Alternative Rock music reviews

Years ago, I had this up on the stereo when my wife walked in the door. "What the hell is that?" she asked.

"Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers," I replied, and before "Morning of Our Lives" was over, she was choking back tears.

That's the kind of record this is. It walks the thin line between stubborn steadfast optimistic love and stalking

I won't try to describe the phenomenon that is Jonathan Richman. He started as an MC5/Lou Reed rocker and is now the troubadour for those two guys that make unfunny comedies. I love Jonathan and always have, but his work can become precious. (I'm not sure "Nature's Mosquito" or "Dancing in the Lesbian Bar" qualify as works on the level of "Desolation Row" or "Gimme Shelter," but you get the picture.)

This album, however, is nails through and through. It is not a solo album and this line up of the Modern Lovers is really great. Jonathan's songs here are all rockin', too. They are nostalgic without being cloying and funny without being slapstick (mostly). There are no less than three genuine Jonathan classics, too: "That Summer Feeling," "Give Paris One More Chance," and "Not Yet Three." The remaining songs are not just filler.

If I had to pick two albums, I'd pick this one and "In Your Life." In fact, I'd say this was an essential album to anyone's library.

I was sort of surprised to read all these generic reviews of "Jonathan Sings," as none of the reviews actually dealt with this specific album (Good work, Amazon.) Jonathan Richman can be really self-indulgent, and although I'm a huge fan, I'm not wild about his solo albums (which seem to be the majority). Nor do I think the first "Modern Lovers" album is so essential (but then I also hate the Velvet Underground's first album as another example of bad musicianship). Not to worry, however: this album (i.e., "Jonathan Sings") sparkles. Richman assembled a really good group of musicians for a change: the back up singers are really wonderful (I saw one of them (Ellie something) open for Richman circa 1990 at the Palomino Club of blessed memory). Each song is a gem, and three are his best: Give Paris One More Chance, That Summer Feeling and I'm Not Yet Three. I'm kind of shocked that this ablum is out of print, but I'm not shocked that used versions fetch so high a price. If I could replace my crappy cassette version of this album, I would. Go buy this if and when it's re-released.

I am a relatively recent convert to Swing Out Sister. To me, the real test of a group is the ability to sing and perform live since it isn't in a studio to have all the equipment "pretty up" the sound and vocals. I was VERY impressed with Corinne's vocals and Andrew's keyboard skills as well the background singers and musicians. SOS is a "Breakout" group and it's a shame they are not as popular here in the US as they are overseas. On the news section of their website, it says they are planning a tour this spring, unfortunately, all the venues are overseas, including the Jazz Cafe (April 3,4, & 5th, 2005 per the Jazz Cafe website), where this album was recorded 12 years ago. Hopefully, they'll throw some US dates in there.

Wow! what a great CD. All the great tracks from their early years are here and the sound quality is top notch. They have such a cool style with the jazz beats mixed in with Corrine's incredible voice. I would love to see them live someday as this group is so over looked in the states. Easy listening even if you have never heard of Swing Out Sis.
B-R-E-A-K-O-U-T and buy this disc!!!!!

Doesn't matter wheather you're an SOS fan or not: if you have to save few albums and take them with you in the "desert island", this is one.
It's a groovy mixture of jazz, funky and pop. All songs are deeply rearranged compared to the studio version and it's a surprise (expecially if you already know the original versions) to listen to the new arrangement of "Twilight World" or "Am I the Same Girl" (to name a couple); the sound is rich, with each instrument playing at its best: guitar, bass, drums and percussions, keyboards, great arrangements of the brass section and, of course, the beautiful Corinne's voice.
There's a lot of fantasy and good taste in the whole thing.
My favourite song at the moment is "Who let the love out".

After the demise of legendary Seattle band Green River, a schism saw the emergence of three now classic bands. Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and Bruce Fairweather went on to form Mother Love Bone and then (minus Fairweather) Pearl Jam. Green River's vocalist, Mark Arm, along with sometimes Green River guitarist Steve Turner, formed Mudhoney with bassist Matt Lurkin and drummer Dan Peters.

Mudhoney was pure, unadulterated grunge, in its truest sense. In fact, Mark Arm is the one who coined the term "grunge." In describing the band's sound, he said it was "Pure grunge, pure, s@&t." The band took its cue from such pioneers as Black Flag and Iggy and the Stooges. Distorted, muddy guitars, strong riffs, feedback, and intense drumming were all trademarks of the bands sound. While Mudhoney employed many of the same themes as their peers; bleakness, despair, and nihilism, it was done somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

Mudhoney, along with such bands as Thin Lizzy and Motte the Hoople, remains one of rock's great also-rans. Although they received media coverage and critical praise, they never broke through the way the "big four" (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains) did. It's a shame to, because they were such a cool band.

While Mudhoney never enjoyed mass popularity, they still maintained a loyal following and critical praise. Over the course of ten years, from the late 80s to the late 90s, the band released half a dozen excellent albums, as well as EPs and a compilation of early singles.

"March to Fuzz...Best of and Rarities" is split, as the title states, between their best known singles and rarities. The first disc collects songs from all their studio albums and EPs. The songs are not in chronological order, but it doesn't really matter. While the band's albums never sounded redundant, they really had the same sound/vibe. Therefore, the songs not being in chronological order does not make the compilation lack cohesion. The "best of "disc is thoroughly enjoyable, from start to finish.

The second disc, made up of rarities, while not quite as strong as the first disc, is also a great listen. It contains a lot of gems that are just as good as anything from the studio albums, such as "Overblown" from the "Singles" (1992) soundtrack. Many of these songs, however, are more loose, and not necessarily contenders for being released as singles, i.e., "You stupid A!*@ole." It's still a terrific listen.

This collection is good for casual fans, novices, and hard-core fans alike. It's a great introduction to the band's best work. It has many of their best songs, and has tons of hard-to-find material that should satisfy the dire hards. The cardboard packaging is really cool, with a lot of photos and liner notes.

Mudhoney were like an Iggy and the Stooges for the late 80s/90s, it's a shame that more people didn't appreciate how great they were.

I should note that while this collection serves as the band's epitaph, they reformed in 2001 for "Since we've become Translucent."

This compilation is amazing! One usually expects the rairities/B-sides CD in such compilations to have tracks that have been horribly recorded live or in studio. But this isn't so here! This is amazing!

As annoying as it was, the whole "grunge" movement brought forth some really good bands that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Without the whole country smelling like teen spirit, my local record store probably would have never ordered Superfuzz Bigmuff, my first Mudhoney album. In 'N' Out Of Grace, Touch Me I'm Sick, and When I Think (all of which are included on March To Fuzz) were instant favorites. I bought March To Fuzz last year, and in my opinion, Mudhoney's music withstands the inevitable test of time. Today, they are no longer a "grunge" band, just a damn good rock group. The guitars are noisier than a monster truck competition, and Mark Arm's screeching yelp cuts through the mess like a rusty knife. These guys know how to arrange a song, too...just listen to the breakdown in the middle of In 'N' Out Of Grace...when those guitars rev back up over the pounding drums and bass, all hell breaks loose until Mark comes back in and shreds his vocal cords with the final verse. It sends chills up my spine every time I hear it. I wish I had enough space here to review each song, but since I don't, you'll just have to trust me on this and go buy this double album. The rarities and b-sides disc is as awe-inspiring as the first disc...the only thing that could make it better would have been a third disc with nothing but live songs...but I'm probably asking for too much. Go out and buy this cd, and march to some serious fuzz.

nina at her best. this cd brings me back to the days of my youth.those punk/new wave days of my youth.highly recomended for people who like the same. you will not be disapointed.passed this cd on to my 17 year old daughter, who gives it a thumbs up seal of approval. what better review for a cd is there than that?

In 1983, Born in XIXAX was the rawest most outrageous yet highly danceable tune in the L.A. New Wave/Punk club scene. And it still rocks like nothing else. Nina Hagen is a sublime goddess of the experimental. Not all of the music on the CD is as accessible as XIXAX, but it's highly educational and mind expanding. Go for it!

I just bought this CD through Amazon. I am so pleased that it is available. It is among my all-time favorite albums.

Generally, there are three elements that I look for in ska music. They are:
1. Happy tune/vibe
2. Horns section
3. Good Lyrics
Since ska is by nature always happy, this lives up to that expectation, but it pretty much ends there. They eliminated their horns section after making "The Old Album", and so far their lyrics have not made much of an impact on me. Just buy this if you are a DHC fan and already have some of their other stuff. If you're a DHC virgin, I recomend "Honey, I'm Homely!" perticularly tracks 1, 11, & 12.

I didn't like it when I first listened, but that's not uncommon with CDs I eventually find really interesting. Plan to take some time to read the lyrics -- they are different, fun, and clever. The harmonies are similarly appealing. I would especially recommend "Cat Fight" to all feminists.

This is my first DHC album, and by golly it won't be my last! Filled with catchy upbeat riffs and tight harmonizing from the two lead vox. I'm amazed (but immensely grateful) that we haven't seen DHC on mainstream radio.

This early Super Furries classic contains some of their best-known and best-loved songs: the darkly riffing glam pop of 'Demons'; the ambitious and bittersweet 'She's got spies', in which verse, chorus and bridge seem to be three completely different tracks, a magical mystery tour around the 60s scrapyard; and, perhaps their masterpiece, 'Hermann and Pauline', with its aching tinny keyboard melody breaking through the bouncing declamatory pop. Then there's 'Download' ('There are people who think and people who don't/ and the people who don't are the ones who have most'), with its weird descending and ascending piano scales; and the wistful Gram Parsons country of 'Mountain People', with its Morricone Western-guitar/ethereal vocals break and sudden invasion by a thudding spacestomp.

'Radiator' is so full of melodic invention and instrumental colour (including banjos, trumpets, sax, flutes, harpsichords, violins), so full of pop spirit and avant-garde adventure, so full of joy and sadness and everything in between, it seems thuggish to suggest that, as a whole, the different moods and songs don't quite mesh or satisfy. Maybe they're not supposed to. With this material, who cares?

The second CD is a ragbag of B-sides, bonus tracks and non-album singles that is even more experimental and inspired.

I agree with the masses here that this is the best album yet by the Super Furry Animals, but the addendum to that statement is that there is no such thing as a bad Super Furry Animals album. I have yet to encounter a single album that hasn't warranted an extended stay on my CD player. This may be the best, but only marginally. Which is to say: if you only know this album, you have five more great albums to explore.

This album is all about melody. These guys are a genius for melody. Or melodies, since no song consists of just one. A typical song will consist of a main or melody with counter melodies juxtaposed to the main, with minor melodies weaving in and out of each cut. The album could be titled Battle of the Hook-Filled Melodies. And all of this is topped with great psychedelic effects of one sort or another, all undergirded with marvelously weird lyrics. I mean, just listen to "Chupacabras" (perhaps influenced by the famous X-FILES episode?) and tell me that is normal. Well, then there are lyrics that I simply can't penetrate, such as "Torra Fy Ngwallt Yn Hir," which I suppose to be in Gaelic. But luckily most of the songs are in a language I know.

If you scan the reviews here, everyone seems to have their own favorite cuts. My nominees include the wonderfully titled "The International Language of Screaming," "She's Got Spies," and "Play It Cool." My favorite cut on the album by far, however, is the wonderfully enigmatic "Demons."

In closing, I earnestly encourage anyone who hasn't explored the rest of the Furries discography to do so posthaste. Their worst album to date is nonetheless very, very good. I'm not sure what I would recommend next to this one. I'm very partial to RINGS AROUND THE WORLD, though objectively I might consider MWNG to be their second best album. But with these guys, they're all good.

The first time I heard about this group was in Entertainment Weekly. It was a revioew for Phantom Power. I bought it and was drawn to their interesting lyrics. The next of their cds I bought was this one. I can't help but sing along to it while driving. To me, they sound like a mix between Pink Floyd and the Beatles.

Truly one of the most underrated songwriters of the past 10-15 years. This is an incredible album from start to finish, every song is an amazing gem with great lyrics and melodies.

A goose-bump fest from beginning to end! I'm never without this CD in my travel kit and I have shared this unfortunately little known collection with all my closest music buddies. Sign me up for the next BVA release!!

This album is a great blend of acoustical music mixed with wonderful lyrics. I originally heard the third track, "and then you went away" on the local campus radio station. After searching all the stores in the area for the album, I finally grabbed it off Amazon. I do not buy a lot of albums and mostly listen to the radio, but this one is well worth it.

I cant say anything bad about Elizabeth Fraser. Her voice makes me melt and she takes me where I want to go.The guitarists Will and Robin work in perfect harmony with liz providing a perfect sureal soundscape. Pure bliss.

I'll be brief - The Cocteau Twins have made some of the most heavenly, lush, etheral, otherworldly music I've ever heard. The atmospheres they create are so palpable you can almost step into them. For years, my personal favorite CT song was "Pink Orange Red," originally on the TINY DYNAMINE ep. Alas, I became permanently seperated from my old vinyl collection from the 80s (long story) and couldn't get this song for ages. So when STARS AND TOPSOIL came out and I saw "Pink Orange Red" on it, I snatched it up in a heartbeat.

I would agree that this is not a "best-of" collection, but nearly every song here is fantastic. Actually, it does include my least favorite CT song "Sugar Hiccup," but I'm the only one that seems to be mildly annoyed with this track so no matter. Undenyably, STARS does include some of CT's best music, like "Aikea-Guinea."

This is a fine place to start for newbes although just about anywhere will work since most of their music is wonderful. My first CT was THE PINK OPAQUE which actually is somewhat of a "best of" collection. Maybe the best album to pick up first would be TREASURE or their debut GARLANDS which is a bit heavier, darker and gothic compared to some of their later works which focus more on beauty. Some of the last few albums they released like HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS are a bit more slick and digestable, but still great.

...according to List Magazine, that is. This collection proves that the Cocteau Twins should rank somewhat higher, say, 26th, right behind Nazareth. Seriously, though, no matter how often I listen to it, I can't figure out how the band came up with their song structures, their arrangements, their sound. Multilayered, ethereal, dreamy--their music is unlike anything that came before it to my knowledge. I really have no idea who their influences might have been. Perhaps this quality is why their work has aged so well. Or maybe because Elizabeth Fraser is a brilliant vocal artist, unlike any other in pop. For those who already love the Cocteau Twins, this CD may be interesting for the remastered versions. The liner notes are weak, though. For those unfamiliar with the band, this is a fine place to start.

Being a mobile disc jockey, I have to keep up with all of the new Top 40 hits. I first heard of these guys when Everything You Want came out. I was very hesitant to pick up any of their earlier CDs as I really didnt know what to expect. One day I broke down and bought this album. Believe me I have NO regrets. This is a great CD and shows their melodic sound and great songwriting abilities. If you are a fan of Go and Everything You Want then, as many other customers said, have an open mind. The lyrics in this CD are heart-felt and the acoustic guitar playing is superb. Now when I get around to it, I have to order Running On Ice and Live Stages. Buy this CD, listen to it with an open mind, and I guarantee you will not have any regrets. I surely didn't.

My brother brought this CD back when he was in college and it hasn't left my CD player since. I am actually writing this review as I order yet another copy to give as a gift. Since it is always in my disc carousel, it is inevitably played whenever I have people over for a party / dinner. Turns out it is as popular w/ my eclectic group of friends as it was over a decade ago w/ me (when I was a teenager!) As written above though, it isn't like their popular radio tunes. However, it is a must buy if you enjoy DMB, James Taylor, Toad the Wet Sprocket, or Jack-o-Pierce!

In 1995 in Austin, TX, some friends took me to the White Rabbit on Sixth Street to listen to two guys play acoustic guitars. They, of couse, were Vertical Horizon. I had never heard of them before, but wow, the show was incredible.

Since that concert, I have been a big fan. "Everything You Want" was their big breakout record. It's not a bad record, but I admit that I got disenchanted with their live shows after that release. They were loud and electric and lost all of the soul that their earlier shows had. Did these guys sell out? That's what I am wondering.

Anyway, this record is a reminder of what they were before they became household names. All these reviews say the same thing -- the music is folksy. Well, I am not disagreeing. It has some grassroots sound, but what struck me so much was the songwriting. Good stuff. It's a pretty mellow, melancholy record.

It sounds silly, but some of the lyrics just bring tears to my eyes. "Trying to Find Purpose"...I mean, any guy in the world probably can relate to that song sometime in their life. It could be called, "There's something better out there, I know it, and I'll find it someday with you at my side." My favorite one is "Love's Light". It stikes a chord with me. This one could be called, "You and I are so good together, but you can't see that, so I need to let you go before I become an emotional wreck."

For those who are VH fans because of "Everything You Want", then take this review with a grain of salt. The styles are quite different. But the songs here are great, writing is great, just something to listen to on a lazy afternoon.

Being a mobile disc jockey, I have to keep up with all of the new Top 40 hits. I first heard of these guys when Everything You Want came out. I was very hesitant to pick up any of their earlier CDs as I really didnt know what to expect. One day I broke down and bought this album. Believe me I have NO regrets. This is a great CD and shows their melodic sound and great songwriting abilities. If you are a fan of Go and Everything You Want then, as many other customers said, have an open mind. The lyrics in this CD are heart-felt and the acoustic guitar playing is superb. Now when I get around to it, I have to order Running On Ice and Live Stages. Buy this CD, listen to it with an open mind, and I guarantee you will not have any regrets. I surely didn't.

My brother brought this CD back when he was in college and it hasn't left my CD player since. I am actually writing this review as I order yet another copy to give as a gift. Since it is always in my disc carousel, it is inevitably played whenever I have people over for a party / dinner. Turns out it is as popular w/ my eclectic group of friends as it was over a decade ago w/ me (when I was a teenager!) As written above though, it isn't like their popular radio tunes. However, it is a must buy if you enjoy DMB, James Taylor, Toad the Wet Sprocket, or Jack-o-Pierce!

In 1995 in Austin, TX, some friends took me to the White Rabbit on Sixth Street to listen to two guys play acoustic guitars. They, of couse, were Vertical Horizon. I had never heard of them before, but wow, the show was incredible.

Since that concert, I have been a big fan. "Everything You Want" was their big breakout record. It's not a bad record, but I admit that I got disenchanted with their live shows after that release. They were loud and electric and lost all of the soul that their earlier shows had. Did these guys sell out? That's what I am wondering.

Anyway, this record is a reminder of what they were before they became household names. All these reviews say the same thing -- the music is folksy. Well, I am not disagreeing. It has some grassroots sound, but what struck me so much was the songwriting. Good stuff. It's a pretty mellow, melancholy record.

It sounds silly, but some of the lyrics just bring tears to my eyes. "Trying to Find Purpose"...I mean, any guy in the world probably can relate to that song sometime in their life. It could be called, "There's something better out there, I know it, and I'll find it someday with you at my side." My favorite one is "Love's Light". It stikes a chord with me. This one could be called, "You and I are so good together, but you can't see that, so I need to let you go before I become an emotional wreck."

For those who are VH fans because of "Everything You Want", then take this review with a grain of salt. The styles are quite different. But the songs here are great, writing is great, just something to listen to on a lazy afternoon.