Doppelganger

Doppelganger

Track Listings

1. Woody Knows Nothing

2. Small Town Hero

3. Forever, For Always, For Certain

4. Boll Weevil Song

5. I Ain't Got No Home

6. Uncertain Texas - Richard Dobson, Thom Jutz,

7. No Blue Song

8. Woody Went Down in the Deep Hold

9. Jesus Take Me Fishing

10. Pastures of Plenty

11. Across the Wide Missouri

12. So Have I

13. May You Glide Like a River/The Birthday Song

Tracks:

Already Yours
Horror Head
Wish You Dead
Doppelganger
Lillies Dying
Ice That Melts The Tips
Split Into Fractions
Think & Act
Fait Accompli
Sandpit
Clipped

Customer Reviews:

Long before Garbage and Rob Zombie, Curve was rocking the house.......2007-01-02

I can't believe it's been almost 15 years since I purchased this CD, as well as saw Curve at Metro in Chicago. I listened to it again the other day, and it still sounds great. Toni's seductively dark but wonderfully powerful voice, accompanied by great guitars and excellent mixes. There are so many good songs on this CD, but for me "Lillies Dying, and Horror Head" stand out. They borrowed from My Bloody Valentine, but influenced many more, Garbage and Rob Zombie to say the least.

Sounds like Garbage? Er, maybe the other way around........2006-12-23

See where Garbage got their sound from. Good album but Cuckoo and Pubic Fruit are my faves by Curve

a long-forgotten gem.......2006-08-15

a precurser to garbage? a post-'loveless' epic? a goth-tinted shoegazer album? 'doppleganger' was all these things and more. my first experience with curve happened on 120 minutes in 1992. i saw the video for 'horror head' and instantly fell in love with toni halliday (what guy who saw that video didn't?). on the strength of that song alone i bought the album. it was one of the better purchases i made when i was getting my budding cd collection off the ground.

at the time i wasn't familiar with my bloody valentine, slowdive, ride and the like, but it didn't matter. it was unlike anything i'd heard up to that point in my life. like most shoegazer bands (though curve isn't really a shoegazer band at all), 'doppleganger' was all about sound and texture. toni voice is often buried in the music, serving more as an additional instrument than a vocal. while this is off-putting to some, the results are often exhilirating. 'horror head' is by far the most accessibe song on the album. toni's vocals, as usual, are icily melodic yet disturbingly detached. she doesn't so much sing as she emotes. while the melodies sound great, there's an undeniable darkness under the surface. much of that credit goes to dean garcia who, among other things, is an exceptional bass player (sometimes i listen to 'doppleganger' solely for the basslines--always unique, always inventive). he's a studio whizz, but also understands that studio trickery can't make a great song. the songs have to be there, and dean's got 'em in spades. and curve didn't insist on living solely in minor-chord land, a move that made curve as much a pop band as a techo/goth/shoegazer/rock band. another whipsmart move from a whipsmart band.

additional standouts (in my opinion) to the outstanding 'horror head' include 'wish you dead,' 'doppleganger,' 'lillies dying,' 'ice that melts the tips,' and 'sandpit.' ah, shoot, the whole album's a standout.

it's true that garbage took more than a few queues from toni halliday and dean garcia. and were there any justic in the world curve would have received just as much attention as garbage did. however, we live in an inperfect and unjust world and since curve split back in 2001, it's doubtful they will ever receive their full due. 'horror head' easily makes an entry in my top ten favorite songs of all-time. it certainly won't appeal to everyone, to be sure, but for hardcore music afficionades, 'doppleganger' exhibits music's vast and infinite possibilities when the majority of today's musicians continually recycle and retread long-tired ideas.

and toni is hot. mercy.

Could have been great.......2006-08-07

After a couple of really great singles, the album was slightly a let-down. Indeed where those singles had been completely ground-breaking the rest is simply not that strong. OK I still like Curve but the album was not the classic it could have been based on these singles alone. Their sound and concept has been quite copied though.

Truly Unique.......2006-03-17

Unlike anything done before or since.

Imagine, if you will, Pretty Hate Machine, on happy pills, sped up a bit, with a truly massive and very harmonic sonic landscape (i.e. lots of sounds filling up your ears), and the angellic, yet edgy voice of Toni Halliday. Someone else has called it "techno". Not far off. Rock? Could be. Indie? Showgazer? Alternative? Yes. And no. All of these, and more.

I've had this for 13 years, and it's been a favourite the whole time. Just buy it. Buy it now. You will love it.

And if you can, get the single of Fait Accompli. They remixed it for the single and it is, improbably, better than the album version.

Average customer rating:

wheres the feel bro?
Hold On...It Gets Even Better
Haven't been impressed with a band like this in a long time
Great CD from a Very Promising Band.
Ewww

Doppelgänger
The Fall of Troy
Manufacturer: Equal Vision Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000A2H9XO
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

I Just Got This Symphony Goin
Act One, Scene One
F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.
You Got A Death Wish, Johnny Truant?
Mouths Like Sidewinder Missles
The Hol[ ]y Tape
Laces Out, Dan!
We Better Learn To Hotwire A Uterus
Whacko Jacko Steals The Elephant Mans Bones
Tom Waits
Macaulay McCulkin

Album Description

Melodic, uplifting vocals and harmonies, side-by-side with tortured, assaulting screams. Mathematically precise rhythms and complex fretwork, giving way to loose jam-inspired divergences. Pop-meets-punk-meets-metal-meets-rock in the unlikeliest of places: this is the musical crossroads where you'll find Washington State-based trio The Fall of Troy, skittering off defiantly in one direction after another, refusing to stick to any one established road. If it sounds like it all adds up to chaos, that's because it often does - but only in the same beautiful way as our own everyday experience. And with Doppelganger, their Equal Vision debut, that kind of musical experimentation and alternate perspective has enabled Thomas Erak (vocals/guitar), Tim Ward (bass/vocals), and Andrew Forsman (drums) to stand out right from the start. Given the chance to work on the new record with top producer Barrett Jones (Foo Fighters, The Melvins, Jawbox), the band jumped, and entered the studio in exactly the right mindset. "We didn't really go in there with a set sound in mind," says Forsman. "We just kind of figured it out on the spot. So the new album became more of a snapshot of us at the time than a posed picture." Which is fitting, considering that no two live experiences with The Fall of Troy are ever the same. Rather than plan out every aspect of their shows, the band leaves things open on stage, allowing for the music and the energy to take over. No one knows exactly when or how a song will change, or when the atmosphere will explode with electricity, until it actually happens. And while a record can't physically change from listen to listen, that sense of spontaneity remains a big part of what makes Doppelganger so powerful.

Customer Reviews:

wheres the feel bro?.......2007-01-07

God I hate screamo. This music ain't got no heart. Show me the passion and quit the pissin' folks.

Hold On...It Gets Even Better.......2006-11-20

This is by far my favorite band, but it is also not the only thing I listen to. When I first heard this band (FCPREMIX) I didn't like it at all, but after listening to that ten times I was instantly (sort of) obsessed with the band. I would suggest listening to the songs in a certain order, gradually let yourself into the screaming.
FCPREMIX->
"You got a Deathwish Johnny Truant?"->
Act One, Scene One->
Whacko Jacko->
Then you're pretty much into it enough to not be shocked.

Haven't been impressed with a band like this in a long time.......2006-07-21

Ok, I'm old compared to the average Fall of Troy demographic. And back in my teens I listened to a lot of Yes. Yes had complex guitar work and jarring melody breaking riffs which no other prog band really went toward. Until now.

Most TFOT listeners aren't going to be well versed in Yes, but I have a feeling that TFOT is. The precise, ornate, and complex work on this album is amazing.

Plus, I dig the screamo.

Great CD from a Very Promising Band........2006-07-02

This CD is a very complex piece of work. It's definitely got footing in prog/experimental rock, but it also has flourishses in emo/hardcore (thankfully not too much), pop hooks, and some 80's hair metal. It's amazing how even though it's the same thing each time you listen to it, it has such an amazing energy that never really leaves, you'll keep noticing little nuances that are great. The band itself is amazing. Thomas Erak (Vox/Guitar) is sheer brilliance, definitely one of the most talented guitarists I have ever heard, especially considering that he is not only doing some serious guitar work, but singing at the same time. The bass is exceptional as well, with alot of nice chords that really bring out the percussion from the drummer, who is also very talented. It's a little disappointing, though, that these guys are being fairly overlooked by the public. I don't know what's up, but these guys definitely deserve some serious attention, definitely more than any of those hardcore/emo/metalcore bands such as underoath, who merely feign emotion, while these guys are true brilliant, blistering, beautiful emotion. A must have for any music fan who is looking for new talent.

Ewww.......2006-06-27

I first heard fall of troy while a few friends were listening to them. I will admit they do have an amazing guitarist, but he should stick to that. He is a decent singer at best(anyone that knows anything about actual singing knows that), and he is just an awful screamer. Listen to a band like underoath if you want talent in that area. Still though there leadman is without a doubt a very talented musician(not singer), if it were just him the band would survive. I could actually stand everyone but the drummer who is just AWFUL. He is Sooooo repetitive i honestly dont know how any of you can stand it. So basically if you want to hear insanely hard guitar riffs than pick this CD up....If you want a band that has more than one actual musician in it pick something else up.

Average customer rating:

A classic voice
Incredible
Georgeous Lieder
A surprise...
MARIAN ANDERSON'S UNIQUE WAY WITH GERMAN LIEDER

Schubert & Schumann Lieder

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00003OP6I
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Customer Reviews:

A classic voice.......2000-09-12

It takes a little getting used to Marian Anderson because her voice is so natural and unpretentious and the recording is balanced fairly forward compared to modern recordings, but once you do, WOW!! Other than an old LP I have of Leontyne Price that was never put on CD, this is the best version of Ave Maria I have ever heard, incredibly moving in its simplicity and beauty, with no theatrics or self-indulgence, and the rest of the Lieder are sung with equal eloquence and grace, with fine accompaniment too. Obviously the recording quality isn't quite up to modern standards, but the engineers have done a wonderful job and after the first couple of minutes you really don't even notice.

Incredible.......2000-07-13

Anderson had no doubt one of the most distinctive voices of the century. Perhaps better known today for the steps she made, quietly with immense dignity, in ensuring a place for African American opera singers at the Met (among other political accomplishments), please do not miss the opportunity to hear the voice that is truly the product of something divine; a voice, in the famous words of Toscanini, that 'one hears once in a hundred years.' Let me take a moment to attempt to describe this voice that I surely hope you will desire to experience yourself if you have not already:

Anderson was a true contralto; not merely a 'pushed down' mezzo soprano. A true contralto voice has a distinct timbre that is very difficult to explain. In many ways, it is similar to a coloratura, in the sense that one feels, when Anderson sings, as though she is painting each note with different strokes from a paint brush. With each additional note she trails some of the colors from the previous note and blends them in such a way that the result is like velvet. Anderson was unique because she had an incredibly large range as well as a distinct vocal colour. She could support a high A (the one that mezzos fear) as well as a low D below the staff (the one that baritones complain about!). Her technique and interpretive skills were top of the line, with no unnecessary 'sappy' emotions that can cut at the way a song is delivered.

Particularily in the Shubert pieces, Anderson uses her voice to execute dramatics that make you shiver. In Gretchen, she is the poor helpless heroine of Goethe's classic and her vocalizing is precise yet angst-ridden (can you believe Shubert was a mere boy of 17 when he wrote this incredible piece?). In Die Forelle she manages to convey a light sarcastic tone in describing the unfortunate trout who is captured via trickery by a cruel fisherman; her voice almost mimics the 'fishing reel' motif in the piano. Conversely, in Der Tod und das Madchen and Erlkonig (in my opinion her versions of these songs are some of the best ever recorded) Anderson uses her voice in such a way that one is almost certain there are many characters singing: the frightened young girl confronting death, the deep consoling voice of death in response; in Erlkonig, the ignorant father who fails to understand his son's fervent assertions, the little boy entralled and then frightened by the demonic Elf King, and the Elf-King himself who almost seduces the listener and the boy with his florid singing into coming with him. . . . I truly felt as though I had witnessed the most dramatic of opera or theater through the efforts of a single voice!

I have always felt that Anderson is one of the most underrated American vocalists. Thank goodness these recordings are available to give us access to a voice that at times touched greatness!

Georgeous Lieder.......2000-04-10

Since my daughter gave me this golorious collection of Marian Anderson's performances of Schubert and Schumann Lieder I can't quit listening to it. It grows better with each playing. What a great artist Marian Anderson was: beautiful voice, impeccable taste, and unsurpassed musicality. Listening to these pieces verges on religious experience. As a test I listened to what had been my favorite recording of Schubert lieder recorded by Elly Ameling (An Die Musik, Phillips 410 037-2). As wonderful as Ameling was, Anderson was better. This is a statement I thought that it would be impossible to make as I admire Ameling's lieder singing greatly. The most amazing part of this recording of Anderson's lieder is that her performances and the listening experience they provide are as great as they are despite the fact that the recordings were made between 1945 and 1951. In those years Anderson was in her late 40s and early 50s and recording techniques were primitive by current standards. Nevertheless, these are great recorded performances, which is a characterization I do not use lightly.

A surprise..........2000-03-05

I have never consciously listened to Marian Anderson's singing and probably would never try if I had not been exposed to her art while shopping in one of the biggest CD stores in New York. After a few first tracks from this record, played through the loudspeakers, I was under Anderson's spell. I still did not know who was singing, but I was sure that I wanted to buy this record for any money. The singing was "oldfashioned", very innocent yet very expressive. It fitted my mood perfectly and it fitted my new collector's passion for old recordings of Lieder. Her "Death and the Maiden" was breathtaking, and the changing voices in the "Erlkoenig" hard to forget. I still did not listen to Schumann, simply because I want to savour the first part of the disc. Her Lieder singing may not be to everybody's taste, but if you like exploring old recordings, this CD is a must. This is one of my recent "discoveries" and I am happy that I came accross this great singer.

MARIAN ANDERSON'S UNIQUE WAY WITH GERMAN LIEDER.......2000-02-28

This new RCA disc is a welcome addition to the Marian Anderson recorded legacy. The legendary contralto's excursions into the German lied have been somewhat eclipsed by her singing of spirituals, which is unfortunate since much of her singing of Schubert and Schumann is frequently very persuasive and beautiful ---- as this recording certainly proves. The Schubert and Schumann selections presented here were recorded between 1945 and 1951, when Anderson was perhaps just a bit (but only a bit) past her vocal prime.All of the Schubert items are top-drawer, especially the songs from "Schwanengesang". It is also amazing to hear Anderson adopt a completely lighter and more youthful tone for "Wohin?" from "Die schone Mullerin", an extremely beautiful and difficult song in which the artist glides her voice around the intricate little turns with uncanny accuracy. The famous "Ave Maria" is also here (hardly a surprise), and it is, of course, beautifully done. The Schumann portion of the program is pretty much on the same level, with lovely renditions of "Der Nussbaum" and "Stille Tranen". The song cycle "Frauenliebe und leben" is masterfully done, and there are some very touching moments, but this particular song cycle is not to everyone's tastes. This, however, is a very small matter. There is a great deal of outstanding work here by an artist whose particular greatness is happily being newly discovered by a new generation of listeners. The sound, all newly remastered, is extremely good, and a great thanks to RCA for making these treasures available.

Average customer rating:

Gérard Souzay Performs Schubert Lieder

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Average customer rating:

Doppelganger
Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Manufacturer: Wounded Bird Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places

ASIN: B000FDFRSM
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Tracks:

The Lifeboat Party
Underachiever
If You Wanna Be Happy
Distractions
Survivors
Call Me The Entertainer
There's Something Wrong In Paradise
It's A Wonderful Life
Bongo Eddie's Lament
Broadway Rhythm
Back In the Field Again
The Seven Year Itch

Album Description

Kid Creole is actually August Darnell Browder, who used to be in Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. In the early 1980's he formed The Coconuts with his wife, Adriana "Addy" Kaegi and Andy "Coati Mundi" Hernandez. They have maintained a loyal fan following for a couple of decades. Wounded Bird proudly presents three of their best albums for the first time anywhere on CD. "Doppelganger" originally came out in 1982.

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Marian Anderson 1897 - 1993

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Prima Voce - Marian Anderson / Shaw
Marian Anderson Rare and Unpublished Recordings, 1936 - 1952
Spirituals
Marian Anderson
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

ASIN: B00000DFWG
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

Ch'io Mai Vi Possa Lascair D'amare
Komm, Susser Tod
Dignare, Domine('Dettingen' Te Deum, No. 17)
'Siciliana'(L'Allegro, Il Penseroso Ed Il Moderato, No. 19)
Se Florinda E Fedele(From La Donna's Ancora E Fedele)
Der Jungling Und De Tod - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
Der Doppelganger - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
Die Forelle
Wohin? - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
Der Tod Und Das Madchen - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
Ave Maria
Aufenthalt
Stille Tranen - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
Der Nussbaum
Die Mainacht
Die Schnuer, Die Perl An Perl - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp
When The Night Descends - Marian Anderson/Franz Rupp/William Primrose
Sav, Sav, Susa
Flickan Kom Ifran Sin Alsklings Mote
Come Away, Death
Aus Banger Brust
Langsamt Som Kvallskyn
Laksin Mina Keysayona Kaymaan
Tuka, Tuka Lampaitani

Schubert: Schwanengesang; Beethoven: An die Ferne Geliebte

Average customer rating:

A relaxed collaboration that's short on drama
Brendel and Goerne and Sublime Beethoven and Schubert
Gramophone CD of the Month
A mixed success that you may like

Schubert: Schwanengesang; Beethoven: An die Ferne Geliebte

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schubert: Winterreise (Live from Wigmore Hall)
Schumann Lieder
Matthias Goerne · Vladimir Ashkenazy ~ Schumann - Dichterliebe · Liederkreis op. 24
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Die Schone Mullerin

ASIN: B00076YNFK
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Applause
I. Auf Dem Hugel Sitz' Ich
II. Wo Die Berge So Blau
III. Leichte Segler In Den Hohen
IV. Diese Wolken In Den Hohen
V. Es Kehret Der Maien
VI. Nimm Sie Hin Denn, Diese Lieder
Applause
Liebesbotschaft
Kriegers Ahnung
Fruhlingssehnsucht
Standchen
Aufenthalt
Herbst, D945
In Der Ferne
Abschied
Der Atlas
Ihr Bild
Das Fischermadchen
Die Stadt
Am Meer
Der Doppelganger
Applause
Die Taubenpost
Applause

Customer Reviews:

A relaxed collaboration that's short on drama.......2007-01-08

A personal caveat: I do not like Goerne's concistently creamy vocal prodction and his insistence on smoothing out every lyrical line. HIs hushed moody singing at times strikes me as affected. But many of my reservations were overcome by his highly personal and original singing of Beethoven's miniature song cycle, An die ferne Geliebte. Goerne's moody, intimate way stands on its own, and Brendel offers an accomaniment in keeping with the singer's approach.

Now to Schwanengesang, which deamnds everything a singer can offer in emotional depth. This posthumous collection contains one great masterpiece after another, and Schubert reaches for an extreme variety of moods. Goerne starts off in the way I most dislike, spinning out honeyed notes without tonal variation and refusing to point up the text in any way. I suppose he finds little reason to change given his popularity, but you'd think that listening to the great recordings by Terfel, Quashoff, and his own teacher Fishcer-Dieskau would show him how lacking his mellifluous approach is.

I kept listening, and things didn't get better. Brendel supports the singer in his listless rhythms and moony melancholy, almost the only emotion Goerne is willing to emit. These are powerful, haunted, often tragic songs, but you'd never guess it from Goerne's comforting parlor mananer. A disappointment overall with flashes of beauty and talent. Yes, it all sounds quite beautiful, but where's the deeper meaning?

Brendel and Goerne and Sublime Beethoven and Schubert.......2005-08-28

Some collaborations between singer and pianist reach the summit of perfection and fortunately this recording from a live performance in London's Wigmore Hall captures one of those rare moments in musical history when everything about the music simply falls in to place. This may seem like gushing praise for a CD: there are some technical problems with recording a recital before a live audience that challenge even the finest equipment and professionals at the controls. But forgive some of the sonic flaws and what is recorded is a blissful rendering of Beethoven's "An die ferne Geliebte" and Schubert's "Schwanengesang".

Matthias Goerne owns a voice of gold and intelligence to match and his reputation as a lieder recitalist is well earned. His phrasing, breath control, dynamics and luxury of tone are becoming legendary. He knows how to use his instrument and in this recital he is in peak form. The relative surprise comes from the authoritative and noble pianism of Alfred Brendel who brings his long years of specializing in the works of Beethoven and Schubert to this collaboration, becoming more the mastermind of the architecture of the works, honoring Goerne's contributions with fastidious yet passionate support.

This recording is one to own and watch, as it surely will enter the ranks of awards for excellence. It is a joy. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, August 05

Gramophone CD of the Month.......2005-06-18

I heard this recording last night and was blown away by its power and beauty. I am somewhat puzzled by other reviewers giving it a mere three star rating. Gramophone magazine's review begins with: "Wonderful, powerful music-making from this peerless Lieder partnership" and continues with..."Goerne and Brendel form one of the great Lieder partnerships of the day. The sympathy between them goes beyond skilful ensemble, and beyond shared enjoyment of the wealth of illustration in Schubert, into a deep understanding of the poetry as he composed it". Don't miss it.

A mixed success that you may like .......2005-06-07

Matthias Goerne's career took off like a skyrocket in the late 1990s fueled by his 1997 CD of Schubert lieder by Goethe. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic hailed his chocolate bass-baritone and legato with timbre most hadn't heard since Hans Hotter. Goerne's critical success continued with CDs of Wolf lieder, Mahler, opera and Bach (including the baritone cantatas) before coming back to Schubert early in this century.

While those CDs continued to do well at the cash register, the critical reaction on his new Schubert was mixed. If critics in England liked his performances, critics in America did not and vice versa. The reason for these split decisions was an emerging trend by Goerne to overinterpret the music and to sing piano sequences in a whisper and the forte crescendos in a thunder.

The same criticisms (or adulation, depending on your point of view) can be applied to this CD, a concert recording of Beethoven's song cycle "An Die Ferne Geliebte" and Schubert's "Schwanengesang". In my opinion, the Beethoven is a failed effort and the Schubert is better but still fraught with the errors of Goerne's ways he has shown in recordings most of the past 3-4 years.

Right from the onset, the Beethoven displays none of the impetuousity and passionate fervor we would expect from this composer at Op. 90. Instead, it is performed by Goerne (with sensitive accompaniment by Brendel) as if it were Op. 125. To me, it is more Mahler than Beethoven, more wayfarer songs than songs of a lost love far away.

The pair take the opening sequence, "Auf dem Hugel sitz ich", in a slow march. This barely changes until the fourth stanza, where they finally pick up the pace and the passion. By the time Goerne arrives at track six, "Diese Wolken in den Hohen", the music is so distended it is cleary more Mahler than Beethoven. It is only in the final closing moments where Goerne displays the passion and verve we expect from Beethoven, longing over a lost beloved on a hilltop.

Compared to Stephan Genz's spectacular cycle and Thomas Allen's concert recording from a few years back (unfortunately deleted in USA) Goerne's performance simply won't do. It is too slow and syrupy to be effective Beethoven. The Wigmore Hall audience understood this and gave the pair only lukewarm applause afterward.

The Schubert comes off much better although Goerne continues to display the same disturbing mannerisms in this music, which I have heard to much better effect by baritones with smaller, more lithe voices including Holzmair. Goerne gets more in the spirit of Schubert right away by displaying passion in the opening song of the cycle, "Liebesbotschaft".

Yet, throughout the cycle, he displays the same Mahleresque tendencies to elongate phrases, whisper soft text and explode into fortissimo, as if he sensed his audience was falling asleep. The opening subject of "In der ferne" is distended and operatic, although Goerne improves later on. In fairness, he can be very effective when the text calls for such a dramatic reading. Witness "Ihr bild", a sad and dreamy song where Goerne's delivery is eerily sensitive to the text.

However, Goerne returns to the one size fits all approach in the popular "Abschied", where he lacks the spontaneity and fun I've heard from singers including Holzmair. Goerne and Brendel are frankly straightforward and dull in this, one of Schubert's most ironic songs about both loss and happiness.

A great curiosity to me is the way the audience explodes into applause at the end of "Der Doppelganger" which not only creeps along like a worm on a dry sidewalk...it is not the end of the cycle! As if an encore, Goerne's closing "Die Taubenpost" is stodgy and dull compared to Holzmair, whose performance (at the beginnig of his CD) is one of the most successful parts of his cycle.

For his part, Alfrend Brendel provides world class accompaniment to these songs. He is neither competitive nor cantankerous and always shows his trademark intelliegence and sensitivity. Unfortunately, he is on board with Georne's tendency to overinterpret and helps deliver two cycles more akin to Mahler than the composers.

If your taste runs to singers with gigantic voices who have very individiualistic ideas of music -- accompanied by the most stalwart pianists -- then you may love this CD. Goerne's big voice, outstanding diction and magnificent span from mezzopiano to fortissimo is always apparent in DDD sound (a bit bottom heavy, perhaps) captured during a concert in London. This should have been aprescription for success. Instead, it is only partially successful, in my opinion.

Marian Anderson Rare and Unpublished Recordings, 1936 - 1952

Average customer rating:

Marian Anderson - an outstanding collection

Marian Anderson Rare and Unpublished Recordings, 1936 - 1952

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Spirituals
Marian Anderson
Prima Voce - Marian Anderson / Shaw
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Marian Anderson 1897 - 1993

ASIN: B00000C2C7
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Tracks:

Se Florindo E Fedele
Begrussung
Die Flote Weich Gefuhl
Die Forelle
Der Doppelganger
Wohin?
Der Jungling Und Der Tod
Der Erlkonig
Denn Es Gehet Dem Menschen
Ich Wandte Mich Und Sahe
O Tod, Wie Bitter Bist Du
Wenn Ich Mit Menschen
Befreit
Im Feld Ein Madchen Singt
Var Det En Drom?
When I Am Laid In Earth
O Men From The Fields
When Night Descends (In The Silence Of Night)
Elegie
Let Us Break Bread Together
My Soul's Been Anchored In De Lord
Trampin'
Sinner, Please Doan Let Dis Harves' Pass
Honor, Honor
The Cuckoo
Will O' The Wisp

Amazon.com

The rich-toned, musically elegant, always dignified contralto Marian Anderson (1897-1993) is probably best known as the first African-American to sing at New York's Metropolitan Opera House, but by the time she did (in the mid '50s), her once burnished, glorious voice was no longer at its best. Years before, when she was not permitted to sing in the Daughters of the American Revolution's Constitution Hall (or any other hall in the U.S. capital), she gave a concert in the open air, in front of the Lincoln Memorial, which was attended by press, dignitaries, and a crowd of more than 75,000. Much of her late work is well known--arias from Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, spirituals, and the like--but this CD also allows us to hear the voice when it was young--in the 1930s and '40s. One can almost hear Schubert's trout ("Die Forelle") dancing around in the water, and an aria by Scarlatti shows Anderson's coloratura abilities--the big voice could be scaled down to intimate, chamberlike proportions. She brings her intelligence and textual insights to other songs by Schubert and Brahms as well. This is a marvelous collection and a fine tribute to an American original. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Marian Anderson - an outstanding collection.......2003-05-03

This CD with recordings of Marian Anderson between 1936 and 1952, should be heavily promoted. The CD gives listeners a fantastic opportunity to hear the singer in a variety of song styles and languages. I heard her sing live, once, in the 1960's and was stunned then by her vocal skills and musicality. This is the first record or CD which truly reflects her amazing talent.

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Power Trio
Thick & Twisty Blues-Based Heavy Riffage

Pearls & Brass
Pearls & Brass
Manufacturer: Doppelganger
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Indian Tower
Witch
Age of Winters
Volcanic Rock
Past is Prologue

ASIN: B0009HLBT8
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Spinning Wheel Blues
Highway Sermon
Stone Leaves
Long Be the Day
Train Lady Blue
Bleeding Hands
Greenest Gray
Green, Rain Snake
I See, Shadows, I See
1, 000 Cities

Customer Reviews:

Power Trio.......2006-09-14

On September 12, 2006, I went to check out a Japanese band called Boris. They had two opening acts, and the first act was not that great. However, the next act, Pearls and Brass, blew the audience away. They got up having a little trouble with feed back on the drums, too much lighting, and an anxious audience. But when the feedback was corrected, they rocked the joint.

The guitarist, Randy Huth, was amazingly talented. I would describe him as a cross between Kim Thayil and Eric Clapton (from his Cream days only). Yes, you read correctly; he is that good of a player and he is definitely one of the best guitarists I have seen live (including the mainstream stuff I've seen).

What to expect from their music: You'll hear influences from Cream (in all of the band members), a bit of Motorhead, a bit of Led, a bit of the MC5, and a slight pinch of Mogwai. They throw in their own stuff as well.

If you like hard rock with a strong blues base, good melody, and influence from all the greats, while also maintaining orginality, then this is a definite pick-up. Since yesterday, they just got one more loyal fan (me).

Thick & Twisty Blues-Based Heavy Riffage.......2005-08-13

Excellent band; well-produced, retro-accurate recording (originally released in 2003). Pearls & Brass, a trio from Nazareth, PA, are a bit difficult to describe. The riff is the key element with these guys. But they write riffs the way Lennie Tristano or Lee Konitz improvise lines: long, complex, convoluted, and rhythmically surprising, yet still containing plenty of feeling. The music is comparable to (but not necessarily derived from) Sabbath, old GFR, Mountain, and the more deliberately out-there work of Gary Moore's old band, Skid Row. Overall the emphasis is on early-'70s-style heaviness and the blues-rock aspect. That's where the Sabbath comparisons originate, but the riffs and melodies on this disc are more mathematically challenging than any of Sabbath's output. Vocals are strong and gritty. Guitar tones, as well as the drums and bass, are all well-recorded, and I wouldn't change a thing about the mix.

I've seen Pearls & Brass perform three times, and live they are extremely loud, accurate and powerful. The musicianship, however, is not distractingly precise; yes, they are jaw-droppingly tight, and very heavy, but there's still an earthy, bluesy unpretentiousness when compared to obsessive "metal" bands. This debut CD is a slightly toned-down version of their energetic live assault.

Pearls recently inked a deal with Drag City for their next CD. The new tunes slated for that release are equally mind-blowing, but for any fan of heavy music and blues-based rock, this debut is an essential CD that's been flying under the radar for too long already! Highly recommended.

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Schubert, mind and soul
Brilliant

Schubert: Schwanengesang

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

Robert and Clara Schumann Lieder

ASIN: B00000419W
Release Date: 1995-01-17

Tracks:

Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Die Taubenpost, D965A
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Der Wanderer an den Mond, D870
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Sehnsucht, D879
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Irdisches Gluck, D866 No 4
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Widerspruch, D865
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Lebensmut, D937
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Liebesbotschaft, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Kriegers Ahnung, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Fruhlingessehnsucht, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Standchen, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Aufenthalt, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Herbst D945
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: In der Ferne, D 957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Abschied, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Der Atlas, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Ihr Bild, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Das Fischermadchen, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Am Meer, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Die Stadt, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Der Doppelganger, D957
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Die Taubenpost, D965A
Schwanengesang D. 957-7 Lieder: Wiegnelied, D867

Customer Reviews:

Schubert, mind and soul.......2000-12-18

This is a superb performance. Holzmair gives a heart felt and intelligent rendering of the "Schwanengesang" cycle. His handsome voice shines through, just enough sadness where it matters, just enough tact and lightness when apropriate. Imogen Cooper gives the right support, and one has the distinct impression that the piano and the singer do listen to each other and depend from each other. As it should be of course, but it is always nice to check. A perfect recording for a restful evening.

Brilliant.......2000-01-30

Holzmair and Cooper are a wonderful team. The songs are beautifully rendered with great art and feeling. The accompaniment by Cooper is remarkable.

Music Review: