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1 | Left-Wing Propaganda | This old chestnut of a book should be put out of its misery. It's written with style and a tone of authority, but careful reading shows that it is hopelessly slanted. On every significant point which involves historical uncertainty or controversy, the authors unquestioningly accept the left-wing/labor point of view and cynically disparage or totally ignore any other interpretation. This is Labor's "untold" story because no other reputable historians have ever had the nerve to write such an openly propagandistic book. Academic labor historians who think this book is so wonderful are merely showing their left-wing ideological colors. There are much better and more objective accounts out there. |
2 | A Great Place to Start... | This is a must-read for anyone who wants to know where the modern labor laws and labor unions come from. It depicts in stark detail the criminal acts against American working people that do not show up in many textbooks. |
2 | Asatru music in fine form | Hagalaz Runedance contains ten tracks of wonderfully composed and sung songs which are written from a heathen perspective. Asatruar everywhere will absoutely love this music. It's done in a celtic/renissance style which is easy to listen to as well as learn to sing yourself. The emotions range from haunted to joyous and loss as the songs recount tales of old, and of loss and of joy.Hail to Hagalaz Runedance for creating this excellent work which will uplift the souls of all who may hear it! |
2 | Not classic, but Inspiring haiku, bringing art into everyday | I received this book as a gift from a friend a couple of years ago which inspired our circle of friends to start our own little haiku challenge. The poetry in this book is a collection of snippets from the lives of ordinary but creative people. It proves that everyone can find a little bit of revelation in their lives, in things as simple as a map or mist rising in the cold. And by sending those little snippets to friends they stayed as much a part of each others lives as if they were right next door. I really recommend dipping into this collection and maybe even starting your own haiku challenge...it isn't meant to be classic haiku, but simply enlightenment in daily life, given with love from one friend to another. |
1 | Three Lines Do Not Always Equal Haiku | Haiku is a Japanese lyric with a deceptively simple form: 17 syllables in three lines of 5,7,5 syllables. Strictly speaking, a haiku must contain a "season word" and restrict itself to condensed, defined, natural imagery. Those are the outward rules, and they are rules which can be (and are) broken. It is in the inward force of a rich combination of Taoism, Buddhism and Shintoism that gives haiku it's power and grace. THE HAIKU YEAR, while an interesting experiment, is problematic in that much of it appears to imitate haiku and the powerful subtlety for which haiku is known is simply not there. Aspiring haiku writers would do better to consult the translations by R.H. Blyth, THE HAIKU ANTHOLOGY (of English language haiku) by Cor van den Heuvel, and the indispensable and well-respected THE HAIKU HANDBOOK by William Higginson. |
1 | No stars but they all think they are and have stuff to say. | You can be a rock star and not have a clue as to what haiku is. This book has been around. It has been the brunt of jokes in the haiku community. I can't say I know how to write a decent haiku but if you google, you WILL find some great haiku poets. PLEASE - if you don't have this book, keep it that way. It may have been a year but not a haiku one. |
1 | Definitely NOT haiku - poetry? Maybe... | This is indeed a book of 3-line poems passing itself off as haiku. This is not harmful certainly UNLESS an unwary reader picks it up and assumes that it is, basing all future opinions of this delightful poetic form on The Haiku Year."There are those who regard haiku as a kind of 'do your own thing' poem, and never consider its foundations. But the haiku, as soon as it goes beyond the beginner's efforts, becomes a matter incorporating traditions and established values, aesthetic and otherwise, and can not be written well outside them." - Robert Spiess |
1 | The only stars is the rocker | You make it in rock and you think you can do it all. This book proves you can't. It is a truly poor excuse for a collection of haiku and it is particularly offensive because there are those who will buy it thinking it the real thing. Do yourself a favor and buy Higginson. You can look at this in a few minutes in the bookstore. It might be good for advanced classes in "don't let this happen to you!" |
1 | It's the end of haiku as we know it... | This is what has become of haiku in English- and it is all bad. Haiku in America in general is vastly misunderstood and each of the verses in this volume show it. Some have three lines, some do not, some have kigo, some do not. By the looks of this, one can deduce that these "poets" gleamed their knowledge of haiku from Kerouac (another haiku fraud) rather than Basho. This is just an experiment really, conducted by a circle of friends who jotted down their thoughts and sent them to one another. Please, please avoid this title if you really care about or want to learn about haiku. Amazon should allow "0" stars when rating items such as this! |
2 | Fun For Everyone | Witty and fun songs for everyone from as young as 2 to adult. Has a great message and highly recommended. |
2 | The funniest CD out there | The whole thing is worth its weight in gold just for the "dance of the cucumber" song....El baile del pepino, el baile del pepino..hmm hmm hmmm...I LOVE IT |
2 | Funny and all around Great!!!!!! | Larry the Cucumber makes this cd hilarious!!!!!This is a great Christian cd with great music that you can sing along with and never get tired of. You are bound to enjoy this cd! It has great life lessons just like the movies. I recommend this cd to any one of any age. You will definetly enjoy! |
1 | Get ready for standardized test | Horrible product! Too much talking about general stuff. Not enough real tests. Very low level of expertise. it is just ridiculous how people can get published with such book about nothing. Bits and pieces here and there. Please, Amazon, do not sell this book - too little of material for too much money. It's a SHAME!!!!!!!!! |
1 | There is more to this story ... | I am the author of an article for "The Skeptical Inquirer" about the origins of "The Mothman Prophecies." The article, which appeared in the May/June 2002 issue, also may be read at the CSICOP web site.There, I describe the highly dubious role Gray Barker played in the background during the events surrounding this now-well-known West Virginia case. Barker was responsible for at least one telephone call (and possibly more) to John A. Keel and others in an attempt to generate interest in the Mothman and UFO accounts that were rampant at the time.Those who wonder what to believe about "The Mothman Prophecies" will gain greater insight into the situation by reading this article -- but only if they truly wish to understand that there is indeed "more to the story." |
1 | poorly written nonsense | The author apparently has some theory relating to unexplained phenomena, but you'll never figure out what it is from reading this book. He strings together repetitive descriptions of "unexplained" events, without coherent narrative or structure.The book is filled with ludicrous claims about what "scientists know" or "studies have shown." Of course there's no support for the claims.Don't waste your time on this book. |
1 | Boring | Garbage. The author is no different from the other 50,000 lunatics running around the country chasing lights. The only difference is this guy wrote a book. Watch the X Files instead.. |
1 | Dull, Disjointed | Two hundred pages into the book, and I'm still waiting for a cogent theme to emerge. Poorly written, poorly documented, and thin...in other words, perfect fodder for a commercial movie. |
1 | Bogus...bunk...B-A-loney | I enjoy reading about "unexplained phenomena". I really do. I love "real" ghost stories and the like. However, I prefer an author to take a very scientific stance, exhausting all possibilities. Keel does not. He's a "true believer" and that's the problem.Somewhere in the book he supposes that this mysterious Mothman could have been a man on a hang-glider. "Wow," I thought. "That could almost be construed as logical." However, he IMMEDIATELY debunks that theory with a statement to this affect: "But hang-gliders were not very well known at that time."*shaking my head*Whatever...the man needed to become familiar with Occam's Razor. |
2 | Good story, but very skeptical about the writer. | I like the book just because it was fun to read, but very skeptical about the way the writer admits he had seen ufo sightings night after night in chapter 10 of the book. My question is why in the world a guy like John Keel arms himself with only a flashlight and not a camera. He obviously sets himself up to see strange lights but does not bring a camera to capture the event. Unless he makes a book that has pictures for us to examine, and not hording all the evidence for himeself. Then I will have put him in the "Good story teller" catagory and not a "ufooligist". I must admit I am tired of all the hidden evidence about this matter, and I think we are all ready for the truth. If you want my opinion I just threw all his credibility in the bin. I must admit I really enjoyed this book. |
1 | Disappointing | The Mothman story is indeed a fascinating one. Unfortunately, the same adjective cannot be applied to "The Mothman Prophecies." John Keel's theories regarding the nature and origin of UFOs in general and Mothman in particular are more bizarre than the phenomena themselves. I was also put off by Mr. Keel's tedious obsession with men (in black) behaving badly.I've given this singularly overrated book two stars, rather than only one, because it does supply some (albeit nowhere near enough) information on the extraordinary occurrences of more than 30 years ago. |
1 | repetitive, lackluster | I wanted to read this before seeing the film. Wow, what a bore. Keel's book reads like some scatter-shot diary with himself as the narrator. Maybe this stuff was revelatory back when it was originally published, but now with the X-Files cultural phenomena and all the other media about UFOs and the paranormal floating around, this seems pedestrian in comparison. The descriptions are always the same. Only the names change each chapter/sighting/contacting.Also, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK before seeing the movie. It will sap some of your enjoyment from Mark Pellington's excellent film (in fact, I was amazed at how well screenwriter Richard Hatem took this dross and put a narrative structure around it, but that's another review that belongs elsewhere....) |
1 | mothman-putting the loose ends together? | I found the movie leading in many directions....Why was John's wife appearing in Point Pleasent? Was this the mothman? Why did John appear for Gordon 3 nights at 2:30 a.m? These questions were never answered in the movie.... or did I miss something? The movie ran long for me, maybe because of the loose ends. I could be wrong, you decide. Go see the movie...... |
1 | Very Detailed and Never Ending | I usually like the books better than the movie. It is an interesting book although it touches on everything and seems to repeat itself time after time. The movie focused more on the actual "mothman" and I felt the book just mentioned it among many other things. This book should have been named "Mothman, Men In Black, UFOS, and the Kitchen Sink." I was glad to be done with this book. Don't waste your money on this book, check it out from the library. |
2 | Paranormal epic | This book is a rarity in UFO literature, primarily b/c most UFO books present their information in dates and names and places and events ... in a sense, completely without any feeling or substance beyond the 'happening.' The shocker of the ending of THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES you already know if you read the 1st chapter, but, as you've been drawn further and further into the lives of the main participants, the ending hits you like a sledgehammer b/c you've spent the last 250 pages forgetting all about it. More UFO books should be written with this humanistic approach; perhaps then the subject wouldn't be so taboo. |
2 | A must for Fortean buffs | Believe It or Not? Well, frankly, I don't believe all of it, though I'm sure those folks in West Virginia saw something mighty interesting. But in all the lengthy annals of Fortean/ supernormal/ paranoia-lit journalism, Keel does stand out as an author with an above-average storytelling ability. He also has the ability to not take himself entirely seriously, a trait often sorely lacking in the genre. With all that and a trans-phenomenon Grand Unified Theory of Weird Stuff to offer, this book is definitely worth checking out for those interested in the field. |
2 | GET THIS BOOK WHILE ITS STILL IN PRINT | Investigators like John Keel don't seem to exist anymore, so get this book while it's still in print for an honest approach toward unexplained phenemenon. It will probably never be able to compete with the books that assure us we are being visited by ET's, angels/demons and/or ancient deities. People want something to believe in. "Belief is the enemy",warns Keel. How many paranormal researchers do you know would say that? We are goldfish in a fishbowl being watched over and toyed with, but by What? This is the question Keel will leave you with and that will keep you staring wide eyed up at the ceiling late at night in bed... |
1 | the movie was better | Usually the book is always better. In this case, no way. I found it to be just a bunch of disjointed ramblings and partial recounts of what happened. I couldn't even finish it and gave it away. The movie didn't follow the book at all, but at least there was a thread of a storyline to follow. |
1 | Where's the beef or Mothman in this case? | There is a lot about the 60s' that for obvious reasons, I have forgotten but I do remember that there were a lot of Instamatic cameras and 8 mm movie cameras around so I guess my question is: Why are there no pictures of this thing? I believe the good people of Point Pleasant saw something as there were at least 100 reported sightings of "Mothman" and I simply cannot accept the author's statement that all those camera's that the newspeople took along failed to work for one reason or the other.The movie was excellent but then it was not based entirely on this wacky book which is written in kind of a random fashion and is not all that good in the first place. "Show me the pictures." |
1 | Pretty disappointed | I saw the movie and was intrigued enough to read the book, which I thought would maybe give a better idea of what really happened in West Virginia that year. I was disappointed to find that Mr. Keel spent a lot of time dwelling on UFO encounters and the history of UFO encounters and spent little time talking about the events in West Virginia, other than how it blended with the history of UFO-logy. The movie was more interesting, and I don't know how they developed a movie based off of this book. I didn't buy the book to read about Air Force involvement (or maybe lack thereof) in UFO sightings or about how Mr. Keel had been hunting UFOs and UFO witnesses. A big letdown. |
1 | Little Value | It is understandable why his other books, according to his own admission, were not well received.Mr. Keel offers some rather off the wall explanations with little or nothing in the way of proof except HIS word. For those unfamiliar with this subject, controversial as it is, the book may have some interest even if of very little value.Mr. Keel dismisses, with a wave of his hand, everything written by valid and serious investigations. Admittedly there are those who have written who do not deserve to be taken seriously and Mr. Keel is at the top of that list.Desmond |
1 | A waste of time | Don't get me wrong, I believe in UFOs and certainly Mothman, since my friend's aunt saw it, but 90% of this "nonfiction" book is nonsense. Keel's semi-acurate listing of the real life mystery of Mothman wins it a single star, but the speculation that he pushes as the gospel truth is laughable, and is mostly based on questionable facts and ideas that are theoretical at best. If you want to know about Mothman read James Cohen's Book of Mysterious Beasts, if you want to waste your time and Amazon's time, buy The Mothman Prophecies. |
1 | So What | If you are looking for a great story that will really drag you into it, don't read this book. Lord help me I thought I would go crazy and only got through the first three chapters. There is not an ounce of structure to this. It's just a bunch of thoughts and "reports" of sightings of UFO's, "mothmen" and other oddities. I'm not sure if Keel intended for this to be a re-telling of things he believed really happened or if he honestly thought he was writing a novel. I can't take anymore, I give up and usually I'll read just about anything all the way through to give it a fair chance. All of these little scraps of sitings in no order whatsoever make me say... So what?!?!?!?! |
1 | Thoroughly Debunked | This book is typical Keel--chock-full of anecdotes, skewed information, speculation, hoaxes (many of Keel's "weird" experiences in the case were jokes perpetrated by Gray Barker)--all presented as factual reporting."Mothman" does not exist. Several writers--most notably Joe Nickell--have thoroughly debunked the incident. But true facts have never stopped Keel.I'm a fan of Keel's writings, but you have to take them with a grain of salt. This is not one of his best efforts, and it rankles me that he positions himself as a serious journalist. |
1 | Mothman Fiction | The author claims the book is factual. My gut feeling is it's fictional. As fiction it is not well written. Just a bunch of short tales kind of mixed together. |
1 | Okay!?... | I'll admit it, I didn't have a clue what was going on in this book (which claims to be real, but is obviously a work of fiction), nor did I really have much of a reason to.UFOs...Men in black...Mothmen...Abductees...government coverups...sightings...It's all here, and regardless makes no sense whatsoever.I actually walked into this thinking it was going to be great, that there would be a wonderful story based upon the legend of the mothman, but no I was bombarded with 266 pages of "research" having no really meaning, or thesis. Honestly, I say avoid this like the plague. |
1 | Initially interesting, eventually saw through him . . . | It was recommended to me by someone whom I think beleives in the interdimensional and non-ET aspect of it all. I kept an open mind, but finally came to the conclusion that John Keel wrote a fradualent and contrived story, with an underlying "distracted" attitude that in reality is quite insulting to the reader. The book is probably pure fiction, and if you seek more than fiction, then it is bordering on pure trash. As an "investigator" he poorly documents his findings. Don't buy it, check it out from the library, please. |
1 | Reads Like Keel's dropped his notes and never rearranged them | Excellent and suspenseful information. All over the place as far as the material. We travel back and forth from West Virgina to London to Ohio... and back again. Would have enjoyed it if the first part of the book was supporting information as to the phenomena itself and how it has indeed appeared elsewhere in history, how the phenomena ties to UFO sightings etc. but Keel's hypothesis that all paranormal activity comes from a parallel universe it difficult to believe, even for paranormal studies. I'm sure that is a first.Although the book was suspenseful and written well, it was just organized poorly. Revise, John. You can do it. |
2 | Good Read | Good read. If half of what is written in this book is true; then are world is much stranger than we can imagine.One of my favorite books. |
1 | Boring & Unbelievable Story | Normally, I prefer books to movies, but Mothman Prophecies was not only boring, but unbelievable. Non-fiction! The story was a product of the author's imagination. Perhaps in 1975, when the novel was first copywritten, it was spectacular. To those who are thinking of purchasing this book, (especially after viewing the movie) I'd say pass it up, and purchase the VHS or DVD. |
1 | Unidentified Reading Object | I approached this book with a fairly open mind, expecting to read an interesting story about the strange events of 1967. Unfortunately, Mr. Keel's tendency to ramble and a strange, albeit somewhat fascinating, mixture of conspiracy theories, "ufo" sightings and Men in Black stories made the book an incoherent mess. The book begins and ends with the events of Point Pleasant, and spends the middle attempting to connect those events with literally hundreds of other experiences throughout the world and throughout history. ... |
2 | Interesting | This was a very fascinating read. It does not focus only on Mothamn sightings, but all the other strange events that were supposed to have happened. If you are looking for a book that will prove Mothman exists, I don't think this is the proper book for you. It is mainly about what went on from the first sighting of Mothman to the felling of the bridge. There were a lot of strange happenings during that time. I read this as "I'm presenting you with the information as to what heppened as I saw it and was involved in it, and you make up your mind as to whether its true or not". |
1 | Not what you'd expect! | Although the movie was very well done for those who enjoyed a spooky and suspenseful story, the book however is not the movie. It seems that Hollywood took very few pieces from the book and turned it in to a great movie which is kind of the other way around from the usual book being better than the movie. This book is good if your a UFO buff only. It mentions the Mothman but other than that it was a very boring read as I expected to be reading about the same scenario as what I saw in the movie. I was extremely disappointed. |
1 | huh? | I just don't get it? I thought this book was a story about the paranormal and all the town needed to do was buy some Raid.Also anybody can tell you moths just son't grow that big... now June Bugs well now that's a story. |
1 | Amazon.com Customer Reviews... | Don't waste your time reading them...They tell you absolutely nothing. Each entry contradicts the other.Remember, humans write these things. |
1 | Is this a first draft? | The little content contained is interesting.However, the entire book is short chapters of journal notes with the occasional splash of commentary thrown in.Badly written, poorly organized.He could have at least organized it chronologically.The constant way of making himself out to besome sort of superhero got very annoying very quickly. |
1 | BORING! | The subject matter is fascinating and has the potential to make an exciting, fast moving read. Unfortunately the presentation is disorganized, repetetive and BORING. I had to force myself to finish the thing and ended up wondering what the heck the point was meant to be. I certainly didn't feel that I had acquired any clear understanding of what happened in Point Pleasant; I didn't even get enough out of it to decide whether I believe any of the stories or not. If you want the book, borrow it from someone and save your money. |
1 | A Let-Down... | John Keel's "Mothman Prophecies" could be a great book if it actually concentrated on the "Mothman" sightings in and around Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the mid-to-late 1960's. Unfortunately, this book isn't really about the Mothman, but it should instead be entitled "John Keel explains how the universe really works". For every "Mothman" story that Keel relates in this book, he offers at least three other stories of his personal life, his adventures in researching the paranormal, and his decidedly offbeat theories about paranormal events and what causes them. This book isn't really about the "Mothman" sightings in West Virginia as much as it is a goofy memoir of John Keel's "research" into the world of UFOs, demons, ghosts, and other bizarre events. As someone who bought this book to read about the "Mothman" and not about Keel's disjointed ramblings and ravings, I was sorely disappointed. Not recommended. |
1 | The Mothman in Bits and Pieces | This book is NOT like the movie. In fact, I prefer the movie. The book is composed of bits and pieces of John Keel's and others' phenomenal experiences. It is difficult to read, not only because of the bad press printing, but also because it is very clipped and disjointed. I bought this book to delve further after seeing the movie, and ended up more confused. Go to the movie--forget the book! |
2 | "It was a dark and stormy night" | John Keel's "The Mothman Prophecies" follows a usual form for ufology books: He presents a large collection of anecdotes, personal observations and experiences, mixes it with some debunking to woo the scientific mind, and throws in some ancient gods and goddesses, references to fairies, and a variety of religious "sightings". This is par for the course in this genre, and puts this reviewer in mind of Charlie Brown's standard beginning for tales, "It was a dark and stormy night."Despite its rather disorganized and somewhat repetitive presentation (again, fairly standard for this genre), Keel relates his narrative earnestly, and he will engage your interest. Men in Black? Saucer shaped vehicles with diamond-shaped windows? "Thyroid-like eyes"? If this gets your attention, you'll enjoy "The Mothman Prophecies."The recent movie is based only loosely on Keel's research, by the way, and will fail to satisfy informed ufology readers. |
1 | Lame | This book [stinks]. I read this book only, because I seen the preview for the movie. It jumps around from one thing to the next. John Keel is a nut, "the phone rang and nobody was there!" "That could only mean the time traveling space aliens, cause no human would be capable of calling my house and hanging up." "The CIA/FBI are out to get me" Please!!! Go see a shrink. |
2 | Believe it or not, it's scary either way. | The great thing about this book is it works as a nonfiction book, if you're a believer and as a book of fiction, if you're a nonbeliever.If you believe in UFO's and monsters, the interviews with the people sound very sincere and convincing.If you don't believe in the subject, the book reads like a good horror novel with a tragic ending which is based on a true event |
1 | Interesting, but read the fine print.... | Ok, we have seen the movie, some of us have read Keel's book (this being a reprint). What no one seems to mention is the fine print located on the copyright page, which reads: "This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously." If you don't believe me, glance at the copyright page. Obviously, this paperback edition was prepared as a movie tie-in. Touted as a "true event" the publisher then informs us it is all a work of the "author's imagination." And therein must lie a lot of truth. Yes, the book is mildly entertaining, if a bit choppy in parts. My advice is, read THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES with a large dose of salt (and the movie is much better). |
1 | POOR QUALITY INCORRECT | the item that is stated does not look like the stock graphics , the picture that is show is not what the item looks like . dont count on a good quality product |
2 | Great for the price! | We love the flatware, due to the design. Attractive and dishwasher safe, but not too sturdy. |
1 | cheap | This flatware set is very pretty, but made very cheap. After several months of use, the ends became loose and several of them actually fell out. A complete and total waste of money. |
2 | Awesome. | What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said? Nothing. Awesome album on every level. |
1 | Why Can't I Rate at Zero Stars ? | Come On, People !!!! I checked this out because Amazon emailed me saying it was top rated.... ??? Could it be because one of the "songs" is entitled "Amazon" ? Sex appeal !? Not !!!! - unless you want to have sex with a monkey.... And for those who think this is the best album they've heard in a long time - my condolences ! Seriously, this recording is nothing more than a possibly somewhat cute girl chanting gibberish over some low-fi computer generated noise loops. True artists should be outraged, and they would if they could stop laughing. I recommend steering way way clear of this sorry excuse for music. Please, people - don't let big music money tell you what is good - we all suffer for it in the end. |
1 | Sound Catchy but mix with Terrorists | I have to agree some songs sound very catchy.But isn't she singing about some Terrorist Group in some Asian Island? I heard even MTV ban some of her songs because of that. |
1 | surprised | she's sri lankan but it's like she's trying to be west indian or something. Ok it kind of works and she's really pretty but I think she would become even bigger if she marketed herself to bollywood and gave the music the dancehall sound. It would give her some nice exposure. |
1 | OK | You can tell the difference between this and the next. A couple of good songs, nothing spectacular. One song on this CD appears on the movie "War" with Jet-Li. Although I rate this with an OK, Im very tough. There's no sappy love ballads, no whiney boy songs. It's in your face, and strong. |
1 | A Question | Can someone please tell me how she managed to be signed by A!!!!record label, let alone one capable of putting her music (if that's what you call it) into the airwaves as much as it is. |
1 | Terrible. Just terrible. | People must really be desperate these days. Just because pretentious jerks who write bad music reviews for Rolling Stone and Pitchfork say this is good, doesnt mean it'll make you super-cool if you say you like it too. M.I.A. is HORRIBLE. |
1 | Stop while you're ahead! | Save your money or purchase a hammer when you buy this cd because all you'll want to do is hit yourself in the head for buying it in the first place. If not for that then you'll be hitting yourself just so you don't have to hear this woman's whinney voice, trust me. I bought this album just a few days ago and all I can say is..Well, you get the point.. |
1 | ZZZZZZZZZZ.....snooze-fest | Great, another socially aware electro-dance record. I can't wait for the an Iraqi to come out with one about the current US led invasion. |
2 | If this doesn't get you dancing, you have no pulse! | The single, "Galang" explodes like computerized firebombs! All quaking synths and bells and whistles and a beat that would get the dead to dance. Those who are expecting more run-of-the-mill "crunky" R&B can look elsewhere for that dreck. The album's combination of dancehall, Brazilian funk, grime and house with M.I.A.'s chirpy, sexy raps is hands down one of the best albums of the year. Own it now!!! |
2 | She's A Paradigm in the Making. | If you don't believe in her politics, listen to the music - we can't all be John Lennon. But we could aspire to be Public Enemy - different genre, same ethos. With her minimalist approach, she jettisons a rapid-fire selection of rage, humour, politics [sometimes muddled and confusing], sex...but always arresting and thought provoking. Online pugilists argue the terrorist/Tamil revolutionary ties via her father, and while it's an important salient subject to spelunk, weaving the politico with the dance floor is an exhilarating art I can't overlook based on that writ - Madonna could learn a thing or two about juxtaposing them creatively [see American Life]. My grade: A |
1 | Gets old fast | The first time through I really enjoyed the quick quirky beats, and the skits were sorta interesting as well. The novelty wore off after the first play through and it soon went from quick, quirky, and interesting to obnoxious, and boring. Perhaps this just isn't my style of music but I heard a lot of good things about this album and figured I'd give it a try. I found myself enjoying her biography a lot more than her album. |
2 | Get your heart beating | Mmmmmm hmmmmmm, wickedly wild. I've never been into dance music much but damn, I danced, and had fun while doing it. Not to mention I'm a sucker for politicly driven albums and it was an extra good year with both ted leo and now this. Standout tracks are definetely "Amazon" "Bingo" "Pull Up The People" "Sunshowers".....f it, any track is a standout track. |
2 | brilliant raggamuffin | I don't care about all the hype, I dig this record a lot. I play it, then I play it again. it's almost always in my head. I wish I had four more of her records. the performance is very loose and the production is really tight. rollicking, rowdy, catchy as hell. she's got a great spark. |
2 | Captivated by Arular | My 10 year old daughter and my 61 year old butt can't get enough of Arular. Masterfully edited - as tight and rich as the Beatles at their peak. The dad loves the mechanical electronic aspects. The girl has to sing along with the singsong poetry and just dance to it.Maya's voice is awesome. My brother's reaction was that he doesn't like foreigh sounding funny voices in his music, so this isn't for everyone. But it's not just for open minded college students. This is the real thing. This is a most favored treat in our huge and eclectic music collection.As with other reviewers, we, too, are put off by the violent images, but for us it has the authentic feel of a window into the revolutionary third world. |
2 | Too good for Sepos | This album is innovative and fun, blending various styles to create one slick and catchy sound. It is a refreshing change to bland Strokes-wannabies and the same old homogenised Fiddy/G-Unit output and what a surprise you Yanks don't seem to understand or appreciate it! I've even read reviews on here criticising her accent - SHE'S FOREIGN WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?!? I've read other reviews attacking her political agenda - WHAT DO FIDDY AND HIS GOONS RAP ABOUT??? Guns, Beatches and Drugs that's what!!!! At least MIA has something intelligent to say. Isn't freedom of speech a constitutional right for you guys anyway??? Open your ears and your wallet and buy a copy now!!! |
2 | It'll get in your head ... | I saw the video for Galang on BPM and was laughing out loud. This skinny little Sri Lankan girl was spitting out london ghetto rap while dancing crazily in front of a cartoon backdrop. But the next few days, something about the beat stayed in my head. I had to hear it again. I did, and I taped it, and the more I listened to it the more I realized I wanted to hear more. I found it at a store and bought it. On the bus ride home I didn't much care for it, but like the Galang video, it stayed in my head. Everytime I listened to it I liked it a little bit more. It's like watching Pulp Fiction, each time you see it, something appears to you that you missed before that makes the whole thing make more and more sense. By now, it is one of my favourite CD's and I don't even listen to this genre (if it even fits into any genre) regularly. It isn't for everyone, but if you have a good subwoofer and an open mind for something unique...give it a shot. |
2 | blows you up before you go... | Probably the most best album that will be released this decade. It has great significance in a post-9/11 world. M.I.A. has no qualms about mentioning bombs, guns, terrorists and racism in her songs. Every track stands out, the previous release tracks 'Sunshowers' and 'Galang,' probably some of the best tracks of 2004, are overshadowed by 'Pull Up The People' and 'Bucky Done Gun.'M.I.A. is truly is TuPac of the third-world. |
1 | bloody awful | sounds like a third world elementary school class on a field trip to a crack factory. if this music is so revolutionary and worldly, how come the only people listening to it are skinny white boys who wear hats with earflaps indoors? |
2 | MIA: Hip Hop's Nice, Nice Fighter | She's "got the beats to make ya burn" - This is the future of Hip Hop. These 10 songs (plus a "hidden" bonus track) are fascinating and fun. The "extra" re-release track "U.R.A.Q.T." samples the theme of TV's "Sanford & Son". My favorite tracks are "Hombre", "10 Dollar", and the steel-drum laden "Bingo". |
2 | rhythmic, textured, danceable electronic music | i love this music, but i can see how some people wouldn't. i guess reading through the reviews here says the same thing: this doesn't try to be the kind of music my mother would like (or some of my coworkers). but that must be obvious if you listen to the samples amazon provide.but otherwise, this is pretty sweet - it strikes a nice balance between playing with new ideas/sounds on the one hand and keeping a steady groove on the other. "commerical experimental" in a good way - and i think that's a very challenging target.as for the politics and trying to second guess whether this woman is "for real" - it doesn't matter unless you don't like the music. good music doesn't need to (and usually doesn't) match my politics. why on earth should it? if you don't like the music, fair enough. but to argue that you don't like music because of the attitude or the politics - what's with that? you're confusing music with something else, i think. |
2 | this girl can spit! | i first heard the track bingo on the radio not long ago, and that has now opened a whole can of worms for me. how can one album be so catchy, raw, fun,fresh ,chunky and funky. while so many rappers drawl on about tired blah blah, MIA just mixes the singing and ragga-ish vocals straight into the most modern type of no-category music with little effort. the style? its kind of UK grime meets hip-hop meets calypso or something. definately a british vibe here, but this is still unique. the beats and sound effects are very well implemented into the chatting. cant stop listening to this. wicked stuff |
2 | M.I.A. announces her arrival. Moving around is compulsory | A DJ aquaintance of mine told me that 'Arular' always got the crowd up and dancing, and in a way, I can see why. Central to this electronic beatfest is M.I.A's sassy vocals, falling somewhere in between Madonna and Lene Lovich (the Neneh Cherry comparison is pretty good) all within the framework of hip-hop rhyming. There's really no need to over-analyze the music, which is basically infectious stripped-down beats, eg, LCD Soundsystem, pulsating, raw and tribal, almost hailing back to the crushing barebones approach of early hip-hop, eg, Grandmaster Flash. Also thrown into the mix is a subtle yet ecclectic fusion of analog flash, dancehall, and world music. But basically the appeal of 'Arular' stems from the charm and sexuality of M.I.A's vocals, orgasmic shrieks and brassy chants, a female touch when one expects male vocals to compliment the rhythmic thunder. Here she is now, let M.I.A. entertain you. |
1 | Milli Vanilli redux | With the exception of lip-synching, this is an exact replay of Milli Vanilli. Remember that moment? Watching the Milli Vanilli video and saying, "Huh, cool hair, uh, sorta interesting street scenes...wow, this music is really bad." That's MIA: long on concept, trend, style and buzzwords; short on music. Does the world really need another dressed-up exotic with no discernable musical talent who can mouth a few political half-phrases? You be the judge. Vote with your wallet.p.s. anybody wanna buy a used copy? If not I'm using it for a coaster. |
1 | M.I.A. | This sounds like karaoke. I wish it didn't - but it does. I'm a white man married to an Indian girl - I love Indian music, Chutney is cool, reggae, etc. - and the lead singer is attractive - but it really, really sounds like karaoke....I can't escape that fact. And...yes....it is very repetitive, mundane, same sounding music throughout the whole CD. But, it doesn't matter because todays ear for music is pretty much on the deaf side. Simple and repetitive is the cornerstone of todays musical taste. Oh well - I'll watch the video though - she's cute. But, it is still a talentless serving up of supposed 'world music'. What a bunch of crap that is! Listen to 'The Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria' or 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' if you want REAL world music. What? It's boring? Then you don't really like 'World Music' - lol. |
1 | Anyone notice terrorist references? | This is good music, but I really have a problem with some of the lyrics.For instance, Sunshowers:"You wanna win a war? Like PLO I don't surrender""It's a bomb yo, so run yo, put away your stupid gun yo... that's why we blow it up before we go""they showed him a picture then, ain't that you with the muslims?"Now I'm not one for censorship, but I can't back someone glorifying PLO and terrorism in dance music. That's just ridiculous. I know reggae has roots of being somewhat violent and rebellious back at its early roots, but I absolutely can't sponsor these messages. It's just wrong. |
1 | M.I.A.- No Way! | If this CD were to be captured- it would not be an M.I.A. that you would go looking for. Save your money and buy a 99 cent toy flute at Walmart to make better music. |
1 | Save your money... Don't believe the hype. | I heard a lot of chatter about this new girl M.I.A. and her album getting a lot of good reviews. I don't know if her phenomenon is a result of her label hyping her in publications or what, but after listening to her album once through, I would advise you to stay away unless ecstasy-rave music is your thing. She is nearly unintelligible on all of her vocals and is drowned out by the incessant reverb present on all most all of her tracks. This is the definition of drivel. I am happy for her and her interesting life story, but her music does not interest me. Save your $! |
1 | terrible... absolutely terrible | This is quite possibly the absolute worst thing I've ever heard in my entire life. If you're considering buying this CD ,I suggest you go outside, find a construction site, walk up to the guy with the jackhammer, and press your ear to the side of it. If you like how that sounds, then go buy the CD. If not, well.... "Galang," the reggaeton hit, isn't even something to wave a steamy pile of you-know-what at... and the music just goes downhill from there. "bucky done gun" (which doesn't even make any sense as a title) is good for use as a humorous conversation starter, but that just about exhausts its usefulness or likeability... much the same as the rest of the CD. |
1 | no | just no. not even close to being listenable. its as annoying as listening to japanese anime before its been dubbed. |
1 | WTF???????? | This album is able to be previewed in full on NME.com If I were you I would go there to find out just what you're about to endure. This album sucks extremely bad. I have not heard anything this half assed in all but two weeks. This garbage getting good reviews is only an indication of the white reviewers out there trying to make this seem cooler than it isn'nt. The beats are exactly the same on every track. Handclaps and half rhythms are only one tenth of the awkwardness on this record. I dont think that anyone with fully functioning ears would like this record, unless they think it makes them look different. For the most part, there is nothing innovative on this record. This is what bad pop music will sound like in ten years. MIA has recorded a travesty ahead of her time. Once again, go to NME.com and preview this before you actully waste your money on this. The sound of this record could have been reproduced with a kettle drum and sticks banging together in a long hall. |
2 | If you like dancehall ... get this | 1. M.I.A. is a Philly rapper, they are always the best, new york and L.A. are always deporting philly rappers to be on their labels.2. I suggest this album if you like dancehall, its a lot like it, but because there is a mix of dancehall, soka, rap, and indian, its amazing. Reminds me of reggage heat 03 and 04. |
2 | M.I.A. rocks the house. | This album is highly ranked in the metacritics for a very good reason. It's great! If you want to hear fresh and new ways to mix hiphop lyrics and dance sounds you'll love it. Don't listen to anyone who rates this album poorly, it's a top ten of 2005 for sure. |
1 | Dishes chip VERY easily | I bought 10 place settings of these dishes because I like the style. However, after owning them for less than a year several of the dinner plates, salad plates, bowls and mugs have chips on the rim. They look terrible because when the graphite color is chipped it is very noticeable since the stoneware underneath is white. I am not hard on dishes and load them into the dishwasher myself. I owned my previous set of Dansk dishes from nearly 11 years and replaced them only to update the style. I contacted the company with my complaint but they simply said the chips are from banging them against another hard surface...not true. Dishes at this price point should be of high enough quality to withstand being washed in a dishwasher. As I said, I am the only one who handles them. I am embarrased to use these dishes and disappointed in Noritakes response. |
1 | Nice but shows scratches. | I fell in love with these great dishes but I am dissapointed that they need to be replaced within a few years. They were our wedding set and I wish they didn't look awful. We only use them for family meals and use my husband's everyday Johnson Bros. dishes that are 50 years old! They look great. Too Bad the quality isn't like it used to be... unless we just got a "bad batch" although they were purchased from different stores where we registered... Nice to set the table with but will scratch unless your family uses plastic tableware. We don't. |
2 | How to beat the gray marks | I like the simple design of Noritake Colorwave dishes, but was unhappy with gray marks from metal tableware. I have discovered that the right dishwasher detergent takes care of this. I was using a phosphate-free powder, for ecological reasons, but it was not getting my dishes clean. Researching this, I learned that in the last year, phosphate-free dishwasher detergents have improved a lot, so this problem may go away by itself. Otherwise, try a different phosphate-free detergent; the tablets seem to work best. |
1 | Noritake Colorwave 16 piece place setting | I ordered a 16 piece place setting , service for 4 but only recieved a 4 piece place setting, service for 1. I contacted Amazon and they arranged to have the order corrected and arrange for return for the incorrect order. Once to corrected shipment arrived again it was a service for only 1. I was charged for a service for 4. This was eventually credited back to me however since I only had 2 place settings, I purchased 2 others locally at Younker's department store. The dishes that came with from Amazon are different than the ones from Younker's. It is like the molds were different or something...the plates are deeper from Amazon and as a result the set does not stack properly. I am not certain if this inventory issue has been resolved with Amazon so buyer beware. |
2 | Excellent Everyday China | I bought my Colorwave Graphite dishes at Macy's, not Amazon.com, but after reading the mixed reviews for these dishes I decided to add my own comments. I am very pleased with these dishes, and I cannot understand why anyone wouldn't be. After two years of daily use they are still without chips and show very little wear. They do show some scratches, but they are not fine china, they're everyday china. For the money, and for everyday use, I can't think of a better set of dishes to own. The lines are simple and casual, and they look nice in any setting. I can very happily recommend them. |
1 | Great story sorriest printing and binding Ive ever witnessed | The story , of course , is fabulous but this is the worst binding I have ever seen in 30+ years of reading paperbacks. I can't believe this isnt a joke. Hopefully I can get a refund and order the book from a reputable publisher later. If you buy a paperback from anyone make dang sure it isnt an "Instabook" |
2 | All Barsoom books are great! | I first read the Martian Chronicles as a teenager. They are in fact the only sci-fi I've ever read. What I want to know is why George Lucas or Steven Spielberg havn't made movies of them? With their abilities in the sci-fi world they could do a great job with them. |
2 | Brilliant, Lagwagon's most "complex" album | The CD will not grab you at first, its not as catchy as Lagwagon's previous releases, but with a few listens it makes the argument for greatest Lag album ever. The flow through out the whole thing is perfect. The CD is dedicated to Derrick (the bands original drummer) and with that comes a lot of emotion, dealing a lot with reflection, moving on, and self-discovery, the lyrics here are very well crafted. I absolutly cannot stop listening to this record. It's got so much to offer. The highlights of the album for me "Runs in the Family", "The Controtionist" and "Days of New", which will most likley give you the chills if youre a die hard lagwagon fan.I truly belive that Joey Cape is one on the most incedible song writers of the past couple decades. Listen to Lagwagon along with his side project Bad Astronaut and you have the makings of a musical genious. Cant wait for the upcoming tour! Keep making music guys! |
2 | very good | This is a great cd. It takes a few times listening to it to start enjoying it,then it sounds like a new,but familiar lagwagon. This one was dedicated to Derrick Plourde, their original drummer that played the blistering drums on duh,trashed, and hoss. He committed suicide in 2005. This album is very well written,even though it only took them 2 weeks to write the songs. This album is definately up there in their top 5 albums. |
2 | Bernie sings too ! | Be sure, this is a nice CD from long years ago....but especially for elton john fans |
2 | Who said Bernie cant sing? | This is Bernie Taupin's second solo album and it is excellent.From the rockers Born on the fourth of July to his smooth ballads Venezuela and Love(the barren desert). This is a great album for anyone who has followed Elton and Bernie's career. |
2 | Maximum Minimalist Soundscapes Unfold | If you like Math Rock/Instrumental Indie Rock i.e: Paul Newman, Tortoise, Don Cabellero, Dianogah, Triseza, Godspeed you Black Emperor than this is highly recommended. No Vocals just pure melodic builds and peaks. Really good deep Bass lines and fantastic drumming. |
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