Contemporary Swedish Music

On this CD:

1. Sonatina for Flute & Strings
Composed by Moses Pergament
Performed by Gunilla von Bahr, Musica Sveciae
Conducted by Stig Westerberg

2. Concertino No.3 for ensemble ("Nonet for 3 trios")
Composed by Hans Holewa
Performed by Gunilla von Bahr, Per-Olof Gillblad, Eva Nordwall, Zahari Tchavdarov, Hans Samuelsson

3. Suoni d'un flauto for alto flute, Op. 6
Composed by Ake Hermansson
Performed by Gunilla von Bahr

4. Flauto d'inverno for bass flute, Op. 16
Composed by Ake Hermansson
Performed by Gunilla von Bahr

5. Stämma blod, for male chorus
Composed by Per-Gunnar Alldahl

6. Closeness, for clarinet & piano
Composed by Sven-David Sandstrom
Performed by Mats Persson, Kjell-Inge Stevensson

7. Poem in the Dark, for mezzo-soprano, flute, trombone, double bass, & percussion
Composed by Lars-Erik Rosell
Performed by Seppo Asikainen, Gunilla von Bahr, Christer Torge, Martin Bergstrand
Conducted by Stig Westerberg

8. Pezzi (3) for organ
Composed by Hans Eklund
Performed by Hans Fagius

9. Monologue No. 4 for saxophone
Composed by Erland von Koch
Performed by Pekka Savijoki

10. Chamber Music, for electronics
Composed by Ragnar Grippe
Performed by Ragnar Grippe

11. Capriccio, for electronics
Composed by Ragnar Grippe
Performed by Ragnar Grippe

Contemporary Swedish Music, Music, Hans Samuelsson, Kjell-Inge Stevensson, Per-Gunnar Alldahl, Hans Eklund, Ragnar Grippe, Ake Hermansson, Hans Holewa, Erland von Koch, Moses Pergament, Lars-Erik Rosell, Sven-David Sandstrom, Stig Westerberg, Martin Bergstrand, Musica Sveciae, Gunilla von Bahr, Eva Nordwall, Per-Olof Gillblad, Hans Fagius, Seppo Asikainen, Mats Persson, Pekka Savijoki, Christer Torge, Zahari Tchavdarov, Chamber, Chamber Music, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Concerto, Electronic/Avant-Garde/Minimalist Music, Keyboard, Music for Keyboard, Solo Voice(s) and Small Ensemble, Vocal

Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs
Average customer rating:

Better than I thought

Another Good Greatest Hits Collection but I'd Recommend For Those With No Albums to Get Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus Instead

Great!

Probably the best Swedish pop/rock band besides ABBA

Blast from the past

Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs
Roxette
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sweden | Scandinavia | Europe | International | Styles | Music
General | Pop | Styles | Music
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Swedish Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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Roxbox 1986-2006

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One Wish

ASIN: B000H5TVO4
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Tracks:

One Wish
The Look
Dressed For Success
Listen To Your Heart
Dangerous
It Must Have Been Love
Joyride
Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)
Spending My Time
How Do You Do!
Almost Unreal
Sleeping In My Car
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Run To You
Wish I Could Fly
Stars
The Centre Of The Heart
Milk And Toast And Honey
A Thing About You
Reveal

Amazon.com

Imagine a poppier Pat Benatar fronting a more dance-oriented Berlin—big vocals, big beats, big guitars--and you're just about there. Like fellow Swedes ABBA in the 1970s and A-Ha in the 1980s, platinum pixie Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle generate a bright, glossy sound that transcends borders. In 20 years, they've sold 45 million albums and 25 million singles, including four number ones. A Collection of Roxette Hits overlooks their 1986 debut Pearls of Passion and 1997's Baladas en Español in favor of their biggest international triumphs. All told: 12 album cuts, four singles, two remixes ("Dressed for Success" and "It Must Have Been Love"), and two new tracks ("One Wish" and "Reveal"). There are no real surprises, but Roxette has a few tricks up their shiny sleeves, like the harmonica solo in "Dangerous" (1988's Look Sharp!) and the children's chorus on "Stars" (1999's Have a Nice Day). This hook-filled collection is a fine overview for both old and new fans alike. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Album Description

Their 20 greatest songs. EMI. 2006.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered 20th Anniversary Anthology Celebrating that in Spring 1986, Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson Decided to Record a Single Together, "Neverending Love". They Called Themselves Roxette and that was the Beginning of a Fantastic Career with Over 46 Million Albums and 25 Million Singles Sold. "Roxette Hits" features their Greatest Hits and Two New Songs Recorded in Summer, 2006. One of Those Two, "One Wish", was Chosen as the First Single Released from the Album, which also Includes "Joyride", "it Must have Been Love" (Featuring in the Motion Picture "Pretty Woman"), "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time)", "Sleeping in My Car" and Many More.

Customer Reviews:

Better than I thought.......2007-06-08

I wanted to buy something that I would like to listen when I'm not alone in my car. Well, those 20 Greatest songs work. When I'm alone driving, I usually listen to Slayer, Sepultura, Sodom..... but with my wife, well... you know.... the first time that I played this cd with "company" in my car, I saw everyone following the music with their head, hands and legs, so I though "Perfect". If you want some easy-listening music, this cd is the chosen one....

Another Good Greatest Hits Collection but I'd Recommend For Those With No Albums to Get Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus Instead.......2007-06-03

Another great collection of 20 Roxette Hits but if you've got their other albums or even just their previous greatest hits collection Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus : Roxette's Greatest Hits there's not much new here for you. The cover insert of Don't Bore Us comes with the lyrics as well to their songs which this album insert doesn't do.

The only difference this album has song wise is that it includes songs from albums released after their album Crash Boom Bang which obviously since they weren't released yet didn't make it onto Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus. So if you haven't got (or haven't even heard of as they weren't that successfully promoted) the albums Have a Nice Day and Room Service or have bought the song A Thing About You that was the single release on another subsequent greatest hits album called Ballad Hits then this will give you the released songs from those albums. The 20th song (Reveal) is also a new release for this album but none of these songs are as good as their classic songs. I'd get Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus instead as it has more of their big songs than this greatest hits album if you're only going to buy one Roxette album. Otherwise they are a sensational band and I'd just buy all their independent albums and not worry about buying greatest hits albums at all!

Great!.......2007-03-31

I bought this CD because I loved the songs when I was a kid. What memories they bring back!

Probably the best Swedish pop/rock band besides ABBA.......2007-03-22

I say "probably the best Swedish pop/rock band besides ABBA" because I can't say I know a lot about Swedish music. However, I rate ABBA as one of the all time great bands, and probably the best pop group of all time [I rate The Beatles as the best group of all time and value them for their really weird songs...which aren't particularly pop]...so for Roxette to be compared favourably to them is a big call on my part.

Probably the main reason I bought this compilation was for the song "Fading like a flower". On the odd occasions I've heard this song, I've really enjoyed it. Listening to it for the first time on cd here, I can't say that it grabbed me as much as it did back then. However, before I listened to this cd all the way through, I must have listened to this song around a dozen times, which says a lot for me. I've been listening to it repeatedly since I've listened to the whole cd too. This song is back as an all time great pop classic in my estimation...up there with ABBA's best songs, and songs like: "What have I done to deserve this?" by the Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield; "Clocks" by Coldplay; "Do they know it's Christmas" by Band Aid; "Our lips are sealed" by The Go Gos; and, from Australia, "Chemistry" by Mondo Rock and "Green" by Alex Lloyd.

Roxette, apart from being very melodic and catchy popsters, have a harder rock sound than ABBA in their songs. So, in songs like "Fading like a flower" you get a very cool keyboard melody introducing the song, followed by a momentary rock power chord. The chorus to this song is great and the verses are nice too. The song also features some nice changes of pace and cool guitar rhythym in that slow part as well a really nice lead guitar there too.

The other song that I tend to play a lot, though not nearly as much as "Fading like a flower" is "Dressed for success". It features a cool rock guitar sound, catchy chorus and some cool drums.

Another song I quite like is "Dangerous". This is yet another catchy melody song which Roxette are so good at. Usually the female half of Roxette does all the singing, but here the male half has his share of lines. Hadn't really noticed the weird outro to this song before-the man sings some barely intelligible words.

Rest assured that the rest of the album is chock full of catchy pop/rock, which I won't delve into too much, suffice to say that Americans might rate some of Roxette's ballads higher than I do...songs like "Listen to your heart" which isn't a fave of mine and "It must have been love", which I wasn't expecting to like but on hearing it here it did have a lyrical charm to it.

As for the rest, I'll just mention songs that had me relating them to songs by other artists, e.g. something else that Roxette has in common with ABBA is songs with daggy lyrics, these would include: "Joyride", "Spending my time" [more so for mediations on relationships than being daggy], "Almost unreal" [back to dag central here]. "A thing about you" also features one of those trippy effects that The Beatles were so fond of. It's in the intro of this song whereas The Beatles liked to use stuff like this for outros.

Other songs which remind me of other artists: "How do you do" [The Beatles' version of "Twist and shout" can be heard in this song]; "Crash! Boom! Bang!" [Dusty Springfield]; "The centre of the heart" [Savage Garden]; and "Run to you", which had a guitar vibe which reminded me of Weddings, Parties, Anything's song "Monday's experts", which is, granted, more of a stretch for Roxette to have been influenced by.

The songs towards the end of this cd are not the kind of pop/rock that fills most of the preceding tracks. Best examples of that are "Crash! Boom! Bang!" and "Wish I could fly". The latter has a nice mellow, cool vibe to it. "Stars" is also a more dance orientated song...it features a trippy intro and tinny techno beat.

Another thing to recommend this band are that they widen the musical instruments that they use, e.g. instruments that sound like music box pianos, organs, steel string guitars and violins.

If you like catchy pop songs, you should love this album, so long as you don't mind the band's forays into rock for entire songs or parts of songs.

P.S. One possible criticism of this cd is that it, according to the sleeve notes, I think, does NOT have some of Roxette's songs which charted in Europe. On the upside, the new songs on this cd are surprisingly good...I mean they are not classics, but they are much better than you would expect such new songs lumped together into a best of compilation to be.

I did neglect to mention perhaps Roxette's biggest hit, The Look. Whilst this song has many good hooks/elements to it, the lyric "tasted like a raindrop", sung about a woman, remains a hurdle for me liking this song better! I.e. it sounds a rather naff lyric!

If you like this cd, you might want to read my reviews of other albums with a good pop sensibility, e.g.

Midnight Oil for masterful pop/rock. Politics never sounded so good.
Alex Lloyd-Amazing: The Best Of
The Go Gos
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Skyhooks
INXS

Blast from the past.......2007-03-09

This is a wonderful collection of Roxette Hits. It keeps you moving and is great to work out to.

Average customer rating:

Pop Perfection
First CD I ever bought., even before I owned a CD player!
top sign
The Sign...
One of the rare albums to find

The Sign
Ace of Base
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Euro Dance | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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The Bridge
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Ace Of Base - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002VNS
Release Date: 1993-11-23

Tracks:

All That She Wants
Don't Turn Around
Young And Proud
The Sign
Living In Danger
Dancer In A Daydream
Wheel Of Fortune
Waiting For Magic (Total Remix 7')
Happy Nation
Voulez-Vous Danser
My Mind (Mindless Mix)
All That She Wants (Banghra Version)

Customer Reviews:

Pop Perfection.......2007-05-11

When their first U.S. single, "All that She Wants" was released and all over the airwaves, I didn't think much about Ace of Base at all, I just wan't into that reggae-pop sound. My best friend purchased their cd (we were both still in high school at the time) he gave me a copy that he had recorded onto cassette(remember those?) After hearing tracks such as "Young and Proud", Voulez Vous Dancer" and "My Mind" I fell instantly in love with the album. I am a lover of dance/club music and more than half of the tunes on this album are upbeat europop tracks - usually around the 120 bpm range. A few weeks later I was in the record shop and found the import version of The Sign cd but in Europe it is labled as "Happy Nation - U.S. Version". I picked it up, and noticing that it had extra tracks that were left off the the U.S. version (typical) I snatched it up and haven't regretted it yet. It included an extra track called "Fashion Party" that is very similar to "My Mind" and one entitled "Hear Me Calling" which is another upbeat-dance oriented track. The import version also includes the Moody Gold Club edit version of "Happy Nation," another great track - one of the few reggae -tinged tracks that I like from the cd aside from Wheel of Fortune. I listed to the cd so much that it finally just gave out, not bad for being 12 years old and being played constantly. Luckily iTunes has the import version available (Happy Nation) for download rather than the less expansive U.S. Version(The Sign). There is also a German version entitled "Happy Nation" that has another two tracks available that aren't on either one of the two previously mentioned (The German version has ablack cover with a large disco ball on it). All of this info is for Die Hard Ace of Base fans such as myself. This cd takes me back to those summer afternoons when I was in high school, either layin on the bed chillin to this disc, or cruisin around in the car with the sunroof open, windows down and music up! This cd is definately in my top ten all time fav cds, right up there with Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor and Confessions Tour cds.

First CD I ever bought., even before I owned a CD player!.......2007-03-03

Okay, maybe in 2007 it's cheesy to gush over the first CD you ever bought. Well, I'm going to do it anyway. I had a pretty good collection, on cassette, of new wave / synth-pop music, like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Erasure, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Yaz, etc. But then, The Sign came out, and I thought buying it on cassette wouldn't do this awesome album justice. So, not even owning a CD player, I bought it on CD.

Yes, like other reviewers stated, The Sign is an album that brings back good memories. I remember going to parties where someone would invariably give it a spin, and discussing with friends which tracks I liked the best. I enjoyed even the songs that they never played on the radio, like Young and Proud, and Waiting For Magic. It is interesting how people with different tastes in music (rap, new wave, Top 40) all had this one album in common.

Alas, this is a souvenir of a time long passed, the early 90's. Unfortunately, Ace of Base did not become the next ABBA, as some in the music industry speculated. Their second album, The Bridge, flopped, and soon CDs of their first and second albums started turning up in bargain bins. An attempt to regain popularity with a cover of Bananarama's Cruel Summer proved unsuccessful. It didn't help that the original song was still on many radio stations' playlists.

For a brief instant, though, Ace of Base reigned supreme.

top sign.......2007-02-21

this is a great cd. i just listen to it over and over. i had it on cassette when it came out first and just had to get it on cd. it brings back fantastic memories from college and a great mate.

The Sign..........2007-02-03

Yes, I saw "The Sign" and finally bought it after all these years. The Ace of Base prove themselves as a good (modern) Pop Group. Danceable tunes and decent ballads.

One of the rare albums to find.......2007-01-26

I searched for it on Napster and even itunes, but I finally found it here at Amazon. I really enjoy this album because it has some old songs and every body know and like them.

Average customer rating:

Sissel Into Paradise
now I'm in paradise
Angel like voice & face
Sissel "Into Paradise"
Sissel - gifted Norwegian artist

Into Paradise

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Odyssey

ASIN: B000E0OETY
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Tracks:

Dusk (Velkomne Med Aera)
Bachianas Brasileiras
Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme (Sleepers Awake)
Dido's Lament
In Paradisum (Into Paradise)
Sancta Maria
Vitae Lux
Ingen Vinner Frem
Bereden Vferran
Marble Halls
Adagio
Like An Angel Passing Through My Room

Album Description

With a unique voice that defies all labels, Sissel can turn her hand to any style of music, from operatic arias and centuries-old classical melodies to traditional folk and pop. USA Today raved Sissel has "one of the most exquisite voices..." and with her new album Into Paradise, she continues to showcases her angelic voice. "My heart is in beautiful music," she says. "Music that touches me." Into Paradise is the follow-up to the 2004 release of My Heart and her 2002 self-titled debut. A PBS Concert Special of the same name was taped in Dalhalla, Sweden, to air on select PBS stations across the nation in March 2006 with tour dates to follow.

Sissel's ethereal voice, coupled with sweeping orchestral melodies, is once again on display with this new recording. Into Paradise was recorded in Norway with the internationally renowned Trondheim Soloists and reflects her passion for music in all its many varied forms. Mozart and Bach rub shoulders with Puccini, while Abba jostles for attention alongside Norse folk tales that have been handed down from generations. Among the performances are "Wachet Auf" by Bach, the otherworldly "Marble Halls" and the haunting "Sancta Maria." Sissel remarked, "I called this program and album Into Paradise because of the blissful feeling I get when I sing these songs. I hope that you will have the same feeling when you join me as we go Into Paradise."

The captivating Scandinavian superstar Sissel has performed at the 1994 Winter Olympics, the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony with Josh Groban, and on Good Morning America with Placido Domingo. Her voice also graces one of the biggest-selling film soundtracks of all time--Titanic. Her first PBS TV special All Good Things was a hit in 2003, spawning her own headlining U.S. tour that garnered critical acclaim. The Chicago Sun-Times dubbed Sissel the "hottest new voice of classical-pop." Of her last album, My Heart, the Philadelphia Daily News stated that she may be the "next Josh Groban" and the Associated Press thought she sang with "pure, effortless style." Recently Sissel toured the world as the lead vocalist in the Howard Shore's Lord of the Rings Symphony concerts and co-headlined several concert dates with friend and past collaborator Placido Domingo. Look for Sissel to launch another U.S. tour in Spring 2006.

Customer Reviews:

Sissel Into Paradise.......2007-01-30

Absolutely gorgeous CD! Sisel sings like an angel! I was completely absorbed into her music. One of the best CD's I have ever listened to.

now I'm in paradise.......2007-01-25

Sissel is amazing on her latest CD. I've met her in person and she is just as dazzling out of the studio as in. Her voice is so pure and soul searching and yet happy. Be ready for some ear candy with this CD! It is what I have playing in my CD player in my car, full volume!

Angel like voice & face.......2007-01-22

I bought this cd on the strength of her live concert in SLC, Utah with the Morman Tabernacle Choir. It was impossible to not fall in love with this beautiful, bell-like, effortless voice. As well, she is very easy on the eye and a joy to watch her sing.

Sissel "Into Paradise".......2007-01-22

Sissel is an exquisite vocalist. This collection will take you "Into Paradise."

Sissel - gifted Norwegian artist.......2007-01-17

I love Sissel's equisite, clear voice. These songs beautifully sung. She has such a vocal range and depth. I would recommend Into Paradise for anyone who loves sacred music.

Average customer rating:

A great rock album
This is the One
It all has to start somewhere.
This is why it took me so long to discover Roxette
The best roxette cd that I have found!!!!

Look Sharp!
Roxette
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Euro Dance | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus : Roxette's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002UTT
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Look
Dressed For Success
Sleeping Single
Paint
Dance Away
Cry
Chances
Dangerous
Half A Woman, Half A Shadow
View From A Hill
(I Could Never) Give You Up
Shadow Of A Doubt
Listen To Your Heart

Customer Reviews:

A great rock album.......2007-05-04

This has been one of my favorites & was very glad to purchase on CD. The music is timeless & is now favorite to another generation of kids. Wonderful.

This is the One.......2007-03-26

I grew up in the 80's and 90's when Ace of Base, Snap!, Michael Jackson, Cranberries, Bon Jovi, Roxette and various others were huge.
Back then you couldn't survive as an artist unless you had some real quality music to offer, which today seems somewhat rare.

After the Roxette hype was over I kept listening to Roxette tapes on and off for the next decade or so- until I realized, and I remember being so amazed that almost every song I had on these tapes was a Masterpiece and instead of getting bored from repeated listening I started to love these songs more and more.
So I decided to buy their albums on CDs and have been a fan ever since.

I think all of these songs deserve more then 5 stars, all of them are brilliant!
Just to name a few: "Paint" one of the most beautiful songs I ever heard, "Chances" this is Roxette's fastest song and at the same time I would say one of their top 10, considering that they made way over 100 exceptional songs this is brilliant, "Dance Away" really gets into your head, sexy how Marie sings it, "Shadow Of A Doubt" a prime example of why people love Maries voice!

In my opinion it doesn't come better then Look Sharp!
If I had to choose just one album in the world this would be the One.
Nough said.

It all has to start somewhere........2006-10-21

I'm a longtime Roxette fan (had Joyride when I was 10 and wore the tape down to tatters) and then again with Have A Nice Day, which made me a permanent fan and made me look into their full catalogue. This features such classics as - besides the above mentionent imminent Joyride and Have A Nice Day - Crash! Boom! Bang! (excellent), Room Service (very good) and Tourism (excellent), not to mention a number of fantastic compilation CDs. Latest, I turned to this, their first proper album (not counting Pearls Of Passion), and as I expected, this album showed to be below par with their later albums.

The album is very divided actually, between some *really* good songs, and then some *really* bad songs. The good ones include classics The Look, Dressed For Success, Dangerous, and Listen To Your Heart, but also less known tracks like the ballad Cry, and the uptempo Sleeping Single and (I Could Never) Give You Up, that all stand the test of time and still stand out as keepers. Paint is not a brilliant track, but it has qualities that justifies its inclusion on the album.

The rest of the tracks all sound terribly much like dated 80's songs. Shadow Of A Doubt is probably the best of the bunch, but it's not very good, and Dance Away, Chances (this was actually first single!), Half A Woman, Half A Shadow and View From A Hill are either so horrible or so forgettable that they should never have made it anywhere near an album.

So, if you're a completist, you should get this album, and if you only have the compilation Cds, you will even find a couple of good tracks here you probably didn't know. But the album itself is not really good, and if you only go for the good stuff, it's pretty much all included on the recent Roxbox (unfortunately not counting (I Could Never) Give You Up). So no, I won't recommend this CD.

This is why it took me so long to discover Roxette.......2006-10-03

It was this CD that was released back in the late 1980's. Sure, there a couple of catchy tunes on this disc that were big hits, but to me it sounds like it was all done on a single keyboard. I guess I just don't get into the all-synth sound.

So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that Roxette continued to exist and to grow from this point and to turn out some genuinely brilliant power-pop music with guitars and the whole shootin' match! The more obscure the Roxette CD is, it seems the better it is, culminating in "Have a Nice Day" which is virtually unknown in the US and has to be purchased as an expensive import.

So, I'm not trying to "diss" Roxette here, I'm just saying that if you think that Roxette was a one-hit-wonder and this was it, you couldn't be much further away from the truth. Look and listen to the later Roxette releases and they may just blow you away.

And, since you can get this used for less than a buck plus shipping, why not get it too?

The best roxette cd that I have found!!!!.......2006-07-08

It is worth your money if you like roxette, belive me!!!! It is fantastic!

Average customer rating:

GREAT CD
Great CD
Needs More Praise Then It Received
Only 2 real good songs
Fabulous Ace Of Base!

Ace Of Base - Greatest Hits
Ace of Base
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Euro Dance | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Swedish Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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Platinum & Gold Collection
Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus : Roxette's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00002SWLP
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Tracks:

All that She Wants
The Sign
Everytime It Rains
Beautiful Life
Cruel Summer
Don't Turn Around
Lucky Love (Acoustic Version)
Always Have, Always Will
Life is a Flower
C'est La Vie
Lucky Love (Frankie Knuckles Mix)
Beautiful Life (Junior Vasquez Mix)

Customer Reviews:

GREAT CD.......2006-08-23

This CD has their original great songs & tracks I hadn't heard prior to this purchase. It includes some great dance tunes!

Great CD.......2006-06-29

If you like The Sign and The Bridge, you will love this CD. It has popular tracks from each CD, as well as some other tracks like Cruel Summer.

Needs More Praise Then It Received .......2006-04-28

I honestly don't understand why people insist this is such a mediocre album. After all, these are Ace of Base's biggest hits, they would not necessarily be on here if people didn't listen to them.

1. All That She Wants - (4/5) One of their first big hits in the U.S. Very simplistic song with infectious reggae beats.
2. The Sign - (5/5) Another big hit for them that made them huge in the U.S. (In the 90's anyway.) Once again, very simple lyrics to go with the simple lyrics. Not the best vocals from Jenny or Linn, but still a worthy song.
3. Everytime It Rains - (6/5) First, mad props for making it more upbeat and danceable. The album version on Cruel Summer is horrible. This should have been a release in the U.S. I don't think it would have created the splash that "The Sign" did, but still would have done nicely on the Dance Charts. Lyrics are sometimes silly. ("I feel you, I taste you, I cannot forget, Everytime it rains, I get wet").
4. Beautiful Life - (6/5) Their first single from The Bridge and a great one at that. The quartet left the reggae beats behind for a more infectious piano intro that goes straight into dancing bliss. Another excellent single which should have done better than the Top 20 in the U.S.
5. Cruel Summer - (3/5) The mediocre cover that saw their status on the charts fading. Granted it was their last Top 10 hit, it didn't cause the uproar they wanted for their third album. The song, though danceable, sounds way too much like filler.
6. Don't Turn Around - (4/5) It's kind of odd considering that all their singles from The Sign are first on the listing, but I guess it's good to come back to their trite formula of simple lyrics and the reggae beats. Usually I skip this one though.
7. Lucky Love - (5/5) At first, I was upset because it was the Acoustic Version so I listened to the dance one. But this one is so much better than the remix! It's simple again, but appreciated so much more! Great single from them!
8. Always Have, Always Will - (5/5) A definate favorite of mine. It sounds like the hey day's of the 60's which sounds great for their style of music. Wasn't released in the U.S. as a single which was a shame because I think listeners would have appreciated their diversity.
9. Life Is A Flower - (6/5) An excellent ballad which went flat on Cruel Summer as "Whenever You Need Me." That single bombed in the U.S. which is a clear sign that "Life Is A Flower" has more powerful lyrics and has some of the best vocals from Jenny and Linn. Truly inspirational song with inspiration lyrics like "We live in a free world, I whistle down the wind, Carry on smiling, and the world will smile with you,"
10. C'est La Vie (Always 21) - (6/5) Sounds like Always Have, but is so much better! Lyrics are a little simple but the beat is what really makes this song worthwhile! The bubbly 60's pop is instant ear candy!
11. Lucky Love (Remix) - (2/5) I used to appreciate the remix better than the Acoustic, but I think this version shatters the emotion from the song. It's a very mellow song which shouldn't be floor filler in clubs.
12. Beautiful Life (Remix) - (1/5) This 8 or so minute remix was not necessary. They could have thrown some better material in here, like the songs we missed from Flowers (i.e. "Life Is A Flower" "Into The Sun" and "Captain Nemo.")

Rumor has it that Ace of Base is working on their next album and I can't wait! This is a great way for people who either are oblivious to the group to get a feel for them or for people who just love pop music.

Only 2 real good songs.......2006-01-03

This is the American version of the greatest hits, which means its not as good. I suggest you get Singles of the 90's over this. I only gave this 2 stars cuz of "Life is a flower" and "C'est la vie", i really like those songs otherwise i would have given it a zero.

1. Life is a flower (10/10) the original version of "Whenever you're near me", released outside of America only. I love this version, it has pure euro-pop all over it but is a great song. the chorus rocks.

2. C'est la vie (8/10) Good song, not the best but still good.

3. Always have always will (7/10) Good song, sounds sorta like a christmas tune.

4. Lucky love (Acoustic version)(5/10) the original is the best. i dont like this version much.

5. Lucky love (Dance mix) (0/10) the song "Living in danger" is taken from this song. listen to the two and you'll see. i dont like this version either cuz its bland.

6. Beautiful life (remix) (0/10) Long and boring

I suggest you get singles of the 90's over this trash. dont even buy this.

Fabulous Ace Of Base!.......2005-08-04

I had to have some Ace of Base in my collection. I got this title and am completely satisfied with it. It is filled to the brim with hits! Can't go wrong here.

Average customer rating:

Great Music
The most Beautiful Music in the World
Awesome Powerpop
P-O-P Heaven
Happy Ride

Joyride
Roxette
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus : Roxette's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002UWP
Release Date: 1991-03-26

Tracks:

Joyride
Hotblooded
Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)
Knockin' On Every Door
Spending My Time
I Remember You
Watercolours In The Rain
The Big L.
Soul Deep
(Do You Get) Excited?
Church Of Your Heart
Small Talk
Physical Fascination
Things Will Never Be The Same
Perfect Day

Customer Reviews:

Great Music.......2007-05-04

Another of my favorites, great music for long car ride. My children are now enjoying. Wonderful love songs & vocals.

The most Beautiful Music in the World.......2007-04-16

Besides the ultracool roxers like "Knockin' on Every Door" and
"Physical Fascination" just to name a few,
what stands out for me above all is the beauty
of the songs; "Watercolors in the Rain", "Spending my Time",
"Perfect Day"......all of them.

I am always surprised how much I still love this album after
over 15 years of listening!
I wonder why? And the answer is: I don't know.

Awesome Powerpop.......2006-06-07

If you have never been introduced to Roxette this album is from when they were in their hey day and sold over 10 million copies so its gotta be worth a look.
The great thing about this album is practically every song on it could be a single. In fact I sometimes wonder why some of the other songs aren't.
Joyride is classic bubblegum powerpop with that trademark whistle and the wonderful balloons. Great hooklines.
Hotblooded is an overlooked single - it really rocks, and has a kind of blues souly feel to it. Harmonica is awesome.
Fading Like A Flower - another single, slow at first launching into great powerpop
Knocking On Ervery Door - This is a cool song swith a funky beat. Could make you dance. Cool lyrics. Could have been a single too.
Spending My Time - Beautifully melancholic, great vocals, bittwersweet, a good remix of this can be found on the Rarities album by the way.
I Remember You - Quite a rocky number, but also blues soul influences too.
Watercolours in the Rain - Marie wrote this song and from listening to it it really is a pity she hasn't written more. This is one of my all time favourites. It has a beautiful feel to it. One of their best ballads ever. Should have been a single.
The Big L - Rocky power pop. The video is quite porno i have to say.
Soul Deep - Soul deep exactly. Originally on Pearls of Passion their first album, re-released for international market.
Do you get Excited - another beautiful song. Ballad.
Church of your Heart - Another favourite. This song has great guitar on it and Per is great on it. It grew on me this one.
Small Talk - Souly number
Physical Fascination - This is a really funky song. Bowie-ish in some respects. Its kinda different.
Things Will Never Be the Same - Awesome Powerpop with a flamencoish feel to it in some places.
Perfect Day - One of my all time favourites. I think this is also one of Marie's favourite to sing. It is apparently a very hard one to sing. It is a real beauty. Should have been a single. Great closer to the album.
The song order is well arranged on the album to take you through a great journey.
Enjoy

P-O-P Heaven.......2006-05-27

Thinking back now, I realize how truly blessed I was to be coming of age and be able to buy my own records precisely in 1991. Sit back and reflect for a moment and I'm sure those of you who entered their teenage years around that time can recall a veritable barrage of amazing ambums from that particular year: Nirvana's Nevermind, Metallica's Black Album, Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion 1+2 & Michael Jackson's Dangerous (which spawned more singles than any album I can remember) and a host of Greatest-albums from artists like Queen, among others. And here in Denmark, where I'm from, rockers DAD released their pinnacle album, Riskin' It All. Now, alongside all of those there was a plucky duo (duette) from Sweden who were determined to claim their piece of the pie. They were & are Roxette and Joyride was the album with which they accomplished just that. My story with this record is like many you all can tell. I was visiting a friend and suddenly he says 'Hey I got something you should hear' and proceeds to put on Fading Like A Flower. I'm a sucker for power ballads, always will be, and needless to say I was hooked and sang it all the way home. So, inevitably, I bought the album (on Cassette, no less - I would switch to CD's the following year) thinking that if there was just a couple more songs as great as Fading on there I would like it. I started playing it...and then I found myself completely and helplessly unable to stop playing it! I simply fell in love with practically every single track on that damn thing - and now, 15 years later, I still get a kick out of putting it on. If THAT's not the definition of great music then I'll gladly admit that I've missed something. Yes, there are a couple of fun filler tracks but it's also very varied album and the percentage of great songs is nothing short of astounding! I would not hesitate to proclaim this one of the great pop records of all time. And in a way, I'm glad that Roxette decided to mature their sound after this. Because I honestly can't see how even they could have begun to try and top this...
So, in closing, if you're looking for a fun, energetic pop/rock album that features great songwriting to boot, then hunt this up. You shouldn't be dissapointed.

Happy Ride.......2006-05-17

I bought the tape, when tape was still available!, in 1991, when I was [...]. That was 15 years ago!! As I read the reviews and hear the music, it brings me memories of how much I love this album. It is my very first album I ever bought. I saw the video for joyride, and liked the chorus very much. I didn't know there were so many hits on this album. Fading like a flower, excellent ballad. Church of the Heart, another excellent song. Excellent guitar arrangement, in my opinion. the Big L, catchy chorus. I used to listen to this tape to fall asleep. I think that's why this is one of the reasons why I like it, it is almost inbedded in my head. I would recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Don't let the lack of air play fool you.
I highly recommend this great album!
Beautiful recording
Some creative pizzazz and what not
Bridge ~ Ace of Base

The Bridge
Ace of Base
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ace Of Base - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002VPV
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Beautiful Life
Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry
Lucky Love (Acoustic Version)
Edge Of Heaven
Strange Ways
Ravine
Perfect World
Angel Eyes
My Deja Vu
Wave Wet Sand
Que Sera
Just 'N' Image
Experience Pearls
Whispers In Blindness
Blooming 18

Customer Reviews:

Don't let the lack of air play fool you........2007-05-15

This album didn't get nearly as much attention in the states as the debut album 'The Sign' did, but if you were a fan of that album you'll probably like this one as well. The album is catchy throughout and there are a few great tunes on there as well. Overall I felt is was on par with their first album in most every respect other than the lack of promotion and sales relative to their first record breaking album.

I highly recommend this great album!.......2006-09-13

Ace of Base came out of nowhere in the early 1990s, and swept to worldwide fame. Their first album, The Sign, is in the Guinness Book of Records as the best selling debut every, with 23 million copies sold. Their second album, The Bridge (1995) was another great album, which sold over 5 million copies - OK, it's a lot less than The Sign, but it's still the kind of sales most bands only dream of.

The Bridge was a great album, with lots of great tunes, including a couple of my favorites - Beautiful Life and Que Sera. This particular CD is a Japanese reissue that has the album's original sixteen tracks, plus two extras! Overall, I found this to be a great album, with great sound, and even better performances. If you like Ace of Base, then this is a great album that you should buy. I highly recommend this great album!

Beautiful recording.......2006-07-22

This summer has definitely led me to rediscover some old music favorites of the 90's. One of these rediscoveries has been Ace of Base, and particularly, their second album THE BRIDGE. I actually got this for Christmas back in '95, but I think I was just too young to truly appreciate the quality of this album. It seemed that back then I would just listen to the album until maybe track 9 and then change the CD. I am glad that now I've realized what gems songs like "Angel Eyes," "Experience Pearls," and "Que Sera" are. It is also very nice that Jenny and Linn's vocals are much clearer here than on THE SIGN, not to mention the huge improvement in song writing. It is a shame this album didn't become as popular as THE SIGN. Out of their three albums released in the U.S., this is absolutely their greatest one.

Some creative pizzazz and what not.......2006-05-24

Beautiful Life- Talk about an optimistic song! Ace of Base songs are fun, and they are not likely to be so deep because they only like happy stuff. This album is an interesting effort as they try to use some middle eastern influence throughout the album, and they throw in some songs with great melodies and intersting production
value.

Beautiful life, the piano melody is bright, shiny, and iridescent. The beat is nice. They need to try some more faster songs like this, or go even faster. The people who did not like this song probably hated how it was overly happy, but one can really enjoy the bright, crisp melody and the uptemp beat on this number.

Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry, I'm surprised it was released as a single. The lyrics are corny and not that great, and the production is unique. I guess they just wanted to try to seem more versatile with this release. The video is a rock remix, which does not really sound better or worse, just a bit different. Basically, there is just more base.

The Lucky Love acoustic song is a great addition to the album. I personally like the produced version better, but there is nothing wrong with the acoustic version.

Edge of Heaven I love almost as much as Wheel of Fortune. It should have been their 3rd release. Definitely better than Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry. The only reason I like WOF more is because of the sound effects right after "hatched baby." The sounds are like a really short plucky duck I guess. You'd have to hear it. Edge of Heaven has a soothing pop melody with touches of Arabic sounds throughout to make it sound cool, but not too traditional. It still sounds modern, and that is what makes this song stick out. I think it's a great melody combination. The lyrics don't really say much, but I like how they attempt to tell a story. "Edge of Heaven" really sounds like a very brief catchy phrase for me. It has enough of what I like to make it a great song.

Strange Ways has a nice moderate beat with Obvious middle eastern influence again, but the melody was kept the same too much to make it a potential hit probably.

Ravine stars Jenny as the main creator and singer. It's a personal song with deep meaning for her about realizing that just because she became so big time popular does not mean she has to become a snob. The song shows that she learned her lesson, and that she now tries to enjoy her life for what it is and being nice to others simultaneously. It's one of the few Ace of Base songs which sound darker, but still have hope. I'd like to hear some more darker songs even if they are fake, to keep more interest in their songs. If all their songs are always too happy go lucky, then it seems too corny.

Perfect World has a catchy partially pop, partially techno tune. After awhile though, there's something about this one that just makes me feel like the tune is no longer catchy enough, and the lyrics flatten out on me as they repeat. Repeating lyrics can be okay, but in this case, there's no real good story, and not much of a "coolness factor" like in Wheel of Fortune. The song is basically about how a perfect world cannot exist because otherwise no children would be crying, but they are laughing, people are falling in love everywhere, and that time would "stand still" meaning that it would not really mean anything.

Angel Eyes holds beautiful production. It's a love at first sight ballad.

Deja Vu is about someone who loves someone else so much that it's an obsession. A poppy melody with a Spanish guitar. A different and great effort by Ace of Base, and being one of the "sticker songs" on a 5 song sticker, they were considering this instead of Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry. Not a bad song at all, it just may not have had the sound/mainstream sound many people want.

Wave Wet Sand is a play on the Don't Turn Around video. Any Acer (ace of base fan/fanatic) can figure or already knows this. I like the sequel idea, even though the song doesn't hold any water for potential hit power. There's nothing really striking about the sound, but the poetry of the lyrics is pretty good for trying to describe a person's feeling after the break-up in Don't Turn Around.

Que Sera may have been a good release in France or Canada. I don't know how foreign countries who don't have French would take this song, even though "que sera" simply means "what it's going to be," in which the English phrase is also sung.

Just N'Image I love personally. It's a song Lynn did on her own, and it has a great rhythm and production to it. The lyrics are neat with little things like "Mr. Pain" and rhymes such as "lying on the floor, crying needing more." What people don't seem to care about the song if they don't like it is either the production isn't anything interesting to them, or the lyrics don't really say anything overall besides that some mean stranger is begging for forgiveness or power and prestige, and it is about ignoring the mean person.

Experience Pearls is one of my least favorite Ace of Base songs. In Your Mind is worse, because this attempts to have some sensibility and creativity, and actual music in it. The phrase "experience pearls" is dumb because you cannot "experience" a pearl literally. Of course, it's meant to be taken figuratively,
Since pearls are beautiful and precious, by "experiencing" them you are enjoying goodness in life rather than being very untrusting. It's an interesting subject to tackle, but it comes off as quite awkward. Also, "pearls of experience" sounds tacky like it's thrown in there to make the song sound a bit better, but doesn't really mean a lot to me.

I don't get the "trees are whispering" part in Whispers in Blindness. But for most people turned off by this song is due more to the production of it. The production is dark sounding and kind of boring as it does not change. It does not change because it fits in well with the lyrics and follows the flow of the lyrics well.

Blooming 18 is another Sticker song, and an interesting techno marching song. Takes the ideas of Young and Proud, and incorporates some witty lyrics such as "You tattoes yourself like a piece of art You've already broken your mother's heart When I was your age, working my ass off Your generation's soft." "Reality" is repeated too much in this song, but otherwise maybe would've made for a very interesting release.

Bridge ~ Ace of Base.......2005-09-15

Bridge~ Ace of Base being their sophmore album is a very nice pop album with lyrics are ok if a bit poorly written at times. However, their vocals are quite polished and the synth sounds are quite well picked even though the drum sounds sound a bit to midi like. The cover is as far as the photo but the clothes they wear are boring and look like they all shopped at H&M and they look typical boring and so Swedish. Even so this album has some nice tracks like beautifull life and lucky love to mention a few.

A Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs

Average customer rating:

A Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs
Roxette
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000J20CJS
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Tracks:

One Wish
The Look
Dressed For Success
Listen To Your Heart
Dangerous
It Must Have Been Love
Joyride
Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)
Spending My Time
How Do You Do!
Almost Unreal
Sleeping In My Car
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Run To You
Wish I Could Fly
Stars
The Centre Of The Heart
Milk And Toast And Honey
A Thing About You
Reveal

Album Details

Average customer rating:

Point! Click! Buy!
would have been exceptioanal with a couple of minor changes
A Change will do you good
Not as uniform as Joyride or Have A Nice Day, but a great album.
Very Underrated, But Every Bit As Good As Joyride!!

Crash! Boom! Bang!
Roxette
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Joyride
Tourism (Songs from Studios, Stages, Hotelrooms & Other Strange Places)
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Have a Nice Day

ASIN: B000002TPD
Release Date: 1999-08-31

Tracks:

Harleys & Indians (Riders In The Sky)
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Fireworks
Run To You
Sleeping In My Car
Vulnerable
The First Girl On The Moon
Place Your Love
I Love The Sound Of Crashing Guitars
What's She Like?
Do You Wanna Go The Whole Way?
Lies
I'm Sorry
Love Is All (Shine Your Light On Me)
Got To Sleep

Customer Reviews:

Point! Click! Buy!.......2006-11-05

Hey, if you like Roxette's sound at all and you've stumbled into this cd that starts used for about a buck, you really can't go wrong here.

I bought it a few months ago, and about half the songs I like a lot and about half I could do without, and I won't waste your time by going through a track-by-track listing as others have done. But I will say that "Crash Boom Bang" ranks as one of the great Roxette ballads of all time, and "Lies" is one of the catchiest rockers they've ever done.

Oh yeah, and "Love is All" is like the Roxette take on the "Hey Jude" approach where you get into a riff and just run it over and over into the ground. Great stuff!

So, listen to some sound samples, and if you like it at all then you know what to do!

would have been exceptioanal with a couple of minor changes.......2006-09-26

This album seems to fit into three categories for me. The harder rocking songs on the album- HArleys and Indians, which is a reasonable opener. Sleeping in my car, which is ok, but blatantly written to rock up the album which is mainly leaning towards a more ballad approach. 'Lies' which has a good riff and a catchy chorus and the terrible track 'I love the sound of crashing guitars'. The title is poor and the tune is completely unmelodic. The middle eight part 'the six string kick inside' sounds just like the riffs in 'do you get excited', which demonstrates to me this song was also poorly thought out and under developed.

Then there are the mid tempo pop songs. 'Fireworks' is the first of these, an enjoyable Per led verse and even catchier Marie chorus. Understandably released as a single it is quirky. Then there is 'Do you wanna go the whole way', which is so tacky in the lyrical department, I can't really like it too much. It is ok, but with the constant pattern constantly repeating it soon tires, and is a bit of filler really. The only other weakish track except crashing guitars.

The remaining 9 tracks are all ballads and are all successes. There are the orchestrated ballads. 'Crash boom bang' is a nice Marie led ballad with orchestral passages. 'Run to you' is ever so slightly generic, but I really like the acoustic guitars and the orchestral accompaniment. 'Vulnerable' is absolutely beautiful with swooning violins and a nice melody by Per. A lovely song.

Apart from the aforementioned track, the two acoustic ballads are my faves on here. 'first girl on the moon' is a gorgeous acoustic rhythm led ballad, with harmonic and nice piano work. Prob my fave from the album is 'place your love' the melodies and interwoven horn melodies in the instrumental passage here is simply heaven and the lyrics are strong. A fantastic song.

The two sad ballads are also really strong 'What's she like' is the stronger of the two:- Nice awash of keyboards and synthesiser sounds and a good middle eight. 'I'm sorry' is also lovely and has a memorable chorus.

'Love is all' is the first song that Roxette did that is anthem like and almost slightly progressive at the same time. Nice ballad parts of the song, excellent singing and the guitar solo is first class.

'Go to sleep' is a nice closer to the album. A lullaby. Pure and simple.

A fantastic album, but at 15 tracks, it could have been cut. There is no need for Per to have a quota of rock songs on an album, if the ballads are as strong as this. 'Crashing guitars' should have been a B-side, with 'do you wanna go the whole way' and the still only b-side track 'the sweet hello the sad goodbye', their best song ever, should have been included. Reprogramming track 9 as this track, and cutting out track 11, makes a 5 star album of beauty. As it is, this is a 4+

A Change will do you good.......2006-06-07

This album took a while to grow on me. I bought it when I was in Germany, and after Tourism it kind of took a different turn. But after a while, like fine wine it did.
I think it has got less of that blues souly feel that Joyride has, Tourism was almost folky country, this has a more rocky, even metal feel to it, but perhaps I wouldn't go that far. It also has a nice acoustic element to it.
Harleys and Indians - is an awesome opener to the album, could have been a rocky single to make people stand up and take notice, cool lyrics, awesome harmonica. Whats best about Per.
Crash Boom Bang - is beautifully melancholic, funny that it was the title track to the album though. The video to this is awesome and really captures the song. Perhaps if they had called the album Harleys and Indians it would have sold more. But this is a great ballad nevertheless. I must say though that Roxette are too well known for theiir melancholic ballads when their Catchy Rocky songs are just as good and perhaps lyrically better.
Fireworks - This is an underrated single. Cool video on this song. Great lyrics about two girls on a road trip. Could have been an after the fact soundtrack to Thelma and Louise. A folk quirky funky rock song a bit reminiscent of Joyride.
Run To You - I guess there are too many songs called Run To You to have made this a hit. I was a bit surprised this was a single to be honest. But it does conjure up images and has a nice inbetween bit about churches and lonely roads.
Sleeping In My Car - Now this is a rocky song with a cool beat, but I have to say a bit lyrically poor and this is why I would have liked some of the other songs to be the singles. Nevertheless catchy. And it did make it to Number 11 in NZ I think or was it number 20.
Vulnerable - A great song and needed some radio play over here but never got it. A really heartfelt number and Per is great on this with the violins and everything. Nice lyrics. Should have been a hit.
The First Girl On The Moon - Now this is one of the greatest tracks on the album. Would have been a great single. And would have seen girlpower stand up and take notice. Love the dogs at the beginning and the harmonica. Great lyrics. A nice acoustic song.
Place Your Love - I really like this song. It is a bit reminsicent of Friday Im in Love by The Cure, but with Per's stamp. I like the bridge in this song and the guitar riff is neat. Another nice acoustic song.
I Love the Sound of Crashing Guitars - I thought when I first heard this it was a bit dumb but now I think it is not so bad. A tribute I guess to Pete Townshend and I like the lyric "Hey you long haired vintage Jesus.
What's She Like - Now this is a really nice song. Could have been a single. It builds up beautifully to the "I never knew..."
Marie milks the lyrics in this. Heartfelt. Mmmm. Shes at her best here.
Do You Wanna Go The Whole Way - The shaker is interesting on this song. Nice verses - not so sure about the chorus though.
Lies - Quite a rocking song - could have been a single to to make a stir. Both Per and Marie song. Great opening line. Catchy
I'm Sorry - This is a really nice song too. Lyrically nice. Nice bridge again from Per - "Time makes a stop". Remisncent of Queen of Rain a bit. Catchy.
Love is All - Now this is a great song and nice and long. An epic. I wish they did more like this where they dragged it out and milked it for all its worth. Like Meatloaf and Stairway toHeaven and Bohemian Rhapsody and November Rain. Big long 9 or 10 minuters. This is a philosophical or spiritual song too which is nice instead of just singing about broken hearts all the time.
Go To Sleep - And what a great little lullaby to end the album. Some of the most awesome lyrics in this song too. I like the line "Life's a tough principal..." and "Love's a golden ripple". Could be used for quote of the days.
All in All an awesomely arranged album in terms of song order. Maybe a bit two sided like a tape which is what I first bought it on although now I own it on CD. Brings back a lot of memories. Wish it had done better in the charts.
Adios.

Not as uniform as Joyride or Have A Nice Day, but a great album........2006-04-12

While this album does not quite achieve the overall high standards of Joyride - it's never bad, but there are some songs that are so-and-so, like Harleys & Indians, Vulnerable and I Love The Sound Of Crashing Guitars - overall, this is an excellent pop album, and if you like Roxette, you will not be dissapointed. I still think Joyride and Have A Nice Day are better albums, but if you have those and are thirsty for more, don't let the poor sales of this album hold you back, because it desserved much better.

Highlights would deffinitely be the amazing title track - the best song the group ever did? - the mid-tempo pop/rock ballad of Run To You, the acoustic duo of The First Girl On The Moon and Place Your Love and the lush pop-songs What's She Like? and Go To Sleep.

The uptempo singles Sleeping In My Car and Fireworks and the ballad I'm Sorry are also among the better songs here, and while I think Love Is All (Shine Your Light On Me) perhaps takes on a bit more than it can actually bear with it's 6.41 running time, it's still a fine track, and a daring move.

Do You Wanna Go The Whole Way? and Lies have an undeniable hit quality, but is not the best works of the group, and as I said, Healeys and Indians and I Love The Sound Of Crashing Guitars was probably the closest the group got to being mediocre - without quite being it, though. Also Vulnerable might seem a tad overproduced, but still manages to go home as a fair balad.

Crash!Boom!Bang! is not quite the masterpiece of Joyride and Have A Nice Day, but it's very good, and contain a lot of excellent pop songs. Recommended to everyone who know and like the band.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10.

Very Underrated, But Every Bit As Good As Joyride!!.......2005-12-24

Crash!Boom!Bang! does sound more like an alternative rock CD, than a pop one. I'm a pretty big fan of Roxette, so that didn't bother me at all. It's still really damn catchy! Like Joyride, every single song is great on this, and there isn't any filler. They even put two acoustic songs on here, "The First Girl On The Moon," and "Place Your Love," and they are both excellent. My favorite tracks on here are "Fireworks," "Run To You," "Do You Wanna Go The Whole Way?" "Sleeping In My Car," "Lies," "Go To Sleep," "Harleys & Indians," "Vulnerable," and "Crash!Boom!Bang!"

If you like Look Sharp! and Joyride but don't have this one, you're really missing out. Crash!Boom!Bang! might not have sold as well as those two, but the sales doesn't mean that this isn't as good. I also recommend getting Have A Nice Day, too!

Average customer rating:

Great CD
POP PERFECTION!!!
A Bit Better Than The Greatest Hits CD
Excellent how they put this album together!
Platinum & Gold Collection

Platinum & Gold Collection
Ace of Base
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Euro Dance | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Swedish Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ace Of Base - Greatest Hits
Sweet Dreams
The Sign
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Millennium Collection - 20th Century Masters, The Best Of Berlin

ASIN: B000092Q4B
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

The Sign
Cruel Summer
Don't Turn Around
Lucky Love
All That She Wants
Everytime It Rains
Whenever You're Near Me
Living In Danger
Happy Nation
Wheel Of Fortune
Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry
Beautiful Life

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-01-03

1. The sign (10/10) A great song, its the song that made them who they are. although, its a bit overplayed now,

2. Cruel summer (8/10) Good song, they covered a classic and made it their own. though its not my top favorite it still is a great song.

3. Dont turn around (9/10) Another big hit, good song.

4. Lucky love (original version) (15/10) The original is the best. the acoustic (though still somewhat okay) sucks. Its a great pop song that will get your spirits high and make you wanna dance.

5. All that she wants (1/10) Not really a fan of this song but it was a HUGE hit worldwide. I just find this song bleh...

6. Everytime it rains (8/10) Good nice slower song. this is the remix version though, still good.

7. Whenever you're near me (10/10) The same as "Life is a flower" but written differently and such. I really like both alot, but this version is somewhat better. This song was released in America.

8. Living in danger (0/10) I dont like this song

9. Happy nation (8/10) Not bad, never released in america though. has a nice dark feeling to it.

10. Wheel of fortune (0/10) i really hate this song, its bleh...and kinda silly (not in a good way).

11. Never gonna say i'm sorry (10/10) Really good song one can dance to. ashame it didnt do well, classic ace of base song.

12. Beautiful life (15/10) one of their biggest dance songs, i love this song.

this cd is great simply cuz the original version of "Lucky love" is not on the american version of the greatest hits. plus it also has never gonna say i'm sorry, and whenever you're near me. so i reccomend this cd over the american version of the greatest hits.

POP PERFECTION!!!.......2005-05-23

Words cannot describe how good Ace of Base is. No one can make pop/dance music like they can. This collection is incredible. In only 12 songs they have covered all of their megahits, and then some.

1) THE SIGN
This song is incredible. It went to No.1 for 6 weeks. I love the way they mix reggae with pop. It is their biggest hit and was also No.1 on the airplay chart for an incredible 13 weeks.

2) CRUEL SUMMER
This brought Ace of Base back to the top 10 after 4 year hiatus from it (It hit No.10 on the Hot 100). This song is much better then the original by Bananarama. AofB's version has a really good beat which makes the song so much more catchier. Great Song.

3) DON'T TURN AROUND
This was originally done by Tina Turner as a B-side on her "Typical Male" single. It was also covered by James Ingram, Neil Diamond and Aswad (who hit No.1 with it in the U.K.). This song was never a hit in the States until Ace of Base recorded it. they changed the key from a major to a minor, so it sounds different then all of the other versions by other artists. It also made it to No.4 on the Hot 100, but No.1 on the Hot 100 Airplay list for 2 weeks.

4) LUCKY LOVE (ORIGINAL VERSION)
Thank God this version is on here. I really am not a fan of that bland acoustic remix that is on the North American verison of "The Bridge" Album. This is actually the version that I always heard on the radio anyways. This original one is great. "Lucky Love" made it to No.30 on the Hot 100.

5) ALL THAT SHE WANTS
This is what made Ace of Base wrold famous. After they hit it big in Europe, they released this in North America and it exploded. It made it to No.2 on the Hot 100 and No.1 on the Hot 100 Sales Chart for 3 weeks.

6) EVERYTIME IT RAINS (RADIO MIX)
This was originally a ballad on the "Cruel Summer" CD, but on here it is a dance remix. It's good.

7) WHENEVER YOU'RE NEAR ME
This song is a remix of "Life is a Flower" from their "Flowers" album (The International version of "Cruel Summer"). It has the same melody, but different lyrics and it is in a higher key. I prefer this version better. It appears on the American verison os "Flowers" (Cruel Summer). This song got moderate airplay in the fall of 1998. It made it to No.76 on the Hot 100.

8) LIVING IN DANGER (D-HOUSE MIX)
This was the fourth single from "The Sign" album. It made it to No.20 on the Hot 100. It appears in remix form on this collection. It is a dance remix by David Morales. It has heavy piano on it and it is very different than the original. It's on here because this is primarily the version that radio stations chose to play. This is the version that I always heard on the radio.

9) HAPPY NATION
This song was written after the Swedish press found out that Ulf was a skinhead when he was a teenager. It was not realeased on the States but was an international hit. I love this song, nad it has a very positive message.

10) WHEEL OF FORTUNE
Like Track No.9, this song was not a hit in the staes but it was an international hit. In fact it was their first single ever to be released.

11) NEVER GONNA SAY I'M SORRY
This song was the third single released from "The Bridge" album. It wasn't a big hit, and it only charted on the Bubbling Under Chart. I think it's a fantastic song though. It' classic Ace of Base.

12) BEAUTIFUL LIFE
This is very fast compared to their other songs. This is one of my favorteis from them. The video is amazing. It made it to No.15 on the Hot 100.

Overall this CD is pop paradise. They are in my opinion, the best pop group of all time. If you want all of their hits in there most popular forum, then this is the album to get. It's Awesome!!

A Bit Better Than The Greatest Hits CD.......2005-02-12

Ace Of Base ruled the early-mid 90's airwaves,if you didn't know that you were living under a rock or something.They produced some of the most catchy pop radio songs ever.Using a ABBA style mixed with a little reggae made some good dance songs,as mixes too.I think this cd is a little better than the "Greatest Hits" album.Here there's no remix double of songs.You basically get the most popular songs, American singles, as well oversea hits.The" Lucky Love" version is the best one i've heard.(being the original).The Bananarama cover "Cruel Summer" is so good that it sounds like they make it one of their own.Really they should of cut it originally.Both of the women have such beautiful voices that they just blend perfect with all the songs.Even now and then you still hear a Base song being played on the radio.Funny thing is they still sound fresh with todays music as when they first came out big.The one good thing about this cd was the price! Enjoy.

Excellent how they put this album together! .......2004-10-25

I thought that this Ace of Base album that Arista made in 2003 was just as strong as the Greatest Hits album of 2000. They kind of mixed it up, but it's very well balanced. Songs like The Sign and Cruel Summer kick the album out strong. I still like the funky All That She Wants. But there are some other surprises like Wheel of Fortune and the universal message of Happy Nation. Whenever You're Near Me was another creative song here. I especially like the funky David Morales remix of Living In Danger. I have heard that they have an album that's doing well overseas, but they need to put another album in America soon. This album really showed them as their strongest, mixing dance pop with reggae so very well during a 5-yr. period of hits.

Platinum & Gold Collection.......2004-05-07

Arista/BMG Heritage's "Platinum & Gold Collection" series compiles hits from now-disbanded acts from the '90s, i.e. SWV, Real McCoy, into a somewhat redundant but fairly cohesive disc. Ace of Base, one of Arista's top-selling groups in the '90s, got their own version in 2003, three years after the label released the limp "Greatest Hits" in America and eventually dropped the Swedish pop quartet from their roster altogether. It certainly seems like an easy cash-in, but to casual listeners it works just fine. The obvious entries are here ("All That She Wants", "The Sign", "Don't Turn Around", "Beautiful Life") along with lesser-known but similarly important additions to the group's catalogue ("Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry", "Wheel of Fortune"). A couple of surprises also make an appearance- the original European version of "Lucky Love" (previously only available in the US under a bland acoustic version) and a house mix of "Living in Danger". Aside from these two, the rest of the album is standard Ace of Base that can be found on any of their three American studio albums, so this collection is really nothing new unless you're a casual fan or just anxious to keep adding to your Ace collective.

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