Smile [CD-single] [Import]

Product Description
Japanese only 2 track single includes 'Smile' (original version) & 'Smile' (ballad version)'. 'Smile' is unavailable commercially outside of Japan, featured here in a single format and available on his full length 'When I Was Cruel' as the Japanese only bonus track. It's being used in Japan on a television commercial. 2002.

Smile,Elvis Costello,Universal,5-Inch CD Singles,Rock

Average customer rating: What could have been is what isn't. " Smile".........It never really was. You should have this album Superb Nice Project To Finish; Nice Concept Album

SMiLE Brian Wilson Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Pet Sounds Brian Wilson presents SMiLE Sunflower/Surf's Up Smiley Smile/Wild Honey Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson ASIN: B0002LI11M Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

1. Our Prayer/Gee
2. Heroes and Villians
3. Roll Plymouth Rock
4. Barnyard
5. Old Master Painter/You are My Sunshine
6. Cabin Essence
7. Wonderful
8. Song For Children
9. Child is Father of the Man
10. Surf's Up
11. I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop
12. Vega-Tables
13. On a Holiday
14. Wind Chimes
15. Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
16. In Blue Hawaii
17. Good Vibrations

Album Description

Smile is inarguably the most long-awaited album in modern pop history. It's been more than 37 years since the title first appeared on a label release schedule, intended as the January 1967 follow-up to the groundbreaking art-rock of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. But Smile never made its initial release date. Today, this album is not a mere reconstruction of past performances, but something entirely new, a serious summation of a project that has been gestating for nearly four decades.

Customer Reviews:

What could have been is what isn't........2007-07-17

For those people trying to relive the glory that Pet Sounds represented, along with the musical genius of Brian Wilson--a genius that seemed not to have reached it's full potential--this is the album for you. Listen to it and wallow in the pits of your despair over what might have been and rejoice in the vague scraps of genius on Smile to fuel your nostalgia. But the truth of the matter is that this cd is lackluster. The liner notes describe the songs lyricist Van Dyke Parks as "visonary." Well what was the guy looking at? They're abstract for sure, but not brilliant. Some of the lyrics--such as the ones to Vega-tables--are outright stupid. Wilson's voice is also not what it was and the vocals on the album do not contain the clear, magnetic harmonies the Beach Boys were famous for. This album is drenched in what could have been. Looking at it beyond its historical context the album simply doesn't cut it.

" Smile".........It never really was........2007-07-07

To those of us that were around at the time,we heard all the rumors,all the hype,the anticipation that Smile was the genius follow-up to Pet Sounds. I seem to remember that Brian left the Smile project unfinished, because he had a serious mental meltdown, and has never been quite the same, since. Chopped up the master of what WAS done.We all thought that it was the masterpiece, that never quite was, and probably would never be. Well....nothing that Brian does today,never quite surprises me. After 30-odd years, he decides to complete Smile.I thought, " OK. Let's see". I wish that I could have joined all of those that think that this was worth the wait. I can't. Brian should have left this alone, and simply just let the legendary Smile project be, what it was---a memory that could have been, but wasn't.

You should have this album.......2007-07-06

I am a huge Brian Wilson fan. I love what he has done and respect him very much.
Putting aside all this folklore and history assocaited with the album, this record is just ok. I used to listen to it thinking it was so good. Having heard the old soundbites and seeing Brian in concert. I slowly stopped listening to it. Then I decided to pop it in recently and I was very surpised to find that I really didnt want to hear any of the songs. I find them very silly and goofy, they dont need a girl singing on the album, and the vocals arent great.

Superb.......2007-05-09

People seem to go either one way or the other on this album. I see the same thing in the revews of the "Citizen Kane" DVD -you'll find quite a few one-star reviews among the five star ones there. That's fine with me; it takes all types. I just think this is wonderful music for people who really enjoy music for itself, not just as a soundtrack while they're cleaning the house. There are sections that are so gorgeous they would be milked to death on a modern pop album; here they last a minute or less. I particularly like the segue into "Wind Chimes", and the whole third suite: its powerful, complex, fully realised music. I was prepared to be let down by this but it was worth the wait.

Nice Project To Finish; Nice Concept Album.......2007-04-01

Being not the biggest Beach Boys historian as I am about other groups (Yes, Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc.), I didn't know the story about this album. Recently I read about it after listening to a Beach Boys greatest hits compilation. I was very intrigued by it (viewing it as buried treasure that virtually no one has ever heard). I immediately ordered it and Pet Sounds. I've always read about Pet Sounds and what a big album it is. However, I never got it. I always only had "Greatest Hits" albums of the Beach Boys.
I was not disappointed. The Sgt. Pepper era of the Beatles is the era of the Beatles I like the best. Pet Sounds and Smile add to my like of that era. Both get 5 stars.
After receiving the Smile cd, I immediately printed out a copy of the Beach Boys Smile album cover that never got used and put it over the Smile cover that came with the cd. I suppose Brian choose not to include that photo in the booklet that came with the cd due to the fact that the other members of the Beach Boys had nothing to do with Smile. Also, it may have had to do with legal reasons or, simply, his disinterest in including the story about the cover in the booklet. To him, Smile is His project, not the Beach Boys. And it is...as well as virtually every Beach Boys song from the 60's and 70's. To me, Brian Wilson IS the Beach Boys. There are a couple of songs on the cd that I didn't care for. But 95% of it I like. The cd will definately grow on me. The new version of Good Vibrations is very nice. It's nice to hear the lyrics that Brian originally intended to have for that masterpiece.
However, I would never play this album to the casual Beach Boys fan, or to one that only knows the "Hits". This cd will not be to their liking. Because, as previously mentioned, it is a concept album, NOT a "singles" album.
I love progressive rock, art rock, or whatever you like to call it. Groups like Yes, ELP, Genesis, Camel, etc. are my type of music. I like music that is creative, not the run of the mill stuff. I get bored with that stuff real easy. Country bores me too death!
My hat goes off to Brian for this masterpiece. It's so good that he never forgot it and finally let us hear what was in his mind back in the 60's and today. Though I feel some of it may have been influenced due to his drug use (I could be wrong), I still admire it. To me, you don't have to be on drugs to write such classics as Dark Side Of The Moon, Sgt. Pepper, Close To The Edge, etc. You just have to have a creative mind that doesn't care about the trends. My Hat Off To You, Brian!!

Average customer rating: An Elegantly Flawed Disc Goodbye Surfing, Hello God ! Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars An awesome CD!

Smiley Smile/Wild Honey The Beach Boys Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Friends/20/20 Sunflower/Surf's Up Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights) Little Deuce Coupe/ All Summer Long Carl & The Passions - So Tough / Holland ASIN: B00005ABX0 Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

1. Heroes And Villains
2. Vegetables
3. Fall Breaks And Back To Winter (Woody Woodpecker Symphony)
4. She's Goin' Bald
5. Little Pad
6. Good Vibrations
7. With Me Tonight
8. Wind Chimes
9. Gettin' Hungry
10. Wonderful
11. Whistle In
12. Wild Honey
13. Aren't You Glad
14. I Was Made To Love Her
15. Country Air
16. A Thing Or Two
17. Darlin'
18. I'd Love Just Once To See You
19. Here Comes The Night
20. Let The Wind Blow
21. How She Boogalooed It
22. Mama Says
23. Heroes And Villains (Alternate Take)
24. Good Vibrations (Various Sessions)
25. Good Vibrations (Early Take)
26. You're Welcome
27. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
28. Can't Wait Too Long

Amazon.com

These albums mark nothing less than a watershed in the Beach Boys' and Brian Wilson's careers. Fresh from the artistic triumph of Pet Sounds and the landmark single "Good Vibrations," Wilson began work on Smile, a project that would become a music fan's Rashomon: pop's most (in)famous unreleased album; artistic Waterloo for Wilson; near career-ruination for the band. Smile seemed an attempt to expand on the jigsaw session methodology Wilson had applied to "Vibrations." What went wrong has been debated for decades, but Smiley Smile was the album that followed in the summer of '67--a "bunt instead of a home run," as Carl Wilson admitted. Bookended by the glories of the "Vibrations" single and its truncated follow-up, "Heroes and Villains," Smiley can seem an exercise in creative schizophrenia. There's an earthy quality to remakes of Smile tracks "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," and "Wonderful," while Wilson's "Fall Breaks," "Little Pad," and "Whistle In" underscore his playful, off-center instincts. But this album also anticipated the roots-conscious retrenchment that the Beatles and Bob Dylan would undertake at the end of the '60s.

Wild Honey has taken its place as a cult fave among fans, and rightly so. Its surprising R&B influences (epitomized by the buoyant title track, "Darlin'," and "Here Comes the Night") were not only a brave turn for a band just then at a low ebb, but a prescient pointer to the black music explosion of the early '70s. This great twofer edition includes some of the series' best tracks: a near seven-minute "in progress" suite of "Good Vibrations" outtakes as well as a complete early version; the odd, Smile-era B-side "You're Welcome"; a beautiful live rehearsal rendition of the a cappella showcase "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring"; and another suite of edited session takes for the unreleased standout "Can't Wait Too Long." -Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

An Elegantly Flawed Disc.......2007-05-22

I feel that this grouping of albums is a blessing in that you can get two important but slightly flawed albums of Tehe Beach Boys for a low price. The music is unbelievable especially Smiley Smile. It is exhilirating to hear Brian Wilson's genius in this stripped-down form. What is there just teases you as to what it would have been if all the problems of Smile hadn't occured. The second half, Wild Honey, is just fun Beach Boys, no psychedelia at all, just fun. It's a great summer album all together, the first half for when your blazing, the second for when your driving around in the hot summer air. I recommend this album.

Goodbye Surfing, Hello God !.......2006-07-16

Smiley Smile - The "released" version of Smile is here in a smaller scale. If you ever wanted to hear what the Beach Boys would sound like on Hashish and laying on their backs while singing harmony stoned, get this, it's really good.
Wild Honey - White soul before there was white soul and 10 years before Hall & Oates and the white Philly soul movement, The Beach Boys did it in 1967.

Smiley Smile 2 stars - Wld Honey 4 stars.......2005-11-16

Smiley Smile simply is the moment when the Beach Boys died. It maybe impossible to imagine now, but up to 1966 the Beach Boys were as respected as artists as the Beatles. Smiley Smile is a rushed album, with practically no instrumentation whatsoever and many under-rehearsed vocals, except for Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villians. If Capitol ever releases a Smile box set as they promised, Smiley Smile will be then send to oblivion, in the hall of shame where it belongs. The world never took the beach boys seriously after that. Wild Honey is actually a very good album, not better than Pet Sounds or Smile, but different than anything they ever did before. Some of the songs and arrangements are totally Brian Wilson at his best. Some of the 'soul' vocals I find difficult to digest and I miss the Beach boys blend on the songs. The extra tracks on the album are ESSENTIAL to any serious beach boys fan, so, if you are, you need this album.

Smiley Smile- 4 Stars Wild Honey- 5 Stars.......2005-08-23

Letting go of the "what could have beens" with Smile hasn't been easy for many Beach Boys fans- yet it tarnishes a lot of what they did afterwards. There have been many bands that have had aborted projects- some songs found life in other projects. In the progression of The Beach Boys circa 1966-67 there's Pet Sounds, the "Good Vibrations" single, Smiley Smile, and then Wild Honey. There was a time when I might I have thought that Smiley Smile and Wild Honey were steps back artistically; especially when I would put myself to wondering about the aborted Smile project; but in my maturity the steps back artistically have become steps forward humanly. The proceeding albums had less flair and "ambition"; the staple became more and more friendly and subtle- especially when you include the wonderful Friends album.


The enormous ambition that was so much the core of Brian Wilson's progress had turned into personal flights of fancy. The remnants of this, Smile, was rerecorded and turned into Smiley Smile. Parts spooky and haunting, parts comical and silly, the music is complex yet at times astonishingly simple- it was an exorcism and slow return to being the Beach Boys. One major change that started occurring during the recording of this album is that the Beach Boys started recording the music themselves without the assistance of the Wrecking Crew (a famous group of LA session musicians).

Although I have preferred the "Smile" versions of Wonderful, Vegetables, Wind Chimes they are not without plenty of charm. She's Going Bald and Little Pad are fun ditties that have some experimental elements. Although this is a personal estimation I think some of the songs could be very disregarded by the most serious fans such as Fall Breaks Back Into Winter and Getting' Hungry.


Within the same year they had switched tracks to a much more earthy less psychedelic sound. The result is the highly enjoyable Wild Honey. This is a truly great album by the Beach Boys- this was their back to basics album with a new found interest in R&B. It was a group effort on many levels- the song writing was very good and the performances had a passion and honesty that I have found on Pet Sounds without the self indulgence. Songs like Darlin', Wild Honey, Here Comes The Night and Aren't You Glad are on my list of top Beach Boys songs. The Stevie Wonder cover I Was Made To Love Her is actually a surprisingly good cover; Carl sounds quite soulful.

Finally I have to mention Let The Wind Blow- a touching reminder of the power of love- the deepest and most important thing in the world. The sentiment came during a time when many were writing protest songs about everything that was wrong with the world. The simplicity of the desire to give and feel love to one special person in his life resonates so strongly in contrast to the protests and criticisms of inhumanity. The song itself is so simple that it's easy to past right by it but with the feeling of the song hits you it is a sincere plea for more love.


The bonus tracks a cool- there is an amazing live recording from another aborted album; Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring is a cover of a Four Freshmen song that harkens back to Brian's youth. There's also a good version of Can't Wait Too Long once again from the Smile sessions.


I highly recommend these albums. They come as a twofer but both albums are remarkably short; many albums back then clocked in at 40 minutes long because of the time constraints of records-- Wild Honey is only 23 minutes long!)
Also check out Sunflower, Friends, Holland, and Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blues (if you can find it) all top notch albums.

An awesome CD!.......2005-08-22

Smiley Smile is a terrific album, and definitely should rank among the most underrated, overlooked masterpieces of the last 200 years.

Sure, it wasn't "SMiLE", but it stands alone as a great work of art with its own merits. The songs, "Heroes and Villains", "Good Vibrations", and the several rare bonus tracks make the CD well worth buying, yet the CD offers much more than that.

If you like offbeat, eclectic songs, you will love Smiley Smile. This stuff is far wackier and stranger than anything the Beatles, Pink Floyd, or anyone else was doing at the time, or really since. But the songs aren't just strange and mystifying; they're also quite beautiful and enchanting.

The vocal harmony work on Smiley Smile is among the best the group ever did. The instrumentation is sparse on some songs, and deliciously rich and intricate on others. The album is an amazing tapestry of wild sound effects, beautiful vocals, haunting instrumentation, gorgeous melodies, psychedelic clownery, and genius concepts.

I could go on and on about Smiley Smile. It's one of my personal favorite albums and I never get tired of listening to it. But Smiley Smile is only half (in volume) of what the CD offers. I don't have much to say about Wild Honey other than there are several good songs on it, and it's a solid album with a consistent sound. The production is minimal as is most of the instrumentation. Overall, it's a good album worth owning if you like the Beach Boys.

The bonus tracks on this disc are just amazing. You get to hear an alternate version of Heroes and Villains often referred to as the "Cantina" version, and some of the tracking sessions for Good Vibrations, which is really quite cool. There's also a wonderful a capella song, originally from the 4 Freshman, that the Boys do with incredible grace and remarkable beauty. "Can't Wait Too Long" is apparently a SMiLE-era outtake that was never used, but it's hard to see why; it's a great song.

Basically, if you are a Beach Boys enthusiast and really like Brian's experimental side, you must get this CD. These Capitol "two-fers" are a great value, and this one in particular is a real gem.

Average customer rating: "Extremely catchy" by BJ Not the End of the World for This Band... It's OK Not really a kid, i just dont wanna get an acount....well actaully im 15 but... unbeliveable

Smile, It's the End of the World Hawk Nelson Manufacturer: Tooth & Nail Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk Revival | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk-Pop | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Christian Alternative | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Letters to the President The Face of Love Hearts of the Innocent We Can't Stand Sitting Down Business Up Front/Party In The Back ASIN: B000EOTF0S Release Date: 2006-08-21

Tracks:

1. The One Thing I Have Left
2. The Show
3. Bring 'Em Out
4. Everything You Ever Wanted
5. Something On My Mind
6. Is Forever Enough
7. Zero
8. Nothing Left To Show
9. Head On Collision
10. Hello
11. It's Over
12. Fourteen

Customer Reviews:

"Extremely catchy" by BJ.......2007-03-29

As soon as I heard Hawk Nelson at the 2007 Winter Jam Tour in Mobile, AL, I knew I just HAD to get one of their CDs. A couple days later my dad picked up "Smile, It's The End of the World" for me, and since then my sister and I have been blasting this CD on her stereo almost daily! Every song is extremely catchy, especially "Everything You Ever Wanted", "Zero", and "Head On Collision". At times the band could start to "scream" instead of "sing", and some of the songs sound almost non-Christian, but the album is still better than average. When I say that some of the songs are almost "non-Christian", I mean that they turn into almost "love" songs. Also, this album ISN'T for adults or young children--I think only teens will enjoy this one.
However, all in all this CD is still one of my favorites--and Hawk Nelson seems like Stellar Kart's twin!!

Not the End of the World for This Band..........2007-02-26

From the first time I heard "Every Little Thing" from Hawk Nelson's first CD, I have loved this band. Fortunately and unfortunately, they have greatly matured from their first album to create Smile, It's the End of the World. While traces of their old style remain, this album sounds much different than their last one. While it is still as "unfocused" as their past work, this album is on a different side of the pop/rock spectrum. Fans of the old record might be appalled by the change of style, as was I, but will most likely be quickly converted. Every song has something to offer. Some are happy and poppy, others edgier, and some even throw in a little Gospel flare.

Overall, this is a CD that does what it does right. No matter the atmosphere of the song, it is communicated effectively, and ultimately catchy. No one who enjoys this genre should miss out on this one.

It's OK.......2007-02-02

This album has a light, fun sounding feel to it. It is intended to appeal to teenagers and seems to have a sound that they like.

It is rather meaningless lyrically. It is full of fluff and little meaningful content. Hawk Nelson is purported to be a Christian band, but I heard nothing in this album that would validate that. Some of the songs are boy-girl love songs. Some others are hard to tell what they are even about - mainly nonsense.

In spite of the fairly trivial nature of the lyrics, there is nothing offensive about them. This is not an album that parents would need to worry about being a bad influence on kids.

There is one song that sounds pretty good: 'Everything You Ever Wanted'. A couple of others are kind of catchy.

Overall, it is an ok album. It is not one that I particularly enjoy, but I'm sure it has some appeal for its intended audience.

Not really a kid, i just dont wanna get an acount....well actaully im 15 but..........2007-01-19

ok, whoever said that fall out boy is a poser band, you should do some research before you say something like that. Just so you know, they had THREE albums out before they got popular, and, ever think that maybe people listend to them when they "sucked"?? Just because the band got popular DOES NOT mean that they are posers, are people who were listening to them before From Under The Cork Tree, are gonna listen to Good Charlotte.. and why does it matter if someone likes Good Charlotte, or some other "poser"?? Oh, and i happen to know for an absolute fact that fall out boy is not in it for the money, although i know that they enjoy the money(Who wouldnt). Trust me, i KNOW that. Anyways, i really like this cd. There right up there with Panic! At The Disco and Cobra Starship in my favourites. I really like Bring Em Out. Oh, and one more thing: if you dont like a band, dont bash them in front of people you know love them. It's not a good idea =) BUY THIS CD!!!!!

unbeliveable.......2006-11-04

there are many songs and groupos that i like but this tops it!(aside from relient k) the songs are so amazing! great guitar playing and his voice fits the music...it's soooo cool! get it it is totally worth it!

Average customer rating: A Vocally Dazzling Esparza Rides High on an Exuberant Pre-"Rent" Larson Score Great tunes - great lyrics - great harmonies Love the Music Larson Lives Fantastic Music, but i wouldnt want to see it live

Tick, Tick... Boom! (2001 Original Off-Broadway Cast) Jonathan Larson , Amy Spanger , and Raul Esparza Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: tick, tick ... BOOM! The Last 5 Years (2002 Off-Broadway Cast) The Wild Party (Lippa) (2000 Off-Broadway Cast) Songs for a New World (1996 Original New York Cast) Rent ASIN: B00005NQK5 Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

1. 30/90
2. Green Green Dress
3. Johnny Can't Decide
4. Sunday
5. No More
6. Therapy
7. Real Life
8. Sugar
9. See Her Smile
10. Come To Your Senses
11. Why
12. Louder Than Words
13. Boho Days
14. 30/90 Playout

Amazon.com

Rent is usually treated as Jonathan Larson's one and only show, but the truth is that he had a career--albeit a hitless one--before that blockbuster. There was a musical titled JP Morgan Saves the Nation with lyrics by Jeffrey M. Jones and music by Larson. And there was Tick, Tick... Boom!, an autobiographical piece that Larson workshopped for a while before setting it aside and finishing Rent.

In 2001, Tick, Tick is getting a full off-Broadway production, and it's a rather endearing one. Lyrics have never been Larson's strong point, but he was a hell of a melodic composer--and the score here is even poppier than that of Rent (think Top 40 rather than Sondheim). It's hard to pick favorite songs: "Green Green Dress" is built on a rollicking piano boogie, for instance, and "Real Life" and "See Her Smile" are the kind of elegiac ballad that Larson would later perfect with "Seasons of Love." Luckily, this show has a lot more to offer than mere youthful musings. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

A Vocally Dazzling Esparza Rides High on an Exuberant Pre-"Rent" Larson Score.......2007-06-16

Perhaps it's a coincidence that the immensely talented Raúl Esparza plays a character dreading his 30th birthday in this 2001 recording of the hit off-Broadway show by the late Jonathan Larson, while five years later, he would play the elliptical Bobby dreading his 35th birthday in the enthralling 2006 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company. In both performances, Esparza shows a true affinity for capturing the angst of men undergoing transitional points in their lives which render them emotionally paralyzed. At first glance, Sondheim and Larson would not seem like kindred spirits, but both share a gift for sophisticated lyrics in an unmistakable musical style defined by their oeuvres. Larson even pays tribute to Sondheim in the story's climax and with the sardonic, work-is-hell "Sunday", a take-off of the song with the same name in Sunday in the Park with George.

However, it is the familiar Larson sound of Rent that is heard most in this score - driving, rock-out rhythms with unavoidable pop hooks and yearning, piano-driven ballads. Even the opener, "30/90", is a virtual sound-alike of the bigger show's title tune. If the songs are not quite as polished or even memorable as those in Rent, they feel more personal because the autobiographical story is far more intimate in scale. Set in 1990 in the same SoHo neighborhood as Rent, it's a simple three-character piece about Jon, an aspiring composer who considers giving up his dreams on the verge of his 30th birthday. With charismatic fire, Esparza is equally adept using his beautifully expressive voice in a rock milieu as in a Sondheim character study. He brings energetic brio to finger-snapping rockers like the Twinkie-induced "Sugar" and especially shines on the ballads, "See Her Smile" and the revelatory "Why".

With a slightly pinched voice that reminds me a bit of the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, Amy Spanger as girlfriend Susan duets nicely with Esparza on the touching "Johnny Can't Decide", the rocking "Green Green Dress", and the comical self-help wordplay of "Therapy". Her shining solo moment comes with the knockout ballad, "Come to Your Senses". As Jon's embattled pal Michael, Jerry Dixon provides powerful vocals, bringing particular warmth to "Real Life" and grit to the fed-up rave "No More". The trio closes the show powerfully with the anthem-like "Louder Than Words". The overall score is a bit derivative and a tad too earnest, but the youthful zest of the cast and Larson's pop craftsmanship more than compensate. Two bonus tracks are offered at the end - an instrumental replay of the opener, "30/90 Playout" and a rare recording of Larson singing "Boho Days" a capella with propulsive hand claps.

Great tunes - great lyrics - great harmonies.......2006-11-04

If you are a fan of the late great Mr. Larson you will love this music. Okay, I have seen the play a couple of times so I know what happens between the songs but this, his autobiography, really moved me. Even my kids like the Green Dress Song.

I hope you like it... The theme is "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" rings true today as the day he wrote it.

John we miss you.

Love the Music.......2006-08-22

I saw this play a few weeks ago, and really enjoyed the music, so I got the CD. The voices, and lyrics are amazing! However, as I often find with CDs of musicals, there wasn't always the right feeling in the voice, particularly in "Therapy" where couple ought to be angry at each other, and it seems more cute on the CD.

Larson Lives.......2006-05-06

I love Tick, Tick... Boom! The show is quite refreshing. The show works so well with three actors. I LOVE "30/90" and "Louder Than Words." Both speak really strongly to the audience because they both are really relatable to anyone's life. Admittedly the middle of the show drags a little, and Spangler's voice can be chipmunkish at times. However those are minor detractions when it comes to this show. It is especially moving if you know Jonathan's story. It is no Rent, but the short piece is really moving

Fantastic Music, but i wouldnt want to see it live.......2006-04-30

I was soo soo very pleased with the music from "Tick...Tick..BOOM!". Rock Operas are my favorite type of musical theatre, and i must say this is one of the best. The storyline, however, although dealing with bohemian problems like AIDS, rehersals, love, didnt meet the power of the music. It was taken from Johnathans original one-man show and made into a three-man show. This was the only way possible to make this conversion, but still it was a dull storyline only going over the time period of one day in the day in the life of Johnathan Larson. Yes, it was an important day, his thirtieth birthday and his friend annoucing that he is HIV positive, but none of this happens until the end. The show lacks obsession, and in order to make a good musical storyline there has to be an obsession. Luckily, the weak storyline is backed with fantastic music, perhaps even better than Rent. 30/90 is my all time favorite song EVER i have listened to it over and over and still am not sick of it. other favorite tracks include:
30/90
Green Green Dress
No More
Sugar
Come To Your Senses (originally from Superbia)
Louder Than Words
and i also enjoy the rest of the songs as well.

Average customer rating: Bad Politics but Great Music Finding Soul In Todays Empty Music Industry Soul indeed. Proof that there can be power in simplicity Is this what constitutes "deep" lyrics? Not all Bad

Smile Empty Soul Smile Empty Soul Manufacturer: Lava ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Three Days Grace We Are Not Alone Crossfade Two Trapt ASIN: B0000996GM Release Date: 2003-05-27

Tracks:

1. Bottom of a Bottle
2. Silhouettes
3. Nowhere Kids
4. This is War
5. Therapy
6. For You
7. Your Way
8. The Other Side
9. Every Sunday
10. With This Knife
11. Radio in a Hole
12. All My Problems
13. I Want My Life
14. Eraser

Album Description

Self-titled debut from Santa Clarita, California trio from Lava Records. 14 tracks in the alternative metal vein. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Bad Politics but Great Music.......2006-09-02

Smile Empty Soul will be annoying if you pay attention to the words in This Is War, but their music at its core is excellent. Its not just loud obnoxious noise, they have really good guitars and have some beautiful songs like The Other Side and With This Knife. Maybe its just me but the recording seems a little rough, if they had recorded it well and actually promoted the album more it would have been a great seller and a huge success.

The standouts:

Silhouettes
Nowhere Kids
This Is War
For You
Your Way
The Other Side
With This Knife
Radio In A Hole
All My Problems
I Want My Life

Also I saw them in concert once and they tried to make a political point which was kind of annoying, but again, their awesome music balances the stupid politics out

Finding Soul In Todays Empty Music Industry.......2006-05-19

Modern bands today lack emotion,that simple.It seems as though Smile Empty Soul have found a loop hole around this towering issue,providing some of the most emotional and powerful music of this decade(so far).

"Silhouettes" is a stunning song from the opening notes echoing to the disenchanting lyrics.Some people have found "This War" to either be a geat song or critique it on it's labeling of soldiers and how its making them seem so robotic.You can decide that on your own, on with the songs."For You" is my favorite the lyrics seem so inspired, and the melody though not complicated really puts you in the realm of the songs atmosphere."Your Way" and "Radio In A Hole" are big exceptions in this albums flow.These are the wake up calls for hard rock lovers, instantly booming with this derived energy.If you haven't guessed yes this album is relatively slow paced based upon a clean channeled guitar with alittle twang/crunch.Alot of the riffs base eachother off one another, don't let that be your reason not to buy this many great bands have succeded with this hold up.(Such as Ac/Dc and Nirvana!)

I really enjoyed this album, very refreshing for a change and moving.If you like Nirvana you'll no doubt love this!

Soul indeed. Proof that there can be power in simplicity.......2006-03-26

Smile Empty Soul is my favorite band and has been for a while. Most music purists don't like their simple sound, but I wouldn't expect the average listener to appreciate the true amount of soul and emotion in their songs.

The insturmentals are very simple, yes, but they do not sound awful by any means, so I fail to see what is so bad about them. The lyrics are simplistic, and many may be turned off by this.

However, what makes SES great is the sheer amount of soul and grim emotion from their songs. The simple lyrics that would seem like tripe coming from any other band have a strange power when they are sung in Sean Danielson's rugged, melancholy voice. The insturmentals are made so that they seem to only enhance the soul and mood of the song. When SES is really at their best, it's sometimes as if the vocals and the insturmentals share the same soul, thus enhancing the power of their songs. This kind of genuine feeling coming from a song is something I rarely hear from any other band, and it is what seperates this band from the other countless, forced-feeling radio bands. What is even more incredible about this is that the members have lived fairly happy lives and have gone through few of the problems they sing about, yet they still convey mood quite effectivly.

Song Rundown

Bottom of a Bottle (9/10): The single that made them famous. Not their best work, but it has a certain energy to it, making it decent.

Sillhoettes (10/10): The first taste of the melancholy SES can envoke. It is also the first example of when this band gives power to seemingly simple phrases: in the bridge, when Sean sings "when I have kids/I won't put any chains on their wrists, I won't. I'll tell them this/There's nothing in this world that you can't be if you want it enough", we truly believe what he says and are perhaps inspired to tell our kids this message as well.

Nowhere Kids (10/10): Another sad song about abusive parents. It really makes us feel for any child who has to face this problem.

This is War (10/10): Moody lyrics that perfectly convey how a soldier feels; he has little control over what he does while enlisted. He feels out of place and normally woundn't harm anyone, yet he feels he must do what he needs to do for his country. Great acoustic song.

Therapy (9/10): Decent insturmentals and vocals that make us believe Sean is weighed down with the countless problems of the world. Could still use more emotion, though.

For You (8.5/10): Like Therapy, it could use more emotion. As it stands, though, it is a nice acoustic song with a slighty sympathy-invoking bridge and a certain resigned hopelessness in the chorus.

Your Way (10/10): The melancholy is lifted in exchange for defiance. Sean sings the defiant lyrics in a tone that really sounds as though he is questioning those that claim they can make life better, finally declaring that life should be lived on one's own terms ("Promises of a better life, what's wrong with the one I'm leading/everyone has a different fight, different wound that keeps them bleeding.") Insturmentals are fast-paced and carry their own disobedient tone as well.

The Other Side (10/10): A song that stands out for its bridge, which displays a certain creativity I don't hear often (I won't tell why. Listen for yourself.) Another decent acoustic song with a chorus that makes us believe Sean longs for better times and greener pastures.

Every Sunday (6/10): Lacks emotion. Lyrics don't stay on topic very well, either. So-so insturmentals, though, and not really awful, per se.

With This Knife (9/10): If the lyrics were better, this song would be even more depressing than it is already. A very sad, anguished, and hopeless sounding song that shouldn't be listened to while one is in a good mood.

Radio in a Hole (5/10): Never really cared for this song. Vague lyrics, slightly annoying insturmentals, and no real emotion make this the weakest track on this album (not the worst song in the world, but still.)

All My Problems (10/10): The defiance comes back. This song is just as well done as its predecessor, Your Way.

I Want My Life (10/10): Acoustic songs are really SES's strong point, and this is probably their best one. Again, very hopeless sounding. The insturmentals also sound very tender yet sad on this one. A very touching song.

Eraser (9/10): A decent song about a love-hate relationship (Ha! Finally found the meaning.) What really makes this song work is the bridge: after the chilling lines "And I can see myself in heaven/If I can free myself from this hell", we are sent into a very nice solo. The rest of the song is decent all-around as well. Not a bad closer.

If you believe music can't be good without being complicated (no matter how much emotion is in it), fine. If you don't, however, and want music that will hit you emotionally, look no further.

Highly Recommended

Is this what constitutes "deep" lyrics?.......2006-02-23

Just begin by looking at the titles of the songs on the back and you already know what you're getting into. The lyrics are supposed to be deep but they come off as condescending, self-righteous and self-pitying. He's angry and depressed for the most shallow of reasons and tries to tell us what's wrong with society with the most simple of lyrics. Kurt Cobain was angry and depressed but his lyrics were 20 times more creative. I mean, what ever happened to imagery, symbolism and creativity?
The musicians themselves are average. Take somewhere between 2-6 basic chords, add a crunchy guitar sound and simple rhythmic patterns and you've got a top notch band today. Sad but true.
That said, I understand why people (like my roommate from whom I borrowed the CD) like this band. If you're angry or depressed yourself, you can relate. And the forced vocals and crunchy guitar sounds make good angry music. If that's your thing, go for it. If you like bands like Nickelback or Puddle of Mudd (though they're admittedly better) then you'll like S.E.S. If you want something more artistically creative - musically and lyrically - this is probably not the CD for you.

Not all Bad.......2006-02-09

This is not a band that deserves a 5 star rating. Now before you all start whining and complaining about my rating, listen and here my words. I do not think that they are a bad band, they are not bad at all... I just do not hand out high ratings like they are pieces of candy to a kid. You must earn it.

For instance, where do they get off singing about a war and men and women whom they know nothing about. These men and women chose to defend our country for a reason, they knew what they were getting into when they enlisted in the armed services, but this band would have you believe that they are a bunch of mindless robots who will do anything to please their master.

Its ok to sing about such things if you were somehow involved or knew of such people, did they talk to a Marine, or the president, my opinion is likely not. They simply took a hot issue in the news and ran with it.

I like the guitars, and some of the lyrics, but they need to be backed up.

Average customer rating: NEVER RECEIVED THIS ITEM!! Perlman, Williams reunite in wonderful Serenade sequel Some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear Don't compare it to Cinema Serenade 1 I can't stop listening to this CD....

Cinema Serenade II: The Golden Age Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Korngold, Erich Wolfgang | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Newman | Newman, Alfred | ( N ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Walton | Walton, Sir William | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Korngold, Erich Wolfgang | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Perlman, Itzhak | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Israel | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Korngold, Erich Wolfgang | ( K ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Newman, Alfred | ( N ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Walton, Sir William | ( W ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Perlman, Itzhak | ( P ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cinema Serenade Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits Classic Perlman: Rhapsody Itzhak Perlman - Greatest Hits ~ "Carmen" Fantasy · Havanaise · Poème · and more ASIN: B00000JQG0 Release Date: 1999-07-27

Tracks:

1. Laura
2. Now, Voyager
3. Modern Times
4. Lost Weekend
5. The Quiet Man
6. The Adventures Of Robin Hood
7. Casablanca
8. Henry V
9. The Uninvited: 'Stella By Starlight'
10. My, Foolish Heart
11. Gone With The Wind
12. Wuthering Heights

Amazon.com

Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age is the sequel to Itzhak Perlman's popular album of movie themes performed with soundtrack composer John Williams. Unlike its predecessor, this disc focuses on classic cinema themes and features the Boston Pops Orchestra, not the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Laura theme, as well as Max Steiner's Now Voyager and Miklós Rózsa's Lost Weekend themes, sound lush and romantic in Perlman's lyrical hands. The traditional Irish jig "The Quiet Man" is the disc's most upbeat moment, while the unforgettable Gone with the Wind theme is its most memorable. These are timeless, dreamy compositions, though not necessarily the most uplifting. If you're looking for something cinematic to get your heart racing, check out Ricardo Chailly's recording of Shostakovich's film scores or even Leopold Stokowski's classic work on Fantasia. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

NEVER RECEIVED THIS ITEM!!.......2007-03-17

I cannot review the product which I know is great , as I was billed for it, but never received it.

Perlman, Williams reunite in wonderful Serenade sequel.......2003-12-04

With the success of Cinema Serenade, conductor John Williams and violinist Itzhak Perlman reunited to record another collection of classic movie themes. Performed this time by the Boston Pops Orchestra, the music of Cinema Serenade 2: The Golden Age harkens back to the days of stars such as Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Ray Milland and Clark Gable.

The 12 selections include themes by Hollywood legends Max Steiner, Miklos Rozsa and Erich Wolfgang Korngold (whose son George would later produce several of composer/conductor Williams' scores for Varese Sarabande Records). Cinema Serenade 2 presents beautiful arrangements of Steiner's themes for Now, Voyager and Gone With The Wind, Korngold's love theme from The Adventures of Robin Hood, Charlie Chaplin's lovely Modern Times and "St Patrick's Day," a traditional Irish song from the John Wayne classic The Quiet Man.

Since I consider myself to be a charter member of The Rick Blaine Society of Rank Sentimentalists, I'd have to say my favorite tracks on this album are Herman Hupfeld's timeless "As Time Goes By" from 1942's Casablanca and Victor Young's "My Foolish Heart" (from the 1949 film of the same title). It was while I was listening to the radio (on the late WTMI 93.1 FM classical station) that the DJ played "As Time Goes By" and I discovered this recording of mostly lyrical themes; I listened to Perlman's haunting violin solos and the Boston Pops' bravura performance and nearly wept. I, of course, bought this CD the next day and it's now one of my favorites.

For fans of Itzhak Perlman, John Williams or film music in general, both of the Cinema Serenade CDs are a treasure trove of beautiful and memory-stirring themes.

Some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear.......2001-06-15

This is one of the most beautiful CDs I've ever heard. The selections are musically much richer than Cinema Serenade I. In particular, Sir William Walton's music from Henry V, Korngold's music from Robin Hood, and Newman's music from Wuthering Heights are standouts. The Korngold is my favorite, with several themes from the picture packed into a short love scene lifted straight from the movie. The arrangements on this album are stunningly lush, especially those by Williams. His opening chords from The Uninvited are terrific harmonically.

Don't compare it to Cinema Serenade 1.......2000-01-24

Itzhak Perlman is still considered by me the best violinist alive today. His techiniques are so impressable and heartouching and nobody can contest that. The idea of this CD was wonderful, although the selections of the musics aren't so good than in Cinema Serenade 1. But anyway, if you want to listen musics that worldwide the people emotioned with, buy this CD, but don't fall in the temptation to compare it to the first one.

I can't stop listening to this CD...........1999-10-03

All of those lush movie themes are greatly compiled on this CD. I especially liked Laura and Stella by Starlight. After listening to this, you will want to go out and buy/rent these great old movies!

Average customer rating: Blown away! A pretty good Smile Empty Soul album BUT... Smile empty soul released another smash hit! Another winner, but not number one for SES fans.... Does anyone know where i can get Anxiety album

Vultures Smile Empty Soul Manufacturer: Bieler Bros Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Smile Empty Soul Falling Away Vena Sera Phobia One X ASIN: B000I2IRUK Release Date: 2006-10-24

Tracks:

1. Out To Sea
2. The Hit
3. Loser
4. Jesus Is The Manager Of Wal-Mart
5. The Freaks Are Coming
6. Morning Light
7. Adjustments
8. Here'S To Another
9. Disease
10. Live Forever
11. Better Of Alone
12. Vultures

Album Description

Although this San Fernando Valley band's sound draws on grunge and new metal, they've been lauded for lyrics and vocals that mean something to the listener. Their reputation for exciting live shows has nurtured a loyal fan base. Look for them on major US tours this fall.

Customer Reviews:

Blown away!.......2007-04-23

I have to say that I am totally blown away by this CD. Almost every song is awsome, unlike most CDs with one or two good songs. I had never even heard of Smile Empty Soul and just heard them on a free demo CD I got coming out after a Stone Sour concert. I have not heard Anxiety but really want to hear everything I can from them! This CD is a must buy!

A pretty good Smile Empty Soul album BUT..........2006-12-29

WHAT THE F HAPPENED TO ANXIETY!! I Downloaded it illegally (yeah, that's right, illegally dammit, and the whole album at that) and I'm glad I did cause it was never realeased. I've gotta say, Anxiety was a much better attempt than this and frankly I'm dissapointed in the record label for not releasing it. Do whatever you can to obtain Anxiety cause it's way better than this...

Smile empty soul released another smash hit!.......2006-12-09

This is a very amazing cd by one of the best bands ever-Smile Empty soul. I brought it on the fith of December. This one only hs 12 tracks. SES instead of basing it on thier music, they base songs of off lyrics. Thease songs are about issues that an every day teen faces. But be advised, they do some cursing. Most of the cursing is done in "Live Forever". The other 11 songs should be great.

However, only a few songs are on par with one of thier best albulms ever Anxeity. with is a shame since I was expecting a little bit more out of SES. But since Anxeity wasnt released by the record commpanies , this will have to do. This is still a GREAT abulm because its new and the singer Sean Dilisen has something to say!

The best songs on here are: "Heres to Another", "The Hit", "Out to sea", "The Freaks are Comming".

I rate this abulm a 8/10.

Another winner, but not number one for SES fans...........2006-12-06

I should start at the outset and say, I rarely review anything unless I find them extremely bad or extremely good. Needless to say, you've seen my rating and as such, I will tell you straight up front to buy this album. For long-time SES fans (of which there are few, but hopefully more as time goes by), you will realize that this is the weakest of the three records they have released, although there are some definite winning tracks.

Without a doubt, and I think I echo a lot of other comments here -- the best track on this album is "Here's to Another", a deep hitting song about alcoholism.

"I walked into a bar tonight
I knew that it was the last place I should be
I'm like a fly to the neon lights
A good buzz is the only thing I need"

Lyrics like that are what make SES the more lyrically rich band that I've ever heard. Other great songs on this album include Out to Sea, Disease, Loser, and a personal favorite, The Freaks are Coming.

I recommend you buy the album folks -- it's not their best, but still great. The first time listeners to SES can get a glimpse of their lyrical quality from this album, but it's recommended that they pick up the self titled debut album, and search the P2P networks for the tracks from Anxiety, their best album which went unreleased (unfortunately for all of us!).

That's it folks, hope this was informative -- get out there and support the only band that makes lyrics their centerpiece, not their music. The combination of the two makes SES one of the best bands ever to stream through my speakers. Join in the fun!

Does anyone know where i can get Anxiety album.......2006-11-26

everyone keeps saying its so good but i know they cancelled the album release but i want the album... anyone know where i can buy a copy or download it...

please thanks so much

anna

Average customer rating: item not yet received For the boy '80's Perfection That Still Holds Up Great Album! Aged well. DLR doing what he does best

Eat 'Em and Smile David Lee Roth Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Skyscraper Crazy from the Heat The Best Diver Down DLR Band ASIN: B000002L9W Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Yankee Rose
2. Shyboy
3. I'm Easy
4. Ladies' Nite In Buffalo?
5. Goin' Crazy!
6. Tobacco Road
7. Elephant Gun
8. Big Trouble
9. Bump And Grind
10. That's Life

Amazon.com

Roth, who turned the flamboyant-frontman role into an art form, turned out this solo effort after leaving Van Halen. Hiring two of the top instrumentalists in the hard-rock genre, guitarist Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan, Roth created meta-arena rock--big, exaggerated rock music with heavy guitars. Typical entries included "Goin' Crazy" and "I'm Easy"; "Yankee Rose" had one of the more entertaining videos on MTV at the time. The cover of "That's Life," which closes the album, is predictably overblown, but Roth can be forgiven as it's obvious that he's not taking anything too seriously. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

item not yet received.......2007-01-31

This item is not yet arrived!
Can you please let me know.
Thank you

For the boy.......2007-01-18

This was a gift for my sondd, he absolutely LOVES it. David Lee Roth never fails to deliver.

'80's Perfection That Still Holds Up.......2006-10-14

Just in case you don't know, this CD has some of the best work all around by everyone involved; But obviously it's Vai and Seehan that steal the show with some of the most amazing riffing ever heard, even today. As good, if not better, than any Van Halen album; Nice variety of song styles, great drums, and lots of insane stringed madness. A true classic...

Great Album! Aged well........2006-07-27

I had this album back in the day and loved it. It's been shelved for a long time and taken back out. I must say if you haven't heard this one in a while, CRANK it up!

The Album kicks off hard with "Yankee Rose". DLR's vocals are perfect and his screams put chills down your spine. "Yankee Rose" was to be DLR's opening song to throw at Van Halen to say "I can do it without you" and he does. "Rose" is follwed up by another rocker "Shyboy". When you hear the intro though you'll be thinking this is from a Van Halen album. Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan really bring it on this song. Great track. "Goin' Crazy" is a bit pop but played loud it still rocks to me. "Tobacco Road" is a great cover. The entire album is great. DLR sounds happy and content, he has great musicians backing him up and he just "ROCKS"! If you haven't heard it, get it, and if you have forgotten it, CRANK it!

DLR doing what he does best.......2006-04-08

This is a fun solo album that has a lot of what post 1984 Van Halen might have sounded like if Roth would not have been kicked out. Eddie's guitar is replaced with Steve Vai's guitar and it all works out well. Roth gets a little more creative freedom and we get a great bunch of songs.

So, do we miss Eddie and the gang? Of course. You can never replace the formula that was the original VH. But this cd is better than the first Van Halen cd with Sammy.

Average customer rating: awesome l'arc album When you get this album..."Smile"! Absolutely addicting L'arc~en~Ciel album One of my favorite CDs Band from Fullmetal Alchemist Rocks off the Screen

Smile L'Arc-En-Ciel Manufacturer: Tofu Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Awake L'Arc-en-Ciel - Live in USA Faith Sol-fa Moon Child ASIN: B0002BO0U8 Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

1. Kiss
2. Ready Steady Go
3. Lover Boy
4. Feeling Fine
5. Time Goes On
6. Coming Closer
7. Forever
8. Revelation
9. Living in Your Eyes
10. Spirit Dreams Inside
11. Ready Steady Go - Hydeless version

Customer Reviews:

awesome l'arc album.......2007-07-04

Do not read Crow Winters Review of l'arc en ciel. It is one of the most unaccurate words put together about L'arc En Ciel. They were never even close to breaking up, for the band members just went to do their solo projects. The Smile Album did really well, and was a new sound compared to their earlier albums. L'arc released an album called awake a year later, a single called link after that, a new single this year called seventh heaven, and are planning on releasing a new album soon.
The only L'arc en Ciel moment that looked bad was after the album "True", when the drummer got busted for heroine possessson. The drummer left the band, L'arc was in the shadowed for awhile and then they got a new drummer and released the album heart in 1998, which was followed by a double release with the album ray and ark being released at the same time. The album released in 2000 was Real which did really well.


This album smile as listed above was the start if a new sound L'arc En Ciel created for themselves after being on their Solo albums for a few years.

When you get this album..."Smile"!.......2007-06-10

This is one of the best L'arc en ciel cd's I've ever heard. Some of them are aggresive and some are soft and melodic. Let me give you my opinions on each track.

1. Kiss-Kuchizuke (4:24) (5 stars): Pretty awesome song. I like how the solo of the guitar goes. Kinda hard and in some ways touching at the same time. Great for a background or ending song of an anime show.

2. READY STEADY GO (3:45) (5 stars): This is one of the opening theme song of an anime show, Fullmetal Alchemist. It's fast and aggresive that it makes you wanna listen to it again!

3. Lover Boy (4:45) (5 stars): Ken sang on this track. He's pretty good actually. I like how the bass guitar sounds when all of the instruments went silent. Great background music for an anime show.

4. Feeling Fine (4:16) (5 stars): I love Hyde's voice. The electric guitars are rockin' in this track! It's kinda melodic and fast at the same time. Great ending theme song for an anime show.

5. Time Goes On (4:41) (5 stars): Pretty slow and melodic at the same time. I love Hyde's high pitch voice somewhere in the middle of the song. The solo is totally great. Great for background or ending theme song of an anime show.

6. Coming Closer (5:14) (10 stars!): Now this is what I call hard rock! Hyde is very fluent in his english here. The solo is totally great! I love how the electric guitar sounds at the beginning of the song. Great for an intensive battle in an anime show!

7. Forever-Eien (4:39) (5 stars): Somehow, this is kinda aggresive and slow at the same time. The solo is not really that bad though it kinda sounds out of tune a bit. Hyde's voice sounds so emotional here. Maybe good for an ending song in an anime show.

8. REVELATION (3:18) (5 stars): This is pretty hard rock. The electric guitar tunes kinda sound the same in track 6. I like how the guitar goes at the end of the song. Maybe great for an intensive battle in an anime show.

9. Living In Your Eyes-Hitomi No Jyunin (5:55) (10 stars!): This is very melodic and emotional at the same time. You'll love the piano sounds in this track. The solo is so great. I love Hyde's voice and I feel I want to listen to this track all over again. You'll never get tired of it. Great background music for an anime show.

10. Spirit Dreams Inside (3:43) (5 stars): Nothing much to say, but I'm very proud of Hyde. This track is sung in english. If I can remember, this is an ending song for a Final Fantasy movie. I forgot what is called, but I'm sure you'll like it.

11. BONUS TRACK: READY STEADY GO (Hydeless version) (3:46) (5 stars): In this track, you'll be able to hear the guitars, basses, and the drums more. Including some other instruments. I always wonder who's that person who sang the line, "Ready steady can't hold me back. "Ready steady give me good luck. "Ready steady never look back. Let's get started Ready steady go!", in the beginning of the song? Great for a background music in anime show!

Absolutely addicting L'arc~en~Ciel album.......2007-06-03

This CD is one most will probably get because of the second track--"READY STEADY GO," which was featured as Fullmetal Alchemist's theme song. However, the CD has even more (and even better) tracks that are highly listenable to even my anti-Jrock sister. "Feeling Fine" is lively and upbeat, starting off with an awesome drum riff; "Coming Closer" is desperate and epic; and "Hitomi no Junin" is by far one of the most beautiful L'arc~en~Ciel songs ever. I have most every album of theirs, and this is *probably* my favorite (albeit their most formulaic...). Even if you aren't into Jrock, give this a chance. It's a good piece to listen to on a day that calls for ENERGY!!

One of my favorite CDs.......2007-01-29

Some people may call this CD overrated simply because the second track is the opening to the anime series Fullmetal Alchemist, but there are many other songs on here that surpass "Ready Steady Go" and make this CD worth its money.

"Kuchizuke", for example, starts off the CD with Hyde's lower, grittier voice (attributed to his smoking habit) and sets the bar in terms of variety - whether it be vocals, guitar, or subject matter. Another favorite of mine is track eight, "Revelation", which immediately attracted my attention when I first listened to this CD because of the introduction (strong guitar chords followed by an underlying techno-ish beat). About half of the songs are more rock, and there are also rock ballads, such as Hitomi no Jyunin (Living in Your Eyes). There are even a couple of songs that sound, for lack of a better word, peppy. "Ready Steady Go" is one, with bright guitar chords and a catchy beat, and "Feeling Fine" is another.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this CD and it's already become one of my favorites. Even the inside cover made me smile - pictures of the band wearing boxes on their heads with the trademark "smile" on the front cover. Smile is a must-have for any Laruku fan.

Band from Fullmetal Alchemist Rocks off the Screen.......2006-11-25

L'arc en Ciel (Rainbow) did several songs for the Fullmetal Alchemist series and movie, including: "Link", "Lost Heaven", "Ready, Steady, Go!" and "Promised Land". Which are excellent songs and are what made me go and buy this album. I wasn't entirely sure if the band would be as good as they were when they made the music for Fullmetal Alchemist, so, I listened to the album with a anxiety, but my doubts were null and void, so, far, I like the outside music. It has a nice soothing undertone, and some electric guitar solos too. The song "Lover Boy" has some harsh sounds to it, but it softens later in the song. And "Feeling Fine" has a great smooth guitar throughout the piece. All the songs vary from hard rock to being gentle, it's well balanced. It's also a good CD to listen to while riding in the car, it has some fast paced songs if you want to tap your feet to it as you drive. For my first album of L'arc en Ciel, I loved it!

The CD includes the words to the songs on the inside packet, with the lyrics in Japanese and English. And some pretty funny pictures of the band wearing boxes like the one on the front of the album on their heads. (If you don't like the music, that part will at least make you laugh).

The Songs Are:

1.Kiss- Kuchizuke

2. Ready, Steady, Go!

3. Lover Boy

4. Feeling Fine

5. Time Goes On: A Soft and relaxing song to listen to, it's good a good rock song, but not loud.

6. Coming Closer

7. Forever-Eien- Also a soft song, even a little more so than some of the others.

8. Revelation- A fast paced song with a catchy beat

9. Living in Your Eyes- Hitomi no Jyunin- Gentle and somewhat magical tune, like Spirit Dreams Inside.

10. Spirit Dreams Inside- My personal favorite, the entire song is in English, but the vocals and entire song is well crafted.

11. Ready, Steady, Go! (Mostly instrumental Version)


So, if you liked the music from Fullmetal Alchemist, and the song "Ready Steady Go!" or the opening and closing themes from the movie, stop sitting on the fence and buy this CD! You will not regret it!

Excellent Album!

Average customer rating: Anything but corporate country... not really a Lyle Lovett album ok.. but not classic Lyle eclectic genius More Corporate Country

Smile ~ Songs from the Movies Lyle Lovett Manufacturer: Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Country | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: My Baby Don't Tolerate The Road to Ensenada Lyle Lovett and His Large Band Pontiac Step Inside This House ASIN: B000089H9U Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

1. Blue Skies (from With Honors)
2. Straighten Up & Fly Right (from Dear God)
3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (from Kissing Jessica Stein)
4. Smile (from Hope Floats)
5. Moritat (Mack The Knife) (from Quiz Show)
6. Summer Wind (from For The Love Of The game)
7. What'd I Say (from Where The Heart Is)
8. Tile The Sun Shines (w/ Keb Mo) (from Mumford)
9. You've Got A Friend In Me (w/Randy Newman) (from Toy Story)
10. Walking Tall (from Stuart Little)
11. Pass Me Not (w/George Duke) (from Leap Of Faith)
12. I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord (from The Apostle)

Amazon.com

If it hadn't been so long since Lyle Lovett released an album of original songs--that would be 1996's Road to Ensenada--Smile might seem more significant than it really is. Not that it doesn't contain some wonderful music. But like Step Inside This House, Lovett's 1998 tribute to his favorite Texas singer-songwriters, Smile only whets the appetite for more original material. The concept is simple enough: take 12 songs that Lovett has recorded for various movies since 1992 and put them all on one disc. The crowd-pleaser "You've Got a Friend in Me," his Toy Story duet with Randy Newman, is probably the most familiar of the bunch, followed by Burt Bacharach and Tim Rice's wistful "Walking Tall," from Stuart Little. Even better, though, are the ones that may have slipped through the cracks, such as the gospel standard "Pass Me Not," from 1994's Leap of Faith, and Nat "King" Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right," from the 1996 Garry Marshall comedy Dear God. And Lovett's Chet Baker-style take on Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies," from 1994's With Honors, proves that the Texas troubadour is a much more versatile singer than he often gets credit for. Smile may not be in the same league as Lovett's best original work, but it's a pleasant enough diversion nonetheless. --David Hill

Customer Reviews:

Anything but corporate country..........2006-08-23

Wow, Kavity Killer - have you even heard this album? It's certainly not corporate, and it's nowhere near country for the most part. These are songs Lovett did specifically for films, and most of them are old chestnuts - not exactly tunes you hear on Top 40 (or any other kind of) radio. It sounds to me like you had something you wanted to say, and you said it - regardless of the fact that it had nothing to do with either the artist or the music. This is hardly Lyle at his best - check "Pontiac", "Joshua Judges Ruth", or "The Road to Ensenada" for that - but it's him doing something he does well, which is bringing a distinct and curiously affecting voice to some pop standards. This record was released to satisfy the terms of a contract with a record label, no doubt, but it's still good stuff.

not really a Lyle Lovett album.......2006-06-15

From almost any other singer this would be a three-star disk, but for Lyle Lovett this is a disappointment. Lovett is one of the most likeable popular musicians around, which guarantees that if a movie studio has him record the featured song for one of their films everyone is going to like it and more tickets will get sold. But he didn't write any of the songs on this CD and they seem to be pushing him into genres and styles that are a bit of a stretch for him.

Don't get me wrong, he sings these songs well. But he's out of his element in all but two or three of them. Straighten Up and Fly Right could be a song he wrote, and the duet with Randy Newman is of course a delight (though not as much so as Long Tall Texan, on The Road to Ensenada). I also kind of liked Summer Wind. The rest of the tunes? Hmm...

I consider Lovett, when in prime form, to be the best singer-songwriter in all of popular music: better than Lennon/McCartney, better than Dylan. Add to that fact the fantastic band he backs himself with, and wow! But Smile contains no Lovett tunes and uses studio ensembles, not his Large Band. Hardcore fans will be unable to do without this album, but if you're more selective and are only really interested in his best stuff, in the Lyle Lovett of Joshua Judges Ruth and The Road to Ensenada, this has little in common with those albums and is of only a passing interest.

ok.. but not classic Lyle.......2006-01-31

I liked this cd in general, however, I did feel like it was a means to complete a contractual obligation. I prefer Lye's other works better.

But no matter what song he sings, Lyle re-invents it to be his own, even if he didn't write it.

eclectic genius .......2006-01-01

I loved this CD. The mix of country, blues, jazz and pop is perfect. The choice of songs is great and Randy Newman is a welcome addition and very upbeat.

More Corporate Country.......2004-11-25

Lyle Lovett is just the latest corporately manufactured top 40 country singer to come down the line. It totally sounds like they overdubbed his voice in the studio and used background singers to bolster his thin, quavering voice. Most of the backing tracks were also obviously programmed on a cheap synthesizer, Casio mayber? 3-minute ditties that sound like they were designed with the top-40 in mind, banal subject matter, and a real lack of conviction on lovett's part all add up to an album that will be in the cut-out bin within the month.

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