Ragged Glory

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
After a long period of unfocused weirdness, Young spotted grunge around the corner and declared unity with the loud, scruffy sounds coming from Seattle. The countryish ballads, such as the opening "Farmer John," get roaring Crazy Horse treatment, and the headbanging "F*!#in' Up" is the most self-effacing rock anthem since the Who recorded "I'm a Boy." Amid the clatter, though, there is beauty: Crazy Horse's sympathetic backup vocals turn "Mansion on the Hill" into a pretty pop song despite the electric guitars, and even the white noise that closes the 1990 album is soothing in a scream-therapy kind of way. --Steve Knopper

Tracks:

Country Home
White Line
F*!#in' Up
Over and Over
Love To Burn
Farmer John
Mansion On The Hill
Days That Used To Be
Love and Only Love
Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)

Amazon.com essential recording

After a long period of unfocused weirdness, Young spotted grunge around the corner and declared unity with the loud, scruffy sounds coming from Seattle. The countryish ballads, such as the opening "Farmer John," get roaring Crazy Horse treatment, and the headbanging "F*!#in' Up" is the most self-effacing rock anthem since the Who recorded "I'm a Boy." Amid the clatter, though, there is beauty: Crazy Horse's sympathetic backup vocals turn "Mansion on the Hill" into a pretty pop song despite the electric guitars, and even the white noise that closes the 1990 album is soothing in a scream-therapy kind of way. --Steve Knopper

Customer Reviews:

It's Not Grunge.......2007-07-12

I am on board with so many of the reviewers here who love Neil, find this among his best work, and cite how hard it rocks.

All true.

But it's lyrical and melodic and powerful and adult and moody and wistful in ways that grunge can never approach. Grunge is little more than garage rock with better amps, and it does not do justice to Neil to call him grunge or compare him to grunge. Men and boys, what that is.

I need to listen a lot more to say that this surpasses Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, but I can mention it in the same breath. The playing is probably better, but I don't know if the tunes are.

No Neil Young fan should miss this collection.

RAMshackle crASH!.......2007-06-25

Cryptic, misanthropic, ascetic, solipsistic, deliver of bad news, indirectly romantic, slightly stoned and resilient as all hell, Neil Young, middle-aged hippiepunk, throws down with the "world's 3rd greatest garage band" and, David Briggs managing the sound (his blistering best mix), it all careens together loud and slouchy like a mythically cool afterschool basement jam. The guitar solos are merciless, the beat is tipsy, the bass is pus, the chords are melancholy, the lyrics are passive-aggressive and Young's singing is desperate. The overall vibe is utterly cathartic. So supersimple, it's amazing (any) grown men can do this sort of sensitive, disturbed BOY thing.

Beautiful - and nasty.

solid listen.......2007-04-09

Ragged Glory is perhaps Neil Young's best album, and that's really saying something considering I own and love Rust Never Sleeps.

I can't help it- the overall sound of Ragged Glory is that of hard rock and a distint, muddy rock sound buried in the mix. It really works. Sometimes you hear these muddy guitars playing behind a country-sounding song and Neil's vocal work, while other times they're playing behind melodic, lengthy jams. A really good album here, folks. Nothing else like it.

The title sums it up better than any words I can say.......2007-02-22

To me, this is Neil's best post-'70's album. It rocks, a glorious mess of feedback, dissonance, and pure friggin' noise. A bit I could've done without (White Line; Over and Over; Farmer John; Days That Used to Be), but so much of this blows my mind that's beside the point. As usual, there are the extended guitar pieces that are PERFECT for Neil's undescribable technique - Country Home, Love to Burn and Love & Only Love, the big bad guitar showpieces, easily blow away Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and others in terms of both sheer volume and sheer virtuosity. I love how Neil's making use of the 80 minutes on CD to show off his guitar skills, rather than padding the record out. A couple of the shorter songs also prove the Grandfather of Grunge was still alive and kickin' back in '91 (and still is today!): Mansion on the Hill and F*!#in' Up, which along with Barstool BLues is one of his funniest songs ever. Then there's Mother Earth (Natural Anthem), closes the album on a rockin', feedback-happy note while copping the melody of the old standard The Water Is Wide. What can I say? This really is something, that's what. Be sure to have this.

The best in an incredible career..........2006-11-03

Just the best album Neil ever put out, and maybe the best Crazy Horse ever sounded. In listening to Neil for almost 40 years, this is one album I have never gotten sick of - it just brings a rush whenever I hear it. I recently bought the cd for the third time (lost one, last one started to skip)- and it never sounded better.
Love and Only Love, IMO, the best song Neil ever put out. Right behind it are Love to Burn, Over and Over Again. Saw two shows in the Weld tour, and these songs were even better live (I'd give Weld 5 stars too)

Average customer rating:

God Bless America !

America the Beautiful
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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America, Why I Love Her
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God Bless America: Ult Patriotic Album
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Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

The Star-Spangled Banner - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
God Bless The U.S.A. - Lee Greenwood
Amazing Grace - Tramaine Hawkins
Ragged Old Flag - Johnny Cash
America The Beautiful - Charlie Rich
This Land Is Your Land - Pete Seeger
My Country 'Tis Of Thee - Mahalia Jackson
Semper Fidelis - Leonard Bernstein
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Davy Crockett's Speech ('Republic Is One Of Those Words...') - John Wayne
Battle Hymn Of The Republic - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Star & Stripes Forever - Leonard Bernstein
God Bless America - Kate Smith

Customer Reviews:

God Bless America !.......2005-10-27

I bought this for the Kate Smith tune, but soon realized, I had Much more ! Many songs I've heard all My Life at Parades and at Church. In this day and age We live in, this certainly lifts your spirits. I think this would be a very good basic "CD" for everyone to have in their collection, who is America minded !

Average customer rating:

God Bless America!
Hero For Today
This CD is awesome!
More Patriotic Dribble!
Terrific!

Hero for Today

Manufacturer: Altissimo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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Duty, Honor, Country
American Pride: Sixteen Stirring Patriotic Themes
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ASIN: B00020HAVK
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Tracks:

Heroic Fanfare
Hymn To The Fallen (From Saving Private Ryan)
A Hero For Today
Battle Hymn Of The Republic
America The Beautiful
God Bless The U.S.A.
Here's To America
The Last Full Measure Of Devotion
We Were There
Duty, Honor, Country
This Is My Country
Ragged Old Flag
The Flag Still Flies High
God Bless America
The Armed Services Medley: Semper Paratus/The Air Force Song/Anchors Aweigh
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

God Bless America!.......2006-07-27

I listened with at least moist eyes - and often streaming tears - to this stunning collection as I enjoyed a scenic ride on Amtrak from Seattle, WA to Portland, OR. I could not help but be proud and grateful for our most honorable country and the dedication and sacrifice of the people who volunteer to protect and defend her. I bought 15 copies and gave them to my friends and family. I intend to give copies to my best clients. Needless to say, I commend A Hero for Today to all.

Hero For Today.......2006-07-05

I heard the title song first at the memorial marker ceramony for Paul R. Smith, the first Medal of Honor recipient of the WOT. I went searching for a CD and to my surprise, found it as the title.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I have found the tone quality very good. My only 'complaint' is the lack of printed lyrics.

While I'm not usually a huge fan of military music, I found the lyrics time appropriate for occassional use in my social studies classes. While we have many discussions about the US policies, many of us can use a reminder of those few that are giving up so much for the many.

This CD is awesome!.......2005-08-15

I bought the CD for my mom who LOVES "We Were There". The 3rd infantry performs a great rendition of it during their concert series every year on the Ellipse in Washington D.C. which includes soldiers wearing the uniforms of the Army as they have evolved and a very stirring speech. Since the 3rd infantry is unable to sell recordings to the public, being able to at least get the song feor my mom was a wonderful present. The other music on the CD was also wonderfully patriotic and beautifully performed.

More Patriotic Dribble!.......2005-08-06

Another re-hash of Altissimo! recordings here. Once again recordings have been drawn together from the US Army Band Library which means the sound quality is often un-even, and nothing is original here.

The standard US Armed Forces Medley Altissimo! just uses from one CD to the next. I don't think they ever change the band playing it! So no mention of when these recordings were made either, or who was directing the Army band when they were done. Altissimo! has not reached that level of professionalism that other labels attained long ago.

Most of the patriotic material here has been issued before by Altissimo! There is very little new material on this CD. The redundant program presented here is a common feature with most US service bands. The musicianship is first-rate: The music they play often second or third rate! These bands can do a lot more than play this kind of dribble. Of course Altissimo! thinks that only the popular stuff will sell. And so they market the same thing over and over.

The picture on the front with the US soldier in desert tans is intended to pull in the patriotic buyer today. The funny thing here is that the recordings combined here were probably in the can pre-9/11! Buyer beware!

Terrific!.......2004-05-24

"Hero for Today" is a wonderfully balanced collection from the US Army Band and Chorus. There was a good selection of patriotic music, both old and new. The balance within the chorus was well executed, as was the balance between the band and the chorus. Their rendition of "Hymn to the Fallen" was thoughtful, almost prayerful, with a subtle choral overtone. The "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was a fresh and full arrangement of an old favorite. "Here's to America" was an upbeat expression of faith in America, in good contrast to the reflective "A Hero For Today." "This Is My Country" was set with a majestic tone, while "God Bless America" was an upbeat expression of an old favorite. I'd recommend this CD to anyone who would like to hear both traditional and new expressions of patriotic music.

Average customer rating:

Songs That Made This Country Great

Manufacturer: Stan Ridgway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAF3UA
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Average customer rating:

Yes-Wave

Manufacturer: Julia Sets
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CADLUY
Release Date: 2004-07-27

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