Razorblade Smile [EP]

razorblade smile [ep]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Spawning from the Florida wastelands from metal outfits Bloodlet, Measured in Grey, and Bible of the Self, this powerful, diverse, metallic band crashes through the boundaries of commonality with a furious debut release weighted with a calculated madness and reckless devastation. 6 tracks. Ides Of March Records. 2002.

Razorblade Smile,Hope & Suicide,At Dawn We Wage War,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Razorblade Smile [EP]
SMiLE
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • " Smile".........It never really was.
  • You should have this album
  • Superb
  • Nice Project To Finish; Nice Concept Album
  • Great music, corny lyrics
 SMiLE
Brian Wilson
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Pet Sounds
  2. Brian Wilson presents SMiLE
  3. Sunflower/Surf's Up
  4. Smiley Smile/Wild Honey
  5. Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson

ASIN: B0002LI11M
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

  1. Our Prayer/Gee
  2. Heroes and Villians
  3. Roll Plymouth Rock
  4. Barnyard
  5. Old Master Painter/You are My Sunshine
  6. Cabin Essence
  7. Wonderful
  8. Song For Children
  9. Child is Father of the Man
  10. Surf's Up
  11. I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop
  12. Vega-Tables
  13. On a Holiday
  14. Wind Chimes
  15. Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
  16. In Blue Hawaii
  17. Good Vibrations

Album Description

Smile is inarguably the most long-awaited album in modern pop history. It's been more than 37 years since the title first appeared on a label release schedule, intended as the January 1967 follow-up to the groundbreaking art-rock of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. But Smile never made its initial release date. Today, this album is not a mere reconstruction of past performances, but something entirely new, a serious summation of a project that has been gestating for nearly four decades.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars " Smile".........It never really was........2007-07-07

To those of us that were around at the time,we heard all the rumors,all the hype,the anticipation that Smile was the genius follow-up to Pet Sounds. I seem to remember that Brian left the Smile project unfinished, because he had a serious mental meltdown, and has never been quite the same, since. Chopped up the master of what WAS done.We all thought that it was the masterpiece, that never quite was, and probably would never be. Well....nothing that Brian does today,never quite surprises me. After 30-odd years, he decides to complete Smile.I thought, " OK. Let's see". I wish that I could have joined all of those that think that this was worth the wait. I can't. Brian should have left this alone, and simply just let the legendary Smile project be, what it was---a memory that could have been, but wasn't.

2 out of 5 stars You should have this album.......2007-07-06

I am a huge Brian Wilson fan. I love what he has done and respect him very much.
Putting aside all this folklore and history assocaited with the album, this record is just ok. I used to listen to it thinking it was so good. Having heard the old soundbites and seeing Brian in concert. I slowly stopped listening to it. Then I decided to pop it in recently and I was very surpised to find that I really didnt want to hear any of the songs. I find them very silly and goofy, they dont need a girl singing on the album, and the vocals arent great.

5 out of 5 stars Superb.......2007-05-09

People seem to go either one way or the other on this album. I see the same thing in the revews of the "Citizen Kane" DVD -you'll find quite a few one-star reviews among the five star ones there. That's fine with me; it takes all types. I just think this is wonderful music for people who really enjoy music for itself, not just as a soundtrack while they're cleaning the house. There are sections that are so gorgeous they would be milked to death on a modern pop album; here they last a minute or less. I particularly like the segue into "Wind Chimes", and the whole third suite: its powerful, complex, fully realised music. I was prepared to be let down by this but it was worth the wait.

5 out of 5 stars Nice Project To Finish; Nice Concept Album.......2007-04-01

Being not the biggest Beach Boys historian as I am about other groups (Yes, Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc.), I didn't know the story about this album. Recently I read about it after listening to a Beach Boys greatest hits compilation. I was very intrigued by it (viewing it as buried treasure that virtually no one has ever heard). I immediately ordered it and Pet Sounds. I've always read about Pet Sounds and what a big album it is. However, I never got it. I always only had "Greatest Hits" albums of the Beach Boys.
I was not disappointed. The Sgt. Pepper era of the Beatles is the era of the Beatles I like the best. Pet Sounds and Smile add to my like of that era. Both get 5 stars.
After receiving the Smile cd, I immediately printed out a copy of the Beach Boys Smile album cover that never got used and put it over the Smile cover that came with the cd. I suppose Brian choose not to include that photo in the booklet that came with the cd due to the fact that the other members of the Beach Boys had nothing to do with Smile. Also, it may have had to do with legal reasons or, simply, his disinterest in including the story about the cover in the booklet. To him, Smile is His project, not the Beach Boys. And it is...as well as virtually every Beach Boys song from the 60's and 70's. To me, Brian Wilson IS the Beach Boys. There are a couple of songs on the cd that I didn't care for. But 95% of it I like. The cd will definately grow on me. The new version of Good Vibrations is very nice. It's nice to hear the lyrics that Brian originally intended to have for that masterpiece.
However, I would never play this album to the casual Beach Boys fan, or to one that only knows the "Hits". This cd will not be to their liking. Because, as previously mentioned, it is a concept album, NOT a "singles" album.
I love progressive rock, art rock, or whatever you like to call it. Groups like Yes, ELP, Genesis, Camel, etc. are my type of music. I like music that is creative, not the run of the mill stuff. I get bored with that stuff real easy. Country bores me too death!
My hat goes off to Brian for this masterpiece. It's so good that he never forgot it and finally let us hear what was in his mind back in the 60's and today. Though I feel some of it may have been influenced due to his drug use (I could be wrong), I still admire it. To me, you don't have to be on drugs to write such classics as Dark Side Of The Moon, Sgt. Pepper, Close To The Edge, etc. You just have to have a creative mind that doesn't care about the trends. My Hat Off To You, Brian!!

4 out of 5 stars Great music, corny lyrics.......2007-03-24

This music on this album is quite good, but the lyrics are just goofy, irrelevant and boring. The don't really seem to make much sense beyond one man's fantasies about 19th century agriculture. Good for him, but who cares? It's a shame really because it marrs what is otherwise some truly great music. They should have just left the lyrics out.
Smile, It's the End of the World
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • "Extremely catchy" by BJ
  • Not the End of the World for This Band...
  • It's OK
  • Not really a kid, i just dont wanna get an acount....well actaully im 15 but...
  • unbeliveable
 Smile, It's the End of the World
Hawk Nelson
Manufacturer: Tooth & Nail Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Letters to the President
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ASIN: B000EOTF0S
Release Date: 2006-08-21

Tracks:

  1. The One Thing I Have Left
  2. The Show
  3. Bring 'Em Out
  4. Everything You Ever Wanted
  5. Something On My Mind
  6. Is Forever Enough
  7. Zero
  8. Nothing Left To Show
  9. Head On Collision
  10. Hello
  11. It's Over
  12. Fourteen

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "Extremely catchy" by BJ.......2007-03-29

As soon as I heard Hawk Nelson at the 2007 Winter Jam Tour in Mobile, AL, I knew I just HAD to get one of their CDs. A couple days later my dad picked up "Smile, It's The End of the World" for me, and since then my sister and I have been blasting this CD on her stereo almost daily! Every song is extremely catchy, especially "Everything You Ever Wanted", "Zero", and "Head On Collision". At times the band could start to "scream" instead of "sing", and some of the songs sound almost non-Christian, but the album is still better than average. When I say that some of the songs are almost "non-Christian", I mean that they turn into almost "love" songs. Also, this album ISN'T for adults or young children--I think only teens will enjoy this one.
However, all in all this CD is still one of my favorites--and Hawk Nelson seems like Stellar Kart's twin!!

5 out of 5 stars Not the End of the World for This Band..........2007-02-26

From the first time I heard "Every Little Thing" from Hawk Nelson's first CD, I have loved this band. Fortunately and unfortunately, they have greatly matured from their first album to create Smile, It's the End of the World. While traces of their old style remain, this album sounds much different than their last one. While it is still as "unfocused" as their past work, this album is on a different side of the pop/rock spectrum. Fans of the old record might be appalled by the change of style, as was I, but will most likely be quickly converted. Every song has something to offer. Some are happy and poppy, others edgier, and some even throw in a little Gospel flare.

Overall, this is a CD that does what it does right. No matter the atmosphere of the song, it is communicated effectively, and ultimately catchy. No one who enjoys this genre should miss out on this one.

3 out of 5 stars It's OK.......2007-02-02

This album has a light, fun sounding feel to it. It is intended to appeal to teenagers and seems to have a sound that they like.

It is rather meaningless lyrically. It is full of fluff and little meaningful content. Hawk Nelson is purported to be a Christian band, but I heard nothing in this album that would validate that. Some of the songs are boy-girl love songs. Some others are hard to tell what they are even about - mainly nonsense.

In spite of the fairly trivial nature of the lyrics, there is nothing offensive about them. This is not an album that parents would need to worry about being a bad influence on kids.

There is one song that sounds pretty good: 'Everything You Ever Wanted'. A couple of others are kind of catchy.

Overall, it is an ok album. It is not one that I particularly enjoy, but I'm sure it has some appeal for its intended audience.

5 out of 5 stars Not really a kid, i just dont wanna get an acount....well actaully im 15 but..........2007-01-19

ok, whoever said that fall out boy is a poser band, you should do some research before you say something like that. Just so you know, they had THREE albums out before they got popular, and, ever think that maybe people listend to them when they "sucked"?? Just because the band got popular DOES NOT mean that they are posers, are people who were listening to them before From Under The Cork Tree, are gonna listen to Good Charlotte.. and why does it matter if someone likes Good Charlotte, or some other "poser"?? Oh, and i happen to know for an absolute fact that fall out boy is not in it for the money, although i know that they enjoy the money(Who wouldnt). Trust me, i KNOW that. Anyways, i really like this cd. There right up there with Panic! At The Disco and Cobra Starship in my favourites. I really like Bring Em Out. Oh, and one more thing: if you dont like a band, dont bash them in front of people you know love them. It's not a good idea =) BUY THIS CD!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars unbeliveable.......2006-11-04

there are many songs and groupos that i like but this tops it!(aside from relient k) the songs are so amazing! great guitar playing and his voice fits the music...it's soooo cool! get it it is totally worth it!
Smiley Smile/Wild Honey
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • An Elegantly Flawed Disc
  • Goodbye Surfing, Hello God !
  • Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars
  • Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars
  • An awesome CD!
 Smiley Smile/Wild Honey
The Beach Boys
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Friends/20/20
  2. Sunflower/Surf's Up
  3. Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights)
  4. Little Deuce Coupe/ All Summer Long
  5. Carl & The Passions - So Tough / Holland

ASIN: B00005ABX0
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Heroes And Villains
  2. Vegetables
  3. Fall Breaks And Back To Winter (Woody Woodpecker Symphony)
  4. She's Goin' Bald
  5. Little Pad
  6. Good Vibrations
  7. With Me Tonight
  8. Wind Chimes
  9. Gettin' Hungry
  10. Wonderful
  11. Whistle In
  12. Wild Honey
  13. Aren't You Glad
  14. I Was Made To Love Her
  15. Country Air
  16. A Thing Or Two
  17. Darlin'
  18. I'd Love Just Once To See You
  19. Here Comes The Night
  20. Let The Wind Blow
  21. How She Boogalooed It
  22. Mama Says
  23. Heroes And Villains (Alternate Take)
  24. Good Vibrations (Various Sessions)
  25. Good Vibrations (Early Take)
  26. You're Welcome
  27. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
  28. Can't Wait Too Long

Amazon.com

These albums mark nothing less than a watershed in the Beach Boys' and Brian Wilson's careers. Fresh from the artistic triumph of Pet Sounds and the landmark single "Good Vibrations," Wilson began work on Smile, a project that would become a music fan's Rashomon: pop's most (in)famous unreleased album; artistic Waterloo for Wilson; near career-ruination for the band. Smile seemed an attempt to expand on the jigsaw session methodology Wilson had applied to "Vibrations." What went wrong has been debated for decades, but Smiley Smile was the album that followed in the summer of '67--a "bunt instead of a home run," as Carl Wilson admitted. Bookended by the glories of the "Vibrations" single and its truncated follow-up, "Heroes and Villains," Smiley can seem an exercise in creative schizophrenia. There's an earthy quality to remakes of Smile tracks "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," and "Wonderful," while Wilson's "Fall Breaks," "Little Pad," and "Whistle In" underscore his playful, off-center instincts. But this album also anticipated the roots-conscious retrenchment that the Beatles and Bob Dylan would undertake at the end of the '60s.

Wild Honey has taken its place as a cult fave among fans, and rightly so. Its surprising R&B influences (epitomized by the buoyant title track, "Darlin'," and "Here Comes the Night") were not only a brave turn for a band just then at a low ebb, but a prescient pointer to the black music explosion of the early '70s. This great twofer edition includes some of the series' best tracks: a near seven-minute "in progress" suite of "Good Vibrations" outtakes as well as a complete early version; the odd, Smile-era B-side "You're Welcome"; a beautiful live rehearsal rendition of the a cappella showcase "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring"; and another suite of edited session takes for the unreleased standout "Can't Wait Too Long." -Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars An Elegantly Flawed Disc.......2007-05-22

I feel that this grouping of albums is a blessing in that you can get two important but slightly flawed albums of Tehe Beach Boys for a low price. The music is unbelievable especially Smiley Smile. It is exhilirating to hear Brian Wilson's genius in this stripped-down form. What is there just teases you as to what it would have been if all the problems of Smile hadn't occured. The second half, Wild Honey, is just fun Beach Boys, no psychedelia at all, just fun. It's a great summer album all together, the first half for when your blazing, the second for when your driving around in the hot summer air. I recommend this album.

5 out of 5 stars Goodbye Surfing, Hello God !.......2006-07-16

Smiley Smile - The "released" version of Smile is here in a smaller scale. If you ever wanted to hear what the Beach Boys would sound like on Hashish and laying on their backs while singing harmony stoned, get this, it's really good.
Wild Honey - White soul before there was white soul and 10 years before Hall & Oates and the white Philly soul movement, The Beach Boys did it in 1967.

3 out of 5 stars Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars.......2005-11-16

Smiley Smile simply is the moment when the Beach Boys died. It maybe impossible to imagine now, but up to 1966 the Beach Boys were as respected as artists as the Beatles. Smiley Smile is a rushed album, with practically no instrumentation whatsoever and many under-rehearsed vocals, except for Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villians. If Capitol ever releases a Smile box set as they promised, Smiley Smile will be then send to oblivion, in the hall of shame where it belongs. The world never took the beach boys seriously after that. Wild Honey is actually a very good album, not better than Pet Sounds or Smile, but different than anything they ever did before. Some of the songs and arrangements are totally Brian Wilson at his best. Some of the 'soul' vocals I find difficult to digest and I miss the Beach boys blend on the songs. The extra tracks on the album are ESSENTIAL to any serious beach boys fan, so, if you are, you need this album.

5 out of 5 stars Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars.......2005-08-23

Letting go of the "what could have beens" with Smile hasn't been easy for many Beach Boys fans- yet it tarnishes a lot of what they did afterwards. There have been many bands that have had aborted projects- some songs found life in other projects. In the progression of The Beach Boys circa 1966-67 there's Pet Sounds, the "Good Vibrations" single, Smiley Smile, and then Wild Honey. There was a time when I might I have thought that Smiley Smile and Wild Honey were steps back artistically; especially when I would put myself to wondering about the aborted Smile project; but in my maturity the steps back artistically have become steps forward humanly. The proceeding albums had less flair and "ambition"; the staple became more and more friendly and subtle- especially when you include the wonderful Friends album.


The enormous ambition that was so much the core of Brian Wilson's progress had turned into personal flights of fancy. The remnants of this, Smile, was rerecorded and turned into Smiley Smile. Parts spooky and haunting, parts comical and silly, the music is complex yet at times astonishingly simple- it was an exorcism and slow return to being the Beach Boys. One major change that started occurring during the recording of this album is that the Beach Boys started recording the music themselves without the assistance of the Wrecking Crew (a famous group of LA session musicians).

Although I have preferred the "Smile" versions of Wonderful, Vegetables, Wind Chimes they are not without plenty of charm. She's Going Bald and Little Pad are fun ditties that have some experimental elements. Although this is a personal estimation I think some of the songs could be very disregarded by the most serious fans such as Fall Breaks Back Into Winter and Getting' Hungry.


Within the same year they had switched tracks to a much more earthy less psychedelic sound. The result is the highly enjoyable Wild Honey. This is a truly great album by the Beach Boys- this was their back to basics album with a new found interest in R&B. It was a group effort on many levels- the song writing was very good and the performances had a passion and honesty that I have found on Pet Sounds without the self indulgence. Songs like Darlin', Wild Honey, Here Comes The Night and Aren't You Glad are on my list of top Beach Boys songs. The Stevie Wonder cover I Was Made To Love Her is actually a surprisingly good cover; Carl sounds quite soulful.

Finally I have to mention Let The Wind Blow- a touching reminder of the power of love- the deepest and most important thing in the world. The sentiment came during a time when many were writing protest songs about everything that was wrong with the world. The simplicity of the desire to give and feel love to one special person in his life resonates so strongly in contrast to the protests and criticisms of inhumanity. The song itself is so simple that it's easy to past right by it but with the feeling of the song hits you it is a sincere plea for more love.


The bonus tracks a cool- there is an amazing live recording from another aborted album; Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring is a cover of a Four Freshmen song that harkens back to Brian's youth. There's also a good version of Can't Wait Too Long once again from the Smile sessions.


I highly recommend these albums. They come as a twofer but both albums are remarkably short; many albums back then clocked in at 40 minutes long because of the time constraints of records-- Wild Honey is only 23 minutes long!)
Also check out Sunflower, Friends, Holland, and Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blues (if you can find it) all top notch albums.

5 out of 5 stars An awesome CD!.......2005-08-22

Smiley Smile is a terrific album, and definitely should rank among the most underrated, overlooked masterpieces of the last 200 years.

Sure, it wasn't "SMiLE", but it stands alone as a great work of art with its own merits. The songs, "Heroes and Villains", "Good Vibrations", and the several rare bonus tracks make the CD well worth buying, yet the CD offers much more than that.

If you like offbeat, eclectic songs, you will love Smiley Smile. This stuff is far wackier and stranger than anything the Beatles, Pink Floyd, or anyone else was doing at the time, or really since. But the songs aren't just strange and mystifying; they're also quite beautiful and enchanting.

The vocal harmony work on Smiley Smile is among the best the group ever did. The instrumentation is sparse on some songs, and deliciously rich and intricate on others. The album is an amazing tapestry of wild sound effects, beautiful vocals, haunting instrumentation, gorgeous melodies, psychedelic clownery, and genius concepts.

I could go on and on about Smiley Smile. It's one of my personal favorite albums and I never get tired of listening to it. But Smiley Smile is only half (in volume) of what the CD offers. I don't have much to say about Wild Honey other than there are several good songs on it, and it's a solid album with a consistent sound. The production is minimal as is most of the instrumentation. Overall, it's a good album worth owning if you like the Beach Boys.

The bonus tracks on this disc are just amazing. You get to hear an alternate version of Heroes and Villains often referred to as the "Cantina" version, and some of the tracking sessions for Good Vibrations, which is really quite cool. There's also a wonderful a capella song, originally from the 4 Freshman, that the Boys do with incredible grace and remarkable beauty. "Can't Wait Too Long" is apparently a SMiLE-era outtake that was never used, but it's hard to see why; it's a great song.

Basically, if you are a Beach Boys enthusiast and really like Brian's experimental side, you must get this CD. These Capitol "two-fers" are a great value, and this one in particular is a real gem.
Tick, Tick... Boom! (2001 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Vocally Dazzling Esparza Rides High on an Exuberant Pre-"Rent" Larson Score
  • Great tunes - great lyrics - great harmonies
  • Love the Music
  • Larson Lives
  • Fantastic Music, but i wouldnt want to see it live
 Tick, Tick... Boom! (2001 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Jonathan Larson , Amy Spanger , and Raul Esparza
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005NQK5
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

  1. 30/90
  2. Green Green Dress
  3. Johnny Can't Decide
  4. Sunday
  5. No More
  6. Therapy
  7. Real Life
  8. Sugar
  9. See Her Smile
  10. Come To Your Senses
  11. Why
  12. Louder Than Words
  13. Boho Days
  14. 30/90 Playout

Amazon.com

Rent is usually treated as Jonathan Larson's one and only show, but the truth is that he had a career--albeit a hitless one--before that blockbuster. There was a musical titled JP Morgan Saves the Nation with lyrics by Jeffrey M. Jones and music by Larson. And there was Tick, Tick... Boom!, an autobiographical piece that Larson workshopped for a while before setting it aside and finishing Rent.

In 2001, Tick, Tick is getting a full off-Broadway production, and it's a rather endearing one. Lyrics have never been Larson's strong point, but he was a hell of a melodic composer--and the score here is even poppier than that of Rent (think Top 40 rather than Sondheim). It's hard to pick favorite songs: "Green Green Dress" is built on a rollicking piano boogie, for instance, and "Real Life" and "See Her Smile" are the kind of elegiac ballad that Larson would later perfect with "Seasons of Love." Luckily, this show has a lot more to offer than mere youthful musings. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Vocally Dazzling Esparza Rides High on an Exuberant Pre-"Rent" Larson Score.......2007-06-16

Perhaps it's a coincidence that the immensely talented Raúl Esparza plays a character dreading his 30th birthday in this 2001 recording of the hit off-Broadway show by the late Jonathan Larson, while five years later, he would play the elliptical Bobby dreading his 35th birthday in the enthralling 2006 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company. In both performances, Esparza shows a true affinity for capturing the angst of men undergoing transitional points in their lives which render them emotionally paralyzed. At first glance, Sondheim and Larson would not seem like kindred spirits, but both share a gift for sophisticated lyrics in an unmistakable musical style defined by their oeuvres. Larson even pays tribute to Sondheim in the story's climax and with the sardonic, work-is-hell "Sunday", a take-off of the song with the same name in Sunday in the Park with George.

However, it is the familiar Larson sound of Rent that is heard most in this score - driving, rock-out rhythms with unavoidable pop hooks and yearning, piano-driven ballads. Even the opener, "30/90", is a virtual sound-alike of the bigger show's title tune. If the songs are not quite as polished or even memorable as those in Rent, they feel more personal because the autobiographical story is far more intimate in scale. Set in 1990 in the same SoHo neighborhood as Rent, it's a simple three-character piece about Jon, an aspiring composer who considers giving up his dreams on the verge of his 30th birthday. With charismatic fire, Esparza is equally adept using his beautifully expressive voice in a rock milieu as in a Sondheim character study. He brings energetic brio to finger-snapping rockers like the Twinkie-induced "Sugar" and especially shines on the ballads, "See Her Smile" and the revelatory "Why".

With a slightly pinched voice that reminds me a bit of the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, Amy Spanger as girlfriend Susan duets nicely with Esparza on the touching "Johnny Can't Decide", the rocking "Green Green Dress", and the comical self-help wordplay of "Therapy". Her shining solo moment comes with the knockout ballad, "Come to Your Senses". As Jon's embattled pal Michael, Jerry Dixon provides powerful vocals, bringing particular warmth to "Real Life" and grit to the fed-up rave "No More". The trio closes the show powerfully with the anthem-like "Louder Than Words". The overall score is a bit derivative and a tad too earnest, but the youthful zest of the cast and Larson's pop craftsmanship more than compensate. Two bonus tracks are offered at the end - an instrumental replay of the opener, "30/90 Playout" and a rare recording of Larson singing "Boho Days" a capella with propulsive hand claps.

5 out of 5 stars Great tunes - great lyrics - great harmonies.......2006-11-04

If you are a fan of the late great Mr. Larson you will love this music. Okay, I have seen the play a couple of times so I know what happens between the songs but this, his autobiography, really moved me. Even my kids like the Green Dress Song.

I hope you like it... The theme is "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" rings true today as the day he wrote it.

John we miss you.

5 out of 5 stars Love the Music.......2006-08-22

I saw this play a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed the music, so I got the CD. The voices, and lyrics are amazing! However, as I often find with CDs of musicals, there wasn't always the right feeling in the voice, particularly in "Therapy" where couple ought to be angry at each other, and it seems more cute on the CD.

4 out of 5 stars Larson Lives.......2006-05-06

I love Tick, Tick... Boom! The show is quite refreshing. The show works so well with three actors. I LOVE "30/90" and "Louder Than Words." Both speak really strongly to the audience because they both are really relatable to anyone's life. Admittedly the middle of the show drags a little, and Spangler's voice can be chipmunkish at times. However those are minor detractions when it comes to this show. It is especially moving if you know Jonathan's story. It is no Rent, but the short piece is really moving

4 out of 5 stars Fantastic Music, but i wouldnt want to see it live.......2006-04-30

I was soo soo very pleased with the music from "Tick...Tick..BOOM!". Rock Operas are my favorite type of musical theatre, and i must say this is one of the best. The storyline, however, although dealing with bohemian problems like AIDS, rehersals, love, didnt meet the power of the music. It was taken from Johnathans original one-man show and made into a three-man show. This was the only way possible to make this conversion, but still it was a dull storyline only going over the time period of one day in the day in the life of Johnathan Larson. Yes, it was an important day, his thirtieth birthday and his friend annoucing that he is HIV positive, but none of this happens until the end. The show lacks obsession, and in order to make a good musical storyline there has to be an obsession. Luckily, the weak storyline is backed with fantastic music, perhaps even better than Rent. 30/90 is my all time favorite song EVER i have listened to it over and over and still am not sick of it. other favorite tracks include:
30/90
Green Green Dress
No More
Sugar
Come To Your Senses (originally from Superbia)
Louder Than Words
and i also enjoy the rest of the songs as well.
Smile ~ Songs from the Movies
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Anything but corporate country...
  • not really a Lyle Lovett album
  • ok.. but not classic Lyle
  • eclectic genius
  • More Corporate Country
 Smile ~ Songs from the Movies
Lyle Lovett
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. My Baby Don't Tolerate
  2. The Road to Ensenada
  3. Lyle Lovett and His Large Band
  4. Pontiac
  5. Step Inside This House

ASIN: B000089H9U
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

  1. Blue Skies (from With Honors)
  2. Straighten Up & Fly Right (from Dear God)
  3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (from Kissing Jessica Stein)
  4. Smile (from Hope Floats)
  5. Moritat (Mack The Knife) (from Quiz Show)
  6. Summer Wind (from For The Love Of The game)
  7. What'd I Say (from Where The Heart Is)
  8. Tile The Sun Shines (w/ Keb Mo) (from Mumford)
  9. You've Got A Friend In Me (w/Randy Newman) (from Toy Story)
  10. Walking Tall (from Stuart Little)
  11. Pass Me Not (w/George Duke) (from Leap Of Faith)
  12. I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord (from The Apostle)

Amazon.com

If it hadn't been so long since Lyle Lovett released an album of original songs--that would be 1996's Road to Ensenada--Smile might seem more significant than it really is. Not that it doesn't contain some wonderful music. But like Step Inside This House, Lovett's 1998 tribute to his favorite Texas singer-songwriters, Smile only whets the appetite for more original material. The concept is simple enough: take 12 songs that Lovett has recorded for various movies since 1992 and put them all on one disc. The crowd-pleaser "You've Got a Friend in Me," his Toy Story duet with Randy Newman, is probably the most familiar of the bunch, followed by Burt Bacharach and Tim Rice's wistful "Walking Tall," from Stuart Little. Even better, though, are the ones that may have slipped through the cracks, such as the gospel standard "Pass Me Not," from 1994's Leap of Faith, and Nat "King" Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right," from the 1996 Garry Marshall comedy Dear God. And Lovett's Chet Baker-style take on Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies," from 1994's With Honors, proves that the Texas troubadour is a much more versatile singer than he often gets credit for. Smile may not be in the same league as Lovett's best original work, but it's a pleasant enough diversion nonetheless. --David Hill

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Anything but corporate country..........2006-08-23

Wow, Kavity Killer - have you even heard this album? It's certainly not corporate, and it's nowhere near country for the most part. These are songs Lovett did specifically for films, and most of them are old chestnuts - not exactly tunes you hear on Top 40 (or any other kind of) radio. It sounds to me like you had something you wanted to say, and you said it - regardless of the fact that it had nothing to do with either the artist or the music. This is hardly Lyle at his best - check "Pontiac", "Joshua Judges Ruth", or "The Road to Ensenada" for that - but it's him doing something he does well, which is bringing a distinct and curiously affecting voice to some pop standards. This record was released to satisfy the terms of a contract with a record label, no doubt, but it's still good stuff.

2 out of 5 stars not really a Lyle Lovett album.......2006-06-15

From almost any other singer this would be a three-star disk, but for Lyle Lovett this is a disappointment. Lovett is one of the most likeable popular musicians around, which guarantees that if a movie studio has him record the featured song for one of their films everyone is going to like it and more tickets will get sold. But he didn't write any of the songs on this CD and they seem to be pushing him into genres and styles that are a bit of a stretch for him.

Don't get me wrong, he sings these songs well. But he's out of his element in all but two or three of them. Straighten Up and Fly Right could be a song he wrote, and the duet with Randy Newman is of course a delight (though not as much so as Long Tall Texan, on The Road to Ensenada). I also kind of liked Summer Wind. The rest of the tunes? Hmm...

I consider Lovett, when in prime form, to be the best singer-songwriter in all of popular music: better than Lennon/McCartney, better than Dylan. Add to that fact the fantastic band he backs himself with, and wow! But Smile contains no Lovett tunes and uses studio ensembles, not his Large Band. Hardcore fans will be unable to do without this album, but if you're more selective and are only really interested in his best stuff, in the Lyle Lovett of Joshua Judges Ruth and The Road to Ensenada, this has little in common with those albums and is of only a passing interest.

3 out of 5 stars ok.. but not classic Lyle.......2006-01-31

I liked this cd in general, however, I did feel like it was a means to complete a contractual obligation. I prefer Lye's other works better.

But no matter what song he sings, Lyle re-invents it to be his own, even if he didn't write it.

5 out of 5 stars eclectic genius .......2006-01-01

I loved this CD. The mix of country, blues, jazz and pop is perfect. The choice of songs is great and Randy Newman is a welcome addition and very upbeat.

1 out of 5 stars More Corporate Country.......2004-11-25

Lyle Lovett is just the latest corporately manufactured top 40 country singer to come down the line. It totally sounds like they overdubbed his voice in the studio and used background singers to bolster his thin, quavering voice. Most of the backing tracks were also obviously programmed on a cheap synthesizer, Casio mayber? 3-minute ditties that sound like they were designed with the top-40 in mind, banal subject matter, and a real lack of conviction on lovett's part all add up to an album that will be in the cut-out bin within the month.
Cinema Serenade II: The Golden Age
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • NEVER RECEIVED THIS ITEM!!
  • Perlman, Williams reunite in wonderful Serenade sequel
  • Some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear
  • Don't compare it to Cinema Serenade 1
  • I can't stop listening to this CD....
 Cinema Serenade II: The Golden Age

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Cinema Serenade
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ASIN: B00000JQG0
Release Date: 1999-07-27

Tracks:

  1. Laura
  2. Now, Voyager
  3. Modern Times
  4. Lost Weekend
  5. The Quiet Man
  6. The Adventures Of Robin Hood
  7. Casablanca
  8. Henry V
  9. The Uninvited: 'Stella By Starlight'
  10. My, Foolish Heart
  11. Gone With The Wind
  12. Wuthering Heights

Amazon.com

Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age is the sequel to Itzhak Perlman's popular album of movie themes performed with soundtrack composer John Williams. Unlike its predecessor, this disc focuses on classic cinema themes and features the Boston Pops Orchestra, not the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Laura theme, as well as Max Steiner's Now Voyager and Miklós Rózsa's Lost Weekend themes, sound lush and romantic in Perlman's lyrical hands. The traditional Irish jig "The Quiet Man" is the disc's most upbeat moment, while the unforgettable Gone with the Wind theme is its most memorable. These are timeless, dreamy compositions, though not necessarily the most uplifting. If you're looking for something cinematic to get your heart racing, check out Ricardo Chailly's recording of Shostakovich's film scores or even Leopold Stokowski's classic work on Fantasia. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars NEVER RECEIVED THIS ITEM!!.......2007-03-17

I cannot review the product which I know is great , as I was billed for it, but never received it.

5 out of 5 stars Perlman, Williams reunite in wonderful Serenade sequel.......2003-12-04

With the success of Cinema Serenade, conductor John Williams and violinist Itzhak Perlman reunited to record another collection of classic movie themes. Performed this time by the Boston Pops Orchestra, the music of Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age harkens back to the days of stars such as Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ray Milland and Clark Gable.

The 12 selections include themes by Hollywood legends Max Steiner, Miklos Rozsa and Erich Wolfgang Korngold (whose son George would later produce several of composer/conductor Williams' scores for Varese Sarabande Records). Cinema Serenade 2 presents beautiful arrangements of Steiner's themes for Now, Voyager and Gone With The Wind, Korngold's love theme from The Adventures of Robin Hood, Charlie Chaplin's lovely Modern Times and "St Patrick's Day," a traditional Irish song from the John Wayne classic The Quiet Man.

Since I consider myself to be a charter member of The Rick Blaine Society of Rank Sentimentalists, I'd have to say my favorite tracks on this album are Herman Hupfeld's timeless "As Time Goes By" from 1942's Casablanca and Victor Young's "My Foolish Heart" (from the 1949 film of the same title). It was while I was listening to the radio (on the late WTMI 93.1 FM classical station) that the DJ played "As Time Goes By" and I discovered this recording of mostly lyrical themes; I listened to Perlman's haunting violin solos and the Boston Pops' bravura performance and nearly wept. I, of course, bought this CD the next day and it's now one of my favorites.

For fans of Itzhak Perlman, John Williams or film music in general, both of the Cinema Serenade CDs are a treasure trove of beautiful and memory-stirring themes.

5 out of 5 stars Some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear.......2001-06-15

This is one of the most beautiful CDs I've ever heard. The selections are musically much richer than Cinema Serenade I. In particular, Sir William Walton's music from Henry V, Korngold's music from Robin Hood, and Newman's music from Wuthering Heights are standouts. The Korngold is my favorite, with several themes from the picture packed into a short love scene lifted straight from the movie. The arrangements on this album are stunningly lush, especially those by Williams. His opening chords from The Uninvited are terrific harmonically.

4 out of 5 stars Don't compare it to Cinema Serenade 1.......2000-01-24

Itzhak Perlman is still considered by me the best violinist alive today. His techiniques are so impressable and heartouching and nobody can contest that. The idea of this CD was wonderful, although the selections of the musics aren't so good than in Cinema Serenade 1. But anyway, if you want to listen musics that worldwide the people emotioned with, buy this CD, but don't fall in the temptation to compare it to the first one.

5 out of 5 stars I can't stop listening to this CD...........1999-10-03

All of those lush movie themes are greatly compiled on this CD. I especially liked Laura and Stella by Starlight. After listening to this, you will want to go out and buy/rent these great old movies!
Eat 'Em and Smile
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • item not yet received
  • For the boy
  • '80's Perfection That Still Holds Up
  • Great Album! Aged well.
  • DLR doing what he does best
 Eat 'Em and Smile
David Lee Roth
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002L9W
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Yankee Rose
  2. Shyboy
  3. I'm Easy
  4. Ladies' Nite In Buffalo?
  5. Goin' Crazy!
  6. Tobacco Road
  7. Elephant Gun
  8. Big Trouble
  9. Bump And Grind
  10. That's Life

Amazon.com

Roth, who turned the flamboyant-frontman role into an art form, turned out this solo effort after leaving Van Halen. Hiring two of the top instrumentalists in the hard-rock genre, guitarist Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan, Roth created meta-arena rock--big, exaggerated rock music with heavy guitars. Typical entries included "Goin' Crazy" and "I'm Easy"; "Yankee Rose" had one of the more entertaining videos on MTV at the time. The cover of "That's Life," which closes the album, is predictably overblown, but Roth can be forgiven as it's obvious that he's not taking anything too seriously. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars item not yet received.......2007-01-31

This item is not yet arrived!
Can you please let me know.
Thank you

5 out of 5 stars For the boy.......2007-01-18

This was a gift for my sondd, he absolutely LOVES it. David Lee Roth never fails to deliver.

5 out of 5 stars '80's Perfection That Still Holds Up.......2006-10-14

Just in case you don't know, this CD has some of the best work all around by everyone involved; But obviously it's Vai and Seehan that steal the show with some of the most amazing riffing ever heard, even today. As good, if not better, than any Van Halen album; Nice variety of song styles, great drums, and lots of insane stringed madness. A true classic...

5 out of 5 stars Great Album! Aged well........2006-07-27

I had this album back in the day and loved it. It's been shelved for a long time and taken back out. I must say if you haven't heard this one in a while, CRANK it up!

The Album kicks off hard with "Yankee Rose". DLR's vocals are perfect and his screams put chills down your spine. "Yankee Rose" was to be DLR's opening song to throw at Van Halen to say "I can do it without you" and he does. "Rose" is follwed up by another rocker "Shyboy". When you hear the intro though you'll be thinking this is from a Van Halen album. Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan really bring it on this song. Great track. "Goin' Crazy" is a bit pop but played loud it still rocks to me. "Tobacco Road" is a great cover. The entire album is great. DLR sounds happy and content, he has great musicians backing him up and he just "ROCKS"! If you haven't heard it, get it, and if you have forgotten it, CRANK it!

5 out of 5 stars DLR doing what he does best.......2006-04-08

This is a fun solo album that has a lot of what post 1984 Van Halen might have sounded like if Roth would not have been kicked out. Eddie's guitar is replaced with Steve Vai's guitar and it all works out well. Roth gets a little more creative freedom and we get a great bunch of songs.

So, do we miss Eddie and the gang? Of course. You can never replace the formula that was the original VH. But this cd is better than the first Van Halen cd with Sammy.
Killing with a Smile
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • BALL TEARER
 Killing with a Smile
Parkway Drive
Manufacturer: Epitaph / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GH3CO8
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

  1. Gimme Ad
  2. Anasasis (Xenophontis)
  3. Pandora
  4. Romance Is Dead
  5. Guns For Show, Knices For A Pro
  6. Blackout
  7. Picture Perfect, Pathetic
  8. Its So Hard To Speak Without A Tongue
  9. Mutiny
  10. Smoke Em If You Got Em
  11. A Cold Day In Hell

Album Description

Australia's Parkway Drive follow in the footsteps of Unearth, Bleeding Through, and Evergreen Terrace, and they've amassed a huge amount of respect in a very short time in both the metal and hardcore communities. Here are eleven tracks of pure rage, a massive sound that encompasses death riffs, punishing breakdowns, thick rhythms, mayhem-inducing beats, and a technical precision that borders on frightening. "Killing With A Smile" will appeal to all extreme music fans.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars BALL TEARER.......2006-10-02

Australias best hardcore band?This album has excellent production,done I believe by whoever does Killswitch engage,The music and lyrics are brutal.If you like one track,you should like them all.These guys have taken classic metal guitar sounds and breathed new life into them,made them fresh again,and are making up for the lack of decent metal around at the moment.Its not massively original to be sure,but it is fresh.And it is hard.Gimme AD and Its hard to speak without a tongue are more friendly,melodic tracks,while the last thirty seconds of Smoke em if ya got em just keeps getting harder and is worth the price of this album.Also check out some other wicked aussie metal core in Day of contempt,I killed the prom queen,Carpathian and Mourning tide.
Smile From the Streets You Hold
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Very Much A Solo Album
  • A great record, and the vocals aren't as bad as everyone says.
  • A review without a single mention of smack
  • John Frusciante with Guest Appearence by River Phoenix
  • Clueless...
 Smile From the Streets You Hold
John Frusciante
Manufacturer: Birdman
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005HOF
Release Date: 1997-08-26

Tracks:

  1. Enter A Uh
  2. The Other
  3. Life's A Bath
  4. A Fall Thru The Ground
  5. Poppy Man
  6. I May Again Know John
  7. I'm Always
  8. Nigger Song
  9. Femininity
  10. Breathe
  11. More
  12. For Air
  13. Height Down
  14. Well, I've Been
  15. Smile From The Street You Hold
  16. I Can't See Untill I SeeYour Eyes
  17. Estress

Album Details

Australian Version featuring Alternate Cover Art. Tracks Remain the Same as the Us Release.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Very Much A Solo Album.......2006-09-22

I recently listened to this record again and I love it:)

This is very much John solo and you can certainly feel his loneliness through the songs. Recorded in motel rooms in his darkest days, this album features some unforgettable songs and some forgettable ones...

While this album is hard to get, it is worth tracking down. For most John fans, this is a must have. For anyone still getting into his music, look into all his other releases first.

Whilst the recording is not of the highest quality there a definitely some great songs on here... A fall thru the ground, I'm Always, Femininity, Smile from the streets and Estress are all memorable songs but if you like the more experimental of Johns work you will love 'Enter a uh' and 'I may again know John'. They are both 8 minute plus songs with great guitar riffs and vocals that touch every emotional level. Close your eyes and listen to them and you will feel something i guarentee...

All up, I am glad I own this record, it certainly is not his best but listen to it with an open mind and you will be impressed

4 out of 5 stars A great record, and the vocals aren't as bad as everyone says........2006-06-15

Sure, there are sometimes on this record where John Frusciante's screeches are unbearable, but if you look past all of that, the guitar work and instrumental work is amazing. I was expecting something terrible (I have loved John Frusciante for a long time, and I Just got this in the mail), and I really like it. It isn't perfect like To Record Only Water for Ten Days or Shadows Collide With People, but it is a good record nonetheless. Listen to it with an open mind and you will be fine.

Standout tracks: Enter a Uh, The Other, A Fall Thru the Ground, Feminity.

4 out of 5 stars A review without a single mention of smack.......2006-05-13

I fail to see how this album is any less deserving of a place in Frusciante's discography than the others, even if he (until recently) thought so himself. Granted, it probably reminds him all too vividly of a rather unstable time in his life, but to the regular listener this is a more accessable record than 'Usually Just A T-Shirt' in my opinion. 'Smile From The Streets You Hold' is longer than said album too, and as a result the more rambling songs on here are easily outnumbered by the excellent ones. It is actually a very intense, fulfilling album to listen to in one sitting.

The opener 'Enter A Uh' sets the tone perfectly: it's raw and scruffy as hell, almost impenetrable upon the first few listens, but give it time and you'll find a song in there. A funky, carefully written song with excellent vocal lines (painfully sung, mind) and an opening riff that betrays the genius in this sadly drug-addled man (with a happy ending, of course). The rest of the album fluctuates, though its highlights are as good as anything from 'Niandra LaDes' - 'Poppy Man' is a great instrumental, 'Height Down' (a duet with the late River Pheonix) is a touchingly happy folkish tune and the title track really should have been on 'Niandra...' all along.

There are some oddities too. 'A Fall Thru The Ground' is a lush and layered home recorded tune from pre-Chilis days (he was 17!! - Christ, to have been that good at 17!), 'I'm Always' is one of my favourite Frusciante songs and totally unlike anything else he's done (it's more RHCP than JF), and 'I May Again Know John' is just fantastic - a distortion-drenched psychedelic dirge with an beautiful evolving chord progression.

It certainly is a tough listen, but stick with it and it'll repay you tenfold. It's a good thing John didn't go the same way as Hillel, because 'Smile From The Streets You Hold' would have been a dark and tragic swan song. Happily, instead we got nine more solo records and three from the Chilis!

4 out of 5 stars John Frusciante with Guest Appearence by River Phoenix.......2005-12-10

This album being pretty good on it's own merit is also complemented by River Phoenix's vocals on, "Height Down" and "Well, I've Been." For those who've found few songs released by River Phoenix or his band Aleka's Attic, this may be a listening treat!

3 out of 5 stars Clueless..........2005-07-01

Don't know what to say 'bout this album.I've heard his other ones and I believe he is an amazingly honest and soulful artist.This album is weird, but good at the same time.Not great, not bad but somewhere in between decent and good.Also i'd like to say that just because someone doesn't like, it doesn't mean they are close-minded or anything like that.People have different musical tastes.Fact.To be honest this album is unlistenable at times.
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The single best album ever recorded
  • Rocks pretty hard
  • Best work ever
  • The reasons ST made their best effort HERE.....
  • A THRASH METAL ADVENTURE, MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ALBUM !
 How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today
Suicidal Tendencies
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

HardcoreHardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000026KD
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Trip At The Brain
  2. Hearing Voices
  3. Pledge Your Allegiance
  4. How Will I Laugh Tomorrow
  5. The Miracle
  6. Suicyco Mania
  7. Surf And Slam
  8. If I Don't Wake Up
  9. Sorry?!
  10. One Too Many Times
  11. The Feeling's Back

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The single best album ever recorded.......2006-11-14

It's all been said before, but I'll add my two cents worth. This album by Suicidal Tendencies is not only their greatest, but the greatest by any band at anytime anywhere. It makes your life better simply by listening to it and thrills you every single time you play it. Trip at the Brain is an electrifying opener with an absolutely unprecedented heavy trip in the middle over Rocky George's endlessly melodious lead guitar, it is simply stunning. Pledge Your Allegiance will have every ST fan jumping around with reckless abandon. The Miracle was the song every metal band in the world prayed to God to have delivered upon to them, ST lucked out I guess. Sorry?!, an intensely personal (so much so its lyrics aren't in the liner notes), utterly thrilling and endlessly sad song. The album's title track How Will I Laugh Tomorrow is simply ST's best ever. It encapsulates the virtuosity both musically and lyrically of this band and is as essential to life as the blood in my veins and the air in my lungs. Just buy this album.

5 out of 5 stars Rocks pretty hard.......2006-11-11

This is the thrash album by Suicidal Tendencies. Overall it's about 50 times better than Join The Army, production-wise at least. The songs are still just as catchy. Pick it up if you have any passing interest in thrash.

5 out of 5 stars Best work ever.......2006-09-04

Suicidal Tendencies has never been a "popular" band but they seem to manage to stick around. "How Will I Laugh" is probably their best work to date (and probably the best they will ever do judging from their more recent releases). Awesome riffs and strange vocals (but typically lame guitar solos). If you only get one ST album, this is the one to get.

5 out of 5 stars The reasons ST made their best effort HERE..... .......2006-06-16

Having seen the band at a tension filled show 6 months earlier at an odd metal/punk dual bill in Oakland, I was not surprised to see new faces on the cover. Gone was co-founder Louichi Mayorga on bass, and they had added Mike Clark on rythym guitar. Mike Clark also wrote the music almost across the board on this album, and I don't know if he'd been storing up these gems for a rainy....er...band, but WOW!

Add to that the release from the tension of battling with his homey (they barely made it through their Oakland gig)with the sheer joy of finding a songwriter/solid-phat player like Clark, and Cyko Myko Muir was set free! He wrote focused thematic lyrics that finally achieved the urban balance between punk bark and in-the-pocket smooth rap (witness the outro/vamp on "Trip to ...")he had been looking for.

Rocky George(the most underrated lead player in rock) was finally completely comfortable, and had some meaty hooks to launch from and soar. Rythym section locked tight... man I had no idea when I picked it up that day in '87.

I got home, was busy with work on my own label, was about to go to bed... "Let me just check this out for a second" - my curiosity piqued. Holy Cats! Next thing you know I was WIDE awake, volume up, stomping around my room, wrecking s**t! As if I neede proof, caught them at the ensuing support show and it was MAYHEM. And that's just about what you want... truly great moments in Rock, better yet Punk Rock!

-ted.o

5 out of 5 stars A THRASH METAL ADVENTURE, MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ALBUM !.......2006-06-05

"How will I Laugh Tommorow if I Can't Even Smile Today" is a unique album and in a class of its own. (kind of like Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon and the rock genre.) This awesome thrash metal album performed by Suicidal Tendencies is one of the most "feel good" albums created in the genre.

Filled with very complex songwriting and sometimes simple but blatantly catchy riffs. Also a very serious album dealing with topics such as : taking psychedelic drugs, suicide, severe depression, hearing auditory hallicinations and more. The band plays at a reasonably fast pace while throwing out bursts of energy and emotion, it really feels 3 dimensional. At a few points, this album slows down a bit but never gets dull. It demands your absolute attention and creates a mellow atmosphere in your conscious. This is one of those albums that sounds so great after every spin that youll be sure to pop it in again whenever you want to just relax.

I gotta admit, the first time I listened to this album I wasn't as impressed as everyone hyped it up to be. After time I began to feel the music proving its worth to me. I realized that is was never hyped at all, its very underrated if anything! I began to see the real message they were portraying and the feelings about it just deepen the more you pay attention. Its like falling in love with it....... kinda.

I think to really appreciate this album you should do some research on some of the lyrics and topics, that is, if you dont know what they are. for example: audio/visual hallucinations, lucid dreams, altered states of mind, depression, psychedelic drugs (mushrooms, salvia divinorum, lsd, etc.) Only to understand the music better.

Rock Music:

  1. Ready Steady Stop: Doin the Mod V.4 [Import]
  2. Real Gone
  3. Real to Reel / Brief Encounters [Import]
  4. Real World Trilogy
  5. Reasons That Keep the Ground Near
  6. Recorded Live
  7. Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis [Import] [Live]
  8. Red Cities
  9. Redd Foxx for President [Explicit Lyrics] [Original recording remastered]
  10. Redemption Road

Rock Music

rock music