Collage 6: Uplifters

1. Concerto

2. For Your Eyes

3. Aquas de Invierno

4. Rain Dancer

5. Meet You in Heaven

6. Tango Flamenco

7. Pure Paradise

8. Tear Drops

9. Santa Fe

10. Bashana

11. To the Coming Year

Collage 6: Uplifters,Michael Bayan,Audio Acoustical Collage,Psycho Acoustical,Dance Music,Pop

Average customer rating: he should be more bored with himself Loved it Sounds like a Friday night feels Relaxing and Peaceful Jack Johnson has one talent

In Between Dreams Jack Johnson Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: On And On Brushfire Fairytales Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (Jack Johnson) X&Y Back to Bedlam ASIN: B0007GAEVW Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

1. Better Together
2. Never Know
3. Banana Pancakes
4. Good People
5. No Other Way
6. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
7. Staple It Together
8. Situations
9. Crying Shame
10. If I Could
11. Breakdown
12. Belle
13. Do You Remember
14. Constellations

Amazon.com

For a man who gets his biggest kicks surfing the waves and strumming his guitar on a lonely beach in native Hawaii, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has carved out quite a remarkable career on the mainland. His 2003 album, On and On, debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and subsequently went platinum on the back of hit single "The Horizon Has Been Defeated." The follow-up, meanwhile, seems destined to shine even brighter. The drifting chords and soft voice are still in place, only now Johnson's instinct for melody has sharpened alongside his ability to self-edit. These small concessions make third album, In Between Dreams, his most conspicuous, particularly on tracks like the three-minute relationship drama, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," and "Breakdown," a song he originally recorded for Handsome Boy Modeling School's White People album remade here to reveal its full stripped-down loveliness. Imagine all the coconuts it will buy. -- Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

he should be more bored with himself.......2007-07-16

Typically, an artist seeks to broaden their talent and explore new horizons. With Jack Johnson, he's satisfied to produce the same songs over and over and over and over. If you'd like to hear all the same catchy riffs ad nauseum, buy all of Jack Johnson's albums. Or just buy one, since they're all the same.

Loved it.......2007-06-12

I have to say, I own Brushfire Fairytales and On and On, also, but this album is my favorite so far. I love the flow of the songs, love the songs he wrote as well as the ones written by his friends, and love the delivery. "Banana Pancakes" is just about my favorite JJ track of all. I highly recommend this album.

Sounds like a Friday night feels.......2007-05-27

I absolutely love this album. Jack and boys sound sooooo good. Like I said above, it sounds like a Friday night feels...just plain good and mellow and happy. Beautifully simple melodies and refrains, just not so simple that they aren't fabulous. Jack's voice is just so smooth and lovely. The vocals are right up front and sound so clear. I love the guitar riffs on this album. In Between Dreams is like grown-up lullabies. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this album. My fave tracks are Breakdown, Never Know, Better Together, Sitting Waiting Wishing, Do You Remember, Constellations...see how much I love this album? Can't even choose a fave.

Relaxing and Peaceful.......2007-05-07

This CD is one of my favorite CD's ever! Every time I here the song 'Better Together' I cry. The first time I heard this song I was driving in the car with my brother and he played it for me in his first car for the first time. It was a special moment for me and I'll never forget that moment in my life. My favorite song would have to be 'Never Know' because I heard it sitting on a fairy-boat ride coming home from CIMI with my class of friends and I was sitting next to my boyfriend listening to that wonderful song. It lulled me to sleep and let my mind rest and be at ease. I will also never forget how much it helped me forget all present things and just let me have some 'me time' as I fell asleep. I know I am being redundant but trust me, it was wonderful. I would highly recommend this CD to you. Also Jack Johnson's voice is relxing and very unique. I have nobody to compare him to. If you end up buying this CD then I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and am.

Jack Johnson has one talent.......2007-04-11

making consistent albums that sound like an anthropomorphic summer took a poop in a box and this is the recording of it.

Average customer rating: On and On GREAT STUFF! Amazing Album Jack--always a classic Wonderful addition to my CD collection

On And On Jack Johnson Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: In Between Dreams Brushfire Fairytales Thicker Than Water Sing-A-Longs & Lullabies for the Film Curious George (Jack Johnson) Continuum ASIN: B00008NG5V Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

1. Times Like These
2. The Horizon Has Been Defeated
3. Traffic In The Sky
4. Taylor
5. Gone
6. Cupid
7. Wasting Time
8. Holes To Heaven
9. Dreams Be Dreams
10. Tomorrow Morning
11. Fall Line
12. Cookie Jar
13. Rodeo Clowns
14. Cocoon
15. Mediocre Bad Guys
16. Symbol In My Driveway

Amazon.com

Jack Johnson has found himself a groove. Indeed, the Hawaiian surfing champion turned alternative pop-folk star really hasn't changed things one iota for his sophomore release. Fans of Brushfire Fairytales should be delighted with the results. The groove is a mellow one--most of the 16 tracks here are semi-acoustic--and that easy-going spirit filters into Johnson's lyrical philosophies. "What will be will be / And so it goes" he sings on "Times Like These," the opening track. Thankfully, Johnson is never too mellow, and there's a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe to most of his music. "The Horizon Has Been Defeated" even has a pseudo-reggae feel to it. Although classified as an alternative musician, the singer-songwriter's compositions owe much to past hits. "Traffic in the Sky" is reminiscent of Jim Croce's "Operator" and Looking Glass's one-hit-wonder, "Brandy." On the splendid "Taylor," Johnson sounds an awful lot like Donovan. And "By The Way" recalls the Lovin' Spoonful. -- Bill Holdship

Album Description

Special digipak UK version of his second album features 17 tracks including the bonus track, 'The Horizon Has Been Defeated' (Acoustic Version). Moonshine Conspiracy. 2003.

Album Details

The Sophomore Album from the Hawaiian Surfing Champion Includes the Bonus Track "The Horizon Has Been Defeated (Acoustic Version)" which is Not Found on the USA Equivalent.

Customer Reviews:

On and On.......2007-06-13

Considering I first heard this DVD sitting in my dentist's chair having a tooth extracted, you wouldn't believe it's effect. It certainly helped take my mind off the immediate situation. Beautiful music, soothing mellow voice and a delight to hear at any time.

GREAT STUFF!.......2007-06-08

A great, laid-back, very mellow CD that can put you right on the beach,with a drink in your hand, watching the waves roll in.... even if you are sitting in your office in front of your computer. A must have if you love acoustic guitars! I HIGHLY recommend it!

Amazing Album.......2007-05-30

I love Jack Johnson! I have a more recent album and thought nothing could top it, but this one does. The lyrics are thoughtful, the melodies are catchy. I drove up and down the coast listening to this CD and never got sick of it.

Jack--always a classic.......2007-05-15

This record is one of his best... I would recommend it for new listeners of Jack Johnson who are just beginning to explore his musical awesomeness.

Wonderful addition to my CD collection.......2007-04-12

Jack Johnson work has an original voice and sound. Excellent addition to my collection. Mix of folk, pop and blues. Lyrics that nurture the soul. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating: Great one disk compilation I think it's a great compilation A pretty decent compilation for casual fans DON'T HATE U2 U2 Marketing Blunder

U218 Singles U2 Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Continuum Love U2 by U2 Sam's Town How To Save A Life ASIN: B000JJRINY Release Date: 2006-11-21

Tracks:

1. Beautiful Day
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. Pride (in The Name Of Love)
4. With Or Without You
5. Vertigo
6. New Year's Day
7. Mysterious Ways
8. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
9. Where The Streets Have No Name
10. Sweetest Thing
11. Sunday Bloody Sunday
12. One
13. Desire
14. Walk On
15. Elevation
16. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
17. The Saints Are Coming
18. Window In The Skies

Amazon.com

Whittling down the back catalog of one of the most popular and respected bands of the last quarter-century to a single-disc collection is bound to inspire argument and dissent from the fans and faithful over what is included--and all that gets left behind--and U2's 26-year career is as celebrated and beloved as any band of their generation. U218 Singles doesn't try to please everyone, wisely sticking to the acknowledged high points (and there are many) between 1983's War and 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Nitpickers may quibble that the collection leans too heavily on the band's most popular albums and skips the (admirable if less anthemic) techno-pop tangents of Zooropa and Pop and the earnest energy of the Boy/October years, but the musical majesty accumulated here testifies to the undeniable power and emotion U2 can muster in a four-minute pop song. Two new Rick Rubin-produced tracks don't break new ground for the band, but both would fit snugly somewhere in the U2 canon--"Window in the Skies" is pure late-period arena rock with a typically towering falsetto chorus, while Green Day helps inject some October-era urgency into "The Saints Are Coming". The sum of these 18 tracks is a first-rate primer, perfect for that 10-year-old niece or nephew who thinks U2's big break was that iPod commercial. --Ben Heege

Album Description

U218 Singles is the first single-disc collection - including 16 of their best-known songs. Also included are two brand-new tracks recorded with producer Rick Rubin at Abbey Road Studios in London: "The Saints Are Coming" (with Green Day) and "Window in the Skies."

Customer Reviews:

Great one disk compilation.......2007-07-16

This contains the most popular radio hits of U2. For the casual listener like myself this CD is all I need.

What makes a good compilation in my opinion is a collection where every song is enjoyable and you don't have to hit the skip button. This is one of those collections and it is one I bring along on every road trip.

This contains all the hits from the definitive album "Joshua Tree" and focuses heavy on the more popular albums. People like me who stopped listening after the 1990 album and started back up again in 2000 will be glad to see that there are no songs on this collection inbetween those years.

The big fans of U2 will stay away from this collection and hopefully for them this will help finance a project to get all the albums remastered because they are LONG overdue.

I think it's a great compilation.......2007-07-09

I've been a U2 fan for years, but not enough of a fan to collect all their stuff, so I've been waiting for a hits CD like this one to come out for a while now.

Very nice job. Quite complete.

A pretty decent compilation for casual fans.......2007-06-30

I can honestly say that I am not a big fan of U2. I fail to see the hoopla over one of the most overrated bands in the past two decades. I will admit that the band has put out some good songs over the years. J218 is perfect for casual listeners of U2 like myself. All of my favorite U2 songs are from the 1980s. Songs like "Without or Without You" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" still sounds amazingly fresh and never dated. I can never get tired of listening to the band's songs from the '80s. The '90s and'00s is another story. The only songs I did like from the past decade is "One", "Walk On" and "Stuck in a Moment". Everything else was rubbish for me. I make no apologies when I say that I hated the song the band did with Green Day "The Saints Are Coming". What a horrid track. I'm glad I didn't pay anything for this cd which contains too much filler songs for my liking.

DON'T HATE U2.......2007-06-19

I always seem to do it. I'll be sitting somewhere and this band comes on the radio, and I say "Man, I hate U2!" and everytime, without fail someone is offended. If it's one person, they'll think I said Hate-you-too...and they'll say "I never said I hated you!" If it's two people they'll think I said Hate-you-two.. and you can guess what happens next. If it's more than that then they realize I'm talking about the band, and they say.. "Wally. They're not THAT bad."
So I stopped saying that I hate U2. Even though, I sort of do.
This has nothing to do with my review for this album, nor the fact that I gave it a cruddy rating. So stop being so pompous U2 fans. Even if I didn't hate U2, this album would still be a waste of my time and money.

Three songs that I do like, and not one of them appear here.. NUMB, STARING AT THE SUN, and one of the ones from the early eighties that wasn't so obnoxious... where are they? Forgotten in favor of VERTIGO? Do you really like that song?

And don't get me wrong, but isn't BEAUTIFUL DAY the WORST of them all? I know it gets played 1000 times more a day on every radio station than all the other U2 songs that get played a 1000 times a day, but that doesn't make it worthy. Turn on your radio right now, spin the dial twice and I'll bet you the song will be on. Free. Why bother?

The rest is pretty much JOSHUA TREE, WAR and a unearthed rarity from here and there. MYSTERIOUS WAYS is ok, but the rest is filler in order to span the whole career, where it probably should have been just 80's tracks... NUMB, SUN, maybe one or two more from ACHTUNG BABY and nothing later than 1998, because its all been garbage after that.

IMHO.

U2 Marketing Blunder.......2007-06-19

I've been an avid U2 goer for decades, seen them live in concert 3 times & bought a myriad of their CDs over said time. When I 1st heard of this latest greatest from them, I was excited to think that I could carry just ONE CD vs. the usual 3, in order to have all of my favorites on hand @ the same time. HOWEVER, my excitement was short-lived!

I don't know if the marketing team for this group could actually be so ignorant or if they just couldn't bother rewarding their long-time die-hard fans with a TRULY Best of Hits Collection! So, now on to the crux of my plight... In lieu of tracks 8, 15, 16, 17 & 18, they should have at the very least included "I Will Follow" & "Angel Of Harlem"! Others, such as "Even Better Than The Real Thing" & "Zooropa" would have been bonuses!

In FACT, the particular song line up on this CD has cost it countless sales, for the simple absence of some of its timeless gems being replaced with some NO name of songs!

Average customer rating: 17 good songs Really the best!! Prince the very best Best of Prince Review of Very Best of Prince

The Very Best of Prince Prince Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Neo-Psychedelia | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Dance & DJ | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Immaculate Collection Music from the Motion Picture "Purple Rain" Number Ones 3121 The Hits 2 ASIN: B00005M989 Release Date: 2001-07-31

Tracks:

1. I Wanna Be Your Lover
2. 1999
3. Little Red Corvette
4. When Doves Cry
5. Let's Go Crazy
6. Purple Rain
7. I Would Die 4 U
8. Raspberry Beret
9. Kiss
10. Sign 'O' The Times
11. U Got The Look
12. Alphabet St.
13. Thieves In The Temple
14. Gett Off
15. Cream
16. Diamonds And Pearls
17. Money Don't Matter 2 Night

Amazon.com

Taken literally, this album's title is sure to cause endless arguments. Nothing from Dirty Mind, not a trace of the early anthem "Controversy," no "Erotic City"--no non-LP cuts at all, save some edited single versions--and a cold shoulder to the criminally out-of-print Gold Experience. Damn. As a compendium of 17 key A-sides from 1979 to 1992, however, The Very Best of Prince is (ahem) a quick-'n'-dirty review of the days when the Artist was, in the estimation of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, one of the weirdest musicians in the Top 10. Blessed with both creative cunning and the wish to reach every listener possible, Prince revitalized rock and soul modes from the sex-crazed ("Little Red Corvette") to the cryptically spiritual ("Purple Rain"). Often he blurred lines between attitudes as surely as he did musical ones; the New Testament image of "Thieves in the Temple" became in his hands a complaint about a stolen girlfriend. Though a fine party artifact, this disc is still likely to prove too scanty even for many casual Prince fans. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

17 good songs.......2007-06-08

the very best of prince has 17 good songs on it.some songs on this collection are when doves cry,1999,i wanna be your lover, let's go crazy,signo'the times,little red corvette,and i would die 4 u. thank you prince and have a great birthday. ed wilson

Really the best!!.......2007-05-27

This cd really contains the best Prince songs!! I recomend it for everyone who is a true Prince fan!!

Prince the very best.......2007-05-17

Classic 80's rock with all our favorite songs. Excellent condition.

Best of Prince.......2007-05-07

This CD was great one of the best that I have purchased in a long time.

Review of Very Best of Prince.......2007-04-02

CD arrived quickly, and in great condition. And love the CD!

Average customer rating: Some good stuff, missing lots, HORRID sound quality Red Hot Chili Peppers Excellent Great mix of music Awesome!!!

Greatest Hits Red Hot Chili Peppers Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Funk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Rap Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Metal | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Stadium Arcadium rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003) Greatest Hits The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits - Rotten Apples Californication ASIN: B0000C1733 Release Date: 2003-11-18

Tracks:

1. Under the Bridge
2. Give It Away
3. Californication
4. Scar Tissue
5. Soul to Squeeze
6. Otherside
7. Suck My Kiss
8. By the Way
9. Parallel Universe
10. Breaking the Girl
11. My Friends
12. Higher Ground
13. Universally Speaking
14. Road Trippin'
15. Fortune Faded
16. Save the Population

Album Description

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS : The Modern Rock #1s are "Give It Away," "Soul To Squeeze," "My Friends," "Californication," "Otherside" and "By The Way" (also Top 40 Pop). The Top 20s are "Higher Ground" and "Suck My Kiss."

Customer Reviews:

Some good stuff, missing lots, HORRID sound quality.......2007-07-05

I'm not going to into track selection much. You can see the track selection yourself fairly easily. I will say all the songs on this album I enjoy.

However, the sound quality is as bad as it gets. It's easily the loudest album I own, and anything that was the chili peppers is flattened out as much as possible. Give It Away is a far, far cry from the original release quality.

Do yourself a favor, since RHCP have only released a few albums in the past 15 years, pick those up individually (you'll get 90% of this Greatest Of by picking up their last 3 releases). Then track down the ORIGINAL ISSUES of RHCP's early stuff, they used to care about sound quality and had some really great stuff back in the day. Just don't get fooled by the "Remastered" editions, they will have hacked sound quality just so it can sound as loud as modern releases.

Red Hot Chili Peppers.......2007-06-14

Fast delivery - item exactly as described.

Excellent.......2007-05-14

I received the CD earlier than expected and in the exact condition promised. It was a great experience! Thanks.

Great mix of music.......2007-03-31

Awesome songs on one CD. I only buy CDs from Amazon. Get two or sometimes three CDs at a time so I can go over $25. I save a good amount of money compared to stores, not including the gas I save. Long live Amazon!!!

Awesome!!!.......2007-03-16

I forgot how much I like their music and all of their big ones are on this CD. I love it! My mom even loves it.

Average customer rating: Solid Greatest Hits Record Give Mike a Break! Only one disc? Worth a purchase even for the hardcore fans... Re-recorded hits

Greatest Hits Social Distortion Manufacturer: Time Bomb ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: New Maps of Hell A Poet's Life Music from Regions Beyond Build a Nation Zeitgeist ASIN: B000QFCCUA Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

1. Another State Of Mind
2. Mommy's Little Monster
3. Prison Bound
4. Story Of My Life
5. Ball And Chain
6. Ring Of Fire
7. Bad Luck
8. When The Angels Sing
9. I Was Wrong
10. Reach For The Sky
11. Far Behind

Customer Reviews:

Solid Greatest Hits Record.......2007-07-24

I have been a huge Social Distortion fan since 1988. I remember hearing "Prison Bound" when I was skateboarding a lot. My first Social Distortion show was in 1990 on the self-titled tour. I remember hearing "Ball and Chain" and "Sick Boy" live and it was the most awesome thing ever. The energy at the show was amazing. I have seen them many times since then and through many line-up changes. One thing stays the same and that is that Social Distortion is the greatest band of modern times. Mike Ness always impresses me with his lyrics and signature sound. This greatest hits record is really cool and I appreciate the re-recorded sound. It is very tastefully done and anyone who loves Social Distortion will gladly welcome this as an addition to their collection. I can't wait to hear the new record when it comes out and to catch another fantastic Social Distortion show.

Give Mike a Break!.......2007-07-09

Of course if you are a longtime fan you might now want this, as it is largely a reprise. (Thus the title: Greatest Hits.) I, as a fanatic, am looking forward to checking out some of the re-recorded songs and love "Far Behind." Obviously if you are looking for new material, this isn't the place to go! Come on, guys. It looks like a pretty competent greatest hits collection to me. If you want B-tracks, etc., buy the damn original albums like the rest of us! Mike--you are one of the greatest songwriters of our era, and I can't wait for the new album!

Only one disc?.......2007-07-02

Considering that I have been enamored with Social Distortion since I was eight years old, my review may be on the biased side, but the major quips I have with this collection are that A. It's only one disc: Granted not every Social Distortion song can be called a hit, they have more than 11 tracks to consider great. B. Not all the old songs are remastered: The two tracks I'm really talking about are 'Another State of Mind' and 'Prison Bound'. If you've been lucky enough to see or hear one of their latest shows, they start off 'Prison Bound' with a beautiful piano melody, which would have been fantastic to hear in a studio form, and 'Another State of Mind' with the new dynamic duo of Ness and Wickersham would have been something for the ages. I am pleased to hear the White Light, White Heat, White Trash songs redone, but they didn't require too much reworking because of the album's sheer perfection on its release eleven years ago.

So for those just getting into Social Distortion, or the people like me who will buy just about anything they do regardless of how it's reviewed, give this a try, but don't spend too much on it or expect monumental difference in songs. Hopefully it won't be another eight years before another album hits the shelves.

Worth a purchase even for the hardcore fans..........2007-07-01

When I first learned that Social Distortion would be releasing a "greatest hits" album, I wasn't too excited about it. Of course, I have all the albums already and I wasn't looking forward to the prospect of paying $14 to get the one new song in an album of repackaged hits. I was also a bit put off by the fact that this album would only contain 11 songs. That is pretty thin for a "greatest hits" album. Still, since I can't get enough of Social Distortion and I'm a shameless completist, I knew I'd end up forking over the cash.

Let's just say that I was surprised when I first listened to this CD. As has been speculated on by Social Distortion fans for some time now, all of the songs from the major label era albums (tracks 4-9) have been given a major facelift.

This is where things get interesting. As of now, the band has not officially commented on this situation and the liner notes are no help either. Some fans are convinced that these tracks are merely remastered. Others think that the original songs have been re-mixed. Still, more think that what's on this CD is demo versions of the Sony era classics. Others think that the songs have been completely re-recorded.

I can't say that I'm an expert on mastering, mixing, or recording, but all I needed to hear was the first 5 seconds of "I Was Wrong" to realize that these songs are basically totally different. To me, the vocals and guitars sound totally different on all of the songs.

Personally, I don't buy the notion that these songs have only been "remastered". I own many remastered albums. I re-bought some of Bad Religions re-mastered releases in 2004. All of those songs sounded nearly identical to their original releases. The only difference in those releases is that they ended up much louder and crisper on the remastered discs. This is not the case with this CD. These songs have been altered and altered alot.

I'm sure some purists will be put off by the fact that the band has done this under the name of a greatest hits cd. Myself, I don't mind it one bit. It was a welcome surprise and actually made it worth me buying this cd. If I want to listen to the originals, I can pop those cd's in any time. This is a nice change of pace.

The new versions of the classic songs are interesting. I really can't call them better or worse than the originals. They are just different. I like both the originals and what's on this cd. Like I said, this is just a nice change of pace. Also, Far Behind is a great song. Classic Social Distortion.

So, I will say that this "greatest hits" album was worth the money in the end. In a perfect world, I would have preferred them to have released a b-sides/unreleased tracks cd. Social Distortion has a huge catalog of rarities that they've never released. That would have been better for the hardcore fans like myself, but I'll take what I can get. Maybe someday I'll get what I'm looking for (Mike Ness if you happen to read this: hint, hint). In the end, this will tide me over until they get around to releasing another new album. I'll just keep crossing my fingers and hoping that doesn't take nearly a decade like the last one.

If you're a hardcore SxDx fan or a newbie just looking to get aquainted with some of Social Distortion's music, you won't be disappointed with this cd.

Re-recorded hits.......2007-06-28

Let me start off by saying Mike Ness (and whoever is in Social Distortion at any given moment) are an awesome band. Period. But, this 'greatest hits' cd is a disappointment. First off, all the Sony-era tracks are not included, instead we get re-recorded ones. Secondly, 11 songs? That's it? Plenty of room to add more hits (re-recorded or not). And thirdly, the liner notes are basically a cut and paste bio. No band credits, no production credits, nothing. Then to make matters worse, iTunes has a download of the old Chuck Berry song MAYBELLENE (which you have to buy the whole album on iTunes to get ) that would ahve easily fit on here. Kind of a shame.

Average customer rating: "I see seven towers, but I only see one way out." U2 at their best U2 Need To Have This Classic CD A great cd A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land

The Joshua Tree U2 Manufacturer: Island ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Achtung Baby War The Unforgettable Fire Rattle and Hum All That You Can't Leave Behind ASIN: B000001FS3 Release Date: 1990-06-15

Tracks:

1. Where The Streets Have No Name
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. With Or Without You
4. Bullet The Blue Sky
5. Running To Stand Still
6. Red Hill Mining Town
7. In God's Country
8. Trip Through Your Wires
9. One Tree Hill
10. Exit
11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

Amazon.com essential recording

Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz

Amazon.com

U2's most successful album (their first No. 1 album and the 1987 Grammy award-winner for Album of the Year) is also their most dour. From the stark, black and white cover photography, with U2 looking like missionaries (or at least M*A*S*H extras), to the existential angst at the heart of each track, The Joshua Tree is one long, atmospheric wail at the abyss. Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois turn in an austere production that heightens the drama substantially. --Rob O'Connor

Album Details

Same as USA Version.

Customer Reviews:

"I see seven towers, but I only see one way out.".......2007-06-13

'Running to Stand Still' is essentially, THE archetypal Joshua Tree track in that it is imbued with an American sound, but a meaning far removed. The song deals with a girl struggling with heroin addiction, with the "seven towers" being a reference to the Ballymun Seven Towers area of Dublin, an area with a notorious heroin problem. Just as on The Unforgettable Fire's 'Bad', Bono tries to bring somebody back from the brink, a person so consumed by their addiction that they have already misguidedly accepted that there is only one escape. Suicide.

In certain respects, U2 can be said to be one of rock's most underrated bands, a contention almost laughable when considering their stratospheric success. Yet amid the hits and the bombast and the zeal, the intricacies and idiosyncrasies that have endeared them to the discerning listener have often been lost. Whereas (two of U2's other triumphs) 1993's Zooropa was something of a parody to Achtung Baby!'s (1991) pastiche, The Joshua Tree offers an earnest counterpoint to their oft-laconic 90s forays into electronica.

First and foremost the album is a startling artistic achievement; a master class in onomatopoeia, through artwork and aesthetic, subject matter and performance The Joshua Tree is expansive, invigorating and consummately cohesive.

America's arid south-west - the Nevada desert in particular - is the record's heartland. Desolate and unforgiving, yet numinous and majestic, the region's historically blurred demarcation between frontier and wilderness is perfectly articulated by the music through the band's enchantment at their surroundings. Where the ode 'One Tree Hill' and the exhalant 'In God's Country' and 'Trip Through Your Wires' bore witness to the stimuli of the landscape lyrically and musically, the real success of The Joshua Tree lies in its amalgamation of typically cherished American modes, particularly folk, blues, rock n roll and country, and heterogeneous humanist concerns. Indeed such aesthetic syntheses often leads to an intriguing incongruity upon closer inspection, for the specificity of Bono's lyricism is often dialectical in relation to The Edge's evocative America-infused guitar work. A notable example of this is 'Red Hill Mining Town' whereby his lyric "through hand of steel and heart of stone" alludes to the closure of England's northern coal mines by NCB chairman Ian McGregor and the disastrous free market economic policies of PM Margaret Thatcher, yet the instrumental pays homage to the classically American folk and blues genres.

Faith and religion also constitute a large part of The Joshua Tree's lyrical canon, but it is another area rife with contradistinction. Bono seems at ease with Christianity ('Where the Streets Have No Name'), despite its many innate paradoxes ('I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For'), yet simultaneously at odds with fundamentalism.

The Joshua Tree also calls on America's more unseemly secular traits to convey the band's antinomy toward the Land of the Free. 'Exit' deals with a violent death, yet whether it is murder or suicide is indecipherable, while 'Bullet the Blue Sky' is the album's most flagrant example of antipathy with reference to then-US president Ronald Reagan ("His face red like a rose on a thorn bush...peelin' off those dollar bills, slappin' 'em down"), the economic blockade and civil war supported by the US in Nicaragua, and the US-backed campaign of murder and oppression in El Salvador. The album closes with 'Mothers of the Disappeared' a lament to the mothers and wives of student opposition and dissidents under both the Argentinean military juntas and Augusto Pinochet's brutal regime in Chile following his US-backed coup in 1973.

Massively successful, The Joshua Tree, by virtue of its three mega-hits ('Where the Streets Have No Name', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and the claustrophobic, masochistic ballad 'With or Without You') served to propel U2 to the position they had appeared destined for after stealing the show at Live Aid in 1985, that of the world's biggest band, a position they have held unopposed for nigh-on twenty years.

U2 at their best.......2007-06-13

What can I say, for me this is one of those CDs that you love most or all of the songs on, and in my humble opinion that is a rare thing. This is a must have for anyone who loves the band and/or 1980's music.

U2 Need To Have This Classic CD.......2007-06-11

There are defining moments in a music groups career, and music in general. The Joshua Tree, by U2, is one of those moments. From radio hits to impressive, reflective, and profound songs, this CD has it all. I was fortunate enough to see U2 in concert in San Fracisco for this tour. It was an incredible experience. If there are any people out there who have not heard this album/CD, this is a must have, and I envy you the joy of discovering this masterpiece.

The best songs on this CD were never released as singles. Three of my favorites and worthy of the purchase price alone are:

Bullet The Blue Sky
Running To Stand Still
and Red Hill Mining Town, my personal favorite.

This is a 5 star excellent CD, treat yourself to this one. If you haven't heard it, or are new to U2, this is one to run out and buy. If you have been a fan like me - for years - this CD version is a must have!

A great cd.......2007-06-08

Whether it was the Beatles or the Stones who sang these songs they would have been great.However, with the strong guitar leads of the Edge and the impassioned vocals of Bono, this album becomes magnificent! There is a reason this is one of best selling cds ever and one of the top 20 rock albums ever, find out why.

A Beckoning Towards Redemption and the Promised Land.......2007-04-23

Yes, I'm back. You must excuse the lapse. I have been busy setting up shelters (a Seer's work), for the chronically wayward or the chronologically confused. It really doesn't matter. It helps people. It's a good cause. Donations are gladly accepted, (and forms for tax write-offs are at the door). Yes, I know it's selfless work. And I have taken a Seer's oath for the good of humanity and I can't back out. Rats. I can't make exceptions but so what? Pure intent is hard to come by these days. They never warned me-whoever "they" are.
That being said, I have come here to review an exceptional, exceptional work by U2. These guys never cease to amaze me, and little did I know when they first arrived into my conciousness. I thought at the beginning "how nice, another typical 80's band", for I really wasn't impressed by them. The Edge's guitar grated on me and I couldn't adjust to the sound. But, glad to say, U2 were not to be deprived of their just place in the hierarchy of rock. They have built a tabernacle of considerable and reflective music over time. And, I must say, the quality and workmanship and thought and care that go into their profferings are nothing less than astounding. They care deeply about the music they make and present it to us in a way that many do not. It is this diligency towards excellence that comes to the forefront each and every time.
Admittedly, I do not know alot about their history or how they came into being. I don't think that it matters in the least with music this good. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jnr. have created their own unique sound, their own unique journey towards salvation and universal concerns. With "The Joshua Tree", they reveal their search, achingly, to God and to all heavenly powers. They reveal their weaknesses, their human frailties, and take us on a voyage of discovery and enlightenment. They take us on a journey of strength. And these are just a few of the things that set them apart from most.
To begin with, the Edge's guitar work is outerworldy, and I cannot attempt to explain it to anybody. It can be subtle and sweet and then turn into virile, powerful excursions somewhere that defy description. Whatever he uses (is it a synthesizer?) to make it sound this way-he has definitely created his own unique sound that nobody can copy. You can hear pure emotion in his playing- and this is just one component to U2.
Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen provide the considerable skeletal backbone which gives their sound such heft. They provide the balance to the sound. There is no grandstanding here-but essential stability that compliment The Edge in every single way. Professional and clear, they weave the tapestry, the contour that great edifices are built upon.
And what of Bono? Perhaps the glue that ties it all together. He is probably the most known member of this band, and alot of the reason may lie in his poetry and delivery. He sings from his soul- and he puts the full range of human emotion into his delivery. He doesn't hold back and it shows in songs like "With Or Without You" or ""Red Hill Mining Town" with the urgency and compassion of the line "I'm still waiting-I'm hanging on- You're all that's left to hang on to". These vocals are so impassioned that they send shivers out. Yes, he's that good.
But what of the songs here and their meaning? It seems that Mr. Bono has thoughts of sheer martydom running throughout many of these tunes. Plus, many of the poetic inferences harken back to Christianity or spiritual uplifting in some way. He wants to break free and evolve to a place where "The Streets Have No Name". Could this be heaven? Or, a place where things are not categorized? And after speaking with Angels and holding the hand of the devil- he is in-between and "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". The eternal search of salvation and redemption. "With or Without You" is just pure genius. Allusions to Christ with "See the STONE set in your eyes, see the THORN twist in your side". But, not only that, but, "On a bed of NAILS, she makes me wait". And, furthermore, "my hands are tied-my body bruised". It seems that the relationship in this song has made Bono a martyr of sorts. And, in a strange way, Christ can't live with or without you either. So entirely remarkable. So many biblical terminology throughout- the drout conveyed with the lines "the rivers run, but soon run dry" in "In God's Country". "Thunder, thunder in the mountain, there's a rain cloud in the desert sky" in "Trip Through Your Wires". There are many more examples. The need for human relief, and elevation, whether it be from a bruised relationship or inner spiritual need, is foremost and deeply embedded within the poetry. Many discoveries await here. Many gems to mine. All yours for the asking.
In closing- a superb achievement for a group relatively new into their career. The landscapes are a wonder and the music on a higher and grandiose level that satisfys so fully in the pop/rock genre. I cannot say enough.
And now, I think I finally have gotten the courage to ask Bono for a donation to my shelters. That is, if I can even get his public relations agent on the phone. But regardless, I can always play this c.d. for my clients. Get it. It's a classic.

Refreshingly subtle and amazingly devout--your own, Metamorpho

Average customer rating: Attention Guitarists The cure I remember... The Cure has some really great hits One way or the other, get the song "Cut Here" For ultra casual fans only

The Cure - Greatest Hits The Cure Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of New Order The Singles 81>85 The Singles 86>98 Greatest The Psychedelic Furs - Greatest Hits ASIN: B00005R09Z Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

1. Boys Don't Cry
2. A Forest
3. Let's Go To Bed
4. The Walk
5. The Lovecats
6. Inbetween Days
7. Close To Me
8. Why Can't I Be You?
9. Just Like Heaven
10. Lullaby
11. Lovesong
12. Never Enough
13. High
14. Friday I'm In Love
15. Mint Car
16. Wrong Number
17. Cut Here
18. Just Say Yes

Amazon.com

As Greatest Hits--and particularly the busking pavement jazz of "Lovecats"--reminds us, the best Cure singles were very often tangential exercises; they offered a goth-free playtime divergence from some of the weightier studiousness of those early albums. Or, as smudged frontman Robert Smith says of this 18-track collection, "Songs that are sung with a smile." This wasn't always true--witness the refrigerated fogginess of the classic "A Forest," the Blair Witch Project of its day. What this compilation does is focus attention on the Cure's perennial unpredictability--the breathless claustrophobia of "Close to Me," the New Order-lite of "The Walk," the brass- section embellished thrust of "Why Can't I Be You." Oddly, chart-wise, the Cure's lost weekend began immediately after "Friday I'm in Love," their most ebullient melodic moment and the ultimate "clocking-off to kick those heels" anthem. But at least the inclusion of two new songs, "Cut Here" and "Just Say Yes" (with Saffron from Republica), indicate that the Cure remain a healthy, ongoing concern. --Kevin Maidment

Customer Reviews:

Attention Guitarists.......2007-07-14

For you guitarists out there, there is a companion tab book to this CD. So if your Cure collection is not 100% complete, you can buy this CD and have all the songs in the books. Very helpful!

The cure I remember..........2007-03-27

This is a great cd, that offers some "old" stuff and some "new" stuff all in 1 cd. After the 80's tapes that have long been "borrowed" and all the songs I wanted to hear again, they are here on this cd. Only a couple missing, which would have made this cd the "motts", but I guess that's why it's not called the all time greatest hits. Not a bad cd at all, worth the bucks.

The Cure has some really great hits.......2007-03-23

I bought this cd only for about 3 songs but after listening to the cd I found that I liked every song on the cd. My friends and I love to listen to it in the car. Its such a great cd, and you totally get your moneys worth.

One way or the other, get the song "Cut Here".......2007-03-18

For a greatest hits collection, you are much better off getting "Staring at the Sea" and/or "Galore", depending on whether you like early Cure, later Cure or both. But the one thing you should not miss from this latest greatest hits package is the song "Cut Here". It is one of the most lovely songs the Cure has done in a long while, including some of Robert Smith's most personal and heartfelt lyrics. (It is about Billy MacKenzie; check wikipedia for more info.) Musically, the 6-string bass evokes the heyday of both the Cure and New Order. Don't miss out on this gem. Download that track or find a copy of the import cd single or get a used copy of "Greatest Hits" just for this song. You'll be glad you did.

For ultra casual fans only.......2007-03-13

If "Staring at the Sea", undoubtadly one of the best greatest hits albums ever released period, was for casual listeners, then "Greatest Hits" is for ultra casual Cure fans only. We get many songs that we would come to expect when seeing a Cure disc with this title on the cover: "Boys Don't Cry", "Inbetween Days", "Close To Me", "Why Can't I Be You?", "Lovesong", and "Friday I'm in Love" are here as they should be, while two songs recorded just for this release, "Cut Here" and "Just Say Yes", are included as well. Both songs are pretty decent enough, but nothing real special to make completists rush out to get this if they own every Cure album and "Staring at the Sea" and "Galore". There is nothing from "Bloodflowers" included here, nor is fan favorite song "Burn" from The Crow soundtrack or breakthrough hit "Pictures of You", which leads one to wonder what the point of putting this together was (well, besides to make a little extra dough, then again, that was the reason this was made, but I disgress). That aside, there's nothing bad to be found here, and "Greatest Hits" is instantly enjoyable for ultra casual fans who don't own any other Cure discs or compilations.

Average customer rating: Extraordinary. beautiful daydream a deluxe edition done right The best album of 1988...and 2007! HOLD UP. Daydream Nation Got Better?

Daydream Nation (Deluxe Edition) Sonic Youth Manufacturer: Geffen Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Noise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Icky Thump The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities Beyond Easy Tiger Sky Blue Sky ASIN: B000Q3648S Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

1. Teen Age Riot
2. Silver Rocket
3. The Sprawl
4. 'Cross the Breeze
5. Eric's Trip
6. Total Trash
7. Hey Joni
8. Providence
9. Candle
10. Rain King
11. KissabilityTrilogy:
12. a) The Wonder
13. b) Hyperstation
14. z) Eliminator Jr.
15. Eric's Trip (home demo- bonus demo track)

Tracks:

1. The Sprawl
2. 'Cross the Breeze
3. Hey Joni
4. Silver Rocket
5. Kissability
6. Eric's Trip
7. Candle
8. The Wonder
9. Hyperstation
10. Eliminator Jr.
11. Providence
12. Teen Age Riot
13. Rain King
14. Totally Trashed
15. Total Trash
16. Within You, Without You (Cover Song)
17. Touch Me, I'm Sick (Cover Song)
18. Computer Age (Cover Song)
19. Electricity (Cover Song)

Album Description

"100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s" (Rolling Stone, 1989)
"100 Alternative Albums" (Spin, 1995)
"Top 99 Albums of `85 to `95" (Alternative Press, 1995)
"The Essential 200 Rock Records" (Rolling Stone, 1997)
"Top 100 Albums of All Time" (New Musical Express, 2003)

Customer Reviews:

Extraordinary........2007-07-28

When daydream nation came out it was a revolution...sort of. Indeed, SonicYouth had been on the radar of anyone interested in alternative music for a few years. Indeed, while all their early records had moments of greatness, sonically it did not allways gel. The sound was allways murky and the songs somewhat sloppily structured. Here, they manage to come over completely focused in a way that remains refreshing. While some of their previous work has strangely improved over time (quite rare) this remains their definitive recors. It is the one that has the most traditional song structures while till being recognizable as classic Sonic Youth. While more melodic than previously the dissonant guitar sounds are still present. All this makes Daydream Nation such a special work. Overall it has not aged. Also to some degree it is the one record that does also not completely sound as any other SY record since it has a more traditional approach at the same time. Indeed one personal criticism against SY is that , especially recently, all thier records sound the same in some way: this is not the case here. Here you get the original record as well as a second CD with live recordings. While these deluxe editins are sometimes a bore, this is an exceptional package. Apparently there is also a beautiful vinyl version of it available.

beautiful daydream.......2007-07-23

to hear the live daydreaming on record is true beauty. the demo of eric's trip shows just how far the songs travel from idea to finished work.
if i had to recommend one sonic youth album to be part of every true music lover's record-collection this would be it. every aspect of their music comes together perfectly on this one.

still on of the greatest records of all times even 19 years after it's original release. hats of ...

a deluxe edition done right.......2007-07-13

Disc One is the reissued definitive recording of the 1980's.
Disc Two is chocked full of noisey Daydream Nation goodness performed live.

So often reissues are a ripoff. This set delivers the goods and then some.

The best album of 1988...and 2007!.......2007-06-22

The fifth album (more or less) by The Best Rock Band of the Last 25 Years should need no introduction, and indeed if you're interested in buying the deluxe edition of Sonic Youth's "Daydream Nation," I can presume you're probably already a fan. You already know how the album summed up and then changed the course of the underground rock movement of the 80s, how the ample attention of critics, then music fans, then record labels set the stage for the alternative rock revolution of the 90s--oh well whatever Nevermind and yada yada yada. If, however, you haven't already drank the Kool-Aid (and you should!), some brief notes about the "basic" edition...

"Daydream Nation" is still hailed as Sonic Youth's grand masterpiece, and yeah, it still holds up as such (confession: it's my second favorite SY album after Sister), even if it doesn't seem as radical today as it did when it came out. Sure, there are swirling whirlwinds of oddly-(de)tuned guitars and feedback fading in, out and sometimes interrupting the songs, but make no mistake, there are definitely songs to be found here. The openening "Teenage Riot" is, for its galloping drums and lyrical cheekiness (imagining Dinosaur Jr's J. Mascis as president, or so Thurston Moore has said) basically a melodic and even hummable pop song. Even a more "experimental" song like "The Sprawl" has a certain immediacy, with bassist/vocalist Kim Gordon saying straigt out "does f**k you sound simple enough?" Heck, the closing "trilogy" of the album has all the power and intensity familiar to any classic rock fans, only with a live-wire buzzing and skree that comes from playing in one of Glenn Branca's guitar-army ensembles. Really, it's not so radical after all (for a taste of something far weirder, check out Twin Infinitives, which was released around the same time as DN by Royal Trux, a New York band friendly with Sonic Youth).

For us fan(atic)s, the real treat here is the second disc of this set, which features live versions of all the album's tracks, culled from the band's original tour supporting the album, albeit in a different order (SY has recently announced it will play "Daydream Nation" as part of a special show, presumably in the album's running order). These tracks, mostly of excellent sound quality, are shorter but sharper than the album versions. "Total Trash" is done as an instrumental (I could be wrong, but they seem to be quoting the early Pink Floyd's instrumental "Interstellar Overdrive" in one spot), preceded by another instrumental, "Totally Trashed," which toys around with electronics a bit. Mostly these are no-holds-barred performances that clearly draw on the band's love of hardcore punk and NYC No Wave (DNA, Teenage Jesus & the Jerks). I don't know how a non-fan would react, but for yours truly it's pure Sonic bliss.

Another great bonus on disc two is the inclusion of four cover songs, three of which were taken from now hard-to-find tribute albums (this was before that concept got beaten to death): "Within You Without You" (The Beatles), "Computer Age" (Neil Young) and "Electricity" (Captain Beefheart). There's also a version of Mudhoney's "Touch Me I'm Sick," with demented vocals from Kim, taken from a split 7" (as in vinyl, kids) that had the other band doing SY's "Halloween" on the reverse (alas, that version isn't included here). The Beatles cover in particular shows how the band could translate their sound into completely different realms--the original, of course, was played mostly with sitars.

Add all that to a package that includes ultra-Kool, and rare, pictures and an extensive essay by longtime SY friend Byron Coley, and you have a true Sonic feast. Like they did with the Goo Deluxe Edition and the Dirty (Deluxe Edition), Sonic Youth rewards fans and newcomers alike almost to the bursting point. Now let's hope they burn down the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame before too long...

HOLD UP. Daydream Nation Got Better?.......2007-06-13

Q: Sonic Youth is amazingness wrapped in pita bread?
A: Yes.

Q: Daydream Nation defined an entire generation of amazingness?
A: Yes.

Q: The new re-issue of Daydream Nation preserves the original amazingness while adding just enough ancillary material to make it that much more perfect?
A: Yes.

Q; Everyone should buy this new disc, regardless of whether they like Sonic Youth or not?
A: Yes.

Sweet.

Average customer rating: good stuff GOOD MUSIC R.E.M. Rocks Good Collection Of Hits R.E.M? G.O.O.D.

In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 R.E.M. Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 U2 - The Best of 1990-2000 The Best of 1980-1990 Best Of R.E.M. Stars: The Best of the Cranberries, 1992-2002 ASIN: B0000CC6QF Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

1. Man on the Moon
2. The Great Beyond [from Man on the Moon soundtrack]
3. Bad Day [previously unreleased]
4. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
5. All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)
6. Losing My Religion
7. E-Bow The Letter
8. Orange Crush
9. Imitation of Life
10. Daysleeper
11. Animal [previously unreleased]
12. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
13. Stand
14. Electrolite
15. All The Right Friends [from Vanilla Sky soundtrack]
16. Everybody Hurts
17. At My Most Beautiful
18. Nightswimming

Amazon.com

How do you condense 15 years of music down to 76 minutes? In the case of this survey of the second phase of R.E.M.'s career, the answer is: Exceptionally well. The dangling carrot for diehards is two new songs; the rapid fire "Bad Day" hurtles along like the kissing cousin of "It's the End of the World as We Know It," while "Animal" is anchored by a majestic drone reminiscent of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." In a surprising, but gratifying move, the rest of the program shortchanges the band's breakthrough, Out of Time (no "Shiny Happy People"), to better accommodate movie soundtrack contributions, and spotlight gems from the less commercial, post-Bill Berry albums Reveal and Up; with its baroque piano and multi-tracked vocal harmonies, the Beach Boys homage "At My Most Beautiful" is particularly gorgeous, while the burbling keyboards and slightly dazed singing of "All the Way to Reno" will appeal to Flaming Lips fans. --Kurt B. Reighley

Customer Reviews:

good stuff.......2007-07-18

this is a great compilation but the only reason i bought this album was for losing my religion and man in the moon...im not a very big fan of their other stuff.

GOOD MUSIC.......2007-05-16

REM have a unique sound and this CD is one of their best.

R.E.M. Rocks.......2007-05-13

I love this CD. Great song selection and a true joy to own.

Good Collection Of Hits.......2007-05-12

This is good collection of songs from R.E.M. from their Warner Brothers years but there are some hits missing. The obvious hits are there, like Man On the Moon, What's The Frequency, Kenneth?, Everyboby Hurts, etc. This collection is of their mainstream hits while there is another collection of hits "The IRS Years", which are songs from before 1988, which were hits in nerdy college radio stations.

R.E.M? G.O.O.D........2007-03-30

Enjoyed this very much. Will be checking out other cd''s of R.E.M.

Album Review:

1. DJ Hype Presents: Drum & Bass Explosion [Import]
2. DJ Masters [Import]
3. DJ Masters Unmixed, Vol. 3 [Import]
4. DJ Masters, Vol.4 [Import]
5. Double Fine Zone
6. Dr Pressure Pt.1 [CD-single] [Import]
7. East Rain [Import]
8. Empty Sea
9. Faded [CD-single] [Import]
10. Flamboyant [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Album Review

album review

Album Review

King of Snake Ep [Import]

Scottish Keyboard Music

Salamander

Music CD: Swing Swang Swingin [Original recording remastered

Rock School [Soundtrack]

Prison of Desire [Import]

The Complete Animals [Import]

Simply Melody - The Maxi Single

Sabor a Tango

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8, Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3

Sing The Hits Of The 3B's (Blood, Sweat & Tears, Blues Brothers, and Blues Traveler) (Karaoke)

Reggaetón Mega Hits: Perreo Mix 2005, Vol. 2

Reelizm [Explicit Lyrics]

Renaissance and Baroque Organ Music

Thirty Years of Maximum R&B