 "A fun impressive collection" | 2009-07-29 |
| - Reviewed By techmannn |
| This very eclectic collection is a blast to listen to. Collections of this sort are very subjective when judging them -- lots of tracks are great in themselves but are they "psychedelic" -- most would say no. But the collection as a whole will grab your ear if you like garage rock from the 80 and 90's. The reason I give this 5 stars is that many many of the tracks are relatively obscure or hard to find, so this collection isnt just a rehash of other collections already out there. My sole complaint is that the current price seems a bit steep for 4 CD's, but maybe I am just being cheap. |
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| "essential listening" | 2009-06-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3VQ6T9K3YIQGR |
| If you turned on a college radio station during the 1980's or early 90's this is essential listening. From stalwarts the Church and the Smithereens to lesser-known acts such as The Stems and the Barracudas, there's a little something for everyone. A little Rickenbacker jangle here, a little Farfisa lick there- the sound runs the gamut of what we would lovingly call "College Rock". You know, before Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins trademarked "Alt Rock" for an MTV audience spoon fed on grunge and The Real World. Those of us who survived the onslaught were left out in the cold with our vinyl collections clutched in shivering hands wondering whatever happened to Jeff Connolly . |
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 "Not as good as the original" | 2009-06-06 |
| - Reviewed By ih05 |
| This is a generous well put together box set. the book is awesome; the music on this set is amazing while there are some songs i could do with out overall it was a good if not great purchase. i still prefer the original nuggets box set but this is more my generation of music but i would recommend this easily |
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 "A REAL RUSH JOB" | 2009-01-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A37EQ0JVNJ4KN6 |
| Judging by the fact that a LOT of great bands that would have actually fit the NUGGETS profile were left out and the fact that some of the bands on here were given multiple tracks,It seems this compilation was pretty much just thrown together to make money. Examples of GREAT bands that should have been on here are The Cheepskates, LORD JOHN and MOD FUN (who were very active in the 80's NYC garage scene)from NYC and the surrounding area.The list goes on but at least these bands had some great rockers as opposed to some of the sleepers included on this compilation. There is some really good stuff on here but also some not so great stuff. |
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| "The full loaf and more" | 2008-01-28 |
| - Reviewed By mr105601 |
If you approach this box set expecting a bunch of neo-garage revivalism, you will be instantly disappointed; the fluttering guitars and soaring harmonies of "Vanishing Girl," the first song here, have nothing to do with the Standells and only a passing similarity to the Electric Prunes. It's not like anything you'd really find on a Pebbles or Back From The Grave disc, and its psychedelic flourishes aren't even remotely acidic. The song isn't raw or crude or wild. Instead, it's an otherworldly pop masterpiece, full of quiet anguish and subtle humor, with delicately bewitching vocals shimmering over and around a stunning cascade of emotive melody, underneath which is a 60s-inspired rhythm full of sunshine and hypnosis. After that comes the Lyres' "Help You Ann," which is a quintessential anthem for garage rock revival, with tremolo guitars and snarled vocals and a cheesy organ and all that other good stuff. This set isn't dominated by either sound- "Vanishing Girl" and "Help You Ann" help set the template for Children Of Nuggets, but they're not the entire blueprint. Sparkling pop and pounding garage rock sit comfortably aside neo-psych, post punk, surf revival, new wave, power pop, and just about every other cool method of sound creation that existed between 1976 and 1996. The result is, first and foremost, that a bunch of great music is rescued from obscurity. This is a beautifully guided tour of everything that happened beneath the surface of the post 'Nam, post Nixon, post Frampton planet earth, a gorgeous affirmation of the freewheeling spirit of the 60s. It's living, breathing, rockin' proof that people really did put the lessons of the Beatles and the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan and the Green Fuz to good use. Sometimes, they even hit the charts!
Does this multi-genre approach contradict the Nuggets spirit? Well, I would like to remind you that the original Nuggets LP, as compiled by Lenny and Jac, wasn't just about the Count Five and the Seeds. I mean, how do you explain the inclusion of Sagittarius' stunning pop symphony "My World Fell Down," or the Cryan Shames' sparkling "Sugar And Spice," or Mouse's Bob Dylan-inspired "A Public Execution," or the sheer studio art of bands like the Strangeloves and the Third Rail on the original LP? Nuggets wasn't just about mining the dingy garages of America, you know- it was about diving headfirst into the untapped musical gold mines of the 60s, peering into the shadow of the 'Stones and the Monkees to see what else was going on, and finding out that the answer was a resounding "a whole lot!" It's about artyfacts, man, artyfacts, and it don't matter where you dug 'em up from as long as you really dug 'em, dig? And that's why this set is a great addition to the Nuggets family, and why every fan of great music owes it to themselves to pick up a copy. |
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| "EXCELLENT SET... if you love rock'n' roll." | 2008-01-24 |
| - Reviewed By darramor |
| Forget the "half-loaf" commentary, this set of 'off the radar' progressive rock music is excellent. I've been listening to Nuggets collections since the original two record set was released in 1976. This particular collection of music from '76 to '96 is flawless in recording and content. Each cut is a hit in and of itself. If you loved college radio through the 70's, 80's and 90's, this is THE collection that brings it all back. You'll find no filler, no 'top 40' garbage, no tricks, just plenty of guitar, hooks, blues riffs, rhythm and vocals...'three chords and the truth' is what it's all about. Check out ALL the Nuggets collections, they're all really great, but there isn't enough stars for this one. |
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