Editorial Review

Janet Jackson opens her much-hyped, post-wardrobe-malfunction return to the studio with the following proclamation: "I've covered a lot in my 20 years, and I've uncovered a lot in my 20 years." There's a pause, then a giggle. And then comes an honest breakdown of this disc's DNA: "I want to have fun," chimes Janet (or J., or Miss Jackson if you're nasty and can remember that far back). Fun, then, is what we get. With a light heart, a light vocal touch, and no shortage of quips and unstaged-sounding between-song cut-ups, Janet and her Jermaine Dupri-helmed posse pull together a Sunday afternoon picnic of a disc: "Enjoy," among Read more

Reviews (224)

Breathe, Feel Sensual, Imagine It Or Make It Happen!
While the years have passed and artists have come and gone few have remained but a few. Janet Jackson has been around longer than most and this album is her celebration of how she's covered a lot in her 20 years. This CD is about having fun, not being serious, and just feeling great!
JANET'S BACK!!!
hey i just bought this cd from here, got it today... i must say ur reviews did help me in this purchase. I was not always a big fan , but i do love her older work Rhymthm nation and velvet rope are my favs. This cd is very good and quite surprising to me., because i was not fond of the single call on meat first but it grew on me and it was not till i heard so excited that i was interested in buying this cd. So u should definitly pick this up!!! U wont be sorry:)
One of Janet's best
For the first time since her "Control" album Janet Jackson uses Executive Producers other than Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; Jermaine Dupri takes the lead role this time around. I have Janet's entire disography so you can trust me when I say that this is one of her best albums to date. The lyrics aren't really deep or profound, the production isn't the best in the world, and she's very breathy with her voice, but there's something special about it. The album sticks with the listener long after hearing the tracks. Typically, a Janet Jackson album has some depth to it, some social issues, abuse, or even "taking control", but the subject matter on this album is very light. This is probably her simpliest album lyrically.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Contemporary R&B    3. Rock/Pop    4. United States of America    5. Urban   

Editorial Review

Born to be mild? Amos Lee's sophomore effort for Blue Note follows firmly in the gentle guitar strums of his well-received 2005 debut and opening slots for Norah Jones and Bob Dylan. Little has changed the second time around, which will come as a relief to those enthralled by his first release. He remains a sensitive sort, mixing his insightful, reflective lyrics with lovely, unforced melodies played by backing musicians that stay on low boil. These tunes go down as smoothly as hot chocolate on a cold day, yet Lee brings an unassuming sincerity to the proceedings with his cozy, amiable voice. Comparisons to Bill Withers and James Taylor are accurate if inevitable, but when the gospel organ quivers into "Skipping Stone," it's clear Lee isn't stuck in a folk-pop rut.Read more

Reviews (12)

Great Follow Up CD to "Amos Lee"
I love this CD. I love the fact that Amos Lee is the type of artist who is true to his music and although he may not be considered "mainstream", music lovers will "get him" and his style. Sometimes, as I listen to the music of today,I get dishearted because I find no value in the music, no artistry. Well, "Supply and Demand" confirms to me that their is still real,thought provoking, moving,engaging,and creative artists around.Like his previous CD "Amos Lee", I love the lyrics in the songs."Shout Out Loud" is a great song to open with, and my teenagers ask me to play it over and over again...I have many favorites, including "Shout Out Loud", "Skipping Stone", "Supply and Demand", "Sweet Pea" ...o.k., I love the whole CD....In an age where you may get 1 or 2 songs on a CD that you really like, this CD is filled with songs you will love...Buy it, then enjoy!!!!
Superb
This CD is a great follow up to his last CD. There are very few artists with the originality that Amos Lee has. If you enjoy any folk or easy listening this is a definite must to add to your collection.

This is an entertaining new CD from Amos Lee
I love this new CD from Amos Lee.The first single is entitled Shout Out Loud.This song really puts me in a great mood.His guitar playing is so energetic here.My favorite track is Long Line Of Pain though.It is a beautiful song about personal loss and loneliness. Sympathize is an another highlight on this disc.Amos Lee's subtle voice is filled with compassion for people who are down on their luck.Southern Girl is Amos' tribute to thecharm of a girl from the south.Night Train is a very pretty love song. Skipping Stone is a bluesy sounding song about trying to move on after the loss of a loved one.Freedom is an interesting track.It is a reminder that the pursuit offreedom should not lead to violence.The lyrics of this song are true and thought provoking. Sweet Pea is a simple and sweet song about coming home to someone special.Careless is an excellent song about the betrayal of a friend.I love the feeling of loss and sense ofhurt in Amos' voice on this track. Supply and Demand is a very entertaining CD by a talented young musician and song writer. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

It's always a pleasant surprise when a soundtrack contains an interesting collection of under-heard or under-appreciated tunes, but it's to be expected from Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (59)

If you don't like this cd you're a fool
To start, I find that whenever I mention Grey's Anatomy to a co-worker or friend, they ALWAYS say, " I LOVE that show!! And the music is SOOOO GOOOOOOD!!" You can't hit the nail on the head more than that. Grey's Anatomy prides itself on good music, so to say this cd is bad, well, that's just poor taste. If you go to the Grey's Anatomy website, they go so far as to list every song they're played on every episode. If there's a song you want and you know the episode, go to the website and track it down, I promise you it will only take a few minues.
Best Song Left Out
I can't believe they put together this CD and left off what I thought was the best song they used in the entire first season.Unfortunately, I do not know the title or the artist.I'm hoping someone else might be able to provide that information.All I remember is that the song was played in the very first episode (if I'm not mistaken) when Dr. Shepherd chose Melissa for the OR to operate on the teen beauty queen's aneurism.I only recall the repeated line of "put your hands in the fire".Any help?
Amazing.
I am a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy, and one of the best parts of the show for me is the music.So when the soundtrack came out, I was really excited, even though I was really only familiar with about two of the songs they included.The first time I listened to it, I fell in love with a few of the songs, but a few of the others took awhile for me to get used to.The songs are all very different, with a wide variety of sounds and voices that you don't hear much on the radio, and it works.It is now my very favorite cd and I listen to it more than the rest of my cd's combined.It's that good. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Electronic    3. Indie Pop    4. Pop    5. Soundtracks & Film Scores    6. TV Soundtracks    7. Television Soundtrack   

Editorial Review

If the art of the female singer-songwriter revolves around coffee-table soliloquies then Read more

Reviews (111)

I have faith in music again !!!!
Next to my wife, in my 48 years of life, music has been my passion. In recent times, its been very hard for me to find anything I like. The American music "powers to be" want to do nothing but shove hip hop, fluff & shallow "Pop Tarts" (Britney, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton & on & on & on.........) down our throats. FINALLY, after about 20 years, a breath of fresh air !!! I stumbled upon K T Tunstall channel surfing & came accross the tail end of her Soundstage concert televised on PBS about a month ago. I didn't know who she was at the time but was greatly impressed with the couple of songs I heard. I purchased the cd last week & by coincidence, heard she was coming to Buffalo last Friday (9-29-06). I listened to the CD & I couldn't believe my ears. This is the most talented artist to come along in ages. I can't get enough of this cd. The opening tune, "Other side of the world", is as beautiful of a song as your ever going to hear. The chord progressions & KT's sweet vocals send chills down my spine. The next tune, " Another place to fall", has a bit of an edge & shows another side of this multi talented artist. I'm not going to analyze each track, but they compliment each other well. The 2 more "up tempo" songs, "Black horse & the cherry tree" & "Suddenly I see", are excellent. Before I bought the cd, I read various reviews. I heard KT compared to Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Melissa Etheridge among others. I was a little skeptical. I said to myself, no one can be THAT GOOD !!?? Well guess what, SHE IS. She's a genuine artist who pours everything she has into her music. A great writer, musician & most of all, singer. Oh, & I almost forgot, performer. My wife & I caught her show in Buffalo last week & it has to rank in the top 5 I've seen in my lifetime. Not alot of dancing around, no elaborate stage set up although she has a great band with her, no lasers or fancy lightshow, just her musical talent & thats enough to take you away.I HAVE FAITH IN MUSIC AGAIN !!!!!!!YES !!!!!!

Finally, some good music!
I am neither young nor hip.The music that today's kids listen to is grating on my ears.I have eclectic musical tastes, and listen to everything from classical, to jazz, to folk, to rock; but I can't stand hip hop, dance music, or Top-40 pop.Give me Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Stevie Ray Vaughn, or Pink Floyd.I have no use for Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, or Diddy.In other words, I want more from my music than a beat you can dance to and some sexy choreography.In order to get my attention, music must have some depth to it.I want substance; not just superficial flash.
Great Album - Great singer/songwriter
I first saw KT Tunstall on a video on VH1 several months ago.I didn't know who she was, but I was really taken by the song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree".I finally purchased the album a few weeks ago and am glad I did.While "Black Horse and Cherry Tree" is still my favorite, the album is filled with great music.She is refreshingly original, different from most of the manufactured pop songstresses currently on the airwaves. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Over the last seven years, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris quietly recorded an album by stealing "a few precious hours of studio time here and there," as the ex-Dire Straits singer/guitarist puts it. Good thing they kept it largely under wraps--expectations would have pushed through the clouds, especially as Knopfler conjured 10 of the 12 cuts, and Harris, who writes potently, but little, contributed two ("Love and Happiness," "Belle Starr"). Yet now that it's here, Read more

Reviews (186)

Knopfler and Harris All the Road Running
I just LOVE this CD.the harmonies are good.I like most of the songs but for a couple.I highly recommend it.

A must have gem
Who would have thought? A queen of folk/ country teaming up with a british rocker.Think again!!!!It has happened before,I'm sure.Who cares?What matters is this wonderful jewel gone CD thought up by Emmylou and Knopfler.Consider the marital romp"This is us".You tap to it as you listen to the borderlinish tongue-in-cheek lyrics.Then you have "Donkey Town"an unifinished story whose end you yearn to figure out ..Then,the bluesy ballad"Right Now".Well,just play it and see how wonderful this work is.

Thoughtful
This is a fine album that comes with great melodies, fine guitar playing, vocals with feeling, and interesting poetry. I don't know if I would call it a classic, but it certainly combines some of the best talents of two exceptional artists in a blend that works wondrously well. "All the Roadrunning" seems to ask the question of whether a musician's career is worth the pain. The answer is apparently yes as long as the dream remains. "Donkey Town" is an interesting story that makes you want to learn "the rest of the story". Although Knopfler's guitar work is exceptional, and Emmylou's vocals are as clear as daybreak, it's the lyrics that really make this whole record enjoyable for me. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

How do you follow a debut record that achieved out-of-the-blue grandeur on its way to selling a quarter of a million copies? For Maine’s Ray LaMontagne, it’s all about shaking up the formula, evading repetition and delivering the unexpected. Read more

Reviews (38)

So Close...
This is a very good record.But it should have been even better.
Disappointing
I loved RL`s first cd , Trouble , I was seriously excited awaiting his new disc. What a major disappointment . The songs themselves are not as strong as the first effort , and the completely over-wrought production on many of the tunes made at least half of this cd cringe-worthy. You don`t mix the strings equal or louder than the vocals . RL`s softer vocal delivery on this disc is not in any way enhanced by the production values chosen. I think that anyone would agree that a voice like RL`s is so unique that less is certainly more , and he doesn`t need to flounder around in the mess that half of this cd is.

Ray is Back in Black
Ray's second studio CD is a marvel.Rather than taking the safe routeby creating a CD similar to his debut, "Trouble", Ray branches out and creates a haunting recording which adds elements of jazz to his folky songs.The result is eye-opening.There is lots more atmosphere here than on "Trouble"."Be Here Now", "Empty", "Barfly", "Three More Days" and "You Can Bring Me Flowers" stand tallest - - but everything here is great except for "Can I Stay".The more you listen, the better this CD gets. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Pop/Rock    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. Singer/Songwriter    6. Soft Rock   

Editorial Review

One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Read more

Features

• Cast Recording

Reviews (652)

Best Show on Broadway
I saw this musical last year, and thought it was amazing!!! The music is unbelivable!!!! Idina Menzel and kristin Chenoweth are wonderful, two of the best voices I've ever heard.If you like musicals, then you HAVE to get this CD.I've almost worn it out.

Not Necessarily Wicked!
I was excited about getting this compact disc about Wicked, the hottest ticket on Broadway. I liked the beginning about how the witch was born green. I think the compact disc does serve a service in providing us a closer view of the musical itself. I didn't care for the story involving Glinda, the good witch, and Elfaba, the bad witch who is green. I didn't like the story itself. While I am sure that the musical is much better than just listening to it but I was uncomfortable with Elfaba's portrayal as being born green and bad while Glinda was both popular and pretty. I think I was just more sympathetic towards Elfaba because she was the outcast and I always find myself among the outcasts so I felt sorry for Elfaba. I don't find much sympathy for Glinda who has spent her entire life being both popular and gifted so of course, she doesn't change. She gets rewarded while poor Elfaba gets treated as bad.

The Best Musical EVER.
I'm the kind of person that listens to showtunes all of the time. Seriously. Wicked is what made me that kind of person. The first time I had ever heard it was my first year doing choir, and ever since then, I've loved it. It's got amazing songs and two of the best musical theatre actressess to ever be on stage, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. So if you love musicals, this is the CD to buy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cast Recordings    2. Music Theater    3. Musical Theater    4. Musicals    5. Original Cast Recordings    6. Original Score    7. Pop    8. Show Tunes    9. Showtunes / B'way   

Editorial Review

Shawn Colvin's fans are a dedicated and patient lot. They've had to be, to have waited five years for this new release and nearly six for the one before it. But she rewards the faithful with gems every time, and Read more

Reviews (7)

Another wonderful gift from one of our purest talents
At times rueful, angry, sad and hopeful, Shawn Colvin's new release paints a musical landscape of deep introspection and timeless beauty.Her words penetrate the active listener, a verse, chorus or phrase may touch one of us more than another depending on what life has dealt us (or we've dealt ourselves!), but be assured that there is something here for all of us.John Leventhal (whom I saw a few weeks back onstage with his beautiful and talented wife and musical partner, Rosanne Cash), is, and always has been, a perfect match for Shawn's musical voice.Together, and surrounded by a typically great list of musicians, they have created another masterwork.

Ain't it cool-
I absolutely loved "A Few Small Repairs" and was not sure Shawn would ever be able to top it.Well, she does. I agree that less production is more-- she doesn't need it. In fact, she should do a completely solo album w/voice & guitar and maybe have a few tracks with another guitar & bass thrown in.Her rendition of Westerberg's "Even Here We Are" is perfect--and *almost* makes up for "Every Little Thing He Does is Magic..."I think John Lennon would have liked this one.Seriously.
BestShawn Colvin Album Ever!
I read on one of these things that this was not an "accessible" album or some such rot. Baloney. This is a GREAT album. Period.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Contemporary Folk    3. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    4. Folk-Pop    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

History may prove Beyoncé's Read more

Reviews (319)

Not her best work
When I heard DejaVu, I thought her CD was gonna be off the chain. I was anticipating her release date. I bought it the very fisrt day. Her CD is nothing compared to her first. Dont get me wrong, she has a fews songs on there that you can get down too. DejaVu, Get me bodied, Upgrade U, Irreplaceable, and Listen are the only songs on her CD that I can listen too with out turning. All the others I think the beats sound the exact same. You can tell who produced what. She said that this is her best CD. I think the total opposite. Dangerously in Love was her best. She showed everyone that she not only can sing R&B, but different genres as well (Rock, Pop) and they still all sounded good. You can ride to the whole CD. B'Day she only stuck with with one genre, and not only that the songs did sound the same. There are not enough songs on the CD, and not enought slow songs. I think she rushed it being that it only took her 2 weeks to record. I am a true Beyonce fan, but I think she should have took more time, and she could've done a whole lot better.

What Happened to Beyonce'?
Jay-Z has ruined her. Anybody seen that video where he has her dancing around like some crazed African princess? It looks ridiculous and is way frenetic. I got dizzy watching it. Plus the cover photo of this CD looks like some third rate product from the 1960's. Beyonce, dump Jay-Z and get back to your roots. I like her old stuff much better than this but three stars because hey, it IS Beyonce'.

Needs an "Upgrade"
This album was a real let down from Dangerously in Love. You'd expect a more mature, grown sound, still without alienating her younger fan base. Yet instead we got remedial Destiny's Child lyrics circa "Bills, Bills, Bills" & "Bugaboo". Sure, you can dance to most of the tracks; great club beats. But for all that she is hyped up to be (the next Diana Ross), she needs an "Upgrade" HERSELF. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary R&B    2. Dance-Pop    3. Pop    4. R&B    5. Soul/R & B    6. United States of America    7. Urban   

Editorial Review

Four years after he took Elvis Costello's advice and bit the music/radio biz hands that have simultaneously fed and frustrated him for decades on the scabrous Read more

Reviews (111)

Alright!
I just realized this is the first Tom Petty CD i have ever bought. I bought it because I heard it on a radio program called "World Cafe'" and I was intrigued.
TOM GETS TO THE POINT, AND ROLLS ANOTHER JOINT!
...To quote his song "You don't know how it feels" recorded some 13 years ago now on his last solo album "Wildflowers."That is a truly great album, and this latest one, "Highway Companion" is pretty good too.However, Tom is looking and sounding quite sleepy and stoned on album photos and music, which makes it all seem a little insincere.
Best Album since Full Moon Fever
Tom is back!Outstanding album.Not a bad track in the bunch.Love the blues influences in many of the tracks!This album is really from the heart, and it shows. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Heartland Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Rock & Roll    7. Rock/Pop    8. Southern Rock    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

At a time when the majority of those his age are drifting into retirement, 65-year-old Bob Dylan has put the capper on a three-record run that ranks with the best in his storied, 44-album career. Like Read more

Features

• Special Edition

Reviews (61)

cd and dvd review
at first, your impression of how Dylan sings nowadays can be cringe-worthy. it's not his fault, it's just age that robs him of the ability to turn on a dime that any young person can do without thinking about it.
A Great Record But What About...
Yes, the record is fantastic and timeless... but in all of these 59 lengthy, overly-authoratative and sometimes ethereal reviews there is not one mention of who is on the record playing the instruments accompanying Mr. Dylan. WHO IS ON THE RECORDING?
He still has it after all these years
The album provides a very enjoyable experience. We know Bob Dylan is a jack of all trades and a master of nearly everything in the musical genre. From protest songs to love songs and then to break up songs. From acoustic, to electric, to gospel, and now onto 'modern times'. This is a feel good album through and through (...because it feels good to know that Bob still has it after all these years). The stand out tracks in my opinion are "Spirit in the Water", "Working Man's Blues #2", "Beyond the Horizon", and "Nettie Moore". If you like good music, then you'll enjoy this album for a very very long time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll    8. Rock/Pop    9. Singer/Songwriter   

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Pop/Rock    5. Soft Rock    6. United States of America    7. Vocal   

Editorial Review

Since not liking the Scissor Sisters is tantamount to not liking fun, let's just assume that everyone already adores this band and go on from there, OK? The Sisters' hotly anticipated second full-length feel like a streamlined continuation of their debut. It's hard to imagine no one had ever called an album Read more

Features

• Deluxe Edition

Reviews (27)

disappointed
i really, really, reallllly wanted to like this album, but, even after multiple listens, the majority of the tracks here just seem like filler.i fell asleep halfway through the record.it's a shame that the bonus tracks steal the show here ["transistor" and "making ladies" especially].it's almost as if they were trying too hard to sound fresh... when all they had to do was let their new york roots grow out.the packaging seems very gimicky.i like that they took risks with this one, but sadly, it doesn't work.*cringe* despite my opinion of this album however, the scissor sisters ROCK and more power to 'em.

A real gem!
The Scissor Sisters have done it again, folks.This album just may be better than their first one.You might even catch your mom dancing to it, or at least tapping her foot.The world of music just wouldn't be the same without the Sisters!

YAAAYYYY!!!!!
This CD makes me so happy!It's like the Sisters took all the little soundbites from a late-night TV commercial selling a definitive "Music of the 70's (and maybe the very early 80's)" collection - you know the ones where you just hear the title of the song as the other song titles are scrolling by and the one you're hearing becomes blue or green or whatever color the other ones are not? - so they took all those 'bites from Helen Reddy and the Partridge Family and Leo Sayer and Pink Floyd and Blondie and they scrunched them all up into a marshmallow-like ear-pleasing spongy fluid and made a CD out of it. It's so dang cool!Favorite lyric of the year... "I can't decide whether you should live or die... you'll probably go to heaven, please don't hang your head and cry."I have a couple of coworkers whose voice evokes the rampant humming of thatline inside my head. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Since his solo flight from Fleetwood Mac, Lindsay Buckingham has earned the kind of artistic acclaim for his sparse solo work that many peers have tried to achieve over the course of a lifetime. Read more

Reviews (43)

Amazing
This album is fracking amazing.Some of the most original music I've ever heard.Buy it.

Imagine my surprise...
I hate Fleetwood Mac. A lot. I have heard handfuls of songs and the odd full album and I just don't like them, especially when Stevie Nicks is added to the equation. I don't expect people to be happy about this, but it's the case.
Outstanding Work
The first time you listen to this record, you will think it's not bad.The second time, you'll think it's pretty good.The third time, you'll think it's brilliant.It takes 3 listens to appreciate the "complex simplicity" of this record and when its contrasted to the other solo works, and the Fleetwood Mac era material, it really leaves you shaking your head and wondering if Mr. Buckingham made some sort of deal with the devil for his seemingly unending talent.The only criticism is the overprocesed vocal arrangements. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Pop/Rock    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. United States of America   

Editorial Review

If you thought Black Eyed Pea-sized bites of Fergie might be all you could handle--that a full plate of Fergie is possibly too much for any discerning musical palate--Read more

Features

• Explicit Lyrics

Reviews (64)

Surprising effort.Lyrically, I am not so sure.
I was hesitant to buy this CD.After hearing BEP and what they had to offer, I wondered how Fergie would do on her own.