Indie Anthems [Import]

indie anthems [import]

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. Cigarettes & Alcohol - Oasis
2. Common People - Pulp
3. Animal Nitrate - Suede
4. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Radiohead
5. Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh) - Manic Street Preachers
6. Girl from Mars - Ash
7. Place Your Hands - Reef
8. Staying Out for the Summer - Dodgy
9. Wake Up Boo! - The Boo Radleys
10. Lovefool - The Cardigans
See all 20 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Love Spreads - The Stone Roses
2. Only One I Know - The Charlatans UK
3. Rocks - Primal Scream
4. All Together Now - The Farm
5. This Is How It Feels to Be Lonely - Inspiral Carpets
6. I'm Free - The Soup Dragons
7. International Bright Young Thing - Jesus Jones
8. Tattva - Kula Shaker,
9. Inbetweener - Sleeper
10. Changingman - Paul Weller
See all 20 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The ultimate Indie anthems album features 40 classic tracks from the leading Indie artists of the 90s. With key tracks such as Oasis, Suede, Primal Scream and Happy Mondays, this album features the biggest Indie Artists of the 90s who paved the way for many of today's hottest band. Universal. 2005.

Indie Anthems,Various Artists,Universal,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Alternative Pop/Rock,Ambient Pop,Britpop,Indie Pop,Pop/Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop Collections,Swedish Pop/Rock,Twee Pop

Indie Anthems [Import]
Icky Thump
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • White stripes a homer
  • Good, but ...
  • They're back in Red, White and Black
  • aaaaaak
  • Tiresome
Icky Thump
The White Stripes
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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PunkPunk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Easy Tiger
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  5. Back to Black

ASIN: B000OYC3J8
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

  1. Icky Thump
  2. You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)
  3. 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues
  4. Conquest
  5. Bone Broke
  6. Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
  7. St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)
  8. Little Cream Soda
  9. Rag And Bone
  10. I'm Slowly Turning Into You
  11. A Martyr For My Love For You
  12. Catch Hell Blues
  13. Effect and Cause

Amazon.com

Bagpipes, a song written as the soundtrack to a Michel Gondry music video, Patti Page's musical shadow, and Jack and Meg co-narrating a scavenger's rummages: It must be time for Icky Thump, the many-flavored riposte to 2006's Get Behind Me Satan. The duo starts big with the title track--Jack's fast-tumbling, falsetto-tinged lyrics jagging on hyper keyboard-sounding segues and Meg's pounding drums. They rarely shy from an idea, invoking acoustic Bob Dylan to frame "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues," but interjecting a series of distortion-laden guitar paroxysms for good measure. The end of Icky, on "Effect and Cause," is where Jack's trademark vocal warble and spare, quick acoustic strums meet Meg's single-minded beats. Everywhere on Icky giant riffs leap and shout, with Flamenco horns and those eerie bagpipes and rhythmic shifts and Jack's impatient vocal kinetics, marking new territories even as the White Stripes again populate them with vintage ideas. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

The White Stripes are back with the most bombastic album they've ever produced! While revealing the band's roots in American folk music, Icky Thump is an explosive, revolutionary assault that brings together garage rock, every blues style of the past 100 years, nouveau, and flamenco. This is truly a modern rock and roll masterpiece!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars White stripes a homer.......2007-07-13

The new Icky Thump album by the White Stripes delivers the hard driving music and lyrical verse we now expect from Jack. The two person band delivers a tower of sound and driving rhythm throughout the CD. My favorite is the biting "You don't know what love is" which is a Dylanesque rocker with the bite of positively fourth street. The percussion is great and the variety of music created by this duo continues to amaze. Stripers will not be disappointed!

4 out of 5 stars Good, but ..........2007-07-12

The White Stripes have never made a bad disc, but I don't find anything hugely groundbreaking here. After Jack White's diversions with The Raconteurs and Loretta Lynn, I thought the Stripes might start taking some more chances, and there are a few here such as the bagpipes and the "ancient" synthesizer. Any other band and I would have given this CD 5 stars, but knowing how much the White Stripes are capable of vs. what appear here and four is the most I can give.

5 out of 5 stars They're back in Red, White and Black.......2007-07-12

After Get Behind me Satan (which I found to be a slightly disappointing follow-up to Elephant) I was worried that The White Stripes wouldn't be able to redeem themselves. They said the album was written in just around two weeks and Jack White had also been busy with The Raconteurs. The album, however doesn't disappoint. It is fully enjoyable from start to finish with Little Cream Soda through the last track being a medley of some of their best songs ever. It is personally my second favorite White Stripes Album.

2 out of 5 stars aaaaaak.......2007-07-12

i have all the white stripes' albums since their debut "the white stripes". i'm 20. the white stripes were kinda the band that made me realize "what rock music is", so i have been holding them in high regard for a long time.

but somehow, icky thump is the first album of theirs which hasn't made me very happy.

these are all IMO only.

i. it's missing the rawness of the first album, "the white stripes". 'jimmy the exploder' and 'when i hear my name', those songs made me stop whatever i was doing, and go "WHOA".

ii. de stijl is original [and the cover of 'death letter', makes the whole cd cool].

iii. i like white blood cells. it's pretty. the brink before the phenomenal fourth album, 'elephant' [from WBC, 'dead leaves & the dirty ground', 'hotel yorba', 'fell in love with a girl' - such lovely, simple, classics].

iv. 'elephant' is a good introduction cd to the white stripes. i believe though, that icky thump doesn't quite measure up to elephant's polish.

v. 'get behind me satan' was more of a creative venture, and while it wasn't my personal fav, i appreciated the experimenting that went on. maybe this is a bit like what nirvana did with 'in utero', though i think that was a much fiercer, aggressive rebuttal to commercial success.

vi. and so, 'icky thump'. white stripes songs that are more than 3 minutes long. i think songs with a time limit worked in their favor. guitar riffs that don't really pack the same punch as the orgasmic solo in 'ball & biscuit'.

the album seems to lack the pure all-out rock magic which i've liked in the white stripes for a long time. that lack of a "formula"...that lack of cares for "safe" music. though if this is the direction they'll be taking, it saddens me quite a bit that they 'might not (really) know what to do', now that they've found themselves 'in a bigger room'...

2 out of 5 stars Tiresome .......2007-07-11

First, if all you've heard of rock up to this point is stuff like the White Stripes, Coldplay, Radiohead and other contemporary bands than this album will probably sound fresh and cool and it would be pointless to read my review. But, if you expect a little bit more from your rock and roll than the same old sh#@ this review is a buyer beware....


Tiresome is a word I never thought I would put to a White Stripes album, but I find it the most natural word to express my impression of Icky Thump. I was surprised how many rock cliches I heard on his side project with The Raconteurs and thought perhaps because it was a band effort that once he got back into the saddle with as The White Stripes all that bombastic artiness would return, but no!

Icky Thump has really poor melodies and the lyrics are some of the worst this side of Paul McCartney ala Wing's Wildlife.

The best moments of the album which there are very few come in songs like A Martyr For My Love For You and the catchy Icky Thump. But overall this is just a big disappointment from a man that is capable of much more.

Get Behind Me Satan was a pretty good album but it marked a departure from the other White Stripes albums because it sounded like Jack White was expanding his sound, after the awful Raconteurs album and this Icky Thump it sounds more like it was an failed attempt to escape his own success.
Our Love to Admire
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Lyrics not enclosed!
  • "Admire" will get under your skin, if you let it.
  • Thumbs Down to "Admire"
  • Admirable, certainly
  • An exciting disapointment or, the second Antics Remix CD
 Our Love to Admire
Interpol
Manufacturer: Capitol Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Icky Thump
  2. Zeitgeist
  3. An End Has a Start
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  5. Easy Tiger

ASIN: B000PY32CO
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

  1. Pioneer To the Falls
  2. No I In Threesome
  3. The Scale
  4. The Heinrich Maneuver
  5. Mammoth
  6. Pace Is the Trick
  7. All Fired Up
  8. Rest My Chemistry
  9. Who Do You Think
  10. Wrecking Ball
  11. The Lighthouse

Amazon.com

Moving up to a major label has hardly lifted Interpol's spirits. This is a good thing. Even with the twisted Wild Kingdom album cover and bassist Carlos Dengler's unexpected Wild West makeover, on its third studio album the black-clad New York quartet still sounds inflexibly menacing, grasping tighter than ever to its doomy post-punk influences and delving further into frontman Paul Banks's emotional unrest. Everything sounds a little bigger and brighter, sure, but at their core songs like "Rest My Chemistry" and "Wrecking Ball" are heroically sinister, goaded on by prickly riffs and slow-bleeding rhythms. The group briefly jumps to life on the buzzing "Heinrich Manouver" and exhibits an unexpected dash of humor on "No I in Threesome," but it's the closing "Lighthouse" that best defines the set--a late-night lament that simply steals away into the dark. --Aidin Vaziri

Amazon.com

Our Love To Admire is at once unmistakably Interpol and undeniably new. The witty and perverse "No I In Threesome" is an upbeat ode to shaking up a staid relationship propelled by Carlos D's peerless bass melody while the tenderly observant "Pace Is the Trick" proves that the band are still the masters of the dramatic - check the painful pause right before the sinfully satisfying return of Sam's thundering drums and Daniel's ringing lead guitar. The band's impressively seductive evolution is obvious all over the record, but never more so than on tracks like "Mammoth," "Who Do You Think" and on the album's lyrical centerpiece, the ghostly "Rest My Chemistry." While Daniel is understandably proud of the song he cautions against reading too much autobiography into its lyrics. "We always leave the interpretation to the listener," he says. "I mean, you shouldn't watch a movie for the first time listening to the director's commentary!"

Our Love to Admire closes with "The Lighthouse," a funereal dirge that is among the most unexpected and memorable songs ever recorded by the band. Almost entirely percussion-free, the song is constructed around Daniel's mournful guitar and Paul's sparten lyrics. Not only is it one of their finest moments to date, it provides the album's most goose-bump inducing moment, the very same reflex shivers that make Interpol live shows such an exhilarating experience. As the very last song the band recorded for the album it was, they say, the hardest to play. The hypnotic guitar part was played on a 50-year-old guitar that had toxins on the strings, providing Daniel with a blistering and painful sensation in his fingers. The band weren't even sure the track would make it out of the studio, but once they heard Paul's remarkable vocals they were floored. The song - and the album - doesn't so much end as it bleeds to a close with a long, echoey coda filled with feedback and strings. A fittingly dramatic end to a stunning and emotional journey. Interpol is back, every bit as good as before but charged with a new spirit, a new direction, a new label and, most of all, a new confidence.

Interpol Photos

More from Interpol

Antics
Turn on the Bright Lights
The Black EP

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Lyrics not enclosed!.......2007-07-13

With the cd I do not need to see someone's selection of wild animal pics. What I do need is a convenient copy of the lyrics of the songs. Doesn't the band care even THAT much about the words? Shame!

4 out of 5 stars "Admire" will get under your skin, if you let it........2007-07-13

When Interpol first hit the scene in 2002 with 'Turn On the Bright Lights, their detractors accused them of imitating certain despair-rock bands of the 80s and of not creating anything new. I was one of them. It took five listens to TOtBL, over the course of several months (not sure why I kept coming back to it, maybe something in my subconcious) for the CD to grab me. I found that, while they showed their love and reverence to their source material, they'd managed to create something fresh and new. The stark, driven tracks of that disc never me let go. Neither did this band.

`Antics', proved to be more of a commercial album, to my ears. Again, I was a little disappointed at first listen. I didn't want my favourite new band to have been sullied by the luke warm reception to their first album, or make any attempts to please the masses. For a while I refused to even listen to 'Slow Hands', tagging it as an indie radio rock anthem, but I eventually gave in. The songs were just too dang catchy to ignore, and yet they retained that flavour of discontent that I'd come to love. My biggest complaint was the length between 'Antics' and 'Admire'.

`Our Love To Admire' is a continuation of their vision and takes great, though subtle, leaps forward. Rather than taking a musical detour, the boys come forward with more power and confdence; tighter as a unit as ever before. Sonically, they go beyond the boundaries of the previous two disks in ways that are not apparent after one or two listens. In fact, like 'Turn...', I was disappointed after listening to 'Admire' the first couple of times. But I know my Interpol, and so I put the disk on repeat.

Opening with `Pioneer To The Falls' sets the tone for `Our Love To Admire' as a journey of singular purpose. `The Heinrich Maneuver' hints at the force of nature apparent on the appropriately titled 'Mammoth' and 'Who Do you Think' (an obvious choice for the 2nd single). Pace is indeed the trick with this new effort. If you let it, 'Our Love To Admire' will get your "soul all fired up".

They may have risen in popularity on the coat-tails of the so-called Indie Rock Revolution, but they've left their peers in the dust. Yes, Interpol borrows heavily from the past. But rather than languishing there, they drag those sonic undertones kicking and screaming into the present and deliver yet another listening experience that is quite admirable. 4.5 stars!

2 out of 5 stars Thumbs Down to "Admire".......2007-07-13

I was eagerly anticipating this album's release, but upon purchasing it the first day it came out, I have been thoroughly disappointed with this album. Contrary to what others are writing, I think it sounds very little like their first two records.

While the bass lines might be there and the pulsating voice of the lead singer are still in effect, there is something missing on each of these tracks on this record.

In the past, there has been slow-building energy within each song but that seems to be missing this time around. Not to say the album is pop-rock now, because that is not the case, the album does seem to pander more toward the commercial rock radio stations.

I miss the old Interpol. I was hoping for more of "Antics" and/or" "Turn On the Bright Lights," but instead I am left with a record that sounds as though a band is simply going through the motions with NO emotion, passion or intensity in its music. Frankly, the record is garbage.

4 out of 5 stars Admirable, certainly.......2007-07-13

Well, it isn't Turn on the Bright Lights. And it isn't Antics either. I really can't compare the three. Bright Lights was dark and darker, Antics wasn't as dark but added more blatant obtuseness to the proceedings. This one seems more...straightforward...to me. It just seems more obvious to me.

Track-by-track:
1. Pioneer to the Falls- As usual, a rousing opener that builds and builds and builds.
2. No I in Threesome- Not as cringe-worthy as expected, a peppy love song about hoping to find a new spark in an established relationship. Piano plays a big part in this, though doesn't overpower. May be the song with the biggest Carlos D presence (more solid bass).
3. The Scale- This one comes off as a little bland- first of two tracks that utilize backtracking
4. The Heinrich Maneuver- The first single, I have to say it is really quite good. Catchy and sounds great on the album (in the live recording from their early, shows it doesn't come off as solid). First of two tracks that pull a "Say Hello to the Angels" of cutting out.........and then coming back in again (maybe getting a bit cliched?).
5. Mammoth- Another that I'd heard from live recordings, and, again, it sounds really good on the album. Big, loud guitars, it almost starts out like Not Even Jail, but once the song gets going, it isn't really close to NEJ. Maybe it is cliched, but when the guitars cut out for the deafeningly quiet bridge and the piano shows up again, it is truly a great moment. This is going to be a highlight of their live shows.
6. Pace is the Trick- A nice, quieter song after the ruckus of Mammoth. I can hear touches of Take you on a Cruise in it at times.
7. All Fired Up- Decent track, but it just seems a little disjointed....
8. Rest My Chemistry- I REALLY like this song. It has a very bluesy feel to it that just is a lot of fun to me.
9. Who do you think- Maybe a bit of a clunky intro, but a typical Interpol mid-to-fast tempo rocker with a lot of bounce to it, similar to C'mere.
10. Wrecking ball- A nice penultimate track, this will be a big one live as well. More backtracking on this, and even.....an orchestra?
11. Lighthouse- I guess I'm not seeing this one yet. Takes a while to get going. I haven't grasped this one yet...I'm trying to think of what this one reminds me of...OH! I don't know if you've ever listened to them, but it sounds very much like The Walkmen for a while before coming back to 'Pol at the end.

Some comments-
-Paul sounds great on vocals. I don't know what it is- he just sounds....more true?
-Daniel on lead guitar really works hard on this one. His guitar work is really impressive.
-Sam on drums is spot on as usual.
-Carlos doesn't seem to be as prominent in this. Maybe he's just not coming through to me yet. But it sounds like he's just not as big a part of this album.

This is a pretty good album. I am liking it more and more the more I listen to it. It is certainly an album that you have to just forget all expectations and focus on this album. Forget about the past albums. Just don't even compare them, or even try. Just....don't. I'm not saying that because it pales in comparison to the earlier albums, it is just that if you go in expecting PDA or Obstacle 1, you aren't going to get it. You aren't going to get another Not Even Jail. But that isn't a bad thing. Or, at least, it doesn't have to be.

I have to admit that this year's albums by the wunderkind of the indie music world have been a bit disheartening. Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Killers- while they are fine albums, they just don't have that FIRE that their earlier albums had. Bloc Party's Silent Alarm has such a solid bass section, not to mention the political edge, that Weekend in the City just doesn't have. Arcade Fire is good, it just has lost a little bit of the spark and playfulness that Funeral has (even if that sounds like an oxymoron). Heck, I've got the latest Editors album already, and while it is fine, it is missing the urgency that Back Room had.

Interpol is NOT like that, however. The soul is there, even if it isn't quite in the same place that everyone would expect it. But it is there!

Thank goodness for that!

3 out of 5 stars An exciting disapointment or, the second Antics Remix CD.......2007-07-13

This is the first albumn in over a year that I bought on the first day. I was very excited having heard the "Heinrich Manuever" already, even though it sounded like "Slow Hands." When I gave the new albumn a listen I was disapointed. The songs for the most part are slow tempoed drones. The bass and drums, the higlights of "Antics," are pushed to the background. Almost all of the riffs and hooks are lifted from previous Interpol songs, listen to the first 5 seconds of "No I in Threesome" and tell me you don't expect to hear "Not Even Jail". I bought Of Montreals latest albumn last week and have already abandoned "Our love to Admire" to listen to "Heimdalsgate and the Pomethian Curse" on constant repeat.
The Reminder
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A great blend of styles, but still unique
  • Overrated
  • feistier!
  • Great Music
  • start of the decline
 The Reminder
Feist
Manufacturer: Cherry Tree
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lo-FiLo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Let It Die
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ASIN: B000NPE7YC
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

  1. So Sorry
  2. I Feel It All
  3. My Moon My Man
  4. The Park
  5. The Water
  6. Sealion
  7. Past In Present
  8. The Limit To Your Love
  9. 1234
  10. Brandy Alexander
  11. Intuition
  12. Honey Honey
  13. How My Heart Behaves

Amazon.com

Feist is the solo project of Canada's Leslie Feist, a prolific artist who has also played in one capacity or another with Broken Social Scene, Kings of Convenience and half a dozen other bands. The Reminder, her third release, comes from the same well of quiet, appealing songwriting, and delicate vocalizations that made 2004's Let It Die such a sweet treat. This one is a bit more hushed and ballad heavy, closer to Cat Power than Peaches (with whom Feist has also worked with in the past) but maintains an indie-minded blend of confessional pop, jazzy folk, and lo-fi torch songs. The comparatively upbeat single "My Moon My Man" splits her voice off into unexpected harmonies, just dissonant enough to stick in your head. It's hard to predict where her melodies are going to end up; "Brandy Alexander" starts with a simple snap-pulse, and gradually unfolds into a cathartic chorus of sweeping vocal overlays. Throughout, the record profits from a simple, unfussy aesthetic that keeps the production minimal and the emphasis squarely on Feist's cracking, wistful vibrato. Everything sounds deliberate, but not obsessed over, like an e-mailed wedding invitation. It's a low-pressure vibe, welcoming and content to linger. And linger you will. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A great blend of styles, but still unique.......2007-07-06

Leslie Feist has really made a contribution to music! Her songs make me think of a blending of Joni Mitchell, Eva Cassidy, Rickie Lee Jones, Shawn Colvin, and Kate Bush. Howzat for a compendium, kids?

And better still, the album (yeah, I'm a neo-oldster) is a good deal.

2 out of 5 stars Overrated.......2007-07-05

Horribly overrated. This is adult contemporary gone mad. Cannot understand why Feist is getting all this love from the critics. Maybe because she is a Canadian. Her songs are ok as dinner background music -- specially if the dinner is good enough to keep you thoroughly occupied. Barely audible, her whiny drivel is irritating at best -- like the buzz of an over-friendly mosquito.

5 out of 5 stars feistier!.......2007-07-05

This is a great album, perhaps better than her first. Leslie Feist has written more of these songs than on the first album and this is no loss. Not only does she still have the great sweet throaty voice, the arrangements have emotional depth. A fantastic sophomore offering. If you haven't heard her, you're missing out on a great new singer-songwriter with a punk inflection from Canada. Pick up either album and groove along.

4 out of 5 stars Great Music.......2007-07-04

I just discovered this artist on the web. I bought the CD because it has a different sound that embodies jazz and pop with a unique voicing. I like it. The first few songs are what sell the CD. "My Moon My Man" is excellent! I only gave it four stars because once you get past the first few songs it does get a little mellow. I like it and will look into buying some of her other music in the future.

2 out of 5 stars start of the decline.......2007-06-28

This album is much worse than her first one. If you never listened Feist before buy the first album. I think this one is dull and can only be used as a background music in a coffee shop....

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Limited Edition Bonus Disc)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Oh Baby!!!
  • Where's the Spoon of old?
  • Masterpiece!
  • Buy it. For the betterment of yourself...and all of humanity.
  • Again, They Don't Disappoint
 Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Limited Edition Bonus Disc)
Spoon
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Icky Thump
  2. Our Love to Admire
  3. Easy Tiger
  4. Sky Blue Sky
  5. Zeitgeist

ASIN: B000RGSOQO
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

  1. Don't Make Me A Target
  2. Ghost Of You Lingers, The
  3. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
  4. Don't You Evah
  5. Rhythm And Soul
  6. Eddie's Ragga
  7. Underdog, The
  8. My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
  9. Finer Feelings
  10. Black Like Me

Amazon.com

Something happened to Spoon between records five and six--they got big. It's not as if these unprepossessing Texans were unpopular before, but after Gimme Fiction, their music was everywhere. There was Britt Daniel, who has since moved to Oregon, singing karaoke on cult favorite Veronica Mars, there was his soundtrack for deadpan Will Ferrell vehicle Stranger Than Fiction, and then there were the countless times their tunes, especially 2002's "The Way We Get By," appeared in other movies and TV shows. The irony is that they hadn't signed to a major label (they tried that in the 1990s; it didn't take). Nor had they given their sound a major overhaul. Maybe it was a change of publicist, or maybe the times had simply caught up with these "faux punks/gentlemen dudes." In any case, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is the mark of men confident enough to give their album one of the world's goofiest titles (at least it's an improvement over Queen's "Radio Ga Ga"). If Gimme Fiction was a transitional work, record number six moves even further away from the angularity of Wire and other early influences. "The Ghost of You Lingers," for instance, is downright dreamy, while "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" is brass-bedecked power-pop (with chimes!). Open-minded listeners will surely find this Beatlesque song cycle irresistible. Fans of the Spoon's darker, more dramatic material might want to check their expectations at the door. They'll be glad they did. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Album Description

This record starts with "Don't Make Me A Target", a song that builds on Spoon's familiar minimal rhythmic piano/guitar vamp popularized on earlier hits like "Small Stakes" or "The Way We Get By". The album quickly moves into uncharted territory with the atmospheric "The Ghost Of You Lingers" and moves through several different stylistic changes from the explosive "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" to the wall-of-sound horns of radio single "The Underdog". Their most heartfelt batch of songs since 2001's "Girls Can Tell".

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Oh Baby!!!.......2007-07-13

They found it in commercial appeal this time. Spoon is a band of singular vision whose idiosyncracies should actually make them one of the biggest bands in the States. Sadly, another straight classic will largely be ignored by the public. "The Underdog", "Finer Feelings", and "Don't You Evah" are hooky singles that deserve heavy radio rotation and ringtone ubiquity. Do us all a favor, buy, listen, love.

2 out of 5 stars Where's the Spoon of old?.......2007-07-11

With success from songs such as "The Way We Get By" and "I Turn My Camera On", Spoon has decided to take the pop route. I liked it in small doses but not for an entire album. It felt like this album could be played to any given episode of the O.C. How unfortunate that the band that gave us gems like "Lines in the Suit" and "Change My Life" would resort to cheap commercialism. I can't wait to count how many of these songs will soon be in commercials for cars, cola, jeans, etc...

5 out of 5 stars Masterpiece!.......2007-07-10

This is far and above the best record that Spoon has recorded yet! In a career full of steller records, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga exceeds my expectations completely!

5 out of 5 stars Buy it. For the betterment of yourself...and all of humanity........2007-07-10

Swinging and sleek, sharp, minimal and sweet, Spoon is the best rock and roll band on the planet.

Although they started out loud and angular, Spoon has mellowed into fine and precise pop craftsman, in the best tradition of mid-60s Beatles and Rolling Stones. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga--at 'round about half an hour--crams in Motown rhythms, power-pop melodies, experimental flourishes and even a Mariachi band without ever sounding overdone.

5 out of 5 stars Again, They Don't Disappoint.......2007-07-10

(Ga X 5)offers a logical progression in Spoon's already impressive discography. If critics level any criticism at this new album, most likely it will involve damning Spoon's consistency because there aren't any geniune surprises on this album. Well, so what? I consider their ability to put out one satisfying album after another surprise enough. They've found their niche---oblique, angular, and aurally textured pop-rock---and I think they're wise to stick to it.

(Ga X 5) successfully offers a hybrid of the sounds from the last few albums (Kill the Moonlight and Gimme Fiction) and as usual you can detect the often-noted influences ranging from the Kinks to Wire to, yes, Van Morrison (give "The Underdog" a spin to hear the VM influence.) Granted, the disc is short, clocking in at just over 30 minutes, but this is also in a way a sign of the band's restraint. They know what they do well, and here they're at the zenith of their powers. Even the odder, more difficult and cubist tracks in the record's middle dintinguish themselves as worthy slow-burners after repeated listens.

In short, definitely one of their best discs. You won't be disappointed. I hope they continue making discs like this for many years to come.
Sky Blue Sky
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Mellow Gold
  • Amazing
  • This must have been a really bad breakup
  • Beautiful!
  • I'm trying really hard to like this album......still trying....
 Sky Blue Sky
Wilco
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000NVIGC0
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Either Way
  2. You Are My Face
  3. Impossible Germany
  4. Sky Blue Sky
  5. Side With the Seeds
  6. Shake It Off
  7. Please Be Patient With Me
  8. Hate It Here
  9. Leave Me (Like You Found Me)
  10. Walken
  11. What Light
  12. On And On And On

Amazon.com

After their wild experimental streak of the past decade, Wilco's sixth studio album might feel like a bit of a comedown. Sky Blue Sky is mellow, moody, and uncharacteristically monotone, opening with a pleasant jangle and Jeff Tweedy singing a simple song: "Maybe the sun will shine today, the clouds will blow away." He doesn't even follow it up with a barbed punchline. Could it be that the restless Chicago band has settled back into its gentle Americana roots--or does this sudden mid-career reappraisal represent Wilco's gutsiest move yet? Mostly written in the studio by the full band, it's certainly the group's most cohesive album in ages, presenting a dense song cycle padded with intricate guitar work, brushed rhythms, and '70s soft-rock accents. In places it sounds like Wings ("Hate It Here"), in others Harry Nilsson ("Walken"), and in the middle it goes a bit Grateful Dead ("Shake It Off"). At the same time, there's a distinct sense of hearing a band finally at ease in its own skin. Sky Blue Sky represents the sound of Wilco finally pulling through its petulant adolescence. --Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

"Sky Blue Sky" has hints of early-seventies Southern California folk-rock sweetness in the harmonies. The album is filled with brash guitar solos that take songs like "You Are My Face" and "Shake It Off" in unexpected directions.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Mellow Gold.......2007-07-14

From the opening melody of "Either Way" to the gorgeous outro of "On and On and On," Wilco succeeds in creating a cohesive, moody atmosphere that could best be described as mellow groove. At various times the listener will detect hints of the Grateful Dead, the Eagles and even Fleetwood Mac, but Wilco also manages to elevate themselves beyond those 70's influences and create a classic rock/alternative album all their own. And that is largely due to the words and phrasing of Jeff Tweedy. I won't say that his meaning is always clear, but the words make you listen and draw you in closer, and like the best poetry, are vague enough to allow your own interpretation. I have my own relationship to the words and sounds on this album, and I thank Wilco for helping me feel something that is at once familiar and entirely revolutionary.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing.......2007-07-14

Personally I haven't heard an album of this quality in a long time. The last albums to do that for me were Nirvana Unplugged and Elliot Smith XO. The music really stays with you. It is refreshing to hear something so melodic and sad and uplifting, all at the same time. They created something special with this album. Songs 1,3,8 and 9 are classics. The whole album is strong start to finish.

3 out of 5 stars This must have been a really bad breakup.......2007-07-09

This is one of my absolute fave bands--This is disappointing for me even after 5 or 6 run throughs..Tweedy whines on and on about love lost on virtually every song...the most sophomoric he has ever sounded, with ocassional nice little lyrical parts (not as clever or as important as previous three records--I mean he sings about doing laundry for Christs sake, c'mon man) and some guitar parts which he relies too heavily on..it remainds me of Beck's Sea Change which he came back from thankfully and Neil Young's Tonights the Night (although Neil relied a lot on Lofgren's guitar, at least the angst was not a handcuffing factor for every track). Some good stuff on here, but get over the broken heart thing on every track man. Not nearly as pretty as previous "girl" tracks.. I look forward more inspired things from Tweedyco next time.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful!.......2007-07-08

I listen to this CD every day and will for a LONG time to come! I love all Wilco records, but I have a special place in my heart for this one, for reasons I cannot divulge, but I have a good reason.

I love the title track, Jeff's voice is better than it's ever been, and it's an emotional record, full of just downright beautiful music. Also, for the fan who wants "rock", you've got Walken, Impossible Germany, Shake it Off, what more could you want? If you've never seen Wilco live, you must, a completed rewarding experience!

You won't hear a lot of the noise that was on the last two Wilco CD's, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or A Ghost is Born (both equally excellent records), this new one is quieter, but the lyrics and musicship are first rate. Wilco is the BEST american band today!! Highly recommended!

1 out of 5 stars I'm trying really hard to like this album......still trying...........2007-07-05

this ablum is difficult. why the change to dullness? Basically, I feel like I'm back in my parents house listening to America or the Eagles or Lightfoot on 8-track. I'm sad. This album is sad. I'm sorry. I so like to idea of siding with the seeds, though. Maybe next time. Wooahis me.
Hey Eugene!
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Pink Martini is an undescribable band!
  • Time for a change
  • Sublime
  • Classic Pink Martini
  • Hey Eugene!
 Hey Eugene!
Pink Martini
Manufacturer: Heinz Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Sympathique
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ASIN: B000NVIGI4
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Everywhere
  2. Tempo Perdido
  3. Mar Desconocido (Uncharted Sea)
  4. Taya Tan
  5. City Of Night
  6. Ojala
  7. Bukra Wba'Do (Tomorrow And the Day After)
  8. Cante E Dance
  9. Hey Eugene
  10. Syracuse
  11. Dosvedanya Mio Bombino (Farewell To My Bumblebee)
  12. Tea For Two

Amazon.com

After a seven-year gap between their first and second albums, Pink Martini have brought forth their third long-player just over two and a half years later. Based in Portland, Oregon, this dazzling 12-piece ensemble are led by pianist Thomas Lauderdale and fronted by vocalist China Forbes. Their rich musical journeys carry listeners everywhere from a ballroom in Havana to a cabaret in Paris. This set even includes a number in Japanese and another in Arabic. With their strings, horns, and sultry rhythms, Pink Martini find the common denominators in these musics from around the globe. Hey Eugene! is perfectly bookended with a pair of decidedly American numbers: their original "Everywhere" evokes musicals from Hollywood's golden era, while "Tea for Two" finds guest duet partner Jimmy Scott adding his emotionally riveting singing. While Lauderdale and his cohorts draw from past times and styles, they never come off as museum curators; rather, they celebrate the vibrancy that makes music timeless. --David Greenberger

Album Description

"This ensemble from Portland, Oregon, wowed the fabulous on the Cannes party circuit ... but that accomplishment hardly addresses the beautiful and sophisticated music of Pink Martini ... breathtaking." -- THE NEW YORKER

"No matter how Pink Martini gets described, there's always an element being overlooked, a reliance on phrases such as lounge, cosmopolitan rumba, or neo-classical that only tells part of this rich story. Impressive at every musician's station, this ensemble produces music that's charming and elegant." -- VARIETY

Pink Martini--the genre-bending, best-selling, supremely talented, and raucously fun twelve-piece ensemble that the New Yorker calls simply "beautiful," sophisticated," and "breathtaking"--returns with Hey Eugene! a twelve-track sonic journey anchored by deft songwriting and a no-holds-barred dose of cabaret showmanship. "We're kind of like musical archaeologists, bringing melodies and rhythms from different parts of the world together to create something that is modern," explains bandleader, artistic director, and founder Thomas Lauderdale.

Delivered with sultry grace by lead singer China Forbes, Hey Eugene! shines throughout--from the golden-era Hollywood melody of "Everywhere" to the French cabaret of "Ojala." Other collaborations anchor the set as well: the pan-world "Dosvedanya, Mio Bombino" with its Latin-meets-Russian beat and globetrotting subject matter, plus the Forbes-Lauderdale-penned sexy sway of "City of Night." Peruvian percussionist Martin Zarzar debuts the romantically complex "Mar Desconocido" and bassist Phil Baker adds the quiet beauty of "Cante e Dance." The group also mines the past for hidden gems, including the Japanese-language track "Taya Tan" and their first-ever recording in Arabic, "Bukra wba'do." Meanwhile, clever lyricism leads to an empowering dose of pop perfection on the title track by Forbes (about a boy she met at a party who asked for her number and never called). Finally, jazz legend Jimmy Scott makes a stunning vocal guest appearance in a duet with Forbes on the closing song "Tea for Two."

With Hey Eugene! Pink Martini has returned with an exhilarating album full of uncompromising musicianship, hope, beauty, and joy!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Pink Martini is an undescribable band!.......2007-07-10

This is a unique and undescribable group...the music (lyrics, composition and arrangement) is superb with a Latin and European flair...check out the New York Times music review of the group on June 15th, 2007...you will love this band!

3 out of 5 stars Time for a change.......2007-07-09

Loved the previous 2 albums, feel a bit ripped of by this one. I guess too much of a good thing becomes... too much!

Still enjoyable, just not thoroughly enjoyable. More like background music.

Ok Pink Martini, now is the time to get some inspiration and produce a 4th album with some kick, new colors and tunes, and show you are here to last.

All this being said because I found you all "sympathique" last time you came to Luxembourg. So I am yearning for more!

5 out of 5 stars Sublime.......2007-07-08

As expected Pink Martini's third album fulfils every musical expectation. if ever a band was created to inspire joy it's Pink Martini. Their music transports you to the four corners of the globe and spins you in the process, spilling whatever martini you currently have in hand. China's voice and all that masculine percussional and horn support blows me every time. All three albums are every collections must haves.

4 out of 5 stars Classic Pink Martini.......2007-07-03

I've now seen this wonderful, energetic band twice live, and heartily recommend the experience to anyone! Their newest album is great, although I do think that overall, the first two albums are a little better. But as always, there are some wonderful tracks -- and mixed into a live performance, it all just makes sense, in an eclectic Pink Martini kinda way. LOVE this group!!

4 out of 5 stars Hey Eugene!.......2007-07-03

Although my fav is still "Hang on Little Tomato", I found this CD true to Pink Martini's roots; eclectic, fresh, and well-composed music. The music gets better and better with each listen.
The Else
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • we're the mesopotamians!
  • Sponge-worthy Else
  • Listen to this album...or ELSE!
  • A Great Album
  • Everything else.
 The Else
They Might Be Giants
Manufacturer: Idlewild/Zoe Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QTCY5O
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

  1. I'm Impressed
  2. Take Out the Trash
  3. Upside Down Frown
  4. Climbing the Walls
  5. Careful What You Pack
  6. The Cap'M
  7. With the Dark
  8. The Shadow Government
  9. Bee of the Bird of the Month
  10. Withered Hope
  11. Countrecoup
  12. Feign Amnesia
  13. The Mesopotamians

Amazon.com

Twenty years after their debut album introduced a well-read duo with a peculiar wit and a gift for contagious melodies, They Might Be Giants--a.k.a. John Linnell and John Flansburgh--still come across as exhilarating and spanking fresh as the theme song to Comedy Central's Daily Show. (Oh yeah, that's them, too.) Fresh off the Giants' second children's record (2005's Here Come the ABCs), the New York twosome began a production alliance with L.A.'s Dust Brothers that resulted in The Else, another collection that ranks with any in their memorable discography. From the fast-tempo opener "I'm Impressed" through the '60s pop edge of "The Mesopotamians," endearing hooks reel you in just far enough for the humorous, often oddball lyrics to bury you. But several times the implications in the lyrics are all too real, such as the love undertones of "Contrecoup" and "Take Out the Trash," an uncannily catchy dump-your-boyfriend song that suggests "Once you get him out, tell him not to come back again." Contradictions like these never bother to disrupt the sequencing, but rather drive home what we already know about They Might Be Giants: they already are. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars we're the mesopotamians!.......2007-07-14

At the very least, "The Spine" was an improvement on "Mink Car," and They look to be improving even moreso with "The Else." This album is almost as good -- actually, scratch that -- is as good as "Factory Showroom," and that means a LOT, as that album was a much maligned masterpiece.

It doesn't seem as good as the reviews suggest at first. In fact, my first listen ended with disappointment, despite the quality of the closing track (the utterly brilliant "Mesopotamians"). For the first time in their long and varied career, They have brought out an album that could actually be classified as "a grower." And seriously, these songs begin to connect like nothing else after awhile, and eventually the entire album experience is revealed to be as cohesive as "Factory Showroom," their only other LP to be considered cohesive to begin with.

Flansy surprised me with this record. It will be different for every listener/fan, but my favorite songs off this album are his, which has never been the case in the past. Especially in the past few years -- his work was either good or hokey beyond belief. But not this time, minus the rather meh "Take Out the Trash," which isn't that bad but is easily the worst cut on the album (a bit too Smashmouth for my tastes). "Careful What You Pack" is so unlike TMBG it's insane -- and I'm not exaggerating when I say it could have been done by The Flaming Lips or a conservative Radiohead. "With the Dark" is genius, something that recalls their past unlike any other song on the record. It's a mini opera-like suite, with genre hopping every 30 seconds or so. "The Shadow Government" and "Feign Amnesia" are maybe slightly geeky, but genuinely fun rockers, with "Goverment" especially being "John Henry" worthy.

Linnell doesn't disappoint, though. "I'm Impressed" does electronic-rock (or whatever) great, and the already underrated "Upside Down Frown" is so pretty and adorable, not to mention it sounds like it could have been on the first two albums. "The Cap'm" is a convincing rocker, with some funny lyrics as well ("did you say/...what I think you just said/my hat looks good on me?/I agree!"). Aforementioned "Mesopotamians" is easily thier best closer since, well, "The Bells Are Ringing," and also one of their best overall.

Don't listen to Pitchfork and other negative-ish reviews; this album is amazingly consistent and works more well than it probably should. Although not as good as thier first five albums, it still is much better than their last few albums. Pick this one up.

Note: the bonus CD is strictly for hardcore fans. Most of the songs are average, with a couple that are great and a few that are beyond terrible. It's pretty funny that the best moment on the entire disc is when "Metal Detector" (a live version) comes on.

5 out of 5 stars Sponge-worthy Else.......2007-07-13


I'm never disappointed by TMBG's albums and the Else is no exception. The mood is set right off the top with I'm Impressed and continues through The Mesopotamians. I do think there are standout songs on this album, especially Withered Hope, which I found myself listening to on endless repeat in the car yesterday. The arrangements on this album both harken back to other TMBG music and look forward. I've seen many, many concerts by the Giants and can't wait to hear Withered Hope and Cap'n live!

5 out of 5 stars Listen to this album...or ELSE!.......2007-07-13

First off, let me apologize for the title of this review. I couldn't help myself!

The Else, the 12th official release from They Might Be Giants, does not disappoint. The CD offers a total of 13 tracks and there's not a throw-away in the bunch. Obviously there are some songs that are better than others, but all are entertaining and witty. (And I'm sure your favorites will probably be different from mine...that's one of the joys of TMBG - there ability to appeal to various listeners in different ways.)

This album is a worthy addition to the TMBG canon. In the pre-release publicity for The Else, John Flansburg (who, along with John Linnell, forms the core of the band) said that "We wanted to be sure this was an album that was our best effort from beginning to end and I am very excited to report I believe we've actually done it!" I certainly agree with his assessment.

Some of the best songs on the disc are "The Mesopotamians," "The Cap'm," "Upside Down Frown," "Feign Amnesia," and the odd and quirky "Bee of the Bird of the Moth." However, without question, my personal favorite moment is the new extended version of "Contrecoup."

The demo version of Contrecoup has been floating around since 2005 and has appeared on the TMBG podcast as well as the TMBG Clock Radio (an Adobe Flash-powered application, originally released on tmbg.com in 2003, that streams MP3s from tmbg.com). The song had its origins in a challenge issued to John Linnell on WNYC's "The Next Big Thing" radio show to create a song using the almost-forgotten words contrecoup, craniosophic, and limerent.

I loved the original demo, but now the song has truly been "finished" with a much larger band sound. The length of the song has doubled from from just over a minute and a half to a full 3 minutes and 11 seconds. If you ever needed proof that John Linnell is a lyrical genius, then this song should do the trick.

And if all of this wan't already enough to make you want to add The Else to your CD collection, the first printing also contains an additional disc with 23 extra songs on it! The bonus disc, called Cast Your Pod to the Wind, is primarily made up of songs that had been previously featured on a TMBG podcast. In fact, 21 of the 23 songs were previously released through via podcast, including the title track. Two songs, "I'm Your Boyfriend Now" and "We Live In A Dump" have been entirely re-recorded for the disc, while many others have been remixed, remastered and partially re-recorded for release on CD.

Admittedly, some of the songs on the bonus disc aren't fantastic (I absolutely HATE "The Mexican Drill"). However, it is a fantastic bonus with some really enjoyable moments, like "We Live In A Dump," "Microphone," and "Metal Detector." The full track listing is as follows:

1. Put Your Hand On The Computer (1:57)
2. I'm Your Boyfriend Now (2:40)
3. Why Did You Grow A Beard? (1:08)
4. We Live In A Dump (1:40)
5. Brain Problem Situation (2:55)
6. Sketchy Galore (2:21)
7. Microphone (2:04)
8. Vestibule (1:58)
9. Greasy Kid Stuff (1:40)
10. Metal Detector (Live) (3:42)
11. Employee Of The Month (1:24)
12. Homunculus (2:15)
13. No Plan B (Live) (1:40)
14. Morgan In The Morning ID (1:06)
15. Kendra McCormick (0:51)
16. Yeah, The Deranged Millionaire (1:23)
17. My Other Phone Is A Boom Car (0:28)
18. I Hear A New World (2:09)
19. (She Was A) Hotel Detective In The Future (2:04)
20. Haunted Floating Eye (1:24)
21. Scott Bower (1:23)
22. The Mexican Drill (1:10)
23. Cast Your Pod To The Wind (1:25)

The Else (and the bonus disc) will ensure that your frown remains upside down! You won't regret buying this release!

5 out of 5 stars A Great Album.......2007-07-11

I would say that The Else is an even stronger album overall than The Spine was (though, in truth, there are far catchier songs to be found on the previous record). The Else is a weird, moody, and intriguing record. I've heard, and would agree, that there are no real standout tracks to be found...maybe in the future when the whole thing can be listened to with more perspective. I have to say, though, that it really sucked me in when "With The Dark" came on. Like a little rock opera unto itself, it paves the way for the rest of the album. To illustrate this, and I don't know if this would have any meaning to anyone else, but on first listen, that was the song that made me take the inlay back out and follow along with the lyrics, as I did with the rest of the album.
I've listened to it in its entirety a few times now and I still feel that it's a strong album. Very interesting arrangements and especially strong guitar work. As the album progresses, a fair amount of horns work their way into the mix, leaving me wanting to compare this with John Henry. The songwriting strikes me as similar to that album, as well.
The bonus disc, only to be included with the first pressing but sure to be released on its own in due time, collects 23 unreleased tracks, many of which seem album-worthy. Which leads me to one complaint, if you can call it that: The Else, with it's thirteen tracks, is too short, a bit too one-sided. Had a few of the bonus songs been incorporated into the album, The Else would have been classic. I get the feeling that They Might Be Giants are playing it a little too safe musically. Their artwork and overall presentation is at an all-time high (this album and The Spine both boast incredible, eye-catching art), but one of the things I've always loved about the band is that they seem willing to toss a weird little vignette or a strange little song about nothing in particular onto an album, whereas most bands generally save these for the archives or a bonus disc, or never release them at all.
I suppose I shouldn't complain. They Might Be Giants could have easily allowed the 23 fine tracks on the bonus disc to remain unheard outside of podcast or dial-a-song venues. I just wish they'd loosen up a bit, I guess.
But enough complaining...after all, like I said, The Else is a very good album. One that I'll be listening to regularly. I suppose it's just that, being used to getting twenty or so songs for so long, thirteen is kind of a disappointment. I thought the same thing when Factory Showroom came out. But I still listen to that album; I still think it's great. It doesn't bother me anymore that it's relatively short. I'll feel the same way about The Else someday soon. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy it for what it is. They Might Be Giants' 12th Album.

5 out of 5 stars Everything else........2007-07-10

The album itself is amazing. (With tracks produced by the dust brothers)! And on top of that, the bonus disc of 23 tracks that have been online at one time or another during podcasts doesn't hurt! You have to buy this.
Facing Future
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great CD my Dad just loved it!
  • A Beautiful Voice...A Beautiful man
  • Lovely
  • BEAUTIFUL!!!
  • Gives Goose Bumps
 Facing Future
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Manufacturer: Mountain Apple Company
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Ka 'Ano'i

ASIN: B00000JFG3
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

  1. Hawai'i '78 introduction
  2. Ka Huila Wai
  3. 'Ama'ama
  4. Panini Pua Kea
  5. Take Me Home Country Road
  6. Kuhio Bay
  7. Ka Pua U'i
  8. White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i
  9. Henehene Kou 'Aka
  10. La 'Elima
  11. Pili Me Ka'u Manu
  12. Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man
  13. Kaulana Kawaihae
  14. Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World
  15. Hawai'i '78

Amazon.com

To gauge the magnitude of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's popularity in his native Hawaii, consider this: following his death in 1997 (at age 38, attributed to his profound obesity), Kamakawiwo'ole's body lay in state in the state capitol, only the second person to receive such an honor. Kamakawiwo'ole's appeal lies in his love for prestatehood, precondominium Hawaii and the expressiveness of his gently passionate voice, which can float through higher registers with an ease that brings Johnny Mathis to mind. Several selections ("Ka Pua U'i," "White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i," the sun-kissed "La 'Elima") feature Kamakawiwo'ole in a traditional mood, using only his ukulele to adorn the charm of his native lyricism. Others, such as the Jimmy Buffett-like "Maui Hawaiian Sup'pa Man" add playful contemporary touches that suit Kamakawiwo'ole's style. Most touching are the string-backed laments that open and close the album, "Hawai'i '78 Introduction" and "Hawai'i '78," initially a reflection on his father's death, later on the passing of Hawaii's native culture. Best known is his medley "Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World," which played over the closing credits of the film Meet Joe Black. --Terry Wood

Album Description

There's a smart balance of traditional Hawaiiana and contemporary tunes on this CD. There's heart-tugging warmth along with unexpected chuckles. The end result is a candid, honest reinforcement of his vocal breadth.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great CD my Dad just loved it!.......2007-07-12

I got this CD for my dad for fathers day and he just LOVES it. He listens to it all the time and brings it with him to play at family events. I recommend it for anyone looking for fun but relaxing music, its really perfect for any gathering.

5 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Voice...A Beautiful man.......2007-07-12

A wonderful gift of music...performed with the sincerity and artistry of a true lover of music, life and home.

4 out of 5 stars Lovely.......2007-07-04

I first heard this song by IZ "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the end of the movie "Fifty First Dates" and I liked it. Then I heard it over the intercom at work. At that time, I did not know who sang it but I liked it so much I searched the net and found it here on Amazon. I love the music and the way he put the 2 songs together, it's very soothing and Israel had a wonderful voice. This is one of those tunes that stays in my head forever. I love the cd even if I only listen to that one song. Sometimes my 6 year old granddaughter asks me to hear my "Rainbow Song"!

5 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL!!!.......2007-06-27

This man has the most beautiful voice, spirit and soul. I received the CD in the mail yesterday 6/26/07. That day marked 10yrs that IZ had passed -the sun was out and it rained for 5 minutes...there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

5 out of 5 stars Gives Goose Bumps.......2007-06-27

What a voice for a big man. He will be missed forever, but his voice keeps his spirit alive in this fantastic CD.
Eyes Open
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Has some good pop hooks but boring
  • Tell you what! This sure will have ur EYES OPEN
  • Love this album
  • Excellent rock/pop music
  • Their best work yet
 Eyes Open
Snow Patrol
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. How To Save A Life
  2. Final Straw
  3. Under the Iron Sea
  4. Sam's Town
  5. Grey's Anatomy, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000F3UADO
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

  1. You're All I Have
  2. Hands Open
  3. Chasing Cars
  4. Shut Your Eyes
  5. It's Beginning To Get To Me
  6. You Could Be Happy
  7. Make This Go On Forever
  8. Set The Fire To The Third Bar
  9. Headlights On Dark Roads
  10. Open Your Eyes
  11. The Finish Line

Amazon.com

Snow Patrol are frequently compared to Coldplay in the press, which seems strange as they write far better songs and do not appear to be quite so self-hating, nor as rich. Their delightfully dour little pop songs do touch on the melancholic side of things, but the lyrics are wonderfully slice-of-life descriptions. Singer/lyricist Gary Lightbody gives a shout-out to Sufjan Stevens when on the punchy "Open Your Eyes" he sings, "The anger swells in my guts." Perhaps a better comparison would be American indie-rock act Sebadoh? Regardless, this band continues to surprise. If you went to see this mixed Scottish/Irish group on tour after hearing their wistful, breakout third album Final Straw, you might have been a bit confused by the rock juggernaut confronting you. Eyes Open is their most straightforwardly rock record yet, and thanks in large part to producer Garret Lee, it's their best. If there was ever perfect music to get lost to while driving around confused about a relationship, this is it. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

"There are swaggering bands, bands who are in your face. And then there are bands who get hold of you somewhere else. I think it's a heart thing, an intimacy thing. Like you know them and they know you. I think we are one of those bands." So says Snow Patrol singer and chief songwriter Gary Lightbody.

And all the proof you'll need is Snow Patrol's new album Eyes Open, a collection of songs which more than makes good on the promise of its predecessor, 2004's two million selling Final Straw.

Values: beautiful powerful songs underscored by some of the most poignant and telling lyrics in rock. Eyes Open is Snow Patrol's post card from the cliff edge. It's going to be hard to ignore these songs in 2006.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Has some good pop hooks but boring.......2007-07-09

A couple of years ago one of my favorite songs on the radio was Snow Patrol's "Run". The song was addictively melodic. I could not get that song out of my head. Last year they did it again with the single "Chasing Cars". I finally got around to checking out their latest album EYES OPEN. I can't deny that the band has talent in writing catchy pop/rock songs however they have yet to demonstrate that they are capable of diversifying their bland, dull, and predictable pop/rock sound. The cd starts off pretty good but halfway through the cd, the quality of the songs goes south for me. Ballads like "The Finish Line" are pretty weak. I find the vocals on this particular track quite grating on my nerves. I did like the song with Martha Wainwright on vocals. That was a lovely song. Overall Snow Patrol reminds me why I find "alternative" music so wimpy and annoying. Let me just say Snow Patrol is NOT indie rock. It's kinda hard to be considered indie rock when you are on a major recording label.

5 out of 5 stars Tell you what! This sure will have ur EYES OPEN.......2007-07-04

Ok, I really do love Snow Patrol, so when I heard that their new album was out, and heard Chasing Cars on Grey's Anatomy, I really had to get it.
and I was not disappointed. The style is quite different than Final Straw, their previous album, but that made me like it even more. I think it's more alternative rock (more rock) than the last album.
Personally, my favorite song is Hands Open, which is the second song on the cd. All of the songs are preformed by Gary Lightbody . The 8th song on the cd is called Set the Fire to the Third Bar, which is preformed by both Gary Lightbody and Martha Wainwright. This is another of my fav. songs, because both singers harmonize really well together, making it sound awesome.
I love this kind of music, especially Snow Patrol, cause the lyrics are easy to understand, and really make you thing. So take the time to sit back and listen.

5 out of 5 stars Love this album.......2007-07-03

I love this album. I was enamoured of the Chasing Cars song from radio and decided to check out the rest of the CD. I am very pleased with the purchase. In addition to Chasing Cars, You're All I Have and Shut Your Eyes are standout songs. I plan to check out the older albums from Snow Patrol.

4 out of 5 stars Excellent rock/pop music.......2007-06-30

Snow Patrol dishes up a very good pop/rock album. It reminds me of the style of Gin Blossoms and Vertical Horizon. The music ranges from the edgy "You're All I Have" to the ballade "You Could Be Happy". The latter is sung over what sounds like a music box. Personally, the best of the album is the desperate "Set Fire to the Third Bar" about a couple separated by a distance that longs for each other. What is equally satisfying is that there are no bad songs on this album. It remains evenly good with spikes of greatness.

The highlight of the band is singer Gary Lightbody. He's not going to win any awards, but he is a very competent singer that sounds good in front of the full band to over a simple acoustic guitar. His voice is pure with no signs of studio manipulation or massive overdubbing to mask intonation or tonal issues.

The lyrics on the album are very good. They would be great as a teenager pining over love lost or broken. But, Gary stays away from the common cliches, sappiness, or just stupidity. Instead he has penned some smart lyrics for a genre not known for smart lyrics.

The production on the album is perfectly fine. It could use a bit more brightness and a little more bass. It comes across as slightly flat but EQ seems to fix it pretty well. Otherwise it was recorded clean without overproduction. It sounds like this band should be able to reproduce its sound pretty well live.

Overall I give Snow Patrol's Eyes Open a 20 out of 25, or B+. It's relatively disposable music that is well done and deserves a few months in your CD player.

4 out of 5 stars Their best work yet.......2007-06-27

Some of the filler tracks are still a bit lacking, but this band is improving with every album they make. Fans of their previous work will love this album.
Songs About Jane
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • songs about jane
  • Just the best!
  • Awesome CD
  • rock guy
  • A classic for any music fan!!!
 Songs About Jane
Maroon 5
Manufacturer: Octone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006879E
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

  1. Harder to Breathe
  2. This Love
  3. Shiver
  4. She Will Be Loved
  5. Tangled
  6. The Sun
  7. Must Get Out
  8. Sunday Morning
  9. Secret
  10. Through With You
  11. Not Coming Home (Live)
  12. Sweetest Goodbye

Amazon.com

Maroon 5 aren't the first band to fuse R&B and rock, but they certainly are one of the most convincing. One can almost hear Stevie Wonder's beaded braids clattering in time to their deep, funky grooves. At best, the band conjures up latter-day Motown, complete with a shuddering organ and hyperbolic vocals; at worst, they sound like a stylized boy band, with all the attendant close harmonies and dramatic pauses. But despite these musical schisms, Maroon 5 are a thoroughly engaging outfit, thanks to throbbing bass lines, hooky songs, and lead singer Adam Levin's swaggering delivery. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars songs about jane.......2007-07-13

love the song "this love" has great sound and i love the pausing between lericks.
this love has taken a toll on me she said goodbye to many times before.
Great Song!

5 out of 5 stars Just the best!.......2007-07-06

Awesome cd! I'm so glad I discovered this group. They remind me of Queen in their heyday! Love them!!

5 out of 5 stars Awesome CD.......2007-06-27

I usually listen to country or classic rock but I had heard a few Maroon 5 songs and liked them. I am so glad I took a chance and bought this CD. All I can say is AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME! They have such a cool, unique sound. I highly recommend this CD.

4 out of 5 stars rock guy.......2007-06-27

not as good as the second cd. the tracks tangled and harder to breathe are great alternative rock songs.

5 out of 5 stars A classic for any music fan!!!.......2007-06-24

After hearing the second album in it's entirety, I had to buy this one immediately. In an age where it seems like 2-3 songs are single-worthy and all the rest is filler, it's absolutely refreshing to find two CD's that I don't want to skip ANY of the songs! Each album is as close to near perfect in their own different ways. I can't find fault with 5 guys who sing, write, and play their own stuff and you can't fault them for finding commercial success. They do an amazing job of writing evocative lyrics, blending all of their instruments so that no one person stands out, while Levine adds his haunting and individual voice on top. Add everything together and it's no wonder this album is such a staple for a music fan's collection regardless of their favorite genre.

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