American Alternative music reviews

You've got to have a jazz bent to appreciate this music but I've been searching for a replacement to my worn out "Greed" cassette for YEARS. Leave it to Amazon to come through - damn that Amazon!

If you've ever been lucky enough to be turned on to Michael Franks ('70s - present) and enjoyed him, you'll thank the day you found Ambitious Lovers. Their international flair will likely have you hooked; portuguese is a fantastic language and this duo's accented English is as easy and fun to listen to (makes you feel like you're living a lazy little life on the outskirts of Rio) as the CD itself...Enjoy!

Ambitious Lovers are Arto Lindsay (vocals, guitar) and Peter Scherer (keyboards, synth bass, drum programming and sampling). While I don't know much about the latter, Arto Lindsay went on to become one of the most venerated solo artists among the NY downtown music scene. Actually his 1999 album "Prize" ranks among my favourites with his bossa-pop style and experimental inclinations... AL take the angular funk of Talking Heads, mix it with a pinch of Brazilian flavour and avant-garde attitude and... there you are, one of the most exciting albums among those I recently purchased. Some tracks remind me of Lindsay's later solo efforts while others have an alternative dance/post-punk feel. Buy this stuff while it's still available

A great album. A nice mix of romantic latin flavors and pop. You also get some guitar from Vernon Reid from Living Colour. You will know it's him the second he rips into some lead. All in all this is real music and not bubble gum.

Like alot of bands from the era the Embarrassment recorded alot of muic, some worthwhile, some not so great. I found a used copy of this a couple of years ago. I saved and burned a separate copy of "Death Travels West" (tracks 9-16 on the first CD of this set). I havent played this CD since.

This isn't really about the CD (which I eventually found on elsewhere), but Amazon lists the shipping time as one to two weeks, when they don't even have it in stock. I got an email saying it was back-ordered and asking if I wanted to wait longer; i eventually canceled the transaction about 1 month after ordering. I implore Amazon to list actually shipping times so no one else's time is wasted.

The CD however is amazing

What can I say? This is one of the albums I could never part with. One of the great yet little known bands in America. Saw these guys way to few times. A band I was in opened for them a couple times and their liveshows were totally cool. Beat Pop at it's finest! Buy this for yourself, buy some more for your friends!! Brightest colors of the week!!

According to Jupiter Coyote co-founder Matthew Mayes, their eighth release is named for Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb to the top of Mount Everest. The "step" is the final 200 feet of the climb, where it is said one either gives up and turns back, dies, or makes it to the summit. With "The Hillary Step," this five-piece Brevard-based band is set to enjoy a fantastic view from the top of the mountain, while the modern music world of American Idol pan-flashes and Janet Jackson body-flashes keeps falling down around them.
A more "relaxed" offering than other Jupiter Coyote collections, "The Hillary Step" is packed with songs that carry life lessons more so than stories -- lessons such as: don't wear yourself out by chasing the all-too-often empty corporate dream ("Nothing To Prove" and "Wheel"); love is at times bittersweet ("Falling" and "Today"); take time to appreciate beauty around you ("Tattoo"); and the benefits of challenging oneself versus meandering through life ("A Little Like Me" and "Fool's Tale").
Written and sung by drummer Noel Felty, "A Little Like Me" starts the Hillary Step hike on its way with a tune of personal growth, relationships, and a tip of the hat to his band mates. Felty shows that his songwriting prowess is right up there with that of his uncle John (guitars) Felty and Mayes, while his vocals cast shadows of a younger Gregg Allman. Also highlighting the younger Felty's all-around musicianship are "Fool's Tale" and "Today." The first is steeped in a rollicking Irish-style rhythm (accentuated by fiddle-and-bow man Steve Trisman), later giving way to a more slippery, funky beat. If you pay close enough attention to this same song on the concert DVD (included with the studio cd), you'll hear a different chorus. Other hidden surprises scattered throughout the cd include guest musician appearances by Count Mbutu (percussion), Matt Weldon (bass), Beth Wood (backing vocals), Phillip Lamonds (mandolin), and former Jupiter Coyote member Robert Soto (congas). Bittersweet mental imagery is sparked by "Today," an ode to loves or might-have-beens that most everyone has experienced at one time.
Mayes penned what, to me, is the cornerstone song of this collection, "Nothing To Prove." Anyone who has ever had the desire to leave the dog-eat-dog competitiveness of the 9 to 5 world will be inspired to lean towards a simpler life while listening to this cut. Love gone bad is eloquently described in "Falling," with lines such as "Unrealistic expectations and a vision of love blinded with conditions...There's no way to change whatever is going to be, as we both go our separate ways through life's mystery." Long-time followers of Jupiter Coyote will be happy to hear a new take on the concert staple "Crazy Women" (from the debut cd, "Cemeteries and Junkyards"), this time around described as being the "groove" version.
Another "don't buy into the often empty corporate dream" view is held in "Wheel." The underlying lesson here is to keep hold of the "wheel" that guides your heart...don't allow the world's road to dictate your path. In Mayes' own words, "success is a roof over your head and food to eat...ask anyone who lived through the Depression." This is one of the most harmony-laden songs on "The Hillary Step," sounding much like vintage Doobie Brothers classics. "Tattoo" uses the image of a simple flower to convey an appreciation for the beauty and strength in the delicate things surrounding us.
The final track, "Fade," is an instrumental, starting off as gentle and easy as a mountain sunrise out of a pale mist via Mayes' infectious rhythm, which soon is avalanched by the jamming sounds of drummer Felty and fiddler Trisman.
Not to be left out are the "Duke" of Jupiter Coyote, guitarist John Felty, or bassist Sanders Brightwell....check out Felty's trademark tones on the lead breaks in "A Little Like Me" and "Fool's Tale," as well as his riffs in "Tattoo" and "Falling." Brightwell holds The Hillary Step in check with his always-solid and steady bass lines.
To borrow a line from "Nothing To Prove," "it's life's simple things so often times overlooked, just like the chapter missing in a real good book..." Don't allow "The Hillary Step" to be a missing chapter in your music collection.

This is a huge release from JC. A new studio CD with a full concert DVD in there also; 5/1 digital surround sound. This is the best of both JC worlds.

Jupiter Coyote have done it yet again. While most bands are lucky to have 1 or 2 solid albums, JC have done it 8 times. How this band has not broke it big is beyond me. The Hillary Step continues a natural progression for the band towards a more polished sound in the studio. I am very impressed by the 4 songs written by the drummer Noel Felty. He has added some songwriting punch to the band. Of course, I have and always am impressed by the songs Matt Mayes contributes to the albums. Same goes for John Felty. I am really impressed by the progressions in each song. JC is well known for changing rhythyms right in the middle of a song. Throughout the album's 9 tracks, I hear things w/in the songs that I can draw from virtually each of the band's previous efforts. Standout tracks include A Little Like Me, Fool's Tale, Tattoo, and Wheel. I don't know why I even list standout tracks. They're all great. That's how it goes with a JC album. JC combines traditional rock, southern rock, blend it with the coolest mountain rock sound you've ever heard, blues, bluegrass, etc... They've been compared to the Allmans and Widespread Panic. JC has their own sound and it's one that I love. I've followed these guys since the first album. They're one of a VERY few bands I still love as much as the first time I spun Cemeteries and Junkyards. Way to go guys on a great album.

The DVD included with this will tell you all you need to know about the live show. JC set it on fire with this concert filmed down in Charleston, SC. The DVD makes this the perfect purchase. You WILL NOT be disappointed by what you see and hear on this DVD. It's got the long jams in there, the concise 3 1/2 min.- 4 1/2 min. songs, and everything in between. ALL HAIL JUPITER COYOTE!!!

If'n, a great cd. fIREHOSE is so, well, fIREHOSE. there is no other way to put it. if you like funky jammy tunes that are creative and unconventional, you should pick up some fIREHOSE, it will change the very fabric of your reality.

Yip, we're all 30 something now, but we saw the start of what is still an evolving thang (the Minutemen, Dinosaur Jr, Pixies are taken as read). Mike Watt am de man. fIREHOSE were an incredible band, live they were like whatching your mates shamble around then shock you into listening.

You've heard it before, but hooks count and fIREHOSE had them sussed and blurted hooky tunes with ease. Watt's hooky bass under pinned Ed's great vocals. mmmm, hooky+bass......Joy Division+guitars, get the drift? Hey kids, it's bass and drum with guitar except it all makes sense.

Buy it, buy it, but it and keep on keeping on.

Man, oh man. This is one swell chunk of music. I have been searching [...] for all my old 80s favorites, and when I found this, I just about fell out of my seat with excitement. I would have been a hardcore fan if I hadn't had to sell my albums during one of those bleak "I need money BAD" episodes years ago...to my great misfortune, they kind of fell by the wayside for me. I am going to buy this album right away; I can't live without it for another minute!! Well, to sum up, these guys have a great way of tweaking rythyms, playing with words and managing to sound like a jam session but with real polish and humor. They're sassy, they're funny, they're smart, and they just write great music. Thought-provoking and listenable as all heck, they are like Camper Van but with a little more intellect and well, I guess I like their lyrics better. I liked this album better than Flyin' the Flannel; it has a more life and diversity. Firehose are one of the best bands that ever got overlooked by the mainstream. Ever. But doesn't that make all of us fans happy in a [strange] way?

Infamous Managerie is brilliant. I've never heard anything like it, and i can't find any of there stuff anywhere. I have tried. If you know how i can get a hold of any of there stuff, please e-mail me! thanks - steph

If there was a single compliation of "Grunge" this would be it. Between Bikini Kill, Infamous Menagere and Nirvana, you really get a sense of what was going on during the early 1990s. I don't think it is over the top to say that this is a slice of music revolution.

Bikini Kill's recording of feels blind is more restrained than appears on the CD compliation of their first two albums, but it's airyness conotates a search for spirituality and contemplation in a hectic world.

Ditto for Infamous Menagere. Even though this is the only song I have ever heard from this band, it is extremely unique. It sounds almost operatic at times and I could listen to that track in particular for hours on end without getting bored or tired.

In the midst of the frenzy over teen spirit, this album also shows that Nirvana never forgot what community they came from. No matter how much favorable coverage they received, nothing would have convinced top 40 radio stations (or any other station outside of college) to play this song. Cobain's vocals and the frentic drumming would be much more than they could handle.

Cool? Very. Rock? You got it. This is possibly the best compilation ever. Bikini Kill is always a must along with Witchypoo and Bratmobile, but when you add the element of Heavens To Bety's "My Red Self", it's the salt of the recipe which is a much needed dose to eat it up. Trust me, you'll want to.

Aside from a handful of bands, incliding Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and early Circle Jerks, I've never cared for hardcore. I don't get the "faster is better" mentality and feel that most HC bands simply lacked musical skill and, more often, originality (remember those bands on Mystic Records?). I suppose it has to do with the manner in which you define hardcore.

MIA, for example, are generally classified as a HC band, and the description actually does fit. They could play as fast and hard as anyone, but they also were skilled songwriters and musicians who were smart enough to include powerful, melodic midtempo numbers in their sets to keep things interesting. In other words, these guys had taste.

This collection will not dissapoint any fan of REAL punk rock. Even if you tend to favor the late seventies variety, as I do, you can't go wrong with "Lost Boys".

PS: If you have a turntable, get the double LP set on orange vinyl!

You can't go wrong with this album. MIA was an influential part of California punk rock. In this tidy little package, you get all their great songs. Miss these guys like crazy. Gotta love the orange vinyl also!

First of all I think it is VERY important to clear up something here: This is the only release you will find available by this M.I.A.!!! The other band calling themselves M.I.A. is NOT the same band and has NOTHING to do with this one. I don't know why the other band's album is being paired with this one. The M.I.A. I am about to review is an American melodic Punk/Hardcore band whose career lasted from 1981 to 1987. The "other" M.I.A. is a hip-hop band from Sri Lanka whose career is more current.

With that out of the way, let's talk about this VERY essential slice of American Punk history. "Lost Boys" is a compilation of M.I.A.'s earlier works. Included in their entirety on this compilation are the first album from 1982 ("Last Rites") and the 1984 Hardcore classic "Murder In A Foreign Place" LP. There are tons of bonus tracks included: rare compilation tracks, unreleased demos, and live tracks. M.I.A. was one of the most severely underrated bands of their day. They deserve to be held in regard with the same amount of importance as bands like Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Descendents, D.O.A., Adolescents, Circle Jerks, etc. but for some reason have been swept under the carpet of history. Listen for yourself... this is some of the best American Punk Rock ever recorded. It's tight, energetic, melodic without sounding wimpy, and the lyrics are meaningful without being preachy. Who knows? Maybe in this day and age of old punks cashing in on past glories, the complete absence of any reunions, marketing gimmicks, etc. has left M.I.A.'s memory intact in the 80's.

All the more reason to buy this album. This is a crucial part of 80's Punk history and the songs sound just as fresh, exciting, and thought-provoking as they did 20-plus years ago. Many of them are just as relevant, if not even MORE relevant today as they were back then. Just a few years ago a song like "Gas Crisis" would have been considered very dated, but have you been to the gas pumps lately? "Murder in a Foreign Place" applies more today than it did at the time of it's release in 1984, and "Tell Me Why" is a question EVERYONE ought to be asking themselves these days.

Bottom line: If you like your Punk Rock authentic and well above average, then buy this one fast!

this CD is totally awesome! you will get your money worth within the first day you get it! these guys are the next up and coming thing to come from good ole' SC! watch out for their new CD it comes out on february 11,2000.

This is a great CD. The band is smooth and has a wonderful and unique sound. The music is great, the vocals are great and and the lyrics are great. This is the type of CD you can listen to over and over and never get tired of it. You will get your money's worth the first two days you own the disk. These guys won't dissapoint you.

I am like best friends with the band and they are coo

This EP is my favorite collection of songs from one bad laid down on a CD. Only four songs, highlighted by "Month and a Half," is well worth the price.

This is an essential record for fans of rock in my oppinion. The sound of the Rustic Overtones is very fresh and very hip. They have a very promising future and deserve to make it big. The talent displayed in this album is intense! The songs are very catchy and will keep you singing them later in the day. This is the kind of album that deserves to be noted, and should be.

There is no band I've ever heard like the Rustic Overtones. They combined hard guitars and strange ska-like horns with superb mixture. Their recent adding to the roster of Arista Records should prove to their advantage as they are able to tour more throughly. Good luck Rustics!

This CD has all the early singles, many crazy covers and is very good sound quality. Includes booklet with early pictures and album covers. I like it!

For any old school Cramps fans,this seventeen track compilation disc is a should-have.When I looked more closely to the track listing,I realized it was a combination of the 'Gravest Hits' five-song EP along with their 'Bad Music For Bad People' lp.Even though all these vintage psychobilly tunes have indeed been released several times before,'Off The Bone' is STILL worth owning a copy of.It's always fun to hear "Human Fly","Surfin' Bird","Drug Train","Go Goo Muck" and "Uranium Rock" as well as the others.Nice mysterious cover.Enjoy.

OFF THE BONE is the ideal Cramps compilation. 17 tracks of rabid Psycho-billy from the years before Lux and company lapsed into self parody. My only complaint is that it does not include the sublime TV SET. If this CD had turned up in Saddam's collection, W could have justified his WMD folly. Oh well, Saddam seems to be a Yanni fan.

Unfortunately, the hype surrounding Magdalen Hsu-Li exceeds the musical quality and contents of her work. Standard chords, tried and tired rhymes, cliche ideas. More power to her for expressing herself, but musically the songs are absolutely predictable. If you want something new and fresh, this is not the CD to get.

Another recommendation from Amazon which has come up trumps. Reminds me somewhat of a mixture between Tori Amos and Fiona Apple. However she has a distinctive enough style and voice of her own. You need to listen to the Songs a couple of times for them to stick in your head, but once they are there you wont be able to get them out.
Favourite tracks are Redefinition and City Of Angels.
Well worth listening to.

Fire is such an awesome soundtrack. I'd never heard of Magdalen until I saw her perform live on campus. Her voice is beautifal, lyrics deep and powerful. The piano and percussion fits in perfectly with her voice and lyrics. She sings about a range of topics, from being an Chink in the south to taking political/social action. Her music sends out a message, not in a forceful way, but with meaning and hope. You've just got to listen to her and see a live performance if you can (..) She definitely draws you in with her spunk and energy. Can't wait for more of her music to come out.