A reminder that the post-Clash Mick Jones once had something exciting to say about the gray area between rock and dance/hip-hop. Initial fare like "E=MC2" and "C'Mon Every Beatbox" swings loose and wild, while such early '... more »90s tracks as "The Globe" and "Rush" benefit from a tighter reign. A definitive collection. --Jeff Bateman« less
A reminder that the post-Clash Mick Jones once had something exciting to say about the gray area between rock and dance/hip-hop. Initial fare like "E=MC2" and "C'Mon Every Beatbox" swings loose and wild, while such early '90s tracks as "The Globe" and "Rush" benefit from a tighter reign. A definitive collection. --Jeff Bateman
""Plante Bad" is an excellent anthology album that manages to capture nearly all of the highlights from Big Audio Dynamite's studio albums and thankfully makes no distinction between the two different versions of the band. All the best songs are here, from the classic samples of the Clint Eastwood Western "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" on "Medicine Show" from the first album to the excellent singles "The Globe" and "Rush" from the B.A.D. II era of the early nineties. For all but the most ardent fans, this is all the B.A.D. you'll ever need to own."
A CD for every beatbox
M. S. Tucker | Los Angeles, CA USA | 01/10/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I owned the first cassette by BAD when the first hit the music scene with "C'mon Everybeatbox" and loved it. Recently I wandered by this on the "used" shelf and looked at the tracks and thought, you know I really like all of these songs.The thing is..I really, really like these songs."The Medicine Show" with it's spaghetti western samples looped in is fantastic, the track with the most substance on this CD. I was sort of struck by how innovative it still sounds all these years later. "The Medicine Show" is equally ecclectic and the kitchy "C'mon Every Beatbox" not only musically is enjoyable with the Rap, Rock and Dance Hall styles but lyrically, it's hilarious.This collaboartion certainly isn't anywhere near the level of musical genius as The Clash, but it's a nice departure from the political heaviness and underlying punk.Considering most of the choices musically we have out now, this is a good distraction."
A must-have CD
M. S. Tucker | 10/15/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD does a great job of compiling the best of Big Audio Dynamite and Big Audio Dynamite II. Maybe I'm getting old (no, I *am* getting old!), but this stuff still sounds fresher than a lot of stuff I hear today. Mick and the boys sure crafted some great songs. You can't miss with this one."
A Great Collection from B.A.D.
M. S. Tucker | 08/27/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was in highschool in the late 80s and loved this group then! I didn't realize, however, how many GOOD songs they actually had until I purchased this CD! It is a great compilation and when you hear it you'll be amazed at how many hits you'll hear! A great CD if you were a fan of B.A.D. in the past."
Spread The News The Maestros Back
Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 12/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From the acrimonious breakup of The Clash - though Joe Strummer later colllaborated with Big Audio Dynamite - came several bands with varying sound from Mick Jones. The group has been known as Big Audio Dynmaite, Big Audio Dynamite II and Big Audio due to the changes in band personnel and approaches to music.
With elements of the sound he refined as guitarist/vocalist in "The Only Band That Matters," Jones delivers lyrics that are sometimes comparable with the snapshot mosaics of John Dos Passos in his classic USA Trilogy and the spoken performances by Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg. Many of the earlier songs intertwine lyrics with cuts from TV shows, movies and music.
Jones especially shows his brilliance in the still politically timely The Bottom Line, guitar-powered E=MC2 and C'mon Every Beat Box. In Sightsee M.C.! and I Turned Out A Punk, Jones pounds away at issues like mindless hate & how many let a musical movement narrow their thinking to extreme levels of nothingness.
The band somewhat devolved from a post-punk dance/rock to a heavier sound comparable with The Clash, and then - with the addition of the legendary Ranking Roger - began to explore the ingredients that made ska essential and timeless.
Planet BAD is a great sampler and shows that a greatest hits package is only as good as the band whose name appears on the cover."