What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Hell Freezes Over -- CD

Eagles

1994 Geffen Records

Audio Nirvana -- Great "System Test" CD, March 4, 2001
By Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Hell Freezes Over (Audio CD)

This recording is one of the best pop recordings available on CD. When analyzing high-end audio equipment, this is one of a handful that I absolutely must audition with.

Clear, tight, dynamic, you name it. Listen to the beginning of track 6, "Hotel California", especially right after 32 seconds into the track. If you have a really good system, you will probably get your hairs to stand on end.

Oh, the music itself? First class, of course. The best songs of the Eagles and all sound nice. My favorite is "Pretty Maids All In A Row" with "New York Minute" and "The Last Resort" just behind it. Of course, "Hotel California" sounds great, almost better than the original recording.

This album MUST be in your collection if you like popular music or even classic rock.

"Get Over It"* (Don Henley, Glenn Frey) – 3:31
"Love Will Keep Us Alive"* (Pete Vale, Jim Capaldi, Paul Carrack) – 4:03
"The Girl from Yesterday"* (Frey, Jack Tempchin) – 3:23
"Learn to Be Still"* (Henley, Stan Lynch) – 4:28
"Tequila Sunrise" (Henley, Frey) – 3:28
"Hotel California" (Don Felder, Henley, Frey) – 7:12
"Wasted Time" (Henley, Frey) – 5:19
"Pretty Maids All in a Row" (Joe Walsh, Joe Vitale) – 4:26
"I Can't Tell You Why" (Henley, Frey, Schmit) – 5:11
"New York Minute" (Henley, Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, Jai Winding) – 6:37
"The Last Resort" (Henley, Frey) – 7:24
"Take It Easy" (Jackson Browne, Frey) – 4:36
"In the City" (Walsh, Barry De Vorzon) – 4:07
"Life in the Fast Lane" (Henley, Frey, Walsh) – 6:01
"Desperado" (Henley, Frey) – 4:17

*All new songs were released as studio recordings on the album, but can be seen live on the VHS and DVD versions.

 

[heeman]

Track Listings

1. Chuck E.'s In Love
2. On Saturday Afternoons In 1963
3. Night Train
4. Young Blood
5. Easy Money
6. Last Chance Texaco
7. Danny's All-star Joint
8. Coolsville
9. Weasel and The White Boys Cool
10. Company
11. After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight)

Great choice Keith, I really enjoy that album!!! :handgestures-thumbup:



Dennie

I finally got around to picking this one up and began listening to it this morning..............So far I think it is great!! Can you recommend some of her other good stuff??

 

[Dennie]

Track Listings

1. Chuck E.'s In Love
2. On Saturday Afternoons In 1963
3. Night Train
4. Young Blood
5. Easy Money
6. Last Chance Texaco
7. Danny's All-star Joint
8. Coolsville
9. Weasel and The White Boys Cool
10. Company
11. After Hours (Twelve Bars Past Goodnight)

Great choice Keith, I really enjoy that album!!! :handgestures-thumbup:



Dennie

I finally got around to picking this one up and began listening to it this morning..............So far I think it is great!! Can you recommend some of her other good stuff??

I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Try these, and remember most are out of print, so if you can find a copy it will probably be on the used market...

No Question, a Masterpiece January 7, 2003
By Karl Miller
Format:Audio CD
Rickie Lee Jones' 2nd album marked a radical departure for the beret wearing, Jack Daniel's swilling Coolsville resident. Piano-based and Steely Dan influenced, "Pirates" remains, over 20 years after it's release one of the most haunting pieces of music ever recorded. It marked a creative highwater mark that (unfortunately for all), Rickie has never again reached.
From the opening notes of "We Belong Together", it's clear that this work is much sadder than her debut. "We Belong Together" is every great male-rocking-loner song, with incredible shifts of tempo and texture, and a vocal performance that is gut-wrenching. "Living It Up", with its "Wild, and the Only Ones" chorus and awesome bridge (thanks to a great contribution from Sal Bernardi, Rickie's ex-lover and long term accompaniest), is the musical equivalent of the solemn Brassai photograph that adorns the album's cover. "Woody and Dutch" is the keyboard cousin of Rickie's "Danny's All Star Joint", with caramel coated basslines and cotton candy spun call and response vocals. "Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue)" reminds you of why horns are so sadly missed in this era of teen vocals and electronic instrumentation. And the genuine masterpiece of this album, "Traces Of The Western Slope" is a near 8 minute tribute to distant ghosts, vacant eyed dope fiends and sexual awakening, played out with Becker and Fagen inspired instrumentation and Tom Waits like lyrics. No woman has ever written, or laid down a jazz/rock classic that comes near this song.
Between birthdays, Christmas gifts, and replacing copies that I have owned (on 3 different formats), I have probably purchased at least 30 copies of this disc over the years. And yet I still don't feel like I have fully compensated Rickie Lee for the contribution she made to my muscial education with this album. It has grown with me like an old friend, and remains to this day an all time favorite.

A Definite "Desert Island" Disc January 21, 2005
By Darren
Format:Audio CD
Although released in 1989, Flying Cowboys remains one of my favorite musical pieces in my entire collection of CDs and definitely one of the most essential in Jone's discography. It's high on my list of must haves if I was to be stranded on the immortal "desert isle".

Jones has always been a talented songwriter and always had a creative knack for telling her musical tales using vivid characters and lush musical arrangements. With some help from producer/songwriter/musician Walter Becker (from Steely Dan), she scores big on this project. The end result here is a mostly upbeat, poetic & jazzy collection of folk/pop with the exception of "Ghost Train". Although "Ghost Train" doesn't seem to fit into the mood of the whole, it is one of my favorites. It works extremely well in illustrating Jone's talent at more bluesier vocals and her overall versatility. From the ethereal "The Horses" to the calypso tinged "Love is Gonna Bring Us Back Alive", the other selections are upbeat, smoothly poetic and mildly romantic. Smooth jazz artist Vonda Shephard (from the Allie McBeal series soundtrack)and jazz great Randy Brecker also perform on a couple of selections.

For those not familiar with Rickie Lee Jones, I highly recommend Flying Cowboys.

THIS RANKS WITH HER FIRST 2 RELEASES December 2, 2000
By Scott T Mc Nally
Format:Audio CD
It took me a while to get around to listening to this one, and after doing so, I wondered what took me so long. It conatins all original material (save for a cover of Bowie's "Rebel Rebel") and her somgs here are breathtaking. "Stewart's Coat" is one of the most beautiful songs she's ever penned and the fusion of jazz/Indian/African on "Tigers" is an experiment that truly works.

Overall, the album has a quiet, meditative, and highly spiritual tone to it. No references to the hard life on the street which have turned up in much of her work. Just quiet, introspective songs from a single mother, shortly before her 40th birthday, who had put her personal turmoil behind her. If you're a fan of her early work, give this one a whirl. While much of the subject matter may be different, her flair for melody and poetry are very much intact here.

Doesn't get better than this... February 10, 2005
By Christopher J. Benz
Format:Audio CD
This album, which I first heard when I was 15, like the other reviewers on this site, has been one that I always come back to. It is, in short, a masterpiece of poetic, jazzy, unforgettable and unpredictable composition, and for all that, it constantly guts you with it's intimacy. Like Steely Dan compositions, RLJ has a way of investing changes that are so unorthodox but so perfectly suited to her music, that the sounds are always fresh, even almost 20 years on. Runaround is my personal fav because no one can match Rickie on this type of funky, streetwise pop song, but I can't fault the first nine tracks on this CD at all. The playing on this record is incredible - you can feel the musicians using the space allowed them on these tracks with sheer joy and inventiveness, yet the whole thing hangs together with ruthless self discipline. The final enigmatic Rorschachs song cycle is a journey that may be too challenging for some, but is rewarding and passionate at a level that popular music very rarely reaches. This LP is probably my favourite album for Rickie Lee and that's really saying something.

OR......

ONE OF YOUR BEST, AMERICA July 25, 2005
By Remaster Bob
Format:Audio CD
Hi. The people who review reviews on the British site seem not to have noticed a very wise change in amazon's guidelines which now allows for comments on the sound quality of discs. Maybe I'll have more luck here in the States....

Because the remastering standard of this Anthology is absolutely superb. Hats off to Dan Hersch at Digiprep and his latest equipment. Superb sound. I can hear tom-toms reverberating, bass strings resonating, it's just delicious, Dan. Thanks to you and Rhino for this invaluable update of Rickie Lee Jones music.

The music! Well, she, RLJ, is a unique, gifted, and truly American artist and her eccentricities are well represented here. Listeners who seek consistency of style and tempo might get frustrated by the alphabetical sequencing on discs 1 and 2, but if you are prepared to go with the flow then relax and let this terrific selection wash over you. Particularly if you only know a few of her albums, in which case surprises will pop out at you all over the place. For me, new friends included the old Sinatra number "Cycles" and the haunting "Sailor Song", blending in successfully with absolute classics like "Flying Cowboys" (a massive favourite), "It Must Be Love", "Living It Up", and of course "Chuck E's In Love".

The third disc is far better than most of these "odds and sods" appendages, with wonderful demos of "Easy Money" (developed thereafter by Lowell George) and "Satellites" for example, and rarities like Donovan's song of romantic determination "Sunshine Superman" (performed in her most cheerful uptempo style, from the movie 'Party Of Five') and "Easter Parade" with equally unusual Scottish band Blue Nile (who are well worth separate investigation, by the way). Everyone will enjoy different items here.

But the full proof of RLJ's idiosyncratic brilliance is covered ahead of this on the first two discs. Let me state the obvious - she has a fantastic voice. Soak it up, and choose your own favourites. Have fun making your own single-disc collection for the car! (Now - Warner/Rhino - do the decent thing and remaster all the original albums. Soon. Call Dan!).

 

[Dennie]

Moondance -- CD

Van Morrison

1970/1990 Warner Bros. Records

Consistent Excellence, September 8, 2000
By Larry Glickman - See all my reviews
This review is from: Moondance (Audio CD)

In the history of popular music, there are works which, no matter how old they are, no matter how many times you have heard them, they remain consistently fresh, innovative, inviting and entertaining. Moondance, by Van Morrison, deserves an honored place on that list.

I was listening to the WXRT here in Chicago the other day, and Lin Brehmer, the morning DJ, had just played the first cut on Moondance, "And It Stoned Me". The song ended, and Lin read the titles of the first five songs on the disc, then he said, "If that is not musical genius, I don't know what is". I think Lin hit the nail on the head.

Moondance is an excellent album. The songwriting and the arrangements combine to form a mood and a feeling that is so distinct, so ephereal and relaxing, you feel like you are in another time and place. Listen to the song Moondance on the radio, and you may tire of it soon. Listen to it in the context of this album, and you will understand that it was written by a young man who was writing about his time, his life, his relationships.

This album has been written about many times, by writers whose skills far outweigh mine. Let me just finish by saying that Moondance is a special album, filled with special music. Buy it, and it will be special for you, too.

Side one

"And It Stoned Me" – 4:30
"Moondance" – 4:35
"Crazy Love" – 2:34
"Caravan" – 4:57
"Into the Mystic" – 3:25

Side two

"Come Running" – 2:30
"These Dreams of You" – 3:50
"Brand New Day" – 5:09
"Everyone" – 3:31
"Glad Tidings" – 3:13

 

[Dennie]

If you are a Beatles Fan, you should probably stay away from this. But, if you're a Persuasions fan, A Capella Fan or High Resolution fan, check this out if you get a chance, it is a fantastic recording....


........ :text-bravo:

The Persuasions Sing The Beatles -- SACD

The Persuasions

2002 Chesky Records

Superb vocal stylings March 19, 2002
By J. Schor
Format:Audio CD

Chesky Records is well known for their fantastic "Audiophile" CD's, and the acoustics on this album are absolutely unbelievable. Innovative and smooth......I highly recommend it.

Album Tracks

1. Eight Days a Week
2. Oh! Darling
3. Come Together
4. Rocky Raccoon
5. Octopus's Garden
6. Love Me Do
7. With a Little Help from My Friends
8. From Me to You
9. Yesterday
10. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
11. Don't Let Me Down
12. Ballad of John and Yoko
13. Imagine
14. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

 

[Dennie]

The Hudson Project -- HDCD

John Abercrombie, Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer, John Patitucci

2000 Hudson/Stretch Records

The Hudson Project is comprised of four of the most acclaimed and accomplished musicians today: John Abercrombie, Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer and John Patitucci. Each has years of experience, recording and performing credits, and all have worked with a veritable who's-who of artists in both jazz and popular music.

Each band member is a world-renowned bandleader, solo artist, and composer. On their debut album, the band performs eight brilliant compositions, ranging in style from a spiritual ballad (The Well by John Patitucci), to second-line funk Cats and Kittens by Peter Erskine), and from country-inflected swing (That's For Sure by John Abercrombie), to bebop (Modern Day Tuba by Bob Mintzer).

Live in New York City is an auspicious debut by a band that includes seasoned veterans who are among the world's most expressive musicians in any genre.

Amazon.com

This quartet featuring Bob Mintzer, Peter Erskine, John Abercrombie, and John Patitucci was created for a corporate-sponsored performance-clinic tour. The fusion-like athleticism of Yellowjackets saxophonist Mintzer and the L.A.- based bassist Pattitucci is nicely balanced by the more ethereal tone and searching style of guitarist Abercrombie. Mintzer's fellow 'Jacket Erskine stitches the two camps together with his muscular brand of swing. Each contributes two tunes, beginning with a rhythm-changes based romp by Mintzer aptly titled "Runferyerlife." These four men prove themselves equally comfortable with the down-home funk of Erskine's "Cats + Kittens" and the more modern lyricism of Patitucci's "The Well." They demonstrate a combination of versatility and personality that has made each of them an MVP with different lineups(Weather Report, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham) as well as artists in their own right. This excellently recorded live date shows it's possible to successfully blend art and commerce, a clinical workout and dynamite playing. --Michael Ross

Track listing

1. Runferyerlife
2. Labor Day
3. Little Swing
4. Cats & Kittens
5. Well, The
6. Bass Desires
7. That's for Sure
8. Modern Day Tuba

 

[Dennie]

The Deep End -- CD

Spyro Gyra

2004 Heads Up Records

A contemporary jazz reference, February 27, 2005
By Ricardo Carreon Quinones "http://ricardosblog... (Sao Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Deep End (Audio CD)

Spyro Gyra has managed to produce a very beautiful, creative and powerful album in "Deep End". The music has great groves, beautiful mellodies, skillfull instrumentation, inspired guitar and sax solos and the power of putting it all together in such a way that its energy really lifts your spirit up.

Spyro Gyra's "Deep End" is great music to listen to or to use as an elegant background for your activities. Please do not confuse this great band and its meaningful music with the many bland and boring artists that are smooth jazz wannabies. This is great contemporary jazz -- it comes across smooth, but in this case that is not by any means a way to hide mediocre musicmanship.

If you would like to try a few tracks I recommend you listen to Monsoon and The Crossing, both will give you a great idea of what to expect here. Enjoy.

"Summer Fling" (Jeremy Wall) - 4:58
"Eastlake Shuffle" (Julio Fernandez) - 5:02
"Monsoon" (Jay Beckenstein) - 7:00
"As You Wish" (Jay Beckenstein) - 4:36
"Joburg Jam" (Jay Beckenstein) - 6:10
"The Crossing" (Julio Fernandez) - 7:17
"Wiggle Room" (Scott Ambush) - 6:48
"Wind Warriors" (Tom Schuman) - 6:15
"In Your Arms" (Tom Schuman) - 4:46
"Chippewa Street" (Jay Beckenstein) - 5:46
"Beyond the Rain" (Scott Ambush) - 6:09

 

[Dennie]

Various Positions -- CD

Leonard Cohen

1985/1995 Columbia Records

Dance Me To The End Of Love,
July 20, 2002
By Gary Selikow
This review is from: Various Positions (Audio CD)

In this album Leonard Cohen displays the full range of his genius.

It begins with the richly melodic `Dance Me To The End Of Love', with it's distinct Mediterranean/Israeli style, which remind me of hot romantic summer nights, by the sea.
It also includes such magnificent works as the passionate and intense love ballad, `Coming Back To You' and the fascinating mix of romantic and satirical `Night Comes On', the biting satire of `The Captain' and `Heart With No Companion' which embodies a heartfelt and deep explanation of the terrible experience of loneliness and isolation.

The greatest track on this album however, is the majestic and spiritual `Hallelujah':

"They say there was a sacred chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It went like this, the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah"

I also love Jennifer Warnes' rich, melodic, sensual voice, which particularly adds beauty to `Dance Me to The End of Love' and `Hallelujah'.

All songs were written by Leonard Cohen.

Side one

"Dance Me to the End of Love" – 4:38
"Coming Back to You" – 3:32
"The Law" – 4:27
"Night Comes On" – 4:40

Side two

"Hallelujah" – 4:36
"The Captain" – 4:06
"Hunter's Lullaby" – 2:24
"Heart With No Companion" – 3:04
"If It Be Your Will" – 3:43

 

[Dennie]

Stability -- SACD

Clark Tracey

2001 Linn Records (Import)

Scion of foremost English jazz pianist Stan Tracey, drummer Clark Tracey has gathered a group of top-of-the-list U.K. jazz artists for a session that incorporates a variety of playing modes, including a contribution by Irish avant-garde singer Christine Tobin. There's hard bop, some smooth jazz, and pretty ballads with a string quartet in attendance. Tracey has found a successful and accommodating method to solve the conundrum drummer leaders often find themselves faced with, viz., to dominate and run the risk of overwhelming or to lie back and be the main rhythm. He provides rhythmic support, adding well-timed drum breaks and short but telling solos. The drummer adopts a broad definition for "support." Tracey is quite active on such cuts as "Giant Steps," where he and pianist Gareth Williams offer a much more straight swinging version of John Coltrane's classic than usually heard, likely because of the strong involvement of Tracey's drums. On tunes as "Black Coffee",,the drummer lays back as Tim Garland's sax takes the lead with the Locrian String Quartet on hand to provide the bulk of the musical background. Tracey also contributes well conceived, melodic originals such as "Lounge Blues," a tune that exudes an exotic aura which Iain Ballamy's soprano sax helps create with Tracey's cymbals and Arnie Somogyi's bass. Irish singer Christine Tobin provides a vocal recitation of the moving poetic lyrics for Tracey's "Stability." The lieder recital mood is set by the Locrian String Quartet, the only instrumentation on the track. One of the more intriguing cuts is a pensive piano solo by Tracey, giving a rare airing of Duke Ellington's "Melancholia." Stability is a seminar on eclectic musical styles and is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan

Track Listing
1. Gone
2. Black Coffee
3. Lounge Blues
4. Ugly Beauty
5. Sunshower
6. Peacocks, The
7. Giant Steps
8. Stability
9. Melancholia
10. Boaz

 

[Dennie]

Eleven Daughters -- CD

Aaron Immanuel Wright

2010 Origin Records

New York bassist and composer Aaron Immanuel Wright's dynamic debut recording features the lyrical piano work of Darrell Grant, on saxophone Tim Wilcox, and drummer Brian Menendez. From the opening bass line of Something Mainstream, it's clear Wright has ideas that quickly move beyond the mainstream as the band explores his compositions in a truly modern vein. The lush arco tones of Wright's bass, blend with Grant's sensitive piano work on the title track, and the searching melody of Late Goodbye has an inspired European jazz aesthetic. On Eleven Daughters, Wright carries on the tradition of the great jazz bassists Mingus and Holland, who have a very natural knack of crafting superlative and nuanced ensemble recordings.

1) Something Mainstream 6:58
2) Eleven Daughters 6:12
3) Calling for Casey 7:50
4) Late Goodbye 7:07
5) Sunrise in Quebec 5:39
6) Laura 5:18
7) Ancestry 2:48

 

[Dennie]

Raising Sand -- CD

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

2007 Rounder Records

Amazon.com

Perhaps only the fantasy duo of King Kong and Bambi could be a more bizarre pairing than Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Yet on Raising Sand, their haunting and brilliant collaboration, the Led Zeppelin screamer and Nashville's most hypnotic song whisperer seem made for each other. This, however, is not the howling Plant of "Whole Lotta Love," but a far more precise and softer singer than even the one who emerged with Dreamland (2002). No matter that Plant seems so subdued as to be on downers, for that's one of the keys to this most improbable meeting of musical galaxies--almost all of it seems slowed down, out of time, otherworldly, and at times downright David Lynch-ian, the product of an altered consciousness. Yet probably the main reason it all works so well is the choice of producer T Bone Burnette, the third star of the album, who culled mostly lesser-known material from some of the great writers of blues, country, folk, gospel, and R&B, including Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt, Milt Campbell, the Everly Brothers, Sam Phillips, and A.D. and Rosa Lee Watson. At times, Burnette's spare and deliberate soundscape--incisively crafted by guitarists Marc Ribot and Norman Blake, bassist Dennis Crouch, drummer Jay Bellerose, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Seeger, among others--is nearly as dreamy and subterranean as Daniel Lanois's work with Emmylou Harris (Wrecking Ball). Occasionally, Burnette opts for a fairly straightforward production while still reworking the original song (Plant's own "Please Read the Letter," Mel Tillis's "Stick with Me, Baby"). But much of the new flesh on these old bones is oddly unsettling, if not nightmarish. On the opening track of "Rich Woman," the soft-as-clouds vocals strike an optimistic mood, while the instrumental backing--loose snare, ominous bass line, and insinuating electric guitar lines--create a spooky, sinister undertow. Plant and Krauss trade out the solo and harmony vocals, and while they both venture into new waters here (Krauss as a mainstream blues mama, Plant as a gospel singer and honkytonker), she steals the show in Sam Phillips' new "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," where a dramatic violin and tremulous banjo strike a foreboding gypsy tone. When Krauss begins this strange, seductive song in a voice so ethereal that angels will take note, you may stop breathing. That, among other reasons, makes Raising Sand an album to die for. --Alanna Nash

1. "Rich Woman" Dorothy LaBostrie, McKinley Millet 4:04
2. "Killing the Blues" Roly Jon Salley 4:16
3. "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" Sam Phillips 3:26
4. "Polly Come Home" Gene Clark 5:36
5. "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" Don Everly, Phil Everly 3:33
6. "Through the Morning, Through the Night" Gene Clark 4:01
7. "Please Read the Letter" Charlie Jones, Michael Lee, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant 5:53
8. "Trampled Rose" Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits 5:34
9. "Fortune Teller" Naomi Neville 4:30
10. "Stick With Me Baby" Mel Tillis 2:50
11. "Nothin'" Townes Van Zandt 5:33
12. "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson" Milton Campbell 4:02
13. "Your Long Journey" Doc Watson, Rosa Lee Watson 3:55

 

[Dennie]

Careless Love -- CD

Madeleine Peyroux

2004 Rounder Records

Amazon.com

When Madeleine Peyroux's debut, Dreamland, was released in 1996, its success threw her for a loop. She's taken eight years to create this follow-up, and, at age 30, she brings a confidence and resilience to this dozen-song set. She's able to move seamlessly between songs by writers as diverse as Elliott Smith and W.C. Handy, whose title track was popularized by Bessie Smith. Though American-born, Peyroux absorbed the language and culture of France growing up in Paris with her French-teacher mother. On her debut, she covered Edith Piaf, and this time out she wraps herself around "J'ai Deux Amours," which Josephine Baker sang to the Allied troops during World War II. --David Greenberger

"Dance Me to the End of Love" (Leonard Cohen) - 3:56
"Don't Wait Too Long" (Madeleine Peyroux–Jesse Harris–Larry Klein) - 3:10
"Don't Cry Baby" (Saul Bernie–James P. Johnson–Stella Unger) - 3:16
"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" (Bob Dylan) - 3:26
"Between the Bars" (Elliott Smith) - 3:42
"No More" (Salvador Camerata–Bob Russell) - 3:31
"Lonesome Road" (Gene Austin–Nathaniel Shilkret) - 3:10
"J'ai Deux Amours" (Vincent Scotto–Géorges Koger–Henri Varna) - 2:54
"Weary Blues" (Hank Williams) - 3:39
"I'll Look Around" (George Cory-Douglass Cross) - 4:47
"Careless Love" (William C. Handy-Martha Koenig–Spencer Williams) - 3:50
"This Is Heaven to Me" (Frank Reardon–Ernest Schweikert) - 3:12

(Recorded at Market Street, Venice, and Paramount Recording Studios, Hollywood by Helik Hadar.)

 

[Dennie]

Live By Request -- CD

K.D. Lang

2001 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

k.d. lang has spent her eccentric career pitching between twin poles of desire--torch (jazz/blues) and twang (retro country), and artistry and flamboyance. On Live by Request, she revisits the best of her shimmering repertoire, from her rough-edged cowpunk days to her current gossamer soundscape. But at the start of the set, recorded December 2000 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, she threatens to diminish her own impact with a lumpy, rushed rendition of "Summerfling" and a cartoonish version of "Big Boned Gal." Soon, however, she settles down to do what she does best, which is seduction. While a way-too-melodramatic arrangement spoils "Don't Smoke in Bed," she goes on to bring goose-bump intimacy to "The Consequences of Falling" and "Constant Craving," one of popular music's most aching songs of longing laid bare. By the time she turns her exquisite soprano to the howling chorus of "Barefoot," the earth doesn't just move, Ernest, it trembles--a prelude to the staggeringly emotional affect of "Pullin' Back the Reins." When she gets to that one, don't be surprised if your stereo starts to smoke. --Alanna Nash

1. "Summerfling" (lang, Piltch) – 4:03
2. "Big Boned Gal" (lang, Mink) – 2:55
3. "Black Coffee" (Sonny Burke, Paul Francis Webster) – 3:44
4. "Trail of Broken Hearts" (lang, Mink) – 3:19
5. "Crying" (Joe Melson, Roy Orbison) – 4:32
6. "Don't Smoke in Bed" (Willard Robison) – 3:44
7. "The Consequences of Falling" (DUbaldo, Nowels, Steinberg) – 3:55
8. "Miss Chatelaine" (lang, Mink) – 3:25
9. "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray" (Eddie Miller, WS Stevenson) – 2:52
10. "Barefoot" (lang, Telson) – 4:20
11. "Constant Craving" (lang, Mink) – 4:32
12. "Wash Me Clean" (lang) – 3:50
13. "Pullin' Back the Reins" (lang, Mink) – 4:41
14. "Simple" (lang, Piltch) – 3:29

 

[Dennie]

In Through The Out Door -- CD

Led Zeppelin

1979/1994 Swan Song/Atlantic Records

Amazon.com

Though the band likely didn't know it at the time, this would prove to be the last studio record by one of the most famous rock & roll bands in the world. Drummer John Bonham died shortly after its release. Although nothing compares to early Led Zeppelin--and they lost many longtime fans in the late 1970s--this LP is nothing to be embarrassed by. They were quick to embrace and experiment with synthesizers, and while it wears a little thin by record's end (the synth-bloated "Carouselambra" and the slick AOR hit "All My Love"), it adds a certain majestic tone to the heavy-hitting opener, "In the Evening," and gives a rollicking good-time feel to "South Bound Suarez." Plant's howl and Page's bluesy guitars are in fine form on "I'm Gonna Crawl" and the lilting "Fool in the Rain" recalls the pretty numbers from their early career. --Lorry Fleming

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "In the Evening" Jones, Page, Plant 6:49
2. "South Bound Saurez" Jones, Plant 4:12
3. "Fool in the Rain" Jones, Page, Plant 6:12
4. "Hot Dog" Page, Plant 3:17
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Carouselambra" Jones, Page, Plant 10:32
2. "All My Love" Jones, Plant 5:51
3. "I'm Gonna Crawl" Jones, Page, Plant 5:30

 

[Dennie]

Tracy Chapman -- CD

Tracy Chapman

1988 Elektra/Asylum Records

Absolute perfection, May 27, 2002
By Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Tracy Chapman (Audio CD)

I genuinely don't think this disk could be any better. There is not a single song on here that isn't a work of art. I owned this on tape initially, but I had to get the CD because the tape was getting worn out, because I listened to it constantly - particulary to Baby Can I Hold You, Why, and Talking About A Revolution.

Chapman's voice is stunning, particularly on the a capella Behind The Wall, which never ceases to bring a chill down my spine. I always thought I didn't like folk music, but Chapman has made me reconsider that belief. Her lyrics are meaningful, and the collection of songs come together to form an overall feel, a mood, that is extremely moving and empowering. She exemplifies how music can bring people together and be an impetus to change, ala the greats like Bob Dylan. Make no mistake -- this is a political album and Chapman wears her left wing leanings like a badge of honour. If you can't tolerate her political views, you probably won't like the album as much as her core fans. That said, her voice and the music itself may make it possible for you to give it at least an intial listen. Chapman is more than a singer and musician - she's a poet, and her message is one that I believe we all need to heed.

I highly reccommend this album to everyone. Even if you don't agree with her politics, hopefully she'll make you think. At the very least, you'll be listening to one of the purest, best voices in modern folk/r&b/soul around today.

All songs were written by Tracy Chapman.

"Talkin' Bout a Revolution" – 2:39
"Fast Car" – 4:56
"Across the Lines" – 3:24
"Behind the Wall" – 1:49
"Baby Can I Hold You" – 3:14
"Mountains o' Things" – 4:39
"She's Got Her Ticket" – 3:56
"Why?" – 2:06
"For My Lover" – 3:12
"If Not Now..." – 3:01
"For You" – 3:09

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music....

On How Life Is -- CD

Macy Gray

1999 Epic Records

That voice!, February 28, 2000
By Caz (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: On How Life Is (Audio CD)

I had heard "Do Something" on MTV when this CD first came out... I enjoyed it, but wasn't bowled over. I'm usually not a big fan of R&B, soul music. A couple friends of mine played this CD in their car constantly at the end of last summer. I ended up purchasing the disc because I couldn't get "I Try" out of my head. This disc may not hit you immediately, but let me assure you IT WILL GROW ON YOU and you will love it! It's my favorite disc of 1999. I purchased it back in August and continue listening to it today. For a guy with a 700+ cd collection that says a lot. Most cd's find their way onto a shelf and rarely come back down. I saw Macy in concert here in Pittsburgh recently. She is an incredible talent and deserves much success. I consider my self an 'adult alternative' fan with tastes that range from Everything but the Girl to Dead Can Dance to Pet Shop Boys... love a real voice (Sarah, Sting), love drama (Erasure, Depeche Mode)... hate polish (Whitney, Mariah)... love Macy Gray. Check her out. You won't be disappointed!

1. "Why Didn't You Call Me" Macy Gray, Jeremy Ruzumna 3:14
2. "Do Something" Gray, Darryl Swann, Ruzumna, Dion Murdock, Patrick Brown, Raymon Murray, Rico Wade, Cameron Gipp, Robert Barnett, André Benjamin, Antwan Patton, Thomas Burton, Greg Mays, Daryl Barnes, George Clinton, Jr., Garry Shider, Bernard Worrell 5:00
3. "Caligula" Gray, Swann, Ruzumna 4:38
4. "I Try" Gray, Ruzumna, Jinsoo Lim, David Wilder 3:59
5. "Sex-o-Matic Venus Freak" Gray, Ruzumna, Murdock 3:57
6. "I Can't Wait to Meetchu" Gray, Swann, Ruzumna, Miles Tackett 5:18
7. "Still" Gray, Ruzumna, Bill Esses, Jeff Blue 4:15
8. "I've Committed Murder" Gray, Swann, Ruzumna, Kiilu Beckwith, Eddie Harris, Francis Lai, Carl Sigman 5:00
9. "A Moment to Myself" Gray, Ruzumna, Tackett, Mark Morales, Damon Wimbley 4:00
10. "The Letter" Gray, Jamie Houston, Matt Sherrod 5:38

 

[heeman]

 

[Dennie]

Good As I Been To You -- CD

Bob Dylan (Acoustic)

1992 Columbia Records

It takes a while...,
December 22, 2005
By J. McNew
This review is from: Acoustic-Good As I Been to You (Audio CD)

I grew up on Dylan... in fact, Dylan is my middle name. I was very intimate with his songs from a very early age. When I bought this album in the early '90s, I was still in high school. At first, I remember thinking that his voice was gone. I didn't think I could listen to the entire album. I struggled through it and put it on a shelf.

From time to time, I forced myself to listen to it. I don't know exactly when the change took place... I suppose I grew up a bit, musically. Good As I Been To You started to take shape. The guitar... the harp... the voice. All of a sudden, it meant something entirely different. It made sense. It all came together.

Now, fourteen years later, I listen to this album at least once a week. I will not hesitate to say that this is a great album. But, for some reason, it needs to grow on you. It builds up to some subtle crescendo. Then, suddenly, it will hit you like a ton of bricks. Dylan knew exactly what he was doing. This is his re-entry into greatness after a few years astray.

The guitar picking is incredible. His voice couldn't be more appropriate for the content. If you need more proof, just look at what the (rare) vinyl form of this album can fetch. I recently acquired the LP, and it is the most expensive one in my collection! Those 'in the know' really know what this album is worth.

Give it a try... then try it again. Let the guitar flow through you for a while. Sing along. Go ahead and try. It's not that easy. You'll soom see why this IS one of Dylan's greatest albums. I say that as a hard-core Dylan fan, so don't take it lightly.

All songs are Traditional, arranged by Bob Dylan, except where noted.

"Frankie & Albert" (Trad., arranged by Mississippi John Hurt) – 3:50
"Jim Jones" (Trad., arranged by Mick Slocum) – 3:52
"Blackjack Davey" – 5:47
"Canadee-i-o" – 4:20
"Sittin' on Top of the World" – 4:27
"Little Maggie" – 2:52
"Hard Times" (Stephen Foster, arranged by De Dannan)[2] – 4:31
"Step It Up and Go" – 2:54
"Tomorrow Night" (Sam Coslow & Will Grosz)[3] – 3:42
"Arthur McBride" (Trad., arranged by Paul Brady) – 6:20
"You're Gonna Quit Me" (Public Domain) – 2:46
"Diamond Joe" – 3:14
"Froggie Went A-Courtin'" – 6:26

 

[heeman]

:text-bravo: :bow-blue: :text-bravo:

I would have never dreamed that these two would ever work together and if they did, would it be as great as this is???

Love It!!! :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Zing]

^ You're welcome!