In 1988, REM were a cult on the cusp of major success. In 1992 they were somewhere close to being the biggest band in the world. In 2003, they're marginalised again, a middle-aged institution purportedly on the wane. Still, uninformed listeners to In Time might find it tricky to work out which songs come from which era. The 18 singles collected here in non-chronological order show a band that's operated at a terrifyingly high standard throughout the period, so that less lauded songs like "The Great Beyond" stand proud alongside the familiar anthems from the early 1990s. Of course, these compilations are sent to irritate loyalists, whose relief at the inclusion of "E-Bow the Letter" (a mesmerising duet with Patti Smith from 1996) will be undermined by the bewildering absence of 1992's tearjerking epiphany "Find the River". For a more comprehensive survey of REM's excellence, you'll also need The Best of REM, the highlights of their elliptical early years. One suspects a box set which tells the full story of this enduring band can't be that far away. For now, though, In Time will do well enough. --John Mulvey

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Not since the days of the Clash and the MC5 has rock seen such political force as in the uncompromising debut from this American quartet. Expanding the hip-hop/metal style of bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage tap the spirits of vintage Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, coupled with hardcore punk intensity and Public Enemy-style grooves. "Bombtrack" opens the album with a shot of adrenaline and singer Zack de la Rocha's infuriated chorus of "Burn, burn, yes, you're gonna burn!" The intensity doesn't let up an inch on the militant "Killing In The Name" (with the inspiring chant, "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!"), the ultrafunky "Bullet In The Head," and the engrossing "Fistful Of Steel". Tom Morello combines time-honoured metal-guitar riffs with sounds that suggest a hip-hop scratcher over a rhythm section that simply takes no prisoners. Intelligent and aggressive, this is unimpeachably one of the best hard-rock records ever made. --James Rotondi

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Great Album, 31 Oct 2008
This is most definately an album that deserves at least 3 listenings to from everyone who says they like listening to music because it is very very very good.

The opening title track 'Bombtrack' is a perfect track to listen to to understand this album because it is almost like a round up of everything to come in the rest of the album. Driving guitar riffs and licks (yes licks) from Morello and angsty hip lyrics from Zach. In fact the only thing it really doesn't convey about the album is quite the intricate brilliance of Morello's soloing ability and guitar playing. What made Rage popular back then still holds so much appeal today to real music fans because they are a truly unique experiance and their debut album can easily be counted amongst the greatest rock albums ever.

Be patient with it on first listenings as conseervative listeners might mistake it to be too Metal or Hip-hop for their tastes. With a broadened horizon comes the true appreciation of why this album is so great.

An all time classic, 26 Mar 2008
An all time classic album, often imitated, but never approached let alone surpassed. Zack's vocals are incredibly emotional, and the sheer tightness and funking musicality of the band is staggering (and that comes from a guy whos played in bands for 15 years himself.)

I loved this album to death fifteen years ago. Yet, when im teaching kids today and i put it on for them, it seems just as powerful for them as it was for me back then. Stunning.

Amazin! Short album but replayable over and over again., 23 Feb 2008
Having been only 2 years old when this originally come out I hadn't had the opportunity to be blown away by such amazing music with a great political message. Now older and wiser I had come across the song Killing in The Name on Guitar Hero 2. Having played that song over and over again and mesmerizing the notes I decided to by the album. So bought it of here and forgot about it then when it arrived I stuck it in the CD player. That's it a least 40 mins went with me just sitting the in amazement that for over 15 years this music was unnoticed by me. This eventually lead to me buying all of there albums and now started following Tom Morello's (Guitarist) other projects like Audioslave and The Nightwatchmen.

Now to the sound. I believe it can't be linked to anything else. They have a guitarist which has bought a new meaning to innovation to an instrument with all the amazing solos and catchy riffs and stick that with Zach's lyrical geniuses and unique singing style and a good bassist and drummer you know you've hit it gold. This album is worthy of anyone's CD collection and a MUST have for any music lover.


Rage against the music, 21 Jan 2008
This is not music. I don't find the music at all motivating or inspiring, i think it is just a pathetic attempt to become the next Limp Bizkit. All of the song sound the same and the singer sounds like a six year old.

Chalk and Cheese, 05 Nov 2007
Thank goodness we don't all like the same things. I dislike this music intensely. But I completely understand that others find it excellent. Not for me though.

It's amazing the difference a year makes. Upon its release, August and Everything After sounded remarkably fresh, a welcome change from the crunch and screech of grunge. Blending the vocal athleticism of Van Morrison with the moody rock of The Band, the Counting Crows turned on a whole legion of fans turned off by modern rock. But what sounded fresh soon became stale as dozens of bands flocked to the radio with euthanised versions of the Counting Crows' sound. But you shouldn't hold that against the Crow boys. August and Everything After is a fantastic rock album. Though "Mr. Jones" was the money-maker, the disc features such stand-out cuts as the dark lilt of "Anna Begins", the morose "Rain King", and the outstanding U2-meets-Grant Lee Buffalo anthem "Murder of One". Maybe time, and another listen, will heal the damage wrought. --Tod Nelson

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Great Album, 31 Oct 2008
This is most definately an album that deserves at least 3 listenings to from everyone who says they like listening to music because it is very very very good.

The opening title track 'Bombtrack' is a perfect track to listen to to understand this album because it is almost like a round up of everything to come in the rest of the album. Driving guitar riffs and licks (yes licks) from Morello and angsty hip lyrics from Zach. In fact the only thing it really doesn't convey about the album is quite the intricate brilliance of Morello's soloing ability and guitar playing. What made Rage popular back then still holds so much appeal today to real music fans because they are a truly unique experiance and their debut album can easily be counted amongst the greatest rock albums ever.

Be patient with it on first listenings as conseervative listeners might mistake it to be too Metal or Hip-hop for their tastes. With a broadened horizon comes the true appreciation of why this album is so great.

An all time classic, 26 Mar 2008
An all time classic album, often imitated, but never approached let alone surpassed. Zack's vocals are incredibly emotional, and the sheer tightness and funking musicality of the band is staggering (and that comes from a guy whos played in bands for 15 years himself.)

I loved this album to death fifteen years ago. Yet, when im teaching kids today and i put it on for them, it seems just as powerful for them as it was for me back then. Stunning.

Amazin! Short album but replayable over and over again., 23 Feb 2008
Having been only 2 years old when this originally come out I hadn't had the opportunity to be blown away by such amazing music with a great political message. Now older and wiser I had come across the song Killing in The Name on Guitar Hero 2. Having played that song over and over again and mesmerizing the notes I decided to by the album. So bought it of here and forgot about it then when it arrived I stuck it in the CD player. That's it a least 40 mins went with me just sitting the in amazement that for over 15 years this music was unnoticed by me. This eventually lead to me buying all of there albums and now started following Tom Morello's (Guitarist) other projects like Audioslave and The Nightwatchmen.

Now to the sound. I believe it can't be linked to anything else. They have a guitarist which has bought a new meaning to innovation to an instrument with all the amazing solos and catchy riffs and stick that with Zach's lyrical geniuses and unique singing style and a good bassist and drummer you know you've hit it gold. This album is worthy of anyone's CD collection and a MUST have for any music lover.


Rage against the music, 21 Jan 2008
This is not music. I don't find the music at all motivating or inspiring, i think it is just a pathetic attempt to become the next Limp Bizkit. All of the song sound the same and the singer sounds like a six year old.

Chalk and Cheese, 05 Nov 2007
Thank goodness we don't all like the same things. I dislike this music intensely. But I completely understand that others find it excellent. Not for me though.

Quite simply the best, 13 Jan 2008
I bought this after hearing an acquaintance playing it. There is not a bad track on this album. Each one is sheer, haunting, lasting quality with an incredible and unique vocal style. I probably listen to it once a week. Despite having all the other albums, all of which have their own strengths and merits, I keep coming back to this one and find something new in each listen. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My Number 1 Album!, 22 Dec 2007
It seriously is, there is not a bad song...nay, MOMENT on this CD i absoloutley love it, perfect for any mood. Bought it about 5 years ago, its my most listened to CD!

True Love, 25 Jul 2007
My first true musical love.Counting Crows are a fantastic band,an immensely talented band of individuals in their own right put together with the voice and beauty of Adam Duritz lyrics you really have something a little bit special here.This lived in my Hi-fi for years and is never far from it now.Guitars,mandolins, pedal steel,piano,hammond b-3 organ the sound is lush.The tone often sombre but so richly painted this is a classic!and is deservedly their most famous and sucessful record.Anyone looking into the Crows star here,anyone after a classic album buy this.

Unbelievably good, 05 May 2007
When I bought this on its release it lived in my player. Little has changed. I am still besotted. The strong vocal style and clear image-loaded lyrics are just superb. "Round Here", "Mister Jones", "Sullivan Street" and "Murder of One" are beautiful hurting tracks, although it's impossible to pick a duff number.
The music is rock but with clear deep-south\country cajun\type influences, even if this is an LA band. That accordian for one thing. Not at all out of place in this rock setting, quite the opposite, an intrinsic part of the sound. "Recovering the Satelites" is a great follow up album to it but this debut still has the edge for me. It's a great impressionist painting of urban life, fair weather and foul weather. Aching love songs, aching anything songs. If you've never heard this album you're in for a magical surprise and, if this tips the balance, you owe me one!

Great album!, 27 Apr 2007
I first heard of counting crows when i learnt how to play their most heard song 'Mr Jones.' I instantly loved this song but didn't think much about the band until recently when i heard 'Round Here' which opens this album. This is one of the best openers for an album in recent memory. It sounds so perfect and the rest of the album follows suit. With 'Perfect Blue Buildings' , 'Anna Begins' 'Time and Time Again' the album is held up high! Just as the last song finishes you will be dying to hear the next song.

Please buy this album, you will love it forever,

5 stars!

With all the media hype that dogged the Strokes before the release of their debut album, it's rather apt that they chose the title Is This It?. On the strength of just five songs, released over two singles, the Strokes were being hailed as everything from the saviours of rock & roll to the Saviour Himself. Surely, few bands could live up to the impossibly high standards set for this young five-piece, but they needn't have worried: Is This It? is one of the most exciting and energetic debut albums to spring from New York's long-dormant club scene. In fact, the Strokes are a New York City band through-and-through; like the Velvet Underground, these are a bunch of uptown artsy types elegantly slumming downtown to the tried-and-tested themes of sex, drugs and rock & roll. Their singer/songwriter, the fantastically named Julian Casablancas, delivers his lyrics with a weary nonchalance that belies his age on songs such as the title track, "Soma", "Hard to Explain" and the altogether wonderful "Barely Legal", while the band recall the likes of Television and the Stooges on "NYC Cops", "Last Night" and "The Modern Age". Sexy, stylish and undeniably cool, here's hoping that the Strokes are the future of rock & roll. --Robert Burrow

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Great Album, 31 Oct 2008
This is most definately an album that deserves at least 3 listenings to from everyone who says they like listening to music because it is very very very good.

The opening title track 'Bombtrack' is a perfect track to listen to to understand this album because it is almost like a round up of everything to come in the rest of the album. Driving guitar riffs and licks (yes licks) from Morello and angsty hip lyrics from Zach. In fact the only thing it really doesn't convey about the album is quite the intricate brilliance of Morello's soloing ability and guitar playing. What made Rage popular back then still holds so much appeal today to real music fans because they are a truly unique experiance and their debut album can easily be counted amongst the greatest rock albums ever.

Be patient with it on first listenings as conseervative listeners might mistake it to be too Metal or Hip-hop for their tastes. With a broadened horizon comes the true appreciation of why this album is so great.

An all time classic, 26 Mar 2008
An all time classic album, often imitated, but never approached let alone surpassed. Zack's vocals are incredibly emotional, and the sheer tightness and funking musicality of the band is staggering (and that comes from a guy whos played in bands for 15 years himself.)

I loved this album to death fifteen years ago. Yet, when im teaching kids today and i put it on for them, it seems just as powerful for them as it was for me back then. Stunning.

Amazin! Short album but replayable over and over again., 23 Feb 2008
Having been only 2 years old when this originally come out I hadn't had the opportunity to be blown away by such amazing music with a great political message. Now older and wiser I had come across the song Killing in The Name on Guitar Hero 2. Having played that song over and over again and mesmerizing the notes I decided to by the album. So bought it of here and forgot about it then when it arrived I stuck it in the CD player. That's it a least 40 mins went with me just sitting the in amazement that for over 15 years this music was unnoticed by me. This eventually lead to me buying all of there albums and now started following Tom Morello's (Guitarist) other projects like Audioslave and The Nightwatchmen.

Now to the sound. I believe it can't be linked to anything else. They have a guitarist which has bought a new meaning to innovation to an instrument with all the amazing solos and catchy riffs and stick that with Zach's lyrical geniuses and unique singing style and a good bassist and drummer you know you've hit it gold. This album is worthy of anyone's CD collection and a MUST have for any music lover.


Rage against the music, 21 Jan 2008
This is not music. I don't find the music at all motivating or inspiring, i think it is just a pathetic attempt to become the next Limp Bizkit. All of the song sound the same and the singer sounds like a six year old.

Chalk and Cheese, 05 Nov 2007
Thank goodness we don't all like the same things. I dislike this music intensely. But I completely understand that others find it excellent. Not for me though.

Quite simply the best, 13 Jan 2008
I bought this after hearing an acquaintance playing it. There is not a bad track on this album. Each one is sheer, haunting, lasting quality with an incredible and unique vocal style. I probably listen to it once a week. Despite having all the other albums, all of which have their own strengths and merits, I keep coming back to this one and find something new in each listen. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My Number 1 Album!, 22 Dec 2007
It seriously is, there is not a bad song...nay, MOMENT on this CD i absoloutley love it, perfect for any mood. Bought it about 5 years ago, its my most listened to CD!

True Love, 25 Jul 2007
My first true musical love.Counting Crows are a fantastic band,an immensely talented band of individuals in their own right put together with the voice and beauty of Adam Duritz lyrics you really have something a little bit special here.This lived in my Hi-fi for years and is never far from it now.Guitars,mandolins, pedal steel,piano,hammond b-3 organ the sound is lush.The tone often sombre but so richly painted this is a classic!and is deservedly their most famous and sucessful record.Anyone looking into the Crows star here,anyone after a classic album buy this.

Unbelievably good, 05 May 2007
When I bought this on its release it lived in my player. Little has changed. I am still besotted. The strong vocal style and clear image-loaded lyrics are just superb. "Round Here", "Mister Jones", "Sullivan Street" and "Murder of One" are beautiful hurting tracks, although it's impossible to pick a duff number.
The music is rock but with clear deep-south\country cajun\type influences, even if this is an LA band. That accordian for one thing. Not at all out of place in this rock setting, quite the opposite, an intrinsic part of the sound. "Recovering the Satelites" is a great follow up album to it but this debut still has the edge for me. It's a great impressionist painting of urban life, fair weather and foul weather. Aching love songs, aching anything songs. If you've never heard this album you're in for a magical surprise and, if this tips the balance, you owe me one!

Great album!, 27 Apr 2007
I first heard of counting crows when i learnt how to play their most heard song 'Mr Jones.' I instantly loved this song but didn't think much about the band until recently when i heard 'Round Here' which opens this album. This is one of the best openers for an album in recent memory. It sounds so perfect and the rest of the album follows suit. With 'Perfect Blue Buildings' , 'Anna Begins' 'Time and Time Again' the album is held up high! Just as the last song finishes you will be dying to hear the next song.

Please buy this album, you will love it forever,

5 stars!

Undoubted classic, 04 Oct 2008
Much hype surrounded the Strokes. For this album it's all warranted. An all time classic that bears repeated listening over and over again. If you make it yours it will be a part of you.

The saviour of guitar music, 17 Jul 2007
Back in 2001, guitar based bands were struggling to be recognised admist in the charts dominated by R'n'B, dance and rap. Boy and girl bands ruled the airwaves, and bands were nowhere to be seen. The Strokes came along with Is This It? at the right time, they brought bands back into the limelight, made it cool to play a guitar again. I remember being at Reading Festival the week before the album was released, there was a buzz, everyone wanted to see the band billed to be rocks saviour, in the end they switched The Strokes to the main stage.

The album is sheer brilliance from start to finish, and six years on, you can still hear the influence in many of the bands emerging now, much of what the British indie has to offer now is heavily influenced by the Strokes. Infact, many bands - Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, Libertines - have the Strokes to thank for making record companies remember that there were alternatives to finding the next Eminem or Usher.

One of the best albums of the 21st century.

An All-Time Classic, 04 Jul 2007
Personally, this album came along at a point in my life where it couldn't have been more relevant. I was 17, I was bored, and I was becomming more and more immersed in music with each day that passed. And this album renewed my interest in music 100%, giving the music business of that time a much-needed kick up the backside and spawning a whole slew of Strokes imitations who failed to capture the vital urgency of this album.

The fact is, The Strokes came along at precisely the right time, when in the post-britpop era, Indie music was in one of the most dull slumps since it's inception. This short and sweet collection of dangerously adept and fresh Indie classics was captivating from start to finish, sailing gloriously from the low-fi, underproduced sound of 'Is This It', to the musically airtight 'Soma', set alight by the 'uber-cool' 'don't give a damn' drawl of lead singer Julian Casablancas. The likes of 'Barely Legal' are impossible-to-dislike slabs of New York Cool, whilst the likes of 'Last Nite' are enduring Indie Disco dancefloor classics, which stand the test of time and still sound self-assured and iconic today.

The riff on 'Hard To Explain' is as effortlessly timeless, yet laid-back as I've heard on any debut album, from any band, whilst the upbeat, punk ruckus of 'New York City Cops' is yet another dancefloor-friendly classic, sounding like Lou Reed fronting the Stooges. Album closer 'Take It Or Leave It', in my opinion, is one of the high points of the album, and indeed, the Strokes entire career, with simple, semi-repetitive lyrics and sinfully addictive music.

This album will doubtless be getting played thirty years from now, and we hopefully still be getting music-loving young people onto dancefloors for a long time to come. This IS it.

One of the greatest debut albums ever, 02 Apr 2007
This album, is Superb.

The whole album, has a consistency of brilliance to it. There is only one stand out track 'Last Nite'. But all the other songs, go together well. Its original (was), refreshing and timeless. If your an Indie/Alt. Rock fan. This is a must own. Top stuff!

Great, 24 Feb 2007
Truly, a fantastic album. Although I personally hate the title and first track, after that every track is filled with great, catchy music and original, powerful vocals from Casablancas. It is simple and pure and that is what makes it great.

Overwhelmed by sudden success, Nirvana promised to take a harsher, more abrasive route on their second major-label release. Enlisting Chicago-based noise maven Steve Albini (of Big Black fame), Kurt Cobain and company succeeded in producing a record that was violent, disillusioned, and deeply moving. Every song reads like a commentary on the cost of fame ("Serve the Servants") and the unhealthy relationship between performer and fan ("Milk It"). Of course, they might all simply be about Courtney Love. Gossip aside, there is no denying the sheer power of Cobain's song-writing, his singing, and the band's amazing, visceral power. Cobain even manages a John Lennon-like mantra at the end of the heart-wrenching "All Apologies". "All in all is all we are," he intones repeatedly, only for Cobain that's no consolation. --Percy Keegan

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Great Album, 31 Oct 2008
This is most definately an album that deserves at least 3 listenings to from everyone who says they like listening to music because it is very very very good.

The opening title track 'Bombtrack' is a perfect track to listen to to understand this album because it is almost like a round up of everything to come in the rest of the album. Driving guitar riffs and licks (yes licks) from Morello and angsty hip lyrics from Zach. In fact the only thing it really doesn't convey about the album is quite the intricate brilliance of Morello's soloing ability and guitar playing. What made Rage popular back then still holds so much appeal today to real music fans because they are a truly unique experiance and their debut album can easily be counted amongst the greatest rock albums ever.

Be patient with it on first listenings as conseervative listeners might mistake it to be too Metal or Hip-hop for their tastes. With a broadened horizon comes the true appreciation of why this album is so great.

An all time classic, 26 Mar 2008
An all time classic album, often imitated, but never approached let alone surpassed. Zack's vocals are incredibly emotional, and the sheer tightness and funking musicality of the band is staggering (and that comes from a guy whos played in bands for 15 years himself.)

I loved this album to death fifteen years ago. Yet, when im teaching kids today and i put it on for them, it seems just as powerful for them as it was for me back then. Stunning.

Amazin! Short album but replayable over and over again., 23 Feb 2008
Having been only 2 years old when this originally come out I hadn't had the opportunity to be blown away by such amazing music with a great political message. Now older and wiser I had come across the song Killing in The Name on Guitar Hero 2. Having played that song over and over again and mesmerizing the notes I decided to by the album. So bought it of here and forgot about it then when it arrived I stuck it in the CD player. That's it a least 40 mins went with me just sitting the in amazement that for over 15 years this music was unnoticed by me. This eventually lead to me buying all of there albums and now started following Tom Morello's (Guitarist) other projects like Audioslave and The Nightwatchmen.

Now to the sound. I believe it can't be linked to anything else. They have a guitarist which has bought a new meaning to innovation to an instrument with all the amazing solos and catchy riffs and stick that with Zach's lyrical geniuses and unique singing style and a good bassist and drummer you know you've hit it gold. This album is worthy of anyone's CD collection and a MUST have for any music lover.


Rage against the music, 21 Jan 2008
This is not music. I don't find the music at all motivating or inspiring, i think it is just a pathetic attempt to become the next Limp Bizkit. All of the song sound the same and the singer sounds like a six year old.

Chalk and Cheese, 05 Nov 2007
Thank goodness we don't all like the same things. I dislike this music intensely. But I completely understand that others find it excellent. Not for me though.

Quite simply the best, 13 Jan 2008
I bought this after hearing an acquaintance playing it. There is not a bad track on this album. Each one is sheer, haunting, lasting quality with an incredible and unique vocal style. I probably listen to it once a week. Despite having all the other albums, all of which have their own strengths and merits, I keep coming back to this one and find something new in each listen. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My Number 1 Album!, 22 Dec 2007
It seriously is, there is not a bad song...nay, MOMENT on this CD i absoloutley love it, perfect for any mood. Bought it about 5 years ago, its my most listened to CD!

True Love, 25 Jul 2007
My first true musical love.Counting Crows are a fantastic band,an immensely talented band of individuals in their own right put together with the voice and beauty of Adam Duritz lyrics you really have something a little bit special here.This lived in my Hi-fi for years and is never far from it now.Guitars,mandolins, pedal steel,piano,hammond b-3 organ the sound is lush.The tone often sombre but so richly painted this is a classic!and is deservedly their most famous and sucessful record.Anyone looking into the Crows star here,anyone after a classic album buy this.

Unbelievably good, 05 May 2007
When I bought this on its release it lived in my player. Little has changed. I am still besotted. The strong vocal style and clear image-loaded lyrics are just superb. "Round Here", "Mister Jones", "Sullivan Street" and "Murder of One" are beautiful hurting tracks, although it's impossible to pick a duff number.
The music is rock but with clear deep-south\country cajun\type influences, even if this is an LA band. That accordian for one thing. Not at all out of place in this rock setting, quite the opposite, an intrinsic part of the sound. "Recovering the Satelites" is a great follow up album to it but this debut still has the edge for me. It's a great impressionist painting of urban life, fair weather and foul weather. Aching love songs, aching anything songs. If you've never heard this album you're in for a magical surprise and, if this tips the balance, you owe me one!

Great album!, 27 Apr 2007
I first heard of counting crows when i learnt how to play their most heard song 'Mr Jones.' I instantly loved this song but didn't think much about the band until recently when i heard 'Round Here' which opens this album. This is one of the best openers for an album in recent memory. It sounds so perfect and the rest of the album follows suit. With 'Perfect Blue Buildings' , 'Anna Begins' 'Time and Time Again' the album is held up high! Just as the last song finishes you will be dying to hear the next song.

Please buy this album, you will love it forever,

5 stars!

Undoubted classic, 04 Oct 2008
Much hype surrounded the Strokes. For this album it's all warranted. An all time classic that bears repeated listening over and over again. If you make it yours it will be a part of you.

The saviour of guitar music, 17 Jul 2007
Back in 2001, guitar based bands were struggling to be recognised admist in the charts dominated by R'n'B, dance and rap. Boy and girl bands ruled the airwaves, and bands were nowhere to be seen. The Strokes came along with Is This It? at the right time, they brought bands back into the limelight, made it cool to play a guitar again. I remember being at Reading Festival the week before the album was released, there was a buzz, everyone wanted to see the band billed to be rocks saviour, in the end they switched The Strokes to the main stage.

The album is sheer brilliance from start to finish, and six years on, you can still hear the influence in many of the bands emerging now, much of what the British indie has to offer now is heavily influenced by the Strokes. Infact, many bands - Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, Libertines - have the Strokes to thank for making record companies remember that there were alternatives to finding the next Eminem or Usher.

One of the best albums of the 21st century.

An All-Time Classic, 04 Jul 2007
Personally, this album came along at a point in my life where it couldn't have been more relevant. I was 17, I was bored, and I was becomming more and more immersed in music with each day that passed. And this album renewed my interest in music 100%, giving the music business of that time a much-needed kick up the backside and spawning a whole slew of Strokes imitations who failed to capture the vital urgency of this album.

The fact is, The Strokes came along at precisely the right time, when in the post-britpop era, Indie music was in one of the most dull slumps since it's inception. This short and sweet collection of dangerously adept and fresh Indie classics was captivating from start to finish, sailing gloriously from the low-fi, underproduced sound of 'Is This It', to the musically airtight 'Soma', set alight by the 'uber-cool' 'don't give a damn' drawl of lead singer Julian Casablancas. The likes of 'Barely Legal' are impossible-to-dislike slabs of New York Cool, whilst the likes of 'Last Nite' are enduring Indie Disco dancefloor classics, which stand the test of time and still sound self-assured and iconic today.

The riff on 'Hard To Explain' is as effortlessly timeless, yet laid-back as I've heard on any debut album, from any band, whilst the upbeat, punk ruckus of 'New York City Cops' is yet another dancefloor-friendly classic, sounding like Lou Reed fronting the Stooges. Album closer 'Take It Or Leave It', in my opinion, is one of the high points of the album, and indeed, the Strokes entire career, with simple, semi-repetitive lyrics and sinfully addictive music.

This album will doubtless be getting played thirty years from now, and we hopefully still be getting music-loving young people onto dancefloors for a long time to come. This IS it.

One of the greatest debut albums ever, 02 Apr 2007
This album, is Superb.

The whole album, has a consistency of brilliance to it. There is only one stand out track 'Last Nite'. But all the other songs, go together well. Its original (was), refreshing and timeless. If your an Indie/Alt. Rock fan. This is a must own. Top stuff!

Great, 24 Feb 2007
Truly, a fantastic album. Although I personally hate the title and first track, after that every track is filled with great, catchy music and original, powerful vocals from Casablancas. It is simple and pure and that is what makes it great.

Mostly unlistenable..., 18 Jul 2008
Mostly unlistenable poor little popular rich kid angst/complaint rock - very poor - rape me is good mind

Excellent, Just As Good As NEVERMIND, 04 Feb 2008
This album is quite different to Nevermind. It is more gritty and less mainstream. Each song has a distorted sound to it but this album is still just as enjoyable as Nevermind is. It is less mainstream, more shouty and screamy and no polish is to be found anywhere on this album.

The best song on the album is 'Milk It'. With the awesome shout-along chorus to the excellent guitar rift the song is this albums 'Smells Like teen Spirit'. Just more gritty. The song is just amazing! I cannot get it out of my head and I am listening to it as I write this review.

'Heart Shaped box' is an excellent song with another excellent chrous. This song is so good because the song has multiple meanings. You can intepret it in anyway you want. It's the same as lots of Nirvana songs - they are very well written. It is probably the reason why Nirvana are so well-known.

This album is just as good as nevermind(If not better)so give it a go, I'm sure you'll LOVE it. :)

what a record., 07 Jan 2008
We bought a new stereo in August. It's well good. I like how, when you buy a new stereo that sounds great, you keep thinking of old records from your collection and wondering how they will sound on your new system. The latest record to be put to the test was Nirvana's "In Utero". To be honest, I don't think I've listened to it for about four years, but it dates right back to when I really started my record collection.

I heard "Nevermind" when it came out, but to be honest, I didn't get it. It seemed really two dimensional to me. It actually took Kurt Cobain's untimely death to make me sit up and listen - in fact, that seemed to be the case for most people at my school who became massive Nirvana fans.

If I remember the sequence of events correctly, I heard Heart-Shaped Box on "Noisy Mothers," a late night heavy metal show I used to watch. I think it was shown as a tribute to Kurt, and I loved it. The next day I managed to borrow a copy of "In Utero", and for some reason it shook my world to the ground immediately. It became of those records that I would just listen to all the time.

So obviously I stopped listening to it a few years ago. You do move on to other things, and sometimes you forget about these records, sometimes you simply pass them over. Sometimes - like in the case of Nirvana - the hype and resultant popularity seems to take all the pleasure out of the music you like. I would never deny the quality of "In Utero" though. It's just that it was nigh on time for a reappraisal.

Well on Friday night it got that reappraisal. And my verdict is: what a record! It's amazing! For all your debates about other alt. rock/grunge bands and how much better they actually are than Nirvana, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah... it's really nonsense. As good as all these other bands were, "In Utero" is an absolute classic. No other band has dared to make a record that sounds like it since. It's just HUGE. It's abrasive, muscular, multi-layered and powerfully emotional. And it's all over in around 30 minutes.

Back in the late 90s a friend of mine told me about an argument he'd had at a party. His friend had claimed that John Lennon was the greatest loss to music. My friend, and this surprised me given his eclectic musical tastes, insisted that the greatest loss was Kurt Cobain ( I might actually say Jeff Buckley). My friend's reason was that Lennon had already done all his best work, and was well on the way down creatively when he was killed. Kurt Cobain on the other hand had just recorded his greatest work, a record that I would actually say is underrated, and was surely on the brink of taking the next evolutionary step (in musical terms).

None of us can really say where Kurt would have taken the band next, or whether he might have gone solo. The posthumous release, "You Know You're Right" isn't really anything to go by. I'll tell you though what I would have liked to have seen. I would have liked an entire album of music along the lines of the "Nevermind" and "In Utero" bonus tracks: "Endless Nameless" and "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip". Particularly the latter of those two is fantastic in my opinion, and I rue the decision that placed it 24 minutes of digital silence after the beginning of All Apologies. If only it could have been track 13...

Just like Nirvana showed a radical and original side on the "Insesticide" compilation, I think a whole album of paranoid noise-scape music (or "para-noise-scape" music) like those bonus tracks would have been fascinating and enormously affecting emotionally. And it would have been the next big challenge to alternative rock and Nirvana's own fans.

Sadly there's no chance of any such thing coming from Kurt. So it's up to someone else to go there. I don't really want to do it - I'm on a blues rock kick at the moment - but hopefully some worthy soul will take up that gauntlet. I'll be keeping an ear out.


Rather disappointing, 03 Nov 2007
Having heard a great deal about the supposedly legendary Mr Cobain and chums, I thought I'd try one of their efforts. I know Nevermind was the 'classic' but i decided that In Utero would be better option, (foolishly, it seems). I think the album basically shows a man at breaking point but instead of producing beautiful melodies, (all apologies would be the exception) he yells about everyone being gay and him wanting to be (politely) raped.
Ironically the aforementioned song is one of the highlights along with Serve the Servants, Heart-shaped box and All apologies which all proving Cobain could write a song but was too messed up with the drugs and other distractions, (Courteny what's-er-name)
Kurt being portrayed as some kind of saint or rock god is laughable and I think even he'd admit that him and his group really weren't the best band ever. Just look at the travesty that is the Foo Fighters and compare them to Nirvana and the latter would appear a hell of a lot better.

Teen Spirit? Not at all . . . , 03 Sep 2007
This is Nirvana. If you have only heard Nevermind, shame on you. This is the album that truly defines Nirvana and Kurdt Kobain. This album is about Courtney, Frances Bean, Don Cobain (Kurt's father) & heroin addiction. Track 1, Serve The Servants is about Courtney's portrayl by the media (self appointed judges judge/If She floats then she is not a witch like we thought) & Don. 'I tried hard to have a father but instead I had a Dad. I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore, there is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before'.

The rest of the album kicks into high gear with powerful riffs from 'Scentless Apprentice' 'Milk It' 'Very Ape' 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter' & 'Tourettes'. The softer moments come from 'Pennyroyal Tea' 'Dumb' & 'All Apologies'. An album of varying contrast in many places, mainly because the tracks I've just mentioned were mixed differently by demand of Geffen (except Pennyroyal Tea).

The highlights, in my opinion are 'Milk It', 'Very Ape', 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter' & 'Pennyroyal Tea'.

The one song that I have neglected to mention is 'Heart Shaped Box'. It was the lead single at the time of the albums release. That's all I have to say about it.

In closing, buy this album. It is an overlooked masterpiece in the Nirvana catalogue that is overshadowed by it's radio friendly predecessor.

Just what is it that you do when the world catches up with you? Dave Grohl's pre-Foo Fighters career was about rebellion and breaking moulds, whether it was in Washington DC hardcore bands (Mission Impossible, Scream) or in Nirvana. When he stepped out from behind the drum kit and put out Foo Fighters, Grohl revealed a nifty knack for a tune and great ear for a guitar riff (and the drumming was still among the best around). He kept it up for the band's second album and the There Is Nothing Left To Lose is firmly in the same vein. That can be a good thing--there are no stinkers here--but after a pair of successful albums that have established him firmly as a talent in his own right, Grohl sometimes feels like he's on autopilot. (And the drumming, for a change, is unremarkable.) Maybe the album should have been called There's Nothing Left To Prove. --Randy Silver

GOOD ALBUM, 04 Jul 2008
This is the first time I have bought a REM Cd and so far, the tracks I have heard are great. Every song on this album is great.

Timely collection, 26 May 2007
There may never be agreement on the best tracks of such an important, much-loved band. Universally successful groups like REM reach a great variety of people with diverse tastes, connecting with different sides of their musical personality. This, their second best-of, covers REM's albums with Warner, incorporating their most commerically successful period and taking us up to their more recent slip from the limelight. Still a great band, there is no disputing the fading of their relevance lately, but their time will come again. This collection concentrates mostly on their singles output, but somehow largley avoids the sunnier side. I think - and I think the diehards would agree - that this Best Of is at least a close representation of the Spirit of the band, something that can't always be said about such compilations. That said, there is also the irritating commercial imperative to include some new tracks which don't make the grade, but this is standard practise now.

I think there are some jarring exclusions - conspicuous in their absence - such as 'Drive', 'Country Feedback', 'World Leader Pretend', 'Crush With Eyeliner'. The albums Monster and Out of Time are only represented by one track each, criminal really, the most obvious omission being the latter's Shiny Happy People (but this is understandable). If the intention of this collection is to bolster the songs post-Automatic, then it succeeds to place them on a non-chronological platform with greats such as 'Losing My Religion', 'Man on the Moon', 'Nightswimming' etc. The overall effect is one of amazing consistency, but feels strangely downbeat, despite the inclusion of poppier moments such as 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' and 'What's the Frequency Kenneth?'. Anyone for whom REM fell off the radar during the 90s will be blown away by E-Bow the Letter with Patti Smith, among their best ever songs. Quibbles aside, you can't beat the value of this CD for content. I don't normally mention the price of a CD when discussing its merits, but this really is a bargain!!

Classic Songs from a Great Band, 07 Mar 2007
I picked this up in a sale recently and was surprised at just how great these songs are. I didn't know them all, but all of them had a kind of familiarity about them as if you had heard them before. This is great music to just relax and chill out to. My personal favourites are All the Right Friends, Bad Day, The Great Beyond, Man on the Moon and my all-time favourite REM song Nightswimming. Definitely worth a purchase at this price.

An excellent reflection, 06 Jan 2007
Can the story of R.E.M. be told in one compilation? Possibly not, but In Time tries to tell half of the tale thus far. The band tried to take into account fan opinion when compiling In Time, though when it came down to it, the view of both themselves and Warner Brothers carried a heavier weight.

Warners wanted one of the catchy singles on it, R.E.M. were less convinced and only acquiesced to The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. In the end, Shiny Happy People was left off at the band's request and in doing so, prevented In Time being a true Greatest Hits 1888-2003.

In Time is almost entirely made up of singles, apart from the strange decision to include All The Right Friends, an original track performed at R.E.M.'s first ever live performance in 1980, but never released on an album. Well, that's not entirely true. It did feature as a bonus track on an early 1990s German re-release of B-sides compilation Dead Letter Office... All The Right Friends, the lead track from the film Vanilla Sky, would perhaps have been better on the separately available limited edition Rarities disc.

All the big hits, apart from the aforementioned Shiny Happy People, are here, such as Man On The Moon, Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and UK smash E-Bow The letter, as well as two unreleased songs. The lead single was Bad Day, a song originally recorded for 1986 record Lifes Rich Pageant but subsequently omitted from it. R.E.M.'s guitarist Peter Buck wasn't so keen to see it be lost to time as front man Michael Stipe and slyly recycled it with a key change as the basic tune for It's The End Of The World As We Know It (and I Feel Fine). The other single was Animal.

Some fans might have wondered if a non-single like All The Right Friends could be on the disc, why not immensely popular non-single tracks like Country Feedback or World Leader Pretend? And where were Lotus, Bittersweet Me and Drive? I suppose you can't have everything. In truth, there's not a bad track on In Time.

Accessible tribute for the passing listener, 19 Dec 2006
Over the years (more than I like to remember) I've seen and heard a number of hits by R.E.M. but I've never actually bought an album of theirs - an "error" corrected with this "best of". Some people complain that it does not represent their best, but for me it contains those 4 key tracks that sum up their career: "Man On The Moon", "Bad Day", "Everybody Hurts" and "Losing My Religion". On the one hand the 18 singles clearly highlight the quality of the group, but equally there is certain monotony of voice and style that for me makes it difficult to listen to the album in one go. The tracks are not mixed in chronological order (I prefer) and in any case I prefer to insert the tracks at random in my different play-lists.
Someone summed it quite astutely in that this album is an "accessible tribute for the passing listener". For a group of this quality, it's more than enough (and you can interpret that how you like!).

Great Album, 31 Oct 2008
This is most definately an album that deserves at least 3 listenings to from everyone who says they like listening to music because it is very very very good.

The opening title track 'Bombtrack' is a perfect track to listen to to understand this album because it is almost like a round up of everything to come in the rest of the album. Driving guitar riffs and licks (yes licks) from Morello and angsty hip lyrics from Zach. In fact the only thing it really doesn't convey about the album is quite the intricate brilliance of Morello's soloing ability and guitar playing. What made Rage popular back then still holds so much appeal today to real music fans because they are a truly unique experiance and their debut album can easily be counted amongst the greatest rock albums ever.

Be patient with it on first listenings as conseervative listeners might mistake it to be too Metal or Hip-hop for their tastes. With a broadened horizon comes the true appreciation of why this album is so great.

An all time classic, 26 Mar 2008
An all time classic album, often imitated, but never approached let alone surpassed. Zack's vocals are incredibly emotional, and the sheer tightness and funking musicality of the band is staggering (and that comes from a guy whos played in bands for 15 years himself.)

I loved this album to death fifteen years ago. Yet, when im teaching kids today and i put it on for them, it seems just as powerful for them as it was for me back then. Stunning.

Amazin! Short album but replayable over and over again., 23 Feb 2008
Having been only 2 years old when this originally come out I hadn't had the opportunity to be blown away by such amazing music with a great political message. Now older and wiser I had come across the song Killing in The Name on Guitar Hero 2. Having played that song over and over again and mesmerizing the notes I decided to by the album. So bought it of here and forgot about it then when it arrived I stuck it in the CD player. That's it a least 40 mins went with me just sitting the in amazement that for over 15 years this music was unnoticed by me. This eventually lead to me buying all of there albums and now started following Tom Morello's (Guitarist) other projects like Audioslave and The Nightwatchmen.

Now to the sound. I believe it can't be linked to anything else. They have a guitarist which has bought a new meaning to innovation to an instrument with all the amazing solos and catchy riffs and stick that with Zach's lyrical geniuses and unique singing style and a good bassist and drummer you know you've hit it gold. This album is worthy of anyone's CD collection and a MUST have for any music lover.


Rage against the music, 21 Jan 2008
This is not music. I don't find the music at all motivating or inspiring, i think it is just a pathetic attempt to become the next Limp Bizkit. All of the song sound the same and the singer sounds like a six year old.

Chalk and Cheese, 05 Nov 2007
Thank goodness we don't all like the same things. I dislike this music intensely. But I completely understand that others find it excellent. Not for me though.

Quite simply the best, 13 Jan 2008
I bought this after hearing an acquaintance playing it. There is not a bad track on this album. Each one is sheer, haunting, lasting quality with an incredible and unique vocal style. I probably listen to it once a week. Despite having all the other albums, all of which have their own strengths and merits, I keep coming back to this one and find something new in each listen. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My Number 1 Album!, 22 Dec 2007
It seriously is, there is not a bad song...nay, MOMENT on this CD i absoloutley love it, perfect for any mood. Bought it about 5 years ago, its my most listened to CD!

True Love, 25 Jul 2007
My first true musical love.Counting Crows are a fantastic band,an immensely talented band of individuals in their own right put together with the voice and beauty of Adam Duritz lyrics you really have something a little bit special here.This lived in my Hi-fi for years and is never far from it now.Guitars,mandolins, pedal steel,piano,hammond b-3 organ the sound is lush.The tone often sombre but so richly painted this is a classic!and is deservedly their most famous and sucessful record.Anyone looking into the Crows star here,anyone after a classic album buy this.

Unbelievably good, 05 May 2007
When I bought this on its release it lived in my player. Little has changed. I am still besotted. The strong vocal style and clear image-loaded lyrics are just superb. "Round Here", "Mister Jones", "Sullivan Street" and "Murder of One" are beautiful hurting tracks, although it's impossible to pick a duff number.
The music is rock but with clear deep-south\country cajun\type influences, even if this is an LA band. That accordian for one thing. Not at all out of place in this rock setting, quite the opposite, an intrinsic part of the sound. "Recovering the Satelites" is a great follow up album to it but this debut still has the edge for me. It's a great impressionist painting of urban life, fair weather and foul weather. Aching love songs, aching anything songs. If you've never heard this album you're in for a magical surprise and, if this tips the balance, you owe me one!

Great album!, 27 Apr 2007
I first heard of counting crows when i learnt how to play their most heard song 'Mr Jones.' I instantly loved this song but didn't think much about the band until recently when i heard 'Round Here' which opens this album. This is one of the best openers for an album in recent memory. It sounds so perfect and the rest of the album follows suit. With 'Perfect Blue Buildings' , 'Anna Begins' 'Time and Time Again' the album is held up high! Just as the last song finishes you will be dying to hear the next song.

Please buy this album, you will love it forever,

5 stars!

Undoubted classic, 04 Oct 2008
Much hype surrounded the Strokes. For this album it's all warranted. An all time classic that bears repeated listening over and over again. If you make it yours it will be a part of you.

The saviour of guitar music, 17 Jul 2007
Back in 2001, guitar based bands were struggling to be recognised admist in the charts dominated by R'n'B, dance and rap. Boy and girl bands ruled the airwaves, and bands were nowhere to be seen. The Strokes came along with Is This It? at the right time, they brought bands back into the limelight, made it cool to play a guitar again. I remember being at Reading Festival the week before the album was released, there was a buzz, everyone wanted to see the band billed to be rocks saviour, in the end they switched The Strokes to the main stage.

The album is sheer brilliance from start to finish, and six years on, you can still hear the influence in many of the bands emerging now, much of what the British indie has to offer now is heavily influenced by the Strokes. Infact, many bands - Kaiser Chiefs, Killers, Libertines - have the Strokes to thank for making record companies remember that there were alternatives to finding the next Eminem or Usher.

One of the best albums of the 21st century.

An All-Time Classic, 04 Jul 2007
Personally, this album came along at a point in my life where it couldn't have been more relevant. I was 17, I was bored, and I was becomming more and more immersed in music with each day that passed. And this album renewed my interest in music 100%, giving the music business of that time a much-needed kick up the backside and spawning a whole slew of Strokes imitations who failed to capture the vital urgency of this album.

The fact is, The Strokes came along at precisely the right time, when in the post-britpop era, Indie music was in one of the most dull slumps since it's inception. This short and sweet collection of dangerously adept and fresh Indie classics was captivating from start to finish, sailing gloriously from the low-fi, underproduced sound of 'Is This It', to the musically airtight 'Soma', set alight by the 'uber-cool' 'don't give a damn' drawl of lead singer Julian Casablancas. The likes of 'Barely Legal' are impossible-to-dislike slabs of New York Cool, whilst the likes of 'Last Nite' are enduring Indie Disco dancefloor classics, which stand the test of time and still sound self-assured and iconic today.

The riff on 'Hard To Explain' is as effortlessly timeless, yet laid-back as I've heard on any debut album, from any band, whilst the upbeat, punk ruckus of 'New York City Cops' is yet another dancefloor-friendly classic, sounding like Lou Reed fronting the Stooges. Album closer 'Take It Or Leave It', in my opinion, is one of the high points of the album, and indeed, the Strokes entire career, with simple, semi-repetitive lyrics and sinfully addictive music.

This album will doubtless be getting played thirty years from now, and we hopefully still be getting music-loving young people onto dancefloors for a long time to come. This IS it.

One of the greatest debut albums ever, 02 Apr 2007
This album, is Superb.

The whole album, has a consistency of brilliance to it. There is only one stand out track 'Last Nite'. But all the other songs, go together well. Its original (was), refreshing and timeless. If your an Indie/Alt. Rock fan. This is a must own. Top stuff!

Great, 24 Feb 2007
Truly, a fantastic album. Although I personally hate the title and first track, after that every track is filled with great, catchy music and original, powerful vocals from Casablancas. It is simple and pure and that is what makes it great.

Mostly unlistenable..., 18 Jul 2008
Mostly unlistenable poor little popular rich kid angst/complaint rock - very poor - rape me is good mind

Excellent, Just As Good As NEVERMIND, 04 Feb 2008
This album is quite different to Nevermind. It is more gritty and less mainstream. Each song has a distorted sound to it but this album is still just as enjoyable as Nevermind is. It is less mainstream, more shouty and screamy and no polish is to be found anywhere on this album.

The best song on the album is 'Milk It'. With the awesome shout-along chorus to the excellent guitar rift the song is this albums 'Smells Like teen Spirit'. Just more gritty. The song is just amazing! I cannot get it out of my head and I am listening to it as I write this review.

'Heart Shaped box' is an excellent song with another excellent chrous. This song is so good because the song has multiple meanings. You can intepret it in anyway you want. It's the same as lots of Nirvana songs - they are very well written. It is probably the reason why Nirvana are so well-known.

This album is just as good as nevermind(If not better)so give it a go, I'm sure you'll LOVE it. :)

what a record., 07 Jan 2008
We bought a new stereo in August. It's well good. I like how, when you buy a new stereo that sounds great, you keep thinking of old records from your collection and wondering how they will sound on your new system. The latest record to be put to the test was Nirvana's "In Utero". To be honest, I don't think I've listened to it for about four years, but it dates right back to when I really started my record collection.

I heard "Nevermind" when it came out, but to be honest, I didn't get it. It seemed really two dimensional to me. It actually took Kurt Cobain's untimely death to make me sit up and listen - in fact, that seemed to be the case for most people at my school who became massive Nirvana fans.

If I remember the sequence of events correctly, I heard Heart-Shaped Box on "Noisy Mothers," a late night heavy metal show I used to watch. I think it was shown as a tribute to Kurt, and I loved it. The next day I managed to borrow a copy of "In Utero", and for some reason it shook my world to the ground immediately. It became of those records that I would just listen to all the time.

So obviously I stopped listening to it a few years ago. You do move on to other things, and sometimes you forget about these records, sometimes you simply pass them over. Sometimes - like in the case of Nirvana - the hype and resultant popularity seems to take all the pleasure out of the music you like. I would never deny the quality of "In Utero" though. It's just that it was nigh on time for a reappraisal.

Well on Friday night it got that reappraisal. And my verdict is: what a record! It's amazing! For all your debates about other alt. rock/grunge bands and how much better they actually are than Nirvana, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah... it's really nonsense. As good as all these other bands were, "In Utero" is an absolute classic. No other band has dared to make a record that sounds like it since. It's just HUGE. It's abrasive, muscular, multi-layered and powerfully emotional. And it's all over in around 30 minutes.

Back in the late 90s a friend of mine told me about an argument he'd had at a party. His friend had claimed that John Lennon was the greatest loss to music. My friend, and this surprised me given his eclectic musical tastes, insisted that the greatest loss was Kurt Cobain ( I might actually say Jeff Buckley). My friend's reason was that Lennon had already done all his best work, and was well on the way down creatively when he was killed. Kurt Cobain on the other hand had just recorded his greatest work, a record that I would actually say is underrated, and was surely on the brink of taking the next evolutionary step (in musical terms).

None of us can really say where Kurt would have taken the band next, or whether he might have gone solo. The posthumous release, "You Know You're Right" isn't really anything to go by. I'll tell you though what I would have liked to have seen. I would have liked an entire album of music along the lines of the "Nevermind" and "In Utero" bonus tracks: "Endless Nameless" and "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip". Particularly the latter of those two is fantastic in my opinion, and I rue the decision that placed it 24 minutes of digital silence after the beginning of All Apologies. If only it could have been track 13...

Just like Nirvana showed a radical and original side on the "Insesticide" compilation, I think a whole album of paranoid noise-scape music (or "para-noise-scape" music) like those bonus tracks would have been fascinating and enormously affecting emotionally. And it would have been the next big challenge to alternative rock and Nirvana's own fans.

Sadly there's no chance of any such thing coming from Kurt. So it's up to someone else to go there. I don't really want to do it - I'm on a blues rock kick at the moment - but hopefully some worthy soul will take up that gauntlet. I'll be keeping an ear out.


Rather disappointing, 03 Nov 2007
Having heard a great deal about the supposedly legendary Mr Cobain and chums, I thought I'd try one of their efforts. I know Nevermind was the 'classic' but i decided that In Utero would be better option, (foolishly, it seems). I think the album basically shows a man at breaking point but instead of producing beautiful melodies, (all apologies would be the exception) he yells about everyone being gay and him wanting to be (politely) raped.
Ironically the aforementioned song is one of the highlights along with Serve the Servants, Heart-shaped box and All apologies which all proving Cobain could write a song but was too messed up with the drugs and other distractions, (Courteny what's-er-name)
Kurt being portrayed as some kind of saint or rock god is laughable and I think even he'd admit that him and his group really weren't the best band ever. Just look at the travesty that is the Foo Fighters and compare them to Nirvana and the latter would appear a hell of a lot better.

Teen Spirit? Not at all . . . , 03 Sep 2007
This is Nirvana. If you have only heard Nevermind, shame on you. This is the album that truly defines Nirvana and Kurdt Kobain. This album is about Courtney, Frances Bean, Don Cobain (Kurt's father) & heroin addiction. Track 1, Serve The Servants is about Courtney's portrayl by the media (self appointed judges judge/If She floats then she is not a witch like we thought) & Don. 'I tried hard to have a father but instead I had a Dad. I just want you to know that I don't hate you anymore, there is nothing I could say that I haven't thought before'.

The rest of the album kicks into high gear with powerful riffs from 'Scentless Apprentice' 'Milk It' 'Very Ape' 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter' & 'Tourettes'. The softer moments come from 'Pennyroyal Tea' 'Dumb' & 'All Apologies'. An album of varying contrast in many places, mainly because the tracks I've just mentioned were mixed differently by demand of Geffen (except Pennyroyal Tea).

The highlights, in my opinion are 'Milk It', 'Very Ape', 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter' & 'Pennyroyal Tea'.

The one song that I have neglected to mention is 'Heart Shaped Box'. It was the lead single at the time of the albums release. That's all I have to say about it.

In closing, buy this album. It is an overlooked masterpiece in the Nirvana catalogue that is overshadowed by it's radio friendly predecessor.

Excellent Album, 05 Jan 2008
This album is really good. Come on - as if you didn't already know that! With the Foo Fighters there is a certain level of quality that you expect- and they always deliver.
The BEST songs on the album are 'Breakout'(I Love the screaming!), 'Learn To Fly'(A pop song, but still good), 'Live-Skin'(A good song for various reasons). There are other songs that are good as well. Such as 'Gimme Stitches', 'M.I.A, ect. but the first three songs I mentioned are really good and you will remember them for years to come.
The album only has a few bad songs which suffer from being very boring('Generator').
The album also has some acousic(y) songs to offer such as 'Next Year' and 'Ain't It the Life'. So basically, if you like the Foo Fighters - buy this album!!


Solid offering, 06 Oct 2007
This album is a very solid offering, and alternative rock fans will definitely enjoy it. The lyrics of the opening track are almost whispered for everything but the chorus, which is an unusual departure, but the rest of the album is true joy. The tracks "Learn to Fly" and "Generator" being the best on the whole album, and "Next Year" is good for those who want to indulge their nostalgic, sensitive side, showing a breadth of talent many bands in this genre simply do not possess. As ever, the backing band's performance is a magnificent compliment to Grohl's lyrics. The only weaknesses are the tracks "Stacked Actors" and "Ain't it the Life", both of which are rather disappointing. All in all however, this is a must for any alternative rock fan.

Something Extraordinary, 10 Jun 2007
I actually got this cd by accident. i headed up to the tills to pay for an offspring cd in "Sanity" years ago. i got home opened the box and this cd was there, i thought id give it a try anyways before i took it back to exchange it for the offspring cd and to be honest i wasnt all that impressed, i put that down to the fact that i was far to young to know truely kick ass music when i heard it.
In the end anyways i took this one back and got the offspring one and 'went back to reality' but it was when i got into the Foos first album (which i think is probably the best cd they'll ever make) that i thought i would invest in this, as i had heard lots of good things about it. As soon as i put it on 'Stacked Actors' hit me hard making me think "where the hell have i been?" and to be honest the whole album is like that, simply put... it makes you happy no matter what mood you're in!
Listening through the album as a whole leads you to a song that i think is the second best song (only just behind Everlong!) the Foos have ever recorded - M.I.A.
The album is very summery sounding as its all sorta light and breezy and jammed full with some excellent songs. Make sure though that if you do listen to the album as a whole you dont miss out on M.I.A as it truely is kick ass and caps off the album perfectly!
It doesnt really sound like the rest of the Foos records when you compare them but dont let that put you off, if you appreciate all kinds of music you're sure to be open-minded enough to like this cd, just take it as it is - a brilliant cd, a cd that any other band can only dream of making!

Change of direction, 05 Dec 2006
This third album by the Foo Fighters shows a definate change in direction in terms of their sound.

Its a pleasent enough album but for me too often lacking in excitement, I will be suprised if more than 3 tracks from this alb