Never, Never, Land [Limited Edition]

Amazon.com
Like the end-of-season regenerations of Doctor Who, every new record from James Lavelle's UNKLE finds the musical project at the climax of some dramatic transmutation. Never, Never, Land is no exception. Soon after the release of 1999's Psyence Fiction, beats wizard DJ Shadow announced he'd never work as a member of UNKLE again--and accordingly, the first thing you notice about Never, Never, Land is the absence of his robust percussion. But once over that minor disappointment, it's not hard to wallow in this record's impressively dark scope.

With the aid of new collaborator Richard File, Lavelle has made a record that connects the dots between the creeping melancholy of Talk Talk, the scaly electronics of Massive Attack's Mezzanine and the grand sky-bound epics of the Verve. Like its predecessor, there's a proliferation of guest appearances: Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme, Brian Eno, Ian Brown, Massive Attack's Robert del Naja. But the vocals are assimilated much more successfully here, ensuring that guest never overpowers song. Lavelle still has a fine eye for casting his songs in the grandest narratives: "Panic Attack" samples the robotic pulse of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and overlays it with blurred electronic shimmers and driving bass. Mind you, it might be the understated numbers--"Glow", "Inside"--that provide some of the record's loveliest moments. --Louis Pattison

Product Description
Almost five years have passed since UNKLE's debut album Psyence Fiction, one of the nineties more important and controversial musical releases which featured producer DJ Shadow, The Verve's Richard Ashcroft and Mike D of the Beastie Boys on vocal duties. Additional album highlights were Thom Yorke's haunting "Rabbit In Your Headlights" and a then unknown, Badly Drawn Boy's cathartic "Nursery Rhyme."

But that was then and this is now... now is very different. Following the release of Psyence Fiction, Shadow returned to the States to work on The Private Press (with Lavelle as A&R). James Lavelle is the constant in UNKLE and he's forged a new production partnership with long-time friend Richard File for UNKLE’s new album, Never Never Land. Lavelle said of File in Jockey Slut 2002: "Richard loves music, he's open-minded, he's brilliant technically, he's an absolute lunatic, he's a star, he's my best friend." In 2000, they moved into an Old Street flat together. It proved a very hedonistic time, a lost weekend that actually turned quite fruitful. In the same year they produced the band South for Mo' Wax and recorded a brooding, sinister soundtrack to Jonathan Glaser's film "Sexy Beast".

On the long awaited sophomore UNKLE endeavor, Stone Roses front man Ian Brown--whose "Be There" with UNKLE in 1998 went top ten--returns on the album's lead-off single "Reign" with fellow Roses member Mani tending to bass. Long time friend and inspiration 3D (of Massive Attack) contributes to "Invasion," Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno duel with synths on "I Need Something Stronger," Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age contributes a schizoid vocal over a bassquake on "Safe In Mind" and Joel Cadbury of South's pretty Beatles-esque ballad "Glow" is the penultimate track. The album is rich in atmosphere, a lush cinematic experience in sensurround sound. If Psyence Fiction sounded like the future, Never Never Land is a post-apocalyptic travel log.

And it's been quite a trip for the men from UNKLE.

Never, Never, Land,UNKLE,Global Und. [Studio],Dance Music,Downbeat,House,Pop,Trip-Hop

Average customer rating: Disney's greatest hits, volum 3 Timeless Disney Music Disney songs are the best Great Disney Music Not as good as Vol 1 and Vol 2

Disney's Greatest 3 Various Artists Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Disney | Children's Music | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Disney's Greatest, Vol. 2 Disney's Greatest, Vol. 1 Disney's Greatest Vol. 2 Disney's Greatest, Vol. 1 Disney's Greatest Hits 1 & 2 ASIN: B00006EXKT Release Date: 2002-08-20

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Cynical types will accuse Disney of milking the "greatest" concept until it's drier than Tinkerbell's fairy dust ("Supercalafragilisticexpealidocious," "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da," and "Heigh Ho" were hits off of Vol. 1; "Bare Necessities," "It's a Small World," and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" stole the show on Vol. 2), but a glimpse of this installment's track listing is all it'll take to squash their suspicions. Once again running reverse-chronologically, Vol. 3 opens with Jonatha Brooke's gorgeously achy ballad "I'll Try," from 2002's arguably not-so-great Return to Neverland, and gradually reaches back through the years to re-raise the curtain on Toy Story 2 ("When She Loved Me," performed by Sarah McLachlan), The Lion King ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews's classic "A Spoonful of Sugar"), Pinocchio ("Give a Little Whistle"), and a bundle of treasured others, bottoming out at 1933's "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" from The Three Little Pigs. Vol. 3 is not without its weak moments--would a G-rated movie-goers' poll produce Beauty and the Beast's "Gaston" or The Hunchback of Notre Dame's "Topsy Turvy" on a hits list? Seems unlikely. Still, the bulk of these tracks are, as the included Little Mermaid song goes, "Part of Your World," and the spread of decades they represent proves their staying power. Don't expect Disney to latch the lid on its inexhaustible archives until a dozen or so of these records, each as strong as the next, beckon you back for more. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Disney's greatest hits, volum 3.......2007-05-13

This is one of the better volums for kids and for those who are
above 18 but still have some kid in them

Timeless Disney Music.......2007-05-07

Nothing brings sweet recollection of Disney movies like hearing the wonderful songs. In an age where there so much music with no redeeming qualities, these Disney CDs are priceless. Wonderful for the entire family to listen to around the house or in the car while traveling. We can't help but sing along. We love that these are the original tracks from the movies! Wonderful! We now have all three volumes.

Disney songs are the best.......2006-03-18

I love the songs on this volume. I'll Try by Jonatha Brooke is such an amzing somg. I especially bought this CD fort that song but, was pleasantly surprsed by the rest of the playlist.

Great Disney Music.......2006-02-21

I have bought the first 2 volumes of Disney's Greatest Hits and the 3rd volume doesn't disapoint. My 2 young children love to listen to this CD and talk about the movies that they come from. A definate must have!

Not as good as Vol 1 and Vol 2.......2005-09-11

This Disney CD represents the "leftovers" that didn't make it on Vol 1 and Vol 2 of this series. Although it has some of my favorites, I don't listen to the entire CD often. Disney could have done a better job of editing the which sound files should make the cut on this one. Still, it's nice to have all 3 CDs.

Average customer rating: Too Many Cooks = One Great Broth Blech, Where's the Shadow? There's an album buried in here somewhere... Haunting and beautiful

Never, Never, Land UNKLE Manufacturer: U.N.K.L.E. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Psyence Fiction Self Defence Preemptive Strike The Outsider Year Zero ASIN: B0002VEPB2 Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

1. Back And Forth
2. Eye For An Eye
3. In A State
4. Safe In Mind (Please Get This Gun From Out My Face)
5. I Need Something Stronger
6. What Are You To Me?
7. Panic Attack
8. Invasion
9. Reign
10. Glow
11. Inside
12. Awake The Unkind

Amazon.com

Like the end-of-season regenerations of Doctor Who, every new record from James Lavelle's UNKLE finds the musical project at the climax of some dramatic transmutation. Never, Never, Land is no exception. Soon after the release of 1999's Psyence Fiction, beats wizard DJ Shadow announced he'd never work as a member of UNKLE again--and accordingly, the first thing you notice about Never, Never, Land is the absence of his robust percussion. But once over that minor disappointment, it's not hard to wallow in this record's impressively dark scope.

With the aid of new collaborator Richard File, Lavelle has made a record that connects the dots between the creeping melancholy of Talk Talk, the scaly electronics of Massive Attack's Mezzanine and the grand sky-bound epics of the Verve. Like its predecessor, there's a proliferation of guest appearances: Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme, Brian Eno, Ian Brown, Massive Attack's Robert del Naja. But the vocals are assimilated much more successfully here, ensuring that guest never overpowers song. Lavelle still has a fine eye for casting his songs in the grandest narratives: "Panic Attack" samples the robotic pulse of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and overlays it with blurred electronic shimmers and driving bass. Mind you, it might be the understated numbers--"Glow", "Inside"--that provide some of the record's loveliest moments. --Louis Pattison

Album Description

Almost five years have passed since UNKLE's debut album Psyence Fiction, one of the nineties more important and controversial musical releases which featured producer DJ Shadow, The Verve's Richard Ashcroft and Mike D of the Beastie Boys on vocal duties. Additional album highlights were Thom Yorke's haunting "Rabbit In Your Headlights" and a then unknown, Badly Drawn Boy's cathartic "Nursery Rhyme."

But that was then and this is now... now is very different. Following the release of Psyence Fiction, Shadow returned to the States to work on The Private Press (with Lavelle as A&R). James Lavelle is the constant in UNKLE and he's forged a new production partnership with long-time friend Richard File for UNKLE's new album, Never Never Land. Lavelle said of File in Jockey Slut 2002: "Richard loves music, he's open-minded, he's brilliant technically, he's an absolute lunatic, he's a star, he's my best friend." In 2000, they moved into an Old Street flat together. It proved a very hedonistic time, a lost weekend that actually turned quite fruitful. In the same year they produced the band South for Mo' Wax and recorded a brooding, sinister soundtrack to Jonathan Glaser's film "Sexy Beast".

On the long awaited sophomore UNKLE endeavor, Stone Roses front man Ian Brown--whose "Be There" with UNKLE in 1998 went top ten--returns on the album's lead-off single "Reign" with fellow Roses member Mani tending to bass. Long time friend and inspiration 3D (of Massive Attack) contributes to "Invasion," Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno duel with synths on "I Need Something Stronger," Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age contributes a schizoid vocal over a bassquake on "Safe In Mind" and Joel Cadbury of South's pretty Beatles-esque ballad "Glow" is the penultimate track. The album is rich in atmosphere, a lush cinematic experience in sensurround sound. If Psyence Fiction sounded like the future, Never Never Land is a post-apocalyptic travel log.

And it's been quite a trip for the men from UNKLE.

Customer Reviews:

Too Many Cooks = One Great Broth.......2007-01-20

I don't know who U.N.K.L.E. is. The liner notes on this album are a dizzying mish-mosh of hundreds of names. Who, I wonder, is responsible for this harshly tender and touching album?

Ostensibly, the helmsmen are James Lavelle (who did much of the exquisite and expansive producing) and collaborator Richard File (whose voice shows up on over a third of the songs). But these two are guiding a ship that is staffed with a pretty talented crew, including Brian Eno, 3D (of Massive Attack), Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme (from Queens of the Stone Age), and Ian Brown.

Some argued (when the album was released, and even now) that despite (or because of) the wide array of talent around the record, the end result is uneven and unfocused. Lavelle, in interviews, countered by saying that a unifying theme was one of childhoods lost, of personal growth in the face of unstoppable time. This makes some sense, given the title and the lead track ("Back and Forth," in which we are told that life is "changes ... what you gotta go through your whole lifetime"). In spite of Lavelle's claim, thought, there is some sonic discrepancy between a few tracks, but this seems like small potatoes when those tracks are already so well done to begin with.

Most of the record is buffeted up by powerful waves of sound (some of them more than reminiscent of the men behind their making; 3D's "Invasion" sounds like it was lifted straight out of a Massive Attack album), floating on lofty currents of bass, much of it sparkling with arteries of synth bright enough to bring some light to the dreary lyrics. This is, to be sure, electronica, but it is electronica at its genesis, before it had taken great pains to distance itself so exclusively from anything even remotely mainstream. As such, a few tracks have a commercial hue about them, but none of them are anything but themselves. This is not the electronica of today -- experimentation for the sake of experimentation. This is a humbler and more naive version -- experimentation for the sake of good music.

And good music it is. "Glow" is an evocative anthem that seems to be fighting valiantly (and soulfully) against the effects of a general anaesthetic. "I Need Something Stronger," with its tender purrs and passive industrial heartbeat, unfurls like the soundtrack to an android's daydream. "Eye For An Eye" sounds inspired by Zepplin's anthematic energy, weaving bright vocals with a cataclysmic mesh of distortion and bass. "Reign," with its stringed backbone and slightly-trite chorus, is kept from sounding Prepackaged-And-Radio-Ready by Ian Brown's distinctively clear voice and a bass line provided by his ex-band member, Mani (of The Stone Roses).

The overall product is one that is billowing and clean, oceans-full and flowing, produced with meticulous attention to every trill and tremble. And although the various contributors (and, to a greater extent, U.N.K.L.E.'s fuzzy facelessness) mean that the songs don't always complement each other so well, that doesn't also mean those songs aren't good enough as it is. Because, in fact, they're great.

Blech,.......2006-03-28

I liked the first UNKLE album OK, but I did not get anything out of this. Not one track on this entire album appeals to me at all. Very, very dissappointing. Now I understand why Shadow won't work with this guy anymore...

Where's the Shadow?.......2006-01-18

DJ Shadow chose not to collaborate with James lavelle on this one and it shows, huge. James lavelle admittedly knows nothing about music, nor can he dj. He was just the founder of the label. DJ Shadow was the brains of U.N.K.L.E. Where's the beats? Where's the art? gone. Leave this one in the bargain bin at walmart.

There's an album buried in here somewhere..........2005-06-18

There's a decent musical album buried somewhere amidst the garbage that is UNKLE's Never, Never, Land. Stellar tracks like Invasion and the instrumental aspect of Reign hint at some serious talent, and Eye For An Eye manages to work despite itself. Unfortunately, the actualy melodies and lush instrumentation is lost in the endless waves of movie dialogue and quotations, all pretentious and infuriating; if I wanted to hear Terrence Malick's incessant preaching, I'll go watch the god awful film The Thin Red Line (where most of the quotes on the CD are pulled from). The album opens in this fashion and continues it throughout with the subtlty of a sledgehammer to an eggshell. When not overwhelming the listener with annoying selections of spoken word, much of the music is shelved in favor of the atrociously pointless lyrics such as those found in the "hit" Reign and the useless vocal performances that deliver them. I don't know what James Lavelle was thinking (or smoking) but someone seriously should have slapped him around a bit and reminded him that he's supposed to be making a collection of MUSIC that's pleasing to the ears, not grating. Never, Never, Land does has its moments (Invasion, In A State), but as a whole, this album never, never should have been released as is. The only thing haunting me with this album is the fact that I spent money on it.

Haunting and beautiful.......2005-05-25

I have been listening to this virtually non-stop ever since I picked it up. Different in style than their previous effort, which I think is what makes this a somewhat better offering. The Massive Attack & Radiohead influences are still here, but in a more subtle form. The track "In A State" is an absolute masterpiece of atmosphere, and there is not one bad track in the bunch. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating: "More Than You Know. . ." Polite applause for a decent debut, with some bright spots My second favorite Monheit CD Here We Go Again I like Jane Monheit

Never Never Land Jane Monheit Manufacturer: Encoded Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Come Dream with Me Taking a Chance on Love In the Sun Live at the Rainbow Room The Very Best of Jane Monheit ASIN: B00004SVKL Release Date: 2000-05-09

Tracks:

1. Please Be Kind
2. Detour Ahead
3. More Than You Know
4. Dindi
5. Save Your Love For Me
6. Never Let Me Go
7. My Foolish Heart
8. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
9. Twisted
10. Never Never Land

Amazon.com

Youthful singer Jane Monheit has a talent that is rare at any age; she can literally make people stop and listen. And we're not just talking about casual listeners, either. Accompanying Monheit on her debut recording, jazz veterans Ron Carter, Lewis Nash, and Kenny Barron are obviously just as bedazzled by this newcomer, supporting her honey-hued voice like a delicate jewel with tender care and immaculate taste. Even without their backing, Monheit can make time stand still, as she does with her a cappella intro to "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)." Singing the seldom-heard opening lines to the song, Monheit shows why she's an important new voice--her sure grasp of swing, lilting phrases, and spacious sense of dynamics are all rare things indeed. Monheit can also sing the blues, as she shows on "Twisted," which bears obvious touches of Joni Mitchell. And she swings like her other big influence, Ella Fitzgerald, on "Please Be Kind," "My Foolish Heart," and the gorgeous title track. A little experience will only add sheen to Jane Monheit's already accomplished artistry. --Ken Micallef

Customer Reviews:

"More Than You Know. . ." .......2007-01-24

"Recording with these musicians was really scary - and the most amazing experience of my life. I never thought something like this would happen for me this young, if at all. I used to think I'd be doing weddings my whole life. And that would've been cool if I could have made a living singing. That's all I've cared about. We called the album Never Never Land because this is my Never Never Land. I'm in the dreamland I was always trying to get to." ~ Jane Monheit ~

Looking for something really jazzy, zesty and dazzling style of singing? Well, look no more! This is it - an album of ten tastefully recorded songs with sparkling melodies and delicate lyrics. There's a touch of Sammy Cahn. There's a dose of Jobim. There's a twist of Ned Washington.

I wouldn't even dare to compare her to any singer. That would be so unfair for I believe Jane Monheit and any singer for that matter have their own distinctive styles that uniquely identifies them from other singers. No two singers are exactly alike in terms of style and musicality. Ella was Ella, Diana is Diana, Jane is Jane. But I can definitely say considering her exceptional musical virtues that she's undisputedly one of the best modern-day jazz singers. With her profile and long wavy tresses, she looks like my beautiful niece who has a lovely singing voice and sings "Over The Rainbow" so well, not to mention she's also a model for a hair salon. (Hey niece Angel, do I get a pair of Prada?)

Have you ever heard "My Foolish Heart" recorded with a delicious Latin-flavored rhythm? This is it! It's one of my very favorites from all the tracks. The wonderful arrangement was written by Jane Monheit's music teacher, Peter Eldridge, and her fabulous interpretation is so full of Bossa Nova feeling, so zesty and lively. Ms. Monheit exquisite vocals really shine all throughout the song and not to mention that beautiful bridge - a sweeping sax solo by a talented soloist, Hank Crawford. And this is also one of the songs she sang when she joined the 1998 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition where she was second place and won a price of $10,000.00.

The beautiful and meaningful songs that will surely stir up your emotions and deserve replays include "My Foolish Heart," "Dindi" and "More Than You Know," which features seasoned guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and creative pianist Kenny Barron. To me, these songs with their sublime arrangements and interpretations are the very highlights of this album.

More than you know
More than you know
Man of my heart
I love you so
Lately I find
You're on my mind
More than you know

Whether you're right
Whether you're wrong
Man of my heart
I'll string along
You need me so
More than you'll ever know

Loving you the way that I do
There's nothing I can do about it
Loving may be all you can give
But honey, I can't live without it
Oh, how I'd cry
Oh, how I'd sigh
If you grew tired
And said goodbye
More than I'd show
More than you'll ever know
I love you, my honey
More than you'll ever know.

"Jane Monheit is a real professional at such a young age - intonation, phrasing, material - she's got it all." ~ Kenny Barron, Pianist ~

Polite applause for a decent debut, with some bright spots.......2006-07-11

Ultimately, the biggest problem with this recording is the song selection (similar issues with her 2001 Come Dream With Me). Ms. Monheit handles Jobim's Dindi very well. She seems feel very comfortable with his music and lyrics. On the other hand, her Twisted falls flat ... Similarly on My Foolish Heart and I Got It Bad ... there was something lacking. Frankly, I think it is experience ... as though she had no point of reference to call on and therefore was left relying on her lovely voice. Unfortunately, there are some songs that need more. That said, I totally believed her Never Let Me Go, to which she brought a sense of youthful fear of loss, and the result is very strong. Finally, Never Never Land is a 10. My sense is that at 22, and being told she was on the verge of a big career, she stood on the border of youth and adulthood and drew on all the emotions that come with that and put it all into the song.

Bottom line, this cd shows us why there was a buzz about her potential and proves that if you want to sing torch songs it's probably better to have a few miles on you first.

My second favorite Monheit CD.......2006-02-12

After her "Live" album, this is my favorite. True, "Taking a Chance" has its moments, but this CD is purer, probably because it is her first. I prefer the "Live" album because Jane really lets loose more than she does on the studio albums, showing more of her potential to become a soulful jazz singer. "Soul" probably is the key word, because it's part of jazz and yet, it isn't easy to come by for an academically-trained, middle-class, rather tame "mermaid" who grew up in a musical family that supported her ambition to become a professional singer. (And I mean ambition; she has to have worked hard to get to the point of making her technically proficient singing sound so effortless.) Maybe great musicians and artists have to come from unhappy families and poverty (often programmed for self-destruction, thus taking them from the world too soon), but I suspect that Jane Monheit will get better with age and that her life experiences will give her music deeper and deeper color and feeling. But her technical prowess is certainly enriched by her obvious love of the music she sings and the great singers she emulates without immitating. Don't let anyone fool you; she feels something in every song she sings. It's just that sometimes it isn't deeper than what anyone else with her experience could feel, and the only difference is that she has the voice to express it. That said, listening to this marvelous, complex and well-trained voice is a huge pleasure.

This album features some very beautiful material. I especially like "Detour Ahead." Talk about feeling! As usual, the back-up musicians are excellent. I prefer Joel Frahm on tenor Sax, but David Newman, who also plays flute here, is great. Nice to hear an alto sax used well, too. The bossa nova arrangement of "My Foolish Heart" achieves the "sound of surprise" criteria of jazz. "Twisted" reminds us that Jane grew up listening to her parent's Joni Mitchell albums--and recognized Mitchell's frustrated jazz singer. (Jane sings one of Mitchell's original compositions on her "Come Dream with Me" CD.) The song "Never Never Land" reminds us of the singer's childhood spent with Disney movies. Jane's tastes are influenced by her love of movie and stage musicals. For those of us who would prefer to hear her sing jazz, Monheit will always have something, but she is more than a jazz singer: ballads, show tunes, Brazilian and popular songs fill out her repertoire. She will also frustrate listeners who want to "hear it sung straight" because she always puts some improvization on it, if not always some funk (though she does do that once in a while on the "Live" CD).

Here We Go Again.......2005-01-30

Oh-oh! Yet another blatant attempt to seduce us with artifice over substance. This Angelina Jolie look-alike is the industry's next "jazz singer/diva/sex symbol"(think Diana Krall). She meticulously and obsessively oversings; never mining the meaning of the words, but singing by rote, dinner theater style. Her idea of improvising is equally mechanical: she strings together every possible combination of notes relating to the chord change. An earlier customer review praises Monheit for singing all those "# 11's"; that's exactly what's wrong with her approach. Technique and academic knowledge are a poor substitute for warmth and intimacy. All in all , she leaves me cold. As for praise proffered by her "hired gun" studio musicians, old-school jazz players are often - unfortunately - the last people to connect emotionally with the lyrics of standards they've played as instrumentals thousands of times, and they often value "chops" above communication in a singer. But we, the listeners, want that connection. Jane Monheit is mannered, pristinely aloof and oddly unmusical, despite having a technically formidable and undeniably pretty voice. My advice would be to give this bland and banal CD a pass and buy anything by Shirley Horn.

I like Jane Monheit.......2004-05-17

After talking with some friends of mine I decided to take a chance and buy the album. My jazz director doesn't like her, but I think she is a wonderful musician. I think she has a beautiful voice, and she's not to hard on the eyes either. Her singing on this album is superb, "Detour Ahead" gave me chills the first time I ever heard it (and once in a while now). Her intonation is near perfect, and she has a genuine warmth to her voice. I find this album is definately in my top 40 albums I own. (Proud to say I recently added the 500th album yesterday) My reccomendation? Buy this album, you won't be dissapointed.

Average customer rating: Selections from the Greatest Voice of the Last Hundred Years A Must Have The Mario Lanza Collection The MARIO LANZA Collection WONDERFUL!!!!!

The MARIO LANZA Collection Manufacturer: RCA Victor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romberg, Sigmund | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lanza, Mario | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Kern, Jerome | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hardelot, Guy d' | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Lara, Agustin | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Brodszky, Nicholas | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Buzzi-Peccia, Arturo | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Capua, Eduardo di | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mario Lanza: At His Best! Christmas with Mario Lanza Mario Lanza ~ Opera Arias & Duets, from Andréa Chenier · La Bohème · I Pagliacci · Madama Butterfly · Otello American Caruso Lanza: Greatest Hits ASIN: B000003F6V Release Date: 1991-11-12

Tracks:

1. Be My Love
2. I'll Never Love You
3. Because You're Mine
4. The Song Angels Sing
5. Drink, Drink, Drink
6. Serenade
7. The Loveliest Night of the Year
8. La Donna E Mobile
9. Because
10. For You Alone
11. Golden Days
12. Deep In My Heart, Dear
13. If I Loved You
14. Yours Is My Heart Alone
15. One Night Of Love
16. Beloved
17. Beautiful Love
18. With A Song In My Heart
19. You Are My Love
20. Call Me Fool

Tracks:

1. All The Things You Are
2. My Song,My Love
3. Love Is The Sweetest Thing
4. Will You Remember
5. Granada
6. Lolita
7. Serenade
8. Temptation
9. Lygia
10. Lady of Spain
11. This Land
12. Lee-Ah-Loo
13. Tina-Lina
14. Boom Biddy Boom Boom
15. The Bayou Lullaby
16. The Lord's Prayer
17. And Here You Are
18. Song of Songs
19. Somewhere A Voice Is Calling
20. I Never Knew

Tracks:

1. Ciribiribin
2. Wonder Why
3. Come Dance With Me
4. O Sole Mio
5. Younger Than Springtime
6. For the First Time (Come Prima)
7. Never Till Now
8. Arrivederci, Roma
9. If You Were Mine
10. Behold!
11. A Night to Remember
12. Love in a Home
13. Do You Wonder
14. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
15. One Alone
16. Aida:Celeste Aida
17. Carmen: Flower Song
18. La Traviata: Brindisi
19. Rigoletto:Questa O Quella
20. Pagliacci:Vesti La Giubba
21. Cavalleria Rusticana: Addio Alla Madre

Customer Reviews:

Selections from the Greatest Voice of the Last Hundred Years.......2007-03-13

Mario Lanza was, arguably, the greatest tenor and greatest singer of this and the last century. It is difficult to appreciate him without listening to a variety of selections. This collection has some of his best recordings and exhibits the versatility and variety that he possessed that permitted him to "crossover" from opera to popular music with a ease.

I recommend this for those who already know Lanza to some extent but want to go into more depth and understand his marvelous skills.

A Must Have .......2006-12-12

I had forgotten what a beautiful voice Mario Lanza had. This collection contains opera and pop selections that exhibit the power yet sweetness of his voice. Fortunately, we have his CD's and videos so we can remember and listen to his gorgeous, vibrant voice and personality. I highly recommend this collection along with his wonderful movies, especially The Great Caruso.

The Mario Lanza Collection.......2006-11-10

I had forgotten just how beautiful a voice from the past was. It is a wonderful collection

The MARIO LANZA Collection.......2006-08-19

extract from most important LPs. Brilliant sound quality from RCA. Also included are soundtrack recordings from some of his movies. The are several reissues from Mario Lanza but this one is a collection you should have.

WONDERFUL!!!!!.......2005-10-19

The Mario Lanza Collection is a three CD set and it has 61 songs and they all sound great. The mastering on this set is excellent and the song choice is very very good. It would have been perfect if they added a forth CD with more Arias, Italian songs and Sacred Arias. BUT still this set is a great introduction to Lanza. Lanza's voice was powerful and beautiful; if you are a fan of great singing, you will love Lanza. Highlights on this CD set are; Be my Love, Because your Mine, Serenade, With a Song in My Heart, Temptation, The Lord's Prayer, Ciribirbin, O Solo Mio, Ariverducci Roma, and on and on. They are many many great songs on this set, and I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites Manufacturer: Castle Pulse ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Boito, Arrigo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Porter | Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rutter | Rutter, John | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sullivan | Sullivan, Arthur | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mancini | Mancini, Henry | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Favourite Welsh Choirs Land of Song Welsh Choral Classics Welsh Choirs: Wonderful Welsh Choirs Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome Traditional Songs of Wales ASIN: B0009SOFXG Release Date: 2005-08-01

Tracks:

1. Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer (CWM Rhondda) - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
2. Land of My Fathers - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
3. Dies Irae
4. Men of Harlech
5. You'll Never Walk Alone
6. Cadwyn O Emyn Donau Cymreig: Joanna (Trad./Elfion Wyn)/Crugybar (Trad.
7. Old Folks at Home
8. Il Liza Jane
9. Faust/Soldier's Chorus - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
10. Vergine Degli Angeli
11. Ballard of Rourke's Drift - Cwt-Y-Collen Choir
12. My Hero
13. God Bless the Prince of Wales - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
14. German Mass/Gloria
15. German Mass/Sanctus
16. Misbles/Master of the House/On My Own/Drink with Me/Empty Chairs at
17. All Through the Night - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
18. Arwelfa
19. Invictus
20. Softly as I Leave You

Tracks:

1. Diolch l'R L
2. Hine E Hine (Maori Lullaby)
3. Pererin Wyf (Amazing Grace)
4. Tribute to the USA: America the Beautiful (Ward/Bates)/God Bless ...
5. Memories of Martha
6. I Lombardi/The Crusaders' Chorus - Treorchy Male Choir
7. Myfanwy - Treorchy Male Choir
8. Tales of Hoffman/Barcarolle
9. Creation's Hymn
10. In the Spirit!
11. Shall We Gather at the River
12. Nos a Bore
13. Very Best Time of Year
14. Soon Ah Will Be Done
15. Thanks Be to God
16. Flower That Shattered the Stone
17. Rhys - Treorchy Male Choir
18. Where Shall I Be?
19. Bywyd y Bugail
20. Lord's Prayer

Tracks:

1. Ave Maria
2. Pearl Fishers/Divine Brahma
3. She Was Beautiful (Cavatina) - Treorchy Male Choir
4. Cymru Fach
5. Nidaros
6. Jacob's Ladder - Treorchy Male Choir
7. Watching the Wheat
8. Pan Ddaw y Saint (When the Saints Go Marching In)
9. Misbles/Stars
10. Rachie
11. Pirates of Penzance/With Cat-Like Tread - Treorchy Male Choir
12. There Is a Balm in Gilead
13. Rise Up Shepherd and Foller
14. My Lord, What a Mornin'
15. Bryn Myrddin
16. Jesus Christ Superstar/Medley: Jesus Christ Superstar/Hosanna/The Last
17. Finnish Forest (Suomen Salossa)
18. Nabucco/The Glory of Israel
19. Ride the Chariot
20. Tydi a Roddaist - Treorchy Male Choir

Tracks:

1. Y Nefoedd
2. Phantom of the Opera/Think of Me
3. Morte Christe (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
4. By Babylon's Wave
5. I'm Gonna Sing
6. Where Could I Go But to the Lord?
7. Holy City - Treorchy Male Choir
8. Mefistofele: Ave Signor, Degli Angeli
9. Senzenina (Zulu Chant)
10. That's All I Want from You
11. Deep Harmony - Treorchy Male Choir
12. Give Me Jesus
13. Just a Closer Walk with Thee
14. My Wish for You
15. Jeptha/Waft Her Angels
16. Mose in Egitto/Prayer
17. Be Still My Soul (Finlandia Hymn)
18. God's Choir in the Sky
19. Floral Dance - Treorchy Male Choir
20. Smilin' Through

Tracks:

1. Calon Lan
2. True Love
3. Mor Fawr Wyt Ti (How Great Thou Art)
4. Aberystwyth
5. Comrades in Arms
6. Cats/Memory
7. They Led My Lord Away
8. State Fair/It's a Grand Night for Singing
9. When I Fall in Love
10. Let's Face the Music and Dance
11. Windmills of Your Mind
12. How Soon
13. Non Nobis Domine
14. Rhythm of Life
15. Kalinka
16. Sound an Alarm
17. Neapolitan Trilogy: It's Now or Never (Di Capua/Schroeder/Gold)/Mo ...
18. Turandot/Nessun Dorma
19. Christus Redemptor
20. Ann Evening's Pastorale

Album Details

Choirs Include the Morriston Orpheus Choir, the Pontadrddulais Male Voice Choir, the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir, the Cwrt-y-gollen Choir, the Treorchy Male Choir and the Lucknow Male Voice Choir.

Average customer rating: Too Many Cooks = One Great Broth An Amazing Work of Art At times good, but overall unfocused Trip-hop 2 stars for the artwork.....

Never, Never, Land UNKLE Manufacturer: U.N.K.L.E. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Similar Items: Psyence Fiction Self Defence Edit Music for a Film: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Reconstruction Unkle Sounds Wwiii Preemptive Strike ASIN: B0002VEPBM Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

1. Back And Forth
2. Eye For An Eye
3. In A State
4. Safe In Mind (Please Get This Gun From Out My Face)
5. I Need Something Stronger
6. What Are You To Me ?
7. Panic Attack
8. Invasion
9. Reign
10. Glow
11. Inside
12. Eye For An Eye Backwards (Joshua Homme & Alain Johannes Remix)
13. Safe In Mind (Please Get This Gun From Out My Face) (Chris Goss Remix)

Tracks:

1. Blackout
2. Tracier
3. Panic Attack (Ape Sounds Remix)
4. Reign (Anagram Psychonaughts Remix)
5. In A State (DFA Remix)
6. Invasion (Medway Vs Eva Coast To Coast Remix)
7. Have You Passed Through This Night?
8. Glow (Hybrid Remix)
9. In A State (Sasha Remix)

Amazon.com

Like the end-of-season regenerations of Doctor Who, every new record from James Lavelle's UNKLE finds the musical project at the climax of some dramatic transmutation. Never, Never, Land is no exception. Soon after the release of 1999's Psyence Fiction, beats wizard DJ Shadow announced he'd never work as a member of UNKLE again--and accordingly, the first thing you notice about Never, Never, Land is the absence of his robust percussion. But once over that minor disappointment, it's not hard to wallow in this record's impressively dark scope.

With the aid of new collaborator Richard File, Lavelle has made a record that connects the dots between the creeping melancholy of Talk Talk, the scaly electronics of Massive Attack's Mezzanine and the grand sky-bound epics of the Verve. Like its predecessor, there's a proliferation of guest appearances: Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme, Brian Eno, Ian Brown, Massive Attack's Robert del Naja. But the vocals are assimilated much more successfully here, ensuring that guest never overpowers song. Lavelle still has a fine eye for casting his songs in the grandest narratives: "Panic Attack" samples the robotic pulse of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and overlays it with blurred electronic shimmers and driving bass. Mind you, it might be the understated numbers--"Glow", "Inside"--that provide some of the record's loveliest moments. --Louis Pattison

Album Description

Almost five years have passed since UNKLE's debut album Psyence Fiction, one of the nineties more important and controversial musical releases which featured producer DJ Shadow, The Verve's Richard Ashcroft and Mike D of the Beastie Boys on vocal duties. Additional album highlights were Thom Yorke's haunting "Rabbit In Your Headlights" and a then unknown, Badly Drawn Boy's cathartic "Nursery Rhyme."

But that was then and this is now... now is very different. Following the release of Psyence Fiction, Shadow returned to the States to work on The Private Press (with Lavelle as A&R). James Lavelle is the constant in UNKLE and he's forged a new production partnership with long-time friend Richard File for UNKLE's new album, Never Never Land. Lavelle said of File in Jockey Slut 2002: "Richard loves music, he's open-minded, he's brilliant technically, he's an absolute lunatic, he's a star, he's my best friend." In 2000, they moved into an Old Street flat together. It proved a very hedonistic time, a lost weekend that actually turned quite fruitful. In the same year they produced the band South for Mo' Wax and recorded a brooding, sinister soundtrack to Jonathan Glaser's film "Sexy Beast".

On the long awaited sophomore UNKLE endeavor, Stone Roses front man Ian Brown--whose "Be There" with UNKLE in 1998 went top ten--returns on the album's lead-off single "Reign" with fellow Roses member Mani tending to bass. Long time friend and inspiration 3D (of Massive Attack) contributes to "Invasion," Jarvis Cocker and Brian Eno duel with synths on "I Need Something Stronger," Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age contributes a schizoid vocal over a bassquake on "Safe In Mind" and Joel Cadbury of South's pretty Beatles-esque ballad "Glow" is the penultimate track. The album is rich in atmosphere, a lush cinematic experience in sensurround sound. If Psyence Fiction sounded like the future, Never Never Land is a post-apocalyptic travel log.

And it's been quite a trip for the men from UNKLE.

Customer Reviews:

Too Many Cooks = One Great Broth.......2007-01-20

I don't know who U.N.K.L.E. is. The liner notes on this album are a dizzying mish-mosh of hundreds of names. Who, I wonder, is responsible for this harshly tender and touching album?

Ostensibly, the helmsmen are James Lavelle (who did much of the exquisite and expansive producing) and collaborator Richard File (whose voice shows up on over a third of the songs). But these two are guiding a ship that is staffed with a pretty talented crew, including Brian Eno, 3D (of Massive Attack), Jarvis Cocker, Josh Homme (from Queens of the Stone Age), and Ian Brown.

Some argued (when the album was released, and even now) that despite (or because of) the wide array of talent around the record, the end result is uneven and unfocused. Lavelle, in interviews, countered by saying that a unifying theme was one of childhoods lost, of personal growth in the face of unstoppable time. This makes some sense, given the title and the lead track ("Back and Forth," in which we are told that life is "changes ... what you gotta go through your whole lifetime"). In spite of Lavelle's claim, thought, there is some sonic discrepancy between a few tracks, but this seems like small potatoes when those tracks are already so well done to begin with.

Most of the record is buffeted up by powerful waves of sound (some of them more than reminiscent of the men behind their making; 3D's "Invasion" sounds like it was lifted straight out of a Massive Attack album), floating on lofty currents of bass, much of it sparkling with arteries of synth bright enough to bring some light to the dreary lyrics. This is, to be sure, electronica, but it is electronica at its genesis, before it had taken great pains to distance itself so exclusively from anything even remotely mainstream. As such, a few tracks have a commercial hue about them, but none of them are anything but themselves. This is not the electronica of today -- experimentation for the sake of experimentation. This is a humbler and more naive version -- experimentation for the sake of good music.

And good music it is. "Glow" is an evocative anthem that seems to be fighting valiantly (and soulfully) against the effects of a general anaesthetic. "I Need Something Stronger," with its tender purrs and passive industrial heartbeat, unfurls like the soundtrack to an android's daydream. "Eye For An Eye" sounds inspired by Zepplin's anthematic energy, weaving bright vocals with a cataclysmic mesh of distortion and bass. "Reign," with its stringed backbone and slightly-trite chorus, is kept from sounding Prepackaged-And-Radio-Ready by Ian Brown's distinctively clear voice and a bass line provided by his ex-band member, Mani (of The Stone Roses).

The overall product is one that is billowing and clean, oceans-full and flowing, produced with meticulous attention to every trill and tremble. And although the various contributors (and, to a greater extent, U.N.K.L.E.'s fuzzy facelessness) mean that the songs don't always complement each other so well, that doesn't also mean those songs aren't good enough as it is. Because, in fact, they're great.

An Amazing Work of Art.......2006-05-09

This album, just like it's predecessor is an amazing work of art and achivement that is, as it should be, respected by those who truly appreciate and repect the greatness of the masterpiece the artists involved in it's creation have graced our ears with once again. I loved the first album and had high expectations from this one and was not let down in the least. It would have been nice to hear more of Thom Yorke, but overall, I am impressed that they could pull it off a second time. Another great addition to my collection. Thank you.

At times good, but overall unfocused.......2005-10-17

Much like the first U.N.K.L.E. project, this album meanders all over the place in a jarring, disjointed way. At times a great atmospheric song will come on, though it's about half the time.

Practically every song on this album sounds as though it were written by a different "band," and in some ways that's true. Almost every track features a different singer (and each singer has a dramatically different style). It would seem that the songs were molded and created to accomodate that singer's style, rather than the other way around.

It's an interesting concept, but it's nothing new, and it suffers thereby from the same issue that plagued the slightly superior U.N.K.L.E. debut. The first album, however, had some truly standout tracks that made it an almost essential purchase; namely the beautifully eerie "Rabbit In Your Headlights" featuring Thom Yorke (which was reason enough to own the album), and other worthy guest appearances (especially the stunning track with Richard Ashcroft).

This album has nothing that even approaches those highlights off Psyence Fiction, but that's hardly the issue. The mood on Never Never Land is somewhat schizofrenic and obtuse, but not in a way that holds any mystery or intrigue. Rather, the album comes across as somewhat blunt.

Anyone familiar with the unsatisfying (and similarly directionless) first album by Tweaker can know what to expect from this. The whole "guest vocalist collaboration with established electronic musician" concept has always sounded good on paper, but it doesn't make an album. It works best as a once off thing. Indeed, I always thought about Psyence Fiction as a collection of collaborations, with the two truly noteworthy ones being Thom Yorke and Richard Ashcroft.

There's some embarrasingly bad stuff on Never Never Land. One track even comes across as a cheeze-trance "anthem" with unimpressive repetitious singing... It reminded me of that silly trance hit from a few years back that featured a heavily verbed out Sarah MacLaughlin (sp?), except the vocals here are hardly as signature or impressive.

In the end, if you're interested enough to get it, pick up this double-disc special edition. It's worth the extra couple bucks. The remixes disc on a whole is more impressive than the actual album (and somehow manages to sound more coherant). The artwork and packaging, as another reviewer pointed out, is really great as well.

Still, I'd recommend avoiding this one altogether, unless you're a big fan of one (or more) of the guest vocalists on this album. That seems to be the appeal of the U.N.K.L.E. project. There's countless other impressive trip-hop-electronic albums out there that don't struggle to achieve mainstream success by capitalizing on singer-celebrity collaborations.

Trip-hop.......2005-06-19

Who: Richard File, songwriter Ant Genn, with James Lavelle, make up the trio with various guests (including Ian Brown) on vocals.

Why: It's dance and trip-hop music with a bit of broody guy vocals, angst without the whining, and manages to be not so dark. There's the guiding piano much like Ben Folds, a heavy breakbeat like Everything But The Girl, guitar riffs like Frou Frou or Goldfrapp, and string-driven like the Badly Drawn Boy, and pondering lyrics with vocals that remind you of Massive Attack. My favorite song - "What Are You To Me?"

When/Where to listen: For those strangely damp and moody times when you want to reflect on your life or maybe be in a dance-trance while going about your chores, pausing for a moment of flashback when reminded of somebody, but still want to be left upbeat and not delve or wallow in the gloom.

2 stars for the artwork............2005-05-20

...and the rest of this is basically crap. It is not bad because Shadow is missing nor is it due to the fact Lavelle wants to due something different than abstract hip-hop. It is terrible because the songs themselves offer no identity and sound as if they were done in the late 1990's, like a watered down version of a Primal Scream b-side. The structures follow a similar vein of having folky English vocals waving in and out of the mix with keyboard strings and lame house breaks accompanied by obvious movie samples.

What little can be salvaged comes from the remixes. The Chris Gross remix of "Safe in Mind" fares much better than the original version that suffers from a pathetic start/stop build up of tension. The DFA mix proves to be interesting but loses it's charm after 4 minutes out of a 12 minute song. A few remix choices were down right mistakes (like Sasha's dance house take on "In A State" or Hybrid's radio ready mix of "Glow") and spoil the justification of owning the double disc .

I expected something more from Mo Wax founder Lavelle and I hope you did too

Average customer rating: Great singing Only Roberta

Leonard Bernstein: Songs Manufacturer: Et'Cetera ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Songs by Roger Quilter Copland Songs Just-Spring: Art Songs of John Duke Mozart: Songs Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem ASIN: B0000000NK Release Date: 2004-03-22

Tracks:

1. I Hate Music! (A Cycle Of Five Kid Songs): My Name Is Barbara
2. I Hate Music! (A Cycle Of Five Kid Songs): Jupiter Has Seven Moons
3. I Hate Music! (A Cycle Of Five Kid Songs): I Hate Music!
4. I Hate Music! (A Cycle Of Five Kid Songs): A Big Indian And A Little Indian
5. I Hate Music! (A Cycle Of Five Kid Songs): I'm A Person Too
6. La Bonne Cuisine (From 'La Bonne Cuisine Francaise' ): Plum Pudding
7. La Bonne Cuisine (From 'La Bonne Cuisine Francaise' ): Queues De Boef
8. La Bonne Cuisine (From 'La Bonne Cuisine Francaise' ): Tavouk Gueuksis
9. La Bonne Cuisine (From 'La Bonne Cuisine Francaise' ): Civet A Toute Vitesse
10. La Bonne Cuisine (English Version): Plum Pudding
11. La Bonne Cuisine (English Version): Ox-Tails
12. La Bonne Cuisine (English Version): Tavouk Gueunksis
13. La Bonne Cuisine (English Version): Rabbit At Top Speed
14. Two Love Songs: Extinguish My Eyes
15. Two Love Songs: When My Soul Touches Yours
16. So Pretty
17. Piccola Ser
18. Silhouette (Galilee)
19. Mass: A Simple Song
20. Mass: I Go On
21. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Take Care Of This House
22. Candide: It Must Be So
23. Candide: Candide's Lament
24. Peter Pan: My House
25. Peter Pan: Peter, Peter
26. Peter Pan: Who Am I?
27. Peter Pan: Never-Land

Customer Reviews:

Great singing.......2006-03-01

Roberta Alexander is stunning in these songs of Bernstein. Her voice simply shimmers. Really beautiful.

Only Roberta.......2003-12-02

Roberta Alexander is right on top of this recording. She has a beautiful and strong voice, but more importantly, she has perfect command of the music and idiom of these and Ives' songs. The emotional range of the songs is very wide, ranging from playful to thoughtful to sorrowful but she makes all of them sound very natural.

The Five Kid Songs express the imagination of a small child (Jupiter has seven moons, or is it nine? Saturn has a million billion trillion sixty-nine) and it would be very easy to perform them in a childish way, talking down as many adults do - the composer expressly stated that they should not be performed this way and in fact Alexander sings them with a perfectly natural innocence. La Bonne Cuisine is sung with a strong drive, and although it's hard to imagine what anyone should do with excerpts from a cooking book it's still compelling music. The other songs are also nice but not as memorable - as for the songs from Candide, they are beautiful but get the complete recording on Deutsche Grammophon, directed by Bernstein himself (there are two; I prefer the live version, ASIN B000001GD2).

Tan Crone does more than just provide a background; she adds her own interpretation on piano to add even more feeling to the music.

Bernstein's songs do not have the depth of Ives', but this is still a very nice collection. I will have to check out the Barber and Copland recordings on the same label as well.

Average customer rating: Arguably "The Best" English "Merry Widow "

Léhar: The Land of Smiles; The Merry Widow; The Count of Luxembourg (Highlights) Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus; The Gypsy Baron (Highlights) Offenbach: La Belle Helene; Orpheus in the Underworld; La Vie Parisienne (Highlights) Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld / Burgess, Watson, etc (Highlights) The Best of Operetta, Vol. 3 The Best of Operetta, Vol. 2 ASIN: B00009KHY2 Release Date: 2003-09-02

Customer Reviews:

Arguably "The Best" English "Merry Widow ".......2006-09-12

This is the "Merry Widow" with English translation by Christopher Hassel sung by June Bronhill. I loved this rendition ever since I first heard it in about 1960. What's to love? First the translation is the best I've heard. The language doesn't sound "stilted" as some others. And, you can understand almost every word sung. Plus, the famous song, "Vilja" has some wording that moves me every time I hear it: The soprano sings, "Love me and I'll DIE for you!" with the word "die" somewhat emphasized. I don't know, there's just something "powerful" about someone saying they'd "die" for love! AND, at the end of "Vilja" the chorus and soprano raise to a crescendo hitting a high note together. In many renditions the chorus is heard but not the soprano on the final high note. In THIS version, the soprano, June Bronhill, can be heard rising to the final high note with an incressing crescendo and fortissimo louder than the chorus and holding the final high note---which gives a very thrilling effect as she holds that final note, I assure you!

The "problem" is that this June Bronhill, Reid, and Hassel version is hard to find on CD. For example, this CD is made in Holland and "there is one left" so it says on Amazon. But, if you can find it, I think it would be very much worth a listen. Then, after hearing it, if you think there's a "better" Merry Widow, please let ME know! Thanks. Email:boland7214@aol.

Average customer rating: Good choice of tunes and songs

Enduring Freedom: America's Greatest Hits Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Smith, John Stafford | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sousa | Sousa, John Philip | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music 4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: America's Greatest Hits Stirring Marches of the USA Services American Anthems Stars & Stripes: America's Greatest Hits God Bless America: Ult Patriotic Album ASIN: B00009N1ZY Release Date: 2003-07-01

Tracks:

1. Star Spangled Banner (National Anthem) - Eric Rogers Choir And Orchestra
2. God Bless America - Eric Rogers Choir And Orchestra
3. America The Beautiful - John Williams
4. You're A Grand Old Flag - Carl Davis
5. Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree - Mantovani & His Orchestra
6. This Land Is Your Land - John Williams
7. Columbia, The Gem Of The Ocean - Eric Rogers Choir And Orchestra
8. Bless This House - Benjamin Luxon
9. You'll Never Walk Alone - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
10. Liberty Fanfare - John Williams
11. The Caissons Go Rolling Along - The Band Of The Grenadier Guards
12. Anchors Aweigh - The Band Of The Grenadier Guards
13. The Air Force Song - The Band Of The Grenadier Guards
14. Semper Paratus - The Band Of The Grenadier Guards
15. The Marine's Hymn - The Band Of The Grenadier Guards
16. Semper Fidelis - Donald Hunsberger
17. National Emblem March - The Band Of The Coldstream Guards
18. The U.S. Field Artillery - Frederick Fennell
19. Washington Post - Frederick Fennell
20. The Stars And Stripes Forever - Donald Hunsberger

Customer Reviews:

Good choice of tunes and songs.......2005-06-24

This CD contains a good choice of American patriotic tunes and songs. The recording is good and the price is affordable. If it is your first CD of American patriotic tunes and songs, it is a good choice. However, if you prefer the same tunes and songs played or sung by an other orchestra, band or choir, just shop on Amazon; there are hundred of different versions.

Average customer rating: Jonatha Brooke's "I'll Try" is worth the purchase. Loved It! Loved It! Loved It! "I'll Try" Jonatha Brooke 10 year old and loving it!!:)

Return to Never Land (Original Soundtrack) Various Artists Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Peter Pan 10 Cent Wings Peter Pan: Classic Soundtrack Series (1953 Film) The Angel in the House Return to Never Land ASIN: B00005Y1ZO Release Date: 2002-02-05

Tracks:

1. Do You Believe In Magic? - BBMak
2. Main Title
3. Second Star To The Right - Jonatha Brooke
4. The Tale Of Pan
5. I'll Try - Jonatha Brooke
6. Jane Is Kidnapped
7. A Childhood Lost
8. Here We Go Another Plan
9. Summoning The Octopus/Pan Saves Jane
10. Flight Through Never Land
11. So To Be One Of Us
12. Meet The Lost Boys
13. Now That You're One Of Us
14. Longing For Home
15. Hook And The Lost Boys
16. Hook Deceives Jane
17. Jane Finds The Treasure
18. Pan Is Captured
19. I'll Try (Reprsie)
20. Jane Saves Tink And Pan
21. Jane Can Fly
22. Flying Home
23. Reunion

Customer Reviews:

Jonatha Brooke's "I'll Try" is worth the purchase........2007-06-23

The soundtrack in total is better than most Disney Films...But the song "I'll Try" is a classic and the CD should be purchased to hear the singing and songwriting of Jonatha Brooke. Why this song did not get an Oscar nod, when songs of less substance do each year is perplexing. If you liked the film or did not even see it...the CD is worth the price. In addition Jonatha Brooke has many more CDs out of her music and one can instantly be hooked (no pun intended) at first listen...

Loved It! Loved It! Loved It!.......2006-02-25

When I saw the movie, I first saw it in the movie theater and then on Disney Channel. I heard the song "I'll Try" and immediatly wanted the soundtrack. I also wanted the movie. Jonatha Brooke's song made me want to fly. :) I personally never want to grow up and this movie and song help you stay childish and care-free longer. It trully is a beautiful song and a beautiful movie.

"I'll Try".......2005-02-17

The movie was okay, but the song "I'll Try" just made me want to see it again and again. It's so great!! I love it!!

Jonatha Brooke.......2003-06-19

Have to say I hated the movie, but when the song 'I'll Try' played, I immediately recognized the amazing talent of Jonatha Brooke. It is a beautiful song and if you enjoy it, I highly recommend you listen to her other stuff. She has several solo albums, all of which are good, but her best work (in my opinion)is the stuff she did as part of a Boston based duo called 'The Story'. Their album 'Grace in Gravity', is one of my all time favorites. The harmonies on the album are astounding and complex. Jonatha has a penchant for minor keys and her phrasing is unmistakeable. Superb stuff for the music enthusiast.

10 year old and loving it!!:).......2002-05-30

Personally I love Peter Pan things and that "I'll Try..."song made me cry when I saw it in the movie theater,And really all these songs are great...They make me feel like I never wanna grow up also...:)Those songs have that way that move you,Like make you sad....And man...I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!:)PETER PAN ALL THE WAY!Wahooo!:)

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9. Put 'Em High (Enhanced) [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]
10. Reflections [Limited Edition]

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