Alternative Rock music reviews

These guys prove on this album that they have talent, but can they back it up. They seem kind of confused. I am not sure if they know where they want to go with their music. I thought I would like the variety on the album, but I am not too sure. My favorite song on this album is Mislaid the Key because I love the mix between the blues and the hip hop. It is definately worth a listen, check them out.

This album really grew on me after 2 or 3 listens. "Down" starts of this great album with an acoustic guitar and impressive vocal stylings before the bass, drums, and guitars kick in; this opening moment is an accurate indication of the powerfully expansive musical abilities Moke possess. Moke keeps their crunchy modern rock songs interesting by changing from softer slow to mid tempo stuff to a faster and edgier style with in the same song. Moke's lead singer, John Hogg, has a great voice and delivery (his vocal style/delivery is very similar to Chris Cornell's style (I do emphasize *style* here and not *sound*)). Although this issue from Moke is less meloncholy and a bit more uptempo than Chris Cornell's "Euphoria Morning" both albums display the same impressive range of eclectic musical stylings, making them better with each listen. Hogg's voice really is the strongest part of this young British band. Hogg has a graceful sounding voice (which can beautifully hold the higher falsetto notes) which works well with the carefully plucked guitars and minimal, yet well-timed, drums and bass work. Furthermore, Hogg possesses an authentic ability to sing energetically and rock out on songs such as "Down" and "Wheel In Motion." These guys are really talented. I would recommend getting both of Moke's albums (this one first though). My favorite tracks on this album are: Mislaid the Key, My Desire, Down, Wheel In Motion, and Sleepyhead. I would recommend this lesser-known band to any fan of good music, and definitley to anyone who likes Counting Crows or Chris Cornell's solo album. Enjoy!

i like moke. i saw them @ the park opposite my house of all places!! they were brilliant, and i've never really recovered from being blown away by their huge sound... that night i spent the entire evening on the internet trying to find out about them - because all the other bands playing there were unsigned, i thought they were.. but they were huge, and i didn't realise! anyway - they're great. album rules

Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart catches the Campers at the height of their powers. The tension between David Lowery's country-rock nihilism and the rest of the band's art-folk nihilism is in perfect balance here, one album before that tension ultimately drove the band apart. They ambitiously weave heavy-metal-style power-guitar solos with precision mandolin work, politics with traditional folk, and even slyly sample Michael Stipe in concert as "She Divines Water" deconstructs itself before its coda. Not their most accessible work--Key Lime Pie would fit that bill--but for the connoisseur of quirky 1980s pop, this is one of the finest works of the decade.

Camper Van Beethoven were quite a revelation to many in their day. They were a college alternative band who appealed to those who grew up listening to classic rock but were a little disenchanted with the eighties sound (ie MTV, drum machines, lack of tempo changes, and say..heavy metal). In my opinion, Camper was second to only REM as far as offering anything interesting as a new band to discover. This album, along with Key Lime Pie, are their two finest, combing excellent songwriting with a more honed-in production. All of the band's prior work was excellent as well; it offered more experimental songs using many different instuments and styles accompied by a humorous and satirical outlook. The last two albums, however, prove to be an admirable progression for the band. One should not try to "figure out" Camper's music all at once, but should give it several tries. The music has not aged one bit over the years, and it is heartening to see these recordings re-released. Camper deserves a place as a cult band available for many to discover down the line.

This is an unbelievably outstanding album. Collected herein are both the silly oopahs and the melodramatic fiddling of the Russian steppe. It is so eclectic and with so many changes that you will not tire of it quickly.

With this album Camper captured a lasting sound for themselves. If you want an entry album for this band, this is it.

Dowd's first album, Wrong Side of Memphis, is good, but this, his second, is positively a revalation. Eschewing the determinedly low-fidelity nature of that affair, here he comes out swinging with a full band and a warped, creative production. It isn't perfect--the second half is, it must be noted, somewhat less consistent than the first--but it nonetheless represents another triumph for Our Man Johnny.

One of the most striking components of this album is the incomparable Kim Sherwood-Caso. She did backing lyrics for a few songs on Wrong Side of Memphis, but they weren't very prominent, and, although they did their job perfectly well, one didn't get the impression that any similar singer couldn't have done a comparable job. Here, however, she plays a much more prominent role, to dazzling effect. The first time you hear her bursting in on the choruses of 'Worried Mind' and 'God Created Woman,' it's like the end of the world, and her atmospheric contributions to other songs, if less immediately striking, are no less skillful.

But that's not all this album has to offer. Elsewhere, there's the unhinged raving of 'Butcher's Son.' There's the ethereal atmospherics of 'Vietnam.' There's the quiet, unsettling 'hidden' track. And of course there's 'Just Because.' You may at first think is just sort of goofy, but when you have the chorus stuck in your head for days on end, you'll be singing a different tune. And it features the line "woman loves a man like morphine loves pain." Right on.

Amazingly, it would get even better on Dowd's third album, Temporary Shelter. Nevertheless, Pictures from Life's Other Side is a remarkable piece of work. If you like a bit of ominous weirdness in your music, it's a sure thing.

Woody Guthrie meets Tom Waits - Johnny Dowd is one of the most unique and intriguing artists around today. "Pictures..." is quinessential Dowd, with dark lyric mixed with both country, folk, and rock melodies. My favorite album of his (and his extremely talented band) to date.

I'll let the individual 'songs' here sing/speak for themselves.This kinda music...warped country/folk/rural sing-song melodies about things best not mentioned, the underbelly of the everyday you and I can only imagine. His drawl will remind you of all the previous people mentioned...also throw in Leon Russell and Dr. John the Night Tripper. What elevates the music here are the off-beat backgroud sounds and vocal loops. Compared to the minimalist format of Wrong Side of Memphis...this cd as well as Temporary Shelter provide a greater density to the sinister under/overtones of his twisted worldview.

This collection includes all the songs that were written for Schoolhouse Rock. There is a lot of nostalgia here for those of us who grew up in the '70s. I enjoy almost all of the songs, but the ones that were added after i grew up have less appeal to me. The Multiplication Rock songs sound the best, since they were taken from the master tapes. Most of the other songs were recorded directly from the cartoons, so they aren't in stereo and they include the sound effects from the cartoons. This generally isn't too bad, but I find the abundance of sound effects on "No More Kings" to be somewhat annoying. One other minor complaint: the "Scooter Computer and Mr. Chips" songs are too dated. Computer technology advanced so fast that they were almost immediately obsolete. But fans of Schoolhouse Rock should still get this collection. To quote Lisa Simpson, "this is one of those campy '70s throwbacks that appeals to Generation Xers."

Anyone born before 1980 remembers the time when cartoons were only played during the day on Saturday mornings (before Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Toon Disney came along). Your Mom couldn't blast you out of bed before 7 a.m. on a weekday, but your internal 'toon clock got you up at 6:30 a.m. to watch Saturday morning cartoons. And inbetween shows, there was a brilliant little series of short musical toons called "Schoolhouse Rocks". Back in the days before Hooked On Phonics or Baby Einstein, these shorts taught multiplying, english grammar, history, and science, all set to fun music and cool blues tunes. In this clever boxed set, you get all four series on CD, averaging about 12 to 14 songs per CD. It's a reasonable price for a boxed set (around 45-50 bucks)and totally worth it! Even kids today know "Conjunction Junction" and "I'm Just a Bill", but haven't heard "Naughty Number Nine", "No More Kings", "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get You Adverbs", or "Tax Man Max". It's fun to listen to these songs and remember the words. I bought these for my kids to listen to in the car, and now a new generation is adopting them as their own. We love them, and so will you.

My 3 year old grandson enjoys this and all the SCHOOL HOUSE ROCKS CD's. I didn't have such wonderful educational tools for my children so I feel so excited to be able to give it to my grandkids. I have found another CD set that we are thrilled about called SRIPTURE ROCK and ROCK THE WORD. Both of these sets capture and keep a child's attention and imagination and when used together, give any child a well rounded foundation.

This is KD Lang's tribute to Patsy Cline. Lang has a greater range than Cline, though I think that Cline still outdoes Lang in stirring the emotions of the listener. But the album is well-crafted, well-sung and I find it hard to imagine that anyone who likes music would not enjoy this album. I have listened to it probably 200 times over the past ten years and never tire of it.

My favorite track on this is "Shadowland" . . . try singing along with it . . . it's impossible. Lang is one of those artists, like Sinatra, who can nuance a song in a completely unique and untouchable way.

Of all the KD Lang discs I own (I have Ingenue, her greatest hits record, and All You Can Eat), this one has the most universal appeal.

This may very well be the finest CD I have ever come across. kd shows absolute perfection on every note in every song. I have extra copies so I can have one in the car, one by the hot tub and one in the family room - just in case. What a superb voice!!! This is what singing is really all about.

Kd Lang is ,in my opinion,the best North American female voice of her time.But not all of her Cds are as satisfying as this one.This one shows the Nashville influenced side of Kathryn Dawn Lang as arranged by Owen Bradley who also produced Patsy Cline.In songs like BLACK COFFEE,the title track and I WISH I DIDN'T LOVE YOU SO she passionately and contemporarily delivers tunes written way before her time.She sings DON'T LEt THE STARS...a 50's hit with
unique vigor and belts out the CHris ISaak penned WESTERN STARS so appropriately as the disk opener.It was the first Kd Cd I ever bought and what an introduction it was!

I don't listen to much country music so I'm definitely not an expert, but I really like this CD. The singer has the perfect tortured inflection to his voice for this kind of old-school country. Each song is another heartache rendered by a group of very good musicians. If you're tired of the current crop of pop-country music, you should give The Star Room Boys a try.

For this many people to have written reviews for a group you have never heard of is a testament to how good this CD is . Relisten to it about every 3 months and its just as good each time .

These guys are great. I wish I had of caught them live while they were still together. I've have both the SRB CDs and never tire of them. If you like a classic country sound, I can't imagine you not loving this CD. I don't know of any other contemporay performers that do straight-up stuff like this. Fingers are crossed, hoping Dave Marr's artistic life isn't over.

Chris Vrenna's Tweaker project has grown. Whereas "The Attraction to All Things Uncertain" was a decent album that showed a lot of good ideas but sometimes felt a bit too much like Vrenna's old employer, "2 a.m. Wakeup Call" is a step in the right direction. Inspired largely by his wife's insomnia, and joined this time by songwriting/construction partner Clint Walsh, vrenna delivers a much more varied and satisfying listen.

All in all, the album holds together nicely, with a dark and subdued tone, hinting at frustration, tension and impatience. It works significantly better as a statement, with the vocalist feeling additive rather than opposing as they often felt on the previous album. The music ranges from goofy and bouncey to subdued and minimalist to explosive, loud and aggressive. And while gues Robert Smith probably steals the show with his almost lazy sounding vocal on the constantly shifting "Truth Is", the whole record has got its moments, from the nearly Jane's Addiction energy of "It's Still Happening" to the delicate and plodding "Crude Sunlight" to the unnervingly haunting and brilliant Tones on Tail cover, "Movement of Fear".

It's not quite the masterpiece you'd like it to be, but its a rather good record, and its well worth the investment for fans of unique music. Recommended.

. . . and the best album I've heard in a long while.

"ruby" - sounds like an uncertain netherworld that lies between consciousness and sleep. Employs a style similar to my still favorite tweaker track ("linoleum") which involves punctuating a gorgeous song with roaring guitars. This one's a killer, and Will Oldham has such a haunting voice. ***** INCREDIBLE

"cauterized" - an ominous instrumental. Creating palpable atmospheres you can virtually slide into doesn't get any better than this album . . . *****

"worse than yesterday" - Chris Vrenna is so much more than a mere percussionist, but the electronic rhythms he creates are in a class of their own. This particular song is a real downer, but a beautiful one. ****1/2

"truth is" - this slinky track features Robert Smith in a somewhat tragicomic serial-seducer mode, like a misogynist buttering up his prey. Unlike some other reviewers here, I'm a HUGE Cure fan. Obviously Chris Vrenna is as well, and many of the excellent electronic sounds used here were pioneered by the Cure. I'll concede that The Cure's latest self-titled release was a disappointment (and the singing was harder than ever for Cure detractors to take), but Smith pulls off a luscious lower key register on "truth is." The track is loaded with dripping electronics and pounding drum muscle at the chorus - it's one of the coolest tracks I've heard Smith on in a while. ****1/2

"remorseless" - a jarring, infectious techno track. ****1/2

"pure genius" - is a further exploration of what is probably a diabolically psychotic mind. Or maybe it's about a master card shark . . . gotta say, I really love Vrenna's taste in music and/or guest singers - David Sylvian's discography is another one of my obsessions. "pure genius" has a really sexy lounge-jazz feel to it, but it's also kinda creepy . . . *****

"it's still happening" - this song is HIGH: it's my favorite track on 2 A.M. WAKEUP CALL. Worth the price of admission alone . . . the singer has an otherworldly, almost Middle-Eastern voice and the vibe is ecstatic. ***** TIPS THE GOD SCALE

"2 a.m." - what will really blow you away is the incredible musicianship all over the album. This particular track has tuneful, twinkling guitar and out-of-this-world orchestration. Peaceful and uplifting. *****

"movement of fear" - written in part by Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins (Bauhaus, Love & Rockets - yet more artists I love). This song sounds like it could be one of the best things these guys ever did. The singer sounds like it might be Daniel Ash, but he isn't credited (- who's singing?). Thundering atmosphere with synths that drip like hot glue, an excellent Spanish-tinged trumpet - this song is yet another highlight in an album of highlights. *****

"sleepwalking away" - sounds like it could've been a great Siouxsie B-side (some of her best songs are "downside up") - polyrhythms abound and the chorus is fantastically punky. But the singer is actually Nick Young - clearly a new voice to listen for. *****

"the house I grew up in" - we're getting deep into the night as indicated by some random network on T.V. signing off into the wires with "America the Beautiful," followed by static and Johnny Marr's expertly strummed acoustic guitar. Marr certainly proves he is still in the upper echelon of guitarists on this track. It's an extremely moving instrumental. *****

"crude sunlight" - a record needle repeating the rhythm of a run-out groove gets transformed into a sensuous snare drum, then guest singer Jennifer Charles uses her oh-so-sexy voice to slice open her heart for us and pour out her darkest recesses. This cut squeezes my soul - it's also the best track on the album. ***** TRIP-HOP IN SEVENTH HEAVEN ECSTASY

. . . destined to be an all-time favorite.

An excellent blend of Electronical- Industrial music and mellow Pop. Could'nt have been done better, Chris Vrenna is a genious. This an album that both industrial genre rockers and modern pop connoisseur can enjoy. I think that perfect circle and postal service are the greatest groups to surface recently and Tweaker is an beautiful consolidation of the 2 genres.

Out of 25 shows in the European Bootleg series, this one from Hamburg, Germany takes the prize (barely)from the Praha show. Everything is clicking, thundering, and even stumbling the way it's supposed to. The band and the crowd do not let technical difficulties (only a few) get in their way of having a rip-roaring good time. If you can only afford one or two of these Official Bootlegs, this is Pearl Jam at it's best.

Arguably the greatest rock band of the 90's, Pearl Jam still has it nine years after the release of their breakthrough album "Ten." They rock the house in Hamburg, Germany. After all the disputes that have plauged the history of America's relationship with Germany, the German fans were astonished enough to rave "U.S.A.,U.S.A.,U.S.A.,U.S.A." This goes to show the effect that Pearl Jam has had, not only on the U.S., but internationally as well. The powerfull voice of Eddie Vedder brings the crowd to their feet from "Evenflow" all the way to their cherished "Who" cover, "Baba O' Riley." Pearl Jam sounds better than ever in this CD. The only way I could enjoy Pearl Jam more than listening to this album is to see them live first hand.

Disclaimer: Owner of all 72 official PJ bootlegs. The city of Hamburg, where the Beatles were allowed to hone their chops before conquering the Earth, is still rockin' after all these years. They've got one of the most enthusiastic and energetic crowds of any of Pearl Jam's European shows, and the band returns the favor by delivering a performance of non-stop intensity. This is surely one of the highlights of the European section of the bootleg series, and is a good sampler if you're looking for an example of a heavy, no-nonsense show. Instead of starting off with a ballad as usual (to build the tension), here the band plows straight into some of their heaviest rave-ups - "Breakerfall," "Corduroy," "MFC," and "Go" - and go straight for the throat. The intensity of this performance barely lets up, even on some of the ballads. The performances on the quieter "Faithful," "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter..." and "Present Tense" are sharp and transcendent. Meanwhile, Matt Cameron delivers a muscular groove to propel an extra strong jam session in "Daughter." Even the problems are pretty good in this show. During the rare "Rival," Stone Gossard's amp dies during the second verse. This actually sounds pretty interesting, as the song accidentally takes on a sparse and dark feel. Everything was working tonight, even the technical glitches. There's an interesting moment in the encore when Eddie Vedder leads the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" for Jeff Ament, and it wasn't even his birthday. Apparently the last time they were in town, it was his birthday. Other surprises include the tour's first appearance of "Crazy Mary," which sends the surprised crowd into an emotional frenzy. This song would then appear often in America. Also, the Who's "Baba O'Riley" makes its first appearance, and Pearl Jam's rendition of this classic is flawless, right down to Mike McCready's transformation of the fidgety synthesizer lines into screaming guitar solos.

i really like the pixies, surfer rosa was amazing and so was come on pilgram and doolittle. and then they broke up Black Francis became Frank Black and Kim Deal played with The Breeders. Well Joey Santiago played with Frank Black a little bit, but he also is the guitarist on this album. playing guitar on Holly McNarland's Stuff.

I enjoy this album Holly is a great signer, lyrics are okay, some of the best pixies inspired canadian pop. also check out Matthew Good Band both are from Vancouver.

I remember "Numb" and "Elmo" and "Coward" being well played singles in Canada at the time of this albums release, pick it up... but don't pay too much i got mine for $3

Usually, when I get a CD, I put it in and immediately start pushing the scan button to hear everything. Most often, I end up getting to the last track and removing the CD because nothing grabbed me. But with this disk, I put it in earlier and am on track 7 without scanning. I want to hear every song. It's very nice. She is pleasing to hear and some of the lyrics are already starting to jump out at me, which is refreshing. She has sort of a Cranberries meets Ani Difranco sound, but both of their best qualities, not the stuff that makes me not buy some of their stuff. She does b*tch rock with a vengance and turns around and tells sadness beautifully. I'm impressed.

Amazing razor sharp lyrics and the perfect songs make this my favorite female rock cd of all time. Absolutely playable from beginning to end without any bullsh*t filler songs to be found.

My favorite tracks are UFO, Porno mouth, Elmo, I won't stay, Numb and Coward (in that order). Mystery song is sexy, something to strip to lol*

I saw Holly at Commodore two years ago and she is every bit as good live. Check her out if you have the chance. I recommend this cd, it's the best.

this cd has some gems on it... but there are just too many people doing too many different things and the cd just comes out a jumbled mess... but if your willing to sort through the mess i'm pretty sure there's something for everyone on this album... there are four songs that i absolutely love and probably four others that i absolutely can't stand... the rest are just decent... so basically i would still reccommend buying this album just don't expect it to be one of those cd's you're going to want to listen to start to finish...

I am friends with the members of Bargain Music and it seems a lot of you are confused about their roots. They have been making music for quite some time and are definately not ripping off Sublime or Slightly Stoopid. In fact, they are friends with the members of Slightly Stoopid, and also hung out with Sublime when they were still up and coming. The members, especially Josh, are extremely talented and cannot be compared to any other band. Their sound is unique, there live performance is awesome, and if you enjoy bands like Sublime and Stoopid, I am sure you will also appreciate the talent of this band.
If you havent anything nice to say...and don't have your facts straight...don't say anything at all.

bargain music is very talented. coming right from long beach, their music is heavily influenced by reggae and the surrounding music scene Sublime left. The singer Josh has a very strong voice and sings with a lot of soul. This cd displays a variety of genres and shows the talent of this group. highly recommended.