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Reviews Written By: AAG0BW77WEKTK

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	Chris Whitley - Living With the Law
	"Floored..."	2008-11-08
Once in a while, an album comes along that I wish I'd written. Without a doubt, this is one of those few and rare albums- it will stay with me until I die. Chris is one of those rare artists worth emulating and desiring to write and perform like. I saw him on the tour for this album in a small club with about 50 people in attendance. It is still the best show I've ever been to. His material is timeless and stands on its own without the big band or all the trimmings. Just Chris and a steel-top git'. What more do ya need?
	Gone
	"If I could rate it lower than a 1, I would."	2007-12-27
Were I involved with this project, I would have been embarrassed to release it. Quite frankly, one of the worst commercially released films I have ever seen. Forget any bias one might have about the subject matter. This is strictly a commentary on the production values and the craftmanship (or lack thereof) executed in the making of this film. Every facet of this film- the writing, the cinematography, the acting, the effects, the pacing - are just downright bad.
	Cake - Comfort Eagle
	"Simply Amazing"	2007-08-27
It's rare that I find a band so uique and so good that I simply must have everything they've done. Cake is one of those rare few that have impressed me so. Their ability to match lyrical and musical themes so perfectly is unparalelled. The word pictures created by the lyrics are so perfectly accompanied by the music- the perfect soundtrack for the story told. Own this album. Wow.
	Boomtown - Season One
	"Only contemporary show worth owning..."	2007-06-27
I own this DVD set and am very happy with it. I know there was a second season, but as some other raters have noted, it was far inferior to the superb first season. I'm grateful that I have this collection and am disappointed that NBC continues to cancel great programming and support drivel. "Stark Raving Mad" was another brilliant show they didn't gve enought time to develop. Hmm. And they wonder why they're last in the ratings game.
	Simon Trickster
	"Great toy- sketchy packaging."	2007-01-09
Simon is a great toy with lots of play variations. My kids love it. Packaging could have been more substantial. When I was wrapping the gift, the pressure on the package actually set off the sounds. It almost blew the surprise. Otherwise Great!
	Planet of the Apes - The Ultimate DVD Collection - With Ape Head Packaging
	"Going Ape over my new Ultimate Collection"	2006-12-27
It's as simple as this: Every Ape Movie, Episode, Cartoon, and even Burton's revisioning- All in one very cool Ape Bust. The best part - aside from having it all in one collection - is that they restored "Battle for the Planet of the Apes." I hated the version I owned in the Legacy Box Set because they had removed the scenes about the bomb. (If you're as big a fan as I, you know the scenes I mean.) I was furious about that, because those scenes are essential to tying the whole story together. But now that they are back- I am happy as a monkey in banana cream pie. This really is the ULTIMATE collection for the ULTIMATE apes fan.
	King's X - Out of the Silent Planet
	"The beginning of an 18 year-long addiction."	2005-12-13
When I heard "Goldilox" for the first time, I was changed forever. Since then, I have come to appreciate King's X as one of the greatest bands in Rock and Roll, period. Doug Pinnick's soulful vocals, Ty Tabor's soaring guitar, and melodic hard rock song writing that is unparalleled make OOTSP one of the best debut albums ever. I saw them perform "Voices" the other night (12/5/2005) and it still stands the test of time. A must for every music lover's collection.
	Billy Joel - Nylon Curtain
	"I'm listening to it now..."	2005-05-22
There are few words to express the multitude of emotions this album draws up out of me. I lived in Bethlehem when they closed the steel plants. I saw the lines at the unemployment office. I saw the bustling downtown transformed into a ghost town. I was born too late to live the American dream- Eisenhower style- old enough to remember the helicopters in Vietnam. Somehow this album hits right home in that generational viod of the children of Baby Boomers who are too old to be Gen-Xers- a generation without an identity. We know Pressure. We all have our Laura's. We all need a room of our own. This album is sheer genius. Musically and lyrically Joel's best work ever. If you own just one Billy Joel album, make it this one.
	Paul Mccartney - Ram
	"Paul's Best. Period."	2004-10-27
Beatles, Post-Beatles, it doesn't matter. "Ram" is the quintessential Paul McCartney record. The places this record takes you are unparalleled. Few Beatle songs compare to the songwriting on this record: "Too Many People," "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," and "Back Seat of My Car," are epics that capture some of the best songwriting McCartney has ever done - equal to "You Never Give Me Your Money," and "Maybe I'm Amazed." And yet, "Ram" just keeps on giving: "Dear Boy," "Ram On," "Heart of the Country," "Long-Haired Lady," "Eat at Home," and the disturbing "Monkberry Moon Delight." The songs on this record display the very essence of what makes Paul's writing so great: descending guitar riffs, passionate vocals, ("Hey Jude" has absolutely nothing on "Back Seat of My Car.") soul-crushing chord progressions, unforgettable melodies... Paul has never recaptured the muse that led to what he did on this record. "Ram" is the standard by which I measure all of Paul's work and I'm waiting for him to tap into that groove one more time. That would be something
	Carole King - Really Rosie (1975 Television Special)
	"Fabulous Childhood Memories"	2004-06-07
I saw the original broadcast of this when I was only 6 years old. My parents bought me the album - and I listened to it, until it just completely wore out. We bought a Maurice Sendek video over the weekend...I cried when I realized how many songs I remembered. Went looking for this - it's been a quest for 4 years to find the CD...WOW. I'm tickled ROSIE!!!!!!!!
	The Tubes - The Tubes
	"One of the greatest, ever."	2003-08-29
My first exposure to The Tubes was the video stuff from "Completion Backwards Principle" that was rotated on MTV in the first few weeks of it's existence. Then, a friend turned me onto "What Do You Want From Life," the second track on what was then the second side of this record. (Of course, the art of sides is lost on a CD.) My life was changed forever. I was blown away at the talent and diversity of this band. Progressive Rock ("Up From the Deep"), San Francisco Swing ("Haloes"), Mariacci ("Maleguena Salerosa"), Las Vegas Show (What Do You Want From Life?"), and then sounds that only The Tubes could make in songs like "Mondo Bondage," and "Boy Crazy." The writing is complicated, tight, lyrically brilliant... I can't say enough about them, musically. Unfortunately, the bands on-stage antics always got more attention than their music, which is a real tragedy. Prairie Prince is one of the greatest drummers alive, (Don't miss his playing in "Up From the Deep" and "What Do You Want From Life") and the playing of Roger Steen (lead guitar) and Vince Welnick (piano and keys) is unparalleled in almost any rock act- they are true masters of their instruments. Fee Waybill (lead vocals) and Bill Spooner (guitar, lead vocals) bring a vocal sound to the band that is raw and soulful. The band is rounded out by way-better-than-average bassist Rick Anderson and Synth player, Michael Cotten. The first two records, this one and "Young and Rich," I think are must-haves in any serious collection. Great stuff. The Tubes self-titled debut is definitely in my top 10 records, ever.
	Alice Cooper - From the Inside
	"Alice's Best Ever- and just recently available on CD."	2003-01-01
For those who think "Nightmare" is Alice's quintessential work, it could well be they've never hear "From the Inside," Alice's 1978 masterpiece. Surrounded by Producer David Foster and company (Toto personnel, Chicago personnel, and some of Elton John's cronies- including daughter Kiki Dee and lyrisist Bernie Taupin) Alice puts forth his best work ever- a dark, brooding, sometimes comical work inspired by his brief stay in a mental institution circa- late 1977. The title track "From the Inside," kicks off this "concept album" explaining how alcohol and the supernatural put Alice into this surreal scenario. "Wish I Were Born in Beverly Hills," is a scathing piece, critcal of all the valium-popping, Bevely Hills wives who occasionally end up in the neighboring padded cell. "Quiet Room," is a beautiful song that first revealed to me Alice's ability to actually sing, and not just scream and scowl. This Chicago-esque song could have been a top 40 hit if not for the grisly subject matter. "Nurse Rozetta," is a masterful funky groove with witty (though be they sexual) lyrics and an incredible musical break that reflects the scale of the talent Alice was working with. "Millie and Billie," is a bizzare tale of two twisted lovers incarcerated at the facility for killing each other's mates- again lyrically great. "Serious," is the first indication we have that Alice's mental health is improving (our collective mental health improves as we compare ourselves to his derranged inmates) and that he's had just about enough of all the lunacy around him. "How You Gonna See Me Now," is a beautiful ballad reflecting on the stigma of mental illness. Somehow, people who've been institutionalized never seem to regain the full trust of those around them and closest to them. "For Veronica's Sake," is a silly little rocker about Alice's need to get home so he can tend to his dog. ("For Veronica's sake you gotta get me outta here...") "Jackknife Johnny," perhaps the most moving and meaningful piece on the album, is a tribute to all those vietnam vets who came home with less sanity than they had before they left. Just about moves me to tears everytime I hear it. The album closes with "Inmates (We're All Crazy)" an anthem defending the mentally ill and celebrating their twisted place in our culture. Another lyrical great. The lyrics throughout this album are phenomenal. I know that Bernie Taupin had a lot to do with that, but the stories told here- and the ways in which they're told- are incredible. The thing the CD lacks most is the original album art. I picked this album up out of a cutout bin and discovered a masterpiece. Not only was the music incredible- one of my very favorite albums ever- but the album art was great. Alice's face on the front are two doors leading into the mental facility. When layed open, they reveal the institutions inner sanctum and all the characters that Alice is singing about. Inside was a little flap that opened to reveal Alice huddled in the corner of the Quiet Room. The back cover had two doors that opened to reveal all of the patients running out with release papers. Genius. This album will never be paralleled and every music lover- especially Alice fans- should own this.
	Donnie Iris - Back on the Streets
	"Undiscovered Gem- what a great album- front to back."	2002-12-31
"Ah! Leah!" is the song that got my attention. At a time when REO speedwagon seemed to dominate the airwaves, this HUGE rockin' power ballad stood out as something unique. "I Can't Hear You," "Joking," and "Shock Treatment" are lyrically brilliant- (although at times very eighties). "Back on the Streets," is a Springsteen-esque ballad that is as good as or better than any Springsteen epic. "Agnes," is a great "story" that builds as it goes- unforgettable. "You're Only Dreaming," "She's So Wild (amazing rocker)," and "Daddy Don't Live Here Anymore" revisits some ot the quirkiness and silliness of trackes 2,3, and 4. "Too Young to Love," just hurts when you listen to it. Iris has tapped into the very ache of love and desire on a lot of this album and it leaves you with an unforgettable experience. Kick back and listen to all of this at once. You won't regret it.