The Trip

Product Description
The Trip is a new series from Family Recordings, where a specially invited guest DJ gets to create a unique album based around his or her personal record collection with no barriers, and no strict musical guidelines.

Dirty Vegas successfully kicked off the series early 2004. Now comes the turn for Tom Middleton, who is best known for his work as one half of ‘90s chillout legend Global Communication and funky house master The Jedi Knights. He has remixed for some of the biggest bands in the world including Grammy winner Coldplay, Jamiroquai, Goldfrapp and Royksopp.

The Trip is not your standard mix CD, Tom has used all of his studio wizardry with re-edits, effects, tricks and audio treats to perk up the most cynical listeners. Tom’s included a number of familiar songs by some unfamiliar artists, such as Senor Coconut’s version of the Sade classic "Smooth Operator." This is all balanced with a bold mix of popular classics from ‘80s superstars Level 42, Thompson Twins and The Style Council, plus classic easy listening and Jazz. All the songs are then interlaced with excerpts from Tom’s TV childhood – Mr. Ben, Magic Roundabout, Star Wars, and Close Encounters. If you want to see what makes this sonic evangelist’s musical mind tick, this is it!

The Trip,Tom Middleton,Family Recordings,Club/Dance,Dance,Dance Music,Pop

Average customer rating: Not old Chemicals, New Chemicals! Yes, You Are the Night Don't think I'll buy it!! Joe and Jason do it not to well we reviewed this...

We Are the Night The Chemical Brothers Manufacturer: Astralwerks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Mix-Up Our Love to Admire Icky Thump Zeitgeist Do It Again ASIN: B000OV129I Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

1. No Path To Follow
2. We Are The Night
3. All Rights Reversed (The Klaxons)
4. Saturate
5. Do It Again (Ali Love)
6. Das Spiegal
7. The Salmon Dance (Fatlip)
8. Burst Generator
9. A Modern Midnight Conversation
10. Battle Scars (Willie Mason)
11. Harpoons
12. The Pills Won't Help You Now (Midlake)

Amazon.com

One can never accuse the Chemical Brothers of consistency. We Are the Night continues their eclectic electronica approach even though the big-beat groove of the title track remains their digital calling card. Spotted with a minimalist keyboard pattern, vocal non sequiturs, and sampled sound effects, the infectious groove of "We Are the Night" eventually evolves into the monotone-chanted dance chorus of "We are the night skies/We are the bright lies," recalling Brian Eno circa Here Come the Warm Jets. However, for every catchy electro-dance, there's a tune that leaves you scratching your head. What to make of the novelty song "The Salmon Dance" is anybody's guess, though you might find some illumination in a salmon recipe on their Web site. With fractured nursery-rhyme lyrics that are sung like an off-color Sesame Street rap, it will drive you up the wall--or at least toward the skip button. Then there's Midlake singing the trancey ballad "The Pills Won't Help You Now," making the Chemical Brothers sound like a sci-fi version of Coldplay. Retro-analog synthesizers dominate, with the electro-grooves of "Das Spiegel," "Burst Generator," and "Saturate," which builds on a Kraftwerk-forged metal framework coupled with storming sampled drums. The circuits of '70s techno-pop artist the Normal are re-soldered on "Do It Again." With Ali Love singing the title-track chorus, it's built to be a summertime anthem akin to Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)," albeit robotically chilled. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Not old Chemicals, New Chemicals!.......2007-07-29

I love the Chemical Brothers. As an electronic musician and dj, the Chems are my favorite artist and my biggest influence.

My favorite work of theirs is actually their DJ mix, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out." Just awesome.

I didn't really like their last album, "Push the Button." I thought it was just ok. The only song I played off that album, was "Rise" and that was actually a b-side to "Galvanize."

I've never loved any of their albums though. I've just thought that certain songs on their albums were mind blowing. The albums usually don't have a very danceable flow to them.

This one does.

This album is the first Chemical Brothers album that I can listen to from beginning to end. There was only one song I thought was slightly mediocre.

"Do It Again" makes a ton more sense now that I've heard it within the context of the album. The sung vocals were questionable to me, but after hearing the album, I think it's brilliant.

And, for the record, I think the "Salmon Dance" is wicked dancefloor material. The funkiest Chemical Brothers track ever.

This album is a bit less in your face then the earlier stuff, but it is quite relevant to the current state of electronic music. It draws influences from the minimal house/berlin techno and nu-rave scene but transcend all of that. They really make some odd-ball decisions and push songs in really strange directions, all the while keeping their familiar sound pallette.

If you want the old (and still great) block rockin' Chemical Brothers, then this is probably not the album for you. But if you want to hear cutting edge dance music, this is it.

Currently my favorite electronic music album. Period.


-The Beat Counselor

[...]

Yes, You Are the Night.......2007-07-28

There are not so many bands in the musical panorama which, after releasing a singles' collection of a decade of existence, have made out 2 great new albums just after it. As many do, I really enjoy "Push the Button" but for me this album is almost capable of matching with it... and I must confess I was not expecting that. Yes, songs like "We Are the Night", "Das Spiegel" or "Burst Generator" are the night! Go for it fans, the formula is as good as ever.

Don't think I'll buy it!!.......2007-07-27

This is NOT the Chemical Bros. that I know of!!! What the hell happened??? This whole album blows!! Thank god for the preview or else I would have to add another album to the stack of dust collectors and paperweights!! Listen at your own risk!!!

Joe and Jason do it not to well.......2007-07-26

think this is dem, joe and jason chemical. why else would they be called chemical brothers right? Like Allman brothers yeah! I think the real question with this CD is the following: Do they have My Chemical Romance in mind? haha I am so funny, but then it plays into the question of chemical warfare and I doubt that the who-sane guy listened to these guys you know it? The one song I really like is the first song but after that it is just a lot of beeping noises. I think I should go into music becuz I can record my answering machine and make noises with my blender in the background and scream and yeah call it like a project album yeah. Best to listen to when eating pepperjack cheese with Dorito chips that are Nacho flavored yo!

we reviewed this..........2007-07-26

We rated this album.... as part of a camp project at St. Ives Camp near New York City. We did a poll to choose everyone's favorite album of the summer.... and the winner .... is an album called + EURO CLUB HITS VOL. 1 + which is downloadable from iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc...... (it's not on Amazon yet)......it was a close race between many albums.... everyone in the camp (200+ kids!) is now going to vote again on Amazon & iTunes... and please add your vote also!! Thanks!

Average customer rating: great for fans A fun album-- Bjork goes back to her roots fearless original Confused?

Volta Björk Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: American Doll Posse The Reminder Release the Stars Year Zero Icky Thump ASIN: B000NVIXFA Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

1. Earth Intruders
2. Wanderlust
3. The Dull Flame Of Desire
4. Innocence
5. I See Who You Are
6. Vertebrae By Vertebrae
7. Pneumonia
8. Hope
9. Declare Independence
10. My Juvenile

Amazon.com

Björk's main asset as a musician is her fearlessness. Since the end of The Sugarcubes and the pop-dance of Debut, she has released progressively more experimental records. But after well over a decade of going further and further out, Volta steps back. Make no mistake; this is Björk, and so it's still fabulously weird. Like 2004's mesmerizing Medúlla and the 2005 soundtrack for Drawing Restraint 9, the songs are blissfully peculiar, with narratives about love, offspring, aliens...you name it. Yet melodically and philosophically, Volta recycles more than it innovates; the driving pulse of "Declare Independence," for instance, reminds us of Homogenic's "Pluto," and the lead single "Earth Intruders" sounds like Post's "Army of Me" on steroids. And just as Medúlla oriented itself around a certain instrument--the human voice--this one concentrates on horns.

Still, the transition between her early work and the avant-garde bender she's been on since Vespertine is pretty harrowing, and it's satisfying to hear Björk revisit her more accessible self. Uber-producer Timbaland pitches in here and there, most successfully on "Innocence," which uses a fat, disjointed pulse to drive the euphoric vocals forward. Elsewhere, the hyperactive sitar sample on "I See Who You Are" provides texture for the song's theme of enjoying each other while there's still "flesh on our bones." And "Pneumonia" makes fantastic use of the horn section with a soft arrangement that compliments the song's lyrical melody.

So while it's a bit of a stall, Volta is a lovely pause. It reminds us how much we appreciate the laboratory of Björk's imagination, but also how much we missed her back when she was just goofing around. -Matthew Cooke

Album Description

Bjork returns to her iconic, innovative and rhythmic roots with Volta. Featuring her own infamous beats and collaborations with Timbaland, Antony Hegarty, Brian Chippendale and an all-female Icelandic brass section, the end result is an explosion of beats and an amalgamtion of sound and visuals that give Volta a life of its own, like the world hasn't seen from Bjork in years.

Customer Reviews:

great for fans.......2007-07-25

Volta, the sixth studio album from Icelandic musician, Bjork, delivers the kind of offbeat, quirky music that only she could make. With its lo-fi sonics, Volta sounds less polished than some of Bjork's previous releases, which is refreshing. This record is an eclectic mixture of sounds, with performances by everyone from Timbaland (is there an album he isn't involved with right now?) to Chinese pipa player Min Xiao-Fen and a ten-piece, all female Icelandic brass section.

Adding to the unusual sound is the reoccurring nautical theme on the album, with its foghorn interludes mixed with seagull noises and the sound of boats. Bjork's distinctive vocals tell a story that's both personal and political, singing about her children, feminism and the current global climate. My favorite track on this record is "Declare Independence," an anarchistic track that inspires us to "Start your own currency/Make your own stamp/Protect your language." Overall, this funky record makes for an interesting listen, although it might be a bit hard to get through if you're not a die-hard Bjork fan.

A fun album--.......2007-07-21

This is not Bjork's best stand-alone album, but fits well into the evolution of her music that has spanned the last decade. Some songs seem improvised, using melodies and vocal techniques from previous albums, and fall short of the usual level of innovation Bjork seems to strive for. However, there are very beautiful moments ("Dull Flame of Desire," "I See Who You Are") as well as high energy tracks ("Declare Independence," "Innocence," "Earth Intruders") that make the album more dynamic and satisfying with each listen. There's not a lot of "new" Bjork sound here, but the old has been recycled into a refreshing ensemble of danceable beats and moving melodies.

Bjork goes back to her roots.......2007-07-21

I was close to giving up on BJork. I was a die-hard fan of her work until Vespertine but Medulla and her latest movie soundtrack just turned off my interest: they were both TOO experimental for what I was willing to put up with -they almost became a musical torture of sorts.

Enter "Volta" in 2007. Though Bjork is still considered a wacko by many (not that she's a typical artist by any stretch of the mind, but...) in this album, in spite of a handful of musical "departures", for the most part she goes back to her roots. There's a lot of material in here reminiscent of her sound back from Debut, Post and Homogenic times.

While my favorite song is "Wanderlust" without a doubt, with upbeat tracks ("Earth Intruders") and quiet tracks ("Pneumonia" and "My Juvenile") across the album, for the first time in a while, consciously or not, Bjork doesn't seem to want to leave anybody out. For the first time in a while, I feel like listening to her music... again.

fearless original.......2007-07-19

Fearlessly following her own muse, Bjork creates an interesting album full of full throated singing, funky beats and noise, and interesting textures. While I don't like a couple of tunes (Dull Flame of Desire and Declare Independence), the rest of the album is engaging and evocative and works well as an album, linked by noises, segues, brass sounds, and beats. Her best album in a few years. Four/Four-and-a-half stars.

Confused?.......2007-07-18

It's not that I'm literally confused by the songs on this album. Rather, I am a bit confused with Bjorks decision to put out this album. Nothing this artist would produce could ever be bad, it's just not as good/creative as some of her other albums in the past. Bjork is one of my favorite artists - this album is not one of my favorite Bjork albums. It lacks the feeling and intensity of some of her past work for me. The artwork, though, is beautiful.

Average customer rating: This disc is NOT copy controlled we reviewed this.... absolute geniuses Don't buy it if you actually want to listen to it Air is God.

Pocket Symphony Air Manufacturer: Astralwerks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music France | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Ambient Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sound of Silver The Good, the Bad & the Queen Volta The Reminder We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank ASIN: B000KGGEUE Release Date: 2007-03-06

Tracks:

1. Space Maker
2. Once Upon A Time
3. Hell Of A Party
4. Napalm Love
5. Mayfair Song
6. Left Bank
7. Photograph
8. Mer du Japon
9. Lost Message
10. Somewhere Between Waking And Sleeping
11. Redhead Girl
12. Night Sight

Amazon.com

Some bands like to thwart expectations, and Air is one of them. "Spacemaker," the opening of Pocket Symphony, sounds like a cousin to their instrumental retro-lounge "La Femme D'Argent" from 1998's Moon Safari, right down to the electric bass break in the middle. But this isn't a return to their breakthrough sound. "Spacemaker" really does pave the way for an almost classically somnolent outing from the French duo. Air once proclaimed, "In any classical song you can take five seconds of it and make a loop and you make a great pop song with it." I think they took that to heart on an album that echoes Debussy, Bach, and Reich, but which also contains a Beatlesque eclecticism redolent of Revolver. But instead of the Beatles' Indian flourishes, Air look to Japan, using a plucked koto on a couple of tracks, but also a zen garden sense of sonic placement. Although Jarvis Cocker from Pulp and Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy sing on a couple of tunes--adding some emotional gravitas--Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel do most of the vocalizing in their preternatural Munchkins-on-Quaaludes lisp. Air are known for their chilled melancholy, but the mood of Pocket Symphony is introspectively somber. Only "Mer du Japon" rises to a groove, while the rest recline in a luxurious torpor. That mood works especially well on instrumentals like the minimalist cycles of "Night Sight" and the Enoesque "Lost Message," with its circular piano line and ice-sheathed string synthesizers. Pocket Symphony won't yield any pop hits, but it could be the soundtrack to endless rainy afternoons. --John Diliberto

Album Description

From the creators of the classic albums "Moon Safari" and "Talkie Walkie", Air deliver a career masterpiece, their most seductive and accomplished work to date.

Features guest vocals by Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy).

Includes the single "Once Upon A Time".

Customer Reviews:

This disc is NOT copy controlled.......2007-07-28

As a general FYI to all customers, US labels abandoned copy protection technology over a year ago. Several customers have complained about this record not loading in their computer. The disc features OpenDisc technology which is actually just a hidden weblink to an exclusive content area on the band's website. I think they are actually trying to ADD to the experience of buying the CD rather than taking anything away. I loaded my disc onto iTunes with no problem at all. I recommend you have iTunes open when you put the disc into your compuetr drive otherwise the Opendisc feature will launch first.
Musically, well, to me it is some of Air's finest compositions but maybe not their most pop-oriented. They have pretty much given up on the original sounds that brought them acclaim (Fender Rhodes, Moogs, etc) but instead they have matured into fine composers and they are still one of a kind. I appreciate them for that. Too bad your computers can't read them.

we reviewed this...........2007-07-26

We rated this album.... as part of a camp project at St. Ives Camp near New York City. We did a poll to choose everyone's favorite album of the summer.... and the winner .... is an album called + EURO CLUB HITS VOL. 1 + which is downloadable from iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, etc...... (it's not on Amazon yet)......it was a close race between many albums.... everyone in the camp (200+ kids!) is now going to vote again on Amazon & iTunes... and please add your vote also!! Thanks!

absolute geniuses.......2007-07-16

these guys are what they are... air.... if you like any thing they put out, youll love it. nice chillout

Don't buy it if you actually want to listen to it.......2007-07-13

The copy protections are stifling. The computer can't recognize the cd so that makes it harder to put it on my treo. I gave 1 star for the 1 song worth listening to. I WILL NOT buy another Pocket Symphony CD.

Air is God........2007-06-19

...or, at least, Air is Music. Since their endlessly beautiful Moon Safari, Air (along with Zero 7) is the group that produces CDs one can purchase without needing a preview; you can also count on their absolute genius. I bought this CD blindly. And as I suspected, it paid for itself with frissions up the spine from its mere perfection and unrelentling beauty. Even if you don't like the majority of the tracks (although this should only happen if you hate music), than one could buy this CD for Mer du Japon: Best. Song. Ever. Air epitomises their talent in this one track. Can you say "obsessed"? I can't stop listening to it. I must admit it does have some run-away tracks I'm not a fan of, but on the whole they don't hinder the CD's overall genius. Pure, absolute genius. The CD is rife with genius. No doubt.

Average customer rating: Pleasant enough Geico Commercial The Caveman Song Royksoop Melody AM Very pleased

Melody A.M. Röyksopp Manufacturer: Wall of Sound ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Understanding Black Cherry Moon Safari Angel Milk Pocket Symphony ASIN: B000253IDO Release Date: 2001-01-01

Tracks:

1. So Easy
2. Eple
3. Sparks
4. In Space
5. Poor Leno
6. Higher Place
7. Ropp's Night Out
8. Remind Me
9. She's So
10. 40 Years Back/Come

Customer Reviews:

Pleasant enough.......2007-07-05

There is a reason that one of these selections is the catchy tune on one of the caveman commercials. It's "elevator" music or more exactly airport music, that innocuous background music that many people seem to hate. Generally it's a very pleasant CD of listenable background music. This isn't a masterpiece of edgy electronica; it's fine for playing while you are doing something else and it doesn't demand your whole attention. It was especially fun to hear the entire song from the Geico commercial, which is the reason I, and I suspect many others, bought this.

Geico Commercial.......2007-05-29

When I heard the song used on the Geico commercial (the airport scene), the song Remind Me was used. I diligently looked for this song and found it. I was very pleased that the entire album is was good. This was a great purchase for me, not only did I get the song I liked but the rest of the Album was great as well. I highly recommend this CD.

The Caveman Song.......2007-05-19

I couldn't get the song out of my head from the Gieco commercial. I actually thought the song was made up for the commerical, just a few lines. What a nice surprise when I found this album. I rarely listen to music anymore, this I listen to endlessly. In the old days, this type of easy listening music was called "elevator music," (do they play music in elevators anymore?). Takes the edge off driving, being stuck in traffic. Kind of music you don't have to pay attention to, mellow, buts you a good mood. To me, yeah it is a "keeper," worth the money. The other songs are good, ok, I mean I don't pay attention to the lyrics, really don't know what they're saying, will have look them up one day, but it doesn't really matter. Chow

Royksoop Melody AM.......2007-05-18

Lets face it I bought this because of the Geico commercial. They play a snatch of the tune Remind Me when the Caveman walks past a picture of another Caveman and I liked it so much I called the compamy to find out who did it. After I got the CD I was so surprised to hear such neat music--it borders on mood music but wit attitude. The group is very different and has it together here. This is not for Rocker fans but will definately
satisfy the easy listener who wants to kick back and just be pampered. This one is worth the bucks.

Very pleased.......2007-05-15

I bought this because of the commercial - and although some reviews were only possitive about the one song, I found the rest of the songs to be enjoyable although they are quite different.

Average customer rating: 5 stars? Nah. Mere Words Cannot Explain This Music Fantastic Fabulous Fantastic

Simple Things Zero 7 Manufacturer: Palm Pictures (Audio ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: When It Falls The Garden Details Moon Safari Versions ASIN: B00005R5M6 Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

1. I Have Seen
2. Polaris
3. Destiny
4. Give It Away
5. Simple Things
6. Red Dust
7. Distractions
8. In The Waiting Line
9. Out Of Town
10. This World
11. Likufanele
12. End Theme
13. Salt Water Sound
14. Spinning

Amazon.com

Zero 7's ability to conjure beautiful lullabies with all the romance of 1960s French pop (as found on their debut LP, Simple Things) would have made them the toast of soundtrack composers and chill-out connoisseurs the world over. Unfortunately, two Frenchmen beat Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker to the title of "masters of comedown cool," leaving the London duo to be forever called "the British Air." And this is fair; the similarities between Zero 7's lush cinematic soundscapes and those of Air's Moon Safari and the Virgin Suicides score are so strong as to sound almost intentional. Nonetheless, their debut is a truly gorgeous album. It has all the tried and tested atmospheric tricks--bleeps and whooshes layered over plodding Fender Rhodes chords, swathes of strings and tender trumpet parps--but it's Binns and Hardaker's languid grooves and the soft melancholy of their melodies that make dream-state instrumentals "Give It Away" and "Polaris" utterly enchanting. The real power of Simple Things, however, is in its songs. As beautiful as the ambient strains are, when laid beneath the seductive vocals of Australian diva Sia on the ethereal "Destiny" or the heart-breaking "Distractions," their potency becomes apparent. --Dan Gennoe

Album Description

2001 debut full length for dance act described as, 'the British Air', the follow-up to two limited, critically acclaimed EPs. Highlights include the awesome African influenced instrumental passage 'Likufanele', the velvety 'I Have Seen' feat. Mozez & the quiet storm of 'Destiny' feat. Sia. Quango.

Customer Reviews:

5 stars? Nah........2007-07-30

I am a big downtempo fan, and finally got around to checking out this album, based on its popularity and reviews. The music is ok, but nothing really stood out for me. The track I liked the most was track 11. Check out Bar Lounge Classics - volumes 1, 2 and 3. Great stuff there.

Mere Words Cannot Explain This Music.......2007-07-24

I've listened to a lot of music in my day, but I can safely say I had not lived musically until I heard this CD. Blowing me away would not be strong enough to describe Simple Thing's effect on me. Don't be deceived by reviews that paint this music as existing only relative to others (Air), or depicting it only as a brand of tricky electronic virtuosity. Rather, this is incredibly ethereal music that demands a careful and intent listening. Listen on the freeway when you can focus on the sounds and not be distracted by the demands of stop and go driving. Go into a meditative state and then listen. Or, use some of a well-known herb and prepare to be sent into the stratosphere. The depths of the musicianship and craftmanship behind this performance are beyond my comprehension. I've listened to thousands of CD's in my day, in all genres, but this one has become my favorite after only several listenings. Nothing at all short of incredible.

Fantastic.......2007-04-05

Suave, Refined -- So Cool. I really enjoy this album.
My favorites in this album are "Destiny", "Distractions" (sublime) and "In the Waiting Line".

Fabulous.......2007-03-16

This album is absolutely a must-have. My music library would be incomplete without it.

Fantastic.......2007-02-25

I feel like I have discovered a whole new world of music with this CD and I have both listened to a ton of music and am also a musician. I recommend this highly to anyone that wants to reinspire their musical pallete after feeling like they've reached a lull in their listening. I realize this is an older CD, but I had not listened to much electronica earlier and I almost think to categorize Zero 7 and particularly this album as electronica is oversimplifying it. There is much depth to the music.

Average customer rating: a mighty trip (hop) Still ahead of its time. Portishead - DUMMY Such a trip! Brilliant

Dummy Portishead Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Dance & DJ | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Portishead Mezzanine Big Calm Blue Lines Live: Roseland NYC ASIN: B000001FI7 Release Date: 1994-10-17

Tracks:

1. Mysterons
2. Sour Times
3. Strangers
4. It Could Be Sweet
5. Wandering Star
6. It's A Fire
7. Numb
8. Roads
9. Pedestal
10. Biscuit
11. Glory Box

Amazon.com

The collaboration of studio whiz Geoff Barrow and singer Beth Gibbons, Dummy was made at the same time as a short film noir called "To Kill a Dead Man," and the same approach--gloomy, tormented, and wildly melodramatic--permeates the album. "Sour Times" (the hit in which Gibbons cries, again and again, "Nobody loves me, it's true") and the more cryptic "Glory Box" are the linchpins of the album, defining its sound: dark flashes of old soul and film music, dehumanized electronic bleeps, Gibbons emoting like she's consumed by shame, and a bass-and-beat pulse derived from the slow bump and grind of the Bristol scene that spawned Barrow's old collaborators, Massive Attack. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

a mighty trip (hop).......2007-05-14

portishead rocks!

but the funny thing about this cd, with its echoing bass and drum lines, and the ghostly echoing lead vocals is that i love each song so much, i can't distinguish one from the other.

this is not to say there is a sameness in the music. each track has its own character. but i swear, i don't remember a single name as i write this.

Still ahead of its time........2007-04-22

Portishead is the great tease of 90s music. Beth Gibbons continues to record, but Portishead created such complex and lush soundscapes that their limited catalog is simultaneously disappointing and sacrosanct.

The beats and mix of instrumentation, the biting torch song lyrics and the haunting electronic synth bed are still sonically on the cutting edge of what artists are creating 10-12 years later.

This album is full of languid trip hop beats that contrast well with Beth's tortured vocals.

A must own for serious rock fans

Portishead - DUMMY.......2007-04-06

Amazing. Beth Gibbons voice has a wide range on this CD. Dummy is powerful and yet then has a sound that is soothingly hypnotic. This is a CD that I would recommend for anyone to purchase. I enjoy all of their albums though this has become an all-time favorite.

Such a trip!.......2007-02-19

This album carries this deep vague element where you don't know and you don't bother yourself to know,you just sit there,listen and feel the music's cross over,it has this modern gothic sense,at times it's sensual and at times it's disturbing,and that's the secret of this album,in a way it portrays women's emotions through the beats and lyrics. It's more of the subconscious mind kicking in than the conscious mind. It's a slick album that awakens the senses,you don't skip the tracks,you simply let it play,you don't know which one or what kind or where from,like i said,you just listen...

Brilliant.......2007-02-13

I wonderful blend of hip hop beats with trippy sound scapes. The vocals are amazing and heart fealt. Definately a five star album.

Average customer rating: Versions Consistently Excellent!!! Not their best, but a regular in my playlist Not the best, but Good easy listening Versions-Thievery Corporation

Versions Thievery Corporation Manufacturer: Eighteenth Street ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Garden Collected Souvenirs Simple Things DJ-Kicks ASIN: B000EQ46E6 Release Date: 2006-05-16

Tracks:

1. Tarana/Ustad Sultan Khan
2. Habanos Days/Damien
3. This is not a Love Song/Nouvelle Vague
4. Beloved/Anoushka Shankar
5. Who Needs Forever/Astrud Gilberto
6. Desert/Emilie Simon
7. Lemon Tree/Herb Alpert
8. Originality/Thievery Corporation Featuring Sister Nancy
9. In Love/Fear Of Pop
10. The Girls Insane/The Januaries
11. Strange Days/The Doors
12. Revolution Solution(TC Remix)/Thievery Corporation
13. Shiva (TC Remix)/Thievery Corporation
14. Khalghi stomp/Transglobal Underground
15. Angels/Wax Poetic Featuring Norah Jones
16. Nothing To Lose/Isabelle Antena
17. Cada Beijo/Bebel Gilberto
18. Dirty LIttle Secret/Sarah McLachlan

Amazon.com

Versions gathers 18 Thievery Corporation remixes from across a music spectrum that only the most eclectic could love. The vinyl-popping digital duo embraces '60s psychedelia with the Doors and '60s kitsch with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. They put them all into the mixmaster, usually adding the downtempo jazzy electro-lounge beats upon which they built their early reputation. Alpert's "Lemon Tree," taken from the recent Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped, is a vintage noirish mood piece, but this doesn't always work. Fear of Pop's "In Love" becomes a tedious vamp, and the Doors' "Strange Days" is a missed opportunity squandered on a Cagian "indeterminacy" moment, like two bands in different rooms. But the Thievery formula usually works wonders on even the most unlikely material. There's an Indian twang to many of these mixes, including the Middle East-via-Bombay grooves of Trans-Global Underground, the Indian singing of Ustad Sultan Khan, and the fragile sitar of Anoushka Shankar. Even the tunes that aren't Eastern, like Nouvelle Vague's Euro-lounge "This Is Not a Love Song," get the full Indian treatment with droning tambouras and tabla percussion. I wonder what it says that no matter whether they're using Astrud Gilberto, Sarah McLachlan, or the Doors as source material, it all comes out sounding like Thievery Corporation. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Versions.......2007-05-09

Awesome CD. Great music to work to, party to, be creative to. just about anything

Consistently Excellent!!!.......2007-03-09

It's nice to finally have many of these remixes in one place, including many I had not heard before. Despite these songs being from many different genres and times, they flow together like liquid butter! The new Thievery song "Originality" is a slamming reggae jam that will liven up your party in the coming months. Imagine today's young people getting down to The Doors, courtesy of Thievery's "Strange Days" remix. Elsewhere, there are plenty of songs to spin, no matter your mood. This is not just some knockoff package till Thievery can deliver another studio album - this is a full fledged musical work!

On another note, it's nice to know that Thievery is embracing the beauty of album packaging, with another first rate package here to go along with "The Cosmic Game" and "Richest Man in Babylon." Even though CD sales are going the way of the passenger pigeon, it's nice to browse through such an elaborate package, which can then enhance the entire listening experience.

Not their best, but a regular in my playlist.......2007-01-30

Thoroughly enjoy this cd, which I can play during a variety of moods, events, or tasks. I especially enjoy placing individual songs in my playlists related to specific moods. Love Thievery and ESL!

Not the best, but Good easy listening.......2007-01-11

Not the best, but some great tracks are there. A biy too ethnic.
Good easy listening

Versions-Thievery Corporation.......2006-11-07

This is the best CD they've done! I'm a die hard Thievery Corporation fan & this CD blows away anyting they've done thus far!One of the best Cd's I've ever heard PERIOD.

Average customer rating: Love it! Dierks Does It Again It may not be his best - but it's DIERKS!! Great Country Music Soulful. Easily, great country music.

Long Trip Alone Dierks Bentley Manufacturer: Liberty ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Long Sleeves | Sleeve Length Browse (feature_browse-bin) | Refinements | Apparel Similar Items: Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing Modern Day Drifter Enjoy The Ride It Just Comes Natural Some People Change ASIN: B000I2JTDO Release Date: 2006-10-17

Tracks:

1. Every Mile A Memory
2. Can't Live It Down
3. Long Trip Alone
4. That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me
5. Soon As You Can
6. Trying To Stop You Leaving
7. Hope For Me Yet
8. The Heaven I'm Headed To
9. Free And Easy Down The Road I Go
10. Band Of Brothers
11. Prodigal Son's Prayer

Amazon.com

In the wake of 2005's Modern Day Drifter, Dierks Bentley has maintained fierce career momentum, earning awards, packing concerts, and joining the Grand Ole Opry in the space of just over a year. As before, he continues to flawlessly integrate straight-ahead, unforced vocals into a riproaring sound, underpinned this time by the solid, appealing mainstream acoustic bluegrass of touring partners the Grascals. The opening track, "Every Mile a Memory," defines the album's direction, buttressed by the witty "That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me." He projects clarity and desperation on "Trying to Stop Your Leaving," enhanced by an understated, yet appropriately tense arrangement. "Band of Brothers" celebrates the quintessential travails of musicians playing the low end of the honky-tonk circuit, while his all-inclusive, courageous views on "The Heaven I'm Headed To" may not please hardcore red-staters. The perpetual debate pitting country modernists against traditionalists often reaches the same levels of intensity as in current politics. Long Trip Alone demonstrates the smartest solution: quality modern country of the moment that simultaneously honors its past. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews:

Love it! .......2007-06-09

This was actually the first Dierks Bentley cd I ever bought. I'm a new country fan and after hearing Long Trip Alone on the radio for the first time I knew I HAD to have it. Dierks is my favorite artist and I love Long Trip Alone.
The cd is awesome! Every song is really great! The only one I really don't care for very much is That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me, track #4. But other then it is great. Long Trip Alone is my favorite song on the track obviously. I also like Soon As You Can and Prodical (Sp?) Son's Prayer. The whole cd is great and I'd defintely recemmend it to anyone!

Dierks Does It Again.......2007-06-04

I bought this album December of 2006. I can play it over and over again with out getting tired of it. Its country that sounds like country. The following are my favorites:

Every Mile A Memory
Long Trip Alone
Hope For Me Yet
The Heaven I'm Headed To
Free And Easy Down The Road I Go
Band Of Brothers
Prodigal Son's Prayer

It may not be his best - but it's DIERKS!!.......2007-05-28

I'll admit there are other songs of his I like better, but it's DIERKS!! HOW can it be bad?? Instead of just going by a CD or 2, you know it's not the same as hearing him live. The truth of his voice, like some others, far outshines some of these "polished" established acts. For "the new country" folks coming up, IE: Dierks, Gretchen, Jason or Keith (Anderson) - THESE folks rip live!!! Dierks has a live DVD from here in San Francisco I KNOW is gonna be good. My friend (the KENNY fan) & I felt Gretchen "showed" better than Kenny @ his concert. As I say on my BLUES show, "If you don't support it LIVE, you won't hear it on the air!!" Any chance of seeing someone live keeps the opportunity to record going!! What happened to Pinmonkey & WHY don't we hear Shooter or HANK III anywhere??? Playin' & Lovin' it ALL!! Donnie

Great Country Music.......2007-03-21

I am glad I ordered this CD. It is one of the best music cd's I have purchased in the last few months to be from an up and coming new artist.
Great music and I highly recommend it.

Soulful. Easily, great country music........2007-02-20

Dierks Bentley's "Long Trip Alone" is a wonderful listen.
The songs take me back to roadtrips and good times.
I love the effortless mix of modern country and old time bluegrass.
Bentley's voice is rustic, but enjoyable.
Worth every penny.

Average customer rating: Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad You got the wrong guy.... 4.5/5 It's Unkle's rock album ! Good Album, Great Guest Artists!!

War Stories UNKLE Manufacturer: surrender all ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: We Are the Night Our Love to Admire The Mix-Up Icky Thump Zeitgeist ASIN: B000RHRGNA Release Date: 2007-07-24

Tracks:

1. Intro
2. Chemistry
3. Hold My Hand
4. Restless (feat. Josh Homme)
5. Keys To The Kingdom (feat. Gavin Clark)
6. Price You Pay
7. Burn My Shadow (feat. Ian Astbury)
8. May Day (feat. The Duke Spirit)
9. Persons & Machinery (feat. Autolux)
10. Twilight (feat. 3D)
11. Morning Rage
12. Lawless
13. Broken (feat. Gavin Clark)
14. When Things Explode (feat. Ian Astbury)

Customer Reviews:

Well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.......2007-07-28

I can understand Lavelle's desire to travel a different road with Unkle on their third proper release, but this is so far removed from Unkle's two previous offerings that, as another reviewer said, it's surprising that he put this under the "Unkle" moniker. Instead of anything remotely exciting, what Lavelle has produced here is a run-of-the mill "rock" record with no memorable songs or any sort of originality. Utterly disappointing and utterly forgettable.

You got the wrong guy...........2007-07-28

I love the song "Broken" but guys, that isn't Gavin Clark. It's Mark Hollis from Talk Talk. I'm convinced. I've always loved Talk Talk and that song is just awesome. If only Mark had sang more. I think the album is quite a departure from the other stuff I've heard by UNKLE. I like this direction.

4.5/5.......2007-07-27

jubster; u make no sense this sounds very unkle to me... 'price to pay' for example... the last track also...

listen to it more then review :D its a great unkle release... one of the best releases of 07 thus far...

It's Unkle's rock album !.......2007-07-26

UNKLE return in emphatic fashion with third album, "War Stories".
Genre-hopping dance outfit Unkle's previous albums had atmosphere and ambition but were marred by dreary passages of electronic noodling.
Here, though, production duo James Lavelle and Richard File's decision to opt for a heavier rock sound pays dividends. Tighter and more epic than its predecessors, "War Stories" underpins commanding vocals from guests including Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and the Cult's Ian Astbury with crunching electric guitars.
Homme's turn on the depraved "Restless" is a highlight, but there are no duds to spoil the air of apocalyptic doom.
It's Unkle's rock album.
The merging of rock and DJ culture - always a tricky one to pull off - works seamlessly here, epitomised by the opening of "Hold My Hand", where a timeshifted sample leads smoothly into a thumping ZZ Top-style riff (although the guitars quickly become more Robert Fripp than Billy Gibbons).
Astbury's unusually restrained contributions take him into brooding Mark Lanegan territory, and are among the highlights of an impressive album on which Lavelle's work once again matches up to his reputation.

My highlights: "Burn My Shadow", "Restless" and "When Things Explode".

Good Album, Great Guest Artists!!.......2007-07-26

I would agree with the previous review. Not for you if you want something akin to the last release. This album is very different and the songs are certainly very rock oriented. Great for James Lavelle dipping his hand in other pots. Now you've got the hip hop, techno, and rock oriented albums.... all great in my opinion. I already was a fan of the collaborating artists (Josh Homme, Autolux, The Duke Spirit, Ian Astbury) which was a main reason I bought this album. I think the "indie-rock" collaborated tracks are the stand outs. "Restless" and "Mayday" are my favorites. "Burn My Shadow", "Persons & Machinery" definitely sounds Autolux. There are surely some good tracks here, even if you just want to download a couple of the better ones rather than buy the whole album. "War Stories" may speak to a different crowd than UNKLE's previous efforts but it is by no means a disappointment.

Average customer rating: A classic Worth it by far Sublime It's Not Trip-Hop, But it is.... The most original album of the 90's

Mezzanine Massive Attack Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music $8.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Dance & DJ | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $8.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Blue Lines Dummy 100th Window Protection Big Calm ASIN: B000006045 Release Date: 1998-05-12

Tracks:

1. Angel
2. Risingson
3. Teardrop
4. Inertia Creeps
5. Exchange
6. Dissolved Girl
7. Man Next Door
8. Black Milk
9. Mezzanine
10. Group Four
11. (Exchange)

Amazon.com essential recording

The third full-length release from Massive Attack is a taste of the future of pop music--a future where precisely engineered events can be seamlessly partnered with the subtle complexities of a human voice. Since their first album, Blue Lines, they've been making similar magic happen with any one of several guest vocalists, but nothing like the way it happens on Mezzanine. This time they take the union further, moving it into a darker space in which the individual elements become less discernable. Guest vocalists are Sara Jay, Horace Andy (who also appeared on their debut), and Elizabeth Fraser (of Cocteau Twins), whose amazingly articulate and distinctive voice works so very well with the music of Massive Attack. --Paul Clark

Album Details

Very Very Limited Edition. Tracklisting Tba.

Customer Reviews:

A classic.......2007-06-21

There aren't many trip hop albums I have bought over the years that has managed to sound fresh every time I throw in the cd into my stereo or listen to it on my iPod. Massive Attack's 1998 classic "Mezzanine" is one of those few trip hop albums that still sounds as fresh today as I first heard it almost ten years ago. The music is a sublime mix of hypnotic electronic beats, seductive male and female vocals, and a diverse mix of samples from bands like The Cure.

What I love about "Mezzanine" so much is that the music is dark and sinister. All the death/black metal bands in the world cannot create music as richly dense and heavy as "Mezzanine" is. There is a terrifying quality to the music that the entire album would be a perfect film score for a psychological thriller. The first two songs "Angel" and "Risingon" sounds like they would be perfect scores for my nightmares. I can never get tired of listening to "Teardrop" which features Elizabeth Fraser on vocals. The production is neither too slick or too gritty. "Mezzanine" is one of the few albums I can actually call flawless. Every song is a Massive Attack classic.

Worth it by far.......2007-06-18

This is probably one of my favorite albums of all time. Great CD and quality. Buy it, you won't regret it.

Sublime.......2007-05-23

This is one of my favourite CD's and sounds like a cross between Advokat and Zero 7. Great for late night, moody listening...

It's Not Trip-Hop, But it is...........2007-05-04

This was the first Massive Attack album i bought. it doesn't sound like it's been almost ten years since this came out, it just has this timeless feel to it. Massive Attack has, ironically, done everything they have set out to do on this album, and that is be exactly who they are by trying to escape who they have become. i know that that may sound kind of strange, but it makes sense. The label "trip-hop" is something they have always loathed, despite the fact that they were pioneers of it, and i find it ironic that this album is one of the (if not THE)preeminent examples of this style.

"Mezzanine" is like the "Sgt. Pepper's" of trip-hop, and of Massive Attack's career. i don't care how many more albums they release, this will always be the best one. however, i do disagree with some reviews that label this album as heavy metal. Massive's music always seems to come close to style, but shies away. there are shades of everything reggae, hip-hop, metal, ambient, but i can't say that there is enough to pinpoint it down in general. again this is something that i find unique to trip-hop, never quite getting at what it wants to be stylistically but coming very close.

continuing my comparison to "Sgt. Pepper's" the first obvious parallel is the structure of the album. the songs fit so perfectly together, that while some may not be great songs, it is how they fit in relation to the others that makes them work. the track "exchange" while seeming stupid to other reviewers i find to be a wonderful midpoint break between the four track barrage to open the record and the second half. unfortunately though, in similarity to the Beatles and all great bands, landmark albums lead to destruction. The Beatles were never the same after Sgt. Peppers breaking up barely three years later. Massive, while still barely clinging to 3D and Daddy G, have lost a bit of edge. The creative juices only flow so far and i think the gas has ran out a bit. but what an incredible record!!!

The most original album of the 90's.......2007-05-04

Massive Attack's Mezzanine ranks right up there with David Bowie's Low and the Velvet Underground's White Light/White Heat for most original album in the history of pop music. It is an album of craft; each beat, each note, and each lyric are carefully put into place for perfection. This album is not for everybody however; the dense, pristine production of Mezzanine conjures up a heavy air of claustrophobia. If slow and creepy is your cup of tea, then take a gulp, because this is as good as it gets. Mezzanine is a concept album. Since it is hard to figure out what the concept is, I will give it away. It is about autism. Mezzanine is not a happy record, but it is not depressing either. The tone that I get is one of fuzzy, distorted confusion, with the singers detailing the struggles of making sense of the world around them (the way autistic savants do) with impeccable songwriting. Lyrics such as "toy-like people/make me boy-like" will remain fresh and experimental for a very long time. Mezzanine is more hypnotic than entertaining, that is for sure. But in that, it succeeds impossibly well. Mezzanine, along with Blur's The Great Escape, is the best album of the 90's. Genius. A+

Album Review:

1. This Time I Know It's for Real Pt.1 [CD-single] [Import]
2. Thompson Twins - 12 Inch Collection [Import]
3. Trance Nation Harder: Mixed By Judge Jules [Import]
4. Vertical Mixes
5. Welcome to Goodbye
6. Whoops I'm An Indian [Import]
7. Wonderful Night Pt.1 [CD-single] [Import]
8. Worldwide 3: Compiled by Gilles Peterson [Import]
9. Africanism II
10. Ah...Bas Noir

Album Review

album review

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Pieces from the Editing Floor [Import]

Zahnhausen: Musica inquieta; Winterbilder

World's Greatest Melodies

Music: Capo Nord [Import]

Woman Love

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Zen Arcade

Wild Wild Country

Yo No Quiero Volverme Tan Loco [Limited Edition] [Import]

Weezer (Blue Album)

Vou Levando a Vida [Import]

Welcome to Plastic City

Funk Soul Sisters

John McLaughlin: Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra "The Mediterranean"