The Roches

The Roches

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
With a series of '80s albums for Warner Brothers, Maggie, Terri, and Suzzy Roche invented a tart fusion of barber shop, doowop, and vaguely Celtic singing styles. Their voices could rise and dart around each other with the instinct only sisters possess, and their original material is by turn strangely funny and darkly evasive. Produced by the surprising choice of experimental guitarist Robert Fripp, the debut is their freshest recording, and a good avenue for new listeners to enter their captivating vocal world. --Roy Francis Kasten

Tracks:

us little kids
only you know how
no shoes
moonswept
family of bones
the naughty lady of shady lane
long before
piggy mask
huh
stop performing
gung ho
instead i chose
september 11th at the Shambhala center
jesus saves

Amazon.com

When the three Roche sisters--Suzzy, Maggie, and Terre--sing together, they're not just among the most spellbinding in the world: they can make the world go away altogether, and then bring it back to the listener, brighter and refreshed. That's the project of Moonswept, their first trio album in over a decade, a collection of fables and fantasies, kooky jokes and loungey confections, intricate rondelets and jaunty satires, intimations of innocence and expressions of experience. Writing most of the songs and playing most of the instruments, the three give the feel of a family reunion--but a deliciously fun one. "Us Little Kids" begins the album with slyly rocking mischief and "Jesus Shaves" closes it with a picture of Christ thrown into an absurd modern-day working world. In between, they strip away the masks of medication and pride to a swinging Latin groove ("Piggy Mask") and find that love isn't a simple choice to the sound of multiple acoustic guitars fusing as completely as their voices. Their first love will always be comedy, but they also evoke and then transcend tragedy. "Did you ever take a walk to the edge of town, before the airplanes took the buildings down?" they ask on "Only You Know How." And on "September 11th at the Shambhala Center" they find some believable hope in the connection between artist and audience: "Don't lose your nerve/You are the ones who are singing and I am the listener," sings Terre, as her sisters build to a gorgeous pop crescendo. The Roches have been making records since 1979--they may have just made their very best. --Roy Kasten

Album Description

After a decade long hiatus, The Roches return with a brand new album. Their 429 Records debut, `Moonswept', recaptures and builds upon the quirky storytelling charm and intricate harmonies that have endeared them to contemporary folk music fans since the mid `70s. Sprouting from the fertile Greenwich Village art scene of the '60s and `70s, The Roches have enjoyed a rich career working with notables like Paul Simon, Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame, Philip Glass, and The Indigo girls among many others. Ten critically-acclaimed albums later, Moonswept is bringing their devoted fans out of the woodwork, and is perfectly poised to create new ones!

Customer Reviews:

Three Cheers!.......2007-07-31

A real return to form. The word that comes to mind is "focused". The singing is crystal clear and beautiful, the songwriting solid, the acoustic guitars crisp and agile. Production-wise, you will not find the synthesizers and big drums that crept into some of their later albums. More the Fripp-era style that shows the sisters at their best. Their wacky sense of humor is intact in "No Shoes" and "Jesus S(h)aves". They even dip into a delicious jazz sensibility on one of the songs. This album is guaranteed to put a smile on your head.

Ignore the Amazon review.......2007-06-19

The Roches' songs have always preached the Christian gospel of love and forgiveness in a very secular guise, and Moonswept is their most beguiling and poetic recording to date. They've mostly ditched the sometimes-impenetrable quirkiness and focussed on heartfelt songs of being alive and human: Jesus Shaves is not, as the Amazon review would have it, about Jesus, but an allegory of the Christ within all of us; the unsung, unrealised heroes who simply get on with their mysterious lives as best they can (do I need to add I'm no Christian but am in awe of this sentiment?). Some of this music is so exquisite it makes me cry, particularly the eerie Family Of Bones and the regretful yet ultimately proud Instead I Chose. Overall, it's a late-period masterpiece of delicacy and purity, something only experienced artists can create. Sometimes great truths can only be heard when whispered, and the Roche sisters are masters.

No...You Can't Go Home Now! .......2007-06-09

From the opening verse of "Us Little Kids" there is no doubt the sisters Roche have returned in fine form. Despite a long sabbatical in which each of the individual sister pursued musical projects that didn't quite add up the sum of their work together, we now have the real thing. All three Roche sisters who stoop to conquer with their resplendent choir girl harmonies and all of their endearing quirkiness.

The Roches were always the delightfully out sync with the prevailing musical zeitgeist. In the late Seventies when New York was a crossroads of punk rock, funk, garage band retro, and musical experiments that fused multimedia performance art with electronic music, the Roches won our hearts with their crystalline harmonies and the tongue in cheek sassy feminism of songs like "The Married Man" and "Pretty and High."

In hindsight it's hard to imagine neo-folkies like the Roches sharing the same bill at CBGB's with the Ramones, Lydia Lunch's 8 Eyed Spy, the Fleshtones or Arto Lindsey and John Lurie's edgy "fake jazz" project the Lounge Lizards. You would have had to been there in 1980 for any of it to make any sense, but the Roches managed to charm the bottle throwing slam dancing fans who went to CBGBs to see the Contortions and ended up falling under the spell of the sisters Roche. The Roche's name had enough avant-garde cachet to attract a musical icon like Robert Fripp to produce their debut album.

After a 12 year silence, long after most fans thought they ever would reunite, the Roches have returned, not with a throwaway album as an excuse for a reunion tour, but arguably the best album they've ever made.

"Moonswept" consolidates all of their musical strengths and sheds some inconsistency of their middle and late year albums.

The overly self-conscious precociousness of the Roches' early work has faded, to their advantage.

One can only seem overly clever and mature before one's years while one is still young. The Roches are doing us a service by losing their precocious edge, as even Suzzy the eternal kid sister of the Roches finally turned 50 last September.

The Roches have crossed the meridian of mid-life with all of their youthful exuberance intact, and pulled off their nearly impossible act of aging in a graceful manner.

Who would have thought the Roches could summons the magic of their seductive charms so far beyond the bloom of untarnished youthful beauty?

The elegant wordplay of their lyrics and the exquisite mind blowing vocal pyrotechnics that have become the Roches musical trademark have survived intact as if they placed their exquisite talents in a time capsule in 1995 after they completed their appropriately titled farewell albumm "Can We Go Home Now?"

The answer to their question is, "No you can't go home now, because the fun has just begun.

So glad they're back!.......2007-05-27

All of the wonderful quirky lyrics and harmonies of the sisterly variety! And I haven't heard the Naughty Lady of Shady Lane in a lifetime! Can't stop listening to it!

Swept Away By Moonswept.......2007-05-18

With a welcome return to warm instrumentation, poignant and wizened songwriting, producer Stewart Lerman's most subtle and tasteful mix ever, bits of Paranoid Larry's mania, a daughter's precious cameo, and those incomparable harmonies..."Moonswept" is a gem. Your head will tell you that it's a milestone for the Roches, but your heart will tell you it's a gift for us.

Average customer rating:

Great songs and singers
a fitting compilation
Buy it...even if only for their version of the Halleluiah Chorus!
A Fan
The Sisters Shine

The Collected Works of the Roches
The Roches
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

We Three Kings
Moonswept
The Roches
Zero Church
Keep On Doing

ASIN: B0000B1A5W
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Hammond Song
Mr. Sellack
The Troubles
The Train
The Married Men (Live)
One Season
Nurds
The Hallelujah Chorus
Losing True
Want Not Want Not
Keep On Doing What You Do/Jerks On The Loose
Love Radiates Around
Another World
Face Down At Folk City
Love To See You
Bug Nuthin'
Everyone Is Good
Ing
A Dove

Album Description

These off-kilter folk-pop songs shine with sisters Maggie, Terre, & Suzzy's sublime harmonies & poetic charm. Spanning 1979-1992, this single-disc collection gathers 19 songs from both their MCA & Warner periods, including the Robert Fripp-produced 'Hammond Song' & a live version of 'The Married Men'.

Customer Reviews:

Great songs and singers.......2007-05-12

The Roach sisters' style, words, and tunes blend to produce songs that go directly to my heart and then to my mind. A great compilation of their music.

a fitting compilation.......2006-08-31

The Roches are ultra talented, excellent musicians, stunning vocalists, wonderful songwriters and a very interesting and rich band. However, they are probably not for everyone. Do not evaluate them by 30 second samples on this web site b/c their songs have drama and substance and they need to develop over their proper timespan.

This is whimsical folk, beautiful melodies and heartfelt harmonies. This is nothing to rock out to although the musicianship is on par with anything that is out there.

The Roches are for people that enjoy beauty.

"Love Radiates" could melt the coldest heart. It is such a terrific and beautiful melody.

I saw them live (circa 1995) and they were tremedous. The vocals and musicianship are not the results of studio tricks. Their "Hallelujua chorus" is the equivalent to listening to Hendrix. It was a sight to be seen.

As you can see, I love the Roches. This is an excellent representative of their best songs. The 3 part harmonies, raw accoustic guitar, Robert Fripp infused guitar, its all there. This is the cream of their work.

If you go to their website, their participation in music is so earnest. If you want an autographed glossy of them, just e-mail and ask and you shall receive.

I wish they were still together and wish they toured outside of the northeast.

The Roches have always been the critics darlings and they absolutely deserved their praise!

Their best works are the Robert Fripp produced works, "The Roches and "Keep on Doing".

Buy it...even if only for their version of the Halleluiah Chorus!.......2006-06-03

I first heard the Roches on Saturday Night Live in the 70's doing the Halleluiah Chorus. I was a little boy then, but it implanted itself in my memory forever. Now, as a 33 year old Daddy and Husband, I find that the vocal harmonies and unique nuances of their well blended voices still brings a chill down my spine. Excellent! Even if you only buy it for this one track, it will be well worth your money!

A Fan.......2006-03-24

I was delighted to see that the Roaches produced a collection of their best. Wish they would tour more.

The Sisters Shine.......2005-12-05

Although it's impossible to include all the gems of the Roches' music in one collection, this is a fine example of one of the greatest sister singing acts I know. Their harmonies soar, the lyrics bend around the phrasing, and they are at once mischievous and poignant. While there is no comparison to a live experience, these highlights give a flavor of what this unique group is all about. Who else can pass off a hip a capella version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" and have an audience spellbound? (They even did this on the original 'Saturday Night Live') While a bit biased as I was in school with one of the sisters, I think their work stands on its own merit. I am happily seeing them again in concert next weekend and look forward to the richness of their music. If you ever get the chance to see them, don't pass up the opportunity. At the least, buy their albums and get ready for a real treat.

Average customer rating:

Review2
So Funny, So Sad, So Perfect.
Their first and probably greatest
Still Charming after 26 Years
Trust me ...

The Roches
The Roches
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Keep On Doing
Nurds
We Three Kings
The Collected Works of the Roches
Moonswept

ASIN: B000002KK4
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

We
Hammond Song
Mr. Sellack
Damned Old Dog
The Troubles
The Train
The Married Men
Runs In The Family
Quitting Time
Pretty And High

Amazon.com

With a series of '80s albums for Warner Brothers, Maggie, Terri, and Suzzy Roche invented a tart fusion of barber shop, doowop, and vaguely Celtic singing styles. Their voices could rise and dart around each other with the instinct only sisters possess, and their original material is by turn strangely funny and darkly evasive. Produced by the surprising choice of experimental guitarist Robert Fripp, the debut is their freshest recording, and a good avenue for new listeners to enter their captivating vocal world. --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Review2.......2007-04-18

Everything came as promised. The shipping was a little slower than I wanted but was still within the time frame established. Overall, a good tranaction.

So Funny, So Sad, So Perfect........2007-04-13

I should state from the outset that this is one of my all time favourites so I'm totally biased.
I got this album some ten years after its release and came to it, as is so often the case, by that slow accretion of information snippets and coincidences that provide the nudge required for purchase and for which I remain ever thankful.I noted the involvement of Robert Fripp, as producer who always seemed to have the knack of being involved in interesting projects(Eno,Bowie,Blondie and Darryl Hall!)which finally persuaded me to take the plunge and purchase the album (vinyl then but since renewed on CD).

The history as I know it is thus: Maggie and Terre(pronounced Terry) Roche("from deepest New Jersey") had been performing together since the late '60s and in 1973 were recruited by Paul Simon to sing backup on "There Goes Rhymin' Simon. They released their own LP "Seductive Reasoning" in 1975(pleasant but not essential),then in late '76 they became a trio when joined by sister Suzzy(pronounced as in 'buzzy bee') and garnered critical acclaim and a loyal following on the Greenwich Village club scene.They signed to Warners in'78 and this album was released in '79.

The album is the most amazing mix of styles and emotions; its not folk but is essentially acoustic(apart from a few very delicate additions of guitar, synth and Frippery),the sound is dominated by the vocals which can be beautifully harmonic at one moment or more coversational the next,it can be very humorous and yet this is almost always counter-balanced by sadness or a sense of longing.People love to categorise or pigeon-hole music, well here's a category for you 'Roches Music'.

The album starts with "We" a very auto-biographical song which covers much of the ground mentioned above.It sets the album up perfectly and is perhaps the as playful as any track on the record,it also makes you feel that you 'know' the group by the end of its 2 minutes and 33 seconds.
Hammond Song is beautifully sung(all swooping close-harmonies)and ruminates on that peculiar sense of betrayal, felt, when a close friend (or sister maybe?) leaves you with someone else for somewhere else.
Mr Sellack (track 3) is amazing, the lyrics are so catchy and memorable you'll find you can sing the entire song after a few listens(great for singalongs in the car).The singer is having to beg Mr Sellack for her waitressing job back, the one she quit to chase her dreams, it's very sad but still manages to raise a smile and a chuckle.
My favourite could be "The Train" (or is it "Runs in the Family"?(the most achingly sad song on the album))its ability to make me laugh out loud at the start and leave me with a lump in my throat by its end seems to define the specialness of the album.

This is a very special album,it is unusual but still very accessible(I've introduced several friends to this album and never had negative come back).It is rich in melody and has great performances throughout, the music hasn't dated(I doubt it ever will) and lyric's themes are timeless(apart perhaps from a reference to the "Troubles") and brilliantly executed.I can't recommend this album highly enough.

Their first and probably greatest.......2007-02-16

First heard it 25 years ago but still love it. If you don't know the Roches then listen to this. A beautiful achievement from a great, under appreciated group. Songs you can't forget: We; The Hammond Song; Mr. Sellack; The Married Men. Unique and wonderful. Long live Maggie and Terre and Suzzy!

Still Charming after 26 Years.......2006-12-18

This record was probably the best of Fripp's productions because he didn't do much. He absolutely made the right call by recording it in close-miked fashion, and let the sisters' music do the rest. The Roches were a staple at the old Bottom Line club in NYC, which closed last year. This remains lively and fresh every time I listen! ESSENTIAL.

Trust me ..........2006-09-06

... just buy this album.

If you are reading these reviews before buying, it means that your exposure to the Roches has been limited or hasn't happened yet. Take this step and change your life. Anything these three sisters have done together should be in your collection. The more you listen, the more the beauty, intricacy and sheer genius will unfold.

Turn your mind loose and count yourself lucky ... but be careful. You still have to go to work. You still have to pay your bills. You still have to interact with your family. It's possible that these recordings should be banned as a dangerous substance--seriously, don't operate heavy equipment while listening to the Roches. Just sit back, close your eyes, breathe slowly and deeply, and bask in your good fortune.

Oh, alright, this is supposed to be a review.

Let's see ...

Lead Vocals: Clean and lovely by each of them

Harmonies: Simply without peer

Lyrics: Clever and refreshing

Musical Composition: Some of the best ever produced

But wait ... I'm describing all of their albums.

Sorry to use so many superlatives but, if I thought it over, I would probably only add more.

There will never be anything like the Roches again. Their work should be required study in university music programs.

This debut album is an absolute masterpiece but get ready because it's not the only one.

Average customer rating:

"3 Kings" is 1 of a kind
The Roche Sisters
we three kings
Great harmonies, fresh sound
The Roches do Christmas from sacred to silly

We Three Kings
The Roches
Manufacturer: Mca Special Products
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Collected Works of the Roches
The Roches
Moonswept
Keep On Doing
Zero Church

ASIN: B000009V0M
Release Date: 1995-06-01

Tracks:

Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light
For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Angels We Have Heard On High
Deck The Halls
Christmas Passing Through
Sleigh Ride
Away In A Manger
Here We Come A Carolling
The Little Drummer Boy
The Holly And The Ivy
Frosty The Snowman
Do You Hear What I Hear?
We Three Kings
Star Of Wonder
Winter Wonderland
Joy To The World
O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Good King Wenceslas
Jingle Bells
The First Nowell
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
Adeste Fideles
Silver Bells

Customer Reviews:

"3 Kings" is 1 of a kind.......2007-01-21

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know this is the third time I have purchased We Three Kings since it was first released 17 years ago. The others were lost in various moves. I just couldn't endure another Christmas without it. If you listen to no other cuts, make sure you hear "The Holly and the Ivy" and the title song; you will never hear these traditional favorites again without thinking of this version. Another gem: "Star of Wonder", written by Terre Roche and the companion piece to "We Three Kings" Oh, one more disclosure: Now that I have my latest copy of 3 Kings, I can resume listening to it year-round as in years past. After you've heard it, I think you'll know why.

The Roche Sisters.......2007-01-19

These sisters are amazing! Their harmonizing is beautiful. They can take a song and without background music sound like a full chorus.

we three kings.......2007-01-16

I have bought this CD countless times over the years for friends and family. It is one of the best Christmas collections out there. The songs are varied but all really delightful.

Great harmonies, fresh sound.......2007-01-15

Love these sisters and their Christmas CD. Their harmonies sound simple and complex at the same time and they blend beautifully. Their voices are unpretentious and direct. The cuts are a mix of fresh interpretations of the classics and fun silly pieces that make you smile. Am interested in exploring other CDs by The Roches.

The Roches do Christmas from sacred to silly.......2007-01-10

This is the best album of Christmas music I know of. These ladies sing beautiful harmonies and they have a talent for unique arrangements that work well. Close your eyes while listening to the title song and you'll find yourself in a caravan crossing the desert. If you've been amused by their famous rendition of the Hallelujah chorus from "Messiah", wait until you hear their version of "For Unto Us a Child is Born." This album is a treat from beginning to end. I buy several copies every year to give away.

Average customer rating:

Another great one
Childlike, quirky folk never bettered by its makers
Fairfax County will break your heart
Oh my goodness... I'm at a loss of (nice) things to say
Keep on Doing by the Roches

Keep On Doing
The Roches
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Roches
Nurds
We Three Kings
The Collected Works of the Roches
Will You Be My Friend?

ASIN: B000002KYA
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Hallelujah Chorus
Losing True
Steady With The Maestro
The Largest Elizabeth In The World
On The Road To Fairfax County
I Fell In Love
The Scorpion Lament
Want Not Want Not
Sex Is For Children
Keep On Doing What You Do/Jerks On The Loose

Customer Reviews:

Another great one.......2007-05-14

All The Roches music is equally great: their lyrics touch on pieces of life that no one usually sings about--working in a restaurant, baby for the "unwed" mother, a big guy taking up a two-person seat--the music is captivating, and the harmonies perfectly intricate. Try singing a line yourself and you realize how they pick up each others voices and go running off to unreachable highs and lows. They even make me laugh. If you're scrounging around to find pride in this country like some of us, The Roches do us proud.

Childlike, quirky folk never bettered by its makers.......2004-07-18

"Keep On Doing", a reunion with Robert Fripp, showed the Roches perfecting to a degree they would never do later the approach of their first two albums.

Whilst all the childlike na?vette and understated simplicity of such highlights as "The Death Of Suzzy Roche" from those two albums remains, on "Keep On Doing" the sisters combine it with a degree of infectious energy they would never again equal.

The beautiful harmonies of the opener "The Hallelujah Chorus" are instantly memorable and remind one of a more fiery, stripped-down version of Steeleye Span's "Gaudete", whilst the beautiful "Losing True" and "The Scorpion Lament" wreak with tenderness and feeling, as does the funny yet serious "The Largest Elizabeth In The World", which seems to be a warning against trying to take power for oneself. "Sex Is For Children" was almost funky in its use of electronics, but the way in which the Roches make every note memorable is indeed surprising.

The accessible, hooky "I Fell In Love" showed the band developing its quirky harmonies onto deeply romantic themes, but the intense "Want Not Want Not" with its na?ve yet remarkably intense, moody, even ecstatic power, is the real stunner here. A motto of indifference, yes, but "Want Not Want Not" seemingly existed in its own time amidst the sisters' remarkably resonant shrieks against the consumerist manifesto of the modern age. The ringing piano adds more than a contrast of tone to the sisters' guitars, as does the impassioned plea "I wish there was a true love" in the middle of the song.

The last album the Roches would record for Warners, its commercial failure (reaching only #183 on Billboard) was hardly surprising, but never would the Roches capture the same degree of power, wisdom and beauty that "Keep On Doing" possessed.

Fairfax County will break your heart.......2004-02-23

On its own, The Road to Fairfax County is worth the price of admission. And the vocals and lyrics elsewhere on the album sparkle and shimmer. On my list of Roches CD's, Keep on Doing is first equal along with We Three Kings (which also rates as my favourite Christmas CD, from any artist).

Oh my goodness... I'm at a loss of (nice) things to say.......2003-12-30

I heard their Hallelujah Chorus track on a compilation album, and was immediately, ahem, displeased. Shrill voices, mangled phrasing, unoriginal voicings... oh my, poor Handel!

Attempting to give this group the benefit of the doubt, I listened to several other tracks of their Keep on Doing album, and alas, felt just as uncomfortable with their singing as when I began.

I know I'm likely to get slammed here, and this is actually one of the very few negative reviews I've written on Amazon.com, but wow, I fail to see any appeal in this group.

Okay, so this review is weak on specifics? Let me offer some more focused criticisms of their opening track:

1) When they hit a unison note, they fail to adjust their individual volumes.
2) They seem like they're singing, nay, shrieking through their throats and noses rather than supporting their voices from their gut.
3) They seem incapable of appropriately carrying over phrases, instead breathing just any ol' random place.

4) Their pitch 'accuracy' is questionable, to put it kindly.

Ack!

Keep on Doing by the Roches.......2002-12-17

This is a great album. If the only Roches album you know is the first one (the Roches), you might be initially disappointed with this one, since the "the Roches" is such an incredible album. But when you start listening to this, you realize bit by bit that the songwriting is still great here. The harmonies and the arrangements are wonderful. I think my favorite tune is actually not written by them, " On the Road to Fairfax County". But they do an amazing job with the arrangement and the performance. If you don't fall in love with Maggie Roche, you may not be listening hard enough.

The Songs From The Land Before Time (Video Soundtrack Anthology)

Average customer rating:

Good music video for little kids 6 and under.
Great!
The Best!
Awww, but the sequels are SOOOOOOO cute!!!!!!
This is a travesty!

The Songs From The Land Before Time (Video Soundtrack Anthology)
Michael Tavera
Manufacturer: Universal Home Video Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Land Before Time (Beginner Books(R))
The Land Before Time VII - The Stone of Cold Fire
The Land Before Time - The Big Freeze
The Land Before Time VI - The Secret of Saurus Rock
The Land Before Time IV - Journey Through the Mists

ASIN: B000003L2M
Release Date: 1997-12-09

Tracks:

You Are One Of Us Now - The Roches
When You're Big - Amanda McBroom & Michele Brourman
Kids Like Us - Amanda McBroom & Michele Brourman
Peaceful Valley - The Roches
Who Needs You - Leslie Bricusse
Standing Tough - Amanda McBroom & Michele Brourman
Grandma's Lullaby - Leslie Bricusse
Eggs - The Roches
It Takes All Sorts - Leslie Bricusse
If We Hold On Together - James Horner, Will Jennings

Amazon.com

Ten songs from the animated children's movie are presented in a sing- along format. The songs are plenty of fun--"You can snort, you can growl ... you can munch on their lunch and bop them in the nose," the characters sing on "When You're Big"--eminently singable, and each is introduced with a moral by a chorus of children. Each of the main characters has his or her own song, and there are a handful of tracks from artists that parents will appreciate, too: folk sisters the Roches contribute a trio of songs, and James Horner, who had some success with the Titanic soundtrack, cowrote the closing track. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Good music video for little kids 6 and under. .......2005-07-09

It has good facts about dinosaurs, so you are educateing the kids, but I don't watch this anymore.

Great!.......2003-10-02

My toddler absolutely loves The Land Before Time series, so we had to get the soundtrack too. It is great except for the kids informational bits right before the music. Sometimes it goes on a little too long which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. Other than that we absolutely love the soundtrack and I love to hear my son singing along with them. It was a worthy purchase!

The Best!.......1999-10-31

All these songs bring back memories of my childhood when these movies first came out. Great music!

Awww, but the sequels are SOOOOOOO cute!!!!!!.......1999-10-07

You're one of Us Now, It Takes All Sorts, Peaceful Valley and If We Hold On Together are TERRIFIC! Buy this CD if you like cute children's music or Land Before Time or both!

This is a travesty!.......1999-05-13

Anyone with the least bit of respect for movies and the music which accompanies them will stay as far away from this and other "Land Before Time Sequel" CDs and Movies; James Horner's soundtrack and Lucas/Spielberg/Bluth's original movie are the only forms of the Land Before Time which should be acknowledged as even being available.

Average customer rating:

An Avant-Garde Must Get
Crumb in poetic and eerilie beautiful mood
Exceptional
Just Listen
What is the Opposite of Music? Listen to this and find out!

Crumb: Ancient Voices Of Children

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Black Angels
George Crumb: Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death
American String Quartets, 1950-1970
Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 6 - Echoes of Time and the River, Gnomic Variations, Four Nocturnes, Lux Aeterna
The Ligeti Project IV: Hamburg Concerto (Horn Concerto) / Double Concerto / Ramifications / Requiem

ASIN: B000005IY6
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Ancient Voices Of Children: El Nino Busca Su Voz
Ancient Voices Of Children: Dances Of The Ancient Earth
Ancient Voices Of Children: Me He Perdido Muchas Veces Por El Mar
Ancient Voices Of Children: De Done Vienes, Amor, Mi Nino? (Dance Of The Sacred Life Cycle)
Ancient Voices Of Children: Ghost Dance
Ancient Voices Of Children: Se Ha Llenado De Luces Mi Corazon De Seda
Music For A Summer Evening: Nocturnal Sounds (The Awakening)
Music For A Summer Evening: Wanderer-Fantasy
Music For A Summer Evening: The Advent
Music For A Summer Evening: Myth
Music For A Summer Evening: Music Of The Starry Night

Amazon.com

One of the most important and magical song cycles in contemporary music, Ancient Voices of Children, is the setting of a series of haunting texts by the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca for mezzo-soprano, boy soprano, and chamber orchestra. The piece made a huge impression on audiences at its initial performances. Indeed, this recording became something of a cult phenomenon, much like the Górecki Third Symphony today; and if you weren't around for the initial discovery, now's your chance. Music for a Summer Evening uses essentially the same forces as Bartók's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and creates an evocative, glittering nightscape. Great stuff.--David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

An Avant-Garde Must Get.......2003-05-07

I remember a time when I was at a flea market and was looking through some vinyl records (possibly about the time before I got my first CD player). One particular record got my attention. The cover sort of resembles a newspaper article with a picture insert of a nebula. What got my attention were "Makrokosmos" and that it was a Nonesuch record. I've heard a few Nonesuch records and notice how different the music tends to be. So I thought I buy it for $1 (if I recall correctly). When I listened to it at home, I knew I made a good choice. It had the strange 20th century music - rather atonal. It's a good thing the vinyl record was in good shape, especially when it came to the very quiet parts. I have that record today, still in good shape.

About a few years after buying the vinyl record, I was looking through some CDs in a store (after I got my first CD player). I've found the Nonesuch CD that had "Ancient Voices of Children" AND "Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III)." I didn't buy it because I wanted to get it on sale. Well, time passed. One day, I saw one up for bid on eBay. I think I was the only bidder on it. The jewel case may have a few scratches (which I wouldn't worry about) but the CD itself was like new.

I'm glad that I got it on CD. I could listen to the music without any clicks or pops you would hear from a vinyl LP (especially since the music gets very quiet at times). Although you wouldn't get the "warm analog sound" you get from the vinyl. Nevertheless, it does sound very good considering that it's AAD. Whoever likes avant-garde music may want to get this.

One thing I want to let you know. Whoever did the tracking on the CD must've misjudged about the beginnings of "Myth" and "Music of the Starry Night." "Myth" begins at index 8:02 on track 9. Tracks 10 and 11 are the last movement, "Music of the Starry Night." Take note of that when listening to this CD.

Crumb in poetic and eerilie beautiful mood.......2002-06-17

Those who know US composer George Crumb mainly from the terrifying musings of 'Black Angels' (made semi-famous by the Kronos Quartet) will probably be surprised by the haunting beauty of 'Ancient Voices'. Based on texts from Lorca, the rich but sparing instrumentation is complemented by evocative, floating soprano - sometimes sung into the piano to create an eerie, mystical ambient. My first exposure was at London's Roundhouse in 1976, where even the background rumbling of trains couldn't sublimate the extraordinary lure of Crumb's sound world. Truly gorgeous and thoughtfully composed.

Exceptional.......2002-06-15

This disc is flawless. The caliber of music making is extremely high, and the pieces themselves are among Crumb's absolute finest.

Music for a Summer Evening is, perhaps, the lesser signifigant work of the two presented here. Even so, it is an astounding presentation of of Crumb's effective use of extended tequniques, and the ability of his atmospheric writing to stir up strong emotions. Here, Crumb has significantly built on the two pianos/percussion format that Bartok made famous in his Sonata.

Ancient Voices of Children is an important song cycle in the post-WWII repertoire. His extended singing tecniques are used to great effect, and the haunting, mystical effects that he cojours within the limited instrumentation are amazing.

Crumb is one a handfull of composers that can write atmospheric music so well, and pull off these avant-garde tecniques so usefully. If you do not know his music, start with this disc; it's breathtaking.

Just Listen.......2002-06-08

I just recently reaquainted myself with this work after about thirty years. Ancient voice of Children retains all of the mystery and magic that I heard when I first encountered the piece at the age of 11. The work resembles not so much a conventional piece of music as a mystic ceremony. Set to fragments from the poetry of Frederico Garcia Lorca, the music captures the magical nature of the poet's verse. The unusual instrumental effects are haunting. Amoung my favorite is the quotation from Bist Du Bei Mir played on a toy piano as a haunting elegy for a dead child. The work builds in it's last section to a shattering climax.

The perfomance is quintessential. Jan DeGaetani was marvelous in this style of music and is sorely missed as a performer. The ensemble is spirited and very precise. The only thing that you miss on this CD is the visual choreography of a live performance, which is hypnotizing.

Macrocosmos III was a new piece to me and is every bit as haunting as other Crumb music. The ending is luminous...en eternal spinning out of music in the Lydian scale.

Be aware, this is avant garde music, though I feel it is quite assessible to those who listen without preconceptions. It is certainly more assessible than Elliot Carter or Boulez. It is not Part or Gorecki...but then not everything has to be. For me, this is not about style but about substance. Crumb moves me every bit as much as more assessible composers. You just have to listen with different ears, that's all.

What is the Opposite of Music? Listen to this and find out!.......2001-11-02

Here I am, the skeleton at the feast of 5* reviews proving again the old adage that "One man's meat is another man's poison". I hardly believe that even a small percentage of people (let's leave aside Professors of Avant-Garde Music for the time being) would be able to listen to, let alone enjoy, more than a few minutes of this music (I use that term in it's very loosest definition). It is ridiculous, therefore, that this should have a preponderance of 5* reviews. Consequently I believe that I am doing a service by standing up and pointing out "bad" music just as I do in applauding "good" music.

I came at this CD - which I bought thanks to some of the aforementioned 5* which I was foolish enough to believe - with the expectation that it would be modern, avant-garde and probably rather ineffable initially. I am prepared for this, believing that often the best music is not instantly grasped and needs careful auditioning. When I listened to it, however, I found that my expectations were not nearly extreme enough. This is music trying so hard to establish its originality that it appears to have progressed well beyond my definition of what music actually is. It is music as art, as a statement and not music to listen to - think about this a little! Hence my opening line - this is the opposite of music.

Instead, this production seems to be comprised of irrelevant and inconsequential noises, none of them musical. To save you the money, and more importantly the time, I will precis this CD for you:

A womans shriek followed by about 20 seconds of silence.
A sound rather like a large rodent being let loose inside a piano.
Some blocks of wood being banged together.
More shrieking.
More silence.
A voice making a strange sound as if copying a phone ringing.
More silence.
More wood being banged together.
More silence

Etcetera, etcetera, ad nauseam

At some point in this avant-garde nonsense somebody is going to blow the whistle and irreverently point out that the "Emperors New Clothes" do not actually exist. In the service of music, as opposed to "art", I am prepared to do the pointing! This production is nothing more that a deeply unmusical joke against those pseudo-intellectuals who completely miss the concepts of humanity and accessibility in music. "Composers" who write this stuff do so as to hide their lack of musical creativity behind an intellectual argument. Don't believe the hype, leave this one on the shelf!

For those aesthetes and enthusiasts who are intent on heading down a progressive route of "classical" music which yet retains any humanity and sympathy, Part and Gorecki appear to have been able to create music of originality and humanity, proving that it can be done.

Tracks:

Speak
Big Nuthin'
Cloud Dancing
Everyone Is Good
In The World
I Love My Mom
Losing Our Job
Person With A Past
The Anti-Sex Backlash Of The 80's
Easy
Nocturne
Merciful God
Broken Places
Feeling Is Mutual

Customer Reviews:

Listen ... and listen and listen and listen ..........2006-09-05

I feel sorry for those that can only compare this album to the ladies' earlier releases even though this one, their sixth as a trio, came ten years after their debut. This album is nothing short of magnificent. As with any Roches music, as appealing as it is upon first listening, the beauty continues to unfold as subsequent passes allow you to focus on all of the different elements and intricacies. First thoughts about the Roches usually go to harmonies and for that they are truly in their own class but their song writing continues to be remarkable -- the styles, the melodies, the lyrics, the phrasing ... then wrap it all up with impeccable execution. But what else is new? As with any Roches material, don't deprive yourself of the joy of intimate familiarity with this album. The more you listen, the more you will want to keep listening.

Frankly, contrary to the comments of some other reviewers, I like their use of electronic instruments on this record. Sure, I too love the purity of their standing alone with just their voices and acoustic guitars but this instrumentation allows them to add new highlights and move in different directions that only serves to demonstrate the depth of their talent and versatility. I even like the drum tracks because they are defined by the Roches and do exactly what the Roches want them to and they are as clever as everything else these three fabulous minds devise. To be honest though, I don't buy Roches music for the percussion.

Some have referred to their music from this period as evidence of a maturing and I would probably agree with that to an extent (heck, they had become 30-somethings instead of 20-somethings) but I'm here to tell you that the content of this album displays all of the wit, charm and beauty that has marked them from the start.

Some of the great tunes on this recording have already been mentioned by others here so I'll just touch on a few more.

Speak -- Great subject matter and so cleverly crafted

Big Nuthin' -- When they sang this song on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson announced in the intro that it was a true story about their appearance on Saturday Night Live. Keep that in mind as you listen.

In the World -- A simply beautiful, two and a half minute interlude in the middle of the album, this is a lovely melody that showcases the lush texture of Maggie's voice. It took me a long time to stop hitting the repeat button over and over on this one and I still have to make myself allow the CD to play through without my interference (but I'm always rewarded with the great stuff that follows).

Losing Our Job -- This one has a sorta Nashville sound to me (whatever that means). Terre's lead vocals are moving and beautiful and the girls come together for a stirring chorus--not the usual tight harmonies as much as soaring, soulful strains that give me goose bumps.

The Anti-Sex Backlash of the 80's -- a cappella and snappy, an 'only the Roches' kind of tune and another example of the breadth of material in this collection.

Nocturne -- An ethereal blend of original poetry set to music and still another shining example of their talent and versatility.

Broken Places -- A tender song of relationships and healing. Could have been an upper-top-40 tune if they were in that market. By that I mean that the subject matter and song writing would have had that kind of broad appeal.

In general, as usual, each of the girls has key moments of being featured vocally and, when they are all together, Suzzy's lovely tone carries a strong and clear middle range while Terre paints a canvas in the upper register and Maggie provides rich depth and dimension with remarkable precision.

The splendid writing ability of all three girls is well represented on this album. Throughout their body of work, I have thoroughly enjoyed Suzzy's upbeat compositions and some of my favorite Roches pieces over the years have been penned by Terre. Ah, but what of Maggie? Just this: Margaret Roche is probably my favorite composer of all time...and I use 'probably' just to be cautious (I would have no problem deleting that word). Since she began writing--song after song, album after album--she is clearly a genius (I'll spare you that essay) and this album is another crowning achievement.

So...despite being the masterpiece that it truly is, don't be stuck on just "The Hammond Song" forever. Do yourself a favor and get this album and anything else that these girls ever do. Then listen carefully and listen often. You will be richer for it.

Music to hide from the world by.......2004-11-17

As a twenty-something, I loved the Roches. Their skewed harmonies, bratty junior-high choir vocalizing, and ironic distance echoed my own alienation and insecurity. Recently, though, I listened to this album for the first time in a long time, and was amazed at how little there is here to sustain interest.

To be sure, there's nothing like the sound of a family harmonizing together, and on rare occasions, the girls let their guard down enough to let that natural beauty shine through. But, overall, the Roches sound afraid to grow up, feel their feelings, and own their womanhood. It's no accident that their determined asexuality has led them into the realm of children's music on subsequent albums.

If you're looking for wonder and joy, maturely expressed, check out Brian Wilson's "Smile". Too bad that album was so long in coming -- the Roches could have taken lessons.

flat notes aplenty.......2004-02-23

Perhaps 5 good songs on the cd. including: Big Nuthin, Cloud Dancing & Everyone is Good.

As with all Roches albums their tone-deaf harmonizing elicits moments of real revulsion. There is enough accidental dissonance on this CD to fill any other artists entire career. It's astonishing that their story has lasted this long. These girls just cannot get over their dorky high school years in the 70s.

One wonders what they could do if they ever completed their singing lessons and aimed for a more urbane funny bone.

Haunting yet still almost playful - superb........2002-11-29

"Speak", unfortunately neglected and occassionally derided for its moving beyond the acoustic era of seminal folk vocal group the Roches, was in fact a most impressive effort, probably equal to their acclaimed debut. "Speak", unfortunately, is already out of print.

The haunting opening title tune showed the three sisters alternating in vocal line over a very sparse (as always with the Roches) beat. The following track, "Big Nuthin'" continued in this vein but was even more effective due to the almost-exuberant and exceptionally confident mode in which the lyrics were delivered. The next track. "Cloud Dancing" was slower and based on an ancient poem by Huang O in the fifteenth century.

"Everyone Is Good" showed "Speak" turning towards themes of social reponsibility and featured a haunting but almost childlike vocal by Terre Roche. The later part of "Everyone Is Good" moved almost towards a simple pop melody, and contained the memorable line "put aside your religion/do your God a favour". "In The World" was even darker and slower, and shwed the band exploring themes of pain most effectively, but "I Love My Mom" was even closer to typical (though as spare as ever) pop that parts of "Everyone Is Good". The joyful harmonies of this song were/are a pleasure to the ear.

"I Love My Mom" might have featured a simple piano line, but on the following track, "Losing Our Job", the sisters harmonise around an unaccompanied piano line with astonishing beauty as they meditate on how difficult the recession of the 1980s was for ordinary people. "Person With A Past" returned to the synthesiser dominated sound of the first few songs on the album, almost like a release of tension after the previous track.

"The Anti Sex Backlash Of The 80s" was the Roches at their most satirical on a powerful a capella piece ("If you are a sexist pig/Then I have got to dislike, dislike, dislike you") and turning into pwerful and shrill harmonies at the end. "Easy" returned to atmospheric pop textures, whilst "Nocturne" showed some very stark synthesisers backing the sisters at their most piercing. "Merciful God" was a foray into danceable territory, but continued the piercing tone of the previous track as the sisters' harmonies call for mercy in the beautiful chorus, moving up and down in pitch effortlessly. "The Feeling Is Mutual" had an even more "choral" feel to it than the brilliant "Losing Our Job" and maintains its intensity brilliantly.

"Speak" stands as a superb effort that ought not to be out of print.

"Everyone is Good".......2002-10-29

The song "Everyone is Good," is truly one of the FINEST Roches compositions ever. The CD is worth purchasing for this song alone! It's most unfortunate that it is out of print? (Please see roches.com for more info.)

Average customer rating:

Second purchase!
Better than Barney!!
A Rare Pleasure
Awesome kids album that is adult friendly

Will You Be My Friend?
The Roches
Manufacturer: Liquid 8
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

We Three Kings
Keep On Doing
The Collected Works of the Roches
The Roches
Zero Church

ASIN: B000089CJB
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

Do The Boodanee
Disappointed
Will You Be My Friend?
Rover
Uncle Dave
The Laundry
Postcard
When Kids Are Mean
My New Bicycle
Here We Go
Little Bitty Betty
Lovey
Goodnight

Customer Reviews:

Second purchase!.......2005-07-21

Owned the tape and wore it out! Even my 14 year old (Who relates to "Disappointed" and "When Kids are Mean") can't wait for it to arrive. FUN!! Dance with your kids!! You should see us singing (with hand motions!) in the car to "Uncle Dave Misbehaves" You won't regret the purchase.

Better than Barney!!.......2003-12-22

I am back to re-buy this CD after too numerous loan outs to friends who were going bonkers listening to Barney tapes and CDs in their minivans. My daughters (5 and 3) really jam to this, and I sing the Laundry Song in my head whenever I tackle that particular chore-- the song makes me smile; laundry does not. You can turn this up on long roadtrips (and even enjoy singing with it over and over) with the kids and not have visions of purple dinosaurs dancing in you head later.

A Rare Pleasure.......2003-12-18

How often do you play an album knowing that it will refulfill (if that is a word) your faith in the human race? If you own this album you probably know what I'm talking about. This is an album, not only to reconfirm your roots as a child, but to help you help yourself dream forward. Sorry for the dippy sounding review, but this album will send you back to where you need to be. And may help you sort your self out a bit if needed.

Awesome kids album that is adult friendly.......2003-07-31

The rhthyms, tunes and words are great - even for the very young. Nothing is off color, but everything is very modern and relevant even to a young teen. We love this CD and play it often. THe first track is a great mover and shaker - GREAT. Other songs range from feeling left out, to things being unfair to feeling GREAT! It is a super album of great sounds.

Average customer rating:

If It Didn't Remind Me Of How Good They Used To Be...
One of my favorite recordings

Can We Go Home Now
Roches
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Speak
Keep On Doing
The Roches
Nurds
A Dove

ASIN: B00077F4PC
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Album Description

1995 album from the quirky all female folk trio, features 11 tracks. Ryko.

Customer Reviews:

If It Didn't Remind Me Of How Good They Used To Be..........2005-07-02

...it would get five stars.

I hate it when the Roches go "hah-hah-hah" behind the lead vocal. That's their Partridge Family influence showing, and it compares negatively to the inventive harmonies of their first three records. But this CD is a good comeback from a few mediocre offerings like "A Dove" and their children's stuff. "Christlike" is as good as anything they've done. And "I'm Someone Who Loves You" is fun (you gotta love the way Suzzy says "ragdoll".

You can go home, girls. You've done it all.

One of my favorite recordings.......2005-05-26

They don't get much better. I can't believe that at this date you can only buy this as an import. Beautiful lyrics and music, and "The Coat" is priceless. I saw them live in Dallas in 1989, right after "Speak," and the harmonies were gorgeous. Please record another album like this!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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