Awful, disgusting versions of fantastic songs
343193
Let me tell you one thing: jazz and Russian music just don't mix very well.. The motives of the person who decided to record these crude jazzy versions of old Russian songs with drunken "live" choir in the background will forever be beyond me; overall, the whole CD sounds like Soviet 60's pop-music..
In any case, if you want jazz, stick with American masters.. if you want old Russian melodies, by all means avoid this CD.
4933693
They destroy each song they get their auto tuned vocal cords on. Sad to hear good song turned bad.
975982
I finally decided to replace my vinyl copy of this beloved album of absolutely timeless, stellar tunes.  Except that the version I received inexplicably contains remixes of two great songs: "Bicycle Thieves" and "...from Across the Kitchen Table".  The changes in Bicycle Thieves I can tolerate-- the creepy "Specials" like organ even gives it a different, somewhat interesting feel.  But including a different version of "Kitchen"...what genius made that call?  Instead of the slow building, string accompanied, multi-climaxing force of nature I was familiar with, I got a version that sounded like an unproduced demo, repleat with underpowered, possibly synth-created horns, rushed volcals, and a VERY different and totally inferior arrangement of vocal harmonies and trade-offs.  If I had known this mere shell of a song had replaced the Godlike Genius version, I would have held out for the other.  I hope this explains why the other copy advertised here on Amazon is 3 times the price of this one.
819096
It is a shameful day when one of the fine bands of the 90's sells out to boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and Hanson. When I first purchased this album I was in complete confidence that this would provide many hours of enjoyment and in this confidence my friend was also excited about this find. The hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life was marriage, but this, this is a close second. As soon as we bought the album it went straight into the cd player. 30 seconds was all it took. 30 seconds per song, and it was done. There is no rocking on this album. My friend is still shell shocked from this horrid, grotesque, disgusting, hell I don't know, whatever this garbage is, don't buy it. You will be ashamed of yourself, and the fact that you were ever a fan in the first place.
493334
Though I have a large music collection, I so far have restricted my reviews to books.  Well, I just feel that I had to express my dismay at this Pearl Jam greatest hits compilation, so I'll break out of the mold this one time.  In large part, I'm simply echoing the sentiments of another individual several reviews down.

I was pleased with the song selection and organization of the "up" and "down" songs on separate discs.  But during the mastering process, the engineers at Sony inexcusably cranked the treble so high that the tracks are almost unbearable to listen to on any speakers outfitted with halfway decent tweeters.  It's so bad that even on my car *FM radio*, my ears hurt when a station plays the "rearviewmirror" version of a song instead of the original album release.  One of the songs that the botched mastering is most obvious on is "Daughter".  I'd rather hear fingernails across a chalkboard than the opening guitar riff on that song.

Botched masters and remasters by incompetent or inexperienced sound engineers are a common problem in the industry, particularly with hits compilations because the sound levels have to be matched between several different albums, so some digital clipping is practically inevitable.  The recent "The Who: The Ultimate Collection" by MCA is another example of seriously botched remastering.  Fortunately there are usually other compilations out there that sound better and often the remastered ones sound worse!  I can't tell you how many compilations I've replaced after reading Amazon reviews with an eye to comments about sound quality.  And it's true, there are some big differences in sound between different releases that you don't need an audiophile-level system to appreciate.  The differences are usually noticeable on even a low end stereo.

The problem here is, this is currently the only Pearl Jam hits compilation out there and if you don't want to purchase five or six separate albums, you have to accept the horrible sound quality.  If you play it loud and you're wondering where that headache is coming from, now you know.
3400275
First off,  if you liked the original song "The Perfect Drug" from Lost Highway, then do not but this.  It consists of Trent and 4 bands making strange, otherworldly mixes that are almost, but not entirely,  completely unlike "The Perfect Drug".  If you like interminable  incoherent mixes &agrave; la Meat Beat Manifesto, you might enjoy this CD, but  don't expect it to sound like NIN -- even the Reznor/Hillebrant mix sounds  very little like Nine Inch Nails.  If this CD included the original,  unadulterated version of the song, it would be worht buying, but as it is,  it offers very  little to the NIN fan.  (unless you're one of those nuts  who absolutely *must* own every halo)
It also loses a star for having an  ugly, purplish  CD. :-)
1942109
I caught the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Mis on PBS. Each character and presentation was worse than the previous one. How bloody awful!

The 10th Anniversary cast and recording of Les Miserables in Concert is so inspiring - so perfect. Please opt for that one instead of this flat and insipid cast and production. There is absolutely nothing compelling in the 25th anniversary version.  I was sickened and could not stand watching anymore. EEWWHHH!

I had the good fortune to see the original Broadway production in NY.  Please, please seek out the 10th anniversary DVD and CD to get the truest experience of a wondrous and marvelous production. It was groundbreaking and continues to inspire.

The "modernized" 25th anniversary edition is just awful. Rather like the kids putting on a very amateur production in the back yard. But this lacks even that depth of feeling.

No soul. Just commercialized pablum. Horrible - 25th anniversary CD or DVD - avoid at all costs!

For total joy, fulfillment, translation into musical bliss - seek out the 10th anniversary edition CD, DVD, anything at all.
2071537
I bought this song b/c I thought it was the original (that's how it sounds in the little snippet preview). But it's altered -- BADLY!!! Don't waste your money!

I wish they would offer the original instead of the stupid remade versions! VERY aggravating.

(I hate even giving it one star) -- should allow for NEGATIVE stars!
3598829
Not the best version of this song...  very disappointed.
1994511
Yes, the album contains some good songs from his past albums, but if you are looking for the mega hit "Bodyrock" from the "Play" (1999), what you'll find here is some piece of manure remix on disc #2 as well as similar POS remixes that ruin many OK to Good songs. I just hate it when record labels think they are so clever and cool taking a good song and remixing it for the best of package. They want to make the buyer believe they've actually improved on a great song while they fill the rest of the album with questionable choices. Is it any wonder the record industry is bleeding all over (and deservedly so)? - And where's the "James Bond Theme" from "I Like To Score"? It's jus so infuriating that they rip off the consumer like that! -  Borrow the CDs from the library, but don't spend another dime on this label or on this album.
434343
I've been a MWS fan since about 1988, and there really isn't a song by him that I do not like. In fact, to this day, he remains my all-time favority male contemporary Christian soloist. I've seen him twice in concert at Creationfest West and thoroughly enjoyed his live performances, but this CD is awful. It in no way captures the energy and talent that this guy has--the recording quality is absolutely abysmal, sounding as if it were recorded by some concertgoer in the crowd who smuggled in an old tape recorder (or an answering machine, for that matter).
If you want to know what MWS is like in concert--go to one--he's extremely entertaining and a wonderfully talented artist...just stay away from this CD. I hate to rain on the little parade of 5-star reviews here, but if you have anything more than a cheap boom box on which to listen to this CD, you'll likely regret your purchase (I've listened to my copy twice and can't bear to pull it out and listen to it again). Stick with his legitimate studio recordings and you won't be sorry.
72029
The Mozart selections are pleasant enough--light, romantic standards that most people will probably recognize.  It's the recordings that are positively dreadful!  I am all for playing Mozart, and classical music in general, for my baby (whether or not it helps his development).  But why make his introduction into the rich and luscious world of classical music so utterly bland?  These have to be some of the worst renditions of Mozart ever created.  They are painful to listen to and should not be your baby's first exposure to classical music.  This is the only one of the "Mozart Factor" CDs that I've heard, but I would seriously investigate whether the other recordings are as awful as this one before I purchased any of them.
1567595
This could be one of the worst CDs ever released.  Everybody thinks it was hair metal, but it was really trashy grunge bands like Nirvana who created the worst music of the 80s and 90s.  I have heard dozens of 80s/90s hair metal bands, but NONE of them even come close to being as phenominally bad as Nirvana.  Nirvana was so HORRIBLE!  I can still remember that awful day back in 1992 when I was first exposed to the abomination known as Nirvana.  I tuned in to my local contempory radio station, and then I heard that horrible filth entitled "Smells Like Teen Spirit" coming out of the speakers.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  I mean I had put up with noise pollution before (heavy traffic, construction zones, etc), but this was just too much to bear!  At this point, I didn't know what this crap was called until I saw the equally horrible video.  I could feel my blood pressure skyrocketing at the sight of that garbage.

Its been a long time since I first heard the world's worst band, but I have still NEVER, EVER heard ANY band even remotely as bad as Nirvana.  That teen pop boom in the late 90s looks like the most brilliant music ever recorded compared to all those awful grunge bands of the 80s and early 90s.  Even New Kids on the Block, MC Hammer, and Vanilla Ice look brilliant compared to Nirvana.  Now, I'm not sure how much of a compliment that is, since even a rusty chainsaw going at full speed sounds better than Nirvana, but I am quite sure that Nirvana were the most talentless hacks that ever lived.  Nirvana sucks.  They suck.  Nirvana.  $hittiest band there has EVER been.
4112137
If you are looking for a good Animals compilation, DO NOT BUY THIS CD! It contains good songs murdered by awful, badly produced rerecording featuring the duffest arrangements possible (complete with cheesy 80s electric Piano) and a drummer who can't keep time properly.
Everything about it is unclear, it is a dirt-cheap swindle which doesnt tell you whether this really is the Animals or not. No effort went into this. The sleeve notes are sparse, the sound quality is bad, the CD itself looks like it is a CD-R, the arrangements are criminal and the cover is horrible, with the ugliest photo of the band ever taken.
Whether it be Eric Burdon solo songs or Animals songs, these are absolutely rubbish re-recordings on which it is unclear whether this really is the Animals themselves. Everything about this is unproffesional, it looks like it came off a third world illegal CD market! I hope I have convinced anyone with the slightest doubt in their mind NOT to buy this.
The only ever slightly okay tracks are the last 4: and they are not written by the Animals. This is awful. I wish I had never laid eyes on it and so will you if you buy it. STEER WELL CLEAR!
1035131
I can't believe people(mostly kids) think this garbage is "great", these idiots are blatant rip offs of Nirvana, hell even one song i heard by this "band" sounded just like, with one tiny little difference, Nirvana's "Come as You Are", and that sad poor excuse for "rock"song or "nu-metal"song,whatever crappy ass label MTV wants to give them, called "fine again" or something like that was so freakin weak and patheticly boring, no real climax in the song what so ever, i mean damn it just goes to show you don't need much "talent" to make it in the music BUSINESS nowadays
4766370
Oh my God!  That was horrible!

I do like the new AmazonMusic download software... it installed in a minute and it was able to capture all my other Amazon Music Purchases down over the years.  And since it was already downloaded, instead of waiting for the CD to arrive in the mail, I put on my computer headphones and gave "The Both" a listen.

Oh my God!  It was horrible.  As other reviewers had pointed out, there really is no Production Value here.  Garage Bands have better production.  Heck, 15 year old kids with computers in their bedrooms are making cleaner and more complex music than this.

Then there is the Musical Quality and Content.  Aimee Mann, well, she has always been melancholy and a tad sarcastic... with her Christmas Album she evolved to an even Darker Side and showed herself to be simply mean spirited, hateful and nasty, but NOW she is just turned into a Cynical Ripoff.  She's not stupid... she knows all those songs are straight out of Generic Crap Music 101... Silly Ass Lame Butt Taylor Swift is doing better Work.  So Aimee Mann is just Sponging off of her Loyal Fans for some quick bucks.  Who cares that we only get a CD that will end up choking some landfill in about 5 minutes.

Hey, it is time to just Remember the good Work she had done before... before she sunk so low and lost her spark.  she doesn't really need us to buy this Bait she throws out.  she can pay her rent and eat salads playing clubs... covering Herself... doing the songs that we remember her for -- she could do "Wise Up" and maybe remember what it means.  yeah, let her have to work for a living.  No more charity handouts.

So, hey, don't buy this Loser until you sample it.  The samples are the Best Parts of the songs... it doesn't get any better... and the samples Suck.  I made the mistake of hitting the purchase button first.  Don't you.
3096833
Just listening to the sound snippets I can tell these are re-recordings and NOT the originals. For anyone that remembers these songs and want to hear them in all their original glory this is not the place to go.