A Casual Affair: The Best of Tonic (Deluxe Edition CD/DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great collection for any fan, or someone new to Tonic who wants to check out a variety of their songs from different albums. Almost anyone will remember one of their biggest hits "If You Could Only See", and you'll probably also recognize "You Wanted More" from the American Pie soundtrack as the only tune off the soundtrack that was released as a single. "Irish" was a huge crowd pleaser when they were touring, and it took a couple of years for them to finally put it on their last studio release in 2002.
I've been listening to them steadily since I was 15 or 16(which is scary being I'm 29 now) with their first album release. I grew as a fan as time went by, and it would be nearly impossible for me to name a favorite album or song, as there are many and it depends on the day of the week. Their musical outlook seemed to flex and change throughout the years, but at the heart you can always tell it is this amazing trio of musicians and most definitely the Tonic sound. I think the music can span and dabble in a few genres from pop to rock to a little bit of a country flare now and then, and is worth checking out for any music lover. Once you hear this, you'll most definitely want to get the other albums in their entirety.

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Deluxe edition features bonus DVD with 5 music videos! After TONIC scored a platinum album, a pair of Grammy nominations and several hit singles - including "If You Could Only See," the most-played rock radio song of 1997 - the Modern Rockers went on hiatus in 2004. This summer, however, TONIC returns, first with a tour and then this fall with its first new album in seven years. In anticipation, the group's first retrospective, A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC revisits the enormously popular band that blended the raw honesty of rock with unabashed pop appeal, killer melodies with revved-up guitar heroics. Featuring 12 selections from TONIC's three albums, A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC provides a refresher for today's musical malaise. The three previously unreleased bonus tracks on A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC are a live version of their signature cut "Irish," an acoustic take on "You Wanted More," and their live rendition of "Sugar." In 2005, after nearly a decade together, the band members decided to go their separate ways. Singer Emerson Hart released his successful solo debut, Cigarettes & Gasoline, guitarist Jeff Russo recorded with the Low Stars and scored TV series, and bass player Dan Lavery recorded and toured with The Fray, among others. With A CASUAL AFFAIR: THE BEST OF TONIC and the band reunited, TONIC's meaningful relationship with its fans continues.
Track listing:
CD
1. You Wanted More
2. Take Me As I Am
3. If You Could Only See
4. Knock Down Walls
5. Count On Me Somebody
6. Sugar
7. Soldier's Daughter
8. Lemon Parade
9. Mean To Me
10. Open Up Your Eyes
11. Casual Affair
12. Irish
13. You Wanted More (Acoustic)
14. Sugar (Live)
15. Irish (Live)
DVD (NTSC, All Regions)
1. Open Up Your Eyes
2. If You Could Only See
3. Soldier's Daughter
4. You Wanted More
5. Mean To Me (Director's Cut)

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Killswitch Engage: Set This World Ablaze (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)And yes, I mean music and movie dvd's. This dvd is amazing. Being a fan of Killswitch Engage ever since their debut came out on Ferret, I HAD to buy this. A huge documentary, I think it's something along the lines of an hour and a half, tells the story of how the band formed from many different bands, to Jesse leaving, to right now. It includes all the music videos, which is great. The bonus features are great, and often humorous, especially when their roadie gets naked and crawls into bed with Jordan, the drummer of AILD, who is passed out asleep. And the greatest thing about this dvd, is the amazing live show they play. They sound fantastic live. The show is about 75 mins and never lets you down.
I'm sure some of you have read what I just wrote about how well they sound live and are saying to yourself "Oh they over dubbed the concert, blah blah blah". I have seen plenty of live Killswitch Engage videos that weren't "overdubbed" and they sounded fantastic. My friend has also seen them a few times and has told me how amazing they are live.
For all of you complaining about the "overdubbing" and how lame it is, did you even buy the dvd? If you did, and you can actually read, you will realize that it says "Live DVD Audio Mixed By Adam Dutkiewicz at Zing Studios" and "Audio Mastered By Drew Layne at All Digital. NYC Oct. 3, 2005." So of course the big show they have on here is going to sound well. Anything is going to sound great if Adam is in charge of the sound. (You hear about this in the dvd.) And I bet that almost all of the music dvd's you complainers buy has a live show that is "overdubbed" or mixed and mastered.
All in all, I love everything about Killswitch and their dvd. They are one of the few bands that you never have to skip a track when you are listening to any of their cds. I highly recommend this to any Killswitch fan. It is a must have and is definitely worth the money.

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Item Name: Killswitch Engage: Set This World Ablaze; Studio:Roadrunner Records

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Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration Review

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(More customer reviews)Tpaw has it right-- it's advertised as 20 year compilation. So if you're either fond of MS stuff and want a nice compilation with some new choral additions by J. Matthis and UofM men's chorus, and few new tracks or don't have all the 20 year great Christmas stuff, this is great additon.
If you're not above, this is not disc for you.
I enjoy this and play it often in and out of season. Good King Wencelas track knocks me out.

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No Description Available.Genre: Christmas MusicMedia Format: Compact DiskRating: Release Date: 10-AUG-2004

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Try This Review

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(More customer reviews)What America has needed for a long time now is a true female Rockstar. Well America, we have one now. This CD Rocks in a big way. As a huge fan of Linda Perry, and if anyone can tell me where I can get a copy of "After Hours" I would be grateful, "Waiting for Love" is my favorite track today. "Last to know" is awesome, but so are all the tracks here. "Trouble" is way cool, I love the video as well. "Oh My God", well it kicks A$$ too. Pink, you have a new true fan now! My hat's off to YOU.

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International pressing of her 2003 album has the same hidden bonus track as the U.S. pressing but adds 'Feel Good Time' which was previously available on the Charlie's Angels - Full Throttle soundtrack. 14 tracks in all including the lead off single, 'Trouble'. BMG.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Let It Go Review

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(More customer reviews)State Radio has been my favorite existing band since 2005, though I've been a fan since their formation in 2002; and for years, although their live shows became better and better as time went on, the band did not release any single studio production that could rival the sheer power and audacity of 2002's Flag of the Shiners, which featured Chad Urmston playing everything but drums. Since 2006, however, what with its finalized line-up of Chuck Fay on bass and Mike "Maddog" Najarian on drums, the band has been carving their way in a direction completely their own and much better than anything Chad has attempted previously with other line-ups.
Let It Go is the indication of a band truly coming into its own at long last, and having listened to this album almost nonstop over the past three weeks, I confidently proclaim that it has trumped even the magnificent Flag of the Shiners as State Radio's best studio work.
For one, Chad showcases some of his best vocal work ever on songs like Mansin Humanity (just listen to him shout the "I'm not calling out a warning" bridge!), Evolution (the final verse and chorus can break your heart if you let them), and Still & Silent (containing what is perhaps the single best moment in the album--Chad's impassioned ascending wordless wail in the second chorus). His intricate heavy guitar work forms the backbone of Mansin Humanity and Held Up by the Wires, among others.
Elsewhere, though, Chad's guitar slips into the rhythm position and lets his bandmates take over musically. The title track is the best example of this: while Chad lays down a foundation with simple power chords, the song only becomes as powerful as it does because of Chuck's nasty bass part and Maddog's magnificent drumfills. Its bridge continues in the same vein. Simply put, all the best moments in the song are either Chuck's or Maddog's doing. Particularly noteworthy are the fantastic screams in the chorus (a surprise and *very* welcome development from the song's live arrangement).
The reggae tunes, likewise, thrive on Chuck and Maddog's backing, though ultimately they are carried by Chad's wonderfully catchy and melodic vocal lines. Nevertheless, Chuck has had few basslines as infectious as those in Calling All Crows and Bohemian Grove (and Evolution, though in that song his bassline isn't as prominent, what with the lead guitar playing alongside it). Maddog, whose single flaw for the past two or so years has been that he wasn't as good as his predecessor Brian Sayers when it came to reggae drumming, at last proves his worth in that genre as well--he's never done as fine a job as he does here on the aforementioned Bogrove and Evo.
Chuck's vocals, too, have finally been given their due. Though he was already becoming more important as a backup vocalist in 2007's Year of the Crow (particularly in Fight No More and Fall of the American Empire, in which he was given small but crucial solo parts), on Let It Go he is extremely high in the mix, as he damn well deserves to be--when he joins in with harmonies during the bridge in Doctor Ron, or soars in over Chad at the end of Still & Silent, it's enough to send chills down your spine. Bogrove is almost a duet.
In many ways, however, at least insofar as we consider the music on its own terms and ignore the lyrics for a moment, Let It Go is Maddog's album. He makes this abundantly clear with the opening track, which boasts a sick drum part reminiscent of Alice in Chain's Would? (unrelated to his drumming but still to his credit, the blood-curdling, vocalcord-tearing scream that closes out the track comes courtesy of Mr. Najarian as well). His reggae prowess has already been discussed. Doctor Ron the Actor, Arsenic & Clover, and Held Up by the Wires are all songs to which Maddog's drumming is arguably the most spectacular contribution; this is not the case in Still & Silent only because in it Chad delivers one of his best vocal performances ever. Around the time of Year of the Crow's release, many interviews saw Chad citing Maddog as the reason the band took off in a heavier direction, but only now has it become evidently clear how and why this came about. The man is simply one of the best drummers in rock today, and his performance on this album is rivaled only by Matt Helder's on Humbug in the trophy race for 2009's best drumming.
All this belies my contention that Let It Go contains a lot of Chad's best songwriting ever. The album includes both perfected classics such as Blood Escaping Man (the earliest known recording of which dates to the end of the Dispatch era), Held Up by the Wires (a live State Radio staple since 2004), and Mansin Humanity (debuted a few nights after Gang of Thieves in 2007, but the three main riffs of which have been kicking around in Chad's closet of musical ideas for over nine years) and relatively new songs (the rest of the album: Arsenic & Clover was debuted in the tour following the release of Year of the Crow, and all the other songs slipped their way into the catalogue between then and now). Though the album is more a collection of songs than a focused attempt at conveying a single mood or exploring a single style (an example of which approach would be my other favorite album of the year, Arctic Monkeys' Humbug), it is a collection of utterly fantastic songs.
Doctor Ron is easily the best in a long tradition of State Radio songs that stick to a basic structure of offbeat-verse followed by punkish-chorus (the 2002 arrangement of As With Gladness; Rushian; Good Graces; CIA; and Unfortunates). Mansin, Arsenic, and Held Up are the best indicators of State Radio's metal leanings since the Flag of the Shiners heavyweights (excepting Rash of Robberies, which I still take to be the band's single strongest track). The same goes for Crows, Evo, and Bogrove on the reggae side of things. Knights improves on the furious pop-punk appeal of live favorite Diner Song, while the title track, Blood Escaping Man, and Still & Silent forge altogether new ground for the band. Finally, the "Long View Farm" version of Indian Moon showcases the band simply having a lot of fun by switching up instruments in an impromptu live take (the only overdub is Chuck's lead guitar noodling). Incidentally, this final track is Chad's own favorite off the album (with Still & Silent in second place).
Chadwick's lyrical content, too, is stronger than ever, though less politically urgent than it was in Year of the Crow. Mansin Humanity paints a haunting picture of the Armenian Genocide; Crows, Evo, and S&S are hopeful calls for unity, peace, and action; Arsenic and Let It Go draw on Chad's experiences in and concerns about the current state of Zimbabwe; Doctor Ron tells of How's Your News? reporter Ronnie Simonsen; Knights channels Chad's memories of growing up in Boston; Bogrove lashes out against corrupt politicans the world over; and finally, Held Up and BEM simply tell good stories (one about "the indomitable human spirit" and the other about Odysseus and Penelope). Chad has been one of our best living songwriters for some time now, and the songs on display here only strengthen him in that position.
All these factors combine to make what is easily State Radio's best studio work yet. Buy it, listen to it, cherish it, and support its makers!

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Paul Is Live Review

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(More customer reviews)Paul McCartney possesses an almost singular talent to create and sing good music. Period. I always enjoy picking up a live CD of Paul in concert to just get the feeling of what it was like to be there. People have said that these tracks, recorded at different times in different locations, have been put together so coherently that the overall effect is that this was all recorded at one time. They're right!
Quite a few of these songs are NOT repeats from Paul's 1990 live CD set entitled Tripping The Live Fantastic; and that's another plus for this album.
The CD has some very strong performances by Paul and his band. I particularly liked the way "Drive My Car" starts off the CD. It's a whopper of a song with an awesome positive beat to it and this sets the listener up for wanting more. "Let Me Roll It" follows and is very well done also. I really liked "Live And Let Die;" but "We Can Work It Out," "All My Loving," "Penny Lane" and "Peace In The Neighbourhood" are also very well done. There's hardly a bad spot on the album until the track "Welcome To Soundcheck," which was filler in my opinion. However, this one track is not intended to be the focal point of the album.
There are also two previously unreleased songs recorded during soundchecks and placed at the end of this CD: " Hotel In Benidorm" and "I Wanna Be Your Man." The sound isn't quite as good here but the reverse of the album does point out that these are soundcheck recordings and not finalized versions.
Look for Paul's late wife Linda, Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh and Wix Wickens on vocals, too. The group harmonizes very well.
The sound quality is excellent for a live recording especially when you consider that these songs were recorded in different places on different dates. I was very impressed. Paul and his band send out a certain type of electricity that is unmistakable. Awesome!
The liner notes boast a great collage of photos from the 1993 tour put together by Paul himself. The locations and dates for each recorded song are also provided on the reverse of the album liner notes. A nice plus!
People often say that this is not the best live CD Paul put out; and maybe that's true. Nevertheless, I myself enjoyed it immensely with the exception of the soundcheck tracks. They just didn't quite "do it" for me.
I recommend this for Paul's fans, Beatles' fans (since there are eleven Beatles songs on this CD), fans of classic rock and pop vocals. Thank you, Paul--and please--ROCK ON !!!!


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Live in Texas (W/Dvd) (Dig) Review

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(More customer reviews)Never ones to be too stingy with new releases, Linkin Park decided to end '03 with a live DVD/CD combo release that will please any LP fan. The DVD is basically an extension of the much shorter CD. All of their hits are performed live, straight from Dallas, TX (on the Summer Sanitarium Tour, which featured Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Deftones & Mudvayne). All of Linkin Park's live energy and enthusiasm translates well into this package. Aside from the songs you would expect to appear on here like 'In The End,' 'One Step Closer' or 'Somewhere I Belong,' there are plenty of little surprises and rarities in here. How many bands are daring enough to perform a remix? Linkin Park manages to pull it off with 'P5hng Me A*wy' which, although missing Stephen from Taproot, sounds better live than it did on "Reanimation." On 'One Step Closer' we are also treated to a sampling of Jonathan Davis' part (of course, missing the famous frontman again) during the bridge. "Meteora" stand-outs such as 'Figure 0.9' and 'Don't Stay' are powerful and potent additions to Linkin Park's live show and fit in with the tried and true tracks like 'Points of Authority' and 'Papercut.' All in all, with the DVD and CD together, this is one item any Linkin Park fan can't be without. For a band who is criticized often as being a boy-band with guitars, this live-disc proves everyone wrong. Linkin Park don't just come alive on the record, they come alive in their live show as well.

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Experience Linkin Parks insanely powerful concert set from the Summer Sanitarium Tour with this CD/DVD package. The CD will feature 12 songs. The DVD, recorded in August at Houstons Reliant Stadium and Irvings Texas Stadium, will contain 17 performances.Genre: Popular MusicMedia Format: Compact DiskRating: Release Date: 18-NOV-2003

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Motown A Journey Through Hitsville USA Review

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(More customer reviews)It's disgusting and disheartening that a great group like Boyz II Men even has to MAKE a tribute album or that their last full-length album was released exclusively online and in Japan.
Worse yet is the seemingly rampant idea that the Boyz should stop recording because they "just don't sound the same" without Bass (Mike McCary).
Unforgivable is the statement by one idiotic reviewer (who, incidentally, can't even spell or use proper grammar) that this sounds like something a "soccer mom" would make and that it was cheesy because of Randy Jackson's involvement.
The fact of the matter is that people went out and made Ja Rule's remake/sampling of Stevie Wonder's "Do I do" (featuring Case-CASE!!!) a multi-platinum hit. No one complained about a classless rapper "tainting" an old song.
No one pointed out that Lauryn Hill's vocals on "Killing me Softly" were, well, SOFT and nowhere NEAR the original version.
I mean, really...PHARRELL comes out and gets FEATURED as a GUEST VOCALIST on rap songs...and people just laugh it off.
J. Lo, Britney Spears, Mya, Ciara...the list goes on and on of artists who are WHOLLY unworthy to even think about sampling great artists.
And let's not even THINK about forgetting good 'ole Mary J. Blige, who jacked a whole album worth of classic soul songs to PUT HERSELF ON THE MAP.
And with that, I begin my short argument.
First of all, Boyz II Men is--hands down--the greatest male vocal group of the past 17 years of R&B. It's not even close. ONE--JUST ONE--of their albums--II--sold more records and won more awards that Jagged Edge's and 112's ENTIRE CATALOGS PUT TOGETHER...
Second, before the Boyz even endeavored to make this and Throwback, they had already come out with FOUR studio albums, a Spanish album, a platinum Christmas album (that remains the best Christmas album of this generation), and a remix album. This doesn't include chart-topping or near hits that did NOT appear on their albums like "End of the Road", "One Sweet Day" with Mariah Carey, and "I Will Get There" (Prince of Egypt).
The Boyz didn't NEED to ESTABLISH themselves with this record. They merely RE-INTRODUCED some hits from Motown WHILE RE-INTRODUCING THEMSELVES.
Who else could sing "War" like the Boyz did here? Who else could do an acappella version of "End of the Road" featuring the incomparable singer (more comparable song-WRITER, lol), Brian McKnight? With whom else would Patti LaBelle perform "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" by Ashford and Simpson?
112? Not together.
Dru Hill? Too many personality issues...not together or on hiatus...
Jagged Edge? PLEASE. They sing WELL together, but there is NO HARMONY.
Who else IS there???
I realize that attrition is not the strongest argument, so how about this one...The album is actually a 4 1/2 star album.
The production is SUPPOSED TO SOUND DATED because the SONGS are from the 60's and 70's.
I'll admit that the only song I wasn't feeling was "Reach Out". The Boyz' voices don't fit that song. I also think that the Ribbon in the Sky acappella version was beautiful, but loses the individuality of the original and may upset some fans.
However...
"War" (what is-a good for, absolutely nothing) may make some newer listeners think about "Rush Hour"...but that song is SOOOOOOOO appropriate for the times.
"Got to be There" was a very beautiful song.
"Ain't nothing like the real thing--very soulful (actually this whole album has a lot more soul than we are used to from the Boyz and THAT IS GOOD.)
"Easy" was just magnificent--it's a tie between that one and "War" for the best song on the album.
"End of the Road"--yes, it's different without Mike, but he was never the centerpiece of the group...the other members sang all of the leads and his presence, while missed, is not fatal.
"All My Love"--wow...just WOW.No, the album isn't perfect, but neither was "II"--which is considered the group's best.
It's more in line with "Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya", which was considered a very good album.
Pick it up and listen to it all the way through...This album made me think of my childhood (I'm 31) growing up with Mom (RIP) and Dad listening to these classics...what will it remind you of??
4 1/2 stars...Very good album--WAYYYYYYYYY better than any other male vocalists out there.
P.S. Please do not be so spoiled by the relative greatness of Boyz II Men's airtight vocals that you can't appreciate living (and still young--mid-thirties) legends. People do that with Take 6.
John Stephens may call himself a legend, but the Boyz don't have to--Let's stand up and give them the ovation they deserve--as LIVING LEGENDS.
Salih Alexander, Esquire

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On November 13, 2007 the Decca Label Group will be releasing a new Boyz II Men CD that will be a tribute to some of Motown's Classic songs including The Temptations "Just My Imagination", The Miracles "Tracks Of My Tears", The Four Tops "Reach Out I'll Be There" and more all produced by American Idol's Randy Jackson. Boyz II Men is the most successful R&B male vocal group of all time. They've recorded five #1 R&B hits between 1992 and 1997 and have since sold more than 90 million albums and 50 million singles. Three of their #1 hits, "End of the Road", "I'll Make Love to You", and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey), set and broke records for the longest period of time a single remained at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Boyz II Men Photos
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Moving Forward Review

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(More customer reviews)Moving Forward is an awesome CD by the great Bernie Williams of New York Yankees baseball fame. Bernie, as it turns out, can turn out a song alongside the best of them; and I'm very impressed. He can not only play guitar but he can write some pretty terrific arrangements for his songs, too! This guy's loaded with talent; and the songs on this album prove it. In addition, the quality of the sound is excellent and I really like that artwork, too.
The album begins with the title track, "Moving Forward" and this features Wayman Tisdale. The Latin jazzy arrangement is very well done and these guys never miss a beat! "Moving Forward" is an auspicious beginning for this album; it's quite upbeat and it will have you tapping your foot to the best almost without you even realizing it! There's another gem in "Ritmo De Otono" which features Dave Koz; Bernie plays guitar so very well--can I be just a little bit jealous?
"Addicted To You" has Bernie in his natural musical element; this tune ranks high in my book and the arrangement couldn't be better. The number is soothing despite being somewhat complex and that's grand. "Just Another Day" amazes me--this track is worth the price of admission just by itself! Bernie enlists the help of Cuban-American balladeer Jon Secada to make "Just Another Day" shine! Moreover, "Lullaby For Beatriz" is one of the sweetest guitar arrangements I've heard--ever. Bernie plays guitar with great sensitivity and just one listen proves it. "Lullaby For Beatriz" is easily a highlight of this album.
"Go For It" has that awesome jazzy Latin sound and Bernie's guitar playing enhances the number to make it take off like a rocket! I love it. If you want something truly electric just listen to "Que Rico El Mambo." "Que Rico El Mambo," which essentially means "How Rich Is The Mambo," has these guys never faltering and they don't let go of a single superfluous note! "Que Rico El Mambo" is one of my favorite tracks on the album; it's good for dancing, too.
"Chillin In The West" showcases the talents of Bernie and the other fine musicians; "Chillin In The West" has a somewhat smooth Latin jazz flavor to it and Bernie does that guitar work up right! Of course, "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" has a lot of nostalgia to it; and Bernie's guitar work is very well done--how's about that guitar solo to showcases Bernie's talent? Excellent!
"Otro Día Más Sin Verte (Another Day Without Seeing You)" couldn't be better; this is a Spanish version of "Just Another Day." and the album ends strong with Bernie Williams teaming up with and Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen as they do "Glory Days." This live track from 2007 is absolutely electric; and how's about Bernie's guitar solo on "Glory Days?" This last track makes such a good ending for this album that you're invariably left wanting more.
And hopefully more is precisely what we're going to get. After these two albums I can only hope that the great Bernie Williams will continue to perform and turn out very high quality control music just like the tunes we get here. I commend Bernie for this remarkably fine artistry; and even though it's his second CD this still makes a fine starter CD for people just discovering the exceptional musical talent of Bernie Williams.


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Critically acclaimed guitarist/songwriter, famed Yankee BERNIE WILLIAMS is set for his sophomore album MOVING FORWARD. The Puerto Rico native, classically-trained musician developed his love for playing guitar alongside baseball, while listening to salsa, merengue and 80s rock. Williams played his 16-year career with the New York Yankees where he was a 4x World Series Champion and a 5x All Star (also among the Yankees all-time leaders in every major batting category). This album features original instrumentals written/performed by Williams, playing alongside musicians such as Dave Weckl (drums), Mike Stern (guitar), Scott Henderson (guitar), Dave Koz (sax), Giovanni Hidalgo (percussion). A special collaboration with Jon Secada and a track with Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa and Bernie performing Glory Days are included. MOVING FORWARD is co-produced by Williams and Loren Harriet - who also helmed Bernie's 2003 acclaimed debut The Journey Within, that debuted #3 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Album Chart, #8 on Heatseekers, while being the 11th best seller in New York that year.

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Oral Fixation Vol. 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)from the opening chant of "Our Father" through to the reprise of "La Tortura", which was obviously added to boost sales (as it was the biggest Spanish-language song since Los Lobos' "La Bamba" in 1987), Shakira takes us on a musical journey of many different styles and does a great job.
Track by track:
How Do You Do - part of it sounds almost too Avril Lavigne/Kelly Clarkson like, but the addition of religious imagery and various languages makes it a good track.
Illegal - the made-for-AC-radio ballad includes some fierce guitar playing by Carlos Santana. Very pretty and almost sounds like something from the 1980's
Hips Don't Lie - just added to the album... Shakira successfully did what the likes of J. Lo and Mariah have always failed to do when collaborated, she made Wyclef Jean assimilate to HER style of music, as opposed to her doing a hip hop number. A Latin-sounding booty-shaking fun track that is climbing the charts.
Animal City - one of the two most rocking tracks on the album, Shakira sings about celebrity and the way people change around her and become greedy.
The Day And The Time - a beautiful track about hope and redemption
Dreams For Plans - meloncholy but beautiful, with just a hint of Portishead trip-hop to the mix
Hey You - this sounds almost like something No Doubt would do, very fun song that you will tap your toes and sing along to, a potential single IMO.
Your Embrace - one of the saddest songs on the record, but another pretty melodic ballad
Costume Makes The Clown - instead of being the cheated... Shakira is the unfaithful one and she's trying to apologize to her boyfriend, a rocker
Something - Shakira sings in French and gives us another ballad, albeit more alternative sounding than the other tracks
Timor - this is the dance track, sounds a bit like a Madonna track. Shakira is singing about the oppressed and the government... even though she's singing about South America, I think Shakira's gay fanbase can definately adopt this track because it applies to them too... definately remix-worthy
La Tortura - this was one of the big hits last summer, added on the reissue to help boost sales (much like Hips Don't Lie), this is an alternate Spanglish mix with a little English thrown in
Not an award-worthy album and not a life-changer, but Shakira's album is still a very worthy listen and the second wind it's catching is well worth it and I hope this album holds on well. There's a little something for everyone, there are a few too many ballads, but the slow songs all work and are some of the best tracks here. Definate thumbs up.

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Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 [Bonus Track]ShakiraLabel: Sony Release Date: 3/28/20061 How Do You Do - 3:472 Illegal - 3:563 Hips Don't Lie - 3:404 Animal City - 3:185 Don't Bother - 4:196 The Day and the Time - 4:257 Dreams for Plans - 4:048 Hey You - 4:119 Your Embrace - 3:3410 Costume Makes the Clown - 3:1311 Something - 4:2412 Timor - 3:3313 La Tortura [Alternate Version][*] - 3:33

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The Best So Far (CD+DVD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Personally, I think they could have made a way better greatest hits album than this for D'. But if they were to make the perfect D'angelo greatest hits album it would probably have to be 2 discs. But the thing that really makes me happy about this release is that they added six extra songs that were not on his previous two albums, Voodoo, and Brown Sugar. Thats the main reason i bought this album, i wanted some new D'Angelo music to listen to, as alot of people do with his eight year hiatus. Now, the six songs that werent on his previous albums, have been released before, but most of them were on no name sountracks, therefore making the songs pretty much unheard of. But the biggest plus of all you get from this album, is that i believe that the record label put this collection out to kinda re-establish that D'angelo is indeed still making music, hence the title, "The Best So Far...". Which to me means that, give him a year or so and we mite actually have some new D'Angelo matireal on our hands, which is much needed rite now. There are some artists that are trying to fill the gaping hole that is now present with D'Angelo's overly long hiatus, such as Musiq, Dwele, Anthony David, and even Rahsaan Patterson. But the only one of those artists thats truly talented enough to even help the Neo Soul movement is Dwele, (See my Sketches Of A Man review). But even the amazing Dwele is no D'Angelo. So Basically if your reading this review, just know if you buy this album your basically getting all the hit D' songs, and then a couple of extra songs from his first two albums plus six extra bonus songs from other sountracks he contributed to. The first of the extra bunch is "I Found My Smile Again" which is an excellent sweet song that has a very bright feel to it as opposed to some of D's other darker, more voodooish type of work. And then there is the fairly uptempo "Girl You Need A Change of Mind" and the baby maker "Shes Always in My Hair". But honestly, unless your a die hard D'Angelo fan like me lol, you would probably be better off just buying his two albums Brown Sugar and Voodoo... Ok i lied, this album is worth picking up because its nice to have all those extra rare tracks on one cd! D's starting his comeback people look out!Grade:
B

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The first collection of hits from D'Angelo, the innovator of the Neo-Soul movement. DVD contains music videos commercially available for the first time. Cross label compilation including tracks from rare albums and soundtracks. Features songs with Eryka Badu and Raphael Sadiq. Platinum selling artist having sold over 6 million albums worldwide. EMI. 2008.

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Live at Texas Stadium Review

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(More customer reviews)For people who like Jimmy Buffett, the world's richest beach bum, springtime brings great anticipation.
Springtime means the Big Kahuna is going on tour and a Jimmy Buffett tour means it's time to break out the flip-flops, tropical party favors, the Margarita machine and Buffett's latest album.
Parrotheads (Jimmy's fans) are lining up for "Live at Texas Stadium," recorded with George Strait and Alan Jackson during their 2004 stadium mega- show in Irving.
During their long careers, Jackson, Strait and Buffett have separately released over "85 number one singles, and sold more than 120,000,000 records," according to a press release from MCA-Nashville, the record's distributor.
Although Buffett is famous for "Margaritaville," he actually got his start in country music, working in Nashville during the late 1960s. It wasn't until good friend Jerry Jeff Walker took him to Key West that Buffett discovered the island point of view, his considerable song writing skills and developed his happy, laid back style of music.
Buffett and Strait team up on three cuts, "All My Ex's Live in Texas," Hank Williams' "Hey, Good Looking" and "Sea of Heartbreak." Strait's smooth vocal styling is the perfect foil for Buffett's world-weathered sound.
If you're from the 50s or even the early 60s and you grew up in the south, Jimmy and King George's cover of the Don Gibson hit "Sea of Heartbreak" might evoke memories of a Saturday night when your parents were going out on the town. They were all dressed up, with Hi-Fi playing the latest dance tune. Cha-cha-cha.
Of course, Buffett and Jackson do a great turn on the Grammy-nominated "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," their huge 2003 hit. The song spent 38 weeks on the top 40 charts, including a five-week stint at number 1. The duet won a limousine full of awards for the song, too.
Strait and Jackson step up to the microphone and deliver some pure country on "Murder on Music Row" and they wail on "Cowboys Like Us."
Strait and his Ace in the Hole band have a rollicking good time with Bob Wills' "Milk Cow Blues" and Jackson proves why he's one of the best voices in country music on his cover of The Eagles' "Seven Bridges Road." The tight harmonies are incredible, especially considering they were done in front of a live audience. The album wouldn't be complete without a visit to "Margaritaville," and Jackson adds a nice dimension to the parrothead national anthem.
One of the more pleasant surprises on the CD has to be Buffett and Jackson teaming up on "Boats to Build." The song was written by Texan Guy Clark and it's a great choice for the two musicians, who first met when they were out cruising around the Caribbean.
Long-time parrotheads will be delighted that Jimmy chose to include Willis Alan Ramsey's song, "Northeast Texas Women," on his set list for the show.
Buffett, Ramsey, a Dallas native, and Jerry Jeff Walker used to hang out together during the early 70s, playing the bars on lower Greenville Avenue in Dallas, struggling to make a living the music business.
Ramsey's self-titled 1972 album has influenced musicians for years, including Buffett and Walker, who have covered some Ramsey' tunes, including "The Ballad of Spider John."
Ramsey's second album, "Gentilly," is due out later this spring, so maybe including the tune on the new CD is Buffett's way of tipping his hat to his old friend.
Here's the first verse from "Northeast Texas Women":
South of Oklahoma, east of New Mexico
West of Louisiana, where all the Cajuns grow.
We've got a little place called Texas,
where the women grow on trees.
They're right there for the picking,
just as pretty as you please.
You're smiling now, right?
Smiling and happiness is what Buffett does best. He's so much more than "Margaritaville" and "Come Monday."
Buffett's been playing happy music for over 30 years and after more than 20 albums, he obviously knows what his fans want. The album from the historic Texas Stadium show is no different. Having George Strait and Alan Jackson on the stage just makes listening to the 15 songs three times the fun.
Buffett and his talented Coral Reefer Band are about to head out on the road. The Bama Breeze Tour takes its name from a cut from Buffett's last solo CD, "Take the Weather with You." Pick up the CD, get out your brightest Hawaiian shirt, put on your flip flops and go to a Buffett show. It's the most fun you'll ever have -- legal.
Hula, hula!

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Mega-stars Alan Jackson, George Strait, and Jimmy Buffett joined together for the first time ever, Saturday, May 29, 2004, at Texas Stadium in Dallas. Thismust see concert turned into a party that Parrotheads, cowboys and the Lone Star State will never forget. With more than 120 million records sold, over 80 Number One singles and countless awards under their hats (or Hawaiian shirts), the superstars shared equal billing to showcase some of their biggest hits and fan favorites alone and together.The three of us have talked about doing this for some time, admits Strait We’ve had the pleasure of working with each other before and not only do we enjoy each other’s music but we have a lot in common.'--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Live at Luther College Review

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(More customer reviews)Hearing this album, I only wish I had been live at Luther College.
There's a spirit of playfulness and genuine fun about the performers which easily translates onto the CD and lets the listener know that these guys have the greatest jobs on the planet. You can tell, especially on tracks like "Little Thing" and "Ants Marching", that they genuinely love what they do. Not only do they frequently joke with the audience, but they take their music along decidedly frisky pathways. Their music soars with an improvisational ease in which Dave Matthew's voice is as elastic as Tim Reynold's guitar.
I've read in other reviews that this album is, perhaps, only for Dave Matthews fans, but I would have to disagree. This is a fine album to start one's appreciation of Matthews. The connection they were obviously able to make with the listeners at Luther College is infectious: you can't help but like performers who were so entirely adored by their audience.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're able to play like the devil harboring a speed habit, either.

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Swell Season (Dig) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like so many other reviewers of Glen Hansard/The Frames related albums I have to start out by saying that Glen and The Frames should be huge in the US, but instead they've been virtually ignored for the last 10+ years. Fortunately, a friend who studied in Ireland introduced me to The Frames about 4 years ago. The first album I heard was Dance the Devil, and to be honest, I was not blown away upon the initial listen. As one who considers himself a bit of an indie snob (i.e., I spend way too much on vinyl records in order to carry on conversations about the most esoteric bands), I thought The Frames sounded just a little too familiar (Colm's violin aside), as if they hadn't quite been able to distance themselves from their influences. Then I saw them live after the release of Burn the Maps, and everything changed. After seeing them live, there was no question that this music comes from deep within each of the band members and is not simply their take on the artists that influenced them. For the last two years, I have consistently listened to The Frames more than any other band (and I'm almost always listening to music) and have yet to get bored with their music.
As with most of The Frames' material, this cd did not blow me away upon first listen. There are some excellent standout tracks in which Glen and Marketa's emotion is nicely captured: "Falling Slowly", "Leave", and Marketa's solo, "Alone Apart" are some of my favorites. And like all The Frames albums, there's even some choruses that you simply will not be able to get out of your head, something that is all too often lacking in some of the supposedly more "avant garde" indie albums.
Living in DC I was fortunate enough to see Glen and Marketa perform these songs live last week during their six-day tour of the US. Since then this album has taken on a whole new life for me. This album has gone from being just another solid Frames/Glen Hansard release to being my favorite album of 2006 in 4 short days. Any album that you can listen to more than 10 times in 4 days is surely in contention for that title; when you realize that every conversation since you saw the music performed has begun with an account of how unforgettable the show was, you know you've found your favorite album of the year.
Due to the fact that the tour is so short, I doubt anyone reading this will be able to catch them live this time around, but that certainly should not prevent you from purchasing this album. Unfortunately the Frames have never fully captured their magic on compact disc form, and this release too suffers from that shortcoming. So, though it may not become everybody's favotie album of the year, there's no doubt in my mind that anyone who listens to the beautiful string, piano, and guitar arrangements topped with some of the most heartfelt vocals in all of music will appreciate this album on some level. The music is familiar enough to appreciate on first listen, but with repeated listens, one continues to uncover layer after layer of both sorrow and joy. It is Hansard's ability to convey these two emotions simultaneously in so many of his songs that has won him some of the most devoted fans of any artist, even if record sales may not compare to artists with 1/100th of his sincerity. This will not be one of those albums you rave about for 4 months only to hear it mentioned a year later and realize you've totally lost interest in it. It is one of those albums that you will listen to for years to come only to realize that every listening experience is more rewarding than the last.

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Frames front man Hansard has teamed up with classically trained Czech vocalist and pianist, Irglova to produce this album of affecting songs and compositions. From straight songs to piano instrumentals, "The Swell Season" affords an insight into a whole other side of Glen/The Frames, as well as offering a perfect introduction to this very talented newcomer. The record takes its name from author Josef Skvorecky's book of the same name. Set in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, the story centers on one man's love of music and his pursuit of unattainable women as a country comes unglued. Like the book, the record deals with the pains and hopes of those struggling to make sense of their lives.

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Time Without Consequence Review

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(More customer reviews)As one of his earlier fans, I have been waiting for this cd for close to a year and a half. This album includes three songs released on his Four Songs EP, but Orange Sky and Blue Mind have each been rerecorded. The best songs on this cd are all my days, wait, and shine. All my days is very reminiscent of Nick Drake and the other two are simply heartfelt songs written with eloquence and beauty. This is one of the best cds of 2006, if not the best. Please enjoy.

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Power Windows Review

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(More customer reviews)This is Rush at perhaps their most powerful, both musically and lyrically. This is a trend that would continue into Hold Your Fire. However, unlike that album, this one rocks much more.
Power Windows is an even more radical departure from Grace Under Pressure as Signals was from Moving Pictures.
The keyboards on this album sound beautiful and add so much texture. From the sweeping symphonies of Manhattan Project to the majestic chorus' of Marathon this album packs a powerful punch.
The rhythm section here is at it's tightest ever. Neil turns in some of the most complex and powerful drumming of all time and Alex's guitars are at their emotional peak...just listen to the heartfelt solo in Marathon. This album also marks the first use of overdubbed chorus' by Lee...something that will dramatically increase over the next few releases.
Again, there is a theme to this album...this time it's power. Power in money (Big Money), talk (Grand Designs), weapons (Manhattan Project), persistance (Marathon), world domination (Territories), dreams (Middletown Dreams), emotions (Emotion Detector) and the unknown (Mystic Rhythms).
This album ranks among the best Rush albums ever. The music ties in with the lyrics and the lyrics tie in with an overall theme...a masterful work that should not be overlooked.

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Japanese only paper sleeve SHM pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. Warner. 2009.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Caress of Steel Review

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(More customer reviews)This wrongly overlooked album is a treasure trove of early 70's heavy prog rock. The second album with the amazing Neil Peart behind the pen and drum kit, Caress has the raw intensity and sincerity that the band launched their career on. Fast moving tracks like "Bastille Day" and "I Think I'm Goin' Bald" balance the two slower concept pieces, "The Necromancer" (thinly veiled Tolkien, gotta love it!) and "The Fountain of Lamneth." Both of the concept pieces are classic, and preview the band's move into the full-blown, hard rock must-have concept album 2112 (and later, "Hemispheres"). If you're exploring the sonic world of Rush, don't forget Caress of Steel!

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Japanese only paper sleeve SHM pressing. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC and Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. Warner. 2009.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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