Soul

Product Description
20 bit digitally remastered. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Soul,Coleman Hawkins,Ojc,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Average customer rating: Retro soul revival---more like 4.5 stars Simply The Best Good, except for the noise... Judge by the music, not her appearance One girl: girl-group sound, with a new attitude

Back to Black Amy Winehouse Manufacturer: Republic ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Introducing Joss Stone Alright, Still Corinne Bailey Rae The Reminder Icky Thump ASIN: B000N2G3RY Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

1. Rehab
2. You Know I'm No Good
3. Me & Mr. Jones
4. Just Friends
5. Back To Black
6. Love Is A Losing Game
7. Tears Dry On Their Own
8. Wake Up Alone
9. Some Unholy War
10. He Can Only Hold Her
11. Bonus Track 1

From Amazon.co.uk

Amy Winehouse's second album, Back to Black, is one of the finest soul albums, British or otherwise, to come out for years. Frank, her first album, was a sparse and stripped-down affair; Back to Black, meanwhile, is neither of these things. This time around, she's taken her inspiration from some of the classic 1960's girl groups like the Supremes and the Shangri-Las, a sound particularly suited to her textured vocal delivery, while adding a contemporary songwriting sensibility. With the help of producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, "Rehab" becomes a gospel-tinged stomp, while the title track (and album highlight) is a heartbreaking musical tribute to Phil Spector, with it's echoey bass drum, rhythmic piano, chimes, saxophone and close harmonies. Best of all, though, is the fact that Back to Black bucks the current trend in R&B by being unabashedly grown-up in both style and content. Winehouse's lyrics deal with relationships from a grown-up perspective, and are honest, direct and, often, complicated: on "You Know I'm No Good", she's unapologetic about her unfaithfulness. But she can also be witty, as on "Me & Mrs Jones" when she berates a boyfriend with "You made me miss the Slick Rick gig". Back to Black is a refreshingly mature soul album, the best of its kind for years. --Ted Kord

Album Description

Hailed by Newsweek Magazine as a cross between Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill, British soul singer Amy Winehouse's U.S. debut, Back To Black hits the US amid a flurry of accolades, radio and TV buzz unprecedented in recent years for a young siren.

Her brassy mix of emotive vocals tinged with 60's girl-group stylings, sly funk, and anguished jazz, sparked the New York Daily News to crown Back To Black a "marvelous debut that would do Etta James proud" while New Yorker Magazine called her "a fierce English performer whose voice combines the smoky depths of a jazz chanteuse with the heated passion of a soul singer," and Spin Magazine affirming "there's never been A British star quite like her."

Back To Black smolders with a bristling fusion of old school doo-wop/soul inflected uprisings, (the charismatic singer/songwriter wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album) brewing instant classics such as the Shirley Ellis influenced "Rehab," the Supremes tinged title song "Back To Black," the aching "Wake Up Alone," and the album's closer, "Addicted."

Album Details

Ivor Novello Award Winner, Mercury Music Prize and Triple Brit Nominee Amy Winehouse, Follows the Release of her New Single "rehab" and Recent Sell-out Mini-uk Tour, with the Hugely Anticipated Release on October 30th of her New Album "back to Black". On "back to Black", the Follow-up to her Platinum Debut "frank" which Established her as One of the Most Exciting and Challenging Artists in Pop Music, Amy Confirms, Beyond Any Reasonable Or Unreasonable Doubt, What a Truly Remarkable Talent She Is.

Customer Reviews:

Retro soul revival---more like 4.5 stars.......2007-07-20

Who'd have thought a British white girl would come up with a CD like this that'd set everyone on their ears? Amy Winehouse's arrangements remind me very much of the girl groups of the 60's, but her smoky alto and serious adult lyrics are a definite indication that girl singers have come a long way, baby--and good for them.

Only nits to pick with "Back to Black." The vocal artifacting is somewhat jarring. I'm not sure if I got a bad press or they're doing it on purpose to sound like old vinyl, but pleasing to this listener. Additionally, this is not a CD I would simply put on and listen to for long. The material is all good, but for the most part it's all so bluesy, I have to mix it with some other more up soul and jazz to listen.

Simply The Best.......2007-07-20

I bought this CD on March 29, 2007 and have not stopped listening to it. Amy Winehouse is the most talented singer I have heard in years. What a voice! What an attitude! Rehab and You Know I'm No Good are two of the best songs ever. She should win a lot of Grammys this year.

I then bought Frank from Amazon UK. It is as good if not better than Back to Black. Clearly, Amy Winehouse is simply the best talent around right now.

Good, except for the noise..........2007-07-19

I really like some of the songs on here. But there's a weird distortion on some of the vocals that just drives me nuts. I'm not sure if it's an intentional "vintage" artifact, or some sound-engineering error, but it hurts my enjoyment of the CD. Still worth it for a couple of beautiful songs, though, including the title track. OTOH the famous "Rehab" is more of a novelty song, IMHO.

Judge by the music, not her appearance.......2007-07-19

It would be easy to dismiss Amy Winehouse by her somewhat eccentric exterior, but that would be a mistake because the vocals and the music are raw and genuine. I was doubtful at first, but I immediately got hooked when I dug deeper into the music and not just the aesthetic. Coming from someone at the tender age of 23, this album is surprisingly on point. No filler, just great songs. Minimum, I would consider it a classic. Once you get past her signature song "Rehab," it will be apparent how much good stuff there really is. I cannot emphasize enough how well this striking Retro Jazz/Soul/R&B album with Hop-Hop accents works as a contemporary recording. Surprisingly, it sounds vintage yet accessible at the same time. The title track "Back to Black" is a definite stunner and leaves me wanting more every time. This is one of the few albums because of its length and quality that I can play repeatedly. I've had this CD for like 3 months and I haven't tired of it. It's become more like my best friend. I can truly appreciate every single track on this album. Amy Winehouse is one of the best new artists in several years. Her voice has such a powerful presence. Excellent. If you enjoy great Jazz or Soul/R&B then I would definitely recommend this if you can tolerate a few scattered curse words. Amazing album. I'm looking forward to future recordings.

One girl: girl-group sound, with a new attitude.......2007-07-19

What a great voice. Amy Winehouse lives hard (if you believe the stories) and her voice reflects her lifestyle. It's an excellent combination of world-weary, blue-eyed soul and sixties girl-group sound, and the writing is witty and sharp. From interviews with her, it appears that she's put her heart on her (record) sleeve - but it makes the music that much more fresh and entertaining. "Rehab" - yes, but also listen to the title track and "I'm No Good." I take one star for a little too much consistency - if you don't like one, you probably won't like most of the songs.

Average customer rating: The CD from a rap band with no words... Actually, There is a "Mix-Up" Here... three sets of listeners, three sets of reviews Listen to The Music not the critics. Play this CD anytime.

The Mix-Up Beastie Boys Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Icky Thump Zeitgeist Era Vulgaris Libertad We Are the Night ASIN: B000PY32CE Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

1. B For My Name
2. 14th St. Break
3. Suco De Tangerina
4. The Gala Event
5. Electric Worm
6. Freaky Hijiki
7. Off The Grid
8. The Rat Cage
9. The Melee
10. Dramastically Different
11. The Cousin Of Death
12. The Kangaroo Rat

Amazon.com

Having long since shed their image as hip-hop's clown princes, the Beastie Boys now bring what feels like their emeritus recording, a celebratory instrumental memoir of all of the influences (except punk) that brought them to their secure place among hip-hop's fickle elite. The party opens with the aptly titled "B for My Name," its plodding bounce staking claim to the mid-tempo path the album treads almost throughout. "14th St. Break" picks up the pace, especially in the auxiliary percussion breakdown, complete with rally whistle. Then, beginning with "Suco de Tangerina," the album drops into a deep groove cut from dub- and dancehall-tinged ostinati that carry through a full third of its tracks. Among these, "The Gala Event" suffers from a lack of developmental motion that characterizes many of these tracks, but highlights still abound. "Off the Grid," for example, departs from the otherwise unbreakable chill and rips the proceedings wide open, blooming again and again in a series of pulsing riffs that celebrate the very institution of the instrumental groove. More than 20 years since Licensed to Ill took a long, irreverent piss into the mainstream, it seems you can still fight for your right to party. --Jason Kirk

Amazon.com

The Mix-Up is Beastie Boys' first-ever full album of all-new instrumental material. The follow-up to 2004's To The 5 Boroughs, The Mix-Up features Diamond, Horovitz and Yauch back on drums, guitar and bass, with able assistance from Keyboard Money Mark and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz, on 12 brand new wordless, sample-less, scratchless originals. Sure to please fans of the instrumental cuts from Check Your Head and Ill Communication and the cult hit compilation album made up largely of those tracks, The In Sound From Way Out!, The Mix-Up finds NYC's favorite sons drawing on one of their arsenal's primary strengths and pushing it into bold new directions.

Beastie Boys Photos

More from Beastie Boys

Paul's Boutique	Check Your Head	Ill Communication
Licensed to Ill	Awesome, I Shot That	DVD Video Anthology - Criterion Collection

Customer Reviews:

The CD from a rap band with no words..........2007-07-16

The Beasties have done it again. This is the album a lot of fans wanted- after hearing tastes of the band's musicianship on songs included in previous albums, one can finally hear the funky stylings of what has been one of the most progressive and influential bands of the last 20 years. Casual fans may not get it- for them, I suggest using it as background music for other activities. In that setting, the hooks may draw you in, or, at worst, you create a non-obtrusive atmosphere of funk driven by vintage street cred.

Actually, There is a "Mix-Up" Here..........2007-07-16

...somebody replaced the new Beastie Boys disc with a 1960's cheesy lounge record!

At least that's what it sounds like to this Beastie fan. I've bought all of their albums, but after one listen to the "Mix-Up," I'm going to have to leave this one on the shelf. The "5 Burroughs" album wasn't perfect but it was a step in the right direction (from the bizarre "Hello Nasty"), but this new "all instrumental" album is a bore to listen to. I think that some people will really like it--perhaps I'm just missing their sense of "irony".

three sets of listeners, three sets of reviews.......2007-07-14

More than likely you will fit into one of these three categories, each with a different take on this album:

1. You like the BB's as hip hop artists, especially the funny lyrics, and enjoy the old school beats. You like Hello Nasty and To the Five Boroughs more than Check Your Head. Chances are good that you won't care for this album---don't buy it.

2. Your favorite album is Check Your Head and you really like the funky instrumental interludes on that and other albums of that era. BUT, you are not an avid listener of funk/acid jazz and are not familiar with Medeski, Martin, and Wood, etc. You will probably like this album and should buy it.

3. You fit into Category 2 EXCEPT that you ARE familiar with MMW, recent collaborations by John Scofield, Grey Boy Allstars, etc. You will be disappointed in this album because it just doesn't measure up. Frankly, this album comes off as very amateurish and shows that, though the BB's have developed some chops, they can't pull off a full album of instrumentals. The interludes in Check Your Head were just that---interludes---and you can't support a full album on interlude music. Not being a hater---I love the BB's too---but check out any of Stanton Moore's albums and you will see exactly what I mean.

Listen to The Music not the critics........2007-07-10

Wow. Some of the reviews on this page leave my mouth agape with wonder. What in the world is so very wrong with this album? There are a few that are saying there's "no fun' in this record or the 'dynamic is gone'(whatever that means).What record are you listening to? To all of you naysayers I say Fooey and double Fooey! THIS ALBUM IS GREAT. It's a groovy little record period. But that's all it is. It doesn't have to be the next Sgt. Peppers or Paul's Boutique or whatever. You have to take a look at it on it's own. I will say this for this album, no other band is making music like this right now. This is completly original music. Why aren't these guys given the chance to grow and expand? If you don't like this album fine, whatever. Go listen to your 12" of Brass Monkey until your parents kick you out of the basement.
For those of you out there who want something a little groovy and different, get it. Meanwhile I'm going to mix myself a gimlet and listen to a great little combo called the Beastie Boys. Their new album is cool as hell.

Play this CD anytime........2007-07-10

Just put this CD on when you're not specifically trying to listen to music. Just let it play. It's fun, but can't be the center of attention like the Beastie's cds that you're used to. It's not all that entertaining to sit down and listen to (like when driving) even for a fan of jambands like myself, but it's the perfect album for anytime.

Average customer rating: We both see clearly now 2 Song CD Jossing Around The girl has funk and soul! First, but not the last!

Introducing Joss Stone Joss Stone Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop | 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 International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Back to Black Not Too Late Corinne Bailey Rae Mind, Body & Soul The Soul Sessions ASIN: B000MTPAGI Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Change (Vinnie Jones Intro)
2. Girl They Won't Believe It
3. Headturner
4. Tell Me `Bout It
5. Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now feat. Common
6. Put Your Hands On Me
7. Music feat. Lauryn Hill
8. Arms Of My Baby
9. Bad Habit
10. Proper Nice
11. Bruised But Not Broken
12. Baby Baby Baby
13. What Were We Thinking
14. Music Outro

Amazon.com

In the run-up to this, her third album, Joss Stone told a phalanx of glossy magazines that the difference between this disc and the two that preceded it was a newfound clarity of vision. Whereas the other records--their gold status notwithstanding--represented the fumblings of a huge-voiced kid being bossed around by experienced music-biz types, this one, she promised, would reveal the real her. Thus, the titular "introduction." To which anybody who spins the 14 groovy and fully unbuttoned tracks herein will wish to reply not "nice to meet you"--far too lame a sentiment for so fully realized a disc--but "Where have you been all my life?" As good as Joss Stone's previous efforts are, Introducing Joss Stone represents a giant step forward: there's a freshness to these songs that suits her age (19 as of the album's release) and a funkiness that suits modern pop sensibilities. There's also a cross-hatching of visions with artists like Lauryn Hill and Common that will rightly advance her reputation as an artist who can sling disco, R&B, and rock almost as convincingly as soul. Splicing girl-group harmonies with blaxploitation-style funk with Joplin-esque and, at times, Shelby Lynne-reminiscent vocals, Stone works these Raphael Saadiq-produced beats with the stealth and steadiness of a '70s-era legend who's still going strong. "Girl They Won't Believe It," she wails against the tight hoo-hoo harmonizing of talented backup singers on the opening track; get a load of how much she's accomplished in the space of three albums, and you won't believe it, either. --Tammy La Gorce

Amazon.com

Joss Stone Photos

More from Joss Stone

Mind, Body, & Soul

The Soul Sessions

Mind, Body, & Soul Sessions [DVD]

Customer Reviews:

We both see clearly now.......2007-07-19

I love Joss Stone's voice. There's no denying it, the girl's got a set of pipes that are un-matched in this current generation of musicians, but I'm not sure Joss has found her groove yet.

Admittedly, at 14 she was too young to make the important decisions to launch her career, but this girl's been through more changes than the weather.

I think when she really hits her groove, folks will stop comparing her to Shelby Lynne, etc. It'll happen, but 19 may still be too young.

You want to hear a great Brit chick with more heart and identity, you need to listen to "Put your Records On" by Corrine Bailey Rae. Corrine doesn't have Joss' voice, but she's got down who she is.

2 Song CD.......2007-07-17

There are two 5-star songs on this CD: "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now" and "Girl They Won't Believe It". The other songs bring this CD down to 4-stars.

Jossing Around.......2007-07-17

I think this is the 5th review I have written today, so I guess you will have to deal with the silly puns. What you don't have to deal with is some lame R&B album. Joss Stone is squarely on the map with this effort. Buy this thing baby!

She has a rich voice and knows how to turn a phrase. Her style is not indicative of Joss turning 20 this year. If she is this good now, I can't wait to see what she has produced over a 20 or more year career.

Get this one because it she has a lot to offer, and this I think is only the beginning.

Kevin

The girl has funk and soul!.......2007-07-17

I put the CD on at work and declined to tell anyone who was singing until it was over. They had never heard of her but they were fans now. They were all dancing in their seats and wanted to buy the CD! They did not imagine a 19 year old British girl singing with so much funk and soul.

This an ALBUM. You truly can listen and enjoy from beginning to end. It wasn't created to just release one or 2 hit singles. She just keeps getting better and better. Cant wait to see her in concert!

First, but not the last!.......2007-07-12

This is my first Joss stone album, but I0m sure it won't be the last.
Excellent music, warm voice, the right rithm to dance all the night.
Thanks Joss

Average customer rating: Great selection Continuing writers block The Legend Continues... Rock the gypsy in your soul Ancient Highway

The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 Van Morrison Manufacturer: Manhattan/EMI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Ireland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Blue-Eyed Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Van Morrison At The Movies: Soundtrack Hits The Essential Paul Simon (2 CD/DVD) Live In Dublin Live at Montreux 1980 and 1974 Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur ASIN: B000IY0FDA Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

1. Cry For Home
2. Too Long In Exile
3. Gloria
4. Help Me
5. Medley: Lonely Avenue/4 O'Clock In the Morning
6. Days Like This
7. Ancient Highway
8. Raincheck
9. Moondance
10. Centerpiece
11. That's Life
12. Benediction
13. The Healing Game
14. I Don't Want To Go On Without You

Tracks:

1. Shenandoah
2. Precious Time
3. Back On Top
4. When the Leaves Come Falling Down
5. Lost John
6. Tupelo Honey
7. Meet Me In the Indian Summer
8. Georgia On My Mind
9. Hey Mr. DJ
10. Steal My Heart Away
11. Crazy Love
12. Once In a Blue Moon
13. Little Village
14. Blue And Green
15. Sitting On Top Of the Wolrd
16. Early In the Morning
17. Stranded

Amazon.com

Navigating Van Morrison's extensive catalog since 1993 is a formidable task even diehard fans might not want to attempt. The Irish icon has flirted with blues, jazz, country, pop, Celtic, and his own style of indescribable into-the-mystic spiritually-oriented poetic folk on his numerous releases, making for quite a thorny culling assignment. So the EMI brass were probably ecstatic when the singer took the job himself. He weeds through a dozen or so albums released since Volume 2's mile-marker, and adds a clutch of previously unavailable mixes, rarities, and live tracks. The result: a nearly two-and-a-half-hour, 31-track double-disc set as sprawling, eclectic, and tenacious as Morrison's vision and discography. From occasionally rambling but spirited duets with veterans Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Wells, Georgie Fame, Lonnie Donegan, B.B. King, the Chieftains, Ray Charles, and even Tom Jones to concert versions of hits such as "Moondance" and an impressive take on Sinatra's classic "That's Life," along with hidden gems like "Steal My Heart Away," this is a beautifully assembled and sequenced collection. It presents most of this multitalented auteur's facets and softens his often crusty exterior by showing his appreciation for the journeymen that helped develop the trail that Morrison then blazed in his own distinctive style. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

The new 2-CD collection, compiled by Morrison himself, offers a comprehensive overview of his later material. The set's 31 tracks include previously unreleased collaborations with Tom Jones and Bobby Bland, as well as duets with John Lee Hooker, B.B. King and Ray Charles.

Customer Reviews:

Great selection.......2007-07-12

I won't call this definitive, but the collection's got some previously unreleased and seldom heard numbers that merit the price and hype. This is a very listenable CD that's something you can just stick in the changer and let it play. Definitely worth the money.

Continuing writers block.......2007-07-10

Despite having most of this already I paid out my money and what did I get? A reasonable overview with some obscurities, one of which "Blue and Green" is worth the cost on its own. While the music is all first class the compiling has created some jarring between tracks. I've always loved The Skiffle Sessions album but Lost John between Leaves Come Falling Down and Tupelo Honey sounds bizarre. Nearly all the tracks he has re-recorded are done better in their original incarnation and one gets the feeling that with this, the movie "best of" and the country abomination Pay The Devil before them that he has nothing to say at present. I love Morrison's music and sincerely hope there is more of it to come, its now been a fair number of years since there has been an album of original material and he is overdue for his muse to return.

The Legend Continues..........2007-07-04

This 'Best Of' is a must for any Vanatic (Van fan)... but more importantly it is a must for anyone who thinks Van's career ended in the 1970s... all the tracks on "Vol. 3" are from 1993-2005 - Van's later writing and singing are well represented on this compilation and with a superb supporting cast of John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Carl Perkins, Lonnie Donegan, Bobby "Blue" Bland and the great Georgie Fame as they come along for the journey...

Van is still a mighty force in a world that needs more soul and less pop.

www.vanmorrisonnews.blogspot.com

Rock the gypsy in your soul.......2007-07-03

An amazing compilation of Van Morrison's enchanting and haunting melodies. Although I am not a big jazz or blues fan, he has managed to put those two elements together in a way that is a lyrical treat. The melodies are addictive and very catchy. As he has matured, his renditions of some of his earlier works are performed now with more conviction, passion, and confidence than ever before. Van is an extremely talented musician and lyricist that successfully impacts music for the ages. I could listen to Van Morrison 24/7.

Ancient Highway.......2007-06-29

Van is his element, you won't hear this almost 9 min track on
any broadcast radio station in the US.
I have quite a few of the tracks on other albums over 60% but
didn't hesitate on this purchase.

Average customer rating: Love it! GREAT MUSIC FROM A GREAT ARTIST Soothing love music Robin Thicke's Evolution CD - Only Liked Half I'm Surprised.

Evolution of Robin Thicke Robin Thicke Manufacturer: Interscope Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: A Beautiful World Collaborations Luvanmusiq Once Again Introducing Joss Stone ASIN: B000M8NMV4 Release Date: 2007-02-09

Tracks:

1. Got 2 Be Down
2. Complicated
3. Would That Make U Love Me
4. Lost Without U
5. Ask Myself
6. All Night Long
7. Everything I Can't Have
8. Teach U A Lesson
9. I Need Love
10. Wanna Love U Girl
11. Can U Believe
12. Shooter - Lil' Wayne
13. Cocaine
14. 2 The Sky
15. Lonely World
16. Angels

Amazon.com

R&B with tempo: Justin Timberlake resurrected it, and it's proving way more influential than that other lost commodity--sexy--he claimed to be bringing back in 2006 on FutureSex/LoveSounds. Timberlake is to Robin Thicke what 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys were to a band like O-Town, in fact: he pretty much made it all possible. But even though it took one blue-eyed soulster with a hot look and an achy falsetto to bang down the door for another, Thicke presents a convincing case here that he had the goods to get us grooving all along: Evolution is a classy disc that tiptoes up to its listeners, first with an elegant duet with Faith Evans ("Got 2 Be Down"), next with a slick lament that wouldn't sound out of place on a Boyz II Men disc ("Complicated"), and then with a sweet plea that commands a finger-snap ("Would That Make U Love Me"). By the time we reach the long, sweeping lullaby that is the final track, "Angels," we've also had a taste of Thicke's swaggering side ("I Need Love," "Cocaine"), his hip-hop loving side ("All Night Long" and "Shooter," both with Lil Wayne), and the side that fantasizes about 1950s Latin ballrooms ("Everything I Can't Have," a hot tamale of a number that commands a visual if ever there was one: it's impossible to hear this song without imagining a raven-haired woman with a red rose between her teeth). Despite the range of moods on display, they're all in service to Thicke's inner R&B smoothie, and they all brush up against the ear with something like affection. Hard as it will be for listeners of a certain age to get past knowing that Thicke is the son of Alan Thicke, the actor who did his part to cheese up 1980s TV with the sitcom Growing Pains, they're going to have to: with his fan base swelling by the second, the evolution of Robin Thicke is going to be a deservedly loud one. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

NOTE: This deluxe edition features a ringtone of "Lost Without U," an autographed poster, and cell-phone wallpaper.

The Evolution of Robin Thicke is the second solo album from the critically acclaimed, Grammy award winning songwriter and producer of records for such artists as Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera. The album is a timeless work of art. With a voice of purity, passion and soulfulness, Robin brings to life the stories and emotions of the last two years of his life.

The album is filled with incandescent magic. It is an album that tells the tales of love, loss, temptation, redemption and finding hope when all the odds are against you. "My greatest desire with this album was to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion I was feeling when I wrote them, so that whoever listens to my music is brought as close to my experiences and life as possible."

Reflective, redemptive, passionate and etched with a soulfulness that is undeniable, The Evolution of Robin Thicke is an imaginative and heart-felt album that you cannot help but be moved by, bob your head to and smile throughout.

FEATURING GUEST APPEARANCES BY Faith Evans, Pharrell, and Lil' Wayne PRODUCTION BY The Neptunes

Customer Reviews:

Love it!.......2007-07-20

Well I just received this CD in the mail from Amazon and bought it because I saw Robin Thicke on Good Morning America where he sang "Lost Without You" which I love. The rest of the CD in most cases is excellent - with the exception of one or two songs on it I think it deserves to do very well. I also like the fact that he doesn't only sing falsetto, and he sings in very different styles which really shows his versatility.

GREAT MUSIC FROM A GREAT ARTIST.......2007-07-20

I have been a Robin Thicke fan since I saw the once long haired singer belting out "When I Get You Alone". Another early song to fall in love with is "Stupid Things". I have to admit that when I heard "Shooter" with Lil Wayne, I was not even thinking about getting this CD. I HATE THAT SONG!! But once I heard "Can U Believe", I ordered it, and have been listening to the entire CD everyday now. You won't be dissapointed!! I hope the rest of world learns to love him like I have been doing for a while now.

Soothing love music.......2007-07-15

I absolutely loved one or two of the songs but I found the album as a whole a bit bland. I did not really see the evolution but I do not know his earlier music.

Robin Thicke's Evolution CD - Only Liked Half.......2007-07-12

Robin Thicke is talented vocally and lyrically, unlike other people who sell CDs but cannot sing or people who write songs with incredibly boring, repetitive lyrics (i.e., Justin Timberlake). I like Robin's voice, but didn't like about half of this CD. Also, I thought the track about the "school girl" was in poor taste, given the focus on pedophiles and inappropriate advances by teachers toward students that have hit the news in the last five years. Would recommend CD to others with "conditions." Even so, I do like Robin Thicke and hope his fronting on tour for Beyonce goes well.

I'm Surprised........2007-07-11

I didn't expect much from this CD. I purchased it on the strength of the beautiful' Lost Without u'. I've normally found that these days, this would be the stand out song on the CD, with all the rest failing to meet my expectations. Well on this CD, I have been pleasantly surprised. Things start off with: 'Got 2 be Down, with Faith Evans. This has a Marvin Gaye vein going through it, and positive love lyrics to boot. 'Complicated' follows, which has a piano foundation to it. My, it's so good to hear a melodic song with a structure, with real (sounding) instruments to boot.' Would that make u love me' follows, with a lovely sung 'Marvinish' hook. Infectious. 'Lost without U', to me, is the perfect example of a great love song that is not TOO sugary. Really Uplifting ( with a great video) Ask Myself, Everything I Can't Have, Teach U A Lesson, I Need Love, Can U Believe, are tunes that I can let play without skipping, and show cases his beautiful falsetto voice. The worst moments are the songs featuring Lil' Wayne, and Pharrell, which sound horrendous, especially 'Wanna Love you Girl' with Pharrell. For me the minimalistic, less is more approach to the majority of the songs on here, help to highlight Mr. Thicke's voice, and have resulted in a great overall product. All-in all a good CD which is one of the best I have purchased this year.

Average customer rating: Quientessential Soul Album of the year Lend Her Your Ear! Best New Artist goes to . . . Might be my favorite cd released this year So excited!!!!! BUY IT

I Am Chrisette Michele Manufacturer: Def Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: So Much Better Back to Black Sex Love & Pain Ms. Kelly Collaborations ASIN: B000Q364KG Release Date: 2007-06-19

Tracks:

1. Like A Dream
2. Work It Out
3. Best Of Me
4. Your Joy
5. Good Girl
6. Be Ok feat. will.i.am
7. If I Have My Way
8. Mr. Radio
9. Golden
10. Let's Rock
11. Love Is You
12. In This For You
13. Is This The Way Love Feels

Amazon.com

If you didn't get to know Chrisette Michele by way of Jay-Z (she was the one singing sparkling hooks on "Lost Ones") or Nas (she channeled Billie Holiday on "Can't Forget About You"), stop wasting valuable seconds. Though the hype on this pure-voiced, raunch-resistant songstress has her resuscitating a classic jazz sound that rarely infiltrates R&B--comparisons to Lady Day, Nina Simone, and Ella Fitzgerald are mounting--she's more her generation's answer to Erykah Badu: any notes she wraps her lips around come out fresh-sounding, and she adds to the effect with a built-in elegance that's irresistible to R&B and non-R&B fans alike. Hip-hoppers get a custom dose of Michele's magic on "Be O.K.," featuring the flabbergastingly prolific yet still likable Will.i.am, jazz sentimentalists will instantly succumb to "Like a Dream," and anybody with ears on his or her head will warm to the slinky slow jam that is "If I Have My Way." Michele's is a rare talent; count on this outstanding debut propelling her to stratospheric heights. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

I Am, her soulful debut album, is an artistic exploration that fuses 24-year old Chrisette Michele's diverse musical interests into a wonderland. "I realize that I'm new to the music world, but I've been preparing for this moment for long time," says the Long Island native. Even before signing a recording contract, Michele had performed on concert bills with more established artists like Kem, India.Arie, Angie Stone, and Lionel Richie. "India saw me singing at the Village Underground in New York City. She came backstage that first night and graciously offered me a gig as her opening act," says Michele. Working hard in the studio writing songs and recording demos, Michele finished an album's worth of material before even trying to get signed. "I've been creating songs since I was 12, so I knew I needed the right musical blend in order to stand out from the many other performers trying to get a deal." Though already a fan of gospel and classical, it wasn't until Michele was 17 that she also developed a passion for jazz. "When I was still in high school a teacher introduced me to jazz singer Astrud Gilberto, and afterwards my life was all about jazz," she remembers. With the release of I Am, Chrisette Michele will soon be sharing those musical dreams with the rest of the world.

Customer Reviews:

Quientessential Soul Album of the year.......2007-07-19

This album is everything a good album should be. Creative, well written, good production, etc. This is a MUST BUY. This beautiful lady's voice is ridiculously smooth and strong.

Lend Her Your Ear!.......2007-07-11

Chrisette Michele was featured on Nas' "Can't Forget About You" and Jay-Z's "Lost One", but chances are, most people have never heard of her. However, once you hear the leading single from her debut, "If I Have My Way", I guarantee you won't soon forget her. The first time I heard "If I Have My Way", I was very impressed and was drooling for more. Her voice, her style and her lyrics just JUMP out at you. Chrisette Michele is extremely talented and original. She studied Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughn, but she created her own style and that's commendable.

"I Am" is easily a 5 star album. This album is completely void of fillers, haphazardly written songs and "commercialism". Every song is unique and worth listening to. "If I Have My Way" is the albums most vibrant highlight. It's a remarkable love song. Chrisette is telling her listener that she could easily render herself to this man, however, she knows that it is best if she takes her time and lets love lead them. This song has some of the most profound lyrics I have heard in a long time. "Best of Me" has a catchy hook and once again we are blessed with great songwriting. "Best of Me" is about a woman who wants to give all of herself to a man but he simply doesn't deserve it. "Let's Rock" is my favorite uptempo track on this masterpiece. To describe this song concisely, Chrisette is introducing herself, but she manages to make you dance in the process. "Golden" is just beautiful. Yearning for love and wanting to get married and stay together is this song's subject matter.

I encourage anyone reading this review to check this CD out because you will have a masterpiece added to your music collection. "I Am", Chrisette? Yes, you ARE! You are wonderful, and that may be an understatement.

Best New Artist goes to . . ........2007-07-10

It has been written that Chrisette Michele is the "Best New Artist" since John Legend. I will cosign that assessment. Record stores may be challenged as to where to place her debut CD "I Am;" jazz/New Soul/R&B/rap. How about "Top of the Chart" section?

Chrisette's raspy, strong voice and song's lyrics both entice men, while encourages and empowers women listeners.

This CD is on shuffle and repeat in my CD player rotation.

Might be my favorite cd released this year.......2007-07-09

Wow! Finally an r&b singer who actually lives up to all of their type! I've noticed that a lot of the time when an r&b album is highly praised such as Jill Scott's latest album or Lauren Hill's album, all of the songs seem to sound the same or atleast none stand out to me. I always seem to get disapointed. I was worried for a second that this would be the case with Chrisette Michele's CD too but it turns out, I was totally wrong.
My favorite songs on this album are Good Girl, Golden, and I Am One.
Highly recomended.

So excited!!!!! BUY IT .......2007-07-09

I am so excited!!! I am a huge fan of Ms. Jill Scott. She had ruined it for me. I never expected what I heard from Chrisette Michelle. She is truly amazing. A lady with class!!! Glory to Def Jam for giving the grown folks something new to fall in love with. I had to keep playing Is This The Way Love Feels over and over again. It was like being in church. THANK YOU!!!!!

Average customer rating: Fusion Album A New Direction One of the first real albums Nowhere Album Classic Beatles

Rubber Soul The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Revolver [UK] Abbey Road Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles (The White Album) Magical Mystery Tour ASIN: B000002UAO Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
8. What Goes On
9. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run For Your Life

Amazon.com essential recording

Rank 'em how you like, Rubber Soul is an undeniable pivot point in the Fab Four's varied discography no matter where, or how, you first heard it. The album was softened up in its original 12-song American edition to jibe with the Dylan/Byrds folk-rock sound, as well as squeeze money from the Parlophone catalog. The 14-song U.K. edition--the version now available on compact disc--is a different, more dynamic, and ultimately more accomplished achievement. So many classics: "Drive My Car" and "Nowhere Man" (both omitted from the U.S. edition) merge the early combustible Beatifics to a burgeoning studio consciousness; "The Word" can be read as a pre-psych warning shot; the sitar-laden "Norwegian Wood" and the evocative "Girl" (the latter written on the last night of the sessions) stand as turning points in John Lennon's oeuvre. George finally emerges too, with the McGuinn-ish "If I Needed Someone." --Don Harrison

Customer Reviews:

Fusion Album.......2007-07-18

At an abundant time of musical creativity, George Martin keeps released material progressing at a pace that connects us with some familiarities found in their earlier music and yet must begin to open the door for us to witness the musical revolution he saw emerging shortly, and still managed well having the support of the four.

A New Direction.......2007-07-02

Rubber Soul was very different in the approach and sound of the previous albums. Meet the Beatles, Please Please Me, etc were all good albums but for the most part it was just bubble gum music that teen girls ate up.

During the time of Rubber Soul, the guys were getting into differnt styles of music from their own. Bob Dylan was a huge influence on every artist after him, his writting influenced a new direction for John and Paul. Also like everyone else drugs creeped into play.

Drive My Car is a good opening track that is a good transition into this new sounding album. It's what kids in the suburbs expected. Norwegian Wood is basically the same thing as Bob Dylan's 4th Time Around with a sitar.

The other Songs like Nowhere Man are kind of surreal in the lyrics and singing of the three. John and Paul had similar songs in Michelle and Girl. Michelle has that smooth sound that's his bread and butter, and Girl is basically Johns version of the same song (in my opinion).

John always took more chances in his writting than Paul. Paul was a lot more commercial and was hesitant to do anything drastic. In My Life is my favorite track on the album and I think it's one of the best out of their whole catalog.

George and Ringo also have their time to shine. In Previous songs, Rino could only play the back beat cause if he tried anything else you couldn't hear it over the screaming girls. This new direction really gave him more freedom to fill the empty space of the songs. And George is always spot on with his playing. I love how he just seemed to stay true to himself after all the mania.

I look at Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt. Pepper as almost like a trilogy. All three just have nice transitions that you can some how tell that that's the order they were released in. The maturaty in the lyrics, the new sounds incorporating new instruments and musicians.

Back to Rubber Soul... Overall it's one of my favorite albums of all time. It's definitely an album everyone should listen to. The songs are timeless and it sounds like nothing else. I love how the songs never go out of "style" I don't really believe one can slap a date on the music because it's revelant even today. There's always new generations discovering this music continuing the legacy of the Four Working Class Lads from Liverpool.

One of the first real albums.......2007-06-29

(4.5 stars, actually)

This album, which marks the beginning of The Beatles' middle period, is often cited as one of the first real albums. Prior to this, just about all albums consisted of a couple of big hits padded out with a lot of filler designed to boost sales for the popular singles on it. But here we have something which was consciously made as an album as opposed to just a haphazard collection of songs thrown together in no particular or special order. And although this album might not quite be up to their highest artistic level yet, there's no denying these songs show a huge maturity and step up from the type of pop they'd been doing for the past few years. Heavily influenced by pot and folk rock, this album paints a picture of a band whose transitional period from pop songs to more serious and mature recordings was pretty much over, with no going back.

I'm rather amused at all of the people who insist that this isn't the "real" RS but "only" the British version. The British version IS the real RS! From what I've heard, the American repackaging from Capitol probably did have a more consistently folksy feel, but it still wasn't the album The Beatles worked hard on making and meant for their fans to hear! As a second-generation Beatlemaniac, this, the genuine original untampered with version, is the one I'm familiar with; it would feel just as wrong to me to hear it starting with "I've Just Seen a Face" as it might for some nostalgic aging Boomer to hear it starting with "Drive My Car." And though there are a few songs not quite up to the overall level of quality (most particularly the junky closing number "Run for Your Life"), this album is pretty much near-perfect. The songs don't belong any other way. Although at least Capitol recognised how different and special this album was, and thus didn't do as much tampering as they usually did, and even retained the original title and cover.

Overall, this is a wonderful album to get mellowed out to, and a real snapshot in time, of that brief period when The Beatles had matured beyond cover songs and pop songs into more mature and serious artists, yet before they became as heavy and experimental as they did as the decade wore on. The songs range from soft slow songs like "In My Life" and "Michelle," to lighter poppier fare such as "You Won't See Me" and "Drive My Car," to rather deep and introspective songs such as "Girl" and "Think for Yourself," and everything in between. Probably the only major flaw with it is that it has to end with such a throwaway as "Run for Your Life." While not every song on even a great album has to be a winner, it just seems wrong for one of the weakest tracks to be placed at the very end, which kind of disrupts the nice folksy mood that had been set.

Nowhere Album.......2007-06-18

As some of you smarty-pants Beatles' historians might not be aware this is not the Beatles' Rubber Soul album. It is the U.K. version, which has MAJOR differences with the good ole USA version. If you want the USA version you can get it in the Capitol Albums vol.2 set. Then you can properly start listening to Rubber Soul with 'I've Just Seen A Face', which was one of their many hillbilly rags.

Classic Beatles.......2007-06-14

I love the Beatles, but this CD is definitely a necessary one for the enthusiast. The tracks show a change in Beatle's music from their 64 album "Meet the Beatles." The sounds are unique and with the advancement of sound technologies, can open up a new discovery of what the group did to their music. I do not think it is the best album they made, but I think it was a revolutionary one given the time they made it!!

Average customer rating: SOSO---I'll give it a 3.5 Marc is the Best! on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 12 Marc keeps on giving us his best Brilliantly soulful... with a retro vibe.

S.O.S.: Save Our Soul ( Amazon Exclusive with Bonus Track ) Marc Broussard ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Momentary Setback Carencro Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrina Easy Tiger This Is Ryan Shaw ASIN: B000QG512A Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

1. You Met Your Match
2. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
3. Harry Hippie
4. Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul
5. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
6. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)
7. Love And Happiness
8. I've Been Loving You Too Long
9. Respect Yourself
10. Yes We Can, Can
11. Come In From The Cold
12. Bring It On Home To Me ( Amazon Exclusive Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

It's difficult to fault Marc Broussard's intentions in releasing this collection of mostly covers as the follow-up to his 2004 breakthrough Carencro. He's intent on showing his roots in the uplifting soul music that he clearly loves. However, it's too early in his nascent career to be going the Rod Stewart route. Broussard's committed, grainy voice works well with these R&B standards and obscurities, even if the arrangements generally stick close to the originals. Yet he can't help but come up short singing timeless classics such as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues," Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," and Al Green's "Love and Happiness." Broussard is more convincing uncovering hidden nuggets such as Bobby Womack's slow dance "Harry Hippie," Rance Allen's gospelized "Let the Music Get Down in Your Soul," and the frisky funk of Stevie Wonder's "You Met Your Match." He also dusts off Blood, Sweat & Tears' "I Love You More than You'll Ever Know," sweating out the tune's inherent soulfulness. Toby Lightman swings into Tammi Terrell's part for a peppy, finger-snapping take on the sweet Gaye/Terrell duet "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You." Not surprisingly, Broussard's sturdy self-penned ballad "Come in from the Cold" pales somewhat in this heady company. It does, however, show his songwriting abilities haven't diminished, even if he apparently needs more time to compose another album's worth of his own material. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description

This follow-up to Marc's acclaimed debut Carencro features Broussard's
staggeringly soulful voice on classic songs by: Allen Toussaint, Bobby
Womack, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding and more...Plus 1
new tune penned by Broussard that closes the set with a soul intensity on
par with the company of its keeping.

AMAZON EXCLUSIVE - If you purchase this album here, it comes with a bonus
track of Marc covering "Bring It On Home To Me" originally by Sam Cooke.

Customer Reviews:

SOSO---I'll give it a 3.5.......2007-07-11

What drew me to Marc Broussard's "Carencro" was the authenticity of his music. Something happens when he sings his own stuff that takes you there.

I'm not saying he's not good doing this album of all but one cover songs, but he's stuck so close to the original arrangements that it's a waste of his talent.

"Come in from the Cold" is Broussard's only original song on SOS and it's a lovely ballad.

My suggestion is to buy "Carencro" and stick to the original singers of this wonderful soul music.

Marc is the Best!.......2007-07-10

Ever since my sister lent me her CD and I saw Marc Broussard in concert. I have been in love (some would say obsessed.) Carencro is a great album and I have listened to it thousands of times. It seems like we have been waiting for years for his next album and I couldn't be more excited that it is finally here. I am in love again. My favorite track is Harry Hippie and I don't know why, just do. The CDs are great, but if you haven't seen him live, run, run, run to catch him on one of his tour dates. It is an amazing experience that even if you have never heard his music before, you will enjoy!

on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 12.......2007-07-08

Marc Broussard just might have the best voice in the music business. This new cd is a collection of great songs that nobody should try to cover except for Broussard with his soulful sound. He attempts to make the covers sound like the originals as a tribute to them so don't expect a new sound to the old songs. He does a great job of covering them. The more you listen to the cd the better it gets. My favorite song on the album is the only one that is an original(Come in From the Cold). I enjoyed this album so much that I am now going to grow a beard just like the one he has on the cover.

Marc keeps on giving us his best.......2007-07-06

If you are like me, you have been waiting and waiting for Marc to release more of his smooth sounding music. It is nice to say that the wait is over and boy has it been worth the wait!! I must admit that I am not too familiar with the originals that he has covered, so this album plays like new material to me. Every song on the CD sounds great and there is a nice flow to the songs he has covered. Marc's voice is perfect to sing songs like this, and Ms. Toby Lightman does an excellent job with her material. Their duet together is a highlight on a disc that is full of highlights. If you are a fan of Marc Broussard and are wondering if you should if you should add this to your collection, or you are looking for an introduction to a new artist and are wondering if you should try this, do yourself a favor and GET THIS ALBUM!! Marc has said that he will be releasing a CD of original material in the near future, but this album will definitely tide you over until then.

Brilliantly soulful... with a retro vibe........2007-07-02

Some may say Marc Broussard is washed up at the tender age of 25.
Carencro, his 2004 release on Island Records, sold 230,000 copies, an enormous total, in his native south Louisiana, that draws a yawn in the million-selling world of pop.
Now Broussard follows with an 11-song CD that has only one original. The covers, masterpieces by soul heavyweights like Otis Redding, Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye, would prove fatal if attempted by amateurs. But Broussard, raised on soul and swamp pop, feels right at home.
The disc features Broussard's soulful voice tackling Al Green's "Love and Happiness", Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long", Bobby Womack's "Harry Hippie" and "Respect Yourself" by the Staple Singers.
The CD's lone original track , "Come In From the Cold", maintains the old school R&B vibe.
After Carencro , singer and guitarist from Louisiana Marc Broussard was critically acclaimed and got great visibility and airplay mostly for his fantastic single "Home".
It is down and dirty blues, his voice a deep baritone in the choruses, and nothing but purely cool. Yet, it is the only song on the album with that particular vibe. "Rocksteady" and "Where You Are" are pop perfect, but it's difficultt to understand how they all went together other than the connective tissue that is Broussard's soulful voice.
Now, with his newest effort and one that is particularly close to his heart, Broussard is hitting his stride.
"S.O.S: Save Our Soul" is comprised completely of covers from the soul-heavy Motown and Stax catalogues.
Broussard says that he is trying to bring back the feeling because, "Soul music grew out of the church, out of gospel, but somewhere along the way it lost its heart".
With a very talented group of musicians, including De Marco Johnson killing the piano and organ, Broussard has kept close to the original arrangements of the songs, giving younger generations the opportunity to experience these classics as they were intended, but feeling as if they are brand new.
There is not a weak track here, but one of my most favorite is "Yes We Can, Can", a song you might remember the Pointer Sisters making famous. Broussard seems to channel Harry Connick, Jr. and all the funk of some deep-south soulsters.
Two other tracks you can't miss are "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" (originally by music royalty Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, now a duet with Toby Lightman) and "Let the Music Get Down in Your Soul".
Pick up S.O.S and the music will most definitely be "down in your soul".
I love it, you will not disappointed.

Average customer rating: An exceptional debut that grows on you Elliott Yamin does not need synthesizer Elliott sounds really good. OK, so I was wrong. This CD is better than I thought! A great CD!

Elliott Yamin Elliott Yamin Manufacturer: Hickory Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Daughtry Katharine McPhee Small Town Girl My December Taylor Hicks ASIN: B000N60HD6 Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Movin On
2. Wait For You
3. Find a Way
4. One Word
5. You Are the One
6. I'm the Man
7. Trainwreck
8. Free
9. Alright
10. Take My Breath Away
11. A Song For You

Amazon.com

Elliott Yamin's debut is so agreeable and well-executed it may well convert hardened R&B experts--the kind who'd normally distance themselves from a disc with a TV pedigree. With sincerity and a voice that vaults itself to places no talent-show contestant should be able to go, Yamin bares his soul here in a way that would do his hero, Donny Hathaway, proud. Tracks like "Take My Breath Away" and "You Are the One" find him twisting a wrench around love-stained lyrics; "I'm the Man" and "Find A Way" flow with hat-in-hand grace (and, in the case of the latter, a scat worthy of a vintage jazz stage); and opener "Movin' On" immortalizes the season five judges'-table words of Paula Abdul: Ellliott Yamin is "one funky white boy." As he proves with this five-star album, he is also among the most gifted artists ever to a turn a stint on the show into a recording career. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

An exceptional debut that grows on you.......2007-07-20

Elliott Yamin in my opinion probably has the best voice of any of the contestants from AI season 5, even though I liked Chris Daughtry a little better overall, I was pulling big time for them both to be in the finale. Alas neither of them made it, so I was excited to know that Elliott had gotten a record deal, because I was fearful he might not get one since he's not as commercially friendly as some of that season's alums, and it would have been a shame to let his amazing voice go unsigned. All that said however, if I would have reviewed this album three months ago when I first listened to it, I definitely wouldn't have given it a 4/5 stars, it probably would have been more around a 2 to 2.5.

Indeed when I first bought the album and upon the initial listens, I couldn't help but be disappointed that such a great talent had put out a CD that in my opinion was very forgettable, granted I did like a few songs at first, such as the first single "Wait For You" and "Movin On". Thankfully I refused to give up on the album, and after making myself listen to the tracks multiple times I soon realized my initial impressions of the album were pretty off. No this is not a 5 star album or a classic in my opinion (but then again how many debut albums are?), but I now regard it as a very solid r&b/pop album. The tracks on this album really do grow on you, so I just want to stress to fans of Yamin that if they're not crazy about the album at first give it a chance before making your final judgments.

The album is definitely very R&Bish / soulful (who says white men can't have soul right?), but there are also pop influences present on the album. Almost every song is well written, especially such ones as "Find a Way", a modern R&B track about the unfairness of the world, and how love has to find a way in order to cope with it all. "Free" is another lyrical highlight about how we have the freedom to be able to make our dreams realities if we put our mind to it, although it's not one of my favorite songs melody-wise.

Some of my favorite melodies on the album are the mid tempo first single "Wait For You" which mixes R&B and pop, and the soft and soothing "You Are The One", a straight up love ballad. "Train Wreck" is a pure R&B song, and a favorite of mine, where Yamin's voice is in top form as he sings about a relationship thats heading for a "train wreck", and I love the hook of the song. On the other end, I love the upbeat rhythms of "Movin On", which boasts a hand clapping beat that accompanies lyrics about getting tired of waiting for his significant other to decide what she wants, and "movin on" with his life. "Alright" is another upbeat track, that wouldn't feel out of place in a club, the song definitely has a hip/hop vibe to it and to me sounds similar to something Usher would record. It's a great change of pace and another favorite of mine.

Thats another good thing about the album, there really is a variety of appeal on here, "Wait For You" and "You Are the One" for example would be perfect for ac radio or even pop, whereas I could see songs like "Movin On" and "Alright" fitting in on current R&B/Hip Hop stations, the album really has a range of appeal from old to young, Adult Contemporary to R&B. Even commercially the album has potential, "Wait For You" has so far become a top 20 hit on the Billbaord Hot 100, and I don't think its the only song on here capable of making it into that tier of the charts.

But perhaps the best thing about this album, is Yamin's voice itself. Even when I wasn't too into the songs yet, I still loved listening to Yamin's strong soulful voice, which shines on pretty much every track here, and fans of Yamin should enjoy the "A Song For You" cover, which is definitely a showcase for Yamins vocals. Even the tracks I don't really care for such as "I'm the Man" and "Take My Breath Away" are made much better by the voice thats singing them.

So overall I'm pleased with Elliott's debut, it took some time, but the album is one that I'll be listening to for awhile. If Yamin can improve upon his debut and grow more as an artist, he should have a long, bright career ahead. 4/5 stars

My Top 5:
1. Wait For You
2. Alright
3. Train Wreck
4. Find A Way
5. Movin On

Elliott Yamin does not need synthesizer.......2007-07-16

I love Elliott Yamin and was pleased with this first cd but he does not need all of the electronic synthesizer effects on some of the cuts. I saw him in person singing these same songs and they were so much better with just a band behind him. I hope his next cd will be done more simply. Elliott is amazing and he should be appreciated in his pure form.

Elliott sounds really good. .......2007-07-14

I really like the sound of Elliott Yamin's voice. It is very soothing. Every song does not sound the same - I like that.

OK, so I was wrong. This CD is better than I thought!.......2007-07-14

Movin' On - 8
Wait For You - 8
Find A Way - 9
One Word - 6
You Are The One - 7
I'm The Man - 6
Train Wreck - 7
Free - 8
Alright - 9
Take My Breath Away - 7
A Song For You - 9

This CD starts on a good note with Movin' On and ends nicely with Donnie Hathaway's A Song For You. Elliot co-wrote Movin' On, Find A Way, You Are The One, Train Wreck and Alright. And this is just his debut!

84/11=7.636363636

That equals 3 stars and then some.

3.8 stars

A great CD!.......2007-07-13

I love every song on this CD. I listen to it all the time, and never, ever get sick of it.

Average customer rating: Joan O. has got it Fantastic voice and song list easy, breezy...and sexy...me likes! expected it to be better What To Do About Joan Osborne.

Breakfast in Bed Joan Osborne Manufacturer: Time Life Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music Blue-Eyed Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Pretty Little Stranger Courage Are You Listening West Back to Black ASIN: B000O78KZG Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

1. I've Got To Use My Imagination
2. Ain't No Sunshine
3. Midnight Train To Georgia
4. Baby Is A Butterfly
5. Breakfast In Bed
6. Cream Dream
7. Natural High
8. Heart Of Stone
9. Sara Smile
10. Eliminate The Night
11. Break Up To Make Up
12. I Know What's Goin' On
13. Alone With You
14. Kiss And Say Goodbye
15. Heat Wave
16. What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted

Amazon.com

On Breakfast in Bed, her first release on Time Life Records (yes, that Time Life) Joan Osborne tackles a crop of hand-picked soul and R&B favorites with equal parts sass and sensitivity. Long an underappreciated artist, Osborne is a performer with the wisdom to exercise vocal restraint for an effect that's more Dusty Springfield than Christina Aguilera. Her fine previous outing interpreting soul standards was aptly titled How Sweet It Is, and witness her contribution to the terrific 2002 film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, where Osborne's astute readings of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" and "Heatwave" outshone performers like Ben Harper and Gerald Levert (happily, both songs are included here). The title track and Hall and Oates' "Sara Smile" are both canny choices that play to her strengths in delivering credible blue-eyed soul, and six new Osborne-penned songs fit neatly into the record. If her compositions pale a bit next to the classics she covers (with the sultry and slithery exception of the excellent "Eliminate the Night"), give Osborne credit for bravely placing herself side-by-side with songwriting luminaries like Holland-Dozier-Holland and Bill Withers. Breakfast in Bed makes for a leisurely listen on a sunny Sunday morning, so put up your feet and stay awhile. --Ben Heege

Album Description

Joan Osbourne's recently recorded album pays homage to the great Soul and R&B songs of the late '60s and early '70s. The album features a unique combination of unforgettable interpretations of timeless R&B classics. Her first single to radio will be "I've Got to Use My Imagination."

Customer Reviews:

Joan O. has got it.......2007-07-19

I'm becoming a bigger fan of Joan every day. I loved her last album, Pretty Little Stranger, even though it was a bit country for her, and I'm not a country music fan. I'm interested in checking out this collection of her covering pop hits. She does covers well, and her voice is so obviously hers, that even though it might be a song you have heard enough times already in your life, hearing the "Joan" version is always a treat. I'm sorry this is not a review of this album in particular, I do plan to get it soon. I'll let you know then! I'm giving 5 stars based on the Amazon video and audio samples. What I can say is that her previous albums are all great, and her live shows are awesome, especially if you can be lucky enough to see her in a smaller venue.

The first time I saw her was pretty much by accident. I wound up crossing through the front of a very large crowd between acts at a Woodstock reunion in Bethel, NY (not Pepsistock in Saugeraties), in the late 90's. Then Joan and her band came on and I'm front and center and she blew me away with St. Teressa or something like that. I've been a fan ever since.

Fantastic voice and song list.......2007-07-12

Most know Joan for her 90's hit "If God Was One of Us." She is far from those days. Most would be astounded to hear what Joan;s voice is capable of, as that song only trapped her into a simple octave throughout its verses.

Here in "Breakfast In Bed", Joan takes the jazz practice of covering American classics and favorites in her dynamic, raspy alto voice. This is a great CD, my favorites include the live performances of "Heatwave" and "What Becomes of a Broken Hearted" with Motown's Funk Brothers; and classics "Natural High" and "Sara Smile."

Check the song list, if you find any of your old favorites the GET THIS CD, you will definately not be disappointed. However "What Becomes of a Broken Hearted" is worth the $13 alone.

easy, breezy...and sexy...me likes!.......2007-06-30

Okay, my thoughts! I dunno, it seems pretty clear Joan has been really enjoying herself lately. I'm all for that.

Speaking for myself, more times than not, Joan selects covers that are mostly new to me - on this disc, besides the 2 live tracks, I was only familiar with Midnight Train. So, generally, all the songs are new to me. Then again, I like covers and I like how Joan mixes in her own songs. She is a singer, after all! I don't think a true singer should be afraid of (or criticized for) covering songs... Admittedly, if I really had my way with Joan, I'd get her to release all those original songs that have gone unreleased over the years, but this album satisfies just as well. Simply put, it's great.

Honestly, when I first listened to the sound samples online, I wasn't quite sure what to think, but since listening to the full album, I've come to really enjoy it. I think it's an accessible album that everyone can enjoy. Joan's voice sounds unbelievably sexy and gorgeous! I don't dislike the first 2 tracks, but I could do without them at the same time. My favorites from this disc are Baby Is A Butterfly & Heart Of Stone (two originals), and Kiss And Say Goodbye (so good!). I'm not one to hum, but I've found myself randomly humming these songs (like while shopping or lounging in bed).

In any case, all the songs work and sound well alongside each other and I'm glad Joan's being more prolific and enjoying herself.

expected it to be better.......2007-06-30

Her "How Sweet It Is" CD is one of my favorites. On that release, she's in great voice, she covers great material and I think it was very bold to do a CD of all cover tunes. I was excited to find that Joan did a new 70's style CD, but I found that this disk to be just pleasant. It is also somewhat dull... no sparkle, no WOW, no "hey you gotta hear this!". I ain't bad, but if you're tempted, start with the "Sweet" CD.

What To Do About Joan Osborne........2007-06-30

Osborne's career has to be one of the most wasteful careers of all time. This is her sixth studio album, and it is her third in a row consisting MOSTLY of cover songs and NOT original material. Is her hand broken? Can she not write 10 original songs for one new cd? I WANT "RELISH" OR "RIGHTEOUS LOVE". At least the songs not written by her were new songs.

That said, I think Osborne is an excellent vocalist, but her vocals have been squandered by re-doing classic r&b, blues and soul songs. I have to admit that some of her successful covers on "Breakfast In Bed" came in unexpected places. When I looked over the titles I thought, "There's no way she's going to pull off Gladys Knight & The Pips's "I've Got To Use My Imagination", but there she was giving it a fresh coat of new paint. This didn't carry over to the other Gladys Knight & The Pips hit "Midnight Train To Georgia". To me, it was a lifeless interpretation of the original. Likewise, Bill Withers's "Ain't No Sunshine" was a rather bland interpretation. "Natural High" by Bloodstone was unfamiliar to me, so I couldn't compare the original with what Joan had done, but the song was okay, not great. "Breakfast In Bed" is eluding me. I'm not sure if it is a cover song because I've never heard it before. Hall & Oates's "Sara Smile" was treading on dangerous ground for me since I am a huge fan of theirs. I was not amused by the original take of a song about a woman being sung by a woman. Again, Osborne didn't bring anything new to the table. "Break Up To Make Up" by The Stylistics was okay. I wasn't too familiar with that song, so again, I couldn't compare. Manhattan's "Kiss And Say Goodbye" is an often covered song, and Osborne did a decent job of it. Strangely, the two songs not designed for this cd, but included as extras, tended to be some of the strongest material. Joan does a decent cover of Martha & The Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted" to finish off the disc.

This leaves six originals penned by Joan. I give her credit for making six songs that do sound like the genre she was going for. However, I found only two of the songs to really stand out in my mind: "Baby Is A Butterfly" and "Cream Dream". "Heart Of Stone", "Eliminate The Night", "I Know What's Going On" and "Alone With You" are all unremarkable.

So, what's it going to be? Give Joan five stars because you like her and she's a talented singer/songwriter, or give her three stars because she's not giving fans what they really want (all new material)? For me, it's the latter. I can't stress enough that after 7 years it's high time for Osborne to walk the walk and give us a full album of new material.

Jazz Music:

1. Soulful Saxophone of Stanley Turrentine
2. Speed Demon
3. Straight Ahead
4. Straight Ahead
5. Surrender to the Air
6. Swing's the Thing
7. The Earthquake McGoon Recordings
8. The Unstable Molecule [Extra tracks] [Import]
9. Tomorrow's Too Late
10. Touch Somebody's Life

Jazz Music

jazz music