Album [Import]
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
He may be an unapologetically blue-collar kind of guy, but Bob the Builder sounds awfully big for his work britches on his album debut. Since when does this crew carry on in British accents? Such a royal renovation, when it's this unexpected, can be irreparably jarring. Regardless, if your preschooler isn't completely put out about the right proper revamping of his TV hero, chances are you'll both finds lots of reasons to linger 'round the repair yard here, not least of which is the ramped-up energy supply. "Mambo No. 5" is whipped into a worker-bee's anthem ("A little bit of toiling on the roof / A little bit of making waterproof"), '60s chestnut "Dizzy!" spins spirited circles around the original, and "Right Tool for the Job" will find wannabe builders teaching bust-a-move techniques to Mom and Dad. Other tunes, like "What Can I Be (Spud's Song)" and "Blonde Haired Gal in a Hardhat (Wendy's Song)" tone down the tempo to flick an exploratory flashlight on feelings. Still, a sticky bubblegum-pop and dance sensibility cements these 12 tracks for carefree kiddy consumption ("Bob's Line Dance" swipes the boy-band sound, "Crocodile Rock" electronifies Sir Elton), and everybody but our-side-of-the-pond Bob purists will dig in. Can a bunch of blokes produce a Bob the Builder record American kids will cozy up to? By cracky, yes, they can! --Tammy La Gorce
Album Description
UK children's album featuring the million selling 'Can We Fix It?', the smash hit 'Mambo No. 5' & an exclusive duet with Elton John on the classic 70's hit 'Crocodile Rock'.
Album, Music, Bob the Builder, Children's, Popular Music, Rock/Pop
Average customer rating:
- McCartney Pop Gem
- Memory Almost Full
- The hits just keep on coming!
- Almost Full / Almost Great
- Harsh and Grating
|
Memory Almost Full
Paul McCartney
Manufacturer: Hear Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Britain
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General
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Pop Rock
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| Classic Rock
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- Traveling Wilburys (2 CD / 1 DVD)
- Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
- Live In Dublin
- Lost Highway
- It Won't Be Soon Before Long
ASIN: B000P2A242
Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Tracks:
- Dance Tonight
- Ever Present Past
- See Your Sunshine
- Only Mama Knows
- You Tell Me
- Mr. Bellamy
- Gratitude
- Vintage Clothes
- That Was Me
- Feet In The Clouds
- House of Wax
- The End Of The End
- Nod Your Head
Amazon.com
"Many years from now" must have seemed like an understatement to 16-year-old Paul McCartney, wondering if he'd still be needed or fed at the age of 64. As it turned out, all doubt as to the latter had ceased by his 22nd birthday (though few could have predicted he'd end up washing down those meals with the liquid pride of Seattle). As to the former? Now that McCartney, as of the date of this album's release, has reached that mythic age, his greatest work is 40 years behind him, his solo peak over 30 years gone. Does the world need a new Paul McCartney album? The answer is yes, at least as much as it needs anything else that passes for music these days. With Memory Almost Full, Macca is back. No, it's not Ram or Band on the Run. It might not even be Flowers in the Dirt--in 1989, he had a full band, the support of Linda, and Elvis Costello as a collaborator. Here, he's on his own. Literally: on the majority of the tracks, everything but the strings is multi-instrumentalist Paul. But the surprise is that it's one of his freest, loosest affairs in years, sonically reminiscent of the Tug of War/Pipes of Peace era with nods to Abbey Road in the album-closing medley, McCartney's gravelly tones on "Gratitude," and 2007's version of "Her Majesty," the palate-cleansing "Nod Your Head." It's a surprise because of the album's inescapable sense of retrospection ("Ever Present Past," "Vintage Clothes," "That Was Me") and even a bit of weariness. The next-to-last song is "The End of the End," after all, in which McCartney tells us about what he'd like to happen "on the day that I die." (He wants "songs that were sung/to be hung out like blankets/that lovers have played on/and laid on while listening to songs that were sung," and will likely get his wish.) But it never gets overwhelming, for McCartney mostly resists his tendency to get plodding and maudlin. In fact, Memory Almost Full must be the most sanguine album made during the dissolution of a marriage since...well, ever. "What went out is coming back," he sings in "Vintage Clothes," and from the sound of things, that may not be just wishful thinking. What's past is prologue; if we're lucky, what to come may be McCartney's late renaissance. --Benjamin Lukoff
Album Description
The 13 new songs on Memory Almost Full are performed entirely by Paul McCartney (excluding strings) and produced by Grammy Award-winner David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Bruce Springsteen and more).
More Paul McCartney
Band on the Run |
Ram |
Wingspan: Hits and History |
Customer Reviews:
McCartney Pop Gem.......2007-07-16
This is an excellent example of Paul's lyricism and inventive melody making. If you like the Beatles, you will like this one.
Memory Almost Full.......2007-07-16
This cd is great! I love to listen Paul sing. He has a wonderful imagination and voice is still the same. I hope to hear more in the future.
The hits just keep on coming!.......2007-07-15
This is a great CD! Much better than the last one he turned out. I guess he got rid of the 'bad karma' that was holding him back. Looking forward to more great songs from this great artist!
Almost Full / Almost Great.......2007-07-15
While this is clearly not McCartneys best work ever, I doubt anything ever will be. Blame it on nostalgia, or the fact that I am growing older myself, but it will never be what it once was. Still, it is very good. Every bit as good as Chaos, perhaps better in some ways. I found the "single" Dance Tonight ,to be in my opinion the weakest track on the album. Er sorry disc, see I am growing old. Tracks like Vintage Clothes, and The End of the End found their way into my personal favorites on the i Pod. Ever Present Past is by far the strongest song McCartney has recorded in years. He has finally come to grips with the fact that it is ok to be a Beatle, a frontman for Wings, a guy that loves to make music, and most of all, it appears he has found comfort with being Paul. Sure it's not Abbey Road, but then I'm not sneaking in through many bathroom windows anymore myself. Thanks Paul, a fine album overall.
Harsh and Grating.......2007-07-14
My wife and I grew up with the Beatles. We like Paul McCartney's songs. We both found the music on this album harsh and grating (nearly every song). In addition, the songs find no new ways to say anything. Same old stuff, not nice to listen to. We regret the purchase.
Average customer rating:
- Is this really John Mayer???
- excellent cd !!!
- Love this album.
- His best yet
- A beacon in fog-filled musical world
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Continuum
John Mayer
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
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Singer-Songwriters
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- Corinne Bailey Rae
- Room for Squares
- Heavier Things
- How To Save A Life
ASIN: B000H0MKGK
Release Date: 2006-09-12 |
Tracks:
- Waiting On The World To Change
- I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)
- Belief
- Gravity
- The Heart Of Life
- Vultures
- Stop This Train
- Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
- Bold As Love
- Dreaming With A Broken Heart
- In Repair
- I'm Gonna Find Another You
Amazon.com
Continuum is about as apt a title as it gets for John Mayer's third studio disc. Every element, from the peerless guitar playing to the plainspoken poetry of the lyrics to the breathy-sincere singing, makes a return from previous efforts. But to weakly pronounce this another worthwhile effort from an artist the world has come to expect a whole lot from and then call it a day would be no minor misdeed, because it's also the best, boldest disc he's ever made. Taking maturity as a theme throughout, Mayer tackles a batch of adulthood's bogeymen: indifference on the uptempo chart-climber "Waiting for the World to Change," aging on the melancholy-sweet "Stop This Train," and emotional trainwreckage on the big-rocking "In Repair." That's not to suggest he's turned overly introspective--check the Jimi Hendrix cover "Bold As Love," where he hits one home for guitarists who've been living in the shadow of legend everywhere, and the hard-charging "Belief," which benefits from a mesmerizing, liquid groove. Continuum may be the third in a series, but a creative cop-out this is not; Mayer is his generation's musical superman--powerful, unassailable, and magnetic. Hand that man a cape. --Tammy La Gorce
Amazon.com
John Mayer's third studio album follows the multi-platinum "Room for Squares" (2001) and "Heavier Things" (2003), and marks his first turn as producer. It is his most soulful, cohesive collection yet and he says it's no accident that this project is where all of his efforts, his potential, and his disparate influences fully come together.
More from Mayer
Room for Squares |
Heavier Things |
Try!, the John Mayer Trio |
Inside Wants Out (EP) |
Any Given Thursday (CD) |
Any Given Thursday (DVD) |
Customer Reviews:
Is this really John Mayer???.......2007-07-17
I guess I must plead ignorance; I never liked John Mayer and thought he was a lightweight who sang schlocky, whiny stuff, but I must apologize! This is a really melodious, pleasing CD! I must listen more to really appreciate it, but it is so easy and rewarding to listen to. Give it a try. I NEVER thought I'd be saying this! Go John!
excellent cd !!!.......2007-07-16
I haven't heard a cd of his I didn't like. I just love the way his music makes me feel when I listen to it. I listen to it at the end of the work day and all my stresses seem to melt away.
Love this album........2007-07-11
If you like John Mayer, you'll love this album. "Dreaming with a Broken Heart" is totally relatable if you've ever been though a relationship that's ended. The rest of the album is fantastic....an album you can listen to over and over, and still want to listen again.
His best yet.......2007-07-05
I love all of John Mayer's stuff, but his style has filled out and matured on this last album. He plays with all his heart and his band complements him really well.
A beacon in fog-filled musical world.......2007-07-02
While Mayer's first recording was definately in the "pop" category, this third release after the bluesy "Try" is much more difficult to pigeon-hole. There are some really great tunes on this one and it would be hard for me to choose a favorite. The blues show their face once again as our poor hero falls in and out of love. The really good news is John's talented guitar playing shines like a beacon in fog-filled musical world littered with so many "three chord Johnnies" out there. After this disc first came out, I caught some of the songs being used in the background of popular TV shows. I remember hearing Gravity on an episode of House and I think they also used Slow Dancing In A Burning Room as well. Both solid songs from Mr. Mayer. If you have not heard this disc, trust me and buy it for some superb rocking blues guitar work.
Average customer rating:
- Unbiased opinion
- Knowing me, Knowing you
- If you love Bob Dylan...
- Better Than Retreads
- Ferry Fans ok, Dylan Fans no
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Dylanesque
Bryan Ferry
Manufacturer: Virgin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Twelve
- West
- Sweet Warrior
- My Name Is Buddy
- Easy Tiger
ASIN: B000LPR0SE
Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
Tracks:
- Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
- Simple Twist Of Fate
- Make You Feel My Love
- The Times They Are A-Changin'
- All I Really Want To Do
- Knockin' On Heaven's Door
- Positively 4th Street
- If Not For You
- Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
- Gates Of Eden
- All Along The Watchtower
Amazon.com
Long a Bob Dylan fan, Bryan Ferry remade "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" for his 1973 self-titled album of covers. This time around, the celebrated Roxy Music leader turns in Dylanesque, recasting 11 Dylan classics during a single live-in-the-studio week that leaves the album sounding vibrantly faithful to the original numbers. Far be it for the imaginative contrarian to retrace Dylan's steps, and sure enough--despite an omnipresent harmonica--Ferry does just the opposite. The raw rocker "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" becomes a seductive British pop song, while despair and loneliness turn into effervescence for the driving "Simple Twist of Fate." Ferry's ageless tenor injects a modern momentum into early Dylan imprints "Positively 4th Street" (with strings!), "All I Really Want to Do," and "The Times They Are A-Changing," and gloriously respects the more recent "Make You Feel My Love" (from 1997's Time out of Mind). But the best is yet to come, as the oft-covered "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" may never have received better treatment and "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" loses not a beat of its original knock-down luster. The record closes with "All Along the Watchtower," a twin tribute to Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, the visionary for this adaptation. --Scott Holter
Amazon.com
Bryan Ferry Photos
More from Bryan Ferry
Boys and Girls |
As Time Goes By |
The Foolish Things |
The Platinum Collection |
Let's Stick Together |
Bryan Ferry in Concert |
Customer Reviews:
Unbiased opinion.......2007-07-13
I was neither a fan of Bob Dylan or Bryan Ferry prior to listening to this CD.
My previous opinion of Bob Dylan was that he was overated... and I rarely gave a thought to Bryan Ferry.
However, I now have a new respect for both artists.
The Times They Are A-Changin is one of the best, unique, covers that I have ever heard. I would love to hear him sing a full version.
I can understand why hard core Bob Dylan fans would not like this CD.
The songs are vastly different to the Bob Dylan originals, but it would be a pointless CD if they sounded the same wouldn't it?
Knowing me, Knowing you.......2007-07-11
I find the vitriol hurled at this CD to be especially appalling. This is a fine work. I've shared it with many friends, Dylan fans, and they all love it. Anyone who knows anything about Dylan knows that he constantly reinterprets his songs live, so what's the beef that Ferry follows Dylan's lead? Here, Ferry teases out the melodies that Dylan often only implies--which is Dylan's way, and that's totally cool, not meant as a criticism at all. The playing is subtle and informed. Ferry's harmonica is especially interesting, since it owes more, I think, to his keyboard articulation than to the traditional player's guitar in terms of phrasing.
There is not a duff track on this CD. You all know the songs and the arrangements already from previous reviews. The hostile criticism brings to mind a Dylan concert long ago, when he appeared with the Band and was booed for going electric. Some people need to grow up. Ferry is moving atmospherics and subtlety into arrangements in new ways, interesting ways. And guys, there is no connection whatsoever to Manilow. Clearly, this fine CD is not intended for the tone deaf. The rest of us will have it in their players for months and years to come. It's superb.
If you love Bob Dylan..........2007-07-10
You're gonna hate this album. As we all know most of the world was not ready for Dylan back in the day and I'd say that most of the world is still not ready so you have to wonder what people will think when they hear this latest Bryan Ferry effort "Bob Dylan And The Amazing Pink Bubble Gum Machine"
A friend of mine gave me a copy of this album and when the first track "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" started I too thought it was a joke.
The album is filled with a mixture of flavors from "The Pina Colada Song" to "Jimmy Cracked Corn" add a touch of Terry Jacks (Seasons In The Sun) & Barry Manillow (Pick one) and you'll get the picture.
"All Along The Watchtower" is not horrible but who really cares if Robin Trower played acoustic on the track since it's a totally electric number and you can't hear him anyway. Poor production pure and simple but that makes the whole thing consistent.
Honestly I think the only people that should be allowed to cover Dylan songs are struggling garage bands that have very little chance of ever being heard except by their really drunk and stoned friends and then I think it's cool....
Save yourself some money and buy an old Cowsills album at a second hand store.
Better Than Retreads.......2007-07-10
Bryan Ferrys is able to take someone elses songs and put his own unique stamp on the songs. Even though Bos Dylan is an ordinary singer Ferry is able to change the songs to his own brand of rock. Well worth checking out is you like the Bryan Ferry sound.
Ferry Fans ok, Dylan Fans no.......2007-07-06
Well -- first the disclaimers. I grew up listening to Dylan, it was my parents music. I am familiar with Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music. I have no problems at all with Dylan covers and thought this might be an interesting album so I took a chance on it.
I should have let it pass. There comes a time for all artists to step down, frankly, my opinion is that Dylan should stay in the studio and not have gone on the last tour (and the studio part is getting iffy). And Bryan Ferry should step away from the microphone. He doesn't have the chops to carry Dylan songs. You can have all the production you want, all the harmonica and whatever, but without the words you don't have Dylan -- it's like Rap without words.
What we have on this album sounds a lot like Emo Philips. I had a bunch of even harsher descriptions but I'll let them pass.
Production values are good. Songs are good. Voice is bad. Dynamics are mostly missing. I'll be seeing a friend of mine this weekend who's ten years older than me and I'll give the album to her. She can like it or not, but it's out of my collection.
Average customer rating:
- I am buying a new copy
- Great songwriting and production of Romantic Pop Rock
- If I could pick only one Beatles CD to play this would be it
- My personal favorite
- Fab Four's True Swan Song
|
Abbey Road
The Beatles
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000002UB3
Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Come Together
- Something
- Maxwell's Silver Hammer
- Oh! Darling
- Octopus's Garden
- I Want You (She's So Heavy)
- Here Comes the Sun
- Because
- You Never Give Me Your Money
- Sun King
- Mean Mr. Mustard
- Polythene Pam
- She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
- Golden Slumbers
- Carry That Weight
- End
- Her Majesty
Amazon.com essential recording
The Beatles' last days as a band were as productive as any major pop phenomenon that was about to split. After recording the ragged-but-right Let It Be, the group held on for this ambitious effort, an album that was to become their best-selling. Though all four contribute to the first side's writing, John Lennon's hard-rocking, "Come Together" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" make the strongest impression. A series of song fragments edited together in suite form dominates side two; its portentous, touching, official close ("Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End") is nicely undercut, in typical Beatles fashion, by Paul McCartney's cheeky "Her Majesty," which follows. --Rickey Wright
Customer Reviews:
I am buying a new copy.......2007-07-13
This is my favorite album (well, one of them), so I have wrecked mine by listening to it on the beach.... Number 10 to the end are totally WRECKED. So here I am, buying a new copy. I haven't heard the second half of the album in a loooong time!
Great songwriting and production of Romantic Pop Rock.......2007-07-12
If you are a fan of angry music, this ain't for you (sorry). In the context of the times it had a certain charm and still retains much of the original charm. If you are not a romantic, don't try to understand this album or band. Because the Beatles were, if nothing else, hopeless romantics who used music to find love. On that level Abbey Road works quite well. For the segment of the population that enjoys romantic rock you will find this collection of songs rewarding.
If I could pick only one Beatles CD to play this would be it.......2007-07-08
The Fab Four were at the top of their form and their work was varied and adventurous on "Abbey Road". While murder wasn't a totally unknown topic in rock, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" with its bright instrumentation blew our minds back in the day.
Odd and sad that "Come Together" opens this CD and it was the last of their big hits together. I've rearranged this one on my iPod so that "Golden Slumbers" and is the last of this offering. Just seemed fitting to me.
My personal favorite.......2007-07-08
I was a college freshman in 1963 when the Beatles burst upon the scene in the United States. For the next 7 years, my friends and I waited with baited breath for each new album release. By 1970, the party was over for the Beatles, but their music lives on and has been embraced by each succeeding generation. What has always amazed me is how their music could be so diverse, innovative and flat-out wonderful and at the same time be so commercially successful. One does not usually associate high artistic quality with mass popularity.
I will avoid the unproveable assertion that "Abbey Road" is the group's best album but will state unequivocably that it is my all-time favorite. The music is truly inspired, particularly the medley on the second side. I am truly grateful that the Beatles stayed together long enough to record this masterpiece.
Fab Four's True Swan Song.......2007-06-28
'Abbey Road' is the last Beatles album, although 'Let It Be' was released afterwards. After all these years and listening to this record on vinyl, I got to say this is one of the best sounding albums of all time. Despite the fact that sound quality technology has been refined over the last 40 years, no one could do it better then the Beatles.
"Come Together" begans this album and always has been one of my Top favorite Beatle songs. Another favorite and beginning side two is "Here Comes the Sun" which I believe is George Harrison's best song out of all of the fab fours catalog. One of his best loved songs.
Sure, there are rather silly songs like Paul's "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (which I truly enjoyed growing up, still do) and Ringo's "Octopus' Garden" - but I believe these songs add surrealism and fun to one of The Beatles' best.
'Abbey Road' truly is the last Great Beatles album. The band with this release provides a very cohesive sound, working together, although they were on the verge of splitting up.
Ringo Starr's drumming is at his best on this record, especially on tracks like "Oh! Darling" and "The End"
To me, 'Abbey Road' sounds Worlds ahead of 'Let It Be'-which is still a great album. On 'Let It Be' is the album that the Fab Four sound like independent members, rather then what they do best - working together.
- A perfect end to the World's Greatest pop band.
Average customer rating:
- Paul is still on top !
- Dreadful! Sad!
- Memory may already be full...
- Fire the engineer!
- Great album great show
|
Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]
Paul McCartney
Manufacturer: Hear Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Britain
| British Isles
| Europe
| International
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
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Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
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Similar Items:
- Traveling Wilburys (2CD/1DVD, Deluxe Edition)
- Traveling Wilburys (2 CD / 1 DVD)
- Paul McCartney - The Space Within US
- Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
- The U.S. vs. John Lennon
ASIN: B000PMLFRU
Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Tracks:
- Dance Tonight
- Ever Present Past
- See Your Sunshine
- Only Mama Knows
- You Tell Me
- Mr. Bellamy
- Gratitude
- Vintage Clothes
- That Was Me
- Feet In The Clouds
- House of Wax
- The End Of The End
- Nod Your Head
Tracks:
- In Private
- Why So Blue
- 222
- Paul talks about the music of Memory Almost Full
Amazon.com
"Many years from now" must have seemed like an understatement to 16-year-old Paul McCartney, wondering if he'd still be needed or fed at the age of 64. As it turned out, all doubt as to the latter had ceased by his 22nd birthday (though few could have predicted he'd end up washing down those meals with the liquid pride of Seattle). As to the former? Now that McCartney, as of the date of this album's release, has reached that mythic age, his greatest work is 40 years behind him, his solo peak over 30 years gone. Does the world need a new Paul McCartney album? The answer is yes, at least as much as it needs anything else that passes for music these days. With Memory Almost Full, Macca is back. No, it's not Ram or Band on the Run. It might not even be Flowers in the Dirt--in 1989, he had a full band, the support of Linda, and Elvis Costello as a collaborator. Here, he's on his own. Literally: on the majority of the tracks, everything but the strings is multi-instrumentalist Paul. But the surprise is that it's one of his freest, loosest affairs in years, sonically reminiscent of the Tug of War/Pipes of Peace era with nods to Abbey Road in the album-closing medley, McCartney's gravelly tones on "Gratitude," and 2007's version of "Her Majesty," the palate-cleansing "Nod Your Head." It's a surprise because of the album's inescapable sense of retrospection ("Ever Present Past," "Vintage Clothes," "That Was Me") and even a bit of weariness. The next-to-last song is "The End of the End," after all, in which McCartney tells us about what he'd like to happen "on the day that I die." (He wants "songs that were sung/to be hung out like blankets/that lovers have played on/and laid on while listening to songs that were sung," and will likely get his wish.) But it never gets overwhelming, for McCartney mostly resists his tendency to get plodding and maudlin. In fact, Memory Almost Full must be the most sanguine album made during the dissolution of a marriage since...well, ever. "What went out is coming back," he sings in "Vintage Clothes," and from the sound of things, that may not be just wishful thinking. What's past is prologue; if we're lucky, what to come may be McCartney's late renaissance. --Benjamin Lukoff
Album Description
The 13 new songs on Memory Almost Full are performed entirely by Paul McCartney (excluding strings) and produced by Grammy Award-winner David Kahne (The Strokes, Sublime, Bruce Springsteen and more).
This beautifully-packaged, deluxe limited edition also comes with a 2nd disc that contains 3 unreleased bonus tracks and audio commentary by Paul McCartney describing the music, 6 foldout color postcard-sized photos, and full lyrics.
More Paul McCartney
Band on the Run |
Ram |
Wingspan: Hits and History |
Customer Reviews:
Paul is still on top !.......2007-07-16
Paul is still on top of his game !
Excellent music !!!
Recommend to all.
Dreadful! Sad!.......2007-07-16
The first two tracks are the only ones I can stand to listen to. The rest, I tried once but kept fast-forwarding about 30 seconds into each song. I was listening to this in the kitchen and my husband came in and said, "GOD! Is THIS the new McCartney CD? Pretty sad!" I couldn't have said it better.
Memory may already be full..........2007-07-14
I've been humming the melody to "Dance Tonight" since I first heard it. Then it came to me...I've heard it before!
Take a listen to John Lennon's "Dear Yoko" and see what you think.
Fire the engineer!.......2007-07-14
I've been a Paul McCartney fan since the Beatles hit America. The material in "Memory Almost Full" is some of his best effort in years, and should please most McCartney fans. HOWEVER... the recording quality on most Beatles songs was FAR better. This CD is recorded SO LOUD that it overdrives a CD player's D-to-A conversion circuits. I realize many of today's listeners prefer their music on a 3-inch speaker with the same frequency response as AM radio of the early 1950's. But Paul McCartney appeals to an older audience and SOME of us have good stereo systems. What a shame that such excellent material and performances are recorded with only slightly better fidelity than two tin cans on a string! And the "Deluxe" edition is in an "overkill" case, fatter than a DVD movie case, which will fit in NO ONE'S CD rack! I'd give Paul's efforts an A+, but the engineering and packaging earns an F.
Great album great show.......2007-07-13
I was priveleged to be able to see Paul perform 5 of the new numbers in NY exactly a month ago today. It was extraordinary. House of Wax had the room levitating off the floor. How one person is capable of producing so much brilliant work is amazing. Nod Your Head takes on a new meaning when you are asked to do so by Paul. I would have given that the weakest song on the album but hearing it live just brought it up to par. The only part I don't like about the album is the mixing. It sounds too harsh for my ears and I would have preferred a softer approach, but tweaking a few knobs usually takes care of that. Thanks once again for another brilliant album in less than 2 years!
Average customer rating:
- Breaking the Barriers
- Some of the Beatles Best Work
- It's Four Solo Albums & Still Great
- The Beatles (The White Album)
- My second-favorite Beatles' album
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The Beatles (The White Album)
The Beatles
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000002UAX
Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Back in the U.S.S.R.
- Dear Prudence
- Glass Onion
- Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- Wild Honey Pie
- Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
- While My Guitar Gently Weeps
- Happiness Is a Warm Gun
- Martha My Dear
- I'm So Tired
- Blackbird
- Piggies
- Rocky Raccoon
- Don't Pass Me By
- Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
- I Will
- Julia
Tracks:
- Birthday
- Yer Blues
- Mother Nature's Son
- Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
- Sexy Sadie
- Helter Skelter
- Long, Long, Long
- Revolution 1
- Honey Pie
- Savoy Truffle
- Cry Baby Cry
- Revolution 9
- Good Night
Amazon.com essential recording
Better known as the "White Album," this was meant to be the record that brought them back to earth after three years of studio experimentation. Instead, it took them all over the place, continuing to burst the envelope of pop music. Lennon and McCartney were still at the height of their powers, with Lennon in particular growing into one of rock's towering figures. But even McCartney could still rock, and the amazement on "Helter Skelter" was that he had vocal cords at the end. From Beach Boys knock-offs to reggae and to the unknown ("Revolution #9"), this has it all. Some records have legend written all over them; this is one. --Chris Nickson
Customer Reviews:
Breaking the Barriers.......2007-06-29
This was the album where the Beatles grew up and moved into a more mature and less organised sound. That road had begun with "A Day In a Life" and "Within You Without You" and "Good Morning" in Sgt Peppers - but the Beatles were still a smart pop rock band then.
In the White Album, there is a wonderful sense of a loss of control - and yet this is still the Beatles at their creative peak. Not caring what people think, they're just playing to the maximum of their abilities. And shattering barriers.
The power of their varied personalities comes through. And different sides of their personality. Who cares about anything except the music I'm feeling now? seems to be the prevalent thought here. The White Album is the Beatles Matured - who would have imagined that the Beatles would create "Helter Skelter"? or "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"...Epic stuff that certified that the Beatles could rock. "Dear Prudence" and "Sexy Sadie" and "Blackbird" are eminently listenable. In fact - apart from some ditties and departures - the album is strikingly distinctive as a playground of sounds - it is dynamic from one end to the other and still eminently listenable and deep.
How do you define genius? This is one hard album to ignore.
Some of the Beatles Best Work.......2007-06-27
Wow...this brings back great memories. The songs are so diverse and unusual, showing their true talent and creative song writing abilities. The songs are fun and strange all at the same time. It is one of my favorites of the Beatles. When you can have "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Rocky Raccoon" and "Blackbird" in one package....what more can you ask!
It's Four Solo Albums & Still Great.......2007-06-23
This was on sale way Back in November 1968, for $5.00. That was the best five Bucks I ever spent. By 1968 after Eight years Together, The Beatles had just about seen it all, and they were very close to imploding. But, Lucky for all of us John, Paul, George & Ringo were on top of their Game and with the "White Album" they Presented their Best Songwriting and their greatest Playing over the Span of the 30 Tracks Here.
From: "Back in the USSR" all the way thro' to "Goodnight" and my favorite Track in reverse: "Revolution #9" you get a Beatle Album So Different & so Bold in it's Scope and Range from anything else they Gave us. We were Very Lucky to Have this band on the Planet from: 1964-70. It will never happen again in our Lifetime, But here it is, in all it's Glory...
There are almost 1,000 reviews posted here and About 95 Per-Cent of those Reviews are Gonna tell you how GREAT this is, and it is, Don't waste your Time Reading About this Record, BUY IT NOW.
The Beatles (The White Album).......2007-06-13
Good luck on locating this exceptional recording, sound, material stereo separation.
My second-favorite Beatles' album.......2007-06-12
This has long been my favorite Beatles' album second only to 'Revolver.' Due to its massive length, there are numerous different musical genres represented, enough to please every type of fan. It also seems to be their album with the least amount of songs played on the average oldies or classic rock station. Since there were no singles drawn from this album, these aren't songs the casual or new fan is likely to be very familiar with due to their lack of radio representation. And while some people do feel that it would have been a lot tighter and more manageable had it been just a single album, the problem is that no two people can agree on just what should have been excluded and included. (Probably my top vote for what should have been left off is the inane rubbishy "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.")
The songs range from rough hard rock such as "Yer Blues," "Helter Skelter," and "Everybody's Got Something to Hide, Except Me and My Monkey," poppy songs such as "Martha My Dear" and "Don't Pass Me By" (the first song Ringo wrote entirely on his own), country-western-style songs like "Rocky Raccoon" (though I usually skip this one now), softer songs like "Long, Long, Long" (one of my favorites), "Julia," and "Blackbird," and songs that are just plain weird, like "Wild Honey Pie," "Glass Onion," and "Revolution 9." Being very into the avant-garde, I've always loved "Revolution 9" and have even listened to it on repeat a number of times. While it's obviously not to everyone's tastes, one has to admit that this is a fascinating musical collage. (The placement of "Good Night," the final track, right after this song has also got to be the biggest juxtaposition on any Beatles' album ever!) And since a lot of these songs were not recorded with all four bandmembers together in the studio, it often feels like a collection of their solo songs instead of a team effort by a real band. However, this also serves to demonstrate how they had grown as musicians since the early Sixties, with a unique musical style emerging for each of them. In particular we can hear how George had grown by leaps and bounds, proving he had come into his own as a great singer and songwriter. Additionally, the often stripped-down sound can feel kind of refreshing after the overproduced songs of the previous year, whose core essences had been smothered by layer after layer and overdub and overdub, which also gives a lot of them a more dated feel instead of sounding truly classic and timeless.
Above all, this is doubtless in the Top 5 of their greatest albums, and with enough musical styles to keep everyone happy, should be highly recommended to anyone interested in branching out and exploring songs that are less pop-oriented and radio-friendly than the songs on their more-widely-played albums. It's also very special to me since it was almost the last album I ever heard in this lifetime, having played it the night before I was almost killed in a very serious car accident.
Average customer rating:
- Great selection
- Continuing writers block
- The Legend Continues...
- Rock the gypsy in your soul
- Ancient Highway
|
The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3
Van Morrison
Manufacturer: Manhattan/EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000IY0FDA
Release Date: 2007-06-19 |
Tracks:
- Cry For Home
- Too Long In Exile
- Gloria
- Help Me
- Medley: Lonely Avenue/4 O'Clock In the Morning
- Days Like This
- Ancient Highway
- Raincheck
- Moondance
- Centerpiece
- That's Life
- Benediction
- The Healing Game
- I Don't Want To Go On Without You
Tracks:
- Shenandoah
- Precious Time
- Back On Top
- When the Leaves Come Falling Down
- Lost John
- Tupelo Honey
- Meet Me In the Indian Summer
- Georgia On My Mind
- Hey Mr. DJ
- Steal My Heart Away
- Crazy Love
- Once In a Blue Moon
- Little Village
- Blue And Green
- Sitting On Top Of the Wolrd
- Early In the Morning
- Stranded
Amazon.com
Navigating Van Morrison's extensive catalog since 1993 is a formidable task even diehard fans might not want to attempt. The Irish icon has flirted with blues, jazz, country, pop, Celtic, and his own style of indescribable into-the-mystic spiritually-oriented poetic folk on his numerous releases, making for quite a thorny culling assignment. So the EMI brass were probably ecstatic when the singer took the job himself. He weeds through a dozen or so albums released since Volume 2's mile-marker, and adds a clutch of previously unavailable mixes, rarities, and live tracks. The result: a nearly two-and-a-half-hour, 31-track double-disc set as sprawling, eclectic, and tenacious as Morrison's vision and discography. From occasionally rambling but spirited duets with veterans Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Wells, Georgie Fame, Lonnie Donegan, B.B. King, the Chieftains, Ray Charles, and even Tom Jones to concert versions of hits such as "Moondance" and an impressive take on Sinatra's classic "That's Life," along with hidden gems like "Steal My Heart Away," this is a beautifully assembled and sequenced collection. It presents most of this multitalented auteur's facets and softens his often crusty exterior by showing his appreciation for the journeymen that helped develop the trail that Morrison then blazed in his own distinctive style. --Hal Horowitz
Album Description
The new 2-CD collection, compiled by Morrison himself, offers a comprehensive overview of his later material. The set's 31 tracks include previously unreleased collaborations with Tom Jones and Bobby Bland, as well as duets with John Lee Hooker, B.B. King and Ray Charles.
Customer Reviews:
Great selection.......2007-07-12
I won't call this definitive, but the collection's got some previously unreleased and seldom heard numbers that merit the price and hype. This is a very listenable CD that's something you can just stick in the changer and let it play. Definitely worth the money.
Continuing writers block.......2007-07-10
Despite having most of this already I paid out my money and what did I get? A reasonable overview with some obscurities, one of which "Blue and Green" is worth the cost on its own. While the music is all first class the compiling has created some jarring between tracks. I've always loved The Skiffle Sessions album but Lost John between Leaves Come Falling Down and Tupelo Honey sounds bizarre. Nearly all the tracks he has re-recorded are done better in their original incarnation and one gets the feeling that with this, the movie "best of" and the country abomination Pay The Devil before them that he has nothing to say at present. I love Morrison's music and sincerely hope there is more of it to come, its now been a fair number of years since there has been an album of original material and he is overdue for his muse to return.
The Legend Continues..........2007-07-04
This 'Best Of' is a must for any Vanatic (Van fan)... but more importantly it is a must for anyone who thinks Van's career ended in the 1970s... all the tracks on "Vol. 3" are from 1993-2005 - Van's later writing and singing are well represented on this compilation and with a superb supporting cast of John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Carl Perkins, Lonnie Donegan, Bobby "Blue" Bland and the great Georgie Fame as they come along for the journey...
Van is still a mighty force in a world that needs more soul and less pop.
www.vanmorrisonnews.blogspot.com
Rock the gypsy in your soul.......2007-07-03
An amazing compilation of Van Morrison's enchanting and haunting melodies. Although I am not a big jazz or blues fan, he has managed to put those two elements together in a way that is a lyrical treat. The melodies are addictive and very catchy. As he has matured, his renditions of some of his earlier works are performed now with more conviction, passion, and confidence than ever before. Van is an extremely talented musician and lyricist that successfully impacts music for the ages. I could listen to Van Morrison 24/7.
Ancient Highway.......2007-06-29
Van is his element, you won't hear this almost 9 min track on
any broadcast radio station in the US.
I have quite a few of the tracks on other albums over 60% but
didn't hesitate on this purchase.
Average customer rating:
- Literate, poetic...great pop/rock 4.5 out of 5
- Best rhythm section in rock.
- Excellent compilation that could have been perfect with some additional songs...4 1/2 stars
- Another Greatest Greatest Hits....
- Must have Police Set
|
The Police (2CD Anthology)
The Police
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000PHX4VA
Release Date: 2007-06-05 |
Tracks:
- Fallout
- Can't Stand Losing You
- Next To You
- Roxanne
- Truth Hits Everybody
- Hole In My Life
- So Lonely
- Message In a Bottle
- Reggatta De Blanc
- Bring On the Night
- Walking On the Moon
- Don't Stand So Close To Me
- Driven To Tears
- Canary In a Coalmine
Tracks:
- De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
- Voices Inside My Head
- Invisible Sun
- Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
- Spirits In the Material World
- Demolition Man
- Every Breath You Take
- Synchronicity I
- Wrapped Around Your Finger
- Walking In Your Footsteps
- Synchronicity II
- King Of Pain
- Murder By Numbers
- Tea In the Sahara
Album Description
The Police celebrate the 30th anniversary of their recording debut with their first double-disc CD "best of" collection entitled, The Police. The 28 songs bring together the biggest hits from the band's five original studio albums and includes their very first single, 1977's "Fall Out."
From that rarity to one of the most-remembered and most performed rock ballads of the `80s, 1983's "Every Breath You Take," The Police spans the group's six-year journey from sweaty clubs to sold-out stadiums - establishing them as one of the definitive and most popular rock groups in the world.
Customer Reviews:
Literate, poetic...great pop/rock 4.5 out of 5.......2007-07-13
I'm not giving this cd 5 out of 5 because of some issues about the sound...the first cd seems to lack presence in the sound and there is some distortion in the first track of disc 2 [I listen to cds on good quality headphones and I feel that these sound issues could be eliminated if people did the same prior to releasing cds].
Anyway, The Police are perhaps THE major British band of the 1980s. Looking at the credits in the double cd, it seems that lead singer "Sting" pretty much did everything himself...from writing the songs to arranging the music.
Many of the songs on this compilation show Sting to be the former English teacher that he was...from his superior way with words, to his literary allusions.
The highlights of the first cd for me are:
Can't stand losing you-a song about breaking up. The 'voice' of the song sounds like a pouty teenager and is amusing for its melodrama. Suicide is mentioned in this song. This topic seems fertile for rock. E.g. Metallica have the beautiful and absolute classic song "Fade to black", with its adult sensibility; and Megadeth have "A tout le monde", which, like this Police song, seems to have a teenage 'voice' singing. Both latter songs have melodrama, but The Police give their song a nice dose of humour.
Roxanne-perhaps the song which broke the band, especially in the UK. It's about the boyfriend of a prostitute, I think. Along with the song above, it is one of the strongest songs on the first cd. It has a nice mixture of a vulnerable 'voice' doing the singing, and the pounding, repetitive lyrics of the chorus.
Two other songs from the first cd which take my fancy are "Message in a bottle" and "Walking on the moon". Both songs are more towards the "ballad" end of the pop/rock spectrum. The latter song, particulary, illustrates Sting's great lyrical imagery...i.e. he likens walking, when one is in love, to walking on the moon...brilliant use of lyrics and imagery.
The second cd contains most of the songs that I particularly like from this band. "De do do do, de da da da" is a terrific song about how the powerful use language for their own benefit. Many years ago I wasn't very keen on this song, as it SOUNDED like non-sense [and going on the title too]. Listening to this song years later, you appreciate the depth of meaning it has behind it. Nice turn of phrase "Poets, priests and politicians, have words to thank for their positions". Sting doesn't seem to include pop/rock stars!
"Invisible sun" has a terrificly eerie opening [not unlike Synchronicity II...in fact, the intros could just as easily be used to introduce darker themes and music, but settles for terrific pop/rock]. I'm not so keen on the chorus of Invisible Sun, but I really like the verses and the ambiance of the introduction.
"Spirits in the material world" is another highlight from the second disc.
It exemplifies an attractive trait of this band...mixing up the hooks in one song. The song is catchy from the start, with nice melodies [vocal], but it really picks up when a NEW melody [keyboard] is introduced in the latter part of the song. This song may be the one where Sting's glib political views are at the fore ["Our so called leaders speak. With words they try to gaol you. They subjugate the meek, but it's the rhetoric of failure"]. That's a VERY nice turn of phrase, but, like I say, rather glib and lacking in hope for the political process.
Perhaps the band's biggest hit is "Every breath you take". This song isn't one that has ever really grabbed me. To me it's like the curate's egg...good in parts. An Australian equivalent would be Mondo Rock's "Come said the boy"-both bands had monumentally great pop/rock songs, but their most successful songs were not the ones I rated as great. Anyway, The Police's ballad is perhaps growing more on me now...it's 'good' bits are making the song gel better now, for me, perhaps.
"Wrapped around your finger" is another very good Police song, and which has those literary allusions I spoke of earlier "Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes". Perhaps my favourite Police song of all is "King of pain", which also has some literary allusions that I know of "There's a king with his eyes torn out" and some that elude me "There's a skeleton choking on a crust of bread". Both these songs illustrate the great thing about Police songs...how they change gears, so to speak, by changing tempo or pitch or melody. The bit in King Of Pain where this happens is where Sting raises his voice higher and starts the line about the King. Reading the lyrics, I saw that it was more gruesome than I remember, but nonetheless beautiful to listen to.
"Synchronicity" is one of the band's more adventurous sounding rock songs but they carry it off with aplomb.
I do remember hearing somewhere about the song "Murder by numbers" causing controversy in the US and the band's response to this. Having read the lyrics that come with this cd, I see that the band is right to defend the song, but perhaps they only have themselves to blame by making the point of their song towards the end, making it difficult to come by, perhaps. It is also another politically glib song by Sting, though perhaps containing a germ of truth.
Lastly, I did find "Walking in your footsteps" to be a lyrically interesting song. Perhaps it is Sting likening humans to dinosaurs...with us heading for extinction too, like the dinosaurs, if we keep toying with nuclear power.
In conclusion, this is a terrific buy for people into lyrically sophisticated music with catchy pop/rock that is also sophisticated. I do find the drumming sound by this band to be satisfying and their melodies gorgeous when they're at their best. It's just a pity though that on occasion it sounds like the master tapes are in fact LP records...with dust or scratches on them.
P.S. if you like poetic music, I recommend and have reviewed:
Patti Smith's album Horses.
If you like political music, I recommend and have reviewed numerous albums by Midnight Oil here [highly recommended are their albums "10-1" and "Diesel and dust".
I've reviewed Metallica and Megadeth albums here too.
Best rhythm section in rock........2007-07-08
I wouldn't give you more than 50 cents for Sting, but listening to Copeland and Summers on this compilation confirms that they are/were the best rhythm section in rock - or, at the very least, one of the best. Focusing on their playing throughout these 28 tracks is a real delight. I don't know of many other bass/drum duos who can make so much happen so economically.
Buy and get a master class in how to make a rock rhythm section work to perfection.
Excellent compilation that could have been perfect with some additional songs...4 1/2 stars.......2007-07-06
A perfect excuse to exploit their catalog again, A&M/Universal (or whatever the congolmerate is called now)has put together a terrific compilation of the band's album tracks and hits. It appears that the masters used for the album reissues from a couple of years ago are the source here as they sound excellent and exactly the same as the previous set. This is a huge improvement over the various single disc sets released since 1986.
With 14 songs on each disc there was some room for additional tracks some of which might not have been big hits but deserved a larger audience. "I Burn For You","Bombs Away", "Darkness", "Nothing Achieving" and "Visions of the Night", "Low Life", "Once Upon a Daydream". Either way this is a very good set for fans looking for the bulk of the best album tracks and hits. The packaging includes a one sheet with some credits on it that folds out into a replica of an early concert poster for the band. The slip case is kind of cool as well. When you slide the holder out of the slipcase the band's songs are listed on the yellow cover (and you can see them when you hold it up to the light).
Overall, this ia terrific package for fans that captures the best tracks from each of their albums (with a few curious omissions). The audio sounds extremely good I just wish that there had been a larger selection from the band's singles/live tracks released during their brief tenure together.
By the way having seen the concert the band sticks pretty close to the songs released on this set with a few exceptions(for some reason they dropped "Murder by Numbers" at their Oakland, CA show not sure why).
Another Greatest Greatest Hits...........2007-07-03
The Police were and still are my all-time favorite band. But the last thing I need is another hits collection. I think we're up to four greatest hits packages with this band. C'mon guys! Break out the rarities and unreleased stuff. I know there's a ton. Perhaps this collection was put together to help booster this summer's reunion tour - like they needed any help with that. I still give it 5 stars - these songs are some of the best ever recorded in my opinion. Andy, Stewart and Sting will always rock!
Must have Police Set.......2007-07-01
back in the day I was a Big time Fan of the Police. I always dug there Jams and Grooves. "Every little thing she does is magic", Canary in a Coalmine" was my jam back in the day. Spirits in the Material world, Every Breath you take,Roxanne,etc.... are all here. the Grooves and Versatility Highlighted by the songwriting of Sting and the chemistry of the Musicianship truly made for some tight Jams. the Police in some ways were the link between the Clash,U2 ,Red Hot chilli Pepers and No Doubt on some levels. they Bridged quite a few themes and styles that worked. this is the best overall set that best Highlights there Greatest Hits.
Average customer rating:
- MVI is worth it!
- Concert peformance at home
- Amazing, but melodically and lyrically weak
- Spectacular band, ok album.
- Excellent addition/alternative to the CD package
|
Snakes & Arrows
Rush
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000NVIXFK
Release Date: 2007-05-01 |
Tracks:
- Far Cry
- Armor And Sword
- Workin' Them Angels
- The Larger Bowl
- Spindrift
- The Main Monkey Business
- The Way The Wind Blows
- Hope
- Faithless
- Bravest Face
- Good News First
- Malignant Narcissism
- We Hold On
Amazon.com
A return to their former glory days, Snakes and Arrows shows this seminal prog rock band reclaiming some of the sonic territory that they'd lost over the past few years. It's not certain what contributed to this artistic rebirth, but Rush has crafted a historical and emotional odyssey that shows many both where they've been and where they're going--from the baroque soundscapes of "The Main Monkey Business," reminiscent of their earliest work to the seductive almost folkloric urgency of "The Way the Wind Blows," which is as dangerous, anxious, and prophetic as anything that Arcade Fire or Mars Volta is doing currently. Main Lyricist Neil Peart has spent the last decade getting over the death of his wife and daughter, and those tragic events have given his songwriting more depth and gravity as he explores the strengths and limitations of faith in both metaphoric and literal detail. While never didactic or ponderous, this disc is really an instruction manual for how one conducts themselves with grace and hope through unendurable pain and the vagaries of life. Gone is much of the shrillness of their earlier incarnations--Geddy Lee's trademark high pitch shrieks have mellowed considerably and Alex Lifesong's guitar playing has an assurance and freedom that can only come with age. --Jaan Uhelszki
Album Description
Anthem/Atlantic recording group Rush return with its first new collection of original material in nearly five years, entitled "SNAKES & ARROWS." The album was recorded in the fall of 2006 with Gammy Award-winner Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver) and Rush co-producing. "It's hard to describe," Geddy Lee recently told Revolver re: "SNAKES & ARROWS.""It's big, it's bold, and I think it's some of the best work we've done in years. I'm really pleased with the quality ofthe songs, and there's lots of playing on it. " Rush - Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart - will trumpet the release of "SNAKES & ARROWS" with a full-scale North American tour, the renowned trio's first since 2004's "An Evening with Rush: 30th Anniversary Tour."
Customer Reviews:
MVI is worth it!.......2007-07-16
This CD is not much more expensive than a regular one and the extra stuff is totally worth it! The behind the scenes stuff alone was worth the buy. Transferring to your computer is a breeze and with everyone having MP3 players anyway, it's in the perfect format. The sound is great. If they keep making these cd's, I will keep buying!
Concert peformance at home.......2007-07-16
Though I had to wait for this MVI, I have to say that it was worth it. The mix is obviously different from the CD, but not experimentally so which is good. With a couple of notable exceptions, the 5.1 mix sounds like a mix might sound in concert. For instance, some of the guitars and vocals on "Spindrift" come through the rear channels to give a truly unique experience. The mix can be a little "Bass-y" at times, but so can being in the front row of any large venue concert. If you are an old Rush fan, or someone who has just discovered this album, The MVI DVD is what I'd buy.
I am a consumate Rush fan, so I have both CD and DVD, but what's extremely cool about this format is that you do not have to sacrifice the high sound quality of 5.1 audio to have your music portable. The fact that one can download the compressed files onto their MP3 player is ingenious. I hope the format takes off (unlike SACD), because I think the versatility is great, and "Snakes and Arrows" is the perfect album to drive such an innovative format. Get it Now!
Amazing, but melodically and lyrically weak.......2007-07-16
I feel like Judas for writing this. Rush are one of rock's best bands. They could produce a recording of farts and I'd buy it just to support them and say thanks for what they have done. Whilst Snakes & Arrows is technically jaw-dropping it just doesn't have the melodic accessibility of Rush's better works.
Melody has never been Rush's strong suite. This is largely due to the unusual way Rush compose songs; with the onus on the band's bass player/vocalist Geddy Lee to pull a tune out of jam-session tracks made with guitarist Alex Lifeson and somehow find some of drummer/lyricist Neil Peart's words to fit. This formula seems to have failed them for the third studio album in a row.
The songs sound amazing... but they go blam blam blam and not much else. You can hear the music has been layered on a click track, and if you import the songs into sound editing software you can see many of the waveforms are full volume from beginning to end.
Rush albums are always tough going at first. It took me a year to realize "Presto" was a masterpiece. But no matter what direction the band goes, they can never be described as background music. A Rush album demands concentration. But for me, melody is the in-road... "the hook"... and this album just doesn't deliver. Even the album's stand-out track "Far Cry" barely scrapes through, being saved by some harmonious Oooo-ing in the chorus. In fact, for pretty much being the only song with a chorus.
I love the fact that Rush are doing 5.1 mixes of their material, and I go giddy at the thought that they may return to their back-catalogue and re-release 5.1 versions of their existing albums. I'd even venture to listen to Moving Pictures again, which for me has been so over-played, it's sadly gone the way of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.
The packaging of Snakes & Arrows is phenomenal. The video material is a great, though at times too insightful bonus. (It is fantastic to see an upbeat Neil Peart.) All the software stuff is a lot of fun. But, ultimately it's the music that matters. In that regard, Snakes & Arrows can be put next to "Test For Echo" and "Vapor Trails". For some that might be good. For me, sadly, it's not.
Spectacular band, ok album........2007-07-15
I'm going to give an abbreviated review of this album, not make a lengthy account of it track-by-track. "Snakes & Arrows" is a solid piece of work, no doubt. However, in many cases (at least to me) Rush sounds like the best band in the universe, working with material that is merely decent, no better. And this is coming from someone who has been a huge Rush fan since buying "Hold Your Fire" when I was 15 years old. Im not particularly disappointed, but Im not blown away either.
Excellent addition/alternative to the CD package.......2007-07-15
Haven't played the music tracks through my 5.1 surround yet as I mainly bought it for the studio documentary. This was great and well worth it for the Rush Fan although I wouldn't have minded if it was an hour or so longer - maybe next time! A definite buy for any Rush fan.
Average customer rating:
- it must have been better
- REally is greatest
- comments
- What's not to love?!
- Memories
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Bob Seger - Greatest Hits
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Bob Seger. Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
- Face The Promise
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ASIN: B000002TSS
Release Date: 1994-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Roll Me Away
- Night Moves
- Turn The Page
- You'll Accomp'ny Me
- Hollywood Nights
- Still The Same
- Old Time Rock & Roll
- We've Got Tonight
- Against The Wind
- Mainstreet
- The Fire Inside
- Like A Rock
- C'est La Vie
- In Your Time
Amazon.com
Bob Seger has racked up a lot of worthy tracks over the years, but it took until 1994 for a greatest hits package to appear. Voilà. The bad news: We're missing an awful lot of songs here. Night Moves is Seger's crit-pick album, and a great place to start if you don't have any Seger at all. Next in the rankings is Stranger in Town. Otherwise, his highs are pretty scattered, which would make any best-of package a worthy investment. But if you want to get comprehensive, "Rock & Roll Never Forgets," "Fire Down Below," "Horizontal Bop," "Her Strut," "Betty Lou's Getting Out Tonight," and "Katmandu" aren't on this CD--and you'll have to go to the original albums to secure them. --Gavin McNett
Amazon.com
Bob Seger Photos
More from Bob Seger
Stranger in Town |
Nine Tonight |
Face The Promise |
Against The Wind |
Greatest Hits 2 |
Night Moves |
Customer Reviews:
it must have been better.......2007-07-10
este cd trae buenos temas; pero a un grandes exitos no se le puede omitir eso... exitos. aqui falta "shame on the moon" y "shakedown", basicos en la discografia de este artista.
REally is greatest.......2007-07-08
My husband, who thought he'd never heard of Bog Seger, love the CD. They
are, of course, some of his favorite songs. He just didn't know the
artist's name.
comments.......2007-06-11
I enjoyed every song on this album. I got my more than my money's worth.
What's not to love?!.......2007-05-29
You can't go wrong with Bob Seger for good old rock and roll!
Memories.......2007-04-02
Many of these songs bring back memories. What a talent! If you like Bob Seger, you'll love this CD. His grainy, soulful voice is at its best.
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