Mrs. Fields, They're Not...But Still Darn Good
929468
So, OK. The Mrs. Fields thing is a cheap shot. Newton's fruit thins are packaged cookies or cracker-like cookies. So gotta compare apples with apples (or, in this case Cranberry Citrus Oat with, well, I know of nothing to compare them with!)

Let's try comparing them with Newton's Fig Newtons. These are a hundred times better and I always liked fig newtons OK.

The best part, of course, is "no high fructose corn syrup," "whole grain," "natural fruit flavors," "made with real fruit."  And they don't taste all that natural. They taste as good as the worst junk food around. High praise, huh?  Try them dunked in milk--nonfat, of course.

----
The reviewer is working on a book called "Here's How I Don't Cook."
1457109
With The Living and the Dead, Jolie Holland continues to find her way towards normalcy yet still delivers a good, and at times great album.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Springtime-Can-Kill-You/dp/B000F3AAOS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Springtime Can Kill You</a>&nbsp;grew on me quite slowly over the past couple years, and I think that's where I'm at with The Living and the Dead.

The weirdest thing about this album is that it has her biggest stars to date (namely Marc Ribot and M. Ward) yet musically it's sometimes her most generic album. As much as I love some of these songs, they'd be even better were they brought to life via the bands on&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Catalpa/dp/B0000DJYMJ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Catalpa</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Escondida/dp/B0001L3LHC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Escondida</a>&nbsp;or Springtime.

Mexico City is the sonic equivalent of the American Traditional style of tattooing and Corrido Por Buddy most suffers from the band at hand. Palmyra is, for me, one of the premier examples of just how overhyped a guitarist Marc Ribot is. There is nothing here you've not heard before, which is a shame as in the past Jolie's albums have had singular moments in the history of American music. As much as I like the strength of some of these songs, their execution is generally much more common than Old Fashioned Morphine, Darlin Ukelele, Black Hand Blues, or most importantly, ALLEY FLOWERS, etc... or even Stubborn Beast, Crazy Dreams, etc... from the Springtime album...

...but then you get a song like Fox In Its Hole. Slow and drippy like electric molasses, it features Ribot's best playing (On a National, and still nowhere near what Bob Brozman could have brought to this song). With today's American climate, it's impossible for me to hear these lyrics and think of "honey" as a metaphor for anything less than consumerism, materialism and oil. If you ever saw the quiet, pained&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Come-Early-Morning/dp/B000MEYJHO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Come Early Morning</a>&nbsp;with one of Ashley Judd's best performances, you'll be able to imagine Sweet Loving Man and The Future working perfectly within that story.

With Love Henry, if you have the required old-timey training you'll instantly recognize this song and/or the family of traditional tunes from which it comes. This is a highlight moment of her career, and on harp-guitar she delivers the best guitar playing of the album.

It may end up that of her 4 albums so far, this will be my 4th favorite. The darkened, modernistic pre-war country voodoo blues of the first 2 albums is gone but it still shows an artist of great emotional depth and evolving talents. Right now I think of it more in the realm of 3 stars simply because while Carla Bozulich grows deeper and more introspective (as on&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Hello-Voyager/dp/B00103BY4C/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Hello, Voyager</a>&nbsp;and Dandelions On Fire, I'll never understand why product links for this fantastic album are never an option though this site carries and sells it), Jolie keeps moving closer to normal. Still, I greatly enjoy this album. Experience has shown me that I always think more highly of her albums over time.
1348401
I really did not care for the other "outtake" album, Voice of the Heart, so with Lovelines I was expecting something similar and equally disappointing.  I am glad to have been proven wrong for the most part.

The title track, taken from Karen's solo album, is an interesting remix and a fun song overall, but I still prefer the solo album version.  This mix sounds strangely echoey to me, and Karen's great background vocal work is downplayed some, which is a shame.  But I do like what Richard did with the bassline in the intro.

Where Do I Go From Here is nothing short of amazing.  I remember it for its use in the 1989 TV biopic, and it has become one of my favorite Carpenters tracks.  Everything about it is right on the mark-- the instrumentation, Karen's vocal, the lyrics.  It's haunting, and chillingly beautiful, and a real tearjerker if you think about Karen's life while you listen to it.

The Uninvited Guest isn't a bad song in and of itself, but Karen sounds frail here to me, and it's one of the weaker tracks.

If We Try is another track from the solo album.  If it was remixed at all for this CD, I can't hear any major differences.

I have mixed feelings about When I Fall In Love.  I love Karen's reading of it, she sounds like she's enjoying the song, but the instrumentation seems a wee bit syrupy to me.  To me, it sounds similar to the style used on their Christmas albums.  It works beautifully there, but I don't think it fits quite as well here.

Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night is a pleasant track, but something about it doesn't quite grab me.  Karen's voice is drowned in echo again here, which bothers me.  But there's some really nice backing vocal work in it, and as always, Tony Peluso's guitar work is outstanding.

Next is another Karen track, Remember When Lovin' Took All Night.  I like this song; it's upbeat and fun.  As with If We Try, if this was remixed, I can't tell.  It sounds the same as it does on the solo album.

You're the One was also featured in the TV movie, and it's a really good song.  Karen's vocal sounds strong and clear here, and it's a great arrangement.  I wish this song would've made it onto Passage; I feel it's more than worthy.  It's one of my new favorites.

Honolulu City Lights is nice, if a little sleepy.  Slow Dance is also, well, slow, but it has a certain sparkle to it that endears it to me.

If I Had You is possibly the most disappointing track on this album, and let me explain why.  I am 100% certain that this is a different lead vocal than the one used on Karen's solo album.  If you ask me, this one pales in comparison to the original.  Listen closely to the two versions-- the vocal is markedly different, especially in the first verse, and frankly it doesn't have the same spark.  The original lead vocal was perfect as it was.  Why did it need to be re-recorded?  Much like the remix of Make Believe It's Your First Time on Voice of the Heart, Richard really missed the mark here.  He "softened" it up, drowned out the breathtaking backing vocals in a lot of places, and in my opinion, really robbed the song of its original energy.  The sole improvement was the dramatic ending he created, which I did like.  The solo album version is one of my favorite songs, but this version just doesn't sit right with me at all.

The closing track, Little Girl Blue, is stunning and a perfect showcase for Karen's voice.  I, like many others, wish that Karen had recorded a whole album of standards, because it suited her so well.

Overall, I do think this album is very much worth purchasing, but PLEASE get the solo album and enjoy Lovelines and If I Had You as they were originally meant to be heard.
4601585
As good as the Sats are (funny writing that, easily confused with SAT's, those college entrance exams, haha), they are not as original or exciting as Girls Aloud...I mean, to the uninitiated, it's easy to confuse the two of em...both 5 girls (4 English and 1 Irish), and they DID open for Girls Aloud's 2007 Tangled Up Tour, but most Americans have never heard Girls Aloud...nothing got released in the US...but the Sats are like their American-friendly, commercialized cousins...GA are much more individual, original and daring, much more ENGLISH, and like an edgier punk rock/powerpop band in girlgroup clothing...while the Sats are strictly pop, which there's nothing wrong with at all...BUT Girls Aloud came first...yes the Spice Girls came before both of em, but I was never much of a Spice fan...some cool singles but much of their stuff was cheesy and some too R&B, not rock & roll...which Girls Aloud are...and nothing cheesy at all.

This EP is a nice intro to America...is it on CD or just MP3's??  But they have 13 singles, 3 albums and an EP so far...with album #4 "The Chase" out in the spring...time for the US to catch up...with Girls Aloud, it might be too late for the US to get on board, with 7 albums, 23 singles, and their solo careers...so they will have their cult here...the Sats are much more US-friendly but still good, not unlike a girlgroup version of Natasha Bedingfield...good and fun but not groundbreaking enough...

Still, I enjoy them, the show is a fun watch, and Mollie is single and cute...I'd date her if she were still available...
4369625
At first, I was ready to dismiss this album as rubbish. I love all their other albums (except for "If It Was You") and this just sounded like noise. I almost didn't even buy it. But a few listens online to "Alligator," "Hell," "Night Watch," etc, and it really grew on me. Now, I wouldn't call this their best work, and I don't like every song, but it's still pretty good.

At first listen, nothing stood out to me, and I didn't find anything memorable. But now I actually have some songs stuck in my head -- they're catchier than I realized.

Some of my favorites so far are the ones I mentioned above, plus "Northshore," "Sentimental Tune," "The Cure," and "On Directing."

There are a couple awful ones (IMO). I'm not sure why so many people like "Arrow" -- I find the music incredibly grating on my nerves. Maybe that'll change, but right now I can't even bear to listen to it. "Paperback Head" is also pretty bad. But it may grow on me, who knows.

Bottom line, don't judge this album based on one or two listens. Give it a chance to get under your skin.

Also, check out the Bonus track "Light Up." Eerie. In a good way.
341886
Aftertones isn't quite as impressive as Stars or especially Between the Lines, but nonetheless highly enjoyable.  Perhaps the songwriting not being quite up to par and most of the tunes played slowly are a couple reasons the for the 4 stars instead of 5.

"Hymn" features gentle guitar and vocals throughout its entire 4 minutes.  Phoebe Snow and Odetta contribute to the vocals.  Lyris are depressing about the ending of timing and for personal reasons, I *hate* lyrics that mention ones time ending prematurely.  It rubs me the wrong way.  I believe we should live forever darn it!  Anyway a pretty enough vocal melody but nothing that blows me away.  "Belle of the Blues" is another slow tune, this time reminding me of city blues with emphasis on Janis vocals.  She often soars with her vocal range.  Love the "Go down lightly, go down silently, I'll go down screaming" line.  This song is sung similarly to Carole King but with more passion.  "Give me my tomorrows, you an have my memories" is a line that actually describes how I feel.

"Don't Cry Old Man" is yet another slower than normal song.  It's more emotional with slight "Hush little baby don't you cry" type of nursery rhyme in the vocal melody.  Kind of forgettable.  "I Would Like to Dance" has an upbeat lounge feel with a REALLY strong verse melody.  Best song on the album!  Spanish vibes and a verse melody reminding me of Bread's "Make It With You" but I think that's coincidental.  You know one of those instances where I hear something but nobody else does.  We all have those moments!  Hearing a famous Bread song is just... let's just say, nobody else does, haha.  "Roses" is peacefully and delicately sung.  The atmosphere reminds me of roses blooming and a woman who occupies a garden in a Midwestern town.  Actually the lyrics seem to mention a mysterious girl, so I picture someone who prefers to live alone in peace and approaches people (townspeople or outsiders) with caution.

"This Must Be Wrong" is bluesy with tasty piano.  Nice diversity on Janis' part- she has the right range for this type of song, and this enhances the melody by quite a bit.  "Boy I Really Tied One On" is a nice country/laidback song.  The verse melody is the country part, the line "Wake up, I've got news for you, nobody's knocking at your door" is the chorus.  "Love is Blind" is a short devastating ballad with depressing piano.  A little Linda Ronstandt-like during the "How long will it take before I can't remember, memories I should forget" part.  Not one of the stronger vocal melodies.

Check out Between the Lines and Stars first, then decide if you'd like to check out Aftertones.  I've read that Aftertones was one of Janis Ian's biggest albums in Japan and other places, but I'm not sure I can understand why.  Unless this is a case of a fan following building so much based on Between the Lines, people were anxious to hear her follow up.
899196
Okay, so I found Elizabeth Cook later than many others, but the CD has "legs" to use a non-sexist term, so it shouldn't matter. I discovered her while talking with a booking agent at an Arts Presenters music conference and, with the photo on the cover and the title on the cover, I just had to know more.

She's not a household name yet and probably not getting a lot of play on "New" or "Top 40" Country Radio. She's a bit too gutsy for them, yet - despite Rodney Crowell as Producer (and Crowell vocalizing on one track, with Nanci Griffith there too), she's not quite Americana. But she does have a great voice and does write some interesting lyrics too!

The last track "Always Tomorrow" stretches out to over five minutes, which allows the accompanying musicians to show their stuff too.

Its over 2 years since this CD's release. Its about time for a follow-up!

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
424203
I'm going back and upgrading my rating after three weeks based on having had a little more time to sit with the album. I have enjoyed the recent flood of talented female artists sharing their unique voices from Amy Winehouse to Sara Bareilles to Colbie Calliat. I agree with one of the recent reviewers that this album suffers badly from overproduction and perhaps doesn't compliment the talent of the amazing vocal talents of Alison Sudol. At times it still seems as if she's struggling against the background tracks to hear herself in the recording studio making it hard to really get into it. However, on a few tracks especially "Lifesize" and "Ashes and Wine" her sultry and slightly bruised vocal style really comes through. This is still a welcome addition to the genre. Hopefully the next attempt will really let her obvious talent come through.
3912401
I have to admit that I was not in love with watching these girls on MTB. I thought that album would be horrible and did not buy it at first.

But, after the first single, I was impressed. But, still felt the CD wouldn't be that good. I wasn't half wrong.

The album is a great introduction to who these women are, and what they can do. I feel that Andrea is the definate lead, but Dawn is a close second for me. The sound of the album is what I expected--an infusion of pop and R&B. Diddy is good for this type of infusion.

Vocally, they mesh well. And the album gives each of them a chance to showcase their individual talent. It's expertly produced.

However, the last half of the album is a little ill-fated. It seems as if they had 9 good songs and didn't know how to fill the remainder of the album. The lowest point of teh album is "Sleep On It."

However, the overall effect is accomplished and this is a female group that with some fine tuning could be a force to be reckoned.
3525194
Although Roy Eldridge and Stan Getz are among my favorite musicians (and Ray Brown is one of the best modernist and mainstream bass players), the small problem I have with this CD is that the other musicians seem to have adapted to Herb Ellis' style - pleasant to the ears yes, but somewhat lacking in the drive department.
Don't get me wrong - I think these performances are all at least good and some are even excellent (particularly the bonus track with Dizzy Gillespie), but Ellis for me simply does not come across as a hard enough swinger to carry the weight of the pianoless rhtyhm section.
Subtle arragements and ballads also fill me with joy but this is not the answer to my objection. This is mostly the blues and arrangements are fitting the repertoire well, so there is simply not enough hard driving swing...
4668482
It's going to stink waiting for new Arcade Fire material now. I burned through their three albums in less than a year, and now it's going to be a while until the next one. Oh well, guess I'll have to find another indie band to obsess over for a while.

If I had to rank them, I'd put The Suburbs behind Funeral and ahead of Neon Bible, although the important thing is that they haven't messed up yet, and their sound continues to grow and evolve as they figure out what kind of band they are. Bible had much more obvious musical influences than Funeral, while in The Suburbs you can still feel the effect of previous work on the songs, it's much less blatant and gives it a more timeless quality. It's sort of a compromise between their first two albums in a way, a bit more mature than Funeral but more down to earth and apolitical than Neon Bible. I'm very excited to see where they continue to go from here.

"The Suburbs" and "Ready to Start" are a perfect one-two punch to begin the proceedings, full of energy and the band's unique flair. "Modern Man" is a more mellow track, but it keeps it interesting enough. "Rococo" didn't amaze me at first beyond a couple elements, but it's actually turned out to be perhaps the most insidious earworm on the album. "Empty Room" is the first song on the album sung primarily by Regine, and a catchy one. I like Win just fine obviously, but I think they both have a lot to bring to the table, and it was a bit disappointing when she only really sang half of one song on Neon Bible. She shows up more here, and it's fun.

"Half Light", the first of two two-parters, is a pretty nice pair of songs, and they're followed by "Suburban War", a pleasant track in its own right that transforms itself with a minute and a half to go in a pretty awesome way. If the album has a weakness, it's the four tracks after that before the intoxicating "Sprawl" I and II. They're nice songs, doing their own unique thing on the album, it's just that they kind of make the whole thing seem a bit overstuffed, and if there were just two of them there instead of all four I think it would flow better.  But anyway, "Sprawl" is awesome and the final track brings everything full circle. It's a great album that might have been better with a bit of trimming, but I can't really complain about having more Arcade Fire songs, can I?
3956077
This is a very good album. Against the word of all my friends, who told me this was a bad album, I bought it a few weeks ago from a used CD bin, as I'd heard "AM Radio," "Brown-Eyed Girl," and "Wonderful" on the radio quite a bit over the last few years and liked all of them. Who'da thunk these were three of the weaker tracks on the album? My friends, surprisingly, were very wrong about this album.

It starts out very well, with the title track, a mellow little number, and keeps getting better as it goes along. The best track on here is "Unemployed Boyfriend." It's an awesome song, basically summing up the whole 'Love at first sight' experience very well.

This is a good album. Be forewarned, however, it doesn't sound like a normal Everclear album. It's a bit more 'poppy.' But it's all the better for it, I say.
103227
You know, it's kind of ironic, my experience with this group. I thought of 'em as a real head-scratcher band when I heard "Loveless" a couple years ago, one of the first times I realized that "indie" music wouldn't come to me as easily as I had initially thought. However, there was a romantic overtone and nice tunes that fascinated me at the same time and while I don't think it's 5-star good, this album sort of warmed me up to it.

It's a pretty solid album throughout. It's not the overproduced experiment of "Loveless," but rather, more them making pop songs in the vein of Jesus and Mary Chain. They still have their own identity though. Feedback rules over "All I Need." My favorite two songs are "Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)" and "No More Sorry," which showed that they had genious in them before their highly praised swan song. I wish I enjoyed the second half as much as the first, but it's alright.
1922008
You've heard "The Letter", of course, and "Cry Like A Baby".  And you've probably heard "Soul Deep", perhaps without realizing it was the same guys (which it really wasn't, more about which in a second).  There's even an outside chance you've heard "Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March" (whom Sweet Cream Men adore, and who should "fabricate success for those who fail", if you catch the song's subtle drift).  The Box Tops released four LPs and a slew of singles in their brief career and SOUL DEEP culls the highs and some lesser material for a very good overview.  In other words, this is really all you need if you're interested.  But it clocks in at only 50 minutes, which means one of two things:  either the sponsoring label is being really chintzy, or The Box Tops just didn't have all that much really great material.  Based on what I hear here, I suspect the latter.  Even the four Chilton originals are somewhat less than impressive; keeping to form they sound pretty much de rigueur with the rest of the material and don't even begin to hint at what he'd do with Big Star (I imagine they Powers That Were made sure of that).  Speaking of which - - The Box Tops were pretty much a fiction, at least in the studio.  The "band" was actually just Chilton with house musicians.  So who chose to cover Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" so lugubriously?  It's the nadir of the collection and its inclusion bogs down the latter half - - particularly after highlights as high as "She Shot A Hole In My Soul" and "Sweet Cream Ladies", who should think what they're providing and whom Puritans ignore.  Chilton didn't write that one, by the way.
3513502
My wife likes it but she sure ain't no Dolly Parton. I guess she is good for that type of music.
3861266
Yeah, I'm a big fan of Aimee Mann - but not a huge fan of '@#%&*! Smilers'  ......and you just know I want to be.

Something about it isn't pulling me in. Yes, there are certain songs I really like and play over and over, but then it hits a certain track or tracks an my interest wanes. That can't be good - right?

I keep reading reviews (not the amazon ones, but trade publications) that say it is her best album yet - and I keep wondering 'what am I missing here?'.

Sure she switched it up a bit - gone are the electric guitars and more moogs, wurlitzers and strings, but that's not making it a better album. To be fair, those items are not making it a worse one either. Actually, the synths make the disk have some 'Lost in Space' tendencies - not such a bad thing since I like that disk a lot.

While there are really good songs on the disk, there is something on here I never expected: throw away songs. I can't think of a disk she's done (ok, maybe her debut one, 'Whatever') that had a song I would go out of my way to skip over.  'Smilers' has a few of them ("Phoenix" or "Medicine Man" anyone? - and how does the latter song intro not sound like 1976 Elton John?).  Not good.

I concede that some of this might grow on me over time, but I've had the disk in continual rotation for three weeks and not much is growing on me - past the keepers like "Little Tornadoes", "Freeway", "Thirty One Today", "The Great Beyond" and "Borrowing Time".

I still like Mann and think that she is a more than competent singer/songwriter/musician - but this disk isn't displaying it.
1823880
The title of this review pretty much encapsulates the review itself.  If you're drawn to Hoffs because you Loved The Eighties, and think of "Manic Monday" with the same love and affection you reserve for Laura Brannigan or Toni Basil or that chick who sang "Kids in America," then no, don't get this record.  For you, the first one will more properly meet your expectations.

If on the other hand you, like me, think All Over the Place is the best Bangles album, and you also really dug the Real World EP, and you like Hoffs and the Bangles for their stunning displays of power pop ecstacy (e.g., "September Gurls"), then you want this record.  The supporting cast is great and hints strongly at the pedigree.  This is a well-crafted piece of work with integrity and pop savvy that will hold up long after "Eternal Flame" has faded into Billboard trivia obscurity.

That said, its a "small" record, one that will reward the discerning listener, but not necessarily a must-own.  I'd give it 3 and a half stars if Amazon allowed halves.