Second Nature

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
"Keepin' it real" might be the most horrendously overused phrase in hip-hop, but All Natural are one duo who could hold their heads high should they ever choose to use it. Born and raised in middle-class Chicago, college-educated, and happily confined to small labels, rapper Capital D and DJ Tone B. Nimble never pretend to be anything other than socially aware hip-hop fans from the right side of the tracks. In fact, the only guns 'n hos clichés to make it on their second album are in Capital D's mocking snipes against big-bucks rappers who favor them ("Mr. Sexy," "Elements of Style"), and gold-digging ladies who only give big-bucks rappers the time of day ("Queens Get the Money"). For the most part, though, Capital D puts his extensive vocabulary to the more pressing issues of Chicago and America's social decline ("Ill Advisory," "Chatham," "Uncle Sam"), firing off some spectacularly articulate assaults in the process. Sometimes he over-intellectualizes, rendering rhymes fast, complex, and impossible for even the highest of IQs to unravel. But even when the lyrical flow seems impenetrable, Nimble's sublime selection of down-tempo cinematic backdrops--some sinister, some smooth, some jazz--remain stirring enough to keep the ears and mind totally hooked. --Dan Gennoe

Second Nature,All Natural,Thrill Jockey,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,Underground Rap

Second Nature

Second Nature

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Average customer rating:

Ring introduction critique

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE

Welcome back to a classic analysis

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle

Very Functional

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti

Decoding Wagner: An Invitation to His World of Music Drama (includes 2 CDs)

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)

Ring of the Nibelung

ASIN: B00000424H
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.

Average customer rating:

What an amazing voice!
Nice Voice
Katherine Jenkins
Great fellow Up
A SOPRANO NOT TO BE MISSED

Second Nature
Katherine Jenkins
Manufacturer: Umvd Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Premiere
Serenade
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La Diva

ASIN: B0002UJJRI
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Tracks:

Time To Say Goodbye
Caruso
Va Pensiero
House Of No Regrets
O Sole Mio
En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor
Pres Des Remparts De Seville
Song To The Moon
Vide Cor Meum
Calon Ian
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Barcarolle
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O Holy Night
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Album Details

Includes Four Tracks Not on the USA Version "Pres Des Remparts De Deville", "Vide Cor Meum", "Barcarolle" and "o Holy Night". Katherine Jenkins Has Enjoyed Enormous Success Since the Release of her Debut Album. "Premiere" was Number One in the Classical Charts for Seven Weeks and Entered the Pop Charts at Number Thirty. From Singing at the Fa Cup Final to Performing at the Classical Brits 2004, Jenkins Has Become Every Inch the Glamorous Diva and Has Garnered Massive Media and Public Support.

Customer Reviews:

What an amazing voice!.......2005-11-22

This album is one of the best from 2004. Katherine Jenkins is a great new talent! Her voice is warm and beautiful. She'd make a perfect Carmen. Time to say goodbye is gorgeous and she sings my favourite carol, O holy night really beautifully! Katherine Jenkins is a lovely, warm hearted girl and you can hear that warmth in her voice. She sings the best Arenjuaz and Caruso! Song to the moon is hauntingly beautiful and her voice totally shines on it!

Nice Voice.......2005-09-01

Go to a local music store and listen to this album and you will buy it. I am sorry that Amazon dosen't have samples here.

Katherine Jenkins.......2005-04-23

I must say this is by far my favorite album. She has improved her vocal skills from her first album to this album. Katherine Jenkins definitely impressed me with her singing of Seguidilla, she sings with an exquisite technique. I have the "LA Diva" album and I had to get this release because of the added tracks of Vide Cor Meum, Barcarolle, and O Holy Night!

Great fellow Up.......2004-12-22

I find Second Nature to be a better CD from Kathrine then her frist.Songs on this one are better and show off her voice more then her first Cd.My fave song's on this Cd are Time To Say Goodbye,House of No Regrets,En Aranjuez con tu amor,Song to the Moon,Calon Lan,Hymn to the Fallen, O Holy Night,You'll Never Walk Alone.

A SOPRANO NOT TO BE MISSED.......2004-12-21

THIS IS HER BEST ALBUM SO FAR AND A MUST HAVE. HER VOICE IS ABSOLUTELY LOVELY. I LIKED HER ALBUM PREMIERE VERY MUCH, BUT THIS ONE IS EVEN BETTER AS THE CHOICE OF SONGS IS EXCELLENT. HER PERFORMANCE OF HOUSE OF NO REGRETS, CALON LAN, LAUDATE DOMINUM, O HOLY NIGHT AND YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE IS GREAT AND NOT TO BE MISSED.

Average customer rating:

Incredible
Rocky, Rocky... whoa.
Good acousti-folk

Burning My Travels Clean
Rocky Votolato
Manufacturer: Second Nature
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Suicide Medicine
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A Brief History

ASIN: B000065T2G
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

Crabtree And Evelyn
Holding Onto Water
October
Like Silver
Without Eyes Still Seeing
Don't Walk Out On Me
Treasure Chest
Swallowing Swords
Like A Mother
Deep In The Earth
I Remember Music

Album Description

ROCKY VOTOLATO emerges with the evocative and emotive Burning My Travels Clean, his fourth solo release and first for Second Nature Recordings. Known as "the voice" behind WAXWING's powerfully lucid excursions and soundscapes, Burning My Travels Clean is by nature a different animal, even as it ephemerally recalls WAXWING's most somnambulant moments. Burning My Travels Clean is in marked contrast a stripped down and direct affair, yet gains a clarity and gracefulness because of its minimalist and stark delivery. Comprised mainly of ROCKY's fatigued, straining, yet delicately quivering voice, and his lilting acoustic guitar strumming, accompanied by sparse drum and bass, and the occasional violin, piano and pedal steel guitar slivers, Burning My Travels Clean is eleven mournful, morose and haunting songs that showcase ROCKY as more than just another singer-songwriter, but as a musician capable of rending one's soul with his recollections, dreams and confessions. ! Still, ROCKY occasionally offers a slightly hurried twist to the delicate proceedings, with songs such as "Without Eyes Still Seeing" and "I Remember Music" breaking the methodical pace. Produced by the renowned Matt Bayles (BOTCH, WAXWING, THE BLOOD BROTHERS, PEARL JAM), Burning My Travels Clean is resonant and delicate, with ROCKY's heart-wrenching vocals predominant but never overpowering. Contrary to WAXWING's occasional rock endeavors, with Burning My Travels Clean, ROCKY VOTOLATO will break nothing except your heart.

Customer Reviews:

Incredible.......2007-06-17

There is not a Rocky Album that is not spectacular. I have seen him live 3 times and each show has been amazing. Actually his first solo album (he was also in a band called waxwing which is outstanding by the way) is what inspired me to begin playing the accoustic guitar 8 years ago.

Rocky, Rocky... whoa........2003-06-10

This LP is so amazing. If you're looking for some real emo music, you need to get this CD. His voice alone will leave you in tears, all I have to say is... Dashboard WHO?? There's no compitition when it comes to Votolato. Honestly, you need this CD. YOU NEED IT. And if you love it, buying the EP will be worth it also (A Brief History). You'll listen to it 4 times in a row, everytime. :-D You Have Alisha's Promise!

Good acousti-folk.......2002-05-29

The majority of the exposure that Rocky Votolato has gained was due to his tour with Dashboard Confessional, an interesting bill. Before this, Votolato's reputation was garnered from the indie outfit, Waxwing. Unfortunately, he was cast in the wrong tour: Votolato's innocent lyricism and conventional songwriting made him stand out as a real honest writer not in the typical "emo" sense, but in a folk rock sense. It's acoustic rock with a backing band, yet his personality, which comes through his voice and quiet strumming of the guitar, puts a personal stamp that cannot be ignored.

This is not to say this album is devoid of "emo" rock characteristics. Votolato unabashedly tells the trials and tribulations that he's gone through and adds his own fire. This personal touch is what makes it great, as he combines both honest and innocent lyricism into a greater body. An example of his lyricism can be seen in the song "Without My Eyes Still Seeing": "Dylan, Drake, Even Schwarzenbach, how you became heroes I'll never forget: It's not easy looking at your heart, not many men know how, even fewer speak out."

Tracks:

Fugue From Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001 - J S Bach
Estudio brillante
Etude No. 1 In E Minor
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Leyenda
Romance
Rumores de la Caleta
Capricho Arabe
Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 6
Cantata 140: Sleepers Awake
Prelude, Fugue, And Allegro: Allegro
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Les Barricades mysterieuses
Preambulo & Allegro vivo: Preambulo And Allegro vivo
Passacaglia
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
Gymnopedie No. 1
Empress Of The Pagodas
Afro-Cuban Lullaby

Tracks:

Fourth Lute Suite: Praludium
Fairest Lord Jesus
Praise Ye The Lord, K. 339
Simple Gifts
Hymn Of Christian Joy
Cantata 29: We Thank Thee, Lord
Cantata 156: Arioso
Cantata 99: What God Hath Done
Canon
Dolly Suite: Berceuse
La Vida breve: Spanish Dance No. 1
Terezinha De Jesus
Prelude (In The Baroque Style)
Goyescas: Intermezzo
Prelude & Fugue No. 4 In E: Fugue
Evening Dance
Variations On A Theme Of Mozart
Canarlos
La Maja de Goya
El Noi de la Mare
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - J. Rodrigo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent recording.......2007-05-12

If you are a fan of classical guitar than this is a must own set. I enjoy every moment.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-12-23

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music--period! Christopher Parkening is unquestionably one of the greatest classical guitarists of all-time. He embodies personal excellence like no other and is a brilliant artist. This CD is a must-have for any classical enthusiast. My favorite pieces include: Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," "Romance," Bach's "Prelude No. 6," and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." There are other versions of these pieces as well, but I always prefer Parkening's renditions, as they are oh so extraordinary--especially the recording of Aranjuez!! Other guitarists never seem to capture the essence of Rodrigo's musical masterpiece (e.g., Göran Söllescher in "Mad About Guitars"). But Parkening did! And the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was a perfect accompaniment.

This CD is definitely worth buying. Included is a CD booklet, which illustrates the history of Parkening's illustrious career, interesting tidbits about all 25 recorded pieces, and several photos of his early life to his "breathtaking performance" at Rodrigo's 90th birthday celebration at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1992.

Amazing.......2006-05-08

I am not going to go into great detail. I am working on a degree in classical guitar and I can say this is something to strive for. His musical interpretation of the peices represented here are some of the best I've heard. His tone,color, and phrasing is incredible.

A gentleman musical agreement! .......2006-03-16

In guitar ` s playing there have been many renowned performers, gifted of exuberant technique. But curiously the Apollonian playing is not by itself strictly enough. The guitar is the instrument which is closer to heart as any other one. It demands from you passion and sentiment. There have been three well known guitarists, one of them from England and the other one from Spain and the third one from Japan whose sensibility was totally absent in their performances.

But fortunately for us, there have been notable interpreters that have been maintained a desired balance and contrast between brain and heart, achieving great distinction and total acknowledgement around the world. I would name seven primordial names along the instrument `s story. First of all: the mythic soloist Andres Segovia, Regino Sainz de la Maza, John Williams, Alirio Diaz, Manuel Berrueco, Siegfried Behrend and Christopher Parkening, among the most representative ones of a great list.

Christopher Parkening `s career has made a brilliant colorist, an impeccable and sensitive interpreter of this well reduced repertoire. His profound artistic conviction and convincing phrasing has been a perpetual motive of constant invitations and presentations around the world.

Extreme virtuosity.......2005-09-25

CP has become my chief inspiration to improve as a classical guitarist. His performances here are, without exception, phenomenal. He makes the most difficult pieces sound effortless. I prefer CP over John Williams because, while Williams is also unquestionably a master, he sounds a bit robotic to me at times. CP, on the other hand, never sacrifices musicality to precision. He sublimely maintains both.

Average customer rating:

Amazing!
Hard hitting whithout being hard
Do not miss this one...
I'll say wow twice
Something Natural

The Weight of an Empty Room
Vedera , and Veda
Manufacturer: Second Nature
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0009ZE9UI
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Tracks:

Trade This Fear
Song For A Friend
The Falling Kind
Lover's Lie
Desire To Repeat
In The Quiet
It's All Happening On Broadway
Still Standing
Redemption Soon
Moment's Rewound
Safe
Song Four, Side Two
Lover's Lie (Acoustic)

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2007-03-23

I absolutely love this band; incredible vocals and music. My only Quam has nothing to do with the band at all. "Veda" is totally NOT their name! It's "Vedera"! I'm guessing it's a miss print, but the music is still AMAZING!

Hard hitting whithout being hard.......2006-07-02

("I love heavy stuff...yet I love them too!) They were an opener for Thrice(along with the Bled, Underoath, and maybe another band...can't remember...) at a show in SD. First off, seeing them live is better because you feel the drums loudness hit you and see the perfection of the vocals. They were the only low noise band at the show-they stil held the audiences attention... that says a lot... because if you've been to concerts with mixes of music you know how easy one "Booo" starts a revolt of kinds. Anyways, I love hearing the drums, actually. They're simple, yet strong and solid. However this CDs flaw is the lack of diversity. The band should mix up the sound from song to song or push the vocals to a yell, whisper, or anything different at times. Don't get me wrong...the girl has an AMAZING voice, yet with all that goes on in these songs...sometimes you find yourself bored. Each song is strong....overall feel needs work. Check out this band live.

Do not miss this one..........2006-06-26

One of the best CDs I've heard in a very long time.

I'll say wow twice.......2005-09-20

.I've seen Veda play live several, several times. I do believe I was at the very first show that they ever played, at a small venue, and I remember hearing Kristen May's voice from outside during sound checks. I fell in love.
.I believe that the reason Veda has made it as far as they have is because of Kristen's vocals. She has such control over her voice, and she really shows that on their first album. She encompasses a sort of beauty and creativity with the vocal lines that she wails. Not to mention her lyrics are touching and incredible as well. The lead guitar really adds to Kristen voice and rhythm guitar, making things a little more ambient, more complex. The music itself isn't really complex, the chord progressions are simple and clean, but in most all of the songs, each instrument stands out to make it's own. For instance, in "Moments Rewound", listen to the bass guitar. It really makes the song come together.
.This album as such an amazing sense of energy. It's the kind of album you pop in your car CD player and let it roll over and over again. Starting out with "Trade this Fear" was an excellent idea, since it's crammed with energy and Kristen is basically saying, "Yeah, you're gonna like this." Although, I do think that ending the album on an acoustic note was poor,
.I would strongly recommend purchasing this album. It's well worth the money and time spent listening.

Something Natural.......2005-08-30

Hey, guess what? I saw them open in front of Dredg too! Seems that this tour is doing them a lot of good. And that's great, because they deserve it.

What struck me about Veda is that there really is nothing to decipher about them. I can admire that as long as the music is good, and it is. Kristen isn't overpowering as a vocalist, but commands everyone's attention with it. The music hints at an urge to break out in to greatness just below the surface. During their live preformance, Brian wailed his guitar in a very U2/Coldplay fashion which was invigorating. Sadly, it all gets muted on the actual album.

If Veda could capture the blossoming power of their live act and put it in to their next album, they could easily be on their way to something great. Kristen, you have the voice! Use it! The only track that I felt you really had fun with your beauty was "It's All Happening on Broadway" (and subsequently is my favorite track on the album). You nearly get there with tracks like, "For a Friend" ("and we sing...") and "Trade this Fear" with your throaty growls. It's amazing what you can do, just showcase it. Test yourself more often and stretch your range as far as it can go.

And don't be afraid to let the music shine, too. Let the reverb on the guitar explore the studio space next time. Let the drums out of their cage and have some fun. Why not have a bass solo or let it follow in the footsteps of Kristen's voice? There's so much Veda could be doing (and is completely able to do) that could make them something really special.

Until that time, this is an admirable start for Veda. There is something completely natural about the music they make and I hope they get a chance to share that with as many people as possible. They'll be going back on tour soon with Thrice and I highly suggest you check them out. Love and Peace!

Average customer rating:

He's a prophet!
5 stars? hear me out
simply beautiful in all the right ways
Extremely disappointed... and depressed... and lonely... and in need of professional help
Rocky Votolato is amazing!

Suicide Medicine
Rocky Votolato
Manufacturer: Second Nature
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2003-09-16

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Light and the Sound
Suicide Medicine
I'll Catch You
Automatic Rifle
Every Red Cent
Montana
Alabaster
City Is Calling
Secrets of a Salesman
Prison Is Private Property
Death-Right
Mix Tapes/Cellmates

Customer Reviews:

He's a prophet!.......2006-01-23

I dunno wich album I like better, Burning My Travels Clean, or this one. To be honest with you I think all of his albums are equally amazing. Nobody compares...nobody!

5 stars? hear me out.......2005-12-09

You always see 5 stars because the only people that comment are those that like the band. This is another story. I got hooked on Rocky from a friend, and was immersed ever since. Suicide Medicine is amazing, i can not think of any other album which rivals. All i can say is download a few songs... i guarentee youll love it.

simply beautiful in all the right ways.......2005-11-03

years ago, i was blessed to play a show with rocky in lawrence kansas. he sings of truth, beauty, pain, life & love, and so so much more. he's definitely ahead of his time, melodies and a voice that make you cry while you smile, like he's talking just to you. don't hesitate to buy all of his records, they are all wonderful. if you have to start somewhere, i would recommend suicide medicine first, the light & sound ep is absolutely terrific as well. take a day or night to let it all sink in, you will be hooked.

Extremely disappointed... and depressed... and lonely... and in need of professional help.......2005-09-17

Does not work! Highly recommend taking 4 Prozacs with a bottle of tequila instead.

Rocky Votolato is amazing!.......2005-04-06

I've just started listening to him recently, and so far I've enjoyed everything I've heard from him. Hes a great vocalist who just seems to capture you in his music. I've also enjoyed listening to waxwings music as well. But I think I prefer him solo with just him and his guitar. But the song Montana with David Huffman is still one of my favorites. So I would highly recommend buying his cds! you wont regret it! I just hope I'll be able to go to one of his concerts... everyone says hes amazing live.

Average customer rating:

Coalesce's "F.O.I."
Possibly the Best Hardcore CD Ever
this is a 20-minute EP
Decent...
A Disgust for Details

Functioning on Impatience
Coalesce
Manufacturer: Second Nature
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

0:12 Revolution in Just Listening
Give Them Rope
002
There Is Nothing New Under the Sun
A Safe Place

ASIN: B000065T2N
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

You Can't Kill Us All
Reoccurring Ache Of
A New Language
On Being A Bastard
My Love For Extremes
Measured In Gray
A Disgust For Details

Album Description

While many have imitated and a select few have taken the complicatedcore sub-genre of hardcore to new heights, none have matched COALESCE's ferocity, density or unorthodox nature. From the stunning medical text-inspired packaging to the slower, groove-oriented undercurrent winding its way throughout COALESCE's trademarked sonic onslaught, Functioning On Impatience is completely without remorse, but thoughtful and methodical in its delivery. Opener "You Can't Kill Us All" begins with one of the most damaging condemnations/proclamations ever committed to disc, before the music of COALESCE lurches forward. Functioning On Impatience is littered with punishing metallic riffs, coupled with crazed technical runs that throw the proceedings into utter chaos, and is anchored by an utterly distorted bass, peculiar guitar noise and more time changes, tempo shifts and stop-start parts than one can possibly keep up with. Serving as a perfect compliment to the music's irresistible malevolence, Sean Ingram's challenging lyrics are delivered with such bile and power that their vehemence may never be replicated. While COALESCE's internal strife and divergent personalities eventually silenced this lumbering behemoth, ultimately the music remains as everything else fades to black, and Functioning On Impatience cements COALESCE's place in hardcore like few albums before it or since.

Customer Reviews:

Coalesce's "F.O.I.".......2007-01-03

this may be their finest work in the span of coalesce's career. it's a very focused, angry album. the opening track is a kick in the face. you get a moment to recover with some filler for track two then the real beating begins. it finishes out with the fiercest song i believe they ever recorded, "a disgust for details". if you're a fan or just wondering what coalesce was all about, i'd highly recommend this album for your collection. a must for any of you dirty kids who think hardcore is the best new genre to hit the streets, you can hear what was being put out before all these high school kids decided to get guitars and try to disguise love songs to their girlfriends with some heavy music. this is what metalcore was all about.

Possibly the Best Hardcore CD Ever.......2006-01-08

I would actually say that the $15.98 asking price is arguably worth this CD. But since you can find it elsewhere much cheaper (blue collar press), check that out.
Either way, from Sean Ingram's rockapella intro to the disc and right until the final notes, this disc flows like no other hardcore album does, with close calls to Converge's "Jane Doe" and Botch's "We are the Romans." Fans of either of those bands or albums should find solace in "FOI."
Anyone wishing to remain "core," but add a little braininess to their windmill kicks should check out this album.

this is a 20-minute EP.......2005-09-25

Ask yourself, "do I want to pay upwards of 15 dollars for a 20-minute EP?"

Consider yourself warned.

Decent..........2004-06-01

I can't find my coalesce shirt dammit !Anyways,Great album actullie the only one i own by coalesce but o well...Atleast i got one haha !Dont think twice just buy it !

A Disgust for Details.......2003-03-07

Ok, this has got to be hands down one of the hardest hitting hardcore albums of the past few years. This album is brutal. An amazing hardcore album by an amazing hardcore band with amazing talent. A superb offering and effort, from everyone envolved. The layout and packaging is the best I've ever seen, Second Nature is a great label that release great stuff, and this is up there with the best. The LP packaging is truly breath takeing. Ed Rose is probably the best and most underated producer around. He does a great job with this album, as I said before, he is an amazing producer. And the band...it's Coalesce for God's sake!! Definatly one of the best hardcore bands of the "new generation", a band that will go down in hardcore history for their chaotic live shows, unmatched talent, and for albums like this. Sean Ingram is a lyrical genious, and has an amazing voice that is truly unique. This is probably my favorite Coalesce album; it's short, brutal, and heavy. The way hardcore should be.

Average customer rating:

epic crushing groove devestation...!!!
Neurotic Similarities
Isis rox.
it's a shame this is the only ISIS they have on amazon...
Everything ISIS does is Good

The Red Sea
Isis
Manufacturer: Second Nature
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mosquito Control
SGNL>05
Oceanic
Celestial
Panopticon

ASIN: B000065T0Z
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

The Red Sea: Charmicarmicarmicat Shines To Death
The Red Sea: The Minus Times
The Red Sea: Red Sea
1998 Demo: Smiles And Handshakes
1998 Demo: Catalyst
1998 Demo: Ochre
1998 Demo: Lines Across Eyes

Customer Reviews:

epic crushing groove devestation...!!!.......2005-12-10

by the time that you get too the 2nd track on 'the red sea'it is too late.. you are quickly subjected to unmercyful desolet fury...i can not express enough, the hoplessness, and desperic rage that this song displays!!!the vocals are so incredible it sends me into a barbaric slam groove frenzy every time i hear it..this song has the most pummeling crushing spiteful slamming hatered filled breakdowns of any band in the scene..long live sludge cruch slam groove hatered..!!!i rate this album 100 stars!!!!

Neurotic Similarities.......2004-08-07

I first encountered ISIS onstage. They were the opening act for a Dillinger Escape Plan & Candiria concert. I figured that ISIS would sound somewhat akin to Dillinger. Was I surprised! ISIS sludged across the stage and made me think that I had somehow mistakenly entered a NEUROSIS concert. They would not look at the crowd or speak to the crowd and they simply jammed heavy, heavy, riffs accompanied by tormented vocals, sporadic samples (and sound effects), and stick-destroying drumming (culminating in the drummer pounding without sticks). They are not nearly as heavy on disc, but this disc still slays. It trudges along at a nice doom-core pace (a la Neurosis) and it is filled with tortured vox. ISIS even toss in a few samples (sound to be from a movie) that help escalate the listener's paranoia. I would suggest this disc to all fans of Neurosis.

Isis rox........2000-12-15

First of all, these guys are nothing like Dillinger Escape Plan. However, Neurosis comparisons are valid. Both bands rock the mid-tempo and represent with long, repetitive songs. I love both bands and in my opinion the difference between them is a matter of non-stop brutality vs textured composition. Isis comes at you head on with crazy chuggchuggachugga stylings that make you want to break stuff. Neurosis has that brutality but they'll mix it up with some other tricks now and then. If you don't own any Neurosis or Isis, I recommend both wholeheartedly.

it's a shame this is the only ISIS they have on amazon..........2000-08-30

becuase out of this, their newest full length "celestial", their older ep "mosquito control", and the sawblade ep, this is my least favorite isis release.

however, it's still awesome. ignore the guy who said these guys sound like the dillinger escape plan, if anything, they're the opposite. instead of every song being a race to see which band member can finish the song first, isis attack you by SLOWLY building up mammoth riffs until they reach the point of impact and then release a wall of sound. every person on the planet seems to compare these guys to neurosis, but there is no way neurosis (although a GREAT band) could ever make something as heavy as these guys. this album is still great just because of the title track, which is one of the heaviest songs i've ever heard in my life. buy this cd, then buy the rest of their stuff and say to yourself "wow, this is even better than the red sea".

if you like this, i'd say check out neurosis (if you haven't already!), ire, and bloodlet.

Everything ISIS does is Good.......2000-07-12

This is Isis' third relase and its not as good as i would have expected, its too short. The first 3 tracks are the new stuff whereas the last 4 are from they're orginal demo from 97 or 98 (which makes this album worth getting) the 3 tracks are good, especially the title track. the demo songs are wonderful but the production is bad. i would have to recommend getting their second ep, mosquito control from escape artist records. anyway this album is not they're best but still excellent.

Average customer rating:

One plus one plus one equals...

Second Nature
Bill Laswell , Atom Heart , and Tetsu Inoue
Manufacturer: Sub Meta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Cymatic Scan
Psychonavigation
Asian Games
Avec Laudenum
Axiom Ambient: Lost in the Translation

ASIN: B000003S47
Release Date: 1996-02-20

Tracks:

Synthetic Forest
Green Paste
Artificial Seaside
Landing Circle

Customer Reviews:

One plus one plus one equals..........2005-12-12

On the darker, or more experimental side of ambient, there are some names that regularly pop up here and there - Atom Heart, Tetsu Inoue and Bill Laswell being three of them.

Having bought Datacide's 'Flowerhead' (Datacide consisting of the first two of the above artists) on the Asphodel label, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I was determined to get my hands on a copy of this. It surfaced through one of Amazon's partner sellers at a very reasonable price and I just received it today. The 30 second sound-bites were just a lukewarm teaser - this is a very well produced album that showcases the talents of these three electro-maestros extraordinarily well.

There is an eclectic and enagaging mix of soundscapes and ambient drones from Atom and Tetsu, expertly fused with by Bill's stylish deep bass rhythms and the odd sample, all of which hold interest throughout (despite three of the four tracks being over fifteen minutes in duration - actually, span would be a kinder word, given the quality of this offering). Fans of Steve Roach, Jeff Greinke, Synaesthesia, Lustmord and their ilk will enjoy this album.

I can't say I've had any exposure to Atom Heart's music other than the Datacide album, but as far as the other two go, try:

Tetsu Inoue:

- 'Instant Enlightenment' (as 'Om' - tending towards ambient techno trance, but more engaging than much of that genre - unavailable now?)
- 'Organic Cloud' (a 'spacier' album, but much classier than much run-of-the-mill space muzak)
- 'Audio' (a concept album in conjunction with Charles Uzzell-Edwards and Daimon Beail - an intriguing and engaging mix of electronica and environmental/voice samples from San Francisco streets)

Bill Laswell:

- 'Outland 3' (with Pete Namlook - 'spacy', with a couple of annoying, but thankfully brief, voice samples; a well-wrought album at any rate and worth its modest price)
- 'The Psyhconavigation Collection' (again with Pete Namlook - a 5 album set on one MP3 CD - fabulous spacy electronic music-making and an absolute bargain at less than the cost of 2 CDs - the high-definition MP3 sound quality is excellent, with no audible distortion - no mean thing given Bill's plumming of the bassy depths on many tracks!)
- 'Ambient Compendium' (a fascinating 2CD album of darker ambient collaborations with the likes of Pete Namlook, Tetsu Inoue, Jah Wobble and Jonah Sharp - CD one is mainly soundscapes, while CD two is more beat driven)

THIS ALBUM IS FANTASTIC - THERE ARE STILL USED COPIES AVAILABLE THROUGH AMAZON PARTNERS AT REASONABLE PRICES AS I WRITE THIS. AN EXCELLENT ADDITION TO A COLLECTION OF ELECTRO-AMBIENT ECLECTICA!

Average customer rating:

Second Nature
Miriam Stockley
Manufacturer: Cop International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Miriam
An Ancient Muse
Adiemus III: Dances of Time
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
A Celtic Journey

ASIN: B000F8O4D6
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

One Dream
Massai Rain
Rain Song
Umoya
Finlandia
Spring
Sabancaya
Butterfly
Ifemeli
Tula (Hush)

Album Description

"South African-born Miriam Stockley has a star-studded resume a mile long, but why mention Tina Turner [and] David Bowie when you were also called in to hit notes for lesser talents like Nicole Kidman (in Moulin Rouge)? Stockley returns with another magnificent mix of styles that evoke Finnish nights, African plains, Peruvian Andes and all the joy of Enya, Sarah Brightman and Miriam Makeba rolled into one...essentially, there are so many instrumental and vocal textures that words can't quite do this mosaic justice. `Beautiful' and `excitingly exotic' is simply a good start to the flow of adjectives." - ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Given the list of artists British singer Miriam Stockley has worked with - Tina Turner, Elton John, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Chaka Khan, David Bowie, Seal and Adiemus - you may be surprised that you haven't heard her name before. One of the most distinctive voices in music, Stockley has sung on more hit records and had more success than most artists achieve in a lifetime. One of the most thriving British singers of the past 20 years, she has sung on such popular soundtracks as The Lord of the Rings (on which she sang a solo in Elvish) and Harry Potter. Now, we are proud to present her solo album Second Nature, a brilliant disc full of perfect atmospheres, African influences and Stockley's pure vocals.

Soul Music:

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