The Very Best of Badfinger Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Very Best of Badfinger? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Very Best of Badfinger. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Very Best of Badfinger ReviewI'll begin by saying that I have very mixed feelings about this collection. As a single-disc compilation, it is obviously not as comprehensive as the two previous volume of "The Best of Badfinger". On the other hand, it does condense their Apple and Warner Brother years onto one tidy disc for the first time ever. For anybody who's never really experienced Badfinger, this collection is probably a good place to start. Yes, many people have heard several of the hits before, but they don't know who sang them. Play this at any gathering and I guarantee that everybody will know at least two or three of these songs (you may even create some new Badfinger fans).
Now for the critique...
The compilers pretty much culled all of the essential tracks from their album as the Iveys and from their first album as Badfinger (except for maybe "Crimson Ship" from _Magic Christian Music_) The same goes for the tracks from their second album, _No Dice_. One can never tire of the likes of "No Matter What" or "We're for the Dark". The inclusion of the "rare" "I'll Be the One" is a nice surprise.
The selections from _Straight Up_ and _Ass_ are, however, highly suspect. Yes, we have "Day After Day", "Baby Blue" (simply the best power-pop song ever recorded by anyone), and "When I Say". But what possessed the producers to replace the majestic piano-driven _Straight Up_ take of "Name of the Game" with a highly inferior guitar-based recording from the same sessions? This is NOT the way for the casual listener to be introduced to such a great song!
As for _Ass_, why does Capitol insist on mistreating this highly underrated album so much?! First, they choose not to reissue it in the U.S., then they practically ignore it on this collection. "When I Say" is a great song, but what about "Apple of My Eye", "I Can Love You", or "Timeless"?
The big news here, of course, is the inclusion of several WB tracks, all of which are worth the price of admission, especially "Love Time" and the stunning medley "Meanwhile at the Ranch/Should I Smoke".
I recommend this collection to anyone who's never really heard Badfinger aside from there few hits. From here, though, the listener is advised to check out their individual albums, especially _Straight Up_, _Ass_ (good luck!), and _Wish You Were Here_.The Very Best of Badfinger Overview

Want to learn more information about The Very Best of Badfinger?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Concert for George Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Concert for George? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Concert for George. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Concert for George ReviewFrom the opening track, Sarve Shaam with its wonderful intonation of bells, sarod and hypnotic voices and Eric Clapton's introduction until its conclusion on the second disc with Joe Brown's wonderful "I'll See You In My Dreams," this set is as wonderful a remembrance any man could hope for from his friends and loved ones.
Olivia makes it clear in the notes that George, the quiet one, was in fact full of life, pursuing his marriage and family with the same intensity and respect that he treated his career, all the while retaining the playfulness that set he and his Liverpool colleagues off from everyone else ever in rock. When you consider that this man is one of the 4 reasons anybody ever wanted to be a rock musician, you might think you were approaching the sacred. In fact, as is clear from his friends, he is someone they went to to play ukeleles with as well as to worship or garden with.
He was a whole man. His music in his Beatles, solo, Travelling Wilbury and final days was always about life led on the ground, in the material world, yet not bound by it. It was Harrison who first saw the difference between Haight Ashbury and enlightnement. It was Harrison who realized his tremendous good fortune could be harnessed to work remarkably good things for less fortunate people. He respected what his craft could accomplish and was a selfless, ego-free spirit who could race cars, produce silly movies and prove loyal to family and friends. He was Everyman who had come into good fortune and knew not to take it for granted.
As to the music herein: it is just GREAT! His mates came to this project with great love and respect for their fallen comrade. Ravi and Anoushka Shankar get the project off and running with a couple of sitar pieces and a terrific rendition of "The Inner Light". One is reminded of the start of THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH, and its tremendous setting of a tone of consideration. Much the same effect is produced here. It anchors you in the spiritual world that Harrison embraced.
The second side essays his pop work. Wilbury buddy Lynne kicks things off with "I Want To Tell You," and the CD rocks from that point on. The emotional centerpiece is Ringo's "Photograph." Tough to listen to that without getting misty. It is absolutely the best Ringo's ever done that. Paul kicks in with a very bright and emotionally uplifting "Something" that comes from the heart, as well as the uke. He returns with Clapton to blisteringly deliver "While My Guitar," nearly as transcendent as "Bangla Desh's" version. Tom Petty is just the right touch, especially on "Handle With Care," handled with Dhani Harrison, as sure a chip off the old bloke as you might get. Dad must have been beaming! Billy Preston ecstatically revels in "My Sweet Lord," then Clapton burns it up again on "Wah Wah," which was a reference to him anyway, before Joe Brown sends it all off lovingly.
The son of a Catholic busdriver and Nurse in Liverpool who often said he was sure he would never have amounted to anything had it not been for The Beatles, obviously took from his parents a sense of finding a spirituality to guide his life. That he touched so many of his colleagues as all of us as always and forever being the genuine article says all there needs to be said about the importance of living in the material world with a sense of faith.Concert for George Overview

Want to learn more information about Concert for George?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

All Things Must Pass Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy All Things Must Pass? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on All Things Must Pass. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

All Things Must Pass ReviewThe original cd release of this album was marred by a muddy and hissy sound that took away from the great music. Finally after years of clamoring from fans, George Harrison has issued a remastered version of his classic All Things Must Pass. The results are outstanding as the songs sound clear and fresh. George Harrison was the Beatle who most immediately benefited from the band's breakup. Mr. Harrison was stifled by the domination of the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership and was only allowed a song or two per album. The songs that did appear, like "Taxman", Here Comes The Sun" & "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", showed that he was an excellent songwriter in his own right. When it came time to record his first proper solo album, he released an album of electronic noise called Wonderwall in 1968, he had such a backlog of material it yielded a double album with a third bonus disk. The songs are deeply rooted in the Maharisi's teachings that have been a large part of his life for the past thirty years. Despite the religious musings, the songs have an upbeat, full sound lead by Wall of Sound producer Phil Spector. Although Mr. Spector does sometimes overproduce songs, he makes a song like "My Sweet Lord" that could have been plodding and ponderous into a soaring affirmation. Of course that song was a huge number one hit, but others standouts include the beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You", the nice tribute to fans who hung outside the Apple Records offices, "Apple Scruffs", the yin and yang of "I Dig Love" and "The Art Of Dying" and the rollicking "Wah-Wah". "What Is Life?" may well be the best song he has ever done with it's blaring horns, layered guitars and smooth vocals. The production is classic Wall of Sound harkening back to Mr. Spector's work on Ronettes and Crystals records. The last few songs are from a jam session that included Eric Clapton and made up the bonus disk on the original release. They loose song structures that the band just have fun with. The bonus tracks included on the re-release don't really add much and the "My Sweet Lord 2000" would have been better left unrecorded. The cd booklet is expansive and contains many insights from Mr. Harrison himself. All Things Must Pass was to many a surprise success as they thought that only Paul McCartney and John Lennon would be successful in their post Beatle days. Not only was "My Sweet Lord" the first solo Beatle song to hit number one, but the album also reached the top of the charts and thirty years later still sounds fresh and exciting.All Things Must Pass OverviewThe most monumental of all the Beatles solo projects-and one of the most critically and commercially successful-George Harrison's All Things Must Pass here receives a complete make-over, with a complete new remastering and five new bonus tracks! Also here is a 20-page booklet annotated by George.

Want to learn more information about All Things Must Pass?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

The Beatles (The White Album) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy The Beatles (The White Album)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on The Beatles (The White Album). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

The Beatles (The White Album) ReviewThere are a few albums from the rock era that I feel I've been in a relationship with since the first day I got them. "The Beatles" is one of those albums. I found it under my Christmas tree in 1968, and I've been engaged with it at some level ever since. It is not the best Beatles album, objectively; nor is it my favorite. But it has always compelled my attention.
At the time it came out, I was 12, but even then it was clear that we were no longer in Pepperland or on a Magical Mystery Tour. This album wasn't yet more "progress" toward some new musical form. Musically, it embraced values never before associated with the Beatles as I understood them: Parody, pastiche, rock and roll revivalism, music-hall nostalgia, avant-garde experimentation, political agitation, intimate confession, trivial nonsense. It is, simply, a series of highly personal statements from the three songwriters, coalescing around no particular theme other than the right to personal expression.
"The Beatles" is not, to me, "the sound of the Beatles breaking up." That's the storyline a lot of Beatle historians apply to this album. If they're basing this judgement on the fact that the individual songwriters' imprints are on each song, you'd have to argue that the breakup began much earlier, around the time of "Beatles for Sale" or "Help!" Lennon-McCartney were rarely a songwriting "team" in the sense of George and Ira Gershwin. Their partnership was always about strategy, i.e. how to ensure that third-rate songs would not be included on albums just for the sake of fairness. "The Beatles" instead simply shows the evolution of each of the three songwriters (on this album, George emerges dramatically) as they each embraced new musical ideas and applied their life experiences to their art. Having helped break all the molds for what was acceptable songwriting in their previous work, they each now proceeded to take full advantage of the freedom they'd won. Some of the dumber cuts on "The Beatles" demonstrate, perhaps, the expression "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." Paul, in particular, seemed frightened to step out too often without the crutch of some existing form that he could parody or pay tribute to, i.e. "Honey Pie," "Back in the USSR" or "Rocky Racoon." But, while you can say that, you have to acknowledge that in this massive album, there are perhaps half a dozen Paul songs that are among his best and most original: "I Will," "Blackbird," "Mother Nature's Son," "Helter Skelter" for four examples.
Lennon's direction was to become more nakedly confessional, as befits someone who was dealing with such turbulent emotions at the time. He gives us some of his most beautiful songs, like "Dear Prudence," and some of his most intense, like "I'm So Tired," "Revolution," "Yer Blues," and "Sexy Sadie." Often, as in "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill," "Glass Onion," or "Everybody Has Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey," he seems to be writing in code, and that sense of allusiveness gives the album much of its cracked character. And of course, he's the guy who assembled the collage, "Revolution 9," which is to rock and roll what "Finnegans Wake" is to English literature--a dream that floats between meaning and nothingness.
George seems to be captured here in a moment of great self-discovery as an artist; you can hear his talent finally come together in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," which I remember at age 12 was to my ears the best thing on the album--and still seems to be so. Prior to the White Album, he had these cautious little songs on the early albums, and then embraced India, which while sometimes satisfying seemed weird and out of place. His songs here sets the stage for "Something," "Here Comes the Sun" and then his monumental early solo work. At age 12, I thought "Long, Long, Long" was a emotional powerhouse--and I still do.
A few months after I got "The Beatles," the Charles Manson murders took place, and eventually the DA made the case that somehow, insanely, the murders were inspired by songs on this album. Around the same time, the media were full of bizarre speculation that Paul McCartney was dead, and that clues were all over this album. It's no accident that half-insane people might mine "The Beatles" for hidden messages and evidence of conspiracies. The world it depicts is strange and almost claustrophobic--all the more so for its haphazard approach and its odd switches in tone from childish delight to fiendish paranoia. But even those of us who live normal lives and dream normal dreams can acknowledge that "The Beatles" has a hold on your consciousness that is unlike anything else the group did, and unlike anything else that came out of the rock era.The Beatles (The White Album) Overview

Want to learn more information about The Beatles (The White Album)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Concert for George (2002) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Concert for George (2002)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Concert for George (2002). Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Concert for George (2002) ReviewThe concert event had the chance to be sappy and morose. Thank God, it isn't. Instead, it's a lot of George's friends covering his songs, having fun doing it, and otherwise doing what they've always been doing.
Summary: Great guests, superior musicianship. Buy This DVD. Now.
The show opens with a few words from Clapton, who introduces Ravi Shankar and his daughter. They play a fair amount of Indian music. It's pretty good, I have to admit, though not my cup of tea. One word - Ravi Shankar's daughter is quite the sitar player... She plays a piece and violates at least 2 rules of physics. Amazing.
Then the Western band forms up. They play a number of songs, with luminaries being introduces and added to the band over the course of the evening.
Highlights, in no particular order:
1) Ringo :-) During "Honey Don't" Look for Albert Lee. His solo is blistering though short.
2a) Clapton on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
2b) Clapton having the class to not play all the solos thereby making it the "Eric Clapton Show." Instead most of the real guitar work is being done by someone I don't know. I think it's Clapton's long-time guitarist. My son and I call him "THE Guy".
2c) Clapton in general
3) Watch Tom Petty's guitar player get OWNED by George on "Taxman". Tom does this song kinda weird, it's probably the weakest track.
4) Sam Brown. What a voice!
5) Waa Waa. Amazing.
6) Something by Paul, via uke.
7) Ravi's daughter and her sitar. Your eyebrows will fly up!
8) Dhani has George's spooky eyebrow thing going on.
9) Jeff Lynne is there, and takes an active part doing what he does best. Bob Dylan is notably absent.
Every track is worthwhile and many are superb. And while a lot of similar productions are muddy and horrid, this isn't. Eric is running the show, and keeps it moving and clean.
The only dings I give this production are
1) The "behind the scenes" footage is too sparse. I know there had to me more...
2) The band isn't introduced well enough. I expected a close up of every performer, with a hello, and a name. See 2b) above.Concert for George (2002) OverviewFilmed on November 29, 2002 before a sold-out audience at Royal Albert Hall in London, "The Concert For George" is a beautifully filmed, joyous celebration of some of the most significant music of the 20th Century.Friends including Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Ravi & Anoushka Shankar, the cast of Monty Python and other artists who worked with George Harrison throughout his lifetime, present his music in a special concert to commemorate the first anniversary of his passing.This 2 DVD set includes the full 2 hour & 40 minute concert and the 1 hour 40 minute documentary filmed in high definition by David Leland ("Band Of Brothers") featuring concert footage and interviews with the artists about George's life and music.Documentary produced by Ray Cooper, Olivia Harrison and Jon Kamen.

Want to learn more information about Concert for George (2002)?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...

Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison ReviewGeorge's widow Olivia had a lot of input into the selection of songs on this album, and it's a good set of songs. Many hard core fans believe this collection should have been a 2 cd set, and should have included songs like "Crackerbox Palace", "Bangla Desh" and "This Song". But, be that as it may, "Let It Roll" is a solid collection of Harrisongs, remastered by Giles Martin, and that's good enough for me.
It may have been helped by the remastering, because the lead song of this new collection (from his "Cloud 9" album) "Got My Mind Set On You" sounds better than ever to me, here. One of the three Harrison #1 singles represented here, this one went to #1 in the U.S. in January of 1988. This was, by the way, the last song by any solo Beatle (up to now, anyway) to go to #1 in the U.S..
"Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" was the 2nd Harrison single to go to #1 in the U.S. (June 1973) and features an amazing backup band of Ringo, Klaus Voorman, Gary Wright, Jim Keltner and Nicky Hopkin. One of George's best songs, simple and direct.
"Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll)" was one many great songs from George's "All Things Must Pass" 3-lp set which went to #1 in at least half a dozen countries in 1970. Sir Frank Crisp was the former owner of George's home in the U.K. and Mr. Crisp was somewhat of an eccentric and carved sayings into statues and stones around the estate, which apparently gave George great delight. This song is one of the most memorable from "All Things Must Pass" and is a good lead-in to another of George's #1 Hits, "My Sweet Lord".
"My Sweet Lord" is probably George's signature song for various reasons. For one thing, it was his first #1 single, topping the charts all over the world. But more importantly, I think, to George was that this song represented a spiritual philosophy and spiritual journey that began in 1965 when he met his friend and guru Ravi Shankar who introduced him to Hindu philosophy. The song celebrates God in His many forms, as George chants "Hallelujah!" and "Hare Krishna!" This represents an eclectic approach to spirituality that lasted throughout his life. George believed that by chanting the names of the Lord one could eventually come to know God directly, and this song was an attempt to share that with his fans.
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is represented here by a live version recorded at the famous Concert For Bangladesh. This was a benefit concert that George organized to help provide necessities for refugees from East Pakistan, after Ravi Shankar asked George's advice on what might be done for these suffering people. George quickly pitched in by organizing the first concert of its kind ever in the world, a rock concert organized specifically for the purpose of raising money to help an important cause. This song features Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Ringo Starr playing live at that concert. While this is not the best version of the song (you'll find that where it was originally performed by George with his band mates, on The Beatles' "white album".) this is a soulful version that features some great guitar playing by George and Eric Clapton.
"All Things Must Pass" is of course the title track of that album, and represents George at his most philosophical. Reassuring us that "sunset doesn't last all evening / a mind could blow those clouds away" the song isn't just about sadness or pain, it indeed points out that ALL THINGS pass away. George sings, "none of life's strings can last", so the implication is that God, Love, or Enlightenment (depending on how you care to see it) is the only thing that can really endure.
"Any Road" is from George's posthumously released album, "Brainwashed" from 2002, but this song was originally written at the time of his "Cloud 9" album. It's a bouncy little ditty about life.
"This Is Love" was co-penned by George's friend, band mate, and sometimes producer, Jeff Lynne, and has a happy pop feel to it, just a nice little song about Love with a capital L.
"All Those Years Ago" is from George's lesser known "Somewhere In England" album, and is his tribute to former band mate and life-long friend, John Lennon. It features Ringo on drums and Paul and Linda McCartney on backing vocals, and it reached #2 on the charts in the U.S.. A beautiful lyric, he speaks glowingly of his recently murdered friend: "You were the one who Imagined it all / All those years ago." It has a bouncy and very nice production.
"Marwa Blues" is an instrumental from "Brainwashed" and features probably the best slide guitar playing of George's career. His guitar beautifully and gently weeps here, and the song needs no words. You can hear the influence of Ravi Shankar here, though it is in no way overtly an "Indian" tune. This song was awarded a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.
"What is Life", the 2nd single released from the "All Things Must Pass" album, reached #10 on the U.S. charts. With a catchy guitar riff and a can't-get-it-out-of-my-head, upbeat melody, this was one of the more popular tracks from George's first solo release.
"Rising Sun" is another song from "Brainwashed" and is a perfect example of his writing about his life-long spiritual quest. Featuring George's son Dhani's perfect performance on the Wurlitzer, this represents one of the best songs from the album he was just finishing up when he made what he hoped would be his final journey, the journey to return to All That Is, God, Light, Love, Krishna, Enlightenment or whatever you choose to call It/Him/Her.
"When We Was Fab" is George's remembrance of the crazy days of being one of the world's most famous pop stars. He grew weary of Beatlemania very early on, back in 1965 or so, and this song is about that period. From "Cloud 9" the song was released as a single and reached the Top 30 but it is a favorite among fans, for its Beatles-related content and humorous and inventive music-video (not included here, but available on "The Dark Horse Years" box set).
"Something" is another track from the Bangladesh benefit and though not as eloquently produced and polished as the original Beatles recording from "Abbey Road", it does feature some excellent live guitar work and vocals with a nice arrangement for "big band rock and roll".
"Blow Away" is from the "George Harrison" album and it was a Top 20 hit in the U.S. and Canada in 1979. In an era when disco and punk music were the most popular genres, it was a breath of fresh air with it's simplicity and sweet lyrics: "All I got to do is to love you / All I got to be is, be happy / All it's got to take is some warmth to make it / Blow Away, Blow Away, Blow Away."
"Cheer Down" was written for the movie "Lethal Weapon 2" and allegedly the phrase came from something George's wife Olivia used to say to him when he'd get a little over-enthusiastic about something or other. Co-written by Tom Petty it was originally produced in 1989 and was formerly available on the now out of print "Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989".
"Here Comes The Sun" is the live version from the "Concert For Bangladesh" and features members of Badfinger on backup guitar, with George playing acoustic guitar and singing a clearly heartfelt rendition. Of the 3 live songs on this collection this one fares the best, as it is a rare pleasure to hear George sing with just a guitar (or 2 or 3), without bass, drums and keyboard. Without doubt one of his most beautiful songs.
"I Don't Want To Do It" was previously only on the "Porky's Revenge" soundtrack. It was written by his friend Bob Dylan who he later went on to record with as part of The Traveling Wilburys.
"Isn't It A Pity" is the 5th song on this collection from "All Things Must Pass" and that is fitting because many Beatles fans agree that George's 3-LP set was perhaps the finest album by any former Beatle. It certainly is in the Top 5 of Beatles solo albums, by anyone's count, and the unique "wall of sound" production by Phil Spector gave it a different sound than all of George's other albums, something he sometimes bemoaned, but frankly I can't imagine it any other way. In any case, this lyric speaks from George's heart and soul, so I'll end this with these words from George himself:
"Isn't it a pity
Now, isn't it a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity."
Oh, okay, sorry George, but I gotta get the last word in:
Buy this album! Not only because it's good, but because buying it will help insure the "powers that be" at Capitol/Dark Horse that we want MORE George Harrison albums! How about a "Part 2" featuring all the rare stuff and other great hits left off of this one?
p.s. And thank you George, for all this great music!Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison Overview

Want to learn more information about Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now

Read More...