Sail Away

Sail Away

Track Listings

1. Short Overture

2. Mother's Eyes

3. Cryin'

4. Momma Don't Stop

5. Alone

6. All Right

7. Sail Away

8. Gone With the Wind

9. Livin' in the U.S.A.

10. If I Ever Saw a Good Thing

Tracks:

Best Thing
You Need Love
Lady
Winner Take All
Rock & Roll Feeling
Light Up
Lorelei
Prelude 12
Suite Madame Blue
Shooz
Mademoiselle
Crystal Ball
The Grand Illusion
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Come Sail Away
Miss America
Man In The Wilderness

Tracks:

Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
Sing For The Day
Renegade
Pieces Of Eight
Lights
Babe
Borrowed Time
Boat On The River
A.D. 1928
Rockin' The Paradise
Too Much Time On My Hands
The Best Of Times
Snowblind
Mr. Roboto
Love Is The Ritual
Show Me The Way
Dear John
One With Everything

Amazon.com

Styx may have had their musical roots in the UK's burgeoning late-'60s/early-'70s prog-rock bombast, but they were true pioneers in at least one sense: The Chicago-bred quintet virtually defined the hugely successful "corp rock" boom that followed a decade after prog's original fortunes tarnished. And if that label suggests a certain sense of the formulaic, in Styx it actually denoted a band with sharp ears and a shrewder sense of rock history, attested to immediately here by the Yes-inspired harmonies of "You Need Love" and the staccato rhythms of the Beatles' "Getting Better" on "Winner Take All." This 35-track double-disc anthology charts a course from sudden fame to its sometimes stormy aftermath, spanning the band's 1972 debut and its resilient 2003 comeback contender, Cyclorama. But after working their way up from the Grand Funk-worthy, meat 'n' instant potatoes of "Rock and Roll Feeling" and bald-faced melodramatics of "Lady" and "Come Sail Away" to the gutsier edge of "Blue Collar Man" and "Too Much Time on My Hands," rising tides of punk and new wave began to erode their younger demographic. And by the time "Babe" gave way to the faux techno of '83's "Mr. Roboto," even those sympathetic to the band's hook-rich, prog-lite sensibility seemed restless. Still, their Tommy Shaw-dominate output in the '90s and beyond showcased a band that had subtly matured from their arena-rock cliché salad days. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

I always just loved this band, STYX!!!!!!.......2007-07-25

STYX!!!! What a grrreeaaat band!!!! ...or.....Does my dog need to take a dump after hearing that horrible sound again??
That's the title of this review folks. Face it...You lose, Styx wins...An utterly horrible band takes your money, not once, not twice, but for 35 years they take your money.

O.K., a lot of people think that the band "STYX" is from England, the UK, Britain, whatever. Why can't those dumb Brits just get one freakin' name for there idiotic country, Jesus. Regardless, Styx were just a plain old ridiculous pompous, horrendous, disgusting American band from Chicago. They just tried real hard to sound British. Like for instance, on the stupidest in the world song, "Lady", the singer really squeezes his nards hard and tries to sound like the Queen of England, the UK, Britain, Scottish, whatever. It doesn't work folks, it doesn't work.

Now, lets look at the facts. Most musicians die at an early age unfortunately. The guitar master Jimi Hendrix died in his 20's as did the genius Jim Morrison as well as Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and many many other great musicians, it's so sad. Even regular musicians that aren't famous die early, people you knew in your hometown, from high school, I mean, people die, it's part of life.
However, every dirty stinkin' guy from the band Styx is still alive!!!! Every band member from all those horrible 70's bands is still alive. Styx, Kansas, REO, Journey, they are all alive!!!! WHY?????........BECAUSE THEY AREN'T REALLY MUSICIANS, THEY ARE JUST POSERS. Posers can live forever because they have no internal organs. No brain, no heart, they don't even have a soul, and definitely got no BALLS!!!
They even stole their name from a San Francisco band from the 60's called Butch Engle and the Styx. What a bunch of losers!!!! Like I said at the beginning of the review, my dog needs to take a dump.

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST STYX GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUM THUS FAR........2007-06-26

I will be writing a review on the legendary masterpiece 2-CD compilation album entitled "COME SAIL AWAY, THE STYX ANTHOLOGY" by one of Rock's all-time greatest premiere bands ever. I give you one of America's favorite sons and one of Chicago's many pride and joy's, S-T-Y-X! "COME SAIL AWAY, THE STYX ANTHOLOGY" was originally released in 2004 on the UTV Records / A&M Records label on a special 2-CD Gold disc set series using the Original Recording Remastered process. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary compilation album or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the overall best informative and most accurate review possible.

STYX will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for composing and recording some of Rock's all-time greatest "slow ballads exploding into Hard Rockers" ever. I guess you can say that STYX followed along the same lines and tradition of LED ZEPPELIN and one of their many legendary Rock songs that would forever be the band's signature and trademark Rock anthem, "Stairway To Heaven." "Stairway To Heaven" would start out as a beautifully slow romantic and poetic acoustic arrangement which would end with a fast upbeat and explosive Hard Rock ending that would have you begging for more. In true retrospect, many of STYX'S classic Rock anthems follow the same LED ZEPPELIN formula but would take it a step further. I will mention more about this formula throughout this review. When the original members such as acoustic and electric guitarist Tommy Shaw met up and joined forces with guitarist James Young, keyboardist, vocalist and synthesizers Dennis De Young, bassist Chuck Panozzo and his brother, drummer John Panozzo, STYX would be born and a new era of arena Rock was about to begin and unfold. It was full speed ahead for STYX and the band would delight us for many years to come from 1972 to 2003 with such beautifully slow, poetic and romantic acoustic sound arrangements thus resulting in blowing us away with a fast explosive and electrifying sound fury at the end of their songs with such grace that the band made it look so easy to perform when it really wasn't. Which now brings me to the legendary compilation album I'm about to review for you today. "COME SAIL AWAY, THE STYX ANTHOLOGY" would be the result of the many great Rock anthems that STYX would deliver to all of us during the 1972 to 2003 period. In my opinion, "COME SAIL AWAY, THE STYX ANTHOLOGY" is without a doubt, a true testament of the greatness, pure genius and musical creativity of five extremely multi-talented musicians. This legendary compilation album is also a fine fitting tribute to a great band that was truly indeed, far ahead of their time. This is the story of STYX, their music is their story that speaks for itself.

It is now time to let the music of STYX to do all of the talking and back it up musically as it was truly intended. "COME SAIL AWAY, THE STYX ANTHOLOGY" from 2004 begins with DISC ONE starting with the CROSBY, STILLS & NASH sounding and incredible acoustic turned acoustic and electric Hard Rocker "Best Thing," the fast paced and explosive Hard Rocker "You Need Love," the formula at its best, the beautifully slow, poetic and romantic arrangement which would soon thrust into a Hard Rockin' masterpiece anthem, "Lady," the explosive and energetic Hard Rocker "Winner Take All," the sizzlin' and loud a*s kickin' Hard Rock anthem with a lot of heart and feelin', "Rock & Roll Feeling," the powerfully slow synthesized turned funkish Hard Rocker "Light Up," the synthesized Hard Rocker with a backbone, "Lorelei," the beautifully sounding acoustic arrangement "Prelude 12," which would evolve into the beautifully arranged mild acoustic number which would later explode into a Hard Rock extravaganza "Suite Madame Blue," the a*s kicking Hard Rocker "Shooz," the amazing guitar sounding effects and wizardry developing into a QUEEN-sounding Hard Rocker, "Mademoiselle," the brilliantly sounding acoustic arrangement turned Hard Rocker, "Crystal Ball," the unbelievable synthesized KANSAS sounding Rocker, "The Grand Illusion," the circus like atmospheric synthesized number turned into an acoustic Rocker, "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)," this next song is another fine example of the formula performed to its fullest potential. This beautifully slow STYX stamped trademark song would erupt into the Hard Rock anthem it was destined to become, a masterpiece. The Hard Rocker of Hard Rockers, "Come Sail Away," the daring and in your face Hard Rocker "Miss America" and the beautifully slow mystical and mysterious number growing into another Hard Rock anthem, "Man In The Wilderness." END OF DISC ONE.

DISC TWO picks up right where DISC ONE left off beginning with the a*s kicking synthesized Hard Rocker "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)," the uplifting synthesized mild Rocker "Sing For The Day," the a*s kicking Hard Rock anthem "Renegade," the Rock n' Roll opus with a synthesized and orchestrated Hard Rock sound touch, "Pieces Of Eight," the heartfelt synthesized mild Rocker "Lights," the beautifully slow sounding Rock anthem that would be another STYX stamped trademark song, "Babe," the rude awakening sounding Hard Rocker "Borrowed Time," the beautifully slow and mandolin filled mild song "Boat On The River," one of the most beautifully sounding Rock anthem ballads ever, "A.D. 1928," which would grow and shake Rock n' Roll to its very foundations with the rugged Hard Rocker "Rockin' The Paradise," the synthesized Rocker with a life of its own, "Too Much Time On My Hands," another one of STYX'S trademark Rock anthems, the beautifully sounding and breathtaking mild Rocker "The Best Of Times," the slow a*s kicking Hard Rocker "Snowblind," the synthesized and energetic Rocker "Mr. Roboto," the synthesized progressive Rocker "Love Is The Ritual," the beautifully slow and encouraging song with hope, "Show Me The Way," the beautifully sounding acoustic and orchestrated song "Dear John" and the true STYX Hard Rock anthem that kicks a*s, "One With Everything." END OF DISC TWO. May I also add an important note and highly commend all of the bandmembers on a great job well done. Much of the music contained on this album is extremely difficult to play. However, the band's timekeeping was laid down perfectly resulting in enabling the other bandmembers to join in and harmonize beautifully and perfectly together. WHAT A SOUND!

This legendary greatest hits compilation album is another great album for everyone of all ages to hear, enjoy and appreciate. This compilation album should automatically be considered an necessity to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This compilation album will definitely prove to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, cherished and appreciated for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER. You can do all of your album researching and purchases either on Amazon com or at your nearest local Borders Books and Music store.

In closing, STYX has successfully continued in entertaining sell-out audiences the world over up to this very day. STYX has also persevered through many band personnel changes through the years but STYX'S own special blend of magical sounds remain fully intact. With this in mind, STYX has forever left their place and mark in Rock n' Roll history and their accomplishments, contributions and achievements speak for themselves and will never ber forgotten. Knowing this, I guess it is safe to say that STYX is here to stay to delight us further with their sound resulting in many more gothic tales and stories within the STYX saga and legacy that would still need to be told and written in pages and chapters. But that, my fellow readers and reviewers, you will just have to stay tuned and read further more about it at a later date. So here's to you Tommy, James, Dennis, Chuck and John. Thanks for the great memories and moments with many more still yet to come. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have truly enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that all of you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. STYX RULES! Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.

Philosophical Breakthrough.......2007-05-30

This CD finally proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that there is no God. No benevolent ruler would sit idly by while music this bad was being unleashed on innocent people. A plague of locusts would be much easier to take than this CD.

Styx featured the kind of song writing that only developmentally delayed junior high kids would pen. Then, they performed their songs over a barrage of generic guitars and cheesy synthesizers. The result is the most synthetic, formulated music ever to come out of the corporate music industry.

Awesome Collection of Styx.......2007-01-08

Styx is one of those groups that many people seem to hate, and yet has always done well both in concert and on tour. One likely explanation is that Styx has sung songs that often almost "gimmicky" or too cute for some fans. One example is "Mr. Roboto." Furthermore, their commercial success may turn some critics away because some people have the opinion that commercial success means little or no artistry. Regardless of why the opinions are what they are, Styx had a long successful career and though they had many pop hits they began life with a progressive and harder edge.

As Styx's popularity waned they tried to experiment with their music, which is always dangerous for a long-established group since their existing fans may feel betrayed and the genre they are trying to break into either reviles their music or doesn't recognize what they are trying to do. "Kilroy Was Here," from which "Mr. Roboto" was taken, was such an experiment. "Kilroy Was Here" was a concept album. I think that had Styx been a new group the album may have worked. However, many longtime Styx fans felt betrayed by an album that appeared to diverge from Styx's traditional music. This album marked the end or the beginning of the end for a monster group that had churned out many top 40 songs.

Styx continues to release albums, with two albums released in the 1990's and two released after the beginning of the new millennium. This album covers up to the 2003 release "Cyclorama."

This CD is a significant improvement over "Styx - Greatest Hits." As with the previous release, I'm not sure that all of the songs on the CD are "greatest hits," but certainly they are representative of Styx from the beginning of their career to the end. This CD is much like "Styx - Greatest Hits" in that it makes a great sampler of Styx. However, serious fans will want to move beyond this collection and acquire Styx albums.

Styx has been classified many ways. Some critics call their music prog-lite. Some critics call them arena rockers and glam rockers. I guess I do not understand what any of these definitions mean when applied to Styx. I think many of these songs still have an edge to them. As an example, "Miss America" is a rocking song. "Crystal Ball" and "Renegade" are also rockers on this CD. There are other fast-paced songs, but they are more pop, such as "Fooling Yourself" and "Lorelei."

Ignore the criticism of Styx if you are a fan of Styx. They created their own style of music, which added, not subtracted, from rock music. They did not try to be like anyone else. I think most groups, including Styx, would rather be thought of as creating their own genre rather than fitting into an existing genre. I think in many ways they did exactly that. In the process they created detractors. Oh well. There will always be someone who wants to denigrate a successful artist. If you like what you've heard of Styx's music and are looking for a good overview of their career, this is the CD. If you are looking for early Styx that had yet to be a pop success, try "The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings."

Enjoy!

Groan!.......2006-10-29

Just what we needed. Q:What could be worse than a CD of Styx greatest hits? A: a TWO CD set of Styx greatest Hits! Double the swill! I know there's lots of you Mr.Roboto heads who'll hate me for saying this,but Styx were undoubtably the worst band who ever made it big. Overwrought,overblown,and sappy. Just to be fair,though, Tommy Shaw was a pretty good guitarist. Too bad he didn't have better songs to play on. Miserable.

Average customer rating:

Sail Away! Randy Newman
political science
Newman At His Best!!
You Can Leave Your Hat On
"Political Science" should be the national anthem

Sail Away
Randy Newman
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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General | Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000065DVA
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Tracks:

Sail Away
Lonely At The Top
He Gives Us All His Love
Last Night I Had A Dream
Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear
Old Man
Political Science
Burn On
Memo To My Son
Dayton, Ohio - 1903
You Can Leave Your Hat On
God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)
Let It Shine
Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong (Studio Version)
Dayton, Ohio - 1903 (Early Version)
You Can Leave Your Hat On (Demo)
Sail Away (Early Version)

Amazon.com essential recording

Odd man out in California's early-'70s panoply of singer-songwriters, Randy Newman didn't play guitar, refused to confess specific personal dreams and sins, and sidestepped the countercultural trinity of sex, rebellion, and self. Newman dared to be a neoclassical pop survivor, narrative guerilla, and prankster, and no album summarizes these gifts better than this 1973 classic, which found the singer, songwriter, pianist, and arranger spreading his wings to fuse the economy of his songwriting with his lush talents as a composer. The classic title song mingles its elegiac orchestral bloom with the devastating, deadpanned sales pitch of its slave trader protagonist, while elsewhere Newman wraps his whiskey drawl and laconic piano around acerbic meditations on God ("He Gives Us All His Love," "God's Song"), celebrity ("Lonely at the Top"), nuclear Armageddon ("Political Science"), and sex ("You Can Leave Your Hat On"). Sail Away captures funny, tragic, moving American pop at its zenith. Rhino's 2002 remixed, expanded reissue is fleshed out with early versions of "Dayton, Ohio 1903" and "Sail Away," the rarities "Let It Shine and "Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong," and a demo take of "You Can Leave Your Hat On." --Sam Sutherland

Album Description

2002 expanded & remastered reissue of 1972 album with 5 added bonus tracks (all previously unissued) 'Let It Shine', 'Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong' (studio version), 'Dayton, Ohio-1903' (studio version), 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' (demo) & 'Sail Away' (early version).

Customer Reviews:

Sail Away! Randy Newman.......2007-01-09

sigh . . . evidently no longer a Randy Newman fan. (rememberd "Short People" from way back).

Blessings to Amazon!

political science.......2005-08-02

randy's prime is here, his best album along with good old boys, every song is tops from this underated gem.

Newman At His Best!!.......2005-05-17

Randy Newman is an America original. He is one of our greatest singer-songwriters, whose trenchant humor, biting social satire, eclectic compositions and intelligent lyrics have set him far above the pack for decades. Musically adept and diverse in style, Newman has dozens of albums and hundreds of songs in his discography. He has composed movie scores including "Ragtime," "The Natural," "Parenthood," "Awakenings," "Toy Story," and "Pleasantville." His work in the film industry earned him 16 Oscar nominations including his first win for "If I Didn't Have You" from the film "Monsters, Inc."

"Sail Away" is one of my favorite Newman albums (1972), and one of his first. The title song is most powerful. Backed by a full orchestra, the track's wonderfully gentle melody provides a dark contrast to the disquieting voice of a slave trader convincing Africans of the bounty America has to offer. "Ain't no lions or tigers - Ain't no mamba snake/Just the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake/Ev'rybody is as happy as a man can be/Climb aboard little wog -Sail away with me." Yep! "It's great to be an American!" In the same vein, "Political Science's" casually genocidal American leader has ambitions of making major changes in the world. "Boom goes London and boom Paree/More room for you and more room for me/And every city the whole world round/Will just be an American town." 1972??? The more things change the more they stay the same.

Newman wrote the sardonic "Lonely at the Top," for Frank Sinatra. "Listen all you fools out there/Go on and love me--I don't care/Oh, it's lonely at the top." He thought Sinatra would love it. Old Blue Eyes did not. So Newman recorded it himself.

The terribly poignant "Old Man" never fails to move me. And the bitter, ironic "God's Song," makes some pithy statements about organized religion. "Memo to My Son" is a paean to parents everywhere - or perhaps the empathy here is for the kids. "Burn On," reminds me of the time Cleveland's Cuyahoga River caught fire. Seriously, I was there. Talk about water pollution! You Can Leave Your Hat On" is a mid-tempo erotic rock song that later became a hit for Joe Cocker.

"Sail Away" is an impressively even album. The music is simply wonderful. And the remastered reissue has an additional 5 bonus tracks. If you're a Randy Newman fan, you can't go wrong with this one.
JANA

You Can Leave Your Hat On.......2005-04-24

Randy Newman is in a class all his own. That's not to say he's the BEST of the best, but he certainly is a raging iconoclast. I mean, a portly, curly-headed, Jewish-raised Californian who arranges for orchestra, writes for children's films, and sings songs about short people, L.A., good old boys, God, and dancing bears... what? Despite its unconventional exterior the music of Randy Newman is some of the funniest, most intelligent in the pantheon of rock/pop/whatever you want to call it.

Although not his earliest, Sail Away was Randy Newman's first album to generate a deal of noise - it remains a favourite of fan and critic alike and to this day his most consistent seller. There's probably a reason for that: namely the quality of this record. Newman has never given in to songwriting formulas or "conventions", staking out territory where his contemporaries seldom tread. So you don't get the archetypical "silly love songs" or teenage angst so common in rock & roll - you get self-deprecating ironies, tales of African slave recruiters, and Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear, among others.

This idiosyncrasy ranges from the dismal to the ribald and hilarious, and everywhere in-between. For instance, God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) is a bleakly insightful take on religion; the equally incisive Political Science a side-splittingly funny slice of "foreign policy" courtesy one of Newman's trademark wackos. From a technical standpoint all the performances are outstanding, including the virtuosity of Ry Cooder and Randy Newman's own skills as a pianist among others. His voice may be limited, but he makes the best of it in his deadpan delivery. He's also always utilized orchestras in a unique way - you'd never be able to mistake one of his instrumental passages - and they blend totally naturally into the fabric of the music here. Not an easy task; just ask ELO's Jeff Lynne, one of the few songwriters out there whose orchestral arrangements complement the songs as perfectly as Randy Newman's.

As for the bonus tracks, the two original cuts (Let It Shine and Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong) are both excellent (albeit short), as are the alternate takes; the early version of Sail Away is particularly welcome.

Is Sail Away Randy Newman's best album? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But I can tell you what it IS: it's comical, it's perspicacious, and, most importantly, it's massively entertaining. So whether you're a newcomer, a longtime fan, or just somebody looking for a bit of good music, you can't go wrong.

"Political Science" should be the national anthem.......2004-12-10

Randy Newman has written many brilliant songs, but SAIL AWAY may well be his finest album. The 2-minute "Political Science" is certainly one of his greatest achievements, and the song is just as timely now as it was in 1973. What makes the lyric so great is that it distills exactly what so many Americans think about the world. It could be your friendly next-door neighbor, who seems like a perfectly nice person until you stumble into a political discussion, and then you realize that he is an immoral monster. It seems to me that "Political Science" should be the national anthem -- it's what large numbers of Americans really think, and if they disagree then they should be forced to change the attitude as well as the policies before they change the song.

I would like to include the entire lyric, but here is a sample:

"We give them money, but are they grateful, no they're spiteful and they're hateful. They don't respect us, so let's surprise 'em, let's drop The Big One and pulverize 'em."

"Boom goes London, and boom Pay-ree, more room for you and more room for me. Every city the whole world round will just be another American town, oh how peaceful it will be, we'll set everybody free ... They all hate us anyhow, so let's drop The Big One now."

Is Randy Newman being too sarcastic, too harsh? Just look at the anti-French movement among the republicanus neanderthalis recently -- "nuke France and gimme some Freedom Fries with my burger" -- and it seems clear that if anything he is too kind.

Thank goodness for Randy Newman in times like these. Along with Mose Allison, Stan Ridgway (see my 7/29/04 review of his brilliant latest, SNAKEBITE), and a few other mavericks, he understands America's dark side well enough to deflate its pretensions and hypocrisy with humor, from the inside.

Average customer rating:

Great album, great band!
Best yet
Another great album from Hanna's Reef!
Incredible!

Deja View
Hanna's Reef
Manufacturer: Sail Away Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2004-05-21

Tracks:

Rum in Pensacola
Tropical Girl
Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers
King of the Island
Island Time
Bitter Winds
Livin Well
Jamaica Me Smile
Have You Seen Your Rita?
Local Knowledge
Sail Away
Makin Waves
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Everythings Gonna Be Alright

Album Description

"Deja View" is the second album from the Texas-based group Hanna's Reef. The album is a follow-up to their 2002 live recording, "Reef Madness", which is also available on amazon.com . This album was recorded in-studio, and features 14 tracks of original music, all written by Hanna's Reef guitarist Jerry Diaz. Nine of these tracks were previously released by the band Key West, of which Diaz was a member. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Danny Broussard, at The Control Room, in Nederland, Texas.

The inside liner notes of the Cd contain the following message from Jerry Diaz:

"This album is called "Deja View", because it contains some of our favorite songs from our past, and also some of the new music that we're making now. We hope that by putting these songs side by side on the same album, our fans can see that we intend to continue where we left off a couple of years ago. The same style, but updated as we go along. You can expect that trend to continue on future Hanna's Reef albums.

So if you've been looking for something to fill that void that only a folk, country, reggae, rockin' calypso band can fill, you've found a home here on the Reef. We'll have the crawfish and raw oysters waiting for you. Later, we're gonna break out the rum and the cold beer, and have us a party. Welcome aboard mate!"

Customer Reviews:

Great album, great band!.......2004-08-17

What a pleasant surprise this purchase turned out to be! I heard about Hanna's Reef from a friend of mine in Texas. She had seen them perform at a festival there this summer. I had not heard them, but bought the Deja View CD on her recommendation.

"Rum in Pensacola" is just awesome! I think that if this song ever gets on the radio, it will be a national hit. But it's not the only good song here. They are just one right after another. "Tropical Girl" is great, and so is "Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers". These guys just have a great sound, and their music really makes people feel good.

I definitley recommend this CD to anyone who likes fun, uplifting, "tropical" music!

Best yet.......2004-05-25

What makes Hanna's Reef stand apart is that in their live shows they blend original music with Buffett-esque covers. They are not just another cover band. This album combines nine of Jerry's original songs that were recorded in his previous lifetime, with five new original tunes. The opening track, Rum In Pensacola, is worth the price of the CD by itself. If this song doesn't get some radio play, somebody missed the boat. The rest of the new songs are great, and the older songs have been updated and sound great also.

Another great album from Hanna's Reef!.......2004-05-25

The second CD, first studio CD from Hanna's Reef has 14 tracks, 5 new songs along with 9 re-recorded songs from back when most of Hanna's Reef played under the name Key West-The Band. Unlike many "re-recorded" songs, these nine songs have been re arranged and reworked in one way or the other, and have a new feel and "soul" to them. They're like new songs and well worth listening to again and again.
The name "Deja View" (which I'm kinda partial to) was chosen because, in Jerry Diaz' words "It contains some of our favorite songs from our past and some of the new music that we're making now."

And Hanna's Reef is making some great music! This CD has been the only one in my player for over a week now and it's not coming out anytime soon.

The CD starts with "Rum in Pensacola", a "kick yourself in the butt because you didn't realize what you had" song. I've been listening to Jerry's songs for eight years now and this song is my favorite.

The next song, "Tropical Girl" is a tropical love story with a Latin flair.

"Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers" gets it's start from the back of a Hanna's Reef T-Shirt. This song is destined to be the "Sing Along" song on the CD, with lyrics like:
"We're Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers
Smiles away from the old rat racers
Three sheets to the wind and goin' strong.
We're all for one, one for all
Bound for another port o' call
Doing everything I said I would
Life is good!

"King of the Island" is a story about Galveston Island in the 30's when "Victor was king of the island" and the Mob wanted to move in.

"Island Time" Sometimes the world moves way too fast and there's too much technology. You just want to slow things down.

"Bitter Winds" We've all looked back and said "what if". This song reminds you to keep moving forward, reaching for your "pot of gold".

"Livin Well" This is a song about the "rock star life" but could also apply to a mid-life crisis. Hey, either one, along with this song sounds great and is nothing but fun. Jerry Diaz gets on the mike for this one.

"Jamaica Me Smile" Sometimes you meet someone that makes you feel better than a week in the Keys or in this case, Jamaica.

"Have You Seen Your Rita" We all know or have known someone like this.

"Local Knowledge" "Local Knowledge" is information and stories that you're not going to hear in the tourist traps. You have to go where the locals are. Those memories can sometimes be the best treasures from any trip. This song is one of the treasures of the CD.

"Sail Away" Had Enough? It's time for an escape, a get away. This song is the next best thing to just walking away and heading to the nearest boat.

"Makin' Waves" Another great song about 5 people getting away and Makin' Waves.

"Fun in the Sun" Classic 60's beach song. Very Beach Boy-esque. This song is screaming for a remake with Beach Boy Mike Love sitting in. If your not tapping your feet during this song, call the doctor - You're comatose.

"Everything's Gonna Be Alright" A catchy, feel good song to wrap up the CD.... Well, almost. Here's a hidden "track"

You'll be able to see Hanna's Reef not only at Meeting of the Minds in Key West this November, but also at Riddles in the Sand in Galveston, Texas the last weekend in July.

This review, along with $.75 will get you coffee in some places other than Starbucks. It's just my opinion and you know what they say about those.

Happy listening!

Incredible!.......2004-05-25

I've been following these guys for several years, even before they went by the name "Hanna's Reef". This album is BY FAR head and shoulders above anything they've released up till now. First, the production quality is top-notch. The person credited as "the producer" (Danny Broussard) has finally captured the "feel" that this band has been needing. There are several re-makes of songs that this band recorded previously, when most of them were with "Key West-the band". But with the improved production, and an obvious re-thinking of the instrumentation, these remakes really are like new songs. Especially notable are "Tropical Girl", and "Makin' Waves". They did a fantastic job of updating those two.

Now for the best part of the album though. The five new songs recorded here are superb. The album opens with "Rum in Pensacola", which has has got "radio airplay" written all over it. It's a classic love song, with the Pensacola Beach as a backdrop. Mike Barnett's vocals, and Jerry Diaz's guitar solo at the end highlight this should-be hit. Another great new song is "Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers". It's a catchy little song that you'll be humming all day after you hear it. As a sailor myself, I can tell you that this is sure to be an anthem for the sailing crowd, once it gets circulated.

The other new tunes include "Living Well", which is a great showcase for Diaz's lyrics. Funny stuff! Also included is another great sailing song "Local Knowledge". It is actually my favorite song on the album. It sounds like something that could have been on Buffett's "Son of a Son of a Sailor" album. And lastly, a mindless little summertime tune called "Fun in the Sun" shows that these guys must have listened to a few Beach Boys albums somewhere along the way.

Tracks:

My Life Belongs To You
Shine Through My Dreams
Sorrento
You'll Never Walk Alone
Roses Of Picardy
Because You're Mine
The Holy City
Ave Maria
If I Loved You
Funiculi Funicula
La Vie En Rose
Sail Away
Beloved
Because
And This Is My Beloved
I'll Walk With God

Amazon.com

It seems pretty clear that Ronan Tynan has no intention of resting on his laurels. Despite a stunning string of world-dominating, top-selling releases as a member of the much-loved Irish Tenors--not to mention his accomplishments as a champion athlete, an M.D., and a memoirist (see his recently published Halfway Home: My Life 'til Now)--the singer has now released his debut solo effort on Sony Classical. No matter which member of the Irish Tenors happens to be your favorite, My Life Belongs to You is a treat, affording as it does a chance to bask in the deeply expressive, mellifluous voice of Tynan. He has chosen his selections well and is equally poised and tender in classics from Mario Lanza ("Because You're Mine," "I'll Walk with God"), Broadway, and sacred music. What's especially wonderful is the opportunity to hear Tynan's emotionally gripping vocalism from so many angles. The mixing by Frank McNamara gives a lovely old-time feeling to the orchestral playing--a bit like a treasured old sepia photograph. A bonus track of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" is included. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

He should have stayed with Irish music........2007-04-04

Ronan Tynon was my favorite of 'The Irish Tenors;' so I was excited when I saw this cd. But, it was a big disappointment. The singing is mechanical; there is no personality, no emotion. The 'bonus track,' an unaccompanied "God Bless America," serves only to accentuate the absence of feeling. He should have stayed with Irish music.

My Life Belongs to You.......2007-03-08

A real sleeper in the Ronan Tynan series. First rate.

Ronan Tynan.......2007-01-10

I assume this is a great cd, since we own 3 Ronan Tynan cd's. This however was a gift for a friend , bought specifically for the song "God Bless America." He did, however rave about it to us, so it must be terrific.

Ronan at his most Emotional.......2005-11-26

This cd "My Life Belongs to You" is Ronan at his greatest. Each song he sings shows the great emotion he has in his voice. Ronan can sing each one of these to me anytime. He has great clarity and emotion as he sings. Love the CD "My Life Belongs to You."

greatest living tenor.......2005-03-22

Ronan Tynan is an amazing vocalist, and an amazing man. I'd never heard of him until, in the 2001 World Series, he sang "God Bless America," at Yankee Stadium. From then on, my husband was hooked. He bought this album as soon as he heard of it, and his culture level, musically speaking, is usually -----. But this is the exception that proves every rule. "my Life Belongs to You," "You'll Never Walk Alone," and above all else "The Holy City," are faves of his. This is easily the best recording of "Holy City," still in print. Nelson Eddy did the original, but sadly, no recording of it is known to exist. if only, lord, if only ... but until then, this is a masterpiece. "Roses of Picardy," is a thousand times better than the jazzed-up version of it Frankie Layne did. who was he kidding? This is a slow, tender ballad, and Tynan brings it off with spectacular flair. There's none like him--and where would we put one if there was?

Average customer rating:

Superlative, Wonderful Jazz!

Sail Away
Tom Harrell
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000CABLY
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Eons
Glass Mystery
Dream In June
Sail Away
Buffalo Wings
It Always Is
Dancing Trees
Hope St.
April Mist
Visions Of Gaudi

Customer Reviews:

Superlative, Wonderful Jazz!.......2004-01-26

I'm surprised no-one has reviewed this wonderful album yet! It's going to be a real treat for you if you haven't heard this one! It was first released in 1989 and at that time, as I recall, was given either 4 or 5 stars in Downbeat; which was where I first heard about it. I found a Japanese import copy in a small music store, and haven't been able to find a Japanese person to interpret the liner notes until now!

In a nutshell, this is a superb session, with a classic quintet sound on most tracks, and Tom's fine compositions and arrangements; not unlike the work he had done before this with Phil Woods, and also on his own albums prior to this one. This album is definitely one of Tom's finest. For those not entirely thrilled with his more recent large and small ensemble works, this great session should be checked out immediately!

Tom plays mostly trumpet throughout, but uses the "big horn" on the title track. The other solists share duties throughout the album. For me this is not too much of a distraction, but it might be for some who may prefer a more uniform sound throughout an entire session. Joe Lovano and John Abercrombie alternate as the other main soloist, and there's two tracks with Dave Liebman on soprano as well. I've never really enjoyed the flute, but Cheryl Pyle also flutters in effectively for an appearance on one track.

The rhythm section on this session is absolutely outstanding! They are really cooking right from Adam Nussbaum's drum solo-intro to the first track! He's fired up for sure! But so are bassist Ray Drummond, and pianist James Williams; who was a revelation to me on this album. His playing is just wonderful.

Tom Harrell has penned some great tunes throughout his career, and a couple of them can be found on this album. The title track for instance, is a really nice bossa with some lovely flugelhorn playing from Tom, and some fine work from John Abercrombie. 'It Always Is' is another classic track, but they are ALL very good.

The last two tracks on this recently reissued version were not originally released on Sail Away, but were previously only available on the unreleased-tunes compilation album 'Visions'. They belong here though, because they were recorded with these musicians, and at the same time as the other tracks; and they're both great tracks! What a wonderful bonus!

Tracks:

The Drunken Hiccups
Devil In The Strawstack
Cluck Old Hen
Forked Deer
The Joke On The Puppy
Step Back Cindy
Flatwoods
Soldier's Joy
Bonaparte's Retreat
Greasy String
Fisher's Hornpipe
Sail Away Ladies
Cotton Eyed Joe
Rochester Schottische/Walking In The Parlor
Raliegh And Spencer

Amazon.com

When talking about old-time music, Tommy Jarrell is the real McCoy. Whereas many "old-time" musicians, especially those who had or sought recording careers, updated, polished, and modernized the traditional styles of the mid-Atlantic mountain regions, Jarrell steadfastly refused to alter the fiddle techniques taught to him by his father Ben and other local legends of the Virginia-Carolina border. Thus Jarrell's fiddling has a raw and abrasive sound, although his technique is anything but--it is refined and complex, often mixing in plucked accents with his advanced bowing technique. Like the style of playing, the repertoire mostly dates back to the mid-19th century. Although the 15 songs here are fiddle solos, Jarrell accompanies himself with delightfully offhanded singing and introduces many of the songs with facts about their histories and the tunings he uses. This fascinating record serves as an enjoyable listen as well as a history lesson and an instrumental instruction course. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Old Time Fiddle Master.......2006-08-01

Tommy Jarrell has been a source of inspiration for old time fiddlers for generations. These CD collections demonstrate why his heartfelt dedication to his music is so infectuous. These tunes are classics.

It don't git no better'n this!!!.......2001-12-28

OldTime music at its best! A mini-biography of Tommy Jarrell and how he aquired the tunes on this CD. A short story is told before each tune explaining the key of his fiddle and from where he learned the tune. The booklet tells about the tune as well. Highly recommended for the OldTime music player and/or historian!

Ole time fiddle playing doesn't get any better than this!.......1999-12-17

Listening to Tommy Jarrell will take you back to the way real mountain musicians sounded while playing on their front porch. I've had the CD for 4 days and have almost wore it out. If you love ole time mountain music, BUY IT!

Average customer rating:

sail away with Elaine Stritch...
NOTHING COWARDLY ABOUT THIS NOEL COWARD GEM
NOEL COWARD & ELAINE STRITCH. NEED I SAY ANYTHING MORE?

Sail Away (1961 Original Broadway Cast)
Noel Coward , and Elaine Stritch
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000EUMK90
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

The Passenger's Always Right
Sail Away
Beatnik Love Affair
Later Than Spring
Go Slow, Johnny
You're A Long, Long Way From America
The Customer's Always Right
Something Very Strange
Useful Phrases
Where Shall I Find Her?
When You Want Me
Why Do The Wring People Travels?
Don't Turn Away From Love
When You Want Me
Why Do The Wring People Travels?
This Is A Night For Lovers*
Bronxville Darby And Joan*

Customer Reviews:

sail away with Elaine Stritch..........2006-11-22

It's a story Elaine Stritch loves to tell. In 1957, during the run of the disastrous Broadway musical "Goldilocks", Stritch was visited backstage by the one and only Noel Coward, who assured her that the problems in "Goldilocks" had absolutely nothing to do with her, and promised that the next musical she'd star in would be written by him - and it would be a hit.

Three years later, Noel Coward made good on that promise, and Elaine wowed the critics and audiences as Mimi Paragon in SAIL AWAY, which boasts a fantastic score that has now been reissued on compact disc by DRG. There are several bonafide gems in this score, most notably the tour-de-force "Why Do the Wrong People Travel?", but even better in my opinion is the aching 11 o'clocker "Something Very Strange", easily one of my all-time favourite Coward songs.

While Coward originally intended the musical for two co-starring leading ladies (operatic soprano Jean Fenn starred alongside Stritch for the out-of-town tryouts); producers decided the show simply would not work that way; and Fenn was quietly dismissed after the Philadelphia previews.

Stritch subsequently starred in the London production (cast album available on the Fynsworth Alley label), where the reception for the show was even more rapturous than in New York. SAIL AWAY was written by Coward with Stritch in mind, so it's hard to imagine a production without her, simply because the role of Mimi is so perfectly tailored to Stritch in voice, manner and personality.

This reissue of SAIL AWAY comes with a bonus disc of Noel Coward performing the songs from the show.

[DRG 19083]

NOTHING COWARDLY ABOUT THIS NOEL COWARD GEM.......2006-06-01

Noel Coward conquered movies, TV, cabaret, the stages of the West End and Broadway. He published a novel, several volumes of short stories and composed a ballet. He wrote, he directed, he starred, but, mostly he twinkled like some Olympian wit, and chased his talent to amuse all of his life. Late in his career, he wrote and directed and cast his only completely American work, Sail Away. (He even designed the show's poster!)
DRG has finally reissued the cast album to the 1961 musical, along with a companion disc of Coward himself singing the material. Although the cast is strewn with popular performers of the day, the only one remembered nowadays is the indestructible Elaine Stritch in this, her second Broadway musical.
There are some nifty songs here--none ever reached the hit parade, but the ballads "Later Than Spring" and "Something Very Strange" are quite moving, and Stritch is hysterical in the novelty numbers, especially "Useful Phrases" (combining phrases from a Berliz Book with very funny, very obscene results) and "Why Do the Wrong People Travel (When the Right People Stay Back Home?)," pretty much a searing indictment of American tourists. A perfect companion for a relaxing cruise!

NOEL COWARD & ELAINE STRITCH. NEED I SAY ANYTHING MORE?.......2006-05-12

This show belongs to Elaine Stritch, all the way, and it's great to have the original Broadway cast recording of SAIL AWAY - finally - on CD. I can't think of anyone who could deliver Noel Coward's witty and urbane lyrics better than Miss Stritch, except perhaps for Mr. Coward himself. And this he does, on the companion CD "Noel Coward Sings His Broadway Hit SAIL AWAY." At two for the price of one, this offering can't be beat. (As an additional bonus, Mr. Coward & Joe Layton also perform two songs -- "This Is a Night for Lovers" and "Bronxville Darby and Joan" -- which were cut from the Broadway production.)

Not that every song is a masterpiece. "Later Than Spring" might sound more comfortable in Coward's 1930 operetta BITTER SWEET than in a 1962 musical comedy. And nothing, not even Miss Stritch's peerless delivery, can save a lyric as wretched as this one from "Something Very Strange": "All the sounds I hear/the buses changing gear/suddenly appear to be beguiling." And: "Every cat I see/seems to be purring. I can clearly tell/in every clanging bell/some forgotten melody recurring." Perhaps the song should have been cut in Philadelphia, but it is, after all, the star's only ballad.

It's the ballads that don't fare too well, but thank goodness there aren't that many of them. Charles Braswell and the Stewards show their contempt for their charges with "The Passenger's Always Right;" Patricia Harty & Grover Dale make literary references during their two numbers, "Beatnik Love Affair" and "When You Want Me;" and the formidable Elaine Stritch brings down the house with "Come To Me," "You're a Long Way from America," The Little Ones ABC," and "Why Do the Wrong People Travel?" (I've not decided yet if I'm offended or not with Mr. Coward's contempt for the citizens of Omaha. Political correctness obviously was not uppermost on the author's agenda.)

Thanks to record companies like DRG, Sepia, Fynsworth Alley, PS Classic, AEI and others, important - and some not-so-important -- musicals from the past are being preserved for us old fogies and for generations to come. It was an era when singers could project above the pit band and didn't have to rely on amplification. It's so gratifying to hear real "voices" like James Hurst on this recording or Georgio Tozzi, Jean Fenn and Frank Porretta on the wonderful DRG release of THE GREAT WALTZ. And with this recording, we have a splendid record of both the great Noel Coward and the fabulous Elaine Stritch.

". . . it's a marvelous document of Stritch hitting her stride. . . is there anyone else who can put their interpretive stamp on a song the way she does? Much like the late, great Dolores Gray, when Elaine Stritch interprets a song, every other singer in the world might as well forget about ever trying it. Stritch puts her definitive stamp on everything she touches. Yes, a trilly songbird like Julie Andrews makes a song sound wonderful, but with Stritch you hear the words, their meaning, and the song `feels' wonderful." - (excerpted from an amazon.com review of the London recording)

Although Miss Stritch was nominated for a Best Actress in a Musical, the 1962 Tony went to (tie) - Anna Maria Alberghetti (CARNIVAL) and Diahann Carroll for NO STRINGS, another outstanding DRG release.

SAIL AWAY is very highly recommended, especially if you're partial to sophisticated, witty lyrics. Add the bonus Noel Coward CD and you've got a winner any way you look at it.

P.S. If you want a REAL review of this CD, click on www.broadway.com and look for "ETCETERA: John Simon Explains Why Two CDs Are Better Than One for Noel Coward's SAIL AWAY." Simon was the long-time critic for NEW YORK MAGAZINE. (5/12/06)

Average customer rating:

Fairest voice for Fairest Isle
Exquisite taste
Miraculous
Splendid Music from a Splendid Singer
Crystalline delight!

Barbara Bonney - Fairest Isle
Barbara Bonney , Christopher Hogwood , and The Academy of Ancient Music
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Exultate, Jubilate
Mozart: Lieder
Songs by Robert & Clara Schumann
Mendelssohn: Lieder

ASIN: B000055XGE
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
If My Complaints Could Passions Move
Away With These Self-loving Lads
Flow My Tears
Never Weather-beaten Saile
The Sypres Curten Of The Night
It Was A Lover And His Lasse
O Lord, How Vain Are All Frail Delights
Fantasy No.9
Though Amaryllis Dance In Green
If Music Be The Food Of Love
Abdelazer: Air
Abdelazer: Air
The Plaint: O, Let Me Weep
Fairest Isle
She Loves And She Confesses Too
They Hand, Belinda...When I Am Laid In Earth

Amazon.com

Away from the clamor of grand opera and soaring symphonies, Fairest Isle takes us into the quiet, intimate world of English Elizabethan song, and you could hope for no better guide than Barbara Bonney. Her clear, beautifully rounded voice is superbly controlled, making light of a masterful technique; if you want to hear art concealing art, look no further. This is intensely private music, in a program that cleverly sidesteps any risk of listener fatigue by starting with lute accompaniment (infinitely tender playing by Jacob Heringman), moving on to a viol quartet, then finally to the richer sound of the Academy of Ancient Music under Christopher Hogwood. Leavening the mix are three instrumental interludes. The title piece is a blithe, dancelike song. Better known are some of the classics of English song: Dowland's "Come again" and "Flow, my tears," Morley's "It was a lover and his lass," and Purcell's "If music be the food of love" and "When I am laid in earth," a heart-in-mouth performance that makes time stand still. --Keith Clarke

Customer Reviews:

Fairest voice for Fairest Isle.......2006-07-27

I adore Purcell's songs, and possess many fine recordings of them. I perform them myself and enjoy the experience each and every time. When I listen to a new recording of Purcell songs, then, my expectations are both high and informed.

Barbara Bonney is simply a delight. Her voice on this album is almost incandescent with beauty. She sings with elegant simplicity that contains a great deal of art (the hardest sort of simplicity in the world to convey!). Her tone is pure, limpid as a stream, as delicately and beautifully wielded as a prism irradiating a cavern with colour.

Her vocal colour needs no introduction. Ms Bonney is widely known as "The Radiant Voice", following on from one of her album titles - and it's extremely apposite. She is radiant indeed, and her technique is beautifully sure.

Only in one track was I disappointed - the last track on the CD. "Thy hand, Belinda" seemed to me to have been approached with a more consciously dramatic style in mind, and it results in a couple of vowel distortions and a not quite convincing performance. Yet the voice itself is consistently beautiful, and I have no hesitation in giving this a 5-star rating.

Beautiful. Listen to this while you're stuck in traffic, and you are certain to feel your tension melt away at the sheer loveliness of the singing...

Exquisite taste.......2006-01-02

Barbara Bonney is one of today's most underrated singers. Her voice is always clear, true, and thrilling. She is certainly capable of vocal fireworks, yet she has the artistry and respect for musical period to know when such displays are, and are not, appropriate. In "Fairest Isle", she demonstrates her hallmark excellent taste in approach and choice of material. Too often, these lovely, gentle songs are assigned as exercises for beginning singers, and are then quickly relegated to the dust bin when the singers turn professional and are only interested in the biggest, flashiest operatic parts they can find. Ms. Bonney doesn't fall in that trap. She certainly is capable of bright vocal fire, yet she is artist enough to know gentle understatement can resonate emotionally with the listener long after the flash has faded.I must also say something about Ms. Bonney's beautifully clear diction. Her English is always understandable and perfectly presented, as opposed to Renee Fleming's, which seems to get muddier and more mannered with each successive recording. "Fairest Isle" is highly recommended!

Miraculous.......2004-10-28

I have had this CD for about 3 years, and it instantly became one of my most treasured. I never tire of listening to it.

I am now listening to it yet again, and am constantly astounded at the utter beauty, refined simplicity, and just perfect taste of Bonney's voice.
Her diction, her natural way of singing and letting the emotions melt in her mouth, her articulation always brilliant, round, glowing, 3-dimensional, her timing and instinct perfect.

And the songs... a wonderful collection of love, philosophical, and devotional pieces. All beautiful and universal.

The instrumental accompaniments are graceful, colorful (each in their own hue), and a dignified match for Bonney's musical stature.

I particularly liked "Come Again", "Never Weather-beaten Saile", "Fairest Isle", Dido's lament, and "She loves me and she confesses too". But all tracks are very good.

I own a large collection of "classical" (I hate that word) and early music, as well as opera, lied, vocal, etc.
I am very particular about what I listen to.
This CD is still one of my most cherished... intimate and very refined.

You could say that Keats was right when he wrote "Truth is beauty, beauty truth..."
Bonney's rendition of these songs is beautiful because it is honest and true... and vice-versa.

ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED.

Splendid Music from a Splendid Singer.......2004-01-28

Like most classical music junkies I have my share of "early music" from the 15th and 16th centuries. When I saw that Hogwood and his terrific band from the Academy of Ancient Music were coming out with an Elizabethan selection I expected something interesting, a little exotic and a good listen. (Purcell fans will know what I'm getting at.) Wrong. What struck me is how completely accessible these songs are. All were composed and published and should not be considered "folk" music in a formal sense I suppose. But as performed by the extremely talented Ms. Bonney, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was listening to early Joan Baez singing something like "Tender Maidens." These songs aren't interesting - they're beautiful. This is a terrific alblum.

Crystalline delight!.......2003-08-16

Barbara Bonney has a voice of exquisite beauty. These lovely Elizabethan love songs fit her instrument to the tee! It is too bad that another listener had to give this CD only one star because he considers these 16th century art songs to be "long hair". They were and are nothing of the sort, they are merely very "old fashioned love songs". "Come Again Sweet Love..." is a wonderful sample of this music. I could listen to it day and night.

Average customer rating:

good cover album
Surprisingly weak and ill-conceived...

Sail Away: The Songs of Randy Newman
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Sugarhill [Country]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000F3UAC0
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

Sail Away - Tim O'Brien
Louisiana - Sonny Landreth
Birmingham - The Del McCoury Band
Rider In The Rain - Joe Ely
Marie - Allison Moorer
Rednecks - Steve Earle
Burn On - Bela Fleck
Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man) - Sam Bush
Memo To My Son - Guster
Political Science - The Duhks
You Can Leave Your Hat On - Marc Broussard
Texas Girl At The Funeral Of Her Father - Kim Richey

Amazon.com

Irony is a difficult concept to convey, especially in a musical context. Which makes covering Randy Newman, one of pop music's most devastatingly accurate ironists, such a difficult and thankless proposition. Harry Nilsson was one of the few to be successful at the task, on his classic Nilsson Sings Newman, but, generally Newman's iconoclastic style--filled with the blackest of humor, witty sarcasm, and dry, scathing satire--doesn't lend itself well to cover versions. This collection wisely sticks to a vague concept: Southern musicians (as is New Orleans native Newman) tackling the songwriter's early work, which was largely about the South and its inhabitants. All of these tracks were written in the '70s, but the sociopolitical concepts of American imperialism ("Political Science"), Louisiana floodwaters ("Louisiana 1927"), callous politicians ("Mr. President [Have Pity on the Working Man])," and rednecks (well, "Rednecks") makes this music as pertinent today as when it was released. A few of these versions succeed due to the sympathetic nature of artists such as Sonny Landreth (who changes "cracker" to the more PC "Cajun and Creole man" in "Louisiana 1927"), Tim O'Brien ("Sail Away"), Kim Richey ("Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father"), and bluegrass icon Del McCoury ("Birmingham"). But generally, even intelligent musicians such as Steve Earle, Marc Broussard, and the Duhks, whose hearts are in the right place, can't extract the appropriate subtleties in the lyrics and music to accomplish anything other than sending listeners back to the source. Which might ultimately be the best result of this well-meaning but ultimately futile tribute to one of America's finest and most underappreciated songwriters. --Hal Horowitz

Customer Reviews:

good cover album.......2006-06-19

Hearing these cover songs is like hearing the song for the first time---different voices, different interpretations. Rednecks has a gritty anger that you don't hear in newman's original. Sail Away is done justice with its slow, lyrical beat and its understated tone contrasts with its subject, making you pay attention and listen. A fine effort that's worth a listen.

Surprisingly weak and ill-conceived..........2006-05-19

...an interesting idea -- round up a bunch of roots/bluegrass/Americana artists (mind you, mostly from the browner side of the pasture -- aside from the Duhks) to pay tribute to Randy Newman. Newman is as much a storyteller as he is a songwriter -- his compositions rich with a peerlessly literary degree of insight and an almost cinematic sense of emotion and tension. He's had a few well-known numbers, but he's basically been an underground/cult artist for the past four decades...aside from his work scoring films and writing music for animated features.

But this disk...first problem is a hakneyed song selection. Considering the consistant quality of Newman's output, here the producer (or the artists) have settled on a set of Newman's most familiar cuts. No interesting obscurities, no uncovered gems. And they ARE out there. I mean, do we really have to hear "You Can Leave Your Hat On" again??? Especially a hammy version like this one? It's one of Newman's least interesting...why doesn't someone take a stab at "Beehive State"? "Vine Street" Anything from his brilliant recent disk "Bad Love"? Despite the fact that Newman's been doing good stuff in the '80s and '90s, no one attempts a tune made after 1977. Strikes me as laziness. Yawn. Kim Richey's choice of "Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father" is as by far the most intriguing choice...

With that complaint out of the way, even if these were interesting selections, the performances are thoroughly uninspired. Lackluster. Adequate. Bela Fleck's instrumental run through of "Burn On" is pretty cool, but that's it. Most of the other folks either try to ape Newman's own delivery (bad idea) or just kinda bland their way through the songs...taking them so literally that the songs limp lifelessly to a close...

Not the best way to honor Newman...but maybe this is all part of his own sense of misanthropy and self-sabatoge. I don't know.

Elaine Stritch - At Liberty (2002 Original Broadway Production)

Average customer rating:

A National Treasure
Stritch is superb
Entertaining but grating on the ears
Great Broadway Review
Elaine Stritch at Liberty

Elaine Stritch - At Liberty (2002 Original Broadway Production)
Elaine Stritch , Irving Berlin , John/ Stritch, Elaine Lohr , Porter P. Grainger , Albert Hague , Stephen Sondheim , Carl Sigman , Richard Rodgers , Sir Noel Coward , George Gershwin , Jule Styne , John Campo , and Billy Miller
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000060P33
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

There's No Business Like Show Business (Berlin)
Caca
I Want a Long Time Daddy (Grainger)
A Piece of Mahler
This Is All Very New to Me (Hague/Horwitt)
Going to New York
Marlon Brando
Broadway Baby (Sondheim)
My First Broadway Show
Civilization (Hilliard/Sigman)
Ethel Merman
Can You Use Any Money Today? (Berlin)
Pal Joey
Zip (Hart/Rodgers)
Ben Gazzara
Nokl Coward
Why Do the Wrong People Travel (Coward)
Richard Burton
But Not for Me/If Love Were All (Gershwin/Gershwin)
I'm Still Here (Sondheim)
Booze
Little Things You Do Together (Sondheim)
The Ladies Who Lunch (Sondheim)
John Bay
There Was Never a Baby Like My Baby (Comden/Green/Styne)
I've Been to a Marvelous Party (Coward)
God So Quickly
The Party's Over (Comden/Green/Styne)
Absent Almost Always
Something Good (Rodgers)

Tracks:

I'm Still Here (Sondheim)
Booze
Little Things You Do Together (Sondheim)
The Ladies Who Lunch (Sondheim)
John Bay
There Was Never a Baby Like My Baby (Comden/Green/Styne)
I've Been to a Marvelous Party (Coward)
God So Quickly
The Party's Over (Comden/Green/Styne)
Absent Almost Always
Something Good (Rodgers)

Amazon.com

Elaine Stritch is a legend and she knows it. And so she came up with a whole one-woman show about the best topic she could think of: her life in the theater. And what a trip it's been. From Ethel Merman to Noel Coward, Stritch has worked with some of the greatest names to grace the American stage, and she has anecdotes about all of them (most are included on this recording). In this show, she hits all the marks with the acuity of a seasoned pro who's seen it all and whose love for the theater remains undiluted. Stritch is not a traditionally pretty singer (those gravelly pipes!), but she absolutely knows how to give life to a song, extracting the last drop of meaning, dropping pauses for effect with deadly accuracy. Sondheim's "Ladies Who Lunch" and "Broadway Baby" will be hers forever, and a case could be made for the hilarious "Zip" (from Pal Joey) and the obscure, spectacularly politically incorrect "Civilization" (from the revue Angel in the Wings) as well. Fittingly, this two-CD set includes "I'm Still Here," which may well be Stritch's motto. If you're looking for a concise yet bewitching history of the musical, this is it. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

A National Treasure.......2007-07-05

This double CD is stuffed full of great songs and amazing stories. My favorite stories are of Elaine's date with Marlon Brando, what she thought some lyric are/meant, and her time in Compant. The total honesty that she brings it all together is touching and inspiring.

Very few people have the length or variety of a career that Elaine Stritch has had. I am sure that she has enough stories to do ten more shows.

If you love Broadway then you must buy this CD.

Stritch is superb.......2007-06-27

The only disappointment is that I missed the show live. This is a terrific honest performance by an actor who has a deep well of experience from which to draw. From her early childhood memories, through acting school, her loves, her struggles and more, Ms Stritch weaves a fascinating and completely enthralling story. Ultimately, she lives the songs, rather than just performs and this is what really marks her out.
I am so glad, she's still here!

Entertaining but grating on the ears.......2007-05-11

I've never been able to understand what is so great about Elaine Stritch's singing. It's simple: she can't sing. I've tried and tried to like her, and I do, as an actress, but NOT as a singer. Listening to these CDs, all I hear is a grouchy old lady voice with no vibrato, no range, and no ability to hold notes. If she were to try out for American Idol she would get cringes! I love her humor and honesty, and that's why I bought this, but the voice...ugh.

Great Broadway Review.......2007-04-11

I thoroughly enjoy this collection of stories from her experiences from a teenage girl in Michigan through her career, very funny, some sad and great entertainment.

Elaine Stritch at Liberty.......2007-01-19

Completely entertaining---a bit maudilin in places, but a must have for any Elaine Stritch fan.

Certainly worth the money!

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