 "Shoddy, albeit beautiful, packaging" | 2009-09-30 |
| - Reviewed By afoster74 |
| I've long been a fan of TH, and couldn't resist this box set. Not much new material to me, and the format is lovely and unusual. One serious drawback - I was VERY disappointed with the binding of the book I received. I've only opened it 4-5 times (to play each disc and once to flip through the pages), and the string-work is already coming apart on the binding. The artwork may be great, but I'll be warning my pals NOT to dare opening it!! |
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 "Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime" CD Box Set - "Did I forget to Mention Memhis? - The Home of Elvis and the Ancient Greeks!!!!"" | 2009-02-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2RWGW6TGUX7E5 |
| OUTSTANDING 3 CD, AND 1 DVD OF THE TALKING HEADS BOX SET!!! SIMPLY OUTSTANDING!!! The DVD is simply awesome, it contains videos of some of their greatest hits and also some good story-teling. This box set contains some rarities and some previously unrealeased songs. I really like the song "Cities" - "Did I forget to mention Memhis? - Home of Elvis and the Ancient Greeks!!!" |
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 "Good for what it is... I like the albums better, though" | 2008-12-07 |
| - Reviewed By joseseis |
Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime" (box set)
I was really torn on this one... I am a Talking Heads fan from 'way back when (since 1977) and I'd gorged myself on their albums, back in the vinyl age... When I finally wanted to have their stuff in digital form, I was disappointed by the weak mix on the original CD editions, and have been gun-shy ever since. The remixes on the "dual disc" versions sounded promising, although I was leery of them due to the many complaints that the dual discs don't play well in computers and other media. This box set sounded appealing mainly because of the video content, but also because the song selection, while omitting dozens of classics, still seemed pretty good. Finally, I saw it at a really good price, so I went for it.
So here are my impressions: the video content is disappointing in that it has too much later stuff ("Little Creatures/"True Stories" era) and no groovy cool art-loft era footage. Oh well.) Also, the clips are linked together with vox-pop style interview vingettes that don't add much, and often run over the intros and outros of the songs themselves. The song selection is, frankly, hampered by new mixes that seem overly bright and overly ornate (and very unlike the original release mixes from the '70s and and '80s, which I deeply, dearly love) as well as alternate versions that, while interesting from and intellectual/archival standpoint, again aren't as immediately satisfying as the album tracks. The packaging is cool -- I don't really enjoy the aesthetics of the artwork, but I admire the difficulty that such an intentionally unwieldy item presents: CDs are a dying medium, so why not have a little artsy fun with the presentation?
Mostly for me it's about the music, though, and these mixes and tracks just don't sound right. The newly enhanced sonic texture and depth is intriguing, but it's just not what these songs sounded like, back in the era they originally stem from... I don't want to wiggle around and twitch my butt to them the way I should. Also, I miss the old sequencing and all the songs that were left out. So, I guess this will be a curio on my shelves, but I'm still gonna have to give the dual disc reissues a shot. I've got my fingers crossed. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Music Reviews) |
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| "A gorgeous gift" | 2008-03-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3GCWJR3FFM395 |
A lot of people are complaining about this boxset for 3 reasons - the price, the way in which it's presented, and the material within. Honestly though... aren't those the top 3 things to complain about when discussing a piece of art?
I work at a music and book store, and even with my discount, the price tag was daunting. However, this box set caught my eye even before I knew it was a Talking Heads set. Perched above all the other CDs, the size of the set, and the lovely art work that was painted across it stood out to me. Once I read that it was from the Talking Heads, I knew I wanted it (more for my mother than myself). Yes, the artwork is strange, and yes, it is out there - but aren't the Talking Heads? Isn't David Byrne? Both the band and this boxset are weird and wonderful, in the most perfect ways possible.
As for the complaints about this box set having basically every track previously released..... hello? It's a box set. Part of a box set is containing all the previously released tracks of said artist, along with extra material. I love the DVD that comes with the 3 CDs, as well as the in-box booklet, complete with photos, essays, and memorable pieces of art. The "box" alone that it comes in is worth it for me.
This is not a box set for the music freak who already owns every Talking Heads album, song, and concert DVD, just so that they can say "Hey, I own every Talking Heads song EVER." This box set is for the person who loves the Talking Heads, and who can say with great confidence that the Talking Heads and their music were a large part of their lives. I grew up listening to Talking Heads - I'm now 19, and this box set means a lot to me.
If you, or someone you know, would treasure this for what it is, then it would make a tremendous gift. |
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| "It's a Killer (Psycho!)" | 2008-03-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1H561G5I0TZNA |
Before I purchased this set I read all the reviews posted here - the good, the bad and the indifferent. And in the end I bought this box set. I'm glad I did.
Much has been made about this collection overlapping the selections on "Sand in the Vaseline", some suggest that the packaging is quirky and not very user-friendly, others suggest real fans should just spend the money buying the seperate albums.
I think the defining factor for me (besides being a fan of the music) is that The Heads were an "art" band - in the most fundamental sense of that slightly awkward description. And this release is a tangible "artifact" of that visual art and design personality.
Experiencing this package is like entering a gallery and seeing an artists retrospective exhibition up on the walls. Perhaps a piece or two is missing but the overall experience and presentaion is well considered and the exhibition becomes a thing unto itself.
Sure, the packaging resembles a coffee table book that has been on a slimming program. But it's a beautiful thing.
The engineering of the package is excellent - the CD sleeves fit exactly into the slots on the cover so that the graphics remain "in register". The artwork is odd but compelling. The booklet provides some interesting insight into the personality and history of the group through a series of short well-illustrated essays.
And the music? It's great - Disc two alone is a particularly wonderful mix that brings me back to my college days. There isn't a bad song on it! Disc one predates my involvement as a fan so it provides some interesting new experiences. Disc three continues the evolution of the band and their music and is once again full of great stuff.
The fourth disc of videos provides a brief visual history of the whole MTV generation - moving from cheap production values to more generous budgets as fame and other visual competition influenced the bands quirky cinematic concepts.
In the end this collection is like a portfolio set of limited edtion prints - it's something to have and hold. Something to touch and play with. It's a multimedia art piece from a multitalented "art" band.
So, if all you want to do is load some tunes on the old iPod, then there are better ways to go for the content you are looking for. But if you want to own a genuine Heads sanctioned artifact then look no further. |
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| "Pretty Nice..." | 2008-03-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: AFZDLR2JV4DVX |
There's not a whole lot here that isn't on Sand In The Vaseline. Though it is a well designed set, and does boast some great features, is it really worth the money? If you're a hardcore Heads fan, yes. If you enjoyed a lot of their songs, but never really listened to a whole album, then no.
Basically, it's an updated greatest hits, with a little nod towards better production. But pound for pound, Sand In The Vaseline wins, hands down. |
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