A View From the Ground [Import] [Original recording remastered]
Track Listings
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1. You Can Do Magic
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2. Never Be Lonely
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3. You Girl
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4. Inspector Mills
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5. Love on the Vine
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6. Desperate Love
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7. Right Before Your Eyes
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8. Jody
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9. Sometimes Lovers
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10. Even the Score
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Editorial Reviews
Album Description
HDCD remastered reissue of the light folk-rock act's 1982 album. Digipak. 1999 release.
A View From the Ground, Music, America, Pop, Pop/Rock, Rock, Rock/Pop, Soft Rock
Average customer rating:
- Middling at best
- Perhaps their best album as a duo
|
A View From the Ground
America
Manufacturer: Magic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
 General
| Contemporary Folk
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Oldies
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Compilations
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
| Dance Pop
| Easy Listening
| General
| Oldies
| Traditional Vocalists
General
| Adult Contemporary
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
- Silent Letter/Alibi
- Your Move
- Harbor [2005 Reissue]
- Holiday
- Perspective
ASIN: B0006OFLPE
Release Date: 2006-06-19 |
Tracks:
- You Can Do Magic
- Never Be Lonely
- You Girl
- Inspector Mills
- Love on the Vine
- Desperate Love
- Right Before Your Eyes
- Jody
- Sometimes Lovers
- Even the Score
Album Description
HDCD remastered reissue of the light folk-rock act's 1982album. Digipak. 1999 release.
Customer Reviews:
Middling at best.......2007-03-20
In the early 70's the band America burst onto the folk-rock scene with their fantastic debut album which featured the number one hit "Horse with no name". Although subsequent releases were less successful, they still provided enough quality material to have consistent hits through to 1976. After that they lost their way a bit. They came back with the album "Alibi" around 1980-81, which wasn't a commercial success in America but the first track, "Survival" was a number one hit in Italy. This was the follow up.
Although it begins with the riveting single "You can do magic" which departs enough from their folk-rock sound, the album is generally filled with middling pop. This big hit was written by an outside songwriter who also wrote the track "Jody" which is also a pretty good track. My favourite song on the album is Dewey Bunnell's laid back "Love on the vine" which is also as organic as the group's beginnings, though is pretty shallow.
The remaining tracks, however, remain a lot to be desired. I think the problem is they absolutely lost their identity. Once they were folk-rock hippies singing about the desert and "Ventura Highway" and all that. Here they come across more like vain, angry rockstars singing about "Wuv" and groupies and being self-pitiful and sentimental and "evening scores".
The album's closing track, "Even the score" is a fairly typical rocker with a spite driven theme. But it's still fairly enjoyable. "You girl" is a nice enough song. There's a lot of maudlin piano ballads from Beckley that sound so "done that before" and uninspiring and then there's some unmemorable pop songs that blend into typical mediocrity.
I feel that with this album you have a band that have lost their identity and couldn't care too much because they're too busy living the high life. They are even relying on outside songwriters for inspiration, couldn't have imagined that with them back in the 70's heyday.
Although there are a few catchy cuts, this is pretty much middling, dull pop.
Perhaps their best album as a duo.......2006-09-03
This may have been their best album as a duo (after Dan Peek left). They strike the right balance between their own material and that of outside writers. This was their comeback album in 1982 and produced one big hit (You Can Do Magic) and one minor hit (Right Before Your Eyes). The only song on it that I did not care for was Even The Score. The rest of the material is very good.
Average customer rating:
- WHO CAN GO WRONG WITH AMERICA?
- Outstanding
- high quality soft rock--irresistibly catchy hooks
- Perhaps their best album as a duo!
- One of their best
|
A View From the Ground
America
Manufacturer: One Way Records Inc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Contemporary Folk
| Folk
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Oldies
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Compilations
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
| Dance Pop
| Easy Listening
| General
| Oldies
| Traditional Vocalists
General
| Adult Contemporary
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
CDs $7 - $10
| Pop Rock
| Pop
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
All Bargain Titles
| Pop Rock
| Pop
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
CDs $7 - $10
| Soft Rock
| Pop
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
All Bargain Titles
| Soft Rock
| Pop
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
All Bargain Titles
| Oldies
| Pop
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
CDs $7 - $10
| Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
All Bargain Titles
| Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
| Today's Deals in Music
| Formats
| Music
Similar Items:
- Your Move
- Alibi
- Silent Letter
- Hourglass
- Perspective
ASIN: B000002R0T
Release Date: 1996-03-19 |
Tracks:
- You Can Do Magic
- Never Be Lonely
- You Girl
- Inspector Mills
- Love On The Vine
- Desperate Love
- Right Before Your Eyes
- Jody
- Sometimes Lovers
- Even The Score
Album Description
Reissue of the soft-rocker's top fifty1982 album featuring their top 10 cover of Russ Ballard's 'You Can Do Magic' and the top 50 hit 'Right Before Your Eyes'. Also features the original cover art. Guests on the album include Carl Wilson, Christopher Cross, Timothy B. Schmitt, Jeff Porcaro & Steve Lukather. 10 tracks.
Customer Reviews:
WHO CAN GO WRONG WITH AMERICA?.......2006-08-01
YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH GERRY, DEWEY AND COMPANY. I FIRST BOUGHT THIS MUSIC CD IN THE 1980'S. IT IS AS GREAT TO LISTEN TO NOW, AS IT WAS THEN. JODY IS A GREAT SONG, AS IS INSPECTOR MILLS, LOVE ON THE VINE, SOMETIMES LOVERS, NEVER BE LONEY, RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES AND THE BIG HIT OF THE COLLECTION, YOU CAN DO MAGIC. THE ONE THING ABOUT AMERICA IS THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO WRITE CATCHY LYRICS, LYRICS YOU DON'T FORGET. AND THEY KNOW MUSICAL COMPOSITION. GREAT CD,, GREAT BAND, GREAT MUSIC, THE MOZARTS OF OUR TIME, GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Outstanding.......2005-12-08
This is the one and only America album which is mostly Gerry rather than Dewey. Usually, they split the vocal duties half each, but here Gerry sings lead on 7 and Dewey only on 3.
I have always loved both of them, but Gerry has been my favourite, so to hear him in prominence was no bad thing for me. But those who prefer Dewey may feel a bit lacking here.
All Dewey's contributions are outstanding: 'You girl' and 'love on the vine' are catchy folk songs, with excellent memorable choruses. 'Even the score' which rounds off the album, is a raucous rocker and is proof america can really rock out. Excellent song, with a savage guitar solo, and nice acoustic guitar embelishments.
Gerry is incredible here, as always. 'Inspector Mills' is probably the best here. A beautiful, heartfelt melody, with an even better electric guitar driven middle eight, this is a brilliant and well thought out, complex ballad.
'Never be lonely' is extremely catchy and fast, being driven by shimmering acoustic guitars, nice electric arpeggio passages, and beautiful melodies and harmony vocals. Another winner.
'Sometimes lovers' follows the same pattern. Acoustic, with a lovely melody, and memorable instrumental passages.
Of the covers, they are also top notch. 'You can do magic' is the best known of america's 80's output, followed by 'Right between the eyes'. The former is a pop song, with a catchy melody. The latter is another beautiful ballad, with nice electric piano.
'Jody' is described by many as filler, but to me, it has another lovely melody, with Gerry going into falsetto effectively, at times. Also love this one.
Lastly, is 'desperate lovers'. it is the only song I would give an average rating to, rather tha exceptional. Gerry sings lead vocal, but dewey chimes in to sing lead in the chorus. It is a faster paced rock song, which is still catchy and effective nontheless.
A wonderful album which just seems to run so smoothly from beginning to end.
high quality soft rock--irresistibly catchy hooks.......2004-11-08
America had been experiencing a lack of commercial success for a while, but they climbed back into the Top Ten on the US Billboard singles chart with the infectiously catchy, minor-keyed feel-good song "You Can Do Magic"--it was written, produced, and largely played by Russ Ballard who had formerly been a member of Argent, & it's the track that opens this 1982 album, "View From the Ground". It's been said that "You Can Do Magic" is basically the trademark America sound updated for the early '80s with the addition of synthesizers. That's funny & highly misleading because the song really doesn't sound updated at all--there is that "magic" effect that casually pops up on the chorus (is even that an actual synthesizer??--it sounds like it could be a piano run through some effects), but otherwise the song has acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, electric piano, drums, vocals... and no audible synthesizer whatsoever! The song really doesn't sound like it was recorded in 1981 or 1982. And that goes for nearly the entire album--much like Crosby, Stills & Nash on their 1982 album "Daylight Again", "A View From The Ground" finds America stuck in the '70s, either unwilling or unable to "modernize" their sound. And I say more power to them--I give these guys major credit for not jumping on the synth-pop bandwagon and for keeping their sound supremely tasteful on here. Legendary musicians Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather, Dean Parks, Christopher Cross, Carl Wilson, & others all appear on here, and any fan of that "laidback '70s California soft rock sound" will fall for this album lock, stock & barrel. "Never Be Lonely" is an irresistible up tempo song with great vocal hooks & jangly guitar including a fade strongly reminiscent of the Cure (!). "You Girl" is a bit sappy but has a super-catchy chorus & a nice chord sequence. "Inspector Mills" is corny, but very nicely tuneful--it's an ironic title since Gerry Beckley looked a lot like Mike Mills of R.E.M. (sorry, couldn't resist). They try to rock out on "Desperate Love" & "Even the Score" and they end up in arena rock territory--they seem rather forced, but the former does have a really catchy chorus. "Love On the Vine" has splendidly tuneful verses, & the ballad "Right Before Your Eyes" offers yet another catchy chorus. The mid-tempo "Jody" is an utterly characteristic, yet rote Russ Ballard love song--it`s not a disaster, but it`s dull & clearly filler. Overall though, with the album being so tastefully produced & offering so much catchiness, it's strongly recommended. Thumbs up to One Way Records for issuing "A View From the Ground" on CD (they've done the same for all of America's 1979-1984 albums as well)--the sound quality on the disc is solid, although unfortunately songwriter's credits are not listed.
Perhaps their best album as a duo!.......2003-09-04
This may have been their best album as a duo (after Dan Peek left). They strike the right balance between their own material and that of outside writers. This was their comeback album in 1982 and produced one big hit (You Can Do Magic) and one minor hit (Right Before Your Eyes). The only song on it that I did not care for was Even The Score. The rest of the material is very good.
One of their best.......2002-08-07
20 years after its release & this CD still sounds fresh & great. Great songs, should have been hits (Jody, Never Be Lonely+++), lots of great guests: Jeff Porcaro (drums), Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald, Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. This is 80's pop at its absolute best. Besides the last track being a bit weak, the rest of this release is perfection - my favorite America CD and perhaps their best.
Average customer rating:
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DREAMTIGERS:SHATIN
Manufacturer: INNOVA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Chamber Music
| Forms & Genres
| Classical (c.1770-1830)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Chamber Music
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Jazz
| Styles
| Music
Vocal Jazz General
| Vocal Jazz
| Jazz
| Styles
| Music
General
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B0002L56ME
Release Date: 2004-08-03 |
Tracks:
- Werther
- Gazebo Music
- Secret Ground
- Dreamtigers
- Akhmatova Songs: The Muse
- Akhmatova Songs: All Is Plundered
- Akhmatova Songs: The Souls Of All My Dear Ones
- View From Mt. Nebo: Determined
- View From Mt. Nebo: Ecstatic
- View From Mt. Nebo: Impassioned
Album Description
Dreamtigers features six works that range from a plaintive cry in the void to a distant view of the unattainable Promised Land. The title track "Dreamtigers takes its idea from Borges who wrote of the tigers he saw in his youth and how he can now only recall them in incomplete fragments. Shatin's music is likewise colorful, finely detailed, purs and prowls; a gripping journey among the fauna of the subconscious. This exquisite new recording features performances by the Da Capo Chamber Players, soprono Lucy Shelton and guitarist William Zito, all produced by Grammy Award winner Judith Sherman.
Average customer rating:
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View From the Ground
America
Manufacturer: Emi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
Classic Rock
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Pop
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Similar Items:
- Your Move
- Silent Letter
- Perspective
- Hourglass
- Holiday Harmony
ASIN: B00004NK2U
Release Date: 1996-03-26 |
Tracks:
- You Can Do Magic
- Never Be Lonely
- You Girl
- Inspector Mills
- Love On The Vine
- Desperate Love
- Right Before Your Eyes
- Jody
- Sometimes Lovers
- Even The Score
Customer Reviews:
One of their best.......2006-07-27
This may have been their best album as a duo (after Dan Peek left). They strike the right balance between their own material and that of outside writers. This was their comeback album in 1982 and produced one big hit (You Can Do Magic) and one minor hit (Right Before Your Eyes). The only song on it that I did not care for was Even The Score. The rest of the material is very good.
Average customer rating:
|
Dis How We Roll
Manufacturer: Pit Bull Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Rap & Hip-Hop
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B000CAGXC2
Release Date: 2004-12-07 |
Average customer rating:
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Society of Composers, Inc: View from the Keyboard
Manufacturer: Capstone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Keyboard
| Instruments
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Caprices
| Vocal Non-Opera
| Opera & Vocal
| Styles
| Music
ASIN: B00005YCDV
Release Date: 1995-12-28 |
Average customer rating:
- WHO CAN GO WRONG WITH AMERICA?
- Outstanding
- high quality soft rock--irresistibly catchy hooks
- Perhaps their best album as a duo!
- One of their best
|
A View From the Ground
America
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Oldies
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Compilations
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
| Dance Pop
| Easy Listening
| General
| Oldies
| Traditional Vocalists
General
| Adult Contemporary
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| CD Singles
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Folk Rock
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classic Rock
| Styles
| Music
Classic Rock
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Rock
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Pop
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
Similar Items:
- Your Move
- Alibi
- Silent Letter
- Hourglass
- Perspective
ASIN: B00002594U
Release Date: 2002-01-01 |
Tracks:
- You Can Do Magic
- Never Be Lonely
- You Girl
- Inspector Mills
- Love on the Vine
- Desperate Love
- Right Before Your Eyes
- Jody
- Sometimes Lovers
- Even the Score
Album Description
HDCD remastered reissue of the light folk-rock act's 1982 album. Digipak. 1999 release.
Customer Reviews:
WHO CAN GO WRONG WITH AMERICA?.......2006-08-01
YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH GERRY, DEWEY AND COMPANY. I FIRST BOUGHT THIS MUSIC CD IN THE 1980'S. IT IS AS GREAT TO LISTEN TO NOW, AS IT WAS THEN. JODY IS A GREAT SONG, AS IS INSPECTOR MILLS, LOVE ON THE VINE, SOMETIMES LOVERS, NEVER BE LONEY, RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES AND THE BIG HIT OF THE COLLECTION, YOU CAN DO MAGIC. THE ONE THING ABOUT AMERICA IS THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO WRITE CATCHY LYRICS, LYRICS YOU DON'T FORGET. AND THEY KNOW MUSICAL COMPOSITION. GREAT CD,, GREAT BAND, GREAT MUSIC, THE MOZARTS OF OUR TIME, GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Outstanding.......2005-12-08
This is the one and only America album which is mostly Gerry rather than Dewey. Usually, they split the vocal duties half each, but here Gerry sings lead on 7 and Dewey only on 3.
I have always loved both of them, but Gerry has been my favourite, so to hear him in prominence was no bad thing for me. But those who prefer Dewey may feel a bit lacking here.
All Dewey's contributions are outstanding: 'You girl' and 'love on the vine' are catchy folk songs, with excellent memorable choruses. 'Even the score' which rounds off the album, is a raucous rocker and is proof america can really rock out. Excellent song, with a savage guitar solo, and nice acoustic guitar embelishments.
Gerry is incredible here, as always. 'Inspector Mills' is probably the best here. A beautiful, heartfelt melody, with an even better electric guitar driven middle eight, this is a brilliant and well thought out, complex ballad.
'Never be lonely' is extremely catchy and fast, being driven by shimmering acoustic guitars, nice electric arpeggio passages, and beautiful melodies and harmony vocals. Another winner.
'Sometimes lovers' follows the same pattern. Acoustic, with a lovely melody, and memorable instrumental passages.
Of the covers, they are also top notch. 'You can do magic' is the best known of america's 80's output, followed by 'Right between the eyes'. The former is a pop song, with a catchy melody. The latter is another beautiful ballad, with nice electric piano.
'Jody' is described by many as filler, but to me, it has another lovely melody, with Gerry going into falsetto effectively, at times. Also love this one.
Lastly, is 'desperate lovers'. it is the only song I would give an average rating to, rather tha exceptional. Gerry sings lead vocal, but dewey chimes in to sing lead in the chorus. It is a faster paced rock song, which is still catchy and effective nontheless.
A wonderful album which just seems to run so smoothly from beginning to end.
high quality soft rock--irresistibly catchy hooks.......2004-11-08
America had been experiencing a lack of commercial success for a while, but they climbed back into the Top Ten on the US Billboard singles chart with the infectiously catchy, minor-keyed feel-good song "You Can Do Magic"--it was written, produced, and largely played by Russ Ballard who had formerly been a member of Argent, & it's the track that opens this 1982 album, "View From the Ground". It's been said that "You Can Do Magic" is basically the trademark America sound updated for the early '80s with the addition of synthesizers. That's funny & highly misleading because the song really doesn't sound updated at all--there is that "magic" effect that casually pops up on the chorus (is even that an actual synthesizer??--it sounds like it could be a piano run through some effects), but otherwise the song has acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, electric piano, drums, vocals... and no audible synthesizer whatsoever! The song really doesn't sound like it was recorded in 1981 or 1982. And that goes for nearly the entire album--much like Crosby, Stills & Nash on their 1982 album "Daylight Again", "A View From The Ground" finds America stuck in the '70s, either unwilling or unable to "modernize" their sound. And I say more power to them--I give these guys major credit for not jumping on the synth-pop bandwagon and for keeping their sound supremely tasteful on here. Legendary musicians Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather, Dean Parks, Christopher Cross, Carl Wilson, & others all appear on here, and any fan of that "laidback '70s California soft rock sound" will fall for this album lock, stock & barrel. "Never Be Lonely" is an irresistible up tempo song with great vocal hooks & jangly guitar including a fade strongly reminiscent of the Cure (!). "You Girl" is a bit sappy but has a super-catchy chorus & a nice chord sequence. "Inspector Mills" is corny, but very nicely tuneful--it's an ironic title since Gerry Beckley looked a lot like Mike Mills of R.E.M. (sorry, couldn't resist). They try to rock out on "Desperate Love" & "Even the Score" and they end up in arena rock territory--they seem rather forced, but the former does have a really catchy chorus. "Love On the Vine" has splendidly tuneful verses, & the ballad "Right Before Your Eyes" offers yet another catchy chorus. The mid-tempo "Jody" is an utterly characteristic, yet rote Russ Ballard love song--it`s not a disaster, but it`s dull & clearly filler. Overall though, with the album being so tastefully produced & offering so much catchiness, it's strongly recommended. Thumbs up to One Way Records for issuing "A View From the Ground" on CD (they've done the same for all of America's 1979-1984 albums as well)--the sound quality on the disc is solid, although unfortunately songwriter's credits are not listed.
Perhaps their best album as a duo!.......2003-09-04
This may have been their best album as a duo (after Dan Peek left). They strike the right balance between their own material and that of outside writers. This was their comeback album in 1982 and produced one big hit (You Can Do Magic) and one minor hit (Right Before Your Eyes). The only song on it that I did not care for was Even The Score. The rest of the material is very good.
One of their best.......2002-08-07
20 years after its release & this CD still sounds fresh & great. Great songs, should have been hits (Jody, Never Be Lonely+++), lots of great guests: Jeff Porcaro (drums), Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald, Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys. This is 80's pop at its absolute best. Besides the last track being a bit weak, the rest of this release is perfection - my favorite America CD and perhaps their best.
Average customer rating:
|
The Spectacular View from the Ground to the Sky
First Time Fallen
Manufacturer: First Time Fallen
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000CA6LAG
Release Date: 2004-01-01 |
Average customer rating:
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View from the Ground
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Rock
| Imports
| Stores
| Music
ASIN: B00005OMOX
Release Date: 2001-06-27 |
Album Description
HDCD remastered reissue of the light folk-rock act's 1982album. Digipak. 1999 release.
Average customer rating:
|
View from the Ground
America
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Visi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B00000E140
Release Date: 1996-11-21 |
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