Planet Rock -- The Album

1. Planet Rock

2. Looking for the Perfect Beat

3. Renegades of Funk

4. Frantic Situation

5. Who You Funkin' With?

6. Go Go Pop

7. They Made a Mistake

Planet Rock -- The Album,Afrika Bambaataa,Tommy Boy,Club/Dance,Dance Music,Electro,Electro-Techno,Hip-Hop,R&B,Rap

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Planet Rock -- The Album

Average customer rating: So much potential, but sadly it's unremarkable At Long, Long Last Disappointing.... (1.5 stars) You know what's ironic? Ahead of its time

Planet Waves Bob Dylan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: New Morning Desire Street Legal Self Portrait John Wesley Harding ASIN: B00026WUBE Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

1. On a Night Like This
2. Going, Going, Gone
3. Tough Mama
4. Hazel
5. Something There Is About You
6. Forever Young
7. Forever Young (Continued)
8. Dirge
9. You Angel You
10. Never Say Goodbye
11. Wedding Song

Customer Reviews:

So much potential, but sadly it's unremarkable.......2007-04-13

Yeah, it's a big shame that, despite their long history of collaboration, the only official studio album that Bob Dylan ever recorded with The Band is Planet Waves. Unfortunately, the best qualities of each entity didn't surface in this album. Just as unfortunately, though there's some worthwhile music on this album, and I love both The Band and Bob Dylan, I still can't rate it 4 or 5 stars--If Planet Waves deserves 5 stars, then how many stars do Dylan's true classics merit? No, compared to what Dylan and Bandmates were obviously capable of, Planet Waves is a 3 at best--worth checking out if you're a fan, but neither groundbreaking nor classic.

The most obvious predecessor of Planet Waves is New Morning--the songs are, for the most part, happy and focused on Dylan's family life and love for his wife and children, and the mood is loose and laid-back. However, New Morning had much more memorable songs. When it comes to Planet Waves, there are a few songwriting highlights--"Forever Young" is an obvious classic, though Dylan made the inadvisable choice of sequencing two different versions right next to each other (why???), "Something There is About You," is pretty good, and "Dirge" is an interesting, dark number that sounds atypical for Bob. Sadly, the rest is pleasant enough, but really not memorable--except for "You Angel You," in which Bob and The Band come out of their coma long enough to prove that they're not really zombie impostors. You can listen to the album a couple times, then look at the track listing and notice song titles that you don't even remember hearing.

Much as I love The Band, they don't really put on their finest show here either; the only member who really shines is Robbie Robertson, who lays down some pretty gnarly guitar lines on a few tracks. Where is Garth Hudson, who *made* The Band's first three albums pure magic, but here sits far back in the mix, only playing organ, rather than the excellent piano, sax, etc. that he was capable of? Likewise, Manuel's piano is pretty generic, Danko doesn't have strong songs to tie good basslines onto, Helm is stuck with boring mid- and slow-tempo songs, and, worst of all, Dylan only employs the amazing vocal harmony abilities of his backup band members on one or two songs. Add to that Dylan's harmonica, which sounds like it's playing in a different key from whatever song it's soloing in, and you're left with a mix that leaves little impression.

Planet Waves isn't a particularly BAD album, it's just not very memorable. When you know the breathtaking heights of which its musicians are capable of, such an album is a disappointment. Admittedly, there are a lot of people who find this album very enjoyable--more power to you if you do! I've tried to appreciate it and can't find an insertion point. If you're pretty new to Dylan's albums, this isn't a great place to start. If you're already a fan of Dylan's and The Band's music, check it out--you might be one of the people who enjoys its carefree, loose blend of folk rock. Probably the best way to appreciate it is not to expect anything too earth-shattering, and maybe you'll appreciate it as an album with some worthwhile small pleasures.

At Long, Long Last.......2007-01-16

This ol' rocker first heard Planet Waves in a Navy barracks out in Lamoore Naval Station, CA in the early 80s. I was particularly taken by two songs, the second version of Forever Young and the last track Wedding Song. Wedding Song goes back to the original Dylan-with-acoustic-guitar-and-harmonica era. I'll say one thing, neither version of Forever Young sounds like Rod Stewart's rendition, but then, what Dylan song ever sounds remotely like his when covered by anyone else anyway, know what I'm sayin'? I had to go through Helen Highwater to get this album, too. After I left Lamoore, I couldn't find it then forgot about it for a big bunch of years. When I started getting stuff from Amazon, I saw it listed in a Dylan list and ordered it. Well, I kept getting messages amounting to "we're trying to find it for you, please be patient." That turned into "there's a problem filling your order," wich I took for a bad sign. After a few months, Amazon had to admit defeat and cancel my order with sincere regrets, so I wrote it off with a sigh. A couple of years later, just for grins and giggles, I checked, and lo and behold, it was available, for real this time. I ordered it for Christmas, got it, wrapped it it up and put it under the tree. After we'd opened all the gifts and cleaned up the place, I put all the CDs I got together to file on the shelves later. Well, when I went to put them up, Planet Waves wasn't with the other CDs. It was simply gone, the one CD I craved the most. All that waiting and anticipation for nothing.... After searching throughout the house several times, I wound up reordering it and got it (again) rather quickly - whew! Needless to say, all that angst has caused me to enjoy it even more. To me, it was more than worth it and is my favorite Dylan CD. I highly recommend it as a transitional album between the "old" Dylan and his style of today. Every song comes from the heart, and considering the amount of music for which he's responsible, that's saying a lot.

Disappointing...........2007-01-15

The only song I really like here is On a Night Like This. This is a very sluggish Dylan album, which is strange, considering he hadn't made a legitimate studio album in almost 4 years (Dylan's last official album was in 1970 with New Morning). He did do a soundtrack (which is good), but it really wasn't an official "album". You'd think he have more energy after the long rest, but alas, no. It just seems like he's going through the motions here. Most of the songs here are average at best, with The Band and Dylan sounding like "let's get this over with". Dylan went on a tour (recorded for the far superior album Before the Flood) shortly after this album. Reportedly, he had some of these songs on the playlist, but as the tour wore on, he dropped them. Except for the song On a Night Like This, this is just very, very bland. It's now awful like Self Portrait or Knocked Out Loaded, just bland, boring, and disappointing.

(1.5 stars) You know what's ironic?.......2006-12-27

Bob Dylan's awesome. The Band, both as Dylan's backup group from the Blonde on Blonde sessions and as a group apart from Dylan, are pretty good too. So why is it that, when they come together, they make such near-unlistenable music?
In my mind, Dylan was drifting from '67 to '74 - after the excellent double-album Blonde on Blonde and the motorbike accident that followed, his music slipped in quality. His best offer was the mediocre Nashville Skyline, his worst the awful Self-Portrait. In other words, bad times for the guy, especially considering what he had made from '63 to '66. Anyway...
Now, Dylan's the best lyricist ever, but you wouldn't know it from this album: too often he suffers from the Attack of the Love Song Cliches (Never Say Goodbye; You Angel You, where he literally sings "If this is love/then gimmme more"; Tough Mama; On a Night Such as This; Wedding Song), all about as convincing as a Hallmark card. And the Band's backup is nauseatingly lush. There are a couple gems: the tender Hazel overcomes heavily cliched lyrics because of the emotion put behind it; the stately Forever Young is a classic, though the faster second part's a joke. Thankfully, this dry period would end right after this disaster, as Bob put out arguably his best album, Blood on the Tracks, a year afterward. But this is still a sign of the seven-year slump.

Ahead of its time.......2006-10-29

I love Planet Waves for its warmth, resolve in the face of uncertainty, and beautiful collaboration between Dylan and the members of The Band, who together create a kind of improvisational rock chamber music. The album's recording in November 1973 occurred precisely at a central turning point in Dylan's career--his reemergence as a touring artist after an interval of more than seven years. Dylan's decision to resume touring (with The Band) resonated with the source of his musicality, the "planet waves" underlying all of music, love, family, and history. Planet Waves is many things. It is the start of a narrative of departure into the unknown ("Going, Going, Gone") and a telegraphed message that "the prison walls are crumblin', there is no end in sight" ("Tough Mama"). It is a confession of self-hate for having loved a sinister enemy ("Dirge") and a ringing declaration that now "my hand's on the saber" ("Something There Is About You"). It is poems of winter and shared solitude ("On a Night Like This," "Never Say Goodbye") and of love anticipated and found ("Hazel," "You Angel You"). It is a blessing for Dylan's children ("Forever Young") and, above all, a letter of deepest love for his wife Sara ("Wedding Song"). In its entirety, Planet Waves is a summation of Dylan's life at the threshold of a new and better world.

In style and theme, Planet Waves and its successor, Blood on the Tracks, are near opposites. Planet Waves is photographic, with a focus on the present moment (the album's cover lists the exact recording dates). In contrast, the structure of Blood on the Tracks resembles a cubist painting. Blood on the Tracks makes time crystalline by reflecting against one another the past, present and future, the observer and the persons observed. Using this technique, Dylan tells anguished yet profoundly analytical tales of broken relationships. The lesson of Blood on the Tracks, as I understand it, is that love exists in a realm apart from, and not fully compatible with, the ordinary events of our daily lives.

Planet Waves and Blood on the Tracks each rank among Dylan's supreme achievements in their sweep, depth, and internal cohesiveness. Perhaps some day, as a culmination of his career, Dylan will harmonize the divergent visions of these two great works. Even if he does not accomplish this, I will always believe in the hope offered by Planet Waves.

Average customer rating: Worth it for "Dirge" Dylan Sings from the Soul, The Band Plays Their Hearts Out Sexual Energy Oozes from the Pores of this Record Bob Dylan Rocks with the Band Love Songs for America

Planet Waves Bob Dylan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Folk Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Folk Rock | Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Oldies | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: New Morning Self Portrait The Basement Tapes Oh Mercy Empire Burlesque ASIN: B0000025OP Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. On A Night Like This
2. Going, Going, Gone
3. Tough Mama
4. Hazel
5. Something There Is About You
6. Forever Young
7. Forever Young
8. Dirge
9. You Angel You
10. Never Say Goodbye
11. Wedding Song

Amazon.com

Dylan had been working with The Band occasionally for almost ten years by the time Planet Waves, the first official release with the group backing him, was released in 1974. It's a solid effort with a brace of great songs ("Forever Young," "Something There Is About You"), even if the playing never rises to the fire and energy of The Basement Tapes or some of the combination's legendary live bootlegs. As he wrote Planet Waves, Dylan was at the beginning of the emotional powerslide that would result in Blood on the Tracks, so the songs veer from the bitterness of "Dirge" to the sweet hope of "Wedding Song." --Michael Ruby

Customer Reviews:

Worth it for "Dirge".......2007-03-23

There are some fine songs here and many other reviewers have covered the most popular of them. However, very little has been said about what I consider the best song on the album and that's "Dirge" - With just a minimalist piano dirge for backing, Dylan sings this incredibly bitter song about the urge we all feel to love and the damage it does to us when it all goes wrong.

Is there anyone who cannot identify with that powerful opening line:
"I hate myself for lovin' you and the weakness that it showed" ?

Over the next few verses Dylan develops the theme of our love/hate relationship with love itself allowing the bitterness to spill over in lines like "I can't remember a useful thing you ever did for me" but then leaves himself open to love again in the last line.

Been there done that... thanks for expressing it Bob.

Then there is the added fun of trying to figure out who he is addressing. The images are of another performer... Is this Bob at the tail end of his marriage reflecting on where he stood with Joan Baez? Or is that reading the song too literally? The fact that it is open ended enough to allow people to interpret it their own way is another plus for the song. A mere "Dirge" it certainly isn't.

Dylan Sings from the Soul, The Band Plays Their Hearts Out.......2006-09-04

Bob Dylan has recorded with many bands over the years, but this record he recorded with THE BAND, a group who were intimately grooved into his music and it shows. They play their hearts out and Dylan sings from the soul. This is my absolute favorite Bob Dylan album. I have friends who think I'm a bit nuts, because I'm playing this CD all the time. "Forever Young," on the album twice, is an absolutely true song. All the songs on this record, in fact, ring true. Dylan's voice, always recognizable, has changed quite a lot from album to album, but here he is in top form. If you want a good intro into Bob Dylan, you couldn't find a better place to start.

Sexual Energy Oozes from the Pores of this Record.......2006-04-03

This is a great record for Bob Dylan and Band fans alike. To my way of thinking the Band does some of their best work here. As good as on their first album when they were raw and great. Bob Dylan's voice is in fine form on this album as well, whether he's spitting out the words in "Tough Songs" or singing them from his heart in "Wedding Song." I have this CD in my changer in the car and listen to it a lot. I've got it on my iPod too, my iBook as well. Garth Hudson is magical on the organ, Levon Helm is drumming to beat the band, Robbie rips with his guitar. Sexual energy oozes from the pores of this record.

Bob Dylan Rocks with the Band.......2006-04-03

Though Dylan and the Band had played together a lot before this record (the Basement tapes and the 1967 tour), this is the first recording of them together that was released and I must say the Band's playing on this record is vastly different than those times, different than the live "Before the Flood" as well. I get almost a loose, playful feeling from them here, driven by Garth's excellent keyboards and Robbie's stunning guitar work. Love songs, dirges, uplifting songs, tough songs and torch songs, this is a record for the ages. Yes, it was overshadowed by "Blood on the Tracks," but it's been years now and still "Planet Waves" stands the test of time. I really like this record.

Love Songs for America.......2006-04-03

There is kind of a honky tonk, funky type groove to this record that I really like. It's a stunning departure from "Nashville Skyline" and "New Morning." This is a rocker with a good time feel to it that I don't think is seen again by Bob Dylan till "Love and Theft" in about three decades. I love the accordion in "On a Night Like This," and also the way the Band punches up that tough love song, "Tough Mama." Robbie Robertson is certainly one of the best guitar players to ever come down the pike. Both versions of "Forever Young" are outstanding, but I like the longer version better. And I adore "Wedding Song," even knowing as I do that Dylan's happy marriage is about to be torn asunder. It's a beautiful song that caps a beautiful record.

Average customer rating:

Planet Rock: The Album Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Manufacturer: Dbk Works ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Message Kurtis Blow Message From Beat Street: Best Of Zulu Groove Beware (The Funk Is Everywhere) ASIN: B000AV626A Release Date: 2005-12-05

Tracks:

1. Planet Rock [Original Twelve Inch Version]
2. Looking for the Perfect Beat [Original Twelve Inch Version]
3. Renegades of Funk [Remix]
4. Frantic Situation [Frantic Mix]
5. Who You Funkin' With? - Afrika Bambaataa, Melle Mel, Soulsonic Force
6. Go Go Pop - Afrika Bambaataa, Soulsonic Force, Trouble Funk
7. They Made a Mistake - Afrika Bambaataa, , Pow Wow

Average customer rating: Some are throw-away songs but... Ahead of its time Dylan Sings from the Soul, The Band Plays Their Hearts Out Sexual Energy Oozes from the Pores of this Record Bob Dylan Rocks with the Band

Planet Waves Bob Dylan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Oh Mercy Desire Infidels Street Legal Nashville Skyline ASIN: B0000C8AW5 Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

1. On A Night Like This
2. Going Going Gone
3. Tough Mama
4. Hazel
5. Something There Is About You
6. Forever Young
7. Forever Young - Uptempo
8. Dirge
9. You Angel You
10. Never Say Goodbye
11. Wedding Song

Customer Reviews:

Some are throw-away songs but..........2007-01-10

Bob Dylan's throw-aways are as good as most songwriters ever write. I enjoy Planet Waves more than I did thirty years ago. Some classics, "Forever Young", "Hazel". The Band's playing is complex and interesting. The storm clouds gather for Blood On The Tracks.

Ahead of its time.......2006-10-28

I love Planet Waves for its warmth, resolve in the face of uncertainty, and beautiful collaboration between Dylan and the members of The Band, who together create a kind of improvisational rock chamber music. The album's recording in November 1973 occurred precisely at a central turning point in Dylan's career--his reemergence as a touring artist after an interval of more than seven years. Dylan's decision to resume touring (with The Band) resonated with the source of his musicality, the "planet waves" underlying all of music, love, family, and history. Planet Waves is many things. It is the start of a narrative of departure into the unknown ("Going, Going, Gone") and a telegraphed message that "the prison walls are crumblin', there is no end in sight" ("Tough Mama"). It is a confession of self-hate for having loved a sinister enemy ("Dirge") and a ringing declaration that now "my hand's on the saber" ("Something There Is About You"). It is poems of winter and shared solitude ("On a Night Like This," "Never Say Goodbye") and of love anticipated and found ("Hazel," "You Angel You"). It is a blessing for Dylan's children ("Forever Young") and, above all, a letter of deepest love for his wife Sara ("Wedding Song"). In its entirety, Planet Waves is a summation of Dylan's life at the threshold of a new and better world.

In style and theme, Planet Waves and its successor, Blood on the Tracks, are near opposites. Planet Waves is photographic, with a focus on the present moment (the album's cover lists the exact recording dates). In contrast, the structure of Blood on the Tracks resembles a cubist painting. Blood on the Tracks makes time crystalline by reflecting against one another the past, present and future, the observer and the persons observed. Using this technique, Dylan tells anguished yet profoundly analytical tales of broken relationships. The lesson of Blood on the Tracks, as I understand it, is that love exists in a realm apart from, and not fully compatible with, the ordinary events of our daily lives.

Planet Waves and Blood on the Tracks each rank among Dylan's supreme achievements in their sweep, depth, and internal cohesiveness. Perhaps some day, as a culmination of his career, Dylan will harmonize the divergent visions of these two great works. Even if he does not accomplish this, I will always believe in the hope offered by Planet Waves.

Dylan Sings from the Soul, The Band Plays Their Hearts Out.......2006-09-04

Bob Dylan has recorded with many bands over the years, but this record he recorded with THE BAND, a group who were intimately grooved into his music and it shows. They play their hearts out and Dylan sings from the soul. This is my absolute favorite Bob Dylan album. I have friends who think I'm a bit nuts, because I'm playing this CD all the time. "Forever Young," on the album twice, is an absolutely true song. All the songs on this record, in fact, ring true. Dylan's voice, always recognizable, has changed quite a lot from album to album, but here he is in top form. If you want a good intro into Bob Dylan, you couldn't find a better place to start.

Sexual Energy Oozes from the Pores of this Record.......2006-05-20

This is a great record for Bob Dylan and Band fans alike. To my way of thinking the Band does some of their best work here. As good as on their first album when they were raw and great. Bob Dylan's voice is in fine form on this album as well, whether he's spitting out the words in "Tough Songs" or singing them from his heart in "Wedding Song." I have this CD in my changer in the car and listen to it a lot. I've got it on my iPod too, my iBook as well. Garth Hudson is magical on the organ, Levon Helm is drumming to beat the band, Robbie rips with his guitar. Sexual energy oozes from the pores of this record.

Bob Dylan Rocks with the Band.......2006-05-20

Though Dylan and the Band had played together a lot before this record (the Basement tapes and the 1967 tour), this is the first recording of them together that was released and I must say the Band's playing on this record is vastly different than those times, different than the live "Before the Flood" as well. I get almost a lose, playful feeling from them here, driven by Garth's excellent keyboards and Robbie's stunning guitar work. Love songs, dirges, uplifting songs, tough songs and torch songs, this is a record for the ages. Yes, it was overshadowed by "Blood on the Tracks," but it's been years now and still "Planet Waves" stands the test of time. I really like this record.

Average customer rating: Aggressive and f*cked up, yet strangly catchy ONLY for the technically advanced! 7.6/10 rounds up to 4/5 7.6 out of 10 - mr. snares goes for a walk, and gets lost

Chocolate Wheelchair Album Venetian Snares Manufacturer: Planet Mu ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Drum & Bass | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Hardcore Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music IDM | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Winter in the Belly of a Snake Hospitality Winnipeg is a Frozen Shithole Cavalcade of Glee and Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom Poms Horse and Goat ASIN: B0000D96YN Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

1. Abomination Street
2. Too Young
3. Langside
4. Einstein-Rosen Bridge
5. Hand Throw
6. Epidermis
7. Ghetto Body Buddy
8. Sky Painted on Car
9. Marty's Tardis
10. Herbie Goes Ballistic

Customer Reviews:

Aggressive and f*cked up, yet strangly catchy.......2005-01-03

Aaron Funk, the man behind the one-man 'band' Venetian Snares, describes his music as 'f*cked up'. I'd be willing to agree with that. Venetian Snares is hardly the sort of music to put on over a romantic dinner. Its the sort of music I'd probably request to have played at my funeral if I knew I was going to die in a month just to have a last minute laugh imagining the look on parent's faces. And you'd probably need to have that sort sick sense of humour to like Venetian Snares in the first place, so I figure that it all evens out.

However, despite the f*cked-up-ness of it all, Chocolate Wheelchair Album has a bizarre parallel to it. Now bear in mind that I'm yet to hear half of Venetian Snares' back catalogue, but of what I have heard Chocolate Wheelchair album is both one of the most aggressive yet also one of the most accessible in a strange, angry kind of way. Make no mistake, nothing I've heard from him is on the same level of heaviness as Hand Thrown and only a few tracks here are subdued. The album is still incredibly energetic, to put it lightly. But its also catchy in weird way - a way not present on his other work.

There's an extensive use of catchy vocal samples - Aboniation Street has an almost punky female voice over the top, Einstein-Rosen Bridge has samples that sound like a Eurovision song gone VERY wrong and Hand Thrown features stereo-typical drum n bass MC-ing over it (before it turns into a cross between speedcore and a car being repeatedly crushed and scratched). These seem to work as memorable hooks for the music, something not widely used on a lot of his other work.

Another noticable feature is bass lines. Its a much more subtle difference, but considering how random a lot of his music is, having a humable, memorable bass line like those featured in some (note the word 'some') parts of this album makes a huge difference to how instantly likable, memorable or accessible the music is.

Is Chocolate Wheelchair Album my favourite Venetian Snares album I've heard? No. Will it satisfy fans of Doll Doll Doll or Winter In The Belly Of A Snake? Maybe not. Is it a great Venetian Snares album? Oh yes.

ONLY for the technically advanced!.......2004-06-10

Yet another aggressive one from Aaron..

Insanely off the wall and disconnected from your everyday break beat time frames, get it.

7.6/10 rounds up to 4/5.......2004-01-21

This just in: People dance to 3/4 time music without even knowing.

In a related story, Arron Funk attacks dancefloors; dancefloors surrender.

In an attempt to distance himself from his work on hymen, and not get pideon-holed as "teh scarey technos guy," the latest release by infamous one man act, Venetian Snares, took off into the land of the dance-party. That's right kids, you don't have to listen to this album in the dark; now you can use a strobe! People will still look at you funny if they hear you playing it, but they will no longer clutch their children and hurry off looking back over their shoulder. This is a new Venetian Snares, and he's not really here to stay! He's just here to confuse your dog!

Your friends will say, "Wow, I feel like I should be in some European club getting hit on by a guy in leather pants named Franz!" Except they probably won't say it that excitedly! All in all this album is interesting and fun to listen to, but it lacks the cohesiveness that made his earlier works so special! Still it grows on you. My only complaint is that he makes little use of his virtuosity in the art of sonic texturing. :,(

Still though:
It has a Coronation Street remix.
It has a glitched out 80's pop tune.
It's still in the top 99% of all music made in the year of 2003.
How could you not love it.

[edit]oh, and the ultra-accessable feau-euro-dance track, einstein-rosen bridge, comes in at under 2 minutes. not exactly the best thing to base your purchase around.

7.6 out of 10 - mr. snares goes for a walk, and gets lost.......2003-11-19

Anyone who's interested in Aaron Funk's music is aware of his complete disregard for conventional musical structure. Fans are also probably aware of how attractive that disregard can sound- i know i am. My first time listening to "doll doll doll" all the way through, i felt like my life had changed. It was dark, and raining, and i was on my way home from somewhere in the dark and rain with the volume on my stereo cranked all the way up. It was amazing; relentlessly attacking snare sounds placed at jazzily flawed time signatures, and distorted voices from under the bed from god knows what horror film. It was scary, and i wanted ta shake my booty to the fear. Who else can do that?

On his first and second albums "print/f" and "songs about my cats", Funk showed obscurity through fractured drum & bass songs with odd time signatures, and there was an individual theme for both. These themes were vague, and ended up being more like undertones (did you really imagine different kinds of cats when you listened to "songs about my cats"? Probably not). However vaguely the songs represent their theme though is irrelevant; when listening to either album, your brain can fill in the blanks, and you'll get something that could possibly be the sound of cats, or evil (or in the case of this year's dissapointing "nymphomatriarch", sex).

With Chocolate Wheelchair, it seems Mr. Snares has abandoned all theme structure, and created an album full of songs that are all experimental in their own right. The opening track "Abomination Street" begins with some jazzy meddling; horns swell and flush while the snare drums segment them on a cutting board. Eventually a punk-esque female vocal comes in, which acts as a hook for the song. Venetian snares songs don't generally have hooks, so this is a relatively new thing for listeners to hear from him. And when they do hear it, they'll love it.

"Einstein Rosen-Bridge", the album's strongest track, takes a funk guitar segment, a cow bell, and a sample from something old and science fiction ("its about time, its about space, about strange people in the strangest place!"), and blends thems into one of the catchiest songs of the year. And its a Venetian Snares song! Epidermis continues in a slightly similar fashion, with emphesis on its chorus / hook vocal, and lightning fast drums of all shapes & sizes.

good stuff. But herein lies the problem- what about the more experimental stuff? What about the songs without hooks? This is what makes the album inconsistent. Its not that any of the 10 tracks on this album are "bad", per se- its just that a select few tracks stand out, and the others...don't. I found myself popping this cd in my discman and skipping stright to "einstein rosen-bridge", over and over. Is it the album's lack of flow, or is it my impatience? Either way, Mr. Snares sets the listener up for accessible songs done in a violent and drum-driven fashion, but falls slightly short of that expectation with the more obscure stuff. This is a good album, and i'm sure snares fans will find alot to like in it. But for those looking to dj some snares songs at their next party, a word of advice: go with the einstein rosen-bridge 12".

Average customer rating: On The Road To Amageddon

Oops! Wrong Planet Utopia Manufacturer: Jvc Victor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Initiation Deface the Music Another Live RA ASIN: B000FIHCM6 Release Date: 2006-06-17

Tracks:

1. Trapped
2. Windows
3. Love In Action
4. Crazy Lady Blue
5. Back On The Street
6. Marriage Of Heaven & Hell
7. Martyr
8. Abandon City
9. Gangrene
10. My Angel
11. Rape Of The Young
12. Love Is The Answer
13. Love Is The Answer (Bonus Track) (Previously Unreleased Studio Recording)

Album Details

Special 20bit K2 Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

Customer Reviews:

On The Road To Amageddon.......2007-03-28

This is a classic Utopia album with most of the songs becoming classics in their set lists: Trapped, Love In Action, Abbondon City, Crazy Lady Blue, Love Is The Answer, ect. A concept album involving urban decay and social unrest. Once again, the Rhino version is out of print but it is availible as a Japan import on JVC with a bonus live version of Love Is The Answer which isn't availible on the other versions.

Average customer rating: Reissue Of Little-Known Early Albums Does Ted Nugent Justice Ted at his little known best 2 Out of Print Ted Nugent albums on 2 CD set awesome price!

Decades of Destruction Ted Nugent Manufacturer: Bizarre Planet ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Arena Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Nugent Free-for-All Weekend Warriors Ted Nugent Craveman ASIN: B0002VEREW Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

1. Lady Luck
2. Living in the Woods
3. Hibernation
4. Free Flight
5. Maybelline
6. Great White Buffalo
7. Sasha
8. No Holds Barred

Tracks:

1. Call of the Wild
2. Sweet Revenge
3. Pony Express
4. Ain't It the Truth
5. Renegade
6. Rot Gut
7. Below the Belt
8. Cannon Balls

Product Description

Disc 1:
1. Lady Luck
2. Living In The Woods
3. Hibernation
4. Free Flight
5. Maybelline
6. The Great White Buffalo
7. Sasha
8. No Holds Barred

Disc 2:
1. Call Of The Wile
2. Sweet Revenge
3. Pony Express
4. Ain't It The Truth
5. Renegade
6. Rot Gut
7. Below The Belt
8. Cannon Balls

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Reissue Of Little-Known Early Albums Does Ted Nugent Justice.......2006-11-26

DECADES OF DESTRUCTION is a reissue of two albums that Ted Nugent did just before his self-titled 1975 album broke him big. The Amboy Dukes are still credited here, and his best-known band wasn't on board yet, but most of the songs here are almost as good as what came right after, with "Great White Buffalo" being the equal of Nugent's work from 1975-1978. Nugent's advocacies of sanctions against Indonesia in retaliation for that country's trumped-up 2005 drug-smuggling conviction of a young Australian tourist, capital punishment for kidnappers, increased funding for law enforcement, and major federal crackdowns on polygamy, privately-run "boot camps" for troubled youth, and schools and programs (e.g. Mace-Kingsley Ranch School) afilliated with Scientology make DECADES OF DESTRUCTION an essential purchase for both your ears AND your conscience.

Ted at his little known best.......2006-03-16

This album is a compilation of two little known albums from the pre-Derek St. Holmes, Cliff Davies version of the band that would take Ted from a little known midwest opening act to the top of th rock and roll world. This band does feature one of the truly great bass players of all time, Rob De La Grange, who would also be a part of Ted's hey day! (If you don't believe me, you haven't heard the studio versions of songs like Great White Buffalo and Hibernation.) The songs here are a much "rawer" Ted Nugent than his mainstream fans have come to know as they focus on not only his rock roots but also his life in the woods. Ted does all the vocal work on this album and it's pure Ted or at least the character Ted created for his audience. The polish of Cliff Davies production was not yet a part of these recordings and so there is a truly different feel. Nonetheless, some of Ted's best guitar work is present here and no true fan can call himself a true fan without wearing out these albums because they are all Ted... Fear not the crusted warbler but be wary of the mad cheese grater for he shall slaw the features from your face!!! By the way, you will find a side to Ted that you probably didn't know existed... Sasha is something that in retrospect no one could ever expect on a Ted Nugent album... Enjoy...

2 Out of Print Ted Nugent albums on 2 CD set awesome price!.......2004-09-22

GET THIS BEFORE IT'S GONE PEOPLE!!! Ted Nugent's 1974 album releases Tooth Fang and Claw and Call of the Wild, which are long out of print, and re-released on this 2 CD collection.
Quit paying for expensive imports and high priced OOP copies, get both albums on 2 seperate CD's really cheap through Amazon.com. The sound quality is awesome and if you don't have these Ted Nugent albums, they are his best albums along with his 1975 self titled release.

Average customer rating:

Put on Your Green Shoes - An All Star Album Dedicated to Healing the Planet Cindy Lauper and Eric Bazilian Rob Hyman , Richie Havens with Rockapella , Indigo Girls , Willie Nelson , Tom Paxton , Rory , Kevin Roth with Amanda McBroom , LeVar Burton - Linda Gray - Martin Sheen - Bruce Jenner , John Townsend & The Safe Squad , and Dr. John Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CF5OOA

Product Description

Put on Your Green Shoes - An All Star Album Dedicated To healing The Planet // 1. Put On Your Green Shoes - 3 Cats 'N Jammers Featuring Cindy Lauper and Eric Bazilian Rob Hyman 2. The Light Of The Sun - Richie Havens with Rockapella 3. Wild, Wild Party In The Loquat Tree - Indigo Girls 4. What A Wonderful World - Willie Nelson 5. Singing River - Tom Paxton 6. Plant More Than You Harvest - Rory 7. Where The World Is Wetter - Kevin Roth with Amanda McBroom 8. Green Shoes Talk - LeVar Burton/Linda Gray/Martin Sheen/Bruce Jenner 9. Don't Give My Green Shoes The Blues - John Townsend & The Safe Squad 10. Take Care Of Yourself - Dr. John 11. If You Believe - Kenny Loggins 12. The Flower That Shattered The Stone - Olivia Newton-John 13. Someone's Gonna Use It - Tom Chapin 14. Green Shoes Walk - Next Issue with Rappers Steffon & Blind Kolor

Average customer rating: On The Road To Amageddon For Fans and Pop Fanatics 40 % brilliant , 60 % rubbish Utopia's single greatest master work Utopia's first crack at the mainstream

Oops! Wrong Planet Utopia Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Swing to the Right Utopia Adventures in Utopia RA Another Live ASIN: B0000032P9 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Trapped
2. Windows
3. Love In Action
4. Crazy Lady Blue
5. Back On The Street
6. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
7. The Martyr
8. Abandon City
9. Gangrene
10. My Angel
11. Rape Of The Young
12. Love Is The Answer

Album Description

Digitally remastered reissue of original album by Todd Rundgren's art/ prog/ power pop group. Contains all 12 tracks from when the album was first released in 1977, including 'Love Is The Answer'. Also features the original cover art & new interviews in the sleeve notes. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

On The Road To Amageddon.......2007-03-28

This is a classic Utopia album with most of the songs becoming classics in their set lists: Trapped, Love In Action, Abbondon City, Crazy Lady Blue, Love Is The Answer, ect. A concept album involving urban decay and social unrest. Once again, the Rhino version is out of print but it is availible as a Japan import on JVC with a bonus live version of Love Is The Answer which isn't availible on the other versions.

For Fans and Pop Fanatics.......2005-07-06

Though it followed close on the heels of Ra, Oops! Wrong Planet is a marked departure from their previous work, eschewing longer epics for short, sometimes noisy songs with layered harmonies and a certain amount of Beatlesque charm. With Todd Rundgren involved in writing most of the material, the result often feels like a Rundgren solo album from the same period (e.g., Hermit of Mink Hollow). Far from the spacey subject matter of their earlier work, Oops! is concerned primarily with social criticism: "Rape of the Young," "Gangrene," "Back on the Street." Nothing on here is as heavy-handed as "Hiroshima," but you'd have to look forward to Swing To The Right to find another Utopia album so cynical. As one would expect, any dozen songs from Todd (even when he cowrites them with the rest of the band) are bound to include some winners: the soulful ballad "Love Is The Answer," the caged fury of "Trapped" and the energized "Love In Action" are all top-shelf Todd. True to the Utopian model, each member takes their turn at the microphone with better-than-expected results. Highlights from this side of the band include the pretty "Crazy Lady Blue" from Willie Wilcox (again suggesting shades of ELO), "The Martyr" featuring Kasim "Kaz" Sulton, and a funky turn from Roger Powell on "Abandon City." Because little light shines into this album, some who prefer Rundgren in the role of spiritual optimist might want to opt out of Oops!, though the album is careful to close both sides on an upbeat note. It's worth noting that this album marked a crossover from prog rock to edgier pop music, thus starting the second phase of Utopia's career (Ra was something of a transition between the two).

Fans of Todd/Utopia would do well to add this to their collection at some point, since there are a handful of moments (like the neat ending on "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell") that represent pop music at its most sublime.

40 % brilliant , 60 % rubbish.......2003-02-20

Todd has a two or three excellent songs on this release .
Love is the Answer is quite superb .
The majority of the material is very weak though .
The good songs are available on other compilations . Pass this one .

Utopia's single greatest master work.......2002-05-21

This is Utopia`s single greatest master work, and IMHO, one of the best albums of all time.

The album begins with the powerful, extremely catchy "Trapped", which leaves no doubt that the band has expanded its horizons from their previous, very ethereal RA album. "Trapped" is perhaps the best track on the album -- which is high praise, because this album is packed full of outstanding songs. The band does not totally remove itself from the RA sound, though, as Roger Powell`s wonderful "Windows" makes use of the soft vocal harmonies that were a big part of RA. Roger is not known for an outstanding vocal range, and "Windows" is absolutely perfectly suited for his deep, somewhat limited vocal range -- it comes off brilliantly.

The album contains two songs which became staples of their live shows -- the rocking, largely overrrated, (but still very good) "Love In Action", and the soft classic, "Love Is The Answer". Other highlights include the pounding "Back On The Street", "My Angel", in which Kasim and Todd pull off some outstanding vocal performances (and which also includes a brief sax solo by Todd!), Willie`s raunchy "Gangrene", and Todd`s furiously paced "Rape Of The Young". Willie pulls off an uncharacteristicly smooth vocal performance in the very lovely "Crazy Lady Blue" -- I wish we had gotten to hear that vocal style a little more.

If the album has a weak point (a BIG if), it would be the mildly lackluster "The Martyr". But one is forgiving of a single less than spectacular song on an album that has so many strengths. This album is a must have, not only for Utopia and Todd Rundgren fans, but also for anyone wholikes great music. It`s one of my all time favorites.

Utopia's first crack at the mainstream.......2000-09-23

'Oops' is really the first time Utopia went rigorously after top ten and it really worked for me, although it never really went anywhere when released. Funny thing is that the 'big hit' "Love is the Answer" was made more popular by England Dan. That's strange because Todd's version is so much better.

My friends gave me a lot of grief for liking this record (Oops, Wrong Record, ha ha), but I didn't care. They could not adapt to Utopia being anything other than prog/art rock. Not that I don't like that genre, ("Todd Rundgren's Utopia" still stands as my favorite Utopia disc) it's just that I also enjoy "pop" Todd very much.

The rebellious & rocking "Trapped" has all the angst and passion that one song can contain. Equally forceful is "Love in Action," which is biting and rocking pop candy at its best. Both these greats are sung by Todd.

Surprisingly good are some of the "non-Todd" vocal tracks, particularly "Abandon City," a jazzy romp sung quite effectively by Roger Powell.

Of course the gem of the disc is "Love is the Answer," which stands as one of Todd's all-time best compositions, rivaling greats of the "Faithful" and "Hermit" era.

There are a couple throw-aways like "Gangrene," and "Crazy Lady Blue" (a great song if only Todd was singing it instead of the drummer) but all in all I found it a memorable and enjoyable disc.

Average customer rating: Utopia's single greatest master work Utopian delight...

Oops! Wrong Planet Utopia Manufacturer: Mobile Fidelity ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Adventures in Utopia Utopia Swing to the Right War Signals ASIN: B000000IU7 Release Date: 1995-07-11

Tracks:

1. Trapped
2. Windows
3. Love In Action
4. Crazy Lady Blue
5. Back On The Street
6. The Marriage Of Heaven And Hell
7. The Martyr
8. Abandon City
9. Gangrene
10. My Angel
11. Rape Of The Young
12. Love Is The Answer

Customer Reviews:

Utopia's single greatest master work.......2002-05-07

This is Utopia`s single greatest master work, and IMHO, one of the best albums of all time.

The album begins with the powerful, extremely catchy "Trapped", which leaves no doubt that the band has expanded its horizons from their previous, very ethereal RA album. "Trapped" is perhaps the best track on the album -- which is high praise, because this album is packed full of outstanding songs. The band does not totally remove itself from the RA sound, though, as Roger Powell`s wonderful "Windows" makes use of the soft vocal harmonies that were a big part of RA. Roger is not known for an outstanding vocal range, and "Windows" is absolutely perfectly suited for his deep, somewhat limited vocal range -- it comes off brilliantly.

The album contains two songs which became staples of their live shows -- the rocking, largely overrrated, (but still very good) "Love In Action", and the soft classic, "Love Is The Answer". Other highlights include the pounding "Back On The Street", "My Angel", in which Kasim and Todd pull off some outstanding vocal performances (and which also includes a brief sax solo by Todd!), Willie`s raunchy "Gangrene", and Todd`s furiously paced "Rape Of The Young". Willie pulls off an uncharacteristicly smooth vocal performance in the very lovely "Crazy Lady Blue" -- I wish we had gotten to hear that vocal style a little more.

If the album has a weak point (a BIG if), it would be the mildly lackluster "The Martyr". But one is forgiving of a single less than spectacular song on an album that has so many strengths. This album is a must have, not only for Utopia and Todd Rundgren fans, but also for anyone wholikes great music. It`s one of my all time favorites.

Utopian delight..........2000-03-22

Cut for cut, this album stands out as the best Utopia effort. If you are already a Todd Rundgren fan, I don't need to preach to the converted-but those new to Todd's extensive catalogue can't go wrong with this one. Truly a group effort,all of Utopia's strengths are spotlighted here, from Roger Powell's ethereal "Windows", to Todd's anthemic rocker "Love In Action". You'll also find the original version of the inspirational humanist ballad "Love Is The Answer" (a minor late 70's radio hit for England Dan + John Ford Coley, of all people!) Note to hard-core Rundgren completists: The company that manufactured the gold disc edition is going out of business as of this writing, so if you can snag a copy now, it will be a worthy investment! (No, I don't work for them!)

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