It's been almost a year since "Ohio" (21 tracks, including 1 "hidden" track; 91 min.) was released, and I'm still not tired of the album. It seems to me as well that "Ohio", and not "Film for Radios", is the album Karen and Linford were bound and destined to make. FFR is in my opinion a more adventurous album, but too much of a departure of the "classic" OtR sound. My favorite tracks on "Ohio" include "Lifelong Fling", "When You Say Love" "Nobody Number One", "How Long" and "Cruel and Pretty". And while I understand when Linford says they simply HAD to make a double CD album, unfortunately there are a few too many "just average" songs on here that keep "Ohio" from being a 5 star album.

Anyone who had the opportunity to see OtR tour behind "Ohio" knows that they rock much harder live than what "Ohio" the album might lead you to believe or expect. OtR has just self-released "Changes Come" (13 tracks, 74 min.), a live album recorded on the "Ohio" tour last Fall. (This album is available only from OtR's website [...]) All but 3 of the 13 tracks are from the "Ohio" album, and in a sense, this is a better album than "Ohio". Karen and Linford are awsome, but guitarist Paul Moak (unfortunately since departed from OtR) really smokes here. Best track is "Lifelong Sunshine", which is really "Lifelong Fling" interlocked with Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", just superb! I rate "Changes Come" 4.5 stars. Most assuredly worth a visit to the OtR website.

Fiona Apple rose to notoriaty with her 1996 debut album "Tidal" (released when she was all of 19 years old), and then took 3 1/2 years to release her second album in November, 1999. It was well worth the wait, and the album sounds as good now as it then, if not better.

"When the Pawn" (10 tracks, 42 min.) delivers on the promise of "Tidal" and then some! From the excellent opener "On the Pound", Fiona delivers one standout track after another, and shows how much her songwriting has matured from "Tidal". Although her music is very different from Tori Amos, spiritually they are both on the same page. I can't help but notice, though, that Matt Chamberlain, drummer and side-kick for Tori's albums, drums on most tracks here too. If one has to pick out standout tracks in the album (there are no weak tracks truly), I will pick the angry "Limp", the enthralling "Fast As You Can", and the pensive "The Way Things Are".

One thing that stands out is how much Fiona's lyrics have improved from her debut album. This despite the ridiculous album's full title (which is a 90 word poet). It's been more than 4 years since "When the Pawn" was released, but supposedly a new album is in the works for later this year. "When the Pawn" was released in late 99 and I called it one of the best of 2000 (see my annual "best of" lists) simply because I felt its impact wasn't felt until then. It still resonates with me now as it did then. Just magnificent!

Fiona Apple was signed to a major label in 1995 on the strenght of a demo tape of a few songs. She was 18, and a major label signing an unknown teenager was possible only because we now know (in retrospect) that 1995-96 were the heydays of the "alternative music" scene, and anything was possible.

"Tidal" (10 tracks, 51 min.), released almost 8 years to the day, was auspicious in many respects. The confessional writing style, the jazzy-smokey pop (don't even think Norah Jones, but more a jazzier Tori Amos or Aimee Mann), it all struck a cord. And a few killer songs helped tremendously of course. "Shadowboxer" became a breakout hit, and justifiably so, it still sounds good today, 8 years later. Other oustanding tracks include the opener "Sleep to Dream", "The First Taste" (with great lyrics like "Darling Just Start the Chase/I'll Let You Win/But You Must Make the Endeavour"), and "Pale September", featuring the vibraphone which is used throughout the album, very effectively. However, the very best of them all "Never Is A Promise", a haunting ballad.

Since "Tidal", Fiona has released only one other album (1999's oustanding "When The Pawn"), but supposedly we will finally see a new album later this year. Meanwhile, "Tidal" is aging quite nicely. Strongly recommended!

Keane's debut album has been 6+ years in the making, kinda hard to believe, but true. The British trio formed in the late 90s, and toiled away in obscurity for years, until finally catching a break when a rep from Fierce Panda Records (yup, the same label that gave Coldpay its first break) saw them and gave them a one-off single release, which sparked a bidding war from the bigger labels.

"Hopes and Fears" (11 tracks, 45 min.) is a beautiful record. The trio (drums, bass, keyboards, no guitars) shows its maturity of being around 6+ years. Lead singer Tom Chaplin reminds me of Travis' Fran Healy. But please no comparisons to Coldplay! If anything, the comparison should be to equally piano-lead Ben Folds Five. The highlights on the album include the openers "Somewhere Only We Know" and "This is The Last Time" and also "Everybody Changing" (all of which charted as UK singles). Also outstanding is the epic "She Has No Time", and "Untitled 1", the longest tracks on the album.

Keane has been the darlings of the (fickle) UK music press, before they went on to declare the Darkness and Franz Ferdinand as the "new big thing". Regardless, this is a great album, and with a chance of making some waves here in the US too. Strongly recommended!

Music: 5 stars; Economic Value: 1 Star

Not counting the Anthology albums in the 90's (which are not hit compilations anyway), the Beatles have in the last 30 years been compiled only once, on 2000's "1", an excellent overview for what it is, their best known and biggest hits. The 1973 "Red" and "Blue" compilations remain in print, and I guess are still selling. While the "Blue" 1967-1970 compilation justifies its continued availibility on 2 CDs, one really has to question why the "Red" 1962-1966 compilation does.

"The Beatles 1962-1966" (26 tracks) clocks in at 62 min., way below the capacity of a single CD, yet remains on the shelf as 2 CDs (along with a heftly $31 retail price). This is nothing short of ripping off the buying public, in my opinion. The reason given by the label management is "to keep the integruity of the original vinyl issue", but is anyone really buying this? Shame on them!

The music on the "Red" album is of course stellar, that's not the point. Maybe it's too soon yet after the "1" compilation, but hasn't the time come for a definitve 2CD compilation of the Beatles, along the lines of, say, "The Essential Bob Dylan", maximising the capability of 80 min. of a CD?

Music: 4.5 Stars Compilation: 3.5 Stars

There have been many Elton John collections over the years, even more so in Europe than here in the US. The release of "Greatest Hits 1970-2002" (34 tracks, 157 min.) is intended to be the truly definitive "greatest hits" collection. Did they get it right this time?

Given the time limitation of a CD, the compiler(s) had two choices: either to collect truly the greatest and biggest hits of Elton John (which would have inevitably skewed the compilation towards the earlier years), or present a "balanced" compilation that includes songs from all phases of Elton's career, regardless how big or small a hit they were. Unfortunately, the compiler(s) chose the latter route. As a result, a number of weaker songs from the later years were included, and thus a number of better known and bigger hits not being included. Just to name the biggest oversights: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (a top 5 hit in 1974), "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (Elton's tribute to the slain John Lennon, a top 10 hit in 1981), "Song for Guy" (Elton's only instrumental hit ever, from 1978, a top 5 hit in most of Europe), "Pinball Wizzard" (1976 hit from the "Tommy" soundtrack), and even the novelty-hit "Step Into Christmas". But the biggest blunder of them all is the inexusable absence of a little thing called "Candle in the Wind 1997". Hello record company? It's only THE BIGGEST SELLING SINGLE OF ALL TIME, EVER, ANYWHERE!!!! Add those 6 songs instead of "The One", "Believe", "Blessed", "Something About the Way You Look Tonight", "Written in the Stars" and "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore", and then you truly would have had something called Elton John's "Greatest Hits 1970-2002".

This is the 3rd go-around of Foreigner's best, following 1982's "Records" and 1992's "The Very Best... and Beyond". So what does "Complete Greatest Hits" (20 tracks, 77 min.) have to add to this?

There is little difference in the songs found on "The Very Best" and "Ultimate Greatest Hits". The major difference is that "Ultimate" sequences the songs chronologically, and it really does make it a much better listen overall. A nice touch is that "Ultimate" includes "Soul Docter", one of the new songs on "The Very Best". In the end, "Ultimate" is your best choice. As always, the great folks at Rhino did a great job packaging the CD, with great liner notes and pictures.

It is worth recalling that Foreigner really did have a major splash on the singles and album charts for a ten year period (1977-87). That is a LONG time. I happen to have seen them twice in the last year (actually, one of those was "The Lou Gramm Band", haha). Couldn't help but wonder what was going through Lou's head when he was singing the lines "That Was Yesterday/ When I Had the World in My Hand/ But It's Not the End of the World/ Just a Slight Change in Plans".

Despite the number of releases in the late 90's with the Anthology series, the Beatles greatest songs have been compiled only one time in the last 30 years, in 2000's "1". It's fun to go back to the companion 1973 releases "1962-1966" and this "1967-1970" (28 tracks, 99 min.), and marvel in particular at the latter's song selection and sequencing.

While now a bit awkwardly on 2 CDs, the original double vinyl was the perfect package. The song selection is just about perfect, really. Nothing to take away from "1", but can you really call that the ultimate compilation of the Beatles when it doesn't have "A Day in the Life" (the definitive Beatles song?) or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"? Maybe it's too soon yet after "1", but I really believe there is room for a 2 CD collection of the entire Beatles catalogue (greatest hits and essential album tracks) along the lines of "The Definitive Bob Dylan", a great example of how to use the full capacity of CDs. Is anyone with me on that?

The Offspring formed in 1985, and they are facing the question other "aging" punk-rooted bands (like Green Day and the Chili Peppers) have faced: how to stay relevant and fresh? The Offspring's previous album, 2000's "Conspiracy of One", frankly was not their best, but hey you can't hit a home run (or triple) every at bat.

Fortunately, "Splinter" (12 tracks, 32 min.) finds the Offspring in much better form. It seems the time off since the previous has helped Dexter & Co. te re-energize. The album is full of all-out fun rockers, starting with "The Noose", but also with the single "Hit That". One of my fave tracks is "Race Against Myself", taking its time to reach a more dramatic chorus. "The Worst Hangover Ever" is a fun reggae/ska-flavored track. I don't "get" the closing track "When You're In Prison", which is a 1930-40's send-up, with cracks-in-the-vinyl-sound and all.

Despite the curious last track, "Splinter" is a good album, moving along at a great pace and not once boring. Looks like the Offspring have faced the question on how to stay fresh, and found the answer. In concert, the band still puts on a blazing set, as when I saw them this Spring here in Cincinnati.

I am about as big a Telex fan as you will ever find anywhere. I have all of the original singles, maxi-singles and albums from the vinyl days of the late 70s and early 80s, and over time replaced the albums with the CD reissues. Being the Telex completist, I just had to have this remix album. Bad mistake.

"I Don't Like Music (Remix)" (12 tracks, 74 min.) take well known ("Moscow Discow", "Twist a St. Tropez") and not so well known ("I Don't Like Music" is the B side of a single) tracks and turn them over to various remixers. I'll be upfront about it: I am not into "house" or "techno" music, nor am I really into the "club" scene (underground or otherwise). Simply put, I have never heard of any of these remixers. I was quite disappointed with what I heard, because the songs sound absolutely nothing like the original Telex songs. It reminds me of some of the Depeche Mode remixes that I've heard, which also sound so far away from the original songs.

When Telex released maxi-singles, they contained "alternative" versions of the hit song. That meant generally a (much) longer version of the original song, perhaps with a new synthesizer solo or something like that. However on this remix album, mostly you wouldn't know these remixes are based on the originals if you didn't know better. I can't say whether these remixes make any sense or not, they just didn't appeal to me at all.

I guess I should have been more careful, but this album is certainly not geared towards the Telex fan as such, but rather to the fans of techno/house/remix music. Buyers beware...