Heart Food

Heart Food

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
On Judee Sill's second album, rather than using an outside arranger for the strings (as she did on her previous album), Sill did all of the work herself. Her lack of formal training and the immense amount of orchestral overdubs certainly would have made such an outing a hardship for anyone. But the results are outstanding with echoes of Bach supporting the stellar early 70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter melodies. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand of folk-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. New detailed liner notes by XTC's Andy Partridge. Water Records. 2005.

Tracks:

Crayon Angels
Phantom Cowboy
Archetypal Man
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown
Lady-O
Jesus Was a Cross Maker
Ridge Rider
My Man on Love
Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos
Enchanted Sky Machines
Abracadabra
Pearl [Original Version][*]
Phoenix [Original Version][*]
Ridge Rider [Alternate Version][#][*]
My Man on Love [Alternate Version][#][*]
Intro/The Vigilante [*]
Lady-O [*]
Enchanted Sky Machines [*]
Archetypal Man [*]
Crayon Angels [*]
Lamb Ran Away with the Crown [*]
Jesus Was a Cross Maker [*]

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor
Desperado [*]
Kiss [*]
Down Where the Valleys Are Low [*]
Donor [*]
Soldier of the Heart [*]
Phoenix [*]
Vigilante [*]
Pearl [*]
There's a Rugged Road [*]
Donor [Alternate Mix][#][*]

Amazon.com

Judee Sill
Judee Sill was just 35 when she died of a drug overdose in 1979, never having extended what seemed to be an unlimited potential on this, her debut record, released just eight years before. With the wits of a poet and the intonation of an angel, the post-hippie Californian laced her original compositions with astral and religious imagery--and feelings of hopelessness--and then executed them with the pop lavishness of Karen Carpenter. Sill's contemporaneous acoustic folk is sparely backed, while her multitracked vocals add to the redemptive eeriness of supernatural songs like "Lopin' Along thru the Cosmos," "The Phantom Cowboy," and "Enchanted Sky Machines." That Graham Nash produced the minor radio hit "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" (and later saw it covered by his former band the Hollies) attests that Sill was running with the right crowd. But despairing lyrics like "Guess reality is not as it seems / So I sit here hoping for truth and a ride to the other side" ("Crayon Angels") suggest that Judee Sill was conscious that her life could be brief. Thankfully, she left this behind. --Scott Holter

Heart Food
Judee Sill's follow-up to her 1971 self-titled debut sadly also turned out to be her final album, yet Heart Food stands neck and neck with its wondrous predecessor as a near-flawless slice of 1970s pop-flavored Laurel Canyon folk. The production and arrangements here are much grander then on Judee Sill, with her original piano- and guitar-driven songs enhanced by strings, church organ, harmonica, pedal steel, kettle drums, and even male vocals. But no matter the song--be it the Brian Wilson-influenced "The Vigilante," the country-flavored "There's a Rugged Road," or the piano-solo delight "When the Bridegroom Comes"--it all comes back to Sill's virginal voice, which twists and teeters in varying octaves and moods, sometimes within the same track. Sadly, her deliberate songwriting style denied her any chance at a third album. Drugs claimed Judee Sill's life just five years after Heart Food, which can serve as an alluring introduction to this brilliant artist or as a proud bookend to her more-appreciated debut. --Scott Holter

Album Description

2006 two CD compilation from this under-rated folk artist containing both albums she recorded for the fledgling Asylum Records label (Judee Sill from 1971 and Heart Food from '73) plus 19 bonus tracks. This collection combines both Expanded Versions of her albums, originally issued in limited quantity by Rhino Handmade in 2004.

Album Details

UK Collection of the Acclaimed Seventies Singer / Songwriter's Elektra Recordings and Rarities. Her Two Beguiling Albums Are Here with Numerous Outtakes, Demos and Live Performances. "Judee Sill" Has 10 Additional Tracks, Including "The Pearl" and "The Phoenix", Left off in Favor of "Jesus was a Cross Maker" plus Its Demo, One of her Best Known Songs. The Rest were Recorded Live at Boston Music Hall in 1971 by Bill Halverson, Concurrently as He Recorded the Headliners David Crosby and Graham Nash. Nash Produced "Jesus was a Cross Maker". "Heart Food" Adds the Previously Unreleased Outtake, "The Desperado" Along with Eight Solo Demos, Recorded in Hollywood.

Customer Reviews:

Defective Liner Notes.......2006-12-06

I love the music, but the copy I received (from Amazon) was missing some pages from the liner notes. I wanted to exchange it for another copy, but Amazon said no. I tried contacting Rhino, and they never did anything. How can I get the liner notes without having to buy a whole new CD?

Essential Sill in one package.......2006-08-19

Regardless of the shoddy slipcase that totally LOOKS budget (and really, I didn't buy this set for the slipcase) - this is an essential item in any serious music collector's library. Judee Sill went overlooked in her lifetime and it really is dumbfounding as to why when listening to these CDs. She's got a plain, yet completely touching voice -- slight twang, and remarkably similar to the motherly Kate McGarrigle -- and this voice cannot lie when lyrics are sung through it. She believes what she is singing about, and I love that. Everything you've read about her arrangements and tunes are true: they are grand, understated at times, overstated never, and utterly get under your skin even after just the first play. To get her brilliant two albums in one set for a very low price is a gift. The booklet is fabulous, great photos of Judee with sensitively written liner notes and great detail into the mastering of these CDs (particularly about 'preserving' the distortion in the masters.) The material on these discs are the exact same as the two Rhino Handmade discs released a few years ago. [and believe it or not, a bit of a better mastering job!] so stop staring at those $50+ copies here on Amazon -- unless you are a true Judee Sill COLLECTOR in the sense that you need every edition pressed ever, this is what you want. You get her two timeless records, and those great great demos and that STELLAR live performance all here for next to nothing. Lovely, brilliant, about time!

Best thing in 2006.......2006-08-08

I discovered Judee Sill in internet activities. Buying this 2-CD set was my first opportunity to hear her singing at a volume and sound quality that I can appreciate. On some Warren Zevon web page, I found words and chords for "Jesus Was a Cross Maker," a Judee Sill song that was on his `Mutineer' CD in 1995. The original version by Judee Sill that I found at MySpace.com introduced me to her abilities as a Gospel pianist, which are particularly powerful on the renditions of "Enchanted Sky Machines" that are on Disc One of this set.

"Crayon Angels" has one of the lines that gives me one of the biggest Judee Sill laughs I've had in the last month. After the false prophets caused her heavenly visions to disappear:

"the angels came back and laughed in my dreams,
I wonder what it means."

judee .......2006-07-20

a complilation like this should have been assembled by rhino years ago. instead, rhino handmade released limited editions of sill's first and second asylum recordings as individual packages, both of which included studio "demos", and live performances as added bonus cuts.
the reissue producer gives a technical statement of how this compilation differs from all previously released versions of both albums in terms of distorted vocal levels that were/are part of the existing master tapes. for those familiar with the recordings, the distortions were part of the mixing and mastering process, and thus cannot be corrected. enough said.
the music is some of the most gorgeous, powerful, and haunting recorded material i have heard from anybody. let the music of judee sill take you away. the packaging is beautifully assembled. for those of you who could not buy the rhino handmade series, here is your chance to have most of what was issued on those limited releases.
at the price of this admission, you must pick up a copy immediately.

Judee is magical..........2006-06-21

I bought her first album when it was released years ago. This was the age of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and so many other wonderfully talented singer-songwriters. I thought Judee would be a star right along all the rest of them. Her spaced-out spirituals were haunting and mysterious to me. Her troubled life ended her singing career after two albums, however, and she seemed to disappear. I never purchased her second record and looked for it for years in used record stores. I continued to listen to the album I had and later read about her early death. It made me sad. I was happy, however, to learn that she wasn't forgotten when I saw her two albums re-released with great additional tracks on CDs a few years ago. Now Judee's music continues to take me to far away places. She is a classic hippie-chick songwriter of the early '70s. Listen to songs like "Lopin' Along Thru the Cosmos" or "The Phoenix" and you'll get the flavor of the times. These folk spirituals are colorful and lyrical. Her voice is pure and simple.

Average customer rating:

Return to Sanity
Have Some Madeira
British humour at its best
If you haven't heard this...
Gentle Satire

Complete Flanders & Swann

Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Songs of Michael Flanders & Donald Swann
At the Drop of a Hat
The Best of Flanders & Swan - A Transport of Delight
Beyond The Fringe (1961 Original London Cast)
Too Many Songs by Tom Lehrer

ASIN: B000006T4S
Release Date: 1997-04-30

Tracks:

Warthog, The (The Hog Beneath The Skin)
The Sea Horse
The Chameleon
Whale, The (Mopy Dick)
Je Suis Le Tenebreux
Songs For Our Time
A Song Of The Weather - Flanders & Swann
The Reluctant Cannibal
Greensleeves
Misalliance
Kokoraki
Madeira M'Dear?
Too Many Cookers
Built Up Area
In The Bath (From 'At The Drop Of A Hat')
Sea Fever
The Hippopotamus Song

Tracks:

The Gas Man Cometh
Sounding Brass
Los Olividados
In The Desert
The Sloth
The Rhinoceros
Kangaroo Tango
Jaguar
Dead Ducks
The Elephant
By Air
Slow Train
A Song Of Patriotic Prejudice - Flanders & Swann
The Humming Bird
The Portuguese Man-Of-War
Sea Fever
The Hippopotamus Song

Tracks:

The Gas Man Cometh
Sounding Brass
Los Olividados
In The Desert
The Sloth
The Rhinoceros
Kangaroo Tango
Jaguar
Dead Ducks
The Elephant
By Air
Slow Train
A Song Of Patriotic Prejudice - Flanders & Swann
The Humming Bird
The Portuguese Man-Of-War
The Wild Boar
The Ostrich
The Wompom
Twice Shy
Commonwealth Fair
P** P* B**** B** D******
Paris
Eine Kleine Nacht Musik Cha Cha Cha
The Hundred Song
Food For Thought

Album Details

Fantastic Triple CD Box Set of the Recorded Works of One of Britain's Most Popular Comedy Duos. Their Keen Observations of Everyday British Life and Abilities to Exemplify them in Song Made them the Darlings of the UK. Cleverness, Wit and Absoute Hilarity were the Order of the Day, in Just About Any Style of Music. Pure Comic Genius on Three Discs!

Customer Reviews:

Return to Sanity.......2005-07-27

Before Monty Python, before the Beatles, before "'Enery the Aigth Oi Am" there was the subtle, sweet, insdious humor of Flanders and Swann, and their lyrics remain part of the recognition rituals of Ivy Leaguers of the sixties. For any aging hippies or yuppies who find life WAY more stressful than we ever expected, and for whom the down side of alcohol, sex, and drugs has become apparent, I recommend listening several times to "In the Bath". It raises a cry for peace among the nations by inviting all the leaders to sit congenially steaming in a communal bathtub. And they reminding us of our essential self-interest when they add the proviso "as long as Swann and Flanders get the end without the taps." On those nights when we suspect that there isn't any point to it all, reach for the Flanders and Swann. They won't convince you there is any meaning to life, but they'll make it a lot easier to bear. Don't even try to do without it.

Have Some Madeira.......2005-07-06

Not every line in Flanders and Swann has become part of our 37-year marriage, but many have. As our turntables fail, we are pleased that we can relive all the fun stuff we used to collect. Nothing is like this duo, especially what you usually hear as French horn by Mozart converted into "I found that horn go(r)ne." And, of course,
"Have some Madeira, m'dear" is an all-time favorite.

British humour at its best.......2003-03-15

When I started out as a teacher of English, I had the most wonderful colleague as a mentor -- when she retired she gave me three LPs with much of what is on these CDs, and it must be one of the best gifts I have ever been given. Practically all of it makes me smile or laugh out loud (although I must admit that some, like The Armadillo and Slow Train, make me so melancholy that I can just feel my lower lip tremble and my eyes fill up). How can you beat lines like "Hail to thee, blithe Wompom", or "The English are moral, the English are good / And clever, and modest, and misunderstood"? I find they make great listening exercises for my teenaged students as well -- they consider it ancient, but incredibly funny!

If you haven't heard this..........2003-01-16

The great comedic pairing of the late Michael Flanders (vocals) and Donald Swann (piano and occasional vocals) must surely rank among the hall of fame of comic singers and songwriters. Descended from the British music hall tradition, these two men wrote and performed music which still sparkles with wit today, some 40 or more years since it was recorded.

After being told to take up singing as a means of strengthening his polio-weakened lungs, the wheelchair-bound Flanders teamed up with pianist Swann and proceeded to write such classic songs as "The Hippo Song (Mud Mud Glorious Mud)", "The Gasman Cometh", "The Gnu Song", "A Transport of Delight" and many others. As well as a gently satirical spirit, all these songs feature the sublime wordplay and interplay of both men.

The first two discs of this box set are actual concerts - "At The Drop Of A Hat" and its successor "At The Drop Of Another Hat". Recorded at the height of the duo's popularity and form, the sound quality is surprisingly good for recordings this old.

"At The Drop Of A Hat" opens with three of the Flanders and Swann classics. "Transport Of Delight", a song in praise of the "97 horsepower omnibus" features the wonderful harmonies of the duo on lines like "any more fares" and Flanders' dead-on impression of a London busdriver "Geddardait, we're full right up inside". "Song of Reproduction" deals with the new, as it was then, stereo technology and features Flanders delivering an incredible monologue using every conceivable piece of audiophile jargon. "The Gnu Song" (in which "gnu" is pronounced phonetically) is a real treat. The audience's reaction to the reappearance of the gnu is superb.
As well as this opening trio, the disc features Flanders' snippets of "Songs For Our Time" (in which he experiments with conventions of hit songs), "Song of the Weather" (a rundown of English weather throughout the year), "The Reluctant Cannibal" (featuring Swann in the tititular role and the chorus "I can't eat people/I won't eat people/eatin' people is wrong"), Swann's foray into Greek folksong "Kokraki" and the justifiably famous "Madeira M'Dear". The performance ends with a rousing version of "The Hippo Song".
Flanders is in fine voice throughout and his comments introducing each song are delivered with deadpan accuracy. The story behind "The Gnu Song" is an absolute masterpiece. Flanders' monologue about the creation of "Greensleeves" is also superb - "'Greenfleeves'. That's an interesting name for a fong" (referencing old English script) being just a taste.

"Another Hat" begins in equally fine form with "Gasman Cometh" and "Ill Wind". "Gasman", presaged as "a tale of unending domestic upheaval", is sure to have most people who've ever dealt with unreliable tradesmen nodding in agreement, while "Ill Wind" is Flanders' attempt at setting words to a French horn concerto featuring the immortal lines "I lost that horn/lost that horn/lost that horn/found that horn/gorn". The performance continues with Swann's Russian/English song "In The Desert", the ending of which is truly side-splitting. "All Gall" (a reinterpretation of "This Old Man" to fit then-French President Charles de Gaulle) is a little dated but very cleverly done. "Song of Patriotic Prejudice", with its introduction and opening lines grabbing the audience's attention is another triumph, while the "Hippo Encore" is a great end to the performance.
Again Flanders is at his peak. His loving description of the Spanish olive-stuffers ("Olividados") and his superb story about flying ("By Air") are both brilliant examples of the shaggy dog story.
My favourite from both of these discs would have to be "First and Second Law". Flanders decides to educate Swann in elementary science and picks on the first and second laws of thermodynamics ("heat is work and work is heat" and "heat cannot of itself pass from one body to a hotter body") and the repetition of these phrases in time to Swann's barely-there piano accompaniment is one of the finest moments in British comedy.

The third disc is largely forgettable. It begins with a series of animal-related songs performed in a studio and without much of Flanders' rambling introductions. "Warthog" has its moments, while the others were clearly not performed in front of an audience for a reason. "Wompom" is also mildly diverting, presenting a story about a made-up substance which is the answer to everything.
The rest of the disc is then filled out with much earlier material in a rather poorly-recorded concert. "20 Tons of TNT" (related to the calculation the pair had done which gave that as the amount of TNT per person on the planet at the time) provides food for thought, but little more.

Is this box set for everyone? No. Much of the humour both within and without the songs does require a bit of background knowledge to what was going on in Britain and Europe at the time (1960s), John Profumo is referenced a few times as well as Charles de Gaulle and the Common Market, while a smattering of classical music knowledge can help out a bit with Swann's work and "Ill Wind". The fact that my grandfather (who's in his late 70s) recalls hearing these songs and laughing may give an indication as to the age of some of the subject matter. Equally the fact that "First and Second Law" references an awful lot of physics might do the same.

Nevertheless, for anyone who loves British humour done in a gentle manner or who is interested in the source of "mud mud glorious mud/nothing quite like it for cooling the blood", give these CDs some serious consideration.

Gentle Satire.......2002-04-03

I've been singing Flanders and Swann every day In the Bath since I first heard them in 1964. If you don't know them, think Gilbert and Sullivan by way of English music hall and Noel Coward, with a bit of Tom Lehrer musical satire and classic Bob Newhart or Charlie Manna monologues. F&S commented gently on their times: "The purpose of satire, it has been rightly said, is to strip away the veneer of comfortable illusion and cozy half-truth. And our job, as I see it, is to put it back again." Quite simply the best comic songs and patter of the 20th century. Michael died in 1975, Donald in 1994. Goodnight, Mabel Figworthy, wherever you are.

Here are some samples of Michael's verbal wit.

Wordplay:
- "A Transport of Delight," their song of the pleasures of the double-decker bus "has recently been adopted as the theme song of the Underground resistance movement."
- Speculating that Henry VIII wrote Greensleeves: "and the royalties go to royalty."
- About a tennis referee late in the day: "the umpire upon whom the sun never sets."
- Explaining how he was hoisted in his wheelchair onto airliners by a fork lift: "Why they need a great machine like that to lift forks I do not know. Well, they're only plastic, now, aren't they?"
- On status symbols: "The object is to Gunga Din your neighbor: 'I'm a better man than you' is the acid test," and, "let's bang our status cymbals with the best."
- To a disenchanted cannibal: "You used to be a regular anthropophagi."
- Of a lecher: "And he said as he hastened to put out the cat, the wine, his cigar, and the lamps," while the girl "lowered her standards by raising her glass, her courage, her eyes, and his hopes."
- At the corrida d'olivas (the Andorran festival of olive stuffing, not to be confused with the Spanish corrida de toros, or bullfight): "And a great cry goes up of Ole! He has made an 'ol."
- "It's no good going up to a scientist and saying to him like you would to anybody else, 'Good morning, how are you, lend me a quid, and so on.' He'll just glare at you, or make a rude retort."

Throw-aways
- During the height of the cold war the Soviet Union sent the Moscow Ballet on a world tour. Donald sang one chorus of the Hippopotamus Song "mud, mud, glorious mud - nothing quite like it for cooling the blood" in Russian. Michael: "That should improve our cultural relations."
- During the 1963 Mandy Rice-Davies and Christine Keeler scandal: "None of that going around saying no smoke without fire. Nil cumbustibus, Profumo." Also, from "Friendly Duet," "such models of friendship are precious and rare, while the friendship of models is not."
- "Now if you're writing a musical, as I'm sure practically all of you are, . . ."
- Of Donald: "You know that no one has a higher regard for your music . . . than you do yourself. I merely meant that you are not great because you are not dead. If you wish to be great you must stop composing and start decomposing."
- "We never found a rhyme for (Soviet Premier Nikita) "Kruschev" until he was dead: Did he die or was he "pushed off"?"
- "We spent two dreadful, uh, delightful years, entertaining the Americans whose need, let's face it, is greater even than yours. Of course, when we're over there we say that the other way 'round."
- "No matter what you may say about the Germans, and who doesn't . . ."
- "Some of the songs that have made our names a household word, like slop-bucket . . ."
- "They've started testing cars now. They started at 10 years, then 5, now three. There's even some talk of having them tested before they leave the factory."

Absurdities
- "I'm delirious about our new oven fitted with the eye-level grill. This means that without my having to bend down the hot fat can squirt straight into my eye."
- A spectator during the construction of Stonehenge: "So, it's not going to be lived in. Well, that's something anyway. So what is it, then? It's a what?! A calendar?! A bit big for a calendar isn't it? You'd look pretty foolish with that on your desk."
- "Donald knocked himself out this morning. Got one of those new pop-up toasters. Nasty things."

Incredible multiple rhymes:
- "The fair hippoptama he aimed to entice from her seat on her hilltop above, as she hadn't got a ma to give her advice, went tip-toeing down to her love."
- Of Josephine: "Nonsense, said Bonaparte. She lives on her own, apart, in her own apartment."
- "Oh let us be married if our parents don't mind. We'd be happy and inseparable. Inextricably entwined. We'd live happily every after, said the Honeysuckle to the Bindweed."
- "And you'll always see a single lace-less left-hand leather boot. A bootless British river bank's a shock. We leave them there at midnight, you can track a member's route by the alternating print of boot and sock."

Average customer rating:

Still gorgeous after all these years!

The Real Deal.

Good music, but not as stunning as her debut

HEART FOOD - JUDEE SILL

One of my favorite records - ever

Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AL8Z92
Release Date: 2005-10-31

Tracks:

There's A Rugged Road
The Kiss
The Pearl
Down Where The Valleys Are Low
The Vigilante
Soldier Of The Heart
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Amazon.com

Judee Sill's follow-up to her 1971 self-titled debut sadly also turned out to be her final album, yet Heart Food stands neck and neck with its wondrous predecessor as a near-flawless slice of 1970s pop-flavored Laurel Canyon folk. The production and arrangements here are much grander then on Judee Sill, with her original piano- and guitar-driven songs enhanced by strings, church organ, harmonica, pedal steel, kettle drums, and even male vocals. But no matter the song--be it the Brian Wilson-influenced "The Vigilante," the country-flavored "There's a Rugged Road," or the piano-solo delight "When the Bridegroom Comes"--it all comes back to Sill's virginal voice, which twists and teeters in varying octaves and moods, sometimes within the same track. Sadly, her deliberate songwriting style denied her any chance at a third album. Drugs claimed Judee Sill's life just five years after Heart Food, which can serve as an alluring introduction to this brilliant artist or as a proud bookend to her more-appreciated debut. --Scott Holter

Album Description

On Judee Sill's second album, rather than using an outside arranger for the strings (as she did on her previous album), Sill did all of the work herself. Her lack of formal training and the immense amount of orchestral overdubs certainly would have made such an outing a hardship for anyone. But the results are outstanding with echoes of Bach supporting the stellar early 70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter melodies. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand of folk-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. New detailed liner notes by XTC's Andy Partridge. Water Records. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Still gorgeous after all these years!.......2007-05-12

I found Judee Sill by accident, when an acquaintance put it on the turntable. My wife and I immediately asked "What's that?!" and managed to find it on cd.
It's a little hard to define, but truly beautiful. I'm an AC/DC, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath kind of guy, but I love this recording! We actually bought an extra 3 copies to give as gifts. It's one of those rare recordings that almost anyone will like and then quickly fall in love with.

Buy it! You'll thank me.

The Real Deal........2007-04-26

Having worked my way through several "Great lost..." albums and "over-looked classics" with varying results I am happy to report that this really is as good as the best of its era and still sounds fresh today.

I would recommend this as the first purchase for any one unfamiliar with Judee Sill as the demos and extras that you get on Abracadabra are more useful to fans(and not so useful at that)desperate for more.This version also comes with well written liner notes from Andy Partridge which I preferred to those on Abracadabra.

However If you are already familiar with the albums(say looking to replace old vinyl or a lost copy)then Abracadabra represents better value for money.

Which ever you end up choosing I would suggest you can't really go wrong because you'll be getting a fabulous album either way.

Good music, but not as stunning as her debut.......2007-02-14

Judee Sill's second and final (complete) studio album, Heart Food, finds the singer/songwriter returning to much of the same territory she explored on her first, self-titled album. Sill lends her clear, uplifting vocals to astutely-crafted pop tunes about her own spiritual quest through the Christian faith. Again, like in her debut, the religious themes are very tastefully blended into the music, never seeming heavy-handed, hackneyed or boring. Sill's unique brand of hippie spirituality is very successfully combined with pop music--her musings are very accessible (even for people like me who aren't Christian) and the music that backs them is creative and full of hooks drawn from gospel, soul, country and folk.

This time around, Sill augments her expressive vocal melodies with even more instrumental flourishes--a few more background singers accompany her on tracks like the upbeat "Soldier of the Heart," and a diverse range of instruments can be heard, such as banjo and horn sections. Additionally, Sill also gets a little bit progressive on the album's closer, "The Donor," an epic, sprawlingly hypnotic piano tune that is buoyed by her choral Latin arrangements. Throughout, Sill's voice (somewhat of an acquired taste, but it's not too tough to acquire) is a pleasure to listen to, and it's fascinating and moving to hear her torment and joy as she tried to reconcile her sometimes tragic life with the promise of redemption.

For its many good qualities, Heart Food is in many ways an echo of Judee Sill, her first album--the album's opener "There's A Rugged Road" is so similar melodically and instrumentally (listen to that guitar line) to Judee Sill's opener, "Crayon Angels," that it seems Sill didn't make much musical progress between albums. Much of the beginning of this album requires close listening for enjoyment (it can be pretty subtle and downbeat at times) and the similarities between the songs on both albums frequently pop up, especially with her portrayals of Jesus--on both albums there are a number of references to him as a sort of cowboy-like bandit hero. It's a novel and very colorful concept on Judee Sill, but when the theme reappears on Heart Food, it seems like Sill was feeling a bit of difficulty coming up with fresh metaphor.

Overall, Heart Food is a fine album with lots of great qualities--it's a shame that Sill seems to be getting lost in the sands of time. If you're just coming to her music, I'd start with her debut before you decide to get this one too, or buy the Complete Asylum Recordings, which has both. Enjoy!

HEART FOOD - JUDEE SILL.......2006-07-31

While looking for Ester Satterfield, I came across Judee Sill and was instantly transported back in time ~~ a time of reflection and optimism. Believe me, I am not disappointed with my selection. Talk about the circle of life....!

One of my favorite records - ever.......2006-04-09

I bought "Heart Food" while in high school when the record was still being played on college stations. The only song they played back then was "The Doner," which I loved immediately (as did the DJs on the station). I had to have my aunt pick it up for me, because I didn't have a car yet. At the record store, she said she looked for it but finally had to ask for help, because she couldn't find it out in the bins. My aunt was very suspicious - for some reason they kept them behind the counter. Go figure.

Out of the blue a couple of years ago, I decided to pull out my old LP, and was blown away all over again, crackles and all, thirty-odd years later. I did some Googling and found several sites devoted to her and her music. It seemed that lots of people were getting blown away all over again. One mentioned the Rhino Handmade re-release coming up, so I waited and bought one as soon as I could. I think this was a short run of 2500 copies or so. I'm glad to hear it's been "re-re-released."

It's so awfully sad that she died so young.

I recommend her first album, "Judee Sill", though "Heart Food is probably the best introduction to Judee Sill's music, I think. The "lost" album, "Dreams Come True," is okay, with a few knockout songs, but I wouldn't recommend starting there. "Judee Sill" took a few plays to get its hooks into me. Now it's right up there in my mind with "Heart Food."

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Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Water
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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Judee Sill
The Collection
12 Songs (2 CDS)
Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]

ASIN: B000HEWFXO
Release Date: 2006-12-11

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valley's Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor

Amazon.com

Album Description

Now available in miniature replica gatefold LP style sleeve, Judee Sill's second album Heart Food is outstanding with echoes of Bach supporting the stellar early '70s Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter's melodies. The supporting cast of top L.A. studio musicians solidifies Sill's unique brand of folk-flavored pop, which moves from introspective meanderings to loping rock, often within a single song. Limited edition of 2500. Water. 2006.

The Secular Songs of Henry Purcell, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Purcell stole my heart

The Secular Songs of Henry Purcell, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Bonney, Barbara | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Secular Solo Songs of Henry Purcell, Vol. 1
Purcell: The Secular Solo Songs, Volume 3 / The King's Consort

ASIN: B000002ZUD
Release Date: 1994-06-14

Tracks:

I Love And I Must ('Bell Barr'), Z382
When Her Languishing Eyes Said 'Love'! Z432
Not All My Torments Can Your Pity Move, Z400
Ah! Cruel Nymph, Z352
Sylvia, Now Your Scorn Give Over, Z420
Since One Poor View Has Drawn My Heart, Z416
I Resolve Against Cringing And Whining, Z386
Gentle Shepherds, You That Know The Charms, Z464
If Grief Has Any Pow'r To Kill, Z378
She That Would Gain A Faithful Lover, Z414
Fly Swift, Ye Hours, Z369
Hears Not My Phillis How The Birds (The Knotting Song, Z371
Phillis, Talk No More Of Passion, Z409
Celia's Fond, Too Long I've Lov'd Her, Z364
In Vain We Dissemble, Z385
When My Aemelia Smiles, Z434
Farewell, Ye Rocks, Z463
What A Sad Fate Is Mine, Z428A
I Take No Pleasure In The Sun's Bright Beams, Z388
Love's Pow'r In My Heart Shall Find No Compliance, Z395
How Delightful's The Life Of An Innocent Swain, Z373
She, Who My Poor Heart Possesses, Z415
Love Arms Himself In Celia's Eyes Z392
When First My Shepherdess And I, Z431
Through Mournful Shades, Z424
If Music Be The Food Of Love (Second Version), Z379B
Scarce Had The Rising Sun Appear'd, Z469
Who But A Slave Can Well Express, Z440
High On A Throne Of Glitt'ring Ore, Z465
Incassum Lesbia, Incassum Rogas (The Queen's Epicedium), Z383

Amazon.com essential recording

Purcell fans will delight in this collection of 30 of his 85 secular songs. Barbara Bonney, singing with ease and controlled fervor, steals the recording with her endearing sound and impeccable musicianship. Soprano Susan Gritton brings a more dramatic perspective, singing with zest and a little edge that almost, but never quite, grates. Sometimes, however, she vibrates mildly out of control. Tenors Charles Daniels and Roger Covey-Crump sing with grace, joviality, and tenderness, but both are a little shallow throughout the bottom. Countertenor James Bowman occasionally stumbles with intonation, but always lands standing upright. This buffet of various voices captivates the listener's attention span, totally avoiding potential monotony. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Purcell stole my heart.......2001-02-08

Alas, with the help of phenomenally expressive singers on this CD, Purcell has stolen my heart. I listened to this CD a few times then immediately emptied my pocketbook to the nearest consort putting on a Purcell concert. Such poverty is love.

Average customer rating:

Broadway Blockbusters

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000027242
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

The Music Man
Annie
Oliver
Do Re Mi
Fiddler On The Roof
A Chorus Line
Les Miserables
Drink With Me
Gypsy
West Side Story

Average customer rating:

is it really for sale?
Simply Beautiful
Chasing the Sun
"Heart Food" music for the soul with soul
one of the greatest records ever made

Heart Food
Judee Sill
Manufacturer: Rhino Handmade
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Judee Sill
Faithful Virtue: The Reprise Recordings
Dreams Come True

ASIN: B0001MMGEU
Release Date: 2004-01-01

Tracks:

There's a Rugged Road
Kiss
Pearl
Down Where the Valleys Are Low
Vigilante
Soldier of the Heart
Phoenix
When the Bridegroom Comes
Donor
Desperado [#][Outtake]
Kiss [#][Demo Version]
Down Where the Valleys Are Low [#][Demo Version]
Donor [#][Demo Version]
Soldier of the Heart [#][Demo Version]
Phoenix [#][Demo Version]
Vigilante [#][Demo Version]
Pearl [#][Demo Version]
There's a Rugged Road [#][Demo Version]

Amazon.com

Album Description

Judee Sill was a true original. A singer-songwriter with a wealth of influences and a fascination with religion, she referred to her work as "country-cult-baroque." She was the first artist signed to David Geffen's Asylum label, and, along with Joni Mitchell and Carole King, exemplified the breezy "Laurel Canyon Sound" of the early '70s. Sill scored moderate hits with "Lady-O" (originally written for the Turtles) and "Jesus Was A Cross Maker" and released two albums--1971's Judee Sill and 1973's Heart Food--before suffering chronic pain and eventually dying of a drug overdose at age 35.

Sill grew up in Oakland, California, and began playing piano at age three. A troubled family life and brushes with the law landed her in reform school, where, as church organist, she developed the gospel style that would characterize her future recordings. After a stint in college and three down-and-out years of addiction, she cleaned up and began work on her dream of becoming a songwriter. She spent a short time penning songs for the Turtles' production company before signing her own deal with Asylum.

Pleased with the creative direction of Judee Sill, the singer-songwriter again teamed with engineer/producer Henry Lewy (Joni Mitchell, Neil Young) for her follow-up. On Heart Food, Sill's voice is stronger and Lewy's production more resonant. Built around the singer's guitar or piano, the songs are arranged with similar ambition. "There's a Rugged Road," a meditation on Christ's humanity, features country violins, pedal steel, multi-tracked vocals, and a hoofbeat rhythm. The gospel-influenced "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" burns with electric guitar, church organ, vibes, and doo-wop harmonies. The album's closing opus, "The Donor," uses male voices and tympani to build an intense medieval round.

This Rhino Handmade release of Heart Food has been remastered from original source materials and expanded with nine bonus tracks, including the studio outtake "The Desperado" and eight solo demo versions of album tracks.

Customer Reviews:

is it really for sale?.......2005-08-05

This title is a special release from Rhino, which says they don't have anymore. Should be popular because of the success of another Judee Sills title recently.

But my order has not shipped in the time indicated, and now Amazon says it will be delayed another month.

I don't think they really have this product to sell.

Simply Beautiful.......2005-07-25

Trust the other reviews on this fantastic album. I knew nothing of Judee Sill until the recent reissue campaign of her two Asylum albums by Rhino Handmade (along with the new set from the never-completed third album, "Dreams Come True" by the Water label), and all the praise is well deserved. I've listened to "Heartfood" about ten times or so, which isn't nearly enough to appreciate her substantial gifts of composition and arrangement. Only adding to the pleasure of hearing this terrific album is Rhino Handmade's expert handling of this reissue, complete with extensive liner notes, and additional tracks and demos. To be honest, my purchase was based on 50% curiousity and the other half solely on Rhino's involvement. They never disappoint. But more than anything, Sill's is a voice well worth discovery, and the heart-melting "The Kiss" is worth the purchase all on its own. Also essential are Sill's first, self-titled set (also on Rhino Handmade) and the above-mentioned "Dreams Come True". A fitting tribute to an artist shamefully relegated to the margins for too many years.

Chasing the Sun.......2005-04-24

It's fairly incredible that for as amazing as "Heart Food" is, it remains largely unknown and under-appreciated. However, its brilliance will not let it fade. Copies of the lp have fetched high prices; and Rhino's limited re-release is welcome as this classic set joins the digital age. Sometimes compared to Laura Nyro's "New York Tendaberry," Joni Mitchell's "Blue," or Carole King's "Tapestry" as one of the seminal sets of female singer songwriters in terms of its influence, there is no questioning the amazing & inspired brilliance of this set.

For me, the shining jewel in the crown of this accomplishment is the glorious "When the Bridegroom Comes." She takes bridegroom imagery from Matthew, Chapter 25 & Revelations 17 ("And the Spirit & the bride say, Come") and combines this into a moving piece of religious metaphor for the human acceptance of the will of God. This is such an inspiring track that it sometimes gives me chills of anticipation with its clarity and vision.

The musical flow and surging keyboard on "Down Where the Valleys Are Low" is stunningly original, "Till the heaven's song begins the holy fires a-burnin' & the harmony is set to weave a silver sermon." "The Phoenix" is a lovely track with Sill's voice that comforts like a warm embrace, "Guess I'm always chasin' the sun, hopin' we will soon be one." The lovely piano intro on "The Donor" and the breathless "kyrie eleison" chorus is some of the most gorgeous music ever created! Sill's unique sense of harmony and musical construction makes her an under-appreciated master. One wonders how her earthly path might have changed and what music might have been produced if this incredible set had found the broad audience it so richly deserves. Classic! Bravo!

"Heart Food" music for the soul with soul.......2005-04-02

She wasn't a lost soul but she had the credentials for it. She took to prostitution to support her drug habit. After she was busted, music became her addiction. She was damn good at it. Sill really took to music when she was in reform school playing the church organ. It's there that she learned the gospel licks that made much of her music so powerful. She once described her music as "country-cult-baroque" and it certainly fits given her lyrical fascination with religious icons. She never had a hit although she did gain the respect of other important song writers. She continues to have impact. XTC's "Apple Venus Volume 1" and "Wasp Star" both owe a huge debt to Sill's mixture of strings, wistful melodies and exotic use of Christian and pagan imagery (XTC's Andy Partridge gives her a special thank you in his notes for the latter album). Judee Sill's music borrows liberally from country, gospel, and helped establish singer-songwriter tradition that eventually blossomed into a cliche during the 70's.

Her second album demonstrated a blossoming talent. If you can still find it go for the special edition of her second album limited to 5000 copies and available only through Rhino Handmade's website. There's a number of bonus tracks and an exceptional booklet. Less lush and with string arrangements, well placed gospel phrasing Heart Food captures Sill at the peak of her performing and writing talents. Although her co-producer and engineer Henry Levy noted that he felt the second album had better production but no additional depth to the songs, Heart Food seems much more introspective lyrically. Sill isn't afraid to wear her influences on her sleeve here. She's also not afraid to incorporate new musical elements to these songs. Levy's talent as an engineer and producer was undeniable. He's also very, very wrong about Heart Food. Every song demonstrates growth for Sill but the marvelous "Soldier of the Heart" , epic "The Donor" and magical "The Kiss" with its hymn like quality are clearly the stand out tracks on the album

Every song comes from the soul and Sill never stopped looking for that mythical juncture of the physical and the spiritual. Rhino's special edition features one unreleased outtake as well as 8 raw demos for this album. Sill's first album definitely belongs in the essential category (and it's also available from Rhino Handmade with bonus demos and live tracks) despite the over lush production that hampers some of the material. Sill gained a bit of fame when the late great Warren Zevon covered her single "Jesus Was a Crossmaker". His marvelous version of the song nicely compliments Sill's more lyrical version. Sill would have found humor and irony in her sudden minor fame when Zevon's song earned airplay. Unfortunately, Sill died in 1979 having completed only two albums and an additional album worth of demos which have recently been issued as "Dreams Come True". She was 35. Rhino Handmade can be contacted at http://www.rhinohandmade.com.

one of the greatest records ever made.......2005-03-25

For me HEARTFOOD by JUDEE SILL is one of the most beautiful and ming boggling records ever made..its as great as any other record by anyone anywhere...where do those lyrics come from? the chords? The arrangments?LYRICALLY she has no peer..what an amazingly sad tragedy that this record is hardly known.THE KISS is as beautiful a song as ive heard, time simply stops when i even thing about that song ..i dont even have to hear it ,all i have to do is think of it to feel its power.The only other track that does this to me is REMEMBER THE MAINTAIN BED written by woody guthrie and achingly sung by jeff tweedy on mermaid ave vol 2(wilco finest moment.and i love wilco) ..beleive every word youve read on this site about this record..AND GOD BLESS JUDEE SILL. ps..ive just got DREAMS COME TRUE the new judee sillcd of unreleased material...and its gonna blow your mind

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
A marvelous interpretation!

Dowland: Lute Songs

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

ASIN: B0000AOVOL
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-10-29

John Dowland is valued today as the first English composer of solo songs, mostly because no one in England has exceeded his output; he may have been equalled by Purcell. However, his distinctive blend of poem, melody and harmony remains unsurpassed. In addition, by underplaying the role of the voice, the listener's attention is directed to the poem. This de-emphasis of the voice was favoured by Elizabethans who relished the new-minted language of Shakepeare's contemporaries. Dowland has his brighter side, but his music is preponderantly melancholy. "Lachrimae" became his signature tune. The accompanying group 'The Consort of Six' was a peculiarly English invention of the 1580's. Six different instruments-treble and bass viols, flute, lute, cittern and bandora; it was in fact the first orchestra. The titles of the instrumental pieces give us some idea of the wide range of society in which Dowland moved; very "upper class". John Dowland was typical of composers of that time in that he earned his living by playing, and he was very much sought after by both amateurs and professionals. Alfred Deller, the most legendary of countertenors issued the very essence of melancholy of the 17th century English songs. One has to mention that he was a primary influence in the development of the countertenor voice and as such was a performer who traveled all over the world showing to all that this voice was to be looked upon and accepted as an authentic and singular entity in itself, to which I totally agree. Therefore, he paved the way for an entire generation of singers such as James Bowman, Michael Chance, David Daniels, Gerard Lesne and Phillipe Jarousky to name only a few. This recording is a landmark in music; the singing is skilled; the accompaniment superb and the song selection significant.

A marvelous interpretation!.......2005-07-05

This is a superb CD set. Deller is amazing and the Lute Songs have deep feelings, that send us to immemorial ages... If you love old sacred music you must have this Set.

Average customer rating:

Complete Secular Songs (3cd)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell / King's Consort
Sacred Music Complete
Purcell: Complete Ayres for the Theatre
Dowland - The Collected Works / The Consort of Musicke, Rooley

ASIN: B0000DJENT
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Average customer rating:

Patchy, with some fine moments
Brilliant and alive!

Dowland: Farewell, Unkind
John Dowland , Christopher Tye , Rene Clausen , Anne Azema , Karen Clark , Olav Chris Henriksen , Joel Frederiksen , William Hite , and Robert Mealy
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005E3V
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

I Invocation: Psalm 100
II In The Presence Of A Queen: Lady Laiton's Almain
II In The Presence Of A Queen: Humour, Say: A Dialogue
II In The Presence Of A Queen: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
II In The Presence Of A Queen: Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
III My Love Doth Wake: Galliard On 'Awake, Sweet Love'
III My Love Doth Wake: Come Away, Come Sweet Love
III My Love Doth Wake: III Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
III My Love Doth Wake: Come Heavy Sleep
IV To Die With Thee: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard 'If My Complaints'
IV To Die With Thee: Pavan A 4
IV To Die With Thee: Can She Excuse My Wrongs
IV To Die With Thee: Lady, If You So Spite Me
IV To Die With Thee: Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
V Go, Crystal Tears: Go, Crystal Tears
V Go, Crystal Tears: Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
V Go, Crystal Tears: If That A Sinner's Sighs
V Go, Crystal Tears: Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Mr George Whitehead His Almand
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Wilt Thou, Unkind, Thus Reave Me
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Tarleton's Riserrectione
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Far From Triumphing Court
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Lasso Vita Mia
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: The Frog Galliard
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Now, Oh Now I Needs Must Part
VI Then Farewell, O Farewell: Farewell, Unkind

Customer Reviews:

Patchy, with some fine moments.......2003-06-14

The lively tracks fare best here. There is a lot to like about those particular tracks and the period tongue (loov instead of love, coom instead of come, etc) is not nearly as cumbersome as it might have been, due to the convincing performances of the singers.
However, the slower numbers are often, in my opinion, rather sour.
Having heard this disc several times, it strikes me that it becomes less attractive over time, with the novelty of the approach soon wearing thin.
Still, some tracks are very lively and the artists are obviously having fun bringing a rather unique angle to these pieces, so it might well appeal to those who like something unusual.
Recording quality is fine, though the final fade-out is clumsily managed.

Brilliant and alive!.......2002-10-07

This is a fresh, vibrant recording of a cross-section of Dowland's music, and will quickly dispel any myth of Dowland always being a composer of melancholy!
The singers use Elizabethan pronunciation, which can be quite revelatory.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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