A Brief History

Editorial Reviews
Splendid E-Zine, June 19, 2000
A Brief History presents Votolato's manifesto via seven understated pop songs tinged with folkrock confessionalism. Votolato at his best.

Delusions of Adequacy, August 28, 2000
[Votolato's] clearly making a name for himself as a singer/songwriter.

Album Description
'A Brief History' is an extremely ecclectic release from this talented, young Seattle-based singer/songwriter. The songs range from somber alt-country to garage rock to folk. This release brings together a handful of other talented musicians, including Rocky's regular collaborator Seth Warren (of Red Stars Theory) on violin.

A Brief History

Average customer rating:

fantastic,
New favorite
Best of the best.
Best new discovery yet
Lots of dusty folk songs about a hard life they love--Live

A Brief History...
The Waifs
Manufacturer: Compass Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Australia & New Zealand | International | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Shelter Me
Up All Night
Sink Or Swim
The Waifs
Bridal Train

ASIN: B0006J2FKS
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

Lighthouse
London Still
Take It In
Love Serenade
The Waitress
Fisherman's Daughter
Papa
Crazy Train
Brain Damage
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
Lies
Haircut
The River
Gillian
A Brief History...
Bridal Train (Studio Version)

Tracks:

Willow Tree
When I Die (Introduction)
Whne I Die
Sunflower Man
Flesh And Blood
Highway One
Bridal Train (Introduction)
Bridal Train
Since I've Been Around
Here If You Want
Billy Jones
Company
Spotlight
Shelter Me
Shiny Apple
Crazy/Circles

Album Description

While each album they record--from 1996's self-titled debut to 2003's acclaimed Up All Night--has found the Waifs maturing as writers and performers, it is on the concert stage that they truly connect with their audience. At last, this connection is documented on the 2-CD set A Brief History.... Consisting of 31 live songs recorded over the past four years and a bonus studio version of the concert favorite "Bridal Train," A Brief History... is imbued with all the energy, charisma, and earthy soul that have won the Waifs new fans from their native Australia to America, and beyond. Along with their sly, poignant original tunes, A Brief History... boasts covers of Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, who hand-picked the band to open for him on his 2003 North American tour. In addition to "Bridal Train" and the above covers, A Brief History... includes stunning versions of Up All Night's two singles "London Still" and "Lighthouse," and favorites from throughout their career. Essential for both longtime fans and newcomers, A Brief History... perfectly captures the offhand charm and bluesy soul of Australia's most successful independent band.

Customer Reviews:

fantastic, .......2007-07-13

i love the waifs, first heard them while travelling in oz, it didnt leave my camper van ever since, their music really gives you insight to what its like travelling and its great to listen to, brings back loads of memories from an amazing country. best of all this is a live album, ive seen them live at byron bay, theyre fantastic!! buy it you'll love it

New favorite.......2007-03-09

I can't remember now how I was introduced to The Waifs in the last few years, but I think I heard one of their songs on a local public radio station. I tried hard to find any Waifs albums, and finally found this one on Amazon. I LOVE it, and I am now a huge Waifs fan. I hope they come back to the US on tour soon.

Best of the best........2006-09-03

The best from one of the best rock/folk independents in the business. Great album.

Best new discovery yet.......2006-08-01

I was introduced to the Waifs through my Pandora account. I feel instantly in love with the music and bought all of their CDs now. If you like modern folk, acoustic music, and catchy tunes, this group is for you.

Lots of dusty folk songs about a hard life they love--Live.......2006-03-23

Disc 1. Buskers who have been together long enough to tighten up, play inside each others' moves, and develop a distinctive style all their own-dusty folk songs about a hard life they love. Subdudes come to mind. They document life on the road, in a beloved Australia, and their personal lives in up-close personal terms. Striking phrases of lyrics repeatedly grab my attention. They fans love them and they love entertaining them. Disc 1 is a revelation. [72:04]

Disc 2 offers more of the same. Maybe too much of a good thing all at once-the distinctive style gets a little claustrophobic. And yet, I want to hear more. Watch for last track. [68:15]

A Brief History of the Twentieth Century

Average customer rating:

i think i'd rather have entertainment
Avoid this release...
One of the Best "Forgotten" Bands
....
Humanity is relevant as is the music of G4

A Brief History of the Twentieth Century
Gang of Four
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Entertainment!
Hard / Solid Gold
Entertainment
Solid Gold
Unknown Pleasures

ASIN: B000005JB6
Release Date: 1990-12-08

Tracks:

At Home He's A Tourist
Damaged Goods
Naturals's Not In It
Not Great Men
Anthrax
Return The Gift
It's Her Factory
What We All Want (Live)
Paralysed
A Hole In The Wallet
Cheeseburger
To Hell With Poverty!
Capital (It Fails Us Now)
Call Me Up
I Will Be A Good Boy
The History Of The World
I Love A Man In A Uniform
Is It Love
Womantown
We Live As We Dream, Alone

Customer Reviews:

i think i'd rather have entertainment.......2004-08-04

gang of four were THE definitive politico-funk-punk group (was there even another one?!). this music truly sounds like none other created before or since, that i've ever heard, at least. a lot of post-punk bands can be traced back to them, and mission of burma were obviously fans, but nobody *sounds* like gang of four...syncopated minimalism, screamed lyrics, a friggin' tight-ass rhythm section...this is communism you can dance to! this particular cd is a best-of...comprised mostly of their near-flawless first two recordings, with a smattering of highlights from their unfortunate descent into new wave.

Avoid this release..........2003-07-12

Avoid this release. Purchase their seminal release "Entertainment!" instead. The last half of the disc focuses on their misguided 80's pap, complete with cheesy synth sound effects and female backing vocals. Pathetic.

One of the Best "Forgotten" Bands.......2003-07-07

The Gang of Four are one of those wonderful bands that somehow managed to fall betwen the cracks nad not be recognized during their original lifespan for their genius. Their influence is far reaching, and the quality of their own work is impeccable. "We Live As We Dream, Alone" is the band's most important work, combining thems of alienation with a condemnation of consumer culture, fascism and sex. These themes resonane throughout the album in different ways, be it the dissatisfaction of "What We All Want" or the desperate paranoia of "Damaged Goods." As far as compliations go, ABH is superb and offers most of the band's best in a smooth listen (unlike the other G4 compliation, which is a mess). A great introduction to the band.

...........2002-02-16

This is a terrible introduction to Gang of Four. The main reason being that Go4 only has two worthwhile albums, unless you're interested in hearing what they can do with drum machines & female background vocals. The first half is good, but save yourself the pain and get Entertainment!. If you like that(which if you're interested in the first place you will)then track down a copy of Solid Gold. People who would buy this in the first place aren't going to be interested in crappy "let's try to get a #1 hit" synth pop fodder like "Is It Love" & "I Love A Man In Uniform". BUY ENTERTAINMENT! DO NOT BUY THIS.

Humanity is relevant as is the music of G4.......2001-12-25

Simply put, Gang of Four hits the cords that make up our lives. In that, I mean that if we all look within ourselves there hide ironies and bits of gloom. And what this CD/album brings out is a sort of desperation that lies dormant in us and is all too bitter sweet. I don't know about you but I love it when my demons are released and memories that are not usually pleasant sit next to me as I listen to the lyrics. I love this stuff. It's great therapy.

A Brief History of Rhyme: MC Hawking's Greatest Hits

Average customer rating:

Hawkman Gangsta Rap
Actually really good music...
Funny and insightful
Brilliant but maybe too brilliant
1 lame joke does not make a listenable album

A Brief History of Rhyme: MC Hawking's Greatest Hits
MC Hawking
Manufacturer: Brash Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Nerdcore Rising
Dungeon Master of Ceremonies
The Laptop
The Graduate
Secrets From The Future

ASIN: B00069YE70
Release Date: 2004-12-07

Tracks:

The Hawkman Cometh
The Dozens
Big Bizang
Excerpt From A Radio Interview (Pt. 1)
Entropy
The Mighty Stephen Hawking
Crazy As F#@k
Bitchslap
Excerpt From A Radio Interview (Pt. 2)
F#@k The Creationists
E=mc Hawking
All My Shootings Be Drivebys
UFT For The MC
Excerpt From A Radio Interview (Pt. 3)
What We Need More Of Is Science
GTA3

Album Description

What if physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking had a secret life as a gangsta rapper? Confined to a wheelchair due to Lou Gehrig's Disease, Dr. Hawking lost the use of his vocal chords in an operation to assist his breathing in 1985. Since then he's used a speech synthesizer that speaks for him when he types in the computer what he wants to say. After seeing the Beastie Boys in 1988, be became obsessed with rap and immersed himself in the culture, favoring the harder-edged music by NWA and The Ghetto Boyz. From this, MC Hawking was born. Here are 16 dope, booty shaking, digitally mastered tracks from the undisputed king of theoretical gangsta-astrophysics, collected on one CD for the first time. "It's hard to decide whether the parody is downright brilliant or borderline offensive, but it certainly made us laugh"--Salon. "I'm flattered in an odd sort of way"--Dr. Stephen Hawking.

Customer Reviews:

Hawkman Gangsta Rap.......2007-04-12

This is totally gangsta rap style synthesized voice like Stephen Hawking's. You will not be disappointed with this if you liked mc chris. Completely amazing how he made the songs so smooth.

Actually really good music..........2006-10-05

The joke of having Hawking do gangsta rap wouldn't last an entire album except (a) the science is actually pretty good, and (b) the music is totally great.

I'd like to mention I also like Beastie Boys and N.W.A. and Run-DMC -- essentially, if you like rap, I suspect you'll like this album.

Funny and insightful.......2006-05-15

In one word - Unique. I've listened to this album many times over and it's actually on my iPod. I have no clue as to why someone would want to buy NWA over MC Hawkings, but you've heard it here first from a self proclaimed engineer. This has wit, style, and a funny background. I'll be a life long fan.

Brilliant but maybe too brilliant.......2006-01-19

I have to concur with most of the 5 star ratings for Mr. Hawking's pseudo-escape into gangsta rapping. Ken's lyrics are brilliant and hilarious, which makes me want to rewind my cassette, listen again and sing to myself in my car or in line at Microcenter.
The gimmick of the music, MC Hawking's electronic voice, is holding the music back for me. Keeps the music from leaving it's kitschy value and moving into respectable, listenable hip-hop. Fans will say that I've lost the point of the whole concept, Stephen Hawking uses a electronic voice box... But when it comes down to it, I'd rather here his genius through the vocal cords of an avatar capable of emotional inflection, not a mostly monotonous machine. Pi stars for the lyrics and the premise. If you like or can get past the voice box, you'll enjoy MC Hawking for a very long time.

1 lame joke does not make a listenable album.......2005-11-07

I normally don't review things for Amazon. Not interested in working for free... Amazing how they have tricked us into creating their marketing material for them for free...

Regradless, I had to say something when I saw all the 5 star reviews of this terrible record.

I'm a smart guy. Computer Networking Engineer, GPS Owning, Big Screen TV watching, ex Phone Phreaking, genuine geek. Most of my friends love MC Hawking. I don't.

The first time I heard an MC Hawking song, I chuckled. For about half the song. Then, I got tired of trying to make out what the AT&T Voice Synthesizer was trying to say (Rap?). I would probably enjoy a lecture by the man. The rap, however, isn't worth the effort.

Smart guys trying to be gangsta rappers is about as sad as it sounds. Smart Guys flocking behind some guy with a speech synthesizer spouting high mathemetical concepts is as sad as watching that same group rock out to an all-klingon punk band as a Star Trek convention. Please, try not to be the very definition of the stereotype!

The stuff isn't repetedly listenable, and new songs sound just like the old songs.

A buddy went to a couple of "concerts" this guy put on (no kidding, he actually toured with his speach synthesizer and midi-sequencer), and tried to convince me how cool it all was. I was appauled.

The fact that this guy made up an albumn of his songs is unbelieveable. Really, if you are curious, try out the demo cuts here. They really are as lame as they sound.

If making a speech synthesizer curse repeatedly is your kind of fun, go ahead and buy this. Otherwise, go do something more usefull with your $15.00. Buy an actual NWA record if you want. You'll respect yourself more in the morning.

Average customer rating:

A joy to listen to

A Brief History
The Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

History
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
When in Rome
Signs of Life
Broadcasting from Home

ASIN: B00005RTBF
Release Date: 2001-11-19

Tracks:

Beanfields
Telephone And Rubber Band
Music For A Found Harmonium
Perpetuum Mobile
From The Colonies
Giles Farnaby's Dream
Surface Tension
Air A Danser
Yodel 1
Numbers 1-4
Steady State
Paul's Dance
Prelude & Yodel
Heartwind
White Mischief
Dirt
Rosasolis
Organum
Lullaby

Customer Reviews:

A joy to listen to.......2004-05-20

'A Brief History' has 19 tracks from the 4-CD set 'History', so it's a 'best of the best of...' album. The first track, Bean Fields, is guaranteed to have you tapping your foot or even dancing around the room or car.

You could say the odd track or two is a bit repetitive - for example, Telephone and Rubber Band lasts almost three minutes - but there's always quiet music going on behind the scenes that you have to listen out for to appreciate the full tune. Any like this that you don't like are easily made up for by the others. Others are very tuneful, foot-stomping creations to delight the soul, body and mind. (I'm getting carried away now. Well, at least I should be.)

Tracks:

One More Work Song Blues
Silent
These Old Clothes
Temperate
Plastic Jesus
In a Cabin
Blues Shaker

Album Description

A Brief History is a collection of some of ROCKY VOTOLATO's very first attempts at songwriting, with the majority of these songs being written when he was between 16 and 18 years old. A Brief History really gives an interesting perspective on where his early writing style began as well as the path his career has taken. Competently recorded by Matt Bayles with the limited resources of only 3 days in the studio, these songs show a songwriter in his formative years. With only 1000 copies ever pressed by the now defunct label Your Best Guess out of New Jersey, this release has long been out-of-print and coveted by any fans lucky enough to have an original copy. With Second Nature's reissue of this impossible to find old release, fans will no longer have to resort to overpriced copies on e-bay to find this record.

Ambient, Vol. 1: A Brief History of Ambient

Average customer rating:

Nineteen hundred and ninety four
A great ambient primer
Well done!!
Look no further...
For the listeners who are interested early ambient...

Ambient, Vol. 1: A Brief History of Ambient
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Ambient | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

1970s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

1980s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

1990s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Ambient, Vol. 3: Music of Changes
Ambient, Vol. 2: Imaginary Landscapes
Sub Conscious
Compounds + Elements: An Introduction to All Saints Records
Chill Out

ASIN: B000000W4Z
Release Date: 1994-02-22

Tracks:

Flowered Knife Shadows - Harold Budd
Thru Metamorphic Rock (Edit) - Tangerine Dream
Evening Star - Brian Eno
Mountain Goat - Amorphous Androgynous
Sea Of Vapours - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
The Forge Of Vulcan - Hawkwind
Requiem (A Floating Leaf Always Reaches The Sea Dub Mix) - Killing Joke
An Ending (Ascent) - Brian Eno
Marnia's Tent - Richard Horowitz
Rapido De Noir - Irmin Schmidt/Bruno Spoerri
Kazoo - Ashra
Their Memories - Harold Budd/Brian Eno
Leave Your Body - The Grid
Electric Becomes Eclectic - Christopher Franke

Tracks:

Phaedra (Edit) - Tangerine Dream
Delta Rain Dream - Brian Eno
The Monkey King - William Orbit
Castle In The Clouds - Gong
Life Form - Hawkwind
The Dance #2 - Laraaji
Sacred Stones - Sheila Chandra
Earth Floor - Michael Brook
Lauft...Heisst Das Es Lauft Oder Es Kimmt Bald...Lauft - Faust
Gift Of Fire - Jon Hassell
The End Of Words - Material
Panorphelia - Edgar Froese
Voices - Roger Eno
Traum Mal Wieder - Holger Czukay
Home - David Sylvian

Customer Reviews:

Nineteen hundred and ninety four.......2004-01-12

This was the first in Virgin Records' four-volume 'Brief History of Ambient' series (its proper title is 'A Brief History of Ambient, Volume One: 152 Minutes, 33 Seconds'). It was released in 1994, a time when ambient music was entering the mainstream in Britain - the Orb, most notably, had got to number one in the album charts, and people were willing to spend money on releases by the Future Sound of London and the Aphex Twin. Eventually the term 'ambient' became devalued somewhat; a tag added to sub-standard remixes of left-field pop singles, usually dull affairs which added wishy-washy sound effects and some dub basslines.

However, this album went down well at the time and was a big influence on the burgeoning 'electronic listening music' (or 'IDM', depending on your taste). Just as James Brown's 1987 'In the Jungle Groove' compilation had renewed interest in his music, and in the 'funky drummer' loop, so this compilation opened people's eyes to a genre of music usually dismissed as an offshoot of prog. Over the decades spanned by this compilation, ambient music existed in something of a ghetto.

The compilation is restricted to releases from Virgin and its sub-labels, although this isn't really a handicap, especially as the CDs were assembled with loving care. Many of the acts represented here are not really 'ambient' - Hawkwind, most obviously - but the individual tracks are relentlessly fascinating, and fortunately not overlong. Furthermore the booklet gives sources, and I can imagine Virgin's back catalogue receiving something of a going-over at the time - Faust, for example, were completely forgotten before this compilation came out, whereas they are now recording music again.

Standouts include Brian Eno's excellent 'Ending (An Ascent)', recently dusted-off for the '28 Days Later' trailer; the two Tangerine Dream tracks, although similar, are obvious precursors to later dance music; Hawkwind is made to seem hip; whilst ex-children's TV actress Shiela Chandra shows off her pipes on a typically atmospheric drone. All told the Eno family and members of Tangerine Dream contribute between them eight tracks, from various points in their careers (in the case of the Enos, mostly the 1980s; there's nothing from 'Music for Airports' or 'Discrete Music', despite the latter having some short tracks). Amorphous Androgynous are of course the Future Sound of London under another name, and I believe this particular version of the track is unavailable elsewhere.

A few things let the side down. 'Kazoo' by Ash Ra sounds feeble, the track by The Grid, who were briefly popular at the time, is one of the aforementioned boring 'ambient remixes', Hawkwind don't really fit. But the compilation as a whole stands up today and is well worth seeking out. The overall mood is mysterious and optimistic, and its nice to listen to in the background whilst recovering in bed from illness.

The next two 'Brief History of Ambient' releases were much the same, trawling through Virgin's back catalogue; the fourth licensed tracks from other labels and was much darker and 'illbient'. All are decent, but you could do with just the first and last.

A great ambient primer.......2003-01-29

If you've heard of 'Ambient' music, but dont know much else about the genre, this double CD is a great place to start. Most of the album focuses on earlier (70s-80s) examples, but that part of this discs beauty -- it provides clear context for current trends in experimental 'chill' music. The other CDs in the series are weaker, but don't ignore this one, for it delivers what it promises.

Well done!!.......2002-11-10

superb collection of early ambient tracks! Quite possibly the best compilation ever to be released. The cover is a little cheesy but who gives a hoot. This is great!

Look no further..........2002-01-16

If you've ever been looking for ambient music, this is it. After working in a music store for a few years, I think this is what I'd been looking for. The perfect album to chill to... fall asleep to... read to... study to... or do nothing to. All of the songs are good, and more importantly, have substance. Whoever picked the tracklist was the guru. Don't ever buy an ambient album without listening to it first... and don't buy another one until you hear this in full. I haven't met a person that didn't like it.

For the listeners who are interested early ambient..........2001-08-19

This is a brilliant album for the listeners who are interested in early ambient music. If you are fascinated by Future Sound of London or Apphex twin's earlier works and want to go further buy this album. You'll figure out where their music is coming from. However, some of the casual listeners who are used to danceable techno tracks might get bored. This genre is more of a subtle, calm music.