One Beat
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

For all the noisy bluster involving plastic barrettes, thrift-store guitars, and caterwauling political catchphrases, Sleater-Kinney have always been pragmatic about their music. The group's self-titled debut got by on ferocity alone. But each successive release has exhibited a dramatic step forward as youthful exuberance gives way to melody and poise. One Beat is the trio's most assured work yet. A jubilant blast of tambourines, theremin, and Corin Tucker's rubber-band vocals usher in the spiky "Oh!," the Strokes' locker-room diffidence mingles with Sonic Youth's angular cool on "Prisstina," and the title track, all urgent wailing and power chords, rumbles with pure excitement. The rest of the album isn't far behind. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (45)

They may actually have topped Dig Me Out
...and I really didn't think that was possible.

This is a spiky, snarky, angry little album, just as punk is supposed to be, but it's also all about the love of life and the refusal to settle for mediocrity in romance or politics or anything else.As always, Corin's voice is not for everyone, though I consider it one of the most spectacular instruments ever to make it onto a CD.And, Oh! -- to steal the title of track 3, which is this album's shamelessly cute, infectious followup to Dig Me Out's "Dance Song '97" -- the melodies, the harmonies, the passion, and that way they have with multiple simultaneous vocal lines to which nobody else out there can quite hold a candle...it's all just plain good.There are a few tracks that I could do without (cough Prisstina cough), but overall, these three women have never been more appealing or less ignorable.

Im speechless!
Lets be honest, no one really likes this band. Its all bandwagon, afraid of appearing stupid and unadventurous nonsense. If tame punk with Geddy Lee(of Rush great band)meets Diamanda Galas(great singer and composer) vocals is your cup of tea then by all means pick this up. But please there is far too much interesting music out there to waste your time with this. Check out Ash Ra Tempel, Robbie Basho, Scratch Acid, Boris, Dalek, and Borbetomagus instead.

THE BEST ALBUM SINCE THE DEATH OF PUNK!
I first heard sleater-kinney on rock angainst bush 2 and what immeadiatly struck me was how impressive the band's skills were. the lyrics are great, and in someways harken back to alanis morrissete's 'jagged little pill.' i LOVE light rail coyote. a definate must have for anyone who considers themselves an indie- or alternative rocker. ... Read more

Asin: B000069DOG
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Riot Grrrl    4. Rock   

American IV: The Man Comes Around (Bonus DVD)
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 March, 2003)
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Editorial Review

On first thought, the idea of The Man in Black recording such covers as "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Danny Boy," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" might seem odd, even for an artist who’s been able to put his personal stamp on just about everything. But American IV: The Man Comes Around, which also draws on Cash’s original songs as well as those by Nine Inch Nails ("Hurt"), Sting ("I Hung My Head"), and Depeche Mode ("Personal Jesus"), may be one of the most autobiographical albums of the 70-year old singer-songwriter’s career. Nearly every tune seems chosen to afford the ailing giant of popular music a chance to reflect on his life--and look ahead to what’s around the corner. From the opening track, Cash’s own "The Man Comes Around," filled with frightening images of Armageddon, the album, produced by Rick Rubin, advances a quiet power and pathos, built around spare arrangements and unflinching honesty in performance and subject. In 15 songs, Cash moves through dark, haunted meditations on death and destruction, poignant farewells, testaments to everlasting love, and hopeful salutes to redemption. He sounds as if he means every word, his baritone-bass, frequently frayed and ravaged, taking on a weary beauty. By the time he gets to the Beatles’ "In My Life," you’ll very nearly cry. Go ahead. He sounds as if he’s about to, too. Unforgettable. (This special 2003 version includes a bonus DVD with the music video for "Hurt.") --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Reviews (58)

The best for last?
It's hard to nail down these pronouncements when compared against the amazing AMERICAN RECORDINGS that began Cash's final recordings with Rick Rubin. But there's really one song I don't much like here and the ones in between are so imbued with personal meaning to Cash. You listen to "Give my Love to Rose" and "Hurt" and imagine that he can see he'd lose his longtime wife June Carter Cash that year. After those songs of grief, he reminisces with "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face".

With "In my Life" and "Bridge over Troubled Water", Johnny himself says goodbye...preparing those closest to him seemingly for his own passage into eternity.

Always the strong believer in Jesus, he also takes this disc to present his most impassioned call to those "outside the fold" with the Revelations imagery in "The Man Comes Around" and more subtly in the way he throws a gospel subtext to Don Henley's "Desperado".

For these reasons, I feel that this is the single best disc of the American quartet.

HIGHLIGHTS:
If there's ever been a creepier rendering of Revelations than "The Man Comes Around", I don't think my heart could handle it. Johnny's voice crackles from the great beyond thanks to Rubin's production of the Bible verses that bookend the apocalpytic start to the album. If there was any justice, THAT song would have been the Dove award winner for Song of the Year in 2002. Cash takes his own past experience as a junkie and maybe even a sense of his wife's impending death into a cover of Trent Reznor's "Hurt" that shames Nine Inch Nails for sheer power. Couple it with one of the most well-conceived videos ever (included on the bonus DVD) and you're completely haunted. "Sam Hall" may be the only break Johnny gives us from the nearly crushing emotion here. The "d**n your eyes!" refrain is a great respite from the wrenching pain before Johnny takes us back into despair again with Nick Cave's duet assist for Hank Williams, Senior's "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". It all ends of a wonderfully warm hopeful note with "We'll Meet Again".

LOWS:
The only note that tarnishes this disc a bit is Johnny's "Tear Stained Letter". It's just not up to the level of the other songs we hear here.

BOTTOM LINE:
Johnny's final word to his world is found here. I take comfort that the last thing he wanted to say was "We'll Meet Again". God rest you, Johnny....

We'll Meet Again
I think I should start off by telling you that System of a Down is my favorite band.Nirvana and Gorillaz are up there too.So, why am I giving a Johnny Cash CD 5 stars?Well, the first JC song I ever heard was Folsom Prison Blues Live, and it changed the way I looked at country music (making me hate everything except Johnny Cash).So, after I bought a greatest songs 3 CD set and realised that Rick Rubin produced 4 Johnny Cash albums (and I had already heard Hurt, which is such a good song) also produced System of a Down's albums, I thought it might be worth it to check out one of his 4 American Recordings albums.So, interestingly enough this one was the cheapest of all 4 at Best Buy and came with a DVD of the Hurt music video, which is one of the most moving things I've ever seen.If you don't like country, don't turn away from this CD.I haven't heard the other 3 American ones, but this was very good.The Man Comes Around is the song during the opening credits of Dawn of the Dead (2004) and it's one of the best songs.Hurt, and the new version of Give My Love to Rose are very very good songs also.This CD has a very somber tone, but some things about it are a little more up-beat like the last song, We'll Meet Again, which isn't really a sad song, but as you're listening to the somewhat happy tone of it and realizing it is the last song on Johnny Cash's last album, it's very moving.I urge you to either listen to this somehow or just buy it, I don't think you'll be dissapointed in waht you discover.Now I'm on a quest to get the other 3 American recordings CD's.

Wait a minute...
"Hey, Johnny Cash! Wait a minute... Oh my God, it's NIN!"

Those were my thoughts when I first heard "Hurt" and saw the video one night on MTV2. I have only recently gotten around to buying this album but it's definitely worth it. Every song on this album works well, both as stand-alone songs and with each other. "Hurt" is the most talked-about, and it came as a surprise to me, both as a music lover and a Nine Inch Nails fan. However, I think that "We'll Meet Again" has taken a new meaning in light of Cash's death in 2003, as though he's saying that we will see him on the other side someday. ... Read more

Asin: B00008IAMD
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Interview    3. Pop    4. Singer/Songwriter    5. Traditional Country   

Aaron Jay Kernis - Colored Field · Musica Celestis · Air / Truls Mørk · Minnesota Orchestra · Eiji Oue
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 September, 2001)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Reviews (2)

A Masterpiece
Yesterday, I heard this work for the first time and was greatly moved by it. While I very rarely do this, I felt compelled to listen to it again today. I guess critical mass was achieved the second time, because on the second hearing I was totally and completely emotionally blown away by this work, as much if not more so than any work of music I have ever heard!

It's my custom to not read the cover notes of a CD until after I have formed some initial impression of a work.Like the Rouse Symphony No. 2, which I recently commented on, it was clear that this work was dealing some very deep, and at times tragic, painful issues.There is also a section of exquisite beauty.Certainly, this work seemes to have been inspired by something that greatly moved the composer.

The Rouse was in part an attempt to dealt with the death of a friend and colleague.The first movement of "Colored Field" is directly inspired by the memory of the systematic extermination of millions.Kernis visited Auschwitz and Birkenau in 1989.While there he saw "children chewing on a blades of grass", which led to the realization "that the ground from which they sprang [the grass] was once blood soaked:an outlandish combination of regenerative innocence and latent evil".

I almost didn't buy this CD based on Daniel Felsenfeld's review on ClassicsToday.com.He refers to the music as "soupy" (he is entitled to his opinion of course, but I STRONGLY disagree with him on this point).Since the work had been previously written for English horn, he seems to question why even bother substituting the cello. I quote: "You have to wonder, though, what the point is of a release from a living composer that contains no new works" and "revamped solo cello part (read: double-stops!)".I wonder how closely Felsenfeld compared the two solo parts?The composer may disagree with Felsenfeld.I quote "the new version brings a different expression to the solo line".I listened to snips of the "English horn" version on Amazon and it sounds a *lot* different to me.

Why Felsenfeld gave an 8 to the performance escapes me.Truls Mork's (the "o" should be slashed) cello playing is state-of-the-art.I even forgive him for his sometimes audible gasps for air (some cellists do this as part of their phrasing).Ironically, in this work it's possibly an effective addition.The Minnesota and Oue seem to be in total command of the music.I would think the fact Kernis is the "New Music Director" of the orchestra gives added authority to this performance.

I give this a 10/9+ (performance/recording).In addition to an exceptional performance the sound is just fine, thank you.It's full, well-balanced, and in no way hinders the enjoyment of the piece.

The work itself is a genuine masterpiece.This is yet another work that SHOULD be widely placed in symphony halls, but likely will not.Thankfully, it has earned a major award by becoming the winner of the 2002 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition.The award also includes a $200,000 stipend.Hopefully, this will allow Kernis to focus on his next masterpiece, which I will greatly look forward to hearing it after it is released.

Heard on radio
Tonight, on Public Radio, I heard this orchestra play Musica Celestis. It was like listening to Barber's Adagio, only more joyful. I rushed into the house to see whether there was a commercial recording available, and simply had to share my discovery with other Amazon customers. I intend to buy this CD, and use it whenever I need serenity. ... Read more

Asin: B00005A9NH
Sales Rank: 77002
Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Classical    3. Concerto    4. Orchestral & Symphonic   

"Love and Theft"
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (11 September, 2001)
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Editorial Review

When we last left the ever-confounding saga that is Bob Dylan's now-superhuman recording career, he'd reunited with producer Daniel Lanois, with whom he cut 1997's Time Out of Mind, his most coherent and appealing collection in nearly a decade. Now the still-reigning prince of musical contrariety and potent wordplay is back with his most focused, well-played collection since 1989's Oh Mercy, another Lanois production. One listen to the fade-in of the opener "Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum" and it's clear that all Dylan's roadwork has shaped him and his band (including guitarist Charlie Sexton) into a mighty musical weapon. And while his craggy howl continues to resonate, it's the songs here that astonish. A sturdy midtempo melody makes "Mississippi" the equal of the best numbers on Time, which it was actually written for. He convincingly puts over the R&B swing (yes, swing) number "Summer Days." "Honest with Me" ("I'm not sorry for nuthin' I've done / I'm glad I fight, I only wished we'd won") is a driving rocker that packs a genuine punch. And the light, lounge-like "Bye and Bye" and the southland ramble "Floater (Too Much to Ask)" show extraordinary confidence. He's labeled these songs "blues-based," but in typical Dylan fashion what would promise to be the most overtly blues number here--"High Water (for Charlie Patton)"--sounds like a banjo-based gunfighter ballad. But then that's this artist's gift: confounding expectations. --Robert Baird ... Read more

Reviews (308)

Continues to be the best
We always expect top-notch writing from Dylan, and of course he delivers here.But what really shocked me was how unbelievably musical it is.A breath of fresh air, with a return to the roots of rock & roll.Great blues, jazz, and gospel influence, with some of the best guitar work you can hear.I agree with others who said it doesn't matter that this is from one of the greats, it's just good music, period.Head and shoulders above anything else being released now days.Get this record.

My advice - borrow it from a library before you buy it.
I agree with the reviewers who wrote that they can't stand this CD. I'm one of those who like some of Dylan's music, and who can't stand some of it, too.

I borrowed it from a library, and am now returning it.Glad I didn't buy it.

"Love and Theft"~ Bob Dylan
This is a great album, but his vocals seem to have suffered a bit and his once great looks have been ravaged by time. The photos makes him look old and tired and his singing has taken a turn fot the worst. Nice hat though.I love his ability to write seemingly wordy lyrics that still manage to work. This is a very nice album, that fits perfect after a hards day work whilst drinkinga beer or drink. Tracks such as Floater, Cry a while show that this is an artist that is here to stay and he is almost a legend by now. ... Read more

Asin: B00005NI5Y
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Folk-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock & Roll    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Stankonia
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (31 October, 2000)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Imagine if the ghetto got electrified. That's Stankonia, an album ofstreet smarts doused with gasoline and ready to burn. When a thundering electric guitarcollides with a relentless drumbeat on the molten "Gasoline Dreams," it dominates mindand body, setting the tone for the album. Dre and Big Boi spin a world of freaks, poets,preachers, and pimps, but most importantly, possibilities. This music messes with yourhead. --Lizz Mendez Berry ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (298)

Outkast dropped another Classic
No one thought Outkast could possibly put out another album that would rival their previous 3 (spcm,ATLiens,Aquemeni)...But Outkast came back funkier than ever and dropped another landmark hip hop album.....A lot of long time OUtkast fans such as myself were truly proud to see them blow up as much as they did when this album dropped...IF there was any group that deserves to achieve iconic status, its OUtkast...They put in their work and deserve the succes they've achieved...

With that said, I still feel their first 3 albums were slightly better...So if you're reading this, make sure you at least pick up ATLiens or Aquemeni.....

Back to Stankonia....The album starts off wild like all 'kast albums...."Gasoline Dreams" is superb...The lyrics hit hard just like the beat...."So Fresh So Clean" was a monster hit and rightfully so...That was such a clever idea and the hook was so addicting....."Ms.Jackson" was/is the greatest tribute song ever to baby mommas..another great concept followed by a dope beat and hook.....

Theres also a lot of hidden gems on the album take a more serious route such as "toilet tisha"....

Overall, some might say Outkast lost their edge and fell off on this album...I disagree tho...Outkast came w/ fire on this album...And most important they never strayed too far from their roots/beliefs they've expressed since their first album...Tho u can definately tell they matured....

Grab this album asap , its definately among the greatest hip hop/pop albums of the last 5 years

Rap Math: Good Lyrics + Outkast Sense of Humor = Stankonia
Outkast, while in Hip Hop, are different than most of the other rappers in the business. While some of the songs being extremely random at times, Outkast always spit out the funniest, most innovative rhymes in Hip Hop. This album showcases their abilities with funny, serious, good, fast, and amazing songs. Buy this album or you'll be missing out on some of the best rap songs ever. The music isn't all great, but with those lyrics, how can you lose? WARNING: You may get somewhat bored if you do not have the lyrics to look at during listening to the album. The lyrics are spit out so fast you probably won't understand some of it. Despite this, Outkast is AWESOME and you HAVE TO buy this album. Here are the songs:
1. Intro (1:09) SKIT (NO RATING)
I don't understand this. Since its a skit, I don't have to give it a D. Horrible intro. Doesn't make sense, random. Don't worry. The album isn't all like this. BREAK!
2. Gasoline Dreams (3:34) B
Strong start to a strong album. Not the best on the album, but has a lot of power in it. The guitar is cool.
3. I'm Cool (0:42) SKIT
Strange interlude. A woman repeating "I'm Cool" for most of the interlude, than a random person yells some stuff. It's really funny at the end. Unexpected. BREAK!
4. So Fresh, So Clean (4:00) B+
Funny chorus, good lyrics. Pure Outkast. You gotta love it, because its just so fresh so clean.
5. Ms. Jackson (4:30) A
So funny. This song introduced and made me a fan of Outkast. One of their best songs ever. Pure classic. Again, SO FUNNY. Great lyrics. Yeah, Outkast!
6. Snappin' & Trappin' (4:19) B+
One of those songs which have pretty good lyrics but the music is wierd. Strange song. Features Killer Mike & J Sweet.
7. D.F. (0:27) SKIT
This is funny. Andre 3000 talks so fast that it's funny. BREAK!
8. Spaghetti Junction (3:57) A-
Funny lyrics (especially the chorus) and GREAT music. The idea of "spaghetti junction" is funny.
9. Kim and Cookie (1:10) SKIT
This is really funny. Girls talking and singing. A lot of cursing = really da** funny. Strange. BREAK!
10. I'll Call Before I Come (4:18) A-
Really funny. Features Gangsta Boo & Eco. This song has really funny lyrics and music which fits the lyrics. Again, the theme of the song is really funny.
11. B.O.B. (5:04) A
Another Outkast classic. B.O.B. stands for "Bombs Over Baghdad". The song isn't all about that, though. B.O.B. is a really funny song with really fast lyrics. Great song.
12. Xplosion (4:09) B+
Strange voice morph on Andre 3000's part. Good song. It takes a while to like, but it's catchy. Features B-Real, a strange rapper.
13. Good Hair (0:14) SKIT
I don't understand it, but maybe you will. BREAK!
14. We Luv Deez Hoez (4:10) A
FUNNIEST SONG ON THE ALBUM! Just listen to the chorus and you won't even try to change the track. Really, really funny. Features BackBone and Big Gipp (from Goodie Mob), who contribute rap verses which are all funny. How I luv diz song!
15. Humble Mumble (4:50) A+++
BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM (one of my overall favorite songs also). From the hilarious beginning: "I stank I can...The funky engine that could! Ooh! All aboard the Stankonia Express! The underground smellroad! Everyone's looking for an excuse to let loose...what's your locomotive?" - Andre, to the amazing chorus with a message, to Big Boi's fast, smooth rap verse, to Andre 3000's ultimate rap, to the amazing Erykah Badu's verse. Everything about this song is awesome. One of the best Outkast songs ever. A reason alone to buy the whole album.
16. Drinkin' Again (0:24) SKIT
Funny, but just another filling skit. BREAK!
17. ? (1:28) B+
Short, but really-da**-fast rap by Andre 3000. Funny filling-up-the-drink sound. Good music, but ends when you start to enjoy it. Good song.
18. Red Velvet (3:52) A-
"Now Peter Piper picked a pepper, that was his downfall." One of the best rap lyrics ever. Funny song and good chorus. Good one.
19. Cruising In The ATL (0:19) SKIT
Fun and nice to listen to. Has absolutely no meaning (that I know of) but is a cool interlude. BREAK!
20. Gangsta Sh*t (4:41) B+
Lots of rap verses and long, but a good song. Pretty good lyrics. Features some rap verses from the Goodie Mob. Cool song.
21. Toilet Tisha (4:24) A-
I don't know what to make of this song. At first I thought it was a joke (Toilet Tisha=Toilet Tissue, etc.) but then I figured out it was about a girl commiting suicide...hmmmmmm...very serious subject for Outkast but a great chillout song. I still don't know if its supposed to be serious, but maybe I'm just slow. Whatever. This is an awesome song, so LISTEN TO IT!
22. Slum Beautiful (4:07) B+
Awesome beat, maybe best one on the album. Cool raps, but the beat takes it away. Fun lyrics, though. Features one rap from Cee-Lo from Goodie Mob (the usual cameo band obviously).
23. Pre-Nump (0:29) SKIT
Funny. Really funny. Last skit on the album, and a good one. BREAK! (OK. If you haven't heard the album yet, duh, you haven't, then hear this: at the end of every skit, Outkast yells "BREAK!". Sorry for the confusion).
24. Stanklove (6:50) A-
Long, but worth it. Another chillout song like "Toilet Tisha". Kind of cheesy, but this is Outkast! Anyway, this is an extremely long song but isn't THAT boring. Great lyrics. While not funny, very well written. The only annoying part is the slowing-down at the end of the song. Great, mellow way to end the album.

OK. Overall, the album gets an A-. Very good lyrics and great rapping makes an awesome album from the most innovative rappers alive. Outkast, you guys ROCK!

BREAK!

This is a setup for Outkast beginners
For those that were involved in Outkast's latest record SPEAKERBOXXX/THE LOVE BELOW must cop this too 'cuz it has a new side of where hip-hop it is today. First and foremost, I'd became an instant fan to Outkast in 2001 when they first put out "So Fresh So Clean" and "Ms. Jackson". 'Specially "B.O.B." which I like. It's all on this album.

It paids a tribute to legends of R&B and above we love from today: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Funkadelic/Parliament, James Brown, George Clinton, Jimi Hendrix, The Crusaders, Sly and the Family Stone, Miles Davis, Grover Washington Jr, Herbie Hancock, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Curtis Mayfield, Barry White, Kanye West, Kool and the Gang, The Jacksons/The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, etc.

I'd never had a problem with Outkast mixing their styles together into 1 style. 'Cuz the last time I rate them as the Steely Dan of Hip-Hop. Y'know where they created diverse styles of jazz, funk, blues, avant-garde, blues, rock, R&B, hip-hop and all of the above.

Yep this is definitely going into my collection and also gon collect all their albums incl. their latest double CD which won a lot of awards or accolades. Especially look forward for their new movie to come out on HBO this year or so and hopefully it'll make blockbuster pretty soon.

Good luck to Outkast for doing much work. And recommend Kanye West, K-os, The Roots, Common, Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Miles Davis, Impromp2, Ronny Jordan, Guru, Us3, Roy Ayers, Grover Washington, Duke Ellington, Cannonball Adderley, The Crusaders, Marvin Gaye, Jazzhole, Stevie Wonder, Barry White, Bobby Caldwell, Quincy Jones and many others from the above. ... Read more

Asin: B00002R0MA
Subjects:  1. Alternative Rap    2. Dirty South    3. Hip-Hop    4. Pop    5. Rap    6. Rap & Hip-Hop    7. Southern Rap    8. United States of America   

Vespertine
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 August, 2001)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99
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Editorial Review

Ever since Björk's vital, effusive 1993 debut, her musichas been increasingly intimate, gently private, and concerned withseclusion. It's typical then that Vespertine's first single iscalled "Hidden Place." The studious solitude is rewarding, though.Vespertine is a lush, gorgeous swell of midpace electronica,symphonic strings, and Björk's uniquely alien, spectral vocals.There are fantastical wonders here. "Cocoon" (another eulogy towithdrawal from the world) is delicate as a breath, Björk soundingtoo fragile to be flesh as she lauds "a beauty this immense." "PaganPoetry" and "Aurora," likewise, are adrift in an enchanted reverie.When she chooses, she crafts killer tunes; "It's Not up to You" is aslovely as anything on Post. Yet, frequently,on such tracks as the yearning, glancing "Undo," Björk seems to besimply thinking aloud, reveling in this wildly rich and visceral music.She's reclaimed cutting-edge electronica, so often the province ofgeeks and technicians, for the poets and the passionate.Vespertine is a landmark, a revelation, and a truly fabulousachievement. --Ian Gittins ... Read more

Reviews (366)

just beautiful music
Last year I happened to discover Bjork. Now I can tell you she has become one of my favorite artists.This album is a masterpiece in every angle; the way she expresses herself through music is unbelievable. I strongly recommend it.

Fine Follow-Up To "Dancer In the Dark"
A year before Bjork released "Vespertine", she garnered rave reviews for her performance in the film "Dancer In the Dark".This brought her career to new levels.Also, she received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for "I've Seen It All".Beyond the infamous swan dress is genius work, including the album "Selmasongs" (the film soundtrack).Then, in 2001, she released her follow-up "Vespertine".The quality lives up to what she's always released since her debut: never below her top abilities.She earned a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Album.

Throughout this album is unique passionate songs that send listeners to a musical trance.The unique blend of ambient, trip-hop, and chamber music remains intimate.No other artist has touched such territory successfully.She proves in every song that she's continually evolving as an artist magnificantly.Despite every song being calming rather than upbeat, the album never becomes boring.Some songs include interesting twists and turns that raise eyebrows.Bjork wrote, produced, and arranged every song beautifully.Meanwhile, she was thorough in arranging all of the melodies assuring they fit amongst one another.

Bjork's amazing vocals continue to amaze listeners as they have since her debut.As usual, anybody who listens to her can always identify her correctly.Besides her unique vocal texure, her range of tones wonderfully blend with the individual theme beautifully.She gives every song the beauty it deserves.Her expressions she the true passion and intimacy she feels about the lyrics.Therefore, the influences to her words express themselves to the fullest.

"Vespertine" is an essential album for all old and new Bjork fans.This is great for those for fresh relaxing music besides Enya, Sade, or Andrea Bocceli.This is sure to please many listeners for a long time.

Bjork's Worst
This (in my opinion) is bjork's worst release album to date, but not to say it's bad, as it, ironically, features my favourite Bjork song of all time 'An Echo A Stain' -- it is mysterious, original, and 'soft'.
This is not bjork's worst album by far, by the way, and it is ot to me her worst because of the songs, it's because that all of the songs sound very similar to each other, I know Bjork has a (good) habit of creating different moods/emotions in each album she releases, for example, Debut was shy, post was the loud... unlike Debut. Homogenic was aggressive, electronic and unique (her masterwork), and Vespertine is the opposite to Homogenic, and if it is the opposite to my favourite album of all time, one may think `it mustn't be very good', which would noramlly been true -- but all of Bjorks albums are good, so this is an exception -- now to the actual review::
Starting with the lead single Hidden Place (#21 UK), is my second favourite and very unique, Cocoon is a bit boring and never really goes anywhere -- but the originality and uniqueness is still there (#35 UK), It's Not Up To You is very excessible and creates a very positive mood. Undo is a very strange song, with a great Icelandic choir, followed by my fourth favourite Pagan Poetry (#39 UK) -- it opens with something sounding like an... Asian guitar, and finishes in style!!! Frosti is probably my least favourite B track -- it, like Cocoon never really goes anywhere, but the stuff it still present. Aurora is very good. Some say that Bjorks loud, aggressive vocals don't go well with the soft, fragile tune, but I think it just enhances it's mood (hehehe...) The fabulous "An Echo A Stain" follows, and next is Sun In My Mouth, it is very short, but still very good. Next is the lightly repudiative 'Heirloom' -- the rhythm/beat sounds like it's taken from a beat of a piano, then is the very unique Harm of Will, which is my third fifth favourite song of V, and then my 3rd favourite 'Unison" -- very commonly the fans favourite, it's light tune, and 6:47 time go very well together......

Instead of this, I would recommend any other Bjork album, especially Homogenic.

If you liked this, I recommend, well, there IS no other album like this I know, but, ........maybe Ray Of Light from Madonna.

Track by Track:
1) 9/10 2) 7/10 3) 7/10 4) 8/10 5) 9/10 6) 6/10 7) 9/10 8) 10/10 9)9/10 10) 7/10 11)9/10 12) 9/10


85% ... Read more

Asin: B00005NG4X
Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Electronica    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Elephant
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 April, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' British album, Elephant is scattered with cultural references that give away the fact it was recorded far from home. Just listen to the lyrics on "Seven Nation Army" ("From the Queen of England to the hounds of Hell") or the album outro, in which someone chips in, "Jolly good, cup of tea?" But while there are new twists here, from Meg White discovering her voice to a tongue-in-cheek threesome with Holly Golightly, Elephant is no great departure for Jack and Meg White. They still push their creativity (and the boundaries of their eight-track) to new heights. Check out the startling, Queen-inspired "There's No Home for You Here," while the deep bass line on "Seven Nation Army" makes it a classic indie dance track. But while some songs fly off into new realms, there's plenty of their trademark straight-up bluesy rock, notably the overtly sexual "Ball and Biscuit." And there's Jack's plaintive, resolutely modest and yet theatrical voice. --Caroline Butler ... Read more

Reviews (660)

Great album!
The thing that wows me the most in this album is Jack's guitar work. As a guitarist I can appreciate that aspect of it. Meg keeps it on the simple side, but that's cool too! Because i mean, they are a 2 person band...How much simpler can you get? They still have such a powerful, rockin sound. This was the first White Stripes album I got, and I can safely say that I am a fan. Keep up the good work!! :D

Elephant poopie
I like the White Stripes, I liked De Stijl and White Blood Cells but this... album... was... horrible.One good song (Seven Nation Army) for 15 bucks.I kept waiting and waiting for something decent after the first track.Didn't get it.I might give them another shot because I like the band, but this was a really weak effort.I'm not going to get into the musical debate, (Are they talented, are they not?) and so forth.I personally like their raw sound, I like the band, I "get it."But Elephant just sucked, plain and simple.Hey Jack and Meg, I want my 15 bucks back!

I'm not totally obsessed...
Unlike the previous three albums from the rock/blues duo the White Stripes, this CD seems to have a slightly softer and darker quality to it.Not that that's a bad thing.This is definitely another unique White Stripes classic.Recorded and mixed without the modern help of computers, as the inside booklet says, it sounds more like 1970's rock and almost reminiscent of Led Zeppelin.The album is full of catchy melodies (like on "The Air Near My Fingers") and foot stomping beats (like on the Grammy-winning "Seven Nation Army"), not to mention Meg's first solo singing song "In the Cold, Cold Night.""Ball and Biscuit" is 7 minutes of perfection and "Hypnotize" is a fast paced, amplified guitar jam (I apologize for my use of the word 'jam'-I hate when people use it to describe a song, but I couldn't think of another word to use) that is sort of like the "Fell in Love With a Girl" of Elephant. Everything else in between that I haven't listed is great and pure White Stripes.If you're as obsessed as I am with them (... but I wouldn't say to an unhealthy level...) [awkward silence] then go and buy this album now. ... Read more

Asin: B00008J4P5
Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Garage Rock Revival    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Blacklisted
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 August, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Neko Case's third solo effort is a moody, atmospheric affair that both satisfies and mystifies. Recorded in Tucson with a stellar band that includes Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino, Blacklisted charms you with its haunting, reverb-soaked songs, most of which were written by Case herself. The lyrics are impressionistic and, at times, inscrutable. "Fast train, where do your passengers wait?" she sings in the title song. "What's at the heart of your engine's rage?" While it's not always clear what Case is getting at, the overall mood of the album is one of loss and melancholy. Soaring above it all is Case's remarkable Patsy Cline-meets-Judy Garland voice, which she uses to great effect on the album's two torchy cover songs: Sarah Vaughan's "Look for Me (I'll Be Around)" and Aretha Franklin's "Running Out of Fools." --David Hill ... Read more

Reviews (75)

The PJ Harvey of Alt. Country
When I decided to check out this Neko Case person I had been seeing references to so many times in No Depression magazine I wasn't expecting to hear my new favorite female singer.This lady is amazing.I first heard Deep Red Bells and my jaw dropped.I consider myself a music snob and I have never heard anything like this song.I can't say enough good things about her.I wish there was more info and pictures to find on the internet but she is still fairly obscure.Get everything she's done.The only time I've ever had a reaction to a singer even close to this is Lucinda Williams (not that they sound similar).

unique, haunting, alt-country masterpiece
First, the bad news: the recording isn't the best. On my first listen, I thought there was far too much reverb and that both Neko and the band were too 'distant' in the mix, which is why I put this record away. If you can't get past that (I thought I couldn't, at first, and now this is one of my favorites), you won't like it.

Now, the good news: when I pulled it back out (to consider culling it from my changer) and listened again, I got past the unusual sound and the quality of the songwriting and performances turned me around.

I now believe this is likely her 'classic' record and that she will never exceed it. Many great musicians who have long careers produce a classic record that winds up being their strongest and most accessible. I believe Neko has produced that record and that this is it. I'm not predicting that Neko will have a long, successful career, but I am saying that she is unlikely to better this effort.

These songs are so good, so well played and well sung, that her talent shines through in every song. The songs are all 'of a piece,' so to speak. They're musically and thematically related, so much so that they flow like a suite. You might say that this is a concept album, and it's a very successful concept.

The songs are mostly haunting, minor-key "gothic folk" songs (to quote a review of early REM) with strong shades of mid-century country, and they are extremely compelling if you like that sort of thing. The arrangements are not spare, for the most part, but are exactingly 'produced,' which is usually a pejorative. In this case, it works.

Instrumentation is acoustic guitars with electric backing and occasional percussion.

This record is so much better than her previous releases. "Furnace Room Lullaby" shows the power of her voice, but the material is disappointingly weak, the exact opposite of the work on this record. If you like alt country and/or Neko's previous records, this is not to be missed. It's her most accessible record, features her best playing and songwriting, and if you give it a chance, will haunt you for weeks. Highly recommended.

Country and Noir
BLACKLISTED is a superb collection of songs sung to the extreme by alt-county chantreuse Neko Case.She has created a masterpeice that I would describe as Patsy Cline produced by David Lynch.A collection of haunted performances that linger long after the disk is done.On top of that, I WISH I WERE THE MOON is a song of shear poetry and beauty, DEEP RED BELLS close behind. ... Read more

Asin: B00006BTC6
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    5. Indie Rock    6. Pop    7. Rock   

Red Dirt Girl
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (12 September, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Consider this Emmylou Harris's emancipation proclamation--an album that confirms that 1995's adventurously atmospheric Wrecking Ball wasn't an aberration, but a preview of more radical changes to come. Long the godmother of alternative-country's traditionalist wing, Harris here writes songs with Luscious Jackson's Jill Cunniff, sings a duet with Dave Matthews ("My Antonia"), and recruits Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa to provide harmonies on the album's most compelling ballad ("Tragedy"). The production by Malcolm Burn applies sonic treatments of drum machines, shimmering guitars, and echoed vocals to a song cycle by Harris that is largely original and deeply personal, filled with dream imagery and evocations of a spiritual quest. While material such as "Michaelangelo" and "Bang the Drum Slowly" suffers from an arty ponderousness, it's doubtful that Harris has ever recorded an album that means more to her than this one. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (181)

Brilliant
Emmylou wrote most of this CD and it's as brilliant as any writing at any time. Check out what Emmylou has to say about the songs at: www.emmylou.net/reddirtgirl.html

The Pearl speaks to how dealing with suffering can ultimately enrich us. It is haunting and beautiful, as is Michelangelo, a song that came to her in a dream.

The backup singers on Tragedy are Bruce Springstein and his wife, Patti Scialfa. My Baby Needs A Shepherd will bring tears to the eyes of a troubled teen or their parents. Bang The Drum Slowly was written to honor Emmylou's dad when he died at 93.

Many of the songs do have an intellectual bent and though you put some thought into them, their feeling and power hit you like a freight train. They can leave you waundering in the night.

Red Dirt Girl is a straight-forward story of a life turned tragic. Emmylou wrote it on the way to record Tragedy in New Orleans. (Does anyone other than Willie Nelson record at Emmylou's house?) The Boy From Tupelo is a more light rock/pop sounding ditty. I heard it first at Starbucks and that's why I bought the CD.

There is so much beauty and depth to these songs. It's worth the buy. I think is is an exceptionally strong piece of work.

Red Dirt Angel
I have loved Emmy Lou's work from the start. When I bought this release it took my breath away. How can a human voice demonstrate such emotion and control at the same time? Whenever I listen to this CD tears are brought to my eyes because of the beauty of Emmy Lou. There are different levels of beauty in this CD. The first is her angelic voice. On this release especially, one can get a glimpse into what heaven's angels desire to sound like. The second beauty is that of the lyrics and the phrasing of those words into cohesive thought. The third beauty that can be found is the masterful mixing and production of the record. I have never heard a more lovely recording. The forth level of beauty is the maturity of Emmy Lou's musical approach. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she continues not only to find new ground but create something unexpected. I would have to rate this release as Her finest work to date. Five stars are not enough; the Milky Way would be more appropriate.

Muffled Sound Quality
I bought Red Dirt Girl shortly after it was released because I had heard the title track on a review and liked the words. I was very disappointed when I tried to listen to the CD. The music sounds so muffled. I thought there was something wrong with my copy of the CD until I read the comments of a couple of other reviewers who have had the same experience. I rarely listen to this CD, even though I do like some of the songs, because of the poor quality of the recording; it simply gets on my nerves. ... Read more

Asin: B00004WZOJ
Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Country    4. Pop   

Ultraglide in Black
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (29 May, 2001)
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Reviews (23)

KICK IT !
summertime house party music at it's best ! if your looking for some classic jumping soul music...this is it !

The Bottom Line
I cannot honestly recall how I came upon this album, but I can say that I'm very happy I did.Ultraglide in Black is one of those albums that you play at a party and everyone ends up asking you "Who is this?" because of its soulful and unique sound.Mick Collins' voice will remind you of a decade from 20 years ago, but the pace and chord progression will remind you that this album is only 3 years old.If you have any passing interest in groups of old like The Spencer Davis Trio, The Animals, or even a little Stevie Wonder thrown in; this album is a safe bet.Ultraglide in Black is without a doubt stronger towards the beginning, but the latter part is still enjoyable enough.Check out the Mooney Suzuki too if this suits your fancy.

Smokin'!
Was introduced to this album by a friend who had a hunch I'd like it. I am very grateful that he did, it is an absolutely storming album, not particularly complex, but certainly not shallow. What it gives is what music is all about (to me at least), gutsy, powerful grooves that make you stride down the street feeling like a millionaire! If you're after intelligent angst, buy Coldplay, if you're looking for music to jump around to playing air guitar (not in an 80's hair rock way) then buy this.

As for the person who criticises 'Ode to a Black Man', each to his own, but to balance out their opinion, I think it is one of the best tunes on there. Enjoy!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005BJI8
Sales Rank: 12834
Subjects:  1. Garage Punk    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

That's Not What I Heard
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (23 January, 2001)
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Editorial Review

Restraint and polish have their virtues, but the Gossip's first full-length preaches a powerful sermon on the value of raw, honest emotion and reckless abandon. Part of the power of their message lies in the simplicity of its delivery. Limiting themselves to vocals, guitar, and drums, with absolutely no studio wizardry, first names only in liner notes, and a total running time of less than 25 minutes, this threesome has no tolerance for non-essentials. Guitarist Nathan and drummer Kathy lay down a stripped-down retro sound somewhat reminiscent of the Flat Duo Jets and Bratmobile, providing singer Beth with a perfect pulpit from which to deliver her frank discourses on lesbian love, lust, and leverage. Highlights include opener "Swing Low," the back-to-back "Where the Girls Are" and "Bring It On," and the closer, "Hott Date." While this CD's 14 tracks aren't incredibly diverse, they do pack a wallop, and fans of no-frills garage rock and raw, lo-fi blues should definitely give it a listen. --Steve Halloran ... Read more

Reviews (7)

That southern rock makes me wanna jump up and boogie down!
The Gossip started a revival with this genre of music that was becoming scarce.When this album came out in the beginning of the year 2001, it is just what was needed in the world to wake everyone up.A lot of bands jumped on the bandwagon with this "new" sound.They are a three piece band consisting of merely a vocalist, guitarist and drummer.Some people say this album tends to drag in places, but I would say just the opposite.Beth Ditto has such a strong, sexy and bluesy voice, there is much to love about it.And their sound is pure garage/blues rock.The singer is openly gay, with very racy lyrics, which fit their sound perfectly.She turns what used to be just a church song, 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,' into a naughty song being sung to a bad girl; 'sweet baby/momma's baby/there's only one thing that can make you my lady/swing low, down low, sweet chariot.'Phew, makes me sweat.Long live the Gossip!

Beth Ditto is unstoppable.
I'm usually a big fan of very carefully produced songs with intricate details. This is simply the opposite. It's raw, sweaty rock produced in someone's basement. Nothing is tweaked. It's just drums, a guitar and Beth Ditto's amazing voice wailing over it, pulling you under.

Before I actually heard The Gossip for the first time, I read dozens of articles about them. The critics had nothing but rave reviews. Once you hear this cd, though, none of that matters anymore. This music belongs to YOU. It pulses in you as if you were dancing with the rest of the crowd at the show, Beth's tremendous voice pulling at you. The simple, repeated verses of these songs are infectious and charming.

This is hot, lesbionic, Southern goodness. What more could you want?

SWEEEEET!!!
i first heard The Gossip on Queercore TV, as u know the lead singer is a lesbian...from then on, i was hooked!!!!the simple, raw way they send their messages is amazing and the songs are perfect!!!!!also check out their other 2 cds, also very good!!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00004YWY7
Subjects:  1. Garage Punk    2. Indie Rock    3. Lo-Fi    4. Pop    5. Post-Punk    6. Punk-Pop    7. Riot Grrrl    8. Rock    9. Rockabilly Revival    10. United States of America   

You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 June, 2000)
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Reviews (13)

suck on my sweettooth till i'm sore
I have to admit I've never heard of Mirah before. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this lil' gem. This album is amazing from beginning to end. It's a flipping masterpiece!!! SO stoned.!!!! Ahh. I just got this two days ago and I haven't been able to let it go. I have to listen to it non-stop. I cant' sleep. Once, I heard Of Pressure, I knew it was over. "i ask you what you think of my forward question, is this a release or a buildup of pressure." And it has this sweetest keyboard sound that just takes you away. doo do do dooooooooo doo do do deeeeeeeeee. at times Mirah seems almost childlike having a good time while getting over something. like when she sings "this makes me want to spin 'round in my yard. Yaaaaaaaard. Yaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuaard." But I believe the standout here is the sweet La Familia. Evertime those background vocals kick in, i'm gone! "if we sleep together would it make it any better, if we sleep together would you be my friend forever" is the most catchiest thing i've heard all year. "and it breaks my heart wide open but i know i'll be stronger next time" amazing lyrics.Basically i cant' describe how f--cking awesome this album is, but i think everyon e should defieatneeeelyd get this.

This is what happens when Mazzy Star catches her breath
Mirah is another in the growing line of stripped-down, lo-fi, simple, but somehow heartwrenching acts. That being the case, it's hard to describe this music without the aid of a million referents (Moldy Peaches, Cat Power, Azure Ray, April March, Edie Brickell, etc.).

While I want to dislike this sparce music which consists mostly of Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn's delicate, sophomoric vocals and light tremomlo guitar, repetitive lines like "if we sleep together, will it make it any better" from "La Familia" make my inner 17 year old indie grrl do cartwheels. Run-on sentences aside, this album is the kind of stuff Jack White probably listens to on rainy days. "Sweepstakes Prize" builds from a do-wop wink into a fuzzy, rocking song. "Person, Person" recalls some on Donovan's sillier moments. The range of ground Mirah covers is represented best on "This Dance," which starts off full of lament, and threatens continually to build through three musically varied verses.

The music is undeniably light, but it is also diverse enough to keep things interesting. It's a guilty pleasure that will probably become a permanent part of my personal rotation.

plucking petals one by one
i love this album so much. i just bought it the other day, used for fear that it would not live up to my expectations and i would regret paying full price, but i would gladly pay full price for this album. its pure genius. and so nice to see a girl getting rock so right. of course you have jenny lewis of rilo kiley as well who, in my opinion, can do no wrong. i think it is about time we see some more of this. sure i love conor oberst and tim kasher and think they are geniuses, but seeing women take over is a big relief! way to go girls! its a great album. words cannot describe, the last song on the album, is one to be treasured. ... Read more

Asin: B00004T8M1
Sales Rank: 24585
Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Singer/Songwriter    6. United States of America   

Saddle the Bridge
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 May, 2000)
list price: $12.98
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Reviews (3)

Outstanding
Amazing CD.See if you can track down a copy, it is definetly worth your time.

Chamber music for the indie-rock set
With cello, contrabass and drums, Bonfire Madigan appears to be a group of indie-rockers who never could shake the classical music training of their youth.

amazing
this album is light years ahead of bonfire madigan's first album ("From the Burnpile").i found that album to be somewhat lacking in terms of consistency and production.sure there were some great songs,but i got the sense that it was merely a collection of songs, not a fullfledged album.

this new album though, is wonderfully consistent andcohesive.it really shows some maturity in song writing and arrangment forthe group.on this album, the bonfire is pared down to it's core trio ofmadigan (cello, vocals), sheri (bass), and tomas (drums).much moreattention has been paid to production and crafting a thematic album. striping things to the bone has allowed the musicians to focus on the mostimportant thing, the music.though a little more spare than the previousalbum, it is no less enthralling.

the arrangement of the group, twostrings (bass and cello), drums, and vocals is highly unique.the songsblend rock, folk, classical, pop, and even a touch of hip-hop influences. the result is intriguingly original instrumental arrangements, coupled witha compelling and powerful voice that has things to say.madigan's vocalsare truly breathtaking and magnificent.the shear amount of energy thatmadigan pours into her music is stunning and quite captivating, you cantell that this is music she really believes in.that makes it impossibleto ignore, and difficult not to share in her passion andconviction.

adding to the mix on this album is the way the group putssound collage and studio created soundscapes to good use, both in rachel'ssong (and its variations) and in other spots, adding to the pacing anddynamics of the album.also great is the artwork, which in my opinion ismuch better than the previous album.all in all, this is one awe inspiringpackage: music, artwork, spirit, everything adds up to an exhilirating newexperience, the likes of which i guarantee you've not heard before. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SBXQ
Sales Rank: 166292
Subjects:  1. Chamber Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 May, 2002)
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Editorial Review

With the soundtrack to Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, O Brother, Where Art Thou? producer T Bone Burnett has compiled another gently nostalgic gem. Filled with covers of jazz standards, sparse blues picking, and traditional Cajun pieces, Sisterhood matches Brother in ambiance and impeccable musicianship. The highlights are numerous: Bob Dylan's lively song waltzes with a raspy narrative, Lauryn Hill uses acoustic plucking to complement her soulful croon, and Bob Schneider contributes an understated love-ballad rumbling with piano. Even the cover songs are first-rate; Macy Gray jive-jumps through a faithful Billie Holiday cover, and Tony Bennett slows things down with a dapper and distinguished Nat "King" Cole homage. Despite the diffuse genres covered, the superior quality of Sisterhood's songs renders these differences negligible, and the album's pacing ensures a pleasing alternation of styles that never lags. In fact, there's nary a bad song on the entire album. The divine secret's out--Sisterhood is an essential listen. --Annie Zaleski ... Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (25)

Great music
This is a Great CD for cruising in the car or even better cruising on the river . . The Pee Dee or the Waccamaw:)
Its a pretty good intro into Zydeco if you are unfamiliar with it. The modern pop stuff is pretty good too.

Divine Music of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood
The film is about how the wounds of the past affect the feelings and the behaviour of generations of some people and their families. The soundtrack plays an important role in it.

Who enjoyed the overwhelming presence of a quality cast in the film will not be disappointed with the soundtrack.

It is a soundtrack involved with feelings, exhaling different emotions in each track. Gorgeous performances of Lauryn Hill, Bob Schneider and Alison Krauss.

looking for the name of a song
Loved the movie, love the soundtrack, but I am looking for the name of the song near the end, where the band is playing for Vivi's birthday party.It is not in the soundtrack and is has a great sound to it.Does anyone know the name of that tune and the band playing it? ... Read more

Asin: B0000658AS
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Soundtracks    3. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 December, 2000)
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Editorial Review

The best soundtracks are like movies for the ears, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? joins the likes of Saturday Night Fever and The Harder They Come as cinematic pinnacles of song. The music from the Coen brothers' Depression-era film taps into the source from which the purest strains of country, blues, bluegrass, folk, and gospel music flow. Producer T Bone Burnett enlists the voices of Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, and kindred spirits for performances of traditional material, in arrangements that are either a cappella or feature bare-bones accompaniment. Highlights range from the aching purity of Krauss's "Down to the River to Pray" to the plainspoken faith of the Whites' "Keep on the Sunny Side" to Stanley's chillingly plaintive "O Death." The album's spiritual centerpiece finds Krauss, Welch, and Harris harmonizing on "Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby," a gospel lullaby that sounds like a chorus of Appalachian angels. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Soundtrack

Reviews (444)

SOME OTHER GREAT ALBUMS
I am a big fan of roots music.This album is a beautiful, captivating record that consistently delivers great music, song after song.If you enjoy this album and are looking for some similar great roots albums then I recommend the following:
1) Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics
2) Ain't No Grave: A Tribute To Traditional And Public Domain Songs
3) March 16-20 by Uncle Tupelo
4) Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs Of Stephen Foster
5) Every Sound Below by Tim Eriksen

added intense variety and beauty to my cd collection
first off, don't buy this unless you have seen the movie or unless you are very familiar with the artists on here.I had seen the movie first and enjoyed it a lot, and hearin this music when understanding its context made me appreciate its simple yet rugged excellence.truly, the simplest things are the hardest things to pull off, but this soundtrack does a wonderful job.The only problem I have with it is that the movie version of "i'll fly away," my favorite song when I watched the movie, has been omitted for a slightly weaker version.However the new version is still pretty darn good, so I won't deduct stars for that, especially considering the fact that most movie soundtracks do a terrible job.GET THIS NOW!

Deceived and Disappointed
The Kossoy Sisters version of "I'll Fly Away" was the actual song in this movie. Why they chose the Alison Krauss version for this CD stupefies me to no end. Needless to say, the movie version was far superior. In fact, I felt that this song was one of most uplifting songs I've heard in a long time. Understand that I have nothing against Alison Krauss at all, but I must admit that my jaw dropped when I realized that I'd once again been had by slick music industry con-artists. Beware. ... Read more

Asin: B00004XQ83
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Soundtracks & Film Scores   

The Sopranos - Peppers and Eggs: Music from the HBO Series
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 May, 2001)
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Editorial Review

The Sopranos have become considerably more than just the average psychically tortured New Jersey mob family next door. HBO's innovative, if distinctly murderous soap opera has become a modern cultural icon, one whose innovative pop music score is almost an equal supporting cast member. The term dizzying has been overused in describing strong soundtrack collections, but it just might not do this second volume of Sopranos music justice. Show creator David Chase, director Martin Bruestle, and executive producer Brad Grey are credited with this rich, cross-genre, multigenerational collection, but they tellingly thank a few score others. The contributions from usual suspect vets like Frank Sinatra, Dylan, Elvis Costello, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, the Kinks, Keith Richards (and the Stones), the Pretenders, and Ben E. King contain more than their fair share of musical and contextual surprises. But the collection's true appeal lies in its artistically oblique corners, which somehow embrace alt-rock (R&B tinged and straight up, courtesy of Pigeonhed and Cake, respectively), nouveau Aussie country (Kasey Chambers), traditional gospel and swampy blues (the Campbell Brothers with Katie Jackson, R.L. Burnside), Vivaldi (Cecilia Di Bartoli), and contemporary Neopolitan pop (Madreblu, Lorenzo Jovanotti). Even budding star Uncle Junior chimes in, with Dominic "Goldenthroat" Chianese lending a spare, heartfelt rendition of the traditional "Core'ngrato"; hang onto your kneecaps, 'N Sync! --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics
• Soundtrack

Reviews (27)

Stereo sound - not worth it!!
Whats the point in spending 25 quid and getting two badly mixed cds in SACD stereo? Multichannel makes the difference in SACDs. This one is not worth the price!

Bada-Bing!
Even if you're not a fan of the show, "Peppers and Eggs" is a great collection of music.My favorite track is the "Every Breath You Take/Theme From Peter Gunn" mix, which is positively brilliant."Sopranos" fans will enjoy the Dominic Chianese performance and the amusing montage of clips from the show at the end of Disc 2.

End of Season 2?
I'm looking for the song played during the montage at the end of season 2 during Meadow's graduation party.A slow bluesy song that picks up at the end during the credits.If anyone can help out it would be greatly appreciated! ... Read more

Asin: B00005AR37
Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Country-Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock & Roll    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Soundtracks & Film Scores    8. TV Soundtrack   

Do Rabbits Wonder
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 April, 2003)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Reviews (22)

3.5 stars for sure...
I just can't give them anything higher or else my entire rating system goes out the window! The thing is, these guys are totally out there on their own. I could try and find comparisons and pigeon-hole them into some kind of genre. But instead I'd rather just tell you how they made me feel, and hopefully that'll be more helpful than trying to describe what their music sounds like.

Imagine being lost while on vacation and getting really frustrated and maybe a bit freaked. But then relaxing into the unknown and just plodding onward, not knowing where the road you're on is going to take you. That's Whirlwind Heat for me.

What might sound annoying at first listen, is actually fraught with humor and fun. I can't help but think these guys were having a laugh the entire time they recorded this album. At the same time, they hit the rock button heavy and really deliver. Let them karate chop you into being a believer.

good lord!
this band is loud and quite obnoxious. but i love them. hell i also like deerhoof, ex models and xiu xiu. so if you can handle any of those bands you may enjoy this one (though whirlwind heat sounds like none of those bands.... or any other band really.)

It's actually just LIKE a trash bag helmet
I expected no less amount of one star reviews to be listed under this album. Personally, I love Whirlwind Heat and I love their music. To be perfectly honest, I can't recommend it to anybody unless I knew them personally. Quite frankly, their music is not for everyone, and while it gets annoyingly cliched to say they sound like primates equipped musical instruments, it could be true depending on your own individual tastes.

I don't think anyone I know who likes Whirlwind Heat (and who wasn't introduced to it with an open mind) liked them at first--it's usually a gradual process in which the realization dawns that "hey. They're pretty damn cool." At any rate, I think the fact they're produced by Jack White puts very much stock into what they would sound like--the only thing it guarantees is that they'll be original. If you're open to original, and are have a pretty stable and broad definition of what is enjoyable, then you may like this album. ... Read more

Asin: B00008W2R9
Sales Rank: 117432
Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Noise-Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock   

Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 May, 2001)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Reviews (7)

Great Album - No defect
The album simply is a great buy for anyone even slightly into the detroit music scene.Just to clear up one issue though there is no problem with the product, anyone with the 'Candy Coloured Blues' unauthorised white stripes documentry will know that the cut short tracks are an interesting experiment in which Jack White asked band members to simply play something bluesey, in an effort to reveal somthing about the detroit bands he was showcasing.

A good sampler of the detroit scene
Being a White Stripes fan I had to seek out this album to get their previously unreleased track "Red Death at 6:14". Along the way I was introduced to a number of bands from detroit I would have not heard of otherwise. Standout bands on this compilation include The Dirtbombs, Ko and the Knockouts, The Soledad Brothers, The Von Bondies, and Whirlwind Heat.

And about the tracks that seem to "cut off" after 30 seconds, I have this album on vinyl (yes I have a record player) and the tracks are meant to be like that. I think of them as segues.

Detroit Rock
This CD has some excellent music -unfortunately the CD appears to have a production problem where track 2, 3 and 9 are cut short (after about 20 seconds).Amazon provided a replacment (really good service) but same problem.I also note that someone else mentioned this in another review.They thought it was by design - I don't think so but it might be.

However this issue aside, there does seem to be something in the Detroit scene.An interesting mix of rock, punk and blues - with some surprising edginess, drive, inventiveness and a good indie sound.White stripes are great but here are some some others.Perhaps without the technical greats of Jack White but nevertheless some real commitment to an individual sound and style.Its a good buy - even with the defect - sample a few of these bands.highly recommended. ... Read more

Asin: B00005B4FM
Sales Rank: 31485
Subjects:  1. Garage Punk    2. Garage Rock Revival    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock   

There and Back Again [Bonus Tracks]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (21 May, 2002)
list price: $20.98 -- our price: $20.98
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Editorial Review

Former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh's first solo album (not counting Seastones, his 1975 electronic collaboration with Ned Lagin) traffics more in Springsteenian arena rock than in the jazzily extended high-wire improvisations of his live shows. While the music lacks the lilt of Lesh's former combo, the band is tight and Dead lyricist Robert Hunter's verses are as evocative, regretful, and optimistic as ever--usually at the same time. Song after song alludes to a golden age of rock hedonism while simultaneously reassuring listeners that the past can be recaptured in the here and now. "Give it up for love, so I've been told," sings deep-throated Lesh in the barrelhouse "Rock-a-Roll Blues," "It seldom gets younger but it never gets old." Guitarist Warren Haynes, who contributes a handful of downbeat power ballads, smears the record with his signature slide playing while fellow guitarist Jimmy Herring bobs and weaves like Bob Weir to Haynes's Jerry Garcia. It's a nostalgia trip for sure, but it just might do until the real thing reappears. --Hazel Luftglass ... Read more

Features

• Limited Edition

Reviews (23)

Blend of the Allman Brothers/Grateful Dead...
This is really a collaboration between Lesh and Warren Haynes which is the reason why this album sounds like a blend of the Allman Brothers/Grateful Dead.There is some great music here. Plus if you're a Deadhead or you're in the mood for some long jams there is a bonus 4 track disk that includes a 25 minute version of Dark Star.

PHEWWWWHAT A LAME CD
This is lift musik with pretentions. It is as ballsy as a LIBERACE CD. Musicaly as challenging as anything by the OSMONDS. The frightening thing is that it took some of my favourite musicians ( HERRING / HAYNES ) to concoct this mess. As my copy cost about a 1,- $, it was at least priced correctly. Sometimes not having a definable style is a bonus as you can attack any genre you like on your CD, in this case it is not an attack it is a killing. Only the HAYNES songs have any merit what so ever, but he does his thing much better on his own CD. The rest is superb if you are an insomniac. This CD can put you back to sleep about 5 minutes after rising. Lucky for me I know a DEAD head ( he would buy and enjoy anything to do with the DEAD, if GERRY farted for about 30 minutes, I swear he would buy the bootleg.) He now loves this CD, as I knew he would. Please do yourself a favour and give this drivel a wide berth. If you must buy DEAD musik, check out JAZZ IS DEAD and there reworkings of older DEAD material.

Best New Rock Album in Ages!!!
Reading the 20 other reviews preceding mine, I'm surprised at how divided the opinions are. I think the formula is... if you're an older Deadhead looking to repeat the Magic that was, and still is, the Grateful Dead, you'll be disinterested in the (first) CD full of wondrous new material, but "Grateful" for Bonus Disc 2 (and everyone agrees that you should get the special Limited Edition), which trods in faithful Dead territory. If you're an open-minded listener thirsting for music that is brand new, yet somehow strikes a familiar chord, then you will love this new CD, which i.m.h.o. is The Best New Album of Good Ol', Downhome, Straight-Ahead Rock in maybe 20 years. I've been following GD music since 1970, heard some awesome live shows, but as a singer-player-songwriter myself, I've always sought diversity. The fact is, it's getting harder & harder to do anything really ORIGINAL in the "pop" music arena anymore, especially since the name of the game is "Give 'em what they want"; I think Phil & co. have succeeded on both counts in a big way. Phil is admittedly proud of this record, as he says in the cyber-interview you can see if you buy the Ltd.Ed.,"...if I had to pick one or two songs from this album, I couldn't, because I think every song stands on its own, makes an impression..." It's really wonderful; 62 years old, after a life-saving transplant surgery, and here's Phil, still rocking with terrific, vital, fresh material, and...ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!! You've just gotta hand it to him; Phil Lesh is a real Rock & Roll Legend, just like Jerry Garcia. And the songs are great---Robert Hunter is in fine form, fabulous guitar playing from Haynes & Herring, grooves you won't lose... To the reviewer who called this "elevator music", I say: TURN IT UP, and you WILL be ELEVATED!!! Personal faves: "Night of 1000 Stars"-a HIT, it COOKS! "Again & Again"-special mood, great chorus; "No More Do I"-great groove, unforgettable vocal hook; "Patchwork Quilt"-lovely tribute to Jerry G., did you ever hear a Waltz or a 6/8 ROCK like that? Warren Haynes is so soulful, excellent vocals throughout the album. "Midnight Train"-haunting changes, a slick funky groove reminiscent of Steely Dan at their peak; "Rock-n-Roll Blues"-ragtimey shuffle a-la "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo". "Liberty", while perhaps topping the Dead's version on "So Many Roads" as far as tightness of the arrangement goes, for my taste, the vocal treatment is a bit too "pretty" for this song and lacks the raw guttiness of Garcia's vocal, but it's a minor point. This CD SHINES with more than the holographic spectral colors of its surface. Repeated listening will reward the attentive, even the spaced-out, listener. This music downloads itself right into your soul. And... you can BOOGIE to it! One interesting note: The title "There & Back Again" carries with it a few meanings, from the way a jamband like the Dead takes you "out there" and brings you "back again", to how Phil is living a "second life" after his close call. But something else comes to mind. In the fabulous documentary video "Anthem to Beauty" (a must-see), we witness the conflict that was between Phil Lesh and Warner Bros. exec Joe Smith, who wanted the Dead to "cut the weirdness" and craft accessible pop songs to reach the radio audience. By the time "American Beauty" was recorded, the Dead were moving more in that direction, led off by Lesh & Hunter's beautiful folk-rock classic "Box of Rain". Now, 30 years later, Phil has come full circle to the point where he's released an unabashedly "pop" album loaded with great songs, but also continues as The Elder Statesman of all those who love to JAM, and these songs will also work their way into "the flow", right alongside "Dark Star" and "Eyes of the World". There and back again, indeed... Somewhere, Jerry Garcia, and even Joe Smith, are smiling. ... Read more

Asin: B000066AVJ
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock    3. Rock & Roll    4. Roots Rock   

Milk Cow Blues
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 September, 2000)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $13.98
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Editorial Review

Ask a country legend like George Jones or Chet Atkins, and they will tell you they learned to play and sing from the neighboring bluesman/sharecropper. Likewise B.B. King is apt to mention that he tuned in the Grand Ole Opry growing up. Thus it feels natural for country's grand old hippie Willie Nelson to record a CD of blues standards--especially since he wrote some of them (see: "Night Life"). Producer and featured guitarist Derek O'Brien lays down a funky but relaxed bed for the King of Laid-Back and some serious musical synergy with veteran guests like Dr. John and the aforementioned King. Kenny Wayne Shepherd's incendiary guitar on "Texas Flood" notwithstanding, the contributions of the younger contingent (Susan Tedeschi, Jonny Lang, Keb' Mo'), while heartfelt, seem more like perfunctory marketing ploys. Those who buy Milk Cow Blues for those names will be disappointed. Those who buy it for Willie will be delighted as he proceeds to show the youngsters (and all of us) what soul, and phrasing, and the blues are all about. --Michael Ross ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Blues for yous courtesy of Willie and his pals
My favorite Willie album. At his peak w/ his friends!

This is the peak of blues fo