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BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE/It’s My
Way is both noteworthy for her 1960’s songs
illustrating the plight of Native Americans, and as being highly talented
innovator of western European folk tradition and one of the first cultural
fusion musicians. Often accompanying herself on a bow-harp, at other times with
rich instrumental backup, her music is sometimes eerie, always uncompromising.
–Jason Farrow
TOP
PICKS:
ILLUMINATIONS; LITTLE
WHEEL SPIN TURN, TURN; FIRE,
FLEET & CANDLIGHT.
LEONARD COHEN/The Essential Leonard Cohen has
been called a modern Gnostic poet, and there’s justification for this. His
career has spanned over forty years and he has never compromised or bowed to
pop fashion. His music is poignant and demonstrates European influences.
Cohen’s lyrics are often brutal or a result of spiritual & sexual synthesis.
He is one of the great poet/singers of our times. –Jason farrow
TOP PICKS: SONGS
OF LOVE & HATE; I’M
YOUR MAN; NEW
SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY; THE
SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN.
RICHARD FARIÑA was
another great poet, but whose life ended early as the result of a motorcycle
accident. Nonetheless he and his partner/wife Mimi Baez (sister of Joan Baez)
created one of the great albums of the “beat” and new folk movement,
REFLECTIONS IN A CRYSTAL WIND. Songs on it such as Children of Darkness
and Raven Girl metaphorically describe the personal torment and social
destruction are relevant as much today as during the Vietnam Era when first
released. Richard and Mimi’s duets are flawlessly in synch. First-rate
musicians accompany on most songs. The youth today might actually relate to the
sensitive musical and political substance on this CD from our history. –Jason
Farrow
IAN &
SYLVIA/Four Strong Winds are a team with deep roots in the folk
revival of the 60’s. Their wide range of music spans the traditional (Cruel
Mother, Silver Dagger, etc.) to the more contemporary (Thirsty
Boots, Four Strong Winds, Song for Canada.) Ian’s attractive
masculine tenor blends well with Sylvia’s “purest” alto. They are noted for
their flawless timing and vocal clarity. Songs range from the bittersweet to
the jocular. –Jason Farrow
TOP PICKS:
EARLY MORNING RAIN; NORTHERN
JOURNEY.
RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON are prolific artists whose talent has spanned several
decades and is still going strong. They are proficient in any number of
styles—folk rock, blues, Cajun, etc. Both have distinctive, appealing voices
and their lyrics convey a refreshing honesty. –Jason Farrow
TOP PICKS: POUR
DOWN LIKE SILVER; I
WANT TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS; HOKEY
POKEY.
LOREENA MCKENNITT
is a multi-faceted musician and recording
artist is a gifted writer and performer who focuses on neo-classical folk based
on early or pre-Christian themes. Her hauntingly beautiful rendition of Alfred
Lord Tennyson's "The Lady of Shallot" (1843) from THE VISIT brings to
life the plight of a daemonic lady doomed by her love for the mortal Lancelot;
the eternal longing of Psyche for her beloved Eros, and its promise so seldom
fulfilled. As with many of McKennitt's works, The Lady of Shallot is
woven with strains of ethereal sadness, a mystic musing that succeeds in both
charming and ennobling the listener. –Jason Farrow
TOP PICKS: THE VISIT; THE MAGIC &THE MIRROR; ELEMENTAL; PARALELL DREAMS.
JUDY COLLINS is one of the very few female folk soloists to not only
retain a strong popular following, but who rose to the level of “superstardom”.
She realized her wish to sing “art songs” with an accompanying achievement of
seemingly going from an alto to soprano. Compare her early work (Judy
Collins, In My Life, etc.) to the music that followed. Her original
material comprises much of her repertoire ever since the transition in the
70’s. Calling Leonard Cohen a “mentor,” Judy Collins often includes his songs
on her CD’s. Her latest, Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen is testament to that.
TOP PICKS:
WILDFLOWERS; TRUE STORIES & OTHER DREAMS;
JUDITH; HARD TIMES FOR LOVERS.
JOAN BAEZ was the ultimate diva of the folk revivalist era.
Following Bob Dylan, she took her singing into the protest movements,
particular Civil Rights. Unlike Dylan, however, Joan Baez continued to be at
the forefront of the nonviolent, anti-war movement. She continues to attract a
large following of devoted fans. Her CD ANY DAY NOW is totally comprised of the
early Bob Dylan songs. Other than Dylan himself, Baez is clearly the paramount
interpreter of them. Her rendition of Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands is
particularly moving as many people have speculated that the lyrics are a
portrait of Baez; others say it is an ironic paean to the Statue of Liberty.
Certainly it is one of Dylan’s most beautiful and enigmatic works.
TOP
PICKS: THE FIRST TEN YEARS; FAREWELL, ANGELINA; DIAMONDS & RUST; ANY
DAY NOW; JOAN.
HP LOVECRAFT named after
the classic neo-gothic writer, was comprised of a central quintet George
Edwards, Dave Michaels and Tony Cavallari. Although the group never reached
permanent superstar status, they became something of a cult favorite of the
folk-rock psychedelic milieu (with an emphasis on psychedelic.) Their male
duets were exceptional and their music demonstrated crosscurrents with The
Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane. Some of their tunes are uncannily remind
the listener of today’s Radio Head. The selection is a double CD on one and the
song The White Ship inspired by the original H.P. Lovecraft’s use of
opium is well worth the discounted price of the CD. The White Ship is on
a counter-culture pare with White Rabbit and a brilliant piece of
musical construction.
THE CHIEFTAINS have
been wowing audiences for decades with “authentic” Irish/Gaelic music long
before it became “chic.” The
energy and gift of sharing so notable in their concerts comes through with
gusto in their recordings. The selected CD WATER FROM THE WELL features The
May Morning Dew that illustrates the long-standing effects of oppression
with a nostalgic simplicity.
TOP PICKS:
TEARS OF STONE (highly recommended) features such
formidable female vocalists as Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Merchant; Joni Mitchell;
Sinéad O’Connor; Loreena McKennitt; Akiko Yano and others.
ETTA JAMES is the reigning Queen of Jazz & Blues, a terrific
talent with a cornucopia of soul. The featured recording LET’S ROLL highlights
the artist at top form. James delivers hard rocking message of motherly advice
in Somebody to Love and Trust Yourself; a full throttle rendition
of The Blues is My Business (And Business is Good); a humorous
duet describing the male/female romantic relationship in Stacked Deck; and a
slow blues ache of a relationship at the end of the road Please, No More.
TOP PICKS:
All of the singer’s extensive work, a hallmark of
jazz & blues tradition.
DONOVON
emerged
from the folk scene with Sunshine Superman, one of his best recordings. His
music can be divided in two basic modes: the simplicity of valued human
relationships & a new interpretation of mythic themes. The selected CD
TROUPADOUR is the definitive collection of his early to more current work.
SUNSHINE SUPERMAN includes such classic Donovan as Legend of a Girl Child
Linda, Mellow Yellow, and Season of the Witch.
CHANTS OF INDIA is
one of several traditionalist Indian recordings produced by George Harrison and
featuring sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. This featured CD is also features a male
and female duet and together they vocalize all the mystery and spiritual
connection associated with the Hindu faith.
Highly recommended.
TOP PICKS: BRIDGES/The
Best of Ravi Shankar; VISION OF PEACE/The Art of Ravi Shankar; ANOUSHKA
SHANKAR/Live At Carnegie Hall.
BESSIE SMITH is undoubtedly the Great
Godmother of Blues and was a legend in her own time. Her influence was seen in
many singers who followed, including Janis Joplin her often referred to Bessie
as being her primary inspiration. Supposedly Bessie was the inspiration for the
character “Shug Avery” in one of America’s most important films, The Color
Purple. Bessie Smith’s original recordings were produced on so-called “Race
Records,” marketed for the segregated African-American community (they were
considered too sexual for the likes of lily white listeners.) Bessie made a few
early rather regrettable “videos” of her songs; her attempts at a breakthrough
into movies were equally unfortunate. She had no dramatic training and the
studios only saw her cast as the perennial docile or happy-go-lucky black
maid—and Bessie wasn’t having any of that.
The selected anthology is arguably the
best of the many on the market and is expertly remastered. It features ‘Taint
Nobody’s Bizness If I do; St. Louis Blues; and the
politically incorrect Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair.
NATALIE MERCHANT’s OPHELIA is one of the
most lyrically cohesive CD’s in popular music today. It features guest
vocalists and an incomparable instrumental accompaniment. OPHELIA spans the
gamut of joyous celebration to the depths of alienation and depression. The
title track tells of a woman who seeks validation in external realities, from
politics to romance—only to be left wandering alone in the corridors of her
mind. My Skin describes human sensitivity that has been denied beyond
the point of endurance. This theme is emphasized in Effigy in which the
persona is equated to social self-immolation. Tibetan born Akiko Yano whose
cameo sends shivers up the charkas.
TOP PICKS: TIGER LILY.
PATTI SMITH is a
forerunner of the punk movement before it had entered pop culture. She has
always been uncompromising in her often-devastating attack on the false values
of commercialist society. LAND is
the result of a 30-year career that has excited & delighted the turned-on
& the open minded—and outraged the bourgeoisie. It was not uncommon for
family-value, morality police to call in the cops to prevent her performing in
their narrow-minded little towns. LAND is a double disk CD containing not only
the singer’s most popular hits, but there are also outtakes from such hits as Redondo
Beach and a live version of 25th Floor. Patti sometimes
seems to effectively channel a male persona, and her howl in Boy Cried
Wolf—that could be corny—is chilling. LAND also features a beautiful rendition When
Doves Cry penned by Prince.
TOP PICKS: HORSES; EASTER.
CAJUN MUSIC: The Essential Collection is a
wonderful sample for listeners familiar with Cajun and those are new to it. As
a point of clarification, Cajun refers to Louisiana descendants of Spanish
immigrants via Nova Scotia or Arcadia. Creole, on the other hand, refers to
Spanish descendants via the West Indies. There is cultural overlapping
including the use of patois, or Americanized French. The selected CD has both
English and French songs featuring various artists. Early influences on Country
Western can easily be heard in Cajun music.
TOP PICKS: EVAGELINE
MADE: A Tribute to Cajun Music. This is a
fabulous CD featuring such artists as Richard Thomspon; Nancy Griffin; Linda
Ronstadt and John Fogerty
CHEAP THRILLS with JANIS JOPLIN is arguably the best Janis Joplin recording & a must
for any CD library. This is the legendary singer at the top of that vocal force
that wowed a generation. She was one of the few female rock singers who became
a superstar in her own right. Unfortunately her tremendous ego and equally
tremendous insecurity ultimately proved her down fall. Still she will never be
forgotten.
TOP PICKS: I GOT THEM OL’
COSMIC BLUES AGAIN, MAMA; PEARL.
LIEGE & LIEF by Fairport Convention featuring vocalist
Sandy Dennis. This
CD is one of the very first folk rock records produced performed in the
“purist” tradition and drawing directly from English-Irish-Scot lineage. On it
is a rousing rendition of the adulterous Mattie Grove; an atmospheric
version of the vampire Reynardine; as well as Tam Lin, replete
with ancient & alchemical lyrics. Highly recommended for the folk/ethnic
music connoisseur.
PENTANGLE (Sweet Child): “Although an older recording, the music, the performances, and the
songs are as fresh and inviting as beholding an overnight snow on a sunny
Sunday morning. Not to suggest that this offering is anything but warm and
glowing. Its the sort of music you can put on for an hour or more of inspiration
and amazement--it will fill your heart and your essence. McShee is in fine
voice and the instrumental work mesmerizing (not to single out one, but the
bass playing has to be heard to be believed). And the arrangements are
compelling and inventive. It was recorded live and alternative studio
recordings are also included. As a bonus, it presents truly informative liner
notes!”
TOP PICKS: BASKET OF LIGHT (highly recommended, includes The
Hunting Song, a mini-epoch adventure based on Arthurian legend.) Also
features two versions of Sally-Go-Round-the Roses and Fire, Sleet and
Candlelight.
Product
Description:
A Comprehensive
Single disc collection from Rocks Sardonic King. It rounds up the 22 most
popular tracks from albums released by Asylum, Virgin, Giant/Reprise and
Artemis from 1976-2002. Features such Zevon classics as 'Werewolves Of London,'
'Excitable Boy,' 'Lawyers, Guns and Money,' 'Poor Poor Pitiful Me,' 'I Was In
The House When The House Burned Down' and more. Elektra/Rhino. 2002.
TOP PICKS: THE WIND (highly recommended, featuring
Zevon’s poignant version of Knockin’ On
Heaven’s Door and Keep Me In
Your Heart).
I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN’T GOT Sinead O’Connor
Before
Sinead O'Connor became conservative America's most reviled musician when she
ripped up a picture of the Pope on TV and refused to perform live at a New
Jersey venue following "The Star Spangled Banner," she vocally supported
the IRA at home in Ireland and generally roused the rabble. Indeed, she's one
female pop star who's truly earned her army boots. Though her once meteoric
musical career has suffered due to her outspokenness, the powerful voice and
presence found on her second album is beyond reproach. Best known as the source
of O'Connor's breakthrough cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U," this
is a moving, intensely passionate work full of dark beauty and longing,
constructed with a fierce independence and a taste for the unique. This
undeniably pop album (albeit with modern-rock and folk elements) has more than
held up through the years. --Lorry Fleming
BOTH
SIDES NOW/Joni Mitchell
This
is a beautiful album of jazz standards by Joni, The whole feel of the album
works perfectly with her newly smokey vocals. Ever since "Hejira"
Joni has constantly been influenced by jazz, naming Duke Ellington & Miles
Davis as inspirations & Most deeply exploring jazz on "Don Juan's
Reckless Daughter" & "Mingus." So it was natural when this
album came about. The dramatic & dreamy atmospheres are chill- inducing,
the strings of the orchestras rising & falling like spires beautifully. She
even includes two orchestral reworkings of her own songs "A Case Of
You" & "Both Sides Now" which are simply delightful. &
the exquisite album art adds to the wonder. Highly recommended.
TOP
PICKS: DOG EAT DOG;
BLUE; CLOUDS; LADIES OF THE CANYON; COURT AND SPARK.
SUNFIGHTER/Paul
Katner, Grace Slick
With
all the celebrated rock albums from the classic sixties and early seventies,
how was this wonderous masterpiece overlooked? Great Beatles and Moody Blues
were given praise but this awesome set was somehow overlooked and should not
have been! Opening with the abstract classic "Silver Spoon", it is
clear that this is at least equal to the previous works mentioned!! The
ultimate in classic rock driving rhythmic masterpieces, this is an great one
that is easy to get totally lost in and have a great time! A musical journey
that flows from one wonderous experience to another, experience the ride on the
"Titanic" then on to an excursion through the forest and experience
artists at the peak of there musical powers! If you love unique rock classics
do not miss this one~Thank you Paul & Grace!!!
TOP
PICKS: SURREALISTIC
PILLOW; DRAGON FLY; CROWN OF CREATION; THE ESSENTIAL JEFFERSON AIRPLANE.
Janis
Ian was a revelation in the 60’s folk scene as something of a prodigy with
SOCIETY’S CHILD that became an overnight cult classic. BETWEEN THE LINES was
another revelation in the 70’s when the rush of youth turned to a slower,
sadder pace. However the lyrics also became more mature, the music deeper with
a more expansive resonance. No self-respecting CD library is complete without
the inclusion of Janis Ian.
TOP PICKS: SOCIETY’S CHILD (difficult to find in CD format, but
worth the effort & price); STARS.
"Solid
Ground" is solid all the way through
Reviewer: A music fan
I first heard Dolores Keane's outstanding song "Storm in My Heart" on
a Celtic CD collection, so I decided to give "Solid Ground" a try. I
am happy that I did: this album is wonderfully listenable, and Keane sings with
a voice that is both moving and enchanting. She does a fine version of Steve
Winwood's "The Finer Things." Like all the songs on the CD, it's sung
with the warmth and heart that is the hallmark of excellent Celtic music.
HENRY VIII AND HIS SIX WIVES/David Munrow
This
is the original soundtrack for the miniseries Elizabeth starring Glenda
Jackson. It’s difficult to say which was better, the film or the fantastic
soundtrack (music arranged and conducted by the late, great David Munrow. This
CD contains added tracks. If you
like Elizabethan/Tudor music, this CD is just right for you.
TOP PICKS: EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL/David Munrow; 16th
CENTURY ITALIAN & FRENCH DANCE MUSIC/David Munrow.
L’ORFEO/Monteverdi/John
Eliot Gardiner
Product
Description
Amazon.com
essential recording
History's first great opera--the story of Orpheus descending to Hades to
retrieve his bride Eurydice from the dead, only to lose her again--gets a fine
performance (the best overall version currently available) from John Eliot
Gardiner and his musicians. Anthony Rolfe Johnson performs the title role with
all the beautiful sound you'd expect from an Orfeo; he negotiates virtuoso
passages flawlessly and sings passionately without overwhelming Monteverdi's
music with too much voice. Julianne Baird as Eurydice and Anne Sofie Von Otter
in a gripping appearance as the Messenger are the standouts in a cast without a
weak link. Everyone involved, including the chorus and orchestra, performs with
such energy, beauty, and precision that even long stretches of recitative never
pall.
--Matthew Westphal
TOP PICKS: MADAMA BUTTERFLY/Puccini/Herbert Von Karajan.
2-CD set
Alex North is
one of the truly great Hollywood composers and his score for the Elizabeth
Taylor/Richard Burton production is a cinematic masterpiece—it also reveals a
lot about the flaws in the original film production. North wrote his score for
what was supposed to be a 2-part, 8-hour rendition of the story of Cleopatra.
The producers didn’t think audiences would go for that, so the original concept
was scaled down to a single film when originally released. Taylor denounced the
film, claiming that the most pivotal scenes were scrapped leaving the plotline
simply to focus on Cleopatra, the last of the great pharaohs of Egypt, as being
little more than a sexpot. Richard Burton, always something of a ham actor, was
so overdone this time you could stick a fork in him—and still managed to turn
in a lackluster, weak portrayal of the volatile Marc Antony. Nonetheless, the
costumes and scenery were splendid—as was Alex North’s composition, an
innovative musical statement that the film woefully failed to project. North
contrasts the subtle, mystical, Asiatic use of cymbals, sistrums (an instrument
dedicated to the Egyptian goddesses Hathor and Isis) and flutes--with the loud,
barbaric brash sounds of Rome’s warlike drums and horns. Perhaps North’s most
notable theme is Cleopatra’s Barge that testifies to the power of a
queen who, perhaps not physically as beautiful as we have been led to believe,
was more intelligent than most the men who surrounded her, and remained deeply
connected to the history of Ancient Egypt—and who firmly believed herself to be
the embodiment of its most beloved deity Isis. – Jason Farrow
TOP PICKS: WHO’S AFRAID
OF VIRGINIA?; THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA;
Joan
Osborne is one of those artists who asks the question 'Who is God?' and points
at you and me with the answer in "One Of Us" which is track no. 6 on
her second album, titled "Relish". While this track is probably the
most widely known, every single track on this album is a masterpiece. (The same
goes for her third album, "Righteous Love" which I personally like -
what 'like'... _adore_ - even more! Both are absolutely worth having in your
CD-collection. Joan's music is emotional, her voice is strong, sexy and
beautiful, the lyrics depicts intelligence and after having listened to her
songs, you sure have received something valuable. A quote from Joan Osborne:
"I haven't really thought about trying to do something that's current or
hip right now. There's an Oscar Wilde quote: 'Beware of being too fashionable,
or you'll soon be unfashionable'. I try to dig at the roots of the things that
I'm drawn to, because those things, to me, are timeless. And if I take my
inspiration from that, there's a greater chance the music I make will also be
timeless."
DREAMCATCHER/Secret
Garden
"Dreamcatcher"
is a "best of" compilation of eighteen tracks from Secret Garden's
first three albums plus one new "bonus" track recorded for an
upcoming feature film in Korea. If Secret Garden is new to you, this is a great
introduction to this exciting duo. Longtime fans will be delighted to find
their favorites on one CD. "Dreamcatcher" truly indicates the range
and versatility of Fionnuala Sherry and Rolf Lovland as composers as well as
musicians. Drawing on influences from Celtic, Norwegian folk, new age, and classical
music, Secret Garden's pieces tend to be on the melancholy, bittersweet side,
but the rousing anthem "Dawn of a New Century" proves that this group
has no limitations or boundaries. From breathy, ethereal vocals to various
instrumental ensembles big and small to full-blown symphonic pieces, this CD
will both soothe and excite, and will take the listener on a satisfying musical
journey. Highly recommended!
TOP
PICKS: EARTH SONGS; SONGS
FROM A SECRET GARDEN; ONCE IN A RED MOON; WHITE STONES.
COLLECTIVE SOUL: SEVEN YEAR ITCH (Greatest
Hits 1994-2001)
This
is a very good best of compilation because the sound quality is excellent, the
track selections are great and the way that they are arranged makes for very
cohesive and flowing listening as if this was a normal album and not the
collection of hits that it is. Collective Soul may not have received the due
recognition it deserves as a great band of musicians and songwriters in this
current climate of rap and pop drivel but something tells me they will be back
when the next wave comes around. Very good representation of what CS was all
about and you can't go wrong if you are looking to discover them with this
disc. Highly recommended. –Frederick Baptist
Although from the beginning Moby could be classified as muszak
for the 90’s (I actually heard his music played in elevators on a number of
occasions & it provided the background for a number of tv commercials),
this CD is different. It is more personal, more heartfelt, and more enjoyable.
In the jacket notes the artist states that he “played around with Marxism” but
then returned to Christian, gospel roots. Certainly he seems almost militantly
a-political at this stage. The CD as a whole seems to represent a lyrical
minimalist synthesis of different styles on each track. And it somehow works in
its depth of simplicity on one hand, and sometimes an expression of great
sorrow and loss on the other. The gospel singers are great, but it is blues
gospel—and this is what makes these particular songs so good. Give it a chance
–Jason
Farrow.
METALLICA/METALLICA (The Black Album)
Here
we have Metallica's breakthrough album, the Black album. This is what put
Metallica into the mainstream, and it is indeed a masterpeice. Every song on
this on is a classic. The talent is all there. The production is crystal clear.
Everything about this album is epic. A lot of people complain that this is all
a little too mainstream, but I disagree. I believe the boys to be in top
performance, just because it's a little more accessible, doesn't mean that the
talent is gone. Kirk plays some of his greatest solos on this album. I believe
that everyone is in top form. Jason Newsted also gets a chance to prove himself
on this one. As a bassist, I believe his basslines on the slower songs to
showcase his talent the most. He packs a lot of emotion, especially in Nothing
Else Matters. Overall, this is just a fun and enjoyable cd with talented
musicians and songwriting. Highly recommended! –Rebecca Lyle
TOP
PICKS: MASTER
OF PUPPETS/Metallica
PALESTRINA:
Lamentations - Pro Cantione Antiqua - Bruno Turner
Giovanni
Pierluigi de Palestrina is sometimes called the greatest composer of the Roman
Catholic church. Born in 1525 near Rome, he spent the better part of his career
in service to the church as a choir member, choir master, conductor, composer
and school master. He was sought after by many churches, and sometimes his
popularity and skill got him into trouble both with his clerical patrons and
with fellow musicians. He was offered prestigious positions in Rome and Vienna
which were ultimately withdrawn because Palestrina's salary and conditions
requirements were too high. He had some influence on the Council of Trent's
musical decisions for reform of the Catholic worship practices, and was
involved intimately with revising the Gradual and produced a harmonised version
of the Latin Hymnal in 1589. He died in 1594. –Kurt Messick
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Updated 12/06