Capitol Years [Box set] [Extra tracks] [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
New UK 21 Disc Box Set.remastered With Bonus Tracks. Includes Exclusive "Rare Sinatra"Disc Available Only in this Box.( A Must for Collectors!)

Capitol Years, Music, Frank Sinatra, Ballads, Easy Listening/Vocal, Pop, Pop Vocals, Swing, Traditional Pop, Vocal, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Pop
Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Same old Relient K
  • Not the Relient K I know
  • Great new CD from Relient K!
  • Another masterpiece
  • Some Good, Some Very Good, One Bad
Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Relient K
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MX7SR8
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Tracks:

  1. Plead The Fifth
  2. Come Right Out And Say It
  3. I Need You
  4. The Best Thing
  5. Forgiven
  6. Must Have Done Something Right
  7. Give
  8. Devastation And Reform
  9. I'm Taking You With Me
  10. Faking My Own Suicide
  11. Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care
  12. Bite My Tongue
  13. Up And Up
  14. Deathbed

Amazon.com

Relient K's fifth CD is a diverse modern rock album that's so varied at times it sounds like a mix tape. "Take the Fifth" pulses with lush, Beach Boys-y harmonies, "Forgiven" is a piano-driven tune that sounds like early U2, and the dueling guitar feedback that opens "I Need You" displays deeper punk rock heaviosity. "Faking My Own Suicide"--a great tune powered by Death Cabby vocals, ironic yet playful lyrics, and a killer classic rock organ--seems destined for a movie soundtrack. The true standout is of course "Deathbed," an intense eleven minute ode to regret co-starring Jon Foreman of Switchfoot. Relient K have not only weathered lineup changes (the bassist and guitarist are new here) and mainstream success without "selling out" and foregoing their introspective messages of faith and hope. But they've made the best album in their career in the process. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

Relient K's fifth album in seven years and the follow-up to 2004's mmhmm. Special Deluxe Package w/bonus DVD of Five Score and Seven Years Ago also available.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Same old Relient K.......2007-07-12

I was excited to finally get this cd after all the buzz about it. However I found myself a little empty after I listened to it. It had good lyrics although not as good as some of their previous albums and it had the good Relient K sound and I enjoyed it. I loved must have something right, the best thing and Give until theres nothing left. My only problem is that all the songs seemed to follow the same format and they didn't place many things to make the chourus or other lines differen then the previous. Other than that the cd's great.

1 out of 5 stars Not the Relient K I know.......2007-07-05

I'm a long-time Relient K fan, but this new album just doesn't do anything for me. I was deeply disappointed in the music and the lyrics.

Some of the songs have that intentional ambiguity that song writers use to try to get secular air time. The most common technique is to write a song that is unclear: is this to God or to a girl? For instance is "I must have done something right" to God or to a girl? I don't think that it makes complete sense either way. Getting a Christian message out to non-Christians is the point, but the problem is that it means that people who are not Christian will never get the message.

A lot of the songs are talking about how messed up he is. Recognizing our brokenness and need for a savior is a necessary step towards salvation, but the songs stop short of pointing to WHO we need. It just comes off being gloomy and hopeless. "Devastation and reform" is an exception. It does mention God as the answer to the devastation he has created.

The last song, called "Deathbed" is a rambling ballad that goes on for 11 minutes. It is about a man dying of lung cancer recounting how he had messed up his life with alcohol, smoking, a bad marriage and divorce. It has some valid points about the destruction caused by dad's abandoning their families, drinking and smoking, premarital sex, etc. But at the end they tag on something about how he accepted Christ so now it's all ok. What I am missing is any indication that Christ transformed his life. When did he make this decision to follow Christ? How did his life change? It seems like he just wasted his life on bad choices and just used Jesus as his ticket to heaven at the end. Maybe the song is a warning to not be like that, but the point is dulled by the happy ending.

But it gets worse. The song "Faking my own suicide" is just disturbed. Maybe I just don't get it, but I can't find anything redeeming about that song. Is it supposed to be funny? Making light of suicide is not something I can appreciate.

5 out of 5 stars Great new CD from Relient K!.......2007-07-05

This is a really good CD for anyone who likes Relient K's style that varies from punk to acapella... It follows the styles of many of their past CDS but also brings in some totally new styles... awesome album!

5 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece.......2007-06-20

Relient K has been very consistent over the years, and remarkably, they have again raised the bar. This collection of songs rocks, in its entirety. Except for one 15-second interlude, every song is iPod-worthy. The album's opening track "Plead the Fifth" finds the guys skillfully harmonizing a cappella, Beach Boys style. Too bad it's only a minute and thirteen seconds long as it leaves the listener wanting more. The lead single, "Must Have Done Something Right" features a killer hook. Other strong tracks are "Forgiven" and "The Best Thing." The band finishes the album with a dramatic, eleven-minute song called "Deathbed", which tells the story of a man dying of lung cancer who reflects on his life and poor decisions, but recounts the night when he put his faith in Christ. And to top it off, Switchfoot's Jon Foreman sings the final verse. Enough said.

4 out of 5 stars Some Good, Some Very Good, One Bad.......2007-06-15

Relient K is a group that has a sound that is very appealing to teenagers. My daughter really loves this CD.

I am more mixed on it. Most of the songs are good. A few are very good. A couple are silly or worse.

On the plus side, 'Forgiven' is really a terrific song. Another one that is very impressive is 'Deathbed' which is about a dying cancer patient reflecting back on life and considering Jesus. It is very long and quite a story. I had to listen to it a few times before it really caught on with me, but it is actually very good.

Lyrically, most of the songs are either quite positive or even expressly Christian.

One song that is quite silly is 'Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care'. It is meaningless. One song that I don't like at all is, 'Faking My Own Suicide.' It seems very out of place lyrically and style wise both. It is about a teenage breakup followed by the boy faking his own suicide to get the girl's attention and make her think that she loved him. This really should have been left off of this project.

With the exception of that song, the rest of this is a good album. In spite of that, I hesitate to recommend it because that one song is so inappropriate.
Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • WOW!! THESE DESTROYERS CAN ROCK HARD
  • George Thorogood 30 Years of Rock
  • Rockabilly All The Way - George Thorogood Style!
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "ALMOST GREAT TO THE BONE!"
  • Old School Rock
Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock
George Thorogood
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00020HB1Y
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

  1. Move It On Over
  2. Who Do You Love?
  3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
  4. Madison Blues
  5. Bad To The Bone
  6. You Talk Too Much
  7. Gear Jammer
  8. I Drink Alone
  9. If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)
  10. American Made
  11. The Sky Is Crying (Live)
  12. Reelin' & Rockin' (Live)
  13. Willie & The Hand Jive
  14. Get A Haircut
  15. Rockin' My Life Away (Alternate Take) - Previously unreleased
  16. Who Do You Love? (ROTHROCK REMIX) - Previously unreleased

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars WOW!! THESE DESTROYERS CAN ROCK HARD.......2007-06-22

I certainly found this CD great as these Destroyers are a great blues rock band and my favorite blues rock band along with ZZ Top, Bad Company and a few others. My personal favorites would be Move It On Over, Bad to the Bone, One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer, and I Drink Alone. For great blues rock fans, I would really recomend this CD.

5 out of 5 stars George Thorogood 30 Years of Rock.......2007-05-18

If you like rock and roll. You will love this one.

5 out of 5 stars Rockabilly All The Way - George Thorogood Style!.......2007-04-05

George Thorogood is one of my favorite all time rockers. The reason why is he was able to combine rock with a little bit of country. In essence: ROCKABILLY! I was raised in the South, but did not especially like a lot of country music. This CD has just the right amount of both Rock and Country music all in one great collection. I would not call it a greatest hits album, but most of George Thorogood's songs are on it. This is a must for your CD collection!

4 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "ALMOST GREAT TO THE BONE!".......2007-01-28

This is a great CD with some all-time classic Thorogood, slide guitar masterpieces. Such as "One Bourbon Once Scotch, One Beer", "Move It On Over:, Who Do You Love", "Bad To The Bone", and perhaps the most intelligent, "tongue in cheek" "drinking" rock song ever, "I Drink Alone"! And other songs. Why then would you ask, would Shaq "The King Of The World Blues Reviewer", give it 4 stars instead of 5? Because out of 16 songs about 4 of them are not all-time greats, so that is 25% of the songs, don't rate a 5 star grade. Hence, 4 star, still really good, and you should buy it.

5 out of 5 stars Old School Rock.......2007-01-10

Excellent Old School Rock. Makes you want to tap your feet and shake your money maker. Highly recommend!
The Capitol Years
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Old Blue Eyes
  • A decade's worth of drama, emotion, and swagger!
  • Excellent Sinatra Collection
  • Great quality classics from Frank Sinatra
  • The Best
The Capitol Years
Frank Sinatra
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002UWM
Release Date: 1990-12-13

Tracks:

  1. I've Got The World On A String
  2. Lean Baby
  3. I Love You
  4. South Of The Border
  5. From Here To Eternity
  6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
  7. I Get A Kick Out Of You
  8. Young At Heart
  9. Three Coins In The Fountain
  10. All Of Me
  11. Taking A Chance On Love
  12. Someone To Watch Over Me
  13. What Is This Thing Called Love
  14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
  15. Learnin' The Blues
  16. Our Town
  17. Love And Marriage
  18. (Love Is) The Tender Trap
  19. Weep They Will
  20. I Thought About You
  21. You Make Me Feel So Young
  22. Memories Of You
  23. I've Got You Under My Skin
  24. Too Marvelous For Words
  25. Don't Like Goodbyes
  26. (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know

Tracks:

  1. Hey! Jealous Lover
  2. You're Sensational
  3. Cose To You
  4. Stars Fell On Alabama
  5. I Got Plenty Of Nothing
  6. I Wish I Were In Love Again
  7. The Lady Is A Tramp
  8. Night And Day
  9. The Lonesome Road
  10. If I Had You
  11. Where Are You
  12. I'm A Fool To Want You
  13. Witchcraft
  14. Something Wonderful Happens In Summer
  15. All The Way
  16. Chicago
  17. Let's Get Away From It All
  18. Autumn In New York
  19. Come Fly With Me
  20. Everybody Loves Somebody
  21. It's The Same Old Dream
  22. Put Your Dreams Away
  23. Here Goes
  24. Angel Eyes

Tracks:

  1. Ebb Tide
  2. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
  3. Only The Lonely
  4. One For My Baby
  5. To Love And Be Loved
  6. I Couldn't Care Less
  7. The Song Is You
  8. Just In Time
  9. Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night
  10. Come Dance With Me
  11. French Foreign Legion
  12. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
  13. Here's That Rainy Day
  14. High Hopes
  15. When No One Cares
  16. I'll Never Smile Again
  17. I've Got A Crush On You
  18. Embraceable You
  19. Nice 'N' Easy
  20. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
  21. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
  22. I've Heard That Song Before
  23. Almost Like Being In Love
  24. I'll Be Seeing You
  25. I Got A Right To Sing The Blues

Amazon.com

Including Sinatra's finest recordings from the most consistently accomplished era of his career, The Capitol Years includes three discs and 75 songs worth of swinging standards and bittersweet saloon pop, the music Sinatra made after his career and personal life had crashed and singing was all he had left. His masterful baritone and remarkable phrasing here work in perfect combination with arrangements that swing and swell to the heartbeat of loves lost and found. It is these performances for which Sinatra will be forever remembered, for surely, no one has ever created music more beautiful than this. --David Cantwell

Amazon.com

Franks Sinatra Photos

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In the Wee Small Hours

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Come Fly with Me

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Old Blue Eyes.......2007-05-08

There are a few entertainers who maintain a consistancy of excellence. Frank Sinatra was one of those entertainers. Everything in this collection is classic. The collaberation of musical talent combined with the high fidelity recording technology of that era preserves for us some of the crown jewels of popular music. Trying to describe this music with words is like trying to describe an oil painting. You have to hear it or see it respectively. Words don't do it, just listen. I have only one complaint. When is Capitol going to release the complete works in a box set. I recently acquired the complete Capitol recordings of Nat King Cole (2 boxes). If they can do it with Nat, why not the "chairman of the board"?

5 out of 5 stars A decade's worth of drama, emotion, and swagger!.......2007-04-05

Few vocalists pack the drama, emotion, and swagger of Frank Sinatra and "The Capitol Collection" compiles Frankie at his best during the era many consider his artistic peak. I'm not going to enter that argument, but listening to this massive 3 CD collection you're going to hear the full range of Frankie's creativity over an astonishingly short span of 9 years (1953 to 1962). And lets be honest, you couldn't possibly pack EVERYTHING her recorded on Capitol into a box set...it would be enormous! This compilation covers the gravy of his recordings for Capitol and shows his career trajectory and growth as an artist during that decade. Anything and everything is pretty much here, so many tracks from the Great American Songbook, Tin Pan Alley, and along the way truly unforgettable tracks indelibly stamped as Sinatra's own and all delivered in the inimitable Sinatra style. Reading over the track listing is a trip down memory lane and so many of these tracks were signature songs Sinatra defined and owned. Of course there's the age-old debate about whether his Capitol or Reprise years were his best; I say who cares! Pop these CDs in and you'll see Frankie was perhaps THE consummate American vocalist of the 20th Century. "The Capitol Years" is a great starting point for someone delving into Frankie's career or for the fan who doesn't want to spring for buying everything Frankie did in that most prolific decade.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Sinatra Collection.......2007-01-17

I'm a "new" fan of Frank, and not terribly interested in owning his entire discography. So I set out searching for a well crafted collection. The Capitol Years received high marks from many Sinatra devotees. I've listened to quite a few selections so far and am very pleased with this set. It's positively brimming with Sinatra classics, the audio quality is superb, and the included booklet of liner notes and essays is an enjoyable and informative read. I'd recommend this to anyone who's looking for a comprehensive compendium of Frank's work!

5 out of 5 stars Great quality classics from Frank Sinatra.......2007-01-10

I couldn't be happier with this set of CD's. I have been looking for quite a while for a collection that had the original recordings of Sinatra's classic songs. The capitol years provides just that. Some of the recordings on other CD's were recorded again due to a label change, and they just aren't as magical as the originals on this CD set. Great buy for a great price.

5 out of 5 stars The Best.......2006-08-03

Since I don't want to sound like a broken record (how's that for a phrase made obsolescent by the advent of compact disks?) and repeat the superlatives stated by others, I'll keep this brief. This is by far my favorite CD I own. This music is so sensational, just too marvelous for words. If you are not a fan or all you are familiar with is either the latter-year material when his voice started to go or the early years before he developed his trademark style and sound, do yourself a favor and pick up this collection. His voice was in peak form, the arrangements are stellar and the selection is unsurpassable. The Voice recorded more than 1,500 songs, many of them multiple times, so this seventy-five song set is anything but comprehensive. However, it is an excellent choice if you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars to purchase the individual studio recordings. His recordings of standards here are not only the best versions he himself recorded, they are the best versions recorded by anyone. The sound quality is also superb, which is not surprising given the fact that, by the time of these recordings, Sinatra had already been using nothing but the best studio equipment for years. Your life is not complete without Frank Sinatra.
And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • And, oh, do I feel fine listening to this collection....
  • Change of heart
  • "Music that didn't pander to an audience" - it created one
  • More about the remastering
  • Discover This Band
And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987
R.E.M.
Manufacturer: Capitol/I.R.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GTJSLM
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

  1. Begin The Begin
  2. Radio Free Europe
  3. Pretty Persuasion
  4. Talk About The Passion
  5. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
  6. Sitting Still
  7. Gardening At Night
  8. 7 Chinese Bros.
  9. So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
  10. Driver 8
  11. Can't Get There From Here
  12. Finest Worksong
  13. Feeling Gravity's Pull
  14. I Believe
  15. Life And How To Live It
  16. Cuyahoga
  17. The One I Love
  18. Welcome To The Occupation
  19. Fall On Me
  20. Perfect Circle
  21. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

Tracks:

  1. Pilgrimage (Mike's pick)
  2. These Days (Bill's pick)
  3. Gardening at Night(slower electric demo; previously unreleased)
  4. Radio Free Europe (Hib-tone version)
  5. Sitting Still (Hib-tone version)
  6. Life and How to Live It (Live at the Muzik Centrum, Utrecht, Holland 9/14/87; previously unreleased)
  7. Ages of You (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
  8. We Walk (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
  9. 1,000,000 (Live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
  10. Finest Worksong (other mix)
  11. Hyena (demo) (previously unreleased)
  12. Theme from Two Steps Onward (previously unreleased)
  13. Superman
  14. All the Right Friends (previously unreleased; later version released on Vanilla Sky soundtrack)
  15. Mystery to Me (demo; previously unreleased)
  16. Just A Touch (live in-studio version; previously unreleased)
  17. Bad Day (session outtake; previously unreleased)
  18. King of Birds (last song cut from the best of)
  19. Swan Swan H (live, acoustic from Athens, GA-Inside Out)
  20. Disturbance At The Heron House (Peter's pick)
  21. Time After Time (annElise)(Michael's pick)

Amazon.com

The songs collected on And I Feel Fine... The Best of The I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 are just good enough to render the previous I.R.S. years collection, 1998's Eponymous, officially dead. The latter was likely the way the masses heard R.E.M.'s underground hits on CD the first time--after all, the band had just come off of their apocalyptic breakthrough single ("It's the end of the world...") and CD players were finally hitting below the $400 mark. It did the trick. We all got up to date and it paved the way for a more sonic R.E.M. to grow into the phenomena they've become. This new version is a welcome history re-write as it pulls more from Murmur and Reckoning days and does a far better job at telling the early story--owing a great deal to the photos and in-depth notes from Anthony DeCurtis.

For our money it's worth $2 to buy the "Collectors Edition" for the massive collection of rarities on disc 2. The DVD companion to this CD is a visual goldmine. --Peter Hilgendorf

Amazon.com

R.E.M. Photos

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Lifes Rich Pageant

Document

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The Best of the I.R.S. Years

The Best of the I.R.S. Years Video Collection

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars And, oh, do I feel fine listening to this collection...........2007-03-06

I'm not going to lie to you - I like the idea of "Best-Of" & "Greatest Hits" albums in general. This medium allows for bands to gaze backwards through the annals of history so that they might view & review their work, in hopes of gathering together their best songs from a given time period. All of this is done in the hope of providing a means for which their fans (whether old, new, or as-yet-discovered) can listen to those songs in a fairly simple format. With "Greatest Hits" albums, you don't have to carry around all of the albums from your favorite bands just to hear the songs that you like the best. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved - a band gets to make a few more bucks by repackaging old material and a fan of the band only has to carry around one or two albums as opposed to 4, 5, 9, or 10 of them to get their fill of the band's music.

However, there is a dark side from whence a music listener can view a "Best-Of" album, since the whole concept of creating an album or two that will attempt to gather together a band's preeminent songs is one that has been used and disastrously abused for decades now. There are legions of rock snobs out there who disdain (quite rightly) the fact that many of these records only collect a band's singles and/or the songs that receive the widest levels of popularity & notoriety. Record companies too often get involved in the decision-making process, forcing the band to include songs just so that more records will be sold on the basis of that one song (i.e., how record companies have been pushing record sales for years, getting the dumbed-down public to buy an often crappy album for the one poppy, radio-friendly tune). "Best-Of" albums too frequently have been turned into "What-Sells-Best" albums, sacrificing content for sales.

I say all of that to say this - R.E.M.'s prior "Greatest Hits" release, In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003, was plagued by such issues, especially in terms of leaving often strong, fan-favorite songs in favor of ones that were more easily recognized by the average music-buying public. Case in point - while Automatic For The People is one of R.E.M.'s best records, it's also the fan favorite and received 4 nominations on In Time, while the critically-acclaimed New Adventures in Hi-Fi only had two songs included. Yes, an alternate track of "Leave" did make it to Disc Two, but you had to pay extra for it (even though it is an excellent remix). The band was in the thralls of a world tour in 2003 and this compendium of their years on Warner Brothers left much to the imagination. I mean, "Country Feedback" only made it on as a live track to close out Disc Two - as wonderful as the song is and as well-recorded as the live cut is, it's a travesty of justice for this song not to have been on the Disc One.

So, when I heard that And I Feel Fine was going to be released in Fall 2006 as a replacement for the nearly 2-decades-old Eponymous, released when R.E.M. left I.R.S. Records, I was filled with a mixture of excitement & trepidation. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, even with the promise of liner notes & comments left by all four members Yes, I will admit it - even the promise of long-retired drummer Bill Berry contributing to this collection did little to assuage my fears. As such, as highly- and fittingly-lauded as the band's early work is, there is much misunderstanding that revolves around the first five R.E.M. albums: there aren't any true singles until Document, the band seems overly indulgent in regards to experimentation & quirky lack of direction, and no one really knows what Michael Stipe is singing on any of those songs. I wasn't sure if the problems of over-reliance upon one album that afflicted In Time would burden down And I Feel Fine.

And I am so glad that my fears were dismissed (quite quickly at that). Each of the five albums from the I.R.S. Years (Murmur, Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Life's Rich Pageant, & Document) is appropriately and evenly represented on the 21 songs on Disc One. Four songs were chosen from each of the five albums, plus "Gardening At Night" from the Chronic Town EP. Thus, besides personal favorites such as "Moral Kiosk" off Murmur, I don't think that there's one necessary song missing between the two discs. Name a song that might be missing - I dare you. "7 Chinese Brothers"? It's there. "Disturbance At The Heron House"? Present. "Cuyahoga"? Accounted for. And even more to the point, the tracks on Disc One are arranged in a non-chronological format, with precedence given to how the songs will sound when listened to as a complete album, from song 1 to song 21, as only a mixtape should be.

There are definite highlights that must be pointed out, and they're all from Disc Two (even though Disc One is a wonderful & complete collection). The first notable selection is the 3-song live set from Boston, MA, on 07/13/1983 - "Ages of You," "We Walk," & "1,000,000." The energy of these four boys from Atlanta, GA is never more apparent than on these tracks as they flow effortlessly and seamlessly through their set. In second place comes the at-half-speed, demo version of "Gardening At Night" - the song sounds more hushed & intimate than a great many other songs in the R.E.M. pantheon. "Hyena" (in a scratchy demo version) represents my third choice, complete with the band's revealing in the liner notes that, while the song was released on Life's Rich Pageant, it was originally recorded during the Fables of the Reconstruction sessions. I've always been a fan of hearing songs in their early, unfinished, not-quite-complete phase - it gives new life to how you hear the "finished" version that you've been used to all of these years.

Do I have any complaints? Not really. As I said, there aren't really any songs that have been left off this 2-disc, 42-song compilation. If you've never listened to R.E.M. before, I would suggest you go purchase the album as soon as you finish reading this review. And I Feel Fine is what a "Best Of" album should be - representative of how a band has grown & developed over a given period of time and beautifully illustrative of the contributions that the band has made to the greater picture of music history. But in case you need just one more reason to buy this album, take this into account - it's both poignant and hilarious to read in the liner notes for Disc Two and learn how Bill, Mike, & Peter haven't always understood what Michael Stipe is singing or what his lyrics even mean, but they're certain that they have meaning for someone (and on occasion, the boys even present their differing interpretations of certain songs). So, if the band doesn't know what's going on with Stipe's beautiful mumblings, then it's OK that us listeners have also been confused for almost 25 years now.

5 out of 5 stars Change of heart.......2007-02-23

I thought R.E.M. was just dismissable frat-rock all through the eighties...wow, has my mind changed. I love the jangly rock on this excellent collection...yes, R.E.M. rock for the best.

5 out of 5 stars "Music that didn't pander to an audience" - it created one.......2007-02-18

During 1982-87 REM was probably the best band - possibly ever - if you define best band by great ALBUMS and great concerts. Similar to U2, REM created an audience - a big one - by original ideas that invited the audience to interpret the music. They didn't let tell you what it meant - maybe it meant nothing - but millions (billions?) THOUGHT IT DID. As Michael Stipe stated "Not everyone can carry the weight of the world". They CREATED an audience that wanted something new (the original alternative music). Nowadays - as the last line in U2's "Kite" states ("the time when new media was the big idea") audiences demand technology but the meaning or value of music is not relevant. I'd recommend this album to anyone who wants to hear America's greatest band at its creative best from a time when music could be relevant.

3 out of 5 stars More about the remastering.......2007-01-07

Firstly, the music on this collection is stupendous. In the 80's, R.E.M. was the most consistently excellent, yet idiosyncratic and unconventional, band around and each release was a new gift. I don't have many quibbles with the song selections made for this best-of, and getting the second disc for not much more than the price of the single-disc version is a value. If you don't know early R.E.M. very well, this is a great place to start.

But... as several other reviewers have commented, this release was mastered to sound as loud as possible. And at first listen, it sounds great. Then, after it's on for awhile, you will probably find yourself turning the volume down, and even thinking about turning it off. That's because the mix has been highly compressed - that's how they get newer CDs to sound so much louder than old ones, but it's akin to how a loud commercial suddenly comes on when you're watching a TV show and sends you jumping for the remote to turn it down. It becomes obnoxious and irritating when everything is so loud all the time, and robs the music of all dynamics. And if you listen closely you'll hear distortion - they mix it so high that they're actually introducing clipping, which means flattened sound waves that results in a static-y edge to the sound.

Unfortunately this is a trend that has been going on with CD mastering for the last decade, though it gets very little publicity. The record companies do it because they think we like it, and actually many of us think we do, judging by a lot of the positive comments on the sound of overloud remasters. But once you're aware of it, you'll notice it, and you'll start to feel ripped off. The public needs to tell the record companies we want quality remasters that don't compromise true fidelity and range for shallow loudness and distortion. To learn more on this topic, do a web search on "loudness war".

5 out of 5 stars Discover This Band.......2007-01-06

There was once a band called 'R.E.M.' and they played energetic, inventive, interesting, raw, yet somehow sophisticated jangly rock country punk. Their lead singer sounded like nobody else with sort of a baritone drawl that somehow managed to not really sound country at all, but they were from Georgia. They weren't precious or self-conscious. At the same time that a lot of groups were doing synth-pop or hair metal, this band was sorting out how to fuse art-rock with folk rock. The words the singer sang were sometimes imagistic, sometimes surreal, sometimes obscure. The drums were punchy. The bass was melodic. The guitar was sometimes jangly, sometimes ferocious. This is a collection of what that band sounded like 'in the day'. Not complete without the bonus disc, however.

A Space in Time
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • a space in time
  • A Space in Time - Ten Years After
  • Still Growing On Me
  • A Classic
  • Once There Was A Time...a space in time
A Space in Time
Ten Years After
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Cricklewood Green
  2. Live at the Fillmore East
  3. Pure Blues
  4. Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore
  5. Ssssh

ASIN: B000003JA5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. One Of These Days
  2. Here They Come
  3. I'd Love To Change The World
  4. Over The Hill
  5. Baby Won't You Let Me Rock 'N' Roll You
  6. Once There Was A Time
  7. Let The Sky Fall
  8. Hard Monkeys
  9. I've Been There Too
  10. Uncle Jam

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars a space in time.......2007-06-10

The best album by Ten years after. It brings back all the memories from late 60's/early 70's.

5 out of 5 stars A Space in Time - Ten Years After.......2007-01-12

This is, in my opinion, one of their best albums. Timeless. After all these years still 100% enjoyable!

5 out of 5 stars Still Growing On Me.......2007-01-04

I was never a huge Ten Years After fan but I did listen to them somewhat regularly "back in the day," as my kids like to say. I had this album and Cricklewood Green in vinyl plus a few cuts on the Woodstock Album.
Now my son is learning to play the guitar so I thought I'd introduce him to some "good guitar" in the form of Alvin Lee. He's not impressed with most of what I listen to but he does like this a bit.
I must say that I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I do. The more I listen to it the more it grows on me. Almost every song on this album has staying power. If you like TYA at all this is a great album overall and worth the investment.

5 out of 5 stars A Classic.......2006-11-27

What I like about this album is that it covers a wide range of emotions and feelings. Lead guitarist Alvin Lee was widely proclaimed as the fastest guitarist of his era. This album was pretty much mandatory in any early 70's high school rockers collection. I highly recommend this album for anyone wanting a taste of classic early 70's rock and roll. Really good stuff from a really good band.

5 out of 5 stars Once There Was A Time...a space in time.......2006-11-10

A friend and I were recently reminiscing of a space in time before there were music downloads, mp3's, i tunes,and i pods. A time when vinyl was the musical medium . Albums contained liner notes and lyric sheets that were printed large enough to read. Cover Art was captivating and meant to be enjoyed. Songs were heard as being just a smaller segment of a larger collection of work. You dropped the needle,sat down and took it in from start to finish. Like a great movie, you wouldn't dare leave before the end. Every song set up the next one. The music was the event of that moment in time, not a wallpaper back drop. 'A Space In Time' is of that time, yet after 35 years it has stood the test. Timeless.
The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Rockin' n Rollin' all Night!
  • THE WORST OF POISON!!!!!!!!!
  • Great to hear Poison again!
  • The Best of Poison
  • I always liked this band, no matter how many other people hate it :)
The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock
Poison
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. Rocked, Wired & Bluesed: The Greatest Hits
  2. Motley Crue - Greatest Hits
  3. Poison - Seven Days Live
  4. Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection
  5. Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000EHQ80K
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

  1. Talk Dirty To Me
  2. I Want Action
  3. I Won't Forget You
  4. Cry Tough
  5. Look What The Cat Dragged In
  6. Nothin' But A Good Time
  7. Fallen Angel
  8. Every Rose Has Its Thorn
  9. Your Mama Don't Dance
  10. Unskinny Bop
  11. Rock And Roll All Nite
  12. Ride The Wind
  13. Something To Believe In
  14. Life Goes On
  15. Stand
  16. The Last Song
  17. Shooting Star
  18. Were An American Band (New track, produced by Don Was)

Album Description

From hair metal stardom to "Behind the Music" melodrama, few bands have rocked as hard and lived as high as L.A.'s famous foursome, Poison. Bret, C.C. and the boys celebrate 20 years of glam-trashed brilliance on the remastered Best of Poison. This must-have set includes all of Poison's biggest hits, including "Unskinny Bop," "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," "Talk Dirty To Me," and "Nothin' But A Good Time," plus a cover of Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band."

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Rockin' n Rollin' all Night!.......2007-07-16

If you're talkin' bout Rock n Roll, then definitely you're talkin' bout POISON; the best hair metal band and the sons of glam rock! This 20th anniversary collection shows the undeniable truth that POISON marks as an icon to the 80's rock n roll. But I find it dissapointing that the songs included were almost the same in their first Greatest Hits collection. In my opinion, they should'nt have included songs like Were an American Band, Rock n' Roll All Nite and Your Mama Dont Dance since they were released in a revival album called Poison'd. The new songs included like Shooting Star and Last Song were impressive however. All the rest were truly great POISON classics. Overall, this CD may be the best substitute to their Greatest Hits 86-96 collection.

1 out of 5 stars THE WORST OF POISON!!!!!!!!!.......2007-05-13

I HATE POISON THE SONG I HATE THE MOST IS EVREY ROSE HAS A THORN IS THE MOST HORRIBLE SONG OF ALL TIME THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT I THOUGHT OF THROWING UP THERE ONLY GOOD SONG IS NOTHIN BUT A GOOD TIME. ALL POISON IS IS A ONE HIT WONDER!!!!!MY ADVICE IS DON'T BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Great to hear Poison again!.......2007-04-19

I was missing my Poison songs that I remember jamming to when I was in high school. This album brought back floods of memories! Some of their newer stuff isn't too bad either. Great collection of some of their biggest hits. Good purchase...

5 out of 5 stars The Best of Poison.......2007-04-04

This is a good copulation of their work. A recommended purchase for Poison fans.

4 out of 5 stars I always liked this band, no matter how many other people hate it :).......2007-01-22

Poison is one of those 1980s bands that became "unfashionable" after the 1990s grunge craze, and is now looked upon with almost universal scorn. Reviled for their big hair, spandex clothing, and simple song structures, almost nobody even admits to liking them, but I still do! For one thing, who cares if 80s music is no longer hip and trendy? Time waits for nobody, and all music eventually becomes old. The grunge music that replaced hair metal is every bit as dated as hair metal itself is, and I don't see people bashing Nirvana or Soundgarden for being "90s has beens" do you? Nothing stays hip and trendy forever. And the other argument used against Poison is that their music isn't complicated or technically complex, it only has 3 chords, and doesn't require any talent to play. Has it ever occured to you hair metal bashers that there is more to music than lightning fast guitar solos that are so impossible that nobody can play them? Sometimes 3 chords is enough to make an impression on the listener, even if it isn't hard to play. In fact, virtually all rock stars s*ck at playing their instruments. You only need to look at all the Avril Lavigne, Green Day, U2, Nickelback and Nirvana songs that have ever hit #1 on the rock charts to realize that. Nobody thinks anything less of these people for playing 3 chords on their guitars, so why should it be any different for poison? I think this band has always been underrated.
Pure Blues
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • PURE BLUES Ten Years After
  • True Blue
  • you can name all the styles, but the real style is Alvin Lee
  • possumsmcbikeritems
  • Satisfaction guaranteed
Pure Blues
Alvin Lee & Ten Years After
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Live at the Fillmore East
  2. A Space in Time
  3. Cricklewood Green
  4. Anthology 1967-1971
  5. Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore

ASIN: B000003JD5
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Tracks:

  1. Don't Want You Woman
  2. The Bluest Blues
  3. I Woke Up This Morning
  4. Real Life Blues
  5. The Stomp
  6. Slow Blues In 'C'
  7. Wake Up Moma
  8. Talk Don't Bother Me
  9. Every Blues You've Ever Heard
  10. I Get All Shook Up
  11. Lost In Love
  12. Help Me
  13. Outside My Window

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars PURE BLUES Ten Years After.......2007-04-04

Could not believe how GREAT this cd was!! Anyone who loves the blues and ten years after should have this cd!!

1 out of 5 stars True Blue.......2007-03-11

True to the title this is Alvin's & (&TYA's) bluest...excellent,throughout. Tracks chosen from past works as well as newer compositions, I think were/are Great choices. My only beef is that more and more people are not aware of the magnificent musicianship of Ten Years After and,of course, Alvin Lee's genius. ...keep playin' on guys there are some of us who live for and appreciate your efforts...a true masterwork or as the French would say a chef-d'oeuvre... WOAH!!!
Peace!!

5 out of 5 stars you can name all the styles, but the real style is Alvin Lee.......2007-03-11

I can see, (hear), now that Lee does indeed use blues, rock, jazz, and rockabilly in his style, after reading mentions of this, but none of this ever occurred to me when I first began listening to him, c.1967. Lee has put all of these influences into seamless personal style that is most accurately communicated by simply calling it "Alvin Lee".

5 out of 5 stars possumsmcbikeritems.......2007-01-10

Mainly for the Alvin Lee or Ten Years After collector, saying that there is some good rockin' and slow blues, but has the same music on it as some others.

5 out of 5 stars Satisfaction guaranteed.......2006-11-10

If you've missed Alvin Lee as I have you will not be disappointed. And having George Harrison playing on a couple of cuts is an added bonus.
Live at the Fillmore East
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • I just spent seven bucks too much for this
  • edicion MUY, MUY recomendable!!
  • How Alvin Lee should be heard
  • Ten Years After - 'Live At The Fillmore East' (Capitol) 2-CD
  • Ten Years After Live
Live at the Fillmore East
Ten Years After
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Pure Blues
  2. Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore
  3. A Space in Time
  4. Cricklewood Green
  5. Anthology 1967-1971

ASIN: B00005K1ZD
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

  1. Love Like A Man
  2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
  3. Working On The Road
  4. The Hobbit
  5. 50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain
  6. Skoobly-Oobly-Doobob/I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes/Extension On One Chord

Tracks:

  1. Help Me
  2. I'm Going Home
  3. Sweet Little
  4. Roll Over Beethoven
  5. I Woke Up This Morning
  6. Spoonful

Amazon.com

With its devotion to '50s rock and blues coupled to a manic, if decidedly middlebrow performance tack, Ten Years After could seem positively Jurassic, even by late-'60s standards. This collection culls magnificently recorded performances (kudos to Hendrix/ELP engineer Eddie Kramer) from a February 1970 weekend stand at the Fillmore East, capturing the band at its post-Woodstock performing peak. The running times of most of the tracks (three-quarters of which clock in at seven-plus minutes) will tip listeners to the show's jam-heavy take on covers of Sonny Boy Williamson (an ominous, revamped "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"), Willie Dixon (a slow, 16-minute burn through "Help Me"), and Chuck Berry (atypically economic romps of "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Roll Over Beethoven"). But with the band's own primordial originals (the titles "Skooby-Oobly-Doobob" and "Extension on One Chord" speak for themselves) there's an elemental, effusive--and, dare we say it--Ramones-like stoopidity to the tracks. Even Alvin Lee's trademark fret-burner "I'm Going Home" is hard to resist. This set perfectly captures one of the era's hardest working bands in a concise, double-disc time capsule. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

UK live compilation for the British blues-rock quartet. Featuring 12 tracks recorded during two nights at the legendary venue, September 27th & 28th 1968. Highlights include, 'Spoonful' & 'The Hobbit'. 2001.

Album Details

Double disc digitally remastered set from Alvin Lee & Co.'s heyday. These recordings from the classic Fillmore East venue showcase the band at their best from their formative years. Includes 'The Hobbitt', which appeared in an evolved form on the 'Recorded Live' album many years later as well as 'Spoonful', 'Good Morning Little Schoolgirl', 'Sweet Little Sixteen', 'I'm Going Home and so many more. Essential for fans of boogie rock!

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars I just spent seven bucks too much for this.......2007-05-02

which really, really bites. The sound quality is great. The band is tight. Just keep in mind that Alvin Lee has one solo that he plays in every frickin' number the band does. You'll know it when you hear it, trust me. The songs themselves are great, and of course Lee is a tremendous guitarist, but Ritchie Blackmore he ain't. Still, if you were to make a choice between this and "Recorded Live," take this. I've always thought "Recorded Live" sounded uninspired, mostly. This has got many of the same pieces, but done better. You don't get "Choo Choo Mama," but you get a much better "Hobbit" and an "I can't keep from crying" that doesn't sound like it was recorded under a bathtub full of water.

5 out of 5 stars edicion MUY, MUY recomendable!!.......2007-03-02

lo mejor que alguien puede hallar en una placa en vivo es esa sensacion de "haber estado alli" y con estos 2 discos te aseguro que la sentis! gran sonido, grandes canciones, una guitarra fuera de control pidiendo pista...crudeza y sentimiento autentico...el fraseo y la garra de alvin lee son impresionantes..booklet digno con el relato de esas actuaciones...concluyendo, una edicion gratificante, que nos regala la actuacion de una banda que seguramente merecio mejor suerte que la que tuvo!!

4 out of 5 stars How Alvin Lee should be heard.......2007-01-09

Alvin Lee had his own sound and if you are old enough to remember it, get this cd and remember the high--if you have never heard Alvin Lee on guitar you are missing the rocker before Mark Knofler. They even due spoonful.

5 out of 5 stars Ten Years After - 'Live At The Fillmore East' (Capitol) 2-CD.......2006-12-04

Fantastic two disc archive live release from a true music legend,the British blues rockers Ten Years After. 'Live At The...' took place over a two-night stand on September 27-28,1968.My only regret is not ONLY wasn't I there myself,but I've never seen these guys play live.Twelve track concert,with a duration of a little under two hours.You can't go wrong by picking up a copy of this title. Sound quality is great.Also priced pretty nice. Most memorable cuts are "Love Like A Man", "50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain" (one of my personal favorites), the bluesy (also fun)"Skoobly-Oobly-Doobob", "I'm Going Home", "I Woke Up This Morning" and their two Chuck Berry covers, "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Roll Over Beethoven". Would make a great gift for an old school fan. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Ten Years After Live.......2005-12-23

This is one of the best live albums that I have. Alvin Lee is one of the must unterrated lead players in the world. His solo on HELP ME is simply the best the speed that he plays some on some of the songs is breath taking. Their verson of SPOONFUL is better then CREAM did on their live album. You can't go wrong buying this album. Also I would compare Alvin Lee's lead playing to Jimmi Hendrix and Eric Clapton any time He is one of the best in the world.
Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 30 yrs of B.B. review
  • Great Music, Worth Buying For the Smile Material Alone
  • Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys. MORE THAN JUST A GREATEST HITS, THIS BOX IS ALSO A BEACH BOYS HISTORY LESSON
  • Great Complimation
  • Stereo is not dead
Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. The Pet Sounds Sessions
  2. Smiley Smile/Wild Honey
  3. Friends/20/20
  4. Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights)
  5. Little Deuce Coupe/ All Summer Long

ASIN: B000002UR4
Release Date: 1993-06-29

Tracks:

  1. Surfin' U.S.A. (Demo Version) (Previously Unreleased)
  2. Little Surfer Girl (Previously Unreleased)
  3. Surfin' (Rehearsal) (Previously Unreleased)
  4. Surfin'
  5. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring (Demo) (Previously Unreleased)
  6. Surfin' Safari
  7. 409
  8. Punchline (Instrumental) (Previously Unreleased)
  9. Surfin' U.S.A.
  10. Shut Down
  11. Surfer Girl
  12. Little Deuce Coupe
  13. In My Room
  14. Catch A Wave
  15. The Surfer Moon
  16. Be True To Your School
  17. Spirit Of America
  18. Little Saint Nick (45 RPM)
  19. Things We Did Last Summer (Previously Unreleased)
  20. Fun, Fun, Fun
  21. Don't Worry Baby
  22. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
  23. The Warmth Of The Sun
  24. I Get Around
  25. All Summer Long
  26. Little Honda
  27. Wendy
  28. Don't Back Down
  29. Do You Wanna Dance
  30. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
  31. Dance, Dance, Dance
  32. Please Let Me Wonder
  33. She Knows Me Too Well
  34. Radio Station Jingles (Previously Unreleased)
  35. Concert Promo/Hushabye (Live) (Previously Unreleased)

Tracks:

  1. California Girls
  2. Help Me Rhonda
  3. Then I Kissed Her
  4. And Your Dream Comes True
  5. The Little Girl I Once Knew (45 Version)
  6. Barbara Ann (45 Version)
  7. Ruby Baby (Party LP Outtake) (Previously Unreleased)
  8. Koma (Radio Promo Spot) (Previously Unreleased)
  9. Sloop John B
  10. Wouldn't It Be Nice
  11. You Still Believe In Me
  12. God Only Knows
  13. Hang On To Your Ego (Alternate Version) (Previously Unreleased)
  14. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
  15. Pet Sounds
  16. Caroline, No
  17. Good Vibrations (45 Version)
  18. Our Prayer (Previously Unreleased)
  19. Heroes And Villains (Alternate Version)
  20. Heroes And Villains (Sections) (Previously Unreleased)
  21. Wonderful (Previously Unreleased)
  22. Cabinessence
  23. Wind Chimes (Previously Unreleased)
  24. Heroes And Villains (Intro) (Previously Unreleased)
  25. Do You Like Worms (Previously Unreleased)
  26. Vegetables (Previously Unreleased)
  27. I Love To Say Da Da (Previously Unreleased)
  28. Surf's Up (Previously Unreleased)
  29. With Me Tonight

Tracks:

  1. Heroes And Villains (45 Version)
  2. Darlin'
  3. Wild Honey
  4. Let The Wind Blow
  5. Can't Wait Too Long
  6. Cool Cool Water
  7. Meant For You
  8. Friends
  9. Little Bird
  10. Busy Doin' Nothin'
  11. Do It Again
  12. I Can Hear Music
  13. I Went To Sleep
  14. Time To Get Alone
  15. Breakaway
  16. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) (45 Version)
  17. San Miguel
  18. Games Two Can Play (Previously Unreleased)
  19. I Just Got My Pay (Previously Unreleased)
  20. This Whole World
  21. Add Some Music
  22. Forever
  23. Our Sweet Love
  24. H.E.L.P. Is On The Way (Previously Unreleased)
  25. 4th Of July (Previously Unreleased)
  26. Long Promised Road
  27. Disney Girls
  28. Surf's Up
  29. 'Til I Die

Tracks:

  1. Sail On Sailor
  2. California
  3. Trader
  4. Funky Pretty
  5. Fairy Tale Music
  6. You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone
  7. Marcella
  8. All This Is That
  9. Rock And Roll Music
  10. It's OK
  11. Had To Phone Ya
  12. That Same Song
  13. It's Over Now (Previously Unreleased)
  14. Still I Dream Of It (Previously Unreleased)
  15. Let Us Go On This Way
  16. The Night Was So Young
  17. I'll Bet He's Nice
  18. Airplane
  19. Come Go With Me
  20. Our Team (Previously Unreleased)
  21. Baby Blue
  22. Good Timin'
  23. Goin' On
  24. Getcha Back
  25. Kokomo

Tracks:

  1. In My Room (Demo)
  2. Radio Spot #1
  3. I Get Around (Track Only)
  4. Radio Spot #2
  5. Dance, Dance, Dance (Tracking Session)
  6. Hang On To Your Ego (Sessions)
  7. God Only Knows (Tracking Session)
  8. Good Vibrations (Sessions)
  9. Heroes And Villains (Track Only)
  10. Cabinessence (Track Only)
  11. Surf's Up (Track Only)
  12. Radio Spot #3
  13. All Summer Long (Vocals)
  14. Wendy (Vocals)
  15. Hushabye (Vocals)
  16. When I Grow Up To Be A Man (Vocals)
  17. Wouldn't It Be Nice (Vocals)
  18. California Girls (Vocals)
  19. Radio Spot #4
  20. Concert Intro/Surfin' U.S.A.-Live 1964
  21. Surfer Girl-Live 1964
  22. Be True To Your School-Live 1964
  23. Good Vibrations-Live 1966
  24. Surfer Girl-Live In Hawaii Rehearsals-1967

Amazon.com essential recording

From "Surfin'" to "Kokomo," the first four discs of this box chart the Beach Boys' inimitable 30-year course. Here are all the hits and key album tracks, and an assortment of unreleased material that illuminates Brian Wilson and company's immense contribution to the development of pop music. (Especially fascinating are the assembled fragments from Wilson's abandoned 1966 masterwork, Smile.) A fifth disc features demos, radio spots, live tracks, and studio goodies for the hardcore fan. The set confirms Brian's hardworking genius, but also gives each member his due, especially the late Carl Wilson. Rock & roll music grew up with the Beach Boys, and this box is rock's best family album. --Ben Edmonds

Amazon.com

Beach Boys Photos

More from The Beach Boys

Sounds of Summer

Pet Sounds

20 Good Vibrations, The Greatest Hits

More Good Vibrations, Greatest Hits: Vol.2

Endless Harmony

Sunflower/Surf's Up

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars 30 yrs of B.B. review.......2007-03-25

First let me say that when they are doing well, I love the Beach Boys. The first time I saw them live was the summer of approx. 2000. I was so totally satisfied and blown away! I heard that they sometimes do sub-par shows but this must have been one of the great ones. Allentown, PA fairgrounds. This set has many good cuts but I must say that in the effort to build a compilation set, they included a bunch of ( to me) space taking junk. If you are into trivia and deep details, you might get into it but if you are into the music, you'll have to pick and choose your way thru the set and maybe burn to CD the ones you really want.

5 out of 5 stars Great Music, Worth Buying For the Smile Material Alone.......2007-03-05

I do agree with some of the criticsm here. There are MANY great songs not on this. "Salt Lake City" for example, or all of the Brian lead ballads on "Today!". And you can get better sound quality and stereo versions of songs like "California Girls" and "Heroes and Villains" on other albums. But because of the inclusion of the Smile work and the bonus disc containing some great material this is worth getting. If I am not mistaken Disc 5 is the only place you can hear "Good Vibrations" in stereo albeit as it is being recorded and mostly instrumental at that phase.

That said I reccomend getting all of their cd's if you really like the Beach Boys because there are TONS of non-hits that are INCREDIBLE!!! Go get "Today!" and listen to the whole album and you will see what I mean.

5 out of 5 stars Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys. MORE THAN JUST A GREATEST HITS, THIS BOX IS ALSO A BEACH BOYS HISTORY LESSON .......2007-02-16

Most of this box set was recorded in mono due to Brian Wilson being deaf in one ear and of course 1960s ancient recording technology. I beleive Capital did a fine job with the song selection of this Beach Boys box set. If your looking at this box set as a greatest hits collection you're looking in the wrong direction. "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys" is a greatest hits collection with a following of The Beach Boys through their illustrius history. The booklet is very informative, the outakes disc 5, is really interesting especially hearing "Good Vibrations" played live before it was even released. On disc 5, "God Only Knows" along with the "Good Vibrations" sessions is an incredible facinating look into the disection of two of the most argueably popular pop songs of all time. I don't look at this box set as a great Beach Boys Box Set, but there is something in it for every Beach Boys fan. Please Realize that The Beatles had Lennon and McCartney and the greatest record producer of all time in Sir George Martin. The Beach Boys had talented musicians, but the majority of Beach Boys output was that of Brian Wilson. Brian Wilson in reality had to go up against The Beatles all by himself.
Brian also produced 10 Beach Boys albums by the tender age of 23. The Beatles had George Martin producing all their Magnum Opuses. The Beatles were great, there is no argument from me there, but by (Pet Sounds) 1966 Sir George Martin and The Beatles soon realized that a man named Brian Wilson was just as talented musically, or far surpassed any of The Beatles in musical talent individually. If the missing songs are bothering you, buy all the "Capital Re-issue Twofers" with there expansive linear notes, extra and alternate tracks. Remember the limited sound quality of "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys" is due to Brian Wilson being deaf in one ear, as he could only hear in mono, not in stereo like the average person can. Anything that was recorded in mono and was put in stereo during the 1960s, was called Duo-Phonic, and beleive me as I tell you the original Mono recordings sound vastly superior to any Duo Phonic stereo remastering. Duo Phonic was just fake stereo and did not help the original vastly superior sounding mono recording. "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys" may seem overkill for casual Beach Boys fans, but as I listened to each cd from 1-5 the music plays the Beach Boys history right in front of your ears.
Bottom line: "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys" is essential to any Beach Boys fan to learn their history and to realize they were more than beach and sun music. Ps. This box set is some really good listening, if you give it a chance..............

5 out of 5 stars Great Complimation.......2007-01-04

This boxed set does not disappoint. It has all the songs you love from back when the beach boys were all the rave. Great set would buy again.

1 out of 5 stars Stereo is not dead.......2006-09-19

I just recently bought this and was very disappointed with the sound quality. Stereo became available in 1958 and was around when the Beach Boys cam out with Little Deuce Coupe. Little Deuce Coupe Album was available in Stereo or Mono. Why would anyone at Capital want to release box set with most of the songs in Mono when they were available in Stereo? Capital needs to fire someone. Now I am stuck with a poor sounding box set. Bad move on Capitals part. :(
Action Packed: Best of the Capitol Years
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One new thing..................................
  • Good 90s Summary
  • Fans can never be objective...
  • sorry
  • Fine as a bee's wing
Action Packed: Best of the Capitol Years
Richard Thompson
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British FolkBritish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Folk RockFolk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. The Best of Richard & Linda Thompson: The Island Records Years
  2. Live from Austin, TX
  3. Shoot Out the Lights
  4. Rumor and Sigh
  5. Mock Tudor

ASIN: B00005A9KU
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

  1. Turning Off The Tide
  2. Waltzing's For Dreamers
  3. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
  4. I Misunderstood
  5. I Feel So Good
  6. Keep Your Distance
  7. King Of Bohemia
  8. I Can't Wake Up To Save My Life
  9. Beeswing
  10. The Ghost Of You Walks
  11. Razor Dance (Voltage Enhanced)
  12. Cold Kisses
  13. Bathsheba Smiles
  14. Cooksferry Queen
  15. Uninhabited Man
  16. Walking The Long Miles Home
  17. Persuasion
  18. Mr. Rebound
  19. Fully Qualified To Be Your Man

Amazon.com essential recording

Eric Clapton had better marketing. That's the only way to explain why Richard Thompson isn't as famous as that other British guitar god. A brilliant, albeit subtle, guitar genius, Thompson writes wonderful songs that are sometimes rockin', sometimes haunting, and sometimes a little bit of both. And he presents them all in a voice that can only be called unique. Unlike most guitar heroes, Thompson is less based in the blues than he is in folk--dating back to his early years with the seminal Fairport Convention--but his has always been a folk music with bite and soul, adding things to the folk lexicon like rockabilly and zydeco. "Cooksferry Queen"--one of the 19 tracks on this compilation culled from the six albums Thompson released on Capitol between 1988 and 1999--features a guitar solo that's downright punk. Tracks like the semihit "I Feel So Good," "Razor Dance," and "Bathsheba Smiles" remain as exhilarating as anything you're apt to hear. Longtime fans will need to hear the three tracks previously unreleased on CD, including a new duet with son Teddy Thompson on "Persuasion" (co-written with Tim Finn) that is absolutely gorgeous. Ultimately, one longs for a box set that encompasses all eras (and labels) of this master's career, but Action Packed proves that the recent last third of it has been topnotch. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One new thing.........................................2007-03-13



If you are a loyal RT fan and possess "Rumor and Sigh", "Mirror Blue" and all the rest perhaps the only reason you have to lay your hard earned down is "Persuasion" the only previously unreleased material in this collection. But what a reason; this is Richard and Teddy playing ,it singin' it, harmonisin' it and tellin' like it is. If you are not a die hard this is an excellent entry point all the classics are here Vincent Black Lightnin' ,Turning of the Tide ( a song for ex-wives everywhere) , I misunderstood (cosmic angst) The Ghost of You Walks and on and on.... superb guitar (a red fender never lets you down) & tight rhythm section(s) . There are many treasures on this album and then there is the incomporable Beeswing......... buy & enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars Good 90s Summary.......2006-09-20

If there are low points in Richard Thompson's long and distinguished career, I've yet to hear them. While I'm not one of his devotees, I'd readily admit that all albums without exception, contain material other folk-blues purveyors would cry, if not die for. Yet the albums as entities are quirky, often jagged in their textures and tones. So, does a masterwork arise? Not for me, since,'Across a Crowded Room', or possibly, 'Hand of kindness' which brings me to this Capitol compilation which does beg the issues above. In short, it offers a terrific overview of a decade's worth of Thompson - Vincent, Beeswing, Razor Dance, Bathseba, Can't Wake Up...all sensational gems, which, given some interpretations by contemporary luminaries, still find their crucial edge in Thompson's shivering vocals.

3 out of 5 stars Fans can never be objective..........2006-04-26

From the OBJECTIVE reviewer...to suggest Eric Clapton is more famous because of marketing mean some reviewer has too much wax in his ears. Richard isn't even close to the same league. Even as a "best of" it barely rises to the 3 star level.

2 out of 5 stars sorry.......2005-05-22

i just don't like greatest hits much. i'm sure some of these songs are pretty good, but i'd have to say buy something like "shoot out the lights" instead.

5 out of 5 stars Fine as a bee's wing.......2004-05-04

Some listeners may hassle over the selection, but this is a good grab for anybody who wants a single-disk survey of this phenomenal singer/songwriter/guitarist. I'd personally like to have "You Dream Too Much" on here too, but that doesnt make this collection any worse. The selections from You? Me? Us? are just right. Theres nothing wrong with the 3 new tracks either. The only problem is that Thompson's essential Capitol material exceeds the capacity of 1 CD. But if you need some RT in your collection, this is an excellent offering.

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