Karma [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The novelty was stripmined from ethnobeat pop long ago, and this skin-deep confection is surprising only in its lack of edge and invention. On the plus side, the melodies are textured and lush, the beats entrancing, and a parade of gifted singers--Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, and Sarah McLachlan included--bill and coo impressively. Lead single "Euphoria (Firefly)" has spark and spirit, while "Enchanted" and "Duende" are strong vehicles for Thirsk and Camille Henderson respectively. --Jeff Bateman

Karma,Delerium,Synthetic Symphony,Pop

Karma [Import]

Tracks:

Instant Karma -- U2
#9 Dream -- R.E.M.
Mother -- Christina Aguilera
Give Peace A Chance -- Aerosmith with Sierra Leone Refuge All-Stars
Cold Turkey -- Lenny Kravitz
Whatever Gets You Through the Night -- Los Lonely Boys
I'm Losing You -- Corinne Bailey Rae
Gimme Some Truth -- Jakob Dylan Feat. Dhani Harrison
Oh, My Love -- Jackson Browne
Imagine -- Avril Lavigne
Nobody Told Me -- Big & Rich
Jealous Guy -- Youssou N'Dour

Tracks:

Working Class Hero -- Green Day
Power to the People -- Black Eyed Peas
Imagine -- Jack Johnson
Beautiful Boy -- Ben Harper
Isolation -- Snow Patrol
Watching the Wheels -- Matisyahu
Grow Old With Me -- Postal Service
Gimme Me Some Truth -- Jaguares
(Just Like) Starting Over -- The Flaming Lips
God -- Jack's Mannequin feat. Mick Fleetwood
Real Love -- Regina Spektor

Amazon.com

John Lennon would have turned 67 in 2007. If alive, he could well be at the forefront of bringing peace to Darfur, where more than half a million have died from violence and disease during four years of rebel discord. So to create awareness of the ongoing conflict, Amnesty International (with permission from Yoko Ono) has mined Lennon's solo work and rounded up nearly two dozen current artists to reinterpret the music, which spans the ex-Beatle's entire post-band catalog (plus a pair from while the Fab Four were still in business). As with any attempt to cover Beatles-related music, results are hit and miss, with kudos going to Snow Patrol and the Postal Service for capturing the starkness of "Isolation" and "Grow Old with Me," respectively, Mexican rock band Jaguares for uncovering the fear and fury in "Gimme Some Truth," and (surprise!) Christina Aguilera for nailing the complex composition and mood of "Mother." Other highlights include Jackson Browne's piano-led "Oh My Love," Green Day's louder straight take on "Working Class Hero," and the Black Eyed Peas turning "Power to the People" into a gospelly protest. Will resurrecting 30-to-40-year-old messages of peace and love be enough to help end the brutalities in Darfur? That remains to be seen. But selecting John Lennon as the author of those messages will make people listen and, with this collection, may keep them listening. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Featuring songs by the iconic John Lennon newly recorded by some of today's biggest as well as emerging artists, Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur is a major benefit-album project. In an effort to mobilize activism around this catastrophe, musicians unite to save lives. Some of the biggest artists in the world, along with today's emerging artists, all coming together for an unprecedented, brilliant collection of JOHN LENNON "covers." Proceeds from the campaign will go directly to support Amnesty International's urgent work on Darfur and other human rights crises worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Supreme.......2007-08-04

This is a very nice collaction of one of the best song writers of all time

Amazing.......2007-08-04

This CD is for such a good cause, plus the artists who re-compose John Lennon's songs do a fantastic job on it.

Best tribute CD EVER.......2007-08-03

Each track is perfect for each group. No-one was out of their element. Green Day's version of Working Class Hero haunted me as much as the original. I enjoyed every track....And I am a John Lennon fan...and found the music truly a tibute to his genius.

Beautiful Boy.......2007-07-30

Fantastic cause brings together fine performers who bring to life the intensity and focus of one of our greatest singer/songwriters ever. His insight into the world is amazing. The only negative thing one can say about this album is that it reminds us of the fact that no one can sing his songs the way he did. He was a treasure who a younger generation should be exposed to more often.

John Lennon.......2007-07-29

As a huge Lennon/Beatles fan, I like that today's artists appreciate the genius and talent of Lennon for a good cause. And despite the talents of these artists (with nods to Avril for a great version of Mother, Green Day's excellent rendition of Working Class Hero and a good rendition by REM of #9 Cloud), most of the other cuts make me want to yank out the CD and just go straight for my CDs with Lennon's original work. I didn't care for U2's tempo changes and I didn't care for Watching the Wheels at all, I saw Matchbox 20 cover the song in concert years ago and would have much preferred their excellent version here. I also would have preferred some of the artists not doubling up on some of the songs (Gimme Some Truth), when Jealous Guy and Woman were certainly worth a shot. While I can only hope the CD will open the eyes and ears of today's generation to explore the original music of Lennon (and the Beatles) and become fans of their near-50 year old (gasp!) reign as the greatest Rock and Roll musicians of all time, I find the CD just makes me miss John all that much more and wish he was around to have given us another 25-30+ more years of his genius. Lennon's music and lyrics are so personal, it just pales when done by other artists. I support any humantarian cause and appreciate Lennon's music and message being utilized here, but I think I would have just preferred Yoko turning over the entire wealth of his estate to such humantarian efforts than hear anyone else cover his music.

Average customer rating:

Come sit close to me (3.5)
Another great album from hard-rock kings.
Pulled a Staind
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BAND
strong album

Karma and Effect
Seether
Manufacturer: Wind-Up
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Disclaimer II (Bonus DVD)
Us and Them
Chapter V
Ten Thousand Fists
We Are Not Alone

ASIN: B00097A5HC
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

Because of Me
Remedy
Truth
Gift
Burrito
Given
Never Leave
World Falls Away
Tongue
Im The One
Simplest Mistake
Diseased
Plastic Man

Amazon.com

Seether's follow-up to their promising, moderately successful 2002 debut, Disclaimer, and its spottier, hastily repackaged 2004 sequel, was reportedly beset by fighting with their label--friction that dictated everything from profanity-free lyrics to a title change (the original name was the telling Catering to Cowards.) Yet the band effectively rises above those constraints, if only by largely sticking to Disclaimer's tried-and-true formula of seasoning the generous blasts of angst-metal (such as the raging opener "Because of Me") that are its true stock in trade with more evocative ballads like "The Gift" and "Plastic Man." The latter tracks hearken back to "Broken," singer Shaun Morgan's duet with girlfriend and Evanescence singer Amy Lee, yet find their own restless, emotive substance without her. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Come sit close to me (3.5).......2007-05-27

I'm only a mild Seether fan. I wasn't impressed with Disclaimer at all for the most part, so it's no surprise knowing I had low expectations for Karma and Effect. Well, at least they met my expectations. This CD is almost exactly like Disclaimer, the only difference being that this time around the songs are at least somewhat interesting through the entire CD. Shaun Morgan has a great voice but he gets trapped in unoriginality far too often on here and his lyrics wear intensely thin on more than a few tracks. As far as the rest of the band, there's just not a lot of experimentation musically. However, there are a few great riffs scattered throughout.

As expected, most every track could be radio fodder for the masses who refuse to buy their CDs but like them. Because Of Me, Truth, Burrito, Never Leave, Tongue, and Simplest Mistake are all songs that scream to be played on the radio. This isn't that bad of a thing though because out of those six songs four are actually quite good and don't get old very fast. Songs like Given, Diseased, and Plastic Man are far and away the best featured though. Given isn't that much different from every other track on here but Shaun sounds more focused than usual. Same goes for Diseased and Plastic Man. Diseased builds it's way up to it's amazing climax and Plastic Man is one of the best acoustic songs Seether has ever released.

My favorite songs are Remedy, Burrito, Given, Diseased, and Plastic Man. As good as this CD may be, there's not a lot to it. There's nothing we haven't heard before and very little experimentation. Seether isn't a bad band and you know they probably have an ace up their collective sleeve that is sure to blow us all away. Karma and Effect, however, is hit and miss. Three and a half stars for three terrific songs and a few decent ones.

Another great album from hard-rock kings........2007-04-21

Seether is just plain good. They are definitely one of the best hard rock bands out their right now. If you liked their debut cd, this one is just as good. Track after track is worthwhile and fun. If you like bands like Hinder or Nickelback, you'll be a fan of these guys, but they have a bit of a heavier edge to them.

Pulled a Staind.......2007-01-02

Very dissappointing in light of Disclaimer. Only a couple of good tracks on the whole album.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING BAND.......2006-12-20

CDs by this band is are a must have to round out any music collection! I love them so much I'm thinking about getting a Seether tribal tattoo. Go for it! Purchase one CD & you'll want all their masterpieces!

strong album.......2006-11-22

seether 2 album is a good one , the singer has a strong voice thats fits very well with the band style.Seether brings alternative metal alive.
overall: 85/100
best songs:
because of me,simplest mistake,truth

Average customer rating:

3rd times a charm
Instant Karma
Words can't describe "Karma".
Definitely a good buy
Good karma

Karma
Delerium
Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Ambient Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Semantic Spaces
Poem
The Best of Delerium
Nuages du Monde
Chimera

ASIN: B000005DCB
Release Date: 1997-04-22

Tracks:

Enchanted
Duende
Twilight
Silence
Forgotten Worlds
Lamentation
Euphoria (Firefly)
Remembrance
Wisdom
Window to Your Soul
'Till the End of Time

Amazon.com

The novelty was stripmined from ethnobeat pop long ago, and this skin-deep confection is surprising only in its lack of edge and invention. On the plus side, the melodies are textured and lush, the beats entrancing, and a parade of gifted singers--Kristy Thirsk, Jacqui Hunt, and Sarah McLachlan included--bill and coo impressively. Lead single "Euphoria (Firefly)" has spark and spirit, while "Enchanted" and "Duende" are strong vehicles for Thirsk and Camille Henderson respectively. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

3rd times a charm.......2007-04-10

This is the 3rd copy of Karma that I bought. I have worn out my other two. I bought my first Karma CD about 10 years ago, it never ceases to relax me into a state of calm that no xanax can. Get it, You'll love it.

Instant Karma.......2007-01-20

This music is ethereal and is great for sitting in a room lit by candles with incense burning. I had never hear of Delerium and I'm going to check out some of their other CDs.

Words can't describe "Karma"........2007-01-19

I bought a copy of "Karma" on June 5, 2002 during a relatively austere rainy day in St. Louis and never expected the album to be the entrancing trip that it has turned out to be. While certainly aware that it came out years before then, "Karma" was a new experience for me. The album's 11 tracks are absolutely spellbinding with it's mix of beauty, mystery and austerity throughout. The cover perfectly portrays the mood of the album. "Window to Your Soul" is a 9 and a half minute epic with two parts. The first part of the track is spooky, creepy and very unsettling. In the break between the two parts it reaches a strange uncertainty and morphs into a gorgeous sunnier sounding track like as of the sun shining after a severe storm. "Til The End of Time" brings the CD to a gorgeous close and is probably the most mainstream track on the album. Highly recommended CD.

Definitely a good buy.......2007-01-10

Karma is said to be one of the best Delerium albums. I would have to agree with that. Once again Delerium is successful!

Good karma.......2007-01-05

This is the second time I buy this CD. I gave the first one away...

Average customer rating:

"Will you revive from the chaos in my mind?"
Start of the climb - a healthy three stars
"don't you miss the ancient times/the riddles and the subtle signs"
Great Band With Tremendous Talent
Best Power Metal Band Out There

Karma
Kamelot
Manufacturer: Noise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Epica
The Fourth Legacy
The Black Halo
Ghost Opera
Siege Perilous

ASIN: B000085RTX
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Tracks:

REGALIS APERTURA
FOREVER
WINGS OF DESPAIR
THE SPELL
DON'T YOU CRY
KARMA
THE LIGHT I SHINE ON YOU
TEMPLES OF GOD
ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS
ELISABETH: MIRROR, MIRROR
ELISABETH: REQUIEM FOR THE INNOCENT
ELISABETH: FALL FROM GRACE
Ne Pleure Pas (US Bonus)

Customer Reviews:

"Will you revive from the chaos in my mind?".......2007-02-16

4.5 stars. I would really like to point out that the songcraft here is excellent, but there are a couple of negatives that eventually downgrade the album. The first and most noticeable flaw is the thin sounding production. These guys go for the big moments time and again only to be let down by low-tech sound. Compare this album to their other release "The Black Halo" for a great comparison and contrast, as "The Black Halo" has tremendous production value. Another way to see what I mean is if you listen to the three songs from "Karma" that are played live on "One Cold Winter's Night" just to see how huge the sound could have been. The only other complaint I have is for the song "Don't You Cry" which just doesn't work. Most of the time I love Kamelot's ballads as it gives lead singer Khan yet another chance to show his vocal talents, but this particular track I simply skip anymore. This release was also a bit harder for me to get into initially, but over the course of a few more spins I came to appreciate what is here: Progressive Power Metal songwriting of the highest degree. Recommended.

Start of the climb - a healthy three stars.......2006-07-26

This album starts with an instrumental track. That and the neat cover should tell you that your getting an accomplished Euro metal product tinged with a touch of self importance. And lo, that's just what greets the listener on this worthwhile purchase.

Kamelot has talent to spare yet on this release their vision hadn't coalesced fully, the band still not quite nailing it. Having said that, on this album the band are already able to utilise Khans' voice to it's full effect and the musical assault is committed with the band making tasteful use of keyboards for shading.

Salient tracks here (for me) would be the lovely Forever. A metal musical piece with a plaintive, longing lyrical bent. Wings of Despair stops and starts, swoops and soars with a tasty slice of guitar work. The Spell is a heavy rocker with a gothic trad metal atmosphere while Don't You Cry shows a tender side once more with some vocal gymnastics from Khan.

As the record unfolds some of the tracks don't quite wash. This is why it's only a three star release - at this point the band could of been winners or losers. Luckily the developed into the former and this release is a springboard to better things. Fans of traditional metal, Euro metal and perhaps Euro hard rock should check this band out, but start at Epica or Black Halo before committing your hard earned dollar here.

By the way - production was by Sascha Paeth and Miro - those in the know may find this tidbit of info helpful in their decision making.

"don't you miss the ancient times/the riddles and the subtle signs".......2006-05-25

Since this review is being done after Kamelot released two later CD's, it is a rare instance of being able to look forward to the future instead of the usual longing for the past. The music here is better than the previous (The Fourth Legacy) and growing toward the brilliance of Epica and The Black Halo. Khan's voice is noticely developed and the band's overall performance is sharper than in the former but much more improvement awaits in the latter. However, Kamelot's less-than-perfect works are better than the best music of a lot of other bands and easily rates four marks. (Please see my profile for a brief discussion of my rating philosophy.)

Great Band With Tremendous Talent.......2005-08-02

I prefer Epica over Karma, but this is the first one that got me into Kamelot so it deserves its place right below that outstanding album. I would start with Karma or Epica if you are new to the band and purchase the good, but not as great, The Black Halo after.

Best Power Metal Band Out There.......2005-06-19

Okay, Khan's not the greatest singer in the world. Youngblood's not the greatest guitarist. But we know from basketball that it takes more than just having the greatest players to make a good team, and Kamelot proves that the opposite is true as well. You can have a band made up of artists who are lesser than the best, but who still can blow other bands out of the water.

Blind Guardian has Hansi, probably the best singer in power/speed metal, but they have yet to release anything that blows my mind completely.

Angra has some of the best keyboards and choral arrangements, but Andre Matos and their latest lead singer (can't remember his name) are both far too high-pitched for my taste.

Iced Earth has Jon Schaffer, probably my favorite power metal guitarist.

If you put all my favorite power metal artists together, however, you'd probably come up with one crappy album. Demons and Wizards was good, but try adding Angra's keyboards to that or something. It would be awful.

So what Kamelot has here, with Karma, is a few talented musicians who are able to work together and make an album where nothing sounds out of place. No cheesy over-the-top Blind Guardian/Rhapsody choruses, for example. Perhaps what I like about Kamelot is their ability, despite the subject matter, to actually get in there at the humanity behind it all. We have all wondered what we would give to have eternal life, so "Elizabeth" parts 1, 2, and 3 is especially haunting. "Forever" is about our wish to be united with our loved ones in the afterlife. "The Spell" is about our desire for fantasy, or rather, our desire to transcend the ordinary. Somehow, Kamelot even pull off "Don't You Cry" without sounding cheesy, and that is a real feat. Of course, there is real emotion behind that song, and every instrument carries it perfectly, including Khan's voice.

This is a surprisingly good power metal album, and can probably even be approachable to those who beforehand have turned away from the genre because it is "too cheesy". Don't get me wrong, I do like some of the cheesier stuff, but this recording shows that you can have epic music without the cheese.

True Love Waits: O'Riley Plays Radiohead

Average customer rating:

Looking Forward, Looking Back
Music Lovers
a transcription worthy of Franz Liszt
Sleepytime music
Nice sound

True Love Waits: O'Riley Plays Radiohead

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Hold Me to This: Christopher O'Riley Plays Radiohead
Home to Oblivion: Elliott Smith Tribute
Strung Out On OK Computer: The String Quartet Tribute To Radiohead
Christopher O'Riley At The Break
Second Grace: Music of Nick Drake

ASIN: B00009MGQ4
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Everything In Its Right Place
Knives Out
Black Star
Karma Police
Let Down
Airbag
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Thinking About You
Exit Music (For A Film)
You
Bulletproof
Fake Plastic Trees
I Can't
True Love Waits
Motion Picture Soundtrack

Amazon.com

Rock bastardizations of classical music are as old as Kim Fowley's--and ELP's--Tchaikovsky tweaking "Nutrocker." But classical interpretations of rock music have generally been something of a high-wire act. While most pop fare has strong melodic foundations for the soloist to build from, Christopher O'Riley has challenged himself here with the catalog of Radiohead, one of modern rock's most acclaimed--and texturally complex--bands. O'Riley's insightful gifts for interpretation (which have previously enlightened everything from Stravinsky to P.D.Q. Bach) produce a hypnotic, emotionally compelling listening experience here; O'Riley is a huge Radiohead fan, and that love courses through everything from the dreamy, bittersweet title track through the brooding loveliness of "Let Down." Radiohead's stock in trade is dense, multi-layered music that leans heavily on electronic processing for its moody sonic atmospherics; O'Riley's evokes those complex textures with but a judicious use of the sustain peddles, a deft use of dissonance (as on "Knives Out"), and a rhythmically anxious left hand. Call them etudes for the post-modern age if you will, but O'Riley's performances here largely achieve what all great interpretations strive for: New insight and enlightenment. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Looking Forward, Looking Back.......2007-03-02

Ove the last decade or so, Radiohead has created some of the most complex and futuristic rock music out there, and I wondered if a solo pianist could really capture their essence on a single instrument. However, O'Riley does a marvelous job, and brilliantly conveys the melancholy, mysterious, and introspective qualities of Radiohead's music. His renditions of "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Let Down" are particularly powerful. What I really loved about this cd is while I could follow all of the songs he played, at times I felt like I was listening to an breathtaking piano sonata by Mozart or Beethoven, and even a Nocturne by Chopin. Overall, this is a faithful interpretation by an excellent musician who honors one of the greatest bands in recent times, while also paying hommage to his musical heritage. This cd is a must for even the casual Radiohead fan or anyone who enjoys the piano.

Music Lovers.......2007-02-17

i love almost all kinds of music. piano and radiohead really works for me, i liked the whole thing. if you can get into some piano, you can get into this cd. if you dig radiohead, get into it purely because someone took the time to put some awesome songs into yet another form for more audiences to get into. its beautiful. thats all there is to say.

a transcription worthy of Franz Liszt.......2006-12-08

This is a beautiful recording. Try playing it for music loving frends who would never listen to a band like Radiohead. They won't believe it when you tell them the source of this richly textured heartbreakingly melodic tour de force. I'm in my late 50's and love Mahler, Sibelius,and Beethoven. I also love Radiohead, Sufjan Stevens, John Fahey and Wilco. Good music can come along in any time and I'm glad that Christopher O'Riley loves Radiohead and transcribed it for solo piano; he's missed nothing in the process. If your not choked-up by the end of this CD, music must not be your thing.

Sleepytime music.......2006-03-27

Being the total Radiohead fanatic that I am, I decided to pick this up when it came out... perhaps a fresh take on their music would breath some life back into the songs I've been listening into the ground, I thought. So I took it up into the mountains with me and listened to it for a bit. My reaction to it now is similar to then: it's a dreamy if somewhat insubstantial collection of vaguely familiar tunes.

All of the playing on this disc is superb on the technical level... obviously O'riley is a top notch classical performer. The arrangements are a mixed bag, though. There are some amazing renditions on here - see the impressionistic 'Everything In Its Right Place' and the melancholy coffee house arrangement of 'Knives Out'. Some others are also quite listenable, including 'Subterranean Homesick Alien', 'Exit Music', 'Bulletproof', and 'Motion Picture Soundtrack'. However, the upbeat pop tunes have difficult translating to solo piano. the Pablo Honey tunes suffer the worst here, and feel slightly unnatural; perhaps like a classical pianist paying tribute to a favorite band, rather than the more personal adaptations that make the 'Knives Out' arrangement so effective.

Overall, a nice cd to put on in the background when you're reading or settling in to bed, but Radiohead fanatics beware - don't expect anything that lives up to the band's immense standards.

Nice sound.......2006-02-17

I didn't even know Radiohead songs...but now I've listened to the originals and can hear how O'Riley captures the songs on the piano. This is a great album.

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (+2 Bonus Tracks)

Average customer rating:

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (+2 Bonus Tracks)
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Warner Bros. Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Traveling Wilburys (2 CD / 1 DVD)
Icky Thump
Back to Black

ASIN: B000RWGCNK

Product Description

Limited Edition contains 2 Bonus Tracks by Willie Nelson and Angelique Kidjo.

Average customer rating:

Long song worth the over half an hour
A masterpiece.
Breathtaking, Awe-inspiring & Utterly unique......
Remarkable
5 stars is not enough!

Karma
Pharoah Sanders
Manufacturer: Grp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music

GRP | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Thembi
Journey in Satchidananda
Jewels of Thought
Ptah the El Daoud
Spirits Known and Unknown

ASIN: B000003N7C
Release Date: 1995-11-07

Tracks:

The Creator Has A Master Plan
Colors

Amazon.com

Although introduced as a protégé of John Coltrane and touted by many as his heir apparent, reedman Pharoah Sanders quickly proved his own man. His shared interest in the "cosmic" music of Coltrane's final period belies the fact that Sanders frequently plays with an unhurried sense of peace and satisfaction rarely found in his mentor's music. His use of space, African and Asian motifs and instruments, and simple, repetitive melodies also pointed the way for jazz, rock, and new age musicians in the '70s and '80s, while his sometimes raucous use of harsh, shrieking runs influenced many of jazz's most adventurous saxophonists.

The centerpiece of Karma is the marathon half-hour octet recording "The Creator Has a Master Plan." Although the track features a warm vocal by Leon Thomas, its true feature artist for almost the entire length is Sanders, who carries the melody, feel, and improvisation firmly on his shoulders. All of Sanders's key elements--Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm--are in evidence. The album's religious feeling is cemented by the album's closer, "Colors," which serves as a deeply felt invocation. --Fred Goodman

Customer Reviews:

Long song worth the over half an hour.......2006-09-11

I agree with almost everything said in the other 5 star reviews, so I will not repeat it. There is one thing that I think needs to be stressed further, and that is that even though the first peice is very long, it does pay off to listen to it all the way through. At the end, you'll exclaim, wow, that was amazing, i can't wait to listen to it again. So my advice to you is, start listening!

A masterpiece........2005-08-06

Pharoah Sanders' 1969 album, "Karma", is generally (and rightfully) acknowledged as one of the masterpieces in the free jazz movement of the '60s. The majority of the album is absorbed by the lengthy "The Creator Has a Masterplan", with a brief second piece, "Colors" also on the record. "The Creator Has a Masterplan" has worked its way into jazz consciounsess, becoming a standard of sorts performed by everyone from Louis Armstrong to Don Cherry to Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Composed by Sanders and vocalist Leon Thomas, it receives on this album a sprawling treatement (extending nearly 33 minutes) that is something to be heard.

Beginning with a swelling theme by Sanders (on tenor exclusively), with a nimble rhythm section including Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Richard Davis and Reggie Workman on bass, William Hart on drums, and Nataniel Bettis and Thomas contributing percussion, Sanders evokes a mood-- mysterious, spiritual and haunting in his blistering playing with falutist James Spaulding and french hornist Julius Watkins countering him ably. After a couple minutes, the piece bleeds into a relaxed tempo with one bassist plucking the familiar bass theme and one by one instruments joining-- swiping piano, flute doubling the main theme, and Sanders at his most lyrical and emotional until finally Thomas intones the chorus to the piece (oddly enough, the verses are not included in this recording).

What follows is the beginning of an explosive improv-- Thomas in his odd yodelling style, Sanders ferocious on tenor, and Smith at the piano all take turns, with the rest supporting-- increases in tempos signal increases in the power of the improv and the preceedings rise and fall repeatedly-- the opening theme is reprised, the main theme is reprised, and it builds one last time until Sanders doubles the main bass line towards the end (about 28 minutes in) and plays one of his loveliest and most powerful solos to bring the piece to its conclusion.

When it's done, "Colors" almost seems like a waste of time-- a reasonable song with some nice playing and a pretty goofy lyric about the colors of nature, its altogether a fairly pointless piece, inoffensive, but not terribly inspired after 'Creator'.

The CD reissue includes lyrics for both pieces (including the unsung verses of 'Creator') but sadly no essay in the liner notes. Sonically, the remastering on this recording is superb and it sounds crisp and clear.

Interested parties after hearing this should dig up Leon Thomas's "Spirits Known and Unknown", he performs "The Creator Has a Masterplan" (among other cuts) in a briefer version with its full lyrics intact and an ensemble that includes several of the players here. Both recordings are highly recommended.

Breathtaking, Awe-inspiring & Utterly unique.............2005-04-12

Although a protege of "John Coltrane", Pharoah Sanders, unquestionably remains one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonist's of his generation, Pharoah's style of passionate, Exuberant jazz is Harmonically rich and heavy in sound & tone, and although his music is largely considered to be expressionistic, spiritual free jazz, into a ultra-dense flurry of sound that relied heavily on the non-specific pitches and timbral distortions. (although his later music would inhibit a sense of gentler tones and more cerebral tones, without sacrificing any of the intensity that he was known for).

His 1969 landmark album "Karma", was his third album as band leader, and was probably not only his most distinctive album, but also the album that truly encapsulated his considerable talents onto one studio recording. If you've ever heard people refer to music as 'Spiritual', this arguably could be a form/level of music that is, in parts, impeccably performed & arranged performances largely due to the stunning line-up: (Reggie Workman - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Sax (Tenor), Freddie Waits / Billy Hart - Drums, Nat Bettis - Percussion, Ron Carter/ Richard Davis - Bass, Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, James Spaulding - Flute, Leon Thomas - Percussion /Vocals, Julius Watkins - French Horn).

The album is broken down into two tracks (??), the main meat of the album, is the first track "Creator has a Master Plan", which runs at a staggering 32 minutes. Most musicians would struggle to fill even half of that running time with a track that'll retain the listeners attention, but such is the confidence and creative ability of the musicians involved here, that Pharoah and his band easily creative a completely jaw-dropping track, that is the musical equivalent of a huge multi-threaded story, in which sounds, arrangements, solo performances and deep commitment to a constantly evolving sound, all work alongside each other fleshing out the sound, producing something incredibly organic, and spiritually freewheeling at the same time. Think of this as cosmic music, with a heavy influence of time & space augmenting the sound, with African and Indian instruments adding extra substance to the track. The Flute features heavily throughout the track, softening the edges of between the introduction of Drums & Percussion. With simple music repetition giving way that gradual shifts in sound & mood.

The music is heavily textured throughout the track, with the occasional vocal, "The creator has a master plan--peace and happiness for every man.", repeated throughout certain keypoints of the track, although Pharoah's contribution here really shouldn't be underestimated, he frequently features, for almost the entire length of the track carrying melody wherever appropriate, and empowering the music with a Avant-Garde / Free Jazz feel, with a lot of the improvisation firmly on his shoulders. The mood and gradual musical exploration of the track is partly due to his stunning direction, and all of Sander's key elements are fully utilised here. Be it, the Afro-centric spiritualism, sweeping use of mood from long, relaxed intervals to frenetic cacophony, and a deep sense of melody and rhythm. Its far beyond conventional jazz structures and the composition is amongst the most adventurous & organically created / improvised tracks created.

The second track "Colors" which runs at a mere 5 1/2 minutes, was always going to struggle in comparison to the centre piece track, but its inclusion is no less diminished. Sure, as a track, it can't hope to compete with the magnificent undertaking that is the "Creator has a masterplan", but it is a piece recognising the divinity and harmony of life through the simplest of messages. And the tracks religious feeling is cemented by the fact that it feels deeply engaging, and a sound that through Pharoah's dynamics and leadership pushes irrepressibly forward, with Sanders shifting between spiritual peace and violent outbursts in his tenor solos.

If you are prepared to give Pharoah's music a try, then other than possibly buying a 'Best of / Compilation', this is largely considered to be the best of his studio album output. But be warned if you haven't sampled his work before, this isn't Jazz music in the conventional sense, and if the idea of very open-ended music that gradually unfolds over long arrangements doesn't appeal to you, its advisable that you download or hear a track first before you purchase this. Or even if you're relatively new to Jazz, hearing this first before buying, is most definitely advisable, as it's a little bit like being thrown in the deep end of a musical genre. But if you are well adversed with the many facets of Jazz music, or your feeling particularly adventurous (& Patient), this has to be easily amongst some of the most awe-inspiring jazz out there.

Remarkable.......2004-09-18

This album is brilliant. Only two tracks, the first, called "The Creator Has a Master Plan" lasting over 30 minutes, Karma is awesome. Slowly building, "The Creator Has a Master Plan" gets grooving almost 9 minutes into it and features a repetition of "The creator has a master plan, peace and happiness for every man." This is really one of those albums that I plan on listening to over and over.

5 stars is not enough!.......2004-07-22

This album is a classic. If you like the saxophone this is an essential recording. I have over 2000 cds of all kinds of music,blues,rock,country,folk,jazz... but if I could only keep 5 of them this cd would be one of the 5.

Long Promised Road: Songs of Dennis & Carl Wilson

Average customer rating:

Capturing the magic
Don't Miss It!
For the LOVE of the music

Long Promised Road: Songs of Dennis & Carl Wilson
Adam Marsland
Manufacturer: Karma Frog
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius
Musicares: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
The Lost Beach Boy: The True Story of David Marks one of the founding members of the Beach Boys
The Flame
The Warmth of the Sun

ASIN: B000NJWTH0
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

What The Hell
Meanwhile
Don't Look Back (Don't Look Down)
The Big Bear
River Song
Moonshine
Got To Know The Woman
Angel Come Home
Long Promised Road
Where I Belong
The Trader
What's Wrong
Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again
Carry Me Home
Forever
Keepin' The Summer Alive
All I Want To Do
I Can't Let Go
What The World Needs Now Is A Good Deus Ex Machina
Celebrate The News
Untitled
Untitled

Customer Reviews:

Capturing the magic.......2007-04-13

This CD captures a night of great songs by a band that does them justice. I was on the scene that night and was so glad when the CD came out. Except for a few minor "tweaks", you hear what the "small but enthusiastic" audience heard at a pub in Marina del Rey (near LA). Adam Marsland's Chaos Band featuring Evie Sands and Alan Boyd had just returned from a tour of the midwest, and this performance gave the "home folks" a chance to see the road show. A special treat for me was having a recording of "Don't Look Back (Don't Look Down)", an Evie Sands original that I'd enjoyed at gigs but couldn't hear on the car stereo. Then there's the 21st Century version of "I Can't Let Go", which makes her 1965 track sound just a bit tame. Some of the songs (especially those written by Dennis Wilson) are real rockers, then there's "Carry Me Home", originally composed during the Vietnam War, but never officially released. Now it's finally on a disc, and, sad to say, still timely in view of world events. At the performance, the crowd was quiet, and no doubt tears came to many eyes.
"Long Promised Road" showcases a superb band playing music they know and love, for an audience that knows and loves it. Join the magic!

Don't Miss It!.......2007-03-26

Beautiful and painstaking recreations of these Carl and Dennis Wilson tracks (live!). I have listened to this CD over and over again - it gets better every time! If you are a Beach Boys fan then this CD is a 'must have'. Your collection won't be complete without it!
Conrad.

For the LOVE of the music.......2007-03-23

Adam Marslands Chaos band brings to life the songs of Dennis and Carl Wilson in this set of "lesser known" and greatly underappriciated songs that were originally released on Beach Boys LP's through the years. The painstaking arrangements and stellar performance make this set a MUST have for anyone that loves the Beach Boys AND anyone that appriciates outstanding live performance! The live recreation of harmonies in this set virtually unalterd by studio re'do's unlike other live sets give the listener an appriciation for rehearsal and execution! The talent in AMCB is deep and broad. Beginning with Marsland himself. The frontman of the band brassy at times and tender at others shows a broad range of talent from singing ROCK N ROLL hard to warm and loving when the music dictates and this recording is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC!!! Not ego. Evie Sands lends her spectacular voice and guitar playing to every song giving even the roughest treatment that touch of class it deserves. Alan Boyd a chap who has had access to the Beach Boys vaults over the last few years adds his chameleon like voice to the arrangements which together with the whispy yet etherial background vocals of bassist Theresa Cowles and the steady fill ins of keyboardist/vocalist John Perry, combine for a mix that stirs this listeners soul! The versitle drumming of Kurt Medlin cant be overlooked either. Whether its the boogieque beat of WHATS WRONG or the syncopated beats of the dreamy MOONSHINE he is spot on througout!. This is LIVE music at its best!!!

Average customer rating:

Opera Babes-Renaissance
Enchanting
3.5 stars: Not bad but certainly could have been better
Good Singing That's About it.
Disappointed

Renaissance (Eng)
Opera Babes
Manufacturer: Instant Karma UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beyond Imagination
Classical Graffiti
Summer
All Angels
Serenade

ASIN: B000EPR7PW
Release Date: 2006-05-08

Tracks:

Clair De Lune
Apres Un Reve
Pie Jesu
Scheherazade
Send In The Clowns
Casta Diva
Dans Mes Reves (Carmen Interlude)
Bailero
Lascia ChIo Pianga
DidoS Lament
Nocturne

Album Description

This album features a number of Opera classics, including 'Casta Diva', which has become world renowned in the long running JP Gaultier perfume ad, along with 'crossover' classics such as 'Send In The Clowns'. 11 total tracks. Karma.

Album Details

The Opera Babes Came to Life in 2002 When They were Plucked from their Covent Garden Busking Spot to Appear at the Inaugural Millennium Stadium Fa Cup Final to Launch their Debut Sony Classics Album. It Stayed on the Classical Albums Chart at No.1 For Nearly Three Months, Despite Des Lynam Christening Karen England and Rebecca Knight "The Opera Babes", the Moniker with which They Are Now Best Known.they Have Kept Busy with Constant Live Appearances, Solos and with Major Stars Such as Placido Domingo. The Album features a Number of Opera Classics, Including Casta Diva (Which Has Become World Renowned in the Long Running Jp Gaultier Perfume Ad) Along with 'crossover' Classics Such as "Send in the Clowns".

Customer Reviews:

Opera Babes-Renaissance.......2007-05-07

I am sorry to say that I was extremely disappointed in the new album by the Opera Babes. I had really been looking forward to it's release but I had a hard time relating this to their first really great album. It is almost like a different group.

Enchanting.......2007-02-27

I'm so glad to see the OperaBabes back in business and I feel compelled to add in my own two cents after seeing so many disappointed reviews. If there's one thing we can all agree on, it must be that OperaBabes listeners come from areas of many backgrounds, tastes, and preferences. It seems this ablum is clarifying their position, so if you are a casual fan I urge you to pick this up and see if it's for you. Even people who aren't partial to the new style and collection will find at least one song to treasure, and those who are like me and wanted more "new and different" will be thoroughly pleased. The first song along is worth the price of the CD in my opinion - it's simply enchanting.

3.5 stars: Not bad but certainly could have been better.......2007-02-26

I'm not a big fan of opera music. I find a lot of it too bombastic for my ears. What little opera music I do listen to is a mixture of pop and opera. Opera Babes help make opera music more palatable to those listeners who are not really opera fans. Their first cd "Beyond Imagination" was pretty good but it also predictable. When classical crossover was quite popular with me back in 2002 - 2003, I often hear the same songs they had on their debut cd on other albums in that genre. Five years later, the women return with their follow up "Renaissance" which is available as an import only.

I have to admit I found "Renaissance" to be rather lackluster on the initial listen. The songs are a little more obscure which I have to give the women for choosing songs that haven't been recorded by Celtic Woman, Il Divo, and Josh Groban. The first two songs on "Renaissance" did not do anything for me. I found them rather dull. As much as I hate "Send in the Clowns", I actually enjoyed Opera Babes' version. After "Send in the Clowns" the album actually improves quite a bit. Karen and Rebecca for the most part have definitely refined their vocals for the album. Their vocals are more restrained than on "Beyond Imagination" although there were a couple of tracks on "Renaissance" when I thought I was listening to cats in heat.

The more I have listened to "Renaissance", the more the album has grown on me. It is flawed but I like it to give the album 3.5 stars in my book. I just hope the women pick better material for the next album because I really do enjoy their music.

Good Singing That's About it........2007-01-11

I liked the song choices on the first album better but the sound and the girls singing is much better on this one. Oh well, maybe they'll get both right on the next album.

Disappointed.......2006-06-13

I had really been looking forward to the Opera Babes new release. Unfortunately, it's quite disappointing. If you want music to fall asleep to, this would fit the bill. Except for Bailero which is so distorted from the original Canteloube, to be unrecognizable. The voices are still beautiful, but the album is quite uninspiring.

Average customer rating:

The Bhagavad Gita
Nina Shaka
Manufacturer: Multimedia & Culture (MeC) - Paris
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Christopher Isherwood Reads Selections from the Upanishads
Scientific Healing Affirmations: Theory and Practice of Concentration
Kirtan: The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant
Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment

ASIN: B000M0JI7E
Release Date: 2007-04-30

Tracks:

Intro & The Battlefield, Field Of Truth
We All Shall Be For All Time
Perform Thy Task In Life
The Truth Of Pure Work
Rising Above The Two Contraries
The Greatest Of All Yogis
I Am OM
An Ever-Living Love
Supreme Mystery
Know That I AM
Reveal Thyself to Me!
The Best Yogis
This Body is Called the Field
Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
Spirit Supreme
Freedom from Fear, Purity of Heart
Three Kinds of Faith, Three Kinds of Food
I Remember My Light

Product Description

Deluxe Edition, (2) CDs, (1) colour 20-page booklet. The full-length unabridged text of the Bhagavad Gita as translated by Juan Mascaro / Mascaró (as published by Penguin Classics). It is presented in a new audio feature in English - Deluxe Edition (running time: 2 hrs 28 min.) Crystal Baschet organ by David Walters, Karma, Wisdom compositions by Just Isn't Music/Wayne Lotek Bennett. Voices by John Greaves, Alan Conway, Nina Shaka, Gonzague Huynh.

Pop Music:

Pop Music

pop music

Recommended Music:

Watership Down [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Live at Riga Cathedral [Import]

Nepal Festival Music of Newar

Lovers

Resurrection

Music for a Glass Bead Game

Life of Crime

Ost [Import]

Latin Music: 12 Corridos, Vol. 1

Times Is Hard

Husky