With Now 17 the producers of this chart-busting series have accepted, to their credit, a truism: You can't please 'em all. That accounts for the opposite-ends-of-the-genre-spectrum inclusiveness of the disc, and also for t... more »he lion's share of its appeal. Like hip-hop but hate country? Count yourself in, courtesy of Terror Squad ("Lean Back"), J-Kwon ("You & Me"), and the Beastie Boys ("Ch-Check It Out"), or out, owing to Gretchen Wilson ("Here for the Party") and Keith Urban ("Days Go By"). Ditto for girl pop (Ashlee Simpson's "Pieces of Me," Jessica Simpson's "Angels") and hard rock (Crossfade's "Cold")--take it or leave it or, if you're truly well-rounded, love it, track for track. With its finger directly on the pulse of what passes for pop in 2004, 17 poses its share of challenges--the Switchfoot crowd doesn't lend itself to being lumped together with JoJo's posse--but it skillfully folds the whole package into a better than palatable mix aimed directly at the fun-loving and the musically tolerant. Sensible sequencing (rap leads to pure pop leads to rock leads to country) seals the deal, so that all you're left wondering is, What happened to Hoobastank? --Tammy La Gorce« less
With Now 17 the producers of this chart-busting series have accepted, to their credit, a truism: You can't please 'em all. That accounts for the opposite-ends-of-the-genre-spectrum inclusiveness of the disc, and also for the lion's share of its appeal. Like hip-hop but hate country? Count yourself in, courtesy of Terror Squad ("Lean Back"), J-Kwon ("You & Me"), and the Beastie Boys ("Ch-Check It Out"), or out, owing to Gretchen Wilson ("Here for the Party") and Keith Urban ("Days Go By"). Ditto for girl pop (Ashlee Simpson's "Pieces of Me," Jessica Simpson's "Angels") and hard rock (Crossfade's "Cold")--take it or leave it or, if you're truly well-rounded, love it, track for track. With its finger directly on the pulse of what passes for pop in 2004, 17 poses its share of challenges--the Switchfoot crowd doesn't lend itself to being lumped together with JoJo's posse--but it skillfully folds the whole package into a better than palatable mix aimed directly at the fun-loving and the musically tolerant. Sensible sequencing (rap leads to pure pop leads to rock leads to country) seals the deal, so that all you're left wondering is, What happened to Hoobastank? --Tammy La Gorce
Molly M. from EL DORADO, KS Reviewed on 9/11/2006...
Awesome CD! I loved it.
CD Reviews
Not as bad as people say, but still not 5 stars
Mr. Stanley M. Schmidt | Rockford, IL | 11/17/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Whether you like it or not, THIS is what we are listening too and buying. Half of this album is rap/hip-hop, two country, and the rest is a mix of pop, alternative and "today's rock". Here's my take on the playlist:
1. Let's Get It Started: 5/5. I don't know why I like this, but it's HOT. I'm really sad it didn't do better on the Hot 100, peaking in the Top 20 and falling. It's got a catchy beat and lyrics. You can really tell the Peas had fun with this record.
2. Lean Back: 5/5. I bought the CD mainly for this song. I'm not a rapper or R&B fanatic, but I love this song. The drubbing bass line hooked me!
3. Goodies: 3/5. An overplayed and simple song. The lyrics are 3rd grade, but I do like the appearance of Petey Pablo.
4. I Like That: 4/5. A great hip-hop song. It has a great hook, bass line and makes you want to move.
5. Ch-Check It Out: 2/5. Why can't the Beastie Boys just give it up? They were good about 20 years ago.
6. My Place: 4/5. A mellow R&B knockout. So close to 5 stars.
7. Sunshine: 3/5. Another song like Goodies. Too simple and way overplayed.
8. You & Me: 1/5. I loved J-Kwon's Tipsy, but this one is dismal.
9. Why?: 1/5. I didn't like this at all. This sounds like they recorded a session of Romper Room and put music to it.
10. Locked Up: 3/5. Still trying to figure this one out. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.
11. Baby It's You: 4/5. A nice follow up for JoJo. It's catchy, but the lyrics are only fair.
12. Angels: 1/5. Jessica assassinates this Robbie William's classic. If you want to hear what a '65 Chevy with a bad wheel bearing sounds like, listen to this song.
13. One Thing: 4/5. A nice slice of alternative music. Good lyrics and song structure. Nice melody too!
14. Dare You To Move: 4/5. Nice follow up to Meant To Live. This band has great potential.
15. Cold: 4/5. I liked this song! It's a heavy metal/alternative hit that has a place here.
16. Pieces of Me: 4/5. Ashlee's first hit. A bit old for this group, but none the less, a good song.
17. Take Me Out: 5/5. Could be the surprise sleeper on the CD. I LOVED it when I first heard it. It reminded me of days gone by :)
18. 1985: 5/5. I was born in 1970, so this song has a special meaning to me. Springsteen and Madonna were on the radio when I was a kid!!
19. Here For The Party: 3/5. Not a big country fan, but this song isn't terrible. It doesn't have the catch Redneck Woman did, but should do well.
20. Days Go By: 3/5. Take it or leave it.
Hope this was helpful to you! Eventhough this isn't a blockbuster release, it saved me a bunch of money by not having to buy individual CDs from every artist!"
This CD Explains the Problem With Commercial Music
E.G. Hardsworth | The Dock of the Bay | 12/14/2004
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I bought a NOW CD about 4 years ago. That was the last one I bought. It was fairly good, too. Since then, I have began a renaissance in my musical tastes and no longer favor repetitive music without much diversity. One of the few songs I would actually enjoy on this CD are Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out." It's unusual, but definetly a song one can recognize ten years from now. Not many are going to remember Nelly, from Chingy to JZ. There was a time rap music was cool for me, but that was almost 10 years ago, since then only a few songs a year attract me, but after that I can't hear the difference between one rap song from another. It unfortunatly has become too mainstream and copy-cat.
I will also note Blacked Eyed Peas being a stand out on the CD. Clearly, the others would be considered filler for most other CD's. Kids ages 12-18 may think this is the best now, but just wait ten years from now (or maybe even 1 year!) and they'll hardly remember some of these artists.
Thank goodness I grew up in the mid to late 80's so I could be exposed to music that still was diverse in it's ways. Back in the early 90's I detested 80's music, now I can't seem to love it more. For me, 50's, 60's & 70's was my classic music, the "golden oldies". Today, 80's is classic to kids growing up. Thank goodness kids today can appreciate at least part of the cleverness the 80's music had to offer.
Well, anyway, kids.. I'm only 22, but boy, music has changed soooo much even since I've grown up. Please, don't buy this CD. This is stuff you can listen to on the radio over and over again. Please ask mom and pop what kind of music they listened to. Who knows, you may like it!"
Now that's what I call poop!
Danny | South Philly | 12/11/2004
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The instrumental arrangements on this album make the E Street Band look like a bunch of amateurs with pots, pans and a spoon.
The raw energy on the fast songs and soulful emotion on the slower ballads put anything Otis Redding ever released to shame.
The guitar work in the "rock" songs make Jimi Hendrix look like a complete fool.
The songwriting on this CD should be enough to force Columbia Records to discontinue every Bob Dylan album ever released, and relegate his lyrics to Seussian children's books.
The sheer power of the brilliant improvisational work by some of these artists will make your jaw drop. Watch out, Miles Davis!
You'll be in complete musical bliss after hearing these songs a thousand times on the radio and are finally able to deconstruct the expert craftsmanship of the producers. Eat your heart out, Brian Wilson.
Then I woke up, played this CD, furrowed my eyebrows, took the disc out of the player and broke it in half. How can anyone support this music?
"
Don't Dislike Me [...]
Danny | 01/22/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"1. Black Eyed Peas:Let's Get it Started- Like it, don't love it, it's sort of overplayed. 4/5
2.Terror Squad feat. Fat Joe & Remy: Lean Back- I'm not a big fan of rap but I like when they say "Lean Back"2/5
3.Ciara feat. Petey Pablo:Goodies- I only like when Ciara sings 3/5
4. Houston feat. Chingy, Nate Dogg and 1-20:I Like That- I dunno why I like this song!?
5.Beastie Boys: Ch-Check It Out-I HATE this song!! 0/5
6. Nelly feat. Jaheim: My Place- CHEESY!!! 2/5
7. Lil' Flip Feat. Lea: My Place- Same as My Place
8. J-KWON: You&Me- Dumb 2/5
9.Jadakiss Feat. Anthony Hamilton:Why- Aaarrrrggggg!! So many ?'s 1/5
10.Akon feat. Styles P: Locked Up-OK 2/5
11. JoJo: Baby it's You- Average, I still like Leave(Get Out) better 2/5
12. Jessica Simpson: Angels-Could she get any more ditzier?? I hate when she screams!! 1/5
13. Finger Eleven:One Thing- Like it 3/5
14. Switchfoot: Dare You To Move- Good 3/5
15. Crossfade:Cold- It Grows on You
16. Ashlee Simpson:Pieces of Me- WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY OVERPLAYED!! 1/5
17. Franz Ferdinand: Take Me Out- GOD, I LOVE THIS SONG 5/5!!!!
18. Bowling for Soup: 1985-Love the lyrics 5/5!!!!
19. Gretchen Wilson: Here for the Party-Gretchen was there for the party but no one else was!!! [...] 0/5
20. Keith Urban: Days Go By- Well Duh Days go by, are you a friggin' retard??? Opps,you are!!!!! [...]FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 0/5
[...]"
Vol. 17
Damian Gunn | I am everywhere | 07/19/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The 17th 'Now!' disc presents a few problems...namely in the rap area, where three of the songs sound as if they have the same beat...those three songs being Lil' Flips 'Sunshine', J-Kwon's 'You & Me' and Jadakiss's 'Why?', Jada's taking the crown as the better of the three. Those few flops aside, this album does sport 'Lean Back' which is one of the coolest rap songs in a long time, and yes there is Beastie Boys returning to the game with 'Ch-Check it Out' and they do a pretty good job at that. Black Eyed Peas deliver their worst song ever (hate this crap, always have) while Nelly and Jahiem (hysi) deliver a nice smooth r&b/rap track that is sure to please many.
Simpson should be shot, JoJo does better this time around and Ashley, well, she's better then that crap they call her sister but she's still beneath the rest of the pack. Nice additions are the overplayed but still great 'Goodies' and Houston's underplayed 'I Like That' with Nate Dogg and Chingy. Great beat!
As far as the closing rock tracks, Finger Eleven is finally getting some love in the world, but they have put out far better tracks than 'One Thing' so I don't know why everyone went crazy for this song...I mean, it's good but they've done better ('First Time' is a classic example). I like 'Cold' but I hate Crossfade...go figure. I LOVE 'Dare you to Move'! Great song. '1985' is funny, Gretchen's 'Here for the Party' is decent if not a rip-off of her previous hit 'Redneck Woman' (kinda has the same vibe) while Keith Urban makes his first appearance and does okay, not great, just okay.
So that leaves us to the best song on the album, and it's a tie between Akon's 'Locked Up' which never gets old and Franz Ferdinand's 'Take me Out' which is so cool it's cold! This album is worth it for those two tracks alone."