| 1. Bog |
| 2. Jig Set |
| 3. Cabar Feidh |
| 4. Gaelic Aire, Fair Maid of Barra |
| 5. 6/8 Marches |
| 6. I Will Go |
| 7. Wicked Tinkers |
| 8. Percussion Suite |
| 9. Sweetpea's Dance |
| 10. Slip Jig Set |
| 11. Jigs & Reels |
| 12. Strathspeys & Reels |
| 13. Piobaireachd, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay |
| 14. Reel Jam |
| 15. Favorites, Flower of Scotland & Black Bear |
Editorial Reviews
THE WICKED TINKERS STORY
WICKED TINKERS perform the kind of music you might have heard hundreds of years ago at a Scottish wedding, ceilidh, or around the campfire of a Highland raiding party. Since 1995 they've brought their vitality and humor to stages across America. They have been blending the emotion and power of the Great Highland Bagpipe with the pounding of raw tribal rhythms for over seven years and have recently added the haunting sound of the Bronze-Age Celtic Horn - a sound lost for over a millennium. They play the music of the Scottish Highlands, spicing it with the Celtic tunes of Ireland and the many lands graced by the Gaelic people. Touring the U.S. for most of the year, WICKED TINKERS has made friends and fans of folks from all over the world.
Aaron and Warren met in the early '90s at the Celtic Arts Center in Los Angeles. ?We both felt an affinity for what could be simply produced by Scottish bagpipes and a big, skin-headed bass drum. This combination seemed to tap the very soul of Gaelic Music. We had each been looking for a way to somehow express the feeling of the ancient within the modern world. "With WICKED TINKERS, we are able to get back to a simple roots sound that can best be described as a sound of our ancestors, re-animated and re-dressed, to connect with the 21st century - a raw sound that can touch you on a deep emotional level."
WICKED TINKERS performs 'Gaelic bagpipe music' - not the refined piping and drumming of a modern pipe band, rather they have been waking people up with their own version of this tribal, ethnic music. Now, they are a four piece band with Aaron Shaw's award winning piping; Warren Casey's loud, warm, and earthy drumming; Keith Jones' sure, rapid-fire snare and percussion; Wayne Belger's, rich, soulful didgeridoo and now, the Celtic Bronze-Age Horn. This mixture brings bagpiping back to the forefront of the Scottish Highland Games entertainment circuit. It has a way of converting all ages into fans of bagpipes and drums. WICKED TINKERS have entertained audiences at some of the largest Highland Games, including Pleasanton and Costa Mesa, in California; the Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games in Enumclaw, Washington; the Texas Highland Games in Arlington, Texas; and festivals in Estes Park, Colorado, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, as far east as the Macalester Scottish Country Fair in Minnesota and the Kentucky Scottish Weekend. In 2002 they will be making it to the east coast for the Rhode Island Celtic Festival and the Mid-Winter Scottish-Irish Festival and Fair in Pennsylvania. You may have seen them on TV in the drama, "High Incident," in the recent Dixie Chicks music video, "Ready to Run," and on the Chabad National Telethon. In fact - if you?ve ridden the 'Discovering Scotland' attraction in Edinburgh, Scotland you?ve already heard them!
Some of WICKED TINKERS' biggest fans are kids! The band has performed and instructed at schools for children of all ages.
WICKED TINKERS sound is the distillation of the passion of a people and their music. Like a fine, smoky Scotch whisky, it's a little rough around the edges but unmistakably the real thing.
Product Description
Welcome to our third CD. On this recording you will find what we call 'Gaelic Bagpipe Music' ? not the refined playing of a modern pipe band, but our own version of these ancient, tribal sounds. WICKED TINKERS perform the kind of music you might have heard hundreds of years ago at a Scottish wedding, ceilidh, or around the campfire of a Highland raiding party. We blend the emotion and power of the Great Highland Bagpipe with the pounding of raw tribal rhythms and on this cd add the haunting tones of the 'Corn na hÉireann'- the Bronze Age Irish Horn - a sound lost for millennia. We play the music of the Scottish Highlands, spicing it with the Celtic tunes of Ireland and the many lands graced by the Gaelic people.
Loud,Wicked Tinkers,Thistle Pricks Productions,Pipe Bands,Scotland,The kind of music you might have heard hundreds of years ago at a Scottish wedding, ceilidh, or around the campfire of a Highland raiding party,World Music,Worldbeat
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Beethoven's Wig, Vol. 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0001I2C8O Release Date: 2004-03-16 |
Tracks:
- Stuck In The Saddle Again (Light Cavalry March, Suppe)
- Sing Verdi Very Loud (La donna e mobile, from Rigoletto, Verdi)
- Its The Same Every Verse (In The Hall of The Mountain King, from Peer Gynt Suite, Grieg)
- Musical Bs (Hungarian Dance #5, Brahms)
- Dont Play That Violin (Violin Concerto #2, Paganini)
- Schuberts Trout (Trout Quintet, Schubert)
- Dvorak The Czechoslovak (Humoresque #7, Dvorak)
- A Fan of Chopin (Prelude 7, Op. 28, Chopin)
- Please Do Not Tease The Viennese (Blue Danube Waltz, Strauss)
- Its Spring! (Spring, from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi)
- Wow What a Wedding Cake (Wedding March, from A Midsummer Nights Dream,. Mendelssohn)
- Instrumental Performances:
- Light Cavalry March, Suppe
- La donna e mobile, from Rigoletto, Verdi (with vocals)
- In The Hall of The Mountain King, from Peer Gynt Suite, Grieg
- Hungarian Dance #5, Brahms
- Violin Concerto #2, Paganini
- Trout Quintet, Schubert
- Humoresque #7, Dvorak
- Prelude 7, Op. 28, Chopin
- Blue Danube Waltz, Strauss
- Spring, from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi
Amazon.com
From a pure-pleasure standpoint, the first Beethoven's Wig was nothing to flip over, and the second disc in the series follows suit. However, that is not to say that this is not a valuable and possibly ingenious record. Those unfamiliar with the premise will quickly get the picture: Producer/writer/lead singer/chief clever guy Richard Perlmutter gathers a bundle of important classical works (Paganini's "Violin Concerto #2," Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz") and makes up silly, catchy lyrics to lay over them, informing the listener about the piece or its composer. Standing out for their offbeat brilliance this time are "Dvorak the Czechoslovak" ("Humoresque #7," Dvorak) and "Wow What a Wedding Cake" (Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mendelssohn). Few stabs at mixing education with entertainment succeed so well. As a bonus, the second half of the CD repeats the symphonies straight up, presenting a neat opportunity to quiz kids 5-12 on what and who they've just heard. --Tammy La GorceCustomer Reviews:
Greatest baby gift ever.......2007-03-15
Great for the whole family.......2007-01-04
More Great Fun.......2006-03-13
One is better but this is still awesome!! Gotta have it!.......2006-01-10
Yes, one is the best but 2 is still wonderful.
Save yourself the shipping and order both at the same time.
We all thoroughly enjoy it. My 4 yr old can name these classicals when he hears them elsewhere and he can hum these beautiful songs. Much better than kiddie rhymes and Disney jingles. Culture your children the funniest way!!
Absolute joy, and endless fun!.......2005-11-15
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The Anna Russell Album
Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000027JD Release Date: 1991-07-26 |
Tracks:
- Introduction To The Concert (By the Women's Club President)
- How to Write Your Own Gilbert And Sullivan Opera
- Coloratura Aria 'Canto Dolciamente Pipo'
- British - Pure But Dull: 'I Love The Spring'
- Russian Folk Song: 'Da, Nyet, Da, Nyet'
- For Loud Singers With No Brains: 'Ah, Lover!'
- For Singers With Tremendous Artistry But No Voice: 'Schlumph; Je N'ai Pas La Plume De Ma Tante'
- For The Dramatic Soprano: 'Schreechenrauf'
- The Ring Of The Nibellungs (An Analysis)
Amazon.com
This set of Anna Russell's inspired satirical monologues should be labeled with a warning notice. Why? Because after listening to her whirlwind explication of Wagner's Ring Cycle, even the most confirmed Wagnerite will be unable to listen to the Ring for weeks to come. Just listening to Russell declare in an incredulous voice: "I'm not making this up, y'know" is enough to induce you to shed bucketloads of laughter-induced tears. Gilbert and Sullivan fans will find their heroes savaged in her concoction of a typical G&S product, complete with a soprano lead who "loves below her station." Other targets include "the nymphs and shepherds" style of quavery English singing, complete with "hey-nonny-nonny's," coloratura mad scenes, and much else, including Russian folk songs, like her "Da, nyet, da, nyet." This disc is packed with laughs, chuckles, smiles, and everything. --Dan DavisCustomer Reviews:
Intelligent and musical fun.-.......2007-01-13
The Genius of Anna Russell.......2006-03-15
If you enjoy laughing.........2006-02-23
This CD can probably also be enjoyed by those who have only a nodding acquaintance with opera, but may not be enjoyed by those who take opera with 100% seriousness.
Anna Russell strikes again!.......2005-10-14
Anna Russell is a SCREAM!.......2005-08-05
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Some Loud Thunder
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Manufacturer: Clap Your Hands Say ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000LPR4YY Release Date: 2007-01-30 |
Tracks:
- Some Loud Thunder
- Emily Jean Stock
- Mama, Won't You Keep Them Castles in the Air and Burning?
- Love Song No. 7
- Satan Said Dance
- Upon Encountering the Crippled Elephant
- Goodbye to Mother and the Cove
- Arm and Hammer
- Yankee Go Home
- Underwater (You and Me)
- Five Easy Pieces
Album Description
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah decided not to wait the perfunctory two years in between records to release their sophomore effort "Some Loud Thunder," but to to release it as soon as it was ready. Eager to prove there's more to the band than just a business story, "Some Loud Thunder" demonstrates just how far this band has come since the release of their debut. This is not CYHSY Part II - this is a departure record, a record that will stand the test of time and critics alike.Customer Reviews:
WOW!.......2007-07-26
Despite the consensus, actually a hair better than the last.......2007-07-05
But who can resist the wonderful refrain lines of "Yankee Go Home," or the eccentric 60s pop of "Emily Jean Stock," or the goofy dance junk of "Satan Said Dance?" Apparently, more than I would have expected. Even the most oddball and offbeat moments have charm and style: "Arm and Hammer" is a positively wonderful little throwaway. True, the energy has waned a bit on this album, and the overall tone is more dark and atmospheric, but those are the sorts of changes that turn good singles bands into good album bands. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will never be considered a singles band, but after the low points of their debut, it seems that they're now maturing towards more cohesive records in the future. Good for them.
Best cuts: "Yankee Go Home," "Emily Jean Stock," "Love Song No. 7," "Satan Said Dance," "Underwater (You and Me)," "Mama, Won't You Keep Those Castles in the Air and Burning," "Arm and Hammer," "Some Loud Thunder," "Goodbye to the Mother and the Cove"
devoid of the Talking Heads and The Clean clichés........2007-06-28
A step back........2007-05-16
If their first album earns a five star rating, and I think it does, then this second effort is nothing more than a three. It's not terrible, but it's simply not as good as their first album. The distortion sounds like absolute crap. I don't care if it was an artistic choice or whatever, the fact remains that it makes the song hard to listen to. It's noise not music. Then just when you get into the second song and think perhaps it was just a bunch of dicking around on the opening track they throw a bunch of noise into the instrumental portions of the song between the verses. It sounds like someone just randomly banging on a drum(and I'm sure that's exactly what it is). How they listened to this and thought it sounded good is beyond me.
But it's not all bad. Thankfully they didn't mess up the entire album with terrible "artistic choices". There's some good stuff on the album and anybody that was a fan of the first should find something to like here as well. Definitely pick it up if your a fan but don't expect to like it as much as the first album because you won't. It's just not as good.
Brilliant.......2007-05-05
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Sing Loud, Sing Proud
Dropkick Murphys Manufacturer: Hellcat Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000584TY Release Date: 2001-02-06 |
Tracks:
- For Boston
- The Legend of Fin MacCumhail
- Which Side Are You On?
- The Rocky Road to Dublin
- Heroes From Our Past
- Forever
- The Gauntlet
- Good Rats
- The New American Way
- The Torch
- The Fortunes of War
- A Few Good Men
- Ramble and Roll
- Caps and Bottles
- The Wild Rover
- The Spicey McHaggis Jig
Amazon.com
Though possessing a heavy-duty indie history featuring such luminaries as the Pixies, Mission of Burma, and Throwing Muses, Boston is also famed for its booze-sodden Irish exile rock. And the Dropkick Murphys--clearly influenced by the Pogues at their most uproarious--are the cream of the present crop. Yet this is not simple jigging traditionalism. Despite employing bagpipes, mandolins, and tin whistles to add Celtic flavor to their sound, these guys are full-blown punks, harking back to the immediate post-Pistols era of the Angelic Upstarts. The riffs here are fast, heavy, and purposefully uncomplicated. The vocals are an impassioned gabble, usually building to terrace chants, while the lyrics are consumed by the plight of the working class in modern-day America and the need to keep a tight grip on Irish history. The Pogues' Shane MacGowan contributes a garbled but charismatic rap on the racy "Good Rats." The Murphys are also capable of heartfelt acoustic numbers, as evinced by the melancholic and impressively melodic "The Torch." --Amazon.co.ukAlbum Details
New Album from the Boston Punk Band which Sees them Touch Folk in a Pogues Style Whilst Still Incorporating their Street Punk Style. The Miraculously Still Alive Ex-pogue Shane Macgowan Guests on the Song 'good Rats'.Customer Reviews:
*A good buy*.......2007-03-30
Niiice.......2006-08-09
Bloody and bruising and fun.......2005-10-15
I have owned four copies of "Sing Loud, Sing Proud" and given them all away. I ought to start buying it in bulk. When I try to describe Dropkick to the uninitiated, I end up with "They're an Irish punk band outta Boston." But that doesn't come close to covering their unique energy and hard-core yet feelgood sound.
At their show, I made friends with a bunch of guys in their forties wearing Boston ballcaps, a punker couple in their early twenties, and people of all other ages and tastes. Loving Dropkick transcends all else, really - they're like a cult without the Koolaid.
Buy this album, memorize this album, play this album while partying, drinking, fighting, and everything else. It's a very good soundtrack to one's life. Enjoy.
know the feeling of eating too much sour candy?.......2005-07-11
From pub rock to stadium schlock..........2005-05-10
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Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03 |
Tracks:
- Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
- We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
- Hungarian Dance No.7
- The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
- Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
- But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
- The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
- The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
- Csardas Music
- The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
- The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
- Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
- The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
- Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
- Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
- The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
- Tzigane
- Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
- Caprice No.24
- The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
- Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
- Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
- Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
- The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
- The Violin Muted
- Clair De Lune
- The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
- Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
- The Pizzicato Violin
- Pizzicato Polka
- In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
- Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
- Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
- The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
- The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
- Hungarian Dance No.4
- Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
- The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
- Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
- Bolero
- Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
- Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
- Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
- Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
- Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
- Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
- And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
- Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
- The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
- Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
- Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
- The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
- Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
- The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
- Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
- Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
- Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
- To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
- Elfenreigen
Tracks:
- Introduction To The Viola
- Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
- Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
- Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
- Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
- Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
- The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
- Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
- The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
- Cypresses (No.9)
- The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
- Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
- The 'Period' Viola In Bach
- Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
- The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
- Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
- Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
- Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
- Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
- Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
- In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
- Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
- But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
- Elfentanz, Op.39
- Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
- The Protecting Veil (Opening)
- A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
- Flamenco
- Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
- Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
- It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
- Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
- It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
- Symphony No.9 (Finale)
- Introduction To The Double-Bass
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
- But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
- Elegy No.1 In D Major
- The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
- Capriccio Di Bravura
- Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
- The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
- Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds
Tracks:
- The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
- Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
- The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
- Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
- The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Sa'Dawi
- Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
- Chamber Music No.II
- The Piccolo - Aptly Named
- La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
- From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
- Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
- A Variety Of Techniques
- Chamber Music No.II
- Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
- The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
- From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
- Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
- An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
- Naelden, Naelden
- The Bachian Oboe
- Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
- Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
- Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
- The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
- The Swan Of Tuonela
- The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
- Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
- Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
- Bolero
- The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
- Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
- As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
- Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
- The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
- The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
- The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
- ...And Quite Low.
- Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
- The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- Introduction To The Saxophone
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
- The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
- L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
- The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
- Bolero
- The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
- Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
- The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
- Sax-O-Phun
- The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
- Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
- The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
- Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
- Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
- And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
- Bolero
- The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
- Symphony No.3 (Opening)
- The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
- The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
- Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
- The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
- The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
- Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
- The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
- Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
- Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
- The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
- Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
- The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
- Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
- The Ceremonial Trumpet
- Fanfare For The Common Man
- Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
- Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
- The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
- Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
- Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
- Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
- The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
- Billy The Kid
- The Trumpet As Character Actor
- Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
- Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
- The Birth Of The Trombone
- Aenmerckt Nu Hier
- The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
- Canzon 12 In Double Echo
- The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
- Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
- The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
- Hosannah
- The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- The Trombone As Caricaturist
- Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
- The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
- The Horn And The Hunt
- Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
- The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
- Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
- The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
- Walter Music (Minuet 1)
- The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
- Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
- Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
- The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
- Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
- The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
- Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
- The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
- Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
- The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
- Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)
Tracks:
- Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
- Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
- At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
- Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
- Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
- Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
- The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
- The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
- Den Hoboecken Dans
- Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
- Gymnopedie No.2
- The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
- Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
- More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
- Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
- Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
- Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
- A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
- The Birth Of The Bongo
- Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
- From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
- Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
- From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
- Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
- But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
- Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
- Taking Advantage Of Tunability
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
- The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
- Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
- Ravel And The Xylophone
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
- Introducing The Vibraphone
- The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
- The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
- Folk Dances
- The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
- Introducing The Tubular Bells
- Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
- A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
- Carmen Suite (Introduction)
- But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Introducing The Celeste
- The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
- Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
- Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
- Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
- A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
- The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
- The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
- Petrushka (Russian Dance)
- The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)
Tracks:
- Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
- Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
- But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
- Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
- The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
- An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
- Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
- Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
- Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
- Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
- Mahler's Sleighbells
- Symphony No.4 (Opening)
- A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
- Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
- Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
- Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
- National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
- And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
- And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
- The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
- The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
- The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
- The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
- The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
- The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
- The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
- The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
- There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
- The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Nocturnes
- Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
- The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
- The Oboe As Duck
- Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
- The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
- The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
- The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
- Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
- Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
- Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
- A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
- Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
- A Thunderstorm In A Million
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
- the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
- Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
- Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
- A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
- Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
- Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
- String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
- The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
- String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
- String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
- String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
- The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
- String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
- The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
- Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
- Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
- String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
- The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
- Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
- Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
- In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
- In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
- In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
- Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
- And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
- The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
- Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
- A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
- Octet In F (Mvt 3)
- The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
- Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
- Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
- Canzon 28
- Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
- Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
- Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
- The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
- Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
- When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
- Images (Gigues)
- A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
- Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
- The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
- Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
- Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')
Customer Reviews:
Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04
Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12
Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20
Frank's view.......2006-08-19
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08
The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!
I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.
The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Average customer rating:
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Back to Tulsa: Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom
Cross Canadian Ragweed Manufacturer: Universal South ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000J2344S Release Date: 2006-10-31 |
Tracks:
- Dimebag
- Number
- Lonely Girl
- Late Last Night
- Final Curtain
- Sister
- Constantly
- Don't Need You
- Fightin' For
- When It All Goes Down
- Anywhere But Here
- Daddy's At Home
- The Needle And The Damage Done
- When Will It End
- Back Around
- Brooklyn Kid
Tracks:
- Cold Hearted Woman
- Jimmy And Annie
- Wanna Rock & Roll
- 17
- Hammer Down
- Alabama
- Blues For You
- Lonely Feeling
Customer Reviews:
Jesse.......2007-05-13
Great Collection of My Favorites.......2007-02-15
Cross Canadian Ragweed.......2007-01-10
Simply the Best.......2006-12-10
Rock and Roll is alive and well.......2006-12-06
If I have one complaint about this CD, it might be that the CD is a true live CD (no remixing), and sometimes it's hard to hear the awesome musicianship or Canada's vocals over the noise of the crowd. A lot of people will probably love it for the same reason though. All in all, anyone who loves good old fashioned rock and roll will love this CD.
Average customer rating:
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Living Out Loud: Original Soundtrack Recording
George Fenton , and Mervyn Warren Manufacturer: RCA Victor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00000FCBB Release Date: 1998-11-10 |
Tracks:
- Lush Life - Queen Latifah
- Give Me Something Real - Clark Anderson
- Goin' Out Of My Head - Queen Latifah
- At Last - Etta James
- If You Love Me - Brownstone
- Be Anything (But Be Mine) - Queen Latifah
- They Can't Take That Away From Me - Danny DeVito
- Born To Be Blue - Mel Torme
- You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You - Dean Martin
- Low Key Lightly - George Fenton
- Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly & The Family Stone
- She's 34 - George Fenton
- I'm The Gutter Type - George Fenton
- Ecstasy - George Fenton
- Okay To You Paying My Debts - George Fenton
Amazon.com
The burning question for this soundtrack is, Can rapper Queen Latifah handle the vocal demands a Pearl Bailey-ish character singing standards by Billy Strayhorn, Irving Gordon, and Randazzo & Weinstein? The answer is yes. Her rendering of Strayhorn's "Lush Life" is particularly pleasant, and is produced and arranged beautifully by Mervyn Warren, who did most of the work on the album. Danny DeVito takes a stab at the Gershwins' "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and delivers it adequately, with a touch of charm. The disc also includes originals by Sly & the Family Stone, Dean Martin, and Mel Tormé. The only drawback is the slightly Muzak-like smooth-jazz score by George Fenton, presented in snippets at the end. --Aaron TassanoCustomer Reviews:
L-O-L Soundtrack.......2007-06-29
This is a great soundtrack.......2007-01-28
Yes 5 stars.......2006-10-02
Mediocrity at it's Best...........2005-03-06
Awesome!.......2004-10-16
Average customer rating:
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For Crying Out Loud!
Manufacturer: Perpetual Cow ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00000DAN0 Release Date: 1998-09-08 |
Tracks:
- Chamber Music: Maternal Heartbeat
- Low-Commotion: Car, Wipers & Rain
- Hair Tonic: Blowdryer
- The Rugsucker Proxy: Vacuum Cleaner
- Give It A Restaurant: Restaurant Ambiance
- Gentle Cycle: Washing Machine
- The Storm Before The Calm: Rain On Roof
- Surf And Sandman: Waves On Beach
Customer Reviews:
Cant live without.......2007-03-14
Can't live without it!.......2007-02-02
Get it if you have a toddler at home........2006-12-17
Life saver!.......2006-10-25
Wonderful!.......2006-08-28
Average customer rating:
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Young Loud & Snotty
The Dead Boys Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000005JBF Release Date: 1992-07-14 |
Tracks:
- Sonic Reducer
- All This And More
- What Love Is
- Not Anymore
- Ain't Nothin' To Do
- Caught With The Meat In Your Mouth
- Hey Little Girl
- I Need Lunch
- High Tension Wire
- Down In Flames
- Not Anymore/Ain't Nothin' To Do (Medley)
Album Description
Their debut and their best from 1977 from Stiv and the boys. Includes 'Sonic Reducer' & I Need Lunch'.Customer Reviews:
Punk classic.......2007-05-20
This is one of the pillars of classic punk rock, so you should get familiar with it if you want a more complete understanding of what punk music was all about in its heyday.
Dead but not forgotten.......2006-12-29
doesn't get enough credit.......2006-09-11
YESSSS.......2006-07-14
Possibly my favorite 70s punk album.
This is the real deal.
Definetly a forerunner of Hardcore.
Some say.......2006-02-20
Average customer rating:
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Quiet Is the New Loud
Kings of Convenience Manufacturer: Astralwerks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000056MYN Release Date: 2001-03-06 |
Tracks:
- Winning A Battle, Losing The War
- Toxic Girl
- Singing Softly To Me
- I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
- Failure
- The Weight Of My Words
- The Girl From Back Then
- Leaning Against The Wall
- Little Kids
- Summer On The Westhill
- The Passenger
- Parallel Lines
Amazon.com
Although Kings of Convenience are keen to play down any blatantly self-evident similarities to Nick Drake, Simon and Garfunkel, and Belle and Sebastian, the winsome and placidity-favoring Norwegian duo of Erlend Oye and Eirik Glambek Boe have probably already got the subway buskers of tomorrow lining up to lend an ear. Studentlike in appearance (one of them has a duffel coat and John Major specs) and unashamed to softly impart such nonrock lyrics as "put the kettle on" and "using The Guardian as a shield to cover my thighs against the rain," the weightless and airy acoustic guitar muse of Quiet Is the New Loud isn't a million miles from Radiohead's "Nice Dream" or Pink Floyd's "If" with a subliminal swish of bossa-nova rhythm. A contentedly purring cello, a plaintive touch of piano, and the muffled sound of a trumpet add necessary sonic depth, and the results are as pleasant and civilized as a little light conversation over tea in the drawing room. But what a shame they chose to name themselves after a lavatory. --Kevin MaidmentAlbum Description
Recently signed by the UK office of Parisian label Source (Air,Phoenix), Kings Of Convenience are Erik Glambek Boe and Erland Oye from Bergen, Norway. Favoring simplicity and melody over big production, they write emotive, intimate music that will connect instantly with fans of Nick Drake and Belle and Sebastian. Standard jewel case. 2001 release.Customer Reviews:
A favorite..........2006-12-21
Naturally I was curious and so I popped the CD in, expecting to hear some kind of electronica or IDM. This was during the day and I was trying to get myself motivated to be productive. I must say I was disappointed upon first listen. Here was these two Norwegian guys, singing soft melodies about the future, experiences, people, etc, and I couldn't wrap my head around it, and it certainly wasn't getting me up moving around. I decided to give it a second listen later that evening while relaxing with a book.
And then I fell in love.
This is a beautifully complex album. By the second listen, I was hooked. Each time I hear it, I pick up new subtleties, and the album itself is produced in such a way that the tracks really transition seamlessly into one experience. The songs can stand alone, but the album is really best enjoyed in one listen.
This album is especially refreshing amidst today's pop music, chock full of fashion-whoring, emo kids, pop-punkers who've lost touch with their roots (The Clash, Ramones, Sex Pistols), boy bands... and all of the other over-produced garbage that floods our senses out there. To find something so simple that it can be enjoyed effortlessly, but still so intricate that it's good through and through and time after time is exceptional. It's a rare album these days that you will find yourself wanting to play straight through from first track to last. I can only think of a few that come to mind ("OK Computer" being one of them).
This is a thinker's album. Great for Sunday mornings in bed, relaxing with books or crossword puzzles, or just general lazing around. Whenever I play this album for a friend, it's an immediate hit.
Recommended if you like: Simon and Garfunkel, Phoenix, Nick Drake, Belle and Sebastian, Yo La Tengo, L'Altra, the One AM Radio, Ben & Jason, the American Analog Set.
Truly kings of convenience, and my personal favorites........2006-10-31
Other Guitarists have created somewhat complex tablature for their songs but often overlook obvious ways of playing their songs rather credibly; Truly "Kings of Convenience," this duo often find the easiest yet most fulfilling way of performing their progressions, revitalizing acoustic guitar music with layers of understated strumming, fingerpicking, and soft Gilberto-esque vocals. Understated is the key word here; nothing about KOC is over the top. And the sheer simplicity (a phrase used in their second album in harmony with guest vocalist Feist) of their songs is deceiving. These two know how to play guitar but they want you to pay more attention to the emotion than the production.
While some may take the softness of KOC's music at face value, it is important to look past it to an almost ironic strength hidden in the layers. Very rarely do such beautifully blended melodies offer this level of relevance, carried between the notes in the tone of the voice and the words they sing. I've never been much of a fan of acoustic guitar but Kings of Convenience speak to me as a peer. Their songs are easy to remember, fun to play, and packed with subtleties that will keep your musical tastebuds busy for a very, very long time.
Quiet is the New Loud and KOC's second album (Riot on an Empty Street) hold a joint slot in my top 10 favorite albums of all time. And I can't say that for any other folk/acoustic group. Buy this album; you won't regret it.
Beautiful and Original.......2006-05-27
No matter what mood I'm in Kings of Convenience feels right. Whether going to sleep, feeling low, chilling with friends, or doing homework it doesn't matter, once you put their album on you are automatically in a relaxed and reflective mood. You will think of past loves, you will think of your cat, curled up in a ball on the couch, you will think of happy times, sad times, you will think of how much longer that candle will burn for, you will think.
Now I do not say all this out of a biased worship, I am simply sharing my own personal experience with this music, everyday I listen to new music, and I have yet to find anything comparable. It may take a while to grow on you, but once you realize what you've been missing, you too will be glad you added it to your collection.
Out of all three albums my favorite is "Quiet is the New Loud", and if you do become a fan the "Versus" cd is a must, while I didn't appreciate it at first it is essential and actually quite good after a few listens.
acoustic alchemy.......2006-03-13
'Quiet' is filled with both slow and upbeat tempo tracks, with some of them accompanied by drums, piano, electric guitar and muted trumpet. 'Toxic Girl' is a good example of upbeat and 'Leaning Against The Wall' has a Brazilian vibe to it, but by way of Norway. However, it's the 'quiet' tracks that pull the listener in. Probably the best example would be the last track, 'Parallel Lines'. The way that Eirik Boe sings the lyric 'I awake in tangled covers/to a sash of snow, you dream in a cartoon garden,/I could never know' evokes an image of him waking up to the beauty of some snow-covered landscape on a white Norwegian morning as his significant other continues to slumber and dream on without him. It's beautiful songwriting that you just don't find anymore in today's music , sorry to say.
If you're looking for a record to relax to, to write in your journal to, to sip a cup of coffee to, to listen to on those long rides home, or to even reflect upon, then listen to 'Quiet Is The New Loud' by Kings Of Convenience. You won't go wrong.
Kings of Convenience.......2006-02-28
Meditation Music:
- Meowy Xmas
- My Tribute to the King [Import]
- New Arrival [Import]
- New Wedding Traditions Volume I
- Nick Carter: BEFORE The Backstreet Boys 1989-1993
- Northern Star [Extra tracks]
- Orange Crate Art
- Paul Willams - A&M Greatest Hits [Import]
- Perception
- Plunkett & Macleane: Original Motion Picture Score [Soundtrack]
Meditation Music
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps/L'Oiseau de feu/Jeu de cartes/Petrouchka/Pulcinella