| 1. This Time (Maya Simone) |
| 2. Get My Groove On (Terry Ellis) |
| 3. B'cuzz Of U (Keith Brown) |
| 4. Touch Up (Maya Simone) |
| 5. Huggz & Kizzez (Terry Ellis) |
| 6. Can't Wait (Keith Brown) |
| 7. I Should've Have Loved You (Al Whitt) |
| 8. Grip On My Heart (Terry Ellis) |
| 9. You Don't Know Me (LaDeanna) |
| 10. Can't You See (Maya Simone) |
| 11. God Is (Keith Brown) |
| 12. Destiny (Johnette Jenkins) |
The Project,DARKGEM
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La Revancha del Tango
Gotan Project Manufacturer: Xl Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008NRL8 Release Date: 2003-04-08 |
Tracks:
- Queremos Paz
- Epoca
- Chunga's Revenge
- Triptico
- Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)
- Una Musica Brutal
- El Capitalismo Foraneo
- Last Tango In Paris
- La Del Ruso
- Vuelvo Al Sur
Tracks:
- Triptico (Peter Kruder Mix)
- Santa Maria (Tom Middleton's Cosmos Mix)
- El Capitalismo Foraneo (Antipop Consortium Mix)
- Santa Maria (Pepe Braddock Mix)
Amazon.com
Released in Europe in 2001, La Revancha Del Tango's sexy combination of chillout programming and authentic tango music became a lounge favorite and led to massive sales. Lightning struck twice when it was released two years later in the States--the domestic debut attracted the attention of electronic music hipsters, tango freaks, and world music geeks. And rightfully so. The Gotan trio of Philippe Cohen Solal, Christoph H. Müller, and Eduardo Makaroff write the album's strongest material themselves, but their imaginative incorporation of Frank Zappa's "Chunga's Revenge," Gato Barbieri's theme from the movie Last Tango In Paris and, not surprisingly, Astor Piazzolla's "Vuelvo Al Sur" into the Gotan world shows just how broad and inclusive their tastes really are. Naysayers may complain that this album can be heard in every hip restaurant and clothing boutique from Paris to Los Angeles, but sometimes the cream does rise to the top and gain mass acceptance, as it has here. Also includes a bonus disc of four remixes. --Tad HendricksonAlbum Description
The debut by this Paris based trio is a relaxed blend of tango dance rhythms and Argentinean instrumentation. The group was brought together by their passion to combine sound with image and to marry electronic and acoustic music. They built on their house, dub, and hip-hop influenced productions by adding two of Argentina's finest tango musicians, the musical result being supremely distinctive, incorporating bandonion (a form of accordion), violin, and vocals. This release includes 2000's most memorable jazz-house hit, "Triptico", which has already sold over 400,000 copies worldwide. The US version features the original ten tracks from the European release, along with a special bonus disc of the "Santa Maria" video plus four audio tracks.Album Description
The debut by this Paris based trio is a relaxed blend of tango dance rhythms & Argentinean instrumentation. The group was brought together by their passion to combine sound with image & to marry electronic & acoustic music. They built on their house, dub, & hip-hop influenced productions by adding two of Argentina's finest tango musicians, the musical result being supremely distinctive, incorporating bandonion (a form of accordion), violin, & vocals. This release includes 2000's most memorable jazz-house hit, 'Triptico'. The U.S. special edition includes a second disc with five bonus tracks, 'Triptico' (Peter Kruder Mix), 'Santa Maria' (Tom Middleton's Cosmos Mix), 'El Capitalismo Foraneo' (Antipop Consortium Mix), & 'Santa Maria' (Pepe Braddock Mix & Video). Digipak. XL. 2003.Customer Reviews:
Next-Generation tango.......2007-07-18
They succeeded.
Tango fantasico.......2007-06-27
One Sexy CD.......2007-03-27
Tango Music at Its Best.......2007-03-09
Tango-Trance? Trance-Tango?.......2007-02-18
I listened to "La Revancha del Tango" this Sunday afternoon. It was around 40 degrees outside - damned hot! - and I just sat and listened to this disc with my air conditioner on full blast. I rather think that I will play this CD the next time I have some friends over for a few drinks.
The music of Gotan Project is rather hypnotic and relentless on this CD. I like that. I guess that one could call this "Tango-Trance", or something like that?! The percussion/drums, bass line, piano and piano accordion dominates the sound here.
I've been playing "Lunatico" at work all week and I like it, too. Gotan Project is performing in Adelaide, South Australia soon and I am seriously considering making the effort to see them.
Very spunky, suave and sexy dance music.
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V2... The J Moss Project
J. Moss Manufacturer: Gospocentric ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000H7JD5O Release Date: 2007-04-03 |
Tracks:
- Jump, Jump (featuring 21:03)
- Dance featuring (Kirk Franklin)
- Know Him (featuring Karen Clark-Sheard)
- I'm Not Perfect
- Abundantly
- We Love You (featuring Marvin Winans & Byron Cage)
- Praise On The Inside
- Holding On
- Afraid
- Let It Go (featuring a special guest artist)
- Nobody
- Operator
- Steve Harvey Show Interlude
- Bonus track: Florida/73 Degrees/Everybody Ain't Gotta Word (featuring
Album Description
J Moss has returned with the follow-up to his smash debut - "V2..." Produced by PAJAM, J's new studio release is a musical tour-de-force showcasing the signature sound of this powerhouse production team, Moss' silky smooth, expressive vocals and Gospel like you're never heard it before.Customer Reviews:
If J Moss sang the ABC song , I would Listen and Buy.......2007-06-30
Love it!.......2007-06-27
An honest look at this CD.......2007-06-23
I know that some folks may consider this album too "Worldly" but I believe that all music belongs to God. Satan is the creator of nothing but the perverter of everything. So the music that people consider worldly, is nothing but Satan's perversion of something that God created. It's not the musical style of worldly music that is perverted, but rather the message it delivers and the image it portrays. As long as J. Moss is edifying Christ and not contradicting the Word, I see no problem with him having a more R&B style. I also understand that it is not for everyone. But I commend J. Moss and other Contemporary Gospel artists who are taking back what Satan stole. I don't like putting God in a box by proclaiming His name only through a certain style of music. That being said, I believe this album has something for everyone and I see J. Moss's evolution as a worshipper. I just wish he'd turn down the knob on that autotune plug-in.
That's what I'm talking about!.......2007-06-11
Album of Progression.......2007-05-18
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Lunatico
Gotan Project Manufacturer: Xl Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000EHQ7KG Release Date: 2006-04-11 |
Tracks:
- Amor Porteno (featuring Calexico)
- Notas (featuringJuan Carlos Cacares)
- Diferente
- Celos
- Lunatico
- Mi Confesion (featuring Koxmoz)
- Tango Cancion
- La Viguela
- Criminal
- Arrabal
- Domingo (featuring Jimi Santos)
- Paris, Texas
Amazon.com
The Gotan Project literally took the world by storm in 2003 with its million-selling La Revancha Del Tango. Skillfully mixing the heated passion of tango with the cool insistent beats of dance music, the group kept the best of both genres as it offered up an unheralded fusion. This time around, the production team delves further into the tradition, cutting down on the dub production filigree and overarching electronic programming--now sexy grooves often come on the back of organic beats and an unprocessed sound captured during live studio sessions in Buenos Aires. This new focus is furthered with conventional bandoneon soloing as well as acoustic piano and string section backing. Nonetheless, kids craving to cut a rug will dig "Diferente" and "Notas," while the robust "Amor Porteno" (featuring Calexico) is the group's most muscular tune to date. More skilled than the debut, Lunatico is no sophomore slump, though hardcore house music fans may want to wait for remixes. --Tad HendricksonAlbum Description
Not wanting to replicate what their debut, "La Revancha Del Tango", had achieved musically, the group has a decidedly stronger emphasis on the organic roots of tango on "Lunatico" and utilized a host of local musicians from Buenos Aires; a complete string section, two emcees, a trombonist, and Argentine piano legend and long time Gotan collaborator Gustavo Beytelmann. The result is their most accomplished work yet. "The beats are sparse and liquid, and the transition from Buenos Aires bordello to European dance floor is seamless" - Rolling Stone. "A jiggy melange of tango with a dab of dub" - Entertainment Weekly. "...an intriguing blend of traditional, passionate tango with cool, contemporary electronica" - LA Times.Customer Reviews:
BUENISIMO!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-07-16
Faltou uma vírgula pra ser perfeito..........2007-07-13
More promiscuous than your average tango.......2007-05-24
"Lunático" is a much less in-your-face proposition. I could barely wait to get it out of its packaging, but then I struggled to get into the music itself. Mostly less meaty than "La Revancha" and more varied - tricksier, even. It took some chance random plays on the iPod to insinuate a couple of the songs into my ears again. Then I wanted more. Badly. And now I rate it just as more-ish as "La Revancha".
It juxtaposes the sweet, warm-deadpan voice of Cristina Vilallonga on some tracks (Amor Porteno, Diferente, Celos, Arrabal) with the roguish, rough-edged panache of Carlos Caceres describing the birth of the tango (Notas)and Jimi Santos (Domingo) and the tango-rap of Koxmoz (Mi Confesion). There's even a robot-like treated voice intoning the words to La Viguela, giving it a strangely religious quality.
Like "La Revancha", "Lunático" is steeped in a sense of place and culture but it's not Strictly Tango Argentino. The Gotans have tapped into a tango and a Buenos Aires of the imagination, adventurous and promiscuous and modern yet managing to be faithful to its deep roots.
A mysterious, sly, inventive and captivating work of outstanding creativity.
Better than Revancha.......2007-04-20
Es bueno, pero me gusta mas el primero.......2007-04-11
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I Robot
Alan Parsons Project Manufacturer: Sony Legacy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000JLQSW4 Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Tracks:
- I Robot
- I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You
- Some Other Time
- Breakdown
- Don't Let It Show
- The Voice
- Nucleus 05
- Day After Day (The Show Must Go On)
- Total Eclipse
- Genesis Ch. 1. V. 32
- I Robot (Boules Experiment)
- Breakdown (Early Demo of Backing Riff)
- I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You (Backing Track Rough Mix)
- Day After Day (The Show Must Go On) (Early Stage Rough Mix)
- The Naked Robot (Early Stage Instrumental Mixes)
Customer Reviews:
Alan Parsons' concept album about rise of machines and fall of man still resonates 30 years on.......2007-07-28
Alan Parsons Project was the namesake band of wunderkind British producer/engineer Alan Parsons whom had made a name for himself being a tape operator when The Beatles recorded Sgt Pepper and an engineer when they made Abbey Road and Let it Be and also engineered Pink Floyd's albums Atom Heart Mother (as an assistant engineer) and Dark Side of the Moon. In addition, produced records for The Hollies, Al Stewart and Pilot among others.
The album was the follow-up to the band's debut Tales and Mysteries From Edgar Allen Poe and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in late 1976/early 1977. The album was a concept album about the rise of the computers and machines and the fall of man (a concept that has proved prophetic in this computer age). The musicians on the album, in addition to Parsons and collaborator/keyboard player Alan Woolfson, is almost all of Pilot (the same band who had a hit two years earlier with "Magic") which were bass player David Paton, guitarist Ian Bairston and drummer Stuart Tosh (whom would step down as Parsons' drummer). Plus orchestrator Andrew Powell and several singers (see below). At the time of this album's release, punk and new wave were becoming the rage in England whilst prog still ruled in the US. Would this album be a classic or lumped a poor man's prog, read on.
we start with the album's opening title cut. The Synthi-A loop segued into a collage of synthesizers and a female soprano singing above it before the band comes in and plays a funky pattern for the rest of the piece with a choir singing in unison with the piece. Next is the album's biggest hit, the disco-ish "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You". This track (featuring Lenny Zatatek on lead vocal) is one Hell of a funky rock track (it predates the disco craze that would hit America like an atom bomb at year's end). Great number. "Some Other Time" is next and is a beautifully well arranged and recorded song. This song makes you feel like you are going into a different time and place! The track features peter Straker and Jaki Whitten on lead vocals (the former on verses and the latter on the choruses). Next is the funky sounding "Breakdown". This is another great song and featured ex-Hollies lead singer Allan Clarke on lead vocals. "Don't Let It Show" ends the first half on a great note. the track is sung passionately by Dave Townsend and is a beautiful song. Female rocker Pat Benatar obviously loved the tune so much that it was featured on her 1979 debut album In the Heat of the Night.
"The Voice" begins the album's second half and features Cockney Rebel frontman Steve Harley on vocals and what a great piece. Next is the second of FOUR instrumentals called "Nucleus" which had more innovative usage of synthesizers. We segue into "Day After Day (The Show Must Go On)" which is another outstanding song featuring Jack Harris on lead vocal and BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar. We segue into "Total Eclipse" which blended synthesizers with choirs for a unique track. "Genesis Chapter. 1 Verse: 32." ends the album. This instrumental which combines band, orchestra and choir to end the album on a majestic note.
I Robot peaked at #9 on the Billboard album charts and sold over a million copies Stateside therefore going Platinum in the process.
Thirty years later, the album is now re-issued with FIVE BONUS TRACKS. The first is a demo of the album's title cut called "Boules". then early demos and rough mixes of "Breakdown", "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" and "Day After Day". We end with "The Naked Robot" which was a medley of rough mixes that made up the album.
I Robot may be 30 now but the music still sounds fresh as it did in 1977.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Album With Sci-Fi Title Actually Has Cautionary Message.......2007-07-12
Great Remaster.......2007-06-20
Picture a memory of days in your life.......2007-04-08
For an album that dealt with the fall of the human race, "I Robot" is a surprisingly human affair. The slow beat disco of "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" and the dance floor paranoia of "The Voice" are anything but mechanical. The ballads of loss, "Don't Let It Show" and "Day After Day (The Show Must Go On)" could be about any typical heartbreak. Even Pat Benatar could spot the drama inherent to "Don't Let It Show," including it on her debut.
It wasn't just the drama and the sci-fi that made "I Robot" so interesting. It was the musicianship. Not as pretentious as ELP and bringing the acrobatics of Yes down to bite size nuggets, Parsons had no difficulty in constructing pop that was progressive, meticulously produced and built up like the studio architect that he is. The Alan Parsons Project recording an album in the period of the seventies this pristine when disco's big boom was steamrollering everything in its path was a pretty bold statement then. Because of Parsons' attention to detail overriding any urge to make music of the moment, "I Robot" still holds up almost 30 years later.
Junto con el de Tales, el mejor... Excelente tributo a la obra de Asimov.......2007-04-06
Sin suda alguna, para mi, este es uno de los discos que mas me gusta de APP, (todas sus canciones). Estoy esprando que me llegue la nueva edicion que tiene nuevas canciones ineditas para seguir disfrutandode buena musica.
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Rival Factions
Project 86 Manufacturer: Tooth & Nail Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000QFAFE0 Release Date: 2007-06-19 |
Tracks:
- Evil (A Chorus Of Resistance)
- Put Your Lips To the TV
- The Forces Of Radio Have Dropped a Viper Into the Rhythm Section
- Molotov
- Slaves To Liberty
- Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer
- Illuminate
- The Sanctuary Hum
- Caveman Jam
- Normandy
Customer Reviews:
...and the rest will continue to follow...........2007-07-03
The band is comforable with their new found ability to go almost anywhere at this point. You can always count on Andrews deeply meaningful lyrics which range from political, sarcastic, humerous, and allegorical. With every listen this record is villianously infectious. It's guilt free 80s inspired dark synth metal for the masses as only Project 86 can bring it. The perfect record for new fans. Even for a band on their 6th release.
Not your typical P86 CD.......2007-06-29
Second spin around, and I was like "WHAT, HMMMMMMMM"
Thrid spin around, and I was like "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
All, that I can say is that I love this album. I would put it #2 or #3 in the list. I still love Drawing Black Lines first, and this one is fighting with Music To Burn your Bridges By for second.
All, I know is that I cannot wait to see them in concert again. The energy on the CD is the same as the stage and that is awesome.
Weird and I like it..........2007-06-27
Here is my appreciation of the songs individually:
Evil 10/10: The first time I heard this songs I thought I was listening to Queens of the Stone Age, and apart from the synth solo it it is reminiscent of their sound. The groovy rythm and atmosphere of this song are wat make it really good. If you listen to it too much, believe me it will not leave your head. What works really well is that in the chorus you hear two vocals: one singing the melody while the other voice shouts the lyrics.
Put your lips to the TV 8/10: After the deceptive and cheesy piano intro (did I forget to add that there is a lot of humor on this album and it's not only in the lyrics ;-)) the song kicks off with an old-school guitar riff, followed by a more typical Project 86 verse after which the incredibly catchy chorus grabs you by the throat with beautifully desperate sounding vocals from Schwab. To top it off we hear a solo from Randy that sounds pretty basic but works very well in the song as a bridge.
The Forces of Radio have thrown a viper into the rythem section 10/10: This song is awesome lyrically and musically. The things that stand out on this track are the drums, they build up really well to the different parts of the song and Andrews vocals are the best on the album, including aggressive gnarling and snarling in the verse and gut wrenching vocals in the verse.
Molotov 7/10: This song is good although it is not my favorite on the album. The coolest thing about the song is the 'Truthless Heroes-esque' lyrics that criticize modern culture for being all about the party and less about what counts in life. The keyboards play a big role in this song and are always haunting in the background and sometimes on the foreground. The song has a cool ending with Schwab adding extra vocal layers over the melody giving it a very full sound.
Slaves to Liberty 9/10: The lyrics are incredibly positive and kind of remind me crazily enough of 'Lean on Me' but the rock version haha. Again we have a very retro-rock intro riff. I especially like th driving bass on this one. The best way to listen to it is driving on the highway at full speed, you will not be able to stop. Lots of energy and groovy rythm are the signature of this song.
Pull me closer, Violent Dancer 8/10: Think "My Will Be a Dead Man" but then with synthesizers. The vocals are creepy in this song and the synth effect in the chorus sounds like they ripped it off of a classic horror movie. I love the way the synths and guitar blend into a melancholic and dreamy cocktail. The synths are the highlight of this song all around.
Illuminate 6/10: This song is not bad in fact it's really catchy, but it does not possess the intenseness of the other songs. I wouldn't call it a filler but it is the one song that I'm still not incredibly excited over although it does grow on you.
The Sanctuary Hum 9/10: The verse of this song sounds like something that fits well into the Truthless Heroes era, which I really liked. The opening riff actually reminds me of Projects first cd a little. The vocals first sound like what Schwabs voice evolved to on ...And the rest will follow. The verse has Randy and Schwab dueting to a very mellow and dark background. This song is about abuse, church and truth an explosive mixture but then again Project 86 is never afraid of venting thir opinions. Expecially the lyrics in the chorus are very provacative: "God save us, from your chosen ones" It srips in sarcasm and yearning for justice. Beautiful.
Caveman Jam 10/10: When I first heard the name of this song I thought it was a joke, but when i saw it on the actual tracklisting I freaked. Now a little while later it is my favorite song. The fuzzy guitars, the sarcastic lyrics, the high pitched synth building up just before the chorus and erupting into a sonically eery sound, the rythmically hammering vocals in the verse. I'm not a dancer but I can easily see a room go crazy on this vibe and at the same time I could see a rockers rocking out to it, it's that versatile.
Normandy 8/10: This song is again very different from the other songs. The lyrics are some of the best on the album. It is very melodic and not really in your face. It is a cool closer and very fitting for the album.
Verdict:
If you are a closeminded hardcore fan then don;t buy this, but if you like music and are open to innovation you will like this because it is a product of craftmansship. It is a little on the short side but the catchiness and groove of the songs compensate that. The album on the whole has some outstanding songs on it and despite some songs not being perfect the album is because they fit so well together.
This is retro-rock meets hardcore meets synths meets 80s.
New Taste, Same Great Project 86........2007-06-26
If "Truthless Heroes" or "Songs To Burn Your Bridges By" weren't enough indication, Project 86 are truly the most politically charged Christian band on the scene today, and aren't afraid to stand out from the pack. The great thing about this album and each one before, is that even if you don't follow their faith (I don't) you can still appreciate their message and understand the fire that drives them. From the suggestive packaging to the blistering "Slaves To Liberty," Project 86 have yet to ease up on the themes established early on in their career. If anything, it's at least more exciting than 2005's "...And The Rest Will Follow," which felt like a Project 86 re-run.
Longtime fans may feel turned off at first by the slight change of style for this album. Fact of the matter, the songs are much catchier than before and capitalize on the grooves that used to give way to some of the band's heaviest moments. "Pull Me Closer, Violent Dancer" is a stunning example of how they make a new style work gloriously in their favor. For the moments that the band shifts gears into 80's gothic-dance inspired territory, they still don't let up their signature sound, cryptic lyrics and infectious hooks. Take a listen to the synths on "Illuminate," and yet tell me this isn't just as good as what they've been doing their whole career. It puts a new spin on a tried and true sound. The only thing that truly hurts this album is that it is but a mere thirty five minutes long. It makes for one breezy listen, which is good because it's going to take a few for you to appreciate it, but one can't help but feel that the album ends just as it's getting good. But then again, you know they'll be back in another year and a half with another album, so all is well.
Solid.......2007-06-23
Great packaging and freebee with the pre-order. On a production note, there are a few times on the album where there volume steps down for no apparent reason.
It feels sort of like they might have tried to go more commercial (although I consider that a grave accusation). But it could be the group working with different ideas. Personally, I am hoping their next effort feels more like Follow or Bridges.
Buy it, you won't regret it.
Average customer rating:
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Eye in the Sky
Alan Parsons Project Manufacturer: Sony Legacy ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000IOM1Y6 Release Date: 2007-03-20 |
Tracks:
- Sirius
- Eye In The Sky
- Children Of The Moon A
- Gemini
- Silence And I
- You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned
- Psychobabble
- Mammagamma (Instrumental)
- Step By Step
- Old And Wise
- Sirius (Demo)
- Old & Wise (Eric Woolfson guide vocal)
- Any Other Day (Studio Demo)
- Silence & I (Early version; Eric Woolfson guide vocal)
- The Naked Eye
- Eye Pieces (Classical Naked Eye)
Customer Reviews:
The Alan Parsons Project's most famous album gets a royal treatment for its 25th anniversary.......2007-07-04
The album was the first since late 1980's Turn of a Friendly Card. Whilst that album had its moments (Games People Play and Time), the album had not been as successful. In 1981, Alan Parsons (well known engineer and producer who had worked with The Beatles as a tape operator and engineered Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother and classic Dark Side of the Moon and produced albums for Pilot, The Hollies and Al Stewart) and collaborator Eric Woolfson began work on Eye in the Sky with musicians that were bass player David Paton and guitarist Ian Bainson formerly of the band Pilot (famed for its 1975 hit "Magic") and drummer Stuart Elliott (famed for his work on Al Stewart's Year of the Cat and Time Passages albums and on Paul McCartney's 1984 hit "No More Lonely Nights"). When the album was released, it was right in the middle of New Wave and schlock pop ala Air Supply time. Would this album be a classic or seen as a relic of the past, read on and find out as I did recently.
We open the album with the instrumental "Sirius". What a great opener. i first heard this piece when former WWE wrestler Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat used this music as his entrance theme during his 1986/1987 tenure with WWE (formerly World Wrestling Federation). Since then, "Sirius" has been used by sports teams such as The Chicago Bulls for its entrance music and sampled by Diddy (a/k/a Puff Daddy a/k/a P Diddy a/ka Sean Combs) on his The Saga Continues album. We then segue into the album's title cut and Parsons Project's biggest hit. The track, sung by Eric Woolfson, got its name from Woolfson hearing that phrase whilst in the US to describe air traffic, surveilance cameras and every other device. Next is "Children of the Moon" which is sung by ex-Pilot frontman and APP bass player David Paton and it's a great song about the death of culture (which still holds up today). We segue into the short but sweet "Gemini" sung by Chris Rainbow. The first half closes with the epic "Silence and I", which was sung by Woolfson. The piece harkens back to some of the classic prog sounds of I Robot. What a great piece.
Next is the rocker "You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned" which was sung by Lenny Zatatek (whose voice was dominant on songs like "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" and "Games People Play"). What a great rocker. Next is the album's other sing "Psychobabble" sung by Elmer Gentry. This piece is another winner. Next is the album's second and last intrumental called "Mammagamma". Whilst it sounds like something that could have been used on the soundtrack to Scarface, the piece had more b*lls and passion than anything that Giorgio moroder could have come up with. Next is another Zatatek sung piece called "Step by Step" whcih is another great piece. We close the album with possibly my favorite APP track ever, the ballad "Old and Wise". The track's orchestrations is so powerful that it can actually bring tears to your eyes hearing it. The track is sung by former Zombies frontman Colin Blunstone and this is his best lead vocal EVER done (surpassing anything he recorded pre-1982). The track ends with the most powerful alto saxophone solo ever recorded by famed saxophonist Mel Collins (who has worked with people from King Crimson to Eric Clapton to Roger Waters to Bad Company and The Rolling Stones) and his ending solo playing with the orchestra and band even had brought tears to my eyes as it is the most moving piece I had ever heard (and I hardly ever cry but something about this makes me shed tears of joy).
The album became the APP's biggest selling album here in the US and reached the US Top 10.
Now, the album was rereleased and superbly remastered by Parsons himself with Dave Collins and features SIX bonus tracks including demos for "Sirius" and "any Other Day". Plus the Eric Woolfson guide vocals for "Old and Wise" and "Silence and I". Then the rough mix medleys dubbed "Naked Eye" and "Classical Eye". These tracks are excellent different looks of each of the album's tracks.
Recommended!
Entering the pop era.......2007-06-20
The remastered version adds quite a lot of brilliance and air to the recording when compared to the original Arista release.
Eye in the Sky is brilliance... but the remaster... not so much.......2007-06-02
But this review is about the remaster. The improved sound quality... what improved sound quality? The music on the original CD sounds almost identical to the new release (granted... this isn't a "remix"). So if you are looking to really step it up a notch with this CD, unless you are going from tape to CD, you aren't getting a noticeable sound improvement here. Granted, I don't own a $2000 sound system, so maybe for them, it is improved, but for most people, I don't think they'll appreciate any new quality to the sound.
That said, the extra tracks are indeed interesting. The best being the two last tracks. The first of those two is a conglomeration of studio recordings in the process of developing the songs. The second is a conglomeration of the orchestral music developed for the songs. These two tracks are really cool to listen to. It seems apparent that the Alan Parsons Project didn't have B sides, because there are no extra songs really as part of the additional tracks. You'll just be hearing first / second draft recordings of some of the songs. The experience is really neat.
The other additional feature is added material in the CD booklet. Pics and stuff from the mind of Alan Parsons and Eric Wolfson. Perhaps the only thing that would have been nicer was contributions from the other members or guest members of the band, but all in all, the additional material given in the booklet definitely is nice.
To round it out, overall, you aren't getting too much from this. You'll read the booklet once or twice, you won't be able to listen to the raw tracks that often like you could the album itself and as I noted, at least from my experience from Eye in the Sky (and I Robot), these remasters aren't particularly ground shattering in their remastery (you can go pretend that's a word ;)).
Luckily, the price isn't expensive. Whoever was in charge of the releases had mercy and realized they weren't giving us much we hadn't already had. To me the most important thing is the sound! So buying up all these new remasters probably won't be my plan. However, if you really want to hear the additional tracks, especially the "naked" tracks and appreciate the material put into the CD booklets, you won't be wasting your money.
Cinematic Genius.......2007-05-12
That is not to say the songs are lacking. As usual, they are tunefully hooky and usually memory grabbers, like the title track. The opening instrumental "Sirius" became the introductory theme for thousands of athletic events, and "Psychobabble" is the obligatory prog-rock song aimed directly at 80's AOR Radio. (Actually, the other song in the vein, "You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned," is the weakest song on the CD.) As on previous CD's, the highlights include ballads. On "Eye In The Sky," it's "Old and Wise" with ex-Zombie Colin Blunstone on the lead vocal. One of the discs' more interesting extras is Eric Woolfson's vocal demo on that particular number.
The bonus tracks are indicative of just how much work Parsons and Woolfsons put into their music. While "Eye In The Sky" plays almost like a soundtrack to a movie never produced, the demos show the tinkering that goes on before the final, lush and cinematic sound is crystallized. (Frankly, I like the album enough to have not needed to hear works in progress.) But now that "Eye In The Sky" and "I Robot" have been given their sonically upgraded due, it's a joy to hear the kind of mastery Parsons and company put into this soft-rock marvel.
I am now hoping for the eventual remastered versions of "Pyramid," "Eve" and "Turn Of A Friendly Card."
Uno de los mejores.......2007-04-06
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The Turn of a Friendly Card
Alan Parsons Project Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002VCU Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- May Be A Price To Pay
- Games People Play
- Time
- I Don't Wanna Go Home
- The Gold Bug
- I. The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One)
- II. Snake Eyes
- III. The Ace Of Swords
- IV. Nothing Left To Lose
- V. The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two)
Customer Reviews:
Excellent ALBUM!!!.......2007-02-23
If you like the Alan Parson's Project, this album is a winner!!!
A very solid album from the Alan Parsons Project.......2006-11-02
Well Crafted.......2006-09-03
Very well recommended album.
Other albums I recommend for the band:
Eye in the Sky
Vulture Culture
It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!.......2006-08-05
My dad exposed me to this album in the early 1980's and it is by far my favorite (I own all of their albums but two). It is replete with amazing orchestration, masterfully arranged by Andrew Powell, a long-time friend of Alan Parsons. The melodies are the the most addicting, the title track being my favorite tune. Lyrically, the album is extremely poetic, with similies and analogies strung throughout. Of course, no Alan Parsons album would be complete without an instrumental. This one contains two, my favorite being "The Gold Bug." It's a piece, like Pachebel's canon, that builds on a bassline (better known as a passacaglia) for each verse, culminating in an awesome sax solo. The other instrumental, entitled "Ace of Swords," is really an orchestral piece, utilizing mixed meter and a cool harpsichord part.
As a public-school music teacher, I have often used this album as a listening example for my band and choir classes. Roughly 70% of the kids like the album (even though it is 20+ years old) because it speaks to any age level, both musically and thematically. I believe any "Projectologist" will agree - this album is the best place to start! Enjoy!
Money...Get Away.......2006-07-15
Having listened to the majority of albums by THE ALAN PARSON'S PROJECT its impossible to not be aware of the sentimentality and melodrama at the heart of the music. Considering Parson's emerged from engineering duties for amongst others PINK FLOYD one may have expected a little edge to the compositions. But even on potentially atmospheric and dark concept pieces like TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION the overall impression is just to bright. I think TURN OF A FRIENDLY CARD is just about the best synthesis of Parson's production excesses and ERIC WOOLFSON'S syrupy lyrical style. Where things fall down is when the bombast and drama of the music make way for such lyrical ideas. Fortunately on the superb track NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE, Parson's wisely accompanies the wonderful lyrics with a simple acoustic guitar. This track remains for me the finest accomplishment of the Project. Also excellent are the title track (itself a big hit single in the USA) and yet another Edgar Allan Poe effort THE GOLD BUG, which has an atmospheric spaghetti western quality to it. The first four tracks are as one would expect, relatively dull and over-produced, even the epic TIME just doesn't quite satisfy. The Project are on firmer and safer ground with hypnotic instrumentals and minimalist production values. Unfortunately this combination is rare. As for concept, the album is interesting, with outstanding cover artwork. And also listen out for the intro to SNAKE EYES, which is surely a tongue in cheek reference to MONEY.
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We Praise You
The McClurkin Project Manufacturer: Gospocentric ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000FVBLHK Release Date: 2007-03-13 |
Tracks:
- Every Beat Of My Heart
- Holy Unto Your Name
- Healing Grace
- Cry For Help
- Oh, Lord Have Mercy
- Alright
- Is There Any Way
- If You're Looking For Love
- Said I Would
- We Need Love
- Hallelujah Chorus
Amazon.com
The McClurkins take the adage "it runs in the family" to an extreme, don't they? With four sisters and one brother all over gospel music, one can only imagine where they would go after an outstanding debut of The McClurkin Project in 2000. Seven years and a mountain of work between them, sisters Andrea, Olivia, Cheri, Tanya, and close friend Carol Carter are back with brother Donnie in the wonderfully rewarding We Praise You. The McClurkins waste no time in laying down the hot groove with the Andrea-penned title track, a more traditional Gospel call-and-answer track livened up by a super backing band in front of a live crowd in Queens, New York. Sister Olivia capably takes up the reins with the R&B-infused, be-boppin' "You Are An Awesome God." The ultimate highlight has to be the Donnie-led "As Long As There's You," a warm and moving worship number. Donnie offers plenty of vocal pyrotechnics here while the McClurkin Sisters keep the harmonies and melodies flowing beautifully underneath. It's a show-stopper for sure. Other great moments include "His Mercy," a testimonial buoyed by the sisters' well-mixed vocal parts and the closing "Song of Gratitude," which has the sisters sounding like an angelic choir. Brother Donnie and Stanley Brown should be commended for tasteful production that keeps voices front and center in a silky smooth blend. All in all, We Praise You is a sweet-sounding bounty of Gospel praise that makes us all hope we don't have to wait seven more years for the McClurkins' next collective effort. --Michael LyttleCustomer Reviews:
Filled with the spirit.......2007-07-20
We praise, we love you and adore you.
Thank you God for blessing us with such talent.
We Praise You.......2007-05-13
The best family project I've ever heard!!!.......2007-05-07
THE MCCLURKIN PROJECT.......2007-04-12
Ok off the chain. .......2007-04-09
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The Idan Raichel Project
Idan Raichel Manufacturer: Cumbancha ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000IHY9BG Release Date: 2006-11-07 |
Tracks:
- Bo'ee (Come With Me)
- Mi'Ma'amakim (Out Of The Depths)
- Ayal-Ayale (The Handsome Hero)
- Hinach Yafah (Thou Art Beautiful)
- Im Tachpetza (If Thou Wisheth)
- Suvi El Beyti (Come Back To My Home
- Im Telech (If You Go)
- Be'Yom Shabbat (On Sabbath)
- Brong Faya (Burn Fire)
- Ulai Ha'Pa'am (Maybe This Time)
- Azini (Comfort Me)
- Siyaishaya Ingoma (Sing Out For Love)
Amazon.com
In Israel, where Jews from all over the globe arrive seeking refuge and new lives, a young keyboardist/composer/producer/arranger named Idan Raichel sought out seventy multinational musicians and began recording with them in his basement studio. As he set about mixing Ethiopian and other African Jewish traditions with home-grown Hebraic, Yemenite, and Arab styles, Old Testament Psalms, and even Caribbean vocals and rhythms, he initially had little hope of ever seeing the sessions released commercially. But he ended up with not one but two precedent-setting, huge-selling albums, from which the present CD was deftly cherry-picked. Opening with a majestic, multi-voiced Ethiopian chant, the 12 selections here make ample use of ethnic-based traditions and instruments. But although the songs share an edifying spiritual depth, they are nonetheless modern pop in the best sense, accessible and chock-full of catchy melodies. For example, on "Be'Yom Shabbat" (On Sabbath), the vocals--one wavering and prayerfully soulful and the other more straight-ahead--are couched in a cutting-edge reggae context, complete with sampled voices and electronic flourishes. Despite his commitment to eclectic sources and unusual juxtapositions, Raichel obviously has a happy way with a hook and no scruples whatsoever about having fun with it. --Christina RodenAlbum Description
The Idan Raichel Project is the brainchild of Israeli keyboardist, composer, producer, and arranger Idan Raichel, who invited over 70 different musicians from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in the recordings. In particular, Raichel has long been fascinated by the music of Israel's growing population of Ethiopian Jews, and many songs feature members of Israel's Ethiopian community. The recordings also include Arab musicians, traditional Yemenite vocalists, a toaster and percussionist from Suriname and a South African singer, among others.The Project released its first album in Israel in 2002 and quickly became one of the biggest success stories in the history of Israeli popular music. The haunting Ethiopian chorus of the first single, "Bo'ee" (Come With Me), sounded completely unlike anything most Israeli's had heard before. The groundswell of interest propelled the album to heights rarely seen in the local music scene and firmly established Idan Raichel as a new type of Israeli pop star. Now a musical icon in the Israeli community worldwide, The Idan Raichel Project has performed to sell-out crowds in prestigious venues in Paris, Brussels, New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and beyond.
The international release of The Idan Raichel Project's recordings on the new record label Cumbancha promises to introduce a wide new audience to the electrifying work of this unique musical collective. The Project offers a new vision for how Israelis, their neighbors in this volatile region, and people all over the world, can cherish their individual cultural traditions, celebrate their differences and through respectful collaboration create new and inspiring expressions. "Our ability to live in peace with one other depends on our learning to appreciate and respect each other's differences," notes Idan. "The way forward is not by trying to change your neighbor, but by accepting him and recognizing that we are all looking for the same things in life: bread, water, spirit, respect and love."
Deluxe international version is enhanced with three music videos and other special features.
Customer Reviews:
Stop reading these reviews and buy this CD!.......2007-06-05
The modern Rumi - simply the best in world music.......2007-03-19
Let me start by saying that I would buy anything that has Idan's name on it - simply because it has his name on it.
I don't remember when I was so moved by music as I am each time I listen to his music. If you can get the translation to the songs, by all means, go ahead. The lyrics are amazing. I was lucky enough to see them in concert in Los Angeles. It sounds silly but there was so much talent and love projected from the stage - really a different experience.
Very Good.......2007-02-06
Eclectic.......2007-01-20
sue's review.......2007-01-11
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Tales of Mystery and Imagination
Alan Parsons Project Manufacturer: Island / Mercury ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000001FN3 Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- A Dream Within A Dream (Instrumental)
- The Raven
- The Tell-Tale Heart
- The Cast Of Amontillado
- (The System of) Doctor Tarr And Professor Fether
- I Prelude
- II Arrival
- III Intermezzo
- IV Pavane
- V Fall
- To One In Paradise
Amazon.com essential recording
As unlikely as the idea seems today to use the suspense-filled stories of Edgar Allan Poe as the basis for an album of rock tunes, listeners in the 1970s--who were barraged with such high-flown concepts during the heyday of prog-rock--turned the record into a major hit. The Project actually scored a Top 40 hit with "(The System of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather." Thanks to FM radio overplay, however, "The Raven" is probably the album's best-known track today. The 1987 CD version of "ToMaI" differs somewhat from the original vinyl. Parsons dropped in synthesizer parts to modernize the album, and added an opening recitation by Orson Welles. But the integrity of the original is maintained well enough, and the album remains a classic excuse to dim the lights, pour a glass of sherry (amontillado, natch), and break out the headphones. --Daniel DurchholzCustomer Reviews:
... just when I was wondering for the meaning of perfection..........2007-06-29
How to forget The Tell-Tale Heart, even when it doesn't express the tension and horror of the poem and it's situation, is another song that fits perfectly. To One In Heaven and (The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether are very popular songs among all their works, appreciated later in time 'cause the album wasn't very popular at the time of the release, but this 2 songs show Parson's inclination to pop and to more comprehensible and soft sounds later expressed in his other works.
The album also starts a long time collaboration and friendship with the singers John Miles and Chris Rainbow. Being a dark, cultural piece it differences a lot from the other of the Project's albums such as Eye In The Sky, but it shoes every little aspect that The Alan Parsons Project showed through their later career.
Casting a dark shadow.......2007-05-16
Some 30 years later and more often sober while listening to CD's, this album holds up well for its first half. The trademarks of APP appear in songs like "The Raven" and the instrumental "Dream Within A Dream." There was even a minor hit single as "The System Of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather" slipped into the lower reaches of the top 40. The album's final Beatlesque ballad, "To One In Paradise," sounds worthy of Abby Road and is indicative of hits to come - think of "Time."
On the other hand, the 15 minute "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" is a soundtrack in search of a video accompaniment. While a younger and more - ummm... - 'stimulated' imagination might have filled in the picture, it now just sounds like background buzz. While I don't mind the stentorian narration Parsons added from Orson Welles for the 1987 CD release, the additional synthesizers and solo guitars are an irritant. They could have left well-enough alone, but since CD technology was the shiny new thing at the time, I don't blame Parsons for wanting to tweak the new version. After all, I still have my 12 inch vinyl.
As far as its place in the APP discography, I probably prefer "I Robot," "Pyramid" and "Eye in the Sky" ahead of "Tales Of Mystery." But for shear audacity (mixing classics of literature with rock music was considered pretty risky in 1976), the Alan Parsons Project debut still can stimulate.
Para mi, junto con I Robot, son los mejores.......2007-04-06
Este fue el segundo disco que compre de APP, y sin duda alguna, junto con el de I robot, son mis preferidos.
Poe Fan.......2007-03-31
They should have left it alone.......2007-01-09
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