Guitarist/keyboardist Tony MacAlpine, known for chest-swelling rock-classical hybrids, has occasionally tinkered with jazz-rock elements on earlier releases. Here, he fully invests himself in a fusion trio that includes bassist Bunny Brunel (who owns credits with Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock) and David Chambers (Parliament-Funkadelic). Along with being the album's featured instrumentalist, Brunel wrote seven of the disc's 10 tracks, with MacAlpine penning the final three. The results are attractive, if not always arresting. MacAlpine takes flight as a soloist only sporadically, most memorably when responding to his own meaty rock chops in the title track and during an elaborate run on the concluding selection, "Bernard." MacAlpine's output on keyboards surfaces almost as often as his riffing, lending a Return to Forever vibe to a package that shines more brightly when MacAlpine and Brunel give themselves room to cook (as on the Satriani-like "Boogie Me") rather than simmer. --Terry Wood
Product Description
Featuring three of the most revered instrumentalists today, rock guitarist/keyboardist Tony Macalpine, basist Bunny Brunel (Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock) and drummer Dennis Chambers (Parliament, Funkadelic, Steely Dan) together on 10 tracks.2000 release. Standard jewel case.
CAB,Tony MacAlpine,Brunel,Dennis Chambers,Tone Center,Guitar Virtuoso,Jazz Music,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop
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Plans
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000AADYRQ Release Date: 2005-08-30 |
Tracks:
- Marching Bands of Manhattan
- Soul Meets Body
- Summer Skin
- Different Names for the Same Thing
- I Will Follow You into the Dark
- Your Heart Is an Empty Room
- Someday You Will Be Loved
- Crooked Teeth
- What Sarah Said
- Brothers on a Hotel Bed
- Stable Song
Amazon.com
When an indie-rock band as intimately and fiercely loved as Death Cab for Cutie makes the inevitable major-label jump, it often telegraphs a painful death. Witness Husker Du, the Replacements, Nirvana--hell, even R.E.M. After a successful four-album run on tiny Seattle imprint Barsuk, however, Death Cab for Cutie just might buck the trend on its Atlantic premiere. Yes, you can grumble about the production (a little too slick), the proportion of ballads (a little too many) and the overall feeling of restraint (a little too much), but ultimately the album delivers everything the group does best in emotional, experimental songs such as "What Sarah Said" and "I Will Follow You into the Dark," which both blend stark lyrical details with acoustic guitars and soft-focus electronics. In "Soul Meets Body," meanwhile, songwriter Ben Gibbard has come up with the kind of blissful, beatific pop song that's capable of disarming even the harshest skeptic. "A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere," he sings. --Aidin Vaziri
Catching up with Death Cab for Cutie
Something About Airplanes |
We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes |
Forbidden Love [EP] |
The Photo Album |
You Can Play These Songs with Chords |
Transatlanticism |
Customer Reviews:
Some fantastic singles.......2007-06-27
I'll follow You into the Dark!.......2007-05-16
Hoping to pull this up to 4.5 stars..........2007-04-11
This was my introduction to Death Cab For Cutie by a friend. She made me listen to "Soul Meets Body", and I was in love with that song. I purchased the album, and to my surprise, there were a few tracks I liked more than "Soul Meets Body". There are a couple of tracks that don't work well ("Brothers on a Hotel Bed", for instance), but when it does work well, it's a mellow and beautiful listen.
Standout tracks: "Marching Bands of Manhattan", "I Will Follow You Into the Dark", "Crooked Teeth", "Soul Meets Body", "Summer Skin", "Your Heart is an Empty Room".
IT'S ALL GOOD.......2007-03-23
Pleasantly Surprised!.......2007-03-11
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Transatlanticism
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000D1FDI Release Date: 2003-10-07 |
Tracks:
- The New Year
- Lightness
- Title And Registration
- Expo '86
- The Sound Of Settling
- Tiny Vessels
- Transatlanticism
- Passenger Seat
- Death Of An Interior Decorator
- We Looked Like Giants
- A Lack Of Color
Amazon.com
With songs equal to those on We Have the Facts and a lush, brilliant production that continues what The Photo Album started, Transatlanticism is easily Death Cab's best record to date. Much attention has duly been focused on doe-eyed singer/lyricist Ben Gibbard, co-star of the Postal Service phenomenon, and Ben's voice is as strange, beautiful, and as strong as ever on these songs, which deal with the difficulties of long-distance relationships. But guitarist/producer Chris Walla once again proves himself to be the band's secret weapon, layering subtle sonic touches throughout Transatlanticism, which is most definitely a "headphone record." This Seattle quartet is one of the only bands to really have picked up the intelligent, emotionally resonant, and guitar-driven indie-pop torch that Built to Spill briefly lit in the mid-1990s (before themselves heading off to the stoner-rock territory). DCFC themselves seem poised to finally break out to a wider audience, and they truly deserve it with this disc. --Mike McGonigalCustomer Reviews:
meh.......2007-05-25
these songs are so wonderful.......2007-02-27
Wow........2007-02-10
Really.
I was drawn in right from the start with "The New Year", and I'm not going to rate each song, but the entire disc held my attention effortlessly, all the way through to the end. Right now, I like it as much as Plans. Once I become more familiar with it, I'll like it even more.
What can I say..........2007-01-29
A Great Album.......2007-01-11
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The Photo Album
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005ORA5 Release Date: 2001-10-09 |
Tracks:
- Steadier Footing
- A Movie Script Ending
- We Laugh Indoors
- Information Travels Faster
- Why You'd Want To Live Here
- Blacking Out The Friction
- I Was A Kaleidoscope
- Styrofoam Plates
- Coney Island
- Debate Exposes Doubt
Amazon.com
Death Cab for Cutie turn difficult personal issues into literary rock songs while straddling the narrow line between blissful pop and driving indie rock. The Northwest act's songs soar high like Built to Spill's or Beulah's, and almost every track on The Photo Album is as musically bouncy and upbeat as the best of those bands. As catchy as the songs on The Photo Album may be, though, it's really front man Benjamin Gibbard's comfort with laying his emotional issues bare that makes this an excellent album. "Styrofoam Plates" is the most stunning track, with words that leave chills long after they've disappeared. As Gibbard sings about anger for a dead father ("It's not quite a stretch to say you were not quite a father / But a donor of seeds to a poor single mother / That would raise us alone / We never saw the money / It went down your throat down the hole in your belly"), his stark honesty makes this dysfunctional family story the most compelling piece of this album. The other issues of clumsy relationships pale a little in comparison, but The Photo Album still leaves little doubt that Death Cab deserve all the indie rock accolades they have received. --Jennifer MaerzAlbum Description
3rd full-length from Seattle indie darlings features guest appearances by Sean Nelson, John Vanderslice & James Mendenhall ,on Barsuk Records.Customer Reviews:
I don't even like EMO..........2007-01-20
Honestly, one of their weakest releases.......2006-09-14
Very good collection of songs.......2006-05-07
favorite death cab album.......2006-04-22
Underrated. Some of my favorite Death Cab.......2006-04-09
I always liked DCfC's raw, more indie-sound anyway.
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We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00004RI7B Release Date: 2000-03-21 |
Tracks:
- Title Track
- The Employment Pages
- For What Reason
- Lowell, MA
- 405
- Little Fury Bugs
- Company Calls
- Company Calls Epilogue
- No Joy In Mudville
- Scientist Studies
Amazon.com
On their debut album, 1999's Something About Airplanes, Death Cab for Cutie proved there's a reason why Northwest music critics continue to sing their praises. The foursome combined the emo sounds of Modest Mouse and 764-Hero with an inventive, and often sly, sentimentality. It worked wonders, but still sounded a little too lo-fi. Luckily, on We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes the group has figured out all the production nuances that flawed that auspicious debut. The opening "Title Track" begins by sounding both crappy and shallow, but the band is merely pulling your leg; two minutes later, the tune expands into a gorgeous, well-produced masterpiece. The album never looks back. Ben Gibbard's songwriting continues to evolve--"Company Calls" segues into, what else, the slower "Company Calls Epilogue"--while the simple lyrics of "For What Reason" and "405" tell infectious stories that demand repeated listenings. Proof positive the Northwest is still churning out great music. --Jason VerlindeAlbum Description
A delicious and head-sticking mix of drummer Ben Gibbard's heartbreaking vocal melodies and reflective lyrics of transition and loss, punctuated by energized and beautiful playing from Chris Walla and Nick Harmer. Barsuk Records.Customer Reviews:
Read the Facts, Vote Yes.......2006-10-25
Being a giant fan of Death Cab For Cutie, this was my fifth album by them (sixth, if you count Directions.) I would have to say, this would be my favorite album by them. Everything this band has put out I have been thoroughly impressed by, but something about this one will make you listen to it over and over. The best way to describe it is to go through every song.
1. From the moment you start it, "Title Track" will bring pleasure to your ears. While it is a simple song, something about it you fall in love with. The muffled effect in the beginning and the transition to a clarity after the first chorus adds great effect to the song. However, after about ten or fifteen listens, this song will lose appeal. [4/5]
2. "The Employment Pages" is probably my favorite song on the album. You can listen to this song on repeat for hours, and you'll never tire of it. Though it does have a very slow tempo, the simplicity of the vocals and complexity of the music is an impressive blend. [5/5]
3. "For What Reason" does not particularly stand out in the album, but is none the less a great song. I do agree with some people who said that alot of the songs on this album sound the same, for this and the next track I always mix up. However, it is a great up-tempo tune after "The Employment Pages". I love the effects used on the song. [5/5]
4. One of the catchiest, if not the catchiest song on the album. "Lowell, MA" is a track that no matter what mood you're in will make you grin. The chorus will be immediately drilled into your head the first time you hear it. Melodic guitar riffs and an interesting drum beat make the musical aspect of the song more appealing as well. [5/5]
5. I would say that "405" is the most over-produced song on the album. Though I've never heard it live, I imagine it would be much better, for it would lack all of the studio effects. It is a good song, but needs a better peak as well. [4/5]
6. "Little Fury Bugs" brings the tempo of the album back down at the right time. I would say it is the softest song on the album. The vocals have an odd sound over the single guitar that lasts about half-way through the song, yet it sounds great. When the drums come in, it definitely adds some more interest to the song. Smooth transition to the next song. [5/5]
7. When "Company Calls" builds after the segway of "Little Fury Bugs", you will feel replenished. It opens up the true second half of the album after a breakdown. Melodic guitar riffs stand out particularly, as this song is a great display of the entire band's instrumental skill. The vocals soar easily over, especially during the chorus. The buildups and breakdowns of the bridge are amazing. [5/5]
8. "Company Calls Epilogue" is a lyrical continuation of "Company Calls." However, the musical composition will remind you strongly of "Title Track" and "Little Fury Bugs", but not in a good way. It seems a repetition of past songs. However, the mellow music during the vocal build of the chorus adds a nice effect. [4/5]
9. "No Joy In Mudville" is an extremely unique song. Though the longest song on the album, and maybe the slowest, it fails to bore. The drums are extremely simplistic, but have a catchy beat, and are probably the shining strengh of the song. The building guitar and use of what sounds to be a xylophone adds, as to make a song you've never quite heard anything like before. The lyrics tell an amazing emotional tale of the desire to leave and start in a new town in upstate (assumably, New York.) My personal favorite. [5/5]
10. The end of the album. The volume swells add a great sound to the song. The vocals are great. I love the lyrics, as well."Scientist Studies" truly brings the album to a great close. Instead of leaving you mellowed and depressed, the album's end makes you grin, and give you the urge to hit that play button one more time. [5/5]
Overall, We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes is in my opinion the best album Death Cab For Cutie has ever put out. For other true Death Cab For Cutie fans, I'd also recommend Transatlanticism. Not quite a similar album, but it is truly amazing. Comparable songs on it would be "Expo '86" and "The New Year". If you're looking for new Death Cab For Cutie, buy that. Or, if you're a fan of those songs on Transatlanticism, buy this album. As lead vocalist and guitarist Ben Gibbard played drums on all songs but "The Employment Pages" and "Company Calls Epilogue", I would say he is the best drummer the band has ever had. His skill far surpasses the previous drummer who quit during the early sessions of the album. If you are a musician such as myself into a more mellow, but still complex style of music, this album will be influential on your writing. Just to clarify though, this is not an "emo" album, and if you are buying it expecting it to be, it is not at all. Also, if you're looking for new music of similar styles, I'd recommend you check out Straylight Run and Elliott Smith. Hope this review helped you!
reviewed by a devoted death cab fan.......2006-08-08
it's too bad this is receiving less than 5 stars.......2006-07-18
Really Good Background Music, But Not Much More.......2006-07-16
I really like "Title Track" and "Company Calls Epilogue" but those are the only songs that really stick out at all for me. All the songs sound way too similar. The vocals are less clear than in their other albums, which hides Death Cab's greatest strength: Ben Gibbard's lyrics, which I barely notice here, but that might just be because I haven't listened to this album nearly as much as their others, and also because it's very easy to stop paying attention to We Have the Facts because the music is so similar and slow that it's easy to forget there's even music playing.
Still, this is Death Cab, and the music is pretty good when you're paying attention. Also, this is great background music to listen to while you do something else because it doesnt demand your full attention. But this definitely shouldn't be your first introduction to Death Cab. Transatlanticism is one of the best albums I've ever heard, and Plans is also significantly better than this. But still, We Have the Facts is worth an eventual listen.
Death Cab roots.......2006-05-05
On the surface, it's obvious this is Death Cab. Their sound is fairly unique. After several listens, though, I've decided that I definitely like their latest two releases much better.
This is a good album. Check out Title Track, Lowell MA, and Scientist Studies for more of what you love about Death Cab. I think the reason this release doesn't rate higher, though, is that it just doesn't stick out like their later releases.
Many have said that Death Cab has now "sold out". Puh-lease. Just because you sign with a major label, does that imply you have now sold out? I don't buy into that at all. The fact is that Death Cab has matured over the last several years.
If you're a Death Cab fan already, by all means, buy this. If you're not and you're looking for an entry point, you'd probably enjoy Transatlanticism or Plans much more. I do enjoy this, but it's better for background music while I'm working than for pure listening enjoyment. I'm still going to end up buying more of their older stuff, though.
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Porgy & Bess (1959 Film Soundtrack)
Manufacturer: Back Biter ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00002MY3V Release Date: 1995-05-08 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- Summertime
- Woman Is A Sometime Thing
- Wake- Gone, Gone, Gone- Porgy's Prayer
- My Man's Gone Now
- I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
- Bess, You Is My Woman Now
- Morning; Catfish Row
- I Can't Sit Down
- It Ain't Necessarily So
- I Ain't Got No Shame
- What Do You Want With Bess-
- Street Cries; Strawberry Woman; Crab Man
- I Loves You, Porgy
- Red-Headed Woman
- Clara, Clara
- There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York
- Oh, Where's My Bess-
- I'm On My Way
Album Description
The story behind the controversial 1959 film adaptation of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess is a strange one. In the film starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, director Otto Preminger took artistic license against Gershwin's wishes and the Gershwin estate eventually pulled the film from circulation and it has not been seen in over 30 years (although bootleg copies are sure to exist). The film's soundtrack itself has been called 'the definitive version' of Porgy & Bess and was arranged and conducted by Andre Previn. Vocalists include Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey, Robert McFerrin (Bobby's father), Adele Addison and many others. A spectacular version of this 'opera', one that makes you long to see the withdrawn film. Bacbi.Customer Reviews:
Required listening. Sublime........2007-05-13
Despite the Gershwins' own criticism, I believe this is the definitive version of the opera.
Let's hold our breath for the release of the film.
~!an
LONG-LOST SOUNDTRACK OF A TROUBLED MOVIE . . . . . .......2007-03-20
I agree wholeheartedly with Michael Portantiere's comments in The TheaterMania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings: ". . . Cab Calloway['s] . . . engaging performances . . . lack the sense of menace that the character needs. Despite its flaws, this recording is worth tracking down if only for baritone Robert McFerrin's extraordinary performance of Porgy's music . . . and Adelle Addison's lovely singing for Dandridge . . . both rein in their operatic voices for the film but they still sing beatifully, under the tasteful, respectful musical direction of Andre Previn and Ken Darby."
Perhaps Ms. Addison "reins in" her voice just a bit too much; I would have preferred a little more passion, especially in "What You Want With Bess?" and "I Loves You Porgy." (For an excellent example of "stage vs. movie" singing, compare Giorgio Tozzi's Emile De Beque on the 1959 film soundtrack of SOUTH PACIFIC and the 1976 Lincoln Center Cast recording.)
Not having seen the film, I can only assume that director Otto Preminger softened the roles of Bess and Sportin' Life to conform to the regulations of Hollywood's infamous Production Code (aka the Hayes Office). It most certainly would have been denied a code of approval if two of the major characters were a whiskey-guzzling "easy" woman and a drug dealing pimp - especially since neither had to "pay for their sins." Preminger challenged the Code with three other films - The Moon Is Blue (1953), the first film to use the words "virgin," "seduce," and "mistress;" The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), a film which graphically dealt with drug abuse; Anatomy of a Murder (1959), rape is the central issue - but I have a feeling he played it safe with Porgy, a major studio Samuel Goldwyn Production. (For further information about the film, go to the ISAM [Institute for Studies of American Music] website at htpp://depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/isam.)
Because Ira Gershwin and the Gershwin estate were unhappy with Preminger's film treatment, rights to the movie were rescinded during the 70s. As a result, the film has never been legally transferred to video and only a few public showings have been allowed. When the hassles regarding the film are finally settled, hopefully the engineers at Sony/BMG will track down the original master tapes and produce a truly fine restoration of this long-lost movie soundtrack. All the proper ingredients are there; they just have to be pulled together.
Additional weirdness abounds on the CD's sleeve. None of the singers are listed - (Pearl Bailey and Brock Peters did their own singing, Loulie Jean Norman dubbed Clara's songs, and Inez Matthews sang the role of Serena. Sammy Davis, Jr. also sang his own songs, but Cab Calloway replaced him on the recording - due to contractural reasons) - and all of the photos are from some unidentified production of the opera, not from the movie. This recording may not be perfect, but right now it's all we have.
Recommended.
GREATEST PERFORMANCE OF GERSHWIN'S SCORE EVER!.......2002-08-30
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Are You Hep to the Jive?
Cab Calloway Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000029FN Release Date: 1994-08-09 |
Tracks:
- Boo-Wah Boo-Wah
- Are You All Reet?
- Hey Now, Hey Now
- Everybody Eats When They Come To My House
- Are You Hep To The Jive?
- The Calloway Boogie
- Hep Cat's Love Song
- Papa's In Bed With His Britches On
- Song Of The Islands: What's Buzzin' Cousin
- Twee-Twee-Tweet
- Come On With The 'Come On'
- Chant Of The Jungle
- I Want To Rock
- Oh! Gram'pa
- The Jungle King (You Ain't Done A Doggone Thing)
- Don't Falter At The Alter
- Who's Yehoodi?
- A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird
- Tarzan Of Harlem
- Minnie The Moocher
- Boog It
- Foo A Little Bally-Hoo
Amazon.com
The influence of Cab Calloway simply cannot be understated. He was present at the genesis of R&B, rock, hip-hop, swing, and jazz, and his contributions shaped the way the world hears pop music. Thankfully, this task fell upon the zoot-suited shoulders of an artist of wit, intelligence, energy, and the ability to connect one-on-one with his audience. This collection includes tracks from the late '30s up to the late '40s and offers listeners a taste of all Calloway's incredible talents. From his hepster raps like "Are You All Reet?" to his hits like "Minnie the Moocher," Calloway's performances are carefully orchestrated yet loose-limbed and sparkling with humor, and for recordings in mono, the sound is surprisingly good. Highly recommended. --S. DudaCustomer Reviews:
All reet!.......2007-03-07
These old 78s have been meticulously remastered, and the transfers have a lot of presence. Truth is, the pre-hi-fi records of the 1940's sounded darn good, as this album clearly demonstrates. Regarding the performances: the mature Calloway was as vital as in his Cotton Club days, but with the advantage of clean sound and a little polish. Widely dismissed as a novelty act for the masses by contemporary jazz critics, Cab clearly deserves a reassessment. He had it all: popularity, pizzazz, presence and poise. Whether zoot-suited or in a spotless white tux, Calloway was always nothing less than great. He was a groovy cat, Jackson-- are you hep?
The twelve-page booklet contains a bio, vintage photos and recording dates for all tracks. Recommended for all fans of swing, jive and '40s dance music.
TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 62:47
essential.......2007-01-10
Just an amazing album to hear and have!.......2005-11-17
This CD collection is packed with some of the most toe-tapping, sing-along, swinging songs you could ever hope to find. If it doesn't get you out of your seat and dancing to the wonderful melodies, check your pulse because you might not be breathing.
I have quite a nice sized collection of different Cab Calloway CD's in my music collection, and this one has them all beat with a great song selection that I haven't seen elsewhere. Everyone should find a few songs here that they recognize. "Minnie the Moocher" from "The Blues Brothers" movie, "Everyone Eats When they Come to My House" was used a few years ago in a TV commercial.
I couldn't recommend this wonderful sounding CD more highly then I do!
A Serious Artist Having A Jiving Good Time For All Circa 1939.......2005-08-22
These songs are all killer material...Cab was already recording 10 years earlier..these tracks are all from 1939 -1947..an interesting time indeed...if you are a not a serious fan of Jazz or Big Band but appreciate anachronistic culture and the sense of the 1940's you have to check this long playing bargain cd.
These Cats Can Swing!.......2005-05-21
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Something About Airplanes
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00000FY5E Release Date: 1998-08-18 |
Tracks:
- bend to squares
- president of what?
- champagne from a paper cup
- your bruise
- pictures in an exhibition
- sleep spent
- the face that launched 1000 shits
- amputations
- fake frowns
- line of best fit.
Amazon.com
The first instrument you notice upon listening to Something About Airplanes is the cello on "Bend to Squares." It fades out, soon enough replaced by the familiar electric guitar, but it sets this album's offbeat mood. Experimentation and pop hooks strike a perfect balance on this debut from the Bellingham, Washington-based Death Cab for Cutie. The quartet follow in the fine tradition of area emo-pop bands like Modest Mouse, 764-HERO, and Built to Spill, but it's hard not to notice bits of Quasi and the Beatles popping up. Of course, the Death Cab formula is a bit different--"President of What?" is driven by Farfisa, not Fender; "Champagne from a Paper Cup" is a slow-burner--there's not much pop glee found in a song that begins "I think I'm Drunk Enough to Drive You Home Now"; and--every once in a while--the oddball vocal sample kicks in (presumably from a long-forgotten movie, a la vintage Jawbreaker). It all makes for a brilliant debut and a fine addition to the canon of Northwest emo-pop late-'90s style. --Jason VerlindeAlbum Description
It's no exaggeration to say 'Something About Airplanes' is the future of music. Melodic pop that falls somewhere between American Analog Set & Imperial Teen. Elsinor/Barsuk.Customer Reviews:
I need more Death Cab!!!.......2006-06-17
Overall review of Death Cab For Cutie.......2006-04-24
Great Product!.......2005-10-05
this has nothing to do with airplanes.......2005-08-29
I recommend:
President of What?
Champagne From A Paper Cup
Favorite DCFC album.......2005-05-31
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Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television Music
Manufacturer: Fontana Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002OEB Release Date: 1990-10-15 |
Tracks:
- Excerpts From: Pee Wee's Big Adventure
- Excerpts From: Batman
- Excerpts From: Dick Tracy
- Excerpts From: Beetlejuice
- Excerpts From: Nightbreed
- Excerpts From: Darkman
- Excerpts From: Back To School
- Excerpts From: Midnight Run
- Excerpts From: Wisdom
- Excerpts From: Hot To Trot
- Excerpts From: Big Top Pee Wee
- Excerpts From: The Simpsons
- Excerpts From: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Jar
- Excerpts From: Tales From The Crypt
- Excerpts From: Face Like A Frog
- Excerpts From: Forbidden Zone
- Excerpts From: Scrooged
Customer Reviews:
Great compilation - and that's just the first half........2005-09-14
Elfman pioneered the sound that drives today's movie adaptations of comic-books and darker-themed children's stories. Side-One kicks things off with a rollicking, hyper-cartoonish theme from the first Pee-Wee movie - the one where Pee-Wee searches for his beloved bike. Elfman's theme contains layers of different rides - on tightropes, highways, in the middle of a NASCAR rally - which rudely yet melodically crash into each other.
The Batman entry actually contains several pieces - the opening credits, the extended sequence in the cathedral and the climax - which show Batman's darkened extreme at its "Frank Miller" best. (Dir. Tim Burton couldn't sustain the mood in the next sequel, and the franchise took a turn towards the camp of the TV series with the next 2 movies.)
The theme for "Dick Tracy" is perhaps the most romantic on this disc, a quality that surpasses the theme's comic-book origins, but ends on an ironic note that's pure Elfman.
"Beetlejuice" (opening & closing credits) gives Elfman's childish ID a chance to stretch its legs, or in this case, slam-dance.
"Nightbreed" is an enigma wrapped in a dark mystery, and that's just Elfman's score. Elfman's work on this movie is as good as the movie wasn't, having a more powerful narrative than the script - easily the best track on the entire disc, one likely to exceed the movie in its dose of chills.
"Darkman" doesn't quite rise to the occasion, though the score may be hobbled by the movie itself, which seldom surpassed one of the many "Batman" clones of the early 1990's. "Darkman" (the movie, I mean) excelled as a parody of many comicbook staples (the wronged hero, the relentless villain, the scientific breakthrough with just one flaw), but not enough to escape being largely anonymous. Within those constraints, it's still a moving if scary piece.
When is Elfman not like Elfman? When he was in the mid-late `80's and scored "Back to School" (A Rodney Dangerfield vehicle) and "Midnight Run". Horns in "School" bring it closer to Elfman's over-the-top style, while "Run" sounds like a love-theme for the run-down, out-of-the-way parts of America that seldom appear in Elfman-movies. "Run" is a fun score for a fun movie - it's nothing like Elfman's previous work but it perfectly captures the on-the-road-without-a-map craziness of the movie.
To this day, I don't know why I never ventured to Side-two, but it's irrelevant. Even half this disc is worth it
The best of Elfman!!!.......2005-09-05
I'd recommend this to anyone who likes film music, or everyone who is even the tiniest bit an Elfman fan. It's amazing!
Great Collection, A LIttle Too Eclectic.......2003-08-19
What Great Music.......2003-05-11
super.......2003-04-17
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You Can Play These Songs with Chords
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006L3PW Release Date: 2002-10-22 |
Tracks:
- President of What?
- Champagne from a Paper Cup
- Pictures in an Exhibition
- Hindsight
- That's Incentive
- Amputations
- Two Cars
- Line of Best Fit
- This Charming Man
- TV Trays
- New Candles
- Tomorrow
- Flustered/Hey Tomcat
- State Street Residential
- Wait
- Prove My Hypotheses
- Song for Kelly Huckaby
- Army Corps of Architects
Album Description
Full Title - You Can Play These Songs With Chords. Album includes Out-Of-Print rarities and never-before released songs. 18 tracks. Barsuk Records. 2002.Customer Reviews:
Well worth a listen, or two, or three.......2007-05-31
I've come to regard this album as one of my favorites. It is an intensely honest, brazenly youthful, at times lonesome, and ultimately accomplished and varied gathering of tracks. A strong sense of time and place (geographical references abound), a personal remoteness balanced with sense of warmth, and a love of city and home run throughout. It takes such a long time to absorb and to get to know the album that by the time you do, you can't help but have a strong affection for it.
DCFC really does have something for everybody........2006-05-17
Recommended For Fans Only.......2006-02-03
DCFC's Best Album.......2005-03-25
An Acquired Taste.......2004-11-28
Average customer rating:
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Forbidden Love
Death Cab for Cutie Manufacturer: Barsuk ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000050824 Release Date: 2000-10-24 |
Tracks:
- Photobooth
- Technicolor Girls
- Song For Kelly Huckaby
- 405 (Acoustic)
- Company Calls Epilogue (Alternate)
Album Description
EP features 3 brand new songs plus two alternative versions from 'We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes'. Barsuk Records.Customer Reviews:
Great beginning, typical ep trappings end.......2006-10-03
Great first half, captures Deathcab doing what they do best, much less effortlessly then in recent times. Last few songs die down a bit since the last is just an alternate, which makes this essential for fans, but not everyone, although quite good ep.
Visual, Visceral, Cinematic Songs.......2006-07-27
The lyrics of "Photobooth" tumble out over a tinny drum loop like a series of those tiny square photos from a tiny curtained room. Each line conjures a picture of skinny-dipping or living out on the lawn as a friendship veers into summer love and then just as quickly veers out, leaving just that strip of pictures to document the moment of shared longing.
"405" could be about the same relationship, but rather than focusing on an artifact it peers across the distance between the two actors, now represented by the distance of a lengthy highway. This acoustic take offers a vastly different mood than the electric album version - the bouncy guitar picking and Ben's delicate delivery is immediately reminiscent of Elliott Smith.
It's hard to describe what about each of these five Death Cab For Cutie songs makes them so visually evocative. The songs are exactly like movies - not about a theme or a riff or even a single line of dialogue, but about the the story they allow you to voyeuristically live in for a brief four minutes. It's something about a focus on details like floorboards and wedding cakes, lips and fiber optics, while guitars and keyboards are woven together to form an impenetrable bed of rolling electric noise for reminisced lyrics to glide over.
Beautiful Indie Pop Rock.......2006-02-03
Good for fans, and maybe others .......2005-10-11
The disc opens up with the catchy technical drumbeat intro of "photobooth". A song littered with mellow keyboards, calming guitar picking and lyrically soothing goodness. I quickly decided that simply because of that one song, this band was a winner. I realize that photobooth is in most people's oppinion the best on here, but it's enough to make this CD worthwhile. As for the other tracks... Well, i'm getting to them.
After photobooth comes the even slower and less upbeat "technicolor girls". For some reason this song didn't do it for me. I suspect that's because I'm used to much more upbeat stuff. (I.E. punk, hardcore) I'd like to think that fans of indie rock would like this very much.
Next in line if the drawny "Song for Kelly Huckaby". This track in my oppinion has some very fine guitarwork and nice vocal effects. It's sort of sad like the last two songs but still gets me smiling.
"405" is an acoustic relapse of another Death cab song I havent even heard. I enjoyed it greatly and was glad to hear a happier and upbeat song on here. Lastly, Company calls finishes up this EP. The drumbeat on here is really cool and lyrics really standout from the rest. All in all a great finisher.
I found that this EP was a bit more mellow and poppy than their other stuff I've heard, which sounds more indie-rockish. I'm glad I bought this, I even went on to purchase "we have the facts" a couple weeks after. Although this isn't a genre a music I particularly spend a lot of time in, I think anyone can enjoy these songs, no matter what their tastes. there wasn't a single song here that I didn't enjoy in some way. I would also recommend this highly to anyone wanting to get into this band, but don't know where to start.
7/10 score for catchy vibes, good lyrics, and some innovation here and there. Very flattering EP...
favorite DCFC CD!.......2004-06-13
Meditation Music:
- Celebration: Party Music
- Christmas Unleashed
- Cloud Nine
- Days of Innocence [Import]
- Deceptive Bends [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered] [Import]
- Definitive Rolf Harris [Original recording remastered] [Import]
- Destiny Fulfilled [DualDisc]
- Everytime [CD-single] [Import]
- Falco 3 [Import]
- Flying Without Wings/Superstar [CD-single] [Enhanced]
Meditation Music
Brand New Day: The Remixes [Import]
Other Voices//Full Circle [Import]