Life After Death [Explicit Lyrics]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
The King of Brooklyn, Biggie Smalls, busted through with an instant hip-hop classic on his first album, Ready to Die, but he outdid even his standard on Life After Death, an audible, posthumous autobiography about the life of the former dope dealer. The 2 CD set revels in death, especially on "Niggaz Bleed," "Somebody's Gotta Die," and "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)," but it's painfully clear that this chestnut-cheeked, fun-loving father of two wanted to see his kids grow up on "Sky Is the Limit" and "Miss U," both of which point to the future. The album also serves as a testament to Biggie's flexibility: he adopts Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's rapid rhyme flow and Midwestern beats when they guest on "Notorious Thugs," he positively bounces on both "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Going Back to Cali" (guesting Eazy Mo Bee), and even kicks it Wu-Tang style when RZA shows up for "Long Kiss Goodnight." --Asondra R. Hunter

Amazon.com
The King of Brooklyn, Biggie Smalls, busted through with an instant hip-hop classic on his first album, Ready to Die, but he outdid even his standard on Life After Death, an audible, posthumous autobiography about the life of the former dope dealer. The 2 CD set revels in death, especially on "Niggaz Bleed," "Somebody's Gotta Die," and "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)," but it's painfully clear that this chestnut-cheeked, fun-loving father of two wanted to see his kids grow up on "Sky Is the Limit" and "Miss U," both of which point to the future. The album also serves as a testament to Biggie's flexibility: he adopts Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's rapid rhyme flow and Midwestern beats when they guest on "Notorious Thugs," he positively bounces on both "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Going Back to Cali" (guesting Eazy Mo Bee), and even kicks it Wu-Tang style when RZA shows up for "Long Kiss Goodnight." --Asondra R. Hunter

Life After Death,The Notorious B.I.G.,Bad Boy,East Coast Rap,G-Funk,Gangsta Rap,Hardcore Rap,Hip-Hop,Pop,Pop-Rap,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop

Life After Death [Explicit Lyrics]

Tracks:

Life After Death Intro
Somebody's Gotta Die
Hypnotize
Kick In The Door
#!*@ You Tonight
Last Day
I Love The Dough
What's Beef?
B.I.G. Interlude
Mo Money Mo Problems
Niggas Bleed
I Got A Story To Tell

Tracks:

Notorious Thugs
Miss U
Another
Going Back To Cali
Ten Crack Commandments
Playa Hater
Nasty Boy
Sky's The Limit
The World Is Filled...
My Downfall
Long Kiss Goodnight
You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)

Amazon.com essential recording

The King of Brooklyn, Biggie Smalls, busted through with an instant hip-hop classic on his first album, Ready to Die, but he outdid even his standard on Life After Death, an audible, posthumous autobiography about the life of the former dope dealer. The 2 CD set revels in death, especially on "Niggaz Bleed," "Somebody's Gotta Die," and "You're Nobody ('Til Somebody Kills You)," but it's painfully clear that this chestnut-cheeked, fun-loving father of two wanted to see his kids grow up on "Sky Is the Limit" and "Miss U," both of which point to the future. The album also serves as a testament to Biggie's flexibility: he adopts Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's rapid rhyme flow and Midwestern beats when they guest on "Notorious Thugs," he positively bounces on both "Mo Money Mo Problems" and "Going Back to Cali" (guesting Eazy Mo Bee), and even kicks it Wu-Tang style when RZA shows up for "Long Kiss Goodnight." --Asondra R. Hunter

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

More Good Stuff from a Big Man.......2007-07-20

With 2 discs, Life After Death gives the listener a lot of material by Biggie. Some reviewers criticize this as having some weaker stuff and annoying guest appearances, but I think that's just a function of having a bigger album. Some stuff inevitably will not be as good as the rest. And I think the guest appearances are fine. Lil Kim spews off a foul mouth on one track, but that's what she does in her own stuff. Anyway, there's lots of great raps on her. The album's a bit slicker and more produced, lacking some of the edge of Ready to Die, but I think things as a whole work very well. While maybe not quite as awesome, on a song by song basis, as Ready to Die, this album definitely has enough quality material for the 5 stars. The best raps:

Hypnotize
Kick in the Door
I Love the Dough
Mo Money Mo Problems
Another
Going Back to Cali
The World is Filled

Posthumous greatness .......2007-07-14

This album is Biggie at his best before his music got corrupted by a sniveling weasel named Sean P Giddy Combs. It has guest appearances like 112, Too Short, Jay-z, R. Kelly, The Lox etc but Biggie shines regardless of guest appearances. The album kicks of with vivid storytelling by Biggie on Somebody's Gotta Die but that's not the only track where Biggie tells a great story. N***** Bleed is another cinematic track and Story To Tell is Biggie telling a story of some chick he was messing with whose husband ends up coming home while he's still there. Miss U is a touching tale with some good vocals by 112 on the chorus. Big keeps it true to the MC side of him with tracks like Kick In The Door(Nas Diss), the sinister sounding What's Beef, the first single Hypnotize, My Downfall(feat DMC), Long Kiss Goodnight(obvious 2pac diss but the track could do without Puffy's bipolar ranting. We all know Diddy is a cupcake), Last Day(feat the Lox). I Love The Dough is another highlight which features Jay-z and Angela Winbush as both Jigga and Biggie drop some hot verses on the track. Bone Thugs N Harmony join in on the festivities on Notorious Thugs as everybody delivers some fast-paced verses on the track. Going Back To Cali is Big's ode California and Biggie teaches the rules to the game on Ten Crack Commandments. The album does have its flaws like Playa Hater which is awful and anybody who can tell you that track is tight is borderline insane. Last Day is suspect only because of lackluster verses by The Lox(Biggie killed it!). I never felt The World Is Filled(feat Too Short and Fluff Diddy) and thats another song, with guest appearances where Biggie had the only notable verse(case in point for Mo Money Mo Problems). After that this album is smooth sailing. Biggie has his songs for the ladies like Nasty Boy and F*** You Tonight(feat R. Kelly) which he makes work for him. Lil Kim joins in on the battle of the sexes record Another. 112 makes another appearance on the magnificent Sky's The Limit where Biggie recalls his past. The second disc ends with the gritty You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You) as Biggie brings it to you raw and uncut. Bottom Line: The Notorious Big's Life After Death is easily the best rap album of 1997 and is a necessary requirement for any rap fan's collection. Biggie excelled on every track(even when the guest spots didnt) and the production was the best that Bad Boy could get. Standout tracks on Disc 1: SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DIE, HYPNOTIZE, KICK IN THE DOOR, F*** YOU TONIGHT, I LOVE THE DOUGH, WHAT'S BEEF, N***** BLEED and I GOT A STORY TO TELL. Standout Tracks on Disc Two: NOTORIOUS THUGS, MISS U, ANOTHER, GOING BACK TO CALI, TEN CRACK COMMANDMENTS, NASTY BOY, SKY'S THE LIMIT, MY D0WNFALL, LONG KISS GOODNIGHT and YOU'RE NOBODY(Til Somebody Kills You). RIP to Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious Big. Gone But Never Forgotten. There you have it. The most earnest review you'll ever read without the silly arguments about who is the better MC out of Pac and Big. You guys who are still carrying on with this asinine dispute need to agree to disagree and GROW UP!!! You're fools are damn near 40 still carrying on like high school kids. SHAME ON YOU ALL!

Biggy at His Prime.......2007-07-11

The Notorious B.I.G. was a lyrical genius and he showed it on Life After Death. This is the greatest rap double album ever. Biggy mastered his flow and showed his versitility on this album. He told stories, gave us party records, got serious, clowned around, rapped over west coast beats, rhymed fast, and gave us hard core street records. This is the definition of a complete album. Ready to Die was a classic and Biggy took it to another level on this album.

He left the world with his best work before he passed. Biggy had a great ability to make his lyrics very visual. Stories like "Somebody Gots to Die", "Niggas Bleed" and "I Got A Story to Tell" are so good that you can visualize his every word. Biggy had the East Coast on lock and no one in the game could touch him in wordplay. I can not even sit here and start to name the best songs because there were too many.

Biggy dropped two classic albums and was killed while he was still on top. He never lost his spot. Life After Death raised the bar for the game. I would have loved to see B.I.G. grow as an artist and make new music after this record. Unfortunately, his time was cut short, but he left us with a gem that shows his amazing talent....

Biggie's best work!.......2007-07-05

The first album was pretty tight, but this title cd album is Biggie's best work. And even if he was still alive, i'm not so sure that he could really top this one. It's a collector's item.

The greatest album ever released by Biggie & BadBoy Records........2006-12-01

Life After shows Biggie's growth as an artist and man. The storytelling is very cinematic and compelling. This is really a movie on wax for real. The paranoia is also raised on here and for good reason since Biggie spent 1996 fending off Pac's accusations and insults. In short, Biggie was a naturally gifted, personable, smart dude that's greatly missed.

Top Joints:
I Got A Story To Tell
Long Kiss Goodnight
Notorious Thugs
Hypnotize
N*ggas Bleed
Goin Back To Cali
My Downfall
What's Beef
Kick In The Door
You're Nobody.........
Ten Crack Commandments

Basically the whole 2 discs.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding performances
Reviving a Lost Love
Not for beginners...
One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!
terrible, awful, hideous, lousy

Strauss: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

ASIN: B000026D4K
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: II: Andante
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: III: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: II: Andante con moto
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: III: Rondo (Allegro molto)
Oboe Concerto In D Major: I: Allegro moderato
Oboe Concerto In D Major: II: Andante
Oboe Concerto In D Major: III: Vivace
Duett-Concertino: I; Allegro moderato
Duett-Concertino: II: Andante
Duett-Concertino: III: Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)

Tracks:

Burleske
Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Tracks:

Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: II: Lento
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: III: Rondo
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Bewegt - Thema I - Thema II - Thema III
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo (Munter)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Wiegenlied - Massig langsam
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio - (Langsam)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale (Sehr lebhaft)

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Tracks:

Salome, Op. 54: Dance Of The Seven Veils
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Overture
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Jourdain - Minuet
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Fencing Master
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entrance and Dance of the Tailors
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Minuet of Lully
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Courante
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entry Of Cleonte
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Prelude To Act 2)
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Dinner
Schlagobers, Op. 70: Waltz
Josephslegende, Op. 63: Symphonic Fragment

Tracks:

Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Tracks:

Aus Italien, Op.16: I: Andante
Aus Italien, Op.16: II: Allegro molto con brio
Aus Italien, Op.16: III: Andantino
Aus Italien, Op.16: IV: Finale (Allegro molto)
Macbeth, Op. 23: Symphonic Poem

Tracks:

Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: March

Amazon.com essential recording

When it comes to the music of Richard Strauss, none of the world's great orchestras has a more distinguished tradition than the Staatskapelle Dresden. As pit orchestra of the Dresden Court Opera, the Staatskapelle was involved in the premieres, between 1901 and 1911, of Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier; later, with Karl Böhm conducting, its players participated in the premiere of Daphne. Most of Strauss's major tone poems have been in the Dresden orchestra's concert repertory since completion.

Back in the 1970s, EMI was able to capitalize on this association when it reunited the Staatskapelle with Rudolf Kempe--a native of Dresden, one of the master conductors of the 20th century, and an absolutely authoritative Straussian--for an integral recording of Strauss's orchestral works and concertos. The cycle was warmly received when it was originally released on LP, and it has become one of the treasures of the CD catalog since EMI reissued it whole, in three volumes, in 1992. With this latest repackaging, the whole impressive enterprise becomes available in one box.

Across the board, Kempe and the Dresdeners give magnificent readings of the music. Their Zarathustra is imposing and grand; their Heldenleben suitably heroic and quite smashingly played; their Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan delightfully brisk, characterful, and exultant (the latter is dispatched in a blazing 16:06, and receives as ardent and exhilarating a reading as you are ever likely to encounter on disc). One of the finest of all the offerings is the account of Eine Alpensinfonie, a Kempe favorite and still a sonic knockout after nearly three decades.

The less familiar orchestral works are here, as well, including the early tone poems Aus Italien and Macbeth and the admittedly rather frothy ballet scores Josephslegende and Schlagobers. Of special value are the accounts of all Strauss's concerted works, from the early Violin Concerto (played by Ulf Hoelscher) and Burleske for piano and orchestra (with Malcolm Frager as soloist), through Don Quixote (featuring Paul Tortelier in magisterial form) and the two horn concertos, to the Oboe Concerto of 1946 and the final Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon.

It's hard to imagine any label tackling such a project in today's bottom-line environment, or coming up with such definitive readings from today's performers. All the more reason to celebrate the appearance of this compendium. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performances.......2007-05-13

Rudolf Kempe's interpretations of Richard Strauss orchestral works (almost complete - one miss the orchestral songs) have been classic recordings since they first appeared on record in the early seventies (1970-75).

Especially fine are his interpretations of the core works, e.g., the symphonic poems Also sprach Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben, Eine Alpensinfonie, Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Don Quixote. All these are given first rate interpretations.

Furthermore, you get outstanding interpretations of Strauss' two horn concertos as well, with Peter Damm's superb horn playing, and an outstanding performance of Metamorphosen.

There is simply no rival to this collection of "core works of Richard Strauss".

In addition, this box collects also Strauss less interesting orchestral works - see Amazon's listing above. These minor works receive fine interpretations and performances too, but the main attraction is of course the core works above.

Sound quality is very fine - just excellent analogue stereo - and the orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, was one of the top orchestras in the world when these sessions were put on record.

Warmly recommended!

Reviving a Lost Love.......2006-08-07

The highest praise for any conductor must be that he rekindles enthusiasm and love for music that had been recently abandoned. In his autobiography, the conductor Felix Weingartner confesses that he had grown out of touch with Strauss' music; until hearing this set, I had felt the same, with only a few exceptions. But Rudolf Kempe and his really great Staatskapelle Dresden have won me back to Richard's orchestral music. So far, I have only heard part of the set: Zarathustra, Heldenleben, Till, Tod und Verklaerung, Der Buerger als Edelmann, Don Juan, Burleske, and Sinfonia Domestica, but my appetite is whet for more. Because of the refined, subtle, and yet intense conducting of Kempe, what used to strike me as cheap and taudry now strikes me as profound and moving. And the sheer musical skill of Strauss in thematic invention and counterpoint never ceases to amaze. Kempe was truly, in my not so humble opinion, the greatest conductor of the German classics following Furtwaengler; Karajan was empty and shallow by comparison. Kempe brings to this music the same passion and dignity that he brought to Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Schumann, and other of "his" composers. To make just one comparison, Reiner's Zarathustra, once hallowed by me as by most listeners, now sounds like overripe, rotting fruit as compared to the passionate yet thoughtful quality that Kempe brings to it. The Staatskapelle Dresden, by the way, sounds like the greatest orchestra in the world, only matched by the Berlin Philharmonic under Kempe or Furtwaengler, an orchestra that produces incidentally beautiful sounds but whose main goal is the projection and characterization of the music. No virtuosity for its own sake, just musicianship, musicianship, and more musicianship. EMI's sound is the very epitome of how to record an orchestra: Impactful, yet smooth and detailed, with natural perspectives and no spotlighting. This set belongs in every music lover's library.

Not for beginners..........2006-07-16

Most boxed sets have their ups and downs because no conductor is equally sympathetic to all of a composer's works. Kempe is no exception to this rule.

The masterpieces, Zarathustra, Heldenleben, and Quixote, are superb here. Kempe clarifies Strauss' complex textures in a way that other conductors like Karajan don't. Most of the time, I prefer to hear these works Karajan's way, but it's nice to hear what Kempe does with them, too. No one does Sinfonia Domestica the way Kempe does it...with such gentleness and humor. I listened to Reiner's recording for years, but I put it up for sale on amazon after I heard the Kempe. With all four of these large tone poems, Kempe and Karajan are all I really need.

The Don Juan is just about the best I've ever heard. It is so vital and exciting! Better than Karajan or any other I know. It is hard to imagine that Macbeth will ever be done better than this either. Macbeth is one of the reasons I own this set, but it's hardly one of Strauss' masterpieces. Speaking of non-masterpieces, I also treasure Kempe's recordings of Strauss' strange works for piano and orchestra. The Burleske has more poetry but less excitement than the classic Byron Janis/Reiner recording.

Kempe's recordings of the Horn Concertos are truly awful. Listen to the weak, watery tones of the first-chair horn player stepping into the solo spotlight. One listen to the mono recordings of Dennis Brain conducted by Sawallisch shows what is missing: bold, ringing tone and lots of excitement. If I only knew Kempe's recordings, I wouldn't even care about these pieces.

The bad news continues with the Oboe Concerto (weak oboist) and the charming Duet Concertino (weak bassoon).

Kempe misses the raucous fun that charges the best recordings of Till Eulenspiegel. This is a limp dishrag of a performance (until the last few minutes). At the very start of the performance, you will hear a familiar sound -- our weak horn player from the concertos playing a solo -- and you will long to stop the CD and reach for a different recording.

Metamorphosen is one of my favorite pieces by Strauss. Kempe, as is his wont, tries mightily to clarify Strauss' dense counterpoint here, and I appreciate the effort. I hear things here that I miss in other recordings. But this reading does not move me the way others have. Ormandy, to name just one. Death and Transfiguration is another one that Ormandy did better. Kempe is too fast at times! Really fast!

My greatest disappointment with this set is a recording that has been acclaimed by many as one of the greatest Strauss recordings ever made...Kempe's take on Eine Alpensinfonie. I have lived for many years with the Karajan recording, and I must say that Kempe misses many of the moments that I have come to treasure in Karajan's version. One example would be those 20 horns playing! Karajan makes this absolutely thrilling, which I'm sure is what Strauss intended. With Kempe, this telling touch by Strauss passes by unremarkably. The slow, quiet passage at the summit lacks magic. The apotheosis at the top of the mountain is certainly thrilling in Kempe's hands, but he misses too much on the way up. By the way, his cowbells sound almost comically bad. He certainly does bring out the beauty of the closing sections of the work, though.

If you are really serious about getting to know Strauss' music, this is a necessary purchase for the rarities that will probably never be done better like the Violin Concerto and the pieces I've already mentioned. If you just want Strauss' most famous works, this is a waste of your money (no matter how cheap it is!)because there's a lot of stuff here that either isn't very good or that you probably won't want to listen to that often. You would be better off buying Karajan's recordings (the 1970s recordings, not the remakes from the 80s) of the big three tone poems and then filling in the smaller ones as your interests dictate. Casual listeners will never need to hear pieces like Macbeth or the piano works that make this set so vital to Strauss-aholics like me!

One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!.......2006-02-10

The great Strauss tone poems soar to the highest level imaginable! With Kempe's genius, the lesser works become great! Kempe resists all temptation to be banal or bombastic. He directs the Staatskappele Dresden with a silken, burnished tone yet with restraint that has a radiant glow that never sacrifices the inherent capacity of the music to thrill, deeply move, or elevate to another plain. Each work played is in itself the guide: conductor and orchestra let the works deliver their own brilliance. The Don Juan and Dead and Transfiguration are soul piercing, along with Ein Heldenleben, and....... The Staatskapelle Dresden has always been an inspired ensemble and in Kempe's hands they are simply put, magnificent, delivering one thrilling performance after another. Like Wagner and Faith, you get Strauss or you don't. If you do get it, this set is beyond self recommendation; Buy this set before it disappears from the shelves. Classical Cd shelves these days have hidden boomerangs. One minute here, next minute.....boing going gone)...! The concert hall may never hear greater performances of Strauss' orchestral works as we hear on these nine disks. The sound is nothing short of a rich, full timber as Kempe leads then with inspired and interpretive genius . This all may sound over the edge but I don't think so and I don't think you will be disappointed. Strauss has been served in splendor by the Dresden musicians under Kempe's baton. [Although in an aside I must say that Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance this past summer of Don Juan and the Rosenkavalier suite were superb.] Then I think of the BSO with Levine...., their Strauss should be something else. Bravo and kudos to all for bringing us this gift. Booklet is very well done with one exception. There is not a word in the booklet about Rudolf Kempe and/or the orchestra itself. 10 stars anyway!!

terrible, awful, hideous, lousy.......2005-04-22

The problem with the "classics" is that too many hacks have hacked them to pieces. My opinion of these recordings, for whatever it is worth, is that they simply do not do justice to Strauss's magnificent music.

There is a reason they are a "bargain". I would avoid this set.
Sometimes a boxed set is a good deal, but this one is not. I find the entire set unspeakably dull and literally unlistenable.

In any event, this is merely my opinion. The majority of the other reviewers think its terrific.

Average customer rating:

More Good Stuff from a Big Man
Posthumous greatness
Biggy at His Prime
Biggie's best work!
The greatest album ever released by Biggie & BadBoy Records.

Life After Death [Edited Version]
The Notorious B.I.G.
Manufacturer: Bad Boy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000039QP
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

Hypnotize
Notorious Thugs
I Love The Dough
B.I.G. Interlude
Miss U
Mo Money Mo Problems
Playa Hater
Another
Ten Commandments
Nasty Boy
Sky's The Limit
Going Back To Cali
You're Nobody (Til Somebody Kills You)
Lovin' You Tonight

Amazon.com essential recording

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

More Good Stuff from a Big Man.......2007-07-20

Posthumous greatness .......2007-07-14

Biggy at His Prime.......2007-07-11

Biggie's best work!.......2007-07-05

The first album was pretty tight, but this title cd album is Biggie's best work. And even if he was still alive, i'm not so sure that he could really top this one. It's a collector's item.

The greatest album ever released by Biggie & BadBoy Records........2006-12-01

Average customer rating:

Life After Death
slit my wrist, drink an orange juice
old school natas
Life After Death Which one do I choose
Natas~straight from Flint

Life After Death
Natas
Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Rap Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Doubelievengod
N of tha World
Blaz4me
Multikillionaire: The Devil's Contract
WWW.Com (Wicket World Wide)

ASIN: B00004SYG1
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Life After Death
Did It Like That
Dance
Toss-Up
Bitch Stop Lyin'
Bad Guys Never Lose
1 Time 4 Yo Mind
Get My Head Together
Hell Raiser
Bitches on My Mind
Mysterious Ways
Rock It Deadly
Who Am I
Spent My Last on a Hoe
Bitch You Can't Have Me
Home of the Brave
Dirty Mind
I Ain't Got Shit to Lose
In the Name of RLP
Dancin' on Ya Grave

Customer Reviews:

Life After Death.......2004-11-23

Classic old skool Natas. Best rap group to ever come outta Detroit, and the hardest rap group ever, period. These guys are right on the game here. This is probably their 3rd or 4th best album, with Multikillionaire, Doubelievengod, and WWW.Com their other classics. Just because its not their best, doesn't mean it's not classic. The other 3 albums i just listed are ALL timeless classics. But back to this album, you must have it if you are acid rap fan. These guys deliver hard. They aint no h6rr6rc6re "chop off your head and use it as a bowling ball" crap. There ACID RAP. No other rappers can produce acid rap, so pick this up to hear the original, the greatest rappers from Detroit. All the songs are the classics, but my favorites would have to be Life After Death, Get My Head Together, Dance, Dancin' On Ya Grave, and Hellraiser. If you are fan of rap, get this if you ever come across it. Better than any of this commercial rap crap we hearing nowadays.

slit my wrist, drink an orange juice.......2003-10-27

Wicket, old school, Esham was like 15 or 16 when him and his boys from Natas put out this cd. Esham is the man. mmfcl

old school natas.......2003-07-01

This one's definitely for the true natas fans only. If you appreciate the old school style of natas than this is a must have. However, before getting this one, go out and get doubelieveingod or www.com. The sound quality of this album is not that great. But it still has some good songs on it.

Life After Death Which one do I choose.......2001-04-22

Ahh yeaaa, the natas cd that brings back memories from years back. These guys are fresh. If you like that wicked style of rap, then pick this up. this is definate old school from natas. My favorite tracks are Dance and Life after Death. Pick it up, support the underground, not the mainstream..

Natas~straight from Flint.......2000-06-12

Natas' rap style has always been a favorite of mine. It's old school rap that brings out the memories when "you" first discovered rap as music. They helped start rap and continue to not let us down.

Average customer rating:

At Work with Power Clasics

Power Classics! Volumes 1-10

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Tracks:

Carmen: Les Toreadors - POWER CLASSICS!
Slavonic Dance No.8 In G Minor, Op.46 - POWER CLASSICS!
L'Arlesienne: Farandole - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.3: 3rd Movement, Ziemlich schnell - POWER CLASSICS!
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Death And Funeral Music - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.3 In E Flat, Op.97: Rhenish: 1st Movement - POWER CLASSICS!
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: 3rd Movement: Allegro con fuoco - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.1: Titan: 2nd Movement - Kraftig bewegt - POWER CLASSICS!
The Prophet: Coronation March - POWER CLASSICS!
Hungarian Rhapsody No.1 - POWER CLASSICS!

Tracks:

Toccata In D Minor
Symphony No.5 In C Minor: 1st Movement: Allegro con brio
Swan Lake: Mazurka
Mastersingers Of Nuremburg: Overture
Coppelia: Czardas
Faust: Allegro vivo
Symphony No.4 In A Major: 1st Movement: Allegro vivace
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op.16: 1st Movement: Allegro molto e marcato
The Damnation of Faust: Rakozy March
The Rhine Gold: Entry Of The Gods Into Walhalla

Tracks:

Ride Of The Valkyries
Hungarian Dance No.5 In G Minor
Sylvia: Cortege de Bacchus
The Nutcracker: Trepak - Russian Dance
Bartered Bride: Overture
William Tell: Soldiers' Dance
Symphony No.1: 3rd Movement: Scherzo
The Flying Dutchman: Overture
Espana
Totentanz

Tracks:

Lohengrin: Prelude To Act 3 - POWER CLASSICS!
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March - POWER CLASSICS!
Marche Slave, Op.31 - POWER CLASSICS!
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 - POWER CLASSICS!
Swan Lake: Danze hongroise Czardas - POWER CLASSICS!
Flight Of The Bumble Bee - POWER CLASSICS!
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.9 In E Minor 'New World': Third Movement, Scherzo - POWER CLASSICS!
Tannhauser: Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.5 In E Minor: Finale. Andante Maestoso - POWER CLASSICS!

Tracks:

Ruslan And Ludmilla - Overture
The Bartered Bride: Polka
Symphony NO.4 In E Minor: 3rd Movement: Allegro giocoso
Coriolan Overture, Op.62
Symphony No.4 In A Major: Italian: 4th Movement - Saltarello presto
Bocklin Suite: Bacchannal
The Valkyries: Magic Fire Music
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat Major: 3rd Movement: Allegro marziale animato - Presto
Symphony No.2: 3rd Movement: Scherzo. Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No.9: From The New World: Finale - Allegro con fuoco

Tracks:

The Sleeping Beauty: Introduction
Snegurochka: Dance Of The Tumblers
Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21, No.3: Allegro vivace
Symphony In G Major, No.4: Allegro ma non troppo
Chowanschtschina: Dance Of The Persian Slaves
Coppelia: Slavonic Folk Melody
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dance Of The Apprentices & Entrance Of The Masters
The Bartered Bride: Furiant
Symphony No.6: Tragic: II. Scherzo. Wuchtig
The Nutcracker: Waltz - Finale & Apothese

Tracks:

Mlada: Cortege
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat Major: I. Allegro maestoso
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz
Soroshintsy Fair: Gopak
Symphony No.0 In D Minor: Ill. Scherzo. Presto
Organ Concerto Op.137: Ill. Finale. Con moto
Symphony No.7 In D Minor: Ill. Scherzo. Vivace
L'Arlesienne: Pastorale
Nocturnes: Fetes
Symphony No.1 In C Minor: IV. Allegro non troppo, ma con brio

Tracks:

Slavonic Dance No. 1 In C Major
Symphony No. 3 'Scottish': III. Vivace non troppo - Mendelssohn
Homage March
Swan Lake: Dance Espagnole - Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 98: Ill. Allegro giocoso
Coppelia: Festive Dance And Waltz Of The Hours
A Night On Bald Mountain
A Life For The Tsar: Krakoviak
Slavonic Dance No. 3 In A Flat Major
Symphony No. 4: Finale: Allegro con fuoco

Tracks:

The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture
Symphony No.3 in D Minor: IV. Presto vivace
Sylvia: Prelude - Les Chaseresses
Prelude On 'B - A - C - H'
Symphony No.8 In C Minor: II. Scherzo. Allegro moderato (excerpt)
Sheherazade: I. Lento - Allegro non troppo
Euryanthe: Overture
Swan Lake: Waltz
Symphony No.2 In C Major: II. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Piano Concerto No.2 In A Major: Allegro deciso - Marziale - Allegro animato

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In G Minor: I. Allegro non troppo - POWER CLASSICS!
Hungarian Dance No.1 In G Minor - POWER CLASSICS!
Carmen: Bohemian Dance - POWER CLASSICS!
Chowanschtschina: Intermezzo - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphony No.3 'Rhenish':: IV. Lebhaft - POWER CLASSICS!
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Major Op.83: II. Allegro Appassionato - POWER CLASSICS!
L'Arlesienne: Carillon - POWER CLASSICS!
Symphonie Fantastique: IV. Allegretto non troppo - POWER CLASSICS!
Eugen Onegin: Waltz - POWER CLASSICS!
Husitska: Overture, Op.67 - POWER CLASSICS!

Customer Reviews:

At Work with Power Clasics.......2000-01-20

Using the 10 CD set of Power Classics over the past five years while "working" daily on Nordic Trak has been a great help. The relatively short segments break up the workout and provide a welcome support for my efforts. The variety of selections available relieve boredom although, I must admit, when one selection finishes I can now mentally hum the next intro. I recommend this set highly for any strenuous workout program.

Average customer rating:

Great documentary

Life After Death Row
Crooked I
Manufacturer: Phoenix Ent Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

West Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000PC8A2S
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Tracks:

Bonus Material [DVD][*]

Customer Reviews:

Great documentary.......2007-07-23

You learn a lot of things regarding the music business, especially the Hip Hop independent game. Crooked I brings us a lot of informations about Death Row and on how business was like there, nothing new though. Most importantly, this is a must have for every Crooked I fan who wants to know about the ups and downs of his career and its a great introduction to his new label Dynasty Records. Bonus features are now working on this rerelease including the "Boom Boom Clap" music video and live performance... You'll also get a 21 tracks bonus disc with guest appearances by The Game, WC, Ice Cube and many more (Young Boss Volume 2 mixCD). Don't sleep on this!

Red Shoes: Music From the Films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1941-1951

Average customer rating:

Red Shoes: Music From the Films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1941-1951

Manufacturer: Cd41 (UK)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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The Red Shoes - Criterion Collection
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000068PVB
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Archers Ident
49th Parallel: Prelude
49th Parallel: Epilogue
Matter of Life and Death: Prelude/This Is the Universe
Matter of Life and Death: The Waiting Room/Washed Ashore
Matter of Life and Death: Prelude/Stairway to Heaven
Airman's Letter to His Mother: Narrative by Sir John Gielgud
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: Prelude
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: War Starts at Midnight
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: Commando Patrol
Canterbury Tales: Prelude
Canterbury Tales: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Red Shoes: Prelude
Red Shoes: Ballet Music
Black Narcissus: Prologue
Black Narcissus: Composed Sequence
Gone to Earth: Prelude
Gone to Earth: The Tryst
Gone to Earth: The Hunt
Small Back Room: Composed Sequence
Small Back Room: Epilogue
Tales of Hoffman: Orchestral Tuning

Album Description

22 tracks. THE RED SHOES is a 74 minute collection of rare original soundtrack recordings from the classic films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Archers), made between 1941 and 1951. Those featured include: 49th Parallel (1941) Ralph Vaughn Williams (aka The Invaders) Stairway to Heaven (1946) Allan Gray (aka A Matter of Life & Death) The Life & Death of Col Blimp (1943) Allan Gray A Canterbury Tale (1944) Allan Gray / JS Bach Black Narcissus (1947) Brian Easdale The Red Shoes (1948) Brian Easdale Gone to Earth (1950) Brian Easdale (aka The Wild Heart) The Small Back Room (1949) Brian Easdale Tales of Hoffman (1951) Jacques Offenbach. As well as digitally restored original soundtrack music by the undervalued Gray and Easdale, this carefully researched CD also features a number of rare associated recordings, including John Gielgud's reading of An Airman's Letter to his Mother (1941), the lively quickstep Commando Patrol from Col. Blimp and A Canterbury Tale, and a superlative rendering of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, recorded by Albert Schweitzer in London in 1935, also featured in A Canterbury Tale. The booklet features detailed notes on the films and their accompanying scores, and well as biographies of Allan Gray and Brian Easdale. The CD is a must for all with an interest in vintage film soundtracks and British light/orchestral music, as well as the dazzling vision of Michael Powell and his musical collaborators.

Average customer rating:

Good music and strong peformances.

Weelkes: Anthem

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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The Music Of Joseph Schwantner / Slatkin, Glennie, National SO, et al

ASIN: B000001469
Release Date: 1996-03-26

Tracks:

Anthems: Hosanna To The Son Of David
Anthems: Give Ear, O Lord
Anthems: All People Clap Your Hands
Anthems: What Joy So True
Anthems: O Lord, Grant The King A Long Life
Anthems: Lord, To Thee I Make My Moan
Anthems: All Laud And Praise
Anthems: Lachrimae Pavan (Morley)
Anthems: A Remembrance Of My Friend Thomas Morley
Anthems: Passymeasures Pavan (Morley)
Anthems: Gloria in excelsis Deo
Anthems: When David Heard
Anthems: Give The King Thy Judgements
Anthems: O Lord, Arise
Anthems: O How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings
Anthems: Most Mighty And All-Knowing Lord
Anthems: Alleluia, I Heard A Voice

Customer Reviews:

Good music and strong peformances........1998-09-16

Five of the pieces on this 1995 CD are also on the 1993 Weelkes and Tomkins anthology by Marlow and the Choir of Trinity College Cambridge on Conifer 74321-16071-2. However that disc, if it is still obtainable, is full price yet this one is budget. There is little difference in the performances, both are excellent; though Summerly takes things a little faster than Marlow (for example "When David heard that Absalom was slain" is 4:03 on Summerly's recording, 4:52 with Marlow). Playing time 61'36". Full notes and texts.

Average customer rating:

Sub-standard Carcass clone.
these guys spend a lot of time at the hospital.
Production Lacks, But Still Solid
almost there
Good effort

Death After Life
Impaled
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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Mondo Medicale
Splatterthrash
Horrified
Echoes of Decimation
Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients

ASIN: B0007LPS18
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

Goreverture
Mondo Medicale
Gutless
Theatre of Operations
Preservation of Death
Wrought in Hell
Resurrectionists
Critical Condition
Dead Shall Dead Remain
Medical Waste
Dead Alive
Coda Morte

Customer Reviews:

Sub-standard Carcass clone........2006-05-21

Impaled, like myself, must have worshipped Carcass back in the late 80s, early 90s. When Carcass shifted focus to a more rock base and then called it quits, I certainly, along with the members of Impaled, felt like something special had been taken away from my life. But what differentiates me from the members of Impaled is that I have moved on. I can still listen to "Necroticism - Descanting the Insalubrious" whenever I feel the need for some amazing gore based death metal, but that obviously wasn't enough for these guys. They had to go and create a band with the sole intention of cloning one of metal's finest entities.

Now, those who've read my other recent reviews will note than cloning is not always a terrible thing, as long as there is quality music and some characteristics that differentiate the band from their influences. I rated Scar Symmetry well even though it sounds just like Soilwork. I rated Lost Soul well, even though it sounds like Morbid Angel. Rapture like Katatonia and so on. But each of these bands, while wearing their influences on their blackened sleaves, have also managed to write some inspired metal, as well as allowing their own creativity and talent to produce quality albums of a level close to the aforementioned bands. This is not entirely the case with Impaled. Firstly, they sound so similar to the UK legends that it's blatantly a rip-off. Add to this a production that is lacking in both punch and clarity and the fact that Impaled are clearly inferior to Carcass in respect to both song-writing and musical talent and I find it very difficult to recommend "Death After Life" to anyone but the most die-hard gore fans.

Personally, I love horror movies and gore, so there are the occasional redeeming qualities to Impaled's work that suits my tastes. I'm not sure whether the band stole the clips on "Death After Life" from a particular movie or whether they recorded them themselves, but I find them mildly amusing and they set the tongue in cheek atmosphere for the album nicely. With a better production, some of the tracks on offer here could have polished up nicely such as "Mondo Medicale" and "Preservation of Death", but unfortunately, there are too many mundane moments on the album with nothing even remotely resembling originality on offer. I think Impaled need to look at their choice in career and make a decision. I really can't see how it can be satisfying for a bunch of guys to write music that sounds just like another band, particularly when the band in question is quite untouchable. The theme they have chosen has proved successful in metal for years now, but maybe it's time for Impaled to try something different with their music. Something they could call their own and be proud of.

these guys spend a lot of time at the hospital........2005-07-12

I was told that Impaled sounds like Carcass. when I popped the disc in, whoever said it was proved wrong. Impaled is a lot heavier than Carcass. although Impaled and Carcass sing about medical stuff, Impaled blows Carcass away. their solos are well executed and they have weird titles.

Production Lacks, But Still Solid.......2005-06-20

Review by Tyler Wagnon:

If you've been surfing around reading reviews about Impaled's newest gore soaked album, Death After Life, you've probably already come to the assumption that the recording sucks. And indeed it does. The snare drum has no pop whatsoever and feels totally lifeless, while the bass drum is mixed too low and needs quite a bit more warmth. The guitars sound really muffled and dirty as well, with the mix being somewhat f*#*** up. It needs work.

Despite this, it's a pretty good album. Impaled is one of the many, many bands strongly influenced by older Carcass. Essentially, they are a Carcass clone, but they are one of the best of the thousands out there. Anyway, you can expect tons of morbid medical imagery, bile-encrusted guitar work, vomitus vocals and much more. Sometimes the guitars take on a thrashy feel that really works well with the non-stop grinding madness.

Death After Life is a bit different than most gore grind albums in that it is a concept album. The basic story is about medical students doing experiments on coming back from death after life. Not the most original subject matter, but a concept nonetheless. It even has skits complete with dialogue and sound effects to bring the story to the forefront.

Although the recording sucks and really makes the album suffer, the music is what counts and it's another good Impaled album. The concept is a bit of a stretch, but the samples are fun and make for a humorous and engaging listen. It's always nice to hear music with a sense of humor.

almost there.......2005-06-11

once again impaled puts their best medical bootied foot forward, showing they are a force to be reckoned with in the E.R., O.R. ,and metal scene.they have yet to reach the true potential they showed on their original fetal remains demo, they are almost there!

if you think metallica is still metal buy this cd come out of denial and stop living a lie

J. Frye

Good effort.......2005-05-21

Death after life has good things and bad things. There are really good songs on the CD, ie: Dead alive, Gutless and Mondo Medicale (wich include a verse that's much like a self-parody of their old songs) I also have to mention the funny interludes, that make a lot of sense if you know the concept behind the album.
Now, the bad news. Some songs sound much like the Mondo Medicale songs... some tracks doesn't sound like new songs at all. I hate when bands do that... it's like they can't offer us anything fresh, you see? I understand it's difficult to overpass the quality and ¨sucess¨ of Mondo Medicale, but they're quite talented musicans and I know they can do it better next time. Good effort.

Average customer rating:

Well done and interesting
Wonderful biography, needs more proportion in the music

Life & Works of Bach
Bach , Siepmann , and Shrapnel
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
Life & Works
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin
The Life and Works of Joseph Haydn
The Life and Works of Franz Schubert

ASIN: B0000666A8
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Tracks:

Family Background And Early Years
Music: Capriccio On The Departure Of His Beloved Brother
Bach And The Organ
Music Toccata And Fugue In D Minow, BWV 565
Bach In Trouble
Music: Trio Sonata In E Flat, BWV 525
Bach The Husband And Father
Music: Vivaldi/Bach: Concerto In A Minor For Four Harpsichords
Bach The Younger Composer
Music: Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 543
Bach In Weimar (And In Jail)
Music: Prelude In E Flat Minor (The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1)
Bach Leaves Weimar
Music: Violin Concerto In E Major (Finale)

Tracks:

Bach At Cothen
Music: Concerto For Two Violins (Largo Ma Non Tanto)
Bach And The Brandenburgs
Music: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D (First Movement)
From Grief To Joy Through Faith
Music: 'Et Resurrexit' (B Minor Mass)
New Beginnings: Bach Remarries And His Family Grows
Music: Aria In G
Goldberg Variations And Anna Magdalena's Notebook
Music: Stolzel: Bist Du Bei Mir
Domestic Happiness And The Move To Leipzig
Music: Magnificat
Bach's Duties At Lepzig
Music: Cantata No. 80 (Duetto)
Bach The Teacher
Music: Sinfonia (Three-Part Invention) In E Flat
The Great Keyboard Works On Educational Agenda
Music: Italien Concerto
A Letter To The King
Music: Cantata No. 147 (Opening Chorus)

Tracks:

Bach Takes Up The Poet's Pen
Music: Partita No. 1 In B Flat BWV 825 (Courante)
Bach's Frustration At Leipzig
Music: Singet Dem Herrn, BWV 225
Frustrations Intensify
Music: St John Passion (Opening Chorus)
Bach's Efforts To Leave Leipzig
Music: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 (First Movement)
The King Of Poland's Jubilee
Music: Suite No. 3 In D, BWV 1068
The Ernesti Affair
Music: Prelude In D Major, BWV 532
Adolf Scheibe's Scathing Views On Bach
Music: Concerto In C For Three Harpsichords (Finale)

Tracks:

Bach And Opera
'Coffee' Cantata (Excerpts)
'Peasant' Cantata (Excerpts)
The Twilight Years
Music: The Art Of Fugue
Bach's Visit To Frederick The Great
Music: The Musical Offering
Decline And Death
Music: Mass In B Minor

Customer Reviews:

Well done and interesting.......2005-02-22

This recording alternates extended selections of Bach's music (complete pieces or movements) with a narrated and sometimes dramatized biography of Bach. The music selections are excellent and the biography itself is well done and interesting. The lengthy accompanying booklet is also very nice.

My only reservation comes from a feeling that the music and the narration are not as well integrated as they could be. The narrator identifies the musical selections and may give a sentence or two of background for the selection but never really discusses it. Instead, the narration is focused almost entirely on the events of Bach's life. I would have preferred more of a "music appreciation" approach that discussed the music, and had trouble getting used to the bifurcated nature of production. The extended free-standing music selections do mean that the four discs are a sort of "best of Bach" anthology and you can re-listen to just the music by skipping every other track.

Naxos also produces a 2-disc set called An Introduction to Bach: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 (ASIN: B0000666A9), also by Mr. Seipmann, which closely analyzes the actual music of these two concertos. I found that the two sets are complementary with no overlap, except for part of the booklets, and I would recommend getting both if you have an interest in Bach and are also interested in understanding what to listen for in his music. In addition (or as an alternative), I would also recommend the lectures by Robert Greenberg on "Bach and the High Baroque" produced by the Teaching Company, which are much longer, more detailed, and more focused on the "music appreciation" aspect. They are also much more expensive.

Overall, this item is very worthwhile and a good value, like most of Naxos's products.

Wonderful biography, needs more proportion in the music.......2002-08-21

Naxos continues to do a wonderful job with its "Life and Works" series. Quite some time ago, we had a Life/Works of Mozart, one of Chopin and then two more, Liszt and Beethoven. he latter are even better packaged than are the earlier sets, with a thick booklet that offers us essays on the historical background, the position of the composer in his time, a look at the major works, a listening plan, recommended readings, personalities, a calendar of the artist's life, a glossary, and a discography. This booklet is worth the price of the set alone.

Now we have two more entries in this amazing series, again written and narrated by Jeremy Siepmann: "Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky" (8.558036-39) with a playing time of 4 hrs. 5 min. and "Johann Sebastian Bach" (8.558051-54) with a playing time of 4 hrs. 34 minutes. (Please see my comments for the Tchaikovsky on that webpage.)

In direct contrast to the tortured personality of Tchaikovsky, we have the life-loving J.S. Bach, he who lost his temper only when he ran up against ineptitude. Again, the biographical details are fascinating. But also again, the musical examples are far too few--especially for this prolific composer--and some are simply far too long. We do not really need a complete rendition of the famous "Toccata and Fugue" and certainly not of the "Prelude and Fugue in A minor" to which is devoted a 13 minute track.

Here the voice of Bach is supplied by actor John Shrapnel, with Trevor Nichols, Ruth Sillers and David Timson in supporting roles. So 5 stars for the biography, somewhat less for musical examples.

Soul Music:

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lovehatetragedy

Les Miserables (Highlights from the 1987 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording]

Johannes Brahms: Variations On A Theme By haydn, Op. 56A/Piano Concerto, Op. 83

Mzui [Import]

Karol Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 3 ("Song of the Night") & 4 ("Symphonie Concertante"); Concert Overture

Love Walked in [Import]

Historia Musical

Grandes Mambos

Beethoven: Key to the Quartets / Emerson String Quartet

Naked City