Alternative Rock music reviews

I came across this CD randomly on the streets of New York and bought it because it looked interesting. Three years later, I still listen to it every day and consider Melanie Doane to be my favorite artist. I highly recommend all of her CDs, but it just doesn't get any better than Adam's Rib. Every song is beautiful, unique, powerful, and a true pleasure to listen to. She has a remarkable voice, plays multiple instruments, and writes or cowrites all of her music. Talent like this is so rare. From the title song, "Adam's Rib," a cleverly feminist tune, to "Happy Homemaker," a song about desiring the lifestyle of a stay-at-home mom (which she wrote before becoming a mother herself), this CD is one of those rare gems that doesn't have a single song that is less than fabulous. It was never fully released in the U.S., but some of us Americans have been lucky enough to come across it in unusal places, or have heard one of her songs on a TV show such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Wherever you are from, if you are reading this, you have now heard of Melanie and should purchase this CD immediately!

I happened to catch the title track for this album courtesy MuchMusic back in 1998 when it was first out in Canada...the video was intriguing...the song was even more intriguing. On the strength of the title track I hunted down the CD...I had to buy a second one because my wife constantly had the first copy in her car player...excellent stuff from start to finish. Sure, there's a temptation to compare her to Sarah McLachlan. Dio yourself a favor and forget for the time being that Sarah is as wildly successful as she's been and put the headphones on. This album is full of greatness...lyrically and musically. Melanie's violin and a silky smoothy voice make for a totally different experience than that of Sarah or any of the other female success stories from Canada. This album was released the following year in the US, and whoever was in charge of promoting it dropped the ball because by all rights Melanie Doane should have a Grammy collection to go with her Junos and East Coast Awards (she comes from Halifax). "There is No Beautiful", "Goliath", "Happy Homemaker", "Tell Me How You Cried", "Good Gifts", and any other song on this album...pure enjoyment. It's shameful this album never got its due in the US. Spend some time listening to Canadian radio and she's regarded as the star she is in her home country. After this album, pick up her latest, "You re What You Love," and if that doesn't convince you as well, get her "Melvin Live" CD and hear what Canadian audiences have known for almost a decade...that Melanie Doane is a Canadian treasure. BUY THE CD...you won't regret it.

I wasn't planning on writing a review of this cd, as the only track I have heard is "I Can't Take My Eyes of You." It is exceptionally beautiful, even if it is about a television. I like television. Then, I read the review by the fan from Boston (as did K Nixon. You rock, by the way). I heard this song on the disputed Buffy episode, "Family," written and directed by my idol of the craft, Joss Whedon. Why does the fan from Boston hate this episode so much? Is it because it features Willow and Tara, a lesbian couple? The reviewer refers to Willow & Tara as Joss's fantasy girl-girl couple. Right. Clearly, this person does not know a thing about Joss Whedon. I may not know him personally, but I know him better than the reviewer, and I know that this is in no way what Will & Tara are to Joss. If this reviewer had read one thing Joss has said about the couple, he/she would know this too. I also take dispute with the dismissal of the character Tara as boring. Tara is my favorite female character, and she is simply amazing, as is Amber Benson, the actress behind the character. Amber moves and speaks with a grace that is rare to see. She is also a beautiful person in many other ways. She may not smack down with demons or get the wittiest lines, but boring? I would never even think it. So, back to "Family." As is shown in the title, the episode is about the love between each member of the gang, and in particular the love between Willow and Tara. As they dance to Melanie Doane's song, their love is almost a physial presence in the room. The scene is so beautiful, I truly can't take my eyes off them.

don't shy away from this album simply because it has "CHRISTIAN" emblazoned on it's proverbial forehead. because this album is not really a "christian" album. sure, some elements of the band's belief's comeout here and there, but it's not a beat-you-over-the-head-sinner type feel it's more of a look-this-is-what-i'm-in-to-sweet-deal-let's-have-fun sort of thing.

having said that, steer far away from any albums prior to this. they're worthless.

Don't shy away from this album because it'll keep you smiling, and don't make that sound like it's some boy band pop crap. An album can still rock out like no other while still being fun and happy. ok... so i guess you'd call this band pop; but pop with an edge. It is pop but it's still heavy. Hard to explain if you haven't heard it, and that's why you need to. It is also creative, making the melodies intriguing so that it keeps your interest. It's 45 minutes of pure joy, so go check out the guitar heavy pop band that's sweeping the nations with their Sma-a-sh hits!

Ian's a great lyricist...and whoever wrote the guitar parts really shines through with some creative stuff. This one is a top notch album that challenges a Christian's comfort zone.

"La La Land" anyone?

This CD is not bad. Not as good as "Beautiful Midnight" though. Too bad these guys called it quits.

I had stepped into the Matthew Good Band because of the Stateside release of their popular (in Canada) "Beautiful Midnight". The incredible rock populated with Matt's presence both vocally and lyrically really left me without a clue as to where their following albums would go. Because of Matt's intentionally poor presence in the US, I didn't pick up on this album until a few months before Avalanche came out in early 2003, both of which (and all subsequent albums since then) I've had to import.

The album art sort of takes you off-guard, but that's merely the beginning. Page after page reveals colorful science book illustrations of various scientific concepts, such as Earth's core structure and as the cover reveals, the water cycle. These first few pages, a far cry from the generic garage band-style photos of "Beautiful Midnight" represent the point of no return: the beginning of Matthew Good's subsequent era in music.

Before working on this album, Matt underwent vocal cord surgery and recovered slowly in a hotel in Whistler, BC, while taking prescription painkillers. It was here where he wrote the twisted lyrics that would eventually see the light. He swore off smoking and adopted some incredible production values. His new soaring vocals and new backup choirs almost disarm you from beginning to end.

More of a "follow the white rabbit" than anything, this musical journey pushes you in and out of what is truly a terrifying and melancholy experience. "Advertising on Police Cars", "Tripoli" and "Under the Influence" only cement the demented pathway that this album ferries you along.

After a thorough listen, you'll experience a thorough paradigm shift of Matthew Good's musicology that becomes his trademark in all subsequent albums. The harder-rocking tracks almost exist as an obligation so you don't drown in the murk. And while none of them provide the same hits that, say "Hello Time Bomb" did on "Beautiful Midnight", that's really not what you're here for. A track that could've potentially filled that role, "Pony Boy" was released as a B-side and was also put on the "In A Coma" compilation. It's easy to see why it didn't fit.

While not as trendy as their previous albums, you can see Matt really wanted to get out on his own as this was the last effort of the Matthew Good Band before their dissolution. The next few albums serve as an almost pure siphon of Matthew Good-ness (yuckle!). If you start with Matthew Good solo, this is where he started. If you start with Matthew Good band, this is where it ends.

A fantastic crossroads for one of the greatest musicians in play today.

even in the end they were still on the top of there game.

This rates among my top 5 favorite CDs(Nothing is Sound, Sea of Faces, Better Than This, Exit East, Jesus Freak). It has a strong acoustic rock feel. I've never listened to a CD like it. Their definitely not normal. The best track in my opinion is 6: I need you. Whatever the price, I reccomend that you by this CD, you won't regret it. Music just doesn't get any "Better Than This".

Great Christian CD! It seems there is a consensus in the other reviews that this is a great CD music-wise with meaningful lyrics that anyone with struggles will relate (in case you don't know if that includes you, it probably does). The lyrics are actually Christian unlike many so-called 'Christian CDs' out there. And the music is soulful (no, not R&B, but, well that's the best I can explain) and not at all cheesy. Buy this CD! It'll be one you actually won't regret spending a few bucks on.

These guys are great - musically and as "normal" people. The lyrics on Everything always make me stop what I'm doing and listen, really listen - they are true to life. I had the opportunity to run into The Normals a few times and they really do make an effort to reach out to people - they don't just sing about it. Better Than This and Song and Dance are catchy and fast. Running from the Sun is a great "driving" song. Everyone can relate to I Need You - you find yourself singing it right away. One of my favorites on the album is actually Daddy's Girl, it doesn't seem to match the rest of the album, although it's another "story song" like Everything, it doesn't feature Andy's vocals as warmly - but I like the emotion in it. Prepare for quirky lyrics ("It's like walking on ice in socks" - What I Cannot Earn), affirming subjects and incredible guitars. I can't stop listening to Andy, Mark and Clayton!

Count me in because this record has nothing but catchy tunes for you to enjoy,Hurry and buy it.

Aztec Camera's "High Land, Hard Rain" is one of many albums I own that took a LONG time to like. I bought it with the knowledge that it was a monumental and thus historically influential album in the 80's - it was very unique and well-produced at the time. The other interesting fact is that it was all done by a seventeen year-old! Every song here is good, but the problem with most of them is that Roddy Frame's voice isn't all that appealing - it has a boyish nature to it and it just isn't all that good (this is the reason I didn't like it at first). However, it DOES grow on you, I think the lyrics and the musicianship are essentially where the album excels. Every song here has great lyrics (even if they're hard to make out sometimes), and the musicianship is very well done and definitely unique - I'm not sure how to describe it! I suppose the closest sounding album to this is XTC's "Skylarking" (it's relatively similar). It's definitely 80's pop rock, but it has odd instruments and noises attached to it that I really can't describe. I guess you'll just have to listen to it for yourself. Overall, though, it's incredibly well-produced - it's on par with a Jackson Browne album, I'd say. I would argue that the first two songs, its creativity, its influence and its production make up for any minor grievances. All in all I don't think it's for everyone, but for those who like 80's pop rock and can get used to Robby's voice then this is a fantastic purchase (trust me, you will probably HATE his voice for a while, except on the first two songs)! Absolutely recommended!

Highlights include:
"Oblivious"
"The Boy Wonders"
the rest are good, too

This is one of the best pop releases of the early 80's. Great chord structures, melodies, and arrangements - but most of all, songs. I can't believe no one has mentioned my favorite track, "We Could Send Letters" - What a powerful and regal tune. This needs to be in your collection.

As is the case with many an industrial metal band (who put the emphasis on the meal; see Rammstein and P.H.O.B.O.S.). Ministry's raw, straight ahead sound is best experienced in a live setting. For an experiment in scuh industrial strength nihilism look no further than 'In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up', which shows Al Jorgensen and crew at their strongest and harshest. Each song on the album gains a depth and intensity that spurpasses that of their studio counterparts due, in part, to both an enhanced bottom end the players involved (which include Nivek Ogre and Martin Atkins among others). Granted, the album itself does run a bit short (standing strong at six tracks, thirty some-odd minutes), but extended renditions of 'So What' and 'Stigmata' allow for a new and fantastic experience, making the length really not an issue. Despite the fact that it was released 16 years ago, it doesn't sound the least bit dated, and still stands strong as one of the most enjoyable live releases to come out of the 90s as well as Ministry's moment of absolute perfection.

10 / 10

The songs on this cd sounds even better than the originals, and the originals sound incredible! I love how Burning inside starts, the guitar teasing you until the drumsticks start clicking, counting down until the full power of that great song bores down on you! and when you hear Stigmata... I didn't think you could beat the version that's on the Land of Rape and Honey, but live?!? Every song sounds great, and the songs from Land and Mind are when Ministry was at it's peak (Psalm 69 was also great)

You shouldn't care about industrial this vs. metal that, this is simply one of the best live cd's ever I just wish they added more songs like You Know What You Are, The Land of Rape and Honey, Flashback, I Prefer, Never Believe, and Breathe.

Before Al Jourgensen became irrelevant and started spending all his time and energy shooting junk, he made this, an incredible album, and one of the best things ever to come out of the industrial genre.

Machine-gun beats, heavy guitars, synthesizers, and drum machines. Those are the basic ingredients, and they have never sounded louder, faster, or better. Even though many musicians have channeled their aggression into loud evil music, none have, or probably ever will, do it better than this. "Thieves" and "Stigmata" are relentless and pounding, "Deity" is a blast of pure hardcore, while the eleven-minute version of "So What" slows the tempo down, but, in a testament to the control and range of the band, does so without losing any intensity or aggression

This album hasn't aged or dated one bit. It still sounds as amazing and thrilling as it did when I first heard it over ten years ago.

This album is intense, dark and not for a moment self-pitying, consious or weak (which seems to be how most people define "goth" music)... my term for this is "Death Rock" but even that is misleading. In fact, Juju is full of incredibly powerful songs . From start to finish, it shines as not only the height of Siouxsie and the Banshees albums but as a highlight of 80s music in general. I cannot possibly do this work justice. It is simply amazing. Songs like "Arabian Nights" and "Into the Light" are absolutely gorgeous. Others ("Monitor," "Halloween") throb with dark emotion and intensity. Of course, this isn't for everyone but for those who are into post-punk existential angst are bound to love it. Again, a suberb album. Completely essential.

I 1st heard this album back in the early 80's. I listened to it non-stop and it heavily influenced my song writing. Only now do I look back and see how the echo's and mystique of this album has transformed my guitar playing. Its the best album for "getting lost" that I have heard in that genre. Siouxsie has a lovely English accent, something hard to find in today's American style singing.
I just love the album

Originally released in 1981,this was the band's fourth album.'Juju' is one of the groups's vintage masterpieces.Plenty of scorching guitar,tribal drum work,indepth lyrics and superbly written songs make this disc worthy of owning a copy.Tunes that most certainly pull you in are "Spellbound"(I still get chills running up my back when I see this video on VH1 Classic),"Arabian Knights","Nightshift" and "Voodoo Dolly".It's clear that at least some of their influences were from the Doors and the Stooges.A true alternative classic.

New Gold Dream has an understated, even ethereal air to it, as Simple Minds moved away from their early punk rock roots towards synthesizer soundscapes. Someone Somewhere In Summertime is an evocative pastel shaded number. Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel is a moody piece with light keyboards, whilst Promised You A Miracle, the big hit, has a funky feel, jerky rhythm and catchy hooks.

Not all the tracks are memorable, like Big Sleep, which doesn't go anywhere and lacks a proper tune. The instrumental Somebody Up There Likes You is only mildly engaging. The title track has a propulsive beat, beautiful keyboard flourishes and some rousing vocals. The mid tempo ballad Glittering Prize has its moments, Hunter And The Hunted has a more solid rock beat and King Is White And In The Crowd is a slow, brooding song.

Ultimately, New Gold Dream provides more style than substance. Simple Minds carved a niche for their distinctive version of synth-rock, but not all of these songs have passed the test of time with flying colours. There is a lack of variety that gives the album an air of monotony. I prefer the late 1970s period Simple Minds when they gave us ageless classics like Chelsea Girl and I Travel.

But, I have to agree in extreme hindsight this is probably their best. Sure, "Sparkle in the Rain" rocks harder, and the later work was more polished, but this is a more unified effort. Jim Kerr's voice is unique here, he sounds like the ghost of Jim Morrison, down an octave and on macho overdrive, it's just fabulous. It's certainly their first really great album, a clean break from the past into fuller melodies and booming production values, while some of the keyboard work bridges the gap with the new wave style they left behind.

If they continue to produce, which I'll grant is somewhat unlikely given their age, "Cry" has the chance to be their modern equivalent, a solid bridge album from one era to the next. Which is another story, but the point is that if some of us still feel the candle of hope flickering for Jim and Charlie into the 21st century, the memory of albums like this are the reason why. It's a classic, so check it out.

"New Gold Dream", issued in 1982, is (with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight) the very best album Simple Minds ever made, bar none. Although it contains 3 songs that charted in Europe ("Someone Somewhere in Summertime", "Promised You a Miracle", "Glittering Prize"), this is still Simple Minds before they really hit it big in the US with "Don't You Forget About Me" and the "Once Upon a Time" album.

The great strength here is that the album flows wonderfully from one track to another. And, truthfully, the best tracks are NOT the 3 tracks that charted, but instead the more adventurous ones such as "Colours Fly and Catherine Wheels", the title track, the driving "Hunter and the Hunted" and "King is White".

Simple Minds have recorded great music, but were never better that on this album. As an aside, I have seen them live only once, in 1983 when they were touring behind this album and it is one of my very memorable concert memories.

This album should be in anyone who loves alt country because it it is true alt country. Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy are great songwriters inside and outside Uncle Tupelo. Gatherered 11 originals and two covers, This is a modern rock classic that should be loved by all who like Son Volt or Wilco because those bands came out of this band. Favorites include Graveyard Shift, Before I Break, No Depression, Whiskey Bottle, Life Worth Livin', So Called Friend, Screen Door, and John Hardy. Highly Highly Recommended.

The only drawback about this album is its sound quality. Apart from that, this album should be listed as the definition of the Alt/Country genre. This album, which is impossible to tire of, addresses traditional country themes (alcholism, labor, loneliness, waste, and inequality) while deceiving the listener. Graceyard Shift rips right off from the start reminding us of the Replacements as its hard chords seem more rockish, while country-ish twangs pervade the background. And Tweedy sings of man's great lament in the industrialzed society, loss of self, dispersed power, Foucault's panopticism.
The irony of Uncle Tupelo is that the music while implicatory in nature also sooths and reminds us of something better. The pastoral is the loss ideal, mans self is lamented in hard-driven rock n'roll and we are all mourning the loss.
There is a maturity here that is incomparable in the alternative scene. Rather than letting hypocrisy, exploitation and capitalism make them morphous blobs of lamenting self-effacing crooners, they dare to sing about it. Adopting a tradition laid down by Guthrie, they employ their own passions (punk, hard rock, country) and mesmerize us musically while reminding us that there is something more important than the song.
Cumulatively, this album is rock's great treatise against capitalism, idustrialism, and modernization. We meet characters who no longer fit and destroy themselves with liquor and debauchery. But, the morality in the music extends further than alcoholism and morbid romanticization of man isolated and forgotten. It is a smart and convincing treatise that is Tupelo's best and an absolute classic...

Back in 1990, I thought I was pretty `with it'. In addition to indulging my omnipresent metal fetish, I was listening to Mother Love Bone, Green River, Soundgarden and whatever else I could get my hands on coming out of Seattle. Yeah, I was big man on campus at William and Mary - at least in my own mind. When the Seattle scene exploded I got the kudos owed to someone who was hip to the scene before it went nationwide. Pretty cool, huh?

Perhaps not as cool as I thought. By the mid-90s, Kurdt Cobain's suicide had pretty much signaled the end of the grunge movement and made it possible for rap metal lunkheads like Limp Bizkit and a second generation of grunge imitators like Creed to take over. Suddenly, a genre that had seemed so vital and revolutionary became dated. Old Soundgarden records no longer sounded as good and new ones like Down on the Upside just sounded horribly anachronistic.

The Seattle grunge scene was great while it lasted and we may never see another revolution in popular music quite like it. However, maybe if I'd been paying a little closer attention to a musical scene developing in America's heartland at the same time grunge was developing in Seattle, I'd have caught on to a second musical revolution during that era occurring in a genre that would prove to have more staying power than grunge. I'm talking about alt-country, aka "the movement".

The band credited with jumpstarting "the movement" was Uncle Tupelo which featured two brilliant songwriters, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, who were heavily influenced by both traditional country and punk rock. What Lennon and McCartney were to classic rock, Farrar and Tweedy were to alt-country.

If you can actually get your hands on Uncle Tupelo's hard-to-find debut, No Depression, it won't be long before you put an end to your habit of telling new acquaintances, "I listen to all kinds of music, except country". The opening track, "Graveyard Shift", grabs your attention immediately with its breakneck riffs and aggressive vocals - it's heavy enough to practically qualify as country-metal. The title track reveals a totally different side of UT as they cover the country traditional "No Depression" with such honesty and skill that it would later be adopted as the name of alt-country's biggest magazine. "Whiskey Bottle" is a favorite of many a UT fan and it is easy to see why. On the song, Farrar's voice exudes such raw desperation you start to genuinely worry for the guy. Fortunately, the spirits of the whole band seem to pick up during the country raveup, "Screen Door", an ode to sitting out on the porch playing music with friends.

The seminal nature of No Depression makes it hard to rate it as anything but 5 stars, though the production quality is some of the worst I've heard since on Metallica's ...And Justice for All. Fortunately, Farrar and Tweedy are said to be remastering the album and a more widely available reissue will probably be available some time in the next year or so. It's your call whether you want to pay the exorbitant sums dealers are charging for No Depression these days or wait for the better sounding and cheaper reissue to appear. If you make the latter choice, I strongly recommend you pick up the excellent UT Anthology 89/93 to tide you over until you can procure a copy of No Depression.

Trust me, if you overlooked "the movement" when it was developing like I did, there's still plenty of time to catch up. A little remedial work on Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Son Volt, Whiskeytown, the Old 97s, the Bottle Rockets, and the Drive-By Truckers and you'll have at least an elementary education in the ways of "the movement".

The band's sound is beautifully realized, but who told Wareham that he could sing? Everyone of my friends who have listened to this band say that his singing reminds them of Fred Rogers on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. I guess the neighborhood has gotten a little darker, but the singing sounds the same.

Yes, Luna is an aquired taste, but if you have listened to some Luna and like what you hear, this is their best album. There is not a bad track on this album and I think this is some of most lyrical guitar ever recorded. If you get it and you don't like it at first, it will be because of the vocals, but sleep on it, give it a chance, and it will become an old friend.

After exhausting all of their existing albums, I finally came across Penthouse. This, in mind, is Luna at their best - long guitar heavy jams, droning bass and drums, and those perfect transitions...