Marilyn Manson - Holywood

I was noticing that I have only reviewed one Manson album, and it was the worst album in the days before Mobscene. I've now decided to go the other way and look at what I believe to be the best album.

Let me start by saying that I think Holywood, is the best Manson album released to date. However, Mechanical Animals is my personal favourite. I think this album captured the end of the best years of Manson's career, at least so far. My only complaint is that the album may have been a slight bit over stuffed. However, this is one of the few albums I have on my Mp3 player in it's entirety on a regular basis. I have spent more time listening to this album while riding my bike than I have to any other album I own. The pulse of the album, mixed with the constant drive, moments of complete madness, and energetic surges that send the mental transistors into overload. Which makes the legs pump hard and steady.

There are nineteen tracks that range between 2:19-5:59, with the majority of the songs being around 3:30, give or take a few seconds. Which wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't for the fact that some of the tracks tend to feel like they are really being dragged out.

The key thing to remember about this album is that it's a mix of Marilyn Manson channeling David Bowie, Alice Cooper, the commercial part of Satanism, and Sunday morning Television Gospel service.

The album opens with Godeatgod, which opens with a gun being loaded. For the most part this song sets the mood for a bunch of Anti-yet-wants-to-be-Christian worship. Basically the theme to grab here really quickly is that this album is about Manson rubbing the Christian's noses in their own religion. Then the truth of this album c0omes out over the next couple songs.

The Love Song for example is only the beginning of Manson going off about being accused of being responsible for the Columbine massacre, because of his music. So, we are treated to Marilyn yelling "Do you love your guns?!" at the top of his screaming ability.

Which is then followed by The Fight Song, which is just calling all of the haters out. The anger has spent so long building up that it's just time for the Hollywood monsters (Those that choose to play the roll) to take out the real monster (Religious leaders, Polliticians, Corporate Mogels). Also if you take this song all on it's own, it's just about the most adrenaline overloaded testosterone fest that Manson has ever released.

Then it's on to the truth of what we all learned from most of the 90's, we're nothing but Disposable Teens. Here's up until the first chorus "And I'm a black rainbow / And I'm an ape of god / I've got a face that's made for violence upon / And I'm a teen distortion / Survived abortion / A rebel from the waist down / Yeah, yeah / Yeah, yeah, yeah / Yeah, yeah / Yeah, yeah, yeah / I wanna thank you mom / I wanna thank you dad / For bringing this fuckin world to a bitter end / I never really hated a one true god / But the god of the people I hated / You say you wanted evolution / The ape was a great big hit / You say you want a revolution, man / And I say that you're full of shit / We're disposable teens / We're disposable teens / We're disposable teens / We're disposable". The truth of the matter is I wasn't even a teen anymore when this song originally came out, but I still totally identified. I grew up feeling exactly as this song indicates.

Target Audience (Narcissus Nacrosis) is totally an art piece. It's all over the place musically, and is filled with all that great symbolism, and musical styling one kind of expects for Marilyn Manson, but not the good upbeat stuff. This is more of that droning Industrial Grunge that I found annoying on past albums.

I will say that it's just another filler with President Dead. It's a pretty standard track for Manson, and for as much as I dig the song myself, it's not a song I would ever suggest as "must hear" Manson. That being said, it spends a fair amount of time on my Mp3 player.

In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death has one very key defining feature to it, and it constantly is driving me up the wall. In the background there's a baby crying, and if you are tuned out, or focused on something else you all of sudden find yourself goin "Where the fuck is the baby cry coming from?" Other than that, this is your basic slow and moody Manson song.

There are times when I find Manson's Jesus personification and imagery just as annoying as Sunday Morning Televangelist. Cruci-Fiction In Space is one of those songs that really gets under my skin a bit. I understand the sentiments of Manson's "this is evolution / the monkey / the man / and then the gun / if Christ was in Texas / the hammer / the sickle / the only son / this is your creation / the atom of Eden / was a bomb / if Jack was the Baptist / we'd drink wine / from the head". I've even echoed these statements by saying that my born again/Catholic family would be the first in line to nail Jesus to the cross now a days. However, I don't think The Anti-Christ Superstar has the right to say shit about shit on the subject. He uses it as a tool of attack, as if to justify his own stance as a pompous ass.

A Place In The Dirt keeps on the theme of Marilyn Manson living out the fantasy that he's JFK, and should be worshipped as a god because of it. This is the one song on the entire album I will flat out skip, if near the player, or the remote.

Of all the songs on this album The Nobodies holds the biggest place in my heart. I will always and forever associate this song with The Editor, Drewcifer, and myself bashing this one out in a tiny cramped space made for little people (5'8" or less). It's really a simple little number, but it's so well done, and there's just something eloquent about it.

"We're on a bullet / and we're headed straight into god / even he'd like to end it too / we take a pill, get a face / buy our ticket / and we hope that heaven's true / I saw a cop beat a priest on the TV / and they know they killed our heroes too / We sing the death song kids / because we've got no future / and we want to be just like you / and we want to be just like you / Let's sing the death song kids / we light a candle on an earth / we made into hell / and pretend that we're in heaven / each time we do we get / the blind man's ticket / and we know that nothing's true / I saw priest kill a cop on the TV / and I know now they're our heroes too / We sing the death song kids / because we've got no future / and we want to be just like you / and we want to be just like you / we write our prayers on a little bomb / kiss it on the face and send it to god / We sing the death song kids / because we've got no future / and we want to be just like you / and we want to be just like you / We were the world / but we've got no future / and we want to be just like you / we want to be just like you." The lyrics to my absolute favourite Manson song, The Death Song. It's 100% pure unhinged honest insanity. The rage and anger that boils out of this song is just pure animalistic instinct, and that animal wants to destroy it's attackers.

Now, The Death Song has some obvious religious content, and I acknowledge and accept this fact. But, like I said, it's an honest attack. Lamb Of God on the other hand is a bit of a snore, and it's pretty much Manson trying to play the preacher man. However, it's just him corrupting a religion that he keeps claiming is corrupt, so I personally find it a bit counter productive. I instead just let the simple melody take me away, on the calm waves of music.

I have to say that I do understand much of the rage found in Born Again. I have watched my family go born again, one of the biggest Manson fans I've personally known has even gone born again, and all I want to do is lose my mind in his direction. It's really a horrible concept that brings so much anger, because it's so fake, and only being done as a substitute drug that allows them to falsely feel better about themselves.

Burning Flag is pretty much the same as Born Again, except this time the rage is against the political machine, and how it's making us all into a bunch of tools. Well those that are trapped within the social media, and what it dictates.

Coma Black: Eden Eye/Apple Of Discord sounds a bit like a left over from Antichrist. It has more of a natural energy and less of a Trent Reznor overprocess. If it were not for the pick ups in the song I would probably find it a bit more boring, but the choruses inject just the right amount of juice into the song to keep it from falling flat.

If this album were a movie Valentine's Day would be the song right before the climatic ending. It would be the funeral before the main character loses their mind, and kills themselves, or someone else. Hell that could be even done during this song. It's just one of those songs. Oh, it would have to be raining in a dark street while this was all going on.

The Fall Of Adam is a soundscape for the most part. At some point every band has to do a track that sounds like the Pink Floyd's Waiting For The Worms, not entirely, but the whole thing sounds like it's done as a rant through a megaphone. This track even goes one step further by adding fly sounds, since maggot sounds would be hard. King Kill is that final climatic moment of violence when it all comes crashing down, and then it's on to a revolver having the barrel being rolled over and over. Then as Manson start singing the lyrics to Count To 6 And Die, you know it's all over and that gun is just a moment before a rigged game of Russian Roulette brings it all to a close, with the silence of a shot never heard.

The reality is that this album is disturbing on so many levels. To me it's like Manson knew his time was done, and that this was his last great moment to shine. So, he tried to make himself into a figure to be worshipped and sadly he failed. However, that doesn't mean he didn't create one hell of an album in the processs.

7/10 - content

9/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

Bif Naked - Essentially Naked

I like when there are bands I feel I need to defend against my friends' smart mouthed, shit brained, comments. Some times it's a challenge, how does one honestly defend Styx? I have my ways, but they aren't always pretty. Then there are times when I find myself defending artists who's music I don't even like, such as Lady Gaga. However, one of my favourites to defend is Bif Naked, the first Goth artist I honestly knew, and she is Canadian to boot.

Okay, she wasn't the first Goth artist/Band I knew. I was into Type O Negative a few years before I first saw Lucky (1998), and I knew a few other bands like My Dying Bride as well. However, Bif was the one getting the video play on Much Music, so I'm going to stick with the Canadian bad girl.

Now, here's the catch to Bif Naked, she is not only Goth. She started out that way for sure, but it was more of a Girly Goth. Think black unicorns with silver horns, and high end silk and lace dresses. You can even include the cliche poetry writing. The thing is, that's just how she started off in the popular mainstream of music video mania. She, in fact, was a Grunge artist in the early days, and a bad ass Punk Rocker at the turn of the millenium. But she also understood the remix world as well. On top of all this she also does the ditzy blonde thing too.

The album opens with Rich And Filthy which was from 2003, and I believe one of two new songs recorded specifically for this collection. The easiest way to describe this song is The Sex Pistols meet The Runaways. It's Pop sounding, only because it's played by refined musicians, and sung by a girl, that sounds like a girl, but it's totally Punk in it's core.

After that comes Back In The Day, which is the other new track. This is a fun retrospective kind of song. The days when they were still struggling and dreaming, instead of being a major hit band. It's the romantacism of the glory days, when it was all still just a dream.

I fell in love with Bif Naked's music when I first heard I Love Myself Today. It has a great beat, it's all kinds of sexy purring mixed with a whole lot of fuck you attitude, and the guitars are simple by most standards, but they really kick some ass. Basically, I would say this is totally channelling The Rolling Stones, when it was worth channeling them.

After that it's on to Spaceman, which was the second song I knew from Bif. I wasn't impressed back then, and I'm still not impressed. The song is a little too Dance Club for me. Imagine Madonna doing Like A Prayer in her Lucky Star days, and I think that's a fair description. This isn't my cup of tea, but I get why so many people dig it.

I remember when the video for Lucky came out, and I had no use for it. It was just too slow and pretty for me at the time. Now a days I dig the song much more. For me the fun part is that my daughter found this song all on her own, due to watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It's really one of those songs that I think should span the generations. Although it's still a little too pretty for my liking.

Then it's on to the real old days. Daddy's Getting Married is from 1994 and is so Canadian Grunge it's almost surreal. It's like listening to the Crash Test Dummies with a pretty girl voice singing. There's a total innocence in the tantrum behind this song. But it's sweet and cute, and totally explains why Bif (the singer) is the way she is.

Moment of Weakness is a really quick Canadian Punkish song. The problem Bif Naked has with all their music is that it always sounds practiced and polished, so it lends to a commercial sound, even though it's not. I mean this song sounds very much like a No Doubt tune, but the truth is you can feel that it's not staged bullshit that Gwen Stefani sells. This is a real spoiled little bitch, but she can kick your ass if she has to.

I give props to Bif for including some of her spoken word pieces on this collection. I even dig her My Satan Poem, but this is not for most people. Good on Bif for trying to expand peoples horizons. Also I like "Satan shows up on my TV every Sunday morning."

I've just recently debated the coolness of Tango Shoes with Robson, and he was all spitting on this song. Then I looked him straight in the face and said "Dude, it's tango as in to kick someones ass, not tango as in fancy dancing." People just can't get past the girly demeanor. They don't realise she's Betty Boop as a biker bitch. My Whole Life is from 1994, the same time as My Satan Poem, and Daddy's Getting Married, but this sounds totally inspired by Frozen from Madonna's Ray Of Light. Except that song came out at the end of the 90's. Like I said before this woman is diverse. I also like that she is able to tap into so many different styles and genres all at the same time.

Chotee is the name of some dude that left her, or something along those lines. But it's a really well written and performed song. I totally love that it takes you on an adventure, as well as get's all kinds of angry pissed off mayhem going on. Bif Naked understands Rock, and all should recognise and show some respect.

Leader is one of those tracks that is based around one of Bif poems. "Get offa me! / Away from me! / Get me outa here! / Don't follow me! / Don't bother me! / I'm no leader. / What's wrong with you? / I wash the dishes. / Walk to the post office. / I get some juice in my mouth. / I spit it out. / I spit it out. / I spit it out. / I spit it all over my clean shirt. / (it says "vail) / I'm not yours or anyone's. / I don't even own myself. / Why do you always watch me? / I just wanna be myself. / Get offa me! / Away from me! / Get me outa here! / Don't follow me! / Don't bother me! / I'm no leader. / You don't know me, / so don't touch me. / I'm not here to validate your behavior. / You need to stop. / You need to stop. / You need to stop talking so fast. / (I'm not interested in anything you have to say) / I wish you would crawl back up to the bar. / Tell it to your drink. / Tell it to your drink. / Tell her who you are. / Don't tell me. / Don't talk to me. / I want you to shut your mouth. / Get offa me! / Away from me! / Get me outa here! / Don't follow me! / Don't bother me! / I'm no leader. / I can not be your leader. / I can not be your leader. / Stop lookin at me. / Stop lookin at me. / Stop lookin at me. / Stop lookin at me. / I brush my teeth, / stop looking at me. / I park my car, / stop looking at me. / Get on the train, / stop looking at me. / I turn around, / you stop looking at me! " The music is pretty much designed to accompany it.

It's back to the Grunge days with My Bike. The music is everything you would expect to hear from that type of sound. There's a drone, guitars that sound sloppily tuned, and overly fuzzed, and overly poetic lyrics. Pretty much it was the same recipe used by Hole on the Malibu album, but with the honesty of Live Through This.

No Me Drink is another poem, that's quick and cool. But only if you are into that kind of stuff.

I love Twitch. Bif captures the playful good girl gone bad so well. This song continues to emphasize the band Rock genius. These people can play their asses off. The bassist understands what a bassist is supposed to do, the drummer knows their job, and the guitarists are the same.

Choking On The Truth is just more awesome rock as far as I'm concerned. Anyone bashing on this song clearly is a neadrathral that can't get past the fact that girls know how to rock too. Does Bif (the singer) sound anything like Ann Wilson of Heart? Hell no! But that doesn't mean she doesn't know how to rock that mic. It's like the Ramones with better musicianship.

Eine Tasse Tea sounds like a Slam Poetry piece to me, or at least based on my limited exposure to Slam. The only exception being that the piece runs 4:00. To be honest with you, I skip this track most of the time. It's a bit cliche to me, but that's once again based on my poetry exposure.

It's totally back to the Grunge for Everything, but it's only Grunge in tone. The spirit of the song is more Blondie.

Then the album ends with Tell On You, which is from the exact same time as Everything and every other track from 1994, and this is totally the song that Evanescence ripped off to do My Immortal, or whatever that silly piano song was. The only thing is that Bif Naked's Tell On You is a million times better, and much more beautiful because it's raw and honest. You can almost hear it being recorded live off the floor.

Okay I sort of lied about the album ending. There are three more tracks, but they are all remixes. The first one is Spaceman, and it's like they stole a techno line from Trainspotting, and laid Bif's vocals over top of it. I'm sure some people will like it, and I'm sure they are also very, very, gay, and are currently listening to techno in clubs, hopped up on E, as we speak. Also there is nothing wrong with that, I just don't want a single thing to do with it. I really do dislike the music very much.

Then it's on to the remix for Lucky. I can accept this much more than the last. The tones and pulses that give it life are more fitting to the song, and don't give me headaches, as quickly. To be honest I hate computer generated music, because I believe in the soul of a band. That being said, I've done this shit with my own poetry on my home computer for my own enjoyment, but mainly for the lack of a band. Then the album officially ends with a remix of I Love Myself Today. It sounds like it was redone for one of the Mission Impossible movies. I think it really is a bit insulting to the original.

If not for the silly remixes I would score this album higher than I do. They leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. However, I stand by the fact that it only shows how diverse of an artist Bif really is. This album spans the course of Nine years, and you can hear three different distinct decades of music. The reality is that this album represents an artist that was constantly out of time, because she was either too ahead of everyone or just a little behind. It's the curse and beauty of being a Canadian artist. Well, until being a Canadian musician became the "in" thing.

8/10 - content

8/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias

Aerosmith - Pandora's Box

I have to say that when it came to buying me CDs, as a teenager, my dad was top notch. I would ask for some albums like Jethro Tull's Aqualung or various other 70's bands, which he would happily pick up for me, but then he'd find these awesome discs for me along the way that I never knew even exsisted at the time. However, I remember one Christmas where the ony thing that kept me from going off on my step mom for once again putting her children ahead of my dad's kids, was my dad picking me up Aerosmith's Pandora's Box. You can't be mad when listening to the boys from Boston.

This was the first Aerosmith box set, which contained three discs of killer cuts, and a slew of unreleased songs, or alternate versions. There are some songs on here that even the band doesn't remember recording, that's how many gems are jammed into this set.

The first disc in the set is comprised of the first two albums, Aerosmith and Get Your Wings, as well as some live tracks, and one pre-Aerosmith track. I will state that the live songs on this disc aren't that great, but that comes from two things. The first part is that most of the live stuff sounds like bootlegs. The second is when some of the songs were recorded, specifically the tracks from the Texxas Jam, Cottonbowl, Dallas, in 1978, the band was totally destroyed on drugs.

The box set starts with When I Needed You, which was recorded by The Strangeurs/Chain Reaction/ This was Steven Tyler's, pre-Aerosmith, band. Other members of the band were; Barry Shapiro, Steven Tallarico, Don Solomon, Alan Strohmayer and Peter Stahl. This is a pretty basic 60's hippy like song. It's enjoyable, and easy on the ears. Also, it oddly doesn't sound a thing like Tyler, much like the classic Dream On.

Make It, originally from Aerosmith (the self titled first album) is a good, quick tempoed, boogie number, that gets both the heart and the foot moving. In the grand scheme of things, this is a pretty basic Aeromsith number.

Movin' Out is an unreleased, alternate version, from the Aerosmith sessions. I don't own a copy of the original, so I'm not sure what the difference is off the top of my head. I'm thinking it's a song length issue. As for this version of the song, I dig it. There's this awesome groove and flow that just takes you on a journey that's rather enjoyable.

While I can appreciate the Honky Tonk Blues of One Way Street, it's not one of those songs that's all that important to me. Musically it showcases a solid backing band with a vocalist pushed too far forward in the mix, and that's not how Aerosmith is supposed to work. If it were not for the lengthy soloing in the middle, this song would be more of a skipper for me. The solo is self indulgent and it allows the band to do something they sadly forgot how to do later. That is, write a song that's not a compact, commecrial, radio friendly, cookie cutter, overly cliche track. This song takes liberties and runs with them.

On the Road Again is an unreleased song from the Aerosmith sessions. It's listed as being by Floyd Jones, which would make this the same song Canned Heat made famous, but it's not. It's a totally different song, so I have no clue what's going on there. What I can say is that this is another boogie song, that's got a lot of vibe and feel to it.

After all these years, my love for Mama Kin has only grown. Originally from the Aerosmith self titled debut album, this song is Classic Rock to the umpteenth degree of ass kicking Soul Rock. The best part of this song is the horns, and the fact that they add to the song like the accents that they are. The one thing I find the most interesting about this song is how it's credited purely to Steven Tyler.

Same Old Song and Dance is just like Mama Kin, in description, however this song is from the second Aerosmith album Get You Wings, originally, and is musically different. I actually enjoy this one immensely, and will never turn it off.

I find it amazing that I know the Yardbirds' classic Train Kept A-Rollin' better as an Aerosmith song. I find it even more amazing that Aerosmith have made this song pretty much into one of their staples to the point where one day I fear no one will remember where this song came from. That being said, this song is just like the original except for that it's a different band. It's 5:33 of boogie woogie with shuffle and groove. It's the train coming down the tracks.

I'm not sure how I feel about Seasons of Wither personally. It's a fantastic song, that is written beautifully. In fact I wish that Aerosmith had kept up doing these songs with longer arrangements and more complex parts. Songs like this one are what made this band respectable. However, I'm not overly fond of Tyler's vocals on this one. The lyrics are awesome, the voice itself I find annoying during the slower parts. It's too droney.

Write Me a Letter is an unreleased live version. It's a song, and that's about all I have to say.

I don't know how many times I've had to try and convince people that Dream On was in fact an Aerosmith song. Why were people that ignorant of this song, even in the 1990's? Simply, because they weren't paying attention to the fact that at the two minute mark Steven Tyler starts to sound like himself. However, this is from the first album and his voice didn't always sound like a cat in heat yet. That is until you hit the 3:30. Then that voice comes out and there is no longer a debate. Well that may not be entirely true, but some people are also really dumb, and/or tone deaf.

The box set's title track has become one of those songs that I love over the years. "When I'm in heat / Someone gets a notion / I jump to my feet / I hoof it to the ocean / We hit a beach / Where no one gives a hoot / Nobody never ever wears a suit / The ladies there / They look so proud / That's 'cause they know / That they've been so well endowed / Now, I ain't much / For Fannie's conversation / Or care to much / About her operation / But every time Pandora comes my way / I get high / Can't explain the sensation / To get it on / I gotta watch what I say / Or I'll catch hell / From the women's liberation / Sweet Pandora / God-like aura / Smell like a flora / Open up your door-a for me / Sweet Pandora / God-like aura / Smell like a flora / Open up your door-a for me / Sweet Pandora / Mama crack a smile for me / Just for me, just for me / Just for me, just for me / Just for me, just for me /Just for me". I just totally dig these lyrics, especially the dig at the Women's Libbers. However, to me the coolest part about this song is that it's a Steven Tyler / Joey Kramer song. The band's two drummers are responsible for Pandora's Box, and that is awesome.

Rattlesnake Shake, in a unreleased live radio broadcast, that originally aired on WKRQ, in Cincinnati. That's not to be confused with the letters used for a certain television show from the same time period. At 10:28 I find the Fleetwood Mac cover a bit long, because it's not epicly cool. It's just a long song, and I have to admit I don't know the original so I can't say one way or the other.

Walkin' the Dog comes from the same live session as the last song. This too is a cover, but that's no biggy. The interesting part about this cover is that it was originally done by Rufus Thomas Jr. who was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian from Memphis, Tennessee. Which means this is just a fun song the whole way around.

Lord of the Thighs is an unreleased live version, from Texxas Jam I mentioned earlier. This performance isn't bad, but it's not as good as the original studio version. But to be honest, I'm not a fan of the song anyway. I normally either stop or skip the disc after Pandora's Box. The three live tracks do nothing for me.

The cool part about the first disc is that it runs a total of 1:17:44 . That's almost four minutes longer than most standard CD players were capable of playing at the time (The industry standard was 74 minutes.), without some mild skipping. As well as being almost as long as the first two studio albums put together.

When you get to disc two, the first thing you notice is that almost the entire Toys In The Attic album is on here in one way or the other. But then again that entire album was almost released as singles. The rest of the album is made up of Rocks and Draw The Line, however, there's a bunch of changes or variations of the original songs.

The disc opens with the title track from Toys In The Attic. This is a pretty basic Aerosmith song, but it's my favourite on the original album. "In the attic lights / Voices scream / Nothing's seen / Real's a dream / Leaving the things that are real behind / Leaving the things that you love from mind / All of the things that you learned from fears / Nothing is left for the years / Voices scream / Nothing's seen / Real's a dream". It's just my type of song lyrically, and musically it's just as awesome as any other classic Aerosmith song.

Round and Round is also from Toys in the Attic. This is a Steven Tyler / Brad Whitford song. It's excellently written and arranged. It has that feel you get from the more musically developed epic songs that Aerosmith use to make. This isn't anywhere near as good as songs like Kings And Queens or Seasons Of Wither, but it's still a decent song.

Krawhitham is an instrumental from the Draw the Line sessions. The story behind this amazing song is that Perry and Tyler were nowhere to be found (way too strung out) so instead of wasting valuable studio time doing nothing Joey Kramer, Brad Whitford, and Tom Hamilton recorded this totally awesome jam. Also if you hadn't noticed yet the song's name comes from the first part of each musicians last name. I also feel the need to point out that not only should this track have been on the Aerosmith edition of Guitar Hero, it should have become a radio standard. This is seriously one of the best tracks I have ever heard from Aerosmith.

I really like the prettiness of You See Me Crying, but I don't care for the fact it's a slow ballad approach. This is what would later become the format of almost every radio hit they released in the 90's. This was Crazy, Amazing, Cryin', twenty years early.

Do I really need to go into a write up about Sweet Emotion? It's From Toys in the Attic, and was impressively written by Tyler and Hamilton. If you need more details then that, I suggest you just go listen to the song for yourself. Or, if you want some extra fun go look up the video for this song on Youtube. Which means that I should mention that the video was recorded specifically as the promotional video for this box set's release. That is why it's the only official video for a song from that time.

After that comes No More No More which I have yet to make up my mind about after 30 years of hearing this song all the time. It's a really well done song, but it doesn't really tickle my fancy all that much. However, I love when it goes into the "Baby I'm a screamer / Bound to a wife in marriage / Baby, I'm a dreamer / Found my horse and carriage", or the various variations of that line. I love the change up that happens, and the sweet honesty you can hear coming from Steven's voice.

Walk This Way was the very first radio friendly rap song. Not the the Run DMC version either. I'm talking about the original Steven Tyler highspeed, rhyming, and sliding, totally rap like poetry, that is spewed out over one of the most recognizable riffs of all time. If you listen to this version compared to the Run DMC version the biggest difference is Steven sings, more than speaks, and there is no record scratching. Take what you want from that.

I Wanna Know Why was from the Texxas Jam recordings mentioned back in disc one. This is a normal Aerosmith song, so if you like those songs, you'll like this one.

Big Ten-Inch Record, is also from that live recording session as well. However, I prefer the original version from the Toys album much better. This is one of those songs, that has one of those lines, that alway get's people up in arms. There's a a line that goes, "'Cept (except) on my big ten inch" and everyone hears "Suck on my big ten inch". Tyler has always claimed that he says the first version of the line, and the second is just people's dirty mind.

There's one hell of a shuffle to Rats in the Cellar, originally from Rocks. This is like a major big band type shuffle. It's totally high speed and kickin'.

I love that some of my favourite Aerosmith songs are not the Tyler and Perry combination. For example I have been a huge fan of Last Child, since I first heard it as a young kid. It has a great tempo, a perfect number of switches, and vocals that are sexy sounding. I love how Steven purrs that song that he and Whitford wrote together. I guess I should also mention that this is a remix of the original Rocks version. I don't own the original, so I'm not entirely sure what the difference is in the mix.

The cover of Otis Rush's All Your Love is all kinds of sexy Blues. It's very standard sounding Blues, but sexy all the same. This is an unreleased song, that was recorded at the Cenacle, Armonk, New York, in May 1977.

Soul Saver is an unreleased rehearsal, from the Toys in the Attic sessions. It's only 0:53, and comes off as a filler (not musically) meant to just add an extra track and a little time. Musically it's a great little piece. It's like one of Toni Iommi's pre song songs. Like Embryo is to Children Of The Grave.

Nobody's Fault is fucking awesome. I absolutely love this song. It's Aerosmith meets Black Sabbath, and once again it's Tyler and Whitford. Which leads me to the conclusion that Whitford is the best music writer in Aerosmith. "Old SAN ANDREAS / Seven years ago / Shove it up their richters / Red lines stop and go / Noblemen of courage / Listen with their ears / Spoke but how discouragin' / When no one really hears / One of these days you'll be sorry / Too many houses on the stilt / Three million years or just a story / Four on the floor up to the hilt / Out of RHYME or reason / Everyone's to blame / Children of the season / Don't be lame / Sorry / You're so sorry / Don't be sorry / Man has known / And now he's blown it / Upside down / And hell's the only sound / We did an awful job / And now we're just a little too late". You can't crank this song loud enough, at least without a noise violation fine.

I generally skip Lick And A Promise, not because it's a bad song, but because it's very typical, and at this point in the disc I'm getting bored of the standard format. I feel the same way about Adam's Apple as well. Also the fact that the latter track is a shitty live version, recorded on tour in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1977-07-04, that pales in comparison to the original doesn't help.

Draw The Line is one of those Aerosmith songs I totally get into, but I'm not a fan of the remix of the original version, that appears on here. It sounds like they bassically just pushed the vocals into the foreground, and this song is more about the cool riff, than the lyrics. At least as far as I'm concernd. In fact this is one of my favourite songs to play off the Aerosmith Guitar Hero. However, I do really love the Oooo, yeahs at the end of the song. It makes it sound so much fun.

Most of the time I stop the disc after Draw the Line, and it's not because Critical Mass is boring or anything. It's just that I'm not a fan of the song. It sounds a bit too Bubble Gum Pop mixed with Blues for me.

Out of the three discs in the set, the second one is the one that gets the most play, but since a lot of it is standards, or substandard live tracks, I generally try to listen to the other discs. This is also the shortest of the three albums with a total length of 1:12:38.

Disc three starts off with Kings and Queens from Classics Live I. I really wish they would have used the studio version instead. As much as I enjoy a good live album, almost every live track on this collection has crappy production. It doesn't help that this is another of my favourite songs, and I wanted to hear a version with jacked up production that would blow my mind. And yes, this song was also written by Tyler and Whitford, as well as Hamilton, Kramer, and Jack Douglas, producer of the Draw the Line album, which this song originally comes from. The best part about this song is how epically long it sounds while staying within the five minute marker.

Milkcow Blues from Draw the Line is a good song. It's a cover, but sounds like a stock Aerosmith song. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking negative shit about this song. It's a fantastic Blues jam of sorts, but it's nothing special in the grand scheme of Aerosmith.

I Live in Connecticut is this really cool unreleased rehearsal jam from the Night In The Ruts sessions. It's only 0:56, but when it runs seemlessly into Three Mile Smile, which was actually on the album, you get the idea that one evolved into the other, or one was meant to run into the other. Either way it works well.

As for Three Mile Smile, you can tell that they were burning out. The flair isn't quite there and you can't feel any passion. However, I wish they would have redone this song, once they cleaned up. It would have made a killer track, even if it was a b-side.

Let It Slide is a full unreleased track from the Night In The Ruts sessions. I understand why it wasn't on the album, but it has nothing to do with it being bad. The problem with the song is that it's essentially a three minute jam, with Joe Perry going nuts on his slide guitar. This is totally awesome and I love listening to it.

I don't think I would have included Cheese Cake. It's an okay song, but there isn't that much need for that much material from Night In The Ruts. Most of the material on the album makes it sound like the album title wasn't just a clever name.

I don't mind Bone To Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy). It's got a cool little vibe and beat to it. It's a bit disco, but Aerosmith know how to pull off those funky beats well. I feel the same way about No Surprize as well, but this is just a straightened ahead rocker instead.

The only good thing that ever came out of the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring the Bee Gees, was Aerosmith's cover of Come Together. For the longest time this was the only version of this song I had. I was too cheap to fork out the insane amount money they wanted for most Beatles albums in the early 90's. Also this version is pretty much spot on to the original, so it's not like it was a problem either.

Downtown Charlie is decent, but clearly a box set track just for fans.

I love that Pandora's Box contains a few solo tracks, from projects outside of Aerosmith. The first one is Sharpshooter from the album Whitford/St. Holmes. Which was a side project for Brad Whitford and Derek St. Holmes who worked with Ted Nugent, as vocalist and rhythm guitarist. The song is pretty generic in that 80's Rock kind of way, but the guitar work is amazing. I love when Whitford plays.

Shit House Shuffle is an unreleased rehearsal from Joe Perry. It's a decent track, but nothing to write home about. However, it's clearly him practicing for South Station Blues. A track that comes from the album I've Got the Rock'n'Rolls Again, by The Joe Perry Project. This is a great tune, that allows Joe to let it all come flowing out.

When Joe Perry left Aerosmith to go solo they replaced him with Jimmy Crespo, who was a very good guitarist. It's sad that there are only two songs in this collection featuring him, and even sadder that one was Riff & Roll. It's an unreleased song from the Rock in a Hard Place sessions, that clearly was never finished properly. It's either that or the production was intentionly completely shit on this song.

Jailbait is from the album Rock in a Hard Place, and is really good. It's so cool that it's my understanding that Perry was pissed he didn't write it with the band, and he also liked playing it live. It's a great little Blues shuffle number.

I do not like Major Barbara. I never have, and it doesn't matter if it's this unreleased alternate version, or the oringinal studio version. I think it's a shit song. It has next to no real substance to it.

I totally dig the song Chip Away the Stone. I know it never did as well as the band had hoped. Also, I'm not sure what the difference is between this alternate version, and the one that originally appeared on the Gems compilation album.

I love Helter Skelter, it's right up there with Come Together, and I love the fact that I have the Aerosmith version. They do a great job, and my favourite part is that the band doesn't remember ever recording the song. However, it was done during the Toys in the Attic sessions.

My absolute favourite Aerosmith song is Back in the Saddle. This song has got me through countless break ups, into even stupider situations. This is the Aerosmith song to end all Aerosmith songs, as far as I'm concerned. The drums have a great feel, the bass is giving off some major boogie, Steven's vocals are top notch, and the guitars are spectacular. The song was written by the classic Tyler/Perry combination, but the solo is all Brad Whitford. This song makes me just wanna get up and ride. It doesn't matter if it's my bike, a horse (which would be so fucking awesome to the song) or a steel horse (motorcycle), it would just be perfect.

Now if you look at the track listing for the Pandora's Box, you'll notice that Back In The Saddle is the last song. However, there's a hidden bonus track called Circle Jerk. It's an unreleased instrumental by Whitford. This song is wicked cool, and I love the flange all over it. It get's me hot in all kinds of naughty ways. It also further proves my total admiration for Brad Whitford, the unsung hero of Aerosmith. At the end of the three discs I will say that this collection is totally worth it. I may not be into some of the songs, but other people totally will be. Not to mention that this collection covers the truly best of Aerosmith, without all the modern crap. The biggest draw back to this album is the lack of proper remastering.

9/10 - content 7/10 - production 7/10 - personal bias

Big Shiney Tunes 6

There is only one Big Shiney Tunes collection in my house. I had nothing to do with it's purchase, and for the most part I hate these Much Music collections. They contain a bunch of commercial crap that is often very annoying and only popular the year it came out, and maybe the following year if it ends up in a movie.

Big Shiney Tunes 6 was released in 2001 and contains bands that are from Nu Metal, Post Grunge, Pop Punk, and whatever the Gorillaz are classified as. It's eighteen tracks of dumb Teen Pop for the most part. Which might explain why daughter still likes most of these songs over decade later.

The album opens with Linkin Park. I don't like Linkin Park, and this song is one of the reasons why. Basically it's a bunch of talented musicians having their music ruined by a Rapping white boy and a geek named Chester that can't stop screaming. This music is not angry enough for all that screaming. I will say that I do like Linkin Park's more recent stuff, but this early music is complete crap as far as I'm concerned.

Blink-182's the Rock Show is one of those songs that you just could not escape in 2001. It was the song of the summer, and the first indication that people had become even stupider than they were when they started to like Green Day almost a decade ealier. In fact Green Day is the reason we have bands like Blink-182. I can't stand this Pop crap, that has no substance or purpose other than to make people retarded, like the girl at the rock show in the song.

Flavour Of The Weak by American Hi-Fi isn't much better than the previous track. Basically if you looked at this album as a time capsule of 2001, you'll hear that mainstream music was really fucking lame. It was a bunch of Green Day wannabes getting the chance to cash in, with no good reason.

I'm not a Sum 41 fan. I respect that they are talented, and know how to play. There are many tracks I've heard over the years that back up that statement. However, Fat Lip isn't on of them. It's the same as the last two songs. The only nice part is that at least this commercial shit is Canadian commercial shit.

Default is another band I don't care for, but I will say that I have a lot more respect for Wasting My Time that I did when it first came out. In fact it was the first song on this album I don't want to skip. That doesn't mean I like or support this song. It just means that I can tolerate it enough to listen to it.

I should stress again that I did not buy this album. This is actually my Editor's CD, and Andria should be held accountable for her crimes against my auditory senses. Then again, she has to edit my writing so that may be punishment enough.

Track six is Limp Bizkit's My Way, which sucks. I have less use for Fred Durst musically than I do for Korn, Linkin Park or any other Nu Metal or Nu Metal-esque band. He's an egotistical dick head that pretty much only yells into a mic, and then claims he's going to save Rock. He did make that statement, right around the time Death Magnetic and Chinese Democracy were released.

Puddle Of Mudd has one song I like, and it's not on here. Instead this album contains Control, which is Post Grunge shit. It's like listening to a Grunge Unplugged album. It's slow and as boring as shit on a gentle Spring day.

Weezer's Hash Pipe is the first song on this album I like. Actually I love this song. I know it's pretty typical, and a bit overly commercial for Weezer, but I love this band, and this song. It just get's me rockin' the way good music should. Also it has one hell of a catchy riff.

I'm hit and miss when it comes to Stone Temple Pilots. Days Of The Week I think is a pretty basic song for the band, and therefore I find it a miss. It's soft, mellow, and meant for the younger girls. Which is fine with me, but it's a sad way for a band like STP to end up.

Sugar Ray started out okay. They were Hard Rockish and may have had a chance to become something okay, eventually. Instead they opted to sell out, release a complete piece of crap like When It's Over and then fade into obscurity. Good bye and good riddence.

I'm a bad Canadian in the sense that I don't gerenally care for Our Lady Piece. Mostly because I'm not an Alternative fan, and I don't care for the vocalist. I find him too whiney. However I really do like Life. The lyrics are actually worth paying attention to. "How many times have you been pushed around / Is anybody there, does anybody care / And how many times have your friends let you down / Is anybody there, did anybody stare, oh / And how many times have your friends let you down / Just open up your heart / Just open up your mind / And how many times has your faith slipped away / Well is anybody safe, does anybody pray / Oh, life is waiting for you / It's all messed up, but we're alive / Oh, life is waiting for you / It's all messed up, but we'll survive". It reminds me of David Bowie's All the Young Dudes in many ways.

I'm not a fan of Clint Eastwood by The Gorillaz, but only because it's not my type of music. However, this song is actually very well done. The music is neat and different, and the vocal swapping adds a cool dynamic as well. Though I don't normally care for Rap, and this song has more of it than I like. However, my biggest complaint about this song is how long it is. At 5:41 it drags on for way too long.

Track thirteen gives us some Moby. Yeah! (Sorry I've still yet to find the Sarcastica font.) South Side is kind of okay. I can respect, ignore and pretend that this song is acceptable if I really try. But, I have to try really hard.

There are only four songs on this album I truly enjoy. One of which comes from my favourite Canadian bad ass, biker, Goth chick. Bif Naked has been around for something like a decade when she released I Love Myself Today, and I'm pretty sure it's still her biggest hit to date. I could be wrong, but I'd be surprised. This was one of those songs that got played a lot, and it wasn't due to CanCom rules either. This is a fucking wicked song. It's all Girl Power, without the stupid girl bullshit you get from groups like The Spice Girls, or any of the Pop princesses. "Well look at you you're all puffed up / In that big red truck- but you're outta luck (this time) / Well, that's tough / 'Cause I'm on fire- too hot to touch / with a chatroom full of lovers on the line / Gonna step right up. Spit shine my soul / I'm gonna be proud and loud and outta control! / I love myself today / Not like yesterday / I'm cool, I'm calm / I'm gonna be okay! Uh huh / I love myself today / Not like yesterday / Take another look at me now / 'Cause it's your last look / Your last look forever". This is a great positive message for girls, women, and even us boys and men. However, the strong and confident woman in this song sounds so sexy because of her Rocking out those two traits the way she does.

Be Like That from 3 Doors Down is more of that standard crap that fills this entire album. It's some guy being all sensitive, and trying to channel their inner Bon Jovi, but without the swagger or coolness of Jon and Richie. Just skip it.

I remember when Alone In The Universe came out. I thought it was Our lady Peace at first. Clearly it isn't, but David Usher doesn't sound that far off. It's the same boring format, with simular whiney vocals, and overly self important lyrics. Musically I will give it props. It's very well played.

I really don't remember Breakdown from Tantric. It vaguely rings a bell, but for the most part it's just more cookie cutter music from another band that sounds like every other Post Grunge band, that wasn't Pop Punk.

The album finsihes with the fourth and final song that I honestly like. The Tea Party's Walking Wounded is the first song that I ever truly liked from the band. Over the years I've become more of a fan, but I didn't start that way. Which is a bit sad since we reside in the same city. However, it took until 2001 before they started releasing music I was totally into. Walking Wounded not only has great lyrics, but it also has music that slithers around you. It entices you. It takes you for a ride, that I think the Lizard King might have even enjoyed.

As for the lyrics..."Is it safe to look within / And erase all that's been / And all that's been between / Is it gone, tell me what went wrong / 'cause baby i'm not that strong / And I'm walking wounded / All Alone / All Alone / Are you comfortable and numb / Do they all succumb / to all those lies / Does it satisfy the greed / Is it all you need / Is it all you want / well baby i'm not that strong / And I'm walking wounded / All Alone / and baby i'm not that strong / And I'm walking wounded / All Alone / All Alone / How does it feel? / How does it feel? / baby, now / How does it feel? / How does it feel? / If your memories do stray / Then they'll betray all that's past / And all that's been between / Is it gone, tell me what went wrong / 'cause baby I'm not that strong / And I'm walking wounded / All Alone / and baby i'm not that strong /And I'm walking wounded / All Alone / All Alone / How does it feel? / How does it feel? / baby, now / How does it feel?" It just repeats until the end. However, I crank this baby up to scare the demons and let them know that I'm ready and waiting for them to bring on some more.

The best part about this album is that three of the four songs I really like are by Canadian artists. The down side to this album is that there are fourteen other tracks that I think are either complete shit, or a waste of compact disc space. I would never suggest any pick up this album, unless you are looking for a bunch of turn of the millenium commercial garbage. I will only give the album a five for content due to my personal views obscuring some of my judgement, but I think that's being too generous.

5/10 - content

7/10 - production

3/10 - personal bias

Led Zeppelin - Box Set

The very first box set I ever owned was the very first box set that I remember coming out. The Led Zeppelin Box Set "Digitally remastered from the original tapes," I remember the television commercials saying. I also remember starting to beg my family for the box set at that point in 1990.

I had very little clue who Zeppelin was, and I'll admit that, but I knew Kashmir which was all over the commercial, along with Whole Lotta Love, Rock And Roll, and one or two others, and I knew I wanted this set. It would take about four more years before I would actually get it.

In that time I bought myself Zeppelin IV/Zofo/Untitled, because it was the cool album at the time. However, once I had this box set I traded it for a CD that was so not worth it, but that's another discussion, for another review. What I'm getting at is that I really only went a year and half to two years without this box set, from the point I got my first CD player.

Hell, in 1990 not too many people owned Compact Disc players, but the box set was available in three formats, not just the one. There was CD (four discs), Cassette (four tapes) and Vinyl (six records/twelve sides), and if you had that last one, the order changed up a bit, from the other two.

Now, I'm going to pretty much tell you how this review is going to end. When you get down to the ratings at the end, they will all read "10". This collection is a perfect ten, and it's a perfect ten from even more angles than the ones I normal judge by. This set contains a great selection for the hard core fans, for the commercial fans, for people that respect Zeppelin even if they aren't into them, and for the regular everyday bloke.

The first disc in the set opens with Whole Lotta Love, which to this day is my favourite Led Zeppelin song. They wrote this song and then spent the rest of their career releasing songs that were okay, but not as good. I mean it's really a sad state of affairs, and it leaves me mad as shit, since this was from their second album. I jest.

In all seriousness Whole Lotta Love taught me so much about Rock music. It wasn't just about being loud, it's about being heavy. From a drummer's point of view this song taught me the skills to control the hi-hat with my foot, and also lead to my redesigning the set up of my drum set and how I play all together. Then there's the importance of slightly muting the string for that awesome chug. Oh yeah, what about all that awesome trippy experimental stuff, at least it was for 1969 when originally recorded. This is one of those songs that must be cranked, so you can truly feel it. Also, if you can't tell from what I've already writen, the songs on this collection do not appear in the same order in which they were released. Like it was done on other box set reviews I've already covered.

Next is Heartbreaker, and I will totally admit that I don't care for this song. Everytime people hear that I always get a shocked reaction, and I understand why. This is totally a great song, and the band rips it up huge, but I just find it boring. The guitar masterbation part in the middle is a bit of a turn off for me, because it totally kills the flow of the song. I get why it's done musically, and it's totally cool and makes sense, but the breaking heart kills the song for me. However, I love that it doesn't flow into the normal Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman). Instead it cuts to the next song.

Communication Breakdown, is another one of those songs that totally rocks my world. I love this song to the extreme, and it is just so Rock N' Roll, but holy crap is it heavy. Also from 1969, but from the original self titled album, instead of Zeppelin II like the two previous songs. This song is just pure white energy.

Track four belongs to Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, also from the first album. This song is a fantastic accoustic number, that features Plant's amazing vocals doing that thing they do, when they are getting all mystic sounding. Then at 2:23 when the song really kicks in you don't even remember that that's an accoustic guitar pounding away through the speakers. And then it comes back down and get's all double tracked pretty and lolls you into a false sense of mellow before it starts taking you on that roller coaster of musical emotional bliss. This song is a 6:42 long audiogasm. Half of the beauty to this song is the production, and the other half is a band that didn't get confined by borders.

We then go back to Led Zeppelin II for What Is and What Should Never Be. This is another white energy kind of song. It totally pulls the negative out of your mind and leaves your body feeling like a million dollars. You want to dance to it, get your groove on, and just chill right out.

Now, as I've mention the vinyl has a slightly different layout than the other two formats. Side one ends at this point and side two starts next. If I had to guess, when this boxset was being planned out, it was being planned with the vinyl in mind more than the Compact Disc. As we go you'll see it more and more, but was that not the perfect first side of a Zeppelin album? I also promise the second side works the same way too.

It opens with Thank You, which is a great song, but one that I don't care for. I can't give you a good explanation as to why, all I know is that it doesn't tickle any of my fancies. But that's okay, because you don't have to like all of their music. That's what Pop bands are for, this was a group of artists.

After that comes a live recording from 1970. This version of I Can't Quit You Baby is the version originally released on Coda, 1982. If you like slow rhythms and guitar masturbation, this is a Blues number for you. If you are a real Zeppelin fan this song is also for you. I think the casual listener would probably skip this one. That blends almost seemlessly into Dazed and Confused, a song that all bassists must learn. This 1969 number from their first CD runs an impressive 6:27, which I've heard called "overkill", but I don't care. This is one of those songs that just takes you away on one hell of a journey. This song is pretty much a ride through your mind musically. The lyrics are a different story. "Been Dazed and Confused for so long it's not true. / Wanted a woman, never bargained for you. / Lots of people talk and few of them know, / soul of a woman was created below. / You hurt and abuse tellin' all of your lies. / Run around sweet baby, Lord how they hypnotize. / Sweet little baby, I don't know where you've been. / Gonna love you baby, here I come again." Women are such the curse and cure.

I'm really not sure how I feel about Your Time Is Gonna Come. It's a good song, but it sounds way too much like listening to a church hymn to me. The organ doesn't help either. However, it's a bit catchy and easy to sing along with, so I still do that when the song plays.

How does one complain about a song inspired by Lord Of The Rings? I know how one can, but Ramble On is not one of them. Instead of doing something lame and using lines like "my precious", Plant does the lyrics in a way, that there is only one point where he clearly references LOTR. "Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear. / How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air. / T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair. / But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her....yeah." If not for that verse, this song from Zeppelin II, most people would think is about a woman. Hell, even with that verse, most people still think this song is about a woman.

Travelling Riverside Blues, comes from the BBC. Recorded live on 24th of June, 1969, at the time this box set was originally released this track was considered previously unreleased. However, it was later included on the BBC Sessions album. This is a typical Blues song from this band, which is to say that it's enjoyable, as long as you like when they play that way.

I love the bounciness of Friends. It's fun and playful and totally an accoustic heart pumper. Also the first track to appear from from 1970's Led Zeppelin III. Also from that album is Celebration Day, which is just as bouncey and fun. This one is electric instead of accoustic, but totally rockin' and all part time. It's not just a clever name.

Hey Hey What Can I Do was the only Led Zeppelin song to ever be released, but not featured on an album. This originally appeared on the b-side to "Immigrant Song". The single was released in 1970. As for the song itself, it's okay. It's much like Travelling Riverside Blues, and I can go either way with it.

The first disc ends with White Summer/Black Mountain Side which is an 8:01 guitar solo (for the mostpart) recorded 1969, but never released until this box set. The first part comes from Jimmy Page's days with the Yardbirds and the second was on the first Led Zeppelin album. I'm not going to lie to you, this thing runs long. I love listening to it, but there are some days when I really can't make it more than four minutes into the song before I want to switch it off. However, this is a great way to end the first CD.

Although this track ends side three of the record (record two side one, for anyone confused), so the feel of the second record is completely different. All the slow odd stuff is up front, and all the commercial stuff is put on the back half of the album.

The second disc opens with Black Dog. If you don't know the song by the title it's the one that opens with "Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove." I totally love this one, but over the years I find I don't have the same passion for it that I once did. I think it comes from the fact that this is one of the more radio friendly Zeppelin tracks, even though it's still almost five minutes. One thing that I always found funny about this song was how much it sounds like Rock And Roll, which also came off Led Zeppelin IV.

Now one of the great things about bands that started in the late 60's early 70's is that they would release at least one album a year for the first couple albums and then finally maybe take a break. When you look at the release dates for Led Zeppelin I-IV they were all released between 1969-71. That's four of the greatest rock albums in only two years. Then and only then did Zeppelin take a break.

The first track to show up on this collection from the Houses Of The Holy album (1973) is Over The Hills And Far Away. This is another song that I loved in my youth, but has lost some of the appeal as I've gotten older. I'm not sure why, but that doesn't mean I don't still enjoy the song now.

I absolutely love Immigrant Song, which brings us back to Led Zeppelin III. The track is just shy of two and a half minutes, but it's just a fast and brutal attack that reflects the lyrics. "Ah, ah, (those are actually repeated a bit)/ We come from the land of the ice and snow,/ From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow. / The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands, / To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming! / On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore. / Ah, ah, (those are actually repeated a bit)/ We come from the land of the ice and snow, / From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. / How soft your fields so green, can whisper tales of gore, / Of how we calmed the tides of war. We are your overlords. / On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore. / So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins, / For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing."

The Battle of Evermore was one of the tracks from IV that I never cared for. Even once I read Lord Of The Rings I still didn't care for this one all that much. The music is fantastic, and totally suits the content matter, but it just doesn't appeal to me. Also, like other LOTR songs there's only one verse that's a real give away "The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath, / The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on."

I find Bron-Y-Aur Stomp a little too Country Blues for me. It's got a great rhythm and beat, that you can't help but groove to, but it's not my kind of song. However, this is an excellent tune that I knows millions of people love, and I can totally understand why. That was one of the best parts about Led Zeppelin, they gave you a great spectrum of diverse musical sounds. That meant you wouldn't like every song, but you had to respect the men making the music.

The second vinyl album finishes with Tangerine. "Measuring a summer's day / I only finds it slips away to grey / The hours they bring me pain. / Tangerine Tangerine / Living reflection from a dream; / I was her love she was my queen / And now a thousand years between. / Thinking how it used to be / Does she still remember times like these? / To think of us again? / And I do. / Tangerine Tangerine / Living reflection from a dream; / I was her love she was my queen / And now a thousand years between". Now clearly it would seem this song is about a woman. However, I beg your pardon with the question of "Could it maybe be about the actual fruit." The music reminds me of what it's like to eat that very first tangerine.

The third record is made up entirely of the second half of the second CD. This is one of those moments when you can see how much thought really went into this collection. Having it all sync up as much as to say that the collection is broken into halves.

The first track on the third vinyl is Going to California another one of those songs that I don't care for, but this one it's because it feels so long. It's only 3:31, but I would swear that it feels more like five plus minutes.

Since I've Been Loving You is 7:24 Blues/Jazz exploration from Led Zeppelin III. This is one of those songs that you have to let warm up. It starts off being a skip track, but as it grows you get totally drawn in. This is the type of music that never gets released anymore, because it's totally about musical expression and emotion. There is so much raw emotion in this song that you can't help but feel your heart get dragged through the mud and kicked around, before you get sucked into a vortex of loneliness.

It's back to Houses Of The Holy for D'yer Mak'er. This is great fun tune. I know a lot of people can't stand it, and think it's crap, but once again I can't stress enough how important it was that Zeppelin didn't pigeon hole themselves into a specific sound. They were always exploring.

As much as they explored they also remembered their roots too. Gallows Pole is a traditonal piece that was arranged by Page and Plant for Led Zeppelin III. This is good solid song that I've grown a larger appreciation for over the years. When I first got this box set I would often skip this one, now I'll happily listen to it. The first track offered from the 1975's Physical Graffiti is Custard Pie. I will be honest, not a fan of this one, and I still skip it if I'm near the CD player or a remote. To me this is a pretty stock kind of song. It has no real substance and it seems like album filler. I also know that I just pissed someone off with that, but this song just doesn't work for me. It sounds like a throw away track from the first album they went back and re-recorded.

Now it's on to side six of the vinyl collection, and the last four songs on the compact disc.

First up is Misty Mountain Hop, which is a really fun song. This is a band that's having some fun and just doing there thing. It sounds like pure, natural, unrehearsed magic. This is how all music should sound, even if it is rehearsed, produced and kicked into shape. Also it really helps that this song is just so hippy in lyrics. "Walkin' in the park just the other day, Baby, / What do you, what do you think I saw? / Crowds of people sittin' on the grass with flowers in their hair said, / "Hey, Boy, do you wanna score?" / And you know how it is; / I really don't know what time it was, woh, oh, / So I asked them if I could stay awhile. " I mentioned already how I think Rock and Roll sounds very much like Black Dog, which is funny since both come from the same album originally (IV). I'm not sure why it is that I think this, although I know part of it comes from Plant's vocal delivery. Other than that, this is a song that does not have a clever title. It describes the feel, vibe, energy and passion in this song.

I'm not sure why they placed The Rain Song in the second last slot on this CD. It's one of those songs that's rather slow and it really brings down the tempo and feel of what's been building. Sure it's a pretty song, and I'm sure many a tongue have been pulled to this beauty, but oh my god is it slow. It's another one that I have no issues with skipping. Also with a time stamp of 7:39 the song also runs long, but it thankfully doesn't feel long.

The second disc finishes with Led Zeppelin's biggest song, Stairway To Heaven. I have a love hate thing with this song. I think it's over played, over analyzed, over read, over rated, and over exaggerated. However, I karaoke the shit out of the bitch. At this moment if I turn it up any louder the pictures will start to rattle off the wall. Also, I'm feeling musically fulfilled. It's a great song, it really is, but there are months when I don't want to hear it, and there was probably a good year or two in my twenties when this CD finished after Rock And Roll.

Actually, of the four discs in this box set, the second disc got played the least between the years of 2000-2005. Also, during the last couple years of the 90's the only disc I would listen to less than this one was the fourth one (which I listen to the most during the other listed time above.) The problem with this disc is that it makes up the core of the commercial music. So, I've heard it all a thousand times, and that's not including when I've put the CD on.

Now a days, the album in this set I listen to the least is the third disc, which for those keeping a vinyl count makes up side seven, eight and nine. It's the shortest disc in the set, with the least amount of tracks, but they are some of the longer songs. Only one of the songs dips five and half minutes. Basically, you could call this the epic disc.

My second favourite Zeppelin song is Kashmir from Physical Graffiti. I know this song is almost as big as Stairway, an I can't get over how much radio play this song still gets since it's 8:32 in length. Also this has got to be one of the best poetic set of lyrics, without going overboard, that the band has ever done. "Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves no trace, like thoughts inside a dream / Heed the path that led me to that place, yellow desert stream / My Shangri-La beneath the summer moon, I will return again / Sure as the dust that floats high in June, when movin' through Kashmir. " It's not just your typical run of the mill, brain dead, Rock N' Roll rambling. Also, can we say heavy. I mean I love letting this beast roar out of my speakers.

I'm also noticing that as I go here I'm not mentioning much about song writers. Most of the songs are written with the Plant/Page combo, however, well over half the songs that make up this set always have at least Bonham or Jones attached to them. Kashmir for example is listed as Bonham, Page and Plant, and that drummer has a lot of song writing credits.

The next song demonstrates the Jones, Page and Plant combo. Trampled Under Foot is one of those songs where the title makes no sense at all, not a single mention of being trampled under foot, and it is only vaguely alluded to. However, this is such a good song that it doesn't matter. Jones' keyboard/organ work is amazingly top notch, as well as his kickin' bass groove. This is just one of those songs that you can't help but get into.

For Your Life is one of those songs that sometimes I feel a need to skip, and other days I want to let it spin out. Well if I had it on vinyl I'd let it spin out, because it's the last track on side seven. To be honest I find this song drags on a bit longer than I care for. It's a decent enough tune, but it just feels over worked and forced. Almost like they felt the song had to run over six minutes.

I really don't care for No Quarter unless I am really stoned. I mean really stoned. Then I often find myself nodding off to this song instead. I understand why some people dig this song, but I have just never been able to get into it.

Dancing Days, is just one of those fun songs, but when you look at all the songs on this collection from Houses Of The Holy, you can tell the band was just sort of using up old bits, or left overs, from the earlier albums. Not to say that this song is no good, it's just a little basic.

Some Led Zeppelin songs I find are like a fine wine, they only get better with age. For example When the Levee Breaks was a song that I would generally skip. Not that it was a bad song, it just wasn't something I was in to. However, that's changed a fair amount in the last 10 years. To the extent where this song even ends up on my Mp3 player once in a while.

I love the high speed chug and gallop of Achilles Last Stand. The best part about this song is that it never really slows down. There are points when the vibe is a bit calmer, but that's it. Otherwise this song is a 10:25 exercise in endurance and stamina, at least for the guys playing it.

I love the first 1:28 of The Song Remains the Same, after that it's still a decent tune. It's a bit pretty for my liking in parts, and I don't care for the dreamy sound to Plants vocals, but once again this is a group of artists doing their thing. This is also the track that kicks off side nine of the vinyl.

Ten Years Gone is one of the more mellow tracks on this disc, and for the most part I always blank out when it comes on the CD player. It's fantastic background music, but I have never really paid much attention to it.

In My Time of Dying is a great way to finish off the thrid disc. It's just over eleven minutes of pure energy and drive. Also how does one argue with such honest lyrics. "Jesus, gonna make up.. somebody, somebody... / Jesus gonna make up... Jesus gonna make you my dyin' bed / Oh, Saint Peter, at the gates of heaven... Won't you let me in / I never did no harm. I never did no wrong / Oh, Gabriel, let me blow your horn. Let me blow your horn / Oh, I never did, did no harm. / I've only been this young once. I never thought I'd do anybody no wrong / No, not once. / Oh, I did somebody some good. Somebody some good... / Oh, did somebody some good. I must have did somebody some good... / Oh, I believe I did". This is just a fantastic song the whole way around, and you don't even start to notice how long the song runs until you pass the ten minute marker.

The last disc (side ten) is kicked off with In the Evening, which has a beautiful middle eastern escence, but sounds a little like it was inspired by whale songs as well. This is song, like so many others has a great energy that the band keeps up for 6:49.

I have to say one of Led Zeppelin's greatest accomplishments is being able to constantly write and release longer songs, and yet still keep them feeling long and drawn out. I mean it does happen from time to time, but for the most part you just don't notice the song's time.

Candy Store Rock, is like this cross between Blues, Pop, and Swing. There's just this great little mash of styles that help make this song Jump. I don't normally pay much attention to it, but that because it's one of those songs that blends into the background for me.

"Singing in the sunshine, laughing in the rain / Hitting on the moonshine, rocking in the grain / Got no time to pack my bags, my foots outside the door / Got a date, I can't be late, for the high hopes hailla ball. / Singing to an ocean, I can hear the ocean's roar / Play for free, play for me and play a whole lot more, more! / Singing about good things and the sun that lights the day / I used to sing on the mountains, has the ocean lost it's way. / Sitting round singing songs 'til the night turns into day / Used to sing on the mountains but the mountains washed away / Now I'm singing all my songs to the girl who won my heart / She is only three years old and it's a real fine way to start." I love the way these lyrics are delivered in The Ocean. Also, it really helps that this song always puts a smile on my face.

Ozone Baby is just a real good time. It's a bit groovy and totally bouncy.

You have to wonder if the Houses of the Holy wasn't ready in time for the album of the same name, so it got postponed until the Physical Graffiti album, or maybe the band was just having a wee bit of sport with their audience. Either way it doesn't matter since this is just a really fun tune, that makes you want to get up and boogie.

The eleventh vinyl side opens with Wearing and Tearing from Coda. This was one of the other three songs left over after the In Through The Out Door sessions (Darlene was the third track, which is not on this set). Not that it's a bad track, it just would have meant Zeppelin releasing another double vinyl set at the time. In fact I love the energy and vibe of the song. I think it's this great tune.

Poor Tom, also from Coda, is a left over from the Zeppelin III sessions. I can see why this song was held back. It would have caused the third album to be way over the top with the Classic Blues styling. I personally generally ignore this song, using it mainly as background music.

I love the guitar intro to Nobody's Fault But Mine. I then like when Plant starts to copy it with his vocals. It's a great warm up to a song that moves. I mean there is some really drive and passion to this number, plus a dozen or so well placed stops and starts. It just really gives this song a hell of a body to listen to.

Fool in the Rain is one of those songs that I have always loved. It's such a great feelgood piece. It's just a basic fun kind of song. The musicianship on this song is something else as well. Jones' piano work, Bonham's percussion and Page's guitar are all over the place in a good carribean kind of way. "Now my body is starting to quiver / And the palms of my hands getting wet / I've got no reason to doubt you baby, / It's all a terrible mess / I'll run in the rain till I'm breathless / When I'm breathless I'll run till I drop, hey / The thoughts of a fool's kind of careless / I'm just a fool waiting on the wrong block, oh yeah / Light of the love that I found..." It just give's you that simple love feel.

Then it's on to side twelve. The very last section of the disc.

In the Light is a good track, that you don't notice runs 8:46, at least not until the minute or so. I'm not a big fan of this song, I think it's bit stock for Led Zeppelin.

It's back to some solid boogie with The Wanton Song. I won't claim this is some great Zeppelin marvel, but it is totally enjoyable. I'm personally a bit upset that I'll never get to see this song performed live, in person. I'd love to get my groove on to this one at a concert.

Moby Dick/Bonzo's Montreux is a remix of previous two recordings that were put together for this box set. Basically this is a giant drum solo track. As a drummer I love it. I think it's totally fantastic. As your basic listener, it's a bit long and drawn out, but still very enjoyable.

I'm not sure what to make of I'm Gonna Crawl. "I don't have to go by plane / I ain't gotta go by car / I don't care just where my darling is / People I just don't care how far / I'm gonna crawl / I don't care if I got to go back home / I don't care what I got to stand to her back / I'm gonna crawl / I'm gonna move the car, baby / She give me good lovin / Yes I love her, I guess I love her / I'm gonna crawl." Clearly it's a love song, and even the music would dictate a 50's ballroom dance feel, but yet this song is pumping more passion than that, but not enough to say that this song is heavy. It's just one of those kind of odd songs.

My favourite song on the last disc is also the last song, All My Love. I know it's a simple, basic, more or less typical love song, but it's fantastic. I love the keyboard parts, the under stated guitar, and Plant's raw, but sweet vocals. This is also the best way to finish off the box set. A bit cliche when you think of it, but you can't complain without being a douche bag.

At the very end of these four discs I still hold very true to the my statement that this collection is a perfect ten. I don't care for every song, but that doesn't mean those songs aren't good. They just don't ring my bell.

I also wouldn't suggest listening to all four discs at once. In the fifteen years or so, that I have owned this collection I think I have only listened to all four discs in a row five or six times. Five plus hours of non-stop Led Zeppelin is just abit too much for me. However, if you are a hardcore fan, it may be just right for you.

10/10 - content

10/10 - production

10/10 - personal bias

Aerosmith - Nine Lives

I find it amazing how much a band can change from one record label to the next. Well, maybe it's not that drastic of a change, but when you go from writing three tons of commercial shit, to returning to an older style and mentality, by just switching from Geffen back to Columbia there is a lot to be said.

Over the course of ten years Aerosmith released four studio albums, 1987's Permanent Vacation, 1989's Pump, 1993's Get A Grip, and 1997's Nine Lives, there was also 1994's Big Ones, which was pretty much an obligatory compilation album, to finish off their contract with Geffen. I've covered the first one in a past review, I own the second and will eventually cover it, the third one I have still not bought to this day, and never plan on it. However, this review is for the fourth album on that list.

I was so excited when I started hearing songs from the Nine Lives album on the radio. The first single was Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees) and that was a great song to start with. No Crazy/Amazing/Cryin' bullshit that could be found on the the last album. Instead we are treated to some real rock, but I'll get to more about that song in few paragraphs. Then their was Pink, which is such great tongue in cheek raunch, and then finally there was a ballad, but I was able to somewhat over look it.

What I'm trying to say here is that Nine Lives is the best album Aerosmith has realeased since 1976's Rocks. Sure there are a few ballads on here, it's was the easy "go to" for bands in the 90's. It was almost the only way to guarantee any type of real airplay, but this album proved that wrong. Sure there are some slow tunes on this album, but not all of them are ballads, some of them are just slower songs. The only thing on this album that is a major negative to me, is that the only Aerosmith members to get writing credits on the album are Tyler and Perry, and every song had outside co-writers.

The album opens with Nine Lives, which is a great kick off track. It's fast, furious, full of raw energy and animalist energies. The cat sounds that are being made at the start of the album are a cute touch and the music is just roaringly good. It's a cranker song.

I loved Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees) since I first heard it on the radio, and saw the music video. "You ain't that good / Is what you said down to the letter / But you like the way I hold the microphone / Sometimes I?m good but when I'm bad / I'm even better / Don't give me no lip / I've got enough of my own / There ain't gonna be no more beggin' you please / You know what I want / And it ain't one of these / You're bad to the bone / And your girlfriend agrees / That falling in love is so hard on the knees / I'm Jonesin' on love / Yeah I got the DT's / You say that we will yeah / But there ain't no guarantees / I'm major in love / But in all minor keys / 'Cause falling in love is so hard on the knees". You can take the last three set of lyrics and take two different meanings from them. But the reality is we all know what Steven is really talking about, and it's truthful Rock N' Roll poetry. To me the only downside to this song is that it's the shortest track on the album.

The album had to have one silly little ballad for the girls, since they do make up a lot of the Aerosmith fan base. So, we got Hole In My Soul. It's not a bad song, I like it much better than all that Crazy/Amazing/Cryin' crap, but it's still pretty much just as bad as those. I liked it better when Aeromsith only released one ballad a decade. Like the fact that the 1970's had Dream On, and that's it.

Taste Of India was a fantastic track included on this album. I know the Indian music motif was done very heavily in the 60's and 70's, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin quickly come to mind. However, this is Aerosmith showing their first signs of musicial exploration in twenty plus years, and I think it's fantastic. I also like the fact that this song is actually inspired by Indian food, and not a stripper named India. To this day, this is still one of my favourite songs.

The first track on the album I find myself wanting to skip is Full Circle. It's a ballad, but not your basic "Oooo baby" type of one. This is more of a slow reflection song, as the chorus points out. "Time / Don't let it slip away / Raise yo' drinkin' glass / Here's to yesterday / In time / We're all gonna trip away / Don't piss Heaven off / We got Hell to pay / Come full circle". Musically it's good, but it's pretty basic and standard for Aerosmith.

Something's Gotta Give is pretty much an album filler as well. It's a really quick paced head bopper, but it's nothing that you haven't heard before. To me the only really cool redeeming quality to this song is the amount of harmonica in the song. Also I find it odd how this song is only 3:36 but I would swear it still runs in the five minute range.

Ain't That A Bitch is another slow track, but not a ballad. This one has a very 1950's, Black & White, Film Noir, Detective kind of feel to it, at least in the beginning, and it still carries on during the verses in a limited capacity. Sadly, during the choruses the song sounds like a typical Aerosmith ballad. If they had been able to have the whole song keep the vibe set in the intro, this would have been a much better song. Instead it turns into stock Aerosmith. Ain't that a bitch.

Normally the second half of an album is where a band throws all of the tracks they wish to bury, or use to fill out an album. I would say that most of the filler crap was put in the front of this album. The album starts to get interesting at track seven with The Farm. Musically, it's really basic, and there is nothing fancy about this one, but it's the lyrics that really grab you. First off there's a giant Wizard Of Oz vibe flowing through the whole song (various spoken word quotes), but then there's the actual lyrics. "Buckle up straightjack / Insanity is such a drag / Jellybean thorazene / Transcendental jet lag / Sanity I ain't gona / Feeling like a piñata / Sucker punch, blow lunch / Motherload, pigeonhole / I'm feeling like I'm gonna explode / Yeah, I wanna shave my head and / I wanna be a Hare Krishna / Tattoo a dot right on my head / Heh, heh / And the prozac is my fixer / I am the living dead".

"(Dum, dum..can't find anything / Better to do...you drive me crazy) / Sitting on a castle / On the floor with Esmeralda / Waiting for the Geezer / Captain Crunch to come around / Feeling suicidal 'cause of certain situations / Hanging from the stairs too long / I think I'm coming down / It's time to Crash / (Losin' my mind...yeah, it's time to) / Doin' tons of colon blow / Stuffing it in every hole / Mile high, so am I / Watching Jimmy kiss the sky / Salle diner becomes a blur / With everybody jammin' / Republicans begin to sin / The batwings start a slamming / It's time to crash / (Losin' my mind...yeah, it's time to) / Crash / (Yeah, maybe it's a little late but it's time to) / Crash / You drive me crazy / You drive me crazy / You drive me crazy / Captain Billy Beemish / Put a lamb up on a rack / Thanks for coming Billy / And we hope you're comin' back / The castle will be waiting / For the next bangers and mash / Blanche and Marsha Reznick / Put their marmack with their hash / It's time to crash / Losin' my mind, losin' my mind..." All the lyrics suck up the first two and half minutes of the song Crash. After that it's another two minutes of crazy ass, jagged styled, totally insane music. This is one of those songs that should have been radio wildfire, but was more of a hidden gem instead.

To this day I'm still not sure where I stand with Kiss Your Past Good-bye. It sounds like a left over from one of the Geffen albums, but at the same time I don't entirely hate it. It's very stock, but it still has enough changes and variations to say that it's mildly enjoyable.

Only Aeromsmith can write a song about how much they love the colour of the inner side of vaginal lips, and make it into a radio single. Oh yeah, they also strip the music down to a very basic sound, almost Tom Petty like, and still manage to rule the Hard Rock radio stations with Pink. Also this is a really a fun tune.

Attitude Adjustment is another kind of basic song. But it's like a really good solid album filler, not just a left over song. I think the potential was there to make this a much heavier song than it is, but I think due to how people see Aerosmith it would have been a bad idea to heavy this one up too much. It could have easily turned into an almost Classic Metal sounding track.

Also right before I go into the last track on this album I think I should mention that I don't think there is any Aerosmith album that contains the word "fuck" as much as this album does. Not to say that it's all over the place, but when a band goes from barely ever cursing to using "Fuck" on almost every other song, you tend to notice these things.

The logest track on the enitre album is the last one. Fallen Angels clocks in at 8:19 on my player, even though it's listed as being only 8:16 on the album cover. This is a pretty typical Aeromsith Ballad. Think Angel from Permanent Vacation, meets Crazy/Amazing/Cryin', with the big grandiose production of the really annoying track from the Armegedon soundtrack, and that sort of describes it, at least until the 5:30 marker. Then the track starts to desolve into a nifty little instrumental section that sounds like it should have been a part of Taste Of India. It's actaully because of this section of the song that I don't entirely take a big steaming crap on this track. In all honesty I think they should have made the last two minutes or so it's own track, just so I could skip the crap and listen to the good stuff.

Basically, if you cut out Full Circle, Kiss Your Past Good-bye and the first five and a half minutes of Fallen Angels, you have a really good Aerosmith album with some great tracks and strong filler. With those three songs included you have some great tracks, with some strong filler, and some weak ass ballads. I would really like to see Aerosmith release an album without a ballad, which fifteen years later they have still yet to do.

However, with all that being said, I would suggest this album to anyone before I would suggest any of the Geffen albums, because this album is better. In fact if it were not for the Geffen years, I would have more respect for the ballads on this album than I honestly do.

Also as a little side note, if you have the original release of this CD you also have a very early prototype concept for Guitar Hero, that required you to tap along to the music. This was also eleven years before Guitar Hero Aerosmith was released.

8/10 - content

8/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias

Megedeth - Hidden Treasures

I love picking up CDs that are loaded with tracks from here, there, and everywhere, because a band has done a lot of soundtracks or other collection albums. Sometimes you find some really good songs without having to go pick up a bunch of shitty soundtracks.

Megadeth covering No More Mr. Nice Guy, is there a better way to open a collection of miscellaneous songs? I'm not going to say that this version is better than Alice Cooper's, but I will say that it's jacked up in a way that's totally Metal. This song was originally from the Shocker soundtrack, and was produced by Desmond Child, which I think explains why it sounds so good. It also helps that it's a song that Dave Mustaine can totally relate to.

I don't think anything good came out of the Super Mario Bros. movie, including Breakpoint. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad song. It's actually pretty decent, but it's so typical of everything they were releasing in 1992, that I don't have much use for it. However, on this album it's a great filler track.

Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey was a wickedly funny movie, that had some great Metal. Go To Hell was one of those songs. My favourite part of this song is the lyrics. "I saw my funeral that day / I know who didn't show to mourn / My judgement was life in hell / Pillars of pain and thorns / My only friend's the goat / With 666 between his horns / Go to hell / Place all your trust here in me / Rest assured these things I know / And as Charon sails the sea / Your journey too shall end below / Ah yes you're all sitting ducks / It's true you reap what you sow / Go to hell". The music is also good, but it's standard Megadeth.

I've covered Angry Again in my review for The Last Action Hero. It's a song I like. It's a bit of a throw away, and a little commercial, but other than that pretty solid.

I have to admit I am not a huge Megadeth fan. They only have three, maybe four albums, that I like, and only two albums I regularly listen to (Peace Sells and Cryptic Writings). However, Hidden Gems does see it's own fair share of play, because it's great in a mix.

My favourite song on this collection, that's not a cover, is 99 Ways to Die. This song is fast, furious, and totally psychotic. It's one of my favourite Megadeth songs. "If I see the morning hours / I'll have one more yesterday / I take life from tomorrow / Cause I've burned out my today / If I get up to the top I know / I'll just go back downhill / I've got a terminal future / And it's time to write my will / I down another glass of courage / And a shot of thorazine / We're not ready to see you yet / 99 ways to die / We're not ready to see you yet", and that's the reason why. Musically it's decent, and clearly a Megadeth song.

Paranoid comes from the Black Sabbath tribute album Nativity In Black. ( This is a modified review copied from that album, that I covered some time ago.) The song has been covered non-stop by any band thinking they are Hard Rock or Metal. Ozzy performs it in every show, and I'm sure that Black Sabbath without Ozzy also performed this song constantly. Megadeth, did a great job Thrash Metalling the shit out of this song. It's faster, more furious, and pierces with a shrapnel that the original version wanted to do, but couldn't back during the original recording.

The last soundtrack song is Diadems from Tales From The Crypt Presents Demon Knight. This is a slow ominous tune, that is a little more diverse than most of the songs on this album. Or, at least it has the most unique musical styling of all the songs. However, that doesn't make it any better. In fact, this is a pretty bland song for the most part.

The album ends with a cover of The Sex Pistols' Problems. This is the only song on the album that had never been released prior to this CD. It's a decent cover, but I never cared for the original, so that doesn't help. I will say that it is a good closer to this collection.

Now it sounds like this album is stuffed full of fillers, and for the most part that's an accurate description. However, for a disc that barely makes it past the point of being a maxi single it's a great quick listen that will still pump you up.

6/10 - content

7/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias