Alternative Rock Compilations music reviews

With any compilation album, you are taking some risks. Much like the editor reviewed, the Grammy Nominees series is a bit classier than some other compilation albums.

You tend to get a slightly higher quality grouping of songs than those found on the NOW or Totally Hits series. This one is no exception. There's some good music here to appeal to a wide variety of people.

The only downside to this album, much like any compilation, is that you have to accept what someone else considers a "hit", deserving to be on the CD.

In my honest opinion, there are a couple of things that would really help compilation albums come out with a bit better quality.

1. Don't use radio edit or edited for content versions of songs. I realise this isn't exactly something considered "family friendly" with some artists, particularly someone like Eminem. Yet, to me, it shows a serious lack of respect for an artist to only releases edited versions of their music. You don't see people selling statues of David wearing pants, why do the same to music?

2. To be considered a true "hit", a song should make it to #1 on the Billboard charts at least once. It should also stay there for more than one week. I've seen a number of compilation albums of so-called "hits", that include songs that never broke the top 20 on Billboard. Just because a song gets a lot of airtime, doesn't necessarily mean it's a good song. Radio tends to seriously overplay a lot of music. That should never be used as a basis in judgeing a song to be a "hit" or a flop.

3. Don't try to appeal to every possible audience at once. Find one demographic and stick with it. True, some people like myself, enjoy a wide variety of music. However, your typical rap fan isn't going to be into teen pop. Just like your typical metal head isn't going to be into soft rock. Trying to include something for everyone tends to water down a compilation album. One general style or type of music should be the focus of any good compilation, and it should stay as true to that one type as possible throughout. Most compilation albums come far from that.

That being said, this is a good CD and one worth picking up. I lost interest in the NOW series after the 7th or 8th one released. I lost interest in the Totally Hits series after the 3rd or 4th one released. The Grammy Nominees series is one that I still see a lot of potential for. It's not perfect, but no compilation album ever will be.

I like "Say My Name," "Music," "Bye Bye Bye," "Beautiful Day," "Sexx Laws," "The Real Slim Shady," "What A Girl Wants," and I sort of like "Oops!...I Did It Again." Be warned-a LOT of this is rock and pop, so if you're not a big fan of either, you will not like this CD. I have to agree with the fact that some of the songs on here were not hits-and some of them aren't good, either. ^^; By the way....I think people should stop being so friggin concerned about foul language and be more concerned about lyrical content in songs. I'd prefer they leave both alone, but I find it comical that they allow Eminem to talk about Tom Green humping a moose and 'jerking because this whole bag of Viagra isn't working' and *ahem* what Christina Aguilera 'did to him' backstage and yet heaven forbid we hear him say the word s***. Kinda ironic.

"Grammy Nominees 2001" was the first Grammy compilation to really break out into diversity (even "1995" was kinda safe). Within seventeen(17) songs; we range from current popular music (Destiny's Child, Eminem), old favorites (Paul Simon, Madonna) and more "aquired tastes" (Beck, Radiohead). The album has a number of weak tracks; but it flows so well that we don't mind them that much. The album covers nominees for Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.
(1) Destiny's Child "Say My Name" A. An especially tight R&B track with some inventive and intelligent content. Darkchild's production is very slick and the girls' have very mesmerizing voices. Every second of the song is flowing with a certain pulsating urgent ness, and it represents a huge comeback after the not-so-great "Bug-A-Boo". It's good to hear R&B from a more questioning side verses tragic side.
(2) Macy Gray "I Try" B-. This is a beautifully written song with heartfelt lyrics, made unsucessful by one factor: Macy's voice. Her voice is very weak and not very appealing, thus she detracts from the impact of her work. This song would be much better if someone else sung it.
(3) Madonna "Music" A. Collaborating with Will Orbit was THE best choice Madonna ever made. The beats provide an original and inventive flow for this compelling dance tune about dancing. In an age where dance has become somewhat generic, this is an inventive one with alot of techno influences.
(4) 'N Sync "Bye Bye Bye" A. It's easy to dismiss this as a meaningless pop song; but hey, those songs are often very fun. By keeping a short time length, this manages to be a catchy, refreshing and highly entertaining piece of work. It may not be too much; yet it is total sucess at what it wants to be.
(5) U2 "Beautiful Day" A. This marked U2's comeback after the less than brilliant "Pop" LP. Light, relaxed, touching, almost philosophical song that ranks up there with U2's best (and that's saying something). There's been alot of failed rock music in recent years; U2 come back and shows how it SHOULD be done.
(6) Beck "Sexx Laws" B+. I have no idea what this song is about and, in a way, don't care. As usual Beck has made a catchy, original and highly energized track. The horn arrangments alone are so inventive that they grab the ears' attention. So good to see an artist who does things his way.
(7) Eminem "The Real Slim Shady" A+. Here's an artist who always does his own thing and stands out from the crowd. This is a hands-down brilliant rap song with umapologetic, biting, hilarious lyrics that carry a bold message. There will never be another Eminem, and that's a relief. "The Real Slim Shady" is THE best song of 2000, and the still young millenium.
(8) Radiohead "Optimistic" B. Stands out from over half the music out there in originality, yet seems a little standard for Radiohead. It may feel as if the group is falling behind on their own formula. Not great Radiohead, but still captivating alernative rock with true heart.
(9) Paul Simon "You're The One" B+. Sometimes it's pathetic when old artists try to make new music, but this is a very good pop ballad. Paul Simon sounds just as good as ever and his lyrics are light and very heartfelt. A small little gem.
(10) Steely Dan "Cousin Dupree" C-. No matter how much craft has been put in this song, it still fails because of the content. The very thought of someone trying to make out with his cousin is just unappealing and wrong. Listener's don't want to hear this colassal miscalculation.
(11) Christina Aguilera "What A Girl Wants" B. A light, catchy pop tune that just isn't anything new. It may a little too soft, yet you can't really complain too much when the song so willing to please. An enjoyable listen, even if it's unnessacary.
(12) Aimee Mann "Save Me" A. This is a song for anyone who complains pop music has grown meaningless. A beautiful, deep and powerful song that pierces both the mind and heart. A great pop song, from a great movie ("Magnolia").
(13) Joni Mitchell "Both Sides Now" D. This may quite possibly be the weakest female voice I've ever heard. Her voice has no strength or conviction; feels as if she's just reading the lyrics of a sheet. Everything is also dragged out to the exetent that you'll start falling asleep.
(14) Britney Spears "Oops!...I Did It Again" D+. It may be lively, yet it has absolutley no substance. This isn't a song; it's promotional tool for Britney's image. Never entertaining at any point; the bridge towards the end reveals how laughable the entire thing is. What a mess.
(15) Backstreet Boys "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" A-. Another example of the BSBs' mastery of the pop ballad. The song is touching. heartfelt and filled with beautiful images. Delivery is a very crucial part of any song; and this song has an graceful one.
(16) Barenaked Ladies "Pinch Me" B+. Lays back just like #5, this one is a bit more specific with content, very easing. It has the ability to bring forth memories and nostalgia; which is a hard feat to accomplish for any type of music.
(17) The Corrs "Breathless" A. A perfect pop tune. Its light, catchy, fun and completely enjoyable. A triumph on both the vocal AND insturmental levels. The song is destined to put a smile on your face and warm your heart with beautiful lyrics and beats.
Bottom Line: ***1/2. This truely is an album with something for EVERYONE. You won't find Paul Simon, 'N Sync and Eminem together on too many albums. I acctually wish that the album had more tracks on it; Marc Anthony, Sisqo, Faith Hill and Papa Roach were all contendors in top categories as well. This is a VERY diverse collection of music at the dawn of the new millenium.

This quirky CD is the perfect example of the fact that there is an endless number of great songs out there in search of a great interpretation. I did not realized until listening to this CD what a beautiful song "Annie's Song" is. The music industry needs people like this-- people with great voices and interpretive talent to record the already existing great songs. It reminds me of Al Green's version of To Sir With Love. Who would have thought....

My mother used to have a well loved and beat-up copy of a two lp john denver live album. She would always play it on saturday mornings when she was cleaning the house. I associate songs like Matthew, the Eagle and the Hawk, Poems Prayers and Promises etc. with morning sun, the smell of pine-sol and lemon pledge and my mother's strong alto pulling me into another childishly happy morning.

I discovered Mark Kozelek through his work as Sun Kil Moon. Their first album was an instant favorite. Right from track one, standing at a listening station in a Borders bookstore back home in Indiana, I knew I needed this music.

John Denver counts as a guilty pleasure for alot of people beacuse he was so resolutely uncool. He was an optimist, a new age-ey mystic AND a country flavored folk singer.
His craft though, at its height, was undeniable. His melodies are absolute human classics and his lyrics bear a soul that may not have ever been in danger of being hip but seemed genuinely good.

Kozelek and his gathered cohorts pay wonderful tribute to that fact on this sincere and fitting collection. Each song stands as a coherent interpretation and a pleasent re-invention.

This collection is likely the closest John Denver will ever get to being "hip" and perhaps he's not entirely out of place.

The first concert I ever went to was to see John Denver and to this day when I drive through the Rocky Mountains I have to listen to his original "Greatest Hits" album. We first heard about John Denver for writing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and singing "Take Me Home (Country Roads)," but he became identified in my mind with Colorado and "Rocky Mountain High." But there was more than the glorification of nature in his music, and my favorite John Denver songs are "Poems, Prayers and Promises" and "Rhymes and Reasons," which can certainly be accused of being more spiritual than commercial in essence.

I stumbled on "Take Me Home: A Tribute to John Denver" because I was going on one of my periodic searches to find interesting covers versions of songs I like and I stumbled across the Rachel Hayden cover of "Poems, Prayers and Promises" on this album. In contrast with the moody and somber approaches taken by most of the artists on this album, Hayden provides a rather perky pop take on the song, with some interesting harmonies in the chorus. It is very different, but that is what is interesting.

That approach is clear from the opening track of the album, "The Eagle and the Hawk" by Bonnie Prince Billy. The shortest of all John Denver songs, this is another personal favorite because of the guitar introduction. But Billy just sings the song a cappella in a simple haunting manner that gives you no other options but to listen to the lyrics this time around. As soon as he starts singing you know that this is a tribute album to someone who has died too song. The other defining element is that these are not artists that you would think of as being anything remotely close to John Denver. But they must have listened to him in their youth and compelled them to pay their respects to his music in their own manner.

For example, it seems the Red House Painters only sings songs of haunting sadness as a means of purging emotions, and their two tracks her are decidedly in that spirit. The sparse instrumentation and Mark Kozelek's introspective vocals emphasize the confessional aspects of "I'm Sorry." But the group relies entirely on almost wall of sound instrumentation to turn "Fly Away" into a dirge (A commentary on the circumstances of Denver's death? Perhaps). At the other end of the spectrum there is "Follow Me" by the Innocence Mission, where Karen Peris' vocals remind me of Melanie (the folk singer, not either of the Spice Girls).

Despite the often quite moody approaches often taken to Denver's songs (e.g., Low's "Back Home Again"), I think many of his fans will be open to what these artists are doing with his songs. Granted, chances are they will not find everything here to their liking. But there will be a couple of songs here that will catch their fancy. Most of these songs might be somber and moody, but they are certainly respectful and I cannot help but thinking with many of these tracks that these artists are literally performing them as if they were at the funeral (cf. "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by Jason & The Scorchers or "Rocky Mountain High" by the Yonder Mountain String Band ).

...don't buy this CD. Most of this is emo, and quite a bit of it is meandering and not particularly catchy. There are a few good bands on this CD--enough to merit maybe listening to it once or twice, but it's not worth your time if you're an actual punk fan. It has an interesting mix of music, but it doesn't fit together too well. The upsides to this compilation are as follows: one, the Dropkick Murphys song, and two, it's inexpensive. However, it's even less expensive to just forget about buying this CD at all.

Some of the reviews of this comp seem to be narrow minded. If you've ever listened to the other punk o ramas you'd see that this cd follows the trend though Epitaph seems to be broadening its selection slightly. This cd has most of the regulars and adds a few newbies to punkorama like Atmosphere, Eyedea, and Error. Hiphop artists like Sage Francis and Atmosphere have been traversing into the punk scene lately and it makes a lot of sense to include them in the punkoramas. All in all, this cd was pieced together very well and has a ton of good songs. Well worth it for about $5.

I see a lot of reviewers have said that this was the 1st punk
o rama cd they have heard, same here. I enjoyed much of this.
" scatter the ashes, division of laura lee, the matches, rancid,
tiger army.." All good songs by those groups. But what in the world is the rap doing on here? This is a punk cd. Was that put on there as a joke? I had to go, " what is this?" Mabye it was rap bands down with the punk scene? Who cares. There's only 3 rap songs. I think a lot of people will be dissapointed because there is no emo or whinny garbage that many of you are used to. Oh and cibo moto i would not say as punk or slayer whoever wrote that. You might be dissapointed at some songs that are not really punk at all. Like: " the special goodness-life goes by". OK its not punk, but that was only a surprise for me. Its a really good song. Whatever, not for anyone not willing to have an open mind at all the songs here. Because there is some really good stuff here. It will make you want to check out all the other
punk o rama cds too.

I have one thing to say about this. Total Request of the Music Corporations. Go get some real music.

I am not really the intended audience for this CD. I have never seen TRL, and I'm not very familar with most of the perfromers here. Having said that, this is a surpisingly decent CD. There is only one really bad track, by Little T and One Track Mike. The rest of the tracks are at least decent, and some are very good. I particularly enjoyed the songs by blink-182, Weezer, Smash Mouth and Jimmy Fallon. There are a few songs here, like "Rock the Party", that aren't really Christmas songs. But it is a Christmas CD that the TRL crowd should enjoy.

Most of the songs aren't very good on here. But there are a couple highlights. First, ANGELA VIA's "CHRISTMAS WISH"! That song is beautiful beyond words. Second, WILLA FORD's "SANTA BABY"! It's fun, hip, and makes for a great non-Christmas spirit holiday song. All in all, this is a bad compilation. But the two aforementioned tracks, especially Angela Via's, make it worth five stars. Make sure you check out those songs! You won't be disappointed.

Sucks!!!!!!!! The hole thing sucks it was a 1983 movie. There was no djdef back in 1983. Not even rap songs were broght up to the movie. Its scarface not green mile or so other rap movie.You cant rerite scarface with rap.

Students of popular culture know very well that Brian De Palma's "Scarface" remains an iconic work in the rap, thug culture. The look, style and dialogue of the movie and Al Pacino's immortal performance as Cuban gangster Tony Montana have influenced everything from how rappers dress to how they speak (weather this is a good thing is up for debate). So it comes as no surprise that with the re-release of the classic 80's movie on DVD comes this semi-tribute album from Def Jam records. But it is a disappointing recycling of old tracks. You would think that these guys who idolize the movie so much would take the time to write some new material. One of the pluses would be the inclusion of dialogue from the movie, this is inventive, but feels cheated because it's surrounded by songs you can get on other albums, in fact, a lot of the songs seem to have no connection at all to the movie. How are we supposed to literally take some of these songs such as "Ten Crack Commandments" as material inspired directly by "Scarface?" "It's Mine" by Mobb Deep only makes sense since it samples the film's opening title music. Some could argue this music is uneeded, since "Scarface" as a movie doesn't even deal with rap culture themes. But still, the movie's influence cannot be denied, and it indeed would be fitting to see a good tribute album from the culture which glorifies it, but this is not it. Fans should go purchase the newly re-released and re-mastered original soundtrack which features Giorgio Moroder's score. This album has good intentions, but they rarely show.

yo for real this cd captures the spirit of scarface. although some tracks are questionable on how they made the list. overall though the tracks are classics by virtue of the fact that they embody the philosophy of Tony Montana . from "10 crack commnadments" we get the development of the rules of hustlin that was intially given in scarface "never get high off your own supply" to 1900-hustler by Jay-z. this album incorporates the best of music that was directly concived from this generation defining movie. not to mention how ill the interludes of tony monatan are. even if you have these songs individually it is worth the purchase to have this compliation.

Nothing here is new or exciting. This is the track listing:

01 - P.O.D. - Alive
02 - Jimmy Eat World - The Middle
03 - Creed - Higher
04 - Nickelback - Breathe
05 - Jars Of Clay - Flood
06 - Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly
07 - Lifehouse - Hanging By A Moment
08 - Collective Soul - Heavy
09 - Eve 6 - Here's To The Night
10 - The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
11 - Dave Matthews Band - I Did It
12 - Trik Turner - Friends And Family
13 - Lit - My Own Worst Enemy
14 - Barenaked Ladies - Pinch Me
15 - Moby - Natural Blues
16 - Fatboy Slim - Praise You
17 - Dc Talk - Supernatural
18 - 311 - Amber

As you can see, there isn't anything rare, live, or unique about these songs, nor are they even new songs. I would only recommend buying this if you really love these songs or if you even remember loving them at one time. This would have been a lot better if the songs were current.

I found this compilation at a Dollar General store for $5
Keeping that in mind, I was pretty floor by the selection, I would of probably bought it just for natural blues and praise you.

The music is generally uplifting, and there are two christian songs that I personally know on the album.. but they aren't overly preachy or really preachy for that matter, just positive. I think everyone should check this out if they see it in a bargain bin somewhere....

This CD has a good mix of different types of rock -- heavy, alternative, pop, Christian. It has a lot of newer stuff, although some songs like "Flood" and "Breathe" I recognize from a few years back. If you're into music groups like Creed, Nickelback and P.O.D. (all of which are on this CD and are a good representation of it), you'll love this CD. If you're into classic rock, I'd keep looking.

The most annoying pop stars all came from the 80's.As much as I hate the poppy cheesey stuff of the 90's and todays,80's pop is the most aggravating.True,there is no way anyone on this CD is more aggravating than all europop(such as Eifell 65),but about everyone on here gets on my nerves.Every song on here is cheesy and ... and the lyrics make you SCREAM!!Walking On Sunshine is the most aggravating song on this CD.She Drives Me Crazy will drive you crazy(or insane).If you love cheesy music that is repetitive and annoying,then this CD is for you.

Peace Out.

If you knew what was on it before you bought it...

The Big 80's Pop gives Vh1 alot of credit as a CD distributer...but the song choices on this CD weren't the best. The Bangles, Beach Boys, and a few of the others were chosen greatly...but we didn't need some of the song songs like, "Too Long For Goodbyes"...which didn't do anything for the 80's, but make it less popular.

These seem like very heartfelt renditions. I'm sure the artists on this tribute all love Uncle Tupelo as much as I do. If I had enough musical talent, I'd cover Uncle Tupelo too. But let's be honest here, nobody's going to do these songs as well as the band that wrote them.

I enjoy hearing new takes on old great songs. And I've listened to this album several times. I really want to love it. There are a couple of nice arrangements on this album--"Graveyard Shift" by Anna Fermin & the Trigger Gospel and "Black Eye" by Jason Wilber are two of my favorites--but none of them come close to touching the originals. If the songs weren't so great to begin with, this album would be one star. And when I listen to it, I find myself wanting--no, NEEDING--to listen to the originals.

Excited to see that there was a tribute to perhaps one of the wonderfully paridoxical, rough edged yet heartfelt Uncle Tupelo, I listened to this album with eager ears. All they were greeted by was a sappy watered down redition of "Graveyard Shift", which fell dangerously short of any artist integrity or imagination the original version held. When listening to a tribute album the listener is supposed to be delighted in the spin different bands place on the song they are covering and what it adds to the song as a whole. Here it seems that the bands find some perverse pleasure in stripping these songs of anything interesting. For the most part it's as if they just played the songs slower, if you don't heed this warning and buy it, listen cause every song is slower. It wouldn't be bad if they did it well but considering that they don't, it's just pathetic and creepy. Uncle Tupelo derserves better than this. If you've never heard Uncle Tupelo and you are interested in the band which was said to have the power to blow you away and cry into your beer at the same show, buy any one of their albums (Anodyne being the most accesible to a new listener, March 16-20 the most heartfelt, Still Feel Gone the best fusion of poppy rock and country to this day, and No Depression the classic debut--dripping with feeling and power), you won't find anything worth listening to here. If you like trashy drivel, buy this right away. As for the Uncle Tupelo fans, buy this only to add to a collection, don't even listen to it, you'll be disappointed and will find new meaning in "Fall Down Easy" when Farrar sings, "I feel I've been betrayed, feel that I've been wronged".

And a darn good one at that! The album has a good mix of renditions faithful to the originals (We've Been Had, True to Life, Graveyard Shift, New Madrid), original interpretations (Screen Door, Steal the Crumbs, Fatal Wound), and spirited covers with a solid nod to the original, but infused with unique style (Still Be Around, Slate). Perhaps the highest achievement for a tribute album is to make you enjoy songs that weren't really among your favorites - this album did that for me, particularly Dolly Varden's soulful take on Steal the Crumbs. For Tupelo fans, this is a must. For the uninitiated, this would be a great companion to one of UT's albums - I'd recommend No Depression and Slate as good introductions to the band that most successfully married punk and country.

I don't believe it. The world's second worst band (the absolute worst being good charlotte) gets a tribute album. That's THE gayesy idea ever!!! Since when did they deserve a tribute album?
I really have nothing else to say.

yea listening to a string quartet that resembles limp bizkit's music is way better than listening to decent music thrown down my fred durst's whiny retarded vocals.

Dang !!! This CD Got some SERIOUS Tude !!! Out of the 5 "String Quartet Tribute" CD's I own (Evanescence, 3 Doors Down, Beyonce, Linkin Park, AND THIS MASTERPIECE !!!), This is definently my favorite !!! enough said ...
GO GET THIS CD !!!

I have to agree with the reviewer below me. This compilation is just awful. I don't know why I even bothered to pick it up.

One of the worst MOS album I have ever purchased. Picked it up at the Virgin store by mistake, thought it was the Aussy import version (same cover design as last year but no gold color) but turns out, it was the US version. The tracks are less, the selection is poor, and the mixing was mediocre. My initial investment went straight down to the drain. It seems every MOS album that are targeted towards the U.S. market is always worse than the UK ones. If the 3 disc set UK version of The Annual 2004 is as bad as some reviewers said, then this one is a total trash worthy, in other words, worst of the worst. I am going to put it on eBay and hope I'll get some money back. I am not even going to make a MP3 copy of it, it's that bad. If you take your hard earned money seriously, don't spend it on this album. Or buy it at your own risk.

I bought this set a couple of years ago...it is pretty good overall. The second CD is undeniably better than the first. "Deepest Blue", "Burned With Desire" and "Pretty Green Eyes" are the highlights in this set. Not the best, but better than average.