Live & Acoustic Review

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Live & Acoustic ReviewIt's really hard to find a good album from a young artist these days. If you don't know what you're looking for, you can find a lot of popular crap. You never have to worry about that with Mraz.
Live at Java Joe's is a real treasure. Mraz is a brilliant songwriter and you can really relate to him on this album. He's not (yet) my favorite artist of all time, but he's certainly the best live performer out there. No, his sets don't sound like his studio recordings-they're worlds better. On Java Joe's, you get that flavor without audience interference. I don't know how he got such a perfect recording, but he did.
Mraz's talent shines through on old favorites like "You and I Both." The live version is energized and free, unlike the studio recording. "Sleep All Day" with the "At Last" intro is absolutely brilliant. By far, my favorite track on this album is "0% Interest," but that's just because I have a personal bias toward that song. His guitar playing is brilliant as always, and his talent and love for vocal jazz music also graces this CD.
It doesn't matter if you're an old Mraz fan or if you only know him by his radio hits; you've got to own this album.
Best lyric: "There's something in the way you laugh that makes me feel like a child." (After an Afternoon)Live & Acoustic Overview

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Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories) Review

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Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories) ReviewPat Metheny and Charlie Haden are apparently close neighbours, well, that much is now obvious. These two masterful musicians have become one in a most wonderful way, so close that they're almost the same person.
The recording has an earthy, very "real" sound to it, Metheny is sitting over there, Haden just over there, and you're alone with them, listening to these two masters entertain you. It is an intimate record, to be listened to when you're feeling extremely comfortable for it to achieve its maximum effect.
The melodies and chord choices are superlative, generally I know where they're going to take the tune, but when they make different choices I realise why they're in the league that they are. The results can haunt me, lift me, leave me wondering just how they could have made that melodic line so perfect.
It is not at all provocative, it doesn't jarr the senses in any way. It soothes and relaxes as it passes by. If there has to be any criticism of the record it cannot be directed at the musicianship, which is of the highest order. A number of similar-sounding tracks can eventually coalesce in the memory, and that is a problem here, there are peaks of pleasure and plains of placidity, but they're subtle, and the musical landscape ends up looking rather like the sumptuous cover art.
The only recording niggle I might direct at the recording is that some of Pat's more percussive acoustic notes come awfully close to distorting the recording on a couple of tracks. Depending upon my mood these sometimes enhance that "two masters in your living room" effect, and at other times I'll feel that they're intrusive.
As soon as I bought this album and found such beauty I passed on a recommendation to a friend with similarly avant-garde tastes in other areas (I regularly listen to Bill Nelson, David Torn, Fripp, Russell Mills, Allan Holdsworth etc but appreciate Metheny's tremendous musicality nonetheless). My friend was immediately captured by the same spell. In the years we've known each other he's never used the word "beautiful" to describe any music he's ever talked about, except for "Missouri sky ...".Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories) OverviewFull title - Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories). European tour edition of 1996 album includes a bonus DVD (PAL) with two live tracks, 'First Song (For Ruth)' & 'Our Spanish Love Song' recorded in 1997 at Jazz international festival of Montreal plus o--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Laws Of Illusion Review

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Laws Of Illusion ReviewLAWS OF ILLUSION is Sarah McLachlan returning to her finest form, last seen since SURFACING, released 14 years ago. This album took 7 years and perhaps countless ups and downs in McLachlan's life to make - and the wait is every bit worthwhile. McLachlan's discography has always been timeless, such that SURFACING could have been released yesterday and LAWS OF ILLUSION in 1996 and no one would be able to tell. Such is the excellence of musical craftsmanship and brilliance of song-making partnership between McLachlan and long-time producer Pierre Marchand.
There are 12 songs (and an additional bonus track) on this latest album, 2 of which previously featured on GREATEST HITS released 2 years ago. Initially I was critical of this, blaming laziness and lack of effort. Then I became appreciative. "U Want Me 2" is one of the best McLachlan songs ever - lush instrumental, poetic lyrics, ethereal vocals all lending to heartbreaking imagery. I'm glad I have it on here as part of the collection rather than having to keep going back to the GH collection to hear it. It fits in perfectly with LAWS OF ILLUSION like the last piece of jigsaw. And 13 songs on a McLachlan studio album is always a bonus, considering SURFACING and AFTERGLOW only had 10!
LAWS OF ILLUSION is perhaps McLachlan's hardest and edgiest sounding collection - swirling electric guitars are present on most songs. But the sound never drifts too far from what all fans will claim is McLachlan's (sort of what you'd expect if Enya did rock). The album also contains some of McLachlan's happiest sounding songs in a sing-songy, chorusy way: "Illusion Of Bliss", "Loving You Is Easy", "Out Of Tune" and "Heartbreak". Even the instrumentation is fuller, more uplifting, a little bit more bouncy as if it were skipping happily along. But make no mistake, those "happy" songs never end up sounding like cotton candy having been through the hands of this queen of melancholy. McLachlan always finds a way to serve them up as mostly minor-chord songs that transition into a major-chord chorus. "Illusion Of Bliss" is a misnomer, there is no illusion about the bliss contained in this song.
I need to specially mention "Forgiveness", my newest, favourite McLachlan song. The instrumental arrangement is exquisite, the melody is trademark McLachlan. The solitary piano beginnings deceive the listener into thinking this as "Angel" #2, but when the beats drop, background cooing vocals enter and guitar envelope the song, you discover the masterpiece. I think this song inspired the classy and dreamy album cover. I also need to single out "Awakening". It is different, moody, electric-guitar-rock-loud and has a song structure that is not immediately discernible. But it is a stand-out and showcases McLachlan as a rock goddess doing Coldplay. Finally, "Rivers Of Love" and "Changes" deserve attention too, as a throwback to the SURFACING era. This is your 2010 "Do What You Have To Do" and "Full Of Grace" respectively. Check out the saw.
I have deliberately left out the most important ingredient on LAWS OF ILLUSION for last. Shimmering, magical, breath-taking, expressive, soothing and flawless: McLachlan's voice. It is what makes a McLachlan CD a McLachlan CD. It has remained the same from the day I first started listening to her. Her phrasing is unique; her slight cracks are emotion-drenched; and the oft-featured yodel-break is skilfully used throughout.
LAWS OF ILLUSION is pretty much perfect. I'll be spinning this one for however long it takes for the next McLachlan CD to drop. If she takes this long to release music as astounding as this, so be it.
Liam F.
16 June 2010Laws Of Illusion Overview

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Beyond the Night Sky : Lullabies for Guitar Review

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Beyond the Night Sky : Lullabies for Guitar ReviewDo not let the word Lullabies in the title fool you. While it does work when putting babies down, it also soothes the adult's soul.Beyond the Night Sky : Lullabies for Guitar OverviewBeyond The Night Sky
This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

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Music From Madagascar Review

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Music From Madagascar ReviewI should have reviewed this cd a long time ago, it deserves all the praise that has been bestowed upon it by previous reviewers.
I was recently at Allmusic.com and I decided to see if their reviews of this cd were similar to what mine would be if I wrote one. If I remember correctly they did praise it, but what I remember most is that they compared D'Gary to Ali Farka Toure. Aside from both men being brilliant, Black, and guitarists, there isn't much musical comparison. They play very different musics. I'd consider both men to be a book in their own right, not merely different chapters.
The only way I can begin to describe D'Gary's acoustic guitar playing is that it sounds and feels like a waterfall of love cascading over me. His playing ebbs and flows in waves of beauty. From both the songwriting and playing points of view, he really is a world treasure. He doesn't have the West African tribal-blues rhythms of Toure, and truth be told, D'Gary's music probably is more difficult for some Westerners to grasp than Toure's is, but if you are willing to let go of conventional ways of hearing and thinking about music then Malagasy Guitar will reward you endlessly.Music From Madagascar Overview

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Vivaldi for Valentines: Romantic Interludes for the One You Love Review

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Vivaldi for Valentines: Romantic Interludes for the One You Love ReviewAlmost everyone knows Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". If you love that gorgeous piece of music, than I say your next purchase should be this! It is a gorgeous collecton of string quartets along with flutes and very impressive classical guitar. I put it on whenever I need to be taken away from this world, or when I need some artistic inspiration.Vivaldi for Valentines: Romantic Interludes for the One You Love Overview

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Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits Review

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Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits ReviewIt's beautiful. Simply put.Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits Overview

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Oceanic Review

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Oceanic ReviewThe brief, offhand comments tossed off by the editorial reviewer of this excellent album are obviously at odds with what a lot of fans are saying about this gem. Ocean waves lead into a short, majestic introduction with strings, harp, woodwind, a lovely violin. The follow-up is a quick climb to a pulsating, delightful "Siren's Whispering." The sirens sing vocalise, and are then answered by an exciting men's choir. There is grandeur in the sound of this music, and yet it is always restrained and calming.
I am, admittedly, a big Vangelis fan, but there is perhaps no other work of his that has such focus, a completely felicitous combination of pop and classical elements. I have played this on low volume at night as the crew and I fall asleep after a long day of sailing; then my vessel is filled with a rich and soothing, peaceful music.
The excitement dies down and the well-named "Dreams of Surf" is a serene interlude for piano and a luminous background of electronica.
Spanish Harbor is edgier, a quiet rocker with long crescendos and decrescendos. The highlight is the Spanish guitar, accompanied by an atmospheric orchestral background, shimmering and luminous.
In Islands of the Orient, Vangelis explores Asian rhythmic complexities in a meditative piece. There is a jazzy subtext to this music, and it ends with considerable energy and percussion.
Fields of coral is another quiet piece, of lento mood and reverberant arpeggios. A bell-like keyboard makes this a particularly attractive piece.
A lovely theme is explored in Aquatic Dance, which is, as the title indicates, more oriented toward movement. The nostalgic Memories of Blue, reverent in tone, and the finale, Song of the Seas, bring this beautiful album to a contempative close.
I love so many Vangelis albums, despite the occasional bombast and misfire. Here, however, there is no exaggeration, no self-indulgence, and the result is one of the sweetest, most endearing recordings Vangelis ever made. I'll end by noting that this is not merely innocuous music. There is an intensity under the slickly produced sheen of clear sound, a careful selection of ingratiating musical themes with subtle development that renders them larger than life, noble and uplifting in feel. It's quite an accomplishment, I'd humbly observe.
Oceanic Overview

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Nightshade Rounds: Twentieth-Century Works for Guitar Review

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Nightshade Rounds: Twentieth-Century Works for Guitar ReviewWhen I first listened to Nightshade Rounds,
I didn't find it all that great.
Good, but not great.
But, like so many things that are sublime,
you must experience them more than once
to fully appreciate them.
That was the case for me with this recording.
Each time that I listen to it I like it more.
If you like solo "classical" guitar music,
Sharon Isbin is a master and this is a recording
well worth listening to.Nightshade Rounds: Twentieth-Century Works for Guitar Overview

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