Home in the Rock

Track Listings

1. Home in the Rock

2. Promise

3. Almost There

4. My Faith Looks up to Thee

5. Walking and Talking With Jesus

6. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?

7. God Gave Me Sunshine

8. Peace and Contentment

9. I'll Praise Him

10. We Need Jesus

11. Standing on the Highway (Wondering Which Way to Go)

Tracks:

Intro
Travelin'band
Green River
Who'll Stop the Rain
Blue Moon
Lodi
Lookin' Out My Backdoor
Hot Rod Heart
Rambunctious Boy
She's Got Baggage
Born on the Bayou
Bootleg
Run Through the Jungle
Déjà Vu (All Over Again)

Tracks:

Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Tombstone Shadow
Keep on Chooglin'
Sweet Hitch Hiker
Hey Tonight
Down on the Corner
Centerfield
Up Around the Bend
Old Man Down the Road
Fortunate Son
Bad Moon Rising
Rockin'all Over the World
Proud Mary

Amazon.com

Since it shares its title with John Fogerty's 2005 career-spanning hits collection, this double-disc concert album (and associated DVD, available separately) is unsurprisingly heavy on the Creedence chestnuts that dominate the guitarist/songwriter's history. In fact, only seven of these 26 tunes are drawn from Fogerty's post-CCR years. The Long Road Home in Concert is a spirited yet surprise-free 90-minute set that plays to Fogerty's blue-collar base with near note-perfect renditions of all the songs any fan would want to hear. His voice is in fine form, the five-piece band duplicates the Creedence parts to perfection, and the crowd responds accordingly. But despite everyone's best intentions and the snappy live sound, it's hard to say that these versions are better than the originals, and, as with a severely truncated "Keep on Chooglin'," they fail to duplicate the musty swamp feel so integral to Fogerty's finest work. Unlike the best live recordings that bring unique interpretations to well-known songs, The Long Road Home in Concert simply rehashes them without much, if any, sense of experimentation. It's as if Fogerty is afraid to offend anyone by not adhering to the established script. The result is a listenable and generally enjoyable artifact that plays to his strengths. But it also can be considered a missed opportunity to bring fresh perspective to Fogerty's revered catalog of American classics. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

*Recorded last year at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, this is John Fogerty's first live CD in almost 10 years!

*The companion piece to "The Long Road Home - In Concert" DVD

*27 ELECTRIFYING VERSIONS OF CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL & JOHN FOGERTY SOLO HITS

*INCLUDES 10 TOP 10 SINGLES!

Customer Reviews:

long road home.......2007-01-21

as usual,all Fogerty stuff is top notch to me. I've been a fan since I first heard Proud Mary back in '69 I think it was, and I still can't get enough of him. Hope he tours New Zealand again soon. There wouldn't be anything of his I haven't got. Cheers, Phil, New Zealand

DON'T BUY.......2007-01-16

IF YOU ARE EXPECTING THE SOUNDS OF THE OLD CCR.......DON'T BUY! FOGERTY BUTCHERS THE OLD CCR SONGS. I WAS TOTALLY DISGUSTED AND WANTED MY MONEY BACK.

my son said the best.......2007-01-15

My son loves John Fogerty, and CCRR, and he had almost all of his/their CD's, I bought this one for him for an xmas gift, in case he didn't have it. He didn't, and he said it was one of the best, he loved it.

So, I rate it 5 stars, from his point of view.

A Fine disc from a fine concert .......2007-01-12

A fine disc from a very good concert. very good songs are in this compilation.
Every John Fogerty Fan should have this disc.

there is a better live (double) cd.......2006-12-21

In response to the other reviewer who wished for longer live versions, try the Fogerty-less "CCR" double live cd of Credence Clearwater Revisited. It has all of the hits as this Fogert concert does. The way it is better is that Grapevine is over 15 minutes long, and Suzie Q is over 10 minutes long! You won't miss the marble-mouthed man! Guaranteed!

Average customer rating:

A beautiful voice - wasted
only 3 good song
Beautiful and Perfect
Emotional Voice
Style departure

The Other Side Of Time
Mary Fahl
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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October Project
Falling Farther In
different eyes
Eventide
Gods & Generals

ASIN: B00008S2VE
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Tracks:

The Great Unknown
Going Home
Want To
Ben Aindi Habibi
Redemption
Paolo
Una Furtiva Lagrima
The Other Side Of Time
Raging Child
Annie, Roll Down Your Window
The Station
Kindness Can Be Cruel
Dream Of You
The Dawning Of The Day

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful voice - wasted.......2007-07-10

I was introduced to Mary Fahl via October Project. I had never heard anything like them before or since and Fahl's voice is nearly beyond compare with anyone else, though as an earlier reviewer said, Annie Lennox and Carly Simon come close. I just don't think they have Fahl's range.
So, you can imagine after October Project's demise, I was looking forward to hearing more of Fahl. After-all, a voice like that just can't be silenced.
Too bad it wasn't - at least for the garbage on this album. Redemption is probably the only song that shows what she can do with her voice. The rest is just a waste of her talents. God, I certainly hope she does not go down the same road that Karen Carpenter did and make everything she sings sound like a funneral dirge. She's trying very hard with the muck written for this album to do just that. The writing credits alone should have been enough to give it away right there. HOW many people does it take to write ONE song? Apparently as many as want to have a say in it for this disaster. Listen, if you start getting more than two people tossing in their two cents worth on any one song, you had better consider not writing it, much less trying to sing it. It is going to sound like a collage of miss-matched ideas and influences. Gee - just like most of the music (if you can call it that) on this album! I certainly hope that Mary Fahl will be able to find another record label willing to take her on when her current one dumps her for this waste of money and resources - with the priviso of course that all she does is sing the songs a talented songwriter creates for her.

only 3 good song.......2007-01-11

still, october proyect is the best and her voice is the best, but this cd is not the greates but think about if you like her and then buy it.

Beautiful and Perfect.......2007-01-09

The more I listen to this cd the more I am entranced with it. I have enjoyed Mary Fahl's voice since October Project. I am eagerly awaiting some more new material. She has a very powerful and touching voice. I gain something new each time I listen to her voice, music and lyrics. Thank you Mary!

Emotional Voice.......2006-06-09

Since when the founder October Project came to an end, Mary's voice was already one one of the highlights of the band. And this is proved here. A very good debut album!

Style departure.......2005-08-14

Like previous reviewers, I too was sceptical about this CD."The
Great Unknown" seems to be an October Project track right off, billowing, inspiring and lush, you would never know the difference. It is my favorite. The rest of the songs really take a departure in style from what I am used to hearing from Mary. Though enjoyable, she seems to be searching for an audience. I hope she continues to put out sounds which can inspire and provoke thought in their writing without getting too sentimental. Pretty girl, great voice, don't let them change your style.

Average customer rating:

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez
Music From and For the Heart
Daniel Rodriguez
Some definite winners on this album
The Spirit of America

The Spirit of America
Daniel Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Manhattan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In The Presence
From My Heart
God Bless America
The Impossible Dream
My Life Belongs to You

ASIN: B00005Y1YC
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

God Bless America
We Will Go On
Ave Maria
This Is The Moment
Danny Boy
Bring Him Home
Shenandoah
America The Beautiful
The Lord's Prayer
Into The Fire
You'll Never Walk Alone
The House I Live In

Amazon.com

It's said politics makes strange bedfellows. But it's got nothing on the peculiar marriage of art and history inspired by the tragic events of 9/11/01. Before that day, Daniel Rodriguez was a member of New York's finest, working as an NYPD security officer at the Manhattan South precinct. If it seemed an odd calling for a gifted, operatically trained tenor, it was employment many a journeyman artist could relate to: the proverbial "day job." As it turns out, no police academy in the world could have trained Rodriguez for the crucial role his city's darkest hour thrust upon him. While his colleagues mourned their staggering losses and toiled around the clock in rescue efforts, Rodriguez delivered renditions of "God Bless America" that rallied both his city and his country, much as Kate Smith's version of the Irving Berlin patriotic standard had done at the dawn of WWII.

Contemporary jazz great-producer Tom Scott took it from there, showcasing Rodriguez's powerful voice in this deftly arranged album focused sharply on personal and national inspiration. Taking his cue from his own hero, Mario Lanza, Rodriguez instills no small amount of drama in his performances, and it serves him well on tracks like the American folk classic "Shenandoah," a rousing take on Scarlet Pimpernel's "Into the Fire," and the relative Sinatra rarity "The House I Live In." The "God Bless America" here varies from the original single release, with Rodriguez reading the spoken intro once delivered by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Is Rodriguez the greatest tenor of modern times? No. But it's hard to imagine a talent better suited to the challenge history has thrust upon him; we're lucky--make that blessed--to have him. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez.......2007-07-16

This alblum is a treasure to own and listen to. He really captures the spirit of patriotism. I have played his songs at a local fireworks show that I DJ at and his songs are up there with the other songs by artists by Mr. Lee "God Bless The U.S.A." Greenwood and other great artists. New York City and the nation needed him at a time when we were trying to recover from the worst tragedy in the history of the U.S.A. and he was there for us.

Music From and For the Heart.......2006-11-25

Daniel's album is music to be shared with family and with friends to help further ensure warmth, strong family ties, and love of our beautiful country. His voice is magical, skilled, rich and so memorable that it can take one on a journey from yesterday to promise for a bright tomorrow. This is a superb rendering of past unforgettable music. His solemn rendition of the peace song "God Bless America" is the album's centerpiece and truly unforgettable....

Daniel Rodriguez.......2006-11-11

I first heard of Daniel Rodriguez a couple of months ago when he sang on Jay Leno's show. He was/is WONDERFUL! His voice is beautiful, but he sings from the heart, and that makes him exceptional.

Some definite winners on this album.......2005-12-14

My favorites are "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer" where Daniel truly shows off his vocal talents. I could have done without the choir backup on "Ave Maria" but nonetheless a great rendition.

The ending that he has for the "The Lord's Prayer" almost brings a tear to my eye each time I hear it. Well done Daniel.

The Spirit of America.......2005-10-10

This is a great CD...of course, Daniel Rodriquez is the best!!!
As much as I enjoyed it, I do think "In the Presence", also by the same vocalist, is the ultimate. That could be because "In the Presence" was the first CD I had of this tenor vocalist, who is outstanding!

Average customer rating:

Good Music - typical live show
The best there is
If Stan doesn't stir your heart and soul you have neither
This is one of the best song writers of the century
If you love The Lakes.....

Home in Halifax
Stan Rogers
Manufacturer: Fogarty's Cove
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Northwest Passage
Fogarty's Cove
From Fresh Water
Between the Breaks...Live!
From Coffee House To Concert Hall

ASIN: B000003BU3
Release Date: 2007-01-08

Tracks:

Bluenose
Make & Break Harbour
Field Behind The Plow
Shriner Cows (Dial.)
Night Guard
Morris Dancers (Dial.)
The Idiot
Lies
Free In The Harbour
Band Introduction (Dial.)
Workin' Joe
The Legend Of Fingal (Dial.)
Giant
45 Years
Mary Ellen Carter Intro (Dial.)
The Mary Ellen Carter
Barret's Privateers
Sailor's Rest Intro (Dial.)
Sailors's Rest

Customer Reviews:

Good Music - typical live show.......2007-05-12

His misic is great as ever, the quality of the recodings is typical of a live performance.

I prefer the more polished studio material myself

The best there is.......2006-09-16

If I was to have only one CD to go through the rest of life with, this one may be sufficient. This and 'From Fresh Water' are truly the best there is. This CD has the very best versions of many Stan Rogers songs, especially Mary Ellen Carter, Field Behind the Plow, Make or Break Harbour, 45 Years, and Lies - its hard to be satisfied with earlier insipid versions of these songs once hearing these heart-felt live versions. I have all his CDs, and have gleaned other favorite songs from each one, but this is the one CD that I can listen to start to finish, and love them all, just as they are. Listen for the seagulls crying in 'Bluenose', listen for the incredible drive and urgency of the final verse of 'Mary Ellen Carter', and from this farmer - listen to 'Field Behind the Plow' and know that it is true. If only . . . if only there had been more CD's from Stan Rogers like this one.

If Stan doesn't stir your heart and soul you have neither.......2006-01-18

Great Album
Total Stan

This is one of the best song writers of the century.......2005-11-29

I had the great fortune to hear Stan Rogers in concert in a small venue in Buffalo shortly before he died. He is a great story teller about the life of people in small traditional towns. Everyone should hear him.

Actually title probably should have been of the last century....

If you love The Lakes............2005-11-12

I ws introduced to Stan Rogers by a friend singing the Mary Ellen Carter around a campfire one night. Being a Great Lakes mariner at heart, and when I finish my schooling one for a career, I fell in love. While he has done many great songs Mary Ellen Carter remains my favorite, and it had to be one of his, you can hear it when he sings it, and it's on almost all his CDs. Stan sang not only of The Lakes but also of the working man, and this CD is a great collection of some of his best songs from the first, Bluenose, to the last, Sailor's Rest, if you've never heard Stan Rogers before or are a longtime fan, this is a must to add to your collection.

György Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works - London Sinfonietta Voices

Average customer rating:

Surprising Variety in Modern A Capepella Choral works
Mostly unlistenable....
a handful of great Ligeti works.
brilliant choral music
Exquisite use of the voice

György Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works - London Sinfonietta Voices

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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György Ligeti Edition 4: Vocal Works (Madrigals, Mysteries, Aventures, Songs) - The King's Singers / Philharmonia Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen
György Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets - Arditti String Quartet
György Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano (Etudes, Musica Ricercata) - Pierre-Laurent Aimard
György Ligeti Edition 6: Keyboard Works (Piano, Harpsichord, Organ) - Irina Kataeva / Pierre-Laurent Aimard / Elisabeth Chojnacka / Zsigmond Szathmáry
Ligeti: Mechanical Music

ASIN: B0000029OX
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

A Cappella Choral Works: Night
A Cappella Choral Works: Morning
A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 3
A Cappella Choral Works: Far from home 4
A Cappella Choral Works: Solitude
A Cappella Choral Works: Two Canons 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Two Canons 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Kings of Bethlehem
A Cappella Choral Works: The Fugitive
A Cappella Choral Works: Lux aeterna
A Cappella Choral Works: Wedding Song
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 3
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Inaktelke 4
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 3
A Cappella Choral Works: Songs from Matraszentimre 4
A Cappella Choral Works: Widow Papai
A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Three phantasies after Hrlin 3
A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Hungarian Etudes 3
A Cappella Choral Works: Heigh, Youth! 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Heigh, Youth! 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Easter
A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 2
A Cappella Choral Works: Hortobagy 3
A Cappella Choral Works: From a high mountain rock
A Cappella Choral Works: Double-Dance from Kallo 1
A Cappella Choral Works: Double-Dance from Kallo 2

Amazon.com essential recording

A vast audience received its first exposure to the music of György Ligeti through Stanley Kubrick's use of his haunting "Lux Aeterna" (despite the composer's lack of consent) in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. This collection--part of Sony's invaluable Ligeti edition--places "Lux aeterna" in the context of Ligeti's other a cappella choral works, which together provide an overview of the evolving phases of one of the 20th century's most intriguing composers. In his booklet notes to the disc, Ligeti recalls the influence of Bartók and Kodály on his early folkloric compositions, from arrangements of traditional material to free, polyrhythmically inflected inventions on Hungarian folk texts, a format that allowed him some degree of experimental freedom from the strictures of "socialist realism" before he fled the Hungarian Communist regime. The breakthrough "Lux aeterna" is a classic example of Ligeti's trademark technique of "micropolyphony," enveloping the listener in mesmerizingly dense textures of cloudlike harmonies. From Ligeti's late period comes a triptych of "Hölderlin Phantasies." Their 16-voice polyphony transcends the simplistic distinction between tonality and atonality to explore "new kinds of half diatonic, half chromatic harmonies." The resulting sound world of fragmentary, dislocated epiphanies mirrors the unfathomable richness of the great visionary poet to uncanny effect. Throughout, the acoustical balance and conviction of the London Sinfonietta Voices give vivid shape to Ligeti's genius. -Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Surprising Variety in Modern A Capepella Choral works.......2006-08-24

This 'A Cappella Choral Works', the second volume in a collection of Gyorgy Ligeti compositions contains one of the pieces of music which contributed to making '2001, A Space Odyessy' such a profoundly interesting film. This piece, 'Lux aeterna' which is the textbook example of 'SciFi' music, is very different from many of the other pieces on this recording. In fact, one is really impressed by the wide variety of styles, where you have some peasant songs which sound a lot like sea chantys and other pieces which are definitely liturgical. One can certainly thank Stanley Kubrick for bringing Ligeti to our attention.

Mostly unlistenable...........2006-08-23

Not even good for background music/noise as the voices get really loud in certain parts and almost silent.

I bought this CD and am returning it. It's just more & more of the sameness throughout the whole CD.

I realize that Ligeti is avant garde but I heard that if you like Gregorian chant (which I do) this CD is similar. I don't think it is. It's very disquieting and full of tension (great, if that's the mood you're looking for).

a handful of great Ligeti works........2004-09-06

As a compilation, musically speaking, Edition 2 is probably my least favorite of the Sony Ligeti Edition collection. Many of the pieces come from traditional Hungarian sources, conceived while Ligeti was still in his early years. They are pretty, but also pretty straightforward and conventional, and other than their simple pleasantness and occasionally yummy dissonances, they aren't really mindblowing like the best Ligeti. They are often very beautiful though. However, Edition 2 DOES feature one of the most harrowing, apocalyptic compositions of 20th century Western music, _Lux aeterna_. The profound tension in the quiet web of micropolyphonic voices is just devastating. Also great are the other later pieces, _Drei Phantasien nach Friedrich Holderlin_, three wild polyphony pieces from German literature, and _Magyar Etudok_, three very complex Hungarian etudes for 16 voices. Those pieces are all outstanding but honestly I think everything I've heard by Ligeti is worth hearing. Check out Ligeti edition 4 for more vocal works, some of which are the best of Ligeti's works.

brilliant choral music.......2003-07-21

This cd is beautiful to listen to.From Ejszaka to Kallai Ketto
is brilliant. Ligeti choral works is the first cd have got choral music on it and i love it.Now im going to get the other two cds in the ligeti edition.
(the vocal works & le grand marabre)

Exquisite use of the voice.......2002-07-11

Bringing Ligeti's works to a wider public was one of the great services Stanley Kubrick performed for the world when Lux aeterna was included in the soundtrack for 2001: a Space Odyssey.

This album is a collection of a cappella choral works and which highlights Ligeti's great talent and skill in the use of the voice as a musical instrument. He, together with Yoko Ono, have excelled in this field though from different, sometimes conflicting directions.

When I listen to this I revel in it's glory. The sounds are ethereal and atmospheric, ghostly and angelic in a way that no-one but the composer can make them sound. I never want those sounds to end and in a way it is like having a sort of dependence.

I could go on and on and on about this but I had better stop. This is one essentila component of anyone's classical music collection yet it really defies categorisation. This is timeless, awesome music, not just for a generation but for a world. Lest Zeus strike me with a thunderbolt, these voices are sweeter and more angelic than the voices of the angels themselves.

Exquiiste. Words are insufficient to describe such beauty.

Average customer rating:

What!? How is this possible?

Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all

A perfect marriage of music and lyrics

The Maury Yeston Songbook

One of the best broadway/composer compilations ever made!

The Maury Yeston Songbook
Maury Yeston , Christine Andreas , Brent Barrett , Betty Buckley , Liz Callaway , Alice Ripley , Sutton Foster , Brian d'Arcy James , and Philip Chaffin
Manufacturer: P.S. Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Maury Yeston Songbook

The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

Jule Styne in Hollywood

December Songs

Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00008H2LJ
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Please Let's Not Even Say Hello - Alice Ripley
Only with You - Brent Barrett
I Want to Go to Hollywood - Sutton Foster
Danglin' - Johnny Rodgers
I Had a Dream About You - Betty Buckley
My True Love - Philip Chaffin
A Call from the Vatican - Alice Ripley
Now and Then - Laura Benanti
You're There Too - Christopher Fitzgerald
Is Someone Out There? - Eden Espinosa
New Words - Brent Barrett
My Grandmother's Love Letters - Christine Ebersole
By the River - Christine Andreas
I Am Longing - Philip Chaffin
Home - Laura Benanti & Robert Cuccioli
Another Day in the Modern World - Michael Holland
Simple - Liz Callaway
Unusual Way - Brian d'Arcy James
Be On Your Own - Betty Buckley
No Moon - Howard McGillin

Amazon.com

Despite racking up Tony nominations and/or box-office success with Nine, Grand Hotel, and Titanic, Maury Yeston remains a relatively unknown Broadway auteur. And yet, what a fabulous songwriter he is. Listen to "Home," for instance: This excerpt from Phantom (the other adaptation of Phantom of the Opera) has great melodic hooks, along with natural sweep and unrestrained emotion. Like every song on this CD, it also has such dramatic drive that it easily stands on its own outside of its regular narrative frame. This collection of new recordings provides an excellent overview of Yeston's talent, juxtaposing numbers from his three best-known scores (though there's only one from Titanic) with rarities and a generous selection from his 1991 song cycle December Songs. Christine Ebersole, Liz Callaway, and Betty Buckley turn in expectedly strong performances, but watch also for Laura Benanti (the star of the 2003 revival of Nine), Christine Andreas, and Foster Sutton, who completely make the material theirs. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Description

The Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist -- who's given us the smash hit musicals Titanic, Phantom and Grand Hotel, and whose first stage show, Nine, is currently being revived in New York with Antonio Banderas -- is celebrated in song by the best stars o

Customer Reviews:

What!? How is this possible?.......2007-01-20

How could one put together a Maury Yeston Songbook cd without a track from Andrea Marcovicci? He wrote a song cycle for her. Granted there are some great singers here but a grave oversight to not include Ms Marcovicci.

Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all.......2006-11-14

Maury Yeston may be musical theatre's unsung genius to the public at large, but I've heard his praises sung many times. A friend convinced me to buy the original Broadway cast of "Nine", and while there were some fantastic songs and an undeniable melodic gift throughout, it left me lukewarm. The same with "Grand Hotel". And I couldn't stand "Titanic" - too big, too self-important, too reliant on booming low brass and bombastic orchestral swells.

"Phantom" was the only one of his scores that touched something other than distanced admiration in me. It was everything Sir Lloyd Webber's popera travesty could never quite aspire to - epic yet human, beautiful and touching, with songs that showed actual details and emotions. So it was with that in mind that I purchased this, figuring that maybe Maury could prove me wrong, shorn from the restrictions of a book musical format.

And by God, did he prove me right and then some.

Maybe it's the singers. Maybe it's the perfect orchestrations. Maybe it's just the absence of a plot to follow. More than likely, it's all three, but this is one of the most gorgeous, enjoyable, heartbreaking albums I've ever purchased. Yeston has assembled an impressive cast to give voice to his music - such heavy Broadway hitters as Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Betty Buckley, Christine Ebersole and Howard McGillin mix with up-and-comers like Eden Espinosa, Sutton Foster, and Brian d'Arcy James. But the most impressive turns are given by people I'd never heard of before - Johnny Rodgers (who?) has a voice spun from gold, and he's absolutely perfect in "Danglin'", a simple and powerful song despite some odd lyric choices by Yeston. Likewise Philip Chaffin in "My True Love" and "I Am Longing", and Michael Holland displays a warm and untrained performance of "Another Day in the Modern World". These three men, who I'd never heard of before, absolutely stole the show. It doesn't hurt that they're given some of the best songs from the album.

Of course, the rest of the ensemble uniformly turns in worthwhile performances. The professionalism of Broadway is gloriously evident here, each singer making their song uniquely theirs. Brent Barrett made me hear "Only With You" as if for the first time. Betty Buckley is surprisingly vulnerable in "I Had A Dream About You". Alice Ripley is her usual bundle of raw emotion in "Please Let's Not Even Say Hello", and turns in a rare comic performance in "Call From The Vatican" to great effect (listen to that surprise high note near the end! Wow, Alice!). Christine Ebersole is heartbroken, elated, vulnerable, and tough all in the course of "Grandmother's Love Letters"' 4 minutes.

There are some weak spots - Eden Espinosa is mostly one-note during her song, and while it's certainly a high note, it's nothing you haven't heard her do better elsewhere. Laura Benanti's "Now and Then" goes by without much notice, which is a shame for this talented actress. And Betty Buckley goes back to her usual high-volume stridence in "Be On Your Own", which despite its chilling music deserves a more nuanced performance than Buckley gives here. But these songs would be standouts on any other album, and it's only the company they keep that prevent them from being excellent.

Oh, and "Unusual Way", possibly Yeston's best-known song, is so beautifully performed here by Brian d'Arcy James and a three-piece band that I nearly cried hearing it. And that's quite a feat for a song that I swore never to listen to again after the seventeenth girl in a day auditioned with it (badly). But the gender swap works perfectly, and d'Arcy James' golden Irish tenor swings through the music effortlessly.

As for the band - there are no missteps here. Each song is given exactly what it needs, from the Romantic-with-a-capital-R string section on "Home", to the jazzy saxophone on "Letter From the Vatican", to "Be On Your Own", which is given a Herrmann-esque string section. Some particular touches stand out - that lovely acoustic guitar on "Danglin'", the simple piano line on "Modern World", and the sublime cello/piano outro in "Unusual Way" really stuck with me after the album stopped playing. And the recording is without fault - crisp, encompassing, personable and expansive as the mood requires. The whole album sounds fantastic.

There is such a wide range of style and substance here that each song would deserve purchasing individually. As a collection? It's bliss. If you're a fan of theater music, appreciate great vocals, or just need something to keep you company on long nights, this is required purchase.

A perfect marriage of music and lyrics.......2006-09-07

I think Yeston must be the most underrated talent in music theatre. And not just music theatre ... for as far as I know, "Danglin'" is not from a show - a jewel of a song ... and a disarmingly honest rendition from Johnny Rogers (what a beautiful voice! Why hasn't he made more CD's?) Some other favourites are "New Words" (not enough parent-child love songs out there ... and I can't imagine it could be sung any better than this), "You're there too" (with a charming and unexpected twist), "Simple" (Callaway is superb), "Only With You" (loveable rogue!) ... to name but a few. Inspired music theatre writing. A must for any musical buff, composer or singer seeking repertoire that will help them stand out from the crowd.

The Maury Yeston Songbook.......2006-08-30

A good album sung by good singers. I have been an admirer of Maury Yeston for a number of years . I am a great fan of "Nine"
which I consider his best work.(If possible try to listen to the
Australian Cast Recording with John Diedrich) I enjoy listening to artists like Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Sutton Foster,and my very favourite singer Liz Callaway. All in all a great CD to just sit back ,relax and enjoy Les Breen

One of the best broadway/composer compilations ever made!.......2006-06-29

There are so many brilliant performances on this CD that I don't even know where to begin. From start to finish, this CD sweeps you away on a rollercoaster of emotions. Now, this CD isn't perfect by any means; a few of the artists are performing songs that aren't really suited to their abilities, but the heart is there and that's really all that matters in the end.

If you love Broadway, if you love GOOD music in general, and you want to be moved by songs rather than merely entertained, you must get this CD.

The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Complete Songs of Charles Ives, Vol. 2
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Charles Ives: Three Quarter-Tone Pieces; Five Take-offs; Hallowe'en; Sunrise

ASIN: B0000049MK
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Slow March
There Is A Certain Garden
In Autumn
Friendship
A Song For Anything
Canon
Rock Of Ages
Ballad From Rosamund
At Parting
Circus Band
When Stars Are In The Quiet Skies (Country Celestial)
Mirage
An Old Flame
Qu'il m'irait bien
Chanson de Florian
My Native Land
World's Wanderers
Abide With Me
Christmas Carol
Scotch Lullaby
Through Night And Day
A Perfect Day
A Night Song
In The Alley
My Lou Jennine
William Will
From 'Amphion'
Nature's Way
Far From My Heavenly Home
Ein Ton
Marie
Song
Memories
Waltz
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Son Of A Gambolier

Average customer rating:

The definition of Musical Genius
Epistolary reflections on Costellian themes...
Beauty? Truth? You Can't Handle Either!!
Deep and moving music from Elvis Costello.
Give it a Try

The Juliet Letters

Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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For the Stars
North
Brutal Youth
All This Useless Beauty
When I Was Cruel

ASIN: B000002MI4
Release Date: 1993-01-19

Tracks:

Deliver Us
For Other Eyes
Swine
Expert Rites
Dead Letter
I Almost Had A Weakness
Why?
Who Do You Think You Are?
Taking My Life In Your Hands
This Offer Is Unrepeatable
Dear Sweet Filthy World
The Letter Home
Jacksons, Monk And Rowe
This Sad Burlesque
Romeo's Seance
I Thought I'd Write To Juliet
Last Post
The First To Leave
Damnation's Cellar
The Birds Will Still Be Singing

Amazon.com

Good on Elvis for risking the ridicule of a blinkered pop world with this unprecedented (for him, certainly, and most anyone short of Kurt Weill) and quite lovely album of bitchy, wise, and funny art songs accompanied by strings. His freshest, most evolved work in years. --Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

The definition of Musical Genius.......2007-05-22

If/when this ever is reprinted you MUST purchase it. It is beautiful in ways that I can't describe. For a writer/musician who is known for writing some amazing pieces, this is his pinnacle.

You will sob. You will laugh. You will rage. You will be haunted.

From a purely musical perspective, when you listen to this CD you are in the presence of great genius.

Listen to it alone, at least at first. Listen in the dark and let the imagery flow over you like fog.

Epistolary reflections on Costellian themes..........2006-01-16

Elvis Costello (Declan MacManus) has done his fair share of collaborations in the past decade. From the Grammy-award winning project with Burt Bacharach in 1998 to 2001's subdued "For the Stars" with Anne-Sophie von Otter Costello has branched out from his rock roots in diverse directions. "The Juliet Letters" from 1993 was the first in a long line of such collaborations. Costello and the Brodsky Quartet were brought together by mutual appreciation (Costello went to Brodsky Quartet concerts while the Brodsky Quartet attended Costello concerts). And Costello's now ex-wife Cait O'Riordan provided the epistolary theme for the project. She spotted a newspaper article about a professor that responded to letters addressed to "Juliet Capulet". Costello then presented the article to the quartet for inspiration. The group of five ended up writing all of the music and words (though much of the music is credited to "MacManus"). The results fall somewhere between classical song cycles and Beatle-inspired "string rock" (a la "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby"). Feelings of melancholy and anger pervade most of the songs. The strings punctuate these feelings perfectly. Fans of Costello's rock music probably won't find much to appreciate here. But the album contains many of the same classic Costello themes and vocal styles utilized in his rock.

Like a Richardson novel, letters provide the basis for the project. Failed and frustrated relationships abound. "Thank you for the flowers / I threw them on the fire / And I burned the photographs that you had enclosed / GOD they were ugly children" Costello sings venemously on the driving "I Almost Had a Weakness". After all, nothing seeps loneliness more than an unanswered love letter. But more than love gets the treatment here. Other songs include a suicide note ("Dear Sweet Filthy World"), a letter from a soldier to a stranger ("I Thought I'd Write to Juliet"), a bizarre experiment in selective exhumation ("Damnation's Cellar"), a reflection on separation ("Why?"), and a letter full of hope in the face of despair ("The Birds Will Still Be Singing"). Many songs explore the sad one-sided nature of letter writing. And no song responds to any other song. This fills the songs that deal with ineffable questions with an almost desparing isolation. But not everything is doom and gloom. "This Offer is Unrepeatable" picks up the mood with a humorously exaggerated letter from a scam artist (and it more than a little resembles the Tom Waits' classic "Step Right Up"). The final song injects some hope into the stark themes in the manner of "Old Man River": "Banish all dismay / Extinguish every sorrow / If I'm lost or I'm forgiven / The birds will still be singing". So in the end, things aren't as bad as they seem. The world goes on regardless of our ephemeral concerns. And as long as the world goes on hope exists.

This CD contains a lot of very beautiful and moving music. Two violins, a viola, a violincello, and voice provide all of the instrumentation. Costello branched out into something very different here. And not all of his fans appreciated it. Regardless, in retrospect "The Juliet Letters" pointed to the future. This year Costello will tour orchestra halls. Not only that, he also wrote a full orchestral score ("Il Sogno"). Strings appear more frequently in his recent music. And year by year he seems to embrace "classical" music more intensely. Still, he hasn't abandoned rock and pop (as "When I Was Cruel" and "The Delivery Man" testify). Though this early collaboration remains somewhat underappreciated, it nonetheless fully showcases Elvis Costello's diverse, adaptable, and broad musical scope. Costello will doubtless appear somewhere on the list of accomplished twentieth and twenty-first century musicians.

Beauty? Truth? You Can't Handle Either!!.......2006-01-06

The reason the Costello/Brodsky collaboration "Juliet Letters" is such a difficult listen is also why its the MOST SINGULARLY BRILLIANT ALBUM IN THE ENTIRE ELVIS COSTELLO DISCOGRAPHY! And this declaration is coming from a man who could write a thesis on "Armed Forces" and "Imperial Bedroom" in his sleep! The idea of setting "letters" to music has certainly been done before, but Costello sticks his neck out, both as a composer and singer in ways he'd never done before. Accompanying yourself with just a string quartet (no snarling guitars or euphonious keyboard filigrees,) is the surest way to test your mettle as a vocalist. And sure, sometimes Costello's voice isn't exactly the strongest, but like say, Billie Holliday it always seems to occur precisely when the lyric calls for it: check out "Who Do You Think You Are?" or "The Birds Will Still Be Singing" and you'll hear exactly what I mean. Even his ode to a chain letter, "This Offer Is Unrepeatable" serves up a cheeky bit of satire worthy of "Three Penny Opera." Of course, you can only experience this album sporadically - could anyone watch "Death Of A Saleman" or "Long Day's Journey Into Night" repeatedly without losing one's mind? Emotionally-wrought exercises like "Letters" take a lot out of you, even when you're merely the observer (or listener,) rather than the participant. But that's what makes the journey, however bittersweet, one worth taking.

Deep and moving music from Elvis Costello........2005-06-18

The Juliet Letters is a moving colaboration from Elvis Costello and the Brodsky String Quartet. His deep vocals are complemented by the string quartet. This album is
neither fish nor fowl (classical or pop) it's just a musical
exercise. The strings are some of my favorite compositions,
(viola, cello and violin). Elvis Costello not only got the Brodsky Quartet a bigger audience but he inspired them to
write their own music (a third of the songs are composed by the Quartet).

While it might not be everyones cup of tea, the music is brilliant and Elvis reaches octave levels I thought I would never imagine he could ever attain. Maybe sometime in the near future he'll work with them again. I applaud him for taking such a bold step in making a non-commercial album.

Highly recommended.

Give it a Try.......2004-03-03

I've been listening to a lot of Philip Glass and Steve Reich lately,and its caused me to go back to this album to give it another go.Previously I thought that it was an interesting experiment which hadn't worked out very well.Now I think that it is a good album for rockers and classical music lovers to use to stretch their ears a little.So called crossover albums are usually horrifying-does anyone else remember that album that Procol Harum did with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra? Elvis flatly denounces the concept in the liner notes.And not everything on this album works.It isn't the brilliant work that some of the other reviewers seem to think that it is.But it is a worthwhile experiment and a work that should be given a fair chance.Rockers and classical music lovers tend to be snobbish and dismissive of one another.This is a good work for them to live with for a while.When Elvis and the Brodsky's click-on "Jackson Monk and Rowe" or "Romeos Seance"-the results are as beautiful and valid as anything either of them have ever done.
Three stars because some of this simply doesn't work. But this is a work anyone who likes Elvis or the Brodsky's should have in their collection.

Average customer rating:

Great album!
Amazing

By Request
Tonic Sol-Fa
Manufacturer: Velvet Jefferson Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sugarüe
Style
Red Vinyl
Tonic Sol-fa: Christmas
40 Days

ASIN: B000A5JRTA
Release Date: 2004-07-01

Tracks:

29 Ways To My Baby's Door
Cecilia
Brown Eyed Girl
Chances
At The Dark End Of The Street
Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
El Paso
Until Forever's Gone
Scooby Doo, Where Are You (remix)
Long Black Train

Customer Reviews:

Great album!.......2007-06-22

I won this cd at a Christmas show that Tonic Sol-Fa had in my hometown. I would have to say that my favorite songs are Brown Eyed Girl (they do such an amazing job on this remake, it sounds like the original but with their melodies it's awesome!!) 29 Ways To My Baby's Door (their vocals together are perfect and i love the beat) and Sold. I find myself singing along to that in my car just smiling and laughing the whole time. The beat is a lot of fun and the way they can make their voices sound like that blows me away. I would definitely recommend this album. It even has Scooby Doo...I mean who doesn't love Scooby Doo? I'm sure kids would love it!

Amazing.......2007-02-23

I saw them live on their Christmas tour, I am now a devoted fan. No instruments, and never should be. They have a style all their own and show it! Must have CD and get all their CD's while your at it!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant, crushing, heartbreaking....
Centaur - In Streams - Hum Light
A gross disappointment at best...
Centaur
Droning and for the most part monochromatic. Uninspiring.

In Streams
Centaur
Manufacturer: Martian Go Home
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Electra 2000
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Downward Is Heavenward

ASIN: B00006RALX
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Life Begins
Wait For The Sun
The Same Place
Strangers On 5
Placencia
Thimbles
Fields
In Streams

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant, crushing, heartbreaking...........2006-07-12

this is one of the best records of all time. Definetely in my top ten. I bought this when it came out figuing it would be similar to Hum, and in a lot of way it is, but it really transcends what Hum was doing and expounds upon it. Matt Talbot has simplified his approach, the songs are very hypnotic and repetitive and for the most part are comprised of only one or two riffs. he repeats these over and over for maximum crushing effect, and of course there is a gloriuous and haunting sadness to his voice. this record moves me every time i listen to it, and it has inspired me more than almost anything else in the last ten years. this record is sure to be criminally underrated and i think the bad reviews here are way off base. this is NOT HUM 2.0, this is Matt Talbot crafting something gorgeous and personal. plus-it's heavy as hell. the guitar5s are destroying angels of sound.

Centaur - In Streams - Hum Light.......2006-05-18

See my review on Hum's You'd Prefer An Astronaut - one of the all time greats. Hum is one of the all-time greats. I really like this Centaur album. It took a little longer to like it than it did Hum - not as dense, but just as melodic - actually more melodic - Hum Light. My favorite is track 4 - Strangers On 5. Try the album - just don't expect Hum. But it's still Matt Talbot, it's still melodic, it's still the feel of Hum - just toned down a little.

A gross disappointment at best..........2006-02-24

First, I should begin by saying it's inherently wrong to judge any spin-off album in the light of an album or series of albums from which it spawned. However, one really has no authority to judge "In Streams" without knowing a little something about the works of Hum, perhaps the greatest rock band of the '90's. If Hum is Stonehenge in the music world, then Centaur is the fossilized piece of dog crap lying on the ground next to it.
Seriously, I consider myself a Hum fanatic, and as other reviewers have mentioned, fans of Hum might be the only people interested in "In Streams." That's why I bought it. But please, don't waste your money. Two albums from the same front man could not be more different. If you think Matt Talbott is a great song writer, you'll hate him after listening to Centaur. For one, the songs are tired and impotent. Most of them sound EXACTLY THE SAME. The hardest track on the album is "In Streams." Just to give you an idea of how not-hard this song is, it has a four minute synth outro. Pa-the-tic. Not only are the songs tired and impotent, but the entire album is poorly mixed as well. Parts sound as if they were recorded in one half-hearted take, and songs like "Life Begins" feature rasping distorted bass and sloppy percussions that set a dismal mood for the rest of the album.
I said before that without at least a rudimentary familiarity with Hum, Centaur cannot be judged appropriately. I maintain that this is true. "In Streams" does not even stand alone as an album, as listeners not acquainted with Talbott's history will grow bored and fed up with his whining vocals and the excrutiatingly simplistic melodies. Hum fans, however, will recognize the true nature of this musical failure, and be downright disgusted. What it boils down to is that Centaur is lacking three critical elements. They are in order; Bryan St. Pere, Tim Lash and Jeff Dimpsey.

Centaur.......2006-01-29

I wish the rest of you actually got HUM, because you would know how much they meant to the people who got them. Not to knock anyone who would read this cause if you did'nt care you would not be reading this, but if you love HUM than you have to love this cd. So classic it makes me sick. Shut up and turn it up, whatever you want cause it is a peice of something that will never be again and I will take Centaur. If you ever seen HUM live anywhere than you have an ounce of humanity or something that draws you to them, and no matter what you think < HUM will always be there. Listen to The Same Place really loud and if you love HUM then you love Centaur!

Droning and for the most part monochromatic. Uninspiring........2005-02-03

I'm gonna be the bitchy dark-haired female student from Solondz's "Storytelling," for awhile. So, maybe it's just me, but this is not a CD that I derived any pleasure from. Bought it in mid-2003. Put it on while writing. No impact at all. Bored the hell out of me. I let it sit for a couple of months. Put it back on while playing some video games. Bored the crap out of me, again. I let it sit for a year- put it back on. Guess what?

First of all, the price is wrong, biznitch- 18 bux for 8 songs? C'mon (the Cd does clock in at 55 minutes- so average song length is about 6 minutes, if that makes up for something). If you're a hardcore Hum/Talbott fan you should look around ebay or trawl a good record store, wait for a used copy to pop up in here.

Personally, I'm not feeling this. And since only hardcore Hum fans will probably be checking this out I'm treading on thin ice... Oh well.

Pensive shoegazer impuissance. the songs are toooooooooo looooooooong.

The first track (and the 2nd, 4th, 6th) sounds like a Collective Soul tune on Xanax. Plus, at 2:10 you can hear Talbott try to hit a high note and not pull it off. my first cringe. track 2 sounds like it would made for a nice bridge in track 1. Not a whole song. Echoey vox attempt to lend ambience.

If you like repitition, worn-out lyrical cliches ("Wait for the Sun?" Uh, Oh, yeah. here it comes, the sun that is... little darlin...) and amateur studio theatrics- this may appeal. If you like talbott's minimalist singing then this will certainly appeal. He and his crew do a decent enough job of piling up guitar tracks and layered pedal effects like some cross-pollination of My Bloody valentine meets... well, I think the Collective Soul analogy stands... Maybe they should have called the band My bloody valium. Or My Bloodless valentine?

Take track 3. "The Same Place." A good title- as The opening 4 chord rhythm change is strummed, repeatedly, for about two minutes and 10 seconds until the vox come in. This same progression is churned like a sullen four year old swirling a spoon in a bowl of gruel for about 6 minutes. This song is an example of th rest of the CD, as talbott & Co. stay true to their winning formula... The exception is "Placencia," track 5: not a bad tune. Even though the mid-song distorted bridge is about 24 bars too long. Nice psychedelic feel. Decent lead guitar- not a bad song, but not a grand one, either- it would not have been out of place on Hum's last CD. Track 8 is ok too.

The lyrics: Hum's lyrics and Matt's voice were never what sucked me into the band- I never listened to their words at all really, I have no idea what he was singing about. I just liked the overall sound of the band- their density. Plus- I can count on one hand the individual Hum songs that I dig- their Cds were better as architectural spires of sound, when reduced to the simple songs- something went amiss... That soething is displayed on this.

In the final say- I can whole-heartedly recommend the CD put out by Gifted (what a horrible band name. Which reminds me- naming a band after a mythological creature, 30 years after the 70's- not a good idear. not at all.), but not this. In fact, I'll probablybe selling it in here any day now. 3 stars just because there's worse. MUCH WORSE. out there.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Home in the Rock
2. Promise
3. Almost There
4. My Faith Looks up to Thee
5. Walking and Talking With Jesus
6. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today?
7. God Gave Me Sunshine
8. Peace and Contentment
9. I'll Praise Him
10. We Need Jesus
11. Standing on the Highway (Wondering Which Way to Go)