Driver

1. Sometimes

2. Anything

3. What'cha Gonna Do?

4. Never Let You Down

5. I'm Tired

6. Eye to Eye

7. Come a Little Bit Closer

8. Heaven

9. It's Only Love

10. So Real

11. I Don't Need

12. If Tonight

Tracks:

Stars & Satellites
Sorry Baby
Beloved
Cold Dark River
Mockingbird
How To Be Good
King Without a Queen
Mary
Lakewater Hair
London Skies
Coming Back To Life
Love Is Love

Album Description

Though best known as an actress, Minnie Driver defied critics' expectations and established herself as a serious artist and musician with her well-received debut album Everything I've Got in My Pocket. Her new CD SEASTORIES goes farther in exploring new musical territory, from the rich sonic textures of "Beloved" to the bluesy soul of "Cold Dark River" to the seductive minor key groove of "Mockingbird" to the poetic chamber folk of "Lakewater Hair." Producer Marc "Doc" Dauer and guest musicians Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, Liz Phair and Rami Jaffee (The Wallfowers) match but never overwhelm Driver's vivid lyrics, soaring melodies and spirited performances on this thoroughly pleasing collection of intelligent pop.

"Blasting holes in the actor-singer stigma...Minnie Driver isn't like most actors who treat making records as a hobby. She's actually good." - HARP

Customer Reviews:

Is This One A Grammy? In My Heart It Is!!!.......2007-07-25

I loved Minnie Driver's first cd-"Everything I've Got In My Pocket" and this cd: "Seastories" is just as good or even better! I love her smooth haunting vocals and I can't help but feel a slight sadness and yet hopeful undertone while I listen to this. I felt many emotions draw me in, the minute I started to play it. I enjoy all the songs on this cd, but my favorite stand out tracks are: "Stars & Satellites", "Beloved"(my very favorite) and "Mockingbird". What a perfect time of year to release this fresh and exciting new album by Minnie. I believe she will get award recognition for this and if not- she definitely gets an award from my heart and soul, everytime I listen to this. You know the feeling you get when you have a conversation with a close friend you have not heard in a while, that's the feeling I get when I hear her sing....like a comfortable close friend.

Very, very, very good........2007-07-21

I saw her perform this the night the CD was released. It was in a really small bar with a ridiculously small stage. Her band could barely fit on it. Anyway, every song she sang I was hearing for the first time. I knew she could sing but was pleasantly surprised at what I heard from this band. I wondered what the CD would sound like and it is wonderful. A previous reviewer mentioned the first five songs and that is spot on. There's great fare in the vein of Chrissie Hynde, Fleetwood Mac, and even The Band. Here's a suggestion: preview Seastories for free via Rhapsody's service and listen to it through a pair of good headphones. Beautiful music that touches the spirit.

(Addendum)
I've now listened to the CD about 20 times and I'm just thrilled. I previously talked about the first five songs but the sixth song How To Be Good has become my favorite. Beloved is damn close to being the perfect single too. This is one hell of a CD.

Minnie, let me be the first to congratulate you on what should be a well deserved Grammy nod.

Surprisingly stunning.......2007-07-19

After having enjoyed her in several diverse film and TV projects, the most recent one being The Riches, I have really come to respect Minnie Driver as a versatile actress. I had no idea however that she was a musician with 2 CDs out too, and I was blown away when I started to listen to Seastories. I was immediately hooked. She has a bittersweet style that is gentle, melancholic, and completely real and grounded (a surprise for a big actress). I've been listening to the CD for the last couple of days and can't get some of the songs out of my head. They are like ear candy--pleasantly melodic with an emotional presence that hits the spot perfectly. I can't believe that this album--with its folksy/dream pop/atmospheric sound and slight country tinge at times--was made by a British actress! But thanks to its authenticity and accessibility, my disbelief quickly faded and I became enchanted with Minnie's beautiful style.

A Star Indeed!.......2007-07-18

I can only echo another reviewer and say that Driver is IT. However, where I liked much of her first album, despite it's atmospheric slowness (I wished it had rocked a little more, had more variety), with this one, she's stolen my heart. The opening title just engaged me right away, and from there, through the next five songs, it never let up. The seventh and eighth tracks I will have warm up to, but then she hit me with "London Skies" and through to the end, a sort of brief bow called "Love Is Love," I AM in love. Her singing is strong and assured, her songwriting equal to any, in the huge crop of good singer/songwriters working today, and there's lots of thrilling stuff going on behind her, especially the bass work by Chris Feinstein and Al Wolovich on some, and Ed Heywood's pedal steel on "How To Be Good," and the gorgeous ballad that is the climax of this album, "Coming Back To Life." There are nice touches by Liz Phair and others, but this is Driver's moment; the "entire package" includes some nice photos, an added bonus to a CD that will be staying in my changer for a while. Excellent.

SeaStories brings it "too the shores".......2007-07-17

Let Me be the 1st too say..where "evrything i got in my pocket" was a wonderful cd like a ship a-float on the ocean..and her vocals like a breeze of silk..this cd brings it too the shores..no sophmore slump here!! and she puts to rest along standing comment.."actors can't sing/singers can't act">>she is the FULL package! also a wonderful song-writer!..i have listened to this disc 3 times already today, and only got it a few hours ago!.."sorry baby" is a fun up-tempo track..and "beloved" is wonderful!..it's the perfect, what i call "sunday-record"..put on the coffee, read the paper, and just relax and listen!...the only reason i gave it 4-stars is, that for me i just wanted it NOT too end..so really (it's a 5)..i could go on..but then you wouldn't have time to really enjoy the magic (of what i HOPE the record companies keep around)of Minnie Driver!...Peace..may your ears stay happy Bill McClenthan

Average customer rating:

Very mellow soothing sexy CD
Everything I've got in my pocket
Praise to Ms. Driver
if you like tori amos you will like minnie
impressive

Everything I've Got in My Pocket
Minnie Driver , and Minnie Driver
Manufacturer: Zoe Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Seastories
The Futurist
Just Me
Little Voice
Courage

ASIN: B0002W4T4O
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

Everything I've Got in My Pocket
Invisible Girl
Fast as You Can
Wire
Home
Deeper Water
So Well
Hungry Heart
Down
Yellow Heart
Ruby Adeline

Amazon.com

British actress Minnie Driver's debut album is a more than credible affair--and a far cry from the usual travesty that unfolds with thespians who pine to be rock stars--outdistancing efforts by brethren like Don Johnson, Russell Crowe, and more recently Juliette Lewis. But then Driver was well on her way to becoming a recording artist as a member of the Puffs, Rock and Brown, but was sidetracked when she scored the starring role in 1995's Circle of Friends. If this CD is any indication, she should have rethought her priorities. Driver's voice is a wistful and stylish hybrid of a rather morose and breathy Kathleen Edwards and a more austere Sheryl Crow, raiding her own rather colorful autobiography for material, giving fans a chance to pick apart her rather melancholy lyrics to decipher which one of her famous beaus--like Matt Damon, Harrison Ford, Josh Brolin, or John Cusack--inspired them. Driver convinced members of the Wallflowers and Pete Yorn (whose brother is her agent) to play join her in the studio, giving her music a deft authentic gloss that might not have surfaced had she just used nameless studio pros. As a result Driver's music is languid and sensual dream pop, verging on alt country, but never making it over that rickety wooden fence. --Jaan Uhelszki

Album Description

The delete bins of history are littered with the recording attempts of actors who fancy themselves as singers. In the case of Minnie Driver, music actually came first. She began singing in London's jazz clubs as a teenager, eventually joining a band that landed a deal with Island Records. She was in the midst of negotiating a solo deal with EMI when the hit film Circle of Friends came along and changed her life. But she always longed to return to music, and with the release of Everything I've Got in My Pocket, Driver has made the album she's been dreaming of making since her teenage years. Backed by a group that includes members of the Wallflowers and Pete Yorn's band, the album deftly blends Driver's sultry, bittersweet vocals with sparse, atmospheric pop and a hint of contemporary folk. With ten original songs and an unforgettable cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Hungry Heart," Driver's debut marks the arrival of an accomplished singer-songwriter.

Customer Reviews:

Very mellow soothing sexy CD.......2007-06-01

Minnie Driver, what can you say...

Very good actress, believable in romance, funny in comedy, spellbinding in her current project " The Riches", is here a self examining songwriter, and once again a very good one. As a bonus (or due to not enough original tracks to fill out a CD) there is a heart wrenching version of Sprinsteen's "Hungry Heart" that is also quite memorable.
Her voice is a sexy, soft, raspy and breathy, no power balads here, and no iratating vocal runs. It gives it a refreshingly honest feel, like it is meant for just you.

If you are looking for something fairly fresh and mellow, (performed by a grown up beautiful woman) you will not be dissapointed with this buy!

Everything I've got in my pocket.......2007-05-16

A pretty good CD. I really enjoy the title song as well as a few others, but I was not impressed with some songs including the bruce springsteen remake. I would recommend it for the listener trying to find a voice that is enchanting and different than what is currently available in music today

Praise to Ms. Driver.......2006-09-07

Wow! I did not expect much from this album but that just goes to show you should not judge a CD by its cover (or in in this case by its actress/songstress). Minnie Driver has a hauntingly beautiful voice that is reminiscent of Sarah McLachan. I love every song on this album including Ms. Driver's remake of "Hungry Heart." The song that drew me in however is number 6's "Deeper Water." I was sunk with the first note. *smile*

I truly hope Ms. Driver will follow this album with another. It will be a great loss to us if she does not.

if you like tori amos you will like minnie.......2006-03-22

this is the second time I bought this album. I lost the original in a house fire and I like it so much I had to replace it.

impressive.......2006-03-02

I got this CD not expecting much based on the fact it is usually a taboo thing to try to cross over from acting to singing....Boy was I ever wrong,she is amazing,listening to her beautiful voice just calms the soul.If you like Dido or Enya,you will definetly like Minnie.Definetly a must to add to your collection.There is not one song that sticks out,you have to listen to the whole album to appreciate the beauty of it.

Average customer rating:

Great Sampling Collection
Six Decades of Film Music
Excellent collection with fine performances
"essential film scores from 1939 to 2004 ~ Incredible Music"

The Incredible Film Music Box

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Epics: The History of the World According to Hollywood
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ASIN: B0007S687Y
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Gone With The Wind: Overture
Citizen Kane: Overture
Casablanca: As Time Goes By
It's A Wonderful Life: It's A Wonderful Life
The Third Man: The Harry Lime Theme
The Searchers: Suite
The Bridge On The River Kwai: Colonel Bogey March
Vertigo: Prelude
Touch Of Evil: Main Title
Ben-Hur: Parade Of The Charioteers
North By Northwest: Prelude
Psycho: Suite
The Magnificent Seven: The Magnificent Seven
Lawrence Of Arabia: Overture

Tracks:

To Kill A Mockingbird: Suite
The Great Escape: Main Title
Doctor Zhivago: Main Title & Lara's Theme
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Once Upon A Time In The West: Jill's Theme
2001: A Space Odyssey: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Midnight Cowboy: Midnight Cowboy
Get Carter: Main Title
A Clockwork Orange: Ode To Joy
The Godfather: Waltz & Love Theme
Jaws: Jaws
Rocky: Gonna Fly Now
Taxi Driver: Suite
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope

Tracks:

Superman: Main Theme
Alien: End Title
Raging Bull: Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Raiders March
Blade Runner: End Titles
E.T.: The Extraterrestrial: Adventures On Earth
Once Upon A Time In America: Deborah's Theme
Back To The Future: Main Theme
Witness: Building The Barn
Aliens: Main Title
Cinema Paradiso: Cinema Paradiso
Glory: Charging Frot Wagner
Dances With Wolves: The John Dunbar Theme
Unforgiven: Claudia's Theme

Tracks:

The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First
Schindler's List: Main Theme
Braveheart: End Credits
Titanic: My Heart Will Go On
Saving Private Ryan: Hymn To The Fallen
American Beauty: Any Other Name
Gladiator: Now We Are Free
Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring: The Fellowship
The Girl With The Pearl Earring: Griet's Theme
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl: Suite
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban: Suite
Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events: The Letter That Never Came
Finding Neverland: Impossible Opening
The Incredibles: Overture

Customer Reviews:

Great Sampling Collection.......2007-07-29

Over the past thirty years, my father and I have been collecting film music on various formats--vinyl, tape, reel-to-reel, CD, recording it from the movie, even. This collection is a great starter for someone who wants to start owning movie music. Lots of big hitters, including Hermann, Barry, Conti, Mancini, and Goldsmith as well as some contemporary scores that are great, too. This is the type of collection I would make for a friend who asks "what scores should I start with?"

Six Decades of Film Music.......2007-05-13

This is film music for the classical music lover. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra presents excellent arrangements of a number of classic film themes (although several pieces of the 56 film classics selected for this 4 CD set are not orchestral arrangements, but rather specialty arrangements). Besides great film composers such as John Williams, Elmer Bernstein, Ennio Morricone, and James Horner, classical composers such as Richard Strauss and Pietro Mascagni make an appearance. On several of the numbers the Crouch End Festival Chorus adds the human voice to the power of the full symphonic orchestra to create true movie magic. If you like the sound of a full symphony orchestra playing some of the most recognized themes ever written, you'll love these CDs.

Excellent collection with fine performances.......2007-03-28

Silva Screen Records, based in England, has been issuing some fine collections of film scores, more in one box than we have the right to expect. This four-CD box contains scores by many of the best writers, including Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, Dimitri Tomkin, Kenneth J. Alford (The Bridge on the River Kwai), Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Ennio Marricone, John Barry, Nino Rota, John Williams, James Horner, and more. We can all think of additional film scores we wished were included, but then there's no way this collection could be all-inclusive. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, supplemented by Crouch End Festival Chorus on some numbers, does a very competent job...The liner notes give the basic information without any commentary, and as far as I can see, contain only one error. Am I wrong or are tracks 9 and 10 on the fourth CD mislabeled? Track 9, which runs 7:33, seems to have the excitement of "Pirates of the Caribbean" (which I did not see) and track 10, which runs 4:22, the more sedate "The Girl with the Pearl Earring (which I also did not see). Listings seem to have them reversed.

"essential film scores from 1939 to 2004 ~ Incredible Music".......2005-05-16

When I think of the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, many composers come to mind...you gave the usher your ticket in the theater and sat down, knowingly you were going to get your moneys worth...when the curtain opened and you heard those first few notes...you sat back, watched and listened as the film score and orchestra worked their magic...now we have the ultimate from Silva Screen Classics "The Incredible Film Music Box", featuring a four disc set of the essential film scores of the past 60 years...covering several decades from 1939 through and up to the present 2004

There are compilations and then there are "Compilations" beginning with a classic that even the youngsters today recognize "GONE WITH THE WIND" (1939) (Max Steiner), sweeping score that captures the tragic history of the South during the Civil War, one great cue after another, it doesn't get any better than this, nominated by the Academy for Best Original Score...and closing on Disc 4 with "THE INCREDIBLES" (2004) (Michael Giacchino), the big hit in computer animation from Walt Disney & Pixar that once again pit Super-Heroes against the forces of evil...our family of five Supers prove crime doesn't pay, but box-office receipts do...gotta love it!

Silva Screen Classics as usual, has put quality into this 4-CD-Set featuring The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus conducted by Kenneth Alwyn, Bill Ashton, Paul Bateman, James Fitzpatrick, Mario Klemens, Derek Wadsworth, and Nic Raine. Recorded in "Dolby Surround" with the new technology of "HDCD", this is a "film-score-buffs" dream, one to treasure now and years to come.

Some selections are missing, but when you think of what Silva has included, it is impossible to please everyone...was happy to see "TOUCH OF EVIL" (1958) from composer Henry Mancini, as I feel this composer deserves all the recognition that has been overlooked recently in the music world...This collection is aimed directly at the "Serious Film Score" music fans and collectors...Silva is as always, perfect in every way...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1181 ~ (5/10/2005)

Average customer rating:

Excellent performances of a selection of Herrmann's later film scores
Classic, at reduced price

Bernard Herrmann: The Film Scores

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Vertigo: Original Motion Picture Score (1995 Re-recording)
Bernard Herrmann: The Film Scores
Bernard Herrmann: The Twilight Zone (Television Series Score Re-recording)
The Ghost And Mrs. Muir: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Bernard Herrmann Film Scores: From Citizen Kane To Taxi Driver

ASIN: B00077F9AM
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performances of a selection of Herrmann's later film scores.......2007-06-15

Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic produce fine performances of a selection of Herrmann's post-1955 film scores.

The music itself is of variable musical interest.
The music from "The Man who Knew too Much", "Vertigo", "Marnie", "North by Northwest", "Taxi Driver" and "Psycho" shows Herrmann at his best.
"Torn Curtain" and "Fahrenheit 451" find Herrmann at his least inspired and it is a pity Salonen didn't jettison these items in favour of something else.

The performances cannot be faulted and lovers of Herrmann's music will find much to enjoy here.

Classic, at reduced price.......2006-08-15

As much (if not more) than any other film composer, Bernard Herrmann's music stands up to listening independent of the films. The emphasis here is on Herrmann's scores for Hitchcock, when both men were arguably at their creative heights.

Note: this is NOT a collection of original soundtrack recordings. However, Salonen and the LA Philharmonic at absolutely top-notch, and the recording is beautiful. Certain subtleties are actually easier to hear on this recording than on some of the originals.

As if I couldn't recommend this highly enough, the price has been reduced on this reissue! This deserves a wide audience, don't hesitate to buy it.

Taxi Driver: Original Soundtrack Recording

Average customer rating:

Bernard Herrmann's finest
This soundtrack cracks me up
Bernard Herrmann's final film music masterpiece
It's just not complete without Jackson Browne
The movie music composer who touches you emotionally

Taxi Driver: Original Soundtrack Recording
Bernard Herrmann
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Taxi Driver (Collector's Edition)
Raging Bull

ASIN: B000006OHL
Release Date: 1998-05-19

Tracks:

Main Title (Herrmann)
Thank God For The Rain (Herrmann)
Cleaning The Cab (Herrmann)
I Still Can't Sleep/They Cannot Touch (Herrmann)
Phone Call/ I Realize How Much She Is (Herrmann)
.44 Magnum Is A Monster (Herrmann)
Getting Into Shape/Listen You... (Herrmann)
Sport and Iris (Herrmann)
$20 Bill/Target Practice (Herrmann)
Assassination Attempt/After The... (Herrmann)
Reluctant Hero/Betsy/End Credits (Herrmann)
Diary Of A Taxi Driver (Album... (Herrmann)
God's Lonely Man (Album Version, With (Herrmann)
Theme From Taxi Driver (Herrmann)
I Work The Whole City (Herrmann)
Betsy In A White Dress (Herrmann)
Days Do Not End (Herrmann)
Theme From Taxi Driver (Reprise) (Herrmann)

Amazon.com

American composer Bernard Herrmann's last film score was for director Martin Scorsese's (and writer Paul Schrader's) deeply unsettling, Dostoyevskian film noir, Taxi Driver--a portrait of urban alienation that's never been matched. In the slow-motion images of New York City as Dante's Inferno (steam rising into the air to suggest the hellfire below), the orchestral music is ominous and dissonant, a rumble and crash that rises up from the underworld. But Herrmann's other major motif is a slinky, smoldering sax theme that suggests the forbidden pleasures of big-city nightlife--bars and clubs, prostitutes and porno palaces--things Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro) may himself indulge in, but that give him no pleasure. (In fact, they disgust him.) The soundtrack features a track in which Herrmann's music is played behind bits and pieces of narration from Travis's "diary": "Some day a real rain will come along and sweep all the scum off the streets." Unforgettable music, unforgettable movie. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Bernard Herrmann's finest.......2007-01-05

There is something fascinating and still very haunting about this music. The main theme, with such a simple theme of just two notes, is barely music and almost absurd in its base form, but given the pacing, dynamics and subtle orchestration, it becomes gold. In its understated and twisted beauty, if you could even call it that, this is more horrifying than the theme from Psycho, for example. The theme from Taxi Driver is ethereal and subsconscious, rather than in your face. There is great influence of jazz in the score and Miles Davis certainly comes to mind.

For example, listen to "Thank God for the Rain": the music literally inhales and exhales; there is a sublime, constant tension that is never quite resolved. It matches the film and the stressed mind of main character of Travis Bickle perfectly.

It is not without reason that the producers of Taxi Driver, and Martin Scorsese, honored "friend" Bernard Herrmann in the credits by dedicating the film in his memory.

As other reviewers have pointed out, the final tracks (those not scored by Herrmann) sound horrible in comparison. They sound very '70's', which is appropriate for the film and the time, but very dated and not fitting the intense, gritty mood of the film at all. It shows how differently the same material can be handled by two opposing minds, and how drastic the contrast can be. Still, this does not detract from the release, since they are all placed at the end of the CD, so they are easy to skip without hassle.

This soundtrack cracks me up.......2006-04-30

Make no mistake, I love Bernard Herrmann's music and I love the music from Taxi Driver. There's something about his music that hits you in strange places. Like the more haunting parts of the Twilight Zone, or Vertigo, or North By Northwest, or so many other pieces. There's something unconcious about his music. Like a dream. Herrmann suffered from depression most of his life and I think you can hear it in this music. Anyway, this score has a bunch of pieces of that the film composer (not Herrmann) rescored that are just hilarious. In particular the last track, the Reprise, is pure gold. It's such a cheesy rendition of such a powerful piece of music. Awesome.

Bernard Herrmann's final film music masterpiece.......2005-04-30

Bernard Herrmann has been considered by many as the most influential composer working in film during the 20th century. His superb, sophisticated compositions for many films, starting with "Citizen Kane", through others such as "The Day The Earth Stood Still", and of course, "Taxi Driver", are worthy of comparison to great film scores composed by "serious" composers such as Copeland, Prokofiev, and Walton. Indeed, much of the great film music of today, composed by recently departed Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith, and of course, John Williams, owes much of its roots to the classic scores composed by Herrmann and his colleagues Newman and Korngold, among others. Without question, "Taxi Driver", recorded days before his death in 1975, remains one of his finest achievements. It is replete with marvellous repetitions and variations on two themes; a dissonant, angry theme which emphasizes the harshness of urban existence, and the soothing, jazzy saxophone theme evoking the pleasures of sex enjoyed at some of New York City's sleazy bars and prostitution dens. It still holds up remarkably well as the perfect musical background to the scenes featuring the lunatic loner cabbie Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) and the waifish, but by no means innocent, child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster).

It's just not complete without Jackson Browne.......2003-05-17

If you really want to complete your Taxi Driver soundtrack, check out Jackson Browne's "Late For The Sky". The title track is the music for one of the most sublime scenes in the movie, where Travis is watching TV in his living room, just on the verge of madness. You need to hear the song in its entirety.
If only the movie had a separate soundtrack - one with the original score, and one with the songs from the artists of the time.

The movie music composer who touches you emotionally.......2002-12-11

I first became aware of American composer Bernard Herrmann's movie music in 1958 at age nine when I saw "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" on the big screen. I was in awe of the great Ray Harry hausen special effects and the movie music, also, added great excitement to the scenes. At age fourteen I saw another Ray Harryhausen movie with a music score by Bernard Herrmann. Again, Herrmann's music added excitement to the scenes in the movie. Herrmann's music touches me emotionally. That's what I want. I want to feel the music. I didn't see Taxi Driver in 1976 when I was twenty-seven years old. After the publicity of the assassination attempt of President Reagan, the newspapers reported the assassin was inspired by watching the movie "Taxi Driver." I rented the video in 1981 or 1982. The movie is a disturbing account of a New York City cab driver slowly entering into madness. Again, Bernard Herrmann's music added the ingredients that capture Robert DeNiro's character moving into the world of madness. I am a music composer myself using my computer to write original music and Bernard Herrmann is one of the major movie music composers who is a major influence for me. I rented the DVD Collector's Edition of "Taxi Driver" and I enjoyed the "Making of Documentary of Taxi Driver" which was made in 1999. I can write without a doubt that I am glad that director Martin Scorsese seeked Bernard Herrmann and that the late Bernard Herrmann accepted writing the music score after reading the script to "Taxi Driver."

Average customer rating:

Mr. Isserlis...
Universal Music- I had to grab it
Other artists take note - THIS is how recitals are done.
A Masterpiece
Very Enjoyable Listening

Cello World

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Why Beethoven Threw the Stew: And Lots More Stories about the Lives of Great Composers
Saint-Saens: Sonatas for cello No2; Concertos for cello in Dm

ASIN: B000009W8U
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Andante con Variazioni
Violin Sonata No. 3: Intermezzo
(Nocturne et) Scherzo
La Captive, Op. 12
Morceau de concours
Donkey & Driver
The Swan
Song Of The Black Swan
Romantic Piece, Op. 75 No. 4
Duo For Two cellos
Dance Of The Elves, Op. 39
Souvenir russe
The Child Lived
Lied
Romance
Chonguri
Dance Suite
Inner World

Customer Reviews:

Mr. Isserlis..........2005-07-26

What a mix of pieces of which to compare and contrast. Through it all, Steven Isserlis takes us on a wide and varied journey! He truly is one talented artist. Well worth the money. Get a copy and give thanks!

Universal Music- I had to grab it.......2004-09-06

I was just listening to anything "interesting" in cello music & just took this like any other cd. I was hooked from the onsert.The tone of Isserlis is awesome, Beethoven's "Andante con Variazion" with harpschord accompanyment is just great. I continued to listen and things started hitting up when I heard a sorrowful soprano voice by Felicity Lott in Berlioz's "La Captive" song & the piano, cello move around it Oh! my God then & then I decided to purchase it, actually i had decided to purchase "Folk Cello" by Rautio & Ylonen(not available on Amazon, US)then i ended up using my last penny for Isserlis CD.The soprano returns again on Taverner's "The child Lives" with the same impact Wow !what a voice.This was very good for me because I like opera very much & to find it in this setting with the cello & piano was a bonus.ALL tracks in this cd are the greatest ever with a variety of styles from different composers but one song that really captured my imagination was Leonard's "Donkey & Driver" especially at the end. According to the story (as written by artist):there was this donkey trotting merrily along the road when its driver decides to sing a very beautiful sorrowful song well this is said to be a very busy donkey with people to see & their cultures clash then who wins? well listen to the song especially the last part when the cello mimics the sound of the donkey a rebelious one at that.All songs background are also included, the interpretations of the soprano songs in English are also included. Also check out the last song which was enhanced by isserlis when he says he was "hooked" by Carl vine's "Inner world" as played by David Pereira the dedicatee of the work.This is one of the most trilling cello renditions I like the warmth, the tone that is almost humanically lyrical.Well I guess if u love cello & u dont have this then u are missing out.

Other artists take note - THIS is how recitals are done........2001-06-29

'Cello World' is a model recital disc, conceived as a recreation of a typical turn-of-the-20th-century programme of short 'encore pieces'. Naturally, the bulk of the pieces privelege the essence of the cello, its deep, meditative, wistful melancholy - Schumann's sleepy 'Intermezzo', Villa-Lobos' evocative 'Song of the Black swan', Dvorak's romantically sad 'Romantic Piece no. 4', Rachmaninoff's rich 'Lied', Scriabin's atypically accessible 'Romance'.

this low-key mood is interleavened with moments of pure play - Beethoven's mischievous 'andante con Variazioni', a delightful tussle between (transcribed) cello and harpsichord that evokes a blithe aristocratic 18th century world rather than the composer's usual Romantic intensity; Popper's impish 'Dance of the Elves', Seiber's lovely Kreisler pastiche 'Dance Suite'.

There a couple of musical jaw-breakers to 'enlighten' the conservatism of the presumed audience - Tavener's sub-Gorecki 'The Child Lived', and the galloping epic 'Inner World' by Carl Vine, actually played by David Pereira, recorded on amplified CD, full of distorted computer echoes, and a lot more exciting and accessible than it should be.

Most cherishable for me is a little Francophone section near the start - Debussy's unexpectedly sprightly '(Nocturne et) Scherzo'; Berlioz's lyrically lilting 'La Captive', sung by Felicity Lott, for today at least the most beautiful song ever written; Faure's characteristically soulful 'Morceau de concours' (written as a Conservatoire sight test!); Leonard's deliciously funny 'Donkey and Driver', the cello playing the obstinate animal; and Saint-Saens' 'The Swan', a watery dream that defies over-familiarity.

A Masterpiece.......2000-09-10

There cannot be many greater British 'cellists than Steven Isserlis. He commissioned and premiered John Tavener's "The Protecting Veil" in 1989, to huge acclaim, and has championed for many years the 'cello music of Saint-Saens and Schumann. His playing is very energetic and intense (a 'cellist friend of mine noted that you can hear his fingers stopping the strings!) and his musicality shines as brightly as a precious jewel.

It is therefore very good to find this disc. It covers an eclectic range of styles: a set of Beethoven variations (with harpsichord accompaniment) opens the programme, whereas the last track is a strange and colourful work by Carl Vine with electro-acoustic effects produced by an amplified CD; we are also treated to a set of jazzy variations by Matyas Seiber and the wistful "Song of the Black Swan" by Villa-Lobos. Some tracks show the 'cello as a solo instrument, accompanied (these include "Romances" by Scriabin and Rachmaninov, and a "Nocturne" by Debussy) and otherwise (for instance the intriguing "Chonguri" for plucked strings by Sulkhan Tsintsadze). There is a dazzling display in the form of David Popper's "Elfentanz," but there is also a sober and calm use of the instrument in Tavener's "The Child Lived" (which features fine singing from Felicity Lott and shows how far the ''cello soundscape' has affected the composer since he was first approached by Isserlis). There is even a piece by one of Isserlis' relatives, and to hear him perform it is reminiscent of Julian Lloyd-Webber's recordings of music by his father and brother.

Everything about this disc is a joy. The music is good, the performance sparkles, the programme works despite being so varied, and the notes (by Isserlis himself) are witty and delightful to read. Highly recommended!

Very Enjoyable Listening.......2000-02-12

This cd relaxes me when I am working at the computer or driving the car. It covers a wide range of tempos but always pleases. A good cello lover's collection. Some pieces almost make me cry they have so much feeling.

Average customer rating:

better than expected, but if you've never heard it....it may not be what you expect

The Very Air We Breathe
Driver Side Impact
Manufacturer: Victory Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000OYCL5Y
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Tracks:

Introduction
Your Time To Shine
The Heist
Reasons We Sleep
Made Of Gold
Our Lives In Slow Motion
Cadence And Cascade
Cowboys And Indians
We Are Your Own
Life Like Movies
Walk the Plank
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The Artist

Customer Reviews:

better than expected, but if you've never heard it....it may not be what you expect.......2007-06-01

i discovered this band on victory records' site and listened to them and liked them. i'm glad that i can finally listen to them wherever i go instead of just online. the album is great from start to finish, although 2 of the 13 tracks are little instrumental pieces done on keyboard and samplers. a few of the songs are older songs that they redid for the album (the artist, life like movies, cowboys and indians, and i think 1 or 2 others.) the new tracks like "we are your own" and "your time to shine" are amazing. the whole cd is amazing. the only thing that i wasn't too into was that it sounds like they made the version of "walk the plank" for this album a little softer, but it still sounds amazing.
for those of you that have ever seen an add for the cd in a magazine, or the sticker on the cover....disregard what it says. it says that this cd is perfect for fans of the killers, panic at the disco, and thursday. the only relation to the killers or panic at the disco, is the sometimes dancey keyboards. i think the only relation to thursday is the "emo" sound. plus it was produced by sal villanueva who also produced thursday's full collapse. if anything, they remind me a little of chiodos (with alot less screaming), a little of saosin, a little of scary kids scaring kids, and a little of sparta.
basically....if you're curious, go to their myspace or purevolume and listen to them. they're great in my opinion. it's definitely one of my favorite releases from victory records and one of my favorite releases of the year

Average customer rating:

Good Blues
Best Taxi Drivin' Blues Man Going
Mem's Most Memorable Album

A Cab Driver's Blues
Mem Shannon
Manufacturer: Hannibal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000062P
Release Date: 1995-10-03

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My Baby's Been Watching TV
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Amazon.com

Shannon really was a New Orleans cabbie when this CD was made, and his concept of interspersing conversational snippets from some of his fares between his autobiographical blues vignettes is inspired. Fortunately, he also has the talent to take it beyond novelty status. Combining unhurried guitar picking with a burly, dialectically southern voice that's just right for his beleaguered everyman persona, Shannon's abiding strength is his funny, incisive compositions. His lyrics carry the gift of gab, from the woman who "bought Cadillac hubcaps for earrings/and a dress lit up like a Christmas tree" on "My Baby's Been Watching TV," to the conversational father-son rapport that resonates through "Play the Guitar Son." Shannon's offhand poetry deepens what would otherwise be a competent arsenal of blues skills. He's the sort of character who drives around with the weight of the world on his shoulders that he can temporarily get rid of with a single shrug. --Britt Robson

Customer Reviews:

Good Blues.......2007-06-16

Unique album; songs interspersed with dialogue recorded when artist was a taxi cab driver. Some of the dialogue is r rated. Great blues songs

Best Taxi Drivin' Blues Man Going.......2002-07-19

This is a must have for any fan of New Orleans music or the blues. It is flat out the best album I own, and I own over 1000. He is funny, witty, smart, and honest. Buy this CD, open the case, and see what is under the disc if you have any questions about who Mem is. All of his albums are great, but this one is a must have along with "Spend Some Time With Me". If you have [money] buy this CD! Mem is just that good. Thank you Mem.

Mem's Most Memorable Album.......2000-07-28

This was a real surprise when I first heard it. In between some great gutiar riffs and new songs,not retreads, are some "Taxi Cab Confessions" which are quite amusing. The sound is a bit raw but certainly works with the over all feel of the album. Mem's songs have a gritty feel to them and its a great cruising album. But what would you expect from a former cab driver. This album is good but his second album is even better.

Average customer rating:

Perhaps not *quite* what you want...
Nice imaginative collection

Film Noir

Manufacturer: Milan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00081U78G
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

Turning Pages - Matthew Herbert Big Band
Godfather - Terence Blanchard
Silencio - Angelo Badalamenti
They Go Long - Edward Artemiev
Don't Be Worried - Cyril Morin
Suspense - Frederick Rousseau
Chop Shop - Alex Wurman
The Wrong Man - Bernard Herrmann
Simpatico/Misterioso - Ornette Coleman
House Of Silence - Angelo Badalamenti
Mansfield Crash - Howard Shore
Verbal Kint - John Ottman
The Swing - Hans Zimmer
Blues For Guylaine - Andre Hossein
Buckets Of Blood - Pino Donaggio
The Elephant Man - John Morris
Mourning - Claire David
Ballade - Joe Hisaishi
Taxi Driver Suite - Bernard Herrmann

Customer Reviews:

Perhaps not *quite* what you want..........2007-04-27

If you're like me and you have a hankering for "film noir music," you're probably thinking of a lonely sax playing an urban, 3 AM melodic line, backed by some bluesy chords from a small jazz ensemble. Like John Barry's excellent theme from "Body Heat," for example, or something like Jerry Goldsmith's theme for "Chinatown."

Never mind the fact that the great majority of films noir from the classic period (1941-1955) didn't have jazzy background music like that at all, but was usually scored with quasi-classical romantic string music (with a solo violin) or bombastic, brass-heavy instrumentals.

Anyway, this CD isn't the 3 AM sax stuff.

Not to say that there isn't some of that on here. You might like "Godfather" (not, however, the theme you're thinking of from the Francis Ford Coppola Godfather films), or "Blues for Guylaine," or even the bluesy passages from Bernard Herrmann's "Taxi Driver" suite.

But there's some odd stuff on here that causes me to wonder how, precisely, it qualifies as "film noir."

For instance, the dreamy carnival music from "The Elephant Man," or the angular string music in "Buckets of Blood" (from "Carrie," not the Roger Corman film). Seems like a reach. The first cut, "Turning Pages" had me unpleasantly surprised, and triggered my I've been ripped-off alarm. And "Chop Shop" has a wah guitar that sounds a lot more like a 70's blaxsploitation film than film noir.

The inclusion of Angelo Badalamenti helps redeem the collection; his music for "Twin Peaks," "Fire, Walk With Me" and "Mulholland Drive" redefines what a noir theme should sound like.

This CD is odd, no doubt about it. "Godfather," which sounds decidedly noirish, is from a comedy/drama film about a man who's paid to impregnate lesbians. "The Wrong Man" music is relentlessly perky but comes from a bona fide noir. (Okay, a Hitchcock noir, not quite the same thing.)

The key here, I guess, is to enlarge the scope of what you think noir film music ought to be... But perhaps a better title for this collection of music might have been "Neo-Noir!"

Still, credit must be given to liner notes writer Eddie Muller and his Film Noir Foundation for at least directing the current noir wave. His book "Dark City" turned me - and probably many others - to noir. Long may his tribe increase!

Summary: If you're looking for classic/sterotypical, 3 AM wet-pavements-in-the-Dark-City noirish stuff, try John Barry's "Body Heat," which I enthusiastically recommend. Barry practically *owns* that silky/sexy slow sax genre.

Nice imaginative collection.......2006-08-04

A collection of musical cues from various film noir scores, but imaginatively assembled to constitute a new score for a nonexistent movie. Cleverly done, choosing from excellent sources, and not going for the easy or the obvious. It's exciting to hear someone making a connection between Bernard Herrmann and Angelo Badalamenti.