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2008-12-31T06:21:00.000-08:00

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[2006] Josh Groban - Awake (Mp3 Download)

2007-03-19T03:01:00.000-07:00

Review by Matt Collar @ allmusic.com

Longtime fans of Josh Groban should be pleased to know that the vocalist's third studio album, Awake, features more of the polished, well-crafted, and emotionally grand classical crossover pop he has become known for. In fact, the album is perhaps his most appealing and deviates little from his previous outings. Here listeners get a mix of original songs -- some co-written by Groban -- that trade between more classical/opera-oriented songs sung in Italian and more pop-oriented songs in English. Interestingly, the tracks co-penned by Groban are some of the most compelling, and showcase his knack for a kind of '60s Scott Walker baroque pop meets '80s Diane Warren adult contemporary vibe. This brings up the only problem with Awake, which is that as Groban's music has moved closer and closer to pop, the necessity of utilizing Italian becomes increasingly nebulous. Truthfully, barring any awkward translations, most of these songs would sound fine sung in English and generally come off as very good Italian pop songs. So, despite being quite listenable, from a mainstream pop point of view the use of Italian is great for lending the album a sheen of pan-European classical regality, but in some ways limits the emotional impact of the songs to only those who understand Italian. None of this really matters, though, to fans of Groban, who justifiably respond to his superb technique, silky tone, and bedroom eyes. It doesn't hurt either that he's brought along some unexpected guests this time around in the African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, appearing here on two tracks, as well as legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, who shows up on the angular and half-funky "Machine." It's also great to hear Groban dig into an adaptation of "Un Giorno Per Noi," Nino Rota's theme to Franco Zeffirelli's classic 1968 film Romeo and Juliet. The song, as Awake itself, is a grand collision of pop culture and co-opted classical themes from then and now, and perfectly embodies everything that has made Groban so successful.

Track Lists
01. Mai
02. You Are Loved (Don't Give Up)
03. Un Dia Llegara
04. February Song
05. L Ultima Notte
06. So She Dance
07. In Her Eyes
08. Solo Por Ti
09. Now Or Never
10. Un Giorno Per Noi
11. Lullaby
12. Weeping
13. Machine

[2006] Enigma - A Posteriori (Mp3 Download)

2007-03-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Review by Thom Jurek @ allmusic.com

Enigma records must sell here in the States. In Europe, where virtually anything goes, they do; but here, one has to wonder after five albums that are only subtly different from one another, along with countless singles and 12" remixes, what's left to engage the imagination. Such is the case with A Posteriori, which in Italian means anything from "what comes after" to "behind." Dedicated to "all visionaries of human race" (sic), A Posteriori is once again beautiful in its sonics, textures, and grooves. Michael Crétu does almost everything here save for a couple of recitations. Once more, the songs of Enlightenment composers such as Gesualdo and Monteverdi are sampled in the tranced-out mix. Are they prayers? Are they amorous songs? Unless you can understand Latin or Italian, there's no way of knowing. But Crétu has always been able to weave together the spiritual and the carnal, and it's his trademark. The more obvious trance and house beats are a near constant. One has to believe that if the folks in Tangerine Dream would have started in the 1990s instead of the 1960s, they'd sound something like this, as many of Crétu's pulsing textures are reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's Stratosfear and Tangram years. While the sound Crétu employs is now familiar, perhaps listeners should be thankful for it. He's managed to find something that works, and goes for it with gusto. Perhaps nothing on this set is as striking as "Remembrance," but then who would ever want to hear that cut again? "Feel Me Heaven" is a wild, pulsing, throbbing trance cut that blends everything listeners know of Crétu's previous music into a lovely whole. It is followed by "Dreaming of Andromeda," a slower though no less hypnotic slice of chilled house. Some things here seem just plain dumb -- "Dancing with Mephisto" and "Sitting on the Moon" feel more like new age cuts than anything else. Crétu's vocal on the latter sounds like Robbie Robertson's from his solo albums. The glissando guitar that opens the completely dancefloor-driven "Invisible Love" works well, but Crétu's vocals are irritating. The shifting dynamics in "The Alchemist" make it one of the most compelling cuts on the disc, and it is a perfect candidate for an extended remix by some wise and imaginative soul. The bottom line: if you like the Enigma sound, this will be up your alley, full of the things you may seek out in a recording, but there is little new here.

Track Lists
01. Eppur Si Muove
02. Feel Me Heaven
03. Dreaming Of Andromeda
04. Dancing With Mephisto
05. Nothern Lights
06. Invisible Love
07. Message From IO
08. Hello And Welcome
09. 20,000 Miles Over The Sea
10. Sitting On The Moon
11. The Alchemist
12. Goodbye Milky Way

[2006] Islands - Return To The Sea (Mp3 Download)

2007-03-19T02:59:00.000-07:00

Review by Tim Sendra @ allmusic.com

On their debut record, Return to the Sea, Montreal's Islands have crafted a rich, exciting, and emotionally deep sounding album that carries on the freewheeling spirit and sound of the Unicorns as well as that of the Elephant 6 bands of the late '90s. You see, Islands singer/guitarist/songwriter/producer Nick Diamonds and drummer Jaime were members of the Unicorns and they have taken the strengths of that band, amplified and adjusted them, added a few more vital ingredients, and come up with a disc that satisfies on a variety of levels and rates among the best indie rock around. The Unicorns were a lo-fi, experimental car crash of a band, equal parts whimsy and exuberance; Islands are a much more adult and measured experience with a much cleaner sound and more classic arrangements (lots of strings, accordions, standup bass, and pianos to go with the cheap synthesizers). Diamonds' voice is much less whimsical; he has scaled back on the Coyne meter from nine to around five and now conveys his slightly off-kilter lyrics with more emotion and honesty. Despite the changes, the group hasn't lost any of the sunshine-addled spark that the Unicorns had, as songs like the whirling "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" or "Jogging Gorgeous Summer" (which comes kitted out with steel drums and recorder!) clearly demonstrate. The trippy "Volcanoes" (nice rock snob reference to the Troggs tapes in the lyrics), the indie psych/hip-hop mash-up featuring the rhyme skills of Subtitle and Busdriver, or the epic-length psychedelic singalong that opens the record so nicely ("Swans [Life After Death]") show that the band hasn't lost their ambition, either. "Ones" itself has more big-hearted ambition and dramatic power than most bands could dream of unleashing. The lovely instrumental "Tsuxiit" or the sweetly pop-rocking "Rough Gem" sound like the work of another band entirely, and indeed all of these comparisons to the Unicorns are ultimately irrelevant. It's not like you have to be a fan of that band to fall in love with this one. All you need is an indie pop heart and two functioning ears. A love of melodies and innocent weirdness. The ability to see through the clouds of hype surrounding other lesser bands and grab on tight to this band and record. So clap your hands, say yeah, and throw Islands a parade (wolf or otherwise) because Return to the Sea is an indie rock triumph!

Track Lists
01. Swans (Life After Death)
02. Humans
03. Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby
04. Rough Gem
05. Tsuxiit
06. Where There's A Will, There's A Whalebone
07. Jogging Gorgeous Summer
08. Volcanoes
09. If
10. Ones
11. [Untitled]

[2001] Lesiem - Mystic Spirit Voices (Mp3 Download)

2007-03-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry, No review available...

Track Lists
01. Lesiem
02. Occultum
03. Fundamentum
04. Vivere
05. Open Your Eyes
06. Indalo
07. Liberta
08. Miracle Eyes
09. Una Terra
10. Mater Gloria
11. Veni Creator Spiritus
12. Lacrimosa
13. Floreat
14. In Taberna Mori
15. Ave Fortuna
16. Liberta (Chior Version)

[2007] Norah Jones - Not Too Late (Mp3 Download)

2007-03-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Recoils from fame usually aren't as subdued as Norah Jones' third album, Not Too Late, but such understatement is customary for this gentlest of singer/songwriters. Not Too Late may not be as barbed or alienating as either In Utero or Kid A -- it's not an ornery intensification of her sound nor a chilly exploration of its furthest limits -- but make no mistake, it is indeed a conscious abdication of her position as a comfortable coffeehouse crooner and a move toward art for art's sake. And, frankly, who can blame Jones for wanting to shake off the Starbucks stigmata? Although a large part of her appeal has always been that she sounds familiar, like a forgotten favorite from the early '70s, Jones is too young and too much of a New York bohemian to settle into a role as a nostalgia peddler, so it made sense that she started to stretch a little after her 2004 sophomore set, Feels Like Home, proved that her surprise blockbuster 2002 debut, Come Away with Me, was no fluke. First, there was the cabaret country of her Little Willies side band, then there was her appearance on gonzo art rocker Mike Patton's Peeping Tom project, and finally there's this hushed record, her first containing nothing but original compositions. It's also her first album recorded without legendary producer Arif Mardin, who helmed her first two albums, giving them a warm, burnished feel that was nearly as pivotal to Jones' success has her sweet, languid voice. Mardin died in the summer of 2006, and in his absence, Jones recorded Not Too Late at the home studio she shares with her collaborator, bassist and boyfriend Lee Alexander. Although it shares many of the same sonic characteristics as Jones' first two albums, Not Too Late boasts many subtle differences that add up to a distinctly different aesthetic. Jones and Alexander have stripped Norah's music to its core. Gone are any covers of pop standards, gone are the studio pros, gone is the enveloping lushness that made Come Away with Me so easy to embrace, something that Not Too Late is most decidedly not. While this might not have the rough edges of a four-track demo, Not Too Late is most certainly music that was made at home with little or no consideration of an audience much larger than Jones and Alexander. It's spare, sometimes skeletal, often sleepy and lackadaisical, wandering from tunes plucked out on acoustic guitars and pianos to those with richer full-band arrangements. Norah Jones has never exactly been lively -- part of her charm was her sultry slowness, ideal for both Sunday afternoons and late nights -- but the atmosphere here is stultifying even if it's not exactly unpleasant. After all, unpleasantness seems to run contrary to Jones' nature, and even if she dabbles in Tom Waits-ian carnivalesque stomps ("Sinkin' Soon") or tentatively stabs at politics ("My Dear Country"), it never feels out of place; often, the shift is so subtle that it's hard to notice. That subtlety is the biggest Achilles' heel on Not Too Late, as it manifests itself in songs that aren't particularly distinctive or performances that are particularly varied. There are exceptions to the rule and they all arrive with full-band arrangements, whether it's the lazy jazz shuffle of "Until the End," the country-tinged "Be My Somebody," or the wonderful laid-back soul of "Thinking About You." These are songs that not only sound full but they sound complete, songs that have a purposeful flow and are memorable for both their melody and sentiment. They would have been standouts on Feels Like Home, but here they are even more distinctive because the rest of the record plays like a sketchbook, capturing Jones and Alexander figuring out how to move forward after such great success. Instead of being the end result of those experiments, the completed painting after the sketch, Not Too Late captures their process, which is interesting if not quite compelling. But its very release is a clear statement of artistic purpose for Jones: its ragged, unfinished nature illustrates that she's more interested in pursuing her art than recycling Come Away with Me, and if this third album isn't as satisfying as that debut, it nevertheless is a welcome transitional effort that proves her artistic heart is in the right place.

Track Lists
01. I Wish I Could [wma]
02. Sinkin' Soon
03. The Sun Doesn't Like You
04. Until The End
05. Not My Friend
06. Thinking About You
07. Broken
08. My Dear Country
09. Wake Me Up
10. Be My Somebody
11. Little Room
12. Rosie's Lullaby
13. Not Too Late

[2001] Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Twelve Inches (Mp3 Download)

2007-02-01T01:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available....

Track Lists
01. Relax (Sex Mix)
02. Two Tribes (Hibakusha Mix)
03. Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Fruitness Mix)
04. Rage Hard (Stamped)
05. (Don't Lose What Left) Of Your Little Mind
06. Watching The Wildlife (Die Letzten Der Menschheit)
07. Warriors Of The Wasteland (Attack Mix feat. Gary Moore)
08. War (Hidden)
09. Rage Hard (Freddie Bastone Mix)
10. Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Escape Act Video Mix)
11. Warriors Of The Wasteland (Attack Full Mix)
12. Two Tribes (808State Remix)
13. Disneyland
14. Rage Hard (Broad)
15. Watching The Wildlife (Hotter)

[2006] Orson - Bright Idea (Mp3 Download)

2007-02-01T00:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available...

Track Lists
01. Bright Idea
02. No Tomorrow
03. Happiness
04. Already Over
05. Tryin' To Help
06. So Ahead Of Me
07. Last Night
08. Look Around
09. Saving The World
10. The Okay Song

[2000] pApA rOACh - Infest (Mp3 Download)

2007-01-30T05:44:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Papa Roach's debut album Infest quietly became a Top 20 hit in the first half of 2000, slipping underneath the radar of most pop critics and fans. It's easy to see why the pop elite passed them by, since the quartet just isn't hip, and since they are pushing an amalgam of every heavy sound that was popular in the late '90s. Basically, Infest is pitched somewhere between the classic grunge/industrial of the early '90s with hints of late-'90s behemoths like Korn and Limp Bizkit. There's singing, but it's balanced by rapping, and the heavy riffs are run through effects boxes that give it the controlled distortion common to alt-metal; it's loud, but you can hear each note being articulated. Lyrically, there's a lot of angst here, directed at everyone from parents and society to themselves. Strangely, each member thanks their families and God in the liner notes, but that's sort of beside the point, since this has the form and feeling of angst-ridden, post-grunge, rap-riddled alt-metal. Is it good? Well, if you're not into this stuff, this won't change your mind, but the band does work up some energy, sounds pretty muscular on most of the album, and has some good hooks, even if they tend to overplay their hand by throwing too many hooks into the riffs or screaming just a bit to much. Still, that's par for the course with alt-metal. So, it winds up that Papa Roach doesn't really distinguish itself from the pack in terms of sound, but they do stand out in terms of capability and consistency. Infest is a pretty solid alt-metal record, circa 2000, both for better and worse. It's a little generic, yes, but as far as the genre goes, it's not bad.

Track List
01. Infest
02. Last Resort
03. Broken Home
04. Dead Cell
05. Between Angels And Insects
06. Blood Brothers
07. Revenge
08. Snakes
09. Never Enough
10. Binge
11. Thrown Away

BLACKSTAR-JUVENTUS VS MU(MP3 DOWNLOAD)

2007-01-18T02:04:00.000-08:00

01.Blackstar - Juventus vs MU
02.Black Star - Kere Sejak Dalam
03.Black Star - Intro
04.Black Star - Instrument Hi
05.Blackstar - Jawara
06.Blackstar - Depresisikap
07.Blackstar - Unrelase
08.Blackstar - I Miss You
09.Blackstar - Hip Hop Takkan Mati
10.Blackstar - Jaranan
11.Blackstar - Blackstar Tikus Bonus Track
12.Blackstar - Mbah Gundul Bonus Track

Concord Dawn - Uprising (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available....

Track Lists
01. Morning Light
02. Tonite
03. Get Ready
04. Ninja
05. Raining Blood
06. Don't Tell Me
07. Aurora
08. Horror Show
09. Let It Go
10. Scimitar
11. Zulu

The Cranberies - Bury The Hatchet (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T08:48:00.001-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

The Cranberries stumbled with their move toward heavier, politically fueled modern rock on To the Faithful Departed, losing fans enamored with their earlier sound. Like many groups that see their stardom fading, the band decided to return after a short hiatus with a mildly updated, immaculately constructed distillation of everything that earned them an audience in the first place. It's immediately apparent that Bury the Hatchet has retreated from the ludicrous posturing that marred To the Faithful. There are no blasts of distorted guitar -- as a matter of fact, there are no songs that even qualify as "rockers" -- and there is little preaching, even on Dolores O'Riordan's most earnest songs. Every note and gesture is pitched at the adult alternative mainstream, which is a good thing. Though they ran away from the dreamy jangle of their first hits, the Cranberries never sounded more convincing than on mid-tempo, folky pop tunes with polished productions. Sonically, that's precisely what Bury the Hatchet delivers, complete with little flourishes -- a Bacharachian horn chart there, cinematic strings there -- to illustrate that the band did indeed know what was hip in the late '90s. All this planning -- some might call it calculation -- shouldn't come as a surprise, since Bury the Hatchet is essentially a make-or-break album, but what is a surprise is that the end result is the most consistent record of their career. It's not necessarily their best -- it lacks the immediate singles of their first two records -- but all the songs work together to form a whole; not even embarrassments like the skittering "Copycat" interrupt the flow of the record. True, the album never challenges listeners, but it delivers on their expectations -- and after To the Faithful Departed, that comes as a relief.

Track Lists
01. Baby Blues
02. Sweetest Thing
03. Woman Without Pride
04. Such A Shame
05. Paparazzi On Mopeds
06. Promises [Live]
07. Animal Instinct [Live]
08. Loud And Clear [Live]
09. You And Me [Live]
10. Shattered [Live]
11. Deperate Andy [Live]
12. Delilah [Live]
13. Just My Imagination
14. Saving Grace
15. Copycat
16. What's On My Mind
17. Fee Fi Fo
18. Dying In The Sun
19. Sorry Son

Eagles Death Metal - Death By Sexy (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

Taking things a little more seriously -- but never too seriously -- the second time around, the Eagles of Death Metal's Death by Sexy keeps the freewheeling, just-for-the-hell-of-it vibe that made Peace Love Death Metal so much fun and improves on it with more focused songwriting. This songwriting, as the title Death by Sexy implies, is obviously focused on a raunchy good time, which the album delivers in spades. Not so obvious, though, is how fine the line between lusty and skanky can be. Most of the time, as on "I Want You So Hard," "I Like to Move in the Night," and "Cherry Cola," the Eagles of Death Metal stay on the sexy side of that line, but they even do the nasty (so to speak) stuff well: On "I Got a Feelin' (Just 19)" and "Shasta Beast," head Eagle Jesse "The Devil" Hughes -- who sports a mustache not seen outside of '70s porn (or, possibly, Terry Richardson's high-sleaze photography) -- sings of barely legal girls who still live with their parents, and gets downright cruel on the glammy stomp of "Poor Doggie." Even though Death by Sexy is more fleshed-out than their debut was, the Eagles of Death Metal's simplest moments are still their best. Along with the previously mentioned "I Want You So Hard" and "Cherry Cola" -- which has backing vocals courtesy of Brody Dalle that give it an extra-sexy edge -- the album's standouts include "Chase the Devil," which marks the return of Hughes' demented Elvis impersonation, and "Solid Gold," a rollicking-yet-hypnotic instrumental that could soundtrack a go-go dancing contest. Fittingly for its on-the-prowl vibe, Death by Sexy spends a minimum of time on brooding tracks like "Eagles Goth" and "Bag O' Miracles." Instead, it focuses on songs that sound good in bad places, and its gloriously, thoroughly trashy fun makes it a guilt-free fling.

Track Lists
01. I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)
02. I Gotta Feeling (Just Nineteen)
03. Cherry Cola
04. I Like To Move In The Night
05. Solid Gold
06. Don't Speak (I Came To Make A Bang)
07. Keep Your Head Up
08. The Ballad Of Queen Bee And Baby Duck
09. Poor Doggie
10. Chase The Devil
11. Eagles Goth
12. Shasta Beast
13. Bag O'Miracles

Various Artists - The Departed [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T06:27:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available...

Track Lists
01. Comfortably Numb
02. Sail On, Sailor
03. Let It Loose
04. Sweet Dreams
05. One Way Out
06. Baby Blue
07. I'm Shipping Up To Boston
08. Nobody But Me
09. Tweedle Dee
10. Sweey Dreams (Of You)
11. The Departed Tango
12. Beacon Hill

Ani DiFranco - Imperfectly (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T06:24:00.000-08:00

Review by William Ruhlmann @ allmusic.com

Ani DiFranco continued to expand her musical palette gradually on her third album, using outside musicians on some tracks to support her acoustic guitar with bass and drums, and adding individual instruments -- trumpet, viola -- for color on certain tunes. But the focus was still on the evolving persona depicted in her lyrics, one who continued to flirt with lesbianism consciously on "In or Out" and "If It Isn't Her," and, perhaps unconsciously, in the what-does-she-see-in-him sentiment of "Fixing Her Hair." The larger theme of the album, also suggested in "In or Out," was the artist's inability to "fit in," either because of her sexuality, her politics, or, most tellingly, her occupation as an itinerant musician. In "Every State Line," she reflected on the difficulties of shoestring travel, and in "Good, Bad, Ugly" and "The Waiting Song," the difficulties of long-distance relationships shaped both the songwriter's anger and her self-doubt. She had not tended to question herself before this, but from its title, Imperfectly, on, DiFranco deconstructed her persona, asking, "What If No One's Watching" in one song and declaring, "I'm No Heroine" in another. At the same time, she upped the ante of her sexual politics, expanding from criticizing individual men to berating a culture she saw as dominated by male views in everything from the music business to architecture ("Who says I like right angles?"). But if Imperfectly presented the singer at her most doctrinaire, it also displayed surprising warmth for individuals, notably the uncharacteristically forgiving "Served Faithfully." Imperfectly was the work of a still-growing, still passionate, sometimes confused artist whose personal story in song was proving to be fascinating.

Track Lists
01. What If No One's Watching
02. Fixing Her Hair
03. In Or Out
04. Every State Line
05. Circle Of Light
06. If It Isn't Her
07. Good, Bad, Ugly
08. I'm No Heroine
09. Coming Up
10. Make Them Apologize
11. The Waiting Song
12. Served Faithfully
13. Imperfectly

The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T02:32:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

From the moment the pan flute fanfare on "One Way Ticket" kicks off One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back, it's clear that the Darkness still believes that more is more. If anything, the band believes that even more is even better: with the help of producer Roy Thomas Baker, they make their second album incredibly glossy and expensive-sounding, with layers of sitars, marching drums, bagpipes, and tubular bells on top of their already-powerful guitars, drums, and keyboards (and, of course, Justin Hawkins' formidable falsetto). But while the band's excess succeeded on Permission to Land, it loses some of its potency here: nothing on One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back is as immediate as "I Believe in a Thing Called Love." The band's debut celebrated and inflated the rock clichés of sex, drugs, and partying; this album's best songs are about longterm relationships, getting clean, and balding. The soaring power ballad "Dinner Lady Arms" highlights the good-natured streak running through a surprising amount of the Darkness' songs, while "One Way Ticket" is an episode of Behind the Music, complete with cocaine snorting, turned into a pop single. More than occasionally, though, One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back just sounds unremarkable, despite the songs' elaborate sonics. Tracks like "Knockers" -- which should be a fool-proof Darkness song just based on its title -- and "Girlfriend" sound like they were made from bits and pieces of Permission to Land rejects, while overblown-yet-slight ballads such as "Blind Man" and "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" sound too much like stale Meat Loaf. Still, there are moments when the Darkness still sounds like the smartest, dumbest band around: "Is It Just Me?" has a chorus that rivals their best; the flamboyant Celtic rocker "Hazel Eyes" shows off both Justin Hawkins' over-the-top vocals and his brother Dan's over-the-top guitar licks; and lyrics like "English Country Garden"'s "I cherished you and you tolerated me" show that the wit that made their debut so much fun isn't entirely missing on this album. Not so much a letdown as a comedown, One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back just shows that the giddy highs of Permission to Land aren't so easy to get the second time around.

Track Lists
01. One Way Ticket
02. Knockers
03. Is It Just Me
04. Dinner Lady Arms
05. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
06. Hazel Eyes
07. Bald
08. Girlfriend
09. English Country Garden
10. Blind Man

Crystal Method - Vegas (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:51:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Perhaps it's unfair to label the Crystal Method as an American Chemical Brothers, since they are contemporaries of, not successors to, the English duo, but the comparison makes sense. Like the Chemicals, the Crystal Method is into big beats. There isn't much subtlety to their music, but there doesn't need to be, since their heady fusion of classic, late-'80s hip-hop, rave, techno, and rock is intoxicating on its own. Vegas, the duo's debut album, rushes by in a quasi-psychedelic blur, occasionally stopping for ambient detours. There aren't any revelations along the way, but the Crystal Method does this crossover techno well, which makes Vegas a pleasure.

Track List
01. Trip Like I Do
02. Busy Child
03. Cherry Twist
04. High Roller
05. Comin' Back
06. Keep Hope Alive
07. Vapor Trail
08. She's My Pusher
09. Jaded
10. Bad Stone

The Offspring - Americana (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:50:00.000-08:00

Review by Michael Gallucci @ allmusic.com

With integrity intact and a hearty combination of poppy punk and wit throughout, the Offspring's fifth album is a raucous ride through America as seen through the eyes of a weary, but still optimistic, young kid. Riffs on political correctness, '70s radio fodder, and suburban disquiet are spread thick on Americana. If the band's targets seem a bit simple and predictable, its music rarely is. The SoCal roots aren't played to a fault, the blend of salsa and alterna-rock sounds natural, and the Offspring pretty much laugh at their culture, as well as themselves, the entire time. Best track is "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)," which manages to bridge Def Leppard and Latin hip-hop (and the musical timeline they represent) and, in the process, disrobes Middle America's average white teen's quick fascination with and instant disposability of a once-regional heritage. With Americana, the Offspring are merely contributing their part.

Track Lists
01. Welcome
02. Have You Ever
03. Staring At The Sun
04. Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)
05. The Kids Aren't Alright
06. Feelings
07. She's Got Issues
08. Walla Walla
09. The End Line
10. No Brakes
11. Why Don't You Get A Job
12. Americana
13. Pay The Man

Puddle Of Mudd - Come Clean (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:42:00.002-08:00

Review by Bret Love @ allmusic.com

Puddle of Mudd's story is every struggling musician's dream come true: armed with a fake backstage pass, frontman Wes Scantlin snuck the band's demo to a Limp Bizkit security guy at a show in their native Kansas City, and less than one year later finds his group's debut album the first release on Fred Durst's new label. Thankfully, Come Clean sounds nothing like Limp Bizkit, but Puddle of Mudd's aggro-rock sound is indistinguishable from every other Alice in Chains- and Tool-influenced band to come along in the past few years. The opening, "Control," milks the loud/quiet formula that's been done to death since Nirvana's demise, but adds some interesting stop-time changes during the break, while the acoustic balladry of "Drift & Die" sounds so familiar, Layne Staley should get a portion of the songwriting royalties. In the end, this isn't a terrible debut album, but it doesn't really bring any original ideas to the nü-rock table. And frankly, in today's already glutted metal market, that's simply not good enough.

Track Lists
01. Control
02. Drift & Die
03. Put Of My Head
04. Nobody Told Me
05. Blurry
06. She Hates Me
07. Bring Me Down
08. Never Change
09. Basement
10. Said
11. Piss It All Away
12. Control (Acoustic)

Various Artists - Saw III [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:42:00.001-08:00

Review by James Christopher Monger @ allmusic.com

With a cover adorned by a trio of bicuspids and molars, roots attached and hastily transformed into necklaces, it becomes awfully apparent what awaits the listener within the jigsaw-shaped disc called Saw 3. Composer Charles Clouser has returned, providing the film with a whole lot of tripped-out, electronic and orchestral tension and the soundtrack with one measly passage called the "Sh*! hole Theme," but its' alternative/industrial/death metal that provides the third installment of the popular horror series with the kick in the gut it needs. As usual, the songs are of the "inspired by" type, meaning that most of them have little or nothing to do with the film itself, but the incorporation of hard-hitting classic acts like Slayer ("Eyes of the Insane"), Helmet ("Monochrome"), and Ministry ("Fear Is a Big Business"), as well standout contemporary acts like Mastodon and Meshuggah into the mix helps keep some of the lesser locker room meat (think Drowning Pool and Disturbed) from stinking up the whole house.

Track Lists
01. This Calling
02. No Submission
03. Eyes Of The Insane
04. Walk With Me In Hell
05. Monochrome
06. Guarded
07. Drilled A Wire Through My Cheek
08. No More
09. Burn It Down
10. Your Nightmare
11. Dead Underground
12. Suffocating Under Words Of Sorrow (What Can I Do)
13. Fear Is A Big Business
14. Wolf Is Loose
15. Killer Inside
16. Sakkara

Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:42:00.000-08:00

rReview by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

The Dresden Dolls could never be accused of being shy and retiring, but on their second full-length, Yes, Virginia..., they sound more confident than ever, igniting their cabaret-rock with more crazed inventiveness and you-are-there immediacy. While there's nothing as instantly captivating as their first album's winsome "Coin-Operated Boy" or the defiant "Girl Anachronism," Yes, Virginia... is a more powerful and consistent set of songs overall, moving from musically and emotionally complex ballads like "Delilah" and the album closer, "Sing," to shouty, forceful numbers such as "Necessary Evil" and "Sex Changes." Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie's production adds to the bigger, more rock-inspired sound of the album, which invigorates Amanda Palmer's character sketches. While the highly theatrical, stylized sound of the Dresden Dolls might seem to be the substance of their music -- and, admittedly, it does draw the listener in right away -- it's the strong songwriting that makes the band truly impressive. Palmer's lyrics have a mix of sympathy and disdain for the people and subjects in her songs that makes them seem very honest in spite, or perhaps because of, their theatricality. On "Backstabber," she dismisses a "greedy little fit-haver" with a "God, I feel for you, fool" that's a perfect blend of fury and pity. She goes after and celebrates uncomfortable moments, whether it's cataloging the drunken haze of "My Alcoholic Friends" (which is one of the jauntiest, poppiest distillations of the Dolls' sound to date) or "First Orgasm," a bleak and almost creepily intimate ballad that's not at all jokey despite lines such as "I'm taking matters into my own hands" and "there won't be any second coming." Full of ambitious twists and turns, equally vulnerable and sarcastic, Yes, Virginia... alludes to the famous 1897 New York Sun editorial that reassured a little girl that Santa Claus exists for a reason: as arch and ironic as the Dresden Dolls might seem on the surface, inside their music, there's a surprising amount of hope and heart.

Track Lists
01. Sex Changes
02. Backstabber
03. Modern Moonlight
04. My Alcoholic Friends
05. Delilah
06. Dirty Business
07. First Orgasm
08. Mrs. O
09. Shores Of California
10. Necesarry Evil
11. Mandy Goes To Med School
12. Me & The Minibar
13. Sing

The Darkness - One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:41:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

Thievery Corporation - Mirror Conspiracy (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:40:00.000-08:00

Review by John Bush @ allmusic.com

Like their debut album, Thievery Corporation's second, The Mirror Conspiracy, is a pleasant album of sublime mid-tempo trip-hop, reminiscent of easy listening groove music, and continually referencing the breezier, atmospheric side of Brazilian, Jamaican, French, and Indian forms. The nocturnal dub-poetry of "Treasures" sets a tone for the bruising basslines and echoey keys throughout the album, and "Lebanese Blonde" is another early highlight, with the graceful vocalese of Pam Bricker framing live sitar by Rob Myers and a Jamaican-style horn section. Brazil represents with a triple-shot of "Air Batucada," "So Com Voce" (with vocals from Bebel Gilberto), and "Samba Tranquille." French chanteuse Lou Lou adds a bit of downtempo continental flair on "Le Monde" and "Shadows of Ourselves," and Thievery Corporation even samples Ella Fitzgerald on the ambient-jungle closer "Tomorrow." As on their first LP, Garza and Hilton occasionally appear satisfied to just push a few grooves and reference their favorite styles of music over the top -- at the expense of any new ideas -- but The Mirror Conspiracy is excellently produced and almost as stylish as the duo's swinging suits on the cover.

Track Lists
01. Treasures
02. Le Monde
03. Indra
04. Lebanese Blonde
05. Focus On Sight
06. Air Batucada
07. So Com Voce
08. Samba Tranquile
09. Shadows Of Ourselves
10. The Hong Kong Triad
11. Illumination
12. The Mirror Conspiracy
13. Tomorrow

Various Artists - The Break Up [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available....

Track Lists
01. 26 - Shawn Lee
02. It's Only A Paper Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
03. Mirror - Jon Brion
04. Time - Rich Jacques
05. La Vem A Baiana - Jussara Silviera
06. I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
07. Rainbow Connection - John Michael Higgins & Orchestra
08. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Dwight Yoakam
09. Who Loves You Baby - Telly Savalas
10. Story Of My Life - Social Distortion
11. The Break-Up Theme - Jon Brion
12. Timebomb - Old 97's
13. Boogie Nights - John Michael Higgins & Orchestra
14. Ay Cosita Linda - Perez Prado

Peter Tosh - Super Hits (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:34:00.000-08:00

Review by Jo-Ann Greene @ allmusic.com

Whatever were they thinking calling this parsimonious collection Super Hits, when the set brazenly omits Peter Tosh's two actual hits -- 1978's "(You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back" and 1981's "Johnny B. Goode," both of which broke the U.K. Top 50 and the U.S. Top 100? That takes real chutzpah. However, if one were going to come up with a ten-song list beyond that pair of heavy-hitters, this is what most selectors would choose. Of course, real fans might also want to hear the likes of "Magadog," "Ketchy Shuby," "Buk-In-Hamm Palace," "I'm the Toughest," "Reggaemylitis," and "Mama Africa." And why should they be deprived of that pleasure? The whole point of CDs is that they hold more music than vinyl, and the idea that in the 21st century fans are being subjected to the limits left behind in the 20th is just unacceptable. This Scrooge-like compilation, besides its inept title, is so obviously a ripoff that from his grave Tosh must be shouting at fans to shun it.

Track Lists
01. Legalize It
02. Downpressor Man
03. Stepping Razor
04. Equal Rights
05. Whatcha Gonna Do
06. Get Up, Stand Up
07. Why Must I Cry
08. African
09. Brand New Second Hand
10. Burial

Joan Baez - Speaking Of Dreams (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:07:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available....

Track Lists
01. China
02. Warrior Of The Sun
03. Carrickfergus
04. Hand To Mouth
05. Speaking Of Dreams
06. El Salvador
07. Rambler Gambler/Whispering Bells
08. Fairfax County
09. A Mi Manera

Sum 41 - Chuck (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:06:00.001-08:00

Review by Johnny Loftus @ allmusic.com

In June 2004, Sum 41 was in Congo filming a documentary for charity when they found themselves caught in the midst of the country's ongoing hostilities. But a UN aid worker named Chuck Pelletier was instrumental in getting the band to safety, and a grateful Sum 41 named their fourth album in his honor. As they say in their liners, "Without him, we'd be dead. Chuck rules!" The experience also seems to have mellowed the group's sarcastic streak. From its aggressive metal and hardcore overtones to lyrics that rail against societal ignorance and a world gone wrong, Chuck is a few steps ahead of the smirking, jocular anthems that populated Sum 41's previous output. This suddenly sober outlook hasn't lessened the rock power, though. "Why is there no reason we all can't change?" Deryck Whibley wonders in "No Reason," but the cut also binds the rapid-fire pace of hardcore to a great chorus hook. Lead single "We're All to Blame" lashes out at greed with some vicious metal riffing, "Bitter End" takes its cues from the double-bass kicks and furious lead solos of Anthrax, and "There's No Solution"'s layered vocals, psychological fretting, and explosive chorus shift give it a Linkin Park feel. Sum 41 also avoids employing too many "serious" add-ons, such as string sections or synthesizers. Chuck does have a few passages of acoustic guitar (most effectively on the low-key "Slipping Away"). But like Sum 41's previous efforts, it's a concise album that clocks in at just over a half-hour, with a basic understanding that fast and loud is what the band does best. But this time around, Sum 41 has made sure to set its message at the same high volume.

Track Lists
01. Intro
02. No Reason
03. We're All To Blame
04. Angel With Dirty Faces
05. Some Say
06. The Bitter End
07. Open Your Eyes
08. Slipping Away
09. I'm Not The One
10. Welcome To Hell
11. Pieces
12. There's No Solution
13. 88
14. Noots (Bonus Track)
15. Moron (Bonus Track)
16. Subject To Change (Bonus Track)

Various Artists - Marie Antoniette [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:06:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

The way the visuals and music clashed in the first round of trailers for Marie Antoinette, in which the teenage Queen of France and her powdered wig- and silk brocade-wearing courtiers frolicked in the garden and played dice to the strains of New Order's "Ceremony," fell somewhere between being exciting and contrived. The full soundtrack to the movie -- all two discs and 90-odd minutes of it -- keeps this bold contrast, but gives it more nuance. In fact, its mix of new wave, post-punk, dream pop, electronica, and classical pieces really sells Sofia Coppola's vision of Marie Antoinette as an innocent young girl, transformed into her era's version of a hipster fashionista, who gets in way over (and ultimately loses) her head. The size of the soundtrack suggests the decadence of her times, but the way the music is actually used is far from indulgent. Disc one relies on new wave to illustrate the giddy rush of her rise, while disc two is mostly electronica and darker, more atmospheric classical pieces tracing her fall with a stylish, bittersweet atmosphere similar to the Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation soundtracks. "Hong Kong Garden" kicks off Marie Antoinette, beginning with a brief prelude that at first sounds like it escaped from A Chamber Music Tribute to Siouxsie Sioux but then sounds utterly right, and helps make the rest of the soundtrack's switches from pop to classical and back again sound inspired instead of forced; there's a lightness and playfulness in the new wave songs that connects them to Vivaldi's Concerto in G. Throughout the soundtrack, Bow Wow Wow seems to function as Marie Antoinette's voice: after all, "I Want Candy" isn't such a far cry from "let them eat cake," and on the second disc, "Fools Rush In" captures her plight perfectly. By working with a carefully selected palette of tracks by a handful of artists -- Air, Aphex Twin (whose "Jynweythek Ylow" has all the delicacy of chamber music), the Cure, and the Radio Dept. are among the chief sources -- Marie Antoinette's daring gambit pays off in a long but exquisitely curated soundtrack.

Track Lists
01. Natural's Not In
02. Opus #17
03. The Melody Of A Fallen Tree
04. I Don't Like It Like This
05. Jynweythek Ylow
06. Menuets I & II
07. Pulling Our Weight
08. Il Secondo Giorno
09. Keen On Boys
10. I Want Candys
11. Hong Kong Garden
12. Aphrodisiac
13. Fools Rush In
14. Plainsong
15. Ceremony
16. Tommib Help Buss
17. Kings Of The Wild Frontier
18. Avril 14th
19. What Ever Happened
20. All Cats Are Grey

Jeny Lewis And The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T01:05:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

The story line on Rabbit Fur Coat is this: for her first venture outside of celebrated indie sensations Rilo Kiley, singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis has made a "white soul" album, along the lines of Dusty Springfield or Laura Nyro. Which is why, of course, she brought in Kentucky duo the Watson Twins to provide bluegrass harmonies for the entire record. Which is to say that Rabbit Fur Coat doesn't quite live up to its billing -- especially when compared to The Greatest, Cat Power's genuine white-soul album that hit the stores the week after Lewis' solo affair. What Rabbit Fur Coat brings to mind is not Laura Nyro but, perhaps inevitably, Neko Case and the stark, arty Americana intimacy of her breakthrough, Furnace Room Lullaby. Not that Lewis has Case's throaty voice or commanding presence -- she can growl and slide into notes, but at her core she has a small, fragile voice, one that lends this muted set of songs intimacy, even if it also brings them to the verge of cutsiness. And that's not a word that should be associated with Rabbit Fur Coat, an album that's designed to be a comforting late-night confessional, from rousing stompers like "The Big Guns" through the bluesy crawl of "Rise Up With Fists" to bittersweet ruminations like the seemingly autobiographical title track and the cheerful, gangs-all-here singalong to the Traveling Wilburys "Handle With Care." Musically, this hits the mark -- not only does it return Lewis to the country leanings of Rilo Kiley's first album, it feels suspended in time and space, the perfect soundtrack to 2 A.M. But the spareness of its sound also puts undue emphasis on her writing, and while she can structure a song, she tends to overwork her lyrics, cramming too many words into a phrase and moralizing like a college sophomore ("Still they're dying on the dark continent/it's been happening long enough to mention it" or "Are you really that pure sir?/I thought I saw you in Vegas/it was not pretty/but she was," where the Watson Twins helpfully respond with "not your wife"). At her best, her songs have a grace and flow that obscure these flaws -- such as on "Happy," whose melody and attitude are not all that far removed from her most prominent booster in rock's old guard, Elvis Costello -- and -- even if they're still quite prominent upon any close listen. And since Rabbit Fur Coat is an album that's designed for close listening, that's a bit of a problem, but as a pure sonic experience, it's a moody, atmospheric listen that never gets quite as melancholy as it suggests and holds together better than any Rilo Kiley album to date.

Track Lists
01. Run Devil Run
02. Big Guns
03. Rise Up With First
04. Happy
05. The Charging Sky
06. Melt Your Heart
07. You Are What You Love
08. Rabbit Fur Coat
09. Handle With Care
10. Born Secular
11. It Wasnt Me
12. Happy (reprise)

Sum 41 - Chuck (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-30T00:46:00.000-08:00

Review by Johnny Loftus @ allmusic.com

Limp Bizkit - Results May Vary (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T06:11:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

It took a long, long time for Limp Bizkit to get their follow-up to Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water into the stores. First, guitarist Wes Borland, generally regarded as the band's musical force, up and left the band, and it took a long, long time to find a replacement guitarist. After a national talent search performed at Guitar Center stores, where candidates had to sign contracts that gave up their rights to anything original they played at their audition, Limp Bizkit settled on former Snot guitarist Mike Smith and recorded an album. Then scrapped it. Then they recorded another album. Then scrapped it. They were going through album titles, too -- it was called Bipolar then, charmingly, Panty Sniffer. Finally, all the sessions and the turmoil was whittled down into one very long, very bad album called Results May Vary. Part of its weakness stems from two perennial Limp Bizkit problems: for a metal band they sound, well, limp, and in Fred Durst they have the worst frontman in the history of rock. These two things plagued even their hits, but Borland at least gave the band some ideas. Without him, the band is left to flounder, and Durst, who already dominated the band's personality, not only has to provide the bravado, but he has to give it direction -- which is likely why it took so long for this mess to get released. Durst doesn't come up with any new musical ideas, apart from slight hints of Staind and emo on the ballads, but the album doesn't suffer from recycled musical ideas, since they were already doing that on Chocolate Starfish. No, it suffers from an utter lack of form and direction, from the riffs to the rhythms, and a surplus of stolen ideas. "The Only One" cops the opening of Steve Miller's "Take the Money and Run," "Gimme the Mic" plagiarizes the Beastie Boys' "Pass the Mic" down to rhyming "y'all" with "y'all" (but Durst adds a whole lotta "motherf*ckers"), while "Phenomenon" borrows from several rap songs, highlighted by Durst getting lyrics wrong. And this points out the biggest problem of Results May Vary -- Durst is running amuck, flattening down the production into a grey sludge, then writing inane lyrics that are shocking in their banality.

Since Durst has ingratiated himself with Hollywood, inexplicably getting Thora Birch to concede to being berated to in the video for "Eat You Alive" and French kissing Halle Berry in the video for "Behind Blue Eyes," maybe he's not such a bad guy in person, but on record he's a mean, vindictive, hateful idiot, spewing undirected bile at undeserving targets. Here, a prominent target seems to be Britney Spears, who unceremoniously dumped the dude after an affair that lasted less than a week, since she wasn't all that thrilled that he revealed her pubic hair grooming on the Howard Stern show (what a guy!). Now, he's hurt and ranting about how she broke his heart, unaware of his own culpability in the affair. But that's par for the course for Durst, who stumbles through life without realizing the consequences of his actions, then whines about how nobody understands him. Here, he complains about being picked on in high school, not realizing that his blustering aggression makes him a bully (and that's not even accounting for how he unwittingly incited violence and destruction at Woodstock '99). Then, he complains several times about radio and MTV playing the same old bands, willfully ignoring that he's whored himself out to MTV numerous times and that his band received their radio breakthrough by paying to get their songs played. He invokes icons callously -- "ease your pain/like a melody from Kurt Cobain" -- most notably on a boneheaded cover of the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes," turning it into a Staind song with a Speak & Spell on the bridge ("B-I-Z-K-I-T. Say it") and adding insult to injury by misspelling Pete Townshend's name in the credits. And this isn't even counting the embarrassing Apple plug in the liner notes, or the Fight Club reference in the artwork, the obviousness of which suggests that Durst would be one of the brainwashed legions chanting "his name is Robert Paulson" instead of thinking for himself. Like before, some of this could have been palatable if the music had a fraction of his anger (no matter how misguided it is) or had some energy to it instead of just being murky emoting. But since the music has no melody, hooks, or energy, all attention is focused on the clown jumping up and down and screaming in front, and long before the record is over, you're left wondering, how the hell did he ever get to put this mess out?

Track Lists
01. Re-Entry
02. Eat You Alive
03. Gimme The Mic
04. Underneath Your Gun
05. Down Another Day
06. Almost Over
07. Build A Bridge
08. Red Light Green Light
09. The Only One
10. Let Me Down
11. Lonely World
12. Phenomenon
13. Creamer
14. Head For The Barricade
15. Behind Blue Eyes
16. Drown

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T06:10:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Like Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot before it, Fiona Apple's third album, Extraordinary Machine, turned into an Internet legend as fans leaked the unreleased record as labels left it on the shelves. Since Wilco's album notoriously remained unreleased because their label deemed it uncommercial, Apple fans who were patiently waiting a long, long time for new material were convinced that her label, Epic, was withholding a masterpiece because they also thought it was uncommercial. And, based on the version of Extraordinary Machine that was widely leaked on the internets in early 2005, if Epic indeed harbored suspicions that the album was uncommercial, they were not wrong -- although Apple reunited with her When the Pawn producer, Jon Brion, for Extraordinary Machine, the original sessions for the album found the singer/songwriter and producer both indulging in their worst tendencies, creating deliberately difficult, obtuse, baroque art-pop with so many creaky details and elliptical melodies that it barely let listeners into their world. It was the kind of record that devoted fans -- say, the kind that will start a website called FreeFiona.com to petition a record label to release an album -- would dissect endlessly, but it was too insular to appeal to even those who passionately loved her second album, which was already dismissed in some quarters as too arty. But the leaked album and FreeFiona did result in considerable media attention for the reclusive singer/songwriter, and put both Epic and Fiona Apple in the position to revive the project, since it proved that there was an audience for the album, giving Fiona artistic confidence and Epic the hope of recouping the 800,000 dollars they'd already sunk into the album. So, Apple ditched most of the Brion productions -- according to the flurry of articles to promote its fall release, this was her decision, not the label's, since she was unhappy with the recordings, which is why the album remained unfinished and unreleased for years -- teamed up with producer Mike Elizondo, best known for his productions with Eminem and 50 Cent but also a sideman on records by Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani, and Avril Lavigne, and finally finished the record.

To say that the released version of Extraordinary Machine is a marked improvement over the bootlegged version is not to say that it sounds more complete -- after all, the Brion productions sounded finished, as evidenced by the two cuts that were retained; the intricate chamber pop of the opening title track and the closing "Waltz (Better Than Fine)" are the only time Brion's productions not only suited but enhanced Fiona's songs -- but to say that they're not only more accessible, but more fully realized, letting Apple's songs breathe in a way they didn't on the original sessions. While Brion's productions were interesting, they stretched his carnivalesque aesthetic to the limit, ultimately obscuring Apple's songs, which were already fussier, artier, and more oblique than her previous work. When matched to Brion's elaborately detailed productions, her music became an impenetrable wall of sound, but Elizondo's productions open these songs up, making it easier to hear Apple's songs while retaining most of her eccentricities. Now, Extraordinary Machine sounds like a brighter, streamlined version of When the Pawn, lacking the idiosyncratic arrangement and instrumentation of that record, yet retaining the artiness of the songs themselves. Like her second record, this album is not immediate; it takes time for the songs to sink in, to let the melodies unfold and decode her laborious words (she still has the unfortunate tendency to overwrite: "A voice once stentorian is now again/Meek and muffled"). Unlike the Brion-produced sessions, peeling away the layers on Extraordinary Machine is not hard work, since it not only has a welcoming veneer, but there are plenty of things that capture the imagination upon the first listen -- the pulsating piano on "Get Him Back," the moodiness of "O' Sailor," the coiled bluesy "Better Version of Me," the quiet intensity of the breakup saga "Window," insistent chorus on "Please Please Please" -- which gives listeners a reason to return and invest time in the album. And once they do go back for repeated listens, Extraordinary Machine becomes as rewarding, if not quite as distinctive, as When the Pawn. Nevertheless, this is neither a return to the sultry, searching balladeering of Tidal, nor a record that will bring her closer to tasteful, classy Norah Jones territory, thereby making her a more commercial artist again. Extraordinary Machine may be more accessible, but it remains an art-pop album in its attitude, intent, and presentation -- it's just that the presentation is cleaner, making her attitude appealing and her intent easier to ascertain, and that's what makes this final, finished Extraordinary Machine something pretty close to extraordinary.

Track Lists
01. Not About Love
02. Red, Red, Red
03. Get Him Back
04. Better Version Of Me
05. Oh Well
06. Oh Sailor
07. Used To Love Hi
08. Window
09. Waltz
10. Extraordinary Machine
11. Please Please Please

John Ottman - Superman Returns [Original Score] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Review by James Christopher Monger @ allmusic.com

Director Bryan Singer and composer John Ottman's take on the world's most recognizable superhero is one of deep reverence. Like Steven Spielberg and John Williams, the two have found their muse in each other, especially after their success with the second installment of the X-Men series, but what sets them apart from other iconic director/composer pairings is Ottman's co-role as an editor -- he showed his musicality in the editing room on X2 with an exhilarating opening ballet of violence set to Mozart's Requiem. Ottman and Singer are well aware that Williams' original score for Richard Donner's 1978 depiction of the man of steel is as etched into the character's mythology as the "S" on his chest, so they built the new score around it. The new themes are deep and resonant with a Copland-esque tinge of sepia-toned Americana that never descends into unnecessary melodrama -- think Michael Kamen's Band of Brothers theme -- and a brooding sense of wonder and weight that echoes Danny Elfman's choral work on the Spider Man films. This Superman feels a lot more like a conflicted defender of the world than a bespectacled reporter relying on pratfalls and phone booths for audience chuckles, and Ottman fills his Metropolis with a perfect balance of dread and wonder, while allowing Williams' majestic and iconic theme to soar when it should.

Track Lists
01. Main Titles
02. Memories
03. Rough Flight
04. Little Secrets/Power Of The Sun
05. Bank Job
06. How Could You Leave Us
07. Tell Me Everything
08. You're Not One Of Them
09. Not Like The Train Set
10. So Long Superman
11. The People You Care For
12. I Wanted You To Know
13. Saving The World
14. In The Hands Of Mortals
15. Reprise/Fly Away

Mozez - So Still (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:58:00.000-08:00

Review by Rick Anderson @ allmusic.com

Although this is his debut solo album, Mozez (aka Osmond Wright) has been singing professionally since 1994, when he was half of a successful gospel duo called Spirits. Following a stint as singer for Zero 7, he put out this strikingly unusual album, one that sets out a dreamy, almost gauzy, and deeply personal vision of modern R&B. Opening with a lovely 6/8 number titled "Feel Free," So Still then floats and bobs on a warm and gentle (but not always sweet or musically obvious) tide of downtempo beats, electronic burblings, acoustic strings, live trumpet, and even a vocoder. Mozez's voice falls somewhere between Aaron Neville's ethereal treble and Terence Trent d'Arby's muscular falsetto, and it sounds best on the gorgeous acousto-electro soul of "Somehow Now" and the sweetly catchy "Spinning Top." "Venus Rise" suffers from silly lyrics ("On the plains of Egypt, with the pharaohs/You used to play mind games") and an almost complete lack of melody, but the subtle elegance of the accompaniment (which includes a closely miked Jon Hassell on trumpet) wins you over anyway, as does "Take the Sun," with its cheesy-but-fun disco-era vocoder. Several mediocre tracks toward the middle of the album threaten to bog down the whole program, but Mozez's voice keeps floating up to the top of the mix and lifting everything up with it. Recommended.

Track Lists
01. Feel Free
02. Baby Blue
03. Troubled Mind
04. So Still
05. Spinning Top
06. Somehow Now
07. Getting Better
08. Take The Sun
09. Fuzz
10. Venus Rise
11. Beautiful Day
12. Stay Beautiful
13. If It Fall
14. Eternity

Kent - Vapen & Ammunition (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:28:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available...

Track Lists
01. Sundance Kid
02. Parlor
03. Dom Andra
04. Duett
05. Hur Jag Fick Dig Att Älska Mig
06. Kärlenken Väntar
07. Socker
08. FF
09. Elite
10. Sverige

Catatonia - International Velvet (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:18:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Prior to International Velvet, Catatonia offered modest, lovely pleasures -- pretty, ringing pop songs filled with sweet and sour melodies. Apparently, the band was concerned that they were a little too precious, a little too similar to late-'80s indie pop groups like the Primitives, so they beefed up their sound, turned up the guitars and toughened up their attack for International Velvet, their second major-label album (the first to be released in America). It's a gambit that fails as often it succeeds. Part of the problem is that the hard rock sounds forced, never quite rocking with the abandon it should and keeping much of the album grounded. More problematically, Cerys Matthews has a captivating voice but a weakness for gimmicks -- "I Am the Mob" and "Mulder and Scully" have terrific hooks, but it's hard to get with their self-conscious pop culture references. Still, at least they bring memorable melodies to the songs. When their songwriting comes up short, there isn't enough attitude or snarl to the performances to make them enjoyable -- which is precisely what the sonic revamping should have given them. Even with the flaws, International Velvet has its fair share of pop delights -- it just doesn't deliver as many as Way Beyond Blue, which had a surplus of melody and grace.

Track Lists
01. Mulder And Scully
02. Game On
03. I Am The Mob
04. Road Rage
05. Johnny Come Lately
06. Goldfish And Paracetamol
07. International Velvet
08. Why I Can't Stand One Night Stands
09. Part Of The Furniture
10. Don't Need The Sunshine
11. Strange Glue
12. My Selfish Gene

The Cranberries - Wake Up And Smell The Coffee (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:17:00.001-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

The second half of the '90s was difficult for the Cranberries, not just because of changing fashions, but because the group embraced both a social consciousness and a prog rock infatuation, crystallized by the Storm Thurgerson cover of "Bury the Hatchet." Thurgerson has been retained for their fifth effort, Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, but the group has hardly pursued the indulgent tendencies of their previous collaboration with him -- instead, they've reteamed with producer Stephen Street and come up with an album that's as reminiscent of their debut as anything they've done since. So, even if it's wrapped in new clothing, this is essentially a return to basics, and it's a welcome one, since it's melodic, stately, and somber -- perhaps not with the post-Sundays grace of "Linger," but with a dogged sense of decorum that keeps not just the group's musical excesses in check, but also O'Riordan-Burton's political polemics (although she still sneaks in cringe-inducing lines like "Looks like we've screwed up the ozone layer/I wonder if the politicians care"). This doesn't really result in a record that will restore the Cranberries to the status they enjoyed in the early '90s -- after all, there's nothing as undeniable as "Linger," "Dreams," or even "Zombie" -- but it's a solid effort that feels like the true follow-up to To the Faithful Departed, which is notable in its own way.

Track Lists
01. Never Grow Old
02. Analyze
03. Time Is Ticking Out
04. Dying Inside
05. This Is The Day
06. The Concept
07. Wake Up And Smell The Coffe
08. Pretty Eyes
09. I Really Hope
10. Every Morning
11. Do You Know
12. Carry On
13. Chocolate Brown
14. Salvation (Live)
15. In The Ghetto

The Postal Service - Give Up (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:17:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

Coming off their work on Dntel's beautiful This Is the Dream of Evan and Chan, Jimmy Tamborello and Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard team up again for their full-length debut as Postal Service, Give Up. Instead of covering that EP's territory again, with this album the duo crafts a poppier, new wave-inflected sound that recalls Tamborello's work with Figurine more than Dntel's lovely subtlety. However, Ben Gibbard's famously bittersweet vocals and sharp, sensitive lyrics imbue Give Up with more emotional heft than you might expect from a synth pop album, especially one by a side project from musicians as busy as Tamborello and Gibbard are. The album exploits the contrast between the cool, clean synths and Gibbard's all-too-human voice to poignant and playful effect, particularly on Give Up's first two tracks. "The District Sleeps Alone" bears Gibbard's trademark songwriting, augmented by glitchy electronics and sliced-and-diced strings, while "Such Great Heights"' pretty pop could easily appear on a Death Cab for Cutie album, minus a synth or two. Despite some nods to more contemporary electronic pop, Give Up's sound is based in classic new wave and synth pop, at times resembling an indie version of New Order or the Pet Shop Boys. Songs like "Nothing Better," a duet that plays like an update on Human League's "Don't You Want Me?," and the video-game brightness of "Brand New Colony" sound overtly like the '80s brought into the present, but the tinny, preset synth and drum sounds on the entire album recall that decade. Sometimes, as on "Recycled Air" and "We Will Become Silhouettes," the retro sounds become distracting, but for the most part they add to the album's playful charm. The spooky ballad "This Place Is a Prison" is perhaps the most modern-sounding track and the closest in sound and spirit to Gibbard and Tamborello's Dntel work. The crunchy, distorted beats and sparkling synths recall both This Is the Dream of Evan and Chan and Björk's recent work; indeed, this song, along with the "All Is Full of Love" cover Death Cab included on their Stability EP, could be seen as an ongoing tribute to her. Overall, Give Up is a fun diversion for Tamborello, Gibbard, and their fans. It doesn't scale the heights of either of their main projects, but it's far more consistent and enjoyable than might be expected.

Track Lists
01. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
02. Such Great Heights
03. Sleeping In
04. Nothing Better
05. Recyled Air
06. Clark Gable
07. We Will Become Silhouttes
08. This Place Is A Prison
09. Brand New Colony
10. Natural Anthem

Enya - Celts (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T05:16:00.001-08:00

Review by Ned Raggett @ allmusic.com

Initially released simply as Enya, The Celts shows that the style she became famous for on Watermark was already well under way. With production and lyrical help fully in place thanks to her husband-and-wife gurus Nicky and Roma Ryan, Enya's combination of Celtic traditionalism and distinctly modern approach finds lush flower here. All the elements that characterize her music -- open, clear nods to her Irish heritage, any number of vocal overdubs to create an echoing, haunting feeling, and layers of synth and electronic percussion -- can be found almost track for track. The flip side is that those who find such a combination to be gloopy mush won't be at all convinced further by her work here. It's understandable why folk music traditionalists and anti-mainstream types would get the hives, but those not coming from that angle will find much that's rewarding. Given that The Celts is a commissioned piece of work, it actually stands on its own quite well. The charging surge of the title track functions both as a fine introduction and its own stirring, quietly powerful anthem, a good sign for the rest of the album. There are a couple of slight missteps -- an electric guitar solo disrupts the string-and-vocal flow of the truly lovely "I Want Tomorrow," for instance. Generally, though, her musical instincts serve her very well, with many striking highlights. The appropriately three-part "Triad" showcases her ear for vocal work excellently, while both versions of "To Go Beyond," especially the second, which closes the disc with an exquisite extra string part, also are worthy of note.

Track Lists
01. Celts [Unavailable]
02. Aldebaran
03. I Want Tomorrow
04. March Of The Celts
05. Deireadh An Tuath
06. The Sun In The Stream
07. To Go Beyond, Part I
08. Fairytale
09. Epona
10. Triad - St.Patrick, Chu Chulainn
11. Portrait (Out Of The Blue)
12. Boadicea
13. Bard Dance
14. Dan y Dwr
15. To Go Beyond, Part II

Il Divo - Siempre (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T02:10:00.000-08:00

Review by Marisa Brown @ allmusic.com

Continuing their string of overtly sentimental albums, the multinational Il Divo released their fourth (including The Christmas Collection) full-length, Siempre, which contains more of the same Latinized versions of pop songs, as well as some originals (written by their producers). All four Divos sound professional and emotional, especially Spanish baritone Carlos Marin, who seems on the verge of tears every time he opens his mouth. The arrangements for the songs (including West Side Story's "Somewhere" -- the only one that's in English -- and the Italian version of the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin," among others) are always very clean, with soft acoustic guitars and pianos backed by subtle yet swelling strings, adding to the romanticized idea and portrayal of the group. To be fair, all four are very talented vocalists, and they manage to make Bryan Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman" sound even more profound and sensitive when they sing it in Spanish, and their phrasing on both "Without You" (originally made famous by Harry Nilsson) and Lucio Dalla's "Caruso" (with some of the lyrics cut out, despite the fact they're all listed in the album booklet) is excellent, drawn out to pull as much emotion as possible from each of the songs. Siempre is exactly what you would expect from Il Divo, so if you want more of what they've already given, it should be a satisfying record.

Track Lists
01. Nights In White Satin (Notte Di Luce)
02. Caruso
03. Without You (Desde El Dia Que Te Fuiste)
04. Come Primavera
05. Have You Ever Really Love A Woman (Un Regalo Que Te Dio La Vida)
06. La Vida Sin Amor
07. Una Noche
08. Tell That To My Heart (Amor Venme A Buscar)
09. Musica
10. Somewhere

Pieces Of Dream - Pillow Talk (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T02:05:00.001-08:00

Review by Paula Edelstein @ allmusic.com

There are but a few contemporary jazz ensembles that can boast of having more than 20 solid years of hits in their discographies. However, Pieces of a Dream, celebrating 30 years of funky jazz with Pillow Talk, have done just that. The powerhouse contemporary jazz combo -- which can always be depended upon to provide all the right party grooves and the sublime essence of smooth jazz -- reinvents itself on 12 songs that feature sexy riffs, infectious grooves, and the compelling vocals of Ramona Dunlap. Led by acclaimed funkmeisters keyboardist James Lloyd and drummer Curtis Harmon, "House Arrest," an instrumental song with a house-style beat, opens the set. The danceability of "House Arrest" is what makes this song so happening. On "Triflin'," "Those Three Words," and "Your Love," vocalist Ramona Dunlap examines the visual rhymes that weave their way through the group's collaborations. On "Triflin'," a song she co-wrote with Lloyd and Cherie Mitchell, her style is somewhat reminiscent of Lalah Hathaway and Jill Scott, but the synchronicity is all her own. Her scats and raps are right in line with the background vocals of Cherie Mitchell. "Sincere" features the exemplary sax work of Tony Watson, while "Attitude" sets Lloyd's complex piano lines and Watson's full-bodied sax riffs against a hip-hop backbeat. "Teresa" is a beautiful midtempo ballad dedicated to Lloyd's wife. His gorgeous piano melody is a metaphor of beautiful emotions. The title track closes the set with the flair of melodic jazz-pop. If you go for this style with its sexy edge and catchy hooks, you'll find plenty of new signature riffs and harmonies here. Pieces of a Dream have taken a fresh approach to their sound, and their craft is solidly defined. There is a creative fit that will put you "In That Mood" to make great "Pillow Talk."

Track Lists
01. House Arrest
02. Forward Emotion
03. Triflin
04. Sincere
05. Sailing
06. Wake Up Call
07. Teresa
08. Those 3 Words
09. In That Mood
10. Attitude
11. Your Love
12. Pillow Talk

Monica Ramos - Wind From The Sea (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T02:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available....

Track Lists
01. Wind From The Sea
02. Cavatina
03. Little Maestro
04. Chess
05. Love Waltz
06. Adagio
07. Autumn Poem
08. Cizero
09. The Song In The Night
10. A Butterlfy
11. Little Evelina
12. Gymnopedie

Johannes Linstead - Mediterranea (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T01:51:00.000-08:00

Review by Chris Nickson @ allmusic.com

There's no denying the fact that Johannes Linstead is a superb guitarist with excellent dexterity. And on the basis of "Motika," he's also an accomplished pianist, with a feel for Cuban rhythm. Add to that the taste to surround himself with players of a similar caliber, especially violinist Vasyl Popadiouk, who shines on the opener, "Andalucia," and the technical quality of Linstead's fifth CD is assured. There's certainly a warm, lush feel to the disc, with guitar front and center, exactly as it should be. The downside -- if, indeed, it is a drawback -- is the album's lightness. It glistens on the surface with a Mediterranean sheen, but there's little depth under that. And that's what ultimately makes it a less than satisfying listening experience. As the background to dinner or conversation, it's fine. But to listen in greater depth, though pleasant the first time, offers little beyond that; not a record that stands up to repeated listenings.

Track Lists
01. Andalucia
02. Evening Embrace
03. Sangre Del Toro
04. Ambrosia
05. Adelita
06. Tabu
07. Hour Of The Lamps
08. Motika
09. Estrellas Sobre Ella
10. Journey To Alcazaba

Johannes Linstead - Mediterranea (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-29T01:45:00.000-08:00

Review by Chris Nickson @ allmusic.com

Track Lists
01. Andalucia
02. Evening Embrace
03. Sangre Del Toro
04. Ambrosia
05. Adelita
06. Tabu
07. Hour Of The Lamps
08. Motika
09. Estrellas Sobre Ella
10. Journey To Alcazaba

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Vittorio Grigolo - In The Hands Of Love (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Sorry, No review available...

Track Lists
01. Tu Sei
02. Il Mio Miracolo
03. Bedshaped (Cosi')
04. Magia De Amor
05. In The Hands Of Love
06. All In Love Is Fair
07. Fuerte
08. If You're Not The One
09. Querida
10. Listen To The Bell
11. Roma Sogna
12. Butterfly Forever
13. You Are My Miracle
14. Maria

Bjork - Medulla (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-28T08:52:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

It's hard to accuse Björk of making music influenced by commercial or critical expectations at any point in her career, but her post-Homogenic work is even more focused on following her bliss, whether that means acting and singing in Lars Von Trier's grim musical Dancer in the Dark; crafting tiptoeing laptop lullabies on Vespertine; or, in the case of Medúlla, sculpting an album out of almost nothing but singing and vocal samples. The album's title and concept refer to the purest essence of something, and Medúlla explores both the ritual power of the human voice and some of the most essential themes of Björk's music in a way that's both primal and elaborate. It took a large cast of characters to make the album's seemingly organic sound, including vocalists ranging from Icelandic and British choirs to Inuit singers to Mike Patton and Robert Wyatt; programmers like Matmos, Mark Bell, and Mark "Spike" Stent; and beatboxers such as Rahzel and the onomatopoeically named Japanese artist Dokaka. Several songs are sung in Icelandic, which works especially well, not only because it ties in with Medúlla's concept, but also because of the language's sonic qualities: the rolling Rs, guttural stops, and elongated vowels reflect the alternately chopped and soaring arrangements behind them. Neopaganism and unfettered sensuality also wind through the album, particularly on "Mouth's Cradle," along with meditative, Vespertine-like pieces such as "Desired Constellation." Medúlla is unusually intimate: Björk's voice is miked very closely, and with the dense layers of vocals surrounding her, it often sounds as if you're listening to the album from inside her larynx. Some of the heavy breathing, grunts, and ululating woven into the album come close to provoking physical reactions: the eerie sighs and throat singing on the feral "Ancestors" make the chest ache and suggest a particularly melodic pack of wolves. Meanwhile, there's something simian about Dokaka's gleeful babbling and beats on "Triumph of a Heart." Despite its gentler moments, Medúlla's raw rhythms and rarefied choral washes make it the most challenging work of Björk's career. "Where Is the Line" is one of her tough, no-nonsense songs, and Rahzel's hard-hitting beats make it starker than anything on Homogenic. Even relatively accessible songs, like the gone-native loveliness of "Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right)" and "Oceania," which Björk wrote for the 2004 Athens Olympics, have an alien quality that is all the stranger considering that nearly all of their source material is human (except for the odd keyboard or two). Actually, fans of world, contemporary classical, or avant-garde music might find more to appreciate in Medúlla than anyone looking for a "Human Behaviour" or "It's Oh So Quiet." It's not an immediate album, but it is a fascinating one, especially for anyone interested in the world's oldest instrument being used in unexpected ways. [Medúlla was also released in a limited-edition digipack with a bonus poster.]

Track Lists
01. Pleasure Is Mine
02. Show Me Forgiveness
03. Where Is The Line
04. Vokuro
05. oll Birtan
06. Oceania
07. Submarine
08. Sonnets Unrealities
09. Desired Constellation
10. Ancestors
11. Mouth Cradle
12. Triump Of A Heart

[Updated] My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

At the heart of My Chemical Romance lore is the story of lead singer/songwriter/mouthpiece Gerard Way, an animator who decided to abandon illustrations and do "something with his life" in the wake of 9/11. Needless to say, that "important" thing was My Chemical Romance, which quickly rose to prominence among the emo and neo-punk bands that cluttered the rock landscape of the 2000s thanks in large part to "I'm Not OK (I Promise)," a surging piece of emo pop with a hook as ridiculously catchy as its title was ridiculous. It deservedly became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 2005, dragging its accompanying album -- 2004's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, the group's second -- along for the ride, turning MCR into stars, at least in modern rock circles, but anybody who didn't follow the fashions of emo and punk closely might have ignored the group's tragic, romantic neo-goth image and merely assumed that MCR was another good poppy punk one-hit wonder, not far removed from, say, Fall Out Boy. My Chemical Romance intended to dispel all such misconceptions with their third album, The Black Parade, an unabashed, old-fashioned concept album, complete with characters wandering through a vague narrative that concerns very big themes like death.

Actually, death is the only big theme on The Black Parade, which shouldn't come as a big surprise for a band that named their stopgap live album Life on the Murder Scene, nor should the record's theatricality come as much as a shock, either -- tragedy and melodrama are hardwired in the group's DNA, as illustrated by the often-told tale of Way's inspiration to form the band. Also, it's not as if The Black Parade is MCR's first concept album, either. Their 2002 debut, I Brought You My Bullets, and its follow-up, Three Cheers, told the interlocking story of doomed lovers on the run from vengeful vampires or some such nonsense, but only the hardcore who were willing to analyze endlessly on the Internet were aware of this; based on pure sound, MCR was an emo-punk band through and through, screaming out their feelings as if they were revelations, so it was easy to assume that their music was merely autobiographical. My Chemical Romance took great pains to have The Black Parade seem like its own theatrical work, launching a whole Web-based campaign, filled with videos and interviews explaining how the album tells the tale of "the Patient," a young man dying of cancer in a hospital bed who flashes back on his undistinguished life upon the moment of his death, and how the band got so into this project they considered themselves not My Chemical Romance, but a band called the Black Parade -- shades of the Beatles and Sgt. Pepper! Naturally, those allusions are quite deliberate, and one that MCR played up in that pre-release campaign, dropping liberal reference to Queen (particularly A Night at the Opera) and Pink Floyd's The Wall as well.

It was all quite reminiscent of how the Killers set up Sam's Town with endless name-dropping of Bruce Springsteen and U2, but where the Las Vegas quartet wound up with an unholy fusion of these two extremes, MCR never synthesizes; they openly steal from their holy trinity, then graft it upon the sound they've patented. Often, it seems as if they copied The Wall onto tracing paper and placed it upon Three Cheers. The story of The Black Parade is nearly identical to The Wall -- Pink and the Patient run through a litany of childhood and adulthood traumas; absent fathers loom large; many of the main character's flaws are cruelly deemed the fault of the mother -- and there are plenty of flourishes lifted from Roger Waters' magnum opus: the opening fanfare "The End" is a re-creation of "In the Flesh," right down to the churning heavy guitars that come crashing in halfway through, while "Mama" -- shades of "Mother"! -- sounds like Green Day performing "The Trial," as Way affects Billie Joe's affected mock-English accent as he comes tantalizingly close to following "You should have raised a baby girl/I should have been a better son" with "The way you made them suffer/Your exquisite wife and mother/Fills me with the urge to defecate." These are not the only allusions to classic concept albums, either -- as promised, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero conjure Brian May's spirit, "Cancer" recalls Sgt. Pepper as filtered through Oasis -- but The Black Parade doesn't feel like a revival of '70s prog as much as it hearkens back to the twin towers of mid-'90s concept alt-rock: the Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar. Manson's enduring fascination with the grotesque echoes throughout the album, from the artwork through Way's overcooked, bluntly ugly lyrics (highlighted by "soggy from the chemo"), but its heart lies with the Pumpkins, and not just because after his Parade makeover Way strongly resembles Billy Corgan.

Like the Pumpkins, My Chemical Romance shares a love of classic metal that manifests itself in both pummeling riffs and soaring guitar solos, plus they also have a flair for melody, two things that give their solipsistic rock muscle and grandeur. If MCR didn't have these gifts, The Black Parade would collapse in a pile of drama club clichés, sophomoric self-pity, and an adolescent obsession with death, yet they manage to skirt such a disaster even if they flirt with it shamelessly. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the album is a triumph. For one, The Black Parade plays a lot straighter than it reads. Sure, it has the marching bands, overdubbed choirs, radio-play theatrics, and Liza Minnelli cameos, a list that makes the album sound like a wild Grand Guignol rock opera but all of that winds up being window dressing to music that often isn't far removed from what My Chemical Romance has done before. Despite all these seemingly fancy accouterments, they're still a modern emo-punk band, which means for all the emotion poured out by their ever-earnest lead singer, there's little grit in their sound and Rob Cavallo's brittle production doesn't help, as its wall of digital sound emphasizes the sonic similarities between the songs instead of their differences. And there are a lot of similarities here: the bulk of the record is firmly within MCR's comfort zone, which helps make the extra flair -- which doesn't arrive as often as it should -- stand out all the more. But even if this isn't quite the radical break that it was intended to be, MCR does their signature blend of Sturm und Drang better than ever -- "Dead!" rushes along on a series of escalating hooks, "This Is How I Disappear" surges with purpose -- and when they're paired with tunes that do break the mold, like the wonderfully pompous title track "Welcome to the Black Parade" or "Teenagers," a tremendous reworking of the "Bang a Gong"/"Cactus" riff that is the simplest and best song they've ever written, it makes for a record that's their strongest, most cohesive yet, even if it isn't quite as weird or compelling as it should be given the group's lofty ambitions.

The direct links for each song not updated yet, but The alternative download link will provide direct link to whole album !

Track Lists
01. The End.
02. Dead!
03. This Is How I Disappear
04. The Sharpest Lives
05. Welcome To The Black Parade
06. I Don't Love You
07. House Of Wolves
08. Cancer
09. Mama
10. Sleep
11. Teenagers
12. Disenchanted
13. Famous Last Words
14. Blood [Bonus Track]

Nick Cave - From Her To Eternity (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

Review by Ned Raggett @ allmusic.com

Nick Cave launched his solo career in style with From Her to Eternity, an accomplished album mixing the frenzy and power of his Birthday Party days with a dank, moody atmosphere that showed he was not interested in simply continuing what the older group had done. To be sure, Mick Harvey joined him from the Party days, as ever playing a variety of instruments, while one-time Party guest Blixa Bargeld now became a permanent Cave partner, splitting his time between the Bad Seeds and Einsturzende Neubaten ever since. The group took wing with a harrowing version of Leonard Cohen's "Avalanche," Cave's wracked, buried tones suiting the Canadian legend's words perfectly, and never looked back. From Her to Eternity is crammed with any number of doom-laden songs, with Cave the understandable center of attention, his commanding vocals turning the blues and rural music into theatrical exhibitionism unmatched since Jim Morrison stalked stages. Songs like "Cabin Fever," with its steadily paced drumming and relentless piano line, and the more restrained and moody "The Moon Is in the Gutter" sound like cabarets in hell. "In the Ghetto," already perfectly suited to such a treatment, shows the underlying sense of beauty that defines the Seeds as much as drama. Even though it's a Presley cover, the sense of Scott Walker's influence isn't far away at all. The title track is and remains a Bad Seeds classic, played at shows up through the present, a tense piano/organ beginning then accompanied by the edgy build of the band, pounding drums, stabbing feedback and keyboard parts and more.

Track Lists
01. Avalanche
02. Cabin Fever!
03. Well Of Misery
04. From Her To Eternity
05. In The Ghetto
06. The Moon Is In
07. Saint Huck
08. Wings Off Flies
09. A Box For Black
10. From Her (1987)

Wolfmother - Wolfmother (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-27T01:40:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

There's no denying Australian heavy rock trio Wolfmother has been raised on rock -- specifically, raised on '70s rock. Problem is, from all appearances on their eponymous debut, they made their journey into the past via the twin gateway drugs of the White Stripes and Queens of the Stone Age, and once they dug back to the original Zeppelin and Sabbath texts (stopping along the way for some Soundgarden discs and maybe, for lyrical inspiration, Yes and Rush), they indulged so much it screwed with their sense of aesthetics. They threw everything and anything together, not bothering with minor problems like how their frenzied retro-rock doesn't quite support songs with titles like "The White Unicorn" and "Where Eagles Have Been" -- Zeppelin drew inspiration from JRR Tolkien and Sabbath certainly sang about fairies and gnomes, but neither band sounded as precious, inarticulate, or confused as Wolfmother does here. And their naïveté is not limited to guitarist Andrew Stockdale's stock swords 'n' sorcery imagery: they mix up their musical clichés in bewildering ways, as riffs lifted from Soundgarden ("Rusty Cage" provides the opening for "Joker & the Thief") give way to a QOTSA stomp as sung by Jack White (whose ghost is also heard on the title of "Apple Tree," not to mention its frenetic verses), or how a complicated Zep riff is graced by a Jethro Tull flute solo on "Witchcraft." Blame it on their youth -- all this stuff was new to them, so they absorbed it all at once then quickly regurgitated it in ways that won't seem to make much sense to anybody familiar with their inspirations (and their clunky funk-rock workout "Love Train" simply won't make sense to anybody anywhere). At times, Wolfmother's unintentionally bizarre amalgams are kind of delightful, and the group does have a basic, brutal sonic force that is pretty appealing, but even at their best, they never banish the specters of the bands that they desperately mimic throughout this promising but muddled debut. They have enough of a good thing going here to suggest that they'd be a killer live band, but not enough to make this record all too memorable on its own terms.

Track Lists
01. Colossal
02. Woman
03. White Unicorn
04. Pyramid
05. Mind's Eye
06. Joker And The Thief
07. Dimension
08. Where Eagles Have Been
09. Apple Tree
10. Tales From The Forest Of Gnomes
11. Witchcraft
12. Vagabond

he Mars Volta - Amputechture (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-27T00:32:00.000-08:00

Review by John Bush @ allmusic.com

The Mars Volta are continual contenders for the mantle of most experimental high-profile metal group, along with System of a Down, an artist they've toured with but who usually sell 20 times more records. Mars Volta aren't as popular, not because their riffs are less memorable or innovative but because their cycle of musical buildup and release, although similarly jarring, can last at least 20 minutes instead of System's two. (It's the difference between having a background in acid rock and having one in thrash.) While the early reports on third album Amputechture commented that the duo of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez had learned a few lessons about silence and forsaken the concept album, don't believe it. The album is little different than their two previous atom bombs, De-Loused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute -- tense and anxious, continually pushing the boundaries of extreme production, with long periods of dynamics that rise ever higher, followed by an explosion of release (usually screaming hard rock with storms of atonal brass and horns). The album opens with "Vicarious Atonement," five minutes of spectral effects and piercing guitar that gets a boost at the beginning of the next track, "Tetragrammaton," and then blooms into full riffing glory after a few more minutes (and they're still nowhere near the end of the 16-minute track). John Frusciante, eccentric genius from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, returns on guitar, but Bixler-Zavala and Rodriguez-Lopez exert so much control over the sound of Mars Volta that Frusciante makes virtually no individual impression on this record, although most of the guitar work is his. (Granted, his presence leaves Rodriguez-Lopez open for more intricate work on production.) The Mars Volta are one of the most intriguing bands in rock, but their huge musical power is often deflected by Bixler-Zavala's conceptual themes (which are difficult to follow, but also, perversely, impossible to ignore) and blitzkrieg dynamics that are either dialed down to one or up to ten (but rarely in-between).

Track Lists
01. Vicarious Atonement
02. Tetragrammaton
03. Vermicide
04. Meccamputechture
05. Asilos Magdalena
06. Viscera Eyes
07. Day Of The Baphomets
08. El Ciervo Vulnerado

Eric Clapton - Me And Mr. Johnson (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

Ten years after his first all-blues album, From the Cradle, Eric Clapton released Me and Mr. Johnson, an album-length tribute to his hero, the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Not that this is the first time Clapton has paid tribute to Johnson. Throughout his career, Clapton has not only drawn on Johnson for inspiration, but he has covered his songs at pivotal moments: "Ramblin' on My Mind" on his classic album with John Mayall, Bluesbreakers; "Four Until Late" on the first Cream album; and, most memorably, the rampaging cover of "Crossroads" on Wheels of Fire that became his anthem and arguably his defining moment. Considering this long history, perhaps a full-length tribute was inevitable, yet Me and Mr. Johnson still is welcome, in part because it's been a long time since this guitarist has sounded so comfortable and relaxed, as if he was having fun making music. With the possible exception of the spotty yet charming B.B. King duet album Riding With the King, this is simply the most enjoyable record he's made since From the Cradle, and in some respects it's a better blues album than that since it never sounds as doggedly serious as that guitar-heavy affair. Given the somber, sometimes chilling lyrics Johnson wrote -- Clapton admits that "At first [his music] scared me in its intensity," an accurate summary of the haunting nature of those 29 sides the bluesman cut in the '30s -- it's a little ironic that this tribute winds up being fun, not somber, but the light touch makes for a better album. That lightness comes from the deep love Clapton holds for this music, since the enthusiasm and enjoyment he and his band -- all the old regulars like Andy Fairweather-Low plus Billy Preston on keyboards -- give the performance results in the album's light, infectious feel. While that does result in versions of "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day" and "Hell Hound on My Trail" that sound anything but haunted, they do sound nicely next to the up-tempo rave-ups of "They're Red Hot," "Last Fair Deal Gone Down," and "Stop Breaking Down Blues" since all of them sound like Clapton is having a hell of a good time. Some might take issue with this, and others may find the album too slickly produced -- admittedly, blues albums should never boast a credit for Pro Tools, as this does -- but this is a heartfelt tribute that's among Clapton's most purely enjoyable albums.

Track Lists
01. When You Got A Good Friend
02. Little Queen Of Spades
03. They're Red Hot
04. Me And The Devil Blues
05. Traveling Riverside Blues
06. Last Fair Deal Gone Down
07. Stop Breakin' Down Blues
08. Milkcow's Calf Blues
09. Kind Hearted Woman Blues
10. Come On In My Kitchen
11. If I Had Possesion Over Judgement Day
12. Love In Vain
13. 32-20 Blues
14. Hell Hound On My Trail

Carlos Santana - Playin' With Carlos (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T23:31:00.000-08:00

Review by Richie Unterberger @ allmusic.com

At the time of this 2005 compilation, Carlos Santana had appeared on a lot of records by other artists -- around 60, according to the liner notes of this release. A multi-disc anthology of these guest appearances would be impractical, and not especially desirable. Playin' with Carlos does offer 15 tracks Santana guested on between 1969 and 1997, though licensing obstacles prevented the inclusion of some of his most high-profile contributions, such as the ones he made to recordings by Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, John Lee Hooker, Eric Clapton, and Lauryn Hill. Though this CD does contain cuts by some big or fairly big names (John McLaughlin, Stanley Clarke, McCoy Tyner, Michael Bloomfield and Al Kooper), it's a bit of a ragtag batch of odds and ends that doesn't make for especially good listening. The jump between fusion, pop, world music, new age, and Latin rock styles is a bumpy ride, but a greater problem is the blandness of much of the material, particularly when Santana is stepping outside of his trademark, fiery jazz-blues-Latin rock blend and just adding some spice to unremarkable records. Certainly for Santana fans, at times the only moments of interest here are his guitar parts, and while these have his trademark sound, they aren't often especially memorable. Exceptions are Clyde Criner's "Behind the Sun," where Santana unleashes a searing solo near the end, and Giants' "Fried Neckbones and Home Fries" (which Santana, the band, did in their early days), where Carlos suddenly seems at home and in his element, peeling off some real burning lines.

Track Lists
01. Friendship
02. Too Late Too Late
03. Straight To Top
04. Man With The Cooper Fingers
05. Hannibal
06. Samba Pa Ti
07. Silver Sword
08. First Love
09. Human Revolution
10. Virgen Morena
11. Little Mama
12. Fried Neckbones And Home Fries
13. Sonny Bo Williamson
14. Psalms
15. Behind The Sun

The Streets - The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T23:20:00.000-08:00

Review by John Bush @ allmusic.com

Apparently, success has spoiled Mike Skinner. It's a common problem among artists who are also working-class social critics; if they become successful, it's increasingly difficult to go back to the well when everything they've used for material changes drastically -- friends and lovers, home life, work life and social life. The wallflower who could study his subjects for hours suddenly lacks for good material when he's the center of attention. Instead of attempting the charade of being a working-class chronicle, he's moved on to the types of problems that come with celebrity, including trashed hotel rooms ("I make these crap rap rhythms to pay the hotel bills that fund my passion"), isolation and loneliness ("I got nothing in my life away from the studio"), fake Streets hats ("Fake Streets Hats"), and the other vagaries of fame ("Camera phones -- how the hell am I supposed to be able to do a line in front of complete strangers, when I know they've all got cameras?"). So, are these Skinner's sincere reflections on his surroundings, an artistic statement he's proud of, or are they the result of a parodic persona he's assumed, with its requisite shroud of satire? Parody or not (and Skinner assures us he's sincere), The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living is barely worth hearing, aside from curiosity. Most listeners won't care to follow this particular rabbit down the hole because of the bracing cynicism, paranoia, misanthropy, and betrayal they'll hear at every turn on this record. Humility has been replaced by arrogance, reflection by anger, and humor by sullenness. On "War of the Sexes," he offers crass commentary on love and often delivers it in a brutish, nasal bark (including this classic: "Hammered people don't get to nail!"). Non-Anglo listeners will have no interest in discovering what pranging out means, what Skinner has to say about America ("Two Nations"), or that the fake Streets hats on the eponymous track were actually manufactured by his label. The lead single here, "When You Wasn't Famous," is a step down in quality from "Fit But You Know It," the lead single from A Grand Don't Come for Free, just as that track was a clear step down from the top singles on Original Pirate Material. The production has changed little from the last record -- hard-hitting, synth-based productions with minimalist melodies and tough, clanging percussion, except for the occasional piano-based ballad. Skinner's lyrics are striking and distinctive as before, but it's difficult to believe this is the same artist who confronted a stereotypical lager lout named Terry on a track from his first album, titled "The Irony of It All." The irony here is that Skinner sounds more like the lout.

Track Lists
01. Prangin Out
02. War Of The Sexes
03. The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
04. All Goes Out The Window
05. Memento Mori
06. Can't Con An Honest Jon
07. When You Wasn't Famous
08. Never Went To Church
09. Hotel Expressionism
10. Two Nations
11. Fake Streets Hats

David Arnold - Casino Royale [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T23:15:00.000-08:00

Review by James Christopher Monger @ allmusic.com

Director Martin Campbell and new 007 Daniel Craig brought an earthy tenacity to the increasingly showy and predictable James Bond franchise with Casino Royale, by taking the martini-slamming secret agent back to his roots, or more specifically, his very first mission. This afforded Tomorrow Never Dies and the World Is Not Enough tunesmith David Arnold the perfect opportunity to reinvent the dated spy music (sappy love themes, endless orchestral bursts accompanying a speeding boat or snowmobile, the inevitable three-note guitar motif that has become more effective in television commercials and parody films than in the real thing) that has long been associated with the character, an opportunity that now awaits the next composer in line.

Track Lists
01. African Rundown
02. Nothing Sinister
03. Unauthorized Acces
04. Blunt Instrument
05. CCTV
06. Solange
07. Trip Aces
08. Miami International
09. I'm The Money
10. Aston Montenegro
11. Dinner Jackets
12. The Tell
13. Stairwell Fight
14. Vesper
15. Bond Loses It All
16. Dirty Martini
17. Bond Winds It All
18. The End Of An Aston Martin
19. The Bad Die Young
20. City Of Lovers
21. The Switch
22. Fall Of A House In Venice
23. Death of Vesper
24. The Bitch Is Dead
25. The Names Bond...James Bond

London After Midnight - Selected Scenes From The End Of The World (wma Download)

2006-11-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

Review by John Bush @ allmusic.com

London After Midnight play a fresh version of goth-rock, but with more of an emphasis on melodies.

Track Lists
01. Revenge
02. Nightmare
03. Spider And The Fly
04. Claire's Horrors
05. Sacrifice
06. This Paradise
07. The Black Cat
08. Your Best Nightmare

The Veronicas - The Secret Life Of The Veronicas (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T07:59:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

The Veronicas sound like a marketer's dream: impossibly cute Australian twin sisters who sound as if Hilary Duff and Avril Lavigne formed a band. If image is everything, this duo has a look that rivals that of t.A.T.u., and it's far less sleazy, too. But good images don't necessarily make for good records, and that's the real surprise behind their debut album, The Secret Life Of...: it's a terrific little pop record. True, their bold, brightly colored pop may not be everybody's cup of tea, but for those who have found the teen pop of the mid-2000s to be a serious drag, The Secret Life Of... is an unexpected gift, a slick, tuneful set of pure sugarcoated fun. While the Veronicas don't exactly break from the post-Avril punky pop that's been the blueprint of teen pop from Ashlee Simpson to Good Charlotte, there's a greater sense of song and studio craft on their record, whether it's coming from veteran teen popster Max Martin (the man behind Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys) or the sisters themselves. And make no mistake, for as polished as this album is, the Veronicas come across as a genuine band, not a prefabricated pop novelty. Not only do Jess and Lisa Orgliasso have a hand in writing eight of the 12 songs on The Secret Life Of..., but there's a kinetic chemistry to their performances that gives this album both a center of gravity and a broader appeal: like Kelly Clarkson, they don't seem like cookie-cutter pop tarts, they seem real. Of course, they're packaged and presented as a creation, but that's why The Secret Life Of... is such a good record: it plays by the rules of punky teen pop, and by doing so, it reveals how dull and formulaic the rest of the genre is. Here, melody runs through both the verses and choruses, the hooks dig deeper, not just on the tracks helmed by Martin, but on the Orgliasso sisters' songs, too. The Veronicas are sassy and sexy, not trashy, and they show humor and heartbreak here, which helps elevate their debut to the top ranks of 2000s teen pop.

Track Lists
01. 4ever
02. Everything I'm Not
03. When It All Falls Apart
04. Revolution
05. Secret
06. Mouth Shout
07. Leave Me Alone
08. Speechless
09. Heavily Broken
10. I Could Get Used To This
11. Nobody Wins
12. Mother Mother

Blackmore's Night - Under A Violet Moon (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T07:47:00.000-08:00

Review by Bret Adams @ allmusic.com

Under a Violet Moon is the second album by Blackmore's Night, and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore had a very clear idea of what he wanted for the sophomore release by the Renaissance-oriented world and new age music outfit. The former Deep Purple and Rainbow six-stringer and vocalist Candice Night wanted to take Blackmore's Night on an extensive tour, so they made a conscious effort to record a more up-tempo album, making the music more conducive to live performance than much of the relaxed material on their debut, Shadow of the Moon. Countless guest musicians contribute to this album, which was co-produced by Blackmore, Jeff Glixman (best known for his work with Kansas), and Roy McDonald. A variety of sonic textures are found on the album, but the faster numbers do dominate the proceedings and therefore fulfill Blackmore and Night's musical desires. "Under a Violet Moon" is propelled by Blackmore's darkly rich acoustic guitar lines, Night's urgent vocals, and the driving handclaps and tambourine. "Past Time With Good Company," a traditional melody attributed to Henry VIII, utilizes appropriately regal-sounding horns. Rolling rhythms and swirling melodies illuminate the superb "Morning Star." Bassist John Ford shares singing duties with Night on "Wind in the Willows." Blackmore breaks out the electric guitar for some soloing on "Gone With the Wind." The cosmic instrumental "Beyond the Sunset" has a soothing, new age dreaminess to it. "March the Heroes Home" has a sparse arrangement at first, but as each instrument comes in the dramatic feel is heightened. Blackmore's lightning-fast acoustic guitar runs are matched by the violin on "Spanish Nights (I Remember it Well)." The guitarist dips into his past for a rearranged version of "Self Portrait," which first appeared on 1975's Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.

Track Lists
01. Under A Violet Moon
02. Castles And Dreams
03. Past Time With Good Company
04. Morning Star
05. Avalon
06. Possum Goes To Prague
07. Wind In The Willows
08. Gone With The Wind
09. Beyond The Sunset
10. March The Heroes Home
11. Spanish Nights (I Remember It Well)
12. Catherine Howards Fate
13. Fool's Gold
14. Duch Den Wald Zum Bach Haus
15. Now And Then
16. Self Portrait

Various Artists - Ace Combat 5 : The Unsung War [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

Maybe you wondering why this site named razgriz-aces, well... it was taken from this game actually, where razgriz is the name of the lead character's squadron. Ace Combat 5 : The Unsung War is a followup from Ace Combat Series and I am a die hard fan of this game. now here I brought you the soundtrack of this game, enjoy....

Track Lists
01. Menu
02. Briefing 1
03. Briefing 2
04. Hangar 1
05. Hangar 2
06. Shorebirds
07. Open War
08. Wardog
09. Naval Bloackade
10. First Flight
11. Rendezvous
12. Ballistic Missile
13. White Birds, Part I
14. Front Line
15. Scinfaxi
16. Mother Goose 1
17. Lit Fuse
18. Blind Spot
19. 8492
20. Chain Reaction
21. Reprisal
22. Powder Keg
23. Four Horsemen
24. Demons Of Razgriz
25. Hrimfaxi
26. Ice Cage
27. White Noise
28. Desert Arrow
29. Desert Lightning
30. Super Circus
31. Into The Dusk
32. Fortress
33. Mask
34. Final Option
35. Ancient Walls
36. Solitaire
37. Closure
38. Ghosts Of Razgriz
39. White Birds, Part II
40. Heartbreak One
41. Grabacr
42. Sea Of Chaos
43. Wings Of Unity
44. Winter Storm
45. The Unsung War
46. Result
47. Shop
48. Game Over
49. Tutorial Main
50. Tutorial Menu
51. Tutorial Result

2006-11-26T07:05:00.000-08:00

John Williams - Jurassic Park [Soundtrack] (Mp3 Download) Review by William Ruhlmann @ allmusic.com John Williams' score for what has become the most successful movie of all time is similar to his scores for other popular Steven Spielberg films. He remains firmly in the tradition of the lush, heavily orchestrated score. This is the first horror movie he and Spielberg have collaborated on since Jaws, but there is nothing like the threatening theme that helped define that monster movie here. Instead, there is a lot of quiet music, a much more subtle touch, and a wistful theme that runs throughout, although things do come to a boil now and then.

Track Lists
01. Opening Titles
02. Theme From Jurassic Park
03. Incident At Isla Nublar
04. Journey To The Island
05. The Raptor Attack
06. Hatching Baby Raptor
07. Welcome To Jurassic Park
08. My Friend The Brachiosaurus
09. Dennis Steal The Embryo
10. A Tree For My Bed
11. High Wire Stunts
12. Remembering Petticoat
13. Jurassic Park Gate
14. Eye To Eye
15. T-Rex Rescue And Finale
16. End Credits

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

Epic's The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble gathers two discs' worth of the late blues guitarist's work, including many live performances and a few tracks with the Vaughan Brothers. The collection presents Vaughan's material in roughly chronological order, from the 1980 live recording "Shake for Me" to 1989's "Life by the Drop." It also touches on most of Vaughan's definitive songs and performances, including "Tightrope," "Wall of Denial," "Couldn't Stand the Weather," and "Cold Shot," and live versions of "The Sky Is Crying," "Superstition," and "Rude Mood/Hide Away." Though this album doesn't offer anything that hasn't already been released in some form or another, it does go into slightly more depth than several of the other Stevie Ray Vaughan retrospectives by presenting both his greatest studio hits and some of his best live work.

Track Lists
Disc 1 :
01. Shake For Me [Live]
02. Rude Mood, Hide Away [Live]
03. Love Struck Baby
04. Pride And Joy
05. Texas Flood
06. Mary Had A Little Lamb
07. Lenny
08. Scuttle Buttin'
09. Couldn't Stand The Weather
10. The Things (That) I Used To Do
11. Cold Shot
12. Tin Pan Alley (Roughest Place In Town)
13. Give Me Back My Wig
14. Empty Arms
15. The Sky Is Crying [Live]
16. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) [Live]

Disc 2 :
01. Say What!
02. Look At Little Sister
03. Change It
04. Come On, Part 3
05. Life Without You
06. Little Wing
07. Willie The Wimp [Live]
08. Superstition [Live]
09. Leave My Girl Alone [Live]
10. The House Is Rockin'
11. Crossfire
12. Tightrope
13. Wall Of Denial
14. Riviera Paradise
15. Telephone Song
16. The Long Way From Home
17. Life By The Drop

John Mayer - Continuum (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T06:46:00.000-08:00

Review by Matt Collar @ allmusic.com

Anybody who was initially confused by singer/songwriter John Mayer's foray into blues with 2005's Try! John Mayer Trio Live in Concert could only have been further confounded upon listening to the album and coming to the realization that it was actually good. And not just kinda good, especially for guy who had been largely labeled as a Dave Matthews clone, but really, truthfully, organically good as a blues album in its own right. However, for longtime fans who had been keeping tabs on Mayer, the turn might not have been so unexpected. Soon after the release of his 2003 sophomore album, the laid-back, assuredly melodic Heavier Things, Mayer began appearing on albums by such iconic blues and jazz artists as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and Herbie Hancock. And not just singing, but playing guitar next to musicians legendary on the instrument. In short, he was seeking out these artists in an attempt to delve into the roots of the blues, a music he obviously has a deep affection for.

Rather than his blues trio being a one-off side project completely disconnected to his past work, it is clear now that it was the next step in his musical development. And truthfully, while Try! certainly showcases Mayer's deft improvisational blues chops, it's more of a blues/soul album in the tradition of such electric blues legends as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and features songs by Mayer that perfectly marry his melodic songcraft and his blues-slinger inclinations. In fact, what seemed at the time a nod to his largely female fan base (the inclusion of "Daughters" and "Something's Missing" off Heavier Things), was actually a hint that he was bridging his sound for his listeners, showing them where he was going.

That said, nothing he did up until the excellent, expansive Try! could have prepared you for the monumental creative leap forward that is Mayer's 2006 studio effort Continuum. Working with his blues trio/rhythm section of bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, along with guest spots by trumpeter Roy Hargrove and guitarist Ben Harper, Mayer brings all of his recent musical explorations and increasing talents as a singer/songwriter to bear on Continuum. Produced solely by Mayer and Jordan, the album is a devastatingly accomplished, fully realized effort that in every way exceeds expectations and positions Mayer as one of the most relevant artists of his generation.

Adding weight to the notion that Mayer's blues trio is more than just a creative indulgence, he has carried over two tracks from the live album in "Vultures" and the deeply metaphorical soul ballad "Gravity." These are gut-wrenchingly poignant songs that give voice to a generation of kids raised on TRL teen stars and CNN sound bytes who've found themselves all grown up and fighting a war of "beliefs." Grappling with a handful of topics -- social and political, romantic and sexual, pointedly personal and yet always universal in scope -- Mayer's Continuum here earns a legitimate comparison to Marvin Gaye's What's Going On?. Nobody -- not a single one of Mayer's contemporaries -- has come up with anything resembling a worthwhile anti-war anthem that is as good and speaks for their generation as much as his "Waiting on the World to Change" -- and he goes and hangs the whole album on it as the first single.

It's a bold statement of purpose that is carried throughout the album, not just in sentiment, but also tone. Continuum is a gorgeously produced, brilliantly stripped-to-basics album that incorporates blues, soft funk, R&B, folk and pop in a sound that is totally owned by Mayer. It's no stretch when trying to describe the sound of Continuum to color it in the light of work by such legends as Sting, Eric Clapton, Sade, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Steve Winwood. In fact, the sustained adult contemporary tone of the album, which could easily have become turgid, boring, or dated never does, and brings to mind such classic late-'80s albums as Sting's Nothing Like the Sun, Clapton's Journeyman, and Vaughan's In Step.

At every turn, Continuum finds Mayer to be a mature, thoughtful, and gifted musician who fully grasps his place not just in the record industry, but in life.

Track Lists
01. Waiting On The World To Change
02. I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
03. Belief
04. Gravity
05. The Heart Of Life
06. Vultures
07. Stop This Train
08. Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
09. Bold As Love
10. Dreaming With A Broken Heart
11. In Repair
12. Im Gonna Find Another You

Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

Review by William Ruhlmann @ allmusic.com
Mark Knopfler's second solo album might as well be called Dire Straits' eighth studio album, though Knopfler abandoned the group name back in 1996, dispensing with hefty sales in the process. There was never much doubt that the fame and lifestyle coincident with platinum sales made him uncomfortable, and discontinuing the Dire Straits billing was a means of walking away from all that. It also allowed him to indulge his love for various musical genres more, and that process continues on Sailing to Philadelphia. True, Knopfler's basic approach remains the same -- as a guitarist, he is still enamored of the minor-key finger-picking style of J.J. Cale, and as a singer/songwriter, he remains enthralled with Bob Dylan. But in one song after another on this album, you get the feeling that he started out playing some familiar song in a specific genre and eventually extrapolated upon it enough to call it an original. Knopfler has grafted his own lyrical concerns to these songs, often playing up the lives of humble people (especially musicians), and putting down powerful people (especially rock stars). There are also story-songs on wide-ranging subjects, but the theme of life on the road and the dichotomy between the rich and famous (what Knopfler is) and the poor and powerless (those he identifies with) predominate. Working with a two-guitars, two-keyboards, bass and drums band (like Dire Straits), Knopfler brings in a variety of sympathetic guests, notably James Taylor, Van Morrison, and Squeeze leaders Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. These guest stars provide pleasant contrast to Knopfler's modest vocal talents, but they never steal the spotlight from the leader. (Well, okay, Morrison does.) His ability to hold his own is some indication that, however self-effacing he may be, he remains a star. [In 2005 Sailing to Philadelphia was reissued with a bonus DVD that featured "behind the scenes" footage" as well as interviews with Knopfler and his band.]
Track Lists
01. What It Is
02. Sailing To Philadelphia
03. Who's Your Baby Now
04. Baloney Again
05. The Last Laugh
06. Silvertown Blues
07. El Macho
08. Prairie Wedding
09. Wanderlust
10. Speedway At Nazareth
11. Junkie Doll
12. Sands Of Nevada
13. One More Matinee

Loituma - Things Of Beauty (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

Review by Steven McDonald @ allmusic.com

First released in Finland in a slightly different form, Things of Beauty is the initial release from this Finnish quartet. Their specialty is the kantele, a Finnish harp, and they use this both in instrumental pieces and multi-layered vocal arrangements. The music ranges from the lively interpretations of Finnish folk music to haunting pieces about mysterious marshland. A light, sweet album that well deserves the attention NorthSide is providing.

Track Lists
01. My Kantele
02. There Is My Lover
03. The Very Last
04. Minuet And Polska
05. Missing Him
06. Valamo Cloister Bells
07. Oh, Oh, It Hurts Again
08. Marshland
09. Three Things Of Beauty
10. Lava's Polka

Judas Priest - British Steel (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T06:10:00.000-08:00

Review by Steve Huey @ allmusic.com

With Hell Bent for Leather, Judas Priest had begun the task of developing their image for increased mainstream attention, reveling in leather-and-motorcycle trappings while beginning to simplify and streamline their sound. British Steel brings that process full circle, offering the band's catchiest, most accessible set of tunes yet, while retaining the precision guitar assault and quasi-operatic vocals that had come to define their sound. It was the simplest music Priest had yet attempted, but thanks to the (mostly) top-notch songwriting and AC/DC-like willingness to allow the songs' grooves room to breathe, the record is a smashing success overall, with maybe one or two subpar tracks. There are a couple of trends beginning here that would take their toll later on -- the lyrics are a bit more juvenile, and the music seems to prize commercialism over complexity -- but in this context, neither really matters, as Priest display a real penchant for stadium-ready anthems. "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" became genuine hit singles in the U.K., and deservedly so, while the album became their first to reach the U.S. Top 40, going platinum in the process.

Track Lists
01. Rapid Fire
02. Metal Gods
03. Breaking The Law
04. Grinder
05. United
06. You Don't Have To Be Wise
07. Living After Midnight
08. The Rage
09. Steeler
10. Red, White and Blue [Bonus Track]
11. Grinder (Live) [Bonus Track]

The Distillers - Coral Fang (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T05:49:00.000-08:00

Review by Heather Phares @ allmusic.com

By far the most ambitious album yet to bear the Distillers name, Coral Fang is by turns darker, more polished, and more poppy than any of the band's previous work. The history of Brody Dalle -- now back to her maiden name after separating from Tim Armstrong -- precedes her and certainly informs this album, but it's not necessary to know to appreciate Coral Fang's themes of losing and finding love and dealing with a difficult past. Considering her troubled early years, her relationships with rock stars, and most importantly, the music she makes, it would be easy to call her the new Courtney Love. But the comparison is more than a little apt, and Coral Fang delivers the kind of vicarious, drama-queen punk rock thrills that haven't been around since Live Through This. However, even with their lineup switches, the Distillers have always sounded more like a band than any incarnation of Hole ever did; Dalle's voice might be even more desperate-sounding than Love at her most vitriolic; and, arguably, the Distillers' best songs sound more genuine. Direct comparisons aside, Coral Fang does feature some of the best jagged punk-pop in recent memory in "Drain the Blood," where Dalle sings, "I never met a pearl like you/Who could shimmer and rot the same time through" and the nasty breakup song "Hall of Mirrors." "The Hunger" is among the best songs the Distillers have ever written, mixing pretty, yearning verses with firebomb choruses. "The Gallow Is God" is another standout, a heavy, lurching, In Utero-esque catharsis that makes up for its lack of originality with its quality. "Oh my heart it sings suicide," the song begins, and along with titles like "Die on a Rope," it conveys the drama of the album's first half. This drama bleeds into melodrama more often than it should, lending an obviousness that detracts from the Distillers' power. The cover art for both versions of Coral Fang reflects the band's ham-fisted tendencies: the regular artwork features woodcut-like illustrations of bleeding, nude, and scantily-clad women, often pregnant, with razorblades for heads (if they have any at all). The so-called "clean" artwork -- which features the same music as the regular version -- announces its status as a "SAFE COVER" in capital letters and features a sunny vista of cute 'n' cuddly animals (save for a few subversive-looking raccoons, weasels, and skunks skulking in the foreground). Gil Norton's shiny production also makes songs such as "Dismantle Me" sound emptier than they actually are and turns the band into a machine that sounds a little too well-oiled, though it's impossible to totally defang Dalle's vocals and personality. Coral Fang's second half is less dramatic than its gut-wrenching first half, which is both a relief and a letdown. Still, "Beat Your Heart Out" is poppy enough to make Avril Lavigne watch her back, and "Tonight You're Only Here to Know" is another bruised ballad that suggests the Distillers might hit harder with their softer songs. "Death Sex," the aptly named, noisy 11-minute grind that closes the album, is at the very least out of place with the more neatly packaged music here and could be seen as a misguided attempt to inject the album with some more punk sensibility. Strangely, while The Distillers and Sing Sing Death House recalled the punk of the '70s and '80s, this album sounds like a throwback to mid-'90s alternative rock without actually sounding dated. Coral Fang has its fair share of flaws, but it's impassioned enough to have plenty of bite despite them.

Track Lists
01. Drain The Blood
02. Dismantle Me
03. Die On The Rope
04. The Gallow Is God
05. Coral Fang
06. The Hunger
07. Hall Of Mirrors
08. Best Your Heart Is Out
09. Love Is Paranoid
10. For Tonight You're Only Here To Know
11. Death Sex

Madonna - Erotica (Mp3 Download)

2006-11-26T05:33:00.000-08:00

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine @ allmusic.com

While it didn't set the charts on fire like her previous albums, the ambitious Erotica contains some of Madonna's best and most accomplished music (including the hit singles "Deeper and Deeper" and "Rain"), even if it runs a bit long.

Track Lists
01. Erotica
02. Fever
03. Bye Bye Baby
04. Deeper And Deeper
05. Where Life Begins
06. Bad Girl
07. Waiting
08. Thief Of Hearts
09. Words
10. Rain
11. Why's It So Hard
12. In This Life
13. Did You Do It
14. Secret Garden