folky, sorta bluesy, totally rockin' San Francisco quartet lives up to it's critical acclaim and then some. Linda Perry's pyrotechnics on "Morphine and Chocolate" would give Robert Plant pause. Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

What's Goin' On? Now I'm Only 15 Years Behind the Times!.......2007-01-05

As you can see from some of my other reviews in here, my musical tastes are mired 30-40 years in the past. Recently I jumped ahead to only 15 years behind the times at an unlikely place--the steps of Sacre Cour on Montmartre in Paris. There on a unseasonably mild November Sunday afternoon, I listened to a Parisian troubador strum his guitar and sing Beatles songs and American folk tunes (Simon and Garfunkel). I started singing along and he invited me down to sing with him. First we did "Help!", on which we did our best to reproduce the Beatles echo singing style. After "Help!" he started a song that I didn't recognize, so I sat back down on the concrete steps. "25 years and my life is still..."--I listened and enjoyed, and sang along with the "hey, hey, hey, what's goin' on!" chorus. Later on he invited me back for "California Dreaming" (another echo song), but that's another story.

Back in the US, I was determined to find out who did "What's Goin' On", which I was sure had to be the name of the song. I Googled and searched lyrics sites--finding a lot of performers who had covered Marvin Gaye's classic tune. Finally on page 3 of one search or another, I found a reference to "4 Non Blondes" and a song called "What's Up". I read the lyrics and thought, "This might be it." I found 4 Non Blondes on You Tube and listened (and watched) Linda Perry sing the song. I knew I'd found the song. I also learned that the title of the song resulted from the ubiquitous presence of Marvin Gaye's song, and the need for 4 Non Blondes to be different. I also learned was that Linda Perry did a lot better with the song than my Parisian friend, and I understood why it was a big hit that would be remembered in Paris 15 years later.

Getting on with the story, I asked for 4 Non Blondes' CD "Bigger, Faster, Better, More" for Christmas. Of all people, my 77-year old father found it for me. Sure enough, my new favorite song was there, along with a several other songs featuring Linda Perry's unique vocal style--"Train", "Pleasantly Blue", "Morphine and Chocolate" and "Spaceman" being my favorites. I love the way she can seemingly sing in two octaves at once. "Morphine and Chocolate" has to be the theme song for a drug movie somewhere. Mostly rockers, the 4 Non Blondes also blend in some blues and folk. Linda's singing seems a little strident at time, but you can never accuse of her of holding anything back. I've read comparisons of Perry's singing style to that of Robert Plant--they seem relevant. Both have great range of styles, pitch and that relentless emotion.

poor choice for second single.......2006-11-13

A very underrated record. Following up 'What's Up?" with "Spaceman" was a bad decision. The followup singles should have been "Calling all the people" and "Drifting." If you've always liked "What's Up?" but never heard the whole album, it's worth having.

Interesting, but plenty of filler........2006-09-08

I'll give credit to Linda Perry for having a captivating voice(although she does remind me a lot of Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde), and "What's Up", "Drifting", and "Spaceman" are ballads that I never get tired of. Unfortunately, the rest of the album never really grew on me, and "Dear Mr. President" is the perfect example of a good instrumental song ruined by cliched lyrics. Basically, it's the sound of a band trying to make a statement without having anything to say.

For those of you that liked their one hit, I say try to borrow this before you buy it, and if you hated their one hit, you still might try giving this one a chance because half of the songs follow the same formula as "What's Up" and the other half sound like a different band altogether.

cloying vocals......at best.......2006-03-13

She's better off writing for other people.
Just one question, where did Linda Perry find the verse section of What's Up?
"Here's a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note......."
Apparently Linda did just that.

I Love It!!.......2006-03-10

I just heard the song "What's Up!!" on the radio. I had to have it therefore I went directly to Amazon and found the Album. I loved it. All the songs were great and it's a shame that they are no longer together. I listen to this album everyday at work and never get tired of it.

Average customer rating:

Meet the new Dar, same as the old Dar...Kind of!
Not her best
Recharging her batteries
Are we talking about the same album?
Really good stuff, right up there with Mortal City

My Better Self
Dar Williams
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Beauty of the Rain
Where You Live
Mortal City
Cry Cry Cry
The Honesty Room

ASIN: B000A2H5UQ
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Teen For God
Miss You Till I Meet You
Echoes
Blue Light Of The Flame
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Two Sides Of The River
Empire
Comfortably Numb
So Close To My Heart
Beautiful Enemy
Liar
You Rise And Meet The Day
The Hudson

Amazon.com

As the folk singer-songwriter continues to incorporate more pop elements, Dar Williams conjures a whole coming-of-age era in an album that suggests a 1970s soundtrack suffused with 1960s idealism. My Better Self's opening track, "Teen for God," evokes the bouncy innocence of Bible camp and the bittersweet ironies of innocence lost. "Echoes" sounds like it could have inspired a singalong around that campfire, a secular hymn for the global village about the big impact of small actions. On Williams's revival of Neil Young's "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," Marshall Crenshaw provides vocal counterpoint and stinging guitar, while she teams with Ani DiFranco for a disembodied duet on Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." With its intimations of immortality, "Blue Light of the Flame" features a shimmering keyboard generating space-age atmospherics reminiscent of early David Bowie. "So Close to My Heart" and "The Hudson" (with harmonies from Patty Larkin) return Williams's music to its folk base, but much of the rest suggests rites of passage, at a time when all sorts of "better selves" seem open to possibility, with the radio always on. --Don McLeese

More Dar Williams

Mortal City

The Green World

The Beauty of the Rain

Customer Reviews:

Meet the new Dar, same as the old Dar...Kind of! .......2007-04-26

My daughter introduced me to Dar Williams music, and ever since then I've gallen in love with her songwriting. She is a fine guitarist, decent singer, and absolutely mesmerizing in concert - especially solo.
On 'My Better Self', she comes out with some of her best work as well as some of her most uninspired. My favorite is the bluesy 'Two sides of the River', a song that draws me in with its simple but profound lyrics and fine guitar work.
She shows off a couple of political numbers in 'My Beautiful Enemy' and especially on 'Empire', where she masters such lyrics as 'Some will say that we force our words/We find that incredulously churlish". It doesn't matter which side of the aisle you're on, you gotta love this kind of poetry!
Dar also reminds us that she can still tell a story on 'Liar', a well-spun tale about being from the wrong side of the tracks. And 'Teen for God' is a both whimsical and semi-spiritual portrait of Christian youth camp and how we often get jaded in our passions as we grow.
She duets with Ani Di Franco on a decent cover version of 'Comfortably Numb', maintaining the moodiness of the original while interpreting it, not trying to reinvent it.
Less successful is her cover of Neil Young's 'Everybody knows this is Nowhere', and 'The Hudson'. Neither track really jumps out with any passion, and I often find my attention diverted easily when either of those two tracks are playing.
Dar's musical horizons continue to expand with each new release, and this CD is no exception. While much of her older stuff is definitely superior, this CD will please a good portion of her fans.

Not her best.......2007-01-14

Dar's latest CD is "My Better Self." It's a bit of a disappointment. The best song is "Teen for God," which is a typical upbeat, funny, catchy song. The rest is kinda depressing. I hope her next album has more upbeat songs.

Recharging her batteries.......2006-12-18

For those who grew weary of the didactic Williams, here's the (almost) pure pop Williams. The sound is pushed to the fore: glossy and agreeable, burnished and warm.

Alas, it doesn't distract from the album's primary weakness - a noticable slump in songwriting. "Teen For God" delivers, no doubt, and is a certain standout musically and lyrically.

However, the remaining high-profile tunes ("Echoes," "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" and "Comfortably Numb") are covers, demonstrating a reduction in Williams' former prowess.

No doubt, the covers sound lovely - but one does question the point in her choice of the old PF radio mainstay. (I'd rather hear Williams check in with something a bit more left field - like Grace Slick's "Lather.")

(Williams is presently reworking classic Dead material, so it seems her batteries are still not charged.) She'll (eventually) be back, better than ever, though; Williams is the real deal, and it shows even on a 'transitional' album.

Are we talking about the same album?.......2006-10-18

I went to Borders ten minutes before opening the day this album was released. Listening to the CD beforehand seemed like a waste of time because I love (LOVE) Dar Williams and was certain I would love this album. It stayed in my car's player for about 4 weeks before I and my fellow Dar-loving roommate admitted the sad truth: we hated (HATED) the CD. I like the lyrics for the most part, but she didn't pull the songs together this time. I don't know what sound she was going for with songs like, "Liar" and "Two sides of the River", but it doesn't work for me, and doesn't work with her voice and style in my opinion. I like the tune of "So Close to my Heart," but the repetition of the phrase 'close to my heart' immediately gets (and stays) really annoying. To be fair, I am a fan of Dar's raw stuff - Dar and guitar, and minimalist everything else and feel that to mix the honesty of her voice and lyrics with mainstream pop-culture-esque accompaniment seems vulgar. Listen before you buy - this certainly is a departure from Dar's norm; and honestly, are you all serious about loving this album so much?

Really good stuff, right up there with Mortal City.......2006-10-09

As I already said this Dar release is right on par with Mortal City. Although there will probbaly never be another "February", "The Ocean" or "Iowa" this record has some great songs of its own. The opening "Teen for God" is a biting satire against the hypocrisy of the Religious Right. The sad "I'll Miss You Till I Meet You" channels the best shades of Sarah McLachlan. The gentle "Echoes", "The Hudson" and "You Rise and Meet the Day" are definitely worth a listen. Certainly not to be missed is the excellent cover of the Pink Floyd song "Comfortably Numb" which Dar manages to put her unique spin on while still keeping it recognizable unlike a lot of covers these days. You should definitely buy this if you are a Dar fan. If you aren't you will probably still like it but I would suggest you start with Out There Live, since it offers a good overview of her career up to Before the Rain. Happy listening!

Average customer rating:

Just making a note to browsers of this listing...
A Disapointment? I dont think so...
Why bother with this?
A nice collection

Greatest Hits
Better Than Ezra
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Before the Robots
P.S.: A Toad Retrospective
Friction, Baby
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Live At The House Of Blues New Orleans

ASIN: B0007PALAW
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Tracks:

King of New Orleans
Good
At the Stars -- single remix
In the Blood -- single remix
Extra Ordinary -- featuring Dj Swamp
Rosealia -- single remix
Desperately Wanting
Misunderstood
This Time Of Year -- French Radio Version
Under You
Tremble
One More Murder
Porcelain -- VooDoo Mix
Laid
Wallflower

Album Description

Their first-ever hits compilation! Founded in New Orleans, this pop-flavored alt-rock outfit migrated to L.A. in the early '90s and rocketed to stardom with the 1995 Top 40 album Deluxe and the smash single "Good." It's featured herein along with 15 other definitive tracks, including "In the Blood," "King of New Orleans," and a trio of previously unissued recordings, among them the French Radio Version of "This Time of Year" and the VooDoo Mix of "Porcelain".

Customer Reviews:

Just making a note to browsers of this listing..........2006-09-11

Just thought I'd let someone know that there's 16, not 15 tracks on this disc (I didn't have the box in front of me, but I was trying to find the track listings while I listened, and I realized a lot were like one off).

The 5th track is actually "Live Again" and then the rest of the tracks follow in the same order after that. I'm not sure why this error occurred on Amazon, but I hope someone fixes it. I'm pretty sure the back of my box is accurate though, or I would have noticed the first time I heard it...

A Disapointment? I dont think so..........2006-08-18

Everyone says that this album pretty much sucks and doesnt cover enough of bte's greater songs. But they had a lot of good songs! These are just the big radio lover's favorites other than laid and porcelain which are brand new (porclain's original version is found on deluxe) but this is a great starter album for anyone getting into the older bte! I mean it has wallflower and tremble on it and those are very hard to get since the artifakt album is rare and if you do find it, it costs a lot of money! Plus you have a lot of cool mixes and stuff here and i can tell that this time of year's new version was probably done around the time of closer because it sounds sort of like something off of that cd and it has the lyrics to get you in somewhere in the song...and also it has a lot of songs that werent as popular on the radio such as porcelain and the new versions of a lot of older hits! But still you need to have before the robots and deluxe somewhere in your collection because they are very good as well. And i must say this is a great opprotunity to get this cd for a decent price because for a popular greatest hits album this thing sure is hard to find! And even if you have all the other albums do not hesitate because the songs are different then what they use to be back in the 90's. This is a must-have for any ezra fan!

Why bother with this?.......2005-07-26

I like Better Than Ezra, I really do. I own CD's of "Deluxe" and "Friction, Baby", and if you don't yet have any BTE cd's, I'd recommend you buy those two instead of springing for this disappointing-sounding comp. There's a lot of good music on those two CD's that you'll be missing out on by going the 'greatest hits' route, plus a couple of the remixes on this CD are WORSE than the original versions! Cases in point:
- Porcelain: Take a sensitive, well-arranged piece of music as it appears on "Deluxe", and trash it up beyond recognition with an arrangement that's so out of character with the lyrics it's sadly funny - you have the "voodoo remix" that appears here. Pretty pitiful.
- "In The Blood": What's with all the extra noises here? The original song (again on "Deluxe") is much less cluttered and simply works better than the version on this comp.
You get the idea. My opinion is this: If you like BTE, make sure you at least have "Deluxe" and "Friction" in your collection. And if you just want one CD of theirs, then choose whichever of those you like. But don't cheat yourself by making this the only collection of BTE's music you own - they're really much Better Than This.

A nice collection.......2005-03-22

Since the early 90's Better Than Ezra has been around and making good music that, for the most part, has flown under a lot of people's radar. They have definitely gathered a cult following that has allowed them four terrific albums (excluding artifakt), a live album and now finally a Greatest Hits package.

On this release fans can find many of the favourite songs the band is "known" for. Such songs include the mega-hit "Good", along with other crowd pleasers "Desperately Wanting", "At The Stars" and the song some people know due to a McDonald's commercial, "Extra Ordinary". Included are also some of the more rare releases that could formerly only be found on web-site-avalible "artifakt" album; "Tremble" and "Wallflower".

This Greatest Hits package couldn't be complete if it weren't for some revamped songs and a new release. On this note, the band has re-recorded two songs from the debut album "Deluxe" for the listeners enjoyment. Here, they have included the version, that could previously only be found live that has been dubbed by BTE fans as the "Voodoo Remix" of "Porcelain", which is much more savvy and blues driven. Also they have updated a concert favourite in "This Time of Year", which here is also including part of the song "Get You In". A cover of the James song "Laid" is the newest offering on the album, which starts off sounding like they have fused together that song with AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)".

This Greatest Hits package goes from start to finish with some of the best songs Better Than Ezra have recorded over the span of their careers. Instead of just taking the songs off of the original albums, they have also included several "single versions" of songs that mix things up a bit. The only draw backs to the album, however, are that the songs don't flow as well as they could due to the order they are put in. Also being redundant is small problem; most of these songs are also included in the recent release of the "Live at House of Blues" album. Those, along with an aparent technical problem on the song "Rosealia" that leaves a terrible scratch sounding noise in the right track, are the only problems with this album.

If a person remembers the wonder years where "Good" was played time and time again on the radio and wonders what happened to the band, this is for you. Also, if someone has told you about BTE and you're wondering what they're all about, this is also for you. Or, if you're simply a huge fan and want to own anything by the band that you can get your hands on, this is undoubtably for you.

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