title: Sailing to yet another #1 Hit Album

text: Christopher Cross does it again!  Much of this “new” music resonates with past hits...but who cares!  It’s a great collection.  When can I buy the MP3 version (my new Corvette’s audio system uses MP3 rather thacn CD).


title: LOVE

text: I have used this CD every single day on my way to work and I am so happy with the full package. I kind of wish it was more similar to the MAP OF THE SOUL 7 where it had a full size poster, but still it works and made me happy.


title: CDs work great and for a great price

text: Came in probably the coolest package I will ever receive- from Russia. CDs work great and for a great price. Would defenatly order again. Great costomer service.


title: Great Album

text: Great Album


title: Fantastic!

text: The most beautiful music I have now in my Krisna songs collection cd's! A must have! Amazing! OM VOICES is really the best you going to get in this style music.


title: Fantastic !


title: ORIGINAL ALBUM COVER

text: I PAINTED THE ALBUM COVER FROM SCRATCH. JOHN VAN HAMERSVELD TOOK DESIGN CREDIT. HE DID NOT TALK TO ME AT ALL ABOUT THE DESIGN OR THE PAINTING THAT I DID. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAINTING FOR SALE. BIDS STARTING AT $1,000,000.00<br />I ASKED THAT THEY SPELL MY NAME IN LOWERCASE LETTERS "tomas burzinski' PERHAPS THAT IS WHERE HIS DESIGNN CREDIT IS DERIVED FROM?


title: New Organ Music from the Ukraine

text:
This is a timely release but it doubtless reflects years of preparation by organist  Gail Archer. Archer is a highly accomplished musician who holds a faculty appointment at the Harriman Institute of Columbia College where she is the director of the music program at Barnard College, Columbia University. She is also an organist at Vassar College. She founded Musforum which is a web site for women organists to promote their work.

Archer has a particular interest in organ music of eastern Europe and has done regular concert tours since 2011. And this, her ninth album, is focused on rarely played Ukrainian organ music of the early through the late twentieth century. This album (recorded in the Cherivtsi Armenian Catholic Church in Chernivtsi, Ukraine) contains works by six composers who are represented by 7 works.

To caveats here: one is that organ music, due in part to most organs being located in churches, tends to be liturgical and conservative in nature. Two is that your humble reviewer must confess to a limited knowledge of organ music. Aside from knowledge of a few Bach pieces and an awareness of works by Sweelinck, Franck, Widor, Vierne, Langlais, and Messiaen my knowledge of this genre is somewhat limited.

I have not heard of any of these composers: Bohdan Kotyuk (1951- ), Tadeusz Machl (1922-2006), Victor Goncharenko (1959- ), Mykola Kolessa (1903-2006), Svitlana Ostrova (1961- ), Iwan Kryschanowskij (1867-1924). Composers whose primary output is for the organ also seem to get far less notice than those who work with more instrumental diversity, so there's that. And the music of contemporary Ukraine is generally not well known or distributed. So this album does its part to fill that gap and get this music heard outside of that country.

Yes, these are somewhat conservative compositions, but that only means that they fall to the less experimental side of the musical continuum. That is to say that these are closer to Franck and Widor than to Messiaen. As such they are a largely post-romantic set of works, some apparently intended for church services (da chiesa), some for non-liturgical use (da camera).

But for listening purposes I found it useful to just approach them as concert works. These are well crafted works, come with a significant degree of complexity and virtuosity. Archer's choices are thoughtful and interesting. It leaves this listener wondering about the other works of these composers as well as the other fine music being written in this embattled region of the world. Would that the creation and sharing of art could resolve genocidal conflicts but be assured that familiarity with this music will be a revelation to many and that is the point of a release such as this.

Archer's playing is both informed and assured. Listeners will want to explore more of her work.

The tracks are as follows:
Kotyuk- Fanfare
Kotyuk- Benedictus
Machl- Piece in Five Movements
Goncharenko- Fantasy
Kolessa- Passacaglia
Ostrova-Chacona
Kryschanowskij- Fantasie


title: A Previously Unknown Partch Recording Thrills

text:
It is thanks to the ever industrious Guitarist/composer/producer (et al) John Schneider for doing the research and navigating legal quagmires to obtain permission to release this marvelous private recording of a lecture/demonstration of Harry Partch’s musical theories in a sort of lecture/recital given on November 3, 1942 in Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music. This (apparently stereo) direct to disc recording languished in an archive and has now been liberated and released to Partch historians, fans and friends of new music..

First let me say that the physical product here is both his both a valuable historic artifact and a “fetish level” collectible. And by that I mean it is a hardcover book measuring 6 x 8 inches with boards and spine covered tastefully with images and text. Save for the heavy stock end papers the pages are glossy satin coated pages. They contain the liner notes, relevant texts as well as historical photographs and some fascinating historical material that helps put this sonic document in its proper context. It is a beautifully conceived and executed release on the ever adventurous MicroFest Records. (Of course you can get the excellent recording and the texts, learned liner notes, and historical photos on a pdf file, the recording on a digital file, but collectors will long cherish this museum quality document. Suffice it to say that some of my Christmas shopping is done now.)

This is in effect a sort of appendix to the Bridge Records Volume I, (“Bitter Music” released in 2011) of their visionary complete Partch recording project. Both “Bitter music” and “Harry Partch, 1942” are basically variations on Partch’s work with “speech music”.

Partch’s work here seems to be anchored not only to ancient Greek antecedents for the tunings and the performance practices of poetry but also in the genre of “sound poetry” as practiced in the early twentieth century and even perhaps forward to later incarnations of this genre like Charles Dodge’s pioneering 1980s “Speech Songs” using computerized vocal synthesis algorithms. All are plays on the intertwining of speech and music, the artistic territory that exists between music, poetry, and spoken word.

Partch is connected to sound poetry via his explorations of early Greek culture which had a tradition of performing poetry with music. He is a contemporary of Thomas Wolfe, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg (maybe even Bob Dylan), and can be said to be in the lineage of beatniks, folk singers, street theater, sound poets, and an exponent of music theater. And Partch’s work on tunings precedes and informs the later work of Ben Johnston (who played in Partch’s own ensemble) as well as La Monte Young. This hour with the master sheds light on his theories, his art, and his genius which will thrill fans of his work. This is one exciting release.

That “Bitter Music” of the Bridge release (Bridge 9349A) is a contemporary performance version, a faithful realization of a written diary but the present document is a chance to hear the mid-career Partch (the Bitter Music journal dates from 1935-7) showing and telling his audience how its done. Partch did some speaking in a lot of the CRI discs which contained digitally remastered transcriptions of the 78 rpm discs released on the composer’s Gate 5 label but these were largely brief, scripted, and informational comments preceding the recorded performances. By contrast Partch, 1942 is a lucidly informative lecture demonstration with an (mostly) unscripted Partch speaking in his own voice, a professor presenting his research. Partch’s exposition of his theories is well constructed and his musical performances are heartfelt and, well, definitive.

The disc (which sits neatly in a pocket on the inside of the back cover) clocks in at about an hour and, for reasons likely lost to history, the recording begins with the introduction “already in progress”. This single CD contains the material on the four original direct to disc live recordings. The sound is surprisingly good.

So whether you just want to hear the performance or want to own this objet d’art in all its glory this is a fine way to introduce yourself or a friend to this unique American genius.


title: Bach Without the Wax Paper

text:
Microtones and alternate tuning systems are increasingly one of the most significant streams in new classical music as well as in the revisioning of old classical music to capture the sound of the music in its original milieu, which is not current performance practice. In the liner notes John Schneider says that hearing Bach in 12 tone equal temperament (current performance practice) is analogous to "exhibiting Rembrandt paintings with wax paper taped over them."

That image conjures for me a childhood memory of my mother bringing home some of the promotional gimmicks by one of the Chicago based supermarkets. It involved prints of famous paintings with a wax textured surface to imitate the look of oil paint on canvas. It's a tortured metaphor for the present recording but it speaks of "cheesy imitation". The present recording is one of an increasing number of recordings done with the scholarship of the very complex area of tuning, the surprisingly varied types of scales devised to solve harmonic complexities that occur due to the physics of sound itself. And by so doing, placing earlier efforts as "cheesy" by contrast.

In fact, Schneider (who kindly sent this disc to me), is one of the scholars at the forefront of recreating the musical scales as they existed at the time of the compositions so to get a clearer idea of how it must have sounded at the time. Toward that end one can now obtain guitars capable of being tuned to the subtleties of the scales. Another such disc was reviewed by me. In fact guitarist Dan Lippel, in that recording played one of Mr. Schneider's guitars.

I am working to learn more about the fascinating field of alternate tuning systems to better understand the various tunings in the flow of new music that comes to my desk. But listeners need not concern themselves with these details. The curious fact for this listener is that, on first hearing, the subtle differences in tunings were not immediately obvious (Well Tempered Kirnberger III on this recording). A better trained musical ear would doubtless hear these differences much sooner than I had but I have noticed that I have begun to hear these subtleties having been listening to this disc and some of the similar efforts on the aforementioned Lippel recordings and other titles on Mr. Schneider's fine Microfest label. It seems like a sort of learning curve in which my brain learns to process these sounds and to hear them as more natural rather than altered.

I apologize for all this chatter but this album is not just about Bach, it is about hearing Bach as he heard it, freed from the shackles of the dominant western paradigms of how to tune a scale. It is a revelation but a gentle one whose radiance is clearer in the light of the retuning of the scale, removing the "wax paper" of the familiar western tuning to reveal a clarity not heard since the composer's time. It is analogous to the 2018 restoration of the Rose Window (1210) in Chartres Cathedral bringing light in ways not seen in a very long time.

The fine Slovenian guitarist, Mak Grgic is a new name to this writer but one I hope to hear from again. In his selection of repertoire as well as his distinctive playing he makes a compelling and loving case for this music. His well organized web site details his work as musician, teacher, musicologist, composer, and international performer. This release is (by discogs) his seventh appearance on CD and his second recording for Microfest Records.

These are apparently Grgic's transcriptions, not the "usual suspects" one might expect from a new Bach recording with the exception of the Cello Suite in D. This is apparently a very personal selection of music chosen with curational care. I've included a photo of the back cover to show the unique selections.

The Rose Window depicts the revelation and the final judgement of mankind. The present audio document is a gentle revelation but doubtless not the final word on Bach. But the scholarship is fascinating and the sound simply gorgeous. The wax paper has been removed.


title: Bang on a Glass Can

text:
This is not a Philip Glass album. This is also not a tortured Magritte metaphor. It is a Maya Beiser album. Yes, she is playing her transcriptions of several of Philip Glass' pieces: (Piano) Etude No. 5, Etude No. 2, Mad Rush, Music in Similar Motion, and four movements from Glass' score to the third of Godfrey Reggio's trilogy (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaaqatsi, Naqoyqatsi): Naqoyqatsi, Massman, New World, and Old World.

It was after my second hearing of the disc that it occurred to me that Beiser's transcriptions for cello with electronic looping and layering are in fact her own recompositions of these works in her own image, so to speak. Think Stravinsky's Tchaikovsky transcriptions in "The Fairy's Kiss" or Henze's reworking of Telemann in his Telemanniana (other examples abound). Of course Beiser is working on a smaller scale but she is recomposing these works from a very personal perspective much as those composers did. I had been expecting to not like this album but once heard...

Beiser, a founding and long time member of the Bang on a Can All Stars, cut an elegant figure even when she was at the back of that venerable performing ensemble (got to be good looking cuz she's so hard to see?). She has always been a highly skilled and accomplished cellist and a thoughtful, intelligent musician. That is true of all the members of the All Stars who started as highly skilled musicians with an interest in new music. Beiser is certainly also a member of the "glam classical" musicians following in the traditions of performers like Nigel Kennedy, Yuja Wang and, well... back at least to Liberace and perhaps Chopin and Liszt. The appellation, "glam classical" is descriptive rather than pejorative in intent. The reality is that all the aforementioned artists remained fine musicians throughout their careers. An imposing physical presence, after all, does not necessarily detract from the music. Quite the opposite sometimes.

Amazon lists this release as Beiser's 14th album and she comes out strong on all fronts. Her playing, her interpretive skills, and her arrangements make for a very strong, complex, but listenable album. The first two etudes will be familiar to most listeners and are perhaps the most methodical with clear structures though very different from the piano originals. "Mad Rush" (also originally a piano piece) and "Music in Similar Motion" (originally for the Philip Glass Ensemble) both come off as driving ritual symphonic pieces, thrilling new readings of the original compositions (Music in Similar Motion a personal favorite for this writer and this version really rocks). The last four excerpts from Naqoyqatsi are the most lyrical and easy listening works, but again Beiser creates the music in her own personal context, glamorous but authentic and with a warmth that lasts long after the last tones fade. Fabulous album!


title: Unheard Hovhaness

text:
Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000) is among the most prolific of American composers. He has written so much music that even now, over twenty years since he exited the earthly plane, there remains much music that has not been recorded and manuscripts that await editing and publication. This beautiful recording fills some of those gaps.

First I must say that Hovhaness holds a special place for me personally as his music has always felt like a personal discovery. In my early teens I was immediately hooked when I first heard a recording of his second symphony, better known as “Mysterious Mountain” (in the Chicago Symphony/Reiner recording). It would be years before I attempted to grapple with the structure of his music but I knew it spoke to me.. Another piece which caught my still forming musical ear was his Allegro on a Pakistan Lute Tune from pianist Robert Helps’ classic survey of American piano music on CRI recordings from 1966. And in 1976 Hovhaness’ “Achtamar” was included in radio station WFMT’s bicentennial survey of American Music curated by composer/educator Raymond Wilding-White.

I later heard a broadcast performance from Oberlin of his Visionary Landscapes for piano which also grabbed my attention. I would later hear this in the recording and at a live recital in 2011 performed by Sahan Arzruni in Berkeley, California in celebration of the composer’s centennial (curated by legendary Bay Area Armenian-American composer/producer/educator/broadcaster Charles Amirkhanian). I later purchased the two wonderful discs of piano music by equally legendary pianist/broadcaster/educator/new music advocate Marvin Rosen as well as a disc or two with the composer himself at the keyboard.

That brief personal history serves to illustrate some of why this disc is so exciting to me. This new recording is a sumptuous production that came in a little cardboard CD box with a distinctive design and gold stamped lettering. Inside is a CD in a matching cardboard slipcase and a high gloss paper booklet in three languages (Turkish, Armenian, and English). These useful notes describe the nature and sources of these compositions which are recorded for the first time, some from manuscripts which remain unpublished.

Arzruni is himself of Armenian extraction (born in Istanbul in 1943) and has been active as a pianist for many years as soloist and as a chamber music partner in a wide range of music. Some will recall him as the straight man playing in some of Victor Borge’s humorous recitals. Arzruni is a multifaceted artist whose knowledge and affinity for Turkish and Armenian music along with his firm grounding in the traditional western classical repertoire make him one of the finest interpreters of Hovhaness’ music. The pianists discography is diverse and interesting encompassing classical repertoire as well as fascinating niches of contemporary music from Turkey, Armenia, and their diaspora.

There are 34 tracks which contain 10 compositions. Some of the tracks require a percussionist (Adam Rosenblatt). All tracks are vintage Hovhaness. Though he is an American composer, born in Massachusetts, Hovhaness, in the tradition of learning non-western musics that traces to composers like Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison, McPhee, Georges Enescu, and other proto-world music scholars who incorporated non-western scales, tunings, and compositional methods in their work. Hovhaness studied variously Armenian traditional music as well as Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Javanese, and Balinese musics.

The first piece on this disc is the five movement “Invocations to Vahakn” (1945-6). Vahakn is, in Armenian mythology, a god who symbolizes martial victory. According to legend he saved the earth by slaying savage black dragons in pre-Christian Armenia. The first movement is for solo piano. The remaining four augment the piano with various percussion instruments including a thunder sheet, Chinese drums, a conch shell, Burmese gongs, and cymbals. This piece appears to have been recorded only once before in an excellent performance by the Abel/Steinberg/Winant Trio on New Albion records.

Next up is another five (originally seven) movement suite for piano (this time without percussion), “Yenovk” (1951). This work went through several revisions ultimately culminating in it being renamed, “Madras Sonata” (1960). These five movements reveal various aspects of his compositional style including his imitation of non-western instruments and the use of various western and non-western forms. The five movements in the world premiere of this version of the work are: Fantasy, Canzona, Jhala, Canzona, Ballata, and Fugue. Hovhaness was a master of counterpoint and fugue as can be heard here. This was dedicated to Yenovk Der Hagopian, a singer and friend of the composer who introduced him to Armenian traditional folk music.

Lalezar (1947) is for solo piano. The title is a Farsi word for “field of tulips” and, like many of Hovhaness’ works, it went through later transformations culminating in it becoming a song in the 1971 song cycle (The flute Player of the Armenian Mountains) written for the great Armenian bass singer, Ara Berberian.

The next three tracks contain the “Suite on Greek Tunes” (1949). It is dedicated to the Greek-American pianist William Masselos (1920-1992) whose performing repertoire included a great deal of American music. This appears to tbe the first recording of it. The three movements, wedding song, grapeyard song, and dance in seven tala. The last movement reflects Hovhaness’ interest in Hindustani music. Tala is a rhythmic form in that musical system.

Mystic Flute (1937) is a brief piece which is also based on tala. It was a frequent encore played by none other than Sergei Rachmaninoff. The 1962 revision, given the Opus number 22 has been recorded but this is the premiere recording of the 1937 version originally published in 1942.

Journey into Dawn (1954) was originally titled, “Piano Suite No. 2”. This second of four piano suites composed in 1954 is cast in five movements: Hymn, Fugue, Jhala, Aria, Alleluia. Again we hear the eclectic nature of the composer’s interests with elements here of sacred music, western art music, and Hindustani forms.

Laona (1956) was originally titled, “Genesee River” after the river which runs through Rochester, New York. Hovhaness was fond of the views of the river. He later changed the name of the piece in reference to the city in New York state where the Spiritualist Movement established a center in the mid-19th century. This is an impressionistic piece rather unlike Hovhaness’ other works in style but certainly of the same quality. This is its recording premiere.

The three movement “Lake of Van Sonata” (1946, rev 1959). The title refers to Lake Van, the largest body of water in Anatolia and was the center of the Armenian kingdom or Ararat. It was populated predominantly by Armenians from about 1000 B.C. until the Armenian genocide of 1915. In his liner notes Arzruni reports that he has abridged the first movement in collaboration with the composer. This sonata has been recorded at least twice before this release.

Vijag (1946) is a composition for two pianos. The title refers to the traditional Armenian fortune telling festival. Though the notes do not specify, it appears that Arzruni plays both parts. It is a world premiere recording.

The disc ends with a fairly large work, the eight movement “Hakhpat Sonata” (1948-51). It is scored for piano and percussion (apparently the only Hovhaness piano sonata that uses percussion). The percussion consists of a large Tam Tam and a kettle drum tuned to the note “G”.

This is the first recording of this piece whose title refers to a large monastic complex built in 976 CE. The monastery has been placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as of 1996.

This is a major release, a gorgeously recorded and produced CD album which fills essential gaps in Alan Hovhaness’ recorded legacy. The liner notes by Mr. Arzruni reflect his depth of knowledge of the music and his thorough research. All collectors of American Music, Armenian Music and lovers of piano music in general will want to have this disc. It is a gem.


title: Kenneth Gaburo, the Avant-Garde in the Summer of Love

text:
While the nascent Summer of Love was blossoming in San Francisco there was a sort of parallel development happening in the midwest.  As a budding record collector I can recall the cornucopia of new music available at prices I could afford. Labels like Columbia's lower priced Odyssey label, Turnabout, and Nonesuch made the exciting new works of living, emerging composers.  While I listened to rock on the radio occasionally I decided to spend my hard earned pennies on this exciting new music which was rapidly becoming an essential part of my still developing personality (I graduated high school in 1974). It was music rarely heard on radio though WFMT, WNIB, and WEFM did some service to new music the majority of their programming played mostly music written before 1900.  I would later learn about the "cut-out" bins where I could sometimes find the higher priced labels with their tantalizing recordings of new music to add to my growing collection of music which I could share with but a few like minds in my working class neighborhood.

Witness now the resurrection of a respected new music label, Neuma. Established in 1988 by Shirish Korde and Jerry Taylor this label released a lot of new music, mostly of the electroacoustic genre. Their curatorial skills were well tuned and many discs were released but, like many such creative ventures aimed at a select (read "small") audience, the label fell on hard times. Well, as of 2021 Neuma was brought back by none other than Philip Blackburn, a composer, performer, producer with the enviable curatorial radar that drove the wonderful Innova records from 1991-2020.

The first volley of releases includes this wonderful rescue from the vaults of obscurity. It is a complete live choral concert (with electronics). It is difficult to imagine what this music must have sounded like in the context of this rural agriculture school in mid-downstate Illinois but these were the heady times of the beginnings of electronic and computer music and the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana was a hotbed for many of the experiments that led to computers being integrated into all aspects of society including the arts.  (This is the same ensemble on the Nonesuch disc). Composers like Salvatore Martirano (1927-1995) and, the conductor composer Kenneth Gaburo (1926-1993) who put this concert together. This is, in short, a landmark concert of sorts, one of those that attempts to put the music in a proper historical context.

There are ten works here with composition dates ranging from 1909 to 1966, the year of this concert. There are two composers whose names are unfamiliar to this listener but all the others will likely be familiar to most fans of the 20th Century avant-garde. It is a nice survey, one might say, a snapshot of the current repertoire in 1966.  The recording is remarkably clear and this disc will find a place with serious new music aficionados as a sort of classic.

The somewhat spare liner notes are more than adequate and the simple production hopefully made for a more cost effective release.  The focus here is the music and these fine performances. Perhaps the most striking aspect of this release is how music by Webern and even the Leslie Bassett piece sound older, from a bygone era.

Gaburo includes only two of his own compositions choosing to give voice to emerging stars.  The longest work on the program, Messiaen's Cinq Rechants clocking in at about 18 minutes.  It is a fitting finale to this masterful sampling of the choral repertoire at the edge of the new.


title: Channeling Pablo Casals' Bach

text:
It was in 1936 that the famed Catalan cellist and composer Pablo Casals performed and recorded the now familiar Bach Cello Suites.  Long thought to be intellectual and technical exercises not intended for public performance these works languished for nearly 200 years on manuscript alone.  Casals pretty much single handedly has made these masterworks a staple of the cellists repertory.  Since Casals there have been numerous readings of these works and no sign of any flagging interest.

It is difficult to imagine any really new perspectives on these works and, aside from Kim Kashkashian’s wonderful transcriptions for viola, one gets basically the musician’s take on the music.  So here comes the Israeli cellist Amit Peled who, since 2004 has had the honor (and attendant responsibilities) of playing Casals’ own cello, a 1730 Gofriller personally loaned to him by Casals’ widow.  So in this first volume (second one not out yet as far as I can tell) is the first time Bach’s masterful Cello Suites have been sung by this instrument since it was in Casals’ hands.

What we have here is a sensitive and committed performance that many will want to hear perhaps as “channeling Casals” but ultimately we have a gorgeous performance by a fine musician channeling his own talents and sensitivities to produce a quite viable performance (are those gut strings I hear?).  Perhaps there are nostalgic aspects here as well but whatever your preference, be it channeling, nostalgia, or simply a great performance of these masterpieces you will find all these here.  Can’t wait for volume II.


title: Nerd Gospel Music

text:
Listening to "Pi" is like going to Church for this atheist! It's a spiritual experience like no other. It's slightly disappointing that Hard N' Phirm couldn't fit the whole song onto the album, but then, who could?

"Moose Lodge" is satisfyingly creepy and awesome. "No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child" is actually, really a kick-ass-quote. You need to listen to this song.

"Funkhauser" is a classic "add this musical element to build the song" gone awry, and is incredibly engaging (the part where some of the instrumentation has to leave because part of the band has to get in the elevator, and they meet up again downstairs... the robot in the pudding (I CAN'T SWIM)... the funky table... the Compac Presario and the microwave force-field... the kumquat... aarrg, just buy this album already so we can talk about it later).

This album plays with you as you listen to it. If you don't hit "shuffle," it tells you when those Pillsberry Cresent Rolls are done baking. If you hit "shuffle," (or took too long) Horses and Grasses tells you when they're burning. Damm you Chris and Mike, you didn't tell me you put stuff in my oven to begin with!

They also included a great countrified-version of every Radiohead song ever made (called Rodeohead). It's very listenable for normal people, and Radiohead geeks can drink it up for months.

Why hasn't there been a new album in years? Horses and Grasses was enjoyable, professional, showed understanding of music, musical genres, and parody. Dammit Mike and Chris, we need a new Hard N' Phirm album!


title: I'm glad I found it on Amazon.

text: This was a gift 4 my husband. His copy had been stolen last year. He was overjoyed 2 get a new one.


Fast service. Great CD, great memories of a Chicago concert.


title: Good Zappa

text: As described


title: Love the relaxed sound

text: Love the group and their sound. I wish they had more albums out. Hard to find in the US. Listening to the album is like being on a Caribbean beach somewhere. Drink in hand, warm sun on the skin, waves lapping at your toes.


title: I also enjoy it and is fun to sing to

text: My son loves this cd, especially when they say his name. I also enjoy it and is fun to sing to. This is the only music that plays in the car. We have a good time. This is a great gift if your child loves nursery rhymes.


title: Stand Up and Yawn

text:
There are a lot of good things about this album.  The cover art is beautiful.  The production is excellent, without a trace of hiss, hum, or overproduction.  The musicianship is spot-on, which is unsurprising considering the personnel involved, including G.E. Smith.

However, the vocals, while pitch perfect, are unremarkable.  A voice on a rock or pop track should be at least one of the following:  agile, instantly recognizable, or emotionally expressive.  We hear none of these qualities in the voices on this cd.  Worse, the songwriting is uninspired and downright trite at times.  Thanks to the songwriting and vocals, this cd is neither good enough to be good nor bad enough to be fun.  "Moonalice" made me want to stand up and yawn.


title: Hated it!!!

text: On the radio, there were quite a few Dozier songs I liked. So, I ordered this and was not pleased with this at all. I have very picky taste in music. It just wasn't for me. The worst part about this is, that I paid $12-15. I wasn't happy with this at all. Everyone have different taste. This definitely wasn't mine.


title: Cracked Case

text: While I still enjoy the songs on the disc, it is a bit of a deterrent that the case is cracked, otherwise I would have given it a 5 star rating.


title: Collection Complete

text: I was excited to see this arrive today. I am looking forward to now being able to have the complete works of Mozart to enjoy as this set completes the remainder of his music that was missing from my collection.


title: Got what I ordered

text: Product as described


title: Good set

text: I love it. It has two full discs of music and the documentary is just over an hour long. It also has a lyric book written in japanese. This set is very nice in my opinion.


title: Cute

text: Awesome. It is a single. The cd has 5 songs on it 2 of them are instrumental. The case I got does not look like the one shown here. But it has all 4 of the members on the case. It is a soft case also. The insert has the lyrics to the 3 songs that have them singing. Also on the insert there are many pictures of them making amusing faces.


title: Awesome

text: Awesome. It has a single cd. There are 3 songs on it. None are instrumental. It also has a dvd which is part of one of the concets from r-loof plan. There are 7 song performed in this.


title: Awesome.

text: This is awesome. It has an insert with the sheet music for the song akashi. It has a single cd but there are 6 songs on the cd 2 of them are instrumental. There is also 2 forms of akashi with lyrics. One which is a standard version. The other is made with the pianist from weaver and a choir. It you want to get technical then one of the instrumental ones is also akashi. The dvd is basically a behind the scenes to the music video. Flumpool also has brief interviews in this as well. And it also has a music video at the end complete with lyrics for you to sing along with.


title: But that is ok if one is a good fan. The DVD included runs about an hour ...

text: It is a single. There are three songs on this CD. But that is ok if one is a good fan. The DVD included runs about an hour or so. It has the photo shoot for the cover of the DVD. For the blue cover and the orange/yellow cover. In addition it has some very funny skits. It was so funny i was crying.


title: Awesome/spoiler

text: I love this disc. It is a singles album. There are four songs on the disc. The fourth song is instrumental though. The DVD that came with mine runs about an hour. And showed Flumpool traveling to a place to create a new song. I I found it amusing. It was amusing when genki pulled the van over and got out. He went around to the passenger side back seat. Opened the door. Unbundled ryuuta and pulled him out of the van. When tryouts was out of the van genki took ryuuta's seat leaving guitar to take over driving. Was cute and funny.


title: Speedy delivery and great music.

text: I got this weeks early. It was not scheduled to arrive until May 30th at the earliest. It arrived may 9th. I am very pleased with the speedy delivery, since it was shipped from Japan to California. The CD has three songs and two instrumentals. But it still awesome. The DVD I am still watching it. But seems to be a log of sorts about a day in their daily life. Of course not at home but how they talk about a few things, go to a zoo, play some music etc. I admit I only half done. So there is stuff that I don't know yet because I have not gotten that far. But it is amusing. Also it arrived undamaged. Great product.


title: Why is this so expensive??

text: Omg so expensive, what gives?


A drastic change from Mr. Dinners' first album. Dropped the awesome Country overtones and veered sadly towards pop.


title: "Mandrilland = a Masterpiece of music!"

text: The Mandrilland double album from 1974 showcases Mandrills criminally under appreciated master skills. To: create, compose, arrange, conduct, perform/execute. One of the greatest multi-genre: Pop, Jazz, Orchestral, Blues, World music, Big Band, Caribbean, Latino, Broadway, Funk, Symphonic Soul, Soul/RNB all original music recordings of all time. Where Mandrills members play over twenty different musical instruments on Mandrilland = a masterpiece of music!


title: Loving it!!!

text: Fast service, and Great prices


title: NOT WORKING

text: SUBSTANDARD DISK


title: Five Stars

text: The best, period.


title: exactly what i ordered

text: awesome


title: Fantastic.

text: LOVE THIS CD!!!  All songs on this album are good.  I first heard of him while watching the Korean series "Black" which was great.  I will be collecting more of him!!


title: Marta does it again

text: I hadn't seen Marta Gomez live in a while, so I started to wonder, if she had a new album. I went on Amazon and found it. It is pack with beautiful songs and they are sang with her beautiful voice.


title: I Love Andy!!!

text: Andy can really tell a story and in this case build a fire under your stationary parts. I was thrilled to find many of may favorites on this CD. "Burn the Boats" and "Give me the Bat" among my fvorites.


title: Good sound

text: an excellent Cd and unlike so many other the sound quality is excellent.


title: Buy this one, tovarich

text:
Hard to imagine who will come to this lonesome page.  It is a pity the band's name has been rendered as "Lube" rather than the more phonetic "Lyube", so that they are categorized along with strawberry goop you rub on your genitals, but anyway here goes, comrade.

Coming out of one of the roughest suburbs of Moscow, Lyube hit the sweet spot with Russian listeners in the 90's because their nostalgic songs about Mother Russia, patriotism, heroic Spetznatz soldiers, the hardships of life and the joys of red-cheeked country girls coincided with the first wave of disillusionment with Gorbachev's changes, when many Russians began to feel they had been thrown to the wolves, and longed for the lost past.

But there is much more to it than that.  From the first, they have blended urban punk vehemence with traditional Russian regional music - massed male choirs, brass bands, tinkling balalaikas, throbbing guitars and all the rest - to produce a folk-rock sound that is immensely pleasurable to listen to.  You will not find a better collection of tunes anywhere.  The musicianship is excellent and the dance-friendly music will have you stomping your boots and calling for more vodka.  Earlier albums are more punk-oriented, later ones more folksy, especially Davay Za, which is largely orchestral.

But perhaps the real reason I love these guys so much is because, just when you are feeling sorry for the weeping bear, burying its tear-stained muzzle between its paws, a ferocious red eye gleams at you through the sharp claws.

If you ever get a chance to buy any of Lyube's albums, don't hesitate, tovarich.  These Russkis are fantastic, believe me.


title: On time and as described

text: Excellent recording


title: If you have two ears, You can’t go wrong with this CD.

text: Who would not love this CD. Voice of an angel.


title: Huge Improvement, this is Star Wars, not at its best, close.

text: Now this is more like it, this is much, but very much better than Episode 1, this is more like the original films. The movie just lacks something, I can't really say what it lacks of, but it does. But this is much better, the dialogue is pretty cheap, but the performances are quite good, Christopher Lee is the best in his short role as Count Dooku, similar to Sauruman in LOTR, but not as good. Ewan McGregor was better as Obi-Wan than last time, in this one he is more like the character Alec Guiness created. Hayden Christensen was great as pre-Darth Vader, he knew how to be, angry, vengeful, that scene in which he beheads all the Tusken Raiders that kill his mother was pure Darth Vader, and his lines are all lines that could easily come from Vader. Natalie Portman was also better, like Leia in Empire Strikes back, and also, she looked beautiful, with the more revealing outfits that made her look really sexy. Samuel L. Jackson was fairly good, but lets face it, his role was short. The best thing of the movie, also hilarious is when Yoda kicks ... against Christopher Lee, I laughed because it is just funny to see him do all the things he does. Another GREAT thing was that Jar Jar only gets like 5 minutes of screen time, thats the way it should be. The movies is very good, at the begining it looks like Blade Runner, when Obi-Wan enters the bar to get a drink. The soundtrack is not as great as the old ones, plus, Williams re-used some notes from Hook, in the Love theme, but it sounded fine, also the Imperial March has return, that was good. The lightsaber action is extremely great, I love lightsabers, I think they are the best of Star Wars in in this one there is plenty. This movie is like Episode 5, the best one, and although this one is not as good, it is the Star Wars I like, I think we should encourage Lucas to keep it up be making this one make more money than the dreadful Episode 1, because I loved this one, really loved it, and hope to see an Episode 3 similar to this one, only wiht the next improvements, better soundtrack, more mature dialogue, less or the same screen time for Jar Jar and that thing that it lacks of that was on the original films, but this one was very good, keep it up George Lucas, you are on the good side of the force.


title: Finally!

text: I love all the music here!  I wish Disney had allowed the release of the score when the movie first came out, but I'm just glad they released it at all.  Perfect background when you need a lift but don't need/want words cluttering your head.


title: She- Hulk 1

text: Good for small things but needs to be a little bit bigger  than really is  than usual size now. Alan


title: Live music fading in and out? WHAT?!

text:
I was able to see this tour live, not this exact recording, but the tour.  I do NOT remember any songs fading in or out.  It seems very odd to me that anyone in music would allow this disc to be made this way.  Each track fades in and out, not allowing songs to blend as they were performed.  Let me break it down per track, for the real concert fans:
1. Paper In Fire (audience fade in, music fade out)
2. Jack & Diane (music fade in, music fade out)
3. Lonely Ol Night (audience fade in, music fade out)
4. Check It Out (audience fade in, music fade out)
5. Rain On The Scarecrow (audience fade in/out)
6. Rumbleseat (audience fade in/out)
7. Small Town (audience fade in/out)
8. Crumblin' Down (audience in/music out)
9. R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (music fade in/out)
10. Play Guitar/Gloria/Wild Thing (music in/out)
11. Hurts So Good (music in/out)
12. Authority Song (music fade in/audience out)
13. Pink Houses (audience fade in/JM talking fades out)
14. Cherry Bomb (audience in/music out)

A true fan of the concert needs to know this, as it is VERY disappointing.  That being said these versions were great.  I hope this helps. Maybe someone has the full show and can release it better.


title: Nothing but disappointing

text: This movie was nothing but hype! Don not waste your time seeing it, wait til it comes out on video. This movie was so bad I do not even want to see the third one.


title: Brian is a Genius

text: This is a trilogy of cds, Red, White and Blue.  I bought the Red and Blue first but had to wait for White to be released.  Worth the wait.  White, in my opinion, is the best of the lot.  Brian really is a musical genius.  His style is unique and modern.  If you are a piano jazz fan, add these cds to your collection.


title: Five Stars

text: Another great hymns with words so meaningful and rich!  Great sound as well!


title: GREAT!!

text: Just love Stan Whitmore's style of piano playing - I play them often as I enjoy the melodies and compostition


title: GREAT MUSIC!!!

text: Great, quality band! Very unique sound and versital. Underated. It will be more than you expect if you like many types of music. You'll love it!!!


The receipt was wrapped around the cd like wrapping paper. I didn't realize it was the receipt and I ripped it. I would recommend not doing that. Otherwise the cd was in perfect condition. No complaints.


title: If you have read the book, you will love the songs!

text: I put this in the cd player in my car, and cried all the way to work.  What a great addition to the stories!


title: Only two songs.

text: This should be considered a CD single.  It has 4 versions of the same song plus one other song that could be considered the flip side.


title: Four Stars

text: Play this for my infant.  Great


title: What can I say?

text: There has yet to be a David Baldacci book that has not been awesome.  The intrigue and plot twists are always intricate - unpredictable.  I love his writing.


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent


title: Completing a great box set

text: I had inherited beaches, bars, and ballads, but sadly, this disc was missing.  Lucky for me, I found it on Amazon, so for under $5, I get to enjoy the entire set.


title: Amazing

text: As always anything from monroe institute works wonders with the hemi-sync signals that bring both hemispheres of the brain together causing them to help us with those specific issues that seem to be with us in this troubled world.


title: Great CD

text: Love his music.


title: Great Album

text: I absolutely love listening to Brandon. I would by all his CDs. His music is so Inspirational.


title: Superb actors, singing, costumes etc.

text: Movie just as good as the play... maybe even better!<br />Highly recommend.


title: Five Stars

text: I like cd.


title: Be Careful on this Album - - in SEVERAL Regards

text:
There were some problems with this CD album. First off, I don't really think it was what I ordered ...felt like whatever I THOUGHT I'd order got switched somewhere in the process.

Second - the DIGITAL song titles DID NOT match the actual recorded tracks nor the printed titles on the jewelbox insert; at least the printed and as-sung tracks matched. But due to the digital error, the MP3 players DID NOT indicated what was, or would be, playing for the tracks displayed.

With much music and artists, there's some items I like and some I don't. Regardless of the digital error per above, I decided most of the selections on this album just really didn't interest me - even if they HAD got them right, so I returned it for a refund.  Then went to "Digital Music" and got some selections more to my liking.


title: A REALLY Lovely Package of Great music from "A Golden Era" - in German

text:
I ordered this Audio CD having heard only 2 or 3 of the vocalists mentioned – one from a previous CD and the others from YouTube recordings, and not knowing how many tracks it included. American music from the 20s, 30s and 40s, including some of it’s best movie performances, has always been some of my favorite listening, so I was interested in hearing more of Germany’s equivalent. This CD exceeded my expectations – the music presented is a variety, and is very rich – in my opinion, finer overall than anything I have in my collection from the U.S.  And the quality of the recording surprised me: other album recordings from this era usually have a fair percentage with some of the old 78 rpm hiss or scratches at some level in the background – this one only has several, very faint by comparison.

And I was also hoping this album might help to improve my understanding and pronunciation of the German language. I’m pleased to find that most of the vocalizations are very clear and easier to understand, by comparison to others I have heard.

Overall I’m EXTREMELY pleased with this album. That it has 32 tracks was an unexpected but very pleasant bonus.

The only hitch was the unexpected length of time it took for delivery from overseas.  Had I known how long it would be AND the great quality of the product, I would have considered paying for a higher level of delivery. As it turned out, the CD arrived several weeks after even the rather long ‘expected delivery date’ provided (perhaps due to the U.S. port labor problem delays for container shipping) – but the product is worth every bit of the extra wait.


title: Excellent

text: Excellent


title: Five Stars

text: Just wonderful.


This is a really nice tape if you enjoy hammer dulcimer and harpsichord music.  The selection of pieces is well chosen.


title: Five Stars

text: Perfect. Loved it!


title: Wonderful sound, great technique and musicality!

text: I bought this for my grandson who plays clarinet in his high school jazz and marching band. I also bought a cooy for myself! I’ve heard these pieces in person and the album is a wonderful reminder of the pleasure I experienced then.


title: They work so well together...making a lovely and diverse album.

text:
I was mesmerized listening to this album. I am buying additional copies for gifts.
I heard Pete and Mollie sing together at Carnegie Hall a few years ago. My wife
very recently saw them in concert in Danville, CA. We are so happy that they have
finally recorded together. There is also a Christmas album available.


title: Buy this cd and Enjoy!

text: This cd is my favorite purchase of all this year. So peaceful and so soothing.I know Miss Dodie's story well and her voice and the way they have the music and verses are masterfully woven together. So refreshing. A purchase that will truly bless you if you just put it on and relax and let it play...even if it is playing in the background. Enjoy!


title: Interesting read!

text: We bought this for our son who loves it! We didn't realize it was a hard cover oversized book!


title: One Of The Best New Albums In Years

text:
What can I say, Its a future classic. but before I say why, let me give the only negative which is more of an issue with the advertised marketing for the Album, than the album itself.

This is the "LIMITED EDITION EXPANDED TARGET CD With THREE BONUS TRACKS" version. Its VERY unclear what the bonus tracks are and at first I thought I'd got a wrong disc. The reason being I already own the vinyl version and this CD is identical to that Vinyl. (I purchased this CD for playing in the car)  Its also identical to the Amazon Music version of this album which makes you "think" its just a standard released version. After doing a google search to find out what the running order is as I thought I'd been duped, turns out this IS an extended version, but... after already owning two other copies, turns out its really just a standard version as its what's on the shelf everywhere else... its a branding thing it seems, AND misleading.

Now, why its a future classic in my eyes which is subjective and my opinion only. in Short, modern music is mainly noise, horse sh*t, I have no time for modern radio or what's called this generations top 40, and i'm a BIG music lover.

THIS... is a new album released in the last 12 months. BUT even though new, it has soul, the tracks once you've listened to the album a few times almost tells a story between those tracks. The lyrics have meaning, are well thought out, and in a strange way because they way the album has been lovingly put together, the songs feel new, modern but with more class then all the top 40 tracks that will come out this year. This album wipes the floor with new music. Its for the listener in us all.

I AM a huge Sting fan, but that doesn't mean all he does is perfect. His last album I purchased, but its a "eh" album. Didn't resonate with me. He's created some albums that are my go to albums and i play almost all the time. This Album, The Bridge, will fall into that category and WILL be one of my go to albums for years to come.

From owning 12 albums of his discography so I dont say this lightly as it has big shoes to fill, this is some of his best work, hence, a future classic in my eyes.

attachment_type: IMAGE


title: MY GO-TO CARPENTERS COLLECTION

text: No one will accuse this 3-CD set of having dynamic sound quality that’s for sure. But it’s great to finally have the ORIGINAL 45 MIXES available mostly for the first time since the original vinyl releases. As many already have stated, Richard Carpenter has spent a great deal of time remixing and re-recording parts of these tunes for decades now. Album and single versions were already different but then countless compilations over the years Always featured unique mixes. MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING for example has only had its 45 mix featured on cd before on the old FROM THE TOP box set. Even the first best of SINGLES 1969-1973 had much tampering including having songs blend into one another. So this will be the compilation  I will be listening to from here on out. Pay the $40 now before this goes out of print and some clown tries to sell it on here for $300


title: Unnecessary But Excellent

text: Not really sure what the point was of recording these songs identical to the originals but I loved it. Kinda like a live greatest hits show without the audience.


title: Amazing new music

text: These guys are simply amazing, musically, technically and from a production standpoint.  Highly recommended if you are a melodic prog rock fan.


title: "soft" song volume

text: The songs sound muffled or soft on this production. Does anyone know the year of these song and composer as the disc does not include the info?


title: Ripped copy not worth it

text: This CD is clearly a ripped copy from the film itself: Only comes with 9 songs and quality is very bad.


title: Five Stars

text: Great Item


title: Five Stars

text: I want to listen to full tracks.


title: Groundbreaking album, weak press

text: The album is essential and subsequently essentially beyond reproach. This press, however ? Sounds terrible. The blazing guitar riff from Thieves? The one I knew would sound even better on wax? Tinny. Flat. It's my stereo , you say? Maybe. But I have a lot of vinyl and several reissued classics from 88-92, all of which screams out of my little system. Not this one. I'll plug in my iPod tomorrow and listen to the digital version, instead.


title: Gift

text: Bought as a gift


title: Available at Long Last!

text:
Everyone is familiar with the triple-LP, double-CD, Live Europe 72 from the Grateful Dead.  The songs selected for this collection represented a mere fraction from their 1972 European Tour. The tour covered twenty venues.

Rhino Records released the complete recordings from this tour, in seventy-three CDs, in 2011, in a limited edition  suitcase, and later as an ordinary box set. These collections instantly became a collector’s items, and if one is lucky enough to find one online, the collector’s suitcase edition alone will run almost one thousand dollars. Rhino released individual concerts on CD, but even these are becoming difficult to find. Finally, these concerts are now available for download.

The previous occasion the band played this venue was a bit rocky, with the band apparently perplexed at a lackadaisical audience. Perhaps to liven the set the band played a tune infrequently included in concerts, let alone used as an opening number, Cold Rain and Snow. This first number was typical of their first step. Lively, upbeat performances without drama. Their first set closed with Black-Throated Wind” to a more enthusiastic applause.

The second set began with Casey Jones. In the same way, the band’s rendition of tunes such as Sugaree and Playin in the Band were performed with verve. A novelty in this second set was that the band buried a song they usually reserve for an encore number, One More Saturday Night. The band was apparently more at ease this time around in Tivoli, and it showed in the audience’s response. After they played El Paso in this second set, the audience gave the band an especially long and appreciative applause.

In general, these and the other songs in this concert were done more or less in a straightforward manner, with no great guitar flourishes or melodious cascades up and down the bass fret. The band could be forgiven for this straight up performance, considering their previous concert at Aarhus University saw them play with single-unit abandon.

Weir wearily said the band was going to “take a short break” at the end of their second set. When they returned to their third set, they employed an incredible intro before getting into their Dark Star medley. It started with JC’s guitar dueting with the piano keyboards, Lesh’s bass entering soon thereafter. Weir and Kreutzman on the drums contribute subtle, understated flourishes here and there, and for the next half hour the four instruments communicate with each other, one playing off the other. Really, it is one of the best Dark Stars in this tour. After traveling the reaches of outer space, the band returned back to earth with peppy Sugar Magnolia. The band segues into an improvised bit of jamming called Caution (Do Not Stop on the Tracks). Things must have been going well with the crowd, because they ended with Johnny B. Good, the only time they played this song in the tour.

All in all, it was a good concert and I wish I could have been there.

Next stop is Germany for a change of pace.


title: Now At Long Last!

text:
Everyone is familiar with the triple-LP, double-CD, Live Europe 72 from the Grateful Dead.  The songs selected for this collection represented a mere fraction from their 1972 European Tour. The tour covered twenty venues.

Rhino Records released the complete recordings from this tour, in seventy-three CDs, in 2011, in a limited edition  suitcase, and later as an ordinary box set. These collections instantly became a collector’s items, and if one is lucky enough to find one online, the collector’s suitcase edition alone will run almost one thousand dollars. Rhino released individual concerts on CD, but even these are becoming difficult to find. Finally, these concerts are now available for download.

This concert follows the band’s three dates in England, two at the Wembley Empire Pool and one at the City Hall in Newcastle. Newcastle is in the extreme northern border of England, almost at the Scottish border. Given air travel in 1972, it was certainly a long trip to Denmark. I don’t think the band was prepared for what was in store for them in this next venue.

Their opening number, Bertha, was lively and uptempo. The band played peppy and uptempo throughout. The band, however, appeared to be befuddled by the response from the audience. We do not know exactly how the audience reacted with only an audio recording existing: The audience clearly enjoyed the music as their whistles and voices of approval can be heard on the recording, but early in the concert Weir asked the audience, “How many [in the audience] can understand what we are saying?” looks at the response from the audience and then dismissively states, “Not very many.” Finally he says, “You [the audience] can do anything you want, sit, whatever,” before getting back to the music. My guess is that the audience was simply sitting in their seats and not dancing around as is the wont of the typical GD audience.

Perhaps due to their perceived language barrier, the band performed generally straight renditions of the repertoire, carefully singing the words.  Short of a tell-all autobiography we will perhaps never know the dynamics of this concert.

Then, perhaps to shake the perceived passivity of the audience, the band launches into an incredible one-hour set consisting of Dark Star, followed by Sugar Magnolia, then with two different parts of Good Lovin sandwiching a rendition of Caution. The audience gave their polite yet fervent applause.

After Ramblin Rose, the band offered another mini medley consisting of Going Down the Road and Feelin Bad, with improvisations of Not Fade Away on either side.

The band closed with a closing number which will be used for most venues of this tour — One More Saturday Night.

So while the concert perhaps got off to a rocky start, but both the band and the audience appeared satisfied with the gig. In two days the band will play another spot in Denmark, Aarhus University.


title: At Long Last This Concert is Available!

text:
Everyone is familiar with the triple-LP, double-CD, Live Europe 72 from the Grateful Dead.  The songs selected for this collection represented a mere fraction from their 1972 European Tour. The tour covered twenty venues.

Rhino Records released the complete recordings from this tour, in seventy-three CDs, in 2011, in a limited edition  suitcase, and later as an ordinary box set. These collections instantly became a collector’s items, and if one is lucky enough to find one online, the collector’s suitcase edition alone will run almost one thousand dollars. Rhino released individual concerts on CD, but even these are becoming difficult to find. Finally, these concerts are now available for download.

This concert follows two dates at the Wembley Empire Pool in London at the inauguration of their European tour. The band played their hearts out in those concerts and took advantage of four days of rest and refreshment before playing the City Hall at Newcastle, located almost at the Scottish border north of London. This break apparently paid off. They opened this concert with the same gusto they exhibited at Wembley. The band expertly played numbers from their repertoire . The performances were tight and assured.

Of special note in this concert is JC’s deft and sinewy licks and solos backing the songs. JC’s guitar is front and center in this concert, and he dominates the show. This is not to say the rest served as a band-up band. This is but one of the highlights in this concert. Phil Lesh is in fine form as well. Have you ever heard of the lost art of guitar weaving? Lesh expertly weaving his riffs with JC’s, and the result is truly enjoyable. I guess if you had to put a label on the overall playing, this concert would be called the Phil and Jerry Show.

The band finishes into what will be a staple in this tour, a fifty-minute medley consisting in Truckin’-Drum Solo-The Other One-Comes a Time (or some other song), JC’s guitar guiding throughout. The band serves a deserving encore, a three-song set of Sugar Magnolia, Brokedown Palace, and One More Saturday Night. In a part of England where relations with the Crown was and is still problematic, the audience perhaps could not avoid the irony in the title of the middle song from American Beauty.

This concert marked the end of the first leg of their European tour. Three days later their next venue will be in Denmark. A strange trip will become even stranger.


title: At Long Last They Are Available!

text:
Everyone knows about the triple-LP, double-CD, Live Europe 72 from the Grateful Dead.  This collection represented a mere fraction from their European Tour taken in 1972. The tour covered twenty venues.

Rhino Records released the complete recordings from this tour, in seventy-three CDs, in 2011, in a limited edition  suitcase, and later as an ordinary box set. These collections became a collector’s items almost immediately, and if one is lucky enough to find one online, the collector’s suitcase edition will run almost one thousand dollars. Even individual concerts are becoming difficult to find.

At long last these concerts are available.

This concert was the second of the six-week tour and their second in Wembley Stadium, the band having played a day earlier. The band was clearly still energized by a great opening of their tour to an appreciative audience the day before. They opened with a lively, rousing version of Bertha, and that energy was carried them forward to the other songs in the first disc.

There were other highlights to this particular concert.

In a change of pace, Weir tells his own shaggy dog story with what is entitled appropriately enough, The Yellow Dog Story.

Pig Pen really belts out the words to Good Lovin.’ You could tell he was giving it all he had to sing the song. The band appeared to have trouble keeping up with him. Its hard to believe that in a years time he would be gone.

A rarity in their concert repertoire, Looks Like Rain, a soft ballad penned by Bob Weir, follows, featuring inventive fret work from Jerry.

After a break the band returned with a rollicking version of Truckin.

However the best was yet to come. Their next number was a concert standard at the time, It Hurts Me Too. There’s a lot of bluesy feeling in It Hurts Me Too. A magnificent blues solo by JC. This song segues into a thirty-minute Dark Star extended jam and moves skillfully into a spirited version of Sugar Magnolia. Unbelievably, the band did not stop. After a few false stops in Sugar Magnolia, Pig Pen returned to prime the audience and the band jumped into a spontaneous jam called Caution (Do Not Stop) for almost twenty minutes. All told, the band had at it for a solid hour. The audience went wild.

The band will play one more concert in Britain before traveling to the Continent to play in other venues.


title: At Long Last They Are Available!

text:
Everyone knows about the triple-LP, double-CD, Live Europe 72 from the Grateful Dead.  This collection represented a mere fraction from their European Tour taken in 1972. The tour covered twenty venues. Listening to this set is closest we will ever come to nirvana on this earth.

Rhino Records released the complete recordings from this tour, in seventy-three CDs, in 2011, in a limited edition  suitcase, and later as an ordinary box set. These collections became a collector’s items almost immediately, and if one is lucky enough to find one online, the collector’s suitcase edition will run almost one thousand dollars. Even individual concerts are becoming difficult to find.

It is possible — finally — to download an MP3 digital copy of each concert from the Europe 72 Tour off this website.

This concert was the first of a six-week tour. The band sounds energized. The Wembley crowd is appreciative and clearly enjoyed the show. Their cheers and yelps can be clearly heard on throughout the tape. The crowd apparently enjoyed the show so much they were all on their feet, dancing, milling around, doing whatever, prompting Bob Weir to announce after Wharf Rat, certainly on instruction, that they needed to sit in their seats, as the merriment was constituting a “fire hazard.”

In their inimitable fashion the band returned the audience’s good vibes with even more polished and tight performances. The highlights of this concert can be found on the second disc.  This disc begins with a spirited, jazzy, Playing in the Band. A fine version of Truckin follows,  trailing off into a drum solo, which in turn meshes into a rocking rendition The Other One, finally ending with a dirge-like, soulful Wharf Rat . Disc three has a joyous Going Down the River Bad. All in all, a good start for a major tour.


title: Discover a new virtuoso --you will be pleasantly  pleased with the experience

text: Vitas has a voice like no other.  He is a very interesting entertainer...I wish he lived in the western world so westerners could benefit more easily in what he has to offer...he is destined for great success....however, it is slow based on his location.  Everyone should check him out.


I'm a Cheesehead baby! No better CD that gets you ready for game day! :)


title: Great DVD

text: My favorite of the Tom Russell DVD's that I have.


title: Fulfill your own R&R Fanasty

text: Bad Company simply rocks on this extremely entertaining CD!  The boys know how to play, and few vocalists can match Paul Rogers!  I highly recommend everyone who loves great rock & roll music to experience the best of Bad Company!


title: This was the first one I bought!!

text: I first heard Carl play in December 2010. I was still grieving the loss of my mom in late October and went to Vegas for a short visit. I stayed downtown and when I heard him, it was a revelation!! I now have all his CDs and moved from NY to NV, not just to see Carl but it's just a happier lifestyle here.


title: Stunning Soundtrack, Disc Two is Great

text:
I bought this a while back and, stupidly, never played disc two until today.  I don't have much to add to the good reviews already here, but I did want to say that you shouldn't be under the impression (as I was) that the second disc is kind of a throw-away just because they are mostly short pieces and cues.  It plays like its very own album.  The variations on the main theme are spread out so that each time they come up, I am moved again.  In fact, it's unlike any listening experience I've had because of that theme haunting its way in and out in different forms.

It looks like this one's out of print, so I recommend grabbing up a used copy even at the steep price (currently $25+).


title: Five Stars

text: Great band. Great price. Fast shipping!


title: two hands up

text: Very good


title: All Time Favorite Crossover Album

text: What a surprise treat!  I'm glad I didn't listen to the negative reviews because the album is fabulous.  I enjoyed the surprising softer, sexier side of  Hvorostovsky's vocals.  Of course Krutoy's compositions innovative and extraordinary.  I am glad I ordered Part 2 also.


title: Fantastic

text: I wasn't sure I would like  Hvorostovsky's crossover album but I did.  He offers a side to his vocal talent that is softer, sexier and more intimate.  I also purchased Part 1.


title: She rocks

text: A piece of work


title: He’s the best

text: Funny


title: Great buy

text: Love this


title: I'm satisfied with this..

text: Great packaging...the CD looks brand new...thanks for selling quality CD !! Next I'll listen to it...


title: Five Stars

text: I love it.


title: Great item

text: Great item and great delivery.


title: Five Stars

text: The best!


title: Husband loves it

text: My husband loves the great range of these artists. So it was a gift.


title: Easy Transaction

text: The item was just as described and shipped on time.  Recommended seller would buy from again without hesitation.  Thank you!


title: Great gift

text: Granddaughter loves k-pop music. She loves the music and has been listening for many years. Great gift.


title: Five Stars

text: Amazing CD.


title: scotty don't

text: I was glad to find this cd as this band isn't all that well known. the disc was in good shape and played all the way through.


title: Cajun Humor

text: My dad was on a business trip to Louisiana and brought back a copy of this LP for me as a present. I don’t remember exactly what age I was or the year, but very likely early 60s. I played the record many times and memorized all the stories on it. I was surprised to see him many years later on PBS with his own cooking show. Some of the stories on this album still make me chuckle with fond memories.


title: Ad free magazine which is awesome!

text: Ad free magazine.  Great content. Love it!


title: Five Stars

text: This is great for anyone wanting to meditate it helps you do a guided imagery love this product


title: Does any one have this cd

text: If any one has this cd love to buy it if you sell it want it for my collection


title: Five Stars

text: great music and nice to listen to Bob Dylan speak of the songs.


title: High Quality Humor!

text: Great songs and a great band.  Very well produced.


title: Love this CD

text: Love this CD. They were s great group and this has the best songs.


title: Finally bought this CD!

text: I've heard good things about this album the year it was released, Mr. Meade bumped this one time in one of his videos (I saw that video years ago) I was wanting it since then... I just found this the other day, bought it on the spot!<br />My speakers are gonna scream with this right here.


title: Explicit, not what expected

text: I love Beyonce music, but was shocked at the explicit language, which didn't have an explicit label.


title: Sara Liz Lives on....live

text: Sarah's passed away last year but this is some of her finest work and with the band who backed her during that time.  I highly recommend it to everyone.


title: Multiple albums for the price of one.

text: Probably the best deal on new cds I have come across. I literally have every release this band has, and they are perfect in sound along with the original album design for each cd. Simply a great deal. Highly recommend.


title: This album is a true Gift from God, Our Father!

text: I have Quietly, Lighthouse and Hidden in my Heart Volumes 1 thru 4, all by Jay Stocker. I have purchased Christian music for over 40 years. John Michael Talbot is a longtime (four decades long) favorite! That said, these albums by Jay Stocker are truly extraordinary, each one better than the last and Hidden in my Heart, Vol IV is so wonderful and so inspiring. His stated intent was to create lullaby Christian music to rest and sleep by but I've found it is music to pray by and with. In all his albums and so much music by many other Christian artists I have discovered a new favorite of mine and it's the last track on Vol IV, "My Hope is in You." This song is so peaceful, so filled with the love and endless forgiveness of God that it brings me to tears, tears of joy in a reminder of how much our God loves us and wants only our love in return. This song alone will enrich your prayer life and soften your heart! God bless anyone who listens to this music!


title: Waited years to find this song.

text: When I first saw The Trip to Bountiful back in the '80s, I knew then that the rendition of "Softly and Tenderly" (one of my favorite Christian songs) was the most hauntingly beautiful I'd ever heard.  I tried for years to find this album and only recently found it on Amazon.  This song didn't disappoint and remains one of my very favorites, a very prayerful and uplifting version.  When heard in the movie it is as background for a scene in which mother and son run toward each other through a field of bluebonnets and it can't help but make you think of being welcomed home to Heaven.


title: This is the original

text: Same songs as the vinyl LP sound great without the scratches.  These songs have kept their freshness and beauty over the decades.


title: Five Stars

text: Yes


title: Five Stars

text: The best of phi crappa zappa!


title: Five Stars

text: Great item! Was exactly what I wanted! Arrived quickly! Thanks!


title: Brutal

text: Excelente


title: Five Stars

text: Great thanks


title: Returning

text: First and second songs were great but then kept skipping


title: If you want to go down the rabbit hole of Philip glass music, start here.

text: This is the greatest opera of Philip Glass's repertoire. The opera has great music, themes, and scenes. This opera is weird trip through the Life of Albert Einstein and philip glass. This one opera has music an scenes the do not seem interlinked. However, this opera take several listening sessions to really get the full picture. Moreover this is the original vision by Philip glass, there would be some revisions later but only minor changes. The women of France is not featured in later recordings.  However this recording is real treat.


title: Its perfect.

text: It is am amazing album. It techno music you can chill to. Most of the tracks are not very intense with heavy base beats or loud sound effects.


title: Missing parts think its Refurbish

text: Came with so many missing parts! Unit looks used Only thing look new is the bag. Missing batteries filters cords. Never again!


title: Oh Luther

text: I heard Rueben at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach Fl and I knew I had to have this CD.  He made Luther proud.


title: Good quality & authentic

text: I was hesitant about buying from Amazon with fear that it'll come beaten up or be a fake. But I was glad to see that it arrived nice and clean with the plastic wrapping (which I removed before taking pictures). Also appears to be authentic based on the reflection on the KOMCA sticker.


Doesn't get much better than John Bytheway -- for me anyway.  Love everything of his


title: Can't Go Wrong With This

text: Absolutely love these outtakes and alternate versions of the songs I love!  Even their initial versions of songs are masterpieces!  I like hearing how the music may be different, the lyrics may be changed a bit..it's just nice to see how these songs progressed.  The Anthology CDs are a MUST HAVE for any music fan!


title: LOVE IT !

text: My 14 year old son loves this CD.


title: Love

text: Arrived in perfect condition and I loved all of my fan made photo cards. 💜


title: Probably waste of money

text: Nice relaxing music but doesn't do much for positive thinking.


title: Five Stars

text: Love it but you need to speak Czech and know some of the history to appreciate this CD.


title: Five Stars

text: Love it! Arrived perfect and on time


title: Five Stars

text: Best album 2016


title: Five Stars

text: A must have for a Kdrama fan


title: Five Stars

text: Mega love it!


title: Five Stars

text: Awesome CD!!!!


title: love the card

text: Arrive on time, love the card inside


title: Awesome Album

text: The CD is awesome- I really like  the Pianisimo song that he sings as a duet. It is a very soothing CD and I had bought it as a gift for my father and he said he had to pull over when listening to some songs because they were just too emotional for him. Good find on my part.


title: value

text: was as expected


title: renee is a remake

text: I liked the song and the original. The instrument played by j.l.p was orgasmic. The original song was you better call Tyrone. Call Renee was a response to that song, listen to both songs.


title: A very good read

text: Her book was intriguing as to her insight into telling stories.  Just reading her book was a story.  I bought her Do Listen book immediately after.  Very excellent writer.


title: We love this message!  And it does bring healing!

text: Best one ever! Joyce Meyers says it the best!


title: Paul Hogan is wonderful and funny

text: Been looking for this CD for years!  Paul Hogan is wonderful and funny.


title: Jazz Cd from Hallmark

text: Love this jazz, makes me feel spunky and good :)


title: We "LOVE" Kevin Costner

text: Our opinion is:  There is no end to Mr. Costner's talent.  Love his movies and his music.


title: Five Stars

text: A most uplifting joy to listen to.


title: Five Stars

text: What a joy to listen to.


title: good nuff

text: somewhat limited implementation of sound mix.


title: Great BUT....

text: Music is great BUT... it would have been nice if they had listed somewhere the performers of each opera selection.


title: Album of the Year!

text: So much emotions placed into this album. A must have!


title: The Voice Of Bossa Nova

text: Dick Farney is one of the finest performers that Bossa Nova  ever had. Farney's  exquisite phrasing and intimate reading takes you to the Rio De Janeiro myth and invites you to sit down  have a beer or a great chat while watching women passing by, this in fact the Bossa Nova idea.  Tereza Da praia and Copacabana are two of his greatest interpretations. Once again His sophisticated voice turned  these simple  songs into classics.  The intimate Jazz atmosphere is the perfect setting for romance....


title: Five Stars

text: Wonderful! Everything I'd hoped for!


title: Latin Music Lovers Treasure Trove

text: Looking for Malaguena and found it and then some!Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler's sure hand has the Pops offering some great Latin tunes.  A must for fans of the original leader of his world famous orchestra.


title: Great X Mas classics

text: Great music!


title: Fandango

text: My husband has wanted this album for a long time, it plays great and we got it sooner than expected!  Thank you.


title: The DC5 Hits

text: CD plays great, a little disappointed in some of the tunes and one in particular that is missing that was a big hits.  Seems like all "Hits" collections have a few stinkers on them, not just this one!


title: He’s still got it!!

text: Tom Jones is someone I remember my grandmother listening to on her stereo with the warm breeze moving through the curtains in the early afternoon. I was a young girl but I liked his voice and the music I heard. I became a fan and here I am today playing my CD while my young granddaughter is visiting. His music and his voice cross 3 generations and he’s still got it!


title: Soothing and relaxing to listen to after a long day

text: This man has a voice as smooth as velvet. I enjoy listening to him after a long day when I need to unwind. He’s so talented.


title: Solid Set of Songs

text: Purchased for my daughter who likes the record.  Sounds closer to modern American pop, but is still enjoyable.


title: Excellent Record

text: Purchased for my daughter who loves the record and listens to it constantly.


title: Five Stars

text: Great pictures and book.  The songs are really good, too.


title: Charming music and stirs up memories too.

text: Mancini has provided you with familiar themes from movies you will know right away. Easy to listen to and enjoy.


title: Great songs! Sing while driving and enjoy Bruno Mars.

text: Nothing to dislike about lively music! Bruno Mars and his backup guys are fun and entertaining. Give yourself some fun!


title: This is beautiful.

text: Really though, it is. Another reviewer is right, if you come here expecting Nightwish-like content, you're not gonna like it at all. There are a couple rock songs and some of her own songs, but this is mostly opera and some of is just Mike's symphony without her singing at all. She has an incredible voice, if I was told she did metal after only hearing her opera, I wouldn't believe you! If you do love her opera though, tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, 13, 14, and 18 are the ones you really need to hear, she's truly incredible.


title: One of My All-Time Favorite Songs

text: This 1992 ballad is simply spellbinding.  Wendy Moten's outstanding delivery of this song's lyrics takes the listener on an emotional journey of love, regret and hope.  Ms. Moten's vocals are so powerful, they are bound to produce tears in listeners' eyes.  I'm surprised that this song did not top the Adult Contemporary chart, but it did peak at No. 5.  Nevertheless it is a beautiful ballad that should not be overlooked.  This CD single is a definite keeper!


title: Great collection

text: I have been a fan of Boston Pops since the Arthur Fiedler days, and John Williams not only continues the tradition of superior renderings of both classics and contemporary works, but brings new dimension with his own outstanding compositions.


title: Fabulous on a historical pipe organ!

text: Damin Spritzer is one of the greatest living organists today. Her love of the Pipe Organ is conveyed in every performance and CD. This is another must have CD for music lovers.


title: Old Classic Gospel singin'

text:
Roll On (featuring Royce Mitchell)
Liberty Quartet

a PSA to give you info, and the Amazon page has no info.

If you like good, low-down, bass singin', this is the CD for you! Royce Mitchell put together a great project with some classic 1950s-era tunes. The quartet backs him up on many of these songs, as well as some female vocalists.

Roll On includes:

1. Roll Away
2. On The Judgment Day
3. Everybody Gonna Have A Wonderful Time Up There
4. Sheltered In The Arms Of God
5. I Love To Call His Name
6. Sweet Will Of God
7. Let The Hallelujahs Roll
8. Roll On Jordan
9. Happy Rhythm Don't Pass Them By
10. I'm Goin' There
11. God Will Take Care Of You


title: Track List

text:
all good stuff...

santa clause is coming to town - B & D

away in a manger - Kenny Chesney

the angels cried - Alan Jackson & Alison krauss

do you hear what I hear? - Third Day

O holy night - Martina McBride

364 days to go - Brad Paisley

let's make a little Christmas tonight - Phil Vassar

what child is this? - Diamond Rio

O come all ye faithful - Sara Evans

Silent Night - Andy Griggs

little drummer boy - Jars of Clay

Christmas lights - Lonestar

whew - that was a lot of work. gimme a YES for my trouble!! hehe

Sally


title: 5 Disc SET woo hoo!

text:
Christmas Music...

ahh lovely crisp snow, the smell of a fir tree, and music on the phonograph... memories. And if You don't have good Holiday memories - make your own! It's not too late! Start with this nice set of 5, count em five CDs, in one case.

Classic favorites, including Doris Day, Bobby Vinton, Kate Smith, Andy Williams, Maureen McGovern, Authur Godfrey, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir... Oh my! This set is just chock full of goodies!!!

From Ava Maria to Jingle Bells.. Silent Night, Hark the Herald.. Deck the Halls... it's all here!
A Must own.

My dear Norman and I just love to put on some nice Christmas music and dance in the living room, by candlelight and the tree lights on, and a wee bit of Egg Nog... my oh my.. Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas too!!


title: Five Stars

text: Omg love it


title: Chief

text: I loved the music good sound great songs. can't ever go wrong with Jack Jones, A real super star. I have just about all his recordings.also good price.


title: wrong CD should have looked for "greatest hits"

text: wrong CD<br />should have looked for "greatest hits"


title: Sir David's Excellent Adventure

text:
After hearing David Attenborough's narration of Peter and the Wolf on the radio during the Christmas season, I had to get this album so I could enjoy it whenever I liked. (It's the kid in me.)

Sir David's unique voice, diction and delivery are always a pleasure to listen to; as a writer, he can make even the darkest and most complex subjects palatable and understandable. Is it any wonder, then, that his vocal rendition of this whimsical tale is just about perfect, with just the right mix of knowledge and child-like wonder? He sounds not like the much-honoured Sir David the broadcaster and naturalist, but like the doting grandfather telling a story to wide-eyed little future naturalists seated round the campfire.

Thanks to the BBC for preserving this performance for me and for posterity.


title: Worth the hunt

text: This hard to find release features strong solo work backed by a vibrant chorus.  The arrangements are splendid and the performances are delightful.  Grab it if you can.


title: It took longer than usual to arrive, but it ...

text: It took longer than usual to arrive, but it was well appreciated when it did.  I played it loud enough for my neighbors to hear :).


title: Well recorded live Cream, official releases.

text: Originally released maybe 1970 and 1971 after they'd broken up in 1968. Felix had a mobile recording studio record their 8 shows, 4 dates, early and late shows, in San Francisco. Apparently, much of that material was lost in a fire in the Atlantic Records fire of their archives. These survive. Most Cream fans know that they loved to improvise live. Jack Bruce was in the Graham Bond Organization band with Ginger Baker just before they formed Cream with Eric Clapton. Jack said that Eric didn't know it but to him and Ginger he was like Eric Dolphy, the jazz saxophonist, as he improvised Jack and Ginger improvised right with him so every live Cream show is well worth hearing and these two releases are no exception. Being official releases they are well mastered and recorded. Get 'em.


title: Track list

text:
Off the Coast of Me is possibly my favorite song of theirs.
Lifeboat Party 2:34
Stool Pigeon 3:56
GinaGina 3:46
Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy 3:47
Me No Pop I 4:21
Latin Music 2:55
Off The Coast Of Me 3:55
I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby 3:51
Don't Take Away My Coconuts 2:08
Imitation 3:55
Maladie D'Amour 4:16
Dear Addy 3:53
There's Something Wrong In Paradise 3:20
Back In The Field Again 3:24


title: From Spain, 17 bands joyfully cover the Clash

text: 17 Clash songs, 17 bands.  2009 from Spain.  Guns of Brixton Records.  Booklet is in Spanish.  Well recorded.  Nice booklet with a page for each band.  Always the question on a tribute album is, imitation or re-interpretation.  English, Spanish, in this case.  Some of these songs are sung in each language.  Refreshing to hear the Clash sung in Spanish.  Just a nice change.  1 Has a gal singer.  Not bad.  2 In Spanish.  Very similiar instrumentally.  3  English with a Spanish accent.  Little peppier than the original.  4  In Spanish.  Otherwise similar musically but a touch tougher. 5 Nice back up vocals, bit tamer version.  English with an accent.  6 Bit grittier than original.  7 Best so far.  More peppy.  In Spanish.  First song I listened to the whole way through.  8 First one to go a bit more off the musical track than the original.  Nice.  9 Definitely the one so far to leave the original musical path.  Maybe what Red Hot Chili Peppers and U2 would do, as a combined band, covering 'Revolution Rock'. 10 By their picture these guys are the oldest maybe in their 40's, depending on hard they've lived.  Reminds me of the Peter Gunn theme for 'Brand New Cadillac'.  In Spanish.  Sounds like it shoulda been in Spanish all along.  Slight flavor of psychobilly.  11 Piano lead.  That's bold.  In English with an accent.  Nice.  12 'English Civil War' is 'When Johnny Came Marching Home' musically, 100%.  Chuck Berry guitar solo.  In Spanish.  13 'Wrong em bollo' done as a blues.  Really slowed.  Then they add almost a dixie land horn/horns.  I think my parents would really like this one.  14 Anyone with 6 guys in the band I'm expecting a lot.  Sounds like Bruce Springsteen covering 'Somebody Got Murdered', maybe his little brother's band.  15 Closest to a straight up punk band covering the Clash for 'Police on my Back'.  Not hardcore.  Punk.  Bit gutsy.  16 Eight member ska band does a ska cover of 'A White Man in San Francisco' (so to speak).  In Spanish.  Very standard ska.  Horns.  Nice.  17 'Know Your Rights' reminds me, vocally of Joe Strummer. This could be my favorite or second favorite song on the album, no question.  Not a slavish imitation of the original, which, none of them were, but this has the spirit more, somehow.  Besides, they're pictured above cliffs at the sea with a big picnic lunch of theirs, in their leathers.  Looks like two girls in the band but I can't be sure.  Ain't none of the vocals and this song works.<br />Really got a feeling, like I did with the other 3 (ok, 4) best Clash tribute albums (City Rockers: Tribute to the Clash [the best one]; Backlash: Tribute to the Clash; Punk Tribute to the Clash; Police State: Tribute to the Clash) that this project was done with deep love and respect for the Clash and their music. ps, life's real short while eternity is really a long time.


title: Love good tribute cds.  This is a good one.

text: I love covers.  They expand on the original, if done well.  There's the hitch.  Some covers just aren't that good and some just stink.  That Clash tribute with the copper on the cover is horrid.  This one is great.  It gives some interpretations of some of the songs that give a new take, lively ones.  A few are such close copies they're not much more than copies but, overall, I'm real glad I got this.  The best Clash tribute is City Rockers 1999 on Karma records.  Then Police State 1999; this tribute; Backlash 1999; A Punk Tribute to the Clash 2002; White Riot vol one Uncut; White Riot vol two Uncut; and, finally, The Never Ending Story (part 1).  All great tributes tho, for my tastes, they rate in this order.


title: This is a very tasty dvd of Berkeley and 2 cds of studio outtakes.

text: You get the dvd film of Jimi Plays Berkeley from 5/30/70 with Mitch Mitchell on drums and Billy Cox on bass.  There's a moment, a song's worth of time of seeing them prior to the show starting.  I've got a boot of the warm of for this show and they do Blue Suede Shoes and IT KILLS!  If you don't have this dvd feel free to get it here (if they have any for sale at amazon).  As with the regular release of the Jimi Plays Berkeley, there's the audio track of the 2nd show.  And the video has some songs from both shows totally 49 minutes with the audio concert being 67 minutes.  Brutal, he says that he hopes to see them (the Berkeley audience) before December that year but, of course, he didn't make it past September.  Big bummer man.  Because the 2 cds of studio outtakes are definitely worth it.  Nicely recorded.  There seems to be tracks from several different Jimi boots that comprise these 2 cds.  Tho I'm a Jimi freak I'm not organized enough to know where these songs come from.  Fortunately, someone placed a photo for you of the song titles on the three discs so you can see for yourself what's here.  For sure, the recording quality of the dvd and the 2 cds is lovely and totally worth trusting and enjoying.  There's Little Drummer Boy/Silent Night/Auld Lang Syne/Three Little Bears here and extended version of the first three songs.  You won't be disappointed if you buy this unless you have a bunch of Jimi releases and boots, then yer not likely to get much, if anything from here that you don't already have but for everyone else, jump on it kidz.  Go Jimi.  I hope yer in heaven cuz you brought awesome tunes to us in your very brief time on earth.  It's a thrill to watch him play the Star Spangled Banner.  It's the one song he would go more crazy on than any other and it's not that often you get to actually see him working the frets and strumming the guitar and workin' the wah wah (or whatever that silver stick is at the base of the strings).


title: LP version of the finest hardcore punk rock compilation.  1986.

text:
Mob 47 -  Armsrace Is A Crime
Mob 47 -  F...ed Up World
Mob 47 -  War Threat
Mob 47 -  The Cops Rule
Mob 47 -  We Want Freedom
Mob 47 -  Disarm Now !
Mob 47 -  Peace & Justice
Mob 47 -  Lies
Mob 47 -  Religion Is Brainwash
Product Assar -  National Front
Product Assar -  Jagad Till Döds
Moderat Likvidation -  Tio Timmar
Moderat Likvidation -  Nitad
Moderat Likvidation -  Dodeus Barn
Moderat Likvidation -  Atom Bomb
Existenz -  Burning Bones Of War
Existenz -  Vägra
Existenz -  Fight For Freedom
Existenz -  Anger Burning In My Head
Akutt Innleggelse -  De Døde Vakner
Akutt Innleggelse -  Alle Er Så Harde
Anti-Cimex* -  Straight To Hell
Anti-Cimex* -  Wave Of Fear
Anti-Cimex* -  Dead Struggle In A Burning Hell
Enola Gay -  DKP
Enola Gay -  Syndebuk
Enola Gay -  Enola Gay
Enola Gay -  Flere Bomber, Mere Magt
Enola Gay -  Destruktive Hjerner
Enola Gay -  Vold

Stand by.  Hold your breath.  Do you like HC punk rock from the golden era of hardcore?  As any good punk knows, I have to assume, that was 1979 through 1986.  It doesn't mean nothing good came out prior to or after that but those were the true years of tons of (Western) world wide explosion of very high quality hardcore punk rock.  What this amazon listing of this record needs is those audio samples.  Then your ears will tell you the truth of the matter and that is, I Thrash, Therefore I Am is, from what I've heard since 1979 on, the finest HC punk rock compilation ever.  Yes, a bold statement.  And, in the spirit of punk rock, not meant competitevly. It's meant to alert you that, if you already love such music, from whatever decade you are from, musically, you HAVE TO get this record.  Really, the only negative about this record is that it doesn't have the full 70 or so minutes of the redone 60 minute cassette version which was released on cd in 2002 by Schizophrenic Records with BCT.  It happens that, one of the finest ever HC records also just happens to have possibly the very worst cover of all HC time!  Brian Walsby did a BRILLIANT drawing for the cover of this cassette and Craig, at Schizophrenic Records later went on to release an album with that drawing on the cover.  I wish I was smart enough to cut and paste that picture to this review.  This is the vinyl lp version of the BCT (bad compilation tapes/borderless countries tapes) 60 minute cassette tape release from 1986.  These are European groups, mainly Sweden.  I should know exactly and if I wasn't so lame I'd spend a few moments and track them down on the Internet for their exact countries.  A 1,000 copies were made (or was it 500?) of the cd in 2002.  I'm not sure how many of these lst pressing of the album there were, probably 500 and probably 500 more of the one with the correct drawing.  It's funny to say correct it's just it's brilliant, a band thrashing, in the classic Walsby cartoon style.  Don't sell yourself short folks.  Git this record.  Yes, I happen to be chris bct and, along with my lst bct partner, dave, put this together from tapes sent to us in the mail in about 1984 from ads we placed in MRR (Maximum Rock 'n Roll) and a number of small zines across the country and in some foreign countries.  This record is particularly good at exposing you to outstanding HC from non U.S. or UK countries.  Lots of U.S. punx are not well exposed to other European (or Mexican or South American or Australian or Japanese) HC.  It's too bad cuz there's lots of it.  Try it kids.  I know you might be old like me now (58).  But I was listening to this baby, the 2002 70 minute cd version, basically just more music than this tasty album and nothing replaces vinyl does it, right size, great feel in yer hand and, it's just substantial.  You can't go wrong.  There was never any profit in this for us.  We never made any money.  It was always loss in the end.  Yet, having the honor of distributing this tremendous hc music and that it lasts today, is something I'm very happy to be a part of.  We made it a point when we did out comps, 'no bad songs' and it made for really strong tapes/records/cds.  ciao bella and, oh yea, God bless. chrisbct@hotmail.com