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	John Hiatt - Crossing Muddy Waters
	"Decent, but mostly overrated"	2008-07-26
Its been a few years since this one came out. Stripped down to the bone puts the full emphasis on John's singing and the songs with mixed results. Crossing Muddy Waters is one of his best songs ever. Nothing else comes close to that description. This CD might be the start of his singing become more ragged (or should I say gritty). Its not so bad like the desstruction of Bob Dylan's voice and in concert, he still sounds pretty darn good (just saw him last month). Overall, a few nice songs here but if you are looking at his latter day works, you can do better. Walk On, Tiki Bar and Gruff Exterior are all better. And of course, Little Head is much worse and the latest, Same Old Man is probably not quite as good either.
	Hollies - What Goes Around
	"Great bonus tracks!"	2007-08-05
Worth purchasing for the bonus tracks though as a previous reviewer indicated, the sound quality is not as good as the CD release containing just one bonus track. Casual Hollies fans will be happy enough with the standard release, but I must say, as someone who has purchased the majority of the Hollies catalogue I find it amazing that some of these bonus songs never saw the light of day in the U.S. Let Her Go Down, Hillsborough, Carrie and Baby Come Back are better than most of the songs on the standard issue.
	Bob Dylan - Street Legal [SACD Hybrid] [Digipak]
	"Great SACD Sound of Underrated Dylan"	2007-03-13
Not having previously owned everything Dylan ever recorded instead opting to selectively purchase various acclaimed CD's over the years, I took the plunge to purchase all Dylan SACD's when they became available. As others have noted the overall sound quality is mostly good with a few minor exceptions. Street Legal would most likely qualify as one of Dylan's lesser appreciated efforts over the years and is part of the reason it was one of the last of his SACD's I purchased. The 2 channel stereo SACD hybrid sound is near perfect. That I expected. What I didn't expect was how much I love the songs on this release! Yes, it is a highly polished production as numerous reviews have noted over the years. And, no I don't think this detracts from the brilliance of the songs one bit. I've never understood why the expectations for certain artists such as Dylan seems to be the songs must be presented in a certain stripped down, bare bones production style. I love the brassy all out ballsy approach to these songs and their heavy reliance on background singers. Yes it is a very polished heavily produced sound, but that in itself gives it a totally different feel than anything he previously recorded. There truly is not a bad song in the bunch. From Changing of the Guards to the closer, Where are you Tonight it truly rocks out in an agressive manner people were not quite expecting. 1978 was the beginning of the end to disco, the emergence of punk and Dylan doesn't quite seem to know where he fits in, but I doubt he really cared. It remains a sharp deviation from the Rolling Thunder days and Blood on the Tracks. Dylan has never been afraid of confounding critics and purposely moving away from expectations. He may have accomplished both with Street Legal, but count me as one music lover who has belatedly jumped on this wagon for a ride.
	Creedence Clearwater Revival - Willy & The Poor Boys
	"Great CCR record, not so great SACD"	2007-02-26
My advice? Don't waste your time spending big bucks on the SACD version of this great CCR classic. I've listened to it alongside the 20bit K2 mastered version and I actually prefer the K2 version. I've got a lot of SACD's and played both on my Sony SACD player. I can't see the purpose of this realease at all. If it comes down to money I think you will be more than happy with the K2 release. Also, the SACD is not a multi-channel release so you won't find anything new with this mix. Overall as any familar with CCR knows, this is a solid gold 5 star classic. So, any fan of great rock and roll needs to own it. Just don't waste your money on this hybrid SACD release.
	The Greenberry Woods - Big Money Item
	"Great lost pop classic"	2006-11-09
With all the hype received by other bands in the mid-90's and beyond such as Semisonic and Fountains of Wayne chalk up Greenberry Woods as one of the great lost bands of that style of power pop. Two cd's and they were gone. This was the second one that came out rather quickly after the first. Amazingly, its even better than the first. This is one of those cd's where there are no bad songs. Its even rather difficult to list favorites. Its just that consistent. From "Yeah" to "Love Songs" to "Backstreet Driver" to "Super Geek" to "Parachute" to "The Final Song" and everything in between, they are all good. I mourn the loss of this kind of music. The spirit of The Raspberries and Badfiner live on.
	Poco - The Last Roundup
	"Very Nice Summation of the Late 70's Poco"	2006-10-28
Very much surprised at how good this live concert recording is. Though I did see this final incarnation of the first post-Ritchie Furay version of the band in concert at the time I'm still amazed at how good they were. The sound quality of this CD is excellent, the band sounds super-charged. The only weakness in my mind is a couple of song selections. For the un-initiated this the end of the road for the band era that includes Timothy Schmit before he headed off to greener pastures otherwise known as The Eagles. This CD includes many songs from Indian Summer, their final studio album with Schmit. On the surface that might not be a good sign, but surprise, surprise. The live versions here improve on virtually all of those songs. Its impossible to exaggerate how well these songs are sung and played here. Throw in a couple of excellent vintage tracks such as Rose of Cimarron, Keep on Tryin and Sagebrush Serenade and what you are left with is a nice reminder of how good this band was. The songs from Paul Cotton and Timothy Schmit dominate this recording which is good. But you also see the emergence of Rusty Young as a songwriter which would eventually come to full fruition with the subsequent incarnation of Poco sans-Schmit. Overall this is a great find for Timothy Schmit fans as you would never hear him so prominently featured in his future endeavors with The Eagles. I always liked this incarnation of Poco though most long time fans would not consider this to be their finest era (how could it be without Ritchie Furay?). Take it for what it is; a fine live document of a very good band that never quite got its due.
	Scott McCarl - Play On
	"Outstanding!"	2005-08-05
I just listened to this cd for the 5th time. Overall, it makes me wonder why Scott wasn't the one having solo hits instead of Eric Carmen. Believe me, it's not much of an exaggeration when you consider some of the lame output put out by Mr. Carmen over the years. After listening to this cd you will no doubt agree that Scott McCarl has not abandoned his power pop roots. Many of these songs will linger in your head long after listening. Bonus tracks range from very good to at least interesting highlighted by his never before heard tribute to his time in the Raspberries called "Thanks for the Ride" that he wrote shortly after the break-up. The first 10 songs are all killers. The version of "Nobody Knows" eclipses the Raspberries version. The cover of the Beatles "Yes it is" showcases his Lennon-ish voice to dramatic, haunting effect. The other songs, mostly McCarl originals will keep a smile on your face all day. I personally, love "In love without a girl", "Same Ol Heartache", "Wait a minute girl" and "Surrender", but I can see my favorites changing with each listen. If you are a fan of bands like the Raspberries, Big Star, Badfinger, Hollies, Posies and even Fountains of Wayne, don't hesitate to pick this up. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you might even think my Eric Carmen statement isn't so outrageous after all.
	The Guess Who - Anthology
	"Close to perfect 2 cd compilation"	2004-06-24
For starters, this is definitely the best Guess Who compilation based on song selection and sound quality. Its an obvious choice for new listeners or someone who wants to buy one Guess Who cd. This is a double cd and for even casual listeners, any available single cd collection is simply a waste of money. The single cd's will always leave out better songs to include all of the so-called "essential" hits which of course includes "Clap for Wolfman" which is really not one of their shining moments. What really makes the song selection so great here is the inclusion of the pre-"Wheatfield Soul" selections, especially the early top 40 hit, "Shaking All Over" which is suprisingly difficult to find on cd. The others are also very enjoyable. The more obscure non-singles and non-hits such as "Those Show Biz Shoes", "Hoe Down Time", "Wednesday in your Garden", "Pain Train" and "Dreams" are mostly excellent. Listeners only familiar with the biggest hits will certainly enjoy hearing these songs for the first time. As a long time fan familiar with all their recordings, I could quibble with a few selections where I would have choosen to select what I consider to be even better songs such as "Running down the street". But, there is no denying this cd successfully achieves what other compilations missed. Specifically, great sound quality and comprehensive, intelligent song selection.
	Faces - The Best Of Faces: Good Boys When They're Asleep
	"Definitive compilation of Faces career"	2003-06-09
I really wanted to love this record. The good news; it is pretty definitive. Despite what others might say, this is the only Faces cd you need. The bad news; the overall quality of songs doesn't do anything to enhance the legacy of this band. The playing is always a highlight. Its easy to see why the Stones wanted Ron Wood. Its also easy to see why Stay With Me was their only hit. The rest is decent, never bad, but just not anything that elevates this band to the top. In retrospect, the impact of Rod Stewart saving his best songs for his solo records is more clear than ever. None of his songs here approach the quality of the best songs he wrote for his first 4 solo records. That fact is basically indisputable. Makes you wonder what could have been if there was a stronger committment level from Rod. There is no doubt Faces made some enjoyable music, but I can't help but think about what they could have been.
	Warren Zevon - Sentimental Hygiene [Bonus Tracks]
	"Excellent Zevon Comeback"	2003-05-30
I can't over-state how good this cd is. An impressive comeback from the depths of substance/alcohol abuse. The best songs here do rank up there with the older Zevon classics. The remastered version sounds excellent. Bonus tracks don't add much. Half dozen great songs on it. Nothing bad. More definitive bonus tracks would have been nice. A solid 4-1/2 stars. Here are my favorites: Boom Boom Mancini (Greatest boxing song ever). Sentimental Hygiene (Neil Young guitar propels this tune). Detox Mansion (Humor in a serious subject). Even A dog Can Shake Hands (A suit and tie doesn't make an honerable person). Leave My Monkey Alone (Sounds good). Reconsider Me (Reflection on past relationship mistakes. Is the door still open?).
	Monte Montgomery - Mirror
	"The Best Monte!"	2003-05-23
I've been listening to Monte for a few years now. I've re-listened to all his CD's and seen him in concert many times. That said, I've come to the conclusion that this is the "best" Monte on record, so far. It makes for a great starting point for the uninitiated. The guitar playing is excellent. The songwriting is first rate. The tone is set from the first song and hits a very nice stride with the title song "Mirror". A similar pace continues throughout with a nice change of pace in the ragae inspired concert favorite "When Will I". Hard to pick a favorite. The ballads are typically not the strongest Monte material, but are very good on this record. All in all, his most consistent effort and the best showcase for his considerable guitar skills. A solid 4-1/2 star effort.
	Various Artists - This Is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies & The Kinks
	"A fitting tribute to one of the greatest ever!"	2002-04-11
If ever a songwriter deserved a tribute Cd, it is Ray Davies.The neatest thing about this Cd is the diversity of song selection and musical styles incorporated into a single tribute Cd. I can't think of another songwriter who has produced such range in composition over his career. Anyone expecting the typical list of higher profile Kinks material will be surprised, but not disappointed when they hear the results. The range of songs provides some nice insights into much more obscure Davies material. That is what makes this record such a treat for me. Some of the more daring choices provide some of the best highlights - Get Back In Line, Art Lover, Big Sky, No Return. Hard to choose favorites. But, I can't resist the high octane version of Who'll Be The Next In Line by Queens of Stone Age, the energetic rendition of Victoria by Cracker, the haunting take on Well Respected Man by Josh Rouse or the pure pop brilliance of Fountains of Wayne's take on Better Things. Finally, to close it out with a lovely live reading of Waterloo Sunset by the master himself with Blur's Damon Albam. What more could anyone ask for. I think Kinks fans will enjoy the sometimes unique readings of these songs. Others who might not be familiar with the entire Kinks's catalog, but are familiar with some of the artists on this Cd have a great opportunity to experience the brilliance of Ray Davies beyond You Really Got Me and Lola!
	Graham Parker - Deepcut to Nowhere
	"GREAT SONGS, GREAT PERFORMANCE"	2001-12-22
What a shock I had in discovering just how good this record really is. No need to just play the old stuff anymore. This records packs all the punch of his early stuff with the additional benefit of some thoughtful "adult" songwriting. The "rockers" have a lot of bite (Jacksonville, Dark Days). The ballads ring true without any sappiness. The closing song stands stark and naked as one of Parker's most daring statements, totally original, sung in an understated voice we have not heard before. The performances are all first rate. Graham's guitar playing has never sounded better. Hard to believe where he's come from since that day in the mid-1980's when I saw him on his solo tour. Great songwriting never dies! Too bad there is not more of it in today's music world.
	Squeeze - Ridiculous
	"SURPRISINGLY GOOD RECENT EFFORT"	2001-03-04
Picked this up recently on a hunch. Pleasantly surprised at the quality of the songs and performances. "This Summer" is as fine a single as they've ever released. Would have been a huge hit if they could have come up with that one in 1985. "Electric Trains" is an excellent opener. Not a bad song in the bunch. Also, some interesting variations on their trademark sound that come off very well. For later day Squeeze, this is the one I would recommend. Even better than "Play" and "Some Fantastic Place", though those two are also recommended.
	Badfinger - The Very Best of Badfinger
	"Great song selection finally!"	2000-09-21
From my perspective, I can't argue with the song selection on this collection. Its much better than the previous Apple collection. For a single disc "best of", there is not a weak song in the bunch. It even includes one previously unreleased single. If you were going to own one Badfinger disc, this would be the one to have. Sound quality is outstanding. Personally, I find the vocal detail on this release to far exceed previous releases of the same songs. A big plus is the inclusion of some previously overlooked gems such as "Dennis","We're for the dark", and "When I Say" (which is a good choice from the Ass record though not as well known). Great liner notes complete the package. What more could you ask for? Well, for the passionate fan, maybe a concerted effort to give the full blown Badfinger catalog the treatment it deserves!
	Hollies - Write on
	"SOUNDS BETTER THE SECOND TIME"	2000-04-28
This was a very poorly received Hollies release around 1976. It never got properly released in the U.S. This time the CD mastering is outstanding. The sound quality really brings out the excellence of some nice compositions. The title song jumps out of the speakers and demands attention. This might possibly be the best ever application of the 2nd generation Hollies harmonies. Other great songs like the ballads "My Island", "I Wont Move Over" and "There's always goodbye", one of the best Hollies rockers ever, "Crocadile Woman" add up to a diverse collection of memorable songs. Unfortunately, there are some weaker songs that just don't hold up over the years. Some, such as the opener, "Star" are decent, but just a bit dated. Bonus tracks are a big attraction on this one. The 2 live versions are better than the studio versions, though they can also be found on the Hollies Live CD. The other 3 songs are gems. "Boulder to Birmingham" is remade in the great Hollies tradition, achingly beautiful Allan Clarke vocal with soaring harmonies. "Samuel" is too good to have not been released originally. The most surprising song is the previously unavailable on CD version of Bruce Springsteens "Born to Run". Done in the vein of "Long Cool Woman", it would have been interesting to see how it would have done as a single if released earlier. The combination of great sound quality and some excellent songwriting make this an unexpected Hollies listening pleasure. I don't understand the apathy at the time of its release. It probably has more to do with it being out of place at the time of its release. But for me, it is further evidence of the ability of the latter day Hollies to produce very good long players at a time when the top 40 hits had all dried up. All in all, a solid 3-1/2 to 4 star release superbly enhanced by the sound quality.
	King's X - Ear Candy
	"KING'S X ADDS MORE POP TOUCHES"	2000-04-04
I understand why long time fans were a bit put off by this one. But, I always appreciated it for not being like anything they previously did. It certainly added more of a "pop" flavor to their hard rock sound. To these ears, its a resounding success. Anyway, heavy metal does tend to get a little repetitious. Think of this record as heavy metal meets the Beatles. I know, thats a mind boggling concept. But, it works here. Sit back and enjoy. There is no singular standout moment, but lots of consistently good melodic tunes will keep you smiling for a long time.
	Eric Carmen - I Was Born To Love You
	"NICE, BUT SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING"	2000-03-21
Anyone looking for a return to the power pop sound of the Raspberries will be disappointed. I might have preferred at least a return to the sound of his excellent "Tonight Your Mine" solo record. But, if your looking for ballads, this record certainly has it. Most are good. Some sound a bit repetitive. I am most surprised at how laid back the whole record is. By the time it reaches the end, a remake of "Walk Away Rene" is striking in its high energy level. A little more tempo and energy would have served nicely. In conclusion, this is truly the Eric Carmen record for the fans of the big ballad.
	Badfinger - No Dice
	"POSSIBLY THE INVENTION OF POWER POP!"	2000-03-03
Listening to this record on CD today sounds as fresh as when I first heard it on vinyl. I think this record never got its due respect at the time of its release due to the strong Beatles influence. But, this record nicely expands upon the Beatles mid-60's version of pop. The bright harmonized vocals along with the hard edged instrumentation adds up to a true power pop classic that simply jumps out at you and demands your attention. This may be the first power pop classic. It kicks off with the hard rocking "I can't take it". It ends with the beautiful Pete Ham ballad, "We're for the dark". In between their are songs that will alternatively make you sad, happy, exhilerated and moved. There is not a bad song on the CD. Even the more Beatles derivative nature of some songs such as "Believe Me" (think "Oh Darling") and "Love me do" (pretty obvious) can be forgiven because they sound so energetic and melodic. Ultimately, the centerpiece of the record has to be the Pete Ham, Tom Evans collaboration of "Without You". This song is so good it could easily get remade by a contemporary artist every decade and become a huge smash hit. It already has. But, those who have only heard the "hit" versions of this song will be surprised by the original Badfinger version. It may be the first and only straight forward raw, rock treatment of the song. Somehow, maybe even because of the eventual suicide deaths of both Evans and Ham, I hear a sense of sadness and desperation that never quite comes through on other versions of this song. Though it lacks the polish of the "hit" versions, Badfingers "Without You" has a very strong impact that continues to move me in a way only a handfull of songs ever can. As an added bonus, the CD extra songs are all very good, too.
	The Kinks - To the Bone [US Double Disc]
	"GREAT CAREER SUMMATION/INTRODUCTION"	1999-12-04
There are no 5 star cd's if this isn't one of them. After many listening sessions with this record, it occurred to me that this is the perfect cd for both the long-time Kinks fan (that be me) and the rock fan who though knows some of the Kinks songs, has never purchased their records and is now looking at them on CD. The sound quality is excellent which cannot be said about may Kinks releases over the years. The song selection provides a diverse historic perspective. In other words songs like "You Really Got Me" co-exist along with songs like "Days", "Celluloid Heroes", "Gallon Of Gas", etc. Thirdly, the live performances are outstanding, vocally and instrumentally. The band has never sounded tighter. This truly is a greater treasure than One for the Road which has always been one of the best live records of all time. Above all this record gives a listener a 2 disc proof that Ray Davies is the single most accomplished songwriter of the rock era. Songs such as "I'm Not Like Everybody Else" will thrill both the old fan who is familiar with this song as well as the new fan who has never heard it. Throughout there are new treatments of old songs that showcase the greatness of the songs as well as the skill of the band. The version of "All day and all of the night" just might be the best ever. In summary, old and new fans alike should enjoy this record immensely.
	Steve Howe - Portraits of Bob Dylan
	"NICE AND UNIQUE BOB DYLAN TRIBUTE"	1999-11-20
The song selection is diverse, the singers are diverse, Steve Howe's guitar playing is diverse. What more could you ask for? The only disappointment are the songs where Howe sings lead vocals. I say much better to have used outside singers on all the songs. Each vocalist brings a different perspective to each song. From Jon Anderson to Phoebe Snow. Not some of your most well known vocalists, but immensely talented they are. Especially liked the loose, laid back vocal by Allan Clarke on "Don't think twice". If I didn't know better, I never would have guessed this was the lead singer of the Hollies.
	Ian Hunter - Ian Hunter
	"Excellent solo debut for Ian Hunter"	1999-01-12
The only things keeping this first Ian Hunter solo album from a 5 start rating is the poor production/cd sound quality and a couple of weak tunes in the middle of the disk. But, songs as good as "Once Bitten" and the final 4 songs make for a dynamic rock n roll listening experience. Here's a hint for aspiring metal/hard rock bands: you need only search through the Ian Hunter song catalog to find material good enough to make you sound like the next great rock band. An added benefit is a lot of rock fans won't even recognize the songs as remakes. It will always amaze me that so much great rock n roll has been put out by Hunter and the late great Mick Ronson, that is so under appreciated. This album is a great starting point to check out their prolific collaborations.
	The Grass Roots - Anthology: 1965-1975
	"Comprehensive collections with a few oversights"	1999-01-12
Great Cd sound quality for these late sixties, early seventies recordings. The sound and the songs make me realize what I found so appealing about this band back then. Only downer, is some very questionable choices in album bonus tracks and a bit too much of the early Sloan years. There are much better choices than "I cant help but wonder". Some very good 'B' sides are missing and some excellent contributions from the most prolific songwriter in the band, keyboard player, Denis Provisor. I can't for the life of me figure out how they could have left his gorgeous "I can turn off the rain" off this collection. As it is, his "Walking through the country" is listed as a bonus track even though it was a substantial hit in its own right. Unfortunately, song selection seems to be a political task when it comes to these compilations with the customer the only loser. It would be nice to get a compilation that truly puts forth the best material. Nonetheless, the big hits are all hear and sound wonderful. If only rock n roll could be so simple and enjoyable today.