What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

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To Get To You - Greatest Hits Collection -- CD

Lorrie Morgan

2001 BNA Records

From 1995 to 1998, Lorrie Morgan released no fewer than three best-of compilations, and in 2000 there appeared a fourth, TO GET TO YOU: GREATEST HITS COLLECTION. What makes this one different is the presence of five brand-new bonus tracks. They include two beautiful ballads ("To Get to You" and "If I Cry"), one novelty song ("Whoop-de-do"), an emotional remake of a Tammy Wynette classic ("Another Lonely Song"), and a surprising live cover of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel." Morgan does an outstanding job with this last track, easing off her usual powerful delivery to let the delicate melody of the song shine through.The rest of the tracks provide a decent overview of Morgan's career. Early cuts like "Trainwreck of Emotion" and the goosebump-inducing "Something in Red" are mixed with signature you-done-me-wrong-but-I'm-strong cuts ("Good As I Was to You," "I Guess You Had to Be There," "Standing Tall") and upbeat numbers like "Half Enough" and "We Both Walk." Also included are Morgan's hit duet with her ex-husband Jon Randall, "By My Side," and "Maybe Not Tonight," her 1999 collaboration with Sammy Kershaw. With 12 hits, plus five new gems, TO GET TO YOU represents a great value for Morgan fans.

Track Listing
1. We Both Walk
2. Half Enough
3. Another Love Song
4. Whoop-De-Do
5. By My Side
6. Good as I Was to You
7. Go Away
8. To Get to You
9. One of Those Nights Tonight
10. Maybe Not Tonight
11. I Guess You Had to Be There
12. Trainwreck of Emotion
13. If I Cry
14. Standing Tall
15. He Talks to Me
16. Something in Red
17. Angel

 

[Dennie]

A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night -- Remastered CD

Harry Nilsson

1973/? RCA Records

Time will tell whether Harry Nilsson is remembered most fondly for his songwriting or his singing. Throughout his career, he covered outside material (two of his biggest hits were Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" and Badfinger's "Without You"), and even devoted an entire album to songs by Randy Newman (NILSSON SINGS NEWMAN). After the rollicking party of NILSSON SCHMILSSON and SON OF SCHMILSSON, he delivered this album. It's a set of pre-rock-era, crooner-styled ballads, lushly arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins (who achieved his greatest fame with Frank Sinatra). Nilsson handles the songs with grace and aplomb. He's never cloying or maudlin, and demonstrates a deep understanding of material that clearly influenced much of his early development as an artist. He's a confident interpreter, making standards like "Makin' Whoopee!" and "As Time Goes By" his own.

Track Listing
1. Lazy Moon
2. For Me And My Gal
3. It Had To Be You
4. Always
5. Makin' Whoopee!
6. You Made Me Love You
7. Lullaby In Ragtime
8. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
9. What'll I Do
10. Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
11. This Is All I Ask
12. As Time Goes By

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music....

Making Movies -- CD

Dire Straits

1980 Warner Bros. Records

A Masterpiece February 7, 2003
By Brad Shorr
Format:Audio CD

This is not only my favorite Dire Straits recording, it is one of my favorite rock CD's of all time. Never has Mark Knopfler's guitar work been more passionate. Never have his lyrics been more poetic. Never have his vocals been more emotive. "Tunnel of Love" has an unforgettable melody, dreamlike lyrics, and a haunting guitar that add up to one of the greatest songs ever. "Romeo and Juliet" tells a heartbreaking story, told perfectly thanks to Knopfler's dead-on vocals. Not a weak song to be found in this masterpiece.


All songs written by Mark Knopfler, unless otherwise noted.

"Tunnel of Love" (Mark Knopfler, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) – 8:11
"Romeo and Juliet" – 6:00
"Skateaway" – 6:40
"Expresso Love" – 5:12
"Hand in Hand" – 4:48
"Solid Rock" – 3:19
"Les Boys" – 4:07

 

[Dennie]

Just Tell Me That You Want Me - A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac -- CD

Various Artists

2012 Hear Music

Fleetwood Mac was the subject of an all-star tribute back in 1998, when Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours appeared. That full-length album tribute celebrated the Mac's biggest hit in a big way, concentrating entirely on major-label acts like Elton John and Matchbox 20, but 2012's Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac is decidedly more eccentric, as its title -- a line borrowed from "Tusk" -- no doubt suggests. Apart from Marianne Faithfull and Billy Gibbons, along with Americana singer Trixie Whitley, every band here exists solely within the realm of indie rock and, collectively, there's been a decision to stray from the confines of the standards of the Buckingham/Nicks songbook, with Bob Welch and Peter Green eras almost as well-represented as oddities from Lindsey Buckingham's album tracks. Certainly, the major hits come from Nicks: Antony essays an appropriately florid version of "Landslide," Karen Elson brings a bit of spooky blues to the witchy "Gold Dust Woman" -- a reinvention surpassed by Best Coast's sprightly, insistent "Rhiannon," and the Kills turning "Dreams" into something resembling nightmares. Hooks take a backseat -- only the New Pornographers' "Think About Me" really pushes the power pop angle -- to eerie, dreamy textures, with the Lee Ranaldo Band and J Mascis setting a pitch-perfect keynote with "Albatross," even though it's hardly just guitars here. Tame Impala push "That's All for Everyone" onto waves of analog synths, MGMT give "Future Games" a considerable reworking, Gardens & Villa turn "Gypsy" into electro-pop, and Crystal Ark perform a similar trick with "Tusk," signaling the kind of imagination and depth that make Just Tell Me That You Want Me an unusually satisfying tribute album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

1. Albatross [Lee Ranaldo Band featuring J Mascis]
2. Landslide [Antony]
3. Before The Beginning [Trixie Whitley]
4. Oh Well [Billy Gibbons & Co.]
5. Rhiannon [Best Coast]
6. Think About Me [The New Pornographers]
7. Angel [Marianne Faithfull]
8. Silver Springs [Lykke Li]
9. Gold Dust Woman [Karen Elson]
10. Storms [Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy]
11. Straight Back [Washed Out]
12. Thats All For Everyone [Tame Impala]
13. Sisters Of The Moon [Craig Wedren with St. Vincent]
14. Dreams [The Kills]
15. Gypsy [Gardens & Villa]
16. Tusk [The Crystal Ark]
17. Future Games [MGMT]

 

[Botch]

 

[Wardsweb]

Melody Gardot : My One & Only Thrill

 

[Dennie]

'Natty Dread' -- CD

Bob Marley & The Wailers

1974 Island Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Natty Dread captures Bob Marley's decisive transition from Wailers band member to auteur, his singing and writing now front and center, and the revamped band securely reined in to his defiant, Rastafarian worldview. This 1974 release mirrors the lineup's more sinewy sound, carved by Al Anderson's spidery guitar fills, Touter's telegraphic keyboard, the I-Threes' female vocal choruses and vamping horns--a potent brew that bubbles under his then most openly political songs. A position paper on the daunting ghetto realities of Jamaica's Trenchtown, the album reels off a series of enduring Marley classics and kicks off with the giddy, sexy reggae anthem, "Lively Up Yourself," with its hilarious but mysterious spoken fadeout ("What you got in dat bag, dere?"). It continues with the uplifting pep talk in "No Woman No Cry," the grim dispatches of "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" and "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)," as well as the exhortations of the title song and "Revolution." Marley's own dreadlocks were still just growing in then, but this is nonetheless fully matured, riveting reggae at its most focused, righteous, and rhythmically irresistible. --Sam Sutherland

Track Listing
1. Lively Up Yourself
2. No Woman, No Cry
3. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
4. Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Road Block)
5. So Jah Seh
6. Natty Dread
7. Bend Down Low
8. Talkin' Blues
9. Revolution

 

[Botch]

 

[Wardsweb]

Classic! I love that album.

 

[Botch]

I mostly love it, but when a musician friend pointed out that Joa˘o sings a few cents flat, consistently, it kinda grates. Stan's breath-y tenor tone is to die for, however. :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[PaulyT]

Y'know, I have this too and I thought there was something off about the singer... so it's not just my imagination after all.

 

[Dennie]

Love's Been Rough On Me -- CD

Etta James

1997 RCA Records

THE ONE AND ONLY ETTA JAMES, August 28, 2005
By R. Rodriguez "Mayan Traveler" (Maui Hawaii) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Love's Been Rough on Me (Audio CD)

Etta James takes on a country feel on this release but being that it IS Etta James one would think that there were no other country singers ever. From the opening tract "The Rock" you feel the pain in this womans soul. when she sings " Now you say I`m only holding you down like some ole rock you been draggin around " You know that she has felt it and she makes you feel it too.The following song " Cry like A Rainy Day " Has Etta`s voice soaring to its highest high and down to its lowest lows never clearer, stronger, and just as powerful as ever this lady can SANG. The Title Track will bring you to tears she sings " Have Mercy Baby Loves Been Rough On Me " her voice and style take you down a path of broken dreams and hearts as only Etta can do.Her rendition of "If I Had Any Pride At all" and I`ve Been Lovin You" Will have you running for a tissue. And then as if to rescue your broken heart Etta sings " I Can Give You Everything " to bring you back from that edge. To round the offering out the closing tract was written by Etta herself with her son Donto and Josh Sklair." Done In The Dark" is catchy, sassy,in your face, I know your doing me wrong kinda song,a fitting end to these sessions.
As with all of her recordings the backing musicians are a tight and well oiled unit one wonders if playing with the best brings out the best I`m not sure but it sure sounds that way. This CD belongs in everyone ones collection
I was lucky enough to of seen this Lady twice this summer she can still belt em out and stir your soul, she is after all THE ONE AND ONLY ETTA JAMES

Track listing

1. Rock, The
2. Cry Like a Rainy Day
3. Love's Been Rough on Me
4. Love It or Leave It Alone
5. Don't Touch Me
6. Hold Me (Just a Little Longer Tonight)
7. If I Had Any Pride Left at All
8. I Can Give You Everything
9. I've Been Loving You Too Long
10. Done in the Dark

 

[Dennie]

I mostly love it, but when a musician friend pointed out that Joa˘o sings a few cents flat, consistently, it kinda grates. Stan's breath-y tenor tone is to die for, however. :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:

I just picture a young "Astrud" in my head and it's all good again!

One of my favorite album covers......

Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Rare Genius - The Undiscovered Masters -- CD :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:

Ray Charles

2010 Concord Records

A real Ray Charles album, October 26, 2010
By T. Fisher - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters (MP3 Download)

This album includes 10 previously unreleased songs from the Ray Charles vault, polished up for release by producer John Burk, who also produced Ray Charles' last album, "Genius Loves Company". It could easily have deteriorated into a farce -- a collection of half-finished songs and scratchy demos slapped onto a disc to keep the money machine alive.

Happily, this is not the case. These tunes are produced with care, and their feel is true to Ray Charles' legacy, even though many have been fleshed out with the help of musicians in the studio today. Charles recorded the songs over three decades, from the 1970s to the 1990s. Despite that, the album has a satisfying cohesiveness, thanks no doubt to the producer and engineers. It felt like listening to a real Ray Charles album that stands up to much of his best work.

The instrumentation is polished, and includes plenty of both strings and horns. The style frequently dances a line between R&B and an adult compemporary feel -- the way that Ray Charles really pulled off consistently well.

Stand-outs for me included "Wheel of Fortune", which recalled for me some of the atmospheres of Charles' country and western period. I also loved "There'll Be Some Changes Made", a song I've enjoyed since it was featured in the 1979 Bob Fosse film "All That Jazz". Of course, this slower, soulful version is very different.

"I'm Gonna Keep on Singin'," from the mid-1900s, starts out with a funkadelic bass line leading into ethereal electric piano and dreamy guitar accompaniment. Backup female singers recall the Raelettes, as Charles riffs vocally in prose over the beat. Classic.

The final song, "Why Me Lord?" by Kris Kristofferson, is fantastic, but kind of an odd man out -- a duet with Johnny Cash in which Cash sings the lead vocal. Hearing these two singing together "Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hands" is moving, given that this recording is being released posthumously for both of them.

This album is a posthumous collection of re-engineered, overdubbed recordings. Sounds awful, doesn't it? But I'm glad I put aside my misgivings and gave it a shot. Very satisfying. Especially at the $3.99 MP3 Daily Deal price on October 26, 2010, it is a great bargain as well. The biggest problem is the relatively short 41-minute total run time. Highly recommended.

"Love's Gonna Bite You Back" – 3:54
"It Hurts To Be In Love" (Dixson, Toombs) – 4:53
"Wheel Of Fortune" (Benjamin, Weiss) – 4:00
"I'm Gonna Keep On Singin'" – 5:30
"There'll Be Some Changes Made" (Blackstone, Overstreet) – 4:04
"Isn't It Wonderful" (Taylor, Webster) – 4:13
"I Don't Want No One But You" – 4:20
"A Little Bitty Tear" (Cochran) – 3:35
"She's Gone" – 3:10
"Why Me Lord?" (Kristofferson) – 3:57

 

[Kazaam]

Kid N Play - 2 Hype

 

[Dennie]

Traveler -- CD

Jerry Douglas (and friends)

2012 eOne Music

Editorial Reviews

The phrase living legend may be overused, but in the case of the master Dobro guitarist Jerry Douglas, it s also an understatement. In addition to his first-call status as a Nashville recording icon, hes adored by rock musicians like Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, James Taylor, and John Fogerty, all of whom have featured him on tours. Jerry is a 13-time Grammy© winner and the long-time featured soloist with the multi-platinum Alison Krauss and Union Station. And he was an NEA Heritage Foundation grant winner in 2004.

With Traveler, Jerry has finally recorded an album that will even further elevate his already impressive stature from super-sideman to a bona fide front-rank creator of musical Americana. Produced by Russ Titelman (Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Ry Cooder, Little Feat, etc.), and recorded in New Orleans, Nashville, and London, this ambitious collection of vocals and instrumentals enlists a truly awesome cast of characters in support of an epic vision that combines Country/Bluegrass, R&B, and even a ballad with roots in the British Isles (Paul Simons The Boxer performed with Mumford & Sons and the song s composer.) Other highlights include two New Orleans classics--- Something You Got, with vocals and guitar by Eric Clapton; and High Blood Pressure, with vocals by Keb Mo and a gang of the Crescent City s finest including Dr. John.

1. On A Monday
2. Something You Got (featuring Eric Clapton)
3. So Here We Are
4. The Boxer (featuring Mumford & Sons and Paul Simon)
5. Duke And Cookie
6. High Blood Pressure (featuring Keb´Mo´)
7. Gone To Fortingall
8. Right On Time (featuring Marc Cohn)
9. American Tune / Spain
10. Frozen Fields (featuring Alison Krauss & Union Station)
11. King Silkie

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Monk's Dream -- Remastered CD

Thelonious Monk Quartet

1963/2002 Columbia Legacy

My Favorite Monk Record January 26, 2003
By G. McCoy
Format:Audio CD

I won't gush about how it's the best thing since sliced scrapple, but it's pretty stinking good. A well-recorded selection of Monk originals and covers, Charlie Rouse blowing the roof off, and the whole band moving like an elastic waistband make it a very listenable set. It's a happy record, really, unlike many jazz records; this band loves playing this music, and it really shows. It also features Rouse at the top of his game as Monk's foremost collaborator/interpreter on sax; at times, Rouse and Monk seem almost telephathic. If you haven't heard Monk on record, make no mistake: like all Monk records, this isn't your grandpa's dance music. But it's one of Monk's most accessible sessions in that all the tunes are both inventive and 'right on,' and unlike most other Monk records, it's a happy swinger throughout, or at least as much as that is true of any Monk record. The band takes its chances, but they all seem to pay off. There are no clunkers here.
Jazz nazis (if it takes one to know one, fine; I used to be one) will sneer that it isn't odd or inaccessible enough to be a classic, but that doesn't mean you have to miss this enjoyable record. If Monk's music is a language all its own, then this is one of his better conversations.


All compositions by Thelonious Monk except as indicated.

Side one

"Monk's Dream" - 6:26
"Body and Soul" (Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton and Johnny Green) - 4:29
"Bright Mississippi" - 8:34
"Five Spot Blues" - 3:15

Side two

"Bolivar Blues" - 7:30
"Just a Gigolo" (Julius Brammer, Irving Caesar, Leonello Casucci) - 2:29
"Bye-Ya" - 6:01
"Sweet and Lovely" (Gus Arnheim, Harry Tobias, Jules LeMare) 7:48

2002 CD Reissue

The 2002 CD Reissue added the following bonus tracks.

"Monk's Dream" [alternate take] - 5:16
"Body and Soul" [aternate take] (Eyton, Green, Heyman, Sour) - 5:12
"Bright Mississippi" [alternate take] - 10:23
"Blue Bolivar Blues" [alternate take] - 6:12

On the original “Columbia Jazz Masterpieces” CD issue on Columbia/CBS Records (CK 40786), the song “Bye-Ya” clocks in at 6:03. The 2002 re-mastered edition on the Columbia/Legacy imprint (CK 63536) contains a version which runs only 5.25.

The most obvious difference between the versions is the longer arrangement before the piano solo (which starts at 2.46 on the original CD but at 2.07 on the Legacy version). It is difficult to tell if the shorter version is an edit or a completely different take.



Thelonious Monk - piano
Charlie Rouse - tenor sax
John Ore - bass
Frankie Dunlop - drums

 

[No-L]

Good morning, Dennie!
Good way to start a Saturday!

 

[Dennie]

Hi No-L, Always good to see you!



Happy Saturday! bscene-drinkingcheers:



Dennie :banana-dance: