Imagination [Enhanced]

Ancient underground temples, dark knights, mysterious labyrinths, sorcerors, forgotten tombs, enchanted forests, and creatures await you on this new release containing over an hour of orchestral music from the masters of gothic/horror soundscape. It's the ultimate musical accompaniment to the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game, and promises to take listeners on an epic adventure through the darkest corners of their imagination.

Working closely with the game designers at Wizards of the Coast, this CD is a simple yet dynamic way for gamers to take their adventuring sessions to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

Another Dungeon Master's opinion.......2005-05-17

This disc really delivers! Not only is it great background for gaming sessions but the music definitely stands on it's own as cool listening/driving music. Dynamic pieces, a lot of instrumental variety, and just enough sound effects to enhance the mood.

As far as it's application to a game situation - I have to say this is the best fantasy RPG soundtrack I've ever heard (that seems to be the general consensus from the other DMs I've talked to on the convention circuit). The other soundtrack attempts before this one really pale in comparison in my opinion.

When I have the time, I like to go through all of my soundtracks and piece together a custom soundtracks for my games. This disc mixed with some Conan and any of the LOTR scores makes for a powerful combo.

More than often I don't have the time to devote to that. I'm pleased to say that in every session where I've JUST played this disc in the background, it's worked very well. A bit on the dark side but for a dungeon crawl I can think of no better music.

The coolest Gaming and Riding.......2005-01-21

I went to Amazon looking for more afordable book than the ones I had just bougth at Hastings and suddenly, I met a CD by the name of Dungeons and Dragons. I was not a Midnight Syndicate fan before mind you, but after hearing this CD in converted and now I am looking forward to gettineg other CDs by them. The tracks in it are great 2/3 of them are not gloomy or rather mysterious. But this makes sence when you are "descending into the depths" or looking in a secret chamber. I love the"Prelude" because it sets the mood of a Fantasy like wolrd, the harp is really cool too. I loved "Craft of the Wizard" and the one also after that. It is like a march and then there is some catapults hurling stones. I also like the sword sound effects. They sound metally but hey most swords are thin (except Claymores):> But the Best song of them all would have to be "City of Sails" It is great, It sounds like Final Fantasy VIII a little but its great. The great thing about this music is that you can picture the action thats going on. I pictured myself riding a horse to victory. It is also great listening to it while in the car, especially in the morning because it wakes you up and puts you in a "triumphant" mood. Also I wrote some poetry while listening to "Ruins of Bone Hill" and when i read it aloud with the music it gave it a great effect.

So all in all This is One of the few great buys that i have loved right off the bat.
I hope you enjoy it as well.

A GameMaster's Review.......2004-10-12

I agree in great part with the review by Ryan Marshall. I'll note that I have not listened to any other Midnight Syndicate works before this one, but I am making an effort to be objective.
My favorite tracks are the two `bonus' tracks, Ruins of Bone Hill and City of Sails.

The quality of this music (if you don't mind that it's synthesized and can appreciate this sort of thing) is a 4/5, which is a fairly high rating from me.

But as far as this music can be applied to roleplaying is a 2/5 at best...

Here's the problems:

1) The music all seems to have the dark/eerie flavor that seems to be the staple of Midnight Syndicate. This severely limits the themes, moods, and instrument sets that were used. The only exception is City of Sails. While this does not detract from the quality of the music itself, it would still be nice to have more variety in a collection that is supposedly `official roleplaying music'.

2) I rarely found that the intended setting for each track actually suited the music, but the sound effects that were included made it unusable for anything else.
For example, Beasts of the Borderland seemed to me to be a great track for an army on the march, until I started hearing strange `beast' noises that seemed out of place.

3) Speaking of out of place sound effects, I found that many of the sound effects were ambiguous, unfulfilling, or outright mood-spoiling.
For example, in both Skirmish and Final Confrontation, you hear the `clash of swords' at certain times. However, these `swords' sound like pieces of tin slapping against one another with minimal force rather than actual swords. Who uses tin swords? Besides, not all `skirmishes' in roleplaying actually involve swords...

Side Note: Many portions of the melodies were familiar and some outright recognizable as being nearly identical to some of those used in older console RPGs. Perhaps it was from such games that they drew their inspiration. It would have to be a very big coincidence otherwise.

If you are a roleplayer and/or enjoy background music and aren't penny pinching or if you are a Midnight Syndicate fan, then you will probably want to buy this anyway. But I would not recommend this collection to anyone else.

Midnight Syndicate Critique.......2004-09-22

I would give this product a 4 1/2 if I could. I will be honest, Its not the most spectacular album in the world, but it does fit its purpose exactly. From the core of your game until its over...You will enjoy this product completely! Th attitude and ambience it creates for RPG gamers (particularly D&D) just what the Master ordered. It fits extremely well into any game, as well as car or relaxation music. Overall: great product!

Only a gamer can make a class act sound track........2004-08-17

Midnight syndicate does it again with their sound track for the D&D game. The music is thoughful, playful, and powerful. Perfect for any campaign or a drive in the car.
Once again it is a great feeling seeing another home grown product from the Midnight Syndicate. After all they started as gamers and have not forgotten their roots.

See them in person at their booth every Dragon Con in Atlanta Georgia.

Best:

David

Average customer rating:

wallpaper
simply beautiful, so just enjoy it
Sloppy renditions and amateurish
Great songs reinvented, with a twist
Praise for Beyond Imagination

Beyond Imagination
Opera Babes
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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The Opera Band
Defined
Renaissance (Eng)
Summer
Etterna

ASIN: B00007MB2F
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Tracks:

One Fine Day (Un Bel Di From Madame Butterfly)
Sempre Ricordo (Piano Concerto in A minor)
There's A Place (From The New World Symphony)
Beyond Imagination (From A Midsummer Nights Dream)
O Fortuna (From Carmina Burana)
Lakm2O (Flower Duet)
Ebben?..Ne Andro Lontano (from La Wally)
You Live On In My Heart (Cinema Paradiso)
Chanson Boh (From Carmen)
Remember Me
Stranger In Paradise (From Kismet)
Ode II Joy (From Symphony No. 9)
1001 Nights (From The Nutcracker Suite)
Barcarolle (From The Tales Of Hoffman)
LakmVibeTribe Mix)
Ave Maria
Vittoria! (Aida 2002)

Amazon.com

Plucked from a wet afternoon of busking Bizet and Puccini to passersby on the Piazza in Covent Garden in the spring of 2001, soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo Karen England soon found themselves singing in slightly larger venues: the FA Cup and Champions League soccer finals. That the management company doing the plucking had recently performed a similar Cinderella crossover act for Russell Watson offered portent, and indeed the Babes--the moniker began as a joke--were soon on their way to this recording debut. The marketing shtick and its soccer connections may offend purists, but it's the football hooligans that the Babes are trying to win over here; can Borodin soothe the savage Manchester United fan? Their classically trained voices mesh gloriously, with England's warm mezzo showing particular character in her solo turns.

The repertoire choices here cover material that may already be familiar to fans of Charlotte Church (i.e., Delibes "Flower Duet") and other crossover acts, but they do include some pleasant surprises, like Offenbach's Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann and "You Live On in My Heart," a reworking of Ennio Morricone's enchanting Cinema Paradiso theme with lyrics by Knight. But in a rush toward the musical middle of the road, it's the productions themselves that sometimes overwhelm the Babes with bathos ("Ave Maria"), hollow thunder ("Aida 2002"), and electro club kitsch (the 'Vibe Tribe' mix of "Flower Duet"). Former Art of Noise mainstay Anne Dudley's tastefully restrained coloring of Tchaikovsky's "1001 Nights" is one of the notable exceptions. They're babes, they sing opera--with fair promise--for the masses, and if they turn one in a hundred from football hooliganism to a well-mannered appreciation of Grieg and Dvorák, won't it all have been worth it? --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

wallpaper.......2007-07-12

overorchestrated, overproduced aural wallpaper...that said, still, these women have wonderful voices and are worth hearing. They are oversold,too...Opera Babes! Indeed. Folks who like Enya will like this.

simply beautiful, so just enjoy it.......2007-06-11

my daughter has taught me to love opera. this immediately captured me. the Babes' voices blend so beautifully. I love it! who cares about Puccini, Classic Opera, blah, blah, woof, woof. I love this album

Sloppy renditions and amateurish.......2007-05-15

I heard one of the selections on Sirius and liked it so I bought the CD. Upon hearing the entire CD I was disappointed that the only selection I liked was the one that prompted me to buy the product. The voices are nice but they are simply adding voice to opera masterpieces that do not fit. They are certainly not of the caliber of Sarah Brightman or Charlotte Church and don't look for that. Their sound is mellow, dim and without the emotion that does an inservice to the opera pieces they sing. I found the CD lackluster and in all honestly very "amateurish".

Great songs reinvented, with a twist.......2006-09-30

Expanding upon the recent interest in Gregorian chant fusion as well as rich-voiced solo vocalists such as Josh Groban, operatic soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo soprano Karen England offer full-vibratoed, somewhat modernized interpretations of favorite classical themes. Backed by chorus, orchestras, keyboards and drums, they draw from such diversely satisfying works as Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly," Grieg's "Piano Concerto in a minor," Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream," Orff's "Carmina Burana," Delibe's "Lakme," Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman," Schubert's "Ave Maria," and Verdi's "Aida." Some of the arrangements are fairly traditional, while others are noticeably enhanced. The emphasis tends to be on pretty pieces with sweet melodies, though a few are more intense in nature (#1, 4, 5, 15 and 17). A couple of pop songs, still sung in operatic style, are thrown in for good measure, although they don't have the same appeal and mystique as the old favorites. All of the selections feature both vocalists together, singing in lovely, close harmony. The arrangers of this elegantly hip music include Jon Cohen, Noely, Frank Gallagher, Deni Lew and Anne Dudley, with multi-language lyrics (for the adaptations of instrumental works) by Rebecca Knight and others. I have to admit that I occasionally found myself longing for the modern additions to be more consistently interesting and distinctive--in other words, equaling the artistry of the classics that they're accompanying. Track #1, which really shines, is a well-done example. Alternately, perhaps the source songs might have been better off left in their pure, original styles rather than watered down with schmaltzy, predictable underpinnings that don't add much to the music. But like Enigma did for medieval chant, the Opera Babes are endeavoring to bring some wonderful, time-tested music to a wider audience, fusing it with modern idioms in way that is artistic and generally appealing. For more opera fusion, compare the work of Amici Forever (a group of five singers, both male and female), and the oddly packaged but similar-in-concept album "Coco de Mer" by Adam Plack.

Praise for Beyond Imagination.......2006-02-26

What I really enjoyed about this album was its distinctive sound and arrangement of the material. I enjoy classically performed opera and was surprised how much I like the Opera Babes' versions. Of course, the wonderful voices added immensely to the high quality of this product.

Average customer rating:

The Movers Rock!
Fun for Parents, too!
Think outside the box!
I got it - You get it!
Wow, a pleasant surprize!

Calling All Movers

Manufacturer: REC Room Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0002EP34M
Release Date: 2004-06-20

Tracks:

Playing Catch
Please and Thank You
What's in the Fridge?
First Day of School
Calling All Movers
Clean My Room
Birthday
Look Around You
Numbers in a Bag
Riding My Bike
Take a Picture
Recipe (Stir it Up)
I Just Took a Bath
L.O.S.T.
Bye-Bye Diaper
Looking Out the Window

Album Description

Imagination Movers combine pop, hip-hop, rock and world music with educational themes for kids and their parents. The Movers sing about healthy eating, separation anxiety, sibling rivalry and other topics that relate to being a little kid, but the group's musical style has a decidedly grownup groove. Think Mr.. Rogers meets the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Regardless of how you describe it, Movers music is catchy stuff that parents and children will want to listen to over and over again!

The Movers' new disc, "Calling All Movers," features the band's trademark blend of kid-friendly themes and sophisticated rock and hip-hop music. "Please and Thank You" is a Caribbean-touched homage to every parent's three favorite words. The call-and-response jam "What's in the Fridge" is evidence of the Movers' continued obsession with snack food. And "First Day of School" is a sentimental look at a milestone from a child's point of view. These and 12 other new Movers tunes will be favorites in family CD players for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

The Movers Rock!.......2007-03-13

My 2-year-old loves these guys! Ever since the first time she saw them on Playhouse Disney, they have been her favorite. And now they're mine! All of their songs are loaded with good messages and I love all the musical influences. Each song is different and great in its own way. I just cannot say enough good things about the Movers, and especially this album. Check out "Looking Out the Window" (one of my favorites) and "First Day of School" (my daughter's favorite, along with "I Want My Mommy" from "Good Ideas"). We also bought the Movers' "Good Ideas" album and love that as well (although personally, I prefer this one!). :-)

Fun for Parents, too!.......2007-02-18

This music is GREAT. We are from New Orleans, but unfortunately never attended an Imagination Movers performance! I am kicking myself now. My sons, ages 4 and 2, request this music every time we get in the car. And I enjoy listening and singing along, too. It's like good adult music with kid lyrics. Can't beat it! Thanks you guys.

Think outside the box!.......2005-11-16

This guys are great! Kids love them! Parents can tune out the lyrics and the music will take you back to your college days! I've dropped my kids off at school and continued to listen without them in the car! Baton Rouge, LA

I got it - You get it!.......2004-11-24

We've had Good Ideas for a while and just bought Calling All Movers. Wonderful! Simply wonderful! My kids love the Fridge song and the Recipe song and I like Please and Thank you. Do youself a favor and buy this for your kids because this is real kids music - you'll get hooked too:)

Wow, a pleasant surprize!.......2004-07-31

My son got this as a gift for his 5th birthday. I heard it in the background one afternoon and walked to his room to see what it was. I was shocked when I listened to to lyrics and realized it was music for him. I sat an listened and watched him dance around. Remarkable music. Two thumbs up. One kids size and one grown up. Now I need to get their other CD.

Average customer rating:

Awesome Memories . . .
So glad to see cd!
These Guys Still Rock mmmmmmm Good old days
All the "Imagination" You'll Ever Need to Get
The Very Best of Imagination

The Very Best of Imagination
Imagination
Manufacturer: Br Music Holland
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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The Best of Dtrain
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ASIN: B000005RJA
Release Date: 1996-03-20

Tracks:

Just An Illusion
Music And Lights
Body Talk
In And Out Of Love
Flashback
In The Heat Of The Night
Changes
Looking At Midnight
New Dimensions
State Of Love
Thank You My Love
Shoo Be Doo Da Dabba Doobee
Sunshine
Burnin' Up
Tell Me Do You Want My Love
One More Love
All Nights Lovin'
Megamix: Music And Lights/Just An Illusion/So Good So Right/Flashback

Album Details

Eighteen Song Collection is Far More Comprehensive Than the Previous Imagination 'Best Of' Title. Featuring Imagination's Finest ('Just an Illusion', 'Body Talk', 'Changes', 'Burnin' Up', etc.) Plus a 'Megamix' of the Track 'Music and Lights'.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Memories . . . .......2007-02-12

This complilation is excellent. There are more than four songs that are great. Usually, a complilation gives one or two hits. This is a must for a music collector.

So glad to see cd!.......2006-03-16

I have loved Imagination forever. All I have had for years is the cassette. I had Body Talk and In the Heat of the Night. One is a white cassette with blue words and the other is a white cassette with red words. Funny that I remember that since i haven't played it for years. Anyways, this cd has most of my favorites on it. I am missing a few songs, but that is okay, the main goodies are on this disc. It is amazing that even though the songs are quite dated, they still sound just as good and wonderful as they did 15 years ago. I hear that Leee John is putting out Jazz music. I haven't heard it, but based on Imagination, I can only think that it is excellent. Great music! Great band! 5 stars!

These Guys Still Rock mmmmmmm Good old days.......2005-06-07

I had a Tape which was recorded from L.P i played so much finaly sond quality gave up , every song is a good song worth it for your money , play this cd in high End Stereo you will love it THE BEST is far sure THE BEST.........

All the "Imagination" You'll Ever Need to Get.......2002-03-07

Ahh... we all remember the sunny days of summer '82 when Imagination was THE best European disco act around... Imagination, a trio out of France, cranked out hit after hit, and this compilation has them all.

The band had a sound all of its own, in the middle of the crazy European disco scene. The up-tempo songs are still the best: Just an Illusion (their big break-through hit in 1981), Music and Lights, Flashback, Changes, Looking at Midnight (albeit regretfully here in the "single" version), New Dimensions, State of Love, Burnin' Up, and on and on... The ballads are not bad either (such as Body Talk, In and Out of Love, etc).

This compilation is what anyone interested in Imagination would ever want. All the hits are here, and as a bonus, there is a "Megamix" tagged on as well. Classify this as a "guilty pleasure": this isn't serious music, but oh so enjoyable!!

The Very Best of Imagination.......2002-01-03

I love to have one i hope to have on but the rand doller problem we have here in south Africa. I hope to have one one day

Nhlanhla

Me & My Imagination
Average customer rating:

Great song but the B-side is even better...

Me & My Imagination
Sophie Ellis Bextor
Manufacturer: Universal/Polydor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
General | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000PC1JK8
Release Date: 2007-05-21

Tracks:

Me & My Imagination
Move To The Music

Album Description

UK 2-track CD single featuring another disco flavoured beauty taken from her 3rd album 'Trip The Light Fantastic' and includes the bonus non-album recording 'Move To The Music'

Album Details

The Second Single from Ms. Bextor's 2007 Album "Trip the Light Fantastic".

Customer Reviews:

Great song but the B-side is even better..........2007-05-19

Full marks to Sophie for a return to the fun campery of old with the very catchy "Me & my imagination", however, it's the bonus track "Move to the music" which is the real killer here. It's literally "Murder on the dancefloor" part 2, with great lyrics giving a big two fingered salute to all who dare question the fact that anyone over 30 shouldn't like (or dance to) pop music. The story is told, as usual, in deadpan yet world weary tones from one of the best female singers we have. As much as I love "M&MI", I just can't stop listening to "Move to the music". Fans of Ms Bextor will know exactly what I mean when they hear it. Strangely though, for such a strong song, I notice it's not included in the tracklisting for the new album! still, I guess that makes this single even more of a must have.

Great to have you back Sophie!

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