The Dance

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Fleetwood Mac's 1997 reunion could have been the kind of event that works on video--great concert, after all--but ends up not paying off in repeated listenings on CD. But The Dance, while concentrating on the group's '70s and '80s triumphs, finds the Mac energy running high and impassioned. New songs like "Temporary One" and "Bleed to Love Her" are fine additions to the canon, while "Everywhere" and "Say You Love Me" both breeze along the way you remember them and manage a reinvention in the live setting. The dark side of the vision is accounted for with Lindsey Buckingham's crazed solo "Big Love," but best of all is "Silver Springs," wherein Stevie Nicks tears the roof off the sucker and sets fire to the rubble. --Rickey Wright

The Dance, Music, Fleetwood Mac, Album Rock, Pop, Pop/Rock, Popular Music, Rock, Rock/Pop, Soft Rock

Average customer rating:

This is why it's HOT!!

GO RIHANNA!!!

Okay, for what it is

great

Good Girl Gone Bad Review

Good Girl Gone Bad
Rihanna
Manufacturer: Island / Def-Jam
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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It Won't Be Soon Before Long

My December

Because Of You

Double Up

Epiphany

ASIN: B000OZ2CZW
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Umbrella feat. JAY-Z
Push Up On Me
Don't Stop The Music
Breakin' Dishes
Shut Up and Drive
Hate That I Love You feat. Ne-Yo
Say It
Sell Me Candy
Lemme Get That
Rehab
Question Existing
Good Girl Gone Bad

Album Description

Multi-platinum, award-winning SRP/Def Jam recording artist -and CoverGirl spokesperson - Rihanna has taken over the charts with her # 1 smash single "Umbrella" (featuring JAY-Z) and her chart topping album GOOD GIRL GONE BAD. Rihanna's third album release in less than two years, GOOD GIRL GONE BAD is the follow-up to 2006's platinum A Girl Like Me, with the back-to-back #1 hits, "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful"; and her gold debut from 2005, Music Of the Sun, featuring the worldwide smash, "Pon De Replay." GOOD GIRL GONE BAD boasts the production skills of Timabland, C. "Tricky" Stewart, Stargate, and the team of Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (responsible for "S.O.S." and "Pon De Replay"), as well as songwriting contributions from Justin Timberlake and Ne-Yo, among others.

Amazon.com

There's a cool new development in summer singles: they no longer need to be sunny. In fact, the wetter the better. "Umbrella," the first single off Rihanna's ragingly good third album, may be her strongest ditty yet, and that's saying something considering her run of past summer chartbusters. More stylish than "S.O.S." (from A Girl Like Me) and more interesting than "Pon de Replay" (from Music of the Sun), "Umbrella" barrels forward with big, brawny drums and a hot but haunted-sounding vocal. From there, the upbeat numbers chug forth like chilled pina colada mix into a blender: "Breakin' Dishes" trades skillfully on a recent vogue for man-directed venom, and "Shut Up and Drive" borrows "S.O.S."-style from the '80s New Order song "Blue Monday." Both are irresistible. So, too, are a couple of late tracks. "Rehab" and "Lemme Get That," both produced by Timbaland, prove that being an island girl is no barrier to holding one's own amid a sizzling stew of urban beats. In fact, it's a boon--one that'll register with pop music fans instantly. -Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

This is why it's HOT!!.......2007-07-16

This CD is fresh and energeitic all the way through. It's truly made for those who want to dance. R&B artist take note, Rihanna has tapped a flavor of music that's rocking the spot.

GO RIHANNA!!!.......2007-07-10

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF HER BEST ALBUMS. SHE REALLY SHOWS HER VERSITILITY ON THIS ONE. I CAN LISTEN TO ALMOST THE ENTIRE ALBUM AND WHEN YOU CAN DO THAT YOU KNOW ITS WORTH GETTING

Okay, for what it is.......2007-07-09

I listened to this at work and heard it quite a few times over the course of around 5 days. It annoyed some of my workmates and others didn't mind it - I quite enjoyed some of the music on this album, which is undoubtedly well produced. I imagine that it would sound quite good played up loud at a party or in a club.

Some of the song lyrics struck me as being a little silly, but that didn't bother me too much.

I don't think I'd listen to this album very often, but if I had a lot of guests over for a party, I'd consider playing it if people looked like they may want to dance.

great.......2007-07-09

i love this cd its really different form her last two, it shows she's really matured. its def an buyer!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Girl Gone Bad Review.......2007-07-09

"Good Girl Gone Bad" is a good album. I feel Rihanna has taken her music to a new level and it really shows in her music. If she keeps this up she'll go a long way. I recommend this album to anyone who is a Rihanna fan or people who appreciate her music.

Average customer rating:

JUSTIN IS HOT AND HIS MUSIC HOTTER!!!
Best one yet!
Very nice
Perfect for Nickelodeon?
What's all the hype about?

FutureSex / LoveSounds
Justin Timberlake
Manufacturer: Jive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Back to Basics
Loose
The Dutchess
B'day
Continuum

ASIN: B000H305U0
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

Future Sex/Love Sound
SexyBack
Sexy Ladies
My Love
Love Stoned
What Goes Around
Chop Me Up
Damn Girl
Summer Love
Until The End Of Time
Losing My Way
All Over Again (Another Song)

Amazon.com

One spin of FutureSex/LoveSounds and it's hard to believe that Justin Timberlake was ever a boy-band barnstormer--no modern-day male artist beats him when it comes to single-minded self assurance or suavity. "SexyBack," the inescapable summer sizzler of a first single off this short and thrillingly unwholesome disc, makes that clear on its own: If there was ever any question about whether sexy was in need of reviving--a doubtful proposition at best, given the sheer volume of JT's gyrating counterparts--he lays it to rest instantly over a small but insistent Timbaland-concocted beat. On that track, Timberlake's appeal is his sweet but newly thuggish-sounding voice--here's a good kid gone bad, and he's determined to convince us of it not only by tossing a few well-timed mother****ers our way but also with such lyrics as "I'll let you whip me if I misbehave." The rest of FutureSex will feel familiar to anyone who picked up 2002's brilliantly funk-flecked Justified: "Love Stoned/I Think She Knows Me," shifts from Michael Jackson-esque paranoid trilling to pulsating guitar rock; "Chop Me Up," a collaboration with Three 6 Mafia and Timbaland, gives up the grit rap-style but still manages to recall both Prince and Stevie Wonder; "My Love," with T.I., mines classic Timberlake territory with meltaway lyrics like "I can see us holding hands walking on the beach/Our clothes in the sand"; and the straight-up but groovy lament "Losing My Way" asks, searchingly, what may be the silliest question a squeal-inducing pop star has ever posed: "Can anybody out there feel me?" Rest assured, JT: we feel every past-, present-, and future-sexy verse. --Tammy La Gorce

Amazon.com

Come Along with JT through his own groovin' universe of FutureSex/LoveSounds, co-written by Justin Timberlake and produced by Justin Timberlake, JAWBreakers, Timbaland, will.i.am, and Rick Rubin, among others. Guest artists include TI, Three Six Mafia, and Hezekiah Walker. Obviously, there is no shortage of talent.

More from JT & Friends

Justified, Justin Timberlake

No Strings Attached, 'N Sync

Celebrity, 'N Sync

Justified: The Videos (DVD)

Justin Timberlake: Live From London (DVD)

Edison Force (DVD)

Customer Reviews:

JUSTIN IS HOT AND HIS MUSIC HOTTER!!!.......2007-07-06

I must say that I was very surprised that the whole CD was unbelievable... not just tracks Sexy Back and What Goes Around that is now being played in most radio stations. Every song was amazing, with great lyrics and jammin' beats. It just underlines and reiterates the incredible artistic tales of this dude. I will say that this is my first CD from him as I have bought only single tracks in the past - and definitely will not be the last. Thanks Justin, for a totally kickin' and rockin' album. LOOOOOOOVE it. Definitely blasting this on the way to Vegas!

Best one yet!.......2007-07-05

This is Justin's best CD. His sound is blended well with Timbaland and other artists. Good funky, r & b, and hip hop sounds.

Very nice.......2007-07-03

When I first got the CD as a gift, I only listened to the songs I had heard on the radio. One day I decided to sit down and listen to the entire thing. With the exception of maybe two songs, I love the CD. Second time was much better than the first. Good job!!

Perfect for Nickelodeon?.......2007-06-26

I am shocked that the author of this explicit album hosted the Nickelodeon Kids Awards. This is inexcusable, and a huge failing for the network. Kids listen to TV more than they ever did their parents, and what is this teaching them? I am 22 years old and I know that when I watched Nickelodeon ten years ago they never would have allowed such a person to host the awards.

What's all the hype about?.......2007-06-08

Boring is the only way to describe this over produced and over hyped album.

Average customer rating:

Holy Smoke!!
Mocean Worker will Move ya...
Once again people..MOWO! delivers a HUGE HELPING of some good times!
Dial M for Motion

Cinco De Mowo!
Mocean Worker
Manufacturer: Mowo!,Inc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Enter the Mowo!
We Are the Night
Icky Thump
The Mix-Up
Mixed Emotional Features

ASIN: B000QEILQK
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

Shake Ya Boogie
Tickle It
Ole Baby
Que Bom
Reykjavik (featuring Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
Changes (featuring Herb Alpert)
I Got You (featuring Morley)
Sis Boom Bah! (featuring Rahsaan Roland Kirk)
Brown Liquor (featuring Marcus Miller)
Les & Eddie
Son of Sanford
Pretty
Songnumber 3

Album Description

On the fifth album of his career, appropriately titled Cinco De MOWO!, Mocean Worker, (pronounced Motion Worker) has concocted the quintessential feel-good summer album of 2007. The opening number, quite simply, says it best: "Shake Ya Boogie." In what has become the incomparable Mocean Worker sound, Dorn mixes and matches the best of modern beat-making with live musicians like trumpeters Herb Alpert ("Changes") and Steven Bernstein ("Shake Your Boogie"), bassist Marcus Miller ("Brown Liquor"), alto saxophonist Cochemea Gastelum ("Les & Eddie" and "Son of Sanford") and vocalists Morley ("I Got You") and Alana Da Fonseca ("Que Bom"). As on all Mocean Worker records, the legendary jazz icon Rahsaan Roland Kirk joins the party from the great beyond addind wicked flute ("Sis Boom Bah" & "Reykjavik").

Cinco De MOWO! is the follow up to Mocean Worker's 2005 release Enter The MOWO!, which went on to become his biggest album to date. It's where the true vision for the definitive Mocean Worker sound came into focus. While liberally embracing his jazz and funk influences, Mocean Worker crafted songs with undeniable hooks. On Cinco De MOWO!, that vision has evolved even further. More than just funky grooves, tunes like "Shake Ya Boogie," "Tickle It" and "Son of Sanford" find their way deep into the sub-conscious with melodies that reverberate long after the record has ended.

Customer Reviews:

Holy Smoke!!.......2007-07-09

No need to mince words here. BUY THIS CD!! MW creates some of the hippest sounds you'll ever wrap an ear around.

Mocean Worker will Move ya..........2007-07-09

I didn't even know this man existed until 2 days ago, and WOW... whatta sound! If you enjoy jazz, funk, hip-hop, electronica or just like listening to music that moves your mind and body, then MOWO is worth a listen. I'm an avid runner currently nursing an injury, but I promise that several songs from Cico De Mowo! are in my run mix as I type this. This disc is well worth the money. I'm now off to find out if I can see this amazing creator live and in person. Where would the human race be without music? I can't even imagine...

Once again people..MOWO! delivers a HUGE HELPING of some good times!.......2007-07-01

Wow, Im blown away by how hip this album is. Herb Alpert is onboard? Yeah , its crazy hip then. The album much like the last Mocean Worker album (Enter The Mowo!) really is a complete thought top to bottom. Its a party on a disc. You can rock this at any party I bet and then actually play it while you're running the vacuum afterwards and the good times will roll on and on. Key moments on the record include "Shake Ya Boogie" which features Steve Bernstein playing some amazing trumpet. "Tickle It" just a really catchy melody with a funky funky groove. "Que Bom" which features a singer I dont know named Alana Da Fonseca and is so sexy and sung in Portuguese. "Changes" which features Herb Alpert and is one of my favorite tunes on the whole album. You cannot go wrong with this album. This guy "mowo!" or whatever his name is just keeps bringing the goods. This is some of the best music nobody seems to be talking about. I wonder if he is in the witness protection agency or something? Anybody making music like this would be a huge star behind this kind of work! Haha,get this album. This is some killer stuff, probably my summer soundtrack and maybe even the soundtrack for the rest of my year!

Dial M for Motion.......2007-06-29

Mocean Worker's last two albums are straight up fun- the kind of breezy long players that can equally brighten up a late night party or a session of dishwashing. Album number four, Enter the Mowo broke free of DJ Adam Dorn's drum n bass past and signified the arrival of an original sounding marriage of old timey jazz and funk. Consider Cinco De Mowo to be it's fully realized maturation. Yes, samples still play an important part in the album's construction but the DJ is now trully a musician.

"Shake Your Boogie" will not leave your head once it gets in there.

Average customer rating:

All around Fun
dissapointing
Very Happy with my Purchase
I really like it.
Loose

Loose
Nelly Furtado
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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FutureSex / LoveSounds
The Dutchess
The Sweet Escape
Back to Basics
B'day

ASIN: B000FII324
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

Afraid
Maneater
Promiscuous
Glow
Showtime
No Hay Igual
Te Busque
Say It Right
Do It
In God's Hands
Wait For You
All Good Things (Come To An End)
Te Busque (Spanish Version)

Amazon.com

The buzz for Nelly Furtado's Loose began before the music was even recorded, with the announcement that legendary hip-hop knob-twirler Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake) would act as co-producer. The question on fans' minds: what would it sound like when a hip-hop kingpin collaborated with an artist who culls inspiration not just from pop music, but also her own Portuguese roots?

As it turns out, Loose incorporates a number of different styles along its journey, but is--surprisingly--primarily divided between '80s-influenced electronica and latin-infused pop. This disc is very different from Furtado's previous CDs, a fact immediately evident from track one, the new wave-affected "Afraid." A strong opener, the song is the beginning of a 1-2-3 punch of uptempo, infectious dance floor beats. The second cut, "Maneater," also proves to be incredibly catchy, but the verses and keyboard sound too much like they were plucked from electroclash artist Peaches' tree, and originality is lost. The perfect summer pop song follows, the massive hit "Promiscuous," which features clever interplay between Furtado and Timbaland on their sassy duet. From that point, Loose oscillates between the Miami-affected sounds of R&B, Latino pop, and reggaeton ("Showtime," "Te Busque," and "No Hay Igual" respectively) and the aforementioned '80s vibe ("Glow," "Do It"). Fans will hear Furtado at her vocal best on "Say It Right" and "In God's Hands"--two of the most lyrically compelling tracks on the disc. --Denise Sheppard

Album Description

In preparation for her new album, Loose, NELLY FURTADO tried out collaborations with a who's who of producers, and she tried to create a music more of the body than the mind. A prime example of the latter is first single "PROMISCUOUS," a duet with Loose producer TIMBALAND, known far and wide for his groundbreaking work with, among others, MISSY ELLIOTT, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE and AALIYAH.

It stands to reason that gold and multiplatinum certifications (for 2003's Folklore and 2000's Whoa, Nelly!, respectively), a pair of Top 10 singles ("I'm Like a Bird" and "Turn Off the Light"), and a Grammy Award (for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance), to name just a few accomplishments, would afford a certain level of confidence. But nothing has inspired Furtado to throw caution to the wind more than motherhood. "Motherhood makes you fearless," she says. "The album is very youthful-sounding," Furtado continues, "and I think that's partly due to the presence of this two-year-old in my life. I was with her all day every day and then I'd go to the studio at night, and I think that translated into a playful energy I feel onstage but that hasn't really been heard on my records."

Starting with her longtime production team of Track & Field, she also knew she wanted to check out a variety of producers. "Working with new producers," she hazards, "is like trying on new clothes - you never know what you look good in until you try it on. And sometimes they will see something in you that neither you nor anyone else could see." So she traveled with her daughter from Toronto to London to work with NELLEE HOOPER; to Los Angeles to work with LESTER MENDEZ (who produced, "Te Busque," her moving duet with JUANES) and RICK NOWELS (co-writer and producer of the gorgeous ballad "In God's Hands"); and to Miami to work with PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SCOTT STORCH and finally, TIMBALAND.

Indeed, the raw, lighting-in-a-bottle spontaneity of the collaborative process is at the heart of Loose. "This record shows who I am in a jam-type environment, where I really feel the excitement of the creativity flowing," Furtado reveals. "It's who I am at my most artistic. I live for that, and I'm very grateful to be able to share it."

Customer Reviews:

All around Fun.......2007-07-17

This cd is perfect to let loose to. Put this on when you're getting ready for a night of fun and partying, or when you're looking to make a boring household chore like washing the dishes a little more bearable.

dissapointing.......2007-07-12

The cd cover of mine came broke. I'm a tad upset about it but it's not bad enough to ask for a refund.

good cd though

Very Happy with my Purchase.......2007-06-27

I really have enjoy this cd thank you for getting it to me so quickly

I really like it........2007-06-20

I have a couple of friends I frequently ride around with, and unfortunately for me they are big into R&B, rap, and hip-hop which I'm not particularly fond of personally. But they like to crank their music in the car and I'm forced to grin and bear it.

Then one day "Promiscuous" started up and I realized I actually quite liked it. I'm big into 80s music, and the chorus has that 80s synth sound to it which caught my attention.

I own Nelly's first CD, and I enjoy it still, but I, like some other reviewers, had kind of lost interest in her with her change in "image" and turn toward hip-hop. So when I realized I liked one of her new songs I blindly went out and bought the new CD. I popped it in the car player and listened to it all the way home. It has remained in my player since.

I've come to the realization that if I keep turning my nose up at things, I'm gonna miss out on some good music. This CD is very good. Obvious favorites are the singles "Promiscuous" and "Say It Right", but the real jewels for me are "Te Busque" "Afraid" "In God's Hands" and "All Good Things". They are Lyrically beautiful as well as just being plain good.

I seriously recommend anyone with reservations to give it a listen all the way through before rushing to judge.

Loose.......2007-06-10

I'm rather new to Nelly Furtado music. I've heard songs on the radio, but this is the first CD. Other than a couple songs that aren't my type, little too hip hop, it's a really nice CD. She has a fantastic voice!

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

Average customer rating:

*sigh*
Elizabethan Music
Vibe shift
Gorgeous, pure and unexpected
Soul music

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Not Too Late
An Ancient Muse
Wintersong
James Taylor at Christmas
Awake

ASIN: B000HXDESU
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

Walsingham
Can she excuse my wrongs?
Ryght honorable: as I have bin most bounde unto your honor
Flow my tears
Have you seen the bright lily grow
Then in time passing on Mr. Johnson died
The Most High and Mighty Christianus the Fourth, King of Denmark
The lowest trees have tops
And accordinge as I desired ther cam a letter
Fine knacks for ladies
From thenc I went to the Landgrave of Hessen
Fantasy
Come, heavy sleep
Forlorn Hope Fancy
And from thence I had great desire to see Italy
Come again
Wilt thou unkind thus reave me
After my departure I caled to mynde our conference
Weep you no more, sad fountains
My Lord Willoughbys Welcome Home
Clear or cloudy
Men say that the Kinge of Spain is making gret preparation
In darkness let me dwell

Amazon.com

In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" from his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a lute, the rock superstar and activist sings the songs, deliciously sweet and tender or spirited by turn, accompanying himself, with Edin Karamazov sitting on lute and archlute. For listeners accustomed to hearing material of this period interpreted by rigorously trained early music stylists, especially countertenors and the like, Sting's sometimes tight-jawed, chest-heavy vocals may seem amateurish. It's undeniable that in four-part harmonies, the singer, tightly overdubbed, comes across like a combination of the Swingle Singers and Queen (meaning Freddy Mercury and crew, NOT the first Elizabeth). But it's important to remember that music of this period was routinely heard as a casual diversion in private homes, even more often than at Court. It was considered a crucial social skill to be able to join in with an adequate degree of skill, but not everyone was able to negotiate the perilous melodic twists and turns typical of the era's music. With this in mind, the overall effect is of a candle-lit, postprandial entertainment in the home of an English gentleman. Muttered readings from Dowland's letters and brief snippets of sampled birdsong aside, it is a courageous effort, displaying heartfelt admiration for the composer and a considerable degree of earnest charm. --Christina Roden

Album Description

StingÂ's Songs From The Labyrinth is an album of 17th century music composed by John Dowland and performed on the lute, an ancient acoustic guitar. After being given a lute nearly two years ago as a gift, Sting became fascinated and immersed himself with the instrument and the history of lute music. Reminded of his almost 25 year long enthrallment with the works of John Dowland, the Elizabethan composer who wrote songs for the lute, Sting has recorded a new album of vocal and lute music. All songs were composed by Dowland in the 17th century, but have been given new life in these fresh new recordings by Sting. Sting not only sings all the songs (accompanied by leading lutenist Edin Karamasov, who appears on two Andreas Scholl albums), but also plays lute on two instrumental duets with Edin and reads short extracts from a fascinating autobiographical letter by Dowland. Sting has also written a brilliant account of the album's genesis, along with notes on the individual tracks, which serves as the CD booklet.

Customer Reviews:

*sigh*.......2007-07-16

I am a lutenist myself, who had experience as both a rock guitarist and a classically trained clarinetist before also picking up the lute. I have a great love for Dowland that comes from years of playing his songs myself as well as hearing great musicians (like Paul O'Dette) play them. And this CD makes me sad.

In a way, it doesn't surprise me that Sting would do this. For years now he's been trying to gain cred in the classical music world (I have a 1988 recording of him doing Stravinsky's A Soldier Tale that delighted me when I was 16 and musically ignorant, but now makes my eyes roll into the back of my head). What upsets me is he had to do something that's initimately important to me as a musician. The is problem is that when it comes this kind of music, as others have said, he IS an amatuer, and all his heavy-handed, juvenile earnesty and clumsy, misplaced intensity just drains out all the joy I would normally experience from these songs. Moreover, he's voice isn't merely "untrained" - it's *shot* from years of strain caused by bad "rock" vocal technique. It's just pitiful to listen to in such an exposed context. If you think this is how these songs ought to be intrepreted, you're sadly mistaken.

There are people who would call Sting a "pop genius, " laud him and hand him all sort of impressive looking awards and honors, but this is the music of a real genius, someone who knew not just how to write lyrics that hit home with his audience, but as how to compose songs with unparallel grace, form and sophistication in an idiosyncratic style that bridged convention and innovation. And Sting simply cannot do Dowland's music justice. He just doesn't have the chops or the insight. It's great he's supposedly "studied" this music and that he wrote lengthy, flowery liner notes, but did he really need to record this CD for any reason that his own self-satisfaction? It's far too obvious he hasn't done the same level of groundwork of countless Early Music musicians who don't do this a hobby or avocation from political causes or high-profile celebrity, but as their sole passion. Why couldn't he simply support those musicians, without trying to grab some spotlight for himself? Having a decent lutenist as a sidekick just isn't enough to pull him up from his amatuerly, self-important bog, either. Frankly, he just doesn't get it, and at this stage, I don't think he will.

Early music lovers don't need someone like Sting to bring this music to us - we've been doing just fine without him because we have so many other, really wonderful musicians around to keep this music alive. Someone else recommended Nigel Rogers and Paul O'Dette, and I would gladly recommend them over this celebrity-fuel nonsense as well. Yes these are both musicians with academic backgrounda, but that doesn't mean they are academic musicians - far from it. They just have to hold down teaching positions and do master classes because they don't have a pop career to play the bills. Musicially and professionally, they're what Early Music musicians ought to be - dedicated, educated, passionate and yet they don't have any need to take themselves this deathly seriously.

Elizabethan Music.......2007-07-12

This is the audio component of an hour long video made by Sting on the work of Elizabethan composer John Dowland. (The video does adds greatly to the value as it places the music against the background and age (16th C) for which it was written.) Sting's voice is light tenor and right for these poems set to music about everlasting human concerns that persist to our day. But you'll not see those wonderful lutes that accompany the words, so complex to play with a beauty of sound not heard today. Between his music Sting gives an excellent spoken commentary to complete an attractive presentation of esoteric classical music with a modern undertone.

Vibe shift.......2007-07-10

Why bother? Still would like to say i love the 'shift' it takes to get into this music and how i (and my home) feel when i've enter this rather rarified realm of listening.

Gorgeous, pure and unexpected.......2007-07-06

This music is so pure, so clean, so well performed by two excellent musicians, Edin Karamasov, and Sting, that it put shivers up my spine. Edin is an excellent classical lutenist and Sting's tenor voice is perfect for the music. It was a surprise hearing a rock musician perform this music, but Sting always surprises, continuing to develop as a musican. I will hear this one in my sleep, echoing.

Soul music.......2007-07-05

Have you ever walked a labryinth? Let Sting walk with you either if you are new or an ole' timer at it. This is music for and from the soul.

Average customer rating:

Shocked at shock value
Can't stop Tim
two decent cuts
Amazing
(2.5 Stars) He Definitely Gives You Some 'Shock Value' With This CD!

Timbaland Presents Shock Value
Timbaland
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Good Girl Gone Bad
FutureSex / LoveSounds
It Won't Be Soon Before Long
Because Of You
Street Love

ASIN: B000NA26ZE
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Oh Timbaland
Give It To Me
Release
The Way I Are
Bounce
Come & Get Me
Kill Yourself
Boardmeeting
Fantasy
Scream
Miscommunication
Bombay
Throw It On Me
Time
One & Only
Apologize
2 Man Show

Amazon.com

When the most exciting producer in pop music himself puts out a CD, the thrill is in the discovery: The world may have already suspected that Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and a small army of other singers owed 75% of their fame to the stockpile of skittering beats Timbaland built and then graciously set them upon, but here's a chance to prove it. Or it might have been in less welcoming hands. Shock Value is a far-reaching and ambitious disc; a masterpiece, even, in its own way. But it's not at all self-centered. If there's a point being put across here, it's that Timbaland came by your vote as behind-the-scenes musical man of the hour honestly: pair him with Fall Out Boy or the Strokes, and he will not only provide tracks that surprise you by maintaining their rock 'n' roll integrity, he will also convince you that shimmer's role in rock music has, to now, been tragically misguided and miniscule. Re-team him with Timberlake and Furtado (for the near-flawless track "Give It to Me") and he will again trade vocal bites, but they will still be nibbly, not voracious. In a CD full of experiments and puzzles (why is Elton John just piano-playing, not singing? And how did the L.A. band One Republic end up on this disc?) a single truth emerges: Timbaland's taste is impeccable, but his judgment is even better. Shock Value, by virtue of its swirly beats and mesmerizing rhythms, will bring him a smidge closer to the spotlight. But because it's a disc of collaborations, he'll retain the shadowy-genius reputation that precedes him, and that he so richly deserves. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Shocked at shock value.......2007-07-13

Now, I'm not going to say I didn't like the album. I did like it. But, I just do not feel Timbaland let loose enough.
I think he is a wild stallion, but it just felt like something was pulling back on the reins, something was MISSING.
I can't put my finger on it, but felt this album was...Too controlled to offer an SHOCK to me.
I wanted a cut loose RAW BEAT album.
I was satisfied, but being satisfied means the content was just satisfactory. I want to be satiated. I hope another album is to follow this, I really do. I'm addicted to the beats, Timbaland is EXCELLENT for those. I can't get enough. BUT, please next time don't just shock me.
I want shock waves, electricty to the veins. Maybe next time.

Can't stop Tim.......2007-07-09

This album rocks. I love that Timberland teamed up with all different types of artists. Rock this!

two decent cuts.......2007-06-30

You already know the two good cuts - theyre the singles and fully worth downloading. the rest of the album is disappointing.

in the mid 90s timbaland sounded fresh - had a new style - and was known for his creative beats. you would never know that from this new cd. theres nothing remarkable about the beats - the melodies dominate. do we buy timbaland albums for the melodies? i dont think so.

timbaland isnt trying to impress anyone - and when artists arent hungry and have no one to impress they slack off and make lame albums like this.

Amazing.......2007-06-27

This album just shows how amazing Timbaland is. Although some of the songs get criticized for sounding too much like other songs (The Way I are = My Love) that is the beauty of it! Songs that we already love sound like some of these. It sounds enough like it to attract the same fans, but different enough to give the public something new. Besides, most of the songs sound so different then anything I've ever heard in my life. Buy this CD!

(2.5 Stars) He Definitely Gives You Some 'Shock Value' With This CD!.......2007-06-26

The musical genius that is Timbaland has had his fair share of success with a wide range of artists. From his earlier work with Aaliyah to Jay-Z to Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado later, Timbo has worked with some of the best around. So it seemed to be a no-brainer to put out another solo album amid his new found resurgence on the music scene. So Timbaland Presents Shock Value is his latest offering with a multitude of eccentric guest artists and very little hip-hop to speak of outside of his lyrics. The lead single "Give It To Me" features Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, two artists who have flourished since uniting with the super producer. Both give their signature Pop sound to the song, leaving very little room for the songs to be played on traditional urban stations. Most of the album follows the same formula of non-Hip-Hop beats with non-Hip-Hop cameos. Artists like alternative rock band The Hives ("Throw It On Me"), the Punk-Pop crew Fall Out Boy ("One & Only"), pop icon Elton John ("2 Man Show"), electronic artist Amar ("Bombay"), pop-R&B artist Money ("Fantasy"), electronic goth/punk duo She Wants Revenge ("Time"), and others give the album a mainstream pop radio feel that longtime fans of Timbaland will be turned off to. He even goes as far as to remix the song "Apologize" by his own Mosley Music artists OneRepublic with no verses by the rapper himself. Timbaland does give R&B signee Keri Hilson some much deserved spotlight on songs like the 'SexyBack'-inspired "Way I Are," "Scream" featuring Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls fame, and "Miscommunication" with labelmate Sebastian. Outside of a few hip-hop guest stars like Dr. Dre and Missy Elliott ("Bounce"), Mosley Music signee Sebastian ("Kill Yourself"), and former partner-in-crime Magoo ("Boardmeeting"), Timbaland Presents Shock Value gives a lot of shock and very little value for us Hip-Hop heads. If this is the new direction for Timbaland and his Mosley Music Group, then good luck to him and his new venture. He was never a strong lyricist, but Timbaland was certainly a huge Hip-Hop producer. But with his eye on the Pop music prize, there will be little room for him to focus on Hip-Hop....for himself or other artists.

Average customer rating:

They conquer the night!!!
Modern midnight album

We Are the Night
The Chemical Brothers
Manufacturer: Astralwerks
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Mix-Up
Do It Again
Zeitgeist
Icky Thump
Sound of Silver

ASIN: B000OV129I
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

No Path To Follow
We Are The Night
All Rights Reversed (The Klaxons)
Saturate
Do It Again (Ali Love)
Das Spiegal
The Salmon Dance (Fatlip)
Burst Generator
A Modern Midnight Conversation
Battle Scars (Willie Mason)
Harpoons
The Pills Won't Help You Now (Midlake)

Amazon.com

One can never accuse the Chemical Brothers of consistency. We Are the Night continues their eclectic electronica approach even though the big-beat groove of the title track remains their digital calling card. Spotted with a minimalist keyboard pattern, vocal non sequiturs, and sampled sound effects, the infectious groove of "We Are the Night" eventually evolves into the monotone-chanted dance chorus of "We are the night skies/We are the bright lies," recalling Brian Eno circa Here Come the Warm Jets. However, for every catchy electro-dance, there's a tune that leaves you scratching your head. What to make of the novelty song "The Salmon Dance" is anybody's guess, though you might find some illumination in a salmon recipe on their Web site. With fractured nursery-rhyme lyrics that are sung like an off-color Sesame Street rap, it will drive you up the wall--or at least toward the skip button. Then there's Midlake singing the trancey ballad "The Pills Won't Help You Now," making the Chemical Brothers sound like a sci-fi version of Coldplay. Retro-analog synthesizers dominate, with the electro-grooves of "Das Spiegel," "Burst Generator," and "Saturate," which builds on a Kraftwerk-forged metal framework coupled with storming sampled drums. The circuits of '70s techno-pop artist the Normal are re-soldered on "Do It Again." With Ali Love singing the title-track chorus, it's built to be a summertime anthem akin to Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)," albeit robotically chilled. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

They conquer the night!!!.......2007-07-17

English dance/electronica duo Chemical Brothers are back with their best album yet. "We are the night" has already topped the UK album charts, and though more accessible than much of their past work, it is still edgy and avant-garde.

After a brief intro "No path to follow", we get a stomping number with swirling synths, the title track, largely instrumental apart from vocodered voices proclaiming "We are the night" (and a few other things) every so often.

The haunting, pulsing "All rights reversed" features The Klaxons on vocals, and is followed by the excellent throbbing techno instrumental "Saturate", one of my favourites.

Lead off single, the hypnotic drone of "Do it again" featuring Ali Love is already a UK top 20 hit. This song just keeps getting better each time I hear it. "Das Spiegel" is an effects laden instrumental that sounds like a journey through space. "The salmon dance" featuring Fatlip is a funky number with humorous spoken lyrics describing a salmon dance step, alongside a narrative on the salmon's breeding habits.

"Burst generator" is another superb instrumental with raging guitars set to a stomping beat. "A modern midnight conversation" is a lovely groovy largely instrumental piece with a chorus sung in falsetto. "Battle scars" (featuring Willy Mason) wouldn't be amiss on a Gorillaz album.

"Harpoons" is a warbling psychedelic percussion free instrumental, and closing is the album's lone ballad, the dreamy, trippy "The Pills Won't Help You Know" (featuring Midlake) which is simply lovely.

Definitely up there with LCD Soundsystem's "Sound of silver" and Groove Armada's "Soundboy rock" as best dance CD of the year.

Modern midnight album.......2007-07-17

I have no idea what the Chemical Brothers are doing in "We Are The Night."

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing. Though some of their songs simply don't mesh together well, the British electronic duo do a pretty fair job with their grimy acid beats and crazy acid-alien-spy style. And it's worth the price just to hear their delicious collaborations with Midlake and the Klaxons.

It opens with a strange rumbling grunting sound, like a robot hellhound sniffing out a trail. Then we get some mournful voices telling us that "there's no path to follow."

Oh, forget that. The action begins in the spaceship hums, electronic twiddlings (as if from a control panel), and a heavy driving beat that blossoms into a solid, danceable tune speckled with samples. It ends up sounding like James Bond on acid, and no, that is not a bad thing at all.

From there, the Chemical Brothers collaborate with the Klaxons in the eerie, clattery "All Rights Reserved," and launch into a swirl of equally energetic songs: tribal electrobeats, retro fuzz pop, eruptions of tornado synth in fun electropop, tightly woven beats, and a dense weaving of keyboard and ringing guitar. It finishes on a high note with "The Pills Won't Help You Know," a collaboration with Midlake -- a dreamy, hazy, fuzzy, sunny little tune that is drowsily winning.

In a nutshell, "We Are the Night" sounds like the soundtrack to a psychedelic spy caper, with a few aliens thrown in for good measure. The Chemical Brothers has their lax moments -- "The Salmon Dance" with Fatlip is a tumble down the stairs -- but the majority of the songs achieve just what they're meant to.

There's some drum machines and electric guitars cycling in there. But most of it is some really earthy acid beats -- sharp and flexible, synth lashings, and a few that are soft little stretches of gentle, pastoral tinkliness. They also weave some songs with sci-fi-ish samples, like what sounds like alarms going off, and a spaceship landing.

And they avoid the typical techno trap of just taking a beat and repeating it endlessly. To keep the dancefloor beats and tribal stuff from sounding like your average boring techno, they twist it into ripples, trickles, fuzz, static squeals and some brilliantly eerie vocals ("We are the nighttime/we are the bright eyes/we are the right time...").

If there's a real problem with "We Are the Night," it's that the album isn't very cohesive. Several of the songs have the same feel, but most of the collaborations don't fit in with the pure Chemical Brothers stuff. I'm the first to admit a deep love for "The Pills Won't Help You Know," but it doesn't fit.

The Chemical Brothers trip over their own feet occasionally, but despite some songs not fitting in, it still is a pretty decent electronic album. Do it again.

Average customer rating:

Pink Rocks It
love it, I've played it a lot!
Fantastic discovery!
Fantastic
AH! SHE OUT DID HERSELF!

I'm Not Dead
Pink
Manufacturer: La Face
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Missundaztood
Taking The Long Way
The Dutchess
The Sweet Escape
Loose

ASIN: B000EGCITG
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

Stupid Girls
Who Knew
Long Way To Happy
Nobody Knows
Dear Mr. President (Featuring Indigo Girls)
I'm Not Dead
'Cuz I Can
Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)
U + Ur Hand
Runaway
The One That Got Away
I Got Money Now
Conversations With My 13 Year Old Self
I Have Seen The Rain (Featuring James T. Moore)

Amazon.com

Some music is celebrated for its elegant subtlety; Pink's slams you over the head. Four albums in, she's not changing her formula. I'm Not Dead touches on bulimia ("Stupid Girls"), war-mongering politicians ("Dear Mr. President"), teen angst ("Conversations With My 13 Year Old Self," "Runaway"), overheated pickup artists ("U + Ur Hand"), and gross materialism ("I Got Money Now"). None of it, in other words, is for featherweight listeners. Then again, none of it suits eggheaded college tastemakers either. Where this translates, then, is with those willing to man up and embrace what makes Pink Pink: her spellbinding ability to render rebelliousness in all the many colors of the rainbow. Neil Young-inspired acoustic guitar is sketched into "The One That Got Away," but it's just as quickly scribbled over by Joan Jett-style ranting (on "Long Way to Happy") and Janis Joplin/Joss Stone-fueled howling (on "Who Knew"). Even R&B gets its turn ("I Got Money Now"). The album also includes appearances from the Indigo Girls, who duet on "Dear Mr. President," and Pink's father, who joins for the hidden track "I Have Seen The Rain." Pink pulls all of this off, and probably without even breathing hard. She's not dead. --Tammy La Gorce

More from Pink

Missundaztood

Can't Take Me Home

Try This

Customer Reviews:

Pink Rocks It.......2007-07-17

First, I think Pink just has a raw power to her voice that so many of the other pop starts don't have. Second, she sets herself apart by having tracks with relevant topic, a couple of ballards and then tunes you can dance too. Lasly, she deserves at least music award nominations.

love it, I've played it a lot!.......2007-07-14

LOVE HER! Tracks 7 8 and 9 are continually played in my car. I love the whole album including the song with her dad (no credit though, why not?). She's real, shares a lot in her lyrics, and real artists are hard to come by these days.

Fantastic discovery!.......2007-06-28

I never was a fan of hip hop/dance/rap music, so I never really paid attention to Pink. I'll be the first to admit that was a big mistake. I heard "Who Knew" on the radio and was absolutely bowled over! I immediately went out and bought the album based on that one song. Turns out the album is full of fantastic musical gems. I didn't realize she changed her style to more of a rock/pop style. "Stupid Girls" is a great social statement (and totally made me think of Paris Hilton). "Who Knew" is one of my favorite songs of all times. "Long Way to Happy" is so catchy and awesome, it's my 2nd fave on the album. "Nobody Knows", "Dear Mr. President" and "I Got Money Now" are all great slowed down songs. I almost cried the first time I heard "Dear Mr. President". Extremely political and so very true, beautifully sung and deserves a lot of attention. "U + Ur Hand" and "Leave me Alone" are fun and full of attitude.

I'd like to add that not only is this album awesome, but I finally found out that Pink is an incredible vocalist and performer. Based on that, I ended up buying Misunduztood and there are several songs on that album I loved as well. I just wish I had noticed Pink long before this! Buy the album, you won't be disappointed!

Fantastic.......2007-06-10

Great album! Pink has really shown some great range! This cd is way beyond some "Stupid Girls".

AH! SHE OUT DID HERSELF!.......2007-06-06

EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT. A PINK MUST HAVE.

Intelligent, thoughtful, inspiring!

Average customer rating:

Stunning
Bjork goes back to what works
Almost, but not quite
A Solid, If Disjointed, Release by Björk
Doesn't quite cut it

Volta
Björk
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

American Doll Posse
The Reminder
Release the Stars
Year Zero
New Moon

ASIN: B000NVIXFA
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

Earth Intruders
Wanderlust
The Dull Flame Of Desire
Innocence
I See Who You Are
Vertebrae By Vertebrae
Pneumonia
Hope
Declare Independence
My Juvenile

Amazon.com

Björk's main asset as a musician is her fearlessness. Since the end of The Sugarcubes and the pop-dance of Debut, she has released progressively more experimental records. But after well over a decade of going further and further out, Volta steps back. Make no mistake; this is Björk, and so it's still fabulously weird. Like 2004's mesmerizing Medúlla and the 2005 soundtrack for Drawing Restraint 9, the songs are blissfully peculiar, with narratives about love, offspring, aliens...you name it. Yet melodically and philosophically, Volta recycles more than it innovates; the driving pulse of "Declare Independence," for instance, reminds us of Homogenic's "Pluto," and the lead single "Earth Intruders" sounds like Post's "Army of Me" on steroids. And just as Medúlla oriented itself around a certain instrument--the human voice--this one concentrates on horns.

Still, the transition between her early work and the avant-garde bender she's been on since Vespertine is pretty harrowing, and it's satisfying to hear Björk revisit her more accessible self. Uber-producer Timbaland pitches in here and there, most successfully on "Innocence," which uses a fat, disjointed pulse to drive the euphoric vocals forward. Elsewhere, the hyperactive sitar sample on "I See Who You Are" provides texture for the song's theme of enjoying each other while there's still "flesh on our bones." And "Pneumonia" makes fantastic use of the horn section with a soft arrangement that compliments the song's lyrical melody.

So while it's a bit of a stall, Volta is a lovely pause. It reminds us how much we appreciate the laboratory of Björk's imagination, but also how much we missed her back when she was just goofing around. -Matthew Cooke

Album Description

Bjork returns to her iconic, innovative and rhythmic roots with Volta. Featuring her own infamous beats and collaborations with Timbaland, Antony Hegarty, Brian Chippendale and an all-female Icelandic brass section, the end result is an explosion of beats and an amalgamtion of sound and visuals that give Volta a life of its own, like the world hasn't seen from Bjork in years.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning.......2007-07-16

This is wonderful, wonderful stuff. I had found Bjork altogether too quirky (and squeaky) for my tastes. Give me laid back grooves, French DJ stuff, post-punk (JD, Bloc, Interpol), the occasional blast of RnR, some pic 'n mix of other odds and ends and I'm a happy chappie. But I read all these 4 and 5 star reviews and bought it.

Am I glad I did that? Oh yeah. As many have noted, this builds on you over a number of listens. My pure listening time is in my car commuting. So I stuck the CD in and played it 3 or 4 times through, only extracting it a couple of days ago. Wow!

The overall sound structure of this CD is heavily layered and haunting. Take track 3 as an example, 20/30 words of lyrics, repeated and repeated, but the whole is a wonderful, moving sonic masterpiece, almost Gorecki in the way it swells and shifts. And there's more ... but let the analytical reviewers tell you about the track structure. All I want to say is ... buy this, play it right though at least 3 times, fall in love with it.

Bjork goes back to what works.......2007-07-15

I love an artist who experiments, grows, develops and evolves. But, I must admit, Bjork's last two contributions,'Medulla' and 'Drawing Restraint 9' were a little too far into the experimental with Icelandic lyrics and Japanese music. 'Volta' is much more like her earlier albums with English lyrics and recogonizable tunes. If you liked her five CDs previous to 'Medulla', you will like 'Volta'.

Almost, but not quite.......2007-07-14

I REALLY wanted to love this album. I absolutely adore "Vespertine," and thought it was her most comprehensive album, flowing from one song to the next...a complete work. When "Medulla" totally disappointed, I still had high hopes for the next album - surely Bjork wouldn't release TWO clunkers in a row! In a nutshell, I had to try very hard to like "Volta"...and my efforts paid off - sort of. The first five tracks grew on me. In fact, the first five songs rock, but the rest of the album falters...too out there, not enough melody, and the song about the suicide bomber had lyrics that were WAY too obvious and strange to hear coming out of Bjork's beautiful mouth. All in all, I listen to the first five tracks and then rewind.

A Solid, If Disjointed, Release by Björk.......2007-07-13

From the gothy punk of KUKL to the arty rock of The Sugarcubes, from the electronic pop of Post to the dark spaciousness of Homogenic, it has always been difficult to predict Björk's musical direction. So her last project before this one, an experimental soundtrack for the film Drawing Restraint 9, gave little hint as to what we should expect from Volta.

Then, a few weeks before the Volta's release date, Earth Intruders drops as the album's first single. Marching, clean-edged beats bobble alongside the singer's quirky and distinct voice. The track thumps along with a poppy passion that Björk has not exhibited since the early 1990s. On Earth Intruders, Björk is joined by famed producer Timberland and his signature tread covers most of the song. His presence is unmistakable as heavy beats and waving keys clearly mark the producer's influence. If there is a radio hit on Volta, this is it.

Earth Intruders is the album's opener, but by the time the second tracks hits, it is clear that the preceding song does not accurately depict the sound of the album. This is because Volta is ever-changing. It is an album of different moods. It is an album of bouncing rhythms, an album of screaming manifestos, and an album of introspective awarenesses.

As poppy as Earth Intruders is, Volta is not an album that looking to get a nod of approval from the radio masses. The slow climb of the third track, entitled Dull Flame of Desire, affirms this. Once again, Björk is collaborating with another artist; vocalist Antony Hegarty. Antony's singing, hollow and androgynous, complements Björk's sweet cries perfectly and the shared cadence of the two singers is punctuated and underlined by steadily growing beats built by Lightning Bolt drummer Brian Chippendale.

Other guests on the album are just as noteworthy. Mark Bell, whose band LFO helped launched the famed Warp Records in 1990, makes an appearance on Volta. As does session drummer Chris Corsano. Icelandic poet Sjón lends his pen to the track Wanderlust. Min Xiao-Fen's pipa playing adds a beautiful delicacy to I See Who You Are. And Toumani Diabaté's kora plucks its way to the forefront of Hope.

While many of the songs on this album are solid in their own right, Volta is a disjointed affair overall. Perhaps due to the diversity of the guest artists, the songs on this album contrast each other to a high degree. The angelic harmonizing of the aforementioned Dull Flame of Desire, for example, is abruptly knocked off track when the follow-up track, Innocence, begins to romp. Later, the electro-pump of Declare Independence drops out in favor of the significantly softer My Juvenile. Björk has released past albums that were just as diverse. Debut and Post, for example, both moved through a number of different sonic explorations. But the songs on these albums were arranged in such a manner that the variety worked. There are thematic elements that run through Volta; the tribal rhythms, layered wind instruments, and Björk's vocal prowess. And all of these pieces reprise often enough to tie opposing tracks together, but the thread is thin when compared to similar achievements on past albums. Still, the strength of the individual songs outweigh any stress caused by the disruption of flow and Volta, while not Björk's best album, is certainly one to consider picking up.

Doesn't quite cut it.......2007-07-11

I already didn't have huge expectations for this album after disliking its predecessors Medulla and Vespertine, but I at least found that Volta had five tracks that were to my liking, which is more than I liked on the two CD's before it combined (thus I would consider it a step up). While the hit track "Earth Intruders" may suggest that Volta is a return to the styles of Post or Homogenic, few other songs on the album are similar to this piece, and instead are divided among all sorts of variety. Other reviewers have commented on the fact that there is a bit too much variety on Volta, and I would agree with this since basically all of the songs sound like they belong to entirely different genres (aside from the fact that many of them have in common the usage of a strange-sounding chorus of horns, and of course Bjork's voice). I was disappointed to not find more of the neat sound effects and beats like the ones used in the albums before Vespertine and Medulla, although she does get some good jamming beats going in the backgrounds of Wanderlust, Vertebrae by Vertebrae, and my personal favorite song on the album Declare Independence. This track is strangely noisy for Bjork, since she practically screams with distorted vocals overtop of a largely appealing array of a low-toned electronic noises that come together with a thumping beat to make Declare Independence a fun, rebellious tune that is commendable for its energy as well as its sound effects. Other stand-out tracks include the first four, although I find the otherwise wonderfully melodic The Dull Flame of Desire to be slightly brought down by the absurd vocals of a man which the booklet refers to as Antony. He may take some getting used to, although I eventually grew to tolerate his inclusion in the song. He also offers his voice for the last track My Juvenile, which I disliked. Earth Intruders is an instant classic with its strange lyrics and good percussion and synthesizers, and is considerably longer on the album than it is on the radio, including some noises at the end which are either foghorns or instrumental horns made to sound like foghorns. Wanderlust also has oddly catchy lyrics, and Innocence has a beat which apparently consists of a thump noise as well as the sound of a man's agonized grunt. Overall I'd give this album three stars, and although it wasn't quite good enough for me to buy, it has mildly restored my faith in Bjork and I will continue to listen to her future albums in hopes of finding another gem like past CD's Debut, Post, and Homogenic.

Average customer rating:

I really like it
Not normally my bag, but...
don't listen to the haterz kk
Good Album
Great CD

The Sweet Escape
Gwen Stefani
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Dutchess
Loose
FutureSex / LoveSounds
Back to Basics
B'day

ASIN: B000JJRIN4
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Tracks:

Wind It Up
The Sweet Escape - featuring Akon
Orange County Girl
Early Winter
Now That You Got It
4 In The Morning
Yummy - featuring Pharrell
Fluorescent
Breakin' Up
Don't Get It Twisted
U Started It
Wonderful Life

Amazon.com

There's nothing like a Gwen Stefani disc to rip you from your pop comfort zone and, in the pleasantest way possible, knock you around a bit. On The Sweet Escape, the blows arrive roughly every four minutes: a yodel ("Wind It Up") skitters off ceremoniously before the title track, featuring Akon, catches you off guard with its infectious yelps of "Woo-hoo, YEE-hoo!," and the pouty rap of "Orange County Girl" has barely petered out before we're vectored somewhere back toward the '80s with the indie rock-ish "Early Winter." That the sound of these songs doesn't follow a formula--that they pounce wherever they please, without regard for genres or decades--is no big whoop; this is Gwen Stefani, after all, and her up-for-anything, play-along fans probably wouldn't have it any other way. More surprising is the extent to which Stefani inserts what seems to be her genuine self into the music: "4 in the Morning," a Madonna-reminiscent midtempo groover, drops the wide-eyed Betty Boop pose and basks in a rarely plumbed depth of feeling ("I give you everything that I am / I'm handing over everything that I've got / 'cause I wanna have a really true love," she sings with something like sincerity). A single track later, she's owning up to motherhood in the sexiest, most unapologetic way possible: "I know you've been waiting," she pants, "but I've been off making babies / And like a chef making donuts and pastries / It's time to make you sweat." Lyrics don't get much cleverer than the ones to "Breakin' Up," a kiss-off disguised as a dropped cell phone call, and sounds don't get much swizzier than the ones on "Now That You Got It." Which is to say that Gwen's got game--as much as on Love.Angel.Music.Baby, if not more--and that anytime she's prepared to hollaback, the world will do well to listen. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

I really like it .......2007-07-14

Some people are close minded, they wont give this album 1 chance because they miss No Doubt..dont get me wrong I LOVE No Doubt...but Gwen is doing her thing now,and I respect that..this album is really interesting and cool..some of my favorites songs here are 4 In the morning,Now That You Got It,Wonderful Life,Flourescent and many others, Gwen likes doing this music, and i love listening..so Keep em comin'!!!so some people need to get over themselves

Not normally my bag, but..........2007-07-13

I love this album. Every now and then, I find a top40 album worth buying. The singing is creative. The beats infectuous. 'Sweet Escape' is pure ear candy. Anyone buying the album expecting No Doubt will be disappointed, but it holds up on it's own.

Currently, it's in the CD changer and will remain there for awhile. If I were blind, I'd still love Gwen's music. Thank Heavens I can see. Gwen looks like someone who'd be fun to Kiss.

don't listen to the haterz kk.......2007-07-11

much better album than lamb, imo. More sythenic and current, more confident. She doesn't seem as nervous and unsure of herself on this one. Of course this isn't in the same league as her stuff with no doubt. Don't even bother if you want another return of saturn, but you should have learned that the first time around. This is supposed to be a fun, guilty pleasure.

Of course it does come across as a bit calculating and jerky. It has plenty of variety. It's just fun, dumb pop music. Excellently done dumb pop music. And it sure beats Fergie.

Good Album.......2007-07-05

I don't think that this Album is better than L.A.M.B, but I still think that it is good. I am a little disipointed that the songs don't sound like the 80's and 90's like L.A.M.B did. I think that guy named ROCKET or wutever who rote about this Ablum is STUPID!!!! With a capital S. Wonderful life is not the only good song on the Album! There si Early Winter, 4 in the morning, Yummy, Flourescent, and more! And what does that guy mean that Gwen lost all of her fans 21 and up? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard! My teacher (27) loves Gwen? so does my sister (25) my mom (43) and eaven our nabor (50)! I mean come on! All in All this is a great Album that you will love

Great CD.......2007-07-03

I bought this CD for the song "The Sweet Escape" which I love. The rest of the songs are ok.

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