The Race

the race

Track Listings

1. The Race

2. Truth

3. Spider on the blind

4. Glad you aint mine

5. Brightly visualizing you

6. Makeshift love

7. Fixin'the blues

8. Trance mission

9. Talk dirty, act raunchy, Play funky

10. Bo don't carry no trumpet player

11. Ready to ride

12. Down below clown

The Race,Art 314,Art 34

The Race

Average customer rating:

Excellent Score -- Very Unique
One of the few good things about this wretched film
The score elevates the film
Good Soundtrack!
Nice...but a little overrated,

The Village

Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Signs (Score)
Lady in the Water
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The Village (Widescreen Vista Series)

ASIN: B0002IQJSC
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Tracks:

Noah Visits
What Are You Asking Me?
The Bad Color
Those We Don't Speak Of
Will You Help Me?
I Cannot See His Color
Rituals
The Gravel Road
Race To Resting Rock
The Forbidden Line
The Vote
It Is Not Real
The Shed Not To Be Used

Amazon.com

In the wake of his Sixth Sense triumph, young director M. Night Shyamalan shrewdly marketed himself as a marquee draw, a thriller auteur in the vein of Hitchcock and DePalma. In the process he's also run headlong into one of Hollywood's truest adages: There's no such thing as a sure thing. But while his tale of an isolated hamlet ringed by mysterious, threatening 'others' met with tepid reviews and disappointing box office, it also underscored another filmmaking truism: So-so films can still be blessed with magnificent musical scores. This hauntingly beautiful, yet thoroughly contemporary orchestral soundtrack by James Newton-Howard distinguishes itself at every turn, becoming a clear standout in the ongoing collaboration between the composer and Shyamalan. While similar fusions of minimalist and post-modern musical influences can sometimes seem not much more than hollow intellectual exercises, Newton-Howard inhabits his hypnotic arpeggios and droning rhythms here with an evocative undercurrent of the mysterious and mystical. The composer leans heavily on solo violin to conjure a mock folk tradition of indistinct origins, wedding it to a contemporary classical sense that's as seamless as it is distinguished. -- Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Score -- Very Unique.......2007-02-22

I have long been a film-score aficionado. My favorite composers are Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams -- only the best of the best. I had always known about James Newton Howard and his work, and always respected his unique abilities and talents.

It was with this score that he really caught my attention. The central theme of the film is a love story, and the characters just happen to be caught up in a nightmarish scenario. The score reflects this perfectly; some of the pieces are classically romantic, quiet pieces, while others are thunderous and frightening to reflect the danger and terror portrayed in the film.

James Newton Howard's later works, like "King Kong" (2005) and his co-score with Hans Zimmer on "Batman Begins" (2005) continued to show that he is rightly considered one of Hollywood's A-list composers for big films.

One of the few good things about this wretched film.......2006-11-05

I admit I absolutely hated "The Village". The film started out rather good. The build up in suspense was flawlessly executed but then the second half of the film totally went downhill for me. One of the few things I enjoyed about "The Village" is the film score by James Newton Howard. The combination of the orchestral film score and dark cinematography was perfect. Both complimented each other. Violinist Hilary Hahn was what really gravitated me to the music. A lot of film scores have a terrible tendency to be loud and bombastic (like John Williams and Hans Zimmer) but James Howard Newton's score is subtle and never overwhelming to a person's ears.

The score elevates the film.......2006-08-09

'The Village' was panned pretty harshly in critical circles, but whatever you think of the film, James Newton Howard's score for it is a beautiful piece of work. It lends a haunting, lyrical quality to the film, and it is wonderful to listen to by itself, whether or not you like or have even seen the movie.

While there are a couple pieces in the score that are a little more high-octane in terms of suspense, most of the music is very low-key. Still suspenseful, even spooky at times, but in a very understated and thoughtful way. In some ways similar to Howard's score for 'Signs', which also used repeated rhythms and themes throughout in different ways, the music for 'The Village' differs from the standard "scary movie" score by having pieces which establish a real emotional depth and presence. 'The Village' is a film about love and loss, and much of the music expresses those themes perfectly.

A big part of how the music gets to the depths of emotion is the solo violin performances of Hilary Hahn, present to some extent in almost every piece. From the opening strains of "Noah Visits," the first piece on the CD, her violin speaks the language of the heart and draws the listener into a beautiful world of haunting music, inescapable and compelling. I am amazed by her versatility here. From the fast rhythmic notes of "The Gravel Road" to the high strains of "I Cannot See His Color" to the final, bittersweet tones of "The Vote," Hahn's violin creates a steady thread through the whole score, unifying it and making it unique at the same time. I've listened to several of Hahn's classical performances as well, but I have to say that of what I've heard, her performance for 'The Village' may be her most unique and most compelling yet.

The combination of James Newton Howard's compositions and Hilary Hahn's lush performance have created some beautiful music for 'The Village'. Whether you love the movie or hate it, or even if you're just looking for some rich orchestral music with a beautiful violin performance, this score is well worth owning and listening to many times over.

Good Soundtrack!.......2006-08-03

I'll admit I bought this soundtrack for the music that played during the rescue scene when Phoenix grabbed Howard's hand---that part alone was worth the buy--beautiful music. Anyway, if you like scary music, there's plenty of that on here, but I usually skip those. So let's get down to it---how many tracks do I play over and over and never get sick of them? Numbers 9, 8, and 4's second half-- it switches from scary to the scene mentioned above. Those three are hauntingly beautiful. Numbers 1 and 5 are also very pretty if you are in a very relaxed state. The rest I don't really listen to simply because they're scary. But, if I can find a cd with at least 3 songs I really like, I consider it worth buying...so I recommend this soundtrack. Plug--- recommend the movie even more, even though the music is scarier than the movie itself. That movie has the best chic flic moment I've seen (guess which scene I'm talking about). Also, "Good afternoon Lucius..."--- that part is hilarious!

Nice...but a little overrated,.......2006-06-08

I'm a sucker for film scores. I can't get enough of em'. I've listened to a lot, and based on the reviews James N. Howard's score was getting for "The Village", I decided to buy it.
I have mixed feelings--the music is definitely very pretty, very soothing (or agressive when needed), but I never really felt like I was listening to anything but just 'another' score here. There really isn't anything especially beautiful or stand-out, and I have heard orchestral scores from independent films (see 2002's "Stranded", a low-budget sci-fi film made for only about four million clams that boasts one of the most gorgeous scores you will ever hear)that are more memorable and evocative.
This, I hate to say it, just kinda felt "blah" to me.
Not bad.
Just...kinda..."Blah".

Average customer rating:

Whimsical, but with some real gems
they didn't chart but they charted a course
An excellent stop-gap for now
Brilliant Music!!!
An essential part of Jeff Lynne and psychedelic rock history

Back to the Story
The Idle Race
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

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Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]
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ASIN: B000LE1EQE
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Skeleton and the Roundabout
Happy Birthday
Birthday
I Like My Toys
Morning Sunshine
Follow Me Follow
Sitting in My Tree
On with the Show
Lucky Man
Mrs Ward
Pie in the Sky
Lady Who Said She Could Fly
End of the Road
Come with Me
Sea of Dreams
Going Home
Reminds Me of You
Mr. Crow and Sir Norman
Please No More Sad Songs
Girl at the Window
Big Chief Woolley Bosher
Someone Knocking
Better Life (The Weatherman Knows)
Hurry Up John
Lucky Man [Alternate Version][#]
Follow Me Follow [Alternate Version][#]
Days of the Broken Arrows [Alternate Version][#]

Tracks:

Here We Go Round the Lemon Tree
My Father's Son
Impostors of Life's Magazine
Knocking Nails into My House
Days of the Broken Arrows
Worn Red Carpet
In the Summertime
Told You Twice
Neanderthal Man
Victim of Circumstance
Dancing Flower
Sad O'Sad
Clock
I Will See You
By the Sun
Alcatraz
And the Rain
She Sang Hymns out of Tune
Bitter Green
We Want It All

Album Description

2007 reissue of this superb two CD set from the often overlooked British '60s band featuring future Move member and E.L.O. leader Jeff Lynne. Back To The Story features all three Idle Race albums (1968's Birthday Party, The Idle Race from '69 and the Lynne-less Time Is from '71) , singles and b-sides, plus three un-issued alternate versions and two tracks from Jeff Lynne's 1966 recording stint with the Nightriders. 47 tracks total. Zonophone.

Album Details

The Idle Race were a Band of the Late 1960s featuring Pre Move Jeff 'elo' Lynne and Roy Wood.

Customer Reviews:

Whimsical, but with some real gems.......2007-07-05

I have to start by saying that I am already a HUGE Move, and E.L.O. fan as well as a fan of Roy Wood's solo work. The Idle Race was the band that Jeff Lynne came from before going over to The Move with Roy Wood and Bev Bevan and subsequently forming E.L.O. I bought this out of pure curiosity not hearing of the Idle Race before and it is definately worth it for fans of The Move and ELO. Many of the songs have whimsical and almost circus like tunes, but many have some quite unusual lyrics. It's very unique music for that time period or now. There are also some real gems with very soothing melodies and warm lyrics. My favorites are "come with me" and "follow me, follow". It's also interesting to hear (if you are used to listening to ELO), some subtle "ELO - like" sounding notes. Definately a strong Jeff Lynne prescense. Quite a few songs also have strong classical overtones such as strings, etc. You can almost tell where he was going in retrospect. Also, the Idle Race was quite heavy into the use of sound effects and dub-overs, some comical, some almost eery. All in all, a very interesting album that is well worth it and a must for the collection of any Move or ELO fan.

they didn't chart but they charted a course.......2007-06-16

Odd how this band missed the charts while The Move sailed UP the charts.

A few 1st album tracks here are a bit twe. Some later Lynne penned tunes sound just like latter Move or ELO tracks.

I wanted this entire set. I'd heard much of it before thanks to a friend who once had a severe ELO/Jeff Lynne fetish. He was kind of enough to tape that set for me. [You know--cars now come with CD Players]

I cherish it for one superb song: Hurry Up, John. I don't know why but the guitar makes me think of early Queen/Brian May. I really like the layered voices on the song. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HIT.

It's one of those tracks I hit the "repeat" button for on the car's CD player. That's track 23 on disc 1.

This set is a great bargain. It's nearly [see liner notes] everything these guys recorded together. 3 albums and 10 non-LP tracks and 3 alternate versions. What a bargain.

After this I recommend ALL of The Move's works. Pre-Lynne Move is as good as or better than The Move with Jeff Lynne. Well, there is the Move's amazing original version of "Do Ya".

Alright this is about The Idle Race; if you like 60s melodic pop then get this. Good Grief.

An excellent stop-gap for now.......2007-05-22

Until the planned remastered five-cd set being shephered by Rob Caiger is finally released, this re-issue of original EMI-Premier two-CD set (less two tracks, unable to re-license from Polydor) featuring all three albums and original singles, this collection will serve as a fine stop-gap and serve as a financial balm to those unwilling to afford exhorbitant ebay auction prices for original. At these prices, you'd be silly not to purchase this, tis a great introduction to the nascent songwriting stylings of future ELO mastermind Jeff Lynne as well as his fine compatriots in the Idle Race.

Brilliant Music!!!.......2007-05-12

This set has been re-released by EMI (deleting two songs from the previous issue, neither of which Jeff Lynne wrote or sang). These CDs feature the same mastering as before so if you were lucky enough to to have bought it there's no need to get it again. The mastering isn't great but it's not as bad as we've come to expect from Abbey Road. The digital tape hiss removal (NR) isn't as artifact laden as I anticipated. This CD is quite listenable though the mastering would've been better without the NR and heavy handed EQ.

An essential part of Jeff Lynne and psychedelic rock history.......2007-05-05

Before Jeff Lynne joined The Move and formed ELO with Roy Wood, he was a member of this Biringham quartet that produced music inspired by the mix of jangly music hall sounds and psychedelic rock. While the band never broke through to top the music charts, their music continues to be appreciated by fans of 60's music. Evolving out of Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders (which featured a young Roy Wood as a member), The Idle Race only made three albums and a handful of memorable singles before disbanding. The splintering of the group would result in Lynne's tenure in The Move, Electric Light Orchestra and The Steve Gibbons Band.

Featuring all the commerically available recordings by the band plus three previously unreleasd alternate versions of album tracks, this two CD set is a terrific blast from the past. When it first appeared in 1996 this set was snapped up by fans of the band, Lynne and ELO. Unfortunately it went out of print within a year of being issued.

The first two albums are terrific as are some of the singles. The third album had its moments as well although the band clearly was going in a very different direction with their change in line up. I wasn't aware that the Idle Race had covered Hotlegs' "Neanderthal Man" (although why they would want to cover one Godley & Creme's worst novelty songs is beyond me)and it isn't signficantly different from the original version.

Lynne was the band's main singer/songwriter/guitarist with Dave Prichard playing George Harrison to Lynne's Lennon & McCartney for the band's first two albums. Lynne raced out to join The Move before The Idle Race began recording their third album and Prichard does a terrific job stepping into the gap providing the songs for the band's third and final album "Time Is".

The 2007 reissue comes without two tracks "It's Only a Dog" and "Your Friend" that were on the previous edition due to licensing issues with Polydor. These two tracks were recorded as The Nightriders and appeared on the previous edition of the album. Lynne played guitar (but didn't write or sing)on thse tracks as he had just joined the band. Other than that this edition appears to be exactly the same as the previous one.

I'm not sure if this is remastered (it doesn't have any mastering credit for the CD)and the new copyright date is probably because it doesn't include the two tracks that were on the previous album. Although the use of noise reduction isn't as heavy handed as some other EMI releases, it is there but isn't as distracting as some other releases remastered at Abbey Road. Although this isn't the perfect release everyone wanted, it's darn close to perfection simply because the sound is pretty good and we get the songs that Lynne wrote/performed on with the exception of the previous mentioned single. We get the booklet as with the previous release which gives us the history of the band and credits for the recording of the albums. There is a note in small lettering at the end of the booklet that states that the two missing tracks aren't there for "legal reasons"(i.e., they couldn't license them).

I'm glad that I was finally able to buy this the big question is why it took EMI so long to reissue it. Nevertheless this will be a delight for faans of psychedelic British rock music (which is quite different from psychedelic American rock music), Lynne, The Move and ELO. A very nice job of repackaging the material and while the two Nightrider songs are missed they aren't as essential as the bulk of the material included here.

Message from the Country, Eldorado and my favorite (although probably not their best)Face the Music

Average customer rating:

Instant Euphoria...
Classic!!!!
"You'll forever be stuck here in eternity....."
In Flames perhaps at their best
Nothing will ever surpass its greatness

Jester Race: Black Ash Inheritance
In Flames
Manufacturer: Nuclear Blast Americ
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Whoracle
Colony
Clayman
Reroute to Remain
Soundtrack to Your Escape

ASIN: B000063TER
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

Moonshield
The Jester's Dance
Artifacts Of The Black Rain
Graveland
Lord Hypnos
Dead Eternity
The Jester Race
December Flower
Wayfaerer
Dead God In Me
Goliaths Disarm Their Davids
Gyroscope
Acoustic Medley
Behind Space - Live

Album Description

Remastered reissue of their 1995 album along with bonus 'Black Ash Inheritance' EP. Bonus tracks, 'Goliathas Disarm Their Davids', 'Gyroscope', 'Acoustic Medley' & 'Behind Space'(Live). Digipak. Nuclear Blast America. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Instant Euphoria..........2007-05-18

Not only is this In Flames greatest achievement - this is one of the greatest metal albums ever written! Quality metal that is so simultaneously fast and melodic is indeed hard to come by. This album even surpasses such metal classics as 'Master of Puppets', 'Piece of Mind', and 'Rust in Peace'. Whether you like throat vocals or not (and these vocals are a unique brand of throat vocals) the songs will send you into immediate euphoric metal bliss - and the instrumental pieces are brilliant! Combine the best thrash, melodic, and death metal you can think of into one album and you have 'Jester Race: Black Ash Inheritance'. The first moment I heard this masterpiece I was hooked - if you have any love for metal then your collection is incomplete without this album.

RECOMMENDATION: Other great Swedish metal bands to check out include At the Gates, Dark Tranquility, Opeth, Soilwork, and many others. Start with this album and let your journey into metal euphoria continue...

Classic!!!!.......2007-02-21

...and that should have constituted my entire review. If ever there was an album as perfect and engaging as Metallica's "Master..." or Megadeth's "Rust..." it is this one! (yes, I am aware of Dark Tranquility, but they have yet to release ANYTHING bad, so I skip them here)! The music is so good here that no wonder ANYTHING after would necessarily have to be a dissapointment from In Flames! Yes, "Whoracle" was great,ditto for "Colony" and "Clayman", but THIS is In Flames' greatest achievement, all else in their discography is mere shadows of this masterpiece (the same can be said of Metallica and their third album). Nothing they have ever done after and before will ever top that, period.The problem is: THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE MATURED SO FAST.Really, if you can only own 1 album of In Flames, this will suffice entirely. There is absolutely no confusion what kind of music is played here: Gothenburg death metal. No core, no thrash, just death! And a melodic grim reaper at that! The knack for melody combined with the sheer power and brilliance of execution could potentially start a third World War if used in a sinister manner. Perhaps that is where my favorite heavy metal bands Dark Tranquility and Opeth take roots. In any case, if you like your metal raw but melodic, this is one of these rare perfect albums you can't afford not to own! BUY NOW!!!!

"You'll forever be stuck here in eternity.....".......2007-02-08

I remember when I first purchased this album, I thought, "Meh, this is pretty good. It'll grow on me eventually." Yeah, well, it did, and I revised that statement into, "Damn, this is awesome!" I currently own 4 In Flames albums (this, Colony, Clayman, and Lunar Strain), and while the other 3 are great, The Jester Race (accompanied by the Black Ash Inheritance EP, at least this version) is probably my favorite IF album thus far.

The music is heavy and bone-crushing, but there's enough melody and beauty (and I don't mean that in a fruity way) to make it appeal to the masses. Anders Friden is honestly one of the best metal vocalists I've EVER heard. Glenn Ljungstrom (guitar),Jesper Stromblad (guitar), Johan Larsson (bass), and Bjorn Gelotte (drums) are also great musicians, and provide the awesome melodies that In Flames can create (even though I think the bass is a lot better on Colony and Clayman than on this album). Moonshield is, simply put, stunning, as it opens up with soothing acoustic guitars and transforms into an epic-driven melodic metal masterpiece. Other great tracks are Lord Hypnos, Dead Eternity, December Flower, Wayfaerer, and Goliaths Disarm Their Davids. Of course, all of the songs are incredible.

The Jester Race is a concept album about the corruption of humankind (referred to as, well, the jester race), and how they have destroyed and ruined the earth (if you analyze the lyrics, you'll see what I mean). I believe I have the just of it, but we're talking about poetic lyrics here, not completely flat, predictable ones. The album also has some throwbacks in, such as the title track, which is reminescent of The Jester's Dance (the first instrumental). My favorite instrumental track on the album is probably Wayfaerer. It sounds a lot different from the rest of the album (and I don't mean that in a bad way). The guitar solos don't sound as bleak as they do on the other songs. Some people don't seem to like this instrumental, but I sure do. On the 4 bonus tracks (which is the Black Ash Inheritance EP that was released a year later), there's a track called Acoustic Medely, which is the title track of the album but in acoustic form. In my opinion, this is brilliantly done, and it might be my favorite bonus track. Goliaths Disarm Their Davids is another one of my favorites, very dark, yet very confident sounding, if that makes sense. There's also a live version of Behind Space from their debut (which would later be redone on Colony). This is one of my favorite IF songs to date, and the live version is done perfectly.

If there is any weak track on the album, I would have to give the nod to Gyroscope. It just doesn't seem to stand out as much as the other tracks, and it loses my attention after a while. Nonetheless, that song is still eons better than pretty much everything being released today. And it's not even that terrible of a song. The lyrics are still great, but the overall feel doesn't demand your attention as much as the other 13 songs.

So is this the best album of 1995's Holy Trinity? Well, I can't say for sure, since I also thoroughly enjoyed Dark Tranquillity's The Gallery and I have yet to hear At The Gates' Slaughter of the Soul. However, this is an amazing album to say the least. The lyrics really make you think about the world around you, and makes you question the desires of, say, eternal life (like in the track Dead Eternity, which is about living forever, never to die and be with the people you love; you're just stuck in eternity). The Jester Race is about a minority group preparing for war against a far superior and more sophisticated force (perhaps in the album's story, it's about a group of people rising up to fight the jesters who have ruined the earth). But whatever this album is about, I love it.

It's funny thinking about all of the line-up changes In Flames have gone through over the years. But no matter how many times their lineup changes, this will always remain where their lineup was strongest. So buy this album, and experience some truly unique metal.

In Flames perhaps at their best.......2006-12-04

This may be the best album In Flames ever released it is most certainly a classic along with Whoracle, Colony and Clayman. The album is itself very well done with excellent melody and rythm, awsome guitar work and very good vocals. The tracks are all memorable and this is trully a showcasing of In Flames and their work. Excellent album and deff a good place for a new In Flames fan to start off. Im not sure ive gone a week without listening to this album after picking it up which must have been back in 94 I think.

Nothing will ever surpass its greatness.......2006-09-25

For a while now, I was deciding to make a "My favorite albums" list, and it all went smoothely, except for the fact that I couldnt decide which album is my all-time favorite. Seasons in the Abyss? Burning Bridges? BlackWater Park? Peace Sells...But whos Buying? Night of the Stormrider? Nope, this, my friends, is my all time favorite metal CD. Why? Is it the godly riffs, the technical drum beats, the mind-blowing instrumentals? No, its the feeling of empowerment I get from this. Listening to this cd is what you feel like after winning an award. Much like listening to Strapping Young Lad is the equivilant of 5 cans of Jolt, this gives even more of an adrenaline rush. Whenever I wake up and feel groggy or hung over, I play this and I feel instantly revitilized. Seriously, its that good.

All the songs are my favorites, I never skipped one single song on this whole album.

In Flames are truely one of the greatest bands ever.Dont believe me? Get this, Colony, Whoracle, Clayman, and Lunar Strain. Youll see for youself theyre greatness.

Average customer rating:

One of their finest moments.
Come join us
The Gray Race? Hell yeah
It may not be BR's best...
stranger than fiction part II without Brett

The Gray Race
Bad Religion
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

No Substance
Recipe for Hate
Stranger Than Fiction
The New America
Generator

ASIN: B000002J8J
Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

The Gray Race
Them And Us
A Walk
Parallel
Punk Rock Song
Empty Causes
Nobody Listens
Pity The Dead
Spirit Shine
The Streets Of America
Ten In 2010
Victory
Drunk Sincerity
Come Join Us
Cease

Customer Reviews:

One of their finest moments........2006-08-02

After the very successful "Stranger than Fiction" album, Bad Religion came to release perhaps their best album so far and a true gem in the musical scene. Fifteen songs in the usual Bad Religion style with fast tempos, catchy melodies and singing , and the very caustic lyrics by singer Greg Graffin. It's truly amazing to hear Bad Religion play in such great shape using all their energy and freshness providing a very pleasant listening experience while also spreading their political stigma and raising the middle finger to all those who deserve it. Some of the highlights of the album are "The Streets of America", "Spirit Shine", "Ten in 2010", and my favorite from this album "Pity the Dead" where we're faced with a critical dilemma on why we pity the dead looking at all the living. Overall this is a very pleasant album to listen to, an album that can accompany you through almost any activity you choose to do. Friends of punk rock or any other open-minded fans of good music will definitely find this album pleasing and will enjoy each and every second of it.

Come join us.......2006-07-09

Well firstly scrap the last review i gave for the process of belief,I now love that song epiphany. This is the 3rd Bad Religion I've brought within the past 4 days! That must tell you something. This is another classic BR album. Sure it sounds a bit different to the other 2 I've got: Generator and Process of Belief but thats not a bad thing.
To all the naysayers out there I say that this is a great Bad Religion album, not one song deserves less than 5 stars, well spirit shine just gets 5 stars but its a short song so its not too bad. On with the review since im listening to the album right now:

1. The Gray Race: 5/5 Great lyrics:' The Gray race shrivels and the world it creates is black and white.' Very fast song and slows down towards the end but then picks up to the same pace it was before. Awesome drums and guitars as well. Great way to start the album.

2. Them and Us. 5/5 Even after playing Crazy Taxi on the dreamcast this is still an awesome song. Just listen to those lyrics!Amazing!

3.A Walk 5/5 Dont know why some people dont like this song. The song is all about being yourself and not listening to others. Very punk rock song.

4. Parallel 5/5 Incredible song. Im gonna have "Our lives are parallel" stuck in my head for days.

5. Punk Rock Song 5/5 So awesome, great drums, guitars and lyrics. Says alot about the masses not caring for our world and ignoring the poverty thats around us.

6. Empty Causes. 5/5 Laughed the first time I heard this song and still brings a smile to my face when I listen to it.

7. Nobody Listens. 5/5 Well this is one of my favourite songs on the album even though its under 2 minutes long. Very FAst lyrics,drums and guitars. One of their best songs I believe.

8. Pity the dead. 5/5 "Why do we pity the dead are you churned by emotion from the voices in your head (are you scared of the logic that swirls in your head) look at all the living and you'll ask yourself why do we pity the dead" Those lyrics basically say it all, amazing song.

9. Spirit Shine. 5/5 The only low point of the album because of the annoying chorus but the song is over quick so its all good.

10.Streets of America. 5/5 Slows the albums pace right down but still a great song.

11.Ten in 2010. The most hardcore song on the album. I think the lyrics mean that there will only be 10 people left in the year 2010.

12.Victory.5/5 Not much to say on this one but great vocals combined with the message that we kill just to claim victory for a lost cause shines through and propels this songs meaning to a higher level than the song preceding it.

13. Drunk Sincerity. 5/5 Another song where the chorus will be stuck in your head for ages." Its all just drunk sincerity."

14. Come join us. 5/5 Wow this is another of my favourite songs on the album, the way its all put together is just amazing. BR have really outdone themselves here.

15. Cease. 5/5 Best possible way to finish an incredible album.

To be honest I prefer Generator over this release but im still amazed that even with the label change and losing Brett for this disc that this album is as good as it gets. However like all good reviews " Everything must cease!"

The Gray Race? Hell yeah.......2006-05-21

yes, there off epitaph. yes, there's no mr.brett BUT we still have greg graffin. and he alone with a little help from his friends can do it. sure their won't be as much variety but...
this has one of the best songs ever. cease! Now here's my review
The Gray Race(9/10)- Nice guitar riff with a very cool chorus, different melody from most br songs
Them And Us(10/10)- Possibly the best song on the album along with cease and punk rock song. The harmonies in the chorus are gold
A Walk(0/10)Why????????Why???????This song is horrible how is it possible for greg to have written such bad lyrics. Just skip past this one
Parallel(10/10)- One of the best of the album it's a very beatifull song with a great chorus
Punk Rock Song(10/10)- One of the all time best songs of br. this is a classic for br and punk. ``This is just a punk rock song, written for the people who can see something's wrong.
Empty Causes(8/10)- One of br poppiest songs ever. but not bad at all has a nice tune
Nobody Listens(9/10)- This one really grew on me. the tune is very different from br songs like the gray race.
Pity The Dead(8/10)- I kinda got sick of this one. but it's not bad at all
Spirit Shine(9/10)- One of the most mellow songs on the album but one of my favorites. great chorus
Streets Of America(9/10)- The slowest song on the album, great guitar riff with godd harmonies at the end
10 in 2010-(9/10)- The most energetic song on the album. but i'm kinda dissapointed that this get's concert time and songs like parallel and them and us don't.
Victory(8/10)- Poppy, punky, everything enjoyable...nice harmonies at the last chorus
Drunk Sincerity(9/10)- Very nice but yet get's kinda annoying after you hear it a lot
Come Join Us(10/10)- This one grew on me a lot too. The singing will shock you because it's kinda like a rap and i'm sure 50 cent could'nt do it
Cease(10/10)- The best of the album no doubt great guitar riff and solo with lyrics that will kick your behind and make sure you hear or see the piano version of it

Overall, a great punk album

It may not be BR's best..........2006-04-04

but it's certainly my favorite :) I love every song from this album and by talking to a few people, I've realized that there's some difficulty picking out which of the tracks are supposed to be bad (so it's more taste-based than quality-based). Anyway, even if it isn't the best, it is certainly a huge step up from "The New America" and "No Substance." I think it's also better than "The Process of Belief" and "The Empire Strikes First", but that's a little harder to argue.

So if you are new to Bad Religion, I recommend you start with "Against the Grain", "Generator", "Stranger Than Fiction", or "Suffer". If you prefer AtG and Gen over StF and Suf, then you might like "The Gray Race" over some of their older albums. Just be sure to steer clear of "The New America", "No Substance", and "Into the Unknown".

stranger than fiction part II without Brett.......2006-03-28

which isn't a bad thing. stranger than fiction is the best atlantic BR album. in this album we get dag nasty and minor threat guitarist Brain Baker to replace an absent Brett. i think this is definately the best of the "no brett" years....maybe no substance at times.. parallel is a hidden gem and 10 in 2010 is so awesome! the whole album is a great listen, but it pales compared to the epitaph albums.....which isn't a problem because anything BR>99.9% of everything.

Average customer rating:

Solid, if forgotten, metal blast
subpar
Not very good
skid row is NOT A HAIR BAND!!!!!!!
If you think Skid Row is a "Glam" or "Hair Band", then you have never heard this...

Subhuman Race
Skid Row
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Slave to the Grind
Skid Row
B-Side Ourselves
Thickskin
Bring 'Em Bach Alive

ASIN: B000002J3W
Release Date: 1995-03-28

Tracks:

My Enemy
Firesign
Bonehead
Beat Yourself Blind
Eileen
Remains To Be Seen
Subhuman Race
Frozen
Into Another
Face Against My Soul
Medicine Jar
Breakin' Down
Iron Will/Bonus Track 1

Amazon.com

In the three years between Skid Row's rarities compilation B-Sides Ourselves--four years if you're counting from their last real studio album, 1991's Slave to the Grind--and Subhuman Race, the world turned its attention away from hair metal and toward hip-hop, grunge, and a harder, faster, louder brand of thrash metal. Which is too bad, because Subhuman Race is the best album of the group's career, forgoing the pop-metal sheen of earlier hits such as "18 and Life" and "I Remember You" in favor of a tougher sound that matches the tenor of the times. Tracks such as "Bonehead," "Beat Yourself Blind," and the title track mix razor-sharp guitar lines, grinding rhythms, and Sebastian Bach's stinging shriek, keeping the emphasis squarely on the music, as opposed to Bach's once-misanthropic ways. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews:

Solid, if forgotten, metal blast.......2007-04-11

Honest magazines of the time agreed that this rocked mightily. But it was 1995 and they were few and far between as it was basically illegal to like Skid Row at the height of grunge and alterna-rock hegemony.

But bugger the mainstream - this rocked! A mature slice of corporate metal still with Bachs trademark pipes soaring and growling their way through tunes that had more in common with Slave to the Grind than the debut. Which is as you'd expect. Heavy rockers abound here as hard riffing is the order of the day, personal faves bein the lead cut My Enemy, the title track and Medicine Jar. That's not to deny the impassioned Bach efforts on Frozen or Beat Yourself Blind. And the band weren't above a few gimmicks, such as the single Breakin' Down being issued in two versions, effectively trying to double sales for the single. But hey, Maiden relentlessly issue all sorts of versions of everything to siphon the last cent (or pence) from their fans wallets and let's not even start on KISS! So I can forgive 'em and really this solid metal outing should of sufficed to silence critics and to ensure the bands survival.

Other tidbits you may find helpful in making your choice would be A) bob Rock production, B) nifty foldout packaging on the initial pressing and C) a defiant will to win. Though to be fair, reasons not to buy this would be A) not quite the kill factor of Slave to the Grind, B) knowing the band were disintegrating from within - yeah it's a downer and C) the absence of chilling slower numbers - there is nothing approaching In A Darkened Room, Wasted Time or Quicksand Jesus.

Still, recommended metal.

subpar.......2006-10-03

so the image conscious marketing geniuses wanted to make SR more grungy and less glam? fair enough, but SR wasn't very glam to begin with, and with S to the G, they had already made all the transition they needed. SubHmn Race is just grunge for the sake of grunge, SR's distinctive style is lost, the songs are non-descript, and Baz' vox are restrained, sounding more like a Pantera imitator than the guy who was giving Axl a run for his $ in the range dept.

Not very good.......2006-07-13

After reading all of the stellar reviews, I bought this CD used. I expected much more since Skid Row's debut & Slave To The Grind were great records. This record was released in the mid 90's, and it's obvious the band wasn't sure which direction to go in. This is not a metal record as some of the other reviewers have claimed. One song was punk. Only 2 tracks were melody based, and sounded good. There was a lot of great playing on this record, but no great songwriting. Several of the pieces used odd time signatures ala progressive rock. Many of the pieces tried to borrow from the then hot alternative rock scene. I could here Alice In Chains types of guitar riffs, and big diminished chords ala STP. Boz's singing was more of a raspy hurl then actual singing. Nowhere on this record is a great sustained note like in "18 and Life". Overall, I am super disappointed, and plan to put this back up for sale.

skid row is NOT A HAIR BAND!!!!!!!.......2006-05-26

listen to me...HAIR bands are poison, warrant, motley crue, cinderella etc.... skid row is one of the few good musical things to come from the 80's, and they dressed really no differently than metallica, is metallica a hair band? c'mon!!

If you think Skid Row is a "Glam" or "Hair Band", then you have never heard this..........2006-03-18

Nothing like the self titled "Skid Row" release of 1989 and "Subhuman Race" is even harder than the 1991 album "Slave to the Grind". It is really too bad that the record labels were dumping "grunge" and "alternative" hype on the public in the `90s so everyone basically ignored this album thinking it was just another "hair band" release. If it was actually given a chance, this may have actually saved Skid Row from virtual obscurity today.

In my humble opinion, this album could go toe to toe with any of Metallica's releases in recent times and even thrash them out of the water while reminding Metallica that the term "Heavy Metal" starts with the word "HEAVY".

In my opinion, after this album; it is truly unfair to continue to describe Skid Row using bands such as Warrant, Mr. Big, Poison or other `80s hair or glam bands as references.

The Great Race: Music From The Film Score

Average customer rating:

No finish line in sight.
It's Mancini--no more to say
One of Mancini's best film scores
The soundtrack is as wacky as the Blake Edwards movie.

The Great Race: Music From The Film Score

Manufacturer: RCA Fs Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Great Race (Sub)
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
In Like Flint / Our Man Flint: Original Motion Picture Soundtracks

ASIN: B00000JC1B
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Tracks:

"Overture: A. He Shouldn't-a, Oughtn't-a Swang On
"Push The Button, Max!
The Royal Waltz
"Night, Night, Sweet Prince
They're Off
The Sweetheart Tree(With Corus)
The Great Race March
" A. He Shouldn't-a, Oughtn't-a Swang On Me!
Music To Become King By
Cold Finger
Pie-In-The-face Polka

Album Description

Henry Mancini's soundtrack to director Blake Edward's 1965 comedy starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Peter Falk & Vivian Vance about the first New York-to-Paris car race. Features all 11 cuts from the original release & the original cover art. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews:

No finish line in sight........2001-08-22

I first heard about Henry Mancini while he was doing the Peter Gunn series with Blake Edwards. That music was so lively, that I began paying attention to this Mancini person. It wasn't long before my record cabinet began to swell with his music. My wife asked if there was anyone else out there recording. I said, probably, but who cares? Then, in 1965, The Great Race was released. Of course I purchased the album, and played it literally to death. That was thirty-six years ago, and I still play that record, or the tape I made of it. Now, it's available on CD. That's a no-brainer. I attended several concerts that Henry gave from 1966 to 1981. I was never disappointed. I met him and talked with him several times. He was a most gracious, and patient man. He is sorely missed on the cinema and popular music scenes. His music will live for many eons, and The Great Race will always be in my heart and head.

It's Mancini--no more to say.......2001-08-07

Did Henry Mancini ever write a bad soundtrack? This one shows his incredible range, from the romantic (and Oscar nominated) "Sweetheart Tree", to the livelier "He Shouldn'ta Hadn'ta Oughtn'ta Swang on Me" and "Pie-in-the-Face Polka." In between, there's a royal waltz, Professor Fate's ominous theme "Push the Button, Max" and a title piece that manages to work in every All-American tune from "America the Beautiful" to "Dixie."

All in all, great music for a fun movie.

One of Mancini's best film scores.......2000-04-27

This is one of the all-time favorites among Mancini's fans: when it was reviewed at the HM site "Henry Mancini Forum", it won the best comments. It is filled with music for slapstick scenes, marches, a waltz, a lullaby, a beautiful love theme (with lyrics by Johnny Mercer) and Dorothy Provine's (who plays saloon singer Lily Olay) funny interpretation of "He Shouldn't-a, Hadn't-a, Oughtn't-a Swang On Me". A great score for probably the most expensive (and longest) road movie ever made.

The soundtrack is as wacky as the Blake Edwards movie........1999-11-16

I have the LP a very rare find. I am happy that it is finally in cd form. It is Mancini at his silly best. The only problem I have with this album is the Pie Fight Polka is not as long as the pie fight in the movie. That and the song The Lover Tree is just too sickening. Overall, it kicks. If you liked the movie you'll want this sountrack.

Average customer rating:

POWERFUL VOICES
Best discovery in music in a quite some time.
Larger Than Life
very good
"brilliant arrangements and performances ~ The Ten Tenors"

Larger Than Life

Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Here's to the Heroes
Ten Tenors in Prayer
The Ten Tenors - Larger Than Life
Tenology - the Best of So Far
Tenology

ASIN: B0002SPPG4
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Water/Va Pensiero
Stonde
The Way Away From You
Angel
Por Una Cabeza
Together
Feet Lift Off The Ground
Cast In Stone
Sundance
World Anthem
Destiny Lies
Thunder Point
Conquest Of Paradise
Bicycle Race

Customer Reviews:

POWERFUL VOICES.......2006-02-28

Young tenors at their individual and collective best. Powerful, dynamic, and emotionally charged performance.
Good selection of vocal works for the newcomer, some light, some heavy.

Best discovery in music in a quite some time........2005-07-08

I happened to see this ensemble perform in concert on PBS one night last winter during a fund raiser.

All that I can say is, "Wow".

Since that time I have purchased this CD for myself and as gift to three other music lovers; all of which have offered me their gratitude.

It is not very often that a musical experience of skill and talent surfaces. They hold us within the magic of voice, combined with musical stanzas and lyric, and the chemistry of TEAMWORK.
The gentlemen excel in such offerings as Vangelis' "Conquest of Paradise", "World Anthem", and the melancholy Irish "Thunderpoint", which sends chills down my spine.

If I can choose one group to open the next Olympics celebration it is The Ten Tenors.
I can only hope that they broaden their US tour.
I can also only hope that they continue to produce and record more albums.

Bravo

Larger Than Life.......2005-07-04

Yes, clearly the name alone is a homage/copy from the Three Tenors and, no, they aren't as operatic as the others. However, they are 10 guys who sing a cross between choir, Broadway, opera and a capella. That said, you'll find these guys encapitvating. First of all, the operatic aspect is a misnomer, because when they're having fun, they're at their best. Listen to them do their Dancing Queen Melody. Not only is it well done, it's fun and hysterical.

This all said, the CD contains a bonus DVD disc, which in my opinion blows away the CD. Not that it's as well produced; however, you need to see these 10 guys interact to get the idea of how good they are. Their faces express the emotion, as all 10 of them work together to take you across various musical genres. Their interaction is what makes them special, which is why I say, "Buy this CD for the DVD"

very good.......2005-07-04

Delta Air Lines featured most of this album on thier in-flight audio, and I heard it on a long flight and its equally long return. Bought the album after that. Not a fan of opera, classical, or pop, I was surprised to find that The Ten Tenors did all of these better then any of the three genres' more popular artists. I enjoy the album and recommend it as adult contemporary.

"brilliant arrangements and performances ~ The Ten Tenors".......2004-10-23

Rhino Records presents not just Three Tenors or Irish Tenors...but the latest surprise on the classical scene is The Ten Tenors with their new album "Larger Than Life", featuring a fourteen track compact disc and four cue bonus Live DVD...Australian gentlemen who will thrill you with classical vocal repertoire of ballads and even a classic rock tune or two.

Students in 1995 studying opera classics, they performed in 1998 while attending the University and began touring...haven't stopped since ~ their individuality and comradeship with close touching harmony will soon grab you and never let go ~ outstanding performances "STONDE" [Patrick Abrial/Jean Marc Grossi/Thierry Micaelli], beautiful beyond words, "POR UNA CABEZA" [Carlos Gardel/Alfredo Le Para], the tango from the film "Scent Of A Woman", the vocal is extraordinary, "SUNDANCE" [Andy Arthurs/Philip Chambon], folk genre beat with tempos that get completely under your skin, terrific arrangements by the composer, "DESTINY LIES" [Craig Atkinson/Stewart Morris], lead vocal by Jason Turbull reads like a Top Ten New Age Hit, full orchestra and chorus abound ~ "CONQUEST OF PARADISE" [Vangelis], non stop harmony and brilliant orchestration with the full voices of The Ten Tenors, enough power to light up a big city block ~ "BICYCLE RACE" [Freddie Mercury], the ultimate big hit of Queen, brilliant arrangements by Shannon Brown and Drew Graham.

If you love classical and outstanding vocals by young talent, then this one has your name on it...watch out world here comes some of the best of the best around today...hats off to Rhino and Warner Bros. for this one of a kind release...hope to see more of the same...piano, arranger and synthesizer by Steven Baker..the DVD is really a trip and a half...great job by one and all ~ The Ten Tenors

Total Time: 56:12 on 14 Tracks/DVD on 4 Tracks ~ Rhino Records 76525 ~ (9/21/2004)

Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias

Average customer rating:

the way teens are to Britney or Madonna....
Villazon finds his niche...go French
Bad diction, engineering gimmicks besot otherwise noble effort
Bean sings?
A fine romantic interpreter

Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias
Rolando Villazon , Natalie Dessay , and Evelino Pido
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Italian Opera Arias
Rolando Villazon: Opera Recital
Opera Recital [Includes Bonus DVD]
Verdi: La Traviata
Russian Album

ASIN: B0006IQM5I
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain
Enfin, Manon... En Fermant Les Yeux
Oui, Ce Qu'elle M'ordonne... Lorsque L'enfant Revient
L'amour! L'amour!... Ah! Leve-toi, Soleil
Source Dcieuse
Faiblesse De La Race Humaine!... Inspirez-moi, Race Divine
Voix Qui Me Remplissez D'une Ineffable Ivresse
Je Suis L'oiseau
Traduire... Pourquoi Me Riller
Anges Du Paradis
Salut, Tombeau
Salut, Demeure Chaste Et Pure
Je Suis Seul!... Ah! Fuyez, Douce Image
Je Vais La Voir!
Ah! Parais!

Amazon.com

Rolando Villazon's follow-up CD to his sensational debut recital of Italian arias is devoted to music by Gounod and Massenet: some as familiar as Faust's, Romeo's and Des Grieux's arias, some as rare as pieces from Gounod's Polyeucte and La Reine de Saba and Massenet's Roma and Le Mage. But almost more important than the interesting repertoire, familiar or otherwise, is Villazon's handling of the music. In Werther's passionate Act II outburst to God about suicide, which is almost never excerpted, Villazon manages, in four minutes, to create a complete character, with all his neuroses, mania, and desperation--and he caps it with a ringing high B natural which is as beautiful as it is heartfelt. He sings both of Des Grieux's arias with feeling and tenderness (aided in "Le reve" by Natalie Dessay!). An aria from La Reine de Saba turns out to bequite a showpiece, with a drop-dead high C at its close. As singing and as interpreting, this CD is a must-have. Villazon's dark-hued, expressive tone is always used in the service of the music, and following his career will be a joy for all lovers of great tenorizing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

the way teens are to Britney or Madonna...........2007-01-04

Villazon brings out the teenybopper in me. I could wear the grooves out!~just as I did with my early heros at 12 and 13 years of age. Seriously, his sound, phrasing and timbre are transcendent and ethereal. May the music never end.

Villazon finds his niche...go French.......2006-02-25

Rather than beefing up his voice for the big (money-paying) Italian roles that are one size too large for him, Rolando Villazon naturally excels in these roles from Gounod and Massenet. The narrow French vowels add a needed edge and vibrancy to his voice, the placement of the music in the head tones brings out Villazon's best timbre, and he seems temperamentally suited to refined heros. In fact, it's remarkable to hear the transformaiton here when comparing him in the recent DG La Traviata, where his Alfredo was convincing but hard work. French opera is rhtorical and poetic rather than visceral and passionate. I think Villazon fits that mold, as nearly eery aria here domonstrates.

Bad diction, engineering gimmicks besot otherwise noble effort.......2006-02-02

A tenor very quickly on the rise, this is Villazon's second recital disc, one devoted to arias by Gounod and Massenet, all in sets of three, three for Massenet, and two for Gounod. While still showing great promise, some concerns that were mildly serious with the first disc are even more so, in the French repertoire, in part because diction comes up so short here.

"O souverain" from Le Cid continues to show Villazon's command of line and squeezed but adequately forceful upper register, so that the volume boosts from the control room are really unnecessary. Diction here is already an issue, as many `u' vowels get dipthonged, especially when Villazon's sound is placed back for added weight and volume. `La reve' from Massenet's Manon is comfortably floated, with support from Natalie Dessay as Manon enhancing the intimacy of feeling to this number. Would Villazon been able to sing the short aria by Alain (who appears to the heroine at first to perhaps be little more than an apparition - shades of Frau ohne schatten perhaps? - in almost a chamber opera), from Massenet's Griselidis (track 8), at least as softly and lightly, as both the music and dramatic situation require, this could have also been very successful. He instead turns the ABA shape of this mere chanson inside out and makes a wreck of it.

The less often excerpted "Lorsque enfant" from Werther closes out the first Massenet set, as does "Pourquoi me reveiller" the second. Villazon's identification with the distraught main character of this opera is abundantly clear in both. He capitalizes well on the quixotic emotions and dreamy tendencies of the distraught main character especially well in the first selection, and he is also less intruded upon by the producers or sound engineers there as well.

It is quite curious how the control room follows the tenor up a crescendo on a line that closes out the first section of the excerpt here from Massenet's Roi de Lahore, featuring a hero (from Hindu myth) that bound to certain stipulations, has literally returned from the dead. Not quite as ostentatious as Massenet's near remake of Lohengrin, Esclarmonde (but with female protagonist instead), it is one of Massenet's most colorful scores. It has only been recorded complete once commercially, with Joan Sutherland, Luis Lima, and appearing only ten minutes apart, James Morris, and for the part of General unfortunately eliminated from this scene here, John Tomlinson, along with one other cut to Villazon's part. It would've been more valuable to have all this complete instead of one or two other arias. He captures the incipiently worried tone of Alim well, but his coloring up the vowel sounds makes it seem that he has come from a place as remote from French culture as where the opera takes place.

Most successful of the Gounod selections are two of the three rarities. The first is Source delicieuse from Polyeucte, based on the Corneille play. It opens very well with a minute of orchestral cortege. It perhaps has only been recorded once before and well, by Roberto Alagna ten years ago; Villazon conveys the heroism of the piece somewhat well, if not as securely as Alagna. Anges du paradis from Mireille (which Mirella Freni championed and recorded complete for EMI), is third, perhaps a study for Ah leve toi, soleil (Romeo), several years down the road. The second Gounod rarity on this disc is "Inspirez-moi, race divine," said to be a Caruso favorite, from Reine de Saba. Its text indicates King Solomon's prize hired builder, Adoniram, to be a very confident, if mildly haughty chap. Villazon's interpretation seems to portray a hero that constantly has to look behind his back, with all the incipiently yet controllably vibrato ridden throb and backphrasing Villazon engages in here. The high C at the end, however, is convincing. Such device as in the above, also accents and colors most phrasing in the tomb scene from Romeo et Juliette.

"Ah! leve toi soleil" opens the first Gounod set, and is sung with the right ardor, conventionally marked by tiny captured scoops, coming off phrases. Villazon's entrance and two later lines catch for having placed so far back in the throat, and intonation gets momentarily derailed. "Salut, demeure" from Gounod's Faust quickly becomes expressively leaden and monochrome.

Recitative and the beginning of the aria, "Ah! fuyez" from Manon begin well nuanced enough, and for the aria, truly softly as a change from so much else on this disc, but all-purpose bench pressing and volume boosts intrude before long. That leaves two truly atmospheric selections from two Massenet rarities, to close this recital - first, an aria from Roma, Massenet's swan song for the lyric theater and "Ah! parais" from Le Mage, opera with plot line similar to that of Verdi's Aida, following. The melody, introduced by the cellos at the outset for the latter, somewhat takes after "Pays merveilleux" from Meyerbeer's Africaine, but in more voluptuous color, such as in Thais, and Villazon and Pido both capitalize well on its opulence. Pido's work, on numerous other numbers on this disc, seems heavy, lumbering, cloying, or just simply out of his idiom, so to speak.

Word has it that Villazon, while not having a big voice, is dramatically exciting on stage and probably more immediately engaged with the content of what he is singing. How this picked up a major award from Gramophone, for the specific problems this disc has, and over two more qualified nominations (Ciofi/Di Donato Handel Duets and a Florez album) is mystifying. So much digression here is over the very specific demands that French opera makes on singers. There's much reason for hope for this tenor, but this disc, for two-thirds of it, does little to help fulfill it.

Bean sings?.......2006-01-05

A friend lent me Villazon's debut album as an introduction to the man. I loved it - but this is the one I have bought. If, like me, you have tired of the comparisons between Villazon and others (esp Domingo) fear not, this artist is an original. I must confess that on seeing the cover I wondered if Brit comedian Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean / Black Adder - now there's a new comarison!) had strayed into the wrong studio, but a few tracks into either disc and you'll know you're listening to the real thing. True, he has baritonish notes in the lower register, and an easy reach for the upper notes but I honestly have not heard anyone quite like him before. His is a warm voice with an early maturity that should ensure he has a long career ahead of him. His diction is excellent, without the staccato enunciation or lack of French interpretation abilities that mar lesser singers' performances. Such vocal ease makes the sung word seem as natural as the spoken word is to us lesser mortals. That his song selection moves away from the 'usual suspects' of the tenor repertoire is to his great advantage; he knows what suits him and he brings each piece to new life. The overly familiar tracks of which there are thankfully few serve only to highlight through comparison to those we know Villazon's unique timbre and interpretation. This collection includes inspired music choices, incomparable renditions, marvellous orchestration and leaves the listener keenly anticipating his next release. The recording and production are impeccable (worth ***** in their category). It does not get much better than that. Atkinson may make you laugh (or not) - Villazon will make you smile and keep you feeling that way.

A fine romantic interpreter.......2005-12-20

If not quite a poet in the manner of, say, Edmond Clément, Rolando Villazón is a first rate romantic interpreter. His French is surprisingly good and he really understands how this school of writing needs to be lived and phrased, so that he doesn't summarily yell through all phrases like some "Italian" second-rater: he shades and molds the music in the elegant style of great French tenors of a bygone era: Clément, Franz, Dalmorès, Beyle, Vaguet, Scaremberg, D' Arkor, Thill...

Just like the damned record companies to give us a mere CD of Rolando Villazón's lovely art, whilst recording the above "Italian" second-rater in every complete French rôle under the sun!

Villazón's voice itself is more like a Spanish tenor's in timbre, none too pellucid, but a manly, resonant instrument of middle weight, which he never forces.

I don't know who Evelino Pido is, or how he got through school with that name, but he is a damned sight better than the much-touted Pappano (as in EMI's horrible latest Manon.) There are no metronomic run-throughs [RUIN-throughs!] on this disk.

If you adore Gounod and Massenet as I do, this CD will be very good news indeed to you.

Average customer rating:

woah what a cd!1!
Sorry, but i had to give this piece 4 stars
One Of DJ Keoki's Better Albums
One of Keoki's best!
Kick Ass Techno

Disco Death Race 2000
Superstar DJ Keoki , Various Artists , Cranium HF , Alpha Team , Ispirio Zone , G-Netic , Interface , Indigo Dream , Anoesis , and Cube 40
Manufacturer: Moonshine Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Trance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Tracks:

Sixteen Bit Suicide - Cranium HF
Go Speed Go - Alpha Team
Take Me - Ispirio Zone
Eat Me Raw - G-netic
Feel So Good - Xi Xi
Believe - Interface
Hypnotic Love - Indigo Dream
Kickin' The Dog - Shop
Troubledown Groove - Anoesis
Freebase - Yum Yum
Just Keep On - Marshall H
You Make Me Function - Cube 40
Auburn - Skylab 2000
Get Off The Street - The Dub Funkster
Hear The Drummer - The Cotton Club

Customer Reviews:

woah what a cd!1!.......2006-12-30

if you were to own one electronic dance cd,this is it. this mix is unbelievable. it starts out with some driving psytrance into some banging acid house,then comes the breakbeat,some straight up techno followed by subliminal vocals. keoki really takes you on a journey with this one! his mixing is flawless,showing you why hes one of the greatest djs in the world. this cd is a must have!1! i first heard it in 1996 and it has no problem standing up to the test of time. i still keep it in regular rotation in my cd player. you will not be dissappointed with this mix!

Sorry, but i had to give this piece 4 stars.......2006-03-02

I have a special place in my heart for this cd, it is THE first electronic cd i ever bought. Sure it has cheezy parts and its dated, but its is definately FUN. It is also an incredibally fun walk down memory lane. You could not get away with playing the songs now to the general public, but if you like to nod your head ans smile from ear to ear while driving down the freeway then this is 1 for you.

In the mid 90's keoki was God. Without him i have no doubt that electronic music would be at least 30% less popular in the US. I know i would not have given electronic music a second chance if it was not for him and this cd. Other dj's should never talk bad about this unbelievably 'off the beaten path' yet incredibally talented individual.

This cd was made back before dj's 'mixed' their cd on computer programs that we now have to come to love and enjoy (pro-tools, and tractor), so the mixing on this cd is truly legendary.

His other cd's are hit and miss, but you cant go wrong with this tru oldskool classic.

One Of DJ Keoki's Better Albums.......2005-08-05

Although I still find some parts of this album repetitive and boring, there is enough here to cheer about. It does have a few winners on it, surely. The best song on here is the opener by Cranium HF. The 30 second sample doesn't do it justice. Check it out.

One of Keoki's best!.......2005-07-08

This is a great album, to say the least. I once owned it but then lost it and have been regretting it ever since. It's such a classic. I need to go buy another copy of it.

Kick Ass Techno.......2005-05-09

This dj is known for his acidic,hypnotic beats,and mixing all funkdified sounds together.I'd get this cd just to listen to the speed racer song...damn ,that track will get you all tweaked up and ready for the night.This is the only Keoki cd I'll own because the others are worth crap.This is yet another essential dance album

Average customer rating:

The Complete Caruso

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Ladino | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001TSWQO
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Music:

Music

music