Editorial Review

"Boot Scootin' Boogie" zoomed Brooks & Dunn to the top of the country line-dance craze in 1992, and one could hardly blame them for riding the crest, even if it left them in a rut of shallow, preening dance ditties. They began showing greater depth in the late '90s, with albums like Read more

Reviews (38)

Hillbilly What?
ok, I bought this cd and it gets 2 stars one each for the songs "Believe" and "I'm Building Bridges". The other songs are horrible. Ronnie is the lead vocalist for a VERY good reason! They were very smart to get Vince Gill(the best!)to do background vocals on Bridge's. Save your money or you too will be adding this one to your yard sale!

Worst Effort from a Solid Duo
I thought something must be wrong with my stereo when I first played this cd.Brooks and Dunn have created some great work, but this is far from it.Many of the songs are so dischordant, I wouldswear that the studio engineer had gone tone deaf or something.About two decent songs, the rest are not worth having around.Try some earlier stuff for a better taste of their talent.

Only One Good Song On It
I purchased this item because of the song "Believe."It turns out that it is the only memorable song on the CD, and the only one worth listening to.I should have waited until there was a downloadable MP3 version of it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Neo-Traditionalist Country    4. New Traditionalist    5. Pop    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Shania Twain--recluse, happily married, mother of one--has sold more than 40 million albums with flirty, hook-laden, beat-heavy, country-tinged pop that has all the subtlety of a musical wet T-shirt contest, yet is as irresistible as Swiss chocolate and Pringles. There are a few heartfelt, moon-in-June love ballads on this generous and long-awaited 20-song collection, which includes three new songs along with all the predictable chart-toppers and near-chart-toppers. But it's the mostly nonstop, uptempo booty-shakers--too often with garish overproduction and vapid lyrics--that, for the unconverted, tend to run together after a while. No doubt, this relentlessly upbeat retrospective will keep Twain's millions of fans jumping up and down on their sofas. Read more

Reviews (201)

Only some songs are good
I like Shania Twain's songs. This is the second CD of hers that I bought. Of the 21 songs here, 9 are real hits, which I liked. The others are all just ok. So I figure it was better to get the 9 I liked from itunes.

Shania's Greatest Hits
I've listened to a lot of greatest hits albums, and I must say this is one of my favorite in all of country music. The album includes 20 of Shania's best songs. One song, Party For Two, has two versions, a version with Mark McGrath and a version with Billy Currington. What I like most about this album is that you get so much in one collection. You get just about all the original chart-toppers, a few popular favorites, and three new (for the time of this album) songs.
Some of the Funnest Music Out There!!
Shania Twain's songs and the lyrics 2 them can be very silly at times (My hair went flat-man, I hate that etc. from Honey, I'm Home) yet they r very catchy and fun 2 listen 2.The slower songs on here are also good 2.If u like catchy country/pop music, then you'll love this.If u can't buy the whole album at a store or on iTunes (if u have an iPod), then I recommend u download these songs on iTunes: Up!, Man! I Feel Like A Women!, That Don't Impress Me Much, You're Still the One, Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You), and Love Gets Me Every Time.This is especially a good album 2 listen 2 if you're in a bad mood and want something that will cheer u up! :) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country    4. Country-Pop    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. United States of America    8. Worldbeat   

Editorial Review

Her father called her "The Brain," and while it's always been apparent why, Rosanne Cash will likely astonish listeners with the new level of writing and depth of feeling she brings to Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (68)

4 stars only because I haven't listened to all the songs yet!
I've been waiting for Rosanne Cash to find her voice and break out with another stunning album since "The Wheel." I find great similarities between that album and this one: The thoughtfulness, the incredible soulfulness, and the intertwining of sorrow, passion, longing and questioning. Add to that a fiery edge on several of these tracks (such as you don't really find on the more meditative "The Wheel") and you have a stellar album. I have not listened to the entire album as of yet, but what I have heard has convinced me to make the purchase. This is by far the best music Ms. Cash has released in many years; in fact, in my opinion "Black Cadillac" outshines "The Wheel" and yes, possibly even "Interiors" as a coherent, thought-provoking and emotionally provocative album. As for it's dark content, recent losses in my own life cause Ms. Cash's songs to resonnate in my heart and soul with even more power. I needed this album at this time in my life. As well, it's great to see Ms. Cash at the top of her form once again.

A dark ride
Rosanne Cash's meditation of the loss of life and love (her father, Johnny; her stepmother, June Carter Cash; and her mother, Vivian Cash Distin) is here darkest album since the divorce chronicle of "Interiors." She calls into question both God and herself on such songs as "House on the Lake" and the title track. Like some of Emmylou Harris' best work (like the recent "Red Dirt Girl"), Rosanne has moved to the far fringe of country and given her music an both a dose of intelligence atmospheric edge. You won't find any lighthearted 'redneck girl' stompers here. In fact, "Radio Operator" is probably the closest thing to a generic country song on "Black Cadillac."
Another great one from Rosanne
Since she gets virtually no radio-play in our area I always look forward to her new releases.This one was clearly in the making for some time and provides a reflection of things going on in her life; as well as issues in the world around us. A worthwhile addition to your collection. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

After the roaring success of Read more

Reviews (472)

Where's Frank Sinatra When We Need Him?
Back in the day, we could all count on Ole Blue Eyes to run roughshod over any loud mouth pickin' on the U.S. of A, baby.
Are you ready, ready, ready... ready to...
...Fly?
Dixie Chicks RuleAlicia Jiles Is An Idiot!
Alicia Jiles, this is for you
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Subjects:  1. Contemporary Country    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Country-Pop    5. Neo-Traditionalist Country    6. Pop    7. Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

This two-CD, 25-song set, recorded in Louisville on two nights in the spring of 2002, finds bluegrass's most celebrated crossover band at the top of its game. Krauss's warm, feathery vocals, capable of conveying complex emotions in a single note, appear more full-bodied than in studio recordings, yet lose none of their sensual appeal or dramatic tension. She's perfect, for example, as the melancholy temptress on "Let Me Touch You for Awhile," coming across as both savior and seductress, while Jerry Douglas's Dobro echoes the searing strains of passion and pain. With banjoist-guitarist Ron Block, bassist Barry Bales, and guest drummer Larry Atamanuik anchoring the rhythm, the ensemble deftly blends bluegrass with jazz, rock, and folk, combining lightning speed (though rushing through "Forget About It") with sophisticated chops, tangible emotion, and thrilling vocal blends. The crowd, more spellbound with every note, doesn't even breathe on "Ghost in This House" and nearly tears the place down on Dan Tyminski's voice-of-George Clooney showcase, "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow." But who could blame them? It's only one highlight on an album of uncommon artistry, a moving testament to how good live music can be in the hands of world-class players. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (123)

Jim B. , La Honda California
I'm 53 years old and appreciate all kinds of good music.This is my favorite album, period.And this live verison of Forget About It is my favorite single track of all time.This group proves in a live performance that they are the best.

A must have
For any country-music-lover out there this is a must have album. Full-packed with great songs, and they play them so well live so you barely notice any difference with the studio tracks on other cds. Hard to say any particular best song on this there are many great songs.

I LOVE IT!
I never got into bluegrass, untill I bought this for my wife as a gift. I figured she would be the only one to watch it. WRONG this DVD is awesome we are both hooked and have been buying AKUS stuff every chance we get. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bluegrass    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Pop   

Editorial Review

Was it homesickness that compelled longtime Los Angeles resident k.d. lang to fashion her one-woman campaign for north-of-the-border nationalism, or just plain good sense? All Canadian content has long been a mainstay of the Canadian Broadcasting System, but few have selected their material with such a fine hand and a high aesthetic. The expatriate singer has taken great pains to create a sophisticated homage to her Canadian roots, elegantly reinterpreting 11 songs penned by some of her more illustrious countrymen (and women) such as Jane Siberry, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Leonard Cohen. The idiosyncratic chanteuse turns Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" into an aching monochromatic lament, exploring new tributaries of pain that didn't exist in the original, while recasting Neil Young's "Helpless" into a haunting anthem of memory and comfort, all the while sounding anything but helpless. A gorgeous love letter to her brethren, complete with an intelligent and understated orchestration. Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country    3. Canada    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

In 1994 Cash stunned the music world with this commanding collection of 13 solo acoustic performances that roll from gospel to cowboy to sarcastic folk. Minimalism had long been Cash's meal ticket, but this time around, producer Rick Rubin stripped it Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (88)

Good, but not great
I love Johnny Cash, I love every edition of the American Recordings series, but this is the weakest of the series. Don't get me wrong, this is a good CD, I enjoy every minute of it, but if your're a Cash rookie, get the Essential Johnny Cash, this is for hardcore Cash fans like myself, but the Essential is awesome as well. For Classic Cash fans get the Man Comes Around before you get this. The first American Recordings, this one,good but not great.

Landmark Album Which Marked Johnny Cash's 3rd Career Comeback! But "Personal File" CD is Better!
Yes, JOHNNY CASH: AMERICAN RECORDINGS is a great CD, mostly because it is a key milestone in his career, even though it is not nearly his best album at all, in my opinion.
RosieB
I have long been an admirer of Johnny Cash.I was stationed in Vietnam when he, June and his group were there and I cannot express enough our appreciation of him and his group.I consider him a "troubador" and a great interpreter of all kinds of songs...as evicenced in this CD.I intend to get all of his songs from 68/69-90's which I missed out on for various reasons, e.g. not promoted the way they should have been and being stationed overseas so much.My thanks to Rick Rubin for his excellent treatment of Johnny.I loved hearing just him and his guitar...the best. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Country    3. Country & Western    4. Pop    5. Traditional Country   

Editorial Review

Willie Nelson has never been one to do the safe or expected, and this Booker T. Jones-produced album of pop standards from the '30s and '40s certainly fits the profile. It's also one of the better albums of Nelson's career, allowing Willie to dip his fragile, quivering tenor all around the beat in songs like "All of Me" and "Unchained Melody." Jones's organ, piano, and string arrangements are low-key and swinging (except on the almost wooden "On the Sunny Side of the Street"), and Nelson's vocals on "Georgia on My Mind" and "Moonlight in Vermont" are filled with a dignified and slightly jazzy country soul. The 1999 reissue adds a pair of bonus cuts to the mix, including the lullaby-like "Scarlet Ribbons" and the somewhat out-of-place "I Can See Clearly Now." Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (54)

Who would have guessed?
Willie sings these old standards, making them complete, filling them out with a lilt that matches no other.Rich tones and and his soft voice grabs you until you are sucked into a dreamlike world.You'll love these songs listening to them while sitting with your someone special.

vintage Willie.
Some of the better Willie recordings. He does seem to "fudge" a little bit on pitch, which is not a fatal problem.

Vintage Willie Nelson
I enjoyed this set of songs.I bought it especially for "Stardust."I was not disappointed, but it is not as good as Rod Stewart's version. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Outlaw Country    4. Pop    5. Progressive Country    6. Traditional Country    7. United States of America    8. Vocals   

Editorial Review

The simple truth is that Johnny Cash could read the phone book and make it compelling. At times this set sounds like a deathbed recitation rather than a collection of songs, but the man's aura and mystique carry the day. Atop Rick Rubin's spare arrangements, Cash makes every song he interprets his own. Read more

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (124)

SOLITARY MAN
VERY GOODDISC. ALSO HUNDRED HIGHWAYS & LEGEND OF JOHNNY CASH. I AM COLLECTOR OF COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC FOR USE WHEN I HAVE EUROPEAN VISITORSHERE.

TWO CD's
My married daughter, knowing I would probably enjoy this album, purchased one and sent me it one week after you filled my order for it.She was, ovviously, correct.Now, I am enjoying it twice as much!

Why didn't I buy this sooner?
There is so much postitve press for Johnny these days, that I wrote it off as hype.I was so wrong!Fans of rock, blues, folk, gospel, country, and maybe even heavy metal will all find at least one song on this release that will take their breath away and make the disc worth purchasing.The song selection is inspired, and the Heartbreakers provide respectful backup to Johnny's time-worn vocals.Notice I said "respectful", not respectable.The musicianship is stellar.The band shuffles, ambles or swaggers as the song demands.For me, the song "The Mercy Seat" is worth the cost of the cd all by itself.The lyrics are chilling poetry, the music is incredible and Johnny's interpretation of the song conveys deep emotional impact.The same goes for "I See A Darkness" and "One".I never quite understood what the song "One" was all about.When Johnny sings the lyrics, I understand.That's what makes Johnny and this cd so special:with each and every track, you will connect with what he's talking about.He makes every song REAL."That Lucky Old Sun" sums up the sorrows of a family man, while "Nobody" is a tongue-in-cheek ballad about the pains of someone who has no one to love.Yet Johnny as narrator is equally convincing on both tracks.I really appreciate the dark and depressing passages throughout this cd, and the moments of happiness and hope shine through like sunlight through dark clouds.I highly recommend this and every other Rick Rubin produced Johnny Cash cd. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Singer/Songwriter    5. Traditional Country   

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Editorial Review

Never mind the project's odd couple, "He's got a girlfriend; so does she" marketing shuck. This is a musical love affair in all its splendor. Produced by the seemingly chameleonic producer T Bone Burnett (who previously revived traditional bluegrass with spectacular success on Read more

Reviews (56)

2 Great Singers.12 Great Songs.1 Ho-hum Album.
I don't get the politics of Tony Bennett saying "yes, dear" to KD Lang at the end of the 1st number, but sad to say, the whole album seems an overproduced mistake, including sappy saxophone interludes and treacly high-pitched violin countermelodies.
Lacks punch
I am a huge Bennett fan and have enjoyed this cd (although K.D. Lang?s voice doesn?t impress me that much.)That said, someone recently loaned me the cd of Louis Armstrong singing the same songs and it had a totally different feel.Truly Armstrong is inimitable.His versions are full of pizzazz, mischievousness and just plain fun.I?m sorry to say that after hearing the originals I found the Bennett/Lang rather mediocre.

Tony and k.d.sing the oldies
I loved this c.d. Tony and k.d. have terrific voice control and they complimented each other on the duet tracts.
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Subjects:  1. Jazz Music    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Vocal   

Editorial Review

The myth of the American West--lawless lands, resolute heroes--takes on a grave, elegiac quality on this first, and best, collaboration from Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. There's little bravado here, just a sense of ticking time, of frontiers lost, cowboys singing their last songs. In the end, Read more

Reviews (22)

To Ricci K. Saliba
To the reviewer below......Kristofferson is still alive. It's Jennings who has passed on.

Still Alive
With two of these old-timers gone now (Kristoferson and Cash), this classic record is a must-have for those who want to keep the memory of old southwestern cowboys alive.These sun-beaten and rough-living, yet kind and honorable men are an all-but-gone breed who worked with and lived off the land instead of destroying the desert to build it up and make it like Everywhere, USA.A great piece of America has been lost, yet the Southwest still lives on through the distinct and beautiful voices of Willie, Waylon, Johnny, and Kris.

Mellowed with Age
Listeners of any age will probably enjoy the boys getting together to sing a few, but we older people get the special treat of learning that some things, at least, actually improve with the passing years. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country & Western    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (7)

Some GREAT Tunes, Some So-So, Bare Bones Packaging but Still a Good Duets Collection of Johnny and June
JOHNNY CASH & JUNE CARTER CASH: 16 BIGGEST HITS is a decent collection of songs, some are excellent, some are just okay. If the song list looks interesting to you, then you will probably enjoy this CD. This record company has a whole line of 16 BIGGEST HITS that they do for many of their artists, so this is the one for Johnny and June.
A great disc to own.....and, a word of caution
This disc comes highly recommend. OR, another containing the same material......however, not both [unless you are a 'completist'].
PRETTY GOOD IDEA .
Its funny, in all the years that I have been a fan of Johnny Cash I never considered a "greatest hits" of John and June duets. Interesting. Actually, to tell you the truth I never knew there were that many to fill an album. While Junes appearances lighten up a few CASH tunes, I never really considered that she was responsible for much of his sixties chart success.. (not to be mentioned the fact that SHE wrote the song RING OF FIRE..)
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Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop    3. Rock & Roll    4. Rockabilly    5. Traditional Country    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

With its breakout single, "Feels Like It Should"--a high-octane driving anthem in which he sings of putting "the Boss" on the radio and singing along to "Born to Run"--Pat Green leaves no doubt about this album's primary influence. The opening title track offers hard-riffing guitars over hard-driving drums in another Springsteenesque anthem of love's redemption. The rest of the album is strong and consistent enough that it could well catapult Green to the sort of nationwide popularity with both country and rock fans that he enjoys in his native Texas, where what started as a grass-roots following among the college crowd has turned him into an act capable of filling stadiums. Whereas his material once extolled the joys of living in Texas and drinking beer, he now displays a lot more range and maturity, with the heartfelt balladry of "Dixie Lullaby" eulogizing his father and a duet with Sara Evans on "Finder's Keeper" reinforcing his country credentials. Producer Don Gehman worked with John Mellencamp on many of his biggest hits, with the combination of Stonesy guitar and country fiddle on "Won't Let Love" evoking that artist's musical progression. What Springsteen is to New Jersey and Mellencamp is to Indiana, Green could become to Texas. Read more

Reviews (10)

Is this really pat?
I'm a long-time Pat fan but am not impressed by this CD.There are a couple of good songs, but the majority are soulless.It sounds like Pat spent too much time with a vocal coach which has him singing in a generic voice.My wife thought it was someone in Pat's family singing but not him.There are a few songs where Pat sounds "right" but not in most of them.Not worth the money.

Sounds Just Like It Should!!
This is a great CD! People who say Pat Green "sold-out" are the same people that would complain if he churned out CD's that all sounded the same. When you're on top, people want to see you fall and some people are bothered by him earning a wider range of success. The music is great, it's just not like his early stuff. He writes songs about where he is in his life and he's grown up just like you'd expect. But the new songs are still the great sing-along in your car at the top of your lungs quality we love Pat Green for.

A consistently good country/rock performer
Pat Green has matured; you only have to listen to the first five songs on this album to tell that.Maturity hasn't mellowed him much, though--he still sings passionately, with all his heart...now, however, it's about love and life instead of beer and partying.
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Subjects:  1. American Trad Rock    2. Contemporary Country    3. Country    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock   

Editorial Review

The recordings Johnny Cash started making for Rick Rubin's American label in 1993 launched a journey through the Great American Songbook--from traditional tunes to alt-rock--that continued until, literally, the end of his life. What wasn't known at the time was that Cash had anticipated the Read more

Reviews (38)

downunder
What a pleasant surprise to have even more material available from the Man in Black. Even after nearly 50 years of an amazing career this album is a must for any true Johnny Cash fan. It depicts an earlier incarnation of the American series of recordings concept. He did these because he wanted to (as usual) & it shows.

Sacred and secular, this is the real Johnny Cash
The hype on these long-lost home tapes is that they were unheralded precursors to the stripped-down, raw-boned "American Recordings" series that sent Johnny Cash's cool quotient through the roof in the 1990s... In a sense that's true, although I would argue that these recordings are a different sort of creature altogether... Where the "American" albums were a calculated bid to present Cash as a back-to-basics country avatar, an icon for the college rock scene to revere, these earlier tracks were, as the title implies, a much more private affair.
A Most amazing evening
I purchased this at the recommendation of a friend. I sat and listened to this double set end to end. Touching, at times I cried. Johnny Cash is one of those people that can bring you to your emotional knees. Intonation, wording, just plain folk singing. I was suprised that the religiosity wasn't a facctor despite my common seizure like response.
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Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Pop    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country    5. United States of America   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (107)

This is cool stuff !!!
Bored with all the lame rock stuff out there? I saw some television special on this band and they are very interesting. They are talented and play a form of music that nobody else their age does.
A very different offering
I really love this CD! it is one of the most diverse collections of music I have ever heard. Nickle Creek break from their blue grass roots here and come in to their own. It is also worth noting that this is the first album without Alison Krauss at the production helm. The blending of their voices, and the virtuosity they have is incredible. Helena, When in Rome, Sara's cover of Dylan's Tomorrow Is A Long Time and Best of Luck are my favorites. I also like Somebody More like You as it features Sean's voice. Yes, this may disappoint some fans that were expecting a little more blue grass, but it has inspired me as a musician to think outside the musical box.

Wildly Overrated
I know that fans of the band will click furiously that this review is "not helpful" because it doesn't sing Nickel Creek's praises, but so be it.
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Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Bluegrass    3. Contemporary Bluegrass    4. Contemporary Country    5. Country    6. Pop    7. Progressive Bluegrass    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. United States of America   

Reviews (18)

Surprisingly excellent
I probably shouldn't say "surpringly" excellent we are after all talking about Sufjan, but when this was released I was hesitant to buy it because I thought of a B-sides and outtakes album as not up to par with regular releases. I thought that if this didn't make the album then it must not be as good, that's pretty much the case with most other artists. Artists other than Sufjan. This album is really amazing and is absolutely level with his other releases. It should be looked at as an album and not a collection of outtakes . I highly recommend this to all Sufjan fans especially those who love "Illinoise"

He's an avalanche
Sufjan Stevens has reached a new level in his musical career -- the point where every shred of his art is of interest.
Still better than anything else out there.
This album takes a handfull of listens before it starts to sink in and get comfortable.Some of the songs seem a little caotic and over the top at first, but when you start to understand the world that Sufjan creates through out the album, you realise that he is, in fact, capable of putting out better and better music.There is nothing out there better than Sufjan, other than lesser substitutes that only provide a brief brake from listening to Sufjan continuosly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Progressive Folk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter