Japanese exclusive compilation includes 'I Love You' performed by Hikaru Utada, 'Dance Hall' performed by Cocco, & 'Boku Ga Boku De Arutameni' performed by Mr.Children. Other featured artists include Yasuyuki Okamura (ex-Happy End), Noriyuki Makihara (composer of Smap hit 'Sekai Ni Hitotsu Dake No Hana'), et al. Produced by Akira Sudo. Copy Controlled.
Blue,Blue,Rock/Pop Collections
Average customer rating:
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Sky Blue Sky
Wilco Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000NVIGC0 Release Date: 2007-05-15 |
Tracks:
- Either Way
- You Are My Face
- Impossible Germany
- Sky Blue Sky
- Side With the Seeds
- Shake It Off
- Please Be Patient With Me
- Hate It Here
- Leave Me (Like You Found Me)
- Walken
- What Light
- On And On And On
Amazon.com
After their wild experimental streak of the past decade, Wilco's sixth studio album might feel like a bit of a comedown. Sky Blue Sky is mellow, moody, and uncharacteristically monotone, opening with a pleasant jangle and Jeff Tweedy singing a simple song: "Maybe the sun will shine today, the clouds will blow away." He doesn't even follow it up with a barbed punchline. Could it be that the restless Chicago band has settled back into its gentle Americana roots--or does this sudden mid-career reappraisal represent Wilco's gutsiest move yet? Mostly written in the studio by the full band, it's certainly the group's most cohesive album in ages, presenting a dense song cycle padded with intricate guitar work, brushed rhythms, and '70s soft-rock accents. In places it sounds like Wings ("Hate It Here"), in others Harry Nilsson ("Walken"), and in the middle it goes a bit Grateful Dead ("Shake It Off"). At the same time, there's a distinct sense of hearing a band finally at ease in its own skin. Sky Blue Sky represents the sound of Wilco finally pulling through its petulant adolescence. --Aidin VaziriAlbum Description
"Sky Blue Sky" has hints of early-seventies Southern California folk-rock sweetness in the harmonies. The album is filled with brash guitar solos that take songs like "You Are My Face" and "Shake It Off" in unexpected directions.Customer Reviews:
Best album yet.......2007-07-18
make up the break up.......2007-07-15
I honestly would pay to see this band live no matter what came of an album. -Now? -oof.
When did the already accused "dad band" plummet into the background of a Tide commercial? Will I hear their sound bites on NPR? I am waiting for the newest TV drama to add "Hate it Here" to a young girl's emotional breakdown in her bedroom.
What happened to Charles Wright and Woody Guthrie's influence? Where is the competent composition [shown briefly in "On and On and On"]? I fear O'Rourke's dreamy sonic influence led to gravitational boredom. I expected so much more...
No one is forcing the hand to make tons of albums, here. It's a damn shame.
Mellow Gold.......2007-07-14
Amazing.......2007-07-14
This must have been a really bad breakup.......2007-07-09
Average customer rating:
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Not Too Late
Norah Jones Manufacturer: Blue Note ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000KCHZK6 Release Date: 2007-01-30 |
Tracks:
- Wish I Could
- Sinkin' Soon
- The Sun Doesn't Like You
- Until The End
- Not My Friend
- Thinking About You
- Broken
- My Dear Country
- Wake Me Up
- Be My Somebody
- Little Room
- Rosie's Lullaby
- Not Too Late
Amazon.com
Although the music of Norah Jones continues to blend pop, soul, folk, and country with a seasoning of jazz, her third album for Blue Note is the first where she's written (or collaborated on) all the material. Beneath the smooth surface lie darker strains on the album-opening "Wish I Could" (about a boyfriend lost to war), intimations of mortality in "The Sun Doesn't Like You," and the post-election horrors of "My Dear Country." The last seems to channel the inspiration of Brecht/Weill, while the equally bleak "Sinkin' Soon" is set to a jaunty Dixieland rag. Throughout, Jones's vocal intimacy and melodic warmth remain as disarmingly understated as ever. The soulful "Thinking of You," the countryish "Wake Me Up," and the syncopated "Be My Somebody" reflect the captivating style of her previous work. Although too much in the same midtempo mode becomes a dreamy lull, cut by cut, Jones's voice is irresistible. --Don McLeeseFrom Blue Note
Album Details
1. "Wish I Could" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals; Jesse Harris: acoustic guitars; Julia Kent: pizzicato cello; Jeffery Ziegler: bowed cello
2. "Sinkin' Soon" (Lee Alexander-Norah Jones): Norah Jones: vocals, piano; Daru Oda: vocals; M. Ward: vocals; Jesse Harris: guitjo; Kevin Breit: mandolin; J. Walter Hawkes: trombone; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums, slit drum, pots and pans
3. "The Sun Doesn't Like You" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals, piano; Jesse Harris: acoustic guitar; Adam Levy: electric guitar; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums; Paul Bryan: Chamberlain keyboards
4. "Until The End" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals, Wurlitzer, piano; Jesse Harris: acoustic guitar; Adam Levy: electric guitar; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums; Larry Goldings: Hammond B-3 organ
5. "Not My Friend" (Norah Jones): Norah Jones: vocals; Jesse Harris: acoustic guitars; Adam Levy: backwards electric guitars; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: marimba, cymbals
6. "Thinking About You" (Norah Jones-Ilhan Ersahin): Norah Jones: vocals, Wurlitzer; Chuck Mackinnon: trumpet; Rob Suddith: tenor sax; Lee Alexander: bass; Tony Mason: drums; Devin Greenwood: Hammond B-3 organ
7. "Broken" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals, electric guitar; Julia Kent: outro cellos; Lee Alexander: pizzicato, bowed basses
8. "My Dear Country" (Norah Jones): Norah Jones: vocals, piano; J. Walter Hawkes: trombones; Jose Davilla: tuba; Bill McHenry: tenor sax; Larry Goldings: Hammond B-3 organ
9. "Wake Me Up" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals, acoustic guitars; Lee Alexander: bass, lap steel; Andy Borger: drums
10. "Be My Somebody" (Norah Jones): Norah Jones: vocals, Wurlitzer; Richard Julian: vocals; Tony Scherr: electric guitar; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums; Larry Goldings: Hammond B-3 organ
11. "Little Room" (Norah Jones): Norah Jones: vocals, acoustic guitar; Lee Alexander: bass; Daru Oda: whistle
12. "Rosie's Lullaby" (Norah Jones-Daru Oda): Norah Jones: vocals, Wurlitzer; Daru Oda: vocals; Adam Levy: electric guitar, vocal; Robbie McIntosh: electric guitar; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums
13. "Not Too Late" (Norah Jones-Lee Alexander): Norah Jones: vocals, piano, Mellotron; Lee Alexander: bass; Andy Borger: drums
Produced by Lee Alexander
Norah Jones Photos (by Danny Clinch)
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More from Norah Jones
Come Away with Me |
Feels Like Home |
New York City |
Customer Reviews:
LOVE IT!.......2007-07-19
The Voice and the Soul.......2007-07-15
I too am surprised to see the strongly negative reviews here. Her 3 CDs have sold more than 39 million copies worldwide, so there is clearly a strong fan base somewhere! The added plus on this third CD is that Norah wrote or co-wrote every song, so we are gaining a glimpse into her musical soul as well as hearing the beauty of her voice.
There are some real gems here. "Sinkin' Soon" evokes 1930's jazz with its honky-tonk piano (played by Norah) and its wah-wah trombone. "Until the End" has country roots. "Not My Friend" is a mellow, dreamy, wistful song with dagger-sharp lyrics. "My Dear Country" is a lament about what election day hath wrought. The final title cut, "Not Too late," winds things up on an optimistic note.
It is not surprising that Norah has good musical genes. Her father, Ravi Shankar, brought his sitar to the Beatles and Indian music to a global audience. Norah's seamless blending of country, jazz, blues, pop, and folk brings great talent and aural delight to a new musical generation.
Not as strong as the her first two releases.......2007-07-11
Right after I bought this CD, I was privileged enough to see her in concert. She is clearly talented, and has an accomplished band. The concert was wonderful and was over before I knew it. Her performance got rave reviews in the local newspaper the next day.
I look forward to her next release, mostly to see how her artistic style evolves.
Not her best.......2007-07-11
Insipid and inoffensive, uninspired and uninspiring.......2007-07-08
I wish I could wax enthusiastic, but after quite a few listens at this point, I don't think my opinion is likely to change appreciably.
Time for Ms. Jones to find her passion. It isn't evident on this CD.
Average customer rating:
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Beauty & Crime
Suzanne Vega Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000H6SU9A Release Date: 2007-07-17 |
Tracks:
- Zephyr & I
- Ludlow Street
- New York Is a Woman
- Pornoghrapher's Dream
- Frank & Ava
- Edith Wharton's Figurine
- Bound
- Unbound
- As You Are Now
- Angel's Doorway
- Anniversary
Amazon.com
With a career spanning more than two decades, Suzanne Vega has long stressed quality over quantity. It's no surprise, therefore, that her first release in six years is more than worth the wait. Her eye for detail, laconic vocal cool, and thematic focus on New York City continue to distinguish her artistry, but the sonic sheen applied by British producer/multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Hogarth sparks a musical renewal. Crisp guitar riffing recalls the streetwise work of fellow New York chronicler Lou Reed, while chamber strings, electronic atmospherics, and multitracked background vocals lift the results well beyond the folk realm. Vega writes from a perspective of memory and maturity, recalling the New York of old on "Zephyr & I" and "Ludlow Street," showing the musical sophistication of bittersweet seduction on "New York Is a Woman," applying a musical Brazilian wax to "Pornographer's Dream," and contemplating her life as a wife on "Bound" and as a mother on the lullaby "As You Are Now." The results are richly satisfying throughout. --Don McLeeseAmazon.com
On Beauty & Crime, Suzanne Vega's Blue Note Records debut, the Manhattan native uses New York City as the backdrop for a collection of eleven new songs that juxtapose acoustic guitar-driven melodies with coolly synthesized beats; intensely personal lyrics with compelling, short story-like narratives; images of today's scarred cityscape with memories of Vega's old Upper West Side 'hood and Lower East Side haunts. The past commingles with the present, the public with the private, familiar sounds with the utterly new, just like the city itself. Making her first new studio album in six years, Vega says, "I feel like I really stretched my limits. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone--to sing in keys I wouldn't have sung in before, to work with different textures, to be unafraid of doing what ever sounded good to me. I wanted to make a modern classic."
Suzanne Vega Photos
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Album Description
2007 album produced by Jimmy Hogarth. She is accompanied by an eclectic group including Will Malone, Gerry Leonard, Lee Renaldo, Mike Visceglia and Doub Yowell. EMI.Customer Reviews:
Better than ever.......2007-07-19
Sounds Better With every Listen.......2007-07-19
I love this new CD from Suzanne Vega.......2007-07-18
Missed her.......2007-07-18
Her voice, sweet and yet not fully clean. Her sound, something different, something we can only hear when she sings her songs. The lyrics of course...
I also hope I'll get to see her show in SF soon, was once in her performance and she was great...
As usuall a masterpiece.
Just what we needed.......2007-07-18
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The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3
Van Morrison Manufacturer: Manhattan/EMI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000IY0FDA Release Date: 2007-06-19 |
Tracks:
- Cry For Home
- Too Long In Exile
- Gloria
- Help Me
- Medley: Lonely Avenue/4 O'Clock In the Morning
- Days Like This
- Ancient Highway
- Raincheck
- Moondance
- Centerpiece
- That's Life
- Benediction
- The Healing Game
- I Don't Want To Go On Without You
Tracks:
- Shenandoah
- Precious Time
- Back On Top
- When the Leaves Come Falling Down
- Lost John
- Tupelo Honey
- Meet Me In the Indian Summer
- Georgia On My Mind
- Hey Mr. DJ
- Steal My Heart Away
- Crazy Love
- Once In a Blue Moon
- Little Village
- Blue And Green
- Sitting On Top Of the Wolrd
- Early In the Morning
- Stranded
Amazon.com
Navigating Van Morrison's extensive catalog since 1993 is a formidable task even diehard fans might not want to attempt. The Irish icon has flirted with blues, jazz, country, pop, Celtic, and his own style of indescribable into-the-mystic spiritually-oriented poetic folk on his numerous releases, making for quite a thorny culling assignment. So the EMI brass were probably ecstatic when the singer took the job himself. He weeds through a dozen or so albums released since Volume 2's mile-marker, and adds a clutch of previously unavailable mixes, rarities, and live tracks. The result: a nearly two-and-a-half-hour, 31-track double-disc set as sprawling, eclectic, and tenacious as Morrison's vision and discography. From occasionally rambling but spirited duets with veterans Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Wells, Georgie Fame, Lonnie Donegan, B.B. King, the Chieftains, Ray Charles, and even Tom Jones to concert versions of hits such as "Moondance" and an impressive take on Sinatra's classic "That's Life," along with hidden gems like "Steal My Heart Away," this is a beautifully assembled and sequenced collection. It presents most of this multitalented auteur's facets and softens his often crusty exterior by showing his appreciation for the journeymen that helped develop the trail that Morrison then blazed in his own distinctive style. --Hal HorowitzAlbum Description
The new 2-CD collection, compiled by Morrison himself, offers a comprehensive overview of his later material. The set's 31 tracks include previously unreleased collaborations with Tom Jones and Bobby Bland, as well as duets with John Lee Hooker, B.B. King and Ray Charles.Customer Reviews:
Great selection.......2007-07-12
Continuing writers block.......2007-07-10
The Legend Continues..........2007-07-04
Van is still a mighty force in a world that needs more soul and less pop.
www.vanmorrisonnews.blogspot.com
Rock the gypsy in your soul.......2007-07-03
Ancient Highway.......2007-06-29
any broadcast radio station in the US.
I have quite a few of the tracks on other albums over 60% but
didn't hesitate on this purchase.
Average customer rating:
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Come Away with Me
Norah Jones Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005YW4H Release Date: 2002-02-26 |
Tracks:
- Don't Know Why
- Seven Years
- Cold Cold Heart
- Feelin' The Same Way
- Come Away With Me
- Shoot The Moon
- Turn Me On
- Lonestar
- I've Got To See You Again
- Painter Song
- One Flight Down
- Nightingale
- The Long Day Is Over
- The Nearness Of You
Amazon.com
It is not just the timbre of Norah Jones's voice that is mature beyond her 22 years. Her assured phrasing and precise time are more often found in older singers as well. She is instantly recognizable, blending shades of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone without sounding like anyone but herself. Any way you slice it, she is a singer to be reckoned with. Her readings of the Hank Williams classic "Cold Cold Heart" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" alone are worth the price of the CD. Jones's own material, while not bad, pales a bit next to such masterpieces. They might have fared better had she and producer Arif Mardin opted for some livelier arrangements, taking better advantage of brilliant sidemen such as Bill Frisell, Kevin Breit, and Brian Blade; or if the tunes had simply been given less laconic performances. Jones has all the tools; what will come with experience and some careful listening to artists like J.J. Cale and Shirley Horn is the knack of remaining low-key without sounding sleepy--sometimes less is not, in fact, more. --Michael RossAmazon.com
Norah Jones Photos (by Danny Clinch)
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More from Norah Jones
Not Too Late |
Feels Like Home |
The Little Willies |
Customer Reviews:
Simply addictive!.......2007-07-12
Her voice is unbelievable, the delivery is amazing and the lyrics are stunning!
Haunting sounds.......2007-07-06
The phenom Ms Jones.......2007-06-27
Glad i bought it ( Part II )...!.......2007-06-20
I'd Love To...........2007-06-05
The daughter of famed Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar, Jones grew up in Dallas with her mother, and her work is firmly rooted in the dry Texas soil. The youngest in this survey (she was born in 1979), Jones burst on the scene in 2002 with this debut album of nine original songs plus a handful of country and pop standards. Renowned for her sweet and soulful set of pipes, Jones has often been compared to Billie Holiday. There's also a touch of Roberta Flack and Emmylou Harris in there.
Come Away with Me is an honest-to-goodness country-blues recording that you can sit back with on the front porch rocker on a brisk autumn afternoon. Sort of like an early James Taylor, Jones mixes a little bit of country, folk, and soul into a collection that's the perfect antidote to today's insincere fare. The public must have sensed the same thing, because it bought this CD in boxcar loads, and in 2003 Jones walked away with eight Grammies, including album of the year and best new artist.
The title track, written by Jones, is the first new song I've heard in a long time that's utterly believable. "Come away with me and I'll never stop loving you," she begs, and it's as though she's singing it to you, personally. To Hank Williams's "Cold Cold Heart" she brings an R & B feel, petitioning in anguish to her lover man to come back, body and soul. "I've Got to See You Again" is an exquisite modern torch song in the same vein, while "One Flight Down" is an upbeat tune with chord progressions right out of Paul McCartney's Wings songs, like "Carry That Load." She ends with Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You." Close your eyes, let Jones's words envelope you with their soulful caress, and you'll sense that she's a lot nearer than your living room speakers.
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Kind of Blue
Miles Davis , John Coltrane , Cannonball Adderley , and Bill Evans Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002ADT Release Date: 1997-03-25 |
Tracks:
- So What
- Freddie Freeloader
- Blue In Green
- All Blues
- Flamenco Sketches
- Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take)
Amazon.com essential recording
This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. --John SzwedCustomer Reviews:
Kind of Blue.......2007-07-12
The Pinnacle of Jazz Music.......2007-07-12
Miles Davis was a genius, and both he and his collection of musicians were at the top of their game when they recorded this body of modal work.Timeless in appeal, perfect for background and just as interesting for the astute late night listener. 'Moody' doesn't do the album justice, and neither does any review. If you like jazz, then you simply MUST HAVE this album. If you don't like jazz then grab this out of interest, and watch how it subliminally grows on you.
I cannot recommend this album enough, it deserves more stars than I can give it. A am in reverence of this album, and it is one of the albums that I cannot do without. It will be hard pressed for you to find a bad review regarding this album, and I think that says it all.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Shades of Blue .......2007-07-08
The sound waves on "Kind of Blue" play like a rainfall pattern, a rolling brook, a waterfall, many incarnartions of water free-flowing. Perhaps that is where the blue theme came in. "So What", the opener, is probably one of the most recognized jazz standards, re-produced by many artists over the years. It evokes the sight of someone looking like "The Thinker", turning around and asking " I'm deep in thought... so what?" This seamlessly moves into "Freddie Freeloader", a tune that really does depict the lovable mooch of a friend, plying you with smooth talk and subtle requests. "Blue in Green" does seem to speak to a lover, almost a feeling of sadness combined with a little self-righteous jealousy. Truly, these emotions and nuances can be heard in the melodies.
It would require much more space to describe the remaining songs, so I will leave it to the buyer to explore and interpret on their own. Suffice to say, "Kind of Blue" has attained classic status for good reasons. Music is one of the best forms of art, and when a recording achieves the task of being audio and visual, as well as emotional, there is something to touch all sensibilities. "Kind of Blue" delivers.
feeling blue..........2007-06-20
Classic with a slight engineering problem.......2007-06-12
Average customer rating:
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Breakfast in Bed
Joan Osborne Manufacturer: Time Life Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000O78KZG Release Date: 2007-05-22 |
Tracks:
- I've Got To Use My Imagination
- Ain't No Sunshine
- Midnight Train To Georgia
- Baby Is A Butterfly
- Breakfast In Bed
- Cream Dream
- Natural High
- Heart Of Stone
- Sara Smile
- Eliminate The Night
- Break Up To Make Up
- I Know What's Goin' On
- Alone With You
- Kiss And Say Goodbye
- Heat Wave
- What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Amazon.com
On Breakfast in Bed, her first release on Time Life Records (yes, that Time Life) Joan Osborne tackles a crop of hand-picked soul and R&B favorites with equal parts sass and sensitivity. Long an underappreciated artist, Osborne is a performer with the wisdom to exercise vocal restraint for an effect that's more Dusty Springfield than Christina Aguilera. Her fine previous outing interpreting soul standards was aptly titled How Sweet It Is, and witness her contribution to the terrific 2002 film Standing in the Shadows of Motown, where Osborne's astute readings of "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" and "Heatwave" outshone performers like Ben Harper and Gerald Levert (happily, both songs are included here). The title track and Hall and Oates' "Sara Smile" are both canny choices that play to her strengths in delivering credible blue-eyed soul, and six new Osborne-penned songs fit neatly into the record. If her compositions pale a bit next to the classics she covers (with the sultry and slithery exception of the excellent "Eliminate the Night"), give Osborne credit for bravely placing herself side-by-side with songwriting luminaries like Holland-Dozier-Holland and Bill Withers. Breakfast in Bed makes for a leisurely listen on a sunny Sunday morning, so put up your feet and stay awhile. --Ben HeegeAlbum Description
Joan Osbourne's recently recorded album pays homage to the great Soul and R&B songs of the late '60s and early '70s. The album features a unique combination of unforgettable interpretations of timeless R&B classics. Her first single to radio will be "I've Got to Use My Imagination."Customer Reviews:
Joan O. has got it.......2007-07-19
The first time I saw her was pretty much by accident. I wound up crossing through the front of a very large crowd between acts at a Woodstock reunion in Bethel, NY (not Pepsistock in Saugeraties), in the late 90's. Then Joan and her band came on and I'm front and center and she blew me away with St. Teressa or something like that. I've been a fan ever since.
Fantastic voice and song list.......2007-07-12
Here in "Breakfast In Bed", Joan takes the jazz practice of covering American classics and favorites in her dynamic, raspy alto voice. This is a great CD, my favorites include the live performances of "Heatwave" and "What Becomes of a Broken Hearted" with Motown's Funk Brothers; and classics "Natural High" and "Sara Smile."
Check the song list, if you find any of your old favorites the GET THIS CD, you will definately not be disappointed. However "What Becomes of a Broken Hearted" is worth the $13 alone.
easy, breezy...and sexy...me likes!.......2007-06-30
Speaking for myself, more times than not, Joan selects covers that are mostly new to me - on this disc, besides the 2 live tracks, I was only familiar with Midnight Train. So, generally, all the songs are new to me. Then again, I like covers and I like how Joan mixes in her own songs. She is a singer, after all! I don't think a true singer should be afraid of (or criticized for) covering songs... Admittedly, if I really had my way with Joan, I'd get her to release all those original songs that have gone unreleased over the years, but this album satisfies just as well. Simply put, it's great.
Honestly, when I first listened to the sound samples online, I wasn't quite sure what to think, but since listening to the full album, I've come to really enjoy it. I think it's an accessible album that everyone can enjoy. Joan's voice sounds unbelievably sexy and gorgeous! I don't dislike the first 2 tracks, but I could do without them at the same time. My favorites from this disc are Baby Is A Butterfly & Heart Of Stone (two originals), and Kiss And Say Goodbye (so good!). I'm not one to hum, but I've found myself randomly humming these songs (like while shopping or lounging in bed).
In any case, all the songs work and sound well alongside each other and I'm glad Joan's being more prolific and enjoying herself.
expected it to be better.......2007-06-30
What To Do About Joan Osborne........2007-06-30
That said, I think Osborne is an excellent vocalist, but her vocals have been squandered by re-doing classic r&b, blues and soul songs. I have to admit that some of her successful covers on "Breakfast In Bed" came in unexpected places. When I looked over the titles I thought, "There's no way she's going to pull off Gladys Knight & The Pips's "I've Got To Use My Imagination", but there she was giving it a fresh coat of new paint. This didn't carry over to the other Gladys Knight & The Pips hit "Midnight Train To Georgia". To me, it was a lifeless interpretation of the original. Likewise, Bill Withers's "Ain't No Sunshine" was a rather bland interpretation. "Natural High" by Bloodstone was unfamiliar to me, so I couldn't compare the original with what Joan had done, but the song was okay, not great. "Breakfast In Bed" is eluding me. I'm not sure if it is a cover song because I've never heard it before. Hall & Oates's "Sara Smile" was treading on dangerous ground for me since I am a huge fan of theirs. I was not amused by the original take of a song about a woman being sung by a woman. Again, Osborne didn't bring anything new to the table. "Break Up To Make Up" by The Stylistics was okay. I wasn't too familiar with that song, so again, I couldn't compare. Manhattan's "Kiss And Say Goodbye" is an often covered song, and Osborne did a decent job of it. Strangely, the two songs not designed for this cd, but included as extras, tended to be some of the strongest material. Joan does a decent cover of Martha & The Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted" to finish off the disc.
This leaves six originals penned by Joan. I give her credit for making six songs that do sound like the genre she was going for. However, I found only two of the songs to really stand out in my mind: "Baby Is A Butterfly" and "Cream Dream". "Heart Of Stone", "Eliminate The Night", "I Know What's Going On" and "Alone With You" are all unremarkable.
So, what's it going to be? Give Joan five stars because you like her and she's a talented singer/songwriter, or give her three stars because she's not giving fans what they really want (all new material)? For me, it's the latter. I can't stress enough that after 7 years it's high time for Osborne to walk the walk and give us a full album of new material.
Average customer rating:
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Van Morrison At The Movies: Soundtrack Hits
Van Morrison Manufacturer: Manhattan Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000KQF748 Release Date: 2007-02-13 |
Tracks:
- Gloria - (Them)
- Baby Please Don't Go - (Them)
- Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
- Domino
- Moondance (live) previously unreleased version
- Queen Of The Slipstream
- Wild Night
- Caravan (live)
- Wonderful Remark
- Brown Eyed Girl (re-recorded)
- Days Like This
- Into the Mystic (live)
- Hungry For Your Love
- Someone Like You
- Bright Side Of The Road
- Have I Told You Lately
- Real Real Gone
- Irish Heartbeat (w/Chieftains)
- Comfortably Numb (live)Recorded live at the Berlin Wall in 1990 with Roger Waters
Amazon.com
If Hollywood's marriage with pop music is too often a marketing-driven shotgun affair, there remain musicians whose artistry can't help but elevate whatever film project they're associated with. This 19-track compendium underscores that notion, gathering a career-spanning collection of the Irish rock-R&B legend's contributions to an eclectic body of films that stretches from Pope of Greenwich Village's effusive early solo hit "Jackie Wilson Said" to the unlikely live collaboration with Roger Waters on "Comfortably Numb" that seasons Martin Scorsese's Oscar-nominated The Departed. The collection serves as a concise primer to the high points of Van Morrison's mercurial career, from the gritty career-breakout hits ("Gloria," "Baby Please Don't Go") of his British Invasion band Them through such early solo touchstones as "Wild Night," "Brown Eyed Girl," "Domino," and the collection's fine, previously unreleased live version of "Moondance" from An American Werewolf in London. But, as tracks like "Wonderful Remark," "Bright Side of the Road," "Someone Like You," and his Chieftains collaboration "Irish Heartbeat" ably argue, it's also an invitation to explore less heralded, if equally seductive, corners of the singer's rich oeuvre. --Jerry McCulley
More from Van Morrison
Moondance |
Astral Weeks |
The Best of Van Morrison |
Into the Music |
Customer Reviews:
Great CD...Van's The Man.......2007-07-19
Brilliant Collection.......2007-07-13
Van the Man at the Movies.......2007-07-10
Quite well. If you already have The Best of Van Vols one and two CDs, you already have most of the best songs this disc leaves off. Heatley makes the choice of soundtrack songs for the films seem so much a matter of director's decision, that rather than lionizing them for what they did include, you wonder why they left off your favorites. Where's "Full Force Gale"? "When Will I Ever Learn (to Live in God)"? "And It Stoned Me"? One could go on and on. Change of tactic, therefore, to celebrate what is included rather than decry what is not.
This disc ranges over what might be considered the various Van periods, which are distinctive musically. Hungry For Your Love" comes from what Heatley calls the "often overlooked" Wavelength album, which hails from the era of horns and gospel vocal back-ups. Astral Weeks, yes, but I think Wavelength is one of Van's best albums ever. Some songs exist in alt/ live versions here, to good effect, as with the best known classics, "Domino", "Caravan". "Moondance" and "Into the Mystic". The studio versions are easily available but most fans will enjoy hearing the new takes. Van handles them confidently, and drops into his effortless live groove, slurring the words of "Into the Mystic" which, like these other songs, can survive any number of interpretations. "Bright Side of the Road" comes from another Wavelength era overlooked album, Into the Music, which unveiled the amazing "Full Force Gale", the latter conspicuous by its absence. '90s Van appears with the standout "Real Real Gone" and "Days Like These". Two songs will already be familiar to non- van fans, having been hits for John Cougar Mellencamp and Rod Stewart.
As I write, Van still hasn't gotten the Nobel Prize, although he's done more to bring enjoyment and harmony than almost anyone on the planet, with the possible exception of Mother Teresa, who already did get it, so it's Van's turn. But until that oversight is addressed, at least there's this compilation which shows he's not only raised the bar for music but also significantly improved the movies.
Absolutely awesome album.......2007-07-03
Easy listening.......2007-05-26
Average customer rating:
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Feels Like Home
Norah Jones Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00018D44U Release Date: 2004-02-10 |
Tracks:
- Sunrise
- What Am I To You?
- Those Sweet Words
- Carnival Town
- In The Morning
- Be Here To Love Me
- Creepin' In
- Toes
- Humble Me
- Above Ground
- The Long Way Home
- The Prettiest Thing
- Don't Miss You At All
Amazon.com
Norah Jones blew everybody away with her jazzy, country-tinged, Grammy-winning debut CD, Come Away with Me. On this recording, Jones doesn't mess with her trademark formula. Under Arif Mardin's cozy coproduction, Jones is supported by her writing partners, her Handsome Band, and some special guests (country legend Dolly Parton, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson of the Band, and jazz drummer Brian Blade, to name a few). Jones's Texas-twanged vocals and her sparse acoustic and electric Wurlitzer piano lines enliven the CD's 13 tracks, from the light and lively single "Sunrise" to Tom Waits's "The Long Way Home" and the bouncy duet with Parton, "Creepin' In." Jones's soul-baring piano/vocal rendition of Duke Ellington's "Melancholia," retitled "Don't Miss You at All," proves she's a true Blue Note artist with unlimited potential. --Eugene Holley Jr.Amazon.com
Norah Jones Photos (by Danny Clinch)
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More from Norah Jones
Not Too Late |
Come Away With Me |
The Little Willies |
Album Description
'Feels Like Home' features 13 tracks & a host of special guests including Dolly Parton, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson of the Band, Jesse Harris, Robert Burger and Tony Scherr. Blue Note. 2004.Customer Reviews:
Good, but not the best.......2007-06-17
a snoozer.......2007-06-09
LOVE IT.......2007-04-13
Feels Like Home.......2007-03-23
Feels Like Home.......2007-03-16
Average customer rating:
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Moondance
Van Morrison Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002KHF Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- And It Stoned Me
- Moondance
- Crazy Love
- Caravan
- Into The Mystic
- Come Running
- These Dreams Of You
- Brand New Day
- Everyone
- Glad Tidings
Amazon.com essential recording
Van Morrison went a long way towards defining his wild Irish heart with his first two classic albums: the brooding, introspective Astral Weeks (1968), and the expansive, swinging Moondance. If the first was the work of a poet, its sequel was the statement of a musician and bandleader. Moondance is that rare rock album where the band has buffed the arrangements to perfection, and where the sax solos instead of the guitar. The band puts out a jazzy shuffle on "Moondance" and plays it soulful on "These Dreams of You." The album includes both Morrison's most romantic ballad ("Crazy Love") and his most haunting ("Into the Mystic"). "And It Stoned Me" rolled off Morrison's tongue like a favorite fable, while "Caravan" told a tale full of emotional intrigue. Moondance stood out in the rock world of 1970 like a grownup in a kiddie matinee. --John MilwardCustomer Reviews:
slice of heaven..........2007-06-22
Moondance.......2007-05-03
If people listen to the album a few times, the songs will stay with them forever.
polished gems............2007-02-25
My personal favourite, "Brand New Day" still inspires me like a reverant hymn. Join Mr. Morrison for a quiet journey that soothes the senses.
another morrison masterpiece........2007-02-13
MOONDANCE IS A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. .......2007-01-24
VAN MORRISON is a true legend. MORRISON will always be remembered in Rock history as being one of the most gifted spiritual singers of all-time. MORRISON is actually having a spiritual experience while he is singing his songs. He not only sings to you, but he makes you feel the song along with him. U2 frontman Bono paid tribute to his fellow countryman by saying "America has the legendary Jim Morrison, and Ireland has the legendary Van Morrison." I couldn't have said it better myself. VAN MORRISON started his career as lead singer for the 60's Irish group "THEM" and scored international hits in 1965-66 with "Here Comes The Night," "Mystic Eyes" and "Gloria." MORRISON would begin a solo career in 1967 and score a top 5 U.S. hit with "Brown Eyed Girl." In 1968, MORRISON signed with Warner Brothers and released the album "ASTRAL WEEKS" followed by "MOONDANCE" in 1970. "MOONDANCE'S" themes of mysticism, romance and the personal quest are found in classic compositions such as the title track "Moondance," "And It Stoned Me," "Caravan," "Into The Mystic" and "Brand New Day."
Rather than list and describe all the songs in full detail, I am going to descibe one song in this whole album that really tells the full story and personality of this album. If there was ever any one song that makes the whole album worth while and worth listening to, it is the classic song "Into The Mystic." When I listen to this song, it makes me feel alive, and at peace with myself. The soothing mellow music makes you feel like you're home. "Into The Mystic" actually makes you feel like you are having a spiritual experience of joining your whole body and soul with your spiritual being. I love "Into The Mystic" and I hope you will love it too.
I highly recommend this album for those who are really deep into soul searching. This legendary album will stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER.
In closing, VAN MORRISON is here to stay. Rock n' Roll needs a great spiritual singer to give Rock n' Roll the spiritual roots and rejoicing sounds it desperately needs in order to keep the spirit of Rock n' Roll alive. In my opinion, VAN MORRISON has accomplished these goals and more. Heres to you Van. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," am I wrong? Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. VAN MORRISON RULES. Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.
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