Jet

Track Listings

1. Start Here

2. Brian Damage

3. It Would Be Good

4. Song for Hymn

5. Nothing to Do With Us

6. Tittle-Tattle

7. Fax'n'info

8. My River

9. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

10. Whangdepootenawah

11. Cover Girl

12. Quandry

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Remastered and on CD for the first time, this1975 album includes an extra bonus track TBA. Includes members of Sparks, John's Children, Roxy Music and The Nice.

Tracks:

Last Chance
Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Rollover D.J.
Look What You've Done
Get What You Need
Move On
Radio Song
Get Me Outta Here
Cold Hard B****
Come Around Again
Take It Or Leave It
Lazy Gun
Timothy

Amazon.com

Sometimes having good, original ideas is the worst thing you can do in rock music. To paraphrase Jim Dickinson on the Beastie Boys, rock and roll is theft, and it's not so much about whether or not one steals but why, how much and how well (i.e. from whom). Riff-heavy in all the right ways, this is a very well-produced retro-rock record with handclaps, catchy choruses, and plenty of attitude. They freely cop from AC/DC, the Stones, the Verve, Oasis, Humble Pie, Aerosmith, Black Crowes, and Mooney Suzuki, and they do it very well. The only problems with the album lie in the words, and in the softer material. Most of the lyrics are so banal ("Now you don't need money with a face like that, do ya") they were seemingly written by some newfangled songwriting program set to "1973." And half the album consists of ballads that are just pretty good: the Oasis-y "Look What You've Done," the Pink Floyd -esque "Timothy" and the Small Faces-ish "Move On.". But it's the mid-to-uptempo stompers that this group excels at. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

Debut album from Melbourne Australian quartet, produced by Dave Sardy (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Marilyn Manson). Elektra. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Jet - Great Retro Rock.......2007-06-07

I remember the first time I heard the first single from this album "Are You Gonna Be My Girl", on the radio. It was about as basic as rock could get, but there was something about it that made me sit up and take notice. A few weeks later I saw the band perform on Saturday Night Live and again I was impressed. Yes, they were mining the same 70's style rock territory that many before them had done, but there was just something about these guys that appealed to me. I picked up the album and pretty much liked every song on it. Jet doesn't really do anything original. A direct line to their music can be traced from older bands like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Faces, Golden Earring, Oasis and maybe even a little Pink Floyd in spots. Instrumentally they are pretty basic too, with decent enough guitar and rhythm section. But.....there is something about these guys that gives their material instant listenability. Along with "Be My Girl" the album produced a couple of other huge radio hits the ballad "Look What You've Done" and the rocker "Cold Hard Bitch". Both are great little tracks that were perfect radio music. The rest of the album is all strong as well. I really like every track. It will interesting to see how long these guys stick around on the charts. I can see them possibly coming and going fairly quickly, but for this album at least, they have put out a winner. This is one of my favorite discs to crank up in my car. Great retro stuff.

Get Born..........2007-06-02

Good Rock/Rock&Roll group! The song, of course - "Are you gonna be my girl" 4 stars!

JET BLUES.......2007-05-23

A drummer for people who only need a beat, some guitar to make it easy to move your feet, add a little baritone, and a right out-a-site organ, (no horns though), and Steven Tyler Aerosmith vocal inspiration, and you got pure and slick, perfect and corporate, riffed and hooked rock and roll from Aussie band, Jet. Hey, this stuff is nearly perfect. Who said rock is dead when infectious drum beat meets thumping bass, and guitar adds some electric twang, and you expect to hear Golden Earring's RADAR LOVE, or any of a number of great lead-in songs. This band has the lead-in down cold, (you know, it all started with The Supremes' YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE), and the substance that follows isn't half bad. ROLLOVER DJ has a great head-bobbing vocal and riff, ("Hey Rollover DJ, got nothing to say?, mind if I play?") - not really the verse sang here, but it fits as good as any, and it rhymes. And sure, be above it, - boldly lean on The Beatles' SEXY SADIE, on track 4, LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE, right down to the resounding half-note piano key, half the kids listening never heard the original, and it sounds great. No, really. And I like The Strokes influence. And when was the last time you heard the blues as basis for great rock and roll on modern rock radio? Zepplin? And I LIKE the ballads. You can't have all riffs and hooks all the time. It would get monotonous. RADIO SONG, ("This won't be played on your radio, tonight"), a dreamy ballad makes absolutely no sense, and I find myself singing along to it on the second listen. That's craft. Closing track, TIMOTHY, at first seems a haunting reference to LSD explorer Timothy Leary, ("Timothy, we found your spaceship, ...it's the farthest you've ever flown"), but on repeated listens, seems much more profound, like a questioning of the very existence we live in, ("It's not what it seems, but it is"), - toke doobie, stare at the moon, and think about it. Nice melody too. And a fine rock album. All in all, I like it, I can bop my head to it, I wish I were 17 years old again, and I give it 4 stars.

We're supposed to be moving forward, not backwards.......2007-04-28

Why would anyone want to listen to a bland, watered down version of the 60s and 70s rock bands? If you want to listen to old music, do yourself a favour and pick up a record by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, ACDC, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd etc. If a band wants to succeed by copying older bands, they better make sure that their music is at least up to par with, if not better than the original. If not, there's no incentive for people to go out and buy their music. This is the case with Jet. Only two of the singles are worth listening to. Look What You've Done is a blatant, bland rip off of Sexy Sadie by The Beatles. The rest of the CD is mediocre at best.

This sort of music, like the attitudes of many music listeners, is just reactionary. Lately there has been a trend towards listening to older rock bands from the 60s and 70s. Of course, this is a reaction to the sad state of modern popular music. Nowadays, the music industry is permeated by dull, lifeless, talentless, manufactured stand-for-nothing bands like Nickelback, Grinspoon and 3 Doors Down, not to mention the worst genre of music ever - emo. Jet, by the way, is no different from the afforementioned bands in this respect. However, this is not an excuse to fall back to the 60s and 70s. Music needs to move forward, not backwards. I understand that the direction we are currently going down is bad, but that doesn't mean we can't change direction whilst still maintaining creativity. The 60s and 70s are long gone, we need something fresh and new. How much longer will retro bands like Jet be able to exploit that sound before people get sick of it again? I can assure you that their 15 minutes of fame will soon be up. Musicians need to keep innovating, and coming up with new ideas that don't suck. Going back to the 60s and 70s is not going to solve the problem. Alternative rock can be good if it's done well, and metal is still alive with great innovations being made in that genre at the moment, although not as popular as it used to be.

Unfortunately, record company executives have realised that it's a lot easier to market to preteens than adults and they're never going back. That way they can still make profit while maintaining an endless supply of talentless hacks to have their 15 minutes of fame. That's why, if you want some quality, original music that's new and fresh at the same time, you won't find it in the mainstream. You're better off looking in the underground metal or indie scenes. There you'll find innovation and musical integrity. At the moment I'm listening to a great metal band called Hipocrisy. They have an excellent blend of heavy and melodic metal and, unlike most modern mainstream rock bands, they never release the same album more than once. So yeah, I highly recommend looking at the underground scenes, because I highly doubt that mainstream music is going to improve anytime soon.

Stunning.......2007-04-17

When I first heard Jet, I couldn't believe they were a new band. Maybe I'm a little biased, but I thought there was no way a new band could sound so new and exciting. But they do!

There are many great tracks here. "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" and "Look What You've Done" are incredible rockers. The rest are great as well. It's true that Jet didn't stray too far from their influences, but that's okay in my book. I love the classics (The Who The Beatles, The Stones, etc), and I don't mind hearing new music in the same style. After all, I'd choose a Jet concert over a modern day Who concert any day.

I say give Jet time to evolve. After all, it took The Beatles a good number of years to get past "She loves you yeah yeah yeah" and when they did get past it, they did Sgt. Pepper. I think Jet definately has potential, and I wouldn't be so quick to write them off.

Average customer rating:

Second Album Shine On is a Charm by JET
70's revisited
More Cowbell
Solid as rock
A little Beatles, a little Supergrass, a little Stones.

Shine On
Jet
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Sam's Town
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ASIN: B000H30BCM
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

L'esprit D'escalier
Holiday
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
Bring It On Back
That's All Lies
Hey Kids
Kings Horses
Shine On
Come On Come On
Stand Up
Rip It Up
Skin And Bones
Shiny Magazine
Eleanor
All You Have To Do

Amazon.com

On their second full-length recording, Australian retro-rockers Jet show they've got more tricks up their sleeve (they can, like, write songs and stuff!)--not to mention a bigger and better record collection--than most of their garage rock peers. Shine On displays swaggering but intelligent boogie rock à la Humble Pie, an ability to tear the roof off like their countrymen AC/DC, and Americana-thieving swagger rock that brings to mind the Rolling Stones. They do this rather unpretentiously; they are not pretending that anything they're doing is revolutionary or "new" in the slightest. The song titles themselves all have a ring of deja vu to them: "Bring It on Back," "Shine On, "Rip It Up," "Stand Up." Heard it all before? You bet. The thing is, every once in a while a rock band plugs into the Platonic ideal of rock & roll and actually gets it all totally right. Jet does this, and it makes them sound almost as original and exciting as the people they're stealing from. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

Shine On not only fills a void for hungry rock fans but sets the bar for what today's rock bands can aspire to be. Jet flawlessly brings together classic rock influences with a modern rock edge.

Customer Reviews:

Second Album Shine On is a Charm by JET.......2007-07-17

This album is a great second album, really surpassing their first album, Get Born, in consistency. Yes, it is retro, it is fashionable, it is likeable and really, quite lovable. This album ROCKS and will quickly become a timeless classic album of rock ages. You can feel all the influences of the Beatles, Stones, and all those great bands from the 60's-70's. And yet, quite current and refreshing from this young Aussie Band. An album you will not tire of listening to. Really.

70's revisited.......2007-06-20

Jet remains the most successful 70's revivalist bands (Wolfmother is another up-and-comer) with bluesy guitars playing over huge, bombastic drums.

I didn't find this as immediately enjoyable as the debut, but it's not bad.

More Cowbell.......2007-04-23

Power chords, a backbeat so strong white boys can dance.
All that is missing is the cowbell.

Solid as rock.......2007-04-06

If you liked Get Born, its near impossible not to like Shine On. Jet doesn't take to many risks on this cd and keeps if safe, sticking to their retro rock style. This album is a little softer than their debut, and the soft ones shine bright, Shine On and Kings Horses are brilliant. Overall Shine On is pretty solid, but it feels as though it's missing something, some sort of progression or evolution maybe? But then again it just wouldn't be Jet.
Key tracks: Stand Up, Rip It Up, Holiday, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, Kings Horses, Come On Come On, and Shine On

A little Beatles, a little Supergrass, a little Stones........2007-03-24

What a great album from a some first-rate songwriters. My son turned me on to this group and I've got them going round and round and round in my car, my computer, the home stereo, the iPod.

Average customer rating:

"If I had a huffy, you could ride the handlebars."
Off the hizzle for bliggle!
DMoC
A Step Beyond
Another triumph

Dungeon Master of Ceremonies
MC Chris
Manufacturer: Jet Pack Industries LLC
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000IYV0IO
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Tracks:

FTW
Blastic
Kingdom Farts
Segue (skit)
Check the Ring, Yo
Wild
Twelve sided (skit)
Townie
Pw/om
The Package (skit)
OMC
Arulapragasam
Smackababy (skit)

Customer Reviews:

"If I had a huffy, you could ride the handlebars.".......2007-06-26

Dungeon Master of Ceremonies is a bit of a return to form for Chris. The skits are back and funny as ever, especially "The Package", about Chris arriving in Heaven and meeting Jesus. He continues to rap about whatever he wants; video games, drugs, himself, with geek references thrown all over the place. The album seems a bit more poppy and chorus-centric, but he never strays too far from his roots.

My favorite song is "Wiid", which has great rhyme scheme, lyrics, and beats. The preceding track, "Check the Ring, Yo" is a bit addicting too. "FTW" is a good opener, although it sounds better with the real music in the background, and that version isn't on the album. "Blastic" is a more pure hip-hop track with a nice sound. "OMC" features the return of Hallie Bullit, who does a lot of chorus vocals for Chris, and is a good song for shows. "Arulpragasam" is the next iteration of the more serious, wishful song that seems to appear on each record. It is one of many tracks that feature more actual music recorded specifically for the album instead of just beats made with Protools. It's interesting to see him branch out a bit and I'm looking forward to his next album which might be out by the end of the year.

Off the hizzle for bliggle!.......2007-05-10

I'm not going to lie, I bootlegged your album mc. It was a dark time. However, in a twist of fate that would change my life, my beloved hard drive full of delicious illegal content was stricken down and all data was lost never to be seen again.

Fast forward about 6 months, I'm hittin' up my first mc chris show, and lo and behold, a beautiful merch table with several copies of DMoC layed out for my purchasing pleasure. I pick one up, get it signed by my main man Chris Ward, and slam it in my baby blue 1990 Pontiac Sunbird's CD player. I'm chillin, groovin to the music, skippin the skits because you know they're only funny twice, and then what happens?

BOOTIES FOR BREAKFAST!?!? ON MY DMOC?! NO WAY! I must be trippin! So, what I'm saying kids, is buy the CD get the bonus track, and support mc chris. Cause the man is off the hizzle for bliggle. And you know it.

DMoC.......2007-01-10

MC Chris is a fine example of the Nerdcore genre of rap. His beats are original, his lyrics and flow are simply hilarious, but like most rappers, he is hit or miss. Some of the skits are overlong, but overall it's worth 10 dollars in my opinion.

A Step Beyond.......2006-10-23

mc chris has been at this game for a long, long time. I remember hearing a homemade tape of his about 10 years ago.

Which is why this record is such a treat for me. The first three tracks of the record have a real raw, gritty sound to them. He's backed by "real" (non-electronic) drums, a lowdown distortion-heavy bass, and a melodic yet powerful guitar. I imagine him with his punk rock buddies just kicking it low-fi/tech, and the results are amazing. Feel-good pop-punk sounding songs, with chris' signature hilarious self-deprecating and sarcasting rhymes delivered with his signature upper-octave style.

Another highlight is "PWOM" -- Chris' answer to AndrewWK's "Party Hard". A anthem for the ages that should be played at ANY (above-21) social setting.

This release also is VERY heavy on skits. Which work for the most part. mc chris in heaven meeting Jesus? A great concept to begin with, but it gets even funnier as Jesus shares with chris what we would all do if we had Jesus' powers.

Certainly, chris hasn't moved away from his hip-hop roots musically, musically. "Check the Ring" and "wiid" are the highlights here. Each has its own grooving vibe -- the former a dancefloor booty shaker, the latter a righteous chillout groove.

A great release that I've been listening to non-stop.

Another triumph.......2006-10-21

The latest album from Nerdcore rapper mc chris (lowercase, no dots, rewind) features more of his signature sound: memorable beats, tight rhymes, comedy skits, and his infinitely memorable voice.

Rapping about subjects ranging from video games, to films, to partying, to illicit substance use, and rapper posturing, mc chris creates another winning album.

A note: Amazon.com lists track 6. as "Wild." It is, in fact, "Wiid." Also, there is a hidden track 14: a remix of "Booties For Breakfast."

Average customer rating:

Amazing
now is the time to (re)visit one of indie rock's most epochal releases
Old Guy No Like
Starting to take off
Not popular music

Young Team
Mogwai
Manufacturer: Jet Set Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Release Date: 1997-10-21

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Mogwai Fear Satan

Album Details

Second Full-length Release, this Time with the Addition of Former Teenage Fanclub and Telstar Ponies Member Brendan O'hare.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2007-04-18

The newer post rock genre has its many faults, pretentious, boring, and depressing. Mogwai attempts to transcend this partly because of there father of the genre status and there shorter songs that a tight and faced paced. Young Team is a master peace. Probably there best album but hardest to listen too. They do fall into the pitfalls of the genre the music is very very on the sad mellow side, there best song on the album(my opinion) Mogwai Fear Satan is about a pretentious a rock song can get, but they are never boring.

now is the time to (re)visit one of indie rock's most epochal releases.......2006-05-14

This is it! The one. The record that launched a MILLION other records. Half the bands I love and freak out about wouldn't even exist if it weren't for THIS RECORD. Or if they did, they sure as heck wouldn't sound the way they do. Sure there was Spiderland. And the theory that everyone who heard Spiderland started a band. And the Pixies. Same thing. And let's not forget Nirvana. Between Slint, Nirvana and the Pixies, the template for angsty loud/soft indie rock was pretty much defined FOREVER. Until Young Team that is.

Mogwai most definitely owed a huge debt to the above mentioned big three, but there was just something special about Young Team. The ultimate brooding post rock stumble into massive epic metallic crush record I had ever heard. This is heavy, but oh so pretty, dark and romantic, but also creepy and seriously ominous sounding. Soft, super blissed-out meandering almost-ambient soundscapes, dark brooding passages of near silence, eventually shattered into a million pieces by bursts of frenzied, rhythmic noise a la Godflesh, crushing and metallic and machinelike, but always ready to drift and fade back into soft swooning tranquility. But even the loud heavy parts are strangely melodic and ridiculously catchy.

This record is so f-cking great. Even now, a decade after it was first released, and after I've heard about a million bands do their own versions of Young Team. Maybe the best way to really drive home how massive and amazing and incredibly influential this record is, would be to list a handful of bands who would probably not exist, at least not in their present forms, if it weren't for this record. No disrespect to any of these groups AT ALL (I love them every single one of them) but you gotta give credit where credit is due... the sons of Mogwai include Godspeed! You Black Emperor, Isis, Timeout Drawer, Snowblood, the Ocean, Magyar Posse, Gregor Samsa, Aereogramme, This Is Your Captain Speaking, Explosions In The Sky, Sigur Ros, Pelican, Mono, Grails, Tarentel, Jimmy Cake, Switchblade, Minsk, Conifer, Tides, Eden Maine, Rosetta, Red Sparrowes, Indian, Baroness, Cult Of Luna, Mouth Of The Architect and I could go on and on.

So if you love any or all of the above mentioned bands, and how could you not, and you've somehow never heard Young Team, you are in for it in a big beautiful way! Now's your chance. Don't blow it. You will not be sorry. As for the rest of you, who for one reason or another just haven't listened to Young Team in years, lent it, lost it or whatever, now is the time to revisit one of indie rock's most epochal releases, you just may very well have forgotten how devastatingly fantastic this record is!

Old Guy No Like.......2006-03-29

What the heck makes this "post rock?" It sounds like second rate guitar rock to me, repetive in a boring--rather than blissed out--way, with dynamic extremes that sound gimmicky rather than cathartic, opaque production and uninspired playing (I hesitate to mention song-writing because these guys are a jam band). A hopeful prediction from the 47 year old guy contingent: you 20 somethings who are slobbering over this will eventually come to your senses and go after some REAL noise: Bardo Pond, Flying Saucer Attack, Spacemen 3, Amp, Jessamine, Loop, older Flaming Lips, MBV, Lovesliescrushing, or maybe even the Stooges or MC5. If you insist on the post rock thing, Sigur Ros or GSYBE. Again, this is just mediocre, at times mildly inspired, guitar rock.

Starting to take off.......2006-03-14

I envy the feeling it must be like to be such a young group and release an album containing echoes of melodic reverb that will carry on throughout the stratosphere for many more years..The type of music the band plays, slow burning escalations of poinient, darkened, melodic washes of distortion, is certainly not for everyone, but for everyone who wants to stay actively engaged with an open mind..Mogwai was just begining to find it's footing here, accentuating the best of their earlier singles..When the tracks do work completely, a sound so immersive begins to take root in the astute listeners ear, that the band itself must have meditated on some of their greatest material..Songs like the classic closer Mogwai fear Satan, show them at their tightest, with none of the self conscious clutter that often goes for atmosphere in the mogwai market..As people began to open up to this unique and introspective musical experience, I know a mental shrine had begun to be constructed by the fans, for the appreciation of this young team's extraoridinary passion for going inside of itself...

Not popular music.......2006-01-15

Was persuaded by the positive reviews (which sounded very educated mind you) to try something different. OK, so I found out I really value rhythm, continuity, and meaning in music. Which means I can appreciate the likes of Pink Floyd but not this inharmonious bunch called Mogwai. This is actually more like Heavy Metal, not "Pop", so I wouldn't have wasted my money if it has been properly labelled as such.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
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To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Opening Title _ Wu Shu Jing Shen
Shanghai Fight
Kids
Master Huos Fight
Kids 2
Kids 3
Huo Yuanjias Theme
Tianjin Fight
Mrs. Huo/Action
Huo Yuanjia and Master Qin
Yuanjia and Qin
Qin Enters
Sword and Fist
Mans Theme
Yuanjias Sorrow
Mother & Daughter
Yuanjia Falls
Village Flute/Children Play with Dragonflies
Village Flute Solo
Season Changes
Moon Explains
Yuanjia and Moon
A Long Road Home
Jinsun and Yuanjia
Shanghai Fight 2
Action 5
Jinsun and Yuanjia 2
The School Opens
'Habanera' from "Carmen"
Hasu - Tea Ceremony
Wu Shu Jing Shen
Tanaka Fight
Final Fist 1
Final Fist 2
Fearless Men/Theme of Yuanjia and Moon
Ending _ Wu Shu Jing Shen

Amazon.com

Contemplative and elegiac, this score for Jet Li's martial-arts movie is light years away from your usual Hollywood action music--even when the pace picks up, it remains evocative and elegant, with a tinge of underlying melancholy. For this we have to thank Japanese composer Shigeru Umebayashi (formerly of the rock band EX), who also gave us marvelous scores for Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love and Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers. Here he relies on roiling percussion, ethereal choirs, and Japanese and Chinese flutes to suggest both the 19th-century setting of the film and an end-of-an-era mood. Look for "Habanera" from Carmen buried toward the end, performed by Japanese soprano Michiko Hayashi and--befitting such a relatively pared-down album--a lone piano. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Great fight scenes!.......2007-01-03

Plenty of great fights scenes and gorgeous cinematography in what is supposedly Jet Li's last martial arts film. Definitely a DVD that you'll want to own, because you'll watch it again and again. The story provides a back drop to the unfortunate history of China's occupation by foreign governments and the susequent abuse of its people and resources. Jet Li's charachter is inspirational and fascinating to watch. Buy it and you'll be glad that you have a copy of your own!

A fitting accompaniment.......2006-11-16

One of the distinguishing marks of a great film is its score.
A great soundtrack is in itself beautiful and aids in telling the story, yet does not distract your attention from the events onscreen.

Fearless was aided by a diverse and appropriate film score, ranging from the haunting flute and strings of the main theme to the blood-stirring drums of the fight scene in Shanghai.
I was caught off-guard by several tracks on this particular CD that I had missed during the film, but which stand on their own as moving pieces of music.

The only problem with this particular soundtrack CD is that it seems to be plagued by bad recording or production.
The treble and bass seem to be off a bit, and I had to play with my equalizer to get a more balanced sound. Also, the volume seems to cut in and out a bit with some tracks.
Not enough to be entirely disruptive, but enough that you may notice it.
For example, where the drums at the Shanghai fight scene should be loud and deep, they turn out a bit soft and treble-y.
This can be mostly remedied by adjusting your equalizer, but for this reason I only gave the product 4 stars.

With that caveat, I highly recommend this CD to everyone who enjoyed the film.

Average customer rating:

Sweet Shine
Great, top to bottom
Their best?
Sexy
Good record

Experimental Jet Set, Trash & No Star
Sonic Youth
Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003TB0
Release Date: 1994-05-10

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Winner's Blues
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Sweet Shine

Customer Reviews:

Sweet Shine.......2007-02-27

Sonic Youth is not a Robot. They are here to make you react to the now. This world is spinning at a certain frequency and this album whirls in your mind like a celling fan on a hot summer night. This is one of the best Headphone recordings I own out of my 1000+ collection. Thurston and Kim's songs dominate this album for me much like Siter. If you like Sonic Youth this album Is A must have along with 1991 The Year Punk Broke Through. Sweet Shine Is my Favorite Song. Thats right period.

Great, top to bottom.......2006-09-13

This was the first Sonic Youth album I listened to, so for a long time I figured my opinion on it didn't count. Had to bow to the opinions of those long time fans, you know, who didn't seem to care for this one. I've since heard several other SY albums over the years, and I always gave them a great chance -- because, damn, this is the group that made Experimental Jet Set, etc. And I think I'm ready to commit now -- this album was their best, at least of the ones I know. It was one of the greatest albums of the 90's. There isn't a bad song on it, and the best ones are, well, transcendent. I can't rate this album any higher.

Their best?.......2006-05-29

Sonic Youth was always good, this may be their best, and one of 4 great 90's albums, along with "CIA Drug Fest" by Old Skull, "Undisputed Attitude" by Slayer, and "We Are They Who Ache With Amorous Love" by Half Japanese. "Winners Blues" is acoustic, a crazy move for these noisemakers, and then we get what we really came for, noisy improv-ish songs that are fantastic, exciting, and occasionally intelligible! Some of the early SY stuff is a little overrated, but this, "EVOL", "Goo", and "Confusion is Sex" are sure to please fans of noisy music.

Sexy.......2006-04-24

it's amazing how everytime SY can make an album that is completely different than the previous one. Again so now, after the 'commercial' -Dirty- (which was an awesome record) comes this one.

Starting with the previous unexplored world of acoustic lo-fi, which was relatively big in the indie scene back then, in 'Winner Blues' comes an instant SY classic, 'Bull in Heather'.
For some reason this song is perfect for around 5 am in the morning, it just has that scary feeling, but in a seductive, sexy way that borders on the pornographic when Kim is droning up numbers. Kim's songs are very good on this album by the way, 'Doctor's Orders' having a great chorus you can sing along, and it could almost be a Nirvana chorus.

There are some swing-and-misses, it could have done without 'Androgynous Mind'

In line with 'Dirty', there are some great Thurston Moore songs, if you can call them that. While never reaching the level of 'Sugar Kane' or 'Chapell Hill' songs like 'Waist' and 'Screaming Skull' (with a great riff as a break) have their moments.

It may not be the best SY album, but it's still very good and worth listening to over and over

Good record.......2006-03-06

This is one of sonic youth's best work I think,If you are new to sonic youth this isn't a bad start.

Average customer rating:

i love it
Yes.
One of my Top 5 Favorites of All Time
really... amazing... music....
I really wanted to like this...

Ghosts of the Great Highway
Sun Kil Moon
Manufacturer: Jet Set Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tiny Cities
Songs for a Blue Guitar
What's Next to the Moon
Rock 'N' Roll Singer
The Sky and the Ocean

ASIN: B0000DIZSW
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Glenn Tipton
Carry Me Ohio
Salvador Sanchez
Last Tide
Floating
Gentle Moon
Lily and Parrots
Duk Koo Kim
Si, Paloma
Pancho Villa

Album Description

Where it's the gorgeous string trio underpinning "Last Tide," the melancholy epic "Duk Koo Kim," the unexpected driving rhythms of "Lily and Parrots," or the compelling personal reminiscences of "Floating," the material both expands and refines Kozelek's trademark sound. The songs on Ghosts of the Great Highway concern themselves more than ever with matters of life and death, without ever forgetting the inherent magic of a pretty melody or a gripping beat.

Customer Reviews:

i love it.......2007-07-06

I found this album by researching Mark Kozelek after seeing him in Shopgirl. I didn't know that my two favorite songs from the movie were on this album. It's a mellow record, so I listen to it sometimes when I'm stressed and it chills me out. I also listen to it before I go to sleep. Other then Lily and Parrots, all of songs are pretty slow.
It's a great album.

Yes........2007-07-06

So as not to be redundant, I will only say that this album is by far one of the most beautiful pieces of modern alternative music recorded. It rivals U2's The Joshua Tree and I dare say, when it comes to undeserved obscurity, Sun Kil Moon are the modern equivalent of Nick Drake. Just as he was unknown by his own generation and discovered decades later, I wouldn't be surprised if people in 20-30 years picked up Ghosts and wondered why the hell it wasn't celebrated for the beauty that it is.

One of my Top 5 Favorites of All Time.......2007-04-19

I purchased this CD years ago on the strength and beauty of the song "Carry Me Ohio" alone. I listened to the entire CD just once before shoving it back in its case in disgust and throwing it onto the floor of my car's passenger's side. I wasn't ready for this CD. I wasn't open-minded enough to enjoy it. Fast-forward two or three years. I was cleaning out my car one summer day (yes, I'm really that big of a Car Slob(tm)) when I came across this CD wedged under the front passenger's seat. I didn't feel like listening to the crappy terrestrial radio station any longer, so I shoved this into the CD player to listen to as I Armor All'd the dash. I was in love. I couldn't stop listening to this CD. From the opening notes of "Glenn Tipton" to the rollicking riff of "Lily and Parrots" to the exciting yet peaceful notes of 14-minute "Duk Koo Kim," I couldn't get enough of this music. "Carry Me Ohio" soon became on of my LEAST favorite tunes on the CD. I love Mark Kozelek's reedy voice -- which I like to describe as a cross between Neil Young and Chris Isaak -- and I love his compositions. Even my husband, Mr. Slipknot Lamb Of God Mudvayne, loves this CD with a passion. Buy it. Immerse yourself in it. I wouldn't be surprised if it soon became on of your Top 5 or Top 10 favorites of all time, too. :)

really... amazing... music...........2007-04-10

...and not "amazing" the way that 22 year old girl says "amazing." More like, amazing the way a 43 year old male would say "amazing."

I know it's a bit of an acquired taste, and not everyone will like this. I've met a few people who love it like I do, but not many. If you are a fan of music by, say, Neil Young, Hem, Leonard Cohen... I would say most likely you will like this CD. As a whole, it's a great piece of work. It really stands together as a whole. As a matter of fact, I would suggest the best place to listen is when you are alone in the car on a long drive.

I really wanted to like this..........2007-02-26

I had a tough time listening to this. Mark Kozelek's voice seems to me to be much like Neil Young's, but lacking the melodious quality of Young's voice. You're left with a flat nasality that grates. The music is trance inducing, a drone in the background, neither serving the lyrics nor engaging the listener. After reading the reviews, I realize I'm in the minority here, and I'm glad so many people found enjoyment with this. I wish I were one of them, but all I feel here is a numbness.

Average customer rating:

best yet ?
Luna's swan song...
A Fond Farewell
in stellar form once again
Respectable (If Underwhelming) Climax For A Great (And Highly Underrated) Band

Rendezvous
Luna
Manufacturer: Jet Set Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Penthouse
Close Cover Before Striking
Romantica
Bewitched
Pup Tent

ASIN: B00031R6US
Release Date: 2005-01-24

Tracks:

Malibu Love Nest
Cindy Tastes Of Barbecue
Speedbumps
The Owl & The Pussycat
Astronaut
Broken Chair
Star-Spangled Man
Motel Bambi
Still At Home
Buffalo Boots
Rainbow Babe

Amazon.com

Luna's allegedly last studio album is astonishing, their best since 1995's Penthouse. The band has arrived at a pleasant, Television-on-xanax variant of indie-rock that's so smart, sexy, and sophisticated, it threatens to melt right into the background. As befits a group thinking of (their own) empire, Luna revisits one of their best songs, "Astronaut." Like the rest of the album, here it's leaner, stronger, and slower, while "Malibu" and "Owl" display some of the finest, melodic and stripped-down guitar playing since the Feelies' heyday. Much of what helps raise Luna from pretty sonic wallpaper are Wareham's lyrics. Delivered in a stylish deadpan, Wareham's words seem to owe much to New York School poets like John Ashbery, Joe Brainard, and, of course Lou Reed. But while "Star Spangled Man" is a great song whose lyrics are composed at least partly of stolen song titles ("tell me something good," "unknown pleasures")--is it great because of or in spite of the horrible, horrible pun "Chairman Mouse"? We shall leave it to grad students of the future to decide. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

"Rendezvous," the latest jewel in the crown of New York City alt-rock royalty Luna, also proves to be their most brilliant.

Customer Reviews:

best yet ?.......2006-06-26

within the world of luna, we all have our favorites. mine was always penthouse, until this jem arrived. WOW.

Luna's swan song..........2006-06-23

I only wish I'd had the chance to see them live before they disbanded. One can only hope for a reunion tour. Rendezvous finds them going out on the top of their game; it's a wonderful, woozy album--melodic, understated, haunting, everything we've come to expect from Luna writ large. There isn't a single track to skip past; every song is a keeper and more than a couple are absolutely mesmerizing. We might be talkin' desert island disc here--it's that good. Sexy, smart, and sublime, too sophisticated and subtle for mainstream tastes, Luna will be sadly missed.

A Fond Farewell.......2006-03-08

Beguiling, beautiful, understated and literate. A fitting finale for one of my very favourite bands. Some of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard committed to tape. They will be missed. Thank goodness I finally got to see them live in Sydney a few years ago.

in stellar form once again.......2006-03-04

Outside of the opening track "Malibu" this CD didn't grab me at first. After 3 or 4 listens, however, I found myself asking if it was still the same album because it really grows on you. Every track has something to offer. Most of their other albums hit you right away but the hidden depth of this one makes it one of their very best.

Respectable (If Underwhelming) Climax For A Great (And Highly Underrated) Band.......2005-11-10

Pop Kulcher Review: After 13 or so years, Luna is apparently calling it quits. I'm not sure if it's out of respect for this great band that many critics have raved about Rendezvous, purportedly their final album, but, alas, I've gotta say I find it only on par with recent efforts -- in other words, pefectly fine, but not up to the standards set by their first 4 albums. The first half of the band's existence was fantastic, a nice mix of Velvety drones and post-R.E.M. murky indie jangle hooks and retro-60s psychedelic grooves, but since their peak with 1995's Penthouse (and 1997's underrated Pup Tent), there's been a real lack of edge to their work. The more catchy pop tunes have been replaced by a languid, sexy groove -- many fine moments to play in the background while popping a bottle of champagne in a dark room, but not a lot of songs you'd be inclined to pay a lot of attention to -- and that same feel pervades much of Rendezvous. That's not to say it isn't a good album; Wareham's Reed-like sung-spoken warble can still captivate, and a few hooks do rise to the surface (i.e. the chipper "Malibu Love Nest" and "Astronaut," the simple guitar-driven "Buffalo Boots," the rocking "Speedbumps"). And this may appeal more to fans of Wareham's earlier band Galaxie 500 -- like much of that band's work, many of these songs start with a simple, understated verse/chorus structure and then veer into crescendoing trippy guitar raves. Unfortunately, the better moments are diluted by a couple contributions from guitarist Sean Eden; his songs aren't bad, but lack Wareham's distinctive style. Bottom line -- longtime fans will find moments here to love, but casual listeners or newbies should stick with Luna's glory days.

Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds: A Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub

Average customer rating:

These Brit-POWER "Pop"sters GREATEST HITS 1990-2003
4766 Seconds of Pure Pop Genius.
Simply the best!!!
exactly what i was looking for
A brilliant collection

Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds: A Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Manufacturer: Jet Set Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | British Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Bandwagonesque
Songs from Northern Britain
Grand Prix
Howdy!
Thirteen

ASIN: B0000C0FJD
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

Concept, The
Ain't That Enough
World'll Be OK, The
Everything Flows
Star Sign
Mellow Doubt
I Need Direction
About You
What You Do To Me
Empty Space
Sparky's Dream
I Don't Want Control Of You
Hang On
Did I Say
Don't Look Back
Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From
Neil Jung
Radio
Dumb Dumb Dumb
Planets
My Uptight Life

Customer Reviews:

These Brit-POWER "Pop"sters GREATEST HITS 1990-2003.......2007-04-02

I'll admit I am normally not a fan of GREATEST HIT albums; but to me - Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Six Seconds: A Short Cut to TEENAGE FANCLUB...exceeded all my past expectations on that account. Many "Best Ofs" feature the band's recordings in chronological order from a debut through the band's last album, which may not have much variety in between. That is not the case for Teenage Fanclub though, they mix up and rearrange MOST of their best tracks on this Jam-packed 21 songs; clocking in at a GOOD 79 minutes worth of music!
So of course the band had to make some omissions, like "Metal Baby" - "December" - "I'll Make It Clear" and others.
It did however include my favorites: "Ain't That Enough" - "Star Sign" - "Sparky's Dream" - "Neil Jung" - "Radio" - "My Uptight Life", really all of them!
This is really all you need if you are at all interested in the absolutely brilliant songwriting skills of this trio: Norman Blake, Gerard Love & Raymond McGinley. Three talented minds heavily influenced by Big Star (you'll see the resemblance once you hear them) putting forth their best all on one Cd. 4766 Seconds...also include 3 new "hits" to add to this release(2003), along w/ 3 each from "Bandwagnesque"(1991) & "Howdy"(2001). There are 2 songs from "Thirteen"(1993) < considered somewhat of a low point in the Fannies' career, but Thirteen has my favorite song "Radio" on it, also on this. Four songs...from "Songs from Northern Britain & Five songs from "Grand Prix"(1995) If you are a fan, like me of Big Star #1 Record/Radio City, than I do believe you would REALLY like this. I still get chills once this Cd plays all the way through from opening track to closing track. - 5 STARS!

4766 Seconds of Pure Pop Genius........2005-03-10

4766 SECONDS is one of my all-time favorite cds, and in a world of dumbed-down popular music, Teenage Fanclub has never sounded better. This definitive "best-of" compilation is a work of pure pop genius. The band's warm, feel-good harmonies are reminiscent of a Sixties' band, a sweet blend of the Byrds, Beach Boys, and the Beatles, only with an edge, and the instrumentation is filled with fuzzy guitars, psychedelic riffs, and catchy hooks. The tracks on this compilation cd include "The Concept," "Ain't That Enough," "The World'll Be OK," "Everything Flows," "Star Sign," "Mellow Doubt," "I Need Direction" (my favorite song on the cd), "About You," "What You Do To Me," "Empty Space," "Sparky's Dream," "I Don't Want Control Of You," "Hang On," "Did I Say," "Don't Look Back," "Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From" (my second favorite tune), "Neil Jung," "Radio," "Dumb Dumb Dumb," "Planets," and "My Uptight Life." For the full effect, I recommend listening to this cd on an Apple iPod.

G. Merritt

Simply the best!!!.......2004-11-10

I am not going to bother you lot with too many superlatives about this Scottish band. Needless to say there are ommisions to this 'Best Of' compilation such as Mount Everest and If I Never See You Again, and yet it is a quality retrospective of their work. They remind me of The Beach Boys, not only because of the close harmonies, but also the fact that a lot of the songs are very understated in tone. But also Nirvana, as they could prove just as comfortable with an accoustic guitar as an electric guitar. The MAIN reason why I purchased this album though is because of the 3 new tracks available on it. Of the three new songs I would have to rate 'Did I Say' as not only the best track on the album, but quite possibly one of the most beautiful and uplifting tunes of the last ten years by anyone. Forget Travis, Coldplay and all the other British music chancers of recent years, Teenage Fanclub are the real deal!

exactly what i was looking for.......2004-08-04

it's true: when placed up against some of the 70s punk and 80s college rock bands that influenced them so profoundly, teenage fanclub's 90s alterna-pop songs can sound hopelessly thin. but we can't fault the fannies for that. this is as good an assembly of guitar pop songs as any other band that ever saw a stage could put out. teenage fanclub did for me what matthew sweet never could: they made this inherently flawed (and often transparent) genre emotional and significant. i'm glad i got this record: it's sunny, it's catchy, it's uplifting, well-constructed, easy to listen to, and good for those nostalgia trips...and, let's be honest: it means i don't have to buy any more teenage fanclub records.

A brilliant collection.......2004-07-30

This is a well thought out collection of the band's music. A few songs are taken from each record, and so the less catchy songs from Songs of Northern Britain are placed alongside the very melodious earlier songs. The listener is thus aware of the increased maturity of the band with time. Songs like Your Love is the Place I Come From can be ignored on a single listening, but with a few listens, become favourites from the album. Rather in the same manner that Dylan's One Too Many Mornings can be ignored at first.

An essential piece of music for anyone who loves melodies and one of the best cds I've heard in a long time.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Start Here
2. Brian Damage
3. It Would Be Good
4. Song for Hymn
5. Nothing to Do With Us
6. Tittle-Tattle
7. Fax'n'info
8. My River
9. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
10. Whangdepootenawah
11. Cover Girl
12. Quandry