Silent Smile

Track Listings

1. The Bijou Dream

2. '48 Willys

3. Silent Smile

4. Coconut on Main Street

5. Here I Am

6. This is Love

7. It's Easier to be Alone

8. In Shadowed Light

9. E.A.K.

Editorial Reviews
Damian Einstein, WRNR Radio Annapolis, MD
"I like that tune (referring to '48 Willys)... a lot"

About the Artist
Born and raised near Rochester, New York, David Ashman began his musical journey at age 6 when he received his first guitar. Throughout the next 10 years, he trained with various local musicians and studied the styles of Jimmy Page, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell.

In the 1980's, David was lead guitarist in the band Exodus and toured throughout New York and Pennsylvania with the band Relentless. During this time, he also enhanced his songwriting skills through coursework at the Hochstein School... read more

Album Description
Contemporary acoustic folk music with lyrics ranging from thought provoking to whimsical and sentimental, embellished with multiple energetic guitars and strong vocal harmonies.

Silent Smile

Silent Smile, Music, David Ashman, Contemporary acoustic folk music with lyrics ranging from thought-provoking to whimsical and sentimental, embellished with multiple energetic guitars and strong vocal harmonies.

Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson
Average customer rating:

RIsky Project Gets it Right

Phil Keaggy Makes The Album...

I Love It, but...

Best Beach Boys Tribute

Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Silent Planet
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000069RO6
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Tracks:

Your Imagination - Tom Prasada-Rao & Amilia k Spicer
Good Vibrations - Phil Keaggy
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times - Sixpence None The Richer
I Know There's An Answer/Hang On To Your Ego - Aaron Sprinkle
Love and Mercy - Randy Stonehill
Help Me Rhonda - Kevin Max & Jimmy A
Heroes and Villains - Phil Madeira
Add Some Music To Your Day - Kate Campbell
'Til I Die - Doug Powell
In My Room - Jason Harrod
This Whole World - Dolour
Vegetables - Terry Taylor
Don't Worry Baby - Derrick Harris
Wouldn't It Be Nice - Jan Krist
Pet Sounds - Brooks Williams
Lay Down Burden - Jane Kelly Williams
Surf's Up - Rick Altizer

Customer Reviews:

RIsky Project Gets it Right.......2006-01-07

A project like Making God Smile wherein a wide variety of artists undertake covers of an outstanding artist's material is risky. There is plenty of room for people taking something we are used to hearing a certain way and butchering it in the name of noveau creativity. Happily, Making God Smile does just the opposite. What you have in this collection is a fresh take on a wonderful (and sometimes surprising) collection of Brian Wilson tunes -- both solo and Beach Boy era stuff. Some is fairly close to the original prototype, such as Phil Keaggy's take on "Good Vibrations" while others have taken tremendous liberities with the material (for example, a "Help Me, Rhonda" that swells with angst underneath a slightly techno sound). There is a straight-ahead country/folk reading of "Put Some Music in Your Day" and a fun version of "My Favorite Vegetables" by the former frontman for Daniel Amos. But the real stunner that (in my humble opinion) actually outdoes the original is Rick Altizer's take on "Surf's Up" that updates the sound of the classic version on SMiLE nicely while speeding up just a tad so as to make it even more compelling.

If you are a Brian / Beach Boys fan, you will want a copy of MGS for your collection. It gives respect to the original artist in the best kind of way and will cause you to hear familiar favorites and a few lesser-known gems in a whole new way.

Phil Keaggy Makes The Album..........2003-03-19

The album is pretty good, and I'm glad to see these talented artists get together to celebrate this man's music, which has been so influential, even to Paul McCartney. Phil Keaggy, the greatest guitarist on the planet, compliments Brian Wilson's song with his own brilliance, yet stays true to the song without deviating too much from it. Kevin Max is a fantastic singer, but needs to find a style that better suits his talents. I wished I sang like him, but his talents are being wasted in his attempts to stay with the popular culture's current trends of hip-hop and R&B. Sixpence deliver the second best performance on the CD. If You're a fan of these artists, I'd recommend it. If You're a fan of Brian Wilson, You may be rightfully hesitant to invest money in a CD that may frustrate You, as covers are not always true to or nearly as good as the originals that You Love so dear...

I Love It, but..........2002-09-07

Admission: I am a DIE HARD Brian Wilson fan, and I love the concept of this album. That said, I'm not particularly crazy about most of it. For me, the absolute highlight is "Your Imagination" (5 stars); it's very creative and brings a different/fresh light to a great tune. Although I'm not as crazy about it, "Help Me, Rhonda" also sheds new light on a great tune - I give him creativity points. Unfortunately, for me, the rest of the tunes are nicely done re-makes, with little to add. Granted, the original versions of these songs were so well produced, it's hard to find new things to say. If you like these artists and you would like to hear their voices singing Brian's tunes, you will love this. If you are expecting imaginative takes on his tunes, you will be largely disappointed. I personally think this would have made a better single-CD set. 'Don't mean to be sour (I'm not), 'just want you to know what you're getting.

Best Beach Boys Tribute.......2002-08-01

I am not a fan of tributes. Too often, the album is nothing more than an attempt to piggyback on an established artist's fame and sell a record company's own artists in the process. In addition, they so often fall flat as either mediocre attempts to duplicate the originals OR musically so out of kilter as to be disrespectful to the originals. This tribute avoids both extremes.

This is stunning record, often bettering Brian Wilson's originals. For example, the shiny power-pop rendition of "I Know There's An Answer" from Pet Sounds, melding the unused "Hang On To Your Ego" lyrics, is absolutely joyous. Aaron Sprinkle -- practically a one-man producer/band, nails the song, making it contemporary and yet still respectful to the original.

And this is how it goes throughout the 17 tracks included here. Phil Keaggy absolutely nails "Good Vibrations", and while it doesn't veer from the original formula, he meets the challenge of a daunting song well. Kate Campbell does a beautiful folk-country rendition of "Add Some Music To Your Day." And while there's not a single surfing song here, there's much from Pet Sounds and the late 60's/early 70's Beach Boys records, as well as covers of three songs from Brian Wilson's solo records, and frankly, these versions -- by folkie Tom Prasada-Rao ("Your Imagination"), Christian music's Randy Stonehill ("Love and Mercy"), and folk-pop singer-songwriter Jane Kelly Williams ("Lay Down Burden") -- are (dare I say it??) superior to Wilson's own renditions. And I must say that D.C. Talk's Kevin Max (in arguably the most creative interpretation) brings U2 to "Help Me Rhonda!" Can you imagine? No, you can't, but believe me, it works.

The producers even toss in a campy version of the silly "Vegetables" from the aborted "Smile" album for hard-core fans (though that's one I generally skip over). From power-pop to folk-pop there's a beautiful consistency to this record.

Tracks:

Dear Harp Of My Country (The Farewell To My Harp)
Erin! The Smile And The Tear In Thine Eyes
How Sweet The Answer Echo Makes
Silent, Oh Moyle! Be The Roar Of Thy Water (The Song Of Fionnuala)
Rich And Rare Were The Gems She Wore
The Twisting Of The Rope
Joice's Tune
The Summer Is Comming
Carolan's Concert
The Harp That Once, Thro' Tara's Halls
Nanny McDermotroe
The Valley Lay Smiling Before Me (The Song Of O'Ruark, Prince Of Breffni)
Abigail Judge
Avenging And Bright
The Minstrel-Boy
Lament For Owen O'Neill
'Tis Believed That This Harp (The Origin Of The Harp)
Come Rest In This Bosom
She Is Far From The Land
Come O'er The Sea
'Tis The Last Rose Of Summer
Girls, Have You Seen George?
The Pretty Girl Milking The Cows
John, Heir Of The Glen
Love In Secret
The Jointure
How Dear To Me The Hour
Fly Not Yet
At The Mid Hour Of Night
What The Bee Is To The Floweret
Fill The Bumper Fair!

Customer Reviews:

Good Straightforward Music.......2003-10-15

Music is performed in its original settings. Beautiful choral work; four singers, two of each gender. Lacks the histrionical egotism found in so many Irish ballad recordings. Very much worth it.

Dear Harp Of My Country: The Melodies Of Thomas Moore

Average customer rating:

Lovely music!

Dear Harp Of My Country: The Melodies Of Thomas Moore

Manufacturer: Essay
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000842
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

The Young May Moon
Oh! Tis Sweet To Think
Echo
Lesbia Hath A Beaming Eye
I've A Secret To Tell Thee
They Know Not My Heart
Has Sorry Thy Young Days Shaded?
Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms
How Dear To Me
'Tis The Last Rose Of Summer
O'Donoghues's Mistress
The Meeting Of The Waters
They May Rail At This Life
Come, Send Round The Wine
Farewell! But Wherever You Welcome The Hour
Whene'er I See Those Smiling Eyes
Oh! Arranmore, Loved Arranmore
At The Mid Hour Of Night
Oft In The Stilly Night

Tracks:

The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls
Silent, Oh Moyle
Remember The Glories Of Brien The Brave
Come, Rest In This Bosom
Oh! Breathe Not His Name
She Is Far From The Land
When He Who Adores Thee
Oh, Ye Dead!
I Wish I Was By That Dim Lake
Let Erin Remember
Avenging & Bright
The Minstrel Boy
As Vanquished Erin
The Irish Peasant To His Mistress
Oh, Banquet Not
Come O'er The Sea
Though The Last Glimpse Of Erin
Sweet Innisfallen
Dear Harp Of My Country
Erin! The Tear & The Smile In Thine Eyes

Customer Reviews:

Lovely music!.......2001-12-18

These CDs are for lovers of Irish music and of the "old-timey" sound of John McCormack. The songs themselves are lovely, and James Flannery sings them exactly as they need to be sung... in a simple and straightforward manner. The music is evocative of the sound and spirit of a long-ago time. The accompanying book gives interesting background information about Thomas Moore and also about the songs. Good listening for a rainy day or a snowy night with the fire blazing.

Average customer rating:

Romancing Rebellion

Manufacturer: Black Box Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Average customer rating:

Rossini: Opera For Orchestra

Manufacturer: Intersound Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000BMX
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

The Barber Of Seville: Ecco ridente in cielo
The Barber Of Seville: La ran la lera ... Largo al factotum
The Barber Of Seville: Una voce poco fa
Il Trovatore: Tacea la notta
Il Trovatore: Il balen del suo sorriso
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
Il Trovatore: Miserere
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chorus: Coro di Zingari e Canzone
TOSCA: Introduction
TOSCA: Dammi I colori... Recondita armonia
TOSCA: Love Duet: Mario, Mario, son qui
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
TOSCA: Finale: Presto su Mario
The Thieving Magpie: Overture

Average customer rating:

Silent Smile

Manufacturer: David Ashman
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000066JR7
Release Date: 2002-03-07

Tracks:

The Bijou Dream
'48 Willys
Silent Smile
Coconut on Main Street
Here I Am
This is Love
It's Easier to be Alone
In Shadowed Light
E.A.K.

Album Description

Contemporary acoustic folk music with lyrics ranging from thought provoking to whimsical and sentimental, embellished with multiple energetic guitars and strong vocal harmonies.

Richard Wilson: Persuasions; Lord Chesterfield to his Son; Fixations; Sonata for Viola & Piano

Average customer rating:

Richard Wilson: Persuasions; Lord Chesterfield to his Son; Fixations; Sonata for Viola & Piano

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000049MH
Release Date: 1994-10-21

Music Album:

Music Album

1. The Bijou Dream
2. '48 Willys
3. Silent Smile
4. Coconut on Main Street
5. Here I Am
6. This is Love
7. It's Easier to be Alone
8. In Shadowed Light
9. E.A.K.