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Reviews Written By: A28DTCRODDUF7D

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	The Knack - Get The Knack [Bonus Tracks]
	"Great songs"	2008-11-27
Ah, the good old days when people actually wrote good songs and could somewhat play their instruments. I love the live in the studio sound of this record and it has held up very well over the years.
	End Of The Century
	"A bit unfair, I think..."	2008-09-30
...to Johnny, who was portrayed as the Bob Knight of the Ramones. Sure he was a bit heavy handed, but gee, to keep those nimrods together for as long as he did must have been quite the task. When it was time to retire, I'm sure he was more than ready. Still, it was a shame that he and Joey weren't men enough to patch up their differences before they both passed away. As a drummer, I enjoyed the Marc Bell feature on what it took to play Ramones music. Simplistic as it may be, it took a great deal of speed and stamina.
	The Ramones - Pleasant Dreams [Expanded]
	"A bit too polished for my tastes"	2008-09-30
The songs are good, but the production is lousy. Where are the guitars? And why is Joey trying to sound like Mike Love? I can just see Johnny cringing when he got his acetate of the record, after being mixed.
	The Ramones - Pleasant Dreams
	"A bit too polished for my tastes"	2008-09-30
The songs are good, but the production is lousy. Where are the guitars? And why is Joey trying to sound like Mike Love? I can just see Johnny cringing when he got his acetate of the record, after being mixed.
	The Ramones - ¡Adios Amigos! [Bonus Track]
	"Very good...not a classic"	2008-09-02
When you have made classic, genre defining records, music created later in a career gets compared, unfairly in my opinion, to the earlier work. That's why McCartney's solo work, though very good at times, gets slagged, as does music by The Who, Elton John, and many others. It is tough competing against yourself. Adios Amigos is a very good, nearly excellent rock album. You couldn't expect the Ramones to recreate "Rocket To Russia" because they werent the same band or the same men. What they did do was a very good, rocking set that embodied the best, at times, of what made them special.
	Thin Lizzy - Black Rose-A Rock Legend
	"Hard, not heavy"	2008-08-26
This thing just roars from the beginning and seldom lets up. A hard rock record...not heavy...just hard. The best hard rock groups of the 70's had that melodicism that went with the songs. Know what I really liked about Thin Lizzy? The drum sounds. As simple as it may sound, it wasn't, and isn't, easy to get a great drum sound. Whoever engineered those Thin Lizzy records really got Downey's sound right.
	Ringo Starr - Ringo
	"Ringo's best"	2007-11-20
Great record. It's a shame that Ringo slid so suddendly in the remaining years of the decade (70's), due no doubt to his substance abuse issues that he later cleaned up. It's no small significance that he started making decent, if not very good, music once he cleaned up. My only gripe about this album is that Jim Keltner played drums on some of the tracks with Ringo. I have no idea why. Ringo's playing on the balance of the tracks is outstanding.
	Buddy Rich/Max Roach - Rich Versus Roach
	"A Tie"	2007-10-18
There are two musical geniuses here at work and there is no clear winner. In the end, it really depends on your style preference. To my trained ear, Buddy is the better "drummer,"..is faster and better with his rudiments. Max is the better innovator. Though I prefer Buddy's playing, I fully recognize the genius of Max Roach and feel he is as important to the history and evolution of jazz music and drumming as is Buddy Rich. So...take your pick. This is two masters at work, giants in their field. We may never see their likes again.
	Keith Richards - Talk Is Cheap
	"Gave it a listen, 18 years later"	2006-06-02
I liked it much better when I gave it a listen 18 years after it was released. It is much better than any of the drivel that the Stones have released over the last 20 years, and certainly lends to the theory that Keith is and was the real composer of the two. Steve Jordan shines on drums. He out "Charlies" Charley!
	Band - Band
	"Outstanding"	2005-04-22
Having just "gotten into" The Band, two things stand out: 1) Robbie Robertson was absolutely right in breaking the group up when they did. Drug addiction was tearing them apart physically, ultimately leading to the deaths of Richard Manuel and Rick Danko. Levon Helm was, and still is bitter about it, but he was wrong. 2) Robertson did not solely compose these songs. While the original chord progressions and perhaps even the lyrics were his, the intrumentation and varied sounds were absolutely not. These songs should have been credited to the entire group. Robbie was an opportunist and took advantage of the situation. Still, it's very obvious that these songs were a group effort. Buy this record.
	Buddy Rich Live At The 1982 Montreal Jazz Festival (includes Bonus CD)
	"Floored"	2004-12-08
This was the first time I'd seen Buddy Rich play the drums, sadly, 17 years after his death. The man was just remarkable. What blinding speed and dexterity. Truly, he was from another world when it came to playing drums. He was 65 years old when this concert took place! Amazing.
	John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
	"I can't bear to listen...still"	2004-04-14
Since Lennon's death, I've listened to this perhaps three times. Every time, especially after hearing the song "Love," I wipe away tears, and I'm no big cryer. Lennon had flaws, as do all humans. He was agnostic, ultra-liberal, a bad father to Julian, a drug addict, and manic depressive. He was also brilliant. Despite it all, I truly miss the man. With his passing, the ultimate Beatle reuinion never happened. I'm sure that it would have, as you can't keep brothers apart forever.
	The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
	"And no Penny Lane or Strawberry Fields!!"	2004-04-14
Many casual fans don't realize that the first tracks cut for the "Sgt. Pepper" sessions were none other than "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields," in that order! Just think what this classic would have been like with those two tracks! I love it. Just great songs. The extended piano chord at the end of "Day in the Life" still makes the hair stand up on my neck. If I smoked pot, and I don't, "Within You Without You" would be the ultimate weed tune. I love singing to "Getting Better, and "When I'm 64." Ringo's underrated drumming is outstanding on "Good Morning, Good Morning," as his vocals were warm and inviting on "With A Little Help From My Friends." These guys just brought out the best in each other. That's why McCartney and Lennon were never the same songwriters without the Beatles, and why George and Ringo never acheived the same excellence instrumentally. Combinations like this only happen once in a lifetime. I'm glad that it happened in mine.
	Foo Fighters - One by One
	"Bland"	2004-03-27
Dave's progressively gone downhill since the first record. Rather than try and write memorable "hooks," he should just kick out the reverb, like the first record, and let it go. The "hooks" will come. These songs sound too manufactured and produced. Dave's a helluva drummer though (sorry Taylor, I know it's not you playing).
	The Beatles - Let It Be... Naked
	"Paul's are better, but...."	2003-11-26
"Long and Winding Road" and "Let it Be" are better without the Spector schlock, and that's probably the reason why McCartney went ahead with the project. It's burned at him for years that his work was altered like it was by Spector, and without his consent. It could stand to reason that he waited for George's death to finally correct the mistake, but whatever, this is a mixed bag. Pauls' material is better. The rest, not so.
	Paul McCartney ,Paul Mccartney ,Wings - Back To The Egg
	"Excellent"	2003-11-01
I've never understood the negativity associated with this album. Paul sings his guts out, the songs are good and rock very well indeed.
	Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
	"Just Great"	2003-10-17
I listened to this last week for the first time in about 20 years. It's just as great, and perhaps even more so that it was when released. Nicks' voice was beautiful before she ruined it with booze and drugs. Christine was wonderful then, and Buckingham played a very melodic guitar. It's amazing that these songs were recorded under such personal turmoil with relationships breaking up. Heck, I couldn't stand being in the same room with my ex much less working with her!
	Paul Mccartney - Ram
	"Good stuff"	2003-10-09
I liked "Ram" when it came out, and my opinion hasn't changed. The only negative is that occassionally Linda's background singing is annoying. Other than that, it sounds very much like some of Paul's late 60's Beatle output.
	Burning For Buddy: A Tribute To The Music Of Buddy Rich
	"Wow!"	2003-09-22
I finally purchased this nine years after release. The performances are outstanding, and it's very interesting to hear how rock drummers like Neal Peart and, to some degree, Bill Bruford, handle the complex time signatures and rolls from big band jazz. They do quite well! The biggest surprise had to be Matt Sorum, of Guns and Roses fame. He proves that rock pays his bills, but that jazz/fusion is in his blood!!!
	Kiss - Symphony: Alive IV
	"Good performances...very bad mix"	2003-08-13
Pete's drums just get lost in the sound, and it's too bad. His playing is the best it's been in years. For some reason, on each of the live Kiss recordings, the drums have been buried in the murk, and that includes Alive 3, with Eric Singer. Otherwise, it's good. Let's hope for a different song list if they continue touring.
	Cheap Trick - Special One * [7/22]
	"Interesting Collection"	2003-08-12
Before I penned my review, I listened to this set four times. Here it is in a nutshell... Very good list... Scent Of A Woman Too Much My Obsession Words Pop Drone Very Bad List Hummer My Best Friend Sorry Boy So there you have it. Some of their best songs, and some of their worst. You have to give these guys credit for stretching their bounderies and challenging the listener, but frankly, sometimes they seem like they're going through the motions in the studio. Three stars is about right.
	Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
	"He can flat out play"	2003-05-24
Pete's real gift was his guitar playing. It's a shame that after this album that gift was downplayed more and more. His record company tried to make him into a teen idol, and it killed his career. At any rate, if you like melodic rock guitar, this is the album to get.
	Elton John - Rock of the Westies
	"Rock On Elton"	2003-01-26
What a great, rocking record! I dusted off the CD this week and gave it a spin. Great tunes..."Hard Luck Story,""Yell Help Medley,""Grow Some Funk Of Your Own,""Dan Dare,"..all great tunes. This record has aged very well. Unfortunately, it was panned when it came out. Perhaps they were looking for a profound statement. Elton just wanted to rock!! Buy this now!!
	Elton John - Blue Moves
	"Good..would have made a great single record"	2003-01-26
Too many songs and too much filler. Still, if you'd have pulled the best songs together and made a single record, it would have been a classic. "Tonight" is beautiful. "One Horse Town" is a classic. "Cage The Songbird" is lush and wonderful. Many great tunes. Some duds. Tell me how many double LP's are better?
	Cheap Trick - Cheap Trick [1997]
	"This Is The Real Follow Up To Dream Police"	2003-01-25
Frankly, I stopped listening after "Next Position Please." I never figured out how this group lost it's touch after "Dream Police." They kept trying to cater to trends instead of being themselves. They nailed it on this one. I happened upon this after seeing "Silver" in DVD. That great performance sparked my interest again, and seeing that I could get this CD used for [$$], I thought I'd give it a chance. Wow! My only question is, why did it take 19 years and several awful albums to finally make a true Cheap Trick recording? Buy this, NOW! It's great.
	Paul McCartney - Back in the U.S. Live 2002
	"Excellent"	2003-01-01
Great performances of classic songs. Paul can still rock! His voice is amazing for a 60 year old man, and this new band has energized him. Would have liked some between song banter, and that's the only thing preventing a five star rating. Go get 'em Paul!! Your amazing.
	George Harrison - Brainwashed
	"Would Have Rated A Five If Not For Lynne's Production"	2002-11-26
Damn I wish Jeff Lynne would have laid off of the Wilbury like drums and pathetic background vocals! He nearly ruins some of these great songs. I know George thought highly of his mate, but frankly, these songs would have been even better with a guy like Rick Rubin producing. And what's with the Wilbury drum sound? I can't stand that loose snare drum, and Keltner's not the problem. It's how the drums were recorded, and that loose sound is a Lynne trademark. Oh well. George's guitar playing is his best since All Things Must Pass, and that's remarkable when you consider the discomfort he must have been feeling throughout these sessions. "Stuck Inside a Cloud, and "Marwah Blues" are my favorites, and the CD keeps growing on me. The world misses you George. By the way, I've read reviews that have said this recording is better than McCartney's "Driving Rain." In my opinion, good though it is, it's not better.
	Elton John - Songs From The West Coast *
	"Excellent"	2002-02-28
Elton's back, doing the kind of music he does best. The piano playing is back, Nigel Olssen, a GREAT DRUMMER, is back, and of course Bernie's lyrics are first rate. If you closed your eyes, you'd think that it was 1972 again. Get back, Honkey Cat!!
	Rush - Hemispheres
	"Coveted Five Star"	2002-01-06
Well, this one gets my coveted five star review, because the musicianship is so unbelievable. These guys really displayed their chops on "Hemispheres." Even if you can't stand the screech of Geddy Lee, the drumming of Neal Peart and the combined ensemble playing of Lee, Peart, and Alex Lifeson, is truly amazing. The different time signatures, key changes, acoustic to electric sounds, pinpoint percussion, etc., makes this a musical experience never to forget. In my mind, Rush has never acheived this high level of writing and recording since, though they've made some good music. "The Trees?" Amazing lyrics and guitar. "Circumstances?" Wonderful drumming and vocals. The entire first side is chock full of tremendous material.
	Yoko Ono - Blueprint For A Sunrise *
	"Oh-No, It's YOKO"	2001-11-15
Only one person thought Yoko had talent, and he's, unfortunately, dead.