Alternative Rock music reviews

Of all the bizarre places to find out about this cd...I was at Styx's website reading what Tommy Shaw is currently listening to and he mentioned that the band saw Buchanan's soundcheck at one of their shows and they were all blown away. I read the reviews here at Amazon and thought I'd give it a chance.

Boy, am I glad. I love this cd after just two listens. It's unlike most stuff I buy. It's a vocal album with great playing, arrangements and production. I love this guy's voice. And these guys can play, especially Todd Sanders, the bass player.

Like everyone else says - just buy it and you won't be sorry!

I can't stop listening to this band. I happened by chance to see them in LA and bought their CD. What an amazing voice Jay Buchanan has! This band has what it takes to make it BIG. If you buy this CD you won't regret it...I didn't!

One of these days, POW! All of a sudden, they'll know about you and your music. Good luck, you guys.

This album is fantastic. Extremely well-written, technical music. Everything about Between the Buried and Me is incredible. Paul Waggoner is my guitar idol.

I just bought the victory records enhanced version of this CD. Do Not Buy it. Whoever remastered made it sound terrible. To me the lifeforce version sounds kinda muddy and the singing parts were amazing, on the victory rerelease the singing sounds like a computer, esp. on song #1. So when you buy this cd try like hell to get the lifeforce release. Oh yeah dont forget to buy the Silent circus as well, that one is on victory (but they made that one sound amazing)

just hear both versions before you buy.

It's amazing how BTBAM can go from being so destructive to being so beautiful. To me that shows REAL talent. This CD helped revolutionize the hardcore scene. Unfortunately all the people in this world who don't truly appreciate music will never appreciate the technicallity of this album. I'm a lover of almost all music genre's because I'm a musician and respect creativity and talent. The drum work and guitar work on here is supurb and the lyrics are very creative with hardly any cliches. Notable tracks are More of Myself to Kill, Aspirations, and Shevanel Cut a Flip. This isn't for metal fans, but for lovers of music PERIOD.

A rare modern power pop masterpiece. I'm not a fan of christian rock, I am a fan of terrific power pop. I purchased this because of all the excellent reviews I saw on amazon.com about this CD. Trust me, after listening to this disc, the songs will not leave your head. Any fan of the Beatles or Squeeze will find this constantly in their CD players.

The Elms are so original and so strong musically and spiritually, they're in a league of their own. This is a great album that touches on a wide range of subjects with a consistently solid musicianship. The songs are very catchy, and the guitar in each is especially amazing. You'll love each song! They're all about the music...

As of one month ago, I had never heard of the Elms. I found this CD on sale, and bought it. It quickly became one of my favorite plays. I saw them play at Creation Fest West '03 and I was amazed: thier sheer performing presence and power blew away everyone in the audience; they were the talk of my camp for the remainder of the Festival. The Elms' fresh, unique style is something completely new to the Christian music industry. If you are looking for an innovative new Christian rock band, invest in The Elms- you will not regret it!
Favorite Songs:
Big Surprise
Hey, Hey
Real Men Cry

What can I say that hasn't been said? This is a must-own. It's true that it sounds a bit sonically dated, especially placed next to "Ring" (the other must-own by the Connells, if one were forced to pick just two), but you'll get over it, because the songs are just too insanely good not to.

So, of course, it went out of print. Know what, though? I'll bet it will be back.

The Connells created a true music lovers "album" when they released Boylan Heights. I say album in the sense that all songs flow into one another based on careful arrangement (a concept that didn't quite make it into the music of today, sadly). This is a cd that you'll want to play straight through without interuption as each song builds on the previous. Boylan Heights creates a mood and energy when you play it. Its stirring dark soundscapes are blended with that unmistakable-one-of-a-kind sound.....clean, jangly Rickenbacker guitars dance over solid bass and perfectly understated and timely drums !! This is arguably the best Connells cd from start to finish....that's not to say that there are not better songs on other cd's but Boylan Heights strength is that it is a complete musical work. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite song off this album because they are all so tightly wound together.....a classic in the minds of any and all that have heard it !! This is also a great starting place for those wanting to find out about the Connells....also equally great for other reasons is of course Fun & Games !!

Fabulous album. Scott's lament is a classic. When you go through an entire album and don't have a single bad song you know you've done well. The Connells at this point in their careers go do no wrong-this album is the quintessential album to buy (along with Fun & Games)

Though Trace Adkins has done his own version of "Break Down Here", I think Julie truly does justice with this song. She's a beautiful woman singing about heartbreak...and what more do you need to get someone's attention? Julie Roberts really sounds like the next big thing in Country music.

Though I don't own this CD Single, I have heard "Break Down Here" many times and I've seen the music video...plus I've heard little snippets of Julie's other songs, like "Wake Up Older" ... and those songs sound like they'll be huge hits! Check out Julie Roberts!

This CD is incredible! Both songs are exactly what country music needs to hear right now! I can't wait for the whole album to be released - I've heard it on the CMT webasite and it is even better!

The single is great, but make sure you don't miss the whole album!
Julie's whole cd is GREAT. My favorite songs would have to be "Unlove Me" and "Wake Up Older, although they are all fabulous. Julie has a great voice that's not heard everyday. I am sure she will be around for a long time to come! If you are a country fan, make sure not to miss this album!

...and Neil Hannon, the genius responsible for The Divine Comedy is certainly one of those people. the term "genius" is not a term that i use everyday in describing the average pop songwriter. but give a few listens to the albums of the Divine Comedy and you cannot help but feel that no one deserves that accolade more. his talent for penning perfect tunes is without question and it's done with such charm and wit and a smug cleverness that just sinks in. if you like really great music (and have a soft spot for some of the more "guilty pleasures" of pop) then you'll find yourself in the clutches of this band and you'll never escape!
Casanova is an amazing recording that still packs a dramatic punch after i've practically worn out my copy from repeated listens. one thing that i love about this band is that they are unashamed about being hopelessly romantics. in an age where loud guitars and grunge ruled the world, real feelings were about the last thing that people were singing about. it was all replaced with disenchanted youth screaming and cold electronica that had a digital blip instead of a pulse. this album's tracks like "Becoming More Like Alfie" and "Woman Of The World" display more hooks that a butcher's convention, and will be stuck in your head for...years!while songs like "Charge" and "Middle Class Heroes" have a distinct flair for the dramatic that actually gets a little *too* dramatic at times (but you still gotta love those cannons in "Charge"...nice touch). the instrumental "Theme from Casanova" is an instrumental gem that shines with a light and airy touch usually reserved for AM radio circa 1960.
overall, Casanova is a great album of wonderfully written pop songs that hold the delicate and the dramatic in perfect balance.

The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon is a true and (mostly)hidden talent. He is by far one of the best songwriters of the century (and as pretentious as that is to say, I really mean it) and his voice is fantastic. 1996's Casanova is a great album to start with for those out there who are curious about the band. With a style that is part orchestral swell and part high brow humor, Casanova will either pull you in, or make you roll your eyes. But that doesn't mean that Neil Hannon writes only funny songs -- just that he knows when to set seriousness aside. "Over the top" instrumentation and tongue in cheek lyrics abound as Casanova takes you to the "women of the world" and leaves you to wonder, "What was in that wood shed?" Truly brilliant.

And yet, this gem makes me feel like I have. It�s like Neil Hannon invented a brand new sound system, and called it "Eurovision". It makes you capable of catching every melody before the first verse is over. It compells you to follow the sardonic storytelling. It forces you to whistle and tap to the tunes. And then, it begins with what it does best: it surrounds you, gets under your pores, and places you in the middle of that half-lit street, staring at one of the stunning girls at the other side of the window of that coffee shop.

Atmosphere, they call it, and here it explodes. From the laughter at the beggining of "Something for the Weekend", to the horno-graphic climax in "A Woman of the World", going through the double morality of "The Frog Princess", this is love, seduction and a game of push-pull temptation at its best.

Better yet, the album (at least the edition I have does) includes "The Casanova Companion", collecting some songs from previous ones, as well as a couple of unreleased live performances, including a magnificent version of the American Music Club�s "Johnny Mathis�s Feet". Here, "Tonight we fly" got hold of me. A perfectly crafted tune, which can make you cry on a lonely friday night, laugh with the wind in your hair on saturday morning with the car rooftop down, or find you reminiscing on a sunday afternoon. Kind of a wild card.

Sometimes, there�s more to the flat, cold physical appearance of a disc.

I totally expected to love this album, but I find myself not listening to it much. Blessed Be and Window are great but the other tracks just didn't draw me in.. I've heard many of the songs from Storybook (also by them), and have loved them all.. I would suggest trying to find that (good luck)if possible.. If not this one gives you an idea of their sound.

I have had the honor of knowing these guys since the begining and I have to say they only get better with time. I wore out Storybook, (Thanks Nikki!). They are a great group of people. They are as honest and real as thier music. I promise you will fall in love with the music when you hear it.

Or, at least, their music has been there as my life changed. Ginger and Lynda are wonderful artists and wonderful people. I'm not sure how I would have gotten through some of the tougher times in my life without their music.

Blessed Be!

Great Cd all the way thru. My favorite cd of theirs. You can't descibe TKK. they are their own. Music today can't come close.

The TKK is probably the koolest band ever. Not really heavy nor soft music. Just despicable in their own way. So sleazy and evil that they're just fantastic. I can still pull this album out and listen to A Daisy Chain for Satan and never get tired of it. Not since 1990 has this album gotten boring or dated. These poor kids nowadays just don't know good music. They go on and on about crap like 'Sugar Ray' or 'Hootie blew my fish' and it just makes me want to vomit. At least there's good music like this for geezers like me, you know people in their mid to late twenties.

This album is amazing, very dark, gothic-esq, but still includes their seventies/funk/devil disco feel, which you have to love, something nobody has ever done better, or even came close to their style. "Days of Swine and Roses," is a classic track, with its quintessential gothic/dance melodic beat and disturbing lyrics.."Christian Zomibe Vampires.....I am the father of nothing, the father of blood" Kooler then Jesus is an amazing track, c'mon it's already called 'Kooler then Jesus," you can't beat that. The track was originally from a previously released 12inch, very good dancy track. Rind the Mindway is yet another good track, so is the disturbing Waiting for Mommie, as is Burning Dirt, hell this whole album is perfection. I would say this is their best if not their best album, basically because I feel partial to "Cuz it's hot," &"Daisy Chain for Satan," is actually at the end of cuz it's hot," on the single. This is a must album for this genre of music, and basically for any serious music lover. I got through high school with this album, maybe that makes me sound sick, but it was my savior...smiles I danced many a night to this track at clubs and parties when this was big, or with my group of friend's years ago. Now I'm an old man (29)...but listening to this brings back memories. Ok go now and buy it!

This is the first Danzig alblum I have ever purchased and I think it is outstanding!! I would recomend this to any rock and roll fan anywhere.

too DARN good for words... I'm trying to learn "I'm the one"

Danzig's debut introduced him into the world of metal, and for those who were fans of Samhain and early Misfits, they wanted to follow Danzig's career. With a new band (John Christ-guitars, Eerie Von-bass, Chuck Biscuits-drums) and a very blues-rock feel, Danzig was back. While the debut was a simplistic affair of good blues metal, LUCIFUGE introduces a more expanded pallette for Danzig.

Encompassing everything from blues to metal,rock to shuffle, LUCIFUGE is by far the most diversified album from Danzig's career. His vocal prowess on this album is equally as intoxicating, harnessing power that is missing from his later efforts. Musically, the album tends to shift from hard rockers ("Her Black Wings", "Long Way Back From Hell") to some boogie blues numbers ("I'm The One", "Killer Wolf"). This album is all over the rock map, and LUCIFUGE ranks as one of the bands best albums.

"Snakes of Christ" is flat-out a rewrite of the debut's "Twist of Cain", but it's irresistible flair will grab you and never let go. Likewise, "Her Black Wings" ranks with the band's best songs, with a sinister riff and a memorable chorus. "777" is devilish fun thanks to its bluesy slide guitar fade into the explosive chorus, and "Blood and Tears" is a sweet, tender ballad that has Danzig crooning his heart out. "Tired of Being Alive" is a standard but very memorable hard rock crunch, and the musical focus is dead-on. Even "Pain in the World" ends the album on a slightly aggressive note, making the listener aware that Danzig means business.

So while he would shift into straight blues-metal territory with the haunting and beautifully crafted HOW THE GODS KILL and then into straight metal with DANZIG 4, LUCIFUGE allowed the band to explore their fondness of blues, waltz, and shuffle-boogie with surprisingly astonishing results. With Danzig's vocals at the start of his prime and the music beginning to take shape, LUCIFUGE is a tightly constructed, impressive musical collection.

high my name is Buzz Osborne and i hate you. Joe Preston is a D bag. Let god be yer gardener. buy my records, all of them. especially this one cuz its one of the best. cuz Joe Preston's not on it. man do i hate him.

Who would've expected an album with a bright blue cover showcasing a fruit basket and a little glass of wine would be one of the heaviest ever written? I certainly did not. And for all the talk about the Melvins being some kinda punk band, or grunge band, or whatever they get lumped into, this is pure originality and pure DOOM power. Dale's drums are as precise and thunderous and any drummer I've ever heard and Buzzo's riffs twist, turn and slam into those spot-on rhythms. Any fan of heavy music at all and doom fans in particular must pick this up immediately. I don't listen to nearly as much metal as I used to but I find myself coming back to this again and again. Brilliant.

Oh my. This album is the heaviest album I have ever heard. The whole album sounds like this - imagine having your feet glued to the ground and a giant 8 ton rock is slowly crushing your body. Pretty damn heavy, right? This album makes Black Sabbath sound like The Beatles. And I LOVE Black Sabbath!

But seriously, folks. You have to get your hands on this album. And I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM IN A ROOM AS DARK AS YOU CAN GET IT. Turn it way up. Wayyy up. The experience might frighten you, but it is soo great. There were times during the album when I just had to shake my head in disbelief - this is TOO heavy. How can people make music like this?

Let's take Boris. Massively heavy riff repeating throughout the song. And Dale Crover's drums is basically one big fill. You actually cannot tap your foot or bang your head to this because of the magnificent Crover. Just try to, then give up, frustrated.

Other brilliant tunes include Anaconda and Ligature - just BRUTALLY heavy. It's Shoved has the same riff as Nirvana's "Milk It", except theirs has pauses in the riff, this one is just walking. This album came out 2 years before they did Milk It, so... Zodiac and Your Blessened are good. Buzz does some good tortured vocals on one of these tunes (can't remember actually, too busy drooling over the heavy guitar and bass). If I Had an Exorcism might be the tortured vocals one, actually. I THINK IT IS. That one is short, I believe. Your Blessened is good. They all are. Cow is one of the standouts - one of the best drum solos I've ever heard. However, 'Toad' and 'Moby Dick' are better (even though they both are the exact same thing - hooky pop riff, really long drum solo, hooky pop riff.) This thing is just massive pile of sludge riff and awesome drum solo. Dale Crover is not a fast, extremely technical drummer like Neil Peart (wanker). Frankly, Crover could kill him. Dale is just wailing on the drums. He's like a heavy handed brute who's been given a drum set and some sticks.

Brilliant album. If you like music that's so powerful you might get scared, buy this. Hell, if you have ears, buy this. Or download it, or get it burned from one of your friends, I don't care. ACQUIRE THIS ALBUM.