| 1. Voodoo Breath |
| 2. Lover |
| 3. Circles |
| 4. All My Days With You |
| 5. Mountain |
| 6. Things You'll Never Know |
| 7. Blue Heights |
| 8. Love Is The Word |
| 9. Jesus Girl |
| 10. Circus Waltz |
| 11. Round And Round |
| 12. Sing To Be Safe |
| 13. Shining Hour |
| 14. Llama Vs. Shaolin |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Sophomore album featuring three long-standing members of Sade's backing band, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul Desman. The album features Aya (Naked Music) on five tracks and Mecca Lady Bug who once opened for Sade and was the former vocalist for Digable Planets. This Japanese version features one bonus track, 'Lama Vs. Shaolin'. EPIC. 2004.
Anyway, while listening to "Third Stage," I felt like I was experiencing the memories of Tom and Brad and the rest of the Boston guys. Especially through Hollyann. Now that I'm getting a little older, I can't help but look back on the days of my youth through, if not rose-colored glasses, at least the watery, smooth and blurred finish of an impressionist painting. With Hollyann, I can almost see the couple standing proudly, hair flying in the breeze, perhaps watching the setting sun and standing for what they believed so strongly.
On the other side, Amanda, To Be a Man and Still In Love seem to be, partly, about the struggle to do right over wrong, to fight for love and for those you love.
Beauty, fun, introspection, love, sacrifice... the stuff of life. Also, the stuff of "Third Stage." If you like the unique Boston sound, "Third Stage" is a must-have for your CD case. Although, I still have my tape!!
Amazon delivered quickly and in good shaped.
Would recommed to family and friends.
For the most part, I consider Boston to be the partnership of guitarist Tom Scholz and vocalist (the late) Brad Delp. Boston had a stable lineup for their first two albums. In addition to Scholz and Delp were Sib Hashian, bassist Fran Sheehan, and guitarist Barry Goudreau. "Third Stage" would not include Hashian, Sheehan, or Goudreau. This was a result of a falling out the band had in the 1980s. Replacing Hashian on drums would be Jim Masdea (who played drums prior to the debut album) and Gary Pihl would pick up the void on guitars. However the partnership of Scholz and Delp was good enough to keep the Boston sound going. While Scholz often gets most of the creative credit for Boston, I really feel it is the unique vocals of Brad Delp that give Boston its edge. I always contend you can find another Tom Scholz on guitar, but there was only one Brad Delp on vocals. It was no surprise that "Third Stage"'s follow-up "Walk On" failed because Delp wasn't on that album. It is no surprise that Boston's career is currently in limbo (at the time of this writing) due to Delp's untimely death.
The nice thing about "Third Stage" is that it does integrate a loose concept theme around most of the tracks. It uses an analogy of the setting sail on a spaceship to someone maturing by reaching thirtysomething in age. The album reflects the maturity that a man hits when he reaches his 30s. While not all of the songs use the spaceship theme, the songs in one form or another reflect this maturity in age. It's not just the songwriting that is good, the musicianship of the band and powerful vocals of Brad Delp really are in top form.
One important note to make is that most of these songs were written in the early 1980s. The amazing thing is that Boston did not use synthesizers for this album. This is amazing for two reasons: 1) Even though it sounds like there is a synthesizer component, there isn't (Organs, pianos, and the Hammond G-5 help to fill the gap left by the synthesizer); 2) The idea of abandoning the synthesizer was more of a late 1980s trend (i.e. 1987 onward), yet Boston conceptualized most of "Third Stage" in the early 1980s. One must give Boston some points in creative and innovative thinking in the music industry for going with this trend early.
The Spaceship concept occurs on tracks 2 through 8. On track 2, "We're Ready" the spaceship might be getting ready to launch, but Boston actually is talking about one taking the next step in a relationship. Track 3 is an instrumental called the "The Launch" - it is divided into 3 parts (Countdown, Ignition, and Third Stage Separation). The music does sound like a spaceship launching. Once launched, on track 4, the spaceship will "Cool the Engines", but this is referring to calming down from one's younger days. On track 5, the spaceship arrives at "My Destination". "My Destination" might be the most powerful track on the collection. Most people are familiar with the radio-friendly power-ballad, "Amanda" - which is the first track on the album. "My Destination" is a different spin on "Amanda" - and overall I find it a better song. Delp's vocals are even stronger than "Amanda". This song deals with arriving at "my destination ... by your side" in a relationship. This again reflects maturity.
Tracks 6, 7, and 8 continue the spaceship theme. "A New World" is a very short instrumental, but refers to exploring the new world that the spaceship set sail to. Perhaps this is also the maturity of one in life. On Track 7, "To Be a Man", the person who set sail now must prove he is a man in his new world. This can also be reflected to everyday life as well. Finally track 8, "I Think I Like It", refers to the person enjoying the new world he set sail to, but also reflective of liking the changes in his life.
While Track 9 "Can'tcha Say"doesn't fit into this theme of setting sail on a spaceship, it might be the best track. It consists of two tracks - the powerful, hard-rocking, "Can'tcha Say" with a segue to the powerful power-ballad "Still in Love". The titles of these songs describe what these songs are about. Fusing these songs together really works. This "double trrack" is my favorite track on any Boston album. Delp's amazing vocals contribute to the power of this track. There is also the tenth track, "Hollyann" - this is a nice track as well.
The liner notes contain not only the lyrics, but notes on each track and notes on the making of the album. This is a great album - not a bad track in the whole lot. Highly recommended.
Classic Boston sound. Brad Delp's soaring voice will be missed!
Oh,yeah--it's also fun as hell to listen to!!!!
Curt
This is by far one of the few live classic rock albums that are great (Made in Japan, How The West Was Won, The Song Remains the Same, Yessongs and the best live cd is Frank Marino & Mahogony Rush Live). I am not a big RUSH fan, but I have always loved this cd. I do not cared for any of their studio albums. I can only take so much Geddy Lee on vocals. It is well-recorded and kudos to RUSH for this gem.
i'm giving this 5 stars because i love wicked a lot (and it's not my top 1, but top 3.so i'm not biased) but i really need to know if the karaoke part is worth buying. i don't care about the instructional singers, just the music. i want to perform this, but plz tell me if it's worth the MUCHO money? thnx!
I was wrong. I was very, very wrong. I realized I wasn't going to be getting the same level of performance as in the OCR release. But, after reading the reviews when I got home, I opened it. I popped it into my CD player, and my ears were immediately assaulted by their Gahlinda's warbling. Yes, Gah-linda. No other name fits so well. It's plain the group assembled to sing was trying, in part, to emulate the original cast's performance, and sadly, they failed miserably. Gah-linda's voice was off pitch and screetchy, frequently. Thinking perhaps I was merely comparing her unfairly to other performers, I played it for a friend, who all but begged me to turn it off. It was plain to us both that she was trying to sing far above her natural range. The other cast members, save their Fiyero, were decent. Their Elphaba was amateur good, and their Nessarose was surprisingly talented for the few moments time she got.
On to the music itself.
I have a reasonably high quality speaker system, yet the background music sounded like a midi file someone had made of the real music. Like something out of an old 16 bit game, or perhaps a talented teen trying to coax music out of an old keyboard. Thinking perhaps it WAS the sound system, I tried it in another media player. Same sound. Realizing that perhaps the guide CD might have simplified music apart from the karaoke CD itself, I swiftly switched to CD2. But wait. There was no CD2, because I had recieved two copies of CD1.
This was the final insult, for me. I contacted Stage-Stars and asked for my money back, explaining the variety of reasons I thought I deserved it. The woman I spoke with was polite and understanding, and, after getting my address, overnighted me a new copy of the title, shrink wrapped. It went immediately back to the store, and I got my money back.
On another note, on hearing the samples given on various sites of the CD2 music, I must conclude that it is the same quality on both CDs. In all honesty, you'd have more fun just setting the money on fire. Don't waste it on this purchase.
This cd capture Rush in great shape performing some great classics.
This album has it all, powerful rock, ballads, great solos...
Good job Geddy, Alex and Neil !
For you who want the "full show" from this tour, go to some of the
traders web pages and get the Chicago or Anaheim shows......
Rush has so many bootlegs, you can get full shows from ANY tour (even the Archives tour, how many of you even know what I am talking about?) they they have ever done!
Regarding the music on the album itself, I don't really completely buy into the mythology that the spotlight reviews are trying to perpetuate--Stage Fright isn't a concept album about "Manuel's life or death struggle with Robertson" anymore than The Band was a concept album about the finer points of having fun in the Wild West--why do we need to assign these kinds of categories to such category-defying music? Likewise, Robertson in the liner notes back-projects some sort of self-aggrandizing story about how he was trying to reach Richard Manuel with his songs. According to common sense and Levon Helm's autobiography, Robertson may have been encouraging Richard to write more and get everybody to participate, but Richard's real big problems didn't really surface until the late 70's and his eventual suicide, over 15 years after this album was created. It's pretty egotistical for Robbie and critics/reviewers to claim that this entire album was intended as an indictment/diagnosis of the problems the band was facing due to their stardom. Sure, those themes are (kind of) there in songs like "Stage Fright" and "The Shape I'm In," but to claim that Robbie was trying to "communicate with Richard through the music" is pretty absurd, not to mention pathetic (if he really wanted to reach him, there were probably better ways). Instead of completely backwardly misinterpreting songs like "Strawberry Wine," "Time To Kill," and "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" to fit some romanticized legend about the band members' secret feelings, I propose to take the music (and what great music it is) at face value:
This album is chock full of rock and roll, upbeat jams, good times, great lyrics, and some wicked guitar. Despite his many ego-related shortcomings, Robbie Robertson still possessed quite a songwriting muse at the time of this album. It may have been because he was increasingly taking more creative control of the band, but there is also some increasingly gnarly, wicked guitar from Robertson on this album. Most of these songs are the same caliber as songs of the first two albums (some of them are better). At face value, "Strawberry Wine" is a party song about a guy who just loves his wine. It's funny and fun, with great organ from Garth Hudson. "Sleeping" is catchy as hell, and funny as well. "Just Another Whistle Stop" marks a milestone in the complexities of Robertson's composition, and some gritty guitar. "The Shape I'm In" and "Stage Fright" are often talked about classics. One of my personal favorites is "The Rumor," which closes the album with one of Richard Manuel's most soulful vocals ever.
Overall, Stage Fright clocks in shorter than The Band's first two albums, but it's packed with great moments. Garth Hudson's piano, organ and saxophone are ON, as usual. Levon Helm turns in some great vocals (despite his documented drug problems of the time), Rick Danko's got classical vocals as well as some fat fretless bass lines, and Richard Manuel is in fine vocal form and contributes some fine songwriting (his last on any Band albums). I don't agree with most of the romanticized interpretations of this album and prefer to take it as it is: a record full of good times and human feeling like the two albums before it. Once you get to know this record, you may notice that Robertson was consciously trying to emulate those good feelings and human moments, but they weren't coming quite as easily or naturally as on the first two albums. Stage Fright still hits hard as one of the Band's greatest and most overlooked records. It's worth owning both versions, so once you get to know and love this album, you may want to check out the Gold CD version from 1994--it's more expensive, but totally worth it. I hope you purchase and enjoy this excellent music!
Guitarist and main song-writer has expressed a wish to do a more basic rock'n roll album - a more light-hearted good time record.
At the same time things were beginning to get more complicated for some members of the Band. Their commercial success meant money, and money meant temptations and easy access to drugs. At the time of the recordings of "Stage Fright" all three singers were taking heroin, and this obviously influenced the record and to some extent changed the sound of their vocals.
Though Robertson managed to write some lyrics that fit his original idea of a basic light-hearted rock album; other songs deal with darker sides of life.
Opening song, "Strawberry Wine", sung and co-written by Levon Helm is a blues fitting nicely into the original concept.
This is the last album where singer Richard Manuel contributes original material, and Robertson had to help him finish his two songs. "Sleeping" is a beatiful pianoballad with a rocking chorus; obviously sung by Manuel.
"Time to Kill" has a great catchy guitar intro and rocks on nicely with Danko and Manuel sharing the lead vocals.
The second Manuel song is "Just Another Whistle Stop", which features another fine intro, and it is also one of the few Band studi-recording with an extended guitar-solo from Robertson.
All four opening tracks bear the high quality mark of the Band, but the first really outstanding track is Robertson's beautiful lullaby/ballad "All La Glory". This is such a great song with Helm doing one of his best ever recorded vocals.
The dark theme is coming forward on the next rocker "The Shape I'm In" - sung by Manuel.
The slightly jazzy "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" is quite amusing featuring different brass instruments, but lyrically the song show a serious side of Robertson's songwriting.
The original album was ended with 3 more outstanding Band songs; all personal favourites of mine.
"Daniel and the Sacred Harp" is a country/folky song telling a the story of Daniel in a similar way the Dylan told the story of "Frankie Lee and Judas Priest". It's always a thrill when the three singers share the verses and all join in on the chorus.
The title track sung by Rick Danko, was an immediate live-favourite and one Danko finest performances; which says a lot.
"The Rumor" is another outstanding ballad, again with all singers taking lead verses. A worthy final the a great album.
The album is often regarded as a step downhill for the Band; I don't see it that way - it's a little different, yes, but just a strong as its predecessors.
This new version of the album features some interesting alternate versions, but none ot them matches the original recordings.
But back to Stage Fright. It isn't as original or groundbreaking as the first two. But compared to almost everything released by anyone in the 35 years since this was issued, it's still an A-plus.
Maybe it is, as one reviewer suggests, symbolic of Robertson's frustration with Manuel's (and Danko's) substance abuse problems. That makes it more personal and less roots-based than the first two, one reason it's been downgraded. Big Pink and The Band were groundbreaking albums. Stage Fright was similar (although much better) to a lot of albums in the early '70s.
In any case, I'm happy that The Band seems to be getting the respect in the 21st century that it got only sporadically during its peak years (68-72). Even though the music world ranked them with the Beatles (see Clapton's comments) I don't think any album sold more than 800,000 copies, a piddling number today. I suspect the reissues might have done close to that and I love the fact that people who weren't born during their heyday now love them.
One aside about this album: the title song isn't a reference to Richard or Rick. It was Robbie's problem: literally the stage fright he experienced just before The Band's debut (as The Band, not The Hawks) in San Francisco.
This volume of the series is unique, in the fact that this is the only installment in the whole series featuring one band, on one stage, recorded on one particular day. All the others feature various line-ups at different stages of Zappa's career. So you get to hear the momentum of the show (some say it's the best of two separate performances in one day; possible, given FZ's penchant for editing the best segments of various perfomances together).
The Mothers play Zappa's live standards such as Apostrophe's "Stinkfoot" with such ease, they make it sound like it's a mind-numbingly simple song to play. Not his most difficult, by any standard, but they show what true PROFESSIONALS they really were, because songs like "Stinkfoot" sound easy, and so do incredibly difficult arrangements such as "Echidna's Arf." Don't let the silly titles fool you; songs named "Tush, Tush, Tush," "Stinkfoot," "Cheepnis," and "Building A Girl," are only the names these selections have. They are incredibly intricate, complex arrangements that most bands, then and now, could not approach.
One priceless bit of FZ history is included here, the reason Zappa's band included "Whippin' Post" in their repertoire after this tour. Someone in the audience called out "Whippin' Post!" The band at this juncture didn't know this song, so Zappa toyed with the heckler, asking him to sing it, and cut him off after about one second. Some people really step into it when they don't know who they are messing with. This exchange is at the beginning of "Montana," and FZ changed the lyrics on the spot, to make references to the heckler's request for "Whippin' Post," and the rest is history. To hear the conviction that he covered this with, check out the last track on 1984's "Them Or Us." It's the 1984 touring band playing "Whippin' Post," and even though nobody can do it like The Allman Brothers Band, the arrangements played by Zappa's touring band at the time, are a phenomenal job. There is video of this song on "Does Humor Belong In Music?," the 1985 video, and it has some changes in the middle, but it all began with the guy in the audience at Helsinki, way back in 1974.
In all, this is the most consistent volume, as I have already said, because this is all one band, on one stage, on one day. It's many people's favorite, and I can clearly see why.
- The "Inca Roads" solo is beautifully melodic in a "conventional" sense and a perfect example of improvisational composition.
- "Cheepnis" is the single best song, with an incredibly funky middle section.
- George Duke has a great voice and, like everyone else in the band, is obviously totally committed to the music. Even better, everyone (including Frank) sounds like they're having fun. Check out the articles on the 'net from Finnish correpsondents - it's clear that, despite the hassle of touring (and towels), Helinski turned out to be a great experience.
- Poor Suzi Quattro.
- There are mistakes, or better, accidents. That may sound bad, but for me those can be the best thing about live performance. Best examples - Ruth can't keep up on the opening of "Montana" and Frank, after some surprisingly good-natured ribbing, slows the song down, and George changes "Tush Tush Tush" to "squeek squeek squeek" at the inadvertent feedback squeal going into "Stinkfoot."
- Finally, the band playing the "Finnish Tango" (they aren't sight-reading - a photo is published from rehearsals earlier that day that shows Finnish percussionist Matti Koskiali helping the band learn the song) absolutely straight, until Napoleon Murphy Brock enters with a horribly mangled vocal in bad phonetic Finnish.
Wow. Too much detail, maybe, but this is a great recording. If you get nothing else of Zappa playing live, this should be it.
First of all, it's one of Zappa's best bands in top form. This includes early versions of RDNZL, Approximate, Dupree's Paradise, Token of My Extreme played with great virtousity. The "Room Service" skit is hilarious. The astute listener will recognize that the guitar solo on the "studio" version of "Inca Roads" is actually an edited version of the solo from this concert - he actually mentioned it in the liner notes of OSFA. Also of "conceptual continuity" interest is "Montana", which explains why Zappa performed "Whipping Post" 10 years later.
The version of "Idiot Bastard Son", while very different from the WIFM version, is absolutely wonderful.
I disagree with the editorial review that says that this version of "Village of the Sun" is the best. They play it too fast here and spoil it a bit. I much prefer the more soulful version on "Roxy".
Still, a must-have for Zappa fans.
Wow.
If you ever saw FZ in concert, then you know that his bands were highly-disciplined, rigidly-timed machines that could bend, stretch, improvise and create at Zappa's every whim.
In the band presented here, Zappa had what he later described as "the band that could play anything." You get the feeling that he knew he was never gonna have it this good again, and in some ways that's probably true.
Here you get the entire show from the '74 band's concert in Helsinki, Finland. Highlights include some blistering guitar solos, plus fantastic soloing by other members of the group.
My favorite cut, though, has to be "Montana," the "Dental Floss" song, which Frank mutates a bit after someone in the audience calls out a request for the Allman Brothers' song, "Whipping Post." (This band didn't know the song, but on future tours, he made SURE the band knew how to play it, and they did!)
Pop on the headphones and go back 30 years to one of the best Zappa shows you're ever gonna hear. It's all here and it's all great.
Featuring three MC's, in terms of groups that feature multiple rappers, I would say they're superior to the Wu Tang Clan and that this album is better than Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Lyrically, the group shines on tracks like 'Powerful Impak!', 'Ack Like U Want It', and 'U Da Man', and tracks like 'Who Got Da Props?', 'Niguz Talk S--t', and 'Slave' feature very creative beats and instrumentals.
Whether you're hip-hop collection is still rapidly growing and you've slept on this or you're a new fan, you really owe it to yourself to check out 'Enta Da Stage'. I have this classic on regular rotation.
Standout tracks: 'Niguz Talk S--t', 'Who Got da Props?', 'Black Smif-N-Wesson', and 'Slave'.
Man so many great rymes, beats, etc. on the c.d. truly a classic. Takes me back to my college days, before the minivan, house, and nagging a$z wife.
I defy anyone to come up with another Broadway production that has three songs in a row better than Make Believe, Ol' Man River and Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (West Side Story's Maria, America and Tonight are the best three in a row of a movie musical) and it's a shame that no movie version of Showboat can compare to this version. The first act is full of songs that are as good as any ever sung on a stage and I can't think of another production with a first act that compete against the big 3 plus Cotton Blossom, Where's The Mate For Me, Life On The Wicked Stage, Till Good Luck Comes My Way, Misry's Comin' Aroun', You are Love, Act One finale and Why Do I Love You?. You just don't want to have the music stop.
If you don't like opera you won't like this version. Sung the way Kern and Hammerstein wrote them, you can't help but feel the operatic nature of these songs. Tough noogies because Showboat is above all an opera disguised as a Broadway play and no sweetening should be allowed.
The four leads are all superb, Frederica von Stade as Nola especially. The booklet contains the complete libretto and allows a different way to appreciate the music.
If you buy just one version of Showboat you need this one. If you have other versions of Showboat you need this one. As a matter of fact, anyone with ears to hear needs this version. A true American treasure.
Thank you, EMI.
I would hope other labels would follow suit and remaster and reissue other examples of classic American musical theater. It would be a pity if our children, grandchildren, and future generations were unable to savor "110 in the Shade" or "Little Mary Sunshine" or . . . . . . . . . (fill in the blanks.)
M. J. Conrades
Sophomore album featuring three long-standing members of Sade's backing band, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale and Paul Desman. The album features Aya (Naked Music) on five tracks and Mecca Lady Bug who once opened for Sade and was the former vocalist for Digable Planets. This Japanese version features one bonus track, 'Lama Vs. Shaolin'. EPIC. 2004.
Stage,Sweetback,Sony Japan,Adult Contemporary,Contemporary R&B,Neo-Soul,Pop,R&B,R&B/Soul,Soul,Soul/R & B,Urban
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Third Stage
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ASIN: B000002O51 Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Amanda
- We're Ready
- The Launch
- Cool The Engines
- My Destination
- A New World
- To Be A Man
- I Think I Like It
- Can'tcha Say (You Believe In Me)/ Still In Love
- Hollyann
Customer Reviews:
Life story?.......2007-06-26
Anyway, while listening to "Third Stage," I felt like I was experiencing the memories of Tom and Brad and the rest of the Boston guys. Especially through Hollyann. Now that I'm getting a little older, I can't help but look back on the days of my youth through, if not rose-colored glasses, at least the watery, smooth and blurred finish of an impressionist painting. With Hollyann, I can almost see the couple standing proudly, hair flying in the breeze, perhaps watching the setting sun and standing for what they believed so strongly.
On the other side, Amanda, To Be a Man and Still In Love seem to be, partly, about the struggle to do right over wrong, to fight for love and for those you love.
Beauty, fun, introspection, love, sacrifice... the stuff of life. Also, the stuff of "Third Stage." If you like the unique Boston sound, "Third Stage" is a must-have for your CD case. Although, I still have my tape!!
C'Mon It's Boston Third Stage, it's a gimmie.......2007-06-09
Amazon delivered quickly and in good shaped.
Would recommed to family and friends.
Third time is the charm.......2007-05-07
A True Concept Album that was well worth the wait .......2007-04-13
For the most part, I consider Boston to be the partnership of guitarist Tom Scholz and vocalist (the late) Brad Delp. Boston had a stable lineup for their first two albums. In addition to Scholz and Delp were Sib Hashian, bassist Fran Sheehan, and guitarist Barry Goudreau. "Third Stage" would not include Hashian, Sheehan, or Goudreau. This was a result of a falling out the band had in the 1980s. Replacing Hashian on drums would be Jim Masdea (who played drums prior to the debut album) and Gary Pihl would pick up the void on guitars. However the partnership of Scholz and Delp was good enough to keep the Boston sound going. While Scholz often gets most of the creative credit for Boston, I really feel it is the unique vocals of Brad Delp that give Boston its edge. I always contend you can find another Tom Scholz on guitar, but there was only one Brad Delp on vocals. It was no surprise that "Third Stage"'s follow-up "Walk On" failed because Delp wasn't on that album. It is no surprise that Boston's career is currently in limbo (at the time of this writing) due to Delp's untimely death.
The nice thing about "Third Stage" is that it does integrate a loose concept theme around most of the tracks. It uses an analogy of the setting sail on a spaceship to someone maturing by reaching thirtysomething in age. The album reflects the maturity that a man hits when he reaches his 30s. While not all of the songs use the spaceship theme, the songs in one form or another reflect this maturity in age. It's not just the songwriting that is good, the musicianship of the band and powerful vocals of Brad Delp really are in top form.
One important note to make is that most of these songs were written in the early 1980s. The amazing thing is that Boston did not use synthesizers for this album. This is amazing for two reasons: 1) Even though it sounds like there is a synthesizer component, there isn't (Organs, pianos, and the Hammond G-5 help to fill the gap left by the synthesizer); 2) The idea of abandoning the synthesizer was more of a late 1980s trend (i.e. 1987 onward), yet Boston conceptualized most of "Third Stage" in the early 1980s. One must give Boston some points in creative and innovative thinking in the music industry for going with this trend early.
The Spaceship concept occurs on tracks 2 through 8. On track 2, "We're Ready" the spaceship might be getting ready to launch, but Boston actually is talking about one taking the next step in a relationship. Track 3 is an instrumental called the "The Launch" - it is divided into 3 parts (Countdown, Ignition, and Third Stage Separation). The music does sound like a spaceship launching. Once launched, on track 4, the spaceship will "Cool the Engines", but this is referring to calming down from one's younger days. On track 5, the spaceship arrives at "My Destination". "My Destination" might be the most powerful track on the collection. Most people are familiar with the radio-friendly power-ballad, "Amanda" - which is the first track on the album. "My Destination" is a different spin on "Amanda" - and overall I find it a better song. Delp's vocals are even stronger than "Amanda". This song deals with arriving at "my destination ... by your side" in a relationship. This again reflects maturity.
Tracks 6, 7, and 8 continue the spaceship theme. "A New World" is a very short instrumental, but refers to exploring the new world that the spaceship set sail to. Perhaps this is also the maturity of one in life. On Track 7, "To Be a Man", the person who set sail now must prove he is a man in his new world. This can also be reflected to everyday life as well. Finally track 8, "I Think I Like It", refers to the person enjoying the new world he set sail to, but also reflective of liking the changes in his life.
While Track 9 "Can'tcha Say"doesn't fit into this theme of setting sail on a spaceship, it might be the best track. It consists of two tracks - the powerful, hard-rocking, "Can'tcha Say" with a segue to the powerful power-ballad "Still in Love". The titles of these songs describe what these songs are about. Fusing these songs together really works. This "double trrack" is my favorite track on any Boston album. Delp's amazing vocals contribute to the power of this track. There is also the tenth track, "Hollyann" - this is a nice track as well.
The liner notes contain not only the lyrics, but notes on each track and notes on the making of the album. This is a great album - not a bad track in the whole lot. Highly recommended.
Boston at it's best!.......2007-04-10
Classic Boston sound. Brad Delp's soaring voice will be missed!
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All The World's A Stage
Rush Manufacturer: Island / Mercury ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000001ESH Release Date: 1997-07-01 |
Tracks:
- Bastille Day
- Anthem
- Fly By Night/In The Mood
- Something For Nothing
- Lakeside Park
- 2112: Overture/ Thetemples of Syrinx/Presentation/Soliloquy/Grand Finale
- By-Tor And The Snow Dog
- In The End
- Working Man/Finding My Way
- What You're Doing
Customer Reviews:
A REAL live recording---no digita/re-do, clean-up job here........2007-05-01
Oh,yeah--it's also fun as hell to listen to!!!!
Rush ATWAS: The finale of their magnificent power era.......2007-02-20
Curt
All The World's A Stage.......2007-01-14
This is by far one of the few live classic rock albums that are great (Made in Japan, How The West Was Won, The Song Remains the Same, Yessongs and the best live cd is Frank Marino & Mahogony Rush Live). I am not a big RUSH fan, but I have always loved this cd. I do not cared for any of their studio albums. I can only take so much Geddy Lee on vocals. It is well-recorded and kudos to RUSH for this gem.
Great Live Album !.......2006-12-06
4.5 stars- Better than I remembered.......2006-04-22
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The Stage Names
Okkervil River Manufacturer: Jagjaguwar ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000SINSUS Release Date: 2007-08-07 |
Tracks:
- Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
- Unless It Kicks
- Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene, A
- Savannah Smiles
- Plus Ones
- Girl In Port, A
- You Can't Hold The Hand Of A Rock And Roll Man
- Title Track
- John Allyn Smith Sails
Album Description
This record dynamites the moss-covered castle walls of 2005's "Black Sheep Boy" to let in the glaring sun. Riddled with characters real and fake, with the relics of high culture and the crumpled up trash of low culture, "The Stage Names" is a cinemascopic take on the meaning of entertainment in the modern world. Reverberant with echoes of Motown snap and girl group pop, redolent with ripe whiffs of dirty rock 'n' roll, shining with the shimmy of Bo Diddley, with the shimmer of the Velvets, with the swagger of the Faces, and with a glittery sprinkling of cheap perfume to disguise the stink, "The Stage Names" is a relentlessly paced and ruthlessly thrilling journey.Album Description
This record dynamites the moss-covered castle walls of 2005's "Black Sheep Boy" to let in the glaring sun. Riddled with characters real and fake, with the relics of high culture and the crumpled up trash of low culture, "The Stage Names" is a cinemascopic take on the meaning of entertainment in the modern world. Reverberant with echoes of Motown snap and girl group pop, redolent with ripe whiffs of dirty rock 'n' roll, shining with the shimmy of Bo Diddley, with the shimmer of the Velvets, with the swagger of the Faces, and with a glittery sprinkling of cheap perfume to disguise the stink, "The Stage Names" is a relentlessly paced and ruthlessly thrilling journey.
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Wicked (Karaoke)
Manufacturer: Stage Stars ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Karaoke
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ASIN: B0002KQOLM Release Date: 2004-08-01 |
Tracks:
- No One Mourns the Wicked
- The Wizard and I
- What is This Feeling?
- Something Bad
- Dancing Through Life
- Popular
- I'm Not That Girl
- One Short Day
- A Sentimental Man
- Defying Gravity
- Thank Goodness
- Wonderful
- As Long As You're Mine
- No Good Deed
- For Good
Album Description
Featured at the annual celebration of the show's Broadway anniversary, this is the only karaoke recording of songs from Wicked with on-screen lyrics and a lyric booklet.This is a new recording with a great cast, under the direction of Michael Lavine, of the Tony Award winning musical Wicked.This album contains two CDs. The first disc has a complete recording of each song, the second disc has fully-orchestrated accompaniment tracks.
All songs are in the original show key, and show tempo. Intros to the songs from the Broadway show are provided. Several live musicians are featured on this album.
On-Screen lyrics will appear when this CD+G is played in a karaoke machine. No lyrics will appear when the album is played in a regular CD player, however, a lyric booklet is provided.
Customer Reviews:
High Cost, Little Quality.......2007-06-07
i'm 13, and i need help. (by the way, GO WICKED! luv it.).......2007-05-29
i'm giving this 5 stars because i love wicked a lot (and it's not my top 1, but top 3.so i'm not biased) but i really need to know if the karaoke part is worth buying. i don't care about the instructional singers, just the music. i want to perform this, but plz tell me if it's worth the MUCHO money? thnx!
Don't waste your money.......2007-02-01
"well-sung, theatrical vocals..." What cast did they listen to!?.......2007-01-07
I was wrong. I was very, very wrong. I realized I wasn't going to be getting the same level of performance as in the OCR release. But, after reading the reviews when I got home, I opened it. I popped it into my CD player, and my ears were immediately assaulted by their Gahlinda's warbling. Yes, Gah-linda. No other name fits so well. It's plain the group assembled to sing was trying, in part, to emulate the original cast's performance, and sadly, they failed miserably. Gah-linda's voice was off pitch and screetchy, frequently. Thinking perhaps I was merely comparing her unfairly to other performers, I played it for a friend, who all but begged me to turn it off. It was plain to us both that she was trying to sing far above her natural range. The other cast members, save their Fiyero, were decent. Their Elphaba was amateur good, and their Nessarose was surprisingly talented for the few moments time she got.
On to the music itself.
I have a reasonably high quality speaker system, yet the background music sounded like a midi file someone had made of the real music. Like something out of an old 16 bit game, or perhaps a talented teen trying to coax music out of an old keyboard. Thinking perhaps it WAS the sound system, I tried it in another media player. Same sound. Realizing that perhaps the guide CD might have simplified music apart from the karaoke CD itself, I swiftly switched to CD2. But wait. There was no CD2, because I had recieved two copies of CD1.
This was the final insult, for me. I contacted Stage-Stars and asked for my money back, explaining the variety of reasons I thought I deserved it. The woman I spoke with was polite and understanding, and, after getting my address, overnighted me a new copy of the title, shrink wrapped. It went immediately back to the store, and I got my money back.
On another note, on hearing the samples given on various sites of the CD2 music, I must conclude that it is the same quality on both CDs. In all honesty, you'd have more fun just setting the money on fire. Don't waste it on this purchase.
I could play it better myself on a kazoo.......2006-12-13
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Exit...Stage Left
Rush Manufacturer: Island / Mercury ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000001ESR Release Date: 1997-07-01 |
Tracks:
- The Spirit Of The Radio
- Red Barchetta
- YYZ
- A Passage To Bangkok
- Closer To The Heart
- Beneath, Between & Behind
- Jacob's Ladder
- Broon's Bane
- The Trees
- Xanadu
- Freewill
- Tom Sawyer
- La Villa Strangiato
Amazon.com
Throughout their existence, the Canadian power-prog trio has steadfastly released a lengthy live collection every fifth album. Released in 1981, Exit is Rush's second (and best) such release, and it captures the band at the very top of its artistic (and commercial) curve--before keyboard and synthesizer work became central to its sound as opposed to providing mere accents. When they embarked on this tour, Rush had just released Moving Pictures, which continued their move away from longer suites and featured more streamlined song craft. Exit, however, offers a perfect blend of winding, fusion-leaning, virtuoso instrumentals ("YYZ," "La Villa Strangiato"), extended sci-fi epics ("Jacob's Ladder," "Xanadu"), sentimental ballads ("Closer to the Heart" in unison with the whole crowd, "The Trees"), and tauter songs ("Free Will," "Tom Sawyer," "Spirit of Radio") that represent the best of all worlds. Musically, they generated a huge amount of sound for three men (especially Geddy Lee's mammoth bass lines and Neil Peart's octopus-like percussion); lyrically, Peart's fantasia may be pseudo-poetry, but it is poetic, and it may be adolescent wisdom, but it is wise. --Marc GreilsamerCustomer Reviews:
Corny as it sounds, this one changed my life.......2007-06-17
Very good live album from the early days.......2007-04-13
This cd capture Rush in great shape performing some great classics.
This album has it all, powerful rock, ballads, great solos...
Good job Geddy, Alex and Neil !
Worth Every Penny just to hear this version of.......2007-02-06
For you who want the "full show" from this tour, go to some of the
traders web pages and get the Chicago or Anaheim shows......
Rush has so many bootlegs, you can get full shows from ANY tour (even the Archives tour, how many of you even know what I am talking about?) they they have ever done!
Love it!.......2006-12-12
Not their best live album but still worth buying. .......2006-10-29
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Stage Fright
The Band Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B00004W50Z Release Date: 2000-08-29 |
Tracks:
- Strawberry Wine
- Sleeping
- Time To Kill
- Just Another Whistle Stop
- All La Glory
- The Shape I'm In
- The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
- Daniel And The Sacred Harp
- Stage Fright
- The Rumor
- Daniel And The Sacred Harp (Alternate Take)
- Time To Kill (Alternate Mix)
- The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show (Alternate Mix)
- Radio Commercial
Amazon.com essential recordings
The Band's third studio album is also their third-best studio album, and that isn't bad. It's not as synchronous as Music from Big Pink or as overpowering as The Band, but that's part of its appeal. The quintet's first two albums were such towering achievements that the group came to lean on those songs, turning the lion's share of them into concert staples. Stage Fright is littered with lesser-known Robbie Robertson compositions possessing more modest charms than the overplayed likes of "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The title track is uncommonly hard-eyed and modern; Richard Manual's vocal, like most of his turns at the mic, is sparkling. (Manual also shines on the reflective "Sleeping" and the uptempo "Just Another Whistle Stop"). "All La Glory" is a gorgeous lullaby, while "Time to Kill" sounds like the Band doing Creedence Clearwater Revival. This isn't the place to discover this great North American band, but it's definitely a stop worth taking before your exploration is completed. The 2000 remastered reissue isn't as generously fleshed out with bonus tracks as its predecessors, offering up only three alternate takes and a vintage radio commercial. --Steven StolderAmazon.com
The Band's third studio album is also their third-best studio album, and that isn't bad. It's not as synchronous as Music from Big Pink or as overpowering as The Band, but that's part of its appeal. The quintet's first two albums were such towering achievements that the group came to lean on its songs, turning the lion's share of them into concert staples. Stage Fright is littered with lesser-known Robbie Robertson compositions possessing more modest charms than the overplayed likes of "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The title track is uncommonly hard-eyed and modern; Richard Manuel's vocal, like most of his turns at the mic, is sparkling. (Manuel also shines on the reflective "Sleeping" and the uptempo "Just Another Whistle Stop"). "All La Glory" is a gorgeous lullaby, while "Time to Kill" sounds like the Band doing Creedence Clearwater Revival. This isn't the place to discover this great North American band, but it's definitely a stop worth taking before your exploration is completed. --Steven StolderCustomer Reviews:
Great, underrated Band album.......2007-03-23
The Best of the First 3 .......2007-02-28
Amazing, overlooked album--Gold CD has better mix than this one.......2006-11-30
Regarding the music on the album itself, I don't really completely buy into the mythology that the spotlight reviews are trying to perpetuate--Stage Fright isn't a concept album about "Manuel's life or death struggle with Robertson" anymore than The Band was a concept album about the finer points of having fun in the Wild West--why do we need to assign these kinds of categories to such category-defying music? Likewise, Robertson in the liner notes back-projects some sort of self-aggrandizing story about how he was trying to reach Richard Manuel with his songs. According to common sense and Levon Helm's autobiography, Robertson may have been encouraging Richard to write more and get everybody to participate, but Richard's real big problems didn't really surface until the late 70's and his eventual suicide, over 15 years after this album was created. It's pretty egotistical for Robbie and critics/reviewers to claim that this entire album was intended as an indictment/diagnosis of the problems the band was facing due to their stardom. Sure, those themes are (kind of) there in songs like "Stage Fright" and "The Shape I'm In," but to claim that Robbie was trying to "communicate with Richard through the music" is pretty absurd, not to mention pathetic (if he really wanted to reach him, there were probably better ways). Instead of completely backwardly misinterpreting songs like "Strawberry Wine," "Time To Kill," and "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" to fit some romanticized legend about the band members' secret feelings, I propose to take the music (and what great music it is) at face value:
This album is chock full of rock and roll, upbeat jams, good times, great lyrics, and some wicked guitar. Despite his many ego-related shortcomings, Robbie Robertson still possessed quite a songwriting muse at the time of this album. It may have been because he was increasingly taking more creative control of the band, but there is also some increasingly gnarly, wicked guitar from Robertson on this album. Most of these songs are the same caliber as songs of the first two albums (some of them are better). At face value, "Strawberry Wine" is a party song about a guy who just loves his wine. It's funny and fun, with great organ from Garth Hudson. "Sleeping" is catchy as hell, and funny as well. "Just Another Whistle Stop" marks a milestone in the complexities of Robertson's composition, and some gritty guitar. "The Shape I'm In" and "Stage Fright" are often talked about classics. One of my personal favorites is "The Rumor," which closes the album with one of Richard Manuel's most soulful vocals ever.
Overall, Stage Fright clocks in shorter than The Band's first two albums, but it's packed with great moments. Garth Hudson's piano, organ and saxophone are ON, as usual. Levon Helm turns in some great vocals (despite his documented drug problems of the time), Rick Danko's got classical vocals as well as some fat fretless bass lines, and Richard Manuel is in fine vocal form and contributes some fine songwriting (his last on any Band albums). I don't agree with most of the romanticized interpretations of this album and prefer to take it as it is: a record full of good times and human feeling like the two albums before it. Once you get to know this record, you may notice that Robertson was consciously trying to emulate those good feelings and human moments, but they weren't coming quite as easily or naturally as on the first two albums. Stage Fright still hits hard as one of the Band's greatest and most overlooked records. It's worth owning both versions, so once you get to know and love this album, you may want to check out the Gold CD version from 1994--it's more expensive, but totally worth it. I hope you purchase and enjoy this excellent music!
A little Different - But Just as Strong!.......2006-06-05
Guitarist and main song-writer has expressed a wish to do a more basic rock'n roll album - a more light-hearted good time record.
At the same time things were beginning to get more complicated for some members of the Band. Their commercial success meant money, and money meant temptations and easy access to drugs. At the time of the recordings of "Stage Fright" all three singers were taking heroin, and this obviously influenced the record and to some extent changed the sound of their vocals.
Though Robertson managed to write some lyrics that fit his original idea of a basic light-hearted rock album; other songs deal with darker sides of life.
Opening song, "Strawberry Wine", sung and co-written by Levon Helm is a blues fitting nicely into the original concept.
This is the last album where singer Richard Manuel contributes original material, and Robertson had to help him finish his two songs. "Sleeping" is a beatiful pianoballad with a rocking chorus; obviously sung by Manuel.
"Time to Kill" has a great catchy guitar intro and rocks on nicely with Danko and Manuel sharing the lead vocals.
The second Manuel song is "Just Another Whistle Stop", which features another fine intro, and it is also one of the few Band studi-recording with an extended guitar-solo from Robertson.
All four opening tracks bear the high quality mark of the Band, but the first really outstanding track is Robertson's beautiful lullaby/ballad "All La Glory". This is such a great song with Helm doing one of his best ever recorded vocals.
The dark theme is coming forward on the next rocker "The Shape I'm In" - sung by Manuel.
The slightly jazzy "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" is quite amusing featuring different brass instruments, but lyrically the song show a serious side of Robertson's songwriting.
The original album was ended with 3 more outstanding Band songs; all personal favourites of mine.
"Daniel and the Sacred Harp" is a country/folky song telling a the story of Daniel in a similar way the Dylan told the story of "Frankie Lee and Judas Priest". It's always a thrill when the three singers share the verses and all join in on the chorus.
The title track sung by Rick Danko, was an immediate live-favourite and one Danko finest performances; which says a lot.
"The Rumor" is another outstanding ballad, again with all singers taking lead verses. A worthy final the a great album.
The album is often regarded as a step downhill for the Band; I don't see it that way - it's a little different, yes, but just a strong as its predecessors.
This new version of the album features some interesting alternate versions, but none ot them matches the original recordings.
It's all in the comparison.......2006-02-17
But back to Stage Fright. It isn't as original or groundbreaking as the first two. But compared to almost everything released by anyone in the 35 years since this was issued, it's still an A-plus.
Maybe it is, as one reviewer suggests, symbolic of Robertson's frustration with Manuel's (and Danko's) substance abuse problems. That makes it more personal and less roots-based than the first two, one reason it's been downgraded. Big Pink and The Band were groundbreaking albums. Stage Fright was similar (although much better) to a lot of albums in the early '70s.
In any case, I'm happy that The Band seems to be getting the respect in the 21st century that it got only sporadically during its peak years (68-72). Even though the music world ranked them with the Beatles (see Clapton's comments) I don't think any album sold more than 800,000 copies, a piddling number today. I suspect the reissues might have done close to that and I love the fact that people who weren't born during their heyday now love them.
One aside about this album: the title song isn't a reference to Richard or Rick. It was Robbie's problem: literally the stage fright he experienced just before The Band's debut (as The Band, not The Hawks) in San Francisco.
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The Stage Names
Okkervil River Manufacturer: Jagjaguwar ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000SINSVM Release Date: 2007-08-07 |
Tracks:
- Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
- Unless It Kicks
- Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene, A
- Savannah Smiles
- Plus Ones
- Girl In Port, A
- You Can't Hold The Hand Of A Rock And Roll Man
- Title Track
- John Allyn Smith Sails
Album Description
This record dynamites the moss-covered castle walls of 2005's "Black Sheep Boy" to let in the glaring sun. Riddled with characters real and fake, with the relics of high culture and the crumpled up trash of low culture, "The Stage Names" is a cinemascopic take on the meaning of entertainment in the modern world. Reverberant with echoes of Motown snap and girl group pop, redolent with ripe whiffs of dirty rock 'n' roll, shining with the shimmy of Bo Diddley, with the shimmer of the Velvets, with the swagger of the Faces, and with a glittery sprinkling of cheap perfume to disguise the stink, "The Stage Names" is a relentlessly paced and ruthlessly thrilling journey.The double CD deluxe edition contains solo demos of each of the songs from the proper album and is limited to only 1500 copies.
Album Description
This record dynamites the moss-covered castle walls of 2005's "Black Sheep Boy" to let in the glaring sun. Riddled with characters real and fake, with the relics of high culture and the crumpled up trash of low culture, "The Stage Names" is a cinemascopic take on the meaning of entertainment in the modern world. Reverberant with echoes of Motown snap and girl group pop, redolent with ripe whiffs of dirty rock 'n' roll, shining with the shimmy of Bo Diddley, with the shimmer of the Velvets, with the swagger of the Faces, and with a glittery sprinkling of cheap perfume to disguise the stink, "The Stage Names" is a relentlessly paced and ruthlessly thrilling journey. The double CD deluxe edition contains solo demos of each of the songs from the proper album and is limited to only 1500 copies.
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You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore - Vol. 2
Frank Zappa Manufacturer: Zappa Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B0000009TO Release Date: 1995-05-16 |
Tracks:
- Tush Tush Tush (A Token Of My Extreme)
- Stinkfoot
- Inca Roads
- RDNZL
- Village Of The Sun
- Echidna's Arf (Of You)
- Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?
- Pygmy Twylyte
- Room Service
- The Idiot Bastard Son
- Cheepnis
Tracks:
- Approximate
- Dupree's Paradise
- Satumaa (Finnish Tango)
- T'Mershi Duween
- The Dog Breath Variations
- Uncle Meat
- Building A Girl
- Montana (Whipping Floss)
- Big Swifty
Customer Reviews:
"THE HELSINKI CONCERT - SEPTEMBER 22nd, 1974".......2006-02-06
This volume of the series is unique, in the fact that this is the only installment in the whole series featuring one band, on one stage, recorded on one particular day. All the others feature various line-ups at different stages of Zappa's career. So you get to hear the momentum of the show (some say it's the best of two separate performances in one day; possible, given FZ's penchant for editing the best segments of various perfomances together).
The Mothers play Zappa's live standards such as Apostrophe's "Stinkfoot" with such ease, they make it sound like it's a mind-numbingly simple song to play. Not his most difficult, by any standard, but they show what true PROFESSIONALS they really were, because songs like "Stinkfoot" sound easy, and so do incredibly difficult arrangements such as "Echidna's Arf." Don't let the silly titles fool you; songs named "Tush, Tush, Tush," "Stinkfoot," "Cheepnis," and "Building A Girl," are only the names these selections have. They are incredibly intricate, complex arrangements that most bands, then and now, could not approach.
One priceless bit of FZ history is included here, the reason Zappa's band included "Whippin' Post" in their repertoire after this tour. Someone in the audience called out "Whippin' Post!" The band at this juncture didn't know this song, so Zappa toyed with the heckler, asking him to sing it, and cut him off after about one second. Some people really step into it when they don't know who they are messing with. This exchange is at the beginning of "Montana," and FZ changed the lyrics on the spot, to make references to the heckler's request for "Whippin' Post," and the rest is history. To hear the conviction that he covered this with, check out the last track on 1984's "Them Or Us." It's the 1984 touring band playing "Whippin' Post," and even though nobody can do it like The Allman Brothers Band, the arrangements played by Zappa's touring band at the time, are a phenomenal job. There is video of this song on "Does Humor Belong In Music?," the 1985 video, and it has some changes in the middle, but it all began with the guy in the audience at Helsinki, way back in 1974.
In all, this is the most consistent volume, as I have already said, because this is all one band, on one stage, on one day. It's many people's favorite, and I can clearly see why.
Maybe not "really" a complete show, but who cares?.......2006-01-08
- The "Inca Roads" solo is beautifully melodic in a "conventional" sense and a perfect example of improvisational composition.
- "Cheepnis" is the single best song, with an incredibly funky middle section.
- George Duke has a great voice and, like everyone else in the band, is obviously totally committed to the music. Even better, everyone (including Frank) sounds like they're having fun. Check out the articles on the 'net from Finnish correpsondents - it's clear that, despite the hassle of touring (and towels), Helinski turned out to be a great experience.
- Poor Suzi Quattro.
- There are mistakes, or better, accidents. That may sound bad, but for me those can be the best thing about live performance. Best examples - Ruth can't keep up on the opening of "Montana" and Frank, after some surprisingly good-natured ribbing, slows the song down, and George changes "Tush Tush Tush" to "squeek squeek squeek" at the inadvertent feedback squeal going into "Stinkfoot."
- Finally, the band playing the "Finnish Tango" (they aren't sight-reading - a photo is published from rehearsals earlier that day that shows Finnish percussionist Matti Koskiali helping the band learn the song) absolutely straight, until Napoleon Murphy Brock enters with a horribly mangled vocal in bad phonetic Finnish.
Wow. Too much detail, maybe, but this is a great recording. If you get nothing else of Zappa playing live, this should be it.
great concert from Zappa at his best........2005-12-17
First of all, it's one of Zappa's best bands in top form. This includes early versions of RDNZL, Approximate, Dupree's Paradise, Token of My Extreme played with great virtousity. The "Room Service" skit is hilarious. The astute listener will recognize that the guitar solo on the "studio" version of "Inca Roads" is actually an edited version of the solo from this concert - he actually mentioned it in the liner notes of OSFA. Also of "conceptual continuity" interest is "Montana", which explains why Zappa performed "Whipping Post" 10 years later.
The version of "Idiot Bastard Son", while very different from the WIFM version, is absolutely wonderful.
I disagree with the editorial review that says that this version of "Village of the Sun" is the best. They play it too fast here and spoil it a bit. I much prefer the more soulful version on "Roxy".
Still, a must-have for Zappa fans.
20 Stars if I Could..........2005-01-07
As good a chronicle of this band as you will ever hear.......2004-10-07
Wow.
If you ever saw FZ in concert, then you know that his bands were highly-disciplined, rigidly-timed machines that could bend, stretch, improvise and create at Zappa's every whim.
In the band presented here, Zappa had what he later described as "the band that could play anything." You get the feeling that he knew he was never gonna have it this good again, and in some ways that's probably true.
Here you get the entire show from the '74 band's concert in Helsinki, Finland. Highlights include some blistering guitar solos, plus fantastic soloing by other members of the group.
My favorite cut, though, has to be "Montana," the "Dental Floss" song, which Frank mutates a bit after someone in the audience calls out a request for the Allman Brothers' song, "Whipping Post." (This band didn't know the song, but on future tours, he made SURE the band knew how to play it, and they did!)
Pop on the headphones and go back 30 years to one of the best Zappa shows you're ever gonna hear. It's all here and it's all great.
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Enta da Stage
Black Moon Manufacturer: Nervous Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000000ZSY Release Date: 2007-03-26 |
Tracks:
- First Stage: Powaful Impak!
- First Stage: Niguz Talk S--t
- First Stage: Who Got Da Props?
- First Stage: Ack Like U Want It
- First Stage: Buck Em Down
- First Stage: Black Smif-N-Wessun
- First Stage: Son Get Wrec
- Second Stage: Make Munne
- Second Stage: Slave
- Second Stage: I Got Cha Opin
- Second Stage: S--t Iz Real
- Second Stage: Enta Da Stage
- Second Stage: How Many MC's ...
- Second Stage: U Da Man
Customer Reviews:
Well-Deserving of the the Five Star Average It Has on Here..........2007-06-24
Featuring three MC's, in terms of groups that feature multiple rappers, I would say they're superior to the Wu Tang Clan and that this album is better than Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Lyrically, the group shines on tracks like 'Powerful Impak!', 'Ack Like U Want It', and 'U Da Man', and tracks like 'Who Got Da Props?', 'Niguz Talk S--t', and 'Slave' feature very creative beats and instrumentals.
Whether you're hip-hop collection is still rapidly growing and you've slept on this or you're a new fan, you really owe it to yourself to check out 'Enta Da Stage'. I have this classic on regular rotation.
Standout tracks: 'Niguz Talk S--t', 'Who Got da Props?', 'Black Smif-N-Wesson', and 'Slave'.
Get the loot from the man...Kick his a** with my Timbaland!!!.......2007-05-30
A classic in da 90's.......2007-05-25
Why would this not get 5 stars????.......2007-04-22
Truly a Classic.......2007-04-07
Man so many great rymes, beats, etc. on the c.d. truly a classic. Takes me back to my college days, before the minivan, house, and nagging a$z wife.
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Show Boat (1988 Studio Cast): Von Stade; Hubbard; Hadley; McGlinn
Frederica von Stade , Jerome Kern , Jerry Hadley , Bruce Hubbard , Teresa Stratas , David Garrison , Leslie Fyson , John McGlinn , and London Sinfonietta Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music
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ASIN: B000002SJL Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cotton Blossom: Niggers all work on d Mississippi... (Stevedores, Gals, Queenie, Steve, Pete, 1st Mincing Miss, 2nd Mincing Miss, Beaux, Girls & Boys)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cotton Blossom: 'Andy!!!...' (Parthy, Windy, 1st Mincing Miss, 2nd Mincing Miss)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'Here comes the Show Boat parade!...' (Boy, Girls, Boys, Andy, Parthy)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'Hey Julie...' (Pete, Julie, Steve, Parthy, Andy, Ellie)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Cap'n Andy's Ballyhoo: 'It's a man...' (Ellie, Ravenal, Vallon)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Where's the Mate for Me?: Who cares if my boat goes upstream... (Ravenal, Magnolia)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Make Believe: Only make believe I love you... (Ravenal, Magnolia, Vallon)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene One - Ol' Man River: 'Oh, Joe!...' (Magnolia, Joe, Men)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Two - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man: 'What cher doin' all by yourself, Miss Nola?...' (Queenie, Magnolia, Julie, Joe, Servants)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Three - Life on the Wicked Stage: Why do stage struck maidens clamor... (Ellie, Girls)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Three - Till Good Luck Comes My Way: The man who ventures with chance... (Ravenal, Men)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': Mis'ry's comin' aroun'... (Queenie, Women, Joe Magnolia, Julie, Men, Solo Bass)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Take her up, Rubberface!...' (Andy, Julie, Steve, Magnolia, Parthy, Ellie, Windy)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Hello, Windy...' (Vallon, Andy, Magnolia, Steve, Julie, Windy, Ellie, Parthy)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'You needn't all look at us...' (Steve, Colored Chorus, Andy, Parthy, Magnolia, Ellie, Frank)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Four - Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun': 'Looks like a swell...' (Andy, Parthy, Frank, Ravenal, Julie, Magnolia, Steve, Joe)
Tracks:
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - I Would Like to Play a Lover's Part: Her face is fair to look upon... (Boys, Girls, Ellie, Frank)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - I Might Fall Back on You: Little girl, you are safe with me... (Frank, Ellie, Girls)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Five - Queenie's Ballyhoo: 'Is de theatre fillin' up, Cap'n Andy?...' (Queenie, Andy, Colored Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Six - Villain Dance
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Seven - You Are Love: 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal, Windy, Magnolia, Parthy)
- Show Boat: Act One, Scene Eight - Finale Act One: Oh tell me, did you ever!... (Firls, Boys, Chorus, Andy, Women, Men, Negro Women, Magnolia, Parthy, Vallon, Pete)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - At the Fair: When we tell them about it all... (All, 1st Barker, Boys, Girls, Chorus, 2nd Barker, Men, 3rd Barker)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - Why Do I Love You?: I'm walking on the air, dear... (Magnolia, Ravenal, Chorus, Andy)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene One - In Dahomey: Dyunga doe!... (Dahomey Villagers, White Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Three - Convent Scene: Alma Redmptoris Mater... (Nuns, Mother Superior, Ravenal, Kim)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Four: 'All right, Jake...' (Jim, Jake, Julie)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Four - Bill: I used to dream... (Julie)
- Show Boat: Magnolia's Audition - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Reprise): Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly... (Magnolia)
- Show Boat: Magnolia's Audition - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Reprise): 'Whaddaya say, boss?...' (Frank, Jim, Magnolia, Jake)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Trocadero Opening Chorus: Let's make the new year... (Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Apache Dance
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - Goodbye, My Lady Love: So you're going away... (Frank, Ellie)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Six - After the Ball: 'Ladies and Gentlemen...' (Jim, Drunk, Andy, Magnolia, A Man, All)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Seven - Ol' Man River (Reprise): Ol' Man River... (Joe)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Seven - Hey, Feller!: When you yen for a gent... (Queenie, Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Eight - You Are Love (Reprise): 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal)
Tracks:
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine: Cottom Blossom (Reprise): Cotton Blossom... (Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - It's Getting Hotter in the North: Now up in the northern land... (Kim, Chorus)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - It's Getting Hotter in the North: 'Say, Cap'n Andy...' (Frank, Ellie, Andy)
- Show Boat: Act Two, Scene Nine - Finale Ultimo: 'Hello, Gay...' (Andy, Hope, Ravenal, Girl, Man, Magnolia, Old Lady, Chorus)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Pantry Scene (Act One, Scene Two; deleted - 1927): 'What cher doin' all by yourself, Miss Nola?...' (Queenie, Magnolia, Julie, Joe, Servants)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Waterfront Saloon Scene (Act One, Scene Three; deleted - 1927): 'Number four, black!...' (Voice (off), Ravenal, Loungers, Gambler)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Yes, Ma'am (Act One, Scene Three; unused - 1927): Bet your hat... (Girls, Ellie)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Kim's Imitations (Why Do I Love You?): (Act Two, Scene Nine; Ziegfeld Production - 1927): Why do I love you?... (Kim, Chorus)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Dance Away the Night (Act Two, Scene Nine; London - 1928): Music in the air... (Kim, Girls, Boys)
- Show Boat: Appendix - A Pack of Cards (Act One, Scene Six?; unused - 1927): One night as I sat by my fireside so weary... (Magnolia)
- Show Boat: Appendix - The Creole Love Song (Act One, Scene Seven; unused - 1927): 'That you, Nola?...' (Ravenal, Windy, Magnolia)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Out There in an Orchard (Act Two, Scene Four; unused - 1927): There was a sun sinking slowly in the west... (Julie)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Gallivantin' Aroun' (Universal Film - 1936): Liza Matilda HIll... (Magnolia, Chorus)
- Show Boat: Appendix - I Have the Room Above Her (Universal Film - 1936): 'Seems to me I've seen that stocking someplace...' (Ravenal, Magnolia)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Ah Still Suits Me (Universal Film - 1936): 'Joe! Dere you go again!...' (Queenie, Joe)
- Show Boat: Appendix - Nobody Else But Me (Act Two, Scene Nine; 1946 Revival): I was a shy, demure type... (Kim, Chorus)
Amazon.com
John McGlinn's sprawling, monumental three-CD set is about all the Show Boat any listener could ever ask for. In an obvious labor of love, McGlinn reconstructs the show as it ran on opening night, November 15, 1927, including every song, the original orchestrations, and all underscored dialogue. The most significant restoration is the dark choral number "Mis'ry's Comin' Aroun'," as Show Boat's serious subject matter helped establish its place as the most important turning point in the history of American musical theater. McGlinn also adds an appendix that includes songs cut before opening night and every song subsequently written for the show's many productions, most notably the love duet "I Have the Room Above Her," written for the 1936 film. (The recording is also available in a one-disc reduction called the "Broadway Show Album.")Rest assured this 221-minute blockbuster is not just dry scholarship; it's also terrific listening, with McGlinn conducting a dynamic London Sinfonietta and a strong cast including Frederica von Stade as Magnolia, Jerry Hadley as Ravenal, Teresa Stratas as the tragic Julie, Bruce Hubbard as the worldly wise Joe, Karla Burns as Queenie, and David Garrison and Paige O'Hara as the comic couple Frank and Ellie. And of course the songs by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II are among the most glorious ever written: "Ol' Man River," "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," "Make Believe," "Why Do I Love You," "Bill," "You Are Love," and "Life upon the Wicked Stage." Also included are exhaustive production notes, a history of the show, a detailed synopsis, and a libretto. John McGlinn's Show Boat is a staggering achievement and a recording for the ages. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews:
The Best American Musical .......2007-07-29
An American Treasure.......2007-03-03
I defy anyone to come up with another Broadway production that has three songs in a row better than Make Believe, Ol' Man River and Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (West Side Story's Maria, America and Tonight are the best three in a row of a movie musical) and it's a shame that no movie version of Showboat can compare to this version. The first act is full of songs that are as good as any ever sung on a stage and I can't think of another production with a first act that compete against the big 3 plus Cotton Blossom, Where's The Mate For Me, Life On The Wicked Stage, Till Good Luck Comes My Way, Misry's Comin' Aroun', You are Love, Act One finale and Why Do I Love You?. You just don't want to have the music stop.
If you don't like opera you won't like this version. Sung the way Kern and Hammerstein wrote them, you can't help but feel the operatic nature of these songs. Tough noogies because Showboat is above all an opera disguised as a Broadway play and no sweetening should be allowed.
The four leads are all superb, Frederica von Stade as Nola especially. The booklet contains the complete libretto and allows a different way to appreciate the music.
If you buy just one version of Showboat you need this one. If you have other versions of Showboat you need this one. As a matter of fact, anyone with ears to hear needs this version. A true American treasure.
DON'T DESPAIR. IT'S BEEN REISSUED!!!!!.......2006-11-16
Thank you, EMI.
I would hope other labels would follow suit and remaster and reissue other examples of classic American musical theater. It would be a pity if our children, grandchildren, and future generations were unable to savor "110 in the Shade" or "Little Mary Sunshine" or . . . . . . . . . (fill in the blanks.)
An American tragedy...........2006-02-06
Gorgeous!.......2005-08-26
M. J. Conrades
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Josephine Baker En La Habana [Import]