Family

1. Monkey Diet

2. Richard

3. Abu Dhabi

4. Lout

5. Mud

6. Tribute to G. E.

7. Family Frost

8. Dune

9. Cyclops

Family,Milan Svoboda & Contraband,Lotos Records,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Average customer rating: Come Into The Garden

Family Tree Nick Drake Manufacturer: Tsunami Label Group ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: New Moon Easy Tiger Darker Than the Deepest Sea: The Search for Nick Drake Just Roll Tape: April 26th, 1968 Time on Earth ASIN: B000PTYS2W Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

1. Come In To The Garden
2. They're Leaving Me Behind
3. Time Piece
4. Poor Mum
5. Winter Is Gone
6. All My Trials
7. Kegelstatt Trio
8. Strolling Down The Highway
9. Padding In The Rushes
10. Cocaine Blues
11. Blossom
12. Been Smokin' Too Long
13. Black Mountain Blues
14. Tomorrow Is A Long Time
15. If You Leave Me
16. Here Come The Blues
17. Sketch 1
18. Blues Run The Game
19. My Baby's So Sweet
20. Milk And Honey
21. Kimbie
22. Bird Flew By
23. Rain
24. Strange Meeting II
25. Day Is Done
26. Come Into The Garden
27. Way To Blue
28. Try To Remember

Amazon.com

You'd think there wouldn't be much more to present by a songwriter who recorded three albums in his lifetime and has been dead since 1974. However, interest in Nick Drake's riveting music has grown enormously in the new millennium. Rarities were added to a number of posthumous collections, but with Family Tree his estate has brought forth an hour of music that predates his first album, Five Leaves Left. This set illuminates Drake's musical background, with his mother and sister appearing, and even Drake himself on clarinet for a Mozart trio. He covers traditional numbers as well as songs by Dylan, Blind Boy Fuller, and Jackson C. Frank. There are clear links to his own early compositions, including a couple early versions that appeared on his debut. Some of this has circulated on bootlegs over the years, but here assembled and sonically polished, it radiates with warmth. Recorded in casual circumstances, there are bits of chatter and laughter between songs, painting a picture of a happy, loving home scene. --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews:

Come Into The Garden.......2007-07-14

If you're seeking this out, I don't have to tell you what a special & rare talent Nick Drake is. Suffice it to say, this one is for die-hard fans. Those seeking proper introduction should proceed directly to Way To Blue or Pink Moon.

One of the most prized recordings in my collection has long been the Nick Drake bootleg, Tamworth-In-Arden 1967/68. I usually avoid buying boots, but couldn't resist the plethora of completely unheard/unreleased songs. Now, most of that material has been lovingly compiled (with a few surprises, as well as omissions) & cleaned up considerably in terms of the sound quality. Half of the songs are written by Drake & half are rather obscure covers, including 3 songs by the legendary Jackson C. Frank. Fans of Drake will hardly be disappointed.

Among the self-penned selections, the real highlights are the haunting "Leaving Me Behind" and "Come Into The Garden". "Rain" and "Bird Flew By" reveal a talent that is nearly fully formed. "Strange Meeting II" & "Been Smoking Too Long" were included on the Fruit Tree box set appendix, Time Of No Reply. Both are welcome here. (According to the liner notes that collection is soon to be re-released).

More than likely, fans will not be as thrilled with the two songs, written & sung by Nick's mother, Molly. But to be frank, I like them both even if they are a bit jarring amidst the rest of the set. Its nice to hear where Nick got some of his talent from.

Lovingly compiled & with copious liner notes (Nick's sister, Gabrielle's are quite moving) this is certainly worth the price of admission for longtime & new found fans of this brilliant and truely unique artist.

Average customer rating: Awesome A Rather Nice Change Happily Surprised They should tear this Fly Leaf from the book! Simply marvelous

Flyleaf Flyleaf Manufacturer: Octone ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Flyleaf Phobia The Melody And The Energetic Nature of Volume One X A Beautiful Lie ASIN: B000AYQOCO Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

1. I'm So Sick
2. Fully Alive
3. Perfect
4. Cassie
5. Sorrow
6. I'm Sorry
7. All Around Me
8. Red Sam
9. There For You
10. Breathe Today
11. So I Thought

Album Description

"Our hometown's so small that..." Ask any member of Flyleaf what's the closest major city they're from and the answer is a wavering "Well, I suppose you could say Waco." Not Dallas, not Houston...Waco. That's how tiny their hometown of Belton, Texas, is. Equally tiny is lead singer Lacey Mosely. Standing barely 5 feet tall, she possesses a quiet demeanor and eyes right out of a Margaret Keane painting. But what's not tiny about Flyleaf is their music. Their driving metal sound reinforces Lacey's passionate and surprisingly commanding vocals. The band's debut EP has sold close to 20,000 copies, earning them critical acclaim from the likes of Kerrang and Metal Hammer in the UK as well as Metal Edge dubbing them one of the "Bands to Watch in 2005."

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-07-16

An awesome band both Christian and Non-Christain rock fans should enjoy.

Yes she screams on a couple of the tracks, so if your not into screaming its still a good buy, personally I'd grown to like it (before purchasing)!

Check the band out on youtube and their homepage and get hooked & buy a CD!

Rock on!

--
W Thomas

A Rather Nice Change.......2007-06-21

So, I was at Wal-Mart. They had this album there. I bought it without any knowledge of the band. At all. All I had heard of them was "There For You," and that's all. Guess what I got? A rather nice change of music.

Why? Because Flyeaf delivers alternating vocals from time to time, and honestly, I've never heard of anything similar to Lacey's voice. That says something special. All you hear on the radio is MTV supported crud, but this band is certainly not one of those low-rate bands.

Flyleaf's lyrics are complex, and very well-written. "Cassie" is one of my favorites; when I found out this was a Christian rock band, I was shocked. This is different from all the other Christian rock bands, a band that doesn't flat-out stand for their religion aimlessly. Their music presents it well-enough, and that's good enough for me.

From despairing and fast to sweet and a little bitter, Flyleaf delivers. This is yet another recommended band. Pick it up if you have the chance.

Happily Surprised.......2007-06-09

I've only heard two of the songs before. I was happy to find out that I like the entire CD. It's a consistant sound. If you like one song, you'll like them all. There is some cursing and blasphemy, so if that bothers you, don't bother. I love it. It rocks hard.

They should tear this Fly Leaf from the book!.......2007-05-27

The four and one half star rating of this album is beyond me. The music is substandard, the singer, appalling, and the lyrics, vacuous! If you are looking for a female-fronted metal band, buy Tristania, Epica, After Forever, or Within Temptation. This is a "Fly leaf" from a horrible book!

Simply marvelous.......2007-05-12

Lacey Mosley has an amazing voice , a powerful combination of melody and rage all mixed together. After hearing "I am so sick" and "fully alive", I got a new energy to burn my calories at the gym.. Check them out !!!!
Its sad most of us dont know about them, instead we see all those stupid videos all the time on MTV.

Average customer rating: Rock 'n' Roll is not dead--it's flying like a phoenix A little disappointed Funk, Soul, Rock, Gospel, Blues Collusion of the Best Kind Play it at "eleven" Great fun & funk

Colorblind Robert Randolph & The Family Band Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Unclassified Live at the Wetlands (Dig) The Road to Escondido 10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)/ (CD/DVD) Continuum ASIN: B000H30B7M Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

1. Ain't Nothing Wrong With That
2. Deliver Me
3. Diane
4. Angels
5. Jesus Is Just Alight -- feat. Eric Clapton
6. Stronger -- feat. Leela James
7. Thrill Of It
8. Blessed
9. Love Is The Only Way In -- feat. Dave Matthes, Leroi Moore, & Rashawn Ross
10. Thankful 'N Thoughtful
11. Homecoming

Amazon.com

Colorblind isn't an adequate title for this album. Randolph's follow-up to 2003's Grammy-nominated Unclassified is bright and energetic as a tie-dye-patterned pinwheel. Mostly its 11 tunes are about grooves plucked from the era of Sly Stone and Stevie Wonder, dappled with brilliant classic rock musicianship (think Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck) and driven by frenetic verve. When things slow down, it's usually to let the young pedal steel virtuoso revisit his roots in the Holiness Church, although the team of pop-world songwriters he collaborates with make the lyrics of Randolph's R&B hymns ambiguous between devotion to a woman or to God. Guests Dave Matthews (singing backup on "Love Is the Only Way") and Eric Clapton (lending second guitar to a hot-but-rote cover of the Doobie Brothers' hit "Jesus Is Just Alright") are oddly subdued, but neo-soul diva Leela James puts sex and smolder into her duet with Randolph on "Stronger." Ultimately, though, this album's all about Randolph himself, who has loosened his grip on the blues and gospel bedrock of his earlier playing to become a master of flashy funk and rock riffs and the owner of a tone so gargantuan it's earned him a place in rock-guitar Olympus--if not Heaven. --Ted Drozdowski

Album Description

On Colorblind, the third album from Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, and Leela James join for a jam-packed, emotion-filled, good-time party mix of funk, soul, rock, gospel, and blues.

Customer Reviews:

Rock 'n' Roll is not dead--it's flying like a phoenix.......2007-07-20

When "Ain't Nothing Wrong with that" came on the car radio, I was alternately dialing the station to find the name of the song and writing down lyrics. (No, I wasn't driving!) I bought the song on iTunes and then waited not-so-patiently for the CD to come from Amazon. "Colorblind" would have been worth full price, but waiting is good--sometimes.

"Ain't Nothing Wrong with That" starts this CD with a party and the rock doesn't stop til the end. Okay, the styles vary enough to make things really interesting, but there's a core of solid rocked out soul interwoven into this CD that shines through.

"Jesus is just Allright" with Clapton is the best version since the Byrds. I also enjoyed both Leela Jones soulful groove and Dave Matthews. Really, there's not a bad song on this CD. It very much reminds me of the rock I used to love growing up.

The one good thing about coming to this CD almost a year late is that I don't have to wait so long for the next Robert Randolph CD.

A little disappointed.......2007-06-27

I was trying something new and this album was recommended. It has some good hits on it but I guess it just wasn't what I was looking for, which was more of a Jimmy feel. I'll try it again in a month and see how it does me.

Funk, Soul, Rock, Gospel, Blues Collusion of the Best Kind.......2007-06-03

My wife is seriously into funk, soul, rock and blues! Her other criteria for picking music is the guitar player has to be awesome. When I heard this CD it was like "yep, all of the criteria have been met". She's going to love it.

She did and so did I. You know that an artist is on the right track when legends like Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, and Leela James want to join in.

Buy this CD. There are many standout songs that will surely get airplay. My personal favorites are Deliver Me, Thrill of It, Love is the Only Way In, and Thankful 'N Thoughtful.

Play it at "eleven".......2007-05-21

Colorblind is a slightly more commercialized follow-up to their previous efforts that is well worth the listen. I was recently "turned on" to Robert Randolph with their Wetlands album and was immediately hooked. I eagerly bought this album and was not dissappointed. As some of the critics have pointed out, it is a little more commercial, has some "big names" added, and has an unnecessary cover of the Doobies "Jesus is Just Alright" (it isn't bad, but I would prefer another original.) Seems like the band is trying to breakthrough to a broader audience (can you really blame them?). The stand out songs are "Thrill of it," "Ain't nothing wrong with it," and "Deliver Me,"--all are rockers with a great driving beat and guitar work.

The sound is still solid, and I can imagine several of these songs becoming concert staples and jammable hits. Some of the southern rock sound which was so much of Wetlands is lost and is replaced with more of a funk/r & b sound, but it works.

After listening to it a few times, you will definitely find yourself turing it up to "eleven."

Great fun & funk.......2007-05-20

A little bit Sly and the Family Stone, a little bit Red Hot Chili Peppers, a little bit Mother's Finest, and a little bit Lenny Kravitz. Fun, bouncy, funky. Feel-good energy music.

Average customer rating: good memories for me and fun "new" songs for my children memories TV Theme Songs TV themes Deja Vu

TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs Cyndi Grecco , and Jones, Jack Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Star Trek | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Purists | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music Similar Items: TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes All-Time Top 100 TV Themes Classic TV Game Show Themes One Hundred Greatest TV Themes Toon Tunes: Funny Bone Favorites ASIN: B00006EXIL Release Date: 2002-08-20

Tracks:

1. I Love Lucy Theme - Wilbur Hatch
2. Dragnet - Ray Anthony
3. The Twilight Zone - Rod Open
4. Bonanza - Al Caiola & His Orchestra
5. The Andy Griffith Theme - Earle Hagen
6. The Ballad Of Jed Clampett - Earl Scruggs
7. The Addams Family (Main Theme) - Vic Mizzy
8. Munsters Theme - Jack Marshall
9. The Ballad Of Gilligan's Isle - Morton Stevens
10. Green Acres - Eddie Albert
11. Jeannie - Hugo Montenegro
12. Batman Theme - Neal Hefti
13. (Theme From) The Monkees - The Monkees
14. Star Trek (Main Title & Closing Theme) - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
15. Mannix - Lalo Schifrin
16. Hawaii Five-O - Mort Stevens & His Orchestra
17. Theme From The Brady Bunch - The Brady Bunch
18. Come On Get Happy - The Partridge Family
19. Those Were The Days - Carroll O'Connor
20. And Then There's Maude - Donny Hathaway
21. Good Times - Jim Gilstrap
22. Movin' On Up - Oren Waters
23. The Rockford Files - Mike Post
24. Them From S.W.A.T. - Rhythm Heritage
25. Happy Days - Pratt & McClain
26. Making Our Dreams Come True - Cyndi Grecco
27. Chico And The Man - Jose Feliciano
28. Welcome Back - John Sebastian
29. What's Happening!! - Henry Mancini
30. Barney Miller - Jack Elliott
31. Charlie's Angels - Jack Elliott
32. Love Boat Theme - Jack Jones
33. Angela (Theme From 'Taxi') - Bob James
34. It Takes Diff'rent Strokes - Gloria Loring
35. Theme From Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) - Waylon
36. Theme From Magnum, P.I. - Mike Post
37. The Theme From Hill Street Blues - Mike Post
38. Theme From Dynasty - Bill Conti
39. Theme From 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It Or Not) - Joey Scarbury
40. Thank You For Being A Friend - Cynthia Fee

Album Description

TV Land brings you 40 of your favorite evening show theme songs. Highlights include 'Happy Days', 'The Greatest American Hero', 'Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)', 'Laverne & Shirley', 'I Dream Of Jeanie', 'I Love Lucy', 'Welcome Back, Kotter', 'The Love Boat', 'Hawaii Five-O', 'The Golden Girls' and many, many more. 2002. Rhino.

Customer Reviews:

good memories for me and fun "new" songs for my children.......2007-06-27

We had ordered this for "The Dukes of Hazzard" theme song for our 4yr old and our whole family has fallen in love with the cd. It makes me want to share some of the old fun and simple shows with my children. I forgot about some of those shows. It brings back good memories for my husband and me and the songs are new and exciting for our children. It's a nice change from children's cd's, but our children still think it's fun. The sound quality is good and the songs included on the cd are a great mix. I would definately recommend this one.

memories.......2007-02-22

This cd is excellent it has a lot of very good music and true to the original sound, Am getting a lot of enjoyment,highly recomended

TV Theme Songs.......2007-01-13

This is a great CD for people who watch a lot of TV -especially TV LAND and reruns of old shows when shows had actual theme songs. I took the CD to work and everyone loved trying to figure out what show the songs were from.

TV themes.......2006-07-05

Not all what I expected, not all of the tunes are the original recordings you remember as the TV themes.

Deja Vu.......2006-02-17

Listening to these familiar themes as performed by the original artists certainly brings back wonderful memories! I was particularly pleased, not only with the quality of the pieces, but with the actual performances themselves, just as we remembered them!

Average customer rating: Fun--but not great aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh! Disappointment would be an understatement Zzz... another set of hopes are smashed

Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys Various Artists Manufacturer: Anti ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Scottish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Classic Maritime Music from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings The Harry Smith Project: The Anthology Of American Folk Music Revisited (2 CD/2 DVD BOX SET) American Sea Shanties and Songs Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet] Shanties & Songs of the Sea ASIN: B000GGSMD0 Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

1. Cape Cod Girls - Baby Gramps
2. Mingulay Boat Song - Richard Thompson
3. My Son John - John C. Reilly
4. Fire Down Below - Nick Cave
5. Turkish Revelry - Loudon Wainwright III
6. Bully In The Alley - The Old Prunes
7. The Cruel Ship's Captain - Bryan Ferry
8. Dead Horse - Robin Holcomb
9. Spansih Ladies - Bill Frisell
10. High Barbary - Joseph Arthur
11. Haul Away Joe - Mark Anthony Thompson
12. Dan Dan - David Thomas
13. Blood Red Roses - Sting
14. Sally Brown - Teddy Thompson
15. Lowlands Away - Rufus Wainwright & Kate McGarrigle
16. Baltimore Whores - Gavin Friday
17. Rolling Sea - Eliza McCarthy
18. Haul On The Bowline - Bob Neuwirth
19. Dying Sailor to His Shipmates - Bono
20. Bonnie Portmore - Lucinda Williams
21. The Mermaid - Martin Carthy & the UK Group
22. Shenandoah - Richard Greene & Jack Shit
23. The Cry Of Man - Mary Margaret O'Hara

Tracks:

1. Boney - Jack Shit
2. Good Ship Venus - Loudon Wainwright III
3. Long Time Ago -White Magic
4. Pinery Boy - Nick Cave
5. Lowlands Low - Bryan Ferry w/Antony
6. One Spring Morning - Akron/Family
7. Hog Eye Man - Martin Carthy & Family
8. The Fiddler/A Drop Of Nelson's Blood - Ricky Jay & Richard Greene
9. Caroline and Her Young Sailor Bold - Andrea Corr
10. Fathom The Bowl - John C. Reilly
11. Drunken Sailor - Dave Thomas
12. Farewell Nancy - Ed Harcourt
13. Hanging Johnny - Stan Ridgway
14. Old Man of The Sea - Baby Gramps
15. Greenland Whale Fisheries - Van Dyke Parks
16. Shallow Brown - Sting
17. The Grey Funnel Line - Jolie Holland
18. A Drop of Nelson's Blood - Jarvis Cocker
19. Leave Her Johnny - Lou Reed
20. Little Boy Billy - Ralph Steadman

Amazon.com

Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski hatched the idea for Rogue's Gallery while filming "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"--that idea being to cast genteel rock superstars like Bono, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, Andre Corr, and Sting to reinterpret gritty seafaring standards for an exhaustive 43-track double-disc set produced by Hal Wilner. Throw in a bunch of credible folk stars (Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson), their offspring (Rufus, Teddy) and a string of other curious characters (Jarvis Cocker, Antony) and what results is one of the strangest compilations in recent memory, if not exactly the most historically authentic or, well, digestible. Nick Cave embraces the role just a little too hard on "Fire Down Below," while Ferry can't help but sound like he's singing for the cast of "The Love Boat," but cut through the chaff and there is some real bootie here: Bono's "Dying Sailor to His Shipmates," Jolie Holland's "The Grey Funnel Line" and "Boney" by a mysterious tramp called Jack Sh**, which must be some kind of anagram for Johnny Depp. --Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

While working on the two "Pirates Of The Carribean" films, Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski became fascinated with the lore and fable of the pirates and sailors who ran the high seas. Enter legendary producer Hal Wilner, who brings his knack for matching maverick musicians with extraordinary material. Artists on this double disc set include Bono, Sting, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, Richard Thompson, Lucinda Williams, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, and many more. "Rogue's Gallery" offers a look at the hardships, the horrors, the lusts and lurid depths, and the crystal beauty that led men to the sea in ships for hundreds of years.

Customer Reviews:

Fun--but not great.......2007-07-03

What a concept--a pirate song co-produced by Verbinski and Depp inspired by the "Pirates of the Carribean" series. It should be great and in places, it is. The big question I came away with is--who is Jack Sh**? That one definitely has me guessing.

I won't belabor the song content or the production value. I think the most notable reviews have got that down pat, although I'm not marking down as far as they have because I'm giving points for originality being a fan of Spike Jones and some other truly demented people.

One thing to note: this is not a CD you'd buy if you were looking for something to amuse your kids. Some of the content is very bawdy and Mom and Dad would have some serious 'splaining to do to the little pirates. There's both some language and some situations that are more twisted than a Hangman's knot.

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh!.......2007-06-09

Some of the songs are quite good(mellow)others a little odd. Its what I expected, but not what you would expect.

Disappointment would be an understatement.......2007-06-04

It is not unusual to find sea shanties performed by not the greatest musicians or singers in the world. It is not unusual to find shanties sung by people who have difficulty keeping perfect pitch, or tempo. But at least they understand what the music is about, and sing it with heart and enthusiasm and a love for the genre.

Hal Wilner should stick to whatever genre it is that made him know enough to be approached by labels, because he clearly has no understanding, and less enthusiasm for *this* genre.

If you love lively music from the maritime era, you can only be bitterly disappointed by this collection. Out of 43 tracks, I found 15 that were salvageable. Sort of.

I've already tossed this onto the pile to go to the resale shop. It wasn't worthy the cost of shipping.

Zzz..........2007-04-04

I have to admit that I have no idea what kinds of music the pirates sang aboard their ships. I know it probably wasn't "yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me," but I expected something different than this. I think my expectations have been colored by groups like The Pogues, Flogging Molly, The Tossers, and the Real McKenzies. I have an annual Pirate Party and I was hoping to find some good music here to get people in the mood for a treasure hunt or pirate liar's dice, but instead, the music on this CD is something I'd put on if the party went on too long and I wanted to encourage people to leave. Some of it is actually awful and the rest is too slow and plodding to inject much energy into any situation.

I appreciate what was attempted here (contemporary artists paying homage to sea chanteys in the spirit of our romanticized version of the pirate era) but it just doesn't really work. The effect is similar to what would be achieved if the London Philharmonic Orchestra attempted to play rap "music" with Luciano Pavarotti rhymin' while flashing gang signs.

another set of hopes are smashed.......2007-03-29

the selection of titles attracted me. The quality of the arrangements, the voices, and the music---are all quite bad.

It is VERY sad that these same titles, could not have been produced for quality. They sound like a nightmare.

Average customer rating: Mostly the essential, at least A fine introduction to a great band. You may still need this even if you bought "the collection" Looks like you need this collection after all!!! Boom-laka-laka-laka! Boom-laka-laka-laka!

Essential Sly & Family Stone Sly & Family Stone Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Box Sets at 30% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music R&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of War The Essential Isley Brothers Essential Earth Wind & Fire Kinks (The Ultimate Collection) James Brown - 20 All-Time Greatest Hits! ASIN: B00006NSH7 Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

1. Underdog
2. I Cannot Make It
3. Dance To The Music
4. Are You Ready?
5. Fun
6. M'Lady
7. Life
8. Love City
9. Stand!
10. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
11. I Want To Take You Higher
12. Somebody's Watching You
13. Sing A Simple Song
14. Everyday People
15. You Can Make It If You Try
16. Hot Fun In The Summertime
17. Everybody Is A Star
18. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

Tracks:

1. Family Affair
2. Luv N' Haight
3. Poet
4. (You Caught Me) Smilin'
5. Runnin' Away
6. Brave & Strong
7. Just Like A Baby
8. Thank You For Talkin' To Me, Africa
9. In Time
10. If You Want Me To Stay
11. Frisky
12. Skin I'm In
13. Babies Makin' Babies
14. If It Were Left Up To Me
15. Time For Livin'
16. Loose Booty
17. I Get High On You

Amazon.com

Long before Michael Jackson and Prince became superstars by fusing rhythmic soul with rock's sense of scale and ambition, a former Northern California deejay and producer named Sylvester Stewart took the vaunted musical utopianism of the '60s and forged it into the cross-cultural, ass-shaking, genre-bending groove monster that was Sly and the Family Stone. James Brown may have invented funk, but S&TFS masterfully tooled and supercharged it into mass-acceptance. No mere greatest hits collection--though they're all here in digitally remastered glory--this 35-track, double-disc anthology delves deeper into the handful of seminal albums the band produced before its leaders' long, troubling slide into drug abuse and oblivion. Given the chronological development, there's a sense here that Stewart/Stone's problems paralleled the increasingly militant and hard-edged stance his band took on albums like the uncompromising classics There's a Riot Going On and Family Affair. Propelled by Larry Graham's locomotive bass lines and accented by rousing horns, Sly and company swooped from the heights of 1969's hit-laden "Stand" towards a darker and more unsettling decade ahead. Few bands have soared higher--or fallen as far. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Mostly the essential, at least.......2007-07-12

All right, as of today (July 12, 2007), I have listened to SEVEN Sly & the Family Stone albums in the past 24 hours (A Whole New Thing; Dance to the Music; Life; Fresh; Small Talk; Back on the Right Track; Ain't But the One Way) - eight in the past week because I spun There's a Riot Goin' On recently too. What does this have to do with my review? Absolutely nothing. I like Sly and the FAmily Stone, that's all (okay, the last three albums on that list aren't all that good, but the first four are!)
So now, onto the review of the album itself. This is a good roundup, but there are two Sly Stone studio albums that must be heard before you get anything by him. They are (dat duh duh duh dat dat dat daaaah!) High on You and Heard You Missed Me, Now I'm Back. No, wait, those are the only two Sly & the Family Stone albums I've never heard. I'm REALLY talking about Stand! and There's a Riot Goin' On. This album contains most of those, but they feature some songs you NEED to hear that you won't find on essential: the former's Sex Machine jam and the latter's Spaced Cowboy (very funny song!) and Africa Talks to You (The Asphalt Jungle).
So now, what do I think of Essential? I think it's a pretty good Sly overview with a few faults. First off, only one pick from A Whole New Thing? Okay, that's not Sly's best known album by any means, but it is unfairly overlooked. Yes, Underdog was a great selection, but I think a couple more songs are needed, in interest of fairness to that album (What Would I Do, for instance). Similarly, Dynamite! from Life (another unfairly overlooked album) would've been a nice selection, not like the title song, Fun and M'Lady don't belong here or anything. Let's see... Dance to the Music (the group's second album and breakthrough) is pretty uneven, but I Ain't Got No One is a good listen, and it wasn't on this album either. I won't bring up the tracks from Stand! and Riot, because you need both those albums anyway. Fresh is quite well represented - they got all the best songs from that one. Loose Booty and High on You are good late-period Sly. Time for Livin' is not, but it was a pretty substantial hit so it'll probably make it on most other Sly comps no matter what I say.
I think the one disc Greatest Hits is the ideal Sly primer myself, but if you can't find that, Essential has its moments too. You still need Stand! and There's a Riot Goin' On, though, no matter which one you buy. (Fresh, Life and A Whole New Thing are pretty good too, just not as good).

A fine introduction to a great band........2007-05-19

A superb overview of an essential musician who has been somewhat dismissed, "The Essential Sly and the Family Stone" presents a picture of just what this incredibly important band was all about. Formed by songwriter/producer/one-time DJ Sly Stone, the band was in many ways an extension of him and his vision, beginning as a pop/funk/soul outfit and quickly evolving into something altogether different, rewriting all the rules along the way. The early recordings have much more of a band feel, anchored by the incomporable rhythm section of Larry Graham and Gregg Errico. Both would leave the band as Sly Stone's vision seemed to become more exclusive and the band seemed to become a reflection of the darkness that was growing inside of him.

But enough hyperbole-- the music itself, presented in fine remastered sound, includes virtually all their singles for Epic and a number of album tracks, with particular emphasis on "Stand!" (seven cuts), "There's a Riot Goin' On" (eight) and "Fresh" (six). As I've often thought the three of these were far and away superior than everything else the band ever did, I'm alright with this. With the presentation chronological, you can hear the band rising from an older funk sound ("Underdog") to the commercial pop forced by the record label ("Dance to the Music") to eventually into a sunny sort of optimistic funk/soul ("Life"). Had the band stopped when they did find their own sound, they dismissal of them would make sense, but instead Stone's artistry became increasingly more dense, more personal, and more powerful. There are few records out there as direct and potent as "Stand!" and "There's a Riot Goin' On", the former perhaps the summation of the California dream ("Stand!", huge hit "Everyday People"), the latter being a reflection of its failure ("Luv N' Haight", "(You Caught Me) Smilin'"). Along with all this are many songs that have worked their way into collective consciousness-- the aformentioned "Everyday People", "Sing a Simple Song", "Everybody is a Star", "Hot Fun in the Summertime", "If You Want Me To Stay"... when I first started listening to Sly and the Family Stone only recently, I was shocked how much of this material I knew.

For fans, in the wake of the recent batch of remasters, this is somewhat undervalued with the band's first seven albums available in remastered sound. This does however include the two singles that were omitted from that remasters-- "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and double-A side "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"/"Everybody is a Star". There's also one track from Sly Stone solo record "High On You" ("I Get High on You"), which has not been reissued.

Sly and the Family Stone's place in music history is a bit undervalued, and I think this collection can go some way towards reconciling that. For the uninitiated, this is the place to start. Highly recommended.

You may still need this even if you bought "the collection".......2007-05-14

At first I bought "The anthology" (the single disc 20 track complilation), I wanted more so I bought Stand, There's a riot going on and Stand.

It wasn't until years later they came out with the "Essential Sly and the Family Stone". This is an excellent collection and feels more complete than "the anthology".

However, now the Collection (seven sly albums remastered and with bonus tracks) is out.

You would think that the Collection would have ALL the Sly tracks. BUT IT DOESN'T. Three singles (that were not on any albums and were singles only) are not in the collection, "Thank you" "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and "Everyone is a Star". As far as I know, these three tracks are only on compliations i.e. "Greatest Hits" "The Anthology" and "The Essential Sly and the Family Stone". The Essential is the only one that is remastered. (It usually makes little difference when they "remaster" tracks but the stereo versions of "Thank You" and "Hot Fun" do sound better).

If you need all the Sly tracks, you might need this for those three tracks. If you want a good compilation of some of sly's best tracks, well, this is the better of the three.
CORRECTION: The Sly and the Family Stone Collection seemed to have gone up to about 65 dollars (it was 55 the last time I checked which is about a week ago)

Looks like you need this collection after all!!!.......2007-04-13

Well, I bought this 2CD Essential collection of Sly & Fam when it came out...and I thought, while it was awesome, I'd wait to see if there is a boxset in the future, as 2CDs don't do Sly justice...

Turns out, "The Collection" did come out this week, so I picked it up...it consists of the first 7 Sly CDs in their entirety, in beautiful numbered digipacks with awesome booklets, plus 33 bonus tracks overall, and on the BestBuy version, a 2-track DVD!!! so I was VERY happy...until I saw 3 key singles were missing: "Hot Fun In The Summertime", "Thank You For Lettin Me Be Mice Elf Again" and "Everybody Is A Star" (a cool live clip is on the DVD though)...turns out they weren't originally on ANY album, just released as singles and on that 1970 "Greatest Hits"...many bands like New Order have done this, even Elton John back in the 70s...release singles apart from their albums, as many of their albums are artistic statements, as are their singles, which never fit in the album format anyway.

Because of this, you need this "Essential" set in addition to the box...I wish I had known this back when this was first released...hey, better late than never, right!!!!

It's all good...

Boom-laka-laka-laka! Boom-laka-laka-laka! .......2007-02-08

I liked Sly back in the day when he was churnin' out hits like Krispy Kreme churns out doughnuts. Never purchased any of his vinyl records. I usually thought of the Woodstock performance whenever I saw the name Sly Stone.

Years later (read 2006) I developed a keen interest in Miles Davis and started collecting most of his stuff from 1955 - 1975. Every single CD from 1968 forward mentions the incredible influence that Sly Stone had on the music of Miles when you read the liner notes. I didn't really understand why someone who was a Julliard student, an incredible jazz player and a great band leader would take such an interest in a pop star who had little or no musical education. So, I set out to buy Sly and The Family Stone Greatest Hits. Then I saw this collection and picked it up instead. After listening to this, I do get it. The grooves are just so deep, they're infectious. It's hard not to want to get up and dance around. After a hard day at work, this is just the thing to pop in the car CD player. It's impossible to arrive home in a bad mood no matter how much the morons at work pissed you off that day. Great stuff! You get about 1/2 of Stand, All but one tune from Riot Going On, and most of Fresh. Then you get stuff from the earlier releases and the later stuff as Sly's star was starting to fade. But it's all great stuff!

If I have one criticism it's the overall packaging could have been better. A collection like this deserves a booklet with lots of pictures and more detailed notes. That's a pretty small complaint really. It's all about the music.

Well worth the price of admission. Have fun!

Average customer rating: Two weeks... Most tracks are ok, but the two by "Father Goose" are awful. Let yourself go... hard for Mom to tolerate House Party and Family Dance

Family Dance Dan Zanes & Friends Manufacturer: Festival Five Rec. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: House Party Rocket Ship Beach Catch That Train! Night Time Dan Zanes & Friends - All Around the Kitchen! Crazy Videos & Concert Songs! ASIN: B00005TT6M Release Date: 2002-07-30

Tracks:

1. Jump Up
2. Rock Island Line (with the Rocket Ship Revue)
3. Malti (With Barbara Brousal)
4. The Hokey Pokey (with Father Goose a.k.a. Rankin Don and the Dandelion Chorus)
5. Water For the Elephants (with Donald Saaf)
6. Linstead Market (with the Sandy Girls)
7. Fooba Wooba John (with Rosanne Cash)
8. Wonder Wheel (with the Rocket Ship Revue)
9. Yo-Yo Sweet Yo-Yo (with the Rubi Theatre Co.)
10. All Around the Kitchen (with Loudon Wainwright III)
11. In the Evening (with the Rocket Ship Revue and the Dandelion Chorus)
12. Flowers Of Edinburgh
13. Thrift Shop (with Sandra Bernhard)
14. Skip To My Lou (with Father Goose a.k.a Rankin Don)
15. The Good Night Waltz (with Donald Saaf and Lyris Hung)

Amazon.com

At a moment when mainstream music is clogged with a surfeit of stale, formulaic songs and huge egos, Dan Zanes has found the Drano. Family Dance, his second kids' record (after the fab Rocket Ship Beach), again comes through with big-name helpers--Sandra Bernhard, Rosanne Cash, and Loudon Wainwright III among them--but instead of assembling a mixed bag of self-important numbers, Zanes, who produced and plays on all but one of 15 tracks, maintains a cohesive vibe that's low-key and playful. Yet here's a disc that's all over the map, genre-wise. Gruffster Rankin' Don, a.k.a. Father Goose, rasta-raps his way through "The Hokey Pokey" and "Skip to My Lou," the Sandy Girls carry us off to a colorful Caribbean village for "Linstead Market," Cash folks up "Fooba Wooba John," and Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line" makes a stop in Memphis bluesland. Zanes's originals--"Jump Up," "Wonder Wheel," and "Thrift Shop," performed as a duet with Bernhard--manage to be wholesome, happy, and hip all at once, no mean feat. But it's the music making on Family Dance that impresses most of all. Fiddles, beatboxes, mandolins, tubas, banjos, and concertina elbow their way onto these tracks, and they're balanced by Zanes's arrangements and backup singer Barbara Brousal's graceful voice and guitar work. Kids 2 and up will be likewise captivated by the chunky board-book packaging, again with original artwork. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

this is the follow up to the acclaimed "rocket ship beach" cd. it's the hip handmade sound of dan zanes and his friends bringing acoustic and electric guitars, fiddles, drums, harmonicas, mandolins, accordions, banjos, tamborines, and voices together for a mixture of traditional and original songs that can be danced to or just listened to depending on the occation. this is 21st century folk music made with the whole family in mind. special guests include Rosanne Cash, Loudon Wainwright lll, The Sandy Girls, Barbara Brousal, Sandra Bernhard, Rankin' Don aka Father Goose, and the Rubi Theatre Company.

Customer Reviews:

Two weeks..........2007-06-12

It took us two weeks to find out what our daughter was happily going around the house singing (3 at the time). And finally Sesame Street came on, and she said her song was on. It was 'Mailti' by Dan Zanes, and once that was
on my daughter just danced and sang away.

Since then we have embraced Dan's music into our family music circle. The lyrics are clean and catchy, and the rythm is simple enough for even a child to keep up with.

Most tracks are ok, but the two by "Father Goose" are awful........2007-05-04

My son loves the music, but the singing by "Father Goose" is unbearably nasal and off-pitch on "Holey Pokey" and "Skip to My Lou".
Those two tracks make me cringe and I skip them every time my son plays the CD. However, several songs are wonderfully musical. For example, Linstead Market is just delightful.

Let yourself go..........2007-04-14

T. Bittner from Peroria should read her review again.
"My kids seem to like it (the ones I don't hit the skip button for) but I am not going to sacrifice myself when there are plenty of other recordings that they and I both like."
If you don't want to 'sacrifice' once in a while and let your kids grow and find what they like, leave the room. A little fun and free expression is what childhood is all about! Sometimes it is about what they like. This is how they find out who THEY are.
Overall, my son likes the music. It is especially fun to waltz with him in my arms to 'Streets of New York'. Thanks to Dan Zanes, my son can find out it is fun to mix the old with the new.

hard for Mom to tolerate.......2007-02-19

I love folk music, but this CD contains only 2 songs that I like and only 2 others that I can even tolerate. My kids seem to like it (the ones I don't hit the skip button for) but I am not going to sacrifice myself when there are plenty of other recordings that they and I both like.
Why don't I like it? Zanes has a croak similar to Bob Dylan's; with all due respect to Dylan's great songwriting, I don't enjoy his singing. Zane's friends vary in talent but none of them seem able to harmonize together. The songs in a minor key are particularly grating, such as "All Around the Kitchen" which many people seem to like, though I can't see why. The instrumentation is nothing special either. Don't buy this just because you like the song "Jump Up" from Sesame Street; you should listen before you buy to make sure the rest of it matches your taste.

House Party and Family Dance.......2007-02-18

If you are looking for something different from the typical childrens music, this is it. My family has been addicted to Laurie Berkner since the summer and we needed something different. We are enjoying Dan Zanes so much. We find ourselves singing and dancing along in our kitchen and our van. This afternoon we were listening to Waltzing Matilda and my 4 year old daughter stopped playing and announced that her grandpa would love to dance to this song! We also love all the spanish that is mixed into the music. We like to try and guess what they are singing about. I am so glad we have added them to our collection.

Average customer rating: The pinnacle. EVERYBODY!!STAND!!STAND!!!!!STAND!!!!!!!!!!!

Stand! Sly & the Family Stone Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: There's a Riot Goin' On Fresh Dance to the Music Life A Whole New Thing ASIN: B000MZHVM8 Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

1. Stand!
2. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
3. I Want To Take You Higher
4. Somebody's Watching You
5. Sing A Simple Song
6. Everyday People
7. Sex Machine
8. You Can Make It If You Try
9. Stand!
10. I Want To Take You Higher
11. You Can Make It If You Try
12. Soul Clappin' II
13. My Brain (Zig-Zag)

Amazon.com

In 1967, Sly Stone was unabashed: his debut, A Whole New Thing, claimed high ground--it was new, big time. He knew it. By 1969, the newness was transformed, Sly was imploring listeners to Stand! and breaking new ground. The snarl of "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" with its droning organ and wah-wah guitar had claws, it was unmistakable. And the full-on blast of harmonica, fuzz guitars, and horns that opens "I Want to Take You Higher" just cemented the claim: Music would unite and fight and kick and get you high. "Everyday People" almost seems an anomaly in this company, a breezy harmony vocal backing, simple piano framing, long horn lines, and a churchy chorus. It's the biggest hit from Stand!, a true pop gem. What you get with the rest of the album (and Sly's early catalog overall) is sui generis. "Sing a Simple Song" has scouring, wordless shouts, a heavy beat backed by multiple voices half-atop each other, horn riffs jetting across guitar riffs, and an abrupt, scrambling end. It's a tight and tough embrace, an open door. It's 1969. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

The pinnacle........2007-05-16

In 1969, Sly & the Family Stone finally found their voice with "Stand!". Continuing his fusion of nearly all sounds he could find while redefining what funk was, leader Sly Stone crafted an album with no less than 4 charting singles, topped off by #1 hit "Everyday People".

The album is dominated by something entirely new-- Stone has taken the band's funk sounds and injected some space, some openness into the music. Take the aformentioned "Everyday People"-- it's a funk song, there's no doubt, but it's got a breeziness to it that's somewhat indefinable (that and an irrestible chorus shouted passionately by the band with Sly on top). Likewise title track "Stand!" has this same openness, almost a California pop song to its verses, again with Stone's soulful vocal leading the way.

But there's something else on here as well, an almost claustrophobically dense sound that's beginning to emerge (and that would define the album's followup "There's a Riot Goin' On"). I think in some capacity it's evident everywhere, but it can most be heard in "Don't Call Me N*gger, Whitey" and the 12 minute jam "Sex Machine"-- a dark, bleak sound that doesn't lend itself to open structure but somehow maintains the same irresistability that the rest of the material has. On the former, Sly Stone sings the chorus with a venom over the dense funk dirge, the latter is wholly instrumental, but in roughly the same vein. Both also feature Sly Stone singing through a vocodor run through a wah-wah pedal to extraordinary effect. One thing about them that's definitely, even at their extended lengths (nearly 6 minutes and over 13 minutes respectively), both of them are incredibly intense and intriguing. Both also highly informed the future of music, be it Miles Davis' superb '70s records or pretty m uch the entire genres of soul, funk, r&b and hip hop.

Perhaps when the album does best is when it sits somewhere in between these-- "Somebody's Watching You" wiht its laid back groove and great dirty guitars ends up being one of the creepiest recordings on record and "I Want to Take You Higher" (a remake of "Higher" from a couple years ago) takes the claustrophobia and uses it to push ecstacy to new heights, proving to be downright overwhelming.

This reissue remasters the record and appends a handful of bonus tracks-- mostly single mixes and a couple unreleased recordings and includes detailed liner notes. Sonically, this improvement is fantastic-- the record is crisp and clear and presented as you'd like it to be. The only complaint I have is the choice to leave off singles "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and double A-side "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"/"Everybody is a Star". The three pieces were slated for a followup to "Stand!" that never materialized and ended up being stuck on a "Greatest Hits" record. While strictly speaking they don't belong either here or with this record's followup, it'd've been nice if they were included somewhere with this batch of remasters (for anyone looking, they can be found on "The Essential Sly & the Family Stone").

Bottom line on "Stand!" is that it's one of the great albums of it's era, and together with "There's a Riot Goin' On" forms the peak of Sly & the Family Stone. This is essential listening. Highly recommended.

EVERYBODY!!STAND!!STAND!!!!!STAND!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-04-13

'Stand'is where Sly & The Family Stone's musical experiences onA Whole New Thing,Dance to the Music and Life gestated into something totally unique.Those albums found Sly waltzing over,under and around the funk;on 'Stand' he dives right into it.Of course most of us know the hits by heart-the title track,the punchy rock of "I Wanna Take Your Higher" and of course the immortal "Everyday People".In fact what is so important here is that this marks the moment Sly became a full flegded album artist because the peppy "Somebody's Watching You" is one of those classics-that-never-was-a-hit.As far as the funk goes there's huge handfuls of that in "Sing A Simple Song" and "You Can Make It If You Try" alone.Still neither of those are enough to keep the totally dangerous "Don't Call Me Nigger,Whitey" in check;it's message is right on time with it's us vs. them humor and NASTY fuzz bass.And as far as fuzz bass goes Larry Graham packs almost more into the instrumental "Sex Machine" then the song can handle,but of course it does in a FUNK OVERLOADED kind of way.If 'Stand' itself spoke to and about the cultural,racial and political issues in the world and in music in the late 60's then the MEAN instrumental bonus "My Brain (Zig Zag)",just showing the complete musical inspiration Sly and his band were during 1969-70.If truth be known that inspiration may have been his musical downfull soon to come.But while it lasted,it was amazing.'Stand' is not only a classic funk album and a classic Sly release but a milestone in all of music of the 20'th century.

Average customer rating: Sly Stone's dark masterpiece. A Family Stone Affair

There's a Riot Goin' On Sly & the Family Stone Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Stand! Fresh Dance to the Music Life A Whole New Thing ASIN: B000MTFG1W Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

1. Luv N' Haight
2. Just Like A Baby
3. Poet
4. Family Affair
5. Africa Talks To You ' The Asphalt Jungle'
6. There's A Riot Goin' On
7. Brave & Strong
8. (You Caught Me) Smilin'
9. Time
10. Spaced Cowboy
11. Runnin' Away
12. Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa
13. Runnin' Away
14. My Gorilla Is My Butler
15. Do You Know What?
16. That's Pretty Clean

Amazon.com

The hazy hints of dystopia from Sly and the Family Stone's fabulously successful 1969 hit album Stand! turned full-force on its follow-up, There's a Riot Goin' On. By 1971, Sly had his Hollywood mansion and legions of droppers-by laying down parts of Riot, many of them later overdubbed by Sly himself. The resulting album is entrancing, backed often by an austere, early drum machine and featuring dope-glazed vocals, paranoid shadows and, of course, a stewing funk groove. Horns are here, thinned out so they jab harder, and the keyboards gleam and shimmer and icily coat the beats, which sound in today's parlance simply lo-fi. And the beats, they've slowed menacingly, with voices dropping in, dropping out. Drugs were flowing freely by this point, complicating Sly's sound, inadvertently making an album that indelibly matches its maker's psyche-in-time. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Sly Stone's dark masterpiece........2007-05-16

Sly and the Family Stone's "Stand!" was an album of optimism and the brightness of '60s counterculture, but creeping just below the surface on that record was a darkness and claustrophobia-- an edge that separated "Stand!" from any of its predecessors or its peers. That darkness is the sound of "There's a Riot Goin' On", Sly Stone's bleak masterpiece, in its way the sound of civil unrest and, in my assessment, the greatest funk album ever recorded.

When I speak of claustrophobia, I mean it as a production vaue, and it's something evident throughout the record. There's a density to the record, even on the looser and less arranged pieces, that really sets the tone for the album. And while not all the album's songs have a message to match this claustrophobia, it does have a tendency to make even the optimistic material sound like you're trying to remember a dream after you've woken up. Take single "Family Affair"-- it's loose, based around a gentle pop vocal hook and is presented with a smooth baritone lead, but it sounds like "Stand!" dragged through the mud. It works out fantastically. All of this is accentuated by the tendency to move towards funk vamps for everything-- sometiems as much as seven minutes of the same riff feeds into this feeling of density.

But really, it's dark funk that dominates the record throughout-- wah wah guitars, dirty basslines, snapping horns, and Sly Stone vocalizing and singing all over the map, fierce and at times nearly out of control-- opener "Luv N' Haight" and Brave & Strong" are two fine examples of this. Along the way, he manages occasional moments of delicate beauty with a hint of melancholy that keeps the album from being a bit too bleak ("Poet", "(You Caught me) Smilin'") and closes things up with a recasting of "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" as a slice of slow funk that somehow manages to be as intriguing as the original.

This reissue remasters the record, appends a handful of bonus tracks (a single mix of "Runnin' Away" and three instrumentals leftover from the sessions) and includes a nice liner notes essay. The remastering alone makes this a worthwhile pickup, all the dark beauty of the record really comes forth and the feeling of the record is, if anything accentuated by it.

Truthfully, "There's a Riot Goin' On" may not be for everyone, it's a pretty dark record, but it's also the kind of thing that can really reinvent someone's opinion of Sly & the Family Stone (it certainly reinvented mine). It also serves nicely as a companion to "Stand!", they are very much opposite sides of the same music. I give a slight edge to "There's a Riot Goin' On" as Sly Stone's masterwork. This is essential listening.

A Family Stone Affair.......2007-04-18

For many many years after it's realese 'Theres A Riot Goin' On' has been considered Sly & The Family Stones best album.Well in the long and short,it's isn't.Sly never had a "best" album,he had a handfull of them.So this is the second of a three Sly "masterworks" that begun a year or so before with Stand! and ended a year or so after this with Fresh.One thing about a lot of the music here is that it emphasizes rather aimless grooves with Sly's chocked voice playing a more eccentric role;melody and song construction is not always the main priority.Does'nt mean that the shoppy wah wah's,organs and Sly's newfound Rhythm King drum machine don't draw you right into classic grooves such as "Luv N' Haight","Poet","Africa Talks To You","Time" and the mean "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa" which quaotes from "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf",only drags much slower.Of course there really are some classic songs here-one being "Just Like A Baby".Musically it's almost nothing-spare spare spare but it has this quirky melody and a vocal so scorched it's as spare as the music.Then we all know "Family Affair" right?What a relevant hit-great beat,that wah wah and "bloods thicker then the mud,it's a family affair"-MY FAVORITE!!!!Just as wonderful are "Brave & Strong" and "(You Caught Me) Smilin'",three of the most melodic things here,next of course to "Runnin' Away" (the albums other hit) which is nothing but melody.And "Spaced Cowboy"-HILARIOUS,the funniest thing on the record,yodeling cowboyish funk that I am sure Sly did completely stoned but his sharp humor shined right through.The instrumental bonus cuts sound like vamps from the sessions that grew into this album,the sessions that (like the vamps) went nowhere.Okay I know;Larry Graham is credited as being on this but Sly played almost all the bass lines.About Sly's bass it's barely audible,a different style then Larry.But this really is a wonderful album,called a classic along with many others that often don't deserve the title.But "Riot" does so this is one of those musical feats worth wolfing down,no matter where you head is it.

Average customer rating: Love it Great Movie I Got What I Expected! I guess Tyler Perry makes good soundtracks, too Looking for sheet music...

Madea's Family Reunion Original Soundtrack Manufacturer: Motown ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Diary of a Mad Black Woman Madea's Family Reunion (Full Screen Edition) Daddy's Little Girls Baby Makin' Music (Feat. Ronald Isley AKA Mr. Biggs) In My Mind ASIN: B000E6UKL4 Release Date: 2006-02-21

Tracks:

1. Find Myself In You - Brian McKnight
2. We're Gonna Make It - LL Cool J
3. Keep Your Head Up - Chaka Khan
4. Tonight - Kem
5. Everyday (Family Reunion) - Chaka Khan
6. Love And Happiness - Al Green
7. You For Me (The Wedding Song) - Johnny Gill
8. Family Reunion - The O'Jays
9. I'll Be - Will Downing
10. Wounds In The Way - Rachelle Ferrell

Album Description

Motown Records reteams with Lions' Gate and groundbreaking director/actor/playwright Tyler Perry to release the soundtrack for his new movie, Madea's Family Reunion. Tyler Perry executive-produced the soundtrack, assuring that every song on the disc appears in the movie. The soundtrack features a sultry new single from Brian McKnight, "Find Myself in You," as well as 9 other new songs from talented artists such as LL Cool J featuring Mary Mary ("We're Gonna Make It"), Chaka Khan ("Keep Your Head Up"), Johnny Gill ("You for Me--The Wedding Song"), KEM ("Tonight"), and a rousing all-star ensemble comprised of Chaka Khan, Gerald Levert, Yolanda Adams, and Carl Thomas on "Everyday (Family Reunion)." Perry also tapped into soul classic favorites like Al Green's "Love and Happiness" and the O'Jays' "Family Reunion" to round out the soundtrack.

The movie revolves around the 68-year old southern matriarch Mabel Simmons ("Madea") (played by Perry). Madea's Family Reunion finds her using every tactic in her arsenal to keep the peace and hold her family together for a reunion. The all-star cast includes Blair Underwood, Lynn Whitfield, Boris Kodjoe, Henry Simmons, Maya Angelou, Rochelle Ayers, Jenifer Lewis, Cicely Tyson and many other familiar faces.

Last year, Perry took the entertainment industry by storm with the release of his #1 box-office hit Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which garnered over $22 million in its opening weekend.

Customer Reviews:

Love it.......2006-12-10

The movie was awesome!! After hearing all the great music in the movie I had to have the soundtrack. Brian McKnight's Find Myself In You, just melts my heart as well as KEM's Tonight...Each song finds a way of making me feel good and dancin :)

Great Movie.......2006-11-10

I loved the movie but was not so impressed with the soundtrak. I did like most of the songs however.

I Got What I Expected!.......2006-11-07

As usual, Tyler Perry has produced another gut-laughing, thought provoking movie. "Madea" doesn't disappoint us. We came to laugh...we did. We came to be showed something negative that we need to change.. and we were shown. SO, as usual.. I got what I expected.

I guess Tyler Perry makes good soundtracks, too.......2006-10-14

Various Artists - Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion: Music from the Motion Picture (Motown, 2006)

Okay, so he probably didn't "make" this soundtrack but you know what I mean (he did, however, write some of the songs). Last year it was the soundtrack to his "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" movie and now it's for "Madea's Family Reunion".

Things start off great with the song that you've all heard before, the Marvin Gaye-channeling "Find Myself in You" by Brian McKnight. Kem also blesses us with "Tonight", a duet with Marissa Rose, who's never really gotten her due in the music industry. And just like with the previous soundtrack how the compilers brought back M.I.A. artist Cheryl Pepsii Riley, this time Johnny Gill and Rachelle Ferrell come back with winners "You For Me" and "Wounds in the Way", respectively.

Old songs like Al Green's "Love and Happiness" and The O'Jays' "Family Reunion" are already classics and only enhance the soundtrack. Even the lone rap song, LL Cool J and Mary Mary's "We're Gonna Make It", fits in well (I appreciate this song more on here than on LL's Todd Smith album). I agree that this probably isn't the best album ever but none of the songs are bad and you can play it over and over again. And sometimes, that's all you need instead of searching for "the classic CD". -EJR

Looking for sheet music..........2006-09-14

I am looking for the sheet music to the song ME FOR YOU by Johnny Gill on this soundtrack... if anyone has information on how to get it, please let me know. THANKS!!!

Jazz Music:

1. Fats at the Organ
2. First Outing
3. Fun Time: Count Basie Big Band at Montreux '75 [Live]
4. Good Gracious
5. Grip
6. Handprints
7. I Need Some Money [Limited Edition] [Import]
8. In Harmony's Way [Import]
9. Jacarandá
10. Jazz-Club: Violin

Jazz Music

jazz music