Old America [Import]

1. Georgia On My Mind

2. Danny Boy

3. Ol' Man River

4. Summertime

5. Yesterday

6. Stormy Weather

7. Begin The Beguine

8. Blue Moon

9. Dancin' In The Dark

10. Saint Louis Blues

11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

12. In A Sentimental Mood

Old America,Fausto Papetti,Sony Bmg,World Music

Average customer rating: Dinosaur likes his guitar! The return of Dinosaur Jr. Beyond Expectations Beyond belief Lou Barlow Back for Beyond

Beyond Dinosaur Jr. Manufacturer: Fat Possum [Old] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Noise | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Indie Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Dinosaur Jr.: Live in the Middle East Icky Thump Sky Blue Sky We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank Favourite Worst Nightmare ASIN: B000OCZ9R8 Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

1. Almost Ready
2. Crumble
3. Pick Me Up
4. Back To Your Heart
5. This Is All I Came To Do
6. Been There All The Time
7. It's Me
8. We're Not Alone
9. I Got Lost
10. Lightning Bulb
11. What If I Knew

Amazon.com

Since bassist Lou Barlow left Dinosaur Jr. in 1989, the band--whose last record was 1997's expansive Hand It Over--has largely become an alter-ego moniker for guitarist/vocalist J Mascis. But now the original trio (including drummer Emmett "Murph" Murphy) has reunited for the first time since Barlow's split, and the 11-song outcome makes one ask: Why did they wait so long? Mascis's thunderous "Almost Ready," featuring both his combustible guitar and weary vocals, is the perfect blast-off, allowing Murphy's backbeat to set a turbulent pace early, and while songs like "Been There All the Time" and the Neil Young accolade "This Is All I Came to Do" have Mascis as primed as ever, Barlow (whose '90s-era Sebadoh set the bar for lo-fi bands) reappears with two of the record's strongest tracks: the poppy "Lightning Bulb" and "Back to Your Heart," which recalls late-in-the-game Hüsker Dü. These 50 minutes of music are as cohesive as they are conquering, and whether the same can be said of the once-prickly relationship between Mascis and Barlow will ultimately decide if this is a one-off reunion or if the real Dinosaur Jr. is back for awhile. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews:

Dinosaur likes his guitar!.......2007-08-04

A good album, not a knock out of the park where all the songs are a hit. Never heard them before so I bought it to see what they sounded like and what they had to say. As of late I am picking some hot titles and this one at the most rates a 4 star (more like a 3.5). Noticed right away that Dinosaur Jr. main instrument is the guitar and gets to play some raunchy licks which I appreciate. But being a devoted fan of Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa, Adrian Belew, David Lindley (among others) I do not think this is better or more entertaining. Two or three songs stand up to be counted and that is the story so far. Dinosaur Jr. likes his guitar!! (nothing wrong with that!) but a long way from being a masterpiece of contemporary music. Go figure...

The return of Dinosaur Jr........2007-07-20

I bought a copy of Dinosaur Jr.'s Beyond album a few weeks ago with me being a hardcore fan for over 10 years and all the rave reviews I had heard about it it would have been sacrilege if I didn't buy it. What I had heard was that it was a return to form since Bug, the band's last album with the original line up in 1988. I'll have to say I've listened to this album alot and I'm even listning to it now as I'm writing and it took me about 10 listens to full apreciate this album. I bought this at the record store, put the cd in my car and drove home with it hearing most of the album on the drive home. It started off decent enough with the first two songs and then just got dull. I mean I thought this was pretty sub par for a Dinosaur Jr. album. When I was in high school I worshipped J Mascis and I still do but when I heard this I couldn't believe how stale it sounded. I even liked his first solo album post DinoJr, More Light, better then this. But me being the hardcore dinohead I am I kept listning to it and it wasn't until a few days ago on a very long drive I was listning to it I real.ly began to enjoy it. The opening song, Almost Ready, Starts off with a bang and is a great way to open the album. Sounds like a classic sino song to me. Crumble follows it and is also very excellent. Two favorites right there. Third song being Pick me Up which needed to grow on me but man I love it now especialy the solos on it and man does J solo on this album. Back To Your Heart is song number Four and the First of Two songs Lou Barlow wrote for Beyond. Me being the Lou Barlow hater I am I really don't care for this song. It's too mellow or something. Probably would have worked for a Sebadoh album but shouldn't be a Dinosaur Jr. song. Number Five is This Is All I Came to Do and the album gets back on track again. Another great writing from J. Been There All The Time is a nice catchy song that I like quite a bit. Next is It's Me which is probably the hardest song on here. Sounds very reminicent of Yeah We Know from Bug. We're not Alone might be my favorite from here but can't say for sure. Still listning to it and enjoying it. Now for a very embarrasing moment. Song Nine is I Got Lost and it is the absolute worst song on here. It's extreemly bland and boring and the shocking thing is it's a J song! I mean I can see Lou Barlow writing junk like this but not the masterful songsmoth of Mr. Mascis. Oh well every songwriter has a bad apple. Song number 10 is Lightning Bulb, the Second of the two Lou Barlow songs and believe it or not I actualy like it. It's a very good song and thik it fits with the album very well. One out of Two and bad for someone who's songwriting style I really can't stand. Then The finale of the album is What If I Knew. Which has a very similar guitar patern to Lightning Bulb as if it's just picking up from where it left off. So there's my review for Dinosaur Jr's 2007 reunion album Beyond. How would I rate it. I would say ****. The only album that this might surpass and it's a very heavy might is Without A Sound which was an album I also loved. Well there's my two cents anyway. Beyond is a very good album. I recomend you pick it up or download it from itunes or some software sharing program if you want.



Stephen

Beyond Expectations.......2007-07-04

Mr Mascis, Barlow and Murph (original band lineup) are back to deliver this new incredible D Jr. album. Is a nice mixture of raging rock, ballads and country rock the only way this guys can do. I recommend the crushing opener "Almost Ready" and also for the first time on a D Jr. album is included a Barlow's song, the beautiful "Back to Your Heart". Definitely recommended for the non- or die hard D Jr. fan.

Beyond belief.......2007-07-04

What can I say>?
Green Mind changed my life forever. It was *the* album to live by when I was in college, some 15+ years ago. It defined a thoughtful, angsty existence for a thinking, feeling American adolescent. And the drums, bass, vocals, guitar... they were all amazing. Honed to fuzzy sonic perfection. Mascis ranks near to Neal Young for literally being able to speak volumes with his guitar work. He just goes and goes and goes. The newer albums never lived up to the perfection of the classics, from the original "Dinosaur" to "Bug" and "You're Living All Over Me." But they all had 3 or 4 great songs that made them worth the while.
When I heard a new album was coming out, I was very skeptical to say the least.
Now I am in disbelief.
This new album, "Beyond," is amazing. Some of the best alt-rock songs recorded to date. And Barlow, who could be annoying and self-indulgent in the past, has actually performed some real winners.
This album is a gift to the music loving public.
I can't say enough good things about it.

Lou Barlow Back for Beyond.......2007-06-29

To me, this is the best album Dinosaur Jr. has put out since 'Green Mind' in 1991. I probably am one of the few who didn't care for 'Where You Been'.
Of course those two albums didn't have the original Dinosaur lineup. By 1989 bassist Lou Barlow was kicked out of the band and that same year formed Sebadoh and later on Folk Implosion.
Only a couple of years ago Merge Records re-released the original Dinosaur classics (the first 3) and soon re-issued 'Green Mind' w/ three bonus tracks and 1993's 'Where You Been' (I only liked the opening song: "Out There").
Soon a whole new fanbase of Dinosaur Jr. sprouted and I do believe it helped ignite this reunion of the three original members: J, Lou & drummer Murph.
Yes! Lou Barlow is back and he writes/sings two of the eleven songs on 'Beyond' - "Back to Your Heart" and "Lightning Bulb" -which should bring a smile to any Dino-fan, that's followed the band since 1988's 'Bug'.
I haven't been a fan for that long, but I have been a devoted fan for about 12 years now, even when two of the worst Dinosaur Jr. albums were released 'Without A Sound' and 'Hand It Over'-

At the start of 'Beyond' from the opening chords of "Almost Ready" you just know Dinosaur Jr. are back with that fully charged noisy jangly bliss, they are known for!
Then on to two other near perfect Dino tracks, the swooning "Crumble" and the soaring "Pick Me Up".
As always exceptionally awesome guitar playing from J. Mascis. Yeah he's still got it! A highly under-rated guitarist that the mainstream should be taking notes from.
One of my favorite tracks is the In-your-face onslaught of "Been There All the Time" an instant classic for sure and just as good as most of the songs on my favorite Dinosaur Jr. album - 'Bug'.
I also really like J 's softest track on 'Beyond' the song "I Got Lost"-

Lets hope the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup is here to stay because this is the band's best in over 15 years.

Average customer rating: listen to this classic....and party! Always a classic The Beginning of the Beastie Boys' Dynasty The Joke Is... A near-excellent album

Licensed to Ill Beastie Boys Manufacturer: Def Jam ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Old School | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Rap & Hip-Hop General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rap & Hip-Hop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Paul's Boutique Ill Communication Check Your Head Hello Nasty Run-D.M.C. - Greatest Hits ASIN: B0000024JN Release Date: 1995-03-28

Tracks:

1. Rhymin & Stealin
2. The New Style
3. She's Crafty
4. Posse In Effect
5. Slow Ride
6. Girls
7. Fight For Your Right
8. No Sleep Till Brooklyn
9. Paul Revere
10. Hold It Now, Hit It
11. Brass Monkey
12. Slow And Low
13. Time To Get Ill

Amazon.com essential recording

The joke of Licensed to Ill's cover--that the Beasties could crash their jet into the side of a mountain and keep on tickin'--serves as a good metaphor for a career that even some of their 1986 admirers thought might be over after the one-time-only shock of this full-length debut. That thousands of funk-junkie wannabes have since failed at re-creating its groove, breaking-the-law vibe, and ear-splitting mix of rock and rap is an even better joke. And funniest of all is the record itself, which packs dexterous boasts, aural puns, and lots and lots of yelling into a disc that can still be listened to with as much pleasure as it gave in '86. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

listen to this classic....and party!.......2007-07-29

listen to licensed to ill and...party! there are lots of party classics on this album.(you've gotta)fight for your right (to party),brass monkey,no sleep 'til brooklyn,girls,hlod it now hit it,she's crafty,and time to get ill still sound good and funny today. so check out this album,party,and laugh. ed wilson

Always a classic.......2007-06-09

I finally had to replace my old copy of this. I love it! Beastie Boys' classic album mixes their "new style" lyrics (one-liners as I like to think of them) with all the classic party/dance tracks: No Sleep 'til Brooklyn, Fight for Your Right to Party, and Brass Monkey, not to mention "GIRLS". What fun it is, they obviously had so much fun with this album.

The Beginning of the Beastie Boys' Dynasty.......2007-06-05

License to Ill--

Formerly a punk-rock outfit called the Young & the Useless, New Yorkers Mike D, MCA and King Ad-Rock hooked up with Def Jam founder Rick Rubin in the mid-1980's to create a hip-hop masterpiece. Released in the fall of 1986, License to Ill took both the hip-hop world and mainstream pop culture by storm. Though this was their debut LP, the three MC's traded verses like veterans. Hip-hop rhythm tracks were combined with guitar licks for one of the first rap/rock fusion efforts, sowing seeds for the sub-genre's late 90's resurgence in the likes of Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine.

Lyrically, the Beasties are basically college-age party animals throughout the album, telling wild stories about getting kicked out of White Castle, get-togethers stocked with Budweiser, and related tales of cheerful, hedonistic mayhem. In interviews, band members admitted to having a Schoolly-D fixation at the time, and so there are also some casual gun references here and there. "Slow and Low" covers an unreleased Run-DMC song, with the unforgettable line "White Castle fries only come in one size.." "Rhymin' & Stealin'" is pre-gangster rap pirate fantasy, where the Boys vow to send sucker MC's "to Davy Jones' locker.." "No Sleep `til Brooklyn" has a great guitar contribution by Slayer's Kerry King, as the Boys vow to keep the party going "eight days a week.."; the now-legendary "Paul Revere" is a cowboy fantasy (co-written with Run DMC) where the Beasties play desperadoes on the frontier, set to a reverse-drum track rhythm: "MCA was with it, and he's my ace, so I grab the piano player and I punched him in the face; piano player's out, the music stopped; his boy had beef, and he got dropped.."

The album's signature song was the top-10 pop smash "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right". The rocker is almost out of place amidst all the straightforward hip-hop, but it's just as well that it was the album's closer. The Beasties expanded the cultural diversity of rap as well as expanding its cultural acceptance worldwide.

As of 2007, the LP's 20th anniversary has already passed; a deluxe re-release is in order; it should include any unreleased songs (such as the early "Rock Hard" EP; also, bootleg releases have included rare songs like "Scenario", "I'm Down" and an alternate take of "Fight for Your Right"), as well as a DVD version of the now-rare VHS home video compilation.

The Joke Is..........2007-05-08

In response to Rickey Wright's editorial review (this guy's an editor and didn't see this?)...

The joke, Mr. Wright, is not them crashing their jet into the side of a mountain and surviving, but rather what the image turns into when you unfold the album cover and hold it length-wise with the tail-end up. It's the image of a 'joint' being mashed out (like a cigarette in an ashtray). So I think the genius behind it works, making the obvious - unobvious.

Also, the call letters on the rear of the plane (3MTA3) actually spell 'EAT ME' when viewed in reverse - which is what is usually done when you're smokin' a fatty and 'Jake' is on ya.

As for the album itself - CLASSIC! True Beastie Boy gold!

A near-excellent album.......2007-03-09

Who didn't listen to the Beastie Boys back in the '80's? Their crossover appeal to rap and rock fans made the group one of the biggest hits during that era. The album was indicative of their unique style of rap, along with their penchant for including heavy rock sounds/backgrounds into their music. Although some thought that this album was a bit commercialized, it didn't keep it from becoming one of the most popular releases during that time. "Brass Monkey" is a memorable track that almost every Beastie fan can sing along to, and "Fight For Your Right" almost became an anthem for party-crazed teens in the '80's. "Time To Get Ill" was one of my favorite songs on this album, since it displayed skilled Dj'ing and catchy backdrop beats. Lyrics were also easy to memorize, which always helps when you feel like rappin' along with the track being played in your car. "Hold It Now, Hit It" is still one of the most sampled tracks in today's rap songs, and its catchy beat and rhythm allows for regular play in many listener's stereos. "She's Crafty" and "The New Style" were less-known hits, but still allows for fans to enjoy, as beats and sounds are similar to other hits... but, just different enough to keep the album from being boring. With their unique style and memorable lyrics, who wouldn't want to buy this album for the right price?

Average customer rating: It's what you want on the road. Ear-splitting goodness i don't own this... When Rap Was Cool great introduction to beastie boys

Solid Gold Hits Beastie Boys Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Old School | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Licensed to Ill Run-D.M.C. - Greatest Hits Greatest Hitz Check Your Head Ill Communication ASIN: B000BGR0SS Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

1. So What'cha Want
2. Brass Monkey
3. Ch-Check It Out
4. No Sleep 'till Brooklyn
5. Hey Ladies
6. Pass The Mic
7. An Open Letter To NYC
8. Root Down
9. Shake Your Rump
10. Intergalactic
11. Sure Shot
12. Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix)
13. Triple Trouble
14. Sabotage
15. Fight For Your Right

Amazon.com

In celebration of Beastie Boys' 24th anniversary, Capitol Records has decided to pay tribute to Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "Adrock" Horovitz and Adam "MCA" Yauch-- known collectively as Beastie Boys, with the release of Solid Gold Hits. (No, the group is not breaking up.) The infomercial-worthy 15-track compendium distills the NYC trio's storied career into an ADD-friendly digest format: Covering the Boys' first platinum-mining expeditions with "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" and "Fight For Your Right" through west coast detours "Shake Your Rump," "So What'cha Want" and "Sabotage," up to last year's return to #1 with the million-plus-selling To The 5 Boroughs' "Ch-Check It Out," "An Open Letter To NYC" and "Triple Trouble" -and all points between.

Beastie Boys Photos

More from Beastie Boys

Paul's Boutique	Check Your Head	IIll Communication
Licensed to Ill	Awesome, I Shot That	DVD Video Anthology - Criterion Collection

Customer Reviews:

It's what you want on the road........2007-05-31

It's Capitol puttin' out the s*%t like Endless Summer for the California Kids bustin' their own in the early 60s. Well, This is decent for a Saturday or even Sunday drive. I think anything off of Paul's Boutique on a compilation makes you want to just ditch this shti and listen to that whole album.. but I think I just found out the same siht happens when you listen to like Pet Sounds or Rubber Soul or like you know what I mean .. the Beatsies are mackin'.......

Ear-splitting goodness.......2007-03-25

Every time you play this album, an angel gets its wings.

Okay, maybe not that. But your neighbors will probably tell you to turn it down. Hey, just tell them you've got a right to party.

i don't own this..........2006-11-08

..and what's the point? All of these songs (minus a few) are on the anthology, along with countless others. The Beastie Boys didn't put this out, their record label did. It's just way for corporate to make money. If you consider yourself a real Beastie Boys fan, that is you're interested in all the other music they made that wasn't put on radio, then don't buy this. If you occasionally heard them on the radio and Fight For Your Right is your favorite song, then go ahead. The Beastie Boys are much more than just their greatest hits. To fully appreciate them, you have to listen to an album all the way through.

When Rap Was Cool.......2006-08-21

If you're a Beastie Boys Fanatic, you will love this. It's got the best of the best. Who can't listen to "Hey Ladies" and "Intergalactic" over and over again? A great compilation for a road trip or your next retro party.

great introduction to beastie boys.......2006-03-03

if you are new to the beastie boys (like me) this is a great first album to get. it has all their best song and no filler. heres a song by song breakdown.
1. So What'cha Want - 4/5 - Great intro song, but not the best.
2. Brass Monkey - 5/5 - Amazing song, the best song from their debut album.
3. Ch-Check it Out - 5/5 - Best song on the album, although MCA's voice sounds shot compared to some of the earlier songs. Also, I think the Just Blaze Remix is better if you can find that.
4. No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn - 3/5 - not one of my favorites, but its still pretty good.
5. Hey Ladies - 5/5 - Great song, really shows off the genious of Paul's Boutique.
6. Pass The Mic - 3/5 - The worst song on the album, although it's ok.
7. An Open Letter to NYC - 4/5 - Great tribute to NYC, but like with Ch-Check it Out, MCA's voice isn't as good as in the older songs.
8. Root Down - 4/5 - Great song.
9. Shake Your Rump - 4/5 - Another one from Paul's Boutique, although not as good as Hey Ladies.
10. Intergalactic - 5/5 - The first Beastie Boys song I ever heard, back when it came out in 98, great song.
11. Sure Shot - 4/5 - Great song, the only rap song I've ever heard that successfully incorporates a flute.
12. Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix) - 5/5 - Takes the original, which was an ok song, and turns it into something sublime.
13. Triple Trouble - 4/5 - Great song, but it has the same beat as Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang.
14. Sabotage - 4/5 - Great song, more metal than rap.
15. Fight for your Right - 5/5 - How can you not love this song?

Average customer rating: Hits The Spot Late In The Day, A Diamond Kris Rocks This Old Road Kris is a major talent

This Old Road Kris Kristofferson Manufacturer: New West Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Country | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker All the Roadrunning We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions Black Cadillac Out of the Ashes ASIN: B000E6UKD2 Release Date: 2006-03-07

Tracks:

1. This Old Road
2. Pilgrim's Progress
3. The Last Thing To Go
4. Wild American
5. In The News
6. The Burden Of Freedom
7. Chase The Feeling
8. Holy Creation
9. The Show Goes On
10. Thank You For A Life
11. Final Attraction

Amazon.com

Though Kris Kristofferson has long seemed ageless, the approach of his 70th birthday plainly has the songwriter looking back, taking stock and coming to terms with his legacy and his mortality. The result is his most consistently compelling release in decades, as well as his most stripped-to-the-bone intimate. The spare production by bassist Don Was captures Kristofferson in all his rough-edged, plain-spoken, and big-hearted glory, with occasional support from guitarist (and longtime Kristofferson compatriot) Stephen Bruton and drummer Jim Keltner putting the focus on songs that combine the poetic grace of Kristofferson's early classics with a conviction that has grown stronger with the passing years. "Wild Americans" offers a roll call of outspoken heroes--from American Indian activist John Trudell to country maverick Steve Earle--while "In the News" lambastes the very concept of a holy war. Yet it's the spiritual side of Kristofferson that really touches the soul, from a father's wonder at the "Holy Creation" of his children's birth to the bittersweet benediction of "Thank You for a Life." With the title cut, "The Last Thing to Go," "The Show Goes On," and "Final Attraction," he takes a look back at the life of a troubadour and decides that, for all the bumps, this road has been one of incomparable rewards. The listener shares the riches. --Don McLeese

Album Description

Kris Kristofferson has always identified himself first and foremost as a writer, and true writers know that what works best is giving a piece of themselves to the listener. With his latest album, This Old Road, Kristofferson lays a chunk of his own soul on every track. This beautifully sparse recording, puts an emphasis on his fine lyrics and distinctive voice by featuring Kristofferson, his guitar, and harmonica. The album is so intimate it makes the listener feel as if they are sitting in Kristofferson's living room while he picks and sings just for them.

Customer Reviews:

Hits The Spot.......2007-06-27

Kris is a contemporary - his songs reflect the way we feel at this stage in our lives. The sadness and the joy .....

Late In The Day, A Diamond.......2007-06-19

One can only hope that some of the multitude who purchase the latest flavor of the moment will have the good fortune and discernment to some day come to this magnificent testament and realize that only a relatively few albums are truly timeless and worthy of one's attention and time, again and again and again.

Kris Rocks.......2007-06-08

I've been a fan since I was kid, my mom listening to Kristofferson while cleaning the house in the summer with the doors and windows wide open, a cool breeze blowing in, and us kids (there were six of us) laying on our bare bellies in front of the speakers.

Kristofferson is one of the best singers/songwriters in American history and this is one of his best albums.

This Old Road.......2007-05-13

The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.

Kris is a major talent.......2007-04-06

Saw Kris a few times in concert last year and he sang a lot of the songs on this CD. I didn't give him 4 stars because Kris really is not the best singer, but, boy, these are the best songs!

Average customer rating: Still the Queen Queen of the Blues Koko's Still Got It! YES, WE ARE IN THE BACK STREETS BUT WE ARE NOT CRYING koko

Old School Koko Taylor Manufacturer: Alligator Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Alligator Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: 10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)/ (CD/DVD) In the Palace of the King Dirty Deal Breakin' It Up & Breakin' It Down Painkiller ASIN: B000NA2744 Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

1. Piece Of Man
2. Gonna Buy Me A Mule
3. Black Rat
4. Money Is The Name Of The Game
5. You Ain't Worth A Good Woman
6. Better Watch Your Step
7. Bad Avenue
8. Bad Rooster
9. Don't Go No Further
10. All Your Love
11. Hard Pill To Swallow
12. Young Fashioned Ways

Amazon.com

Go ahead and call it a comeback. Despite her advancing years and frail health following a 2003 hospitalization, Old School shows that the Queen of Chicago Blues has no intentions of abdicating her throne just yet. Koko Taylor isn't terribly prolific--this is only her third album in 14 years--but she's also never released a lackluster effort, and this is no exception. As the title suggests, you should be prepared for tough, rugged Chicago blues sung by one of the masters of the genre, regardless of gender. Taylor's legendary booming voice does show some wear, but her husky pipes, wang-dang-doodle attitude, and sheer enthusiasm will convince any skeptics that the singer is far from phoning in her performance. The disc is split evenly between originals and covers of Willie Dixon, Magic Sam, and others, all powered by a gritty yet professional no-nonsense band featuring guitarists Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin and Criss Johnson, along with the harmonica great Billy Branch. Musically, there aren't many surprises, but at this stage Taylor isn't pushing boundaries with her meat-and-potatoes diet of grinding shuffles mixed with the occasional slow blues. Knocking off a tune or two from the hour-long program might have made this a more concise, compact statement, however. Yet with songs as frisky as "Bad Rooster"--possibly an answer to the classic "Little Red Rooster"--and a strutting version of Dixon's "Don't Go No Further," there's no doubt that Taylor remains as passionate and intense as when she was first claiming her crown, nearly four decades ago. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

With her first album in seven years, the aptly titled Old School, Taylor once again shows the world what she does so well. From foot-stomping barnburners to powerful slow blues, Koko proves in an instant that her blues are joyous and life-affirming, powerful and soul-stirring.

With Old School, Taylor brings it all back home, supported by a band of veteran musicians and young revivalists. Singing like she did for Chess Records early in her career, Taylor belts out a set of material that could easily have topped the blues charts in the 1950s, and will certainly reach the top of the blues world today.

Koko Taylor, guitarist Criss Johnson and Alligator president Bruce Iglauer produced Old School. Recorded in Chicago, the 12 songs (including five new Taylor originals and songs by Willie Dixon, Magic Sam, Lefty Dizz, and E.G. Kight) all hearken back to Taylor's early years in the Windy City. They range from the humorous truth of Piece Of Man to the rocking blues advice of Better Watch Your Step to the tough street scene of Bad Avenue (done in classic Muddy Waters style), to Koko's version of Memphis Minnie's Black Rat, a song she used to sing as a teenager. "I put my heart and soul into everything that I do," says Taylor. "I worked long and hard on Old School, and I want my fans to enjoy it as much as I do."

Customer Reviews:

Still the Queen.......2007-08-01

It's really encouraging to know that Koko Taylor, now almost 72, is still singing the blues. And, amazingly, her gruff voice sounds as good as they ever did...a tad less powerful, perhaps, but all the more expressive and focused.

This must be something like her 17th or 18th regular album, which isn't a lot considering that her recording career began in the early 1960s. And it's been seven years since the excellent "Royal Blue" album, so I guess "Old School" could be viewed as a comeback of sorts. But if so, it is a comeback without any modern hijinks...Koko Taylor still sounds like she did 40 years ago, and so does her music. She is even backed by Muddy Waters' former guitarist, "Steady Rollin'" Bob Margolin, on several songs.

So "Old School" doesn't break any new ground, but then why should it? There aren't excactly too many left of Koko Taylor's calibre, and to still be able to hear her growling the blues is something of a treat in itself. even if this isn't the strongest collection of songs she has even put out.
The band is excellent, or rather the bands, because these 12 songs are recorded with three (somewhat) different bands. Longftime Koko-associate Criss Johnson plays excellent lead guitar on several songs, as does Bob Margolin, and "Brother" John Katke's piano playing is pure R&B-heaven.
A handful of songs feature a tenor saxophone, while the rest of them (with the exception of one song) have Billy Branch blowing the harp.

But, again, the songs are not all as good as the music. There are a few somewhat generic numbers here, like "Bad Avenue", "You Ain't Worth a Good Woman", and the slow and rather forgettable "Money is the Name of the Game". Not bad, you understand, but not really memorable either.
But fortunately there is also some really great, swaggering blues to be found. The opening number, Taylor's own "Piece Of Man", is one of the highlights of the album, a powerful, thumping R&B piledriver. And she does an amazing rendition of the classic "Black Rat", which has never been one of my favorite blues songs, but I was frankly surprised at how good this one sounds.
And there are excellent covers of two somewhat lesser-known Willie Dixon songs, and a relatively slow, soulful "All Your Love"...not the Otis Rush-single but the Magic Sam-number.

All in all, this music wouldn't seem at all out of place next to Taylor's own 60s or 70s recordings, and the producers (which include Taylor herself) deserve a lot of credit for not sanding away the grit, leaving the music raw and ragged like real blues music should be.
3 1/2 stars for this one. Buzzrat and music critic Steve Leggett once wrote that this was a continuance rather than a comeback. I think I prefer to call it that as well.

Queen of the Blues.......2007-07-17

They don't call her the Queen of the Blues for nothing! This new cd finds Koko singing like she was a young lady again. All blues lovers and Koko fans will find this cd awesome. You would never know Koko had some serious health issues. Keep the blues alive Koko!!

Koko's Still Got It!.......2007-07-10

Koko Taylor has weathered lots in her lengthy career, but she shows no signs of aging or rust on "Old School," her latest release.

Her voice still strong, still able to plead, prod, cajole and coerce, Ms. Taylor proves that no one will be pretending to ascend to her Queen of The blues throne anytime soon.

If you've always loved Koko, you'll find that nothing has changed. And that's a good thing.

YES, WE ARE IN THE BACK STREETS BUT WE ARE NOT CRYING.......2007-06-26

Koko Taylor was a lately acquired taste as I rambled through the Chicago blues milieu trying to figure out where the blues went after it left the Delta. By that I had became a devotee after Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie and even Victoria Spivey. No question that Koko is now the reigning queen of that genre. Her big, big booming voice and forthright manner of telling her blues stories tells all as she does some remarkable covers of Willie Dixon tunes. And that is appropraite because if I recall Willie helped discover her for the old Chess Record label. But that is neither her nor there. For those who only know Koko from Wang Dang Doodle or Back Streets Crying then you are in for a treat.

koko.......2007-06-16

Glad to know koko is back.lookin forward to new endeavers

Average customer rating: the quintessential altcountry album "This Ain't Our Home Anymore, It's Just Four Walls and A Floor..." Old 97's - Too Far To Care Yeeeeeeee haw!!! Give this a spin... Really, country? I might call it rockabilly instead.

Too Far to Care Old 97's Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Wreck Your Life Fight Songs Hitchhike To Rhome Satellite Rides Drag It Up ASIN: B000002HPH Release Date: 1997-06-17

Tracks:

1. Timebomb
2. Barrier Reef
3. Broadway
4. Salome
5. W. TX Teardops
6. Melt Snow
7. Streets Of Where I'm From
8. Big Brown Eyes
9. Just Like California
10. Curtain Calls
11. Niteclub
12. House That Used To Be
13. Four Leaf Clover

Amazon.com essential recording

If the Waco Brothers sound like the Clash playing country music, an Old '97s song like "Barrier Reef" sounds like Rancid doing the Wacos. That's not a bad thing, but lead singer Rhett Miller is more distinctive pining for his gal on the sweetly beautiful "Salome" and "Streets of Where I'm From," a jazzy number about living in a place where romance ends as roadkill. The band--Miller, lead guitarist Ken Bethea, bassist Murry Hammond, drummer Phillip Peeples--sounds most like a rock outfit on the album-opening "Time Bomb," and most like a country crew on "West Texas Teardrops," featuring banjo and Hammond's nasal twang.

On at least half his songs, Miller reveals himself to be a guy who falls in love easily but takes getting dumped hard. The subject matter might get old, but the '97s vary things enough musically to steer clear of trouble. If the story of a guy scared to death of Manhattan on "Broadway" is too obvious, Miller easily redeems himself on the album's closer, "Four Leaf Clover." Sung as a duet with Exene Cervenka, it sounds like X riding a Bo Diddley beat, but the bitter lyrics send it to the moon. "I got a four-leaf clover, but it ain't done me a single lick of good/I'm still a drunk and I'm still a loser/And I'm still living in a lousy neighborhood." After all the crying he's done, it's nice to hear Miller get good and pissed. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

the quintessential altcountry album.......2006-05-13

I bought this album when it first came out despite the fact that I was rather underwhelmed by its predecessor, "Wreck Your Life". This was their major label debut, and it would seem that the Old 97s took extra care with this album as it improves greatly upon their previous work. Everything on this album is better--the songs, the music, the production. This is the perfect Old 97s album.

So what makes this album so great? Rhett Miller's lyrics and delivery. He had already shown himself to be a smart and clever lyricist on previous albums, but here he takes it to the next level where almost every phrase of every song employs some sort of subtle intricate wordplay. His themes of young love and love lost are still there, but you can tell he took his time with the words this time around. For example, from "Salome", "I'm tired of making friends, and I'm tired of making time; from "Big Brown Eyes", "you make a big impression for a girl your size"; from "Niteclub", "telephones make strangers out of lovers, whiskey makes the strangers all look good", and from "Barrier Reef", "my name's Stuart Ransom Miller, and I'm a serial lady killer". Oh, and did I mention that the kid can sing?

As for the music, they are as tuneful as they ever were here, but the country leanings are very pronounced. They would definitely go on to produce more polished work over the next few years, but if you like your pop music with a healty twang of cowpunk then this is the album for you.

"This Ain't Our Home Anymore, It's Just Four Walls and A Floor...".......2006-04-16

This album is a serious a**-kicker from start to finish.
No matter how old you are, where you're from, or what kind of music you normally listen to, I dare you not to stomp your feet when "Timebomb" gets going. This is the perfect driving album.

But as any Old 97's fan will tell you, the music's only half the story. Rhett Miller and company are kings of the lyrical one liners... and their skills truly shine in Too Far to Care.

Buy this album - you won't regret it. Then see them live!

Old 97's - Too Far To Care.......2005-07-28

A must have for anyone who enjoys X, The Reverend Horton Heat, or anything else that rides the line between punk rock and country.

Yeeeeeeee haw!!! Give this a spin..........2005-01-20

After seeing these guys live a few times during the glory days, I have a lot of respect for them. This album is KILLER. Every track rocks. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, go check out CLAY PIGEONS, which features "Timebomb" as the opening track. The soundtrack has tons of other awesome alt/country/punk music on it.

I recommend TOO FAR TO CARE to anyone who likes CMT and country radio...

Really, country? I might call it rockabilly instead........2004-09-30

I was surprised to read in many reviews that this band tends to be classified as "country." I knew nothing about the Old 97's, but the very first time I heard this album I was reminded of The Knitters/X. Imagine my great surprise when I heard Exene's voice on the final track! Not my favorite song, but it solidified my suspicion that they might have been influenced by that excellent band. Most of this album is really really good. There are only a couple of "eh" songs that I might be tempted to skip. I look forward to hearing more from these guys.

Average customer rating: ROCK ON! Great CD, You gotta get this one! DEAR GOD! I LOVE CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR! Cute Is What They Are I listen to it over and over...and over and over and over

The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch Cute Is What We Aim For Manufacturer: Fueled By Ramen ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk-Pop | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Power Pop | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Don't You Fake It Santi This Is Where You Belong Infinity on High Chroma ASIN: B000FFP00A Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

1. Newport Living
2. There's A Class For This
3. Finger Twist & Split
4. Risque
5. Sweat the Battle Before the Battle Sweats You
6. The Fourth Drink Instinct
7. Sweet Talk 101
8. The Curse of Curves
9. I Put the "Metro" In Metronome
10. Lyrical Lies
11. Moan
12. Teasing to Please (Left Side, Strong Side)

Album Description

This Buffalo, NY group is best known for their countless hooks, pop sensibility, and witty lyrics. Their debut was produced by Matt Squire (Panic! At The Disco, Thrice, Northstar). Their online presence is unlike anything Fueled By Ramen has ever experienced. They've consistently been in the top ten on purevolume.com for over six months, racking up over 1.6 million plays. Alternative Press named them one of the 100 Bands You Need To Know In 2006.

Customer Reviews:

ROCK ON!.......2007-08-07

Cute is what we aim fo is one of the best bands ever!!! They have such an aristic talent..they work together to make a most awesome band! so all i have to say is KEEP ROCKIN!!!!

Great CD, You gotta get this one!.......2007-07-07

I love this CD, its full of catchy little songs you can sing a long too. There are a couple of serious songs, but for the most part its upbeat and fun. When I first bought this I listened to it every day for a month. It is so awesome. I saw them in concert and they were pretty good also. It was a fun concert. If you like fall out boy, panic at the disco and other bands like that, you will probably like this song. The last two songs are the best, although some of the others are just really great too.

DEAR GOD! I LOVE CUTE IS WHAT WE AIM FOR!.......2007-05-08

buy this cd!

seriously, just do it. it's super fun pop/punk deliciousness. cute is what we aim for is going to blow up very soon, and don't you want to brag about how you knew about them BEFORE they went platinum? oh yes, you do. the vocals and lyrics are amazingly original. random even.

cute is what we aim for can also be seen on warped tour this year, so you should check them out there too.

Cute Is What They Are.......2007-04-12

According to All Music and their critics, Cute Is What We Aim For and their cheekiness is not much to their liking. But what's really strange to me is there was only a measely second of hesitation on my part to like this CD; by the time the ending of the first track "Newport Living" came along, this band had a brand new fan. "You wanted to sell out/ but you couldn't even do that right/ so your price tag has been slashed/ and now you're on a half price clearance rack," umm hello, what a crack up. I love the fact they make fun of everything including themselves, where some critics find that they are perhaps trying to too hard to be clever, I disagree and think they're just funny enough to be clever - "The Fourth Drink Instinct" the story of a girl who gets drunk and screws someone and turns around and is surprised when he leaves her in the morning is great. It's a power rock ballad and perhaps it's toned down in terms of lyrics I can surely relate to it (I know friends like that) (What made you think that he couldn't find the door in the morning/ when he found that bed so easily in the dark?) ; "There's A Class For This" includes lines "drama doesn't follow me/ it rides on my back/ I may be ugly/ but they sure love to stare..." and in "Risque" they give us "Medically speaking you're adorable/and from what I hear/ you're quite affordable..." I love it. Musically, the band is more poppy than Boy Kill Boy and less tragic guitars a la The Smiths, but they aren't quite as experimental and fun as say Wheatus, in fact they sound a lot like a lot of those bands I don't like that out now a days - the dime a door dozen type with the chugging guitars and the high pitced wincy voice, but this time around it has won me over, the music moves in jaunts and rhythmic motions and the vocals are actually giving me a thrill with the witty lyrics - so critics be damned I'm telling you The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch is clever and lovable and umm cute.

I listen to it over and over...and over and over and over.......2007-03-26

This cd is really great-one of my favorites to listen to! The songs are catchy and it's fun to sing all the lyrics, unlike other bands. Don't really understand how you can not like this cd, honestly.

Average customer rating: Indispensable Carter Family CD boxed set An Excellent Collection Of Songs By One Of The Great Bands In All Of American Music Pure, Uncontaminated Music RURAL TREASURES

The Carter Family: 1927-1934 The Carter Family Manufacturer: Jsp Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Old-Time Country | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Appalachian | North America | International | Styles | Music General | Country | Box Sets | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Volume 2: 1935-1941 Recordings 1927-1933 Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?: The Carter Family & Their Legacy in American Music Can the Circle Be Unbroken?: Country Music's First Family The Carter Family - Will the Circle Be Unbroken ASIN: B00005TPB7 Release Date: 2002-04-30

Tracks:

1. Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow
2. Little Log Cabin By The Sea
3. The Poor Orphan Child
4. The Storms Are On The Ocean
5. Single Girl, Married Girl
6. The Wandering Boy
7. Meet Me By The Moonlight, Alone
8. Little Darling, Pal Of Mine
9. Keep On The Sunny Side
10. Anchored In Love
11. John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man
12. I Ain't Goin' To Work Tomorrow
13. Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone
14. River Of Jordan
15. Chewing Gum
16. Wildwood Flower
17. I Have No-One To Love Me (But The Sailor On The Deep Blue Sea)
18. Forsaken Love
19. Sweet Fern
20. My Clinch Mountain Home
21. God Gave Noah The Rainbow Sign
22. I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes
23. Little Moses
24. Lulu Wall
25. The Grave On The Green Hillside

Tracks:

1. Don't Forget This Song
2. The Foggy Mountain Top
3. Bring Back My Blue-Eyed Boy To Me
4. Diamonds In The Rough
5. Engine One-Forty-Three
6. The Homestead On The Farm
7. The Cyclone Of Rye Cove
8. Motherless Children
9. When The Roses Bloom In Dixieland
10. No Telephone In Heaven
11. Western Hobo
12. Carter's Blues
13. Wabash Cannonball
14. A Distant Land To Roam
15. Jimmie Brown The Newsboy
16. Kitty Waltz
17. Fond Affection
18. The Cannonball
19. The Lover's Farewell
20. There's Someone Awaiting For Me
21. The Little Log Hut In The Lane
22. When The Springtime Comes Again
23. When The World's On Fire
24. I Have An Aged Mother
25. Dying Soldier
26. Worried Man Blues

Tracks:

1. Lonesome Valley
2. On The Rock Where Moses Stood
3. Room In Heaven For Me
4. Lonesome Pine Special
5. No More The Moon Shines On Lorena
6. On My Way To Canaan's Land
7. Where Shall I Be?
8. Sow 'Em On The Mountain
9. Darling Nellie Across The Sea
10. The Birds Were Singing Of You
11. Weary Prodigal Son
12. My Old Cottage Home
13. When I'm Gone
14. Sunshine In The Mountain
15. Let The Church Roll On
16. Lonesome For You
17. Can't Feel At Home
18. Why There's A Tear In My Eye
19. The Wonderful City
20. Jimmie Rodgers Visits The Carter Family
21. The Carter Family And Jimmie Rodgers In Texas
22. 'Mid The Green Fields Of Virginia
23. Happiest Days Of All
24. Picture On The Wall
25. Amber Tresses

Tracks:

1. I Never Loved But One
2. Tell Me That You Love Me
3. Where We'll Never Grow Old
4. We Will March Through The Streets Of The City
5. Sweet As The Flowers In Maytime
6. Will The Roses Bloom In Heaven
7. My Little Home In Tennessee
8. The Sun Of The Soul
9. If One Won't, Another One Will
10. Broken Hearted Love
11. Two Sweethearts
12. The Winding Stream
13. I Wouldn't Mind Dying
14. The Spirit Of Love Watches Over Me
15. The Church In The Wildwood
16. Give Me Roses While I Live
17. I Will Never Marry
18. On The Sea Of Galilee
19. Home By The Sea
20. I Loved You Better Than You Knew
21. This Is Like Heaven To Me
22. See That My Grave Is Kept Green
23. Over The Garden Wall
24. Gold Watch And Chain
25. Will My Mother Know Me There?

Tracks:

1. On A Hill Lone And Gray
2. Cowboy Jack
3. I'll Be All Smiles Tonight
4. Away Out On The Old Saint Sabbath
5. Happy Or Lonesome
6. One Little Word
7. Darling Daisies
8. The East Virginia Blues
9. Lovers Return
10. It'll Aggravate Your Soul
11. Hello Central! Give Me Heaven
12. I'm Working On A Building
13. You've Been Fooling Me, Baby
14. Longing For Old Virginia
15. March Winds Goin' To Blow My Blues All Away
16. There'll Be Joy, Joy, Joy
17. Are You Tired Of Me, My Darling
18. My Heart's Tonight In Texas
19. There's No Hiding Place Down Here
20. Cowboy's Wild Song To His Herd
21. The Evening Bells Are Ringing
22. The Mountains Of Tennessee
23. I'll Be Home Some Day
24. Faded Coat Of Blue
25. Sailor Boy

Product Description

Among the 127 tracks on these albums are:Little Log Cabin By The Sea, Keep On The Sunny Side, The Foggy Mountain Top, Engine 143, Western Hobo, Wabash Cannonball, Jimmy Brown The Newsboy, The Lover's Farewell, Worried Man Blues, Lonesome Pine Special, My Old Cottage Home, The Wonderful City, Broken Hearted Love, and Cowboy Jack

Format: CD

Amazon.com

Their setup was primitive enough--guitar, Autoharp, and vocals--but in the late '20s the trio of A.P. Delaney Carter, his wife Sara, and his sister-in-law Maybelle would change (chart?) the course of country music forever. They did it with haunting harmonies, incredible guitar playing (thanks to Maybelle's driving strums on her Gibson L-5 guitar), and a vast repertoire that included murder ballads, gospel tunes, love songs, and Appalachian folk tunes--many of which would be covered by musicians for decades to come. Unlike their musical peers in the late '20s and early '30s, the Carters weren't just playing "hillbilly" music; this was, quite simply, country music, and their timeless output still resonates with listeners today. JSP's bargain-priced, five-CD collection is easily the most complete, essential collection of their music available, capturing and remastering their RCA Victor recordings (their later, less-seminal sessions for Decca and the American Record Company are not included). Hearing five CDs' worth of music from the Carter Family is almost sensory overload--from the initial 1927 Bristol sessions, which Johnny Cash hailed as "the single most important event in the history of country music," to their depression-era recordings. Even today, Sara Carter's voice sounds aching, yet empowered. Whether they're yodeling through "The Foggy Mountain Top," singing a feminist anthem like "Single Girl, Married Girl," or harmonizing with Maybelle on "Worried Man Blues," you can hear the Carters' profound influence on country music. A must-have. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Indispensable.......2007-06-09

The Carter Family is the archetype of American Music. This JSP collection faithfully documents the original 78 rpm recordings in chronological order. Though the digital remastering is basic, having the complete sessions is indispensable.

Carter Family CD boxed set.......2007-05-13

This was a great experience. The sale and timely delivery was excellent. My purchasing was very easy. The cds are prime quality.

An Excellent Collection Of Songs By One Of The Great Bands In All Of American Music.......2007-04-27

Ralph Peer came south to Bristol, Tennessee, in 1927, to find some new "hillbilly" musicians to record for the Victor label. He ended up "discovering" both Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family. These two acts would go on to form the basis for what came to be called country music.

The Carter Family's beautiful sound was powered by Sara's clear, gorgeous voice and Maybelle's unique and influential guitar style. The songs mostly came from "song catching" trips which A.P. would go on, sometimes with a black musician friend named Leslie Riddle. They would travel through states like North Carolina and Tennesse looking for gospel hymns, folk songs and love ballads that they could record. The Carter Family ended up becoming one of the most popular and important musical groups of their era and thus were able to bring to a wider audience many great songs which would have otherwise likely remained in obscurity.

When I listen to this music I often feel very relaxed and at peace. The music is almost like a time machine, taking you back to the past with its stories of ill fated romance, hobos on the railroad and mountain tops covered with wild flowers. There are so many songs that I love on this collection, too many to mention by name. But I especially appreciate their earlier material. For example, the first 6 songs on disc A, which are from their original audition in Bristol, have a sound that is so intensely raw and heart felt. But really the whole collection is great and a must purchase for any fan of great American music.

Pure, Uncontaminated Music.......2006-08-30

I bought this cd set just before I drove up the California coast, and it provided a perfect soundtrack for the rural landscape and meandering highways. My only regret is that I didn't buy it sooner.

Like most boomers, I grew up completely unaware of the original Carter Family. I watched the Johnny Cash Show in the late 60s and knew about his wife June and her sisters, but still nothing about that older woman in their group. It wasn't until sometime in the late seventies or early eighties, perhaps from Rolling Stone, I learned that the original Carter Family had been a trio that recorded sometime back in the 20s and 30s. It was about this time I first heard the term "Carter Style" and "Carter Brush".

Then, a few years ago, I heard Uncle Tupelo's version of "No Depression", and I decided I wanted to investigate further. A friend loaned me some compilation CDs of old-time country music with the Carter versions of "Sunny Side of Life" and "Can the Circle be Unbroken" on them. I bought and watched the DVD of the PBS documentary. The more I discovered about these fascinating musicians the more I wanted to hear.

This is, quite simply, the most beautiful, purest, and least commercial music you will ever find on CD. It's hard to decide which is more riveting, Sara's electrifying vocals, Maybelle's trailblazing guitar, or the gut-wrenching harmonies which at times surpass that of the Beach Boys.

Throw your prejudices aside and listen to this with an open mind. "hillbilly music" has been satirized often; but there is no pretense or cynicism here. These people sang and played with their hearts, something that's rare in this American Idol era.

RURAL TREASURES.......2006-06-19

Since my youth I have had an ear for roots music, whether I was conscious of that fact or not. The original of that interest first centered on the blues, then early rock and roll and later, with the folk revival of the early 1960's, folk music. I have often wondered about the source of this interest. I am, and have always been a city boy, and an Eastern city boy at that. Nevertheless, over time I have come to appreciate many more forms of roots music than in my youth. The subject of the following review is an example.

With the recent Johnny Cash movie biography Walk the Line the Carter Family has again come into greater public prominence. And rightly so. The trio performing simple country (or better rural) music mainly composed by A.P. Carter evokes, if not a simpler time, then in any case, a simpler type of music. While I cannot listen endlessly to such music at one sitting about one-half a cd at a time works. Why not the whole cd? There is a very similar melody and guitar line to their work in most songs. The value of each song sometimes gets lost in the basic repetition.

A note on subject matter- The bulk of the songs concern home, hearth lovesickness and religion as might be expected from mountain people. And that is okay. This reviewer, although not a religious man, can appreciate the simple, fundamentalist but very personal religion evoked here. Not to romanticize the simple rural folk of the past but I do not believe that the religious sentiments expressed here are the same as those of religious fundamentalists today who want to ram a theocracy down our throats in the United States.

Average customer rating: I'm sick of the old 97's This is the Best of the Old 97's More of a 'Great Sampler' than a 'Greatest Hits' Collection Excellent Retrospective A Foolproof Plan

Hit by a Train: The Best of Old 97's Old 97's Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Alive & Wired Fight Songs Wreck Your Life The Instigator Too Far to Care ASIN: B000FFJ808 Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

1. Stoned
2. Cryin' Drunk
3. Doreen
4. Victoria
5. Timebomb
6. Niteclub
7. Four Leaf Clover
8. El Paso
9. Jagged
10. Lonely Holiday
11. Murder (Or A Heart Attack)
12. Valentine
13. The Villain
14. King Of All Of The World
15. Question
16. Rollerskate Skinny
17. Barrier Reef (Live)
18. Nineteen (Live)

Album Description

The Old 97's have a rich, organic sound that effortlessly fuses roots rock, alt-country twang and pure pop sensibilities. Known for the raw intensity of their live shows and the authentic Americana-spiked punch of their recordings, the band formed in Dallas, TX, in the early `90s. Their early singles and 1994 indie debut disc, Hitchhike To Rhome led to a trio of critically acclaimed and crowd-pleasing albums for Elektra, beginning with 1997's stellar Too Far To Care and running through 2001's Satellite Rides.

Customer Reviews:

I'm sick of the old 97's.......2007-07-06

Bought this for my husband and he absolutely loves it. I'm sick of hearing this everytime we get into the car but he enjoys it so.

Highly recommend.

This is the Best of the Old 97's.......2006-07-23

If you have ever heard an Old 97's song, and have liked that Alt/Country/Rock sound. This CD is a good choice. My personal favorite song is,"TimeBomb". The songs are well written and performed. Its a different kind of music to listen to. But it is something to check out if you've never tried it. I don't know how anyone can listen to Top 40, other than 12 year old girls! So if you appreciate good solid music, this is something to check out.

More of a 'Great Sampler' than a 'Greatest Hits' Collection.......2006-07-18

I've been a fan of Old 97's for a while now, so it's easy for me to recommend "Hit By a Train: The Best of Old 97's." The only problem I'm having is trying to figure out exactly why this is considered a "best of." Quite frankly, each of their albums stand quite well on their own, and in many ways equals the overall quality of this collection. There are a few songs here that I personally would not have included, ("their rendition of "El Paso", for instance), while there are plenty of songs from each studio album whose inclusion would have been easily justified ("Wreck Your Life"'s "W-I-F-E" and "The Other Shoe," and "Too Far to Care"'s "Streets Where I'm From", for instance). Nevertheless, "Hit By a Train" is an entertaining listen from start to finish. In that sense, this is more of a sampler than a collection of their best hits.
Miller has a tendency toward song-title puns that don't do justice to the songs themselves ("Cryin' Drunk," "Crash on the Barrelhead" - not included here), but this only points out his self-consciously clever way with a phrase. The band has obviously mastered the two-step `train beat' (3 tracks here) and the hard-bouncing "Texas shuffle" (which accounts for eight of the CD's eighteen tracks), but it's Miller's lyrics that keep you coming back for more, even after repeated listens. Miller's albums as a solo artist certainly hold up well, but it's his work with Old 97's that is most effective, which is why this collection works as well as it does. How can you not love an album containing "Barrier Reef," "Lonely Holiday," "Jagged" and "Victoria," all on the same disk? "Hit By a Train" encapsulates some of the band's best moments, and hardcore fans of the band will want this if only for the non-album tracks (the above-mentioned "El Paso" and "Cryin' Drunk"), but casual fans would do well to continue exploring their catalog further. A- Tom Ryan

Excellent Retrospective.......2006-06-25

If you like Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown or Ryan Adams or just great country tinged rock, youll love the Old 97's, although if you like any of the above you probably already know the Old 97's. Rhett Millers's songwriting is great. He has that lyrical ability that writers like Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and later on Ben folds have, which is to be completely funny and sarcastic in a profound and ironic way and he writes killer melodies with great hooks. Like any great songwriter he has a great band. ken, murray and philip are great. The old 97's are one of the most consistent bands around, if you like one cd youll probably like them all.This is definetly worth picking up. Even if you dont like country you might still like them, they have as much of a Replacements, Stones, Costello influence as they do The Byrds or Gram Parsons. My only complaint was that this Best of didnt contain the songs Big Brown Eyes, Wish the Worst or Wont be Home.

A Foolproof Plan.......2006-06-23

Buy this cd. You will love some of the tracks intensely. Then, go buy the original cd's those tracks appeared on. Soon you will love those cd's and every song on this one (except maybe 1 or 2) and you will have to own the entire Old 97's catalog. Maybe it costs you around $100 total. But it will give you years of intense listening pleasure. It's the best deal ever. Plus you can catch them playing a show and even though you know all the songs by heart, they will still make you smile ear to ear. Trust me.

If you're really head over heals after all that, get Rhett's solo stuff. You'll like that as well. And if you're a metro-sexual type, be sure to get his latest release "the believer" because you will like the picture on the cover.

Average customer rating: Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material! Beginner or Expert Very Informative and Enjoyable Frank's view Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4 The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD) Study of Orchestration, Third Edition The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
4. Hungarian Dance No.7
5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
10. Csardas Music
11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
18. Tzigane
19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
20. Caprice No.24
21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
27. The Violin Muted
28. Clair De Lune
29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
31. The Pizzicato Violin
32. Pizzicato Polka
33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
38. Hungarian Dance No.4
39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
42. Bolero
43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

1. Introduction To The Viola
2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
10. Cypresses (No.9)
11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
24. Elfentanz, Op.39
25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
28. Flamenco
29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
40. Capriccio Di Bravura
41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
6. Sa'Dawi
7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
8. Chamber Music No.II
9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
13. A Variety Of Techniques
14. Chamber Music No.II
15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
20. Naelden, Naelden
21. The Bachian Oboe
22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
26. The Swan Of Tuonela
27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
30. Bolero
31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
38. ...And Quite Low.
39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
44. Introduction To The Saxophone
45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
49. Bolero
50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
53. Sax-O-Phun
54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
60. Bolero
61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
6. Fanfare For The Common Man
7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
16. Billy The Kid
17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
21. The Birth Of The Trombone
22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
28. Hosannah
29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
35. The Horn And The Hunt
36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
9. Den Hoboecken Dans
10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
13. Gymnopedie No.2
14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
22. The Birth Of The Bongo
23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
37. Ravel And The Xylophone
38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
40. Introducing The Vibraphone
41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
44. Folk Dances
45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
52. Introducing The Celeste
53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
11. Mahler's Sleighbells
12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
30. Nocturnes
31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
35. The Oboe As Duck
36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
42. Canzon 28
43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
51. Images (Gigues)
52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!