Electric Tears Review

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Electric Tears ReviewOne thing that surprises me about buckethead is his versatility, you can listen to his albums and never get the exact same idea, or sound. The Sketches of Spain song, is an arrangement of "Concierto de Aranjuez" a classical piece, so he didnt compose it.
The entire album is incredible, you can sit and listen to it over and over and you wont get bored. It seems that he recorded all the guitars by himself, there are pieces with 2 or 3 guitars, sometimes 4, but mainly 2 guitars, one with the rythm and one with the leads, there are no other instruments, but there are a lot of effects (very well used).
Buckethead is very "conceptual" when he composes, unlike most of the musicians out there, and thats not good or bad, is just something he does. You just read the tittle and you will know what is about. I would dare to say that this is his best work so far, he really comunicates what he wants with his sound, very powerfull cd.
I really like "Colma", and "Electric Tears", but personally dont like his other albums, like cuckoo cloks from hell, and monsters and robots, etc.Electric Tears OverviewExperience the haunting, beautiful and ethereal side of Buckethead, the fried chicken bucket and white mask-wearing guitar magician who has been described by the likes of Bootsy Collins, Bill Laswell and Carlos Santana as a phenomenal guitar player. Here, Buckethead puts aside his usual ax shredding and calculated mayhem to take the listener on an atmospheric acoustic/electric voyage into his mind. Currently, he is the lead guitarist for Guns 'n Roses, and he also plays lead for Praxis and Giant Robot.

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West Review

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West ReviewIt may only be March but I have to say that this is going to be one of my records of the year.
Lucinda Williams has always been a peerless songwriter.She writes about lust, love, and losslike nobody else, and on this album, co-produced with Hal Wilner, she takes on such subjects as her mother's death, the state of the world, and yet another tumultuous relationship which ended badly. It's her usual tough stuff, but this time, Lucinda sneaks in a note of hope and even redemption in the very bluesy mix.
The album's 13 songs together form a largely down-tempo disc, but "West" doesn't only find Williams in a somber mood.
"Mama You Sweet" is upbeat and "Come On" is a nasty, almost raunchy kiss-off, musically akin to "Atonement" from her last album, 2003's "World Without Tears".
She injects doses of hope and light in tracks like "What If", in which she imagines a world where the president wears pink and a prostitute is a queen.
There are uncomfortable truths here, carried on easy-going melodies. "Fancy Funeral" is a wry look at death's priorities that flows as easily as drink.
Williams lost her mother and an errant lover as these songs were being written. These two truncated relationships fill "West" with exquisitely turned suffering; Williams and band provides the expert musical succour. Hal Wilner is the producer who organised this record's quietly unconventional sounds as Williams wanted them.
Equally raw and sensual is the unravelling blues of "Unsuffer Me", where Williams's ravaged voice begs: "Undo my logic/ Undo my fear" with an intensity that verges on the erotic.
Subtle and heroically blunt by turns, "West" is a meditation on abandonment and recovery, abandon and regret that deserves to be hauled out of the Americana ghetto and celebrated everywhere wounded hearts beat.
This collection sees her at her best with emotion, raw power and intoxicating, intense tunes which should appeal to much more than country and folk fans.
Four years on from "World Without Tear"s comes this studio album from Lucinda Williams, her eighth in a 37-year career - she doesn't rush.
OK, the predominant theme is pain, and no one does pain as eloquently as Lucinda - or as multifariously.
Yet "West" is all musical mood swings: from stoic, heartbreak country to fierce revenge rock, retro pop to folk, poetry to rap, mellow California to dark LA rock.
What makes Lucinda Williams such an important country artist, besides the excellent songwriting and that sultry, scarred southern voice, is her skill at stretching the genre's boundaries while mining its essence.
Which, often as not, is pain.West OverviewWith West, a disc that may well be Lucinda Williams' most personal work to date, the singer-songwriter channels both her emotion and restive creative energy into a startling set of songs that touch on both darkness and redemption. At turns strikingly spare and compellingly muscular, the album's 13 cuts attest to her willingness to stretch as a musician - and to put herself on the line as a chronicler of life. 'The songs deal with a chapter in my life there's a lot of pain and struggling, but it ends with a look towards the future.' Lucinda Williams.

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Damnation Review

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Damnation ReviewOpeth: one of the most acclaimed bands in progressive metal, because of (despite?) their shifts between heavenly atmospheres and brutal heaviness and death growls -- a band that has won over metal fans, progressive metal fans & metal prog fans, and critics alike -- a band that continues to prevail over expectations and mature in various respects.
And so we turn the page to another chapter in the Opethian saga, _Damnation_. If Opeth has any doubters remaining, this album will reverse their opinion or at least dice their credibility. As almost everyone knows by now, _Damnation_ is the "mellow" counterpart to _Deliverance_, which was their heaviest album to date. Its songs therefore converge entirely in the softer side of Opeth's sound. However, I would like to emphasize that this is _not_ a collection of typical mellow Opeth songs, which most people were seemingly expecting. You should not assume this is an album of songs like "Credence" and "Harvest" -- _Damnation_ establishes a different sound but maintains their identity. This is still unmistakably Opeth, from the atmosphere to the production (Steven Wilson is a genius) to the pristine excellence that is Mikael Akerfeldt's voice.
Even though it is the shortest Opeth album (eight songs, 43 minutes), it is probably my favorite. My reaction actually surprises me, since my allure to Opeth is largely their dynamic of light and shade. The symbiosis of those roaring black slabs of surreally powerful metal fluidly merged with the warm embrace of their placid, elegiac side is no small part of what makes them so powerful. But despite leaning entirely to one end of the Opeth spectrum, _Damnation_ is just....perfect -- unspeakably well-crafted -- preternaturally beautiful -- enthrallingly poetic.
Of course, it _is_ a "mellow" album. There is no metal, no growling, not even any parts that would be considered heavy by anyone but Grandma. Even though most people associate "mellow Opeth" with "acoustic guitar Opeth", _Damnation_ is primarily an electric guitar album (with Steven Wilson's enchanting mellotrons and pianos appearing at times). The difference, obviously, is that the soul-withering crunch of _Deliverance_ is replaced with a distortion soft as falling leaves and chilling as a late summer rain. Akerfeldt's acoustic guitars still convey that sylvan atmosphere, but they usually supplement the electric guitars rather than replace them. Arrangements can be gorgeously transparent and light, sometimes little more than cellophane pulled over vocals. "Weakness" is a prime example of this crystalline sound in viscous minimalism.
"Mellow" it may be, but the music does not lack ntensity. "Death Whispered a Lullaby" has a tortured, silvery solo that sounds like a mix between Tool and old Norwegian black metal. "Closure" is in my opinion one of the heaviest sounding Opeth songs yet, even though it is far from metal. It is heavy because of the plodding, extreme density of whole arrangement. Even the first stanza, just acoustic guitar and voice, is nerve-racking on its own. The middle and closing instrumental sections involve a frightening, devilishly soundscape. The guitar figure remains mostly the same but galloping drums, crunchy bass, and pallid distortion build and shift according to some twisted orchestration. Since this is one of the heaviest Opeth songs, the transition into the gorgeous "Hope Leaves" is all the more effective. This is probably the most beautiful Opeth song to date. A languished, frightened Akerfeldt sings over a simple funereal chord. It hits with an added sadness when you think the line "And I know you will never return to this place" is directed to "hope."
"Windowpane" is one of the longer songs and phenomenally gorgeous. Spirit-melting guitar solo, complex yet beautiful chord harmonies -- with some measures more beautiful than any the finest Sigur Ros soundscape or the most enchanting King Crimson. Haunting lyrics and lush vocal harmonies a la Porcupine Tree. "Ending Credits" is an instrumental that sounds like the continuation of "Epilogue", from _My Arms, Your Hearse_. A harrowing melody possibly influenced by Eastern European folk, supplemented by keys from the shadows, with mellotron here instead of Hammond organ.
This is their third album produced by Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. Wilson's talents as a musician are also used for in the ghostly keyboards throughout the album -- no synthesizers, however. They are organic, warm instruments: mellotron, grand piano, and Fender Rhodes. "In My Time of Need" is like dreamy symphonic rock due to its mellotron and slow harmonic rhythm. Wilson also wrote lyrics to one of the songs here, "Death Whispered a Lullaby". Wilson may as well be a member of Opeth, because I believe he has become essential to their music (those background vocals!). The Wilson/Porcupine Tree influences in Opeth's music have a lot to do with *sound* (the guitar tones, vocal harmonies, and vocal recording especially), but Akerfeldt himself is also adopting some of Wilson's singing characteristics. Otherwise, I'd say the influences -- like Camel and other Akerfeldt favorites -- and ideas are too well-assembled with ingenuity to reduce _Damnation_ to a mere homage. In the end, it can only be defined as Opeth.
The rhythm section shines like never before on _Damnation_. They have always an impressive rhythmic mainstay in this quartet (especially on _Deliverance_), but here they are given more breathing room and eloquently add to the music in more ways. The bass of (severely) underrated Martin Mendez remains deep and heavy despite the music's overall lighter tone, but he beautifully engages the low-end to beautifully enhance the sound rather than encumber or merely follow it. Martin Lopez understands the needs of the music perfectly, and his hammering death metal drumming is stripped down to something that enhances the music in a more subtly articulate way.
This masterpiece leaves me quivering like a post-coital concubine. This is ranked highly among my most beautiful music ever, but it is a unique beauty -- a silent lacuna between rock and metal -- the eye of the storm -- complex and haunting and unforgettable. Whether you are an Opeth fan or not, you MUST check this out. It is a special treasure. If it doesn't resonate immediately, continue exploring (it didn't do much for me on the first several spins). Like all of Opeth's albums, _Damnation_ reveals many secrets as its complexities unfold. I think _Damnation_ is probably the vastest of all their experiments, which is an exemplary feat. Opeth is a mythic band worlds beyond metal. Together with _Deliverance_, _Damnation_ reveals Opeth's finest work to date.
Note: The limited edition digipak is WAY nicer than the jewel case.Damnation OverviewLimited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Avalon Review

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Avalon ReviewRoxy Music's albums in the 70's representing the cutting edge of avant-garde pop music. For their final release, Avalon in 1982, they shift gears towards the soulful sounds that lead singer Bryan Ferry would explore on his solo albums. As depicted on the album's cover, the band crafts a lush, airy and ethereal sound. The songs are awash in sophisticated synthesizers and longing guitar riffs. Mr. Ferry broodingly sings seductive and smart lyrics. "More Than This" is one of the most elegant love songs around. Mr. Ferry sings with longing and heartbreaking weariness and Phil Manzanera's guitar shimmers throughout. The song is quite simply a masterpiece. The title track is another elegantly crafted love song that is subtle and beautiful. "While My Heart Is Still Beating" has a terse, propulsive beat that literally thumps throughout. The only problem with Avalon is that is woeful short. The ten tracks clock in at barely over thirty-five minutes and two ("India" and "Tara") are short instrumentals. That aside, Avalon, set the standard for romantic synth-pop that countless bands in the 80's tried to copy, but could never replicate.Avalon OverviewTheir 1981 triumph, with More Than This the highlight.

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Gettysburg: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Review

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Gettysburg: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ReviewI have been to Gettysburg with my wife and my sons many times (as visitors from Europe). My late cousin Gen.Phil Kearny is the only person commemorated on the battlefield who was already dead before the battle - see the New Jersay Memorial. So I take the subject very seriously and this score absolutely bowled us over. It is absolutely outstanding and the Cd has been played incessantly since it arrived from Amazon. Randy Edleman is to be congratulated on a superb piece of contrapunctal craftmanship and TNT on having the faith and dedication to complete the film. The reinactors are such a surperb group of people, without whom, this music would never have been written and we would have been so much poorer.Gettysburg: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Overview

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Leave a Whisper Review

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Leave a Whisper ReviewWhat's good about it?
Unless you don't have a TV or a radio it's hard to ignore Shinedown's first single "Fly From the Inside." The twangy, dark guitar tones and sturdy vocals command this song about conquering all doubt despite others holding you back. It's refreshing to hear the vocal harmonies in the chorus. The tone becomes slightly darker on "Left Out." You'll start to make comparisons to Staind or Alice in Chains here. Somber acoustic guitars and soft vocals kick off "Lost in the Crowd," but are soon engulfed by a flurry of cranking guitars in the chorus. Jasin Todd's soloing isn't so much bombastic as it is effective and to the point. "Better Vision" is impelled by a repetitive guitar lick, while "Lacerated" is dominated by a tribal drumbeat. There's plenty of meaty riffs on "In Memory" and "No More Love." Two ballads really stand out on Leave a Whisper. "45" is a dark ballad about a man on the edge, and "Burning Bright" is an acoustic ballad that builds slowly to an emotional chorus.

Anything bad?
Nope.

Bottom Line
If you consider their name and the song titles, it's easy to dismiss Shinedown as another Christian metal band. However, their tone and lyrical content is too dark and deep to fall into that category. Leave a Whisper is a strong debut that's full tuned-down, radio friendly hard rock. It has recently been re-released with three bonus tracks and a video.Leave a Whisper Overview

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Pink Moon Review

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Pink Moon ReviewIn the throes of a depression that would see him dead at the age of 26 from an overdose of anti-depression medication, Nick Drake still managed to produce his last album, "Pink Moon." Unlike his first two efforts, which consisted of orchestrated folk-pop music, this 1972 album was just Drake playing his acoustic guitar and singing (with a bit of piano here and there). The result is a bleak testament to melancholy and alienation that has a haunting and pristine beauty. There are only eleven songs, most of which are under three minutes in length, which is why the album is not even a half-hour long, but there is a sense in which anything longer would be too much to bear. "Pink Moon," by itself, justifies Drake's status as a cult figure among those who love folk-rock.
Ironically, you have probably hear Nick Drake's music before, because the title track was used for a Volkswaggen commercial, just another example of how music is perverted to commercial interests (what else is new?). I have been spending the cold winter putting together mixes of folk music (in the broadest sense) and making a concerted effort to get beyond Bob Dylan and the Byrds to explore the likes of Sandy Denny and the Beau Brummels. Checking out Sandy Denny led me to Fairport Convention and Richard Thompson, and eventually to Ralph McTell and Nick Drake. Now I can only wonder what rock I have been living under that I have never come across these artists before.
The title track is a beautiful folk ballad, performed with just Drake's superb acoustic guitar playing and haunting vocal. Throughout the album you notice the depth of his lyrics and his guitar playing. The latter might have been lost in an album with orchestration, but here you have the opportunity to listen to the openings of "Radio" and "Parasite" unadorned. For the former a choice example would be the opening of what is probably the best song on the album (it is hard to choose), "Which Will," which begins: "Which will you go for/Which will you love/Which will you choose from/From the stars above?" There is a simple elegance to the lyrics, captured by the vocals, and complimented by the more complex guitar playing.
Nick Drake only produced three albums, so there is no reason not to have all of them in your music library. These works represent the very best of the British folk-rock scene and Drake is a first rate singer-songwriter whose songs of failed romance, mortality, and depression are quite affective. Drake intended "Pink Moon" to be his final album, saying he had nothing left to record. When you lose yourself listening to these songs, you can actually convince yourself that this was true.Pink Moon OverviewReissue of the late British folk icon's final full-lengthalbum, released in 1972. 11 tracks. Slipcase. Island.

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Morning View Review

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Morning View ReviewI love Incubus. You know what song made me a fan?..*gasp*.."Drive"! I know there's a tendency with Incubus fans to think that everything they did before "Drive" became popular was awesome (which it was), and everything they've done since then has been terrible (which is hasn't). When "Morning View" came out in October of 2001, lots of people accused them of "selling out" or "going soft". The album definetly has a consistent mellow tone that their previous albums lacked, but it was expected; the album was recorded at a beach house in Malibu (or some exotic location). It's kinda tough to be angry in that type of picturesque setting. People also accused them of purposely trying to replicate the sound of "Drive" by writing softer songs, but "Drive" didn't blow up in popularity until spring/summer of 2001, when this album was probably 90% completed already.
The point is, it's a natural evolution in sound. Either embrace it, or go listen to S.C.I.E.N.C.E and stop whining. I'd much rather see a band evolve and expand their sound, as opposed to making the same album over and over again (kind of like Godsmack, Linkin Park, and other modern rock mainstays do).
Anyway..
1. Nice To Know You
The second single, IIRC. And it's a perfect example of what makes Incubus such a great band - here's a song with an unusual mixed time rhythm, lots of tempo changes, and weird lyrics (about lead singer Brandon Boyd regaining feeling in his arm again after an extended period). Yet, the chorus has an incredible hook, making the song totally radio friendly.
2. Circles
Heavy verses with a heavy melodic chorus. Nice harmonies in the "What would it mean to you" part. Like another reviewer said, it's reminiscent of the Chili Peppers.
3. Wish You Were Here
The first single. Not a Pink Floyd cover either. The verses are mellow, and full of metaphorical imagery by Brandon Boyd (a highly creative and underrated lyricist), which lead into the catchy, anthematic chorus.
4. Just a Phase
The best Incubus song ever, in my view. After an extended turntable/piano led intro, the song switches tempo (from 4/4 into 6/8) for the verse. Then it switches tempo again for the pre-chorus, etc. Basically, the song builds and builds, then the final chorus explodes with a wall of guitars. It's a wildly successful experimental song.
5. 11 AM
I kinda expected this to be a single. Like "Wish You Were Here", another mellow mid-tempo song with a memorable chorus.
6. Blood on the Ground
This sounds like something from "Make Yourself". Brandon Boyd rapidly spits out great lyrics in the verses, leading into the explosive, angry chorus.
7. Mexico
A totally accoustic number - no percussion or anything. It's actually a pretty heartbreaking ballad, with great emotional vocal delivery.
8. Warning
This was another big hit single. Again, it's radio friendly and catchy, but unlike other rock bands that get heavy rotation today, it's not full of generic power chords and angst-filled lyrics.
9. Echo
I didn't care for this one initially, but after 4 or 5 listens, it became one of my favorites. It's actually a little reminiscent of "Stellar", but mellow the whole way through.
10. Have You Ever
A heavy song..probably my least favorite on the album. Musically, it doesn't stand out much, but the lyrics are really good.
11. Are You In?
This one makes you feel like you're in the midst of a party with all your friends. Catchy, cool, and very jazzy (jazz pop I suppose). It gets a little repetitive after awhile, but still a good song.
12. Under My Umbrella
Of all the heavier songs on the album, this is my favorite. It works the soft/loud dynamic perfectly, and the bridge is really cool.
13. Aqueous Transmission
Along with "Just a Phase", the most experimental song on here. And it's another success. It's 8 minutes long, *extremely* mellow (you'll feel like you're floating down a river at night as you listen to it), and features a sitar (the main "riff"), a Japanese pan flute (giving it a very oriental feel), strings, and even crickets chirping at the end. It's totally ethereal and wonderful.
And that wraps up "Morning View". Don't listen to some of the harsh criticism for this album. It's a fantastic collection of songs that takes creative guitar licks (from the also highly underrated Mike Einziger), creative lyrics, and overall creative musical ideas, and combines them with lots of memorable melodies and hooks. Thus, it *is* a radio friendly (or "mainstream") album..but it's also innovative and experimental at the same time. That's what makes "Morning View" such a great success.
Best Songs: Just a Phase, Echo, Under My Umbrella, Aqueous Transmission.Morning View Overview

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Leavetaking (Dig) Review

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Leavetaking (Dig) ReviewI found Peter Bradley Adams like I find just about anyone nowadays, on myspace. And what a find! I really love Claire Small, and since it appears that she really loves Peter, I figured I'd take a chance. Wow! This album is SO nice. The opening song, The Longer I Run, is typical of the whole album, perfect folk/rock that is absolutely timeless. What is it about Nashville lately? Neither Claire nor Peter are still there but it is turning out some brilliant singer/songwriters, and it's not what you'd expect. 'Leavetaking' is a gorgeous beautiful gem.
UPDATE
I got to see PBA LIVE last night here in Chicago and he put on a great show. Just him and one other guy (Jason Goforth!) and the two of them were so good. If Peter Bradley Adams comes to your town, run don't walk to see him.
ANOTHER UPDATE
I saw Peter again this last November at the Americana Folk Festival in Nashville. And once again he was terrific. AND this time Claire was their to sing with him! Just gorgeous music.
btw.. the AFF is a fantastic one day music festival abut a 30 minute drive out of Nashville. In a state park. Great music in a great setting.Leavetaking (Dig) Overview

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Hejira Review

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Hejira ReviewBy 1976 Joni Mitchell was something of an American singer-songwriter legend, and with good reason. In the previous nine years she had released some of the most critically-acclaimed albums of the rock era, and was certainly the most prolific female singer in the world. Her popularity increased in the mid-Seventies, and peaked with the release of her No.2 hit album "Court And Spark," which received several Grammy nominations. The folk sound that had dominated so much of her earlier was gradually receding with each album, so that by 1976's "Hejira," she was making music that many people saw as being more jazz/blues, when in actually fact it was nothing like it. It was Joni, pure and simple.
Now I have been listening very intensely to Joni Mitchell's music in the past four weeks, and I have to say she is the most honest and truthful voice I've ever heard. As Q-Tip stated on Janet Jackson's 1997 Joni-samping hit Got Til' It's Gone, "Joni Mitchell never lies!" The passion in her delivery is unrivalled, her persistence, her determination to get her point across, the range in her voice, her lyrics suspend me in a state of disbelief when I really listen. This woman painted with her voice and words. Hejira is easily my favourite album by this legend, and definitely one of the best albums I've ever listened to. If there is one album you should take on a road trip, it's this one! I can just imagine driving down the long, straight roads that carry on for hundreds of miles in the middle of nowhere and having this album as my constant companion.
The album opens with "Coyote," probably the most upbeat song on the album. It's a perfect opener and quite positive in tone. The lyrics in this work so well and I love the way Joni weaves them all together in such an untraditional way. The percussion makes this song quite light and is a great way to easy yourself into the beauty to come. Joni's voice is beautiful and I love the way she sings, "He's got another woman down the hall and he seems to want me anyway!" The bass on this song is brilliant and the rhythm guitar works well as an underbelly to the percussion. "Amelia" is a song loosely based around Amelia Earhart, the female pilot who set off on a flight in July 1937 never to return or be found. Joni is compelled to sing about her after seeing six jet planes leaving vapor trails across the bleak terrain sky as she drives down the burning desert. The imagery on this song is absolutely stunning and the sparse guitar work opens it up to expansive proportions. I love the lyrics because Joni can gently lull the listener into a state of peace and tranquility, "And I slept on the strange pillows of my wanderlust. I dreamed of 747's, over geometric farms. Dreams, Amelia, dreams and false alarms." This song was the first one that really stood out when I listened to the album for the first time. I still adore it, but I don't think it's my favourite of the nine songs on the album.
"Furry Sings The Blues" is definitely a contender for my favourite song on the album. I'm not even sure if I'd want to put the songs in any sort of order because it just works so well as an overall piece of art. Yes, art! Music like this can be described as nothing but extreme, high art. This song features the legend Neil Young playing the harmonica flawlessly. He makes this song what it is, along with Joni's voice of course. The lyrics are melancholy and sparse, about an old man who sings the blues for anyone who will listen. The imagery created in this gives me chills. It's old and its dated in the way something gets finer with age. "Ghosts of the darktown society come right out of the bricks at me. Like it's a Saturday night, they're in their finery, dancing it up and making deals. Furry sings the blues. Why should I expect that old guy to give it to me true?" The harmonica outro peaks into the night sky, gently growing more distant. "A Strange Boy" has taken quite a while to grow on me but it features some of the most memorable lyrics from the whole album, such as, "We got high on travel, and we got drunk on alcohol." The lyrics are just amazing, I can hardly say anything more. She knows exactly where to come in with the next line, exactly which instruments to put more emphasis on so that the meaning of her words resonates more with the listener, everything, she's just amazing.
The title track, "Hejira," is next and is another superb song. This song features the beautiful tone of a clarinet that adds a dark melancholy to the song. It would be perfect for driving down the desert in the middle of a rainstorm as bleak clouds gather above. It's almost seven minutes long and has some really beautiful lyrics, such as, "I'm porous with travel fever, but you know I'm so glad to be on my own! Still sometimes the slightest touch of a stranger can set up trembling in my bones! I know, no one's gonna show me everything. We all come and go unknown. Each so deep and superficial, between the forceps and the stone." Joni's voice is beautiful as usual, although sometimes I find it a little bit whiny on this song. It's just her heartache coming through, and it works brilliantly, but sometimes it grates a little on me. "Song For Sharon" is the epic masterpiece of the album around which everything else orbits. It's almost nine minutes in length, and will keep your attention for every single second. The guitar work is superb and has this spiralling effect that appears out of the darkness frequently. It's one of the most evocative, powerful things I've ever heard on record and they come in at just the right moment to emphasise the beauty in Joni's lyrics, especially right after she exclaims, "But all I really wanna do, right now is find another lover!" Joni also has her own voice as background vocals in a high-pitched Indian-American yelp that yodels over and over in a beautiful rhythmic pattern.
"Black Crow" is another fantastic song but probably my least favourite on the whole album. That's not to say that I dislike it, because I love it, it's very powerful, but I considered the rest of the songs and they were all slightly better than this one. It's a rather short song at just over four minutes in comparison to most of the other six/seven minute ones on here. In this song Joni sings about feeling like a black crow flying in a blue sky as she drives down the highway. The song also opens brilliantly with the guitar being rather dirty and more rhythmic than anything else on here. Joni's voice is also incredible especially when she sings, "I feel like that black crow flying in a blue sky!" A great song, which is followed by the gentle "Blue Motel Room." The entire album is a road trip for Joni, and this song represents a part of the journey where she is staying in a motel for a night or two. This is the most jazzy song on the album, and it's absolutely beautiful. The bass of this song just puts me in another world, and the acoustic guitar is very old-fashioned. In other words, the kind of song Norah Jones would dream to have written and recorded. Around the second minute Joni's voice becomes distorted and you can sense a real depth and atmosphere in the song.
The album closes with the awesome "Refuge Of The Roads." This is probably my favourite song on the album. I've listened to it so many times and I am just in awe of the musicianship. I broke down in tears last week when I listened to this early one morning last week because I just thought it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever experienced in my life thus far. Joni's voice is quite melancholy, and the lyrics are so evocative and vivid. I love it when she sings, "I pulled off into a forest, crickets clicking in the ferns. Like a wheel of fortune, I heard my fate turn, turn, turn." Horns are used to superb effect on this song especially towards the end. What really catches me is that this song is about the end of the journey, there's such a sense of completion, of sorrow and happiness all at once. It closes with one of the most beautiful lyrical verses I've heard: "In a highway service station, over the month of June, was a photograph of the earth, taken coming back from the moon. And you couldn't see a city on that marbled bowling ball, or a forest or a highway or, me here least of all. You couldn't see these coldwater restrooms, or this baggage overload, westbound and rolling, taking REFUGE in the roads."
OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
This album has blown me away, and it's nearly 30 years old. If music this old can do that to a young 18 year old like me, then it must be something special. How many people my age are into music like this? I'd like to bet not many. Joni Mitchell is a musical legend because of music like this and her legacy is preserved for eternity. As far as songwriters go, I don't think there's a better female in the history of music, which is why Joni is far and away the most important female artist of the 20th Century. It will be a sad, sad day when this woman dies but albums like this will be instantly set in stone for generations to come. I suggest you buy this now because you'll set off down that jet-black highway on your travels and never look back.Hejira OverviewThe compelling character portraits on this 1976 LP (a #13 hit) are finely detailed with Joni's yearning melodies and the sensitive bass of Jaco Pastorius. The wonderful title tune joins Amelia; Coyote; Refuge of the Road , and more!

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Andrea Bocelli - Under the Desert Sky (2006) Review

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Andrea Bocelli - Under the Desert Sky (2006) ReviewA voice like Andrea Bocelli's only comes along every generation or so, (if that) Caruso, Lanza, Pavarotti and Now Bocelli; They are my big 4. Not only does Bocelli have wonderful opera skills, but also tremendous pop singing skills, as well. As for classical singing; Bocelli's breath control is amazing; no one holds high, mid, and low notes (sang either intensely or softly) as long as Bocelli does. His diction is excellent; His tone is wonderful; His color is right in sink to the song being performed, dark or light, and all shads around those as needed. He has that tenor ring that can rise up over an orchestra, he sings just beautifully. As for his pop singing again it's spectacular; Bocelli can sing a pop song either in a classical way, or a bluesy way or almost anyway. He has tremendous versatility, I would rank him right at the top of pop singing for all time. Bocelli can sing big, bold, intense and beautiful, or can show us a soft side it seems like he is singing in one's ear, very sweetly and beautiful.
Under The Desert Sky: Is a wonderful DVD/CD Set, . Bocelli's singing hear is Romantic, Passionate, filled with Emotion and his voice will go right into your soul and provide you with delight. Bocelli has a certain vulnerability (for lake of a better word) in his voice (when he sings pop) that can fill you with peace. He is just amazing. the DVD is wonderfully done in a beautiful setting of Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada. You will watch it over and over again. The CD is a nice bonus, it gives you songs not on the Amore cd.
hear is my song by song review.
Disc 1 DVD
1. Amapola - soft. sweet and romantic (well every song is romantic).
2. Besame Mucho (Latin American) Spanish guitar in Besame Mucho is fantastic, best version of Besame Mucho ever.
3. Somos Novios (Spanish) (It's Impossible)
4. Canzoni Stonate nice harmonica work, sounds great, a fun Italian song.
5. Pero Te Extrano- Just a beautiful spanish song, wonderful.
6. L'Appuntamento a sweet song.
7. Estate - Summer, just a hauntingly beautiful song.
8. September Morn - Nice short version of the Neil Diamond Song.
9. Can't Help Falling In Love _ wonderful romantic version of the Elvis standard.
10. Mi Manchi - A Fantastically beautiful Italian song.
11. Jurame - a fun upbeat number, wonderful spanish Guitar.
12. Solamente Una Vez (You Belong To My Heart-Latin American) nice guitar work, really every song is musically excellent. Like the harmony.
13. Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves-French) WOW, beautiful, I may not like the french, sometimes, but there language is beautiful.
14. Porque Tu Me Acostumbraste -This is not on the Amore album but on the spanish all Spanish version Amor it is a wonderful song.
15. Cuando do Me Enamoro (A Man who needs Love) cool version.
16. The Prayer with Heather Handley a very nice version.
17. Momentos Another song from the all spanish version Amore, a beautiful song.
18. Because We Believe - A hit of this album a wonderful David Foster/Andrea Bocelli song.
Disc 2 CD
1. Besame Mucho - live same as above.
2. Cuando Me Ennamoro - live same as above.
3. Estate with Chris Botti - studio version A extra track from the Amore sessions, I can't believe they left this one off, its a great song.
4. September Morn - live same as above.
5. Can't Help Falling in Love - studio duet with Katharine McPhee very nice version with that Cutie KAT.
6. Canzoni Stonate - new studio edit with Stevie Wonder
7. Momentos - live same as above.
8. Somos Novios - live same as above.
9. The Prayer - live duet with Heather Headley same as above.A wonderful MUST HAVE DVD/CD Set.Andrea Bocelli - Under the Desert Sky (2006) OverviewPerformed on a specially constructed floating stage in LakeLas Vegas, a resort community 20 miles south of Las Vegas, this historicperformance captures Andrea Bocelli's first ever pop concert. Under theDesert Sky, which co-stars Tony® winner Heather Headley (Elton John'sAida), represents a new era for the Tuscan-born singer. Spanish guitarsflourish, traditional Latin percussion seductively keeps the tempo,accordions and harmonicas provide haunting ambience. Highlights include"Somos Novios" - Perry Como had a hit with it as "It's Impossible" - and"The Prayer," a duet with Heather Headley, David Foster and Carole BayerSager's Oscar® nominated song from Quest for Camelot. Capping the programis a new song, "Because We Believe," by David Foster with lyrics by AndreaBocelli and Amy Foster Gillies which was written for and introduced at the2006 Torino Winter Olympics.Disc 1 DVD 1. Amapola 2. Besame Mucho 3. Somos Novios 4. Canzoni Stonate 5. Pero Te Extrano 6. L'Appuntamento 7. Estate 8. September Morn 9. Can't Help Falling In Love 10. Mi Manchi 11. Jurame 12. Solamente Una Vez 13. Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves) 14. Porque Tu Me Acostumbraste 15. Cuando do Me Enamoro 16. The Prayer 17. Momentos 18. Because We Believe Disc 2 CD 1. Besame Mucho - live 2. Cuando Me Ennamoro - live 3. Estate with Chris Botti - studio version 4. September Morn - live 5. Can't Help Falling in Love - studio duet with Katharine McPhee 6. Canzoni Stonate - new studio edit with Stevie Wonder 7. Momentos - live 8. Somos Novios - live 9. The Prayer - live duet with Heather Headley

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Chulahoma Review

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Chulahoma ReviewThis is a great EP and more than worth the money it costs. You need to keep in mind though that this is not your typical Black Keys album. It actually sounds more like their first album The Big Come Up than their last album Rubber Factory. This album has the rawness of their first album and is not as polished as Rubber Factory. To me this is a good thing though. I love rough and raw music. This is also why it is so cool that they are doing Junior Kimbrough songs. Kimbrough is probably one of the rawest blue artists ever and the Black Keys really capture his sound and even take it a step further by using their distorted guitar and raw backbone drumming. If you don't know Junior Kimbrough he is really worth checking out but you need to be aware that some of his songs "wander" a bit, meaning that they aren't clean, concise, and under three minutes. The same is true for the songs on this album. Overall though I think this is one of the best efforts the Black Keys have offered yet.Chulahoma OverviewRecorded by the band in their own Akron, OH studio The Black Keys epitomize DIY. Chulahoma is a collection of songs that were originally written by the late Junior Kimbrough, reworked and recorded, The Keys capture the very essence of Juniors style better than any other musician today.Roomy and sparse in production the drums/guitar duo fill out every inch of these songs with distorted guitar, drums, and Dan's soulful vocals.

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Earth Town Square Review

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Earth Town Square ReviewWhen we praise the "poetry" of songwriters, the standard is usually not very high. We can be pretty pleased when a song rises a bit above the banal. This CD is, however, musical poetry of an entirely higher sort. Peter Mayer's songwriting is a treat. Felicitous images flow in an unbroken,delightful stream.
Start with the first cut on the CD. "Ocean Mary" is a woman who lives by a magic stream. She has a dream: "She imagined that, inside, stirred all the waters of the earth. Every puddle, every creek and every one of the Seven Seas. She could feel the fishes roam in her fingers and her toes. And in her chest, the Gulf Stream flow."
That would be enough to recommend this remarkable album, but Mayer's singing is just as pleasing. He has a clear, resonant voice that reminds me of James Keelaghan. I've been so swept away by the lyrics and singing that I have paid less attention to his guitar skills, but he's good.
There's more. Mayer is a wonderful tunesmith, at least to judge by this CD. One of my favorite tunes is "Blue Boat Home," a highly singable and fetching melody that perfectly matches the elegaic sentiments of the song.
Maybe other people are luckier than I am, but I don't find albums I enjoy this much very often. Discovering Earth Town Square is perhaps the nicest thing to happen to me lately. Peter Mayer has created an album that is like a great friend. It has a lot to say and a wonderful way of saying it. You just love spending time with it.Earth Town Square Overview

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Dragonfly Review

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Dragonfly ReviewMae Moore is one of the great under appreciated artists of our time. Dragonfly and Bohemia are consistently great, with not a single track between them that fails to be beautiful.
Simliar to Sarah McLaughlin and Milla's _Divine Comedy_.
Gorgeous, touching and sweet.
I first heard her on the radio driving across Saskatchewan, and I was so caputred, I bought this album as soon as I reached a town with a record store.Dragonfly Overview

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The Trinity Session Review

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The Trinity Session ReviewThe fact that this CD has the most reviews out of ALL the CJ's albums (only 'Open' oddly enough comes close), and it still has an average 5 star rating should speak for itself. For once in my life, I side with the mob, as it were. This is a gem, easily in my top-ten favorite records of all time.
The production is excellent- it sounds like the band is in the room with you, from every whispery note from Margo- to every hushed drum beat. Admiteddly, this is something one comes to expect from the CJ's- even when I don't care for their albums (Lay it down), they still always 'sound' great. On this one it sounds especially great: Everyone clicks on this. Everyone knows their place and does a fine job. This Cd is the perfect mix of country, blues and poetry. From Margo's evocative and ever-soulful voice to Michael's lucid and luminous guitar-work. The steady bass (it must be said that Alan Anton is one hell of an anchor)and drum work, always holding down the fort... Oh, the guest musicians hand in nothing short of exquisite performances. The harmonica is so sweet.
The covers are the heart of this album and they are gorgeous- the cover of Sweet Jane that every would-be hipster from my generation knows by heart, as well as the slooooooooooow-waltzing version of 'Blue Moon Revisited,' (quite possibly my fave song by them) which has one of the most wonderfully understated guitar solos I've ever heard. The not-so-well known cover of Hank Williams' I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,' that sounds nothing like the original yet demonstrates how reinterpretaion can be an act of creation all its own. Reinvention, not immitation, is the highest form of flattery- the CJ's know this and deftly make whatever they handle their own.
The originals are among the best and bluesiest tunes ever penned by the band (you can tell from their first album- the CJ's were born to play the blues, though it's a night-shade of blue all their own). They segue easily and sweetly into each other. This is one of those Cds that suits damn near any occasion- a date, washing the dishes, driving all night, editing a novel, working out, nostalgic musings... It's just fine for all activities or the lack thereof. 'Dreaming my Dreams with You,' sounds exactly like what it means- a particularly masterful use of titular onomatopoeia. 'Postcard Blues' slips so languidly and sweetly into 'walkin After Midnight'- you almost miss the fact that they're two different songs. 200 More miles is a weary gem of a tune. They're all top-notch. No sleepers. Everything pleases. In the Empty-Vee world we all inahbit CDs like this are beyond rare. They have almost gone extinct: This is the high-water mark of one of the best bands in the last 20 years. If you're gonna get ANY of the CJ's albums- this is the one you want. Start here. I, and every other of the 60-odd five star dropping reviewers will guarantee you- you won't be let down with this. And seeing how cheap copies abound in the used section- how can you not pick one up?
And Hey, for all you die-hard fans out there, if you didn't know- there's a version of 'Me & the Devil' on the 'Pump up the volume' soundtrack (and it's NOT the bare bones version from their first CD- it's a longer more sustained chaotic gypsy-sque, blues-from hell, version) that is one the best songs I've ever heard, hands down, period. It would be completely in place if it were on this CD. I don't know why it hasn't been put out on a comp of some kind- maybe it has but I'm in the dark.The Trinity Session OverviewNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: COWBOY JUNKIESTitle: TRINITY SESSIONStreet Release Date: 11/15/1988

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Uncrowded Sky Review

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Uncrowded Sky ReviewIf it's simple, truthful music from the heart played with passion and a zest for life that you're after, Minnesota's Peter Mayer is an ideal choice. He's a master at crafting engaging story-songs, complemented by his acoustic guitar, smoothly powerful vocals, and guest musicians on violin, drum, and assorted other instrumentals. In person and away from his guitar, he walks his talk as a genuinely kind, warm-hearted soul. I believe this recording is his first. My picks are "Promised Land", "Captain Of My Life", and "Why Pay Your Money". The CD begins with high-energy tunes, and gets progressively more mellow, as if all the fantastic energy went into those first few songs--my only criticism of an otherwise strong CD.Uncrowded Sky Overview

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Elements Review

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Elements ReviewI saw Peter Mayer live in a coffeehouse last night... and I fell completely in love with him and his music. There's a story behind every song, and his guitarwork is FANTASTIC!! When you hear Molly O'Malley's or Astronaut Dreams, you hear a drum in the background... that is not drums. That is Mr. Mayer beating on his guitar. He picks, sings, and does incredible beats on his guitar all at once... it's only one man, but he is able to make so many sounds, it's incredible. I was completely speechless after his performance. Not only that, but he is also a very sweet, friendly guy... after the performance, he kindly stuck around to speak to us, and it seemed like he actually wanted to, and he enjoyed it. My friend gave him a hug, and he thought it was great. :-) If this man comes to your city, you MUST see him... it will be one of the great emotional musical experiences of your entire life. Please keep this man in mind... he's a gem. :-)Elements OverviewElements is a mostly live record, a compilation of songs from various recordings of concerts over the past few years, as well as some studio cuts. It features a mix of old and new songs, mostly solo versions.

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Bountiful Review

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Bountiful ReviewWhat a treat! A chance listening in a Christian store and "wham" the best discovery in a long time! This disc is fun, thought provoking, relaxing, and danceable all at once. My mind and body have never been so cooperating. "Yukon Sally" might be the best folk song I've ever heard. The whole disc sits comfortably beside my David Wilcox, John Gorka, and Pierce Pettis CD's. Sorry guys you'll have to wait (this CD might be in the player for awhile). Thanks, Peter. My whole family loves this disc.Bountiful Overview

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Around the World: International Folk Songs Review

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Around the World: International Folk Songs ReviewFirst, let us ask what is a folk song and what isn't? A folk song springs out of the spirit of the people; it has no known composer. In contrast, an art song has a known composer. With time and familiarity, however, some art songs essentially become folk songs. Consider, for example, Der Lindenbaum (Schubert) and Die Lorelei (Silcher). Unfortunately, in the US "folk song" became adulterated, associated with Joan Baez; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and even Burl Ives (very versatile and one of my favorite singers). A personal comment--Am Brunnen vor dem Tore da steht ein Lindenbaum suffuses my soul, and I feel that Schubert composed it specifically for me, a world traveler who may also long for the peace of home! Moving to the CD under review, one could not find a more worthy group than the Wiener Saengerknaben directed by Peter Marschik. The CD includes songs from most countries that are familiar to the average listener. Some songs are very familiar--Shenandoah, Loch Lomond, and Cielito Lindo--and many not so familiar. I recommend this CD to listeners who are just now taking an interest in folksongs. My only complaint is that some songs are hard to hear, perhaps because the amplitude was set too low. I came across this CD because it was the only recording of Sarie Marais (of Boer origin} and one of my favorite songs.Around the World: International Folk Songs Overview

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69 Love Songs Review

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69 Love Songs ReviewI suspect a certain worldview is required to fully enjoy this album, the major component of which is an almost preternatural attraction to the weird and excessive. Fortunately I have that in spades, so when a drunken friend (in whose tastes I have great faith - he reccomended Pulp and Six Feet Under, after all) mentioned this doozy, I was intrigued enough to go out and buy it.
First of all, this album achieves two reasonably important things: it delivers exactly what it promises, and it does so with an almost frightening consistency. Any album with just shy of three full hours of music is bound to have some filler, but there's almost nothing here that doesn't work on at least some level, and a good third of the songs are actually great. That's more than some bands achieve in an entire career.
Musically speaking, this is a low-fi, indie pop album (read: it sounds like it was recorded in a basement - and that's a virtue). That said, it runs the gamut. 'Fido, Your Leash is Too Long' is an odd, synth-drenched, funky jam; 'A Chicken With Its Head Cut Off' is a sweet and lowdown number that draws on classic country influences; 'My Sentimental Melody' sounds like something They Might Be Giants would record in one of their softer moments (at least to me), 'Absolutely Cuckoo' is a four-part harmony vocal dubbed over a ukelele - and that's just a scratch on the surface of disc one.
From a lyrical point of view, these are all love songs, true. But love is a many splendored thing, isn't it? There are happy love songs ('Papa Was a Rodeo', for example, seems to expect rejection until it finds a shared experience), sad love songs ('I Don't Believe in the Sun' asks why everyone else seems happy when it's miserable after the loss of a lover), abstract, emotional love songs ('The Book of Love' is a rumination on the nature of the emotion itself), lustful leerings ('Underwear' claims there's nothing better than either sex in their ... well, underwear), etcetera, etcetera. To dissect every song would take a very LONG time, but you get the idea.
While each song has the same identifying overall aesthetic, a distinct variety is well achieved. It's this diversity that gives the album it's part of it's substantial appeal. Part of the joy of listening to this is just hearing each unique point of view back to back, trying to expect what's going to come next.
Stephen Merritt covers all this in a pleasant, ever-so-slightly slurred croon and with a pervasive sense of wry, somewhat self-depricating humor. The other vocalists all do a good turn when they come around, which happens often enough, but Merritt is the driving force, and he carries the project.
So, conclusions: I watch a lot of tv, and I listen to a lot of music. The former has miniaturized my attention span to that of a hyperactive squirrel and the latter has made me that much harder to impress. Yet I was not only able to sit down and listen to this entire album in one sitting, I was singing along (or trying to) by the second song on disc one. While it's true that this may not sit quite as comfortably on someone else's palate, odds are if you like pop music at all, you'll find at least a handful of tracks you'll like. And that's kind of the point - there's something for everyone. It's worth paying the price even if you end up distilling it down to one mixtape after a few listens.
By the way, this record can be purchased as three seperate discs, but I'd go ahead and get the box - the cumulative cost is about the same, and with the box you get a..um..box to keep the jewel cases in as well as an extensive booklet in which Merritt is interviewed about each song.
Overall, an immense artistic statement that succeeds incredibly well given it's mass. 9/10, or 4.5/569 Love Songs Overview1999 and first new material in four years by Stephin Merrit 's main band (his side projects include Future Bible Heroes, Gothic Archies and The 6ths).Limited three disc set f eaturing more wonderful, yet cynically skewed, pop songs as only Merritt (and a midi) can do 'em! Features all three volumes of '69 Love Songs' (also sold separately), as well as a76 page booklet only available in this box! Each disc comesin a separate standard jewel case & together they come in acolorful CD-sized slipcase box. 69 tracks.

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