This Is the Moment [Import]

Product Description
Available again for a limited time! This album features songs from Broadway musicals including duets with Vanessa Williams & Rosie O' Donnell. Limited edition features a bonus CD of Donny Osmond hits. Details TBA. Decca. 2001.

This Is the Moment,Donny Osmond,Universal/Decca,Pop,Popular Music,Rock/Pop

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Average customer rating: Very Best of Broadway Music

Very Best Of Broadway Musicals Various Artists Manufacturer: Metro Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Greatest Songs from the Musicals The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series) Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology) Ultimate Broadway ASIN: B000068CC4 Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

1. All That Jazz
2. If I Can't Love Her
3. Maybe This Time
4. People Will Say We're In Love
5. The Impossible Dream
6. Seventy Six Trombones
7. Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
8. Still
9. Send In The Clowns
10. One
11. Younger Than Springtime
12. This Is The Moment
13. Good Morning Starshine
14. Your Getting To Be A Habit With Me
15. Wunderbar
16. Maria
17. I Could Have Danced All Night
18. Singin' In The Rain
19. Written In The Stars
20. One Song Glory

Customer Reviews:

Very Best of Broadway Music.......2007-05-08

I really like Broadway music so this is the BEST!!!!!!
I let someone else borrow this to listen at her house--She liked it also

Average customer rating: weilling away hours to sweet sounds 5 Stars for the Weill 1st sym Three Wondrous Weill Works Given Star Treatment by Alsop's Supremely Assured Direction The Other Kurt Weill REVERSE THRUST

Kurt Weill: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Lady in the Dark - Symphonic Nocturne Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: William Alwyn: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Stravinsky: Three Greek Ballets (Apollo, Agon, Orpheus) Rorem: Three Symphonies Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras (Complete) William Schuman: Symphonies Nos. 4 and 9; Orchestra Song; Circus Overture ASIN: B000A17GFQ Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

1. Sostenuto - Allegro Molto - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
2. Largo - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
3. Allegro Vivace - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
4. Symphony No.1 - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
5. Andante Misterioso 'My Ship' - Robert Russell Bennett
6. 'Girl Of The Moment' - Robert Russell Bennett
7. Bolero 'This Is New' - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
8. Allegro Alla Marcia - Robert Russell Bennett
9. 'Dance Of The Tumblers' - Robert Russell Bennett
10. 'The Saga Of Jenny' - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Amazon.com

About nine minutes into the second track of this disc, you seem to hear the composer reminding himself: "Hey, I'm Kurt Weill! This is what my music sounds like!" Most of us know only Weill's theater music, but he began his career writing concert pieces. The First Symphony was written under the tutelage of the great composer and pianist Ferruccio Busoni. Both symphonies belong to the European mainstream of the early 1920s, but Weill's characteristic style infiltrates only the Second (placed first on the CD), his last pure concert work, composed after the famous Threepenny Opera. These symphonies may not compete with Stravinsky and Bartók in their importance, but they are both satisfying pieces and will interest both lovers of 20th-century symphonies and fans of Weill's later music--of which we get a nice chunk as an encore. The Weill Symphonies have been scarce on recordings. Here they are performed with great energy and purpose by an excellent conductor and orchestra, vividly recorded, at a price which encourages exploration. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

weilling away hours to sweet sounds.......2007-05-11

the symphonies are comprised of themes from other weill works such as 'seven deadly sins' and 'rise and fall of the city of mahagonny' and weill has turned his themes out to symphony legth admirably.

the interpretation by martin alsop and the bso, however, leaves something to be desired. it's very much by the book and lacking in texture and dynamic.

i'm sure that there is a better performance out there in the world, maybe even one conducted by a contemporary of weill's like maurice abravanel(sp?). that okay; i needed to start this collection weill's orchestral stuffs somewhere.

5 Stars for the Weill 1st sym.......2006-04-09

I'm only here to discuss the Weill incredible poetic and beautiful toned 1st sym.
My first choice might be the Prausnitz/New Philharmonia/EMI which is OOP, but worth the looking for.
Next choice might be the Baden/Kracow/Koch, OOP
3rd choice maight be the Swierczewski/Gulbenkian SO/Nimbus , still in print.
Next comes the Alsop/Bournemouth, as David Bryson wrote, "while not spectacular, still a worthy recording"
But then David goes on to write "Superbly realized".
Now here I have to diasgree. As the other 3 recordings mentioned deliver a greater depth and tonal phrasing.

Still hats off to Miss Alsop for recording a neglected masterpiece. She is still young in her caree and we expect other good things as well in the near future.
I can just hear the ol George Szell fans right now,
But she's no where as great as was our glorious Szell:.
Well I don't own any szell recordings, I've always found Szell to be good, but never excellent.
Except in the Strauss last 4 songs with Schwartkopf with the BERLIN RADIO SO.
Szell's Cleveland recordings were always average as far as I'm concerned.
I'm just comming around to Weill's 2nd sym, and good as it is, his 1st is superior. The 2nd seems to borrow too many ideas from the 1st, thus the 1st is more original.
The Lady in the dark work are a series of light broadway style music.

Three Wondrous Weill Works Given Star Treatment by Alsop's Supremely Assured Direction.......2006-01-04

Influenced by the likes of Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg in his youth, German composer and later musical theater wunderkind Kurt Weill wrote his first symphony when he was 21 and full of precocious fervor. It is presented here under the masterful baton of Marin Alsop leading the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and the work is a bold, often dissonant single-movement piece. Over the course of its twenty-seven vibrant minutes, you can feel Weill's innate sense of lyricism in the work, but there is also an adolescent angst that makes the work fascinating within the Weill canon. Symphony #2, which opens the disc, is a more accomplished work in three distinct movements. He had written it in 1933, twelve years after the first, when he was living as an expatriate in Paris to escape Nazi Germany. His urgent passion is on full display throughout as if a major disaster is looming, and the music is particularly tinged with a bittersweet poignancy in the middle Largo movement.

Yet, it is really the Symphonic Nocturne for his Broadway classic, "Lady in the Dark", that provides the most vivid impression. Arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, it's an elegant suite of six movements, each familiar melody highlighting a different dramatic element of the show. It begins with the touching Andante misterioso "My Ship", which builds gradually into a swooning work, and then lights into the splendidly evocative "Girl of the Moment", the boldly colored bolero, "This Is New", and the all-out dramatic pizzazz of "Dance of the Tumblers". The work ends with a sassy, insinuating and ultimately stentorian version of "The Saga of Jenny". It's a wondrous work given its due by Alsop, who seems to understand Weill's Tin Pan Alley sensibilities as much as his earlier orchestral ones. This is yet another of Naxos's bargain-priced CDs, and like her recent interpretations of John Adams and Philip Glass, it is beautifully recorded at the Concert Hall, Lighthouse in Dorset, UK. This recording verifies Weill's versatility and Alsop's talent in bringing them to the fore in all their glorious purity.

The Other Kurt Weill.......2005-12-01

First off, let me say that I'm not a fan of Kurt Weill, at least what I knew by him prior to an acquaintance with the symphonies. His Kleine Dreigroschenmusik, based on the "Threepenny Opera" is the kind of twenties modernism from Germany that doesn't really send me--strident, cheeky, bumptious about mixing pop and classical music in a way that doesn't redound to the glory of either. Hence my great surprise at hearing Weill's Symphony No. 2. Here is a work that doesn't comprise on the composer's sardonic musical language yet doesn't pander either. It's a bit of hard-as-nails modernism that predictably didn't go down well with its earliest audiences. Maybe they wanted bread and circuses. Instead, Weill gave them weltschmerz 1930s style.

This is austere music, stripped to the bare essentials, employing a relatively small orchestra without percussion save for timpani. It does have a restless energy in the outer movements, both of which are well argued and very listenable, the last movement bustling along to sardonic march tempo that's strangely infectious. Does Weill foresee a mania for marching in Germany's future? (By the time of the Symphony's completion, he was in exile in Paris.) But the most remarkable movement is the long central Largo. It manages at once to be mordant and melancholy--not an easy proposition--reminding me of the slow movements from Suk's Asrael Symphony and Barber's Symphony No. 2 of a decade later. All these slow movements have the same oddly chilly dignity.

Weill's Symphony No. 1 could almost be considered an apprentice work. Written in 1921 when the composer was 21, it is in a single movement but falls into three distinct sections: fast, slow, fast. The fast sections are spiky and somewhat amorphous, the slow movement troubled and anxious, with a marching ground bass and a weird, discordant canon that leads to a semi-sweet solo for the violin, the orchestra still rumbling and grumbling underneath. Things are hardly leavened by the finale, which unfolds like a series of angular variations on a chorale theme. The work ends with a percussion-heavy bang, then a whimper. Odd music this--not entirely successful but definitely interesting; you want to hear it again just to see if you can dope it all out.

After this hard-bitten modernism, the "Symphonic Nocturne" based on Weill's 1940 Broadway musical "Lady in the Dark" seems a weird choice. Since there isn't very much purely orchestral Weill, I guess the producers were hard-pressed for filler, but even the ubiquitous Dreigroschenmusik would have been better than this fluff. Orchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett, it sounds like Gershwin without the moxie--or the melodies. Oh well, you can choose not to come back for more. But you will want to return to the symphonies, especially the fascinating Second.

Marin Alsop is proving herself a force to be reckoned with in modern music. She and the Bournemouth Symphony give Weill their all, and Naxos contributes fine, full sound with lots of color and presence. I may be cool about the "Nocturne," but the rest of this CD is decidedly hot.

REVERSE THRUST.......2005-11-11

This disc has been very thoughtfully edited. For one thing, the six pieces comprising the Lady in the Dark suite are played without intervening pauses (although there are separate tracks), which is as it should be, like a band playing half a dozen numbers in succession on a bandstand. What is far more important, and very intelligent too, is sequencing the second symphony before the first. The first symphony dates from 1921, the second from 1933/4, and the `symphonic nocturne' (what's one of them?) Lady in the Dark from 1940. If the works had been presented in straight order of composition it would have been very easy to form the impression that Weill's musical idiom was a backward-running process. The first symphony was a work he never acknowledged by that title. It comes from early in his course in composition with Busoni, and I read with great interest that he was the youngest member to be accepted, at age 20 in the year 1920, into that class, when in the very same year Busoni had refused to take on the 17-year-old Serkin as a piano pupil on the grounds that he was too old. In style this first symphony is very assured, its idiom hovering somewhere in the region of Honegger and Hindemith. It is in one movement, and a good deal longer than the most famous contemporary 1-movement symphony, the 7th of Sibelius. The second symphony is in a more normal 3-movement format, and it makes odd listening to the extent that its idiom seems to become more conservative as it goes along. The opening movement is not too far removed in style from the first symphony, but we have not got far into the long central slow movement before we hear a bassoon solo that is the Weill we know, followed later by some familiar-sounding brass writing and leading to a placid tonal conclusion. As for the Lady in the Dark, a collaboration with Ira Gershwin is not where one would expect to find modern harmonisation, and the Weill of the Threepenny Opera is with us once more.

I found the whole experience utterly intriguing. Weill's second symphony was composed in Paris to commission after he fled the new regime of gangsters in Germany. It seems to have had a dim reception and then to have been palely loitering unperformed for several decades. I for one had never heard it until I bought this disc, and I think it is something that would get me to bestir myself out to a concert if I saw it scheduled. Indeed I think the first symphony might well do that too. What its composer really thought of it I don't know, but it doesn't have any apprentice feel to it, and its single fantasia-like movement is nearly as long as the three movements of the second added up. Weill in his symphonic guise, particularly his early symphonic guise, is not entirely the man we might expect from the familiar stuff, but the genius and originality are still there. His second symphony is a far more serious bit of work than are the symphonies of Weber, but I felt all the same that it stands in some similar relation to the heavier masterpieces of its period, the symphonies of Mahler, Sibelius and Elgar, as Weber's do to Beethoven's.

If the symphonies are a journey of discovery, the Lady in the Dark (about psychoanalysis apparently) is definitely for Weill's fans, of whom I am one. The performances here strike me as just right, with the proper (or improper) seedy tone to them. The Bournemouth Symphony have been a fine orchestra for quite a long time now, at least since Silvestri's day, and Marin Alsop has been steadily advancing in recognition for a number of years too. The recording is very recent, just last year, and while it's not spectacular it is perfectly good by any rational standard. We are given here an hour and a quarter of absolutely fascinating music superbly realised, and even the liner-note, which comes with a German translation, is far better than many I see from the more traditional recording concerns. My notices of Naxos productions tend to finish, or begin, or both, with a panegyric to that fine company and its collaborators, and this one follows the tradition. Long may things be this way.

Average customer rating: Great album Always was and still is a great singer and performer This Is The Moment A dissapointed Donny Fan Better than Ever!

This Is The Moment Donny Osmond , and Donny Osmond Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Somewhere in Time Love Songs of the '70s What I Meant to Say Donny Osmond - Live Donny Osmond - Live at Edinburgh Castle ASIN: B0000584XR Release Date: 2001-02-06

Tracks:

1. Seasons of Love (from "Rent")
2. This Is the Moment (from "Jekyll & Hyde")
3. Luck Be a Lady (from "Guys & Dolls")
4. Our Kind of Love (from "The Beautiful Game")
5. It's Possible (from "Seussical the Musical")
6. At the Edge of the World (from "Riverdance on Broadway")
7. Not While I'm Around, with Vanessa Williams (from "Sweeney Todd")
8. Solla Sollew (from "Seussical the Musical")
9. No Matter What (from "Whistle Down the Wind")
10. Immortality (from "Saturday Night Fever")
11. I Know the Truth (from "Aida")
12. You've Got a Friend in Me, with Rosie O'Donnell (from "Toy Story")
13. Give My Regards to Broadway (George M. Cohan)

Amazon.com

Donny Osmond didn't let himself be deterred by a disastrous Broadway debut in 1982 (George M. Cohan's Little Johnny Jones closed after opening night). A decade later he starred in the North American tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and now his 2001 solo album, This Is the Moment, further proves that teen pop's loss has become musical theater's gain. Assisted by legendary pop producer Phil Ramone, Osmond puts a contemporary spin on a wide variety of Broadway tunes (though nothing from Joseph), emphasizing shows from the previous decade: Rent (a funky R&B "Seasons of Love"), Jekyll & Hyde (a smooth "This Is the Moment"), Aida, even Riverdance.

Osmond also parlayed his Andrew Lloyd Webber ties to include songs from two shows that hadn't yet hit Broadway: The Beautiful Game's "Our Kind of Love" (in its first commercial recording, though the tune falls short of Lloyd Webber's usual catchiness) and Whistle Down the Wind's "No Matter What." Particularly inviting are Seussical the Musical's "Solla Sollew" and Saturday Night Fever's "Immortality." Finally, Osmond closes the book on Little Johnny Jones by ending with a grand, sweeping arrangement of the show's "Give My Regards to Broadway," in which he vows he'll be there ere long. We'll be waiting, Donny. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Great album.......2006-03-19

It has been a long, long while since I've heard Donny Osmond sing. His voice just got even better with age.

Always was and still is a great singer and performer.......2005-09-01

This album uncovers the many venues that Donny can perform. Someday when everyone stops thinking we're still in the 70's, they will know him again and stop with the "Donny" jokes. His singing is no joke; he's a serious artist.

This Is The Moment.......2005-08-01

Wonderful!!! Donny Osmond is still the greatest!! His music is wonderful and he sounds great!!!

A dissapointed Donny Fan.......2005-06-23

I had high hopes for this album. I have been a Donny Osmand fan since "Soldier of Love". However, this album is vapid and banal. Only a couple of the songs; "I'm not in Love" and "Could it be I'm Falling in Love" are worthy covers. I am still a loyal fan and sometimes even the greats have thier flops, this is Donny's. Well, maybe next time.

Better than Ever!.......2005-06-15

I admit I was hesitant even though I've loved Donny's music all my life. Then I saw part of a special he did for PBS which showcased songs from this CD, and fell in love with his music all over again. He has wonderfully re-invented himself outside of the world of 70's bubble gum pop (which I still like)

My personal favorite is "Seasons of Love" from the musical "Rent". What he's done in the last several years show how much his voice and musical styles have evolved and matured. He's still Donny, still extremely talented, and he still belongs to our generation!

Average customer rating: You'll be disappointed Pretty good musical mix

Greatest Songs from the Musicals Various Artists Manufacturer: Soho ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Very Best Of Broadway Musicals Ultimate Broadway Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need Ultimate Broadway II: The Very Best of Broadway Now Greatest Hits: Broadway ASIN: B000077JS0 Release Date: 2002-10-21

Tracks:

1. Aquarius [From Hair] - Steve Brooker, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
2. If I Can't Love Her [From Beauty and the Beast] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
3. I Could Have Danced All Night [From My Fair Lady] - Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra
4. Can You Feel the Love Tonight? [From The Lion King] - John Barrowman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
5. What I Did for Love [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra, Catherine Porter, Martin Yates
6. This Is the Moment [From Jekyll and Hyde] - Gary Mauer, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
7. All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, Julian Kelly, Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
8. Impossible Dream [From Man of La Mancha] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
9. America [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
10. Written in the Stars [From Aida] - Simon Bowman, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
11. Mame [From Mame] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
12. Some Enchanted Evening [From South Pacific] - Thomas Allen, John Owen Edwards, Philharmonic Orchestra
13. I Am What I Am [From LA Cage aux Follies] - Janet Glazener, Leslie Uggams
14. One Song Glory [From Rent] - Sean McDermott, Martin Yates

Tracks:

1. Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Ethan Freeman, Claire Moore, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
2. I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jacqui Scott, Martin Yates
3. Bui Doi [From Miss Saigon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
4. As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - National Symphony Orchestra,
5. Time Warp [From the Rocky Horror Picture Show] - Anita Dobson, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates,
6. Memory [From Cats] - Kim Criswell, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
7. Why God Why [From Miss Saigon] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
8. I Know Him So Well [From Chess] - Katrina Murphy, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
9. One Day More [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
10. Peggy Sue [From Buddy Holly Story] - Dominic Curtis
11. Empty Charis at Empty Tables [From Les Miserables] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
12. Dancing Queen [From Mamma Mia!] - Julian Kelly, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
13. All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Andrew Halliday, , National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
14. We Will Rock You [From We Will Rock You] - Martin Yates

Tracks:

1. It's a Grand Night for Singing [From State Fair] - National Symphony Orchestra
2. If I Were a Rich Man [From Fiddler on the Roof] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra
3. I Talk to the Trees [From Paint Your Wagon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
4. Over the Rainbow [From The Wizard of Oz] - Gillian Bevan, , John Owen Edwards, , Royal Shakespeare Company
5. Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Hal Fowler, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
6. Grease [From Grease] - John Barrowman, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates
7. Woman in Love [From Guys and Dolls] - Gregg Edelman, , Emily Loesser, National Symphony Orchestra
8. Secret Love [From Calamity Jane] - Debbie Gravitte, National Symphony Orchestra
9. Quintet [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
10. I Will Always Love You [From the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas] - Salena Jones, John Pearce
11. Money, Money [From "Caberet"] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
12. If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity) - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
13. Thank Heaven for Little Girls [From Gigi] - Ron Moody, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
14. Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - Craig Barna, National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson

Customer Reviews:

You'll be disappointed.......2006-09-02

Not the original artists. Very weak versions of beloved songs by marginal to downright bad vocalists.

Pretty good musical mix.......2006-03-10

Lots of great and clear vocals. I was looking for a musical mix and this has a nice sampling of many major songs but also some more recent stuff. I haven't purchased an import before but I would do it again if the opportunity presented itself. It is somewhat annoying to have three cds when I think it could have fit onto two. Still, more than I have complaints, I have compliments about it.

Average customer rating: Beautiful God Bless Daniel Rodriquez Music From and For the Heart Daniel Rodriguez Some definite winners on this album

The Spirit of America Daniel Rodriguez Manufacturer: Manhattan Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: In The Presence From My Heart God Bless America Ronan My Life Belongs to You ASIN: B00005Y1YC Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

1. God Bless America
2. We Will Go On
3. Ave Maria
4. This Is The Moment
5. Danny Boy
6. Bring Him Home
7. Shenandoah
8. America The Beautiful
9. The Lord's Prayer
10. Into The Fire
11. You'll Never Walk Alone
12. The House I Live In

Amazon.com

It's said politics makes strange bedfellows. But it's got nothing on the peculiar marriage of art and history inspired by the tragic events of 9/11/01. Before that day, Daniel Rodriguez was a member of New York's finest, working as an NYPD security officer at the Manhattan South precinct. If it seemed an odd calling for a gifted, operatically trained tenor, it was employment many a journeyman artist could relate to: the proverbial "day job." As it turns out, no police academy in the world could have trained Rodriguez for the crucial role his city's darkest hour thrust upon him. While his colleagues mourned their staggering losses and toiled around the clock in rescue efforts, Rodriguez delivered renditions of "God Bless America" that rallied both his city and his country, much as Kate Smith's version of the Irving Berlin patriotic standard had done at the dawn of WWII.

Contemporary jazz great-producer Tom Scott took it from there, showcasing Rodriguez's powerful voice in this deftly arranged album focused sharply on personal and national inspiration. Taking his cue from his own hero, Mario Lanza, Rodriguez instills no small amount of drama in his performances, and it serves him well on tracks like the American folk classic "Shenandoah," a rousing take on Scarlet Pimpernel's "Into the Fire," and the relative Sinatra rarity "The House I Live In." The "God Bless America" here varies from the original single release, with Rodriguez reading the spoken intro once delivered by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Is Rodriguez the greatest tenor of modern times? No. But it's hard to imagine a talent better suited to the challenge history has thrust upon him; we're lucky--make that blessed--to have him. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-07-21

This cd will bring tears to your eyes. His voice is so clear and lovely. I bought this cd for my mother for her birthday in September. It is so sad that the events of September 11 had to occur for this man to be discovered.

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez.......2007-07-16

This alblum is a treasure to own and listen to. He really captures the spirit of patriotism. I have played his songs at a local fireworks show that I DJ at and his songs are up there with the other songs by artists by Mr. Lee "God Bless The U.S.A." Greenwood and other great artists. New York City and the nation needed him at a time when we were trying to recover from the worst tragedy in the history of the U.S.A. and he was there for us.

Music From and For the Heart.......2006-11-25

Daniel's album is music to be shared with family and with friends to help further ensure warmth, strong family ties, and love of our beautiful country. His voice is magical, skilled, rich and so memorable that it can take one on a journey from yesterday to promise for a bright tomorrow. This is a superb rendering of past unforgettable music. His solemn rendition of the peace song "God Bless America" is the album's centerpiece and truly unforgettable....

Daniel Rodriguez.......2006-11-11

I first heard of Daniel Rodriguez a couple of months ago when he sang on Jay Leno's show. He was/is WONDERFUL! His voice is beautiful, but he sings from the heart, and that makes him exceptional.

Some definite winners on this album.......2005-12-14

My favorites are "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer" where Daniel truly shows off his vocal talents. I could have done without the choir backup on "Ave Maria" but nonetheless a great rendition.

The ending that he has for the "The Lord's Prayer" almost brings a tear to my eye each time I hear it. Well done Daniel.

Average customer rating: stunning studio album in creamy stereo STELLAR STAR! There IS a more complete recording. . . Great Fun A fun, if abbreviated, recording

Weill: Lady in the Dark / Risë Stevens, Adolph Green, Lehman Engel, Danny Kaye Kurt Weill , Maurice de Abravanel , Risë Stevens , Adolph Green , Danny Kaye , Lehman Engel , Michael Kellman , Dennis D. Rooney , and John Reardon Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lost In The Stars (1949 Original Broadway Cast) Knickerbocker Holiday Lady In The Dark (1997 Original London Cast) Lady in the Dark/Down in the Valley Lady In The Dark (1950 Original Cast Members) ASIN: B0000029VA Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

1. Lady In The Dark: Glamour Dream: Oh, Fabulous One
2. Lady In The Dark: Huxley (Liza, Beekman)
3. Lady In The Dark: One Life To Live (Liza)
4. Lady In The Dark: Girl Of The Moment (Liza)
5. Lady In The Dark: Wedding Dream: Liza, Liza
6. Lady In The Dark: Mapleton High Chorale
7. Lady In The Dark: This Is New (Randy, Liza)
8. Lady In The Dark: The Princess Of Pure Delight (Liza, Randy)
9. Lady In The Dark: Circus Dream: The Greatest Show On Earth (Ringmaster, Randy)
10. Lady In The Dark: The Best Years Of His Life (Ringmaster, Randy, Liza)
11. Lady In The Dark: Tschaikowsky (Ringmaster)
12. Lady In The Dark: The Saga Of Jenny (Liza)
13. Lady In The Dark: Childhood Dream: My Ship (Liza)
14. Lady In The Dark: One Life To Live
15. Lady In The Dark: The Princess Of Pure Delight
16. Lady In The Dark: It's Never Too Late To Mendelssohn
17. Lady In The Dark: Tschaikowsky And Other Russians
18. Lady In The Dark: Jenny
19. Lady In The Dark: My Ship

Customer Reviews:

stunning studio album in creamy stereo.......2004-08-05

This studio album of Weill and Gershwin's LADY IN THE DARK features the lovely Rise Stevens making the role of Liza Elliott her own, with Adolph Green in the role that made Danny Kaye a star in the original production.

This sumptuous reissue on the Columbia 'Masterworks Heritage' label presents the recording in creamy stereo, with the orchestra under the baton of Lehman Engel. Rise Stevens is perhaps the best singer to have played Liza on any recording of LADY IN THE DARK. The trained opera singer lets her hair down for the manic "Saga of Jenny", and yields glowing versions of "My Ship" and "One Life to Live". Also featured among the cast are John Reardon and Stephanie Augustine.

My only qualm about the release is the horrid packaging. The disc is enclosed in a cardboard sleeve at the back of a booklet-style slipcase, leaving the CD vulnerable to scratches and dust (I remedied the problem by putting the CD in a separate plastic jewel case and filing it on the shelf next to the empty booklet case). However this should not deter collectors and musical theatre fans from seeking out this lovely recording.

STELLAR STAR!.......2003-01-03

MISS STEVENS shinesas Liza Eliot in this perfect recording of "Lady in the Dark". [For the first time - with repect to the other artists - the lyrics are pristine!] THE recording? IF you own a 'surround system' - this one IS flawless - just a perfect balance of voice and instrument. [A great restoration job - if only they could do the same to the Lawrence version....]

FOR the collector - get all three recordings currently available - the 1997 London version is the most complete, the Gertrude Lawrence? It's more of a Star Vehicle for Miss Lawrence - lots of dialogue - with really only the two "Liza' numbers - "Saga of Jenmny" and "My Ship" intact - but also well worth the journey.

AS A BONUS - Miss Stevens recording contains the Danny Kaye contribution missing from the Gertrude Lawrence recording - plus his versions of "My Ship" and "The Saga of Jenny".

There IS a more complete recording. . ........2000-12-06

This recording is terrific, but for a more complete recording with much better quality, look for the Original Cast Recording from the Royal National Theatre Production. It's got all the bridging music which is phenomenal.

Great Fun.......1999-04-15

Until the definitive full version of the score comes out--with all the bridging material and orchestral interludes--this is probably the most complete of one of the greatest and most charming classic Broadway scores (and probably Ira Gershwin's masterpiece). Rise Stevens was born to play the part, and though at times she gets a bit excessive (especially in the dialogue) her voice is beautiful and confident (a high point is her counterpointing the chorus during "The Best Years of His Life"), and iat times really soars, as in "This is new." Adolph Green is hilarious--it's a great tragedy he never got to play this role on Broadway.

A fun, if abbreviated, recording.......1999-04-02

A nifty performance of one of Broadway's classic scores. The biggest problem is that just about everything is slightly abridged (mostly verses, connecting material, dialogue underscoring and choral repeats--although if I'm reading the vocal score right, most of this would still be interesting to listen to); still, a reasonably good taste of the whole thing. The liner notes also don't really give a story synopsis, so if you aren't familiar with the plot, seek out a summary so you aren't completely confused by what is going on. Rise Stevens' acting is pretty mannered, and she goes over the top vocally every now and then; she seems to be shouting, not singing at the end of "Jenny." Adolph Green is hysterically funny and acquits himself supremely well in "Tchaikovsky." How you'll enjoy the appendix of Danny Kaye's recordings depends on how much you like Danny Kaye--enough said.

Average customer rating: excellent CD It doesn't get better than this! STIG ROSEN...Simply........Outstanding Doesn't get any better then this! This is great!

Love Changes Everything Manufacturer: Dptv Media ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Denmark | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: This Is the Moment: Live at Tivoli Broadway Passion So in Love With Broadway Centre Stage Broadway Classic ASIN: B0002IQGPS Release Date: 2004-08-24

Tracks:

1. This Is the Moment [From Jekyll & Hyde]
2. Being Alive [From Company]
3. Bui-Doi [From Miss Saigon]
4. Why God Why? [From Miss Saigon]
5. Last Night of the World [From Miss Saigon] - Joanna Ampil, , Stig Rossen
6. Gethsemane [From Jesus Christ Superstar]
7. Pity the Child [From Chess]
8. Love Changes Everything [From Aspects of Love]
9. Light at the End of the Tunnel [From Starlight Express]
10. Empty Chairs at Empty Tables [From Les Misbles]
11. Stars [From Les Misbles]
12. Music of the Night [From The Phantom of the Opera]
13. All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera]
14. Somewhere [From West Side Story]
15. Send in the Clowns [From A Little Night Music]

Customer Reviews:

excellent CD.......2007-07-03

I only wish there were more songs from Les Mis. I've seen 6 different Les Mis casts, and Stig Rossen (London cast, June 1997) was the best Jean Valjean I've seen by far. I bought this CD solely based on the fact that I was blown away by his voice when I saw him in Les Mis. You'll love the other songs on this CD just because his voice is so good.
P.S. Don't know why the Amazon description says "by Kalle Magnusson", don't be confused...Stig Rossen sings all of the songs.

It doesn't get better than this!.......2007-03-17

This is a superior CD. Mr. Rossen is a gifted singer and delivers each song with perfect expression. This CD is a gem!

STIG ROSEN...Simply........Outstanding.......2007-02-15

This CD is a Gem ...it is a must for everyone who loves beautiful music.The renditions come to life again.."Love Changes Everything" , Beautiful..."This is the moment"....Powerful. This young man has the perfect range and "coloratura" in his voice, his diction is incredible, his own "persona" is in each and every song..."Why God" from miss saigon makes you re-live the drama in this song through Stig,s voice...."all i ask from you" Magical!!!.......to summarize if you are a Michael Ball fan (i am!!) this is as a wonderful venture as all his recordings...Get it ..you wont regret it!!..Stig has a space in my kingdom of outstanding performers..cant wait for his next recording!!!

Doesn't get any better then this!.......2006-07-06

I took a chance when I bought this CD, and am so glad I did. His voice is so beautiful; so smooth, expressive, powerful, with a tremendous range. The songs were obviously carefully chosen, and he interprets each one so well that they sound brand new. This really is a beautiful album, if you're a fan of Michael Crawford or Michael Ball, add Stig to your list.

Every song on this album is terrific, but his rendition of Gesthemene is really outstanding, better than most others I've heard.

This is great!.......2005-04-01

This CD has Broadway songs sung by a great singer. I especially like his rendition of STARS from LES MISERABLES. This song is not on many CD's besides the cast albums of Les Miserables. He is a very good singer. While you may like the original versions better, you won't be sorry if you buy this CD.

Average customer rating: As Always, Hilarious Spoof Odessey worth the laughs! better to be "Lost in Space" Stretched Thin Do the Math

Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey Manufacturer: Drg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act!: The Unoriginal Cast Recording, Volume 5 (1998 New York Cast) Forbidden Broadway, Vol. 8 - Special Victims Unit Forbidden Broadway (20th Anniversary Edition) Forbidden Broadway, Vols. 1-4 Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back!: Another Unoriginal Cast Recording, Volume 4 (1996 New York Cast) ASIN: B0000584UL Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

1. Forbidden Broadway 2001: Another Op'nin, 'Another Show
2. Futuristic Stewardess/Usherette: Come Fly With Me
3. Judi Dench: Why Can't The English?
4. Trouble In New Tork City: Trouble
5. The Music Man Revival 2001: Till There Was You
6. Cole Porter: You're The Top/From The Moment On
7. Kiss Me, Kate Revival 2001: Wunderbar
8. I Hate Ben - Marin Mazzie: I Hate Men
9. Cheryl Ladd In Annie Get Your Gun: There's No Business Like Show Business
10. Miss Saigon Farewell: Why God Why?
11. Saturday Night Fiasco: Stayin' Alive
12. Gwen Verdon & The Fosse Dancers: I'm A Brass Band/Steam Heat
13. Liza Minnelli 2001/Alan Cumming in Cabaret: Wilkommen
14. Let's Run Times Square Again: Let's Do the Time Warp Again
15. Ethel Merman & Elton John: I've Got Rhythm/Old Fashioned Wedding
16. Beauty's Been Decreased: Beauty And The Beast
17. Being Lupone: Being Alive
18. Sondheim's Blues: Buddy's Blues
19. Streisand's Farewell Tour: Happy Days Are Here Again/Mame
20. Les Miz 2001 - Edith Piaf/Milord
21. Aida - Amneris Intro: Every Story Is A Love Story/Heather Headley/It's Cheesy: Easy As Life
22. Elaborate Sets (Aida Cont.): Elaborate Lives
23. Angela Lansbury: I Don't Want To Know
24. The Full Monty: Let It Go
25. 76 Hit Shows: 76 Trombones
26. Bows-Ta-Ta Folks: Another Op'nin, 'Another Show
27. Joseph And The Amazing High 'C': Any Dream Will Do

Customer Reviews:

As Always, Hilarious.......2007-05-03

This is so funny! Like all the Forbidden Broadway cds, its another knock-out. I feel like such a crazy person when I am in the car driving and I just burst out laughing. Its great and a must have for any Forbidden Broadway fan.

Spoof Odessey worth the laughs!.......2002-04-14

I enjoyed "Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey." This recording has some truly genius material, and although these actors' impersonations of famous Broadway stars aren't as strong as they have been in the past, the CD has a lot to recommend it.

Particularly strong is Track 16, "Let's do an old fashioned show tune," featuring Elton John and Ethel Merman duking it out over AIDA, which Merman says is "putting everyone here through hell." Likewise, Track 15, "Let's Ruin Times Square Again," tickles my funny bone. Also wonderful are the satires of Beauty and the Beast, Angela Lansbury, and the Full Monty; Gerard Alessandrini's done a tremendous job with these! In addition, this CD's introductory song is much stronger than those on the previous volumes of Forbidden Broadway. It really sets the tone for the best parts of this recording.

Unfortunately, with a few notable exceptions, the first half of the CD is a bit thin, which is why I give this recording 3 out of 5 stars: Even though it entertains me, there's a lot I have to skip over. For example, the Liza Minelli spoof annoying (though, I admit, a little funny), and in the Music Man revival satire, their Robert Preston impersonator sounds *nothing* like the original. (In earlier recordings, the actors *did* sound like the people they claimed to be.)

The good news is that the CD has 30 tracks in all, so even though there are 13 that I dislike, I just love the rest... I do recommend it!

better to be "Lost in Space".......2001-12-31

First and foremost, this CD is really for diehard fans of Forbidden Broadway, those of us who want the good, the bad and the ugly on the cd rack. I was extremely unimpressed with the latest offering.

While I agree with some of the other reviewers that there is some nice work, I don't know that Saturday Night Fiasco and Sondheim's Blues are sufficient to carry the rest of the tracks. Not much seems new or worse yet, important. Disney isn't new, nor is Les Miz. And while pointing out what is stale and pedestrian on Broadway was amusing on the last couple of releases, this Forbidden Broadway spoof clearly has joined the list of stale and pedestrian.

While there is some nice material on this disc, I really didn't laugh out loud, and that is why I have always bought these in the past.

If Alessandrini reduces the show to the same complaints of the same shows and then replaying lightly tweaked versions of past numbers, Trouble and Alan Cumming in Cabaret specifically, then he has himself is on the becoming a revival - and we know what he thinks of revivals.

The repeats might even be acceptable if there was something fresh in the perfomance, but both were done much better on their respective discs. I think Danny Gurwin is a great comedian, but he doesn't shine in either of these numbers. We also need a recording with no Ethel Merman or Liza numbers - give them a rest already. And why bring back Streisand with such a poor imitation? The earlier Barbara's were dead on vocal impressions as well as speech patterns. If you aren't going to improve on it, then don't drag it back out.

Alessandrini suggests that this is one of the best casts he has ever worked with. I don't know what he bases that on, but I beg to differ, either cast with Bryan Batt was significantly better, although they worked with fresh, clever material. Still, those recordings had verocious talent that brought Gerard's stinging wit to life for those of us who can't see every new production of FB.

Maybe it is time to go to off Broadway productions, or to the radio or the movies for some new ideas. Or else promise no references to the Gap, Disney, or Chorus Boys, (way over used on this recording), along with a Merman and Liza free season. Start from scratch. That might give us hope that Forbidden Broadway too might not be dead.

Stretched Thin.......2001-03-26

I just saw the stage production of Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey. I agree with the other reviewers who feel that Alessandrini is no longer at the top of his game. Perhaps he should lay off for a year or three and let Broadway present new things for him to lampoon - as it always will.

The opening sequence is forced and unfunny, and clearly in place only to batter the listener with the "2001" theme. Unlike a previous reviewer, I found the Judi Dench parody hysterical, though I question its accuracy.

The "Trouble" parody is, as it always was, incomplete and thin. My dear friend John Kenrick (...) did a better job with it - included the segments of the original song that GA left out, and in a funnier fashion. The Cole Porter parody is marginally amusing, but the Brian Mitchell/Marin Mazzie parody is dead on the mark, and VERY funny.

The parody of Cheryl Ladd remains in the show, although she's no longer in "Annie Get Your Gun" - Reba McIntyre is now in the role. Similarly, he stabs at Alan Cumming, who is no longer playing the Emcee. These numbers, while funny, lack punch. On the other hand, he once again skewers long time target Patti LuPone with an hysterical new parody of Being Alive. I suppose she's innately funnier, after all these years, than Alan Cumming, who is, after all, a relative newcomer.

The Rocky Horror parody is amusing, and the observation that sex has moved off 42nd Street and onto the Broadway stage is not without merit. The Beauty parody is amusing, and apt, but as has already been noted, GA has been clobbering us with the Disnification of Broadway for years now. I suppose he finds some glee in the fading success of this particular show.

I must say that while Gurwin is not the greatest singer, "Sondheim's Blues" is the most brilliant piece I've heard from Alessandrini in years. It's absolutely dead on. The friends I was with had never seen nor heard "Follies" and completely missed the point, but I was in stitches.

The "10 Years More" (which does not appear on this album, but remains in the show) has really begun to wear thin, especially with the closing this year of Cats and Miss Saigon. The Cameron Macintosh British mega-musicals are finally releasing their grip on Broadway, and this isn't as funny any more.

Broadway, despite the naysayers, will never die... and apparently, neither will Forbidden Broadway. I don't think it should - but I do think it needs a rest.

Do the Math.......2001-03-15

Four CDs cover the first 20 Years of Forbidden Broadway, Gerard Alessandrini's viciously witty satire of New York Theatre. The last year has seen Three new CDs, FB "Cleans Up Its Act" "20th Anniversary Edition" and now "2001 a Spoof Odyssey". Do the math.

Alessandrini is running out of ideas, and is spreading the remaining ones too thin. . Sanitized Time Square - Been there. Disnified Broadway - Done that, and so many times. Asinine casting faux pas, plotless pointless set-monster musicals, and Ethel Merman and Liza. We've heard it all before - and last time, it was funnier.

Now normally when a writer (or director or actor) has truly entertained me on numerous occasions, I'll forgive the odd show that disappoints. This would be the case here except for two things: Alessandrini is in the vicious parody business - he's never spared anyone else Besides, if he's going to actually include couplets like: "If lyrics are no longer witty... Then I don't want to go " he's inviting the pans.

When you hear the AIDA lampoon, you'll be reminded of the dim bulb in Cyrano de Bergerac who taunts the hero with the brilliant witticism: Your nose is very large

Yes, there are a few true Forbidden Broadway tracks on Spoof Odyssey. Dame Judi Dench singing "Why can't Americans do theatre like the Brits?" (with apologies to My Fair Lady), I Hate Ben (with apologies to Kiss Me Kate) and about 1/3 of "Let's Ruin Time Square Again" (no apologies necessary to Rocky Horror which understands how easy it is for good parody to go bad). Oh yes, there is one absolutely true Forbidden Broadway track: TROUBLE - yes, the same Trouble from Volume 3 which was just re-released on the 20th Anniversary compilation - and it's back again with a more hackneyed Robert Preston impersonation and all of 4 words changed. Granted it's one of the better bits, more worthy of rerunning than say, referring to Miss Saigon as Viet-Numb, but oh, he reran that gag too

Average customer rating:

On Broadway [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Chicago ASIN: B00003ZA8O Release Date: 2001-02-28

Average customer rating: Disappointing Inspiring hypnotic punk-goth-metal-pop-new wave music this is the moment I lost interest in this band

This Is The Moment The Violet Burning Manufacturer: Northern Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Demonstrates Plastic And Elastic Faith and Devotions of a Satellite Heart Violet Burning Drop Dead ASIN: B0009AHKO0 Release Date: 2003-01-01

Tracks:

1. Lovesick
2. Everywhere I Go
3. Radio Jesus Superstar
4. Only One
5. I'm Not Letting Go
6. Heaven Holds My Heart
7. Lost Without You Near Me
8. Lord, Rescue Me
9. Slowa
10. I See Stars
11. Let It Begin
12. Manta Rae

Product Description

Playlist: LOVESICK, EVERYWHERE I GO, RADIO JESUS SUPERSTAR, THE ONLY ONE, I'M NOT LETTING GO, HEAVEN HOLDS MY HEART, LOST WITHOUT YOU NEAR ME, LORD RESCUE ME, SLOWA, I SEE STARS, LET IT BEGIN & MANTA RAE

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2006-11-21

I saw the Violet Burning live the day before I bought 'This Is The Moment', and based on their passionate, rocking performance that night,was convinced that this would be their best album to date.

I was confused when I actually heard the record, though.

Both the arrangements and mixing are depressingly similar to the ubiquitous, insipid adult-contemporary 'rock' on corporate radio [similar to Matchbox 20's production, for example]- everything is safely packaged and bland, no one element stands out too much in the mix except the sparkling vocals. Sam West of the bands Stavesacre and Scaterd Few was drumming for the Violet Burning on this record, yet most of the tracks predominantly feature cheesy drum machine programming instead of live drums, and the precious few live drums are mixed down so far that they don't lend much power to the songs anyway. This was a shameful waste of a talented musician who would have given some life and animation to the album if they'd have only let him shine.

Most of the songs themselves are good, and some are among the best the Violets have ever written, in my opinion ['Lovesick' and 'Slowa', particularly]. However, they sound light years better when played live than they do on this CD, because they're real, sweaty, passionate, imperfect, and most of all they ROCK.

Inspiring hypnotic punk-goth-metal-pop-new wave music.......2006-02-28

I've followed the Violets for many, many years. The Violet Burning is basically Mike Pritzl and whatever musician happens to be in the general vicinity. Another reviewer has indicated that their sound and ideas are dated, etc. But honestly, how much has AC/DC or Aerosmith or Yanni or anyone else REALLY changed over the years? The Violet Burning found their own distinctive sound early on and tweak it only slightly for each release. Why should they change it? Their sound is STILL unique after all these years and still a powerful medium for communicating Mike's emotional psalmic song-writing. This particular offering from Mike and the boys is surprisingly brooding AND hopeful at the same time. Howdidtheydothat? I've never heard the Violets quite like this. Usually their music and lyrics border on tragic melancholy, but this release is undergirded with a happy hope. So, this release, musically and lyrically, is as good as anything else that the VB has put out and that's saying a lot. If you are a long time fan and understand the nature of the Violet Burning music, you will be touched by this outing. I dare you not to weep during Manta Ray. I dare you! If you are not into inspiring hypnotic punk-goth-metal-pop-new wave music, then by all means don't buy this. If you ARE into weird rawk music, then you should check this band out and give it more than one listen. The VB music and mayhem takes some getting used to, sort of like wrestling with God.

this is the moment I lost interest in this band.......2006-02-23

i have to say that there is always a point where a band or solo musician loses new ideas and inspiration and continues making albums to satisfy label contract agreements. sadly, the violets (or violet) have wilted and are no longer in bloom. their earlier albums were much better that this or the 2006 release. save your money and buy something better.

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5. Viva Forever [UK CD1] [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]
6. Waiting for Tonight: Remixes [CD-single] [Import]
7. Weather Vane
8. Westlife [Import]
9. Windflowers: The Songs of Jerome Moross
10. You Drive Me Crazy [EP] [Import]

Meditation Music

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Music: Bridge Over Troubled Water (The Best Of) [Import]

Gibberish [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Hed Kandi: Back to Love 03.03

International Music: 44 Original Recordings [Import]

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