Girlfriend [CD-single]

Track Listings

1. Main Version

2. Ron G Remix Main Version

Girlfriend,B2K,Sony,5"CD Singles,Dance-Pop,Pop,R&B,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Teen Pop,Urban

Tracks:

Gunpowder & Lead
Dry Town
Famous In A Small Town
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Love Letters
Desperation
More Like Her
Down
Guilty In Here
Getting Ready
Easy From Now On

Amazon.com

There's no sophomore slump for Miranda Lambert, who follows her chart-topping debut, Kerosene, with a knockout punch. Both the title cut and the album-opening "Gunpowder & Lead" ("what little girls are made of") show that Lambert hasn't lost her edge or her appetite for revenge. Yet the quieter "Desperation," the more tuneful and tender "Love Letters," the wistful "More Like Her," and the primally intense "Down" show her emotional range and maturity. While her songwriting remains a strength, Lambert also displays superb taste in other people's material, with "Dry Town" (by Gillian Welch), "Getting Ready" (a new song from Patty Griffin), and "Easy from Now On" (with the lyric that provided the title to Emmylou Harris's classic Quarter Moon in a Ten-Cent Town) reinforcing the musical quality. There isn't a throwaway cut here. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

LET ME FIRST SAY I HAVE COME TO LOVE THIS ALBUM.......2007-07-31

Let me first say I have come to love this album. I became an immense fan for Miranda Lambert with her first album, KEROSENE. That record was such an unexpected breeze of fresh air that (with some fear of being a turncoat to my country icons) I called it one of the best country albums in a long while. Who knew that a winner of what was essentially a T.V. contest would put forth a CD of such enjoyable force and quality? CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND misses some of the shine of its predecessor; but not by much.

GIRLFRIEND struck a bitter note which spoiled the whole album for me on my first listen. . Given my enthusiasm for Lambert's first album, I was supposed to like this one as well. What was wrong? All that week, I went around trying to figure out why. On the following Saturday, three beers and two shots of whiskey into watching FORT APACHE for the nth time, the root became apparent and it had been right there in my front of face all along.

*Gunpowder and Lead* is song I can't deal with. Well, I do deal with it: I hate it. In my line of work, I incidentally (very incidentally) get my nose pressed up against the glass looking at the banshees of domestic violence-- whether I like it or not--and I do not. Domestic violence is not a funny subject. Far too many couples end their troubles at the business end of a gun. More than a few women have laid in wait to meet their men head-on with firearms only to have the confrontation turn badly for them. (A rule from the Old West is the still stands up: Never point unless you mean to shoot. Never shoot unless you mean to kill.) Some advice the violence in this song is more like that of a Roadrunner and Willy Coyote cartoon than the real thing. Well, at least for this song, I'll have to excuse myself. I can't go there.

So when the first song is skipped, the heart of this CD comes into focus. Love loss, rejecting a faithless lover, jealousy and anger at seeing the ex-boyfriend's new love, wishing you were more like her, the glories and crap of a small town, and guilt. Miranda's singing winsome throughout as she moves from humorous to matter-of-fact, angry, sexy soft kitten, and the despair of lost happiness. This is a mature woman's outlook without a hint of *Moon and June* infatuation.

The crown of the album is at the end. *Dry Town*, *Famous in a Small Town*, *More Like Her*, and *Guilty in Here* are favorites of mine. Nevertheless, Lambert tackles one of the loveliest and heartbreaking songs in American music: *Easy From Now On*. I won't say Lambert excels Emmylou Harris' version of thirty years ago; but Lambert's does give it a run for its money. The images and emotions embedded in the lyrics and melody are likely to be with you for the rest of your life--and that ain't a bad thing. *Easy From Now On* makes this album worth your money.

Another fantastic CD by Miranda Lambert.......2007-07-27

I had heard her new CD was great, & was not disappointed after buying this. It has fantastic songs on it & we play it over & over in the car on long drives. If you like Miranda, you will love this new CD.

Crazy Like a Snake.......2007-07-26

Miranda Lambert in her second album has taken a bitter route to get to a sweet place. The words one might use to describe some of her lyrics, we'll leave her catchy riffs for another time, are funny, poignant, sad, thoughtful, and throw in bombastic for good measure. For such a pretty young thing ;-) she sure seems to know a lot about anger and heartbreak, not to mention how badly it sucks to be stuck in a dry town!

Fine country album.......2007-07-23

Miranda Lambert's main claim to fame came from her surprise 2005 hit country single, "Kerosene". Sure, she was on Nashville Star, but she was third, not the winner and as all of these reality music artist shows have shown despite being on television to have staying power, you STILL have to prove yourself. This statement is most crystal clear on a show like Nashville star as most of it's winners have failed to have staying power and have failed to go truly noticed in the industry of country itself. Sure, first season winner Buddy Jewell had moderate success, but that success didn't add up to a gold album and Erika Jo, the youngest winner at that point stayed on the Billboard Albums Chart a couple of weeks before falling off. Miranda debuted stronger than Erika Jo (#18 as opposed to #27) for her first album, but it wasn't until "Kerosene" that Miranda secured a hit gold album. As to whether CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (which debuted at #6 with 53,000 copies) can give Miranda superstar status, or probably more attainable a second gold album minimally can only be told by time, but where quality is concerned, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND is one of country's best albums of 2007 anyway you cut it. People can praise Carrie Underwood as much as they want to, but Miranda Lambert is just as much if not more in some respects the real thing as Ms. Underwood, no matter if the sales of these two respective, respectable artists beg to differ.

The album has no misses, which seems to be a trend I've noticed with country music. Rarely does country music have filler material in comparison to rock, pop, or urban music; it tends to have an added consistency that the other genres have never been able to secure. "Gunpowder & Lead" gets the album started off right with 'country-centric' production work and a great vocal by Lambert. "Dry Town" features an even more polished vocal by Ms. Lambert and the spare production during the verses allows for Lambert's beautiful vocals to shine. My only quibble with this track is that the refrain is a bit overproduced. One could argue that the great ending of this particular track makes up for any flaws or idiosyncrasies and I believe that assertion would be nearly accurate. Finally, the most commended track of the first three and wonderful choice for a single, "Famous In A Small Town" shows Lambert vocally at her best, equally where her diction, timbre, and tone are concerned. There's exceptional instrumental work here and the production overall has less 'twang' to it, which is perfect for this track. Three for three and going strong Ms. Lambert.

"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" is a strong track, but it's thunder is stolen from the greater proceeding track "Love Letters" in which everything within the setting is nearly perfect. Lambert's vocals are pure, the orchestration is immaculate, and the lyrics so heartfelt and touching. Now that's what music is supposed to be! "Desperation" is the weakest track as of yet, though it is above-par by all means. "More Like Her" picks up the slack being in the top echelon of the best tracks of CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND. Traces of organ and an inescapable country-soul feel build up this track to be one of the best. Even more important, the songwriting is top-rate by all means.

"Down" is a standout because of the 'grit' that Lambert achieves here. The songwriting is once again brilliant and only enhanced by Lambert's powerhouse vocals, particularly during the refrain. "Guilty In Here", "Getting Ready", and final track "Easy From Now" are all strong and make CRAZY EX- the successful affair that it is. Particularly in "Easy From Now" the pedal-steel lace timbre and the laid-back tempo and stunning vocals make it a fine way to end a very, VERY fine country album. Overall, I think that if Miranda Lambert can truly break through the numerous other country artists and continue to seperate herself the way that she already has, she should have a lengthy and fruitful recording career. 4 stars and high recommendation from me.

Awesome CD!.......2007-07-20

I think Miranda hit the jackpot with this CD!! It is really good. Even the slower songs on it are wonderful. There is an even mix of sweet innocent country girl and the girl who wants revenge!

The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

A dreadful piece of "bubblegum pop" crap.
Pop up
A talented artist wasted.
It grows on you
All out fun power pop.

The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition)
Avril Lavigne
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk-Pop | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Canada | North America | International | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Girlfriend Pt.1
Let Go
Under My Skin
Dignity
My December

ASIN: B000OCXF0Q
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Customer Reviews:

A dreadful piece of "bubblegum pop" crap........2007-08-03

I've sampled/downloaded a good majority of the songs on this album. After having heard all the songs I realized that it was a complete waste of my time.

This crap is worse than even her first album. I thought Avril's second was a very nice improvement and it showed that she had some talent. But THIS is just plain horrible. "Girlfriend"? Please. It's completely unappealing and I believe that the only reason anyone over the age of 11 would like it is because it's got a "beat" to it.

That beat from "Girlfriend" is pretty much the same exact thing, more or less, in every other damn song on the record.

I would not recommend this CD to anyone except young girls... like, in the "tween" age.

Pop up.......2007-07-08

This, Avril's third album, is a bit more upbeat and a bit less angsty than her last attempt. As with both her previous albums, The Best Damn Thing is an album that I find best to cherry pick for the songs I like. With my five favorites from this album, there is enough material over her three albums to put together a pretty decent showing. But there are still 2-3 songs on this album that I won't ever listen to again.

A talented artist wasted........2007-07-06

The Best Damn Thing by Avril Lavigne is a sad and pathetic album. I liked Avril's Let Go and Under My Skin discs but her third album is as silly as the title itself. I think Avril has a wonderful, strong voice and an average songwriter but I don't know what has happened to her. I guess marriage softened her but this new bubble gum image and that blonde hair has got to go. She has so much talented and she's just throwing it away. It's so disappointing with lyrics like, "hey, hey, hey you I don't like your girlfriend, I think you need a new one..." Hopefully my little Candianan will knock it out of the park on her next album. Don't waste your time and money on this trash!

It grows on you.......2007-07-03

This is a different approach for Avril compared to her first two albums. It sounds like she has been listening to some Toni Basil, because there is a good bit of cheerleader like musicical influences in the sound she is putting out now. Combine that with the more raw punk attitude of the skate parks and a large amount of teen angst, and you get this album.

Originally I purchaed the censored version of this album, but realized I could not stand the censoring that was going on. The blanks in the singing just threw me off. Within two weeks of listening to the censored version, I ordered the uncensored one, and haven't gone back since.

All out fun power pop........2007-07-01

"Girlfriend" was logically the first single from this CD. It's the best. Yes, it's a throwback to that "Hey Mickey" stuff (although it rocks more) but I liked "Hey Mickey". Does every freakin song have to be serious? Can't we just have fun listening to music once in a while?

There are 4 or 5 tracks that could easily be singles on the CD and they probably will become just that. Her label will likely milk this for a few years.

Compared to her last two it's somewhat a mix of the styles. The more pop-oriented of her first and the harder-edged sounds of her second CD (which I didn't care much for).

It's kind of a nice mix. You don't get too much of either. :)

On the other hand, I much preferred her first CD so to me this is much like a return to that sound.

A few of the tracks are more "punk" than I like, but those same tracks will likely appeal to many of her fans.

If you like Avril, then you must buy this CD (however, you probably already have).

Average customer rating:

You definately need this cd
Gets an old man's blood pumping
Steve Holy
Brand New Girlfriend
I got a brand new girlfriend

Brand New Girlfriend
Steve Holy
Manufacturer: Curb Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

If You're Going Through Hell
Dangerous Man
Blue Moon
Startin' with Me
It Just Comes Natural

ASIN: B0002MPPZQ
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

Brand New Girlfriend
Come On Rain
Hurry Up
Baby Don't Go
A Cliff In Colorado
Men Buy The Drinks (Girls Call The Shots)
Good Night To Be Lonely
Lead Me On
Only The Lonely Talking
Wrap Around
Memory On The Run
All For The Love Of Sunshine
What Could I Do Different Tonight

Customer Reviews:

You definately need this cd .......2007-06-14

The cd starts out with Brand New Girlfriend and has you rocking along. It is easily one of the best cd's I have heard in a long time. I've had it for awhile but think that it deserves the best review possible. I give it 5 stars , the vocal ability of Steve Holy is up there with the many great legends of country music. He can sing the ballads like Come on Rain and two seconds later have you laughing until your ready to cry with the songs like Brand New Girlfriend, men buy the drinks(girls call the shots) and hurry up. If you haven't bought it yet. I definately would recommend you do so.

Gets an old man's blood pumping.......2007-03-15

Great CD. Being older I am not up-to-date on music but, this CD works for all generations.

Steve Holy.......2007-03-08

A cd worth buying and has a lot fast upbeat songs on it

Brand New Girlfriend.......2007-01-19

Excellent CD for a relaxing drive. I was impressed that usually my wife ejects a CD after it has played through once, but not this one. It played again & again, which should really tell you something! We are looking forward to Steve Holy's next CD release.

I got a brand new girlfriend.......2007-01-12

I received exactly what I ordered in a timely manor.

Average customer rating:

HEY HEY YOU YOU!
The single is worth to buy not because of girlfriend, just because of 'Alone'!!!!
Don't be fooled. This is the censored edition.
fake poser?
WTF??

Girlfriend Pt.1
Avril Lavigne
Manufacturer: Bmg/RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Best Damn Thing (CD/DVD Deluxe Limited Edition)
The Best Damn Thing [CLEAN]
Avril Lavigne - My World (DVD & CD)
Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes Volume 2
Nobody's Home

ASIN: B000NDJK00
Release Date: 2007-04-09

Tracks:

Girlfriend
Alone

Album Description

2007 CD single, the first track pulled from this Canadian Pop-Rocker's third album, The Best Damn Thing. Features 'Girlfriend' plus 'Alone'. Sony/BMG. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

HEY HEY YOU YOU!.......2007-07-12

What can I say...this song sounds great in the car or in the club. The video is even better than the song. I love how she plays the different girlfriends and is trying to get with the guy. The video does this song justice. Anyhoo about the song I love it. I think it's Avril's best song since "Complicated." You can tell she is back and in a big way. If you like Avril download this song now!

The single is worth to buy not because of girlfriend, just because of 'Alone'!!!!.......2007-05-12

I was very disappointed with the song 'girlfriend' which is a sugar pop sound with punk music but when I listened to the song 'Alone' which I downloaded from her fansite, I REALLY LOVE IT. It is very amazing. A very very good ROCK song. I give to this single just because of 'Alone'. Don't get wrong. Buy it!!! You'll see it's worth to buy!!!

Don't be fooled. This is the censored edition........2007-04-27

I was very disappointed to find out this was the censored edition. I purchased these songs elsewhere and they are great. This would have received 5 stars if I wasn't so disappointed with Amazon and SonyBMG for not clearing stating these songs are censored.

fake poser?.......2007-04-20

I've been hearing Avril Lavinge is worse than Ashlee Simpson and the Britney Spears clan. From what i hear from real punk rock musicians, she's a big wannabe poser. She pretends to play the guitar. Is this true? Anyways, I'd rather listen to Avril as opposed to Paris Hilton, Hillary Duff, and Lindsey Lohan because they make Avril Lavinge look good. I remember Lindsey Lohan's first album back cover, she was holding and looks like she was pretending to play the guitar. What a joke.....

WTF??.......2007-04-16

ok what the hell has happened to avril? her old cd's were waaay better. like this is soo not her. i thought let go and under my skin were better. this is more hyper bouncy kinda songs..not really like her at all. ok i gotta admit this song is pretty catchy but i heard the other songs on youtube of her new cd and they're crap. she's basically talking. not singing. so i'd advise not to get it

Average customer rating:

Another great soundtrack.
Rescue Me!

My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Lakeshore Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

You, Me and Dupree
John Tucker Must Die
The Devil Wears Prada
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Accepted: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000FZESNK
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Tracks:

No Sleep 2nite _ Molly McQueen
Rescue Me _ Rachel Robinson
The Joker _ Fatboy Slim featuring Bootsy Collins
Love Is A Game _ The Magic Numbers
O What A Glorious Thing _ Akira The Don
It Dont Matter _ Donavon Frankenreiter
Oye Como Va _ Chad Fischer
Everythings Right _ Matt Wertz
One & Only _ Teitur
Lover Come Up _ Josh Kelley
She Drives Me Crazy _ Fine Young Cannibals
Love Love Love _ Tristan Prettyman
I Got You _ Eskimos of Love
No Sleep 2nite (SXG Ext Summer Mix) _ Molly McQueen

Amazon.com

This compilation may not sport many well-known artists or quickly recognizable songs (with the exception of Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy," Chad Fisher's straightforward cover of "Oye Como Va," and Eskimos of Love's take on Split Enz's "I Got You"), but it contains enough interesting nuggets to make it worth looking into. Opening track "No Sleep 2nite" is a prime example. You may not have heard of Molly McQueen (unless you're a Britophile familiar with her former band, the short-lived Faders) but her song is a super-catchy, Motown-influenced stomper. (It's reprised at the end in a different mix.) Likewise, the Magic Numbers" "Love Is a Game" unfurls with a lazy grace and Teitur (a soft-spoken troubadour born in the remote Faroe Islands) offers the romantic ballad "One & Only." This CD doesn't have much in a stylistic or thematic sense, but it does have a few good, underexposed tunes. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Another great soundtrack........2006-08-14

Each songs are really good but I don't understand why it's said that no sleep 2nite is sung by Molly MCqueen and not the Faders (is the band seperated?!).Anyway even if I already knew the song it was a nice way to start the compilation with (but the remix was a little unnecessary).Rachel Robinson's rescue me song is defenatly one of my favorites along with love is a game,one and only,lover come up,love love love and I got you.It was also fun to have two hits on the CD (a recent and an oldy),the joker and she drives me crazy.So if you are into romantic comedy soundtrack style,this one's made for you.Let's hope the movie is as good as it is.

Rescue Me!.......2006-08-01

Upbeat and heartwarming, each song has a purpose on this soundtrack. There are fun and upbeat songs, and there are songs that are sad. This soundtrack is pretty simular to the Legally Blonde original soundtrack. There are also cool romance songs, which mixes this soundtrack perfectly; happy songs, sad songs, and romance songs, so this soundtrack creates a great variety to the listener. I like each song on this soundtrack, them all being worth the listen to. But, some songs on the soundtrack are from other soundtracks; "No Sleep 2nite" from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants original soundtrack, and "One and Only" from Aquamrine original soundtrack, giving you a clear idea of how them soundtracks are by listening to them. This soundtrack is missing some songs though, disappointing...

1. No Sleep 2nite _ Molly McQueen 5/5
2. Rescue Me _ Rachel Robinson 5/5 (Favorite)
3. The Joker _ Fatboy Slim featuring Bootsy Collins 5/5
4. Love Is A Game _ The Magic Numbers 4/5
5. O What A Glorious Thing _ Akira The Don 5/5
6. It Don't Matter _ Donavon Frankenreiter 4/5
7. Oye Como Va _ Chad Fischer 4/5
8. Everything's Right _ Matt Wertz 5/5
9. One & Only _ Teitur 5/5
10. Lover Come Up _ Josh Kelley 4/5
11. She Drives Me Crazy _ Fine Young Cannibals 4/5 (eighties!)
12. Love Love Love _ Tristan Prettyman 5/5
13. I Got You _ Eskimos of Love 4/5
14. No Sleep 2nite (SXG Ext Summer Mix) _ Molly McQueen 5/5 (great mix!)

If you liked this, you may like:
1. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants original soundtrack
2. Aquamarine original soundtrack
AND
3. Legally Blonde original soundtrack

Hope you enjoy!

Jordan
Overall grade* A-

Average customer rating:

radio stinks
Matthews Sweetest
Classic
Been listening to it since it came out...
A power pop classic

Girlfriend
Matthew Sweet
Manufacturer: Volcano
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

100% Fun
Time Capsule: The Best of Matthew Sweet
Altered Beast
Under the Covers, Vol. 1
Bandwagonesque

ASIN: B00000098J
Release Date: 1991-10-22

Tracks:

Divine Intervention
I've Been Waiting
Girlfriend
Looking At The Sun
Winona
Evangeline
Day For Night
Thought I Knew You
You Don't Love Me
I Wanted To Tell You
Don't Go
Your Sweet Voice
Does She Talk?
Holy War
Nothing Lasts

Amazon.com

After being dropped from A&M Records thanks to Girlfriend's rough edges, Matthew Sweet might hardly have expected great commercial success when another label brought the album out toward the end of 1991. But an alternative-welcome climate at rock radio stations, along with undeniably great songs and aggressive lead-guitar work by ex-Voidoid Robert Quine and former Television member Richard Lloyd, made the disc an eventual gold-selling hit. Years later, Girlfriend's probe of romance found, lost, and found again continues to sound fresh and daring. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

radio stinks.......2006-07-09

I say that because you will never hear this excellent gem of an album on commercial radio. Actually, radio has sucked since the late 80's. Since this is not a review of radio all I can say is follow amazon's reviews by fellow music lovers and trust them. Buy this album and then try Under The Covers with Suzanne Hoffs. And please turn off your radio as it is filled with what the music industry wants you to hear, not this great stuff.

Matthews Sweetest .......2006-06-13

I own over five thousand CDs, Tapes and Records. This is my all time absolute favorite. I was in my early twenties when this came out. I don't know how many cracks I put on the steering wheel of my 74 Chevy Nova banging my fists to this album. The title track is great and gets you right into the record. He just plays great down home, grass roots rock and roll. No extra crap. Some of the songs are quite sad like You Dont Love Me and Winona. They could downright make you cry. Thank God for Matthew Sweet, as he tried to singlehandedly save us all from the deeply mired heavy Seattle Sound of the early nineties.

Classic.......2006-06-10

Thank God. I heard Girlfriend, the single, on the radio one day about a year or two ago. That lead to a download and the purchase of the album a few days later.
What seemed impulsive was overpowered by the feeling that a masterpiece had been uncovered. I hate the superlative language thrown around for these sorts of things, but this has proven to be no flight of fancy.
This guy, Matthew Sweet, writes songs that connect. You can feel it.
The twin guitar virtuosos who appear here deserve big credit. Big drive. Big. It sounds great. Gritty and foot stompin'.
And, what a recording.
Near 49 now. Sometimes its raw. Sometimes its ennui. This recording captures both ends.
It also rocks.
randolph wish

Been listening to it since it came out..........2005-12-26

Hard to believe, but this album is just as fresh as the day I first opened it 15 years ago. I keep finding new ways to enjoy it. In the 90's it was with the top down in the car, in rotation with Mazzy Star, Nirvana, the Chili Peppers and whatever was playing on K-USF.

A few years ago, when I went to the gym, I had it in the walkman and discovered that IT IS THE PERFECT WORKOUT CD OF ALL TIME on any kind of step, treadmill or orbital-type machine. NO KIDDING. 'Divine Intervention' is the perfect warm-up, 'I've Been Waiting' picks up the tempo, 'Girlfriend' is a great fat-blaster. Just watch it or you'll find yourself singing out loud - at the gym. Anyhow, you'll be groovin' and rockin' out, up and down. Turns out the ups and down's of a break-up are an ideal pace for a work-out. Cooling down to 'Nothing Lasts' is bliss. By now, I must have listened to it over a hundred times just working out alone.

So now I'm forty, mom to a 2-year-old, wife to a guy who was six years old when I snuck out with my friend Jeff's big sister's friends to see the Sex Pistols when they were in SF. Seen a lot of bands and listened to a lot of different albums since and have to say, this album is as fresh as the day it was minted. Buy the album, and form your own relationship with it - you won't regret it.

A power pop classic.......2005-10-06

This record was a revelation when it came out, and remains as vibrant and bracing today. It is one of the absolute best power pop records of the 90s, a decade in which that genre experienced something of a renaissance (Posies, Teenage Fanclub, Velvet Crush, Jellyfish etc.)

Sweet had made a couple of unremarkable records before this one. I think two things made it leap out of the CD player and into our collective conscious. One was the sublime twin guitar work of Richard Lloyd (Television) and Robert Quine (NYC downtown guitar hero and notably on some of Lou Reed's most powerful work.) These two guys blaze and smolder throughout these melodic, harmonic songs, providing more bite and panache than most records you will hear in any genre. The performances of Quine and Lloyd in service to Sweet's catchy numbers creates the illusion of two tigers tamed; you can feel the excitement of their ferociousness on every track, even the soft, cotton-candy-sweet "Your Sweet Voice."

The second thing that makes this record stand apart is the fact that it is a break-up record, and a great one. From the optimistic second tune, the infectious "I've Been Waiting," through to the desolate "Nothing Lasts," you can hear Sweet laying bare the gamut of emotions involved in a relationship and its dissolution. Like Paul Simon's Hearts and Bones or Richard and Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights-or perhaps most aptly, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours-a good break-up record transcends time and trends and endures.

Every subsequent Mathew Sweet record has a few gems, and some folks will even argue that the follow-up, Dinosaur Act, is the better album. It is a good one, but this is where the Mathew Sweet legend begins and reaches its fullest heights.

Menuhin & Grappelli Play Berlin, Kern, Porter & Rodgers & Hart

Average customer rating:

A really Fine Romance
A Musical Treat

Menuhin & Grappelli Play Berlin, Kern, Porter & Rodgers & Hart

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

European Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Very Best of Grappelli and Menuhin
Menuhin & Grappelli Play...
Menuhin and Grappelli Play "Jealousy" and Other Great Standards
Anything Goes, With Yo Yo Ma
Jazz in Paris: Oscar Peterson-Stephanie Grapelli Quartet, Vol. 1

ASIN: B000002SDR
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Cheek To Cheek
Isn't This A Lovely Day?
The Piccolino
Change Partners
Top Hat
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Heat Wave
The Way You Look Tonight
Pick Yourself Up
A Fine Romance
All The Things You Are
Why Do I Love You?
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Night And Day
Looking At You
Just One Of Those Things
My Funny Valentine
Thou Swell
The Lady Is A Tramp
Blue Room

Customer Reviews:

A really Fine Romance.......2007-07-05

It doesn't get any better than these two playing these guys! Some of it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Use your imagination... It's all just swell.

A Musical Treat.......2006-01-08

"The true mission of the violin is to imitate the accents of the human voice, a noble mission that has earned for the violin the glory of being called the king of instruments." ~ Charles-Auguste De Bériot ~

Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grapelli together had made some of the most beautiful music ever-recorded. And I believe that this is one of the many successful albums they recorded together. In this recording, both violinists have showed their excellent musicianship and interpretative eloquence as well, making it one of my most cherished CDs from my collection.

These are the main ingredients of a perfectly-made CD for your listening pleasure: mix violins, piano, bass and drums together, combine two terrific violinists, season with the best melodies in the 20s, 30s and 40s from Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart. Add the musical talents of Nelson Riddle, Max Harris, Martin Taylor, Eddie Tripp, Alan Clare and the rest of the studio musicians. Now all you have to do is to sit back, relax and savor these stunning melodies coming from your CD player. Listen to it in full-volume and fill your music room with the sheer beauty of these classics.

One of my favorite musical instruments is violin. With its four strings, it gives a whole wide range of musical versatility and I simply love the fascinating sound it produces.

My personal highlights are the best tunes from Jerome Kern - "The Way You Look Tonight" (Nelson Riddle arranged this particular track and conducted the Woodwind and Brass section), "A Fine Romance," "Pick Yourself Up," "Why Do I Love You?" and "All The Things You Are."

My choices from Irving Berlin's gems are - "Isn't It A Lovely Day?" featuring the great artistry of Nelson Riddle in arranging and conducting, "Cheek To Cheek" and "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm."

The Cole Porter repertoire represented his musical sophistication in "Night And Day," "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Just One Of Those Things."

The choice cuts from the talented and creative team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart are "My Funny Valentine" and "Thou Swell."

Listening to this CD is so delectable and equivalent to having my favorite dessert - be it Tiramisu, New York Cheesecake, Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Soufflé, Créme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate-Coated Strawberries! ;)

A musical treat.

Average customer rating:

Power-pop nirvana
A Classic Made Better
A Classic Album Just Got Better
Sweet, Matthew...........
The Torchbearer

Girlfriend
Matthew Sweet
Manufacturer: Volcano
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Under the Covers, Vol. 1
The Complete Reprise Sessions
Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? - The Best of the Replacements
Another Fine Day
And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987

ASIN: B000FJA9OI
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Tracks:

Divine Intervention
I've Been Waiting
Girlfriend
Looking At The Sun
Winona
Evangeline
Day For Night
Thought I Knew You
You Don't Love Me
I Wanted To Tell You
Don't Go
Your Sweet Voice
Does She Talk?
Holy War
Nothing Lasts
Good Friend
Superdeformed
Teenage Female

Tracks:

Divine Intervention
Girlfriend
Day For Night
Thought I Knew You
Looking At The Sun
Does She Talk
You Don't Love Me
Someone To Pull The Trigger
I've Been Waiting
Winona
Girlfriend
Cortez The Killer
Isolation

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Power-pop nirvana.......2007-01-28

The original release of Sweet's third album in 1991 laid down a power-pop gauntlet for the decade. His collection of fifteen songs (augmented here to 18 with the addition of tracks featured on various import issues) perfectly balanced his talents and influences in a way its predecessors and successors never managed. Gone were the '80s production excesses of his debut, in was the electric inferno of Robert Quine and Richard Lloyd's guitars. Gone were the fanboy sci-fi lyrics of the preceding "Earth" LP, in were words of love, betrayal and seething anger.

Sweet's singing is nearly spiritual in its sublime expressions of joy and heartbreak. It's the sort of palpable, heart-on-sleeve emotion that marks the best power pop, from The Beatles through Big Star, Dwight Twilley, Teenage Fanclub and others. Sweet's follow-up albums would give in to rock guitar excess, losing the focus and compactness that's allowed "Girlfriend" to retain its original power fifteen years on. Sweet, Lloyd and Velvet Crush drummer Ric Menck open the album with a crushing blow of rhythmic pop, highlighted by Lloyd's dazzling solo atop Sweet's riffing electric guitar and pounding bass. Sweet sings as a lost man, praying for a sign to point the way; the album then rewinds to reveal how he came to this desolate place.

"I've Been Waiting" captures the euphoric first flush of love with a chiming mix of electric and acoustic guitars. The noose is set in "Girlfriend" when Sweet realizes his needs, accompanied by Quine's muscular guitar and Sweet's multi-tracked harmonies. Love's brilliance is blinding in "Looking at the Sun" and belies an underlying fracture that grows into jealousy and neediness with the busy phone line of "Winona" (underlined by Greg Leisz heartbreaking pedal steel). The comic-book fantasy of "Evangeline" diverts the singer's attention only momentarily before the hammer falls. And when it falls, it falls hard. Very, very hard.

The dragging tempo and Lennon-like splats of rhythm guitar spell the beginning of the end on "Day for Night." The bitter "Thought I Knew You" provides Sweet the vehicle to release years of pent-up resentment, seething with the question "how can I describe the way you slowly put my hope away?" Leisz's pedal steel returns for the morning-after hangover wallow, "You Don't Love Me," which stings deeply with the self-medicating line, "you can't see how I matter in this world." The hurt persists in "I Wanted to Tell You," but the upbeat tempo and strident vocal find the anger seemingly dissipated. Robert Quine adds another terrific solo and the mix of acoustic guitar and overdubbed harmony vocals provide a hint of sunshine through the clouds.

Sweet's need to analyze what went wrong continues in "Don't Go," suggesting he hasn't fully moved on, and trying his ex-lover's patience. The lullaby "Your Sweet Voice" finds the singer finally at rest, but with "Does She Talk?" he's back on the prowl, possibly warning someone involved with his ex ("Gonna need you a key to open the door to her heart / Or are you afraid her body is missing that part?"). The original album closes on a somber, existential note, wondering whether there is anyone to actually hear the plea that opened the song cycle and smoothly segueing back to track 1.

Volcano's fifteenth anniversary 2-CD reissue of this title fleshes out the original in two dimensions. Disc one is augmented with a trio of songs ("Good Friend," "Superdeformed" and "Teenage Female") that had been attached to various import album and CD single issues. All are good, but almost superfluous given the strength of the original album. The real treat is disc two, which reissues the contemporaneous promo-only "Good Friend" CD. The thirteen tracks include acoustic demos, live versions and a pair of covers (Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer," with the Indigo Girls, and John Lennon's "Isoloation").
The demo of "Divine Intervention," stripped of the searing electric guitars of the album turns the song into a Richie Havens-styled plea, highlighted by the acoustic lead playing of Ivan Julian. The live acoustic rendition of "Thought I Knew You" is sung with a fresh sense-memory of the song's origin, and "You Don't Love Me" and "Winona," both shorn of Greg Leisz pedal steel, are more emotionally spent and less country than the album takes. The bonus disc's highlight is an early recording of "Someone to Pull the Trigger" with an end-of-the-rope vocal and ragged production that bests the finished version on Sweet's later "Altered Beast" CD.

The original album's production is flawless and clear, balancing Sweet's vocals perfectly against the onslaught of drums, bass and guitar. The bonus disc sounds like the variety of sources from which it was constructed, with tightly recorded acoustic demos back-to-back with live outings. Disc two serves as a commentary on the original artifact, exposing some roots and offering interpretations. For those who've memorized every nuance of the original LP, "Good Friend" shines a new light on a beloved friend.

In both its original single-CD issue or this expanded reissue, this is an essential for any fan of melodic rock and power-pop. It's a tour de force that Sweet never repeated at album length. [©2007 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]

A Classic Made Better.......2007-01-06

Since it's release in 1991, this has been one of my absolute, favorite cd's. The title track alone is one of the great rock and roll songs of all times, but really, there isn't a weak track anywhere. And with the addition of the "Good Friends" cd, it becomes essential.

But why should you buy it? Glad you asked. The guitar work from Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine is outstanding by any standard. The sound is so nice and clean that you can pick out 5 or 6 guitar lines on almost every song. The vocals are top notch, and just the tight playing of all the musicians is amazing. The songs themselves are so good that even when they're stripped down, as they are on the "Goodfriends" tracks, they all still stand up. It really is an amazing work, and a true must buy. Sweet's albums since this one have been a bit uneven, with a few solid tracks and filler. But this one is one of the few cd's that I'll play from beginning to end, including all the bonus tracks, which I had hunted down on my own over the years.

Buy it, you'll like it.

A Classic Album Just Got Better.......2006-09-24

Matthew Sweet's 1991 power pop masterpiece just got better with this two-disc 15th anniverasry reissue. In addition to three bonus tracks taken from the Japanese edition of GIRLFRIEND ("Good Friend," "Superdeformed" and "Teenage Female"), there is a second disc entitled GOODFRIEND, that was initially made available only to a handful of retail, radio and record label insiders. This collection of home demos and live tracks is now available commercially for the first time. This bonus disc alone is worth the purchase price.

GOODFRIEND features nine of the fifteen tracks on the original release, including two live renditions of "Girlfriend," one from a BBC 1 broadcast and the other from a Cleveland show. Also included are two covers: a live version of Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" and a demo version of John Lennon's "Isolation." The real revelations are the acoustic demos. On these tracks the songs are stripped to their essence. "Divine Intervention" becomes a beautifully melodic song of hope and uncertainty. Without Greg Liesz's pedal steel, Winona" loses its country feel but not its poignancy. And "Looking at the Sun" has a haunting beauty in this stark arrangement. [All the live tracks and demos were recorded after the release of GIRLFRIEND between March and September of 1992.]

I first purchased GIRLFRIEND on cassette when it was released in 1991, and then again a few years later to upgrade to CD. But this Deluxe Edition justifies purchasing it again. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Sweet, Matthew..................2006-08-20

I just LOVE this cd! Basically, the songs are about love lost, love found, and love is hard-pretty universal topics for a pop album. What makes this one stand out is the music-if you love the Beatles as much as James Taylor, or The Kinks as much as Paul Simon, this is a cd for you. There's lots of loud guitars, including pedal steel on a few of the songs, and Matthew has a very good voice for singing pop songs. Then you get to the bonus disc called "Good Friend" which has live and demo versions of the same songs, along with a few choice covers. The whole thing has been remastered and the sound is crystal clear. I know the original came out in 1991, and I somehow missed it all these years--the first time I heard it I thought it sounded a little like Pernice Brothers on steriods, which is a good thing. Bottom line, if you like melodic pop music and high octane guitar rock, this is for you. Highly Recommended!

The Torchbearer.......2006-07-27

I was 20 and going to school in Athens, Ga when this album hit and let me tell you, it had a profound influence on my life. The music absolutely rocks and the lyrics cut right to what me and a lot of people around me we're feeling at the time: insecurity about love, life and the "real world" that was looming ahead at the end of our (4,5...6) years of college. Yes, this is college rock epitomized but with an emphasis on ROCK. Sweet is an incredibly gifted songwriter and musician and (although I didn't understand it at the time) had absorbed the Beach Boys, Beatles, Byrds, and Big Star and was on a mission to share those influences with Generation Xers interested in listening to something other than the heavy slog of Seattle grunge.

I didn't get a chance to see Sweet live until 2000 at the Roxy in Atlanta and I honestly have to say it was the best rock and roll show I've ever seen: raw, immediate, viceral (3 guitars!!!).

If you don't own it, buy it (either the Deluxe addition or just the old cheapie) don't download it either--this one's about DYNAMICS, not lame-o compressed MP3 sound. Definitely one of the best albums of the 90's and that's saying tons.

With a Song in My Heart: The Songs of Rodgers & Hart

Average customer rating:

With a Song in My Heart: The Songs of Rodgers & Hart

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocalists | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Tea for Two: The Songs of Vincent Youmans
Rodgers & Hart, Vol. 1
Till the Clouds Roll By: The Songs of Jerome Kern
The Melody Lingers On: 25 Songs Of Irving Berlin
Anything Goes: The Songs of Cole Porter

ASIN: B000059N0T
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

Manhattan - Ben Selvin & His Orchestra
Mountain Greenery - Frank Crumit
The Girl Friend - George Olsen & His Music
The Blue Room - The Revelers
My Heart Stood Still - Jessie Matthews/Hutch
Thou Swell - Ben Selvin & His Orchestra
You Took Advantage Of Me - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
With A Song In My Heart - Hutch
Ten Cents A Dance - Ruth Etting
Isn't It Romantic - Jeanette MacDonald
Lover - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
You Are Too Beautiful - Frank Sinatra
Blue Moon - Glen Gray & His Casa Loma Orchestra
It's Easy To Remember - Bing Crosby
My Romance - Dinah Shore & Frank Sinatra
There's A Small Hotel - Hal Kemp & His Orchestra
Where Or When - Lena Horne
My Funny Valentine - Mary Martin
Johnny One Note - Wynn Murray
The Lady Is A Tramp - Sophie Tucker
Falling In Love With Love - Allan Jones
This Can't Be Love - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra/Martha Tilton
I Didn't Know What Time It Was - Margaret Whiting
Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered - Doris Day

Average customer rating:

Sing Girls!
Still In Love
Why Can't You Come Home
Great Voices
I love this albulm

X Marks the Spot
Ex-Girlfriend
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

It's a Woman Thang
Tisha
Jasmine Guy
Damian Dame
Jacci McGhee

ASIN: B000008FFT
Release Date: 1991-07-23

Tracks:

Exterlude-Intro: The Lesson
You (You're The One For Me)
Why Can't You Come Home
Cold Blooded
With All My Heart
S.O.S.
Exterlude - Give Me A Man
Fellas In The Area
Exterlude - Boy Gone Cuckoo
Don't Knock On My Door
I Found That Guy
For All The Right Reasons
Exterlude - The Man (According To Ex-Girlfriend)..
I Love My Man
What I Will Do To You
Searching To Find The One

Customer Reviews:

Sing Girls!.......2006-05-17

Four young women from NYC gave us some slamming ass songs with this debut. Everything is hot! I enjoy every song on this. So how come we don't hear from them anymore? Why Can't You Come Home is a dime song and it still sounds as good as the day it came out. Get This! U Won't be sorry! Grade: A-

Still In Love.......2006-01-14

Papa-san (my father) bought me the cassette recording of Ex-Girlfriend's "X Marks The Spot" when I was still in middle school. I loved it then, and I'm still in love with it now. Though I'm a young adult *cough*, I still enjoy listening to these songs. Their harmonies were beautiful, and I can't (for the love of chocolate) understand why they're no longer around.

Though some may think of it as childish, I believe it has a bit of quirkiness as well. Some ballads, some dance tunes. All enhance their vocals and range. With such selections as "You (You're The One For Me)", and "Why Can't You Come Home" that made it to the charts and "With All My Heart", "I Found That Guy", and "I Love My Man" that never made it to the charts, you can't possibly go wrong with this CD!!

I haven't purchased the CD... but I still have my cassette, and I'm so thankful that this didn't get lost in the process of growing up, going off to college, and moving back home. Yes, I listened to it as a child, but even as a woman, it still speaks volumes. This is one timeless treasure that I plan on keeping with me for the rest of my life.

Why Can't You Come Home.......2004-02-20

"Why Can't You Come Home" was a fun, catchy tune. Aisde from that, nothing that X-Girlfriend did was that memorable. Perhaps due to promotion, or lack of it. My suggestion is to buy the CD for "Why Can't You Come Home", as you aren't going to find it elsewhere. But don't expect much else from the CD.

Great Voices.......2003-09-07

Ex-Girlfriend had the benefit of working with FULL FORCE (LISA LISA AND CULT JAM, CHERYL "PEPSII" RILEY) on their debut. After supplying luscious background vocals for Jasmine Guy on her debut single "Try me" the group dropped their 1st release "X MARKS THE SPOT".

The single "Why can't you come home?" was a hit. Another single "YOU" hit the top 40. This cd mixes it up pretty good with up-tempo dance and r&b cuts. "What i would do to you" and "Fellas in the area" are all prime early 90's r&b, with the latter showing the new york natives spitting rhymes on the mic about their fellas of choice.

The ballads show their harmonies to be in good form. "With all my heart" is a song of teenage angst about the amount of love a girl has for her boyfriend. Then "I love my man" is from the woman's point of view. Lead singer Stacey tears into this song and has a powerful voice with alot of range. She is similar to an adult STACEY LATTISAW (they even have the same name...lol). This is a good piece of 90's girl group r&b. If you can find it...Buy it!

I love this albulm.......2003-05-23

It is a great album with alot of smooth groves on it. Check it out you will love it.

R&B Music: