O [Soundtrack]

On this CD: 1. Cirque du Soleil: "O", circus music
Composed by Benoit Jutras
Performed by Benoit Jutras with Julie McInnes, Roxane Potvin, Elise Guay, Jean-Francois Cote, Stephane Gariepy, Francois Jutras, Lei Qiang, Vovo, Toumany Kouyate, Rheal Jutras

O,Elise Guay,Rhéal Jutras,Julie McInnes,Benoit Jutras,François Jutras,Roxane Potvin,Vovo,Stéphane Gariépy,Toumany Kouyaté,Cirque Du Soleil,Canada,Circus Music,Ethnic Fusion,Miscellaneous,Miscellaneous Music,Pop,Quebec,Soundtrack,Soundtracks,Soundtracks & Film Scores,Worldbeat

O [Soundtrack]

O [Soundtrack]
Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • So Much Better Than Expected
  • What Happened?
  • omigod i love it!!
  • Nonstop Fun!
  • A surprisingly great score
 Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Ghostlight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
  2. The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
  3. Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)
  4. 110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
  5. Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000R7I3NW
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

  1. Omigod You Guys
  2. Serious
  3. What You Want
  4. The Harvard Variations
  5. Blood In the Water
  6. Positive
  7. Ireland
  8. Ireland
  9. Serious
  10. Chip On My Shoulder
  11. So Much Better
  12. Whipped Into Shape
  13. Take It Like a Man
  14. Bend And Snap
  15. There! Right There!
  16. Legally Blonde
  17. Legally Blonde
  18. Medley: Find My Way/Finale

Amazon.com

Like Wicked, this show is a girl-friendly extravaganza; the main difference--and it's a big one--is that the score of Legally Blonde is better. Based on the hit Reese Witherspoon movie, the zippy, frothy show tells the story of SoCal, pink-loving sorority girl Elle Woods, who enrolls at Harvard Law and goes on to prove that appearances can be deceiving. The opening number, "Omigod You Guys," gives an idea of what the Broadway-pop score by Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy--The Musical) and Nell Benjamin is up to, embracing its over-the-top cheer with goofily infectious energy. Sure, a couple of numbers feel a bit derivative (the show with the witches has "Popular," this one has "Positive"), and the Celtic detour ("Ireland") is rather puzzling, but overall the songs are firing on all cylinders. Just check out the use of a marching band on "What You Want" for instance. Laura Bell Bundy (Amber von Tussle in Hairspray) is a charming Elle, and she delivers numbers such as "So Much Better" with the requisite elan. But this is not a one-woman show, and Bundy is surrounded by a crack team, including the endearing Christian Borle as Elle's love interest Emmett, power-piped Orfeh as hairdresser Paulette and up-and-comer Leslie Kritzer as Delta Nu's Serena. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars So Much Better Than Expected.......2007-07-31

This 2007 musical version of the Reese Witherspoon film is energetic, light-hearted & fun.

While I enjoyed seeing the production (starring the terrific Laura Bell Bundy), the score seemed somewhat unmemorable - until I got the cd. Some of the songs work better on stage (ie. "Bend and Snap"), but after a few listens, several of the songs emerged as favorites:

Omigod You Guys
Ireland
So Much Better
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde Remix

This is not meant to be a thought-provoking show - just one to smile.

1 out of 5 stars What Happened?.......2007-07-30

When I saw the show in the San Francisco previews, I thought it was one of the best shows I had ever seen. It was so good that I saw it twice (would have gone a third time, but ran out of time). The show is one of the most uplifting shows out there. The very first number in the show, "Omigod You Guys", starts on a very high energy level, and remained that way throughout the entire show. So, as you can probably tell, I was eager for the cast recording to come out. I purchased this album the moment it came out. I was so ecstatic. But to my dismay, this cast recording just did not do this amazing show justice. Instead of the songs having all the energy of the show, they became so mellow and down right boring. Not to mention that they took out one of the better songs, "Love and War", and replaced it with a much mellower song, "Positive". On top of it all, the actual music does not sound like it was done by and orchestra, but rather a cheap synthesizer. I had such high expectations for this cast recording because of how amazing the show was in San Francisco, but was extremely disappointed. The only reason I listen to this is because it is better than having to find some cheap and illegal recording someone did in the audience.

5 out of 5 stars omigod i love it!!.......2007-07-30

best show ever practically!! LBB shines along w/ Orfeh & Nikki Snelson!!
Christian Borle was meant to play Emmet alng with Miachel Rupert as Callahan!!

5 out of 5 stars Nonstop Fun!.......2007-07-28

I saw this show while it was in previews in San Francisco. I was not disappointed. The show is fabulous, everything a musical comedy should be: upbeat, entertaining and fun. Plus, the music is great too. I play this cd in my car over and over again, and I'm still not sick of any of it. I don't agree that the score is better than Wicked, but like Wicked, all the songs are good. "Ireland" and "There! Right There!" are a little random, but Orfeh nails Paulette and I can't help laughing everytime when she says "Celtic Moods!" Laura Bell Bundy brings her own personality to Elle and it works. Trust me, you won't be able to get "Omigod you guys" and "So Much Better" out of your head! Buy it!

5 out of 5 stars A surprisingly great score.......2007-07-27

I heard some time ago that Legally Blonde was in the works for Broadway, and I won't mince words: I had no hopes for the show. But on a whim I decided to give the score a listen, and boy, was I surprised. Let's be clear here: I am not a female, nor am I a teenager. I'm ambivalent about the 2001 movie. I hardly fit the target audience. But, inexplicably, I love it.

The composing team behind Bat Boy: The Musical are back, and they've brought their skills to the next level. True, Legally Blond is all bubblegum pop. But it's cleverly constructed, constantly energetic, and just plain catchy as hell. The title song, "Omigod You Guys" sticks in your head like crazy. But that's a good thing -- if you're willing to laugh a little. Sometimes musicals are too serious for their own good. Who says we can't have a little fun?

With a few minor exceptions, the songs are very well-crafted. It takes a few times through before you catch all the lyrics -- they come at you fast! -- so there's a lot to enjoy. And just when you think the composers are following the melodic pattern you expect, they change it -- for the better. True, you have to be paying attention to catch those moments, but they're there if you do. As a composer myself, I was surprised at how intricate the pop melodies actually are if you know what you're listening for.

If you have a sense of humor and like good catchy music -- if you hated Wicked, leave now -- you'll definitely love Legally Blonde.
The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Boublil & Schonberg's Newest Creation
  • NOT THE BEST, BUT STILL BRILLIANT
  • Broadway not Chicago
  • CLASSIC MUSICAL
  • Unsinkable Pirate Queen
 The Pirate Queen (2007 Original Broadway Cast)

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
  2. Legally Blonde (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
  3. 110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
  4. High Fidelity (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000QTCY72
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Tracks:

  1. Prologue
  2. Pirate Queen
  3. Woman
  4. My Grace
  5. Here on This Night
  6. Waking of the Queen
  7. Rah-Rah, Tip-Top
  8. Choice Is Mine
  9. Boys'll Be Boys
  10. Wedding
  11. I'll Be There
  12. Day Beyond Belclare
  13. Sail to the Stars
  14. Entr'acte
  15. Enemy at Port Side
  16. I Dismiss You
  17. If I Said I Loved You
  18. Role of the Queen
  19. Christening
  20. Let a Father Stand by His Son
  21. Surrender
  22. She Who Has All
  23. Sea of Life
  24. Woman to Woman
  25. Finale

Amazon.com

The Pirate Queen, with a score by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (Les Misérables, Miss Saigon), took a critical beating when it opened on Broadway, but as this catchy cast recording demonstrates, that reception was really unnecessarily harsh. Set in the 17th century, the show (which closed after only 85 performances) tells the story of Grace O'Malley (Stephanie J. Block), an Irish ship captain and pirate who defied Queen Elizabeth I (Linda Balgord). The combination of that setting with the fact that the producers also brought us Riverdance means an overall Celtic flavor. But fans of Boublil and Schönberg should not fear. The duo delivers plenty of the over-the-top, super-emotional power ballads they're famous for--it's hard not to wonder what Celine Dion would make of songs such as "Woman" or "I'll Be There" (the latter sung by a man, but no matter!). Special kudos to Balgord, whose deliciously campy stage portrayal of Elizabeth I comes across well on "The Waking of the Queen," "The Role of the Queen," and two harpsichord-driven, vibrato-laden duets with Block, "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman." Also of note to fans of traditional singing is the participation of Áine Uí Cheallaigh (known from Riverdance) on several tracks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Boublil & Schonberg's Newest Creation.......2007-08-03

How do you follow such internationally sucessful shows like Les Miserables and Miss Saigon? Well, with Martin Guerre of course. Sadly that particular show, despite being re-written and relaunched a couple of times failed to be the success it was hoped. Now, I really liked that show, especially before it was revamped BUT it just wasn't to be. So we now have Boublil & Schonberg's latest offering with The Pirate Queen. I think that if you liked the previous three scores you can't fail to enjoy this new show. It certainly has some great "show stoppers", some wonderful "duets" and exciting dance interludes. Whereas in Martin Guerre we had the more authentic and rustic villagers dancing we now have a more Riverdance and Celtic feel in line with the Irish story and links. In fairness there is feeling of having heard it before and some themes do seem reminiscent of the previous shows BUT isn't that true of other successful composers?

Overall, a worthwhile addition to your collection if not up to the Les Miz and Saigon standards. Having played it several times now it certainly improves each time you hear it. I am very happy to recommend this recording especially now that the show has finished and we may not have the chance of seeing it again....... who knows? Watch this space though!

4 out of 5 stars NOT THE BEST, BUT STILL BRILLIANT.......2007-08-02

I read the reviews before purchasing this CD, and seeing as they were so mixed, I decided to just get it and see for myself after listening to samples of the tracks.

I was really glad I did. I have a keen musical ear and a discriminatory musical palate, and I'm usually pretty good at judging things by their covers (even though I know I shouldn't). I was utterly pleased with this musical after listening to it twice. It gets four stars for not blowing me away like some musicals can on the first listening (Les Miserables is a great example). But the point is that it gets all of those four stars.

Irish/Celtic music usually begins to irritate me after I listen to it for a while. It's nice, it's pleasant, but it's not my cup of Earl Grey tea. But the blend of Schonberg's and Boubil's distinct style of musical (made popular by their other work) with the more natural/historical sound of Great Britain blends well. I feel that if this musical had not appeared on Broadway with all the hype surrounding Pirates of the Caribbean releasing it's third installment, that this musical would have garnered more respect, instead of the mass populace thinking, as I believe, "oh, another pirate thing." I am sad that I get the chance to go to see a show in late September in NYC, and this one's already gone - the only one I really want to see.

The money's worth it for a few of the tracks by themselves. Namely, "Woman", "I Dismiss You", "Surrender", and surprisingly, the "Entr'acte". Others have stated in their reviews that they don't like "Boys'll Be Boys" as it's so utterly expected in the tradition of a "Master of the House" song. You know what? Who cares. I think "Boys'll be Boys" as well as "Rah-Rah, Tip-Top" are entertaining for the ears, and every musical has its form of comic relief - though I must say, both songs are dark comedy focusing around characters who are chauvinists. I haven't yet got that spin on Thenardier, as despicable and delightful as he was in Les Miserables. Though initially it's hard to understand some of the Queen's pieces, the feeling of the absolute monarch comes cleanly through, and the harpsichord background is not cliche. It's perfect in those pieces.

I urge other people who are considering buying this to check out these reviews, but judge it for yourselves, and don't start listening to it with expectations. Rather, just sit back and enjoy the show.

5 out of 5 stars Broadway not Chicago.......2007-07-31

This album is good. If you saw the Original production, Pre-Broadway in Chicago, you will notice the differences that the show acquired for its Broadway production. It is a good representation of a show that appears to have lost its luster when moving from the Windy City to the Big Apple. My kids I I listen to the album over and over and cannot get enough of it.

5 out of 5 stars CLASSIC MUSICAL.......2007-07-30

An excellent recording of the Broadway production. This show has a strong storyline and the music is superb! Having seen the show in New York the week before it closed, I really can't understand why this wasn't another long-runner for Boublil and Schonberg. It was a disgrace that it didn't receive any Tony award nominations. At least, we have this recording to savour of a classic musical, which hopefully will have a future in the UK.

5 out of 5 stars Unsinkable Pirate Queen.......2007-07-30

Loved the show and the extremely talented cast! Now I can "Sail to the Stars" whenever I want.
S.O.S.: Save Our Soul ( Amazon Exclusive with Bonus Track )
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Marc More of Marc Please
  • satisfying but capable of more
  • Great Old School Soul from awesome singer
  • Soulful and Timeless
  • Yes, Classic Soul Is The Best Music!
 S.O.S.: Save Our Soul ( Amazon Exclusive with Bonus Track )
Marc Broussard
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Momentary Setback
  2. Carencro
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ASIN: B000QG512A
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

  1. You Met Your Match
  2. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
  3. Harry Hippie
  4. Let The Music Get Down In Your Soul
  5. I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
  6. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)
  7. Love And Happiness
  8. I've Been Loving You Too Long
  9. Respect Yourself
  10. Yes We Can, Can
  11. Come In From The Cold
  12. Bring It On Home To Me ( Amazon Exclusive Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

It's difficult to fault Marc Broussard's intentions in releasing this collection of mostly covers as the follow-up to his 2004 breakthrough Carencro. He's intent on showing his roots in the uplifting soul music that he clearly loves. However, it's too early in his nascent career to be going the Rod Stewart route. Broussard's committed, grainy voice works well with these R&B standards and obscurities, even if the arrangements generally stick close to the originals. Yet he can't help but come up short singing timeless classics such as Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues," Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long," and Al Green's "Love and Happiness." Broussard is more convincing uncovering hidden nuggets such as Bobby Womack's slow dance "Harry Hippie," Rance Allen's gospelized "Let the Music Get Down in Your Soul," and the frisky funk of Stevie Wonder's "You Met Your Match." He also dusts off Blood, Sweat & Tears' "I Love You More than You'll Ever Know," sweating out the tune's inherent soulfulness. Toby Lightman swings into Tammi Terrell's part for a peppy, finger-snapping take on the sweet Gaye/Terrell duet "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You." Not surprisingly, Broussard's sturdy self-penned ballad "Come in from the Cold" pales somewhat in this heady company. It does, however, show his songwriting abilities haven't diminished, even if he apparently needs more time to compose another album's worth of his own material. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description

This follow-up to Marc's acclaimed debut Carencro features Broussard's
staggeringly soulful voice on classic songs by: Allen Toussaint, Bobby
Womack, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding and more...Plus 1
new tune penned by Broussard that closes the set with a soul intensity on
par with the company of its keeping.

AMAZON EXCLUSIVE - If you purchase this album here, it comes with a bonus
track of Marc covering "Bring It On Home To Me" originally by Sam Cooke.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Marc More of Marc Please.......2007-08-03

Great soulful soulfelt covers but Marc every since I heard you do "Back in Your Arms Again" on a Bruce Springsteen covers compilation CD, I crave for your "voice" and your uniqueness. This CD is great but I have most of the originals and still play them on my old record player through my Fender Super Reverb amp in the basement with far too many beer stains on the top of the amp. The originals are priceless and now I want you to start delivering some of your own originals again ..... you see, covers are great but the real soul is in the heart of the writer of the song. Except for "Back in Your Arms Again" - don't tell the "Boss" but you blew him alway on that song and arrangement. Now, get back on the road and get back on the penning and your unique soulfulness will shine through again. I'LL WAIT.

2 out of 5 stars satisfying but capable of more.......2007-08-01

I took a gamble on Marc's first album and imported it from America to my Australian homeland to be pleasantly surprised and it quickly grew to be one of my favourite albums. It surprised me then that after only 1 full length album, Marc decided to record an album of covers. Whilst the songs featured on this album highlight the soaring, solid vocals I loved from his earlier material, as well as some great production values, it's still just a covers album from a young artist capable who is capable of producing fantastic music of his own.
Highlights of the album include Marvin Gaye's 'Inner City Blues' and the hidden Sam Cooke cover 'Bring It On Home To Me'. Marc's vocals can't be faulted and he and his band are obviously experienced musicians.
In summary, yes this is a good album with some of Soul music's classics being paid their due respects, however Marc Broussard showed such great potential with his first LP and Album which just leaves you wanting more from the artist himself rather than a collection of his favourite songs.

4 out of 5 stars Great Old School Soul from awesome singer.......2007-07-30

Marc Broussard's got the best voice in blue eyed soul alive right now. He's what Taylor Hicks is only posing for. Marc's Carenco disc is in my top ten discs and I own over 1400 - it's a stellar collection of originals without a bad song on it. That said, this is a disc that really didn't need to be made other than it's always good to keep these classics in the cannon of great american songs and it's nice to hear some lesser known, but solid songs get a second chance. While I love Marc's deep throaty growl and his raspy falsetto, he only matches the originals at best not really adding anything new. Like seeing a really great R&B band in a bar, it takes no effort to love these songs but they fall short of amazing me like his earlier two studio discs did. Worth owning for sure just for his voice but I'm patiently waiting for a new batch of originals.

An added bonus is Toby Lightman on duet and back-up - also one of the best voices of her generation. She's got all the soulful subtlety and nuance that Joss Stone Lacks, but it would have been nice to hear her belt out something better than Tammy Terrell.

5 out of 5 stars Soulful and Timeless.......2007-07-29

Marc Broussard has a soulful voice that matches all of the songs on his latest release "S.O.S.: Save Our Soul". I love listening to these classics being sung by one of the most talented artists of today. His raspy and gritty voice is wonderful as he portrays the struggles and hope in every song he sings. My favorite tracks off the album include "You Met Your Match", "Let the Music Get Down In Your Soul", and "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)". This album never gets old, and captures my emotions everytime I listen to it. It's a must have for all music lovers!

3 out of 5 stars Yes, Classic Soul Is The Best Music!.......2007-07-29

It's nice to hear this classic music being revived and I know how someone like Marc Broussard feels when he listens to the junk that's passing as "music" today. I feel the same way. Marc has chosen some great songs here and I don't mind that he has stuck close to the originals. Putting a hip/hop spin on these songs would have ruined them.

Only Aretha Franklin, in her heyday, could have taken all of these tunes and made them greater than the originals. This album just makes it more clear that good music (especially soul) is sorely missed in light of what is happening today. Young black "artists" have all but abandoned classic soul for the watered-down dum de dum stuff that's all over the airwaves and it's difficult to tell one record from the next. It doesn't take much talent to sing hip/hop. It appears that people are being taken right off the street and into recording studios...to me, it's that bad.

People like Bettye LaVette are still singing the classic stuff and packing houses all over the world. We don't see European music groups trying to imitate hip/hop, it's classic soul they want to emulate because to their wise ears, it's America's BEST and most valued export.
Are You Listening
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • I like that she is the same
  • Disappointing album bordering on BORING.
  • that bueatiful voice from the cranberries is back
  • A different style in the wonderful voice of Dolores
  • WOW, what a comeback! EVERY SONG ROCKS!
 Are You Listening
Dolores O'Riordan
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
IrelandIreland | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Adult AlternativeAdult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
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  1. Breakfast in Bed
  2. Beauty & Crime
  3. Courage
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  5. Volta

ASIN: B000O170YY
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Ordinary Day
  2. When We Were Young
  3. In The Garden
  4. Human Spirit
  5. Loser
  6. Stay With Me
  7. Apple of My Eye
  8. Black Widow
  9. October
  10. Accept Things
  11. Angel Fire
  12. Ecstasy

Amazon.com

It's been a long wait for the solo debut from Irish icon Dolores O'Riordan. After all, the Cranberries issued their swan song in 2001. After their break up, O'Riordan collaborated with Germany's Jam and Spoon, Italy's Zucchero, and David Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti. She also appeared, as herself, in the 2006 comedy Click. All the while, she toiled away on her first solo effort. Fortunately, good things come to those who wait. Co-produced by Youth (the Verve, U2), Are You Listening? is a throwback to 1980s-era Siouxsie and the Banshees and Sinead O'Connor--sweeping keyboards, forceful drumming, and muscular guitar work. It may seem like a melodramatic move, but the music never overwhelms the slight yet steely figure at the center of the maelstrom, particularly on the lilting "Ordinary Day" and haunting "Black Widow." Cranberries fans expecting something more demure may be taken aback, but O'Riordan's supple voice should win over most skeptics. And lyrically, she compensates with tender words inspired by her husband ("Apple of My Eye"), the death of her mother-in-law ("Black Widow"), and the birth of her youngest child ("Ordinary Day"). --Kathleen C. Fennessy

More from Dolores O'Riordan and the Cranberries


Ordinary Day (Single)


Everybody Else Is Doing It So Why Can't We? (The Complete Sessions)


No Need to Argue (The Complete Sessions)


To the Faithful Departed (The Complete Sessions)


Bury the Hatchet


Stars: The Best of the Cranberries, 1992-2002

Album Description

2007 solo debut from the former Cranberries vocalist. Written and recorded in Dublin and Canada and featuring production from Dan Broadbeck and acclaimed musician/producer Youth, whose many production credits include Paul McCartney and U2. The album was written and inspired by her personal experiences over the last four years including her marriage, the birth of her third child and the death of her mother-in-law. 12 tracks including the first single 'Ordinary Day', 'Loser' and 'Apple'.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars I like that she is the same.......2007-07-26

I dont know what is going on with the cranberries. I havent heard anything bad, but, this is a good sign that Delores is still going strong. I feel for her loss and the lyrics are darker than ever even though the melody is mellow. She has stayed true to her passonate side of the music. I really have enjoyed this Cd for the past few days. I hope to hear more from her and more importantly from the 'cranberries' since they are one of the founders of my musical obsession.

Thanks so much guys! you rock!

3 out of 5 stars Disappointing album bordering on BORING........2007-07-19

I have been a Cranberries fan since the first time I heard their music. Dolores O'riordan's voice was simply magical. Listening to her singing always sent chills up my spine and gave me a buzz. Her original, intense, and emotional voice was a saving grace to much of the junk music that overwhelms us today. I was heartbroken to learn that the Cranberries split and went on to individual projects, but as long as Dolores was still singing, I'd surely be buying. And then she gives us "Are You Listening?" And well......What happened???!

She told us her solo album would be something different from anything she's ever done before. Something more .... AHEM... "experimental" (very overused word in the music industry and hardly applicable considering so much pop garbage sounds alike). Well, Dolores, where's the originality in this album? This album is much more < > POP sounding than her previous work with the Cranberries. The musical originality is absent from most of the songs. It sounds like she uses typical pop arrangements, sounds, and tricks and as a result the album sounds like very all-purpose, generic pop music with Dolores O'riordan's voice sing the predictable rhyming lyrics. Very uninspired music.

Dolores does quite a bit of whisper (breathy) singing on this album. Usually when I hear that I think of a singer who's vocals aren't as strong as they used to be and who literally CAN'T sing crisply, clearly, or as strong as before. I hope that's not the case with Dolores' voice, but all the whisperings on this album make for a weak sounding voice. An annoyance when I'm eagerly waiting for her to just SING.

As for the lyrical content, Dolores continues to sing about the same subjects - her children, her husband (and her love and/or desperate need for him in her life), her other family & loved ones, people who put her down (remember the song "Loud and Clear"? well, she still sings defensively to people who hurt her and this time it's in the song "Loser"), and her efforts to evolve and grow as a human being. Dolores' lyrics tend to be simply put and straightforward. There's nothing wrong with that. Simple can be good. Listening closely to her lyrics give me the impression that she is still trying to find herself and climb out of a dark, murky something that is taking up more than enough space in her life.

I find most of the songs plain, uninspired and very forgettable. There are some standouts, namely BLACK WIDOW and OCTOBER. Black Widow is a song she wrote while going through the death of her Mother-in-law from cancer. She sings the song passionately and with a little creative use of her voice. It is heavy on the electronic musical *help* though. I wonder how the acoustic version would sound. OCTOBER is another song that I really liked at first. When I heard it the band Linkin Park came to mind. This one sounds like a Gloria Gaynor "I Will Survive" song. Meaning, "I may be down but I'm not OUT!" It's a You Go Girl! song and I have a soft spot for those.

My biggest complaint with this album is that Dolores just doesn't sound very alive when she's singing. I don't mind that she sings about the same topics. She could be singing about her cornflakes cereal for all I care. But sing it like it's the best stuff you've ever tasted and every bite tastes absolutely wonderful and puts you in 7th heaven! That kind of energy is missing from this album. She sounds like she's trying too hard when it used to come almost effortlessly. Maybe Dolores went the way of some other artists (Tori Amos, Sinead O'connor, Alanis Morrisette to name a few) would could sing beautifully and with such raw passion when they were angry or unhappy, but somehow lost some of that spark when intense dark emotions left them. Can't they be just as intense when they're happy?

Dolores hasn't done a complete 360 (a la Sinead O'connor) with her voice, it still sounds great. But in this album it's sounding a little more flat and dull. Not a bad effort for her first solo album, but I hope for a better sophmore solo album.

I shelved this album one month after I purchased it. It's so lackluster. And I am still listening to her older works more than 10 years since I purchased it. That says a whole lot. No doubt she could be a great solo artist, but she missed it buy a long shot with this album. Buy it and listen for yourself.

4 out of 5 stars that bueatiful voice from the cranberries is back.......2007-07-18

What a great debue solo album. I found the first half of the album awsome some of the second half dropped off a bit, but over all a great album. If you like the cranberries I think you will really like this.

5 out of 5 stars A different style in the wonderful voice of Dolores.......2007-07-16

Even though there are bad comments for this album, as a Cranberries fan I think this CD is AWESOME!!! It's logical that Dolores try to make something different than the songs from the Cranberries. This new album shows that Dolores has everything to succeed!!! With a totally new style this album shows the taste of music that Dolores Has. All the songs in the album are wonderful!! My favourites, Ordinary Day, When we were young, Angel Fire, Apple of my eye, Black Widow, Loser, ALL OF THEM!!!

Here in Mexico, there's no too much promotion of this album, but I think that it has to have that promotion because it's a really masterpiece. This album combines new rythms, sounds and types of music that makes you imagine a lot of wonderful things. And the best part, the voice of Dolores... She has the most wonderful voice in this planet.

Buy it!!! you'll have no regrets!! Guaranteed


5 out of 5 stars WOW, what a comeback! EVERY SONG ROCKS!.......2007-07-13

EVEN without the Cranberries, this album is so rich who needs them!? I also love her as always unique voice that can easily be recognized! EVERY SONG ON THIS ALBUM IS GREAT! That is a rarity these days!
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Buy this
  • dead or alive
  • O Brother, Where Art Thou?
  • MORE OF AN IMPULSE PURCHASE FOR ME
  • A real cheer-me-up CD
 O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Various Artists - Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Lost Highway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004XQ83
Release Date: 2000-12-05

Tracks:

  1. Po Lazarus - J. Carter & Prisoners
  2. Big Rock Candy Mountain - Harry McLintock
  3. You Are My Sunshine - Norman Blake
  4. Down In The River To Pray - Alison Krauss
  5. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Dan Tyminski
  6. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues - Chris Thomas King
  7. Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) - Norman Blake
  8. Keep On The Sunny Side - The Whites
  9. I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss
  10. Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby - Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss & Emmylou Harris
  11. In The Highways - The Peasall Sisters
  12. I Am Weary - The Cox Family
  13. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (Instrumental) - John Hartford
  14. O Death - Ralph Stanley
  15. In The Jailhouse Now - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Tim Blake Nelson
  16. I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow (With band) - The Soggy Bottom Boys featuring Dan Tyminski
  17. Indian War Whoop (Instrumental) - John Hartford
  18. Lonesome Valley - The Fairfield Four
  19. Angel Band - The Stanley Brothers

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The best soundtracks are like movies for the ears, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? joins the likes of Saturday Night Fever and The Harder They Come as cinematic pinnacles of song. The music from the Coen brothers' Depression-era film taps into the source from which the purest strains of country, blues, bluegrass, folk, and gospel music flow. Producer T Bone Burnett enlists the voices of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, and kindred spirits for performances of traditional material, in arrangements that are either a cappella or feature bare-bones accompaniment. Highlights range from the aching purity of Krauss's "Down to the River to Pray" to the plainspoken faith of the Whites' "Keep on the Sunny Side" to Stanley's chillingly plaintive "O Death." The album's spiritual centerpiece finds Krauss, Welch, and Harris harmonizing on "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby," a gospel lullaby that sounds like a chorus of Appalachian angels. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Buy this.......2007-07-23

This album is almost as good as the movie. A good purchase whether you like bluegrass or not.

5 out of 5 stars dead or alive.......2007-07-21


This motion picture soundtrack brings grins all around because each of the tracks associates so instantly with a scene from the uproarious film it graced with fine folk music, in the process generating something of a musical renaissance for those drawn to the genre.

This is pure, early-twentieth-century, down-south Americana. It would be hard to find a more dignifying and elevating anthology of music to represent that slice of American history. This music is laced with humor and irony, putting the lie to the impression many people have that it's practitioners and their folk come from a benighted subculture between the coasts and in a chronological backwater.

Listen and love it.

5 out of 5 stars O Brother, Where Art Thou?.......2007-05-28

My 1-year old grandson goes to sleep listening to some of the songs on the album, unless he is bouncing up and down to the faster numbers. I have therefore listened to the songs many, many times, and enjoy them every time. They are easy to listen to, to sing along with and to rock the baby with!

2 out of 5 stars MORE OF AN IMPULSE PURCHASE FOR ME.......2007-05-26

I regretted buying this after listening to it once. I haven't listened to it since and that's about three months ago. Simply put, without the movie to provide a context, the music itself doesn't sell itself. There are four cuts of 'I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow", two by the same artists which goes a long way to proving my point. I haven't seen the movie in a few years and I'm sure there's a logical reason for the song being repeated in the soundtrack that many times, but I can't remember what it is. Sometimes I like roots music with clear acoustic instrumental sounds and soulful voices. But as for an introduction to this type of music for a general listener, this is not the CD to get. It's mostly for the already converted.

4 out of 5 stars A real cheer-me-up CD.......2007-05-22

Couldn't feel bad while listening to this soundtrack - skipped over the serious stuff and just played "Happy"!!
Theology
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Purgatory
  • a triumph of bombast over style
  • A Divine recording by Sinead O'Connor
  • No Apologies.
  • Her Best Since "I Do Not Want..."
 Theology
Sinead O'Connor
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000P6R8KE
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

  1. Something Beautiful
  2. We People Who Are Darker Than Blue
  3. Out Of the Depths
  4. Dark I Am Yet Lovely
  5. If You Had a Vineyard
  6. Watcher Of Men
  7. 53
  8. The Glory Of Jah
  9. Whomsoever Dwells
  10. Rivers Of Babylon
  11. Hosanna Filio David

Tracks:

  1. Something Beautiful
  2. We People Who Are Darker Than Blue
  3. Out Of the Depths
  4. 53
  5. Dark I Am Yet Lovely
  6. I Don't Know How To Love Him
  7. If You Had a Vineyard
  8. The Glory Of Jah
  9. Watcher Of Men
  10. Whomsoever Dwells
  11. Rivers Of Babylon

Amazon.com

The uncompromising Irish artist, spiritualist, and provocateur gives a twist to the critical truism that double albums would generally be stronger if edited into a single disc. With what she terms her "attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war," Sinéad O'Connor consciously risks charges of not merely padding but redundancy, as the two discs feature practically the same set of material recorded in different settings. The "Dublin Sessions" are more minimal and acoustic, and the "London Sessions" incorporate full-band arrangements including harp, strings, horns, and percussion. Finding dual inspiration in Jerusalem and Jamaica, the material proves all the more revelatory in the contrasting settings, as the minimalist approach underscores vocal intimacy while the band arrangements build to majestic intensity. The opening "Jeremiah (Something Beautiful)" ranks with O'Connor's loveliest music to date, with "Job (Watcher of Men)" among her most tormented. The cover(s) of Curtis Mayfield's "We Are People Who Are Darker than Blue" fits perfectly, though a misguided attempt at "I Don't Know How to Love Him" (from Jesus Christ Superstar, mercifully featured only on the second disc) proves that some musical miracles are beyond even Sinéad's power. The second disc sounds more like pop; the first disc sounds more like prayer. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Purgatory.......2007-08-06

The music is not bad, but the lyrics are just awful -- simplistic writing, forced rhymes, and atrocious meter. There's not much actual singing here, it's more like reading to music. This would be fine if it sounded like the music were written to fit the words, but I think the result would have been equal or better if she had pulled a random book off a shelf and read it to the music. The London sessions are better, since the instrument tracks are engineered to mask most of the flaws in the vocal track. Even so, the replay value is minimal -- there are only a couple songs that I would want to hear again. I was intrigued by the idea of having the two different versions; sadly, the material does not warrant it. On the positive side, at least it was a single-album price.

2 out of 5 stars a triumph of bombast over style.......2007-07-31

Seriously, now, who does O'Connor think she is? She writes songs as though she were the next Isiah, born unto the Irish people by way of Jamaica to liberate the tearful from their chains of sorrow.

O'Connor's career has always been a struggle between her podigious musical gifts and her deeply off-putting grandiosity. In this double album, sadly, it is ego inflation which wins the field. The pretty, unremarkable melodies are much too small to form the palanquin for Jehovah that she envisions. A big disappointment.

5 out of 5 stars A Divine recording by Sinead O'Connor.......2007-07-30

"Theology" is a recording to listen to for many years to come. It's amazingly devine in it's own spiritual way. Sinead has shown with this new recording that not only she's shifted from pop/rock to spiritual music, but she continues to get simply better at what her potentials are: writing lyrics and music.

3 out of 5 stars No Apologies........2007-07-28

I went back and listened to songs from each of O'Connor's cds, and the one thing that struck me was that her vocals on "Theology" are not up to the standards she set on "The Lion And The Cobra" or "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got". Just listen to "Mandinka", "Three Babies" or "Black Boys On Mopeds" and you'll hear what I mean.

Still, there's no one who can emote quite like O'Connor can. She knows how to pull a wide range of emotional strings even on her worst days. So her singing aside, what you're left with is two discs of soul searching hymns to God. Many of these songs are written by O'Connor herself, which makes them more compelling. If you're expecting pop or reggae music, well Sinead doesn't give you what you want. What you get instead is one disc of stripped down tracks and one disc of more orchestrated, full band tracks. She repeats the same 10 songs on each disc. I found that I liked certain versions from both discs rather than either disc in its entirety.

My choice cuts are as follows: From the Dublin sessions: "Something Beautiful" is richer, more direct than the London sessions version, and same goes for "Out Of The Depths". "If You Had A Vineyard" is more nuanced in its stripped down form along with "The Glory Of Jah" and "Whomsoever Dwells".

From the London sessions: "Out Of The Depths" is the only song I liked on both session discs. "33" and "Watcher Of Men", and unlike others, I liked her version of the Jesus Christ Superstar song "I Don't Know How To Love Him".

In total, I have 9 songs out of the 22, or a little less than half, thus the three star rating. I like O'Connor, but the whole doesn't add up to the parts. Again, I don't think "Theology" showcases O'Connor's strength as a vocalist.

4 out of 5 stars Her Best Since "I Do Not Want...".......2007-07-26

My headline may seem like an overstatement, but this is how I see it. Every effort Sinead has put forth since 1990 has been uneven with moments of brilliance. Universal Mother is about 1/3 brilliant, 2/3 middling to terrible. Faith and Courage is a muddled, overproduced mess with too few moments where Sinead's true voice makes it to the surface...not a bad album, but not a classic. Am I Not Your Girl and Throw Down Your Arms are a conundrum: Sinead fans don't want big band music or reggae; and fans of those genres probably don't have much use for Sinead, good as those albums may be. These two decade have given us many highs..."Release," "Fire on Babylon," "It's all Good," "Full Circle." Some of the best recordings of her career.

But with Theology, she finally emerges with an album of mostly original material and you can tell she's writing and singing from the heart. It mostly works. There are a few duds here, but nothing all out worthless. The clunky lyrics and droning tune of "Out of the Depths" is redeemed by the conviction in her soaring voice, and the gorgeous decrescendo: "I long for you as watchmen long for the end of night." A few too-literal clunkers aside, some of her lyrics here are the best of her career...the songs are poetry.

"Whomsoever Dwells" is the classic here. The lyrics are amazing, her voice powerful, the tune and production are uniquely Sinead. Other high points are "Glory of Jah," "Something Beautiful," and "Watcher of Men."

This album is definitely not the dud may have judged it to be (Rolling Stone, with it's 1-star review, clearly didn't bother playing the whole thing). And I'm not even Christian. This is just an enjoyable, heartfelt album, and Sinead really hasn't lost her integrity.

Simply put, I never thought she'd put out an album I liked this much again. I saw her new releases as obligatory purchases, not reasons to be excited. I'm thrilled to be proven wrong.
Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The End of the Big Voice?
  • Fla Gator Lady
  • 20 Great Tenor Arias
  • Plesantly surprised...
  • Absolutely Agree About Corelli
 Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000007OTX
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

  1. La Boheme: Che gelida manina
  2. Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
  3. Carmen Bizet: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
  4. Luisa Miller: O! fede negar potessi .. Quando le sere al placido
  5. La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
  6. Martha: M'appari
  7. Giordano: Amor ti vieta
  8. L'Africaine: Mi batte il cuor .. O paradiso
  9. La Favorita: Favorita del re . . . Spirto gentil
  10. Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller'
  11. Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein'
  12. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: O Dieu! De quelle ivresse
  13. TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
  14. Pagliacci: Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba
  15. Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
  16. Aida: Se quel guerrier .. Celeste Aida
  17. TOSCA: Recondita armonia
  18. L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
  19. La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
  20. Turandot: Nessun dorma

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The End of the Big Voice?.......2007-04-16

This CD, which is truly fine overall, reminds me of Marilyn Horne's lament that we have probably seen the end of the big voice and it makes me sad. I agree with the reviewer who refers to "microphonies". And more justice could be done to Bjorling's voice with a better transfer. But at some point, music becomes a matter of taste and I prefers singers who have the instrument and the support and the training, whether formal or not, to just let fly and take a chance on making a mistake. Domingo can be wonderful and so can his musicianship but he tends to be so stiff. I have to wonder at the virulence and asperity with which some people go after Pavarotti. It's true that late in his career he made some questionable recordings but the answer to that is simple: don't buy them. At his best, he belongs for all time in the top echelon of tenors. I love this CD and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys great (big) voices.

5 out of 5 stars Fla Gator Lady.......2007-01-12

Highly recommend this CD with these beloved arias of the greatest tenors in opera. I have owned this CD for a couple of years and purchased another for a friend who always requests that I play it ... perfect for listening in the car, dinner, bridge games, relaxation ... just so perfect. You won't be disappointed in this one.

5 out of 5 stars 20 Great Tenor Arias.......2007-01-09

A great disc,combination of the greatest tenors of the 20th century and some of the most beautiful music ever written in any century,a must addition to any opera lovers collection.

5 out of 5 stars Plesantly surprised..........2006-01-14

I don't remember how I found this CD the other day surfing through the "Amazon" such as it is, but I did. I listened to a few clips provided & on the strength of that, I purchased this CD.

First it is a great buy. A booklet with pictures of each tenor, a small bio, the year recorded and TRANSLATIONS of each aria are provided. This is really nice. It seems more & more that translations are being left out. Being a former opera singer, I may know most of the words, but sometimes it's just nice to read along (sometimes it's just nice to listen too).

Being on the Decca label, there is admittedly quite a few Pavarotti selections. Out of 20 selections, he has 6 of them. But I love Pavarotti, so this is no problem for me. These are all early recordings & his voice is magnificent! Being a singer, I still marvel at his ability to sing "All'armi!" on a high D and still say the 2nd syllable "mi" on such a note! WOW. There is also of course his very sweet, impassioned and lyrical turn as Rodolfo in "La Boheme" as well as the lesser known (although I still have it on casette) "La Favorita" which has a particularly high tessitura.

Also featured are a young Plácido Domingo singing a VERY nice "Flower song/ La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Carmen. He usually sounds too pushed for me on the top notes (as one might expect from a Pavarotti fan, I like free top notes) but in this recording he is pretty darn fabulous. He also sings an aria from "Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffman" and I have always felt that he, like Neil Schicoff, were well suited to this role.

Lamentably there are only one selection each from Carreras, Correlli, Monaco, Aragall & Kollo. Especial kudos to the young recording they feature for Aragall. He had a very free and nice high tenor well suited to Verdi. Of course as his career went forward with the natural darkening of his voice and the "heavier" roles, he did start to develop a wobble. But this recording is before that. His top, his phrasing are all beautifully done in his featured aria from "La Traviata."
Mario del Monaco's "E lucevan le stelle" is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful pianissimo in it that it makes you just want to gasp for beauty's sake. I now know every tenor I've heard sing this aria was trying to emulate what he did.

This is a great CD because it does bring together on one CD some of the greatest singers of the 20th/21st century. Bergonzi, di Stefano, Björling, in addition to the previously mentioned artists is quite an impressive collection. I'm sure there's only one of each for Carreras, Aragall (I believe they are formerly EMI/Angel artists) and perhaps some of the others because they are "imported" from another label. There's so much Pavarotti on this CD because he IS a Decca artist.

A highly recommended CD, affordable, not the usually obscure and unpolished artists that are sometimes found on compilations. Plus acutal linear notes and translations. Nicely done, Decca!!!

4 out of 5 stars Absolutely Agree About Corelli.......2005-05-27

Franco Corelli's "Nessun Dorma" is still the best of them all - clear, passionate, and exciting. (And those final two notes...! Gives me chills just to think of it.) I was fortunate enough to see him live in both "Turandot" and "Romeo and Juliet" a year before his retirement, and he was still a Calaf and a Romeo to die for... as, of course, Liu and Juliet did! As it is, I tend to buy compilations depending on how much Corelli they include - though Bjorling is a strong second, and I have happy memories of Domingo. Long live the Golden Age of Operatic Tenors!
O
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • amazing CD!
  • Bring me more Rice!
  • Haunting Tracks
  • And so it is, just like you said it would be
  • My Most Prized Possession
 O
Damien Rice
Manufacturer: Vector Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00009V7P8
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

  1. Delicate
  2. Volcano
  3. The Blower's Daughter
  4. Cannonball
  5. Older Chests
  6. Amie
  7. Cheers Darlin'
  8. Cold Water
  9. I Remember
  10. Eskimo

Amazon.com

Irish troubadour Damien Rice doesn't so much reinvent the folk genre on this lush, impossibly mature debut album as push its boundaries in several compelling musical directions at once--all the more remarkable considering the album was largely self-produced and home-recorded. His songs revolve around familiar, bittersweet concerns of life, love, and their attendant frustrations, but delivered with conspiratorial intimacy on melodic wings (like on the graceful "Cannonball") that Rice seems almost embarrassed to share. If there's anything like a template here, it's "The Blower's Daughter," the song that first attracted the interest/stewardship of film composer David Arnold (whose guest production provides "Amie" with expansive cinematic elegance) and became a massive Irish hit. His plaintive vocal, embroidered by the mournful solo cello of Vyvienne Long, is suddenly brightened by an instrumental flourish and Lisa Hannigan's vocals--before just as quickly wafting on the breeze. With touches that range from "Day in the Life"-styled string collages to the dizzy, exhilarating neo-operatic excesses of the 16-minute "Eskimo," Rice's musical palate here is as adventurous as his songs are grounded in emotional intimacy. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Damien Rice's intriguing brand of stylishly, un-styled dirty folk music has made him one of the standout artists of 2003. O was first released in Ireland, where it quickly broke the top ten, and achieved triple-platinum status. Slim hard-back digipak. Vector. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars amazing CD!.......2007-08-03

the music is extremely mature, soulful and intimate! if you like John Meyer, Jack Johnson, or Amos Lee then you'll probably fall in love with this.

5 out of 5 stars Bring me more Rice!.......2007-07-22

Ah, there's a good reason why Damien Rice's songs are so frequently used in tv and film soundtracks. They are haunting, unique and fascinating to listen to. This record does not disappoint. He may not have a gorgeous voice but he has a lot of emotion in his vocals, and a great ear for melodies.

3 out of 5 stars Haunting Tracks.......2007-07-21

This CD is somewhat repetitive, but the intensity and meaning just blares though. Most songs are haunting, not light lyrics or melodies by any stretch, but great for soul-searching periods in your life.

5 out of 5 stars And so it is, just like you said it would be.......2007-06-17

If there's ever been an album so hopelessly beautiful as Damien Rice's "O," I've yet to hear it. It's not a glittering beauty like the early music of Enya, nor a razor-edged beauty like Radiohead's "OK Computer" or the falsetto of Coldplay's Chris Martin. No, "O" is in a category all by itself. The title, a single, apparently meaningless letter, is so fitting for the record. Like the record, there's a beautiful simplicity to it, but close examination reveals a delightful intricacy. And so it is with Damien Rice's music. The Irish folk troubadour's sincerety, clear in each of his heart-tuggingly poetic compositions, is a welcoming nakedness that shines through his bittersweet vocals.

The magic's in the arrangements as well as the vocals, though - the echoing guitar and longing cello in the record's highlight, the dazzling "Blower's Daughter" (well-used as the main theme for Mike Nichol's screen adaptation of "Closer"); the mixture of classic and contemporary instruments which fall like an avalanche in "Cheers Darlin'"; the consciously insane opera in the wonderful "Eskimo." Rice is aware of the craziness of this world, but he's more interested in the simple beauty of it: things like the wind in your hair or the sun setting over a field. Lisa Hannigan's smooth, breezy vocals support Rice, who knows just when to let her soar. In fact, Rice knows when to do everything. His timing is impeccable. He knows when to sing, when to let Hannigan sing, when to bring in the violins - even when to let the opera singer loose.

There are by no standards any bad or even lackluster pieces on "O." There are some that are more extraodinary than others, however: along with "Blower's Daughter," the reflective "Cold Water," the bitter "Cheers Darlin'," the wise "Volcano," the another-day folk of "Older Chests," and the soaring lunacy that is "Eskimo" (hang around throughout "Eskimo" to hear two hidden tracks, the excellent, bombastic "Prague" and Hannigan's cynical take on "Silent Night"). As an added bonus, each song works equally well seperately or together with the rest of the album. I'd highly recommend buying the album as opposed to downloading the songs, though. Almost impossibly beautiful, "O" was one of the best records of 2003 (the best?) and remains one of the best of the decade.

5 out of 5 stars My Most Prized Possession.......2007-06-17

Hands down this CD is my most cherished cd out the 100 or so that i have. Nothing else compares! I love all the songs on it,(except volcano)which is very rare, Most of cds i normally like three or four. But this, this is unreal, you have to have it. As soon as he released it in the states I bought it. And i heard his music long before they decided to sell it here. My all time favorite is Blower's Daughter,Cold Water,I Remember,Older Chests, Ohh i can't make up my mind. There all good, and Damien,Damien is Great!
Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great spin on contemporary tunes Don't buy the itunes version!
  • Rhythms Del Mundo
  • Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba
  • Great Salsa/Pop Fusion CD
  • Disappointing...buy something else
 Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Rodrigo y Gabriela (with Bonus DVD)
  2. Buena Vista Social Club
  3. Remixed & Reimagined
  4. Half the Perfect World
  5. The Road to Escondido

ASIN: B000J23416
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

  1. COLDPLAY - Clocks
  2. JACK JOHNSON - Better Together
  3. ARCTIC MONKEYS - Dancing Shoes
  4. DIDO and FAITHLESS - One Step Too Far
  5. IBRAHIM FERRER - As Time Goes By
  6. U2 with COCO FREEMAN - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
  7. MAROON 5 - She Will Be Loved
  8. KAISER CHIEFS - Modern Way
  9. OMARA PORTUONDO - Killing Me Softly
  10. VANYA and RDM featuring QUINCY JONES - Ai No Corrida
  11. STING - Fragilidad
  12. VANYA and RHYTHMS DEL MUNDO - Don't Know Why
  13. AQUILA ROSE and IDANIA VALDEZ - Hotel Buena Vista
  14. FRANZ FERDINAND - The Dark Of The Matinee
  15. LELE featuring RADIOHEAD - High And Dry
  16. IBRAHIM FERRER - Casablanca (As Time Goes By)

Amazon.com

Created as a benefit project for Artists' Project Earth, an organization devoted to protecting the environment, reversing climate change, and tendering disaster relief, this compilation pairs Western pop stars (U2, Sting, Artic Monkeys, et al) and their hits with all-new arrangements performed by members of Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club plus other Havana-based talent. The overall effect is of a well-meaning but not entirely simpatico mutual admiration society. Coldplay's "Clocks" is a good example; the lead vocal is coolly lethargic, engulfing the spiky crags of the rhythm section like syrup on a waffle. But then, most of the singers sound strangely unconnected to the frisky 1-2-3/1-2 of the clavé beat. The contrast between the two groups of players could have been bracing, and to many ears it perhaps will be, but most of the time, they seem to transmitting from parallel universes. Not surprisingly, the best tracks are those in which hometown icons are left to do what they do best. But the late, great Ibrahim Ferrer's marvelous interpretation of "As Time Goes By" (his final recording) and Omara Portuondo's wistful yet powerful cover of "Killing Me Softly" only serve to further showcase what's amiss with the rest of the album. --Christina Roden

Amazon.com

Created as a benefit project for Artists' Project Earth, an organization devoted to protecting the environment, reversing climate change, and tendering disaster relief, this compilation pairs Western pop stars (U2, Sting, Artic Monkeys, et al) and their hits with all-new arrangements performed by members of Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club plus other Havana-based talent. The overall effect is of a well-meaning but not entirely simpatico mutual admiration society. Coldplay's "Clocks" is a good example; the lead vocal is coolly lethargic, engulfing the spiky crags of the rhythm section like syrup on a waffle. But then, most of the singers sound strangely unconnected to the frisky 1-2-3/1-2 of the clavé beat. The contrast between the two groups of players could have been bracing, and to many ears it perhaps will be, but most of the time, they seem to transmitting from parallel universes. Not surprisingly, the best tracks are those in which hometown icons are left to do what they do best. But the late, great Ibrahim Ferrer's marvelous interpretation of "As Time Goes By" (his final recording) and Omara Portuondo's wistful yet powerful cover of "Killing Me Softly" only serve to further showcase what's amiss with the rest of the album. --Christina Roden

Album Description

This unique compilation project brings together the legendary musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club & some of today's most popular music stars Chris Martin (Coldplay), Dido, Franz Ferdinand, Sting, Bono, Radiohead among others, performing collaborations of some of their classic hits.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great spin on contemporary tunes Don't buy the itunes version!.......2007-07-29

If you are going to buy this, make sure you buy on amazon! The itunes version doesn't include all the songs the CD version does.

Buena Vista has done it again. Cold play's and the Jack Johnson tune's are my favorite. The best tracks are the ones where the artist gave the group all the masters separated by tracks allowing these guy to really do their magic. Some songs seem like they just grabed the original version of the song and pasted a Latin rythem on top.

3 out of 5 stars Rhythms Del Mundo.......2007-07-15

It's a good idea and not bad for the effort. The songs while some work very well ,the others were just a good try . I can see what they were trying to do. Anyway it's for a good purpose

5 out of 5 stars Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba.......2007-07-05

I love this CD. Every cut is good. I can clearly appreciate the original artist and the Latin beat at the same time. I am so pleased to have a CD that every cut is good and I don't have to stop what I am doing in the cafe to skip a cut when the player is on scramble.

4 out of 5 stars Great Salsa/Pop Fusion CD.......2007-07-04

The fusion of well known pop artists (ie; U2, Coldplay, etc.) and Buena Vista Social Club totally works on this great CD.

1 out of 5 stars Disappointing...buy something else.......2007-06-01

This is disappointing...a few of the remakes are ok. Some cuts are intolerably poor. The overal quality is poor and it is not as advertised.
Mamma Mia! The Musical Based on the Songs of ABBA: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Recording (1999 London Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Mamma Mia
  • Mamma Mia Musical CD
  • JUST GREAT MUSIC
  • Mamma Mia
  • Not good at all
 Mamma Mia! The Musical Based on the Songs of ABBA: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Recording (1999 London Cast)
Benny Andersson , Julian Poole , Jenny Galloway , Nicolas Colicos , Paul Clarkson , Bjorn Ulvaeus , Lisa Stokke , Eliza Lumley , Melissa Gibson , Siobhan McCarthy , Louise Plowright , Jenny Galloway , Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Stig Anderson
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits
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ASIN: B000031WEN
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

  1. Overture/Prologue
  2. Honey, Honey
  3. Money, Money, Money
  4. Thank You For The Music
  5. Mamma Mia
  6. Chiquitita
  7. Dancing Queen
  8. Lay All Your Love On Me
  9. Super Trouper
  10. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
  11. The Name Of The Game
  12. Voulez-Vous
  13. Entr'acte
  14. Under Attack
  15. One Of Us
  16. S.O.S.
  17. Does Your Mother Know
  18. Knowing Me, Knowing You
  19. Our Last Summer
  20. Slipping Through My Fingers
  21. The Winner Takes It All
  22. Take A Chance On Me
  23. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
  24. 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:

5 out of 5 stars 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!

5 out of 5 stars 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!

4 out of 5 stars 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.

5 out of 5 stars Mamma Mia.......2007-01-29

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

1 out of 5 stars 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.

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