Oceanic [Import]

Track Listings

1. Bon Voyage

2. Sirens Whispering

3. Dreams Of Surf

4. Spanish Harbour

5. Islands Of The Orient

6. Fields Of Coral

7. Aquatic Dance

8. Memories Of Lbue

9. Song Of The Seas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A few departures and pretty moments aside, this is more of the same from Vangelis. "Islands of the Orient" is one track with a dash of spark and spirit. --Jeff Bateman

Oceanic,Vangelis,Wea,New Age

Oceanic [Import]

Tracks:

Quixote
Winter
Victory
Oceanic
Kismet
Korobushko
Alexander The Great
Duel
Bella Donna
The 1812
Dalalai
Hymn
Victory (Mike Batt Mix)

Amazon.com

Born, the debut album by four conservatory-trained young women, has little to do with classical music. It's a gimmick, fusing a string quartet of frivolous femmes, spicy girls who all want to be "Posh," with dance beats, a big production mixing their violins, viola, and cello with polished electronics. Taking themselves less than seriously--they played the James Bond theme at their Royal Albert Hall debut--pop "Victory" looks assured. This single bounces along with a dash of Rossini's Barber of Seville and a real sense of pop melodrama, in spirit little different from what guitarist John Williams did with his rather less photogenic band Sky in the late 1970s. What may surprise is that tracks such as the frenetic world-dance "Quixote" are penned by the film composer Magnus Fiennes, brother of the more famous Ralph and Joseph. "Winter" adds Jean Michel Jarre-style synth and voice-over to the ghost of Vivaldi and the infectious beat goes on, and on, and on. Sex sells, and Bond's success seems assured. This is a state-of-the-art product, but with a bonus remix of "Victory" by Mike Batt of Wombles fame, just don't expect it to be art. --Gary S. Dalkin

Album Description

Asian edition of the classical crossover act's 2001 album includes one bonus track, 'Viva!', which is not included on the domestic version. Decca. 2001.

Album Details

Includes the bonus track 'Viva' not on the USA version.

Customer Reviews:

Bond Girls Rock!!.......2007-03-13

The Bond Girls are sensational!!! They capture the audience with their powerful songs. Most songs are in minor keys. Riveting and special, they are wonderfully blessed .

Great Bond.......2006-09-01

I'm new at enjoying instrumental music but I really like this cd. I think I will be buying more like it.

Millenium Bonds Classical and Pop/Dance.......2006-06-11

At the start of the new Millenium a group of professional musicians Classicly trained on violins, a viola, and cello, realized there was only one way to hit it big...
Violinists Haylie Ecker and Eos, violist Tania Davis, and celloist Gay-Yee Westerhoff fused their Classical background to that of Pop/Dance music. With the release of their debut album, Bond hit the Mainstream ears with a vengence all their own. Performing pieces with the basis of Classical music adding Pop/Dance beats, sounds, and feels, it was clear that old music would never be lost; it would simply be updated to present times. Everything from Classical music is here: the sounds, effects, beats, times, counterpoint, choral voices, movenment of musical lines and voices, but with the addition of Pop/Dance instrumentation. The most interesting piece off this album has to be "The 1812", which is Bond's interpretation of The 1812 Overature. This album is a work of art with a great display of how music changes over a vast period of time.

I am surprised!.......2006-04-20

I am the typical teen when it comes to music; I listen to rap, hip hop, pop, rock, and classical. but when I heard Bond's "Victory," I was hooked. As I did some research, I read that these four women played their instruments ever since they were 6! These women have been studying classical music but their music on this album begs to differ. Their beat is very jumpy and you cannot resist to tap your foot along with the music.

"Victory" is a blend of many different styles of music including pop's rythmns and beats, Spanish guitars, Latin dance, Spanish dance, etc. To top that off, "Victory" has a shot of techno in it.

Born is indeed a truly unique and fresh way for people to get introduced into classical music. Listen to the album, you'll know what I mean!

Simply Stunning!.......2005-06-02

I heard this album first, and I liked it. I'm "opening my horizons," so to speak, and this (among others) was the first albums I experienced. What a surprise!

As I listened to them, I ended up liking all of it, though my fave track is "Kismet". Following that was "Victory". The rest of the CD sounded like something I have heard before--from other sources.

If you've ever in your life wanted to listen to classical music, I suggest that you start off with "Born" by Bond.

Average customer rating:

Isis' MoP
Great CD? Thanks to Amazon, I Wouldn't Know...
Oceanic
still digesting it
This album is great, AMAZON SUCKS!!!!

Oceanic
Isis
Manufacturer: Ipecac Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Panopticon
In the Absence of Truth
Celestial
At the Soundless Dawn
The Red Sea

ASIN: B00006IQHQ
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

The Beginning And The End
The Other
False Light
Carry
Maritime
Weight
From Sinking
Hym

Customer Reviews:

Isis' MoP.......2007-07-06

Panopticon was my favorite cd of theirs for the longest until I was lucky enough to find this. this is indeed their masterpiece, their Master Of Puppets. Heavy as heck yet melodic and beautiful. The whole cd is wonderful. If you're getting into Isis, start off with this one.

Great CD? Thanks to Amazon, I Wouldn't Know..........2007-06-21

I ordered this CD earlier this week, and today, I finially got it. But it was "Oceanic: Remixes and Reinterpretations." I was excited to get the real CD, since I couldn't find it in any store, but I got the remixed version. I went on my e-mail and went to contact seller, but it just came up with a blank page... grrr... I guess I'm stuck with this.

Oceanic.......2007-01-20

For a musical genre to remain vital, it has to evolve. And whether purists like it or not, the newest evolution in metal is--of all things--sleepiness, with Isis leading the pack of metallurgists crafting slow, churning, dreamy soundscapes. Okay, so you could do a lot better than Isis for bedtime music; when Isis rocks, it does so with the solid strength of heavy machinery, and vocalist/guitarist Aaron Turner grinds his larynx into pâté. Still, those brutalizing moments are juxtaposed with sequences of keyboard-led contemplative drift, and the apparent contrast enhances the power of both sides of Isis's personality. Even considering "Oceanic"s pokey pace, it's still full of surprises (check the sinister blast of death metal in the center of "The Other") and not without its share of unbridled testosterone--sure to please the average metalhead raised on a steady diet of Black Sabbath and Cannibal Corpse. Epic in its scope and execution, "Oceanic" assures us that future of metal will be huge, menacing, and downright freaking gorgeous.

still digesting it.......2007-01-14

I heard this album at a friend's house just a couple of weeks ago and immediately felt that it was so textured and layered as to warrant further listening. That said, I'm still digesting it, but I like a lot of what I hear. So I'll give it 5 stars because I know this will sink in over time. I went through a similar experience upon first hearing King Crimson's early 70's work - later to become one of my favorite bands in the world ever - if that provides any sort of reference....

Although musical labels are generally useless, it occurs to me that one thing that doesn't seem to be mentioned very often in these reviews is how "post-rock" or "cinematic" this music is. There are a lot of long tension-building passages that have also been used by bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, Do Make Say Think, etc., and those are the labels often used for those bands. (Someone did mention he was a Mogwai fan but thought Isis sucked, but what does he know, right?) If you're coming at this from the metal side of things, you might find some of these bands interesting. None of them are as heavy as Isis, but the use of instruments for the sake of group dynamics and sonic texture rather than showcasing wanky solos is a major similarity.

Anyway, my $0.02. O'Doyle Rules.

This album is great, AMAZON SUCKS!!!!.......2006-10-04

This is an absolutely fantastic album. Wish I would actually get it. Ordered September 7th, its now October 3rd. It STILL hasn't even been shipped yet and its IN STOCK!!!! WTF??? Don't waste your time buying from this horrible retailer anymore, not unless you like waiting an extremely long time for your product to be shipped.

0 stars for Amazon!

Average customer rating:

A well-crafted piece of work
Out of this world!
not stisfied
SIMPLY GREAT
evocative - a gem for Vangelis connoisseurs!

Oceanic
Vangelis
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Electronic | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
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Themes

ASIN: B000002JB8
Release Date: 1997-01-28

Tracks:

Bon Voyage
Siren's Whispering
Dreams Of Surf
Spanish Harbour
Islands Of The Orient
Fields Of Coral
Aquatic Dance
Memories Of Blue
Song Of The Seas

Amazon.com

A few departures and pretty moments aside, this is more of the same from Vangelis. "Islands of the Orient" is one track with a dash of spark and spirit. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

A well-crafted piece of work.......2007-06-22

Vangelis' Oceanic was released in 1996. Its nine compositions are in a New Age musical direction. I find the songwriting, musicianship, and sound quality to be gratifying. The music of Oceanic is not only soothing and mysterious, but also serene, luxuriant, and therapeutic. While I think that all of the pieces are engaging, "Bon Voyage" and "Sirens' Whispering" are my favorites. "Bon Voyage" is beautiful and touching, and "Sirens' Whispering" is relaxing. The CD is almost 51 minutes. Actually, I rate this piece of work 3.5 stars. Oceanic is recommendable.

Out of this world!.......2007-05-15

I've been getting more and more into New Age music and the more I hear the better I like Vangelis. I've been a fan for years and this CD Oceanic is one of my favorites. The sound and the orchestrations are mystical, mysterious and haunting. His use of instrumentation, sound and vocals is simply awesome. In my opinion this CD represents the true sound of New Age in that it takes you to "another world". Highly recommend.

not stisfied.......2007-01-15

Actually I didn't recieve the purchased item so far.

It is now more one month since I paid the money and yet I didn't get my money's worth.

Please consider this review as a complaint.

SIMPLY GREAT.......2006-10-01

This is a simple recording by Vangelis; yet, very very melodic. The harp is nicely used playing the ocean sounds not forgetting to mention the beautiful voices through out the entire album.
I am not sure if you have seen the Movie Gattaca, but if you did you may agree with me that the music in this album fits perfectly for this movie.
I play this album in my bedroom, almost every night. Very relaxing; melodic album.
Highly recommended.

evocative - a gem for Vangelis connoisseurs!.......2006-09-10

Vangelis has done some great things, and some that leave you wondering why on earth it was even published.

Fortunatley this album is in the great discs group! It is very heavily themed and has a almost "retro-lounge-music" feel to it. But where in the hands of most an old bossa-nova beatbox sound would sound cheesy, Vangelis builds breezy, evocative and thoroughly refreshing soundscapes. This is sunny, tropical, lush, crystaline water music that seems to have been extracted form the oceans tehmselves. It makes geographic references throughout, but with delightful subtlety and refinement.

This album gets played a lot in my house, and one of the things that I find fascinating is some of the sounds on it. Vangelis has used a pallette of modified instrument sounds that defy description. It is hard to tell what is a guitar, a piano or a harp, or all those things together, but these sounds work exceptionally well. It sounds very natural and organic, its easy to forget this is actually electronic music. No dud tracks on this one, unique, beautiful and interesting melodies, and of course the production is excellent.

A must for any Vangelis collection, this is the man doing what he does best!

Average customer rating:

Fascinatingly Inaccessible
How to Wreck a Great Album, in a Few Simple Steps
Listen with an open mind...
Usually remixes suck...
Good Stuff

Oceanic: Remixes/Reinterpretations
Isis
Manufacturer: Hydrahead Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007NMJCW
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

Weight
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Hym
Other - James Plotkin
Carry [First Version] - Tim Hecker
Maritime
Maritime

Tracks:

Beginning and the End - Venetian Snares
Carry [Second Version] - Tim Hecker
False Light
Carry: Like I Will Love Her Forever? (Fuckin Die!!!) - DJ Speedranch,
From: Sinking, To: Drowning - Destructo Swarmbots
Hym

Customer Reviews:

Fascinatingly Inaccessible.......2006-09-07

Isis has gotten better and better and better with each release since the Red Sea. But as their work has become more polished, it has also become less challenging. I like a challenge, and I like this album precisely BECAUSE it took me 20 listens to see anything in it but static and feedback and screaming. It IS alienating and I appreciate that - it keeps out the riff-raff. The difficulty of this material makes its ultimate enjoyment all the sweeter.

And like it or not, this sort of experimentation is what Isis has always been about. As catchy as Oceanic may seem, it was pretty damn risky to crossbreed Tangerine Dream and Napalm Death. This compilation takes similarly huge risks, and they don't all pay off, but its a worthwhile journey and a great introduction to a bunch of acts I would otherwise never have heard of. The Tim Hecker and Venetian Snares tracks stand out, and I replay the Speedranch remix compulsively.

Admittedly, this is not very much like Isis. The raw material is mostly (like 66%) taken from (the raw session recordings of) Oceanic, but the end product bears as much resemblance to it as...say...the Charleton Heston version of Planet of the Apes does to the Tim Burton's remake.

For those looking for more "Isis," I would recommend checking Ebay for their 4 live releases. Isis songs have a habit of mutating in performance, and it makes the live records interesting.

How to Wreck a Great Album, in a Few Simple Steps.......2006-08-30

First off, I would would say that the previous review is about right.

Now, onto these, glorious, wonderful remixes (not)! I think what this really is, is an experiment to see how bad it is possible to make an Isis album sound. They have succeeded fabulously. Whereas Oceanic is a beatiful, flowing, truly fantastic piece of music, the remixes are basically all ambient noise. They really do just about nothing, and its two discs of it to boot. Maybe 10 minutes of pulsing here, with a few vocals thrown in to change it up a bit. Honestly, there is no skill required here, and it basically does nothing musically, either.

Honestly, I don't see why anyone would like this. I guess if you already know you like pulsing ambient noise, pick this up. But if you like Isis but don't know about ambient noise, I would stay away. There is very little Isis here, mostly on the booklet, actually. The two discs bear almost no resemblance to Isis music whatsoever. (Maybe Aaron Turner music, but not Isis. I don't understand what Aaron has for Ambience.)

In short, how would I define these discs? An attempt to make Oceanic as directionless, simple, and boring (really, as non-existent) as possible. Thinking on it further, these aren't really "remixes", so much as taking one note from one Isis song and playing it over for 7 minutes and calling it a remix of the song. That is certainly a simplistic summary, but closer to the truth than anything else.

Caution: You'll probably be bored to tears by this. And you should be.

Listen with an open mind..........2006-05-13

After solely listening to Oceanic and Panopticon for 3-4 weeks, I could clearly say I was addicted to Isis. Everything from the vocals to the guitar work really just clicked with me, as just about everything from Tool and Meshuggah does. Isis is truly a quality band that consistently puts out quality material.

After hearing all of the aweseome remixes to the terrible ones from the worlds of Nine Inch Nails and Skinny Puppy, I came in expecting nothing. I wasn't sure whether these Isis remixes would be interesting, if they would ruin the songs, or if they would give me a truly different take on the song.

I can still say after 5-6 listens of each CD, these are going back on the shelf and staying out of my CD booklet. These mixes are just too weird for me. The vocals on the albums blend extremely well with the guitars, but on their own with little to no background noise, the shout/growl vocals sound extremely bad. It almost seems like some of these mixers went in trying to make the weirdest, most incohesive song possible. I really came in with an open mind, though. Stay away from this CD if you're not a fan of weird, electronic remixes.

Usually remixes suck..........2005-04-24

But this is Isis we're talking about. Enlisting the help of musicians from all over the musical spectrum, this album is a winner. My personal favorite is the Mike Patton version of "Maritime", and that's not because I'm a Patton-Junkie. The tracks range from droning and spacy, to strange, quirky, and electronic.

A must for all Isis fans, die-hard or not. Now you don't have to buy the rip-off Japanese import either!

Good Stuff.......2005-04-13

This collection of remixes is the best thing to happen to music since "Love and Hate In Dub" by Godflesh. Just when remixes in stoner metal were becoming a thing of the past, Isis took a bold leap and revived the concept. The only downside is that some of the mixes are just ambient tracks with very little relation to the originals. All in all it's an excellent buy and I hope to see more of this sort of thing in the band's future.

Average customer rating:

Applause for Pete, Jeers for RR
Edit With A Sharper Knife
Long Live Raphael
Tease!
A Classic, Intimate Portrait

The Oceanic Concerts
Pete Townshend & Raphael Rudd
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005Q468
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

Raga - Raphael Rudd
Drowned - Pete Townshend
The Seeker - Pete Townshend
Magic Grace - Raphael Rudd
Who Is Meher Baba? - Raphael Rudd
The Ferryman - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Kitty's Theme - Raphael Rudd
A Little Is Enough - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Contact In Solitude - Raphael Rudd
Sleeping Dog - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Sound Barrier - Raphael Rudd
Bargain - Pete Townshend
Longing For The Beloved - Raphael Rudd
Tattoo - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Let My Love Open The Door - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Awakening - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd
Western (American) Arti - Raphael Rudd
O' Parvardigar - Pete Townshend/Raphael Rudd

Amazon.com

Longtime admirers of Who guitarist Pete Townshend know that, as an artist, he is something of a paradox--at once the embodiment of his band's Sturm und Drang but also by turns introspective and spiritual, restlessly experimental, and deeply steeped in folk and jazz traditions. Those facets permeate this previously unreleased compilation of live performances from 1979 and '80, recorded at private in-studio shows for the Meher Baba Oceanic Centre with journeyman harpist-pianist and fellow Baba disciple Raphael Rudd. Using inventive acoustic guitar, Townshend delivers a rich, revealing slate of songs culled from the Who's canon ("Drowned," "The Seeker," "Bargain," "Tattoo") plus solo gems ("The Ferryman," "Sleeping Dog," "O' Parvavardigar," "Let My Love Open the Door" and "Little Is Enough"), while graciously showcasing his collaborator's own skills as a composer and musician. (Rudd would later score parts of the Quadrophenia soundtrack and collaborate on "Rough Boys.") It's a warm, welcome surprise for Townshend and Who fans alike. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Applause for Pete, Jeers for RR.......2006-01-30

This CD shows a different side to Pete than seen in his work with the Who. As with some of his other solo stuff, he's very spiritual and sensitive in his performance on here. Drowned and the Seeker have new angles when played in the context of this event, and solo pieces like "Sleeping Dog" and "Let My Love Open the Door" are beautiful. As for his collaborations with teenage composer Raphael Rudd, most of the time they are inspiring and creative. Some excursions like "The Ferryman" and "Awakening" are a bit tiresome, but pieces like Raga and O'Parvardigar are great. Unfortunately, myself also being a budding pianist and composer, I noticed what Mr. Rudd tried to let by the general public in his piece "Sound Barrier". The piece begins with a rhythmic, exciting intro (not very harmonically colorful though), and immediately he leaps into a note for note excerpt of Khatchaturian's Tocatta! After ripping him off for about a minute, he goes back to a softer, more melodic original ending. Looking at the CD credits, I see no mention of Mr. Khatchaturian. Raphael Rudd is a great composer in his own right, but he should have refrained from reducing to plagiarism.

Edit With A Sharper Knife.......2002-08-06

There are some wonderful moments on this CD, but I think someone fell asleep when the running order was being typed up.

For starters, why is the first tune of the original show the 12th song on the disc? Call me picky, but it seems a little odd halfway through a CD to hear Pete Townshend say "I'd like to start with a song which..."

I love the Townshend stuff on this CD. While it's all available elsewhere--and many of the tunes have alternate versions available on "Secret Policeman's..." and various other records--there is a straightforward simplicity here that I think is great. Unadorned and unpretentious, as you would expect from private shows at Oceanic.

But I don't have much interest in the Raphael Rudd stuff. It never crossed my mind that any Rock record would sound better if only it had a harp added to the mix, and this is proof that I was right.

This is a record for Pete Townshend completists, I suppose. So call me completist.

Long Live Raphael.......2002-08-02

Not a great album, but if you like Pete Townshend, you'll probably like it. A nice document of Pete playing with Raphael Rudd, who died earlier this year (2002). Jai Baba!

Tease!.......2002-07-15

Pete, I love ya, but please stop jerking us around. Expand, remaster, and reissue your Deep End Live concert! Your loyal fans are waiting!

A Classic, Intimate Portrait.......2002-06-29

This is a fantastic unplugged album, though it was recorded well before the unplugged idea came into being. There are probably four or five essential tunes here, including versions of The Who classics "Bargain," "Drowned," and "The Seeker." Those tunes barely prepare you for the stellar version of Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door," which appeared on his Empty Glass album about the time this set was recorded. In between those highlights, Rudd provides some really fine moments on the harp. The insightful, occasionally intimate ramblings of Townshend between songs adds to the value of this package. The primary flaw is the distortion we sometimes hear coming from Townshend's guitar...this is bothersome, not a deal killer. Essential for all serious Who/Pete Townshend fans.

Average customer rating:

Oceanic
Masada
Manufacturer: Tsunami Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000CG8HV
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

ESP Expansion
My Box
Experience
Filtering Bebop
Acoustic Foam
Purple Sky
High Rate of Speed
Dancing Hat

Sunleif Rasmussen: Symphony No. 1 "Oceanic Days"; Saxophone Concerto "Dem Licht entgegen" [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

A Real Discovery

Sunleif Rasmussen: Symphony No. 1 "Oceanic Days"; Saxophone Concerto "Dem Licht entgegen" [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Marco Polo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0007Y0QB2
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Customer Reviews:

A Real Discovery.......2005-05-21

I began listening to this CD based on two faulty assumptions on my part. First, I had read, mistakenly as it turns out, that Faeroese composer Sunleif Rasmussen had studied with Norwegian composer Per NORGARD -- he was actually a student of the similarly named Ib NORHOLM -- and since I have come to really admire the music of Norgard I assumed the music of Rasmussen might be similar, another faulty assumption, as often students' music sounds nothing like their mentors'. Well, guess what? This was a case of real serendipity, because I instantly fell in love with the sound of Rasmussen's music. One of life's happy accidents. Further, it turns out there is some similarity between Rasmussen's music and that of Norgard after all. It could be broadly defined as spectral or timbral music, and as such it is exceedingly attractive. Even though there is no obvious formal plan in this music (although the composer does indeed have a plan, it's just that it isn't all that apparent to this listener), it is unfailingly interesting, engaging, and satisfying to me.

The disc contains two major works of the young Rasmussen (b. 1961 -- he started out as a rock musician and soon was smitten with the possibilities of 'classical' music) -- the Symphony No. 1, subtitled 'Oceanic Days,' (1995-97) and the Saxophone Concerto, subtitled 'Dem Licht Entgegen' ('Toward the Light') (2001). The 40-minute symphony's subtitle is taken from a line by Faeroese poet William Heinesen (1900-1991): 'It's again one of these Oceanic days.' The symphony is a paean to the landscape and seascape of his homeland, the Faeroe Islands. This group of 18 islands, with a total area of less than 600 square miles and a population of about 50,000, is located in the North Atlantic about 200 miles northwest of the Shetland Islands, which are themselves off the northernmost coast of Scotland. They were settled by the Vikings, the ancestors of the modern-day Faeroese, in the 8th century. The islands joined Denmark in 1386 and have been part of the Danish kingdom ever since. The Faeroes have had home rule, under Danish authority, since 1948. The symphony's orchestration abounds with impressionistic effects -- shimmering strings and tuned percussion, pictorial wind and brass solos, and in the third movement (of three) a tuba representing a whale. All this is so expertly and seamlessly done that one is carried along both dreamily and breathlessly, if one can imagine, towards a peroration where the string players are instructed to sing their lines as well as play them. This is almost as if the seemingly barren landscape has been populated by its hardy human inhabitants. An extraordinary work.

The Saxophone Concerto, here played by its dedicatee, Danish saxophonist Jeanette Balland, is unusual in one respect: the soloist is required to play baritone, tenor, alto and finally a soprano saxophone in each of the four movements respectively. What an interesting idea! This would be a mere parlor trick if it weren't for the effect this has. The concerto builds from an almost primal percussive and deep-hued brutality in the first movement through a kind of striving of the saxophonist to rise out of the darkness into the light, accomplished in part by the ascending range of the four saxophones used. The second movement is lyrical (and again has string players singing a unison vocalise as they play), the third has echo effects and soloistic chamber music passages, and the fourth has a triumphant soprano sax sailing above the orchestra in concerto grosso style.

Throughout both works the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, under Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, and captured in stunningly brilliant SACD sound, plays beautifully. The string players even sing well! This is indeed an impressive first hearing of music from this inventive and talented composer. As far as I know this is a first recording of his music. I shall be on the lookout for more.

Recommended for those who love to discover new composers.

TT=62mins

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

Impossible to dislike!

Almost Live
Rosemont Crossing
Manufacturer: Oceanic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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Country Folk | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000AB51OO
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Tracks:

Falling Rain
In Your Arms
Time To Make A Change
Crazy Love
You Can't Mean That
Sweet Radish
Reflections
Daeya
Lonely Again
Wondering Why
The Calm Within The Wild
Landslide

Product Description

With one female and two male lead singers, Almost Live, is a vibrant compilation of Americana: Folk-Rock, Grass Roots and Country. The eleven songs (nine original, 2 covers) were recorded in an astounding 5 days, deep in the beautiful green Hocking Hills of Ohio, the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The bands acoustic guitars and vocal stylings are reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young and The Eagles, but with the contemporary vibe of Nickel Creek.

Customer Reviews:

Impossible to dislike!.......2005-10-08

A tasteful, beautiful record, crafting pretty country with great acoustic guitars. The guys (and one gal) in RC are purposely harkening back to the music of their youth (see the folk-pop covers from Poco and Stevie Nicks) with all the easy going charm that that implies. Some slightly unconventional Bluegrass chord progressions combined with some of the loveliest harmonies you'll ever hear make this a CD no one could dislike. Its arrangements and production are skilled, imaginative and impressive.

I found RC's female singer in another band on Amazon, Drawing Down the Moon, whose CD "Angel in My Dream" is at the opposite end of the musical spectrum---Goddess Rock! Now THAT'S musical chops!

Average customer rating:

Chick Quotient!
I was expecting the second coming of Vixen but...

Angel in My Dream
Drawing Down the Moon
Manufacturer: Oceanic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Extended Versions
Live & Learn
Vixen

ASIN: B00063QTMY
Release Date: 2004-09-01

Tracks:

Pride
Blue
Dream
Burn My Soul
Who I am
Whiskey
Riverside
Live 1Without Love
Sister
Never Ending Nights
Told Me So
Deny

Album Description

Goddess Rock / guitar band pop - A little edge to the etherial.

Customer Reviews:

Chick Quotient!.......2005-05-29

You may be amazed when you pop in this CD. Modern Grrrl songs flush with electric guitar chords. Singing--some contemporary, some reminiscent of those big-haired gals from the 1980's band, Vixen. Looks like there can be an afterlife to all girl rock bands, and what's more, if you watch VH1, there is an audience wanting to be entertained by them! So Drawing Down the Moon dug out their old Metal albums and their new-found witchy-woman ways and got themselves inspired!

The song "Who I Am," sets the lyrical mood for the whole record: relationships are just not gonna work if you expect these ladies to go down easy,'cause you gotta appreciate how strong women can be. The effect is celebratory and sexy as all get out!

I was expecting the second coming of Vixen but... .......2005-03-09

The Good
You certainly can't deny that the group is all about empowerment on the opening track "Pride"; a blend of acoustic chords and electric solos. The layered vocal harmonies are nearly flawless. The acoustic heavy ballad "Blue" has a spiritual feel to it, which may have something to do with the angelic vocal delivery. The spiritualism continues on "Dream", only this time it's on the other side. Although it contains a funky bassline and ample riffs, the track is softened by warm keyboard tones. "Who Am I" is about acceptance, as the vocalist makes it clear that you need to take her or leave her the way she is. Her delivery is full of both power and emotion. The bluesy solo section is quite moving too.

I have to agree with the lyrics of the bluesy ditty "Whiskey"; love is like whiskey, sometimes it goes down easy, sometimes it burns. "Live Without Love" is about a jaded lover that is trying to get her emotions over with the help of fuzzy riffs and pounding drums. Drawing Down the Moon cover some really deep and heavy topics on a couple of tracks. "Sister" is about how a confidant stands by her friend after she had her innocence taken by a deplorable excuse of man; a very commanding performance. "Told Me So" may have a think bassline and plenty of tuneful guitar licks, but it tells the tale of an unfaithful husband from the point of view of the other woman.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
I'll admit it, I was expecting the second coming of Vixen, but in the end I was pleasantly surprised. Drawing Down the Moon are strong woman expressing their feelings about deep and heavy subjects, while at the same time setting it to accomplished, pleasing, and well written music.

Average customer rating:

A well-crafted piece of work
Out of this world!
not stisfied
SIMPLY GREAT
evocative - a gem for Vangelis connoisseurs!

Oceanic
Vangelis
Manufacturer: Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Voices
Opera Sauvage
The City
Music From Koreyoshi Kurahara's Film Antarctica
Themes

ASIN: B000006TIY
Release Date: 1997-05-28

Tracks:

Bon Voyage
Sirens' Whispering
Dreams of Surf
Spanish Harbour
Islands of the Orient
Fields of Coral
Aquatic Dance
Memories of Blue
Song of the Seas

Amazon.com

A few departures and pretty moments aside, this is more of the same from Vangelis. "Islands of the Orient" is one track with a dash of spark and spirit. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

A well-crafted piece of work.......2007-06-22

Out of this world!.......2007-05-15

not stisfied.......2007-01-15

Actually I didn't recieve the purchased item so far.

It is now more one month since I paid the money and yet I didn't get my money's worth.

Please consider this review as a complaint.

SIMPLY GREAT.......2006-10-01

evocative - a gem for Vangelis connoisseurs!.......2006-09-10

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