Russell: "Made In America", The Complete Works for Percussion

On this CD:

1. Prelude, Chorale and Fugue
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

2. Dance Movements (4) Waltz
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

3. Dance Movements (4) March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

4. Dance Movements (4) Tango
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

5. Dance Movements (4) Foxtrot
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

6. Cuban Pieces (3) Havanera
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

7. Cuban Pieces (3) Rhumba
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

8. Cuban Pieces (3) Tiempo de Son
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

9. Concerto for trumpet
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Laurie Fink, Essential Music, Essential Music

10. Chicago Sketches 3525 S. Dearborn
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

11. Chicago Sketches 5507 S. Michigan
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

12. Chicago Sketches 4726 S. State
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

13. March Suite School March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

14. March Suite Wedding March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

15. March Suite Military March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

16. March Suite Hunger March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

17. March Suite Funeral March
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

18. Ogou Badagri, ballet based on the Voodoo Rites of Haiti
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

19. Made in America
Composed by William Russell (II)
Performed by Essential Music, Essential Music

Russell: "Made In America", The Complete Works for Percussion, Music, William Russell (II), Essential Music, Laurie Fink, 20th/21st Century Ballet, Ballet, Classical, Classical Composers, Concerto, Electronic/Avant-Garde/Minimalist Music, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Trumpet Concerto
The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Purple Passion
  • Just Like Being There!
  • Still gives me shivers...
  • Excellent music from an excellent play
  • GOOD IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE PLAY ON BROADWAY
 The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Brenda Russell , Allee Willis , Stephen Bray , Linda Twine , Joseph Joubert , LaChanze , Elisabeth Withers-Mendes , and Renee Elise Goldsberry
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical TheaterMusical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000C1ZFA2
Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Huckleberry Pie/Mysterious Ways
  3. Somebody Gonna Love You
  4. Our Prayer
  5. That Fine Mister
  6. Big Dog
  7. Lily Of The Field
  8. Dear God
  9. A Tree Named Sofia
  10. Hell No!
  11. Brown Betty
  12. Shug Avery Comin' To Town
  13. All We've Got To Say
  14. Dear God
  15. Too Beautiful For Words
  16. Push Da Button
  17. Uh Oh!
  18. What About Love?
  19. Act I Finale
  20. African Homeland
  21. The Color Purple
  22. Church Ladies' Easter
  23. I Curse You Mister
  24. Celie's Curse
  25. Miss Celie's Pants
  26. Any Little Thing
  27. What About Love (Reprise)
  28. I'm Here
  29. The Color Purple (Reprise)

Amazon.com

On paper, this adaptation of Alice Walker's best-selling novel has all the markings of a hit. It makes Oprah Winfrey's debut as a theater producer, the libretto is by Marsha Norman (Night Mother), and the lyrics and music are by a trio of seasoned pop pros: Allee Willis (the eccentric woman behind "Neutron Dance" and the theme from Friends), Stephen Bray (who worked on such Madonna hits as "True Blue" and "Express Yourself"), and Brenda Russell (the smooth soul-jazz songstress behind "Piano in the Dark"). That team has put together a series of fairly catchy songs that may lack depth but adeptly handle various idioms like gospel ("Mysterious Ways"), R&B ("Push Da Button"), and African rhythms ("African Homeland"). Though the inspirational vibe can get a bit much, softening the edges and preventing genuine artistic complexity, The Color Purple is a great showcase for its cast. As Celie, LaChanze delivers one of her usual sensitive performances, but watch also for Elisabeth Withers-Mendes's Shug--who sings a passionate paean to Celie ("Too Beautiful for Words")--and Renée Elise Goldsberry's Nettie (duetting with LaChange on "African Homeland"). The chance to hear these women strut their stuff almost makes up for the show's weaknesses. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Purple Passion.......2007-07-07

The next best thing to being there. Saw the show twice.... Fantasia is FANTASTIC!!!!!

If you get to NYC... this is a must see.

5 out of 5 stars Just Like Being There!.......2007-06-26

Wonderful! Fabulous! Just like being there! This CD is true to the original production and every time I listen to it, I am back in the theater on Broadway where I heard it for the first time! Sensational score, vocals, and delivery. Can't miss w/ this one!

5 out of 5 stars Still gives me shivers..........2007-06-11

Hearing this soundtrack takes me back to being in the audience every time I hear it. Beautiful, beautiful words and music.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent music from an excellent play.......2007-05-27

We really enjoyed listening to the music after we saw the play.
It was even better then I remembered!

3 out of 5 stars GOOD IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE PLAY ON BROADWAY.......2007-04-02

I saw the play in New York, and then purchased the soundtrack approximately 10 months after seeing it. There are some tracks that stand out for me more than others like "Push Da Button", "Hell No" and "is there anything else I can do for you", but overall this is a good CD.
The Back Room
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Strong sound.
  • A new discovery
  • Editors are amazing
  • Sounds Alot Like Dead Can Dance
  • Fans of Interpol...here's another band for you
 The Back Room
Editors
Manufacturer: Fader Label
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. With Love and Squalor
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ASIN: B000EDWL82
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Tracks:

  1. lights
  2. munich
  3. blood
  4. fall
  5. all sparks
  6. camera
  7. fingers in the factories
  8. bullets
  9. someone says
  10. open your arms
  11. distance

Amazon.com

Sure, The Editors are a bit dour, what with songs like "Blood" and "Bullets" and "Fall" sporting baleful themes. And the oft-noted similarity between them and Interpol will be apparent to listeners on the near-instant basis of the bands' singers, who share a bellowy, stentorian voice, which means, really, that both are fond of Joy Division's Ian Curtis. The Editors, in fact, come closer to Joy Division (geographically they're nearly kin, being from Manchester). Deploying an instrumental color palette of their dark early-80s predecessors, The Editors win with chiming guitar work--as on "Someone Says," which shifts rhythms a la Interpol even while sounding wider-ranged and better-lit. Vocally, Tom Smith can wobble the edges with tremors of urgency stoked by Chris Urbanowicz's guitar atmospherics and occasional outbursts. "Fingers in the Factories," a lyrically mirthless little number that interjects a stellar combo of simple beat and bright-toned guitars to charge up the labor-related lyrics, driving Smith to an emotional charge, something that lots of post-Echo and the Bunnymen ensembles have difficulty doing convincingly. The Editors manage energy in the service of drama, a near-necessity in rock. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Strong sound........2007-07-11

This is another album that I bought on a whim, primarily from hearing the tune "Munich" on the radio. I ended up loving the whole album. Very strong. One could probably say that the band's sound is a hybrid of U2, The Doors, and some others. I think their sound is compelling. The more I listen to this album, the more I like it.

5 out of 5 stars A new discovery.......2007-07-08

Didn't know them until I heard them on the radio. Their second album is even beter than the first, more lyrical. A very pleasant discovery!

5 out of 5 stars Editors are amazing.......2007-07-01

Great band, great songs.. When I first heard munich i thought it was an outstanding song, so i picked up the album and found many of the other songs to be equally impressive.. their new stuff is even better, highly recommened

4 out of 5 stars Sounds Alot Like Dead Can Dance.......2007-06-30

This is a very good CD with great melodies and interesting words, built around the intriguing voice of vocalist Tom Smith sounding amazingly like Dead Can Dance singer, Brendan Perry. Indeed, a few of the songs sound like they could have been done by Dead in their heyday. In total, a fine listening experience.

4 out of 5 stars Fans of Interpol...here's another band for you.......2007-06-27

Anyone who likes the style of Interpol will appreciate this band. It's essentially the same thing, but maybe just a little more melodic at times. Don't be turned away thinking this is just a cookie cutter act, they've taken a style and added their own unique touch. An excellent album from a band that is bound to make it big.
Boys and Girls in America
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Live Good
  • So Here's the Thing......
  • Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world
  • BORING
  • You call this music? I call it garbage.
 Boys and Girls in America
The Hold Steady
Manufacturer: Vagrant Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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  1. The Crane Wife
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ASIN: B000HIP3X4
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

  1. Stuck Between Stations
  2. Chips Ahoy!
  3. Hot Soft Light
  4. Same Kooks
  5. First Night
  6. Party Pit
  7. You Can Make Him Like You
  8. Massive Night
  9. Citrus
  10. Chillout Tent
  11. Southtown Girls

Amazon.com

Craig Finn loves books and bars. It's not just that he pinched the title of he Hold Steady's third album from the ultimate manual for boozehounds, Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" ("Boys and Girls in America have such a sad time together"), but that every leery line of every song is crammed with the wayward poetry and passion of someone who is more familiar with the bottom of a whiskey glass than the sun. Thanks to his raucous Brooklyn band, his music--louder than its predecessors this time, with a few more ballads--also happens to make a great soundtrack for an all-night bender where broken-hearts and broken bottles become one. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Live Good.......2007-05-12

Received this CD about an hour before a live, soldout(~600) show. Good show, good CD.

2 out of 5 stars So Here's the Thing.............2007-05-06

Like a lot of previous reviewers, this band caught my attention by making numerous "Best Of" lists from the music press. The reviews led to me to listen to the song samples in a local Borders store. The music reminded me of Bruce Springsteen on a few tracks (a good thing) and the rest of the songs seemed to have a fresh groove to them, so I bought the CD right then.

So here's the thing.......This band is indeed a group of talented musicians, so what I heard in the store had some validity; BUT the problem with this album is that ALL 11 SONGS are essentially either about drug or alchohol experiences, or contain drug/alchohol references. Seriously. As a result, I was bored by track 5 or 6 and skimmed the remaining tracks to make sure that I wasn't missing anything (I wasn't) and have no desire to ever listen to this CD again.

It's a shame, really, because these folks are really innovative and fresh musically - they are simply a one trick pony lyrically, and that gets old real fast. If The Hold Steady could diversify the subject matter of their lyrics, this could have been a decent album. As it is, I can only give it two stars.

5 out of 5 stars Another superb effort by one of the most passionate, intelligent bands in the world.......2007-04-24

I love this album and I love the Hold Steady. I want to get that out of the way at the outset. I say this because I don't want my following comments misconstrued as part of the rather mindless stream of criticism that seems to follow this band around. There is no question that the Hold Steady is the recipient of more unfounded and ill-considered bashing of any bad around. Not by critics! Music critics rightfully praise the band as one of the finest in the world. And the praise is deserved. These guys obviously care passionately about their music and engage in absolutely no poser gamesmanship that their critics foist on them. I've tried hard to understand why people dislike the band. OK, Craig Finn doesn't sing so much as declaim, but he declaims well and is an absolutely brilliant lyricist. Musically, the rest of the band is a bunch of crackerjacks. Tad Kubler is one of the finest guitarists plying his craft in America. On top of all this, they are absolutely brilliant live performers, generous with the audience, working hard to put on a great show. Yet, the critics (again, not by critics or people who actually know what they talk about) persist.

So, on to what I have to say that could be construed as criticism. I give this album five stars because it deserves it. But I will add that I think this is the band's least brilliant album to date. Mind you, I don't think they are in decline or that this represents a disappointing effort. In many ways it is their slickest, most polished album yet. They are obvious masters of their craft and I think they well deserve their #4 ranking in the prestigious Village Voice Pazz & Jop Poll, which I think laps the Grammies several times in terms of credibility. The Poll is voted on by nearly 500 of the most prestigious rock critics in the world. For any album to finish in the top five means it has some serious chops going on. Nonetheless, my favorite Hold Steady album remains ALMOST KILLED ME followed by SEPARATION SUNDAY.

I could very well be wrong, but it seems to me that BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA lacks just a hint of the edge that I found in the earlier albums. And I find that I don't love as many songs on the album as passionately as I do on previous albums. Not that songs like "Chips Ahoy" and "Hot Soft Light" aren't incredible. And they've never played as intensely as on "Same Kooks." But nearly every song on ALMOST KILLS ME simply blows me away. Not so on this one. Also -- and I confess this is a purely personal bias -- I don't like the way that the addition of keyboards to the mix. I didn't like it on SEPARATION SUNDAY and I like it less on BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA. I prefer the band as a quartet than as a quintet.

If you get this as your first Hold Steady album, if you have any musical taste or sophistication at all, it is going to blow you away. You will be amazed at how literate and articulate Craig Finn's lyrics are. He is an amazing front man, though he is also the focus of much of the hatred for the poor souls who mindlessly shut themselves out from the band. His delivery of the lyrics is astonishing, but what he does can barely be described as singing. And he simply doesn't look like a rocker. He looks, in fact, like he should be selling household appliances at Best Buy. Or perhaps doing your taxes at H & R Block. If you saw the guy on the street and were asked to list the 1,000 most likely occupations for him, rock star would not make the list. He doesn't even look like he could be a record store clerk. But he is one of the most brilliant people in rock today. So also is guitarist Tad Kubler. My one regret about the Hold Steady albums is that they don't give Kubler enough room to put his vast skills on guitar on display. Still, this is a great album. And if you love this but don't have their two earlier albums, you've got a lot to look forward to.

1 out of 5 stars BORING.......2007-04-11

I've just listened to all the amazon snippets after reading a positive review from Uncut. Fair enough I have not heard all of every song but what I did hear was basically the same song over and over except for the obligatory ballad. The guy is an awful singer and they sound like a good bar band at best. There are so many bands and singer songwriters who do this style of music who are 100% better than this mess

1 out of 5 stars You call this music? I call it garbage........2007-03-06

I look forward at the end of every year to reading the rock press' "Top Albums" of the year. Bewilderingly, this band's wretched cd appeared on one of them. This is an astonishingly horrible album. The lead "singer" - if you can even label it that - mumbles, rambles incoherently. He is shaming his life, his very existence with what appears to sound like an egregiously awful imitation of Shane MacGowan (Pogues). The difference is that the "vocalist" from this band, has zero talent. There are hundreds of wannabe bar bands making the rounds all over the country - why ON EARTH does this talentless outfit merit any kind of acclaim whatsoever? I agree with the reviewer who said there is not a single memorable note to be remembered. It's utterly pathetic. If there is a song on here that is even REMOTELY worthy of a second spin, perhaps "Chillout Tent" - but that's only because it's a track that features actual singers in guest performances. But the rest is a moronic waste of recording time. Pulling some drunk off the street, filling him up with whiskey, sticking him in front of a mic replete with the most unoriginal "music" would be more entertaining than this...or was that the idea for this all along? I am aghast that this can find it's way into the market as it has. At best, it's the kind of worthless slop that any struggling band sells out of their guitar case, hoping to make a buck. That's where this disastrous release belongs. It is a complete and utter travesty to bestow upon this album anything less than your contempt.
Retrospective
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITER
  • Retrospective......Leon Russell
  • Retrospective
  • LEON RUSSELL RETROSPECTIVES
  • Leon Lives! Leon Rocks!
 Retrospective
Leon Russell
Manufacturer: The Right Stuff
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002UP2
Release Date: 1997-11-04

Tracks:

  1. A Song For You
  2. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
  3. The Ballad Of Mad Dogs And Englishmen
  4. Delta Lady
  5. Roll Away The Stone
  6. Tight Rope
  7. Out In The Woods
  8. Shootout On The Plantation
  9. Stranger In A Strange Land
  10. Hummingbird
  11. Lady Blue
  12. This Masquerade
  13. Back To The Island
  14. Magic Mirror
  15. Crystal Closet Queen
  16. Bluebird
  17. Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
  18. Queen Of The Roller Derby

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITER.......2007-06-23

EVEN THE FABS ADMIRED THIS GREAT AMERICAN POP SONGWRITER. WHO EVER WRITES OR LOVES GOOD SONGS THIS IS INSPIRING.

5 out of 5 stars Retrospective......Leon Russell.......2007-05-08

Very well done intro to Leon Russel's library of work. A collection of all of his better known work. If you find that you like this, try any of his other cd's and you will not be unhappy.

5 out of 5 stars Retrospective.......2007-05-08

Leon Russell, is there anything else? His voice, piano, guitar that Leon uses, he's the master. The CD goes back to the begining and thru the present. Marvelous! Gif


5 out of 5 stars LEON RUSSELL RETROSPECTIVES.......2006-07-14

I FOUND THIS TO BE A GREAT SAMPLING OF GOOD OL'TULSA ROCK N ROLL AT IT'S FINEST.

I WAS ALSO PLEASED AT THE EFFICENT SERVICE I RECIEVED IN PLACING THIS ORDER.

I WILL BE BACK TO ORDER MORE PRODUCTS FROM AMAZON.

SINCERELY,

LINDA LUTTON

5 out of 5 stars Leon Lives! Leon Rocks!.......2006-03-16

This CD is a "Best of" better than Leon's previous selections of favorites. Featured are my favorites, his incredibly fine ballads, now multi-genre classics: "A Song for You", "Lady Blue", "This Masquerade". From the great "Carney" album also come more ballads, "Magic Mirror", "Tightrope", "Out in Woods". "Back to the Island" is achingly yearning, and hypnotically atmospheric. But there's lots of hard-rocking stuff, too. The recordings are the originals, and sound quality is excellent.

Leon Russell was at the epicenter of the rock world when he came on the scene in the 60s, playing keyboards with many other rock greats, not least of whom was Joe Cocker -- Leon headed up the Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour band. Though Cocker was better known, Leon had the ultimate 'chops.' When you listen to his own music, you can see that he is a composer and player of greater depth and sophistication than most of his peers. And he can boogie like no one else.

I had the good fortune to stumble upon a small concert by the new Leon Russell band last year at The Cutting Room in New York. What a thrill to be so close up to this old idol after so long! It was impossible to sit still! Surrounded by his huge mane of now-white hair, the ole "Master of Space and Time" is infirm, he walks with difficulty. But his fingers are totally alive, and he seems to be doing well. Two of his daughters are in the band, which is tight as can be -- raising hopes for more recordings beyond this retrospective.

This is a fine introduction to the music of this rock legend. It's as fresh now as it was then!
Silent Alarm
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Influential, to say the least...
  • One heck of a debut
  • Sic CD!
  • Arctic who?
  • One of my favorites
 Silent Alarm
Bloc Party
Manufacturer: Vice Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie RockIndie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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  1. Employment
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ASIN: B0007NFMDK
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Tracks:

  1. Like Eating Glass
  2. Helicopter
  3. Positive Tension
  4. Banquet
  5. Blue Light
  6. She's Hearing Voices
  7. This Modern Love
  8. Pioneers
  9. Price Of Gas
  10. Little Thoughts (bonus track)
  11. So Here We Are
  12. Luno
  13. Plans
  14. Compliments

Amazon.com

Styled more along the lines of a revolutionary cell than a band, Bloc Party approach the medium of rock'n'roll with the sort of high seriousness usually reserved for philosophy lectures. Yet on Silent Alarm, this "autonomous unit" of smart, wiry London youth don't just succeed in reinvigorating the artform--they come pretty close to reinventing it from the ground up. Whereas early singles like "She's Hearing Voices" found the band still attempting to chisel their own image out of familiar post-punk reference points--The Fall, Joy Division, and Gang Of Four, to name but three--newer tracks such as "Like Eating Glass" and the prickly "Price Of Gas" find Bloc Party pioneering a freshly-minted template of staccato percussion, expansive soundscapes, and cryptic lyrics that artfully straddle the political and the personal. Russell Lissack has forsaken that overdone hallmark of post-punk, brittle tortured-fretboard skronk, in favor of an effects-laden guitar sound that adds genuine prettiness to Bloc Party's edgy rush. But it's Kele Okereke's vocal that's the band's most flexible facet, morphing from frothing anger to breathless desperation. "Are you hoping for a miracle?" he bays, on "Helicopter". Yes? Well Silent Alarm ably fits the bill. --Louis Pattison

Album Description

Bloc Party is an autonomous unit of un-extraordinary kids reared on pop culture between the years 1976 and the present day. They eventually concluded that their own attempts to imitate what had informed them could be innovative and fresh.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Influential, to say the least..........2007-07-07

It's very rare for me to get around to writing a review for any album, let alone a British pop group. However, this album compels me to make the time to put in my two cents.

I'm under the notion that Third Eye Blind's first self-titled release in 1996 (?) was one of the most influential albums of the 90s, given its unbelievable accessibility, the amount of radio-play for at least 4 singles, and the last 4 tracks on the album which were, in my opinion, better than any of the singles, including Jumper and How's it Gonna Be. Third Eye Blind set out a different pace and track for future bands to follow. Whether or not you like their next 2 albums, just throw their first release in your player and give it a spin, beginning to end, and come back later.

Having said that, Bloc Party's 2005 release is already the most memorable output of the 21st century concerning rock/pop/dance/indie/hipster, whatever the hell you want to call the conglomerate of those different genres. I'll stake the claim that, come 2011, you'll want to keep this album in your short-list of reliable things to listen to. Spectacular, blood-pumping highs ("Like Eating Glass," "Positive Tension," "This Modern Love") and impossible-to-ignore introspective tracks ("Banquet," "So Here We Are," "Plans," "Compliments") than any album of at least the past five years.

If you already own it, pay special attention to the final 5 tracks. If you don't own it, get it, jam out to the first 6 or 7 songs for a few weeks, then throw out "Plans" and "Compliments" back-to-back for your listening enjoyment. When an album does not have a skippable track on it, you know you've found something special.

5 out of 5 stars One heck of a debut.......2007-06-27

They may be a bit over-hyped, but Bloc Party is still a group with a lot of talent and a very unique style. The whole album is very enjoyable, not just the singles.

5 out of 5 stars Sic CD!.......2007-05-17

This cd is gr8 my first purchase from bloc party & I really am enjoyin it!

4 out of 5 stars Arctic who?.......2007-03-15

Inspired release from the British whiz kids finds a passionate, forcefully assured unity driving this impressively emulated synthesis the unit has concocted, taking everything these humble innovators have heard in their young musical lives and offered a compelling synthesis to all that is youthful and relevant in carrying that torch. For once I think the crazed British music press actually got it right with Bloc Party's compelling debut, an album looking backwards and forwards simultaneously while remaining a fascinating Rock debut on a track-by-track, note-for-note basis. Styled with a delicate, intricate and still gritty, rockable, and danceable approach, Kele and company managed to silence nearly all alarms with an admirably focused debut sprayed with enough instrumental embellishment and rhythmic/melodic knowledge to make any up and coming new-school rock bands blush. In the thick of things we do tend to see a few of Bloc Party's themes (particularly in Okereke's guitar and chorus delivery) to bog certain songs down in repetition, but overall this blistering reinvigoration to Rock still has yet to be surpassed or emulated itself.

5 out of 5 stars One of my favorites.......2007-02-18

Excellent CD. It's one of very few that doesn't make me feel like I've been ripped off, and even more of a rarity, I really like every song.
To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • I've Laughed for Over 35 Years
  • To Russell, my brother,Whom I Slept wiith
  • Bedtime Cosby
  • Sleepover at Bill's house
  • Good but dated fun
 To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With
Bill Cosby
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Wonderfulness
  2. Why Is There Air?
  3. Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow Right!
  4. I Started Out as a Child
  5. Revenge

ASIN: B0000062TL
Release Date: 1998-04-28

Tracks:

  1. Baseball
  2. Conflict
  3. The Losers
  4. The Apple
  5. To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With

Amazon.com

This is one of his finest comedy discs, and it remains as fresh and funny as ever. Recorded at the height of his standup popularity, the master raconteur's 1968 album To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With is a fine example of the multi-talented veteran's effortless mastery. Cosby discusses "Baseball" and "Conflict" with his usual blend of impishly winsome insight and flat-out yuks. The 27-minute title track, a memorable meditation on the joys and terrors of childhood, is one of his most resonant achievements. --Scott Schinder

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I've Laughed for Over 35 Years.......2007-05-19

My mother gave me this album when I was two or three (because I inherited Dad's love of music, I was taught how to handle vinyl at a young age). Only years later did I appreciate how masterful the material was to draw out loud laughs from me as a preschooler, my friends and I as middle schoolers and me as an adult fussy about my comedy. That's multilevel genius, best demonstrated on the title track, which ranks among the greatest routines ever. But he also throws in The Losers, an account of early fatherhood I can't help thinking about and giggling at as I deal with my own perpetual motion two-year-old daughter (who has never seen the belt. But will hear about it.)

5 out of 5 stars To Russell, my brother,Whom I Slept wiith.......2007-04-12

The funniest,truest narrative on sibling behavior I have ever heard. I loved it when it first released and was delighted to find it in cd. A gift to my nephews whose antics are mirrored in this album.
Bill Cosby's sterling performance, comedy without profanity,great man.
With laughter and Aloha Tracy McPherson

3 out of 5 stars Bedtime Cosby.......2007-02-01

"To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" (1968) was Bill Cosby's 6th live comedy album. From the 5 Bill Cosby discs I have, it's my least favorite. There are 5 tracks on it. Though it's interesting to hear Bill open a show, I don't really like "Baseball" or "Conflict" much. My favorite is "The Losers", which follows up on "Two Daughters" from Revenge (1967), about his baby daughters Erica and Erin. Adam and Eve's "The Apple" would be done as "It's the Women's Fault" on "It's True! It's True!" (1969) with more material about mothers, though "The Apple" version is a bit livelier. I don't listen much to the 27 minute "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" story. Don't get why it's so popular, but it's okay. It's more atmospheric than anything. I'd recommend "Revenge" for newcomers to the CDs.

5 out of 5 stars Sleepover at Bill's house.......2006-07-30

There is no better way to get to "know" someone than by listening to their "remember when..." and "did I tell about the time..." stories. The "Russell" track brings you right into Cosby's childhood room; its like 'spending the night at Bill's house.'
Cosby is such a great storyteller, that after you listen to this CD, you will feel as if you know him and his brother personally. The other tracks, are good also but not as memorable as the Russell segment.

Of course you will laugh your head off. Highly recommended. Appropriate for most ages.

5 out of 5 stars Good but dated fun.......2006-01-29

Got this for my wife. She wanted it because her tape of it had worn out. The fondness for her was her memories of her family listening to a record of 'To Russell,....' together. I listened to it and found it to be hilarious. My only criticism is that they need a brief glossary guide to some of the language, for example bread another name for money in the dialogue. Otherwise it was fun to listen to with my wife.
The Anna Russell Album
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Intelligent and musical fun.-
  • The Genius of Anna Russell
  • If you enjoy laughing..
  • Anna Russell strikes again!
  • Anna Russell is a SCREAM!
 The Anna Russell Album

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Encore?
  2. Anna Russell Again?
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  4. Anna Russell - The (First) Farewell Concert
  5. Anna Russell - Crown Princess of Musical Parody: Her Television Appearances 1964, 1976, 1977

ASIN: B0000027JD
Release Date: 1991-07-26

Tracks:

  1. Introduction To The Concert (By the Women's Club President)
  2. How to Write Your Own Gilbert And Sullivan Opera
  3. Coloratura Aria 'Canto Dolciamente Pipo'
  4. British - Pure But Dull: 'I Love The Spring'
  5. Russian Folk Song: 'Da, Nyet, Da, Nyet'
  6. For Loud Singers With No Brains: 'Ah, Lover!'
  7. For Singers With Tremendous Artistry But No Voice: 'Schlumph; Je N'ai Pas La Plume De Ma Tante'
  8. For The Dramatic Soprano: 'Schreechenrauf'
  9. The Ring Of The Nibellungs (An Analysis)

Amazon.com

This set of Anna Russell's inspired satirical monologues should be labeled with a warning notice. Why? Because after listening to her whirlwind explication of Wagner's Ring Cycle, even the most confirmed Wagnerite will be unable to listen to the Ring for weeks to come. Just listening to Russell declare in an incredulous voice: "I'm not making this up, y'know" is enough to induce you to shed bucketloads of laughter-induced tears. Gilbert and Sullivan fans will find their heroes savaged in her concoction of a typical G&S product, complete with a soprano lead who "loves below her station." Other targets include "the nymphs and shepherds" style of quavery English singing, complete with "hey-nonny-nonny's," coloratura mad scenes, and much else, including Russian folk songs, like her "Da, nyet, da, nyet." This disc is packed with laughs, chuckles, smiles, and everything. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Intelligent and musical fun.-.......2007-01-13

Due to the recent passing away of the legenday Anna Russell I bought this record and certainly did not regret it.- Inspite of having been originally recorded in 1952 and 1953 the sound is very good.- Ms. Russell combines a great sense of humour with profound musical knowledge, a wonderful timing of her jokes, and the talent of a gifted and very musical singer.- She captures the essence of the German lied, the French mélodie, the efforts of a dramatic soprano to make herself heard over the huge Wagnerian orchestra, culminating in her famous, already classic, 22 minutes long analysis of Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs.- I listened to this recording three times in a row and had great fun.- Only Victor Borge can be compared to her with respect to this rare combination of deep musicianship with a real gift for comedy.- If you don't know yet these numbers, don't hesitate - buy the record, you will not be sorry.-

5 out of 5 stars The Genius of Anna Russell.......2006-03-15

If you love music, but are happy to see the funny side of even the great composers, then this album is for you. Anna Russell is a singer of note but a comedian of greatness. She finds the pivotal styles of composers and caricatures them to great effect. The explanations she gives of the basics of Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas and the way she dissects Wagners Ring Cycle bring tears to the eyes with laughter. I recommend this album to all music lovers with a twinkle in their eyes. Truly a great comic experience.

5 out of 5 stars If you enjoy laughing.........2006-02-23

I love opera, but I also enjoy spoofs of opera. Anna Russell was a classic "spoofer" of operatic stories and conventions. Nobody does it better. My favorite on this album is her take-off on Wagner's "Ring."

This CD can probably also be enjoyed by those who have only a nodding acquaintance with opera, but may not be enjoyed by those who take opera with 100% seriousness.

5 out of 5 stars Anna Russell strikes again!.......2005-10-14

I have heard all of these Anna Russell selections at one time or another, but having them all together in one place, and on a CD, is a real plus. She is absolutely riotously funny. I teach a course in "Introduction to opera" and use her segments on Gilbert and Sullivan and on the Ring Cycle in class, just to lighten things up a bit for the students.

5 out of 5 stars Anna Russell is a SCREAM!.......2005-08-05

I've had the vinyl of this album for over 20 years; the CD purchase was to update my system. For anyone who loves classical vocal music, and in particular the Wagner Ring Cycle and Gilbert and Sullivan, this album is a MUST. You will split your sides laughing; Ms. Russell is so very accurate in her comedy. Also, truth to tell, her Ring synopsis gave me, a newcomer to Wagner (years ago) a solid understanding of the musical plot and story line.
Hank Wilson's Back
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Leon Russell's alter-ego
  • Awesome
  • LONG TIME GONE
  • Hank Wilson's Back
  • Leon and Country Music
 Hank Wilson's Back
Leon Russell
Manufacturer: The Right Stuff
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002U03
Release Date: 1995-10-10

Tracks:

  1. Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arm
  2. She Thinks I Still Care
  3. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
  4. I'll Sail My Ship Alone
  5. Jambalya (On The Bayou)
  6. A Six Pack To Go
  7. The Battle Of New Orleans
  8. Uncle Pen
  9. Am I That Easy To Forget?
  10. Truck Drivin' Man
  11. The Window Up Above
  12. Lost Highway
  13. Goodnight Irene
  14. Hey Good Lookin'
  15. In The Jailhouse Now

Amazon.com

Here's Leon Russell circa 1973 doing a set of classic country covers with some of Nashville's finest session men--never has an album been more straightforward. That's not to say it's disappointing--or great, for that matter--it just is what it is. Hardly essential, it's nevertheless a downright enjoyable listen. And any chance to hear Curly Chalker play steel guitar is welcome indeed. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Leon Russell's alter-ego.......2007-05-18

This is the first of four "Hank Wilson" CDs by Leon Russell. I have all four - Hank Wilson's Back, Return of Hank Wilson Vol. 2, A Legend in my Time - Hank Wilson Vol 3, and Hank Wilson Vol 4 - Rhythm & Bluegrass. These songs as performed by Leon seem as if they were written with him in mind. Although he has added a few twists here and there, these songs are as true to the original artists as imaginable. My favorites are Vol 2, 3, 1 and 4 in that order, although I enjoy them all. These are a must-have for all Leon Russell fans.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2007-01-15

My husband owned this music when he was younger,and wanted to surprise him.....which I did.....he loves it...and we hear it alot around here
It did arrive very quickly!!!
thank you,
S.sale/va

5 out of 5 stars LONG TIME GONE.......2007-01-13

My best friend and I had listened to this in our college days thanks for an old 8 track recording. Subsequently, years later I started looking for the album - with no luck till I found it on Amazon. For me, it's great music while likewise genertaing countless memories.

5 out of 5 stars Hank Wilson's Back.......2007-01-04

I was so glad to find this CD. I had the album several, several years ago and loved it. Now I can play the CD in my travels and have a great time listening to Leon sing some classic country songs.

5 out of 5 stars Leon and Country Music.......2006-11-05

"Hank Wilson's Back" is a real tribute to the great songs of early country music. When lyrics and melody are blended with Leon Russell's unique style of singing, the result is an enjoyable and memorable experience! I recommend this CD for anyone who is a fan of country and/or Leon.
Rodgers: More Victory at Sea
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Yes, it is THAT bad
  • More victory at sea
  • Victory At Sea
  • More Victory at Sea
  • Victory at Sea Volumes 1 and 2
 Rodgers: More Victory at Sea

Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Victory at Sea (Music from the Original Television Series)
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ASIN: B000003F8B
Release Date: 1992-08-11

Tracks:

  1. More Victory At Sea: Allies On The March
  2. More Victory At Sea: Voyage Into Fate
  3. More Victory At Sea: Peleliu
  4. More Victory At Sea: The Sound Of Victory
  5. More Victory At Sea: Rings Around Rabaul
  6. More Victory At Sea: Full Fathom Five
  7. More Victory At Sea: The Turkey Shoot
  8. More Victory At Sea: Ships That Pass
  9. More Victory At Sea: Two If By Sea
  10. More Victory At Sea: The Turning Point
  11. More Victory At Sea: Symphonic Scenario

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Yes, it is THAT bad.......2007-06-08

Why, why is it so difficult to reissue the originals, in full? The music is wonderful--well, if you're a fan, you know that already--but the sound effects really are laughably bad. And as the sound effects were integral to the atmosphere of several tracks, it really does matter. Now, instead of the jungle sounds that accompanied the original track, you get to listen to some house sparrows chirping and flitting cheerfully from tree to tree, as if you were sailing toy boats in the park instead of slogging through the jungles of New Guinea. If the original sound effects are missing, minimal effort from RCA could have secured at least reasonably realistic substitutes. Instead, we get this pathetic garbage. Really a shame. That second star is only because the original music is so good.

2 out of 5 stars More victory at sea.......2007-03-26

It's ok, but much of it was cut from the original album. I have the complete set of 33 1/3 albums,there were three, the cd is ok but lacks the original sounds put on when recorded.Sounds were added that were not originally there.It can't compare to the original.

5 out of 5 stars Victory At Sea.......2007-03-09

This time honored musical composition is without a doubt the best in its depiction of war in the Pacific. The music tells the real story!!

5 out of 5 stars More Victory at Sea.......2007-01-04

The quality of the digitally remastered music on this CD is far and above what I was expecting. The entire CD plays flawlessly without so much as a hint of unwanted background noise. My experience in purchasing this CD was very good. Shipment was almost immediate and delivery prompt. I can find absolutely nothing to complain about and am very happy with my purchase. Thanks a million.

2 out of 5 stars Victory at Sea Volumes 1 and 2.......2006-12-14

What an utter disappointment. I've got the originals on vinyl, and this sad excuse for a reissue was not worth the money I spent. Most of the sound effects from the original have been left out, and the final 10-minute-plus piece, "Symphonic Scenario", bears not even a passing resemblance to the original. Don't waste your time and money.
Tabula Rasa
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • music so good you'll cry
  • This is one for everybody
  • should be accepted by any rational person as strong evidence for God's existence.
  • Fill in your blank slate with some innovative music...
  • Modern classical music that is beautiful
 Tabula Rasa
Dennis Russell Davies , Keith Jarrett , Gidon Kremer , Stuttgart State Orchestra , Tatiana Grindenko , Alfred Schnittke , and Twelve Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000262K7
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

  1. Fratres
  2. Cantus In Memory Of Benjamin Britten
  3. Fratres
  4. Tabula Rasa

Amazon.com essential recording

This seminal disc now almost seems like the manifesto for a whole new strain of minimalism that has found an enormously receptive audience. It represented a breakthrough for Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose music--like that of his European colleagues John Tavener and Henryk Górecki--pursues an austerely beautiful simplicity that suggests spiritual illumination. Fratres, given here in two versions, one for piano and violin and the other for 12 cellos, repeatedly intones a sequence resembling chant to convey a sensibility that seems at once archaic and beyond time. Violinist Gidon Kremer, for whom Pärt wrote the exquisitely contemplative and hypnotic title work, grasps the music's koan-like idiom, allowing an inner fullness to resonate through the most fragile, ethereal wisps of tone against the mysterious clangings of prepared piano. The tolling of the tubular bells in Cantus in memory of Benjamin Britten is an emotionally charged lament, based on a simple minor descending scale, that introduces Pärt's fascination with what he calls "tintinnabulation": the literal and metaphorical sound of ringing bells. This recording is also famous for the acoustically warm presence produced by ECM's Manfred Eicher, which magnificently captures the mystical simplicity of Pärt's sound world. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars music so good you'll cry.......2007-04-21

I first heard one of the songs playing in a Starbucks and had to ask them what it was... I couldn't hear it very well, but I knew I needed to hear more. After I got home and listened to the previews on Amazon, I was hooked.

There is so much depth and sweetness to this music. It has literally brought me to tears. If you're looking for an album of chamber music that truely goes beyond the normal lulling sound and into the realm of true artistic expression, this is one to own. It is one of the prizes of my collection.

5 out of 5 stars This is one for everybody.......2006-08-30

I'm not completely dug on classical and contemporanean music, ECM stuff included. Lygeti, Xenakis they make me sense, all along american minimalists like Reich or Cage. Electro-acustic is more ear-friendly for me (Ferrari, Parmegiani) but... All this speech just to say that thsi is one ECM record I own - the 1977's Tabula Rasa. The great Gidon Kramer (check out "Silence" from Nonesuch who has another version of tabula rasa) is here with all his magic, even the world-piano-star K. Jarrett plays piano, and everything makes sense. The music is so cold and complex, ethernal yet listenable for the common of mortals. Give a try, i did and i'm inloved with.

5 out of 5 stars should be accepted by any rational person as strong evidence for God's existence........2006-06-20

arguably, it was THIS music by THIS composer that Manfred Eicher's label, ECM, was meant for. If an album was released on ECM, no doubt it sounds lovely, but when purpose is paired so perfectly with sound, even ECM attains something angelic and beyond. Arvo Part's non-modulating approach to harmony, great care and attention with so few notes, and the reverent spirit that carries through his efforts encompasses a catalogue of works so great and beautiful I'm not sure any 20th century composer can remotely compare.

This ECM disc is possibly the best of all. _Tabula Rasa_, first and foremost, is a masterpiece. A violin concerto of sorts, it flows through static haze and torrid whorls, with ghostly sounds of strings punctuated by the bell- and chime-like intonations on sounds of prepared piano. Divine and without momentum, this piece forever hovers between being and nothing. _Fratres_, performed in two versions here (for violin and piano, and for 12 cellos), features a chorale-like figure recurring over an ethereal drone. Radiant and simple, not a sound is out of place. the _Cantus_ is based on rich chords arranged in a variety of rhythmic patterns, so beautiful one kind of wishes it would last longer.

this is an excellent introduction to one of the best composers of the 20th century. i would really encourage you to hear this.

5 out of 5 stars Fill in your blank slate with some innovative music..........2006-01-03

This CD started it all. In 1984 it introduced the then little known Arvo Pärt to a new western audience. Pärt had long before made his "tinntinnabulation" discovery (around 1976). Before this pivotal epiphany, the majority of Pärt's work fell into the serialist category. His early work shows all of the grinding atonal experimentation of the 1950s. It thus lies in stark contrast to his later work as presented on this CD (he shares this same evolutionary path with the Polish composer Górecki).

"Tabula Rasa" introduced a new music and a new style to the west. This music doesn't follow traditional harmonic or melodic forms. Listening to Pärt differs from listening to Sibelius or Stravinski. In Pärt, environment and setting are everything. The melodies and harmonies function to set a mood rather than to follow a path or a harmonic progression leading to an ultimate resolution. Subsequently, one experiences rather than listens to Pärt's work. The notes merely provide the structure. In this way Pärt's pieces represent frameworks for music (which probably explains, as related in the CD booklet, why the members of one orchestra asked "where is the music" upon seeing the score for "Tabula Rasa"). So Pärt not only presents beautiful and moving music but also helps listeners conceive of it in new ways.

The tracks on this CD provide the perfect showcase for Pärt's work. Beginners should start here. Two versions of the meditative "Fratres" appear, but each utilize such different arrangements that they sound like two separate works. "Cantus" remains one of Pärt's most moving compositions. It sounds like a slowly exploding wall of catharsis. The nearly half hour "Tabula Rasa" features incredible violin work and prepared piano (a la Cage). Overall, the mood of each piece on this CD veers strongly toward the meditative, mystical, and ethereal. As such it serves as a great introduction to the "late" Pärt and as a showcase of incredible musicianship.

Pärt remains more of a phenomenon on CD than in the concert hall. The lush rich sound of this CD, which will have your cochleas swimming, provides some evidence as to why. Not only that, the amount of quietude and silence utilized by Pärt must create difficulties for orchestra hall performance. Pärt's music, intimate and close, probably plays best in seclusion or in small venues. For the maximum experience, put on some headphones and listen to this CD. In this way listeners can experience all the subtle harmonics and nuances that make up the music of Arvo Pärt.

5 out of 5 stars Modern classical music that is beautiful.......2005-10-23

Too many modern classical composers have sacrificed beauty for virtuosity and expermintality. Not so Part. This Baltic composer writes melodic music of outstanding lyricism and profound beauty. He has succesfully managed to write in the classical format while not sounding like a repetition of the great artists of yore. The music is melancolic, but not tragic, pensive but not unpenetratable. I had the great honour to listen to a live perfomance of works by Part by the Hilliard Ensamble at the Royal Festival Hall in London, UK. It was one of the few times I know of that the audience gave a standing ovation, and just did not want to stop. Mr Part was present and he almost started crying.
Part has contributed music to films as diverse as Les Amants du Pont-Neuf and Fahrenheit 9/11.

Music Track:

  1. Schütz Weihnachtshistorie (Christmas Story); Praetorius Motets
  2. Schubert: Piano Sonatas D959 & D960
  3. Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze; Fantaisie in C
  4. Scriabin: Preludes Op. 11, 16, 22, 27
  5. Scryabin: Preludes for Piano
  6. Sonatas Nos 1 & 2 Waltzes Nocturnes etc
  7. Stokowski French Concert
  8. The Baroque Recorder
  9. The Best of the Classics, Vols. 6 - 10 [Box set]
  10. The Classical Harmonie

Music Track

music track

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