Curse [Import]

1. Blood Children

2. Bleeding Mascara

3. Right Side Of The Bed

4. This Flesh A Tomb

5. You Eclipsed By Me

6. Crimson

7. Remembrance Ballad

8. An Interlude

9. Corseting

10. Demonology And Heartache

11. My Sanity On The Funeral Pyre

12. Nevada's Grace

13. Five Vicodin Chased With A Shot Of Clarity

14. You Give Love A Bad Name

Curse,Atreyu,Jvc Japan,Alternative Metal,Pop,Post-Hardcore,Punk Metal,Rock,Rock/Pop,United States of America

Average customer rating: Music review Pirates of the Caribbean Great music This soundtrack will make you feel like a pirate yes, all true, but the sound!!! awesomee

Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Disney Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ASIN: B0000A1RJI Release Date: 2003-07-22

Tracks:

1. Fog Bound
2. The Medallion Calls
3. The Black Pearl
4. Will and Elizabeth
5. Swords Crossed
6. Walk the Plank
7. Barbossa Is Hungry
8. Blood Ritual
9. Moonlight Serenade
10. To the Pirates' Cave!
11. Skull and Crossbones
12. Bootstrap's Bootstraps
13. Underwater March
14. One Last Shot
15. He's a Pirate

Amazon.com

Loosely based on the popular Disney theme park audio-animatronic ride, one might expect a modicum of good-natured "Yo-ho-ho-ing"--or maybe a little rousing Korngold/Errol Flynn/Captain Blood orchestral romanticism--here. Instead composer Klaus Badelt initially entices us with some sparing Celtic folk charm, then unleashes a furious broadside of symphonic and choral thunder to rival his ominous score for K-19. The composer's fellow German mentor is an obvious influence throughout (the album is credited with a wink as "Score overproduced by Hans 'Long John' Zimmer") but Badelt brings his own muscular instincts to bear throughout. Perhaps shrewdly realizing that genre cliches are nothing if not for reinventing, Badelt delivers his rhythmically nervous Eurocentric sensibilities--sort of Holst duels Shostakovich on the Spanish Main--with the subtlety of a scorching cannonball. It's seasoned with a little romantic respite in the final act, if a bit gingerly, and could no doubt profit by some of Korngold's sparkling melodic verve. But it's a loud, unabashed Summer Blockbuster score at heart; alert the neighbors. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Music review Pirates of the Caribbean.......2007-07-18

I loved the movie, but I love the music even more. This is an excellent CD with only one problem - the last song (which is my favorite) is not long enough. It's easy to picture scenes from the movie while listening to each song. If you enjoy the symphony you will enjoy this CD. Happy listening!

Great music.......2007-07-08

A great soundtrack from a wonderful movie. Too bad the second and third pirates movies weren't as good as the first. Regardless, great soundtrack.

This soundtrack will make you feel like a pirate.......2007-07-07

i saw the movie which i recommend to buy now from amazon,i recommend to buy the three movies and have all the selection of pirates of the caribbean,this soundtrack is something that put you in the movie,words can't describe this cd,click,buy and you will see

yes, all true, but the sound!!!.......2007-06-28

I agree with the other reviewers about the music, which is fine, but also want to point out that this is a terrific work-out for sound systems with REAL sub woofers (not the scrawny boxes that say they are, but aren't). If you have a room shaker system, down to like 15 Hz, this is for you. The deepest and most sustained bass I have ever heard.

Secret - listen for hints of Gladiator and Mission Imossible. He helped with those films - maybe they are little inside jokes?

awesomee.......2007-06-21

I'm not a huge fan of classical music, but many of the songs in this soundtrack melted my heart. :) Some were not *that* good, but some were just very incredible, which makes it worth five stars !

Average customer rating: big disappointment... What??? A Worthy Album Different, Deeper, and Really Good Great band, only so-so album

A Blessing And A Curse Drive-by Truckers Manufacturer: New West Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Dirty South Southern Rock Opera (Dig) Decoration Day Pizza Deliverance Drive By Truckers - Dirty South - Live at the 40 Watt ASIN: B000E97X6G Release Date: 2006-04-18

Tracks:

1. Feb 14
2. Gravity's Gone
3. Easy On Yourself
4. Aftermath USA
5. Goodbye
6. Daylight
7. Wednesday
8. Little Bonnie
9. Space City
10. A Blessing And A Curse
11. A World Of Hurt

Amazon.com

Known for two big-idea concept albums, Southern Rock Opera (dedicated to Lynyrd Skynyrd) and The Dirty South (a 70+ minute exploration of their Alabama roots), the Drive-by Truckers here go economical with a 45+ minute rock album. Three singers (all guitarists, to boot) ensure that moods shift often, even with every voice bearing a sand-blasted quality that grit-pocks everything. Patterson Hood tackles most of the tunes, sounding like a roughed-up Faces on "Aftermath USA," detailing drugs and deterioration against boogied-up guitars, and sounding a more sensitive side on "Goodbye" and "Little Bonnie" (another in a line of Truckers' funeral tunes). With a barrel-chested croak of a voice, Mike Cooley runs down the rudderless-ness of love and desperation on "Gravity's Gone" and slow, acoustic tenderness on "Space City." The loudest guitarist, Jason Isbell, takes on two tracks: "Easy on Yourself" and "Daylight," where he alternates between wry fury and a yearning pine for more time, more space. Isbell basks in an array of slide-guitar throwdowns, always leaving a signature sound the way Skynyrd's Allen Collins and Gary Rossington did in their glory days. All in all, this is a calmer Truckers set, less ragged and more polished--but rest assured: Their live sets still smoke like their 40 Watt Club DVD from 2005. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

You hear about "the greatest band in the world" being dropped on many a group, desperately given this medal in hopes they'll use it to "save rock-n-roll," whatever that means. But no band that has had to suffer under this artificial responsibility has succeeded so triumphantly as Drive-By Truckers. Equal parts back porch historians, runaway drunken firecrackers, and poets of the hard life and how to live it; they came on the scene and set the bar higher for what you can do with the music we love. The songs on this record illustrate the triumphant struggle it is to survive and thrive in this world. It's not only a great record, but an important statement delivered honestly and passionately without any sugar coating or details spared. It's a refinement, a honing, and a focusing of what you've always loved about them, what makes this band the greatest band in the world.

Customer Reviews:

big disappointment..........2007-02-01

after reading glowing reviews of the DBTs I picked up three of their cds. While some of the lyrics are strong, the songs have no melodies whatsoever. Most of the arrangements consist of guitars blaring over a terrible singer. They're reputed to be carrying on the tradition of Skynyrd and the Allmans. But those bands weren't just loud guitars...they had memorable tunes and great singers. DBTs are a huge letdown.

What???.......2006-12-26

I don't get these other reviews. This disc if beautiful, deep, and clearly fits into the direction that the band is heading. There are several poignant songs (check out Gravity's Gone, Goodbye, Daylight, and ESPECIALLY Little Bonnie). To say that these are poorly written songs is unbelievable.
DBT continues to look at real life situations straight in the eye, and lay all of the emotional cards on the table.
Clunkers on this disc? There may be a couple- I don't like Track #1.... And if you like the really hard stuff (Sink Hole, Careless, Lookout Mtn), you might be put off- it might be a bit mellower than what you're used to.
Overall, though, just another masterpiece from the boys from Alabama.

A Worthy Album.......2006-11-17

Most of the reviews here make a whole lot of sense to me, even the bitter ones. This is NOT in the same league as SRO, Decoration Day nor Dirty South. I was expecting something of that calibre but was very dissapointed when I heard it for the first time. Not a heck of alot of depth here, what happened to the songwriting? I couldnt believe all 3 DBT songwriters went into the songwriting tank at the same time. How could this happen to 3 brilliant writers simultaneously?

What I am finding now after about the 50th listen is that although the songwriting is not as interesting, its a fun album to groove to for music itself. The playing on this album is WAY beyond any of there previous outings, it is slick and polished but it sounds great. The guitars duel the drums kick and the vocals are first rate. The songs are good... not great... but you get used to them after a while and find yourself singing along.

Check it out

ML

Different, Deeper, and Really Good.......2006-10-09

Here DBT experiments a little with being mature. Which means more reflection and, this is the key to why many didn't like this album, more 1st person and less stories, the latter of which has made for some of their better stuff. The music is also notably discordant, almost grating in places, but musically so. The strong hooks and licks are still there. Especially the multi-guitar work that helps define their sound.

The songs may be missing that little bit of wrong that their earlier albums have, but there's little playfulness ('Valentine' and 'Gravity's Gone' and places in others). That said, once you listen to this album a few times, you can't turn it off. It's sad, it's different, but it is darn good and chokes me up a little. Not much music can do that to me. Isbell's two songs in particular ('Daylight' and 'Easy on Yourself') really get me. His work usually does (can you seriously sit through 'Outfit' or 'Emmanuelle' without feeling something). I know fans might have been expecting something else, but stop looking for gold and appreciate the gems. Hood contributes the bulk as usual, and a good bulk, but Cooley shows well, especially on 'Gravity's Gone'.

All in all, a must for DBT fans. For others, start with Decoration Day, move onto the others (Southern Rock Opera and Gangstabilly I recommend second) and eventually get to Blessing and a Curse. By then you'll love DBT too much to ignore it.

Great band, only so-so album.......2006-08-28

This album is not nearly as strong as the three that came before it, but it is still pretty solid. I agree with the reviewer before me in regards to Jason Isbell: what was he thinking with these songs? Compared to the classics he contributed to the last two albums, his additions to this album are pretty lame. I can only guess he is planning a solo album and saving his good stuff for that. Mike Cooley has slowly become the best songwriter in the group, and his two songs on this disc rank with its best material. Again, not a bad album, but by DDT standards, it's pretty forgettable.

Average customer rating:

Uncle Sam's Curse ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Funk Upon a Rhyme Black Mafia Life ASIN: B000Q6GW46 Release Date: 2007-07-10

Average customer rating: Blueprint 2 is Jay's Nastradamas.................. A Gift On One CD & A Curse On The Other (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars) A solid album by the Jigga Man Blueprint 2 - The Gift And THE CURSE!!!! One of the better modern Hip-Hop Artist

Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse Jay-Z Manufacturer: Roc-a-Fella ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Blueprint In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter Vol. 2, Hard Knock Life The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000 ASIN: B00006ZCFI Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

1. A Dream (featuring Faith Evans and Notorious B.I.G.)
2. Hovi Baby
3. The Watcher 2 (featuring Dr. Dre, Rakim & Truth Hurts)
4. '03 Bonnie & Clyde (featuring Beyonce Knowles)
5. Excuse Me Miss
6. What They Gonna Do (featuring Sean Paul)
7. All Around the World (featuring LaToiya Williams)
8. Poppin' Tags (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista)
9. F**k All Nite
10. The Bounce
11. I Did It My Way

Tracks:

1. Diamonds Is Forever
2. Guns & Roses (featuring Lenny Kravitz)
3. U Don't Know (remix, featuring M.O.P.)
4. Meet the Parents
5. Some How Some Way (featuring Beanie Sigel and Scarface)
6. Some People Hate
7. Blueprint 2
8. N***a Please (featuring Young Chris)
9. 2 Many Hoes
10. As One (featuring Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns, Peedi Crakk, Sparks & Rell)
11. A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier
12. Show You How (bonus track)
13. B****s & Sisters (bonus track)
14. What They Gonna Do Part II (bonus track)

Amazon.com

Do you want in on hip-hop's dirty little secret? Well, not even rap's greatest icons have been able to pull of a memorable, fast-forward-free double disc--2Pac's All Eyez on Me and Wu-Tang Clan's Wu-Tang Forever included. On this follow-up to part one, Jay teams up with Destiny's Child's Beyoncé on "03 Bonnie & Clyde," a so-so remake of 2Pac's "Me and My Girlfriend." The Dr. Dre-produced remix to "The Watcher," featuring Rakim, reveals that, in addition to expanding his audience, Jay is interested in appealing to his tried-and-tested demographic--East Coast hardrocks. He rounds out the first disc with "I Did It My Way," sampling Paul Anka's version of "My Way" and equating his Rap Pack (Kareem Burke, Dame Dash) to the Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. Don't laugh. The stronger second disc contains some pleasant surprises. The Lenny Kravitz-fuelled braggadocio of "Guns and Roses" titillates, while Jay's Jeru the Damaja-like "Bitches and Sisters" is sure to stir up accusations of misogyny. In the end, not even Jay can tear through 11 hot tracks, much less 25. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews:

Blueprint 2 is Jay's Nastradamas.........................2007-04-04

The first Blueprint was layered in soulful samples and bangin beats. Jay went for a more worldly sound on BP2 and threw a lot of fans for a loop. Too many ambitious songs and not enough hits. Plainly put.

A Gift On One CD & A Curse On The Other (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars).......2007-03-07

Almost a year after "The Blueprint 1" Jay decided to throw a double disc of his material and make it the sequel called "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse". Given to some, "The Blueprint 1" was a classic and made the best rap CD of 2001 and received accolades from all over. "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse" could have been an excellent follow up to the predecessor, but didn't exactly, This CD had mass amounts of filler tracks and not enough material of what was expected from Jay-Z. As if all the songs that were scrapped from "The Blueprint 1" ended up on here.

Disc 1: The Gift

Majority of this CD, Jay holds his form. "The Watcher II" featuring Dr. Dre and Rakim is an excellent track to me. "Excuse Me Miss" was the second single of the album and was another great song for the maturing Jay. A few more songs that I thought were good were the bouncy "All Around The World" and the fast pace "Poppin Tags" with Twista, Big Boi, and Killer Mike. He shows the lyrical and bragging side of him on the last track "I Did It My Way". There are tracks that didn't hit like others, like "F All Nite" with Pharrell and the lead single "'03 Bonnie And Clyde" with Beyonce. If I had to pick between the two CD which was the better one, I would choose "The Gift" over "The Curse".

Lyrics: B
Production: B
Guest Appearances: B+
Musical Vibes: B
Overall: B


Disc 2 (The Curse):

The second CD "The Curse" has most of the skip material. There are a lot of songs I had very little care for, such as "Diamond Is Forever" and the awkward sounding "Guns & Roses" with Lenny Kravitz. Some songs I find Jay to be at his worst, as if he just threw lines together aimlessly, like on the first verse on "Guns & Roses". The first good track was "You Don't Know (Remix)" that hits just as good as the origonal. "Somehow, Someway" is good with Beanie Siegal and Scarface. Sort of reminds me of "This Can't Be Life" from the Dynasty album with the Kanye West beat. Then there is the title track a weak diss to Nas that people will only hear once. Next are a few club track like "***** Please" with Pharrell and Young Chris, as well as "2 Many" with Timbaland. Afterward we get the entire Roc-A-Fella cloab with "As One". The bonus tracks are solid. I say the best one was "What They Gonna Do 2" with is good as the first.

Lyrics: C
Production: B-
Guest Appearances: C
Musical Vibes: B
Overall: C+


Overall this double disc has a lot of filler tracks, as well as some good ones. If you were expecting a sequel to "The Blueprint 1", you're in for a dissapointment. This album does make a few hits with it's formula but not as consistant, especially with the second disc. That is usually the case when it comes to double discs, some empty sounding tracks to fill it up, and that was what Jay had on this album. If you're a fan of The Source Magazine, you'd know that this was the lowest mic rating he received on all of his albums 3.5 mics.

The Gift: (8 out of 10- -4 stars)
The Curse: (6 out of 10- -3 stars)

My favorite Tracks: The Watcher 2, Excuse Me Miss, What They Gonna Do, All Around The World, Poppin Tags, I Did It My Way, You Don't Know (Remix), Somehow Someway, As One, What They Gonna Do 2

Honorable Mention: The Bounce, 2 Many

Peace Everyone!!!!

A solid album by the Jigga Man.......2006-08-03

8.5 STARS OUT OF 10

I realized last week that there isn't a decent album to listen to in the world. I decided to look old school, so I shuffled around my disk collection before throwing in Blueprint 2. I gave it a few spins for the first time in a year or so, and I still say I really like this album.

A lot of people hate on this album and call it the worst in Jay-Z's impressive collection of stellar cd's. While I agree that it is not nearly his best work, this album is far from bad and is a few steps up from Volume 3 which I think is Jigga's worst album.

It is comprised of two cd's. Disk 1 is the Gift, while Disk 2 is the Curse. Personally, I think the Curse is the much superior and deeper disk. Don't sleep on the Gift though. While it has the more radio friendly songs, there are still 6 or 7 solid tracks NOT featuring Beyonce or Pharrell. And even those two songs were decent when the album first dropped a few years ago.

Are there a handful of subpar songs? YES.
Could the album have been trimmed down to 18 of the best? YES.

Still not bad though for a DOUBLE album that was supposedly thrown together in two months.

Blueprint 2 - The Gift And THE CURSE!!!! .......2006-05-19

The title cover says it all "The Gift and The Curse", where not even Jay-Z can pullout a classic double album, though it does contain some of it's finest moments, such as the Dr. Dre produced ("The Watcher Pt. 2") where "Dre", "Rakim" and "Truth Hurts" show up for a help in hand. The remake of "2Pac's" classic noir ("Me And My Girlfriend") featuring Beyonce and also the open track "Dreams" where "Faith Evans" sings the chorus and they add an old recycled "Biggie" track to add on a verse. We know "Biggie" was your man, how many time do you have to remind us. With all those mentioned above, there are just too many fillers that made the cut for Blueprint 2 and truth be told, it would have been more prestigious and would have gained more acclaim, such as the previous year's "Blueprint", if the album was presented on a single CD rather than having a 2 disc set. "Pharrell of the Neptunes" shows up for "Excuse Me Miss" where we see a more matured "Jay-Z", but with cuts like "Poppin' Tags", "B*tches and Sisters", we can see he hasn't changed much, which is not necessarily a bad thing. On a postive note the album does improve with superb production work, supplied by "Kanye West", "Just Blaze", "Timbaland" and many more.

One of the better modern Hip-Hop Artist.......2006-02-03

I was very suprised to see that some of the reviews of this album got 1 and 2 stars. Even though I will agree that this isn't his best work, The Blueprint 2 still manages to be a solid effort. Some say that Jay-Z has sold out and just isnt putting out quality material. Yet I tend to look at it from a different point of view. Today's Hip-Hop is so much different then it was in the 80's and 90's. There are sooo many different hip-hop artist, and I think way to many are being given record contracts, cause half of them dont have an once of talent. Just because you can lay down some rhymes, doesn't mean you deserve a record contract. Most of these artist dont even write their own material. Jay-Z can is an exception as he writes his own material, does his own sampling, and produces his album. I believe he is one of the better Hip-Hip artist of the modern era, and I really enjoyed The Blueprint 2. The songs on this range from all different types of genere, from some hardcore, to some laid back tracks, to some "poppy" material, and I really think its a solid effort. Jay-Z proves that not every song has to be about guns and pimping and wanting to be a ganster. (kinda like the no talent 50Cent) I really like the beats and sampling that Jay-Z uses on this release to, and the last three bonus track on this CD, have some unique style and some great beats. NO, its not as solid as previous releases, but its still a very solid effort. If we had more hip-hop artist like Jay-Z, and less like 50Cent and Juvinile, then the music world we be a better place..ENJOY

Average customer rating: amour Too short yet so delicious... Excellent, eclectic, innovative, energizing Curses! Short, and cheaper than a whole CD :-)

Curse Your Little Heart DeVotchKa Manufacturer: Ace Fu Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Gypsy | Eastern Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 International | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: How It Ends Una Volta Supermelodrama Little Miss Sunshine The Gulag Orkestar ASIN: B000F1HHEG Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

1. I Cried Like A Silly Boy
2. Curse Your Little Heart
3. Last Beat Of My Heart, The
4. Somethin' Stupid
5. Venus In Furs
6. El Zopilote Mojado

Amazon.com

After three albums where each was an improvement on the former, indie-cabaret darlings Devotchka continue to move forward. Capturing all the drama inherent in Eastern European folk styles and pairing it with the more dramatic end of indie rock (think Arcade Fire or Calexico), Devotchka carve out a rich little niche for itself. The band tips its glass to a number of influences on this six-song E.P - along with the original title track, the band offers up covers that range from Siouxsie And The Banshees' "The Last Beat Of My Heart" to the Velvet Underground's "Venus And Furs" to the Sinatra tune "Something Stupid." Regardless of the source material, the band wholly remakes each tune, skillfully playing a mariachi band on "El Zopilote Mojado" or the moody troubadour on the title song. It all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle with no pieces missing, proving that this band's interpretive skills are just as strong as its compositional ones. -- Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

amour.......2007-07-19

Friends of mine have been into DeVotcha for a long time, but I never got into them until recently. I had seen Little Miss Sunshine about 4 times before I looked up the soundtrack and realized DeVotchka was responsible for a good portion of it. Investigating further, I heard "I Cried Like a Silly Boy". I was instantly hooked, downloaded all their cds from Ruckus and have been sold ever sense. It's a good band to fall completely in love with annd they have a great combination of sounds (not wholly original but borrowing beautifully). Enjoy it.

Too short yet so delicious..........2007-06-05

... like one of these miniature French pastries: one superb bite that keeps you asking for more. So, take your time to savour it.
Perfect following to How it Ends, Curse Your Little Heart is a fun, eclectic mix of very different songs and styles the band makes their own perfectly. My favorite "reprise" is definitely Venus in Furs, with a quite intoxicating beat and gorgeous string arrangements. It mixes the punk music undertones of the original song with the band's own sounds.
I find the voice of lead singer Nick Urata quite improved over the previous album, more in control. As some said before me, it is not perfect, but I think that's what's seductive about it.
As different and somewhat strange the music of Devotchka might sound to some, once you get acquainted with their work, it becomes quite addictive. It has become one of my favorite bands, probably because of the scope of their influences and talents.
Check Una Volta as well (and the inevitable How it Ends, of course, if you don't own it already) for their early work.

Excellent, eclectic, innovative, energizing.......2007-01-09

This music is such a departure from mainstream, or from anything I've heard yet (though I'm no expert). Each song is a slightly different mix of rock, russian folk, burlesque, bluegrass, and some other things I can't name, possibly because it's just so... different. Yet every song seems to communicate directly with my body. I love this album, as well as the rest of their music, especially the album How it Ends.

Curses!.......2006-12-17

Gypsy-Spanish indie-rockers DeVotchKa have gotten better with each album they produced, ranging from rough-hewn ethnic music to a sweeping, smoother sound.

And the EP "Curse Your Little Heart" is very much in the vein of their last album musically, though the songs are mostly someone else's -- Sinatra, Velvet Underground, Sousxie, with one lone song they made themselves. It's a fun, polished little offering that should keep fans satisfied until their next album.

It opens with the swooning fiddle and peppy tune of "I Cried Like A Silly Boy," which sounds like a song that should be sung under ivy-twined balconies. "You wrote me letters I didn't read/I know I didn't, you know I didn't/still I caressed you, sang you to sleep," Nick Urata croons in his mellow voice, as the fiddle twists around.

Then they merrily ratatat into the sinuous, sensual melody of "Curse Your Little Heart," followed by the dramatic guitar folkpop of "Last Beat of My Heart," which could have been a B-side from their last album "How It Ends." It has the same melancholy, expansive sound. A rather tongue-in-cheek version of "Somethin' Stupid" -- seriously, imagine Sinatra as a gypsy -- followed by the hard, dark, haunted sound of "Venus in Furs," and finishing up with mad mariachi tune "El Zopilote Mojado."

DeVotchKa is one of those bands that you listen to once, and who manage to stick themselves in your brain after that. Their lively mix of traditional Eastern European and Spanish music with the indierock vibe is getting better with time, and this time around they seem to be having fun with some odder choices. (Seriously, Sinatra?)

Urata and Tom Hagerman take the front with lots of trumpet and brassy Sousaphone, powerful guitar and a flexible violin that can twist itself around the other instruments, such as the exquisite, sweeping intro to the third song. And Shawn King plays some really wicked drums on the second song.

And at the heart of it is Urata's soulful voice, which isn't perfect, but that really erupts with power and emotion. He also tries out different vocalizations here: a slightly stuffy nightclub sound, a concerned lover, a more nasal Lou-Reedish sound, and the usual heartfelt wails.

"Curse Your Little Heart" is another winner for DeVotchKa, a colourful little EP that tries out various sounds for size. And most of them even fit, too.

Short, and cheaper than a whole CD :-).......2006-10-25

I didn't know at first if I wanted to buy an album of mostly covers, but I've listened to this as much as the other DeVotchKa I have. They make the songs their own, in their unique style, and Nick's voice is as passionate and versatile as ever. The Last Beat of My Heart is just gorgeous. I can never listen to it loud enough. If you like How It Ends and Little Miss Sunshine, you'll like this as well.

Average customer rating: Awesome... A Definite Masterpiece of our time! A Definite Masterpiece of our time!

The Curse Atreyu Manufacturer: Victory Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Suicide Notes & Butterfly Kisses A Death-Grip On Yesterday Frail Words Collapse Shadows Are Security They're Only Chasing Safety ASIN: B00073K8CK Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

1. Blood Children (An Indtroduction)
2. Bleeding Mascara
3. Right Side Of The Bed
4. This Flesh A Tomb
5. You Eclipsed By Me
6. The Crimson
7. The Remembrance Ballad
8. An Interlude
9. Corseting
10. Demonology And Heartache
11. My Sanity On The Funeral Pyre
12. Nevadas Grace
13. Five Vicodin Chased With A Shot Of Clarity

Tracks:

1. Right Side Of The Bed (Video)
2. Crimson (Video)
3. Lip Gloss & Black (Video)
4. Aint Love Grand (Video)

Customer Reviews:

Awesome..........2007-05-13

This was the third Atreyu album that I've bought and it might be the best. If you like raging, intense screaming alternated with awesome melodies, then you'll probably like Atreyu. And if you're an already established Atreyu fan, you'll probably love this album. Definitely a worthwile purchase either way. And if you're a metal fan--metalcore especially--then you definitely want to check out Atreyu.
And even if you've never listened to much metal--heck, I had literally never listened to metal except for two Atreyu songs I bought off of iTunes before I bought my first Atreyu CD, and I love it.
So, anyway, The Curse is worth buying. Buy it. Now.

The best song off it is probably The Crimson--totally awesome. Melodies (and screaming) that have you yelling along, amazing lyrics, and everything else done just right.

The songs on this album, I thought, covered a wider range than on Suicide Notes, and were as a whole better than on Deathgrip.

Yeah. Awesome album AND band! Can't wait for their new album to come out! (Not Best of Atreyu, the one they haven't released the name for yet.)

A Definite Masterpiece of our time!.......2005-11-27

Hands down this cd rocks. The bonus DVD is also a cool additition. I'm an old skool metal fan and it's a breath of fresh air for Metal today. These guys will be around for a long time!!!

A Definite Masterpiece of our time!.......2005-11-27

Hands down this cd rocks. The bonus DVD is also a cool additition. I'm an old skool metal fan and it's a breath of fresh air for Metal today. These guys will be around for a long time!!!

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

Adiemus IV: The Eternal Knot Manufacturer: Higher Octave ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music New Age | Celtic | International | Styles | Music Fusion | Celtic | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Adiemus III: Dances of Time Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi Songs of Sanctuary Vocalise Imagined Oceans ASIN: B00004WC6I Release Date: 2001-01-23

Tracks:

1. Cu Chullain
2. The Eternal Knot
3. Palace Of The Crystal Bridge
4. The Wooing Of Etain
5. King Of The Sacred Grove
6. Saint Declan's Drone
7. Salm O 'Dewi Sant'
8. Connla's Well
9. The Dagda
10. Children Of Dannu
11. Ceridwen's Curse
12. Hermit Of The Sea Rock
13. Isle Of The Mystic Lake
14. Math Was A Wizard

Amazon.com

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

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meghan :)

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

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

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

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

Paul Weiss

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating: Exotic music from Far East! Excellent film, impressive soundtrack 2007

Curse of the Golden Flower (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Manufacturer: Lakeshore Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Jet Li's Fearless (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Pan's Labyrinth Curse of the Golden Flower Apocalypto Letters from Iwo Jima ASIN: B000LC5AZ2 Release Date: 2007-01-23

Tracks:

1. Opening
2. Tai-He-Song
3. Return to the Palace
4. Theme of the Emperor
5. Theme of the Empress
6. Empress's Solitude
7. Shadow & Escape
8. Again
9. Mother & Jai
10. Portrait
11. Theme of the Empress Fate
12. Fight of the Sickle Troops
13. Emperor & Empress
14. Behind Pageant
15. Huang Jin Jia
16. Rebellion
17. Price Yu's Ambition
18. Betray to the Emperor
19. Heroic Battle
20. Wan's Last Moment
21. End of the War
22. Imperial Ceremony
23. Curse of the Golden Flower
24. Ending Title

Customer Reviews:

Exotic music from Far East!.......2007-02-24

I didn't have time to go and watch the film....
I bought the CD, a few weeks ago...."blindfold", because I'm conviced so far, that Asian composers are doing a terrific job, when they are composing music for films.
What I'm trying to say is... scores like... The 7 Swords, Fearless,
Crouching Tiger-Hidden Dragon, Hero and House of Flying Daggers, have very high dose of
that "magic and exotic", music scale of Far-Eastern music! (music scale is a progression of notes in a specific order).
The score becomes "sonic explosive" with the additional touch of Epic music-structure. This "mixture" also contains, great chorals and great solo china-flute "passages" from a live flute master-player......or it's a Japanese "shakuhachi"???
Great China-gongs, drums all over with the final result.... to be simply amazing!
We are used in the western world, to hear scores that sound almost alike.
Is it because the western composers, have no more "ideas"?
I don't know what is wrong, but one thing is for sure.....
Trust the Asian composers!
Buy this CD!
It's excellent with a lot of China "flavor"!!!
A big Bravo to the composer!

PS: Please read the comments below..... By the way.... Many thanks to Eriko Kawahara.
I was informed my Eriko Kawahara that the composer is Japanese!!!

Excellent film, impressive soundtrack.......2007-02-08

I have to say that i had the chance to watch the movie in China, and the sountrack is great.

If you like films of Zhang Yimou, with enormous battles, tragic stories (chinese drama), you will like this soundtrack, but watch the movie first.

Also has a some ballads, very soft, as usual in chinese cantopop style. Those songs rigth now are in the top of chart of MTV China.

This soundtrack is just for those crazy for China as I.

From the south of the world

Carolina

2007.......2007-01-24

This is my favorite film of 2007! Oh it's so good. Story is complex and I love the twists and turns. I cannot wait for this movie to come out on DVD.

Average customer rating: Great Album - 4.5/5 Enter the Curse Holds up extremely well compared to their classic material. Blondie sparks magic here and there curses

The Curse of Blondie Blondie Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music American Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Alternative General | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | New Wave | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | New Wave | Alternative Rock | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Disco | Dance & DJ | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Disco | Dance & DJ | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Pop Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Pop Rock | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: The Hunter Autoamerican No Exit Blondie Eat to the Beat ASIN: B0001J1ZJK Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

1. Shake Down
2. Good Boys
3. Undone
4. Golden Rod
5. Rules For Living
6. Background Melody (The Only One)
7. Magic (Asadoya Unta)
8. End To End
9. Hello Joe
10. The Tingler
11. Last One On The Planet
12. Diamond Bridge
13. Desire Brings Me Back
14. Songs Of Love

Album Description

* The Curse of Blondie is the band's eighth studio album and eleventh album including "best of" and live discs.

* Enhanced with video for the first single, "Good Boys," directed by Jonas Ackerlund (Madonna's "Ray Of Light" and "Music," The Cardigans "My Favorite Game").

Customer Reviews:

Great Album - 4.5/5.......2006-11-22

Wow. I cannot believe the bad reviews this album got when it was first released in 2003, because "The Curse of Blondie" is the best Blondie album since 1979s "Eat to the Beat", and classic Blondie at their best.

The albums opener, "Shakedown" is the only stinker on this otherwise fine album, it really is an appauling listen. However, the first track is soon forgotten after the first single "Good Boys" hits your ears. You then get other brilliant tracks like "Golden Rod" "Undone" "End to End" and the beautiful closing ballad, "Songs of Love (For Richard)". The best track on this strong album would have to be "Rules for Living" - which is nothing short of a Blondie masterpeice.

So ignore those reviewers who cannot see past the end of their nose - because this is one fine album, and most Blondie fans will not be disapointed.

Enter the Curse.......2006-10-25

Some might look at Blondie's history as a curse because, despite their huge commercial success, they were always underrated and considered by many as lacking substance. But Blondie proved the naysayers wrong and not just by virtue of the fact that Debbie Harry and her band have become pop music icons. The Curse of Blondie is like a road map of the band's musicial history with only the best roads traveled. Blondie return to their roots right from the opening track "Shakedown," a rap/metal cut that has Ms.Deb(sounding charmingly bitchy)venting her frustrations and outlooks on New Jersey. They follow with a fabulous dance number in "Good Boys." Blondie have also not forgotten their punk roots with gritty rock cuts like "Goldenrod," and "Diamond Bridge," plus a terrific nod to the late Joey Ramone in "Hello Joe." Harry's lyrics are back to the poetic introspection she was so famous for back in the heyday, reflecting on her state of mind the way a poet thinks of a metaphor in "Undone," singing, "It's like an application, filling in the open spaces." Her vocals ooze her trademark pop coolness matched with a mind inquisitive and a heart fragile. Blondie have once again taken the downtown sound and turned it into pop chic. Some curse.

Holds up extremely well compared to their classic material........2006-09-28

2003's Curse of Blondie was the 2nd of the band's comeback albums after 1999's critically acclaimed but commercially ignored No Exit album.

While No Exit was a strong album, it also saw a band that hadn't worked together in 17 years having to kind of shake off the cobwebs a bit.

Curse of Blondie, however, sees this band once again firing on all cylinders. This album is as good if not better than their classic material like Parallel Lines or Eat to the Beat.

The album benefits from having a more cohesive sound and approach than 1999's No Exit.

The band once again strikes out in a multitude of directions stylistically, but overall, this album sees a return to more of an overall rock sound. Deborah Harry now has even more control over her wondrous sexy voice as she did in the past. She segues from a kind of spoken word type approach on the first track, to full throaty rock deliveries to a playful torch singer appraoch as well.

While this album did get kind of mixed notices from people, I really think that there isn't a bad track on the album. The only track I don't care for is the next to the last track Desire which seems them striking out in a really weird jazz angle that while it grows on you, it is out of place on this album.

The rest of the band sounds fantastic as well and the more stripped down production really benefits the material.

A fine addition to the growing Blondie catalog and a worthy purchase for anyone wanting to hear some most excellent pop rock like almost no one is capable of doing.

Blondie sparks magic here and there .......2006-07-07

The follow up CD to No Exit, is a mixed bag of musical experience. Anyway the touch of Blondie magic is still in between the different tracks. Track 1 Shakedown, is a talkative rap/disco hybrid which that doesn't have "that magic touch". A mediocre experience. Track 2 Good boys is the real "hit experience" on the CD. It has some classical standard Blondie elements that lifts this song up there in hit song star heaven. It has a an airy and open sound picture that realy makes it. This is the one that grip your soul and never let you go. There are some guitar riffs here and there to be simple: just make it. Pure Blondie magic. Track 3 Undone, is more mediocre, with some ecco from the classical Blondie period. Track 4 Golden Rod, is the rock & roller, but it has something of a depressive mood that follows it alltrough. Not to great this one. Track 5 Rules for living is a more slow song, but the "ice cold " Debbie Harry voice lifts this way above average. Track 6 Background melody, is the weird one, where Debbie sings like "Minnie Mouse", but in a rear way it works. Quite relaxable and a good listen alltrough, with some light reaggea rhythm that helps. Track 7 Magic, has a childlike atmosphere, like a children choir that sings in the background, but it`s Debbie voice that sounds sampled in a way. Not bad at all, and it sparkles some magic here and there. Track 8 End to end is more a classical rock&roller, which is speedy and up tempo in the right way. Simple and effective. Track 9 Hello Joe lack a certain melody string, and in the quality department it stops with ok. Track 10 The tingler, has lot`s of "tingeling" sound experiments, and it certainly works. Joyful and with a happy happy summer atmosphere lifts this one. Track 11 Last one in the world is the more heavy metal experiment on this CD.Ok, but some times a messy listening experiment. Overkill is probably the right phrase .Track 12 Diamond bridge is a simpel and quite effective little gem that grows. Track 13 Desire brings me back, is the "jazzy on" with a really weird beginning and sounds like a grotesque circus/ carneval comes to town. Track 14 Songs of love, is the moody one. Ice cold and atmospheric very decent ballad this one. Bonus Track 15 Good boys is the one that really deserve a new singel mix, this time by Giorgio Moroder. Pure eargasm magic . Anyway the touch of Blondie magic is still there on the Curse of Blondie CD.

curses.......2006-04-24

i was hoping this once-amazing band would redeem themselves and break back into the mainstream, and possibly chart a song.

this album is not very good. half of it is unlistenable, monotonous jazz/rock. i wouldnt know what else to call it.
the music doenst grab you with a sense of excitement, anticipation, or unease, as blondie had done in past work.

i think this is an improvement from "no exit", but not by much. id say for curious fans of rock/punk, go with the compilations, then if you must, the big 3: "plastic letters", "parallel lines", and "eat to the beat".

Average customer rating: Satisfying I can't believe how hard this album is. Rising Stars of Extreme Metal This disc does a lot for them and the genre All Hail The Goat

A Haunting Curse Goatwhore Manufacturer: Metal Blade ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Eclipse of Ages Into Black Suffocation Stench of Redemption With Oden on Our Side Thornography ASIN: B000H30BPE Release Date: 2006-09-05

Tracks:

1. Wear These Scars Of Testimony
2. Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof
3. Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult
4. My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos
5. In The Narrow Confines Of Defilement
6. Forever Consumed Oblivion
7. A Haunting Curse
8. Silence Marked By The Breaking Of Bone
9. Diabolical Submergence Of Rebirth
10. Of Ashen Slumber
11. I Avenge Myself

Customer Reviews:

Satisfying.......2007-05-24

Is it just me, or has black metal gotten really melodic and even somewhat commercial in recent years? Brutal bands like Mayhem, Immortal, and Gorgoroth were the only black metal bands around in the early 1990s. But then, Norway and England started taking interest in the genre, and pretty soon thereafter, melodic and symphonic black metal bands took the genre over. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with, say, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Old Man's Child -- they're all great! -- but most purists would tell you they're no where near as heavy, raw, or offensive as the bands that came before them. And when some of today's bands site the likes of Pink Floyd and Yes as major influences, one has to begin to wonder if the definition of "black metal" has been stretched a bit too far.

But here in America, we do things differently. Goatwhore are 110%, pure, homegrown Americans (they're straight out of the Bayou -- Thibodaux, Louisiana), and their music is the exact opposite of symphonic black metal. Thus, it is devoid of any experimentation or sweet, uplifting melodies, like keyboards, acoustic guitars, and clean singing.

The most prevalent sound on Goatwhore's third full-length release, 2006's "A Haunting Curse," is old school-inspired blackened death and thrash metal, but strong sludge, doom, grind, punk, and hardcore influences are also present throughout. (Or, in other words, think Venom meets Slayer meets Mayhem meets Soilent Green, and you'll get the idea what this album sounds like.) The result is eleven very intense, unrestrained tracks of rip-roaring destruction. They ooze with caffeine-abetted energy, blinding speed, primal urgency, crushing heaviness, abrasive rawness, harsh dissonance, great visceral impact, and uncompromising brute force.

Insanely fast riffs, smoke-inducing leads, murderous blast beats, and frontman Ben Falgoust's Hellish, retching screams are the name of the game here. The only time the pummel ever lets up is when the band toss in an odd tempo change, thus sending the song into a slow, doomy dirge. "A Haunting Curse" isn't the kind of album that you'll walk away from humming a melody or catchy chorus, and since the guitar work is so ridiculously fast, there aren't really any "hooks" or individually memorable riffs, either. A few catchy parts pop up here and there, such as the abrasive, mid-tempo groove and churning, rusty-sounding guitar lead that backs "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"; the booming, Slayer-esque power chords and vocal hook that begin "In the Narrow Confines of Defilement"; and the Deicide-esque vocal patterns on "Silence Marked By the Breaking of Bone." And there are other standout tracks, too, like the steamrolling "Wear These Scars Of Testimony", the walloping, machine gun blasts on "Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof", and the jackhammer insistence of "My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos." But overall, this is the kind of record that you put on from beginning to end and just let consume you, without worrying about discerning one song from another.

"A Haunting Curse" doesn't break any new ground for black or death metal, but that fact is easily overlooked because it's just so refreshing to hear an album this unrepentantly mean, nasty, caustic, and brutal in this day and age. It's a very satisfying listen, and an essential purchase for listeners who want to remember brutal black metal's glory days.

I can't believe how hard this album is........2007-01-06

This album is so hard it's unbeleivable. The drummer never ever quits and it's mainly the drums that makes this album great. Sometimes you don't think the guitars can keep up, but they do. There are some decent guitar riffs here and there, but they don't take center stage that often. The vocals aren't as varied as previous Goatwhore albums, where they would switch from hiss to growl to doom to some kind of scratchy demon voice. Here it pretty much sticks to growl, but every once and a while the hiss will be thrown in. The best song on the album has to be Forever Consumed by Oblivion, but I'm sure you'll find your favorite. Remember, this album is extremely hard and very fast metal.

Rising Stars of Extreme Metal.......2006-12-05

I've always liked things I've heard from Goatwhore, but it's finally on "A Haunting Curse" where they bring all of the elements together - songwriting, musicianship, vocals and crystal clear production. The result is one of the heaviest, meanest, yet very catchy, listens of the year.

This is a criminally underappreciated band and album, but with a recent appearance as in studio guests on Headbanger's Ball, bigger touring gigs and more press coverage they are finally on the verge of breaking out as stars leading a new wave of brutal modern extreme metal.

Musically, the band is proficient in all areas, and completely relentless. No respite from the constant pummeling will be offered as you listen. Sound could be described as aggressive black metal influenced death metal, with a dose of their southern heritage and New Orleans attitude thrown into the mix.

Vocally, Ben Falgoust delivers a very strong performance. It's a rarity in extreme music where the vocalist is integral enough to almost out shadow the band, but this is the case with Ben's vocal delivery. Sinister throaty yells and death metal growls act as another instrument terrorizing every track with malevolence. This guy really gets it done behind the mic. Killer vox here.

If you are a fan of the ever evolving brutal music scene, I would think it would be difficult to not like this record, and this band. Highly recommended, and buckle your seat belts.

Recommended track for testing the Goatwhore waters: "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"

This disc does a lot for them and the genre.......2006-10-14

Goatwhore's newest cd is hands down their best. The Guitar riffs are amazing, as well as the drum patterns and the bass sounds phenomenal. This is probably the best produced death metal cd you're going to get nowawadays. Ben Falgoust's vocals are more mid ranged, and Sammy's aren't as high as they were on previous releases, so it's easier to listen too. My Favorites off this so far are "Alchemy of a black sun cult" and "In the Narrow confines of defilement", because it's got a killer riff in the end of the song. There really isn't a lot to say about this disc other than it's a great death metal release that's going to do a lot for a new direction in the genre. Let's hope this pushes Goatwhore to the forefront, I'm giving this a 4.5

All Hail The Goat.......2006-09-21

This, Goatwhore's third official release, is by far their most fully realized effort to date. The whole album possesses a consumate sheen of viciousness that give the songs a big boost. The songs are brutal, but so catchy. Adding to this is the fact that the lead singer sings in more of a throaty rasp, as opposed to the higher pitched screamm of the previos albums. If you are going to buy one Goatwhore album, this is the one. The production sounds great too!!!

Rock Music:

1. D.Boon & Friends [Import]
2. Dream Upon a Fallen Star
3. Empty House Welcomes You...
4. Especially for You/Love Songs
5. Everything's on TV Pt.1 [CD-single] [Import]
6. Everything's on TV Pt.2 [CD-single] [Import]
7. Family Cracks [Import]
8. Final Straw [Enhanced] [Import]
9. Forget What You Know [Import]
10. From Years to Hours

Rock Music