Music

Average customer rating:

*sigh*
Elizabethan Music
Vibe shift
Gorgeous, pure and unexpected
Soul music

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HXDESU
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

Walsingham
Can she excuse my wrongs?
Ryght honorable: as I have bin most bounde unto your honor
Flow my tears
Have you seen the bright lily grow
Then in time passing on Mr. Johnson died
The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark
The lowest trees have tops
And accordinge as I desired ther cam a letter
Fine knacks for ladies
From thenc I went to the Landgrave of Hessen
Fantasy
Come, heavy sleep
Forlorn Hope Fancy
And from thence I had great desire to see Italy
Come again
Wilt thou unkind thus reave me
After my departure I caled to mynde our conference
Weep you no more, sad fountains
My Lord Willoughbys Welcome Home
Clear or cloudy
Men say that the Kinge of Spain is making gret preparation
In darkness let me dwell

Amazon.com

In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" from his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a lute, the rock superstar and activist sings the songs, deliciously sweet and tender or spirited by turn, accompanying himself, with Edin Karamazov sitting on lute and archlute. For listeners accustomed to hearing material of this period interpreted by rigorously trained early music stylists, especially countertenors and the like, Sting's sometimes tight-jawed, chest-heavy vocals may seem amateurish. It's undeniable that in four-part harmonies, the singer, tightly overdubbed, comes across like a combination of the Swingle Singers and Queen (meaning Freddy Mercury and crew, NOT the first Elizabeth). But it's important to remember that music of this period was routinely heard as a casual diversion in private homes, even more often than at Court. It was considered a crucial social skill to be able to join in with an adequate degree of skill, but not everyone was able to negotiate the perilous melodic twists and turns typical of the era's music. With this in mind, the overall effect is of a candle-lit, postprandial entertainment in the home of an English gentleman. Muttered readings from Dowland's letters and brief snippets of sampled birdsong aside, it is a courageous effort, displaying heartfelt admiration for the composer and a considerable degree of earnest charm. --Christina Roden

Album Description

StingÂ's Songs From The Labyrinth is an album of 17th century music composed by John Dowland and performed on the lute, an ancient acoustic guitar. After being given a lute nearly two years ago as a gift, Sting became fascinated and immersed himself with the instrument and the history of lute music. Reminded of his almost 25 year long enthrallment with the works of John Dowland, the Elizabethan composer who wrote songs for the lute, Sting has recorded a new album of vocal and lute music. All songs were composed by Dowland in the 17th century, but have been given new life in these fresh new recordings by Sting. Sting not only sings all the songs (accompanied by leading lutenist Edin Karamasov, who appears on two Andreas Scholl albums), but also plays lute on two instrumental duets with Edin and reads short extracts from a fascinating autobiographical letter by Dowland. Sting has also written a brilliant account of the album's genesis, along with notes on the individual tracks, which serves as the CD booklet.

Customer Reviews:

*sigh*.......2007-07-16

I am a lutenist myself, who had experience as both a rock guitarist and a classically trained clarinetist before also picking up the lute. I have a great love for Dowland that comes from years of playing his songs myself as well as hearing great musicians (like Paul O'Dette) play them. And this CD makes me sad.

In a way, it doesn't surprise me that Sting would do this. For years now he's been trying to gain cred in the classical music world (I have a 1988 recording of him doing Stravinsky's A Soldier Tale that delighted me when I was 16 and musically ignorant, but now makes my eyes roll into the back of my head). What upsets me is he had to do something that's initimately important to me as a musician. The is problem is that when it comes this kind of music, as others have said, he IS an amatuer, and all his heavy-handed, juvenile earnesty and clumsy, misplaced intensity just drains out all the joy I would normally experience from these songs. Moreover, he's voice isn't merely "untrained" - it's *shot* from years of strain caused by bad "rock" vocal technique. It's just pitiful to listen to in such an exposed context. If you think this is how these songs ought to be intrepreted, you're sadly mistaken.

There are people who would call Sting a "pop genius, " laud him and hand him all sort of impressive looking awards and honors, but this is the music of a real genius, someone who knew not just how to write lyrics that hit home with his audience, but as how to compose songs with unparallel grace, form and sophistication in an idiosyncratic style that bridged convention and innovation. And Sting simply cannot do Dowland's music justice. He just doesn't have the chops or the insight. It's great he's supposedly "studied" this music and that he wrote lengthy, flowery liner notes, but did he really need to record this CD for any reason that his own self-satisfaction? It's far too obvious he hasn't done the same level of groundwork of countless Early Music musicians who don't do this a hobby or avocation from political causes or high-profile celebrity, but as their sole passion. Why couldn't he simply support those musicians, without trying to grab some spotlight for himself? Having a decent lutenist as a sidekick just isn't enough to pull him up from his amatuerly, self-important bog, either. Frankly, he just doesn't get it, and at this stage, I don't think he will.

Early music lovers don't need someone like Sting to bring this music to us - we've been doing just fine without him because we have so many other, really wonderful musicians around to keep this music alive. Someone else recommended Nigel Rogers and Paul O'Dette, and I would gladly recommend them over this celebrity-fuel nonsense as well. Yes these are both musicians with academic backgrounda, but that doesn't mean they are academic musicians - far from it. They just have to hold down teaching positions and do master classes because they don't have a pop career to play the bills. Musicially and professionally, they're what Early Music musicians ought to be - dedicated, educated, passionate and yet they don't have any need to take themselves this deathly seriously.

Elizabethan Music.......2007-07-12

This is the audio component of an hour long video made by Sting on the work of Elizabethan composer John Dowland. (The video does adds greatly to the value as it places the music against the background and age (16th C) for which it was written.) Sting's voice is light tenor and right for these poems set to music about everlasting human concerns that persist to our day. But you'll not see those wonderful lutes that accompany the words, so complex to play with a beauty of sound not heard today. Between his music Sting gives an excellent spoken commentary to complete an attractive presentation of esoteric classical music with a modern undertone.

Vibe shift.......2007-07-10

Why bother? Still would like to say i love the 'shift' it takes to get into this music and how i (and my home) feel when i've enter this rather rarified realm of listening.

Gorgeous, pure and unexpected.......2007-07-06

This music is so pure, so clean, so well performed by two excellent musicians, Edin Karamasov, and Sting, that it put shivers up my spine. Edin is an excellent classical lutenist and Sting's tenor voice is perfect for the music. It was a surprise hearing a rock musician perform this music, but Sting always surprises, continuing to develop as a musican. I will hear this one in my sleep, echoing.

Soul music.......2007-07-05

Have you ever walked a labryinth? Let Sting walk with you either if you are new or an ole' timer at it. This is music for and from the soul.

Average customer rating:

Romance of the Violin
End of the Day
Wonderful!
Over and over and over....
Non-standard CD format

Romance of the Violin
Claude Debussy , Fryderyk Chopin , Camille Saint-Saens , Franz Schubert , Vincenzo Bellini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Alexander Borodin , Antonin Dvorak , Claudio Monteverdi , Jules Massenet , Robert Schumann , Michael Stern , Craig Ogden , Gregory Knowles , John Constable , Jacob Heringman , and Stephen Orton
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000DG06L
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
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Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
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Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
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Traumerei ('Kinderszenen' for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming')

Amazon.com

Every track on this CD contains a beautiful melody, many of them easily recognizable, all of them exuding tranquility. "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi opens the disc, with Bell delicately accompanied by a harp and spinning the long melody with great sensitivity. Bellini's "Casta diva" from Norma lives up to its reputation as the epitome of bel canto in Bell's hands; his violin sings. The middle movement of Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto takes well to the violin, and Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is played with great warmth and sensuality. It would be easy to turn a recital like this into treacle, but Bell is wise enough to realize that the music is already sweet enough and he plays with great reserve and a minimum of sentimental slides. The light accompaniments always support, with woodwinds prominent but used with grace. This CD, in short, is a beauty: a fine gift, a lovely mood setter. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Romance of the Violin.......2007-07-16

While it's not my very favorite Joshua Bell CD, this is a pleasure to listen to!

End of the Day.......2007-06-08

I am a Joshua Bell fan, and this album is the one that I enjoy with my dessert, it calms me at the end of the day, and makes me think of my 6 year old granddaughter's visit. She has to have music on during meals at her home. Usually it is some kid stuff, but I do not have anything like she has at home, so I chose to play Joshua Bell during our dinner. When I placed the dessert before her, she looked up at me and said: "This music is so beautiful, I want to play the violin just like that". What more could I say.
He is inspiring, and she is right. This album is beautiful.

Wonderful!.......2007-05-30

I play this for my grandson to nap by. It is so relaxing and wonderful!

Over and over and over...........2007-05-17

That's how I want to play this CD! It's a wonderful line-up of rich, mellow, captivating compositions played with a warmth and vibrancy that is seldom heard. Joshua at his very best. You won't be disappointed.

Non-standard CD format.......2007-04-22

The music on this CD deserves five stars, but the CD itself is a non-standard format that doesn't work on all players. There's a tiny warning on the back of the CD. You won't notice the warning until you discover that the CD doesn't work on your player. My Macintosh computer wouldn't read the non-standard format so there was no way for me to listen in my office or put the music on my iPod.

A friend's PC was able to read the CD and make a copy in standard format that can be read on any player, including my Mac. The story had a happy ending, but I can not comprehend why the publisher chose the oddball CD specification.

The music is excellent and worth the trouble of making a copy, but the publisher really shouldn't make you go to that effort just to listen to a CD that you paid for.

Average customer rating:

Awesome CD
Nephew Loves It
amazing talent
Nuttin But Stringz Jams
Hip Hop/Rap meets Classical

Struggle from the Subway to the Charts
Nuttin But Stringz
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HKDE7Y
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

BROKEN SORROW
STRUGGLE Featuring Tony Haze
THUNDER
BEAUTY FROM AFAR INTRO
BEAUTY FROM AFAR
SUKA 4 HER INTERLUDE
SUKA 4 HER
GET LOW Featuring Winter
EGYPTIAN IN THE NIGHT INTRO
EGYPTIAN IN THE NIGHT
A NU DAY
DANCE WITH MY FATHER Featuring Karmen Michael & The Godselettes Choir
THUNDER REMIX

Customer Reviews:

Awesome CD.......2007-07-17

Rockin violins with a hip hop beat. The track Thunder is absolutely a individual work of art. If these guys could put together an entire CD with this new style they would be rockin wit stringz and rakin in the dough.

Nephew Loves It.......2007-07-05

We bought this as a birthday gift for my nephew who plays violin and he has had nothing but rave reviews to say about it. I have not heard it, but I know that he would recommend it to anyone.

amazing talent.......2007-07-04

I first heard this group watching Jack's Big Music Show with my 2 year old son, I've been hooked ever since. I'm not a big rap fan - but when you hear their musical genius you'll see why they are the next big thing.

Nuttin But Stringz Jams.......2007-06-27

The "Nuttin But Stringz" CD is an enjoyable journey into modern R&B music played with a classical violin twist. My two kids are studying violin and were getting bored with their lessons until "Nuttin But Stringz" woke them up to the violin as an instrument that is really "cool". We love the CD and cannot wait to see them on tour.

Hip Hop/Rap meets Classical.......2007-06-27

Incredible CD!!! After seeing these performers on Jack's Big Music show (on Noggin - with my 2 year old), I had to buy the CD. Insanely talented violinists, they are also passionate and strong rap artists as well. If nothing else, everyone should pick this CD up for its uniqueness and refreshingly new concept. My favorite CD purchased in years!

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

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Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music

Average customer rating:

I'd rather just the first 10 years, thanks
A great buy, you'll play this over and over.
An All-Round Pleaser
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Come and Play

Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music
Sesame Street
Manufacturer: Sony Wonder (Audio)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C05MP
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Sesame Street Theme - The Kids
ABC - DEF - GHI - Big Bird
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Sing - The Kids
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People in the Neighborhood - Bob and the Anything Muppets
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Over, Under, Around and Through - Grover
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Somebody Come and Play - The Kids
Jellyman Kelly - James Taylor and the Kids
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel and Oscar the Grouch
Everybody Sleeps - Joe Raposo
Rubber Duckie - Ernie
Doin ' the Pidgeon - Bert
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard - Paul Simon and the Kids
Sweet - A Little Baby Boy - Pete Seeger and the Kids
1-2 - 3 Sesame Street - Stevie Wonder
Pinball Number Count - - The Pointer Sisters
I' ve Got Two - Big Bird. Oscar the Grouch, Mr. Hooper and Everybody
I Love Trash - Oscar the Grouch
Nasty Dan - Johnny Cash and Oscar the Grouch
Sing After Me - Madeline Kahn and Grover
Captain Vegetable - Captian Vegetable with Eddie and Andy
African Alphabet - Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Kermit the Frog.
B.B. King - B.B. King with Bert, Benny Rabbit, Big Bird and Baby Bear
C is for Cookie - Cookie Monster
Kiko and the Lavender Moon (Elmo and the Lavender Moon) - Los Lobos
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From Your Head - Diane Schuur with Elmo
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Tu Me Gustas (I like you) - Luis and Elmo
Mambo I,I,I, - Gloria Estefan
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Hold my Hand - Hootie & the Blowfish with Elmo and the Kids
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Sesame Street Theme Remix - Ursula 1000

Amazon.com

Songs from the Street, the boxed set that stretches back to "Sesame Street's" 1969 debut, is the kids' record of the year, if not the decade: Big Bird and the gang might've pulled it off themselves--for a crew of fix-it store workers, shopkeeps, and goofball monsters, the talent quotient's off the charts--but when you've got this many names to drop, they've got to land somewhere. What impresses most in three discs is the lack of a single thud. Cab Calloway, Pete Seeger, and James Taylor mosey in on disc one; Johnny Cash, BB King, and Tony Bennett take seats on the stoop for disc two; and the Dixie Chicks, Gloria Estefan, and R.E.M. raise the brownstone roof on disc three--and that's leaving out stars like Lena Horne, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, and Trisha Yearwood. When it comes to inspiring preschoolers and their parents to sing the praises of rubber duckies, bein' green, and the people in their neighborhood; "The Street" gets busy. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

I'd rather just the first 10 years, thanks.......2007-05-26

About half the songs are the original television versions. But the liner notes for the other half list them as being "from" other COMPILATIONS released in the 1990s.
Nowhere is it stated whether those compilations used the original versions or re-recordings, so who knows? Even the TITLE theme is not the original (It might be the version they use nowadays, but it's not the version most people know from the 70s).
Sesame should have just used the original TV versions of all tracks as that's what collectors of vintage material would be looking for (and paying quite a lot for).
They also should have focused more on the early years when the show was the most innovative. And as music was a major element, I'm sure there's a lot more material that could have been used, particularly those odd demonstrational songs about the number 5 or the letter R. Instead they've focused on the celebrity guests, most of whom don't really add much value.
I personally hoped there'd be that funky counting to ten song that featured on almost every episode (not the Pinball one, which I love too).
Disappointing, but until a better option comes along, this will have to do.

A great buy, you'll play this over and over........2007-03-15

I bought this when my daughter was born, and two years later she still asks for them to be played. The set contains three CDs, on which are collected famous songs, and ditties from the Sesame Street show...favorites like C is for Cookie, Healthy, Happy Monsters performed by famous groups like REM and more. The songs are not just kid friendly, adults will enjoy the refreshing take on some old favorites too:)

An All-Round Pleaser.......2007-02-15

I have always loved the music from Sesame Street, and as I have gotten older I have found that the next generation loves it just as much as I have, whether it be the older or newer songs. Since I bought this album, I have had it regularly playing at my sons' request. Funnily enough, anyone who walks in to our house smiles when they hear the music, ask what the album is, then sit back and enjoy it all - regardless of whether they have ever watched Sesame Street or not. Furry and real voices have universal appeal whatever the age of the listener! A beautiful album.

Childhood Renewed.......2007-01-09

If you grew up on Sesame Street - or just want some music for kids that isn't annoying - this is the box set for you! The songs are clever, amusing, lively, and educational. We bought it for ourselves as a trip down memory lane before our son was born - and since then it has been our favorite baby shower or first birthday gift! Everyone who has it loves it!

Come and Play.......2006-11-18

WHAT???????
No Capital I!!!! I can't believe that "Capital I" is not on this CD. Boy, I guess they should do two versions: Songs from the Street 60's/70's and songs from the street 80's 90's.

Still a Great CD though.

Average customer rating:

THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO A GIFTED BUT CHALLENGING ARTIST
Excellent CD for new and old J Buckley fans!!
So Real Quite a Gem
Here we go again.

So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Grace
Release the Stars
Tim Buckley: My Fleeting House
New Moon
Grace

ASIN: B000NOK9YK
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Last Goodbye
Lover, You Should've Come Over
Forget Her
Eternal Life
Dream Brother
The Sky Is A Landfill
Everybody Here Wants You
So Real
Mojo Pin
Vancouver
Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin
Grace
Hallelujah
I Know It's Over

Amazon.com

Among the legions of rockers who died way too young--including Jeff Buckley's father, Tim--few have approached the artistic range and seemingly limitless potential on display here. In the decade since Buckley's death, there has been such a flood of posthumous releases that it might be hard to remember that he issued only a four-cut live EP and a studio debut album while he was alive. This anthology serves as an effective introduction for the initiate, showing how Buckley could rock with the slash-and-burn intensity of Led Zeppelin on "Eternal Life (Road Version)," turn rapturous with the reverie of "Lover, You Should've Come Ove," and cover the likes of Edith Piaf ("Je N'en Connais Pas La Fin") and Leonard Cohen (his by now iconic transformation of "Hallelujah"). Completists will need this for the live versions of "So Real" and the Smiths' "I Know It's Over," previously unreleased commercially. Whether Buckley would ever have been able to balance the control that mature artistry requires and the ecstatic abandon that distinguished him, such raw talent continues to startle. --Don McLeese

Album Description

Import 14-track pressing features tracks from his two studio albums and includes two rarities, 'So Real' (Live and Acoustic in Japan - non album version/ promo single) and 'I Know it's Over' . (Previously Unreleased - Smiths cover from a session at Sony Studios that was edited for broadcast on WNEW on April 6, 1995. It was not included on the radio broadcast.) Other highlights include 'Last Goodbye', 'Forget Her', 'Everybody Here Wants You' and more. All of the tracks lifted from Grace are pulled from the remastered tracks that featured on the Legacy Edition. Sony. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO A GIFTED BUT CHALLENGING ARTIST.......2007-06-01

One of the best things about reviewing music is that it compels the writer to listen hard and fair to everything that comes out of a speaker. If you attempt to write something based solely on your own preconceptions, then a) you aren't listening, and b) you are not qualified to inflict others with your words. Jeff Buckley was the type of artist that I knew had special qualities, but there were elements of his presentation that held me at arm's length. He singing range was extraordinary, but his dramatic tendencies often overwhelmed me. Sometimes, I even found myself recoiling as he floated freely in the ether, conveying a part of his spirit that eluded me entirely. Until I understood this aspect of his art, I knew I was unqualified to review his music, but "So Real: Songs from Jeff Buckley" has taught me how to listen.
The problem I had with most all previous product by Buckley - and I've heard most of them -is that they presumed you to understand Buckley's genius. "Live at Sin-e" "and "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk" both overwhelmed me, for very different reasons. "...Sin-e" is concise, but it puts Buckley on display as a performer, and left me wondering if he was emotionally attached to the songs, or simply in love with the sound of his own voice. "...Drunk" was an embarrassment of riches, with way too much material for me to digest, especially since most of it was left unfinished in the wake of Buckley's untimely death. Only "Grace" conveyed a full picture of the man as a fully developed artist, and even that record demanded that you understand and accept his strange welding of Van Morrison's spirit with Robert Plant's histrionics.
"So Real" is by far the best place for a person to discover the beauty of Buckley's music. By culling the best bits of his recorded output and distributing them intelligently over one exceptional disk, it serves as a roadmap into the soul of an extremely gifted performer. Parts of this collection are merely brilliant; other parts are revelatory. The "Grace" selections sound every bit as good today as they did back in '94, while songs like "Forget Her" and "Eternal Life" (both from posthumous releases) are frighteningly intense and emotionally stunning. For reasons similar to those I mentioned at the beginning of this review, I recently indulged myself in the music of Leonard Cohen and I now find myself with a respect for his artistry that borders on awe. Re-hearing Buckley's version of Cohen's "Hallelujah" makes it obvious that this is a definitive performance, as if sung by a fallen angel who embraces the sanctity of this mortal coil. There are still moments of excess, but instead of histrionics, I now hear an artist utilizing every ounce of his ability to convey something that is spiritual and ethereal, but also `so real'. I know I waited too long to truly hear the elegance and raw emotion in Jeff Buckley's music. I hope you don't make the same mistake. A- Tom Ryan

Excellent CD for new and old J Buckley fans!!.......2007-05-29

This CD proves again that Jeff Buckley is the greatest musician that has ever recorded music. Not only does this CD give its reader an excellent mixture of some his best tunes but also adds two unreleased songs that are truly rare and excellent in choice. His version of "I Know It's Over" can send chills down anyone's spine and will make you stop and listen to each word. You will find yourself playing this song over and over, realizing what a beautiful voice he had and how he could take any song and make it his own. If you are new to Jeff Buckley and are wondering if this CD is a good choice, it does a wonderful job of introducing you to a rare talent that has yet to be mastered from anyone else in the music industry. And if you are new, after this CD, you will definitely become a Jeff Buckley fan. To the already Jeff Buckley fan, I highly recommend it and believe me, it is NOT a waste of money - it is worth every penny and more!

So Real Quite a Gem.......2007-05-27

It has been said this CD is especially good for newbies discovering Jeff Buckley's music. That would include me, as I only discovered Buckley and his music a few months ago. I heard my first Buckley song 'Hallelujah' on a TV show, since then I have bought everything I could get my hands on that Buckley recorded. For those of you who think, it is just the same old thing, don't buy it, but thank goodness his music is still being put out there for all of us like me who have only just discovered Jeff Buckley. I thank his mom and Sony for continuing their hard work to get his music to the public. I counted the days waiting for this CD to be released. It is just as wonderful as I hoped it would be. SO REAL is worth every penny and more, especially for 'I KNOW IT'S OVER'. That song is quite a gem.

Here we go again........2007-05-27

The same old songs regurgitated once more so Mary Guibert can make another quick buck off of the talent of her dead son. For shame.

TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs

Average customer rating:

good memories for me and fun "new" songs for my children
memories
TV Theme Songs
TV themes
Deja Vu

TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs
Cyndi Grecco , and Jones, Jack
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes
All-Time Top 100 TV Themes
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One Hundred Greatest TV Themes
Toon Tunes: Funny Bone Favorites

ASIN: B00006EXIL
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Tracks:

I Love Lucy Theme - Wilbur Hatch
Dragnet - Ray Anthony
The Twilight Zone - Rod Open
Bonanza - Al Caiola & His Orchestra
The Andy Griffith Theme - Earle Hagen
The Ballad Of Jed Clampett - Earl Scruggs
The Addams Family (Main Theme) - Vic Mizzy
Munsters Theme - Jack Marshall
The Ballad Of Gilligan's Isle - Morton Stevens
Green Acres - Eddie Albert
Jeannie - Hugo Montenegro
Batman Theme - Neal Hefti
(Theme From) The Monkees - The Monkees
Star Trek (Main Title & Closing Theme) - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Mannix - Lalo Schifrin
Hawaii Five-O - Mort Stevens & His Orchestra
Theme From The Brady Bunch - The Brady Bunch
Come On Get Happy - The Partridge Family
Those Were The Days - Carroll O'Connor
And Then There's Maude - Donny Hathaway
Good Times - Jim Gilstrap
Movin' On Up - Oren Waters
The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Them From S.W.A.T. - Rhythm Heritage
Happy Days - Pratt & McClain
Making Our Dreams Come True - Cyndi Grecco
Chico And The Man - Jose Feliciano
Welcome Back - John Sebastian
What's Happening!! - Henry Mancini
Barney Miller - Jack Elliott
Charlie's Angels - Jack Elliott
Love Boat Theme - Jack Jones
Angela (Theme From 'Taxi') - Bob James
It Takes Diff'rent Strokes - Gloria Loring
Theme From Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) - Waylon
Theme From Magnum, P.I. - Mike Post
The Theme From Hill Street Blues - Mike Post
Theme From Dynasty - Bill Conti
Theme From 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It Or Not) - Joey Scarbury
Thank You For Being A Friend - Cynthia Fee

Album Description

TV Land brings you 40 of your favorite evening show theme songs. Highlights include 'Happy Days', 'The Greatest American Hero', 'Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)', 'Laverne & Shirley', 'I Dream Of Jeanie', 'I Love Lucy', 'Welcome Back, Kotter', 'The Love Boat', 'Hawaii Five-O', 'The Golden Girls' and many, many more. 2002. Rhino.

Customer Reviews:

good memories for me and fun "new" songs for my children.......2007-06-27

We had ordered this for "The Dukes of Hazzard" theme song for our 4yr old and our whole family has fallen in love with the cd. It makes me want to share some of the old fun and simple shows with my children. I forgot about some of those shows. It brings back good memories for my husband and me and the songs are new and exciting for our children. It's a nice change from children's cd's, but our children still think it's fun. The sound quality is good and the songs included on the cd are a great mix. I would definately recommend this one.

memories.......2007-02-22

This cd is excellent it has a lot of very good music and true to the original sound, Am getting a lot of enjoyment,highly recomended

TV Theme Songs.......2007-01-13

This is a great CD for people who watch a lot of TV -especially TV LAND and reruns of old shows when shows had actual theme songs. I took the CD to work and everyone loved trying to figure out what show the songs were from.

TV themes.......2006-07-05

Not all what I expected, not all of the tunes are the original recordings you remember as the TV themes.

Deja Vu.......2006-02-17

Listening to these familiar themes as performed by the original artists certainly brings back wonderful memories! I was particularly pleased, not only with the quality of the pieces, but with the actual performances themselves, just as we remembered them!

Average customer rating:

Sounds A Bit Like M E H D I
Violins and more violins
Songs From A Secret Garden
Soothing Music, Food for the soul
Beautiful & romantic Waltz music

Songs from a Secret Garden
Secret Garden
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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White Stones
Earthsongs
Once in a Red Moon
Dreamcatcher
Dawn of a New Century

ASIN: B000001GBJ
Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

Nocturne
Pastorale
Song from a Secret Garden
Sigma
Papillon
Serenade to Spring
Atlantia
Heartstrings
Adagio
The Rap
Chaconne
Cantoluna
Ode to Simplicity

Amazon.com

Picture a square with Clannad, pianist David Lanz, Mannheim Steamroller, and the musicians of Riverdance at its corners. Somewhere within those stylistic borders you will encounter the European duo Secret Garden. The popular twosome--Irish violinist Fionnuala (fi-NOO-la) Sherry and Norwegian pianist/keyboardist Rolf Lovland--have attracted a sizable following with their heart-touching specialty: a wistful, violin-rooted, pop-folk-classical melange that often strikes the ear as a film score in search of some delicate romantic tale. Songs from a Secret Garden is the duo's debut recording from 1995, and it principally offers a series of pensive dialogues between Sherry's stately violin and Lovland's subdued piano, yielding equal measures of sweetness and melancholy. Whistles, pipes, percussion, strings, and ethereal voices serve as embellishments. At times you may sense you're being serenaded by strolling musicians with a heavy sentimental streak; at other times you may feel genuinely moved--perhaps by something as lovely as the reverential "Sigma" and its sublime, Gregorian-like choral passages. Only one uptempo tune, "The Rap," surfaces here; a few others would have been welcomed. And yes, this is the disc where you will find "Heartstrings," the composition that once smote Barbra Streisand's heart. She eventually acquired the rights to the piece, inserted lyrics, renamed it "I've Dreamed of You" (found on A Love Like Ours), and sang it to James Brolin during the couple's 1998 wedding. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

Sounds A Bit Like M E H D I.......2007-07-06

Oh, Wow! This is a cd that will be liked by all who enjoy M E H D I, E N Y A or even Loreena Mckinnett. It is the very essence of good new age. So tranquil, yet so spirited, this cd is a refreshing break from my well-worn collection, I just keep wanting to listen to it over and over again. I am amazed! It reminds me somewhat of Celtic Women, but still very unique. This is music to the soul. Absolutely relaxing, as well.

ALSO RECOMMENDED: M E H D I ~ Instrumental Paradise Volume 8..A True Gem.

Violins and more violins.......2007-05-29

Not quite what I had expected. A CD of violin with violins and some piano and yet another violin. Which, for some maybe just what you want. It doesn't exactly transport me elsewhere like Inner Peace by Steve Halpern. It makes great background music for our office but otherwise, I haven't put it in my car to listen to while I travel.

Songs From A Secret Garden.......2007-05-02

I first heard this CD in a Meditation class. The haunting Celtic melodies of this CD are very relaxing and set a very quiet, calming mood. I can't wait to buy more from this group.

Soothing Music, Food for the soul.......2007-02-09

Like most who stumbled on this beautiful CD, I bought the CD because the CD shop selling it happened to be playing it - and I was immediately captivated and deeply touched by it. It is like a breathe of freshness in the sands of commerce, a clear pond of tranquil water that reflects your soul and yet it is so deep in emotions...pulling your heart strings. Its fragile, naked and angelic...yet it is so sincere.
I enjoy MEHDl, Enya, Loreena Mckinnett, David Foster etc. But this a beautiful and rare production that I enjoy a tad more.

Beautiful & romantic Waltz music.......2007-01-23

The songs on this collection are all very beautiful. My favorite is the "Ode to Spring," an enchanting melody one cannot forget. I can listen to this CD over and over again. I bought two additional copies for my friends and have made another copy so that I can play it in my car.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music
The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!
GUITAR MAJESTY
Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection
A True Classic

Spanish Guitar Music

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Baroque Guitar
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Masters of Flamenco Guitar

ASIN: B00005YJ4Q
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Albeniz: Asturias
Albeniz: Tango
Sanz: Canarios
Rodrigo: Fandango
Torroba: Nocturno
Segreras - El Colibri
Albeniz: Sonata in D
De Falla: The Corregidor's Dance
De Falla: Fisherman's Song
De Falla: The Miller's Dance
Torroba: Madronos
La Nit de Nadal
El Noy de la Mare
Granados: Ma Maja de Goya
Abeniz: Cordoba
Tarrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Granados: Spanish Dance No. 5
El Testamen de Amelia
Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 4 in E Minor
Albeniz: Sevilla
De Falla: Homanaje
Mudarra: Fantasia
Turina: Fandanguillo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music.......2005-09-18

As a sampler, this CD is an excellent introduction both to Spanish classical guitar music and to guitarist John Williams.
The music ranges from Renaissance composers (Sanz, Mudarra) and harmonized folk melodies to standard 20th Century works (Rodrigo, Torroba etc).

John Williams is excellent throughout. The CD is also cheap, and can be used either just for enjoyment, or further to explore other recordings by Williams, the classical guitar repertoire, or other classical guitarists.

As a marketing ploy, it is very effective.

For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the CD are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this CD are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them (e.g. "from ______, Op # "). The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.

However, this CD should attract many listeners and enthusiasts both to the classical guitar, the repertoire, and guitarist John Williams - and I'm all for that.

Over 70 minutes playing time.

Recommended.

The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!.......2005-02-05

This admirable concept belongs to Hector Berlioz and it must not be a surprise the best guitarrists in the story have in common this trademark.

John Williams has always known the delicate equilibrium between the expresiveness and the glamouer. His impresive technique however is not exposed as his prima edonna. He goes directly to the soul of the composer, melts in his spirit and let the music sharp the qith eloquent conviction the composer's demanded atmosphere.

From Granados to Albeniz, from Rodrigo to Agustin Barrios - El indio Mangore -, from Moreno Torroba to Ponce , you will find the warmth, the passion and the Midas touch of this golden guitarrist.

GUITAR MAJESTY.......2004-12-21

John Williams is a true Guitar virtuoso. His repetoire is very extensive and I use his music in my office while I work at my daily office duties. This album is a must for all guitar enthusiasts old or young.

Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection.......2004-12-07

I originally bought this album three years ago, looking for a good introduction to Spanish guitar music. And this one fits that need perfectly. I still listen to and enjoy it today. I play this for guests at happy hour or dinner for a relaxed atmosphere. At Amazon's current price, this is a great value.

A True Classic.......2004-01-26

This album/cd is extraordinary. All the songs are gorgeous and exciting to listen to. John Williams' interpretation and technique are perfect. After 22 years of listening to it, I still enjoy and appreciate it more every time. I love giving it as a gift.

Average customer rating:

Half a great album.
Masterpiece enhanced
songs from a room done right!!
His best, beautifully repackaged
Improved Sound

Songs from a Room
Leonard Cohen
Manufacturer: Sony Legacy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Songs of Love and Hate
Songs of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen: Under Review 1935-1977
Live Songs
Excitable Boy

ASIN: B000NOKA1C
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

Bird on the Wire
Story Of Issac
A Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes
The Partisan
Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
The Old Revolution
The Butcher
You Know Who I Am
Lady Midnight
Tonight Will Be Fine

Customer Reviews:

Half a great album........2007-07-15

I guess that most artsits would be lucky to create an album like Songs from a Room; It's half a masterpiece, and most musicains have never even recorded an eighth of one. Of course, Leonard Cohen isn't "most musicians." He's made some of the greatest music of his generation, works that, at their best, rival those of Bob Dylan in terms of sheer poetic vertuosity. Seen in that light, Songs from a Room isn't a great album. Certainly, it's a very good one, a record with plenty of great songs and musical moments. There are cutting lyrical insights here, and several subtly beautiful melodies. Unfortunatly, there are also far too many uninspired songs and uninteresting musical ideas to call this a great album.

The best songs here demonstrate Cohen's unique songwriting abilities: the chilling "Story of Isaac" is a tense, nightmarish study of generational friction and self sacrifice. Cohen's lyrics are bitter, bruised, and full of genuine menace. In the song's spine-tingling conclusion, Cohen spits: "When it all comes down to dust/ I will kill you if I must/ I will help you if I can," brilliantly summarizing a bleak but deeply felt view of human nature. "The Butcher" runs along similar lines; with its brutally simple guitar chords and stark lyrical imagery, the song conveys the feeling of bitter disilousionment with startling accuracy. "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy" is as haunting as it is beautiful. Its ghostly, spare melody is the ideal framing device for Cohen's brittle, regretful lyrics- it's a song full of painful memories and quiet loss. Interestingly, one of the best songs here wasn't even written by Cohen- "The Partisan" is a cover of a World War II era ballad that tells the story of a member of the French Resistance. Cohen's performance smolders with quiet, but undeniably present, tension, his voice electric with barely subdued nervous energy.

But not every song on the album is as good as these four- "A Bunch of Lonesome Heros" could have been an excellent song, but its gorgeously dramatic melody is buried under an incredibly unpleasant production, which bathes the music in echo and odd backing instruments. The half-formed lyrics don't help much, either. "You Know Who I Am" matches a convoluted guitar line with some incredibly pretentious lyrics ("I am the distance you put between/ all of the moments that we will be"), and "Tonight Will Be Fine,' despite being bouncy and jaunty, is completely joyless. Cohen's whistling during the final verse is just plain annoying. "The Old Revolution" and "Lady Midnight" are only halfway interesting in terms of lyrics and melody, and each one fails to leave a lasting impression. Finally, there's "Bird on a Wire." Although it's probably the most well-known (and perhaps well-liked) track on this album, I honestly think that it's the weakest song here. Cohen's performance is annoyingly melodramatic, full of painful high notes (a poor attempt to cover up the lack of genuine emotion in the man's voice). The music itself is overly sweet and completely inconsequential: the guitar line is a dull, mumbling cliche, and it's augmented by an equally worthless string section. The lyrics are direct but half-baked. Although the first few lines ("Like a bird on the wire/ like a drunk in a midnight choir/ I have tried. in my way/ to be free") are genuinly poetic, they're counterbalanced by some of Cohen's most insufferably over-earnest declerations ("I will make it all up to thee," he sings, has voice raspy and insincere).

So, that leaves us with an album that, at its best moments, is as powerful and transcendant as anything Cohen has ever written. But at its worst...

Masterpiece enhanced.......2007-07-06

Leonard Cohen followed up his debut album with another masterpiece, this collection of magnificent songs of solitude, despair and resignation. Besides The Partisan, a song about the French resistance with its beautiful French verses and female vocals, all compositions are by Cohen.

The most popular number here is Bird On A Wire that has been covered by artists as diverse as Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Judy Collins, Rita Coolidge, Tim Hardin, The Neville Brothers and Jennifer Warnes.

For some reason, the opening lines of Bunch Of Lonesome Heroes make me think of Frodo's journey to Mordor in Lord Of The Rings: "A bunch of lonesome and very quarrelsome heroes/Were smoking out upon the open road." Other highlights include The Story Of Isaac and The Old Revolution, in both of which Cohen's characteristic Biblical imagery surfaces, and the somber Lady Midnight with its many layers of meaning.

Seems So Long Ago is a wistful confessional dirge whilst You Know Who I Am is a delicate love poem with esoteric undertones: "I am the one who loves changing from nothing to one". The mood lightens up on the former closing track Tonight Will Be Fine with its catchy melody, driving rhythm and erotic lyric, although even here the sadness is just a sigh away.

This reissue booklet includes liner notes by Anthony DeCurtis, one full-color and four black & white photographs plus a full-color painting of a chair. Both extra tracks were originally produced by David Crosby and for reissue by Bruce Dickinson. The first, Like A Bird, is an earlier version of Bird On The Wire. This version is less flowing, more halting than the familiar one. Nothing To One is the earlier version of You Know Who I Am.

Cohen's sublime music has a transcendent, spiritual quality. These haunting songs "from a room" have lost none of their poetic impact after 4 decades; their grace, elegance and beauty shine on.

I'm Your Man

I'm Your Fan

songs from a room done right!!.......2007-06-09

Hallelujah, finally Leonard Cohen's catalogue has been given it's proper dedication. It's almost a laughing stock that the previous leonard cohen releases didn't have lyrics. Cohen is probably the most notorious lyrist in the rock era, not necessary he is rock as we know it but he is of the modern era nevertheless. Anyway everything is perfect the appearance of the product in a digi-pak which opens up into a book with lyrics and some pictures from the appropriate era make this more than a worthwhile purchase. Infact it should be sold for more money than it's selling for on amazon because the value is that great. Did i forget to mention there's bonus tracks...and those are always subjective no matter how good or bad since they didn't come with the original album and usaully it's best they're left off for traditional reasons, but i won't comment if they were good or bad. However the mixing of this cd is beautiful, whoever did the mixing knew just what they were doing...not only is the vocals right there's this amazing seperation and reverbration going on here probably the latest recording techniques at work or the latest cd compressing abilities at work. I strongly recommend this, i recommend buying this CD for the 2nd time as it's worth it beyond comprehension. Give the other one to a friend who never heard of leonard cohen before, or sell it to the local CD store if you have one in your area, but i applaud you to buy this newly remastered CD.

His best, beautifully repackaged.......2007-05-13

What a delightfully dark album! But if you know any Leonard Cohen songs, you already knew that, right? Wrong. This is dark even by his standards, a remarkable look at Vietnam and the 1960s generation gap from the enigmatic Canadian. Cohen being Cohen, of course, that can't be seen on the surface, which is what keeps the brilliant album brilliant instead of relentlessly depressing. The production style is extremely austere, apparently in reaction to what Cohen considered the excessive instrumental flourishes of his first album; whether intentional or not, this fits the lyrical atmosphere perfectly and adds to it.

While there is nothing overtly topical about the then-current issues at hand, youth alienation and war are addressed metaphorically throughout the set. "Story of Isaac," "A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" and "The Old Revolution" are best seen through this lens. The album's token cover, "The Partisan," is a more transparent take on the horrors of war, and it fits well between the others. Perhaps most macabre is "Seems So Long Ago, Nancy," a chilling tale of a long-ago love affair that came to a tragic ending (and, characteristically, he remembers the year and what she was wearing!) This one hasn't turned up on any greatest-hits album that I know of, as good a reason as any to buy Songs From A Room. Amusingly, the album ends on an almost-cheerful note with "Tonight Will Be Fine" - perhaps even Leonard Cohen has his limits.

The booklet-style package features lyric sheets, a new appreciation by Anthony DeCurtis, and a sprinkling of pictures and interesting period memorabilia. Also new to this version are previously unreleased early versions of "Bird on a Wire" and "You Know Who I Am". I think they feel tacked on after the intensity of the original album, but they're interesting to hear on their own.

Improved Sound.......2007-04-26

A much louder audio signal than the earlier CD. Still a good amount of hiss, but that's actually a good sign, as it means they havn't sucked the life out of it with lame noise reduction technology. Besides the louder audio signal, the most obvious improvement upon one listen are the high string parts on bird on a wire. Even more beautiful than before.

Definately worth purchasing even if you own the previous release. Great packaging as well. CD case is shaped like a small book, with a spine and bound pages within. Neat.

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