(The) Legendary European Columbia Recordings

Advantages: It's Johnny Cash Man
Disadvantages: None, It's Johnny Cash Man

...In 1994 Johnny Cash made a triumphant comeback and stuck two fingers firmly up at Nashville. His recording contract with Columbia had ended and the folks in Nashville thought that vaudeville acts like the loathsome Garth brooks and downright awful Billy Ray Cyrus were considered to be the future of country music. Johnny was considered a has-been. Thank the lord that he met up with Rick Rubin, who would go on to produce his last four albums. The partnership with Rubin and his label American recordings was two fingers firmly stuck up at Nashville, and had a significant effect on the future of country music. The idea Rick had was to record just Johnny and his guitar, with no session musicians. This is just what you get Johnny's soothing baritone, his guitar, and the songs. Absolutely beautiful music well done with no frills... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Original
Disadvantages: A few crappy songs

...Their self titled album, Savage Garden, was released in 1997 on Columbia Records. I was given this album mainly 'cause I loved their second single. Most of the songs are poprock, with a couple of ballads thrown in for good measure. Easy listening. The three main hits on this record are 'I Want You', released twice as a single, 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' and 'To the Moon and Back. You might recognise these. There are a few other good songs on here, but a couple of crap ones where the consistency fails. All the songs were written by the Savage Garden boys themselves and they are original, so I think they can be forgiven!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: dark, rock, informative
Disadvantages: difficult listening in places. Can be over-personal

...The Holy Bible was the third studio album by the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on August 30, 1994 by Epic Records, a subsidiary of Sony Records, unlike their two previous albums which had been released on the Columbia Records imprint. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart. In August 2005 it topped Newsnight Review's 'Quintessential Newsnight Viewer' top 5 favourite albums poll, pushing Radiohead's OK Computer (a much bigger seller) into second place. The album is both dificult, but also essential listening. Apart from reading as a useful history lesson and expanding he mind of its listeners it opens up a previoulsy hidden world of all sorts of depression. An excellent album, though not the best introduction to thi marvellous band if you have nt heard anything by them.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful