Friction

Friction

Track Listings

1. I'm Back

2. Forgive & Forget

3. Blue Collar Fever

4. Misery

5. Action

6. Breathe on Me

7. Little Miss Predictable

8. Landslide

9. Tomorrow's Another Day

10. Don't Want You Back

11. Miss You

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Friction are Steve Grimmett on vocals (Lionsheart, Onslaught, Grim Reaper...) Nick Burr on guitars (Lionsheart) and Gavin Cooper (Paul Dianno's Killers). 2002 release.

Tracks:

King Of New Orleans
R3wind
Long Lost
Normal Town
Scared Are You?
Return Of The Post Moderns
Hung The Moon
Desperatly Wanting
Still Life With Cooley
WWOZ
Happy Endings
Speeding Up To Slow Down
At Ch. DEGAULLE, Etc.

Amazon.com

The first two albums from Better Than Ezra were recorded as low-budget demos and released on tiny indie labels, even though the second one, Deluxe, was leased by Elektra and turned into a platinum smash. The third album, Friction, Baby, is the trio's first with a big budget and an experienced producer (Don Gehman of John Mellencamp, R.E.M., and Hootie & the Blowfish), and it crystallizes Better Than Ezra's identity as a mainstream pop band relying on catchy hooks, straightforward lyrics, and top-40 arrangements (which in 1996 meant grunge guitar). Kevin Griffin, the group's singer/songwriter/guitarist, has excellent pop instincts, and the 13 songs on Friction, Baby are as pleasurable as they are unadventurous. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

Awesome rock and roll music.......2007-01-31

This album is amazing. Ive had it since 1996 and I still love it. Speeding Up To Slow Down is one of the greatest songs Ive ever heard. Im not gonna overanalyze here because this music is unmistakably awesome. Some songs jump out at you at first and others come on strong after a few listens. Great melodies, crunchy guitar and outstanding vocals make this cd worth anyones money. Better Than Ezra are underappreciated when it comes to the mainstream but theyve got a core group of "Ezralites" who have been behind them for years. Honestly if you dont like this album then we have nothing to talk about when it comes to music.

Great album from an excellent band.......2007-01-28

BTE's "Friction, Baby" is a perfect reflection of the 1996 era in music, with so many other post-grunge bands crafting memorable (and very loud) hits. The fact remains that BTE is one of the few from this era that is still around. "Before the Robots," their most recent offering, is an equally good record in the 2005 mold.

Let's face it, "Desperately Wanting" is a legendary song. It buoys an album full of inspired rock tracks but none quite reaching the level of the aforementioned anthem. However, each of these tunes are different in feel and that makes "Friction, Baby" a very enjoyable listen.

While "R3wind" rings forth with the "now there is nothing but a mix tape left behind" chorus, "Long Lost" is thunderous, "Normal Town" is an atmospheric nod to Boston featuring a creative flute solo, and "Scared, Are You?" is a plodding rocker that eventually soars.

Later tracks like "WWOZ" and "Happy Endings" reflect a shift from the supersonic first half of the album to a reflective finish. "WWOZ" is beautiful lyrically and paints a wonderful picture. "Speeding Up To Slow Down" is a great example of rock in the mid-nineties, bringing back that heavy, riff-driven approach with thoughtful lyrics and an anthemic conclusion.

I don't think BTE has ever put together a "perfect" rock album, but "Friction, Baby" is as close as any of their attempts. The remarkable thing about BTE is that all of their albums have a different personality and thus, a variety of fans may embrace this record as the best while others favor "Deluxe" or "Before the Robots," for example. Then there's the other albums that haven't sold as well but probably mean just as much to other fans. In this light, their collection of great songs over the 12 years since they first hit the mainstream makes for an awesome concert experience filled with hits and catchy hooks. Their live album stands as my favorite record, personally. Maybe that's their "perfect" effort.

One of the MoreTalented releases of the Pop-Grundge era.......2005-10-01

Obviously affected by the widespread success of the harder grundge sound, BTE followed suit with similar peers, Counting Crows, and released a harder sophomoric album.

While some may brush it off simply for following the sonic trend at the time, the result here are some of the best songs created in the 96, 97 time period.

The harder sound invigorates and exacerbates Kevin's emotional lyrics, and overall this makes for a truly rewarding, full sounding album as a whole.

Surprising gem of a CD.......2005-07-28

I found this CD for $2 in my favourite record store and got purely on the basis of Desperately Wanting. As I listened to it, I instantly fell in love with nearly all the songs, particularly King of New Orleans and Still Life with Cooley. It does not disappoint.

This is some quality music.......2005-03-30

I just recently rediscovered this band. I had heard their mega-hit "Good" a long time ago, not realised it was them until now, and then picked up this CD. At first, I wasn't too keen on some of the songs, but now each song is great in it's own way. Kevin Griffin has a great voice.

King of New Orleans - This is the kind of song that becomes an instant classic. Everyone loves this song because it's just like that. It has catchy guitar riffs and a catchy chorus.

Rewind - I think this is the closest BTE ever comes to pop. Trust me, BTE IS NOT POP. This is another super-catchy song that's just as loud and gritty as 'King of New Orleans.'

Long Lost - The chorus of this song is definitely something I'll not forget. Kevin Griffin shows his range in this song. It has a more melancholy tone than the previous two songs.

Normal Town - Dude, this song has a flute solo in it. It sounds crazy, but it works for the song really well. While this song isn't one of my favourites on the CD, it is still a good listen.

Scared Are You? - This is one of my favourite tracks. The lyrics are great, the riffs are great. This is a highlight track for sure.

Return of the Post Moderns - This was influenced by the 90's. It borders more on the political side oddly enough. It's a bit strange, but it does grow on one.

Hung the Moon - This has the perfect grunge feel to it. It starts off with the amps turned all the way up with plenty of distortion. Another instant classic.

Desparately Wanting - This is a really catchy track. It starts off toned down and gradually picks up. It's another track that's guaranteed popularity like 'King of New Orleans.'

Still Life With Cooley - This almost gives the impression of being country until you reach the end of the track. At the end, you get a classic Ezra sound like in 'Hung the Moon.' Another strong song by Kevin Griffin.

WWOZ - This is another favourite. It's a great ballad.

Happy Endings - This is like 'WWOZ,' but it does have its differences. I love the lyrics of this one.

Speeding Up to Slow Down - This has the feel of an epic: it starts off slowly and builds up to a huge climax. Great song.

At Ch. Degualle, Etc. - This is an instrumental. It has some great guitar work in it, and the brass that comes in later sounds great with the band. They did some very creative arrangements on this instrumental.

There is another segment on after the instrumental where it sounds like Kevin is singing in maybe French? Anyway, that's another good song. It's a live track and it sounds like the band was doing some improvisation. It sounds great. I wish I could see them live!

This is a great CD. Go out and listen to this band. They are so hard-working. They are another one of those under-rated 90's bands like Toad the Wet Sprocket or others.

Average customer rating:

Good up and coming band!
Fantastic
Really Great
Great cd
My New Obsession

Teenage Graffiti
The Pink Spiders
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000G6BL9W
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Tracks:

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Hollywood Fix
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Back To The Middle
Nobody Baby
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Amazon.com

Most bands that come from Nashville wear cowboy hats write songs about punching their horses. No such problems with the Pink Spiders, who at an early age sound like they traded in their Oak Ridge Boys CDs for the complete back catalog of New York's mid-'90s garage rock revivalists, D-Generation. Like that group's breakthrough album, No Lunch, this disc was also produced by Ric Ocasek, the former Cars front man who has built a second career out of creating hits for guys that dress like his old band. Cue a fast and furious racket of skuzzy guitars, blasting power-pop drum fills and skinny-tie sound effects that turn up pleasantly stupid guilty pleasures like "Saturday Nite Riot" and "Little Razorblade." --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Good up and coming band!.......2007-01-03

The album is good and when I saw them warm up for Good Charlotte I was impressed with their stage presence.

Fantastic.......2006-11-26

This album is fantastic if not perfect. I like the first track "Soft Smoke" which has great guitar playing at the beginning of the song. Wicked song. The second "Saturday Nite Riot" ain't as good as the first one but still good. My favorite songs on this cd are "Modern Swinger" a extremely catchy song and "Little Razorblade" a awesome track. I usually go for stuff like The Click Five and Mcfly but I do like the Pink Spiders too.

Really Great.......2006-11-06

This is one of my favorite CD's I own. They have a ver unique type of music that I find very appealing. I would reccomend it to anyone who loves music!

Great cd.......2006-11-03

wow i was pretty impressed by this cd i just heard one song kind of liked it so i got the cd and let me tell you it was worth it all the songs are pretty good so i would tell you to get this cd

My New Obsession.......2006-08-27

I love this CD. It's soo amazing. I bought it the day it came out and listened to it a lot and then I bought a couple more CDs a couple weeks later, but I just kept coming back to this one. I can't even describe it's amazing-ness. It's like a combination of some retro influenced rock with modern touches. I also read an article on them in AP and they were so fabulously cocky (in a good way of course!) that you can't help but love them. I love every single song on the album! I'd do a rundown of the songs and rate them, but they'd all just be 10/10, so what's the point? I will tell you that my favorites are:
Modern Swinger
Still Three Shy
Pretend that this is Fiction
Little Razorblade

and EVERY other song!

Please buy this. You won't regret it.

Average customer rating:

Once you hear them your hooked!
Nice
A long, long wait has paid off
still rumbling along
This is real music from inside America!

Positive Friction
Donna the Buffalo
Manufacturer: Sugarhill [Country]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004TDPC
Release Date: 2000-07-17

Tracks:

No Place Like The Right Time
Movin' On
Yonder
Riddle Of The Universe
Front Porch
In Another World
Revolution
Family Picture
Positive Friction
Man Of Constant Sorrow
I Wish You Love
Arrows Pointing Sideways
Your Way Home

Amazon.com

Roots-rockers Donna the Buffalo count both Bob Marley and Ralph Stanley as major influences. It's a tribute to the band's musicianship and to the songwriting talents of Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear that they are able to blend such disparate styles into a cohesive whole. On "Yonder," for example, the sound of Nevins's Appalachian fiddle and slightly nasal country voice soar over the driving drum and wah-wah guitar groove as if it is the most natural thing in the world. And their mournful version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" is such a surprisingly perfect blend of tropical island rhythms and old-time mountain harmonies, you wonder if Ralph Stanley might have spent some time as a member of the Wailers. But for all of their contemporary genre-bending, Positive Friction has an earthy feel that makes you realize they are just an old-time string band who have picked up a few tricks to help them survive in the modern world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Once you hear them your hooked!.......2006-07-29

I first heard No Place Like the Right Time two years ago on a college radio station from Hartford, CT WWUH. I just had to know who this was singing this wonderful song. Luckily WWUH can be heard on the internet [...] and I was able to get the playlist that morning. I immediately bought Positive Friction and after listening to the album, I had to have it all.
I am now a 100% devoted DTB fan and I can't get enough. I am eagerly awaiting their next album. If you have the opportunity to see them live you will be totally mistified as I was at the Rhythym and Roots Festival where I first saw them. They are by far the best fun band out there right now in my opinion.

Nice.......2006-03-20

Ilove this cd. I love her voice! what a good kick back, kinda mellow, kinda groovy music. I would love to see these guys live.

A long, long wait has paid off.......2003-02-04

I first saw this band at Riverbend in Chattanooga and my cynical musical heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe I was hearing music this original, this fun, this RIGHT. I am a wandering pilgrim of a Deadhead, and I have been so disappointed in all the vane attempts other bands have made to try to capture that musical magic that it has left me wondering if there was any music out there that would ever grab my attention again. Phish was sophomoric and forgettable, ditto moe., Widespread Panic completely escaped me, etc. etc. These bands would pop up on the horizon, offer lame lyrics and forgettable monotonous melodies, and I wondered if any band could get it right. Well, Donna the Buffalo got it right.

This is a great album to start with, in my opinion. I did, and I'm a serious fan now. The music is so incredibly addictive and listenable that it didn't leave my CD player for weeks after I got it. They can (gasp!) write gorgeous melodies!! They can (imagine!) construct interesting and poetic lyrics that actually make sense! I couldn't believe my ears. Music I hummed again, all day long. Little turns of phrase that crept into my speech and thoughts. What a refreshing thing.

Try this band out on this or any other of their discs. This one is as good as any. But I've never heard a band (except for one) that had this much quality stuff to lay on the table. Enjoy, and eat hearty.

still rumbling along.......2001-12-21

I'm going to disagree with my fellow Rochesterian and say that this is a good DTB album with which to start, if you haven't heard them before. It was recorded live in the studio, so it managed to capture the headlong-but-relaxed feel of their live shows better than any previous album.

The title cut, "Positive Friction", is one of the best Jeb Puryear songs yet. He generally comes up with at least one anthemic epic per album (e.g., "Conscious Evolution" on Rockin' in the Weary Land and "Mystic Water" on The Ones You Love) and this is the brawniest one yet.

In this band Tara writes the pop songs and Jeb writes the rock songs. They are both excellent songwriters and the polarity of their styles is part of what broadens the appeal of the band and also creates the tension that is at least part of what makes their live shows worth seeing.

DTB beat the Coen Brothers to the punch with their re-recording of "A Man of Constant Sorrow" and Jim Miller does as good a job with the song as Norman Blake did on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

Check out DTB's website to pick up their new double live CD. Then you will *really* know what all the fuss is about.

This is real music from inside America!.......2001-08-23

Donna the Buffalo are like Dylan meets the Wailers via Louisiana and Appalachia. On this record, they manage to capture almost perfectly the wonderful, warm, homey rhythm that is really their main appeal. I don't care for most "jam" type music, but the thing that makes this music irresistable is the fact that the deep grooves and improvisational parts never lose the sense of the main tune that everything is built around. The music is, on some level, always pretty. It is also an ineffable combination of so many American genres of music that fans of country, reggae, rock, any branch of American folk music, and zydeco music will all find something familiar.

Now, about "Positive Friction" in particular: Donna the Buffalo is a band to hear live. That's the truth. BUT this album does manage to translate the energy and sound of the band live into very enjoyable snapshots. All of the elements are there, and it is hard to pick out a standout song. "No Place Like the Right Time" mixes a rich sense of harmony with a kind of country wistfulness that contrasts nicely with Tara Nevins' other more groove-based songs on the record. "Positive Friction" is a good example of the band's really striking sense of rhythm that encorporates a tonal breadth. With a booming bass guitar note marking the beginning of each chorus and the higher sounds of the washboard mixing with the drums, the beat of this song is as important and as recognizable as the tune itself.

Tracks:

Hors d'Oeuvres
Same Old Rock
One Man Rock and Roll Band
Me and My Woman

Album Description

Reissue of 1971 EMI album by the great English folk singer/ songwriter. Four tracks. Includes the original artwork. 1994 release.

Customer Reviews:

All of the five star reviews are dead right.......2006-08-16

It's wonderful to see so many uniformly enthusiastic reviews of this album. It's truly a classic album from a classic time, albeit unfortunately obscure.

Harper was a "musician's musician". never achieving (undoubtedly never striving for!) top ten fame. His folksy, soft approach ensured that. However he was rightly recognized by his peers at the time, including Jimmy Page and the rest of Led Zep, and Pink Floyd, as a consummate songwriter, singer, arranger, and all-round musician.

I had the great pleasure of seeing Harper live one evening, back around 1986. He played (of all places!) McMaster University's Rathskeller pub in Hamilton, Ontario. The Rat was a decent folk pub for those who didn't want to get their eardrums blasted out by second-rate bands at the other University pub. But it was certainly their all-time coup to land Harper one summer evening.

I dragged fellow grad students out to see him. They had no idea who he was, although I did my best to explain that they were seeing and listening to an icon. Much of the rest of the audience was the same -- they just happened to be there that night, or they were dragged along by their own fanatical friend.

To be fair, there were a respectable number of other Harper fans there that evening, who must have caught wind of his appearance one way or another.

I drank too much. And I (to my later chagrin) pestered Roy too much with requests for "Me and My Woman", which was my wistful romantic anthem for many years. He finally, somewhat begrudgingly, indulged me. I sang along (not too loudly!).

Every few months or so, I hit his website, hoping that he might venture to "the colonies" another day. Probably not. I fantasize about taking a trip to England to see him.

Part of me is happy that Roy Harper will always remain somewhat obscure -- appreciating him boosts you into an elite category (or so I like to pretend, anyway). The rest of me wonders why he isn't played regularly on better classic rock stations.

NOT The Same Old Rock.......2006-05-25

I ordered this from Amazon UK and had it sent to my brother-in-law's home. My wife picked it up when she went for a visit. All the reviews you read here are spot on. this is a great, classic record with some fabulous vocal and orchestral overdubbing. I don't play this CD constantly but everytime I do pull it out I find myself amazed by what Harper and his engineer achieved way back in 1971. Anyone interested in the music of Pink Floyd will want a copy of this. It isn't a synthesizer-electronica-laden as Pink Floyd but clearly Pink Floyd and Roger Waters were heavily influenced by this CD. Waters could have written the lyric here 'round about the time of his Brick in the Wall period. This is mostly an acoustic release but, my God! It's heavy in places! By the way, Harper had a guest spot on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Jimmy Page appears on Stormcock under a psuedonym playing some great acoustic guitar along with Harper.

Follow up note: I see that Jimmy Page will be appearing with Roy Harper at Festivals this year playing all of the material from Stormcock - awesome.

this is the one.......2005-06-30

all of a sudden, i can't stop listening to roy harper. i guess i go through it every so often, but i've got a bad case of it right now. thank god, there is a lot of roy harper to choose from. i bet i have played flashes from the archives of oblivion twenty times in the past two days. today i loaded flat, baroque, and berserk and stormcock into the player. all three of these pieces of work are 5-star albums...and he's got several more that would qualify as well. but, the bottom line is that, if pressed, i'd have to say stormcock is the one. one can easily understand how his name showed up on albums by led zeppelin, pink floyd, and kate bush. one can easily understand how he warranted contributions from jimmy page, kate bush, paul mccartney, bill bruford, dave gilmour, and the rest of his "famous" friends. what one can not understand is how he avoided the trappings of mega-stardom.... even if this particular album had been the only one he recorded, his name should have/could have been a household name. this album is a true treasure... only four songs (long ones), but in those four songs are all the qualities for which one listens to roy harper: the intense vocals; the layering of voices; crazy, wonderful, and perfect (atypical/close/shocking) harmonies; that ringing guitar; the sheer poetry of the lyrics. this is one of the albums i most treasure. do yourself a favor. listen to this one. listen closely. you'll be glad you did.
i've already got bullinamingvase and HQ ready to load when i'm finished with these two.

SO good, I can't recommend it enough.......2004-11-12

Roy's 1971 album Stormcock is underrated but every bit as classic (and more so in my opinion) as albums like Zoso, Who's Next, Dark Side of the Moon, and Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Why, you ask? I'll try to distill it in a short synopsis: The album opens with Hors d'Oeuvres, a beautiful track showcasing Roy's poetic, clever and biting lyrics as well as his exellent voice and vocal arrangements (just listen to the chorus). The Same Old Rock, track 2, is regarded by many to be Roy's best song--a beautifully cutting critique of religion set to exquisite acoustic guitar backed by Jimmy Page (who lays down some blistering lead parts that really complement Roy's inimitable style). The last 3 minutes of the song are priceless for Roy's riff and Jimmy's bluesy solo. Track 3, One Man Rock n'Roll Band, is a piece played in open guitar tuning and has an otherworldly air about it. It's a comment on war and displays some of Roy's very unique and skilled (take it from a fellow guitar player) guitar playing. The final track, Me and My Woman, has multiple parts in which Roy displays his AMAZING singing and lyrics, is backed by an orchestra, and plays some sweet riffs on the acoustic guitar. Unfortunately for me and you, the text-based Amazon review can't convey the fantastic experience that Stormcock is. The record's overall sound and feel, Roy's "A-ha" inducing lyrics, and the quality of the playing makes it a record I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of classic rock, folk, psychadelia, British music, etc. Don't be tricked by the track count; the album is over 40 minutes (the songs are long). My other top recommendations from Roy's collection are Valentine (shorter acoustic songs with a broad range of styles) HQ (more classic rock, and every bit as good as Stormcock) and Bullinamingvase (very similar to HQ in quality and rockingness). You can also find these records at royharper.com. Discover Roy Harper's music--you won't regret it.

Weathercock Points to Superb.......2004-04-12

Back in the day, you could actually buy this LP as a cut-out for $3.49 or less. When you hear it, and reflect on the fact that we now have to pay $$13.00 for the CD, you will feel sick. Of course he was under-appreciated then. Yeah, like he is appreciated now. DO NOT be mis-led by the fact that the down-load for pay services don't have his early stuff. Bullinamingvase, Folkjokeopus, are the princes in Harper's discology, where Stormcock reigns as king. Not exactly representative of his work, it is not a radical departure, a blending of jazz vocal stylings with his innate British folk sensibilities and a pinch of rock stylings thrown in for good measure, it compares more to John Martyn than anything, except more folky. It is very hard to describe, you have to hear it, because "unique" truly fits this one. Another comparison might be Tim Buckley. Get the picture? ....other uniques? Very intense: if anything in the rock genre brings tears to you, this might; if anything inspires you this will; it's in my top 10 all-time along-side the likes of Buddy Holly, David Bowie, Beatles. 5 stars because I can't give 10. If you still don't get it, stop reading reviews.

Average customer rating:

Wrath and Beauty mixed perfectly
Best of the 90's
Absolutely classic.
has to be the best band
One Of Tooth & Nail's Finest Releases

Friction
Stavesacre
Manufacturer: Tooth & Nail Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003ZFF
Release Date: 1996-06-07

Tracks:

Threshold
Loader
At The Moment
Suffocate Me
Minus
Devil
Tranewreck
Burning Clean
Anna Thema
Stars And Clouds

Customer Reviews:

Wrath and Beauty mixed perfectly.......2004-07-02

As a huge fan of Stavesacre, it is tempting to elaborate on the bands incredible talent for song writing and incredibly emotional and moving lyrics. However, i only have 1000 words. Friction is Stavesacre's incredible debut album, and it in my opinion is possibly their best release (this or Speakeasy). Hearing the more calm, smooth songs first hooked me on Stavesacre, but once you aquire the taste, their intense, thrash influenced side is equally enjoyable. This CD melds the two almost perfectly. You could use the cliche that this CD sounds like two different bands, but Stavesacre somehow manages to retain a intangible cohesive element through their diverse style. They combine excellent musicianship with sobering lyrics on softer songs such as At The Moment, Stars and Clouds, and Burning Clean. I honestly almost cried the first time I listened to Burning Clean, as it has very impacting lyrics. Then Stavesacre can switch gears and let out a blistering, brutal sonic attack in the form of songs such as Threshold, Tranewreck, and Loader. Stavesacre completes the album with the incredibly simple but beautiful "Minus", an instrumental that somehow has an emotional impact that connects very effectively with the listener through its simple melody. Overall, this is an incredible release, although it may take some time to get used to their more punk influenced songs. Make yourself listen to this CD until its full power hits you.

Best of the 90's.......2002-02-13

It's not often you hear a positive message presented with the breadth and power heard here; Stavesacre's music is thick and heavy and I think they are one of the most thought-provoking bands out there along with Sunny Day Real Estate and King's X. This disc is a jem from beginning to end. Essential for fans of hard rock/hard core.

Absolutely classic........2002-01-04

Stavesacre is one of the best rock bands on the planet, combining melody, power, and emotion, and excelling in musicianship and lyricism. This is probably one of the best debut albums I've ever heard, ranking just under Weezer's blue album. Taking notes from bands like Quicksand, Far, and Helmet, Stavesacre creates accessible post hardcore rock. However, they perfectly execute the sound that the afforementioned innovators were trying to reach, and it only took them one album to do it! Every song on here is excellent. There's the soaring melody and chill-inducing lyrics of "At The Moment". "Loader" is driving and aggressive, with a great hook to boot. "Stars and Clouds" is a ten minute opus that throws in a little of a prog rock feel to an already diverse album. A highly recommended album for musical innovation, lyrical inspiration, and spiritual reflection.

has to be the best band.......2000-10-30

okay, first of all stavesacre has to be the best band. i listen to other music like blindside, project 86, and other hardcore/punk but stavesacre is the one that i listen to when i'm feeling really emotional. they are one of the bands that you can never get sick of. this cd is , well i can't say the best of their 3 because they all rock, but is a very good one. threshold,at the moment, burning clean, and stars and clouds are really good. the rest are all awesome too. stavesacre never fails to amaze me with each album that comes out. i can't wait till the ones to come.

One Of Tooth & Nail's Finest Releases.......2000-08-04

I still remember when Tooth & Nail Records way hyping up this release...it was their 50th album, and they were raving about how Stavesacre was "a new sound" and "unlike anything you've ever heard"...and so I took a chance and bought it. And wow, was I impressed! The sound is so raw on this album, and Jeff Bellew is a superior guitarist. I love Mark Saloman's voice; it has such a great sound. This album is well worth your money; songs such as "Threshold", "Burning Clean", "Anna Thema", and "Stars & Clouds" especially stand out. Couldn't be better.

Average customer rating:

should have been bigger...
Final Studio Album
THIS AIN'T LOVE
Excellent rock & roll CD

Friction
Coney Hatch
Manufacturer: Anthem
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Outa Hand
Coney Hatch
Best of Three
Coney Hatch
Right Between the Eyes

ASIN: B0000076AU
Release Date: 1997-04-28

Tracks:

This Ain't Love
She's Gone
Wrong Side of Town
Girl from Last Night's Dream
Coming to Get You
Fantasy
He's a Champion
State Line
Burning Love

Album Details

Canadian Rockers' Third and Final Studio LP, Originally Released in 1985.

Customer Reviews:

should have been bigger..........2007-06-30

their third and last album, listen to "Fantasy" which is a brilliant song, one of their best. Carl Dixon was a great singer, not a screamer but a real singer, closer to Coverdale than Halford. Steve Shelski was (is) above your average lead guitar player, and the rhythm section knew how to rock. famous producer max Norman did a very good job by producing this album, the sound is really amazing. a great album from a great canadian band, this is the business side of things that put an end to this band, not their music!

Final Studio Album.......2006-11-28

Released in 1985, Friction was the third and final album from Canadian rockers Coney Hatch. The band had a great, Foreigner meets April Wine arena rock sound that should have resulted in larger success, but for whatever reason they never caught on. It's a shame, because the band's albums - Friction in particular - had all of the right elements to appeal to rock fans in the 80's.

Of their three albums, Friction was the most AOR sounding. This might have been a sign of the times, but the album has a slick, polished sound similar to what bands like Y&T, Autograph, and Foreigner were releasing at the time. It's catchy as hell, and an absolute treat for 80's AOR aficionados.

Two thumbs way up for this great rock album. It's just about guaranteed to have you nodding your head and singing along in the car by the second track.

NOTE: So far, Friction remains the only Coney Hatch album that has not been remastered. One can only hope that situation will be remedied soon.

THIS AIN'T LOVE.......2002-03-01

This ain't love, but it's awfully close. This is the third and, unfortunately, final album by Coney Hatch. It was a short fast run, but ultimately left me with songs I would remember and look for until Anthem Records released this on CD. The cuts that make this a great addition to a Rock collection are "State Line" and "She's Gone".

I know most of you won't buy a CD for 2 songs, but there is more than that here. Coney Hatch is one of those groups that has an excellent retrospect package (BEST OF THREE) and the other great songs made that disc. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the band those tunes are "Wrong Side of Town", "Fantasy", "Girl From Last Night's Dream", and my favorite "This Ain't Love". There is also "He's a Champion", a better-than-average song.

I hate saying this is the same old Coney Hatch, but in a sense it is. Again, it is radio friendly no-nonsense Rock-n-Roll. Listening to these discs again, it is hard to fathom why Coney Hatch didn't take the music world by storm. It's probably the curse of my liking them. I can only say this is one of many groups that shows the fickleness of radio and it's inability to bring great bands into every market. Of course, maybe it's the curse of living in a market, where program director's don't have their thumbs up their ---!

Excellent rock & roll CD.......1999-10-08

Back in the early 80's I did a college radio show that focused on rock & roll, not heavy metal. We would have access to new music coming out and that's when I first heard this album...remember those?! I thought it was great!!! I must have marked every song on the album with 2 stars, meaning it was good enough to play the the show!

Tracks:

I Want To Be Loved
Don't Take My Sunshine
Hearsay
All That Shines Ain't Gold
It Hurts Me To My Heart
I'm Loving You More Everyday
Just The One (I've Been Looking For)
Never Get Enough Of Your Love
All Day Preachin'
Get Up About Yourself
I'll Be The Other Woman
What's Happening Baby
Can't Let You Go
It's Out Of My Hands
Just One Moment
We're Gettin' Too Close
Love Makes It Right

Customer Reviews:

A hard to find Classic.......1999-12-19

"I'll be the other Woman" & "Tell me what's happening" will definately be re-made some day. Imitated but never duplicated.

Average customer rating:

Deserves to be better known
Not that I'd be missing playing Goya . . .
Thanx and a 'tip o' the hat'!
One of his best
Roy rocks

HQ
Roy Harper
Manufacturer: Science Friction
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Valentine

ASIN: B00004TETW
Release Date: 2000-06-16

Tracks:

The Game (Parts 1-5)
The Spirit Lives
Grown Ups Are Just Silly Children
Referendum (Legend)
Forget Me Not
Hallucinating Light
When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease

Album Description

'HQ' features Roy's band Trigger, with Harper again aided by David Bedford's orchestral arrangements, plus the Grimethorpe Colliery Band on 'When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease'. Chris Spedding, Bill Bruford, Dave Gilmour and John Paul Jones are just a few more names also involved in the making of this album.

Album Description

Remastered CD debut of British rocker's 1975 album with a 28 page booklet featuring new sleevenotes, photographs, etc. Musical guests include John Paul Jones, Bill Bruford, David Gilmour and Chris Spedding.

Customer Reviews:

Deserves to be better known.......2005-08-24

I will beg your indulgence while I tell a short story, but you will be rewarded with a bit of Roy Harper trivia that is evidently not well-known.

I have loved this album since I bought it in 1975. Since it's on vinyl and I don't spend much time in the room where the turntable lives, I don't listen to it very often, but every once in a while I get a craving for "The Game" or "The Spirit Lives".

I've been trying to find the CD for years, and have been unable to -- for the simple reason that I've been searching based on the name of the LP, which was *not* "HQ" -- it was "WHEN AN OLD CRICKETER LEAVES THE CREASE" (in caps on the jacket, in an "antique" typeface) The front of the album jacket is mostly occupied by an antiqued photo of someone I assume is Roy himself in cricket gear from the waist down, barechested, leaving what I assume must be the crease (I'm not a cricketer); on the back of the jacket are pictures of a ball, a bat, a wicket, and a panoramic shot of what I assume is a famous cricket stadium, as well as a list of 47 "Laws of Cricket". The label on the record itself identifies it as EMI/Chysalis CHR 1105, 1975.

The name "HQ" had popped up before when I searched, but I never paid any attention to it. Today, the light bulb came on.

Now -- why Roy Harper is not better known is a mystery to me. On the strength of this one album, he should have become a household word. Well, perhaps not a household word, but this is intelligent, articulate rock that is musically inventive -- and, dammit, he writes some catchy tunes that should've gotten people bopping whether or not they paid attention to the poetry, the vocal gymnastics, and the instrumental virtuosity.

If you have never heard this album, try to find a copy -- or I think I've seen MP3s advertised, download one and listen to it. Getting the album itself might be tricky: I ended up ordering a copy from England (I'm in the US) for 16 pounds, including shipping; the used copies on Amazon are around $50 US.

The best thing that could happen for this record, and for Roy Harper, is to have one of his songs used in a TV commercial; anyone out there who works for an ad agency, consider "Grownups Are Just Silly Children"...

Not that I'd be missing playing Goya . . ........2004-11-30

HQ finds Roy in 1975 as part of a rock quartet, Trigger. The album opens with The Game, one of Harper's most compelling long songs--it's a rocker with a smart lyric and includes David Gilmour and John Paul Jones. The next 2 tracks are solid rockers, "Spirit" is an anti-religion song, and "Grown ups" is a great 50's style boogie displaying Roy's playful wit. "Referendum" has some sweet guitar from Spedding and switches between acoustic and electric. "Forget Me Not" is the first acoustic song on the album and is a beautiful love song. "Hallucinating Light" is beautiful and finely crafted, and the album is superbly topped off with "Cricketer," an emotional and lovely take on aging and the proud memories of a life. The bonus tracks are good, but not as essential as the original album songs. Throughout, Roy's voice is top-notch. The lyrics are some of his finest, and his band is tight and rocking. I recommend this gem to anyone who likes classic rock, and especially to fans of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and Dylan's folk-rock. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Thanx and a 'tip o' the hat'!.......2000-08-09

There are still legions of Zeppelin fans out there who hum along with "Hats Off To Roy Harper", blissfully oblivous that the song is a heartfelt tribute to a real person! Despite that immortalised plug from pal Jimmy Page, Harper remains a fairly obscure "musician's musician". "HQ" represents Roy Harper at his best, and stands as one of the finest rock albums of the 1970's. The centerpiece is the ambitious 17-minute suite "The Game",the only song that can boast more verses than "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"! Harper has a Dream Team of musicians- Chris Spedding and Dave Gilmour on guitars, John Paul Jones on bass and Yes drummer Bill Bruford("Pink Zeppelin"?). Excellent and thoughtful songwriting abounds, especially the haunting, bittersweet "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease", which always makes me tear up (and I know absolutely nothing about cricket!). A classic.

One of his best.......2000-07-18

This album was recorded when Roy was at his zenith commercially speaking. It shines with his idiosincratic style and lyrical grace, and he still filled one side of the album(I first bought this on vinyl) with his obligatory many layered single track. I was lucky enough to see him touring this album and can still remember the evening at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. The Grimethorpe Colliery Brass Band add depth and emotion to When an old Cricketer.. a song that can make you feel like you are at peace with the world and not having to constantly battle against it. You might have guessed that I like Roy and all his music! If you like HQ then I would strongly recommend that you try to get hold of "Bullinamingvase"

Roy rocks.......2000-07-10

Although not typical, this may be Harper's best effort ever. With the help of a few big names around this time, Roy produced an album of extremely focused and well executed material. The lead off track, The Game, as well as When an Old Cricketer Leaves the Crease will leave an impression on anyone who hears it.

Average customer rating:

for all who love songwriting
The first classic
Roy writes, plays and sings like a dream!
"Roy Harper's acoutic tour de force"!!!!!
Flat Out Good

Flat, Baroque And Berserk
Roy Harper
Manufacturer: Science Friction
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Valentine

ASIN: B00004S2NP
Release Date: 1997-10-01

Tracks:

Don't You Grieve
I Hate The White Man
Feeling All The Saturday
How Does It Feel
Goodbye
Another Day
Davey
East Of The Sun
Tom Tiddler's Ground
Francesca
Song Of The Ages
Hell's Angels

Album Description

Reissue of 1970 album for Harvest, one of his most successful. 12 tracks including 'Don't You Grieve', 'How Does It Feel ' and 'East of the Sun'. 1999.

Album Details

Reissue of 1970 Album for Harvest. One of his Most Successful.

Customer Reviews:

for all who love songwriting.......2007-07-07

If you love songs and songwriting you will love this album. Roy Harper deserves to be recognized as one of the master songwriters of the last fifty years. On this particular album, Another Day gives a perfect example of Roy's genius for telling a story with economical and vivid lyric and melody. Harper uses everyday idioms and settings -- a visit for tea, for instance, to set his characters in a solid real world, then transports us into their minds and emotions with the flick of his pen -- "I wish that I had 'cause I'm feeling so sad that I never had one of your children..." Wonderful!

The first classic.......2007-04-12

1970 found Roy Harper producing his fourth full-length LP, Flat Baroque and Berserk. It also found him cutting out the somewhat clumsy, group-oriented sounds found on Come Out Fighting Genghis Smith and Folkjokeopus and returning to the folky, acoustic sounds that typified his first album, as well as markedly focusing on the poetic lyrical heights that he was obviously capable of. As a result, Flat Baroque and Berserk is his strongest album since his debut, Sophisticated Beggar, and the first in a long line of mind-blowing classics that spanned the 1970's.

The album opens with "Don't You Grieve," a new spin on the Jesus/Judas story, told from Judas' point of view. Right away, it's obvious that Roy hasn't lost his trademark sense of humor, but where his irreverence tended to detract on earlier albums, the irony and cleverness here ties in with songs that have serious meaning--digging at religion. This occasional combination of humor and seriousness is one of Roy's trademarks, and this album is when it really starts working. Plus, "Don't You Grieve" is a pretty rocking song. Between tracks one and two is a snippet of Roy's legendary, rambling between-song banter, an essential part of this album and a glimpse into Roy's inimitable live show. Track two, "I Hate the White Man" might be Roy's most controversial song (and that's saying a lot when you talk about Roy!), a burning mini-epic that lambastes the arrogance of white culture from the inside out. In a lot of ways, "I Hate the White Man" takes up where Folkjokeopus' "McGoohan's Blues" (which saved the album and showed the dizzying heights he could reach) left off--Roy really came alive, showing his gift for breathtaking, incandescent lyrics, his skill at skewering the deluded, and an edgy use of his incomparable voice. When you hear songs like these, you start to wonder why more people don't know about Harper's music.

The first two songs are classic tunes, but through the entire rest of the album there isn't a weak track (I'll talk about "Hell's Angels" a bit later). The deceptively light "Feeling All the Saturday" juxtaposes images of Roy's infant son with images of Roy resting his "toes on the horizon"--the song was written after Roy was told by a doctor that he only had a short time to live (he was plagued by a cardiovascular disorder that was only just cured in the early 2000's and repeatedly threatened his life). "How Does it Feel" is another classic, with a soaring vocal and some great verse-to-verse rhymes. Roy's fingerstyle acoustic playing is in good form on songs like "Davey" and "Francesca," showing hints of his inimitable style and his more progressive work to come. "Tom Tiddler's Ground" is another great tune that Roy still plays live, with a mysterious lyric and a great recorder accompaniment. The song also has a classic Roy moment--when the engineer tells him the tape is "Rolling," Roy responds, "A joint? Well you better had be then, hadn't you?" The album closes with one of Roy's classic throwaways--"Hell's Angels." Until the end, it's an entirely acoustic and subtle album, until the heavy lumbering rock of "Hell's Angels" breaks the spell. It's one of the funniest album closers ever--Roy intentionally spoiling his own vibe--but it's also a potent commentary on the Angels and contains the classic line; "Free speech!! One each!!" Yet another instance of Roy paradoxically creating meaningful throwaways, and displaying an eccentricity and brilliance unmatched by any of his peers.

Overall, Flat Baroque and Berserk is one of Roy's first records that really works from start to finish (with the exception of Sophisticated Beggar), and it remains today as glittering as the day it was released. Science Friction's remaster sounds flawless. If you're just approaching Roy's music for the first time, this is a great place to start, since it's accessible, but also shows most of Roy's greatest qualities--lyrics, musicianship, wit, and voice, and hints to the out-there progressive folk territory he would soon map on his magnum opus, Stormcock.

Roy writes, plays and sings like a dream!.......2006-01-06

Over the many years that I have been listening to this album the songs have become burned into my brain. This is the sound that made me want to play the guitar! To my ears he plays like nobody else, an acoustic but attacking style which is by turns thrilling, sensitive, stirring etc. Some of the songs are beyond sublime. Tom Tiddler's Ground, Francesca, East of the Sun, How Does It Feel, Feeling all the Saturday.
You should buy it. You will not regret it.
While you are at it, buy Stormcock as well.

"Roy Harper's acoutic tour de force"!!!!!.......2004-09-28

Hello music fans!!Whatever the reason you checked in here, i fully endorse all the other reviewers have to say!Released in 1970, and still as relevant to-day, this is definitely one of Mr. Harper's most important albums-an acoustic "tour de force"!!!By now he'd recorded 3 or 4 albums & was beginning to create his amazing unique songs!With the c.d. age, i've gotta say this album just sounds WONDERFUL on compact disc!!Check out "Don't you grieve" a twist on the Judas Iscariot tale, the ever-popular "I hate the Whiteman"...all Harper fans know what an epic song this is.it was screamed for live many, many occasions in the 70's /80's ..i was there!!.."Francesca"..gee, i wish i could write a song as gentle & beautiful as this."East of the Sun".......'where our lovin' was done'.........Roy you have written some of the most beautiful,beautiful acoustic love -songs of our entire generation!!!"Folkjokeopus" has to be one of the most satisfying acoustic 'folk' albums EVER.My favourite being possibly "hOW DOES IT FEEL"?..WHAT A SONG!!A reviewer on this same site has wonderfully mentioned the fact that Roy Harper almost makes Bob Dylan seem "safe"!!!I know what he means, God bless him!!.."Folkjokeopus is an ESSENTIAL folk album of epic proportions, from a guy with one of the greatest of singer-songwriter vocals!!!-BUY!!!!!!!

Flat Out Good.......2004-04-12

a CLIFFORD HODGE* review

Caution: Don't play this one for your priest/pastor. Live cut before small audience: "...Yes,I hate the white man, and I hate the man.....who turned you all loose." Even I don't have the kind of brass pair to sing something like that. Harper has never given a ___, you know. A very good album, showing that Harper and mayber Ian Anderson stand alone in the British folk/blues/jazz genre for the ability to blend piquancy and biting wit and commentary with a sweet pathos that does not veer off course into cheap sentimentality. "Francesca" will stick in your head as a love song of almost religious depth and spirituality. It is not surprising that he is a friend and musical collaborator of Kate Bush. Not his best work, but for many, it would be. It's worth owning, and if you like British folk with a bit of an edge, you should buy it. I know CD's are costly, but I bought some of my Harper LP's mail order, and paid just as much. HE NEVER WILL BE POPULAR. He is for the few who like John Martyn, Nick Drake, Tim Buckley (that's the dead father), Phil Ochs, Steeleye Span, and more obscure British folk. If you want the best, the old stuff, you have to work at it, buy on line. Your stores don't have that kind of brass pair either, they don't even have...well, never mind.
Cliff

Tracks:

African Children
Get The F**K Up
Equal Rights
Jump Up
Ascend Into Zion
Sodom
Jeremiah's Song
Revoltion Dub
Friction
Jacobs Ladder
System Cracks
Burn Out Tonight
Equal Dub
Hasta La Victoria Siempre Dub
Dub Out Tonight

Album Details

Dr. Israel Made his Mark as One of the First Recording Artists to Experiment with Fusions of Hip Hop, Jungle and Reggae Styles. His First Solo Album, the 1996 Landmark" Seven Tales of Israel" (Wordsound) Put Dr. Israel on the Map as an Innovator and a Contender. After Cementing his Reputation as a Dub/Jungle Icon with Three Significant Follow-up Releases in 1997, Dr. Israel Stepped Up to Another Level with 1998`s „inna City Pressure" and Proved He Could Rock Out with the Big Boys. Rolling Stone Reviews and Invitations to Guest Star Followed, as Did the Brilliant, Intimate 2001 LP "Black Rose Liberation" under the Moniker"brooklyn Jungle Soundsystem", which Showcased his Astonishing Range as a Producer, Vocalist and Lyricist.

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