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

Few bands of the 1960s retained as much a sense of the roots of rock and roll as did Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music is rife with country, rockabilly, and R&B influences, a combination that produced several hit singles--most of which are present on this collection. These include "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Lodi," "Up Around the B ," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and of course "Bad Moon Rising." This is an excellent greatest-hits collection, and a perfect introduction to the music of a band that has been enduringly influential. Read more

Reviews (207)

Blues Rock n Roll at its best
This is awesome stuff by Creedence Clearwater Revival I have been wanting to buy this for quite some time. And I don't know why I procrastinated so much because this is defintely worth every penny.

Why a review?
Why should I write a review for a CD that has 20 songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival!! Seems like a waste of time to me. 5 Stars.

True Blue Rock-n-Roll!
They're all here on this CD.Every one of the great hits that defined one of the most talented rock groups in history.It's really strange to hear what passes for great music today, when you listen to this.
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Subjects:  1. Country-Rock    2. Pop    3. Pop/Rock    4. Rock    5. Rock & Roll    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Immaculately prolific and blatantly ambitious, My Morning Jacket celebrate eight years as a recording band with what many refer to as a death knell: the double live album. Yet it takes but a single listen to declare that the brass neck and bravado pays off for this Kentucky band of longhairs, which released the 21-song epic as a companion piece to their concert DVD. Songwriter and singer Jim James's howling falsetto ricochets through MMJ's backlog of songs, which have been reenergized for the stage by the band's airtight live-show mettle. Dusting off remnants of the first two records like "I Think I'm Going to Hell" and the stunning "The Way That He Sings," then lining them up with the more contemporary "Gideon" and "What a Wonderful Man," MMJ never take their foot off the gas. In fact, rather than getting bogged down in concert-album fashion, Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (7)

One of the greatest live albums of all-time ****1/2
My Morning Jacket is an incredible band.I knew I could always count on them to release a solid psychedelic, southern rock record.But when "Z" came out in 2005, I was absolutely speechless; there was finally a band in the United States to compete with Radiohead, and incidentally, "Z" is probably the best album released since "Ok Computer."It took the band to a whole new level.They went from being solid to superstars; from doing obscure music magazine interviews to releasing a concert in indie theaters across the country.
The ultimate live album from the best live act these days
My Morning Jacket has steadily been climbing the commercial and critical recongition in the last 6 years, with 2005's "Z" album ranking easily as one of the best albums of last year. MMJ has built its reputation as a tireless live act, and finally MMJ releases a live album, and what a joy it is.
JamBase CD Review
The whole idea of a live album can be a bit tricky for all bands, especially for a great band like the Kentucky boys of My Morning Jacket. Let's face it - out of all the groundbreaking artists of the past 40 years who've cut a live one, about 90 percent of them seem to be sub-par. And no, the live downloaded Phish and .moe bootlegs that you listened to in your college dorm while sucking on a glass Jerome Baker piece don't count. Sure, the concerts at which they were recorded must've been enjoyable for the fans, but it can be very taxing when attempting to capture the essence of what it's like being there as a concertgoer in that exact moment. A double-disc album, Okonokos was recorded last November during a two-night stint at The Fillmore in San Francisco, while touring in support of their latest release Z, which was on many critics' year-end top ten lists. Okonokos exhibits the majestic semblance of MMJ's live shows and proves that they are not a jam band but instead a band that just knows how to jam.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Country-Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Neo-Psychedelia    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

His triumph on the talent-seeking Read more

Reviews (9)

Great Debut CD
Good country voice.Good listening.Several songs I really enjoy."Beer or Gasoline" is cute, "You're Gonna Love Me" and "Drinkin' Me Lonely" are well sung and "I'm Headed Your Way, Jose" is great fun."Flowers" is also good.I was pleasantly surprised with many good songs.(I bought it for his Nashivlle Star song, "Drinkin' Me Lonely) and was not disappointed with the whole album.

HUGE Debut for Chris Young
It's very rare that I get a cd, much less a debut cd, from an artist and I can honestly say there's not a bad track in the bunch, but I'm glad to say that I can say that about this one.I watched and voted in the Nashville Star competiton and I am so glad to see this release.The song choices are excellent, the production is outstanding and what can I say about Chris's voice except that it's excellent!I would be happy to hear any of these tracks on the radio, but will say my favorites are of course the 1st single, "Drinkin' Me Lonely", the excellent message song "Flowers"and the tounge firmly planted in cheek "I'm Heading Your Way, Jose".The disc starts off on a high note with "Beer Or Gasoline" and doesn't let you down until "Who's Gonna Take Me Home" which is another great track.If you love your country, then you have to love newcomer Chris Young. Give him a listen and see if you don't agree.

Chris Young Has Got It All
It has been a long time since I have been so excited about a CD.This CD is a great mix of music from a tear jerker (Flowers) to a couple of tunes that make you LOL (White Lightening and Your Way, Jose).Ballad or up tempo song, this guy can sing!He has that smooth Tennesee baritone voice that makes you keep listening to every song over and over again.I am a huge country music fan, and having heard this CD I can only think "YES, this is what I have been wanting to hear!" I love every song on the CD!This is only the beginning for the rising star of Chris Young!A must buy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Country    2. Pop   

Editorial Review

This packed double-disc is the slim option for fans who find the Eagles' vaunted greatest hits sets too little and the boxed set too hefty. Hit singles large and medium are here, often ("One of These Nights," "Hotel California") still sounding definitive and even tough. Large helpings of favorite album cuts are also included, along with a taster from a promised 2004 Eagles studio reunion. Unfortunately, "Hole in the World," Don Henley's response to September 11, feels just as empty and entitled as "Get Over It," the band's previous state-of-the-union message (from which the newer song represents a philosophical 180-degree turn). But for those seeking an overview of this Southern California juggernaut's successes, as well as telling comments from band members--mostly Henley and Frey--in a well-designed booklet, Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered
• Box set

Reviews (146)

Best Of The Best
This is the best collection of Eagles hits. Every thing you could want is contained in this double disk set. Solid throug and through. Can't go wrong with this one. Must have.

The Only Eagles' Collection You'll Need
This two CD set has every essential Eagles song. It has everything from the original greatest hits albums from the seventies, and then some. Moreover, the remastered sound means that these classic songs have never sounded better. The sheer number of songs on this two cd set means that this is not the tight set of hits that the classic 1975 collection was, but you can always skip over any extra tunes that you don't like (like the silly "Doolin-Dalton").
Still flying high
I can understand the dismay of many Eagles fans, being presented with yet another compilation, a repackaging of the same oft-compiled material.It can seem like another of the Laurel Canyon crowd (Joni Mitchell is the prime example) preaching to us about the evils of materialism while they grow ever richer with reshuffled Best, Very Best and Very, Very Best albums.I suppose, as they are such keen environmentalists, there is some logic to all this recycling.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Album Rock    3. Country-Rock    4. Hard Rock    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Soft Rock    10. United States of America   

Editorial Review

It might sound like a backhanded compliment to say Hem makes lite-rock with a country twist. But before you conjure up images of Phil Collins with a cowboy hat, let's clarify by saying the New York band essentially picks up where the Cowboy Junkies left off--crafting intimate southern songs that unfold with quiet dignity over a bed of strings, pedal-steel guitars and restrained piano flourishes. That's more like it. Besides, in Sally Ellyson, the group has a singer whose clear, sweet voice can't help but make even the most overcast song sound oddly beautiful. If only "I'll Dream Of You Tonight" and "Too Late To Turn Back Now" could be the soundtrack to every waiting room people would actually look forward to that next root canal. --Read more

Reviews (4)

Gorgeous Music
I heard about Hem on NPR, and bought Funnel Cloud soon after.I'd never heard them before.I love this CD and am happy to find a new group to listen to."The Pills Stopped Working" is my favorite song.The other songs are soft, mellow, beautifully written.The music is rich and complex.I look forward to hearing more of Hem.

SweetEar Candy
I've never heard this band before until today.I read some recommendations from some reviews.All I can say is that I "LOVE" it!
Maybe Hem's best yet -- and that's saying something
Hem's last full album of new songs, Eveningland, was hauntingly beautful but suffered from overproduction. It was if all the engery was bottled up and they didn't want to let it out.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Contemporary Folk    3. Country-Rock    4. Folk-Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

A newcomer to the musical progression and legacy of the Byrds could hardly expect to find a better crash course than this: four discs with 99 songs, a DVD of ten previously unissued television performances, extensive annotation. Yet longtime fans of the band might wonder what the point is. Any riches buried in the vaults have long ago been mined--first in 1990's definitive four-disc Byrds box, then on Columbia's series of extended editions of every Byrds album in the catalog, replete with previously unreleased bonus tracks. By this late date, all possible revelations have been revealed, with the five previously unissued performances here of interest mainly to completists. The familiar music is glorious, of course--the chiming guitars and soaring harmonies that brought Bob Dylan and folk-rock to the top of the charts and then soared into the stratosphere with "Eight Miles High" and all but invented country-rock with Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (11)

Byrdsbox II
There is no question that the Byrds (1964 - 1973) were one of the most important American rock 'n' roll bands during a true renaissance period for popular music, and that their body of work mostly stands tall to this day: great songs by a band overflowing with talented writers, musicians and vocalists of great style and adventurous spirit, who made a remarkable group of beautifully produced original recordings (fifteen albums issued between 1965 and 1973, counting "Pre-flyte" and two "Greatest Hits" sets). They influenced nearly all of their peers at one time or other, from the Beatles and Stones to Dylan and Buffalo Springfield (not to mention scores of respected bands who've emerged since the Byrds' last album). This boxed set is the group's second, following a similar career overview issued early in the CD era (1990). The good news is the sound on this set, as expected, is much better - warmer, more lifelike - than the earlier Byrds box. And there is less filler from 'reunion' gigs. But other than that, I can't imagine what use this set will serve. The Byrds made several classic albums, and like The Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Beatles, Hendrix, and other major bands with both undeniable artistic credibility and popular success, their evolution is best heard as part of a chronological continuum. Yes, I got interested in the Byrds seriously after being given that 1990 box, but to be honest I haven't played the thing in over a dozen years. "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965), "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (1965) and the genre-bending "Fifth Dimension" (1966) and "Younger Than Yesterday" (1967)came first, all reissued in greatly expanded and smartly annotated editions nearly a decade ago on both CD and (thanks to the Sundazed label) beautiful 180 gram vinyl editions - and those four are all classics belonging in any serious 'rock' related collection. (Sundazed issued even more, a box of pre-Columbia "Pre-flyte" era material and the extraordinary 2-ep set of alternates, experiments, and instrumentals, the magnificently packaged and mastered "Another Dimension", a companion piece of sorts to "5D" that adds yet more terrific material to the group's ouevre). With the loss of Gene Clark, followed by David Crosby at the end of 1967, the Byrds released some of their most astonishing work ever on "Notorious Byrd Brothers" (1968) and, with the addition of Gram Parsons, "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" (1968). I would suggest that anyone reading this and wondering where to start their Byrds collection pick up each of these albums, now all midline priced, and read the liner notes, bask in the superb sound, and track the progress of both a great band and the decade that spawned it. The subsequent releases, following Parsons' and Chris Hillman's departure, may pale next to the first six masterpieces (and the many non-album singles and outtakes that are now appended to them), but each has its share of gems, especially "Ballad Of Easy Rider" (their eighth studio album, 1969) and the now-expanded-double "(Untitled)" (1970). Then there's the recently unearthed "1970 Fillmore" set, and the clean, fine guitar work on those late period Byrds albums by (the late) Clarence White. So much out there, on both CD and vinyl - why get another expensive overview? And why release one in 2006?
Go ahead and say my review wasn't helpful, but let's be real
"There is a Season" is superior to the 1990 boxset in that Discs One and Two contains gems such as Gene Clark's "I Knew I'd Want You" and David Crosby's "What's Happening!", left off of the first set.
Superb!
The new Byrds box set-There Is a Season does a great job of correcting some of the glaring omissions from the first box set from 1990. key Gene Clark songs are included such as Set You Free this Time and the single version of She don't Care About Time. There are other rarities such as a 1967 live version of He Was a Friend of Mine and Child Of The Universe from the Candy film soundtrack L.P. Also, there's a mono single version of Ladyfriend that seems clearer sounding. The set even throws in a couple of tracks from the underrated 1973 reunion L.P. as well as later Clarence White era instumental Nothing To It. This 99 track set is comprehensive and has all(or almost all) of the essential Byrds tracks. I wish they could have included the cosmic country song Change Is Now or the equally trippy Thoughts And Words but I won't quibble. Finally, the set is beautifully packaged with a 100 page color booklet which includes a bonus DVD whereyou get to see the original 5 Byrds perform in the 1960's before screaming girls and Go-Go dancers. So if you don't have all the remastered C.D.s, this new Byrds box would be a superb addition to your music collection! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Box Sets (Audio Only)    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop/Rock    6. Psychedelic    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. United States of America   

Editorial Review

One question would be: What took him so long? After all, a contemporary like Van Morrison has sold boatloads of his single-disc best-of set to buyers wary of diving into that deep catalog without a primer to get them started. So three and a half decades into his solo career, Neil Young finally delivers his version of that most modest of albums--the pre-holiday "hits" overview. What's surprising, coming from such a proud maverick, is its conventionality. Granted, the original master mixes are a boon for fans, but otherwise, there's not much here for loyalists who quite likely already possess the original "Like a Hurricane" on a couple of albums, as well as a handful of live interpretations scanning the years. Since Young cracked the Top 10 only once (1972's "Heart of Gold"), this set is built around concert staples as "Cinnamon Girl," "Rockin' in the Free World," and "Hey, Hey, My My" rather than chart favorites. Despite Young's honorable standing as a still-vital graybeard, the disc is skewed heavily toward his early work, shortchanging some mighty productive recent years. Peripheral fans may find this set of interest, but faithful followers are better advised to investigate the DVD version, which, at least, includes videos, photos, lyrics, and Web links. Read more

Reviews (76)

Great Single CD Collection of Neil Young's Hits
Making a single disc of Neil Young's biggest hits is not an easy task. Back in 1977, he released a two disc career retrospective called Decade,which is still one of the greatest compilations in rock and roll history.
THANKS, NEIL. THIS COULDN'T BE ANY BETTER !
If we look hard enough, we can always find something we don't like about "Greatest Hits" and "Best of" releases by our favorite recording artists. Mostly, it's the songs left off or the songs left on, but it can be other things as well. This time I'm not going to let my expectations ruin, what is to me, a perfect "Neil Young Greatest Hits" cd. The remastering is exquisite, and this is most evident on "Needle and the Damage Done". It sounds like Neil and his guitar are right in the room. The song selection is perfect, with a nice balance between the acoustic songs and the rockers. The songs are in chronological order, which gives the listener a sense of Young's career history. The album cover is a photo of Neil with an acoustic guitar, from a time in his career that most people probably associate with him. There are no songs after 1992, but rest assured that there will be a GH vol. 2 in the future. I'm a long time fan of Neil Young, and as a concise cd of his best work, this couldn,t be any better.
Near perfect disc for the casual Neil Young fan
THE BAND: Neil Young (vocals, acoustic & electric guitar, piano) and an assortment of musicians (too many to mention here) over the past 4 decades.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Canada    3. Country-Rock    4. Folk-Rock    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

One of the freshest country albums of the year comes not out of Nashville, but rather New York, from a sporadic band with the unlikely (and somewhat suggestive) moniker of the Little Willies. At times, the fivesome (named in homage to Willie Nelson) hearkens to the great historic western-swing bands--crack, loose-limbed musicians fronted by a hypnotically sublime girl singer. If that sleepy female voice (and her distinctive piano) sounds astonishingly like Norah Jones, that's because it Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (48)

Perfect for the road
I purchased this CD before going on vacation. With both a seven-year-old and a nine-year-old in the car, we had to endure the loud soundtracks of movies from the back seat. And, when I suggested that we turn off the TV and listen to a CD, they were both unhappy! That is, until I popped in this CD. These happy tunes made all of us smile and my kids even started to sing along! If you want a CD that will make your day, purchase this one!

Fun listen... more fun the second time, even more fun after that!
I'm a recording engineer by trade.I sit in little rooms with no windows and big speakers listening to the same song for 15 hour stretches for weeks in a row.Every now and again a record will roll through that is actually fun to make.This sounds like one of those recordings.
Nora and Texas Swing
Great collection if you like Nora and also like Texas Swing. There's Nora doing a few cuts as lead and sounding great as usual. The other cuts on the CD are great country tunes, some funny, some sad with a tight band keeping it interesting. Definately worth a listen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Alternative Country-Rock    3. Americana    4. Country-Rock    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

An artist for all musical seasons, Neil Young returns to autumnal harvest mode on Read more

Reviews (136)

Reconnecting with Neil Young
A big Neil Young fan in the 60s and 70s, I hadn't followed his music in many years (or any other popular music, for that matter). One of my 8th grade students, knowing how I feel about the war in Iraq, gave me Neil's LIVING WITH WAR. I loved it, so I checked out reviews of PRAIRIE WIND, and I bought it. As far as I'm concerned, it's a masterwork. The songs are incredibly moving, especially for someone who is Neil's age. I love this man for having made it.

Neil Young is Mr Soul
This is an essential Neil Young album. Taking yet another turn in his long, interesting and forever relevant career Neil follows a country rock muse and his words and music is delivered in a heltfelt and moving way that is straight from his soul. Neil faced several personal traumas during 2005, not the least the death of his father and his own health concerns which he has since rebounded from in emphatic fashion.
Visionary
a call to arms
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Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Country-Rock    3. Hard Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Singer/Songwriter    8. Soft Rock   

Editorial Review

Two discs of music don't exactly provide for a thorough overview of four decades of recording, particularly if the subject of the retrospective is one of the most important and prolific performers of his time. So Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (129)

"She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind" from Not Dark Yet.
I'm new to Bob Dylan's music and I must say I really loved this cd. I was unsure about listening to it since I wasn't all that enamoured with Dylan's voice but when you listen to music it just clicks into place. Dylan is a master at lyrics and mood. Each song has a unique mood or message that he conveys in what seems like an effortless manner. I fell in love with some of his songs of heartbreak and change.
Greatmini collection of Dylan's work
Enjoy the range of songs. They include many of my favorites. I especially like it for my vechicle with limited space. Good sound too, sounds as good as the originals , ( as recorded on the LPs). Ah miss those LPs.

Essential Bob Dylan is essentially great!
Essential, from the word "essence"!There's no claim that it will cover 34 years of music history, so don't listen to people who complain that it doesn't cover enough. It's the essence of Dylan and it's great as it is; essentially excellent music from one of the greatest singer-song writers ever.If you want something more "in depth" get "No Direction Home", the documentary and soundtrack cover it all. Also, "Essential Bob Dylan" isn't just for beginners.I grew up a Dylan fan and I still am. I love the album. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Country-Rock    3. Folk-Rock    4. Political Folk    5. Pop    6. Pop/Rock    7. Popular Music    8. Rock    9. Rock & Roll    10. Rock/Pop    11. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (103)

HIS MASTERPIECE!
All I want to say has already been said.This is one of a handful of albums you can listen to all the way through and not hit a bad song.It is pure perfection, Taupin's atmospheric lyrics and John's melodies and piano working hand-in-hand.It is the most cinematic album ever made, meaning all you have to do is listen and you'll watch a movie with every song.I love the atmosphere this album creates- take this on a road trip through the country, roll down the windows, and take it all in...
I'd like to go where the rivberboat sails tonight...
Ordinarily I'd give this album four stars, but the remastered version is phenomenal and the two bonus tracks bump it up to five.
Fans can never be objective...
From the OBJECTIVE reviewer...fans and critics alike think this is a masterpiece, and although there isn't a bad song on the album there also isn't anything classic that stands out. Hence this country-esque album just doesn't rise to the top of "best Elton albums." ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Country-Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Rock & Roll    8. Rock/Pop    9. Singer/Songwriter    10. Soft Rock   

Reviews (50)

This Album Rock`s
I got this album for Christmas and been rckin out to it ever since . Its one of my favorite`s.

Melissa Etheridge - Greatest Hits
Her voice is magical, and this greatest hits CD is simply a roaring tribute to one of this generations greatest female singers.

Five stars is not enough
I have been a big fan of Melissa since 1988. Her voice along with her strong lyrics that come from her very soul (and mine too) make her one of the best singers/composers America has ever seen or heard. Her passionate character and her compassion amaze me. I got "The Road Less Traveled" even though I already have most of the songs. Then I went to see her in concert in NYC. God, I love her ever more now (if it is ever possible). How can such great person exist among us? May God and all the angels be with her at all times, and may her message continue to touch our hearts and heal our bodies and minds. All songs on the CD are special. I would buy hundreds of CD's to distribute them if I could. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Heartland Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Florida’s brilliant singer-songwriter Sam Beam expands Iron & Wine from solo project to a gaggle of friends and family on slide guitar, percussion, and backing vocals on his second album. Fans need not worry--the hushed immediacy and rich melodies remain the focus--but new flavors abound. For instance, the strange "Cinder And Smoke" sounds like a collaboration (with banjos of course) between America, Robert Wyatt and Low. Meanwhile, "On Your Wings," "Free Until They Cut Me Down," and "Teeth in the Grass" showcase a brooding, earthy, Southern-rock-on-laudanum side that the band had previously only demonstrated in concert. It's rare when an artist who's become known for bedroom recordings makes the transition to the studio to produce work that's better--Daniel Johnston, Lou Barlow, and Liz Phair all made their defining moments crouched above a cassette recorder at home. But Beam is the exception to the rule, as he has easily bested himself on the second Iron & Wine album. Read more

Reviews (117)

ZZZZZzzzzzzz...
Oh my, what can I say about this whispery little train wreck.It's third-rate coffee house music that struggles to be heard over conversations (as it should be).In the quiet sanctuary of my den, it's revealed for all it isn't.It isn't clever, musically or lyrically, and just drones along seemingly forever.My audiophile friends would like it because the sparse notes and little extraneous noises would make their overly analytical and fatiguing systems sound magical.
There are things that drift away
Our Endless Numbered Days is a quite marvellous album. Sam Beam's gentle, poignant songs about love, life and the changing of the seasons are simplicity itself. Played out mainly on picked acoustic guitar or banjo, but with added piano and percussion when the occasion calls, the strength of Our Endless Numbered Days is undoubtedly Beam's gorgeous, hushed voice. It infuses the album with a wistful sense of loss and longing, and is beautifully underlined by the interplay with the (female) backing vocals. Lyrically there is an elemental, almost biblical, resonance to the songs which I haven't come across before. The album's timelessness can certainly be attributed to the fact that it could have been written at any point over the last hundred years: there are no references to late 20th or 21st century life that I can think of.
Just drift away
this album ( and his other albums) make me feel the way Norah Jones did a few years back. this is the type of sound that you want to listen to while you drift away with aglass of wine. absolutely amazing ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Lo-Fi    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Among producers, his name remains the simile of choice. If some hotshot studio whiz emerges in, say, hip-hop, he's inevitably labeled "the Phil Spector of rap." That's quite a statement given that decades have passed since this boy f