Ram

Amazon.com essential recording
Technically, it was Paul and Linda McCartney, since this album was very much a collaboration between them. Some of the material was of the standard we expected ("Monkberry Moon Delight," "The Backseat of My Car," "Uncle Albert/AdmiralHalsey"), but somehow it all seemed entirely too whimsical, as if they'd spent a bit too long isolated on the farm. It was the expectations that were the problem, of course. Paul was simply making a lighthearted album, and we wanted earth-shaking pronouncements. Take Ram on its own terms (i.e., fun), and it's throughly enjoyable. --Chris Nickson

Product Description
Reissue of the 1971 album. Paul McCartney's 2nd solo album, which was credited as a collaboration with his wife, Linda, is a more substantial and produced effort, yet it has much of the same homemade charm as its predecessor. Divided between simple pop/rockers and cleverly constructed mini-suites like 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' and 'Back Seat of My Car', Ram doesn't gel into any major statement, but it has many pleasurable detours. McCartney layers the ramshackle rhythm tracks with odd sound effects and off-kilter arrangements. While the production might not always work, it does make for pleasant ear candy, not only on lovely songs like 'Heart of the Country' but also on throwaway numbers like the hard-rocking 'Smile Away' and 'Monkberry Moon Delight'. Packaged in a paper sleeve. EMI. 2005.

Ram,Paul & Linda McCartney,Capitol,Album Rock,England,Pop/Rock,Popular Music,Rock,Soft Rock

Average customer rating: An all-time favorite A classic brilliant, eccentric, charming, extremely melodic, silly, experimental and one of my favourite McCartney albums. Maybe Paul's Best Album, Ever One Of His Best

Ram Paul & Linda McCartney Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: McCartney Band on the Run Venus and Mars Red Rose Speedway All Things Must Pass [DIGI-PAK EDITION] ASIN: B000002UC7 Release Date: 1999-09-03

Tracks:

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car

Amazon.com essential recording

Technically, it was Paul and Linda McCartney, since this album was very much a collaboration between them. Some of the material was of the standard we expected ("Monkberry Moon Delight," "The Backseat of My Car," "Uncle Albert/AdmiralHalsey"), but somehow it all seemed entirely too whimsical, as if they'd spent a bit too long isolated on the farm. It was the expectations that were the problem, of course. Paul was simply making a lighthearted album, and we wanted earth-shaking pronouncements. Take Ram on its own terms (i.e., fun), and it's throughly enjoyable. --Chris Nickson

Album Description

Reissue of the 1971 album. Paul McCartney's 2nd solo album, which was credited as a collaboration with his wife, Linda, is a more substantial and produced effort, yet it has much of the same homemade charm as its predecessor. Divided between simple pop/rockers and cleverly constructed mini-suites like 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' and 'Back Seat of My Car', Ram doesn't gel into any major statement, but it has many pleasurable detours. McCartney layers the ramshackle rhythm tracks with odd sound effects and off-kilter arrangements. While the production might not always work, it does make for pleasant ear candy, not only on lovely songs like 'Heart of the Country' but also on throwaway numbers like the hard-rocking 'Smile Away' and 'Monkberry Moon Delight'. Packaged in a paper sleeve. EMI. 2005.

Album Details

Limited Edition Lp Style Sleeve

Customer Reviews:

An all-time favorite.......2007-07-13

This has always been one of my all-time favorite albums. It was so great to buy it on CD after not hearing it for almost 30 years. It still sounds great. Paul McCartney is at the top of his game. Like all Paul (or Beatles) albums, it's got such incredible diversity and depth. Great stuff!

A classic.......2007-06-04

Yes, this album is a classic, maybe the best pure "McCartney" album. It is filled with melodicism, great arrangements, hooks galore and, with no apologies, great nonsense lyrics. The Beatles had lost their sense of fun; to Paul's credit, he knew it, tried to restore it, realized it couldn't be done with the Beatles anymore, and set out to achieve it on his own (with his wife Linda).

He does achieve it, in spades. Evidently, that's not what critics were looking for in the summer of '71, and they all took their best shots at the album. Too bad, because it was their loss. The LP was full of extremely inventive fun, and that was what I needed in the summer of '71, and still need today. If you are new to Paul McCartney, this is the best place to start, and if you are an old fan, do yourself a favor and put this on again. I love albums where I can simultaneously reminisce and appreciate the present moment, because the music is so good.

Taken on its own terms, there is not a bad song, because every moment on the album is full of Paul's whimsy. I'll take Paul's whimsy any day before George's self-concious spirituality or John's self-concious indignation. Frankly, this makes me feel better, and that's what music is supposed to do, when all is said and done. That's what makes Ringo such a good album; nobody mistook that album for the next big artistic statement, and it holds up nearly as well as Ram. In the end, though, it's McCartney's overall musicianship, songwriting, playing and production that makes Ram not only autobiographical (this is Paul, fully revealed, at that point in his life), but also a musical masterpiece. Make no mistake, it is no less than that.

brilliant, eccentric, charming, extremely melodic, silly, experimental and one of my favourite McCartney albums........2007-05-05

brilliant, eccentric, charming, extremely melodic, silly, experimental and one of my favourite McCartney albums.


1. Too Many People - Killer opener. It rocks and I love the frantic guitar that closes out the song. It sounds a bit like a Plastic Ono Band send up both lyrically - controversial in those days - and vocally alot like something John would have done. The thing that sets the song apart from that band the superior melody work, unmistakingly McCartney.


2. 3 Legs - Macca being isolated at the farm for too long. A rather silly story song about a dog having 3 legs. Fantastic acoustic guitar and backing instrumentation though.


3. Ram On - A charming interlude with Paul crooning accompanied by a lovely ukelele and some thundering percussion coming in later.


4. Dear Boy - Beautifully rich harmony singing from Paul, amongst his best ever and a strong melody which veils some very ambigious lyrics, almost a mumble. Linda sounds good here too.

5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey - Paul's first #1 US Single as a solo artist is one of his best creations in the studio. Macca is up to all of his tricks here, complete with his wacky vocal impersonations and some nice sound effects. Great changes in tempo, a worthy #1 single.

6. Smile Away - A charming rocker, still a great song. Hilarious lyrics and background harmonies that add to the songs novelty appeal.

7. Heart Of The Country - One of the best acoustic ditties Macca came up with, extremely melodic and very autobiographical of his at the time recent change in lifestyle.

8. Monkberry Moon Delight - So bizzare and off the wall it's scary. Sounds like he is gargling mouthwash. Some tripped out lyrics, Paul having alot of fun. Linda's vocal work is a little irritating but it fit the intent of the song, so it seemed.

9. Eat At Home - Has a Buddy Holly feel to it, but with Macca's pop polish and fantastic song construction. Some of the best drumming on a Macca solo song, it really is a great effort on the drums. Husband and wife on harmony vocals turn in a winning effort.

10. Long Haired Lady - Long experimental. Interesting song and great melody. Linda's vocals, you don't wan't to crucify her but thats what she did on this song with a whining vocal but ended up harmonising nicely with Paul on the 'love is long part'.

11. Ram On - A reprise

12. The Back Seat Of My Car - An epic power ballad which will have the hair on your neck standing up at its pulsating and dramatic climax.

Maybe Paul's Best Album, Ever.......2007-04-24

This joyful album has it all. Admiral Halsey is almost like a children tune, Long Haired Lady is pure romance and Ram On is Paul in an acoustic setting produced yet like he's in outer space. It is worthwhile listening to the opener, Too Many People, and study the "FCK the Beatles" picture on the sleeve. Paul was not only having fun but was also being extremely funny.

Unlike some of his other material, this album has aged remarkably well and sounds today fresh as ever. Recorded at his farm in Scotland, one can sense the organic nature of it. He went on making some really good music (also some really bad one too) but he never came close to captivating the originality, which is special since its structure is mostly simple, of what he did on Ram.

This is definitely among his best work, if not his best album ever.

One Of His Best.......2007-03-08

Any album, be it Stones, Zep, Creedance, (just examples) were all aware to get someone's attention in 1972, you had to open the album with a STOMPER - and "Too Many People" stands up against ANYTHING Big Mac's done with the Beatles, Wings, or whoever-they-are-now-but-they-sure-are-good.

Average customer rating: One shot wonder Definitely not an original band 4.5 stars for awesome riffs, average singing Black Betty Ready Both of their LPs on 1 CD!!

The Very Best of Ram Jam Ram Jam Manufacturer: Sbme Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Black Betty Tonight Alright Golden Classics Time Warp: The Very Best of Ozark Mountain Daredevils Rattlesnake Rock 'n' Roll: The Best of Blackfoot ASIN: B000007374 Release Date: 1995-04-21

Tracks:

1. Black Betty
2. Let It All Out
3. Keep Your Hands on the Wheel
4. Right on the Money
5. All for the Love of Rock 'N' Roll
6. 404
7. High Steppin'
8. Overloaded
9. Hey Boogie Woman
10. Too Bad on Your Birthday
11. Kid Next Door
12. Turnpike
13. Wanna Find Love
14. Just Like Me
15. Hurricane Ride
16. Saturday Night
17. Runway Runaway
18. Please, Please, Please (Please Me)
19. Gone Wild
20. Pretty Poison

Album Description

1990 compilation for the U.S. blues rock act. 20 tracks.

Album Details

Debut Album from New York Quartet that Originally Appeared in 1977, featuring Former Lemon Pipers Guitarist Bill Barlett and Former Early Billy Joel Bandmate Howie Blauvett. Amid a Teapot of Controversy, their One and Only Megahit "Black Betty" Soared Up the Pop Charts and Became a Bar Band Classic.

Customer Reviews:

One shot wonder.......2007-02-08

Other than "Black Betty", just some mediocre southern rock. But worth it just for that.

Definitely not an original band.......2006-04-20

I bought this cd cuz i love the black betty tune...w/great expectation i figured their other material was gonna blow me away...wrong...Ram Jam should have named themselves Rip-OFF
Jam....after listening to this cd i have concluded that they didnt't have an original bone in their bodies...the songs were a mishmash of blatant allman/skynyrd/blackfoot attempts...the vocals were without energy or feel...i can understand why they wernt sucessful where others were

4.5 stars for awesome riffs, average singing.......2005-12-27

Ram Jam was an accidental discovery. I have been eyeing this cd for a while now, and now that I've listened to it, I can say that if you like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Boston, or even AC/DC, this is your music. The one song that I really don't care for is "keep your hands on the wheel", but that's only because of the singing, which isn't great, but it gets the job done. The song "High Steppin'" is a good instrumental song, too. All in all, buy this, it pretty much rules.

Black Betty Ready.......2005-11-10

The song "Black Betty" is reason enough to buy this CD. It contains the long-play version of this song..crank it up so the neighbors can give you dirty looks. As for the other tracks they are just ok. But Black Betty makes it worth the investment. Rocked in '77, rocks now.

Both of their LPs on 1 CD!!.......2005-03-18

Ram Jam were a very hard rocking 70's band fronted by Bill Bartlett, formerly of the Lemon Pipers (yeah, the Green Tambourine guys). The albums were produced by bubblegum producers Kasentetz-Katz (same guys who produced Lemon Pipers, 1910 Fruitgum Co. and a lot of other 60s hits). But the Ram Jam albums really rocked hard (especially the lesser known 2nd album titled Portrait of the Young Artist as a Ram). Black Betty was a top 40 hit (a remake of an old Leadbelly song)and was fairly representative of their 1st LP. If all you've ever heard is the single version, which is on most compilations, you owe it to yourself to hear the full version which has a much longer middle section that rocks. This import CD contains both LPs and has everything released by this band except Should've Known Better, which was the B side to the Black Betty single. Great very underrated stuff!

Average customer rating: Priest Rams it down with a fist of British Steel Judas Priest "Ram It Down" Going back to heavy metal It's not underrated, it's just plain horrible!! Underrated

Ram It Down Judas Priest Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Turbo Painkiller Sin After Sin Point of Entry Stained Class ASIN: B0000630BW Release Date: 2002-03-19

Tracks:

1. Ram It Down
2. Heavy Metal
3. Love Zone
4. Come And Get It
5. Hard As Iron
6. Blood Red Skies
7. I'm A Rocker
8. Johnny B. Goode
9. Love You To Death
10. Monsters Of Rock
11. Night Comes Down (Live)
12. Bloodstone (Live)

Customer Reviews:

Priest Rams it down with a fist of British Steel.......2007-06-08

After the Turbo experiment, Rob and the boys got down to some serious metal on this release. The 90's had just started, but Priest was determined to pour molten metal into the ears of a worldwide legion of fans. The album starts of with the title track, and there are no questions as to what kind of album this is. Hard, fast, sonic vocals from Rob, and blistering solos from KK and Glenn. Ian keeps the bottom end tight with his simple formula of bass playing.

The next track Heavy Metal is a personal favorite of mine. It's great to drive down the highway with this blasting and the windows rolled down. This sound is guaranteed to make you go a few miles over the limit. This tune to me is a Priest classic.

Love Zone keeps th album going, nit as fast as the previous two songs, but great singing by Rob with a cool chorus line. The final song on the album, Monsters of Rock, is in the vein of Heavy Duty / Defenders of the Faith. A heavy gringing powerhouse of a song. Blood Red Skies, Hard as Iron, and I'm a Rocker are great tunes too.

Some fans do not care for the Chuck Berry cover Johny B Goode. I whole-heartedly disagree. I think it's a great cover and I think it is great that one of the greatest metal bands of all time recorded the greatest rock n roll song ever written.

This album is a great Feast of Priest.

Judas Priest "Ram It Down".......2006-04-05

Ram It Down is equipped with a great album cover, a great title track which should add up to be a great album. The album isn't great, but at least it doesn't fall to mediocre. It's a good album, it features the same thing Judas Priest usually offers; Great guitar licks by Glenn Tipton & KK Downing,
the under rated bass sounds of Ian Hill, the drums of Dave Holland, and of course Rob Halford is all his screeching glory. Halford to me is the embodiment of hard rock...He had the look, the voice, everything. A lot of these songs rock, a lot of them don't. I'd get Hellbent for Leather, British Steel, Screaming for Vengeance, or Stained Class (in that order) before this album. But it's Priest, so don't pass it up.

1. Ram It Down-5/5-Awesome guitar solo, the lyrics are well strung together. This song rocks. Awesome screaming intro in the beginning too.
2. Heavy Metal-4/5-This song is longer than it needs to be, but it's pretty good.
3. Love Zone-5/5-A lot of sexual innuendo in this song. A bit scary since Rob Halford is gay.
4. Come and Get It-4/5-This song's not bad, but it's not that good either.
5. Hard as Iron-5/5-Awesome song. Rob Halford's voice exhibits raw power in this song.
6. Blood Red Skies-4/5-This song isn't quite as good as it could've been. Rob Halford's vocals are great, the playing is great; But the song just isn't that great.
7. I'm a Rocker-4/5-This song's pretty good, but again it just doesn't click. It's not very catchy or anything.
8. Johnny B. Goode-5/5-I've, for some odd reason, never heard the original version of this song, so my grade is based solely on this version. There's not a lot wrong with this song, the vocals, guitars, bass, and drums are all in top form on this song.
9. Love You to Death-5/5-This song is pretty good, but slightly disturbing.
10. Monsters of Rock-5/5-The lyrics to this song are really cool, but due to the song's title don't expect a loud hard song, instead expect a really slow song with Rob Halford basically talking in a raspy voice.

B-

Going back to heavy metal.......2006-03-12

Their previous album Turbo experimented with a more "pop" sound, but it was still heavy in some parts. With Ram it Down, the band makes a shift to a much more heavier sound. At the time, this was their heaviest album (until Painkiller came out two years later). There are still a few 80s touches, such as that electronic drum sound, and the guitars have that sort of "processed" feel. But overall, the album is pretty good. Ram it Down starts off the album with a shriek from Rob. Couldn't think of a better intro myself! This song is HEAVY, almost unlike anything they had come out with before. The guitar solos on this song are simply jaw-dropping. Love Zone is a catchy song that sounds like a glam metal song for some reason. But don't get me wrong, it still rocks! It's very heavy on that "processed guitar" sound I mentioned earlier. Hard as Iron is another heavy and fast song that just kicks you in the face. Even more awesome solos on this one. I'm a Rocker has an awesome message and is very melodic.

Johnny B. Goode seems to be a song that people love or hate. I happen to love it. They took a classic rock song and turned it into a full blown metal song successfully. I love the way Rob sings it, I think more people should give this song a chance! Come and Get It and Love You to Death are catchy songs, but they don't stand out as much as the others. Monsters of Rock is a nice slower-paced track that took some time to grow on me. Heavy Metal is a theme song for metalheads everywhere. It starts off with an AMAZING solo, and when the song kicks in, you automatically begin to rock out. Rob sings in a high tone practically throughout the whole song.

From what I heard, some of the songs off of this album where meant to be released as a double album called Twin Turbos, combining the material from Turbo with this album. Blood Red Skies sort of reminds me of Turbo, with its synths being played throughout the song. It is sort of an epic power ballad, with Rob hitting some HIGH notes. And the solos are amazing as always. You also get some nice live versions of Night Comes Down and Bloodstone. People seem to be divided over this album, I think it is awesome. Maybe not one of their better albums overall, but still one worth trying out!

It's not underrated, it's just plain horrible!!.......2006-03-08

Let me start this review off by saying that I absolutely love Judas Priest...or at least I did until this album came out. I'll be blunt here...I think it is their worst album. And I have many reasons for that. For one, the song titles (" Come and Get It ", " Hard as Iron ", "Heavy Metal ", etc..) are like ' heavy metal song titles for dummies '. And the lyrics for most of these songs are even worse, like ' heavy metal lyrics for dummies ', or ten year old headbangers, with Halford throwing in as many rock cliches as possible. Lyrics about being a rocker and ramming it down and electrifying guitars and wattage and being a heavy metal monster. Pathetic for this band! I could overlook some of this if the songs were any good, but they are not, which brings me to my second point, which is..

.....the music is HORRIBLE! On ' Ram It Down ', Judas Priest, after experimenting with guitar synthesizers on ' Turbo ', decided to reinvent themselves as a speed metal band, and I think the results were awful. Guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing seem more intent on seeing who can play faster than the other than playing melodic solos that actually SAY SOMETHING! Yes, technically, they are very good here, but where's the beef?
And, besides forgetting how to write good song lyrics, singer Rob Halford also forgot how to write catchy vocal melodies.

Okay, some good things. First, I absolutely LOVE THE COVER, which I think may be their best..and that really IS saying something. Better getting it on vinyl, just for the cover! I really like " Blood Red Skies ", which showed that maybe Halford didn't completely forget how to write beautiful vocal melodies. It is easily (at least to me) the most tuneful (or the ONLY tuneful) song here...I especially like the drum entrance. " I'm A Rocker " isn't a bad song song, either and boasts a pretty catchy refrain. And I guess I don't mind the chorus for " Ram It Down ".

But...back on the negative side....their choice of a cover tune, " Johnny B. Goode ", is rather uninspired (especially when compared to " Diamonds and Rust ", and " The Green Manalishi ") and sounds too mechanical and way overproduced.

I haven't bought this remastered version and nor do I plan to. One copy of this album is enough! Fortunately, they improved a bit with their next album...

Underrated.......2005-12-04

This album deserves about 3.5 or 4 stars, but I am giving it five because reviewers have been underrating this great album. Ram it Down is definately not their worst album, it is much better than Turbo, Rocka Rolla, and Point of Entry. Plus, many people say that the Title Track is the only good song on the album. "Ram it Down" is a really kickass song, but so is "Heavy Metal" and "Blood Red Skies". I highly suggest this album to any Priest fans that don't already have it.

Average customer rating: Really Amazing Music The Englishman Channels Pop Bliss! Quirky Mixed Bag BETTER WITH THE YEARS

Ram Paul McCartney Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Red Rose Speedway Wild Life McCartney Venus and Mars At The Speed Of Sound ASIN: B000005RPS Release Date: 1993-06-08

Tracks:

1. Too Many People
2. 3 Legs
3. Ram On
4. Dear Boy
5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
6. Smile Away
7. Heart Of The Country
8. Monkberry Moon Delight
9. Eat At Home
10. Long Haired Lady
11. Ram On
12. The Back Seat Of My Car
13. Another Day
14. Oh Woman, Oh Why

Album Description

Digitally remastered 1993 reissue on Parlophone of his 1971 album recorded with his wife Linda. In addition to the original 12 tracks on the #2 album, including the #1 smash 'Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey', this reissue adds two bonus tracks: his top five hit 'Another Day' and 'Oh Woman, Oh Why'. 14 tracks total.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Version of the Album with Too Many People / Uncle Albert-Admiral Halsey / Ram On, plus Two Bonus Tracks: Another Day and Oh Woman, Oh Why.

Customer Reviews:

Really Amazing Music .......2007-01-19

Acoustic Psychedelia wrapped in an organic sandwich of creative harmony vocals, and served with a side of sarcasm. Ram is my idea of Paul's best work. It's creative, vibrant and completely different from anything else that was happening at the time. Too Many People rocks and Rolls joints through the purple haze of yesterday's bitter truths, while 3 legs staggers along in up tempo mode, grooving to it's own unique rhythm. Ram On goes straight to the heart while Dear Boy sounds both sad and sarcastic, hip and sway. Uncle Albert offers vocal harmonies in many shades of colors while the song progresses on into something way over the rainbow and beyond, while Smile Away rocks the teeth right out of your head. Heart of the Country boogies within the vein of it's title, while Monkberry Moon Delight is as odd and inspired as the title suggests, and playfully swings through the rafters of someone's old, smoke-filled attic. Eat at Home is a healthy portion of rock stew and Long Haired Lady dives head first into the mist filled eyes and margarita glasses of some long remembered dream. Back Seat of my Car is a classic Paul closer and is so lush with orchestral swells and Beatle-ish harmonies that you can almost see George Martin and John Lennon in the control booth watching in admiration.
The bonus tracks are the A side and B side of the single that came out between this and his first record. Both are good songs that fit in well with the rest of this record and it's lovely to have them on board. Ram on, Paul.

The Englishman Channels.......2006-06-15

On Ram, Paul McCartney attempts to channel Pepper psychedelia along with Abbey Road song medleys and very nearly succeeds.

But the true gem here is the bonus track, "Oh Woman Oh Why." It sounds like Paul snuck into the Let it Bleed sessions and kidnapped the Stones. Dark, rocking, and loaded with gun powder.

Pop Bliss!.......2006-05-27

McCartney finally hit his first highlight with "Ram", full of diversity and irresistible and blissful pop excess. From the ethereal beginning of "Too Many people" to the teenage lament of "Back Seat Of My Car", he just bounces with delight. "Ram On" spirits a delightfully wispy ditty and "Smile Away" is a romping jokester of a song. It's interesting that with all these good songs, only one single was released, but it is a staple. "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is a classic single with enough bridges and chord changes to delight any music student or pop aficionado. Adding "Another Day" (a homage to women and Linda) and "Oh Woman, Oh Why" (ditto, again), completes this period of McCartney, but Remastering the entire album is a marvel and makes it sound like the first listen from over thirty years ago.

Quirky Mixed Bag.......2006-01-09

Paul McCartney's second solo album is an improvement over his solo debut. However, from the standpoint of lyrical content, it's a mixed bag. Let`s break it down song by song...

01) TOO MANY PEOPLE: The album starts off in great style with this cool little rocker featuring cryptic lyrical jabs at John Lennon. "That was your first mistake / You took your lucky break and broke it in two / Now what can be done for you". This song must have really pissed off Mr. Ono because he would respond / retaliate with the blatantly non-cryptic "How Do You Sleep" which really tears poor Macca a new one. And you thought the hip-hop "east coast / west coast" battles were rough!

02) 3 LEGS: This is a fun white guy blues rocker. Pretty straight forward, really.

03) RAM ON: This is pretty much a throw away tune. It's only saving grace is the meticulous Brian Wilson inspired harmony vocals. FILLER...but very pretty filler.

04) DEAR BOY: Very poppy piano tune. This one puts me in mind of "Martha My Dear" from "The White Album". Lyrically, Paul offers up some more cryptic jabs. Aimed, this time, at his wife's ex-husband. He also offers up more Brian Wilsonesque backing vocals. This time to greater effect.

05) UNCLE ALBERT / ADMIRAL HALSEY: Here we have numerous short, unrelated snippets of songs strung together "Abbey Road" style to make a rather weird and silly 5 minute medley. Even though it's sort of a dumb song, I have to admit that I love the "hands across the water" part.

06) SMILE AWAY: *shakes head in disbelief* How in the world did the man who wrote "Eleanor Rigby" succumb to writing a song about stinky feet? These lyrics make "Ob La Di - Ob La Da" seem like Shakespeare! This song should be called "RUN AWAY" because that's what you should do when it starts playing.

07) HEART OF THE COUNTRY: Macca rebounds well with this tune. It's a happy folky song. Sort of an upbeat "Mother Nature's Son".

08) MONKBERRY MOON DELIGHT: It's fun, when listening to Paul's solo CDs, to try and figure out which song he wrote whilst being the most stoned. On "RAM" that honor must certainly be bestowed to "Monkberry Moon Delight". `Nuff said.

09) EAT AT HOME: This is a great Buddy Holly homage insofar as the music. Unfortunately, the lyrics are quite lame.

10) LONG HAIRED LADY: Another jangly country sounding tune. Features slightly annoying vocals by Linda McCartney and "Penny Lane" like trumpet near the end.

11) RAM ON: A pointless 55 second reprise of song #3. FILLER!

12) THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR: Ever wonder what it would've sounded like if Brian Wilson produced a track for "Abbey Road"? Well, this is the answer. A rather lush piano opus with a great "Oh...we believe that we can't be wrong" refrain. It's too bad Sir Macca doesn't play this one live, as I think it would really bring down the house.

My copy of "RAM" is from the "Paul McCartney Collection" series so it features two bonus tracks.

Bonus #1) ANOTHER DAY: Light breezy mid-tempo acoustic guitar tunes are the type of thing Paul can write in his sleep and this one, about the boredom of domestic life, is one of his best. It's extremely catchy and melodic with a bit of a Buddy Holly vibe.

Bonus #2) OH WOMAN, OH WHY: This song is pretty dark for a McCartney tune. It's a slow, creepy rocker about a cheating man begging his girlfriend or wife not to shoot him. It actually features the sound of a firing pistol through out the song. Kinda gives me the willies...but in a good way.

So, in conclusion, I will say that "RAM" is an uneven but overall descent album especially if you happen to be in a quirky mood.

BETTER WITH THE YEARS .......2005-07-28

This is a thoroughly enjoyable album which benefits from hindsight. We now know that the Beatles were an entity greater than the sum of its parts; something that should have
been obvious. The fact that that "Abbey Road," and "Pepper"
are clearly superior doesn't diminish "Ram" at all. Buy it and enjoy.

Average customer rating: Ram Jam - 'Golden Classics' (Collectables) Black Betty wasn't their only good song! Don't Buy this buy, the very best of RAM JAM One hit wonder, but a good one hit Ram Jam

Golden Classics Ram Jam Manufacturer: Collectables ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Black Betty The Very Best of Ram Jam Tonight Alright Rattlesnake Rock 'n' Roll: The Best of Blackfoot The Best of Foghat ASIN: B00000092R Release Date: 1996-11-05

Tracks:

1. Black Betty
2. Let It All Out
3. Keep Your Hands On The Wheel
4. Right On The Money
5. All For The Love Of Rock N' Roll
6. 404
7. High Steppin'
8. Overloaded
9. Hey Boogie Woman
10. Too Bad On Your Birthday
11. I Should Have Known

Customer Reviews:

Ram Jam - 'Golden Classics' (Collectables).......2006-12-17

Thank goodness for the internet,is all I have to say.I MAY have not otherwise ever found all the info I need to know about Ram Jam.Was it just me or did any of you ever 'always' assume their sole hit "Black Betty" was a Black Oak Arkansas song?Anyway,most of these eleven tracks appear to be off their self-titled 1977 debut album.They had a follow-up after that,'Portrait Of The Artist' in 1978,then I guess they simply called it a day.Tunes here that I liked best are the previously mentioned "Black Betty","Let It All Hang Out","404" and the jamming "Hey Boogie Woman".Basically,just all around decent '70's hard rock.Nothing special,but okay.Line-up:Myke Scavone-vocals,former Lemon Pipers member Bill Barlett-guitar,Howard Blauvelt(R.I.P.)-bass and Pete Charles-drums.Might appeal to fans of Foghat,Lynyrd Skynyrd,Black Oak and maybe The Sweet.

Black Betty wasn't their only good song!.......2006-10-26

Golden classics gives you a chance to hear BB all you want, but if you stop there, you're missing out! Far as I know, Ram Jam only had two albums - the self-titled debut and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Ram. Both were good and both were overlooked. Here, you get what I think were the marginal Let It All Out, Right On The Money, 404, and I Should Have Known. They're OK - but that's 4 of 11 that are OK. The rest are at least good..

All For The Love, High Steppin, Hey Boogie Woman, and Overloaded are good. The rest are pretty much barnburners. You know about Black Betty. Keep Your Hands On The Wheel and Too Bad On Your Birthday round it out.

What ever happened the these guys? By not listening beyond Black Betty, we lost out on what could've been a spectacular hit-producing machine! And not one that followed all the rules, either. That was what stood out about them - and maybe what ultimately killed them.

This album (CD, release, whatever they're called now) as with ANY Ram Jam release is AT LEAST four-and a half out of five stars!

Don't Buy this buy, the very best of RAM JAM.......2005-09-30

For the same money buy the not yet released "very best of Ram Jam" that not only gives you this cd's 1977 recording, but the better 1978 recording.

The first recording (Tracks 1 - 10) have good songs to back up the hit Black Betty. The second recording has superior songs throughout. Much harder, better played and varied.

Overall the cd sounds like 70's Aerosmith, Nugent with a touch of Paul Kossoff (FREE) type guitar thrown in on tracks 11

By the way, why does Amazon include a 'NO' in 'was this review helpful to you?'. People are only human and don't like opinions that differ from themselves, thus the 'NO' makes it too easy express such displeasure.

Are they trying to discourage negative reviews, hence not purchase the CD. Such reviews only help a person in not being dissatisfied a product that received positive reviews

One hit wonder, but a good one hit.......2004-12-22

Best Black Betty cover since the original Led Belly. Everybody has heard someone try to redo this rock steady/southern rock style of Black Betty, but nobody has yet come close to making a version this cool in over 20 years. The rest of the songs... well, they're okay, but they are a one hit wonder. I heard an improbable rumor that the 404 error that you see when your browser encounters an obsolete website link was originally coded by a Ram Jam fan. Unlikely, but amusing!

Ram Jam.......1999-12-19

I had this album years ago and alwas liked it! But I had not been able to find it on CD untill I looked here. If your around the 40 year mark and like rock thats a little off the beaten path I think you wiil like this. My freind and I still use some of the sayings from this album such as ( to bad on your birthday)

Average customer rating: in this case, talking about stars is absurd

The Master (Ram Narayan) Sarangi Ram Narayan Manufacturer: Nimbus Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Rag Shankara / Rag Mala in Jogia Raga Yaman, Raga Shuddha Todi Sarangi: The Music of India Z.M. Dagar - Rudra Vina Live: Seattle 1981 Raga Darbari Kanada/Dhun in Raga Mishra Pilu ASIN: B0000AUHNF Release Date: 2004-03-02

Tracks:

1. Raga Alhaiya Bilaval: Alap
2. Raga Alhaiya Bilaval: Compositions In Slow And Fast Tintal
3. Raga Mishra Bhairavi: Alap
4. Ram Mishra Bhairavi: Composition In Fast Tintal

Customer Reviews:

in this case, talking about stars is absurd.......2004-04-18

Ram Narayan is One of the Greatest Musicians in the World. For me, the sarangi is the 'cello of Indian music and he is the Casals & Rostropovich of his instrument. Once you have heard Ram Narayan, you will not be able to resist purchasing everything that he has recorded, which is not a lot. He is a Master, an Inspiration, and a truly Great Artist. You will feel fortuntate to partake in his ART.

Average customer rating: I'm washed in the blood of the ram Bloody Good Fun All that and some cracklins More "music for the unwashed and well-read" So satisfying...meat right off the bone

Blood of the Ram The Gourds Manufacturer: Eleven Thirty ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music Honky-Tonk | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Heavy Ornamentals Cow Fish Fowl or Pig Dem's Good Beeble Bolsa de Agua Ghosts of Hallelujah ASIN: B0003JALIO Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

1. Lower 48
2. TTT Gas
3. Escalade
4. Illegal Oyster
5. Arapaho
6. Wired Ole Gal
7. On Time
8. Do 4 U
9. Let Him In
10. Cracklins
11. Spanky
12. Blood Of The Ram
13. Turd In My Pocket

Amazon.com

Ten years together and the Gourds remain exactly who they set out to be: Austin's good-time answer to the Band. Their devotion to country rock and bluegrass, their free-spirited sense of fun and tradition, and their strange and surprising wordplay are still intact judging by these 13 new originals, which thump and swing through off-color boogies, dirt-road daydreams, raunchy sing-alongs, and baptisms in bourbon or, as on the title track, in gospel blood. Founders Kevin Russell and Jimmy Smith have never harmonized with such scratchy spirit, and if their songwriting and arrangements stick to the acoustic, just-shy-of-stoned bop they long ago perfected, the sound and soul still ring true and joyously alive. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

I'm washed in the blood of the ram.......2006-09-09

Although this album is not quite as good as "Cow Fish Fowl or Pig," "Stadium Blitzer" "Dem's Good Beeble" or even "Ghosts of Hallelujah," it still warrants 5 stars. The best three tracks on the album are Lower 48, Cracklins, and Blood Of The Ram. Jimmy's strongest contributions are Illegal Oyster and Spanky. Max's On Time is good, but too bad there isn't more from him. Anyway, if you're a Gourds fan, you gutta get this. If you're new to the Gourds, you may want to get one of the albums mentioned above first.

Bloody Good Fun.......2006-03-08

This continues in the same vein as Cow, Fish, Fowl Or Pig. It's good but not as good as that one. Jimmy's songs are even odder this time out (not necessarily a bad thing). Max's song "On Time" is one of my favorites. Actually in some ways this is also like their earlier cd Bolsa De Agua. On that one, Max's song "Jesus Christ with.." was also a favorite amongst another bunch of quirky songs from Jimmy and catchy genre busting tunes from Kevin Russel. Both these albums open and close the same with an uneven ride in between.

All that and some cracklins.......2005-01-12

I love The Gourds and have seen them many time in concert and they are the best. That said, Blood of the Ram is not as good for me as their last few outings, but I still like it. There really aren't many(any?) other bands to compare The Gourds to, except themselves. So, Blood doesn't feel as easy or as generous as Cow Fish Fowl or Pig, which was an embarrassment of riches. I feel that Blood of the Ram needs more Max Johnson tunes(there's only one). Max's tremolo and traditional sound balances the off-kilter Jimmy Smith and down-home drawl of Kevin Russell offerings.

Blood finds the Gourds trying some new sounds that I haven't heard from them, like the soul of Escalade or the Allman sounding guitar of TTT Gas, complete with solo. Another more prominent thing that I heard on this CD that I can live without is the profanity. Personally, it doesn't bother me, but it limits who I can listen with. Jimmy, I'm looking at you :) The electric organ added to Turd in My Pocket adds a kind of odd revival feel to that song. As it is, it is really hard to classify any of the songs as most are a blending af several different styles into something new, with unconventional lyrics laid on top of that. My two favorites are "On Time," and the unusual "Blood of the Ram," which is kind of an old trail-ride sounding song about a ram and slaughtering. It sticks in your brain.

So, to rate the Gourds CDs:
Stadium Blitzer *****
Cow Fish Fowl or Pig *****
Bolsa de Agua *****
Blood of the Ram ****
Ghosts of Halleluja *** (couldn't really get into this one)
Dems good Beeble*** (Didn't listen to this one much, but maybe I should)
Shinebox ? Never managed to get this one

More "music for the unwashed and well-read".......2004-12-04

Try as I might to find some substantial criticism of "Blood of the Ram," I just cannot find any withering, fatal flaw to this latest madcap outpouring from these purveyors of what has sometimes been called "beergrass." (The urge to criticize wells up because I'm a Virgo and that's what we do, or so I am told.) The more I hear this latest set, the more I like this collection of odd tales and odd musical arrangements all swirling with an undercurrent of gonzo mysticism.

The Gourds have never shied away from liberally infusing their work with local color and folk wit, and why should they? It's worked magically before and does so here as well. I cannot keep from stomping about during "Lower 48"---which is sometimes a problem when I'm on the highway. This time the fellows even borrow a page from the "magic realism" literary genre Borges popularized with the mysterious escape of the criminal narrator in "Cracklins." And the weird parade of images and ideas conjured up in "Arapaho" are worth revisiting.

Yet in a way, the better the Gourds get, the harder it must be to keep up the informal, odd-ball style that makes the Gourds so good and so distinct. But they do (sort of reminds me of the Pogues progression back in the `80s.)

"Blood of the Ram" also shows that the band is not going to back away from the sometimes disturbing imagery ("a pool of blood on a superhighway") or scatological meandering that is now intertwined in the Gourds mythos. This may be more "music for the unwashed and well-read," as they have declared which might explain why more folks are not listening to some of the best tunes being cranked out by any band these days. (Of course, don't expect to hear this music on the radio!)

OK, one criticism has come to mind. That is, there is only a single song by Max Johnston on this collection. Next time, more from Max, please.

So satisfying...meat right off the bone.......2004-11-18

I feel a sense of sublime satisifaction after listening to this cd. The first song is my least favorite. Escalade and Illegal Oyster are excellent and the rest of the songs form a cohesive mix and are a good listen. This cd is right up there with my favorites of '04 right along with Old Crow Medicine Show-O.C.M.S., Mofro-Lochlossa and The Legendardy Shackshakers-Believe. All of them have something so real and elemental about them that you can almost taste dirt. By the by, the Gourds are also a great concert band. You get the feeling they are having a good time...with or without the audience but not in an arrogant way...these guys don't seem to have a smidge of pretension. I picture them jamming together even without the $$ incentive...or hanging out alone at home skanked up reading Neil Gaiman. All in all I think they should be christened the house band for the uni-bonger set.

Average customer rating: Awesome!

Meditations on the Gita Ram Dass Manufacturer: Karuna ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Poetry | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita Here We All Are A Spiritual Journey Be Here Now Ram Dass: Fierce Grace ASIN: B0002O06PS Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

1. Meditation #1
2. Meditation #2
3. Meditation #3
4. Meditation #4
5. Meditation #5
6. Gita Chant
7. Shri Ram Chant

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2006-12-20

Ram Dass is one of the great people and great teachers of our time. His insights and perspective on the world is unmatched, and his wit and presentation are great fun.

Don't miss out on experiencing one of the best.

Average customer rating: Awesome CD

Jai Jai Jai Manufacturer: Wah! Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Savasana Hidden in the Name Opium The Best of Wah! Lokaha Gayatri ASIN: B0001WAGPQ Release Date: 2004-11-02

Customer Reviews:

Awesome CD.......2006-04-06

There are parts of this CD that qualify as the most moving music I've ever heard, specifically, parts of Track 2. You've probably got to love kirtan and Wah! to feel as enthusiastic as I do, but even if you're only curious and interested in learning more about this type of hindu/chanting/music, this is the one album I would recommend as a great first place to start.

Average customer rating: Best overall Mahler 3rd of any Best Mahler 3 on SACD Dull, Dull, Dull Chailly, RCGBO & Mahler: Finally, the heights (sound+perfor)

Mahler 3 [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Mahler | Mahler, Gustav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Mahler 9 [Hybrid SACD] Mahler: Symphonie No. 5 [Hybrid SACD] Mahler: Symphony No. 6 [Hybrid SACD] Mahler: Symphony No. 4 [Hybrid SACD] Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD] ASIN: B0001RBVLY Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com

There are lots of excellent Mahler 3rds in the catalogue, and a few great ones. Chailly's is one of the great ones. He leads this all-encompassing work with mastery of structure, close attention to the score's plentiful instructions, and brings out the orchestral details that often go missing. He also has the benefit of a great Mahler orchestras. the Royal Concertgebouw, whose playing here is beyond praise. The fabulous Dutch winds have never sounded better, investing their many solo turns with idiomatic perfection. The important brass section is weighty, the posthorn solo done with moving lyricism. The strings are simply radiant, as is the chorus and the important vocal contribution of mezzo Petra Lang. The engineers match the playing, providing sound that's thrilling in its impact and presence in both SACD and standard CD. A bonus is Chailly's expert reading of Mahler's arrangement of movements from Bach's 2nd and 3rd Suites. If you love Mahler, you must have this set, even if your shelves are bulging with other versions of the Mahler 3rd. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Best overall Mahler 3rd of any.......2006-12-27

If, like me, you consider a recording of something as huge and all encompassing as Mahler's 3rd to always be something of a compromise - a gesamtkunstwerk of conducting, orchestral execution, singing, and sound quality - then you might come to the same conclusion as I: this is the best overall M3 to date. Yes, there are things that could have been just a tad better - the mezzo being one of them (Petra Lang). But you won't hear better or more detailed accompaniment underneath the mezzo either. In fact, I've never heard an M3 where what the mezzo was doing, and what the orchestra was doing, was so well integrated as here. Maybe that's because Decca's fine recording quality brings things into sharper perspective, I don't know. Also, the coda to the third movement (scherzo) could be a bit more grand in scope. But everything else about the scherzo is darn near perfect, including the distance and pacing of the offstage trumpet solos - the so-called "posthorn". Just listen to how fabulous the Concertgebouw woodwinds sound at the start of the scherzo - it doesn't get any better than this. Chailly's first movement is a huge tour-de-force, capturing just a collosal amount of dynamic range and orchestral detail. Nope, there's no need to hype this recording - the evidence is all there. All six movements are really well done, which is rare. In the finale, Chailly progressively lengthens each of the symphony's final three chords. That's such an obvious thing to do! - why hasn't anyone thought to do that before? Yep, it's not perfect. As always, some minor details could still be better yet. But I also can't think of any other recording that gets so little "wrong" (nothing, really), and so much right. If you're going to get this, regardless of how you're playing it back, get it in the DSD upgrade, which is the SACD/CD hybrid version, . Decca has priced it the same as the regular version.

Best Mahler 3 on SACD.......2004-11-18

Move to the head of the class. The performance here by Chailly and the RCOA overshadows recent SACDs from Boulez, MTT, and Zander. This is the real deal. FINALLY!

Everything is so carefully thought out in this performance, and the playing is highly idiomatic. The bass drum will have cups moving on your coffee tables. Certain parts of the interpretation are exactly as called for in the score, and I am so thrilled that they were caught so vividly on this SACD. These are orchestral effects like glissandos, mutes, brass trills, dynamic effects, "Schalltrichter in die Hoehe" or "Schalltricther auf" (really comes through!!!!!), etc.

The brass are very nicely captured. The winds come out like a nice wind choir. The orchestral quality is very European and balanced with a lot of transparency, which is not typical of American orchestras and these days, even the VPO and the BPO don't have this quality very much any more. This has been so well recorded, that you will really be able to hear every part, just like you can in a concert hall.

In the 4th Movement, Petra Lang does a very nice job in her song, and the brass and bassoons have a wonderful ominous sound. In the 5th Movement, the women's chorus is very well captured and it moves along very nicely with wonderful energy.

The last movement, the jewel of the symphony (next to the first movement), is ravishing. You will not want it to end. The quiet sections are so lovingly shaped and filled with yearning. You can hear the vibrato of individual violin players at times. The dramatic and bitter utterances are very jarring and then soothed by the main theme with great sensitivity and Chailly gives the transitions a lot of space. The final chorale builds to a very satisfying climax. Chailly holds out the final note of the symphony just like Mahler wanted (a fermata, and with notations to not allow the sound to diminish at all, and not to have an abrupt release) and the effect is beautiful. At 22min, the final movement is, timing-wise, faster than most, but it has great lyrical weight and speaks very much in that time.

I'm thrilled about this performance and this SACD! Although Chailly's Mahler cycle hasn't always had such great performances (the 8th, despite an awesome cast, was a huge disappointment), this one is really an achievement. If you don't know this piece, this performance will be an excellent introduction; and if you don't know Mahler very well, or have been a Mahler-naysayer, give this one a shot, because this is Mahler done "right". Up next, the 9th, and Chailly's cycle will be complete.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED without reservation. It's also priced much cheaper than the competition (and it's own Redbook-only version) so not only is it a great performance, it's a bargain, too.

Dull, Dull, Dull.......2004-07-27

Except for Petra Lang's arrestingly sexy singing in the fourth movement - not necessarily what Mahler had in mind, but it will certainly make you pay attention! - this is a musical dead zone. Gorgeous playing, lovely sound, all to naught. There's no sign that i was able to hear that Chailly is involved in or even cares about the music. The first reviewer heard it differently, but i can't imagine how.
The best modern M3s now available are the Barbirolli, even if he miscalculates and rushes at the very end, and Lopez Cobos, and there are very close rivals from Boulez and Tilson Thomas. I used to like the Horenstein more than i do now. It hasn't worn well in places that need momentum or lightness.
A gorgeous wonderful symphony, not that you'd guess it from this reading. Probably the best way to learn this work and learn about it is to get the VAI DVD called What the Universe Tells Me, a series of film essays about this piece backed by a terrific reading by Glen Cortese and the fully professional sounding Manhattan School of Music Orchestra.

Chailly, RCGBO & Mahler: Finally, the heights (sound+perfor).......2004-07-05

Finally. I have had considerable doubts about many of the previous recordings in this ongoing Mahler complete symphony series. Often, to me and my ears, Chailly sounds like he is glossing over, and sometimes even compressing or truncating, many of the many specific expressive indications that Mahler took great pains to write into his scores. The foreshortening of dynamic ranges, for example, often bothers me quite a bit. Mahler is famous for writing extremes into his phrasing, ranging from triple or quadruple soft (pppp) to triple or quadruple forte/loud (ffff). While this can be easily dismissed by carelessness on the conductor's part, or by the inabilities of a given band to carry the range as indicated; the fact is, if Mahler is going to express himself, he needs careful and scrupulous observance of his markings. This is particularly true when such detailed dynamics as are marked are cross-happening throughout different departments of the huge orchestra. Mahler knew what he wanted musicians to play, and as a conductor he had decades of experience with high-level bands that he usually left playing at an even higher level. If you observe the markings, in my view, you can get away with quite a few other variations in your approach, including tempo. Some Andante movements are slower or faster than others, but nonetheless express genuine Mahlerian style and narration.

In the past recordings, these are the points where I have felt let down by Chailly. The Concertgebouw has a fabulous and honestly-earned Mahler tradition, dating all the way to Willem Mengelberg and Otto Klemperer. And as regards the Haitink-led versions, I think the orchestra mostly carried the conductor to whatever success he achieved in those recordings. With Chailly, however, it often seemed to me that he was overriding the orchestra's knowledge of how exacting Mahler might sound, in favor of a sort of operatic, generalized interpretation.

Well, no more. In this one, Chailly has finally allowed himself to settle into the deep and abiding performance practices of the Mahler traditions that this world-class orchestra has long embodied. He does contribute something to their understanding, in the way of a certain operatic and songful flow. But in this case, his operatic sensitivities do not preclude being much more faithful to observe Mahler's myriad expressive markings. The success of this performance also includes a clarity of the polyphony .... whether chamber-like in texture, or grand full orchestra ... that is indispensable in great Mahler.

The soloist Petra Lang carries the Nietzsche movement off at a high level of vocal and interpretive insight. It is a difficult thing to sing this night-music, I imagine. First of all, you are almost completely exposed as a singer, and if you do not have the vocal resources to manage, or you do not know how to marshal your voice to the expressive line, your lack is obvious to all listeners. Secondly, although Mahler writes wonderful music for his Wunderhorn songs, they cross over to instrumental phrasing and expression, as the orchestra plays with you. Petra Lang continues her artistry in the next movement, joined by the children's chorus and the women. All are exquisitely bell-like and raucous, managing to suggest a rather lively and country-wided view of heaven and its redemption of humankind as common folk, not nobility.

Then the orchestra takes over in the famous culmination of the final movement. With string tone that must be the envy of many a player in big-name orchestras all over the world, the RCGBO puts us on immediate notice that this last movement of the Third Symphony will be the mystical fulfillment of Mahler's comprehensive vision. ("The symphony must be a whole world," Mahler said.) Each instrumental department gradually joins in, as Mahler expertly weaves and interweaves materials from prior movements, at the same time demonstrating so joyously to the human ear how masterfully he could transform what (at first hearing) appear only to be innocuous and mischievous folk themes.

My measure of the Third Symphony has long been the revered recording by Jascha Horenstein with the London Symphony Orchestra. I almost never find other versions its full equal, although I have added Boulez, Solti, Abbado, Neumann, and Bertini to the nearby shelf. Now, I believe a very close second has arrived. Chailly still cannot match the dark, malevolent detail of the Jascha Horenstein; but he matches its overall grandeur of musical vision, at last successfully bringing his songful ear to the rich and pervasive Mahlerian genius of this great orchestra. If only earlier recordings of other symphonies had been so blessed as is this one.

No one who listens to this recording can fail to mention the SACD high resolution surround sound. Perhaps those other, earlier Chailly versions of Mahler symphonies are lacking, because they are not yet available via this incredible, vivid sound. More successfully than it is possible to describe, you are placed in the Grotesaal of the Amsterdam home of these wonderful players. The sheer tonal presence of their genius is captured and recreated by the quality of recording. A giant coup is delivered in the surround sound mix, neither too close nor too distant. You can tangibly sense the hall without being bombarded by echoes and reflections that interfere with paying attention to the main event of the RCGBO playing in front of you.

Very highly recommended, SACD version. This will be one of the demo discs in lots of equipment rooms, unless I am very mistaken. Five stars, counted very slowly at twilight on a very good day.

Rock Music:

1. Rejected V.3 [Import]
2. River of Dreams [Enhanced] [Original recording remastered]
3. Roadhouse
4. Rockin' Cadillac
5. Rumble
6. Rumble Doll
7. Safe Sweet Home [Import]
8. Shake Your Money Maker [Enhanced] [Original recording remastered]
9. Small World
10. Sounds of a Beat Generation: The Modern World

Rock Music