Aloft

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Filled with agreeable melodies and competent playing, the debut solo recording from session guitarist Sean Harkness could hardly be a more pleasant affair. Commanding? No. Rewarding? Only sporadically. But pleasant? Without question. This is a sweet audio truffle intended to blend nicely with after-dinner drinks and civil conversation. Harkness has a thing for kites (hence the album's title), and fittingly the folk- and jazz-tinged compositions he offers on Aloft convey a lighter-than-air mood that is engaging yet dispensable. Playing a variety of guitars and a fretless bass, the nimble-fingered Harkness gently mixes textures (pop, Celtic, flamenco, Caribbean, funk, folk) to arrive at an easy-listening destination that is a modest notch above standard smooth-jazz fare. To his credit, no saxophones invade the guitarist's carefully constructed audio space, and Harkness sometimes breaks from his airplay-friendly formula ("Green Mountain Trail," "Cuchullain's Dream," and "Wynkus McGynkus," a detailed exercise on classical guitar) to remind us that this hired gun possesses an inquisitive, artistic soul of his own. --Terry Wood

From Jazziz
After enjoying chances to shine on Windham Hill's holiday compilations, guitarist Sean Harkness alights on his own with this amiable solo debut. Not just a catchy, New Agey title, Aloft is also an apt description of Harkness' abilities. This guy flies on those acoustic-guitar strings.

Cleanly articulated lines and technical mastery are just the beginning, for Harkness does something rare in any musical genre: He expresses power and passion with soft touch and meaningful glances, knowing that often our most compelling moments are ones that simply brush past. Some of his note shading on "Siempre Conmingo," for example, is heart-stopping. And if the dramatic spiraling dance "Luna Baillando" demonstrates Harkness' talents as a guitarist and composer, "Coconuts," an island tune riding a sly line between parody and homage, shows him to have a sharp sense of humor as well.

Adding to the abundance of spacious melodies are guests Gil Goldstein, whose accordion brings an Old World touch to the gorgeous "Puesta del Sol," and pianist Liz Story, whose delicate interplay on the title track is a memorable highlight. The closing funk of "Harlem River Drive" loses none of its organ-powered vigor with Harkness' nylon strings at the wheel.

Aloft,Sean Harkness,Windham Hill Records,Contemporary Instrumental,Jazz Music,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop

Aloft

Tracks:

Redemption Song
Arms Aloft
Armagideon Time

Album Description

AA-side single taken from the 2003 album 'Streetcore' is backed with one non-LP track 'Armagideon Time' (Live). Epitaph.

Album Details

"redemption Song" is Strummer's Beautiful Version of the Bob Marley Classic, Recorded by Rick Rubin.

Customer Reviews:

Remember To Kick It Over.......2004-02-01

I think Rock & Roll misses Joe Strummer a lot more than any of us ever dreamed possible. He could be awful corny, in a Working Class Hero kind of way, and he sure didn't have the prettiest voice--but, between him and John Lennon, Rock and Pop had two great hearts.

There's something odd about Joe singing Marley's "Redemption Song," but who did more to bring Reggae to England and America? For me and a lot of other kids in the 70s and 80s--and with apologies to Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" and the old version of "Israelites" that charted in the States--it was Ska and the Clash that made Reggae beats real. That made North America's discovery of Marley and appreciation of Reggae complete. There's enough heart and soul in Strummer's voice to overcome the Rich White Boy Singing Poor Black Music goofiness inherant in this record.

"Arms Aloft" is a pretty good song; it could have fit into the GIVE'EM ENOUGH ROPE-era Clash sound. I've never had much use for Strummer sans Mick Jones, but this is a step up from the disastrous CUT THE CRAP LP Strummer put out under the Clash moniker or almost anything else he did post-Clash. The 1/3-speed version of "Armagideon Time" that closes out this CD proves my point. Everything from the original version is included--except the passion and the energy. And without passion and energy, the Clash was....what? Haircut 100?

Who else could have sang "This is Joe Public...SPEAKING!" and made it sound so real, so true, so righteous--so RIGHT ON--and had cynics like me believing it? I miss that kind of ass-kicking hope and belief in Rock.

And I think Rock misses Strummer--and Lennon, and Marley, and a lot of others--more than it is ever willing to admit. Rock--or the Rock Establishment, as exemplified by MTV and Rolling Stone magazine--likes to pretend that The Strokes and The White Stripes and a bunch of others are filling the gaps. They are good bands, but they also waste way too much time and energy posing and primping with no heart or soul involved. Posthumous releases like this are fine, though they point out all too clearly the inadequacies of today's batch of soon-to-be-has-beens.

A ska version of Armagideon Time.......2004-01-22

If your reading this, you're a Strummer completist and already have Streetcore. The new tune here is a horn driven Armagideon Time. It's worth the money if you want to here a more ska oriented version of this classic.

Average customer rating:

a nice little gem of a band
Hazy Mid Tempo Shoe Gazers

On High

Manufacturer: Aloft
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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Carnavas

ASIN: B000FO1GQI
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Product Description

New release from long time New York music scene fixture, John Ceparano, "SOUNDPOOL" is an atmospheric yet melodic trip through a new pop path, borrowing the best of Stereolab and Jesus & Mary Chain.

Customer Reviews:

a nice little gem of a band.......2007-04-22

I'm a big "shoegazer" fan but sometimes the music sometimes gets too lost in liquidy layers of sound. There has to be something in that sound to grab onto--otherwise the listener will find himself drowning in noise. Fortunately, this is not a problem for Soundpool.

"On High," is a remarkably diverse effort. Sixties pop is a big influence here, and there are plenty of effective pop hooks to catch the listeners' attention. At a couple of points, and particularly on the track "Span The Universe," they sound a little like Stereolab, except with more warmth. Other times you can hear Petula Clark or Brian Wilson influences, particularly if you listen closely enough to the tracks "Polyphony" or "All of Eternity." They also insert a few interesting thirty-second tracks to round things out, such as "Be" where the members are chanting the word "be," or "Choir," which recalls the opening chorus of voices on Brian Wilson's "Smile" album.

One thing I like best about them, though, are the lyrics--very positive, sunny and bright. It's hard not to sing along to "sunset, sunrise, the sun in your eyes, revolves love endlessly," or "hear me, we're gonna be o.k." There is also a bit of social commentary in the song "Millions&Billions&Trillions," which talks about "dollar bills and stars up in the sky, profits made and tears that people cry."

Except---and this is my only little criticism of the album---it's a bit hard to hear the lyrics. I recognize that there can be an aesthetic quality to making the vocals barely audible above the sound--not uncommon among "shoegaze" bands. But in this case, the words are far too good to bury---there's nothing to apologize for with these lyrics.

The album stays strong throughout, and picks up energy through the last five tracks. It says a lot about an album when listening to it lifts your spirits and leaves you in a good mood.

Hazy Mid Tempo Shoe Gazers.......2006-07-26

Inspired by My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Charterhouse of the 1990s, Soundpool has an authentic sound and good enough melodies to transcend the label of a mere copy band. With slow- and mid-tempo songs, the band is not as dreamy as Slowdive or the current Slowdive-sounding band Daysleepers, but it is evocative of those bands in its slower moments. With six solid songs, I say they're worth a listen.

If you like romantic dream pop, then you might also want to check out the Swedish bands Ronderlin, Wan Light, and Radio Dept.

Average customer rating:

Ocean is the BEST singer!!!!
awesome tunes!

Mermaid Music
Ocean
Manufacturer: Ocean Rhythm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004TVDC
Release Date: 2000-06-01

Tracks:

I WANT
VOODOO MAN
PEAGASUS
LOVE-JUNKIE
RUNNING TO YOUR LOVE
HOT NIGHTS
SNAKE-HIPS
SIREN SONG
NOTHING SPECIAL
EMPTY QUARTER
COOL WAY TO DO
UPSET
I'VE GOT ANOTHER
ECLIPSE CALYPSE

Album Description

OCEAN, singer-songwriter-producer, has infused the magical feel of the seven seas into MERMAID MUSIC, her first international cd release. Her hypnotic vocals and raps drift mesmerizingly aloft the hard funk of danceable rhythms, while the accents of other cultures take the forms of Turco-Arabic melodic and rhythmic influences, and her dreamy lyrics create a beautiful spell through the multi-ranged vocals of this truly gifted solo artist.

Customer Reviews:

Ocean is the BEST singer!!!!.......2001-11-20

hi! Ocean is the best singer i've heard in years!!!!i love her cd and i can't wait for her to do another one! i had heard her on the radio first, and then i ordered her cd- her voice is just beautiful!

awesome tunes!.......2001-04-17

this is the coolest album i've heard in a long time...catch the ocean wave and surf her melodic tides!

Average customer rating:

Pastime
8 Years and Going Strong.

Stamp: Cloudsplitter
Jack Stamp , and Keystone Wind Ensemble
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004SR1L
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Pastime.......2001-12-26

Hi, well i haven't gotetn the CD yet, but I played in the honor band that preimered Pastime. Percussion parts rock in that peice. I have the CD Past the Equinox (sp) and will soon by this one. Keystone Wind Ensemble is awesome, and music by Jack Stamp is beyond great. Keep up the great work!

8 Years and Going Strong........2000-07-29

I have had the unique privilege of being involved with the Keystone Wind Ensemble from its inception in 1992. I have played various roles, from section percussionist, to associate producer, to assisting with the mastering process. The personal dedication of the members has been phenomenal.

This is our finest work to date as an ensemble, without doubt.

Tracks:

Siempre Conmigo
Summer Solstice
Aloft
Paradise Reef
Cuchullain's Dream
Puesta Del Sol
Coming Home
Coconuts
Luna Bailando
Green Mountain Trail
Wynkus McGynkus
Harlem River Drive

Amazon.com

Filled with agreeable melodies and competent playing, the debut solo recording from session guitarist Sean Harkness could hardly be a more pleasant affair. Commanding? No. Rewarding? Only sporadically. But pleasant? Without question. This is a sweet audio truffle intended to blend nicely with after-dinner drinks and civil conversation. Harkness has a thing for kites (hence the album's title), and fittingly the folk- and jazz-tinged compositions he offers on Aloft convey a lighter-than-air mood that is engaging yet dispensable. Playing a variety of guitars and a fretless bass, the nimble-fingered Harkness gently mixes textures (pop, Celtic, flamenco, Caribbean, funk, folk) to arrive at an easy-listening destination that is a modest notch above standard smooth-jazz fare. To his credit, no saxophones invade the guitarist's carefully constructed audio space, and Harkness sometimes breaks from his airplay-friendly formula ("Green Mountain Trail," "Cuchullain's Dream," and "Wynkus McGynkus," a detailed exercise on classical guitar) to remind us that this hired gun possesses an inquisitive, artistic soul of his own. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

just good Sunday morning music.......2005-04-14

Sean made music with me in Vermont back in 1997. He is as fine as a guitarist as you are likely to find. I highly recommend his project to you.

Soft and Soothing.......2004-01-23

I had heard 3 songs off this CD a few years back, so I purchased it. The songs are all soft and smooth with ever the slightest flamenco accent to them. My favorites are Summer Solstice, Aloft, Cuchullain's Dream, Puesta Del Sol and Coconuts. If you can find this one used somewhere check it out.

got a klugh?.......2003-09-03

I bought this CD a couple of years ago after hearing Sean on a Windham Hill comp. The album has a nice mix of styles and he obviously has prime chops. Unfortunately, this CD reminds me much, too much of Earl Klugh's first two or three albums from the '70s: brilliant technique, accomplished versitility, but ultimately, forgettable. Debut projects showcasing an artist's range of talent often prove incoherent and distracting to me, hopefully his more recent offerings will be more focused.

Sean is insane!.......2000-05-04

This album is fantastic. Sean really rips it up. It's great for both party's and hanging out. One to have if you're a fan or the guitar. I heard he can sign to but I'm not sure about that. I guess we'll have to wait for another album to see if he does.

Guitar heaven.......1999-12-11

Picked up this CD a week ago -- what a terrific guitarist! I thought the production was top-notch, and the melodies were striking enough to be with me for the rest of the day.

Dominick Argento: From the Diary of Virginia Woolf; The Andrée Expedition

Average customer rating:

Dominick Argento: From the Diary of Virginia Woolf; The Andrée Expedition

Manufacturer: Centaur
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: The Diary
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Anxiety
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Fancy
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Hardy's Funeral
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Rome
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: War
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Parents
From The Diary Of Virginia Woolf: Last Entry
The Andre Expedition: Prologue
The Andre Expedition: The Balloon Rises
The Andre Expedition: Pride And Ambition
The Andre Expedition: Dinner Aloft
The Andre Expedition: The Unforseen Problem
The Andre Expedition: The Flight Aborted
The Andre Expedition: Mishap With A Sledge
The Andre Expedition: The King's Jubilee
The Andre Expedition: Illness And Drugs
The Andre Expedition: Hallucinations
The Andre Expedition: Anna's Birthday
The Andre Expedition: Epilogue
The Andre Expedition: Final Words

Average customer rating:

Redemption Song/Arms Aloft, Pt. 2
Joe Strummer
Manufacturer: Epitaph Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000WKOA4
Release Date: 2004-03-02

Tracks:

Redemption Song
Arms Aloft
Pressure Drop (Live)

Album Description

AA-side single taken from the 2003 album 'Streetcore' is backed with one non-LP track 'Pressure Drop' (Live). Epitaph.

Album Details

"redemption Song" is Strummer's Beautiful Version of the Bob Marley Classic, Recorded by Rick Rubin.

Average customer rating:

Buy this CD!
Take A Chance, I Did

Closer To Nowhere
Aloft
Manufacturer: WJM End Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0006DNQK2
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

Dizzy
Closer To Nowhere
Cameo
Blind
S.O.S.
Cactus Cross
Unsolid
Tilt
Sea Of Tranquility
Yellow Light

Album Description

"Closer To Nowhere" is a collection of songs from the Michigan based duo Aloft. From the opening guitar sounds of "Dizzy", the listener will soon understand that a musical journey has begun. Steeped with sounds and imagery of days that have past, Aloft has created an album that pays tribute to the styles of the records that you used to play. "Closer To Nowhere" is an album that permeates into the collective thought while exploring themes of spiritual quests, life experience and human emotion. The tracks "S.O.S." and "Blind" are the standout pop tracks that resemble the early FM radio single sound, while as you dive deeper in, songs like "Cactus Cross" and "Tilt" have a powerful sound and passion that evokes images from within. The unique thing about this album is the ability to apply it to one's life. Not so much is this band ready to conquer the world as they are intent on the listener viewing into their own.

Customer Reviews:

Buy this CD!.......2005-02-05

I'm not a very good reviewer, but this CD is so wonderful that I have deicded to give you my impressions of it. Well, first of all, any CD that leaves you singing the songs long after you have stopped listening to them must be good, and this one is no different. The peppy melodies that Billy and Todd bring to this CD are outstanding!!! The two best songs, in my opinion, are "Closer to Nowhere" and "Cactus Cross." I just keep playing them and singing along. If nothing else, listen to these two songs and you can just feel the talent of these two men.

While I was listening, I was trying to compare this artist to others, but I couldn't do it. Why? There are so many I could compare them to, that I would need a pad of paper to keep up. I don't say that in a negative way, I say that in the way that they sound like the best of many groups. Really, I think you should buy this CD and then you could say that you owned the first "Aloft" CD before they became famous. Great job Billy and Todd and keep up the great work! I look forward to the next one.

Take A Chance, I Did.......2004-11-20

When I read about bands like Wilco and Radiohead writing, recording, deconstructing and rearranging their songs to come up with something new, I get a little bit sick with all of the manipulation. Don't get me wrong, Wilco and Radiohead are two of my favorites, but there is an obvious difference between a constructed album and a deconstructed album. Pink Floyd's longer jams, like "Meddle", are constructed; they are built layer by layer by musicians with ears that somehow mix sounds that are oil and water to the rest of us. The "modern-rocker" in me appreciates the visions of Jeff Tweedy and Thom Yorke, but the classic rocker in me yearns for the warmth of well-crafted melodies, un-"enhanced" by the clever manipulation of sound, post-recording.
As I sit here listening to Aloft's "Closer To Nowhere", the classic rocker in me is thoroughly satisfied, (and dancing some in his chair). The modern-rocker in me is firmly planted, riding on lush, flowing carpets of sound through a universe crafted by Billy Mrak and Todd Brasseur, (aka Aloft), that rivals a trip to Wonka's factory. If we're talking about ear candy, Aloft is Wonka, and I'm the Candyman peddling "Closer To Nowhere" as a new chewing gum containing an entire meal. Track six, "Cactus Cross" has just begun, and I'm stuffed from the meal already, but it tastes so good, I can't stop eating. Each song is my new favorite as it plays, all the way through to "Yellow Light", my first favorite upon my first listen. I honestly can't say what my favorite song is now. I can't have one without another. I need the whole album!
Please listen to this album through headphones, alone, with the time and attention to take it in. It's not a self-indulgent, sparse, rookie debut. "Closer To Nowhere" sounds like a fourth or fifth album, not a first. It is Aloft's "Unforgettable Fire", their "YankeeHotelFoxtrot", on their first outing. Everything about is mature and refined. Billy, Todd, with two months to go, "Closer To Nowhere" is my Number One album of 2004.

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