Reloaded Vol.3 [ECD] - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Great songs
Disadvantages:	The extras are rubbish and some weaker songs on it

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Reloaded Vol 3

I bought this CD when it first came out in 2001. I remember wandering around Woolies with about £30 in my pocket. I bought this CD and another compilation album. I think it cost me £14.99 but of course now it's 4 years later. You can find it on Amazon for about 50p and on Ebay starting from 10p. For 37 tracks, I think that's a big bargain. Also on Amazon, you can hear samples of all the songs, which is very useful to know if you'll like the whole album or not.

Reloaded 3 is the third double CD in the Reloaded compilation list. I can't comment on how much better or worst it is to the other 2 before this album as I've never heard them but I can tell you that this album definitely grows on you.

The cover is a lovely army camouflage which figures through out the CD case and it says Massive Hits From … The lay in just tells you who produced/wrote the songs. On the back, there's the tracklist of both CDs. The CDs both have that same camouflage only different tones to differentiate between CD1 and CD2. On the CDs, there's also the tracklist as well.

The CDs are a mix of rock, alternative rock and poprock with even a little rapping as well. It's loud, would definitely wake you up. This is a must have for anyone that likes one of the artists/groups on the album as you will tend to like other artists or groups. It's been well chosen and is a good balanced mix of tracks. There's big well-known bands like Limp Bizkit, Stereophonics, U2 etc but also lesser known bands like King Adora, JJ72, Kings Of Convenience etc
I've picked my favourites of both CDs, as it's difficult to review 37-track compilation album. (As I've found out before). So I'm giving you my Top 5 off each CD.

Top 5 on CD1
"Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus is a classic for me. It has a catchy tune and takes me back to late teenage years. It's a bit pop but has the great Wheatus sound. The intro is instantly recognisable with just the drums beat and then the kind of whine voice of the leader singer of Wheatus, starts to sing. The more you hear the song, the more you listen to the words. It's all about this guy who's singing about a girl called Noel. He really likes her but she's popular and doesn't know who he is. The guy talks about her boyfriend and how badass he is. But then she starts to walk over to him. He sings that it must be fake. Then the girl starts to sing. It's just such a brilliant song and it was used in the Soundtrack for the movie Loser.

"Burn Baby Burn" by Ash is another favourite of mine. I love the guitar in this. It seems to have a futurist feel to it. It's quite punky. It's also one of the catchier songs on this CD. I just seem to want to bob up and down to it and play the pretend air drums when this is on. The song also reminds me how much I like the band itself. Burn Baby Burn is a typical Ash song. The lyrics seem to be happy but when you listen closely, it's a much darker song than you think. Like the lyrics. "Oh this is slow suicide" And "Destructive love is all we have" I listen to this song when I'm feeling down and it actually cheers me up.

"A Place Called Home" by PJ Harvey. This is the only song I like by PJ Harvey. Maybe it's because I've played the CD over and over again but it's really grown on me. I really like the lyrics of this song. Don't know why but it's just one of those songs that you like listening to even when it's not your style. To be honest, I'd say this song doesn't really belong on the album but it does. The reason is that if you're a rock or pop people, you wouldn't normally listen to PJ Harvey but putting it on the album makes you listen and take notice of the song, so it broadens your horizons.

"Before You Leave" by Pepe Deluxe. This is a great song. The first time I heard this song, it wasn't on this CD but on a TV Advert. The Levi's one. It was that popular after that with the great vocals of Vanessa Freeman that it was released a month later in April 2001. I just lie back to this song and let myself drift. It's a lovely feeling. Even the lyrics have an effect on me. Especially at the moment. One of the lines is "How can you play with my heart" and lately I've been doing that with guys and it's not nice. That aside, it's an upbeat and jazzy song that should be on everyone's playlist.

"Taste In Men" by Placebo is my last choice for my Top 5 on this CD. I love this song because the contrast between the actual lyrics and the mood of the base of the song is so different. The mood of the song is dark and you feel like you're going deeper and deeper into a pitch black pit with metal clanking all around you but when you listen to the lyrics, it's about her taste in men. The singer is obvious singing about his on and off girlfriend and how she changes all the time. It's not depressing. Just stating the truth. It's a great song and it makes me happy.

Top 5 on CD2
"Spitting In The Wind" - Badly Drawn Boy. I first heard Badly Drawn Boy in the film "About a Boy" with Hugh Grant. I instantly loved the soundtrack and a week later I bought the album. It's a laid back song. It has beautiful lyrics to go with a folky but modern tune. I loved then and I still love it now.

"With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. This is a true romantic song in my eyes. It's got a lovely guitar on it. The lyrics really touch your soul if you let it. They are just beautiful. For example, "I'll show you love. With Arms Wide Open" It means how sweet is that. The rough voice of the singer makes the song. When I'm feeling in a romantic mood, this song can make me cry because it makes you think that most of your boyfriends haven't felt like that about you. (Need a counsillor lol)

"Trouble" by Coldplay. This is a song I can play over and over again. When this song first came out, I hated it. It just annoyed me but like PJ Harvey's song, it's grown on me and become one of my fav. I love the guitar and piano. The tune just gives away the emotions and feeling wrapped up in this song. It's beautiful ballad. Just have to love the lyrics now. It's soft and gentle and I'd call it easy listening.

"Chemistry" by Semisonic. This song makes me laugh and smile. It's all about Chemistry but not the subject that you learn at school but a chemistry between a man and a woman. As much as I love this song, I think they could of used one of Semisonic's better songs like Get a Grip. Most of the Semisonic's song have double meanings to them and it makes you happy and laugh most of the times.

My last choice is "Have A Nice Day" by Stereophonics. This song just makes me happy and reminds me of those annoying shop assistants we met in the US that always were telling us to have a nice day. This song has two meanings to me now. My holiday in San Francisco with the shop assistants and also I met one of my now ex boyfriend when this song was playing. Surprisingly, I still love the song even though we aren't together anymore. It's an easy going song, with just the basic guitar filtering through your head. Not really a classic Stereophonics song but a great song nevertheless.

I'd say that the first CD has more rock song and the second CD has more ballads and gentle songs on it. I like the first CD better in all honestly but that's just me.

This CD has extras on it that you play on your PC. The Full length video of Deep Down & Dirty - Stereo Mc's and also it has that camouflage wallpaper so you can choose it for your desktop. As extras go on a CD, it's pretty boring because it's only one video and wallpaper.

All in all, I love this compilation album and especially for the price you can get it now, it's worth having your CD collection.

Track List
1. Rollin - Limp Bizkit
2. Last Resort - Papa Roach
3. New Born - Muse
4. The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret - Queens Of The Stoneage
5. Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
6. Seven Days In The Sun - Feeder
7. Burn Baby Burn - Ash
8. Bionic - King Adora
9. Algeria - JJ72
10. Taste In Men - Placebo
11. Up On The Downside - Ocean Colour Scene
12. Hewletts Daughter - Grandaddy
13. Red - Elbow
14. A Place Called Home - Pj Harvey
15. Grounded - My Vitriol
16. The Bad Touch - Bloodhound Gang
17. Before You Leave - Pepe Deluxe

Disc: 2
1. Have A Nice Day - Stereophonics
2. Deep Down & Dirty - Stereo Mc's
3. Dream On - Depeche Mode
4. Spitting In The Wind - Badly Drawn Boy
5. Trouble - Coldplay
6. Stuck In The Moment You Can't Get Out Of - U2
7. Catch The Sun - Doves
8. With Arms Wide Open - Creed
9. Achilles Heel - Toploader
10. Underdog - Turin Brakes
11. Toxic Girl - Kings Of Convenience
12. All I Want - Reef
13. Chemistry - Semisonic
14. Cry For Help - Shed 7
15. Monkey Girl - Regency Buck
16. Counterfeit - Lowgold
17. Truth Hurts - Thirteen:13
18. If You're Gone - Matchbox 20
19. Please Forgive Me - David Gray
20. Daydream In Blue - I Monster