Dive and Lie Wrecked [EP]

Dive and Lie Wrecked [EP]

Track Listings

1. 'Ave That

2. Bassick Element

3. Night Bus to Nowhere

4. You Can't Catch Me

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Dubbed "filthier than a ladyboy lapdancer high on crack," Dive and Lie Wrecked is an EP of dark drum and liquid bass stylings with the trademark Radioactive Man growl.

Tracks:

Dive
Captain Nemo
The Second Element
Ship Of Fools
Once In A Lifetime
Cape Horn
A Salty Dog
Siren
Seven Seas
Johnny Wanna Live
By Now
Island
When It Rains In America
La Mer
The Second Element II

Amazon.com

Andrew Lloyd Weber's favorite leading lady will quickly make her mark as a pop artiste. Vocally, the Kate Bush analogy is accurate, but Brightman is far less adventurous and hence more accessible. --Jeff Bateman

Album Description

Budget price collection from Spectrum. 15 tracks. 1993.

Customer Reviews:

Better for your eyes than your ears.......2007-01-29

I have long been a fan of Sarah Brightman & have always loved her music, however I cannot agree with all the rave reviews for this CD.

I think the music on Dive is uninspired & not nearly up to her quality. Her voice is fine, just the selection of songs is poor.

In my opinion, the best part of this CD is the photo inside of Sarah wearing her nearly-transparent golden cat-suit. So I give this CD 1 star for the music plus 2 stars for the photo.

One of the most memorable albums.......2006-11-12

I first heard "Captain Nemo" on a local alternative station. Then I went out and bought "Dive". This was when I was traveling to Japan for work a whole lot of the time.

I've listened to this album hundreds of times. It never grows old! I still appreciate every song, every nuance. "Once in a lifetime" is the theme song of my wife and I.

I think this is one of the best albums ever recorded.

Dive.......2006-09-01

DIVE is Sarah Brightman's first work with producer Frank Peterson. The album is all water themed and pop oriented, with mostly ballads, and only one or two more up tempo songs. The tracklist is as follows:

1.-Dive: The opening of the album. Starts with some strange sounds that seem alien but is actually a whale chanting!! Sarah's voice can then be heard reading some lines from a poem of "Whale Nation". A great intro, sets the mood for the album. (7/10)

2.-Captain Nemo: The first single of the album. Strange lyrics, strange story, but a really nice down tempo song. Ther voice of Nemo whispering is a nice touch, and the song ends with some gospel chorus..all in all a good track.(8/10)

3.-The Second Element: The second and last single of the album is a wonderful, dark ballad. Beautiful lyrics, Sarah puts a lot of emotion on this one. Definitly a highlight of the album. (9/10)

4.-Ship Of Fools: A light hearted song that serves as some sort of bridge between the previous dark songs and the more lighted ones. Though it is a nice short ballad, it's got nothing special to it. (6/10)

5.-Once In A Lifetime: Another highlight of the album! This is a very sexy song with spanish words whispered at the beggining and in the middle of the song (very beautiful sexy lyrics). All about this song is sexy, the lyrics, the music, the voice, the arrangements, everything! I just can't get tired of listening to this track...I mean, who can resist to this kind of lyrics: "Find a part of me that is a mystery, that will be just once in a lifetime". ufffff hot stuff. (10/10)

6.-Cape Horn: An interlude taken from some movie or tv series. A captain telling a dramatic story of his tripulation frozing in the artic and them having to cut their fingers to get down. (5/10)

7.-A Salty Dog: One of my favourite songs from the album. Sarah hits some really immpressive notes here without using her operatic voice, just her head voice..really amazing, definitly one her best vocal performances. And notice the final words of the song kinda confirm the story of Cape Horm. (9/10)

8.-Siren: A short vocalize. Serves as an intro to Seven Seas, however I think it could as well have been part of the song. Just like in "Dive", a whale chant can be heard here..very beautiful. (6/10)

9.-Seven Seas: Another light hearted love song, which I think is necessary after a song like A Salty Dog. You're gonna love the chorus in the end of the song...always makes me smile =D (7/10)

10.-Johnny Wanna Live: A Beautiful song about animal haunting. Very sensitivie touching lyrics, this song really makes you think if you're actually doing anything to stop it. A song that I think everyone would identify with. (8/10)

11.-By Now: A slow nice ballad that kinda comes out of the theme. Nemo's voice can be heard here doing the backing vocals =D (7/10)

12.-Island: A song full of light and sunshine, Island creates a lot of visual images with the music and lyrics. Another favourite. (8/10)

13.-When It Rains In America: An epic ballad with a low late bad feeling, could also fit in the group of the dark songs of the album. Sarah's vocals here are quite amazing, specially the final notes. (8/10)

14.-La Mer: The only up tempo song of the album. Sarah doesn't actually sing, but whispers durign the whole song (except for the haunting choir, and the sort of techno music really turns this song into a masterpiece. The lyrics are beautiful and haunting, and were actually written by Sarah. (10/10)

15.-The Second Element II: The closing of the album is also the best song. It's actually a reprise of the Second Element, but this time the lyrics are totally different (not dark at all) and it's an acoustic version, with a beautiful guitar playing in the background. Totally different mood from The Second Element, the end of the song fonds with a gospel choir, a guitar and sounds of the beach. An incredible ending for the album! (11/10)

"Dive" into Sarah's world.......2006-08-04

I've read online on so many sites that Sarah Brightman is an artist that "you either love her or hater her", a forced choice. This album introduced the world to Brightman as a solo artist, an artist that has taken many risks in her career. "Dive" is this rock/pop infused album that's great to hear. Tracks like 'Capt. Nemo', 'Once in a Lifetime', or 'Seven Seas' all paint pictures for the listener of the ocean, of its mystery and beauty. Sarah has not failed the listener in stirring their imagination with her beautiful voice and words. It has to be said that "Dive" is not like her other albums, and the best part is that Brightman continues to take risks in her career. I just started listening to her and whether she does a cover song or not, she makes the song her own and turns it into something out of this world

If anything, the only set back in this album, in my opinion, is the song 'By Now'. 'A Salty Dog' has always received mixed reviews but i honestly like this song and her voice is the best on this track. I can't stop listening to the album and its great all around.

The albums i own are "Fly", "Harem", "Eden", and "Dive". To be honest, i am not disappointed in what i hear in these albums. They're all different from one another which i believe keeps the listener hooked. Brightman is difficult to be categorized into one genre of music, which makes her even more unique than many artists today.

"Dive" into Sarah as your imagination will run wild into the depths of the ocean.

awesome cd concept........2006-03-24

This cd is a jewel.begining with the intro, that it cath you into the whole cd.Best songs: Ship of Fools,Captain Nemo and Seves Seas. I like Sarah'svoice in this cd is not to soft like harem..

Average customer rating:

Music that'll peel paint off the joint
Great Band! Great Debut CD!
Top notch pop
If you don't know about Slobberbone you'll probably like this CD
While not Slobberbone, it's not a complete throwaway...

Jubilee Dive
The Drams
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000FVGLES
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Tracks:

The Truth Lies Low
Hummalong
Holy Moses
Unhinged
Fireflies
Septembers High
You Wont Forget
You & Me, MF
When Your Tired
Shortsighted
Crudely Drawn
make A Book
Des Moines
Wonderous Life

Amazon.com

Though three-fifths of this Texas band was formerly in Slobberbone, there isn't a speck of slobber amid the sonic sheen of the new incarnation's debut. Instead, frontman Brent Best now positions his sound at the high-gloss juncture of arena rock and power pop, with barely a nod toward the roadhouse dive. With Slobberbone's drummer Tony Harper and guitarist Jess Barr reuniting with Best, two new recruits--keyboardist Chad Stockslager and bassist Keith Killoren, both from Dallas's Budapest One--bolster the harmonies and the arrangements. While it's difficult to resist the hard-driving uplift of "Hummalong" and "Unhinged," the power balladry of "Holy Moses" and "Wonderous Life" (both approaching seven minutes) might have packed twice the punch with half the bloat. Elsewhere, the country tinge of "Fireflies" comes close to the Eagles, the elaborate production of "You Won't Forget" (with synthesized strings, cloying harmonies, and a brass arrangement) veers from Beatles into ELO territory, and "Des Moines" sounds like a generic lovelorn road song. In terms of aural precision, it's hard to fault the production of Matt Pierce, but the album almost begs for an editor. --Don McLeese

Album Description

Jam packed with brawny, spirited, hands-in-the-air rockers, stirring anthems and harrowing ventures exploring a culture sapped by hollow heroes and soul-killing, high-tech crapola, The Drams careen out of Texas with Jubilee Dive—a welcome jolt of rock `n roll that is fresh and vital!

Customer Reviews:

Music that'll peel paint off the joint.......2007-05-11

The cover of this CD says it all. On it, a multitude of cool rock and roll instruments and equipment are just sitting in a studio, waiting to be plugged in so they can scorch some music-starved audience somewhere in the country. The aptly named "Jubilee Dive" is a great big sprawling -- but in-control -- hodge-podge of feel-good Saturday-night rockers and mellow fare like "You Won't Forget," "When You're Tired" and the achingly beautiful "Wonderous Life." Some of this stuff sounds a little like Wilco (see Summerteeth), and some of it like the Wallflowers (see Bringing Down the Horse), but truthfully, The Drams are probably better than both those bands combined. Written by singer and guitarist Brent Best, these sonic jewels are chock-full of moving and meaningful lyrics that lend the music serious poignancy.

Best and his band mates come off as road-weary but happy to be musicians; fun-loving but also old and wise enough to know better than to fall to the perils of touring; humble but also confident in what they're doing. Despite Best's leadership role in the band, there's a definite sense of musical chemistry, probably because two other Dram members played for years in Best's previous band, Slobberbone (Jess Bar on guitar and Tony Harper on drums). Best has a strong, slightly cracked voice, and in several tunes it sounds double-tracked a la Bob Mould (formerly of Husker Du and Sugar) for enhanced effect. Outstanding background vocals also infiltrate "Jubilee Dive," and the organ and piano work is stellar throughout.

"Truth Lies Low," the opening song on the CD, contains the best aspects of The Drams in 3 minutes, 36 seconds: astute lyrics about the fake glibness of today's politicians, great piano work and an overall catchy nature. "Hummalong," the following track, has the same formidable characteristics, and you can tell right away this is the type of music that will suck you in like a good party. "Unhinged," which I first heard thanks to an included CD in an issue of Paste magazine from 2006, takes the cake for the feel-good song of the decade. Whether you're looking for a lazy barroom ditty like "Holy Moses," sprightly guitar as on "Fireflies" or down-home riffs and wailing guitar solos that make their way on several songs, this down-to-earth album is as good as it gets.

The varied songs on "Jubilee Dive" have a slight gloss to them (especially when compared to Slobberbone's work), but they also possess a live feel that makes you want to stand up and sing along. One could easily imagine these tunes being played in a large, packed, sweaty bar, which is likely the type of atmosphere they are often played in. Like a good country singer, Best is capable of evoking feelings through his words, which often linger on the life of a touring band, both the stimulating and drab moments on the road. It all culminates to "Wonderous Life," one of the most beautiful tunes you'll ever hear. All in all, give The Drams an A+ for attitude, perspective and for great music.

Great Band! Great Debut CD!.......2007-02-20

The Drams are such a great band! You should also check out the band Slobberbone.

Top notch pop.......2007-01-23

It's hard to feel sorry for Slobberbone fans who are disappointed in this disc. To me, this feels like an evolution or progression from that band to a new and very exciting sound. True, you do have to give it a few listens for it to really sink in. But I found much to love here once I gave it time. I think the songs are beautifully crafted, layers of sound and great playing tied seamlessly to lyrics that're provocative and lovely. Addictive hooks, gorgeous melodies, excellent arrangements, good production (though I wish I could get in on vinyl). I love the way the songs on this album evoke an amazing range of other artists, from Elton John to the Beatles, without ever sounding derivative.

Would we all love Neil Young as much if he had stopped creatively with "After the Goldrush"? Artists need to move on, all you Slobberbone fans should too.

If you don't know about Slobberbone you'll probably like this CD.......2006-11-08

If you don't know about Slobberbone you'll probably like this CD. If you do know about Slobberbone, burry 'em in the back yard and move on to Lucero. While this CD is not as good as the Slobberbone stuff it doesn't deserve the bashing it's getting. It's obviously a new direction and not aimed at keeping Slobberbone alive. They would still be Slobberbone if that were the intent. It's still Brent writhing the songs and you can hear a hint of the old stuff on this record. The main problem is that now it's all happy and shiny. Brent decided to get his dog fixed after getting him back from the ex. Buy it used from one of the many disappointed Slobberbone fans.

While not Slobberbone, it's not a complete throwaway..........2006-11-02

I don't know how many people will pick this up who were not already familiar with Slobberbone. Accordingly, the majority of listeners/reviewers are going to compare this to Slobberbone. Compared to Slobberbone, it REALLY sucks. Taken on its own merits, it only kinda sucks. Personally, I have reached the point where I can appreciate the simple pop tunes (e.g. Hummalong, Unhinged, Sortsighted). However, half-way thru "You Won't Forget", I thought someone had replaced my Drams CD with a Chicago CD. Skip tracks 7 and 8, and you are left with a mediocre, listenable CD, if only due to the fact that I still enjoy Brent Best's voice (no matter how overproduced). Think of the drop-off from Slobberbone's ETYTWRWWT to Slippage. The drop-off from Slippage to this album is about twice as steep.

Bottom Line: Buy this CD, and make your own decision 'cause Brent Best deserves to be a millionaire based solely on what he did with Slobberbone.

Average customer rating:

Yet another original fighting to get through.....
Leaves you wanting more
a real jewel

On a Good Day
Jude Johnstone
Manufacturer: Bojak Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007LLPW4
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

On A Good Day
20 Years
Hard Lessons
Hold On
In This House
Old And Gray
Evelyn
Pen And Paper
Deep Water
Long Way Back
The Hereafter

Amazon.com

If an artist can be judged by the company she keeps, the vocal harmonies of Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Rodney Crowell, and Julie Miller on Jude Johnstone's second release attest to the esteem she enjoys from fellow singer-songwriters. Though Johnstone's songs have been recorded by singers from Bette Midler to Johnny Cash, the confessional conviction she invests in the title track, "Hard Lessons," and "Pen and Paper" makes her material seem as personal as a diary. As a narrative of marital breakup, "20 Years" has a melodic bounce at odds with its lyrical despair, yet most of the settings for these older-but-wiser reflections are as somber as Johnstone's writing is poetic. Some listeners might find the results a little precious, self-consciously so--as if musical maturity mainly involves the morose acceptance of painful truths--but fans of artists from Jackson Browne to Nanci Griffith should recognize a kindred spirit here. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

Yet another original fighting to get through............2005-06-19

I remember back in the late 70's when a new singer/songwriter
performer named Karla Bonoff was a "hot" songwriter and established artists took notice and covered her song catalogue
until she to finally got her own recognition. I see the same thing happening to Jude. She writes some wonderful stuff and the
likes of Bette Midler to Bonnie Raitt have covered her emotional
turf. This collection has some outstanding songwriting and
open hearted Joni Mitchell like realism injected into the mix,
very moving material.
Well worth owning. Jude is one of our NEW & BEST songwriters.

Leaves you wanting more.......2005-03-13

I have only one complaint about this CD: It's too short!

By the time the last track begins, I'm already wishing it was a double album or, better yet, a box-set with 100 tracks of new and old material, demos, covers, Christmas songs, commercial jingles, and Jude singing phone book listings. I just don't want the music to end.

I first heard Jude perform when she opened for Shawn Colvin last year at a show in California, and I truly can't remember the last time I've had such a strong initial reaction to a performer. I remember specifically being floored by her performance of "Doesn't Anybody Know But Me" from her first CD, Coming of Age, and "Old and Gray" from this CD. Although I was there to see Shawn Colvin, I must admit that Jude stole the show that evening with her performance and gained a life-long fan in me.

It seems that every review written about Jude's CDs makes note of the fact that Jude has written hits for many top artists like Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, and Stevie Nicks. While that does bear repeating here as further testimony to Jude's talent and reputation as a top-notch songwriter, it shouldn't overshadow Jude's talent as the exceptional performer she has proven herself to be on stage and on both her albums.

Jude's second CD, like her first, is filled with highly emotional and intelligent music which will appeal to music lovers who demand substance in their music-listening experience. Jude's music requires "active listening" and is not, as Jude terms it, "music to cook by." Although the instrumentation on this CD is beautiful in and of itself, it is not by any means merely pleasant background music. To fully appreciate the CD (and Jude's complete body of work for that matter) one must really listen to the lyrics as well. All the tracks on this CD tell interesting stories of life's everyday occurrences--of "busted heart[s]" and watching "friends go one by one"--all told through Jude's use of vivid imagery and storytelling.

Her most obvious "story" song is "Evelyn." The lyrics tell of Jude's arty (for lack of a better word) great-aunt who was expected to become the next "Clara Bowe or...Harlow" until a fire left her disfigured and relegated to "playing piano for the silent shows." Jude's impeccable word choice makes the young girl's heartache palpable to the listener while completely avoiding the maudlin tone a less-talented writer would likely have set in telling such a story.

Jude uses some wry humor in "20 Years," to recount the story of the decay of a marriage. Jude tells of a wife who, when dealing with her husband, cannot "connect the dots on his page" and the husband who sardonically states, "Go ahead and take the kids/ I'll see them twice a year." The potentially depressing topic of divorce becomes almost deceptively lighthearted in the adept hands of the songwriter.

A personal favorite is the last track, "The Hereafter." Written about the death of a family member, the song manages to be inspirational without being preachy or precious. This track contains two of the most poignant and affective uses of imagery on the album: "...the sky up above us/ Is filled with red wings/ As they welcome you/ In the hereafter" and the CD's last line, "Now the wind's at your back/ And whatever you lack/ You will find it/ Out in the hereafter." Pure lyrical perfection like this, coupled with a beautiful and memorable melody, makes this track a standout while also representing ALL the tracks on this CD.

In the title track Jude sings of being left "wanting more." After listening to this CD you will feel the same way.

a real jewel.......2005-02-27

Jude's first cd was a hard act to follow--given it was filled with great songs which had already become famous from the cover performances of other singers. It was great for many reasons--especially to hear her take on songs we thought we knew. But, this new collection is magnificent. Just one great song after another. It would be a surprise and an injustice if several aren't taken up by others in additional cover performances.

First, her instrumentalists. Jude accompanies herself with piano on virtually every song--recalling the noble tradition of the singer/songwriter performing from the piano. She knows just how to accompany herself and does it beautifully. Mary Ramsay's violin and viola are superb. Didn't she do the same for Patty Loveless? Co-producer Charles Duncan acquits himself finely on guitar, organ, slide guitar, bass and poignantly on pennywhistle. He also does some backing vocals, along with an amazingly talented group of others--most especially Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Rodney Crowell and Julie Miller. Jude certainly knows how to use these voices to particular advantage in each song.

What can I say about the songs? They are all good, many are great...from the fine title tune which opens the cd to the amazing simple chorus of "Hold On," the sad and lovely "In This House," the poetic and image-filled "Old and Gray" (sung with Julie Miller), "Evelyn"--a wonderful, autobiographical song, the plaintive yet somehow hopeful "Pen and Paper," the sharp imagery and moving chorus of "Deep Water," the painful dilemma expressed so well in "Long Way Back," and the final song--a stellar, lovely tribute to a lost comrade--"The Hereafter" (with an amazing pennywhistle being played). It's a grand, impressive collection. What's amazing, as well, is how Jude--with a dusty, low, narrow-range of a voice--can sing so well and so rightly the emotions expressed in these songs. She's terrific.

In spite of the darkness and sadness in many of these songs, Jude finds reason for light and hope in many of them. I hope the talented Lori McKenna is listening and can find similar light and hope in future songs. She didn't in those on BITTERTOWN.

Average customer rating:

Skin Dive...
1985 again
Excellent Entry Into Fusion
Good Stuff!
Rob Mounsey to the rescue!!!

Skin Dive
Michael Franks
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002L7O
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Read My Lips
Let Me Count The Ways
Your Secret's Safe With Me
Don't Be Shy
When I Give My Love To You
Queen Of The Underground
Now I Know Why (They Call It Falling)
Please Don't Say Goodbye
When She Is Mine

Customer Reviews:

Skin Dive..........2007-05-25

I've had this CD for years, but didn't play it all the way through until today (Thursday, 05/24/07) at my desk. Ladies and Gentlemen, "Skin Dive" is really that good!

What are my Favorites?

1. "Your Secret's Safe With Me (the reason why I bought the CD in the first place!)
2. "Read My Lips."

But honestly, with "Queen of the Underground" notwitstanding (the song is not bad, I just feel that it's out-of-place on this CD, as I prefer his slower tunes!), this is one of those "set it, forget it" CD's! My rating for Mr. Franks and "Skin Dive" is five stars!!

1985 again.......2003-06-26

your heart will begin to admire the sensitivity of this breathy singer. you may laugh at the almost cool, half wet, mussed hair, in michael's attempt at fitting in with the hot 80's crowd, displayed through upbeat inclusions of 'let me count the ways', 'don't be shy', and 'queen of the underground'. 'when i give my love to you' is a male/female duet that will make you 'surrender to the fantasy', a pretty, flowing, touching dedication. my favorite is 'now i know why', that sounds like it belongs in a romantic 80's movie, with the line, 'why is your heart resurrected, just when you least expect it', and a tick - tock rhythm like a heartbeat. 'when she is mine' ends the cd with slow, classic romantic jazz: bass, sax, piano, and drum brushes (charming). overall i was impressed with the poetic verbalizations, selection diversity, and sensitive personality of this cd.

Excellent Entry Into Fusion.......2002-11-14

Recorded after a two year break, Michael went head first into electric music. This album is wholly electronic, "Passionfruit." the album before this one, experimented with synths and the like lightly. Michael also experiments with multi-track vocal overdubbing and vocal doubling effects. "Now I Know Why They Call It Falling" is a prime example of Michael's vocal arrangement in the overdubbing vein. Moving away from electric, "When She Is Mine" is a moving jazz ballad surrounding Michael in a full horn section. "You Secret's Safe With Me" was a radio hit, this is the song that helped me discover Michael. Remember the video? It was in heavy rotation on the infant channel VH1. Michael was walking down a rainy street wearing a black trench coat. Not really creative, but it was his first attempt. I'm a huge Brenda Russell fan as well as Michael's, the duet "When I Give My Love To You" is sweet, I've often wondered whose idea it was for Brenda to do all the background vocals. I feel the song would be a bit warmer if Michael had a helping hand harmonizing with her backgrounds, it worked for the Carpenters. "Queen Of The Underground" displays Michael's interesting word choice for lyric, his vocal is run through a vocoder for added effect; the track is almost danceable. The opening track "Read My Lips" is an upbeat tale about secret love..."Don't be Shy" is a song actually built around a synth drum riff. This album overall is more upbeat than anything Michael had recorded to this point. It may mark time as eighties music but it's still thoroughly enjoyable.

Good Stuff!.......2002-06-30

This is the first Michael Franks album I ever purchased, and remains one of my favorites. Mr. Franks' music is soothing and melodic - the perfect thing to listen to on a lazy Sunday morning while nibbling on ripe mangoes and enjoying a good book.

No Michael Franks collection is complete without this album! Skip his "Best of" collection and buy this one instead.

Rob Mounsey to the rescue!!!.......2002-01-10

I was blown away by Passionfruit (Rob Mounsey produced all 3: Passionfruit, Skin Dive & The Camera Never Lies) there was no way he could possibly top that one and I was wrong. Skin Dive (1985) was amazingly different but as perfect as Passionfruit. I waited for this one to come out and bought it and taped it and went to Europe for six weeks. I was just getting acclimated to the songs when I took my walks in Berlin and Paris. What an excellent summer and Franks was there with me. What can I say, I fell in love with Skin Dive. I listened to it over and over for years and now have it on CD. Franks has always been there during the great moments in my life with outstanding new music. Thank you Michael Franks, thanks again for being there!

Average customer rating:

I LOVE this Album
Fun and empowerment:
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
5-stars says it all
"I won't wait for you to wonder..."

Puddle Dive
Ani DiFranco
Manufacturer: Righteous Babe
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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God's Country

Amazon.com

Puddle Dive is something of a transition album for DiFranco: she's (gasp!) smiling on the cover, she's got accompaniment on nearly every track, her creed is clearly stated for the first time ("I sing sometimes like my life is at stake / 'Cause you're only as loud as the noises you make" [on "My IQ"]), and there are even some songs here that find joy, even if it's just for a moment ("Names and Dates and Times," "4th of July"). There's also, to a much greater extent than on previous albums, the frenetic guitar strum (accomplished with taped-on plastic fingernails) that is one of the hallmarks of DiFranco's maturing sound. It's the strum that complements DiFranco's stop-start, breathy vocals so well, and the combination of the two has always served to distinguish her from the hordes of folkies on the coffeehouse circuit (that is, if DiFranco's tattoos, piercings, and haircuts hadn't already done the trick). On Puddle Dive her maturing song craft (check out the bluesy "Back Around") and increasing consistency put her even further ahead of the pack. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

I LOVE this Album.......2006-08-07

This is one of my absolute favorite Ani albums. The lyrics and melodies are catchy and the album is short (only about 30 minutes) so it's perfect for driving in the car or while tooling around the house. Her lyrics and poetry are as personally and politically relevant as always but there's also a really playful side (Blood in the Boardroom, Pick Yer Nose) that Ani doesn't showcase too often in her later albums. A more "human" Ani is appparent in this album than in any she's produced since. Definitely buy Puddle Dive.

Fun and empowerment: .......2006-07-24

I added this one to my Ani's collection relatively late (after Living in Clip and many others), and right now this is the Ani's album i listen to more frequently.
Simply put, there is so much fun and energy in this album, but at the same time some lyrics are very poetic, powerful and empowering, and arguments such as woman condition (a classic for Ani), religion, poverty and social inequality are treated, together with others very funny but not shallow (meaningful and casual encounters, friendship, differences in personalities and body features, etc.). The music is just as funny and energetic, there is not only Ani and her guitar here, but a bunch of other instruments: violins, drums, accordion, bass, harmonica, piano and some others appear in several songs, and make the album look like it was recorded in a summer music festival with a funny and happy atmosphere.

The tracks i love more?

Names and Dates and Times: Ani declares she's not good at remembering a person's name or when she met him/her, but she's definetely better at remembering faces. The song is simple fun, but makes you think about how similar everyone is to each other, with no difference of sex, race or social condition, and that "we are of one kind", we're all humans.

Anyday: very sweet love song.

4th of July: Ani tells the story of how she met her only friend in Iowa, a 7 years old boy, Jason, and how their friendship overcomes all the biases.

Willing to Fight: this is the definitive statement of her activity as a songwriter, very deep and emotional.

Egos Like Herdos: another funny song, mainly about the different personalities everyone has ("depending on how we slept the night before")

My IQ: this is a spoken word that, i bet, will live you breathless (at least that's what usually happens when I make my friends to listen to it for the first time). Infact, being a spoken word (but with a kinda solemn background music) makes you focus on the words, which are very important neverthless. The beginning is very funny, Ani just laughs and asks "are we taping?".

God's Country: beautiful closure to the album, again fun and deep lyrics put together to express her vision about america's "mr. holinesses".

I guess however that everyone can find his/her own favourite tracks in this gorgeous collection: fully recommended!

Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!.......2006-01-05

I LOVE this album! Ani is really brilliant and her writing inspires me so much. There is a lot of diversity on this particular record. Some soft beautiful songs like "Anyday" or "Back Around" and then there are some sprawling crazy acoustic numbers like "Born A Lion" and "Egos Like Hairdos"...all great! I love Ani's whole Righteous Babe Record label. Such great music! Check it out today!

5-stars says it all.......2005-03-19

This is one of the best albums I have ever heard. It's original, it's fresh, it's very smart and it has all the charm Ani can bring to it, with - besides her strong, convincing vocals - great guitar playing and a lot of guts. There's no monotony, there are no fillers. Give it a shot.

"I won't wait for you to wonder...".......2004-11-17

As with anything, opinions differ. When I read one or two previous reviews that called this Ani's most annoying album, or that the songs here are great because they are about nothing but she makes great songs out of those nothing moments anyway... wow for a minute I was thinking I must have clicked on the wrong album.

I think Puddle Dive is one of her best albums. Certainly it has several of my favorite Ani tunes thus far. Willing To Fight isn't even remotely about nothing. It's about the difference between paying lip-service to certain things when it's convenient to do so (or ignoring the problems completely because you don't feel they affect you), and actually doing something about a problem. Of course that description sounds rather dry and preachy, but the song isn't at all. It's one of her best melodies. Or if you're just one of those soundbyte-types of people, there are more than a couple lyrics from just this song alone that could be lifted out to stand by themselves just as incredibly powerful sentences. Willing To Fight is, for me, one of the definitive Ani songs. It's everything that she is. It's everything I wish more people were.

As for other songs here, had Ani ever been a stage-guest of the Grateful Dead's during her middle-early years, which coincided with their last years, Anyday would have been my number one choice for Ani and them to perform. Such a softly powerful, emotional song. Garcia didn't have too much (instrumentally) to say on the big jam tunes anymore by that time, but he could still occasionally work magic on the ballads like So Many Roads, To Lay Me Down, Wharf Rat, etc...

To hear Ani leading the Dead through Anyday, with Lesh behind her, and Garcia's delicate late-years ballad playing in there could have been magical had he been having a good night.

Blood in the Boardroom, as has been said before, will certainly be a little too direct for some people, but I love it. Even if the lyrics bother you, still listen to her guitar playing. At this point in her career, this was one of her most rocking tunes so far. She is such a great, vibrant ryhthm-lead player.

Used To You... another favorite that I wish she would dust off and perform in concert again. This will certainly sum up some of the relationships you have had (or known of), although I don't know which side of the relationship you were.

For lyrical depth and emotional power, as well as the continued growth of her aggressive, percussive guitar style, this is another of the essential Ani albums.

Average customer rating:

Ane Brun is amazing!
Amazing lyrics and spare music
Solid But Not Spectacular

A Temporary Dive
Ane Brun
Manufacturer: V2 Ada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Spending Time with Morgan
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
The Reminder
Ys
Begin to Hope

ASIN: B000F3AJAS
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

To Let Myself Go
Song No. 6 featuring Ron Sexsmith
Balloon Ranger
My Lover Will Go
Temporary Dive
Laid In Earth
This Voice
Where Friend Rhymes With End
Rubber & Soul featuring Teitur
The Fight Song
US Bonus track: Little Lights Syd Matters featuring Ane Brun

Album Description

Ane Brun is the uncrowned singer-songwriter queen of Scandinavia. Since her stunning European-only debut, "Spending Time With Morgan" in 2003, she has been generating full houses on her frequent tours in Europe and winning numerous musical awards, including Grammys in both Norway and Sweden. This is her second album and much of its content is a reflection of the year following the release of her debut. Features the stunning duet "Song No. 6" with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. "...a minimalist beauty so perfect that it evokes awed pleasure rather than gloom" - Time Out NY.

Customer Reviews:

Ane Brun is amazing! .......2007-04-20

I received a copy of Temporary Dive to play on my radio show entitled the ESSENCE. As a singer / songwriter, I usually can filter through music very quickly and am in the bad habit of listening to 2 seconds of a voice and then playing "keep or chuck". I put on "Temporary Dive" and was mesmerized. I played the album twenty times in a row. This is really rare for me - and I would play it again and again. The lyrics are powerful and Ane's voice speaks directly to your heart.

my personal discovery for 2007. Five stars for Ane and I look forward to her next album.

Amazing lyrics and spare music.......2006-09-15

I think she's wonderful! I just started listening to her in March based on some reviews I saw. I bought all 3 albums - this, Spending Time with Morgan, and Duets. I was lucky enough to see her this summer in NY. Just her and an acoustic guitar, which is all that's needed. I like the fact that she doesn't need tons of instruments to get a beautiful song across. My favorites on this album are "Song No. 6", "Rubber & Soul", and "My Lover will Go". Reminds me of Cat Power on some of her earlier albums, and Martha Wainwright at her quietest.

Solid But Not Spectacular.......2006-07-06

This album has some solid songs but there's nothing on here that will blow you away. Brun's style is reminiscent of the milder songs of Emiliana Torrini, Frou Frou, or Imogen Heap. She also incorporates a more country music influenced style than the artists mentioned previously. If you really love those artists' albums, then Brun's should be right up your alley. However this album lacked any real punch and even on my most melancholy days, I still find this album to be kinda dull. Don't get me wrong, the album is not a total bust but it also doesn't get heavy rotation in my CD player.

If you're interested, the two songs I recommend are "Balloon Ranger" and "Song No. 6" featuring the great Ron Sexsmith.

Average customer rating:

Still a treat after 30 years
Pleasant and slick
One of the best
Sky Dive a true jazz classic
Nearly a jazz-funk classic.

Sky Dive
Freddie Hubbard
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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First Light
Straight Life
Red Clay
Salt Song
Don't Mess with Mister T.

ASIN: B0000026IX
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Povo
In A Mist
Naturally
The Godfather
Sky Dive
Naturally

Customer Reviews:

Still a treat after 30 years.......2007-01-06

This Creed Taylor gem from the early 70's sounds even better now than it did then. Freddie Hubbard is, or at least was, a remarkable trumpet player - a genuine virtuoso with terrific tone, meldodic sense and emotional range. The songs are unusual, beautiful and in the groove. Ditto for everyone else on the album, which - I hadn't noticed this 30 years ago - includes Keith Jarrett. Ron Carter's bass is mesmerizing. Listening to his riff on the first song helped me appreciate the power of nuance and a subtle riff well placed.

Pleasant and slick.......2006-11-06

This, the last Freddie Hubbard outing on CTI, has all the good qualities that you associate with the label CTI. An all-star lineup, very good playing, imaginative arrangements for a large backing ensemble of strings and horns that is used sparingly enough not to overshadow the small group feel and exteneded solos, a beautiful slick sound. The overall slickness is also the weakness of this and other similar CTI albums: The music is polished and if not exactly unadventurous at least decidedly mellow. It aims to please and sell but is saved from blandness by the sheer quality of work. So this is an album for those of us who want to lay back and enjoy the spacious sound, fine solos of top players and the general smoothness of the production. Another Hubbard CTI album in much the same vein is First Light, whereas the excellent Red Clay has more fire and Straight Life propelled by drummer Jack De Johnette is very funky (in the Miles Davis' Bitches Brew sense).

One of the best.......2006-02-03

I first heard this album when i was about 14 and i fell in love with it. At the time i knew of Ron Carter and Freddie Huddard. But i never paid much attention to the key board players on the album at the time. Now that im 48 years old and hearing it on CD i can now tell how great a young Keith Jerrit was man he was such a wizard on keyboards.I am very glad to add this CD to my very long list of Jazz colletions.

Sky Dive a true jazz classic.......2003-12-10

I used to have this on a CTI album and what a album it is.I got this when my cousin who played trumpet in a r&b group told me to get Sky Dive and ive loved this one ever since.It reminds me so much of the early 70's CTI sound with all the great musicians they had like Ron Carter what a bass he lays down.Im glad i finally got this on cd its long overdue and Red Clay is next.

Nearly a jazz-funk classic........2002-11-28

Along with Keep Your Soul Together and In Concert (w/Stanley Turrentine), this album was one of Freddie Hubbard's last good albums before he signed to Columbia and started putting out commercial schlock. For starters, just look at the band on this date: George Benson, Hubert Laws, Keith Jarrett, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham plus the usual extended cast of CTI studio musicians. Few bassists can lay down the funk tastefully like Carter, and his intro on "Povo" will make you say "Good Gracious!" For groove addicts like myself, this and the title track are alone worth the price of the album. There aren't too many surprises on Sky Dive, and it lacks the fire of Hubbard's earlier masterpieces Straight Life and Red Clay, but it's a real treat to hear all these guys coming up with some creative, funky music before things descended into disco hell. By the way, this is also great driving music.

Average customer rating:

gooses review
the wagon still rockin & rollin along at breakneck speed
Best live in a dive yet!

Live in a Dive
Lagwagon
Manufacturer: Fat Wreck Chords
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Resolve
Double Plaidinum
Live in a Dive
Blaze
Live in a Dive

ASIN: B00077CYKU
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Alien 8
Violins
Messengers
Never Stops
Sick
Island Of Shame
Give It Back
Making Friends
After You My Friend
Razor Burn
Falling Apart
Sleep
Mister Bap
Beer Goggles
The Chemist
Coconut
May 16th
Bombs Away
Back One Out
Burn
Coffee And Cigarettes
Stokin' The Neighbors

Customer Reviews:

gooses review.......2005-07-07

This cd has some of the best lagwagon stuff ever made. They put 22 songs on the cd so you get a lot for your money compared to most cds. They put an acoustic version of "alien 8" and then their regular one after it which was ok but they talked way too much and said hey you want to hear us sing and the first thing that should come to mind is ya I didn't buy this cd to hear you run your mouth. Some of their best stuff on the cd include "violins" it also has a good intro when joe yells violins. "Messengers" is about the same quality as the older version, "never stops" is probably a little better than the old version, Sick is way better than the old version which also was great. "island of shame" is about equal to the old one, "Give it back" is a little worse but is still great. " after you my friend" and "may 16th" are worse cause they added some comments in the middle of the songs that ruined them. "razor burn" was also much better. Falling apart was another that was about the same. "Sleep" had a long boring intro before the song, They also put "beer goggles" on the cd which would have been unforgivable if they hadn't. "beer goggles" has to be lagwagons best and most interesting song. The only new song I liked was "the Chemist" Which they said was there least favorite new song. "Bombs away" "burn" "Coffee and Cigarettes" and "stokin' the neighbors" all were great too. "stokin' the neighbors" is a halarius song. A lot of people I know said the've done some midnight landscaping too except they usually do so sober. The other stuff wasent bad but some of it was seems like it was just put on the cd to give the band a break in between the better stuff. If you've never had a lagwagon cd and want a good sample of all their best stuff this is what you would want to listen to.

the wagon still rockin & rollin along at breakneck speed.......2005-03-05

Well i never--after thinking the Caper couldnt top the live experience created on the Gimme Gimmes awesome Barmitzvah bash, he gets hold of that microphone again and proves otherwise !.With the incomparable back catalogue at their disposal, Big Joe , Big Bitch and the boys just roll out the classics one after another (and still find time for a little drop of reggae inbetween AND a great singing cameo by Leon on "Coconut" as well). The Hollywood crowd are treated to timeless punk chestnuts such as Violins, After You My Friend, Razorburn, May 16th, Bombs Away and Stokin' The Neighbours--the list goes on. The Wagon play with such great energy, and the love every minute of it just as much as the crowd, and leading them throughout the extravaganza is the finest frontman in the rock n roll cosmos--Joey Cape. The man is a true colossus, a true demi-god (pocket sized version obviously !)--a man who can do everything (sing ,strum that guitar, bang the drums and in his spare time produce and promote bands AND run his own record label. He is quite simply the greatest (forget Elvis and other such impostors), the Caper is the man. I cannot wait for the next studio album from the Wagon (building further on Blaze, which was a belter and well worth the wait), and also cannot wait for the next tour of England (as i for one will be right at the front paying homage to the greatest band in the universe).

Best live in a dive yet!.......2005-02-09

I already own the previous six Live in a Dive records and would have to say that this one is the best!

The guitar playing is great, drumming is amazing, Joey Cape's voice is legendary and the comic in the booklet is funny too.

Good first LAGWAGON cd.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT
what an album
Not damn Bad at all
Best CD Ever Made
I Absolutely Love It

Live in a Dive
Strung Out
Manufacturer: Fat Wreck Chords
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Element of Sonic Defiance
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Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues

ASIN: B00009EIRL
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Tracks:

Too Close To See
Monster
Ultimate Devotion
The Kids
Everyday
Population Control
Velvet Alley
Bring Out Your Dead
Rottin' Apple
Klawstraphobia
Lost Motel
Razor Sex
Support Your Troops
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Exhumation Of Virginia Madison
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Don't Look Back
Cult Of The Subterranean
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Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT.......2004-02-05

This is extremely good for a live album. Any Strung out or Fat Wreck fan should own this. Incredible band, incredible.

what an album.......2003-12-05

this is like a 'best of' without the lameness of being a 'best of.' all live, all great.

Not damn Bad at all.......2003-09-19

Strung out have been my favourite band for a while, but before i say anything else. anyone who listens to strung out should really listen to thrice aswell, as thrice do the heavy thing so well.
The cd is awesome, brilliant recording and a good song selection, my personal highlight has to be lost motel which i have never heard before (probably my new favourite SO tune now). For the old strung out fans who are more into their more hardcore stuff, they will know by the song selection that there isnt all that much there apart from razor sex, dont look back. i agree that there is a hell of f-ing and blinding but im sure if u were at the gig it wouldnt make no difference cos ud still go crazy for em. check out the public enemy riff dropped in the middle of harms way. rather amusing.
go and buy it

Best CD Ever Made.......2003-07-30

For a true SO fan, this is the Bible. Every song is played perfect and the way Jason changes his voice to his new style for old songs sounds awesome, if I were you, I wouldnt hesitate to buy this cd, I traveld over 3hrs to get this CD and boy was it worth it.

I Absolutely Love It.......2003-06-27

Strung Out does it again. Most live albums have good vocal and bad music or vise versa. But in the case it is perfect. The bands playing has no flaws. It has over 20 songs so your getting your money worth. No only does it have some of their greatest stuff they have a mindblowing cover of Ozzy Osbournes "Bark At The Moon" which even an Ozzy fan could appreciate. I say if you buy one album this year make is Strung Out Live In A Dive.

Average customer rating:

My Album of the Year for 2003
Ambitious and brilliant
Maria, you still haven't landed
interesting? different?
Wow.....What a mess

High Dive
Maria McKee
Manufacturer: Viewfinder Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Peddlin' Dreams
Life Is Sweet
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Maria McKee

ASIN: B000089HD8
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

To The Open Spaces
Life Is Sweet
After Life
Be My Joy
High Dive
My Friend Foe
In Your Constellation
Love Doesn't Love
We Pair Off
No Gala
Non Religious Building
Something Similar
From Our T.V. Teens to the Tomb
Worry Birds

Amazon.com

Maria McKee's first studio album in seven years is also her first release on her own label. To go from producing an inescapable global hit like "Show Me Heaven" to funding one's own recordings in a little over a decade may not seem the ideal career trajectory, but the truth is that McKee was always far more indie rocker than pop diva. "Show Me Heaven" certainly paid a few bills, but it also served to overshadow her sterling earlier work with Lone Justice. High Dive, then, is McKee as she would prefer to be seen--far closer to Kirsty MacColl than Whitney Houston, a wry, literate singer-songwriter blessed with a voice that's both technically pristine and approachably human. Though High Dive is marred in spots by over-fussy production, the best moments here, such as the wise and witty title track and the unabashedly Lone Justice-like "In Your Constellation," justify McKee's investment in herself. Andrew Mueller

Customer Reviews:

My Album of the Year for 2003.......2006-02-24

The Little Diva's first album since 1996's brilliant Life Is Sweet is a tremendous, five-star effort. Since its release in April of 2003, I've probably listened to it - no joke here - at least 1000 times. 2000 times. How's that possible? On the way to work; on the way home; running errands; and here at home. The tracks, in total and apart, have a narcotic-like effect; one listen and you'll be hooked. "In Your Constellation" has a Neil Young-like vibe, a la "Like a Hurricane," that sends me flying into the stratosphere and higher; "Be My Joy" is, well, just plain intoxicating; and the dramatic "Non Religious Building" is as potent as songs come: "Suicide/ever think of suicide/see your friends the day you take your life/kind of helps you decide..." I was hesitant about the remake of "Life Is Sweet"/"Afterlife" ... but, ya know what? It's as good as the original - and the backing vocals are to die for, both there and elsewhere. My album of the year for 2003.

Ambitious and brilliant.......2005-05-21

Pivoting off of the jaw-dropping brilliance of Life Is Sweet, Maria McKee proudly brushes off the major-label record industry and skips off into the sunset with another big album full of surprises. As time moves on, much of the predictable Lone Justice sound of her early years starts to not hold up so well. But this is a good thing because as High Dive shows, Maria McKee has talent to burn. If you are as passionate about this music as Maria herself is, you'll have little interest in going back to the You Gotta Sin To Get Saved days.
High Dive is certainly less focused than Life Is Sweet, but it builds on the rock-opera/broadway play moments that surfaced during the Life Is Sweet tour. "To The Open Spaces", "High Dive", "In Your Constellation", "Non Religious Building" and particularly "From Our T.V. Teens To The Tomb" are triumphant rock and roll blissed out golden moments that would make Pete Townshend smile. One can easily see a theatrical production written by McKee taking shape from these songs. It would have been nice to maybe have a few less songs on this collection, because sometimes it's easy to get lost amid the ambition. If you can excuse that, bring this little gem on a summer night's drive somewhere where you can safely drive over the speed limit. With the volume turned up just right, you won't be able to stop smiling.
If "Life Is Sweet" was McKee's masterpiece, "High Dive" is it's brilliant kid-sister who maybe didn't get enough attention growing up.
Leaving Geffen Records was the best thing that ever happened to Maria McKee. She is a treasure and the arc of the growth of her songwriting has been as exciting to watch as the careers of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.

Maria, you still haven't landed.......2005-04-20

I absolutely LOVE this album -- favorite of the year. I see the user reviews are all over the board. I guess I am not surprised. I was taken aback by her prior album, Life is Sweet. Maybe I was expecting something more like her earlier work then, but I got into it over time and I still love it. So I think I was more open minded and trusting when High Dive came out after so many years, having no idea what to expect. I can't say I love every track on the second half of the disk, but there's just so much that is GREAT and it is so unbelievably ambitious. Just a huge record. Thank you, Maria.

interesting? different?.......2004-03-31

I agree with much in the reviews below, which I found informative enough to put off buying this CD from a dearly loved singer for many months. In the end, I couldn't resist a chance to hear Maria sing new material, and much of what I regret after a half dozen listenings has been said by others. If you liked Lone Justice and/or the first two solo CD's more than Life is Sweet, you may well be disappointed by the music here. This may be a difficult piece of art much more sophisticated than her earlier work that I simply haven't studied carefully enough to appreciate. I think that's a little pretentious for pop music, though. The songs and arrangements do sound like Broadway show tunes, and there are probably a lot of Maria McKee fans besides me who are not especially fond of show tunes. I disagree with a reviewer who suggested that one of the songs sounds a lot like Lone Justice. The re-recorded version of Life is Sweet makes a good song that is otherwise out of print available, but the original version was recorded better, in my opinion. In general, the lyrics lean toward the morbid, bitter, and bleak, when they're coherent and comprehensible. I have no clue what some of these songs are even about and the arrangements, though often creative and original, can also come across as simply strange mixes of genres. Maria lowers her voice enough to sound like a David Bowie imitator on "Non Religious Building," and I think it's no coincidence that several of the reviews below mention Bowie, who also had a fondness for theatrical music. I agree with a reviewer below that the title track sounds autobiographical, but if that's the case, the verse about how she could have made it to the top if she'd been more ruthless is embarrassing. Maria McKee made it close to the top, and she's not the only singer with great talent who didn't enjoy all the commercial success they may have deserved and perhaps would have received if they'd made different choices or simply had better luck. It seems graceless to whinge about this 20 years later, even to a listener who thinks Ms. McKee's singing was one of the musical high points of the 1980's.

The production of this recording, unfortunately, buries her great voice in the mix. The first three times I listened to this CD on a fairly good car stereo, I thought Maria was singing softly, without much feeling, and that her voice must have aged to the point of not being able to belt them out the way she used to. It was only when I listened on an extremely high-end stereo at literally house-shaking volume that I was able to make out that same great voice singing with passion under the accompaniments. And that's what makes me keep listening to this CD. It's a pleasure to hear a favorite voice singing new material, even if that material isn't memorable; I don't think there's one great song here. In the end, if the French horn that accompanies the "playing my trumpet" line on "High Dive" is reminiscent of a Burt Bacharach song, I'd rather listen to Dionne Warwick use that sound with much more flair on a real Burt Bacharach song.

I'm glad to see this singer still performing, and still taking risks, even if her artistic direction is taking her away from my personal tastes. But if your tastes don't run toward Broadway, or if you are not an extremely die-hard fan, I would not recommend this purchase. As an extremely die-hard fan who wanted a complete collection, I don't regret buying the CD, but in the long run I imagine I'll be spending more time with Maria's earlier recordings.

Wow.....What a mess.......2003-12-18

I will start by saying that there was a time when I thought anything this woman wrote or sang was gold. I have listened to this album three times now and, at best, it is sounds like "B" sides and throw aways from other efforts. A few times, I thought I was listening to a bad lounge act. Maria, you can do much more! I wanted badly to like this album. Instead, I got out her "You got to sin to be saved" CD and remembered happier times.

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