Harem [Bonus DVD]
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Audio CD (10 June, 2003)
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Editorial Review

If one's notion of "world music" promises a touch of the exotic and indigenous, often overlooked is the fact that the influence of western pop music has seeped into every corner of the globe, creating a hybrid that's often more than merely the sum of its influences. Theater vet Brightman steps into that pan-cultural hall of mirrors here, wedding her fascination with the music and rhythms of the "forbidden places" (the title's Arabic meaning) of the Middle East to her own oft ethereal vocal charms and rock-solid sense of drama. And if the diva's equally sound crossover sensibilities (and that of longtime producer Frank Peterson) sometimes mire it in familiar world-beat pastiche, Brightman's charmed muse manages some transcendent moments nonetheless. Her musical borrowings (Borodin for the title track; Puccini's *Madame Butterfly* for "It's a Beautiful Day") are as compelling as her choice of collaborators: classical violin star Nigel Kennedy and Iraqi vocalist Kadim Al Sahir add compelling touches to the weary timeliness of"The War is Over." The musical influences range from Europe across the Mediterranean and as far East as the Indian roots of "Bollywood" composer A.R. Rahman's "The Journey Home" and Brightman's own "You Take My Breath Away" to evocative recastings of the emblematic standards "Stranger in Paradise" and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," while ex-Killing Joke keyboardist Jaz Coleman provides the savory East-meets-West orchestrations that ensure Brightman's star turns the seamless foundations they deserve. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Limited Edition

Reviews (46)

STUNNING and DIFFERENT SARAH.
WOW WOW..This cdand dvd is AWESOME .Harem song is the most great of Sarah B. All cd is great,
Beautiful Day = powerful.
Arabian Nights =great music.
strange in the paradise = bella song

Awesome!
I'm constantly blown away by Sarah's virsitility.Here, once again, she is able to create a theme around the desert, middle-eastern sound, while making the entire recording disctinctly hers.There are many songs on here that you'll have to listen to over and over again!

laluna dvd
I browsed the web fora movie name which has two american teenagers jailed in thailand(not their fault) for drug offence and i liked a song in that called remember me and i wanted to know who sang that . That is how i got introduced to the world of sarah brightman. From then onwards i got hooked on to her music. She is just superb. I recommend her dvd's and music cd's to any one. ... Read more

Asin: B00009L1U7
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative    2. Adult Contemporary   

L' Autre...
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (30 June, 1998)
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• Import

Reviews (18)

classic
i feel that this album is the one in which mylene experiments the most and shifts to a different image as to the one she previously had. she is no longer the little "libertine" that she was before, and if she is, she has changed tremendously. it still has the dark themes and moods some songs, but i feel that this load is somewhat lightened in this album. "regrets" to me is a classic mylene song, which is one of the reasons that make this album as great as it is. i enjoy mylene for the way she can evoke different emotions in her songs and as you listen to them, you can feel it yourself as well. "agnus dei" is also an interesting one; a track which stands out and that not many artists can pull off...
you won't have "regrets" adding this one to your collection!

not her best, but better than anyone else's
I don't agree with Mr. Turk about L'AUTRE being similar to Enigma -- except in the sense that Farmer & Boutonnat have taken back FROM Enigma the sound that Enigma took from Farmer's previous CD, AINSI SOIT-JE ("L;horloge" especially). I don't agree with Mr. Lukasziewicz that this is Farmer's best CD : AINSI SOIT-JE has a richer palette of subject matter, ANAMORPHOSEE has better songs, and INNAMORAMENTO has better everything. Still, who else out there has a song as scary -- yet rhythmic -- as "Psychiatric," or an art-rock Eurodisco ennui song as encompassing as "Desenchantee"? (recently covered, incredibly, by Irish chanteuse Kate Ryan -- amazing!) As for the downbeat, darkly orchestrated ballads in which this CD indulges, they're simply the best that "Goth" has to offer -- far profounder, darker, and more deterministic and lush than any of the predictable Nordic stuff that aspires to EBM/darkside stardom. Mylene is a unique artist, the most influential French variete performer in the world -- and L'AUTRE has much to offer;' but now go listen to INNAMORENTO -- not to mention the fantastic, recent songs she's done : "C'est une belle journee," "Effets seconfaires," "L'histoire d'une fee," "Pardonne-moi." If you wanna hear "best," these are they!

With all due respect..
Well produced, with some fine in studio work, if you are inclined to a slow melodic,romantic, euro / disco mood, vaguely reminiscent of a gay bar in the 70's,or dark wet french street at 3 A.M, with little diversion in tempo or tonal variation between cuts, aside from techno background creations in seemingly every orchestrational format,which seem to key this album, aside from mylene's obvious talent,all well done,but a bit too repetituous.. ... Read more

Asin: B000006YN2
Sales Rank: 109693
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Euro-Dance    3. Euro-Pop    4. French Pop    5. Int'l & World Music    6. Pop    7. World Music   

Fly
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 October, 1998)
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• Import

Reviews (61)

One of Sarah's coolest albums
This album is a trip, and totally different from her other albums, but it's great through and through. True, "Time To Say Goodbye" sounds like it has nothing to do on this album, but once you get past that, you score with the mysterious "The Fly," the awesome, theatrical epic "A Question Of Honor," the Rolling Stones(!)-esque "Ghost In The Machinery," the bombastic, hip-hop laced duet with Tom Jones "Something In The Air," and my personal favorite, "I Loved You," which features Sarah rapping!! And she does it great! Sort of reminiscent of Maxi Priest's rap on "Close To You," or Tracy Thorn of Everything But The Girl rapping on "Flipside," an awesome, forgotten track from their brilliant "Walking Wounded" album. As a final note, "You Take My Breath Away" was resurrected and included as a bonus track on the U.S. version of her 2004 album "Harem."

A must-have!
I bought this CD to round out my wife's collection. Actually I think I like Ms. Brightman's music more than my wife does, but if pretending I'm buying the CD's just for her serves to make us both happy, so be it.

To get to the point, I am very happy with this CD. Although "Time to Say Goodbye" doesn't fit on the album AT ALL, it's the first track, so it's easy enought to skip it and enjoy the CD for itself. I'll make this very short and say that the high point for me is the haunting "Murder in Mairyland Park," while the low point is "Question of Honour." I suppose all of the rave reviews for the latter song had me expecting something more than what it turned out to be. Which, too me, is a very unmemorable song. Her duet with Mr. Thompson in "How Can Heaven Love Me," however, was stuck in my head for hours, as another reviewer pointed out.

This CD, which is a German import here in the States, is definitely worth picking up. I would, however, suggest buying it "Used and New" instead of the full import price. You'll save your pocket money and help out a small business at the same time.

Really Good CD!
This is one of her best cds of all time! Even though it isn't Harem (her best which i really recommend), it has one of Harem's songs, you take my breath away which got scratched on my Harem album. the only thing that turned me off about this album are the two duets. the two duets were un called for. And i finally get to hear a Question of Honour w/o all the clapping in the backround. overall, a wallet plunger, but totally worth it. ... Read more

Asin: B000005S58
Sales Rank: 26898
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Easy Listening/Vocal    3. Musicals    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Show Tunes    7. Vocal   

Les Mots: The Best of Mylene Farmer
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 March, 2002)
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Features

• Import
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (13)

Can't stay away from it, my new best friend !!
I only knew 2 of mylene's songs that I heard on a european ststion when I was in medical school, I thought she was great!. But by no stretch of immagination did I think she had this massive great talent as a singer and song writer!
I admit I am still overwhelmed by the double CD set, I'm lost for words to describe the impact this album has on me.

There are 30 magnifisant songs, I can't say that one is better than the other , She will take you on a journey of ballades, pop and nearly classic on occasions.

I can't get over the beautiful ballade "pardonne-moi", where she sings her emotions out to princes of different countries, without having to shout or squeele like others do, you can feel the true emotion and the glory of her singing and writing talents, My God!!!!, it's mind blowing, also"les mots" such a beautiful ballade and one of my favourites has to be "Je te rends ton amour", the clarity and beauty of her voice and the beautiful music of Lourent Boutonant makes an unmissable piece of art!
And on a saturday night on your way out and in the car, "Sans cotrefacon" and "Pourvu qu'elle soint douce" are a great example of how far her talent goes for feel good pop music.

The sound quality and the grace and glory of her voice places her on top of my list of favourite singers, she is number one! and I'm talking about english and french singers!

If you don't have any french CD's start with this , you won't be able to get it out of your head.

Un condensé de bonheur
Mylène..... C'est 20 ans de création fine, poétique, entrainante, intelligente, sensuelle. Et un monde où deux mots à peine prononcés par elle nous permettent d'entrer.

Ce BEST OF retrace cette carrière et devra vous donner envie de vous plonger dans l'unvers complet avec ces albums splendides (Innamoramento, Anamorphosée, Ainsi Soit Je, Cendres de Lune, L'autre), ainsi que ses 3 lives qui vous feront comprendre que c'est LA GRANDE !!!

Myléne: Simply Irresistible
When this cd came out, I thought: Having all of her albums, will this one be worth buying??...and having indulged in finally buying it, in spite of its expensiveness, the answer is YES!!, no regrets at all....this release is worth every dollar!

Featuring most of her greatest songs on this double cd collection makes the album really a must!... Both cd's have been constantly played in my stereo, discman and car, especially cd number two, which includes three new gorgeous never-released-before songs, all consecutively released as cd singles in France, most notably "Pardonne-Moi" (the third single), a melancholic, sensuous, lush, ballad in the trend of her latest studio album, the excellent "Innamoramento"...."Les Mots" (the first single), a duo with Seal, sung half in french & english....and "C'est une belle journée" (the second single), a happy, tuneful, infectious pop song, sort of in the style of "L'Histoire D'Une Fee, C'est...", the song Myléne created for the "Rugrats in Paris" soundtrack, which is also included. If you have the chance of watching the videoclips of the three aforementioned singles, they're fantastic (I watched them on TV5's international signal).

Besides, this wonderful collection includes new versions for "Maman a Tort", excellent remastered (but sometimes shorter) versions of "Beyond my Control", "Je t'aime Melancolie", et al....and such rarities, not included in her studio albums, like "Effets Secondaires", which ends with "great sound effect", "A Quoi Je sers", "La Veuve Noire".....

The CD Booklet has great photos of Mylene in various moods....In all, you won't be disappointed, a great experience. Buy it!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005RD56
Sales Rank: 35953
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Euro-Dance    3. Euro-Pop    4. French    5. French Pop    6. Int'l & World Music    7. Pop    8. World Music   

Francois
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 March, 1999)
list price: $44.99
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• Import

Reviews (7)

Paris in 1988!
Being in Paris for the very first time in 1988...Seeing a very striking video called "John" performed by an Artist named Desireless...thinking, "Is This A Man or Woman?"...I keep hearing "John" and "Voyage Voyage" as I wander about this fantastic city...Return to the States & order, via import catalogue, this amazing CD....It's 2001 and "Francois" continues to hold up incredibly well.If you like Euro-Dance/Pop that's finely crafted, extremely hypnotic with a singer that cannot be beat, you will more than enjoy this one!

Wonderful Voyage
i always wonder how musical tastes develop and why despite many similarities, North Americans and Europeans often differ, or appreciate differntly. this album exemplifies the problem. It was very popular throughout Western and Eastern Europe (when there was still a Soviet Union) yet hardly anyone knows it in North America.the singer's voice is soprano like yet without the vulgar shouting quality of many famous divas (Yes I mean toi Celine and You Whitney and Mariah) and the songs have depth as well as rythm not to mention the melodies (lyrics are also good).Voyage Voyage exemplifies this feeling and is probably one of the very best pop songs of the 80's and any other times. If you like good music you'll like this album. the style of singing is simalr to Emma Shapplin

Beautiful dreamy dance-pop
Voyage Voyage was one of the biggest hits in the 80s Europe. I bought the CD because of that song, but was not disappointed with the rest of the album either. This Grace Jones/k.d. lang - looking Frenchwoman has goodvoice, and the electronics are very smooth. Works for dancing, relaxation,whatever. Love it! ... Read more

Asin: B000006Y69
Sales Rank: 228748
Subjects:  1. Disco    2. French Pop    3. Int'l & World Music    4. Pop   

Results
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 September, 1989)
list price: $9.98 -- our price: $9.98
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Reviews (32)

So underrated, it's great!!!!!!!!!!.
According to what I heard on television, Liza Minnelli's album
"Results" was a flop in America, well if it was a flop then why is Liza's album 4 & a half stars on here, easy it's great that's why it was rated so great. "Results" album is fun & fast, it's not like Liza to do something then Ballads, Folk or even Broadway. On "Results" she sings the kind of music younger audiences would listen to, maybe that's why some people don't like it, because it's more for teens.A+ Liza, love you & love the album.

Sheer Excellence
I remember the first time I saw the video for "Losing My Mind".It was in the fall of 1989, at Badlands bar in DuPont Circle in Washington, D.C.Hard to believe it has now been 15 years since then, but even now, this album sounds as fresh as it did when I first picked up a copy.The vocals and production of this CD are excellent.The lyrics and emotion that Liza issues forth on these songs are moving.

I have often been saddened by the fact that Liza never followed up this CD with another Pet Shop Boys project.She certainly has the following to justify the effort--and I know her vocals are still very strong.In any case, at least we do have this timeless jewel.

Glad to see others love this album too!
I have always loved this album and to this day still listen to it on a regular basis. Hardly anyone else I know has heard of it, so it is nice to see some good reviews here. I am not really a huge fan of Liza, but am a fan of the Pet Shop Boys and some of their best, most atmospheric work is here. It is really cool how they re-arranged the 2 covers of Pet Shop Boys songs ('Rent' and "Tonight is Forever') into moody orchestral works. They are superior versions to the originals. When I first heard they were recording and album with her, I thought it would be awful. But the "Results" are fantastic. Highly recommended! --- btw, there is a remastered version of the album with bonus tracks and a dvd of videos due out in the UK this week (Sept 17, 2004), but Amazon doesn't have it listed yet. ... Read more

Asin: B0000026SH
Sales Rank: 56156
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Pop Vocals    3. Traditional Pop   

Ray of Light
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 March, 1998)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Never underestimate Madonna's power of persuasion: By nearly all critical accounts, Ray of Light, Madonna's first album of new material since 1994's Bedtime Stories, and her first since motherhood, is her richest, most accomplished record yet. While Ray of Light is being tagged as Madonna's big leap into electronica, it's important to note two things: First, her music has always had close ties to dance culture, and, second, her collaborator William Orbit is no Chemical Brother. Though it has all the latest blips, bleeps, and crackles electronica has to offer, Ray of Light is still largely an adult album, completely within Madonna's realm. Still, Orbit's tasteful sonic constructions provide Madonna with her most adventurous, hippest musical backdrop ever. What's more, the arrangements and production are understated enough to highlight an even bigger development: Fresh from singing lessons on the Evita set, Madonna's vocal range, depth, and clarity have never been stronger. But larger pipes don't necessarily make for deeper, truer music. Never a master lyricist, Madonna's words have worked best when they've practically been slogans ("Vogue," "Express Yourself"). This time she goes for more emotional depth, and even tries her hand at ethno-techno-mysticism ("Shanti/Ashtangi"). She largely stumbles, however. The tone conveyed on songs like "Nothing Really Matters" is a self-centered pat on the back that belies her claim to a newfound altruism. It's enough to make you wonder, now that Madonna's given up being our material girl, if maybe she's set her sights on becoming the center of our spiritual world too. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (718)

Arguably Madonna's best album
'Ray of Light' marked Madonna's return to pop glory.She was still a successful and beloved international pop star in 1998, but both 'Erotica' and 'Bedtime Stories' did not deliver the same numbers as blockbusters like 'True Blue' and 'Like a Prayer'.

'Ray of Light' changed that.Not only was it a huge hit for Madonna, it was her most consistent and enjoyable album yet, and it gained raves from both critics and record-buyers alike (not to mention the Grammys).

There is a wealth of great material on this album, including the stunning opener, 'Drowned World/Substitute for Love', the frenetic title track, and the haunting 'Skin'.

William Orbit proved to be an excellent producer fro Madonna, and although he would produce a few tracks on ROL's follow-up, 'Music', I think Madonna ended her partnership with him a little too quickly.

Their collaboration marked a watershed in Madonna's career, and a reminder that Madonna could deliver an album that was both commercial and soulful.

Excellent pop album!
1997 was a quiet year for Madonna. Evita was her first and only movie succes, but her single sales were going downhill since 1991. She re-invented herself several times and it didn't work. But after she got her baby Lourdes early 1998, she re-inevnted her music and look again and this time it was a huge succes. Madonna looked like a natural beauty with her long black/brown hair and her music was a huge succes. Ray Of Light went 4 times platinum in ths US and was a double platinum or more succes in almost every country. She released 6 singles which promoted the album and many awards (for example 4 grammys) helped promoting the album and singles. The Kaballah really helped Madonna! It cleaned her soul.

The album has got all the latest tunes and sounds fresh and modern. The songs are all longer then 4 minutes and the album includes 13 tracks. It's a large album album, with a running time of more then 150 minutes. The order of the track is well and Madonna's voice sounds amazing after her singing lessons for Evita. The album has a variation of songs, but the songs do match eachother. William Orbit and Madonna did an amazing job. The first part of the album includes some rock-pop songs and the second part is filled with ballads. It can be played at any time.

The titel track is a bouncy rock-pop dance song. Madonna sings really high. You will be surprised at first, but after more listenings you will love this song. It includes a lot of crazy sounds and tunes. Swim and Candy Perfume Girl are both mid-tempo rock-pop songs. Madonna is surprisingley good with soft rock. Mer Girl is a song without beats. It's just Madonna's voice and a melody at the background. The song has some special tunes, which gives this song a mysterious effect. It's a good way to end the album. Little Star is a song about her child. The Power Of Goodbye is the best ballad of the album. The flute created a special effect and the chorus is a classic one. Sky Fits Heaven has some trance in it and can be played in a discotheque. The beats are amazing and the song is very, very catchy. Ashanti is a song other then the others. It is a geisha song in Kaballah language. It has a Chinese effect. The opening song Drowned World has very good lyrics, which is important for the whole album.

Well, is there anything bad about Ray Of Light? Of course, some things are less but there is nothing that really sucks. Madonna's best album without any doubt. You should buy this one, even if you hate madonna. It is pop, rock and trance and it includes very deep ballads and good lyrics. It sounds very new, like it is an album of 2020. This is almost the perfect album...

it's good but overrated too
this album was a new era of artistic growth for madonna's career, the sounds are original with a clever mix of hip hop, eletronica and folk music with deep lyrics and music that one would have not expected from madonna. I suppose the album is a relfection of the rebirth in her life after giving birth to Lourdes. Swim, Ray Of Light, Candy Perfume Girl, Frozen, The Power Of Goodbye and Little Star are the highlights of the CD, but as a whole, I don't think I can listen to the whole thing without wanting to skip tracks every now and then although it's well produced. I think Music and American Life flow better with the tracks and all, and Madonna plays instruments on those albums too. Definitely check those other 2 out, but also check this out to listen to how madonna's music sound evolves with every album. Even Bedtime stories was like a prelude to this album in a way, as hinted with the hit Bedtime Stories. She evolved from pop to dance to r&b to electronica to classic rock, it's amazing. ... Read more

Asin: B000002NJS
Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Dance-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock   

Ayeshteni
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 May, 2001)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Editorial Review

With her fourth solo recording, Ayeshteni, Egyptiansongstress Natacha Atlas putsher voice dead center, coming on snake-hipped, seductive, andsophisticated with a feral emotional core. Made in Cairo (with someassistance from her TransglobalUnderground mates, whom Atlas has collaborated with since the early'90s), the songs swell shaabi style, incorporating trippy beats,guttural cries, sinuous strings, and a disturbing yet undeniable beautythat brings no one to mind so much as musical kindred spirit Björk.The latter is perhaps most evident on the artist's bewitchingscratch-filled take on Screamin' Jay Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You" and theJacques Brel classic "Ne Me Quitte Pas," infused here withNorth African-by-21st-century fervor. Elsewhere, Western listeners need notfear the Arabic language; Atlas's focused delivery and challengingarrangements are more than tastefully tuneful, rather they are socompelling as to transcend language and cultural barriers. This ismusic of the cells, the body, and the roaming spirit; yet another wayto free the mind and have the flesh follow. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Can you say "siren?"
Let's just say that if all of the reviewers here that are entranced by Atlas's voice were Odysseus's crewmates and she were one of the sirens...surely we'd had crashed on the rocks.
This is one of her best albums in my opinion, and I highly recommend it for newcomers.Tracks like Mish Fadilak and Shubra cast a spell.Well, her voice casts the spell.

Not her best...
It's not her best. Most songs are weak and way different from her style. The only songs i really like on that cd is Shubra and Mish Fidalak.

Sultry Arabica Meets Beautiful Electronica
I love this album. It is a sucsesful mix of great vocals (in French, Arabic and English) with wonerful production fromthe electronica artist Trans Global Underground. The creative, tight production values consistant with the rest of his work, and mix superbly with Natacha's already beautiful, sultry style.

All the songs are great, and her version of "I Put A Spell On You" leaves all others' versions of the song in the dust. ... Read more

Asin: B000059N0C
Subjects:  1. Ambient Dub    2. Arabic    3. Club/Dance    4. Electronica    5. Int'l & World Music    6. Pop    7. Worldbeat   

Debut
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (13 July, 1993)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Her first album following the breakup of the Sugarcubes, Debut is Icelandic trickster Björk's statement of purpose: bringing curious experimentalism to the dance floor and putting her startling, expressive voice front and center. Her perspective is a little alien--it's no accident that the first song talks about "getting close to a human"--but her leveling of genre distinctions has some wonderful results, especially the eroticized easy-listening reggae sway of "Venus As a Boy." Paired with producer Nellee Hooper (of Soul II Soul), she comes up with a series of invitingly artificial settings for her pipes, built from late-night beats and peculiar timbres, and sings like she's overwhelmed with joy from all her senses. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (127)

"Debut" stands the test of time.
This is my favorite of all of Bjork's work, both with the 'Cubes, and as a solo artist.This album is wonderfully crafted, and takes you through so many emotions.All the songs are great; I love "The Anchor Song," which doesn't get enough credit; it's classic Bjork--quirky, odd and humorous.I love the horns in this song.But, by far, THE best song on this album is "Come to Me."This song is just...incredble...my all-time favorite song from Bjork.I lose myself in its etherial string arrangement, scattered piano notes, and Bjork's floating, overlapped lyrics.The song is so powerful...enough to make you cry.

Mesmerizing (never mind the dead swan dress ... )
Outward appearances can be deceiving -- this album proves it.If Bjork is a little off the wall, that must come with the territory of being a gin-yoo-wine artist, because she is the real thing.

I was growing out of 80's music when the Sugarcubes came along and annoyed me with their insta-success (just add water!), so at the time of this debut album (named, mysteriously enough, Debut, go figure) I didn't have much of an interest in giving it a listen.Fast forward a decade (give or take a few years), add Napster to the mix (oh joy, my PC is now a jukebox!) and oh, I see, NOW I'm getting what all the hoopla is about Bjork and why so many people on the "im"personals cite her as a favorite artist.Her voice is bright, expressive, expansive, beautiful -- how does a voice like that come out of such a little person?Beyond that, she is truly unafraid to explore virtually any musical styling which strikes her fancy, without sounding embarrasingly like a dilettante.Combine these two with her deceivingly pixie-ish persona and the mix is beguiling, surprising and fresh, fresh, fresh.This album, to my ears, sounds fresh even thirteen years after it was released.Bjork is one of a kind, strangely beautiful in many ways, but not so alien that you think she must be using a tonal scale from another planet.If you're noodling around for something new (or new to you), give this a listen.Bjork really is worth the price of admission ... she'll never make it to the top 40 (though Liz Phair did, so who knows?) but that's not necessarily such a bad thing.

Bjork, come to my house for tea and veggie delights.Please!!

She lost the Sugar, But this Album is Sweet

Bjork's "Debut" is certainly one of the finest albums of the early nineties.Mixing great dance beats with artful lyrics and her unmistakable voice, Bjork shed the punky sound of the Sugarcubes and really made her mark as a serious recording artist with this album.I have owned this album for well over ten years and continually return to it because it is amazing.The sound is careful to not sound too "dancy" even though many of the tracks certainly havea disco beat.Transcending any one musical style Debut has maintained its currency through its unique sound and well written songs.

Going from the bombastic "Human Behavior", which shows in itself the power of Bjork's voice, the album moves quickly to "Crying" which ispoppy but terrific.The next notable is "There's more to life than This" which has a rowdy party sound complete with a bar room background
track and driving beats. While I don't want to list every track I think its notable to mention the cover of "Like Someone in Love" Which is serene and beautiful and "Violently Happy", a song that has more energy and confused emotion than should be legal.

To say that I like this album doesn't even approach my feeling toward it.Bjork's later recordings all don't seem to come close to this one. It is a great album and I think it would garner the same praise if it were released today as it had twelve years ago.The sound is fresh, artistic and beautiful.This is an album that will hook you on the first listen.Take my advice I am sure you will enjoy it too.

-- Ted Murena ... Read more

Asin: B000002HCO
Subjects:  1. Alternative Dance    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Club/Dance    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Trip-Hop   

The Mirror Pool
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 August, 1995)
list price: $17.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Editorial Review

The Dead Can Dance chanteuse ditches her partner, Brendan Perry, for this solo outing. Mixing middle-eastern drones, Balkan stringed instruments, Chinese percussion, and the European classical tradition, it's a singularly beautiful and mesmerizing album that occupies a genre all of its own. File next to Chant and Jan Garbarek, and be sure to alert progressive-minded classical buffs.--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (42)

HOLY
This music is so fundamentally powerful that I struggle to put it into words.I am a fan of various genres including hardcore punk and metal - yet this CD can tear me to shreds when I listen to it.Pure, raw, spiritual emotion pummels you endlessly through the unearthly vocals of Lisa Gerrard.Her range, talent, creativity, and dynamics here are supreme.She is unparalelled.Her backing musicians are jaw-droppingly talented as well.

This CD is an example of a powerful artist at the top of their game.This takes feminine vocals over the top and beyond.Very much worth your time if you are into spiritual musics from around the globe.

quintissential Lisa Gerrard
Here where she's solo she is able to explore her brilliant inner world of music at its truest.The dominant features are its fierce uniqueness, darkness, & world influences.There are also many beautiful, triumphant moments glittering through the album & some ambitious & perfectly successful experiments.Her voice is great.The composed polyphony is really incredibly wonderful.The instrumentation is eclectic & instruments well-chosen.She's a great musical visionary, & I think on her solo cd's she's able to do a lot she couldn't do in Dead Can Dance.

Dreamy
I had heard that _The Mirror Pool_ was "darker" and more "sad" than Lisa Gerrard's later duet album, _Duality_, and so I was hesitant to buy it.How very silly of me.

There are two kinds of sad music.One type of sad music drops you into a blue funk even if you're perfectly happy when you start listening to it; it makes you feel morose and depressed.The other type of sad music is comforting when you are actually sad, and if you listen to it when happy, you will find it not depressing but simply beautiful.Sarah McLachlan is a perfect example of that sort of "sad music".And so is Lisa Gerrard, though her style is 180 degrees from Sarah's.Andas far as "dark" goes, this music does not conjure up a hellish cavern or "goth" catacomb, complete with the smell of brimstone.(I'll leave that sort of music to my teenage brother.)Lisa Gerrard's music evokes the darkness of a moonlit night, or a candlelit room.It's "romantic" dark, not "oppressive" dark.I liked it very much.

Though it's a sublime experience to listen to this album from start to finish, here are a few of my favorite tracks:

"La Bas: Song of the Drowned"--With its low, chanting vocals and haunting church bell, "La Bas" reminds me of nothing so much as the mythical island of Ys, sunken beneath the waves, whose ghost bells are said to be heard from the shore.

"Sanvean: I Am Your Shadow"--I actually didn't like this song at first.With its swooping melody and mournful tone, I at first thought it was too melodramatic.But I found myself humming it all day after my first listen; it followed me like the shadow of the title.After a few more listens, it became one of my favorites.

"Largo"--Lisa Gerrard sings a Handel piece, and proves she has the pipes to put a lot of these "pop opera" divas to shame.

"Laurelei"--I just love this one.It has a hypnotic melody and a morphing tempo.It's rather long but never seems to get old.

"Nilleshna" and "Gloradin"--the last two tracks, which together close out the CD on a soothing note.

I highly recommend this beautiful, entrancing album to anyone who likes beautiful, entrancing albums. ... Read more

Asin: B000002MYI
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Vocals    6. World Fusion   

Barcelona
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (14 July, 1992)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Reviews (26)

Oh, what a loss in Mr. Mercury....
I'm an opera fan and Ms. Caballe has been a favorite for years.She's a bit out of place here on a piece or two for a bit, but I attribute that more to the music than her voice, which is still amazing.This is, after all, not Verdi, but Mercury...

Then, on other pieces, it's Mr. Mercury who is trying to keep up with Monserrat -- a nice twist.However, I must say that he does a quite good job at holding his own against today's premier soprano.

Anyway, blah...It's a GOOD album if you like opera and are not too stuck up with your own self-image, or if you like Queen/Mercury.Hey, I dug it a lot!!!!!I wish we had more music like this these days.

Speaking of incredible music... where in the HECK has Stevie Wonder been the last decade??????????If Ray Charles can sing into his 80's and Freddy Mercury can put out until he died of AIDS, I think Stevie can bless us with a *LITTLE BIT* of his genius - don't you think????

Hrm.....

The Best
The naysayers are wrong if they think that Freddie Mercury needed Roger and Brian to back him up. Anybody who even conciders this is not a fan of Freddie Mercury as they do not really know where he was at. This is Freddies Pet Sounds and the best album hands down of any of the Queen Members to go solo from the overrated Brian May to the underrated Roger Taylor. Freddie returned to some of his best songwriting and played more piano then before and made more complex music more organic and his voice was just as strong as ever. This is very much like Freddies work with Queen (nevermind guitar solos) with its vocal extravaganzas and classical influenced piano playing (played mainly by Mike Moran with Mercurys style in mind).

Some of the notes will make the hair on your neck stand up.
I love opera. I've loved Montserrat for a while. She has always have a magnificent way of floating up to the very high notes--a way that never sounds screechy or straining--just a beautiful, gentle floating that gives me goose bumps. When I first heard this album, I thought "Freddie is no match for her." But as I listened to it more and more, I grew to love their sound together, especially on the unbelievably beautiful "Guide Me Home" and "How can I go on?" Both masterpieces of music. "Ensueno" is haunting and Freddie's baritone is a treat, "The Golden boy" is an amazing mix of music with its soulful choir sound in the middle, and "Barcelona" is an incredibly powerful piece of music. I love Queen's music, too, (I was listening to Bohemian Rhapsody before I was in kindergarden--when it came out, actually, so you know how old I am!) I'll not all that thrilled with Freddie's other solo work--with the exception of the Barcelona album. What an achievement for him! If you like opera or Freddie at all, you should have this. And if you like both, like me, you'll be in heaven. ... Read more

Asin: B000000OC6
Sales Rank: 24694
Subjects:  1. Opera / Operetta / Oratorio    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Too Young to Die: Singles...
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD
list price: $17.49
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Reviews (6)

Catchy as Anything
To be honest, I own the more complete Singles and More.... Anyway, this has a lot of their really good songs (Avenue and Hobart Paving are absolutely lovely) so it is a good album to start off with. I bought the singles without knowing much about St. Etienne and I wasn't disappointed at all!

Great singles collection
This is a collection of Saint Etienne's singles for the label "Heavenly."Every song is a keeper.If you're new to Saint Etienne, this is a great place to start as this album contains mainstream singles rather than some of their other oddities that only a true fan could love.

Sublime pop
An excellent compilation of the UK singles from this great, sadly underpublicized band. Terrific melodies, strong production, great beats and ballads. Can't be recommended highly enough! ... Read more

Asin: B000009FER
Sales Rank: 53199

Paris
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 September, 1997)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Reviews (21)

Mood Enhanced
Subtle enough for a great background music , occasionally some of the lyrics slip into your concious mind

CAN YOU SPELL "SPECTACULAR"?
This one's defenetly on my top 3 of the best albums i ever heard. After I first put it in my cd player and pressed play I was blown out. So, I said to myself "OK... This is only the first song... I bet the rest of the album is also made of great acid jazz music". But no! It was beyound great acid jazz (actually beyound any kind of music I listened before and i really can't inculde it in one music genre). Second by second, song by song it just kept sounding better and better.
By the time it started plaing "Paris Paris" I was crying tears of joy just like a baby. The second part of the album is even better. I really love the way the suicidal lullabye "Driving into delerium" melts into kinda-Mike-Oldfield-highly-optimistic-sounding "The revenge of the flowers". "In the absence of the parisienne" is a hipnotising beautiful kinda chill out/jazzsong wich has a resigned feel into it, when Malcolm whispers "...You don't drive a big fast car / You don't look like a movie star..."
This album really caught me with my guard off, striking my heart, and leaving me with so much happiness in it, that it could have bursted out.
Je t'aime...je t'aime... Malcom Mclaren, je t'aime...

*sigh*
That voice!Who can stand that lisp?The lyrics are so idiotic.Too bad the whole cd wasn't instrumental! ... Read more

Asin: B000005CEW
Sales Rank: 35090
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Club/Dance    3. Dance Music    4. Pop   

Alternative
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 August, 1995)
list price: $26.98 -- our price: $26.98
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Reviews (27)

Better and better as the collection proceeds
Want a really concise view of this band's progression? This collection does a brilliant job...or rather, the Boys do a brilliant job of making singles. Making sure it proceeded in chronological order was a fantastic idea. Here, you can hear how PSB went from merely being a great synth-pop duo to one of the best singles groups ever. These songs are nearly all catchy, delicious pop tartlets. And damn the argument that these are "merely" B-sides. These songs stand perfectly well on their own.

It took a while for the Boys to push the bounds of their (self-imposed?) cocoon, though. The synthesizers, whether droning or dizzying, maintain the same minor chord for four of the first five songs, and you fear that this is all this band is capable of. Not the most auspicious -- or interesting -- beginning. But with "Jack the Lad," and its calm piano introduction, some subtlety and dynamics begin to seep into the mix. Suddenly these boys are striving for something more than just the latest '80s hair pop singles. The angular, droll "I Want A Dog" (a different version than the one on Introspective) amusingly incorporates a dog's bark into the rhythm section, but the bizarre and chaotic "The Sound of the Atom Splitting" shows what happens when this band's reach exceeds its grasp. A somber "Your Funny Uncle" closes the first set.

The real fun starts with the second disc. A jerky rhythm tugs "It Must Be Obvious" along as Neil Tennant agonizes about unrequited love. Then he turns the tables on "Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend" and laughs at "every boy and man feeling lonely" who can't understand why the prettiest girl around is great friends with someone so "shy and dry and verging on ugly." Schadenfreude was never so luscious. Then he mocks even his melancholy self on "Miserabilism": "Just for the sake of it, make sure you're always frowning (Angst! Angst! Angst!)/ It shows the world that you've got substance and depth." At this point, not only are the tunes getting better, but the lyrics are becoming more incisive. Neil's interest in history even reveals itself in "What Keeps Mankind Alive?". Sounding like a reined-in "The Sound of the Atom Splitting," its complex chord progressions (and spit-inducing chorus) are too much for Neil to latch his voice onto without slipping off-key occasionally, though he seems as determined to do so as he is angry at the brutality of humanity.

The next five songs showcase the Boys at their absolute best. "Shameless" is a crushing, over-the-top satire on celebrity and the lengths one will go to get it, while the house-influenced "Too Many People" bemoans the need to change one's character depending on social situations. Both songs are sassy and fierce, and could have easily fit in the classic Very. From here, the mood slows down, with a gorgeous rendition of "Violence," (originally on Please) and "Decadence," in which Neil gives in to the temptation to sing in falsetto, and Chris decides to let impressionistic strings and acoustic guitar take front stage instead of synths. The Noel Coward-penned "If Love Were All" is respectfully treated as the showtune it is; originally written for a woman, the lyrics as sung by a gay man take on an added poignance, and sound very nearly revolutionary.

It's a far leap from here to the techno-influenced last two songs, both adept in their own right. But these boys are able to take on synth-pop, house, showtunes, techno, and classical, and craft excellent singles with their indelible stamp on them, and Alternative showcases this with aplomb. If you are a fan of the regular PSB albums, check this one out. You're in for a treat.

Better than other bands' singles
The only other band I'm aware of that could compile as great a b-side collection is The Cure (buy Join The Dots).This double CD is amazing.These b-sides are better than the best songs of other bands out there.Much better.And they're once gain, b-sides!Not even album tracks and they're amazing.My favorites off the first disc are tracks 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,10 and 11.My favorites off the second disc are tracks 3,11,14 and 15.SOLID.SOLID.SOLID.I own every other Pet Shop Boys album from Please to Release, and this is on the same level if not above.I also like how it's in chronoligical order so you can see the progression to a degree.Enrich your life and buy it.

What a rediscovery of PURE GOLD!!!!A masterpiece.
I recently purchased "PopArt", which is a must have greatest hits collection like only Pet Shops Boys could release. In other words, worth every penny even at import prices. It's downright criminal that these guys are not ruling the airwaves here in the US. Because of "PopArt" I've gone back to my Pet Shop Boys CDs and put "Alternative" on and I still can't believe that I'd allowed this masterpiece to remain on the shelves for so long without listening to it.

When Pet Shop Boys released "Alternative", which is a double-disc set of The Pet Shop Boys' B-sides, I bought it because I buy all that is Pet Shop Boys, but since I buy so many CDs sometimes some get overlooked and this was one of them. MY LOSS!!

Far from being a superfluous collection of junk that most artists put out (i.e alternative mixes, unreleased mono, dub versions et al), this album contains a wealth of prime material that could have made for 2 consecutive hit releases. There is not a weak track in the bunch. Accordingly, this collection is a MUST not only for hardcore fans, but for casual listeners as the songs are all hit-worthy.

One of the reasons why this release may be so good as that the boys seem to still live up to the concept that, in pre-CD days, many vinyl singles (45s) includes relevant and even essential B-sides as , for example, is the case with Queen's "We Are Tha Champions"/"We Will Rock You"). In fact, during the heyday of single releases, many B-sides were more popular than the A-sides.

In a nutshell, Pet Sh have complilled 30 amazing songs that exempligy the wit, the finesse, and musicality that they bring to what so many of their peers are content to treat as trash. Although I love ALL the songs, among my favorites are "In The Night", "Paninaro", the amazing piano subtlety in "Jack The Lad", "Do I Have to".....

Also, the insert is extremely informative and gives you a peek into each of the songs. This is no rush job, but rather a masterpiece that was snuck into the marketplace. The boys should re-release this in another form to get new listeners to remind all these so-called dance acts that they are mere amateurs when compared to their older, wiser, and talented peers.

I am listening to the first CD right now and I feel downright idiotic as it feels like an early Christmas 2004 present that I happened to buy for myself in 1995. ... Read more

Asin: B000002TYI
Sales Rank: 46215
Subjects:  1. Dance Music    2. Pop