Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contemporary. Show all posts

One Good Reason Review

One Good Reason
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...to pick up this CD! Recently I was at a book and music shop in Louisville and they were clearing out their cassettes. That was where I got my copy of One Good Reason, which I actually got for my gf because she likes Don't Shed a Tear. After a listen or two however, I stole the tape back from her, and I've listened to it everyday since. This album is nothing short of brilliant. I'm not even a fan of mainstream pop, but this album is so incredibly good, it's irresistable.
1. One Good Reason - The title track. Has an amazing groove. The song is dark, but somehow uplifting. I think he uses some kind of tympani, or at least a synthesized tympani to get that sound on the main riff.
2. When You Walk In the Room - This is actually a remake, I read off of the Carrack website, and it is the only song Paul plays off this album in concert currently, which is a shame. I don't know who the female singer on this song is, but boy is she strong. The harmonies are brilliant here. This song has an amazing key change that makes for a very nice build up just before the finish.
3. Button off My Shirt - A nice, mid-tempo bubblegum chewer, but don't mistake it, Paul sings in full soulfulness in that range only he can hit.
4. Give me a Chance - Tearjerker. Slow with keys. One of the most amazing ballads I've ever heard.
5. Double It Up - My personal favorite song on this album and one of my favorite songs ever. It reminds you of The Heat Is On by the tempo, and the riff is a bit like the Police's Demolition Man, but that doesn't ruin it for me at all. This song would be great in an action movie, maybe during the opening credits. The whole thing is an adrenaline rush. I've tried to sing it many times but it's way too high. On this number, Paul demonstrates an ability to drive the song, to be bluesy and soulful, and have power at the top of his range, all at the same time. The guitars are excellent in this song, as are the horns, but I suspect they are synthesized.
6. Don't Shed A Tear - It's a priveledge to say that this is one of the weaker songs on the album, but it's still a good song. No further comment needed here, this was a major hit in the US.
7. Fire With Fire - This is a great song. I thought, from a songwriter's perspective, that it was clever how they went into that bridge section just before the refrain. That really set it up nicely.
8. Here I Am - Kind of a fast shuffle beat number. This is one of those songs that you wish you knew the lyrics to so you could really try hard to hit those notes, even though you probably don't have a shot in hell. A very singable, danceable upbeat happy song.
9. Collrane - If I'm not mistaken, Collrane is a woman's first name. I've never heard it over here in the US, maybe it's popular over in Europe. This song is sort of dark, but has an epic feel - a tour de force for the band. If I'd written it, I would have included more tension and had more solos to try for a Stairway to Heaven effect, but as it is, which is somewhat short and sweet, the power and gravity of the emotions are fully there. The bass groove is really cool here, too. The echo on the drums was a nice touch. The whole thing screams of intrigue!
10. Figure in Your Life - If this song doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you have no soul. This is a question I think every man has asked a woman, in some way, at some time. This is where PC really shines: he has a knack for finding that little dark spot in your heart and putting it into the right song with the right lyrics.
I guess that about does it for my long-winded review. I can't speak highly enough about the album. It's too bad you can't get it on iTunes and there are no samples here. Maybe you can find CDs out there somewhere. Suburban Voodoo was on CD, this should be too, if it isn't.

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H2o Review

H2o
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This is one of the classic 80's albums. With the opening of "maneater" to the closing notes of "go solo", you can tell that this album is a labor of love and of talent. Highly recommended for any 80' afficianado!

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CMT Pick Kenny Chesney 2007 Review

CMT Pick Kenny Chesney 2007
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This is the dvd that came with the Poets and Pirates cd if you purchased it at Walmart. It's pretty good, but not as good as the free dvd that came with the Be as You Are cd. That one is a live q@a and acoustic show with Kenny. This one is a behind the scenes look at the 2007 Flip Flop Summer Tour. Kenny goes through each song from the Poets cd and explains why he likes them and why he recorded them. There is a great acoustic version of "Never Wanted Nothing More" on here while Kenny and the boys are sitting on the stage in Philly. There's also 3 live songs from various CMT award shows ("Summertime","Keg in the Closet" and "Beer in Mexico"). Worth getting if you're a fan, but remember it was a free item at one time. Check Walmart to see if they still have any( provided you haven't already bought the Poets cd).

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This DVD contains Behind The Scenes: 2007 Flip Flop Summer Tour and CMT Music Awards performances of Keg In The Closet (2005), Beer In Mexico (2006), and Summertime (2007).

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Big Bam Boom Review

Big Bam Boom
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By the time 1984 rolled around, Daryl Hall and John Oates clearly had established themselves as one of the premier duos in the history of the Pop Music era. One year earlier (1983), Hall and Oates released a greatest hits collection called "Rock and Soul Part 1". Hall and Oates had always been terrific at integrating the genres of Rock and Soul in their music. "Rock and Soul Part 1" would go on to be a very successful greatest hits collection and almost seemed to be a culmination of their work over the prior decade. Little did we all realize that bigger things were to come - in the order of their album "Big Bam Boom". "Big Bam Boom" would not only be a commercial success, but many long-time critics of Hall and Oates would now come around and give them the critical acclaim that they so much deserved. This acclaim is well justified - this is one terrific collection.
Although "Big Bam Boom" isn't a concept album, there does seem to be a common thread among the music. The music has a very urban sound. This urban sound expands on the Rock and Soul genres.In 1984, "disco music" was almost obsolete. It had been replaced by "Dance" music. Around this time, studio mixing became very common to many Pop sounds. Many of these songs were known as "12 inch Remixes" (because they would often be released on 12 inch vinyl as singles). This allowed many songs, including those that were not traditional "Dance" style songs to be played in Dance Clubs. As a result, traditional Rock starts such as Bruce Springsteen had many of their tunes remixed into a "Dance" style and were now getting airplay in the clubs (Springsteen had "Cover Me" and "Dancing in the Dark remixed). The design of "Big Bam Boom" really seemed to fit nicely with the Dance Remix movement that was going on during this time. The difference is that Hall and Oates manage to create "Dance Ready" songs that expand on the foundation of their Rock and Soul music. Hall and Oates still did some 12 inch remixes of four of the songs (this can be found on the "Big Bam Boom" Remaster edition), but when you listen to "Big Bam Boom" closely you will hear that this is almost overkill - this is because the original versions really fit this "Dance" formula.
The collection starts out with "Dance on Your Knees". This song is has some nice Rock elements (i.e guitar), but you will hear many dance elements as well. This near 90 second tune has a near flawless segue into the monster hit "Out of Touch". One thing you will hear in "Dance On Your Knees" is the Bass influence. Whether it's Bass Guitar or Bass Drums, Hall and Oates make heavy use of a Bass sound throughout this collection. Much of this Bass influence is probably because their Studio Bassist for "Big Bam Boom", T-Bone Wolk played a major role in the arranging of this album. I think this Bass Influence combined with many of the dance elements help contribute to what is an Urban Sound. As for "Out of Touch", this song has the dance elements integrated into what I consider a traditional Rock song. It's a solid song, but it sounds much better when you hear it with the "Dance on Your Knees" intro.
In fact, Songs 2-5 on the collection seem to take a cue from "Out of Touch". This cue is that they are songs built on the a foundation of Rock music and have the dance elements integrated into it. You will also hear lots of Bass Guitar and Bass Drums throughout these tunes. You will hear some R&B influences at times, but the Rock influence is still strong. "Method of Modern Love" is basically a soft rock song. You will hear some R&B, but this is probably more due to the fact that the dance elements have been integrated. "Bank on Your Love" is a very underrated song. This sounds more like a song you'd hear in a Rock club than a traditional dance club. It has a solid Rock and Roll feel, but also listen closely to some elements that give it a slight dance spin. The fifth song "Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid" is probably the best song of the collection. This song like "Method of Modern Love" has an R&B spin, but has Rock roots - the bass elements are alive and well here.
As you move toward the last four songs, this is where you will hear the Soul/R&B edge to Hall and Oates take center stage. There also seem to be some funk elements you will hear in these songs. "Going Thru the Motions" is a song almost ready made for the dance clubs. Yes this song has some nice guitar work from a Rock perspective, but now its the R&B sound being the dominant sound. There are two songs in which John Oates gets to do some lead vocals. I found the Oates lead vocal tracks to be a real treat. These songs are "Cold Dark and Yesterday" and "Possession Obsession" - I rank these two songs as two of the stronger songs. The other remaining track is "All American Girl". Like "Going Thru The Motions", this song seemed almost ready made for the dance clubs. This song took me a while to get into it, but eventually I liked it.
The disappomting thing is that there are no lyrics and little in the way of studio musician and production credits. The songwriting credits and song durations are listed. There is a terrific writeup on the album that also provides a retrospective on Hall and Oates' career by Colin Escott. Overall, I like what Hall and Oates did on this album. They produced a terrific sound - one that they would never match in their subsequent releases. I highly recommend this collection.

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Bill and Gloria Gaither: Homecoming Christmas (2006) Review

Bill and Gloria Gaither: Homecoming Christmas (2006)
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This is one of the better videos. I love the footage about the kids in South Africa. I would recommend this video for any Gospel Music Nut.

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Handel's Messiah Rocks Review

Handel's Messiah Rocks
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After seeing this on PBS I could hardly wait for the cd and the dvd to come out. I ordered this as soon as it was available. Handel would be proud.

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1. Overture2. Comfort Ye3. He'll Come in Glory4. He Is Fire5. Rejoice6. Behold the Lamb of God7. He Was Despised8. He Trusted You9. King of Glory10. He Is My Son11. How Beautiful12. Hallelujah13. A Child is Born

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Barry Manilow - First and Farewell Review

Barry Manilow - First and Farewell
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Dedication at the beginning of the disc:
"To everyone who's been here forever - thanks for the ride. And to
everyone who just arrived - welcome aboard."
There are basically two groups of people out there reading this review:
those of you who are fans of Barry Manilow and are already convinced
that he is "the showman of our generation" (as first coined by Rolling
Stone), and the rest of you who are either undecided about this guy or
convinced there's nothing to like about him.
Well, first and foremost, this one's for you, no matter which group you
find yourself relating to.
If you already enjoy Barry's music, this 2-disc DVD is one you can't
miss. To have the best of both Barry worlds in the palm of your hand
is priceless. The first disc is the Barry many of us old-time fans
recall with great fondness ... the young, geeky, awkward musician who
really didn't know the first thing about using his body as an
instrument. He wasn't smooth, slick, or handsome ... and he seemed too
terrified to even get up from the piano. Yet somehow his talent
manages to shine through, and you can imagine being in that first
audience and thinking, "Yep - this guy's got the spark. He's going all
the way!" The second disc is Manilow, 30 years later: the slick,
polished professional who dazzles with a show that both touches the
heart one minute and makes you want to jump up dancing out of your seat
the next. You'll watch the first disc and think, "Wow, I really miss
that geeky, innocent guy," but then you watch the second disc and
realize you can't part with him either. One of my favorite parts of
both discs is Barry's intro to each. Talking to the camera he's warm,
chatty and friendly. It's as if he's sitting in your living room and
having a casual conversation with you about who he was in the beginning
and who he is now. It's a candid side to Barry fans seldom get to see.
But for those of you who are lukewarm about Barry and have wondered
what all the fuss is about - and are yet open-minded enough to ask
yourselves, "Did I maybe miss something?", then this is your perfect
introduction to Manilow 101. By comparing and contrasting the Manilow
of yesterday to the Manilow of today, you can get a better idea of why
so many people have responded so positively to his music over the
years. It's the passion. It was there in the beginning and it's still
with him, on stage, every night as he continues to perform today at the
Las Vegas Hilton.
Now, a warning about the first disc - it can be difficult to watch.
You have to remember that this was recorded back when dinosaurs roamed
the earth and video technology wasn't that great. You feel like you
were dropped into a fuzzy, black and white world holding a ticket that
shoves you to the back of the room. It's a low-tech world that makes
you wonder if you're in somebody's garage and whether Barry's putting
on a show with The Little Rascals. If your purpose in watching this
disc is to ooh and aah over Barry's physique, forget it - you'll barely
see his face. He's too far away. But sit through it anyway, because
the music and the banter is priceless.
Some of the disc one highlights:
-- "It's A Miracle" with some alternate lyrics
-- Barry singing "As The Saints Go Marching In" backwards. (Okay, he
doesn't sing the whole thing, but what you hear is pretty hilarious -
but not quite as hilarious as hearing "The Shadow Of Your Smile" being
sung like "Hello Dolly")
-- Barry beautifully belting out a wonderful, little-known album cut
called "Oh My Lady"
-- The first VSM ("very strange medley") of commercial jingles,
including the long version of the ever so infamous Dr. Pepper
commercial (of which I remembered NONE of the words, but it was
entertaining just the same)
-- A really sweet rendition of "Make Our Garden Grow" (from "Candide"),
a song which didn't go over well with the Spanky and Alfalfa crowd, but
would wow audiences some years later when Barry performed it on
national television.
Disc two fast-forwards us to one of the best concerts I'd ever seen.
The "One Night Live/One Last Time" arena tour was bittersweet, true,
because it was billed as Barry's last real tour. I was lucky enough to
attend that show, and the disc really captures the excitement that
Barry generated throughout his entire performance. What a way to go
out!
Highlights include:
-- One of the best versions of "Mandy" (not one of my favorite hits)
you'll ever hear
-- The most kick-ass version of "Brooklyn Blues" (another song that
wasn't one of my favorites) you'll ever hear, featuring a saxaphone
duet with Dave Koz and George Shelby that will blow your jazz-lovin'
mind
-- A rendition of Joni Mitchell's "River" that will send you running
for the kleenex if you're the least bit emotional around the holidays
-- "Dancin'Fool", a tune that makes it VERY hard to sit quietly in your
seat, and
-- A revamped dance version of "Copacabana" that is the best live
version you'll ever see of this song, and one which you can still hear
Barry perform in Vegas. It's always the showstopper of the night!
So, if you have been with Barry forever, then definitely do not miss
this one ... but if you're just coming on board, check this out and see
why Barry Manilow sets the bar for live entertainement in show business
today. You might surprise yourself and find out that yep, you're right
- you've definitely been missing something.

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After 30 years of live performances from Boston to Blenheimand everywhere in between, Barry ManilowÂ-legendary songwriter, producerand entertainerÂ-said goodbye to life on the road at The Pond in Anaheim,California to conclude his Â"One Night Live! One Last Time!Â" FarewellTour. But to truly appreciate the significance of a farewell tour, as Barrypoints out in two personal and reflective interviews on this DVD, one mustfirst understand where it all began. That is why he authorized the releaseof the black-and white videotape recording from his first rehearsal atCarrollÂ’s Studio in New York CityÂ-a reference tape he used to determinewhat songs worked and what songs didnÂ’t before he went out on his veryfirst tour ever. At the end of that performance on a cold New York night, ayoung naive Barry Manilow, having no idea what lay ahead for him, asked hisaudience to Â"wish me luckÂ". And so here is the beginning and the end ofroad shows from 1974 to 2004 that touched the hearts and souls of millionsaround the world. Barry Manilow is the #1 Adult Contemporary Artist of alltime. He has sold 75 million albums, has performed over 3000 concerts, andhas earned 29 platinum records. Barry is a Grammy®, Emmy®, and TonyAward® winner, as well as an Academy Award® nominee.

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Lead Me On (20th Anniversary Edition) (2 CDs) Review

Lead Me On (20th Anniversary Edition) (2 CDs)
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I remember purchasing my original copy of Lead Me On 20 years ago! This special edition sounds great and I love the acoustic versions of some of the classic recordings from this CD. Any Amy fan must have this anniversary edition in their collection!

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01. 1974 02. Lead Me On 03. Shadows 04. Saved By Love 05. Faithless Heart 06. What About The Love 07. If These Walls Could Speak 08. All Right 09. Wait For The Healing

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Barbra: The Concert Review

Barbra: The Concert
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In September of 1994, Barbra Streisand released her thirty-fourth album entitled, BARBRA: THE CONCERT. This album is her fourth live concert album to date. When Barbra had released her first three live concert albums in 1968, 1972, & 1987, they all took up only one disc, since Barbra did not perform as many songs in concert. But this live album takes up two discs, since Barbra has performed many more his than before, as well as having a few more conversation pieces, than the first three times round. A great live album and very personal.
Disc One
OVERTURE
Nothing special.
AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE
From the album BACK TO BROADWAY (1993). This song is very beautiful and it was the perfect choice to open this live album.
OPENING REMARKS
Conversation piece.
Medley: I'M STILL HERE/EVERYBODY SAYS DON'T/DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE
"I'm Still Here": New song. "Everybody Says Don't" From the album BACK TO BROADWAY (1993). "Don't Rain On My Parade" From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack FUNNY GIRL (1968). Great medley.
CAN'T HELP LOVIN' THAT MAN
From the album THE BROADWAY ALBUM (1985). Great song.
I'LL KNOW
From the album SIMPLY STREISAND (1967). Great.
PEOPLE
From the album PEOPLE (1964). She sings this beautifully here.
LOVER MAN
New song. Great.
THERAPIST DIALOGUE #1
Nothing special.
WILL HE LIKE ME?
From the album PEOPLE (1964). Great.
THERAPIST DIALOGUE #2
Nothing special.
HE TOUCHED ME
From the album MY NAME IS BARBRA, TWO... (1965). Great.
EVERGREEN
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack A STAR IS BORN (1976). Beautifully sung here.
THERAPIST DIALOGUE #3
Nothing special.
THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack A STAR IS BORN (1976). Great.
ON A CLEAR DAY (YOU CAN SEE FOREVER)
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER (1970). Still a classic song after all these years.
Disc Two
ENTR'ACTE
Nothing special.
THE WAY WE WERE
From the album THE WAY WE WERE (1974). From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack THE WAY WE WERE (1974). This song is one Barbra's most beautiful and she sings it as she sung the original.
YOU DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS (Solo Version)
From the album SONGBIRD (1978). Great.
LAZY AFTERNOON
From the album LAZY AFTERNOON (1975). Great song.
Disney Medley: ONCE UPON A DREAM/WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR/SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
New song. Beautiful renditions to these Disney classics.
NOT WHILE I'M AROUND
From the album THE BROADWAY ALBUM (1985). Great.
ORDINARY MIRACLES
New song. Great.
YENTL Medley: WHERE IS IT WRITTEN?/PAPA, CAN YOU HEAR ME?/WILL SOMEONE EVER LOOK AT ME THAT WAY/A PIECE OF SKY
All songs from the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack YENTL (1983). Beautiful. All of these songs are just amazingly beautiful.
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
From the album THE BARBRA STREISAND ALBUM (1963). Great.
MY MAN
From the album MY NAME IS BARBRA (1965). Great.
FOR ALL WE KNOW
New song. Great.
SOMEWHERE
From the album THE BROADWAY ALBUM (1985). Still Barbra's most beautiful cover to date.
This album is very, as I said before, personal. If you would like to have BARBRA: THE CONCERT, Barbra Streisand's fourth concert album, then you better make sure you all get it if you don't have it already. Time is not going by any slower, you all know.

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Songs From the West Coast Review

Songs From the West Coast
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Wow. Who would have thought that Elton, at this late date, still had this in him. As a long time fan, I've been dismayed with his 90's (and most of his '80's) output, and had pretty much given up hope.
But here's Songs From The West Coast and suddenly, Elton sounds vital again. The album opens on a stunning note: "The Emperor's New Clothes" starts off with a great piano intro and then Elton's voice kicks in; the chorus finds '70's stalwarts Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsen joining in on backing vocals with cymbal brushes from drummer Olsen, and you find yourself wondering what decade it is. Only the deeper register of Elton's voice gives it away. But Elton sounds fine on this album, with his most soulful and nuanced singing in years. And Lyricist Bernie Taupin gives him plenty of quality stuff to wrap his pipes around. There are plenty of standout tracks: "Original Sin" is one of the most beautiful ballads he's ever written. The country-ish "Birds" harkens back to the Tumbleweed days and sounds like it was recorded on somebody's back porch. "The Wasteland" is a gospel blues that invokes delta bluesman Robert Johnson and rocks convincingly. "I Want Love", the first single, is Lennonesque. "The Ballad Of The Boy In The Red Shoes" sounds like something from the Madman sessions. "This Train Don't stop There Anymore", the wistful album closer, would feel right at home on Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Producer Patrick Leonard also does a fine job, finding a nice balance between modern recording and the backwards-looking quality of this music. The shlock of most of his '90's recordings is gone.
Songs From The West Coast goes a long ways towards restoring a reputation damaged by too many Disney projects and not enough attention to his music. On Songs From The West Coast, Elton John has rediscovered himself.
It's about time.

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Australian exclusive tour edition. Housed in a deluxecommemorative souvenir digipak.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Olivia Newton-John - Video Gold 1 (2005) Review

Olivia Newton-John - Video Gold 1 (2005)
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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 2005--
All of the Superstar's Video Classics from "I Honestly Love You" to "Magic," "Hopelessly Devoted To You" to "Physical"
Pop icon Olivia Newton-John was one of the first and most endearing artists of the video generation. Her clips for hits such as "Deeper Than The Night," "Twist Of Fate," "Physical," "Soul Kiss," "Magic" and others became instant MTV staples. Today, many of these highly treasured videos have found a second life on VH-1.
Now, on the heels of a new tour and the June release of her first two-CD retrospective -- Olivia Newton-John - Gold (Geffen/UMe) -- the DVDs Olivia Newton-John - Video Gold I and Video Gold II (Geffen/UMe), released August 16, 2005, bring together for the first time all of the video highlights and biggest hits of this groundbreaking music video artist. Combined, the two volumes include all of her conceptual videos from the Physical, Twist Of Fate and Soul Kiss video collections plus a handful of live videos of earlier hits as well as rarities.
Featured among the 19 selections on Video Gold I are live 1982 performances (shot on her Physical tour) of the early '70s classics "Let Me Be There" (gold, #6, Grammy winner), "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" (gold, #5) and "Please Mr. Please" (gold, #3). In 1978, she starred in Grease, the most successful movie musical in history, and this video compilation contains the video clip version of "Hopelessly Devoted To You" (#3, gold). That same year, she issued Totally Hot, which spun off the pre-MTV videos for the title track, two versions of the gold #3 "A Little More Love" and "Deeper Than The Night." Her 1980 film Xanadu yielded a blockbuster album and the #1 gold "Magic."
Video Gold I also boasts not only the videos for the best-known songs from 1981's Physical -- "Physical" (platinum, #1 for 10 weeks) and "Make A Move On Me" (#5) -- but also those for the album's eight other tracks: "Landslide," "Carried Away," "Recovery," "The Promise (The Dolphin Song)," "Love Make Me Strong," "Stranger's Touch," "Falling" and "Silvery Rain."
Video Gold II presents 20 selections, reaching back to Xanadu with live versions of "Suddenly" and the Top 10 "Xanadu" (featuring ELO), Grease's "You're The One That I Want" (#1, platinum) and '70s fan favorite "Sam" all taped live in 1982. "Heart Attack" (#3) and "Tied Up" appeared on 1982's Greatest Hits. "Livin' In Desperate Times," the John Travolta duet "Twist Of Fate" (#5), "Take A Chance" and "Shaking You" debuted on 1983's Two Of A Kind soundtrack. The 1985 album Soul Kiss contributes its title track, "Culture Shock," "Emotional Tangle," "Toughen Up" and "The Right Moment."
Also seen and heard are: from 1988's The Rumour, "Can't We Talk It Over In Bed," "Reach Out For Me" and the title track; from 1992's Back To Basics, "I Need Love;" and the 1998 #1 Adult Contemporary remake with Babyface of Olivia's double Grammy winning "I Honestly Love You" (gold, #1).


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1. Deeper Than The Night2. A Little More Love – (Version I)3. Totally Hot4. Landslide5. Magic6. Physical7. Carried Away 8. A Little More Love – (Version II) 9. Recovery 10. The Promise (The Dolphin Song)11. Love Make Me Strong 12. Stranger’s Touch 13. Make A Move On Me 14. Falling 15. Silvery Rain 16. Hopelessly Devoted To You 17. Let Me Be There (Live)18. Please Mr. Please (Live)19. If You Love Me, Let Me Know (Live)

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Live in Concert Review

Live in Concert
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Since her early days with 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant has been an impeccable storyteller. Songs like "Like the Weather," "Trouble Me," and "These are Days" are not only catchy pop tunes, but they also relate to the human condition: the way in which the weather affects one's mood, the importance of the older generation, and the importance of remembering the good times.
After Ms. Merchant left the Maniacs and embarked on a solo career, her songs might not be considered the catchy pop tunes of the late 80s and early 90s, but they still reflect the frail emotional condition of humankind.
On Live in Concert, Merchant's songs are intimate yet powerful. She starts with "Wonder," her most Maniacs-like song, from her 1995 solo debut, Tigerlily. She proceeds to the poetic "San Andreas Fault," a parable about going to Los Angeles to "build a dream and watch it all fall down."
In addition to two Maniacs' songs, there are three new songs, all of which are covers. The most familiar is her cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." Though it doesn't vary much from the original, Merchant brings the loneliness and despair of the song to a more human level than Bowie's colder version.
The standout piece is "The Gulf of Araby," a song about inequality and about how cruel man can be to his fellow man. It's a song about "neighbors who are proud of their massacres" and prisoners who are "framed by a dirty judge." At just over seven minutes, it's the longest track on this sixty minute CD. The song's sense of urgency is delivered by Merchant's strong, soaring voice. The lyrics, coupled with Merchant's delivery, are goosebump provoking.
Noticeably absent, however, are songs from Merchant's 1998 release, Ophelia. Only the CD's title track is featured on her Live effort, and although a great performance, it isn't nearly enough from such a brilliant CD. "Life is Sweet," "Kind and Generous," and "Break Your Heart" would have been wonderful additions to this live set. But these omissions are forgivable - as long as they are included on a future live album that is equally as pleasing and gratifying as this one.

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Time Love & Tenderness Review

Time Love and Tenderness
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There are many things I could say about this album, I'll try to do it in the best English I know: I think it demonstrates that commercial music can be also good. The production is very good, everytime you listen to the songs you can hear more and more instruments playing, sometimes it feels like a kind of "modern orchestra" is playing the music (I am sure you'll feel like this when you listen to the title song called "Time,love and tenderness", it's one of Michael's most famous song and one of my favourites. I found influences of rock, pop and gospel in this song, in fact Michael has done a lot of black music and his songs that have gospel choirs are part of his label, and to me the best ones!). BY THE WAY, if you like this album you will love Celine Dion's album called also "Celine Dion", it was released a year after and Walter Afanasieff and Diane Warren also collaborated on it, these great artists have also good collaborators!

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The Saving One Review

The Saving One
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After the release of Starfield's critically acclaimed I Will Go album, the band hit the road with a relentless passion to reach as many fans as possible around the globe. Starfield is quickly becoming a global band on a mission to reach the world with a message of hope and salvation. With the momentum built, Starfield returned to the studio to craft their new album The Saving One which is a unique mix of songs delivering tracks that will be heard across radio airwaves as well as be sung in Sunday morning services but most importantly all will bring the listener closer to Christ. The opening title track is a great example of the worshipful style of the songs, both in melody and message it reminds me of "Reign In Us" from I Will Go .
"Rediscover You" is my new favorite song by this great band. The second verse is truly the cry of my heart as well: "I want to learn to pray The way that David prayed, I want my soul to burn when I hear Your name, I want to feel like new, I want to hunger for You. Bring me back to life like only You can do. Cause I don't want to stay the same." Wow, Tim Neufeld can really write catchy and meaningful lyrics. I've been enjoying Starfield since their debut album and "Filled With Your Glory," "Everything Is Beautiful," "Hosanna," "Reign In Us" and "I Will Go" have been in heavy rotation for me. The best part about Starfield's songs are reflected in truly biblical and prayerful lyrics set to catchy and extremely sing-able melodies. "Declaration of Dependence" is a rock song in the style of "My Generation." "Overwhelm" is one of those great passionate songs that will have you singing along in prayer to have Jesus overwhelm you. "Top Of Our Lungs" includes a great electronic keyboard part with a heavy bass beat. The chorus "We're gonna shout His praise at the top of our lungs" is sung passionately in response to the biblical truth of the pre-chorus "who the Son sets free, they are free indeed."
Starfield has once again released their best overall album, with 10 great new songs reflecting pure and honest relevance to our Faith both in our personal lives and in our Church communities. The Saving One is an album that will find its way on a lot of "best of" lists for 2010, including mine.
For me, the standout songs are "The Saving One," "Rediscover You," "Declaration of Dependence," "Overwhelm" and "Top Of Our Lungs." If you like Hillsong United, Delirious, Chris Tomlin and David Crowder*Band, then you can't go wrong with Starfield.

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After the release of Starfield's critically acclaimed I Will Go album, the band hit the road with a relentless passion to reach as many fans as possible around the globe. Although Starfield has yet to perform live for every fan in every country, they have certainly tried - playing shows to the masses all across Europe, Canada, Africa and the U.S. Starfield is quickly becoming a global band on a mission to reach the world with a message of hope and salvation. Their songs are being heard over radio, through online music sites, performed at youth events, and sung in Churches all over the world, building a base hungry for the lyrical depth and modern worship Starfield helps fans engage with. With the momentum built, Starfield returned to the studio to craft their new album The Saving One. The Saving One is a unique mix of songs delivering tracks that will be heard across radio airwaves as well as being sung in Sunday morning services but most importantly all will bring the listener closer to Christ. With tracks like "Rediscover You" Starfield blends a catchy melody with honest and vulnerable lyrics that is sure to be heard on your local radio station while tracks, like the title track, "The Saving One" provides the spiritual depth of a modern hymn. The Saving One is an album that will find its way on a lot of "best of" lists for the year with its pure and honest relevance to our Faith both in our personal lives and in our Church communities.

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Remedy Review

Remedy
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After A Collision, what was DC*B supposed to do? That record stands as a masterpiece of Christian music and rock music in general. Yet Remedy is not the disappointment it could have been.
Remedy is a return to form for the Waco, TX based worship group. What you'll get is 10 tracks of solid praise music, in true David Crowder Band genre-mixing electronically influenced style. This is the music you'll be hearing at forward-thinking churches around the world for the next few years, and if you get the record now you'll enjoy hearing the songs all the more. Standout tracks include "Glory of It All" with its instantly memorable hook, the borderline danceable "Can You Feel It?", and the title track.
All in all, this record is one that Christian music enthusiasts and worship leaders should definitely own. But if you're a fan of music in general, please do yourself a favor and get A Collision. It's not to be missed.

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Norah Jones and The Handsome Band - Live in 2004 (2004) Review

Norah Jones and The Handsome Band - Live in 2004 (2004)
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As a connoisseur of music on DVD, I am puzzled by some of the previous reviewers' remarks. I've watched it twice now, and in my opinion this is one of the finest music DVD's to be released in years.
It goes without saying that there is more musical talent in a Q-tip full of Nora Jones' earwax than in any three of the current crop of silly, belly-baring "stars" that have been manufactured for our consumption, and this DVD highlights her talent perfectly.
The fantastic group of musicians that she so graciously introduces to us, (both in her band and appearing as special guests,) only add to the experience. This is stage playing at its very best, and everyone involved seems to be inspired to deliver their all, simply because they are playing with Nora.
Finally, the arrangements, lighting, cinematography, editing and direction are all at or near top-notch. I simply can't think of any complaints; even blurring is used artistically during some of the shot changes, and along with wide-angles and closeups, we get a cornucopia of "musicians" shots of fingers and hands at work on strings and keys.
If you like Nora Jones even a little bit, buy this DVD and after watching it, you'll like her a lot more.
And finally, to those reviewers who seem to feel compelled to comment on her appearance: In my book, she sounds and plays so well that it wouldn't make any difference if she looked like W.C. Fields. That she is beautiful is just a minor and almost irrelevant fringe benefit to being able to watch her genius in action.

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Following a massive 55-city North American Tour in support of her quadruple platinum selling FEELS LIKE HOME, Norah Jones’s historic ride continues with the release of an amazing DVD.Filmed in August 2004 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, the concert film includes performances of most of the songs from FEELS LIKE HOME as well as hits from her landmark debut album COME AWAY WITH ME, and choice covers.Special Guests include Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, and Richard Julian.

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Rock of the Westies Review

Rock of the Westies
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In retrospect, Elton John created a lot of relatively serious music from the start of his career until ""Yellow Brick Road." There were moments when his music was fun, such as "Crocodile Rock" and "Jamaica Jerkoff," but the general tone of his music was serious. Even the often reviled "Caribou" had some of Elton's most serious music ("Ticking") mixed in with the inane songs. "Rock of the Westies," on the other hand, was almost all fun, typically hard-rocking, songs.
The CD kicks off with a medley that's fast paced with multiple changeups and some deliberately funny lyrics. The ending of this song is so fast that you have to wonder whether the speed was helped by some creative electronics. "Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future)" continues the fun and silliness. James Newton Howard manages to have a lot of fun with keyboards throughout this song. Silly and fun and a song I enjoy when I'm in the right mood. This song would be fun for a frat party.
"Island Girl" was a huge hit in the mid-70s. The song has some reggae elements to go with the lyrics. Though the lyrics had the potential to be serious, Elton kept the music in the vein of the opening songs and kept this song to the lighter side. "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" remains light and funky and more than a little humorous. There are some good guitar licks in this song and some more James Newton Howard synthesizer sound effects.
"I Feel like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford) is the one moment of seriousness on this album. This ballad about the breakup of a relationship has always been my favorite from this album, and one of the most creative songs on the album.
The next three songs are rockers, but are relatively fun songs. The tone of the sound just refuses to allow any of the three, "Street Kids," "Hard Luck Story," and "Feed Me," to be serious to any degree. These are good party songs.
Admittedly "Billy Bones and the White Bird" should fall into the same group as the previous three songs, but I really like this song and think the lyrics and music were creative. The allusions to seafaring myths were interesting and original. The only thing I do not care for in this song is the repetitiveness of portions of the lyrics.
This CD includes two bonus tracks, "Planes" and "Sugar on the Floor." Both songs are much more serious than the majority of the songs on the CD. "Planes" is bluesy and shows none of the synthesizer silliness that tended to appear in many of the other songs. This song sounds more like music from "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player." "Sugar on the Floor" is even bluesier, and also reminds me of Elton's early music. This particular song is the mellowest song on this CD.
1975 was a turning point for rock music, and for Elton John. Soon funk and disco would be overwhelming the airwaves, and Elton would drift away from the style that made him famous. But for one album we got to see Elton having a good time, and do it thoroughly and well. While much of the music may be among Elton's lesser efforts, it is still powerful and frequently creative, and nearly always listenable and interesting. Worthy of being considered a classic Elton John album.

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