Intellectually and sonically excellent
342848
I am an old school Noise fan, have been since their first video on Mtv in the early 80's. My fave to date was the Max Headroom era Noise with the Paranoimia vid, and the great tunes on the album. YES album, as in vinyl.

DO NOT MISS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS WORK. IT IS UNEQUALLED. Give this work some room to breath! Listen with a quality system.

To all you 'fans' of AoN that have panned this disc, you need to give this some more time in your list, straight thru, without ceasing nor shuffling. Close your eyes, and let the magic take you...and get a better sound system, from some of your comments I wonder if you are listening thru some cheapo mp3 player with cheaper earbuds! I have audiophile quality earbuds with dual drivers, cost me close to $1000, AND a Diamond Audio Hex system in my car. This work deserves a quality system, and I wish I could afford better to really hear this piece.

To anyone else that likes classical music a little, and techno music a little, this will open your mind to new possibilities of music recombining you never thought possible. Who would have thought one could combine rap and opera on the same disc? AND IT WORKS!

Some have pointed to an artist by the name of Malcolm McLaren, and claiming (shallowly in this writer's humble opinion) that AoN have ripped him off from an earlier effort. I do not know this artist nor do I own any of his music, but to compare this disc to what samples I have listened to on Amazon, I have this to say; Are you kidding me?!? You are comparing that pop tripe to this intellectual masterpiece by AoN? If you only listen to the surface of the music you buy, then I pity you, for you are missing the point, and it isn't a small one, either.

I am a drummer by long experience, and my rhythmic awareness is at the highest level, and the programming on this piece is unbeleivable! It strains my abilities to keep up so I can imagine some with less rhythmic awareness can find some of the drum and bass sections a bit fast and overwhelming. Give it time. You will hear, with some training and time, what gems this masterpiece has to offer you.
3779196
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso - who are still an active band - produced some of the most intelligent, exploratory and satisfying music to come out of the European progressive movement of the 1970s.  This album is without a doubt the high-water mark of their career - a career that includes several excellent albums - and the 24-bit re-mastering process has made it even more remarkable.  This was always one of my favorite albums of the genre and the era - this edition, with vastly improved sound quality and mix, is nothing short of a revelation.
Instrumentally, the band is hard to touch - every player excels at his instrument.  The arrangements are dense, yet possessed of a beauty and delicacy that is breathtaking - and the musicians operate so tightly together it's like the various fingers of a hand, grasping the ideas and emotions that comprise this amazing music, holding it up and displaying it in an audible way for the listener.  The two keyboard players (brothers Vittorio and Gianni Nocenzi), guitarist Marcello Todaro (along for this album also was guitarist Rodolfo Maltese, appearing as a `guest', who would become Todaro's replacement), bassist/guitarist Renato D'Angelo and percussionist/drummer extraordinaire Per Luigi Calderoni, combine their talents on a level befitting a symphony orchestra - and indeed, the music of BMS is very much akin to a symphonic performance.  Two other guests, talented percussionists (Silvana Aliotta and Bruno Perosa) contribute some fine work as well.
One of the elements of Banco's sound that really sets them apart from other gifted ensembles is the incredible voice of Francesco Di Giacomo.  Possessing pipes - not to mention taste and sensitivity - normally associated with operatic singers, Francesco's presence raises the palpable sentience of Banco to an even higher plane.  Without dominating the band's sound, or stealing the spotlight unduly from the other fine players, Francesco performs as a commanding front-man.  Co-writing the lyrics (with Vittorio Nocenzi), he delivers with unimpeachable style and emotion.
Most of the pieces presented here are lengthy ones, allowing plenty of room for themes to be developed, intertwined, submerged and reborn - I can't stress enough the staggering complexity and pure loveliness of their music.  The only track on the disc under five minutes is the instrumental `Traccia II' which ends the set, coming in at just over 2 minutes - the strongest cuts are the nearly-16-minute opener, `Canto nomade per un prigioniero politico' and `La citt sottile'.  That being said, there's not a weak track on this album - every one is a standout in its own right.
Anyone who has an interest in progressive rock and has not heard this superb band is missing out.  This is easily a `desert island' disc, one for the time capsule - but one that is every bit as astonishing and relevant now as when it was originally released, back in 1973.
2119551
As I sit here ready to write this review, headphones donned listening to Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works 85-92, my fingers barely work to put into words what is going through my ears. My senses have nearly completely frozen to pay attention to each layer of sound, beat, and sample slowly seep into my subconscious and translate to images. I try and pull myself away to start typing an informative review, but each time I stop and just sit listening to the music, staring dumbly lost in my own little world. I could relate each of these images for example how "Xtal" reminds me of little wisps of light dancing in a circle through space, their voices joined in harmonious celebration. But that defeats the purpose. The sheer uniqueness of Aphex Twin is the amorphous substance of the music. Its ability to let the imagination run wild. Listening to the album each time, invokes different feelings and different images. I'm not an expert on the technicalities of Aphex Twin's machinery or his gadgets. In layman's terms - SAW 85-92 is a brilliant, mind-blowing album. It has enough difference and shifts to keep things interesting and even maintains a gentle subcurrent of melodies. It's a fine introduction to Richard D. James' work. To use this album as background elevator music is a great injustice, this music delivers as much as you put into it. It's not one of those inaccessible, pretentious albums that everyone says is brilliant, yet you miss the point and still pretend to enjoy it since you don't want to admit that you're stupid and that the emperor's really naked. Its enjoyable, its accessible yet challenging all at the same time and rewarding. Dance to it. Its danceable. Sleep to it. I guarantee your dreams will never be the same. Drive to it. SAW 85-92 - don't leave home without it.
671368
For those of us born too late for the initial revolution of Dummy and Portishead, and thus made to play catch up listening to those influential albums years after their release, this album is a blessing. It is not the sound of a band playing catch up or merely attempting to re-create a "classic" sound previously mastered, but a band interested in creating new types colors in the popular music palate. The structure of these songs are intellectually stimulating while not being too cerebral, there is always emotion put into the work, without sacrificing one for the other. It is a sound that is new, relevant and exciting.
  Being the unique work that it is, it is liable to alienate some fans of their previous work. These alienated fans no doubt have placed there own expectations and opinions of what a Portishead album should sound like onto the music before even hearing it. Try listening to it without thinking "This is Portishead and it's going to sound like...." Putting into that comfortable place in your head where Dummy and Portishead fit so well simply will not due for this album. This album is a much more mature, eclectic sound. It encompasses a wider array of emotional conflict and expression to simply limit it to a preconceived notion.

I am extremely glad and ultimatley surprised to hear how fantastic this album is. It leaves Dummy behind, while not completely forgetting its graces. Like Rsdiohead's "The Bends" Dummy is certainly a influential time capsule of a sound too imitated by others to be repeated. I am personally glad to hear the hip-hop and scratching behind them.
1700943
Unlike Mahler, the music here invites us into a world of deep mysticism without being didactic.  Mahler's music talks about Mahler:  like Zemlinsky, Hausegger includes a universal human discourse.  For such a massive pile, overall, the effect is one of exhilaration and satisfaction.  The recording is glorious.  But this is not your run of the mill late Romantic bombast;  again, Zemlisky comes to mind because of the economy of tonal language.  I'm not a fan of this sort of hothouse plant;  but when it succeeds, wow!  Knock me down and call  me later.  Excellent!
63998
I have owned this speaker for over six months and have fallen in love with its excellent sonics. They are mated with a superb Japanese low powered solid state amp of high regard noted for its ultra high resolution and extremely low noise floor, and a New Zealand music server noted for it's resolution, clarity, and absence of electronic noise. This combination offers a natural, open, and utterly transparent window into the performance that I have not experience during my many years in this hobby. With these speakers I can easily hear any changes in upstream cabling of electronics. Their strengths are a natural, life like presentation, wide listening range (no discernible sweet spot), and great on dynamics both micro and macro.

With careful setup, as described in the owners manual, I was surprised by the natural/ realistic tone and timbre. I have a small room and positioned them as recommended by the owners manual. Musical tone seems just right and I hear far more information than previously attained from previous system.

The speakers are sensitive to what you are feeding it upstream and so the better the source and amplification the more you will be greatly rewarded.

I consider these speakers musical instruments. When playing music you forget about the cabling and electronics and marvel at the sounds emanating from the space between and behind the speakers. This has been a real find!
3077519
Gorgeous- splendid or sumptuous in appearance, coloring, etc.; magnificent. Characterized by magnificence or virtuosic brilliance.

Gorgeous truly describes this CD by master musician and software engineer Doug Wyatt. Though this is an instrumental piece (though voices are used throughout), the music has a depth and polish that reminds me of the latest Kate Bush production. The sounds are rich and spacious.

The styles of music span a range from soundtrack-ish classical to prog to wonderfully weird electronic. There are themes that reappear throughout the CD in a filmic or symphonic mode, giving the sense of a whole composition, not just a selection of songs.

The layering of acoustic and electronic sounds yields a sonic palette that is both familiar and brand new, classic yet ground-breaking. The Christoffer Lundquist production is sumptuous, and the attention to sonic detail is quite evident.

In short, this is a highly engaging CD that reveals itself in layers. I've enjoyed playing it over and over on my daily commutes.
3035874
BT leaves the dance floor behind for this cd of everchanging sonic soundscapes. Besides the cd it also includes a dvd of trippy yet beautifully stylized animation shorts for each song. At times lullingly pretty,at times jarring with layers of bleeps and glitches and at times epic and thrilling this isn't easy listening new age music. BT's constant manipulation of sound keeps you off guard and maintains your interest throughout never becoming dull like many electronic instrumental albums. If you have the slightest interest in electronica you cannot go without this innovative work.
286141
Let me Preface this by saying a few things:
First, I'm pretty new to the electronica/ambient music genre. I really love Boards of Canada, Flying Lotus, and Briano Eno. But beyond that, I am still a novice.

Second, I am still absorbing this album. This is very much a recording that has to grow on you. Not every track on this album is easily digestible: some of it is VERY much a required taste.

So, here are my thought's on this album:

From a musician/guitarist's perspective, this music has shown me a different kind of beauty apparent in music. The idea that you can make beautiful music without a said melody, structure, chord progression, or groove is very exciting. I have learned so much about textures, atmospheres, and sound in general from this album. Selected Ambient Works II, in addition with the music and playing of Bill Frisell, has inspired me to do more with creating textures through the use of loop samplers, delays, reverb, and synth pedals. In short, this album opened the flood gates for me in terms of creativity and experimentation.

From strictly a listner's perspective, the music presented here is extremely minimalistic and esoteric. Don't expect ANYTHING remotely commericial on this album. S.A.W 85-92, in comparison, is much more accesibile in these terms (particularly the gorgeous opening track, "Xtal".) What this album does so well is mood. Throughtout the entire recording, there maintains a sense of isolation, heaviness, and nostalgia. There is a certain kind of musical vagueness here(perhaps akin to the vagueness of memories) which creates a dark, haunting, menacing kind of beauty. Some tracks are downright gorgeous: "Rhubarb" is probably one of the most peaceful, melancholy, beautiful things I have ever heard. It immediately recalls images from childhood. Consisting only of a lone, desolate synth and a simple chord progression, it becomes hypnotic in its monotony and constancy. I could fall asleep to this song every night. Other tracks are just plain creepy and unsettling: "Radiator" sounds like evil clowns waltzing around an abandoned ballroom. Sounds silly, right? Listen to the this song in the dark...

 If you can accept this music for what it is, you will get so much out of it. Keep an open mind. If you can do that, you may find here some of the most beautiful music you're likely to hear for a long time.
2505992
The original recordings are revealed for the fine achievements they were: beautifully balanced, clear and vivid:  the sound of the bass drum in Nightride and Sunrise couldn't be more spine-tingling in modern full-digital Technicolor, but it doesn't stand out unnaturally either.

Collins is a first-rate musical landscape-painter. He doesn't just give us the bold sweeping brush-strokes, important as they are; he shows how the landscapes team with minute life. Rustling string textures aren't blandly homogenized-tiny details catch the ear, and then vanish again. Woodwind bird calls or horn calls can be acutely expressive-some passages remind me of Sibelius's comments about quasi-human voices in the nature sounds around his forest-home. But exaggeration is alien to the Collins approach. Nothing is forced, almost everything is fresh and vital.

In fact the insight Collins offers often derives from nothing more than taking Sibelius at his word-e.g., holding to the tempo as the finale theme emerges from the scherzo triplets in the last movement of the Third Symphony.  It isn't only in the symphonies that the Collins touch is refreshing. Pohjola's Daughter comes to life as effectively as the symphonies, and this disc contains a real rarity, an entirely satisfactory Nightride and Sunrise.
34778
As a non-musician I'm not entirely sure that I even have the right to review this album, but here goes anyway.

The compositions are very dense and sophisticated, as any fan of Alex Machacek would expect - even more so than on this trio's wonderful debut recording, and the playing - not just from Machacek but from a drummer and bass player that are truly his peers - is just gorgeous.

People often mention Holdsworth, Zappa and perhaps some ECM artists when writing about Machacek's music but what I'm hearing here is startlingly original music that defies categorization. Brainy yet funky, cerebral yet swinging, melodic one moment and joyfully dissonant the next. This is genius level music that deserves to be heard. Here's hoping that, despite the sorry state of the music business these days, these guys are able to tour in the U.S. I'd travel a long way to hear them.
515500
Faith No More is responsible for long ago providing me a comfy bridge between metal and 'alternative' music, leading me out of the abyss and introducing me to a wider world of music. Being thirsty for new sounds, I signed on to one of the Columbia House scams and ordered a bunch of CDs from their 'alternative' section. The only one that really stuck with me was Sonic Youth's Dirty. From that point on I was a huge Sonic Youth fan. I quickly bought up all their earlier albums and even learned how to tune my guitar to some of the strange settings that Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo used. I stayed devoted to the band through Washing Maching, but quickly lost interest in all of their following material. Thousand Leaves and NYC Ghosts and Flowers just didn't do much for me, and their several experimental EPs on SYR were too experimental.
I had all but forgotten about Sonic Youth up until two weeks ago. I didn't even know they had a new album coming out. Then some reviews for Murray Street started rolling in, which told of a Sonic Youth that had regained much of what made them popular in the first place. Reviewers made bold claims about the band sounding better than they ever have and some even went so far as to compare the new album to the classic Daydream Nation album of 1988. I was intrigued, yet remained skeptical until I heard a couple songs on the local college radio station, songs that plucked the rusty and oddly-tuned guitar strings in my heart that hadn't been touched since 1995. With the old feelings overwhelming me, I went and bought Murray Street as soon as I could. The reviews were true. The comparisons were true. I was so happy to experience a truly great Sonic Youth album again after so many years that it nearly moved me to tears.
I won't get into any technical aspects, since those are usually boring, highly opinionated and best left to music critics, a class of people that I am glad to not fit in. But I will say the tempo is quite relaxed throughout the album. The weaving guitars of Moore, Renaldo and O'Rourke do for geeky audiophiles what Grateful Dead jams do for hippies. There are excellent melodies everywhere, even for the usually tuneless Kim Gordan, whose two songs are pushed to the tail end of the album, where they fit perfectly. There are no snags for me on this album. From start to finish it holds me in a trance and makes it hard for me to do anything else but listen, and then let out a satisfied sigh at the end right before I press 'play' again.
I'm sure there are plenty of people who have plenty of problems with this album that they wish to waste plenty of words describing, but consider this: If it can bring back a jaded fan and rekindle the magic, what more is there really to say? Just listen and enjoy, which is what it was made for in the first place.
642463
I have to agree with the reviewer that said that this album is one of those that after a couple of listens suddenly clicks and you're hooked.

  If you fail to recognize the true brilliance of this album on first listen then you're in for a moment of revelation, and it is a great feeling.

  This album is of lighthearted spirit(though a little tongue in cheek light-heartedness) -even with all the irony and cynicism- as it is very enjoyable.

  All the pieces have this puzzle-like feeling, that is to say, each musician brings to the mix a single element -a certain sound fragment-, quirky and interesting on its own, but when put together with all the other elements of all the musicians you have as a result this quirky and adventurous sound that is relatively simple but at the same time complex. It is somehow borderline between fake and real music. That is, if you focus on it through and avantgarde perspective, the quirky, playful elements somehow undermine its seriousness -though as part of the concept itself-. If you approach it from a rock perspective, for example, the quirkiness undermines it as well as the music seems to stray into more abstract territories. But the avantgarde perspective has the advantage. The difference and redemption being that an avantgarde perspective has come to expect this postmodern playfulness and undermining in some of its music.

  Marc delivers lirics with a similar tone to John Lurie's sense of humor -that touch of the absurd and cynicism that has come to define newer generations attitude toward life-. "Clever white youths" -with attitudes- is a good example, as is the song "Pony".

  For some reason Ribot has been generally focused on by critics as a great sideman for the big names in good music. Don't get me wrong, he is one of the best musicians you could hope to have playing for you, but his work as frontman is just as impresive. Ribot's work might be a little too subtle and at the same time a little too rough for it to be spotted right away as brilliant work, equal to that of other luminaries in the avant-garde scene, but that is just why it might take a couple of listens to realize the depth in the music. And depth in a light-hearted sense that is not by any means easy listening.

  On the disc you have Roy Nathanson and Anthony Coleman, Brad Jones and a couple other -all amazing- musicians.
2134986
In my opinion, this album is the best balance of gorgeous melodicism and brain-rending experimentalism that autechre has ever struck (EP7 is a similar combination, but the melodies just aren't quite as compelling.) Songs like "rae" and "corc" will gratify your hunger for brilliant melodies, harder stuff like "acroyear2" and "vose in" will sate your appetite for powerful beats, and everything else will amaze you by sounding utterly weird and yet somehow completely inevitable and appropriate. the sequencing is excellent, and brings out beautifully the contrast between the soothing, laid-back pieces and the jittery robotic freak-outs. importantly, there is none of the overwrought repetition here that made tri repetae (albeit a great album) an occasionally irksome listen.
if you like anything you have heard by autechre in the past, buy this album. it's the best stuff they've ever put out.
4870598
Paul really makes a pointed effort to reveal the various hypocrisies that define prejudice, racism, and even territoriality on his latest release, P'dice.
P'dice offers a rich musical experience; each song is unique and quite different in feel.  In short, all songs do not sound the same, which is a very welcomed departure from the mainstreamed garbage that is pounding the airwaves today.
P'dice is a very dynamic audio experience, seamlessly melding quieter ambient passages (like "Hindsight") with hypnotically rhythmic, percussion-based pieces such as "God, Paper, Scissors" (my personal favorite) as well as driving upbeat rock exemplified on the first track, "Everything".
Beat changes and key changes are prevalent, which are always appreciated by any discerning musician/audiophile - lyrical content is sung clearly, and is therefore more easily understandable.  This is intelligent rock.
As has been mentioned by several others, there is definitely a Pink Floyd / Porcupine Tree feel to Paul Cusick's sound; and the featured guest musicians (Marco Minnemann, Gavin Harrison and Sammi Lee) truly enhance this work.
P'dice is infectious, and quickly grows on you - so beware!  I am constantly being asked, "who is that - they're great!" by friends and associates - and so P'dice is now on heavy rotation at my workplace, my vehicle and at home.
1615942
Let's be honest from the start: not all fans of The Dark Third will dig Amor Vincit Omnia. But let's also be clear: this album is just as technically masterful and unpredictable as its predecessor. Personally, I prefer it.

A lot of progressive bands get too cozy within their style and with time, their records stop surprising you. By refusing to restrict themselves to the stylistic guidelines of The Dark Third, Pure Reason Revolution have kept their music fresh and inventive. And there's plenty to love here - if you liked The Dark Third, and you don't hate electronica (because in effect, this album is prog rock + electronica, a new style driven by the same musical philosophy), you're going to enjoy this. Whether you think it's their best yet isn't as certain, but it's definitely worth a listen.
2759092
I'm only through six of the discs at this writing, the first two albums plus FLOWERS, SATANIC MAJESTIES, BETWEEN THE BUTTONS, and BEGGARS BANQUET, but I already love this set -- with some reservations that are more annoyances than anything else (and certainly not deal-killers). I'm happy to have bought it, the audio quality is killer, and the compilation discs, I'm sure, will be delightful (they're only like 40 years overdue!). For starters, the sheer presence on the early sides is startling -- the Stones' debut album always had a lot of punch, despite their studio activities being very much a work-in-progress at the time; "Mona," in particular, always pulsed with an almost unnatural primal energy, but the whole record just insinuated itself on the listener from Day One. But 12x5 is the acid test, as I'd not heard a really good sounding CD of that record, but here is one -- the rhythm guitars have punch, the vocals are downright intimate in their presence (even the backing vocals), and Charlie's drums are beautifully exposed. That's when I knew I was going to love this box, and I'll add to this review as I go along about that. FLOWERS was also pretty impressive -- "Mother's Little Helper" in mono is a lot more powerful than any stereo version I've ever heard, and those other odds-and-ends on the original side two come to life in a new way. As for SATANIC MAJESTIES in mono, it's a wonder -- the whole recording now sounds LARGER than life, vocals and instruments alike, as though an entire layer between us and the music has been stripped away. And BETWEEN THE BUTTONS is a killer, with real impact in the playing -- I've known this album for close to 50 years, and listening to this edition of it, I can hear things, details in the playing and nuances in the playing, that I've never heard before ("Cool, Calm & Collected," in particular, was a real ear-opener on the guitars).

And then there's BEGGARS BANQUET, a mono release that we never even thought of as mono material -- both it and BETWEEN THE BUTTONS as presented here are like hearing them for the first time. The attack on the instruments, the vocals, everything just has a lot more presence.

So the audio people did a beautiful job, based on what I've heard so far. And I don't really have a complaint about the artwork per se, either, because how could I, given what it's reproducing? (i.e., the sleeve art all seems fine to me -- maybe the front cover on BETWEEN THE BUTTONS in a slight bit darker than it oug