Ladybugs [Import]

Product Description
Japanese pressing features 7 tracks including 1 bonus track, packaged in a Digi-pak. Vap. 2005.

Tracks:

Always On The Telephone
I'm Not mad Enough
Here Comes The Rain
Terry
This Old Chase
For No Other
Three Days From Now
In-Between
So Blind
Broken Links
California Stopover
Lord, Don't Pass Me By

Album Description

On their sixth full-length, this Brooklyn-based collective crafts a delicate mix of hazy, airbrushed melancholia infused with a brighter undercurrent - a promise of good things to come in a country tinged manner that'll have the hardest of hearts melting. Channeling Fred Neil and Bobby Goldsboro, Gary Olson fulfills his promise as one of the more inspired songwriters of the past decade and anchors his current batch of songs with his restrained baritone. The Ladybug Transistor sound more self-assured here, perhaps due to the addition of keyboard and guitar.

Customer Reviews:

great indie pop / rock once again.......2007-06-29

Here we have another great 60s influenced indie pop / rock CD from New York's LADYBUG TRANSISTOR. They are one of the most solid bands playing this style of the last 10-15 years. For those that don't know, this band has members of the ESSEX GREEN, of the famed Elephant Six collective.

Honestly, I like all of the Ladybug records and even without Sasha Bell (check out her solo record FINISHING SCHOOL)...this record is great. It's classic Ladybug...maybe a bit more country influenced. There are some incredible songs on here: the single, "Here Comes the Rain", along with "Terry" and "Always on the Telephone".

I highly recommend this CD for anyone who is a huge fan of Camera Obscura, Essex Green, the Clientele, Great Lakes, Neutral Milk Hotel, Apples in Stereo, the Elephant Six collective, etc. Good job Merge!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Music.......2007-06-16

Well, i'm a great fan of this band and certainly was quite nervous about their new record - would it be as great as their last one? Now I know: Can't Wait Another Day is just as georgeous as the other Ladybug Transistor albums. Really beautiful music with Gary Olson singing for the first time all songs (because Sasha Bell left for The Essex Green). To me, Can't Wait Another Day is one of the best records of the year.

Average customer rating:

Plesant surprise
Proof most good music is outside the mainstream
Takin it to the next
She's Back On Time/Broadcast Where We See/Run & Tell A Friend
nickle slick rebirth...

Trip the Light Fantastic
Ladybug Mecca
Manufacturer: Nu Paradigm
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beyond the Spectrum: The Creamy Spy Chronicles
Blowout Comb
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Some Kinda...
Wikked Lil' Grrrls

ASIN: B0009IRKZG
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Dark Matter
Don't Disturb the Peace
Children Say
Ladybug Come Outside
Show the World
Mr. Mayor
Dogg Starr
Leaving It All Behind
Sexual Alchemy
Centre of Nowhere
Please Don't
Last Train (featuring Martin Luther)
Sweet & Polite
Suicidethol
You Never Get Over It
Remember When?
Oh Poor You
Step Up Wise

Album Description

Ladybug Mecca returns with a body of work that she considers a combination of her life experiences. She is back and stronger than ever with her highly anticipated solo release "Trip the Light Fantastic".

Customer Reviews:

Plesant surprise.......2007-07-02

I've always been a fan of Digable Planets, mainly because of the funky vibe from Ladybug, so I figured that her solo album would be everything I liked about DP, just lacking Doodlebug and Butterfly.

I was kinda right.

It was all that and more. I remember Ladybuy describing her album as "music", rather than tying it down to a single genre, and the album is evidence to its truth. From her classic hiphop/spoken word vibe from DP, to her ventures into alt-rock vibes, pop-ish sounds, jazzy and new-age sounds, the album's all over the place, yet they all share a similar ambiance that Ladybug's vocals create.

No other featured vocalists (aside from the skits), but it's nothing to trip about, ladybug keeps it poppin. Def recommend.

Proof most good music is outside the mainstream.......2006-07-05

This is a great album! If I had to compare her to someone, I'd say Mystic, but their flows are very different. What they do have in common is an effortless shift from rapping to singing and a refreshingly fresh sound. And unlike many "solo" efforts by female rappers, the album is not dominated by featured vocalists; she actually performs almost all of the vocals on the album.
The solo debut of the female Digable Planets member is very eclectic. It goes from Hip Hop to R&B to Pop to Rock to... some stuff I'd hesitate to categorize. This may explain the lack of radio play, but that usually means an artist's music is not trite or cliché.
The 18 tracks consist of an intro (track 1), a skit (track 14), and 16 songs. Lyrics are not included in the booklet. The CD is not in a jewel case - it is in a two-panel unlatched flip-open cardboard jacket with a plastic CD holder.

Takin it to the next.......2006-02-26

I've followed Dig Ps since back in the day and have never stopped listening to their UNBEATABLE beats, rhymes and lyrical content. Sometimes the whole is greater than the parts (ie, Tribe Called Quest). Well apparently this part is as great as the whole. Ladybug lays down some crazy phat tracks in a great mix of genres. If you want pure hip hop you'll only get a few tracks of that here, but if you have an open mind or at least enjoy music from various genres then you will LOVE this cd. As original as you can get without loosing your audience, as accessible as the latest radio pop and with lyrical content to keep the philosopher and the thug happy.

She's Back On Time/Broadcast Where We See/Run & Tell A Friend.......2006-02-10

Our Sista of Conciousness Ladybug Mecca has been through a lot since the days of Blowout Comb, and now reappears with an evolved and deeply thoughtful pastiche of new gems. Many of the tracks have a real airiness about them, though we do hear the more familiar Ladybug/Mecca of yesteryear on at least a couple of tracks. Musical arrangements: impeccable. Creativity: way outside the box. Singing: ethereal. This album is a steal at fourteen bucks for 18 great tracks.

I wrote this review while listening to the album beginning to end. Lyrics in parentheses are ones I guessed at. Though not an easy task, I would rank the tracks in order from most superb to least superb but still good as follows: 15, 4, 9, 13, 12, 5, 11, 14, 18, 16, 3, 17, 8, 7, 2, 1, 10, 6

1. Dark Matter. A very nice instrumental intro. Wind chimes. Makes you think because of the title. If you listen with headphones, you can hear some conversation in the background. Not sure what it's about.

2. Don't Disturb the Peace. This one's an alt-rock style track. Very short and to the point. "...she didn't know the consequence of being an unconditional punching bag breathing"... "Oh, what a mental game--so irrational--Have you ever had a conversation with a head case?" This was the first song that caught my attention, not only because it's the first song on the album, but because of that hook. I think this is going to turn out to be a very revealing album. "What is up with you when you just talk that shi+ and don't live up to that? Sucka-free, now sucka, get back." Damn those abusive relationships.

3. Children Say. "I used to hang out in my room, just sit around watching TV. I'd watch the stories on the news. I'd swear it all was deceiving `mysterious weather patterns sweep the nation'... I close my eyes, a child... *dag, am I going to live to see my 15th birthday???* I ask my mommy why... the situation has come as far to this." Interesting trip back in time. Children know when things ain't right. Young Ladybug was no exception.

4. Ladybug Come Outside. A funky, bouncy track that re-introduces the hip hop Ladybug to those who have been waiting for so long. I love it! "Raise your right fist, in Goddess we trust. Mama Earth where we dwell (is adverse to us).....[She's flows on this one] It's the beginning of the end, the beginning of the end, of the paradigm shift, so...run `n' tell a friend. " "Walk the walk with those like-minded. Talk the talk... to the ones that are blinded." "Ladybug, Ladybug, spit one rhyme. Miss Ladybug Mecca, do you still have time?" "Ladybug, Ladybug, my oh my, I'm glad you left the game, `cause you back on time."

5. Show the World. Another airy, mellow track with a Latin feel that showcases the beauty of Ladybug's singing voice. "You're 9-to-5'ing, your bills are piling, but there's no dollar still"... "The streets is violent, your daughter's wyling, you've done all you can do"... "Smile with your eyes...speak with your heart...and show the world some soul...show the world...it ain't easy...show the world...this is you." "A bad decision...the wrong religion...we all are on our path..." "Sometimes we may fall, it's all good, we will make it ..." "Smile with your eyes..."

6. Mr. Mayor. A rock'n'rollish track that hasn't quite grown on me yet, but has a lot of interesting experimentation, including a little scratching here and there and some guitar riffs. "Parade around like you've got something to do; if you're livin' for the people, why do I see right through?" "You are (a fraud), you are (not large), you are (not in charge)." I hope I got those lyrics right-kind of difficult to decipher.

7. Dogg Starr. Wow. A track called Sirius B/Dog Star. She's rapping on this track and "All the way live, everyday life, live from Earth-yo, I hit you from the Dog Star... broadcast where we see-Sirius B." "Now you see the complexity it takes to compete--simple minds and simple rhymes play the back seat. Regu-lar shi+ lo-ses, don't get abused, kid." A lot of interesting sound/music effects going on here as well.

8. Leaving It All Behind. A little vignette of a conversation/debate between Mecca and a homegirl during which Mecca floats away into dreams of leaving the projects for the beach. Segues into another very light, airy, flute-enhanced, Latin-flavoured ditty that, to my mind, recalls 1970's feel-good songs that became TV show soundtracks. "Sheeeeeee walks alone, but she says she'll never cry... Sheeeeeeee says that the game's an illusion, living in twisted confusion.....and she's leaving them all behiiiiind." "Sheeeeee loves to play with ladybugs in trees...sheeeeeees gone bon voyage on a journey, giving into all the yearning, and relieving her slave-made mind..." Ends with her heading off to catch her bus and bidding farewell to her homegirl.

9. Sexual Alchemy. Keep up with the pace, now. Do I hear a Fela Kuti horns intro??? Oh my GOSH, this is TOO funky!!! Oh, this is off the hook. "To the break of May, or to Auset, catch me in a fre-quen-cy--unh. In your wildest dreams, ever knew this thing? Sexual Al-che-my--unh." "Let us come two-gether like mag-netic. Imagine there's no pain, `magine there's no shame, no longer each other to blame. Dabble in a little bit... if you don't like it, split." Now see, this here is artistry. What a complete and total reinvention of the squeaky, rusty wheel. There's much more, but you've gotta buy the cow to get the milk, darlings.

10. Centre of Nowhere. There's some more Latin flavour here, and a lot of harmonizing. Another throwback to the `70s. I can tell there's some EWF influence here. More flutes. I just love it. "Living at the center of nowhere, puncturing your wings, knowing change will come." "All you've got to do is tell yourself to leave the burden behind you." Definitely sounds like Esthero on this one.

11. Please Don't. More Latin flavour! I LOVE the drum intro! Some spoken word, too 4 ya! Mellow. "So... please don't, unless you like the rejection of my tone..." "He thinks he's really that slick cat. He thinks he's intelligent, all that. [Wow, reminds me of Jill Scott!] Well, Supafly, check out the headlines. Chicks like me, we see you from miles & miles." "It's cool and all, that now you can talk that junk--got the noni, then you ran like a punk. But we know the truth though, you really in a smokeless funk--took a tad, now you think you a hunk. You're just imaginin', fathomin' havin' it like that. When you abuse your sexuality, it makes you feminine, Jack. Who wants a man like that? And that's a fact. So please keep it movin', `cause there ain't no turnin' back." H!Hwellll.

12. Last Train. Oh, a really nice jazzy one. Martin Luther: "Last train for Mary will be leaving (choo-choooo), better get your ticket. Headed for freedom, it's time to shiiiiiine." This is a fun one. I feel like doing the Lindy Hop. Listen to that piano! Ladybug: "It was 7:45 in the a.m.--I am... taking time off for Mec, and you know how... I keep it going, `cause things are what I make it, and who I am is mine for sure." Martin Luther: "You got me huffin' and puffin', I'm chuggin' like a choo-choo train (Choo! Choo!)... the state of the world might make you want to go insane... so keep on pushin' `til you reach a better day." Ladybug: "Embrace the spirits around you. Be one with the sun, devour your power." "The intentions of your soul is pure. Your mind is deeper than the ocean floor." "It's like shimmy shimmy cocoa puff, shimmy shimmy sham. I'm gonna buy myself some gold, and buy myself some land." *snapping to the melody*

13. Sweet & Polite. Oh, I like this one. "I'm always on my job, straight creepin' through the fog..." I LOVE this song! "...up top, cop it--bet. You know it's...LadyBug Mecc..... Fall-in...to my velocity, and do a couple ohms and open up to something clear." "She's so sweet and polite, petite and (on the blithe). A rebel on the outskirts, cute, clever, make it hurt. She's so sweet and polite, petite and (on the blithe). Tricky like I'm doin' dirt, cute, clever, make it hurt." Sprinkle a lil' Portuguese lingo about here and there. "Cops hide behind the gun, kid shot the same night, oh shi+, that's what's up, be prepared to head it up."

14. Suicidethol. Time for a little commercial break.

Ladybug: "Walking through the park used to be such a drag. My runny nose would always let me know that Spring was on the way. But since I've started taking Suicidathol, I have no secretions at all." Gentleman: "Suicidathol killufast tablets help control natural body fluids by drying them up permanently, over a short period of time-in most cases. It can help you feel confident that your nose won't run ever again. Common side effects include kidney failure, liver damage.......muscle pain, fast heartbeat, sore throat and urinating every two minutes." This is a hilarious parody! I've only given bits & pieces of it.

15. You Never Get Over It. My very favorite song on the whole entire album. Starts slow, then is upbeat but melancholy. "What do you think of first thing when you wake up? What do you think of when the one you love is suf-fer-ing the most? What do you do when some-one tells you they're going away for a long, long time and the echoes from the pit of your heart keeps go-ing and they don't stop, no, no, they just don't stop." "Standing on the top of the roof just look-ing up. A sprinkle of cotton and turquoise blow as re-ality stings when the (*?*) rings. What do you do when someone tells you they're going away, and you must be brave, and there's gonna be some time and a little re-action, but it's the way and it's not going to change and.." "...loneliness and visions of you got me react-in a language a girl can't even imagine... loneliness and visions of you got me re-act-in a language a girl can't articulate when it... comes to love I have for you, for you. Comes to love I have for you, for you, for you." "What good does it do when your definitions can't de-fine the emotion through your religion?" This song is incredibly deep and touching once you find out Sista Mecca lost both parents within a short time of one another following the recording of the Blowout Comb album.

16. Remember When? You guessed it. Some more Latin flava. Trance makes an appearance. Drumming, Spanish guitar, background chant-like vocalizing. "Remember when I touched your soul? I know that I was outta control. Are you Dogon? Where are you from? You're not from here. Wanna make you mine, protect you. This is divine, I respect you." Some more Portuguese crooning. Something really out of this world tends to occur whenever Spanish guitar & percussion are overlayed. Outstanding.

17. Oh Poor You. This one has a "rock" feel to it. "My life has been nothing but a blessing to date. Even through the unknown confessions of hate." "And for the so-called profit...dude, you need to stop it." "My trust lies in the Truth between the lines. And everyday's a test of the soul, I know. It took a while to sift through the weeds in the garden. Deeply rooted demons (in deceit) for my stardom. Yeah, she's back and with the synergy. Retrograde couldn't even stop my energy. Or the gravity pull a woman has on a man when the moon is full and in demand, yeah." "Oh poor you. So sad and so con-fused. You want mercy. Just thirst the attention, and you thrill in your neglection." Oops. Somebody wasn't worthy, mature or understanding enough to wear the King's crown.

18. Step Up Wise. Oh! Snap to this! Here comes the Rebirth of Slick bass groove. No mistaking this one. "No, it's no joke, no game, it's live. You want the Truth, *slick*, step up wise." "...Unh like it is, yeah, cold, green light. Queens, don't stress, don't fuss, don't fight." "Again, it's the *slick*, I kissed it and blessed it. Never have to ask, is there born another classic? Go'n switch your car, it don't matter, that's chatter. But we joke: How I zone? (Yeah... you know how it goes.)"

nickle slick rebirth..........2005-07-17

uhhh...

i caint lie... i was expeckin the rebirth of the rebirth of slick or sumphn.

i dint quite get it... instead... i got pleasantly surprised...

lilsista seriously comes thru soundin more like res or esthero than her ol' old way, and that's not a bad thang.
(unless'n you jus some ol' hard-rock/stubborn as hell and dont wanna give in to the progressiveness of an artist... that aint you is it?)

but,
i caint lie #2... ladybug remains one of our top two female hip hop artists (lauryn hill's the other) and I WAS A HOPIN AND A WISHIN for her to kick it like she useta... if she dont carry the weight, then who?

'trip the light' is more enjoyable to me than aya or m.i.a.'s cd... (my opinion)

so get this
and slip into a whole nother kinda cool...

Average customer rating:

Una obra maestra de chamber pop para el fin de siglo
Some Great Songs
Pot sounds
Hatful of Pleasantries
retrofluff, inc.

The Albemarle Sound
Ladybug Transistor
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Green Imagination
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ASIN: B00000HXDU
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Oriental Boulevard
Six Times
Meadowport Arch
Today Knows
The Great British Spring
Like A Summer Rain
The Swimmer
Cienfuegos
The Automobile Song
Oceans In The Hall
Vale Of Cashmere
Aleida's Theme

Customer Reviews:

Una obra maestra de chamber pop para el fin de siglo.......2004-02-19

Si bien hasta ahora mis comentarios habían sido en su mayoría de discos sesenteros y algunos de los 70's, afortunadamente todas las décadas tienen grandes cosas que ofrecer. No se puede decir que la música de Ladybug Transistor sea muy representativa de su época (la portada ya muestra de donde vienen sus fuentes), pero al fin y al cabo quien se precie de hacer buen pop no puede dejar de mirar hacia atrás si quiere salir airoso. Son muchos los que lo han intentado sin dejar huella o transformarse en una mala copia. Ladybug Transistor es una notable excepción.

Albemarle Sound es un extraordinario recorrido por un pop bañado en arreglos orquestales, retazos de sicodelia, barroquismo y constantes giros melódicos, donde se pueden encontrar sublimes ejercicios pop (Six Times, Meadowport Arch, Like a Summer Rain, The Swimmer), instrumentales que van desde la alegre y encantadora The Great British Spring a los pasajes más eclécticos de Cienfuegos, la nostalgia pura de Oceans In The Hall y una verdadera oda a la tristeza y reflexión llamada Today Knows, que con un cierto parecido a Perfect Day y un marcado fondo orquestal, es una de esas hermosas baladas que podrían escucharse mil veces y no agotarse jamás.

Muy de vez en cuando un grupo entrega una obra de tan alta calidad como en este caso, y menos en los tiempos que corren. Fanáticos del pop más barroco sesentero, aquí hay un disco que perfectamente podría haber sido lanzado hace más de 30 años, pero ¡cuidado!, todavía hay gente haciendo maravillas en el fin del milenio.

Some Great Songs.......2002-10-17

This album is a definite step up from their previous releasees, in terms of production and song-crafting. There are some gems of songs on this album, but there are also some less than stellar efforts. "The Great British Spring" reminds me of being in a park in London on a sunny day. The instrumentation gives a 60's retro feel to the songs, with pianos, guitars, horns, and drums. "Like a Summer Rain" and "Oceans in the Hall" are also great. However, "Today Knows" is a slow ballad which may drone on too long for some, and "The Swimmer" doesn't seem to match up with the quality of the other songs on this album. As a whole, the album works pretty well, and is one of my favorites.

Pot sounds.......2000-09-04

Ok, that heading was just stupid, this is not pot music. This is one of the best records to come out since " The Beach boys love you". It's sooo beautiful and even though you might say this is sixties music, it's a very modern record. It's so uplifting to hear these young people with such a genuine love and respect for music. If Burt Bacharach and Brian Wilson ever worked together, this is what may have come out. But if you haven't seen this band live, do so now. They are even better live!

Hatful of Pleasantries.......1999-11-07

Gary Olson and cohorts have composed, for this music aficionado's well tuned ear, some of the most lovely melodies and pop tunes to come out since.. well, since Belle & Sebastian. I wish them a long and prosperous career, rife with the lush melodic genius so generously shared with us here. One of the best albums of 1998. Truly a hidden treasure.

retrofluff, inc........1999-10-06

there's some great moments on this record ("six times" -- wow!), and the band's refusal to believe that it could be anything but 1966 is admirable. but "pet sounds" this ain't....

Average customer rating:

Rough and Sloppy (by Ladybug standards)
A true Gem. Buy it. You will not regret it!
a masterpiece indeed
wonderful wonderful wonderful
A Masterpiece

Beverley Atonale
Ladybug Transistor
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Everything Is Green
Destination Girl (with Bonus DVD)
Never Hear the End of It
Set Yourself on Fire

ASIN: B0000019OZ
Release Date: 1997-02-11

Tracks:

Here Is Your Space
Rushes Of Pure Spring
Windy
The Swedish Libra And You
This Order Is Tall
Music For Tennis Courts
Your Wagging Tail (Single Space)
Stuck
Forest Marching Song
The Occasional
It Will Be A Lifetime
Thoughts Of You
The Swedish Libra ll

Customer Reviews:

Rough and Sloppy (by Ladybug standards).......2003-03-21

Maybe I was spoiled by the brilliance of "The Albemarle Sound," because when I bought "Beverley Atonale" I was disappointed. This is a rather rough, sloppy album compared to the Ladybugs' later releases. The songs do not always complement each other. There are a couple of great moments, though, namely "Rushes of Pure Spring" and "This Order Is Tall." Both tracks are based around hypnotic organ riffs that remind me a bit of Pink Floyd's "More" soundtrack.

"This Order Is Tall" may be my favorite Ladybug Transistor song, so the disc was worth buying just for that. Some of the other tracks, however, are little more than musical fragments, and later on the disc our delicate Ladybug ears are assualted by (gasp!) ELECTRIC GUITARS. What were they thinking? Maybe at the time this record was made it was just too uncool for indie rock bands to make an entire album that did not have loud electric guitars on it somewhere. In the context of this album, the sound is unwelcome, as it shatters the delicate mood in favor of Pavement-style grunge. There are, however, indications of the excellence that was soon to follow for this band, so "Beverley Atonale" may be worth picking up if you are a serious fan.

A true Gem. Buy it. You will not regret it!.......2002-08-08

I cannot figure out why more people do not have this CD in their collection. It had everything going for it. Maybe it's because it came out before Belle and Sebastian had built its army of doe-eyed followers. Maybe the waning neo-lounge set found it too earnest and intellectual. Maybe the Papas Fritas people were too busy listening to Papas Fritas. Whatever the reason, I have yet to meet another soul who owns this CD, and very few who have ever heard of the band. Along with The Swirlies' "They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons", Belle and Sebastian's "Tiger's Milk" (yes our station was one of the lucky ones that got the original vinal pressing--I was the first person to take it out of the jacket and play it), and anything by Yo La Tengo or Johnathan Richman, this was my favorite album to play from on my ultra-hip weekly college radio show in 1997, and it's still one of my favorites now that I'm a very un-cool corporate drone with a paunch.

a masterpiece indeed.......2000-12-08

this album i think should be in any real music lovers collection.the music speaks for itself.a modern day 'Forever Changes"............buy this c.d.,now.......

wonderful wonderful wonderful.......1998-12-25

The haunting, meloncholy, upbeat, smoothe, relaxing and obnoxious are what my friends have said. If you are a Velvet Underground fan, you'll love this album. Track 1 gets your attention before going into a queasy mood before Rushes of Pure Spring relaxes and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. One of my favorite lyrics - "I want to get stuck outside in the rain with you"

A Masterpiece.......1998-08-24

This record is the secret indie masterpiece of the 90's. Haunting lyrics, lilting melodies and genuine yearning permeate its tracks and take the listener to a melancholic yet strangely happy place. Powerful.

Average customer rating:

Ladybug Stomp
Chris Proctor
Manufacturer: Sugarhouse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MXP9CO
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

CPSM
Dream and Variations
Beppe
Requiem
The Anniversary Waltz
Solstice
Make It Snappy
Ozymandias
Red Zinger
Meriwether
Ladybug Stomp
Hard Times

Product Description

Ladybug Stomp continues Chris's lifetime exploration of the technical, emotional, and compositional possibilities of the acoustic guitar, and brings Chris and his listeners back to his creative foundation- writing, performing and recording new music for solo six and twelve-string guitars. Recorded with state-of-the-art analog and digital gear, and using the revolutionary new HDCD mastering process, Ladybug Stomp traverses a broad swath of the landscape of Americana, with Chris' altered tunings and original techniques taking flight on six different Taylor guitars.

Album Description

Ladybug Stomp continues Chris's lifetime exploration of the technical, emotional, and compositional possibilities of the acoustic guitar, and brings Chris and his listeners back to his creative foundationwriting, performing and recording new music for solo six and twelve-string guitars. Recorded with state-ofthe-art analog and digital gear, and using the revolutionary new HDCD mastering process, Ladybug Stomp traverses a broad swath of the landscape of Americana, with Chris' altered tunings and original techniques taking flight on six different Taylor guitars.

Average customer rating:

Effete Ear Candy
Do you like scones?
Great Retro Indie-Pop
Fresh 'Heir'
retro yes, but good retro

Argyle Heir
Ladybug Transistor
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Destination Girl (with Bonus DVD)
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ASIN: B00005B7IC
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

Fires On The Ocean
Echoes
Perfect For Shattering
Going Up North (Icicles)
Wooden Bars
Catherine Elizabeth
Nico Norte
Words Hang In The Air
Fjords Of Winter
In A Certain Place
Brighton Bound
The Reclusive Hero
The Glass Pane
Caton Gardens

Amazon.com

At first listen, the Ladybug Transistor resemble the better-crafted Britpop groups of the 1980s. Gary Olson's deep, carefully enunciated vocals bring to mind Echo & the Bunnymen and Lowlife-era New Order, especially on "Echoes" and "Wooden Bars," tracks from Argyle Heir, the Ladybug Transistor's fourth release. But a closer focus unveils a deeper surprise--gentle hook-laden pop songs augmented by perfectly placed layers of woodwinds and brass. "Nico Norte" could easily be an updated outtake from the Mamas and the Papas' Deliver album, while "Brighton Bound" features harmonies that would make a barbershop quartet proud. Only the faux-renaissance "Catherine Elizabeth" seems out of place, but even that delicate tapestry of a tune works on repeated listens. Argyle Heir? The Ladybug Transistor? What do they mean? It doesn't really matter. The Brooklyn-based sextet, Anglophiles every one, have cornered the market on breezy, well-orchestrated arrangements. Fans of melodic and meticulously arranged pop suites--à la the Elephant Six style of indie rock--will embrace this latest addition to the genre. --Andria Lisle

Customer Reviews:

Effete Ear Candy.......2004-01-27

Their sound is indeed close to Belle and Sebastian, but perhaps even closer to the Monochrome Set, or Jarvis Cocker fronting some 60s bubblegum band. But these folks are sensitive and earnest whereas the Monochrome Set were often just plain silly. The mix of instruments, trumpet and woodwinds, adds a nice touch to the reverby guitar and effete vocals. Well worth checking out.

Do you like scones?.......2003-03-27

"Argyle Heir" does not offer nearly as many pop hooks as its predecessor, "The Albemarle Sound," but it is still a fine album by almost any standard. Here's the way I think of it: If "The Albemarle Sound" is a sweet roll, "Argyle Heir" is more like a scone or an English muffin. I should mention that I like sweet rolls (and their musical equivalents) better than scones or English muffins. However, that does not mean that I would like to eat a sweet roll for breakfast every single morning.

The only truly great pop song on "Argyle Heir" is "Perfect for Shattering"--an incredibly catchy yet evocative song along the lines of the previous album's "Meadowport Arch," but with a steadier backbeat.

There are plenty of subtler pleasures awaiting the patient listener, however. "Echoes" is a dreamy tune that utilizes a bent guitar note in the chorus, just before Gary Olson sings, "The fields are perfectly sown." It's a quintessential Ladybug moment. This is a band that often sees beauty in the way that humans alter the landscape--a rare sentiment in modern music. They sing not of forests, but of gardens and beautiful old houses.

Other standout tracks are "Wooden Bars" (I am intrigued yet ultimately mystified by this notion of "counting the feathers on every bird," which is mentioned in this song and one other) and "The Reclusive Hero." The latter is built around a herky-jerky riff that is played on some sort of keyboard instrument, maybe an electric piano, with violin and flute adding countermelodies.

It is the arrangements, after all, that make "Argyle Heir" hold up so well to repeated listens. The musicianship of this band (as well as the related bands The Essex Green and the Sixth Great Lake) is well above the level we expect from indie rockers.

There is nothing punk rock or revolutionary about the Ladybug Transistor. Their sound is unapologetically retro, and any good Marxist would hate the lyrics, which seem to allude mostly to either wealthy people or childhood memories (or, perhaps, childhood memories of wealthy people). But, in their own way, the band does remind us of the freedom that exists in our minds, and of our capacity to appreciate beauty where we find it. And that's good enough for me.

Great Retro Indie-Pop.......2002-10-17

Certainly, you can hear the Mamas and the Papas as an influence in this album. For me, the fact that they don't sound like most of the pop rubbish available today is a plus.

Of all the Ladybug Transistor albums to date, this is the most polished and best produced. Argyle Heir is an expansion of the sound that they were developing in "The Albemarle Sound," their previous release. There are several good songs on this album, such as "Echoes," "Catherine Elizabeth," and the instrumental "Fjords of Winter." The other songs are well-produced as well, and there aren't any real bombs on this album.

Fresh 'Heir'.......2001-10-03

Take the less easy elements of easy listening, siphon off the kitsch factor, sprinkle in strings, woodwinds and brass and what you end up with is the soft but not shallow sounds of the Ladybug Transistor. This six-piece mini orchestra hails from Brooklyn but its musical recipe has more in common with overseas counterparts Belle & Sebastian, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci and the Apartments than what usually gets cooked up in the States. Bright and bouncy melodies are undercut by sardonic lyrics and Gary Olson's warm, deadpan voice, which is both charming and mysterious. This is progressive music as it was meant to be - incorporating the beauty and sweep of the classics into the popular form, but managing to steer clear of the overly arch pretentiousness that has kept so much of "prog rock" from being truly engaging. Strange, ambitious and remarkable, "Argyle Heir" will fill the space between your ears with technicolor air.

retro yes, but good retro.......2001-09-18

I've seen some pretty bad reviews for this album on this site and I think these people are missing the point. The Ladybug Transistor obviously loves pop music of the sixties. That being said, if that isn't your favourite style, then why the heck would you even give this a listen? However, if you love Brian Wilson compositions, Burt Bacharach, Walker Brothers, Phil Spector, Belle & Sebastian, The Heavy Blinkers, heck, even the Byrds and so on and so on....pick this up immediately. In fact, pick up the previous album Albemarle Sound as well. Sure, they sometimes take things a little too far, sacrificing linear song structure just to show that they can switch time signatures and tempos with ease. The melodies are sweet and cheerful, and the lyrics are introspective and vague without sounding pretentious. If you love melodic pop music, with interesting chord changes and lots of waltz-y interludes and a somewhat baroque feel.....buy this.

Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten

Average customer rating:

One of the greatest treasures
The perfect voice
Wow - the range of this young man's voice!

Bejun Mehta - Songs and arias of Handel, Schubert, Brahms, Britten
George Frideric Handel , Franz Schubert , Johannes Brahms , Benjamin Britten , Bejun Mehta , David Shifrin , Carol Rosenberger , and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Principas
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Alexander Revisited - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
The God Delusion

ASIN: B0000006VF
Release Date: 1992-12-11

Tracks:

If God Be For Us
Where'er You Walk
So Shall The Lute And Harp Awake
What Though I Trace
How Beautiful Are The Feet
With Thee, The Unsheltered Moor I'd Tread
The Shepherd On The Rock - Schubert
Ladybug
My Sweetheart Has Rosy Lips
Down Deep In The Valley
A Tree Is Standing
The Last Rose Of Summer

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest treasures.......2003-06-02

Fresh and supple voice, amazing breath control, incredible expressions, mature musicality. I have listened to some of the songs sung by real sopranos (meaning mature female), and I admit that they do have their own greatness, but this boy soprano seems to be far more exciting. He's got unbeatable, invincible energy and drive, which, I guess, only teenagers can possess, and the way he builds up the intensity is awe-striking.
He has a total control over the high notes also. You will hear the most beautiful pianissimo, soft, expressive, and floaty, in those otherwise ear-spliting pitches. His runs are also incomparable, very clear, driven, profound, and accurate. You will have to hear them at least once in your life time!

I have let my two teenage nephews, who knew nothing but rock music, listen to this CD, and lo and behold, they couldn't stop listening to it. We were on a trip to Yellow Stone at that time, a long boring drive, and they kept on asking me to play it over and over. We ended up listening to it several hours straight every day for 3 days! A different kind of excitement from rock music, every time the fast runs came, they couldn't stop dancing in the car mimicking them. The whole CD made them simply happy and jubilant. As a result, the otherwise boring long drive became a very happy, fun trip.

The only drawback is that his words are not very clear, and at times the accent is poor. But his musicality and mature expressions off-set it. Even if you don't understand the words, these songs will surely make your day. This is one of those CDs that proves that classical music can be much more exciting and fun than popular music. Good for kids, teenagers, and adults.

The perfect voice.......2002-12-02

Mr. Mehta is a countertenor now. When he was a boy soprano his voice was incomparable, in my view, one which answers to the myth of a Castrato's voice. Such gentle and even register throughout the range which surely arouses the jealousy of any soprano.

Mr. Mehta demonstrated sophisticated and precoscious techniques which made his gifted timbre even more unparalleled. His diction is not quite crisp. My conjecture that it's due to his nasal technique, not unfamiliar to a countertenor, the unique head voice suited to a boy's changing voice. Maybe, also because of this, the color of Mr. Mehta's voice on this CD is especially touching - woeful but never strident nor forced in high notes. The aria "If God Be for Us" is most sentimental and brings an aetheist to tears!

Wow - the range of this young man's voice!.......2000-04-18

I've listened to this marvel repeatedly and found a great satisfaction in the choice of music and personal stylistic of these pieces. I hope there are more young men inspired to give their voices a try as a result of Bejun's work here...I especially enjoyed the spiritual selctions, esp. "If God be for us..." Please don't cheat yourself of the opportunity to hear this!

Average customer rating:

Prospect Park
James Hindle
Manufacturer: Badman Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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James William Hindle
Town Feeling

ASIN: B0000996H0
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

You Will Be Safe
Come Down Slowly
Leaving Trains
Hoboken
Country Song
Great Woodland Summer
Doubt
Hollow Bodies
Shadows Cast a Lie
Celebration
Park Slope Song

Album Description

For British folk-balladeer, James William Hindle, the second time's the charm. On Prospect Park, his second full-length album, there are the same wistful, delicately-strummed melodies strewn with hope and acoustic longing that garnered critical praise for his self-titled debut album. However on Prospect Park, there's also the definite sound of a maturity found. After over a year of touring the US with bands like The Essex Green and The Ladybug Transistor and appearing on a compilation with Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes, and Spoon, among others, James' musical persona has just begun to spread its wings. For those keen-eared listeners who detect a faint Elephant-6-esque thread running through the songs on Prospect Park, James is ably backed up on these proceedings by members of The Essex Green, The Ladybug Transistor, Sunshine Fix, and Aden.

Average customer rating:

A gift from the 90's
One of the best female MC's.

Ladybug
JV
Manufacturer: Thump Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000C52EN
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

Hail Da Queen
Talk Is Cheap
Back Off My Bug
Daddy's Little Girl
Faded
Make You Sweat
Vamos a La Choncliar
Da Cut
Pay To Play
Madrina
La Medrina
Da Connection
Talent Or Luck
Some Dum Girls
Ex To Da Next
Sissy
Heaven Sent
Bow 2 No Man
Where Da Party At
Unpredictable

Customer Reviews:

A gift from the 90's.......2005-03-21

well this album didin't come out in the 90's. but it sure do sound like one JV did a job on this album unlike her other two albums JV focus more on keeping it a little underground and sexy while not loosing her style I have to say it took me a moment to injoy this album cause at first i wasn't feeling it but it a little better than what out right now and plus it has those mid- 90 sound to where it will get stuck in your head for days but all in all buy the album its worth price!!

One of the best female MC's........2004-05-24

I can't believe that nobody has posted reviews of any of JV's albums, so here is my contribution! I've been a fan since her 1994 debut "Nayba'hood Queen," which was a decent, solid album that yielded a few minor hits ("Nayba'hood Queen," "Time Keeps Slippin' Away"). She improved her flow dramatically for "It Gets No Reala" in '96, and has now moved lightyears beyond even that album for the fantastic "Ladybug." This CD is awesome from beginning to end, her flow is better than ever, and the production is excellent, especially for a tiny independent label (this was originally released on the microscopically tiny Cash Flow records before its reissue by Thump in 9/03). I think she is one of the best and most underrated female MC's of all time; if she had some financial backing from a halfway decent label, she could be a star. Anyway, if you're considering buying this album, get it! She has virtually no internet presence, so it's hard to know about anything else she's doing, future projects, etc., but JV has left us with three fine albums, so don't sleep!

Average customer rating:

The Pastoral Sound of Pop Music
Bad album
Don't miss it!!!!
Not So Hot
Great soundtrack for the fall

The Ladybug Transistor
Ladybug Transistor
Manufacturer: Merge Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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The Crane Wife
Green Imagination
Yoko
The Coast Is Never Clear

ASIN: B0000D1FHA
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

These Days In Flames
In December
3=Wild
Song For The Ending Day
Choking On Air
The Places You'll Call Home
Gospel
Please Don't Be Long
NY-San Anton
Hangin' On The Line
A Burial At Sea
Splendor In The Grass
The Last Gent

Customer Reviews:

The Pastoral Sound of Pop Music .......2005-12-24

Great Band with that wonderful singer Gary Olson and a beautiful record, which sounds very english -- please, don't believe that bad reviews before - just listen!!!

Bad album.......2005-12-17

I like thier earlier stuff...it's not perfect, but it's kind of sweet. This is just plain bland music. Really really bad. They should be ashamed of themselves and hide in a cave. What were they thinking?

Mad mad bad.

Don't miss it!!!!.......2004-02-11

Great band, great athmosphere, this is for sure an album that you can't miss if you are an indie music lover! The mosaic of delicate sounds, deep voice and excellent strings background make this album more better than Belle and Sebastian last record.
The Ladybug athmosphere remind me the black and white french movies from the 60s. Fantastic!!!!!

Not So Hot.......2003-12-08

...And that's a generous 2 stars...OK, perhaps I'm not a big fan of their sound, but I find it hard to recommend anything about this disc. It's mellow for sure, and a little twangy, but you can't call it alt-country. The lead singer pretty much proves that just about anybody with a voice can be a singer. There are no outstanding performances here. What's all the fuss about this band??? You'll probably end up doing what I did and listen to it a few times....but how can a disc like this be anything more than that, to anybody?????

Great soundtrack for the fall.......2003-10-10

This is the first Ladybug Transistor album that I have heard, so I can't compare it with any earlier releases. With that said, I think it's good. Track 5 "Choking on Air" is by far my favorite song off this album. Its a very visual song (if that makes any sense) but I think you have to hear it to understand.

If you are not familiar with this band, I would compare it to Belle & Sebastian's newest record "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" - both have a variety of singers (both male and female) with that sunny 70's AM rock feel. I really love Sasha Bell's voice, so I'm also planning on getting Essex Green's "Long Goodbye" to hear her contributions to that cd.

I rated this CD 4 stars out of 5 because I enjoy it and it definately has many strong songs, but there are a few songs that I'm not entirely fond of. Still, 4 out of 5 is good!

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