Return to Mountain

Track Listings

1. Meditation

2. Bonsho

3. In the Bonsho

4. Bonsho, Densho and Inkin

5. Bonsho Piece #12

6. Bonsho Piece #7

7. Han

8. The Comet

9. Heart Sutra

10. Autumn Wind

11. Distant Shinrei

12. Simple Sonata (a) Evening Mist (b) Dewdrops (c) Rivulets

13. Beaverkill Creek

14. Gassho

Editorial Reviews
John Price - Internationally renowned Guitar maker
I like this one more than the first...Thank you for a most welcome breath of fresh air and peace.

Product Description
Return to Mountain is a follow up to the CD Holy Mountain that was released at the millenium. It consists of a number of solo guitar musical sketches that were composed and recorded at the International Dai Bosatsu Zendo, a Zen monastery in the heart of the Catskills. Many of these pieces were recorded outdoors as well as a good deal of ambient sound from the Dai Bosatsu Zendo's grounds. Return to Mountain continues in the vein of meditative, healing music particularly suited to the guitar, interspersed with the sounds of the forest birds and zendo gongs and bells.

Return to Mountain

Return to Mountain,Anthony Bez,Taonote Productions,This is meditative solo guitar music and ambient sound from a Zen Monastery the content of which renders it as a "New Age" album but with a high degree of sophistication and classical/flamenco techique on the part of the artist.

Return to Mountain

Tracks:

I Was A Lover
Hours
Province
Playhouses
Wolf Like Me
A Method
Let The Devil In
Dirty Whirl
Blues From Down Here
Tonight
Wash The Day Away
[ambient audio]
Snakes and Martyrs
Hours (El-P Remix)
Things You Can Do

Amazon.com

Their second album and first for Interscope is almost wholly brilliant. Like Mogwai, Sigur Ros and a dozen others, TVOTR excels at making slowly-evolving tunes with vaguely anthemic choruses and lots of loud-soft dynamics. Unlike virtually any of those other bands, TV on the Radio mix a genuine and actual songwriting ability with their knack for finding sounds that appear to be "new." This record is crisper-sounding and incorporates more dance-based elements, but it's essentially a pop album. While the lack of the free web-released "Dry Drunk Emperor, a tribute to President Bush, is initially a bummer, the album percolates with enough pre-apocalyptic tension to satisfy anyone. In a Prince-pitched falsetto, the group sings "I was a lover/ Before this war," While throughout, the combination of melody and invention is always pitch-perfect (well, except on "Province" and "Let the Devil In," those songs sort of suck.) People of Earth: please make this band into total superstars and buy several copies of their album: one for the car, another for the office, etc. What we really need in our popular music is more weirdness, and more truth. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

More like a 4.5!!.......2007-08-04

These guys get a price for arrangements and versatility. Enjoyable album that I consider a notch above Gnarls Barkley "St. Elsewhere" (which is also quite creative) which certainly should earn them a 4.5 stars for their creative talents. Good songs, entertaining and offer a "bang for the buck". These guys are a lot of fun to listen to and I enjoyed most of their lyrics and feel they are quite a decent addition to my music collection which seems to be growing by the day. I have my bank account to attest for that. It is becoming increasingly difficult to refrain from purchasing more and more music so whenever possible I like music that is HOT, simple as that. I always read reviews from other buyers before I even think about making a purchase (don't like the feeling of getting burned with a weak selection) and of course I go to Metacritic, AMG, etc and when I find something that on the average is considered by many a superior work that is when I zero in and probably buy it. I only listen and buy Rock, Alternative, anything but jazz (on the words of the great Frank Zappa: "Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny") latin rock for sure (it is hard to believe how good some of this bands are:ex:Cafe Tacuba) salsa, world music, whatever kind of sound moves the soul, elicits a response from the emotional center for music is the great "mover and shaker" in my otherwise comfortable and predictable existance. TV on the Radio "Return to Cookie Mountain" is a welcome addition, pretty decent tunes and I seek for no more than that. Just want the best of what is out there in the Free World. 4.5 stars for a solid well worthy CD. Did I forget to thank all the good people who voice their valuable opinions? Thank you, thank you. Come to think of it I am going to light up and listen "Return to Cookie Mountain" again, but this time since it will be at home at loud volume. Go Go Go!!!!

Play it loud!.......2007-07-11

Start at the first track, with its unstoppable beat, WILD horn hook, and impassioned vocals. If you make it through that without 1) blowing your speakers, 2) hitting the repeat button, or 3) running in the opposite direction, the rest of the album will reward you. It takes a few listens to unfold, but once you "get it" you won't want to stop hearing it.

You see, I tried, then I REALLY tried.......2007-06-02

I have to completely agree with what "Unlistenable" (callahan) had to say about this record. I have given it a try on long road trips, blasting on my home stereo, with headphones, etc. I don't get it. I WANTED to "get it". Even after "not getting it", I tried again.
I had read/heard so much about this album, that I figured it would be a pleasure/treasure.
Basically, it sucks!. No cohesion whatsoever-none.
"Wolf Like Me" is the ONLY stand out track, likley because it actually has some form of melody/riff. It is a very, very good song to add to any compilation you may be making for your summer mix. Do yourself a favor, buy THAT track on ITunes and skip the rest! The ONE STAR RATING IS FOR THAT TRACK ALONE!
P.S. I disagree with that other reviewer's comment likening this to OK Computer as being overrated too. THAT disc has plenty of great musical moments going on!

Different but good..........2007-05-26

I gave this album a couple of listens and was glad I did. It's original but I am not someone who gives bad music a pass just because it is different - it has to be good too. I am a little surprised that "Wolf Like Me" was the first single since that song seems sort of flat and boring to me, but "I Was a Lover", "Hours" and "Let the Devil In"(which was one of the only songs the Amazon reviewer hated) were all very good. And I can't believe everyone isn't raving about "A Method" which to me is an incredible tune(was someone channeling Brian Wilson?) that's worth the price of the album all by itself.

Not pop music.......2007-05-13

This is a refreshing change from the garbage the music indusrty is feeding us today. Good stuff!

Hovhaness: Symphonies Nos. 4, 20 & 53; The Prayer of St. Gregory

Average customer rating:

Same old Hovhaness
Hovhaness for Winds
Hovhaness' Wind Symphonies

Hovhaness: Symphonies Nos. 4, 20 & 53; The Prayer of St. Gregory

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Morton Gould: Fall River Legend; Jekyll and Hyde Variations

ASIN: B000BK53H4
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

Andante
Allegro
Andante Espressivo
Andante
Adagio
Andante Espressivo
Allegro Moderato
Andante Maestoso
Prayer Of Saint Gregory, Op.62b
Maestoso Sostenuto
Moderato Sostenuto Con Molta Espressione

Customer Reviews:

Same old Hovhaness.......2007-02-19

If you've heard one Hovhaness, you've heard most. I liked the "Prayer", but the symphony gave me nothing really new.

Hovhaness for Winds.......2005-12-04

I would urge you to read Robin Friedman's excellent review dated November 25, 2005; his descriptions of the music are excellent and give a pretty good idea of what to expect, especially if you are not that familiar with Hovhaness's music. Hovhaness wrote a great deal of music, and like some other very prolific composers (Milhaud comes to mind) some of Hovhaness's music treads a thin line between real merit and kitsch. For instance, the first of the 'Three Journeys to a Holy Mountain' sounds very much like clichéd snake-charmer music to me. That said, I found most of this disc to be extremely enjoyable. Much of it is based on chorale harmonies in the brass with occasional fanfare-like episodes, plus very imaginative use of percussion, both tuned and untuned. And, of course, there is much use of Near Eastern melorhythms.

By far the most amazing thing in this program is the noisy eruption shortly after the trumpet's oration in the first movement of 'Return and Rebuild the Desolate Place.' If one tried to imagine the cacophony of hell, one couldn't do better than this. And it sounds for all the world as if it is aleatoric, with each instrument going its satanic way, each one slowly dropping out until all that's left are sinister low growling trombone glisses. Wow! What an imagination Hohvaness had to come up with this!

The performances by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Wind Orchestra (what an ungainly name!), which I take to be a student group, is quite good. Solo trumpet work is done beautifully by John Wallace, as one would expect by this fine Scots trumpeter who has recently become the principal of the Academy.

I would suggest that whoever listens to this CD make sure not to listen to the whole CD in one sitting, but rather to each piece on its own. Otherwise there is some tendency for it to all run together and sound alike. Close listening, however, reveals that each piece has its own charms.

Scott Morrison

Hovhaness' Wind Symphonies.......2005-11-26

The late Alan Hovhaness (1911 - 2000)has received considerable popular attention but too little critical appreciation. Hovhaness was a prolific composer of 67 symphonies and over 400 works in a variety of forms. He wrote a great deal of music for band, and his output includes eight wind symphonies. Three of these symphonies are offered on this CD. Keith Brion conducts the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Wind Orchestra. Brion first conducted Hovhaness' wind music in 1964 with a high school band and recorded an all-Hovhaness disk with Gerard Schwartz on the trumpet in 1969. He has also made extensive recordings for Naxos of the music of John Phillip Sousa.

Hovhaness' symphonies are generally short and programmatic. The three wind symphonies on this CD emphasize the mystical, spiritual music of the composer. They consist of long choral passages for brass intertwined with solos for many different wind instruments, and for gongs, bells, cymbals, and drums. Much of the music, for the solos in particular, is modal in character, and it is contrasted with tonal passages in the larger ensembles. (Jean Sibelius did the same thing at times and Sibelius was a great influence on Hovhaness.) Hovhaness makes extensive use of counterpoint. The music is, and was composed to be, immediately accessible to a broad audience.

The three movement Symphony no. 4, opus 165, probably Hovhaness' best-known wind work, was composed in 1958. It contrasts brass chorales for trombone and trumpet with long solo themes in the bass clarinet and bassoon. It closes with an extended fugue. The unusual second movement features a haunting solo for xylophone extending the length of the music. It reminded me of a Milt Jackson solo for the Modern Jazz Quartet, which was active at the time this work was composed. The final opens with an extended brass chorale followed by solos for trumpet and winds. Bells and gongs give a mystical character to this symphony throughout.

Hovhaness' three -movement symphony no. 20, "Three Journeys to a Holy Mountain" opus 223 dates from 1969 and was one the composer's works commissioned and performed first by a high school band. Each movement represents a pilgrimage. The tripartite first movement opens with a clarinet solo, followed by an English horn solo, and a long, lyrical climactic section. The second movement begins with a long solo for alto saxophone, and the band gradually joins in over a low droning theme and the roll of drums. The finale features a brass chorale and fugue. Here again percussion and chimes add much to this piece.

The final symphony on this disk, the two-movement "Star Dawn" opus 377 dates from 1983. Hovhaness apparently was fascinated by the possiblity of space travel, an interest I find it best to disregard in hearing the music. Chorale sections are contrasted with long, flowing solo passages for clarinet in the first movement. A drum-roll opens the second movement followed by a long reedy solo and a fugual close. The accompaniment of bells is to represent the stars or, perhaps,human yearning.

The CD includes two short Hovhaness works for band. The "Prayer of Saint Gregory" is a short piece Hovhaness arranged from an earlier composition for trumpet solo, played here by John Wallace, and band The trumpet solo predominates in this brief work with a meditative, searching character. The other short work, "Return and Rebuild the Desolate Places" also features John Wallace on the trumpet. The work opens with a piercing trumpet solo, followed by a loud helter-skelter passage for the ensemble. The second movement also is lead by the trumpet and is a call to rebuild the world from chaos.

This CD and its earlier companion will introduce the listener to the music of Alan Hovhaness. I understand that further releases of Hovhaness' music may be in the offing on Naxos. Naxos is performing a real service to lovers of music in its ongoing "American Classics" series.

Robin Friedman

Average customer rating:

Live At Amoeba Music
TV on the Radio
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
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Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
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Era Vulgaris

ASIN: B000P2676E
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Blues from Down Here
Wolf Like Me
Province
Wash the Day

Product Description

Official Amoeba Music release from a live in store performance on September 22, 2006. Four track disc includes Blues From Down Here, Wolf Like Me, Province, and Wash The Day.

Average customer rating:

Scary horror music at its finest
Darkest Horror Soundtrack
There is a reason this music doesn't sound as good...
Geez, I don't remember the movie music being this bad!
Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman......can't do it.

Philip Glass : The Music of Candyman
Philip Glass
Manufacturer: Orange Mountain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Hours (Score)

ASIN: B00005QFLQ
Release Date: 2001-09-21

Tracks:

Music Box
Cabrini Green
Helen's Theme
Face to Razor
Floating Candyman
Return to Cabrini
It Was Always You, Helen
Daniel's Flashback
The Slave Quarters
Annie's Theme
All Falls Apart
The Demise of Candyman
Reverend's Walk

Album Description

"The Music of Candyman" CD is the original music scores written by Philip Glass and produced by his production company, Euphorbia Productions for the films "Candyman" and its sequel "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh". Subsequent to the first "Candyman" film release, Philip Glass' fans have been requesting access to these recordings. At this time Orange Mountain Music, Philip Glass' new record company, is very happy to make these recordings available. Newly re-mixed to facilitate home stereo playback from the original masters by Don Christensen, this CD will be an important addition to any serious Glass fan's collection as well as a stimulating record for all listeners. The "Candyman" films started out as "The Forbidden", a short story written by the acclaimed horror/fantasy author Clive Barker. It is the story of a graduate student's investigation into a grisly urban legend with distinct racial and social undertones. Director Bernard Rose's ("Paperhouse", "Immortal Beloved") adaptation has given the narrative an underlying intelligence and believability. Unlike most horror films "Candyman" is low on special-effects but still delivers hair raising suspense and surprising shocks, primarily with its creative imagery. Bernard Rose's innovative and realistic direction, the excellent cast (Virginia Madsen as Helen the graduate student and Tony Todd as Candyman) and the Cabrini Green location (a notorious Chicago housing project) made this film an original in its genre. Written for piano, pipe organ and chorus, Philip Glass's score is perfectly suited for this modern gothic tale. Using some of his well established techniques of rhythmic intensity and switching between major and minor key harmonies, Glass's score is as trance inducing and terrifyingly seductive as Candyman himself.

Album Description

In 1990 Philip Glass was approached to compose a score for the psychological horror film 'Candyman' and he provided additional cues for the sequel that followed. Since the release of these films, there has been much demand for a soundtrack album that until now has only been satisfied by bootlegs and cover albums. 2001.

Album Details

Features Music Philip Glass Recorded for the Candyman Films. The Orange Mountain Label is Dedicated to Unveiling Previously Unavailable Gems from the Archive of this Important Contemporary Composer.

Customer Reviews:

Scary horror music at its finest.......2006-10-29

I saw the film "Candyman" several years ago and, being originally from Chicago, the film resonated with me more than if had been filmed in a different city. However, what stuck in my head for a very long time was Philip Glass' surreal, creepy musical score. When I learned there was a CD with the entire score years later I knew I had to have it.

The album actually draws from both the original "Candyman" film and its sequel "Candyman II: Farewell to the Flesh" (which I have not seen) and while there is some carryover musically there are really two separate musical suites on this CD. The first seven tracks are derived from the first film and center on a haunting melody that is the leitmotif for the film's protagonist, Helen Lyle. The tune is first heard most simply in "Music Box", before changing to a piano solo in "Helen's Theme" and finally culminating in the crescendo of a breathtaking choir with resonating basses and soaring sopranos. The remaining tracks build on the sense of horror in the film, particularly the staccato section of high notes in "Return to Cabrini."

The second half of the CD (tracks 8-13) begin with a brief reiteration of Helen's theme before changing over to Annie's theme, a beautiful melody sung by an anonymous artist. Whereas the first film made heavy use of piano in the score, the sequel replaces it with a magnificent pipe organ. "Annie's Theme" finds its own culmination with choir and organ in "The Demise of Candyman" which soars to unexpected heights.

While you might not listen to this CD every day, it is well written and arranged, and is perfect to enjoy as scary "mood music."

Darkest Horror Soundtrack.......2006-09-30

Setting aside any other bad reviews this soundtrack got, the music that Philip Glass produced here is very authentic... I have not heard very many horror movies that actually have such a flawless music score besides Clive Barker's "Hellraiser" Parts 1 and 2. This soundtrack sets a morbid mood and can actually bring down a bright sunny day. For those who know how to appreciate something outside the box of the usual cliche, this is a must have for the dark-minded.

There is a reason this music doesn't sound as good..........2006-07-22

It's evident from the very first notes that this is a re-recording, and not a very good one at that. If you absolutely must have this music in some form, get this CD. To be honest, you'd be better off just playing the tracks from the DVD.

Geez, I don't remember the movie music being this bad!.......2006-06-06

Now I admit that I've never heard any other Philip Glass music prior to obtaining this CD. However, I was hooked on the "Candyman theme" song (actually titled "It Was Always You, Helen", track 6) from the first movie, so I figured there would probably be additional good tracks on the CD. Ok, made me look! To paraphrase Dr. Phil, I was "stupified" as to how awful this CD is, other than track 6 and a not-too-bad track 10 (Annie's Theme). Repetitious organ melodies and unrelenting, overbearing choral vocals (drowning out most of the music) comprise most of these songs. Maybe it can be blamed on the producer for a bad mix, I don't know. What I do know is, after getting about halfway through this CD while listening to it in my car, I was looking into my rearview mirror saying "Candyman, Candyman, Candyman", hoping he'd show up in my backseat and relieve me from listening any further. Sorry, but other than the "Helen" track so memorable from the first movie, this CD is probably just for hardcore Glass fans.

Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman......can't do it........2005-03-02

Quite possibly the best horror soundtrack to the greatest slasher movie of all time. Candyman is one of my all time favorite movies you see, and the soundtrack is one of the main reasons why. It is truly one of a kind. Pick it up. Now.

Average customer rating:

'i love hawaii' song - a peaceful hawaii night
Fresh music from Hawaiian performers

Return to Romance
Matt Catingub
Manufacturer: Mountain Apple Company
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Hawaii | Pacific Islands | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000IMUXKM
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Tracks:

Can't Help Falling In Love (Na Leo, Matt Catingub)
How Deep Is the Ocean? (Keali'i Reichel)
A Time For Love (Dave Koz, Matt Catingub)
My Heart Stood Still (Patti Austin)
Honolulu (I Fell In Love With) (Matt Catingub, Na Leo)
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? (Amy Hanaiali'i)
As Time Goes By (Matt Catingub)
I'm Not Through With Romance (Toni Tennille)
The Very Thought of You (Amy Hanaiali'i, Matt Catingub)
My Romance (Raiatea Helm)
When I Fall In Love (Jimmy Borges)
A Peaceful Hawaii Night (Raiatea Helm)
Let There Be Love (The Brothers Cazimero)
The Way That I Want to Touch You (Toni Tennille)
Air on a G String - Hawaii
That's All (Matt Catingub)

Product Description

"Return to Romance" combines lush orchestrations with the award-winning talents of some of Hawai'i's most recognizable artists to take you on a journey through all the exhilarations of love. Arranged by Honolulu Symphony Pops conductor Matt Catingub and produced by famed Allen Sviridoff, both Grammy Award winners, the album features Keali'i Reichel, The Brothers Cazimero, Raiatea Helm, Amy Hanaiali'i and more!

Customer Reviews:

'i love hawaii' song - a peaceful hawaii night .......2007-05-22

'hear angels calling aloha, sweetly and clear, where breezes carry dreams of love and fragrant flowers bring heaven so near' - the beginning of the song, a peaceful hawaii night - is the best! i love the lyrics and the music. and it's beautiful raiatea helm singing it. the hawaiian touch in the 'air on a g string' exhibits great talent and artistry. then hearing my other favorite hawaiian artists is just fabulous including: keali'i reichel, na leo, amy gilliom, and the cazimero brothers. i did not know that matt catingcub can sing! comforting nahenahe music! they all say 'aloha!'

Fresh music from Hawaiian performers.......2007-03-14

This little-known album is a must for lovers of the great romance songs. The Matt Catingub arrangements are excellent. This leader of the Honolulu Pops (and arranger of the music for "Good Night and Good Luck") has put together a marvelous collection of standards with a new twist. And he has cast of unusual artists: Hawaii's most popular performers, known only for their Hawaiian music, turn their talent to singing standards with great results. I bought this CD for a friend who has no connection to Hawaii but loves romantic jazz. She pronounced this the best collection she'd ever heard.

Average customer rating:

(G)lassy
Excellent
The film was great, but the score made it outstanding.
A Great Soundtrack for a Great Film
ANOTHER GREAT GLASS SCORE!

Philip Glass : The Fog of War

Manufacturer: Orange Mountain Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara
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ASIN: B0000EWQ0S
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Tracks:

100,000 People
Target Destruction
Revolution in the Pentagon
Low Evil
Blind Moles
Behind the Moon
November 1, 1967
IBM Punch Cards
The War to End All Wars
Statistical Control
A New Weapon
Damned If I Dont
The Family
Chengtu
Dominoes
67 Cities
Rolling Thunder
Invitation
Success
Data
Across the World
5 Weeks
Norman Morrison
Snowing
Gulf of Tonkin
Return From Vietnam
Private and Public
Unilateralism
Why Are We Here?
Evil Grade
Body Count
The Light That Failed
No Second Chance
The Fog of War

Album Description

Errol Morris' adroitly assembled documentary film "The Fog of War" examines the career of Robert S. McNamara-- United States Secretary of Defense during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations and whose tenure includes the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crises. Combining excerpts from 26 hours of interviews with McNamara, archival footage, filmed recreations, as well as newly declassified White House recordings Morris' filmmaking illuminates a national past that ominously parallels the contemporary political present. Morris reveals what previous biographies failed to investigate—the relationship between McNamara and the infamous United States General Curtis LeMay and their involvement in the firebombing of Tokyo—along with 67 other Japanese cities—in 1945. Errol Morris states "The easy thing to say would be McNamara is a bad guy, he did all these bad things...the story is more complex and far more interesting than I imagined. The disturbing thing is that this was a man with real ethical dimension who did something terrible."

As with music previously contributed to Morris' films, Philip Glass' score to "The Fog of War" effortlessly supports and enhances the film. The music, at times lyrical and at other times intense, deepens the horrifying images of war, highlighting the ambiguities of McNamara's character—and the consequences of his actions. Glass' music reinforces Morris' effort to understand the difficult ethical questions about governing and power raised by "The Fog of War".

Album Description

The acclaimed composer's score to the 2003 documentary by Errol Morris, their third collaboration. The film is subtitled ''11 Songs From The Life of Robert S. McNamara. Orange Mountain Music.

Customer Reviews:

(G)lassy.......2007-07-28

Some people hear things others never do. Of these, a few write them down. Of these, a small number create a theme and variations upon it that cohere and enthrall.

Philip Glass belongs to this minute group of human beings. Fortunately for us, recorded music exists to make his work available to all and at any time. His soundtrack for the Errol Morros documentary on Robert McNamara is a lesson in how to create film music that unobtrusively ups the ante of the film it graces.

Glass' score both intensifies and accelerates the movie. It is nearly impossible for one not to experience a quickened pulse when Glass pulls together--of all things, a snare drum, a bit of low brass, and a flute.

Ah, that flute. It floats in and out of track after track, bereft of its customary vibrato, a penetrating, entrancing reminder that something serious is going on in the film. It is a masterful use of a small, metal pipe. At the command of Glass, the humble flute and its younger brother the piccolo punch considerably above their weight.

Who could write such a work? Probably only Philip Glass.

The movie's pretty good, too.

Excellent.......2006-08-09

Intriguing historical account of MacNamara- what he was thinking, what he did not say during two administrations involved in the Viet Name war. Use of film footage and Philip Glass' eerie and ominous soundtrack further developed the power of this film.

The film was great, but the score made it outstanding. .......2004-08-05

Ever thought about what it would be like to watch a film with no muscial score? I have and I did for this documentary. Believe me when I write this, there's no way this film would have been as good without Glass' melodic brutality looming in the background.

Glass does something wonderful with this score; he gives war, uncertainty, doubt and fear a musical element, an audible personality that captures each bomb, burnt building and ominous threat in complete perfection, leaving your ears and your mind in a state of disbelief and amazement, thinking to yourself, "Wow, that music fits this segment like a glove."

The Thin Blue Line score made me an instant Glass fan but this score made me borderline Glass fanatic.

In my opinion, he surpasses Carter Burwell in the category of most unflinching film composer.......by a long shot.

A Great Soundtrack for a Great Film.......2004-05-24

Errol Morris is the best documentary film maker ever and The Fog of War is his crowning achievement. The film explores the complexity of war and how it evolves. There is no political bias or agenda here...just plain truth and facts. Great work. Equal to the task is Phillip Glass's soundtrack. The music is haunting and eerie.

ANOTHER GREAT GLASS SCORE!.......2004-03-31

I'll keep this review short, just like the length of the pieces on the CD. This is yet another great score by Glass, and superbly recorded as well. Glass uses his classic strings and percussion to great effect and oftentimes great surprise as well.

This score has more variety than Glass's score for another Morris film, "The Thin Blue Line". By the way, will "The Thin Blue Line" ever get released on DVD?

The pieces are all short ones, which makes it an easier listen for Glass newbies I would imagine, but I would have preferred a few longer pieces- all the short pieces make it sound like "Glass fragments"- on some pieces once Glass gets going he has to come to a stop.

Tracks:

Wild Mountain Thyme
Da Chara (Two Friends)
Air
Green Galliard
Mysterious Habitats
Return From Fingal
Irish Jigs
O'Carolan's Farewell To Music
English Suite: Prelude
English Suite: Folk Song
English Suite: Round Dance
Chant
Cancion y Danza
Suite Compostelana: Cancion
Suite Compostelana: Muneira
The Frog Galliard
The Most Sacred Queene Elizabeth, Her Galliard
Grimstock
A Fancy
David Of The White Rock
Over The Stone
Fanfare
Scott's Muse

Customer Reviews:

Short but sweet.......2007-01-12

I liked the title song though it was too short. I didn't like the fact that the remaining songs were not remotely of the same genre, but instead were essentilly finger exercises for classical guitar.

one of my favorite classical guitar CD's.......2004-10-27

Scott Tennant is an astounding performer, and in my opinion, one of the top 5 classical guitarists in the world. If I had to choose one favorite on this CD, it's his interpretation of Bogdanovic's "Mysterious Habitats". He has got such amazing presence, tone and feel in his playing. He plays with clarity & strength & never sounds mousy or muted. This CD is necessary for anyone studying classical guitar or anyone that just enjoys virtuosic classical guitar and interesting pieces. Just compare Scott's tone to any CD by John Williams, Christopher Parkening or Andres Segovia and prepare to be blown away. If you like this CD, also check out the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ), of which Scott is a member.

Great relaxing music.......2004-06-04

I borrowed this CD from our local library & it is wonderful! I highly suggest purchasing a copy - you will enjoy it.

Average customer rating:

Best Album for at least 5 years!
Worst Album Ever
The future of music
Way better than their previous, but want to slit my wrists
Unique, Outstanding

Return to Cookie Mountain
TV on the Radio
Manufacturer: 4ad Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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The Information

ASIN: B000FG82KO
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

I Was A Lover
Hours
Province
Playhouses
Wolf Like Me
A Method
Let The Devil In
Dirtywhirl
Blues From Down Here
Tonight
Wash The Day

Amazon.com

Album Description

2006 sophomore release from this electronic, arty and atmospheric Post Punk-influenced band from Brooklyn. Features guest appearances from David Bowie and labelmates Kazu Makino (Blonde Redhead) and Katrina Ford (Celebration). This is their first release for the highly influential 4AD label, which should increase their profile considerably. 11 tracks including 'I Was A Lover', 'Hours', 'Wolf Like Me' and more.

Customer Reviews:

Best Album for at least 5 years!.......2007-06-21

On first listen, this album is slightly offputting. It doesn't sound like anything else out there. The vocals are high pitched and take some getting used to. BUT...after two-three listens, especially if you read the lyrics while listening, I guarantee you'll be impressed.

This is not an album for a casual listener, but it rewards a good stereo and a good attention span. Utterly brilliant.

TV on the Radio are also fantastic live.

Worst Album Ever.......2007-04-13

Did like Zeus and all his god freinds get together and like throw a lightning blot at people's brains?
I think I saw it happen last October or something.
People were dropping this album on me like "oh, so hot" "so nasty"
"best album of the year"
And now I think those people are jerks.
This album is horrendous!
It reminds me of something that the kids on Degrassi Jr. High would listen to.
Yo. What are you listening to? TV on the Radio dude.
Let me listen.
Do you like it?
No bro. Don't ever let me listen to any of your music ever again.
These guys are The Flock of Seagulls of the 2000s.
Worst album ever.

The future of music.......2007-04-09

This is one of those destined-to-be-classics. If you let go, allow yourself to soak in the occasional discomfort of their tones, and give it more than one try, you'll find yourself biting into one thick sonic cookie. This is a succession of that cliched "one good song after another," but some tenacity is required to become part of the warmth and driving force that RETURN TO COOKIE MOUNTAIN emanates. This is a step up from 2004's DESPERATE YOUTH, BLOODTHIRSTY BABES, which was absolutely grizzled, primal, smart and sexy; it was, however, a little meandering. RTCM is dynamic, rollicking and does not let up until its last track, "Wash the Day," ends in melting streaks of noise.

The band's vision has materialized already. Tinges of doo-wop, avant-pop, techno, hip-hop and straight-up rock 'n' roll shine throughout. There is no other musical experience like TV on the Radio, because, yes, they are off-kilter and have wildly syncopated, sometimes scary beats, but it all fits into the familiar rock 'n' roll format we all flock to. Essential listening.

Way better than their previous, but want to slit my wrists.......2007-03-31

I'm not attempting to write a very useful review here. Many others have written excellent reviews that I cannot top in any way. The only point I want to make that others have not is that there is something deeply (re: DEEPLY!) depressing about this album. Musically, lyrically, vocally, this album is wonderful, maybe even boarding on outstanding...but mood wise these guys somehow put me in a sad state of mind far easier than any bands that attempt to do so. Play me some old nirvana or cannibal ox and i'd say they sound like the happy beach boy's songs when compared to this album. I really can't explain why this is...but for this reason alone I can only listen to this album occasionally. Perhaps someone who knows more about music can explain to me why this music sounds so dark and sad to me; even their "happier" songs like 'I was a lover' make me wanna curl up in a ball and cry. Mostly i'm writing to get a response...does anyone else experience this effect when listening to this album?

Unique, Outstanding.......2007-03-04

If you like your music creative, adventurous, seamlessly blending many musical influences, great voices/harmonies, a profusion of instruments, and a great beat -- you ought to check out this album. I like variety on my albums, and this one certainly has it. "A Method" sounds like it could have been on Pet Sounds -- with the falsetto and wonderful harmonies -- while "Wolf Like Me" has a catchy foot-stompin rocking beat that will get you out of a funky mood. One of my favorites of 2006.

Return to Cold Mountain: Songs Inspired By the Film

Average customer rating:

Seven Excellent Tunes
Nice acoustic, unassuming, old-timeyish set

Return to Cold Mountain: Songs Inspired By the Film
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Cold Mountain
Back Roads to Cold Mountain
Songs From the Mountain
Cold Mountain (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Come to the Mountain: Old Time Music for Modern Times

ASIN: B0001XXB5M
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Tracks:

The Old John Hardy - David Holt
Pretty Polly - Michael Farr
Back In '29 - Malcom Holcombe
Lorena - Craig Duncan
Whoopie Liza Jane - Don Lewis
Shady Grove - Laura Boosinger
Georgie - Jack Lawrence
Farther Along - Steve McCurry
Black Mountain Rag - Larry Keel
Old Joe Clark - Bruce Greene
Sandy River - Bruce Greene
Cold Mountain Waltz - Don Lewis

Customer Reviews:

Seven Excellent Tunes.......2007-03-18

I do not fully understand why, when this collection is supposed to be based on the movie/book of the Civil War era, they would add music of a later era. There are many songs of the mid 19th century that could have been included other than "Back in '29."
I must say, also, that I am not particularly fond of "Cold Mountain Waltz," "Georgie," and the way "Old John Hardy" and "Pretty Polly" are done.
Now for the good:
The rest of the tunes (seven of them) are excellent. I absolutely love Laura Boosinger's "Shady Grove," which truly takes me to another time and place, and the Lewis, Lewis, and Lewis' version of "Whoopie Liza Jane" is simply great. The instrumental "Black Mountain Rag" shows some very fine guitar work, and this version of "Farther Along" is one of the best I have heard yet.
Done in an Appalachian style (the 'Cold Mountain' movie concentrates itself in Appalachia, hence the reason for the Rebel feel), these seven tunes remind me of how music may have sounded in a small mountain town during the mid-19th century.
Because of the great songs I cited, I feel this would make a fine addition to your period music collection.

Nice acoustic, unassuming, old-timeyish set.......2004-06-23

This is a review about this album, not about the movie "Cold Mountain," (which I thought was pretty lousy). The good news is that the music on here doesn't actually have much to do with "Cold Mountain," other than its being (mostly) Appalachian mountain music, and that the label seems to be hoping it can cash in on the film's name the same way other labels cashed in on the "O Brother" phenomenon a few years ago.

This is actually a fairly sweet old-timey/folkie album, with standards like "Pretty Polly," "Shady Grove," "Lorena," and "Old Joe Clark," some of which date back the Civil War era, and others that, curiously, do not (like the anachronistic gangster ballad, "Back In '29," which makes reference to the most decidedly post-Antebellum automobile...) The opportunistic "O Brother"-ish marketing gambit is a little cheesy, but the album is not. Some heavy hitters like David Holt and Jim Lauderdale appear on here, but most of the musicians are folks I've never heard of, which is always nice... Many, it appears, are North Carolina natives. Not a bad little set.

Return to the Mountain King: A Tribute to Savatage
Average customer rating:

Injustice to Savatage

A band for ages

Return to the Mountain King: A Tribute to Savatage
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Dwell Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Compilations | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music
Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004TTNZ
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Tracks:

Power Of The Night - Divsion
The Dungeons Are Calling - Cage
Chance - Cipher
Sirens - Mesmerize
Hall Of The Mountain King - Dofka
Edge Of Thorns - Portait
Prelude And Resurrection Of The Mountain King - Civilian
Believe - Cyrcle IX
Of Rage And War - Opposite Earth
24 Hours Ago - Wraith

Product Description

1. Division - Power Of The Night2. Cage - The Dungeons Are Calling3. Cipher - Chance4. Mesmerize - Sirens5. Dofka - Hall Of The Mountain King6. Portrait - Edge Of Thorns7. Civilian - Prelude And Resurrection Of The Mountain King8. Cyrcle Ix - Believe9. Opposite Earth - Of Rage And War10. Wraith - 24 Hours Ago

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Injustice to Savatage.......2001-11-20

I'm sorry to say that this album does not do justice to Savatage. Except for the track done by Cage, the singers are of mediocre calibre. If at least they would of stuck to the time of the original music instead of trying to improvise on the vocals too much. Being a hardcore fan of Savatage when Cris Oliva was still alive, with my loyalty diminishing after he died I think that if you really want to see what Savatage are really about, buy their original albums, don't buy only the "Best of" because every song on the album is the best in my book. Sava forever!!!! Cris Oliva you were a god amongst guitarists, we love you, and you will always be with your loyal fans!!! Hail to Jon Oliva too!!!

A band for ages.......2001-03-08

Savatage is one of the bands in the metal scene with the longest trayectory of inovations. Now in this abum you have the oportunity of hearing this inovations clearly, from the erliest classic metal to the most new progresive metal operas they made. I tl`ruly recomend you to buy this album and take pleasure in hearing on one of the better bands in this gener of music.

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