Paradox

Paradox

Editorial Reviews
Detritus Web 5/23/01
like a mix of Yngwie Malmsteen and Dream Theater by way of Styx.

Product Description
The sound of the wind sweeps you into Royal Hunt's latest album, "Paradox". Driven by grandiose keyboards and searing guitars, this album has enough musical twists and turns to keep the listener glued to their headphones. The influences are numerous as rock and classical footnotes merge in the undertow. This incredibly mature album can be appreciated by the music lover and the musician alike. These five musicians pull together Andre's deeply personal look into mankind's view of what God is. Follow man's acknowledgment of God in a journey through the ages. How we see God, how we praise God, how we blame God.

Paradox

Paradox,Royal Hunt,Magna Carta,Alternative Pop/Rock,Guitar Virtuoso,Pop,Popular Music,Power Metal,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Progressive Metal,Rock

Lost Soul Found Smooth Jazz
Average customer rating:

Smoothjazz.com Review

Lost Soul Found Smooth Jazz
The Barry Sea Paradox
Manufacturer: Deja Boom
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Born 2 Groove

R&R

Stay a While

Tippin' on the Edge of Funk

My Paradise

ASIN: B000P6R994
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Honky Tonk
Harlem Nocturne
Black Velvet
Maputo
Makin' Woopee
Europa
Georgia On My Mind
Soul Serenade
Bring Us Together
What a Wonderful World
Hava Nagila

Customer Reviews:

Smoothjazz.com Review.......2007-07-03

Paradox: the word can be defined as "a statement or proposition that seems contradictory or absurd, but in reality expresses a possible truth." Barry and Bobbi Sea both walked away from promising musical careers in New York years ago to raise their family in the suburbs of Houston. After the kids were grown, they revisited their musical passions and formed The Barry Sea Paradox. Which brings us to their debut disc, LOST SOUL FOUND SMOOTH JAZZ, an exciting, soulful romp through the halls of classic sax hits, featuring the likes of "Honky Tonk (Part II)," "Harlem Nocturne" and "Soul Serenade." This is definitely a fun, party kind of an album, visiting the more sensual, funky, and soulful side of Smooth Jazz, and it works! Credit Barry and Bobbi and their band, all first-class musicians who create an energizing chemistry on both the older pop hits, a brand new Barry Sea-penned song ("Bring Us Together") and the Smooth Jazz classics as well. Check out their funky take on "Maputo" and their cover of Santana's "Europa," with an entrancing beguine tempo and killer guitar solo from Andrew Burt. Then there's the outstanding vocal work from Yvette Busby, including an eerily haunting version of the Alannah Miles hit, "Black Velvet." If you're looking for a festive, fun album of sax-driven and vocal tunes that'll liven up that summer party or just put you in a good mood, The Barry Sea Paradox's LOST SOUL FOUND SMOOTH JAZZ is just the ticket! ~SCOTT O'BRIEN

Average customer rating:

Very Disappointed
excellent album, but I think Adam & Eve is better
The Flower Kings - Some Of The Band's Best Songwriting
Another five stars rating for The Flower Kings
Good, but not really up to their best work

Paradox Hotel
The Flower Kings
Manufacturer: Inside Out U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

A Place in the Queue
Wall Street Voodoo
Second Life Syndrome
Milliontown
Spock's Beard

ASIN: B000ELL7JS
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

Check In
Monsters & Men
Jealousy
Hit Me With A Hit
Pioneers Of Aviation
Lucy Had A Dream
Bavarian Skies
Selfconsuming Fire
Mommy Leave The Light On
End On A High Note

Tracks:

Minor Giant Steps
Touch My Heaven
The Unorthodox Dancinglesson
Man Of The World
Life Will Kill You
The Way The Waters Are Moving
What If God Is Alone
Paradox Hotel
Blue Planet

Album Description

Along with Spock's Beard and the mighty Dream Theater, Sweden's The Flower Kings are at the absolute pinnacle of the neo-progressive-rock food chain. One of the best loved and most prolific bands in the scene today, The Flower Kings are poised to once again reaffirm their place on the throne as Prog's reigning monarchs. Paradox Hotel is the ninth studio installment in The Flower Kings regal repertoire. Influenced directly by founding fathers of Prog such as Genesis and Yes, The Flower Kings add their own fingerprints to a sound that is as melodic as it is challenging. Not only do they possess nearly inhuman, stop-on-a-dime chops, but they can breakdown into a groove that would make any self-respecting jam band green with envy. Look for The Flower Kings to once again tour the U.S. in support of this release.

Customer Reviews:

Very Disappointed.......2007-06-12

I'm a MAJOR FK fan and I was eagerly awaiting this CD's release. Now after owning this for over a year I have to say that this gets the least play out of all my FK disks (I have them all). This set contains way too much weak/filler material, the better stuff could have been fit on one disk. I'm also very unhappy with the sound/mix - being a bass player, one of the things that I loved about the FK's was the great bass sound (regardless of player) and this is way too weak on every song - overall mix sounds like it's missing its usual oomph. Jonas - ditch the Fender and get back on the Yamaha! The Instant Delivery DVD contains most material from this album, so that was a disappointment as well - Meet the Flower Kings is MUCH better. Let's hope they get on track with their next "new" album.

excellent album, but I think Adam & Eve is better.......2007-05-23

To begin, I now own only three FK's albums: "Adam and Eve", "Retropolis", and "Paradise Hotel". I really do like "Paradise Hotel", but it is not quite as creative as "Adam and Eve" in my humble opinion. One of the reviewers thinks that this album is the most "Yes-oriented", but listen to "Adam and Eve" if you are a "Yes" fan and don't mind hearing another group sound like them at times. I don't mind at all because the Flower Kings are amazing once you get used to them and the "Yes" and "Genesis" reflections become quite welcome over several listens.

Actually, "Paradise Hotel" is kind of a parallel to the "Pink Floyd" album "The Wall". Listen to "The Wall" if you haven't for awhile and then listen to this album if you don't believe me. It even has some "Dark Side of the Moon" references in sound. Actually, I love the way the group has similarities to Pink Floyd because what a group "Floyd" was. However, a concept album like this one shouldn't have been done before. If "The Wall" had never been done, "Paradise Hotel" would have been a genuine classic. Of course, the FKs are so obviously influenced by Floyd, Genesis, and Yes that what I just said is really just silly speculation. The reason I said this about "Paradise Hotel" is that it is really a great album that I truly enjoy, but it is not really a new concept. My problems with the album are probably the same that other people who are not crazy about the FKs agree with. I imagine that any FK fan would like this album because, although I haven't heard that many of their albums, I think that this group is genuine in their hearts and are definitely wonderful musicians.

In sum, I give "Paradise Hotel" 4.5 stars. The production value for us audiophiles is a true joy. The musicianship is spectacular and even the vocals are good once you get used to the FK concept of music. I would have given 5 stars to this album, but it bothered me a bit that it is kind of a rip off of "The Wall". I do have to admit that as I comment on this album, I can't wait to hear it again. It is really that good.

The FKs are a bit frustrating to me because they are a great band, but are REALLY difficult to figure out. Once you think you have an idea of what they are about, they come out with an album like this one that is very different from the rest of them. Maybe this is why I am intrigued by the FKs and keep buying their albums. I absolutely guarantee that "Paradise Hotel" would be a great live act. I know that they have a 2006 DVD that features this album, but I have also heard that there are some problems with the production. This is a real shame!

Anyway, this review is a bit long winded but once you get into this band you will see why we write so much about them! Enjoy the music, I will.

The Flower Kings - Some Of The Band's Best Songwriting.......2007-03-15

I honestly don't know how these guys come up with the amount of material they put out. "Paradox" is yet another double CD of new music that clocks in at over 2 hours. Some lineup changes take place on this one. Daniel Gildenlow is gone and Hasse Bruniusson only appears here and there. The band also has a new drummer in Marcus Liliequist, who has a very different style from previous drummer Zoltan Csorsz. "Paradox Hotel" is somewhat of a concept album revolving around the planet earth and it's residents as guests in the "Paradox Hotel". Each song is about a different resident of the "hotel" (although a few of the tracks don't really seem to fit this formula). For the most part the songs are shorter (i.e. short for the Flower Kings), as there are no really long epics on this one. I have criticized some of The Flower Kings earlier double albums for not editing down the filler enough, but on this one they really pull off 2 hours of solid material. I actually think this may be one of, if not the best album of their career. What really stands out for me on this one is the songwriting. It is really solid throughout with hooks that won't leave your head. The band, as always, is in top form musically covering a lot of musical ground over the course of the two discs. Highlights include "Monsters And Men" that starts out the album. "Hit Me With A Hit", a song about the pressure to write a hit song. It starts out with the line, "If you really wanted to, you could write a hit. You could cut the corners, and you could make things fit." This is certainly appropriate for the Flower Kings. "Bavarian Skies" is probably the most unusual song on the album. The song is told from the perspective of a Nazi that has been living in exile for 50 years (or is it Adolf Hitler himself?), lamenting the days when Germany was the terror of the world. Some may find this song disturbing or possibly even offensive, but I think it is very clever and certainly unique. "End On A High Note" closes out disc one. It is a feel good number with an absolutely infectious chorus. It sounds a bit like Yes, but is at the same time distinctly Flower Kings. Disc two starts out with "More Giant Steps" which is another Stolt mini masterpiece. "Life Will Kill You' from Hans Froberg, is a more pop oriented song, that is simple yet effective and a great little song. The title track is another great one with it's chorus of "It's a living hell, at Paradox Hotel" that kind of sums up all of the residents in one mini smorgasbord. Everything else on the album is solid as well. There is not much more I can say about this one, but if you are at all a fan of The Flower Kings, this one is essential, and probably their best album since "Stardust We Are".

Another five stars rating for The Flower Kings.......2007-03-14

This band is really great, I have to admit that after two or three sessions with this double cd, I was a bit dissapointed.
As time goes by and few other listening, I have to admit that my first opinion was wrong, yes, this is another major creation in the Flower Kings's history. Greatly done ! This cd stands also in the high standard for musical achievement like "Stardust we are" or "Flower Power", among the best from the band ! Monster and men is another wonderful "epic"...good job guys !

Good, but not really up to their best work.......2007-01-31

I've got mixed feelings about this album. Really it's too bad when a band has released a string of masterpieces right at the start of their career and have to be compared for the rest of their lifetimes with them. But I can't really help it when I hear Paradox Hotel. Individually I think every song is good. Some are very good like Self Consuming Fire and their new epic Monsters & Men. I can't really find any real flaw, except maybe for Bavarian Skies, and even then the song has its merits. As a whole, Paradox Hotel is another thing entirely. The album does not really excites your imagination, like other Flower Kings CDs do like Metropolis or Back In The World Of Adventures. It's really hard to say bad things with a band that has such talented and skillfully musicians and songwriters, but they did write other more inspired CDs. I still like Paradox Hotel a lot. It's good stuff and if you're into 70's influenced symphonic prog music, you can do no wrong with this one. It takes some time to sink in, you have to hear it several times to find all the nuances and layers of musical tapestry, but it is worth the efford. Still, they wrote better ones. If you're a Flower King fan I recommend you this CD. If you're new to the band try their early stuff first. If it was any other band I'd give them 4 for this work, but for The Flower Kings, 3 stars is really a fair rate.

Average customer rating:

Great album
Yeah what the guy below me said
Excellent
Strung Out Strings Out Their Best Riffs!
Way over rated here

An American Paradox
Strung Out
Manufacturer: Fat Wreck Chords
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk Revival | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

The Element of Sonic Defiance
Exile in Oblivion
Twisted by Design
Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues
Live in a Dive

ASIN: B0000640LD
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

Velvet Alley
Hill Your Scene
Alien Amplifier
Cult Of The Subterranean
Lubricating The Revolution
The Kids
Unmail
Contender
Satellite
An American Paradox
Dig
Razor Sex
Cemetery

Album Description

Fourth full length from Strung Out proves that their brand remains unique, melding fast so-cal style punk with thick metal influenced guitars, pushed through with thunderous drums and held tight with melodic vocals. A natural progression to greatness! 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Great album.......2006-05-11

Great album! They get better every time I hear them! I like their two newer albums a bit more, but all the same this one is deffinatly worth the money!

Yeah what the guy below me said.......2005-07-10

First off, Strung Out is my favorite band due to excellent and meaningfull lyrics and because of the phenominal harmony they bring out of their instruments , including the singing. This CD lives up to their reputation.

Excellent.......2004-07-23

J'ai surtout découvert Strung Out avec ce disque. Vraiment bon! J'aime toutes les tounes sans exception! Mais il pourrait y en avoir un peu plus...

Strung Out Strings Out Their Best Riffs!.......2004-04-14

I was first introduced to this CD on a Fat Wreck/Honest Don's compilation CD that included the awesome punky "Kill Your Scene." A few months later, I bought the whole CD of "American Paradox" on eBay, and when I listened to it, I realized that many of my favorite bands' sounds were skillfully molded into some quality power-punk/hard rock! The sounds of Thrice, Senses Fail, and even hard rockers Chevelle have all been melted into the diverse sound that makes up Strung Out today. Some songs
like "Alien Amplifier," remind me of what I would call a "hard rock ballad" with some punk influences. "Lubricating the Revolution" is a great song that hints back to the days of "Another Day in Paradise," and reminds me of Senses Fail but with some harder rocking guitars. This CD is definately for fans with diverse musical tastes, because it doesn't get pigeonholed into only one style. Highly recommended, this CD shows that the band's sound has matured greatly in the 10 years this amazing band has been together.

Way over rated here.......2003-12-24

This is the album that should not have been. The last EP was supposed to have more songs on it and actually be a full length album, but it was bootlegged so they decided to release it as a EP instead. American Paradox sounds like the left overs from the The Elements of Sonic Defiance sessions. They needed to put something out so they rushed this. If you see them live, they only play one or two songs from this album. Buy Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues or Twisted by Design instead.

Average customer rating:

Tub RIng !!!!
Great album
This is great stuff
amazing

Fermi Paradox
Tub Ring
Manufacturer: Underground Inc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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

4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Drake Equation
Zoo Hypothesis
Committed to a Bright Future
Anarchists of Good Taste
The Exotic Sounds of the Alter Boys

ASIN: B00006JODF
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Tracks:

I Am The Robot
Invalid
Future Was Free
Psychology Is B.S. (Not Science)
At The Seams
Living With Rene's Head
Fruit Of Knowledge
Hands
Negative One
Fall Back
Panic The Digital
The Subsequent Rating Given To The Life And Times Of Jack Valenti
The Way To Mars

Customer Reviews:

Tub RIng !!!!.......2006-05-02

I just saw these guys live and bought this record at the show.. Amazing record. SOngs that get stuck in your head for days. This record does feel a little lighter than zoo hypothesis but still rocks. THen there are those mellow/weird tunes like pyschology and negative 1 (that has a rockin version on their b side/dvd sonicks/optics). And just try and deny tunes like future was free, life and times of jack..., Living with rene's head, and fruit of knowledge. Not to mention the riot inducing fury called hands. For fans of good punk, any mike patton project, electronic music that you can't dance too, and people that like interesting lyrics.

Great album.......2003-03-07

I was truly exposed to Tub Ring after seeing them in concert with Mindless Self Indulgence this year, and since seeing them live I have fallen in love. They not only can present beautifully crafted music in the studio, but they can keep up and unlike most artists, make it even better live. "Fermi Paradox" is a great album and will certainly be high on the list amongst Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and Dog Fashion Disco fans. While in my opinion this album is not nearly as good as "Drake Equation", "Fermi Paradox" has multiple delights that should attract and fool just about anybody. From your first listen to Track 3, "Future Was Free", you might dismiss this band as a simple electronic punk band from the first few seconds, but as the track progresses, you hear the song get darker, and harder, and take a turn like most Tub Ring songs do. I praise Tub Ring for how they can easily fool anybody about a song in the first few seconds, and then completely change it up without making it sound awkward and out of place. I really enjoy as how the album progressed, the sound gets more and more raw and harsh, but perfectly meshes in. It really makes me wonder why such a fantastic band that has been around for 10 years has yet to reach major success. Some of my favourite tracks off of this CD include "I am the Robot", "Invalid", "Living with Rene's Head", "Fruit of Knowledge", and "Fall Back".

If you are interested in something completely fresh and original to get away from all of the Nu-Metal, and Popular-Punk that exists nowadays, pick up this album.

This is great stuff.......2003-02-08

After reading peoples views on the closest thing sounding to Mr.Bungle, Tub Ring was frequently mentioned and I have to say they are pretty good. It sounds close to Bungle's debut album because nothing will ever be close to Disco Volante, one of my favorite albums of all time. I love all the tracks on this cd, you got heavy songs, soft ones, there's one that sounds like Secret Chiefs 3 with vocals...I'm impressed with these guys. It's obvious they have talent and are more exciting than the music that's coming out these days. When I turn the music up, people are like turn that up louder cause that sounds awesome!! It's fun introducing real talent to ordinary radio listeners. Give these guys a listen, turn it up, and spread the word. I wonder what Mike Patton thinks of these guys.

amazing.......2002-12-13

just want to say this is the greatest tub ring album yet. its a work of art. i dont know what they did to make this album,change members-different style, but it is mind blowing. i have to say its alot tighter sounding and more appealing to the ear than the last album. although that had no downfalls.
but this album gets my vote for rockin....keep it up guys and hope you guys go far cause this album deserves it.
john

On Broadway, Vol. 4: Or the Paradox of Continuity

Average customer rating:

High quality playing and refreshingly straight singing
On and Off Broadway: Perpetuating the Paradox
"Traditional modern jazz" is an oxymoron...
Not for Me

On Broadway, Vol. 4: Or the Paradox of Continuity
Paul Motian , and Trio 2000+One
Manufacturer: Winter & Winter
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sound Grammar
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian
Quartet
Critical Mass
The Carnegie Hall Concert

ASIN: B000FAPEL0
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

The Last Dance
Tea For Two
In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town
Never Let Me Go
Never Let Me Go
Folks Who Live On The Hill
Everything Happens To Me
Last Night When We Were Young
Born To Be Blue
Brother Can You Spare A Dime
I Loves You Porgy
You're Getting To Be A Bad Habit With Me
How Long Has This Been Going On

Amazon.com

With a batch of strong new recordings as a leader and accompanist, the great drummer Paul Motian is marking his 75th birthday in style--nowhere more entrancingly than on his fourth survey of tunes with Broadway origins. This is the first to feature a singer, rising star Rebecca Martin, whose daydreamy, girlishly self-possessed vocals add new wrinkles to everything she touches. Playing behind her on ballads including "Everything Happens to Me" and "Never Let Me Go," tenor saxophonist Chris Potter recalls a bygone era with his muscular lyricism (this may be the best he has ever sounded on record). There's nothing standard about these treatments with their airy, exploratory quality, and ghostly effects. The album also features bassist Larry Grenadier (Martin's husband) and pianist Masabumi Kikuchi and includes seldom heard material such as "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town." --Lloyd Sachs

Album Description

Since 1988, Paul Motian has recorded twenty-one albums with a variety of players - his trio with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano, Tethered Moon with Masabumi Kikuchi and Gary Peacock, work with Geri Allen and Charlie Haden, the Electric Bebop Band, and Trio 2000+One (all available on Winter & Winter). Now, in 2006, Paul Motian celebrates his seventy-fifth birthday! On Broadway Vol. 4 or The Paradox of Continuity (his twenty-second album for Winter & Winter) is a very special musical gift. Motian has dedicated his whole life to music, and this album is the quintessence of his work. The great art of variation and improvisation is the great art of Paul Motian: he unravels themes, rhythms and harmonies, reducing, denaturing, and creating new things that come so close to innermost origins that unsuspected aspects of these hits are revealed.

Customer Reviews:

High quality playing and refreshingly straight singing .......2007-01-12

The musicians on this disk play jazz of a high quality. Rebecca Martin sings as the songs require without unnecessary addition. She is a song lovers singer, who has an affecting vulnerable quality in her voice at times. Her singing of 'The Folks Who Live on the Hill' could hardly be be better.

On and Off Broadway: Perpetuating the Paradox.......2006-12-24

On the year of his 75th birthday, Paul Motian has released Volume 4 in his ongoing On Broadway series. This time his group, Trio 2000 + One, features sax player Chris Potter and bassist Larry Grenadier, augmented by pianist Masabumi Kikuchi on five of the thirteen tracks and vocalist Rebecca Martin on the remaining eight. No matter that not all of the song selections are associated with Broadway: all are staples of the American Songbook, ranging from the torchy "Everything Happens to Me" to the elegiac "Last Night When We Were Young," from the poignant "Never Let Me Go" to the melodramatic "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" and the just plain campy "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town" (I still play the song up-tempo a la Johnny Long's hit record; here we're treated to a slower, more depressive reading answering to the depression-era urban poverty row described by the song's title).

Are these interpretations best thought of as serious, minimalist "performances," or as illuminating "deconstructions" of musical texts that have become obscured by over familiarity and cluttered settings? Both Potter and Martin, whose vocal quality is reminiscent of Broadway star Bernadette Peters, provide ample evidence for the former conclusion, with strong and complete readings of the material.

In fact, Chris Potter's intimate knowledge of the songs and singular command of his instrument (no saxophonist is more effective at connecting the upper and lower registers of the horn) practically insure that no stone is left unturned in mining the melodic-harmonic possibilities inherent in this material. On the other hand, Kikuchi's insertion of the occasional melodic fragment as a departure point, together with his insistent use of the sostenuto pedal, moves his tracks toward atonality and abstraction.

As for the rhythm section, Motian maintains meter but eschews a conventional two-beat feel as well as 4/4 swing, preferring to punctuate and highlight movement rather than establish and articulate it. Grenadier's role complements the leader's approach, though in most measures he is careful to place one of his notes on, or close to, the downbeat.

Each of the tracks has something to offer, whether as a revelation or a reminder of songs that, over the course of Broadway's lengthening history, have become part not only of Motian's experience but also of public consciousness. At the same time, the somewhat limited textures and repetitious tempos of this 66-minute program will most likely discourage some listeners' attempts to digest it in a single sitting. In fact, from the opening "The Last Dance" to the closing "How Long Has This Been Going On?" there's an unmistakable sense of entropy, as though Motian's answer to the finale's question is an unmistakable "too long." The paradox, then, is that these tired tunes continue to receive periodic resurrections--in spite of and because of retirement parties such as this.

"Traditional modern jazz" is an oxymoron..........2006-12-08

...you can be modern, or traditional, but not both...and Motian is contemporary -- brilliantly so, transposing instrumental roles and reinventing his ensembles with remarkable alacrity. Any date he leads is worth hearing, and this is indeed no different.

Not for Me.......2006-11-04

I was not very familiar with the style of Paul Motian. I probably prefer a more traditional modern jazz than what I heard on this CD. I respect his music, but it's just not to my taste.

Average customer rating:

Gambit
Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio
Manufacturer: Enja
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007Z9PJ0
Release Date: 2005-05-02

Tracks:

Theo's Gambit
Maichinko
Paidushko
Point
Faux 7
Free Gaida
Cocek i Gong
Tudorka

John Gay: The Beggar's Opera; Edward German: Tom Jones (Highlights)

Average customer rating:

Enjoyably 'Inauthentic,' Authentically 1950s Version

John Gay: The Beggar's Opera; Edward German: Tom Jones (Highlights)

Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000089HAZ
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

Overture - John Wills
Thro' All The Employments Of Life - Owen Brannigan
'Tis Woman That Seduces All Mankind - Alexander Young
If Love The Virgin's Heart Invade - Constance Shacklock
A Maid Is Like The Golden Ore - Constance Shacklock
Virgins Are Like The Fair Flower - Elsie Morison
Our Polly Is A Sad Slut - Constance Shacklock
Can Love Be Controlled By Advice? - Elsie Morison
O Polly, You Might Have Toy'd And Kiss'd - Elsie Morison
I Like A Ship In Storms Was Tossed - Elsie Morison
A Fox May Steal Your Hens, Sir - Owen Brannigan
O Ponder Well - Elsie Morison
Pretty Polly, Say - Elsie Morison
My Heart Was So Free - John Cameron
Were I Laid On Greenland's Coast - Elsie Morison
O What Pain It Is To Part - Elsie Morison
Fill Every Glass - Alexander Young
Let Us Take The Road - Alexander Young
If The Heart Of A Man - John Cameron
Youth's The Season - Dance - John Cameron
Before The Barn-Door Crowing - Dance - Anna Pollak
At The Tree I Shall Suffer - John Cameron
Man May Escape From Rope And Gun - John Cameron
App. 1. How Cruel Are The Traitors - Monica Sinclair
App. 3. When You Censure The Age - Owen Brannigan
How Happy Could I Be With Either - John Cameron
I'm Bubbled, I'm Bubbled - Monica Sinclair
Cease Your Funning - Elsie Morison
Melodrama: The Escape Of Macheath - John Wills

Tracks:

The Modes Of The Court So Common Are Grown - Alexander Young
In The Days Of My Youth - Owen Brannigan
Entrance Of Lucy - John Wills
I'm Like A Skiff On The Ocean Tost - Monica Sinclair
Come, Sweet Lass - Monica Sinclair
Hither, Dear Husband - Monica Sinclair
Which Way Shall I Turn Me? - John Cameron
The Charge Is Prepared - John Cameron
Macheath's Soliloquy - John Wills
Would I Might Be Hang'd - Monica Sinclair
Thus I Stand Like The Turk - John Cameron
Introduction - Don't You Find The Weather Charming? - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
On A Januairy Morning In Zummerzetsheer - Nigel Brooks Chorus
West County Lad, What Is't Ye Lack? - Nigel Brooks Chorus
To-Day My Spinet, Closed And Idly Still - Cynthia Glover
Wisdom Says 'Festina Lente' - Shirley Minty
Madrigal: Here's A Paradox For Lovers - Shirley Minty
Dream O' Day Jill - Cynthia Glover
As All The Maids And I One Day - Shirley Minty
A Soldier's Scarlet Coat - Nigel Brooks Chorus
Love Maketh The Heart A Garden Fair - Cynthia Glover
Morris Dance - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
Gavotte: Glass Of Fashion, Mould Of Form - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
The Green Ribbon - Shirley Minty
If Love's Content Lie In The Spoken Word - Frederick Harvey
Recitative And Waltz Song: Which Is My Own True Self... - Cynthia Glover
Recitative And Waltz Song: For To-night Let Me Dream Out My Dream Of Delight - Cynthia Glover
Hark! The Merry Marriage Bells - Shirley Minty

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyably 'Inauthentic,' Authentically 1950s Version.......2005-05-14

By rights, this 1955 version of John Gay's much-adapted 1728 'ballad opera' should sound antiquated beyond redemption: the musical version used is Frederick Austin's well-worn, prettified (& verbally expurgated) 1920 arrangement, subjected to the indignity of being blown up from chamber ensemble to full orchestra; Sir Malcolm Sargeant's tempi are impossibly 'inauthentic' (ie. slow); there are numerous cuts even beyond Austin's omissions; & the 2 separate casts, of opera singers & actors, recorded in different months, are not always convincingly 'matched up.' Yet it's one of the most enjoyable recordings I know of.
A quick scan of the cast list(s) will tell you why: the singers include Elsie Morison, John Cameron, Monica Sinclair, Ian Wallace, Owen Brannigan & Alexander Young & the actors Zena Walker, John Neville, Rachel Roberts, Eric Porter & Paul Rogers. In other words, these are top pros & strong audio personalities who grab their every opportunity. The musical performance is sumptuous & sheer pleasure to listen to, the actors & dialogue 'production' brisk, funny & sharper than you might expect. And the sound for both music & dialogue is of demonstration quality, one of the best of the period.
Those who find this version too musically ponderous or dramatically reactionary can find antidotes in the Bare Baroque Basics one by Jeremy Barlow & The Broadside Band (Hyperion), word & note complete, & the radical & often inspired 1948 Benjamin Britten arrangement (complete on Argo, abridged with the original cast on Pearl). They'll be missing some good 50s fun, though.
They'll also be missing the only available excerpts (15 numbers) from Edward German's tuneful 1907 operetta 'Tom Jones.' This really IS 'cleaned up' 18th century, genteel beyond the call of duty, but for those who respond to musical theater of the period, highly recommended. The 1966 recording is lively & accomplished. As Miss Jean Brodie would say, For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like. And a good thing too.

Average customer rating:

Sympho-rock is alive
Incredible
Not my favorite Royal Hunt album, but easily their best...
The Complete Package
Reaaaaaly nice

Paradox
Royal Hunt
Manufacturer: Magna Carta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003ZBG
Release Date: 1997-09-23

Tracks:

The Awakening
River Of Pain
Tearing Down The World
Message To God
Long Way Home
Time Will Tell
Silent Scream
It's Over
Martial Arts
The Final Lullaby

Album Description

The sound of the wind sweeps you into Royal Hunt's latest album, "Paradox". Driven by grandiose keyboards and searing guitars, this album has enough musical twists and turns to keep the listener glued to their headphones. The influences are numerous as rock and classical footnotes merge in the undertow. This incredibly mature album can be appreciated by the music lover and the musician alike. These five musicians pull together Andre's deeply personal look into mankind's view of what God is. Follow man's acknowledgment of God in a journey through the ages. How we see God, how we praise God, how we blame God.

Album Description

Asian edition of the progressive/alternative act's 1997 album. 14 tracks including, 'The Awakening ', 'River of Pain', 'Tearing Down the World' & 6 bonus tracks 'Tearing Down The World' (radio edit), 'Message To God' (radio edit), 'Time Will Tell' (radio edit), 'Silent Scream' (radio edit), 'Martial Arts' & 'Restless'.

Customer Reviews:

Sympho-rock is alive.......2005-08-26

The album is perfect. It is a conceptual album that has ideas and thoughts. The music is on one wave. All songs are in harmony. The music enchants the listener from the beginning to the end.

Incredible.......2005-06-14

Royal Hunt is one of those bands (Savatage, King's X) that deserves greater attention in America, but is almost unheard of in the States. Their lead singer for this album is an American named DC Cooper. He came to many bands' attention after placing second behind Ripper Owens in the Judas Priest auditions. Ironically, although he can sound exactly like Rob Halford when he wants to, his normal voice is much different. He has incredible range, and I would go as far as to say that he is one of the best vocalists in rock today. André Andersen is fantastic at keyboards, and guitarist Jacob Kjaer always gives a fantastic, passionate solo in nearly every song. There are no bad or filler songs, the weakest being the 9:31 "Time Will Tell." "Message to God" is my personal favorate not only because of the music, but because the lyrics call out God for screwing so many people over; I have felt many of the same thoughts that are in the lyrics. "Silent Scream" and "Long Way Home" are also strongpoints on the album. My only complaint is that Andersen's keyboards are in the front of the mix, drowning out the guitar for most of the song except the guitar solos. In fact, this album could have used longer guitar solos and shorter keyboard solos, but this hurts the album only slightly. The bonus tracks are good, but not necessary, and do not continue the theme presented throughout the original album. "Paradox" shows a lighter side of prog-metal, but should appeal to fans of melodic metal and prog-rock as well. Very highly recommended.

Not my favorite Royal Hunt album, but easily their best..........2004-10-19

I originally came into contact with Royal Hunt's music when I heard the song "Message to God" from one of my friends mixed CD's in his car. I felt that song was excellent and a good enough reason to warrant a deeper look into the rest of the band's work...

I'm glad I did, cause Royal Hunt is a solid metal outfit (that is criminally underrated it isn't even funny), and Paradox is easily the band's crowning achivement, even though I find that their 1994 album "Clown in the Mirror" is my personal favorite overall.

Paradox itself contains a seemingly slim 8 tracks, but each track has so much depth it doesn't really matter how many songs there actually is (most of the tracks span over the 5-6 minute mark). Songs such as "Tearing Down the World", "Time Will Tell", and the bitter-sweet "Message to God" just ooze class that many bands, even today, would have a hard time matching. Production wise, Paradox is neither poor nor great, but is just enough to get the job done well.

As for the bonus tracks on the import version, the four radio edits are nothing to rave over at all, as some of them, especially the "Message to God" and "Time Will Tell" radio edits, remove so much from the full-length versions it's a crime they butchered them as they did (you won't listen to these much). The other two bonus tracks include the band's best and most known and instrumental "Martial Arts", which is just a great instrumental anyway you put it, and Restless, which is a decent addition to the album, but doesn't add any overall value to a already solid release.

Paradox, without a doubt, deserves a place in any metal fans collection. While they might not be as big as some bands today, or even as big as they once were when D.C. Cooper was on the mic, Royal Hunt is definately a band to look into.

The Complete Package.......2003-12-01

At least while DC Cooper was still there.

I would love to have this voice! This is probably my favorite Royal Hunt album. The sound is slightly less refined (but that seems to be the intent of the production), and works amazingly well as a "rough around the edges" sound.

River of Pain: excellent song... driving throughout

Tearing Down the world: Sometimes I don't see why bands throw in a vocal sample as an interlude from track to track (as is done in transition with River of Pain). But for that, the song is exceptional. The punch/counterpunch of keyboards to guitar is phenominal.

Message to God: A somewhat (hah!) bitter sounding song, perhaps a bit over the top on the keys, but hey - that my instrument, so it's not too much of a minus.

Long Way Home/Final Lullaby - both very hauntingly melodic songs - lullaby is a great ending sequence, and Long Way, a great segue.

Time Will tell - a good song, probably my least favorite song (lyrics sound too forced into their beats), but still will beat out many other bands best song!

Silent Scream - my favorite song on the album... WOW - keyboards rule the day here. Who'd have thought a harpsichord would kick on a progressive album?

Martial Arts - an instrumental on speed, adrenaline, and waaay to much caffine.... cool, huh?

Too bad DC left after only a few albums with Royal Hunt, or they would compete with Dream Theater and Shadow Gallery for most airplay in the house/car/computer (much to my wife's chagrin, "TURN IT DOWN!")

Reaaaaaly nice.......2003-03-06

That's nice, yeap. A beautiful album, a beautiful voice and a very very nice and tight orchestration. Buy this album.
By the way, track 4 (Message to God) is one of my favorite songs ever.
BUY IT!

Product Description

paradox - track listing track# song name track time 1 Cat on the Street (4:33) 2 Tenshi no you ni odoasete (5:11) 3 Toraburumeikaa (Trouble Mix) (4:08) 4 Akeru koto no nai yoru Shizumu koto no nai taiyou (5:38) 5 Tori ni naretara (4:18) 6 Piece of Memory (1:16) 7 Koigokoro (4:02) 8 Konna ni ai shite mo (Water Version) (5:35) 9 Love Merry Go Round (5:03) 10 Sweet Emotion (S.V. Mix) (5:11) 11 Two of Us (4:46)

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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