Math & Science

Amazon.com
P.J. Olsson percussionist John Wolf takes a shot at the solo life with this batch of quirky, gurgly electronic-inflected pop. With the exception of a few mid-album missteps such as the flimsy, Beck-like kitsch of "Airstream on the Highway" and "In Your Movie", it's a youthful, admirable homage to days gone by. When not summoning the spirit of a less jokey They Might Be Giants ("Disguise," "Eternity"), Wolf's wistful, achy delivery brings to mind Ben Folds Five ("Words") or perhaps most appropriately, a male Aimee Mann ("She Left Me," "Soundbite," "Forget About Here"). Overall, it's a pretty nifty showcase of funky, robotic pop with a very human center. --Bob Michaels

Tracks:

Race: In
Atlas
Ddiamondd
Tonto
Leyendecker
Rainbow
Bad Trails
Prismism
Snare Hanger
TIJ
RACE: OUT

Customer Reviews:

tasty.......2007-07-16

If CD's were steaks, this one would be really good. So go. Go eat some steak

Conceptually Intriguing, but Dehumanized Blend of Post-Punk and Art Rock........2007-07-06

On Mirrored Battles synthesizes the ferocity, structural minimalism and experimentation of punk/post punk with the virtuosic musicianship and erudite intellectualism of art-rock. To give you some idea of what Mirrored sounds like, try to imagine the sharp, taut sound of early Wire combined with the musicianship and rigid structural complexity of early 80s King Crimson (Discipline, Beat, Three or a Perfect Pair) presented in an ultra-modern (futuristic?) digitally processed format. If that seems difficult to wrap your brain around, well, it is. To me Mirrored sounds sort of like Robots attempting to perform human-sounding music (the vocals are processed, and the lyrics are usually indecipherable).

While Mirrored seems brilliant in conception the reality is only compelling on a detached intellectual level. Battles are intelligent, creative, and technically accomplished, but seem emotionally distant because the emphasis is almost entirely on structure and rhythm; Mirrored has elements of wit, humor, and energy, but is almost completely devoid of recognizable human sentiment. Battles do create unique and compelling grooves on the best tracks (Atlas, Ddiamondd, Leyendecker), but their aesthetic becomes tedious over the course of a 50 min album. Apart from the few distinct songs most tracks are repetitive and interchangeable.

It's evident that Battles have a unique musical chemistry and aesthetic, and their ability to explore seems almost infinite. But their tremendous potential is only partially realized on Mirrored. They must learn to infuse more humanity and more direct emotional zeal into their intriguing structures before they can realize the truly great album Mirrored isn't.

Perfect coordination!.......2007-07-01

Quite simply, this is an astounding record. At first, like many others, I thought to myself, "this isn't the Battles I knew from the EPs, why would they ever take this direction?" but after a few good solid listens I realized how much of a progression this really was for them. Taking some time to go back into the past, I popped in the EP C/B to compare the likes of the two. It's phenomenal. Sure, the added vocals was a little suprise at first but after the initial shock it's obvious they weave nicely with the music and everything progressed along with the addition.

The record starts out with the pump up track "Race: In". From the moment the bass comes in that song it's clear this is an album that can't be listened to in any scattered order (though live the scattered order proved perfect, and if you get the chance, see them!) but rather straight through. There isn't a dull moment in the album from the triumphant Atlas and Tonto to the more mellow Bad Trails, ending with Race: Out as the final blow. With all of the layers and textures in this there is so much to find in every listen.

These guys know what they're doing and are pretty genious but without an open mind and a taste for experimental music you might find yourself craving more of their older music.

What Happened to Battles?.......2007-06-14

I liked the Battles EPs I'd heard - they're one of the most intricate math rock bands around. Which is why this album was so shockingly disappointing. The backing band stays pretty much the same as before, but a top layer of insufferable "Alvin and the Chipmunks"-style "vocals" have been added to the top. Perhaps some people can look past this (or even enjoy it??), but I'm not one of those people. The vocal tracks add nothing to the music and almost completely take away my enjoyment of Battles' precise technical mastery.

Sing this hook.......2007-06-03

To say Battles has their own distinct sound would be an understatement. Some bands are in their own world. Battles is in their own galaxy. A galaxy ruled by mechanical sounding vocals, deep percussion, keyboards that sound like guitars, and guitars that sound like keyboards. It's not quite the Milky Way. It sounds like Turing Machine filtered through a wormhole or something. Really cool, really freaky stuff. And it's the good kind of freaky, not the "weird for the sake of weird" kind. Well, maybe some of it is weird for weird's sake. But it's enjoyable nonetheless.

At first, I wasn't too keen on this. You need to slowly let it tunnel into your consciousness over the course of a few listens. The longer songs (Atlas, Tonto, Rainbow, Tij) are the highlights here, with the other songs seeming more like science experiments as opposed to fully fleshed out songs, with perhaps a couple of exceptions. But those 4 songs, all clocking in at over 7 minutes, are the ones you'll listen to the most when you're not playing through the whole record.

I've played this album for a lot of my friends and none of them seem to know quite what to make of it. Only one flat out told me they didn't like it, but none went nuts over it either. They seemed equal parts intrigued and confused more then anything else. So take that however you want to. All I know is I keep listening to it and enjoying it. It's different, that's for sure. Not for everybody, but I would definitely keep your eye on these fellows either way. I'll never be one to criticize a band for taking chances and doing something different, and Battles is certainly one of those bands.

Average customer rating:

Awesome Alternative
After Chaos
Fresh beats galore!
You wont stop playing it over and over
Awesome

Mute Math
Mute Math
Manufacturer: Teleprompt/Warner Bros.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Reset
Oh! Gravity.
Carnavas
Sound of Melodies
Five Score and Seven Years Ago

ASIN: B000I0QJJ8
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Tracks:

Collapse.
Typical.
After We Have Left Our Homes.
Chaos.
Noticed.
Plan B.
Stare At The Sun.
Obsolete.
Break The Same.
You Are Mine.
Control.
Picture.
Stall Out.
Reset.

Tracks:

Collapse
Typical
Chaos
Control
Noticed
Break The Same

Album Description

Every now and then a band explodes from the grassroots. Thanks to phenomenal Internet exposure that led to soldout shows across the country, Mute Math is just such a story. Playing this summer at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and on the Warped Tour has resulted in the group's major-label debut with a selftitled album. An inspired Alt-Rock band from New Orleans, Mute Math melds hip-hop-styled beats, moments of beauty and grandeur, big hooks, and vocals that pay homage to classic rock. A bonus live EP is planned to be included in the first 25,000 shipped.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Alternative.......2007-06-27

I absolutely love this album! I can't listen to it enough - it is a real nice change from what is on the radio. I have purchased this album for 3 of my friends and they all like it - it is worth a listen!

After Chaos.......2007-06-01

A great album from start to finish... something that is missing in todays albums. I decided to buy this album after hearing the song Chaos on a paste cd sampler. Instrumentation and vocals are top notch! I really like the DJ Shadow - Entroducing influence that is apparent on some of the tracks. A good modern band to get into. Hope to see them live soon!

Fresh beats galore!.......2007-05-24

For some reason I heard about these guys on MTV U and decided to check them out. I thought they were overrated at first because they were on MTV, but I guess thats my fault for labeling them like other cookie cutter popular bands. These dudes explore old and new sounds and bring them together into a sweet epiphone that will rock your socks off. Influences from the police and jam bands alike are easily noticed. Their shows are even higher energy and seem to bring out elements in the music you would never get from the cd alone. I love the track obsolete so much now because the bassist whipped out an upright during the show and went wild an out on that thing. I swear his fingers had a mind of their own. Go see these guys and cheer on my new buddy Danny who does all their lighting!!! (hes only 18 btw)

You wont stop playing it over and over.......2007-05-13

These melodies are infectious, hitting a spot in you that makes you want to play it again and again. Its intense. Its tight. The band is mostly from New Orleans, but you wouldnt know that unless somebody told you. The song "Break The Same" about Hurricane Katrina tells the story of how people of all races lives shatter equally tragically "When only tears remind us that we all Break the Same" builds up the chorus of an intense loud hook that the listener can lose themselves in.
The lyrics throughout are very inspired. Enlightened. "Stare at the Sun" speaks of the futility of finding meaning through speculation. It might be a future hit, its a catchy slower song. Theres fast and loud, slow and chill, its as varied as a good Zep album. Theres Ambiance. There is great rhythm. Theres fantastic melodies. You will love this CD.
This is the only new rock CD I have purchased in this decade. I was insanely into buying Hard Rock Cds in the early 90's, but I find the last few years so bad I dont even use the radio, and basically listen to anything else but recent rock. I bought this album instead of downloading their stuff, cause they earned it, and I hope they blow up big and I get to put on the radio again. In NYC, the word is just getting out, I hope they pay us a visit.

Awesome.......2007-03-30

we have been following them for years now and they have not failed to put out awesome music. it is inspirational, spiritual, and up lifting. To see these guys live is a true blessing.

Average customer rating:

Slint's Six Song lp - "Spiderland"
"In the mirror, he saw his friend."
"I Miss You!"
genius, genius
Frightening In Its Strength.

Spiderland
Slint
Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Laughing Stock
Daydream Nation
Double Nickels on the Dime
Loveless
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven

ASIN: B0000019HU
Release Date: 1994-03-31

Tracks:

Breadcrumb
Nosferatu Man
Don, Aman
Washer
For Dinner...
Good Morning, Captain

Amazon.com

Although this Kentucky combo had a short lifespan, its influence has been extraordinary, presaging the underground "math-rock" revolution and spawning spinoffs such as Tortoise and Gastr Del Sol. But don't go thinking that the foursome is a mere footnote: The bracingly dense, dizzyingly complex songs that vein this, their second full-length release, perfectly capture the smarter face of early-'90s thug-rock. Yes, Slint's sound is descended from punk, but its members--particularly guitarist Brian McMahan--never subscribed to the "keep it simple, stupid" philosophy. Spiderland is so rife with breakneck tempo changes, off-kilter chord progressions, and bizarro-world themes, you'd be hard-pressed to go a listen without discovering something new. --David Sprague

Customer Reviews:

Slint's Six Song lp - "Spiderland".......2007-06-22

'Spiderland' is currently a album that I have been listening to more often these days. It's an album I have had for about 10 years now, but it just recently made it's way back into my stereo. This time I actually like it.
'Spiderland' was first released in 1991 and it was Slint's second album after 'Tweez'
I read many reviews over the last few years, still not sure how I felt about this. Many stated this is the first True Post Rock album.
A statement in some ways I still don't get, but no other band influenced by Slint has come close to matching it's depressive, but atmospheric intensity.
There has been rumors that the band members of Slint had to be institutionalized during the making of 'Spiderland'-
The sound is very lo-fi. Filled with off key guitar distortions which are quite eerie and strange(one of the reasons why it took me so long to get into this record). Very disturbing, and full of slowed down tempo.
Brian McMahan's voice switches from grunge induced screams to mere whispers. And yes, I do prefer this album over another (landmark) album which also came out later in 1991. Although 'Spiderland' was sadly much less known and it still is.
This album truly does mix garage rock, grunge and punk and it's also full of mutters and talking. Really creepy, may be a turn off for some.
The song "Washer" is a very dark track. The protagonist knew his fate, but couldn't avoid it in the end. Despair can be heard throughout.
Opener "Breadcrumb Trail" - A truly gut-wrenching listen, dissonant guitars over McMahan's intensity. Then on through the closer, and best known track "Good Morning Captain" where the last lines are McMahan screaming "I'm in Hell...I'm in HELLL...I MISS YOU...!"
- It is hard to believe that these guys were just teenagers when making this album. A Record that inspired Math Rock (?) and bands like Explosions in the Sky and Tortoise. This is a 'must hear' listen and it should be heard on vinyl.

"In the mirror, he saw his friend.".......2007-06-13

Unheard of by many, revered by almost all those that own it, Slint's second (and last) album is regarded as one of the most influential alternative records ever released.

Brian McMahan's primarily spoken vocals offer a haunting juxtaposition to David Pajo's (later of Tortoise and Zwan) jaggedly ornate guitar playing, with the lyrics seemingly having little connection to the stop-start syncopation of the instrumental. From McMahan's tale of a ride on a roller-coaster with a gypsy fortune teller at a carnival in Spiderland's opener 'Breadcrumb Trail' to his reworking of Coleridge's opus The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ('Good Morning, Captain'), at the album's close, Slint's final work runs the gamut of marginal human experience, abstracted against a backdrop of jazz time signatures and 'spidery' guitars, to create a stifling air of impending doom. For all that however, 'Washer' is one of the most startlingly beautiful elegies committed to record.

Sexy, claustrophobic, unashamedly arty and conceptual, Spiderland is considered by many to be the first true 'post-rock' album, following their Steve Albini-recorded 'post-hardcore' debut, Tweez (1989).

"I Miss You!".......2007-04-09

Simplicity should never be confused with being simple. The relatively primitive component parts of "Spiderland" build into something far more powerful, mostly because the band had a firm grasp of the dynamic tensions of "heavy" music. In other words, dramatic, powerful music is formed through the dynamic shifts in the component parts rather than the top level of the sound. Its brilliance comes from the fact that its brutality is brutally subtle.
The rumours that several members of the band had to seek psychiatric help after the recording of this album ring true precisely because there is a very real jarring sense of desperation and loss in the mere thirty six minutes and six tracks that comprise this album.
Another thing to explain the impact that this album has made is that, paradoxically, it doesn't really sound like anything that has come either before or since. Perhaps the closest relative to its sound is the work of Tortoise and other "Post Rock" bands, formed by some members of the band after the demise of Slint. Yet "Spiderland" is at heart unapologetically straight rock music...but with a sense of mystery that totally eludes most rock bands and their preening "stars". The contrary cover art (shot by Billy "Prince" Billy, a.k.a., Will Oldham) and sparse liner notes only add to the mystery.
The band split up soon after "Spiderland" was released, partly because hardly anyone bought it. They therefore never got the chance to lose their charisma, and will always stay those young men frolicking in a dingy wayside pond. Slint are a much-missed band. But perhaps it's better that way.

genius, genius.......2007-04-04

I love Slint to pieces. This record is so unique on so many different levels. Words may not do justice here, but i always think of "Spiderland" as a concept album: that being a monumental night terror one night.

You are falling asleep at the beginning, and by the end of "Breadcrumb Trail," you are in R.E.M. sleep.

...Now begins the nightmare ("Nosferatu Man")

...The night-terror takes hold of your body ("Don, Aman")

...and now the aftershocks ("Washer")

..you reconcile your inner-demons and begin to wake from the night ("For Dinner...)

...finally, you wake from the dream and your life will never be the same ever again ("Good Morning, Captain")

I still find nuances that I have not yet experienced in this record. Oh, another plus, one of the best album covers/promo photos ever

Frightening In Its Strength........2007-02-15

This record...is brilliant. No filler. No hits. No traditional songs. 7 minute mind-blowing works of art? Yes.

I can't remember where I heard of Slint or why I got this, but I assure you that I regret neither. The record encorporates a sense of paranoia, hope, faith, depression, lonliness, confusion and spite. It is a rare recording. A masterpiece. Never equaled before. Never equaled since. The openening of "Don, Aman" is an acapella breakdown leading into an ocean of strings, "Washer" is unequaled in gorgeous "heart-on-sleeve" humility. "Nosferatu Man" haunts like a bad dream, "Good Morning, Captain" sticks to so many surfaces, only to all be unglued with the blood-curdling screams of "I Miss You."

Stop reading.
Get this record NOW.
Listen.

Average customer rating:

Underrated even as it is lavished with praise
This CD is the King of King Crimson!
Very well done
yowza
Fripp gets Discipline

Discipline
King Crimson
Manufacturer: Discipline Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In the Court of the Crimson King
Three of a Perfect Pair: 30th Anniversary

ASIN: B00064WSNW
Release Date: 2004-11-22

Tracks:

Elephant Talk
Frame by Frame
Matte Kudasai
Indiscipline
Thela Hun Ginjeet
Sheltering Sky
Discipline
Matte Kudasai [Alternative Version][Alternate Take]

Customer Reviews:

Underrated even as it is lavished with praise.......2007-06-20

I know my title makes no sense, but it's true. This album cannot be praised enough. It is a masterwork. It is a new era for the Crim, more new-wavey but still pretty proggish. These songs are excellently written, and are made more so by the players. Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew on the guitar create some of the most excellent shredding in the history of music, with the two's complicated lines interlocking and creating something fantastic. Then there's Tony Levin on bass/stick, playing seemingly simple but probably not so bass/stick lines. They, especially the stick lines, seem to act more as another melody than harmony. And then there is freakin' William Scott Bruford on the drumset. Why is this guy not as appreciated as god-danged Neil Peart? Peart is way too flashy and far too mechanical to be as praised as he is. I'm being a hypocrite here, because there is no way in heck I'm as good a drummer as Peart. But jeez, Bruford is so much better. The guy has such a unique style and keeps up with this very complex playing with absolute ease and finesse, but instead of playing fills the whole way through like a certain Canadian, he GROOVES and it is EXCELLENT.
Sorry to get off on a rant there. I love Rush, I even like Peart's playing generally. Let's move on.
Concerning the album, a song that is good, or even a song that is great would be a total dud on this album. That's how awesome it truly is. "Elephant Talk" is a great opener, with lyrics that are mainly synonyms for the word talk, with weird elephantesque guitar noises and a cool stick melody being what makes the song better than it already was.
"Frame by Frame"...wow. Fripp's incredibly fast run-up-the-fretboard-and-back-and-not-break-a-sweat guitar riff is simply the epitome of sweetness and the more melodic part of the song (e.g., the verses) is stunning and beautiful.
"Matte Kudasai" is a lovely ballad with a beautiful slide guitar sound that is a recurring theme and Belew's drifting, pleasant voice singing lyrics such as "She sleeps in a chair/in her sad/America". I'm not a fan of soft, ballad-type songs, but this is done quite well.
"Indiscipline" sounds totally unhinged, with Belew ranting about "it" and equally wild music popping up after each verse. Crazy fun.
"Thela Hun Ginjeet" is another fairly unhinged song, but it is not as wild as "Indiscipline", for sure. Rather, it grooves and comes back to a recurring, fairly nonsensical (at least, it seems) chorus when it is not recounting an absolutely bizarre and somewhat creepy narrative that seems to be about some sort of videotape.
"The Sheltering Sky" is a beautiful and interesting instrumental that is a little overlong. I dig it, though.
Now we come to the title track. "Discipline" is another instrumental, but is far more awesome than "The Sheltering Sky". In fact, it makes "TSS" look like a huge turd floating in gross brown water in a disgusting toilet with the lid up in a dingy gas station/truck stop. It has incredibly awesome, nearly orgasmic overlapping guitar parts that, along with the really cool bass-and-drums groove, creates a totally out-of-this-world whole. Even though it is fairly minimalistic and five minutes long, it doesn't last long enough.
The bonus track, the alternate take of "Matte Kudasai" is good, because you can't really ruin a song like that. But it is almost the same as the previous version. Kind of a waste.
In summary, 500000000000000000000000000000 stars. Perfect. What music should sound like.

This CD is the King of King Crimson!.......2007-06-08

This is such an awesome CD full of interesting sounds and rhythms! I had it years ago when it came out and had it stolen. Lately I kept thinking about it and decided to purchase the new remastered CD. It's just as good as ever! In fact I think I appreciate the work and the quality of the recording even more now.

Tony Levin's bass is phenomenal! Sometimes it's interesting just following his bass playing. Outstanding! Whether he's with Crimson or with Peter Gabriel he's fantastic. Definitely one of the best bass players I know of along with Chris Squire. And talk about guitar work. Fripp and Belew do some outstanding, very interesting work here. Kind of Al Di Meola on acid. Bill Bruford is excellent! I read a review where someone apparently doesn't think much of Bruford. I've seen him perform in a couple of different groups like Genesis and Yes and he's alway been able to flow with a progressive band well. He provides a great foundation for the music here.

Highly recommended if you are in to strange music and progressive rock styles. My favorite King Crimson CD. I don't know if this is classified as progressive rock but whatever it is, I like it a lot! One to crank up! Sometimes I take it out and play little games like looking at it and then not looking at it, just to see if I still like it. I DO!

Very well done.......2007-05-12

First, I am not a fan of the band, but this cd brings new ideas and explores new sounds and textures. I saw the concert from the second row and it reminds me good times from the early 80's.

yowza.......2007-03-26

I am not a huge Crimson fan. I heard this album first when I was 18, an impressionable age to be sure. I know Court of the Crimson King, Red, Thrak, etc., but for my money, this is the best line up and best album by Crimson. Adrian Belew, fresh from tours with Zappa and the Talking Heads, infuses the band with polyrythmic intensity and Afro-Brazilian beats. To be sure, his voice is high and an acquired taste. Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, California Guitar Trio, etc.) holds down a nasty, stick infused bottom while Bill Bruford (Yes, XTC, etc.) provides amazing, frenetic fills. This group has the chops to compete with guitarist Robert Fripp and the result is some incredible, moody music. The opener, Elephant Talk, is a funny, funky dance beat of a song (and I don't associate Crimson with funny, but I think Belew brings some much needed levity to this album in counterpoint to lead guitarist Robert Fripp's pretentiousnes). Frame By Frame follows with hypnotic duelling guitars and soaring vocals - a real mind bender. Matte Kudasai is a pretty ballad with wailing seagull guitars; and if you purchase the newest edition, you get two versions of the song. Indiscipline is a mad, head-splitting romp (though it doesn't make your ears bleed like the double trio Crimson). Thela Hun Ginjeet (still covered by Primus/Les Claypool) is a rollicking, bouncy joy. The final two tracks, Sheltering Sky and Discipline, are very strong. You will either love or leave this disc, but it likely depends on your age and exposure to Crimson. For me, I would rate Discipline in the top 100 of all time for pop album releases.

Fripp gets Discipline .......2007-02-06

Fripp spent 3 years after he broke up Crimson in 1975 studying the works of JG Bennett. Well, he really reinvented himself here with a new and improved version of Crimson. The tragedy is, it's one of the best records of the 80's that I'll bet not many people have ever heard!

Average customer rating:

The Destruction of Small Ideas
65daysofstatic
Manufacturer: Monotreme Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One Time For All Time
Fall of Math
Don't Go Down to Sorrow
Hole
Mirrored

ASIN: B000OLHGHK
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Tracks:

When We Were Younger & Better
A Failsafe
Don't Go Down To Sorrow
Wax Futures
These Things You Can't Unlearn
Lyonesse
Music Is Music As Devices Are Kisses Is Everything
The Distant & Mechanised Glow Of Eastern European Dance Parties
Little Victories
Primer
White Peak/Dark Peak
The Conspiracy Of Seeds

Googol Power: Multiplication Vacation Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Kids love it!
OK
Googols of Fun
fun and educational for all ages

Googol Power: Multiplication Vacation Soundtrack
Googol Power
Manufacturer: Googol Learning
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002DUSKC
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Introduction, Like Magic (Jon Hemingway, Susan Jarema, David Pavane)
Multiplication Vacation (Mr I-Yurgen Ilaender)
Something About Nothing (Gary Huntbach)
Only One of Each (Gary Huntbach)
Two Two Two (Mr I-Yurgen Ilaender)
Ancient Egypt (3x) (Mr I-Yurgen Ilaender)
Animals of Africa (4x) (Gary Huntbach)
Multiply By Fives (David Pavane)
Penguin Rap (6x) (Mr I-Yurgen Ilaender)
Googol Power Song: Cardios Warm-up (Jon Hemingway, Susan Jarema, and David Pavane)
Seven Natural Wonders (David Pavane)
Yodel Odel Eight (Krista Pavane)
Kingaroo Didge (9x) (Mr I-Yurgen Ilaender)
Leonardo Da Vinci (10x) (David Pavane)
Art of the World (11x) (Gary Huntbatch)
Planetary Rock (Gary Huntbatch)
Constellations And Stars (David Pavane)
We Know How to Multiply (David Pavane)

Album Description

Math, Music and More... with Canada's Favourite Children's Group (2005 "Indie" Winner)

The award winning Googol Power Math Series combines great MUSIC, an entertaining STORY and LAYERED LEARNING that provides educational FUN for all ages. Listeners will learn about our world, music, art, history and science while practicing math.

THERE'S BIG TROUBLE ON EARTH!
Nena and the GoogolKids are having trouble learning their times tables! Send in the Googols, who use their powers to make multiplication an exciting adventure that journeys "from the jungles deep in Africa, to the icefields of Antarctica" and even into outer space! Follow Azatara, Cozmo, El Mundo the Great Wizard, and their friends Mr. I and Gary Q, as they use music and exploration to learn all about multiplication.

The award-winning* CD "Multiplication Vacation" has received amazing reviews from children, parents, and teachers. This soundtrack features over 70 minutes of learning, including 18 original songs, fascinating facts, jokes and "googols of fun" for the whole family. Lessons cover multiplication facts 0 to 13, skip-counting, math rules, world geography, famous characters in history and astronomy.

* 2005 Winner Canadian Independent Music Awards for Canada's Favourite Children's Group
* 2005 Family Review Center's Seal of Approval
* 2005 Carschooling Award
* 2004 Dr. Toy's Best Vacation Children's Product Winner
* 2004 Winner of The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval
* 2004 Children's Music Web Best Educational Recording
* 2004 Children's Music Web Best Song for Leonardo Da Vinci

The Googol Power Math Series (educational music for the family) was designed to spark curiosity about our world and beyond.

The award winning albums "Addition Celebration" and "Crazy 4 Math" are also in this series.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2007-07-02

My children LOVE this CD. It has helped them so much with their mulitplication tables. My 8 year old's teacher has asked where to get it as well. Everytime we go somewhere they ask to hear it. Wonderful product!

Kids love it!.......2007-05-25

The music is upbeat and tells a story. I think the kids enjoy this and the addition soundtrack more than any of the educational CD's they have. I wish more learning tapes were this creative!

OK.......2006-12-21

The songs are catchy my 8 and 9 year olds like the songs but the multiplication parts in the songs are sometimes spaced out with lots of words in between. Very hard to actually memorize times tables...

Googols of Fun.......2005-06-08

Bird-like creatures from space named googols (named after a very large number) take you on an exciting adventure through the universe in this award winning product, teaching facts about numbers and world geography at the same time.
The multiplication vacation "movie soundtrack" help make the learning of multiplication facts fun and exciting.
The CD begins with a "star wars" feel-"Long, long, long ago in a galaxy faraway..." -grabbing your kids attention from the get-go.
My kids enjoy listening to the songs, and once the CD turns off I can often hear them humming a few of the tunes and chanting the phrase "googol power." My 4 year old particularly enjoyed "two two two" and "penguin rap" was a big hit with everyone.
If you're looking for some catchy "educational" music to play at home or in the car, look no further..It's right here.

fun and educational for all ages.......2005-03-01

My kids, 2 and 4, love this CD. They sing along and ask questions about the songs, making a great opportunity to teach them about multiplication. The songs are grown-up friendly, I particularly like the 13 song.

Average customer rating:

Tweez
the fun before the funeral
Tweez takes you in the opposite direction of Spiderland.
better than spiderland?
Groundbreaking, but not earthshaking

Tweez
Slint
Manufacturer: Touch & Go Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven
f#a# (infinity symbol)
Drive Like Jehu
Loveless
Confusion Is Sex/Kill Yr. Idols

ASIN: B0000019KN
Release Date: 1993-12-08

Tracks:

Ron
Nan Ding
Carol
Kent
Charlotte
Darlene
Warren
Pat
Rhonda

Customer Reviews:

Tweez.......2007-04-15

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but this really does sound like a test-run for "Spiderland". Who would have known then that "Tweez's" jokey asides, song titles taken from the names of the band's parents, heavy metal stylings and throw-away approach to recording would eventually lead to one of the key 90s albums? While "Spiderland" is marked by a painstaking discipline to its structure, a wilful and lovingly-crafted delicacy of narration, and a sense of the enigmatic, "Tweez" only rarely touches on these qualities (with tracks such as "Carol"). This admittedly worthwhile album nevertheless makes "Spiderland" seem like a far greater achievement.

the fun before the funeral.......2005-02-24

I don't know, this album always seemed like a group of extremely talented musicians fresh from Hardcore University trying to work out what to do, left in a studio for a week with Steve Albini eating a sandwich next to the microphones. The first song manages the clever trick of sounding like absolutely nothing else you've ever heard, and at the time I first heard it I was caught between laughing and turning it off. The song starts with one of the band complaining about his headphones not working before being swept away by the music, and culminates not long after with what sounds like someone smacking hell out of a radiator with an industrial spring, joyously shouting 'Oh man!'.

I guess that for a one word review you can interchange 'playful' and 'perplexing', as the band sweeps between styles without worrying too much about choruses, structure, or sense. About half of it is very heavily flanged jazz guitar, which I found (by half way through side two) did my head in, just complexity for the sake of it. They then jump straight into two minutes of death metal, only, y'know, good. Weirdly, even then Slint managed to worm something into your head, even if you're not paying attention. I haven't listened to this album in years (although I'm already thinking I should) and yet I can still remember the garbled words '...that's where the river bends, that's where the silo stands, that's where they paint their houses...'. Slint in a nutshell...you always have the profound feeling, even in their most throwaway moments, that something really bad is about to happen.

Despite that, what I was left with from this album was an infectious sense of fun (albeit with something really bad about to happen). Even if I didn't get with all of the music. Like some bands that came after them, the worst offender being Shellac, occasionally the joke's so studied you wonder if it's on you.

The closer 'Rhoda' is the most interesting song, I have absolutely no idea how they make the sounds they do. A longer version was later included on the split single which, if you're reading this review, I imagine you already know about. Fantastically original, striking music, bordering on the symphonic.

If you buy one Slint album, buy Spiderland, but this album is worth your money if you have an open mind and are prepared to smile along. Maybe the best thing is not to give it your full attention. And then five years later you'll be thinking to yourself, 'my god, I still know the lyrics'. And start looking over your shoulder.

Tweez takes you in the opposite direction of Spiderland........2004-01-14

I don't think it is really accurate to say that Spiderland is a *better* album than Tweez. They are just completely different. I agree with the other review that you hear a lot of Big Black influence on Tweez. Not so much on Spiderland. Spiderland's production is tighter than Tweez, yes. And the lyrics are stories, not anecdotes - it's more melodic, more experimental.
Spiderland takes you on a journey.

Tweez is more of an angsty album, it's raw and aggressive. Lots of noise. It's great! It gets your adrenaline going. I heard Spiderland first, instantly fell in love with it. I would have liked more albums ala Spiderland. But I was just as happy to have found their first album, Tweez. I do admitt that I don't have the same connection with Tweez as I do Spiderland (hence minus a star). It is pretty much the opposite of Spiderland but equally enjoyable, for a different mood/mind set. You have to decide for yourself if that is a good thing. I think it's great when you have a band that can take you in two completely different directions like that. We are also talking about Tweeze being released in 1989 and Spiderland following it up in 1991.

I know this is not the right genre for this, so please don't flame me - but since someone else brought up Nirvana *hides*.. To say that Spiderland is better than Tweez is like saying "Nevermind" is better than "Bleach". (ummn I liked Bleach much better, but that has nothing to do with _this_ review!) When it's obvious, to me at least, that the musicians were still developing where they wanted to go with their sound(s). Music grows and changes, that is what it is supposed to do. However, out of the two albums, I would say that Spiderland is my favorite and if I were introducing someone to Slint - I'd give them Spiderland. But that really depends on the person. If they were really into Big Black, I'd give them Tweez first. It depends on if you're feeling "grrrr" or "swoony". For lack of better terms. yeah, real punk rock of me. ; >

I really get into listening to Tweez not only for it's own merits, but also to experience what Spiderland did eventually grow out of. I think every fan can appreciate that.

If you like Slint, you should also check out Aerial M (multi-instrumentalist David Pajo, formerly of Tortoise, Slint, Stereolab & others, is Aerial M.). If you haven't already, go pick up Tortoise: "Millions Now Living Will Never Die". And Big Black fans should give a listen to Babyland - "A Total Let Down" &/or "Who's Sorry Now".

If you like Slint, you should buy this album. You can never have enough Slint, and there isn't much to begin with. I also recommend grabbing any/all Slint singles you can find.

better than spiderland?.......2003-11-09

A lot say that this album is better than spiderland, and they could be right. I myself am not sure that such a distinction could be made, the two albums seem to different from each other in approach to really be compared. It is not as if I listen to Tweez and say to myself; `well they were on to something, but they really perfected in Spiderland'.
Tzeez seems to be the product of anxious brilliant minds, it sweeps in and out of different styles and approaches to subject to the point that it might seem disjointed in a way that Spiderland isn't. Tweeze feels contrived (I mean that in the most positive way) where Spiderland feels organic and intuitive. Where as Tweez is a cerebral album, you will feel it your mind, it will other path of meditation for the active listener and then provide `blocks' to the meditation that will confound the passive listeners. It will switch `modes' or deliver musical abstracts that are complex and intelligent. It will slip between careful parody and complete seriousness. I did not know what to make of this album the first time i heard it, where as my connection with Spiderland was instantiations. But this is not album where the band are are searching for the mode that is Spiderland, Slint were simply in a different place, thinking in a different way.

Tweez, is in my personal opinion, one the greatest pieces of music ever created.

Groundbreaking, but not earthshaking.......2003-04-26

Slint basically created Post-rock in the early 90's, but I wouldn't say they perfected it. This is a good album, but not a great one. If you are a fan of Tortoise, Mogwai, Trans Am, Godspeed You Black Emporer and the like, you will find it pleasing, but not quite as good.

Average customer rating:

Groovy but cerebral voiceless experimental rock gift
Corrections
Good and Interesting
Live show is AMAZING
Incredibly Smart

EP C
Battles
Manufacturer: Monitor Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tras
Mirrored
World Class Listening Problem
Yellow House
Drum's Not Dead (CD + DVD)

ASIN: B000244FGO
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Tracks:

B + T
UW
Hi/Lo
IPT-2
Tras 2

Customer Reviews:

Groovy but cerebral voiceless experimental rock gift.......2007-03-03

Good starting point in a pretty weak discography seems to be the briefly recorded band's most solid, articulate outing in their weird, playfully menacing style. Players are in high form here, keeping the compelling repetition informed and brisk for anyone interested in the opposite side of your typical jam band. Here the esteemed math-rock compatriots get to flex their considerable self-conscious chops, ushering in the band's renewed interest in the faltering genre. Hopefully these impressive, though essentially glorified, compositional outings will continue to refine and focus both band and fans alike as the obligatory LP hopefully looms around the corner.

Corrections.......2006-04-29

Just to disabuse anyone of the notion that Tyondai lives in Boston and is Toni Braxton's brother (per "A Music Fan"): neither is true. He lives in NYC and is the son of music god Anthony Braxton.

Good and Interesting.......2005-12-28

This short CD is what happens when 3 very talented musicians spend a day screwing around in the studio. You get some flashes of brilliance and a lot of experimenting. All of the album is interesting except the last 3 minutes or so of the last track which is utterly pointless. The first track is great stuff and reminds me of prime Don Caballero. Over-all: good stuff and well worth a listen or two, but not something that lasts.

Live show is AMAZING.......2004-06-24

I saw Battles play twice at the Middle East Club in Cambridge, MA. They put on an incredible live performance. To actually see how they recreate the music you hear on the CD is really something. I can't stop listening to this CD! If you're into intelligent instrumentals, buy this record and everything else they release.

Incredibly Smart.......2004-06-19

Battles blends the genius of guitarist/keyboardist/samplist Ian Williams (Don Caballero, Storm & Stress), drummer John Stanier (Helmet, Tomahawk), guitarist Dave Konopka (Lynx) and Boston-based avant garde composer Tyondai Braxton (ironically the younger brother of pop/r&b singer Toni Braxton). Attempting to draw comparisons to other bands or even genres is pointless and quite frankly unnecessary, because EP C is a truly unique sounding album. The only other music that competes with Battles' abstractly intelligent musicianship and songwriting is Storm & Stress and the later-era Don Cab, both brainchilds of Ian Williams. Which says a lot about where EP C is coming from. But the four individual talents of the members of Battles, when confronted, tread sonic territory that Williams' former efforts have not. The songs add layer upon seamless layer of intricate guitar and keyboard lines (often heavily sampled), fractured rhythms, electronic noises, and sparsely-placed vocal samples, all held together with the tenacious and incredibly tight drumming of Stanier. The production of the album is nearly perfect.

Tracks:

Discipline
Thela Hun Ginjeet
Red
Elephant Talk
Matte Kudasai
The Sheltering Sky
Indiscipline
Frame By Frame
Larks' Tongues In Aspic: Part II

Tracks:

Thela Hun Ginjeet
Red
The Howler
Frame By Frame
Matte Kudasai
The Sheltering Sky
Discipline
Elephant Talk
Indiscipline
Neurotica
Heartbeat
Sartori In Tangier
Larks' Tongues In Aspic: Part II

Customer Reviews:

Two more collector's club releases.......2007-05-15

As with the Collectable Vol. 1, This is made up of two releases that were/are available through the band's website. These were originally done back when you had to have a membership in the King Crimson Collector's Club in which you paid in advance for a certain number of releases and then you had the option of picking which ones you wanted. The nice thing about them being released this way is the fact that now you know before you get them what they sound like thanks to the rating on the back.

The first show here from the Moles Club in Bath is from an audience tape and that might be offputing to some. However, being someone familiar trading concert tapes over the years(IE Grateful Dead, King Crimson, and so on)I don't think the sound on here is that bad. The band was still calling itself Discipline at the time and that's what you get. Early versions of what would become the Discipline album with the first live Red and a cool Larks part 2. The performances are a little rough due to the fact that this is this lineup's first performance.

The second performance on here from Philadelphia was taken and mixed from the band's own multi track recording(8 tracks) tapes. You get different versions of the material on disc one plus four songs from the Beat album. Given the fact that this performance was professionally recorded, I doubt many people will have a problem with the sound quality as it's superb.

The short, all the performances are very good to excellent and the sound for the most part is top notch.

First live show Crimson played and one of the best "Beat" performances--mixed sound quality on one, excellent on 2nd.......2007-04-26

This two CD set documents two pivotal concerts by the 80's line up. The first concert features the band when they were still known as Discipline (before Fripp realized that this could a viable new version of Crimson)appearing at Moles a small concert club in Bath, England. The band performs material that would form the basis for their first album and recorded much of it getting out to hone their chops live. The performance sounds fair--it is drawn from a restored audio cassette so is presented in mono with limited fidelity. It still is worthwhile for some of the stunning, loose performances here. This is before the songs had been honed to perfection by constant live playing. It features the bulk of "Discipline" as well as two 70's era Crimson compositions "Red" (which would become a staple of this line up)and "Larks Tongues in Aspic: Part II".

The second disc is from one of the band's best performances during their 1982 tour (although I prefer their last show in Berekley for personal reasons--I was there). Capturing the band at peak intensity, Belew is on fire during this performance and the rest of the band follows him down that hot trail. Featuring "The Howler" (a song that would later be sadly retired from many live shows), the bulk of the second 80's Crimson album "Beat" and once again "Red" & "Lark's Tongues in Aspic", this was one of the four pieces best captured performances. Recorded on 8 track the sound quality varies from extremely good to excellent as it was pulled from the band's recordings and sounds much as the show would have sounded live. My only complaint about the second concert is that Tony Levin's bass is occasionally buried in the mix but otherwise the sound is exceptional.

Crimson biographer/blogger Sid Smith provides separate liner notes (as he did for the individual releases)for both in the booklet and they are excellent. I didn't realize that Smith never caught the 80's version of KC live (at the time he preferred the last incarnation with John Wetton, Fripp, Brufford and Cross)but he does confess that he didn't get into them until after they had split up again.

An excellent release and an essential purchase for Crimheads just be aware that the Moles show isn't perfect before buying. It's worth having because the performances are terrific. 4 stars for the Moles performance 2 stars for the recording; 5 stars for the Philly show and 4 stars for the recording.

Average customer rating:

Adiemus IV
whaaaaaat?????
Good...Although two of the Songs are on my Ipod...
New Age with an eclectic blend of styles from across the musical map!
Unimaginative

Adiemus IV: The Eternal Knot

Manufacturer: Higher Octave
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Adiemus III: Dances of Time
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
Songs of Sanctuary
Vocalise
Imagined Oceans

ASIN: B00004WC6I
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Tracks:

Cu Chullain
The Eternal Knot
Palace Of The Crystal Bridge
The Wooing Of Etain
King Of The Sacred Grove
Saint Declan's Drone
Salm O 'Dewi Sant'
Connla's Well
The Dagda
Children Of Dannu
Ceridwen's Curse
Hermit Of The Sea Rock
Isle Of The Mystic Lake
Math Was A Wizard

Amazon.com

When British composer Karl Jenkins launched Adiemus with the Songs of Sanctuary album in 1995, it was a fresh and exhilarating take on global music. Jenkins used choral vocals similar to Enya's, but spiked with a language of the imagination (merging African and Latin phonemes) and stoked by Jenkins's pastoral arrangements. Never wholly original--Lisa Gerrard and Elizabeth Fraser had already worked out fantasy vocal designs and the 1960s African mass "Missa Luba" effected a similar choral/African/Latin sound--Adiemus nevertheless found a new take on English composers' penchant for choirs. However, after six years and four albums mining this vein, Jenkins's sound rings more hollow with each recording.

The Eternal Knot is drawn from Jenkins's soundtrack to a BBC documentary called The Celts. You might recall that Enya also evolved her sound in the late 1980s doing a soundtrack for another documentary called The Celts. Taking his titles from the Celtic legends that populate the documentary, Jenkins orchestrates cinematic landscapes full of swelling crescendos and dynamic cadences. Less oppressive than the heavily orchestrated Adiemus II, The Eternal Knot still wears thin. He casts Miriam Stockley's voice into a boys-choir register, turning her staccato phonemes into incessant prattle. But when she's in her warmer middle range, her layered voice is enveloping. Despite the theme of the album, Celtic music is only used as an occasional touchstone, with uilleann piper Davy Spillane, a few bodhran-style percussion grooves, and harpist Catrin Finch providing some relief from Jenkins's string-laden classical pretensions. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Adiemus IV.......2007-05-07

This is another celtic cd which stirs the blood to your core. It has great melodies and wonderful arrangements to compliment the vocals. I will look forward to purchasing more of Adiemus in the future.

whaaaaaat?????.......2007-01-06

that was the first thing that popped into my head when i heard this album. i loved `songs of sanctuary' and was heartily disappointed not to also love this album. while it is obvious that the music is celtic-inspired, it is *only* the music that is so. the vocals seem to float along on their own with no relevance to the instrumentals beneath them. the language, which is the same play-language as `sanctuary', is blatantly out of place here. while with `sanctuary', despite the make-believe quality of the words, the quality of the vocal sound was instantly recognizable as south african. but those nasal tones and front-of-the-mask, brassy notes don't translate well to a celtic sound. (in fact, the whole album sounds like a clash of two cultures. as if a south african choir accidentally got routed to the shannon airport and collided with the chieftans.) on the whole, a disappointing album. if you want celtic music, buy a putumayo collection or *anything* by narada, clannad, celtic woman, etc. don't buy this album.

Good...Although two of the Songs are on my Ipod..........2006-01-24

My favorite songs are "Cu Chullain" and "Math was a Wizard". Cu Chullain is a good song for a ballet performance.

By the way, I own these two songs on my Ipod!

Meghan :)

New Age with an eclectic blend of styles from across the musical map!.......2005-11-23

Some earlier reviewers would suggest that this isn't up to the standards that Karl Jenkins achieved in some of his earlier output. I couldn't respond to that because this is the first Adiemus recording I've ever heard and, frankly, I loved every second of it. I'm thrilled that other listeners think the earlier recordings are better because I've now got something to really look forward to.

For me this recording evinced a blend of emotional responses - quiet contemplation, relaxation, toe-tapping, a satisfied smile, that whole body moving response to a driving rhythm and a joyful sense of participation in an all-encompassing musical experience. The recording is an eclectic blend of styles that cover an enormous range - Celtic rhythms and fiddling tunes in the style of River Dance; hard rock and steady beats that took a page out of Enigma's play book; a beautifully blended chorus of female voices that might well have included Enya, Diane Arkenstone and Loreena McKennitt; orchestral backgrounds that ranged from lush full orchestral accompaniment to pizzicato violin arpeggios that would have done Tchaikovsky proud in The Nutcracker; simple but effective, pleasing blues style acoustic guitar; full-bodied high speed choral sections that might have been penned by Karl Orff as part of the unforgettable Carmina Burana; and, a very effective seven beat piece that reminded me of the rhythms of Dave Brubeck's Unsquare Square Dance or Moe Kaufman's Swingin' Shepherd Blues!

Well, to each their own I suppose. It's certainly possible that this CD suffered by comparison to the quality of his other works but as a first time listener, I've got nothing but praise for it!

Paul Weiss

Unimaginative.......2004-06-14

Unlike 'Songs of Sanctuary', this album lacks imagination and invention. It comes across as somewhat monotonous and overly 'camp'.

Cu Chulain is a reasonable start but even there the urgent contribution by the violins comes too early, and by the end of the 'song', the concept becomes tiresome. The title track seems to be depicting something monumental in its climatic outbursts but if so, the effect is more visual (the documentary itself) than aural. It's odd how there is apparently no language used here yet 'Palace of the Crystal Bridge' manages to sound like some clueless surfer-girl taking herself way too seriously.

'The Wooing of Etain' is a beautiful instrumental and one of the very few pieces on the album that is thought-provoking, as is 'King of the Sacred Grove' (which is mellow and sounds suitably regal)....this is more of what I've come to expect/appreciate in Jenkins. Even so, he could have done more to build a climax towards the end of this, the third longest piece on the album.

'Songs' such as 'The Dagda' would be interesting diversions/fillers for the album if it wasn't for the synthesized, mass-product result of the album overall. Less 'ethnic-sounding' and more towards 'tacky' (e.g., the duo separated by 1 octave sung in unison at the end of 'Hermit of the Sea Rock'), this isn't as moving an experience as some would laud it to be.

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