Reviews Written By: A3JQ9OFAK24LFCprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | Crazy Horse - Crazy Horse | |
 | "An undiscovered classic" | 2009-08-19 |
| Crazy Horse is best known as Neil Young's backing group on such seminal records as "Everybody Know This is Nowhere," "Zuma," and "Ragged Glory." For some, they're the ultimate garage band. This CD or album shows they were and are so much more. Danny Whitten, original leader and lead guitarist for the band, left this world much too soon and influenced Young on some of his less commercial albums. He left this document to showcase his genius, though.
Any fan of 60s rock, folk-rock, country-rock,or great music in general should get this album. The original version of "I Don't Want to Talk About It" cuts Rod Stewart's hit version to shreds, and that's just the tip of the iceberg on this disc. The Horse touches on many strands of music, and combines to make them their own on "Gone Dead Train," and the Neil Young tune "Dance, Dance, Dance." "Downtown" is another great tune, even if it is about heroin, as some sources say. This disc is a great mix of music for fans of rock and roll. It's also a sad document of what might have been if Whitten hadn't given in to his demons. Crazy Horse is known as Neil Young's great backing band. This disc shows they had the potential for so much more. At least they have this as a document, and it, in some small way, is enough. This disc contains a lot of great music by a great band. | ||
 | Hank Thompson - The Best of Hank Thompson: 1966-1979 | |
 | "More great swinging honky tonk from Mr. Thompson" | 2009-06-29 |
| This set collects the later hits for Hank Thompson and his Brazos Valley Boys for the Warner Brothers and Dot/MCA labels. It contains lots of great honky tonk and beer drinking favorites like "On Tap, in the Can, or in the Bottle" and "Smoky the Bar." Most of the songs placed in the top 10 or 20 of the country charts and have the warmth of humor of Thompson's great Capitol sides. For Thompson fans or fans of fun honky tonk, this disc will quench the thirst. For those wondering what Thompson was about this disc and the Vintage disc by Capitol will tell you what you need to know. Thompson still never gets the respect or airplay he deserves. | ||
 | Charlie Rich - Feel Like Going Home: The Essential Charlie Rich | |
| "Fantastic way to find some rich music" | 2008-06-26 |
| Charlie Rich's voice is one of the best in rock, country, blues or any other genre you'd care to name. He may be best remembered for his hits in the 70s, which are good, but this anthology shows how great a talent he truly was. Starting with his work for Sun in the late 50s, we get his hit "Lonely Weekends" and the fantastic "Who Will the Next Fool Be." Rich has enough soul in that track and "There Won't be Anymore" to make anyone sit up and take notice. The first disc moves through his time with the Groove, Smash and Hi labels. He may not have had much in way of hits, but no one can argue with the strength of "A Field of Yellow Daisies" or his soulful take on "When Something is Wrong With my Baby," a hit for the duo Sam and Dave. The demo version of "Feel Like Going Home" is so emotional and strong that it's hard for me to listen to, but it's a wonderful and spiritual song. Clearly written by someone who's gone through some hard times. Mohair Sam was his other big hit in the 60s and it's a neat, if silly, novelty tune. The second disc starts with "Set me Free," his first hit on Epic and the beginning of his relationship with producer Billy Sherrill. Sherrill is famous for his work with Rich, George Jones, and Tammy Wynette, to name a few. He did add choruses and strings to Rich's songs, but the ones on this two disc set are still strong. Rich has a wonderful version of "I Almost Lost my Mind" by forgotten r&b great Ivory Joe Hunter, as well as a stirring version of his own "Stay," which was originally recorded on Sun. Songs such as "Why oh Why" and "Have A Heart" transcend country or any other label because of Rich's voice, which oozes with emotion and feeling. He's one of the most underrated singers in country or rock music. The set continues with those monster hits "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." They sit fine next to some of the blusier material because they are good songs, if not the best of Rich's career. This isn't necessarily the same as a greatest hits package, though. Later hits such as "Rollin' With the Flow" and "On my Knees" were left off to showcase the versatility of Rich and some of his stronger songs, such as "Don't Put No Headstone on my Grave." It ends with a pair of songs from his final album, 1992's Pictures and Paintings. The version of "Feel Like Going Home" offered from that is nice, but isn't as powerful as the demo that closes disc one. Rich had some big hits, but those weren't always the strongest tracks. This collection, though, is a fantastic introduction to a great singer, songwriter and piano player. I own several Rich albums, but this is the one I play most often. His voice simply can't be beat. | ||
 | The Twilight Zone Companion | |
| "Good background information, but skip Zicree's commentary" | 2007-08-09 |
| This book does include a wealth of information on the creation, production, and writing of the Twilight Zone. It contains interviews with producers, writers, and a synopsis of each episode. Unforunately, it also contains Zicree's fatuous comments on which episodes he likes the best. I'm not knocking it because I like episodes he enjoyed, but it's the who cares factor. You or I could write a book summarizing episodes and discussing which ones we like the best. There's nothing that gives Zicree's opinions any weight, so his commentaries should be taken with a grain of salt. That said, it does contain a lot of behind the scenes information about how the series got off the ground and the changes it went through during its five season run. I recommend it to fans, but with reservations. The background material is engrossing, but the commentaries are rather superficial. | ||
 | The Beach Boys - Sounds Of Summer - The Very Best Of The Beach Boys | |
| "The Beach Boys get their 1" | 2007-08-04 |
| We have the Beatles to thank for the Elvis Presley 30 # 1 hits and now the Beach Boys Sounds of Summer. That's fine by me because this is the best Beach Boys compilation I've seen. It covers all the Top 40 hits, including slightly obscure hits like "Do It Again" and "Darlin," which at least I never hear on the radio. The CD isn't chronological, but consists of mini-sets like three Pet Sounds songs in a row, a few surfing songs in a row, and so on. The harmonies sound brilliant and the songs still hold up 40 years later; even Kokomo sounds good in this context, and that's nothing to sneeze at. If, like me, you lack a Beach Boys greatest hits, then this is certainly the one to get. The remastering sounds wonderful and brings out the harmonies. Listen with headphones! | ||
 | Ivory Joe Hunter - Ivory Joe Hunter/Sings the Old and the New | |
| "Classic ballads with some typical 50s filler" | 2007-06-05 |
| First of all, the set collects the two LPS Ivory Joe cut for Atlantic back in the mid 50s. These were his top years as a chart artist, with big hits coming in the way of "Empty Arms," "A Tear Fell," and the immortal "Since I Met You Baby," which kicks off this set. That one song alone - in its original version - is enough to recommend this collection. The fact that the Greatest Hits collection by Razor and Tie, which has many of these tunes, is out of print is another. The first LP is much stronger than the second. Not only are the ballads sweet, but Ivory Joe mixes in some early rockers like "I Got to Learn to do the Mambo" and "You Mean Everything to Me." The second album is made up of a few new cuts and old standards. These, to my ears, are not in the same class as "Since I Met You Baby," and the arrangements border on the sacherine. There are a couple good cuts on the second album - "Worried Mind" and "One More Memory" being the standouts. Unfortunately, this collection lacks Ivory Joe's other big hit for Atlantic - "Empty Arms," because with that it would work as a nice greatest hits package. As it is, it functions as a place to find some great classics, but also as a reminder as to how sloppily put together albums could be in the 50s. | ||
 | Kiss - Gold | |
| "The ultimate early KISS collection" | 2007-05-13 |
| This set is a great way to add some KISS to your CD collection. I like KISS, but I'm not a super fan. Before I bought this, the only other KISS CD I had was Double Platinum. This two-disc set has almost all the KISS anyone needs from 74-81, aside from the Alive albums. All the famous early tracks are here, some in live form. The set also includes some strong album cuts from the first albums, but it also shows that KISS was never all that consistent. Even though it only focuses on the early years the downturn is already apparent on disc two. By the time they got around to creating metal-disco, the creative spark was almost gone (and Peter Criss had been replaced by studio musicians on some tracks). Having said that, this is prime classic rock and it has more hooks and is more fun than your average hard rock outfit from the 70s. Since it includes not one but at least two all-time rock anthems "Shout it Loud" and "Rock n Roll All Night," it's really a no-brainer if you don't own any KISS CDs. Those who are KISS fans already have all this to begin with, I'm sure. | ||
 | Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Playback | |
| "Excellent overview of Petty's early years" | 2007-02-05 |
| Let me start out by saying Tom Petty is a national treasure when it comes to music in general and rock and roll in particular. The man has consistently written and recorded great songs for more than 30 years, both solo and with the Heartbreakers. The Heartbreakers are simply one of the finest rock and roll bands ever; Petty and crew don't receive the credit they deserve for whatever reason. It's seems since he's so consistent that people take him for granted, which is a shame. Even his latest, Highway Companion, holds some wonderful music. This box set holds a whole lot. You can't beat this box set for the cost. It covers Petty and the Heartbreakers career from 73-93 and it includes almost all the hits, a great selection of album cuts, and many songs that were never released for one reason or another. The most glaring omission I found was "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." It's here in demo form, but not the hit version with Stevie Nicks. As with all box set, you can complain about what track was left off, but there's so much great music here that you can't find anywhere else. Disc Six "Nobody's Children" is a treasure-trove of unreleased songs. I was skeptical about this set because it's six discs, with three of them rare or unreleased material, but the unreleased material stands up to what came out. You'll find Petty's version of "Ways to be Wicked," which Lone Justice recorded. The version here rocks! The set has several gems from the "Let Me Up (I've Had Enough)" period, and, just as much of that album, rocks harder than much of the Petty's other material. Some other gems include "You Get me High," "Turning Point," and "Keeping me Alive," both of which were left off the Long After Dark album. Also, there is a fantastic accoustic version of "King's Highway" that you can't find anywhere else. It's such a beautiful song, and this version really highlights the lyrics. It rips the version on Into the Great Wide Open to shreds. If you're trying to figure out if you like Petty and the Heartbreakers, then obviously a greatest hits is the way to go. If you like it, then grab this because it sums up his early career a lot cheaper than buying all the discs. If you are a fan and don't own this, then get it! You won't regret it because it has too much good music to ignore. | ||
 | Doug Sahm & The Sir Douglas Quintet - The Best of Doug Sahm & The Sir Douglas Quintet 1968-1975 | |
| "A great introduction to a Texas legend" | 2006-12-30 |
| If you can't dig rock, country, blues, and even some jazz, then don't bother. Doug Sahm covers it all and better than most. He's one of the best Texas ever produced, and everything he does has soul. This is a great introduction, including many great tracks by the SDQ and some solo tracks. If you like it, then by all means, dig in to his back catalog. He's one of the best musicians Texas ever produced - almost every album Doug cut has some bit of magic to it. His music always lifts my spirits and makes me feel good. If there were any justice in the world, then Doug would have had many hits, but you can find this disc and discover his wonderful music for yourself. Buy it! | ||
 | Don Williams - Anthology | |
| "One of the best by an underrated artist" | 2006-12-30 |
| I've listened to Don Williams all my life, and this is the best place to pick up all of his bigget hits. It has so many wonderful songs; if you're a fan, then you already know, and if you're not, then discover one of country music's treasures. From the romantic tunes, like "'Til the Rivers All Run Dry," to the sadness of "Maggie's Dream," Don covers it all with a laid-back vocal style that is simply wonderful. My personal favorite is "Lord, I Hope This Day is Good" because not only can I relate to the lyrics, Don delivers them in such a warm style. He is a great singer, and this is a great place to get acquainted with him! | ||
 | Doug Sahm - Get a Life | |
| "Out of Print SDQ '98 available under different title" | 2006-12-28 |
| It's true - this is the SDQ '98 album under a different name, but this one is available, unlike SDQ '98. I've seen that one sell for up to $50 for whatever reason. If you like Doug Sahm, then you'll like this disc. Doug covers tex-mex, rock, country, and some 50s rhythm and blues. He works with old pal Augie Myers on most of the tracks and Austin group The Gourds on a couple others. Of special note is the track "Give Back the Key to my Heart," covered a few years earlier by Uncle Tupelo and done here with some great piano licks by Augie. The tune "Get a Life" rocks and is very catchy; even my pal who doesn't like roots music much enjoyed that song. All in all, a very good CD and one that you can find without much trouble, unlike SDQ '98. | ||
 | Doug Sahm - Hell of a Spell | |
| "Doug Sahm in a blues groove" | 2006-08-15 |
| This disc didn't move me as much as Doug Sahm's rock and country oriented material, but there's still some very good tunes here. The opener "Tunnel Vision" rocks, as well as the original version of "Hangin' on by a Thread," later re-cut by Sahm with the Texas Tornados. Other highlights include the title track and "I Don't Mind at All." It's a blusier affair than some other discs; it's dedicated it to Guitar Slim. Also included is a great version of "The Things I Used to Do. Almost all of Doug Sahm's music has something to recommend it and this disc is no exception. | ||
 | Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys - Vintage Collections Series | |
| "GREAT value for your money with this swingin' honky tonk!" | 2006-07-03 |
| One of the best buys I've seen anywhere, Vintage collects the best of Hank Thompson's work for Capitol Records. The disc covers everything from his first hit, "Humpty Dumpty Heart," to "Oklahoma Hills," his final for the label. Swinging honky tonk is the best way to describe this music; it's not the same as Bob Wills' Texas Swing, but Hank's blend could definately get folks dancing. You can't go wrong with this for the price. It's also the original recordings, which is sometimes not the case with budget releases. | ||
 | Gene Clark - Roadmaster | |
| "Strong collection of Clark's work" | 2005-08-03 |
| Listening to this disc, it's hard to believe these are a group of outtakes. The songs, overall, are strong and some of Clark's best. The original members of the Byrds backed Clark on two songs, while assorted members of the Flying Burrito Brothers backed him on several other songs. I prefer the sound of "Roadmaster" to the sparse and acoustic "White Light," but others may disagree. Both have stand-out tracks. The title track itself is a slow bluesy rocker, which feels out of place and is the weakest on the disc. Also, Clark may have felt the need to re-make the classic Byrd song "She Don't Care About Time," but the re-make can't match the Byrds version. Despite these two drawbacks, the rest of the album is wonderful. Songs such as "Full Circle Song," "I Remember the Railroad," and "Shooting Star" are some of the best Clark ever wrote. For these three songs alone, it's hard to fathom that this album wasn't even released in the U.S. Of all of Clark's albums, this one has some songs that could have been hits. Thankfully, Clark's discography is being re-evaluated and re-discovered. For Gene Clark fans, this is an essential disc. | ||
![Gene Clark - White Light [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/1385000/1385756_thumb.jpg) | Gene Clark - White Light [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "A sparse and understated album" | 2005-08-03 |
| "White Light" is often called Gene Clark's masterpiece, but I disagree. It does have several excellent songs, such as "For a Spanish Guitar" and "With Tomorrow," but several of the songs sound too similar to leave a lasting impression. Some songs need a fuller sound to flesh them out. Also on the song "White Light," the lyrics are rather obtuse and hard to understand. Sometimes if you've got a great piece of music this can be overlooked, but the sparse sound of these tracks call attention to the lyrics. It's a strong album, but it's not as good as "Roadmaster" or "No Other." As other reviewers noted,the disc reminds one of Dylan's mid-60's period, but that's not a bad thing, at least to me. I rate it four stars on the strength of "For a Spanish Guitar" alone . It ranks of one of Gene Clark's best songs ever, and "With Tomorrow" and "Because of You" aren't too far behind. | ||
| Doug Sahm - The Genuine Texas Groover | |
| "Terrific music from a great Texan" | 2005-02-19 |
| The price for this two-disc set is steep, but the music inside makes it worth every penny. Both the albums "Doug Sahm and Band" and "Texas Tornado" are here complete, along with numerous outtakes and alternate takes. The outtakes are worthwhile, too. They're not the usual cutting-room floor leftovers.
The music here is eclectic, as always. Doug jumps from straight blues on "Your Friends" and "Tennessee Blues" to country on "Faded Love" to rock on "Texas Tornado" to Tex-Mex on "Nitty Gritty." Not to mention the songs that are almost to classify as this or that. It's great American music and as the reviewer wrote below, it is indeed the real thang. | ||
| Gene Clark - Firebyrd | |
 | "Not among Clark's best" | 2005-01-06 |
| This album has several good songs, but not enough to recommend buying it. Clark originials "Something about You" and "Rain Song," while strong, suffer from overhanded 80s (synth) production. The cover Mr. Tamborine Man won't make you forget The Byrds or Dylan, but it's not bad, just different because it's driven by piano. "Blue Raven" might've worked, but it's marred by a flute. Better music by Clark late in his career can be found on his duet album with Carla Olson "So Rebellious a Lover." | ||
 | Gene Clark - Flying High | |
| "Wonderful music from a forgotten Byrd" | 2003-12-30 |
| The music on these two discs make one wonder why Gene Clark wasn't a solo star. He tasted solo stardom with the Byrds, but success on his own eluded him. On song after song, some previously unreleased, Clark mixes rock, folk, country, and even bluegrass into a brand of his own. This set covers his entire career, which can be looked at in its totality, unfortuately. From "Set You Free This Time" to his cover of Phil Ochs "Changes", this is music performed with conviction. One note though, Clark did not write "The French Girl." It was written by Sylvia Fricker and Ian Tyson. Always give credit where it is due and that's a wonderful tune. My hope is that more listeners will discover the riches that Clark's recordings have in abundance. | ||
 | Joe Ely - Joe Ely/Honky Tonk Masquerade | |
| "Terrific Texas Music and Essential" | 2003-07-27 |
| This disc is a great bargain because you get two fantastic albums on one. The out-of-print album "Joe Ely" contains a number of fine songs, including "If You Were a Bluebird," "Treat me Like a Saturday Night," and "Tennessee's Not the State I'm In." Several songs were written by Butch Hancock and one was written by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, both of whom were in the Flatlanders with Ely. A great album! "Honky Tonk Masquerade" is even better, though. It's songs are full of rich imagery and a sound that mixes honky tonk, Tex-Mex and rock and roll into a satisfying brew all its own. I never get tired of listening to these albums. And with both on one disc, it makes it even sweeter. You can't go wrong getting this disc! | ||
 | Elvis Presley - ELV1S 30 #1 Hits | |
 | "The best of the best" | 2002-09-26 |
| RCA definitely did something to these tracks, but I'm not sure what. Many of the songs sound crisper and more modern. For me it sounds great, but for others it may be a travesty. Proceed with caution. I give it three stars because "A Fool Such as I" must be an alternate take. The version on this cd doesn't sound like the one on the 50's boxed set or any other Presley cd with that particular song As for the other review, why Amazon[.com] allows reviews like that to be posted, I don't know. Elvis was not a "shyster" and was influenced by a variety of musical sources, including rhythm and blues, country and pop. Without Elvis, it's doubtful the rock and roll revolution would have taken place. That means no Beatles, no Stones, no Zeppelin and no Nirvana, to name a few. You don't have to like the man's music, but it's ignorant not to admit his accomplishments and what he brought to music. Ignore the myth, the rumors and the bad jokes and listen to the music. It's still moving over 50 years after being put to wax and 25 years after Elvis was laid to rest. | ||
 | Electric Light Orchestra - Zoom * | |
| "The return of ELO-or at least Jeff Lynne" | 2001-08-07 |
| Is this a true ELO album? I don't know, because on all the original albums Jeff Lynne was the voice and leader. If he decides he doesn't need the rest of the group that's his business. He does a fine job on his own, in my opinion. I love this album and have been playing it for weeks. Unlike many of the original ELO albums, this is one strong disc. My favorite track is "Ordinary Dream", which sounds the most like classic ELO. The saddest part about this disc is that it won't get any airplay on Top 40 radio stations. If you're a fan of classic rock in general and ELO in particuar, then this is something you need to get. Most of the time I dont like new cd's by older artists because they try to keep up with the times, but this cd sounds like ELO. And it sounds terrific. | ||
 | Little Feat - Hotcakes & Outtakes: 30 Years of Little Feat | |
| "Excellant overview" | 2001-06-19 |
| This is one of the better box sets I have seen; it doubles not only as a best-of, but includes some interesting studio nuggets as well. My only problem is that the original version "Teenage Nervous Breakdown" was left off in favor of a live version, which is not as good. Other than that, this set works both as an introduction to new fans and as must for old timers. Long live Little Feat! | ||
 | Johnnie Taylor - Johnnie Taylor Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits | |
| "This is prime Memphis soul!" | 2001-01-27 |
| This disc proves that Memphis soul music didn't die with Otis Redding. Almost every song on this disc is great soul and suggests Johnnie Taylor was the best soul singer of the 70's, behind Al Green. Primo soul from start to finish and highly recommended. | ||
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