American Alternative music reviews

this band sounds nothing like the strokes. they may have opened for the strokes but they don't sound like them. they sound completely different. KOL sound like good rock 'n' roll. i am a big fan of both bands though. i bought this ep for the track "wicker chair" and "different" version of "california waiting"(which is my favorite KOL song). number one the version of "California waiting" is not that different then the version on their debut full length "youth & youngmanhood" but the track "wicker chair" makes this worth the $2.72 it cost me to get this. if you have a couple extra bucks and wanna hear an early KOL song you might not have, this is a good purchase.

If you've never heard Kings of Leon, this is as good a place to start as any. I can't say what exactly it is that attracts me to this music, except to note that I seem to have become a very withered old soul when it comes to popular music, and the song "Holy Roller Novocaine" is the first since "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (which was a very long time ago, in the scheme of things) to get my pulse going.

OK, I lied: I do know what attracts me to this music, it's just embarrassing to admit: They sound like they just invented rock'n'roll, which is no small achievement in the 21st Century. They play like they really mean it, and they also play like they don't give a damn, which is what the really good stuff sounds like. I envy them their purity of spirit, and I also fear for their souls, because the Great Hype is well underway, because no matter what they think they're doing, their record company sees them as generators of Product, and Product is what they'll be soon enough unless they are very smart and very tough. I wish them all the luck in the world, and if they never do anything else, they at least laid down these tracks, which give an old rocker hope that it is still possible at this late date to make rock'n'roll that isn't Product.

This is KOL's first release. It includes a different version of California Waiting from what was later released on their 1st album. It also includes Wicker Chair, which as been released on a number of CD Singles (and a Japanese album) but remains unreleased on any other album.

Because you either adore or detest the Kings of Leon, and because the band has not only made it but is obviously going to be a major voice in rock, I see no point in the host of reviews that are either cheerleading or dissing them. I've not seen a band generate so much love/hate since the Stones broke in way back in 1964 (and I'm old enough to remember that very clearly).

Personally, I'm convinced KOL will be one of the greatest bands ever (and I can count the number of bands I've said that about over the last 40 years on one hand)....and yes, I've seen them live more than once.

For those of you who don't want to miss a moment of the bliss as it arrives, here is a comprehensive list of what KOL has released. Here is a key to the notations so you won't miss any of their releases:

* tracks that have not been released on albums
# different version
@ live track
$ video

Holy Roller Novocaine - EP (2003 Feb 18)
Molly's Chambers
Wasted Time
#California Waiting (different version from Youth & Young Manhood LP)
*Wicker Chair
Holy Roller Novocaine

Molly's Chambers - UK Import (2003 Sep 23)
Molly's Chambers
@Wasted Time (Live)
@Spiral Staircase (Live)

Red Morning Light - Import (2003 Jul 15)
Red Morning Light
*Wicker Chair
Talihina Sky

Molly's Chambers - Import (2003 Oct 27)
Molly's Chambers
@Molly's Chambers (Live at Birmingham Academy)
@Red Morning Light (Live at Birmingham Academy)

Wasted Time - EP Import (2003 Nov 25)
Wasted Time
*Mollys Hangover (Previously Unreleased)
@Joes Head (Live From LA)
$Wasted Time (Enhanced Video)

Youth & Young Manhood - LP (2003 Aug 19)
Red Morning Light
Happy Alone
Wasted Time
Joe's Head
Trani
California Waiting
Spiral Staircase
Molly's Chambers
Genius
Dusty
Holy Roller Novocaine
Talihina Sky (hidden track 8 min after end of last track)

California Waiting (2004 Mar 4)
California Waiting
@Joe's Head (Live at Brixton Academy)

The Bucket - UK Import (2004 October 25)
Bucket
*Where Nobody Knows

The Bucket Part 1 - German Import (2004 Dec 14)
Bucket
Slow Night, So Long
*Wicker Chair

The Bucket Part 2 - German Import (2005 Jan 18)
Bucket
*Where Nobody Knows

Youth & Young Manhood - Japanese Import LP (2005 Feb 1)
Red Morning Light
Happy Alone
Wasted Time
Joe's Head
Trani
California Waiting
Spiral Staircase
Molly's Chambers
Genius
Dusty
Holy Roller Novocaine
*Wicker Chair

Aha Shake Heartbreak - Japanese LP (2005 Feb 1)
Slow Night, So Long
King Of The Rodeo
Taper Jean Girl
Pistol Of Fire
Milk
Bucket
Soft
Razz
Day Old Blues
Four Kicks
Velvet Snow
Rememo
*Where Nobody Knows

Aha Shake Heartbreak - LP (2005 Feb 22)
Slow Night, So Long
King Of The Rodeo
Taper Jean Girl
Pistol Of Fire
Milk
Bucket
Soft
Razz
Day Old Blues
Four Kicks
Velvet Snow
Rememo

4 Kicks - Import (2005 Mar 1)
4 Kicks
*Head To Toe

King Of The Rodeo - Import (2005 May 24)
King of the Rodeo
@Taper Jean Girl (Live in Belgium)
@Molly's Chambers (Live in Belgium)
$King of the Rodeo (Video)

... I can't imagine why of all the thousands of shows Phish has played, the band chose to release this one as one of the FIRST SIX of their live series.

The first set is sloppy with lots of miscues. Disc two has a setlist to drool over but doesn't live up to its promise. It also features the worse Walk Away ever. Disc three finds Trey tired and uninspired.

But the thing that's really missing here is that elusive "X factor": An energy and vibe that soaks through the music. It's not something you hear, but feel, either at a live Phish show or while listening to one. It's the reason why we love them as much as we do. Try finding the X factor at a Blink 182 show.

This is just a regular, run-of-the-mill Phish release. Which of course is better than 99.9% of the CDs on the market. But it only gets two stars from this die-hard phan.

Look to either side of this release for examples of the X factor. Both Live Phish Vol. 4 and Live Phish Vol. 6 are must-haves and are superb, high energy shows with unique setlists.

I have always said any Phish show with a Walk Away (like 2/20/93, 5/7/94, and 10/28/98) is a great show. This show is an exception to that rule.

Hello
OK, i own a ton of live phish releases, and in all honesty, Live 05 is the weakest i've heard. Thats not to say its terrible, cuz there are some highlights. The first set comes out firing with pyite and NICU, my soul and poor heart. First Tube is real trippy with trey looping a bunch of stuff. ill placed Llama. so first set is cool, good antelope closer. The second set is kinda weak in my opinion. heavy things is not done well to start off the set. Piper is decent. Tweezer is decent at best. and walk away is really not that good. Twist is decent, silent in the morning is what you expect. I've heard Possum too many times. Suzy is only ok, and tweprise is always fun to hear. so all in all its a decent show. but the thing is this, when compared to every other live phish release, this is really low grade stuff. its not phish at their best. if you buy 04 or 11, there is some epic stuff. 05 is ok, but not that great.

I stayed away from this show for a long time since so many fans seemed lukewarm about it. I finally bought it, and am so glad I did. I think this release is an example of why the band doesn't always see eye to eye with the fans. Rumor had it that Trey was really happy with this show, and thus it ended up in the first 6 live releases. Hearing it, you can understand why. It is a solid/tight show! There are few mistakes, and the set-list just flows very smoothly. There are also some great versions of some of their big numbers:

Tweezer-one of my favorite versions. Interesting unique features, such as Trey putting an interesting variation on the key riff in the beginning, and the mellow follow-up to Uncle Ebeneezer (in contrast to the typically cacophony).

Antelope-a very gradual build up until Trey puts himself stuck into an interesting robotic sounding loop that repeats and then KICKS into the final jam (with nice coordination from Fishman).

Piper-one of the best versions I've heard

First Tube-Smoking version of this relatively rare song. When I saw the setlist I wondered how this would ever fit into the middle of a set (seems like a good opener or closer), but the positioning before Llama is perfect-the songs seem to fit together somehow.

And the rest of the show is just solid around these highpoints. I bought the Island tour discs around the same time I got this show. The fans love the Island tour, because of the many highpoints and great jams. In general, those shows are much sloppier than this show, though (since the guys barely rehearsed and hadn't been on tour). This is a nice contrast to those-a very tight live performance with a nice setlist. I can totally understand why the band so this as one of their favorite shows of 2000.

Before there was Mannheim Steamroller, there was Chip Davis, a composer/arranger in his own right. Here he has teamed up with the LSO, and the result, while different from Steamroller arrangements, is quite nice. I like Renaissance and "ancient" music, and found much of this CD to be very pleasing. There are a few melodies I've never liked, no matter who played them, so I skip over said melodies and go to the next. I've been known to play this CD in my car whether it's Christmas or not.

Six Praetorius pieces, Hieronymus and Michael, make this CD worth much more than the price: they bring beauy to the ears and heart, especially M. Praetorius's opening track "Volte" by the Pittsburg Symphony Brass. Others are equally beautiful and played by such artists and organizations as the London Symphony Strings, Asbury Brass Quintet, Chicago Chamber Musicians Brass Quintet, and the Musica Anima Renaissance Consort. Here is a CD presented by Chip Davis that proves its value in its ability to be heard far beyond the December holiday season. Buy it now and enjoy it all year!

I love my Renaissance Holiday CD. I have several CDs by Chip Davis. This is a good addition. Don't know how I missed it years ago. Thank you for the reasonably priced and speedy service.

The promise of genius certainly shines through on these early tracks, but I was a little disappointed as this album does not quite have that hypnotic quality of, for example Dub Housing, where they create such exquisite sound sculptures on the synthesizer in a thoroughly rock idiom.

Heart Of Darkness and 30 Seconds over Tokyo reveal their garage roots, but they really soar on Final Solution with its nervous buildup, beautiful melody and rousing conclusion. Of the rest, I love Heaven with its swaying reggae rhythm, droning bursts of synth and jangling guitars, and the quirky pop song Happy.

Although the roots of their later masterpieces are evident here, it's still in a raw form and based on the guitar, predating their later exploration of the synth/industrial style where they found their true voice.

Terminal Tower is the album that got me into pere ubu. There are tracks on this that are so powerful that they chill your spine. Especially the song "heart of darkness". This song, to me, is the anthem of conscience. The first sound was truly the best intro of a pere ubu record. Though I wasn't alive when they started in Ohio, I heard that David Thomas would strike an anvil with a sludge hammer in this song. Songs like "30 seconds over Tokyo" and "final solution" are also very powerful and interesting. There is even a version of "modern dance" (the song) without the "Mamba Mamba" part of the verse. Generally this is a very interesting CD.

Were there justice in the world, and with a bit of luck, these songs would have been HUGE and appreciated worldwide. Rock music doesn't get made more artfully, or with more power, than this.

The majority of tracks here are Ubu's early singles, originally released in the mid-70's on their own Hearthen label. The players on here went on to demonstrate their brilliance on subsequent Ubu albums, except for original member Peter Laughner who left the band. (Laughner was a very talented and tasteful guitar player). It's shocking to me the degree to which they had their act together from the get-go on these early singles. Guitarists Tom Hermann and Laughner promulgate some of the most delicious guitar sounds you'll ever hear, and actually influenced a fair amount of 90's music (most notably through the Pixies and the Breeders). Their bezerk duet on "Cloud 149" is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard in rock. Drummer Scott Krauss plays like a combination of Charlie Watts' propulsiveness and Bill Bruford's sense of fractured rhythm; he's completely brilliant. Allen Ravenstine's synthesizer starts its course of emulating Brain Eno's Roxy Music sound, and adds bursts of noise that augment the other players in sounding something like the end of the world. Tony Maimone emerges a few singles in as one of the world's great bass players. David Thomas puts his vocals on top, during his younger days when he seemed to have something to say - before he became the alternative version of Tiny Tim.

It's awesome. You have to hear it. You may want to consider purchase of the "Datapanic" box set.

Im not going to lie, when i bought this album (blind) I hated it. I felt like I had to like it cause I like the band, but i really didnt like it. But after giving it another try recently, I found that it was about ten times better than I originally thought. After my third time through it, I actually greatly enjoyed it. It can be hard at times, because of their drug induced lyrics and music, but still a credit to Wayne Coynes upbeat and silly styl. So dont be fooled by the 30 second clips, cause this album has more than meets the initail eye.

The first time I listened to this album, it sounded like a bunch of lo fi noise. But once I sat down with a nice pair of head phones and just listened, I was able to appreciate what a mature, gorgeous album this is.

Yes, there is a lot of guitar noise. But the noise is not an end in itself. It is a tool that the Flaming Lips deploy with surgical precision. In this album's best moments, feedback effects laden guitar riffs alternate with periods of unsettling quiet to create a heightened sense of dramatic tension. This tension, which is sustained for most of the album, turns what would otherwise be a bunch of very catchy country and blues inspired melodies into an edgy psychedelic masterpiece.

It may take a few listens to really appreciate what the Lips are doing here; but, in my opinion, the reward is well worth it.

Although it's loaded with demos and outtakes, the main reason you want to own "..Jesus Egg" is for "In a Priest Driven Ambulance". I think the actual album is out of print, so you might as well get it here with the nice packaging and what not.

"Ambulance" is The Flaming Lips' fourth album (released in 1990), and it's a major improvement. The haze of psychedelia, punk, and white noise that made up their previous three albums is still in tact..but now they've injected the music with a heavy dose of pop. In other words, these songs actually have distinguishable melodies and hooks!

"Shine on Sweet Jesus" combines caterwauling guitar feedback and Wayne Coyne's shrill vocals with an irrestiable singalong hook. It's like white noise meets bubblegum pop.

"Unconsciously Screamin" is a glorious psychedelic mess, as are the noisy assaults "God Walks Among Us Now" and "Mountain Side".

There's actually a lot of quieter moments on the album too. "Rainin' Babies" is a really gorgeous ballad; it's like a lo-fi precursor to "The Soft Bulletin". The majestic "Five Stop Mother Superior Rain" is similar fare that also works well.

Other highlights include the thumping bass weirdness of "Take Meta Mars", the trippy "Stand In Line", the unsettling, parking-lot folk of "There You Are" and their cover of "What a Wonderful World" (which surprisingly stays pretty true to the original).

The outtakes are hit or miss. There's some decent stuff on there. And the demos are interesting, but not something you'll probably listen to over and over again. But "In a Priest Driven Ambulance" is a true gem; not only their best early work, but one of their best altogether. And that's why "..Jesus Egg" is an essential purchase.

The cover of Eight Miles High is a MUST for any Husker Du, Bob Mould or fan of rock that you didn't hear on the radio in the 80's. Mould's vocal is so strained with emotion that I'm not sure, even after listening to it for many years, whether it's conveying his pain or pleasure. It's simply amazing. Just thinking about overwhelms me with nostalgia for the mosh pits, goth chicks and the after hours club dancing of my mis-spent punk rock youth. I like the other songs too, but seriously, I hardly ever play them. When I need an electrifying jolt of pure emotion, I just slap this on my CD player and hit 'repeat 1'...

Husker Du's version of "Eight Miles High" is amazing! The screaming, agonized vocals of Bob Mould combined with the thundering bass and drums of Greg Norton and Grant Hart make this a must buy for any Husker Du fan.
Mould sounds like he is being tortured as he does an amazing rendition of the Byrd's psychedelic classic, and the crushing feedback and distortion of his guitar is truly a stunning achievment! Mould's vocals are a combination of angst, pain and horror as you can almost feel his soul being melted away as you listen to "Eight Miles High."
The rest of the songs are good as well, but the CD is worth the price just for the title track.

Very happy to see these re-released. Everyone should own these and sing along.

I find it very heartening that a new volume of Blind Melon's songs would be released. A volume of remastered songs at that. This album features some of the best Blind Melon songs, and indeed if you listen carefully with the right equipment, one can indeed hear a little improvement in sound quality. All that said, however, I find this album offers little new for a fan already familiar with the majority of their work. As a primer for a new fan, I think it would serve very well to introduce one to some of the musical accomplishments of arguably one of the most talented musical groups of the indie rock movement of the early '90s, Blind Melon.

This album is amazing in fact it is simply mind-blowing. My personal favorite on this album would have to be Mouthfull of Cavities but I can't really think of one song on this album that i don't like. I don't think their are many people out there willing to argue with me about this album. This is probobly my favorite album in the history of music. This is a must have for any Blind Melon fan or for anyone that is new to Blind Melon.

Blind Melon produced some of the most innovative and thought provoking music of the early 90's and this is a great collection. Shannon Hoon's voice has the magical ability to transmit complex emotions and it is such a shame that he is no longer with us. Blind Melon holds up well with the passage of time and this is a terrific album

The Gandharvas have the ability to float your head off your shoulder and away, as displayed on the popular single from their last album, with an airy, drifting shower of sound--unfortunately that ability is put to use only once or twice on this album. Instead, we get entertaining music with sparkles of that possibility. You just wish they'd let go of the tight hold of the reign over these songs, and be off where they may. They do let loose on the closer Diaboloney and in a rowdy, uncouth way--but they would do best to do more as they do on Waiting For Something To Happen/Reprise, which fades in on itself before a fuse is lit and the song burns brightly from the inside out.
The Gandharvas would sound better for me if they let their dreamy side wash over all the nasty edges.

I only just learned today who sang the song"First day of spring", but I had to write and tell people it is probably the best song in the world and I am currently trying to find the cd so I can listen to this group in its entirety.

This CD still gets me going after some 3 years. Downtime and Watching The Girl are everyones favourites, but you can get into the rest just as well. 5 stars for this one!

This is NOT a real Dinosaur JR album but a new song and some B-sides. It's still fun to get though for this price. The title track and the live tracks are the best songs, but the other songs (mostly the acoustic Quicksand) are worth getting the CD for.

This release is actually just one new track and 7 b-sides, but still good stuff. It's fairly diverse too, with a few rockers, a few more acoustic-based songs, and 2 live tracks. "Whatever's Cool With Me" is a good song, and typical for the time. The slower tracks, and the reason I keep this, are "Sideways" and the cover of "Quicksand", both are great. The rest are all decent. This is a good find for the real fan, but it's not as essential as "Green Mind" or "Where You Been".

Very nice record. I really enjoyed the whole album except for the last two live tracks (which were reeeaaallly drawn out despite J's excellent guitar playing). I prefer the more acoustic songs to the more drawn-out electric ones. Sideways is very beautiful, and so is Quicksand. I loved the evil-sounding bass and punkness in The Little Baby, though.

Interesting album for camperphiles. Great addition for anyone wishing to round out their collection. The album gives an insight into a live cvb performance with the standout track for me being all her favourite fruit(orchestral version). The sounds of violin etc are great to have back, missing for much of the time on Cracker. (No hidden tracks on this one!) Probably not the best example for new listeners, I would recommend "key lime pie" for anyone interested in getting on board!

Although I only got to see them once--on their last tour, their song titles, dead pan humor, and music have always resonated with me. I really like this cd, particularly S.P. 37957 and We're All Wasted. As a whole, this cd is not up to the calibur of Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, but it will do just fine. So, Camperphiles, give into the quirkiness!

Many of these songs had been included in the band's live shows and perhaps didn't make it onto an lp due to the band's break-up. But what we have here is no mere outtakes compilation, but a fully developed and cohesive new album. The campers were not content to string just any old tracks together, but worked hard at remastering and remixing old tracks, adding new elements and arranging a track order that flows very well. All of the classic CVB elements are included here from masterful ethnic dance tunes ("L'aguardiente"&"Balalaika Gap(demo)") to wacked out ska with backwards backing vocals ("We're all wasted") Zappa-esque insanity ("Who are the Brain Police") beautiful Key Lime Pie style psychedelia-laced ballads ("Tom Flower's", "Klondike"&"All Her Favorite Fruit") and the definitive S.P.37957/Hava Nagila/Dazed and Confused medley...plus more songs that no CVB fan should be without.
CVB is Dead is a much better effort than the seemingly thrown together "Camper Vantiquities" collection. Hopefully there will be more projects like this offered from the band. Camper Van Beethoven was just too good and too unique to be forgotten or ignored. It seems that the band members still feel the same way, having been disbanded for a decade there is no band quite like them.