Plastique [CD-single] [Import]

Plastique [CD-single] [Import]

Track Listings

1. Plastique

2. Freek

3. Think

Tracks:

Mother
Hold On
I Found Out
Working Class Hero
Isolation
Remember
Love
Well Well Well
Look at Me
God
My Mummy's Dead
Power to the People
Do the Oz

Amazon.com

Decades later it's a little hard to appreciate just how shocking Plastic Ono Band was at the time of its release. Yes, John Lennon's first post-Beatles solo album is still a must-own for any rock fan, but decades of punk, metal, and grunge have desensitized our ears somewhat to the naked howls of despair that fill tracks like "Mother," "Isolation," and "I Found Out." In addition, "I don't believe in Beatles," the climactic line of "God," doesn't have nearly the resonance as it did around the time of the Fab Four's breakup, when such a sentiment practically bordered on heresy. And yet it's a testament to the high quality of Lennon's songs that Plastic Ono Band continues to be an incredibly moving listening experience. --Dan Epstein

Amazon.com

John Lennon Photos

More from John Lennon

Imagine
Lennon Legend
The U.S. vs. John Lennon

Mind Games
Working Class Hero
Walls and Bridges

Customer Reviews:

Pain Knows No Creed.......2007-06-16

'Plastic Ono Band' is still ingenious and uncompromising since its inception. John, who always wanted to be successful doing it his own way, let us know throughout the Beatle years what was on his mind: From "Help," and "I'm a Loser," to "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "I'm So Tired," Lennon never took the easy way out in pop music, except being honestly himself is easier than posturing. Here on 'POB' John showcases blistering self-pity at a time of needed catharsis and healing. Just through the angst of the Beatles split, off of heroin, and having to draw from memories of a childhood of rejection and hostility elicited from "Primal Therapy", he spares us no sentimentality. The economy of John's songwriting has seldom been sparer as he lays it all on the line.

At the time, it's been said over and over again that he alienated his audience. Since then, looking at alternative music before Kurt Cobain, et al, it seems to be several steps ahead and only time has made the no-nonsense production catch up to this brilliant work without becoming dated.

"Primal Therapy" has often been mocked and derided in the media, particularly TV and movies, but it served as a marvelous vehicle for the man and his music. The slow-crescendoing "Mother," which opens the album ends like a few others with screaming. John's sonorous vocals resonate as simple dirge-like chords accompany himself through the loss of a mother who gave him up to his auntie. (A loving relationship, if not at a distance, he lost her at seventeen, and his father abandoned them both much earlier.) Not compensated by institutions, Lennon goes after the church in "I Found Out," and "God," the finale'. In between he has a solid rocker with "Remember," a cornerstone of the album surrounding his mother's loss, but also the loss of faith in elders. "Well, Well, Well," pulsates more as he pummels over sexual shame in the midst of attempted cohesion. The album mixes slow songs well to give the listener some solace. "Love" is simply exquisite with breathey vocals and a beautiful piano and bottom-line lyrics regarding the necessity of requited love. "Isolation" does to social separation what "Well, Well, Well" did with the sexual--only more quietly. "Working Class Hero" incorporates folk to meander over societal expectations of machismo in Liverpool. "Look at Me" looks to the beloved--here Yoko--for consolation and regress for others' faults.

Ever since my first listen back in 1980 a couple months before his tragic murder, 'Plastic Ono Band' has always been a cathartic experience for me. Regardless of how I relate to my own creed in contrast to Lennon's in "God," I feel, nevertheless, the same pain. "Mind Games" would offer a different sort of beliefs, for although non-religious, Lennon was certainly spiritual, and therefore not setting up a contradiction. 'POB' is accessible to everyone because he expresses so well the pain of the alienated, the rejected, and the hurt. No one does it like Lennon did, and he, like any great poet/singer/songwriter can speak a message on everyone's behalf. Here he has a corner that no one has done before or as well since. In the end all of our creeds may be different, but our pain remains the same.

Johnny, we hardly knew ye............2007-06-07

John Lennon was my hero back then, he remains my hero. Not trying to give a critical analysis, just saying that this album is unique in the history of rock and roll. The pain addressed is music to my ears. This is the only album in the history of rock and roll that proves that you don't have to spout dogma to tell the truth. Art and music were made better by this album. We love you Yoko, remain strong.

lennon's best solo effort........2007-03-13

over the years i have read so much about what an outpouring of pain this album contains. it has often been made to sound almost unlistenable because of it's dreary atmosphere. well, there are no feel good hits of the summer here, that's for sure. but it is an outstanding piece of work that bares repeated listening. "mother," "i found out," "working class hero," "isolation" "God," and "my mummy's dead," are all very bleak; songwriting confessionals where the soul is laid open, exposing pains to the listener that are not 'pleasant' to hum along with. lots of great art is painful, however. read many novels? anna karenina comes to mind. not a laugh riot, but a great piece of literature, most agree. this is sad music, painful music, yes. but this is a classic achievement in the world of music. you should not miss it just because of it's heavy atmosphere of sorrow.

The Best Solo Beatles Effort.......2007-02-27

First, I must say that I will not criticize John Lennon for his lack of lyrical consistency - after all, consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. So I don't really care about his "message of the week" - I'm only interested in the tunes.

With that said, Plastic Ono Band is IMHO the best Beatles solo album to be released to date, and unless Paul or Ringo are unveiling something seriously unexpected sometime soon, I'd imagine it will stay that way. This album is John Lennon naked - raw emotion, frantic playing, and gutteral singing.

The opening track "Mother" starts off a harmless enough piano-based song with a nice melody, but soon transforms into Primal Scream therapy from John. "Well, Well, Well" is another example of vocals unrestrained; you can hear echoes of these two songs in later music such as Nirvana's "In Utero".

"God", "Working Class Hero", "Remember", "I Found Out" are fine examples of John working out his internal issues here for all to see - something his writing partner in his old band never had the capability to do effectively. This is about as HONEST of a CD as you'll see a performer release, and the timing of it - released in the storm of the Beatles Breakup - makes it even more interesting.

The musical styles range from gospel ("God"), to straight up reverbed rock and roll ("I Found Out") to folk ("Working Class Hero") to proto-punk ("Well, Well, Well") to tender balladry ("Love")... and Lennon shows here he can successfully execute all of those styles. Unfortunately, his first album would turn out to be his best - by quite a wide margin, IMO.

There are not a lot of bad things about this album - however, it's not as good as any of the later Beatles output (save 'Let It Be'), so to give it five stars would be unfair to those classics. But if you want to see the peak of post-Beatles creativity from the Fab Four, this would be it. The fact that the individual Beatles never rose to greater heights should tell you that the sum of the Beatles were most definitely greater than its parts.

The Dream is Over... .......2007-02-20

John was part of a major force to be reckoned with in the 60s, and even though "White Album" had sparce moments, nothing was as naked as this would be. Songs like "Look at Me" and "Well Well Well" were written while he was still a Beatle, "Cold Turkey" would have been a great fit on here (better than the extra tracks at least), and half of "Imagine" were also written during the end of the Beatles.

This album was his "hello to the 70s" statement. The end of the 60s were a letdown, let's have some hope for what lies in store in the 70s.

The album/CD is out to shock you. First shock is the f-word John uses on "Working Class Hero". 37 years and you will rarely if ever hear this on the radio. Second shock: Phil Spector produced it. Known for putting on the sappy strings on Paul's songs on "Let It Be" as well as producing this and "Imagine" for John and "All Things Must Pass" for George, this in particular is unlike any of Phil's productions.

Stark, bare, natural. Influence on punk? Listen to Suicide's first album and listen to this again.

He calls it as he sees it. He doesn't buy what religion is selling him, and is encouraging people to use their brains. He mentions Paul, but he doesn't rip him apart as he does later on "How Do You Sleep". His mother's early death has him digging up some truly raw emotion on "Mother", and his fractured relationship with his dad comes up in the song, as does his own relationship with his son Julian.

Pink Floyd's Roger Waters has said this album has had a huge impact on him when he started writing from "Dark Side of the Moon" to "The Final Cut". Artists ranging from Bowie to Streisand to Cocker have covered songs off of it, but John's vulnerable voice makes it a tough sell for anyone else to sing it.

Yoko also released her "Plastic Ono Band" the same day this was released, and some of the fans were upset that they were "tricked" into buying Yoko's album instead of John's, however if you do the John/Yoko/John that is similar to "Double Fantasy" it is an interesting listen.

Average customer rating:

Still the one to beat
A fun, thoughtful, serious, and eye-opening album!!!
Different and Not to be missed
A solid album from Ani...
This one never pulled me in...

Little Plastic Castle
Ani Difranco
Manufacturer: Righteous Babe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Urban Folk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Alternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Contemporary Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Not a Pretty Girl
Dilate
Ani DiFranco
Living in Clip
Up Up Up Up Up Up

ASIN: B0000058MY
Release Date: 1998-02-17

Tracks:

Little Plastic Castle
Fuel
Gravel
As Is
Two Little Girls
Deep Dish
Loom
Pixie
Swan Dive
Glasshouse
Independence Day
Pulse

Amazon.com

As she's gone from the Young Woman Who Could to the Woman Who Has, Ani DiFranco has explored more than her share of musical styles, all the while remaining true to her core. Even during her most extreme departures, you could hear the sound of the early albums coming through. On Little Plastic Castle, an album on which people are credited for adding pontifications, incantations, and an "evil machine" to songs, you could--for the first time--hear an almost completely new artist. Call her Ani, version 3; she couldn't have existed without hearing all of Ani, version 1's albums, and she wouldn't be as funky and experimental without the influence of Ani, version 2. She still has a lot to say--about politics, about relationships, about herself--but the messages aren't thrown in your face here (well, not as often). Instead they're wrapped in funky hooks and lots of production--anything you learn from DiFranco on this album will come from pure repetition, and for the first time, the album is varied enough, catchy enough, and subtle enough that you'll push the repeat button while cleaning the house. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Still the one to beat.......2005-12-08

Like some others who've posted here, I'm not necessarily an Ani-holic, but I have huge respect for her honesty and integrity, and the way she ran her career from a completely outsider approach into what is now a time-honored creative dynasty. She's not someone I listen to constantly, but I return to her regularly for a fix of the kind of blunt and exhilarating earnestness she represents.

That being said, I've always felt that after a certain point she just made too damn many CDs, so that at times musically she covered the same ground again and again. Try making a compilation sometime of your favorite Ani songs and you'll realize quickly just how many have the same tempo, the same key, the same basic structure and feel but (and this is the difference that saves them) new thoughts in the lyrics.

But LITTLE PLASTIC CASTLE probably is the best combination of all of Ani's best instincts along with the greatest variety in style, tempo and overall musical creativity. She also achieved a kind of unusual level of spontanteous vocal excitement on this album where she sounds even more intense and exuberant than her usual standard (which is always pretty intense!).

For me, this album and IMPERFECTLY are her two finest efforts, although I love many things scattered throughout all the rest of the CDs. If you are not already an Ani fan, this CD may be the best way "in," since if you don't like this one, I can't imagine you could generate much affection for Ani, who is so exuberantly accessible here.

A fun, thoughtful, serious, and eye-opening album!!!.......2004-08-01

Background info before writing this review will probly help Ani fans reading it. I'm not an Ani fan in the sense of agreeing with all her messages and supporting the things she does. I am a fan, however, who admires her outspoken honesty. She knows exactly what she feels, thinks, and believes and isn't one bit afraid to put it out there & in your face. That takes guts, more power to her. This world we live in (especially this country, USA) could greatly benefit from exercising her unapologetic frankness.

This was the first album I got by Ani, and I have to say my favorite to date. Personally, I'm an eclectic & enjoy ALL music (I tend to stay mainstream [not Britney Spears-type, though], but enjoy many types of music). When I first heard Miss DiFranco, I was really quite turned off by her sound. A friend of mine had been playing her music in the car on our trips & activities, and I almost couldn't stomach it. She played Revelling/Reckoning, To The Teeth, Evolve, and probably Dilate. I just remember thinking "What is this???" Ani has a musical style all her own, very raw and real. I suppose my ears were just so used to sugar-sweet candy pop that I was somewhat disgusted. But even 'alternative' rock like death metal & all that don't have anything on her; she's got something that so many other artists, whether or not I like them, don't have.

Anyway, back to the task at hand: reviewing "Little Plastic Castle." I'm pretty sure the reason I like it so much is it is probably one of the more musically melodic albums she has out. What I mean is someone who is used to pop and things like that would probably do well to buy this CD as their first Ani album because it's closest to what they know. It's very effective in that way because it tunes the pop listner in by using sounds they can handle while presenting very deep messages and opinions that aren't so popular like the sound they are carried by.

Listening to number 1, the title track, really made me step back and think how boring things can get as far as the music industry and TV, etc. Some lyrics from that song are: "In a coffe shop / in a city / which is every coffe shop / in every city / on a day which is every day / I pick up a magazine / which is every magazine / read a story and forget it right away" She has a very good point here about how the media (TV, radio, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc) train us to know what is 'normal,' and keep spoonfeeding us those stereotypes.

The lyrics to song 2, "Fuel," are hard-hitting & heavy. They talk about racism (slavery), politics, and many other things. It's a very good song to sit & ponder because at the end of it she sums all of her scenarios up by describing them each one as "a fire just waiting for fuel." One of my favorites!

Track 5 is good, "Two Little Girls." It's sad and dark but it's a good listen, it compells me all the way through each time.

I reccomend this CD highly because it helped me break out of the pop mindset, even though I was eclectic I never really understood how narrowminded I was musically (as well as politically, etc). Go for it! Do your best swan dive into the bold, bold world of Ani DiFranco.

Different and Not to be missed.......2004-06-18

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

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

And I DID love it!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A solid album from Ani..........2004-05-10

To me this is a solid album from Ani... It's also my first one that I've bought/owned by Ani - got lucky and picked it up in a 2nd hand store (thought it's definitely worth full price)...
Musicwise, 'Two Little Girls' and 'Swan Dive' is my two favorite tracks, though I like them all at varying degrees of enjoyment... As well as I like that it doesn't sound exactly the same from... So after listening to this one, I'm looking forward to one day picking up "Not A Pretty Girl"... Plus, I'm very impressed that Ani performed at the "Women March for Choice" on March 20, 2004... - Savannah Skye...

This one never pulled me in..........2004-03-28

I own Not A Pretty Girl, Dilate, and this album by Ani Difranco. While I thouroughly enjoy the first two--Little Plastic Castle never pulled me in at all really. I've given it numerous listens and still I don't think it remotely compares to the other two albums I own by her. The only song that sticks out to me is "Gravel" and even that song I am having trouble recollecting exactly in my mind. I suggest the other two if you are a starting Ani fan. I must admit I'm surprised by the overwhelming popularity of this one.

Plastic Surgery Disasters / In God We Trust Inc.

Average customer rating:

Classic Dead Kennedys
Re-master this!!
Another good DK cd.
pardon me for being a "poser" but i think this album is a tad overrated
Another classic

Plastic Surgery Disasters / In God We Trust Inc.
Dead Kennedys
Manufacturer: Manifesto Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

All Games | Mac Games | Categories | Computer & Video Games
Similar Items:

Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death
Frankenchrist
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (CD + New DVD Documentary)
Bedtime for Democracy
Damaged

ASIN: B00005NT4G
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Advice From Christmas Past
Goverment Flu
Terminal Preppie
Trust Your Mechanic
Well Paid Scientist
Buzzbomb
Forest Fire
Halloween
Winnebago Warrior
Riot
Bleed For
I Am The Owl
Dead End
Moon Over Marin
Religious Vomit
Moral Majority
Hyperactive Child
Kepone Factory
Dog Bite
Nazi Punks Fuck Off
We've Got A Bigger Problem Now
Rawhide

Product Description

1. Advice From Christmas Past
2. Government Flu
3. Terminal Preppie
4. Trust Your Mechanic
5. Well Paid Scientist
6. Buzzbomb
7. Forest Fire
8. Halloween
9. Winnebago Warrior
10. Riot
11. Bleed For
12. I Am The Owl
13. Dead End
14. Moon Over Marin
15. Religious Vomit
16. Moral Majority
17. Hyperactive Child
18. Kepone Factory
19. Dog Bite
20. Nazi Punks Fuck Off
21. We've Got A Bigger Problem Now
22. Rawhide

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Classic Dead Kennedys.......2007-07-04

Ok first off I am not interested in all the controversy about the ex band member.

I heard all the BS about them and know full well about their "Rock and Coke" festival in Turkey (Dead Kennedys rock and Coke....please) Though in saying that not much of a fan of post DK Jello churning out LP after LP saying the same boring meaningless rant for the kids (yeh he may go on about the ex band members milking the DK's name for profit but can he realy say he is doing any different with his endless Jello Biafra and the blah blah band albums?)

Anyway, rant over. DK were/are one of my all time favorite band from way back before any tv ad or whatever and this is one of my all time favorite LPs. DK were great because they could mix politics with good music and humour as well. They didnt rant but just took the p*** out of the powers that be. Some of these tracks (such as bleed for me, I am the owl) need to be heard by kids today.

Great to hear, never mind the BS over the ex band members. Leave them to fight it out amongst themselves. Me, I will just keep the memories of a great band.

Re-master this!!.......2007-04-12

Censored for the SUV generation. The original release of "In God We Trust Inc." included the track "Too Drunk to F**k". Dont bother. Look for a used copy of the previous CD release.
"Plastic Surgery Disasters" was not their best release. Jello Biafra's lyrics sound like he was running out of ideas.

Another good DK cd........2007-04-11

Good punk with Jello and some politics. Typical DK, but in a good way.

pardon me for being a "poser" but i think this album is a tad overrated.......2006-07-19

maybe i dont get it or had to be there or something. i mean, maybe im just growing out of this political "shock" punk thing. maybe "nazi punks f**k off" has more of a back story and was a protest anthem that i am unaware of.

anyways, yes, this album is well worth a spot in any DK fan's collection and hits pretty hard and fast at that! there are some great little hardcore political songs on this. i mean, it isn't near as attractive as bad brains or early bad religion, but ill give the boys their credit. they were nice and creative in a political sense around a time when most bands were trying to be another Ramones. make sure you get fresh fruit for rotting veggies first. that is the DK album to own.

p.s. if you get this and want it brand new, dont worry about those "alternative tentacles" nutcases. this band broke up about 20 years ago and people are still raving about how they are "selling out." even so, a band that makes people think about important issues should be noticed by more than the people who already agree with it. so jello isnt profitting like many argue. well unless you buy these cds from jello himself, it is all the same. id rather support the 3 other guys in the band, over some elitist record store owner who will buy beer.

Another classic.......2006-03-09

This is another Dk release,The bass work really stands out on this and all the other instruments are done with perfection ,Pick this up now!

Average customer rating:

not as good as their first one
A Fun Album!
Bang bang you're dead
PLASTIC LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE SECOND ALBUM

Plastic Letters
Blondie
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Blondie
Eat to the Beat
Autoamerican
Parallel Lines
The Hunter

ASIN: B00005MNP9
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Fan Mail
Denis
Bermuda Triangle Blues (Flight 45)
Youth Nabbed As Sniper
Contact In Red Square
(I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence, Dear
I'm On E
I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No
Love At The Pier
No Imagination
Kidnapper
Detroit 442
Cautious Lip
Once I Had A Love (The Disco Song 1975)
Scenery
Poets Problem
Detroit 442 (live)

Amazon.com

Blondie Photos

More from Blondie

Blondie - Greatest Hits
Parallel Lines
Blondie

Autoamerican
Eat to the Beat
The Hunter

Customer Reviews:

not as good as their first one.......2007-05-12

This Album from Blondie was released in 1977, it wasn't my favorite album by them, but it does have it's moments, I like the songs "Detroit 442" and "I'm Alway In Touch By Your Presence dear" Very Nice, even though it's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their next Fallowing albums.

A Fun Album!.......2007-01-27

I bought this album only knowing one song from it, "Denis." I knew though, that the album had to have other great songs since "Denis" is such a fun pop song. The French really makes it unique. I liked "Detroit 442" the first time I heard it. The entire album is put together so well, and there is so much energy in all the songs that you can't help but enjoy listening to it! "Love at the Pier" is an all around fun song as is "Contact in Red Square." "Presence, Dear" is an easy-going song. The bonus tracks on this CD are really great as well. My favorite is "Scenery." It is also interesting to listen to "Once I Had a Love" since it eventually evolved into the phenomenon "Heart of Glass." "Plastic Letters" is a superb prelude to "Parallel Lines."

Bang bang you're dead.......2006-02-18

A true classic; Deborah Harry has never been better, sliding into "Fan Mail" like liquid mercury, she blasts out of it like a siren; breezy pop "Denis," "Love at the Pier" and "I'm On E" presages later work; PL showcases the most clever and inventive group of the last 30 years -- e.g., the beguiling "Cautious Lip," downright scary "Detroit 442" and "Bermuda Triangle Blues," and best of all, Jimmy Destri's amazing, pulsing and enigmatic "Contact In Red Square," Destri's magnificent keyboard, amazing back-up vocals, and Clem Burke's phenomenal rat-a-tat drumming rushes you along this little thriller only to leave you stranded in a dark alley. More mature than their debut, and not quite the uptempo, chrome-polished pop of "Parallel Lines," "Eat to the Beat," or "Autoamerican," "Plastic Letters" highlights Burke's percussion and Destri's keyboards like no other Blondie project. "Plastic Letters" is Blondie's best. A top-ten must have from the 70s that leaves you yearning for more Destri, Destri's solo "Heart on a Wall" on CD.

PLASTIC LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-11-20

Plastic Letters is great! Fan Mail is i good pop song,Denis is a wonderful french/pop song, Kiddnapper is a Elvis type song but this is better becuase its by Blondie!!!(Blondie is and always will be better than Elvis!!)I Didn't Have the Nerve to Say No this is my favorite song on this album (though all the songs are great!!!)I love this alum!

THE SECOND ALBUM.......2004-07-07

We go in a little bit further to 1977. The album itself has some great rockin' tracks to help it out. "Denis" is the highlight of the album, and is fantastic with the French! Then we go to "Touched By Your Presence Dear" which is still today great!!! This may not be the bands best album, but is one of the more punkish and rock n' roll types than the others. Other tracks like "Detroit 442", "Fan Mail", and "Contact In Red Square" are just as good!!!

Tracks:

Shotgun
Earthmover
Dance For Me
Banana Puddin'
40 Miles To Vegas
Love-A-Rama
Deja Varoom
Country Funk
Strangest Ways
Theme From 'The Cheaters'
House Of Bamboo
Carve That Possum
Bonus Track

Amazon.com

This is a raspberry swirl in a bran-muffin world: bad for you but too good to pass up. On their sixth album, Southern Culture on the Skids offer a tour of white-trash, Americana, hillbilly funk, B-movie instrumentals, road-kill rock--all without leaving their customized Laz-E-Boy. Southern Culture guitarist Rick Miller, bassist Mary Huff, and drummer Dave Hartman genuinely love this music, even as they mock its black-velvet trappings. The highest low points: "Banana Puddin,'" an ode to day-old desserts, and "Carve That Possum," an Uncle Dave Macon cover that sounds like an in-bred cousin of the blues. When Southern Culture move into the neighborhood, you can bet property values will plummet in reverse ratio to the elevation of your mood. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

More Insanity from those Deranged Hillbilly Geniuses.......2005-08-06

With "Earthmover" and "40 Miles From Vegas", SCOTS further solidify their hold on the "Acid Hillbilly" genre. They are still weird, skilled and making great music. I highly recommend seeing them live.

Not their best, but it's a must have........2005-01-06

This cd is worth having for the same reason all SCOTS cd's are worth having; it's just plain fun! Be sure you check out the "hidden" track following Carve That Possum (Plastic Seat Sweat). If at all possible, see SCOTS live. You won't regret it.

Great Album.......2003-02-10

I had become cautious of Amazon's reccommendations after buying several duds. I finally gave in on SCOTS and I am totally blown away. I found the songs refreshing and a complete change from the other ... that is out there on the market. Shotgun and Strangest Ways immediately caught my attenetion.

Even my 3-year-old jams with this one.......2002-10-25

Each song is unique and equally catchy. I disagree with the earlier review that felt "House of Bamboo" was out of place. Each song on this album is different and Bamboo is just another example of this. I heard the CD while searching through the used CD section in a MINNESOTA store. I went to the counter and told them to take it out of the player because I was taking it home. I'm as far north as it gets in the lower 48 and I am now a Southern Culture addict!

The perfect album for some people..........2002-08-08

... and I am one of those people: I am southern, I am educated, and I can appreciate the irony and humor (and culture!) that makes this album a real gem. However, even if you match that description, this album may not be for you. The musicians' talents are unquestionably solid. The lyrics are well constructed, and inventive. The sound of the album itself is rich and clear and loud. Their hillbilly rock sound is all at once real, energetic and VERY kitch, and yet can stand apart from the irony to be judged strictly on the merits of the music. I can't say enough good things about this particular album, but I can certainly understand why it wouldn't be for everyone. Those whose tastes run toward either the Top 40 set, or those whose tastes have become so cultured as to not appreciate a good chaotic riot every once in a while, I strongly suggest saving your money.

Average customer rating:

Irresistible!
Soundtrack of the times
Holds Up Well -- Much More Than You Think
the 5 bucks special returns!
Trevor Horn's mush-free mixing

Age of Plastic (+3 Bonus Tracks)
The Buggles
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Dance Pop | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vienna
Hunting High and Low
Rage in Eden
Electric Dreams - Soundtrack
Pop Muzik

ASIN: B0000257O9
Release Date: 1999-07-19

Tracks:

The Plastic Age
Video Killed The Radio Star
Kid Dynamo
I Love You (Miss Robot)
Clean, Clean
Elstree
Astroboy (And The Proles On Parade)
Johnny On The Monorail
Island
Technopop
Johnny On The Monorail

Amazon.com

Part of the early-1980s great explosion of pop music (witness: Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson) to have any real impact, an accident of fate-titled "Video Killed the Radio Star" inextricably links the Buggles to the rise of MTV. Unfortunate for the band's future, the two best Buggles tracks (the other, "Clean Clean") were cowritten with Bruce Woolley, who simultaneously released them (with less success) with his new band, The Camera Club. The artificial sound of these comparatively primitive keyboards and drum machines, once embraced by nihilist popsters on the edge of punk, has since mutated (Gary Numan, Eno, Woodentops, etc.) into the all-but-voiceless electronic music of the late '90s. Regardless, the Buggles manifested a handful of pop gems in science fiction clothing. And why not? We still read Bradbury and Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. Oddly, what once seemed such smart and jaded music now plays as the voice of joyous optimism. Go figure. --Grant Alden

Album Description

Remastered reissue of 1980 new wave classic includes three bonus tracks, 'Island', 'Technopop' & 'Johnny On The Monorail (A Very Different Version)'.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Version of the Influential Album that Heralded the Recognition of the Music Video Age. "Video Killed the Radio Star" was the First Clip Played at the Birth of MTV in 1981 and Has Remained It's Defacto Theme Song. The Duo of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes Created Electronic Music that Flowed Well with the New Wave They were a Part Of. They were Destined for Greater Things Though, as Both Later Joined Yes, Downes Later Joined Asia and Horn Went on to Co-found the Ztt Record Label (Home of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Art of Noise, 808state and Propaganda, Among Others). Also features Three Bonus Tracks: 'island', 'technopop', and 'johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)'.

Customer Reviews:

Irresistible!.......2007-05-05

I was pleasantly surprised by this offering from producer-extrodinaire Trevor Horn. Previously, I knew Horn only for his work with the cheesy 80s dance act Frankie Goes to Hollywood. I got this album in a mass purchase of New Wave music from Amazon. This album contains the immortal "Video Killed the Radio Star". There is so much more, however. Tracks such as "The Plastic Age", "Kid Dynamo", and my favorite song, "I Love You Miss Robot", are fresh catchy quirky-synth-pop with intelligent lyrics reflecting technology and the modern world.

Much has been said about the album's production and I must say that I was impressed. The sound is unbelievably crisp and modern. It is not overproduced but is very shiny (in a good way!).

For Horn's work with this album and his work with the pop group ABC later on, I can truthfully say that he ranks among my favorite producers...up there with Brian Eno, William Orbit, Phil Spector, etc.

This is a great album filled with irresistible synthesizer pop from that era's golden age. As many reviewers have said, this album (made at the very dawn of the 1980s) predicts what would happen to much of the mainstream in music during the 1980s.

Oh, and the cover is way cool.

Soundtrack of the times.......2005-11-13

This album was a definitive soundtrack of the times, that being 1980 and thereabouts, a forgotten time period for many. It seemed the world was poised between disco and New Wave, a gap that Blondie so nicely covered with "Heart of Glass." It's all about the synth-pop here. Early 80's sci-fi lyrics, running commentary on media and its place in society, and dark optimism aside, this disc is pop, pure and simple. As an acquaintance at the time put it, "It's music even your mother can enjoy." Uh, yeah...especially I Love You Miss Robot, Elstree, and Astroboy.

Its timeless beauty lies mainly in Trevor Horn's production; anyone owning this album in its heyday knew Horn would go on to huge success, which of course he did.

If you like the songs, you must check out Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club's "English Garden." He co-wrote "Video" and "Clean Clean" and the sound is much more of a rock band--and a young Thomas Dolby plays the keyboards to boot!

Holds Up Well -- Much More Than You Think.......2005-09-16

There is a lot going on in this album than the one-off novelty of "Video" suggests -- this is a complex sci-fi ode to a discomforting, sometimes optimistic, occasionally joyful future. It's rendered in an engaging, deft mix of "new-wave" synth sounds, sterile guitar and drums, and washes of sound that manage to capture the tone and feel of this near-future dystopia quite effectively.

To me, it's a bit like The Cars' Panorama or Todd Rundgren's The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect, both recorded at the same time, in that what is created here is an insular world, a bit cold and distant, providing a glimpse at the future that, to my ears today, ironically sounds quaint, inviting, and comforting. To be honest, as the headlines today blare continuing bad news, I'm going to keep going back to this future as it's often preferable to our present....

the 5 bucks special returns!.......2005-06-25

"video killed..." sounds like the 15 year old tracy merop singing in the song

Trevor Horn's mush-free mixing.......2005-06-20

I'll let others enthuse about the music in this album; enthusiasm I wholeheartedly endorse. Instead, I'll enthuse about the quality of its recording and sound engineering.

It's amazing how Trevor Horn creates complex mixes without turning them into mush. Check out the bass guitar in "Video Killed the Radio Star", somehow sounding clean and muscular through the already dense sound. And the chunky, woody arpeggios played by Geoff Downes at the end of "Clean Clean". The power of the three-note riff in "Island". And other aural delights throughout the album too numerous to mention.

To hear what I hear, you have to play the CD through audio equipment that's strong on rythmic drive and is able to grip the lower frequencies. This is not an album for low powered valve amplifiers. But play it through something like Naim amplification, for example, and every time you hear the kick drum at the opening of "Video", you'll find yourself sitting up and paying attention.

True Love Waits: O'Riley Plays Radiohead

Average customer rating:

Looking Forward, Looking Back
Music Lovers
a transcription worthy of Franz Liszt
Sleepytime music
Nice sound

True Love Waits: O'Riley Plays Radiohead

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Hold Me to This: Christopher O'Riley Plays Radiohead
Home to Oblivion: Elliott Smith Tribute
Strung Out On OK Computer: The String Quartet Tribute To Radiohead
Christopher O'Riley At The Break
Second Grace: Music of Nick Drake

ASIN: B00009MGQ4
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Everything In Its Right Place
Knives Out
Black Star
Karma Police
Let Down
Airbag
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Thinking About You
Exit Music (For A Film)
You
Bulletproof
Fake Plastic Trees
I Can't
True Love Waits
Motion Picture Soundtrack

Amazon.com

Rock bastardizations of classical music are as old as Kim Fowley's--and ELP's--Tchaikovsky tweaking "Nutrocker." But classical interpretations of rock music have generally been something of a high-wire act. While most pop fare has strong melodic foundations for the soloist to build from, Christopher O'Riley has challenged himself here with the catalog of Radiohead, one of modern rock's most acclaimed--and texturally complex--bands. O'Riley's insightful gifts for interpretation (which have previously enlightened everything from Stravinsky to P.D.Q. Bach) produce a hypnotic, emotionally compelling listening experience here; O'Riley is a huge Radiohead fan, and that love courses through everything from the dreamy, bittersweet title track through the brooding loveliness of "Let Down." Radiohead's stock in trade is dense, multi-layered music that leans heavily on electronic processing for its moody sonic atmospherics; O'Riley's evokes those complex textures with but a judicious use of the sustain peddles, a deft use of dissonance (as on "Knives Out"), and a rhythmically anxious left hand. Call them etudes for the post-modern age if you will, but O'Riley's performances here largely achieve what all great interpretations strive for: New insight and enlightenment. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Looking Forward, Looking Back.......2007-03-02

Ove the last decade or so, Radiohead has created some of the most complex and futuristic rock music out there, and I wondered if a solo pianist could really capture their essence on a single instrument. However, O'Riley does a marvelous job, and brilliantly conveys the melancholy, mysterious, and introspective qualities of Radiohead's music. His renditions of "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Let Down" are particularly powerful. What I really loved about this cd is while I could follow all of the songs he played, at times I felt like I was listening to an breathtaking piano sonata by Mozart or Beethoven, and even a Nocturne by Chopin. Overall, this is a faithful interpretation by an excellent musician who honors one of the greatest bands in recent times, while also paying hommage to his musical heritage. This cd is a must for even the casual Radiohead fan or anyone who enjoys the piano.

Music Lovers.......2007-02-17

i love almost all kinds of music. piano and radiohead really works for me, i liked the whole thing. if you can get into some piano, you can get into this cd. if you dig radiohead, get into it purely because someone took the time to put some awesome songs into yet another form for more audiences to get into. its beautiful. thats all there is to say.

a transcription worthy of Franz Liszt.......2006-12-08

This is a beautiful recording. Try playing it for music loving frends who would never listen to a band like Radiohead. They won't believe it when you tell them the source of this richly textured heartbreakingly melodic tour de force. I'm in my late 50's and love Mahler, Sibelius,and Beethoven. I also love Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, John Fahey and Wilco. Good music can come along in any time and I'm glad that Christopher O'Riley loves Radiohead and transcribed it for solo piano; he's missed nothing in the process. If your not choked-up by the end of this CD, music must not be your thing.

Sleepytime music.......2006-03-27

Being the total Radiohead fanatic that I am, I decided to pick this up when it came out... perhaps a fresh take on their music would breath some life back into the songs I've been listening into the ground, I thought. So I took it up into the mountains with me and listened to it for a bit. My reaction to it now is similar to then: it's a dreamy if somewhat insubstantial collection of vaguely familiar tunes.

All of the playing on this disc is superb on the technical level... obviously O'riley is a top notch classical performer. The arrangements are a mixed bag, though. There are some amazing renditions on here - see the impressionistic 'Everything In Its Right Place' and the melancholy coffee house arrangement of 'Knives Out'. Some others are also quite listenable, including 'Subterranean Homesick Alien', 'Exit Music', 'Bulletproof', and 'Motion Picture Soundtrack'. However, the upbeat pop tunes have difficult translating to solo piano. the Pablo Honey tunes suffer the worst here, and feel slightly unnatural; perhaps like a classical pianist paying tribute to a favorite band, rather than the more personal adaptations that make the 'Knives Out' arrangement so effective.

Overall, a nice cd to put on in the background when you're reading or settling in to bed, but Radiohead fanatics beware - don't expect anything that lives up to the band's immense standards.

Nice sound.......2006-02-17

I didn't even know Radiohead songs...but now I've listened to the originals and can hear how O'Riley captures the songs on the piano. This is a great album.

Average customer rating:

Hear the genius form
real raw
Bittersweet and lovely
I Know Your Secret Code
Susan's Vocals

The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees
Magnetic Fields
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Lo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Electronic Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Wasps' Nests
Memories of Love
i
Eternal Youth
Pieces of April

ASIN: B0000019NK
Release Date: 1995-01-23

Tracks:

When You Were My Baby
The Saddest Story Ever Told
Lovers From The Moon
Candy
Tokyo A Go-Go
Summer Lies
Old Orchard Beach
Jeremy
Dancing In Your Eyes
Suddenly There Is A Tidal Wave
(Untitled)
Railroad Boy
Smoke Signals
You Love To Fail
Kings
Babies Falling
Living In An Abandoned Firehouse With You
Tar-Heel Boy
Falling In Love With The Wolfboy
Josephine
100,000 Fireflies

Customer Reviews:

Hear the genius form.......2005-10-23

This is probably The Magnetic Fields most uneven release, but this is, of course, due to the fact that these are Merritt's first records. Most people seem to complain about the track order more than anything, but I can see why The Wayward Bus was put first. If Distant Plastic Trees were up first, most people probably would not be able to sit through the whole thing.

Distant Plastic Trees feels very different from all other Magnetic Fields releases and comes across sounding more like Enya singing folk songs. Even worse, the synthesizers sound especially fake with some really annoying sound effects. That said, the songwriting here is still pretty good. To echo a similar theme other reviewers have noted, some of these songs would have been better if Merritt had just sung them himself, but Susan Anway is able to do things Stephin couldn't have. For example, listen to the clips for "Josephine" and "Tar-Heel Boy."

The biggest annoyance here is the fact they left off "Plant White Roses" which was the best song on the album. Merge's compilation Six Rows of Teeth has a Merritt-sung version which is very good, but the Anway version is better. That was on the Harriet Records "Long Secret" compilation, which is (trust me) unavailable.

The Wayward Bus is exponentially better than Plastic Trees. It is a brilliant tribute to Phil Spector. The synthesizers are reverberated, combined with real instruments, and put through filters, so they sound much more natural than Plastic Trees. It still sounds quite muddy though, but that's how it is supposed to sound. The songs are irresistibly catchy and the lyrics are less pretentious. There isn't a bad song in the ten as far as I am concerned.

If you were wondering how Merritt's music got so good, this is an interesting start. This will help you understand just where this guy came from. Buy this for The Wayward Bus, but lower your expectations when you get to Plastic Trees.

real raw.......2005-10-01

I can't even get into a lengthly explanation - listening to all of the magnetic fields songs make me happy to be alive.
simple.

Bittersweet and lovely.......2004-10-11

I usually detest indie pop like this: low fi, precious, sentimentally gloopy songs with detached singing and little or no guts to the music. But damn if this doesn't work in an odd, magical way. The songs don't rock for sure, but the melodies and lyrics pack a delicate punch that can be either soothing, cathartic or just bittersweet. Songs for after the breakup with the love of your life.

I Know Your Secret Code.......2004-08-26

This album snuck up on me. At first I thought it was terrible, for the reasons other reviewers have mentioned (blandish vocals, messy arrangements and noise) but I listened to it a little more and got to know the songs and appreciate all of them. The quirky poetry and the entire mood the album creates has come to mean so much to me, and it has truly become one of my favorite albums- odd, imperfect, and endearing.

Susan's Vocals.......2004-04-13

Susan was hired for these two albums to sing in the manner which Stephin wanted her to sing. It's no accident that she sang on some of the tracks, in what has been termed "bland" "monotone" etc.This is the effect Stephin wanted so this is exactly how Susan sang the songs, under Stephin's explicit direction. Susan has an amazing vocal range. If you doubt this just listen to some of her early art/punk "V;" work. As I said, her vocal range is amazing.

Average customer rating:

GET THIS NOW
Sophomore Jinx indeed
what?!? no way is this a 5-star album
awesome!!!
SELF Rocks.

Subliminal Plastic Motives
Self
Manufacturer: Volcano
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Breakfast with Girls
Break out the Battle Tapes
Gizmodgery
Empty
Life in the So-Called Space Age

ASIN: B0000009AN
Release Date: 1995-10-24

Tracks:

Borateen
Sophomore Jinx
Stewardess
So Low
Marathon Shirt
Lucid Anne
Cannon
Missed The Friction
Super*
Mother Nature's Fault
Big Important Nothing
Lost My Senses

Customer Reviews:

GET THIS NOW.......2006-02-19

I've owned this album since I was a teenager, and I still LOVE EVERY SINGLE SONG on this record. It's catchy, different and just GREAT.
Check out his other albums, too, they are just as genius as this one.
Man i love Self!

Sophomore Jinx indeed.......2005-11-01

I've been listening to Self since Cannon got a little bit of airplay way back when I was 13, and I've been hooked ever since. Subliminal Plastic Motives is still one of my favorite albums of all time, and whenever I listen to it I'm amazed at how much I still love it. While Self remains awesome, nothing I've heard from them since has quite matched up to SPM.

what?!? no way is this a 5-star album.......2004-08-03

i had this review completely written when my power went out a few hours ago. and you know how frustrating it is to try to write something over by memory, so i won't. basically, i was disappointed by this album because i love self and was expecting their debut to sound really fresh and exciting and creative, but it's frankly not as good as their "breakthrough" album--if it can be called such--breakfast with girls. and of course, nothing tops their recorded-using-only-toy-instruments off-the-wall masterpiece gizmodgery, which everyone in the world should own (i recently sold my copy for 27 bucks at half.com...it's out of print, and i'm counting on it being rereleased relatively soon). anyway, subliminal plastic motives sounds like a fifth album, tired, uninspired, and while self had definitely already established the roots of their unique electropop sound, it wouldn't achieve ultimate fruition until the 2nd or 3rd album.

awesome!!!.......2004-07-01

i discovered this band back in 1996 and i heard a track late night on the radio. needless to say, its one of the great cd's i own, along with the beatles sgt. peppers and U2 joshua tree. there hasn't been a artist out there that can touch what has been done. this is must have cd.

SELF Rocks........2004-03-13

SELF's nucleus, Matt Mahaffey, is a musical genius. It's too bad he hasn't become mainstream, even though his low profile is part of the appeal to most fans.

Subliminal Plastic Motives is the first SELF album, and is an enthusiastic and edgy power-pop album. The lyrics are deceptively light; beneath the poppy exterior, SELF's songs are thoughtful, funny, and provocative.

Tracks:

Ake
Trains To Brazil
Made Up Lovesong No.43
Over The Stairs
Who Left The Lights Off, Baby?
Cats Eyes
Go Away
My Chosen One

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!!!.......2006-04-03

This is not another 80s throwback band...it has current themes with intelligent lyrics and a unique sound with a bit of inspiration from replacements era melodies. Once you hear Train to Brazil you'll be hooked.

Great Band!.......2006-03-21

I've been a fan of this band since I first heard them around September of 2005. Their songs are great and from what I've heard, they're amazing to see live!

a must see live band.......2006-03-19

just saw them in NYC and then again in Austin TX . . . . this band has me more excited than anyone I've seen in quite a while . . come on amazon put a review up here...

favorite tracks on this are made up love song and trains to brazil . . . get in early on this one peeps . . this band is way cool

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Imagine	Lennon Legend	The U.S. vs. John Lennon
Mind Games	Working Class Hero	Walls and Bridges

Blondie - Greatest Hits	Parallel Lines	Blondie
Autoamerican	Eat to the Beat	The Hunter