MADNESS
ONE STEP BEYOND...
1979-VIRGIN
Produced By CLIVE LANGER & ALAN WINSTANLEY
1. One Step Beyond...
2. My Girl
3. Night Boat To Cairo
4. Believe Me
5. Land Of Hope & Glory
6. The Prince
7. Tarzan's Nuts
8. In The Middle Of The Night
9. Bed And Breakfast Man
10. Razor Blade Alley
11. Swan Lake
12. Rockin' In A Flat
13. Mummy's Boy
14. Chipmunks Are Go!
Madness may be a one hit wonder in the US ("Our House"), but in the UK, they are one of the biggest acts in rock history. One Step Beyond...is their debut album, and was out of print in North America for many years. The music is more ska than any of their subsequent albums, and shows their influences nicely. The sound itself is completely British, showing why they never quite caught on in this country. The title track and "My Girl" were hits, and the album is a great look at the beginning of a band that would own the first half of the decade in Great Britain.
Madness has gone on to huge success, and still records and plays live. A good band and a decent debut, it's just that Americans never got it.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
MADNESS
ONE STEP BEYOND...
1979-VIRGIN
Produced By CLIVE LANGER & ALAN WINSTANLEY
1. One Step Beyond...
2. My Girl
3. Night Boat To Cairo
4. Believe Me
5. Land Of Hope & Glory
6. The Prince
7. Tarzan's Nuts
8. In The Middle Of The Night
9. Bed And Breakfast Man
10. Razor Blade Alley
11. Swan Lake
12. Rockin' In A Flat
13. Mummy's Boy
14. Chipmunks Are Go!
Madness may be a one hit wonder in the US ("Our House"), but in the UK, they are one of the biggest acts in rock history. One Step Beyond...is their debut album, and was out of print in North America for many years. The music is more ska than any of their subsequent albums, and shows their influences nicely. The sound itself is completely British, showing why they never quite caught on in this country. The title track and "My Girl" were hits, and the album is a great look at the beginning of a band that would own the first half of the decade in Great Britain.
Madness has gone on to huge success, and still records and plays live. A good band and a decent debut, it's just that Americans never got it.
Indeed sometimes very strange difference between American and European (it was not just the UK) tastes. One Step Beyond and Night Boat Cairo are just two of the most catchy songs ever written.
1. L'Espirit D'Escalier
2. Holiday
3. Put your Money Where Your Mouth Is
4. Bring It On Back
5. That's All Lies
6. Hey Kids
7. Kings Horses
8. Shine On
9. Come On Come On
10. Stand Up
11. Rip It Up
12. Skin And Bones
13. Shiny Magazine
14. Eleanor
15. All You Have To Do
The follow up to Jet's excellent debut, Get Born, is the very not excellent Shine On. From the album cover on, the album is mistitled. While Get Born was jumping with songs, this is completely not. There is very little to recommend this, even though on the surface it sounds as good as the debut...but the thing that's missing is noticeable early: songs. "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is" was the single, and it fell flat...at least in the US. Critical reception said it all: the British press liked it, while one American review contained only a video of a chimpanzee urinating into its own mouth.
Simply stated, Shine On is a disappointment. If it's playing in the background and you're not paying too much attention, it sounds just fine. But just don't listen too closely...that's when its true face come blaring through. This is a true sophomore slump...if you want Jet, go with their debut. This is just not worth it.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
JERRY LEE LEWIS
18 ORIGINAL SUN GREATEST HITS
1984-RHINO
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
2. Great Balls Of Fire
3. Breathless
4. High School Confidential
5. What'd I Say
6. Drinkin' Wine Spo-dee-o-dee
7. Matchbox
8. Jambalaya
9. When The Saints Go Marchin' In
10. Lewis Boogie
11. It'll Be Me
12. All Night Long
13. Big Blon' Baby
14. Crazy Arms
15. Ubangi Stomp
16. Big Legged Woman
17. Put Me Down
18. Wild One
Along with Little Richard, it was The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis, who put the excitement in rock & roll. These early sides recorded for Sun Records are what made rock stick, jump, and rattle the foundations of music. Lewis was an animal on the piano, and his ability to raise the roof was like none other. He was the real first rockstar. His road to fame was derailed early on when he married his 13 year old cousin and was blackballed from American radio, but these early hits are among the very best of 50's rock & roll.
Even the complete lack of liner notes doesn't hurt this...the songs are just that good. Any fan of the roots of rock and rockabilly should own this. 18 of the very best of the beginning of rock.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
RAVI SHANKAR
IN CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTS
1996-ANGEL
Produced By GEORGE HARRISON & ALAN KOZLOWSKI
1. Dhun Kafi
2. Supaney Mein Aye
3. 2nd Movement Sitar Concerto No. 1
4. 3rd Movement Sitar Concerto No. 1
5. West Eats Meat
6. Tilak Shyam
7. I Am Missing You
8. Shanti Mantra
Highlights is a single disc best of from the 4 CD box set In Celebration, and is loaded with reasons why the sitar is maybe the most incredible musical instrument of all. The collection was released on the occasion of Shankar's 75th birthday, and includes a nice introduction in the liner notes by George Harrison, as well as interesting notes on each song. Shankar's playing is undeniably great: anyone who has been a fan of the limited exposure we get to Indian music here will be blown away by the beauty of this music.
The 4 disc box is still available, but if you want as good introduction before dropping that kind of cash on Indian music, get this first. I promise...you will be a fan for life. This is just amazing music.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
ANTHRAX
I'M THE MAN
1987-ISLAND
Produced By ANTHRAX, PAUL HAMMINGSON & EDDIE KRAMER
1. I'm The Man (Censored Radio Version)
2. I'm The Man (Def Uncensored Version)
3. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4. I'm The Man-Live (Extremely Def Ill Uncensored Version)
5. Caught In A Mosh-Live
6. I Am The Law-Live
I'm The Man is an EP released by Anthrax in 1987. The song "I'm The Man" is one of the very first rap metal songs, and it's intended as a parody of The Beastie Boys. The fact that there are 3 different versions is annoying: that 2 of them are completely useless is another. The censored version is a travesty, and the live version just shows how horrible the genre can be on stage. But, you do have to give Anthrax props for attempting this, and there are 3 other tracks on the record.
The two live non-"I'm The Man" tracks are excellent, as is the great take on "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", which even ends with the intro to "Sweet Leaf" fading out. As a whole, just take away the 2 crappy versions of "I'm The Man" and you've got a nice, entertaining short Anthrax record.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
BOB DYLAN
GREATEST HITS
1967-COLUMBIA
Produced By JOHN HAMMOND, TOM WILSON & BOB JOHNSTON
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. The Times They Are A-Changin'
4. It Ain't Me, Babe
5. Like A Rolling Stone
6. Mr. Tambourine Man
7. Subterranean Homesick Blues
8. I Want You
9. Positively 4th Street
10. Just Like A Woman
Just in case you were born under a rock and live in a cave, here's your introduction to America's greatest songwriter. The only problem with this collection is that very few people need that introduction...and all of his first 7 albums are great and worth having. Every song here is an easy classic, and Dylan would, of course, go on to even bigger and better things. Not that there's anything wrong with this...it's a great album. But unless you just want a quick dose of the hits, you're much better off with the individual albums.
The British version has a different track listing. The album was put together and released for the time Dylan was down after his motorcycle accident in 1967. One of the greatest compilations ever released. _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
THE ESSENTIAL BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
2003-COLUMBIA
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Blinded By The Light
2. For You
3. Spirit In The Night
4. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
5. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
6. Thunder Road
7. Born To Run
8. Jungleland
9. Badlands
10. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
11. The Promised Land
12. The River
13. Hungry Heart
14. Nebraska
15. Atlantic City
1. Born In The USA
2. Glory Days
3. Dancing In The Dark
4. Tunnel Of Love
5. Brilliant Disguise
6. Human Touch
7. Living Proof
8. Lucky Town
9. Streets Of Philadelphia
10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
11. The Rising
12. Mary's Place
13. Lonesome Day
14. American Skin (41 Shots) (Live)
15. Land Of Hope And Dreams (Live)
1. From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)
2. The Big Payback
3. Held Up Without A Gun (Live)
4. Trapped (Live)
5. None But The Brave
6. Missing
7. Lift Me Up
8. Viva Las Vegas
9. County Fair
10. Code Of Silence (Live)
11. Dead Man Walkin'
12. Countin' On A Miracle (Acoustic)
These Columbia Essential packages are everywhere, and done for dozens of artists as a way for the label to get multiple best of packages out there for their bigger selling artists. But don't be fooled...this is no bargain collection. Springsteen was allowed say in what went on this package, and the results are great. He wanted music from each of his studio albums to be present so that it would give a good overview of his career up to the point of 2003, and so that people who were hearing him for the first time would have a good reference. And even though no Springsteen best of can ever be complete short of just going out and buying everything, this comes really close. While the first 2 discs cover his career nicely, it's disc 3 that stands out. The bonus disc contains previously unreleased gems from the time of The River forward, and it's great stuff.
The real highlight is "Lift Me Up" from the movie "Limbo", which features Springsteen singing in a stunning falsetto. It's also very cool for me to hear the guy who mastered my album playing bass with Bruce on "Viva Las Vegas". This is simply great stuff. Period.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
BON JOVI
CROSS ROAD: 14 CLASSIC GROOVES
1994-MERCURY
VARIOUS PRODUCERS
1. Livin' On A Prayer
2. Keep The Faith
3. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
4. Always
5. Wanted Dead Or Alive
6. Lay Your Hands On Me
7. You Give Love A Bad Name
8. Bed Of Roses
9. Blaze Of Glory
10. Prayer '94
11. Bad Medicine
12. I'll Be There For You
13. In & Out Of Love
14. Runaway
Just because Bon Jovi is from New Jersey and sings songs about rock & roll as a religion doesn't mean that Bruce Springsteen is to blame for the career of the lesser of Jersey's 2 biggest acts. Especially in the early days (which this covers), Bon Jovi was responsible for more than their share of lousy music, which after a couple of tries fit in perfectly with the 80's glam metal scene (thanks in large part to Jon Bon Jovi's perfect hair). Not to say that this band didn't have their great moments.
Cross Road is loaded with those moments. Bon Jovi didn't nail a lot of hooks, but when they did, they nailed them pretty good. The choruses of "Livin' On A Prayer", "Runaway", and "Bad Medicine" are great stuff, and even the sappiest of power ballads ("Bed Of Roses", "I'll Be There For You", and "Always") will have you singing along even while your stomach turns. But, hey. You culd do a lot worse than Bon Jovi. The hits are very catchy, and Richie Sambora does qualify as one of rock's best backup singers. And, as long as you stick with this and stay away from the individual albums, you can live with the illusion that Bon Jovi is a much better band than they really are.
Link _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
COUNT BASIE
THE COMPLETE DECCA RECORDINGS
1992-DECCA
Produced By ORIN KEEPNEWS
Very simply, this is 63 tracks of some of the best music you will ever hear. Recorded between 1937 and 1939, this is all excellent stuff, and proof as to why Basie is still regarded as one of the best of his era. These are his early years, and were just a sign of the great things he would do later in his career...and still better than most would ever accomplish. Tucked into a nifty 3 disc collection (1 for each year), the package also includes great liner notes and personell listings for each track.
You may have to dig for this, and you may have to look for it under the title Complete Decca 1937-39. But you won't be disappointed. _________________ I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history
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