Though it sold in the eight-figure range worldwide, to some ears Bad suffered in comparison to its predecessor, Thriller. While not as visionary as that record-breaker and Off the Wall, the 1987 album does find Jackson and producer Quincy Jones continuing to work their craft at a high level. As it had with Thriller, radio embraced nearly every cut. Airplay saturation helped make the likes of "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Smooth Criminal," and the title track major hits in their day; they ring with confidence and good feeling more than a decade later. The self-involvement that would make the new material on History (1995) sound so curdled had yet to overtake Jackson; even his plea to "Leave Me Alone" displayed a sure wit, particularly in its video version. While the third best of his first three Epic solo discs, Bad carries a lot of what people love about Michael Jackson's music. --Rickey Wright
Bad,Michael Jackson,Sony,Dance-Pop,Pop,Pop/Rock,R&B,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Urban
Average customer rating:
|
Good Girl Gone Bad
Rihanna Manufacturer: Island / Def-Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000OZ2CZW Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Tracks:
- Umbrella feat. JAY-Z
- Push Up On Me
- Don't Stop The Music
- Breakin' Dishes
- Shut Up and Drive
- Hate That I Love You feat. Ne-Yo
- Say It
- Sell Me Candy
- Lemme Get That
- Rehab
- Question Existing
- Good Girl Gone Bad
Amazon.com
There's a cool new development in summer singles: they no longer need to be sunny. In fact, the wetter the better. "Umbrella," the first single off Rihanna's ragingly good third album, may be her strongest ditty yet, and that's saying something considering her run of past summer chartbusters. More stylish than "S.O.S." (from A Girl Like Me) and more interesting than "Pon de Replay" (from Music of the Sun), "Umbrella" barrels forward with big, brawny drums and a hot but haunted-sounding vocal. From there, the upbeat numbers chug forth like chilled pina colada mix into a blender: "Breakin' Dishes" trades skillfully on a recent vogue for man-directed venom, and "Shut Up and Drive" borrows "S.O.S."-style from the '80s New Order song "Blue Monday." Both are irresistible. So, too, are a couple of late tracks. "Rehab" and "Lemme Get That," both produced by Timbaland, prove that being an island girl is no barrier to holding one's own amid a sizzling stew of urban beats. In fact, it's a boon--one that'll register with pop music fans instantly. -Tammy La GorceAlbum Description
Multi-platinum, award-winning SRP/Def Jam recording artist -and CoverGirl spokesperson - Rihanna has taken over the charts with her # 1 smash single "Umbrella" (featuring JAY-Z) and her chart topping album GOOD GIRL GONE BAD. Rihanna's third album release in less than two years, GOOD GIRL GONE BAD is the follow-up to 2006's platinum A Girl Like Me, with the back-to-back #1 hits, "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful"; and her gold debut from 2005, Music Of the Sun, featuring the worldwide smash, "Pon De Replay." GOOD GIRL GONE BAD boasts the production skills of Timabland, C. "Tricky" Stewart, Stargate, and the team of Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (responsible for "S.O.S." and "Pon De Replay"), as well as songwriting contributions from Justin Timberlake and Ne-Yo, among others.Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly good........2007-07-30
The good: First, Rihanna's voice has improved tremendously. The annoying nasal quality, present on her last two discs, has almost completely disappeared. Also, her delivery is much more emotionally charge and she finally sounds connected to the music. The production on this album is mostly top notch. Of course the first single, "Umbrella," is excellent, although is may be a little over-produced. "Push Up On Me" is an undeniably catchy piece of 80's-tinged pop. But "Breakin' Dishes" has to be the highlight track, for me at least. The fierce track opens with Rihanna fuming, "I don't know who you think I am!" It is entertaining to hear Rihanna angry and the tongue-in-cheek lyrics are quite humorous. The Timbaland-produced "Sell Me Candy" and "Lemme Get That" are amazingly catchy. "Say It" is a sweet trach with great harmonies, "Question Existing" is touching, and the title track is a great way to end.
The bad: At times, it feels like Rihanna is trying too hard to be different and too much of a people pleaser (i.e. genre hopping, more pop-sounding, unconventional packaging). "Don't Stop the Music" was a terrible choice for a third single and I find the techno-pop track to be rather irritating. "Shut Up and Drive," is a nice rock influenced track, but the lyrics are a bit trashy. However, "Hate That I Love You" with Ne-Yo would have to be the hands down worst track on the album. The song is a lazy carbon copy of the featured artists' hit, "So Sick." It even uses the same shuffling drumbeat. (Also, I'm no huge fan of Ne-Yo and I think his voice is nasally.) I heard a rumor that this will be the fourth single. Um... not a good idea. Lastly, Rihanna tends to sound like Nivea at times. (Not a surprise since Nivea's husband contributed, in some way or another, to four of the album's tracks.)
Although this album is not without flaws like some people claim, the good far outweighs the bad and I'm quite impressed. Good Girl Gone Bad is a huge improvement from Rihanna's past works in many aspects. Now if only they could choose the right singles to release this album could be a big success.
New Look + New Sound = Alright Music.......2007-07-20
This is why it's HOT!!.......2007-07-16
GO RIHANNA!!!.......2007-07-10
Okay, for what it is.......2007-07-09
Some of the song lyrics struck me as being a little silly, but that didn't bother me too much.
I don't think I'd listen to this album very often, but if I had a lot of guests over for a party, I'd consider playing it if people looked like they may want to dance.
Average customer rating:
|
New Maps of Hell
Bad Religion Manufacturer: Epitaph / Ada ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000RGSOBO Release Date: 2007-07-10 |
Tracks:
- New Dark Ages
- Grains Of Wrath
- Fields Of Mars
- Germs Of Perfection
- Requiem For Dissent
- Submission Complete
- Grand Delusion, The
- Honest Goodbye
- Prodigal Son
- Before You Die
- Lost Pilgrim
- Heroes And Martyrs
Amazon.com
Bad Religion has for years been considered by new crops of listeners to be a vital band because they're such OG hardcore kingpins. And while the band's justly revered--they've managed to stay together for almost 25 years, all while getting better and growing their audience--"political punk realness" is not where their strengths lie. As to their political numbers, they were never quite able to pen the sort of personal yet timeless anthems that the Minutemen or the Ex did, while in terms of 1-2-3-4 punch, you'd get far more visceral thrills from the first Damned single. Of course, Southern California punk bands injected bushels of melody and hooks into their songs, and B.R. added elements of metal and even psychedelia to their own taut tunes. Their fourteenth album to date, New Maps is a terrific sounding record; at least two-thirds of it begs many repeated listens. The album's second single, "Heroes and Martyrs," is exactly what the band does best. A tightly-coiled and super revved-up anthem, it pits the energy and fast Barre chord sound of the greatest hardcore with a delicious, poppy production and doubled-up backing vocals that brings to mind Queen (or at least Queens of the Stone Age), in the very best way. --Mike McGonigalAlbum Description
In a world ruled increasingly by superstition and intolerance, Bad Religion's rousing wall-of-sound punk seems about as necessary now as ever before. It is the impassioned sound of reason, anthems of a bittersweet idealism and a guarded hope set to propulsive guitars and charging drumbeats. And while most groups with even half the artistic output have long ago morphed into stylistic self-parody, Bad Religion is currently surging forward with a renewed creative intensity. Their fourteenth album is both a nod to the band's defiant past and an undeniable step forward in the evolution of a genre they helped to define. Look for them on this summer's Warped Tour, inspiring a new generation of fans.Customer Reviews:
Welcome to the new dark ages.......2007-07-29
1. 52 Seconds: 5/10; It's actually 56 seconds, and it rocks, but it's hard to hear the words, and they aren't that good anyway. It's really one of those pointless openers.
2. Heroes & Martyrs: 6/10; It's really hard to hear the vocals on this song. The production for the whole album is kind of ugly, but this song is probably the worst offender.
3. Germs of Perfection: 7/10; It's an okay song, but like the whole album, the lyrics just aren't up to the usual Bad Religion standards.
4. New Dark Ages: 9/10; This is possibly the best song on the album, and the closest thing to a title track. Still, they clearly reused riffs from "Atheist Peace" and "All There Is" from their last album.
5. Requiem for Dissent: 8/10; The gang vocals are a nice touch.
6. Before You Die: 8/10; This song is starting to grow on me, but again, the lyrics are kind of lame.
7. Honest Goodbye: 8/10; A little experimentation here, but it's a welcome change of pace and content.
8. Dearly Beloved: 6/10; Poor production on this song.
9. Grains of Wrath: 7/10; It almost has a good message, something like Soul Asylum's "Black Gold," but this song is a little too short and ambiguous.
10. Murder: 4/10; This song should be called "Bad Ape," but it's just filler anyway.
11. Scrutiny: 9/10; It's a dead ringer for "Atheist Peace," but it's still a good song.
12. Prodigal Son: 5/10; For one of the longer songs on the album, this is really disappointing. I thought it was going to be about Bush.
13. The Grand Delusion: 4/10; So it's come to this: They're parodying titles of Styx songs. This is one of the worst songs on the album.
14. The Lost Pilgrim: 6/10; This song had the potential to be a lot better.
15. Submission Complete: 6/10; This must be one of the lectures Graffin gives his students. The concept is good, but the lyrics just don't work.
16. Fields of Mars: 9/10; As usual, Bad Religion at least manages to close the album well. The piano is a nice touch. Still, this song is missing something, and it sounds a lot like "Live Again (the Fall of Man)."
17. Sorrow (Acoustic Version): 8/10; It's a good song, but it was already kind of poppy before being acousticized. On the plus side, those annoying gunshots are gone.
18. God Song (Acoustic Version): 10+/10; The reason you should buy the Japanese version. As good as the version on "Against the Grain" is, this version is better.
In general, there aren't any really awful tracks on here. The album just has three huge problems.
1. The music drowns out the vocals on many songs. Look, I'm no producer, but I think you would turn up Greg's vocals so he's at least somewhat coherent on the verses for "Heroes & Martyrs" and "Dearly Beloved."
2. A lot of recycled riffs from the last album, which is nothing new for Bad Religion, but still, they really overdo it here.
3. The lyrics! Some songs make me question if this is really Greg Graffin. There's really not one single poetically coherent (no, that's not an oxymoron) song on here.
I think this album will go down as one of Bad Religion's worst. It's almost like a reversion, like what Metallica tried to do with "St. Anger." Songs like "Eat Your Dog," "Oligarchy," and "World War III" wouldn't be entirely out of place on "New Maps of Hell."
Also, on a personal note, to everybody who bashes "The New America," it's actually one of Bad Religion's best albums. The music is good, the range of content is superior to any other Bad Religion album, and the lyrics are brilliant. The only reason you don't like them is because they're optimistic (hey, 2000 was a pretty good year until the end). "New Maps of Hell" is kind of an anti-"The New America."
A Throwback.......2007-07-29
Very nice.......2007-07-27
Superb.......2007-07-26
My first impressions were that the album was good...then i listened to it again and again and it became great. BR consistentlty release punk rock that IS PUNK ROCK and not this radio pop punk emo hybrid that floods the airwaves these days.
It starts off with 52 Seconds which basically explains that Greg knows he's 'part of something greater than himself' but as always doesnt know 'what it is,' and the album ends with 'Fields Of Mars' which is a bit different sounding with a piano being implemented into the mix. I know that they used piano on their album 'How Could Hell Be Any Worse' but it sounds cleaner on this album.
The sound quality isnt that great IF you have an extra bass boost button turned on but if its off then it sounds great...not quite up to the standards of Process Of Belief but still much better than Stranger Than Fiction and Recipe For Hate.
The lyrical content isnt quite as strong as their big 3 albums but its still relevant and enjoyable to listen to.
The album is more Punk Rock orientated than Process and Empire which is quite welcome. I'd say this album is as good as Generator, Against The Grain, Suffer and No Control.
If your a BR then its a no brainer, go and buy the thing, it's awesome and its alot better than recent releases from other bands lately...cough cough Sum 41 cough cough
Disappointment.......2007-07-24
The biggest complaint I have with this record is with the mixing. Greg's vocals get swallowed up by the production. Too many times the guitars and harmony vocals completely drown out the lead vocal. So much to the point where things tend to sound "muddy". I much prefer to hear Greg's vocals distinctly above the rest of the production. Not sure what they did differently this time, but there are WAY too many times when Greg's vocals are indistinguishable.
Whoever did the sound editing on this one should be shot!
Average customer rating:
|
The Good, the Bad & the Queen
The Good the Bad & The Queen Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000IAZ3E0 Release Date: 2007-01-23 |
Tracks:
- History Song
- 80's Life
- Northern Whale
- Kingdom Of Doom
- Herculean
- Behind The Sun
- The Bunting Song
- Nature Springs
- A Soldier's Tale
- Three Changes
- Green Fields
- The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Amazon.com
To open this oddball supergroup's debut, Paul Simonon hints at "Guns of Brixton," and when Tony Allen's flex rhythms come in, there's a shadow of Fela Kuti, too. Then Damon Albarn's slow grit of a voice enters--framed by Simon Tong's flecked guitar. And collectively, The Good, the Bad, & the Queen is quickly sui generis, adamantly different than anything you think you've heard. A band with this much power has at least two options: to cut loose raucously or to mute their overt power for a more covert, dub-inflected atmospheric potency. Smartly, Albarn and his crew opt for the half-light of elastic bass lines, the clouds between the parentheses of drums--the covert. It's not until "Kingdom of Doom," the erstwhile 'single' of the album, that motion expands beyond the languorous. And even then, Tony Allen largely sits out. You get the full flush of Simonon and Allen on "Three Changes" shuffling time even while holding the tempo to a dubbish gait. It's not Blur, the Clash, Fela, the Verve, or Gorillaz. It's more than just names on albums. --Andrew BartlettAlbum Description
Standard UK pressing of the debut album from Britpop supergroup The Good, The Bad And The Queen. TGTBTQ is a new album featuring Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Tony Allen (Africa 70/Fela Kuti) and Simon Tong (The Verve). The Good, The Bad and The Queen began life in the Aphrodisia Studios in Nigeria in 2004 and traces a journey from the English music hall tradition, over to West Africa for Afrobeat, zigzagging through the West Indies and its reggae and dub, back to England and London's punk scene, all the while taking in a strand of British beat music from the '50s right through to Britpop. Produced by Brian `Danger Mouse' Burton. EMI. 2007Album Details
This Project Began in 2004 When Damon Albarn and Simon Tong Travelled to Nigeria to Record with Afrobeat Pioneer Tony Allen. Much Later, Albarn Gave the Tapes to Producer Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton and his Attitude Changed, Feeling Like He Would Just Write the Songs but Not Sing. Danger Mouse Helped Gel the Project and Albarn Just Wanted to Write Tales of West London. The Final Collaborator was Clash Bassist Paul Simonon, Whose Presence Changed the Whole Dynamic. The Result is a Record that Traces a Journey from the English Music Hall Tradition Over to West Africa for Afrobeat, Zigzagging Through the West Indies and Its Reggae and Dub, Back to England and London's Punk Scene, all the While Taking in a Strand of British Beat Music from the '50s Right Through to Britpop. A Very English Record, the Title Refers to a Saying in the Area that is Another Way of Saying "This is About Today, this is About the Present". A Heartfelt Tribute to London.Customer Reviews:
A Herculean effort!!!.......2007-07-13
The group comprises Albarn, Tony Allen (who used to drum with Fela Kuti), Simon Tong, and Paul Simonon. The CD made #2 in the UK.
The disc has a variety of sounds; Soothing Beach boys harmonies over delicate guitars and piano (the stunning "80s life" - a favourite of mine), piano driven eerie Radiohead-like ("Kingdom of doom", "The bunting song"), awash in strings and echoey guitars ("Behind the sun"), lilting percussion and dreamy harmonies ("Nature springs", "Three changes"), which perfectly complement each other.
Other standouts are "A soldier's tale" (lovely harmonies and guitar work), the tender acoustic folk-like "Green fields" (another favourite of mine"), and the majestic piano driven seven minute epic "The good, the bad, and the queen" (it becomes an exciting jam fest about halfway through) which closes the CD.
Definitely one of the best CDs to come out this year.
Like a laid back Gorillaz album.......2007-06-27
Booooooooooring.......2007-06-09
Does anything bad EVER come out of England?.......2007-05-19
Weird...but awesome!.......2007-05-17
Average customer rating:
|
Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Modest Mouse Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0001M7P78 Release Date: 2004-04-06 |
Tracks:
- Horn Intro
- The World At Large
- Float On
- Ocean Breathes Salty
- Dig Your Grave
- Bury Me With It
- Dance Hall
- Bukowski
- This Devil's Workday
- The View
- Satin In A Coffin
- Interlude (Milo)
- Blame It On The Tetons
- Black Cadillacs
- One Chance
- The Good Times Are Killing Me
Amazon.com
It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment Modest Mouse started sounding like a real band. For the longest time, singer-songwriter Isaac Brock seemed to exist solely to defy the established rules, forging forward on sheer momentum and ingenuity. Even Pavement looked relatively ordinary in comparison to the band's early releases like 1996's This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About and 1997's The Lonesome Crowded West. But on Good News for People Who Love Bad News, the frontman sounds like he's finally touching the earth, and the band--minus founding member and drummer Jeremiah Green--follows suit. A relaxed mood prevails, not so much in volume but in attitude. On the follow-up to the group's 2000 major label debut, The Moon & Antarctica, big sloppy melodies battle it out with brass on punky epics like "Float On" and "The Ocean Breathes Salty." The lyrics are simpler, the arrangements tamer, but the vitality remains. The prevailing mood is that Modest Mouse has pulled off something extraordinary here: a well-rounded, lovable record that doesn't sound anything like David Gray. --Aidin VaziriCustomer Reviews:
One hit song does not a sell-out album/band make.......2007-06-20
OK, you've heard that rant before, but not in such an *ahem* eloquent fashion. Now onto the review.
As usual, the hit is by no means the best song on the album. Other songs like "The World At Large", "Ocean Breathes Salty", "Bury Me With It", "Bukowski", "The View", and (ESPECIALLY) "The Good Times are Killing Me" (which, by the way, if you did not know, was remixed and tampered with by one of the best bands of all time, the Flaming Lips) not only give "Float On" a run for its money, they take the money and use it to buy cigars.
I mean, the fact that supposedly hardcore fans are nitpicking this great album because it has freakin' "Float On" on it more points out their own stupidity and narrow-mindedness than it does the band being sell outs.
So, in conclusion, if you want to keep your rather dubious "indie cred", do not buy this album. If you enjoy Modest Mouse as much as anyone should, however, than do.
"You wasted life, why wouldn't you waste death?".......2007-04-19
"The World At Large" starts off the album about as happy as it gets, with flutes and meaningless vocals in the background. "Bury Me With It" is about as angry as the band gets musically, though not lyrically. That would be "Bukowski", which is completely pleasant musically. "The View" sounds like kind of like dance music. "Satin In a Coffin" uses prominent drums and older sounding instruments to create a very interesting sound. "The Good Times Are Killing Me" finishes off the album while perfectly illustrating the conflict of sound and message, and it's produced by The Flaming Lips, which is cool. Modest Mouse is a unique band, and a good one at that.
I can't believe I heard this on the radio........2007-03-27
My highlights for this record include Bukowski, Black Cadillacs, and Satin In A Coffin. If you truly love the band and aren't just in it for the image, you'll love this record. The whole album is great. Yes, even Float On.
Even if you're an old school MM fan, listen to it with an open mind.......2007-03-12
What I love about Isaac Brock is that his music reveals a lot about who he is and what life has taught him. Good News for People Who Love Bad News is no exception.
The only track I don't like on this album is "Satin in a Coffin". After hearing a live recording, which I love, I can't stand to listen to the one on gnfpwlbn. It lacks passion and intensity.
Yet another masterpiece from Modest Mouse.......2007-01-21
Then I listen to it more, and it begins to grow on me, and soon I can't stop listening to it and I'm raving, "This is their greatest album!".
That's what happened to me with this one. Didn't blow me away at first. Now? I am like an addict. As soon as a song ends I need to hear it again immediately. And I can't stop listening to the album, and I don't want to listen to anything else....
I give it huge props, even though they diss my beloved Charles Bukowski.
Average customer rating:
|
Build a Nation
Bad Brains Manufacturer: Megaforce ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000PTYNJ0 Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Give Thanks and Praises
- Jah People
- Pure Love
- Natty Dreadlocks 'Pon the Mountain Top
- Build a Nation
- Expand Your Soul
- Jah Love
- Universal Peace
- Roll On
- Until Kingdom Comes
- In The Beginning
- Send You No More Flowers
- Peace Be Unto Thee
Amazon.com
These African-American Rastafarians didn't just originate DC hardcore in the late 1970s with their incredibly fast and brilliant "Pay to Cum" single; they set the bar impossibly high. That the group is not hugely millionaires-with-jets popular is one of the music industry's travesties. But they've always had as much a penchant for pissing off the shaven headed moshers at their shows (playing lengthy dub songs) as for giving them what they want (supersonic riffage). Much of the album employs the metal-tinged sound the group's been flirting with since they were on SST in the late '80s. A third of the tracks are reggae numbers, and while you're not going to sell off all your Culture LPs after hearing those, they are definitely serviceable. Build a Nation is not as great as the ROIR cassette, but it's the best album they've made in years, and shows the band in awesome form. This is thanks in no small part to the production efforts of the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch. As this is their second best-sounding proper album--the first being 1983's Ric Ocasek-produced Rock for Light--it's clear that the band should work only with their celebrity musician-fans at the helm from now on. --Mike McGonigalCustomer Reviews:
A disappointment.......2007-07-22
This album, in contrast, seems lifeless. Even on the harder, faster songs, it just
sounds like they are going through the motions, and have lost any fire or passion in their
music.
Maybe I just didn't get what they were trying to do, but it's hard to believe that this is the
same band that recorded their classic albums.
methodical relentless SKILL!.......2007-07-17
Rocks your socks.......2007-07-15
I fully expected to hear some mediocre, mostly soft and mellow reggae tunes with their hardcore past far behind them. I was especially nervous when I saw the track listing with titles such as "Give Thanks and Praises" and "Let There Be Angels". Was I pleasantly wrong! This is slam dancing hardcore at its finest.
In my opinion, the tracks on this album stand up to or above anything they're put out before. My only beef with it at all is I wish HR's vocals were a bit more prominent and clear. I've always been a huge fan of his voice and it's somewhat hidden behind the music and electronic filters. But that really doesn't take away from the overall impact of this CD. I can not stop listening to it over and over and I can't wait to see them on the road again!
Give Thanks and Praises.......2007-07-12
I and I Praise the Brains.......2007-07-06
Average customer rating:
|
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0002YCVXI Release Date: 2004-09-28 |
Tracks:
- The Mission: Gabriel's Oboe
- The Mission: The Falls
- Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Playing Love from The Legend of 1900
- Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Nostalgia from Cinema Paradiso
- Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Looking for You (Love Theme) from Cinema Paradiso
- Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Malena (Main theme)
- Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Remembering (Ricordare)*
- Sergio Leone Suite: Deborah's Theme from Once Upon A Time In America
- Sergio Leone Suite: Cockeye's Song from Once Upon a Time in America
- Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in America
- Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in the West
- Sergio Leone Suite: Ecstasy of Gold from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
- Brian DePalma Suite: Main Theme from Casualities of War
- Brian DePalma Suite: Death Theme from The Untouchables
- Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Journey from Moses
- Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Theme from Moses
- Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Main Theme from Marco Polo
- The Lady Caliph: Dinner
- The Lady Caliph: Nocturne
Amazon.com
Ennio Morricone is well-known to moviegoers. His soundtracks for The Mission, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in America, Cinema Paradiso, and others are invariably warmly melodic and superbly suited to the films they grace. They not only add atmosphere; they help tell the story. For this CD Morricone has created new orchestrations for many of his scores, adding a solo cello part for the indefatigable Yo-Yo Ma, whose musical curiosity seems to be endless. Outside the films, these pieces tend to be lovely melodies, mostly pretty sentimental stuff, and, in the best way, gorgeous aural wallpaper. The most moving are the two selections from The Mission, but fans of Morricone's music will find plenty to enjoy here. Ma's playing, as always, is exquisite---warm, deeply felt (given the circumstances), and entirely idiomatic within the context. Perhaps not quite for the classical music lover, but an affectionate reworking of music by an important film composer. --Robert LevineCustomer Reviews:
Is it bad to say I like this better than the original soundtrack?.......2007-06-02
My two other recommendations are Main Theme from ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (Track 11) and Ecstasy of Gold from THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (Track 12). I suggest playing these consecutively as a single medley. Track 11 *WILL* bring tears to the manliest among us --particularly if you remember in the movie where Sergio Leone pulls the camera up to reveal the town rising.
I get the feeling "hardcore" classical fans would dismiss movie scores as commercial work. I truly believe Ennio Morricone transcends that. Even moreso than, say, John Williams, and on a different plane than a Danny Elfman. And I can't say more about the emotion Yo-Yo Ma brings to the table than what's already been discussed.
Absolutely Exquisite.......2007-05-15
Yo Yo Ma and the Maestro Marvelous!!!.......2007-05-13
Better Every Time.......2007-05-09
Fabulous CD.......2007-05-07
Average customer rating:
|
PROG
The Bad Plus Manufacturer: Heads Up ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000NQQ4OC Release Date: 2007-05-08 |
Tracks:
- Everybody Wants To Rule The World
- Physical Cities
- Life On Mars
- Mint
- Giant
- Thiftstore Jewelry
- Tom Sawyer
- This Guy's In Love With You
- The World Is The Same
- 1980 World Champion
Amazon.com
You have to hear the Bad Plus's lush, lovely instrumental approach to Tears for Fears' hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." It's a slowly-evolving meditation on the tune that clearly is in love with its melody and structure. It might be the finest jazz cover of an '80s song since Miles Davis cut Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" back in the day. The other covers, especially their florid take on Rush's "Tom Sawyer," may be likely to get the most attention of anything on the album. But they rely too much on irony, on people's previous perceptions of the music, and do not seem quite as enamored of the original. They're jokes that are funny the first time but not so much the second or third. As with the Bad Plus' previous releases, the group's original compositions are the meat of the album: "Giant" and "Physical Cities" carve out huge walls of sonic space with abandon. This is rockist jazz, a postmodern fusion that relies greatly on tricky time signatures and mashups of seemingly incongruous sound. It's not likely this music will age spectacularly well, but so what? If you're looking for some engaging and conversation-inducing dinner music preceding an evening spent watching Napoleon Dynamite or any Wes Anderson flick, this is just the thing. --Mike McGonigalCustomer Reviews:
Challenging and Rewarding.......2007-07-14
This is a must have for anyone interested in contemporary jazz (not smooth) that wants something challenging and, ultimately, rewarding to listen to.
[DW]
In some ways Bad Plus's best album yet.......2007-07-07
A good entry into jazz for rock fans.......2007-06-29
More touch needed on the quieter songs.......2007-06-28
Does anyone really LIKE listening to this music?.......2007-06-06
I have thoughts like these as I listen: Wow, Dave King brings something to his kit that few jazz drummers ever have (although I could do with a little less bombast and heavy-handiness). Or, Ethan Iverson's displaying some awesome chops (although he still strikes me as awfully mannered). Or, Reid Anderson actually has some pretty attractive songs on this disc (although the band unnecessarily beats "Physical Cities" to a bloody pulp).
Bottom line--I can't convince myself that these boys aren't stuck in unwitting self-parody. That is, attitude trumps substance. To be expected, I suppose, when a band comes with this much hype--and apparently believes it.
Nevertheless, I'm pretty much bowled over by the covers (unlike some of the other reviewers), especially the laconic tumescence of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "This Guy's in Love with You." "Tom Sawyer" strikes me as funny, and "Life on Mars" as appropriately weird.
Actually, in a lot of ways, this is a pretty killer disc, although, it must be said, the vibe pretty quickly wears thin. Consequently, I find myself not picking it to listen to for the pure pleasure it gives, but to access its quirkiness. Which, unfortunately, tends to relegate it to novelty status.
That said, it's quite an attractive novelty. Somewhere between 3 and 5 stars.
Average customer rating:
|
Original Bad Company Anthology
Bad Company Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000256NE Release Date: 1999-03-23 |
Tracks:
- Can't Get Enough
- Rock Steady
- Ready For Love
- Bad Company
- Movin' On
- Seagull
- Superstar Woman
- Little Miss Fortune
- Good Lovin' Gone Bad
- Feel Like Makin' Love
- Shooting Star
- Deal With The Preacher
- Wild Fire Woman
- Easy On My Soul
- Whiskey Bottle
Tracks:
- Honey Child
- Run With The Pack
- Silver, Blue And Gold
- Do Right By Your Woman
- Burnin' Sky
- Heartbeat
- Too Bad
- Smokin' 45
- Rock And Roll Fantasy
- Evil Wind
- Oh Atlanta
- Rhythm Machine
- Untie The Knot
- Downhill Ryder
- Tracking Down A Runaway
- Ain't It Good
- Hammer Of Love
- Hey, Hey
Customer Reviews:
Original Bad Company Anthology Review.......2007-06-14
Needs Better Remastering..........2007-06-11
"Must Have" for Bad Co fans.......2007-01-14
Rock n Roll not watered down.......2006-11-10
in rock. At present he is still pretty damn good. The band was productive in a time when men were not afraid to be men and rock and the keep it
simple yet up tempo power rock style is evident in the songs.
Bands today too often forget to save the drama for high school drama
class. There is too much fluff and not enough raw power and power chord structure. Bad Co. never forgot the pleasure of having a few drinks, turning the amp up to 11 and just letting the rock do the talking. The
combination of a solid Bad Co. bottom end, a great drummer and Rodgers
pool hall guy enthusiasm just plain works.
Poor man's Zeppelin.......2006-09-06
The four "new" songs at the end of disc two are alright, but forgettable. Apparently it's hard for an old band to come up with something new and really good in the modern era of rock. Only Deep Purple has been able to do this in my opinion. Actually, I'd love to see a two disc anthology like this one, for the classic Deep Purple lineup. After all, they are one of the biggies. Case closed!
As for this collection, I didn't mind too much that the later Bad Company albums were skimmed over, if you know what I mean. Nice job there. Enjoy it with a few beers and whatever you can find to inhale.
Average customer rating:
|
Bad For Good: The Very Best of Scorpions
Scorpions Manufacturer: Hip-O Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006690I Release Date: 2002-05-28 |
Tracks:
- Rock You Like A Hurricane
- Loving You Sunday Morning
- The Zoo
- No One Like You
- Blackout
- Still Loving You
- Big City Nights
- Believe In Love
- Rhythm of Love
- I Can't Explain
- Wind of Change
- Send Me An Angel
- Don't Believe Her
- Tease Me Please Me
- Hit Between The Eyes
- Alien Nation
- Cause I Love You
- Bad For Good
Amazon.com
Sure they're big, dumb, and obvious, but weren't the Ramones? Isn't Britney? (Especially Britney!) It is, after all, no mean feat to forge a bona fide rock stereotype, let alone become a self-perpetuating parody of said cliché in the bargain. Fashions may come and go, but the Scorpions still "Rock You Like a Hurricane"--and now at sporting events the nation over, no less. The material here leans heavily on the Hanover band's '80s prime, a period when they burnished their melodic pop-metal tack--if not their traditional spandex couture--all the way to the top of the charts, capping a decade of journeyman hard-rocking. There isn't much here from their formative '70s period (with the exception of Animal Magnetism's metal-shuffle "The Zoo"), but proto-power ballads like "No One Like You" and "Still Loving You," and hook-filled, power chord pomp like "Big City Nights" helped pave the way for the rise of the glam metal of Poison and G'N'R in the late '80s--and hey, thanks for that. That hard-pop sense also comes to fore on an '89 cover of the Who's "I Can't Explain" and a pair of undeniably consistent new recordings, the title track and "Cause I Love You." Scorpions über alles! --Jerry McCulleyCustomer Reviews:
Alles Gut!.......2007-07-26
Rock You Like a Hurricane
The Zoo
Big City Nights
Rhythm of Love
I Can't Explain
Don't Believe Her
Tease Me Please Me
Hit Between the Eyes
Alien Nation
Just wait for what's coming next!.......2007-03-25
The best hits.......2006-12-13
SORRY ONLY 3 GOOD SONGS!!.......2006-11-19
Awesome.......2006-11-10
Average customer rating:
|
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (Expanded)
Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00020HDA8 Release Date: 2004-05-18 |
Tracks:
- Il Buono Il Brutto Il Cattivo (Titoli) [The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (Main Title)]
- Il Tramonto [The Sundown]
- Sentenza (previously unreleased)
- Fuga A Cavallo (previously unreleased)
- Il Ponte Di Corde (previously unreleased)
- Il Forte [The Strong]
- Inseguimento (previously unreleased)
- Il Deserto [The Desert]
- La Carrozza Dei Fantasmi [The Carriage Of The Spirits]
- La Missione San Antonio (previously unreleased)
- Padre Ramirez (previously unreleased)
- Marcetta [Marcia]
- La Storia Di Un Soldato [The Story Of A Soldier]
- Il Treno Militare (previously unreleased)
- Fine Di Una Spia (previously unreleased)
- Il Bandito Monco (previously unreleased)
- Due Contro Cinque (previously unreleased)
- Marcetta Senza Speranza [Marcia Without Hope]
- Morte Di Un Soldato [The Death Of A Soldier]
- L'estasi Dell'oro [The Ecstasy Of Gold]
- Il Triello [The Trio (Main Title)]
Amazon.com
The concluding chapter of director Sergio Leone's epochal Man With No Name trilogy ushered film scorer Ennio Morricone into the pop mainstream courtesy of a hit cover of its main title by American Hugo Montenegro. More importantly, it both showcased the composer's spectacularly inventive range and set him up for even greater triumphs to come with Leone and others. But aficionados of il Maestro Morricone's G,B&U soundtrack knew its original editions contained but the main thematic/musical elements of the spaghetti western epic -- until now. The addition of ten previously unissued cues on this newly remastered edition render the landmark score in its full glory, nearly doubling its running time in the bargain. While some of these new elements are but spare, haunting reworkings of familiar motifs (including Allessandro Allessandroni's trademark guitar riffs and the chilling vocal shrieks the composer used to evoke the howling of coyotes) that help expand its emotional dynamic, others like "Sentenza," "La Missione San Antonio" (a haunting instrumental version of "A Soldier's Story" that effectively presages his elegiac Once Upon A Time in The West and "Il Bandito Monco" significantly add to its expansive scope, firmly restating its claim as Morricone's first true classic. -- Jerry McCulleyCustomer Reviews:
Even better without the imagery.......2007-05-12
You can listen to this for its own sake--and should.
Marvelous expaned soundtrack........2007-03-24
The Good The Bad & The Ugly.......2007-02-12
Go With The Import........2007-02-08
A bit off topic, I found the same problem with Ikura Ifukube. Again a brilliant composer (known for Godzilla), again short changed by American released CD's. Always go for the import it seems.
A Classic.......2007-01-09
Christian Music:
- Better Days
- Body Kiss
- Can't Slow Down
- Car Wash: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Original recording remastered] [Soundtrack]
- Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections
- Chronicles [Box set]
- City High
- Devotion
- Ecstasy
- Essential Tops
Christian Music
Stoned Alone: Anthology [Import]
Everybody Knows About My Good Thing/Open House [Import]
Asleep at the Wheel - Live & Kickin: Greatest Hits [Live]
link-web.net Music Review: 3 Classic Albums [Import]