Advantages: All the tracks are better then their older stuff
Disadvantages: You only get 13 tracks, it makes their older stuff look pale.

...in 2007, and they are still with them today. -------------The Tracks---------- Well, what you probably opened this review for, you want to know whether you should buy this CD or not, I say go for it anyway, even if you hate the music, because ' The Black Swan' is a movement that is against the discrimination of homosexual and negro people, which I find worth supporting. However, its great to have a good CD from somebody you support, so here goes. 1. "Choose Your Fate" - 3:34 ~ 9/10 First Track, starts with spoken text, like a radio broadcast. Brutaly broken, and the music backing the breakout is great, sounds quite different from the older SOTY, neverminding the vocals, that have not changed that much, which can be a plus or a minus, there are some heavier parts, which personally does really great in my taste. Definatly a cut above... Read review

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Advantages: Original, intense, powerful, melodic, epic
Disadvantages: An acquired taste for those who don't like a challenge!

...heavy guitar, and singer Aaron's guttural death-metal vocals accompanying the almost shocking strength and heaviness of the music... before all becomes peaceful again- he abruptly changes vocal style to a what amounts to a plaintive cry of despair. Everything about this album is epic. The song titles say it all- beautiful but haunting names such as "The Songless Bird", "Black God", "The Snow In My Hands", "Your River"... This album is also one of contrasts- between a dark, uncomfortable solitude and sudden fury. "Turn Loose the Swans" showcases My Dying Bride at their very best. If you're a fan of progressive doom-metal, goth-metal or even the older death-metal, your collection deserves this album. (Just adding a bit more!) - the album also stands up very well against the band's other releases- almost of which are great. The band... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic tracks
Disadvantages: Does not include "I Can Help"

...In 1976 I was listening to Billy Swan singing "I Just Want to Taste Your Wine" and enjoying a long, hot summer! At the time I bought the original LP (yes, vinyl!) - the one entitled "Billy Swan" with the grey border - and loved every track on it, which was pretty amazing because for me the odds of that are astronomical!! So when I saw this combination CD advertised I decided to indulge my nostalgia and buy it - and no, I was NOT disappointed with the other 10 tracks from the original LP entitled "Four". All together this CD provides a history of what I think is the best period of Billy Swan's career and it certainly takes you back to those lazy days of summer (when it really was hot all the time!).... Read review

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Advantages: All 25 songs are classics in Soul and Popular music
Disadvantages: None!

...Diana Ross and the Supremes broke down many racial barriers during their eventful reign in the 1960's. Rivalled by only Elvis Presley and The Beatles, their remarkable acheivements included 12 ground-breaking chart-toppers. Motown boss, Berry Gordy, intended to use his roster of artists to appeal too not only blacks but to break into white culture too. Diana Ross And The Supremes were easily the most successful act at Motown to find acceptance in white culture whilst also shrewdly retaining their wide black base also. There are popular misconceptions about The Supremes, that Diana Ross stepped all over Mary Wilson and the groups founder, Florence Ballard in a ruthless bid to be the sole star of the group. Mary Wilson had a breathy, seamless, pleasant-sounding soprano whilst Florence Ballards startling vocal delivery was more raw... Read review

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Advantages: Good tunes, Strange lyrics that have you reaching for the lyric sheet
Disadvantages: May be too soft-edged for Pixies fans

...The first track on "Dog in the sand" starts off with Black declaring his intention of making it... (I'm going to make it, maybe in showbiz, maybe on solid ground, I don't know"("Blast off"). But this is no debut album. Frank Black has been around a while, in different guises. Well, for me he's already made it. He started off as Black Francis in the highly influential 80s band The Pixies, went solo as Frank Black, accompanied, at various times with The Catholics, and the Pistoleros. Some of the albums have had a lukewarm reception, but, by and large, I tend to enjoy just about everything he's ever produced. Anyway, back to that first track on this particular album. Like most of Black's songs, there are lyrics that make you really listen hard, and still come away not knowing what on earth he is going on about. So, on "Blast... Read review

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Advantages: Perfect manic pop songs
Disadvantages: None - once you get over the fact the Pixies are no longer

...I think this is the best album released by Frank Black since the demise of his band The Pixies. The Pixies are, incidentally, one of my all-time favourite bands, so I came to this album with a history, and, I suppose, a lot of hopes and preconceptions. "Frank Black" was Black's first solo effort, although ex-Pixie guitarist Joey Santiago did join him, as he has done on other solo outings. It's definitely not what you'd call "a Pixies album", but I was nevertheless overjoyed when I heard it. Yes, it's a Frank Black album, but it's still brilliant. Almost as brilliant as the Pixies' albums. Just slightly different. Some of the themes in the songs are a little strange: Many are on the subject of UFOs - this won't be a surprise to any fans of The Pixies, as several songs on "Bossanova" and "Planet of Sound", their last two... Read review

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Advantages: it sounds like the pixies
Disadvantages: it's not the pixies

...Frank Black, former Pixies frontman, has left those days of glory firmly behind him, whilst moving forward with his own innovative style of music and embarking upon a successful solo career. From the outset of 'Frank Black', it is impossible to miss the obvious influence of the Pixies style on the record, but as the main man in the band, little else could be expected. The basic Pixies principles are still there, a typical four piece rock band coupled with a rock undertone and highly melodic ideas. However, it is something of a departure from the finer moments of the Pixies, with various songs incorporating highly bizzare musical features, normally consisting of techniques such as a synthesised brass section, and his tendency to suddenly change the pace of his tracks without prior musical warning. Individual tracks that stand out... Read review

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Advantages: sees Sabbath beginning to experiment successfully with new textures
Disadvantages: lots of instrumental

...BLACK SABBATH VOL.4 1: Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener (8:14) 2: Tomorrow's Dream (3:12) 3: Changes (4:46) 4: FX (1:43) 5: Supernaut (4:45) 6: Snowblind (5:31) 7: Cornucopia (3:54) 8: Laguna Sunrise (2:52) 9: St. Vitus Dance (2:29) 10: Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes (5:50) Yet another groundbreaking powerhouse recording featuring some excellent guitar work. This includes great classics like Tomorrow's Dream, Changes, Supernaut, Snowblind, and Laguna Sunrise Black Sabbath VOL. 4 is a must have addition to any Black Sabbath collection released: early september 1972 the album features some of Sabbaths most memorble tracks and sees Sabbath beginning to experiment successfully with new textures such as strings, piano, orchestration and multi-part songs.. Yet the classic Sabbath sound is still very much in evidence... Read review

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Advantages: Well worth the money, can watch over and over again
Disadvantages: A little bit short on running time

...A Black & White Delight!! I find there is nothing better on a miserable day than to settle down with the fire on to watch an old black & white movie! Now for those of you who are too young to remember, and that of course includes me (not!), before colour television was available all programmes were viewed in black and white. Not only were the old movies televised in black & white, but the original footage is in black & white, due to the lack of technology then of colour film. What a strange concept by today’s standards, actually filming something which is obviously in varying colour, but the outcome you see is nothing but black and white. However, that for me is the magic of those old movies, a captured period of time gone by… However, today, with all technology available to enhance the finished footage…….. Why would you... Read review

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Advantages: Some stunning tracks, deeply moving in places
Disadvantages: Some may find it lyrically disturbing

...Basildon's finest were previously perceived as a happy tinkly pop band although some heavy hints of a future darker sound were apparant in the previous album Some Great Reward. Black Celebration was a major departure soundwise and both alienated some existing fans and attracted new ones when first released in the mid eighties. The album has a dark and largely miserable feel and also starts to focus more on the perverse (for want of a better phrase) side of Martin Gore's interests. Black Celebration opens with a track of the same name which immedietly sets the scene with a song about escaping from the misery of the daily grind of life - the black celebration being the celebration of surviving the black day. With a slow but mesmorising build up to some more bombastic elements and industrial sounds, the lyrics lay out the album... Read review

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