Protection [CD-single] [Import]

protection [cd-single] [import]

Track Listings

1. Protection (Album Version)

2. Protection (Acoustic Version)

3. Cigarette After (Album Version)

4. Come On

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The First Single from the Longtime, Long Loved German Rockers from their 2004 Album "Nimby" Includes a Special Acoustic Version of the Title Track and the NON-LP B-side "Come On".

Protection,Fury in the Slaughterhouse,Spv,Rock

Protection [CD-single] [Import]

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs

Average customer rating:

Playful and rich
Such smart music it makes feel lesser.
intricate and satisfying
Delights at every turn
Fantastic

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Andrew Bird
Manufacturer: Righteous Babe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Weather Systems
Armchair Apocrypha
The Swimming Hour
Oh! The Grandeur
Thrills

ASIN: B00070Q7VY
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

untitled
Sovay
A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
Fake Palindromes
Measuring Cups
Banking on a Myth
Masterfade
Opposite Day
Skin Is, My
The Naming of Things
MX Missiles
untitled
Tables and Chairs
The Happy Birthday Song

Amazon.com

His beginnings as a violinist long behind him, Chicago-born Andrew Bird has been sculpting ever more complex and convincing musical worlds since his first album in 1997. On his fifth release, Bird offers up no answers to the mysteries in the world around us, but does take on the thornier elements with poetic verve. The instrumentation is bracingly inventive, but never for mere shenanigans or showmanship. The songs are each a perfectly formed vignette. And he's a world class whistler; not the loud summoning blast, but the supple and nuanced vibrato-laced melodicism of a master. There is no shortage of utterly riveting songs here. They work their magic on their own believable terms, without a hint of cloying nostalgia or riff-fueled seduction. - David Greenberger

Album Description

Andrew Bird is a previously unimaginable combination of songwriter, violinist, guitarist, vocalist and whistler. His unfailingly unique and striking music has been dumbfounding us for years. Bird's first studio album in nearly two years, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, is his second on Righteous Babe Records. The album follows Weather Systems, his critically-acclaimed mini-LP, released in spring 2003.

The recording sessions for Mysterious Production saw Bird scrap the album three times and travel between studios in Chicago, Los Angeles and his own home studio on a farm in Northern Illinois. The album took final shape with the production help of David Boucher, whose credits include Paul Westerberg, Lisa Loeb, and Randy Newman. Bird plays most of the instruments on Mysterious Production, and is joined by a handful of special guests complimenting his already lush sonic palette. The results are magnificent, a powerhouse of a record dealing with nothing less than the mysteries of childhood, creativity and modern science - epic in scope and minute in detail.

Equally impressive is Bird's solo live show at which, with the aid of a sampling pedal, the songwriter takes his often dense, orchestrated recordings and rewrites them anew each night, adding hypnotic layers of instruments to his vocals and other-worldly whistling - you have to see it to believe it.

Customer Reviews:

Playful and rich.......2007-01-16

This album really comes alive with repeat listens. Look up "Sovay" and you'll find that it refers to "traditional English folk song about a young woman who dresses as a highwayman in order to test her lover" (Wikipedia). Re-listening to the song in that context gives it another layer, but the richness and layers aren't needed to appreciate the gentle vocals, lilting whistling and healthy doses of violin. Track 3 ("A Nervous Tic...") is catchy enough that you'll find yourself whistling along. The rhymes (six rhymes in three lines, all matching "swapping your blood with formaldehyde" in "Fake Palindromes") and metaphor ("so we're taking all our myths to the bank") will keep bringing you back if the lush instrumentation doesn't.

Like this album? Try listening to the Kings of Convenience--they're mellower but worthwhile.

Such smart music it makes feel lesser........2006-12-02

This album holds such diverse music! It varies from the upbeat sound of "Fake Palindromes" to the slower sound of "Master Fade". I randomly ran across this album at Best Buy and bought it based on the album art. It looked interesting enough and I was right. This album has been very good to me over the years.

intricate and satisfying.......2006-11-04

This is an album worth listening to just for the beautiful carefully-orchestrated melodies, and also an album worth just reading for its poetry.

The instrumentation is delicate, layered, modest and surprising. Whistling solos suddenly soar out from the vibes/violin/keyboard/guitar harmonies. Bird playfully juxtaposes folk, orchestrated pop, 60s beat poetry, gypsy rock, jazz.

The lyrics are unexpectedly clever, yet sung gently and offhandedly. Bird's themes tend to be a bit apocalyptic. He gently and gracefully describes how we'll be blown back the 70s (by "the whole board of trustees, all those Don Quixotes") in Sovay, how we destroy ourselves with self-conscious neuroses in Measuring Cups, and what the end of the world will be like in Opposite Day. In Fake Palindromes he gravitates to more of a stream-of-consciousness style, which is brilliantly continued in the interlude at the end of Opposite Day. He throws in a tidbit of gospel in the ending of Masterfade when he sings "when you're lying on the ground / staring up at that inverted compass / I mean Christ who Knows?"

Andrew Bird brings together disparate strands of inspiration from unlikely sources across genres, and the result is uniquely moving. How he is able to so gracefully pull this off is a mystery. One thing we do know though, is that at the end of the world, there will be snacks.

Delights at every turn.......2006-10-08

It's such a pleasure listening to an album unfold, and to an artist gracefully inventing his own idiom. These songs have an unassuming beauty that makes most pop music (including that of artists I genuinely like) seem cliched or overbearing. The musical variety here does not undo the coherence of Bird's sound. A stunning CD. I will make a point to hear him live.

Fantastic .......2006-08-24

My favourite of 2005. Every song is musically complex, layered and interesting - yet so easy on the first listen. The lyrics also appear to be quite simple and whimsical but are actually dense and impenetrable - difficult to fathom without concerted mental effort and a spoonful of intuition. Then you might begin to get some kind of clarity, something may take shape, though still elusive and curious, a puzzle that might not actually have been intended for resolution - perhaps in order to avoid certain classification and inevitable sorting into an appropriately sized shoe-box where it can be neatly stamped "case closed" and pigeon-holed, ah! problem solved!.

Average customer rating:

Ray Lynch - Deep Breakfast
Get it and enjoy it before it goes out of print.
Great CD
Brings me back
inspirational

Deep Breakfast
Ray Lynch
Manufacturer: Ray Lynch Production
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

No Blue Thing
The Sky Of Mind
Nothing Above My Shoulders But The Evening
Best Of Ray Lynch, Vol. 1
Cristofori's Dream (Bonus Tracks)

ASIN: B00005PJ9P
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Tracks:

Celestial Soda Pop
The Oh Of Pleasure
Falling In The Garden
Your Feeling Shoulders
Rhythm In The Pews
Kathleen's Song
Pastorale
Tiny Geometries

Customer Reviews:

Ray Lynch - Deep Breakfast.......2007-07-06

This is a very upbeat sound. My grandson, age 5, requests the Celestial Soda Pop piece, Number 1. I had this album before in a cassette form. It was lost. I heard the song at Disney World this May. We were in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground at the MGM Park. My son-in-law identified the piece. I knew then that I wanted the album again.

Get it and enjoy it before it goes out of print. .......2007-06-16

I know I'm jumping in late in the discussion, but: "Deep Breakfast" (not to be confused with "Naked Lunch"), Tomita's "Snowflakes Are Dancing," and Wendy Carlos' "Switched on Bach" are the three best "electronic music" recordings EVER. What distinguishes "Deep Breakfast" from the others (as amazing as they are) is that the pieces on this CD are all Ray Lynch's own compositions. At once delicate, whimsical, thoughtful and thoroughly ORIGINAL, this is a virtuoso outing, hands down. Any serious collector of late 20th century non-jazz instrumental music isn't serious, in my opinion, unless he or she has "Deep Breakfast" in the collection.

I've listened to this CD countless times since I first discovered it in the local library in 1990, and it never fails to amaze, soothe and delight me with each listening. It's helped my children fall asleep when they were younger, bring smiles and peace in the car on trips, and a spring to the step while cooking dinner or, even, breakfast. (It's not what you'd play for a romantic candle light dinner, but with eggs Benedict and mimosas - DEFINITELY.) "Celestial Soda Pop" is an absolute classic; I could listen forever to "Falling in the Garden"; and I can't help but chuckle when I hear "Rhythm in the Pews." Ray hit a home run with this one, and gets my vote for the composers' Hall of Fame on this "swing" alone.

Great CD.......2007-06-15

I first heard this in the 90's - my high school science tearcher used to play it when we would have test or exams. This is wonderful music to really give you that relaxed feeling. I have now put it on my ipod and listen to it more then I do the rest of my songs. Great Artist.

Brings me back.......2007-04-23

When I came across this title on Amazon, I listened to a sample of "Celestial Soda Pop" and it brought a tear to my eye (yeah, I'm a sentimental fool). I first heard this album when I was 16 and hearing it again after so many years have passed has reminded me of a simpler time in my life. I have been an amature artist ever since I was old enough to pick up a paintbrush and this album was constantly playing whenever I sketched or painted. The music, although completely electronic, is calming to the soul and soothes the heart. Whether you are a "new age" music fan or not, this album will make you feel wonderful.

inspirational.......2007-02-12

This album I think is the best of his albums. In college, as a student of architecture, I would listen to this album over and over as I was creating designs or needed some inspiration. Celestial soda pop is my favorite. I even brought it into the delivery room to use as relaxation. I have recommended this album to everyone I know. You will find yourself humming the tune or tapping your pencil. I now play it in the car when stuck in DC traffic. I now don't mind being stuck in gridlock!

Average customer rating:

Toe-tappin'
Probably My Favorite
Another Ray Lynch classic. Excellent!
No Blue Thing
Love it

No Blue Thing
Ray Lynch
Manufacturer: Ray Lynch Production
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Deep Breakfast
The Sky Of Mind
Nothing Above My Shoulders But The Evening
River of Stars
Across an Ocean of Dreams

ASIN: B00005PJ9Q
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Tracks:

No Blue Thing
Clouds Below Your Knees
Here & Never Found
Drifted In A Deeper Land
Homeward At Last
Evenings, Yes
The True Spirit Of Mom & Dad

Customer Reviews:

Toe-tappin'.......2007-01-09

My daughter, Kim turned me on to Ray Lynch and his unique music in the late eighties. 'No Blue Thing' was the first of his albums I bought, and remains one of my favorites today. The title song never fails to set my toes a-tappin' to its happy, lilting beat, and that is merely the beginning. 'Homeward At Last' continues the free spirited tempo as 'Blue', while 'Here and Never Found' is almost symphonic in its mood. As with many of Mr. Lynch's compositions, those on this album are creatively crafted, ever changing and at times, unexpected. The listener is held in a state of anticipation, never sure what lies around the next corner but always pleasantly surprised. The album concludes with 'The True Spirit of Mom and Dad', a satisfying blend of quiet grandeur and playfully echoing strains all pulled together in a pleasing climax. Give your ears and soul a treat-buy this album.

Probably My Favorite.......2005-12-16

No Blue Thing is probably my favorite Ray Lynch recording. I have several of his recordings and owned them for a number of years. I first heard Ray Lynch many years ago on an public radio station. Celestial Popcorn received some air time and the two occurrences were enough to attract a buy from me.

My kids went to sleep to his music for years. Now I do.

These are open, airy tunes that play well several times. Lynch's music makes for good background music when I'm working or trying to focus on other things. It doesn't impose itself on my psyche, but is there with its calming sound and interesting point and counterpoint.

Another Ray Lynch classic. Excellent!.......2005-06-16

With Deep Breakfast having already become one of my favorite albums of all time, I was excited to see the release of No Blue Thing, purchasing the CD the very day it was released. I was apprehensive, wondering how Lynch could possibly create anything comparable to his previous masterpiece. When the title track began playing, I was more than impressed, feeling as if I had been reunited with an old friend. This artist conveys many moods in his music, from carefree joy and playfulness to a deep, contemplative reverence toward life. He again captures a wide scope of human emotions on NBT, something he seems gifted at. Ray Lynch music is unique, plain and simple. You won't find it sounding like anything else though if you enjoy Jarre, Oldfield or Tangerine Dream, you'll be pleased. I particularly like Lynch's clever and melodic use of electronic sequences and NBT surprised me with beautiful and more complex rhythms in this regard. If you enjoy clean, crisp sound and a soundstage extending beyond your speakers, this CD will delight you too, not to mention solid deep bass notes that at higher volumes might challenge even the best loudspeakers. Like Deep Breakfast, sound quality is impeccable, if not more dynamic and translucent. I found myself getting lost in this new and wonderful collection of songs, forgetting all else as the Mr. Lynch takes me on another soothing and relaxing musical journey. The tunes are playful (Homeward At Last & No Blue Thing), spiritual, (Drifted In A Deeper Land,) and often inspiring and uplifting, (The True Spirit Of Mom & Dad.) He once again proves he is a master craftsman at integrating traditional and electronic instruments, however the music on NBT is more polished and confident, suggesting that he continues to mature as a composer and musician. NBT is a splendid follow-up to Deep Breakfast, and will delight nearly all music lovers. Listen to the samples and order this CD - you won't be disappointed! HH

No Blue Thing.......2005-03-31

I purchased my first copy of "No Blue Thing" on a recommendation of a friend in 1996. The second time in 1998 and the third in 2002. "Evenings, Yes" is one of my all time favorite pieces of music. That song touched my soul the first time I heard it in a manner that it had not been reached before. By following the interwoven melody lines through the sea of emotion I heard the emotion and feeling pouring out onto my ears.

Love it.......2004-05-23

I have to admit the music is much the same as the first CD but I still love it and I am so glad I bought it.

Average customer rating:

my daughter loves this!
Not better than The Beatles
The Best Kids Music CD!
A gateway to the Beatles
Great Stuff!

Beatles Hits For Kids
Bingo Kids
Manufacturer: Bingo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

All You Need Is Love: Beatles Songs for Kids
The Bingo Kids Sing Beatles Hits For Kids Volume 2
A Child's Celebration of Rock 'n' Roll
A Child's Celebration of Dance Music
The Bingo Kids Sing Motown Hits For Kids

ASIN: B0002W6DHU
Release Date: 2004-08-01

Tracks:

She Loves You
Twist And Shout
All You Need Is Love
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Love Me Do
Penny Lane
Your Mother Should Know
Eight Days A Week
Yellow Submarine
Octopus's Garden
I Want To Hold You Hand
When I'm Sixty-Four
Hello Goodbye
Here Comes The Sun
Golden Slumbers

Album Description

Beatles Hits For Kids: Children's Music. Authentic Re-creations of Beatles songs with great vocals sung by kids. Highest quality production. A collection of 15 all new recordings for kids. Beatles hits picked for kids and sung by kids. Produced with the highest musical standards, this collection is perfect for introducing your children to the magic of The Beatles. Don't feed your kids junk music. Raise them on the classics! Packaged in "kid-resistant" digipak. No plastic jewel case to break and pick up!

Customer Reviews:

my daughter loves this!.......2006-07-19

My 7 year old daughter loves this CD! So do all her friends. She listens all the time and it is our favorite sing along for the car. Of course, as an adult I like the real Beatles the best...but I was pleasantly surprised at how good these kids versions are. I don't understand all the "how dare they do this with the Beatles" stuff that some people blabber about. For me it works...my daughter loves it and now seems more interested in my other Beatles CDs, AND I much prefer hearing this over and over again versus some of the other kids music we have.

Not better than The Beatles.......2006-07-14

The songs are supposedly sung by kids, but some of them are sung so similarly to the originals that it's hard to tell. Not that it's BAD that the songs are similar, it's just that, well, it's just not an improvement to the real Beatles, so why not just get a CD of the Beatles. I also bought Beatles 1 at the same time, and my 2 yr old loves listening to it. Get that instead.

The Best Kids Music CD!.......2005-10-13

This is the best kids music CD we own. All three of my kids (ages 1 through 7) love listening to it. The best part of it is that I enjoy it too. Of course I have all the original Beatles records, but this CD does such a great job of introducing the kids to this music that it's fun for me and my husband too. Like another reviewer said, my kids weren't interested in the real Beatles recordings before. But after listening to this for a while, they are starting to enjoy both - The Bingo version and the originals. What a great idea. What a great album. I wish they would do the same with other groups. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

A gateway to the Beatles.......2005-09-11

This cd is a good introduction to the Beatles. While the original recordings of these songs are my preference, that wasn't the case with my two year old. She didn't take to the originals. So these versions provided the necessary gateway to the originals. The songs are recreated very faithfully, but with children singing most of the chorus'. This was what was needed to create the interest for my child. After a few weeks of listening a seamless transition to the "#1's" was accomplished.

Great Stuff!.......2005-04-22

I love this album. My kids love to listen to both the original Beatles and these versions. They especially love to listen to other kids singing! These versions seem to be made with the highest quality in mind and with respect for the orignal versions. After we got this album my children were dancing around and singing along. They request it over and over and the nice part is that it is also great for my wife and I to listen to (more so than other kids albums like The Wiggles). I highly recommend this album.

Lorie Line - Music from the Heart: Greatest Cover Hits

Average customer rating:

Peaceful Piano
Lorie has extraordinary talent
A VERY HEART TO FIND CD
Really great easy listening music!

Lorie Line - Music from the Heart: Greatest Cover Hits
Lorie Line
Manufacturer: Time Line Production
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Threads of Love
Open House
Now and Then
Show Stoppers
Simply Grand

ASIN: B000003HBF
Release Date: 1997-05-13

Tracks:

Music Of The Night (Phantom Of The Opera)
Part Of Your World (The Little Mermaid)
Unchained Melody (Ghost)
I'd Give My Life For You (Miss Saigon)
Hymne (Vangelis)
Theme From Prince Of Tides
Theme From Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves
Medley From Dances With Wolves
Think Of Me (Phantom Of The Opera)
Wind Beneath My Wings (Beaches)
A Whole New World (Aladdin)
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
Theme From Beauty & The Beast
Tears In Heaven
Love Is-Theme From Beverly Hills 90210
When I Fall In Love
Can You Feel The Love Tonight (The Lion King)

Customer Reviews:

Peaceful Piano.......2002-03-24

I had never heard of Lorie Line until I came across this cd while looking for another piano cd. I bought them both. I highly recommend to those who appreciate popular songs set to a peaceful piano.

Lorie has extraordinary talent.......2001-06-21

Lorie Line shows her talent for putting her personal style into other people's music on this album. I purchased this album when it came out and I haven't quit listening to it. It is the perfect thing to listen to while studying, driving, or just relaxing. The arrangements of these popular songs are wonderful. I love the style she puts into her music. I would recommend this album to anyone wanting a relaxing, beautiful CD to add to their collection.

A VERY HEART TO FIND CD.......2000-05-19

If you want to relax, listen to this cd and you will hear and feel the magic of the beautiful style and arrangement of Ms.Lorie Line. My next assignment is to buy her Simply Grand CD in solo piano. Ms. Line's style is very good especially in playing solo piano.

Really great easy listening music!.......1998-05-11

For those who like easy listening piano music. This is a fantastic CD. This CD contains some great selections. Good for calming after a hard day.

Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production)

Average customer rating:

Isa Lei
Weak attempt at opera realism
Challenging in many dimensions
The Opera is Fabulous.
It Could Have Been More

Dead Man Walking (Live recording of 2000 world premiere production)
Jake Heggie , Susan Graham , Frederica von Stade , Patrick Summers , and San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Faces of Love ~ The Songs of Jake Heggie / Fleming, McNair, Larmore, von Stade, Forand, Cao, Clayton, Vaness, Asawa
Little Women: An Opera in Two Acts
Cold Sassy Tree
Bolcom - A View from the Bridge / Josephson, Malfitano, Turay, Lyric Opera of Chicago, D. Russell Davies
Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn

ASIN: B000059ZHR
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Prelude - Patrick Summers
Prologue - Patrick Summers
Act One, Scene 1. Hope House: 'He Will Gather Us Around'
Act One, Scene 2. The Drive To Angola State Prison: 'Be Careful,' People Have Always Told Me.
Act One, Scene 2. The Drive To Angola State Prison: Aria: This Journey. This Journey To Christ.
Act One, Scene 3. Outside Of Angola State Penitentiary: Sister Helen? I've Been Waiting For You.
Act One, Scene 4. Father Grenville's Office: Some Of Them Didn't Look So Bad.
Act One, Scene 4. Father Grenville's Office: I Don't Like That Man.
Act One, Scene 5. The Walk Through Death Row: Woman On The Tier!
Act One, Scene 6. The Death Row Visiting Room: Thank You.
Act One, Scene 6. The Death Row Visiting Room: Aria: A Warm Night.
Act One, Scene 7. The Pardon Board Meeting: The Defendant's Mother, Mrs. Patrick De Rocher. - Frederica Von Stade
Act One, Scene 8. The Parking Lot Outside The Courthouse: Its A Good Sign When They Take So Long.
Act One, Scene 8. The Parking Lot Outside The Courthouse: You Don't Know What It's Like To Bear A Child.
Act One, Scene 8. The Parking Lot Outside The Courthouse: It's The Decision Of This Pardon Board
Act One, Scene 9. The Death Row Visiting Room/Scene 10. The Waiting Room: Guess Your Nun Ain't Comin' Back, De Rocher./Excuse Me. Do You Have Any Change?
Act One, Scene 10. The Waiting Room: 'He Will Gather Us Around'

Tracks:

Prelude - Patrick Summers
Act Two, Scene 1. Joseph's Cell: 31...32...33... - John Packard
Act Two, Scene 2. Sister Helen's Bedroom: Oh!... Now And At The Hour Of Our Death. Amen.
Act Two, Scene 2. Sister Helen's Bedroom: Duet/Scene 3, Joseph's Cell. August 4 In The Evening: Sometimes Forgiveness Is In The Smallest Gesture./Well? Well?
Act Two, Scene 3. Joseph's Cell. August 4 In The Evening: What Time Is It?
Act Two, Scene 4. The Visiting Room: Wow! Those New Ford Mustangs Are So Cool.
Act Two, Scene 4. The Visiting Room: Aria: Dont' Say A Word.
Act Two, Scene 4. The Visiting Room: Who Will Walk With Me?
Act Two, Scene 5. Outside The Death House: Good Evening.
Act Two, Scene 5. Outside The Death House: Duet: I've Said Some Harsh Things.
Act Two, Scene 6. Joseph's Holding Cell: You're A Regular Illustrated Man, De Rocher. - David Okerlund
Act Two, Scene 7. The Confession: How Much Longer? How Much More Time?
Act Two, Scene 7. The Confession: We'd Been Drinkin' And Smokin' Weed At The Road House.
Act Two, Scene 8. The Execution: Dead Man Walking!
Act Two, Scene 8. The Execution: 'He Will Gather Us Around.'
Applause

Amazon.com

Dead Man Walking opens with a brutal rape-murder scene and ends with a passage, silent except for the clicks of the machine delivering fluids that execute a condemned man, followed by Susan Graham intoning the spiritual "He will gather us around." Those searing scenes flank that rarity, a contemporary opera that deals with an important issue--the death penalty--with balance and empathy while sustaining dramatic tension, the narrative conveyed with musical alertness. Small wonder that the opera has been so successful. It's based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean and the acclaimed Tim Robbins film made from it about a nun who befriends a condemned man and brings him to face the redemptive truth of his actions. The recording was made during the San Francisco premiere of the opera and has all the intensity of a live performance, in addition to the overwhelming power of the story and the music.

It would be hard to imagine a better performance, too. Susan Graham is perfect as Sister Helen, singing with purity of tone and fiery passion. She's delightful, too, in the humorous bits that leaven what would otherwise be a story too harrowing for the medium. Frederica von Stade, as the murderer's mother, is as good, and baritone John Packard as the condemned man is a real find--a singing actor totally convincing throughout, both as the hardened killer and later as the repentant man finally accepting responsibility for his deeds. The supporting cast is also first-rate, and Patrick Summers conducts with unerring sweep and fervor. Jake Heggie's score may lack hummable arias (other than the traditional hymn that plays so important a part throughout), but the orchestration is fresh, the vocal lines are grateful, and the range is wide, moving seamlessly from modern romanticism to bits of pop and rock. No small part of the opera's success is due to Terrence McNally's dramatically cohesive libretto. A triumph for all concerned. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Isa Lei.......2006-12-25

The merging of the Fijian song Isa Lei into a deeply moving piece of sub-continental music is brilliant. Worth the whole CD

Weak attempt at opera realism.......2004-09-02

The idea of making this story into an opera is a great idea, and I was so excited to see it, but the music is way too tonal and lyrical for a story like this. The whole opera sounds very amateurish. Heggie's sense of orchestration and musical language is very bland and unimaginitive in my opinion. And a good chunk of the opera consists of about four or five themes that keep reappearing throughout the opera almost always in the same form. There is no intellectual system of Wagnerian leitmotif here, it is simply direct repetition of material throughout the opera. This is not a story of heros and heriones with an epic romantic plot. This is a very dark and gritty look at the death penalty, and I'm amazed that reviewers complained that this opera is too atonal and 20th century for their tastes. In my opinion this opera does not nearly have enough atonality and emotional depth to it. Dark stories should use dark music. Just look at operas like Peter Grimes, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Wozzeck, and Lulu. In all of these operas the purpose of the music is to elevate the drama in this dark stories to a level that could not be achieved by simple spoken word. To me Heggie undercuts the drama by reverting to lyrical numbers at very dramatic points in the opera. It doesn't help that the stage direction was pitiful in the version I saw (stage symmetry is the last thing you would want in a 20th century realism opera). It seems that I am alone here in my argument. But anybody who knows anything about 20th century opera realism (Puccini does not count) will probably agree that Heggie completely missed a good opportunity to make a scoarching opera.

Challenging in many dimensions.......2004-06-09

I think that this opera (or it's subject more generally) gets to the heart of the entire debate about capital punishment - if we could devise a test that was perfect in its ability to distinguish the guilty from the innocent, would we still be willing to execute people for horrendous crimes. Having just seen this opera in a performance in Pittsburgh, I'm not sure. One of the amazing things about this opera is the extent to which it presents the conflicts associated with the death penalty without manipulating the observer. Is this despicable person really worth anyone's time? Is there some sense in which his death is warranted as retribution for his crimes? Would his death provide any sort of compensation to the surviving victims of his crimes? I honestly have no idea. But an extraordinary feature of this opera is the way in which it introduces these issues without biasing the viewer. During the after-show dinner, my wife and I discussed these issues a number of times. Any work that induces that type of reflection about the deeper underlying issues is worthwhile from my point of view.

In terms of the music, I suppose that there are moments of power and beauty. We're talking about a modern opera, so there aren't many hummable songs (see Broadway if you want those.) I suspect that the entire endeavor is more effective in person.

The Opera is Fabulous........2003-06-21

I recently saw the Opera in Detroit, Michigan. It was a wonderful experience (but isn't going to the opera always a wonderful experience?). I thought it was well done-- the music was a tad too 20-th Century for my tastes, but I still loved it!

It Could Have Been More.......2002-06-26

This opera has it's moments and they are glorious moments. The story is powerful and the central idea is important. Jake Heggie is a wonderfully lyrical composer. He really knows how to show off the voice and has an innate sense of drama. He also proves a brilliant orchestrator. The duet on forgiveness in the second act is very moving...as is the music for Von Stade. Occasionlly the opera goes a bit over the top, particularly at the end of the first act, where Sister Helen seems to be having a psychotic break...seems a bit much. But more often the piece is pretty understated for an opera and the ending is extremely effective.

So why only three stars? I think the problem rests with the libretto. This opera continues the deplorable late 20th century trend in opera toward sung play. As opera houses move toward commissioning playwrites such as McNally and William Hoffman as librettists the things that distiguish the particular art of the librettist are dying out. This opera libretto reads like a play. While there are a few ensembles that attempt to present multiple viewpoints simulteneously, they don't compare to the great ensemble situations of a Da Ponte or Boito. And perhaps more importantly, though McNally does include soliloquies, they are in a rather straightforward prose...one that is hard to set well in music. Too many syllables and too little verbal rhythm. As a result, no matter how hard Heggie struggles (and he does a heroic job at this) the opera never bursts into song, as it obviously wants to. Some will say that this is because the opera is throughcomposed, as is the style in modern opera. While that's true, you only have to listen to the operas of Barber or Carlisle Floyd to here examples of throughcomposed opera that still retains the sense of song. Even Nixon in China manages to create a sense of song while remaining throughcomposed.

Perhaps the difference is that in the most successful contemporary opera libretti, the librettist is either the composer, or a poet. In many ways, the best choice for a modern librettist is to follow the practice of Broadway and let the dialogue be written by a playwrite, reserving the set pieces (and most operas still have set pieces, even Britten) for a poet or lyricist. Certainly, this would have helped this opera to do what opera can do best, soar.

Hard to review this one. I like it, but with reservations.

Nothing Above My Shoulders But The Evening
Average customer rating:

Beautiful Music!!

'Nothing' is everything

Ray Lynch GOLD

Soul-touching Music

Unbrain Music

Nothing Above My Shoulders But The Evening
Ray Lynch
Manufacturer: Ray Lynch Production
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music
Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Sky Of Mind

Deep Breakfast

No Blue Thing

Best Of Ray Lynch, Vol. 1

Across an Ocean of Dreams

ASIN: B00005YWIM
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Over Easy
Her Knees Deep In Your Mind
Passion Song
Ivory
Mesquite
Only An Enjoyment
The Vanished Gardens Of Cordoba

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Music!!.......2007-01-31

This is my favorite Ray Lynch CD of all time! Instead of using synthesizers like he did with his previous albums, Ray Lynch uses classical instruments for his compositions, which makes for some very breath taking music. While Ray Lynch's music has always been very visual for me, the use of the classical instruments adds an element of refinement and grace that is not as evident on his other albums. I absolutely love this CD and wish Ray had put out more like this one!

'Nothing' is everything.......2007-01-10

Nothing Above my Shoulders' is generally an album of moods, from the upbeat `Over Easy' to the slightly mournful but reflective `The Vanished Gardens of Cordoba'. A beautifully composed album easily suited for those quiet moments of introspection. "Her Knees Deep in your Mind' with its subtle melancholy harmonies sinks deep in your heart as well. And in `Mesquite', Mr. Lynch provides us with an additional boost to our senses. You can almost smell the aroma of sage in the air, and coffee boiling on a campfire as you listen. A restful album to enjoy free from distractions, well worth adding to your collection.

Ray Lynch GOLD.......2005-06-17

In 1993, while many notable contemporary and electronic music acts like Tangerine Dream seemed to be musically lost in a maze of high-tech digital synthesizers, pumping out commercial beat-oriented tunes. Ray Lynch released NOTHING ABOVE MY SHOULDERS and I purchased it; anxious to hear what direction his music had taken. Expecting more DEEP BREAKFAST and NO BLUE THING sonic pleasures, I was miffed over the lack of three-minute tunes, replaced instead by longer pieces, some almost classical. After several listens I began to appreciate this CD. As with most great music, (IMHO) beauty and meaning is not always immediately apparent, (a.k.a., Mike Oldfield's Hergest Ridge, one of my favorites of all time.) Rich with traditional instruments, including delicate piano, airy flutes and acoustic guitars, Nothing Above My Shoulders presents a collection of Ray's most introspective work (IMHO). OVER EASY begins the CD with a laid-back sounding tapestry of guitars, crisp and biting yet smooth and effortless. HER KNEES DEEP brings us classic Lynch song-writing with its heavenly chord progressions. The beautiful melody builds into a powerful climax, full of wonder and awe. Listen to this while watching a sunrise or sunset and you'll know exactly what I mean. PASSION SONG takes me back in time as I picture Mozart playing his harpsichord. Sonorous violins, and oboe (I think) and piano begin interacting, gently and melodically just before RL's unmistakable musical climax arrives in a rich three-dimensional soundstage. IVORY graces the ears with another delicate but heart-felt piano/flute masterpiece that is deeply contemplative. MESQUITE is a delightful surprise, playful and romantic. Again, RL let's his listener share in the evolution of the song as it builds and then subsides. ONLY AN ENJOYMENT offered me what I had hoped to find on this CD - more of the unique Ray Lynch sound I've admired and enjoyed from his previous albums. There is no sense of hurry as he explores and defines this thoughtful composition; sort of a symphony in a little over seven minutes. I like that, Ray having the confidence to convey in his music what is natural for him, and letting us intimately share in his thoughts and emotions along the way. THE VANISHED GARDENS ends this great album - Wow! In my opinion this is the ultimate RL masterpiece. The music soars, wondrously, with beautiful harps and angelic strings. He reiterates the melody, each time defining it with added emotion and each time, taking the climax to a higher emotional level. As with Ray's previous albums, NAMSBTE is a masterful recording - crisp, clear, and full of atmosphere. Every instrument is meticulously focused in the soundstage. I have no doubt this is Ray's finest accomplishment to date, and I admire him for having created yet more heart-felt music rather than becoming commercialized like other bands of the period. If the "masters," Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin, i.e., were alive today, they would be composing music like this. NAMSBTE is an album you'll savor again and again, much like the rest of Ray's music. HH

Soul-touching Music.......2004-12-21

For some reason, this CD of Ray Lynch's really touches my soul and my spirit. I have a craving, a deeply-felt longing for it after some time of not listening to it. There is a quality to his music that words cannot seem to describe: meditative? beautiful? spiritual? sentimental? heavenly? Divinely inspired? All seem to be true, and yet all of these words somehow seem hollow or lacking when describing his music.

I first really fell in love with this CD when I was going through a loving yet painful relationship. Tears would flow uncontrollably and I would cry loudly for no reason when I was listening to this music. It seems that the music was saying to me that even though there is pain, there is suffering in life, there still is love, meaning, and beauty in it. We just have to accept it.

Unbrain Music.......2003-09-24

Produced in 1993, this was to be Ray Lynch's last commercial album. In a career that started out in classical and medieval music, Lynch eventually took a musical journey that took him into 'meditation' music, electronic popular forms, and, finally, back to his acoustic roots. This eclectic collection is a reprise of his forms, with a few unexpected adventures.

Even a cursory listen reveals that his electronic repertoire has moved into second place. Instead, Lynch makes use of his own instrumental skills in tandem with a stellar collection of performers, mostly from the San Francisco Symphony. What you get is still unmistakably Lynch, but with a twist. The instrumentation leaves you unsure if this is intended as 'popular' or 'serious' music - but I suspect that Lynch wanted exactly that conflict so that the listener must fashion his own responses.

Or not, as the case may be. The album title, of course, is a giveaway. We are being invited to listen without the intervention of our heads. A challenge under any circumstances, and Lynch has no intention of helping us by presenting music with uncomplicated content. But whether you think or just react, there is something here which makes this album special.

Not everything here will please any particular listener. I found Ivory to be one of the best compositions Lynch has ever created. Yet on the same album is Mesquite which, to me, is a uncomfortable parody of Southwestern styling. In between lies everything both sincere and pompous. And yet, if you listen carefully, you will here little turns and phrases obviously intended to bind everything together as a whole.

An interesting album, that makes no excuses for itself. Perhaps, going headless is a good idea.

Whisky Supper
Average customer rating:

Monterey Games

eclectic celtic cavalcade

Whisky Supper
Wicked Tinkers
Manufacturer: Thistle Pricks Production
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
General | International | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Banger for Breakfast

Loud

Hammered

Wicked Tinkers

Trip

ASIN: B000BGQU5W
Release Date: 2005-07-21

Tracks:

Dream - Enumclaw, Washington
Hey - Wallace Arms Pub, Antioch, California
Wicked Tinkers - Monterey, California
6/8 Marches - Woodland, California
Fiollaigean - Flagstaff, Arizona
Glasses of Wine - Antioch, California
Birds - Antioch, California
Toasty - St. Paul, Minnesota
Aarons Set - Antioch, California
Farmer - Flagstaff, Arizona
Terror Time & Ferret - Woodland, California
Wicked Bough - Long Beach, California
Drummers Jigs - Monterey, California
Flower of Scotland & Black Bear - Enumclaw, Washington
Weird Jigs & B-52 - Woodland, California
Radar - Enumclaw, Washington

Product Description

WHISKY SUPPER, is our fifth CD, ALMOST LIVE the companion to BANGER FOR BREAKFAST. We have found that our live recordings seem to really capture who we are, musically and dynamically. On this recording, we had Tyler Spencer re-record the didgeridoo parts - hence ALMOST LIVE. We are an interactive band; we try to engage with our audiences so an instrument or two might get quieter or louder at some points. Don't worry, one or another of us is probably playing on someone's table or having a quick 'beverage' in the middle of a set. While you may hear the odd slip here or there, with this recording you'll feel the energy of our live show! Slainte

Customer Reviews:

Monterey Games.......2007-05-15

I first saw the Wicked Tinkers with my family at the August 2002 Monterey Games and greatly enjoyed the band. They are fabulous live. I have since bought everything that they have released. To this day my kids still ask for bagpipe music and dance about the house to it. This CD does a fair job of capturing the feel of their concert. It needs to be played LOUD (name of one of their other CDs) though to get a true feel. It is one of the best live CDs I have.

eclectic celtic cavalcade.......2006-03-13

This CD is a great companion to the Banger For Breakfast CD, as both have very similar settings, i.e. live in front of fans in a tight atmosphere. For any fans of Irish or Scottish traditional music, this is a must have. But better yet, it's updated with what initially seems like odd pairings of instruments, like the bagpipes and the didgeridoo. Once you listen to how well those sounds plus snares, etc. meld into a wonderful set of tunes, however, you will look at Celtic music in an entirely different way. Plus, the band inserts humor and jokes, sometimes at their own expense, that gives their performances a funny and relaxed feeling. Each song is uniquely rendered but still has that familiarity that makes this genre of music so appealing. You simply can't go wrong with this one, from the nearly dirty poem to a new style Radar Love, and will quickly become a huge fan of the Tinkers. At nearly one hour in length, it will leave you wanting more. Thankfully, they have plenty more available!

Average customer rating:

Spirit of Tibet Review
Relaxing
Spirit of Tibet is just what it says.
Not Typical of Arkenstone
ANOTHER GREAT ARKENSTONE RECORDING........

Spirit of Tibet: A Musical Odyssey

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Exercise | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Meditation Music | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Echoes of Egypt
Caribbean Dreams
African Skies
Atlantis: A Symphonic Journey
Spirit of Ireland

ASIN: B00006ANR3
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

Himalayan Caravan
Wheels of Prayer
Nirvana
On the Border
Rhythm of the High Road
Roof of the World
Midnight Fires
View From the Palace

Album Description

Best selliing New Age artist, David Arkenstone lends his production talent and magic to create SPIRIT OF TIBET: A MUSICAL ODYSSEY. An ancient land with an ancient musical soul, Tibet continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of people around the world as a land of intense spirituality and serene beauty. Features original compositions by David Arkenstone with keyboards, percussion, bouzouki, guitar, and wooden and bamboo flutes.

Customer Reviews:

Spirit of Tibet Review.......2007-01-31

I am a huge fan of David Arkenstone...all of his music is great. This CD is especially relaxing while at work, or at the end of the day to unwind from pressures/stress. A nice supplement to the many CDs of his that I already have.

Relaxing.......2006-03-19

A beautiful and relaxing CD, very enjoyable. I will be checking out a lot more of Arkenstone's work.

Spirit of Tibet is just what it says........2005-08-31

Spirit of Tibet is just what it says. It invokes the sounds of Tibet and one feels one is there. Soaring over the heights or deep in a temple, sounds of peace and sounds of dance all are a part of this CD which is one of the top ten in my book of David Arkenstone's music. A complex and intricate sound that brushes one's skin like a gentle breeze yet resounds deep in the soul, much as I believe the complexity of Tibet would if I were there.

Not Typical of Arkenstone.......2003-02-20

I do not own any other Arkenstone, mostly because I haven't heard anything from him that I'd want, to be frank. After buying this CD I looked up several of his other works and gave them a listen, but I didn't like anything else enough to buy it.

I walked into a store one day and this CD was playing on their stereo and I just fell in love with it. I bought it without even looking to see who wrote it. It has wonderful peaks and swells, as well as its share of more somber moments. Overall, I find it to be very robust and stirring. I can be energized by it (and frequently am!) or I can close my eyes and imagine tibetan natives playing this music just for me. Either way, it makes for a very uplifting musical experience, which makes this CD one of my "New Age" favorites.

ANOTHER GREAT ARKENSTONE RECORDING...............2003-01-03

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF DAVID ARKENSTONE'S MANY TALENTS. THE MUSIC IS ALIVE AND YOU FEEL YOU ARE THERE IN TIBET.

Tracks:

I Ride An Old Paint
Whoopee Ti-Yi-Yo
The Old Chisholm Trail
Strawberry Roan
Red River Valley
Little Joe The Wrangler
Colorado Trail
Tying Two Knots In The Devil's Tail
When The Work's All Done This Fall
The Yellow Rose Of Texas
Utah Carroll
The Streets Of Laredo
I Ride An Old Paint (reprise)

Customer Reviews:

Not Bad but not as good as good as the 1990 CD.......2005-08-30

Michael Martin Murphey's 1st CD in 1990 was great. This one Michael sings by himself. Has almost same musical background. I like it but it doesn't make me want to get up and dance.

True and enduring testaments to the American West.......2002-06-08

Cowboy Classics: Playing Favorites II presents 13 nineteenth century western songs that are true and enduring testaments to the American West. Michael Martin Murphey is a superb performer who does full justice to each and ever one of these songs. Cowboy Classics: Playing Favorites II includes I Ride An Old Paint (3:34); Whoopie Ti-Ti-Yo (2:22); The Old Chisolm Trail (4:36); Strawberry Roan (4:11); Red River Valley (5:35); Little Joe The Wrangler (4:05); The Colorado Trail (3:37); Tying Knots In The Devil's Tail (3:05); When The Work's All Done This Fall (4:11); The Yellow Rose Of Texas (2:47); Utah Carroll (3:40); The Streets Of Laredo (6:55); and I Ride An Old Paint Reprise (1:46).

Music:

Music

music