Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This late minimalist, 74-minute piece for orchestra and tape has had, and continues to have, a near-legendary effect on its audience. It's the rare work created specifically to tug gently at one's heartstrings that actually does, and not subtly, either. It starts with a found recording of a homeless man singing a halting, simple melody looped over and over. Then Bryars builds and buttresses this with a full orchestra brought in incrementally, from the first carefully placed short pendulum string sweep to, 10 minutes from the end, the gravelly-voiced singer Tom Waits joins in. It's an obvious but effective work--appealing to all the basics of our emotional nervous system, but still tragically beautiful. --Robin Edgerton

Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Music, Gavin Bryars, Michael Riesman, Tom Waits, Classical, Classical Music, Minimalism, Orchestral, Orchestral Music, Rock/Pop

Average customer rating:

excellent

Almost there (get rid of tom waits)

Unique and Magnificent

Borrow it first

Gavin Bryars Never Failed Me Yet

Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Bryars: The Sinking Of The Titanic / Barnett, Bryars Ensemble, et al

One from the Heart (1982 Film Soundtrack)

Innocent When You Dream: The Tom Waits Reader

On Photography

Sinking of Titanic-Jesus Blood

ASIN: B0000040UT
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra I (String Quartet)
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra II (Low Strings)
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra III (No Strings)
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra IV (Full Strings)
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp And Tom Waits With Full Orchestra
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Coda: Tom Waits With High Strings

Amazon.com

This late minimalist, 74-minute piece for orchestra and tape has had, and continues to have, a near-legendary effect on its audience. It's the rare work created specifically to tug gently at one's heartstrings that actually does, and not subtly, either. It starts with a found recording of a homeless man singing a halting, simple melody looped over and over. Then Bryars builds and buttresses this with a full orchestra brought in incrementally, from the first carefully placed short pendulum string sweep to, 10 minutes from the end, the gravelly-voiced singer Tom Waits joins in. It's an obvious but effective work--appealing to all the basics of our emotional nervous system, but still tragically beautiful. --Robin Edgerton

Customer Reviews:

excellent.......2007-05-07

the item purchased is in perfect condition and it has been shipped in time

Almost there (get rid of tom waits).......2007-04-10

This is a pretty moving and relaxing piece, especially considering that a single sample is looped for 74 minutes but around it there is slow orchestral development. Near the end, it is completely destroyed by the annoying and gratuitous addition of Tom Waits. If you can, I suggest finding a shorter copy of it with no Tom Waits on it, apparently Bryars made a 60 minute version for tape and a 25 minute version for vinyl both before this one and both out of print for Brian Eno's Obscure label.

Unique and Magnificent.......2007-03-30

A fantastic work with an incredible story behind it. I originally heard an exerpt from this work which was played during a radio interview, and I was absolutely captivated. I think this CD is great, however my partner and a couple of friends have suggested it is a little too repetitive. I think the repetition, with such a subtle progression, is the key to this deeply moving album. I would highly recommend this as an interesting and unique addition to any music library. Be aware: playing the full CD may not be to everyone's liking, although I think most would enjoy some smaller portion of the 74+ minutes. I think few would not be touched by the story behind it!

Borrow it first.......2006-11-06

Buy CDs that you expect you'll want to play reasonably often; otherwise borrow them, as I did with this one, from a library - - that'd be my advice. Borrow it again if you find you want to listen to it again.

I don't think this is a religious piece; at least, to me it seems to be about experimentation (taken, as one reviewer put it, to the breaking point). It concludes with Mr. Waits sounding truly drunken.

I made it through the entire CD in two sittings.

Gavin Bryars Never Failed Me Yet.......2006-03-30

The controvery rages. Is it rubbish or a work of genius?

When I first heard the original on Sinking Of The Titanic, I thought it was really irritating, and I couldn't get the tune out of my head for days. I put the cd away for a few weeks......and then something made me pull it out and listen again. Still irritating.....but there was something about it that made me want to come back and give it another go. The third time around, I *really* started to listen -- and I was hooked. The gradual background (at first) orchestration grows into something fascinating and wonderful, and you just *have* to listen.

Forget about the religious aspect. It's doesn't detract from the music, and I don't think Bryars meant for this to be a religious work anyway. It's an extremely moving piece, simple, rich, and gloriously done. And probably unlike anything else you've ever heard.

Listening to a short clip won't do you any good, but the cd sells cheap enough to take a chance on for a complete listen. But be forewarned: even one complete listen ain't gonna do it. You'll have to stay with this one for a few more turns to appreciate it. You'll want to use the cd for an air catcher on your wind chimes at first, but hang in there, and you'll be richly rewarded.

Average customer rating:

A Portrait
Gavin Bryars , Julian Lloyd Weber , Valerie Anderson , Tom Waits , Nexus Precussion Enasemble , Gavin Bryars Ensemble , and English Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Minimal Techno | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

ASIN: B00007J4WD
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Tracks:

Cello Concerto (Farewell To Philosophy) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Piu Mosso - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cello Concerto (Farewell To Philosophy) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cello Concerto (Farewell To Philosophy) - Julian Lloyd Webber
('The Philosopher') - Julian Lloyd Webber
Poco Meno Mosso - Julian Lloyd Webber
('Farewell') A Tempo - Julian Lloyd Webber
Lento - Nexus
Piu Mosso - Nexus
Coda - Nexus
Les Fiancailles - Gavin Bryars
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (Single) - Tom Waits

Tracks:

The Green Ray - John Harle
Song I - Valerie Anderson
Song II - Valerie Anderson
Song III - Valerie Anderson
Song IV - Valerie Anderson
Song V - Valerie Anderson
Song VI - Valerie Anderson
Song VII - Valerie Anderson
Song VIII - Valerie Anderson
Titanic Lament (Radio Edit) - Gavin Bryars Ensemble
The North Shore - Gavin Bryars
Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet (Single Remix) - Tom Waits

Amazon.com

Philips's collection of major works that have propelled Gavin Bryars to New Music stardom is an effective overview of his music. The longest work is his Cello Concerto, handsomely played by Julian Lloyd Webber with a big, colorful tone and sustained intensity throughout its contemplative half-hour. A comparable mood pervades the bright tintinnabulating textures of the whimsically titled One Last Bar, Then Joe Can Sing. Similar as well, in their attractive serenity and suppressed sadness, are many of the other works here, prime among them the viola concerto in all but name, The North Shore, a tone painting of the rugged cliffs of northeast England. Adnan Songbook, settings of six poems by Lebanese poet Etel Adnan, are beautifully sung by soprano Valerie Anderson and delicately scored for a small ensemble. Bryars's biggest hits, The Sinking of the Titanic and Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, have inspired him to numerous reworkings and capsuled fragments. They're represented by Titanic Lament, depicting a hymn tune dissolving into gray, watery textures, and two very different four-minute versions of Jesus' Blood, both with Tom Waits. Some will find Bryars's brand of minimalism veering too closely to New Age music, but others will immerse themselves in a sound world of originality and refined beauties. --Dan Davis

Music Review:

Music Review

The Sun Hits [Import]

25 Years of Disco

A.M. Yoga Meditations

Anthony Cruz

A Musical History [Box set]

10 Years of Hits

70's Rock Hits

All Star Orchestra Plus Pipe Organ Play Hits from the Golden Age of the Dance Bands

100% Rai, Vol. 3 [Import]

3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of...

Christian Music christian-music-14

Sweet Control: The Best of Jon Lucien