| 1. Catch You |
| 2. Me and My Imagination |
| 3. Today the Sun's on Us |
| 4. New York City Lights |
| 5. If I Can't Dance |
| 6. Distance Between Us |
| 7. If You Go |
| 8. Only One |
| 9. Love Is Here |
| 10. New Flame |
| 11. China Heart |
| 12. What Have We Started? |
| 13. Can't Have It All [*] |
| 14. Supersonic [*] |
This anthology of sixteen of her hits is appropriately headed by the beguiling 'Orinoco Flow', the piece that first caught the public's attention and remains a compelling, joyous ode in a Celtic-tradition-in-variant-form sort of way. Enya's song is not really about the words. Her lyrics are sometimes unintelligible, either because they're spoken in a language with which the listener is not familiar or simply because the music overwhelms them. Indeed, they are not printed in my CD liner. One does not much grieve the loss, for the flowing, passionate, enigmatic surge the music consistently produces is reward enough. In fact, some of her best work is entirely non-verbal though not non-vocal, 'Watermark' for example'. Indeed I am oddly tormented by the mysterious lyrics of two pieces, one of which in this reviewer's fevered brain sounds like the repeated statement 'Pilpel', this being the name given to an obscure Hebrew verbal form. The other, more prosaically, puts me in mind of the repeated musical statement 'Your underwear!'. None of this should be held against Enya. What makes Enya sound so different? Her formula layers coquettish rhythms played on well-beaten strings with very little conventional percussion over lush harmonies vocal background themes that fade in and out enigmatically. Very seldom does Enya's voice appear alone. In this she is more creator than soloist. In becoming reacquainted with this CD after some years and in listening to it more attentively than before, I am struck by what a fine artist Enya is. Yes, I think 'artist' *is* the word. She defies conventional categorization in the way that pioneers often do. What is more, the highly *produced* nature of her work means that she will be dismissed often as unworthy of association with the word 'pioneer' and, for that matter, 'artist'. I think this is mistaken. She is both. Her only perceived fault in this regard might be her commercial success, as though it is incumbent only upon compromised, sold-out schmucks to experience this blessing. She appears to this reviewer to be a much finer artist than all of that. I still find her work profoundly moving and pleasant for long periods of time as I work and listen. This 'greatest hits' anthology makes a fine introduction to it.
5 
4.5 
Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late '70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J. Cale, but they also had jazz and country inflections, occasionally dipping into the epic song structures of progressive rock. The band's music was offset by Knopfler's lyrics, which approximated the winding, stream-of-conscious narratives of Bob Dylan. As their career progressed, Dire Straits became more refined and their new maturity happened to coincide with the rise of MTV and the compact disc. These two musical revolutions from the mid-'80s helped make Dire Straits' sixth album, Brothers in Arms, an international blockbuster. The band — along with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood — become one of the leaders of a group of self-consciously mature veteran rock & rollers in the late '80s that designed their music to appeal to aging baby boomers. Despite the band's international success, they couldn't sustain their stardom, waiting a full six years to deliver a follow-up to Brothers in Arms, by which time their audience had shrunk significantly. Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) was always the main force behind Dire Straits. The son of an architect, Knopfler studied English literature at Leeds University and worked briefly as a rock critic for the Yorkshire Evening Post while at college. He began teaching English after his graduation, leading a pub rock band called Brewer's Droop at night. By 1977, Mark was playing with his brother David (guitar) and his roommate John Illsley (bass). During the summer of 1977, the trio cut a demo with drummer Pick Withers. A London DJ named Charlie Gillett heard the demo and began playing "Sultans of Swing" on his BBC show Honky Tonkin'. Following a tour opening for Talking Heads, the band began recording their debut for Vertigo Records with producer Muff Winwood in early 1978. By the summer, they had signed with Warner in America, releasing their eponymous debut in the fall. Thanks to the Top Ten hit "Sultans of Swing," Dire Straits was a major success in both Britain and America, with the single and album climbing into the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.
5 
Few bands embodied the pure excess of the '70s like Queen. Embracing the exaggerated pomp of prog rock and heavy metal, as well as vaudevillian music hall, the British quartet delved deeply into camp and bombast, creating a huge, mock-operatic sound with layered guitars and overdubbed vocals. Queen's music was a bizarre yet highly accessible fusion of the macho and the fey. For years, their albums boasted the motto "no synthesizers were used on this record," signaling their allegiance with the legions of post-Led Zeppelin hard rock bands. But vocalist Freddie Mercury brought an extravagant sense of camp to the band, pushing them toward kitschy humor and pseudo-classical arrangements, as epitomized on their best-known song, "Bohemian Rhapsody." Mercury, it must be said, was a flamboyant bisexual who managed to keep his sexuality in the closet until his death from AIDS in 1991. Nevertheless, his sexuality was apparent throughout Queen's music, from their very name to their veiled lyrics — it was truly bizarre to hear gay anthems like "We Are the Champions" turn into celebrations of sports victories. That would have been impossible without Mercury, one of the most dynamic and charismatic frontmen in rock history. Through his legendary theatrical performances, Queen became one of the most popular bands in the world in the mid-'70s; in England, they remained second only to the Beatles in popularity and collectibility in the '90s. Despite their enormous popularity, Queen was never taken seriously by rock critics — an infamous Rolling Stone review labeled their 1979 album Jazz as "fascist." In spite of such harsh criticism, the band's popularity rarely waned; even in the late '80s, the group retained a fanatical following except in America. In the States, their popularity peaked in the early '80s, just as they finished nearly a decade's worth of extraordinarily popular records. And while those records were never praised, they sold in enormous numbers, and traces of Queen's music could be heard in several generations of hard rock and metal bands in the next two decades, from Metallica to Smashing Pumpkins.
5
Bear McCreary took over as the main composer for Battlestar Galactica after Richard Gibbs left to continue working on movie scores. With McCreary writing all of the main music for the first season, I found the music even more rich then that of the miniseries that preceded it. Not only is the soundtrack rich with low-synth percussion action tracks, but it also employs such genres as opera, muzak, and string orchestral to convey the feeling of a scene. The use of drums in this soundtrack trumps their use in the miniseries with even catchier drum rolls. Most notably, the string orchestral pieces Passacaglia and the Shape of Things to Come are definitely the best pieces on this non-generic soundtrack. Even with an orchestra at his disposal, McCreary did not write any bombastic score and instead wrote beautiful soothing melodies that ironically contrast the scenes in which they are placed, making those sequences all the more memorable and enticing. Battlestar Galactica is successfully breaking free from the shackles of the modern sci-fi genre, and the music which strays so far from the orthodox helps it do so... Acclaimed composer Bear McCreary builds on his impressive Season One accomplishments with this new original soundtrack from the second season of the Sci-Fi Channel's critically praised, top-rated television series starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff. Once again, composer McCreary delivers a sensational, emotionally rich score that ingeniously melds orchestra, vocals, percussion and synthesizer in a variety of exciting motifs. Simply put, it's an amazing compilation that trancends the genre and brings sci-fi television music to new heights! Former Oingo-Boingo member Steve Bartek plays featured guitar on "Black Market"... The original soundtrack from the knockout third season of the Sci-Fi Channel's critically acclaimed television series, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff. Composer Bear McCreary's score continues his groundbreaking musical tradition, ingeniously melding orchestra, vocals, rock, world-beats and synth into an emotional, soul-stirring experience. Features McCreary's amazing new arrangement of the classic song "All Along the Watchtower" showcased in the Season 3 finale and performed by BT4.
4.5
Bear McCreary & VA - Battlestar Galactica: Season One, Two & Three - OST [2005/2006/2007]
The prospect of an Underworld and Gabriel Yared soundtrack collaboration is an intriguing, if not mouthwatering prospect for those among us with any interest in musical innovation. As a rule, dance and classical music mix like oil and water; it takes a very talented producer, if not the skill of a genius to pull off such a coup (see William Orbit's 'Pieces in a Modern Style' as a prime example).However, add to the equation not only a film starring Jude Law, but one that's being touted as 'the British 'Crash'' and suddenly, the outlook looks marginally bleaker. Fear not, though: Oscar-winning composer Yared, the man behind the soundtracks of Betty Blue, The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley - alongside Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, UK techno-ambient pioneers - have between them, crafted quite an elegant score. Breaking and Entering manages to fuse both genres subtly, and without overwhelming each composition with excessive strings or experimental effects from either conspirator. Film scores as a concept tend to take a central theme and run with it throughout, leaving little room to diverge or experiment. B&E is no different in that sense, and the predominant tone is one of melancholic calamity (the press release describes the film itself as 'an exploration of the darker side of relationships and human emotion').Still, tracks like the ethereal St. Pancras demonstrate the collaborative nature of the experiment; Yared's gorgeous, eerie string arrangement is tinkered with subtly, and bent skilfully around a faint drum 'n' bass beat. Monkey One and Monkey Two lean more toward Underworld's techno propensity, falling somewhere between Aphex Twin and Enya; while Hungerford Bridge's pearl-drop piano twinkle epitomises the warmth brought by Yared's traditional style to the score. There's even an occasional audible ethnic slant; the upbeat Happy Toast uses slide guitar and gypsy-style accordion to fab effect, while Sad Amira and meandering closer Counterpoint Hang Pulse sound almost Middle Eastern at intervals. It's certainly not the mind-blowing experiment it could have been, but Breaking and Entering is still an interesting venture into classical-ambient chillout.
4 
Underworld/Gabriel Yared - Breaking and Entering - OST [2006]
Music plays a huge part in director Wes Anderson's meticulously crafted world. For this movie set in India, he's come up with a typically wide-ranging, mind-boggling soundtrack largely culled from the mid-'60s and early '70s, despite the fact that the film is set in the present. Though Indian cinema has come to mean Bollywood for most Americans, Anderson pays tribute to art filmmaker Satyajit Ray by including music from some of his movies, mines the early (1963-1970), lesser-known oeuvre of James Ivory, and features traditional Indian tunes. This may throw fans of Bollywood's more frantic style at first (even if the upbeat go-go "Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip," co-sung by superstar Asha Bhosle, gets close), but the music's eerie charm works in insidious ways. British Invasion pop, an enduring love of Anderson's, is represented by obscure songs from well-known combos (three cuts from the Kinks' 1970 album Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One), as well as obscure songs from obscure performers, like Peter Sarstedt's 1969 nugget "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)." Add a fantastic Rolling Stones pop tune from 1965, a couple of Western classical tracks, a popular French hit by Joe Dassin, and you have a CD that's all over the map yet oddly consistent in its eccentricity.
4 
What we have here is a great album... a great album that with a few chages would have been extrordinary. You can't resist Alanis' Uninvited no matter how hard you try. Iris is permanently melted in your heart, mind, and soul the instant you hear it. It includes the magnificent cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Red House." Sarah Mclachlan's "Angel" is a true gem. The album features U2, Paula Cole (who is talented regardless of the armpit hair!) Unfortunatly they also included fillers that have no buisness cluttering such an otherwise perfect album. John Lee Hooker's song featured on it is horrible to say the least. They include an Eric Clapton track that dosen't deserve to be printed next to the great musicians name. It's one of his early blues songs. Why not one of his sensations? "Tears in heaven", "Layla", you know what I mean. My dad couldn't even tell it was him and he's a clapton freak. Peter Gabriel "Greives" to sing one of his better songs (although I can put up with the track.) Too bad, for the album was close to being a masterpeice. It's still a great album though with an instrumental ending that is beautiful.
4
It's one of life's great ironies that today, outside of reggae circles, Jimmy Cliff is better known for his film appearances than his music. Even after a string of hits, the singer never quite managed to break into the mainstream, although in the late '60s/early '70s, he seemed poised for international stardom. The singer was born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, on April 1, 1948, with the less prosaic name James Chambers. His talent was obvious from childhood, and he began his career appearing at local shows and parish fairs. At 14, he felt ready for the big time, moved to Kingston, and took the surname Cliff to express the heights he intended on reaching. Cliff recorded two unsuccessful singles before he was spotted by Derrick Morgan, who brought him to Leslie Kong. His first single for the budding producer, "Hurricane Hattie," was an instant hit. Unusually, Cliff remained with Kong until the producer's death; most Jamaican artists flit from studio to studio. The singer's loyalty was rewarded, however, as the hits just kept coming. In the early years, the pair helped set the ska scene alight, both in Jamaica and in Britain, where the singer's singles were picked up by Island Records. "Miss Jamaica," "King of Kings," "One Eyed Jacks," and "Pride and Passion" were all classics from the ska era... Singer, musician, composer, and rebel Peter Tosh cut a swathe through the Jamaican musical scene, both as a founding member of the Wailers and as a solo artist. He toured with the Rolling Stones and had an international hit with a duet with Mick Jagger, then toured again to equally rapturous world audiences as the headlining act. His words would cause an uproar at the One Peace concert, but then unlike fellow Wailer Bob Marley, Tosh always made his true feelings known. He was born Winston Hubert McIntosh on October 19, 1944, in the small rural village of Grange Hill, Jamaica. Like so many young island teens searching for a better life, he left home at 15 and headed for Kingston. Once there, he made his way to Joe Higgs' tenement yard, joining other aspiring youths eager for the vocal coaching lessons the singing star provided to local teens. Amongst these youthful wannabes were Bunny, Bob Marley, and the much younger Junior Braithwaite; the four, buttressed by backing vocalists Cherry Green and Beverley Kelso, joined forces initially as the Teenagers before eventually settling on the moniker the Wailers.
5
In the wake of their 2007 international tour, Daft Punk releases "Alive 2007", a live recording of their performance in Paris. I can honestly say that, despite rarely finding time these days to listen to techo-style music, listening to this album was a thrilling experience. From what I've read, actually being at one of their concerts was downright incredible. In any case, for those of us who probably wouldn't know what to do with ourselves at a Daft Punk performance, we do have this sensational release. Close your eyes and get ready for the quintessential house/electronica mind journey. This performance shows how forward thinking they have been in their music and despite the monotony of some original releases, they have layered and fused tracks into a truly moving and soulful thumping, riffing, mooging, feedback-squwarking frenzy. This is an amazing energizing reproduction of the best of Daft Punk, quite simply at their very best. Thomas and Guy Manuel, have always wanted to make good music for people to like and dance to. Now they have trumped themselves with a fantastic world concert tour.
4.5
Vitalic is the alter ego of Pascal Arbez, a French programmer/multi-instrumentalist who blends electro, techno, and house — as well as elements of classical, rock, Italo-disco, and '70s electronic music — into a sound that recalls the work of fellow countrymen Daft Punk and Air, but has its own hard-edged playfulness. Arbez played trombone as a child and young adult, but became fascinated with dance music when he heard Daft Punk in the mid-'90s. Inspired by them as well as Giorgio Moroder, Arbez switched to analog synths and began writing and recording as Dima. He released his first 12" in 1996 on Citizen Records, a label started by Arbez and likeminded friends. Arbez used the Dima moniker (as well as the alias Hustler Pornstar) until 2000, when he switched to the name Vitalic. After sending a demo to International DJ Gigolo, the label released Vitalic's Poney EP in 2001. The EP's expansive yet hard-hitting sound made its three tracks staples in sets by DJs as varied as Aphex Twin, Princess Superstar, and 2 Many DJ's. However, despite some collaborations and remixes, Arbez took a while to release any new Vitalic material. The Fanfares EP arrived late in 2004, signaling a heavier, less atmospheric bent to Arbez's work than the Poney EP; spring 2005 saw the release of the single My Friend Dario, by far the poppiest Vitalic track yet. Most of Vitalic's key singles and tracks were collected on the long-awaited debut album OK Cowboy (the title of which alluded to Vitalic's maverick stance and Arbez's preference to live in the French countryside), which arrived in Europe later that spring and was released in the U.S. that summer. Early in 2007, the mix album The Sound of Citizen — which included tracks by Arbez's inspirations as well as artists on the Citizen roster — was released. Late that year V Live arrived.
4.5 
Formerly in rival bands on the Chicago local scene, guitarist Mike Carden and vocalist William Beckett came together in 2002 to mark the beginning of indie-emo rockers the Academy Is... (originally just named the Academy). Naming influences from U2 to Weezer to Pink Floyd, the duo added bassist Adam Siska, along with a second guitarist and drummer, to record 2004's The Academy EP for hometown label LLR Recordings. As luck would have it, fellow Chicagoan Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) heard the release, brought the band to the attention of his current label, and the guys were soon welcomed to the roster at Gainesville's Fueled by Ramen. Six months after Carden and Beckett got to work writing their full-length, the band headed to Florida to record. A few lineup changes came in 2004, as guitarist/vocalist Tom Conrad and drummer Andy Mrotek joined on as permanent members of the group. Relentless touring with the likes of Fall Out Boy, Something Corporate, Midtown, and Armor for Sleep steadily built a devoted fan following around the country before their very well-received label debut, Almost Here, was issued in February 2005. Gigs continued almost non-stop in support, and The Academy Is... released the six-song acoustic EP From the Carpet exclusively on iTunes in early 2006. It contained three new songs (including a cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero") and acoustic versions of tracks from Almost Here. Around the same time, the band could be found on the road headlining sold-out venues across the country with Acceptance, Hellogoodbye, and Panic! at the Disco. Following a summer spent on Warped Tour, the guys parted ways with Conrad in the fall of 2006 (replaced by guitarist Michael Guy Chislett) and began writing new material back in Chicago. The Academy Is... eventually entered a California studio with producer Butch Walker (All-American Rejects, Hot Hot Heat) to record what would become their sophomore effort, Santi, which was released in early April 2007.
4
Singer/pianist Diana Krall got her musical education when she was growing up in Nanaimo, British Columbia, from the classical piano lessons she began at age four and in her high school jazz band, but mostly from her father, a stride piano player with an extensive record collection. "I think Dad has every recording Fats Waller ever made," she said, "and I tried to learn them all." Krall attended the Berklee College of Music on a music scholarship in the early '80s, then moved to Los Angeles, where she lived for three years before moving to Toronto. By 1990, she was based in New York, performing with a trio and singing. After releasing her first album on Justin Time Records, Krall was signed to GRP for her second, Only Trust Your Heart and transferred to its Impulse! division for her third, a Nat "King" Cole Trio tribute album called All for You. Love Scenes followed in 1997, and in late 1998, she issued the seasonal Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. When I Look in Your Eyes followed in 1999. Whatever noteriety Krall had earned over the years for her work exploded with this album, which became an international best-seller and earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. It also was the first jazz album to be nominated for Album of the Year in twenty-five years. Krall's crossover success followed her as she performed in the Lilith Fair the following year and her songs cropped up everywhere from episodes of Sex in the City to films like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. In 2001 she released The Look of Love. The album topped the Billboard charts and went quintuple platinum in Canada, the first by a Canadian jazz artist to do so. The Look of Love also helped Krall win three Juno awards in 2002, taking home awards for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Vocal Jazz Album of the Year. Two years later, Krall issued The Girl in the Other Room. Covering a few standards, this album included original material for the first time in her career. Returning to the large ensemble standards approach of her previous album, Krall released From This Moment On in 2006.
4.5
This is by far the best Mentors album, except for their hard-to-find Trash Bag EP from 1982(which should have been put on the cd instead of the four dismal 90's tracks.) It outdoes anything any other metal band from the 80's did, even Metallica and Slayer. Any fan of hardcore punk or heavy metal would love this album, it never gets old. Add El Duce's hilarious lyrics to the musical greatness of this album, and you've got perfection. Every song is a classic, except for maybe herpes 2, but the great thing about cds is that you can skip to the next track. If you're new to the Mentors, get this album first, then get Up the Dose and To The Max, another hard-to-find gem.(Hey, there's a good idea-how about re-releasing To The Max together with The Trash Bag EP?) Long live El Duce!
This album, though not quite as good as their 1985 debut You Axed For It, was recorded a year later and still showcased the Mentors in their prime. While the previous album was one of the heavy metal classics of the 80's, this one took a more rock direction, but the lyrics remained great and showed that the Mentors can play more than one musical style. Some of the songs, including Heterosexuals Have the Right to Rock, Rock'Em Sock'Em, and S.F.C.C. retained the heavy metal sound of the previous album, and the others have more of a 70's rock sound, but they are all great. Again, as on the previous album, the mistake was made to include four somewhat boring tracks from the 90's instead of their classic Trash Bag EP from 1982, but at least the bonus tracks are a huge improvement over what they put on You Axed For It.
4.5
Originally released by the German label Kitty-Yo in 2000, The Teaches of Peaches is a crash course in Peaches' (aka Merrill Nisker) punk-disco burlesque. "Sucking on my titties like you wanna be callin' me all the time like Blondie/Check out my Chrissie be-Hynde it's fine all of the time" she sings on the opening manifesto "Fuck the Pain Away," which crystallizes her sound and approach — her music is equal parts sex, humor, rock, and dance, with her frank, and often frankly hilarious, lyrics riding atop stark drumbeats, throbbing basslines, and repetitive but undeniably rockin' guitar riffs. Trashy, energetic tracks like "Rock Show" and "Lovertits" — which is strangely reminiscent of the Stones' disco period, à la "Emotional Rescue" — put the "rude" back in rudimentary; it's the kind of cleverly stupid music that's made by pretty bright people. Indeed, it's quite possible to read all sort of women's studies theories into Peaches' music; she's unrepentantly, triumphantly sexual and turns the tables by objectifying guys (particularly on "AA XXX," where she sings, "I like the innocent type/Deer in the headlights," and on the funny, kinky "Hot Rod," where she demands "Huh? What? Show me whatcha got/Rub it against my thigh"), but the fact that her sexually explicit music isn't presented as a bravely feminist act is, paradoxically, exactly what's so liberating about it. Things start to falter on The Teaches of Peaches when the tempo slows down and the electronic elements are emphasized, as on "Diddle My Skittle," "Suck and Let Go," and "Felix Partz," which feel a little draggy compared to the album's high-octane first half but do have a hypnotic pull that's worth noting. However, the flirty, disco-inspired "Set It Off" and bitchy breakup song "Cum Undun" express her punk attitude and dance ambitions much more naturally. And even though songs like "Sucker" sound a bit warmed-over, it's fairly remarkable for an artist with such a brash, distinctive style that she doesn't start repeating herself until the very end of the album. Funny, sexy, outrageous, and danceable (not to mention endlessly quotable) all at once, The Teaches of Peaches is a great introduction to a unique artist who defines herself by gleefully blurring boundaries. The 2002 reissue on Beggars/XL includes a bonus disc of covers and remixes that map out Peaches' influences and contemporaries, including her versions of Jeans Team's "Keine Melodien" and Berlin's "Sex (I'm A)," a new version of "Felix Partz" featuring Gonzales, Kid 606's remix of "Fuck the Pain Away," and a mix of "Set It Off" by Tobi Neuman.
4.5
From the vaults of the King Cole Trio and Jazz Legends Records, never to be forgotten tunes with Nat on the keyboard "Hit That Jive: 1936-1946"", digital mastering monaural...another command performance release featuring the man himself Mr. Nathaniel Adams Coles...he had a tenderness in his voice, completely flawless...he could never deliver a bad tune...his style and signature of making a song his own has never been duplicated...within this album are wonderful timeless ballads complete with romantic lyrics...all remain classics from the greatest entertainer of our time! Entire album is a highlight with Nat on piano with this July 28, 1936 recording of Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers with Jimmy Adams on drums, Eddie Cole on bass, Kenneth Roane on trumpet, Tommy Thompson on alto, tenor sax, Bill Wright on tenor sax...outstanding gig playing "STOMPING AT THE PANAMA"...Cole again on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar/vocals, Wesley Prince on bass/vocals and Lee Young on drums performing "I LIKE TO RIFF" (Nov. 1940)... Nat completely takes charge and you're in for a real treat from beginning to end...so fasten your seatbelts, cause you're in for a musical journey with all the trimmings. This Legend Jazz release is a compilation of past recordings that will keep you completely satisfied...tracks are mono but the sound quality is quite amazing...a release to savor for many years...this is a dream come true...more selections from the greatest entertainer of our time...and still more to come later this year 2005 with a DVD package. Nat was awarded a posthumous plaque to the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, naming him one of the major early influences on rock 'n' roll...they'll never be another pass this way again...we lost Nat from lung cancer on February 15, 1965 at the age of 47...thank you Jazz Legends for this release of the King Cole Trio...for the decades of music that followed his songs will remain with us always...just the way we like 'em!
5
INXS hailed from the pubs of Australia, which is part of the reason they never comfortably fit in with new wave. Even when the band branched out into synth pop on its early recordings, they were underpinned by a hard, Stonesy beat and lead singer Michael Hutchence's Jagger-esque strut. Ultimately, these were the very things that made INXS into international superstars in the late '80s. By that time, the group had harnessed their hard rock, dance, and new wave influences into a sleek, stylish groove that made their 1987 album Kick into a multi-million-selling hit. While that sound was their key to stardom, it also proved to be their undoing; the group became boxed in by their Stonesy pop-funk in the early '90s, when their audience became entranced by harder-edged alternative rock. In spite of declining sales, INXS soldiered on, continuing to tour and record for a dedicated fan base into the late '90s until Hutchence's 1997 death brought the band to a close. Appropriately for a band that featured three brothers, INXS had its roots in a family act, the Farriss Brothers. The group came together while Andrew Farriss (keyboard, guitar), the middle brother, was in high school with Michael Hutchence (vocals). The two formed a band with Gary Beers (bass). Simultaneously, Tim Farriss (guitar) was playing in various groups with his friend, Kirk Pengilly (guitar, saxophone). Eventually the two groups merged in 1977, with Jon Farriss joining as drummer. Two years later, when Jon graduated from high school, the band renamed itself INXS, moved from Perth to Sydney, and began to play the pub circuit. Within a year, the group landed an Australian record contract, releasing an eponymous debut on Deluxe in 1980.
4.5
Koop, the duo of Oscar Simonsson and Magnus Zingmark, seem to grasp what many other trip-hop production units never did — that, no matter which instruments are used in your productions, digital or acoustic or electric, a sense of place is what should never be lost. Their debut album Waltz for Koop, with its languruous textures and tugging sense of melancholy, one-upped a parade of other deservedly recognized acts who had come in the wake of Air (groups like Royksopp, Zero 7, and Groove Armada). Koop Islands, the duo's first proper record in six years, is another quality collection of songs, with guest vocalists and the returning Yukimi Nagano usually providing exactly the right touch for each song (credit Koop for those personnel decisions). Ane Brun contributes the best, a swinging French chanson named "Koop Island Blues" with pining accordion and vibraphone (plus a devastating clarinet solo from Koop's Lindgren himself). Earl Zinger stops by to lighten the mood on two tracks, including a humorous "letter home" on the track "Beyond the Son." Part of what helps the pair stand apart is their instrumental prowess and obvious arranging talents; Koop Islands is one of the few records of the '90s and 2000s that has exactly the right atmosphere to suit trip-hop fans and all the ingredients for an excellent contemporary jazz record.
4
Here's where it became serious — by 2003's Nuit Blanche, Vive la Fête was no longer a mere side project for one of its founders and masterminds, Danny Mommens. Originally a member of Belgian indie rock band dEUS, widely known among open-minded rock fans for its eclectic and experimental tendencies, Mommens saw dEUS though their farewell tour in 2002 and then was free to devote his full-time energy and creativity to Vive la Fête, his labor-of-love project with singer/girlfriend Els Pynoo. Nuit Blanche, full-length number three, benefits from this newfound commitment enormously — simply put, it's the most confident, consistent, and simply enjoyable record in entire Vive la Fête catalog. Both sides of the band's sound — pulsating electronics and bald rock swagger — are represented here to the full maximum effect. Admittedly, there's less rock this time around, but every time it surfaces in the mix, it works splendidly. For instance, one of the album's highlights, "Touche Pas," manages to be both a fist-pumping club anthem and a charging rock number, guaranteed to flatten the dancefloor with a combination of fat, steady beats and a wall of red-hot guitars. It's followed by an excellent run of purely electronic tracks — the joyfully charging "Jaloux," the melancholy, midtempo "Joyeux," and the fantastically sleazy "Mon Dieu," where the memorable lines "bang bang, boogie boogie, bang bang" are repeated by a emotionless male voice before waves of digital noise take over the entire song. The next time Vive la Fête switches the "rock" button on, however, it's simply killer — and it happens in track eight, "Noir Desir." It starts calmly enough, with a steady synthetic midtempo beat and a simple melody, but when guitars enter the mix by the end of the second verse, and Els Pynoo suddenly loses her usual glamour chick cool and goes for emotive, the effect is absolutely staggering. At six minutes the song may drag a couple minutes too long — and it's not hard to spot those extra minutes in the song's drawn-out conclusion — but that single moment in the final chorus, where Pynoo, admittedly far from the most gifted of singers, breaks down into a shriek when unable to put even more feeling into her singing, is worth entire records of certain like-minded bands. With moments like that and strong material all around, Nuit Blanche finds the band at the absolute top of their game. No other Vive la Fête record before (or, for that matter, after) sounded this inspired and energized.
4
With her haunting solo debut Little Earthquakes, Tori Amos carved the template for the female singer/songwriter movement of the '90s. Amos' delicate, prog rock piano work and confessional, poetically quirky lyrics invited close emotional connection, giving her a fanatical cult following and setting the stage for the Lilith Fair legions. But Little Earthquakes is no mere style-setter or feminine stereotype — its intimacy is uncompromising, intense, and often far from comforting. Amos' musings on major personal issues — religion, relationships, gender, childhood — were just as likely to encompass rage, sarcasm, and defiant independence as pain or tenderness; sometimes, it all happened in the same song. The apex of that intimacy is the harrowing "Me and a Gun," where Amos strips away all the music, save for her own voice, and confronts the listener with the story of her own real-life rape; the free-associative lyrics come off as a heart-wrenching attempt to block out the ordeal. Little Earthquakes isn't always so stomach-churning, but it never seems less than deeply cathartic; it's the sound of a young woman (like the protagonist of "Silent All These Years") finally learning to use her own voice — sort of the musical equivalent of Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia. That's why Amos draws strength from her relentless vulnerability, and that's why the constantly shifting emotions of the material never seem illogical — Amos simply delights in the frankness of her own responses, whatever they might be. Though her subsequent albums were often very strong, Amos would never bare her soul quite so directly (or comprehensibly) as she did here, nor with such consistently focused results. Little Earthquakes is the most accessible work in Amos' catalog, and it's also the most influential and rewarding.
5
How could this legendary progressive-rock band possibly top the classic double-header of "Dark Side Of The Moon" and "Wish You Were Here"? Simple---drop the saxophonist and the female backup singers, make the music less spacey and more harder-edged, and lay down some of the most powerful, enthralling, bone-crunching prog-rock ever committed to tape! The mighty Pink Floyd did just that with 1977's "Animals," an astounding rock album that is not only an all-time classic, but it's also hands down the band's best work. Hey, I love "Dark Side" et al just as much as the next Floyd fan, but with "Animals," Pink Floyd ROCK with everything they've got, and for the very last time as a four-piece (session musicians were once again used by the band for "The Wall" and every Floyd album that has followed it).The theme of "Animals," inspired by George Orwell's "Animal Farm," is a journey through society split into three caste systems of animals---dogs, pigs, & sheep. The dogs are the ruthless cutthroats, the pigs are the stuck-up authority figures, and the sheep are the blind followers. Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright blaze through this work with astonishing musical force. With no extra help from session musicians, the band have only themselves to play off of here, and because of that, the band's musical power is given extra strength. "Dogs," in particular, is a great example---Gilmour's shimmering acoustic guitar strums initially sound far off, but then draw closer. As Wright's eerie keyboards make a cameo, Gilmour lays down the strongest, most powerful lead vocal he's ever done for the band. Then the rest of the band kick in, and "Animals" becomes absolutely mindblowing as the band REALLY shift into high gear.I also love the album's intro and outro in the form of Waters' two parter, "Pigs On The Wing," which is actually a love song to Waters' then-wife, Carolyn. The first part of the song beautifully acts as a sort of "calm before the storm," as it settles you into your seat or on your bed, and gets you ready for the sheer musical force to follow. Forty minutes later, after the Floyd's incredible treatment of "Sheep" finally fades away into the distance, Waters comes in with the second half of "Pigs On The Wing," the peace *after* the storm, if you like. It ends the album on a very poignant, memorable note.Pink Floyd have got many brilliant albums in their catalog, but "Animals" is the big one for me. It's outstanding, and, as a concept album, it's also a very fascinating allegory about our own society. Simply put, "Animals" is a brilliant opus from one of rock's greatest bands.
5
I must admit, I did not know what I'd find when I started listening to this box set. This is more of a tour of the various forms and evolutions of the Dead's thirty year career than a best of box set. I think there are already enough best of sets that didn't quite cut to the chase. This is more of an expanded version of Fallout from the Phil Zone. Lots of interesting rarities and snippets. Granted everyone is going to have a beef about what was left off. You can only put so much music on 5 cds. They did a good job with this one. Disc One finally taps into the early Warlocks sessions from 1965. There are a few more rarities they didn't use, but it is a decent sampling of the early sound. Pigpen's organ is prominent in the mix (finally) and shows his instrumental talents. They do a good version of On the Road Again which has good blues harp counterpoint to Jerry's vocals. The Same Thing is amazing, and show's an example of Pigpen's blues vocals. (can we get a Pigpen box?) They do sample rare versions of the band's psychedelic warhorses such as Dark Star, China Cat Sunflower, The Other One suite (which samples Tom Constanten's term as keyboardist) as well as some interesting jam segments. They aren't complete, but well worth the listen. It is a peek into where the band was at that very moment in time. The Dark Star Jam is amazing, as is the complete version of Eyes Of the World as used in the Grateful Dead Movie. The Wheel is interesting for its reggae like arrangement, and as a sampling from the year where they started touring again. There are good bits from the Brent era. Gentlemen Start Your Engines is chilling. Believe It Or Not is a sweet song, and I'm not sure why they stopped playing it. Hey Pocky Way rocks, and Scarlet>Fire is amazing no matter what era it is from. The last disc finally releases some of the better songs from the last few years. Days Between is an amazing song, and symbolizes the bittersweet horizon the band approached near the end. Its about time Eternity came out, as it was Willie Dixon's last song, and a good one too. Liberty rocks, and So Many Roads is poignant, especially in the final version. Way To Go Home is forgettable, but still, it does sample a bit of Vince's contribution to the band. It is uneven, but then again it reflects the 30 year journey of the Dead, which also had many peaks and uneven points also. Pick this up, you'll be surprised at what gems are here. At the very least, it'll give you an idea of where else to start looking or reinvestigating.
5
This genre is the musical equivalent of caramel covered cotton candy: it'll rot your teeth, but man oh man is it ever yummy. Let's be honest: it's silly, mindless, utterly formulaic and dripping with sugary lyrics. However, sometimes that's just what you are in the mood for, and I defy anyone not listen to this stuff without breaking out in the biggest feel good grin you ever had, all the while dancing around to the catchy hooks and happy melodies. Toy Box is one of many "groups" to come out of the typical Euro dance mold, following in the footsteps of bands like Aqua, Daze, Hit 'n Hide, and the Vengaboys. Yes, they all sound the same, leaving you to think that it's the same male/female duo performing all these songs under different monikers. This might be true, but you know what? who cares! I love this stuff, it makes the morning commute while I am stuck in traffic so much easier to take when silly catchy songs like "Super Duper Man" are blasting through my sound system at inviscerating volumes. (Super Duper Man is, by far, my favorite). This is the kind of stuff you want to hear when you are on vacation at an all inclusive resort in the tropics with a drink in one hand, and your cares are left at home where they belong. Enjoy!
4
Tiny Tim has largely been written off as a novelty act, a performer of cheesy joke songs and a source of cheap laughs. In a way, this is somewhat understandable- Tim was a weirdo, a curious little outsider who, even in the experimental heyday of the late 60s, didn't really sound like anyone else. Still, to call him a mere comedy act is to do him an incredible disservice. Sure, he was silly (just listen to his rendition of "I Got You Babe," in which he plays both Sonny and Cher while accompanying himself on his signature ukulele), but there was more to his sound than just that: It was a wonderfully playful and completely original mixture of vaudville, pop, country, music hall, and psychedlia. It managed to evoke everything from the summer of love to the great depression, from World War I to Vietnam, with uncanny accuracy. It was a joyful, unpretentious sound, the music of a true outsider and a real original. Released in 1968, God Bless Tiny Tim is our hero's debut, and it captures the man's essence marvelously. A mixture of contemporary covers and renditions of early 20th century compositions, this album demonstrates Tim's varied musical tastes. It also shows off the man's skill as a performer, giving him plenty of opportunities to use both his trademark quivering falsetto and rumbling baritone. Producer Richard Perry adds some fantastic orchestral touches, and Tim's own spoken interludes unify the album, making it feel like a single, wonderful trip through a unique dreamer's mind. The album's most famous song is the bouyant, irresistable "Tiptoe Through the Tulips With Me," a bubbly masterpiece that radiates pure joy. Other highlights include the deliciously creepy vaudville bounce of "On the Old Front Porch," in which Tim sings a "duet" with himself, playing both the song's hero and heroine, as well as the absolutely hilarious country pop of "Then I'd Be Satisfied With Life." The haunting "Strawberry Tea" is one of the most genuinly beautiful psychedelic pop songs ever recorded, and "Fill Your Heart" is a soulful, engaging classic with a superbly lush production. "Livin' In the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" is pure vaudville-inlfected madness, and "The Viper" is a wonky little spoken-word piece. "Daddy, Daddy What Is Heaven Like" is a heartbreakingly pretty ode to youthful innocence. These are only the highlights of one of the most wonderful, and unfairly overlooked, albums ever released. Buy it, listen to it, and bask in the offbeat genius of Tiny Tim!
4.5
Franz Ferdinand were one of the best bands to make it big during the post-Strokes Indie rock revolution of the early 2000s (i.e., now). They had all the right ingredients: tight, catchy songs with angular guitars vaguely funky rhythms, just the right combination of punk, dance, and pop influences, and a hipper-than-hip aesthetic that combined everything that was cool between 1975 and last month. As a result, their debut album garnered a heap of critical praise and great sales. And they say that good music doesn't get any recognition these days. Here's the thing: Franz Ferdinand, although it may be derivative, and not exactly 100% perfect, is still a fantastic album. One of the shining lights of the past seven years, as a matter of fact. It isn't just that the songs are catchy or smart or ridiculously exciting (even though they are certainly all of those things)- it's that they breathe new life into the whole grimy, post-grunge, post-90s, post-O.K. Computer, post-everything rut that the mainstream had been stuck in. Just listen to "The Dark Of The Matinee," the way it combines a lush, seductive vocal with a stomping, just-plain-raucous rhythm and elastic guitars. Listen to "Jacqueline," to its slashing, apocalyptic guitar chords and hedonistic lyrics. Listen to the tightly meshed melodies and shape-shifting stomp of "Take Me Out." And then there's the spastic cool of "Darts of Pleasure," and the gorgeously erotic "Michael." "This Fire" is an offbeat anthem. As I said before, it isn't perfect. There aren't any truly bad songs, but after a while the album's formula does get a bit thin- it's hard to listen to this music for a full forty minutes without starting to feel like every song sounds like a slight variation on the one before it. That's not always a bad thing, but it does mean that the album tends to drag a bit in its last half, in spite of some truly inspired performances. Fans of alt-rock after Nirvana should love this.
4
Gerry Rafferty is a huge talent, but a reluctant star. Management struggles and sundry other hindrances limited his output, but couldn't avert the Scot from releasing two legendary singles — the Tarantino-ized "Stuck in the Middle With You" and the unforgettable "Baker Street," the latter included on this record. Just a glimpse of John Patrick Byrne's cool cover art lets the listener know City to City houses Rafferty's day in the sun as he conquers the world one metropolis at a time, his guitar and amp in tow. Setting out in his apocalyptic "Ark," each song radiates the confidence of a master craftsman cruising in his prime, constructing brilliant pop confections with top-flight support while awaiting the crunch of civilization. The dreamy reality check "Baker Street" rightfully remains one of the greatest cuts in pop history. Forever-lost B-side "Big Change in Weather" further demonstrates Rafferty was on a rare roll. Domestic valentine "Right Down the Line" snugly followed to the height of the charts, and third release, "Home and Dry," while not of an immortal status, stands as a quality song. He even stomps out a smooth hoedown on the title track. Rafferty's turns of phrase and tight composition skills create a fresh sound and perspective all his own. Any diverse style (and he attempts many) filters through his unique mindset, resulting in a classic platter buoyed by many moments of sheer genius. "Whatever's written in your heart, that's all that matters."
5
