title: 3 Albums in 1

text:
This Dutton-Epoch remastered hybrid-SACD collection of three previously released albums, featuring a youthful Michael Tilson Thomas (heretofore referred to as MTT) leading the Cleveland Orchestra, London SO, NY PO, and the Columbia Jazz Band, can be still found separately today and have never really left the catalog: Carmina Burana on [[ASIN:B01M8NYNPW CBS]] Great Performances, Beethoven’s Late Choral Works on [[ASIN:B00000254J CBS]] Masterworks, and the Gershwin on [[ASIN:B0001ENYGC Sony]] Masterworks Expanded Edition. These albums represent MTT’s earliest album releases from 1974-1976, and along with a handful of earlier American modern orchestral performances, thrust him into the public eye.

 Carmina Burana: The granddaddy of Carmina Burana recordings is Eugene Jochum’s characterful performance from 1968 under the purview of Orff himself, although even in its newest [[ASIN:B000001GQP DG]] Originals remastering, lacks a bit sound wise. My most-oft returned recording is that by Slatkin [[ASIN:B000003FH3 on RCA]], and while the regional performers cannot compete with the big leagues, the soloists (McNair and Hagegård) are exquisitely ideal and there is spirit and gusto aplenty.

Here, Tilson-Thomas has a pretty fine line-up of soloists, an all-American team of Blegen, Riegel, and Binder, with Blegen rapturous and Binder all-in with accents, and both are on solid vocal ground; Riegel is not as characterful as Stolze nor as pained as Aler, but acquits nicely. Positively, MTT has the legendary Cleveland Orchestra at his beck and call, and if anything he leads a modern, angular reading of this chestnut. Aided by the odd quadraphonic recording techniques of Andrew Kazdin and MTT leading the orchestra literally in the round; this puts the vocals, piano, and the cadre of percussion clear to the front for a unique inner-voice clarity that, while not natural, puts Carmina in a colourful, percussive light.

The chorus sounds plenty full in the big numbers, and the boy’s chorus is aurally present, only ‘Si puer’’s semi-chorus is a bit thin and unbalanced, but the textural differences of the different-sized choruses are aurally apparent. Also, MTT is quite eager with his tempos and tempo changes, where at once he is suddenly off to the races and the next holds on to fermatas for days. There is plenty of excitement here though, and excellent playing from Cleveland, but I don’t think it will displace my favoured recordings overall.

Beethoven Late Choral Works: Here is the treasure of this collection and the main reason I purchased this set. While none of these works are essential Beethoven, these rarely heard choral works and incidental music show a mature Beethoven, but from his neglected vocal catalog. Elegischer Gesang and Opferlied are intimate musical portrayals, Lorna Haywood fine in her soprano outing, while Bundeslied seems a jaunty pub chorus (MTT re-voices for alternating men’s and women’s choruses for variety), all three focusing on wind section accompaniment.

Additionally, Meerstille shows Beethoven’s influence on Brahms, Schumann, and Mendelssohn for a unique Romantic Era choral setting, Meerstille is slightly plodding under MTT during the raindrop sequence and a bit too staccato, but finishes triumphantly. The real find is the rarely recorded incidental music to King Stephen that is full of varying men’s and women’s choruses (one that is quite staccato), instrumentals, and a final exultant choral paean that stirs up stereotypical Beethoven moods. The Victory March may be a little stodgy, but it falls in line with typical British march tempos and the Priest’s march is exquisitely humbling before the glorious ending choruses.

Under MTT, the Ambrosian Singers sing lustily with ne’er a sign of tentativeness and the LSO is in top form, especially considering all of the wind work in the shorter choruses. None of the quirkiness of sound from Carmina Burana is present in the Beethoven, although the chorus is spread across the soundstage, and everything is given a full clear sound. While the literature is far from requisite, if you enjoy choral music and Beethoven, this is a no-brainer.

In comparison, Robert Shaw [[ASIN:B000003CWY on Telarc]] has solid singing in his Meerstille and both Hickox and JE Gardiner use period instruments, and all are swifter than Tilson Thomas. MTT’s King Stephen eschews the 5-15 minutes of German dialog with underscoring, MTT focusing on the music only, so if you want that included, Myung-whun Chung [[ASIN:B0018O8AL8 on DG]] has a dramatic version with his St. Cecilia forces, but is part of a 5-CD set. And Leif Segerstam [[ASIN:B081KRCTBT on Naxos]] is completing a series of Beethoven’s incidental music, but with an orchestral skill-set less than the 70’s London SO and weaker singing than the hearty Ambrosian ones found here.

Gershwin: The New York Philharmonic gives MTT plenty of edge and excitement in An American in Paris, the brass wailing out when needed, and there is certainly an American swing and swagger to the middle section. Again, with this recording setup, the percussion is clear to the fore and the Parisian taxi horns are uniquely spread out in the sound.

The claim to fame of this recording, though, is the use of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue piano roll from 1925 as the piano soloist. And while you can still hear Gershwin playing with the Whiteman Band in shoddy 20’s sound on record, this is as historically-informed as you can get for an American composition generations away from the original. Most striking are Gershwin’s runaway tempos that have been tamed over the years, and hearing Gershwin playing his own music is an eye opener. MTT has made a career playing the jazz band version of Rhapsody in Blue, 13+ minutes here, 15 minutes with Los Angeles, 17 minutes with Ohlsson, and 17 minutes with the Florida kids, so even Tilson Thomas has broadened his interpretation from Gershwin’s over time.

Gershwin’s music is definitively represented by Earl Wild and Arthur Fiedler [[ASIN:B001HAWX70 on RCA]], who grind sparks from this music, and use the later full orchestral version, but MTT’s is a singular HIP presentation that won’t be found duplicated anywhere else. The recorded piano sound itself has an odd, dull sound that lacks brilliance, but that might be due to the limited choice of pianos able to be installed with a piano roll system in it; nothing egregious, but noticeable. Added to it, the Columbia Jazz Ensemble is a machine at these tempos, the expert playing mixed with the jazz idiom is astounding, although the frantic pace of this familiar music might challenge perceptions. The windy sonorities of the jazz band version are interesting, the banjo could use a little more juice from the miking, but overall is a good recording. I can go either way with An American in Paris, but there is enough edge and swagger to hold its own.

The only omission in this compilation are the six Gershwin overtures from that release, otherwise, this 2-disc set covers three albums in their entirety. The Dutton laboratory sound is a bit interventionist, especially in Carmina Burana where the percussion and piano are forward and the orchestral voices are spread unusually. This doesn’t bother me too much as I greatly appreciate RCA’s Living Stereo series, especially Fritz Reiner’s spatial orchestral arrangements, but may irk some who prefer a natural concert hall ambiance. Lastly, the liner notes are good, but there are no texts (can be found online) and no mention of the recording processes.

Personally I cherish this recording for the rare Beethoven choral works portrayed with gutsy singing and playing. The Carmina Burana could be a first choice, but for me sets behind some others that are more characterful. And the Gershwin is, if nothing else, a historical eye-opener with virtuosic whirlwind playing from Columbia. Recommended.


title: Tepid performance, good playing

text:
Smetana’s cycle of six symphonic poems that cover stories and places of his Czech homeland is filled with charming and often moving melodies, interesting harmonies and orchestral settings, each providing a “visual” musical setting, of which, The Moldau is the most often performed outside of the cycle. It is only the final movements that overstay their welcome for me, with a blunt, uninspired motive that is dragged across two movements in the last 20 minutes of the cycle. The previous four movements more than make-up for the final movements, however, featuring some finely composed musical ideas and settings.

On the plus side, Zubin Mehta moves past those final movements, those mentioned as not my favourite, much faster than most recordings, coming in at 2-3 minutes faster than most. And while the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is in pretty good shape on this recording, sounding plenty full and captured in the Tel Aviv hall well, if not a bit homogenously, the music making on hand is good. Mehta, however, is a little short on inspiration despite the forward movement, providing a presentation that is relatively faceless and characterless. All in all, there is nothing bad here, and Mehta moves everything along, but just a tad tepid in the end.

In contrast, most will point to Karl Ancerl [[ASIN:B00007852B on Newton]], Raphael Kubelik with Boston [[ASIN:B000024577 on DG]], with the [[ASIN:B01N8RRA08 CPO]], or with the Bavarian SO, and older presentations by Talich, Kubelik with Chicago, and countless other Czech performers over the years, as standard bearers of this work. Even James Levine [[ASIN:B000001GEN with Vienna]] and Sawallisch with his [[ASIN:B003XIO8JA Swiss performers]] are well respected outside of the Czech circle, if not in more Germanic presentations as opposed to the exotically Eastern European. In the end, Zubin Mehta’s performance with the Israel PO are hard to recommend with these others leading the way, but neither is it a poor performance; there is good sound, fine playing by Israel, but a middle-of-the-road interpretation by Mehta.

This review represents the original release of this reissue featuring Zubin Mehta leading the Isreal PO in Smetana's Ma Vlast [[ASIN:B0000029KO found here]].


title: Light Sparkly Planets

text:
John Eliot Gardiner’s presentation of The Planets has gained its fair share of acolytes over the last 25 years, particularly when it came out, the recording held its head high with spectacular DG sound. Gardiner’s interpretation wouldn’t be called brawny, nor impetuous, and many find this performance rather tepid and straight forward, and I agree to some degree. The opening Mars lacks forward drive and volatility and many of the movements could use greater contrast and insight. But over the years I have come around on parts of these Planets, particularly the  light, fleet, and sparkling Jupiter that has seemed too ponderous on most other recordings and  the endless Monteverdi Choir at the conclusion come first to mind. The Philharmonia Orchestra is caught in good sound, quite shimmery and sparkly, and if Gardiner doesn’t bring out as much of the interesting inner detail or does not come out behind pompous staidness, the ensemble here is quite fine if not the end all of lovingly involved Romanticism.

There are countless quality Planets recordings that come with no pairings on disc, and it is a shame as it is only 45-55 minutes long, and Holst’s post-Romantic, yet modern compositional voice yearns for a coupling either by subject matter or musical style. Gardiner gives us the rare Percy Grainger work, The Warriors. While structurally and motivically a tad vacuous, Grainger gives The Warriors an exotically jazzy opening motive that is rather interesting and the gargantuan orchestration with three pianos, harps, and oodles of keyboard percussion furnishes the 18-minute composition the sound quality of a monumental gamelan in hedonistic garb. The modernistic, twinkly sounds of The Warriors pairs well with Holst’s twinkly orbs in The Planets, and is a much appreciable accompaniment. Even better, all of the performances here are in outstandingly clear and colourful sound balanced across all of the voices.

There are so many fine performances of The Planets, each with their pluses and minuses, it is hard to recommend one over another. Dutoit [[ASIN:B0000041S7 on Decca]] has one of the better balanced pipe organs on record, Boston with Steinberg [[ASIN:B0073Y12IU on DG]] are impetuously involved, The Great Von Karajan [[ASIN:B000KQGOA4 also on Decca]] is luxurious and controlled, Boult on EMI is a classic in older sound, and Levi, Ozawa, Levine, Previn, Solti and Mehta that each have positive qualities among many, many others. Of these, Steinberg gives the more substantial pairing with Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, agreeably also with pipe organ.

Among these recommendations, I don’t think Gardiner stands shoulder-to-shoulder with these other performances aside from the unique offering of Grainger’s The Warriors (which can be found with Hickox [[ASIN:B000000B1X on Chandos]] and Rattle [[ASIN:B000002RYM on EMI]]); DG’s sound is spectacular, but Gardiner’s interpretation is a bit too light and staid, although I have come to enjoy his Jupiter among other parts. A light recommendation.

This review comes from the original DG release of Gardiner's Planets with the Philharmonic Orchestra [[ASIN:B000001GP6 found here]].


title: Swiftly Weighty

text:
Mendelssohn’s 3rd Symphony has always struck me as moody and lacking in melodic inventiveness, the exception being the opening chorale and the zesty 2nd movement; otherwise its dark nature has left me cold in the past. Die erste Walpurgisnacht however, a 30-minute, 10-part cantata about the pagan rituals of druids frightening the pious Christians on a night of possible spirits, really sparks the imagination and Mendelssohn is full of tunes and colourful settings, the Overture being particularly enjoyable for its fantastical musical qualities.

The standard bearer of the 3rd Symphony on record has been Peter Maag with the London SO on Decca [[ASIN:B00004TEUX (found here]] [[ASIN:B001DKBKGE and here)]] who gives the symphony remarkable weight and punch, not to mention endless expressive musicality to boot. This Telarc disc at hand features the coolly efficient Christoph von Dohnanyi leading The Cleveland Orchestra and I will admit, he gives this music his own stamp outside of Maag’s prime performance. Most noticeably, Dohnanyi takes a propulsive stance with Mendelssohn’s symphony, even coming in more fleet-footed than Cleveland stalwart conductor George Szell [[ASIN:B0000027AL (here)]], and yet Cleveland does not sound rushed in the least, giving a vividly compelling, full-weight account of the music. In particular, Dohnanyi shaves 3-4 minutes off of the slow 3rd movement, eschewing any over-ruminated Romanticism, Dohnanyi giving way to the grandness rather than the lyrical qualities inherent.

The jewel of the disc however is Walpurgisnacht, of which, there are only a handful of recordings available. The positives are again Dohnanyi’s forward momentum, but also a very vivid account of the The Cleveland Symphony Chorale, while not the end all of precision and authentic German language, they perform with the utmost gusto and enthusiasm and are captured clearly and crisply. Of the soloists, baritone Tom Krause has a ringing, solid sound across his range and Tenor Jon Garrison, who is slightly wobbly and pinched in his highest range, sings strongly with heroism. Jeffery Wells’ very short bass solo is unfortunately all on staccato notes, and he barks out pitchlessly; I wish I could hear him actually sing as his one or two sustained notes were quality. Christine Cairns is pleasantly plaintive in her small role and the quartet is a decent group of singers. Altogether, Dohnanyi’s cantata is a real success here.

Telarc’s sound is exceptionally vivid capturing Cleveland’s strings fully, but also spotlighting Mendelssohn’s aptitude with orchestral colours by giving the winds an equal foothold in the soundscape, but as a whole, a forward, but slightly mellow instrumental quality. As mentioned before, the chorus and the soloists are also heard equally well, with texts plenty crisp, altogether giving a very pleasingly present quality to the performance. There are a handful of competing records to this late 80’s performance, Harnoncourt’s chamber ensemble version from the 90’s [[ASIN:B000009K60 on Teldec]] [[ASIN:B004CYNMI2 and Apex]] has garnered positive reviews, but his incomplete Midsummer is an unfortunate pairing with better versions out there, so Masur’s more authentic German presentation [[ASIN:B0000035OH on Berlin Classics]] [[ASIN:B00VSHH3HM and Brilliant Classics]] from the 70’s offers the most competition: Masur has a very disciplined German chorus and moves the music along even faster than Dohnanyi, and as a pairing, three well-performed overtures and a concert aria that perhaps don’t have the weight and staying power of a full symphony, but Masur has had much success with Mendelssohn’s overtures [[ASIN:B0000035TJ also found here]] [[ASIN:B00LBKI2SK and here]].

As a whole, Dohnanyi’s performance is good, with Walpurgisnacht being the crown jewel of the offerings, although Dohnanyi does put his own stamp on a swiftly-moving Scottish Symphony, still allowing Cleveland to show off plenty of colour and weight. Recommended.

**This review represents the original 1988 release of Telarc's presentation of Dohnanyi leading Cleveland in Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 and Die erste Walpurgisnacht [[ASIN:B000003CVA found here]].


title: Age and Wisdom

text:
Itzhak Perlman’s polished, sweet-sounding virtuosity is on display in this 1975 recording reissued by Warner Classics formerly released by EMI.

Dvorak’s Romance in f minor for violin and orchestra has one of his most ravishing melodies, one which makes the listener wish it would never end, and is easily one of Dvorak’s minor masterpieces. At 13-minutes long, and oft paired with his violin concerto as it is here, the gently rocking woodsiness, in my eyes, sometimes overshadows the violin concerto in melodiousness and Romantic lushness that never overstays its welcome. Perlman here is neither in a hurry, nor is he over-languorous; he finds just about the perfect groove for his song-like style.

I have warmed up to Dvorak’s Violin Concerto over time, and although it never displays the epic nature of his b-minor Cello Concerto [[ASIN:B000001GBX (see Szell and Fournier)]] with its endless inventive melodies, ear-catching Eastern-European harmonies, and legions of rapturous orchestral solos, the violin concerto exhibits a warm, Romantic quality that charms rather than wows, an appreciation gained with age and wisdom over youth and drive, I suppose. It is these qualities that make Itzhak Perlman an ideal performer of these Dvorak violin works; his urbane silvery tone is only matched by his facile, virtuosic musical abilities on record. And so it is on this recording, the middle movement’s smoothly gliding melody is nothing but charm and warmth, offset by the opening’s gloomy bluster and the 3rd’s folksy dance setting which require musicality, weight, and bravado in equal measure, handily provided by Perlman.

Daniel Barenboim leading the London Philharmonic is a great complement to Perlman’s style; they do not overplay his sensitive, silvery tone, yet Barenboim has enough wherewithal to bring out important moments: timpani here, oboe there, and full ensemble moments are rightly prodigious sounding, but not overblown or aggressive. The performing location of All Saints in Tooting gives the ensemble a nice full sound with slight reverb, but the lofty location does throw some of the instrument sections in the distance in comparison to the solo violin and string section; instrumental solos and pairings, however, do come out of the texture nicely. Most importantly, Perlman is heard well over the orchestral forces, a bit unnaturally in the fore, but not overwhelmingly. The sound is clear and colourful in its stereo presentation; I had different takes on a sound system vs. headphones: Perlman seemed larger than life through speakers and the instruments a bit reverb-y in  comparison to headphones which made the sound seem a little more boxed in, but the instrumental forces seems better balanced to Perlman. All in all, I think the sound is very vibrant, not the most dynamically lush, but virtuous and colourful.

In comparison to other performances, [[ASIN:B00DNVJ0IQ Anne-Sophie]] Mutter’s sound is very full and forward compared to Perlman’s silvery tone and Manfred Honeck with the Berlin Philharmonic have more heft and determined forwardness than Barenboim, but Mutter’s idiosyncratic musical choices, especially in the first movement, are not to my tastes at all; Mutter and Honeck do give a good Romance, Mazurek, and Humoresque in addition to the concerto. The expressive [[ASIN:B00004YS4C Maxim]] Vengerov is successful as well, but Masur’s measured tempos are unfortunate and the Elgar sonata is of no interest to me. [[ASIN:B00AYF5SHQ Julia]] Fischer is captured more naturally than Perlman here, but Zinman’s forces are quick to overwhelm her, and [[ASIN:B000002AXV Isaac]] Stern is always straightforward and virtuously musical in his performances with Ormandy, but I am unsure how the sound has held up over time on Sony.

In any case, Itzhak Perlman’s Dvorak recording is highly recommended for its exemplary musicianship and very good sound. Fortunately, Warner Classics has been rereleasing much of their acquired EMI back catalog and this one is of very high quality; an easy first choice alongside Mutter’s quirky, but full-throated presentation on DG.

This review comes from Warner Classics more recent reissue of EMI's previous release [[ASIN:B010FULK9O found here]].


title: Gripping Prokofiev

text:
As a soundtrack, Sergei Prokofiev’s reconstructed film score of Alexander Nevsky is at once dour and moody, thrilling and triumphant, and occasionally heartbreaking in its 50-minute run-time. But Prokofiev’s biggest asset is his deft hand with tunes and themes, of which this soundtrack has no lack; from the folk-like choruses, to the setting of the scenes, the depiction of the characters and cultures, and the filmic, emotional tugging that immediately invest the listener. It is this aspect, and Prokofiev’s imaginative and swaggering orchestrations that make this soundtrack so influential in film score history as well as its ability to hold up without the need of visuals.

Some will point to Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky Cantata as a more cohesive experience of this music, a work for the concert stage which eschews the repetition of musical ideas, compartmentalizes the musical themes into movements, much like a symphony, and reorders the music to best affect concertgoers. But personally, I actually quite appreciate, almost yen for, the return of musical ideas and thematic material given in this soundtrack version compared to the Cantata, as Prokofiev’s wizardry with catchy tunes, infectious rhythms, and colorful and vivid orchestrations are most welcome to later repetition and reprise, giving the listener an experiential saga that unravels most satisfactorily.

This performance’s greatest boon is its sound quality as every aspect is alive, performed with zest, and heard up close and personal. The orchestra is dynamic and colorful with a noticeably satisfying bass, but most importantly, all instrumental voices are heard to great effect; even the percussion, who is relegated to the back of the ensemble in performance, is heard as an equal partner to the orchestral voices, almost shockingly at times. There is quite a bit of choral work in this performance, and again, the voices are right there in the speaker, right in stride with the instrumental portions with no fear of recessed forces across the board. With that closeness, you get an authentic and visceral feel of the combined forces of three bloodthirsty Russian choirs that you don’t get with, say, Andre Previn and the Los Angeles Master Chorale [[ASIN:B000003CUA on Telarc]]. Unfortunately, the mezzo-soprano soloist in The Field of the Dead does not get the same treatment, relegated to a slightly far-flung distance, although her performance is fine.

I think most will agree that Yuri Temirkanov, a front-runner as an interpreter of Russian orchestral literature, along with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, lead an unusually rip-roaring, hell-bent-for-leather performance of Prokofiev’s score, certainly aided by the closely-captured performing forces, that really can’t be beaten for pure dramatic licence and top-drawer performances. There aren’t many performances of the film score (aside from Prokofiev’s scrappy original found [[ASIN:B00004Z55V here]]), but there are many favoured versions of the streamlined Cantata to compare: Fritz Reiner [[ASIN:B00004WFO9 and Chicago]] are exciting, but the English texts feel wrong, Claudio Abbado [[ASIN:B000001GQC and London]] seems lightweight to me, and Valery Gergiev [[ASIN:B000089CDY (also with St. Petersburg)]] is way too serious and dour. Temirkanov’s reconstructed film score easily stands on top and is available in many versions: [[ASIN:B000003FMD The]] Original, the Enhanced [[ASIN:B000003G5Y CD]], and the Remastered [[ASIN:B0002DD674 version]] found cheap in the marketplace. Don’t walk - run to get this recording. Highly Recommended.


title: Difficult Shostakovich

text:
Of Shostakovich’s six concertos, the [[ASIN:B000034CZ5 two]] piano concertos are the most genial and photogenic, the [[ASIN:B00CLHMIY6 two]] cello concertos mix well the sardonic wit and moody introspect of Shostakovich’s personal strife, but the two violin concertos, while quite symphonic in their presentation, are a little more difficult to make sense of. The musical language is dissonant, or at least incongruent and not overly melodic, the mood is gloomy, but perhaps more majestic than the cello concertos, and the solo writing, while occasionally leaning towards bravado and technique, is more about expression and emotional depth.

I feel Lydia Mordkovitch is too often overshadowed in these concertos, mostly by her mentor [[ASIN:B00004YL6Y David]]  Oistrakh, the dedicatee and premier performer of these works (some attended by Mordkovitch herself). Unfortunately, I find the older, boxier sound quality of those [[ASIN:B00138KMTW recordings]] a bit disappointing, but his strong-armed performances are the original interpretation that set the bar so high. The younger Soviet violinist, [[ASIN:B003QTBU8S Maxim]] Vengerov, avoided direct comparison to Oistrakh by carving out lyrical interpretations of the concertos with The Grand Maester Rostropovich leading the London SO in broader tempos. Mordkovitch splits the difference between the two by giving her trademark firm, full tone (less wiry than in the Prokofiev [[ASIN:B002EYBNTC concertos]]), and if not matching the fire of premiering the works with Oistrakh, she submits fully to the passion of the moment, yet not afraid to find lyricism when required. If nothing else, Mordkovitch (and Jarvi) make complete sense of the 2nd Concerto, where others get lost in Shostakovich’s musical language. The violin is captured quite naturally on this recording, not a miked-down-your-throat sort of balance, but instead, occasionally making the solo violin a part of the orchestral voice, but jumping out of the texture nicely, not obnoxiously.

Neeme Jarvi, with the Scottish National Orchestra, had much luck with [[ASIN:B001HY4TLE Sergei]] Prokofiev and [[ASIN:B000024576 Dmitri]] Shostakovich’s music, especially as Shostakovich’s sometimes banal writing leaves something to be desired, but often found life in Jarvi’s forthright, barnstorming nature. In these concertos, though, he follows Mordkovitch’s lead and does not rely on speed and bombast to lead the interpretation. Chandos’ recording is quite detailed on the orchestral front: the two concertos don’t utilize trumpet or trombone (no tuba in the 2nd concerto either), so the emphasis on winds and strings are well captured here (the first movement of the 1st concerto sounds like an organ of wind instruments at some points, and there is extra clarity capturing the bass clarinet and contra-bassoon not heard as detailed in other recordings). Jarvi of course lets ‘er rip in the more extroverted movements (a nod to the horns), but gets out Mordkovitch’s way for most of the runtime. The Gramophone award was well deserved for this excellent recording.

I own the re-issue/[[ASIN:B00Y3MP15U re-release]] of this disc (the Tribute to Lydia Mordkovich edition following her death in 2014 at 70 years old) as it was cheaper, but either release of this recording of Shostakovich Violin Concertos is highly recommended for passionate violin playing with thoughtful emotional context and confident sound and technique by the late, underrated Lydia Mordkovitch, sympathetic and dynamic orchestral accompaniment from Jarvi and the Scots, certainly over Rostropovich and [[ASIN:B000001GM0 Seiji]] Ozawa, and terrific, full sound from Chandos (recorded in 1990 at the Glasgow City Halls auditorium). Good liner notes are included with the physical disc.


title: Eccentric Requiem

text:
Of the Big 6 large-scale romantic settings of the Requiem Mass (Verdi, Brahms, Dvorak, Bruckner, and Saint-Saens), Berlioz probably ranks near the middle to bottom for me, but being the lesser of 4 or 5 divine masterpieces is this composition's boon. While Berlioz is not as masterfully melodic as [[ASIN:B003P93HJO Verdi]], soulful as [[ASIN:B000000SR1 Brahms]],  classically balanced as [[ASIN:B000002ZJR Bruckner]], mystical as [[ASIN:B00004V9PB Saint-Saens]], nor prayerful as [[ASIN:B00004SZU1 Dvorak]], the one thing his Requiem setting exhibits above the others is Berlioz’ adventurous and innovative orchestrations. I have never been entirely swayed by [[ASIN:B00000418T Berlioz's writing for chorus]] either (although he writes rather virtuosically for chorus here), but I appreciate his boldness in avoiding constant use of the traditional choral fugue form, his multiple uses of a cappella chorus in a large-scale orchestral setting, less reliance on soloists thus making the chorus the center of the work, and an array of unusual instrument combinations, not to mention sheer orchestral spectacle, showing Berlioz as the true master of innovative orchestral color in his time.

The biggest disappointment of this recording is probably the Ernst-Senff Chorus, who I think is probably just short of the weighty numbers required of this work. The male sections are constantly called on here, and, the tenor section in particular, is sounding exactly like it is a lot of work, rather than a solid effortless sound. The chorus has some great moments though, tunes well in the a cappella sections, and sings with gusto, but it is inconsistent in its abilities here. What this does provide the recording however, as in many of James Levine’s efforts, is a spontaneous, rough-around-the-edges performance that thrills with the amount of work being put forth. Pavarotti is delightful in his brief solo and the Berlin Philharmonic plays passionately, if not a little harsh sounding, in this earlier digital recording.

James Levine’s unappreciated, but musically superior Berlioz partnership with DG ([[ASIN:B00000E4EI Romeo et Juliette]], Les Nuit D’ete with Anne Sofie von Otter plus choruses, and [[ASIN:B00000E4R8 Symphonie Fantastique]]) is worth checking out in addition to the Requiem. In comparison, the [[ASIN:B000003CTJ Telarc audiophile recording]]’s highlight is the outstanding chorus (with the great American chorus master Robert Shaw at the helm), but Shaw’s homogenous, metronomic reading is not as near spontaneous or quixotic as Levine’s. [[ASIN:B000003FOW Ozawa]] is a little more gentle, Davis and Munch are classic but have sonic drawbacks (although I hear Pentatone is releasing [[ASIN:B001AE4PMO Sir Colin Davis in hybrid SACD format]], hopefully it is remastered as well). Levine is an easy choice with a few reservations, but enjoyment of this recording now relies on availability and price in the marketplace. Recommended, and the three popular overtures are a nice addition, although I would seek out [[ASIN:B000QEIM8W Munch]] in comparison.


title: Somebody

text: NEEDS to release this album on CD!  This thing is darn near briliant.  Just tons of good songs and great performances that have ablsolutly nothing to do with the twist.  Please someone.  This needs to see the light of day.


title: No MP3 option?

text: waiting for the mp3 version to be sold on Amazon...


title: best crystal bowl cd out there

text: I have this cd. I dont remeber paying this much 4 it. Maybe theyre not making it anymore? Its awesome- just bowls- no airy fairy soprano voices, no flutes, just the bowls. Very healing. WHY cant we download this? Why cant we download just one or 2 tracks of any given album?? In this economy, that shld be possibl to do!


title: Ruptured.

text: Used this hose about four times before it ruptured and became worthless. Which is a shame, because it was the perfect solution for my small front yard garden with raised beds.


title: Join The Cure

text: Interesting collection of their rare material and I like it so far.


title: The "Perfect Archive"

text:
This is definitely an essential collection for all Camouflage fans as there are lot's of miscellaneous tracks on Archive that are either hard-to-find or have been obsolete for a number of years.

As for the artwork, its been very carefully put together, illustrating both the album/single and year each track was released. It comes in a "digi-pack" cardboard jewel case with two cd trays for each cd. I also like the way they added artwork under each of the clear cd trays, which adds the perfect touch to the whole compilation.  Can't wait till their very delayed new album; Grayscale finally comes out and looking forward to Archive No.2, once they release a few more albums in the distant future.


title: You've Gotta' Say "YES" To Another Success!

text:
When I first purchased "Touch", I remember it took me so little time for this album to grow on me. Heidi Happy's vocals, provide a melodic touch on a few of these tracks. Without a doubt, her hallmark performance from this album, comes from the title track; "Kiss in Blue" with Boris Blank. After watching the video, notice the way she smiles at the camera, as she teases the viewer, while her outer beauty seduces the listener's appreciation for the song. After noticing her in this video for the first time, I've considered giving my left nut, just to have the rare pleasure of having dinner with the lovely Heidi, while "Kiss in Blue" is playing in the background, along with various other tracks from this album. Other favrorites include; Tangier Blue, which has more of an electronica fusion with dark atmospheric background moods, along with a blend of electroncia jazz. Trackless Deep is the only track that has a pop edge to it; definitley a treat for the pop music enthusiast. "Bostich (Reflected)" took a while to grow on me, as I never particulariy cared about the original version but this version definitely has a pretty cool remix to it. I don't particularily care about; "Part Love" or "You Better Hide". Takla Makan is the only track that doesn't sound like it's even apart of the album as it has more of an experimental edge.

Either way, you can't go wrong with this album as I even like it better than their 1999 "Motion Picture" album, which sounded more like an experimental album; yet it contains pretty cool artwork. The bonus tracks for "Touch" are definitely a treat as I prefer all of them. Most of them are very short, ranging between 2:33-3:15 minutes long; Umbria being one of them, which has an interesting jazzy-ending to it, but I was really hoping they could have dragged it out a minute longer. I only wish they included the extra track; "Tiger Dust" (which is only featured on the dvd); since they have already included 6 bonus tracks. At first, I thought it was because of the limitation of what an 80 minute cd only provides but as it turns out, there was enough space to include it in there after all, which would have clocked out the cd at 78:05 (with a little more than a minute to spare).


title: Imagica as in (Akkadian Head)

text: When I did a Google search for "Imagica", one of the few links it opened to was a page that had it featured next to a band called "The Birthday Massacre". This of course is only partially true as The Birthday Massacre was formerly known as "Imagica" back in 1999 and then they changed their name, later in 2000. This album is called; "Flashfloods of Sound" and should not be confused with The Birthday Massacre (origianlly based from Toronto, Canada, as they are an entirely different band, mostly classified as SynthRock, or "Black metal" whatever you want to call them. So, when purchasing this cd, I purchased it thinking that I was getting "TBM" but was fooled. Anyway, the members from Imagica's "Flashfloods of Sound" started off in Tallahassee, Florida and now reside in Orlando and their music is definitely in the Electronica category; as their mostly known for doing Ambient/Techno; a completely different approach to The Birthday Massacre's sound. So, just want to give some of you out there a head's up on this album, prior to purchasing it. Finally, if you're into the Ambient/Techno genres, then this cd just may be for you.


title: Five Stars

text: Loved it so much! It came so fast(only took one day to deliver)


title: Looks as expected

text: The album looks good, I haven’t opened it yet since I bought it as a birthday gift for my niece. Overall I’m happy with the purchase.

attachment_type: IMAGE


title: Lacks information

text: The impression I get is that this is a subliminal recording, underneath music. The issue, for me, is that there is absolutely zero info about what the subliminal messages are. There is one single track and zero info. I don't know about putting someone elses words into my subconscious without confirming that the words are actually supportive, safe, helpful and meaningful. Having a clear disclosure of what the words are could make a huge amount of difference.


title: EXCELLENT

text: By Far..... MY FAVORITE BAND!!  Soooo Happy I finally got this!!


title: Great CD from Vinnie!

text: I like it. Shipping was reasonably fast. Packaging was great.


title: Andy MFing James!

text: Only one listen so far. Excellent. If you are a fan of Andy's, BUY IT!


title: Five Stars

text: Exelente


title: Quality quality quality! (And the package arrived super early!)

text: This was my first order through this vinyl seller and it certainly won’t be my last. I got a MINT condition 45 and I am beyond pleased. No scratches. No defects. Nothing wrong at all. My package also arrived DAYS ahead of schedule as well. Y’all rock!


title: A True Twist on Talented Todd!

text: A fabulous addition to my music collection! Great to play for a dinner party or just anytime. If you are a fan of Todd Rundgren, this is a must have that will be treasured. Todd once again shows his diversity and talent to change it up. A true gem and a twist on this underrated great talent of our time!


title: Incredible Voice

text: Incredible voice!  His song Today is a winner and a classic; so soulful.  The entire CD is great, when is the next one due??


title: I was glad to find this

text: Out of print, I was glad to find this, Nice like new copy!!


title: happy with

text: Could not find locally, happy with purchase


title: Wow what a heart.

text: Wow !!!  This kid hits your heart. I love it.


title: Cd

text: Thanksss


title: The Twelth of Never

text: The product I received was very poor.  Scratches and stuck in several grooves.  I e-mailed the sender but he never returned with a reply as to what I should.  All I want is my money back..No quesetions asked<br />Bob Cooley


title: One Star

text: ordered this piece of crapola for a friend's friend. More proof that ROCK IS DEAD, unfortunately.


title: A must for any Power Pop fan!

text: This is an incredibly cool CD.  It's a gem.  I was fortunate enough to see this band live some thirty odd years ago. They were a ton of fun and always full of surprises. Super catchy tunes and a lot of sound from three guys.  Nice to hear these songs again and a few songs I've never heard before.  A well worthwhile purchase.  An absolute must for any Power-Pop fan!  Way-out, Man!


title: one of my favorite albums

text: [[VIDEOID:c75c3cf3329a64d9547dec1b8d37106a]]


A 'Must Have' for any aficionado of electronic music.


title: Five Stars

text: Record was in very good condition.


title: Excellent

text: Excellent


title: Love this

text: Perfect!


title: Awesome album

text: Beautiful album!  Love RBB and Butterflies! It came fast and well packed. The poster is small but very nice!


title: A good selection of song titles.

text: A very good performance.  Nothing to dislike.


title: Worth It!

text:
Best album I've heard from an artist since early 2000's Porcupine Tree.

Emancipator is like prog electronic, think Delerium with a modern twist and completely original style and time signatures. The instrumentals can give you chills or be overwhelmingly intense.

Great on HiFi.


title: amazing!

text: It came with all the original things including the japanese ads and the photo card! excellent quality and no scratches on cd and dvd. works well!


title: Five Stars

text: great price and service


title: Green packaging, lush sounds.

text: I liked the green packaging, with no plastics at all in the cd case. The package arrived securely, and ahead of schedule. Win-Win! Northside Records has always delivered on time, always with high quality products.


title: Can't beat the teaching and musicality of Play & Praise materials

text: I want to say that while the materials found on the CD's in this series are terrific, I must say, $39.95 as  price for this CD is appalling, when kids in our country are so poor and families don't have a luxury to pay this price for a CD that sold for less than $10.00 originally and for a church to pay this price is outrageous. So my question to this seller, is this a misprint?


title: Five Stars

text: Great product!


title: Good

text: Love it!


title: Powerful and mesmerizing metal for true fans

text:
Texan classic power metal following the steps of Reverend, early Metal Church, Syrus, Wyzard, early Crimson Glory, etc. Fans of epic metal with soaring vocals should take note.

12-page booklet with info, all lyrics, pictures, and liner notes.
Custom artwork by Alan Lathwell

Recommended for fans of:
REVEREND, METAL CHURCH, SYRUS, CRIMSON GLORY, ealry QUEENSRYCHE, WYZARD, etc.


title: Classic metal for the masses

text:
Portuguese street urchin gang giving early Iron Maiden the run for their money.
Raw, gritty, in your face heavy metal with balls, delivering a massive dose of nostalgic epicness from the glorious past. Sung in Portuguese.

Custom artwork by Alan Lathwell

Recommended for fans of:
early IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, KING DIAMOND, etc.


title: Cult Texas speed/thrash masters

text:
Forefathers of the Texan thrash metal. Collection of all demos (16 tunes) plus bonus live DVD to boot. Essential for fans of Gammacide, Heaven's Force, Devastation, Hammerwitch, Hellpreacher, and early Slayer.

Double CD+DVD with 12-page booklet loaded with detailed band story, lyrics, and tons of archive pics and flyers.

For fans of: GAMMACIDE, HEAVEN'S FORCE, DEVASTATION, HAMMERWITCH, HELLPREACHER, SLAYER, etc


title: The Soviet answer to Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus...

text:
Cult Orthodox Christian power/thrash metal with doomy overtones from the ex-Soviet Union. This album was recorded in 1993 but never officially released on CD until now. For fans of Trouble, Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass, etc. Sung in English, albeit quite broken, but charming, creating an unique and magnetic atmosphere of mesmerizing sonic landscapes.

Remastered to a terrific outcome by Igor Samoylov. You wouldn't believe how fresh and vital this thing sounds!

For fans of: TROUBLE, MERCY, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, COUNT RAVEN, BLACK SABBATH, MEMORY GARDEN, CANDLEMASS, etc.


title: Eco friendly!!

text: Absolutely love the fact JB chose eco friendly packaging. Very happy with the fact this came packed good enough that the corners of the albums didn't get bent!! So thank you to the seller and packers for this.  Happy customer!!


title: Five Stars

text: Love love love his music, especially 'The Edge'!!!!  Need more!


title: Four Stars

text: Banger after Banger


title: Great place for hard -to-find LP's

text: Great product, as described. Quality product. Arrived quickly, well-packed.  Very highly recommend  A+++++


title: Five Stars

text: Plays great!


title: Five Stars

text: Plays well and a great purchase!!


title: One Star

text: the quality of the tapes was very bad.


title: the condition of the product.

text: The disk is scratched and  at time inaudible


title: Awesome cd - several songs are better than the later ...

text: It would be remiss of any true Outlaw fan to not have this cd in their collection.  Awesome cd -  several songs are better than the later recorded versions.


I continue to be so grateful that these cd's are available.  I have really enjoyed The Outlaws Live in Denver and Demos, as the energy in their live performances are unparalleled, and the demos were great as well.


title: the better it gets

text: The more I listen to this cd, the better it gets!  Billy's songs are amazingly poignant and absolutely spellbinding.


title: REAL VOICE OF THE PLATTERS!

text: Sonny Turner's talent comes to "life" in this great live CD, recorded in Japan. He replaced Tony Williams when Williams left the group to go solo in 1959. He was chosen out of 100 individual auditions. He recreated and added brilliantly. What a pleasure to listen to.


title: I really loved this CD

text: I bought this CD on a whim. Never knew what happened to it. I really loved this CD. A very nice neo soul vibe.


title: Favorite band

text: Great group with great music


title: Excelente

text: Lo necesito y es bueno


title: A must for fans

text: Classic great album


title: I love it

text: Beautiful song,blessed my soul


title: excellent sound.

text: Fabulous Transfer, excellent sound.


title: Track listing

text:
Track listing:
1.  Magic People;
2.  It's Your Mind;
3.  Black Thank You Package;
4.  Let Me Be;
5.  Think I Car;
6.  One Rainy Day;
7.  Tudor Impressions;
8.  Simple Deed;
9.  My Love Hides Your View; and
10.  You and Me.


title: OK for if you are more into church leadership

text: It is an good course, but I wish they would look at other areas, this is just one area they focus on.


title: ... my mom for the holidays and she seemed to like it.

text: Purchaser for my mom for the holidays and she seemed to like it.


title: Must Hear, Totally Relevant

text: I love everything this band ever did. I'm aware that they are based in the Bay area, but they are always welcome out here in flyover country. Serious rock, with a hint of Calexico style dust and a "just arrived off the open road" sort of feeling... These guys have captured American music in a truly relevant way.


title: If You Need a Professional Bodhrán, Look No Further

text:
This bodhrán is SICK!

I've been playing bodhrán for only 6 months and needed/wanted something better than a 14" shallow non-tuneable brought over from Dublin.

This drum is nice and deep sounding. The tunability is great and easy --you can get a very wide range of pitch from high and peppy to low and grave. The skin is beautiful. It is easy to modify tone and is breaking in nicely (do not judge until it is played for a few hundred hours, it takes time to build the character). I put a paint pen to it and sanded off the excess. Do not use acrylics...they sit on the surface and did not sink in. The design turned out great, see photo.

It comes with a pretty generic tipper, I would have preferred an option with the tipper (I'd like a brush or a longer one). It is a good tipper regardless. I expected more volume but maybe that's on me because I'm a beginner. Craftsmanship is very good and the finish is beautiful. The vendor needs to change the picture, this drum has the brown natural wood finish (there may be a stain on the drum I'm not sure).

All in all I plan on keeping this drum for at least 5 years or so and either let it go, reskin it if needed, or something else. I have no doubt that this drum will last as long as you want it to (granted it is taken care of and not exposed to harsh conditions or crushed).

Long live the bodhrán, this is not just a drum, it's a work of art. I can't wait to mic this thing and start tearing up the stage.


title: Five Stars

text: Very funny


title: A True Delight

text: A very pleasing addition to my driving music collection.


title: Lead Song Terrific--Rest?

text: "I Will Serve You" is a terrific rendition/song--the reason I bought the CD. The rest of it doesn't equal that style or quality of music.


title: Five Stars

text: Excelent.


title: It is great for driving

text: I love Teddy Pendergrass and this is a great addition to my collection of amazing artist.


title: The D.C. 5 and Good Music

text: These guys had some very good music in their day. If you like British Rock this is a good cd.


title: Poor Quality

text: Although they look pretty the quality is the worst! I would not recommend this product!


title: get movie..or not.Forget CD

text: bits/i pieces of Lizst's music and some singing.....waste of $4 ...and DVD of movie lacks quality


title: Run (or type quickly) don’t walk to buy this album!

text: A bluegrass/new grass leaning eclectic masterpiece. Mayfields musicianship and lyricism are second only to his righteous and engaging stage presence. I had the orivledge of seeing he and his band on Mountain Stage and rushed home (after a very cordialExchange at an after party) to purchase his album. It does not disappoint!


title: Fun Beginning Band tune

text: Fun tune for beginning band at great price. Mostly single melodic lines or a bass line and melody but there are a few nice harmonic sections that make the arrangement sound bigger. The kids have enjoyed playing it.


title: awsome songs

text: my kids love theses songs. very good worship songs!!! even good for goodups. so glad i bought this set. thank you!!!


title: Offensive and Ignorant

text: The description says "you'll be much better off without it" (marijuana).. Marijuana has medical benefits and helps many people with many different diseases. The description for this product is extremely ignorant.

user_id: AFTZARHCJARODZUQGRZJHCSAGZEQ


title: So happy together!!

text: I listen to it in my car to work. I never get tired of his silky voice.


title: relaxing cd

text: beautiful music.  Using in for spa setting...everyone loves the relaxing song birds mixed with music.<br />CD came quick. Nice transaction.


title: Wildest dream

text: Love this Moody Blues album


title: beautifully read

text: More abridged than I had hoped, this is still worthwhile and beautifully read by Richard Dawkins. My nine year old grand daughter is enthralled with it and wants it on whenever we ride together in the car.


title: Prompt delivery

text: Thank you so much for the prompt delivery of the CD. I really appreciate it. It is exactly what I was looking for!


title: Great album of classic Hawaiian music

text: This album was the predecessor album to the classic "Ports of Paradise" album. Both belong together in your collection if you, like I, have been in love with Hawaii and it's music since the 1960's. There is another version with different cover art, but as far as I can tell, that's the only difference. I have not been able to determine which came first. If you love classic Hawaii and classically melodic music, you must have these two albums.


title: Greatest CD Ever Made

text: This CD is quite possibly the most amazing electronic music-fest any ears could ever hear. Listening from start to finish is the best; each song flows into the next perfectly, but can also be listened to seperately. This CD is the greatest album of 2006, and possibly the decade. Long live Captain Ahab.


title: Five Stars

text: good album. hard to find and love it.


title: Sea of Love on Vinyl 45

text: Yeah!  So glad to get this on a vinyl record.


title: Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me

text: So happy I was able to purchase this song on a vinyl 45.  Good song.


title: Powerful tool, helped keep scripture in my heart and helped in the most darkest of times

text: I am so grateful for my mom that she introduced me to GT, I would listen to the Great Race every night before going to bed as a little girl. The songs are still ingrained in me and hence the Word of God that has kept me. It’s a fun and approachable way to learning scripture that truly is life changing. In the darkest hours of even my adult life I remember His word hidden in my heart through the songs from GT and the Halo express. I am forever grateful and looking forward to passing it on to my son and future generations that Gods Word will prevail, uphold and keep them!


title: Amazing

text: Amazing! Would definitely buy again!


title: Perfection

text: This delicately rare album was recorded in 1995 in Salt Lake City's famed Cathedral of the Madaleine with 7.5 seconds of natural reverb. The Kenneth Jones organ of 80 ranks is perfectly suited for its sanctuary. Perfect to listen to on a quality sound system with the lights dimmed!

user_id: AEZZADKOPNCNWDTANPAEYWRYXBDA


just as described - perfect for the collector


title: Four Stars

text: Yeah its a good soundtrack, fun music and I'm just wondering why its so extravagantly priced?


title: Up Up And Away

text: 4 albums on 2 cd, what a gift to Mathis many fans. There are many here, "Where are the words" followed by one of favorites songs of Johnny's "I won't cry anymore" the song is like butter. The Beatles song "Here there and everywhere" followed with "Never my love". The only album of "Sings The Music Of Bert Kaemptert" has not jelled with this listener. I have only played the cd once, and had never heard it. There is a good chance I feel different soon. the reproduction, and remaster our all excellent, I am so glad these recording are being re released, I hope there are many more.


title: BGO Releases 4 Wonderful Records by Johnny Mathis

text: This is an excellent value for Mathis fans, 4 albums on 2 cd set. All remastered and great liner notes who could ask for more. My favorite is "Mathis Is"  followed by" When Will I See You Again" . Johnny reaches a new level with all performances, these albums have been out of print for far to long. I hope many more of Mathis records will be released with the same attention spent on the four records here.


title: Do Not Pay for This

text: I love Christmas music, and I have so much that I cannot listen to it all inbetween Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.  This CD is terrible.  It seems as though they all tried too hard to make it different, and they just made bad music.  Please avoid this.


title: Excellent album both in Vinyl and CD format

text: This album is fantastic. considering it was an 18 year hiatus from the last album this exceeded all my expectations. Saw them live in Texas and they played quite a bit of the Tipping Point material. Played flawlessly and with tremendous enthusiasm.<br />Nothing less than 5 stars


title: Fantastic

text: On time and perfect condition


title: Five Stars

text: Good game.


title: Five Stars

text: Product as described


title: Outstanding!

text: This is an outstanding recording from "Fresh Air" that is out of print. I found it used on Amazon, and love it.  I had it years ago but lost it, and found on Amazon used, and it worked great.  Thanks!


title: Great

text: I got a poster, my cd has Hyungwon's face on it... I got a Shownu photocard...There was a Kihyun only section of photos within the album that wasn't the photobook.... amazing


Incredibly motivational and epic beyond any measure of the imagination! Turn on your inner super-hero and this album will lift you to levels which facilitate both amazing workouts and mind-candy for deep concentration at the office. While your colleagues sit at their desks uninspired, you -my friend- transform into a superhuman with productivity light-years above the rest! Yeah, so it's pretty good I say.


title: Reggae Dancehall Legend

text:
Old Bad Granddad. Old band grand dad.

This is comedy, old star, 80's 90's era reggae dancehall. A rare Ninjaman listenable (without skipping through worse tracks to find catch you tracks, for the artist formerly known as Ugly Mon and Bounty Hunter.

What takes away from a 5 star is it's gun talk and slackness genre, rated x talk.

Like a comic book or an ole wild west movie.

Right on. Just don't jam out the cops to this disc lol 😜


title: good!

text: came in good condition, i got the suga photocard, the cd works! thanks!


title: Great

text: I love this CD


title: The Master of Motivation and Creativity Speaks!

text: If you have just one personal motivation source to pick, Earl Nightingale's lead the field is it!


title: Five Stars

text: Captures your imagination from the opening scene and keeps it till the end.  Very inspiring story from history.


title: No hit songs here

text: There were not a single one “hit” song on this cd!!!


title: Jumping

text: Great LP


title: Outstanding Release!

text: Where has she been since this album was released...or better yet, under what rock was I hiding from this delightful young lady and an even more delightful album!


title: Thank you for so many good music  over  40 years.

text: The best German Fork music band that I  ever listen too.


title: It's a cd

text: Love it


title: Perfection

text: Came in perfect condition just as promised. Received quickly. Everything about it is pure perfection.


title: Perfect!

text: Absolutely perfect. Came as promised and in perfect condition. Thank you!


title: Love This Album

text: I love this album. The quality of this cover actually amaze me. The magnet that holds the album close is pretty strong compared to any other kpop album I bought. Unlike other albums I had bought the pages on this one is actually pretty thick so without any doubt the quality is amazing. What I love even more is that I got my bias's photo card, Wheein. There are so many great songs in here some of favorite songs are 1 cm, girl crush, hometown, and of course their most popular song you're the best. Definitely buy this album and find your own favorite songs. At the end of the day it is your choice, but you will definitely not be disappointed with this album.


title: Good content; poor mastering

text:
I'd forgotten about this group but "Wild Thing" came into my head last week and that was that; had to get this group into my collection.  I picked up this one because it's got quite a list of the good ones from them on it.  Good selection. Some that are interesting from outside the timeframe.

Many of the recordings sound more like they were recorded off someone's (poor) stereo system and are quite uneven in their quality, track to track. Certainly not a new mastering job.  "Love is all Around" I've heard better on AM radio at the time than what is on this disc.  Don't know what that's all about, but there you go.

All in all, one for the collection tho.


title: Sublime

text: This album is beautiful, a little "lighter" than the other Don Grolnick cd's. It is not acoustic only, sweet sounds yet very creative.<br />Unfortunately 3 key players here are already dead, makes this even more valueable. Geniuses at work.


title: You gotta hear "what in the world" ... beautifully expressive.

text: Beautiful songs,  done in almost james taylor styling, perfect for worship services or contemplative listening.


title: Nice Gift

text: A nice presentation. Quite expensive for what you receive.


title: Beautifully inspiring music!

text: Absolutely gorgeous music to listen to after a stressful day.  Very uplifting and calming and the artist's voice is angelic.  Would highly recommend it!


title: Great buy and like-new condition.

text: As described... so happy! This cd had been on my list to buy for ages! Very hard to find without costing an “arm and a leg”. Quick shipping. Arrived sooner than expected.


title: "SO GLAD TO HAVE THE BLUES" BY ROD PIAZZA (1988) - I FOUND IT ON CD !!!

text: I finally found this album on CD and I am (im)patiently waiting for its arrival in the mail . I previously wrote the ( so far ) ONLY REVIEW of this album and I could not edit it !


title: "BABY DON'T GO " / " WALKING THE QUETZAL " (1965) is in MONO on this REPRISE RECORDS '45'

text: "BABY DON'T GO " / " WALKING THE QUETZAL " by SONNY AND CHER from 1965 was recorded in MONO on the REPRISE RECORDS label . STEREO RECORDS began to come out around the 1970's . I had always wanted to hear this song in STEREO and it can be found on the  ERIC RECORDS VARIOUS ARTISTS compilation entitled "HARD TO FIND JUKEBOX CLASSICS : STEREO EXPLOSION VOLUME 4 " . This is a DES ( DIGITALLY EXTRACTED STEREO ) record and I thought that it sounded great in STEREO finally!!<br />NOTE : This was the first song recorded by SONNY AND CHER before "I GOT YOU BABE " became famous and went to number one on the charts . REPRISE RECORDS then re-released"  BABY DON'T GO " / " WALKING THE QUETZAL " after SONNY AND CHER's " I GOT YOU BABE " became a successful hit .


title: SHANIA TWAIN - "THAT DON'T IMPRESS ME MUCH" CD SINGLE

text: BEWARE  !!! This is a CD SINGLE and NOT a FULL ALBUM !!


title: Great quality

text: Daughter loved everything. Would definitely buy from seller again.


title: The quality was excellent

text: The remastered version was clear and Chris and I picked up sounds and notes that I had not heard before. Reminded me of 1977 when I first bought a copy of the album on cassette tape only better


title: So beautiful!

text: A great purchase, and I am absolutely happy with it. The items in it are super cool! The album is great too, and I really love all the songs on it. Highly recommend!


title: Have to be a fan to enjoy live portion

text: Typically Elvis. Have to be a fan to enjoy live portion.


title: Sounds Nice!

text: I like the sound of her new CD, yet previous CD's have had better music on them. Maybe she was just a little off of her game this time.


title: Five Stars

text: Love Pentatonixs!!!!


title: Vintage still obtainable

text: This along with some other music by this artist was purchased for my 76 yr old father. Good condition and said he played it all night long. Job well done


title: Banged up corner

text: It comes with exactly what’s in the picture. It’s obviously repackaged because it doesn’t include everything from the initial release and the gift I got is even from the current comeback. I would be happy with it though if the photobook edges weren’t damaged when I got them.


title: This is a great cd ! Awesome find!

text: Sandy Denny had an Awesome voice and style of singing. She was s great artist.


title: The best

text: Probably one of my favorite albums of all time. If you want to get into bts, I reccomend this albums whole heartedly.


title: Love it

text: I love bigbang. This album is short but great


title: Love this album

text: If you love Stray Kids and have seen the show this is the best album. The photobook is filled with pictures that take you through the events of the show. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a poster with mine though.


title: I LOVE THIS ALBUM

text: Definitely worth the money. I listen to it in the car all the time


title: what's included

text: very pleased with christmas gift thank you


title: Great record

text: I heard this streaming and have always been a Wilco fan, this is more like ‘being there’, but mature, however so beautiful in melodies


title: It came broken

text: I suggest wrapping it better because the front lid came cracked


title: Great Praise

text: The CD arrived unblemished and has perfect sound.  I love the Tab Choir, so adding this CD to the collection was a joy.  No issues with speed, delivery, or quality.  A great value


title: very happy

text: happy


title: Didn’t come with the photo cards!!

text: I ordered this album for the photo cards and when it finally arrived it was a big disappointment when I saw there were no photo cards!


title: A must-buy for Atiny!!!!

text: My brother bought me this album for my birthday and I am so in love with everything about it :D It came wrapped in like,, 4 layers of bubble wrap and in perfect condition. I received the Say My Name poster and a Mingi pc as well as an extra group card!! 💗


title: Beautiful music -- not just for Christians

text: I used to work with David and he was kind enough to give me a copy of this album.  I've always enjoyed it, but when my tape died, I thought I'd have to live without it.  I was delighted to find it is still available -- and even better, on CD.  This is a beautiful, gentle, uplifting album.  I can't fit the songs into any categories except those in the album title -- these *are* "dreams, tales and lullabies".


title: Paper Crane a nice touch!

text: It came in a nice bubble wrap insulated package with a paper crane inside, which I thought was a nice touch. I was a little disappointed that it didn't come with a photocard, but it didn't have in the description, so it's not the provider's fault. My only real complaint was that there was a slight dent in the CD case. Other than that, it was great!


title: Five Stars

text: The beautiful music exquisite rendered by best musical partnership of our day


I am not reviewing this album, but have listened to and enjoyed two singles from this band on Youtube.  Based on that I would say this is a very good band, and I would buy the CD if it were available.


title: Dark Crystal - one disc or two?

text: This 3 star rating is for the 2-disc set only. I would give 5 stars to this magnificent and rare soundtrack, the music is brilliant, but my problem is the format. It was many years waiting for a CD release of the initial album, which is a studio re-record of the original score and sounds beautiful. That's all the Dark Crystal CD you'll ever need. The special 2-disc set however claims to contain the complete score when all it has is the post-editing stage score that you can hear as an isolated track on the DVD. The quality and transitions are horrendous, the company that released it should be embarrassed. I hope someday the actual full recording sessions of this glorious music will be released, but until then the only thing the 2-disc set is good for is the remastered disc of the original album. That's the only reason I give it an "okay" rating. You can also find this album CD by itself as a previous "anniversary" release, or one of the many high-quality bootlegs that have cropped up over the years. In short, just find a CD of the original album, don't bother shelling out the dough for the "complete" 2-disc score. If you want to hear that, just listen to the isolated soundtrack on your DVD. It's the same thing.


title: If you like Heavy Metal

text: Awsome!!  If you like Heavy Metal....great for Halloween!! I first heard it on Music Choice.com's  "sounds of the season" during Halloween festivities! Halloween music goes "hand in hand" with Heavy Metal!!


title: Excellent reissue of the entire live performance.

text: I saw them open for Jethro Tull on the "Stormwatch" tour of 1979 and they really impressed me! Forty years later we finally get the entire concert on CD and Blu-Ray. While the sound quality on the CDs is great (I don't have a Blu-Ray player so cannot comment on the 5.1 Surround Sound mix), my only complaints are the minimal packaging, meaning no liner notes or essays, and only a couple of additional archival photos. If you like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, you'll most likely like UK too! Although note this is the third iteration of the band that originally featured the late, great Alan Holdsworth on guitars and Bill Bruford on drums.


title: I finally found this album!

text:
One of the songs on this album was a favorite of mine when I was a Junior in H.S. I've looked for it for the last few years having had a bit of confusion as to whom the artist was.
Mystery solved.
This was supposedly the last of this album available. I'm glad I found it. THe song I was looking for..."you've got me runnning" is not even available on itunes!


title: An Artist Who Deserves Far More Attention

text:
One of the most underappreciated albums of the past ten years was Idina Menzel’s “I Stand”, released in 2008, on which she showcased not only the powerful voice that has made a notable impact on stage and screen, but also the makings of a thoughtful, gifted songwriter.  Her newest release, “Idina.”, proves that Ms. Menzel deserves to stand and be recognized with any of her contemporaries in the pop world…and well above many of them.  Her superior, distinctive voice is as powerful and sharp as ever, and the songs in this wonderful collection are immediately moving and enjoyable.  While many of the songs clearly speak to women, “Idina.” has much to offer the discernible male listener as well.  “Perfect Story” is particularly moving as a mother’s apology to her child for mistakes she feels and regrets very deeply.  It’s a song as honest and heartfelt as anything I’ve heard in a long time.  Unlike so many pop vocalists, Idina is a great talent who really has something to say.

Specific to the Target edition, the two bonus tracks, “Bitter Core” and “Stronger Than Hate” are enjoyable – though not essential – additions to the collection.  If you’re a big Idina fan, you’ll want them.  Otherwise, the regular 12-song CD will give you the best of what “Idina.” has to offer.

Her work in “Frozen” and “Wicked” notwithstanding, Idina Menzel is an artist who deserves far more recognition than she has thus far received.  Hopefully “Idina.” will get the proper kind of promotion and appreciation that was denied to her almost-as-wonderful “I Stand”.


title: Omega Bliss

text: Brilliant !!! Trans and Dance is Omega's 14th studio album and was released in 1994 after 7 years of long silence. I have to say, it is an instant classic. What makes it really special is, Gabor Presser(original founding member who departed the group in the early seventies) is back more than just a guest musician, he composed two tracks and played keyboards. Also present 2 longtime lyricist of the band Peter Sulyi and Gabor Varszegi. This is like the good old times back in the seventies when Omega was one of the most popular band in Europe !Also check out their equally superb album, their 15th and latest "Ez egy eletre szol (1998)".


title: Omega Rocks Out

text: Omega's 10th album "Az Arc" (The Face ) is a departure form their 70's Symphonic-progressive Rock. The music is harder with grungy guitars,stomping drums,heavy bass and keyboards.( I found the keyboard sound the weakest element of this album due to it's "modern rock/new wave" influenced experimental sound. It comes accross skimpy at times, like playing a little toy keyboard.) Other wise, it is a very good album, mature and focused with somewhat political and philosophical lyrics about the fear of growing old, politics of everyday life and the lack of personal and artistic freedom.  The album was released in the UK  and other parts of Europe under The title " Works" also. It helps to know Hungarian to comprehend the Lyrics but not essential. It is a solid and good record from this veteran band, still drawing tens of thousands of people through out Europe, a testimony to the most successful Eastern European rock group. Enjoy !


title: The It group of 80's

text: I helped to put together this Album back in the 70's. It helped to establish me as a song writer..


title: Very fine affordable career overview

text: A very nice career overview for an inexpensive price.  Most of his major hit 45’s are included as well as a sampling of album cuts.  Over fifty songs on three cds for less than $6, an excellent bargain.  No, it’s not an it’s not a set for completists, but for the average fan looking for an affordable career overview this is an excellent option.

user_id: AGOBPLCDXBSXGSKQLIFQWXGHPFPA


title: Very enjoyable compilation

text: A nice compilation with lesser known versions of the master’s work.  I’m a sucker for Bacharach compilations and for what I paid one of the better ones.


title: A truly classic album

text: At one time I purchased a number of the bbc issues, but I quickly realized that the vast majority of songs were on albums I already owned and the versions were not materially different.  This cd is a giant exception and it’s too bad it’s so expensive.  Many songs of the group unavailable on any other CDs.  For fans of this superb group this is an essential purchase.


title: Nice compilation featuring his mid-60’s hits

text: Nice overview of the artists hits focusing on what I would describe as his easy listening period in the mid-60’s.


title: Excellent album largely of Dionne doing covers of songs not associated with her

text: If you are seeking an inexpensive compilation with Dionne going beyond her hit 45’s this cd is an excellent choice.  Excellent versions of well known songs from the sixties and seventies with a handful of her own hits.


title: An important retrospective with their classic 60’s music

text: In my opinion this is the best compilation of the Stones 60’s music that is available for a reasonable price.  Forty songs in essentially chronological order.  Two discs containing one classic song after another, with well over two hours of music.  A reminder of the brilliance of their music during that decade.


title: Enjoyable instrumental tribute album

text: Appears a number of people are reviewing the wrong album.  This is a largely instrumental tribute album by British group Jet Set.  There are NO original versions on this set.  That aside, the songs are well played and it’s a very relaxing and enjoyable album.


title: Exceptional covers album

text: An extraordinary covers album.  Terrific song selection with primarily Kiki singing accompanied by a piano and minimal background instrumentation.  Includes songs by Beatles, Kate Bush, Carole King, Hollies, Left Bake,  Cyndi & Joni.


title: An extraordinarily enjoyable collection highlighting the songwriting genius of these two artists

text: This is one of only a handful of cds I purchased over the past year paying full price, but it was worth every penny.  If, like me, you treasure the work of these composers, this cd belongs in your collection.


title: Highly recommended tribute album

text: Unfortunate how expensive this cd has become, because very few people will have the opportunity to hear this extremely enjoyable covers album.  These female artists do a fine job on these classic Beatles songs.  Without the rock instrumentation the focus is on the wonderful melodies.  Only criticism is the brevity of the disc-easily enough room for another dozen songs.


title: Fine cd, but almost entirely of her hits & covers mentioned by other reviews don’t appear.

text: This is a fine collection, but be aware that a number of prior reviews are inaccurate.  This cd is almost entirely composed of her hit 45’s & almost none of the covers mentioned by other reviewers appear.  No England Swings, Winchester, etc.  very disappointed, since I already have her hits & wanted songs from her albums.


title: Great cd of Petula covering hits by other artists.  Contains none of her hits, but a lot of rare covers.

text: There are a multitude of inexpensive cds available covering Petula’s hit 45’s from the 60’s & 70’s.  However, for music lovers trying to find copies of non-45’s songs from her albums, especially covers of then-current hits, the problem is substantial.  The few available box sets with a representative sample are really expensive & well outside my budget & the few individual albums available are too expensive.  I was overjoyed to find this relatively inexpensive cd with a wonderful sampling of those songs:  elusive butterfly, going out of my head, homeward bound, etc.  A terrific choice if looking to expand your Petula collection at a reasonable price.


title: Wonderful tribute to a classic album

text: I have purchased quite a few Mojo compilations over the years and I would rate most as average, at best.  This cd is the exception.  Songs are very well done in a way that honors the greatness of the original versions.  For lovers of Cohen’s first album this is a worthwhile purchase.


title: Terrific career overview

text: Excellent overview of the work of one of my favorite pop groups of the 60’s.  Harmonies are so lovely in all their work.  Too bad this item is so hard to purchase at a reasonable price.


title: A superb collection of essential music

text: Yeah, it's now pretty expensive.  As a retrospective it includes the three most significant albums of her career (Life/Wildflowers/Who knows) all of which merit inclusion in any collection of folk-pop music.


title: Avoid this course if you are in school... but if you MUST...

text:
If you are taking an online course and THIS is your text, classroom and tests... RUN FOR THE HILLS. Drop the course and take something else. Take it somewhere else or don't do it online.

This is what I plan to send to the publisher:

I have a complaint about the Music Fundamentals course I am taking.

It's a low quality, badly organized bunch of @#$^$#.

******
One must CONSTANTLY look for information on the web and from other sources to understand the material.

One TEST had a note below it that said it was just a practice test, so I took it and got 60% My first few tests in the class I got mostly 100% and a few 90% scores. It was NOT a practice test.I did well in the first few tests, but fail to grasp the material from the (lack of) information given. The test covers minor intervals when those were not even explained in the course material. Minor SCALES are discussed later in the course.

I will absolutely NEVER use connect4education again. If I register for a class that uses it, I will drop it.  Schools that use this course shouldn't even be accredited.

I expect I will retain half of the information in the course, to date.

Yes, I am angry that I cannot learn from this course. Yes, I am angry that this will hurt my GPA.
*******

So, in my opinion, If you are learning music theory independently, get other sources. In fact, Watch YouTube videos and you will get a better grasp of the contents of this course.

---------------
Additional Info:
OK. So I didn't end up failing the course. I got an A.  But it was not because of this book. And by me pushing it, my husband got an A as well. And no, we did not study and take tests together. If you HAVE to take this class, and you must do it online with THIS material, here is how you pass the course:

YouTube and Google search.

In reality there is nothing wrong with finding more information about any class you are taking. Beyond being helpful, finding more sources is nearly required for this particular class.

Look up EVERY topic that you don't grasp and find more thorough and easier to comprehend information on the web and YouTube.  YouTube was great for explanation of theory. Google (image) search was great for showing the various musical scales of all types (major, minor, harmonic, etc).

So, if you are motivated, you CAN get through the course, but you will need to look for better, more thorough, and more interesting sources.

Also, if you are here to buy this book to save money, it might not work. This is not just a book, but also a lab and a testing environment all together that your teacher interacts with and by which you get your credit. Don't think that because you buy it here you will get the stuff you need for YOUR class.


title: if you wanna know about Michael Hedges, get this

text: Amazing audio but then again it's gonna be William Ackerman's  Windham Hill record label. get this record!


title: Wonderful music. Great condition . Came right on time.

text: Excellent


title: Great

text: Great


title: love listening to it

text: So love listening to Jerry Yan's CD's , very good quality


title: Beauiful, relaxing music.

text: Great music, relaxing to the max!


title: Five Stars

text: Great product!!!!


title: Yes Vic, I Believe!

text: This set of recordings continues to have a great impact on my life no matter how many times I listen to it.  I am grateful for Nightengale/Conant and all that they provide!


title: A Jim Rohn classic for the ages

text: Jim Rohn is..well, Jim Rohn. He takes an age old story, weaves it into his story, and out comes inspiration, direction, perspective, and inspiration. I listen to this one over & over, I just like the story, and it never fails to leave me feeling charged up about my business and my capabilities. When it comes to motivational speakers, Jim is one of the all time greats, way beyond your garden-variety guru.<br />Get it. Listen to it. Use it. Love it.


title: Received Censored Version

text: The album itself is wonderful. I received a censored version. However, I ordered the original (explicit) version. The cd works fine and the songs are still great. It’s just not the version I ordered.


title: Great CD

text: Had a rare recording that I was looking for.


title: Top notch concert

text: Great show. Top notch  performance. This is a must not miss show for anyone who enjoys great music


title: Great Remaster

text: Great Packaging and Looks Great


title: Czech Christian Power Metal

text: Great Christian Power Metal . . . but, I don't speak Czech . . . or, Slovak . . . and, I'm not really interested in listening to English translations of the originals.


title: Disappointing follow-up . . .

text:
I really enjoyed Seraiah's first outing, "Carnival World."  Some people knocked it for being a clone of Motley Crue's later work, which maybe it is.  Nevertheless, I love Jesus . . . and, I like the Crue's musical style (albeit, nothing else about the band impresses me) . . . so, I wasn't too disappointed by the CD.  It's not my favorite in the world, but it does get a listen more times than not.

I can't say the same about this CD, "Seraiah."  It's a disappointment.  Whereas their previous work was clearly Glam/Slick Metal a la Crue (and, perhaps, Slaughter?), this seems to me to be a shift in a more "Hard Rock" direction.  I ***HATE*** it when supposedly Metal bands go in the bluesy, crooner direction.  But, then: Maybe, playing Heavy Metal for Christ was never in Seraiah's plan, anyways; maybe, they were just a Motley Crue clone following the trends in order to get a record deal.  Unfortunately, there is nothing of distinction on this disk: The choruses are weak -- although, that could have been a production problem; the ballad at the end of the disk is saccharine and unmemorable.  There's nothing on this disk that would make one want to bang his head or turn up the radio.  Nothing.

I'll keep "Carnival World" as a memory of what was and could have been.  But, I will be donating "Seraiah" to the local library.


title: this is a classic....worth it for never my love alone. lions and good advice are top yorn tracks as well.

text: this is a classic. worth it for the never my love cover alone...but lions and good advice are killer yorn trax.


title: If you haven’t heard it, get it. Good quality radio/live stuff.

text: It’s Tom Waits. Everything is 5 stars.


title: Case cracked

text: Not sure if we are going to break the seal and keep it for the case is cracked


title: Taemin

text: Great 1st Album from Taemin!


title: SHINee

text: Great cd from SHINee with great songs!


title: Taemin

text: Great cd from Taemin!


title: Tarmin

text: Great cd from Taemin!!


title: SHINee

text: Great concert of SHINee!


title: SHINee

text: Great music form a great group!


title: SHINee The group that never disappoints!!

text: A gift but I have it too and just love it.


title: Five Stars

text: Gonna be a gift.


Chose this CD to have on when 2 of my children were born.  The harmonies are so rich and wonderful.  I wish they'd do another album!


title: Timely and exactly what I was looking for! Great music@

text: Exactly what I was looking for! Great music, received timely


title: I can hear it now, WWII

text: This was a get well gift for my father and he loved it! He has been rewarded with an Edward R. Murrow Award and I thought this would be something he would enjoy, and he did!


title: best CD ever

text: One of the best CD for disco music.  best quality and music.  I was in Turkey last year and most of these songs were played in Reina disco in Istanbul


title: wife loves it, kids love it

text: my wife found this b/c of fond memories from her childhood.  she wanted our kids to listen to it, and now my kids love it too :)


title: The Most Beautiful Score Ever!

text:
The Children's Hour means a great deal to me.
Alex North has composed his most beautiful score for this most touching film.
The fact that Audrey Hepburn owned a painting of mine and I heard from her just before her passing makes this lovely
score all the more beautiful.
Audrey Hepburn was simply a Heavenly Being.
There will never be another one like her and this score reminds me so much of her.


title: GO BTS

text: I love the music of BTS. Therefore, I love the music disks. Go BTS


title: Five Stars

text: loved it


title: Love the CD

text: Love the CD. My mom can listen to it non stop cuz it keeps changing tracks on its own.


title: Five Stars

text: Sound good


title: Five Stars

text: love the hymns....her voice is superb


title: Shwekey and Razel=awesome

text: I never would have thought of buying this album since I am not particularly into Sephardic (Middle Eastern Jewish) music. Then I heard a fragment of "Ra'u Vanim" on, of all things, a day camp DVD that my kids brought home. It is one of those songs that just stop you in your tracks. Once we figured out where it was from, my husband ran out to buy the CD. I am telling you now that it is worth buying the entire CD just for this one song. It is so different, so uplifting, and every single arrangement, every instrument, every little riff and trill or whatever, adds to it. But the other songs on the album are also very good, especially the title track (awesome intro!). This CD on the whole is a great bridge between Ashkenazi/Chassidic and heavy-duty Sephardic music.


title: At last

text: Have looked for this for 10 years. Excellent .


title: Five Stars

text: Funny


title: Happy Daughter

text: Daughter was very pleased with this album and all the added stuff


title: Boring, yet dreamy in some ways

text: I wanted to love this, but it just didn’t strike me. Just kind of watered-down and lackluster. I wish it had blown my mind. This is from the late ‘80s, so you have to take that into account, but almost all the songs seemed to be just lacking hooks or particularly engaging melodies to me. Even for that era. Sort of ethereal, but like in a Madonna B-sides kind of way. Like if Madonna was high and instead of Nile Rodgers, Steve Kilbey was playing. Wait, the more I’m writing about it, the more I like it. Someone else might love it, though.


title: best collection

text: If you are an avid karras fan, this one is for you!!!!!


title: excellent cd

text: lady sunshine and the band always rock the house .worth every penny spent.love seeing her sing...i would suggest the cd as a gift and purchae all her cd's ...awesome music..


title: Five Stars

text: Muy bueno


title: Five Stars

text: Terrific collection


title: Relive a bit of the past

text: Did your children grow up on Psalty?  Mine did, and it brings back such memories.  It may be time to revisit this with your grandchildren or a special child in your life.  How about that Awana group or Children's Church program?  There are some classic praise songs on this CD that you will want to enjoy all over again.


title: Fantastic album

text: This was a most beautiful album with many great memories and is highly recommended for those of us middle aged and seniors.


title: Wendy and Lisa just gave birth to a 180 grams 33 1/3 beautiful healthy vinyl LP

text:
The day I received my vinyl, I was blown away.  I am old enough to have a vinyl collection, and have seen a great deal of this medium growing up, but never have I seen such a radiating piece of artwork.  Every detail imaginable for a vinyl has been considered for "White Flags of Winter Chimneys".

The weight of this plate is a DJ's dream there is no chance of warping with this 180 gram baby.

Wendy and Lisa are not only serious about their music and production; they are also serious about the release of the product's medium.  Everything from their vinyl to their FLAC downloads tells you, these women want you to hear every nook and cranny of their work.

This vinyl contains both form and substance.  A class act all around!


title: This CD will become your new BFF

text:
It ceases to amaze me that Wendy and Lisa are still not being given the recognition they completely deserve.

Yes, they are the women from Prince's Revolution. However, more impotently these women need to be seen outside of Prince's shadow.

They are both incredibly talented musicians who can write music outside of the notes, chords, and time signatures. They are not formula churning musicians and never have been.

Wendy and Lisa create musical textures. Textures you can feel and embrace. Their music has a way of pulling you in, and wanting more. They are always looking for different tones, textures and ways of creating embracing layers to bring the listener into the experience.

Wendy and Lisa are the most versatile artists I have ever encountered. They have released five albums, none of which sound anything like the other, yet still carry a similar intangible theme throughout each of them.

White Flags of Winter Chimneys is an album which to me carries atmospheric themed melodies augmented by rich layers of pianos, keyboards, vocals, acoustic and electric guitars. The rhythmic and percussive layers create an additional depth of steadiness to help keep the listener grounded while listening to the hypnotic melodies.

This album also has songs which makes your want to roll down your windows to let all around you hear!

You will be carried through all the raw emotions of love lost, defiance, perseverance, forgiveness and love found.


title: I’ve always liked Frank Chacksfield and his style of the music.

text: Good listening music when I am sewing.


title: Five Stars

text: great music, thank you very much!


title: Great cd for those who enjoy SJ's music!

text: Loved the cd itself.  Even though only 5 songs, all were great.  Quick turn around time between order and receiving the cd.


title: Five Stars

text: good


title: LUTON GIRLS SINGING STILL TOUCHES THE HEART

text: Can't believe the quality of sound from so long ago.  Love this album.


title: Available for $13 at Walmart (6-22-12)

text: Just bought this for $13 at Walmart (6-22-12), and I am only placing this review as a public service because I see it is listed for $45 new on Amazon, or $27 used. What parasites some of these dealers are! I would suggest you instead drag youself down to the nearest Walmart. The skimpy little hits CD (only 11 tracks, including a remake of Do it Again, which sounds not much different than the original) is virtually worthless, considering that you can get single disc hits CD with 25 to 30 songs for under $10. But the packaging here is really nice, featuring about 70 pages of articles and photos, with three postcards. Makes a very nice souvineer, especially for those of us who just saw the fabulous 50th anniversary concert (they played for 3 hours (minus an intermission) and did 48 songs in Maryland last week). Don't miss it if it comes anywhere near your town!


title: Three Stars

text: Nice rendition of traditional Italian music and songs


title: Three Stars

text: Very bad sound.


title: One Star

text: Terrible sound!


title: Five Stars

text: My son-in-law wanted it for Christmas.  He loves it.


title: support a true artist

text: fantastic. my wife really enjoy this singer, she now sings the songs even before the next one starts to play.  this cd is being well used...got my moneys worth. thanks.


title: Check your purchases before opening

text: Was not the right one, this cd has 7 songs and the one I order have 10. I notice the cover was different from the one above so I checked it notice it was not right and don’t open.


title: Five Stars

text: Love it


title: Best Christmas gift

text: This was a gift for someone in memory care, and it made her so happy to enjoy the songs she’s enjoyed for decades.


title: Synth Takes on Famous Themes

text:
This CD holds a special place in my heart. Used to listen to it all the time in my dad's car growing up, and it was probably the first synth-heavy album I'd ever heard.

As long as you go in with the expectation that you're not getting a 1:1 match on each of these themes, rather GSO's take, it's enjoyable.


title: Thanks to Tony Brown and Crew

text: Tony Brown and the crew behind the 3-disc Slumber Party Massacre release pointed me toward this CD (during commentary) - which helped me secure a decades-long quest to find the song 'Hell's Cafe' by the band of the same name. It's here - and it sounds as great as I could have hoped. What I was NOT expecting was the fact that the rest of the CD is fun, too. Great songs by mostly unknown local TX bands from the 80s - and great fun for me, too - as I love to explore musical territories previously unknown to me.


title: Worth listening

text: Very much like Annie Haslam.  Wonderful lyrics, easy listening with feel-good rhythms. Appreciate the quality of keyboard & guitar.


title: Great songs

text: Love his music


title: This song was perfect for the movie

text:
It Will Rain by artist Bruno Mars was just as inviting as the movie it represented Twilight Saga.
Bruno Mars is such a talented artist, he wrote music in the background for years until taking his talents to produce and sing his own music.
His boyish features captured my heart with the video for: It Will Rain.
This song was perfect for the movie, the video was elegant, intense and performed well.
I listen to this song and watch this video at least 3 times a week.
Perfect 10!


title: Five Stars

text: Very impressive


title: WHERE'S THE POSTER?!

text: I gave this album 5 stars because it's amazing. I already have the digital version of this mini album and wanted to buy the physical copy for the extra goodies, like the poster, card, and bookmark ( I LOVE CHEN!). I purchased this on April 6th, with the expected shipping date of April 12th. Shipping date came and went, with a notice saying that I was going to get it within a month. Ok, annoying, but I already have the digital  album, just waiting for the poster, etc. It's the 23rd and it's finally here. What's in the package? Only the album, and I'm not opening it because I know for sure there isn't a squished up poster in there. So, basically I waited for nothing. The item states "1ST MINI ALBUM : April & Flower April Version Incl. Photocard,April Poster & Bookmark " and there's no poster. Don't purchase the CD through this listing. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PPQ8MH3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


title: An absolute favorite

text: One of the best A Cappella quartets I’ve heard. No modernism. Classic hymns sung beautifully. My only hope is there were more like this!!


title: Incredible!

text: I've just spent 2 months obsessing on this early Mahler masterpiece - in the original 3 movement form. Bought them all from Amazon (new or used) and heard them all!  This is the only one I keep in the car - just in case!  I kept only 2 others: Battle (EMI 16-CD Complete Mahler) and the Chailly, for some reason.  The BBC "Radio Classics" version, recorded at the Proms in 1981 is for me Perfect. Can't tell you why. The sound is Good Enough, soloists excellent - especially the bass, Gwynne Howell in the 'Waldmärchen', and Rozhdestvensky gets it right. I've heard it too many times to report without shame. And - wait - it's also available (among other places) on a Korean import titled "The Complainant Lied" - for $43.41!


title: Love it!

text: Arrived faster than expected! The albums was well packaged and there was no damage. All of the inclusions were there. Would order from them again! This was one of the only sellers I found that had this version so I am very pleased!


title: BOOTLEG ALERT!!!

text: Don't bother with this one.  It's a bootleg compilation of songs from two of Barbra's early albums, PEOPLE and MY NAME IS BARBRA, TWO.  Both of these albums are readily available on CD.  And the front cover photo is from A STAR IS BORN, which was over a decade later.  Gimme a friggin' break!!!


title: Tug of Listening

text:
Haven't played Tug of War for a few years now and was looking forward to this two disc version. Love the Beatles and each of them as solo artists. But Tug of War has not dated well.

While Paul McCartney is a great tunesmith his lyrics are another matter. Mostly he is lazy and sometimes cringeworthy but when he puts the care into them, he is equal to anyone else or better. But I wondered would this album have been received so well if he was a lesser known identity and not a former Beatle?  The worthwhile tracks are Tug of War, Somebody Who Cares, Here Today, Ballroom Dancing, Wanderlust and Get It. The rest are for me just filler.

The Bonus Audio has slightly different versions to most of the tracks from Disc One but nothing startling. Stop You Don't Know Where She Came From, Rainclouds and I'll Give You A Ring are passable. As John Lennon once said, he can do better. He has done better but this album is no Ram, New or Speed of Sound. What is good about this album is that beginners or those still trying to crack it  can see how a song develops. From the bare bones into something that becomes a hit. Paul is still a great and always will be but this album in my opinion is not one of his best.


title: Ok

text: Ok


title: Five Stars

text: Ok


title: Five Stars

text: ok


title: 2011 not 1994

text: The album is 5 stars, however, this is advertised as 1994 release when it is actually the 2011 remaster. Falsely advertised.


title: GREAT concert

text: A Great performance from Great musicians


title: Great soundtrack

text: Loved the crystal clear video, Great performance & sounded aamazing!


title: The best of the best from Paul Wilbur

text: This music is spectacular. It is the best from Paul Wilbur


title: Get

text: Any Stones fan a must have,theres many with the stones


title: yes to yes

text: Another great yes cd,that is if you like yes?


title: not usally a fan of live

text: But this is a must have for your Mark Chestnutt collection,especially if youve ever seen him live.Both worth it!


title: csn

text: although I thought the music as a hole was ok,some hits some misses.It is worth having in your csn collection.As its a classic oldie.


title: As advertised

text: Great music


title: Five Stars

text: Was great