Open House

Track Listings

1. Jackson's Girl

2. Ash Grove

3. Star of the Country Down

4. Because You Loved Me

5. Weep You No More Sad Fountains

6. Nights in White Satin

7. Sidh Beag and Sidh More

8. Go the Distance

9. Forest Lake

10. You Must Love Me

11. Rights of Man

12. Lay Down the Burdens of Your Heart

13. Seasons of Love

14. Lord's Prayer

15. Nights in White Satin (Reprise) - Lorie Line,

Open House,Lorie Line,Time Line Production,Contemporary Instrumental,Jazz Music,New Age / Meditation,Pop

Open House

Tracks:

You're the One (Bimbo Jones Main Mix)
Everyman Everywoman (Basement Jaxx Classic II Mix)
Walking On Thin Ice (Felix Da Housecat's Tribute Mix)
Hell In Paradise (Peter Rauhofer Reconstruction Mix)
Give Me Something (Morel Pink Noise Vocal Mix)
Walking On Thin Ice (Pet Shop Boys Electro Mix)
I Don't Know Why (Sapphirecut Remix)
Yang Yang (Orange Factory Down & Dirty Mix)
Will I (John Creamer & Stephan K Remix)
Everyman Everywoman (Murk Space Mix)
Kiss Kiss Kiss (Superchumbo Remix)
Open Your Box (Orange Factory Club Mix)
Walking On Thin Ice (Danny Tenaglia Walked Across The Lake Mix)
Give Peace A Chance (DJ Dan Vocal Mix)

Customer Reviews:

Perfect soundtrack to Summer 2007.......2007-07-18

Open Your Box is the second of two Yoko Ono remix CDs under the moniker of Ono. The first CD Yes, I'm A Witch gathered a broad range of musical talents to reinterpret her songs creating an eclectic mix of tracks from Peaches electroclash take on Kiss Kiss Kiss to Antony Hegarty's dreamy Toy Boat to Hank Shocklee's short but sweet Witch Shocktronica Intro. Most, but not all, of the remixes work pretty well (Cat Power and Porcupine Tree come to mind as the weaker tracks) with the dancier tracks being the standouts.

Open Your Box, released a few months after Witch, takes its cue from Witch's dancier tracks by being a disc full of non stop incredibly cool dance remixes from more high profile artists like Pet Shop Boys, Basement Jaxx, Felix da Housecat and Danny Tenaglia.

The sound samples will not give you an idea of what to expect because these are multi layered tracks that build up over the duration of the track. The music in and of itself is pretty much your garden variety Euro house that you would hear at your local gay bar but what transcends it is the juxtaposition of Ono's unique voice and vocal stylings over a pulsating pounding beat. Yes, Yoko is not the world's best singer but I enjoy the sincerity in her voice which makes it work really, really well. And her voice will surprise you. It's really not as bad as so many people make it out to be.

The opener, You're the One is one of the highlights for me and is lovely and heartfelt especially when Yoko's voice cracks as she sings "How do I teeellllll you? You're the one."

Another highlight is Peter Rauhofer's Hell In Paradise remix. The start of my love affair with Yoko began with this song when I saw the video for it years ago in the early 80s. What makes this remix so wonderful is once Yoko's sings her vocals over a pulsating trance beat there's this added disco diva chorus that repeats the main chorus of the track. Hard to explain but it's exactly the kind of stuff you want to hear when you're all sweaty and half naked on the dance floor.

Give Me Something is yet another highlight. There's this break in the middle of the song and in a call and response style Yoko sings, "Give me something!" as a male vocal answers "Yoko wants!" It gets even better when Yoko's voice echoes, "Give me something . . . hard...hard...hard...cold...cold...cold. . ."

Possibly my favorite track of the entire disc is the Pet Shop Boy's Walking On Thin Ice remix. I am not a fan of PSB but they do wonders with this remix. I get goosebumpy and teary eyed when Yoko sings, "When our hearts return to ashes it will be just a stor-or-or-ory." Even her primal scream yelping is pitch perfect with this remix.

The only track that doesn't work for me is DJ Dan's Give Peace A Chance remix. I don't think it's possible to turn that song into a dance track without it coming off cheesy.

Open Your Box is the perfect summer CD and was the perfect soundtrack for me and my buds during gay pride as well. Everyone I have played this for either loved it right from the start or reluctantly succumbed to it charms. I used to love Yoko Ono but now I totally worship her. Yoko, you need to get into the studio ASAP and record a disc full of original house music. It will work. I would definitely buy it.

If you like club music, get this NOW!.......2007-07-05

This is an incredible CD. The mixes are all great/good. Her vocals are unique to say the least, but that sets her apart from the generic dance diva.

Amazing remixes for great classics.......2007-06-08

I love Yoko and I love electronic music, so I can only love this CD.

Ono - Open Your Box.......2007-05-20

Excellent remixes! Bimbo Jones' catchy 'You're The One" will get you moving as will the unexpected "I Don't Know Why" by Sapphirecut. DJ Dan's mix of "Give Peace a Chance" brings a smile as well. Peter Rauhofer also did an excellent job with "Hell In Paradise".
Although the shortened remixes of "Walking on Thin Ice" and "Everyman Everywoman" are appreciable, it would have been nice to hear some more 'new' remixes instead of what has already been released. Nonetheless, it is very listenable!

Outstanding Remix/Dance album.......2007-05-09

Wow, this is great stuff. I can agree with critics who say Yoko is not a great singer, but she is a great artist, and these remixes produced by a wide variety of dance floor wizards really knock me out. If you like to dance, and the artists who created the remixes appeal, then get this album. Guaranteed to get you out on the floor! Open Your Box, indeed!

Average customer rating:

Open
Spooky
Manufacturer: Spooky
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000OYFPA2
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Belong
New Light
No Return
What Are We Waiting For?
Shelter
It's So Late
Strange Addiction
The River
An Ending

Tracks:

Belong
What Are We Waiting For?
New Light
Shelter
No Return
The River
Dub Addiction
New Light
Celeste

Amazon.com

Spooky (a.k.a. Charlie May and Duncan Forbes) have always been something more than your average electronic music outfit. As one of the elemental forces that shaped the world of electronica through the 1990s, they have been behind some of the genre's seminal moments, such as their own "Little Bullet" and Sasha's masterpiece "Xpander." Open hearkens back to the creative ferment of those years, when Spooky--along with other heavyweights like Orbital, Underworld, and Massive Attack--began trading in a complex, soulful electronica as appropriate for headphones as for the dancefloor. Most of the compositions on Open don't immediately capture the listener, but bloom on the third or forth listen as the ear begins to distinguish the lilting harmonies, flooding pads, and painstakingly crafted beats and loops that weave themselves into a dreamy sonic patchwork. A prime example is the album's opener, "Belong," with its chilled breakbeats, ethereal harmonies, and unexpected melodic turns. Crystalline vocals by Julie Daske and Celestine Gordon grace tracks like "No Return," "Strange Addiction," and "The River" with an icy elegance. Open also includes a second disc containing chillout versions of the tracks on disc one, something that proves that Spooky's material is substantive enough to be approached from different directions. As a view into the past and future of electronic music by pioneers in the genre, Open is unlikely to be bested anytime soon. --Brent Kallmer

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

A review just to add a little star weight.
This album changed my BENT opinion...
Bent's finest and most complete album to date.
Really nice, with a cute, fun feel to it...
Really very, very good just not devastating

Ariels
Bent
Manufacturer: Open / Mosr
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Everlasting Blink
Intercept!
Programmed to Love
Later: Compiled and Mixed by Bent
Programmed to Love

ASIN: B0002PD3IY
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Tracks:

Comin' Back
Sunday 29th
I Can't Believe It's Over
As You Fall
Silent Life
Sing Me
On the Lake
Now I Must Remember
You Are the Oscillator
Sunday Boy
Exercise 4
Waters Deep

Customer Reviews:

A review just to add a little star weight........2007-05-08

This album is quite a radical departure from the bent we've heard from before which probably explains why it did not get a United States Release. As nobody below has really described the music it contains, I'll attempt to do so. Take a little bit of Curve or Lush (shoegazers from the 80's/90's), add a healthy dollop of Annie Lennox when she was part of that duo whose name escapes me (the vocals on this album are all driven by a strong but vulnerable female lead) salt it with a teeny tiny bit of 80's britpop ala depeche mode then fill out the rest with the soul of our old familiar bent and you've got this one nailed. Ordinarily this sort of thing is a bit effeminate or, perhaps more aptly, obviously emotional for me but there is something really pure and soulful and powerful about it that causes one to not play it but once every great while, and each time the full power and quality of it prises one's heart open and makes it bleed. This is a really good album!

This album changed my BENT opinion..........2006-11-20

Funny thing... I was in the camp at first that thought this cd was a slight change from what BENT was up to. I loved the first 2 cd's and the fun sampling on them. This cd did away with that sampling and I was worried at first that I wasn't liking it as much as the other cd's. Given a year or so of listening to it, I now think this is their best cd to date. It really is amazing and I listen to alot of this genre of music and think BENT is still the cream of the crop. I thank god I found a unheard-of little duo called BENT on the web years ago. They just have their own sound in the genre and a way of mixing to make incredably beautiful tunes.

Bent's finest and most complete album to date........2006-07-28

First of all I'd like to say that Bent are the most consistent producers that I have had the chance to hear.

"Programmed to Love" was as one of the finest debut albums I've ever heard. "Everlasting Blink" was a very nice follow up to the debut release. "Ariels" shows me that this duo has perfected their style in a magnificent way.

This release is one of the finest works released this decade. It starts out with a few slower tempo songs that have a very nice feel. This really helps set a tone for the rest of the album. Soon we begin to see the complexity that this group has to offer as we progress through the album. The mixture of exquisite instruments layered upon perfectly chosen vocal tracks reveals a quality of production and song writing very rarely experienced in popular music. With the duo's "Exercise 4" we get a wonderful bit of electronic fun just before they sink into "The Waters Deep", the last track on the album. Which puts the so called 'cherry on top' of this tasty treat for all to enjoy just before we start the CD over again.

I myself can't seem to take this album out of my car. Everytime I feel like listening to something really amazing it's right there to make everthing alright. I for one can't wait for the next release from Bent. They've made themselves into something special that all music fans can appreciate for one reason or aonther. For anything from the variety of instruments, vocalists, and equipment used to the pure quality of production. And yet the song writing may be the strongest quality displayed in "Ariels".

It isn't the individual attributes of this duo that really brings them to life. It is the style in which they combine these qualities and the consistency with which they do so.

If you haven't heard of Bent it's probably time you buy one of their albums. You can't go wrong!

Really nice, with a cute, fun feel to it..........2006-06-20

Its a very nice CD. Sort of upbeat and fun and it has some very nice mellow songs in it. You can play from beginning to end and not be dissappointed.

Really very, very good just not devastating.......2006-05-05

My formal introduction to Bent came after a random download onto my computer from Audiogalaxy turned up "Always". I was smitten and quickly fell head over heals with Swollen as well, arguably one of the strongest and most beautiful tracks off "Programmed to Love". Their experimental sampling and off the wall vocals don't always work for me and it took a while to come to fully appreciate the wonderment of PTL. Regardless, I continued to purchase everything they put out. I know why two of the reviewers gave Ariels a decidedly low vote. It's less overtly electronic and gone is the kitschy fun of PTL and some of the quirky Hawaiian sounds from their sophomore effort "The Everlasting Blink" but what remains is the beautiful emotion that they always manage to evoke. Some of Ariels is merely nice without the punch but at least several tracks stand out namely Exercise 4 which is as fine as anything they have done (such as Magic Love, Always, etc) along with I Can't Believe It's Over (with Kosheen's Sian Evans), and I'm Coming Back (with Weekend Players' Rachel Foster). I listen to about half the numbers and the other half I leave for the background but really Exercise 4 alone was worth it to me.

Baker Sings Gluck, Lully, Marcello, etc.

Average customer rating:

Baker Sings Gluck, Lully, Marcello, etc.

Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Philips and Decca Recordings, 1961-1979 (Limited Edition)

ASIN: B00008OP2A
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

O Del Mio Dolce Ardor
Bois Epais
Il Mio Bel Foco - Quella Fiamma Che M'accende
Lauds (Among The Leaves)
O Lurcher-Loving Collier
What's In Your Mind, My Dove
Eyes Look Into The Well
Carry Her Over The Water
Come Away, Come Away, Death
Who Is Sylvia?
Fear No More The Heat Of The Sun
O Mistress Mine
It Was A Lover And His Lass
Let Beauty Awake
Tired
Silent Noon
Linden Lea
The Sally Gardens
O Can Ye Sew Cushions?
O Waly, Waly
Come You Not From Newcastle?
Sleep, Adam, Sleep And Take Thy Rest
Lord, What Is A Man
Sleep
Pretty Ring Time
Rest, Sweet Nymphs
The Jolly Sheperd

Average customer rating:

THE SORT OF MUSIC THAT BOSTRIDGE'S VOICE WAS MADE FOR
Artistry beyond measure
Perfectly Enjoyable
Do Not Be Deceived By His Look Of Innocence
One of the best English-Song CD's available

Ian Bostridge - The English Songbook

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc
Ian Bostridge - J.S. Bach: Cantatas & Arias / Biondi, Europa Galante
Ian Bostridge - Schubert Lieder, Volume II
Perspectives
Ian Bostridge - Liederkreis Op. 24, Dichterliebe Op. 48 & 7 Lieder

ASIN: B00002CF0T
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

La Belle Bame sans Merci
Sleep
I Will Go With My Father A-Ploughing
The Cloths of Heaven
To Gratiana Dancing and Singing
To Lucasta, On Going To The Wars
Twilight Fancies
Orpheus With His Lute
Jillian of Berry
Cradle Song
The Dance Continued
Linden Lea
Silent Noon
My Love's An Arbutus
The Death of Queen Jane
No Longer Mourn For Me
Since We Loved
The Sally Gardens
Rest, Sweet Nymphs
Come Away, Death
Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal
Bold William Taylor
Brigg Fair
The Little Turtle Dove

Customer Reviews:

THE SORT OF MUSIC THAT BOSTRIDGE'S VOICE WAS MADE FOR.......2002-10-09

Ian Bostridge has one of the most beautiful voices on record, and he has consistently shown courage and wisdom in selecting material that will extend and develop his gifts. Not all of this material has been a perfect match for his young and soaring tenor voice, notably some of Schubert's more dramatic "lieder". In contrast, nothing could be more perfectly suited to his voice than this generous and beautiful collection of traditional English poetic settings by Britten, Finzi, Grainger, Warlock and others.

Bostridge brings more than just a beautiful tone and a subtle musical phrasing to these songs. The challenge any intepreter of English songs has to face is that, in contrast with the pure syllables of most continental languages, the complex vowels of "Southern British English" are formidably difficult to render attractively in song. It's not just a question of singing them prettily. Think how accurately the pronunciation of a word like "house" or "bath" can betray someone's geographical and social background; our vowels are a caste-mark as well as a means of communication. But somehow Bostridge himself, in his fruitful partnership with Julius Drake, manages to transcend our socio-linguistic divisions and deliver these songs in a way that places no barrier between the listener and the music.

The material is wonderful in its own right - a collection of lilting pastoral airs and occasional boisterous ditties. They are at one and the same time ancient and modern, embracing at once the mutual cross-fertilisation between classical and "pop" sensibilities that has always underpinned the best of English music. Even the most trivial of these songs (e.g. "Jillian of Berry") are memorable, and some of them (notably Sir Charles Stanford's chilling musical setting of the Keats' poem, "La Belle Dame Sans Merci") would not have been beneath Schubert himself.

It has been fashionable over the generations to belittle British classic music. "The land without song" England was dubbed, as the sleeve notes poignantly remind us. This CD is a healthy reminder that the global success of English popular music in the latter four decades of the 20th century did not appear out of nowhere; it was built on a solid foundation of past accomplishment that it was for too long fashionable to dismiss. Highly recommended.

Artistry beyond measure.......2002-09-20

This disk is a wonderful treasure. "To Gratiana Dancing and Singing" is an exquisite song that you should not go another day without hearing. I am speaking literally.

Mr. Bostridge's interpretation of Browne's song is amazingly compelling. His ability to express goes beyond that of most other singers - even some great ones. He notes the problems in singing in English (the "extra" vowels, the English vs. German approach to word painting, etc.) and I have to say he triumphs on this disk.

As he also notes, this is NOT a recording of a recital program nor are the songs "English" in nationality - the songs are just set to texts in the English language. I had not heard of some of these composers, but I am enthusiastic in saying that every song on this disk has something very nice to recommend it - at least at the voice and hands of Ian Bostridge and Julian Drake.

I must say a few words about Mr. Drake's playing. Overall he is simply incredible. He has a beauty of tone and a singing style that is not in anyway mere accompaniment. It really isn't even a partnership. It is a unity of artistry that creates this single entity, a song. There aren't many that can pull this off and Mr. Drake should be treasured for this ability. Just amazing artistry.

Please get every disk that Mr. Bostridge and Mr. Drake have done together. You will thank me for recommending this if you didn't know this already. Feel free to email me with your thoughts on this disk or any comments you have about Bostridge and Drake.

Perfectly Enjoyable.......2002-02-09

I already liked Ian Bostridge, but I thought "English songs" would be rather light and without substance. But I have fallen in love with this CD and never tire of it! I was already an admirer of Vaughan Williams, Britten, Finzi, Warlock and Delius, and I'm glad for this introduction to other composers as well. Also, much beautiful poetry is chosen, from Shakespeare, Yeats, Rossetti, Keats, and others, and each is treated with careful consideration by the composer, *partnering* music with poetry rather than simply enhancing or overshadowing the lyric. Bostridge seems to have the perfect voice for this music, light and charming when appropriate, heart-breaking at other times, always an engaging storyteller. He obviously understands intimately each word and note that he sings. The listener can hear his facial expressions and body language! The English Songbook is a beautiful collection of excellent craftsmanship, and one of the best CDs I have.

Do Not Be Deceived By His Look Of Innocence.......2001-10-14

Just look at Ian on the cover photo of this CD. He's sitting there looking coy, playing with his finger, hair a little mussed, with a very cute boyish smile, as if to say, "I didn't do anything wrong mommy, honest." Well he has done it this time.

This CD was my first exposure to Ian Bostridge. I bought it because I was very surprised to know that one of my favorite poems, the Cloths of Heaven by Yeats, was set to music. I spent 17 bucks for one song, and ended up cashing in on 23 others.

To Gratiana Dancing and Singing quickly became a favorite, as did Bold William Taylor. This last one was my first realization of Ian's gift of storytelling. Somehow he is able to make his voice sound like a woman, namely Sally Gray, and the narrator, and the macho Captain, all in the same song. The multiple personalities come out to play similarly in The Death of Queen Jane. I am lulled into quiet reflection and relaxation when Ian sings the Cradle Song.

Check out his CDs of Schubert Lieder, also accompanied by Julius Drake. Ian may be even more at home in German than he is in his native English! Julius is at home with Schubert, especially the water songs, and we are at home listening to this wonderfully weird, warm voice paired with masterful piano playing.

One of the best English-Song CD's available.......2001-09-12

Unlike the reviewer "A music fan from California, USA" I realize that this is not a recital program of music (as even noted in the liner). This is though, an unequaled collection of some of the most beautiful English Songs ever. Ian is on top of his game and J Drake plays, well, I don't have the words. He never fails to impress with his skills. Each key under each finger sings! Back to Ian. As a professional tenor, I am in awe of his voice. It is tender, moving, all the things you want in a good recitalist, and (unlike any of the opera tenors I can think of) it is note perfect. Yes, there are times when his voice seems a little light for the song he may be performing, but it is passionate and caries the pathos of each note/word he sings. BUY THIS CD - you will love it for ever!

Average customer rating:

Boring and unimaginative
Children of Reich Create Loving Homage
Decent, but disappointing overall.
Great music for an electronic fan
Proxy for a Reich's Greatest Hits CD?

Reich Remixed

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Remixed 2006
Reich: Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint / Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny
Steve Reich: You Are (Variations)

ASIN: B00000I5LV
Release Date: 1999-03-02

Tracks:

Music For 18 Musicians (Coldcut Remix) - Steve Reich
Eight Lines (Howie B Remix) - Bang On A Can/Bradley Lubman
The Four Sections (Andrea Parker Remix) - London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas
Megamix (Tranquility Bass Remix) - Steve Reich/London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas/Theatre Of Voices...
Drumming (Mantronik Maximum Drum Formula) - Steve Reich
Proverb (Nobukazu Takemura Remix) - Theatre Of Voices
Piano Phase (D*Note's Phased & Konfused Mix) - Double Edge
City Life (DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid Open Circuit) - The Steve Reich Ensemble/Bradley Lubman
Come Out (Ken Ishii Remix) - Steve Reich
Bonus Track 1 - Various Artists

Amazon.com

The beauty of Steve Reich's minimalist compositions can be found not in their repetition but in their evolution. Listening to the Kronos Quartet perform Different Trains, the listener quickly gets over the camp value of the conductor samples to discover an unfolding theme that harks back not only to bustling industrialism but also to the horror of the Nazi concentration-camp trains. Reich is a master of such subtle changes in sonics, and his impeccable timing turns simple phrases into musical tapestries. On Reich Remixed, some of dance music's more innovative artists pay homage to the composer in the way they know best: by sampling his works and remixing them into their own. Coldcut's take on Music for 18 Musicians adds a fast-paced techno flair to the classic composition, Howie B's Eight Lines respectfully keeps the integrity of the original piece, and Tranquility Bass peppers "Megamix" with voices and (eventually) beats. There are some misses here, and, most unfortunate, DJ Spooky's schizophrenic treatment of City Life lobotomizes a previously fine composition. No, you still can't dance to Reich, but you can see how others use him for source material. But after hearing these condensed and diced versions, you might find it's worth delving back into Reich's originals to hear what the fuss is all about. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Boring and unimaginative.......2005-07-13

My opinion is that this compilation doesn't glorify Reich or electronica. I used to think that most techno enthusiasts and maybe even techno composers had probably never heard of him. While I've come to learn that this isn't true, I think this CD would be a good argument in favor of it. I certainly didn't expect Reich Remixed to compare with the originals. And there is certainly nothing wrong with a tribute. But everything here is against Reich's style, both too fast and too simple.

The Coldcut remix of Steve Reich's 18, unfortunately the best track on the disk, is laughable in comparison and a warning against the tracks that follow. After reading the reviews for the original Music for 18 Musicians, there are several people who can say nothing except that it is slow and boring. I think you might as well include Coldplay in that number. It is as if he recorded himself skipping forward through the first 5 or so minutes of the original and smiled at his creation.

He isn't the only one who obviously missed the point. Most of the remixes use some of the cheapest sounding instruments and methods I've heard; these aren't just bad tributes to Reich, they are bad tributes to techno! And don't expect to hear phasing, which was introduced for the first time in Come Out and Drumming, in their remixes. That would require at least some trivial knowledge of Reich's contribution to minimalism, which these artists obviously do not have. And anyway, Reich used much more than rhythmic, vocal/musical repetition and staccato notes, let's get that straight.

I wasted my money on this one. If you haven't been introduced to Reich, I envy you! Try Music for 18 Musicians and Different Trains, many agree that those are among Reich's most powerful pieces.

Children of Reich Create Loving Homage.......2005-04-16

The entrancing hobby of looping gave birth to essencially all forms of techno in existence today, and all followers should be thankful Steve Reich's cassette tapes messed up one day to create a looping effect. He soon became obsessed with overlapping sounds and varying tempos, a basic foundation for modern day electronic music. Such is the reason why a wide variety of artists came together to create a tribute album to this obscure classical composer, and the end result is a diamond in the rough.

If "Reich Remixed" has any style permeating through the whole album, it is the esoteric sounds of trance. Each track brings in a sentimental mourning, but also sings out hosannas of joy, hailing the appreciation of the father of techno. Tranquility Bass's "Megamix", succeeding fully in painting a mural of Reich's repertoire, Coldcut's loving recreation of "Music for 18 Musicians", and Howie B's "Eight Lines" tribute will draw you in with their joyful melodies. Yet darkness lies ahead as well. Andrea Parker brings in a creepy Trip-Hop version of "The Four Sections", perfect for committing a bank robbery if you get off on that. The bonus track from freQ Nasty & B.L.I.M. has the rough sound of Drum n' Bass without corrupting the original message, although it sounds a bit out of place on this album. The masterpiece is Nobukazu Takemura's "Proverb", which stacks the voices in one loop, which will make one double check the CD for scratches. It not only holds true to what Reich was attempting, but re-interprets.

To those who were already die-hard Reich fans, a word of caution. This CD will sound repititive, perhaps even like cheap rip-offs of the original tracks, as they cannot possibly recreate the massive pieces Reich composed in six or seven minutes of CD time. As well, there are slip-ups. "City Life" is butchered to pieces and essentially impossible to enjoy, and "Come Out" only highlights the limitations of techno's possibilities to create as compared to pen, paper, and a symphony orchestra.

The album explores techno's creative possibilities to new levels, and is an aural treat. Consider it Reich's first DJing experience, changing the world of music in the same way his originals shook the ear drums.

Highs: Techno symphony, with the same variety as an orchestra, skillfully mixed, loving and appropriate recreations of Reich's original masterpieces.
Lows: Reich's originals are better, sometimes butchered here, same repitive downfall of techno at times.
The Score: A-, Reich not Lost in Techno Translation.

Decent, but disappointing overall........2002-01-05

There are a few really good tracks on this CD. My personal favorites are Music for 18 Musicians, Four Sections, the Megamix, and Piano Phase. The Desert Music remix (the bonus track) is okay, not great, but okay. And then there's the bottom end of the spectrum, which is everything else. Unfortunately, what I like is overpowered by what I dislike.

Great music for an electronic fan.......2001-10-04

I enjoyed every one of these pieces on their own. I am familiar with most of the electronic artists and each one of these songs is beautiful. I had never heard Steve Reich's music before this. I enjoyed his music but, I didn't think that the remixes were completely true to his form. Reich's music has some good ideas that the remixer's somewhat expanded upon. I think the idea was to take some of Reich's ideas and put it in to a more modern style. If they wanted someone to rehash his ideas, then it would have been boring. I enjoy these artists, but there are artists out there that are using some of his ideas already, namely Plastikman and Tortoise. Overall the songs are great in any sense.

Proxy for a Reich's Greatest Hits CD?.......2001-06-16

Of all modern classical composers, Steve Reich is the one whose music is most likely to attract the rock-oriented ear. 'Music for 18 Musicians' was a ground-breaking album which closed out the 1970s, and it took much of the audience that had been nurtured on Tangerine Dream's 'Ricochet' and, before that, Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells'. It was only to be expected that other artists would start sampling Reich's works.

I can't get enough of 'Music for 18 Musicians' -- I bought it on LP in 1979, and two versions on CD. It is my No. 1 self-hypnosis album. So I was intrigued to discover how it would be re-worked for this album. I was disappointed, frankly. The Coldcut Remix provides no evidence that the DJ has listened beyond the first five minutes of the original.

But there's no heresy in modifying Reich's music. I welcome every effort to do so. I knew about half of the pieces selected here, so, for me, it's partly a Reich sampler. The great thing about the album is that not only did it get me buying more of Reich's output, but it also got me listening more to the originals.

For me, the stand-out track here is 'Piano Phase', which applies prog-rock values to a piece I didn't know at all well. It could so easily be Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson playing the synth lines over the piano loop!

The opening track has grown on me over the years. At first listen, the Megamix seemed to have too many different samples crowded in; it seemed too ambitious in searching for common musical themes between no fewer than nine of Reich's albums. But now it flows nicely.

The closing track, supposedly based on the Desert Music, is a straightforward techno track, almost Prodigy-like, whose relationship to Reich's music seems entirely tangential.

I believe every Reich fan should hear this album, even though a few will find perhaps nothing to like. And I'd recommend anyone who buys this album without knowing Reich to listen also to 'Different Trains', 'Electric Counterpoint', and of course, 'Music for 18 Musicians'.

Until Nonesuch releases in the US the greatest hits CD compiled in Japan, we will have to rely on this as the only single-CD tour through Reich's works, however oblique and re-shaped these may be.

English Song Series 3
Average customer rating:

Fine Contribution

lovely performance

Wonderful performances of stirring music

English Song Series 3
Vaughan Williams , Rolfe , Johnson , and Duke Quartet
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Vaughan Williams: Willow Wood

English Song Series 1

ASIN: B00007FKQL
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

It Was A Lover And His Lass
The Lawyer
The Splendour Falls
The Water Mill
Tired
Silent Noon
Searching For Lambs
Nocturne
Joy, Shipmate, Joy!
Lord, Come Away
Come Love, Come Lord
Five Mystical Songs: I. Easter
Five Mystical Songs: II. I Got Me Flowers
Five Mystical Songs: III. Love Bade Me Welcome
Five Mystical Songs: IV. The Call
Five Mystical Songs: V. Antiphon
On Wenlock Edge: I. On Wenlock Edge
On Wenlock Edge: II. From Far, From Eve And Morning
On Wenlock Edge: III. Is My Team Ploughing?
On Wenlock Edge: IV. Oh, When I Was In Love With You
On Wenlock Edge: V. Bredon Hall
On Wenlock Edge: VI. Clun
Dirge For Fidele

Customer Reviews:

Fine Contribution.......2006-09-03

A fine compilation of Vaughn Williams' songs. Sung very well indeed by Johnson and Keenlyside with excellent accompaniment. This CD really shows the full range of Vaughn Williams vocal writing. This whole series is an admirable undertaking.

lovely performance.......2006-03-24

This is a very nice compilation of Vaughan Williams' vocal music, some of which is not easy to find on CD. The performers do an excellent job. Nice voices, and the music is sensitively sung. A really good value.

Wonderful performances of stirring music.......2003-04-27

This CD contains some of Vaughan Williams' best vocal music. The singers are superb and the accompanist is sensitive.

I love the whole CD, but adore
Searching For Lambs, which is a touching love song, set for violin and tenor duet
Silent Noon
It Was A Lover and His Lass
Antiphon, the last song in the set of Five Mystical Songs. It is a great song of faith, set by an infamous agnostic. The Church would be the poorer without Vaughan Williams wonderful hymns and arrangements of hymns. [I also recommend Vaughan Williams' Hymnal and Pilgrm's Progress.].

I bought this set to hear On Wenlock Edge and am not disappointed. It is a great song cycle.

By the way, this bargain-priced CD includes all the song texts.

Tracks:

Baby Get Hip to Yourself
How Are You Fixed for Love?
How Can a Broke Man Survive
Keep on Keeping On
Everybody Knows About My Good Thing, Pt. 1
Everybody Knows About My Good Thing, Pt. 2
There Is Something on Your Mind
You've Got the Love I Need
It's My Fault Darling
Make Love to Me Baby
Sweet Soul Woman
Open House At My House (Part 1)
You're Not the Olnly One Baby (That's Got Someone Across Town)
My Special Rose
Thousand Miles Away
I Can't Stop Loving You Baby
What Would I Do Without You
Open House At My House (Part 2)
You're Savin' Your Best Lovin' for Me
As Long as I Don't Have to See You
Strange Bed with a Strange Head
I'll Make It Worth Your While

Album Description

UK compilation combines two of the soul-blues artist's (not to be confused with Johnnie Taylor) albums, 'Everybody Knows About My Good Thing' (1970) and 'Open House At My House' (1973), together on one CD. 2001 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Stunning.......2003-06-20

What a voice Little Johnny Taylor had these two albums on one cd is his DEFINING moment! His earlier material on Galaxy is superb, but these first two albums for Ronn are full of classic soulful, bluesy, passionate tracks. The two obvious highpoints are "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" (#9 R&B Chart) & "Open House At My House" (#16 R&B), both here in two parts. So much more, however, is included on this 22-track CD. The emotive slow ballad "How Are You Fixed For Love", the southern soul in 6/8 time "How Can A Broke Man Survive", the West Coast slow blues "It's My Fault Darling" (#41 R&B), the mid-paced blues thumper "I'll Make It Worth Your While" (#39 R&B) and the bluesy soul waltz "My Special Rose" to name a few. He may be the most underappreciated blues singer of the modern era.

Little JT With Big Voice.......2003-04-26

There Was Nothing Little About The Late Great Johnny Taylor's Voice,His Voice Was Unique!!!
I Love All Of Johnny Taylor Cd's,Such As,"A Thousand Miles Away","Last Two Dollars","Too Many Memories","Long As I Don't Have To See You","Too Late To Try To Do Right","How Will A Broke Man Survive" And So Many More Songs!!!

From the Heart: Turtle Creek Chorale Live

Average customer rating:

From the Heart: Turtle Creek Chorale Live
Turtle Creek Chorale
Manufacturer: Turtle Creek Chorale
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD