Released one year after his breakthrough recording The Lion, Set clinches Youssou N'Dour's international stardom. From start to finish N'Dour is in fine voice and his band, Super Etoile de Dakar, provides flawless backing. Not one to shy away from tough topics, N'Dour tackles a variety of issues, from the pain and joy of love, to the heartfelt protest of the dumping of toxic waste on undeveloped nations by richer, more developed countries. Set is produced by Michael Brook, who brings out the best in Youssou and the band with a clean and vibrant sound. Daniel Lanois produces one track and is equally successful. There is no formulaic approach to the music on this CD; the song "Xale" puts Youssou together with a classical music style string sextet--a joining that works surprisingly well. The title track has a crisp, pushy rhythm matched by Youssou's imploring voice which underscores the text of the song: the urgency of the need for international cooperation, and the responsibility that the superpowers bear in working for peace. --Jeff Grubb
Set,Youssou N'Dour,Virgin Records,Africa,African,Afro-Pop,Int'l & World Music,Mbalax,Pop,Sahel,Senegal,World,World Music,Worldbeat
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LIL WAYNE DA DROUGHT 3 (MIXTAPE) 2 CD SET
Manufacturer: Song List ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000PV12JC |
Product Description
New mixtape from Lil Wayne Da Drought 3. What you have been waiting for one of the biggest mixtape releases for 2007. 2 disc set.Customer Reviews:
Fire.......2007-08-01
Beast.......2007-07-24
HIS LYRICAL SKILLS ARE UNBELIEVABLE...HE CAN MAKE SENSE OUT OF NON SENSE!!
I WISH I HAD ANOTHER SET OF HANDS SO I COULD GIVE THIS MIXTAPE 4 THUMBS UP!!
Ballin'.......2007-06-13
Very Impressive.......2007-05-24
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Sinatra: Vegas (Box Set, 4CD/1DVD)
Frank Sinatra Manufacturer: Reprise ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000GIWS6A Release Date: 2006-11-07 |
Tracks:
- Introduction/Announcement
- The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else
- Don't Cry Joe
- Imagination
- Moonlight In Vermont
- Without A Song
- In The Still Of The Night
- Here's The Rainy Day
- The Moon Was Yellow
- Monologue
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- The Second Time Around
- River Stay 'Way From My Door
- The Lady Is A Tramp
- Just One Of Those Things
- You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You
- Bows
- Young At Heart
- Witchcraft
- On The Road To Mandalay
- Bows
- Sinatra Speaks On Segregation In Nevada
Tracks:
- Introduction
- Come Fly With Me
- I've Got A Crush On You
- I've Got You Under My Skin
- The September Of My Years
- Street Of Dreams
- Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
- Monologue
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- The Shadow Of Your Smile
- Get Me To The Church On Time
- Luck Be A Lady
- It Was A Very Good Year
- Don't Worry 'Bout Me
- My Kind Of Town
- Introduction
- My Kind Of Town (Reprise)
- Sinatra Speaks On Working With Count Basie
Tracks:
- Get Me To The Church On Time
- I Get A Kick Out Of You
- I Can't Get Started
- Without A Song
- Hey Look, No Crying
- The Lady Is A Tramp
- Monologue
- Night And Day
- All Or Nothing At All
- The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else
- These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
- Something' Stupid
- Theme From New York, New York
- Bows
Tracks:
- I've Got The World On A String
- At Long Last Love
- Witchcraft
- The Gal That Go Away / It Never Entered My Mind
- For Once In My Life
- My Heart Stood Still
- You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
- Monologue
- Spring Is Here
- What Now My Love?
- i Get Along Without You Very Well
- Pennies From Heaven
- Angel Eyes
- Mack The Knife
- Bows
Amazon.com
Mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel may have laid the physical cornerstones of Las Vegas, but it was Francis Albert Sinatra who gave Sin City its swinging musical soul. Spanning a quarter century, this four-CD-plus-bonus-DVD collection of previously unreleased recordings captures spirited Sinatra shows at the Sands, Caesar's, and Golden Nugget--performances that initially underscore the salutary effect the desert playground had on the singer's muse, then warmly chronicle the autumn years of a triumphant career. A pair of '60s gigs at the Sands (of which Sinatra was part owner) capture an artist still building on his musical legacy in the midst of rock's rising fortunes. The 1961 show turns on the riches of his Capitol years, a musically straightforward set that balances the singer's interpretations of reflective material like "Moonlight in Vermont" and "In the Still of the Night" with upbeat, typically playful renditions of such Sinatra signatures as "Young at Heart," "The Lady Is a Tramp," and "Witchcraft." But it's the '66 performance that may be the most intriguing for Sinatraphiles: A live workout with Count Basie and his orchestra that eschews the singer's mid-decade comeback hits--and even material from the recent Sinatra-Basie collaboration--in favor of a sassy set that's less summit meeting than swinging soirée, a freewheeling highlight reel from his back catalog that finds singer and band engaging each other with playful, often dizzy abandon. The anthology's '82 and '87 sets from Caesar's and the Golden Nugget, respectively, aren't nearly as musically challenging, showcasing a vocalist and still-boisterous crowd-pleaser who might have stopped breaking musical ground, yet never ceased reveling in the glories--and laughs--he could still bring to the moment. Rat Pack partner in crime Dean Martin stops by Caesar's for some good-natured razzing, while daughter Nancy guests on the set's lovably ditzy take on "Somethin' Stupid." The bonus DVD captures another unreleased rarity, an entire May 1978 Caesar's gig taped by CBS during a period when the singer had largely retreated from the spotlight. While his voice sometimes betrays the ravages of time on these later performances, Sinatra's mercurial humor and indomitable spirit simply spirit won't be denied. --Jerry McCulleyAlbum Description
A 4CD/1DVD boxed set of unforgettable live performances, all previously unreleased!! Disc 1 - Recorded at the Sands, Las Vegas, NV November 1961; Disc 2 - Recorded at the Sands, Las Vegas, NV January-February 1966; Disc 3 - Recorded at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV March 1982; Disc 4 - Recorded at the Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, NV April 1987; DVD - Recorded at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV May 1978Customer Reviews:
Sinatra: Vegas, Birthday Gift.......2007-08-06
Sinatra on stage.......2007-06-27
"IT".......2007-05-28
You see, I became addicted to Sinatra about ten years ago after hearing one of his songs at the end of a movie (it was like I was hearing music for the first time). About ten thousand albums later I ran across this little gem. I will admit that I was a tad bit skeptical before I bought this set. I thought there wouldn't be much new to hear here. I couldn't have been more mistaken. The sound quality is great, the bands swing, and Sinatra is doing what he does best, being Sinatra. It really doesn't matter how many times you have heard Frank sing these songs. When he sings them live it is like you are hearing them for the first time all over again. First a smile will appear on your face. Next the foot will start tapping out the beat. Before you know it, you will be standing there with a microphone (remote control) putting on the show yourself. You would think that you would have to give up something more than just money to get this kind of satisfaction.
What I am trying to say is buy this set. You will be transported back to a time when optimism ruled America, gas was 15 cents per gallon, and you actually had to have talent to make it in show biz. There is a reason why people will still be listening to Frank in a hundred years and will have never even heard the name Britney Spears, IT! I don't mean that facetiously. I mean that abruptly. Buy the box set, and you will understand.
Would rate it 10 stars if possible!.......2007-05-16
Sinatra Vegas.......2007-05-13
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Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set
Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000HRME5U Release Date: 2006-10-17 |
Customer Reviews:
A Superb Bach Compilation.......2007-07-27
We started our listening with the d Chaconne for unaccompanied violin. The performance of this great work rivals the greatest performances we have heard. It is articulate, technically superb and the musical interpretation transcends the limitations of early music performance practice. Listening to other of the single instrument works, concerti and contatas has further underscored the excellence of this collection.
One of the nicest aspects of the collection is its presentation. Having Bach in a box is like reaching for a Whitman's chocolate - convenient and pleasurable. Though we already have thousands of classical CDs, vinyl records and tapes, we consider this collection to be a major component of our musical library. And best of all, in order to listen to the entire set, without overBaching ourselves, we will have this pleasure for many years to come.
Annnandrome
Remarkable.......2007-07-26
Amazon.com is the place that delivers good goods!.......2007-07-25
Deserves 10 stars.......2007-07-18
Excellent Bach Collection.......2007-07-05
If you are into studying bach, euro recordings, musicology, this is a good purchase.
Only criticism is on a few recordings the balance/mix is not the best. However, it all sounds wonderfully recorded.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BLI3K2 Release Date: 2005-10-25 |
Album Description
Mozart Edition: The Complete Works will make a great gift this Holiday season for the music lover in your life or someone who is hard to buy for. This collection contains 170 discs of completed works by Mozart in one beautiful package. Also included is a cd-rom containing essays on his works, artist bio's, text and libretti's. At this super low price all music lovers will enjoy the Symphonies - Concertos - Serenades - Divertimenti - Dances - Chamber Music - Church Sonatas - String Ensembles - Violin Sonatas - Keyboard Works - Sacred Works - Concert Arias - Songs - Canons and Operas in this collection.Customer Reviews:
Wonderful.......2007-07-30
It's absolutely fantastic, great music in a excellent box!
I really loved it!
a surprising offer.......2007-07-05
Welcome to Perfection.......2007-06-28
Buy this as an encyclopedia of Mozart, then add other recordings..........2007-06-22
The Requiem, conducted by Nicol Matt (2001 recording) has had better performances, and for this I would recommend Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG) and Colin Davis/London Symphony (Philips), which use a larger choir and orchestra, and have more drama where it is needed. The other choral works conducted by Nicol Matt are better, especially "Exsultate Jubilate" motet, the short Masses, and "Ave Verum".
Also worthy of mention are the "Posthorn" and "Haffner" Serenades, by Colin Davis/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, licensed from Novalis for this release.
This is a great overview, and Brilliant Classics are to be commended for making it available at a low price, to get Mozart's music out to the mass public. It's a great buy, but I would get the Bohm Symphonies, and also Piano Concertos by either Ashkenazy/Philharmonia (Decca), Perahia/English Chamber Orchestra (Sony) or Anda/Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg (DG) for supplements. Also, Karl Bohm's recordings of the operas: The Magic Flute, the Marriage of Figaro, Idomeneo, and La Clemenza di Tito (all DG) are required listening, too. Recommended, but not as the only recording of Mozart's works.
Great value..Cant beat this deal at all!!!.......2007-06-13
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The Ultimate Jesse Cook (2-CD Set)
Jesse Cook Manufacturer: Narada ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BF0D9M Release Date: 2005-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Mario Takes A Walk
- Air
- Paloma
- Byzantium Underground
- Baghdad
- Surrender
- Switchback
- Brio
- Red
- Early On Tuesday
- Breeze From Saintes Maries
- Breathing Below Surface
- Closer To Madness (Live)
Tracks:
- That's Right
- Tempest
- Rattle And Burn
- Azul
- Gravity
- Fall At Your Feet
- Dance Of Spring
- Into The Dark
- On Walks The Night
- Gipsy
- Waiting For Tide
- Cascada
- Toca Orilla
Album Description
Jesse Cook began his amazing career on Narada, signing with the label in 1994. One year later, he released his debut album TEMPEST. The album quickly sold over 100,000 units in the U.S. alone and propelled the rumba flamenco guitarist into the limelight just as "world music" was gaining broader acceptance among mainstream audiences. His astounding chops, sultry rhythms, and undeniable stage flair combined to make Cook one of the stars of the genre.Since then, he has become an international phenomenon. He's reached rock-star status in his native Canada, his Juno-award winning albums have sold over 1 million units worldwide, and his live shows are legendary. THE ULTIMATE JESSE COOK captures all the fire of Cook's most popular hits from his 6 albums on two, specially-priced CDs.
Customer Reviews:
Great Compilation.......2007-07-31
Great Music.......2007-05-13
Best I've Heard!!.......2007-03-09
Excellent mix, excellent value.......2007-01-09
Secondly: you get 2 disc for the price of one
Finally: you get an excellent production/sound quality.
Amazing!.......2007-01-04
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Box Set
Ray Stevens Manufacturer: Curb Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000B9EY70 Release Date: 2006-02-28 |
Tracks:
- It's Me Again, Margaret
- Too Drunk To Fish
- Misty
- Freudian Slip
- Sittin' Up With The Dead
- Everything Is Beautiful
- Power Tools
- Drivers Education
- Hang Up And Drive
- Ahab The Arab
- The Ballad Of The Blue Cyclone (The Beginning)
- Blue Angel
- The Ballad Of The Blue Cyclone (The End?)
- Pledging My Love
- The Woogie Boogie
- Love Will Beat Your Brains Out
- The Haircut Song
Tracks:
- The Streak
- The Mississippi Squirrel Revival
- Family Funeral Fight
- Deerslayer
- Safe At Home
- Boogie Woogie
- Virgil And The Moonshot
- The Hustler
- Osama Yo' Mama
- Hello Mama
- Let's Roll
- We're Havin A Baby
- When The Kids Are Gone
- Turn Your Radio On
- Kitty Cat's Revenge
- Juanita & The Kids
- Thank You
Tracks:
- Shriner's Convention
- Nashville
- Erik The Awful
- The Dog Song
- The Cat Song
- When I Get Over You
- The Pirate Song
- Come On Home To Baseball
- Gitarzan
- Bridget The Midget
- Bon Temps Roulette
- Freddie Feelgood (And His Funky Little Five Piece Band)
- Gone For Good
- Stand Up
- The King Of Christmas
- Be Your Own Best Friend
- Jeremiah Peadbody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-
Description
Ray Stevens was born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Clarkdale, Georgia in January 1939. Clarkdale was a small cotton mill town 20 miles north of Atlanta. For more than 40 years, Ray Stevens has been entertaining us. From his novelty songs like "The Streak", to his tender ballads he has touched us. As with all outstanding writers, Stevens has away of creating characters and situations that highlight the humor in everyday life as well as larger issues and lifestyle trends.Customer Reviews:
Must Have for Ray Stevens Fans.......2007-04-02
Thanks
Tim Roland
Most of the hits, and a fertile imagination on display.......2007-03-09
Good value for money, could have been great ... .......2007-01-25
If you haven't heard these recordings before, or its been a long time since you've heard them, beware - you may bust a gut laughing
Even with the remakes, it's well worth purchasing
Listening and LMAO!.......2007-01-17
I love Ray Stevens. I like everything he's ever done. He's absolutely hilarious. If I had a criticism to make it would be that this box set is too short, a complete box set needs to be about 10 CD's long!
These are all top notch comedy songs. I'm going to wear it out listening to it, along with my Weird Al, Jerry Clower and Cledus CD's!
Five stars for this great entertainer and this boxed set.
Ray Stevens Box Set.......2006-08-23
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Set Yourself on Fire
Stars Manufacturer: Arts and Crafts ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00061F8M8 Release Date: 2005-03-08 |
Tracks:
- Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
- Set Yourself On Fire
- Ageless Beauty
- Reunion
- The Big Fight
- What I'm Trying To say
- One More Night
- Sleep Tonight
- The First Five Times
- He Lied About Death
- Celebration Guns
- Soft Revolution
- Calendar Girl
Amazon.com
Sure they look pretty and sound pretty and all, but is this Montreal-based quartet ever going to amount to much, you know in the course of "rock history"? Very likely, if their captivating third album, Set Yourself on Fire, is any indication. Vocalists Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell have never harmonized better together, and the whole keyboard-heavy band is at that delectable place where they transcend their influences. Great pop music is not about "originality" (nor has it ever much been); it's a passionate marriage of idea and conviction. Sure, you can still hear the mark of Beulah, the Smiths, New Order, Broken Social Scene and Super Furry Animals in their songs. But the group has never been as confident with their marriage of lush, exuberant dreampop and dark, clever lyrics as they are here. --Mike McGonigalAlbum Description
The third LP for this Canadian band, following their amazing sophomore set, "Heart;" a critical smash. "Set Yourself on Fire" is a self-proclaimed Sex, Death, & Robots record, with rich and ornate depths. Produced by TONY HOFFER (Beck, Air, Grandaddy, Phoenix).Customer Reviews:
A rock record with poppiness.......2007-06-15
The album starts off with "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" with vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan trading verses before they come together at the end. This is an example of a song that gets in your head despite the lack of a proper "chorus" that repeats. "Ageless Beauty" was the big hit of the record and while musically it's quite basic, it's propelled largely by Millan's vocals which are quite ethereal in a way on the song. "Reunion" is another likable track largely sung by Campbell with Millan adding in some flavor. This is another one of those catchy tracks that will become a favorite over time. The rest of the songs are just as memorable although, some like "The First Five Times" aren't that stellar.
My absolute favorite track on the record and probably of their career is the album closer, "Calendar Girl". When taken at face value, lyrically it's very honest in that "life sucks but I'm trying" message and musically it's really 3 chords but damn if Millan doesn't sing it beautifully. When she sings the line "I'm alive" at the end, you're almost not sure if she's celebrating this fact or she's just pointing out the irony considering the subject matter: living without nothing special about it.
Like a lot of bands with duel vocalists, you tend to prefer one over the other (aside from everyone's fav Fab Four). In this case, Millan has one of the best female voices in rock today but Campbell, while no slouch in his own right, doesn't really have the emotive power Millan brings. Kind of reminds me of Oasis' Gallagher bros. with Noel being the more range-y singer but Liam being the most emotive. Granted, a lot of songs on here such as The Big Fight or Your Ex-Lover is Dead work for the trade-offs but when they're primarily Campbell-led, such as the aforementioned "First Five Times" or "He Lied About Death", despite Millan's additions, don't work as well.
All in all, it's probably one of the best records they've done and one of the better "pop rock" releases lately.
Smooth.......2007-03-02
Each song on this album is carefully produced to create a smooth tone which is mostly laidback and embracing. This is music fully imbued with uplifting melancholy.
Well It Is.......2007-02-03
If only I could play the cello ... .......2007-01-12
Every song here is lyrically written with songs of love, passion, nostagia and hurt with a lush overlay of melodies. By the end of the album, you'll surrender and give yourself in to continual listens. This is the soft revolution!
You must own this album!
Perfect in every way.......2007-01-09
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Malt Shop Memories 10-CD Boxed Set!
Compilation Various Manufacturer: Time Life ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000J4VZ2E |
Product Description
Break out those bobby socks and school sweaters! All those jukebox classics from the 1950s are here, packaged in a nifty collector's box. Jitterbug to 150 hits by the Four Seasons, Dion and the Belmonts, and many more! Song include: Disc 1: 1. All I Have To Do Is Dream - Everly Brothers ** 2. Where The Boys Are -Connie Francis ** 3. My Boyfriend's Back -The Angels ** 4. Goin' Out Of My Head -Little Anthony and the Imperials ** 5. One Two Three Len Barry ** 6. Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen -Neil Sedaka ** 7. The Church Bells May Ring -The Diamonds ** 8. Everybody's Somebody's Fool -Connie Francis ** 9. Teen Angel -Mark Dinning ** 10. Stagger Lee -Lloyd Price ** 11. Raindrops -Dee Clark ** 12. Sea Of Love -Phil Phillips and the Twilights ** 13. Little Bitty Pretty One -Thurston Harris ** 14. Lipstick On Your Collar-Connie Francis ** 15. When Disc 2: 1. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave -Martha and the Vandellas ** 2. Come See About Me -The Supremes ** 3. The Girl's Alright With Me - Temptations ** 4. Twilight Time - Platters ** 5. Lonely Teardrops Jackie Wilson ** 6. Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes ** 7. Two Lovers -Mary Wells ** 8. You've Really Got A Hold On Me - The Miracles ** 9. Dancing In The Street -Martha and the Vandellas ** 10. Dedicated To The One I Love - Shirelles ** 11. Baby Love -The Supremes ** 12. Don't Mess With Bill -The Marvelettes ** 13. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' -Righteous Brothers ** 14. My Guy - Mary Wells ** 15. Teardrops - Lee Andrews and the Hearts *** Disc 3: 1. Big Girls Don't Cry -Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons ** 2. Stand By Me -Ben E. King ** 3. Dream Lover Bobby Darin ** 4. Save The Last Dance For Me -Drifters ** 5. Do You Wanna Dance -Bobby Freeman ** 6. Will You Love Me Tomorrow The Shirelles ** 7. Chapel Of Love -Dixie Cups ** 8. Downtown -Petula Clark ** 9. This Magic Moment -Drifters ** 10. Sherry -Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons *Customer Reviews:
memories of the 50's.......2007-07-13
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Set List
The Frames Manufacturer: Anti ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00019PDJS Release Date: 2004-02-24 |
Tracks:
- Revelate
- Star Star
- Lay Me Down
- God Bless Mom
- What Happens When The Heart Just Stops
- Rent Day Blues
- Pavement Tune
- Stars Are Underground
- Santa Maria
- Perfect Opening Line
- Your Face
- Fitzcarraldo
- The Blood
Amazon.com
Hugely popular in their homeland of Ireland, the Frames top the charts and play to 30,000 people in Dublin. The aptly-titled live album is their fifth and the one they're hoping will connect in America. The quintet's sound draws upon such acts as the Clash (with whom they share a love of the anthemic) and the Pixies (with whom they share a quest for more oblique explorations), as well as on native traditions (albeit updated with a big wallop and galloping propulsion). Recorded before an enthusiastic audience, the band is clearly spurred on by the adoration, as well as a sense of community. The songs often feel like they're giving voice to their countrymen, celebrating a shared sense of justice, outrage, home, faith, and hope. One of the secrets to the band's dazzling and incendiary sound is the mix of full throttle guitar and soaring violin. Lead singer Glen Hansard builds heartfelt ruminations into his between song patter, and leads the band down many surprise avenues, with bits of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" appearing out of their own numbers. --David GreenbergerCustomer Reviews:
Very little risk...........2006-05-08
The best music.......2006-01-28
One of the best bands out there.......2005-10-23
What a pity!!!.......2004-11-23
amazing.......2004-09-30
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Richard Thompson - 1000 Years of Popular Music (2 CD & 1 DVD Set)
Richard Thompson Manufacturer: Cooking Vinyl ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000EHQ7I8 Release Date: 2006-06-27 |
Tracks:
- Sumer Is Icumen In
- King Henry
- So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo
- Bonnie St. Johnstone
- O Sleep Fond Fancy
- Remember O Thou Man
- O Shenandoah
- Blackleg Miner
- I Live In Trafalger Square
- There is Beauty In the Bellow of the Blast
- Java Jive
Tracks:
- Night and Day
- Orange Coloured Sky
- Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-Dee
- A-11
- See My Friends
- Friday On My Mind
- Tempted
- Oops!...I Did It Again
- Cry Me A River
- 1985
- Sam Hall
Amazon.com
As Richard Thompson explains in his typically droll annotation, 1000 Years of Popular Music came about after Playboy asked various musicians to rank their top ten songs of the millennium. While most dipped no farther back than a few decades--a century at most--Thompson's musical memory rose to the challenge. The result is this concert set's encapsulation of 22 songs that trace a musical progression from the Middle Ages through Britney Spears, with Judith Owen and Debra Dobkin providing spare instrumental and rich vocal support. Released as a concert DVD with two audio CDs, the selection is irrepressibly idiosyncratic, from rounds, madrigals, and British balladry that recall Thompson's early days in Fairport Convention through the music-hall singalong of "I Live in Trafalgar Square" to dips into the songbooks of the Kinks ("See My Friends"), Squeeze ("Tempted"), and Bowling for Soup ("1985"). Among the highlights are the soulful tenderness of the 17th century's "Bonnie St. Johnstone," a haunting "Shenandoah," a samba arrangement of Cole Porter's "Night and Day," and a deliriously rocking rendition of the Easybeats' "Friday on My Mind." --Don McLeeseAlbum Description
Single DVD with Two Audio CD's This latest Richard Thompson release, 1000 Years of Popular Music, actually contains songs from the 11th Century, miners songs and even "Oops! I Did it Again!" All songs are performed by a trio, with Thompson on acoustic guitar and vocals, Debra Dobkin on percussion, and songstress Judith Owen adding vocals. "The idea for this project came from Playboy Magazine - I was asked to submit a list, in late 1999, of the ten greatest songs of the Millennium. Hah! I thought, hypocrites - they don't mean millennium, they mean twenty years - I'll call their bluff and do a real thousand-year selection. My list was similar to the choices here on this CD, starting in about 1068, and winding slowly up to 2001. That they failed to print my list among others submitted by rock's luminaries, is but a slight wound - it gave me the idea for this show, which has been performed occasionally, and will hopefully receive a few more airings. The idea is that Popular Music comes in many forms, through many ages, and as older forms get superceded, sometimes the baby is thrown out with the bathwater - great ideas, tunes, rhythms, styles, get left in the dust of history, so let's have a look at what's back there, and see if still does the trick. What appears on this CD is a performance, rather than a chronological, distillation of several different shows - hence some gaps in the 17th and 18th centuries, and too much weight on Music Hall and Rock & Roll - we just felt that some performances weren't quite captured - perhaps on Part Two?"Customer Reviews:
Jump in and savor!.......2007-03-09
1000 Years of GREAT Popular Music.......2007-01-04
I urge anyone who has gotten as far as considering this package to relax, stop considering it, buy it, and enjoy.
The package contains a DVD of the show and two CD's of the music, along with a short booklet about the show concept and the songs.
Thompson the alchemist turns poo to gold..........2006-09-28
Music is dang old, after all. Greeks and Romans rocked out. Medieval madrigals, armed with lutes and windpipes, pranced through verdant forests. Even Victorians danced. So why relegate hundred of years of great tunes to the sadly cobwebbed "early music" section? You know what they say: old songs never die, they just receive damning new retail categories. In defiance, Thompson dipped into this neglected slush pile of human all too human music and constructed a millenium set list that would make the Long Now Foundation proud.
Flanked by vocalist/keyboardist, and part mime, Judith Owen and percussionist/vocalist Debra Dobkin, the Thompson-led trio jiggle cochleas through musical history. They open with one of humanity's oldest songs: "Sumer Is Icumen In". A celebration of the rebirth of spring, it also includes a middle english word for "fart". Now that's history. The group sing it as a round (during tour one of "1000 Years" Thompson sang it solo). Next, lone Thompson conjures up the events leading to the battle of Agincourt in a fifteenth century song. France-bashing apparently has a longer history than the 2003 U.S. Congress realized. "Freedom Toast" is nothing! Try Agincourt! This beautiful song retells the affront the French handed to the young King Henry V: three tennis balls for him to "play with". No king would take that. Henry didn't. Thompson then switches to Italian for the amazing "So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo". A truly unforgettable song that will even get feet encased in concrete tapping.
Following a few incredible songs dealing with infanticidal mothers, eternal punishment, and Missouri rivers, "Blackleg Miner" exposes the history of "scab" songs. Women won't even look at the Blacklegs. A nasty lot, indeed. Time whizzes by as the hilarious down-and-out "I Live in Trafalgar Square" and a Gilbert and Sullivan tune close out the nineteenth century. Don't miss the high "C" in the Mikado's "Bellow Of the Blast". Thompson and Owen show us just what vocal cords were made for. "Java Jive" introduces the jazzy twentieth century with a smooth pean to caffeinated drinks.
The twentieth century focuses on rock music, with a few exceptions. On the DVD, when Thompson introduces the act's single country song, "A-11", he responds to the unenthused stillness by saying "I can tell we're no longer in Texas". Some head turning surprises pop out in the second half of the set (on CD number two). The Kinks' haunting "See My Friends" and Australia's rollicking "Friday On My Mind" will make musical antennas erect. And then the evening's biggest blast, "Oops!... I Did it Again", made famous by Britney Spears, will shock those who disparage pop music as inane trash. Thompson proves beyond doubt that the song has merit. His final dance moves on the DVD justify the price alone. Prepare thy brain. Leaving Britney behind, the gang bursts into 2001 with "1985", a ridiculously catchy pop song about a sentimental and uncool mom. After that auditory explosion, Thompson leaves the audience hissing with the a capella "Sam Hall". The DVD's final scene shows Thompson waving his fists at the audience. A great closing to an amazing show. A thousand years later and we've arrived. That'll show Playboy.
This DVD and CD set captures the second "1000 Years" outing. Thompson's website offers a CD of the first tour. Enough changes from the two sets to justify getting both. But this set also contains a fabulously produced DVD. Thompson's stage banter gets cut from the CD, but the DVD preserves every word. Listen for the great joke about european stereotypes ("In heaven the English answer the door..."). The DVD also includes snatches of a Thompson interview, soundcheck, and the band's grand entrance. No Thompson fan should miss this set. Even people with a vague interest in music history should check it out. Thompson, now in his fifties, proves that age only encumbers the uncreative. "1000 Years of Popular Music" stands comfortably next to his best work. Not bad for a rejection.
Absolute Magic.......2006-08-17
Finally a Thompson live DVD that really clicks.......2006-07-01
Rock Music:
- Shamans' Healing
- Shine
- Songs for the Poorman
- Songs of Our Life
- Tékitoi (Who Are You?)
- Tab Leh
- The Katurran Odyssey
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Argentina
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Haiti
- The Rough Guide to the Music of Mexico
Recommended Music:
Sym#5 (Romantic) / First Serenade in E-Flat
The Fantasy Worlds Of Irwin Allen [Box set] [Soundtrack]
The Fabulous Style of the Everly Brothers
The Sounds of Contemporary Ethiopian Music - Millennium Collection
Symphonic Suites for Orchestra
The End Of Meaning [Explicit Lyrics]