Streets

Savatage | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 15, 1991)
• Original Release Date: October 15, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic
• ASIN: B000002IS7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,677 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1991 album from the veteran Heavy Metal band. Streets: A Rock Opera, a concept album, was the last Savatage album founder Jon Oliva performed lead vocals on but he remained active with the band as a composer and keyboard player. This remastered edition features the album as it was originally planned including exclusively recorded acoustic versions of bonus tracks 'This Isn't What We Meant' and 'Morning Sun'. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Concept Album Ever!, October 2, 2004

By 

Mike "Mike" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streets (Audio CD)

I have only recently discovered Savatage because I found out that members of that group were the nucleus of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I bought "Handful of Rain" first because I saw it used; it was a good album, but nothing groundbreaking. Then I ordered "Streets" off of the internet because I could not find it anywhere else, and for under ten dollars, I was safe that if I did not like it, it would not have wasted that much money. Once that I got it, it took one listen to realize that this was something special. After the second listen I knew that this was THE GREATEST concept album EVER! (Not to mention one of the best albums, period). It is even better than Dream Theater's "Scenes From A Memory" because this has absolutely no weak songs, and still has outstanding performances from the entire band. Usually it takes me about a month of listens to be able to tell what I think about it, but I am writing this one day after I listened to it for the first time!
The story is about a guy nicknamed DT Jesus, who sold drugs. He then became a huge rock star, but got addicted to a different type of rock, which destroyed his career. Eventually he got cleaned up, and, with the help of longtime manager and friend named Tex, had a comeback concert, which was a huge success. After the show, DT is in his dressing room, when a man named Sammy came to visit. Sammy sold drugs to DT in DT's addict years and owed Sammy a substantial amount of money. They started fighting when Tex came in and pinned Sammy against a wall. Sammy looked beat but pulled out a knife and stabbed Tex, killing him. DT goes through many different emotions in the coming days facing the loss of his good friend. He encounters many people which change the way he looks at life.
For an album that deals so much with drugs, this is surprisingly anti-drug and has a great uplifting message. Every single song is great and together are even more phenominal (especially "Jesus Saves," "Can You Hear Me Now?" "New York City Don't Mean Nothin'" and "Believe"). Criss Oliva is great on guitars, both rhythm and lead, and has outstanding solos that never drift into self-indulgence stages that plague some progressive guitarists, but the solos are all still dripping with passion. Jon Oliva sounds really good on keyboards and vocals as well, even though this would be his last album for ten years in which he performed all of the vocals on the album. It's a dirty shame that so few people will ever get to enjoy the happiness and sense of fullfilment that comes after listening to this album from start to finish.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best albums of all time, September 13, 2003

By 

Justiceforall (Home) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streets (Audio CD)

Streets:A Rock Opera by Savatage is an amazing album. It is one of the top 5 albums of all time to me. I have listened to an insane amount of music over the years. I have listened to all kinds of music, rock, metal, jazz, blues, country I have heard it all. I have to say this album has it all. It is amazing, it is so emotional, it has everything you could ever want from music.

Streets: 3/5, my least favorite song on the album because it does nothing for the concept. It is not a bad song but it should have been left off. The album should have started with Jesus Saves, because thats were the story begins.

Jesus Save: 5/5, awesome hard rocker song with and amazing riff backed with some keyboard affect. Incredible solo by Criss Oliva in this song.

Tonight He grins Again: 5/5, One of my fave songs on the album, I love the way Jon Oliva sings in this song, he is one of my favorite singers ever.

Strange Reality: 4/5, cool basic rock song. Reminds me of Queensryche. Great lyrics.

A little To far: 5/5, awesome ballad.

Your Alive: 3/5, o.k rock song, good lyrics, only two minutes in length.

Sammy And Tex: 5/5 Aesome heavy metal song, this song makes you want to bang your head. Jon's voice is so cool in this song. I love the opening line: Hey D.T. what ya been up to it been a real long time and your bills past due.

St Patrick's: 5/5 Very sad but very good song.

Can you hear me now: 4/5 cool lyrics good rocker.

New York City Don't Mean Nothing: 5/5 awesome song. Starts off with acoustic guitar and jon singing and then goes into a full on rock fest. Really cool lyrics in the song.

Ghost In The Ruins: 5/5 A Savatage classic, awesome hard rocker with an amazing middle part of the song with the bass and guitar only. Incredible soloing by Criss Oliva. Playing for keeps!

If I go Away: 1000/5 INCREDIBLE! starts of with piano and jon and the builds into an amzing power ballad. Poetic lyrics, great guitar evertything in this song is perfect.

Agony And Ecstasy:4/5 One last heavy metal song beafore the amazing emotional ending.This is a cool song that sets you up for the ultimate ending to an album.

Heal My Soul:5/5 a very sad beautiful song. asking for forgivness.

Somewhere In Time: 10/5 Great song. It has it all what a beautiful chorus, you will definately be singing along to this one. I've been changing,Redefining,All the things I thought I knew So long ago,When I was flying,Through the years that seem so far away. Sets you up for the grand finale.

Belive: 1000000000/5 The best song I have every heard in my entire life. Makes you feel so good. Amazing vocals and lyrics in this song. The best power ballad ever created. I guarantee this song will knock you off your feet the first time you hear it. You will become obsessed with this song. I have to listen to it every day, it is that good. If you have not heard this you have not lived. All I ask of you is BELIEVE!

BUY STREETS NOW AND LISTEN TO BELIEVE.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievably well written to the last., December 29, 1999

By 

"canyon-man" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Streets (Audio CD)

Savatage's - Streets album is probably one of my most favorite written recordings of all time. I bought this album in my youth when my musical choice leaned toward the heavy side. 9 years later my music choices have "broadened", but I still think that this album, with the balance of music and lyrics is outstanding. When I listen to a recording I listen to ALL of the recording. If you take away all of the vocals, you can still understand what is happening to the character from the music itself. In "Sammy and Tex" you can feel the tenseness and the aggressiveness of the song without hearing about them fighting from the words. In "A little too far" you can feel the remorse, in "Believe" you kind of feel the finality and love. This album, to me, is the story of Job of the old Testement. With the last song, Believe, being God singing to Jesus (the character) stating that all will be well, if he only Believes. There is only one song on the album that I do not care for and that is Jesus Saves. The rest ALL give me the chilles hearing them. The guitar solo over Jon's vocals in "Can you Hear me know" is unbelievably beutiful. Yes, a heavy and hard band can be beutiful and is proven in this album. This album is a wonderful blend of hard hitting agressive rock to beutiful ballads. No matter what type of song it is, it is written to tell the story of the character. I highly recommend this album and for the buyer to listen to all parts of it.