Best Ska
The band comes up with great songs, notably the catchy MTV hit "What I Got"; spooky dub-reggae undertones, produced by the Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary, to go with the snappy horns; and surprisingly progressive lyrics that attack sexism and other social ills, especially on "Wrong Way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I seen a few complaints that the cd does not play or that the cd skips well I'll say this I got this version and the old one and this one does not skip at all and I ordered it from the UK even if your a fan of sublime or your new to them this cd is the best they have done from start to finish nothing but perfection :)."
"When you hear vinyl and reissue, you never know what you are going to get."
"This record is such a blast!"
"This album is a really good album, which doesn't seem like much in writing but I mean that this is one of the greatest albums in history."
"Wonderfully realized punk rock with a ska/reggae backbone but ultimately this is pure punk rock."
"Memories."
"Arrived on time and exactly as described."
"Another album with amazing sound quality but awful pressing."
No Doubt Tragic Kingdom US CD album.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I liked their hits from this and I like colored vinyl, so I thought Why Not. It was pressed at Rainbo which has a shaky reputation for vinyl pressings."
"And later by the more electro-funk album, "Rock Steady". Many great songs! The artwork from the CD is very cool."
"Arrived quickly and in protective packaging."
"One of my favorite songs from No Doubt, because it was just a fun song!"
"I used to hear the two radio cuts (Spider Webs and Don't Speak) and liked them both so I bought this album and it's a knock out."
"The rhythm section of Adrian Young and Tony Kanal have never been given the credit they deserve. While the rhythm section is more ska and reggae based, Tom has a classic rock sound reminiscent of Alex Lifeson and Jimmy Page, however he is versatile enough to pull off most anything."
"Sonically, it sounds poor with too much noise and a lack of detail."
Track listing: A1 Intro A2 Hella Good -Producer - Nellee Hooper A3 Hey Baby -Producer - Sly & Robbie A4 Making Out -Producer - William Orbit B1 Underneath It All -Producer - Sly & Robbie B2 Detective -Producer - Nellee Hooper B3 Don't Let Me Down -Co-producer - Ric Ocasek C1 Start The Fire -Producer - Steely & Clevie C2 Running -Producer - Nellee Hooper C3 In My Head -Producer - Nellee Hooper D1 Platinum Blonde Life -Producer - Ric Ocasek D2 Waiting Room -Co-producer - Prince D3 Rock Steady - Producer - Nellee Hooper.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I caved initially giving the album a mere 3.3 star rating and calling it a "mixed bag" basically. But pulling it out and listening to it again after so long two days ago (after thinking I gave it to a friend to keep) made me see the light. Although that track has its appeal (the Prince appearance works and his voice compliments Gwen's) it's still my least favorite on the album. I admit that this album won't be enjoyed by everyone because there are some repetitive qualities about a lot of the tracks (choruses repeated ad nauseum). But the awesome production, insightful lyrics and Gwen's vocal delivery on most of the tracks (mainly the verses and on some bridges) keep this album ahead of the pack. "Return..." comes off as more emotional because you can take the beats more seriously and they were kind of dramatic with the combination of the honest, heartfelt lyrics. "Detective" is said track and I find that it really has a great feel to it production-wise while showing some of Gwen's deepest relationship insecurities inside. The "peek in's" in the song are really funny towards the end because you know that Gwen is looking through her man's closet trying to find dirt on him. It's a gorgeous song if I do say so myself but it is also one of the tracks that contains some computer "bleeps" and "bloops" in production and could possibly be a turn off to some. It's a cute song and is up there with "Hey Baby" as the album's most upbeat and carefree sounding material."
"The first thing that struck me is how the sounds used here reminded me of the early New Wave music I grew up with (and so did Gwen and the rest of the band). Unlike many of the other reviewers here, I think "Rock Steady" is another jewel in No Doubt's crown. Many of the songs reminded me of other bands that I grew up with and enjoyed like The Cars (Only In My Head), Prince (Waiting Room), UB40 (Start The Fire, Rock Steady, Underneath It All), The Specials/Madness (Making Out, Detective, Don't Let Me Down)."
"The cd is very good."
"If you're a pop music fan, like me, then you'll soon love this CD."
Best Third Wave Ska
The band comes up with great songs, notably the catchy MTV hit "What I Got"; spooky dub-reggae undertones, produced by the Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary, to go with the snappy horns; and surprisingly progressive lyrics that attack sexism and other social ills, especially on "Wrong Way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I think sublime had that perfect mix of edge and punk and hip-hop that just really clicks with me and their style. Since I started collecting records this has been near the top of my wanted list and I'm happy to finally have it."
"I seen a few complaints that the cd does not play or that the cd skips well I'll say this I got this version and the old one and this one does not skip at all and I ordered it from the UK even if your a fan of sublime or your new to them this cd is the best they have done from start to finish nothing but perfection :)."
"When you hear vinyl and reissue, you never know what you are going to get."
"This record is such a blast!"
"This album is a really good album, which doesn't seem like much in writing but I mean that this is one of the greatest albums in history."
"Wonderfully realized punk rock with a ska/reggae backbone but ultimately this is pure punk rock."
"Memories."
"Another album with amazing sound quality but awful pressing."
Best Krautrock
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"To listen to Kraftwerk music one must have a taste for the minimal, albeit recursed almost endlessly into a rich sound texture one can spend hours digging through. Like many working with synthesizers in the dawn of the analog synth age, one will hear cries of "*I* could play that". Themes in a Kraftwerk piece tend to be simple, poppy affairs (coaxing a given sound out of a synth in which the digital tech was limited to any built in sequencers or arpeggiators was and is a more difficult business as I can attest from experience), but are usually only the starting point for what one is listening to. The lyrics emphasize the point, being extremely simple statements of the minimalist nature of the autobahn (and what else is there to look at in the headlights as one drives the endless black ribbon?)."
"In the Kraftwerk catalogue, Autobahn stands out to me as an anomaly."
"Have not listened to it for decades!"
"I was hoping it wasn't overly cleaned up, too digital, but it was a great replacement for my very tired old cassette!"
"The most influential band in electronic music has been Kraftwerk."
"excellent album!-better than I remember!"
Best Math Rock
The DVD-Audio disc adds a 5.1 DTS mix, hi-res stereo mix, original album mix, new album mix and even a rough mix from the original sessions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I purchased the audio DVD by mistake, and when I noticed, I was like, duh!"
"Steve loves to utilize all the channels he has at his disposal, but he fits the mix to the particular song and I don't think he goes overboard here, although there's sometimes quite a bit of action in the rear channels. Highlights for me include "Elephant Talk," with its bendy notes introducing the album (Robert Fripp's extensive notes in the accompanying booklet mention that the song "Discipline" was an earlier pick for track one), the gentle soundscape of "Matte Kudasai," and the high-powered madness of "Indiscipline.""
"Having been a big fan of the surround sound mixes that gained some momentum and then faltered a few years ago, I was totally excited to see this amazing, classic album being newly released in this format. At the time I listened to it, I figured that maybe the fact that most of us imagine music as being heard from the audience, listening to musicians on a stage, made the format a somewhat moot point for most "rock" albums. Here's why: Most of the surround sound discs I've heard tend to keep the drums relegated to the main right and left channels, with the "extraneous" tracks such as backing vocals or strings being given a bonus punch by appearing in the rear channels. ), that the mix should be ALL around the listener, as if (s)he were in the middle of the stage, the middle of the music. There's no reason that any album, rock or otherwise, can't benefit from a truly surround sound mix in the manner achieved here. All in all, I'm hopeful that this format will continue to flourish, as the modern age of the compressed mp3 format (which also has it's place in the world of listening) could certainly use a counterpart for those of us who love our music in pure magnificent grandiosity!"
"I'm not a real "prog rock" guy…but throw the fire of Belew onto. the ice of Frippertronics, and you've just got a fascinating brew that. can mesmerize. The Old Grey Whistle Test videos are a nice bonus…but I wouldn't. recommend this somewhat pricey box for those (or the barely different. "dance mix" of Elephant Talk)."
Best Indie & Lo-Fi
They're drawn by songs like "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love," Americana-inflected barn burners in the vein of the Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm not very good at writing about music but if you like stuff like the Avett Brothers or Low Anthem or The Head & the Heart I'm pretty sure you will like this."
"If I had to characterize The Lumineers, I'd say they're similar to Bright Eyes, except 10 times better and a tenth as annoyingly self-infatuated."
"Submarines is what really caught my attention as well as Ho, Hey. If you, like me, sometimes want to find a new band/artist to stimulate your musical taste, I would not hesitate to recommend The Lumineers."
"Fame found them, but when you watch them or listen to their music, you appreciate how deeply they care about their music."
"I may never have bought it if wasn't that low. Yes, the stand out song is 'Ho Hey', but as much as I listen to that song, I find myself equally drawn to 'Submarines' with its upbeat warm feeling. Kind of gives me that warm feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold morning. Another song worth mentioning is 'Stubborn Love' with its haunting cello. While I do think it's somewhat of a sad sounding song, it somehow keeps drawing me in. In my opinion, if I had just bought one song, namely 'Ho Hey', I would have cheated myself out of an entire listening experience."
"They all have a catchy pure sound and make me smile; Flower in Your Hair is my 2nd favorite so far! I'm looking forward to playing this CD over and over during short trips to work, home, etc."
"Amazing album, amazing band!"
"Great CD!!!"
Best Hardcore & Punk
2LP 180gram vinyl. Newly remastered by The Clash from original tapes to audiophile quality All artwork recreated from original release including replicated fully printed innersleeves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Good press."
"Smashing!"
"Love this one - even better on vinyl."
"Great great cd."
"This album does everything a punk rock album should do: Violently discuss politics, quick jab authority, and ask the same time how educated are they and how much drugs do they have in their system?"
Best Goth & Industrial
This is the 21st Anniversary of Cure's masterpiece.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I hadn't listened to it in over 12 years when I bought a used copy of the CD recently - and to my surprise I found that it was as moody, beautiful and wonderful as ever."
"Love the heavy vinyl."
"It's THE CURE!!!!"
"This is The Cure's best album: Disintegration."
"The vocals, keyboards, etc all are given their own space to breathe and it makes for a better listening experience."
"The Cure is the best band of all time."
"What an album!"
Best New Wave & Post-Punk
No Description Available. No Track Information Available Media Type: LP Artist: STROKES Title: IS THIS IT Street Release Date: 09/11/2001. Domestic Genre: ROCK/POP.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I miss good solid bands like this!"
"I can watch the DVD part of this all day, love it so much."
"Great if you like The Strokes."
"Arrived in perfect condition..."
"Excellent album and the sleeve and vinyl were in new condition."
"I think it's such a feel-good album... whenever I feel down I just play this through and it always makes me feel better."
"I was super excited to get the record, but it skips."
Best British Alternative Rock
a Rush of Blood to the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the cathartic rock of 'Politik' to the hushed tones of 'Green Eyes' without once breaking its mesmerizing spell.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is where it all started."
"Would Highly Recommend."
"These cd is awesome."
"Great CD original recording."
"Super fast shipping."
Best American Alternative Rock
a Rush of Blood to the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the cathartic rock of 'Politik' to the hushed tones of 'Green Eyes' without once breaking its mesmerizing spell.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is where it all started."
"Would Highly Recommend."
"These cd is awesome."
"Great CD original recording."
"Super fast shipping."
Best Alternative Rock Singer-Songwriters
Though critically well received at the time, commercial success did not arrive till nearly 30 years later, when 30 seconds of 'Pink Moon' was used in a Volkswagen commercial.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Songs cut deep, The album has an almost trans meditation effect and can cause deep introspection at times....So much talent so much potential and so much loss... but I guess that is part of what makes Nick Drake so special....If he was living the high life, living in a mansion raking in the bucks; Vacationing in the Bahamas and just living a really good life......You might think hummm does this guy really know what he's talking about ?"
"for whatever reason i didnt really listen to nick himself. until 2007 when i was working at night by myself. listening to a playlist of hundreds of songs made by other coworkers, and this record came on the speakers."
"Nick Drake's soothing guitar and simple lyrics make life in a hectic world seem a little bit more clear."
"Modern folk singers aspire to this..."
"Woah baby, take it easy."
"Pink Moon, Road and Parasite are terrific songs, but I really enjoyed the whole album."
"I find it very interesting, a lot of details that would bug me about another artist's work (the insubstantial voice, the inconsistency of the lyrics, the limited dynamic range), absolutely don't cross my mind when I listen to this album."