title: Four Stars

text: good product and good service thank you


title: WOW!

text: I just bought this and man is it good! Very sludgy/heavy and super awesome.


title: Awesome rock Cd!

text: Great CD, awesome female vocal, excellent guitar work, overall great "alternative" feel, heavy yet melodic, check this out while it's available!


title: Awesome. I

text: I wanted to have this CD in my Cuban music collection.


title: Great

text: I love this CD.


title: GREAT CD

text: This is a great CD.  If you  like Gospel and you like bluegrass music, you'll absolutely love this CD. One of my favorites of all time!!


title: Aquarius Purple🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

text:
Awesome Guitar Playing...Excellent, Old school Vibe with a new School Sensibility... “I love this Album”

Great Purchase..


title: Flawless

text: I never cared for opera singers until I saw Bocelli on TV. Bought his cd and I'm hooked for life. Voice of an angel. I have since bought 3 other cd's.


title: Not too good, not too bad CD.

text:
I have been a Donna Summer fan since 1975. This album in particular was not one of her best recordings.
With the exception of  of few songs that I would listen to in a regular basis. "Mystery of love" is one of them.
Been aware that this expanded version contained two new remixes I purchased it. To my surprise they weren't extended versions like a 12" inch vinyl single would be. An error from my part driven by the words
"expanded and extended" could mean long versions.


title: A surprise gem! Completely unexpected! Wow!

text: I was blown away by the perfection in every detail of the performance and recording of this series. I've never heard such great interpretations of this music and I've been listening to these very same pieces for over 50 years. Some credit must be given to improvements in recoding technology, but the amazing thing is how Daejin Kim owns the orchestra and Tchaikovsky himself. They bend to his will with complete obedience. A good way of describing his style is fine-tuned and in complete control. Absolute clarity. No fudging whatsoever. In return he is totally faithful to Tchaikovsky. A perfectionist, you could say he's like a Korean Herbert von Karajan.


title: Lovely Early Symphony Finally Heard!

text: This student symphony, for which Dohnanyi won first prize, and then set aside, lacks an opus number. He was too modest. Light and lovely, along the lines of Schumann, this work is followed by a dramatic overture and finally a suite of waltzes that put Johann Strauss to shame. I'm a big Dohnanyi fan, so I might be a little over-positive. If you haven't heard his two numbered symphonies, you ought to read the rave reviews others have given them here on Amazon! In fact, start with them. You'll be back for this!


title: Five Stars

text: Love this band. Exactly what I was looking for.


title: It is just like the music I loved and listened to 10 years ...

text: Ok. It's genius. It's different from all new stuff they try to push on tv or radio. I listened to this and woke up again. It is just like the music I loved and listened to 10 years ago when I was younger and they  dnt try to make it anymore. My thanks to this really talented guys. "Lane boy" is the best. I can listen to this probably every day in a car and it makes my day. If you are a deep thinker it's yours.


title: Love

text: Cute sfx and tunes! Love 'em


title: So great.  Trying to get baby to be the next Paul McCartney- this is a good start.

text: I only wish this album was longer, seems like you push play and its over quickly.  Very-very adorable music for beatles lovers to force baby to appreciate the hits.


title: I wish these guys were still playing!

text: Solid album! I still listen to it


title: Good album that holds its own in the age of indie and rap.

text:
Album arrived in good condition, including one CD,  a jewel case, and a lyric booklet.

The musical style is not for everyone—My Chemical Romance had a very specific audience when they wrote this song, and that hasn’t changed. Compared to modern music, the editing is crude and the vocals are choppy, but that is part of the charm of this specific album. It retains the raw emotional feel of the original MCR album (I Brought You My Bullets) while being slightly more refined and playable for people who aren’t die-hard fans. This record contains the hits Helena and I’m Not OK I Promise, as well as a few other little jewels like Cemetary Drive and Hang Em Hight. I only wish there was a clean version for people like me who would rather have less swearing.


title: Why is it so expensive?

text: UPDATE: I gave this one star because it's so expensive, but I've since seen that you can buy it cheaper with other options on Amazon. Unfair of me, so I'm changing the rating. It's one of my favorite Procol albums, and that's saying a lot.<br />This is a great Procol Harum album. "In Held Twas I" is a modern symphony, IMO. So why is it so expensive? I'll keep listening to my vinyl version from the '70s, I guess.


title: Nice Compilation, Sparse Liner Notes

text: I'm reluctant to give only four stars to this compilation.  The music itself is classic Christmas Bing, and worthy of five stars, however, because this is a collection of some (most likely) previously unreleased versions, having some basic notes about their origin is an essential, yet oddly missing, part of the package.  This is particularly strange because this isn't some fly-by-night public domain issue, but an official Bing Crosby Enterprises production. In any event, regardless of where it came from, the sound quality is very good and the performances are excellent. Enjoy more Christmas with Der Bingle!


title: Call the Cops!

text:
I'm pretty sure a crime has been committed here.
I expected more from this set. These are all recently recorded songs, heavily using a synthesizer. Even his own songs have been (poorly) re-recorded, not even the originals are included.
Save some money and skip this collection.


title: Audio Quality is Poor

text: I have Jimmy Buffett's 4xCD set titled Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads with 72 songs on it. I bought this newer Sun, Sea, And Margaritas compilation because I thought a CD set made in 2014 would have better sound quality than the 1992 4 disc set. I was wrong. The newer Sun, Sea, And Margaritas set plays quieter than the old Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads. Sun, Sea, And Margaritas has a couple songs on it the Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads doesn't, but I don't think it's worth it. If you're a Buffett fan looking for an awesome greatest hits collection, skip Sun, Sea, And Margaritas and get Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads instead!


title: Lullabies

text: Baby was calmed by these lullabies...


title: Pleased

text: Sent this as a gift...I'm pleased...


title: Great Biblically based songs

text: My kids love Phil Joel's Deliberate Kids.  I love that the songs teach Bible stories and principles.  We are eagerly awaiting the release of the next in the series.


title: Fine saxxy R&B, in the mold of Big Joe Houston or Big Jay McNeeley.

text: A best-of collection from the '50's Dot recordings of this forgotten Columbus saxman. This CD includes a couple of legitimate hits,"Pink Champagne", his version of  "All Night Long" and "Castle Rock". (The disc cover is a replica of the original LP sleeve). Dot also released a companion album, "America's Greatest Jazz". Mostly instrumental, outstanding tracks include "Blow Rusty Blow", Record Delivery Blues, and the group vocal novelty "Merry Go Round". Bryant made a 1970's comeback as an acid-jazzman on Prestige.


title: Powerful Voice With Awesome Choice of Songs

text: Any Christian familiar with Andrew Wommack ministries won't be surprised to find there is something VERY special about this CD.  Previously to my knowledge Miss Jamie has only sung and played piano at their meetings and this is her first CD.  It's 100% hers with only her own piano accompaniment.  It's just amazing!  I won't include all the songs, but my favorites included Oh, Lord, You're Beautiful, of course How Great Thou Art, Take My Life And Let It Be.....Just amazing with some of the accompaniment being the sound of a jangling old-time piano.  I love this !!!  She could have sung opera.  Everyone has their own taste, but to me this is pure worship.  Thank you, Jamie !!!


title: Peaceful

text: This is nice music.  So often I like to have instrumental spiritual music and this one is perfect.  So much of life is complicated and this is nice, peaceful, comforting music.  Nothing negative about it.


title: This is my second copy of this CD

text: Somehow my first copy of this CD got lost/misplaced.  This is my second copy of this CD. There are many songs that I like and enjoy the live format.


title: Four Stars

text: no comment


title: Instrumental

text: The first 10 songs are ok.  When they try to do the instrumental on what had vocals, it just doesn't work.  They do have "It Only Hurts When I Cry" on another CD, just not the other songs so far.  There are nice pictures of the cast.  It is sad that their pictures are on there, but not their vocals.


title: Annette Beach movie songs

text:
I liked 17 songs on this one.
Songs on the album
Muscle Beach Party
A Girl Needs a Boy - Annette only, still good
Surfer's Holiday
I Dream of Frankie
Muscle Bustle
Merlin Jones
Custom City
Draggin' in the USA
Rebel Rider
Waikiki
Shutdown again
Scrambled Egghead- cute Merlin Jones song
Beach Party
Treat Him Nicely
Don't Stop Now- Annette
Promise Me Anything
Secret Surfin' Spot
Song of the Islands
California Sun
The Battle of San Onofre- song/story
Swinin' n Surfin'
Date night in Hawaii
Surfin' Luau
Pineapple Princess

I had to return it as the CD messed up on a song.


title: 2nd album

text: I liked 6 songs on this album.  I did not like the new versions of two of the songs at the end.  I did not feel they were as good as the first version.


title: Gift

text: My grandson is in a Canadian band and loves the Patriotic songs of the United States.  He especially likes the Battle Hymn, which this CD has, plus there were many others that he also likes.  He loves it.


title: Ralna English of "The Lawrence Welk Show" Sings Songs Great!!!

text: Ralna English Best known for singing in "The Lawrence Welk Show" sings songs Great and these CDs are Great!!! Especially Great is when Ralna English sings the song "More"


title: Gris, Gris and Voodoo - Are you willing to venture?

text: What can I say, great song for someone from Louisiana and knows the ere of the Swamplands; especially at night!  Love to play this song when a fog arises on the bayou.  Great, great song by "Redbone"!


title: Strikingly Interesting !

text:
If one knows Miss Pobbe only from the movie OPERA FANATIC by Stefan Zucker - then one knows nothing of her great artistry.  A moving performance --- her voice is both poignant yet powerful at the same time.  She brings this music to life - doubt Miss Renee Fleming nor Anna Netrebko could do the same.
The music itself is quite striking though admittedly not hummable.  A fascinating theater piece !
Anything conducted by TULLIO SERAFIN is bound to be brilliant.


title: The Hidden Passage

text: We bought this tape years ago when it was originally released and was thrilled to find it again. Love. It.  Wish it came on a CD, though.  :)


title: Five Stars

text: I love it


title: Enjoy Bill Withers

text: Great cd


title: Four great songs

text: This is Webb's second best album and contains four great songs including "The Old Elephant Man", "Rocket to Nowhere" , "Carrying the News to Mary" and "Loud Music." If you're a Webb fan, this album is a must-have along with "It Came from Nashville."


title: Five Stars

text: cant be beat for worship songs!!


title: Five Stars

text: these songs are timeless. Remember back when they first came out. Still the same. A.w.e.s.o.m.e!!


title: Five Stars

text: awesome CD


title: Quick service

text: Love it


title: Greasy R & B Party

text: It's 1961 and you are in some greasy honky-tonk that is packed to maximum attendance. It's late, way past closing time and the crowd refuses to leave and the band won't get off the band stand. It's hot and sweaty and loud and you know this must be how they party in heaven! This CD brings back 35 minutes of that experience. The band is on top of their game and pushing everything to the max. There is more than enough instrumental slop, shuffle, jump, boogie and rock being visited that you'll wonder how they crammed it all into little more than a half hour. The audio is studio quality (I am a bit suspect of the "liveliness" of  a couple of the tracks as they fade out and the audience gets punched in.) If you are not used to the sound of early stereo the mix can be a bit jarring with it's use of specific wide right and left channel separation. Just a small beef, don't let that put you off from experiencing this event. If you know and love his hit single "Honky Tonk Pt 2" you will love this CD. Sadly that tune is not contained in the program but these eleven tracks more than carry on with it's spirit.


title: This ain't the summer of love

text:
Where do I begin? This is one of those so-bad-it's good-items. I love cheesy muzak-era music and this qualifies in that area. The musical arrangements have all the trappings of bad sixties muzak-(not quite enough) brass stabbing notes somewhat in tune, an average drummer who loves this chance to "rock out" and an electric guitar up in the mix that sounds like an over-caffenated  John Pizzarelli. Too many notes and no style or talent behind any of them. The vocals are community choir arrangements-tho I had to chuckle listening to the female singers try to get thru the (non) melody of " Frank Mills". Another moment of hilarity is the rather staunch delivery by the male singers when they sing, "I'm evolving to the drugs that you put down." One strange quirk that I noticed is there are several tunes affected by blown lyrics or vocal miscues. They are blatant and obvious and one can only wonder why there was no retake. Could it be these takes were the best of the lot?
I gave a middling rating because I am operating in two areas:
Cheese, kitsch and lounge factor would rate this at 5 stars.
Performance and general like-ability of the recording would be 1 star.
I settled for middle ground at 3 stars.
The LP I have was in crate of LPs bought at a garage sale and was not in the best physical state. If I could find this on CD I would pay $3.99 for it. Is that enough of a review? Good listening to all.


title: No sample trax available

text: I haven't purchased this. My critical issue is they don't provide samples to hear the trax and style.


title: Five Stars

text: Great renditions of classic songs......easy listening


title: Five Stars

text: I love it good music


title: Five Stars

text: love it


title: ... my item I got it before the time and good job

text: Thank you for my item I got it before the time and good job


title: Five Stars

text: Great!


title: I received exactly what I ordered and expected.

text: This CD was exactly as advertised


title: Creative and fun!

text: The orchestrations were creative and wonderful.  "This Land is Your Land" and "Alexander's Ragtime Band" stood out - I could envision the orchestra having a wonderful time.  My only complaint is that the final two selections were neither familiar nor particularly creative in presentation.


title: Youll never walk alone

text: I received the product in good condition and it played extremely well.  I bought it to replace a copy of which I had either lost or it became damaged. Very happy with it. Good way to shop


title: Five Stars

text: Love it, love it, love it!


title: The glory of jazz

text: This is a 20th anniversary album on Mosaic, celebrating Phil Woods and his quartet.  It is simply incredible.  What a national crime that this is no longer available.  The quartet tell us of all the glories of jazz, swing, tenderness, power, imagination, complexity.  Bird lives...here and forever.


title: Good Salvadoran Music from the past.

text: My husband loves this, I gave it to him for his birthday.


title: Great music

text: I had the tape and it is wearing out - I was very happy to find the cd.  I really enjoy the songs.


title: A moment in time

text: Stellar show of the long-gone 7 member Dead.  Pig is in fine form, the combo of Dark Star>St. Stephen>The Eleven are worth the price of admission alone.  The show starts with the long-lost "Mason's Children" and never lets up.  The Fillmore East.  I was born about 8 years too late.  Hendrix played the night before the Dead's 2-show run.


title: ... lost my CASSETTE of this album so it was great to get the music on cd

text: I lost my CASSETTE of this album so it was great to get the music on cd.


title: Mariah Carey

text: This great cd i  i love song  i would buy if you are fan


title: cd why  3t  Michael Jackson

text: great cd i love song and i love video you love this song i know if you are fan  Micheal jackson and 3t you will love this cd i love it


title: Never gets old...

text: Bob Newhart's unique humor remains rib-tickling funny over time.


title: Five Stars

text: Great item


title: I didn't get the right CD

text: I'm not sure how I did this but I ordered the wrong CD. I'm sure people who purchased this CD on purpose love it. A senior moment for me. Oh, well.


title: Great mix of music

text: Got this cd for one song that was stuck in my head and ended up loving all of it.


I never would have thought I would have found this anywhere. I'm happy with it but I still haven't played it. I realized after I ordered it I haven't had a turntable for years lol. I just remember this from when I was a kid. It was out in 1963 and part of the Barry Goldwater campaign.


title: looks like a trip down memory lane

text: Deceptive, looks like a trip down memory lane, just a few songs and nothing. If you think you're getting Star Magazine from that time your not.


title: A superb addition to my library

text: I wouldn't know a C-sharp from an ice pick so the liner notes (Remarks on performances)  by Alfred Brendel that accompany the three CDs of this package might as well be written in Greek for all they mean to me.  But my ear does not require a musical education to know what it likes and what jars it or falls flat against it; and I can say unequivocally these five concerti are superbly presented by Brendel, Levine and the Chicago Symphony and I count myself very lucky indeed to have made them a part of my listening library.


title: Great effects, lousy acting (mostly) and scat writing

text:
What can you say about this film?  Well, the words "awful," "dreadful," "scat," and "merde" come to mind.  Add "dreck" for good measure.  Not that is doesn't have any good points: it's a visual feast.  Yup, it looks great.  Sure looks nice, don't it?
But that's not enough.  But, if I wanted to see a great looking picture, I'd to the art museum.  I wanted to see a great film.  Sorry, but Lucas has lost it.  The writing is dreadful, the directing must have consisted of an endless repetition of the word "Less!"  As in "No, no, no!  You're showing some emotion!  I want less!  Act like a piece of wood!"
Poor Natalie Portman.  She's a fine actress and has done some fine performances in other work, but I don't think she's allowed to actually act in this movie.  And as for Anakin/Darth, his big dialog seems to consist of lines like "She doesn't even know I'm here" or "It's not fair!" or other petulant whinings.  This is a Jedi Knight after 10 years of training??  The Boy Scouts would have washed out this bum.
And the Amidala/Anakin relationship is insane.  Queen meets little boy.  Queen falls madly in pedophelic love with little boy.  Former-Queen finds out little boy is now a mass-murdering whining young man, so she marries him without a second thought.  Huh???  Is this universe full of morons?  Or is it the writer?
Poor Ewen McGregor is stuck with lines like "I hate it when he does that," when AnakinDarth jumps out of a flier.  Holy fish-reek, Batman!
And, of course, another needless, useless chase scene.  Enough, already, George!  Whe know you love hotrods!
By the way, when AnaDarth is going through the Chompers ...did anyone wonder, "Gee! So this is how he lost his hand."  But noooo, he doesn't.  So what's the point of the scene?  To fill time, of course.
Visually, this a a great movie.  In any other way it is horrible.  2 stars just for the visuals.
...


title: Rock-on!

text: Enjoy the difference in the latter version and this one.  Still listening to the songs, and just wish that the "Greatest Hits" had "Anywhere" included.  Still, having fun listening.


title: bob schneider rocks and is way more talented than kanye ever could be

text: bob Schneider is extremely talented.  way more than kanye could ever dream to be.  I would highly recommend that if you ever have the chance to see this man live, especially in a small venue, that you take it. I've gotten all of Schneider's albums over the years and each one of them brings a slightly different nuance and sound to the stage.  overall, this dude rocks.


title: Great Album. This album has more of the older ...

text: Great Album. This album has more of the older praise and worship choruses. You are led throughout this album in heartfelt, deep meaningful worship that is solely Christ centered. When I need to reconnect with worship this is the resource I use. There are 7 albums.


title: love their melodic voices

text: enjoy  their singing, both single and duet


title: recommend

text: I love his voice and the songs he sings, make me wish I were in Ireland, would love to see a live performance of his again


title: A Concise Masterpiece

text: There are comparisons to be made with the Eagle's Desperado but this lacks the narcissism of that self-reverential effort (not a total pan-I enjoy their music) and tells an interesting self-contained story. Everything is first rate-the writing and performances as it gives a total Old West experience. They should rerelease this on cd.


The recordings are from the original recordings and are authentic.


title: Nice

text: My Dad loves these songs


title: Excellent collection of hits

text: This is a collection of some of the best memories from the past.I love listening to them over and over.


title: Ruby Starr and Grey Ghost

text: I have searched for years to find a good quality CD with this band. Ruby Starr was way ahead of her time. A fabulous vocalist in mold of Joplin. The band is phenomanal and the CD is GREAT. I highly recommend this CD and wish they would put ALL of the Ruby Starr music on CD.


title: Overrated.  Stick with Casals, Fornier, Isserlis, and Bylsma

text: The recordings of these classics by Casals (the Naxos remastering of the same recordings is much better than EMI Great Recordings), Fornier (DG and EMI Icon are different recordings but both are very good), Isserlis (2007 recordings and perhaps the best of all), and Bylsma (played on a 1701 "Servais" Stradivarius Violoncello on loan from the Smithsonian with a wonderful melo sound) are much better.


title: Good follow up to Vollume 1

text: This basically picks up the rest of People songs not on volume 1 Including Hungarian Rapsody, which is great. There is only one other People album on Vynal called There are People and then there are People. It has never been re-released since the 1969 original date. There were a lot of new band members by then. Including the singer from The Uncle Wiggly's band.


title: San Jose's Top band of the 60's

text: People played the San Jose area mid to late 60's. They had a big hit Nationally with I Love You a Zombies album cut that didn't catch on. They had a few other area hits, Organ Grinder, Apple Cider. They were known for there great stage shows, including The 1st Rock Opera The Epic, The Who got The idea for Tommy while touring with People. Sure these songs are dated, but they take me back. Great tight vocal harmonies.


title: Excellent product

text:
Thalia, Primera Fila Un Año Despues Mexican Edition CD+DVD

Excellent product, I recommend to all fans.

thank you very much Thalia!


title: NOT A TRUE SOUNDTRACK

text:
This CD contains the beautiful and lyrical main theme from Princess Fantaghiro by the Italian composer Amedeo Minghi which resonates throughout the first season, but not so much in later seasons. The main theme is repeated at the end of this CD  and is then sung by Maria Zannini Qurini with lyrics in English. The melody combined with the voice of Quirini reminded me of Sarah Brightman singing one of the key songs from The Phantom of the Opera. It is rich and emotionally moving.

Unfortunately, despite a total of 19 tracks only the first and the last are actually from the film. The rest is an assortment of familiar and not so familiar popular songs updated with different instrumentation and rhythm. Therefore this is not a true soundtrack. Since this CD bears the inscription Vol. 2 on the jewel case cover the complete soundtrack may have appeared in Vol. 1 which is no longer listed and cannot be found. The cost of this CD varies considerably from seller to seller and requires a careful search. The DVD of Season 1 does have a full accompanying score which adds much to the overall presentation. It is also available on Amazon and well worth it.


title: FILM MUSIC BY MAX STEINER - ENOUGH SAID!

text: With more than 300 scores, Max Steiner was one of the greatest film composers of all time. Primarily based at Warner Bros. after a stint at RKO, Steiner was a pioneer in the film music genre, particularly with such noteworthy scores as the ones for King Kong, She, Gone with the Wind, and a slew of Bette Davis movies. In his last years, he was still writing superb scores for such films as The Last Command, A Summer Place, Parrish, and Helen of Troy. His career spanned 5 decades and BYU now houses the Max Steiner Archives. This 2-disc collection is heralded as "The Dark Side of Max Steiner" with suites from Key Largo, Flamingo Road, Caged, The Unfaithful, Backfire, The Breaking Point, and Lightning Strikes Twice. It is only because my personal taste runs more to the more romantic and "lighter side" of Max Steiner that I did not give this collection 5 stars. Others may feel differently. Regardless, this is a worthwhile and interesting selection to add to anyone's personal collection. Four stars for Max Steiner is like six stars for most other film composers.


title: DESERT FURY HAS AN APPROPRIATELY FURIOUS SCORE

text:
It has taken nearly 70 years for this film score by the late great Miklos Rozsa (arguably the greatest of all Golden Age composers) to appear in any recorded form.  As they say: "Better late than never."  Desert Fury is considered to be one of the many movies in the "film noir" genre though it was filmed in "glorious technicolor" sans the shadowy darkness and unique lighting that was the signature of that group.  (See my review of the movie itself elsewhere on Amazon.)  The musical score for Desert Fury takes its place somewhere between Rozsa's scores for such films as Double Indemnity, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Spellbound, Kiss the Blood off My Hands, and The Lost Weekend on the one hand, and The Red House on the other. The subject matter is probably closer to The Killers or Brute Force. As such, Rozsa begins the film with his unique opening style - a few thundering notes prior to the brief but "earcatching prelude" that sets the mood and grabs our attention. There's no doubt that this is not going to be a
comedy or something on the light side. The pounding drums combined with the soaring and almost straining strings as well as the emphatic percussion underscore (pardon the pun) foreshadow the dramatic and conflicting confluence of emotional elements that are to come. With a cast of such notables of the time as Mary Astor, Lizabeth Scott, Burt Lancaster, John Hodiak, and newbee Wendell Corey, this film had all the ingredients for a clash of wills and personalities.  Indeed, as stated by the author of the accompanying written commentary contained in the DVD case, "the existing relationships [in Desert Fury] are so unambiguously oft
-kilter that it's a wonder the film passed the censor [of its time] in its present time". There is a more than a hint of a homoerotic undercurrent in this film - between LS and her mother MA, and that between WC and JH. In addition, JH and BL are competing for the affections of LS and both are apparently in love with her but for different reasons.  All of this subtext as well as that which is more obviously on the surface were admirably handled and dealt with musically by Rozsa. He introduces a love theme or hint of one (which is not too intrusive) when necessary. He also brings out the sense of menace, violence, corruption, action, and danger which envelops
this film.  All this while dealing with a movie that, once again in the words of the previous commentator, "is a little bent". (It's a wonder that no contemporary ever raised an eyebrow regarding this subject. They were probably too busy viewing the film strictly from the standpoint of being either a possible murder mystery or statement about political corruption.)  Perhaps Rozsa's European background and sophistication allowed him to be more aware and "in tune" (pardon the pun again) with a difficult and complex subject that enabled
him to meet the musical challenge that this film presented.  In any event, what we have is another memorable, successful, and most appropriate film score by MR rediscovered and restored by Paramount which should be in any Rozsaphile or film score library. Bravo
Paramount!


title: A CLEAR CRISP FULL MOON AND NOT JUST A HALF MOON

text: This CD is far more than just a long neglected and unrecorded (except for the main theme from an old source) score for a 1945 "semi-film noir" film involving a man who remained young by injecting himself with glandular material taken from various youthful "donors" (who died in the process). It is also a love story that crosses the boundaries of time until retribution in the form of time itself catches up with our major protagonist. Composed by the late great MIKLOS ROZSA who was about to enter his "film noir" period with such scores as "Double Indemnity", "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers", "The Red House", etc., the music is appropriately "dark" at times and also lyrical as befitting romantic moments. A piano love theme along with a waltz comprises a short 7 track 22 minutes. However, the CD begins with a near 5 minute Overture suite from VALLEY OF THE KINGS and the balance of the CD contains a 3 minute "Prelude" from JACARE, 10 1/2 minute "Prelude" from STRANGE LOVE OF MI, and concludes with a 7+ minute "Suite" from SAHARA. A previous reviewer said: "Not his best."  Fair enough - except that MR's "not his best" was still better than most composers' best (especially today).  One cannot expect a "Ben-Hur", "Quo Vadis", "Ivanhoe", "King of Kings", "Knights of the Round Table", and "El Cid" every time. But for those who admire and love the film music of Hollywood's "Golden Age" and particularly that of Miklos Rozsa, this one's for you. (And, given the fact that nearly all of the material on this CD dates from the 1940s, this is an excellent recording.)


title: A moving and underrated score

text: The music for The Amazing Panda Adventure by William Ross is highly evocative of the Chinese setting in which this film takes place. By the same composer as My Fellow Americans and Tuck Everlasting, Ross has created a score that is both moving and romantic without being overwhelming.  Unfortunately, as in the case with so many other film scores, this one received little advertising and a small run.  There is just enough of a "Chinese flavor" to give a sense of authenticity without being trite, and the music is beautifully coordinated with both the scenery and the characters.  While not as long, this score should be well appreciated by those who enjoyed the music to Kung Fu Panda and is a nice pendant to the latter.


title: Wide variety of catchiness

text: The Unutterable is an album of varied songs that works the bulk of the time.  Opening song Cyber Insekt is a fine example of a quirky song that just works.  And Dr. Buck's Letter is a creative juggernaut that I could listen to repeatedly all by itself.  Singer Mark E. Smith struggles some vocally, with a gravelly delivery.  But the album has so many interesting moments to offset him not being at his best.  Even the back end has nice surprises, like the jazzy Pumpkin Soup and Mashed Potatoes and electronic Devolute.  Released in 2000, the band may not be in their prime anymore, but it's an impressive effort.


title: Pleasing listen

text: I always thought Bend Sinister was a pleasing listen from start to finish, of mostly good songs.  There aren't as many great moments here as some other albums, but also not as many misses.  I would however consider Living Too Late among their best songs.  It's probably the one great track here, but that's not a complaint.  BS is an album of songs that work well together in terms of being a bit fun and a bit soothing and it lends itself well to repeated listens.


title: Again a standout track opener.  Missing some of the subtleties of their first and last.

text: Again like on their debut, the first song is the standout track here.  Terry Bozzio's aggressive drumming being the highlight on March Past 29 145 749 B.  And with nearly half as many tracks (only seven here), Injustice is a little more consistent than their debut (or their third), though it has less of the subtleties of either of those.  While Coe provided more of the best moments on that debut, Bozzio is more the star here.  The biggest weakness of the album is again the presence of squealing guitar that takes away from some fine performances by Bozzio and Coe.  Still, this is a progressive jazz rock album with some great players that is worth a listen if you want something different.


title: Some of Weckl's most dynamic drumming

text: After two good fusion albums with electric/rock guitar, Weckl subtracted the guitar on Transition.  The result was a solid album, though it was a bit dull.  Weckl addresses that on this follow up, Perpetual Motion, with some of his most dynamic drumming.  It's a more upbeat listen.  Skipper is a possible best track, moody yet fun, and some of the disc's better tracks, such as Slingshot, are in in the second half.  The sound of the songs does sound similar throughout though and as usual if you aren't listening for the drumming, or even if you are, this comes across as a good not great listen.


title: Perfect!

text: Beautiful songs and voice.


title: My kind of music.

text: I love this CD.  My kind of music!  I listen to it over and over.  Robin Mark is the best


title: Not what I expected

text: A few years ago, I came across a CD titled "Love Songs of WWII" and I loved it.  This isn't the same. It is OK but I was disappointed


title: Great!

text: These are great performances of two beautiful compositions - Symphony 90 is a gem - and the recording is Deutsche Grammophon excellent. But the jacket is the usual Deutsche Grammophon cheap thin cardboard - the glued seams are parting after only 2 playings (out of the jacket twice to record on reel tape and convert to mp3's). Nice cover art of the Esterhazy Palace. I'm not acquainted with the seller, but if the vinyl is in good condition, it is worth it.


title: Excellent product

text: Great pool water cleaning.


title: and my friend is happy with it

text: Ordered as a gift. Prompt delivery, and my friend is happy with it.


title: Excellent LP! Great condition

text: Excellent LP! Great condition. I last had this album back in the 60s but after Viet Nam, I lost track of it and a lot of other music. Nice to have this old friend back.


title: Four Stars

text: OK


title: Buy it!

text:
Really great CD, character song by voice actor Matsuki Miyu.
2 Songs, 2 same off-vocal.

Or buy the 2 CD of all songs too, from show.


title: Great Gospel Bluegrass Group

text: This is a great Gospel Bluegrass group and family. We have had them perform at our church in Chattanooga and have been thoroughly blessed each time. They are comparable on talent to Nickel Creek.


title: Really A Blessing

text: This album has really been a blessing to me.  I've listened to it often.


title: Really A Blessing!


title: Truly Blessed!

text: My family and I have truly been blessed hearing this music.I can whole-heartedly recommend aby of this man's music to any person who loves good and inspiring music.


title: Five Stars

text: Like new and a fair price!


title: Noise Rock!

text: 90's Cherubs. Trance Syndicate Records. Noise Rock perfection. Heroin Man might be a better album but this is still a necessity for any fan of Cherubs or Noise Rock in general


title: love this album

text: alternative, industrial, metal music from SF. I love the metal percussion and left leaning lyrics from this band from northern cali


title: Rocking Hard.

text: I found this band on one of the older music sites where they had uploaded some of the music for download and sharing. I had heard they had done an album and to finally find one at a reasonable price and in great condition was awesome.<br />The band is a great metal band and I really enjoy their style.


title: Nice..

text: Great collection. My wife listens to her sing all the time. Great singer, great songs. Did I mention my wife speaks neither Japanese or Chinese? Go figure.


title: The beat is really good and tune is also well worked for them who ...

text:
I can not hide it I was looking for this kind of songs for the past 14 years and when I found I was eager to buy it and have it in my life well you can not know mine shipped from Germany and did not take too long to get to me compared to some others who take too long.
The beat is really good and tune is also well worked for them who like  songs this is among the best of all the time.
I will keep searching for more like this as I can not really complain about anything at all.


title: Five Stars

text: Great music.


title: Five Stars

text: love it


title: Great worship CD

text: Hard to find. Awesome seller. Well worth it. A must for any worshipers. Definitely anointed!


title: Got here in very good condition.

text: Boy do I miss the concert days. Luckily I got Blue Magic to sign this ablum!! Thank you! A+


title: Style is more thoughtful than funny

text: "Backwards" is the best book by far of the series (Infinity, BTL, and The Last Human). It is apparent after reading this that Naylor was the comedian but this book still has a ton of laughs in it. I cannot remember the last time I really cheered, cried and hoped for characters in a novel the way I did with this book. In it, much is explained about Rimmer's general attitude (as "Last Human" does for the alter-Lister) and it was an excellent read. The audio version is good, but I would recommend reading it first. It's a must have for the serious Dwarfer.


title: Arguably the best group ever

text: The disk is perfect and includes nearly all of The Seekers songs. Judith Durham, who died in September 2022, has one of the finest voices ever. It is on display on this disk.


title: Spooky

text: Love these radio shows.


title: Gold Pleasure

text: Had CD's before and had a very difficult time tracking these down. The music is awesome and the quality was perfect. I wish more of these were available. Would appreciate any help in locating more of this AM Gold series.


title: Five Stars

text: as expected


title: Philly's Own Jamie Record Collection

text: Nice collection of Jamie Record's artists, wish there was more Duane Eddy on it, but it was so nice to hear the Blackwell's fantastic rendition of the "Unchained Melody" on it from 1960.


title: Five Stars

text: Great album


title: One of the all time great recordings.

text: This recording has to be one of the great recordings of all time.  One could not ask for a better cast, as all three principals are at there peak.  The voices of Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne, blend together like no other.  In interviews, both Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne, have stated how they loved singing with John Alexander, who was one of the great bel canto tenors.  The conducting and sound engineering are fantastic. This a recording that can be listened to over and over again.


title: Bless the St. Louis Jesuits!

text: I think I have all of the CDs from this great bunch of priest! They have taken music from the Mass- from great choirs and not so great, and turned it into 'music from heaven". If I get to feeling a little down I slide one or two of these CDs into the sound system and I get to feeling better right away!!!


title: "Home Run" is just what the title says.

text: Great movie.  I plan to watch it again.


title: New Orleans Latin Soul

text: Saw them at the New Orleans Jazz Festival and had to order the CD.  A mix of Santana and the Memphis Horns


title: ARMS Benefit Concert

text: I have this on dvd.  Unbelievable concert.  Many stars, Clapton Page and Beck on stage together for the first time.  Layla will make you begging for more !!


text: I would never buy this hose or any product again from Songmics. The hose blew up from pressure in the hose while my wife was watering flowers. Her ears are ringing and her hearing is bad right now.

attachment_type: IMAGE


title: Terrific music

text: What a great collection of songs! The Curio Cowboys are helping keep the Western songbook alive.


title: Still funny after all these years!

text: Humor, great acoustic guitar, and wonderful harmony. Makes me wish I'd watched their TV show more often.<br />One of my first purchased albums back in the day. Anyone who has ever been in basic training will find the brief, 50 second song "The Military Lovers" to be right on and hysterical. I bought the entire cd mostly for that bit.


title: Worth repurchase

text: Excellent package. Famous 1977 show now includes CD.


title: love

text: Couldn't find Aimee Allen's old stuff anywhere.  So happy to get it here.  I miss her old stuff before she signed with her current label and sold out.


title: Do not purchase.  Very poor quality.

text: The hose blew out a large hole on the 5th use.  I had never left water setting in the hose.  Kept the hose unhooked and stored in garage when I wasn't using it.  A big waste of my money.


title: Wow

text: Love this CD, play it whenever I am traveling in my car


title: Baltimore Soul

text:
Great uplifting soul album from this Baltimore-based quartet. This is a real band using real instruments and the lead vocalist has one of the most authentic old-school type soul voices I've heard this year. These are all original songs too.

The music is very gospel influenced though far from preachy, and it is consistently good listening from start to finish. I do have favourites though, including the fantastic opener, "Never Leave You Lonely", "Hopes Too High", "Breathe Love", "Maybe I'm Not The Man", "Evil Woman" (which I'm sure uses the riff from Donny Hathaway's "Valdez In The Country", though this is not acknowledged), "They Don't Know", "Time Stops" (heartfelt balladry at its best) and the funky closer, "It Ain't Over".

This is how music is supposed to be made and why this group isn't being hailed from the rooftops, I will never know. I would never have heard of them if not for a UK-based black music monthly magazine. If you like soul like it was made back in the day, you will probably love this. Get a copy while you can.


title: The music is pleasant enough and the voice is good but the format is reminiscent of the old Elvis ...

text: The music is pleasant enough and the voice is good but the format is reminiscent of the old Elvis tribute players..in other words it is nice listening but nothing to shout about.  For what I paid I could have done better.


title: Another great improvised live session!

text: I have been a fan of Tangerine Dream since first hearing them in 1974. They went through a number of personal and style changes over the decades but had returned to a more roots format when founding member Edgar Froese died back in 2015. Since then the band has carried on with his vision and added these sessions at the end of their concerts, which are reminiscent of what the original band was doing in the 1970s. A must for TD fans and fans of electronic music in general.


title: Four Stars

text: The great Stan Freberg flies again!


title: Carolyn is a brilliant, visionary composer and performer - this alum is ...

text: Carolyn is a brilliant, visionary composer and performer - this alum is a treasure. With her mastery of electronics she evokes and draws you into a world of her imagining. It is a worthwhile journey. Highly recommended.


title: Five Stars

text: I am very pleased and pleased with this product arrived fast and in good condition thank you


title: It arrived on time.

text: No problems with either the shipping or with the cd. I will use this seller again.


title: Gone but not Forgotten ...

text: This musical genius could have excelled in any genre, but thank God he chose jazz.  Nelson's fantastic arrangements, his extraordinary compositions, his lyrical saxophone solos … .  Just find something by this guy and try to figure out why he's basically disappeared from the landscape.


title: Found this on vinyl a month ago in very good shape. 1961 recording that I believe may have ...

text: Found this on vinyl a month ago in very good shape.  1961 recording that I believe may have won a Billboard award for sound recording.  The sound is amazing.  Hard to imagine the engineers believing this record would be spinning 54 years after its issue.  Daphnis and Chloe here is rendered in lush and vibrant sounds so wonderful I can't imagine anyone wanting to look at the ballet on stage in favor of staring slack-jawed at the pit orchestra.  Superb!


title: Superb!

text: Superb!


title: Five Stars

text: Great job you guys are the best👍👍


title: Extremly Underated Classic

text: I truly blows my mind that London/D'Preist never made it big. They are one of the best unknown 80's bands out there. Starting out as a strip glam band along the lines of Motley Crue they eventually dropped that look for this much more melodic release the last album to ever bear the London name and the first to to bear D'Preist. Either way awsome. Vocalist Nadir D'Preist is awsome. This album is full of killer hooks and wikked tracks. Check this out of you dig Motley Crue,Dokken,Lillian Axe etc...


title: Bargain price on used disks

text: Unique sounds. Looking to complete a set of these Tale from the Edge disks I was gifted years ago. Sweet!


The product arrived on time. Very satisfied with the order and product.


title: Haunting Goldsmith Score For Underrated Janssen Classic

text:
David Janssen used the interregnum between the third and fourth seasons of The Fugitive for the film Warning Shot, and the film - about a policeman who shoots an armed man dead but where the gun cannot be found and the policeman must work against literally all odds to clear his name - gets one of Jerry Goldsmith's most haunting scores to help make it work.

Goldsmith used an eighteen-piece group and clever use of Novachord and other instruments to create a tremendously moody score for the film, beginning with the instantly-enticing opening theme and its numerous variations throughout the film.  Sadness permeates the entire score as it tells the story of the bitterly lonely existence of Janssen's character as he fights to prove himself innocent - and gets the answers he needs from unexpected sources.

Novachord, bass, and woodblocks stand out in the score while flute, saxophone, and 60s-flavored guitar flesh out the modern noir mood of the piece.


title: Great!

text: Glad to have this CD back in my collection again. It was a great album to listen to while travelling!


Looks great[on clear LP], sounds great, refrence rolling stones live.


title: "Comiendose A Nueva York"-America's Best And Rarest=Salsoul Connection Ol' Skool Rarities!

text: This album was recorded in 1980 for the Miami-based Top Hits Records label, whose roster included the late Marvin Santiago, Willie Rosario and the immortal Frankie Ruiz (died at 40 from alcohol poisoning in his New Jersey home. He was found dead by his brother, Viti Ruiz. Frankie's son, Frankie Junior is an up-and-coming Salsa artist). Charanga America was always known for its swinging New York Style Salsa, and have had a resume of their best such as "Ayudame San Antonio", "Guiro De Macorina" and "Pentagrama De Amor" (from their Combo Records release "The Very Best". Recommended). The husband and wife team of George and Margaret Maysonet have spearheaded this band for many years and they have never lost touch with what their fans wanted. I myself have seen them live at a barrio stickball game in Manhattan. To start with, "Se Quema La Sazon" is the full version with up-and-comer Jose Bello on vocals (He would get his own stint for Lo Mejor Records with his own band in the 80s). "Manana" is another dance favorite, along with "Asi Nacio El Son" and "Mi Orquesta Se Respeta" as my personal favorites. Unfortunately, this was the last copy in existence, so it may be tough to obtain. An album good to the last. (Uniko Records Canada)


title: Five Stars

text: Case was slightly damaged, but both discs are serviceable


title: Don't hesitate! It's great!

text: In case your forgot, this will remind you. Elvis Costello is in a class by himself (maybe with Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan) as a lyricist.<br />He's no slouch with melodies either, of course. It's really fun to listen to other artists interpreting the songs. Just great. If you are an Elvis fan, you will not regret this purchase.


title: Love it

text: Love it


title: Five Stars

text: Beautiful playing by an artist who died too young.


title: Five Stars

text: My absolute favorite recording of the Fantasy in C.


title: A Must Have for Gedda Fans

text: Gedda's singing of these songs, some from live performances, is thrillingly, sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful.  This is an all-time favorite recording.


title: Liked

text: Very nice


title: What fun!

text: Caro Emerald's delightful _Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor_ has been a real treat. It reminds me in some ways of the more raucous material of Pink Martini, a group I hold in very high esteem. The album has been quite a hit with my friends and family over the last couple of months. (I have not even looked at the DVD yet - I really need to do that.) Treat yourself to a listen to samples of "That Man", "Back It Up" and "Stuck" - it's a fun little romp, and I hope we hear a lot more from Ms. Emerald in the future. (


title: Best Christmas variety songs

text: My second purchase.  Great selection of songs.


title: A really nice Christmas album

text: Personal enjoyment


title: The music of Mr. 305

text: I wanted to listen to some of Pitbull's music and realized that I didnt have any. So I bought about  5cds to get caught up. I was able to buy them in bulk because the prices are great. His music about Mariel, the Boatlift takes me back those days while living in Dade county. I love his original music and the music he evolved to. Great music!


title: Five Stars

text: Great quality record with no scratches.


title: Delays in getting it; but glitches can happen anytime, anywhere

text:
The only compilation which does not have the title tune truncated at both ends -- Accept none which does not have the full 4' 49" version of "Beyond the Blue Horizon" as it was on the original LP version  (You might have guessed, I bought it for this tune.  At the radio station where I once worked, we played that song so much that we wondered when the stylus would come out the other side of the record.)

After two glitches and delays in receiving it, both Amazon and the company in the U.K. went beyond the call of duty to resolve things to beyond my satisfaction.  Great beautiful music/easy listening (BM/EZ) compilation, which should be in every BM/EZ collector's library. Though the original LPs have 1960s dates, the music has that quintessential 1950s BM/EZ sound.  Gave it five stars because they don't have more stars up there..


title: fantastic

text: Great music to sing and dance to.  It brings back fond memories and the grand-kids also enjoy this CD.  thanks


title: Love Lloyd Bustard!

text: One of my favorite albums


title: Do it!

text:
Love his messages. Key, make sure you do it, don't just listen to it.
His messages are positive and you truly feel like his is beside you when
you listen to the message.


title: Futuristic drum and bass - more interesting than you might expect

text: Reinforced Records comp from mid-90's with many different production styles represented.  As a whole, though, the album has a sci-fi BladeRunner feel to it.. a bit on the dark side with overall good beats.  Don't mistake me, a couple tracks have a lighter mood. If you're interested in this kind of electronica, please note that Reinforced Records has re-released most of their catalog in MP3 form.  If you do your homework, you could compile some of the best DnB in history for only a few bucks. However, this CD release contains an additional cd with a continuous mix of Reinforced oldest tracks (I believe the mix is Not available for download)


title: A MUST HAVE!

text:
Excellent! It came on time and in a perfect condition. Sound might be not the best but it is good enough for a big fan like myself.
¡No tiene desperdicio!
I will order another one for a gift


title: On Her Own But Not Alone

text:
V the Volcanic marks a seismic shift (tired metaphor as foreshadowing!) in Kristeen Young's musical direction. V finds Young after her split with longtime drummer Baby Jeff. In the course of Young's albums and attitude it makes sense and was likely inevitable.

Baby Jeff's drums were a valued force on Young's earlier albums, especially the first Meet Miss Young... But as an artist who shifts form and tone so frequently the presence of a consistent companion was conflicting - a powerful secondary force just can't fit in every song. As Young's recordings progressed, the utility of a drummer, even a very talented drummer, or perhaps because of his talent, was exceeded by the demands for a noticeable role. According to interviews with Young, this was especially an issue in live appearances. In my experience, this is something to be expected - the guitars and drums tend to get more powerful on stage than in recordings. Sometimes this can be an enhancement. Duran Duran live and amped up was a lot of fun. The vocals of My Bloody Valentine disappeared into the ocean of intrumentality.

But V the Volcanic finds Young taking leave of herself for a time as well. The seven tracks are created after impressions of characters from a film released each decade between the 1930s and 1990s. Characters who are defeated, disappointed, or destroyed. But defiant. And while some characters are dominating presences who speak with power, others are nearly voiceless in their roles.

Young is having fun here, and it works. Musically, even her straight-forward keyboards are but one part of the mix. Young is taking a tour of the David Bowie Museum of Musical Motifs, and assembling sounds as desired. The result is a set of songs that are exceptionally sticky. They will play in your mind and pop up on their own. This is an element that has evolved in Young's work. The price of being extremely innovative and of shifting and weaving through genres and vocal styles is a difficulty for the fan to sing along or replay the tune in their head. You may find the music exciting and interesting enough to listen to an album two or three times in a row but hard to reconstruct mentally.

V the Volcanic brings us breasts bitten by vipers, necks longing for fangs, screaming severed heads, and the assassin as the pre-programmed victim. What more could be desired? Revenge and vindication, of course.

Kristeen Young's growing mastery of the musical Ohrwurm does not come with a loss of quality or power. "Fantastic Failure" is no such thing, and V the Volcanic is a compact collection of catchy contemplations of death, defeat, and defiance. In the excellence of The Knife Shift we will hear Kristeen Young throw her razor-sharp daggers fashioned from the cooled obsidian formed in V the Volcanic. (yes, I have it already)


title: Two disk set, the only way to get Snakes & Ladders that I know of.

text: This is the second double album set with what might have been Rafferty's best album and what appears to have been an album done to fulfill a contract obligation.  Since only the first album appears to have been available in the US the European collections are the only way to get the second and third albums on CD.  Snakes & Ladders alone is worth the purchase price as nearly all the songs are of the "Ear Worm" variety.  I found myself playing it repeatedly after the disks arrived.


title: Yes.

text: This is worth the price just for the mashup of "When the Saints" and "Mama Don't Want."


title: gotta love it.

text: Its one of only a few songs that I like by lady Shakira and includes the English version as well as a club mix. Both are fun and upbeat; what more can you ask for?


title: So nice!

text: Brings back memories!  The text on the CDs are super small.


title: Review of the Marian McPartland LP -- not the Sonny Rollis recording of the same name.

text: The other reviews here are not from this lp, but from a  Sonny Rollins album of the same name.  Apparently, Amazon is a little confused, as the "Formats and Editions" link goes to yet another album with a the same name.  This one is on Marian McPartland's former Halcyon label. Since I am a big fan of her work, I bought this lp years ago used in a used record store -- the only way you can get it -- no CD available.  She is the pianist on an all-female quintet in a live performance.  I was not familiar with the other artists -- guitarist Mary Osborne, bass Lynn Milano, alto sax Vi Redd, and drummer Dottie Dodgion, but they are wonderful here, playing well-known standards.  Osborne's solo on "Straight, No Chaser" is especially memorable.  And McPartland's piano work is great, as usual.  Tracks include,  "Now's the Time," "Sophisticated Lady", "In a Mellotone,", "Laura", "I'll Remember April" "What are You Doing with the Rest of your Life" and "But Beautiful."


title: Beautiful album, but please know

text: Order fulfilled as promised. Beautiful album, but please know, it spins at 45RPM... so frequent flipping/changes of the LPs is required.


title: Simply the very best Mark Levinson product

text: I was "extremely" fortunate to find this SACD.  Of all the Mark Levinson SACD's this was the flagship, and virtually impossible to find.  I was very lucky to find one new, but I would not let the fact that the SACD is used stop my purchase of this disc.  This is a must have audiophile disc, it's so strikingly "real" there is no description.  At $35.00 or so dollars for a used disc in good condition with no surface damage, you really need to get it while you can.  Look this SACD up on the Internet, it's a stunning creation, one that will not be available much longer, anywhere.  It took me two years to find one under $60.00-$100.00, and I still see they can be bought for around $40.00, it's worth the price of admission, I can assure you! I should mention one more important fact.  This shows as a CD, while it has a CD layer, this is absolutely an SACD.  I have no idea why it is not showing up as an SACD, but that is the whole point of making this recording, to test Sony's new DSD recorder, so be assured it's both SACD/CD with the emphasis on the SACD part!  Hope this clears things up for some buyer, like myself, that kept worrying he was going to receive a standard red book CD!<br />Mark Levinson is now gone to Europe, and this is a great reminder of his history.


title: One Of My Favorites

text: This has been a long time favorite for me!


title: Test vs... for testing

text: Multiple options for phasing, burn in,  test music,  this is barely a listening recording,  there are test sounds on here for your system..


title: Worth it

text: What's not to like


title: Great album

text: Follow up to "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs"  Marty Robbins at his finest.


title: great cd!

text: excellent content, very creative in glorifying God


title: This is a wow set of Sabaton music

text: I live in the USA… I was initially concerned the DVDs would not play on my Sony 4K Blu-ray.  I played them today… it was a great sound and picture.  If still available… get the set!


title: 100 % trusty

text:
Thank you  very much !
I'm so happy....the item is like they described...fast shipping....everything's ok.
 Im glad to make bussyness with you


title: Not recommend it ...plead read well all the comments before buy !

text: Item as decribed but the sound quality isn't good too low ! I'm dissapointed.


title: I recommend it 100% trusty.

text: Product as described ! Fast shipping. Im so Glad to do business with you.  Congrats !!!


title: line cook finds happiness to share

text: I've listened to a few well made albums. This one is so delicious, nuanced and exacerbatingly good I thought about building better speakers. I ordered this for myself, but knowing that my dear friends Alison and Dean in Waltham, ma wanted  it as well meant that after listening to side A I packed it up in order to surprise them with the gift at dinner tonight. Dinner, cioppino, Made from local mussels, scallops, cod and veggies was great but not as great as this album! We watched some Bob's burgers, listened to the Gorillas and drank some orange blossom mead from 1843. A perfect end to my weekend. Back to work tomorrow at Hojoko near Fenway. I just ordered another that will be here Tuesday. To bad I won't be able to listen to it after the marathon. Cheers Amazon and cheers Boston!


title: Great mix of music that I've enjoyed

text: Great mix of music that I've enjoyed, but truth be told I really only bought the compilation for one song... Glad I bought it!


title: Yes they were able to move on without Peter

text: Just ordered today and cannot wait to receive it in the mail. One of my all time favorite Genesis records!


title: Huge album

text: The album is huge! Corner damaged.


title: Fusion/prog album you can't get much more obscure

text:
If you're looking for the most obscure of obscure prog, you have some groups out there worth mentioning: Albatross from Rockford, Illinois who released a self-entitled album in 1976, Earthrise from Williamstown, New Jersey who also released a self-entitled album, in 1977, even Germany's Burning Candle who released a self-entitled album in 1981, but thankfully their sole LP does not fetch the ungodly high prices of those others, even if it's hard to come by. Then there's Detroit's October. I really can't find much info about them, other than they released two albums, a self-entitled album in 1978 on the Charisma Sound Records label (it could have been released in 1979, as many sources state), and After the Fall in 1979, as a private press. While their debut is very hard to find (only 500 copies pressed), it almost seems like Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream & Other Delights in how frequently it turns up (OK, so I'm grossly over-exaggerating, it's still extremely hard to find) in comparison to After the Fall, in which only about 50 copies were pressed, making it perhaps the rarest North American progressive rock ever. In fact I can only confirm one report of an original LP copy of After the Fall showing up, and it was in 1996 in a prog rock mail order catalog called Aeon Music. Of course, I was saying, "Dream on that I'll ever own a copy".

The great news is now I get to own a copy, via a 2008 German CD reissue on Lion Records. This album was recorded from January to March 1979, making me believe their debut actually dates from 1978. This group consisted of drummer Pat Larson, keyboardist Mark Krench, bassist Jeff Zozany, keyboardist/guitarist Mark Sterling, and violinist/guitarist Brad Tolinski. This is not like I usually expect out of Midwestern prog rock. Many Midwestern prog rock bands often had a commercial/AOR side to them. They wanted creative cred, but they also wanted to sneak in some songs that might get radio airplay. Kansas and Styx being rather obvious examples, but as they started racking more hits (and becoming more popular), they became less prog and more AOR (to the point by 1979 or '80 they pretty much abandoned prog). October leans more to the mellow end of fusion/prog and weren't interesting in having their own "Dust in the Wind", "Carry On Wayward Son", "Come Sail Away" or "Renegade". Thanks to the presence of a violin player, you might think they're like Mahavishnu Orchestra-lite, but as a matter of fact they really don't remind me of any particularly fusion or prog act. There's a symphonic prog bent as well, but fusion is the dominant style, with fretless bass, electric piano, and spacy synths, as well as drums. Most of the time they're laid back, but when they let it rip on "Earth" do they remind me of Mahavishnu Orchestra, even Pat Larson was trying to go into Billy Cobham territory and Brad Tolinski goes into Jerry Goodman territory (although his violin playing in general reminds me of Jean-Luc Ponty).

As the LP is hyper rare, the only option is the CD reissue. I don't think it's worth whatever ungodly amounts of money the LP is worth (if one ever shows up, as mentioned, I spotted one mail order catalog offering it way back in 1996 and nowhere else) but certainly worth the price of the CD. Too bad their debut hasn't seen a CD reissue, as that's begging for a reissue, as that one isn't exactly easy to find either (but about 500 copies of their debut were made, as opposed to 50 of After the Fall).

This might not set your world on fire, but it's nice prog/fusion album worthy of your collection.


title: Insane guitar/Mellotron driven album by this totally obscure American band

text:
You probably can't get much more obscure than ID, an American band that released their only album, Where Are We Going in 1977 on the Aura label (although the album was recorded late in 1975 leading me to believe the band had difficulty finding a label to release it). The original LP is very rare and hard to come by, but unlike some (like Cathedral's Stained Glass Stories), original LPs are not quite as insanely expensive (but still not cheap). When it comes for American obscurities, this is WAY more obscure than say, Ethos, Happy the Man, or Fireballet (since you can find those albums at a fairly reasonable price and are not impossible to find), even more obscure than Cathedral, as about as obscure as the Rockford, Illinois band Albatross (who released a self-entitled album of nice Yes-influenced prog in 1976) or New Jersey band Earthrise (who released a self-entitled album in 1977 of nice symphonic prog). I heard varying sources as to where ID hailed: New York, Texas and Maryland. True, this album was recorded in New York, so it was easy to assume that's where they were from given the utter obscurity of this band. As for Texas, not sure, maybe some of the band members hailed from there. It seems that Maryland is where they're from. Brothers (I presume) Gary and David Oickle were apparently from Maryland. What you get is some very seriously heavy guitar and Mellotron dominated progressive rock. This album is very much guitarist Gary Oickle's show as he just piles it on with tons of guitar playing all over! Brother (I presume) David Oickle also provides additional guitar (likely rhythm), as well as Mellotron (tron also provided by Bob Halsal). Drums provided by Kevin Jenkins, bass by Kevin Orsie, and slide guitar by James Albert. There are some vocals, but sparingly used. It's easy to shy away from American progressive rock, if what you hear was Kansas and Styx, given their AOR trappings and rather mainstream approach. ID completely avoids any AOR trappings. And unlike Starcastle or the far more obscure Albatross, Yes is not an influence with ID. I've heard comparisons with Hawkwind, but probably because of the heavy guitar approach, but Hawkwind didn't tend to do extended jams the way ID did.

There are some real obscure and rare gems out there, and this is one of them, which is very much worth having.


title: Could this be the Mexican Pink Floyd?

text:
It sure sounds like it! Chac Mool was a Mexican prog rock band featuring Jorge Reyes and Carlos Alvarado, amongst others. Many of you might recognize Jorge Reyes with his string of solo albums that are more in the ethnic/New Age category (from what I understand). The vocals are in Spanish. Nadie en Especial was released in 1980 on Philips, but it sounds more like a '70s recording. The music might remind one of Pink Floyd, the Alan Parsons Project, perhaps a bit of Colours-era Eloy, with the occasional pre-Hispanic influences showing up. "Un Mundo Feliz" is the opening cut and shows that Pink Floyd and Alan Parsons project feel (also reminding me a bit of Eloy, but it's uncertain if these guys ever heard Eloy). Those pre-Hispanic influences most show up in the Incan-influenced "Aymara" (named after the indigenous tribe and language spoken in Peru and Bolivia). It's strange to see a Mexican group conjuring up a South American feel, but they do here, but then they go into symphonic territory on this piece with string synths and even Mellotron, and then ends with spoken dialog in Spanish, and some violin playing. You might think this was recorded in 1975, but it was actually recorded in 1980! Check out the title track! There's this passage where they borrow Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine". Musically, this isn't particularly complex prog. I'm not too far off in saying that for complexity, they're not too far from Pink Floyd or Eloy territory (but more progressive than the Alan Parsons Project). They weren't going for Gentle Giant complexity.  It's also worth noting that "El Día En Que Murió El Rey Cameleón" features some "Strawberry Fields"-type Mellotron flute and what I think is tron choir, but it almost sounds like a synthesizer or real voice, so I can't tell (at least the tron flutes are real). What's even more surprising is the Mellotron is even used at all as there don't seem to be too many Mellotrons in Mexico (both Jorge Reyes and Carlos Alvarado are credited with the tron, and I'm willing to believe the tron was bought from the States). I wished the Mellotron was used on more than two cuts, but then I'm sure they were probably facing the usual mechanical problems (and it's a safe bet that there was no one in Mexico who serviced Mellotrons).

Some Mexican prog bands, like Iconoclasta, tend to play fast and show you what their instrumental skills were made of. Chac Mool, on the other hand didn't go for that, they went for that Pink Floyd-like mid tempo pace. Nadie en Especial is a nice album worth having.


title: Kinda like Arthur Brown's Journey without Arthur Brown

text:
In 1973, Arthur Brown released his final Kingdom Come album, Journey, with help from Detroit keyboardist Victor Peraino, where he favored synths and Mellotron. That album is nothing short of a masterpiece of space rock, although bearing little resemblance to The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. He and Kingdom Come managed to pull it off with no real drummer (a Bentley Rhythm Ace drum machine was used instead). The rest of Kingdom Come apparently split off to do session work (bassist Phil Shutt ended up playing for Kiki Dee, as well as others, and guitarist Andy Dalby apparently doing similar things, although he did appear on Arthur's first solo effort, Dance With Arthur Brown).

Victor Peraino returned to the States and for some reason retained the Kingdom Come name and released No Man's Land in 1975 as Victor Peraino's Kingdom Come with help from American musicans. How did he get a hold of the Kingdom Come name? The original LP is next to impossible to find, as only 100 copies were made. Consider yourself lucky if you own a copy. You can only thank yourself it's been reissued, something that rare needs reissuing.

Musically: it doesn't live up to the greatness of Journey but it's still not bad. No surprise, the vocals don't compare to Arthur Brown, that's rather obvious. The music also has more of an American feel to it, but that's no surprise, this Kingdom Come is all American (where Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come that recorded Journey was all British, except for Victor Peraino). The music tends to lean more to hard rock, with not just reminders of Arthur Brown's band, but occasionally Jethro Tull (as there's a flute player), but if you enjoy Peraino's Mellotron work, you won't be disappointed here, as he uses his fair share here too! Plus I like the use of synths that do pop up from time to time. While there are real drums here, this group would also slip into something Arthur Brown did on Journey and that was to use a drum machine.

It's not as progressive as Journey, that's for sure, but there's still nice music. And this reissue comes with a 7" disc from a 1981 EP called We're Next. While the music does have more of an updated production and occasional new wave tendencies, the sound hasn't changed all that much from No Man's Land. There's a remake of "Demon of Love", even the Mellotron is still intact, and it's 1981! What's probably agreed is this cover of Arthur Brown's "Fire" is probably just as pointless as Pete Townshend doing it in 1989 on his Iron Man album. It's really hard to beat Arthur Brown vocally, an in my opinion, should not be covered by other artists. I understand why Victor Peraino's Kingdom Come would try to cover "Fire" thanks to Victor's association with Arthur Brown, but he wasn't involved in the original (Vincent Crane was).

No Man's Land might not be worth the big money the original LP fetches, but it's much more worth getting the reissue. Not sure what else to say, but I don't call it a lost gem of progressive rock, and it's hard to argue the music does sound dated, but still worth getting if you were curious what else Victor Peraino done after being with Arthur Brown, not to mention several worthy cuts and nice use of Mellotron.


title: Prog rock from Cuba?

text:
Cuba isn't what you think of for prog rock. You more think of well-known Latin pop stars in exile in Florida like Gloria Estefan or Jon Secada. Or countless salsa, mambo, or rumba artists. But prog rock? Cuba isn't exactly a bastion of musical free expression, so I can't imagine how anyone got a hold of prog rock albums, other than state-approved labels, and I have never seen a Yes or Genesis album made in Cuba (although I've seen my share of Eastern Bloc-made albums of prog groups, even Jethro Tull on the Soviet-era Melodya label). Maybe smuggled American, British, and European-made albums, which I imagine would have been harder to do than in say, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia as Cuba is an island, and those other countries weren't, where items could be more easily smuggled from the West, including albums deemed "illegal" by the government.

For years I was having a difficult time trying to sort out the release history. The album was original released in Cuba as a self-entitled album on the Arieto label in 1978, then in 1979 it was released in Mexico on NCL, with a completely different cover. The LPs doesn't exactly grow on trees, and while the Mexican print is easier to come by (since there's no U.S. trade embargo to Mexico), it's still hard to come by, which is why you need the CD reissue (the Cuban original is much harder to find than the Mexican pressing). The CD bears yet another cover, different from either the Mexican or Cuban release. Wow! I'm really surprised with this album. The vocals are all in Spanish, with both male and female vocals, with some folk influences. This isn't heavy prog, so you won't mistake this from Il Balletto di Bronzo or Museo Rosenbach, but there is that Latin feel in the music. Also surprising is the presence of Moog and Hammond organ, both American made instruments. How did they get a hold of these instruments in spite of a U.S. trade embargo? I get reminded a bit of Locanda Delle Fate or perhaps, maybe the Uruguayan artist Armando Tirelli (who's 1978 album El Profeta reminds me of), the Spanish group Crack, but it's really hard to say, given I can't imagine too many prog rock albums leaking into Cuba (perhaps Sintesis listened to smuggled albums, deemed illegal by Fidel Castro). It's a miracle how such an album even appeared in such unforgiving conditions, but I'm glad they did, and it got released! I'm surprised about the amount of great prog I've discovered from Latin American, groups from Argentina like Alas, Crucis, Bubu, Espiritu, groups from Mexico like Iconoclasta, Nobilis Factum, Codice, Brazilian groups like latter-day (post-Rita Lee) Os Mutantes, Terreno Baldio, Bacamarte, and so on. And I can add Sintesis to it. Yes, this is the same group (more or less, as they underwent their share of lineup changes) who continued released many more albums in the 1980s and 1990s (apparently leaning more towards world music). I won't recommend this who wants their prog heavy and aggressive, but those who like the more mellow, laid-back stuff, especially those looking for prog from unlikely places.


title: Interesting classical synthesizer album

text:
Who is Mike Hankinson? Don't know much about him. Apparently he was born in England and residing in South Africa. I remember very well my dad buying a copy of this LP (which has been handed to me and still in my collection) back in 1979. I bet you he probably was getting this from the time ABC Records got bought out by MCA and so record stores were needing to get rid of the ABC Records inventory. Actually this album was released on ABC's Westminster Gold classical division, the copy I have (that my dad bought) is the later rainbow label. This album was first released in 1971 on the Ad-Rhythm label and titled simply "The Classical Synthesizer" with a completely different cover, and then ABC Westminster Gold released it in the States in 1972 (which I felt has a much better cover), and it's so obviously inspired by Switched-On Bach that you can't get around that! It fits nicely with your other classical Moog albums. The big exception: this was all performed on the EMS Putney VCS-3 synthesizer. The VCS-3 doesn't come with a keyboard, and is best for sound effects, but it's obvious that Mike Hankinson had a keyboard attached to it to play normal songs on it (like Todd Rundgren had did for his Something/Anything album released around the same time). Classical Moog synthesizer albums were no longer new by 1972 (everyone knows how the market was absolutely flooded with them by then, as well other novelty Moog albums, pop Moog, everything but the kitchen sink Moog, even country Moog, and people like Gershon Kingsley and Jean Jacques Perrey doing a little of everything), and so why not make a similar album on non-Moog equipment? Unlike Switched-On Bach, The Unusual Classical Synthesizer features songs from various other classical artists from the 17th and 18th century, like Mozart, Beethoven, Scarlatti, and so on (so if you're looking for Debussy, Holst, Stravinsky or Mussorgsky or anything else from the 19th and early 20th century, you'd have to look elsewhere). There is no doubt the highlight of the album is Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor". Hankinson really hits the low notes on one section, and there's even a warning in the album notes to be careful not to blow your speakers out. All the songs are pretty much straight adaptations of classical songs, meaning Hankinson wasn't trying to take creative routes as Tomita often did (like on Planets). Fans of classical Moog will certainly dig this album, you'll be surprised how such a small and portable synthesizer could do the job of what a big modular Moog can do. Certainly the VCS-3 doesn't have all the sound options of a modular Moog, but the fact it was just as effective.

You also have to dig the cover, showing an overloaded electrical socket, it could almost be used for a public service announcement warning you not to overload your sockets. Westminster Gold tended to like using weird parts from appliances, light bulbs, shower heads, and unidentifiable things for their album artwork around this time period. Kinda reminds me of the short-lived TV series Project UFO from 1978-79 where the producers used parts of shower heads, vacuum cleaners, appliances and so on to create the UFOs.

For fans of classical Moog who like to hear this kind of music played on a different synth, try this album!


title: Even better than New Aeon

text:
Heru Avenger was a space rock project lead by John Basil (apparently from Orange County, California, a place I'm unaware of many prog/space rock acts originating). In 1998 he released New Aeon with all the instruments played by Mr. Basil, aside from Craig Teigen on drums. It's an excellent example of jamming space rock with funk, jazz, Krautrock, electronic, and prog. In 1999 comes Magique Mistress, also on the Initiates International label and I can't believe the improvement in just one year. This time, it's a full band, with him and Craig Teigen, with Palo on sax and clarinet, and P. Scott on additional keyboards. The keyboards include Wurlitzer electric piano, Hohner D-6 Clavinet, VK-7 organ, and Moog Prodigy. I used to wonder if I was hearing early analog modeling synths, but I'm hearing the real deal analog synths, and the use of electric piano and clavinet are real, although P. Scott likes to use a lot of distortion. John Basil tends to the guitar, Roland GR-30 guitar synthesizer, bass, and "electronic incantations". Let me tell you right having more of band helped big time, giving it a more of band feel. Plus I really love the presence of sax, something completely absent on New Aeon. No way will you mistake Palo's sax playing for Kenny G! It's that wonderful '70s style you hear in plenty of the best of prog rock and fusion.

Let me tell you right away, if you like New Aeon, you need Magique Mistress, plain and simply as that! Basil and Co. had really perfected that truly wonderful spacy prog/jazz rock. The title track includes a lot of that same funky jamming you come to expect on New Aeon, with lots of jazzy leady guitar work, then it switches over to spacy electronic music territory. "Heka" is over 30 minutes long and really combines all the best elements of space rock, jazz/fusion, prog, and analog synths. It starts off funky again, with lots of clavinet and electric piano, giving it a '70s feel, despite it a 1999 recording. "Daughters of the Morning Star" continues more of this same great spaciness, with droning synths. It might seem a bit unstructured to many listeners, but I really love that spacy vibe this group came up with. People who enjoy fusion, Krautrock, like Ash Ra Tempel, perhaps Ozric Tentacles, and old school electronic music would certainly enjoy this. With just three cuts clocking over 70 minutes, it's even lengthier than New Aeon (and that one had four cuts), but all of it simply blew me away! Perhaps one of the finest space rock CDs I've heard released in the last 15 years.

This one really deserves a five star rating, a completely essential space rock release!


title: Interesting narration on the sign Scorpio with electronic music

text:
Thanks to a 1967 album released on Elektra called The Zodiac: Cosmic Sounds, there would be later (1969) a series of 12 LPs on each sign of the Zodiac, released on A&M (showing that this label wanted to be more adventurous and not just thought of as Herb Alpert's label), with some of the same people involved with Cosmic Sounds. Moog synthesizer by Mort Garson, words by Jacques Wilson (he seemed to be involved in every project Mort Garson was involved in that were all-original material), with three narrators, Nancy Priddy (mother of Married... With Children's Christina Applegate), Michael Bell and John Erwin, all who involved themselves in varying mediums of television: TV shows, commercials, cartoons. Nancy Priddy was the only three narrators who was also musically involved, as she released an album in 1968 called You've Come This Way Before. This particular LP is on Scorpio. Once again, like their other LPs, you have a moon chart so you known what sign of the moon you were born under, sadly the chart covers from 1919 to 1960, which leaves anyone born after that year high and dry (me included, since I was born in 1972, although I'm a Virgo and of course there's an LP for that sign too, which I don't have yet), but no problem, plenty of books on astrology as well as the Internet sure helps.

Well, just like their other albums, the focus is on the narrating, which is to describe the particular sign of the zodiac with some great electronic music in the background. If you own more than one of the Signs of the Zodiac LPs, you noticed the titles all bear names like "I Know You [insert sign here]", "[Insert sign here] at work", and so on, with "Those Who Knew" tagged at the end. It's the same on every album, with the names and narration changed for the sign in question, although some of the music does differ ("Cancer at Work" uses different music from "Scorpio at Work"), probably due to having a more appropriate "mood" for describing the sign on that certain cut. Of course, the focus here is on Scorpio, the album in question and the one being reviewed here. I felt Mort Garson is simply one of the greats of electronic music way before Jean Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, or Klaus Schulze were ever known, and most others seemed happy doing electronic versions of classical and pop standards. But what will make you like or dislike the album is how well you can handle the narrating, as it could seem awfully dated and pretentious to many. Not to mention, do you believe everything being said? Well I really don't buy into it, but I do find it a fascinating listen, a great time piece. If this isn't your thing, but do like the electronic part of it, you will undoubtedly enjoy Mort Garson's Lucifer - Black Mass (1971) or Ataraxia - The Unexplained Musical Impressions of the Occult (1975), as it's much like the Signs of the Zodiac series, without the narrations. For me, I find the Signs of the Zodiac series a rather amusing listen, narration with electronic score, and recommended for those who find the thought of astrology and electronic music an interesting combination.


title: Early jazzy British prog, with Paul Carrack, of all people!

text:
You already know who Paul Carrack is. He was in groups like Ace ("How Long"), Squeeze ("Tempted") and of course Mike & the Mechanics. Let's not forget "Don't Shed a Tear" which was his big solo hit. If you're a prog rock fan, his name would make you run.

Would it surprise you back in 1970 he was actually in a real prog rock band? That group was Warm Dust, and he wasn't even 20 at the time when they recorded and released And It Came to Pass, same year Genesis (containing Carrack's future Mike + the Mechanics bandmate Mike Rutherford, of course) recorded and released Trespass (Genesis was still quite obscure in 1970). Carrack handled keyboards here, mainly sticking to the Hammond organ. Musically, this is that kind of jazzy prog with sax and flute. They were often compared to the likes of Chicago or BS&T, without the horns, but to me, they're much closer to Web/Samurai (Dave Lawson's pre-Greenslade band). Warm Dust did use wind instruments, but not in the Chicago or BS&T style, but more in the Web/Samurais style, hence the comparison. One listen to "Turbulance" you'll find it hard to believe this came from a band that spawned the guy that gave us "Don't Shed a Tear". Really nice prog with nice Hammond organ work. The rest of the group consisted of Dransfield "Lee" Walker on guitar and vocals, John Surgey on wind instruments, Alan Saloman on additional wind instruments, Terry "Tex" Comer on bass, and Dave Pepper on drums. It's a double album, which is strange for a debut (Chicago and the Mothers of Invention pulled off double album debuts), but it's true. Meaning it's a bit uneven. "Keep on Trucking", as you might gather, is rather out of place on the album, a boogie number. I believe that was probably a piece that kept Paul Carrack happy (he was more of a pub rocker). The rest is more great jazzy prog and psych that is simply great. Even if you run at the thought of Paul Carrack, you won't get reminded of anything he's done later, no "Tempted", "Living Years" or "Don't Shed a Tear" to even be remotely reminded of!

Paul Carrack is rather embarrassed of this era of his career. The band did hang around for a couple more albums, but it was obvious Carrack was not comfortable playing this kind of music (his next group was called Ace which we all know through that hit "How Long"). As you gather, prog rock was really never his thing, that's why all the following groups he's been in had been pop-oriented. But this isn't like Yes or Genesis (which you know Carrack had a connection with through Mike & the Mechanics), more like Web/Samurai, or perhaps The Greatest Show on Earth, or a bit of IF. This might be a bit much for Paul Carrack's pop crowd, but this isn't pop. Recommended for those who enjoy those jazzy British horn-driven prog bands mentioned!


title: Contains One Niter and Hats of Glass...

text:
...but missing one cut from each album. Eela Craig got started off at the beginning of the 1970s as an underground psychedelic band with jazzy and bluesy overtones, who released a self-entitled album album in 1971, easily the rarest album in their discography. Between 1971 and 1976, the band witnessed several lineup changes, and a release of a single in 1974 called Stories/Cheese (if you want to hear that single, simply buy the 1997 Garden of Delights CD reissue of their debut album or the more recent LP reissue of the same album on Amber Soundroom since that single was included as bonus tracks). That single is heavily symphonic, relying heavily on the Mellotron, sounding very little like their debut album, and this is basically the direction they will follow on the second half of the 1970s.

In 1976 comes One Niter, and a deal with Vertigo Records in Germany. This album proves, with no doubt in question that they were now a symphonic prog rock band without any of the psychedelic or underground traits of their debut, although unlike many other prog bands of the time, they included funky elements with lots of clavinet and funky styles you might expect to hear on a blaxploitation flix. The Italian group Il Volo explored something similar on their underrated Essere o non Essere? (1975) album, and another Italian group, Goblin, best known for scoring for Dario Argento horror flicks, also explored funk with prog on their wonderful Roller (1976) album. Eela Craig now consisted of keyboardist/vocalist Hubert Bognermayr, guitarist/vocalist Fritz Riedelberger, keyboardist/flautist Hubert Schnauer, guitarist/flautist/keyboardist Harald Zuschrader, bassist Gerhard Englisch, and drummer Frank Hueber. This large lineup demonstrated they had no shortage of keyboard players (the original lineup of Rundgren's Utopia also had three keyboardists), and you get treated with lots of electric piano (both Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer), Minimoog, string synth (I believe it was a Logan String Machine), Hammond organ, two VCS-3 synths, and most of all, the Mellotron (where they use the big brass and choir). The back of the original LP features a photo any vintage gear freak would be envious, and what's great is the front CD cover of Symphonic Rock features that same picture! But the music also has some classical influences (they even cover Bach) on top of the funk and symphonic. The album starts with "Circles", which starts off with giant Mellotron brass, before quieting with nice use of synths. Then they get into an intense funky jam with clavinet and Moog, then they mellow out with Fritz Riedelberger handling vocals, with lots of electric piano. Fritz tends to like the slower ballads and mellower stuff. "Loner's Rhyme" goes through different changes, including some great funky jamming with clavinet, Moog, and Hammond organ. "One Niter Medley" starts off with synths and Mellotron, then they go into a little Bach, before more funky passages. "Way Down" starts off with some great flute and sounds I can't determine where they come from, before going into another great funky jam, before the music mellows and the vocals kick in.

1978 comes Hats of Glass, and original vocalist Wil Orthofer (who was on their 1971 debut) had rejoined the group. The funk influence of One Niter had pretty much disappeared, in favor of straight-ahead symphonic prog. The album starts off with a cover of Chris de Burgh's "A Spaceman Came Travelling", and let me tell you, it's a fantastic cover! I like the use of the spacy synthesizers and vocoder. The title track is one of the album's high points, starting off with flute and Fritz Riedelberger's vocals. He then gives an extended Pink Floyd-like guitar solo, then comes "Grover's Mill" which is basically a remake of the 1974 single "Stories" with new lyrics, and much of the Mellotron being replaced by the string synths. The album's other high point is "Holstenwall Fair", featuring great vocal harmonies, and I really love the mellow synth passage, before the jamming starts. The album also has a remake of the flip side of their 1974 single, "Cheese", this time all-instrumental, and retitled "(remove another hat of glass and you could easily find an assortment of all kinds of) Cheese" (or something like that).

Both of these albums have been included on this disc, Symphonic Rock, but due to the time constraint of the CD, one song from each album had to be jettisoned, that is "Venezuela" off One Niter and "Caught on the Air" off Hats of Glass. Neither of those songs are either albums high points, but they aren't bad, but you won't get those songs buying Symphonic Rock. Reminds me of those Fruupp two-for-one CD reissues where songs had to be omitted for the same reason. So approach Symphonic Rock the same way those Fruupp CDs. I still give Symphonic Rock a four star rating, because the music is still great and demonstrates why Eela Craig was one of Austria's finest prog rock bands. One Niter is the better album, but Hats of Glass isn't far behind.


title: Must have for Clearlight fans

text:
I state that because this is essentially another Clearlight album. Released in 1975 on the EMI/Pathe Marconi label this was a soundtrack to a psychedelic art film called Visa de Censure n "X". It took 8 years for the film to be finished, filming started in 1967 and ended in 1975. The film consists of a bunch of psychedelic scenes with Cyrille Verdeaux and company providing the music, don't expect anything remotely resembling mainstream Hollywood here. Of course, having psychedelia contemporary to 1967 would seem rather dated for 1975 so why not a prog rock band contemporary to 1975? So Clearlight was that band. As usual, keyboardist Cyrille Verdeaux is behind this album, with Tim Blake (Gong) (strangely not providing his trademark use of EMS synths, but a tamboura, sort of a fretless sitar), Christian Boulé (Hillage), Gilbert Artman (Lard Free), Joel Dugrenot, François Jeanneau, and many more, names you already know from other Clearlight albums (like Clearlight Symphony and Forever Blowing Bubbles), not to mention other groups these members were involved in such as Gong, Lard Free, Hillage, etc. Also I noticed Yvan Coaquette on guitar, who also wrote some of the material, so he was apparently just as important to Delired Cameleon Family as Cyrille Verdeaux (Coaquette wasn't involved in the standard Clearlight albums). He was involved in Musica Elettronica Viva, a multi-national avant garde ensemble who recorded The Sound Pool in 1969 and Leave the City in 1970 for BYG/Actuel, but if you're fearing lots of noisy racket like The Sound Pool (for the few who actually heard it, I like it, but it would drive many crazy), don't worry, it's simply a more trippy version of the Clearlight sound. The Delired Cameleon Family album was recorded in March 1975, according to Cyrille Verdeaux, in four days under the influence LSD and Hashish. Well for a drug induced album, the musicians certainly knew what they were doing and they deliver a fantastic album of spacy progressive rock! "Raganesh" is a truly mindblowing opening piece, influenced by Indian raga, with tabla and droning ARP 2600 synth and Tim Blake providing the tamboura. In essence it turns out to be sort of a psychedelic and electronic raga! "Weird Ceremony" is as weird as the title might imply, a rather spacy, atmospheric number. It reminds me a bit of the soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) without the funk influence (coincidence? It happens to be the soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage was also released on EMI/Pathé Marconi as well). Spacy piano and synths, with some nice wordless female voices. "La Fin de Début" has a strangely soft rock feel to it (complete with female vocals, sounding like a French Carole King, of all things), but retaining that weirdness so it's not just another soft rock song. "Le Boeuf" and "Novavanna" is more in jamming territory with a strong jazz rock influence, the latter features some singing at the end, with a boogie feel, and drug and alcohol references in the lyrics. "Ananta" has a more Zeuhl-like influence, reminders of Mamga coming from the weird low pitched voices. I can see another reason why this wasn't billed as a "Clearlight" album, as Verdeaux and co. experimented with stuff that might have been out of place on a proper Clearlight album. You won't find on a proper Clearlight album a passage where the singer is demanding drugs and alcohol (the case of "Novavanna"), or exploring almost Carole King-like soft rock ("La Fin du Début"). I have a couple other suspicions why the "Clearlight" name wasn't used here: they didn't want Clearlight's reputation to be damaged by a drug flick, or they did not want Virgin Records to find out they were recording music for such a film. What I do know is they left Virgin after Forever Blowing Bubbles (Les Contes du Singe Fou was released on Isadora, a French subsidiary of RCA, and Visions was released on Polydor).

Truly great stuff that I can highly recommend. No fan of Clearlight should go without this album.