Explosions

1. Peasant Boy

2. Explosions

3. On

4. Wolfman

Explosions,Bob James Trio,Get Back Italy,Avant-Garde,Electronic,Jazz,Pop

Tracks:

First Breath After Coma
Only Moment We Were Alone
Six Days At The Bottom Of The Ocean
Memorial
Your Hand In Mine

Customer Reviews:

Deffinately NOT cold and dead.......2007-07-07

I don't normaly do reviews, nor do I normaly recomend music to my friends and family. But I did with this CD.
Perhaps one of the best CD's I've ever bought. I recomended it for all of my friends and family that enjoy instumental music.

Buy this CD and enjoy.

easily their best album.......2007-06-16

I totally love this album. Tracks such as "Your hand in mine" are really wonderful. In their previous album they sounded like GYBE wannabes but here they have their own voice. This is the kind of music you would want to listen to while driving through a lonely Texas highway late in the night.

Excellent ambient music for reading/coding........2007-05-14

EITS did a great job with this album. The music works well in the car or at home while working.

melodophonic.......2007-05-14

good. this is the first explosions in the sky cd i own. i suppose a measure of how much i like them is the fact i will probably buy another. yet nothing about them really grabbed me. fairly a-typical. more melodic than i prefer, a distinct lack of the chaos factor thats so appealing about godspeed you black emperor or early mogwai. but still the peaks of the songs, especially the second track, are pleasing. those of you who found the length of some of mogwai's songs tedious explosions in the sky are less so. i found this meant alot of what did happen seem too condensed but others will be refreshed. the artwork is pretty cool aswell. overall: good. and tag suggestions are stupid

Woah.......2007-02-26

There are plenty of words that come to mind when listening to this CD. Awash, beauty, melancholy, transcendence... the list rolls on. Unfortunately, these aren't exactly words that can be put together to form sentences, just as the songs of Explosions in the Sky can't easily be translated into a review. This album, as a blurb on the cover says, will destroy anyone who has a soul. Anyone who has been in love, has a heart, or has awoken in the morning feeling like things just might end up okay. The melancholy that the album brings also carries with it an intense feeling of hope, especially in the first song, First Breath After Coma. As it crescendos, one can't help but just feel that things will be alright, and there's something to this life, if we can just get it right. And that's what this album seems to be about; destroying anyone with a soul, and leaving them okay.

Average customer rating:

All of a sudden I miss you
EITS don't disappoint
Holy Moly!
not one of my favorites
All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Explosions in the Sky
Manufacturer: Temporary Residence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MCH54K
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Tracks:

The Birth And Death Of The Day
Welcome, Ghosts
It's Natural To Be Afraid
What Do You Go Home To?
Catastrophe And The Cure
So Long, Lonesome

Amazon.com

Sometimes Explosions in the Sky start with a whisper and end with a scream, but on "Birth and Death of the Day", they begin with a scream and proceed into a symphonic odyssey that Aaron Copland might have composed if he'd played electric guitar. Like Copland, EITS are cinematic, but with more kinetic drive than any film--except maybe Koyaanisqatsi--could match. Compositions like "It's Natural to Be Afraid" take you on epic journeys that roar like a Harley Davidson one minute and slip into taut contemplation the next, using the slow-tension build that EITS have perfected. All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone was produced by John Congleton, who has worked with lo-fi groups like the Roots and the Mountain Goats. That might explain why the album lacks the atmosphere of EITS's monumental The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place and their Friday Night Lights soundtrack. Instead, they rely even more on the arc of their compositions and the integral twin lead guitar lines that never solo but always drive the songs. They can shift from power-chord aggression to the sound of plucked mandolins in an instant. This is progressive rock for people who weren't even born when prog reigned supreme. It's the sound of King Crimson, transmuted through punk and grunge aesthetics. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

All of a sudden I miss you.......2007-07-09

Explosions in the Sky specializes in sweeping, atmospheric prog/postrock/whatever. Call it constellation pop.

And in "All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone," it sounds like they're creating the soundtrack to some epic, arty movie, kicking off with a bang and heading into more contemplative territory later on. Robust instrumentation and complex, swirling melodies keep it from ever getting dull or stagnant, despite no lyrics or vocals.

It opens with a bang -- the blaze of rumbly guitar like a car revving. But then it explodes into a ringing expanse of exquisite, soaring instrumentation that sounds like a post-rock orchestra... and quiets down into a gentle, rippling melody in the middle... only to blaze back into a determined, ringing melody, and sink back into a gentle rattling ballad.

It's an epic song, with more mood changes and more "highs" than most albums ever achieve in their entirety. And it segues seamlessly into the moody "Welcome Ghosts," with its blasts of percussion over a gentle melody, and into a string of other songs -- pretty acoustic balladry with explosive climaxes, gentle melodies that trickle like water.

It ends with both kinds of music: the tightly wound, upward-spiralling "Catastrophe and the Cure." And the finale is as intimate as the opener was epic, with a tinkly piano and dreamlike riffs smoothly lulling listeners right to the end.

Like any good post-rock album, "All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone" is just like an exploration sketched out through music -- it has rises and falls, exciting moments, lulling peaceful stretches. If they ever made silent movies again, this would be a brilliant soundtrack for some epic, exquisitely-shot movie.

And it's performed with a robust quality that much post-rock doesn't have, not to mention their variety. Despite the lack of pop rhythms, they stick to melodies that hang around in your mind, and vary between ethereality and expansiveness, gentleness and bombastity.

It's especially impressive, because they use only typical rock'n'roll instrumentation. They have some truly brilliant guitar work, with dreamlike stretches or ringing riffs, and explosive, grimy eruptions off bass. There's some solid, smashing percussion, and a few songs have trickles of gentle piano and keyboard under them.

"All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone" is another solid collection of spacey, epic post-rock, and Explosions in the Sky are only getting better. Definitely a good listen.

EITS don't disappoint.......2007-07-04

Instrumental post-rock has often been accused of being too lightweight and unobtrusive to function as anything but aural wallpaper, and a great deal of what the genre has produced has done little to rebut such an assertion. Explosions in the Sky, however, have (to this point in their career at least) managed to largely avoid such pitfalls, as their three-guitar assault produces lengthy, towering soundscapes that can be relaxing one moment and launch into full-bore sensory overload the next. It may frequently be all pretty and dreamy, but this stuff can still assault your eardrums, frequently building up a mellow atmosphere before rending it in the most dramatic manner possible with a daunting rush of noisy distortion and piercing leads. And while their most recent effort, this year's All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, doesn't mark much of a stylistic departure, at its best (which constitutes much of the album) it does see EITS honing their blend of power and grace to a razor-sharp edge.

This album doesn't take too long to hit its stride, with the opening The Birth and Death of the Day serving as a convincing statement of the band's mission. It starts with a relatively placid period of shoegazerish fuzz and fragile microtonalities, expertly building tension before giving way to a midtemp gallop of explosive riffs that hit the mark with devastating effect. The even-better following track, Welcome, Ghosts, is one of the most stirring and exhilirating compositions in the band's already impressive catalogue, with intricate layers of interwoven guitar lines underlain by a pummeling, martial drum performance from Chris Hransky. Taken together, these first two pieces are easily among the best one-two punches I've heard open an album recently, encapsulating all the incendiary songwriting and fearsomely virtuosic musicianship this band can muster.

From there, though, things do get a bit dicey, at least by EITS's lofty standards. It's Natural to Be Afraid, at over thirteen minutes, is the obligatory epic, and anyone who would expect a song that long to have some gratuitous moments would be correct, at least in this case. Granted, the stretches in the song's later going where all three guitarists lock in for a shimmering, Sonic-Youth-on-Steroids style freakout is worth the wait, but I could've done with a little more muscle-flexing and a little less buildup. Similarly, the piano-accented What Do You Go Home To? is a nice enough tune, but lacking in the dynamic range that makes to many EITS songs so memorable. It's stuck in a sort of in-between zone--too long for an interlude, but without enough meat to function as an independent piece.

Fortunately, Catastrophe and the Cure provides a welcome return to form, shifting in scintillating fashion from hard-driving and intense to, er, even more-hard driving and intense, occasionally hovering in minimalist stasis for a brief interlude before leaping back into the fray, with Hransky once again pushing the song further into the stratosphere with his enthusiastic demolition of his drumkit (just check out that ending). Not so fortunately, So Long, Lonesome, is another temperate, piano-driven mood piece that does provide a decent comedown to the sonic maelstrom that preceded it, but the end result is an album that fades away rather than burning out.

That said, while I would have liked a more exciting ending, it's hard to complain when so much quality material preceded it. Overall, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone is yet another excellent album from a band that anyone who gets high on music should check out posthaste if they haven't already. Let's just hope to see a little more progression the next time out.

Holy Moly!.......2007-06-26

Epic music that whether you're paying attention to it or not, you can still appreciate it. Warning though, sit down, lie down, stare at the ceiling or close your eyes and you will be blown away by the beautiful melodies of explosions in the sky. This is the type of cd that can make one appreciate the simple beauties in life. truly inspiring. Forget the post rock title that has been given to them by those who feel the need to label everything and everyone. Great music. Thanks.

Recommendations:

Mono (Japan)
Mogwai
Ovum (japan)
Sonograph
Godspeed you black emperor

not one of my favorites.......2007-06-16

Explosions in the sky are still better than 95% of the music that's out there but I was rather disappointed by this album after falling in love with their last one.
Unfortunately, none of the tunes were very memorable. I found the second cd (with remixes of the songs by artists like jesu and four tet among others) more engaging.
They're still a band with vast potential and I'm still waiting for their next release but I just wasn't pleased with this one.

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone.......2007-06-07

There was a moment during All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone that truly scared me. It came in the middle of the 13-and-a-half-minute "It's Natural to be Afraid," where two guitars quietly and comfortably meander in three-fourth time. Guitar One picks its way up as though climbing a ladder, while Guitar Two strums a countermelody an octave below. Soon, drums enter with a determined martial gallop as the instruments continue their ascent; there's the illusion of building toward a grand climax, but nothing really happens. There was something so eerily "post-rock"--indeed, something so Explosions in the Sky--about that moment that I thought I saw the death of the entire genre in front of me. At some point, it seems, the evolution of instrumental post-rock simply ceased.

But does a genre or a band need to grow in order to stay vital? It should seem so, since boredom is the enemy for most discerning listeners, but All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone finds the Texas quartet towering so highly above their peers that the lack of progression hardly matters. Six years after first breaking out, Explosions in the Sky remain on the A-list precisely because they haven't strayed from their patented formula, and why should they? In their self-contained universe, evolution doesn't occur over the course of multiple albums; it happens as we listen, and we return to their music because each song presents a drama in miniature, with meditative lows and exultant highs, and because the stories they tell tremble with emotion that never feels feigned or forced.

Finding differences between All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone and the group's previous two outings is tough, but they're there if you care to look. The sonic building blocks are much the same as on The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place--high-pitched, ringing guitars and stately drums with lots of snare--but this is a more tumultuous record, warding off criticism the band may have suffered for supposedly going soft. "The Birth and Death of the Day" sets the scene perfectly, beginning with a skyward scream before settling down and rising again in a march that feels custom-fitted for a film score. As the intensity builds and the band rocks out for the first time, one can easily picture--literally--explosions in the sky. At the same time, there are few outright surprises; while Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever knocked the blocks out from under our feet at any moment, we can see the climaxes on this album coming a mile away. It's a technique that had me yawning initially, then ultimately taking comfort in the familiarity of these lovely, well-spun tales.

So, then, what's it all about? Explosions in the Sky deal in cautious optimism in an era when most rock musicians think that anything optimistic is lame. The pre-Sept. 11 Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die was oblique and destructive; the post-Sept. 11 The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place was blindingly radiant and uplifting--understandable since, in 2003, many of us in America badly needed succor. If All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone has a message, it's that a little faith in humanity isn't going to save the world, but that's no reason to give up. "What Do You Go Home To?" and "Catastrophe and the Cure" begin with impending doom that, by the end, has vanished in favor of harmoniousness and redemption. "It's Natural to be Afraid" lays out its problems before blasting them away in a cloud of heavy, major-key guitar and crashing cymbals. That these "message tracks" are completely free of words testifies to how instrumental music can speak for itself when it's put into just the right hands.

With All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, I'm now more convinced than ever that the knee-jerk comparison to Godspeed You! Black Emperor isn't going to work anymore. Both bands specialize in tension-and-release instrumental rock, their songs often exceed 10 minutes and they exhibit a grandmother-upsetting range of volumes. But while Godspeed are open detractors of the United States government, there's something unabashedly American about Explosions in the Sky, in a national anthem sort of way. When they were asked to score Friday Night Lights (a film about a Texas high school football team), many fans took it as a slap in the face, believing that setting music to celluloid meant that it couldn't stand alone, but the pairing now makes perfect sense. Like an epic American film, this music sweeps us up with grand gestures and shows us hope amid destruction. We know exactly how it's going to end--the good guys will win and conflicts will be resolved--and that's just fine.

Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever

Average customer rating:

God be with us
Eh? I Feel I'm Missing Something...
A cure for "Modern Rock"
to this cd i give my undisputed respect
Perfect

Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever
Explosions in the Sky
Manufacturer: Temporary Residence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005Q6OS
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

Greet Death
Yamin The Light
The Moon Is Down
Have You Passed Through This Night?
A Poor Man's Memory
With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept

Amazon.com

If you do a Web search on the phrase "explosions in the sky," what you're likely to come up with are Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, fireballs, space debris. And a band from Austin, Texas. The sophomore effort from this band of emo-style prog-rockers, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever was released in September 2001--and the cover art features the prescient words, "This plane will crash tomorrow." Intense, instrumental music infused with fatalistic affect, this is a requiem for a planet. Expressionist, it recalls a simmering Texas landscape placid for days, suddenly punctuated by a punishing electrical storm. Playing like a symphony in six movements, the album is composed entirely of bass, guitar, and drums. A moody but gorgeous album infused with youthful sincerity, it is cinematic in scope with soothing soundscapes of atmospheric, ambient, and shimmering chimes interspersed with crashing interludes of heavy metal-style guitar explosions and drums with intricate time signatures. File under post-rock . . . or modern composition. --Jillian Steinberger

Album Description

Opening October 15th nationwide, Friday Night Lights (a Universal picture starring Billy Bob Thornton and Tim McGraw, based on the best-selling book of the same name) features an original score by Temporary Residence top-seller Explosions In The Sky!

The film chronicles the entire 1988 season of a high school football team from Odessa, TX (adjacent to Explosions In The Sky's hometown of Midland, TX). It focuses on the ongoing financial and emotional struggles of a small town that places all of its hopes on the team's chances at winning the state championship.

The Universal soundtrack - scheduled for release October 5 - includes Explosions In The Sky's score, as well as a new Faith Hill/Tim McGraw duet and a new track by No Doubt's Gwen Stefani. Universal estimates the soundtrack will top one million copies sold by Christmas 2004. It is expected to debut in Billboard's Top 10.

"Have You Passed Through This Night," from Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die... is featured in the film's trailer, which began airing in theaters nationwide June 11. The trailer began airing on national television during the Olympic Games.

Customer Reviews:

God be with us.......2007-04-27

'Explosions'' best album. A tale of morality, brought out by the theme of death (as is evident from the album's title), resulting in an absolutely pristine, contemplative, dichotomous masterpiece of emotion. The band's philosophy is in full force here -- before, nor after, have they got their message across with such poignance or thought. On a strictly emotional level, the album is unfaulted, but to truly grasp the truth behind it one must use their creative powers of abstract thought, for while the music is, on an aesthetic plane, gorgeous, ultimately it is the symbolic power that makes it so powerful.

Desperately romantic is a fine way to put it. Poetic. Transcending pretense. For sure, this sort of romantic vision 'Explosions' possess is not for everyone (at least, they tell themselves this); an example of such potential dissuasion? Track four begins with an overlapping of subtle 'Explosions' material and verses from what happens to be my very favorite film within, well, the medium of film itself.

"Who's doing this? Who's killing us? Robbing us of light and life; mocking us with the side of what we might have known."

The last sentence of that quote, for myself, at this point in my existence, marks the most intimate verse I've ever felt. The absolutely tragic pool the words sulk in ultimately lead to the duality behind both the redemptive spirituality and inspiring, hope-ridden Humanism that lovingly transpires. 'Those Who Tell the Truth...' conveys this via music.

Some might deem the thought this album is truly enlightening preposterous, and, over time and meditation, I've come to the realization that until one has accepted the true will of each individual, along with their inherent freedom of choice and belief, impossibility bares itself in the attempt to fully grasp the divinity this album oft-evokes and, at the very least, so admirably attempts to capture through music and spirit. For me, it's difficult to feel anything but reverence for the band and this gift they've generously given us.

Am I a delusional dreamer? Are they? Is it a pathological condition of bogus idealism in the midst of our mortal existence? Certainly possible, but then again, whether the illusion is the divine truth will never truly be known -- thus, the true power, I find, comes from our utilization of will to its limits, creating and believing such things. God -- the infinite -- exists if you believe it to be so. There is objective truth, as our rational minds teach us every day, but the ultimate, existential answer of life will never be truly known to us -- therein, subjectivity becomes the foreground to absolutely unanswerable questions.

I hold this album close, as its convictions match mine so dearly, even if my particular Life, at this point in time, fails so very often in truly acting on such ideals (I'm 23 -- those enchanting hormones!). I hope, however, in my heart of hearts, that many of you will find the same vein of communion when listening to it, even if only a little bit. Inevitably, that slight communion will grow truer and truer with future listens, or, put more simply, with time itself.

In short, 'Those Who Tell the Truth' enraptures and inspires the spirit, if you let it, though I try my hardest to understand and respect those who find little fulfillment with it... To each his own.

Eh? I Feel I'm Missing Something..........2007-01-10

I really don't understand the massive acclaim this album receives. I would go as far to say it's...boring!!!

GAH strike me down, (and I'm sure this little review will be...) but I find this album way too monotonous to be interesting. This review may come across as scathing, but don't get me wrong, I think this is decent (hence 3 stars), but I will explain why I don't understand the mass of 5 star reviews.

I am not an expert on post-rock, but I do very much enjoy a selection of bands from it. The best, and probably most obvious choice, being the mighty Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who always manage to create epic, sprawling pieces with monumental climaxes. Bands like Mogwai, Silver Mt. Zion and Fly Pan Am also very much interest me, but this album just doesn't come close.

After giving it repeated listens, and really wanting to like it, I cannot fool myself. My biggest disappointment was the lack of climaxes in songs, not one song here takes me to that 'different level' - that disorientating adrenaline rush that the best of this genre can create. The loud rocking sections are just too generic and the band do not build them up enough, shown instantly by "Greet Death" which just thunders in with a barrage of boring guitars and drums after some ambient (what I originally thought was going to be build-up play) noise.

Too often in the quiet sections the guitar motifs are simply boring. I mean, just noodling slowly up and down a scale is atmospheric to a degree, but quite simply DULL. And then all of a sudden the listener is hit with massive noise, again highlighted in "Yasmin The Light" which farts around for a couple of minutes, then all of a sudden the band just crash out a fast-tempo section with no notable riff or motif, just lots and lots of drums.

And this is another problem for me, the drumming. This guy must be in a marching band, because he ALWAYS opts for the drum roll march build-up, which is frankly repetitive and unoriginal.

The only song that I really enjoyed here, and can easily listen to again is "Have You Passed Through This Night?", with its brooding spoken-word intro which leads to a crushing finale. This song is how the band SHOULD be doing it, creating atmosphere - building - climax, instead of noodling around and then banging the life out of everything.

Disappointing album for me, showing potential to be great, but just never quite reaching it.

A cure for "Modern Rock".......2006-10-31

I had a good feeling about this disc after hearing a few previews here at amazon. I wasn't disappointed. The songs are dynamic, emotional, well arranged, well mixed, and to put it simply, awesome. One of the best discs I've listened to this year.

to this cd i give my undisputed respect.......2006-10-06

I have been into explosions in the sky for a few years now and they are highly influential towards me and my fellow band members writing. This album I find as being their most experimental (apart from "the rescue" which isn't a million miles off impossible to get your hands on an actual copy of, other than it is free to download off their site). This album is my favourite alongside with "the earth is not a cold dead place", every song on this record is extremely well written and timed. The song "have you passed through this night?" is the only song they have recorded with vocals in and is extremely well placed dead on in the centre of the album. The classic formula of a progressive build up to a wall of noise finally isn't done better by any other band, songs like "a poor mans memory" back my point up undoubtedly. By listening to this album you can see how it takes them so long to write and record each track/album (sometimes taking up to six months to just write one track) they are composed perfectly and beautifully. Through my eyes what ever emotion you are feeling before you play this record is only added to by the masterpieces of the songs, sadness, bliss, ecstatic ness, despair etc. this bands ability to fuel emotions and thought patterns is quite astounding, I think that every song has a personal effect to everyone who listens to it. The album artwork is sweet and has a good use of line, textures and tone. Ever person I have recommended this band two has come back to me and expressed nothing but glee towards their listening experience. And so I say two you don't show hesitation towards purchasing this album.

Perfect.......2006-09-14

I can't think of a single bad thing to say about this album. Granted EitS is my favorite band, and I'm biased, but this is truly awe-inspiring music. Yes, its repetitive, but therein lies its appeal. The soul of the music lies in the margins, between the notes, and in the small variations.

If you dont already own "The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place," I would recommend starting there, as it is the band's masterpiece. If you've already heard and loved that one, this record is the next logical step.

Average customer rating:

Not their best work, but still very good
WOW
Cool as Ice
almost 5, not just music to enjoy.
How Strange Inncocence- EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY

How Strange, Innocence
Explosions in the Sky
Manufacturer: Temporary Residence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Takk...

ASIN: B000BCKFIY
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

A Song For Our Fathers
Snow And Lights
Magic Hours
Look Into The Air
Glittering Blackness
Time Stops
Remember Me As A Time Of Day

Amazon.com

"At certain points along the way, several of us wanted to buy back all the copies and burn them," writes Explosions in the Sky on their liner notes to this reissued debut. That's not a rousing recommendation, but an honest one from a group that three years later would produce one of the definitive post-modern guitar instrumental albums, The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place. How Strange, Innocence was reportedly made in only two days and released as a 300-issue CD-R in 2000. It's as rough and ready as that might suggest, but the sound of EITS was already well-formed right out of the Austin electric guitar womb. The opening "Song for Our Fathers" with its languid rhythm and surf guitar reverb fits right in with their later work. It's not perfect. They hadn't yet become sultans of the slow build crescendo, and there are more muffs than any self-respecting musician would want frozen for posterity. Nevertheless, it holds up as a rustic artifact and songs like the opener and "Look Into the Air" fulfill their mission of mood. Even before they were providing atmospheric soundtracks for Friday Night Lights and recording minor symphonies of electric guitar twang, Explosions in the Sky already had a clear vision of their sound. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Not their best work, but still very good.......2007-05-18

Explosions in the Sky's debut album How Strange Innocence is not up to par with the albums they would follow it up with, but it is still a must for Explosions in the Sky fans and has a few gems like Glittering Blackness and Magic Hours. Don't go in expecting an album like The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place and you should enjoy it.

WOW.......2007-01-01

Amazing...didn't listen to any of the later albums, but I heard that this one was their first and "lightest". They were right. It really moved me, but don't take my word for it. I guess it was kind of contraversial, one of those "love it or hate it" albums, but to me it was really mind-blowing. When I'm in a bad mood I just turn it on and let it wash over me... you can just feel its power in your ears.

Cool as Ice.......2006-09-12

This might be the least thoughtful of 'Explosions in the Sky''s releases, but it's also quite possible their most enjoyable. To be sure, it's the lightest, for with 'Those Who Tell the Truth' (their best album if I'm honest with myself) and the subsequent 'Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place', their intended effect is much more pronounced, and therefore drenched in sentiment. 'How Strange', on the other hand, is gleefully unpretentious and the result of such an attitude is oh-so likeable. Like the opener on the album, 'A Song For Our Fathers', the music basically melts into your cerebrum (opposed to your heart, which they strove for later on).

'Explosions' is not my favorite post-rock band but I still love 'em. Those who fell in love with these guys for either of the albums mentioned above should prepare themselves for the inevitable absence of polish and lacking performances (when compared to their evolved selves), but hey, it 'is' their first recording, and once one gets past these things, there is little to dislike here. It might not contain enough genuine ideas for the 50 minute runtime, but even in its duller moments it remains pleasurable for the pleasing ambience.

The more I think about it, 'How Strange, Innocence' might actually be the best EitS album to begin with if you're unexposed. Well, that or 'Earth...', which is probably even more accessible and immediately gratifying. Even so, that one is still a great deal more melodramatic, if sincere, and nothing after 'How Strange' gave off the smooth, chill soundscape that the band came to fruition with. Really, it's an entirely different beast than their progressing work, for better or worse -- I.E., excellent, just like everything they've written since.

almost 5, not just music to enjoy........2006-09-08

Glittering blackness moves and you feel your mind hitting the surface with reality. my words don't give it the right meaning. Watch things collide. explosions in the sky best describes their music. good song titles to fit their music. and I do love this album but I prefer to listen to my favorite songs on the album again and again instead of listening to it through each time and that is why i give it 4 stars, cause all the songs don't always keep me fascinated. but the ones that do do. Glittering Blackness and Time Stops are the best songs on this album and are worth the hole cd. A song for our fathers also really amazing. like an old man and a young child living a life in the same body. weary and new. fresh and old. two seperate unique individuals meet and time stops blackness glitters. this album explores opposites without controversies between the two, they more blend and combine them, making smooth transitions and creating memories and stories. a song for our fathers introduces this and explores the mind of time with that old man you know and feel like he is your father or you in disguise. a weird coincidence of differences.

How Strange Inncocence- EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY.......2006-07-31

Wow I just don't know where to start with this album.Well, about the album itself: I think this is best explained by the band, so here's what they think- "How Strange, Innocence" was our first attempt at an album. We recorded it in January 2000 in Austin: recording took two days, mixing one day, mastering one day. Altogether we pressed 300 CD-R copies of this album...We had been a band about seven months when we recorded these songs. A lot of feelings (excitement/confusion/glimpses of visions/waking dreams/inability to play instruments) went into this record, but we didn't quite know what to do with those feelings, none of us had even really been in a studio before, and it shows in the recording, the songs show it, too--it's a young record. There are no tricks in it. There's a lightness in a few of the songs that we probably won't reach again. It sounds strange to say that instrumental songs are about something, but to us these songs were/are about such things as a couple walking through the park on a winter day, a child playing on 70's shag carpet, the story of a boy hero leading a revolution against the tyranny of the coal mines. We've had a bit of a love/embarrassment relationship with the record. At certain points along the way several of us wanted to buy back all the copies and burn them. Listening now to this album, it almost seems like a different band composed of four different people. We finally feel okay in re-releasing it, probably because we've now made a couple of records that are recorded better and that are closer to our visions for them. Anyway, we truly appreciate anyone who is interested and listening. Thank you."

That was on the CD itself- hope you found that helpful. I like this CD for two reasons. 1.The wonderful way Explosions in the Sky can tell a story through their instruments. 2.This album has a distinct sound- one all its own. If you didn't like Explosions in the sky before, you will once you listen to this album.
-Sherman.

Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip/ Explosions In The Glass Palace

Average customer rating:

Amazing!
a great neo-psychedelic classic
shimmering summers
Austere neo-psychedelia: introspective & restrained
More Buffalo Springfield, less Byrds

Emergency 3rd Rail Power Trip/ Explosions In The Glass Palace
The Rain Parade
Manufacturer: Restless Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music

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Gas Food Lodging / Green on Red [2 Lps on One CD]
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Arrive Without Travelling / Ever After

ASIN: B000003BFA
Release Date: 1993-07-01

Tracks:

Talking in My Sleep
This Can't Be Today
I Look Around
1 Hour 1/2 Ago
Carolyn's Song
What's She Done to Your Mind
Look at Merri
Saturday's Asylum
Kaleidoscope
Look Both Ways
You Are My Friend
Prisoners
Blue
Broken Horse
No Easy Way Down

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2007-01-12

The Birth of Indie music! Grab this disc while u can, totally worth the money.

a great neo-psychedelic classic.......2006-07-24

Oh, how pleased I am to have come across this band and album about a year ago. I was a fan of Mazzy Star at that time, and with the knowledge that David Roback was also related with Rain Parade, I thought this album would be worth a shot. This isn't really the trippy psychedelic rock but rather a band focused more on subtle jangle melodies. My favorites are "Carolyn's Song", "Look at Merri", "Saturday's Asylum", "Kaleidoscope", and "Broken Horse". Give it a try if you want something reminiscent of '60s psychedelic rock a little on the downtrodden side.

shimmering summers.......2006-06-20

I remember listening to Explosions in 1984 after I'd just left school, it's summer I'm high Blue is playing, I'm happy. Great to see it rereleased with 3rd Rail. Been trying to find it in the UK for the past year or so.

Austere neo-psychedelia: introspective & restrained.......2006-04-12

I'm old enough to have remembered this hometown band and I had bought the LP and EP when they came out--so, how have two decades and more effected my reception now to Rain Parade's sounds? A caution for anyone expecting from the CD title(s) some acid-drenched freakout. This is decidedly a bit narcoleptic--it lacks the full-blown (or bloated) effects that so many original (circa 1966/7) inspirations and neo-psych contemporaries piled on top of their winsome tunes. RP's more austere. Sort of like The Three O'Clock if they were less exuberant or chipper--or twee? Not as raucous as Salvation Army, but you can hear in RP hints of the earlier punk-pop scene in the three vocalists' untutored but determined delivery of downbeat lyrics.

The first six songs on this CD reissue, that is, the first half of the E3rdRail LP, sound in retrospect much like Opal, except with male vocals rather than Kendra Smith's dreamier, sleepy style. These songs tend to move contemplatively, with nearly no obvious pandering to a more pop sensibility or a poser's easy donning of the outward style without the secret attitude that marks true psych. Rather than provide glaring flourishes, they retreat. They hold back rather than release tension.

While other listeners have heard more baroque influences in these grooves, I do not: as I found way back in its vinyl versions, RP creates more ambience by suggestion rather than action. The music's quiet, and made for introspection, as the band's name portends.

The liveliest cuts come on side 2, the next five songs, that is, side 2 of the LP. These sound much more like a band playing Sunset Strip such as Buffalo Springfield, or the politer side of the emerging psychedelic LA pioneers. Janglier, more effusive, with vocals mixed more to the front, and plaintive if convincingly earnest musical and singing projection that appeals more to the pop side of this style. These are more accessible cuts than side one--a surprise that flips the usual sequencing of albums.

The final songs come from their later EP. This isn't the noisefest that the title seems to promise. The songs are more fleshed out with noticeably but still subtly more emphatic (although still restrained by comparison with many neo-psych bands) production and arranging. These last songs occupy a middle ground between the two styles on the LP, with a sound that settles down and blends the gloomier dirges with the peppier-poppish song-styles.

Fans of Opal and perhaps the later Mazzy Star might like this album, as it shows David Roback and company--many of whom backed the later bands (see also the Rainy Day side project, the RP's odds-and-ends Demolition LP, and the non-D. Roback remnants of the band shifting into Viva Saturn) preparing for their later reliance on narcoleptic female faux-folkish singers, Kendra Smith, in fact, is credited on one song here. This is the sound that sparked a decade or so of activity along the same doleful paths into the center of the haunted mind.

What RP has in common with later 80s/early 90s LA neo-psych is their concentration, and rather somber, self-important stance (which comes with any D. Roback-helmed record it seems). The band favors an often langorous, more swirling sound that deepens these musicians' trek into the mind more than the body, to mirror the interior, less obvious, effect of the SoCal pop-turns-psych 1966-7 sounds that, somehow, endured to re-surface with this band, beginning in the aftermath of punk and the accompanying stirrings of renewed countryish-indie-rock among those too young for hippies but old enough for early punk...and then branching out into the past 60s sounds to make them fresh again, around 15-20 years later after the groovy Sunset Strip era in LA.

More Buffalo Springfield, less Byrds.......2005-12-23

A Rickenbacker guitar can make even a mediocre song sound good. In the case of the Rain Parade, their use of Rickenbackers made great songs greater. But I hesitate to agree completely with those who compare Rain Parade to the Byrds. It's an expedient born of the Rickenbacker 12-string. It's not that there aren't parallels, but the comparison doesn't tell the whole story. The best song on this album, in my opinion, is "I Look Around," which is more reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield than the Byrds. It is one of the finest examples of song-craft, emotional intensity, psychedelia, and '60s groovin' out there.

A previous reviewer suggested that if the Rain Parade were around today they'd be stars. I'm not so sure, though I certainly appreciate the sentiment. They had talent, integrity, and a sense of musical history: all of which seem to be the kiss of death in this age of predigested, re-regurgitated yuck that the mama bird record companies force down our throats.

In addition to the aforementioned influences, I'd like to think that the Rain Parade also took some inspiration from those teenage jam bands that would occasionally appear in the background at parties on My Three Sons or other '60s TV shows. There's a sense of appreciation on this album of trying to find that groove that was obviously not created by the band on TV, but by some unknown, unseen musicians who were told to play something groovy for the teenage viewers, but not to trip out too far. On the show, you see teenagers wearing penny loafers and hair-cuts that were like the Beatles' if they'd been Republicans, probably dancing the Watusi or the Jerk. In retrospect, it all looks so silly, but there's a groove in the music, narrow though it is, that bands like the Rain Parade, Three O'Clock, and the Dream Syndicate tapped into.

The Strauss Family: Waltzes, Polkas & Overtures - Willi Boskovsky/Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna (6 CD's)

Average customer rating:

The Strauss Family: Waltzes, Polkas & Overtures - Willi Boskovsky/Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna (6 CD's)
Johann Strauss , Johann Strauss II , Josef Strauss , Eduard Strauss , Willi Boskovsky , Johann Strauss Orchestra of Vienna , and Vienna Symphony
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Strauss: The Best of Vienna

ASIN: B0002RUAFG
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228
Sigh Galop, Op. 9
Blue Danube, Op. 314
Artist's Life, Op. 316
Tales From The Vienna Woods, Op. 325
Wine, Woman And Song, Op. 333
Vienna Blood, Op. 354
Roses From The South, Op. 388
Voices Of Spring, Op. 410
Emperor Waltz, Op. 437

Tracks:

Features Section Waltz, Op. 293
Flight Of Fancy, Op. 215
Accelerations, Op. 234
Ever More Cheerful, Op. 235
Carnival's Ambassador, Op. 270
Leading Article, Op. 273
Morning Papers, Op. 279
Pamphlets, Op. 300
New Vienna, Op. 342

Tracks:

Carnival Pictures, Op. 357
Where The Lemon Trees Blossom, Op. 364
Du Und Du, Op. 367
Kiss Waltz, Op. 400
Lagoon Waltz, Op. 411
Treasure Waltz, Op. 418
Viennese Women, Op. 427
Danube Maidens, Op. 427
Explosions-Polka, Op. 43
Champagner-Polka, Op. 211
Fancy-Dress Parade, Op. 240
Episode, Op. 296

Tracks:

Pleased As Punch, Op. 301
Express, Op. 311
Light As A Feather, Op. 319
Thunder And Lightning, Op. 324
Long Live Hungary, Op. 332
Im Krapfenwald'l, Op. 336
At The Double, Op. 348
From The Banks Of The Danube, Op. 356
Greetings From Austria, Op. 359
At The Hunt, Op. 373
I-Tipferl, Op. 377
Bandits' Galop, Op. 378
New Pizzicato Polka, Op. 449
The Carnival In Rome
The Bat
Cagliostro In Vienna
Blindman's Bluff

Tracks:

The Queen's Lace Handkerchief
A Night In Venice
The Gypsy Baron
Pearls Of Love, Op. 39
Village Swallows From Austria, Op. 164
Secret Powers Of Attraction, Op. 173
Delirious, Op. 212
Watercolours, Op. 258
My Life's Course Is Love And Joy, Op. 263

Tracks:

Masks, Op. 33
Forward!, Op. 127
Off On Holiday, Op. 133
The Gossip, Op. 144
Woman's Heart, Op. 166
Sport, Op. 170
All Sorts, Op. 219
In Flight, Op. 230
Chatterboxes, Op. 245
Typographical Letters, Op. 252
Fireproof!, Op. 269
Without A Care!, Op. 271
Artists Greeting, Op. 274
Jockey, Op. 278
Line Clear!, Op. 45
Where One Laughs And Lives, Op. 108
Non-Stop, Op. 112
Below The Enns, Op. 121
Alpine Rose, Op. 127
Delight In Travel, Op. 166
Out Of Hand, Op. 168
Carnival Letter, Op. 203
With Pleasure, Op. 228
With The Breakes Off, Op. 238

Average customer rating:

Superb collection
Boskovsky and the Strauss Family of Vienna.
Strauss's Lover Must Own!!!!!

Strauss: Waltzes, Polkas & Marches

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra
Schubert: The String Quartets
Lehár: Waltzes
Liszt: Piano Works
Wagner: Lohengrin

ASIN: B0000042GN
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 314: An der schonen, blauen Donau
Polka schnell, Op. 373: Auf der Jagd
Walzer, Op. 410: Fuhlingsstimmen
Pizzicato-polka
Op. 335: Egyptischer Marsch
Op. 214: Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka
Op. 173: Dynamiden-Waltzer
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 144: Die Schwatzerin
Walzer, Op. 270: Carnavals Botschafter
Op. 117: Annen-Polka
Walzer, Op. 75: Fesche Geister
Polka schnell, Op. 278: Jokey Polka
Walzer, Op. 235: Spharenklange
Polka francaise, Op. 269: Feuerfest
Op. 29a: Wettrennen-Galop

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 325: Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald
Polka schnell, Op. 240: Eingesendet
Op. 228: Radetzky-Marsch
Op. 269: Demolirer-Polka
Walzer, Op. 367: Du und Du
Polka-Mazurka, Op.129: Brennende Liebe
Op. 433: Spanischer Marsch
Polka schnell, op.45: Bahn frei!
Walzer, Op.258: Aquarellen
Polka schnell, Op.393: St|rmisch in Lieb' und Tanz
Polka-Mazurka, Op.166: Frauenherz
Op. 411: Lagunen-Walzer
Polka francaise, Op. 235: Piefke un Pufke
Freuet euch des Lebens Walzer, op.340
Musikalischer Scherz, Op.257: Perpetuum mobile

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 333: Wien, Weiss und Gesang
Polka francaise, Op. 336: Im Krapfenwaldl
Walzer, Op. 346: Tausend und ein Nacht
Op. 156: Napoleon Marsch
Walzer, Op. 364: Wo die Citronen blueh'n!
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 204: Die Libelle
Polka francaise, Op. 57: Moulinet
Walzer, Op. 443: Seid umschlungen, Millionen
Polka schnell, Op. 413: So angstlich sind wir nicht
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 315: Lob der frauen
Op. 43: Explosions Polka
Walzer, Op. 184: Transactionen
Polka francaise, Op. 281: Heiterer Mut
Op. 42: Sperl Galopp

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 354: Wiener Blut
Op. 211: Champagner-Polka
Walzer, Op. 307: Wiener Bonbons
Op. 449: Neue Pizzicato-Polka
Walzer, Op. 114: Liebeslieder
Ungarische Polka schnell, Op. 332: Eljen a Magyar
Walzer, Op. 316: Krleben
Op. 378: Banditen-Galopp
Op. 426: Russischer Marsch
Polka schnell, Op. 324: Unter Donner und Blitz
Walzer, Op. 279: Morgenbler
Polka schnell, Op. 133: Auf Ferienreisen
Walzer, Op. 164: Dorfschwalben aus terreich
Op. 126: Kaiser Franz Joseph I. Rettungs-Jubel-Marsch

Tracks:

Walzer, Op. 388: Rosen aus dem S
Polka schnell, Op. 281: Vergnzug
Op. 437: Kaiserwalzer
Polka schnell, Op. 319: Leichtes Blut
Walzer, Op. 154: Loreley-Rhein-Kle
Polka, Op. 291: 'S gibt nur a Kaiserstadt, 's gibt nur a Wien !
Walzer, Op. 143: Schneeglhen
Polka-Mazurka, Op. 282: Die Emancipirte
Polka schnell, Op. 259: Mit Extrapost
Walzer, Op. 234: Accelerationen
Polka Francaise, Op. 372: Bitte Sch
Op. 289: Persischer Marsch
Walzer, Op. 212: Delirien
Op. 365: Tik-Tak-Polka

Tracks:

Op. 363: Fledermaus-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 271: Ohne Sorgen - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 263: Mein Lebenslauf ist Lieb und Lust - Various Artists
Op. 236: Orpheus-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 230: Im Fluge - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 361: Bei uns z'Haus - Various Artists
Schutzen-Quadrille - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 241: Extempore - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 390: Nordseebilder - Various Artists
Polka, Op. 241: Freikugeln - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 101: Mephistos Hollenrufe - Various Artists
Marsch, Op. 478: Aufs Korn - Various Artists
Walzer, Op. 329: Erinnerung an Covent-Garden - Various Artists
Op. 152: Rudolfsheimer-Polka - Various Artists

Amazon.com

Boskovsky's encyclopedic collection with the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded between 1957 and 1976, is as close to definitive as one is likely to get. There was a special camaraderie between Boskovsky and the Philharmonic--he was a member of the orchestra's violin section for 37 years and conducted their New Year's Day concerts from 1955 until 1979. There was also a special empathy that these performers, as custodians of a tradition going back to its origins, felt for the music of the Strauss family. It comes across quite wonderfully on these mid-price CDs, which have been painstakingly remastered for an edition every collector should have. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Superb collection.......2006-03-07

If you love or are just curious about the music of Vienna's Strauss family, this is the box set for you. You need look no further. Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic set the standards for the performance of these sublime waltzes, polkas and marches. The sound is fine, too, even though the recordings are not new. This is, quite simply, a magnificent set. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Boskovsky and the Strauss Family of Vienna........2003-06-12

A long series of Strauss music recordings conducted by Willi Boskovsky provides the contents of this slender, super-compact box of 6 CDs. Those who collected the original issues should check the contents before jettisoning them, because not everything has been reissued here. I especially regret that the vocal version of "An der schönen blauen Donau" has been omitted.

No combination has ever excelled Willi Boskovsky and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in performing this repertoire. Although the waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, marches and overtures were performed over and over again by these musicians, there is never a hint of workaday routine or staleness to be heard here. Everything seems to unfold naturally. Each item's inherent character is displayed. Tiny nuances and felicities of phrasing and a balance that favors the melody and reduces the accompaniment make these performances inimitable. The performance of "Morgenblätter" seems to provide a tad more excitement and impact than the other 85 items.

The recordings were made between 1960 and 1976. They are studio recordings, not deriving from the famous New Year concerts, and all but the few items from the very earliest year provide excellent sound.

Strauss's Lover Must Own!!!!!.......2001-10-09

Budget Price..... Recording and sound are good to excellence .... Let's enjoy and touch the spirits of Vienna now.....

20 Explosive Dynamic Super Smash Hit Explosions

Average customer rating:

A Dy-No-Mite tribute to K-tel Records...
The Sinatras are the best!
it's okay
Definitely a fun CD
That 70's album

20 Explosive Dynamic Super Smash Hit Explosions
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Pravda Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Star Power
20 More Explosive Fantastic Rockin' Mega Smash Hit Explosions!
Lull

ASIN: B000000B5C
Release Date: 1994-02-25

Tracks:

Hooked On A Feeling - The Slugs
I Wanna Be With You - Th Sneetchers
Jackie Blue - Smashing Pumpkins
Crocodile Rock - The Farmers
Little Willy - Material Issue
That's The Way (I Like It) - Trenchmouth
Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) - The Reivers
The Night Chicago Died - No Empathy
Shannon - The Sinatras
Theme From Shaft - Cheer-Accident
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - The Service
Black Betty - Young Fresh Fellows
Hocus Pocus - Spies Who Surf
Convoy - New Duncan Imperials
Everything I Own - 13 Nightmares
Dancing In The Moonlight - M.O.T.O.
Mississippi Queen - God's Acres
I Feel Love - Poster Children
Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne - Boom Hank
Just Dropped In - Mojo Nixon & The Second Edition

Album Description

Over the summer of 1990, Pravda gave 20 of their favorite bands a chance to record.

Customer Reviews:

A Dy-No-Mite tribute to K-tel Records..........2004-06-04

Ahhh, the 70's...pet rocks, moon boots, Farrah slacks, and K-tel Records. Remember the television ads? "Not available in any stores!" K-tel Records would basically take the popular one hit wonder tracks, and re-package them into easily digestible compilations. "It's a nugget cuz you dug it!" And people dug it...I mean, how could you go wrong? The idea was sound...take a smattering of hook-laden recent hit and semi-hit songs licensed from the original labels, lay 'em down on a shiny vinyl platter creating an instant greatest hits album, buy some cheap air time on local television stations, sell direct to the customer cutting out the brick and mortar middlemen, and rake in the do-re-mi.

Pravda Records Inc. revives the heyday of K-tel Records in '20 Explosive Dynamic Super Hit Explosions!' by presenting 20 choice ditties performed by various artists, some popular, some not so much, but all pretty darn good...the tracks are as follows;

Track 1 Hooked on a Feeling, performed by The Slugs (originally by Blue Swede) complete with the immensely inane "ooga chaka, ooga chaka' hook.

Track 2 I Wanna Be With You, performed by The Sneetches with Shoes (originally by The Rasberries) sounding almost Beatlesque, if the Beatles were really incredibly lame...let's face it; there are some songs that defy any amount of 'coolin' up'.

Track 3 Jackie Blue, performed by the Smashing Pumpkins (originally by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils) sounding very electrified and slightly down-trodden, as was the Pumpkins signature style.

Track 4 Crocodile Rock, performed by The Farmers (originally by Elton John) The Farmers took this 70's staples and put an early sixties spin, sounding similar to the straight forward rock and roll of the time, i.e. the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers.

Track 5 Little Willy, performed by Material Issue (originally by Sweet) Material Issue actually stayed pretty close to the original stylings (including the cowbell) of the song, adding an extra layer of smoothness...

Track 6 That's the Way (I Like It), performed by Trenchmouth (originally by KC and the Sunshine Band) certainly adds a level of hardness to the song, but maintains the singability.

Track 7 Brandy (You're A Fine Girl), performed by The Reivers (originally by Looking Glass) The Reivers take this perennial 70's classic and add a twinge of lounge while staying fairly faithful to the original.

Track 8 The Night Chicago Died performed by No Empathy (originally by Paper Lace ) I will say that while these guys really beat the hell out of this song, it still managed to maintain it's shape of just an incredibly cheesy song. Good effort, and a lot of fun, though...

Track 9 Shannon, performed by The Sinatras (originally by Henry Gross) Oh man, this is one of the soppiest, sappiest songs to come out of that era, and these guys work it pretty close to the original.

Track 10 Theme From Shaft, performed by Cheer-Accident (originally by Isaac Hayes) This is probably the most unique interpretation of this song I've ever heard...imagine Nine Inch Nails doing the song...it's sort of like that, but more experimental...

Track 11 Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes), performed by The Service (originally by Edison Lighthouse ) Another perennial 70's favorite...interesting take on the song, forgoing the smoothness of the original for a more bouncy, choppy feel, losing the distinctiveness in the process.

Track 12 Black Betty, performed by Young Fresh Fellows (originally by Ram Jam) This one just didn't work for me, as it seemed like a lot of the intensity was drained out comparing this version to the original.

Track 13 Hocus Pocus, performed by Spies Who Surf (originally by Focus) Pretty good remake, and they even managed to add a bit of twangy Hawaiian guitar into the mix.

Track 14 Convoy, performed by The New Duncan Imperials (originally by C.W. McCall) Okay, it seems pretty redundant to redo a novelty song, but they did, and here it is...

Track 15 Everything I Own, performed by 13 Nightmares (originally by Bread) I like this version...they took the original and just ripped the guts out, turning it into something pretty scary...despite the fact it's supposed to be a love song...

Track 16 Dancing In The Moonlight, performed by M.O.T.O (Master Of The Obvious) (originally by King Harvest) kind of a loungey version, keeping the original bouncy tempo of the original version.

Track 17 Mississippi Queen, performed by God's Acre (originally by Mountain) While I still favor the original version, this one rocked almost as hard...not quite as heavy, but certainly edged...

Track 18 I Feel Love, performed by Poster Children (originally by Donna Summer) There's certainly an interesting mix of styles on this album, including this pop disco song. Enjoy the punky disco stylings...

Track 19 Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne, performed by Boom Hank (originally by Looking Glass) I never really cared for Boom Hank too much, and I cared for the song even less...

Track 20 Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), performed by Mojo Nixon & The Second Edition (originally by Kenny Rodgers and the First Edition) Nobody does cow-punk better than Mojo Nixon, and he proves that here...

If you enjoy this album, then you'll be happy to hear there are two more in this series, '20 More Explosive Fantastic Rockin' Mega Smash Hit Explosions!' and 'Star Power', both by Pravda Records.

Cookieman108

The Sinatras are the best!.......2004-04-16

The Sinatras' version of "Shannon" is the best!

it's okay.......2001-05-17

People who trash the Pumpkins for playing a song straight (in their first year of being a band) in 1988 should realize how foolish this actually is. Have they heard any recent Pumpkins covers? Of course not. They're too busy wallowing in their own delusions of self-proclaimed musical taste to realize that genius is under their nose, and they pass it off as worthless. Seriously, what band with no sense of humor would call themself The Smashing Pumpkins and still hope to retain some self-respect?

This cd is pretty good, despite some low points, there are some pretty good songs as well. For a good early 90s rock compilation, check out the Singles soundtrack, or the Alternative Rock Cafe, or No Alternative, or maybe the Hype! soundtrack.

Definitely a fun CD.......2001-04-26

Not withstanding the obviously biased opinions of the smashing Pumpkins fans who either praised this Cd because their beloved Pumpkins are on it or trashed it because their beloved Pumpkins are the only band they like on the whole CD, this Cd is a lot of fun. I love the hard rock treatment of "That's the way I like it." The completely over-exaggerated version of "The NIght Chicago died" is worth the price of the Cd alone. In short. If you remember all the corny hits of the 70s and have an open mind to different styles of music this CD is definitely worth picking up. Incidentally, since i'm sure some Pumpkins fan is waiting to trash my review, I don't really care much for the Pumpkins, but their verson of Jackie blue is very cool.

That 70's album.......2000-06-21

I love every song on here EXCEPT the Smashing Pumpkins song - mostly cause they play it straight. Leave it to the Pumpkins to have NO sense of humor... This album is hilarious and fun from start to finish. My cassette of it has resided in my car continuously since 1991! PERFECT road trip music!

Average customer rating:

Pearl's Hot!
Look out! Here Comes the 80's!
Up & Over
explosion of great music

Pearl Harbor & the Explosions
Pearl Harbor , and Explosions
Manufacturer: Collector's Choice
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

New Wave | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00006RYIH
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

Drivin'
You Got It (Release It)
Don't Come Back
Keep Going
Shut Up And Dance
Big One
So Much For Love
(Get A) Grip (on Yourself)
Up And Over

Product Description

1. Drivin'
2. You Got It (Release It)
3. Don't Come Back
4. Keep Going
5. Shut Up And Dance
6. Big One
7. So Much For Love
8. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
9. Up And Over

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Pearl's Hot!.......2004-08-23

Being in San Francisco from '72-'82 I had the great pleasure of seeing Pearl in Leila and the Snakes which later morphed into The Explosions and loved them. This album is highly recommended if one want's to hear some great rock and roll! Peter Bilt plays some fine guitar and Hilary and John from The Snakes provide excellent bass and drums.

Look out! Here Comes the 80's!.......2003-06-16

If you were lucky enough to be a music fan living in the Bay Area in the early 80's (guilty!), you were witness to a true Renaissance in American pop music. Yes, I know L.A. gave us X, The Plimsouls and Black Flag, and New York had Richard Hell, The Talking Heads and the Ramones, but how's this for a typical (and eclectic) Saturday night choice of "local bands" to catch at the S.F.clubs, circa 1980: Huey Lewis & The News, Greg Kihn, Dead Kennedys, The Residents and The Tubes (to name but a few). Just bubbling under the "A" list were dozens of other acts, less well known perhaps but equally essential and exciting-like Pearl Harbor and The Explosions. Which is probably why it took 23 years for thier debut (and sole) album to make it to CD! An excellent collection of infectious power pop with precision harmonies and tight playing, the Explosions personified everything that was unpretentious and fun about early New Wave. Okay, so some of the songs have dated as well as my skinny tie collection, but hey-is it such a crime to set aside the Mopey Critic's Darling Neo-Prog/Minimalist/Emo Thom Yorke or White Stripes Soundalike DuJour for an evening and settle back for a 35 minute excursion to simpler, less troubled times?

Up & Over.......2003-05-15

For about six weeks in 1980 WHFS in Washington DC, then a great progressive radio station, loved Pearl Harbor & The Explosions. Hard as it is to believe now, songs like "Drivin'" and "Shut Up And Dance" sounded progressive way back when.

But it's 23 years further on down the road and this record sounds...well, 23 years old. The guitars sound a lot less edgy, the bass sounds suspiciously disco at times, and the songwriting is a lot more mundane than it seemed when I was in highschool.

"Drivin'" and "Up and Over" are still great fun, though.

explosion of great music.......2003-03-19

Bought this album when it first came out and have only met one other person who owned it. Originally released in January 1980, the same week The Pretenders first was released so it was not added to many radio stations playlists, their great loss. The whole album precurses the whole new wave that was to follow but with lack of promotion or radio play it was doomed. Too bad since it is just great. i just got my CD copy today and it is just as refreshing to hear as when it first came out. Every cut is tight and interesting. One of the twenty or so CDs i'd take to the proverbial desert island. i give it my highest recommendation.

Average customer rating:

A waltz lovers delight:

Wiener Musik

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B0009U55QK
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Customer Reviews:

A waltz lovers delight:.......2007-02-11

If you love to listen to Viennese waltz music, you'll find this 12 disc set a wonderful experience. Highly recommended.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

jazz music