Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant Review

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(More customer reviews)Now Lauryn Hill's gone bag-lady bonkers, the Haitian Fugees' boss rifled through his little black book for more laydeez to play with.
Norah Jones, Shakira and Mary J Blige are a few that answered his call.
Wyclef Jean is a rare artistic breed - the more big names he collaborates with, the better he gets.
On this laid-back fifth album he rounds up another impressive cast list, mixing rock, rap, reggae, Bollywood beats, dancehall and even samba.
His latest star-studded collection sees him returning to one of his favourite themes: immigration and identity.
The heroes and heroines of his narratives are illegal immigrants, strippers, deadbeat dads and single mothers - but, with the help of his guests, his portrayals of these outcasts are remarkably sympathetic.
The reggae-lite production is seductively summery (especially on the gorgeous "Slow Down"), if slightly aimless at times; despite the influence of Wyclef's conscience, his eye is too firmly set on a carnival atmosphere to ever sound preachy.
The new single "Sweetest Girl" has "hit" written all over it, a reggae-tinged track with a vocal contribution from Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia that fits in perfectly with Wyclef 's sound.
Paul Simon provides a classic chorus on "Fast Car", a folky warning against youthful foolishness.
Sizzla's slot on "Welcome to the East", "What About the Baby" featuring Mary j Blige and the silky "Any Other Day" with Norah Jones also stand out on this impressive display
Easy on the ears, this album is a shot of summer for the chilled days ahead.
Enjoy.


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Wyclef Jean Carnival II (Memoirs of an Immigrant) Includes the hit Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) featuring Akon & Lil Wayne, plus songs with Chamillionaire, Nora Jones, Paul Simon, Serj (of System of A Down), Shakira, TI, & more.

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Natalie Merchant - VH1 Storytellers (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)This priced just right release is the perfect gift for the 10,000 Maniacs or Natalie Merchant fan. I have this DVD and think it's great. Natalie opens the set with a short version of These Are Days (the full length performance is also included on the set). Her Storytellers segment is more musical than stories as she alternates between performances with high lighting to other performances with low lighting to set the mood. Remember, Storytellers is a one hour show, so don't expect outfit changes and real extended versions of the song. The bonus tracks on the DVD are the full performance of "These Are Days," and "Life is Sweet." Another bonus is that you can choose your audio setting and choose the music only setting. It's a great intimate setting and the set list is okay. Personally, I would have loved to see Natalie sing "Like The Weather," or "Trouble Me," since a few songs from her 10,000 Maniacs days made the set list, but oh well. It's great though and one thing I thought was cool is on the back of the booklet included inside of the set is a Natalie Merchant discography as well as a VH-1 Storytellers Timeline.

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Natalie Merchant got her start at age 17 as the lead singer of the folk-pop outfit 10,000 Maniacs. Her silken voice and outspoken social awareness wooed music fans and cemented her status as one of the day's most astute and captivating artists. Though 10,000 Maniacs achieved a level of critical success as a major-label act in the mid-80's, Merchant decided to go it alone in 1994. Since then her popularity has bloomed in the wake of Tigerlily, Ophelia, Motherland, Live in Concert: Natalie Merchant and The House Carpenter's Daughter. Featured here are the hits in an intimate, one-of-a-kind setting.Tracks: These Are the Days Carnival What's the Matter Here? Kind and Generous Break Your Heart Wonder Verdi Cries These Are the Days (Bonus Track) Life is Sweet (Bonus Track)

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Real Gone Review

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(More customer reviews)Tom Waits, as usual, has produced another classic. It should be noted, however, that "Real Gone" is a really gritty, avant-garde effort. The sonic texture of the album is akin to some of the tunes on "Bone Machine" with a tinge of the sweaty grit of the more raucous parts of "Mule Variations" (e.g., the texture found on the rough and funky "Filipino Box Spring Hog"). If you are a fan of Waits' last few albums, you will enjoy "Real Gone." If what you enjoy about Waits' music is his piano playing, well, this is one you can skip--there is no piano whatsoever on this CD.
The music is oddly mixed and Tom's microphone sounds overloaded at times, but somehow it all fits together to make sense. The disc opens with "Top of the Hill," which is a great indicator of things to come with its funky rhythms with prominent percussive downbeats. If you enjoy this tune, you will likely enjoy "Metropolitan Glide," which comes up a few tracks later and uses turntables to great effect without dominating the musical landscape. There are a couple beautiful slow pieces as well in "Dead and Lovely" and "How's It Gonna End." The guitar duties are largely handled by the legendary Marc Ribot, whose playing is perfectly suited to Waits' music. He really shines on "Real Gone." His guitar brings a haunting quality to the slower pieces and razor-sharp gutter funk to the faster tunes.
All told, this is just another classic Tom Waits album. He is amazing. "Real Gone" is like walking down an old dusty road in Mississippi and noticing something shiny along the roadside. You walk over to the item, look down, and see a handle of a box buried halfway in the dirt. You dig out the box, open it, and find an old pistol, a flask of good whisky, and $3000 in circa 1920 hundred-dollar bills. You know there must have been some foul play long ago, and that the locals still probably know all about it, but you pocket the cash and the pistol and head on your merry way. There are gifts in the dirt. The music on "Real Gone" is gritty and mysterious, but just go with it, because you really wouldn't want to know the answers to any of the questions you might have about this music.

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Tom Waits is one of the most influential musicians in the world today, an artist who never rests on his laurels. He continues to re-invent music, push boundaries and create new sounds. On Real Gone, the up tempo tracks are some of the rawest and most kinetic he's ever laid down...He's never sounded like he's had this much fun...while the ballads are among his most beautiful and even chilling at times. Real Gone also contains his first overtly political song, "The Day After Tomorrow", a plaintive letter home from a young soldier in the middle of a war. Taken as a whole, the experience is breathtaking.

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