| 1. Rosey dawn |
| 2. Awakening |
| 3. Toward the Heart |
| 4. And the Moon Rises |
| 5. Haiku |
| 6. Seulement Piano |
| 7. Mount Fuji |
| 8. even Sisters |
| 9. Shadow Dance |
| 10. Effleurage |
| 11. Snow on the Plains |
| 12. Fluer de Lis |
| 13. Staying Inside |
| 14. Chinese Garden |
| 15. Soaring |
| 16. Shenandoah |
Editorial Reviews
As a professional musician and licensed massage therapist, I have strived to create an hour-long journey of engaging musical images conducive to relaxation.
Touch,Kate Finn
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Everytime We Touch
Cascada Manufacturer: Robbins Ent. Llc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000E6EJ2A Release Date: 2006-02-21 |
Tracks:
- Everytime We Touch (3:19)
- How Do You Do! (3:15)
- Bad Boy (3:12)
- Miracle (3:38)
- Another You (3:37)
- Ready For Love (3:23)
- Can't Stop The Rain (3:28)
- Kids In America (3:00)
- A Neverending Dream (3:23)
- Truly Madly Deeply (4:12)
- One More Night (3:42)
- Wouldn't It Be Good (3:27)
- Love Again (3:28)
- Everytime We Touch (Yanou's Candlelight Mix) (3:15)
Album Description
THE DEBUT ALBUM INCLUDES THE #1 DANCE HIT "EVERYTIME WE TOUCH"!!Customer Reviews:
nice!.......2007-06-20
Cheesy and predictable .......2007-06-17
I have to admit Cascada's music is quite melodic. The pop hooks quickly got stuck in my head. It is hard not want to dance to this music. Unfortunately everything else sounds generic and lifeless. Cascada offers nothing new or original. Was it really necessary to cover that treacly Savage Garden ballad "Truly, Madly, Deeply"? I did though like their cover of Kim Wilde's "Kids in America" but how many times can that song be covered? Obviously not enough.
Cascada quickly reminded me why I no longer listen to vocal trance music any more. It all sounds the same. This genre needs to die quickly.
This Album will Leave You Speechless.......2007-06-04
Music for SCUM........2007-04-02
First of all - the actual music is AWFUL. Tinny, flat sound with as much depth, charm and passion as a Happy Meal. Dull, formulaic drivel that consists of cover after cover - take a famous song, strap a instantly dated techno beat behind it, get token blonde to sing the vocals and voila - one super-suck album.
As the official Room 101 of Amazon, The Curmudgeon has access to many exclusive things. And so here is an actual excert from the recording studio where this travesty was recorded...
"What's that? Oh - 'Truly Madly Deeply' - that's a song that people who don't actually like music will know - cover that. Oh, and Kim Wilde's 'Kids In America' - that's got a good chorus, hasn't it. Let's cover that too. 'How Do You Do' by Roxette. What the hell - cover it. We really are making a worthwhile and quality album here, aren't we? Pass the cocaine."
But like I said - it's not the actual music that is so abhorrent - its the image it brings when you first hear it, of the actual low-life, teenage single mother SCUM who will buy it.
You WILL hear this coming from some empty-headed yo-yo-knickered harlot's I-Pod. You WILL hear this coming from some clapped-out car full of thick kids in baseball caps. You WILL hate absolutely everyone who listens to this.
People who listen to this don't even know what music IS. Don't be one of them.
The_Curmudgeon_Hates_You@yahoo.co.uk
Cascada CD.......2007-02-22
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Invisible Touch
Genesis Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002IJ2 Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Invisible Touch
- Tonight, Tonight, Tonight
- Land Of Confusion
- In Too Deep
- Anything She Does
- Domino (Part One-In The Glow Of The Night/Part Two - The Last Domino)
- Throwing It All Away
- The Brazilian
Amazon.com
There no doubt exists a school of rock purists who consider Invisible Touch the album where Genesis officially kissed street credibility goodbye and said hello to beer commercial anthems and puppet extravaganza videos. True, perhaps, but on the other hand, it's great to sing along to a good pop song, too. And this record has good pop songs in spades, from rock-solid I'm-not-so-tough-I-can't-cry-style tearjerkers ("In Too Deep," "Throwing It All Away") to zingy, gurgly pop confections ("Land of Confusion," "Anything She Does"). A few slightly more sprawling tracks are also included ("Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," "Domino," and the instrumental "The Brazilian"), but compared to the band's earlier attempt at art-rock opuses, even these feel a bit candy coated. We are talking about 1987, after all. Thin synth lines weren't retro. They just were. And we loved it. --Bob MichaelsCustomer Reviews:
Genesis' most successful album in the US is still great 20 plus years on.......2007-06-22
By 1986, lead singer and drummer Phil Collins was a solo superstar with his 1985 solo album No Jacket Required which hit #1, spawned singles and won him Grammies. Plus had hits with the soundtrack songs "Against All Odds" in 1984 and "Separate Lives" (with Marilyn Martin) in 1985. Plus he produced Earth Wind and Fire singer Philip Bailey's album Chinese Wall (which featured the two Phil's duet Easy Lover) and songs for Adam Ant's Strip album. Keyboard player Tony Banks had done the film score to the Kevin Bacon movie Quicksilver. Guitarist/bass player Mike Rutherford started his side project called Mike and the Mechanics which released its self-titled debut which spawned three singles.
In late 1985, the band plus co-producer Hugh Padgham recorded the follow-up to the 1983 self-titled effort. When the album was released, would fans embrace it or turn its back on the band. Read on and find out.
We kick things off with the chart-topping title track which has one of the best Rutherford riffs I ever heard and is still a great pop number today. Next is the first of two epics "Tonight Tonight Tonight". This track speaks about the evils of drugs and the seedy parts of life and with the drum machine loop, created a masterpiece. The song was released as a single with over FOUR MINUTES chopped from this classic and was another US Top 10 hit. We follow with "Land of Confusion" which was a great rocker. Who cannot forget the video where the puppets of the band and the late Ronald Reagan are dominating the clip. This track was another Top 5 hit here in the US. The album's first side closed with another Top 10 hit "In Too Deep" which was a nice ballad to close the first half.
The driving "Anything She Does" kicks off the album's second half and is an incredibly fun rocker with amusing supermodel-oriented lyrics that are right on the money, and the synth horns on it sound remarkably like the real thing. The video for this was funny and included the late Benny Hill as their head of security Fred Scottle Esquire! Next is the 11 minute plus epic "Domino". The first section "In the Glow of the Night" is wistful and superb. Then the section ends suddenly and we dreamingly then segue into the powerful "The Last Domino" which is killer despite the Simmons drums which slightly date the song. Next is the album's second US Top 10 hit "Throwing It All Away" which was a superb ballad. We then close the album with the atmospheric instrumental called "The Brazilian" which is packed with killer hooks and a wild atmosphere.
Invisible Touch would become Genesis' highest charting album in the US reaching #3 and was also its best selling album in the US with 6 million copies sold in the US alone and it is because the material is superb and has held up. Also, ex-Genesis members Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett had success that year with their albums So and GTR respectively. Invisible Touch is still superb today.
Recommended!
GENESIS ADDS THEIR INVISIBLE TOUCH TO THIS INCREDIBLE ALBUM........2007-05-05
GENESIS will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for writing and recording some of Rock's most sacred classic anthems ever.
It is now 1985 and a new phase for the band during this point in their career. GENESIS' lead singer, drummer and frontman Phil Collins would continue to enjoy his solo career with the extremely successful "NO JACKET REQUIRED" album released in 1985. His tour would be extremely successful to highly critically acclaim. However, Collins would forever remain loyal to the band that gave him his start and would willingly return to GENESIS and rejoin his fellow bandmates and friends Tony Banks on keyboards and bassist, lead and rhythm guitarist Mike Rutherford. It was now time for the band to head into the recording studio and record the follow-up allbum to the extremely successful "GENESIS" album from 1983. It would be on this next GENESIS album that the band would follow in the same recording atmosphere and tradition as the previous successful album "GENESIS" released in 1983. After a certain period of time went by, the band would emerge and come out of the recording studio with the fully completed acetate and deliver the finished product to their record label and employer, Atlantic Records. Atlantic Records would release the product as the "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album in 1986. In my opinion, the "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album is another true testament of the genius and musical creativity of three extremely talented individuals. The "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album is also a fine fitting tribute to a great band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time.
It is now time to let the rock n' Roll music of GENESIS to speak for itself and back it up by doing all of the talking musically. The legendary "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album from 1986 begins with the incredible synthesized progressive Rocker "Invisible Touch," the beautifully slow and soothing synthesized Rocker "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight," the breathtaking synthesized Progressive hard Rocker "Land Of Confusion," the beautifully slow and well arranged love song "In Too Deep," the fast and energetic progressive Rocker "Anything She Does," the groundbreaking and beautifully slow mild Rocker turned fast synthesized progressive Rocker "Domino (Part One - In The Glow Of The Night AND Part Two - The Last Domino)," one of the greatest and most powerful love songs ever written that we can all grasp and relate to, "Throwing It All Away" and the beautifully synthesized progressive instrumental song "The Brazilian." May I also add that all three musicians were steamin' and sizzlin' red hot while laying down the tracks for this album. Phil Collins' blistering lead vocals were so powerful and emotional that he takes the songs and music to an entirely different level.
Overall, this is one great album worth checking out and seeking further research and information into especially if you are a hardcore diehard GENESIS fan or a devout music collector. As for all of the curious newcomers and new beginners that are not quite familiar with the sound and music of GENESIS, I would highly suggest that you research the many GENESIS greatest hits compilation albums on Amazon com before you make your final decision as to which GENESIS album(s) that is right for your musical needs and tastes. If you feel that you truly love the music of GENESIS and you want more, then it would be in your best interests to purchase their many other studio albums that are available on Amazon com. Either way you choose, you will have taken a giant step towards owning and starting your very own GENESIS music collection. You can do all of your researching and album purchases either on Amazon com or at your nearest local Borders Books and Music store. If you ever get a chance, buy this album. You'll be happy and satisfied that you did.
I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary album to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This treasure album has already proven to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. This is one great legendary album that no hardcore music fan or devout music collector would want to be without.
In closing, the GENESIS "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album would be released in 1986 to highly critically acclaim. The band would also quickly embark on a new World Tour to promote the "INVISIBLE TOUCH" album in what would prove to be one of their greatest tours yet ever. Following the tour, it was now time once again for the band to take another long rest and hiatus. There would be many other GENESIS albums that are still yet to come and new stories that would still need to be told and written. But that, my fellow readers and reviewers, you will just have to stay tuned and read further more about it at a later date in the near future. GENESIS, at this point in their career, has forever left their place and mark in Rock n' Roll history and will never be forgotten. So here's to you Phil, Tony and Mike. Thanks for the great memories with many more still to come. Keep Persevering. Keep the Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. GENESIS RULES! Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.
Genesis - Overexposed But A Decent Album.......2007-04-11
The second worst album of Genesis.......2007-02-15
It's like fast food, you get into it fast, but as soon as you have finish, you begin to feel sick. These songs were instant hits, but they didn't pass the test of time. The only track that I still like is "Domino" part one and two.
One last point, the only other Genesis album that is this weak is "Abacab"
I am wondering how can somebody can give five star to an album like this one ?
GREAT ALBUM WITH A BAD REPUTATION.......2007-02-05
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Excellent Italian Greyhound
Shellac Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000PA9PTM Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Tracks:
- The End Of Radio
- Steady As She Goes
- Be Prepared
- Elephant
- Genuine Lulabelle
- Kittypants
- Boycott
- Paco
- Spoke
Album Description
Shellac consists of Steve Albini on guitar, Todd Trainer on drums, and Bob Weston on bass. This is their fourth and longest release and all the songs are about Italy or greyhounds. Both the CD and LP come packaged in a beautiful full-color gatefold sleeve. The LP also includes an OBI or slipcover that was drawn and hand-silk screened by Jay Ryan. The CD has a non-hand-screened OBI.Customer Reviews:
not as bad as my brother says, but still............2007-06-10
Worth the wait........2007-06-06
If you're a fan of punk, indie, rock, or just music in general, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
Yawnfest........2007-06-06
This album reminded me of their "Futurist" LP, which was boring too. Id rather hear Albini harp on about houses full of garbage 'with the doo-doo and the feces on the wall' than keep this. Too bad, I like the album cover art.
Well its finally here........2007-06-06
7 years!.......2007-06-05
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Spiderland
Slint Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000019HU Release Date: 1994-03-31 |
Tracks:
- Breadcrumb
- Nosferatu Man
- Don, Aman
- Washer
- For Dinner...
- Good Morning, Captain
Amazon.com
Although this Kentucky combo had a short lifespan, its influence has been extraordinary, presaging the underground "math-rock" revolution and spawning spinoffs such as Tortoise and Gastr Del Sol. But don't go thinking that the foursome is a mere footnote: The bracingly dense, dizzyingly complex songs that vein this, their second full-length release, perfectly capture the smarter face of early-'90s thug-rock. Yes, Slint's sound is descended from punk, but its members--particularly guitarist Brian McMahan--never subscribed to the "keep it simple, stupid" philosophy. Spiderland is so rife with breakneck tempo changes, off-kilter chord progressions, and bizarro-world themes, you'd be hard-pressed to go a listen without discovering something new. --David SpragueCustomer Reviews:
Slint's Six Song lp - "Spiderland".......2007-06-22
'Spiderland' was first released in 1991 and it was Slint's second album after 'Tweez'
I read many reviews over the last few years, still not sure how I felt about this. Many stated this is the first True Post Rock album.
A statement in some ways I still don't get, but no other band influenced by Slint has come close to matching it's depressive, but atmospheric intensity.
There has been rumors that the band members of Slint had to be institutionalized during the making of 'Spiderland'-
The sound is very lo-fi. Filled with off key guitar distortions which are quite eerie and strange(one of the reasons why it took me so long to get into this record). Very disturbing, and full of slowed down tempo.
Brian McMahan's voice switches from grunge induced screams to mere whispers. And yes, I do prefer this album over another (landmark) album which also came out later in 1991. Although 'Spiderland' was sadly much less known and it still is.
This album truly does mix garage rock, grunge and punk and it's also full of mutters and talking. Really creepy, may be a turn off for some.
The song "Washer" is a very dark track. The protagonist knew his fate, but couldn't avoid it in the end. Despair can be heard throughout.
Opener "Breadcrumb Trail" - A truly gut-wrenching listen, dissonant guitars over McMahan's intensity. Then on through the closer, and best known track "Good Morning Captain" where the last lines are McMahan screaming "I'm in Hell...I'm in HELLL...I MISS YOU...!"
- It is hard to believe that these guys were just teenagers when making this album. A Record that inspired Math Rock (?) and bands like Explosions in the Sky and Tortoise. This is a 'must hear' listen and it should be heard on vinyl.
"In the mirror, he saw his friend.".......2007-06-13
Brian McMahan's primarily spoken vocals offer a haunting juxtaposition to David Pajo's (later of Tortoise and Zwan) jaggedly ornate guitar playing, with the lyrics seemingly having little connection to the stop-start syncopation of the instrumental. From McMahan's tale of a ride on a roller-coaster with a gypsy fortune teller at a carnival in Spiderland's opener 'Breadcrumb Trail' to his reworking of Coleridge's opus The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ('Good Morning, Captain'), at the album's close, Slint's final work runs the gamut of marginal human experience, abstracted against a backdrop of jazz time signatures and 'spidery' guitars, to create a stifling air of impending doom. For all that however, 'Washer' is one of the most startlingly beautiful elegies committed to record.
Sexy, claustrophobic, unashamedly arty and conceptual, Spiderland is considered by many to be the first true 'post-rock' album, following their Steve Albini-recorded 'post-hardcore' debut, Tweez (1989).
"I Miss You!".......2007-04-09
The rumours that several members of the band had to seek psychiatric help after the recording of this album ring true precisely because there is a very real jarring sense of desperation and loss in the mere thirty six minutes and six tracks that comprise this album.
Another thing to explain the impact that this album has made is that, paradoxically, it doesn't really sound like anything that has come either before or since. Perhaps the closest relative to its sound is the work of Tortoise and other "Post Rock" bands, formed by some members of the band after the demise of Slint. Yet "Spiderland" is at heart unapologetically straight rock music...but with a sense of mystery that totally eludes most rock bands and their preening "stars". The contrary cover art (shot by Billy "Prince" Billy, a.k.a., Will Oldham) and sparse liner notes only add to the mystery.
The band split up soon after "Spiderland" was released, partly because hardly anyone bought it. They therefore never got the chance to lose their charisma, and will always stay those young men frolicking in a dingy wayside pond. Slint are a much-missed band. But perhaps it's better that way.
genius, genius.......2007-04-04
You are falling asleep at the beginning, and by the end of "Breadcrumb Trail," you are in R.E.M. sleep.
...Now begins the nightmare ("Nosferatu Man")
...The night-terror takes hold of your body ("Don, Aman")
...and now the aftershocks ("Washer")
..you reconcile your inner-demons and begin to wake from the night ("For Dinner...)
...finally, you wake from the dream and your life will never be the same ever again ("Good Morning, Captain")
I still find nuances that I have not yet experienced in this record. Oh, another plus, one of the best album covers/promo photos ever
Frightening In Its Strength........2007-02-15
I can't remember where I heard of Slint or why I got this, but I assure you that I regret neither. The record encorporates a sense of paranoia, hope, faith, depression, lonliness, confusion and spite. It is a rare recording. A masterpiece. Never equaled before. Never equaled since. The openening of "Don, Aman" is an acapella breakdown leading into an ocean of strings, "Washer" is unequaled in gorgeous "heart-on-sleeve" humility. "Nosferatu Man" haunts like a bad dream, "Good Morning, Captain" sticks to so many surfaces, only to all be unglued with the blood-curdling screams of "I Miss You."
Stop reading.
Get this record NOW.
Listen.
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The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch
Cute Is What We Aim For Manufacturer: Fueled By Ramen ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000FFP00A Release Date: 2006-06-20 |
Tracks:
- Newport Living
- There's A Class For This
- Finger Twist & Split
- Risque
- Sweat the Battle Before the Battle Sweats You
- The Fourth Drink Instinct
- Sweet Talk 101
- The Curse of Curves
- I Put the "Metro" In Metronome
- Lyrical Lies
- Moan
- Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)
Album Description
This Buffalo, NY group is best known for their countless hooks, pop sensibility, and witty lyrics. Their debut was produced by Matt Squire (Panic! At The Disco, Thrice, Northstar). Their online presence is unlike anything Fueled By Ramen has ever experienced. They've consistently been in the top ten on purevolume.com for over six months, racking up over 1.6 million plays. Alternative Press named them one of the 100 Bands You Need To Know In 2006.Customer Reviews:
Great CD, You gotta get this one!.......2007-07-07
DEAR GOD! I LOVE CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR!.......2007-05-08
seriously, just do it. it's super fun pop/punk deliciousness. cute is what we aim for is going to blow up very soon, and don't you want to brag about how you knew about them BEFORE they went platinum? oh yes, you do. the vocals and lyrics are amazingly original. random even.
cute is what we aim for can also be seen on warped tour this year, so you should check them out there too.
Cute Is What They Are.......2007-04-12
I listen to it over and over...and over and over and over.......2007-03-26
Must Own...Without a doubt.......2007-03-18
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The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
CocoRosie Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000NQR7RU Release Date: 2007-04-10 |
Tracks:
- Rainbowarriors
- Promise
- Bloody Twins
- Japan
- Sunshine
- Black Poppies
- Werewolf
- Animals
- Houses
- Raphael
- Girl And The Geese
- Miracle
Album Description
Their third release represents another stride onward from previous works, where the girls continue to experiment with their disparate voices and clashing personalities, juxtaposing devastating ballads like "Werewolf" with exhilarating tracks like "Japan" and the jaunty single "Rainbowarriors". It's a lush, orchestral array of sounds and beauty; a vaudevillian opera, if you will.Customer Reviews:
A breakthrough album.......2007-06-12
To me the album is a lot more confident and cohesive than Noah's Ark, which had flashes of brilliance but was never totally satisfying. Highly recommended.
Different.......2007-05-13
this is a magical (short review).......2007-05-10
Cocorosie's imagery is beautiful and frightening, like the hypnopompic state of not-quite-awake. Definitely have they not at all declined over albums. Ever strengthening their abilities in storytelling and musicianship, Cocorosie leads the listener inward to a tiny, new world of romance and creepies. The whole disc seems so natural and carefree, but at the same time every word and sound is so, so perfectly placed. It's real enjoyable.
Bjork? Miss Li?.......2007-05-03
Imaginatively weird album.......2007-04-21
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A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night
Harry Nilsson Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000EQ47WM Release Date: 2006-05-23 |
Tracks:
- Lazy Moon
- For Me And My Gal
- It Had To Be You
- Always
- Makin' Whoopee!
- You Made Me Love You
- Lullaby In Ragtime
- I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
- What'll I Do
- Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
- This Is All I Ask
- As Time Goes By
- I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
- Make Believe
- Trust In Me
- It's Only A Paper Moon
- Thanks For The Memory
- Over The Rainbow
Customer Reviews:
Schmilsson for Lovers.......2007-05-27
Supurb Departure to the Classics.......2007-01-23
FANTASTIC !!.......2007-01-10
The import is arranged for a better listen........2006-09-17
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES here that may be of interest to someone who has not yet discovered this magnificent collection, and these differences may be important enough for you to consider one version over another. The audiophile with an especially capable system will prefer the British pressing.
First, and perhaps most importantly, the new domestic remaster simply adds the bonus tracks to the end of the album after following the original 13-song LP sequence. In my opinion, this is something of a disservice since it appears to me (and to some professional critics) that the song, "As Time Goes By," is intentionally placed at the end of the album -- in either the truncated original 1973 release or the expanded British and Australian imports -- because the artist intended the song to be an epilogue expressing the theme of the album as a whole. The tune emphasizes the importance of the various phases of many interpersonal relationships as they evolve from courtship ("Lazy Moon") through marriage ("For Me & My Gal"), infidelity ("Makin' Whoopee") and irreconcilable differences ("Thanks For The Memories"). Along the way, Nilsson is mindful of the importance of introspection ("This Is All I Ask) and his own mortality ("Over The Rainbow").
Not only does this new remaster merely append the five additional tunes omitted from the original release, there are two non-essential asides that are attached to two songs, but not indexed (one from an engineer telling Nilsson that he has "all the time he needs but not a second extra." The other is a request from Nilsson that he is provided with a cigarette, some whiskey and some drugs.). These two instances on the domestic remaster are placed within the bonus tracks segment so that the album loses its continuity -- breaking a spell, perhaps. On the British import, the engineer's remarks precede the album in its entirety. Nilsson's request for drugs and whiskey was omitted from the British import altogether, but it appears at the end of "Over The Rainbow" on the domestic remaster. This results in a somewhat devalued effect for many listeners, myself included. Some may note that the revised lyrics for two song selections on the album might suggest the artist's nonchalant attitude toward this album; personally I consider them as comic relief.
Second in importance is the artwork that accompanies these two releases. While both the British import and the newer remaster provide the original jacket photo, only the British import follows the inner illustrations of the original gatefold, and in full color, just like the original. The new domestic release provides us with some sense of what was there (black and white only), but moves the musicians' credit to the back of the booklet. Both versions include producer Derek Taylor's introduction to the album, but beyond that is where the real differences are found. There is a more extensive set of notes to the domestic release. Curtis Armstrong wrote these notes in February 2006; the British import features an essay written by Andrea Sheridan in January 2002. Both are informative for the completist.
You Must Remember This..........2006-05-30
I purchased it back then (1973) and was transported by its romantic lyricism. Like many Beatles generation's kids, I was not enamored with the 70's music. Disco was on the horizon, jazz was becoming fusion, and country was becoming pop with a southern accent. The only place to go was to the past. And Mr. Nilsson must have known this. He didn't undertake this project to resurrect his own career, as he was on top at the time. It was a risky move; some warned of career suicide. The results, both commercially and critically, thankfully proved otherwise.
The album itself is composed mainly of prewar, (WW11 that is,) standards written by the likes of Gus Kahn, Herman Hupfield, and Irving Berlin. The lesser known jewels "Lazy Moon" and "Lullaby In Ragtime" glimmer just as much as the more familiar "Always", "Making Whopee", and "As Time Goes By". Mr. Nilsson employs a respectful approach, preventing a degeneration into camp, a la Tiny Tim. The renditions are joyous, and full of vitality, but not overdelivered (unlike so much of the bellowing we hear today). His vocals caress each lyric, and being who he is, Mr. Nilsson avoids the solemnity that often mars so many of these projects, while simultaneously rejecting the whimsey that was beginning to stereotype him.
Much of the credit for the album has to go to Gordon Jenkins for his arrangements and direction of the 39 piece orchestra. For many of us, the past sounds like Gordon Jenkins: sumptious, elegant, and full of grace. This lp stands alongside Mr. Jenkins best work, including the lp "Where Are You".
For me, Touch served as a launching pad, albeit into the past, and led me down a path where I discovered those singers and artists before the Beatles, and before Elvis. Jo Stafford, Jeri Southern,and Hoagy Carmichael became favorites; then I happened upon jazz, where the standards, particularly since Mr. Nilsson's lp, seem to be valued and constantly reinterpreted. I like to think Touch had something to do with that. Finally, I have come to rest where all paths in popular music inevitably lead- to Frank Sinatra's doorstep. And waiting in the wings- much to my surprise- with Mr.Sinatra, was Gordon Jenkins and the aforementioned "Where Are You". Mr. Sinatra's seminal 1957 lp emanates with much of the same sense of longing and sweet sadness that haunts Mr. Nilsson's. My musical route, circuitous as it was, and some 30 years in the making, had come full circle. And now, a few years later, the lp that started it all-Touch- has finally been remastered and released, sending me back in time once more...This is all I ask, this is all I need...
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Let Yourself Go
Kristin Chenoweth , Jule Styne , George Gershwin , Richard Rodgers , Jeanine Tesori , Kurt Weill , Jerome Kern , Vincent Youmans , Ricky Ian Gordon , Richard Dworsky , Lawrence Ellington Duke / Brown , Harry Warren , Bobby Troup , Jason Alexander , Irving Berlin , Rob Fisher , and The Coffee Club Orchestra Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000059T4T Release Date: 2001-05-29 |
Tracks:
- Let Yourself Go
- If
- How Long Has This Been Going On?
- My Funny Valentine
- Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
- The Girl in 14G
- I'll Tell the Man in the Street
- I'm a Stranger Here Myself
- Nobody Else But Me
- Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
- Should I Be Sweet?
- He's Just an Ordinary Guy
- Going to the Dance with You
- On a Turquoise Cloud
- You'll Never Know
- Daddy
Amazon.com
Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David HoriuchiCustomer Reviews:
One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24
Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26
Has its moments.......2007-02-19
Great CD!.......2007-01-19
As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.
This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12
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Living with the Living
Ted Leo and The Pharmacists Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000MQ55DO Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Tracks:
- Fourth World War
- The Sons of Cain
- Army Bound
- Who Do You Love
- Colleen
- A Bottle Of Buckie
- Bomb. Repeat. Bomb.
- La Costa Brava
- Annunciation Day/ Born on Christmas Day
- The Unwanted Things
- The Lost Brigade
- The World Stops Turning
- Some Beginner's Mind
- The Toro And The Toreador
- C.I.A.
Album Description
For their fifth full-length release (and first with Touch and Go Records), Ted Leo and the Pharmacists met up with Brendan Canty (Fugazi) to iron out a new set of anthems that arrive with a confident and outspoken immediacy. With Living with the Living, Ted & Co. wipe clean the slate that once held names like Weller, Strummer and Bragg and indulge some of their farthest-reaching musical ambitions. "Army Bound" and "La Costa Brava" evoke the melodic spirit of Andy Partridge, Ray Davies and ArgyBargy-era Squeeze, while "Colleen" is Ted's most successful meditation on pop music yet. "A Bottle of Buckie" clinks pint glasses with The Pogues and captures Ted conjuring up the rhythms of his Irish ancestry. And stretching his boundaries further still, songs like "The Toro and the Toreador", "The Lost Brigade" and "The Unwanted Things" find Ted taking his falsetto in new directions, with vocals that caress each composition with the greatest delicacy and grace. Along with the punk sound and energy found in Ted Leo and the Pharmacists' previous works, Living with the Living finds soul, funk and R&B injected into the trajectory of Chris Wilson's dexterous percussion, Dave Lerner's bedrock bass and an onslaught of combustibles from Ted's possessed fingertips.Customer Reviews:
something's lacking.......2007-05-14
Compared to most of the rubbish that's out there, it's really good yet several steps from great.
What you'd expect from Ted Leo.......2007-04-25
Some other highlights: "Bomb repeat bomb" is a fantastic song, but stands out a bit on this album. For one, it is incredibly high energy is stuck between to relatively subdued songs. Another reason it stands out is because the song is not as based in pop as the songs that surround it. Nevertheless, it is one of my favorites on the album. "La Costa Brava" is an incredibly catchy pop/rock song about the need to relax, and get away from the stresses in life. The theme is fitting considering the intensity of some of his songs, and the almost always serious political subject matter. "Annunciation Day" sounds just like a Minutemen song- its even that short. "The lost brigade" is a very good rock song with a great sounding opening verse, that would have been even better if the song wasnt over 7 minutes long.
As for the flaws of this album:
1. Many of the initially catchiest songs (e.g. "Colleen," "Bottle of Buckie") are a bit bland and uninteresting after the first few listens. This made this album a bit of a 'grower' for me.
2.The length. I think he overreached a bit for certain songs and the album as a whole. This would have been a better album at 45 minutes versus 60+. He could have left a couple of the songs off and trimmed a few of them.
All in all Ted Leo created another high energy political rock album that have occupied my CD player/mp3 player for the past few weeks. The great songs on this album will still be great years from now, but the weaker songs lost their appeal weeks ago.
Ted Finds His "Beginner's Mind".......2007-04-16
and when I try not to change, well then you tell me that I don't change
And there's not much I can change about that, sir"
- Some Beginner's Mind, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Ted Leo makes music to set your life to. While other bands are content with introspective navel gazing, and still a few others deal strictly with the political, Ted Leo finds a comfortable medium between the public and private, and, ultimately, he shows us there's not a whole lot of difference between the two. Ted Leo attempts to wrap his arms around the immensity of our world. Leo's success is credited to his ability to make his politics seem about the individual. For example, on The High Party he lets it slip that 9/11 is his birthday while ruminating on the politics of propaganda, and on Living with the Living the most strident anti-war song, Bomb.Repeat.Bomb, is told through the eyes of a bomber pilot. His politics sound less like sleep deprived manifesto than the ruminations of someone walking around the city without a destination.
On their fifth LP Ted Leo and those irascible Pharmacists construct a musical diorama of all the styles that have informed their sound. While in his previous albums these influences could be heard through parts of his songs, a bass line here or a lyric there, on Living with the Living, Leo has adopted these styles whole instead of piecemeal. The album feels like he's making a mix tape of all his favorite styles but with his own music. Living with the Living runs through hardcore (Bomb.Repeat.Bomb.), Irish folk (Bottle of Buckie), reggae (Unwanted Things), and new wave (La Costa Brava) just to name a few. There are also genres you wouldn't necessarily associate with Ted Leo, like funk (Lost Brigade) and R.E.M. style jangle pop (Colleen).
I think the reasons behind these genre specific congs can be found in Some Beginner's Mind. The aforementioned quote shows the paradox of this album: Leo's sound is evolving by devolving his songs to their genre origins. It makes a kind of sense. I read somewhere that this song is referencing the Zen concept of shoshin, or "beginner's mind." I ran across this little quote by Shunryu Suzuki: "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few." By rediscovering the sounds that first made him excited about music in the first place, Ted Leo is actually uncovering multiple ways of songwriting.
The strength of Leo's political writing doesn't end with his ability to make the political personal. The political songs on Living also make great use of analogy to attack the current war in the Middle East. Nowhere does Leo mention the second Gulf War. However, he has called Bomb.Repeat.Bomb. a song about America's involvement in Guatemala, Annunciation Day/Born on Christmas Day references the Falkland War, and C.I.A. takes on our overly secretive institution. At the same time, the shadow of our current war can be felt throughout the album. Ted Leo is implicitly drawing attention to the fact our current war is not a finite problem, but rather a part of our systematic dealings with the rest of the world. His call for change is as far reaching as it is individualistic. Once again, Leo manages to wrestle a complex view of our world through seemingly disparate dichotomies.
I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't even touched upon whether or not the album is any good. Ted Leo is such a natural songwriter that his albums are always good, but more than that, Ted Leo's work has become such a part of my life I'm less interested in the mostly boring question of quality, than I am interested in how his craft is evolving. Judging by Living with the Living I'm sure I'll be returning to Leo's latest album, whatever that album may be at the time, until he no longer puts music to disc.
TL/Rx remain consistently AWESOME!.......2007-04-10
Just What You'd Expect.......2007-04-03
If you're not familiar with Ted Leo, here's the quick synopsis: clever lyrics and musical experimentation reminiscent of Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, or the Clash mixed with the pop hooks and guitar licks you'd associate with Big Star, Thin Lizzy, or the Pixies.
As for the album: it's everything you can reasonably ask for from an album. Leo is one of the few performers in the indie world who's still making the unpretentious guitar rock that defined the early nineties underground scene. The most negative comments I've heard about Leo fall into two categories: either he's not original enough, or he never changes his formula. Both comments are true--Leo owes a lot to the great songwriters who preceded him. And though his influences are varied (albums often have rock albums, pop songs, and songs influenced by folk, reggae, and punk), it's true that his albums tend to be similar in style and structure and there's no real attempt to make a grand, artistic statement.
But it's really hard to criticize a guy for knowing his strengths and sticking too them. There aren't many lyricists today who can turn a better phrase, and nobody seems to write rock anthems anymore. This albums is filled with great tracks. Ranking it against his earlier albums, it's probably a bit beneath the level of "The Tyranny of Distance" and "Hearts of Oak," but it compares favorable to "Shake The Sheets." The album has a decent amount of experimentation and several laid back songs, so it's probably closest to "The Tyranny of Distance" in terms of structure.
If you want a good feel for the album check out "The Song of Cain," one of the albums best rockers, "La Costa Brava," a good pop song, and "Bomb. Repeat. Bomb," a more experimental track with an abrasive, DC-punk sound.
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Reiki: The Light Touch
Merlin's Magic Manufacturer: Inner World Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000003JU5 Release Date: 1995-10-31 |
Tracks:
- Reiki- The Light Touch
Customer Reviews:
very relaxing.......2007-06-20
relaxing.......2007-06-14
Sweet, sublime and supremely relaxing.......2006-10-01
reiki: the light touch.......2006-08-22
Reiki the Light Touch -- Merlin's Magic.......2005-09-29
Jazz Music: