title: At 80, Tony Bennett Still Shines!

text:
"I've introduced some wonderful songs that now have become part of the American Musical Landscape." ~ Tony Bennett ~

At eighty, Tony Bennett still shines and this recording is a testament plain and simple! With an impressive line-up of guests and their awesome performances, this 80th birthday offering is a blast and truly a magnificent musical landscape. According to him, this is a brainchild of his son who came up with the most wonderful concept of singing with all these contemporary artists.

The CD Special Edition has four bonus tracks that include duets with Diana Krall (I've Got The World On A String), Michael Bublé (Steppin' Out With My Baby), Judy Garland (I Left My Heart In San Francisco) and Frank Sinatra (The Lady Is A Tramp). The bonus DVD about the making of "Tony Bennett Duets: An American Classic," which runs about 21 minutes, shows film clips on recording sessions and interviews featuring producer Phil Ramone, Tony Bennett with Bono, Dixie Chicks, Michael Bublé, Elton John, John Legend and also cameo appearances of Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.

I have transcribed some of the nicest things they say about the birthday celebrant.

"Tony Bennett is adored by young people. He's the real thing." ~ Phil Ramone ~

"There are no boundaries to his music. He's the coolest guy on the planet. He still sings amazingly at 80, incredible!" ~ Elton John ~

"He never leaves his platform open to something else. He doesn't change his line of clothes just to appeal to a pop culture. He's a pop culture. ~ Phil Ramone ~

"He's the master of picking songs. He understands and religious about how a great song should be portrayed. ~ Bono ~

"He doesn't play any musical instrument, he's the instrument." ~ Phil Ramone ~

This recording has the backing of two of the finest arrangers/conductors, Jorge Calandrelli (Orchestra) and Torrie Zito (Brass Section), and Tony Bennett Quartet: Lee Musiker (piano), Paul Langosch (bass), Harold Jones (drums) and Gray Sargent (guitar). There's a dazzling attraction in each of the tracks and all his guest artists contributed their par excellence performances to make this album truly remarkable and probably the best gift for him on his 80th birthday.

It's hard to choose my personal favorites - each performance has something wonderful to offer and I love them all but I have to select somehow. So here are my top choices.

"Smile" - a fabulous duet with Barbra Streisand highlighting its stunning and emotive violin solo. I'm so moved by the stellar interpretation and awe-inspiring arrangement of this gem of a song. This is probably the most uplifting song ever written.

"Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear maybe ever so near."

"Because Of You" - This is one of many great songs he recorded with k.d. lang. Do you hear that familiar ear-catching sound of trumpet? None other than the trumpeter-extraordinaire, Chris Botti.

"Lullaby Of Broadway" - he sings with the Dixie Chicks in a swinging fashion so full of zest and heartiness. I just love this version and the Dixie Chicks have really impressed me on this.

"The Very Thought Of You" - With Paul McCartney. They both sparkle as they exchange a charming musical conversation. Listen to that hauntingly beautiful bridge.

"How Do You Keep The Music Playing?" - I'll always remember George Michael for his hit song and my favorite "Careless Whisper." They sing with an aching tenderness that makes it so faithful to the lyrics and melody as well.

"Just In Time" - An exuberant and swingy duet with Michael Bublé. Both are in high spirits now that they've "found love just in time and changed their lonely lives that lovely day."

"Put On A Happy Face" - I've heard that familiar heartwarming whistle again from James Taylor just like he did in "My Romance." They surely showed an infectious cheerfulness all throughout the song.

"Cold, Cold Heart" - a great duet with Tim McGraw. Isn't it amazing how some songs that we didn't care about in the past become relatively significant to us just because these songs speak of our experiences in life?

"In anger unkind words are said
That make the teardrops start
Why can't I free your doubtful mind
And melt your cold, cold heart."

"For Once In My Life" - the genius of harmonica, Stevie Wonder, shows off his artistry. In my opinion, he shares the trophy with Toots Thielemans for the best harmonica players of all-time.

"The Shadow Of Your Smile" - I've never heard of Juanes until now. I'm so impressed with their gorgeous duet that is almost like a serenade and with Spanish lyrics at that! "La sombra de tu amo en mi soña."

"Steppin' Out With My Baby" - another jazzy and swingy duet with today's most-raved-about singer, Michael Bublé. They showed the same enthusiasm and ardor in "Just In Time."

"I Wanna Be Around" - an awesome pairing with Bono, a singer with a remarkable voice whom Tony Bennett described as "a beautiful human being who's doing so much for the world."

"The Lady Is A Tramp" - a remarkable duet with the legendary Frank Sinatra recorded in 1988 at Bally's Grandstand in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

"I've Got The World On A String" - bonus track that was recorded live with Diana Krall at the Tanglewood Music Festival. She sings ...

"I've got the song that I sing
I can make the rain go
Anytime I move my finger
Lucky me, can't you see
I've got to sing with Tony Bennett."

This recording will really delight you with the outstanding conversations-set-to-music between the birthday celebrant, Tony Bennett, and his impressive line-up of guest artists. So listen now and experience a beautiful and an enjoyable musical landscape.

Wholeheartedly recommended.


title: I love all his cds

text: I love  all his cds. His musicians are the best. Also good arragements.


title: Five Stars

text: This cd was very enjoyable. It brought back memories.


title: Five Stars

text: Husband listened to book audio and raves about it.now listening for the 2nd. Time!!


title: Opera Arias

text: A wonderful way to listen to Puccini's biggest hits without the singing.  I listen to it often.


title: Keep up the good work Beegie

text: it'S ON MY cd  placer right now.  Brings back memeories of when those songs were popular when I was a teenager.  Keep up the good work Beegie!


title: Five Stars

text: Wonderful album by a great pianist. I love his own interpretations.


title: Andrea Bochelli, Verdi

text: Loved.  Bravo, Andrea.  Moved me to tears.  Eat your heart out, Pavarotti


title: La Boheme

text: Bicelli’s a wonderful Rodolfo.  So emotional in the role.  His Rodolfo had me in tears by the end of the opera.  Best Rodolfo ever! Eat your heart out Pavarotti. I can tell you were taught by the great Franco Corelli.  His Rodolfo is so believable!  You criticize Bocelli, you criticize Corelli and Pavarotti.


title: clayman plays carpenters

text: It worked out very good. It was for my husband and he really liked it


title: Four Stars

text: ok


title: Excellent player and performer!

text: I heard Nicholas Marks play live at DownTown Disney (now known as Disney Springs).  He is not only an excellent guitar player, but an amazing performer.  He plays all kinds of music, but puts his own Flamenco style twist to a lot of the tunes.  He brings an element of excitement and showmanship to his performances and I guarantee you will love every moment of it.


title: Good CD

text: Too bad the other reviewers didn't like this CD.  I think it is a nice relaxing sound, with an upbeat tempo.  I play the CD while reading.  It is not too busy to distract the reading, but good enough to drown out the surrounding noises.  And if you happen to listen to the CD afterwards, it brings the books back to life.  I enjoyed it.  If we all had the same tastes, it would be a boring world.  And for the price, you can't beat it!


title: Excellent debut album!

text: Don't let the album cover fool you (it's actually from Martha's sophmore EP). Her first is one of my all time favorite recordings; Martha has the most amazing voice and if you can get your hands on a copy of this rare album, it's worth it -- trust me!


title: The Best of the Ancient

text: This is a great sampler of the genius of ancient Chinese music. Lovely on a raiany day.


title: Clarification

text: I just received this purchase at this EXACT minute and in my haste put in a (SA)CD And my sacs player,which is set at sacs layer default-which means it plays the sacs FIRST- and it was playing the CD layer! I was not happy! Then I read the fine print describing the mastering. DISC 1 HAS BOTH CD AND SACD LAYERS. THE SACD LAYER CONTAINS THE FULL ALBUM. THERE IS NO SACD LAYER ON DISC 2. MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MONO TAPES BY RYAN K SMITH AT STERLING SOUND. AUTHORED FOR SACD BY GUS SKINAS AT THE SUPER AUDIO CENTER. ------I will be back with my comments about the audio quality although I have felt that Ella's Songbook Series always sounded very well especially with the last re-mastering/re-packaging that came out several years ago. Of course,the artistic quality is simply outstanding.


title: Another nice addition to my Christmas music collection

text: This disc was made to order.  I'm pleased with the quality of the disc, for it's a transfer of music from the 60's; it does sound like an "older" album, but I like this artist and the selection of holiday songs she's chosen for her French Christmas album.


title: Wonderful!

text: I really enjoyed this Cd listing to the piano classics by Henry Mancini. He has a way with the piano.


title: Five Stars

text: The album is wonderful! One of her very best.Can't recommend it highly enough!


I got see Petula Clark in London in this role. Although I was hesitant at first she knocked it out of the park. So it is nice to have her versions of the songs here.


title: He continues.

text: I am a old fan of Hal Roach and love his Irish humor.  It is clean and fun to listen to.  I started listening to him at clubs then charity events and became hooked on him unfortunately the Irish store I use to buy his stuff  from stopped carrying his CD so I picked up on another great comedian and still follow his music.  Came back to Hal Roach by accident looking for a DVD on Irish music.


title: Great Irish Humor

text: Hal Roach is or was a Irish Comedian whose humor was very Irish, he was almost like a super star for Ireland, he toured through out Europe and the United States and developed a ton of fans who followed him until the end of his career.  I do not know if he is alive or retired but I do know he was the best.  This CD is towards the end of his height and it still great.


title: Good entertainment to take your mind away to the beginning of the exporation of science fiction

text: The CD are very good quality and come through clean and clear.  The programs are science fiction space type. Shows are excellently written and the acting is about what you would expect from a 50ish production.  Given that this was not sponsored by any major sponsors or a national radio network (NBC, CBS, etc.) it was and is a nice program to listen to.


title: Glad I Bought it Used

text: I wouldn't call this a "Duets" CD; but rather, Gaga singing Karaoke to Tony Bennett.  There might be one song on it they actually sang together . . . perhaps the opener, "Anything Goes", but beyond that, it's just clever dubbing.  And though I love Gaga's voice, the one who sang this kind of music best was the late, great Natalie Cole.  I was going to give it one star, but I'll give it two because it's fun to listen to.


title: These guys are Primo....

text: Just as described. Wonderful to hear this great music again. These  guys are great to do business with....


title: Five Stars

text: A good production of this work of genius by Webber--and Eliot!


title: Great product

text: I loved the collection of the 60s, brings back those great old days.My thanks to those who made this possible.


title: Five Stars

text: Great songs!


title: Five Stars

text: ROSLYN KIND is ALWAYS BEYOND AMAAAAAZING!!!!!  So thrilled I found this rare treat!!!!  Thank you!!!!!


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent! I love it!


title: No one compares with Dusty!

text:
Dusty was a multi-talented artist and hit maker who found worldwide acceptance before her sad and untimely death. This album, as I understand it, had been sitting on the shelf for years until it was finally released, and I'm so glad it was. She had her own style and was great in concert, judging from the TV clips I've seen, but I hear she drove the engineers up a wall in the studio, because she would sing in very brief phrases, sometimes only a word, and re-do re-do re-do, and then expect the engineers to sort through this mess of hundreds of takes and piece it all together. A bit eccentric I'd say! And one wonders why she did that when she clearly could sing well. Some people are just perfectionists I guess.

I couldn't wait to hear this CD so listened to it in the car on the way home, then didn't want to get out of the car so sat in the driveway so I could finish it. It's that good!


title: DON'T BOTHER!

text:
After spending more time analyzing this release I decided to revise my review to point out several other problems with it. First of all, they have chosen for the cover of this boxed set one of the most unflattering EARLY pictures of Rosemary I've ever seen (which appears to be from the 1940s) -- from a period that does not even seem to correspond to when these recordings were made (1955-61). How odd. Then they repeat that same rotten photo on all the CDs. The decision to do this is reflective of the rest of the package because it demonstrates that whomever it was (Robert Bader of Crosby enterprises?) who chose this repertoire for Mosaic, was fairly clueless about this great artist.

Otherwise, why would they have made such a poor choice of repertoire? Once you've listened to the first disk, there's no reason to bother listening to the other four; they all sound the same. There is a monotony to the music that is stultifying. Typically a song starts out with Buddy Cole's hideous Hammond, Rosey sings a little, then we have to endure overly long bridges on which Mr. Cole tries to show off his keyboard skills on the electric organ, and then Clooney does a quick ending. On some songs it seems Cole is the star and Rosey just fills in here and there. It has been reported on the web that there were over 250 songs by Miss Clooney in the can from these radio shows. All sorts of her performances on the Bing/Rosey show and her own CBS broadcasts are missing. Understandably, since this set features roughly 100 songs they had to omit some. But it's the ones they left out that are among HER BEST. Where are "My Personal Possession," "Around the World," "Colors," "Tammy," "It's Never Quite the Same," "Almost In Your Arms." The list goes on: GREAT SONGS that SHOULD have appeared here, but disappointingly do not. The numbers I mentioned would have imbued this offering with more musical diversity. Instead we get too many of the same-sounding songs.

The statement that "90 recordings - have never been available until this limited, collector's edition set" is provably UNTRUE. You can find many of these songs on scores of OTR sites, some of them in very good fidelity, which have been sold on CD-Rs by the site owners (for only a few bucks) for YEARS and are the equal of what is on the Mosaic expensive set. Just browse the web if you don't believe me. Sadly, there are also some really bad copies of some wonderful Clooney performances that appear on the web and THOSE are the ones that Bader and Mosaic should have given us here. Why didn't they?

The sound quality is not bad but it could be better. It is highly dubious these recordings are all derivative of tapes as is claimed. Why else would there be some pops and clicks, if some of these didn't come off disks?

So we are left with a set that seems deliberately to spotlight the most bland recordings by Miss Clooney out of some stellar tracks that are known to exist. A barely passable pianist, when Buddy Cole turned to his hideous Hammond organ to accompany Clooney (or Bing Crosby), he invariably RUINED the track. He had a real knack for coming in blaringly LOUD and TOO FREQUENTLY, utterly destroying the mood of the song and stomping all over Rosemary's exquisite vocals. Granted there are a handful of songs on this VERY OVERPRICED set that have somehow escaped Cole's ruination, but not enough salvageable material to even make 1 decent CD out of. I know. I've tried to go through and pick out enough songs to burn a "favorites CD" for my own enjoyment. It's very hard. There are a few gems, but I emphasize the word FEW.

Miss Clooney was a vastly underrated singer of considerable power and depth, whose beautiful intonation and perfect pitch were so very pleasurable to hear. It is a sad, sad thing that an opportunity was missed to showcase her lesser known performances here. Bottom line: don't bother. There is plenty of other wonderful Rosemary Clooney material available on Amazon.

And BTW, despite the vicious personal assaults on me by other reviewers who even purport to know who I am (how could they?), I am not shilling for anybody else. What I have posted here is my honest opinion. I commend the label for wanting to do a package on one of the finest female singers of all time. I just wish they would have gotten the fans involved to help them pick the material. We could have recommended far better songs than what is showcased here. THAT is my point. I seriously doubt they will come out with a Vol. 2 boxed set anytime soon. It is just very disappointing to a lot of us Clooney fanatics. Her fans DESERVE to hear the rest of her unreleased music and many of us will never live long enough to enjoy that pleasure.


title: Used CD

text: The sound on the cd is clear but volume needs to be adjusted in some minute areas when playing.  I chalk that up to the year the music was recorded (1987) and possibably the age of the cd.  I am still pleased with the cd and most especially with the price!  I have been looking for this cd for a few years to replace my original. Many thanks to the seller, Mr brown.


title: Five Stars

text: Delightful!


title: Diana Channels Billie in her Unique Style

text: Diana takes on Billie's inflections and her style to sing "behind the beat" ... but keeps it as "her own". I love that she doesn't try to "mimic" Billie but rather adapts Billie's style to her own vocalizing. Diana never sounded better. How wonderful that she could go from Pop to Jazz Standards and carry it off. Worth the purchase.


title: Laura Never Sounded So Good!

text: MTAND in MONO - Disc 1 is a revelation. I own the Verve original MONO version on vinyl and it far surpasses the Columbia re-issue back in the day. The Columbia version was screechy and harsh to my ears, too much reverb - as compared to the  VERVE original.  I must say this CD by Real Gone has taken the original mix from Verve and made it detailed and smooth and sweet. Laura's voice is clean and detailed and there is a real separation between her vocals and the instrumentation. Lots of "air" around the instruments! A must have for any Nyro fan. From what I have read, the ELI is a fold down from the Stereo version - but it still "sings". Different things are accentuated or downplayed and it makes for a unique listening experience. The music, as you would expect, is as great as it ever was. Also, the two single mixes presented as bonus tracks sound fantastic. The single mix of Eli is intense and urgent, and the pop-oriented version of Save the Country would be right at home on Christmas and the Beads of Sweat next to Freeport and Blackpatch. I do own the recent Audio Fidelity re-issue from last year on SACD. But that was in STEREO and it does sound GOOD! But must say, this MONO fold down ain't bad. Yes, I am very much a Nyro fan - from back in the day from it's original release. Good to know that people still love Laura. To the folks at Real Gone and Second Disc - thank you for making this "real"!


title: Bing is the REAL voice of Christmas

text: A great find for a Crosby fan - songs that are not the "normal" versions to which you are accustomed. And the big plus is the duets with Ella Fitzgerald on a couple of songs, as well as Ms Peggy Lee on one. My understanding is that these selections are from his radio or tv broadcasts in the 50's ... which, to my knowledge ... have not been available. And the sound is crisp and clean, as if they were recorded in today's studio environment. Bing is in great vocal form and it "feels like Christmas"!


title: Memories .... right on ONE CD

text:
I had this as a teenager on LP. Ordered it just to "have it" for the digital age.

It's great and the sound is pretty good. For the music and the times, it's quite adequate. Some complained that it lacked the Jerry Blavat commentaries throughout as they were originally on the LP. For me - I find it quite OK to NOT have him commenting. The music speaks for itself and I always disliked the fact that he "spoke" during the original LP songs. I just wanted to listen to the Music and NOT him. LOL!!!!

Enjoying this CD and the memories it brings immensely!


title: As good as I knew it would be

text: The music of the Carpenters is wonderful.  Richard did a swell job with this album.  Sorry it took me so long to get it.


title: Love those Kendalls

text: This was a song  I really liked but it was not included on any of their greatest hits albums I could find.  So I'm thrilled to have it.  Thanks.


title: Four Stars

text: Excellent collection of George Burns.  Glad to have it.  Thanks.


title: Five Stars

text: Really appreciate being to obtain another Dottie West 45 that my collection was missing.  Thanks.


title: Good song. I've always liked whatever version I'd hear ...

text: Good song.  I've always liked whatever version I'd hear by the many people who have recorded it over the years.


title: Three Stars

text: This was good but I liked him better with SKO.


title: Four Stars

text: Good Michael Murphy song.  Glad to have it.


title: Four Stars

text: Eddie Rabbitt is good stuff.  Glad to have it.


title: Glad to have this in my collection

text: Eddie Rabbitt is ALWAYS worth listening to.  Glad to have this in my collection.


title: Five Stars

text: I love all things Eddie Rabbitt.  This one, too, is a winner.


title: Five Stars

text: Another good song by Eddie.  Sorry we lost him so soon in his life.


Eddie Rabbitt never did a bad song as far as I'm concerned.  Happy to have this one with the others I've bought.


title: Four Stars

text: Good song and good artist.  Happy to have this record in my collection.


title: I really liked his music

text: Roy Drusky was, I think, an underrated performer.  As for my part, I really liked his music.  Glad to have this album.


title: Good record.

text: Just about anything by Brenda Lee is worth having.  Good record.


title: Five Stars

text: Pleased to have this recording.  It was not included on any of her greatest hits compilations.


title: Four Stars

text: I like it very much.  Thank you for fast service.


title: Great Old Hits

text: I love this CD.  It has a lot of favorites from my senior year of high school.  It's a real treasure to have all these hits on one CD.  I would recommend this to anyone who loves music from the 60's.  So glad I made this purchase!!


title: Great soul music for late 70's quadraphonic listening!

text:
I have always been a Johnnie Taylor fan. Despite possessing  a great voice, he was equally adapt at
choosing appealing songs to showcase it. The quadraphonic mix for both disc is  tasteful  while still
aggressively discrete .Up-tempos like Love Is Better In The A.M. are quite trippy and fun.


title: Lalah's Gem

text:
What I really like about this cd is how consistently good it is.

She seems to have only used a core group of writers and musicians and that's always preferrable to using the potpourri

of different people she worked with on her shining debut and "A

Moment."  The only thing that this collection may be lacking is

compelling lyrics on many of the tracks. Many of the songs tend

to be "I thought you loved me..."Remember when we loved eachother..." typical fair. However, she does better on "Boston"

and "Outrun The Sky."  I think the fact that she seems to be

making music on her own terms makes this her best released collection yet.


title: Excellent Rock album.

text: An excellent rock album from beginning to end! Great mix of rockers and mellow, introspective songs. Favourite tracks are 2, 4, 8 and especially 6-Song To Churches.


title: Awesome music! Takes me back to the best times ...

text: Awesome music!  Takes me back to the best times of my early growing-up years!  Great service, speed and all.  Very happy.


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent!  Got it early, shipped well and I'm very happy with the entire process!


title: OUTSTANDING!

text: I AM SO VERY PLEASED WITH THE ITEM.  PERFECT PRODUCT AS PROMISED.  WILL DO BUSINESS AGAIN WITH SELLER.  THANK YOU.


title: music

text: great price


title: Five Stars

text: TVM


title: DIAPPOINTMENT

text: Here it is, the Gala of our time and all we get is audio CD's. Is it so difficult to get artists' releases for the DVD presentation, the 2018 standard for something as important as this gala was. Afraid I will have to wait forever to see it on DVD just like it seems that the Centennial Gala was never produced in the 8+ hour version 35 years ago.


title: Wonderful Set !

text: This is definitely the Eagles at their best !


title: Mood Swings With Johnny Mathis...

text: These 3 CDs are fantastic inclusions of the "All" of Johnny Mathis.


title: Four Stars

text: Don't remember it.


title: Great soundtrack for a classic musical.

text: Great soundtrack for a classic musical.


title: classic!

text: An absolute classic (of course, it passed that milestone long ago.0)


title: It.s wonderful!

text: Everything Andrea does is magical.  He's a wonderful performer.  I plan on going to his San Jose concert when they reschedule .  I have tickets already.  They postponed the May 16th concert and are going to reschedule  My daughter is going with me.  She loves him too!  Linda


title: Everything Andrea does is wonderful

text: I liked the whole CD/DVD.


title: Great music for children

text: The grandchildren love singing and dancing to this CD.  I play it whenever they ask.  It is important they have a Christian background.


title: Love It!

text: Love all the songs. RIP Aretha!


title: Fine

text: It was fine


title: Good Leona Lewis music

text: I really like this CD.  I've listened several times.  I recommend this CD,


title: Five Stars

text: Music is great.... wonderful album for just zoning out for a few hours.


title: THE REVOLUTIONARY TENTH FOUND COMPLETED!

text: THE BEETHOVEN TENTH, REGARDED BY A DUBIOUS AS UNFINISHED, FOUND IN A FRENCH BOOKLET, OF THE SEPARATED FINALE IN AMERICA, PER THE PBS DOCUMENTARY! HURRAH! Charles


title: ARAGON QUALITY MASTERS!

text: SUPER CLEAN SOUND & CLARITY! RECOMMENDED! CHARLES


title: Five Stars

text: Camerata Telemann, is outstanding New York Collegium Ensemble! 5 STARS!


title: Great Extemporazing! 5 STARS

text: Handel Concertos, Very Proper & Soothing! Great Extemporazing! 5 STARS!


title: how can it not be amazing!

text: Come on, it's The Beatles, how can it not be amazing!


title: doesn't get much better than this

text: Wow, the Beatles and and T shirth, doesn't get much better than this.  And one of their greatest songs to boot!


title: Simply Streisand

text: Great treasure of a young pure Barbra!..songs that take you back to when we heard and knew she is the greast Star!


title: Beautifully done

text: This is a beautiful disc--it's one of the best relaxation cd's that I own, and I've listened to a lot of them. It's definitely the go-to disc when I want to sit and relax and enjoy music with very nice melodies that doesn't overwhelm and allows the mind to calm down. I've loaned it out a few times, and the people who borrow it always end up getting their own copy. I would like to know, though--who the heck is Yuri Sazonoff, and why does Amazon credit him for this music?


title: Nice early work from 10cc

text:
This is a nice collection of earlier work, including:

Disc One:
1. Rubber Bullets
2. Donna
3. Johnny Don't Do It
4. Sand In My Face
5. Speed Kills
6. The Dean And I
7. Ships Don't Disappear In The Night (Do They?)
8. The Hospital Song
9. Fresh Air For My Mama
10. Headline Hustler

Disc Two:
1. The Wall Street Shuffle
2. The Worst Band In The World
3. Hotel
4. Old Wild Men
5. Clockwork Creep
6. Silly Love
7. Somewhere In Hollywood
8. Baron Samedi
9. The Sacro Iliac
10. Oh Effendi

As usual with 10cc, the music's a lot of fun and always of high quality. This early work shows their talent very well.  It's four stars only because they could have included many more songs on a two-disc retrospective.


title: Somehow this review got moved to the CD version. . . .

text:
It's hard to separate the music and the DVD, but I have to say that while I love the music and love the visual images on the DVD, the filmmakers suffer from an incredible attention deficit--they don't allow any of the images that we see to linger for more than four or five seconds, tops. One of the reasons I buy DVD's such as this one is to be able to relax while watching beautiful images, yet my mind just starts to appreciate one when boom--it fades out and is replaced by another, which fades out just as quickly. How is this relaxing? This isn't a rock video--the music is soft and relaxing, but whoever edited the film seems to think that you can't enjoy a mountain lake or a field of flowers or a close-up of leaves in autumn for more than four seconds without getting bored. That might be the case for the MTV crowd, but my guess is that the MTV crowd isn't buying this disc.

I do put it on when I want to hear relaxing music when I have things to do--and I can look over at the screen every once in a while to treat myself to a beautiful image to help keep things in perspective. But I can't put it on to watch and relax to; it's just far too frustrating.


title: Five Stars

text: Absolutely love this


title: soothing music

text: Love these boys.  Very nice listening music


title: Enjoy the Listening.

text: Always good to hear her voice with a mix of oldies and some relatively new to her repertoire.


title: One Star

text: This 2 CD set sounds like CRAP!  Don't buy it!  Worst sounding bootleg I ever heard!


title: One Star

text: AVATARMUSIC IN THE U.K. ARE DISHONEST


title: Hate it!

text: Sounds like cheap tape recording. Song are not preformed very well. Sounds like a beginners practice tape! save your money!


title: Romance Music

text: Great music


title: West Side Story

text: Thanks for the great product.  Was nice to take a memory trip back to the 60's,  I love the music.


title: Five Stars

text: Elvis voice never sounded better! Delighted!


title: Great teaching too, for music ....will only get Ted Kennedy version

text: Was fabulous ... Was great .. Use it for school ....


title: Five Stars

text: Very enjoyable


title: My husband loved it.

text: We really like the CD and it has some great songs.  Would recommend to our friends, family and coworkers. Good buy.


title: Chris Tomlin CD

text: Anointed songs of praise and worship.  What a gifted singer, song-writer!


title: Excellent Collection

text: Her voice is perfect for these songs - Loved every track.


title: Great music, amazing sound

text:
One word of advice... DO NOT ORDER THIS DISC unless you own a player that can play Super Audio CD's. This is a single layer disc that, unlike hybrid SACD's, can't be played on regular CD players. But if you do have an SACD player, you'll be rewarded with some amazing sound quality.

There are many tracks on this set that should be very familiar to Mauriat's fans. The original "Love is Blue" is included, with superb clarity and detail. With 50 tracks, spread over two discs, you're bound to hear some of the tracks you've loved over the years with unmatched fidelity. Many are Mauriat's own compositions, too.

All in all, if you have the appropriate player for this disc, waste no time ordering it. Yes, it's a tad expensive, but so worth  it!


title: Ray Conniff never sounded better

text: Thanks to the arrangements with Sony Music, Dutton-Vocalion offers several fine albums by Maestro Conniff that were released in the 70's on SQ quadraphonic records and Q8 tapes, but neither of these formats can match the clarity and dynamics of this SACD. In addition, offering two great albums on one disc simply adds to the value these discs offer. As hybrid SACD's, they can be played, in stereo, on any standard CD player. But played on an SACD player that's connected to a full surround system, the full presence of the recordings can be realized. Get this one, though. It'll impress you.


title: Terrific album, awesome surround mix

text:
I've been a fan of the Alan Parsons Project for years, and this is one of their better albums. The vinyl, which I bought back when it first came out, was quite good, as was the CD that I added later. I always felt they were a natural for surround sound, but they were in their prime after interest in quad had died down. Home theater happened, and with technologies such as DTS CD's, DVD-Audio, and SACD, interest in surround music was again on the climb. All of these formats had their advantages and disadvantages, but DVD-Audio discs didn't need a special player to hear the music in surround, unlike those other formats. Any DVD player, connected to a home theater system, could do it. Blu-Ray Audio, like DVD-Audio, offers the same convenience. And if that blu-ray player uses the HDMI connection into a home theater receiver for both audio and video, it's even better.

This album takes full advantage of the high-resolution surround sound offered by DTS-HD Master Audio, delivering full, uncompressed 24/96 fidelity, far beyond CD quality. The 5.1 mix takes full advantage of this capability, giving you a full sound immersion without resorting to sonic "trickery". Many say it's not realistic to have sound coming from all around you, but your two ears do hear sounds from all around you, and you can clearly tell when a sound is coming from in front of you, from behind, and to which side. Psychoacoustics. Your brain does awesome things with the information it gets! The dynamics are preserved as well, without the limitations a lower-resolution format, like CD, would impose.

The music, though, is what it's really all about. The album opens with a track called "Sirius" (not to be confused with the satellite radio service). This track has been used in many sports events, so it should be familiar. It blends into "Eye In The Sky", the title track, which was also a hit single for APP. Other great tracks are "Children Of The Moon", and "You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned", but the entire album is first rate. Not a clinker in the bunch!

If you're a fan of the soft rock genre, and have a great surround sound system you want to show off, this is a great disc to to it with.


title: Best Holiday [or otherwise] Gift EVER!!!!

text: If you like cool music, beautiful vocals & great orchestration, THIS is for you! Great to play when dining, sitting and reading.... I LOVE it. I bought another one as a gift.


title: Five Stars

text: This is a good product.


title: Meh

text: I love Prince but I returned this.  The Valente cd was bad  like the worst of the 80’s bad. The Mpls cd was ok but never got going. The Prince cd was just meh. Hate to say it but there you go.  On top of all that I saw...on Amazon... the cd’s for sale $30 LESS than I paid.  Nope... gotta go back


title: Five Stars

text: love it - many thanks


title: Five Stars

text: GREAT CD


title: Perceived Value

text:
one can see the novelty of this .. pat is obviously taking the mickey...
as a devout Christian ( allegedly) he's throwing down with beelzebub
on some pretty fiery classics...and deliberately playing it down...

musically it doesn't reset the high bar..(never did in his day job either,
if i'm being honest) so the question is...shouldn't this be in the
5.00 bins alongside sheer elegance and the floaters rather than
the 97.00 being sought here?..what's even more mysterious is that
its currently going for 13.98 futher up this page!


title: Four Stars

text: Terrific compilation


title: Agatha Christie, Miss Marple, and Joan Hickson make a formidable trio!

text:
This is a review of the audio CD of Agatha Christie's sixth Miss Marple mystery novel. Although Dame Christie wrote far more books featuring her most famous sleuth, Hercule Poirot, the story goes that she grew tired of the little Belgian and embraced the elderly spinster from St. Mary Mead. Careful readers of her work will notice that, in the later Poirot mysteries, he often does not appear until well into the book and/or he shares the stage with the delightful Ariadne Oliver, mystery novelist and "sort of" stand-in for Agatha Christie herself. The later Miss Marples tend to humanize her more and show her as a central figure. Listeners to this novel on CD have a special treat in that they get to listen to Joan Hickson, the finest portrayer of the character, read the book in all her dithery glory.

Before we see Miss Marple, we get to meet the loathsome members of Rex Fortescue's family at their odd estate, Yewtree Lodge. Fortescue is NOT old money; rather, he is a crass member of the nouveaux riche, married to a most inappropriate younger beauty, hated by one son and estranged from the other. Each family member is out for him or herself; even the servants in this household (perhaps the most interesting lot of servants of any of Christie's manor house mysteries) have their foibles and secrets. Very few characters in this menage are likable, but of course that makes for a wonderful mystery.

A series of murders occurs which loosely follow the Mother Goose rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence." One of these murders hits close to home for Miss Marple, and she journeys to Yewtree Lodge, determined to seek justice for more personal reasons than usual. And in her own fluffy style, she succeeds in a case that baffles the police.

Miss Marple works intuitively, so don't expect the clueing to be as clever as it is in the Poirot books. But this book makes up for that with a tug at the heartstrings, and the final pages have some moments that are rather heartbreaking. The women characters in this novel are particularly diverse and enjoyable. Highly recommended and great fun!


title: Gret

text: Maria Gadu is an exceptional artist, nothing is missing. It is full pack, full of greatness.


title: Classic Cher

text: Cher's 3 best albums on 2 cd's. A must have for Cher fans. Released in 1975, 1976 & 1977, these 3 collections represent Cher at her very best when she was actually a stylist vs a dance artist. Song selections are fantastic - Stars has Cher doing remakes of songs primarily made famous by male artists (the song "Stars" is the exception - a Janis Ian composition and one Cher's best vocals ever.) "I'd Rather believe in You" is more upbeat and filled with what should have been radio hits - very enjoyable. "Cherished" (1977) feels like a throwback to her story songs like "Half Breed" and "Dark Lady." I keep switching between which of the three albums is my favorite because while they are so different they are also each exceptional. Never officially released on cd and hard to find on vinyl, I highly recommend this double cd package.


title: very good

text: It was fun watching this dvd and some of the artist who are no longer around.


title: Still going strong.

text: I am never disappointed when I purchase a Nelson Rangell CD.  This is just another great CD by one of the greatest horn players. I am just so sorry that he doesn't put out more music.  Again you won't go wrong if you purchase this CD.


title: Ramsey Lewis still making great music.

text: This is the first Cd of Ramsey Lewis that I have purchased in several years. This CD is great. All of the tracks on this cd are awesome.  Especially his take of living for the city. Thanks Mr Lewis for putting out a great cd.


title: The lads are still on a roll...

text:
The Coral's sixth album "Butterfly House" (I don't know why most people leave out 2004's "Nightfreaks & the sons of Becker" when counting) breaks no new ground, despite production by John Leckie (Radiohead, Verve and Stone Roses). It's more of their retro psychedelic sound with sweet harmonies and catchy hooks. If there are any noticeable changes (besides the departure of guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones), it's that the sound is somewhat darker with lead vocalist James Skelly taking more of a backseat to the harmonies.

Opening is the bouncy yet ominous "More than a lover" which could soundtrack Morricone spagetti western. Also upbeat is the jangly "Roving jewel" while "Walking in the winter" is Folk/Country-tinged with Skelly singing "It's okay to close your eyes/Those silver sailing ships go sailing by".

The title track "Butterfly house" features gorgeous multi-layered harmonies and chiming guitars spliced with barely audible dialogue. Hugely addictive. "Green is the colour" starts with sea and mariachi sounds and is a beautiful swaying ballad, followed by the acoustic ballad "Falling all around you". "She's comin'around" is set to double-time beats in the chorus contrasting the lulling verses.

The spooky "Coney Island" is built around chiming xylophone and brooding harmonies with a Waltz-like coda suddenly throwing one off a different tangent. Closing is the the expansive groovy "North parade" with extensive guitar breaks and a delicate piano coda.

Like I stated, doesn't really break new ground but The Coral don't need to. What they do is unique and they do it very well. Another winner.


title: This falcon soars...

text:
On their debut CD, Manchester quartet The Courteeners came off sounding like The Smiths, or a more polished Libertines. For their sophomore CD, they go sublime "With or without you"-style U2 (as well as ditch their accents)  so if you're expecting upbeat racuous songs like "If it wasn't for me" off their debut, you may be disappointed. Songs like "The opener", "Take over the world", and "Good times are calling" are softly pulsing rockers with tight harmonies.

The theatrical "Cross my heart & hope to fly" takes a few liberties, chiming sounds against a wall of Oooh ooh ohs, while the deliriously catchy single "You overdid it, doll" is Disco-tinged Rock a la Franz Ferdinand, "Take me out" especially, which is great seeing as Franz Ferdinand themselves have been hard pressed to produce anything like that ever since. Also Disco-tinged is the buzzing upbeat "Scratch your name upon my lips".

"Sycophant" is bouncy Smiths-esque Pop, while "Will it be this way forever" is a dark-sounding jangly Rocker.

For ballads, there's "Lullaby" with bubbling synths and vulnerable lyrics confessing "I'm a fool who thinks he's strong as Cassius Clay", the lovely sweeping "Cameo brooch", and for fans of the acoustic Pete Doherty-style "Yesterday, today & possibly tomorrow" off their debut, there's "The rest of the world has gone home" (with Liam Fray turning in similar tender throaty vocals), and finally the piano ballad "Last of the ladies".

The CD does take its time to work its charm but once it does, it soars!


title: Great rock music

text: Rare album I needed on CD.. Great rock music.. Great story.. !


title: Poor performer

text: If I would have been to preview his song as a sample, I wouldn't have bought it. No excitment in his voice.


title: Five Stars

text: ok


title: pleased

text: received in good condition.  pleased with purchase.  looking forward to many hours of pleasure.cd received as reported. thank you again. look forward to my next purchase.


title: Good True Hawaiian Music

text: The Kahauanu Lake Trio was well known in Hawaii in their day and perform beautiful, true Hawaiian music. If you love Hawaii, you will enjoy this CD.


title: Great interviews and very refreshing

text: It was an awesome video containing fresh and very personal interviews with Barbra and the Bergmans...very refreshing to see them all so relaxed and quite candid. A must see for Barbra fans


title: Liebesträume

text: I think I have most of the Anthony Ventura music, cd's, records, and cassettes , and when I saw this one listed, I knew I didn't have it. I didn't know it was a classical CD, and I really  don't like classical music, however anyone who does like classical would like it.......It wasn't listed as classical when I purchased it, as I would not have bought it......good for some but not for others.......


title: Beatles, Yesterday and today: Butcher cover vinyl Lp Picture Disc

text: I do have a collection of all the Beatles records.....but for a collector, this picture album is worth the price, just to say you have it....I've never seen one except for this one....If you can get one just don't worry about the price, just buy it and put it on the shelf for your kids to someday say. "This was a record that belonged to my dad's generation".


title: Easy Listening Music

text: I think I have collected all the Eden Collection CD's....of course I don't collect them because of the beautiful covers, I collect them for the easy listening music that is on the cd's.....In The Mood For Love, is one of the best to just lay around and listen to good music..


title: Interesting

text: My parents wanted to read this book. So I bought them the CD for long distance traveling. Definately a mature "read" as it is very violent. Interesting point of view from O'Reilly.


title: Fantastic!

text: If you can get your hands on this, you will not be disappointed. Peter Baicchi was the organist. He plays The Hazel Wright organ effortlessly. One of the world's largest pipe organs. 6th. Aolean Skinner and Ruffati pipework. Desigined by world famous organist Virgil Fox.


title: Dorothy Maynor, Saprano

text:
Cousin Dorothy, as I have learn to call her is the pride of my family.  My mother kept a scrape book of her career and this photo  was in the front cover.  I studied it with great admiration throughout my childhood.
Dorothy entered Hampton Institute with a major in home economies, and minored in music.  When she sang with the choir the professor contacted her father, Rev, John Mainor (notice the surname was changed) and told uncle John  that he was changing her major to music.  That was the beginning of her career.
Cousin Dorothy retired and lead the choir at St. James Presbyterian Church  in Harlem, pastured by her husband, the Rev. Shelby A. Rooks.
Cousin past in 1996 in Pennsylvania.  I am pleased that her music has been preserved as her legacy.


title: You Go, Girl!

text: Nice debut album….bought without first listening to it, just because I liked the background story of woman 60+ years old who decided to leave her law career to do what she most wanted to, which involved moving to Nashville and trying her hand with music.  So I ordered the CD as a form of "You go, girl!" support and was delighted with the music.  Lovely instrumentals, lyrics that show she's still wondering if this is a good move for her while also being tuned in to others, and a light, pleasant voice that brings it all together.  I hope Lucy Billings puts out another CD but I'm not tired of listening to this one yet.


title: Cd

text: Buenísimo !!!


title: Copla.

text: Todo el disco es una obra de arte. El diseño de la carátula es presioso. La intérprete está como nunca” Estupenda” . Lo recomiendo a los seguidores de la Copla. Saludos Ysnerys.


title: Five Stars

text: Excelente


title: Cd

text: Excelente


title: Five Stars

text: Excelente.


title: One Star

text: Broquen case


title: The Best from the BEST!

text: Like watching your favorite movie, this set is a lovely trip down memory lane. Quality material, that voice, beautiful arrangements, that voice, stellar production, that voice…oh, and did I mention that voice?!? One of a kind.


title: Five Stars

text: geat cd...Go George


title: Duh!?! AWESOME!

text: AWESOME NINA!


title: Five Stars

text: Fantastic


This is an old recording but it is clear and one can really here the voices well. Simionato, Bruscantini, Valetti and Cassinelli are all caught in their prime. Simionato and Valetti are really outstanding. Noni and Rovero are good but the voices are a little hard and grating. The performance is lively and fun.


This MONO Recording is a rarity. As far as I know there is only one other studio recording. It is a delightful work, filled with charming melodies and a fun story. The sound is good for it's time, the conducting has a naturalness about it and the three singers are first class. This is very early Schwarzkopf, when she was a less "artistic" singer but sang in a far more unaffected manner. Recommended!


title: I love the unique quality she had and have enjoyed her ...

text: This recording is a real rarity and something I waited a long time to find. I first read about it in a GALA set devoted to Deutekom. It indicated she had just recorded it. It was recorded post her 'real' performing career. She had some health issues and taught but, at some point in time, decided to record these excepts. Deutekom always had a voice that was completely unique and not to everyones taste. For me, I love the unique quality she had and have enjoyed her in a number of commercial and private recordings. She was no longer at her best here but you can still hear the basic quality and her deep commitment to the roles. Too bad these weren't recorded in her youth but if you were a fan of hers..you might find these interesting. If you don't know her voice I suggest getting something recorded in her vocal prime.


title: This is a beautiful work. The music is lush and beautifully played ...

text: This is a beautiful work. The music is lush and beautifully played and conducted on this recording. The singers are fantastic. Helen Donath is lovely in the role of the Goose Girl. She sang with great beauty, perfect pitch, and always within the means of her lyric soprano. Adolf Dallapozza also sings very well within the framework of his lovely lyric tenor voice. Hermann Prey, Hanna Schwarz, and Karl Ridderbusch are fantastic in their roles. To have great character singers like Gerhard Unger and Brigitte Lindner only adds to the high level of this performance. My only criticism is that the accompanying booklet doesn't provide much information to help you understand the story. It is a shame EMI Classics doesn't provide an online site to follow a libretto. Still, as pure music and great singing this release satisfies.


This recording should have better distribution than it does. It seems to be a studio recording so the sound is quite good. The performances are strong and in the case of the two leads, they are very good. Both have vocal and histrionic personalities so the performance has a life and energy. In this day of fairly colorless singers, these two, while not faultless, are interesting and involving.<br />Their appearances in the United States are very rare so it is good to be able to hear them here.


title: A true craftsman!

text: Ricky King was born Hans Lingenfelder in March 1946 (whch makes him 65 now) & must surely be one of the most underrated musicians in the world. His albums are generally a balanced mix of well known guitar hits & other popular tunes, but there is nothing general about the quality of his albums, or his talent as a guitarist. This album is a superb cross-section of tunes that highlight the extraordinary talent of this man. His playing is perfection in itself, and the double-disced "Ricky King - The Best Instrumental Hits" is a showcase of the best guitar instruments available today. Forget The Shadows, The Ventures, Duane Eddy, & the like, This man is a true artist with the guitar. From 'Love Story', 'El Condor Pasa', Yesterday', 'Jambalaya', ' Guitar Tango', 'Spanish Eyes', 'Zorba', & 'Marie Elena' (from the 27 tune selection on Disc one), to 'Apache' (done better than The Shadows), 'Strangers In The Night', 'Riders In The Sky', 'Song Sung Blue', 'Wheels', 'Rivers of Babylon', 'Bonanza', & a superb version of 'House of The Rising Sun' (from the other 27 selections on Disc two), this offering of 54 numbers from one of the world's finest gutarists, is outstanding value & quality.


title: Five Stars

text: Love Norma Zimmer's voice.


title: Great singer, Great Spiritual Songs

text: I remember his program as a child.  The DVD has beautiful spiritual songs with a great booming voice to sing them


title: ³³⁸ Magnificent Mylene

text: 4 years after the bland and detached "Desobeissance" (Mylene's only album that personally I feel indifferent towards), my expectations for "L'emprise" were not high. Not even the 2 great singles that were released prior to this made me think that she would present again songs with pure sentiment and that melancholy that runs through even the more uptempo ones. I am thrilled to say that with "L'emprise" she has found her muse again, as this is her best set of songs since "Interstellaires" (which in turn was a return to form after the cold "Bleu noir"). Excellently balancing ballads and dance tracks, Mylene on here shines again. Only 1 track has me think of skipping it, but even that is not bad. Rumoured to be her last offering before next year's - deemed to be farewell - concerts, this is a set worthy of her legacy, making any fan extra emotional just thinking that her heavenly presence and voice will be forever away. I urge you to listen to this, you will be more surprised than you think!

attachment_type: IMAGE


title: Another essential Mylene item

text: Some will say that this collection is unnecessary. Some will say it's essential. I'll say, after having closely listened each of the 16 discs, and having thoroughly checked the details in the packaging and printing, that this item will not disappoint its buyer. It might include material that has been available previously (and which most fans probably own), but for anyone who wants to own Mylene's imperial phase, this is a total must-have item. The packaging is fitting to the extraordinary albums included on here, and the vast majority of the bonus tracks and remixes is mighty fantastic, too. And the quality of photos in the 48-page mini book is rather excellent. Nearly $200 may seem excessive, but it's 16 discs worth you are getting, so not bad at all. Looking forward to the brand new studio album coming on the 25th!


title: ³³³ It's - not - all for you

text:
First collection in the series that got me disappointed, previous ones (Cyndi Lauper,  Wham!, a-ha) were excellent. The 2 discs of hits include 4 singles from JJ's first 2 albums (which have been left off in her previous best-of's), but the collection spans up until 2004 (so, no singles from "20YO", "Discipline" and "Unbreakable" are included); also, the new track from the "Number ones" CD is not included either.

The DVD is probably the selling point of this package, but that is the major disappointment: although this is the first time ever that all of the videos are gathered in one place, the framing is not consistent, as some are presented in the wrong aspect ratio, and the quality in picture is poor in most of them. Just today the "Doesn't really matter" video was uploaded remastered on YouTube, and it looks so fresh and vibrant, on this DVD the difference is obvious. It could be the fact that the disc is cramned with 3+ hours of footage, but easily a second disc could be added. A totally missed opportunity.

There are 2 booklets: a 44-page coloured one, with the singles cover artwork; and a 56-page b/w with lyrics to all tracks in English and Japanese. The package comes in a fat-case, looks great and sounds great. But the DVD brings it down massively unfortunately. Fans who want to have everything, they should add this to their collection, but anyone who wants a fully comprehensive item, this is not. The best place to find the most videos in the best quality remains the DVD disc of the special edition of the "All for you" album.

**** for the singles
 *** for the DVD


title: 105. Memorial hits

text:
When back in 2010 a-ha announced their split, I was gutted because one of my favourite bands would be no more, and happy because not many would be brave enough to retire so gracefully. Their aptly-titled Ending on a High Note farewell tour, was as overwhelming as expected. And their swansong, the melancholic "Butterfly, butterfly (The last hurrah)", was the perfect way to say goodbye - any fan watching the moving accompanying video, summing up their career in such a poignant manner, must have shed a tear, and will forever cherish the culminating moments of 25 years together shown in their eyes and their embrace. Paul, Magne, and Morten: from caterpillars, to chrysalises, and then finally butterflies.

"25" is an essential pop purchase, an excellent representation of the band's impressive and inspired body of work, chronologically compiled and lovingly remastered. Despite this 2CD+DVD package being a slightly missed opportunity to provide a complete and comprehensive videography, the audio content is nothing less than amazing, celebrating 25 years of music from a unique band whose incredible songwriting graced the world with some of the finest pop songs ever released. Who would have thought that a band from cold Norway could create such warm music? "25" is sheer proof. Summer moved on, but with this collection the sun will always shine... not just on TV! Tusen takk, a-ha!

***** for the music
**** for the DVD


title: 100. Live your life B C (2013 2CD+DVD edition)

text:
1991's "Live your life be free", Belinda Carlisle's 4th solo album, found her in the midst of a severe drug problem. Interestingly, and ironically enough, this set of songs is the most optimistic and carefree of her career. Plus, she looks at her absolute best on videos and photo shoots from that era (the unforgettable "Do you feel like I feel" video is simply iconic). Full of catchy choruses, and addictive melodies, the album is utterly poptastic, perhaps more than any other BC record. Considering the cancellation of the promo tour due to her pregnancy, it faired pretty well, despite Belinda claiming later on that this is her least favorite record. Obviously this has to do with the fact that she was not pleased with how her label was handling her music at the time. But with so many brilliantly crafted pop gems one after another, "LYLBF" is one of her all-time best, a close second to "Runaway horses". "Half the world" is the ultimate highlight on this set, but make sure you also listen to "You're nothing without me", "Emotional highway", and the superb - sadly cancelled single - "I plead insanity". And take notice of the great statement the anthemic title track makes, thanks for that Belinda! Featuring remixes and singles edits, all the videos, a brand new interview, plus an extensive booklet with fantastic liner notes and rare photos, this brilliantly remastered and gorgeously assembled 2CD+DVD combo is an essential purchase.

***** for the album
***** for this edition


title: 98. A woman and ...amen! (2014 2CD+DVD edition)

text:
After briefly reuniting with the Go-Go's, Belinda Carlisle returned to the recording studio, and resumed working. In 1996, she released her 6th solo album, "A woman and a man". Consisting of slick, finely-crafted, perfectly accessible songs, this is Belinda's most safe and less adventurous album. This was her gift to the faithful fans who stood by her through the years (thanks, our pleasure!). Showcasing an artist at her most confident and alluring state, on this album she shines vocally, exhibiting precision and emotion simultaneously. I fondly remember her tres-chic UK TV appearances for the promo of "Always breaking my heart", where she wore some lovely dresses with cherry prints on them, what a classy lady! The album included several hits, and revitalized her solo career in Europe. As a result of this success, it was released in the US, a year later, but with no much luck. Highlights are the exquisite title-track, the lush "Love in they of C", "I won't say I'm in love" from Disney's "Hercules", the aforementioned - penned by Roxette's Per Gessle - "Always...", and the cover of Marianne Faithful's "The ballad of Lucy Jordan". Last 2 tracks were B-Sides, and are included on this gorgeous 2CD+DVD combo, brilliantly remastered, and further including remixes and singles versions, videos, plus an extensive booklet with sleeve notes and rare photos. Comprehensive and neatly packaged, this is the definitive edition of a fan-favourite.

**** for the album
***** for this edition


title: 72. Throw the dusters away!

text:
Tori Amos' compelling songwriting has produced countless moments to treasure during her 20-year solo career. From 1992's shattering "Little earthquakes" to 2011's haunting "Night of hunters", she has come a long way. Celebrating 2 decades of recording, she decides to pay a visit to her back catalogue. She does not really need a reason for revisiting her own stuff whenever she pleases, but this anniversary calls for a special flashback. Never one to follow the pattern of most artists when it comes to rereleasing old material, she does it in her own unorthodox way. Thus, instead of gathering the obvious hits, she makes an unexpected selection of tracks to comprise this second career-retrospective release. Drawing from 8 out of her 12 albums, Tori is entitled to her own cherry-picking, no matter how peculiar. Being the mother of these babies, she is not afraid of giving birth once again to her girls-songs.

She re-records them with full orchestral backing (courtesy of the Netherlands-based Metropole Orchestra), and manages to offer new perspective to them, often surpassing the tremendous strength of the early versions. Reworking her own repertoire is a challenging task to begin with, but she comes up with some bold reinterpretations. For this reason she can be forgiven for the occasional self-indulgence that strips the raw power of some of the originals. Bold and imaginative for its better part, "Gold dust" is an accessible and enjoyable record, one that serves more as a reminder of her idiosyncratic artistic persona rather than a typical greatest-hits package (very much like her first, 2003's "Tales of a librarian"). Special edition comes as a hardcover 32-page mini-book, with a DVD of a performance clip and the music video of "Flavor", and behind-the-scenes footage about the record. New arrangements, new vocals, new old, new gold.


title: Great Music!  Quality CD!

text: Excellent music!  Great pianist.  Was introduced to this entertainer through a shop in Traverse City, Michigan last Fall.  Sure glad I stopped in.


title: wonderful

text: incredible tribute to Carole King. All of her song's from Tapestry by other excellent artists. love it.


title: wonderful voice

text: sent to niece, she loves it! like the old vinyl. smart girl. continue to order vinyl to educate her on fantastic music.


title: wonderful! already have it

text: wonderful! already have it. bought for a friend. she loves it. fast shipping. great songs. brings back my days in jhs!


title: loove this artist!!!

text: christina perri is excellent. love her voice and musuic. highly recommend. fast shipping!


title: excellent product! love it!

text: incredible album. love it. again, very fast shipping.


title: REMASTERED VINYL COPY - POOR QUALITY

text: This is such a poorly remastered product it is akin to listening to music as if one were listening to a somehat scratchy vinyl recording.  Couldn't whoever remastered these songs have paid a little more attention to how some of the songs sounded before releasing this compilation?  I bought this CD under the impression I'd be getting a quality product (or something close to it).  I'm pretty disappointed to say the least.  I will stay away from any Hallmark CD released in the future. [[ASIN:B002LWJ55G Wonderful Wonderful]]


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent!


The cd is damaged. Can't here three songs.


title: Five Stars

text: Love this


title: Four Stars

text: Great voice, very fine album.


title: Great Series of Broadway Recordings

text: I have collected the entire series over the last few years.  Anyone who loves Broadway musical history will love this series.  The booklet that comes with each series is very detailed and contains great photos.  I especially like the songs that were not the big hit number from each show, but the majority are big hits of the day and very familiar.  A perfect series for a Broadway musical nut.


title: Great series.

text:
Recordings of American Song Book favorites from the period
and beautifully performed by the stellar performers of the period.
I want the whole series.


title: Best of the Best!

text: They surely knew how to make music back then. This album is wonderful and the price was teriffic. Best buy!


title: Five Stars

text: have seen him in person three times, if this ever comes to Los Angeles, great


title: Wonderful voice, great song selection, very nice backing

text: This CD is a real find.  Gretje sings her own interpretations of these classic songs from the American Song Book as well as they have ever been done.  Her timing, intonation, and energy are just magical.  Beautiful voice, she could be compared with the greatest interpreters of this music.  Make room at the top, Gretje is a great one.


title: Five Stars

text: Can't have too much Ray Bryant!!


title: Four Stars

text: nt


title: Five Stars

text: nt


title: Four Stars

text: Really good quality sound.  Hard to find better on vinyl.


title: Five Stars

text: High quality sound.


title: Top level artists offered in comprehensive packages of unsurpassed quality

text: This is a hell of a set of records, among the best ever issued in terms of performances, packaging, sound quality, liner notes, photos, the whole package is first rate.  Each set is equal in quality to the offerings of Mosaic, without the emphasis on trying to be completist for each artist.  Rather the idea at Time Life was to give the listener a broad overview if each featured performer.  A lot of effort went into these sets and it shows.  They truely deserve to be reissued.  On the secondary market, through vendors such as Amazon, these sets are easily among the best buys available in jazz on vinyl.  If your appetite was whetted by the Ken Burns documentary, this series would be an excellent place to take the next step.  Highest recommendation.


title: Only part of the concert, but one of their best live recordings

text: This disc is only a partial of the concert that was reissued in more complete form under the title "Dedicated to Connie", the latter being the preferable one to get.


title: Capitol and jazz

text: Ths is a compendium of classic jazz recordings from Capitol, more often associated with pop.  It proves that stereotypes can be misleading as there is some very excellent trad jazz to be found in this out of print set.


title: The roots of jazz

text: Real live authentic old New Orleans band music. Really the roots of early jazz started with guys like these.  It is rough in places, the recordings themselves were primitive to say nothing of the musicians themselves.  If you want to know how it all started this represents the roots of the jazz genre.


title: What a fine old record

text: What a fine old record!  All of these guys should be household names and it is a shame that they are not.  Great musicians playing traditional jazz.


title: Perhaps Eddie Conon's best recordings

text: Eddie Condon was not a greatly gifted guitarist, but he was a very good organizer and spokesman for traditional jazz. He was principally associated with the talented musicians who came out of Chicago.  Guys like Bud Freeman (who is on these recordings), Bix Beiderbeke, Gene Krupa, and Benny Goodman. For all of his most productive years he was based in New York City and he was a tireless promoter of traditional jazz.  Eddie was a genuinely funny man too, and this made him agreeable to everyone who came in contact with him.  His cure of the common hangover "Take the juice from two bottles of whiskey."  His explanation of the difference between traditional jazzmen (called moldy figs by detractors) and the Be-boppers "They flat their fifths, we drink ours."  This aspect of his humanity allowed him to organize black and white musicians together for performance and recording at a time when doing so was just not done.  For example in this set of recordings you will hear Wild Bill Davidson, a white cornetist among others, playing along side black Edmund Hall on the clarinet.  The sound quality on these sides might be the best of any of the many available recordings associated with Condon ever. The included booklet is comprehensive and has many photos as well as liner notes and explanations of what is on these recordings.


Anita O'Day is one of the very best jazz vocalists of all time.  Her recordings for Norman Granz represent her best recorded work.  Here it all is.  The sound quality of these CDs is better than any others of the same recordings.  I know because I have them all, in shellac, in vinyl, in CD. In addition, the booklet that comes with the set, like the ones in all Mosaic sets, is first class.  Well written, nice photos, accurate information.  The one shortfall is that Anita was very much a visual artist, the way she worked, led the band, her timing all that was fascinating to watch and of course other than the photos in the booklet, this is an entirely audio experience.  Without question this is the best Anita you will ever hear.  It is a shame that it is out of print.


title: Fantastic voice in jazz

text: Nancy Harrow is not a household name.  She should be.  Fantastic voice in jazz.  She had impeccable taste, an easy manner, great timing, beautiful intonation.  Nothing is forced, she had a natural rightness about her. Just amazing.  I think she was as good the best ever including Billie, Sassy, Anita, or Ella.  Really that good.


title: I would love to hear her live

text: Nancy is a lady I had never heard before.  She deserves greater exposure.  Based on this record only, I would love to hear her live.


title: Exuberant rendition of favorites from the Great American Songbook

text: This disc is quite simply irresistible.  Cheryl Bentyn just enjoys singing these songs.  Her timing and delivery, while all her one, remind me of the great Anita O'Day.  Just fantastic.


title: Five Stars

text: this CD has great songs, I am very pleased with this purchase


title: great stuff Annie!

text: pure Annie Lennox! tough to find but worth it when you snag it. totally recommend it!


title: Five Stars

text: Great album


title: Five Stars

text: Great as I played the Wurlitzer in college


title: Brian Culbertson is my favorite jazz artist.

text: Brian Culbertson is superb. I am hooked. I’m purchasing everything he’s produced. I could listen to him everyday and I do.


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent product and service. But than it`s Dusty.


title: Let the good time roll

text: Great party music.


title: Five Stars

text: great album, good seller to deal with


title: Great songs

text: Finally found a CD with my favorite songs


title: Addison

text: Not exactly what I was expecting


title: Fantastic! Everything In Order

text: Fantastic ! Everything In Order ! Thank You Very Much ! ! !


title: Worth the wait

text: kurt never disappoints me. He didn't this time either.


title: Great!

text: It's Bird, what else is there to say! Great!


title: MUSIC TO SOOTH THE SAVAGE BREAST

text: Had found a Williams-Sonoma Christmas CD at the swap meet and fell in love with the compilation of songs and found that I could order many more on Amazon.  And am an extremely happy camper.  Oui, oui, this is a wonderful CD with excellent artists and songs.


title: I SUSPECT THIS CD IS A BOOTLEG COPY...........

text: After years of hoping that these four CDs would eventually be released on CD, I was sadly disappointed by the sound  quality --especially on the second disc.  There is a noticeable distortion on tracks 20 and 21.  I've noticed customers reviewing the discs on other sites have noted a similar concern.  My suspicion that the recording is a pirated version stems from the fact that the only information on this disc merely lists it as an "import" CD.  There is no information provided on the disc, disc case or inside packaging to indicate a label or distributor for this product.  There are also no liner notes providing information about the recording.  I have strong ethical objections about those selling pirated CDs as the artists are robbed of royalties.  Hopefully, Amazon.com  will note this as a concern and take measures to remove it from its inventory if indeed these are bootlegged copies.


title: Great collection of songs and wonderful blend of voices

text: The songs on this CD are great, many are lively and toe-taping and a couple are so tenderly beautiful like There's Always a Place at the Table.  This was a terrific blend of voices too, Marshall Hall, Guy Penrod, and Wes Hampton and Bill, sounds were so well blended.


title: tony martin

text: my mom used to listen to tony martin so i did too.  his rich voice and the heart he puts into his music goes deep inside of me.  this is one of the finest cds i have.  even though i was a 50s gal, i love this rich rewarding singer.


title: Very easy listening.

text: I enjoy Beegie Adair and I am enjoying these tunes.  So mellow.  Very easy listening.  I'd purchase again.


title: I love Ramin's singing.

text: I searched high and low for this cd so was very happy when I could finally own it. I wanted it because Ramin Karimloo is on it and I fell in love with Ramin's singing when he was the Phantom for the 25th anniversary. Worth the price if you are a Ramin fan.


title: Neal

text: Nice work


title: Not mark Lindsay on cassette tape it's misleading

text: This is a rip off first there is a picture of Paul revere and the raiders with mark Lindsay thinking you are getting a tape with them and mark Lindsay singing on the tape ---wrong mark Lindsay isn't on the tape singing its Carlo driggs singing not mark Lindsay its misleading


title: the album is misleading

text:
this album is so misleading with the picture on front of the cd with
mark lindsay and  the old raiders on front of the cd but then on the
cd its isnt mark lindsay singing the songs on the cd, its  carls driggs
doing the singing on the cd i felt like i was ripped off when i got the
album thinking i would be hearing mark lindsay singing and its was not.
him singing on the cd.


title: great album

text:
i have this album and mark lindsay sounded great and he is at his
best here and he does a great job on it as both song writer and producer
the songs are great on the album and its a very diffrent kind of a album
he should stayed away from songs thats dont fit him and stick with music
he is good at,


title: Quality item as advertised.

text: A excellent musical summary from Cincinnati Pops and musical director Kunzel.


title: Five Stars

text: Almost all of the best of Jack Jones, best of his early years.


title: Nice EP

text: Needles to say, she's always right on target!


title: Hasty

text:
Miley does a very good job on her songs, but the production was hastily put together and seemingly without Miley's usual detailed planning and review.  The CD carries no theme or consistent tone and seems to hop randomly or chaotically through the song mix, different sounds and beats, and produces nothing significant other than a showcase of Miley's superior vocal talent.  That is the good thing about this CD, but Miley usually comes up with something better than just a bunch of boy-girl pinning's; and the addition of the Jonas Brothers duet had to be a bad after thought or some gimmick to boost tween sales.  Probably the album was put together hastily so that it could be released in time for the "back to school" season at Wal-Mart.  However, for $8.00 at Wal-Mart, it is not a bad buy. I added it to my collection.  This does not criticize Miley's voice.  In fact, it is praiseworthy, but she let less competent people do the album production.  Miley is/as always "America's Rock Star."

I rated it lower because of the poor production, not Miley's singing.


title: Excellent

text: Very fine music with fantastic singing.  It is acappella and the harmony is great even with the heavy flavor of Soprano and mezzosoprano and well-mixed tenor. Instrumentality would only be an unwelcome distraction.  VERY LIVELY AND UPBEAT!


title: Sound keeps this from a higher rating

text:
This is an interesting piece of radio history. I am a big fan of the Shadow so this was a big treat for me.

The stories were interesting as were the commericals - especially those for 'Blue Coal'

However - the sound was pretty bad on 3 or 4 of the shows making them almost unlistenable - especially if in a car. And the sound on the rest was acceptable and not much else. That was shame as these are really of historical value.

I would rate this a 3.5 to 4.0 out of 5 stars with uneven sound being a major drag. I would recommend this for old time radio fans, mystery/detective lovers and fans of the Shadow!

IF the sound was improve I would add about 0.5 stars to my rating.

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of man!!!


title: Five Stars

text: A wonderful cd and always in excellent condition as promised.  Thank you.


title: All I can say is Buy her CD's, You won't regret a moment of the time you listen to her!

text: Connie is a very talented young lady before our eyes.  She has a voice that is second to none... meaning No singer is any better than she is! I am so happy I have bought her first CD of Over The Rainbow and this special edition of Beautiful World. I can't wait for my Cd of her Christmas music titled Holiday Magic! Just like her voice, as Simon said on B. G. T. when she was only 6 years old...She quiets the room so we can hear every word and note she sings!


title: I adore every cd of Jamie Jorg's.  I have put Itzack and Josh aside

text: I wish I had had these years ago.  I was a violinist .  How I wish  II could play like jamie.


title: My most favorite cd

text: I play Jamie Jorge's cds night and day.  Sooo wonderful  I want so much to go to one of his concerts


title: Lame !

text: Just was not what I expected, just passed it on to somebody else who thought they would like it.


title: Really Good Band

text: Bought this way back when it came out.  They had another one, too.  For the heck of it, I was wondering if they had ever gotten back together and made anything new.  Both albums were really enjoyable and uplifting.  Wish they had done more.


title: Very very disappointing!

text: No....may be rare in sellers eyes.....all lack of inspiration selections minimal number of songs for such a advertising claim.


title: Great

text: Great


title: Five Stars

text: Great


title: Five Stars

text: Love it !!!


This is a recording from the past when Stefanie was still a child. She had a delightful voice, both as a singer and yodeller. If you like traditional German folk music, you will like this. I doubt it will be available in shops though as it will be long out of production now.


title: sounds good

text: they always sing well,


title: when will they being making more

text: I like this group, and their videos on youtube, are always great, and wish they would make more CDs of their hits to sell,


title: Five Stars

text: very good, -------Am looking for some CDs by Tanja Zagar,


title: Reves vraiment!

text: Susan Boyle triumphs in this album with inspirational songs and uplifting vocals. Taking on songs both iconic and freshly groundbreaking, Ms. Boyle deftly and confidently shows the power and exceptional beauty inherent in her magnificent Scottish voice.  There is a dark flavor to her Anglo-Saxon vocalisms that adds a certain drama and tension to her music, but this is just another layer of complexity to an instrument discovered later rather than earlier in her life.  She concludes her album with “Silent Night” as a gift to her fans around the world and to a world swimming in chaos and dinning bruit.


title: Five Stars

text: thanks


title: Buy This Rather From Target!

text:
Do not miss this Bonus Track CD, but get it from Target for $10 less.  "A Time For Us" and Mi Mancherai" are 2 of Ms E's best recordings to date and are in fact masterworks to be marvelled upon for generations.

So do not settle for DWM alone, but get thee to Target for your purchase.


One of the most beautiful instrumental cd's you will ever listen to. Mantovani is truly a masterful genius. Most Highly Recommended.


title: Superb Voice!

text: I saw Brad Little do this album and play The Phantom twice...I had an autographed copy of this but lost it..he is one of the best Phantoms ever and a very nice and humble person. His voice is so powerful he does'nt need a microphone!


title: Five Stars

text: she is so cute


title: Five Stars

text: Arthur is the best of the best


title: Five Stars

text: Brother was very pleased


I have already enjoyed and commented on Jackie Evancho's "Awakening" album elsewhere.  The Wal-Mart 'Awakening' related bonus Christmas CD, however, is new to me as of today.  My favorite track is O Holy Night, where she sings with Vittorio Grigolo, demonstrating once again, her remarkable facility with all that is entailed in singing duets.  Here, she also demonstrates, manifestly, her ease at singing with older more experienced artists.

Whenever Jackie Evancho has sung with tenors there has been something generated that we might tastefully refer to as 'gender tension', which enlivens and excites her performances, less by way of contrasts of sound, however effective, than of something more visceral and organic.


title: Five Stars

text: thank you


title: Connie 1

text: Love every song. Great singer.


title: SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

text: It was great to hear the old stuff again and I like the new stuff too. I recommend it to any Slayer fan.


title: Monica Chapman, the new queen of Jazz

text: Vocals, Instruments AWESOME...first class Musicians and the Vocals were superb...Cool Jazz..


title: WOW, Loved both of them!

text: I now consider the Brian Symphony #2 a great romantic symphonic score. To me it was like listening to an English Mahler. High praise indeed from me. I listened to it twice as soon as I received it. Actually the 14th is a minor work compared to the 2nd but I enjoyed it also. Everything is well conducted and played and the recording is top notch. Kudos to Dutton for this wonderful release.


title: A musical treasure from Manuel Alejandro

text: Simpky a GEM....The LP sounds wonderful and the musical arrangements are a masterpiece....Manuel Alejandro is truly music!!!


title: Bravo Raphael!!!!

text: While a few of my Favorite songs are missing, like "Promesas" , "Que tal te va sin mi"....this is an amazing compilation of old hits  some newly recorded, some superbly re-mastrized...."El Tamborilero" with a full symphonic orchestra is a Classic of a Classic Raphael Classic....if you are a fan, like i am you will surely appreciate how his voice has matured through the years , like fine wine..."eso que llaman amor" from master-composer Manuel alejandro is a Beautiful song that should have been recorder with a full orchestra, not syntezizers...besides that this is a Gem for all Raphaelistas!!!!...long live Raphael....the best of the best!!!!!


title: Five Stars

text: Excellent!


title: Call me brainless

text: I ordered brain beat but was looking for brain beats. Totally different concept.  this cd is horrible. Not worth returning it.


title: and it was a good price too

text: My kind of music. That is why I bought it, and it was a good price too.


title: "Remastered"lol.NOT!!!🙄

text: I don't know what the other reviews are talking about, saying great sound quality.When I first put the Disc in,it sounded totally crappy with tinny sound and had to crank my stereo way way up and it still sounded crappy and tinny! After messing with the receiver,I got it to sound a lot better than it did, but still had to have volume way high.If this is remastered,I sure wouldn't want to hear the original CD! This album needs to be properly remastered by the Legends of Rock series that remastered groups like Rez Band and Degarmo and Key! My first Rez Band Album remastered CD by them,blows the Bloodgood sound quality out of the water, and it came out in 1978, something like 10-11 years before the Bloodgood album! I'll definitely keep it or at least until Legends of Rock or someone gives it an actual remastering, but leaving 4 stars,not 5 because of the sound.The actual album i give 5 stars.Grew up listening to it as a teenager in the late 80s and never have forgotten it! Idk, maybe I got a non remastered CD in the remastered case or something,but I bought it new Sealed!


title: Good 1980s music!

text: I've never been a big Talking heads fan,big enough to buy their albums over the years but have always liked their songs on the radio.For someone like me,this Greatest hits CD is more than adequate.Like all greatest hits,I remembered more songs than I remember that I liked back in the 80s.The sound quality is good for as old as the music is,but if they really remastered it good,it would be awesome.


title: I'll bring the dip, if you bring the Dostoevsky.

text:
Condorman is a Disney movie about a comic book artist, played by Michael Crawford, who dresses up like a flamboyant bird-man in an effort to be a real-life superhero.  (I'm guessing this was one of the very first "send-ups" of comic book super-heroes, generations before "Mystery Men" and "Kick-Ass.")  As such, you'd think the music would be as silly as the premise of the plot sounds.  Not so.  With Henry Mancini at the helm, the music treats this idea like it's the best plot ever conceived, and we get a score that is lush, timeless, romantic and full of strings.  (Although the occasional "wink" does occur when a bombastic chorus singing "Condorman," such as in the main titles.  You just kind of have to go with it.)

And if you're like me, you were most looking forward to hearing the lighthearted music when our trio of heroes is running through the streets being pursued by the bad guys, right before they crash the wedding.  It's here too, track number 12, "Morovich Presses."  It's all here.

No doubt, the music written for this movie was more evocative and wonderful than it had any right to be, just as the movie itself was more romantic and timeless than it had any right to be.  Unfortunately...

It's hard to say bad things about this long-awaited release.  After all, this soundtrack has always been one of those "Holy Grail" soundtracks for me.  Ever since wearing out my VHS recording of this movie from the Disney Channel, I pined for the day when Henry Mancini's score would become available.  Now here it is, after literally decades.  You'd think I'd be unconditionally grateful.  Plus, when one reads the liner notes, it sounds like they went through a lot of trouble bringing this release to the public--going through a lot of original source masters to create, apparently for the first time, a stereo mix of this music.  Knowing the hardships they went through, one would have to be a real bastard to complain about anything.

Well, I'm a real bastard.  I'm a sour, crotchety Scrooge, so here's why this release is slightly disappointing:  The choices made in the sound engineering kind of dampen the joy of listening to it.  This music is plagued by the same thing that plagues nearly all releases of older recordings--a misguided idea that older things must conform to modern trends.

Albums these days sound very small.  In an effort to make things sound "clean" (which for some reason the public has decided is the most important thing in audio/visual--cleanliness) the end result are recordings that do not transport the soul.  Much of the warmth, texture, reverb and even volume dynamics have been stripped away from modern recordings--creating a somewhat inorganic, monotonous listening experience.  (I would refer you to the Rolling Stone article "The Death of High Fidelity" from the December 27 '07 issue, but that shouldn't be necessary to any music lover older than 30.  Go ahead, just pop in some classic album releases that were mixed before the 2000's and compare it to the sterile, punchy sound of any new release in all its digitally compressed glory, and the difference should be obvious.)

So you'd think older soundtracks--having been written in a past generation when music and "warmth" were terms synonymous with each other--would be a safe haven.  You'd think it would be a guarantee that you'll get the grandness and transport that all music (especially orchestral music) used to have.  Well, not quite.  Not when you're mixing things for "today's audience."

Much like all the changes Lucas imposed on the original Star Wars trilogy to appeal to modern audiences only ended up hurting those movies, the aural changes usually imposed on older recordings are similarly counter-productive.

The orchestra in this Condorman release sounds kind of small.  It sounds as though the reverb has been dampened, and the instruments seem to exist "up front."  This mix lessens the sense for the listener that the musicians were playing in a real space.  (It's not quite as bad as some releases though.  Some soundtracks--like Lady in the Water--have so much ambience and texture missing from them that at times the orchestral instruments sound like Casio keyboard samples played underwater.  Condorman isn't that bad, but it does feel compromised.)  It feels like the mix has been intentionally stripped of "flaws"--except the effect is a bit sterile, rather than a positive.

If I can mention Star Wars again, I remember when I first listened to the 2-Disc remastered soundtrack for Empire Strikes Back.  (The reason for this is that unbelievably, the special 4-disc set for the original trilogy that had been released years earlier was still missing some of the Empire cues.)  And I was saddened to hear that for the remaster, the once grand 100-piece orchestra which evoked romantic space battles in a galaxy far, far away--now sounded like a 30-piece high school band playing in a broom closet.  That's what I thought of when I first played this Condorman release.  "It's the Empire Strike Back broom closet all over again."  All the trumpets and brass and strings, they all sound very small.  Like they were recorded in a suburban living room.

Don't get me wrong.  I still am glad that this release saw the light of day.  And despite their best efforts--given the inherent warmth of the original source material--they didn't strip away the magic completely.  It's not like it's a Simon Cowell-produced album or anything.  I just feel like in an effort to conform to modern standards, the end result is not quite as good as it could've been.

P.S.  By the way, Intrada, if you're reading this, how about getting on a "Beniker Gang" soundtrack release?


title: An Amazing Voice

text: Johnny Mathis has a really clear voice and his songs are a delight to listen to. Probably most younger people have never herd of him, but they are missing out on a tremendous talent


title: Five Stars

text: Happy with my purchase!


title: Great music. My freind Bill and freinds put this cd out.

text: Love it. Look up Bill Cater and the Blame. Good friend, good music.


title: Five Stars

text: Wonderful.


title: Great classic big band, good quality record

text:
[[VIDEOID:cbeb5da022eb822dafc3ae467ccbdbda]] Great packaging, good quality record, and it arrived several days earlier than projected.

I bought this to add some classic big band music to our record collection for a new record player. There is some minor static sounds every now and again (even after brushing record) but it adds to the classic sound and is exactly what we wanted.

For those looking for the version of "It's Been a Long Long Time" from the Marvel movies, this version has a different vocalist but is still great.


title: The wife loves it.

text: It is the wife's favorite CD


title: Silly drug hysteria from this pre-Glenn Beck era paranoiac

text:
First, some notes on the CD release of LSD: Battle for the Mind.
The releasers of this thrift-store gem went the low road and simply ripped the album to one long track. If you're a DJ or radio producer, it's going to be a pain in the ass to cue to this funny bit or that standout line.  It's not even separated out between side one and two. Phooey!
That aside, the packaging and quality are OK. There's some graphic design that displays and adapts the original artwork for jewel case quite well but on one of the CD's spine, there's the title for a completely different LSD paranoia LP. There aren't any new notes to speak of in the packaging.

On to the audio material.
Willard Cantelon was a speaker of some note in the sixties. He released a similarly high-pitched paranoid album warning about the Federal Reserve ("The New World Money System) and a best selling book entitled "The Day the Dollar Died".
Here, he warns about how LSD will unravel society and bring about the rule of Satan. There are some hilariously over-the-top anecdotes and quotes about LSD use. He frequently says LSD but pronounces it Al-Ess-Dee, which can be irritating after a while.
The latter third of the LP is taken up with really dull passages from the bible which are only vaguely interesting if you're on LSD.
Hail Satan!


title: Old time religion gets its crank yanked

text:
Religious radio station in Portland Oregon was the target of opportunity of a small legion of phone pranksters who collectively, and perhaps after the fact, referred to themselves as The National Hardwood Floor Association.

The calls are hilarious. Not quite as obvious as those that would be fodder for morning, commercial radio radio-play, nor so weird and/or offensive that it would be arch conceptual art, but funny nonetheless. Picture phone prankster pioneer John Trubee setting his sights on fundamentalist christianity.

The callers simply seem bent on annoying and making jackasses out of the programmers of this largely Protestant, conservative Christian station. One seemingly straight caller calmly asks whether it's OK that his wife find a Christian abortion provider (and also makes it clear that it's also OK with her boyfriend). An old lady overshares about her dinner, then proceeds to get a case of the coughs on air. Sound effects of dogs in the background seem to be a recurring leitmotif.

There's sporadic evidence that this is the work of Church of Subgenius members; Bob is namechecked often and the whole proceeding has the church's trademark sense of Dada, rather than being an obvious put-down of religion. It takes the spiritual Kung-Fu approach of using the opposition's dumbness against them. It's less work that way.

Try a new salad dressing.


title: Beautiful

text: This is a beautiful CD.  Her voice is amazing as always.  Not knowing the language means nothing when she sings.  You simply have to listen and enjoy!  It's a shame she is always compared to the other amazing singer .  They are both beautiful singers.....why compare?......just enjoy!  I wish it was easier to get her CD's. I would have many more.


title: Five Stars

text: Super !


title: Great Story!!

text: these CD's are the best story's I have ever heard about horses and the equestrian's that ride them..I am very impressed with the stories and the way in which there told


title: My Girls

text: if you don't like the saddle club you can stop reading right now,but if you do , then you know everything they do is good..Starlite


title: Saddle club rides again

text: I love the saddle club so naturaly I am going to give a great review,but the truth is the saddle club do every thing so well,they were casted so well,and as always they sing so well..Starlite


title: , nothing to write home about

text: some of the songs are okay


title: Five Stars

text: Awesome! The audio was terrific but the video was excellent!!!


title: Awesome!

text:
I love this soundtrack... it really melds well with the landscape of the desert. canyon locales used throughout the movie.

Enjoy! :D


title: Its alright...

text:
The main theme is pretty great and different from typical Star Trek themes.
They included everything with the expanded CD release including a Punk song made for the film... its hilarious.

Enjoy! :D


title: The vinyl is perfect in every way..

text: I love this item. I can find no dislike. It is in perfect condition as stated in condition: mint.


title: Five Stars

text: great song


title: Love Lotus flower

text:
This is an absolutely magnificent album. I have listened to it over and over. Love Lotus flower, crimson and clover, and colonized mind are awesome. MPLS sound is also great. I have not listened to Elixir yet because truthfully I'm not that interested in Bria Valente but will eventually get around to it. Would  rather spend my time listening to Prince. Just love his music.

,


title: Beautiful book with lovely photos

text: Beautiful book with lovely  photos. Prince is so handsome and had so much class. Not like these hacks that are out there now. No talent and most are repulsive to look at and act like morons. Only complaint- too many pictures of the maids. What are they in there for? It's kind of dumb. Nobody wants to see them. Lovely to see his written words. He's in a whole different class. Great purchase.


title: Unique!  No other Eroica recording evokes these feelings.

text: Yes, the orchestral balance in this 1955 performance sounds unusual.  I think the REASON for this set-up is apparent in several places, most notably in the 4th movement.  Listen to the last five minutes or so, and you may note the spirituality, or gentle noblility, or maybe a sense of longing.  No other Eroica recording evokes these feelings (of the nearly 30 Eroica recordings in my collection).


title: Simply the most exciting rendition I've ever heard!

text: Why won't SOMEBODY release Newman's blistering Bach: Italian Concerto on CD.  It is simply the most exciting rendition I've ever heard (having at least fifteen versions in my collection)!


title: Superb!

text:
I can't imagine why these definitive NYPM performances aren't available on CD.  If you are fortunate enough to find this Everest LP set for sale, inquire first whether it is a gold label (on the LPs) version.  Frequently, the later orange & blue label LPs strike me as having been pressed from worn-out master disks.

If you can get good pressings, this box set is pure treasure.