Led Kaapana, a visible mainstay in the Hawaiian Islands scene of slack-key guitarists, presents his first solo studio release here. It's an unadorned gem, needing none of the embellishment characteristic of his 1999 release, Waltz of the Wind, a collection of collaborative music featuring country and Cajun musicians. Though Waltz was intriguing for its wide-ranging samples of fingerpicking, Black Sand will better satisfy purists of the slack-key tradition. The distinct tunings of Hawaiian slack key already give the guitar a crisp yet deeply melodic tone, and in Led's hands, the genre's hues deepen even more brilliantly. His touch is tender, his tone emotive, and his tunes pastoral and melodic. There's nothing astounding here, but such is the case with recent releases from fellow slack-key masters Keola Beamer and Dennis Kamakahi, but like those albums, Black Sand is quietly eloquent and dignified, exquisite for its simple essence alone. --Karen K. Hugg
Black Sand,Ledward Kaapana,Windham Hill Records,Hawaii,Hawaiian,Hawaiian Music,Int'l & World Music,Pop,Slack Key Guitar,Slack-Key Guitar,World Music
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Black Sand
Ledward Kaapana Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00004TDOV Release Date: 2000-06-06 |
Tracks:
- Punahoa Special (Instrumental)
- Koke'e (Instrumental)
- Ninipo Ho'onipo (Instrumental)
- Mokupuni Nui (Vocal)
- Aloha La No O Maui (Instrumental)
- Nui Papa (Tahitian Slack Key)(Instrumental)
- Tue Hey (Instrumental)
- Kanaka Waiwai/O Maria (Instrumental)
- Waiakanaio (Instrumental)
- Highway To Hana (Instrumental)
- Salomila/New 'Opihi Moemoe (Instrumental Duet)
- 'Akaka Falls (Instrumental Duet)
- Black Sand (Instrumental)
Amazon.com
Led Kaapana, a visible mainstay in the Hawaiian Islands scene of slack-key guitarists, presents his first solo studio release here. It's an unadorned gem, needing none of the embellishment characteristic of his 1999 release, Waltz of the Wind, a collection of collaborative music featuring country and Cajun musicians. Though Waltz was intriguing for its wide-ranging samples of fingerpicking, Black Sand will better satisfy purists of the slack-key tradition. The distinct tunings of Hawaiian slack key already give the guitar a crisp yet deeply melodic tone, and in Led's hands, the genre's hues deepen even more brilliantly. His touch is tender, his tone emotive, and his tunes pastoral and melodic. There's nothing astounding here, but such is the case with recent releases from fellow slack-key masters Keola Beamer and Dennis Kamakahi, but like those albums, Black Sand is quietly eloquent and dignified, exquisite for its simple essence alone. --Karen K. HuggCustomer Reviews:
Fantastic performance almost ruined by bad sound engineering.......2007-03-17
Beautiful Slack Key.......2007-03-08
Classic Led .......2007-01-10
Excellent CD.......2005-07-25
Beautiful. Great to work to!.......2005-04-09
I play Led Kaapana instrumental CDs when I have to fully concentrate -- writing or analyzing something difficult.
If you get a chance to see him live, do so. His playfulness and sense of humor adds tremendously to his excellent live performance. The record company has an email list that announces his tours.
http://www.dancingcat.com/artists/Led_Kaapana.html
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Dog in the Sand
Frank Black and the Catholics Manufacturer: What Are Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000560GU Release Date: 2001-01-30 |
Tracks:
- Blast Off
- I've Seen Your Picture
- St. Francis Dam Disaster
- Robert Onion
- Stupid Me
- Bullet
- The Swimmer
- Hermaphroditos
- I'll Be Blue
- Llano Del Rio
- If It Takes All Night
- Dog In The Sand
Amazon.com
In theory, there was no reason why Frank Black, a.k.a. Black Francis, shouldn't have carried on making great records after he left the Pixies; after all, he wrote and sang almost all the songs. However, all truly great bands are more than the sum of their parts, and Black's solo career has served largely as a resounding confirmation of this truth. He has had his moments, but has never come close to the towering heights he scaled with his old band. Perhaps by way of grudgingly acknowledging this, Dog in the Sand finds Black re-enlisting Pixies' guitarist Joey Santiago. Santiago, a dazzlingly inventive and versatile player, has been bewilderingly quiet since leaving the Pixies, and seems keen to make up for it here, deploying his formidable range. His contribution to what is certainly Black's best solo album is crucial, from the frenetic power chords of "If It Takes All Night" to the subtle picking of "Robert Onion" to the exuberant solo of "Bullet." Now, if Black can only persuade Kim Deal and David Lowering to come out of retirement as well, he might really be onto something. --Andrew MuellerCustomer Reviews:
Crank it and enjoy.......2005-10-14
The excellent interplay of this strong band keeps things in high gear. The quality of the songs and performances, especially the up-tempo tracks, will keep this CD near the top of my current stack for some time.
There are a couple of stumbles, IMHO, such as Stupid Me which sounds too much like something John Lennon might have concocted, but that's a minor matter considering how many gems are here, from the raucous opening Blast Off, to the compelling St. Francis Dam Disaster, the biting Bullet, the offhanded Llano Del Rio, and the scary Hermaphroditos.
Crank it and enjoy.
Rock with a brain.......2005-04-18
HIGHLIGHTS:
Far and away, "If It Takes all Night" (which was played on the radio here if not in sections of the U.S. other reviewers are from) is the track here that fully catches fire. "St. Francis Dam Disaster" has the feel (if not the sound) of a folk standard about a killer flood.("A cascade down to Santa Clara way/Near sixty feet high/Now she's a mile wide/It was clear she was going far away/And whole towns were too/A few got lucky in Piru") "I've Seen Your Picture" is a tribute to the ubiquity of commerce with Black doing his best Mick Jagger pout. "Robert Onion" with its line "Makes me feel so tired/Another layer and layers and layer, oh no/Robert can you find your way?/Show me the way to come" is probably self-referencing its inscrutability. It's great wordplay that incorporates mythology (siren, possibly Diana), chess (Zugzwang), and marine lore (Jack-Tar, cinnabar may also be a reference to a coral reef since cinnabar is a reddish mineral). "Bullet" also delves into myth. "Swimmer" apparently derives from a true story of a person headed toward "the latitudes" (Horse latitudes..a calm area of the sea in the Southern hemisphere)..maybe somewhat of a merman as he's adept at "Finding all the edible/Prize of the sea"? Nicely poetic if a bit odd.
LOW POINTS:
"Blast Off" is a mildly enjoyable Stonesish low-key rocker but it goes on WAY past necessity. Get out the razor blade and edit that puppy somewhere around the 5 minute mark. "Dog in the Sand" is a bit weak lyrically.
BOTTOM LINE:
Definitely one that will have you reaching for the dictionary, but some very good tunes here. If you want basic no-frills rock with a bigger IQ behind it, this might be your ticket.
Excellent Record.......2004-03-03
i also recommend the first two frank black albums prior to joining up with the catholics : "frank black" and "teenager of the year", and, of course, the pixies stuff is brilliant. (note that the cult of ray features the guys dubbed the catholics on the later cd's.)
One of the better recent FB LPs.......2004-01-01
check out the pixies.......2003-08-21
Listening to FB, I made the logical step of seeing what the Pixies were all about. In a nutshell, I was floored. I picked up Doolittle and found one of the most original, unique sounds I've ever heard (even after the entire alternative music circuit tried to emulate them). I will say that I hate alternative music, which is to say I hate the music played on alt music radio (certainly not all alt music). I have heard that the Pixies spawned "alt rock" and i doubt "alt rock" would exist without them. Regardless, I say all of this to make the point that anyone who enjoys music is doing themselves a disservice by not at least listening to doolittle (the other albums are also great).
Many things I have read about FB consists of people complaining that it is not as good as the pixies. This angered me at first b/c I thought FB's solo work was pretty good. Then I listened to the Pixies. I am not here to say one is better that the other; I simply want to say that the Pixies are worth checking out even 15 years after the fact.
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Black Sand
Bill O'Connell Latin Jazz Project Manufacturer: Random Chance ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005N850 Release Date: 2001-09-25 |
Tracks:
- Latin Jazz
- Black Sand
- Blue Brazil
- Obakoso
- Alhamba
- Kidz
- Fire Dance
- Gentle Rumba
- Son Of A Montuno
- Trepidation
- Iguana
- It's Alright With Me
Customer Reviews:
Pamela Harvey ,Another Great One.......2006-07-04
Strong set by Latin jazz original.......2001-12-17
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Black Holes in the Sand
Gravenhurst Manufacturer: Warp Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0002VYJ22 Release Date: 2004-11-02 |
Tracks:
- Black Holes in the Sand
- Flowers in Her Hair
- Still Water
- Winter Moon
- Diane
- Flashlight Seasons
Customer Reviews:
A winter moon.......2004-12-24
It opens with the title track, which would sound like an ordinary folk song if it weren't so eerie. Omnichord adds a spacier note to Talbot's guitar strumming, and after his dreamlike singing, the song blossoms into a semi-gothic tapestry of sound. It's pretty gorgeous.
The following songs seem to be attempting to be ordinary folk songs, but none of them quite succeed in being ordinary. Only the Husker Du's "Diane" comes across as a pure folk song, and that's until you hear the creepy (murder/rape) lyrics. The other songs are laced with slightly offbeat melodies, eerie sound effects, and the chilly distance of "Winter Moon."
Talbot seems to be pushing the boundaries of what is usually considered folk music. Good for him, even if the results are sometimes disturbing. He sounds like the more morbid brother of Badly Drawn Boy, tinkering with typical music styles and churning out some truly beautiful songwriting.
Talbot's more morbid side comes out in "Flowers in her Hair," the story of a witch who returns to haunt the people who killed her. "Still Water" is a rambling look at ancient civilizations, with only ruins left. Even the most upbeat song has "outside the winter moon shines down/through branches of needle trees rake the black sky like leaves/and the stars are silent." And the only thing that keeps all of this from sounding as disturbing as it should is that he has a lovely, smooth voice.
Talbot also plays a good acoustic guitar, which grounds his creepy, ghostly songs. To shake things up, he includes cello and omnichord, played by Jeffrey Alexander and Miram Goldberg, as well as a tangle of tambourines and a sort of distorted Telecaster sound. And is that an organ?
Gravenhurst's follow-up to "Flashlight Seasons" is a beautifully dark chunk of psychedelic folk -- definitely worth checking out. Just don't listen to "Diane" when it's dark out.
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Dog in the Sand
Frank Black and the Catholics Manufacturer: Spin Art ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000089CJZ Release Date: 2003-02-04 |
Tracks:
- Blast Off
- I've Seen Your Picture
- St. Francis Dam Disaster
- Robert Onion
- Stupid Me
- Bullet
- Swimmer
- Hermaphroditos
- I'll Be Blue
- Llano del Rio
- If It Takes All Night
- Dog in the Sand
- Robert Onion [Acoustic Demo][*]
- Blast Off [Acoustic Demo][*]
- Stupid Me [Acoustic Demo][*]
- If It Takes All Night [Acoustic Demo][*]
Album Description
''This is Black's strongest set of songs since 1994s Teenager Of The Year, largely because the trademark wit and weirdness are back'' - Q Magazine. Originally released in 2001, this re-release features fellow pixie Joe Santiago and former Pere Ubu multi-instrumentalist Eric Drew Feldman. Includes 4 unlisted bonus tracks, all acoustic demos of 'Robert Onion', 'Blast Off', 'Stupid Me' & 'If It Takes All Night'. SpinArt.Customer Reviews:
If it takes all night..........2006-11-30
I am the rare child of the 90s who enjoys Frank's solo stuff more than his work with the Pixies. Don't get me wrong, the Pixies are amazing, they put out a bunch of startlingly original and unrelentingly catchy albums while maintaining their status as a great touring band with a strong stage presence. But Frank's stuff is more personal, his vision is something that has grown even more unique over time. No matter what he's playing, you can tell it's him...not just words and music but a feeling. The man and his magic. This album is where it really gels. His best since my favorite one of his, Teenager of the Year, Black sounds relaxed and confident. He is equally at home on folky strummers (St. Francis Dam Disaster), bizarro rockers ("Hermaphroditos"), and piano-driven bluesy bar tunes (If It Takes All Night," my personal fave here). The man is not trying too hard, obviously, and is having some fun. It shows. I will never tire of this gem.
There are a lot of five star reviews on Amazon, and I may be in part responsible for that, but really this is worth it, really. Honest. Would I let you down?
One Great Album !.......2005-02-03
Black in the Sand.......2003-04-15
After nothing short of worshiping FB's first 3 solo albums, I was kind of disappointed by the first 2 offerings from FB & the Catholics. The production was lower, the performances were done live but sloppily at times, the lack of instruments made the arrangements emptier, and while some of the songs were FB-signature compositional gems, a good bit of it seemed musically and lyrically uninspired (for Frank, I mean... not saying it still didn't blow away 99% of the mindless [stuff] out there). Well, this was the album that got me back into Mr. Black with both feet. This album is sort of laid back and definitely a bit country-western in its instrumentation (lots of acoustic guitar, plus slide, pedal steel, piano, and even banjo), but Frank just seemed to be oozing with unique musical and lyrical ideas again. Still recorded live to 2-track, but way more instruments, much better performances, and perhaps some of Frank's most crisp and dead-on singing to date. Not a dud song in the bunch really, and that is quite an improvement from Pistolero and the Catholics 1st album.
Second, about this version, the one with bonus tracks:
Why this version is always cheaper than the original album, I have no idea. It is identical to the original album-- same CD, same cover art, same track listing-- EXCEPT, you get 4 acoustic demos at the end (not listed on the back cover). You get to hear "Stupid Me," "If It Takes All Night," "Robert Onion," and "Blast Off" demos, and they aren't just [crummy] sound quality dud tracks. It's like a Frank Black solo unplugged session to close out the already awesome album for you, and it's terrific. Especially "Stupid Me" and "Robert Onion"-- his voice sounds as cool if not cooler on the demo versions compared to the regular versions. To sum up, you should get this album, and there is no excuse for not getting this enhanced version of it!
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Dog in the Sand
Frank Black and the Catholics Manufacturer: What Are Records? ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B00004UFTM Release Date: 2000-01-01 |
Tracks:
- Blast Off
- I've Seen Your Picture
- St. Francis Dam Disaster
- Robert Onion
- Stupid Me
- Bullet
- Swimmer
- Hermaphroditos
- I'll Be Blue
- Llano del Rio
- If It Takes All Night
- Dog in the Sand
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Mad - Oye
Blaksand Manufacturer: Lance Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000674BVG |
Product Description
14 Tracks
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Giant Songs: The Best Of Giant Sand
Giant Sand Manufacturer: Black Sand/Demon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000PDM9QK |
Product Description
English Import. 17 Career-Spanding Tracks. 1989 Demon Records.
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Eine Rose Schenk Ich Dir
Roy Black Manufacturer: Spectrum ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000025D5O |
Tracks:
- Eine Rose Schenk' Ich Dir
- Hast Mich Heut' Noch Nicht Gek
- Concert d'Amour
- Lieben Hei Leiden
- True Love
- Gr Die Heide
- Bella Marie
- Ich Tanze
- So Wie Wir Zwei
- Santa Lucia
- Der Letzte Walzer
- Bist du Einsam Heut' Nacht
- Rose WeiRose Rot
- Sand in Deinen Augen
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Prints in the Sand
Hal Singer Manufacturer: Black & Blue France ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B00004TDNL Release Date: 2002-07-01 |
Tracks:
- Prints in the Sand
- Everything Happens to Me
- Thingking of You
- To Hugo
- You Don't Know What Love Is
- My Foolish Heart
- Moon Walking
- Soul Trane
- Old Folks
- Stella by Starlight
- Misty
- Rendez Vous
Rock Music:
- Bowmboï
- Brasileiro
- Brazilectro [Box set]
- Ce Soir, Apres Diner [Import]
- Chakra Chants 2
- Children's Nursery Rhyme Songs in Spanish/Canciones Infantiles Para Ninos en Espanol
- Didgeridoo Dreaming: Gold Collection [Import]
- DRUMSEX
- El Danzon de Moises
- Ethiopiques 20: Live in Addis [Live]
Recommended Music:
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 8
Brahms: Symphony in Cm No1, Op68; Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35
Lee Roy Parnell, Vol. 2 [Karaoke]
Anubis Zone of the Enders [Import]
Aos Mestres Com Carinho: Homenagem Ao Partido Alto [Import]
Beautiful Vision [Import] [Original recording remastered]
Bernstein Conducts Mussorgsky, Dukas, Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns