Ruin

ruin

Editorial Reviews
p. rae, Focus Point newspaper
"There's nothing comparable to All the Pretty Horses' direct image and sound..."

Product Description
Equal parts glam, metal and goth - haunting, hard-edged music. "Ruin" hints at early Black Sabbath and David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust without ripping off either. It was recorded in analog at Pachyderm Studios, Cannon Falls, MN and mixed and mastered at Third Ear, Minneapolis, MN. The recording and mixing used authentic vintage analog equipment to achieve a retro, yet very up-to-date, glam rock sound.

Ruin

Ruin,All the Pretty Horses,All the Pretty Horses,Neo-Prog,The ultimate combination of power, sex, fashion, and pleasure.

Ruin

Average customer rating:

Pleasant (and intense) surprise.
excellent prog metal
Again a super album from a talented band called Redemption
What Fates Warning should be doing
Great Melodic/Power Prog Metal

The Origins of Ruin
Redemption
Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Angular Perceptions
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ASIN: B000NDDUU6
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

The Suffocating Silence
Bleed Me Dry
The Death Of Faith & Reason
Memory
The Origins Of Ruin
Man Of Glass
Blind My Eyes
Used To Be
Fall On You

Album Description

Redemption was founded in Los Angeles in 2000 by guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter Nicolas van Dyk. Ray Alder of Fates Warning joined them and they released two metal albums of melodic complexity. Both albums received amazing reviews throughout the media and fans all over the world had fallen in love with their fresh and energetic style. The Origins of Ruin emphasises once again their unique musical skills. Complex songwriting combined with melodic heaviness, Redemption play Melodic Progressive Metal the way it should be!

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant (and intense) surprise........2007-06-29

I was very disappointed with the first two (overrated) Redemption releases, but this is stellar. Far more inspired and interesting than the relatively mundane earlier efforts. The songwriting has matured, while Alder's melodic vocals float atop intense, addictive riffs and intricate polyrhythms. The newfound complexity and polish has this in the running for a top 3 prog album of the year.

Far better than anything Redemption has done to date and superior to anything Fates Warning has released since the incomparable aPSoG.

excellent prog metal.......2007-06-01

this album is great, i bought my copy a few weeks ago and i have been enjoying it sinse. the vocalist is very good. so dont listen to the review some moron wrote. and the musicianship is outstanding. very tight and very catchy. heavy and melodic perogressive madness! and what a great drummer! also full of great memorible guitar melodies, leads, and agressive and beautiful soaring solos. so i highly recommend this album, to prog fans and even just good old metal heads that like good musicianship. fans of dream theater, symphony x, or even bands like soilwork and mercenary will enjoy this!

Again a super album from a talented band called Redemption.......2007-05-12

And with this third album Redemption will do it again.
Fans of progressive Heavy Metal eat your heart out, if you like the voice of Fates Warning, Ray Alder is singing his lungs out on this album, super Super SUPER!!!
The great song writing of Nicolas van Dyk will bring you in a marvelous journey of heavy riffs, great solo's of Agent Steel's guitar player 'Bernie Versailes', pounding bass and great drums.
But don't forget the master himself on keys and guitar, Nicolas.
So, if you will do yourself a pleasure, buy this album and stay HEAVY!!!

What Fates Warning should be doing.......2007-05-08

I am a huge FW fan and I think w. the direction their last few albums have been I would of preferred to hear something like this instead of FWX. Not that FWX was bad but this seems to at least have some steam where FW seem to be stripping things down rather than the dizzying complexity. Sorry to rant on the FW kick but these guys are very parallel (no pun intended) to the Fates sound. Cool medoldic prog metal w/ high pitched vox, lyrics about emotions and interesting time changes and moods.

Great Melodic/Power Prog Metal.......2007-05-04

I enjoyed this album. The surprising thing was I let a couple of friends listen to it and they immediately said that they liked it, too.

I prefer the opening 4 tracks, although the last 4 tracks are really growing on me with repeated listens.

Great vocals and the best album for me since Symphony X's Odyssey.

Average customer rating:

Supermarket Fluff
Not 'Hot Rail' ... More like 'De-railed'
fine release from a more conventional calexico
I like Calexico very much
Toned down "exico," but the "Cal" works just fine on its own

Garden Ruin
Calexico
Manufacturer: Quarter Stick
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000EOTUY4
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Tracks:

Cruel
Yours and Mine
Bisbee Blue
Panic Open String
Letter to Bowie Knife
Roka
Lucky Dime
Smash
Deep Down
Nom De Plume
All Systems Red

Amazon.com

Sometimes the worst thing you can do is be very consistently great with your art. Calexico's failure to rise beyond cult status can perhaps be attributed to the fact that their albums are such subtle Whitman Samplers of Tex-Mex-and-kitchen-sink tastefulness. Garden Ruin, the group's poppiest album to date, just might change their socio-economic standing for the better. It's produced by JD Foster, but none of the things you love about Calexico--the sun-baked guitar, smoky vocals, mariachi horns, woozy lyrics--have left. Those elements are just grafted to crispier, more carefully delineated harmonies and multi-tracked backing vocals higher in the mix. By the album's end, on the slow-burning anthem "All Systems Red," Joey Burns buzzes and howls with a force never shown before on album. It's what Sigur Ros might sound like if they came from Arizona, and it's truly excellent. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

This is a more accessible album than previous efforts. Where the open blue skies of the landscapes they chronicled before were tempered by the smoky dark blues of their jazz influences, "Garden Ruin" is musically brighter. Lyrically too, the album takes a left turn in which contemporary rather than mythical America is addressed. Put succinctly, "Garden Ruin" is where Calexico fill those dusty, empty landscapes they documented with a big, big sound.

Customer Reviews:

Supermarket Fluff.......2007-05-25

What a let down. I first saw Calexico at the Aroma Cafe (RIP) in Tucson around 1998. Since that point I have seen and heard their music grow to unbelieveable heights without losing their southwestern unique style. Luckily we have four strong albums and a host of EP's to remember Calexico by, but it sounds like to band is about to break up. I come to this conclusion because most of the songs on this album are geared towards making big cash from Musak adding these generic pop pieces to the playlists you hear in the backround at the supermarket. Thankfully Howe Gelb and others are still making music geared for fans, not royalties from Musak. If this were an artist's first album, the quality of the songs could pass off as a starting point. However these songs are Calexico's, they have to know this album is trash.

Not 'Hot Rail' ... More like 'De-railed'.......2007-04-03

I couldn't agree more with the review above by J. McManus Jr., but I guess my criticism is a little more strident. The Calexico that I have come to love - the creators of the outstanding 'Feast of Wire' and 'The Black Light', - have jumped on the last train to Blandsville! As J. McManus says (more or less), the unique and compelling eclecticism of this highly gifted band has largely evaporated into a vapid country-rock souffle that may well satiate the listeners to MOR-rock FM, but will leave many loyal fans wondering: "What the..?!" Even Joey Burns himself seems to be trying to inject some life into this moribund beast with his distorted, wailing vocals on "All Systems Red", but it just ends up sounding like the inflated histrionics of so many young American bands seen on forgettable video clips - or heard on teenage TV dramas. Sure, there are some redeeming moments (the uneasy atmospherics of 'Nom de Plume' could comfortably fit on earlier albums), but overall Calexico have lost their mojo on this one, and after catching the band live in Melbourne recently I was very disappointed with my purchase. That said, Joey and the gang - like any top-shelf band - are entitled to the odd 'dud' every so often. I can only hope that their next offering recaptures the brilliant, melting-pot edginess of prior efforts and that they jump on to a hot rail out of Blandsville pronto!

fine release from a more conventional calexico.......2007-03-12

gone, for the most part, are the cutting-edge/spaghetti western instrumentations that made previous calexico albums so fresh and wonderful; but that's not to say this is an unworthwhile recording. far from it. this stands on its own as a finely crafted set of rock/pop songs. no depression magazine selected this as the 13th best album of 2006 and i won't argue with that (it belongs 'somewhere' in the top 30 i would say). fans of the more adventuresome calexico albums might find this an unrewarding release, but take it for what it is: excellent songcraft. nothing wrong with that.

I like Calexico very much.......2007-02-22

And I appreciate that they change directions in music.

I'm french and I totally recommend you a french girl who worked in Arizona in 2004 with the sound engineer of Calexico :

ALEXANDRA ROOS. Please listen it because it's a great combination between french word and country & mexican music.

Toned down "exico," but the "Cal" works just fine on its own.......2007-01-08

Sometimes bands make a big change and it just leaves you thinking "Why, why?!" This time out, after a strong, pleasing EP with Iron & Wine, Calexico decided to emphasize the "north of the border" sound and de-emphasize the horns that gave them such a tantalizing Southwestern flavor. In writing, this sounds like a disaster - "the Calexico horns," as they are often called, are a key part of the appeal - but once the album was given time to find a spot in listeners' hearts, the more straight-forward pop-song format worked extremely well. Calexico still manages to write dark, dramatic songs with an emphasis on the cinematic and the exotic. The songs are just slightly more accessible this time around.

Average customer rating:

If you don't like the Ramones...
Road To Ruin
Not their best
The Ramones Best Album Ever!
The Ramones At Their Best

Road to Ruin
The Ramones
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005JGAH
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Tracks:

I Just Want To Have Something To Do
I Wanted Everything
Don't Come Close
I Don't Want You
Needles & Pins
I'm Against It
I Wanna Be Sedated
Go Mental
Questioningly
She's The One
Bad Brain
It's A Long Way Back
I Want You Around (Ed Stasium version)
Rock 'N' Roll High School (Ed Stasium version)
Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She's The One (live)
Come Back, She Cried A.K.A. I Walk Out (demo)
Yea, Yea (demo)

Amazon.com

"They'll get better," said Keith Richards of punk musicians in 1977. "You can't help but get better." And Road to Ruin is the album that demonstrated the Ramones had gotten "better" at being musicians, if not at becoming stars. "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" is quite simply one of the greatest opening tracks on any rock album, ever. For the first time, Johnny actually throws in pyrotechnics that go beyond basic power chords. "I Don't Want You" is riff-driven punk rock, while "I Wanna Be Sedated" and "She's the One" are some of their best pop-punk. But Road to Ruin also breaks some stylistic barriers. "Don't Come Close" is almost country & western and "Questioningly" is a simple ballad. A cover of the Searchers' "Needles & Pins" is downright reverent, though it's sadder than the original. The superbly remastered Rhino reissue of what was arguably their last great album includes original artwork, liner notes by Punk! magazine's Legs McNeil, and the band's tracks from the Rock 'N' Roll High School soundtrack--meaning the title track as produced by Ed Stasium as opposed to Phil Spector. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

If you don't like the Ramones..........2007-05-02

If you don't like the Ramones, you don't like rock and roll. I don't know how else to say it. If you are tired, sad, or having trouble getting started in the morning, put this cd in and get going to a better, brighter, more blitzkreig-y kind of day. This was my introduction to the band and still my favorite, although the debut is fantastic as well. It's A Long Way Back, I Just Want To Have Something To Do, I Wanna Be Sedated, the list just goes on and on...all killer stuff. Even though some of the hardcore fans decried the 'ballads,' (let's face it, latter day Aerosmith drivel these ballads ain't - thank God), they are just being purists. Every single song on here is great and that's something very few bands can say about any one of their records.
The Ramones took the pop formula and crushed it with Johnny's down strokes and the sneering nasal charm of Joey's impassioned vocals. Honestly, if you don't like this band, I don't value your musical opinion.

Road To Ruin.......2007-04-28

The Ramones-Road To Ruin *****

Road To Ruin was an album title that totaly reflected none of the music. It maybe the most irrelavent album title in all of history in once since and dead on in another. Road To Ruin is actually one of The Ramones very best albums. I hold it higher then the legendary debut, and think Rocket To Russia may be the only other album better then this. But at this point the boys had given up on themselves. They had realized they were never going to be mega stars at this point and were never going to be the next The Beatles like they had started out to be, so their metality was that they were ineveitably on the road to ruin if you will, and The Ramones were pissed off about it. Road To Ruin was a major step forward for the band as well as a massive change both metaly and phisicaly. Tommy had left the band to become a full time producer and enginer and the band recruted Marky which helped to make the sound more aggresive. The band grew musicaly and creativley. They were making more then just three chord songs here, and the songs were no longer "we're gonna find happiness amongst the choas." Oh no, The Ramones were angry and ready to let the world have it which is what makes this album so beautiful because Joey was really heated. This album also showed the experimental side The Ramones that the world had never ever seen before.

'I Just Want To Have Something To Do' opens the albums feriously and with sophistication. This song showed show much growth by the band from their previous album Rocket To Russia as far as musicianship, lyrics, and arrangement are concerned. One of the better songs the band ever wrote, and possible the best on Road To Ruin. 'I Wanted Everything' is an aggressive rant about wanting it all...fame, fourtune, millions of fans, and notatriety all things the band would atane after their retierment but at the time it seemed like it would never happen. 'I Wanted Everything' is unlike anything the band had previously released. 'Dont Come Close' caused a lot of contraversy upon release of this album. Many fans, critics, and supporters of the band wrote it and 'Questioningly' of as country western songs but anyone who listens to the songs can tell that it is just not the case. 'Dont Come Close' is so signature Ramones its not even funny. The song comes acrossed on first listen as a shock but upon inspection it is just like a million other 1960's pop songs which is what the band set out to make songs as, so it fits in perfect for the band. The acoustic guitars are a nice change of pace for an album that is so angry. 'I Dont Want You' is a cry for desperation in anger and pain. It is 'I Just Want To Have Something To Do' continued musicaly. The song hits you like bricks in the chest and doesnt appologise, it shows you the band means buisness here. It helps to make Road To Ruin the bands version of The Beatles album Help! 'Needles And Pins is an excellent cover that completly owns the original. Never has suicide sounded so....well not bad. The Searchers did the original and it was good but faulters in comparison to The Ramones cover. 'Im Against It' maybe the angriest song the band ever recorded. The verses to the songs are written light hartedly in humor as the band has been known for but then the chorus kicks in and anyone who has heard Joey sing the legendary "Im Against It" chorus knows the man is pissed about something. You can feel the conviction in the song and the emotion behind it. If you were to make a list of the three greatest Ramone songs ever recorded then 'I Wanna Be Sedated' would have to be included. The bands most popular song next to 'Blitzkrieg Bop' and is maybe the only Ramones song to ever get regular radio play, It is still played to this day. Rumor has it the song was written after Joey was burned before a show and had to be taken to the hospital but he knew the band had a whole leg left on their tour so he said "Put me in a wheel chair get me on a plain before I go insane" and the song was written right after that. Classic. 'Go Mental' is anthemic. The chorus is so believable and convincing. While it isnt the strongest song on the album you wanna sing with it every time it plays. Johnny also plays some of the best guitar of his career on this song as well. 'Questioningly' is the other country western song mentioned earlier. Its not country, sorry but its not. Because Whiskey is mentioned and slide guitar is played someone decided The Ramones went George Jones. This is a nice love song while not a 1960's pop song like 'Dont Come Close' it is still a really good love song amongst some much frustration. 'Shes The One' is just killer. It sounds as if the band finished recording and said "oh no we need a pop song," but it doesnt matter because it is one of the best songs on the album and totally ture blue Ramones. Classic, the song is just so killer. 'Bad Brain' is a return to the more punk sounding song. Yet another song about insanity which as well all know is a very popular subject in the Ramones cannon. It is rumoured that the hardcore/punk band Bad Brains actually got their name from this song, they were going by another name at the time this was released and decided to change. Even if that is not whole truth, the song is still great with out the legend. 'Its A Long Way Back' is a three line rant written by Dee Dee about Germany where he was born. It has really good production and sounds great but does not really offer much to the listener, Im a personal fan of the song but think 'Bad Brain' should have close the record. Still a decent finish to the album.

Depending on what version of the album you buy there are five bonus tracks at the end of the reissued version. 'I Want You Around' which is a nice pop song from the band and classic, but this is an alternate version. Also included is an alternate version of 'Rock N' Roll Radio' which is one of the bands all time best songs and this version is no different the only alteration is that it does not include the radio intro. A live medly of 'Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Labotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/Shes The One' is included here which was originaly on the Rock N' Roll Highschool album. 'Come Back, She Cried A.K.A. I Walk Out (Demo)' is also included and its really good. 'Yea, Yea' is another demo track and is really cool, sort of like 'Shes The One.'

With or without the bonus tracks Road To Ruin is an excellent album. Its one of The Ramones very best albums if not their best. One of the finest punk albums as well as rock n' roll albums of all time. Road To Ruin was a rare moment in Ramones history that no one should miss out on. It is an incredible album that should be included in everyones collection. I have never met a person to not like The Ramones, the punk label sometimes scares some away but with a chance and a listen you will see that The Ramones are just a tougher version of The Beatles.

Not their best.......2006-10-22

This is a good album, but not their best. If you're new to the Ramones, start with an anthology or with one of their excellent first three albums: The Ramones, Leave Home, or Rocket to Russia. Sadly, the Ramones started going downhill with this one.

The Ramones Best Album Ever!.......2005-12-31

When I'm elected President of the United States, my first act will be to provide every American with a copy of "Road To Ruin." Even an old aficionado of hippy music like me understands that the Ramones are one of America's great rock and roll treasures. In fact, they were the last truly great American rock band. This is the album to hear if you doubt my words. Put this one in your CD player and turn it way up. You'll soon forget about death metal, grunge, rap and all that other crap that kids listen to these days. You'll be taken back to the fun and innocence of the mid-sixties reinvented into slamming, rocking anthems for more modern times. Road to Ruin combines some of the Ramones very best rockers with three very well-done ballads, including an excellent remake of "Needles And Pins" by The Searchers. The sound quality of this album is superb and I believe there are some studio musicians at work in the background. My opinion of the Ramones recorded output is that there were a few great songs on every album, which added up to an impressive catalog overall, but Road To Ruin is the only one that kills it from beginning to end. It's hard to believe that three of the Ramones are gone already. They named a street in New York City for Joey Ramone. The least you can do is buy a copy of Road To Ruin in his honor. (Don't wait for me to be elected President.)

The Ramones At Their Best.......2005-12-06

Much like The Clash's London Calling, Road To Ruin is The Ramones' standout album and boasts some of their biggest hits. Road To Ruin showcases the band at the peak of their 20-year career, way back in 1977. The Ramones' fourth release contains hits such as "She's The One" and the infamous "I Wanna Be Sedated", and I'm happy to report that there are absolutely no filler tracks on this record, which is rare for an album that has 17 songs on it.

It's probably a waste of time, but being the obsessive compulsive person that I am, I feel the need to pinpoint the band's talent. From Dee Dee's hypnotic basslines and poignant lyrics, to Joey Ramone's sour yet irresistable vocal delivery, to Tommy, the backbone of the band, Road To Ruin has no weak spots. (And don't even let me get started with the guitar...I swear, Johnny Ramone could do more with 3 or 4 chords than anyone of his time.)

The Ramones were one of the greatest and most influential bands ever, and although almost none of their tracks were over 2 and a half minutes long, every one of their songs were catchy, upbeat, well-structured, and most importantly, fun to listen to. Pick up Road To Ruin now!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant "posthumous" release
Underground Masterpiece
A Release For Old And New Fans!!!
Too good to keep locked up in the vaults
Superdrag is back.

Changin' Tires on the Road to Ruin
Superdrag
Manufacturer: Arena Rock
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MR9C0K
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Tracks:

Here We Come
She Says
My Day (Will Come)
Sleeping Beauty
Doctors Are Dead
Comfortably Bummed
No Inspiration
Keep It Close To Me
Extra-Sensory
I Am Incinerator
Relocate My Satellites
The Rest Of The World
Lighting The Way
True Believer

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant "posthumous" release.......2007-06-27

When I think of underrated bands, Superdrag is probably the first band that comes to mind. They were a blip on the radar in 1995 with "Sucked Out" and then faded from the public view. However, throughout the 90's and early part of 2000, Superdrag put out one of the best catalogs of power-pop albums and continued to top itself with each successive release.

The measure of a band is the quality of tracks they assemble when the public isn't listening. This collection of rarities and B-sides shows a band exceedingly gifted in writing hooky, power pop songs. To me, it speaks volumes about a band's songwriting capabilities when their "throw away" tracks are better than many bands' top tracks.

Standout tracks are "Comfortably Bummed," "No Inspiration," and "While the Rest of the World." Interesting add-ons are the demos of "Extra Sensory" and "Keep It Close To Me" as well as "I am Incinerator," which was later released as "I Guess It's American" on the Superdrag/Anniversary split EP.

On the whole, a nice retrospective of one of indie-rock's most under-appreciated acts. Much like a full studio album, this album displays all aspects of Superdrag's repertoire. Recommended!

Underground Masterpiece.......2007-06-11

Everyone has a 'best kept secret' band, for my money it would be hard to beat Knoxville's Superdrag.

Superdrag - their first album in 5 years, "Changin' Tires on the Road to Ruin" consists of leftovers and demo's that have finally seen the light of day. By all accounts it should not be as good as it is - heck I didn't think Superdrag would ever release another album! The band rip through some half-way decent material. Changin' Tires on the Road to Ruin will more than likely remain an underground masterpiece, however this or any other album the band have put out, should be part of any serious music fans collection.

Recommended.

A Release For Old And New Fans!!!.......2007-05-25

I've been a Superdrag fan since their first major release in 96. I'm the type of fan where if I get into a band, I have to start collecting bootlegs of these bands, and Superdrag wasn't an exception. I started with Live Recordings and then I got into collecting "Demos". One thing can be said about Superdrag, they have enough demos to fill up 20 CDs if not more! And that's a good thing! :)
After getting really poor sounding mp3s and unknown generation cassette copies (remember cassettes?) of some of these songs, I was able to obtain upgrades from trading with people close to the band. But the release of this CD makes the sound quality sound a lot better of course. It's amazing to finally have on CD, "Here We Come","No Inspiration", "Keep It Close To Me" (4-track Demo), "Relocate My Satellites", "The Rest Of The World", and the unreleased gem "Doctors Are Dead" (which is worth the price of admission!!!), just to name a few.
There's still a rumour going round that a box set will be released. Of course, only the hard-core fans like myself would be interested in a Superdrag Box Set, but I feel they merit a Box Set release. There have been so many bands that never got their due that have box sets released or at least Remastered Edition CDs with bonus tracks such as The Zombies: Zombie Heaven Box Set, The Pretty Things: SF Sorrow Special Edition, The Misfits: Box Set.
I know this CD is just the tip of the iceberg and I would like to thank the band members that were involved (John & Don, I belive) for making this release possible. Your music really did inspire me, and it changed my life in a positive way. Who can say that about Britney Spears or the latest flavor of the month? Buy this album if you're interested in hearing unreleased gems by this band, but if you're really curious about checking out the band, get their masterpiece of an album "In The Valley Of Dying Stars", it's an amazing album, by an amazing band!

Too good to keep locked up in the vaults.......2007-04-22

If you're a Superdrag fan, this new collection of demos and assorted b-sides is a no-brainer, sure you've heard a lot of these songs before, but the ragged, raw, spontaneous quality of these demos - with nice remastered sound - makes them sound as a fresh as a loaf of bread just pulled from the oven. In other words, this CD is HOT! Now here's hoping for some NEW material - and a reunion tour? - from the late, lamented supergroup!

Superdrag is back........2007-04-14

Wow. I didn't think I would like this album as much as I do (and I thought I'd love it).

I am one of those die-hard fanatics who already had pretty much all the demos one could get their hands on, but the quality of them is so poor, these are practically brand new songs. In other words, the mastering is excellent.

This album has been in my car cd-player, ipod, itunes, brain, etc. nonstop since the day I received it in the mail. I have a feeling that it will remain that way for a long time. Good-Music-Detectives, let that be a clue.

I strongly recommend this album for the following categories of people:

1) You like rock and roll music.
2) You like really good things.
3) You like buying really good things.
4) You like smart, catchy, absolutely beautiful songwriting with more than a touch of sadness, longing and nostalgia.
5) You have ears.

So honestly, if you fall into any of those categories, don't hesitate.

-Nathan Maas

Average customer rating:

Sissy gothencore
Easily one of the best metal albums of 2005
The perfect band for the metalcore/hardcore genre.
Ok album, WAY overhyped.
Darkest Hour's finest (hour)

Undoing Ruin
Darkest Hour
Manufacturer: Victory Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Miasma
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ASIN: B0009OUAIE
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

With a Thousand Words to Say But One
Convalescence
This Will Outlive Us
Sound The Surrender
Pathos
Low
Ethos
District Divided
These Fevered Times
Paradise
Tranquil

Customer Reviews:

Sissy gothencore.......2007-07-05

Dont get this confused with good melodeath. You'll never find good melodeath from America, EVER (except Arsis). It always ends up sounding too much like Killswitch Engage. And that holds true to this.

ZOMG THIS AWESUM STUFF D00D!!!11 The guy said in the record store. But, I already knew who these guys were. So I got to sample the clerks copy. Man, was this stuff generic. And I know, melodeath isnt exactly the most groundbreaking stuff, but play 20 diffrent songs from 20 diffrent good melodeath bands and I could tell you who they were. I had to ask the clerk ten times to make sure I wasnt listening to Unearth, Killswitch Engage, All that Remains, or the Black Dahlia. And to be frank, who cares.

This is audio feces.

Easily one of the best metal albums of 2005.......2006-08-11

Get this album along with Black Dahlia Murder's "Miasma", and you've got the best one-two punch of 2005. Undoing Ruin is flippin' sweet. Darkest Hour decided to let the metal fly, and scaled back their punk and Gothenburg influences just enough to create the perfect cocktail of epic sounds. Instead of dwelling too long on their ideas, they get in, do their job, and get out (their last album was twice as long). The melody finally shines through enough to give their songs room to breathe. And by the way, "These Fevered Times" is worth the price alone. And dude's vocals are sick, one of the most demonic voices in metal today.

The perfect band for the metalcore/hardcore genre........2006-07-31

This is just perfect metalcore that flat out rocks. The metal bands who are in the victory records act (Between The Buried And Me, Atreyu, A Perfect Murder, Bury Your Dead, Darkest Hour and more) help show what metal and hardcore is. Darkest Hour being one of them they prove themselves to be useful in the metalcore part of music. What proves this is their album. The one reviewed. "With A Thousand Words to Say but One," "Convelescence," "Sound the Surrender," "Low." With songs like these and the rest of the album Darkest Hour has been proven perfect for metalcore/hardcore scene along with their other metal labelmates. A breathtaking album that is a must have for any metalcore/hardcore fan.

Ok album, WAY overhyped........2006-06-16

Cannot believe how badly this album and this band is hyped by the metalcore kids. I listened to the album, and admittedly, they have some talent and the solos are nice, but the riffing is standard metalcore. "Sound the Surrender" is the perfect example. The main riff has been used in 10+ songs by other bands I kid you not, As I Lay Dying being one of them. I don't understand why metalcore bands all use the same 5 notes for every riff. There are more notes than those on the neck guys, diversify a bit.

Vocals are also a bit of a turn off. Sounds like Thrice vocals, feels more punk than metal. Darkest Hour basically feels like Thrice tuned down a notch with solos. The drums snare is too weak sounding as well, not enough strength in them, also adding to the punk sound.

The positives far outweigh the negatives so I rate this a 3.5, and NO this is not the best release of 2005. There are countless better albums, and those saying this is the album of the decade need to listen to more music because it is not even close.

Darkest Hour's finest (hour).......2006-05-12

Even though Darkest Hour are one of now many bands to play hardcore influenced thrash, don't get them confused with the legions of imitators in the current New Wave Of American Heavy Metal genre. For one, Darkest Hour artfully blend in some death metal which is akin to legendary groups like At The Gates and In Flames. Secondly, and most importantly, DH are one of metalcore's originals and true innovators. Sure, John Henry's vocals now sound a bit familiar (they may remind you of the last Chimaira album), but Darkest Hour debuted in 1996, so they were one of the first bands on the metalcore scene.

The band's fourth full length record, "Undoing Ruin," which was produced by Strapping Young Lad's Devin Townsend in 2005, continues on the band's growing legacy. The aforementioned imitators (you know who you are!) should definitely take notes when listening to this disc because, simply put, this is metalcore done right! It's surely one of 2005's best metal releases.

Darkest Hour also stand above most of the playing field because they're efficient at incorporating two other things (aside from Swedish death metal). Guitarists Mike Schleibaum and Kris Norris are more than capable of unleashing a few memorable, infectious solos (tracks two and three wail and ascend gently, and "Sound The Surrender" features a solo which sounds like it could be from an arpeggio guitar or a keyboard.) Next, Darkest Hour also have the musical abilities, knowhow, and songwriting skills to fuse melody into the mix without resorting to predictable, cliche, soaring choruses.. "Pathos," which is a pretty, Killswitch Engage-esque acoustic interlude, and the slower, instrumental "Ethos," are both very tuneful songs, but they don't water down the album's overall momentum or sonic fury.

However, on the flip side, Darkest Hour prove they can still very much compete with the heavyweights. And this is one of the few modern metal bands which is capable of being intense without filling every song with boatloads of breakdowns, Cookie Monster vocals, and double bass drumming. Rather, "Undoing Ruin" is a very satisfying listen which flows as smoothly and consistently as milk. John's visceral, blood-stained yells spill like venom over fiery, blistering riffs, strong, propulsive leads, and quick, thumping drums on such catchy slabs of aggression as "This Will Outlive Us," "Sound The Surrender," "Low," and "District Divided."

So, whether opting for either end of the heavy scale, "Undoing Ruin" proves that this Washington-based five-piece are not only a notch above the competition, they are (and should be) one of the standards for which nearly every other modern metal band is judged. Thus, if you're a fan of hardcore and/or heavy metal, don't forget about Darkest Hour. This isn't just another metalcore band; this is the real deal.

Average customer rating:

Best Damn Cover Band In The World pt 5...
Don't waste your time
Gutsy
Real entertainers
???

Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Manufacturer: Fat Wreck Chords
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Take a Break
Are a Drag
Have a Ball
Blow in the Wind
Love Their Country

ASIN: B0002XEEFC
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

Jonny's Blessing
Stairway to Heaven
Heart of Glass
Delta Dawn
Come Sail Away
O Sole Mio
Strawberry Fields Forever
Auld Lang Syne
The Longest Time
On My Mind
Take it on the Run
Superstar
Hava Nagila
Hava Nagila (Christmas Arrangement)

Amazon.com

Whether or not Me First and the Gimme Gimmes were successful in their attempt to Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah depends, naturally, on Jonny. If he's a fan of pop (and circumstance) classics reconfigured as punk, Jonny's special day must have been quite a treat because that's what he got. The Gimmes brought their tongue-in-cheek sneering delivery and souped-up versions on hits such as "Take it on the Run" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Me First even tackles "Stairway to Heaven" here. And, as you might guess, "Hava Nagila" closes the set. This CD is a low-brow party favor, perfect for 13-year-old boys actually. Others may be worn a little thin depending on how hilarious they find a rocked-up "Delta Dawn." Still, the band barrels through this party of friends and relatives with plenty of charm. Listeners will visualize the Bar Mitzvah dance floor while they place bets on whether or not Richard Cheese gets billed at Jonny's prom. --John Moe

Customer Reviews:

Best Damn Cover Band In The World pt 5..........2007-06-27

...Oh dear, poor old Wojo below just doesn't get it boys and girls. These guys prove that practice does make a perfectly good live album. Tongue-in-cheek on so many levels with deadly serious musician-ship - a lethal compination that shows that Me First are not just studio brats.
Shalom from the best damn cover band in the world!

Don't waste your time.......2007-02-26

Taking great songs and ruining them with screaming and every song sounds the same. There are about a million other things better to do with your money and time.

Gutsy.......2007-02-04

Man, these guys got guts to blatantly put out a CD & video based on a bad bar mitzvah. I've been a Gimmes fan for about 5 years and this one is for fans really. If you are starting off on Gimmes you are better off listening to the earlier stuff like "Have A Ball", "Are A Drag", etc.

Real entertainers.......2006-07-29

I got this after I heard 'Are A Drag' and figured that it couldn't be for real. Well, I'm sure that it is. These guys are great. I turned a lot of people onto them that wouldn't even get into punk but know these songs and enjoy what they do with them. The quality of the recording is pretty amazing. It might be lame to say, but it's probably one of the best live recordings that I've come across. Their remakes of tunes are just great and you can tell that they are pretty serious about their love for the music that they do. I didn't cringe like one reviewer did at Stairway to Heaven, it was as short as it needed to be without being blasphemous. The singing is really great on this and the things that they say between the songs are quite humorous. One wish? They recorded their break (which was kind of odd but not unlike them probably) so that it ate up time on the disc. I would've like more songs, they were just sounding great!! If you like music because it entertains you, this is for you. I am a pro musician and usually analyze music. I don't to this; it's meant to be for enjoying and nothing else.

???.......2005-11-17

I know they cover a lot of songs and all that, but am i the only one who thinks they should be shot for their rendetion of stairway to heaven?

Average customer rating:

How bad do you wanna ROCK?!
Excellent Rock record! Can't go wrong....
Should be a standard of modern rock.
7 Stars!!!
Excellent

Sounds of Liberation
Che
Manufacturer: Man's Ruin
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Saved by Magic
Dare I Say
Only a Suggestion
Amusing the Amazing
Brant Bjork & the Operators

ASIN: B00004YWMY
Release Date: 2000-09-19

Tracks:

Hydraulicks
The Knife
Pray For Rock
Sounds Of Liberation
Adelante
Blue Demon
The Day The Pirate Retired

Album Description

Original October 2000 Man's Ruin pressing of the desert rock super group debut album, featuring Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu), Alfredo Hernandez (Kyuss) and Dave Dinsmore (Unida). Highly collectible! Seven tracks in all.

Customer Reviews:

How bad do you wanna ROCK?!.......2007-03-06

Che is a rock music monolith which magnificently stands proud and casts a shadow over anything that purports to be rock. This album soulfully gives itself to trusting ears. It shares the secrets of true rock: No whirling lasers. No blasting sirens. No blinking lights. This is THE GoodStuff.

Excellent Rock record! Can't go wrong...........2004-04-06

One of the cool features about buying off Amazon is that they often give you snipets of the album in question you are thinking about purchasing. After hearing the first clip for "Hydraulicks", I added Che' to my cart. I've been a Fu Manchu fan for years and always wondered about Brant Bjork's solo offerings, but I had never heard anything by him. Needless to say, I now own 3 out of his 4 so far. I still need to get "Keep Your Cool".

This record is killer rock music from start to finish. It's got a nice grind at times, it can be kind of funky, it's fast...honestly (and this isn't a bad thing) if you put Scott Hill's vocals in place on a few of these songs, it would be Fu Manchu. For people who dig Fu Manchu it's just another plus. Brant Bjork has surprised me. I always admired his drumming, but I never knew he was such a talented all-around musician as well.

If you are reading the reviews for this album, chances are you are familiar with either Brant Bjork's work with Kyuss, Fu Manchu or the other collaborations he's worked on. Trust the reviews on this page, you'll love this album and you'll crank it up while you're driving down the road with the wind in your face going deaf.

Should be a standard of modern rock........2003-11-28

So the members of this band have previously been in other very awesome rock groups, which led me to expect quality. I wasn't let down and found this record to be different yet has the guitar riffs that remind me of alot of the other desert rock bands. There is no crap or pretentious virtuoso musicianship being displayed here but solid driving rock. There some cool psychedelic effects on the guitar and bass lines here and there and even some brief solos which levels out the sparse change ups of the songs. Brants vocals (as well as his lyrics) are ridiculous at times, like when he uses a line from an NWA song to open Blue Demon. I don't know if its a joke or he's too high to think about it.

7 Stars!!!.......2003-09-25

This cd rocks really hard! I just saw Brant Bjork play in Hollywood a few weeks ago and I was blown away by his incredible, versatile talent, and really warm presence. The sound feels like a mix of Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, and Brant's own.

If you like any of the desert staples (QOTSA, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, etc.) then get this cd. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent.......2003-01-11

I had to buy a used copy because they were out of print for awhile......I'm glad to see they are available once again on [Partners &]Amazon, because this is some quality material from true talent. If you dig Kyuss and you dig Brant Bjork's solo album "Jalamanta" (and maybe Brant Bjork & The Operators, although I haven't listened to that one yet), you will get your money's worth with Che. Intense, trippy, positive, and inspired are words I'd use to describe it. Good stuff!

Average customer rating:

Overlooked Classic
one of the best 'stoner' albums ever
Pete Stahl: the #1 vox in doom metaldom

Flower of Disease
Goatsnake
Manufacturer: Man's Ruin
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Goatsnake 1/Dog Days
Trampled Under Hoof
Dog Days
The Church Within
Taming of the Demons

ASIN: B00004YWN1
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

Flower Of Disease
Prayer For A Dying
Easy Greasy
El Coyote
The Dealer
A Truckload Of Mamma's Muffins
Live To Die
The River

Customer Reviews:

Overlooked Classic.......2007-01-08

"Flower of Disease" is in my opinion the peak of Goatsnake's unfortunately short career, which created just 2 LP's and 2 EP's. This album was the follow-up to 1999's debut LP "I" and the short EP "Dog Days", and proved to be their heaviest, most melodic and most intelligent album. While the album falls into the stoner/doom genre, I would really recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of old school rock n roll. The Sabbath worship is obvious yet executed in a fresh manner with more emphasis on vocal melody, and a heavy blues influence that recalls the swaggering heydays of Led Zeppelin. But be warned, this album is a heavy monster...

This is mostly down to Greg Anderson (also of cult doom maniacs Sunn O))) and Thorr's Hammer), who has created such an immensely rich and powerful guitar tone using his trademark `mystery' tuning which he will not reveal, some big fat juicy riffs, and of course those mighty Sunn amps. His presence on this album is amazing. The opening bluesy dirge of the title track is a perfect and instantaneous example. Groove is definitely a big part of the Goatsnake sound, and they repeat the winning formula of big tone - big riff - slow groove with tracks such as the thundering "Dealer" and "Truckload of Mamma's Muffins". There are also some more typically stoner tracks with the rocking fun of "Live to Die" and "El Coyote".

Pete Stahl also needs special mention here. Goatsnake simply wouldn't be the same without his melodic vocals, which pierce through the heavy tones, giving the band a very distinctive sound and melody. This is highlighted in the one-two punch of the title track and "Prayer For A Dying", with the latter having a divine chorus melody. The band also have a great understanding of composition, always keeping things interesting with changes in tempo/riffs/melodies, this is shown especially in the closer "The River" which encompasses the trademark violin sections with a slow brooding main riff.

Goatsnake are tragically overlooked in the world of stoner/doom metal, and carved a somewhat cult status for themselves. If you know you enjoy bands such as Sleep, Orange Goblin, Kyuss, Sunn O))) etc, then you really do need this album. If you love 70s rock and metal in general, then you cannot go wrong with this one, just be warned about the mammoth guitar tone!

one of the best 'stoner' albums ever.......2002-11-06

i hate to use the term 'stoner rock' since the genre as a whole is so overdone and watered down at this point. however there will always be excellent albums to find no matter how many boring bands this genre produces. and goatsnake, and specifically flower of disese, are excellent.

i would rate this album right up there with favorites from Kyuss, QOTSA, Sleep, etc. goatsnake play a unique mixture of stoner and doom - never as heavy as, say, electric wizard, but not as 'stoner' as fu manchu - and they play it very well.

the album sounds great, doesn't have one weak song, and is a very interesting listen. they go beyond just rehashing old sabbath riffs, and actually make some excellent music here. the lyrics, in particular, are excellent.

for fans of the 'stoner/doom' genre, or just rock in general, this album comes very, very highly recommended. give it a few spins and you'll see what i'm talking about....

excellent.

Pete Stahl: the #1 vox in doom metaldom.......2001-01-19

The loss of any key player could be devastating in lesser bands, but the mighty Goatsnake rolls with the changes and uses it as an excuse to veer their smothering doom rock into a more bluesy direction. Splitting to join Acid King, ex-Obsessed bassist Guy Pinhas is replaced by Burning Witch earthshaker Stuart Dahlquist, which subsequently allows the band to lessen the volume of sludge-slinging chordage. "Easy Greasy" is a prime example of these doom emperors' new grooves: all the riffilicious density we've come to expect, with Pete Stahl's throaty warble riding sidesaddle, and the title track and "Prayer For A Dying" follow suit. Though the mouth harp gets old, "El Coyote" picks up the pace for one wicked ride down Led Zeppelin Lane. "Live To Die" retains that mammoth chord progression from Zep's "How Many More Times" and rawks out Milligram style. The band still fashions their slo-mo sludge in "The Dealer," tempered to a dull sheen in the eternally infernal flames. Stahl drags his 'nads through Valvoline (one of his finest lyrics ever!) in the multi-tempo workout "A Truckload Of Mamma's Muffins" but then ruins it with pointless profanity in the coda. "The River" gets carried away with the end-of-album decorations: Petra Haden's heady, Dark Side Of The Moon-ish operatics and the classical violin and piano. The record doesn't stack up to the bludgeoning majesty of their debut, but like Zep did some thirty years ago, the 'Snake got you in the sights of their gun - for keeps.

Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey

Average customer rating:

As Always, Hilarious
Spoof Odessey worth the laughs!
better to be "Lost in Space"
Stretched Thin
Do the Math

Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act!: The Unoriginal Cast Recording, Volume 5 (1998 New York Cast)
Forbidden Broadway, Vol. 8 - Special Victims Unit
Forbidden Broadway (20th Anniversary Edition)
Forbidden Broadway, Vols. 1-4
Forbidden Broadway: The Hit Musical Revue (1982 Revue Compilation)

ASIN: B0000584UL
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Forbidden Broadway 2001: Another Op'nin, 'Another Show
Futuristic Stewardess/Usherette: Come Fly With Me
Judi Dench: Why Can't The English?
Trouble In New Tork City: Trouble
The Music Man Revival 2001: Till There Was You
Cole Porter: You're The Top/From The Moment On
Kiss Me, Kate Revival 2001: Wunderbar
I Hate Ben - Marin Mazzie: I Hate Men
Cheryl Ladd In Annie Get Your Gun: There's No Business Like Show Business
Miss Saigon Farewell: Why God Why?
Saturday Night Fiasco: Stayin' Alive
Gwen Verdon & The Fosse Dancers: I'm A Brass Band/Steam Heat
Liza Minnelli 2001/Alan Cumming in Cabaret: Wilkommen
Let's Run Times Square Again: Let's Do the Time Warp Again
Ethel Merman & Elton John: I've Got Rhythm/Old Fashioned Wedding
Beauty's Been Decreased: Beauty And The Beast
Being Lupone: Being Alive
Sondheim's Blues: Buddy's Blues
Streisand's Farewell Tour: Happy Days Are Here Again/Mame
Les Miz 2001 - Edith Piaf/Milord
Aida - Amneris Intro: Every Story Is A Love Story/Heather Headley/It's Cheesy: Easy As Life
Elaborate Sets (Aida Cont.): Elaborate Lives
Angela Lansbury: I Don't Want To Know
The Full Monty: Let It Go
76 Hit Shows: 76 Trombones
Bows-Ta-Ta Folks: Another Op'nin, 'Another Show
Joseph And The Amazing High 'C': Any Dream Will Do

Customer Reviews:

As Always, Hilarious.......2007-05-03

This is so funny! Like all the Forbidden Broadway cds, its another knock-out. I feel like such a crazy person when I am in the car driving and I just burst out laughing. Its great and a must have for any Forbidden Broadway fan.

Spoof Odessey worth the laughs!.......2002-04-14

I enjoyed "Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey." This recording has some truly genius material, and although these actors' impersonations of famous Broadway stars aren't as strong as they have been in the past, the CD has a lot to recommend it.

Particularly strong is Track 16, "Let's do an old fashioned show tune," featuring Elton John and Ethel Merman duking it out over AIDA, which Merman says is "putting everyone here through hell." Likewise, Track 15, "Let's Ruin Times Square Again," tickles my funny bone. Also wonderful are the satires of Beauty and the Beast, Angela Lansbury, and the Full Monty; Gerard Alessandrini's done a tremendous job with these! In addition, this CD's introductory song is much stronger than those on the previous volumes of Forbidden Broadway. It really sets the tone for the best parts of this recording.

Unfortunately, with a few notable exceptions, the first half of the CD is a bit thin, which is why I give this recording 3 out of 5 stars: Even though it entertains me, there's a lot I have to skip over. For example, the Liza Minelli spoof annoying (though, I admit, a little funny), and in the Music Man revival satire, their Robert Preston impersonator sounds *nothing* like the original. (In earlier recordings, the actors *did* sound like the people they claimed to be.)

The good news is that the CD has 30 tracks in all, so even though there are 13 that I dislike, I just love the rest... I do recommend it!

better to be "Lost in Space".......2001-12-31

First and foremost, this CD is really for diehard fans of Forbidden Broadway, those of us who want the good, the bad and the ugly on the cd rack. I was extremely unimpressed with the latest offering.

While I agree with some of the other reviewers that there is some nice work, I don't know that Saturday Night Fiasco and Sondheim's Blues are sufficient to carry the rest of the tracks. Not much seems new or worse yet, important. Disney isn't new, nor is Les Miz. And while pointing out what is stale and pedestrian on Broadway was amusing on the last couple of releases, this Forbidden Broadway spoof clearly has joined the list of stale and pedestrian.

While there is some nice material on this disc, I really didn't laugh out loud, and that is why I have always bought these in the past.

If Alessandrini reduces the show to the same complaints of the same shows and then replaying lightly tweaked versions of past numbers, Trouble and Alan Cumming in Cabaret specifically, then he has himself is on the becoming a revival - and we know what he thinks of revivals.

The repeats might even be acceptable if there was something fresh in the perfomance, but both were done much better on their respective discs. I think Danny Gurwin is a great comedian, but he doesn't shine in either of these numbers. We also need a recording with no Ethel Merman or Liza numbers - give them a rest already. And why bring back Streisand with such a poor imitation? The earlier Barbara's were dead on vocal impressions as well as speech patterns. If you aren't going to improve on it, then don't drag it back out.

Alessandrini suggests that this is one of the best casts he has ever worked with. I don't know what he bases that on, but I beg to differ, either cast with Bryan Batt was significantly better, although they worked with fresh, clever material. Still, those recordings had verocious talent that brought Gerard's stinging wit to life for those of us who can't see every new production of FB.

Maybe it is time to go to off Broadway productions, or to the radio or the movies for some new ideas. Or else promise no references to the Gap, Disney, or Chorus Boys, (way over used on this recording), along with a Merman and Liza free season. Start from scratch. That might give us hope that Forbidden Broadway too might not be dead.

Stretched Thin.......2001-03-26

I just saw the stage production of Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey. I agree with the other reviewers who feel that Alessandrini is no longer at the top of his game. Perhaps he should lay off for a year or three and let Broadway present new things for him to lampoon - as it always will.

The opening sequence is forced and unfunny, and clearly in place only to batter the listener with the "2001" theme. Unlike a previous reviewer, I found the Judi Dench parody hysterical, though I question its accuracy.

The "Trouble" parody is, as it always was, incomplete and thin. My dear friend John Kenrick (...) did a better job with it - included the segments of the original song that GA left out, and in a funnier fashion. The Cole Porter parody is marginally amusing, but the Brian Mitchell/Marin Mazzie parody is dead on the mark, and VERY funny.

The parody of Cheryl Ladd remains in the show, although she's no longer in "Annie Get Your Gun" - Reba McIntyre is now in the role. Similarly, he stabs at Alan Cumming, who is no longer playing the Emcee. These numbers, while funny, lack punch. On the other hand, he once again skewers long time target Patti LuPone with an hysterical new parody of Being Alive. I suppose she's innately funnier, after all these years, than Alan Cumming, who is, after all, a relative newcomer.

The Rocky Horror parody is amusing, and the observation that sex has moved off 42nd Street and onto the Broadway stage is not without merit. The Beauty parody is amusing, and apt, but as has already been noted, GA has been clobbering us with the Disnification of Broadway for years now. I suppose he finds some glee in the fading success of this particular show.

I must say that while Gurwin is not the greatest singer, "Sondheim's Blues" is the most brilliant piece I've heard from Alessandrini in years. It's absolutely dead on. The friends I was with had never seen nor heard "Follies" and completely missed the point, but I was in stitches.

The "10 Years More" (which does not appear on this album, but remains in the show) has really begun to wear thin, especially with the closing this year of Cats and Miss Saigon. The Cameron Macintosh British mega-musicals are finally releasing their grip on Broadway, and this isn't as funny any more.

Broadway, despite the naysayers, will never die... and apparently, neither will Forbidden Broadway. I don't think it should - but I do think it needs a rest.

Do the Math.......2001-03-15

Four CDs cover the first 20 Years of Forbidden Broadway, Gerard Alessandrini's viciously witty satire of New York Theatre. The last year has seen Three new CDs, FB "Cleans Up Its Act" "20th Anniversary Edition" and now "2001 a Spoof Odyssey". Do the math.

Alessandrini is running out of ideas, and is spreading the remaining ones too thin. . Sanitized Time Square - Been there. Disnified Broadway - Done that, and so many times. Asinine casting faux pas, plotless pointless set-monster musicals, and Ethel Merman and Liza. We've heard it all before - and last time, it was funnier.

Now normally when a writer (or director or actor) has truly entertained me on numerous occasions, I'll forgive the odd show that disappoints. This would be the case here except for two things: Alessandrini is in the vicious parody business - he's never spared anyone else Besides, if he's going to actually include couplets like: "If lyrics are no longer witty... Then I don't want to go " he's inviting the pans.

When you hear the AIDA lampoon, you'll be reminded of the dim bulb in Cyrano de Bergerac who taunts the hero with the brilliant witticism: Your nose is very large

Yes, there are a few true Forbidden Broadway tracks on Spoof Odyssey. Dame Judi Dench singing "Why can't Americans do theatre like the Brits?" (with apologies to My Fair Lady), I Hate Ben (with apologies to Kiss Me Kate) and about 1/3 of "Let's Ruin Time Square Again" (no apologies necessary to Rocky Horror which understands how easy it is for good parody to go bad). Oh yes, there is one absolutely true Forbidden Broadway track: TROUBLE - yes, the same Trouble from Volume 3 which was just re-released on the 20th Anniversary compilation - and it's back again with a more hackneyed Robert Preston impersonation and all of 4 words changed. Granted it's one of the better bits, more worthy of rerunning than say, referring to Miss Saigon as Viet-Numb, but oh, he reran that gag too

The Brutal Language
Average customer rating:

Better as an EP

Uggg...

the devil walks..

The Brutal Language
My Ruin
Manufacturer: Rovena Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ruined and Recalled

ASIN: B000AP2ZXA
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Nature Boy
Silverlake 6571
The Devil Walks
Spilling Open
Cold Hands, Warm Heart
Metamorphosis
Summer Of Hell
Vince Vaughn
Imitation Of Christ
Touch Me I'm Sick

Album Description

"The Brutal Language" is the "quintessential" My Ruin album and the essence of their music in it's purest and most concentrated form with no detractions. An eyebrow raising expression of the heaviest rock & roll metal lead by the violently sexy word play of infamous vocalist Tairrie B, making a statement of liberation rather than a declaration of revenge. Produced and played entirely by My Ruin guitarist, Mick Murphy and mixed by two time Grammy Award winning producer and long time friend, Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Fireball Ministry), it has become explicitly clear that My Ruin are about to redefine themselves as a force to be reckoned with as they once again reinvent their sound, substance and approach.

Customer Reviews:

Better as an EP.......2006-04-04

I've been a fan of My Ruin since I first heard Speak and Destroy. Each album progressively has gotten better. Until now.....unfortunately I cannot call this an "album" there are two tracks that are 60 second spoken word tracks, and the Mudhoney cover is just as awful as when Tarrie butchered Nirvana's "Negative Creep" under a different band. There are 4 or 5 songs on this cd that you can consider as "quality". Fortunately, I didnt pay full price for this album so I dont feel ripped off. 18-20 minutes of quality music doesn't constitute an "album". Nor should it entail paying more than 7-8 bucks! The music itself is different than previous My Ruin albums. It's more of an early to mid 90s guitar style and tone as opposed to their more nu metal offerings of the past. Tracks 2,3,4,5 and 8 are great! Regretfully, the rest is filler. Buy at your own risk, or wait until iTunes has this album available and pick off the tracks that interest you. That would be the route I would go if I had to do it over again.

Uggg..........2006-02-28

Tairrie B has tremendous potential as a vocalist. Unfortunately, her talent continues to more and more diluted as My Ruin's song writing slides downhill album after album. The Brutal Language continues in the direction of THoB, abandoning the nu metal nuances of APUPoVA in favor of straight ahead hard rock. However, the hooks are far less memorable than THoB. The song writing revolves around bad lyrics (far weaker than previous material) and hackneyed riffs that a B grade bar band would reject. Overall, it just seems to lack any real inspiration or direction. Surprisingly, Mick Murphy's guitar solos have actually progressed to the point where they are somewhat interesting, but his rhythm playing is completely one dimensional. Finally, the albums production is flat and lifeless. I don't sell off many albums I buy, but this one is going straight to the used rack.

the devil walks.........2005-09-27

wow, this album is really quite good. it is in the same vein as their earlier albums featuring mick murphy, hard rock, rocken solos and great lyrics. mick actually played all the instruments here, and yeah, he is an awesome drummer. this is definitely a rock album, it rocks, like acdc. its more rocking than their earlier stuff, less metal more cocky. the only downfall is the fact that it's only 10 tracks one of which is spoken work, but apart from that its excellent classic my ruin, a must for all my ruin / tairrie b fans. Best songs: the devil walks, vince vaughn and imitation of christ

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