The Unknown Soldier [Import]

Product Description:
Reissue of 1980 Harvest album from British folk artist. Featuring a duet with Kate Bush and an appearance by Dave Gilmour on two tracks. 1999.

Customer Reviews:

Very Enjoyable for all music fans.......2006-03-02

This is very good collection of music that brings to life a wide variety of music that is both old and contemporary. The selections vary from composers, historical and famous such as Pavarotti and Puccini to today's James Horner (Titanic, A Beauituful Mind) and John Williams (Star Wars, Sabrina, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan).

If you enjoy the sounds of Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Enya, Kate Bush, Andrea Bocelli, and various theatre music (Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita, Cats), then you will find this collection worthy of your appreciation.

I have often wondered why classical music radio channels do not play modern composers (i.e., Horner, Willams), and am glad that this album gives them credit that they deserve. There is so many good compositions being created every day that only appear to have a voice on the big screen, which is unfortunate.

Track 11, composed by The Doors, and is a nice version, indeed. I also enjoy the Bond players giving a new twist to some old favourites.

Ciao,
Neil

Absolutely Amazing! Two CDs packed with the world's most beautiful classical music..........2005-11-08

First, let me begin by saying that I am by no means an expert in classical music, but have grown to appreciate it immensely in the past year. I can say wholeheartedly that this is the most beautiful compilation of music I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. It's simple irresistible. There are few words to describe how emotional it is to hear Pavarotti sing "II Canto", or Placido Domingo belt out "Questa o quella". You just get numb with joy!! I have NO idea what they are saying but a translation not necessary. The entire collection (TWo jammed-packed CDs) is phenomenal (excluding the selections from "Bond" which I found to be particularly annoying and not at all "classical" in the true sense of the word). There is something here for everyone, regardless of your personal musical tastes or tolerances.

A guaranteed hit -- Don't miss this one.

CD One

Andrea Bocelli "En Aranjuez con tu amor"
Bryn Terfel - "Granada"
Bond - "Viva" ( not my favorite, sounds almost disco-ish)
Hayley Westenra - "Pokarekare Ana"
Luciano Pavarotti - "Una Mattina"
Katherine jenkins - "Time To Say Goodbye" (a heart stopper - so beautiful!)
Duel - "Canon" (lovely!)
Janine Jansen - "Allegro from 'Spring'"
Andreas Scholl - "Ombra mai fu"
Nigel Kennedy - "The Unknown Soldier"
Kiri Te Kanawa - "Nuns' Chorus"
Nelson Freire - "Chopin Etude No. 1 op. 25
Julian Lloyd Webber - "Flight of the Bumble-bee"
James Horner - "For the Love of a Princess
Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard "Now We Are Free"
Renee Fleming - "Mesicku na nebi hlubokem"
Russell Watson - "Amore e Musica"

CD TWO

Luciano Pavarotti - "II Canto" (I MUST see him sing this in person!!)
Placido Domingo - "Questa o quello" (I never tire of hearing this)
Andrea Bocelli & Bryn Terfel - "the Pearl Fisher's Duet"
Jose Carreras - "Funiculi, funicula
Dominc Miller & Kaori Muraji - "Fragile"
Tavener - "Song for Athene"
Josep Calleja - "La donna e mobile"
Jean-Yves Thibaudet - "Gymopedie No. 1"
Juan Diego Florez - "Una furtiva lagrima"
Kathleen Ferrier - "Blow the Wind Southerly"
Angela Gheorghiu - "Ave Maria"
Janine Jansen - "Schindler's List Main Theme"
Bond - "explosive"
Secret Garden - "You Raise Me Up"
Hayley Westenra - "Never Say Goodbye"
The Three Tenors - "Nessun Dorma"

Enjoy!

Cris Cunningham for Amazon.com

Average customer rating:

"Concerto" says everything
The Vietnam Concerto
Interesting music - haunting and beautiful
Sorry...
Beautiful, Smart

Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kashmir: The Symphonic Led Zeppelin
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ASIN: B00004YMTH
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Riders On The Storm
The Unknown Soldier
Spanish Caravan
Love Street
Hello, I Love You
Light My Fire
People Are Strange
Strange Days
The End

Amazon.com

Love him or hate him, Nigel Kennedy can play a mean fiddle. And on Riders on the Storm: The Doors Concerto, the violinist, arranger Jaz Coleman, and the Prague Symphony Orchestra pay energetic tribute to--who else?--the Doors. These instrumental string arrangements try their damnedest to avoid becoming elevator-music covers, but they only vaguely resemble the Doors' originals. The violinist loves a jam, and these arrangements thankfully give him plenty of room to solo. The longer tracks--"Light My Fire" and "The End"--work best, with Kennedy offering inspired playing and plenty of drama. Doors fans may be interested in hearing fresh takes on their favorite tunes ("Riders on the Storm," "Light My Fire," "The Unknown Soldier," and more), but those accustomed to Kennedy's more classical endeavors may be disappointed. Oddly enough, the living members of the Doors have nothing but great things to say about this disc. Strange days, indeed. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

"Concerto" says everything.......2006-12-19

This is a very well executed adaptation of Doors music into classic. I also own the fantastic George Winston's "Night Divides the Day", and I could say both CDs, even though different in it's category, perform a fantastic tribute to The Doors. But this is not a CD for "The Doors" fans, as it is more directed to Classical lovers. You will find very interesting versions of: Spanish Caravan & The Crystal Ship

The Vietnam Concerto.......2006-11-05

I really love this album. To me, it evokes all the tragedy and sadness of the Vietnam war. Every time I listen to it, I feel very moved. Kennedy is an inspired violinist, and his instrument fairly weeps at times. So, if you are a baby-boomer like me, you may really respond to music that captures the times in which the Doors wrote and sang.

Interesting music - haunting and beautiful.......2006-01-07

As a music guy, I can listen to classical and then go to rap and appreciate both.

As I really like the Doors, I saw this CD and recognizing what Jaz Coleman did with Led Zeppelin, I bought this CD.

It is not much like the LeZeppelin effort. However, both are equally beautiful. The LZ disc sounded like a movie soundtrack. Here the music sounds like a sad concerto.

Truly, I was struck by the sadness in the music. It is powerful though, and the arrangements strike the right chord (terrible pun - sorry) between being exactly similar to the Doors music, and a fresh interpretation.

Should you buy this disc? Well, if you enjoy classical music and you are not a snob - then yes. This disc may get you to enjoy some contemporary music in a vital interpretation. If you are a Doors fan, I would think you would enjoy hearing your favorite songs being played in a new way.

Overall, I believe this is an interesting disc to own. Well worth it. It is and does stand within my classical collection. It ain't Horowitz, but it sure is sweet!!

Sorry..........2005-09-08

Sorry this review is short, but this album was terrible. The members have talent, but the songs bare no resemblance to Doors songs what-so-ever. I have found this at every library in the city of Kootenai County in Idaho, so you should try your local library. Really bad CD. For more details, e-mail me at moviefreak144@hotmail.com

Beautiful, Smart.......2005-08-22

If any rock group deserved to be recorded in classical arrangements it would be The Doors. This could have been thrown together haphazardly to make a quick buck like some classical rock recordings but thankfully it hasn't. A lot of work was put into this. The Doors were much more musical and clever than many rocks bands. Jim Morrison was an extremely dynamic and sensitive vocalist and Nigel Kennedy pays complete homage to him. There is nothing but utter respect for The Doors music here. They chose some of the best musical Doors songs but I wish they would have included The Crystal Ship with maybe a soft piano solo. I think "Crystal Ship" was Ray Manzarek's most creative work. These are very, very deep orchestrations and the feelings of the original songs are preserved throughout (although I had trouble with "Unknown Soldier" and "People are Strange"). You will hear new things every time you listen to it. The diversions in each piece are true to the original songs. Jim Morrison's melodies are eerily mimicked on many instruments and you can hear Jim's beauty and wonderful phrasing. "Spanish Caravan" features a very competent classical guitarist and the melody played by an extremely sensitive violinist. My favorite song on this recording "Love Street" (allegedly written for the street which Jim and Pamela Courson lived in Lauryl Canyon) is double the length of the original song, a very, very emotional, very beautiful and haunting composition. If one song could summarize Jim and Pam's relationship and their sad and tragic lives it would be this song. During "Love Street" one can envision Jim and Pam in an eternal embrace. The spirit of "Light my Fire" comes shining through, if not maybe a little too bouncy and campy and not soft enough. The violas play the left-hand organ accompanyment and there is plenty of counterpoint. I didn't quite understand "People are Strange". It is turned into a romantic and galloping song whereas the original song was quite odd and spacey with shifting vocal effects. I had the most trouble with "Unkown Soldier", it's highly romanticized and I didn't recognize it. Likewise, "Strange Days" is drawn out and romanticized with harps, etc. The End is extremely well done, the eastern modality gives you the sense of a caravan on an endless trek through the Sahara desert. The recording mix is perfect: the lead violinist or any of the other soloists are not sharp or favored in the least. I only wish this was a double CD and included other emotional songs like Queen of the Highway, Hyacinth House, Wild Child, Love Her Madly, LA Woman, Blue Sunday, Wishful Sinful, Unhappy Girl, The Soft Parade and definitely Moonlight Drive and The Crystal Ship. Ray Manzarek (and Robby/John) should be very proud of what Nigel Kennedy has done. I think Jim would be proud, too. You do not have to be a classical music lover to enjoy this recording, you will understand most of these songs. This is an absolutely wonderful CD to sit down and relax to. Thank you very much Nigel and Ray, please record more Doors!

Average customer rating:

Quantity Over Quality
Mediocre
One Hundred Greatest TV Themes
Pretty close to original recordings
Really Good Collection

One Hundred Greatest TV Themes

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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All-Time Top 100 TV Themes
TV Land Presents: Favorite TV Theme Songs
TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes
NBC: A Soundtrack of Must See TV
Six Million Dollar TV Themes

ASIN: B00005Y49F
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

The A-Team - Nic Raine
The Addams Family - Nic Raine
The Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe - Nic Raine
Airwolf - Derek Wadsworth
The Avengers - Mike Townend
Barnaby Jones - Jerry Goldsmith
Batman - Nic Raine
Battlestar Galactica - Nic Raine
Baywatch - Derek Wadsworth
Beverly Hills 90210 - Derek Wadsworth
Bewitched - Nic Raine
Between The Lines - Mark Ayres
The Bill - Nic Raine
Bonanza - The Philharmonia Orchestra
Brideshead Revisited - Derek Wadsworth
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century - Nic Raine
Burke's Law - Derek Wadsworth
Cagney And Lacey - Derek Wadsworth
Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons - Mark Ayres
Casualty - Mark Ayres
Cheers - Mark Ayres
Dallas - Nic Raine
Dangerman (Secret Agent) - Mike Townend
Doctor Who - Mark Ayres
Doctor Kildare - Jerry Goldsmith

Tracks:

Doogie Howser, M.D. - Derek Wadsworth
Dynasty - Nic Raine
The Equalizer - Derek Wadsworth
Falcon Crest - Derek Wadsworth
Fireball XL-5 - Derek Wadsworth
The Fugitive - Nic Raine
Hawaii 5-0 - Mike Townend
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Nic Raine
The High Chaparral - Nic Raine
Highway To Heaven - Derek Wadsworth
Hill Street Blues - Derek Wadsworth
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - Mark Ayres
The Incredible Hulk - Derek Wadsworth
Jason King - Mike Townend
Jesus Of Nazareth - Paul Bateman
Joe 90 - Derek Wadsworth
Johnny Staccato - Derek Wadsworth
Knight Rider - Derek Wadsworth
Kojak - Mike Townend
L.A. Law - Derek Wadsworth
Land Of The Giants - Nic Raine
Little House On The Prairie - Derek Wadsworth
Lonesome Dove - Nic Raine
Lost In Space - Nic Raine
Lou Grant - Derek Wadsworth

Tracks:

Magnum, P.I. - Derek Wadsworth
A Man Called Ironside - Mike Townend
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - Derek Wadsworth
M*A*S*H - Nic Raine
Miami Vice - Mark Ayres
Mike Hammer - Derek Wadsworth
Mission Impossible - Mike Townend
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Nic Raine
The Munsters - Derek Wadsworth
Murder She Wrote - Derek Wadsworth
Newhart - Derek Wadsworth
North And South - Derek Wadsworth
Northern Exposure - Derek Wadsworth
NYPD Blue - Mark Ayres
The Outer Limits - Nic Raine
Perry Mason - Mike Townend
The Persuaders - Mark Ayres
Peter Gunn - Mike Townend
Police Squad - Nic Raine
The Prisoner - Mike Townend
Quantum Leap - Derek Wadsworth
Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) - Mike Townend
Red Dwarf - Mark Lambert
The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Roseanne - Dan Foliart

Tracks:

The Saint - Mike Townend
Seaquest DSV - Nic Raine
Space 1999 - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek - Mike Townend
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek: Voyager - Nic Raine
St. Elsewhere - Derek Wadsworth
The Streets Of San Francisco - Nic Raine
Stingray - Barry Gray
Taxi - Derek Wadsworth
Thunderbirds - Derek Wadsworth
Thirty Something - Derek Wadsworth
The Time Tunnel - Nic Raine
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - The Philharmonia Orchestra
The Twighlight Zone - Nic Raine
Twin Peaks - Derek Wadsworth
U.F.O. - Derek Wadsworth
The Virginian - Nic Raine
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea - Nic Raine
Wagon Train - Paul Bateman
The Waltons - Jerry Goldsmith
The Wild Wild West - Derek Wadsworth
Young Riders - John Debney
Xena: The Warrior Princess - Paul Bateman
The X-Files - Mark Ayres

Customer Reviews:

Quantity Over Quality.......2007-01-15

As a musician myself, I know too well that one of the most important ingredients in ANY performance (live or recorded) is passion. The recordings here generally lack the same passion and sheer drama of the originals. Much of the instrumentation has been reduced to a cheezy, thin, plastic synthesized replica. The performances are simply a watered-down lackluster version of the classic originals. If it were not for the sheer volume of tracks compiled here, I would have rated the comp only "one star".

Mediocre.......2006-05-17

The sound quality for this collection isn't much better than the samples offered by Amazon.

One Hundred Greatest TV Themes.......2005-08-06

I have watched almost all the shows that are on these 4 cd's. Many were made before I started watching TV. Most I've seen once or twice before.

Pretty close to original recordings.......2005-07-24

Definitely not as good as the originals. You'll probably notice the slight differences since it's stuff you saw and listened to every week or everyday in reruns growing up, but it's still an amazing collection.

Really Good Collection.......2004-07-11

I bought this in part because it had soundtracks to tv shows that are unavailable. My husband and I watch aome British programming. Many of the theme songs are for what seems like obscure British shows. That said; it has been enjoyable to hear music that I would normally never hear. Some music does sound tinny; some are very very rich, and some music is derived from actual preformances from the original artists. I think this is worth buying because is has a wonderful blend of music. The pieces are full soundtracks so they includes the parts of the theme song which are often edited out. I think the orchestra's who preformed the music did a great job. I have MonsterMania which redoes the soundtracks to the Godzilla movies. The interpretation is less heavy and stark than the preformance we associate with the original soundtrack; but I regard it as a new way to appreciate the music and all the componets which make the song unique.

Average customer rating:

No lyrics enclosed
Superb
Stratas is good. Others are better.
STRATAS WALKS THE RAZORýS EDGEý
Leave Weill enough alone ...

Teresa Stratas - The Unknown Kurt Weill

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005IX0
Release Date: 1991-06-25

Tracks:

Nanna's Lied
Complainte de la seine
Klops-Lied
Berlin im licht-Song
Und was bekam des soldaten weib?
Die muschel von margate: Petroleum Song
Wie lange noch?
Roger Fernay: Youkali: Tango Habanera
Der abschiedsbrief
Es regnet
Oscar Hammerstein II: Buddy On The Nightshift
Schickelgruber
Je ne t'aime pas
Das lied von den braunen inseln

Customer Reviews:

No lyrics enclosed.......2007-07-09

It is a disgrace that there are no lyrics enclosed. This is NOT a budget cd.

Superb.......2007-06-27

This is one of the best recordings of Kurt Weill ever and one of the best recordings of the magnificent Teresa Stratas.

Stratas is good. Others are better........2005-10-08

'The Unknown Kurt Weill' sung by Maria Stratas is a fine recording. The problem is that there are many fine recordings of Kurt Weill songs done by Lotte Lenya and several other Weill specialists, lead by Ute Lemper and Gisela May.

So, this album may be valuable if indeed it included a lot of numbers which do not appear on other recordings, but that is not the case either. On my collection of about ten (10) disks, not including recordings from specific shows, I have other recordings of at least half of these songs.

I really think Weill's legacy is better served by recordings who do his complete works rather than 'interesting' selections of his songs.

This is a good, enjoyable recording. I listen to it at least once a year, but it is not as good as other Weill records.

STRATAS WALKS THE RAZORýS EDGEý.......2003-07-11

I don't review many classical recordings - but this one, from 1981, has always been one of my favorite Weill collections, and after reading the rather negative comments from one reviewer, I felt I had to add my two cents' worth to the fray. Everyone is of course entitled to his or her own opinion - and music in SUCH a subjective topic that this should go without saying.

I've been a bug admirer of Weill's work - particularly his collaborations with Brecht - for years. His songs tread the thin, tricky line between classical and cabaret more daringly that most. Brecht's collaborations with Hanns Eisler, for example, are closer to the theatrical than are Weill's. In my humble opinion, Stratas walks this `razor's edge' very nimbly on this recording - her voice is obviously a finely trained instrument, but she is also able of conveying a lot of feeling and emotion with these lyrics. Her choice - or perhaps the producer's - of accompanying here with only a piano is a good one. Woitach does a fine job - and the recording itself is crystal-clear.

My only real complaint with the cd version of this album is the size of the type in the liner notes - Nonesuch could have easily `sprung' for a lengthier booklet, to allow us `old fogies' the opportunity to read it without a magnifier, and also to include the lyrics and translations. I can't recall for certain if the lp version offered the lyrics, but I believe it did. At any rate, these complaints are indeed small ones - this is a timeless, beautiful recording, and one that any fan of Weill's work should at least hear.

Leave Weill enough alone ..........2000-07-08

I don't know just what Lotte Lenya said on her deathbed, but I personally feel that other singers carry the torch for Kurt Weill as well or better than Teresa Stratas. Of all my Weill albums, this one gives me the least pleasure. The German is bad, the interpretations are shrill and forced. Some of the tracks are almost unlistenable. Was Teresa Stratas simply the first world class singer to rediscover this body of work? Was Lenya giving her a sympathy vote? I love Stratas' singing elsewhere, in the Boulez recording of Lulu (for example), but she is no good here.

For a newcomer to Weill, I highly recommend Anna Sophie Von Otter (excellent in every way) or even Ute Lemper's entertaining album. For that matter, go back and pick up Lotte Lenya's remastered Threepenny Opera -- it doesn't get much better than that. This Weill album, however, is tellingly named: it deserves to be unknown.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Television Scores of Geoffrey Burgon
Average customer rating:

Would be better with a different title

BBC Narnia music=magical

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Television Scores of Geoffrey Burgon

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Film Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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King Kong

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

ASIN: B000BBGBJ2
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

The Chronicles Of Narnia: Aslan's Theme
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Great Battle
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Mr. Tumnus' Tune
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Storm At Sea
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Aslan Sacrificed
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Journey To Harfang
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Farewell To Narnia
Testament Of Youth: Testament Of Youth
Testament Of Youth: Intimations Of War
Testament Of Youth: Elegy
Testament Of Youth: Finale
Bleak House: Bleak House
Bleak House: The Streets Of London
Bleak House: Dedlock Vs. Boythorn
Bleak House: Lady Dedlock's Quest
Bleak House: Finale
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Opening Music
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Nune Dimittis (Closing Music)
Brideshead Revisited: Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited: Julia
Brideshead Revisited: Julia's Theme
Brideshead Revisited: The Hunt
Brideshead Revisited: Fading Light
Brideshead Revisited: Farewell To Brideshead

Customer Reviews:

Would be better with a different title.......2006-08-27

I didn't look close enough at the track list before buying this. I was very excited to see a soundtrack of the BBC versions of The Chronicles of Narnia, since I love the music in them (not to mention the movies in general). Unfortunately, the Narnia music is only the first 7 tracks.

The whole CD has great music, and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been expecting the whole thing to be Narnia. A lot of the other music on it reminds me of Sherlock Holmes music. It is a great CD, and I definitely recommend it...but don't expect a full CD of Narnia music.

BBC Narnia music=magical.......2006-04-10

I never get tired of hearing this narnia music over and over again. Mr. Burgon really captures the heart and soul of Narnia through his music. In opinion, it easily surpasses the new film music at times (both Tumnus themes are very good).

I did not care for all the choral (enya-like) music from the new film, and this music has none of that.

Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier

Average customer rating:

Unknown Soldier: My Favorite Fela Song
Excellent intro to Afrobeat
Striking Music
living music
Fela at his best

Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier
Fela Kuti
Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Africa | International | Styles | Music

Nigeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000JOEW
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

Coffin For Head Of State
Unknown Soldier (Part 1&2)

Amazon.com

Fela Kuti made some frantic albums in his career--ones that popped with his enthusiastic political disobedience and ones that roared with fury at the Nigerian system and Africa's disadvantaged position in the late-20th century. But Coffin for Head of State is a different tiger. It's a downturned, sad, melancholic 22-minute work that signaled how Fela would make his previously general criticisms of Nigerian politics very specific. He recorded the album in 1981, several years after the Nigerian military's destruction of his self-declared Kalakuta Republic (a residential compound, in truth) and the ensuing, relentlessly violent assault on its residents, including his mother, who later died as a result of her injuries. Coffin finds Fela castigating Muslim and Christian leaders for idling while the government raped and pillaged, and it boasts a visionary quality in the antiphonal "Amens" that gets bounced through the band. Filling out this double-length CD is Unknown Soldier, a pointed musical assault on the government's position that "unknown soldiers" had perpetrated the Kalakuta attack, when Fela well knew that the 1,000-man rampage was officially sanctioned. The 30-minute track that comprises Unknown is still Fela in a keyed-down mode, railing against the attackers with his customary electric keyboard, a battery of percussionists, all of it stewing for 15 minutes before he bellows in with bright backing vocal chants. After Coffin's melancholy, this is uplifting enough to make you share in his indignation. These sessions mark an unparalleled peak for the musical display of fury and political criticism. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Unknown Soldier: My Favorite Fela Song.......2006-02-04

Keep in mind, I am a hard-core Fela fan. I love this CD, especially Unknown Soldier. I am not sure though if this is a good CD for the uninitiated. Perhaps, the "Best Of" or something like that. I think songs like Gentleman or Lady are better if you've never heard Fela before. Remember to start slow and work your way up.

Unknown Soldier is a song that goes beyond anything you can imagine. It is 31 minutes long, and super-dope. I don't know what to say, it's like describing the Grand Canyon to someone who's never seen a picture of it. They walk away with a vague understanding, but no idea of its true powers.

Just curious if anyone else does this....I never turn a Fela song off once it has started. It has to play itself out. I can leave the house but the stereo has to stay on. Anybody else do that?

Excellent intro to Afrobeat.......2003-06-02

This was my first Afrobeat purchase and I bought it based on the reviews of others. I was not disappointed - it's soulful and moving, upbeat and serious dance music all at the same time. It makes you appreciate the music even further to have to visualize the heartache that must have been poured into the songs during the writing and production. This was my first, but hopefully not my last Fela album.

Striking Music.......2001-10-19

Fela Kuti was more than just a musician, he was a spokesman for the people of his native Nigeria. He brought their concerns to light and gave them a voice on the world stage. "Coffin For The Head Of State" and "Unknown Soldier" are stirring pieces of Afrobeat jazz with intricate arrangements and experimental sounds. But they also provide a scathing commentary on the Nigerian leaders of state. These two songs are compelling on a musical and thought provoking level.

living music.......2000-12-30

this cd is nothing short of living music he was our equivalent of bob marley!! fela sang, wailed and cry for his people muscally, the man was untouchable he was classless for lack of a better word i was fortunate(yes, fortunate) to see the man perform live four times one word come to mind unequalled!! 'coffin' and 'unknown soldier' remain one of my all time fav fela songs the legend lives on i have mixed a tape titled 'pure fela' to his tribute long live the king,creator of afrobeat

Fela at his best.......2000-12-30

Fela Kuti was an outspoken critic of the various Nigerian governments under which he lived. The title cut here comes from when his mother was (allegedly) killed by the government, and Fela carried her coffin to Dodon Barracks where the head of state then resided. Fela is a great example of the irrepressible human spirit. Oh, and this album is a great example of the loose-yet-funky Afrobeat for which he is famous.

Average customer rating:

incredible

Coffin for Head of State/Unknown Soldier
Fela Kuti
Manufacturer: Wrasse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Africa | International | Styles | Music

Nigeria | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000FFJ8GC
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Tracks:

Coffin for Head of State, Pts. 1 - 2
Unknown Soldier, Pts. 1 - 2

Customer Reviews:

incredible.......2007-07-17

powerful tracks from an awesome figure. i remember a quote that said something like "the job of the artist is to make revolution irresistible." kuti is the greatest embodiment of this i've come across.

Average customer rating:

Unknown Soldier/Beyond Abilities
Warmen
Manufacturer: Spinefarm
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000PE0GSW
Release Date: 2007-05-14

Average customer rating:

Solid, but not one of his many classics
Might be 4 or 5 stars for anyone else . . .
Some of Roy's best reviews, not Roy's best

The Unknown Soldier
Roy Harper
Manufacturer: Science Friction
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

British Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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Folk | Imports | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00004R63J
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Tracks:

Playing Games
I'm In Love With You
The Fly Catcher
You (The Game Part II)
Old Faces
Short And Sweet
First Thing In The Morning
The Unknown Soldier
Ten Years Ago
True Story

Album Description

Reissue of 1980 Harvest album from British folk artist. Featuring a duet with Kate Bush and an appearance by Dave Gilmour on two tracks. 1999.

Album Details

Reissue of the Album that Contained a Duet with Kate Bush and Dave Gilmour on Two Tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Solid, but not one of his many classics.......2007-05-31

The Unknown Soldier was Roy's last album for EMI, for better or worse (according to Roy, it was for worse at the time, but the years have proven that his artistic integrity survived the 80's and his split from major labels intact), and it marks the end of a period in which Roy had access to the label's money, the newest technology, studio luxuries, and production elements like string sections. As a result, the album is chock full of these things, but overall isn't as classic as Roy's earlier Harvest records due to the mixed quality of some of the songs. The Unknown Soldier is by no means a good place to start for someone interested in Roy Harper's often dazzling songwriting and musicianship, but if you're already a fan, I think you'll find the album worthwhile for the highlights.

"Playing Games," as one other review noted, is a good example of everything that is sub-standard about parts of the album. Production is unnecessary and over the top, with a lot of synthesizers and instruments that don't add to the force of the song, and lyrics that lack Roy's usual depth and meaning. "I'm In Love With You" is a bit better, but more facile than Harper's usual complex love songs, and part of the melody seems lifted from Bullinamingvase's (his previous album's) "These Last Days." "The Fly Catcher" is one of the album's classics, a smoldering love song that actually lives up to Harper's reputation, though it may have been stronger with a simpler arrangement. "You (The Game Part II)" is strong, with help from David Gilmour and Kate Bush (though I'm not really a fan of Roy's collaborations with female vocalists, it's a strong song).

The second half of the album is a bit stronger, in my opinion, since the songs that are overproduced are more experimental, which is actually enhanced by the production. "Old Faces" combines a pastoral lyric with an alien-sounding melody (and effects). "Short and Sweet" is better here than on David Gilmour's solo album, maybe because Roy wrote the lyrics, and maybe also because the arrangement is crisper here, and the orchestra (though unnecessary) is pretty cool. "First Thing In the Morning," despite its synthesizer-soaked introduction, is actually a pretty rocking dip into 80's pop-rock with an excellent lyric that foreshadows Roy's future opus, "Work of Heart." The title track is priceless, and worth all of the album's mediocre moments--acoustic, finally, with a heartfelt, burning lyric. "Ten Years Ago" is a good song, again marred by production, and the closer is a bizarre collaboration with David Gilmour (he was obviously really into the delay guitar pedal at this time--sounds just like most of the riffs from Pink Floyd's The Wall). Although it's not a strong song, "True Story" is actually buoyed by the lush production and Gilmour's hard guitar sound.

Overall, The Unknown Soldier is a strange beast--at times the production mars self-sufficient songs, and at other times the sonic experimentation sounds better than the songs that support it. The Unknown Soldier can be a very enjoyable listen, once you get into it and accept that it's not an all-out Roy Harper classic, like so many of his earlier records. Realistically, the album marks the beginning of a period in Harper's career that had its shining moments, but lacked any obvious classic albums, which would last until the marvelous Once, which brought in a late period of astounding quality that has lasted (more or less) to the present.

Might be 4 or 5 stars for anyone else . . ........2001-09-26

... but I expect more from Roy. This album has moments that absolutely soar, especially "You (The Game Part II)," which is so hauntingly beautiful (with a superlative assist from Kate Bush) that it makes up for the low points. Unfortunately, for me the first track "Playing Games" is the bottom of the barrel, and too many others, such as "Ten Years Ago," follow in the same vein. Better to get this one AFTER you become a Harper convert, that is, after getting Stormcock, Valentine, Flashes From The Archives of Oblivion, Bullinamingvase, and his latest two, The Dream Society and Green Man.

Some of Roy's best reviews, not Roy's best.......2000-10-03

In 1993, when I was only 11, I found o copy of 'Folkjokeopus' in a box of records from a yard sale. I have been a fan of Roy Harper ever since.

While not devoid of standout tunes like 'The Unknown Soldier', 'The Fly Catcher', 'Short and Sweet (co-written with Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour- the song turned up prior to this on Gilmour's first eponymous solo album in 1978)', 'Old Faces' & 'Ten Years Ago', parts of this album have become dated by the use of 80's synths. Yes, it got Roy some of his best reviews (not to mention much-deserved record sales), yet it can't compare with the superlative 'HQ', 'Lifemask' and 'Stormcock'.

Tracks:

The American Scene: Grand Teton
The American Scene: Tomb Of the Unknown
The American Scene: Soldier
The American Scene: Song Of the Rivermen
From The Hearts Of Women: Little Mother
From The Hearts Of Women: Mid Tide
From The Hearts Of Women: Coquette
From The Hearts Of Women: Bereft
The American Scene: The Plaza
The American Scene: Sundown Land
The American Scene: Navaho Country
Citadel
Phantom Chapel
Golden Days
Serenade
The American Scene: On The Village Green
The American Scene: Berkshire Night
The American Scene: Manhattan Skyline

Music Album:

Music Album