Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

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Presumably when you put together an "ultimate" collection, you want to gather at bare minimum every one of the band's singles since those are most likely to be the songs that the biggest percentage of the fanbase will know.

This collection is missing "Mama Help Me" from 2nd album "Ghost of a Dog". STRIKE ONE...

2nd single "Black and Blue" isn't here either. STRIKE TWO.

"Tomorrow Comes" was the single from Edie's 1st solo album "Picture Perfect Morning". STRIKE THREE...

Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians really were an album group more than a singles act, though, and that means aside from the handful of singles you'll want to use care in choosing the rest of the cuts to select their artistic, if not commercial, peaks. How is it that "Air of December" misses the cut from SHOOTING RUBBERBANDS...? "Nothing"? They chose "Woyaho" or "Stwisted" instead of "This Eye","Carmelito" or "10,000 Angels"from GHOST OF A DOG? And though it was wasted as a bonus cut on their debut, "I Do" is one of the band's most gorgeous moments.

For those reasons, I can't suggest this as an opener to casual fans or Edie newcowers...they're much better off purchasing SHOOTING RUBBERBANDS AT THE STARS(ASIN B000000OQW,the more accessible of the 2 band albums).

If, however, you already have the 1st 2 albums and want to fill in the gaps, this CD is perfect. This gets you out of needing to buy the NOBODY'S CHILD compilation (which is OK but not fantastic) to get "Big Day, Little Boat" or the BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY soundtrack for their cover of Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", as well as the rarity "Zillionaire" previously only found on Rob Wasserman's TRIOS CD (To be fair, that one's a little more worth your time, particularly if you're a Brian Wilson fan. He does a great song "Bells of Madness/Fantasy is Reality" on there with his daughters..) Also you'll be spared buying Chris Botti's FIRST WISH just to grab the song "Like I Do Now".

But the motherlode here for Edie connoisseurs are the last 7 tracks, consisting of four songs recorded by Edie's post Bohemians band The Slip, and 4 recordings made after she'd left the Geffen label ("A Little Time","Boys In The Band","Baby" and a duet with Carter Albrecht on "Vodka").

BOTTOM LINE:
If you only know "What I Am" and "Circle", buy SHOOTING RUBBERBANDS AT THE STARS. If you're a big Edie fan already, get this for the unreleased material and rarities.

FIRST CAREER RETROSPECTIVE FOR EDIE BRICKELL -&- NEW BOHEMIANS FEATURES BEST-LOVED TRACKS AND SEVEN PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RECORDINGS
Any list of musical shooting stars must include Edie Brickell -&- New Bohemians. Their debut album, 1988's Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, went #4 pop, double platinum, and #10 on Rolling Stone's list of the best albums of 1989. The single What I Am (with its memorable "I know what I know if you know what I mean/Choke me in the shallow water/Before I get too deep") went Top 10 as well. The band debuted nationally on Saturday Night Live and went on tour with Bob Dylan, Don Henley and the Grateful Dead. But while they never reached that plateau again, the band and Edie solo continued making music emphasizing feeling over attitude, the small moment over the big picture--music that has continued with a recent reunion on stage and album.

Edie Brickell -&- New Bohemians: Ultimate Collection (Hip-O Records), released September 10, 2002, their first comprehensive career overview, features 19 digitally remastered selections, including Edie solo material (produced by husband Paul Simon), recordings with Rob Wasserman/Jerry Garcia and jazz popster Chris Botti, and seven previously unreleased tracks. Compiled with Edie's and the band's participation, Ultimate Collection also boasts their take on Dylan's A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall for the 1994 Born On The 4th Of July soundtrack and Big Day, Little Boat, her contribution to the George Harrison-led 1990 benefit project Nobody's Child - The Romanian Angel Appeal.

In 1985, Edie was a Southern Methodist University freshman working as a waitress in hometown Dallas, TX. One late night/early morning at a tiny after-hours club, inspired by a friend (and Mr. Jack Daniels) she got up on stage and sang with the band, New Bohemians. Three years later, signed to Geffen Records, the shy young girl and the band were being acclaimed as the best of a new breed of new artists.

From Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars, Ultimate Collection culls What I Am, Little Miss S. and Circle. From 1990's Ghost Of A Dog, there's Woyaho and Swisted. Taken from Picture Perfect Morning, Edie's 1994 Simon-produced solo album, are Good Times (with Barry White on vocals), Lost In The Moment and Green. Zillionaire with Wasserman and Garcia was first heard on the former's 1993 Trios album and Like I Do Now on Botti's 1995 First Wish album.

The previously unreleased tracks are from '90s sessions intended to be issued under the moniker The Slip (Girl In A Magazine, 1873 (Buffalo Diary) and Invisible Man) and four post-Geffen recordings (A Little Time, Boys In The Band, Baby and the Edie-Carter Albrecht duet Vodka).

Edie Brickell -&- New Bohemians is the latest compilation album in the Hip-O Ultimate Collection series which celebrates noteworthy artists.

Although there are no tracks from their new independent CD, The Live Montauk Sessions, which is available through newbohemians.com, this CD is still awesome. Unlike many bands from the 1990s whose music and style is still stuck in a time warp, the New Bohemians have moved on but have still managed to remain faithful to their neo Dead roots. The combination of the neo-Dead style mixed with their new, more modern styleis most evident on the track "A Little Time." An excellent CD

Had The Slip been able to get a decent record contract and be able to make the music they wanted, I can't even imagine how much more my life would be touched by their incredible talent and emotional insight. Unfortunately, I only have a few songs to fill the void I'm so desperately craving to fill, but had I not been able to attain them my music collection would not be full. This is an awesome collection, not for the already-released songs (which, by the way, are not the best of choices, methinks - where's "Love Like We Do"? Plus many, many others that could have enhanced the CD, but I guess since I wasn't the producer that wasn't up to me), but for the previously unreleased tracks. Invisible Man is just absolutely wonderful. The New Bohemians went to an entirely new level in this song, representing a definite growth. This CD also highlights Edie Brickell's eye to detail and the nuances that make her idiosyncratic music so very prosaically beautiful. It took me awhile to warm up to this CD but I finally "got it" and now I'm addicted to even the most outwardly skeletal songs like Zillionaire, which, upon subsequents listenings, reveals the depth that Edie never fails to deliver.

What a great selection of songs. If you remember "What I am" from Shooting Rubber Bands at the Stars CD and liked it you are in for a treat. What is great about this CD is that it has 19 tracks and 7 of them are unreleased and really 11 are really new because some came from soundtracks. There are 3 new songs from "The Slip" which was formed with John Bush, Kenny Withrow and Edie Brickell. Nice change on these songs. I definitely liked all 3 the first time through. Also John Bush has a great band called Foamy. Just do a search on FoamyMusic and you will find the band. My favorite CD of Edie and Co was Picture Perfect Morning and not all of my faves are here but Green is and that is a great song. Do yourself a favor and just go out and buy that one. You'll wonder why have I not heard this great album. I know I did as I waited 8 years to get it. All and all this new CD is a great addition to the New Bohemians collection of music.

This CD was done right! Not only do you get the expected songs from the first two New Boh's CDs and Edie's under-rated solo CD but you get their splendid version of A Hard Rain's A-Gonna fall from the Born On the 4th Of July soundtrack, a song with Jerry Garcia that all Deadheads will probably like, a beautiful jazz number with Chris Botti, 3 songs from The Slip. The Slip songs feature New Bohs guitarist and percussionist and two other members bringing a much heavier guitar-crunch to the band and some mighty fine slide guitar work from Kenny Withrow. The four new songs show how this band still has a lot to offer the music world with songs that vary from spacey-blues, to alt/pop to zany bop. The booklet has many pictures of Edie and the boys from the early to today. I would have like to see a few songs from their 2000 release The Live Montauk Sessions though Anyway, I highly recommend this CD.

This isn't a bad collection, but it is missing a few singles. Where are "Mama Help Me" and "Black and Blue" from "Ghost of a Dog?? Where is "Tomorrow Comes" from Edie's solo record?? I was kinda disappointed that those songs weren't on this compilation, especially considering that two of them, "Black" and "Tomorrow", were both singles.

When I purchased my IBM Thinkpad notebook PC many, many years ago, it had a sample A-V file which was the music video "Good Times". When I upgraded, I missed this song and ordered the CD which included it. I was pleasantly surprised to find gems such as track 11, "Like I Do Now". Most of the songs were more soulful (such as this one), instead of upbeat like the song I originally wanted, but it made for greast easy listening in the evening. Although not a chart-topper, it's a solid album.

anyone who knows of them knows their only real big hit what i am. and that is the first track. one would think that it all goes downhill from there. not at all. the next 11 songs come from their first cd, their second, edie's solo, and collaberations. the track like i do now is an excellent choice of showcasing edie's talent and her leanings towards jazz. the cd quckly picks up with invisible man, one of three songs by now defunct band the slip( with edie, kenny, and john from new bo's. as well as 2 others). invisible man shows another side to the group with a more electric sound. girl in a magazine could be seen as a grunge revival. boys in the band is another fine piece of new bo's penchant for alt. rock/pop songs. some of brandon's best drumming. a little time is the best slow rock that i have heard. the final 2 songs give you another side to the group. with baby placing them on the floor of a 20's jazz club. for the money you can't do any better. a true masterpiece that will not only take you back through time it also moves you forward to a whole new place. a place as vibrant today as it was when they started playing in 85.

last year when i heard that they would finally be putting out a greatest hits for the new bohemians i laughed. i thought it would be a single with their ONE hit song. after recently getting back into them though i was buzzed about this cd. the cd is excellent. the first four songs are ones that anyone who went to high school in the late 80's will remember. the next few songs come off their second cd and edie's solo work along with her collaberations. but what makes this cd worth the ($$$) i spent was the last seven songs. they are the best seven songs the bo's have done. ivisible man is so rocking along with girl in a magazine. more so than their more recognized hits. and boys in the band is pure alt. rock pop. plus you can't get these seven songs anywhere. not even on the internet. there are songs here by the slip, a band edie and two other bo memebers formed with 2 other guys. so much time has passed and so much tragedy have hit us all. it's nice to be able to go back to when we were 15. go back to the good old days. for me anyway