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The Judy Garland Show Collection Average Customer Review:  DVD (02 November, 1999) list price: $119.98 -- our price: $107.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Destined to remain the single most comprehensive record of JudyGarland's latter-day career, The Judy Garland Show Collection is an astonishing treasure of great lasting value. Preserving 14 complete episodes from Garland's rarely seen CBS-TV variety show from 1963-64, the set also offers a wealth of excerpts, outtakes, performances, and supplements packed onto all 8 sides of four DVDs. Of course Garland's established fans must have this set, which is handsomely boxed in a miniature show-biz trunk (to honor Judy's signature stage prop), and includes a paperback edition of Coyne Steven Sanders's definitive book about the show's one-season glory. Better still is the value this boxed set has for those who are unaware of Judy Garland's amazing talent beyond The Wizard of Oz. For anyone with only a cursory awareness of Garland's skill as an interpreter of great songs, this box will be a dynamic revelation. Here, after all, is a mature performer at the peak of her song-styling craft, and The Judy Garland Show Collection gathers many of her finest performances. Side One of Disc One is "Just Judy"--28 songs that demonstrate Judy's amazing range and her penchant for melancholy, introspective tunes of loneliness and sorrow, brilliantly combined with such trademark showstoppers as "When You're Smiling" and "Keep Your Sunny Side Up." Elsewhere in the set, Judy shares the stage with such luminaries as Mel Tormé, Tony Bennett, Count Basie, Lena Horne, Mickey Rooney, and many others, including her 17-year-old daughter Liza Minnelli, who was then on the cusp of her own stardom. This was not the most stable time in Judy Garland's life, and she makes mistakes here and there--a show-biz great who'd falter occasionally, only to recover in grand style. But what's most evident is the sheer power of Judy Garland's talent, showcased by the finest musical and backstage talent that TV had to offer (including director Norman Jewison prior to his move to feature films). Watching this 15-hour compilation is a joyous reminder that a TV variety show, in the right hands, was the premier source of mainstream American entertainment. The Judy Garland Show had to struggle for ratings (it competed in the same time slot as NBC's popular series Bonanza), but this boxed set restores its timeless value. Pioneer has done a superlative job in presenting what is certainly one of the most impressive DVD packages ever produced. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more Features Reviews (48)
Asin: B00000K4YX |
$107.98 |
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Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia (1933-1944) Average Customer Review:  Audio CD (02 October, 2001) list price: $169.98 -- our price: $169.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review This box set earns the "deluxe" designation not only because of its handsome packaging, insightful essays by Holiday scholars, and testimonials from the likes of Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, and Etta James, but also because of the vastly improved remastered sound that makes Lady Day the definitive issue of Billie Holiday's pivotal 1930s and '40s Columbia/Vocalion/Brunswick/OKeh oeuvre. The sides here include epochal collaborations with Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, and others. Six-plus discs chronologically present 151 masters, with the rest of the 10 CDs' space given to alternate takes and radio air checks. It was during the early years of this period, of course, that Holiday quickly developed into one of the 20th century's vocal monuments. Her incisive way with lyric and melody, often deploying playfulness, wit, and pain in a single song, became a model for both many a female singer, as well as Frank Sinatra and Marvin Gaye. These are records to be endlessly replayed for many kinds of appreciation. Played end to end, they introduce ideals of groove and emotional expression that remain fresh and even startling many years on. Lady Day is not only a perfect example of how to reissue key material, but is an album that will stand as a beacon for veteran Holiday fans and for the new ones it will no doubt attract. --Rickey Wright ... Read more Features Reviews (17)
Asin: B00005Q47M |
$169.98 |
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The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books Average Customer Review: Audio CD (02 November, 1993) list price: $271.98 -- our price: $271.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review This 16-CD set collects all of Ella Fitzgerald's Songbooks, a monumental tribute to the American popular song and its greatest composers, recorded for Verve between 1956 and 1964. There is likely no other singer possessed of the mix of talents that Fitzgerald brought to the project, a combination of sheer vocal technique, creativity in phrasing and rhythm, and fidelity to lyrics and intent. The sheer scale of the project contributes to its value, for Fitzgerald went far beyond the standard repertoire, rediscovering little-known gems by many of her subjects: Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Rodgers and Hart, Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, and Duke Ellington. The discs of Ellington material still stand out, illuminated by the presence of Duke and his band. They put Ellington, a master melodist as well as a great composer, in his rightful place in the pantheon of American songwriters. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more Features Reviews (15)
Asin: B0000046RN |
$271.98 |
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Little Miss Dynamite [Bear Family] Average Customer Review: Audio CD (12 December, 1995) list price: $129.98 -- our price: $129.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Features Reviews (6)
While some of her ballad years had her singing so-so songs, and some with so-so arrangements, her voice would always cut through and reach you directly. While it was easier to do that back in the day (now a good singer can barely be heard behind today's production noise), it's still a testament to the power of her voice. It's hard to believe she was mostly a star among teenagers at the time, because I find her voice and many of the songs so timeless. This is something that hardly any other teen singer will ever be able to claim. I highly suggest this set, and I dare you to not think the first CD is among the finest rockabilly singing that you have ever heard. And then I dare you to listen to the rest and not think that "Break It To Me Gently", "Fool #1", and "Emotions" are not among the finest ballad crooning you've ever heard. Brenda Lee could rock, she could swing, and she could croon. And she excelled at all of them. While she couldn't crank out a tune in the same way as a Judy Garland or an Ella Fitzgerald, that is really the point and the enormous charm of her voice. She had a rock voice that could conquer anything. But first and foremost, it was a rock voice, based on the core ingredients of rock (blues, country, and gospel). But it was an elegant rock voice. I shouldn't speak in the past tense because she's still working to this day, but I'm speaking of this set for it's all I really know by her. This set is worth every penny!
Asin: B000001B2B |
$129.98 |
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Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings Average Customer Review: Audio CD (29 September, 1992) list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Queen of Soul trumps all other collections of Aretha's recordings for Atlantic by adding dozens of album tracks to a selection of epochal singles ranging from "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" and "Respect" to "Spanish Harlem" and "Rock Steady." Over three CDs and change--the fourth runs out of steam, as did her creative energy during the mid-to-late-'70s period it chronicles--we hear many emotional shifts: impassioned, triumphant, wistful, and always truthful about her condition and our own. --Rickey Wright ... Read more Features Reviews (19)
This is simply one of the most magnificent boxed-sets ever made, and in the early 90s heralded a heaven-sent alliance between Atlantic records and Rhino which would bring new life to the formers' lost treasures from the 1950s forward. The restoration of works by The Drifters and The Spinners, for instance, are equally exemplary. If you're even considering this one, it's because you know these songs well too, and don't need me to sing their individual praises, right? But I will tell you, the spottier your existing collection of Aretha's work from her Atlantic days is, the more indispensable this set becomes. The transfers and remastering are perfect, and for about 20 of the earliest tracks, mono mixes were wisely used. The 80-page included booklet is prize-worthy alone. Insightful essays by Jerry Wexler with David Ritz, Dave Marsh, Thulani Davis, and Ahmet Ertegun are feasts for your reading eyes while the music itself takes you back to those oh-so-exciting days. Abundant photos you'll likely be seeing for the first time. The session personnel for every song and the 'when & where' are also listed. Exact release dates for all of Aretha's Atlantic singles and albums, you'll find here too, and wonderful reproductions of her original album covers. Any company planning to release a boxed-set of any beloved American musical artist should contemplatively study "Queen of Soul" before setting to work. They don't get any better than this, folks. ... Read more Asin: B0000032VS |
$53.99 |
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New York Tendaberry (Exp) Average Customer Review: Audio CD (25 June, 2002) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Though Laura Nyro was one of the most successful American songwriters of the late '60s, penning hits like Streisand's "Stoney End," Blood, Sweat & Tears' "And When I Die," Three Dog Night's "Eli's Coming," and the Fifth Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues," her buoyant, genre-blending major-label debut clicked with only a small, if influential, cult audience. But even Nyro's faithful must have been taken by surprise by its 1969 follow-up. A mature, deeply impressionistic ode to her hometown, New York City, Nyro's creation captures the city's multicultural soul and emotionally jagged edges so well it's hard to believe this 22-year-old daughter of a jazz musician who couldn't read a note of music concocted it. Stripping her music down to the bare essentials of her expressive, occasionally explosive soprano and fervent piano work somehow expanded its dramatic potential exponentially. Indeed, there are few pop albums whose protominimalist use of studio flourishes and production sheen have been as brief or effective; Nyro called them "colors," and that's exactly the function they serve here, adding crucial glimmer to the stark, jazzy drama of the singer's evocative songs. The bonus, "Save the Country," cut as a full studio production prior to Nyro rethinking the approach, fairly blares by comparison. Rooted in the singer's beloved '50s R&B and pop, yet infused with her brave, singular vision and the chutzpah to stick to it, this album remains Nyro's masterpiece. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more Features Reviews (14)
...Sidewalk and pigeon you look like a city but you feel like religion to me......
The subject matter of the record is very much in tune with the social and political climate of when is was released in today's world. The need to Save the Country is great. The album revolves around Nyro's piano. Hammering out bluesy, repetitious block chords she summons the spirit of the city in each and every movement. In songs such as Tom Cat Goodby and Sweet Lovin' Baby there are whispers of strings which appear and dissapear in almost the same instance. In other songs, Captain for Dark Mornings, Save the Country, and Gibson Street, horns punch out the darkness and drive the track along a dark, dramatic course.
I own all her CD (and the LPs before that, too) but these new remastered CDs add a dimension to the sound- particularly on the quietr, more intimate pieces like "You Don't Love Me When I Cry". This album is much more introspective and personal than her earlier "Eli and the Thirteenth Confession", and for some listeners, harder to approach. But it has what I think are her two finest songs: "Time and Love" and "Save the Country". The first is an emotional, heartfelt and joyous celebration of the healing power of time and love, and the other, a celebration of life and a plea for peace and love. ... Read more Asin: B000068QZP |
$10.99 |
City To Country
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The Patsy Cline Collection Average Customer Review: Audio CD (22 October, 1991) list price: $59.98 -- our price: $53.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review The Country Music Foundation offers 104 songs--more than four hours of music--even though Patsy Cline died at 30 after less than a decade of recording. Given the wavering quality of her later string-laden work, four CDs might be excessive, but this set comprehensively follows Cline from upstart country boomer to pop diva. She could take charge of a song from day one, as the two 1954 radio transcriptions prove. On her vibrant late-1950s work, she moves from honky-tonk and rockabilly to soft ballads in commanding fashion. "Walkin After Midnight," her first hit, features Don Helms's gentle steel guitar while her vocals blend raw power with emotional vulnerability. By 1957, vocal groups had entered into the mix, and in 1961, hits such as "I Fall to Pieces," "She's Got You," and Willie Nelson's "Crazy" brought her pop stardom.--Marc Greilsamer ... Read more Features Reviews (19)
Another reviewer mentioned that there was some "filler" on this box set. That depends on your point of view. The songs themselves are not filler material; for the most part they are first-rate. However, from the label's perspective, there may have been slightly different versions of previous songs that were added simply to pad the total amount of songs in the box set. But, I don't believe this is necessarily a bad thing, because, if it's a great song it's interesting to hear a different version of it. Again, Patsy's voice makes it all worthwhile. I would give this collection 10 stars if it was possible! Five stars does not give it justice. Patsy Cline's voice was a gift that is appreciated even more today, as style, looks and dance beats are stressed more than talent and ability. Patsy was taken from us WAY too soon, as this collection will attest to. If you are not already a Patsy Cline fan, buy this box set and soon you will be!
This set is perfect in every way, including all the important recording she made and a number of enjoyable sidelights -- radio transcripts, live recordings -- from the very beginning to the tragic end. The book gives an in-depth look at her life and times. Why begin with a ten-song CD when you WILL want more? ... Read more Asin: B000002OIE |
$53.99 |
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Wrecking Ball Average Customer Review: Audio CD (26 September, 1995) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $7.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Emmylou Harris's formula has been to match a crack crew of left-of-center country players with an assortment of tasteful tunes and head into the studio with a nonintrusive producer. Now and then (most notably the 1980 bluegrass collection Roses in the Snow), she tampers with her basic blueprint and comes up with something exceptional. Wrecking Ball is one of those. Daniel Lanois's radiant production no longer seems as fresh as it did on albums by U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan, but here its hum enfolds Harris like an electric blanket. Lanois's usual recruits, including U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr., and New Orleans regulars Malcolm Burn, Brian Blade, and Daryl Johnson, lay down a solid base for Harris's weary vocals and Lanois's buzzing guitar. At its core, Wrecking Ball seems almost too finely calculated. Hot producer plus sought-after songwriters plus venerated performer frequently totals to deadly bore. Here, however, all that calculation adds up to something. --Steven Stolder ... Read more Reviews (94)
Lanois' reverb-soaked recording technique and odd instrumentation decisions give WRECKING BALL its aura, wrapping the album in a mystical veil. They also free Harris to dive deeper into the lyrical ideas of the songs, and emerge with clear spiritual conveyances. Steve Earle's "Goodbye" is a rhythmically sprawling reopening of an old wound, as Earle himself sits in on the proceedings, gently fingerpicking the melody in front of Lanois' electric-guitar washes. "Deeper Well" is Harris and Lanois' idiosyncratic take on gospel bluegrass--U2's Larry Mullen, Jr. pounds a rolling north African beat over a gray din, while acoustic guitars, piano progressions and irreverent vocal snippets echo around Harris' search for "a holier grail." WRECKING BALL's move away from traditional foundations is most apparent in a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love." Instead of taking a storyteller's approach, Harris and Lanois treat the song as a declaration--a duet between their voices and multiple guitar tracks, with Mullen adding a faint rhythm. The singers give themselves over to the upliftment and blind trust the lyrics describe, as the prickly distortions and loops that accompany them supply the reality check of their drab modern surroundings.
I thought of Harris as primarily a country/folk singer, but here she breaks free from the conventions of cheatin', hurtin', pickup trucks and what not; her song-selection addresses real issues here. I highly recommend picking up Wrecking Ball, a work of exceptional grace, depth, and beauty. Noteworthy number: "Deeper Well". ... Read more Asin: B000002HKI |
$7.99 |
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Gospels Spirituals & Hymns Average Customer Review: Audio CD (18 August, 1998) list price: $19.98 -- our price: $14.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review If the bazillion packagings and repackagings of Mahalia Jackson's music confound you and you don't know where to start, this expertly compiled, carefully annotated double-disc box set is for you. Jackson wasn't just gospel music's first international superstar--she was among its earliest adherents and inventors. Working with the great composer and former blues singer Thomas A. Dorsey in the late 1930s, Jackson gave a distinctly blues-trained, jazzy sass and grace to Dorsey's material and the other hymns and spirituals she sang. More than any other performer, she helped to define gospel music itself as a transcendent, rootsy, melismatic, and heady spiritual sound. Culled from her sides for Columbia in the 1950s and 1960s, some of the arrangements in the set are not ideal and may sound quite a bit dated, but that voice shines and soars and dives straight to the center of your heart. Whether backed by a simple organ or piano or with full studio accompaniment, Jackson's booming, instantly recognizable contralto is indescribable, exciting, and forever a wonder to behold. And if you think that's an exaggeration, you don't own this record. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more Reviews (11)
Asin: B000009RB9 |
$14.99 |
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The Essential Connie Smith Average Customer Review: Audio CD (16 April, 1996) list price: $15.98 -- our price: $14.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Reviews (9)
Apart from that omission, all Connie's big hits are here, including Once a day (her first and biggest hit), Ain't had no lovin', Cincinatti Ohio, Just one time, I never once stopped loving you and so many others. This is classic sixties country at it's best, with prominent steel guitar, but ultimately it is Connie's voice that stands out. I enjoy her music so much that I bought the Bear Family boxed set, but it only covers the first half of her career at RCA, so even it doesn't contain all the hits to be found here. For anybody who is interested in sixties country, this is essential. Connie was not as big a star as Tammy or Loretta, but she could have been a bigger star than both of them, as her voice has much more pop appeal than theirs. She was not interested in crossover success and has no regrets, even now. She was, and is, just a simple country lady with a very special voice, letting the quality of her music stand on it's own merit.
Asin: B000002WW8 |
$14.99 |
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At Mister Kelly's Average Customer Review: Audio CD (03 December, 1991) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review After a rather shaky start (she can't find her key on "September in the Rain," knocks over a microphone stand, and stumbles on some lyrics during "Willow Weep for Me"), it doesn't take Sarah Vaughan long to overcome these glitches and deliver a nuanced, intimate performance on this live gig. Recorded in August 1957, this date features pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Roy Haynes. As should be expected, their solid performance is strictly accompaniment and, for the most part, unspectacular. The show, of course, belongs to Sassy. She swoops, soars, whispers, and belts it out. Her range is jaw dropping; her control and vibrato are simply beyond compare. And although Vaughan asks for her mic to be turned up throughout the performance, she is mixed up front and quite high in the recording--right where she deserves to be. --S. Duda ... Read more Features Reviews (12)
The biggest difference is that "At Mister Kelly's" features Sarah Vaughan with her trio of stellar musicians - no Quincy Jones. Her usual thang, just her and her fellas - and the synergy is fantastic and warm. The whole CD is great (half of the songs weren't even on the original album) and my favorites are "Stairway To The Stars", "Be Anything But Darling Be Mine", "Dancing In The Dark" and "Poor Butterfly" (it is wonderful when she replaces some of the lyrics with 'Thank You!'). In the liner notes, Lee Jeske says "that's the way she most liked to work, and that's the context in which she consistently did her finest singing." This CD makes that quite apparent. ... Read more Asin: B00000474O |
$11.98 |
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Her Best : The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection Average Customer Review: Audio CD (25 March, 1997) list price: $18.98 -- our price: $14.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Whether she sings string-laden pop ballads, lively soul, or gritty electric blues, James's high-powered, enormously expressive voice displays a knack for passionate blues inflections. Emotionally charged ballads including "At Last" and "All I Could Do is Cry" find James blasting through the orchestra with unearthly wails and moans. "If I Can't Have You," a duet with Harvey Fuqua, drops the orchestra in favor of horn-driven R&B and "Something's Got a Hold On Me" is a gospel-flavored romp reminiscent of Ray Charles. A live version of Jimmy Reed's "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" shows her raunchiest Chicago-blues style, and "In the Basement," with Sugar Pie DeSanto, is a funky workout. Also here are three classics from her soul-drenched 1967 Muscle Shoals sessions.--Marc Greilsamer ... Read more Features Reviews (35)
You know there are some CDs that grow on you and there are some you love from the get go. This Greatest Hits package duly falls in the latter category. What a wonderful collection of soulful, somber, pop-rock, r&b, jazzy and uptempo songs! It would be difficult for me to rank them as I love almost each and everyone of the tracks. I bought this album last summer and it still sounds so invigorating and fulfilling even after playing it for God knows how many times! For someone who was not born until the mid seventies and who did not become very familiar with western music until the early nineties (except eighties music that I grew up listening to in guess where?... Bangladesh!), this CD made me take a renewed interest in music that was created back in the 60's whether it be the Beatles or Marvin Gaye. Too bad that artists like Ms. James never got ALL the accolades or commercial success they actually deserve. Almost every time I listen to her music and THAT voice I can't help but cry. I have never been moved so much my someone's singing that comes from so deep within one's soul.
But the best was yet to come, and when a 23-year-old from Los Angeles by the name of Jamesetta Hawkins decided to record it in 1961 under her stage name Etta James, from that point on it became HER song. It may not have done as well on the pop charts as the earlier versions [# 47] but it did become a # 2 R&B and is, by any standard, the best version of that enduring love song. Her career had actually commenced in 1955 when, at age 17, she recorded an "answer" song to the 1954 # 1 R&B hit Work With Me Annie by The Midnighters [Hank Ballard and crew]. Also known as Roll With Me Henry, and with Richard Berry providing the bass male vocal, it too reached # 1 R&B early in 1955 as The Wallflower as by Etta James and "The Peaches" [hence the later nickname]. That same year Georgia Gibbs would have a # 1 pop with it as Dance With Me Henry. Later that year she would have her second hit single when Good Rockin' Daddy climbed to # 8 R&B with the backing of The Dreamers, a group that included the great Jesse Belvin, and Maxwell Davis & His Orchestra. Personal problems then set in, and Etta would be off the charts until early 1960 when she returned with the stirring ballad All I Could Do Was Cry, which scored on both the R&B [# 2] and pop [# 33] charts. And from there right through to 1976 she would be seldom off the charts, racking up another 27 R&B hits and putting 26 more on the pop charts. This CD gives you the best of those along with nine pages of liner notes by Peter Grendysa of Words On Music Ltd., a partial discography of the contents [no chart information], and two more nice photographs of Etta, who was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1993. Just 65 years old, Etta is still wowing them in personal appearances. This is a must-have compilation for any true R&B fan. ... Read more Asin: B000005KQE |
$14.99 |
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Anthology: The Colpix Years Average Customer Review: Audio CD (19 November, 1996) list price: $31.98 -- our price: $28.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review This two-CD set collects tracks issued between 1959 and 1966. Although Nina Simone was to achieve greater public recognition after leaving Colpix Records, her recordings for the small label set the tone for her later work. Anthology finds the singer-pianist tackling everything from ancient folk tunes ("Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" and even a slow-drag version of "Cotton Eyed Joe") to jazz and pop standards ("Fine and Mellow," "The Twelfth of Never"), and the occasional original. Similarly, the backing ranges from full orchestral arrangements to trio and quartet work. While the best known of Simone's music was to come after her tenure at Colpix, these discs well reflect her broad-minded, sensitive aesthetic. --Rickey Wright ... Read more Reviews (2)
Boy, talk about getting MORE than you bargained for! It isn't just Nina's sultry, smokey voice, it isn't just the often unbelievable phrasing and perfomances that really get at the essence of the material. No, it's all that plus the fact that within the span of these two discs Nina tackles everything from broadway to folk to jazz and manages to excel at all of it. When you listen to this you shake your head and wonder why Nina has more-or-less faded from public view. Without a doubt, solely on the basis of this material (and there is other material, from the later '60's on other labels to back this up), Nina is one of THE female vocalists of the recorded era. Her general invisibility today is criminal. Buy this and make your year. dap
Asin: B0000033WH |
$28.99 |
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Live by Request Average Customer Review: Audio CD (14 August, 2001) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review k.d. lang has spent her eccentric career pitching between twin poles of desire--torch (jazz/blues) and twang (retro country), and artistry and flamboyance. On Live by Request, she revisits the best of her shimmering repertoire, from her rough-edged cowpunk days to her current gossamer soundscape. But at the start of the set, recorded December 2000 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, she threatens to diminish her own impact with a lumpy, rushed rendition of "Summerfling" and a cartoonish version of "Big Boned Gal." Soon, however, she settles down to do what she does best, which is seduction. While a way-too-melodramatic arrangement spoils "Don't Smoke in Bed," she goes on to bring goose-bump intimacy to "The Consequences of Falling" and "Constant Craving," one of popular music's most aching songs of longing laid bare. By the time she turns her exquisite soprano to the howling chorus of "Barefoot," the earth doesn't just move, Ernest, it trembles--a prelude to the staggeringly emotional affect of "Pullin' Back the Reins." When she gets to that one, don't be surprised if your stereo starts to smoke. --Alanna Nash ... Read more Features Reviews (26)
If you don't own any KD music, or have only heard one or two songs, you should know that she is one of those people who likes to discover new styles of music and try new things. So if you don't like one song or even one album, try a different one! She is so immensely talented and has a voice that can sing anything. Her early stuff was very country or rock-a-billy. Then Shadownlands is some of her best vocal work ever. Ingenue was probably her biggest commercial success because it has a number of songs with good 'hooks'. And her newer stuff is has a 'pop' edge to it that is really fun. This CD is a good introduction because it has something from all of those 'eras' of K.D.) And obviously if you love k.d. then you should definitely own this CD!
Remember my album that I played over and over again ~ "Absolute Torch and Twang", just about wore that one out...if you're a fan this latest release from Lang is a must have Total Time: 53:26 on 14 Tracks ~ Warner Bros. Records 9-48108-2 ~ (2001)
Which is... simply brilliant. I like the selection of the songs and the way they have been rearranged, that they have been renovated but not changing their identity or their original sound. Summerfling Big Boned Gal Black Coffee Trail Of Broken Hearts Crying Don't Smoke In Bed The Consequences Of Falling Miss Chatelaine Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray Barefoot Constant Craving Wash Me Clean Pullin' Back The Reins Simple I love this cd, if you're reading here maybe you'll have vaguely understood it.. But I ensure you it's one of the most beautiful live experience I've ever listened to. Your money won't be wasted at all. Marco ... Read more Asin: B00005N82R |
$10.99 |
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Live at Blues Alley Average Customer Review: Audio CD (28 July, 1998) list price: $16.98 -- our price: $13.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review When Eva Cassidy is swinging her way through "Cheek to Cheek" and getting down and bluesy on "Stormy Monday" on this live set from 1996, it's nigh impossible not to get swept up in her voice's vast, barreling force. Her full range, though, becomes most obvious--and soul-shaking--on the slower side, as with Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water," Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Tall Trees in Georgia," and "What a Wonderful World." On these latter tunes, Cassidy's mix of aching clarity and rich warmth has a melting quality, speaking through the body to some evanescent presence that she seems to know all too well. She improbably makes Sting's "Fields of Gold" an emotional powerhouse just as easily as she makes Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow" an offhand declaration of feeling equal to nearly anything in the jazz vocal canon. In doing so she earns her place among the great singers--artists who could take any song and stamp it indelibly as their own. What Eva Cassidy had in her short life was an unbelievably perfect voice and a musical soul that grasped gospel, folk, blues, jazz, and all points in between as if they were mere stops on a single train ride. Alas, her ride ended in 1996, tragically early. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more Features Reviews (109)
This cd consists of a variety of songs which Eva performed at Blues Alley a Washington DC club in which she frequently performed. The range of songs include the jazzy Cheek to Cheek, blues of Stormy Monday, folk Tall Trees of Georgia, modern pop of Fields of Gold. Each of these Eva performed with precision and emotion. Eva was capable of powerful and emotional vocals as can be heard in Stormy Monday and A Bridge Over Troubled Waters as well as sad and soulful in her version of Fields of Gold. Tall Trees of Georgia written by Buffie St. Marie was a favorite of Eva's and she sang it with a delicate, sweet voice which had a surprising strength. If you have not discovered Eva Cassidy yet, take the time to listen to her and understand the great talent she possessed.
I took it upon myself to search the internet for the name of the artist, and discovered Eva Cassidy. I was thrilled to have found her - and equally saddened to find that she'd died in 1996 (at age 33) of cancer. My husband surprised me with a gift of "Live at Blues Alley" yesterday - and I have listened to it over and over and over. Eva displays amazing agility, power, soul, depth and emotion in her songs. She masters styles from jazz to blues, gospel to pop (her ballads being the most memorable for me)... and I often find myself simply stopping whatever I'm doing to listen, totally captivated by her angelic voice. Do yourself a favor, and buy this CD.
The Artist/s. Eva Cassidy is so impressive and versatile on this disc. Words are not enough to describe her. She massages and caresses each and every note that would make your hairs literally stand from your skin (I call this a hairstanding ovation). But wait, unlike other Eva discs, this Blues Alley recording puts the other musicians (Chris, Lenny, Keith and Raice) right smack there in the center. A total BAND effort. And that makes it more exhilirating for me. The drums, the guitar licks, the bass, the piano . . . all were perfect. The record. Another thing that makes this record such enjoyable is that it is recorded live in a very HOME-y set-up. You go to your house, put the disc in, you sit in and close your eyes and youll be mesmerized as the music comes alive, complete with a FEW claps from the relatively small Blues Alley (unlike in massive concerts). So, you'll get the feeling that they are REALLY performing at your house/room when you close your eyes. The recording is so great that the disc is now being used as a tester for branded speaker companies. The songs. The songs herein would fit for almost any person. I love rock, and there's song #11. But I also love blues, so there's song #2. And man, song #3 or Bridge Over Troubled Water, now that's what I call sensuality in spirituality! You got to hear it. Then there's the songs Cheek to Cheek, Fields of Gold, What A Wonderful World and a lot lot more. Each song, perfect. Overall, this disc WILL MOVE you in a way you've never felt before. To quote from someone, it's the "best glimpse of heaven yet." And it sells as how much? $30 was it? Nahh, this is priceless. Buy this, thank me later. If you haven't bought any Eva disc yet, start with this, then American Tune. ... Read more Asin: B000009PO2 |
$13.99 |
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Stand By Your Man Average Customer Review: Audio CD (19 October, 1999) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Tammy Wynette's third album (released in early 1969) certainly doesn't mess with the image Wynette was solidifying with the title song, her fourth solo No. 1 country single. Virtually every tune is about a broken family, the biggest tearjerker in a whole set of 'em being "Don't Make Me Go to School," which tells the story from a fourth-grade child's point of view. On "There's Quite a Woman," one of two bonus tracks, Wynette worries about whether her daughter will be able to cut it as a mom and wife. For all its limited scope (and interest), the CD does recall how much of her early work managed a '40s and '50s pop feel, despite stone country songs and instrumentation. And Wynette's voice already has that irresistible throb, though it's not as expansive as it would become, and producer Billy Sherrill has to hide her shortcomings under bombastic production. --John Morthland ... Read more Features Reviews (4)
This was actually Tammy's fourth album. The first three contained plenty of covers of famous songs, but you won't find any of those here. There are some songs about children - Joey, Cry cry again and Don't make me go to school - and several songs in which Tammy stands by her man, continuing the theme of the title track. One of these, Forever yours, was eventually covered (two or three years later) by the great but under-rated Dottie West and became a country hit for her. Tammy's version was not released as a single. Another song here, I'm only a woman, was also a hit when later covered by Dottie - it was not even included on the original album but was recorded at the same sessions. So there were two songs here that could have been hits for Tammy but weren't. Of Tammy's original albums, this was certainly one of the best, although if you haven't got any of her music, you ought to consider one of the many compilations available.
The title track from Wynette's third album proved to be her indelible signature, sketched previously in hits like "You're Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E." On the brink of her third marriage (a rocky affair with George Jones), Wynette sang her woeful tales with authority. From jilted wives to lonely, desperate children, her performances were drenched in emotion. Buy it for the single and be surprised by the quality of the entire LP.
Asin: B0000296J5 |
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What's Your Mama's Name/Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) Average Customer Review: Audio CD (25 January, 2000) list price: $14.97 -- our price: $14.97 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Reviews (3)
Against that, there are many excellent album tracks, including Tanya's covers of Teddy Bear song, Pass me by, Let me be there, Bed of roses and Why me lord - but this collection is particularly interesting for all the original songs included, many of them thought-provoking, none more so than the opening What's your mama's name?, which asks a child about an unknown father. Although it's many years since I heard the original albums (I used to have all her Columbia vinyl LP's), Collectables chose wisely in compiling this CD. Tanya's debut was wonderful, but the two LP's that followed it were even better. This is classic traditional country music. Tanya's voice (a sort of country Tina Turner, if you see what I mean) may not appeal to everybody, but if you like the voice and you like traditional country, this will you suit you ideally.
Asin: B00002CEZP |
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The Grass Is Blue Average Customer Review: Audio CD (26 October, 1999) list price: $16.98 -- our price: $13.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review Hungry Again, 1998's return to form, was the sound of a country legend with nothing to lose and playing for keeps. Still, that startling album barely presaged the seamless grace of Dolly Parton's subsequent celebration of her mountain roots. This may be a full-out bluegrass venture, but tradition only tells half the story. The daring set includes barnstorming remakes of songs by Billy Joel and Blackfoot, two new Parton originals, and the old-as-time folk narrative "Silver Dagger," transformed--via Sam Bush's vertiginous mandolin picking and Jerry Douglas's frenzied Dobro work--into a mysterious, ambient epic. It's a testament to the force of Parton's voice and personality that while surrounded by top-tier players like Stuart Duncan (fiddle) and Bryan Sutton (guitar) she's still the undeniable leader. Her singing is masterful, absolutely vibrating with energy and soulfulness. Along with Steve Earle's The Mountain, this is the finest bluegrass release of 1999, and one of the most fully realized albums of Dolly Parton's career. --Roy Kasten ... Read more Reviews (112)
With backing vocals by the three finest bluegrass ladies (Claire Lynch, Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent) and a stellar cast of bluegrass musicians (Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, Bryan Sutton on guitar, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Barry Bales on bass and Jum Mills on banjo), the album is one of the best Dolly has ever recorded. The songs include covers from a variety of sources, including Billy Joel (Travelin' prayer), Louvin brothers (Cash on the barrelhead), Hazel Dickens - another fine bluegrass singer (A few old memories), Lester Flatt (I'm gonna sleep with one eye open), Johnny Cash (I still miss someone) and traditional folk (Silver dagger). Dolly's own songs are included - some old (Steady as the rain, first recorded by her sister Stella) and Will he be waiting for me (originally recorded by Dolly on her Touch your woman album) - and some new, including the title track. The tempo of the album is generally upbeat. Much credit is given to the O brother soundtrack for the current popularity of bluegrass, but it's popularity had already risen significantly as a result of this excellent album.
Asin: B00002067T |
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Prisoner in Disguise Average Customer Review: Audio CD (25 October, 1990) list price: $11.98 -- our price: $10.99 (price subject to change: see help) US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France Editorial Review "Hey mister, that's me up on the jukebox," Linda Ronstadt sings on her 1975 album Prisoner in Disguise, and it was no idle boast. The album yielded two of her finest singles, thanks to the retooled Motown classics "Heat Wave" and "Tracks of My Tears." The album's support material is just as strong, ranging from a banjo-strumming version of Neil Young's "Love Is a Rose" to a plaintive pop reading of Jimmy Cliff's reggae classic "Many Rivers to Cross." There's also a simple but lovely cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" that predates Whitney Houston's glass-shattering take on it (for the movie The Bodyguard) by more than a decade and a half. One thing about Ronstadt and producer-manager Peter Asher: they knew good material when they heard it and almost always turned it into something truly special. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more Reviews (19) |