Honey & Wine

Honey & Wine

Track Listings

1. Honey and Wine

2. All the Time

3. Thank You

4. They Are Gone

5. Happy Birthday to Me

6. Walking on Air

7. Ain't You Glad You're Livin', Joe

8. I'll Remember You

9. Fields of Wonder

10. So Many Others

11. Here Am I

Tracks:

Overture/Prologue
Honey, Honey
Money, Money, Money
Thank You For The Music
Mamma Mia
Chiquitita
Dancing Queen
Lay All Your Love On Me
Super Trouper
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
The Name Of The Game
Voulez-Vous
Entr'acte
Under Attack
One Of Us
S.O.S.
Does Your Mother Know
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Our Last Summer
Slipping Through My Fingers
The Winner Takes It All
Take A Chance On Me
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
I Have A Dream

Amazon.com

Put together by Abba's own Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia! manages to cram over 20 of the Swedish supergroup's songs into a threadbare plot. It goes a little like this: Young Sophie is getting married and she's trying to identify which of three men is her father. That's about it. Wisely, the musical doesn't mess around with the songs, save for the insertion of some dialogue or for having some of them performed by a man (it works amazingly well). Abba fans will jump on this import of the London production, but traditional fans of musical theater should consider it as well. After all, Andersson and Ulvaeus's songs have always felt as if they were more than isolated pop gems and actually belonged to a longer narrative. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Mamma Mia.......2007-03-22

I have not stopped playing this cd. It is just great! It makes any trip in my car most enjoyable Happy I bought it!

Mamma Mia Musical CD.......2007-03-21

This is a grand list of songs from the original musical when it was first introduced in England. The songs from ABBA are very recognizable even if you haven't seen the show. But, making a trip to NY to see the Broadway production is a plus. ENJOY!

JUST GREAT MUSIC.......2007-03-08

I RECENTLY SAW THE SHOW MAMMA MIA IN LAS VEGAS. ALWAYS LIKES THE MUSIC OF ABBA, AND THOUGH THE PLOT WAS THIN, THE MUSIC WAS WELL PERFORMED. IN THIS PARTICULAR ALBUM, THE ENGLISH ACCENTS WERE A BIT MUCH, BUT THE SONGS WERE GREAT. ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, ABBA.

Mamma Mia.......2007-01-29

Every time I hear the music and songs it brings back memories of seeing the Broadway Show

Not good at all.......2007-01-09

This is not what we wanted. The British accents throw it was off. We just saw it in NY and this is not what we were looking for.

Average customer rating:

Inconsistent and unimpressive - Radiohead's later work is far better
This one has always been a big disappointment
Not their best, but Creep...
Think what you like
Excellent and underrated debut

Pablo Honey
Radiohead
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Bends
OK Computer
Amnesiac
Kid A
Hail To The Thief

ASIN: B000002UR7
Release Date: 1993-04-20

Tracks:

You
Creep
How Do You?
Stop Whispering
Thinking About You
Anyone Can Play Guitar
Ripcord
Vegetable
Prove Yourself
I Can't
Lurgee
Blow Out
Bonus Track 1

Amazon.com

Before Radiohead became the biggest critics' darling since Pavement or Dr. Dre, they were just another pre-Oasis British band with some loose indie ties, trying to gain some cred. Loopy enough to name this moody, often battering debut album for a Jerky Boys routine, they were also a lot more interesting when they hadn't yet learned the word "soundscape." "Creep," the miserably majestic single they now claim nearly ruined them, may not even be the best thing here; try "Anyone Can Play Guitar," an epitaph for River Phoenix before the fact. --Rickey Wright

Amazon.com

Radiohead Photos

More from Radiohead

Hail To The Thief
The Bends
Kid A

OK Computer
Amnesiac
I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings

Customer Reviews:

Inconsistent and unimpressive - Radiohead's later work is far better.......2007-07-21

Had you told me in 1993 that Radiohead would go on to great success with critically acclaimed albums like The Bends and especially the masterpiece OK Computer (and its near-masterpiece follow-up, Kid A), I would have probably backed away from you as fast as possible. Most of Pablo Honey is rather poor guitar rock - How Do You? might be the worst song the group ever recorded, a song with pathetic lyrics, while songs like Prove Yourself and I Can't both are poor imitation U2. While Radiohead's U2 influence would prevail throughout their career, it's especially emphasized here: even two of the stronger songs (Anyone Can Play Guitar; Stop Whispering) remind me a lot of a certain massively popular Irish rock band.
Now there's one really impressive song here, and of course it's Creep, the group's first hit, the song that unfairly got them branded as one-hit wonders before The Bends came along and shut everybody up. While the song has its detractors, even from the Radiohead fanbase, I really like it. I first heard it as a preschooler and I remember it did a combination of scaring and offending me (keep in mind Beauty and the Beast also scared me at this time) - the falsetto, guitar scratches and lyrics scared me, while the line "what the hell am I doing here?" (keep in mind that I only heard the radio edit, the one free of the F-Bomb), and "I wish I was special" offended me - again, I was in preschool, and if any preschooler was caught repeating I wish I was special they would have been given the "everyone's special in their own special way" lecture. Anyway, nowadays I quite enjoy it. Thom's falsetto in the bridge is VERY effective, the dynamic shifts are clever, the guitar scratches just RULE, and it's the most melodic song about self-loathing I've ever heard. And while it's tempting to dismiss the lyrics as angsty whining, the truth is they do an efficient job of portraying a person who is messed-up, possessive, neurotic, and well... creepy. And the use of the f-bomb adds a lot to the song with just one word: the radio edit (with a clumsy "you're so very special" lyric) makes it seem like mere self-pity, whereas the "you're so f***in' special" gives it more of a "well, I suck, but so do you" feel - a double put-down, kind of Dylanesque. Still, it's nothing Nirvana hadn't done before.
Now if everything on this album was as good as Creep, we'd have a fine album on our hands. Alas, that is not the situation. I already discussed my dislike of How Do You?, Prove Yourself and I Can't, and most of it's about as "good" as those: I doubt many people have fond memories of overly commercial rockers like Ripcord or Vegetable, for example; Thinking About You changes the sound up (folk-rock! Ooh!), but in truth is a pathetic song as well. I suppose You is an okay precursor to The Bends' sound (though not quite as good as that album's best), and both Lurgee and Blow Out are enjoyable if forgettable and unspectacular. So there's one great song (Creep), two good ones (Anyone Can Play Guitar; Stop Whispering), some okay ones (Blow Out; You; Lurgee). But this is by far Radiohead's weakest album. (I know I gave Hail to the Thief a lower rating, but that one's grown on me, and I think I'll edit my review of it sometime soon). Each of their later efforts is far stronger.

This one has always been a big disappointment.......2007-06-08

Unfortunately this is one of those albums that has only one good song on it - in this case, Creep. I still love that song nearly 15 years after its release, but I've always found the rest of this album completely unbearable. I just can't make myself listen to any of the other songs. Thank god the ipod generation came along so I could copy that one song and forget about the rest of the album.

Not their best, but Creep..........2007-05-12

I think this isn't their best album (it's their first!) and sometimes it sounds a little "old".
But it's beautiful to discover some seeds of the future Radiohead's sound. Especially Creep is one of their best song ever.

Think what you like.......2007-01-07

Personally, i enjoy listening to this album. I dont care what you think, i dont care what the masses think, i just dont care. Listen to the album, dont read all these stupid reviews. If you like Radiohead just listen and have your own opinion. just because a lot of people dont like it, doesnt mean you wont, their opinion isnt worth jack. alright, i said what i had to haha.

p.s: Anyone Can Play Guitar is a great song!

Excellent and underrated debut.......2006-12-28

It may surprise some people to discover that Radiohead wasn't always the experimental and disturbed rock band that they are today. It may surprise those people even more to discover that Radiohead began as an early-90s alt-rock band like any other. In 1993, they released their debut album, PABLO HONEY, and it was a debut like any other ... or so you'd be led to believe. As a die-hard Radiohead fan, I knew that I must someday investigate PABLO HONEY, despite its lack of acknowledgement from many of my fellow fans. Finally, I did, and was I ever surprised!

Maybe PABLO HONEY's lack of attention grew from comparisons to later Radiohead masterpieces like THE BENDS (which actually has a lot in common with PABLO HONEY) or their supreme achievement, OK COMPUTER. It's fascinating to listen to PABLO HONEY and then listen to the band's most recent album, HAIL TO THE THIEF. They sound like a completely different group. It's no secret that Radiohead evolved and changed immensely over the course of six albums, but does that mean that they weren't a talented band to start out with? Erase your prejudice and your expectations and listen to PABLO HONEY. It's a collection of visceral ruminations on everything from mental status ("Vegetable") to love ("Thinking About You") to the apocalypse and how handy it would be to have a guitar during that time ("Anyone Can Play Guitar"). Each song features swirling, driven guitar and oddly angelic singing from Thom Yorke. The lyrics are heartfelt and the arrangements show definite promise. One way to describe Radiohead on PABLO HONEY would be "the U2 of the early-90s alt-rock scene." The overall sound of the album is very similar to that of THE BENDS, which is why I find it especially odd that this album has been disregarded by almost everyone.

Is PABLO HONEY as good as THE BENDS? No. Is it as good as OK COMPUTER? No. I suppose one might consider this Radiohead's weakest recording, although AMNESIAC holds that position in my book. Try to examine this as what it is, though: an unpretentious debut from am immensely-talented band just starting out at the beginning of the 1990s. It's not as good as the later Radiohead releases, but for what it is it's one of the most important albums of the decade, and certainly one of the best of the early 90s.

Average customer rating:

An Elegantly Flawed Disc
Goodbye Surfing, Hello God !
Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars
Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars
An awesome CD!

Smiley Smile/Wild Honey
The Beach Boys
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Friends/20/20
Sunflower/Surf's Up
Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights)
Little Deuce Coupe/ All Summer Long
Carl & The Passions - So Tough / Holland

ASIN: B00005ABX0
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Heroes And Villains
Vegetables
Fall Breaks And Back To Winter (Woody Woodpecker Symphony)
She's Goin' Bald
Little Pad
Good Vibrations
With Me Tonight
Wind Chimes
Gettin' Hungry
Wonderful
Whistle In
Wild Honey
Aren't You Glad
I Was Made To Love Her
Country Air
A Thing Or Two
Darlin'
I'd Love Just Once To See You
Here Comes The Night
Let The Wind Blow
How She Boogalooed It
Mama Says
Heroes And Villains (Alternate Take)
Good Vibrations (Various Sessions)
Good Vibrations (Early Take)
You're Welcome
Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
Can't Wait Too Long

Amazon.com

These albums mark nothing less than a watershed in the Beach Boys' and Brian Wilson's careers. Fresh from the artistic triumph of Pet Sounds and the landmark single "Good Vibrations," Wilson began work on Smile, a project that would become a music fan's Rashomon: pop's most (in)famous unreleased album; artistic Waterloo for Wilson; near career-ruination for the band. Smile seemed an attempt to expand on the jigsaw session methodology Wilson had applied to "Vibrations." What went wrong has been debated for decades, but Smiley Smile was the album that followed in the summer of '67--a "bunt instead of a home run," as Carl Wilson admitted. Bookended by the glories of the "Vibrations" single and its truncated follow-up, "Heroes and Villains," Smiley can seem an exercise in creative schizophrenia. There's an earthy quality to remakes of Smile tracks "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," and "Wonderful," while Wilson's "Fall Breaks," "Little Pad," and "Whistle In" underscore his playful, off-center instincts. But this album also anticipated the roots-conscious retrenchment that the Beatles and Bob Dylan would undertake at the end of the '60s.

Wild Honey has taken its place as a cult fave among fans, and rightly so. Its surprising R&B influences (epitomized by the buoyant title track, "Darlin'," and "Here Comes the Night") were not only a brave turn for a band just then at a low ebb, but a prescient pointer to the black music explosion of the early '70s. This great twofer edition includes some of the series' best tracks: a near seven-minute "in progress" suite of "Good Vibrations" outtakes as well as a complete early version; the odd, Smile-era B-side "You're Welcome"; a beautiful live rehearsal rendition of the a cappella showcase "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring"; and another suite of edited session takes for the unreleased standout "Can't Wait Too Long." -Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

An Elegantly Flawed Disc.......2007-05-22

I feel that this grouping of albums is a blessing in that you can get two important but slightly flawed albums of Tehe Beach Boys for a low price. The music is unbelievable especially Smiley Smile. It is exhilirating to hear Brian Wilson's genius in this stripped-down form. What is there just teases you as to what it would have been if all the problems of Smile hadn't occured. The second half, Wild Honey, is just fun Beach Boys, no psychedelia at all, just fun. It's a great summer album all together, the first half for when your blazing, the second for when your driving around in the hot summer air. I recommend this album.

Goodbye Surfing, Hello God !.......2006-07-16

Smiley Smile - The "released" version of Smile is here in a smaller scale. If you ever wanted to hear what the Beach Boys would sound like on Hashish and laying on their backs while singing harmony stoned, get this, it's really good.
Wild Honey - White soul before there was white soul and 10 years before Hall & Oates and the white Philly soul movement, The Beach Boys did it in 1967.

Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars.......2005-11-16

Smiley Smile simply is the moment when the Beach Boys died. It maybe impossible to imagine now, but up to 1966 the Beach Boys were as respected as artists as the Beatles. Smiley Smile is a rushed album, with practically no instrumentation whatsoever and many under-rehearsed vocals, except for Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villians. If Capitol ever releases a Smile box set as they promised, Smiley Smile will be then send to oblivion, in the hall of shame where it belongs. The world never took the beach boys seriously after that. Wild Honey is actually a very good album, not better than Pet Sounds or Smile, but different than anything they ever did before. Some of the songs and arrangements are totally Brian Wilson at his best. Some of the 'soul' vocals I find difficult to digest and I miss the Beach boys blend on the songs. The extra tracks on the album are ESSENTIAL to any serious beach boys fan, so, if you are, you need this album.

Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars.......2005-08-23

Letting go of the "what could have beens" with Smile hasn't been easy for many Beach Boys fans- yet it tarnishes a lot of what they did afterwards. There have been many bands that have had aborted projects- some songs found life in other projects. In the progression of The Beach Boys circa 1966-67 there's Pet Sounds, the "Good Vibrations" single, Smiley Smile, and then Wild Honey. There was a time when I might I have thought that Smiley Smile and Wild Honey were steps back artistically; especially when I would put myself to wondering about the aborted Smile project; but in my maturity the steps back artistically have become steps forward humanly. The proceeding albums had less flair and "ambition"; the staple became more and more friendly and subtle- especially when you include the wonderful Friends album.

The enormous ambition that was so much the core of Brian Wilson's progress had turned into personal flights of fancy. The remnants of this, Smile, was rerecorded and turned into Smiley Smile. Parts spooky and haunting, parts comical and silly, the music is complex yet at times astonishingly simple- it was an exorcism and slow return to being the Beach Boys. One major change that started occurring during the recording of this album is that the Beach Boys started recording the music themselves without the assistance of the Wrecking Crew (a famous group of LA session musicians).

Although I have preferred the "Smile" versions of Wonderful, Vegetables, Wind Chimes they are not without plenty of charm. She's Going Bald and Little Pad are fun ditties that have some experimental elements. Although this is a personal estimation I think some of the songs could be very disregarded by the most serious fans such as Fall Breaks Back Into Winter and Getting' Hungry.

Within the same year they had switched tracks to a much more earthy less psychedelic sound. The result is the highly enjoyable Wild Honey. This is a truly great album by the Beach Boys- this was their back to basics album with a new found interest in R&B. It was a group effort on many levels- the song writing was very good and the performances had a passion and honesty that I have found on Pet Sounds without the self indulgence. Songs like Darlin', Wild Honey, Here Comes The Night and Aren't You Glad are on my list of top Beach Boys songs. The Stevie Wonder cover I Was Made To Love Her is actually a surprisingly good cover; Carl sounds quite soulful.

Finally I have to mention Let The Wind Blow- a touching reminder of the power of love- the deepest and most important thing in the world. The sentiment came during a time when many were writing protest songs about everything that was wrong with the world. The simplicity of the desire to give and feel love to one special person in his life resonates so strongly in contrast to the protests and criticisms of inhumanity. The song itself is so simple that it's easy to past right by it but with the feeling of the song hits you it is a sincere plea for more love.

The bonus tracks a cool- there is an amazing live recording from another aborted album; Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring is a cover of a Four Freshmen song that harkens back to Brian's youth. There's also a good version of Can't Wait Too Long once again from the Smile sessions.

I highly recommend these albums. They come as a twofer but both albums are remarkably short; many albums back then clocked in at 40 minutes long because of the time constraints of records-- Wild Honey is only 23 minutes long!)
Also check out Sunflower, Friends, Holland, and Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blues (if you can find it) all top notch albums.

An awesome CD!.......2005-08-22

Smiley Smile is a terrific album, and definitely should rank among the most underrated, overlooked masterpieces of the last 200 years.

Sure, it wasn't "SMiLE", but it stands alone as a great work of art with its own merits. The songs, "Heroes and Villains", "Good Vibrations", and the several rare bonus tracks make the CD well worth buying, yet the CD offers much more than that.

If you like offbeat, eclectic songs, you will love Smiley Smile. This stuff is far wackier and stranger than anything the Beatles, Pink Floyd, or anyone else was doing at the time, or really since. But the songs aren't just strange and mystifying; they're also quite beautiful and enchanting.

The vocal harmony work on Smiley Smile is among the best the group ever did. The instrumentation is sparse on some songs, and deliciously rich and intricate on others. The album is an amazing tapestry of wild sound effects, beautiful vocals, haunting instrumentation, gorgeous melodies, psychedelic clownery, and genius concepts.

I could go on and on about Smiley Smile. It's one of my personal favorite albums and I never get tired of listening to it. But Smiley Smile is only half (in volume) of what the CD offers. I don't have much to say about Wild Honey other than there are several good songs on it, and it's a solid album with a consistent sound. The production is minimal as is most of the instrumentation. Overall, it's a good album worth owning if you like the Beach Boys.

The bonus tracks on this disc are just amazing. You get to hear an alternate version of Heroes and Villains often referred to as the "Cantina" version, and some of the tracking sessions for Good Vibrations, which is really quite cool. There's also a wonderful a capella song, originally from the 4 Freshman, that the Boys do with incredible grace and remarkable beauty. "Can't Wait Too Long" is apparently a SMiLE-era outtake that was never used, but it's hard to see why; it's a great song.

Basically, if you are a Beach Boys enthusiast and really like Brian's experimental side, you must get this CD. These Capitol "two-fers" are a great value, and this one in particular is a real gem.

Average customer rating:

Re-mastered beautifully
Tupelo Honey
Uplifting, Joyful, and Romantic
One of the best rock albums of the early seventies
A great blast from the past!

Tupelo Honey
Van Morrison
Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Moondance
Saint Dominic's Preview
Astral Weeks
The Best of Van Morrison
Into the Music

ASIN: B000002GNK
Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

Wild Night
(Straight To Your Heart) Like A Cannon Ball
Old Old Woodstock
Starting A New Life
You're My Woman
Tupelo Honey
I Wanna Roo You (Scottish Derivative)
When That Evening Sun Goes Down
Moonshine Whiskey

Amazon.com essential recording

Van Morrison's "Caledonia soul"--his unique blend of Irish mysticism and spiritual questing, literary allusion and blue-eyed R&B--can be as beautiful and deeply emotional as any music ever made. That's certainly the case on 1971's Tupelo Honey, one of the finest albums of Morrison's long career. Kicking off with the classic "Wild Night," Tupelo Honey is as completely joyous as the normally bitter Van gets, particularly on the title track and the unabashedly grateful, slow-building "You're My Woman," both among the most moving love songs he's recorded. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

Re-mastered beautifully.......2007-06-26

This CD by Van Morrison was re-mastered beautifully.

If you once owned the LP of this CD, and wish to add the CD version to your CD Library, then this re-mastered version is just great.

I recommend it.

Even if this re-mastered version may cost a bit more than the regular stereo version, I recommend spending the extra dollar or so more and getting this re-mastered version of TUPELO HONEY.

Tupelo Honey.......2006-03-10

I've always liked the song Tupelo Honey and was unable to
get my hands on it as it wasn't released on other albums later on. The rest of this album is good for a Morrison fan as
it reaches back before the popular stuff you've heard.
If you're Van Morrison fan, you'll like this one.

Uplifting, Joyful, and Romantic.......2005-12-22

I bought Tupelo Honey on vinyl back when it was first issued and got years of enjoyment listening to it. Then as time passed, other music became more immediate, and Tupelo Honey languished in my record cabinet. But then in the last couple of years, Van Morrison or his record company decided to remaster and reissue some of his back catalogue, so I jumped at the chance to get this on CD at a very good price.
Tupelo Honey should appeal to anyone who likes Van Morrison on any level. Not only are the songs more "accessible" than much of his later work, the fact that he was still in love at the time this was issued shines through in the music. The tone from start to finish is uplifting, joyful, and romantic.
Those who listened to Top 40 in the early 70s will immediately recognize Wild Night. While good, it is far from the best song on the album. I like the entire recording, but my favorites are the jaunty (Straight to Your Heart) Like A Cannon Ball, Starting A New Life, the loving You're My Woman, and the anticipatory romance of When That Evening Sun Goes Down.
Of all Van Morrison's albums, Tupelo Honey is about as close to Southern music as he gets. It finds Van at the peak of the second period of his solo career. If you like a little romance and a lot of soul, then you should own this if you don't already.

One of the best rock albums of the early seventies.......2005-09-13

The title says it all with my opinion of Tupelo Honey. Definitely my favorite Van album. It is probably nostaglic for me, because when I was a kid my dad would sing it to me on road trips in his tone death best. The album kills. 'Nuff said.

A great blast from the past!.......2005-08-29

Van Morrison never sounded so good. It's great to revisit his talent and Amazon made it easy for me.

Average customer rating:

Very nice
best music ever
Fantastic
Great new artist
There's just no justice in the world....

Like Blood Like Honey
Holly Brook
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bird on a Wire
Blue on Blue
Bleeding Heart Graffiti
The Day Has Come
Stromata

ASIN: B000FIHMZI
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

Giving It Up For You
Wanted
What I Wouldn't Give
Like Blood Like Honey
Again & Again
Curious
Saturdays
Heavy
Still Love
All Will Be Forgotten
Cellar Door

Amazon.com

A lot of roads lead to Holly Brook (the singer, not a picnic destination). There's the hip-hop path, on which plenty of next-big-thing predictors got to know her through her collaboration with Fort Minor on The Rising Tide (her haunting chorus on "Where'd You Go" became an instant hit). Then there's the TV path, on which anybody with an ear for pop with staying power could have chosen between a couple of trails: both the NBC show Conviction and the WB series Related have featured her plaintive song "What I Wouldn't Give" off this, her debut. However you reach this piano-propelled 20-year-old star in the making, though, you won't be sorry. In the space of three songs, she recalls a decade's worth of singer-songwriters twice her age, and in an unhurried, stylish way that suggests she's doing it handily. A wrenching Tori Amos vibe weaves through "Again & Again," a track that recalls Shawn Colvin in equal measure; Suzanne Vega circa Solitude Standing surfaces in the vivid short verses of "Saturday"; and Sarah McLachlan seeps out over most of the vocals, but especially those on "Give It Up for You" and the lovely "Cellar Door." Joni Mitchell is the association Brook was going for--she cites her as influence number one--but comparisons with the more obvious mentors can't come as much of a bummer. The Joni connection may surface yet: Like Blood Like Honey is surely a trickle in a long career to come. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

Red-haired, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Holly Brook has caused a Sarah McLachlan-Tori Amos sensation with her vocals on Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go"—the most added Top 40 Mainstream track this spring. A la Dido's appearance on an Eminem hit that launched her platinum career, everyone is curious: "Who is that amazing voice?" Meet Holly Brook. Listen to her debut album, Like Blood Like Honey. Then you'll know.

Album Description

Red-haired, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Holly Brook has caused a Sarah McLachlan-Tori Amos sensation with her vocals on Fort Minor's Where'd You Go the most added Top 40 Mainstream track this spring. A la Dido's appearance on an Eminem hit that launched her platinum career, everyone is curious: Who is that amazing voice? Meet Holly Brook. Listen to her debut album, Like Blood Like Honey. Then you'll know.

Customer Reviews:

Very nice.......2007-07-08

I'm not much of a music person in general, but I liked the piano background and Holly Brook's voice so I bought the CD. I loved it! I have honestly listened to the whole cd at least 15 times. Ok so now I'm getting a little sick of it, but I have really enjoyed it, and you will too!

best music ever.......2007-05-15

Nuff said,... no wait thats not enough. This cd has everything except, loud driving, screaming guitar riffs and deep bass which is what I'm used to. I love this album, I think that I love holly brook :) She is intelligent, beautiful and extremely talented. What every man wants right? any ways buy this album. This should be in everyones collection, no matter what you listen to. This album is something to sit back, listen to and enjoy the day no matter what type of day it is. Absolutely superb!!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic.......2007-03-06

Music is wonderful and the voice incases perfectly in the melody. A brilliant COMPACT DISC.

Great new artist.......2007-02-28

I love Holly Brook's sound. This is a great cd and I'm anxious to see more of what Holly will create in the future.

There's just no justice in the world...........2007-01-05

There's no justice in the world for this bright, shining, talented woman to be relegated to the 5000th most popular record on here. In my mind she has more talent in one pinkie finger than all of the women who she supposedly resembles--Jewel, Tori Amos, Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Kelly Clarkson etc.. Unlike these singers Holly Brook has a beautiful, clear, pure, and unaffected voice that carries her smart but accessible lyrics to glorious heights. I stumbled upon this record while reading someone's Listmania and I am glad I did. Every song is different but perfect in its own way. BUY THIS CD--you won't regret it.

Average customer rating:

Lennon's swan song delightfully delivers!
Double Fantasy, Pt. 2
"peak master" is not enough
I Don't Want To Face It, no no no no
Yoko did well 2 polish up this album after lennons death.

Milk and Honey
John Lennon , and Yoko Ono
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Double Fantasy
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John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
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Walls and Bridges

ASIN: B00005Q66O
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

I'm Stepping Out
Sleepless Night
I Don't Wanna Face It
Don't Be Scared
Nobody Told Me
O'Sanity
Borrowed Time
Your Hands
My Little Flower Princess (Forgive Me)
Let Me Count the Ways
Grow Old with Me
You're the One
Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him
Stepping Out (Home Version)
Interview with J&Y December 8th, 1980
Interview With J & Y December 8th, 1980

Amazon.com

Originally released in 1984, four years after John Lennon's death, Milk & Honey is probably best thought of as a companion piece to the better-known Double Fantasy. Like Double Fantasy, Milk & Honey contains equal but separate contributions from Lennon and Ono: lashings of dreadful, self-indulgent arty noodling (mostly, but not exclusively, Ono's) interspersed with sharp, pugnacious songwriting (mostly, but not exclusively, Lennon's). The subject matter throughout is the one that preoccupies all of Lennon and Ono's collaborations, namely themselves and each other. This is, very occasionally, undeniably touching. It is much more often as cringe-inducing as overhearing cooing lovers on a bus--Lennon and Ono always believed that we could never have too much information. The best moments here are those infrequent ones when Lennon directs his gaze somewhere other than at the adoring eyes of Ono--notably the exuberant "Nobody Told Me." The extra tracks on this new edition are three new paeans to themselves by Lennon and Ono, and an interview with the pair recorded shortly before Lennon's death, in which he reiterates his subscription to the philosophy of absurd, naive utopianism that tends to make obvious sense to people rich enough to do as they please. --Andrew Mueller

Amazon.com

John Lennon Photos

More from John Lennon

Imagine
Lennon Legend
The U.S. vs. John Lennon

Plastic Ono Band
Working Class Hero
Sometime in New York City

Customer Reviews:

Lennon's swan song delightfully delivers!.......2007-01-23

These songs, the remainder from 1980's "Double Fantasy" sessions deliver a sharp and delightful musical punch. While they aren't as "slick" as "Double Fanatasy" (John had planned to double track his vocals after Christmas, 1980), tracks such as "Nobody Told Me" , "I Don't Want to Face It" and "Steppin Out" are John at his rock and roll best. Songs such as the reggae-influenced "Borrowed Time" and the tropical island-drenched "Forgive Me" are wonderful and offer a glmpse of the great music that was to come..... In addition, Yoko's "You're The One" is a classic "Walking On Thin Ice" esqe recording---and this remastered edition features John's "lead" vocal on Yoko's "Every Man Has a Woman" (as a bonus track). I highly recommend this CD.

Double Fantasy, Pt. 2.......2006-05-30

Milk and Honey was recorded (mostly) at the same time as Double Fantasy. However, as with most posthumous recordings, listeners never really know if Milk and Honey would have appeared as we have it now. Would tracks have been removed/added? Would John have added a couple more guitar tracks, harmony lines, lyrics, etc.? Would John and Yoko abandon the dialogue-style running order of Double Fantasy?

We'll never know. The same problem has been addressed in response to albums such as Jimi Hendrix's First Rays of the New Rising Sun. Though it's hard to avoid imagining what could've been had Lennon lived to continue his late-career renaissance, Milk and Honey is a rather nice document of what was going on just before his death. And it's a pretty good album on its own terms, too.

It's certainly rougher than Double Fantasy, but this is actually a good thing, as that album often sounds a little overproduced in retrospect. And thank God they left in those little snippets of John talking in the studio - it's nice as a look into the man's wonderful personality. And, in general, Lennon's music is pretty damn good, too, especially on "Nobody Told Me," "Borrowed Time," and "Grow Old With Me." His only throwaway is "(Forgive Me) My Little Flower Princess," and considering the limited amount of Lennon material out there, it's nice to have anyway. However, it shares a glaring flaw with Double Fantasy.

Yoko Ono's songs just don't match up with Lennon's. It's not only in singing talent or songwriting - her style often disrupts Lennon's more powerful themes and music. Now, I'm not one for Yoko-bashing (in particular, I thought an earlier review that resorted to childish name-calling was positively vicious and tasteless), but I also don't believe she was as talented as her husband. At the very least, one must admit that her music feels much less powerful than Lennon's. Personally, I think that the Lennons should have done something along the lines of their Plastic Ono Band albums, in which they were both given an entire LP's running time to express themselves. They could've even packaged both their albums together. The sentiment behind Double Fantasy and Milk and Honey was nice, but for the sake of the music, it should not have used the John-Yoko dialogue style.

Nevertheless, Lennon's talent shines brightly on the strongest numbers. Casual fans may not find Milk and Honey that rewarding, because it only has a couple of stone-cold classics. But for true Lennon fans, it's indispensable as both a window into the man and his music.

"peak master" is not enough.......2005-09-10

As I like to say; Many, many "moons" ago I have bought this CD, expecting to enjoy listening to it digitally remastered... But...
Like I said in the title, it is not enough to use "peak master". You have to know how to use it. In case of this particular item somebody gained the track and cut the level with something like peak master on 0 dB. Personally I think that some kind of a low quality limiter was used in this case.
Dear messers (whoever is the one responsible for this), thanks to your unqualified usage of equipment or software, we have the honor of listening to another TECHNICALLY INCORRECT CD.
Epilog:
1. John's voice, as well as some instruments is clipping from time to time (you can hear light distortions).
2. On the third track "I Don't Wanna Face It", from approx. 2:42 you can hear one continuous crackling sound, which comes as a side effect of gaining the sound and then cutting it with limiter.
The same thing happened with Double Fantasy, which is not the case with Imagine and Rock 'n' Roll. Naturally I'm talking about Remastered items. It is sad, however to destroy such a wonderful music. Pay attention next time Mr. or Mrs. So and So.

I Don't Want To Face It, no no no no.......2005-01-28

Have I ever listened to this all the way through? I suppose I have, once or twice. "Nobody Told Me" knocked me out when I first heard it. But the final creative outpouring of the Lennons ("diarhea of creativity", John called it in his final interview) doesn't hold much attraction for me anymore--and not because of Yoko, either (not in particular, anyway). It's too much personal myth-making, too self-centered. I hope to someday understand this period of their lives better than I do now. Meantime, anyone want to buy my copy of the record? Near-mint condition!

Yoko did well 2 polish up this album after lennons death........2004-08-26

On dec 8 1980 john lennon was shot in the archway to his luxury Dakota apartments on west 72nd street N.Y city.
He and his wife Yoko ono had just put out their l8test album together called double fantasy, which featured songsabout their new family life in nyc.
Four years after lennons death Yoko ono released this "album" milk and honey, which consists of songs that lennon made as demos during the double fantasy sessions, and throught 1980.Yoko adds 7 of her own songs , six recorded after lennons death.
stepping out and sleepless night are gr8 openers for the album, both being my 2 favourite. I dont wanna face it is also a good song, but dont be scared is my least favourite yoko song on the album. Nobedy told me was a hit in 1984 but in my opinion is a bit 2 repetitive but has a good beat and decent lyrics. O sanity is way too short, but still good. Borrowed time was also released by yoko in 1984 and was a hit, but also in my opinion is too repetitive. Yokos your hands is sung in half-japanise, half english, and has gd vibres. My little flower princess is a bit too unfinished a short for me, but still ok. Yokos beautiful 'let me count the ways', is a nice tune, sung well by yoko, as is (and interpritation) of Robert Brownings grow old along with me. youre the one is well sung by yoko with gd lyrics, and she has added johns version of 'every man has a woman who loves him'. Stepping out demo is good , and so is yokos demo of im moving on, which featured in their last album, double fantasy. and finally we hav the interview with john on the day he died, in which he talks about the influence paul mccartney and the beatles and yoko had on him, and his new family life. He was shot some 8 hours l8ter.... I recently visted n.y.c., and saw where john was shot, and went to the imagine circle in central park , near where i purchased this album.
On the back of the cd, it has a picture of j and y kissing, by the lake in central park.... i went to this spot on my trip in n.y.Inside the booklet it also features pictures of john and yoko in their favourite cafe, fortuna, and yoko adds a message , which was written in 1983, just before she put out the album....

Thankx for reading my review!

Average customer rating:

Soulful and engaging
Holy Music
Great Pick
Voices of real angels!
An Amazing Work

Sacred Ground
Sweet Honey in the Rock
Manufacturer: Earthbeat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Women Gather
Selections 1976-1988
...twenty-five...
I Got Shoes
Still on the Journey

ASIN: B000002M7R
Release Date: 1995-10-24

Tracks:

I Remember, I Believe
No More Auction Block
Would You Harbor Me
Prayer
Sing Oh Barren One
Mystic Oceans
Jordan River
Stay On The Battlefield
Can't Hide Sinner
Jesus Is All
Inner Voices
Prayer To The One
Balm In Gilead
We Are

Customer Reviews:

Soulful and engaging.......2007-02-18

I first encountered Sweet Honey and the Rock in 2003 at Michigan Wymns Music Festival. They were fantastic. Recently, one of my chorus mates suggested the track I Remeber, I Believe as something we should sing in our spring concert. Our director agreed and I couldn't be more trilled. I purchased two copies of the CD, one for myself and one for the daughter of a friend of mine. It is a permanent part of my car audio collection. Try Sweet Honey out and you'll fall in love with their five part harmonies, their personal touch, and the sweet voices of a wonderful, soulful group of wymn.

Holy Music.......2006-08-14

I bought this CD for one song, We Are, a powerful anthem that I had been taught by a dear friend. However, every song on this CD is powerful in its own right and has served and nurtured me over time. Sweet Honey is an amazing a cappella musical group that has evolved out of the African American political and historical experience. With Sacred Ground, Sweet Honey focuses on the spiritual dimensions of political and social challenges such as prejudice and poverty. The result for me, is always a sense of renewal and energy that feeds the soul, soothes the heart and harmonizes mind and body. Sacred Ground is an invaluable CD for any one who works with dispirited and often disembodied people. While most "new age" music, emphasizes a certain spaciousness, Sacred Ground which has its roots in traditional gospel and folk music argues in favor of groundedness as a source of heartful strength. Its just this side of divine.

Great Pick.......2005-02-25

This is really the best. Great sound and beat. Excelent recording sound and meaningful music.

Voices of real angels!.......2002-10-04

I got hooked on "Sweet Honey..." several years ago when I an interview on NPR. This CD really shows off their voices. It also shows how 'into' this genre they are! Highly recommend this CD. Heck, I highly recommend all their CDs!

An Amazing Work.......2000-09-26

I cannot express how grateful I am for this CD. It while I was listening to the amazing voices of these women that God helped me find my way out of a depression (I know it sounds corny, but it's true). While nothing compares to seeing this group perform live, all of their albums are incredible and a must to own. This one has a very spiritual focus, while others sometimes focus more on secular problems. No matter which album you choose, if you like music that is beautiful in every sense of the word, Sweet Honey in the Rock will not dissapoint you.

Average customer rating:

Soundtrack to Ayatollah Reagan's era
Time to review the best album ever made.
Brilliant..
Good god....
Unadulterated rage

The Land of Rape and Honey
Ministry
Manufacturer: Sire Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste
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ASIN: B000008II6
Release Date: 1999-09-27

Tracks:

Stigmata - Ministry
Missing - Ministry, Ministry
Deity - Ministry, Ministry
Golden Dawn - Ministry, Ministry
Destruction
Hizbollah
Land of Milk and Honey - Ministry
You Know What You Are
I Prefer
Flashback
Abortive

Amazon.com

This is a brilliant hybrid of electronic music and conventional guitar-heavy rock. The first three tracks in particular pound out the overall method: furious, punk-metal guitars over slamming, machinelike rhythms. This release exemplifies Al Jourgensen's and Paul Barker's skill at producing remarkably creative musical aggression. "You Know What You Are" and the album's title track are fist-in-the-air electro-anthems upon first listen. But upon closer scrutiny, the songs reveal themselves to be works of complex sonic architecture, with components drawn from a wide variety of sources. The same is also true with "Flashback," a techno-punk foray into loosely controlled fury. --Mark McCleerey

Customer Reviews:

Soundtrack to Ayatollah Reagan's era.......2007-06-21

If you'll permit me to describe Al & Paul's playful and irritatingly sweet-natured goth-pop of old as a waterfight at a Cathloic school fete, then the sheer industrial malevolence of LORAH, for that is her cutely abbreviated name, is something akin to a coke-fuelled shooting rampage at a Texan (or possibly Arabian) military academy.

With half the songs being decent and the rest excellent, Ministry's first "proper" album influenced countless industrial acts to follow, though none have as yet come close to imitating this most abrasive of sonic barrages. The title track and You Know What You Are are particularly violent, consisting of drumming assaults so explosive they'd put an artillery unit to shame. The latter also boasts some frightening gargled vocals through a distortion pedal, barely human but addictive nonetheless.

Other songs which threaten to devastate the tiny Middle Eastern cities of your eardrums include the irate thrashalongs of Missing and Deity. These ignite for the first time the oil fires of uber-processed heavy metal guitars; this particular strain of jet-black smoke would burn for a long time in the desert sky of Ministry's dystopian battleground.

Once the apocalyptic sandstorm subsides, the headache will linger on for a good few weeks. Enjoy it like a rivet.

Time to review the best album ever made........2007-03-22

Quite possibly the best and most influential industrial album ever. When I go to Ministry concerts nowadays I'm usually disappointed that I don't hear more songs from this album. Maybe one song (or two if your lucky). Al Jourgensen is usually too busy playing songs from his most recent albums which will never be as good or as CLASSIC as the songs from this one. Don't misunderstand me, some of his later material is okay, but it will never top Land of Rape and Honey.

This album is one of the top five industrial albums ever. How many bands were influenced by this one since 1988? I'm sure it's a lot. Ministry has had at least three tribute albums for @#$!s sake! Maybe more by now, I don't know. Other old skool bands are lucky to have one! Even if they ARE good.

Hopefully I'm not wasting my time here. If you're reading this review then you ARE familiar with Ministry and probably already have this album. But if you are among the uninformed younger generation that was born after this album was made and you actually think 'Linkin Biscuit' and 'Hootie blew my Fish' is good music, then it's time for you to be educated.

'Land of Rape and Honey' by 'Ministry'. Own it. Buy it, keep it, nuff said.

Brilliant.........2007-03-19

Evil..Jill Fraoli's (Sarolta deFaltay should wear purple this color or like the purple ((or Blue..))George w. Chicken wears in "Duckman" show..)somewhere rockin..I like this.It's good.Real good industrial music,brilLiant "George W. Chicken/Sarolta" colors on album coveR.Dancin! Freakin! BUst a move!

Good god...........2006-10-03

There are just too many close minded morons on this site, who can never try something different.

Dear Dr. Sniv, you really don't know s**t about industrial rock, it's not like thrash metal where you shred on the guitar as fast as possible and make solos that are about 1/3 of the whole song. I'm also a huge fan of Slayer and Sepultura. But Ministry is SUPPOSED to sound weird, pr!ck.

"The Land of rape and Honey" is possibly Ministry's best album. Songs like "Stigmata" and "Hizbolla" show how original Ministry is. I wont make it long but my favorite song on here is the title song, though.

So Sniv, next time review something you have a little comprehension of, until then, just shut up (the same thing goes for Rammstein).

Unadulterated rage.......2006-09-24

30 seconds of a curious ticking noise, followed by a shriek so extremely distorted and chaotic as to destroy speakers at high volume. Such is the beginning of Ministry's "Land of Rape and Honey". It's funny imagining what fans of the synth pop and subdued electro records "With Sympathy and "Twitch" faces looked like when they pushed play for the first time. Whatever the reason, this album marks the abrupt transition into the Ministry we know and love today.

"The Land of Rape and Honey" is violent, about as violent as any album can be. One gets the impression that the walls of endlessly looping distorted drum machines and screams contained herein were really more meant to beat the listener senseless than hypnotize into some sort of trance like the heroin induced ramblings of later albums.

This album makes it on attitude alone. There is little to no melody or musicality in any of these tracks. Some of the rhythms can even be classified as inane, such as the simple alternate snare and bass throughout the whole of "The Missing". Guitar work is redundant and simple.

Al's vocals follow little structure, one scream after another, occasionally avoiding even rhythm ("Stigmata"), but they get the point across- anger. A hell of a lot of it.

"Stigmata" (10/10) An industrial classic if there ever was one. Grinding synth sounds combined with a 2 chord main riff, then alternated with totally insane verses ("Choke on glass"). The chant "You have empty eyes" is both the finale and the highlight.

"The Missing" (9/10) A metal oriented tune with great riffs and some fantastic harmonizing leads in the chorus. Very epic and very fast. Short and sweet. The drum parts are lacking in groove and complexity.

"Deity" (10/10) Thrashy and melodic, an absolute anthem and one of the best tracks Ministry has ever produced. Metallic, but not in the same way as "The Mind" or "Psalm". Unique in the catelogue.

"Golden Dawn" (10/10) Groovey bass driven instrumental with some background guitar harmonics and lots of good sample splicing. This album marks Al's best use of spliced samples for rhythmic effect. "You have been found guilty of commerce with the devil", "Confess, confess!".

"Destruction" (7/10) Another instrumental with a simple, loping rhythm that loops throughout. Overlaid are far away sounding distorted chants of "DESTRUCTION!", scrapes and feedback. Harsh and powerful, but there isn't much at all going on.

"Hizbollah" (10/10) The middle eastern title fits well with this track. A more developed primal, tribal sort of rhythm with some heavy, menacing synth work and samples of something being said in Arabic. A heavy, melodic instrumental.

"The Land of Rape and Honey" (9/10) Militant and march like, 16th note harsh synths over heavy drum tracks. Al's screaming vocals re-enter the album here, "Face to face, blood to blood". The sampling going on here is subtle genious, increasing the mood of the song substantially. Hiss noises provide still more atmosphere. Doesn't really progress during the duration, it's verse after verse. "In the land of rape and honey, you PRAY."

"You Know What You Are" (10/10) Similar to the title track in rhythm and overall sound, the harsh, angry vocals and samples (of maniacal laughing) push this one to a higher level. The voice is so drenched in distortions that you can barely make out the words.

"I Prefer" (6/10) Frantic and fast paced synth and some cleaner monotone vocals chanting. Very little going on musically, and very short. Not at all a memorable song.

"Flashback" (10/10) Quite possibly the most absolutely furious song I've ever heard, distorted blasting percussion and spliced sampling loops relentlessly for 4 minutes over which Al spews line after line of tortures and humiliations he's going to inflict on a certain individual, punctuated by a 'chorus' of "I HATE HER" (and sometimes 'him'). "I'm gonna make you suffer, and WATCH YOU DIE!" Insanity that it's hard to overstate.

"Abortive" (7.5/10) A quiet and very out of place instrumental with some interesting bass and rhythm tracks. A sort of atmospheric chillout song.

While it isn't totally consistent, "Land of Rape and Honey" is one of the angriest albums ever recorded and very influential besides. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely peerless
once-in-a-lifetime greatness
We love this album
Simply great
Porgy and Bess

Porgy & Bess
Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Porgy and Bess
Gershwin: Porgy & Bess [With Members of the Original Cast]
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Ella & Louis Again (Dig)
George Gershwin - Porgy & Bess / Trevor Nunn · Sir Simon Rattle · W. White · C. Haymon · Glyndebourne Opera

ASIN: B0000046Z5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture
Summertime
I Wants To Stay Here
My Man's Gone Now
I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
Buzzard Song
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
It Ain't Necessarily So
What You Want Wild Bess?
A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
Oh, Doctor Jesus
Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

"Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

"Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

"I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

The father of scat singing.

The queen of the jazz vocal.

There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

We love this album.......2006-08-22

We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

Simply great.......2006-03-04

The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

A must have for everyone!

Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording

Average customer rating:

Awesome to hear the old masters almost live.
The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
A great introduction and sampling.

The Greatest Ragtime of the Century

Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
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The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Red Hot Ragtime Volume 1

ASIN: B00009PJST
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Shreveport Stomp - Jelly Roll Morton
Sweet Man - Jelly Roll Morton
Tom Cat Blues - Jelly Roll Morton
A New Kind Of Man With A New Kind Of Love For Me - Thomas 'Fats' Waller
Nobody But My Baby - Thomas 'Fats' Waller
Got To Cool My Doggies Now - Thomas 'Fats' Waller
Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin
Weeping Willow Rag - Scott Joplin
Something Doing - Scott Joplin
Steeplechase Rag - James P Johnson
Twilight Rag - James P Johnson
Charleston Rag - Eubie Blake
It's Right Here For You - Eubie Blake
Fare Thee Honey Blues - Eubie Blake
Mr. Freddie Blues - Jimmy Blythe
Regal Stomp - Jimmy Blythe

Customer Reviews:

Awesome to hear the old masters almost live........2007-03-27

It was an awesome experience to hear Ragtime and early blues played by the masters themselves. When you hear the music from their own hands, if not their own pianos, it makes the music immediate, and makes even clearer the stylistic differences of the various American musical pioneers. The sound quality is excellent. I'd strongly recommend this recording to anyone who enjoys early-20th-century jazz.

The Greatest Ragtime of the Century.......2005-10-30

What a terrific CD. What a joy to add to your life. Everyone should begin their day with this Great Ragtime.We would all be much better.

As a former dancer, Flapper, wth the Charleston in my routine, I do appreciate Great Music. I'm not quite as good as I used to be, but neither are you, Gal. Will be 66 next birthday. Still have the rhythm and love life.

Put some spice in your life and don't let this CD get away. Please, just get it today.

A great introduction and sampling........2005-08-23

Prior to this album, the only ragtime I really knew was "The Entertainer" and "Maple Leaf Rag". I don't know how this album fares for enthusiasts, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it. It introduced me to several different composers. The way the album is organized by giving you a two or three song block by each composer is good. As you listen to this, you can easily hear the different styles from one composer to another. As for the recording quality, I don't have any complaints whatsoever. Each note is clear without much noticable fuzz or hissing. The versions of Scott Joplin's songs are played a bit brash and speedy when compared to Joshua Rifkin, but I think they sound livlier because of it. Overall a solid release.

Music Review: