The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream (1993) ☠

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Grunge

Label Number: 0777 7 88267 2 9
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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1993 Virgin Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato

While Gish had placed the Smashing Pumpkins on the "most promising artist" list for many, troubles were threatening to break the band apart. Singer/guitarist/leader Billy Corgan was battling a severe case of writer's block and was in a deep state of depression brought on by a relationship in turmoil; drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was addicted to hard drugs; and bassist D'Arcy and guitarist James Iha severed their romantic relationship. The sessions for their sophomore effort, Siamese Dream, were wrought with friction -- Corgan eventually played almost all the instruments himself (except for percussion). Some say strife and tension produces the best music, and it certainly helped make Siamese Dream one of the finest alt-rock albums of all time. Instead of following Nirvana's punk rock route, Siamese Dream went in the opposite direction -- guitar solos galore, layered walls of sound courtesy of the album's producers (Butch Vig and Corgan), extended compositions that bordered on prog rock, plus often reflective and heartfelt lyrics. The four tracks that were selected as singles became alternative radio standards -- the anthems "Cherub Rock," "Today," and "Rocket," plus the symphonic ballad "Disarm" -- but as a whole, Siamese Dream proved to be an incredibly consistent album. Such compositions as the red-hot rockers "Quiet" and "Geek U.S.A." were standouts, as were the epics "Hummer," "Soma," and "Silverfuck," plus the soothing sounds of "Mayonaise," "Spaceboy," and "Luna." After the difficult recording sessions, Corgan stated publicly that if Siamese Dream didn't achieve breakthrough success, he would end the band. He didn't have to worry for long -- the album debuted in the Billboard Top Ten and sold more than four million copies in three years. Siamese Dream stands alongside Nevermind and Superunknown as one of the decade's finest (and most influential) rock albums.

tags: the smashing pumpkins, siamese dream, 1993, flac,

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The Smashing Pumpkins - Machina/The Machines of God (2000)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 7243 8 48936 2 0
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© 2000 Virgin Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Any record called MACHINA/The Machines of God couldn't be a pure rock album. The title suggests this is a concept album, which are at least a little progressive. As it happens, MACHINA is a lot progressive. Though it's damn near impossible to figure out the story line, the album plays like a concept album, with each track floating into the next, winding up with an album artier than Adore. That's not a liability, since the Smashing Pumpkins were always arty, yet Billy Corgan was very clever in camouflaging his artiness. "The Everlasting Gaze" rocks more overtly than anything on Adore, and the storybook-styled artwork deliberately evokes memories of Mellon Collie. Enthusiasts will find moments to admire throughout MACHINA, but ultimately, they might be disappointed with a record that crosses Mellon Collie with Adore without relying on the strengths of either. MACHINA appears to be ornately straightforward, yet as it progresses, it becomes increasingly insular. By the time it gets to "Heavy Metal Machine," designed as the record's crushing centerpiece, its weaknesses become apparent. "Heavy Metal Machine" should be a brutal, bruising experience, yet it's toothless, processed within an inch of its life. It becomes clear that the chief strength of the album is production. Not once does MACHINA ever feel like the work of a band; it feels as if it was painstakingly assembled by Corgan and Flood. The Smashing Pumpkins have always been Corgan's band, but they've never sounded like a solo vehicle the way that they do here.

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Fall Out Boy - Take This To Your Grave (2003)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Punk Rock

Style: Pop Punk

Label Number: FBR 061

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© 2003 Fueled By Ramen
AllMusic Review by Johnny Loftus

Fall Out Boy's full-length label debut, Take This to Your Grave is a smart collection of emo-influenced pop-punk tunes. It's long on harmony and the kind of earnest, dual guitar riffing listeners have come to expect from young rockers raised on a diet of hardcore, Punk-O-Rama comps, and MTV. But Fall Out Boy really necks ahead of the pack behind the enormous voice of dreamboat-in-training lead singer Patrick Stump and lyrical content that merges musings on love and youth with healthy amounts of cutting cynicism, savvy popular culture touchstones, and cheeky phraseology. Though it was issued by Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello's Fueled By Ramen imprint, a hefty advance from Island allowed Fall Out Boy to record Grave at Butch Vig's Smart Studios compound in Madison, WI, and employ the skills of producer Sean O'Keefe, who'd handled the boards for units like Lucky Boys Confusion and Motion City Soundtrack. Of course, Island will be looking for a substantial return on investment from Fall Out Boy. But before the band follows in the footsteps of Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional -- which it deserves to and will -- listeners can enjoy Take This to Your Grave's undeniable mixture of exuberance and romantic hardcore.
Like a high-school dreamer's homeroom notebook, Grave's margins are littered with impossibly clever turns of phrase. A preliminary scan of the record's song titles is enough to prove this. From the double-time hardcore of "Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over" to the shifting dynamics of "Homesick at Space Camp" (which was seemingly engineered by NASA to incite a crowd singalong), Fall Out Boy renders each song with a different mix of talents. Every time you think you've heard it all before, the band kills with another couplet. "I know I'm not your favorite record/The songs you grow to like never stick at first," Stump croons in "Dead on Arrival." Later, "Calm Before the Storm" dissects a relationship with an almost intellectual mix of casual, MTV-generation reference-making and a dose of self-analysis that suggests sadcore anti-hero Bill Callahan. After name-checking a throwaway Top 40 ditty, Stump addresses his ex: "What you do on your own time's just fine/My imagination's much worse." While Grave's 12 tracks run on the long-range external tanks of emotion that every teenager refuels with each miniature passing period drama, they're also professionally executed packets of melody. While the exposed nerve of hardcore is apparent throughout, Stump, bassist Peter Wentz, drummer Andrew Hurley, and guitarist Joseph Trohman are making music for a generation that appreciates a good hook, and isn't necessarily concerned where it comes from. Alternative, hip-hop, California skatepunk -- all the videos are directed the same way, and flannels, Fubu, and wallet chains are sometimes just set decorations. Fall Out Boy's positive is its honest intersection of pop's shallow nature with the rippling passion of hardcore. The band pulled all the frames of reference off the wall and built a larger one with the mismatched pieces. Inside it is Take This to Your Grave, a spectacular debut art project.

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Fall Out Boy - Evening Out With Your Girlfriend (2005 Remastered Edition) ☠

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Punk Rock

Style: Pop Punk

Label Number: UPR043CD

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© 2003-2005 Uprising Records
AllMusic Review by Johnny Loftus
Fall Out Boy's resounding success since Take This to Your Grave and From Under the Cork Tree guaranteed the reissue of their debut mini-album. Originally released in 2002 on the California imprint Uprising, Fall out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend was a Fall Out Boy primer, a hyper tantrum of humor, self-deprecation, puppy love, and Get Up Kids worship. "World's Not Waiting (For Five Tired Boys in a Broken Down Van)" and "Short, Fast, and Loud" were album summaries in song title, harmony, and triumphant chord crash; the energetic "Honorable Mention," with its allusions to detentions and being John Cusack, wasn't far behind. "And maybe next time/I'll remember not to tell you something stupid like I'll never leave your side." The band's youth accounted for some precocious lyrical turns, considerable debts to influence, and the out-of-control moments like "Moving Pictures." But Uprising's 2005 reissue proves that Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend is as vital for Fall Out Boy fans as any of the band's subsequent releases. And besides, who can resist a Parker Lewis reset? [The 2005 Uprising reissue included a label sampler that includes a track each from the Fall Out Boy-affiliated projects Project Rocket and the Kill Pill.]

tags: fall out boy, evening out with your girlfriend, 2005, remastered, remaster, flac,

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Fall Out Boy - From Under The Cork Tree (2005) ☠

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Punk Rock

Style: Pop Punk

Label Number: B0004140-02

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© 2006 Island Records
AllMusic Review by Johnny Loftus
Fall Out Boy's 2003 LP stacked sarcasm, wronged romance, and hardcore-derived passion on the head of a punk-pop pin. Take This to Your Grave was urgent at every turn, and though it fit the conventions of its genre, it was bolder and more memorable than the average release on Kung Fu or Drive-Thru. The kids responded -- Fall Out Boy were fast favorites of the online social networks (MySpace), and an endless tour schedule solidified their rep. With 2005's From Under the Cork Tree, the band fully delivers on their first full-length's promise. Sure, it nods a little more to the standard dynamics and production tweaks of pop-punk and emo in the mid-2000s -- Cork Tree was produced by Neal Avron, who's worked with A New Found Glory. But in many more ways it's the same album as Grave, a youth-intense blast of pop culture reference, pop-punk hyperactivity, and the feeling that we'll never understand life until Patrick Stump or Pete Wentz tells us about it. And we believe them. Stump is Fall Out Boy's vocalist and guitarist, Wentz its bassist and lyricist. Wentz' verbiage can be lengthy -- "I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me," one title goes -- but he has an innate ability to simultaneously acknowledge and deconstruct the mushy emo soliloquy. Temper that with a road-hardened cynicism about band life, superficial love, and the adventure of signing a record contract, and you have lyrics with a point beyond simply acting up or getting sentimental. "Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for my Sham Friends" is blunt. "Yeah we're friends," Stump says, "Just because we move units." But the album also has a current of longing to it, of missing regular life, regular relationships. Musically, Cork Tree's first five tracks are relentless, with razor-sharp melodies that seem familiar but sound totally unique at the same time. The "Oh! Oh!"s and punchy chords of "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World" are a thrill greater than any Jimmy Eat World album ever; "Sugar, We're Goin Down"'s half-time shifts are triumphs of tumbling words; and the opening track meditates wryly on all-ages shows' fame. Further, when Fall Out Boy rip into "Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year," summer 2005 will not be able to ignore them. "We're the therapists pumping through your speakers/Delivering just what you need," they sing. It's obviously time to embrace our inner mall kid.

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Fall Out Boy - Infinity On High (2007)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Punk Rock

Style: Pop Punk

Label Number: B0008109-02

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© 2007 Island/Fueled By Ramen
AllMusic Review by Corey Apar

A funny thing happened to Fall Out Boy on the road to Infinity on High: they got famous. Before 2005's From Under the Cork Tree they were just another pop-punk unit from suburban Chicago happy to break even at shows with gas money. Next thing anyone knew, they were headlining arenas and being heralded as the new face of pop-punk alongside their peers in My Chemical Romance. It was a position that never seemed to rest easy with the guys, and because of this, Infinity on High seems a bit conflicted. Fall Out Boy wants to charm everyone here. They want to prove themselves to critics by moving past the confines of emo, allowing a love of all things pop to come right to the forefront. Yet they also want to resonate directly with those day-one fans who may long for the intimate VFW shows of yesterday. This disparity makes points of the record seem awkward, and for the first time, the band appears to over-think things. Pete Wentz's lyrics are oftentimes resentful, full of fame-induced angst, and really emphasize his need to drive home his position that stardom has not changed the band. So it's in weird contrast to these sentiments that Jay-Z is the one opening the album and calling out haters who said FOB would fail. The glorification of their celebrity abruptly switches into Patrick Stump stating (pleading?) that the band is not buying into the hype -- nor do they even want it. "Make us poster boys for your scene/But we are not making an acceptance speech" is defiant, and when his sweet voice asserts, "Crowds are won and lost and won again/But our hearts beat for the diehards," it's clear that FOB still holds their roots close. But this is contradicted by the fact that the album's majority is far and away their poppiest material to date, more pop/rock than pop-punk, which inevitably means more interesting to those who know them just as that "Dance, Dance" band with the media-whoring bassist, Pete Wentz.
So the results are hit-and-miss. The Maroon 5-ish "I'm Like a Lawyer..." is glaringly one of the Babyface-produced tracks, and with a vocal hook uncomfortably close to Phil Collins' cover of "Groovy Kind of Love," it plays like the guys were the ruffled house band for a prom. It's ill-fitting, a notion that continues in cuts like the soft rock piano of "Golden" and the airy "The (After) Life of the Party." But on the flip side, the fizzy urban-pop nugget "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" dances around double-time hardcore choruses and backing choral singers with dizzying precision and infectious results, while dramatic gospel flair excellently lines "Hum Hallelujah." Stump's vocal control and agility is incredible; he truly brings songs alive in a way uniquely his own, and it's a toss-up as to whether he or drummer Andrew Hurley should get this record's gold star. So it's not to say the pop explosion that is Infinity on High is all bad. Even the studio extravagances -- multiple producers (Babyface and Butch Walker handle a few outside Neil Avron) and decadent layers of horns, string sections, and choirs -- don't detract from its overall enjoyability. Yet unlike My Chemical Romance, who knew exactly what they wanted in the grand theatrics of 2006's Welcome to the Black Parade and completely went for it without apology, Fall Out Boy is at odds. Previously, they could easily skip around with pop baggage, hardcore tension, cunning wordplay, and infectious melodies without losing their edge. Now they just seem too self-aware. Don't misunderstand: once Infinity on High sinks in, it's indeed a fun record. But for a band that was once so self-assured and able to utilize its talents so compellingly, the album is regrettably haphazard. Fall Out Boy may hate people who "dissect us 'til this doesn't mean a thing anymore," but in trying to appeal to all of them, they lost something unique along the way.

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Heart - Brigade (1990)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Hard Rock. Pop Rock

Label Number: CDP 7 91820 2

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© 1990 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson
Heart entered the 1990s with Brigade, which isn't quite as strong as Heart or Bad Animals, but is nonetheless a respectable effort that has more pluses than minuses. While producer Richie Zito's approach is undeniably slick and glossy, he maintains enough rough edges to keep things interesting on songs ranging from the aggressive hard rock of "Call of the Wild" (not to be confused with the Ted Nugent/Amboy Dukes classic), "Wild Child," and "The Night" to the arena-oriented powerful ballads like "Stranded" and "Secret." Heart unintentionally generated some controversy with the hit "All I Want to Do (Is Make Love to You)," a tale of an intimate encounter with a hitchhiker. The "Thought Police" argued that the song encouraged women to endanger themselves by picking up hitchhikers -- overlooking the fact that the song, like a romance novel, is pure fantasy. Though Heart or Bad Animals would serve as a better introduction to Heart's Capitol output, Brigade is an album that die-hard fans shouldn't overlook.

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Aaliyah - Age Ain't Nothing But a Number (1994)⚓

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B

Label Number: 01241-41533-2
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© 1994 Blackground/Jive/BMG Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Aaliyah has a pleasant voice, but the real reason the teenager's debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, was a hit is the radio-ready production courtesy of R. Kelly, her then-husband. Kelly wraps Aaliyah's voice in layers of lush synths and deep grooves, while adding songs that are frequently better than the ones on his own album, 12 Play. Age may have its share of filler, but its singles are slyly seductive.

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Various Artists - Mortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1995)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Industrial, Trance, Acid House, Industrial Rock, Techno

Label Number: TVT 6110-2

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© 1995 TVT Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Not all of the music on Mortal Kombat [Original Soundtrack] was used in the film. Instead, it contains a fair selection of songs that fit the atmosphere of the movie, as well as the tastes of the adolescent fans of the ultra-violent street-fighting arcade game. Mortal Kombat captures its essence, featuring a side of hardcore techno and a side of heavy metal. Although they may appear to be polar opposites, techno and metal aren't that dissimilar, propelled by aggression and relentless riffs. Musically, the record blends together well, but the album doesn't have consistently impressive performances. Nevertheless, the tracks from Orbital, KMFDM, Type O Negative, Traci Lords, Napalm Death, and the Utah Saints make the Mortal Kombat album worthwhile for fans of the movie and the game.

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Selena - Amor Prohibido (2002 Remastered Edition)⚓

*Reissued and remastered in 2002 by EMI Latin
Features 2 bonus tracks and 2 music videos (not included).
 A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Tejano, Cumbia, Mariachi

Label Number: H2 7243 5 40994 0 3
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© 1994-2002 EMI Latin
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Amor Prohibido was Selena's biggest album before her crossover attempt, Dreaming of You. While the album is slightly uneven, she was a dynamic, charismatic singer, and is able to pull across the weaker material. Indeed, the record is her strongest album and shows why she was the biggest Tejano star of the '90s.

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Various Artists - Mortal Kombat: More Kombat (1996)

Country: U.S.A
Genres: Industrial Rock, Electronic, Thrash Metal, Rock

Label Number: TVT 8030-2

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© 1996 TVT Soundtrax
AllMusic Review by Adam Greenberg
A lot of high energy techno/club tracks, much like the original soundtrack. It starts out with Psykosonik doing a mix centered around a sound clip from the movie, much in the vein of the ultra-catchy snippet filled piece from the Utah Saints in the first incarnation of the soundtrack. Other various artists follow suit, with sound clips from the game (such as Loaded's "Fatality"). Eventually, a few larger name groups do emerge through the semi-unknown nature of the album. Brazilian rockers Sepultura provide a rather heavy number, and Crystal Method and Juno Reactor both provide techno tracks to finish off the album. Overall, a nice high energy techno album. There are a couple of less catchy spots (Crawlspace), but for the most part it's a jumpin album.

tags: various artists, mortal kombat, more kombat ost, soundtrack, 1996, flac,

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Destiny's Child - Destiny's Child (2001 Reissue)

*European reissue. 
Contains 17 tracks.

Country: U.S.A
Genre: R&B

Label Number: 488535 9

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© 1998 -2001 Columbia
AllMusic Review by John Bush
Destiny's Child isn't quite just another debut album from an R&B girl group. The quartet worked with Wyclef Jean and Jermaine Dupri among others, and their voices sound beautiful together. Still, much of the album sounds indistinguishable from all the other female groups out there. When Destiny's Child does sound different, as on the single "No, No, No, Pt. 2," they're more than competent.

tags: destinys child, destiny's child, album, 1997, 2001 reissue,

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Destiny's Child - The Writing's On The Wall (1999)

*European pressing. 
Contains 1 bonus track. 17 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A
Genre: R&B

Label Number: 494394 2

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© 1999 Columbia
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
With their second album, Writing's on the Wall, Destiny's Child still suffers from slightly uneven songwriting, but it's nevertheless an assured step forward for the girl group. Not only are they maturing as vocalists, they are fortunate to work with such skilled, talented producers as Kevin "Shekspere" Biggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad Elliot, Daryl Simmons, and Missy Elliott, who all give the quartet rich, varied music upon which to work their charm. So, even when the album fails to deliver memorable songs, it always sounds alluring, thanks to the perfect combination of vocalists and producers.

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Destiny's Child - Survivor (2001) ☠

*European pressing. 

Contains 18 tracks total.

Country: U.S.A

Genre: R&B

Label Number: 501783 2

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© 2001 Columbia Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Nobody would have predicted that Destiny's Child would rule over the contemporary R&B scene in the beginning of the new millennium -- not after "Bills, Bills, Bills" hit the top of the charts, not even after "Say My Name" became an anthem in 2000. But nobody challenged their position, so they reigned supreme in the early 2000s, eventually inheriting the title of the great girl group of their era. Since they had a couple of pretty good singles, namely the aforementioned pair, most conceded them that position, particularly since they seemed more talented than their peers, but Survivor, their first album as full-fledged superstars -- also their first album since most of the group disappeared due to managerial conflicts -- is as contrived and calculated as a Mariah Carey record, only without the joy. This is a determined, bullheaded record, intent on proving Destiny's Child has artistic merit largely because the group survived internal strife. So, whatever pop kitsch references the title may have -- and it's hard not to see it as an attempt to tap into the American public's insatiable love for CBS' brilliant reality TV show of the same name -- the title is certainly heartfelt, as the members of Destiny's Child want to illustrate that they are indeed survivors. This doggedness may fit on occasion, as on "Independent Women, Pt. 1," the theme to Charlie's Angels, but it usually takes precedence over the music -- such as on the title track, a flat-out terrible song and the worst the group has ever recorded. "Survivor" is painfully labored, stuttering over a halting melody that Beyoncé Knowles breathlessly pushes to absolutely nowhere, working it so hard that it's difficult to listen. Unfortunately, that pattern repeats itself way too often on Survivor, as the group undercuts its seductive mainstream R&B with repellent pandering and naked ambition. This isn't even the case where you can rely on the label and its cohorts to find the best tunes for the radio, since the moments where Destiny's Child sound the best are when the group is not vying for airplay. When the group swings for the bleachers, Beyoncé oversells the song, rivaling Christina Aguilera in the diva sweepstakes. There are moments where the group makes it work, but this is a truly uneven record, bouncing between appealing mid-tempo soul numbers and hard-sell feminist anthems, where the ambition of Beyoncé and her cohorts is too naked. You can hear them work on "Nasty Girl," as they appropriate the theme from Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It," then inexplicably borrowing "Tarzan Boy" for the chorus. You can hear them trying to take Andy Gibb's "Emotion" slow, attempting to give it emotional resonance, yet such heartfelt overtures are toppled by the arrogant "Gospel Medley," where their secular pyrotechnics sound mannered, not inspired. Each of these are intended to give Destiny's Child a different level of depth -- a pan-cultural, knowing appropriation of pop's past, balanced by a chart-savvy cover of a pop classic, plus a showy display of prowess. Each of these steps are calculated, as is the album itself. It's a record that tries to be a bold statement of purpose, but winds up feeling forced and artificial.

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DIO - Strange Highways (1993)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: 9 45527-2

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© 1993-1994 Reprise Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Anderson
The final Warner Bros. release for Dio after an 11-year run of hard-edged post-Sabbath recordings, Strange Highways is almost a return to early '80s form for a group that hadn't done anything particularly inspiring since 1984's Last in Line. Joining the band's namesake vocalist Ronnie James Dio on this 1994 release is an all-star lineup, including long-time drumming cohort Vinny Appice, bassist Jeff Pilson (most notably of Dokken, and an nice addition to the group, especially live), and unknown guitarist Tracy G. Dio is in fine voice as usual, especially on "Hollywood Black" and the emotive opener "Jesus, Mary & the Holy Ghost." G. provides a nice, generally staccato guitar flow that harkens back to the glory days when Vivian Campbell filled the six-string slot in the group's finest lineup. Original drummer Appice seems to have lost some energy, tone, and sharpness by the time of this release, which is too bad considering that he had formerly personified all those qualities. As a unit, however, Dio prove they can lay down some deadly riffs, as songs like "Pain" and "Firehead" keep a nice momentum going throughout this return to solo work for Ronnie James Dio after a brief second tour of duty with Black Sabbath. Strange Highways is a solid effort with some of Dio's better late-career material, powerful singing, and strong performances from G. and Pilson.

tags: dio, DIO, ronnie james, strange highways, 1993, flac,

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DIO - Angry Machines (1996)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: 11104-2

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© 1996 Mayhem Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Originally released on Mayhem in 1996, then reissued by Spitfire in 2000, Angry Machines was Dio's first effort away from Warner/Reprise, and it does find Ronnie James Dio looking for subtle ways to push into new territory. The lyrics mostly avoid Dio's familiar medieval-fantasy D&D obsessions, instead directing their attention to more real-world concerns (albeit with the same sense of drama). Similarly, there aren't many of the gothic neo-classicisms present on the band's best-known output; and while there are a few progressive sections, Angry Machines is more of a straightforward metal record, full of pounding rhythms and guitars along with plenty of wailing by Ronnie James Dio. The main problem is that the band often seems to concentrate on sound more than songwriting -- the album sounds good while it's playing, but not enough of the riffs or melodies stick with the listener afterwards to judge it a complete return to form. Yet there are enough moments here to make it worth the time of Dio diehards.

tags: dio, DIO, ronnie james, angry machines, 1996, flac,

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DIO - Magica (2000)

Country: U.S.A
Genre: Heavy Metal

Label Number: SPT CD 15020

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© 2000 Spitfire Records
AllMusic Review by Bret Adams
Dio's rock-solid 2000 concept album Magica would have better fit the musical climate 15-25 years beforehand, but a good album is a good album. Ronnie James Dio's band's previous studio effort, 1996's Angry Machines, admirably addressed modern, non-traditional heavy metal topics. But the musically superior Magica is rooted in the dark, mystical themes he perfected on Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and early Dio albums. One important factor is the solid lineup, particularly the return of Craig Goldy, the best guitarist Dio's had in his band besides Vivian Campbell. Bassist Jimmy Bain and drummer Simon Wright also return. Dio seems inspired, and his vocals are more textured than usual. Magica is a detailed fantasy epic about the struggle between good and evil. Several elements are similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved Lord of the Rings novels, which themselves rely on traditional literary archetypes such as heroes, villains, and mythic quests. "Lord of the Last Day" builds slowly with Goldy's dirge-like guitar and Dio's menacing vocals augmented by strings. "Fever Dreams" is tightly arranged and geared for rock radio airplay with Goldy's crisp, snapping guitar and Dio's smooth, slightly edgy vocals. "Turn to Stone" is effective, traditional heavy metal based on slow, heavy rhythm guitar and drums. The most musically complex song is "Feed My Head" due to the hypnotic chorus, multi-tracked harmony vocals, clean guitar and cymbal interplay, slashing strings, and Dio's smooth vocal interlude. Although "As Long As It's Not About Love" has some of the characteristics of a basic power ballad, the arrangement is more detailed and flexible. The album ends with "Magica Story," Dio's 18 1/2-minute spoken narrative; the liner notes include a separate sheet with the complete short story. His warm, rich voice is enhanced with a little bit of echo and faint synthesizer touches occasionally add drama.

tags: dio, DIO, ronnie james, magica, 2000, flac,

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Smooth - Smooth (1995)

*A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.

Country: U.S.A
Genre: R&B, Hip-Hop
Style: Pop Rap

Label Number: 01241-41556-2

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© 1995 Jive Records
AllMusic Review by Andrew Hamilton
Smooth, sultry, sexy '90s tales of lust which somehow haven't blown up like they should have. It must be a lack of promotion; it's certainly not talent, songs, singing, or production. This is one enjoyable CD; Smooth has the kind of voice men like, oozing sex in every inflection. She could be singing businesses' names and addresses from the yellow pages and still sound risqué. For some reason, Smooth singing to hip-hop beats never gets old. "Way Back When" is definitive Smooth; it has it all -- nifty rapping, upfront backing vocals, and Smooth spitting out some biting lyrics. Some power cuts include "Blowing Up My Pager," a tale about a girl being paged into saying yes by a persistent admirer; "P.Y.T. (Playa Young Thugs)" features 2Pac with the self-proclaimed "Female Mack" on a hypnotic keeper. Listen as she shamelessly proclaims what she's looking for on the erotic "Good Stuff." She gives instructions to her lover during "Swing It to the Left Side." Thirteen strong pleasing tracks; Smooth could get a rise out of a dead man.

tags: smooth, smooth album, 1995, mind blowin

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Conjunto Acapulco Tropical - Mi México, Lindo Es (2003 Reissue) ☠

*Grabaciones originales.  

Se incluye una foto del disco en el archivo.

Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Tropical

Label Number: 82876-53049-2
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☠: Selected by Sentinel

© 2003 BMG Entertainment México, RCA Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: conjunto acapulco tropical, acapulco tropical, mi mexico lindo es, mi mexico, lindo es, flac, descarga,

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Rose Tattoo - Scarred For Life (1982) ☠

*First pressing. 

Contains 10 tracks total.

Country: Australia
Language: English
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: CDP 7466702

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© 1982-1987 Albert Productions
Review by Ian Winwood for Teamrock.com
On the cover of 1982’s Rose Tattoo’s Scarred For Life (6/10), the five members of the band are staring at the camera with looks that seem to ask: “Did you spill my pint?” This, really, is all you need to know regarding the songs that comprise the Sydney group’s first four albums, now reissued.

tags: rose tattoo, scarred for life, 1982, flac,

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Rose Tattoo - Rose Tattoo (Limited Edition) (1990)

*Reissued in 1990 by Repertoire Records. 

Contains 8 bonus tracks. 18 tracks total.

Country: Australia
Language: English
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: RR 4103-WZ

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© 1970-1990 Repertoire Records
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
If AC/DC are the greatest blue-collar hard rock band of all time, then Rose Tattoo (also Australian, also managed by the Vanda and Young team) just may qualify as the world's greatest blue-collar punk rock band. Led by impetuous, diminutive frontman Angry Anderson (the Ronnie James Dio of punk?) and the brilliant slide-guitar work of Peter Wells, Rose Tattoo were a mean and not-so-lean gang of tattooed misfits, all of them veterans of the hard as nails Aussie pub rock scene -- in short, the kind of guys you'd cross the street to avoid. Released in 1978, their eponymous debut (issued in Europe as Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw almost two years later) is a dangerous, unpredictable, monster of a record whose power has hardly diminished an ounce in the decades since. First song, "Rock 'N' Roll Outlaw," draws the line in the sand, challenging all comers to cross at the peril of a split lip; then "Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock 'N' Roll)" (if you thought Guns n' Roses version was bad-ass, think again) delivers an uppercut to the jaw that'll set you reeling. The boogie-intensive "One of the Boys" recalls George Thorogood at his baddest, while "The Butcher and Fast Eddy" -- a gritty shuffle about dueling gangs of outlaws -- offers a Down Under adaptation of the classic Stagger Lee urban fable. First single "Bad Boy for Love" borrows its main riff rather blatantly from AC/DC's "She's Got Balls," and the lone, slow number "Stuck on You" is the Rose Tattoo equivalent of the Stooges' "Gimme Danger." "Remedy" and "T.V." are blasts of pure raw energy, and if you're not reduced to a sweating, drained pile of pulp by the time you arrive at the tee-total lunacy of closer "Astra Wally," you better check your pulse. As seemed inevitable, given their combustible nature, Rose Tattoo's career was quickly derailed by internal strife, but this only adds to the timeless mystique and unique triumph of this debut. It's as "street" as white boy rock gets -- essential hard boogie. [The 1990 Repertoire records CD reissue adds eight bonus tracks, between B-sides and live recordings to the original release.]

tags: rose tattoo, rose tattoo album, limited edition, 1970, 1990, flac,

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