American Alternative music reviews

way ahead of it's time, it still is today it seems.
the music is very experimental, demented, and playful
nothing could be compared to this in 1987, and even today nothing can come close to this, the album starts quietly,
and a little boy asks his father what ''regret'' means.
and the dad replies ''well son, a funny thing about regret is,it's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't, and by the way if you see your mom this weekend would you tell her''SATAN SATAN SATAN''
and then it explodes into 11 tracks of utter chaos & destruction
the artwork is really cool, the front cover has 2 clowns & a dog playing around, and the back cover has a photo of a deformed baby, and the song titles are no where on the album but scribbled on the disk. i have all the butthole surfers
albums except for ''double live'' and i think this is their best. also their next 2 releases were really good. they being
''hairway to steven'' and ''widowermaker!''this is the latino buggerveil remastered digipak version.and the front cover artwork is a bit differant than the touch & go release, on the touch&go version,you can see the artwork in it's full blown size,same with all the other remastered versions. but besides that the tracks are great, the best album album ever.
5 stars+

Reviewer A. Taeger has the right idea... but I chose David Lynch's film "Erasurehead" to watch using this masterpiece by BHS turned up as the soundtrack. I once read a review of "Erasurehead" in a book that said that you probably wouldn't be comfortable around anyone who can watch that movie all the way through. The same holds true for this CD, but if the amount of reviews of Locust Aboration Technician are any indication, there are a lot of us out there. So sit down, turn up this CD, and have a blotter and SlimFast milkshake. Hey, let's have a singalong to "Kuntz"!
(and by the way, the Erasurehead soundtrack is cool too)

How to say it?
The Butthole Surfers' music is sacred to me. I look at their first four albums as works of art. The most transcendentally wigged-out rock and roll music ever recorded. Period.

And Locust Abortion is the creme de la creme of the Surfers music. A short but bursting to the brim sonic sponge bath carefully engineered to hit you where it hurts.

I go back and forth over which track is my favorite. Both versions of "Graveyard" are gleaming sinister perfection. I decided a few months ago that the version played at regular speed is the greatest song ever recorded (it's between "Whirling Hall of Knives", "Edgar", and "Jimi" - Surfer fans should know them all).

Pittsburgh to Lebanon is the sludge that life is made from. Total beauty. The hollow moans at the end are actually quite lovely.

A word about the slowed down version of "Graveyard". You should probably listen to the songs in order, so you hear "Sweat Loaf" before "Graveyard". "Sweat Loaf" basically primes your head for the drop into "Graveyard". (whoever said that listening to the Surfers was like taking drugs was NOT lying. It really is).

Other great songs: "Kuntz" . I could listen to this again and again (and I do). "22 going on 23" is another free-floating dangerous masterpiece that will even out your mind.

I have this CD in my car always and usually listen to it at least once every couple of days. Sometimes it won't leave my CD player for days at a time. I love it.

Now, a quick word of warning. If you have never listened to this CD (or any Surfers' CD) be careful (heh-heh). You may want to start with one of their easier albums like Psychic Powerless. If you listen to this album first, it could freak your head out a little (course you wouldn't listen to it in the first place if you didn't enjoy that sort of thing from time to time) - I KNOW I do.

Have fun. disappear. Fall in. Embrace. This is it.

I have enjoyed this set of music since the first day I heard it when my dad bought the tape over a decade ago. I was finally able to track down the CD this past year and it was well worth the money and the wait. The CD was better than the original tape because there were a few more tracks added. I am also purchasing the group's other CD Hidden Medicine and expect the same high quality concious lyrics that they have in their first album. These guys are great and I play this CD on the radio all of time and have gotten many requests for them since. Keep it up guys your music is thoroughly enjoyed.

These songs are truly beautiful. This is a CD that I listen to over and over. It's a seamless blend of Native American and Rock that works on every level. These guys deserve a whole lot more attention.

HAVE NOT RECEIVEDTHIS OR WALELA,UNBEARABLE LOVE,OR RAVEN IN SNOW ????

I bought it used (for about $4) because I was in the mood to try something new and I've always liked Sister Sweetly. I was a little amprehensive at first because I've heard only average things about their work after Sister... I'm happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised by this CD. There are several stand out tracks on the disc and still more that are very strong. This disc stands against Sister Sweetly song for song and if you are new to BHTM you would be happy starting off with either CD.

Big chords from a big-time guitar player make this album oh so tasty. Their blues are so rhythmic, you have to move your body. You can't help it on "Freedom Fighter." "Hysteria" is actually about watching television. "Again and Again" puts a twist on a woman wanting to leave the man: she can't. There's tension there until the chorus. You can feel her desire to leave and her inability to do so. Todd Park Mohr's guitar is just too good.

I've been following these guys since '93. I have every one of their albums, I'm that loyal. But I need to do something for the masses on this one, it is SO damned good. Do you want raw Telecaster guitar riffs? A voice that ranges from raspy blues to honeysweet folk? Lyrics driven by melody? And most importantly, an absolutely genius hook on almost every song? Todd writes, sings, and plays together as a package as good as anyone out there. His songs are pure energy, pure life, inspiration. This one will have you feeling good about everything, and especially the gift that is BHTM. Thanks guys.

This was and is a classic in itself. Steve Albini surpassed himself when this came out. This will allways be a standard for this kind of extreme rock.

this is probably one of the most seriously evil sounding rock albums of all time. this sort of music is great when youre in a mood where you just cant cope with the mindless petty droning of everyone around you. the drum machine slaps you in the face, or more accurately, beats you into submission with a sledge hammer.
this is big black at their best, meaning their most brutal.
my favorite tracks are the "power of independent trucking" and their cover of the kraftwerk song, "the model".
the former of these two tracks features blast beats and guitars that sound like a saw slicing through sheet metal. The latter captures the cold mechanical feel of kraftwerk's song but adds a frightening almost stalkerish degree of leering creepiness. when albini says "she's a model and shes looking good" its almost chilling. This is an essential album for fans of post-punk/proto industrial. But a small caveat, this album will destroy any happy fluffy thoughts you had on before listening to it.

i am most likely to play this record after watching mtv promote ashley simpson for the fiftieth time. in a rage, i blast it in my car and scream "yea steve!" real loud. i only listen to "power of independent trucking", "l dopa", "colombian necktie", "ergot", "fish fry", and "pavement saw" because they are clearly the best. in an effort to become more hardcore, i then go eat some battery acid. then some motor oil. then some aids.

After four great studio albums (although The Globe Sessions is still receiving mixed reviews to this day) and a couple of live albums, Sheryl Crow decided to give us a compilation of her work, aptly titled The Very Best of Sheryl Crow. This collection starts things off right with her very first song, "All I Wanna Do". There are plenty of other favorites to be found too, from funky tracks like "Soak Up the Sun" and "There Goes the Neighborhood", to mellow jams like "Strong Enough" and "Home". There are also the necessary new songs "Light In Your Eyes" and a cover of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (a country version of the latter is also featured as a bonus track).

Why not five stars? Well, if you're lucky enough to own the version of the album with the bonus DVD, you of course have the videos. And I think it would have been better if all the videos were of the same songs that are on the album in audio version. Also, "best of" collections generally consist of singles, so it's kind of weird to find "I Shall Believe" on here (not that it isn't a great song).

Like with most hits collections, people usually complain over what song(s) were left off. And I usually don't do this, but -- and in no way does this affect my rating -- the fact that "Can't Cry Anymore" isn't on here almost makes me want to do the opposite of what the song suggests. And since she put a duet on here that wasn't really hers (Kid Rock's "Picture"), why didn't she put "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" on here too? (I mean the live version, of course; it was Siedah Garrett singing on the album.)

Oh well, since I already own all of Sheryl's albums, those factors don't matter too much. If you've been sleeping and haven't discovered Sheryl Crow yet, then pick this collection up and get some schooling.

Anthony Rupert

I never really considered myself a big Sheryl Crow fan until I happened upon this album. Then I realized that many songs I had heard and enjoyed before were hers (Favorite Mistake, If It Makes You Happy, A Change Would Do You Good). Of course, most people probably would know this, but I didn't. Anyway, for some reason I was inclined to buy it and it is hands down the best album I have ever bought. There is not one sub-par song on this CD. Crow is amazing and this CD has 17 songs that are very representative of that.

I bought the Import version of this CD and I love it. It has my favorite track, which is not included on the US version, "Let's Get Free". It also has "Run Baby Run," plus a version of "C'mon C'mon" featuring the Corrs. It costs more, but I bought it used and found a bargain. I highly recommend buying it instead of this version. The ASIN is B0000DBPHN.

I finally found this on CD--I have lived with a hissy cassette for the past ten years (I even burned it onto disc!) A hint on listening to this for the first time--Listen to it first thing in the morning on headphones. pay attention. Be prepared for alot of emotion. Drink your coffee or step outside. Pay attention.

I played this last night (on CD) and was totally still fooking FLOORED by every single minute that passed. I thought time would hae passed and it would not hit me as hard. "The Dead Part of You" "Sick of Food" "WHY WONT YOU STAY"????

If you are even reading this--get it now. It will only do you good.

It's taken me some time to finally get up the courage to review an album such as this, and I can still probably not put into words the emotional rollercoaster ride of this album. But I'm taking a chance with it. First, lets start off by saying one thing: Mark Eitzel is one of the most truly unique songwriters ever, and in my opinion one of the best, and while the most impressionistic example of lyricisim he ever wrote was heard on the following album, Mercury, Everclear is filled with so much emotional intensity that it is almost hard to bear. But that's one of the reasons it's such an amazing album. It is without a doubt a trip down a dark path. Somewhat like alcoholic nostalgia, memories of broken dreams and broken hearts, friends lost, etc. A track by track analysis should be in order for an album like this, because each song has a different feel to it completely, each one with a saddening underlying theme. Even the more up beat country pop of Royal Cafe, about drinking with your friends, seems to come from the perspective of a man who misses the joys shared between drinking buddies. But the main aspect of this album is loss. Loss of hope, loss of love, loss of will, etc. It's a hard album to listen to, and I have no complaints. It does run short, but any more length would cause probable suicide.

This cd changed my musical horizons and brought me to a place where I could understand just what it's like to live life with your heart on your sleeve. Sometimes it's the pain of the past that drives you to drink.."Jesus' Hands"&"Ex-Girlfriend",(or just some serious introspection.) At times you are so in the moment that you are almost like a force of nature or juggernaut,"Rise." Then there's the occasional need to just hang out with the boys and have a few rounds. "Royal Cafe" It ought to be a primer for adulthood and all of the experiences that you will someday call life. Mark Eitzel is amazing performing live, and if you listen you'll hear sage advice via succinct descriptive lyrics and and incredibly emotive voice. The band really started to click on this disc and the new engineer added a wonderful feel to this recording. (He became a full time member of the band after this disc.) Yes, this is an incredibly atmosperic cd that oozes with emotion, exuberant at times, and then melancholic at others it is bottom line a seminal recording that should be in every serious music fans collection. Although Vudi,Bruce, and the boys had their differences with Mark I wish they wouldn't have split the band up. (Mark please consider just recording with them if you can't stand to tour with them anymore.) I personally love the confidential agent, Royal Cafe, Jesus Hands, Rise,... The Crabwalk took awhile to grow on me as it doesn't really seem to fit, but it shows there versatility so what the hey. Not bad for a Columbus OH native.

Gordon Downie's prowess as a lyricist has always astounded me. His songs, from the "inside jokes" that no one outside a small group of people is supposed to get to the lyrics that make me go "What the F^#$ is he talking about?", I always appreciate his genius. This alum is chock full of all of that.

There is a bit of a dark side to this album, but there is enough levity and pace to counterbalance it. From the opener to the closer, this album contains enough of the quntessential Hip quirkiness to satisfy the long-time fans, but also has enough mainstream substance to attract the casual fan.

Let me first say I have never been a Tragically Hip fan. THAT being said I can't ignore this albums perfection.

Albums that have a dark lined undercurrent to them, really speak to me, and Dowie's lyrical prowess here seems to reach into some real angst.

Needless to say as well, and I can't explain why, this is an absolutely quintessential "Canadian" album. The reasons though are not very easy to explain, but if you really want to understand the landscape and the feeling of a country, listen to this album.

That being said, this was without question the "Hip's" most successful album in terms of classic songs. Numerous videos were made from this album, and were staples of the then Muchmusic video program (Courage, At The Hundreth Meredian, Locked In The Trunk of a Car) up in Canada. It made the band household names, and has pretty much solidified them as the domineering band in Canada for years to come (yes more than Rush).

It's strange, many of the songs on here I enjoy immensly, Courage's catchy chorus, The weepy pigeon camera, the tragic Wheat Kings, the madness of Locked in a trunk in the car, to the almost Judas Priest riffing of Fifty Mission Cap.

I constantly have run into many Tragically Hip fans up North and 90% of them tell me this is their favourite album and their best.

I kind of got sick of the band's over-exposure, and the majority of their albums really do nothing for me minus one or two songs. However, this was the album where the band struck gold.

if you're not a hip fan or don't know the band - this is place to start. they had a large work of excellent music, but this album is amazing from start to finish. hard to classify because the range of their music, i guess the best way to describe them is guitar driven rock. fans of pearl jam are often times fans of the hip. whether the acoustic backed "wheat kings", the epic "eldorado" or my personal favorite the anthem like "fifty mission cap"; this album is wonderly different song, after wonderfuly different song. it's hard not to sing along, tap a foot and just plan enjoy a great band that's definitely unlike any other out there. enjoyable driving, partying or just hanging out. the finest canadian export since rush and that's saying alot. enjoy!

Just Bought this CD and it seems OK. Far cry from Intollerance and especially Grant's AMAZING Husker DU days. This record is pretty boring, the vocals are pretty drowned out and im not getting the feeling that his older material had. I would expect some better better drumming on this record too. It dosent say who did it but I dont think it was grant from the sound of it. I actually give this an extra star just for old times sake.

This album really is a joy to listen to. I've always been a fan of Grant's work on all the Husker albums, since he was the melodic "McCartney" to the more abrasive "Lennon" of Bob Mould (think "It's Not Funny Anymore" vs. "First Of The Last Calls" on 'Metal Circus' or "Somewhere" vs. "Indecision Time" on 'Zen Arcade'). Grant's songs could be more light hearted and goofy and still rock hard ("Books About UFOs"), and there is plenty of that on "Modern Man." Songs like "A Letter From Anne Marie" and "Seka Knows" really sound amazing in your headphones. There are a lot of tape loops and multitracking that he also used on 'Intolerance.' There are plenty of melodies and great pop songs for any devoted Husker fan to enjoy. I don't know if Grant will come out with any more albums, but I definitely recommend this one!

This album is really good, but as an Husker Du fan, I expected something more hard from Grant Hart. But, well, I'm not just a Husker Du fan! I like the Beach Boys, surf-music, and more. This album will not make your heart explode, like husker du landspeed record, or living end. This album will make you float, like the girl who floated away*.

(*I am making reference to this song: husker du - she floated away. This song would perfectly fit in this album.)

I know that a lot of X fans are upset that this truly legendary band never got the commercial success that they truly deserved. However, that never really bothered me. Because after all of these flash in the pan and flavor of the week groups are dead and gone, their music will be as well. However, X's music will live forever. Which is what is so remarkable about this band. Some twenty years later, their music is so contemporary, it does not sound dated at all (well maybe one their albums does). I guess the two biggest hits off this great album are "Poor Girl" and "Breathless." However, every cut is great, from the start to finish, each track is blistering and fresh. Los Angeles legends, just like their first and best producer.

I've had "Los Angeles" and "Wild Gift" for quite some time now, for some strange reason I always thought I wouldn't like any other X album, I was wrong, "More Fun in the new world" along with "Under the big black sun" are by far my favorite X albums,
I remember hearing all of these songs when they came out, when I was a kid, because I dad is a huge X fan, but I never realized just how good they were. This is truly X's last great album.

I have to agree with the review that says this is one of the best album sides in rock history, the first 7 songs are amazing. my personal favorites are "We're having much more fun", and "Poor girl", those 2 songs make the album worth buying alone, they really show how much X had grown as songwriters, "The New World", "True Love", "Make the Music go Bang" and their cover of "Breathless" are also amazing songs, and "I must not think bad thoughts" is totally different from what X usually does but its a really cool song. The first 7 songs are so good, I can't see how this album didn't go multi-platinum.

The rest of the album is good, its just not as good as the first half, "Devil Doll", "Painting the town blue", and "I see red" are all great songs, if you like X you won't be disapointed, "Drunk in my past" is one of my favorites on the album, "Hot House" is an alright song, its worth listening to, its just not up to par with the rest of the album, and the only track I don't like is "True Love pt. 2", for some reason it just doesn't vibe with me, maybe its the Doobie brothers like intro, but I think the song just drags, luckily its the last song on the album.

John Doe, Exene, Billy Zoom and D.J. Bonebreak all shine on this album and I like this album (along with "Under the big black sun") probably more than "Los Angeles". I would highly recomend this or any of the first 4 X albums for that matter, to anybody who apreciates good rock music.

X has a funny way of tip toeing the line between raw punk and gritty, classic rock. For one, John and Exene sing extremely well together. The fact that they sing harmonies in a punk band is unusual, but it works. Then there is the fact that they can just churn out the most adrenaline injected punk you will ever hear. These elements are really evident on this and albums after Los angeles and wild gift. X will live on the heart and minds of fans as one of the most dynamic and kick ass bands punk music has ever produced.

I know that a lot of X fans are upset that this truly legendary band never got the commercial success that they truly deserved. However, that never really bothered me. Because after all of these flash in the pan and flavor of the week groups are dead and gone, their music will be as well. However, X's music will live forever. Which is what is so remarkable about this band. Some twenty years later, their music is so contemporary, it does not sound dated at all (well maybe one their albums does). I guess the two biggest hits off this great album are "Poor Girl" and "Breathless." However, every cut is great, from the start to finish, each track is blistering and fresh. Los Angeles legends, just like their first and best producer.

I've had "Los Angeles" and "Wild Gift" for quite some time now, for some strange reason I always thought I wouldn't like any other X album, I was wrong, "More Fun in the new world" along with "Under the big black sun" are by far my favorite X albums,
I remember hearing all of these songs when they came out, when I was a kid, because I dad is a huge X fan, but I never realized just how good they were. This is truly X's last great album.

I have to agree with the review that says this is one of the best album sides in rock history, the first 7 songs are amazing. my personal favorites are "We're having much more fun", and "Poor girl", those 2 songs make the album worth buying alone, they really show how much X had grown as songwriters, "The New World", "True Love", "Make the Music go Bang" and their cover of "Breathless" are also amazing songs, and "I must not think bad thoughts" is totally different from what X usually does but its a really cool song. The first 7 songs are so good, I can't see how this album didn't go multi-platinum.

The rest of the album is good, its just not as good as the first half, "Devil Doll", "Painting the town blue", and "I see red" are all great songs, if you like X you won't be disapointed, "Drunk in my past" is one of my favorites on the album, "Hot House" is an alright song, its worth listening to, its just not up to par with the rest of the album, and the only track I don't like is "True Love pt. 2", for some reason it just doesn't vibe with me, maybe its the Doobie brothers like intro, but I think the song just drags, luckily its the last song on the album.

John Doe, Exene, Billy Zoom and D.J. Bonebreak all shine on this album and I like this album (along with "Under the big black sun") probably more than "Los Angeles". I would highly recomend this or any of the first 4 X albums for that matter, to anybody who apreciates good rock music.

X has a funny way of tip toeing the line between raw punk and gritty, classic rock. For one, John and Exene sing extremely well together. The fact that they sing harmonies in a punk band is unusual, but it works. Then there is the fact that they can just churn out the most adrenaline injected punk you will ever hear. These elements are really evident on this and albums after Los angeles and wild gift. X will live on the heart and minds of fans as one of the most dynamic and kick ass bands punk music has ever produced.