Steady Rock

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD
On their exhilarating studio debut the Zydeco Cha Chas keep an attractively tense balance between the formal structures of the material and their flashes of zydeco ebullience. They're traditionalists keen to funk and rock rhythms, eager to put new spins on propriety. Leader Nathan Williams, an accordion-slinging protege' of Buckwheat Dural, who also sings, has brought some fine originals to the session, notably the bump- and-shake "If You Got a Problem" and Paul Kelly's sunny title tune. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Steady Rock,Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas,Rounder / Pgd,Cajun,Cajun / Zydeco / New Orleans,Pop,Swamp Pop,World Music,Zydeco

Average customer rating: BORING SINGER, GENERIC "RIFFS" Live Good So Here's the Thing...... Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world BORING

Boys and Girls in America The Hold Steady Manufacturer: Vagrant Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Crane Wife Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks) Separation Sunday Almost Killed Me We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank ASIN: B000HIP3X4 Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

1. Stuck Between Stations
2. Chips Ahoy!
3. Hot Soft Light
4. Same Kooks
5. First Night
6. Party Pit
7. You Can Make Him Like You
8. Massive Night
9. Citrus
10. Chillout Tent
11. Southtown Girls

Amazon.com

Craig Finn loves books and bars. It's not just that he pinched the title of he Hold Steady's third album from the ultimate manual for boozehounds, Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" ("Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together"), but that every leery line of every song is crammed with the wayward poetry and passion of someone who is more familiar with the bottom of a whiskey glass than the sun. Thanks to his raucous Brooklyn band, his music--louder than its predecessors this time, with a few more ballads--also happens to make a great soundtrack for an all-night bender where broken-hearts and broken bottles become one. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

BORING SINGER, GENERIC "RIFFS".......2007-07-23

First off, when people start throwing around adjectives like "poetic" "real" "heartfelt" etc. it gets me all excited. I'm sure it gets you excited to. That's probably why you're here. I'll give you the deal on this band. the music isn't horrible. It's an amalgam and simplification of riffs you've heard a million times from much better bands like thin lizzy, urge overkill, replacements, etc. This could be a good thing. Only difference is there's no song structure, so the riffs just kind of repeat.......off...into...nowhere. The singer's voice is annoying and monotone, but it is gruff, and there are some cheezy piano flurishes thrown around, so i can maybe see the Boss comparison. If you've heard the songwriter is "poetic" or whatever, you were lied to. The guy named the album after a line in kerouac's "on the road," so people assume he's got a Phd in literature or something. Who hasn't read "on the road?" And don't you think it's a little crass to name an album after a line from THAT book? Where's the wit is all i'm asking? where's the imagery? He just sings about getting drunk and not getting laid. BFD.

Live Good.......2007-05-12

Received this CD about an hour before a live, soldout(~600) show. Good show, good CD.

So Here's the Thing.............2007-05-06

Like a lot of previous reviewers, this band caught my attention by making numerous "Best Of" lists from the music press. The reviews led to me to listen to the song samples in a local Borders store. The music reminded me of Bruce Springsteen on a few tracks (a good thing) and the rest of the songs seemed to have a fresh groove to them, so I bought the CD right then.

So here's the thing.......This band is indeed a group of talented musicians, so what I heard in the store had some validity; BUT the problem with this album is that ALL 11 SONGS are essentially either about drug or alchohol experiences, or contain drug/alchohol references. Seriously. As a result, I was bored by track 5 or 6 and skimmed the remaining tracks to make sure that I wasn't missing anything (I wasn't) and have no desire to ever listen to this CD again.

It's a shame, really, because these folks are really innovative and fresh musically - they are simply a one trick pony lyrically, and that gets old real fast. If The Hold Steady could diversify the subject matter of their lyrics, this could have been a decent album. As it is, I can only give it two stars.

Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world.......2007-04-24

I love this album and I love the Hold Steady. I want to get that out of the way at the outset. I say this because I don't want my following comments misconstrued as part of the rather mindless stream of criticism that seems to follow this band around. There is no question that the Hold Steady is the recipient of more unfounded and ill-considered bashing of any bad around. Not by critics! Music critics rightfully praise the band as one of the finest in the world. And the praise is deserved. These guys obviously care passionately about their music and engage in absolutely no poser gamesmanship that their critics foist on them. I've tried hard to understand why people dislike the band. OK, Craig Finn doesn't sing so much as declaim, but he declaims well and is an absolutely brilliant lyricist. Musically, the rest of the band is a bunch of crackerjacks. Tad Kubler is one of the finest guitarists plying his craft in America. On top of all this, they are absolutely brilliant live performers, generous with the audience, working hard to put on a great show. Yet, the critics (again, not by critics or people who actually know what they talk about) persist.

So, on to what I have to say that could be construed as criticism. I give this album five stars because it deserves it. But I will add that I think this is the band's least brilliant album to date. Mind you, I don't think they are in decline or that this represents a disappointing effort. In many ways it is their slickest, most polished album yet. They are obvious masters of their craft and I think they well deserve their #4 ranking in the prestigious Village Voice Pazz & Jop Poll, which I think laps the Grammies several times in terms of credibility. The Poll is voted on by nearly 500 of the most prestigious rock critics in the world. For any album to finish in the top five means it has some serious chops going on. Nonetheless, my favorite Hold Steady album remains ALMOST KILLED ME followed by SEPARATION SUNDAY.

I could very well be wrong, but it seems to me that BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA lacks just a hint of the edge that I found in the earlier albums. And I find that I don't love as many songs on the album as passionately as I do on previous albums. Not that songs like "Chips Ahoy" and "Hot Soft Light" aren't incredible. And they've never played as intensely as on "Same Kooks." But nearly every song on ALMOST KILLS ME simply blows me away. Not so on this one. Also -- and I confess this is a purely personal bias -- I don't like the way that the addition of keyboards to the mix. I didn't like it on SEPARATION SUNDAY and I like it less on BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA. I prefer the band as a quartet than as a quintet.

If you get this as your first Hold Steady album, if you have any musical taste or sophistication at all, it is going to blow you away. You will be amazed at how literate and articulate Craig Finn's lyrics are. He is an amazing front man, though he is also the focus of much of the hatred for the poor souls who mindlessly shut themselves out from the band. His delivery of the lyrics is astonishing, but what he does can barely be described as singing. And he simply doesn't look like a rocker. He looks, in fact, like he should be selling household appliances at Best Buy. Or perhaps doing your taxes at H & R Block. If you saw the guy on the street and were asked to list the 1,000 most likely occupations for him, rock star would not make the list. He doesn't even look like he could be a record store clerk. But he is one of the most brilliant people in rock today. So also is guitarist Tad Kubler. My one regret about the Hold Steady albums is that they don't give Kubler enough room to put his vast skills on guitar on display. Still, this is a great album. And if you love this but don't have their two earlier albums, you've got a lot to look forward to.

BORING.......2007-04-11

I've just listened to all the amazon snippets after reading a positive review from Uncut. Fair enough I have not heard all of every song but what I did hear was basically the same song over and over except for the obligatory ballad. The guy is an awful singer and they sound like a good bar band at best. There are so many bands and singer songwriters who do this style of music who are 100% better than this mess

Average customer rating: These guys are great Back to the blues Rock 'n' roll is alive and well thanks to the Hold Steady, amen. a unique band; in a bad way Save your money

Separation Sunday The Hold Steady Manufacturer: French Kiss ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Almost Killed Me Boys and Girls in America Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks) The Crane Wife We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank ASIN: B0008KLW2C Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

1. Hornets! Hornets!
2. Cattle And The Creeping Things
3. Your Little Hoodrat Friend
4. Banging Camp
5. Charlemagne In Sweatpants
6. Stevie Nix
7. Multitude Of Casualties
8. Don't Let Me Explode
9. Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
10. Crucifixion Cruise
11. How A Resurrection Really Feels

Amazon.com

It's only natural that the Hold Steady singer Craig Finn receives all the attention. After all, he's the one with the big mouth. And while his odd and humorous rants are essentially compelling, they wouldn't be half as engrossing if his backing group, especially fellow ex-Minnesotan and Lifter Puller guitarist Tad Kubler, didn't smack up such a glorious din, scabrous punk rock swagger dolled up with classic hard rock power chords. "Separation Sunday" is the NYC-based group's second album and it's every bit as sassy and city wise as their 2004 debut "Almost Killed Me." Finn doesn't know the meaning of the phrase 'hold your tongue' and rudely shouts down the opposition on a number of romantic and religious matters, underscoring his contempt with touching moments of true pathos. Finn's surrounded by self-mutilators, abused lovers and deluded characters desperately chasing faith. It's a good thing he has such a crack band to keep them all in check. -- Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

These guys are great .......2007-03-13

Well I'm a late convert to the Hold Steady, having just bought the newest CD Boys and Girls in America about a month ago (and listening to it nonstop since then). This weekend I found a copy of Separation Sunday and grabbed it and I love it. This one's probably a little more raw and rough around the edges than Boys and Girls, which has more piano and more "catchy" tunes. However I gotta say---Separation Sunday has absolutely outstanding lyrics, albeit very focused on the subject of how to reconcile a life of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll with religious and spiritual belief. I find it all quite brilliant, and love the Replacements/Stones/E Street Band sound of the music. The only caveat is the singer's voice---it's not for everyone. But that never stopped me from loving the music of Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, etc. etc. And I have to say, after 2 CD's, I love the Hold Steady and look forward to all of their future releases.

Back to the blues.......2007-01-30

I thought this album was decent, not the greatest of the year but it had a different feel than most of the rock and roll that was spewed out in the last couple of years. The Hold Steady remind me of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. I like the references to hoodrats and Christianity, two very different directions but the Hold Steady makes it work. The music definitely outweighs the talent of the singer. His range is very limited, and I think that hurts the band a little. His lyrics however are potent and worth listining to. All in all its a good blues album and worth your money.

Rock 'n' roll is alive and well thanks to the Hold Steady, amen........2007-01-21

This album is a must have for those who love to rock, and it just may hit you where it counts if you're lucky. I remember writing down all the words to Back In Black on a small piece of paper when I was 14, and then reading it over and over during Catholic mass until I had them memorized. My little brother asked me what I was reading. When I told him, he got all wide-eyed and said in a hushed voice, "That's bad." And that's the gist of this album--how do you reconcile your love for rock 'n' roll with the mores of the Christian Faith? Maybe not a question that needs to be answered, but the fact that this band decided to pose it within the context of a classic rock hook-laden album makes this disc more entertaining than 95% of the music that came out in 2005. This band is pretty much the thinking person's Cheap Trick.

a unique band; in a bad way.......2006-11-10

The style of the Hold Steady gets old really fast; the singer doesn't even sing, he only talks while guitar goes on in the background. That sounded fine to me on the first song, but then I listened further and soon was getting bored with the repetitive nature of the songs. THe only song that pulls off this style is "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head" by Gorillaz, which has narration more than singing. Cake also is kind of more narration than singing but only slightly. Anyway, the Hold Steady are an awful band who will probably fade into nothingness soon seeing that only 20 people have bothered to review it on Amazon.

Save your money.......2006-10-07

I bought that last cd and it SUCKED! The singer sings monotone the whole entire time and doesn't have any variations of tone. The music isn't half bad, it isn't great, but it certainly isn't so good that i can ignore the lame-o singer. its just terrible terrible terrible. if you listen to anything that i say hear this: do not buy this album, you will regret it for all of eternity!
-steve (music master)

Average customer rating: Great first album by one of the world's greatest rock bands One of the best rock albums of 2004. Hold Steady A little too raw This is the Album that made The Hold Steady one of my favorite bands...

Almost Killed Me The Hold Steady Manufacturer: French Kiss ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Separation Sunday Boys and Girls in America Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks) We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank Because of the Times ASIN: B0001IN0VM Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

1. Positive Jam
2. The Swish
3. Barfruit Blues
4. Most People Are DJ's
5. Certain Songs
6. Knuckles
7. Hostile, Mass.
8. Sketchy Metal
9. Sweet Payne
10. Killer Parties

Customer Reviews:

Great first album by one of the world's greatest rock bands.......2007-02-17

There are overhyped bands and then there are underhyped bands, bands that receive scads of unfair and inaccurate criticism. The Hold Steady definitely falls into the latter category. I find it astonishing that a number of people are willing to dismiss them. Rock critics, who are far more finely attuned to chicanery than average, everyday fans (as the dean of American rock critics, Robert Christgau, has pointed out, if you spend almost every one of your waking hours listening to music, you are going to be better at it than someone who spends only a few hours each week), do not detect the villainous flaws that the band's detractors do. In fact, their most recent album, BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA, was voted by the 494 participating critics (definitely a who's who of writers about music) the Village Voice's 2006 Pazz and Jop Poll the #4 album of the year. Getting 494 top critics to agree about something is a pretty impressive feat.

So, it is utterly safe to ignore the people who dismiss The Hold Steady. The fact isn't that they "got" the band and dismissed it, but that they still haven't a clue. I will allow that some people just have trouble with Craig Finn's voice and perhaps his appearance. He looks today like in ten years he will have the archetypal appearance of a used car dealer. He absolutely does not look like the headliner of a great rock band. Furthermore, while it is hard to deny his amazing gifts as a lyricist, he doesn't sing. Instead, he declaims the lyrics of the song. Few people manage a completely unique "singing" style, but Finn definitely has. Myself, I absolutely love the guy. No, he doesn't sing, but his vocal style perfectly suits the band's aesthetic. And I love the way his lyrics combine equally cynicism, humor, weariness, and more than a little self-deprecation.

So much attention attaches itself to Craig Finn that sometimes the rest of the band escapes notice. But this truly is a fantastic band from top to bottom. Finn might be the most dominating frontman in America today, but Tad Kubler is one of America's greatest guitarists. Indeed, he may have been born outside his time. He is one of the few guitarists around capable of foisting a song onto his back and dominating it for long stretches of time. He would be a legend had he lived in the seventies instead of today, had he lived when long, eight-minute guitar solos were not only acceptable but in demand. Anyone doubting his ability should listen to the second have of "Everyone's a DJ." The ghosts of Leslie West, Alvin Lee, and Ted Nugent haunt every measure. If Craig Finn gives the band most of its identity, Kubler gives it its musical backbone. Though they sound almost nothing like one another, a Finn-Kubler comparison to Jagger-Richards isn't misleading.

Although BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA is The Hold Steady's break out album, I honestly think ALMOST KILLED ME remains their best album. But I say that with the caveat that all three of their albums fall into the "must own" category. No band on planet earth has produced three such perfect albums in the past three years.

Other reviewers have praised "The Swish," which truly is one of the great rock songs of recent years. I actually like "Everyone's a DJ" even more, mainly because of Kubler's long guitar solo. But for brilliant, funny, clever lyrics it is hard to beat "Knuckles." Every single song, however, is infused with great lyrical content, Finn's passionate declamation of the words, and one of the tightest bands in the world pounding out great music. If you love music, you need this album. They do remind you of some of the great bands of the past, though interestingly of bands that normally you do not think of at the same time. What other band sounds like Bruce Springsteen, Thin Lizzy, and the Replacements all at the same time, while also sounding completely unlike them all?

While all three of the Hold Steady's albums should be in the musical library of any music fan, I also encourage more serious collectors to go in search of two albums by the Minneapolis band Lifter Puller, FIESTAS AND FIASCOS and the compilation album SOFT ROCK, which includes virtually everything else Lifter Puller recorded. The reason this is relevant is that the frontman for that band was Craig Finn and the lead guitarist was Tad Kubler. The sound is different from the Hold Steady, but the music is of the same high quality.

One of the best rock albums of 2004........2007-01-29

If you like power chords and clever, intelligent lyrics, this CD is for you. "The Swish" is in the running for rock song of the decade, and the rest of the album is solid. It manages to be completely original, and at the same time heartily celebrates its influences. Frontman Craig Finn doesn't sing as much as he rants, and in this way his delivery is somewhat similar to that of Joe Strummer.

Hold Steady.......2007-01-09

I love this album. I adore it. I burnt a hole in it. It is not Separation Sunday, but Killer Parties and Most People are DJs are still 2 of my favorite Hold Steady songs.

Why, oh why, hasn't the license holder for Lifter Puller re-released those albums yet?

A little too raw.......2006-12-27

Let me first say that there are no exceptional songs on this album, perhaps with the exception of The Swish. The attitude of the album gives its strength. Another note is that the vocalist, well, doesnt exactly sing much at all. Throughout the album he has an attitude of attempting to bring back "the good old days" and a discontent with the current situation. He seems determined to party, drink, and have a good time. The bar rock side to this music can be easily heard but this gritty and dirty album can rock at times.

This is the Album that made The Hold Steady one of my favorite bands..........2006-11-28

The first thing I heard from them was last year's fantastic "Separation Sunday" - which, although it was great, ended up just outside my top ten for the year.
And then this year, with "Boys & Girls in America" receiving all sorts of praise, and deserving the bulk of it, I managed to pick up a a copy of this, their first album, with only moderate expectations. See, I've heard from various publications (RS and P-fork) that their three-albums-in-three-years were a streak of solid discs reminiscent of Wire's three at the tail end of the 70s - and I'm a sucker for comparisons, so I had to go back to the beginning and hear this one to see if the name-dropping was apt.
And in this case it most definitely is.

"Almost Killed Me" is the kind of album that looks better now than it did when it first came out, I think. Like, given the benefit of hindsight, yeah - this was really great, but had I heard it at the time, I may have written it off as an interesting if ultimately unspectacular debut, which many people did (largely as a result of being turned off by Craig Finn's vocals) - and which is a shame. It's also why I'm glad I came to this album in the way that I did - with the benefit of hindsight.
Going back now and listening to this, with excellent album opener "Positive Jam" leading seamlessly into the rollicking "The Swish," it's clear that this is the genius band that now is the Hold Steady in chyrsalis, and that's a beautiful thing.

....and hard drugs are for bartenders, I think I might've mentioned that before...

Average customer rating: Pop Some Doubt Remains Why am I reviewing this?. Awesone New Territory But Still Wonderful Music

Rock Steady No Doubt Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Ska Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Third Wave Ska | Ska | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tragic Kingdom Return of Saturn No Doubt Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Everything in Time ASIN: B00005QDW1 Release Date: 2001-12-11

Tracks:

1. Rock Steady (Intro)
2. Hella Good
3. Hey Baby
4. Making Out
5. Underneath It All
6. Detective
7. Don't Let Me Down
8. Start the Fire
9. Running
10. In My Head
11. Platinum Blonde Life
12. Waiting Room
13. Rock Steady

Amazon.com

As much as No Doubt have protested that they are a singular unit and not "Gwen and her guys," Gwen Stefani's much-touted duets with rapper Eve and techno mogul Moby did nothing to juice the boys' spotlight, which had been steadily dimming since the release of 2000's Return of Saturn. But all that banter is silenced with Rock Steady, on which the music is definitely the star, unfettered by Gwen's cutesy-clouded feminism or dumped-by-the-boyfriend woes. Having mostly departed from their ska home base, No Doubt's well-navigated exploration of hip-hop beats, reggae, and the reunion of '80s keyboards and guitars finds the group picking up the pop-rock baton that Garbage dropped with an unsettling thud. Rock Steady's delegate of stalwart producers perfectly decorate the disc with their respective expertise; Ric Ocasek (new wave), Prince (R&B), Nellee Hooper (trip-hop), Sly & Robbie (dub), and William Orbit (trance) offer some staying power to music that's always been on the edge of disposable. Despite their disparate styles, the songs complement each other like stars and stripes. This is No Doubt's best album to date, and as they continue to expand their influences, the party only gets bigger. --Beth Massa

Album Description

Album released with 2 slightly different CD covers. One cover will have a black background and the other will have a white background. Orders will be filled at random.

Customer Reviews:

Pop.......2007-07-24

This CD is too much of a detour from their traditional sound, but it is pretty good anyways.

Some Doubt Remains.......2007-07-20

Rock Steady by No Doubt is a mixture of good tracks with some rather fluffy, insubstantial, not too creative stuff. The album begins with some catchy, energetic tunes: Hella, Hey Baby, Making Out. Underneath it All is a slower, crooning tune. Thereafter, the album doesn't really have much punch. Detective is kinda catchy, but also silly. Don't Let Me Down and In My Head and light and bouncy. Platinum Blonde Life has a good rock edge and is a good tune to have toward the end for some balance. Overall, a very listenable album, but doesn't register too much impact on the listener. Tragic Kingdom was more forceful.

Why am I reviewing this?........2007-02-03

I have always liked No Doubt no matter what everyone says, on this album you can tell what direction the band was heading towards its more pop with a mix of everything from reggae/dance/80's new wave/funk/r'n'b/rock and No Doubt's music has always been diverse but not like this so you can understand why some fans were upset including myself, it wasn't untill I heard this at a party in 2003 thats when I dicided to check out this album cause I wasn't interested at the time and I'm the type of person who listens to heavier music. This album was good but only if you don't compare it with Tragic Kingdom, you have songs like Hella good, underneath it all, platinum blonde life, start the fire and the funky and catchy song with Prince called Waiting room which is my favorite cause it sounds like an 80's r'n'b song from Prince and Gwen does a good job of singing on this she sounds really good or Hella good ;-) bad joke, the whole album has its moments but there are some bad songs like Detective and In my head which just sounds repetitive and some parts sound like a video game with the weird sound fx. Overall this album is quite catchy and fun to listen to especially if your a No Doubt fan atleast it was better then what Gwen Stefani did with her awful solo career.

Awesone.......2007-01-10

I love No Doubt. Great Record. True to Rock Steady sound in Jamaican music. Was even recorded in Jamaica.

New Territory But Still Wonderful Music.......2006-12-29

"Rocky Steady" came just 1 year after "Return of Saturn" but there was a quite big diffrence between the two. "Rock Steady" was full of energic party songs and pretty varied with all kinds of music. On this album they also got unexpected help from other producers. The most interesting combo is perhaps Neptunes that produced "Hella Good" and Prince that co-wrote "Waiting Room" and also sings on it and Jamaican dance hall producers Sly & Robbie that helpef create a somewhat exotic sound on some songs. Nellee Hooper, Ric Ocasek, and William Orbit also helped produce even if they didn't write anything. Combared to "Saturn" this album would become full of hitsingles, but less serious music and more pop sounding then ever before. There are still plenty of Ska/New Wave songs but some longtime No Doubt fans would be dissapointed at this album being too commercial. Gwen Stefani had also apperead on Eve and Moby songs almost at the same time at this one was released and a few years later she released her debut which was a pop album with Hip Hop infleunces, but listening through this album it get's pretty obvious that It's not only Gwen who's in change, but actually the whole band. To be honest, I don't think this album is bad at all. It's diffrent but it's funky and very catchy. A good band must be able to take risks, right?.

First song is called "Hella Good" and is a Neptune production. Strange at first thought maybe, but at second it feels like genius. Bon Jovi got unexpected help from Max Martin on their "It's My Lfe" so why not No Doubt aswell. This song reached a #13 place on the bilboard and is a really catchy pop song that surely will make you up and dance. "Hey Baby" is another uptempo featuring dance hall king Bounty Killer. It's also a catchy pop song which makes you go up and dance and reached the top 5 in US. "Making Out" Is New Wave/Pop and wouldn't have been bad on a Gwen solo album either, it feutures synthesizers and the sound is very cool. One of the best songs of this album. "Underneath It All" is a reggae sounding ballad that reached #3 on the charts, it was co-written between Gwen and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Dancehall artist Lady Saw also appears briefly. "Detective" is another great new wave song with good hook and sound. So far the album is sublime.

"Don't Let Me Down" still new wave but sounds like some songs on "Saturn" with more edgy sound. "Start the Fire" is dance hall inspired and quite exotic, it's synthesizer sound is a little 80's. "Running" was the last single of this album, but never became a hit. A Pop ballad, and very good aswell. "In My Head" is a slow paced song, not bad but lacks a good hook and is my least favorite here. "Platinum Blonde Life" is rock, plain and simple. It showes the rougher side of the band. "Waiting Room" is interesting since Prince co-wrote and appear on it. It's a rock-pop song and it is simular to some of Prince's most recent music. The title track is the closer. An exotic midtempo with cool and breezy sound.

Overall, Many bands tend to sound the same album after album, but not No Doubt. All of their albums sound diffrent and while some No Doubt purists didn't like the pop sound of this album it's undeniably one of the catchiest and most hooky albums of 2001. It's very varied though and you got a bit of everything here. Some reggae/ska, some electronic new wave and some catchy pop. Some of the music here quite simular to the music Gwen did on her solo albums. From start to finnish, this album is simply great and very unexpected music from No Doubt at the time. This is an album for your collection.

Average customer rating: STILL HER BEST WORK.... Wearing well with time worth a listen Shawn Colvin, Will You Marry Me, Please? I was born to be hearing this CD

Steady On Shawn Colvin Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Fat City A Few Small Repairs Cover Girl These Four Walls Whole New You ASIN: B0000026TH Release Date: 1989-10-04

Tracks:

1. Steady On
2. Diamond In The Rough
3. Shotgun Down The Avalanche
4. Stranded
5. Another Long One
6. Cry Like An Angel
7. Something To Believe In
8. The Story
9. Ricochet In Time
10. The Dead Of The Night

Amazon.com

The title track on Shawn Colvin's Steady On fits well as the folk singer's theme song. "I'm Gonna Keep My Head on Straight," she sings, "I Just Hope It's Not Too Late." That Colvin has been one of contemporary folk's most endearing performers not only underscores the subject of her songs but suggests her true appeal--heartfelt, often confessional lyrics and well-crafted melodies that evoke a broad palette of emotions. While she is strong on delicate balladry like "Shotgun Down the Alley," Colvin's forte is turning up the tempo and giving us folk songs with rock & roll gusto. --Nick Heil

Customer Reviews:

STILL HER BEST WORK...........2006-09-07

Althgh I have nearly all of Shawn Colvin's albums & have seen her live twice, this album remains her best work to date. I am a great fan of her sound, music, lyrics - but somehow this album is most identifiable from the first cord. Ms. Colvin is a remarkable artist, poet. There are few artists like her and/or could be compared to her : Jann Arden comes to mind @ the moment. If anyone is curious about Shawn Colvin's music - I HIGHLY recommend this album to be where you shld begin your collection.

Wearing well with time.......2005-10-26

My first exposure to Colvin didn't come on this album or even with her pop hit "Sunny Came Home" (from A FEW SMALL REPAIRS). It was in a non-hit duet with Bruce Hornsby on "Lost Soul" (from his A NIGHT ON THE TOWN disc). The voice was clearly special and I checked our local library to see if they had anything by her. I fell in love with the disc and later added it to my own collection. Now, 16 years later I'm reassessing its merits.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The title track is Colvin's defiant yawp after another relationship implosion (the "the nuclear winter of another love affair" as Colvin refers to it.) "Diamond in the Rough" takes a childhood fantasy of ordinary rocks as priceless gems to become a metaphor for lost innocence. ("But in a little while I got steeped in authority/Heaven only knows what went wrong/There is nothing so cruel than to bury that jewel.."). Fellow folkies Suzanne Vega and Lucy Kaplansky join Colvin on backing vocals. If "Steady" is Colvin's ode to romantic persistence, "Shotgun down the Avalanche" is Colvin aching for what was lost. ("After countless appeals/we keep spinning our wheels/On this mountain of new fallen snow/So I let go the catch and we are over the edge/You have left me nowhere to go..") A spectral backing vocal from co-producer John Leventhal is a nice sonic touch to the somewhat country-ish shuffle. "Another Long One" is the most musically adventurous, folding in a panoply of percussion (I think I hear Chinese cymbals, bongo and perhaps aluminum pie pan?), cello, fiddle, and an electric guitar that toys with effects that stretch its tone so much in a couple occasions it sounds like an old warped vinyl record. It also probably has one of the more "pop" sounding hooks, belying the singer's tortured insomnia as she thinks about the man she's lost and can't forget. ("It's just me and my well-intentioned spite/I said someone did this to me/But no one did, there's no injustices..") While I find the 2nd half of the disc to be weaker than the first, there's one last highwater mark in the tender "Something to Believe In". The song is the antidote to the despair in so many of the other songs, hopeful without Pollyanna-isms. ("There will always be stars in the wind/Little lines on your face when you grin/When it looks like you've done it again/And you just don't know where to begin/There will always be something to believe in..."). Hornsby returns the favour here, guesting on piano, though the filigrees he adds here are somewhat more restrained than is typical on his own works.

LOWS:
While there's nothing truly substandard here, I find "Ricochet in Time" and "The Dead of the Night" to be the least involving tracks. They simply don't draw me in.

BOTTOM LINE:
Those who found Colvin on the strength of the effervescent "Sunny Came Home" and the poppier material on A FEW SMALL REPAIRS may be put off by the difference in sound here. It's definitely not an "immediate" listen. But if you spend some time with the CD, it will grow to become among your favourites. Recommended especially for pop fans who want more "adult" fare lyrically.

worth a listen.......2005-06-28

Thank goodness for brothers and sisters, otherwise I may have never discovered this cd.I heard the song "steady on " playing at my sisters house and borrowed the cd. I have since bought it and several other cds by Shawn Colvin but it is by far my favorite. I was happy to see Shawn have some comercial success with " A Few Small Repairs" But I would reccommend "Steady On " if you only buy one disc. Like one of the other people that reviewed this cd my tw favorite SC songs are "Diamond In The Rough" and "Shotgun Down The Avalanch" SDTA is a song that almost perfectly describes my feelings towards a dear friend. Its a song I wish I would have written, just like "solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. Except I don't write songs. But really I think all the songs on Steady On are great. Its nice to think that Shawn Colvin is the type of artist that will be around awhile and another "Steady On" could be right around the corner. Its a cd you can buy right here on amazon for dirt cheap used. I am not endorsing Amazon I am endorsing Shawn Colvin. But what do I know?? By the way, I got to see Shawn in Atlanta in concert along with Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Hornsby, What a great line up and show..........Good Day!!

Shawn Colvin, Will You Marry Me, Please?.......2004-07-24

I'd give this CD 10 stars if Amazon allowed it!..But I can't, say enough superlatives about how fine Shawn Colvin's vocals, guitar licks, and lyrics are..I saw a concert with Jackson Browne and he introduced Shawn as the most talented artist he knew!..Shocking, but true!..Jackson Browne's legacy has always been to kickstart the careers of less visible talent..Because Jackson is so adroit himself, he doesn't envy other people's gifts, but rather salutes them..And Shawn Colvin is well, a rock angel for the ages!..She just needs to hit the road with an amped "live" tour, with the same class band she had years ago when I saw her sing "Tennessee" on the Tonite Show, before she was remotely well known: to build that Shawn Colvin Legion of Tye-Dye-Hard Core Followers, like The Dead Heads: a mobile symphonic gas, The Colvin Cars, rolling right into your hometown, "alive"..And not play acoustic only all the time, though that's serious picking too..People I know and respect, see her acoustic concerts and often dont "get" Shawn, regrettably..Sorry, you whiney purists out there, but Shawn is just better, backed by an all star, electrified, rock band..This is a must own CD..I've played it countless times and it remains as fresh as rain water..Curiously, every song on the CD is pure gold..That's rare, to nail every cut..I've never understood why Shawn isn't a people's express..Her banner hanging on every street lamp in Austin..It's mystifying because all the raw talent natural law allows in one entity is there..One better, Shawn is a Dylan..Songwriter par excellence.."Riding Shotgun Down the Avalanche" is way smart, hip!..And that middle guitar solo is note-bending magic!..But not better than "In the Dead of the Night," the dark queen of all ballads! "I live in a dream, I brought it here, everynight it dies but it is reborn"..No fooling, buy this CD for yourself, or give it away: you'll earn instant karma points..Tell your best friends and your worst enemies about Shawn: It's positively 4th street for a Hatfield to educate a McCoy now and again, for a worthy cause..Pay it forward..Shawn Colvin has been unfairly compared to Joni Mitchell ad naseum, but that's not righteous either, because she's too original to be compared to yet another superstar..Though I myself, did compare her to Bob..I'm sharing this because I'm paying it forward..And I'm happy to recommend Shawn in the same way Jackson Browne does, because Shawn Colvin is the real deal, just like Patsy Cline, The Texas Tornado, was!..Believe it!..It's the down and dirty truth! Not a hyperbolic West Texas dust storm!

I was born to be hearing this CD.......2003-10-23

OK, that's a bit of an exageration, but I love it! This CD is a gem. It's the one that I come back to over and over. And then I listen to it over and over. Not a bad one in the batch. Every time I hear the lines like to The Story I'm amazed. I don't know why, but this verse just amazes me:

Well our father married our mother too young
And he took on a world like a fortunate son
But in the cellar downstairs waiting for the bomb scare
He would hide from us under the kitchen
Where she simmered so soft with her weapons of tin
And like so many suppers she just gave us to him
And he never did guess in her cast iron dress
She was burning beyond recognition

PERFECTION! The title song is strong and determined. The lines: Cause he seemed like a miracle, I ate it up like cereal, but it was something like shrapnel" rank up there with the absolute best descriptions of relationships gone wrong. Shotgun is a marvel of emotional expression. Something To Believe In is tender and touching but not in the least saccharine sweet. Shawn Colvin's delivery is always 100% on the money. The production is great. The instrumentation never outweighs the songs.

On this album Shawn Colvin shows that she is not just another girl with a guitar but an incredible talent. There isn't a bad number on this CD. Highly recommended!

Average customer rating: Great introduction to a great band Improve on perfection? Modified perfection The Greatest Singles Album of All Time Just Got Better

Singles Going Steady Buzzcocks Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Pink Flag Entertainment Spiral Scratch New York Dolls Damaged ASIN: B00005MAGA Release Date: 2001-08-27

Tracks:

1. Orgasm Addict
2. What Do I Get?
3. I Don't Mind
4. Love You More
5. Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)?
6. Promises
7. Everybody's Happy Nowadays
8. Harmony In My Head
9. You Say Don't Love Me
10. Are Everything
11. Strange Thing
12. Running Free
13. Whatever Happened To...?
14. Oh Shit!
15. Autonomy
16. Noise Annoys
17. Just Lust
18. Lipstick
19. Why Can't I Touch It?
20. Something's Gone Wrong Again
21. Raison D'etre
22. Why She's The Girl From The Chainstore
23. Airwaves Dream
24. What Do You Know

Album Description

Import Re-Mastered reissue of the classic 1979 compilation features 24 tracks including 8 bonus tracks, 'You Say You Don't Love Me', 'Are Everything', 'Strange Thing', 'Running Free', 'Raison D'etre', 'Why She's A Girl From The Chainstore', 'Airwaves Dream' & 'What Do You Know'. EMI. 2001.

Album Details

Digitally remastered and expanded collection of the best of Pete Shelley, Steve Diggle and their mates. A compendium of both the single A-sides and B-sides, it now has 24 great tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Great introduction to a great band.......2006-08-14

Singles Going Steady is a great compilation of songs that span the most important years of this band's career. There are a ton of solid songs on this CD (24), which, when bought used, makes it a steal. This is a major staple worth jamming into your music library. It's also a great introduction to Buzzcocks music if you've never heard much of their stuff before. You can really hear the influence these guys have had on younger bands that try to copy the punk/post-punk sound. But of course, Buzzcocks do it better every time.

Improve on perfection?.......2006-03-22

It would be hard to give "Singles Going Steady" anything less than 5 stars, ever. In any context.

This remaster is, in most cases, excellent. The sound quality is generally better -- but I kept my old, unremastered copy too, if that tells you anything. The new mix is thicker, but I like the rawness of the original mix just as well for high-volume listening.

A few of the bonus tracks sap the energy from the original release. But a few of the bonus tracks nest like litter-mates with this already awesome collection of non-album singles.

Get this album one way or another -- whether this souped-up version or the older, clankier (but just as pleasing) version.

And the "Spiral Scratch" EP too.

Modified perfection.......2003-10-01

The US version of "Singles Going Steady" is my all-time favorite album, and all the tracks on the US version are included here (the 16 non-bonus tracks). The eight original A-sides are pure punk pop perfection, proving our lovelorn hero Pete Shelley was the most talented songwriter of the punk generation. The Buzzcocks had three winning aspects to all of their singles: (1) bright, bristling energy, delivered at a 100 mph pace courtesy of virtuoso drummer John Maher; (2) killer hooks from the twin guitar attack of Shelley and Steve Diggle; (3) sensitivity and sincerity to their lyrics. No other punk band can really claim to beat the Buzzcocks at any one of these three keys to success. I mean, just try and picture Johnny Rotten singing, "So why would I cry if you ever left me?/Maybe 'cause you're all I'm living for", with Sid Vicious providing beautiful harmonies in the background. Well, that's precisely what Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle did, without ever sounding remotely whimpy. It's hard to pick highlights, but the well-recognized classics "What Do I Get?" ("I only get sleepless niiiights!") and "Ever Fallen in Love?" ("...with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with") will serve nicely, as will the more obscure gems "I Don't Mind" and the ferocious "Harmony in My Head", the only song Steve Diggle gets to sing on (aside from bonus tracks).

And, surprise surprise, the original eight B-sides are every bit as good. They show the Buzzcocks branching out a bit into new directions, but they always manage to drive home great songs, like the harshly melodic punk epic "Autonomy", the bitter rockabilly of "Just Lust" ("There's bed in your eyes, but there's nothing to trust...just lust."), and the Cole Porter-esque "Lipstick" ("Does the lipstick on your lip stick on my face?"), along with any other you'd care to pick.

So if it has all that, why only four stars? Well, it's the bonus tracks. If you're going to add material to a masterwork, the supplementals need to be as brilliant as the original material, otherwise the work will suffer as a whole. And that's just what happened here. Parts 1-3 suffer from absolutely deplorable production (thank heavy drug use for that...just say "no", kids), with the vocals buried at the bottom of the mix. And beyond that, the songs are weaker, too. The band was breaking apart at this point and as a result the creative focus was wandering quite a bit.

You DO get two bona fide classics: Shelley's wistful "You Say You Don't Love Me", and Diggle's fiery character sketch "Why She's a Girl from the Chainstore", the only track from Parts 1-3 where the production isn't bad enough to ruin the song. Each of these sound just fine next to other classics like "Love You More" and "Everybody's Happy Nowadays". But the other six tracks range from pretty good (Diggle's "Running Free", which could have been a classic if not for vocals-at-the-bottom junkie production and, believe it or not, the excessive use of cheesy keyboards...in a Buzzcocks song!) to absolutely unlistenable (Shelley's terrible "Are Everything", easily beating out "Hollow Inside" as the worst Buzzcocks song of all time...to give you an idea of how bad it is, Heaven 17 covered it.)

This CD is not a bad purchase at all. It's got the complete Buzzcocks UK 7" singles discography. And as the Buzzcocks rank with the Beatles when it comes to singles bands, this is a great album. But the more enjoyable listen is unquestionably the more compact US version, which is why I must give the UK version 4 stars.

The Greatest Singles Album of All Time Just Got Better.......2003-09-23

The Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady not only boasts superior sound, but now includes two singles from 1979's "A Different Kind of Tension" ("You Say You Don't Love Me" and "Raison D'Etre"), and 1980's "Parts 1,2,3" EP. Superior melodic pop - some of Shelley's and Diggle's finest work. Essential to any undertanding of UK punk and pop music of the late 70's early 80's.

Average customer rating: classic songs Question marks in song titles are a good thing A classic collection from overlooked punk greats Cuz You're an Orgasm Addict!!! I just want a lover like any other. what do I get?

Singles Going Steady Buzzcocks Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: New York Dolls Raw Power Marquee Moon Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols London Calling ASIN: B000000QGE Release Date: 1992-07-14

Tracks:

1. Orgasm Addict
2. What Do I Get?
3. I Don't Mind
4. Love You More
5. Ever Fallen In Love?
6. Promises
7. Everybody's Happy Nowadays
8. Harmony In My Head
9. What Ever Happened To?
10. Oh Shit!
11. Autonomy
12. Noise Annoys
13. Just Lust
14. Lipstick
15. Why Can't I Touch It?
16. Something's Gone Wrong Again

Amazon.com

With a name designed to shock, and song titles like "Oh Shit?" and "Orgasm Addict" the Buzzcocks were proud proponents of British late-'70s punk rock. But in retrospect, it's easier to see what else they accomplished--some of the catchiest, most provocative pop singles ever. Pete Shelley expressed heartbreak and frustration ("Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with?" goes one catchy chorus) without falling victim to lovey-dovey cliches. This definitive 1979 collection nicely captures the Manchester quartet's tight melodies, economic writing and appropriately fast pace. --Steve Knopper

Customer Reviews:

classic songs.......2007-07-28

BUZZCOCKS stuff never gets boring...not much more than pop music at times,but done so well and very very catch tunes indeed."what do i get,i dont mind and love you more" get you in the mood..."everybodys happy nowadays and harmony in my head" just finish the job...brilliant

Question marks in song titles are a good thing .......2007-07-14

The Buzzcocks are the perfect mesh of punk and pop, a cleaned up version of the grittier Sex Pistols, but still pretty bratty themselves. Pete Shelley's voice has a melodic, high-register flair. He sounds downright desperate and pleading on songs like "What do I Get?" and "Ever Fallen in Love?," but it's OK because the chunky music that surrounds him is so easy on the ears. For every teenage angst-ridden fireball like "Orgasm Addict" and "Oh S*@#!," the Buzzcocks churn out more substantial, riff-driven tunes like "Autonomy," "Why Can't I Touch It?" and "Something's Gone Wrong Again." The quick-and-to-the-point "I Don't Mind" displays the best attributes of this band: a gritty guitar riff, indecipherable lyrics that seem to hint at a jaded romantic experience, and a swirling sing-along chorus that's completely addictive. "Ever Fallen in Love?" might be the Buzzcock's best-known song, and it's the one that attracted me to the band in the first place. Shelley's vocals come across as genuinely perplexed, hurt and questioning, but once again, the chorus of the song is so disgustingly saccharin and ultra-catchy, you can't help but mouth the words and bob your head in time with the music.

Shelley bemoans the lighthearted, overly satisfied outlook he observes from people in society on "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" (heard incessantly in some recent TV commercial, unfortunately), the irony being that his song is one of the most cheerful-sounding ditties ever put to tape. "Harmony in My Head," written by Steve Diggle, kind of reminds me of a Roger Waters-sung Pink Floyd tune on steroids. The irony here, of course, is that Waters couldn't write or sing a decent harmony himself if it was hand-delivered from Kurt Cobain via Heaven.

Shelley's ranting on "What Ever Happened to?," "Oh S*@#," "Noise Annoys" and "Just Lust" are true punk rock gems, infinitely better and more genuine than what studio-polished bands like Green Day and its ilk were doing years later. "Singles Going Steady" ends with "Why Can't I Touch It?" and "Something's Gone Wrong Again," respectively, two epic songs for a band whose songs usually cut off around the three-minute mark, on average. "Touch It" (6:32) is a mid-tempo tune with cool lyrics, a great riff and smooth groove, an almost danceable track. Unlike the rest of these songs, it lingers for a while. "Something's Gone Wrong" (4:29) ends the CD on a more urgent, troubled note, and, like all these songs, makes you want to discover more of the Buzzcocks' music.

A classic collection from overlooked punk greats.......2007-01-10

Tight, sparse tunes, pissed off cockney vocals and barbed wire guitars make this a great look back at a seminal British punk band. A must have for fans of the genre.
DaveR

Cuz You're an Orgasm Addict!!!.......2006-07-15

The first song "Orgasm Addict" is in my opinion the best. "Love you More" and "Running Free" are also faves of mine. I find the ones most other reviewers rave about arent nearly as good. As a whole, this album is essential to any rock/punk collection. It comes in at #358 on the RS500.. Enjoy

I just want a lover like any other. what do I get? .......2006-01-06

Amazing Buzzcocks collection. One guy posted that the sound quality was lacking but I think it sounds just fine. I play this album all the time. Everyone should have these classics in their collection. Definitely 5 stars, these are timeless late-70s pop/punk gems.

Average customer rating: rebuttal to love frog mindy Falling In Perfection of voice and sexy of soul My first time... Jonatha rocks out and stays soulful

Steady Pull Jonatha Brooke Manufacturer: Bad Dog Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Alternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Back in the Circus 10 Cent Wings Plumb Live The Angel in the House ASIN: B000056VL5 Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

1. Linger
2. How Deep Is Your Love?
3. Walking
4. Red Dress
5. Room In My Heart
6. Steady Pull
7. Your House
8. New Dress
9. Digging
10. Out Of Your Mind
11. I'll Take It From Here
12. Lullaby

Amazon.com

Getting a fix on Jonatha Brooke's music has never been easy, and her 2001 effort further complicates the task. As a solo artist, Brooke has teased fans with genre-gobbling pastiche (10 Cent Wings) and austere acoustics (Live), as if she were still searching for her voice in the Story's aftermath. On Steady Pull she may not find it, but you can hear her zeroing in. Working with legendary producer Bob Clearmountain (Pretenders and Bryan Adams) Brooke emphasizes her strengths--mercurial but memorable melodies, complex but flowing rhythms--through a variety of settings: polished contemporary R&B, alternative guitar rock, orchestral pop, as well as some trademark acoustic folk. If the musical shifts occasionally verge on distraction, Brooke's compressed, confessional songwriting and sincere, tart delivery mostly remain in focus. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

rebuttal to love frog mindy.......2006-06-06

it really is amusing how some folks talk about artists like flavors of ice cream. what is so wrong about love frog mindy's review here is that she forgot to check her ego at the door. she calls jonatha brooke's vocals, whinney. i believe it would be more of a singing technique. you know, kind of adds dramatic effect to lyrics. if she wants to hear full-out bird chirps, listen to mariah carey.

she goes on and compares jonatha to britney. that is the bit that really stirred my ire. this is like comparing a generic grocery store soda brand, the kind that contains about a million grams of suger with some carbonated water thrown in, with fresh spring water. they cannot be compared. simple as that. do some research froggy, the simple fact that jonatha went to college (amherst) makes her worlds apart from brittney. i won't go any futher as froggy would never understand.

she tries to state something about tones, changes of keys, etc. like she knows something musical. they sound weird to froggy's ear cuz she has never heard anything not presented in the key of E with the standard D-C-G chord prgression. check out the pages on jonatha's website about her tunings, self-recording, running her own record label etc. then talk.

finally, she says jonatha brooke needs polishing. does a bear need a hair cut?!!! both statements are the same cuz they make no sense. froggy, stick to the idigo girls, where the beats are a nice 4/4, and the chords are major (with the occasional Am, Em) and nothing gets beyond a bland mayo vanilla. don't try to listen to jonatha no more. she is just gonna give you a headache. your ani difranco and sinead references are way off as well. you know you just threw them two no-talents in there cuz you thought it would make you sound cool.

jonatha, is for the educated listener. simple and plain.

Falling In.......2005-10-14

Jonatha Brooke's music reminds me of a virgin version of Ani Difranco, both sharing that unique "whinney" sound... Some one wrote in another review that her high notes where sharp and shrill. I wouldn't say shrill. "Whinney". But Jonatha's voice also reminds me of an impressionist at times of Sinead O'Connor. The tones, the key changes, all very light yet over flowing. She is much better singing lower toned as well as slower paced music for her voice. The higher the note.. her voice breaks into nothing but air, not a full sound. If she wants to be the next Brittney ..keep on with the airy sound.. if not.. follow your low tones... Lows also tend to feed on the emotion more. Overall, shes got one hell of a voice, she just needs some polishing....

Perfection of voice and sexy of soul.......2003-12-02

Is there anyone greater in songwriting and singing than Jonatha Brooke?? NO...She is the finest talent able to be heard in todays's music...If you haven't heard this CD or her past you are missing music perfection flowing through the body and soul of the pretties artist on the planet...

My first time..........2002-09-03

This was my first experience hearing Jonatha Brooke, and I have to say, this is one of my favorite cd's. She has so much soul, energy, and spirit in this album that it's hard to put my finger on what it is that I love so much. Her lyrics touch that part of you that screams "THIS IS ME!" Almost every song on this album is perfect and its one that you want to listen to over and over again. I'm on now to buy the rest of her cds... Now you should take my advice and get this one.

Jonatha rocks out and stays soulful.......2002-08-05

This CD speaks to me! It is original, beautiful and sophisticated. Lyrics from the title track, "I feel the steady pull of things that I can't see...and I like it" completely describe the liminal spaces between comings and goings. I appreciate Jonatha's incredible depth and complexity and marvel with each new direction she explores. Jonatha Brook is nothing short or EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED!!! Having just seen her on stage in Woodstock, she is even more impressive and down to earth. Her music is an anthem to all women seeking to be emancipated from whatever holds them back. She deserves to be as popular as many of her less talented peers currently in the limelight, however,I would hate for her to get so famous that she would stop playing small venues. Buy this CD. It is FABULOUS!

Average customer rating: Fugazi's most underrated effort Steady Diet of Stagnation the change is beginning The most cohesive offering from the vets... A downslide, but still good.

Steady Diet of Nothing Fugazi Manufacturer: Dischord ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bad Brains Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables Public Image Frankenchrist My War ASIN: B000000JOM Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

1. Exit Only
2. Reclamation
3. Nice New Outfit
4. Stacks
5. Latin Roots
6. Steady Diet
7. Long Division
8. Runaway Return
9. Polish
10. Dear Justice Letter
11. KYEO

Amazon.com

This is punk rock slowed down to a lope, transformed into angry meditations on, well, a number of things--sometimes alienation, sometimes the fashion industry, and sometimes things too vague really to specify. Fugazi are always interesting, if only because of their absolute willingness to overturn every established punk rock convention (and what could be more punk rock?). On this record, inventiveness generally outpaces quality, and protest songs without catchy melodies--for all their good intentions--are pretty quickly forgotten. Regardless, their trademark staccato guitar attack and fractured rhythms are here in force, and at least two songs, "Reclamation" and "Nice New Outfit," rank with their best. --Percy Keegan

Customer Reviews:

Fugazi's most underrated effort.......2006-02-22

You know, I don't know why everyone dislikes this album so much. Sure, the production could've been better - cut them some slack, this was their first attempt at self-production - and "Reclamation" and "Dear Justice Letter" aren't up to par with Fugazi's other tunes, but this is an overall good cd.

Highlights include "Exit Only", "KYEO", "Runaway Return", "Long Division", "Latin Roots" and the title track. Though not quite as good as "In on the Killtaker" or "Red Medecine", this is a worthy addition to the Fugazi catalogue and I highly recommend it.

Steady Diet of Stagnation.......2005-10-24

Other reviewers have said that "Steady Diet..." is perhaps Fugazi's most cohesive effort. They would be right, if by cohesive they meant stagnant. Yes, that's right; this album, though a solid rock album, is definitely no stand-out of Fugazi's. Sure, there are good songs on here, and the band does tackle the subjects of women's rights ("Reclamation") and war ("K.Y.E.O."), but these simply do not stack up to classics like "Merchandise" and "Suggestion". A song like "Nice New Outfit" simply does not contain the enthusiasm of a song like "Bulldog Front"; while both were indeed written about the same topic, the former seems like it was simply being made to emulate the latter, with the end result being that "Nice New Outfit" falls tragically short.

A good album nonetheless.

the change is beginning.......2005-10-10

although a good Fugazi record, this one struggles to find it's step. the production sounds really flat and boring to me. nothing pops out. everything just sort of lies in this grey audio mass that never moves. given a proper production, some of these songs could have really come to life. Fugazi is beginning to experiment a bit in the song structures and musical ideas on this record; and it's a progression that doesn't come accross as fully developed yet. "Reclamation" has some nice lines in it, but is marred by uninspired guitar noise that doesn't lift up the song, but merely drags it along from verse to verse. and "Dear Justice Letter" has some strong political statements (which is rare for Fugazi to sing about such things in literal language); but the song's momentum seems to never really take off. the band tries a semi quiet song (as in, no distorted guitar) with "Long Division" and it's a nice tune and a sign of what's to come on future albums. "Steady Diet Of Nothing" works well with songs like the quirky "Stacks" and "Nice New Outfit" which sounds like it could have been written at the same time as the Repeater sessions. not a bad record...but def. not the one i would recommend to newcomers.

The most cohesive offering from the vets..........2004-04-19

My opinion of this Album may be colored by the fact that it was the first one i got by the band in question. First impressions and all. I think is their high-water mark, their best score... But...

Here's a way of handling this quandary, or illustrating my take on it- I have burned a two CD set of Fugazi tunes- a running/lifting/driving set, my fave songs from their (currently)8 running CDs. Not one song from 'Steady Diet,' is included...

I think this one stands by its own virtues. And I don't like the way the songs go when they're removed from the context of the album- everything just flows together- drives into each other. A perfect album. So perfect in fact, that removing songs to other contexts (a running mix) makes them weaker. Perhaps that actually works against these songs- the album is so strong on its own virtues, it makes the songs less effective, song for song, pound for pound...

Every other Fugazi album has a number of great tunes, usually 3-5 per album, and some good ones and a couple filler tracks ('In on the Kill Taker' being a notable exception- beyond the first two incredible and incendiary songs the album is nigh-unlistenable). But 'Steady Diet,' is just a phenomenally badass work that not only pushes through the limits of the genre- it's a damn fine rock album in and of itself.

All just my opinion. But if you're looking for a good jumping in point for Fugazi- this was mine and i haven't regretted one damn second!

A downslide, but still good........2004-04-16

This isn't as strong 13 Songs or Repeater. They take some chances, instead of staying with the tried and true, but some fall a bit flat and the songs aren't as strong.

Average customer rating: Underrated Gem

Steady Nerves Graham Parker & the Shot Manufacturer: Wounded Bird Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Real Macaw Stick to Me Don't Tell Columbus The Official Art Vandelay Tapes Heat Treatment ASIN: B0009NSDOI Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

1. Break Them Down
2. Mighty Rivers
3. Lunatic Fringe
4. Wake Up (Next to You)
5. When You Do That to Me
6. Weekend's Too Short
7. Take Everything
8. Black Lincoln Continental
9. Canned Laughter
10. Everyone's Hand Is on the Switch
11. Locked into Green

Customer Reviews:

Underrated Gem .......2005-08-03

This is my favorite Graham Parker album. I like Squeezing Out Sparks (the recognized Graham Parker masterpiece), but this one is just amazing. It is impossible to play this without feeling better five songs through.
It is hard to understand why The Weekend's Too Short hasn't made it as an anthem for radio stations everywhere.
This album is one of a number of albums that somehow fell through the cracks. If you like Graham Parker at all, listen to this one - you'll wonder how this one never got the credit it deserved.

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