Identity Crisis [Import]

identity crisis [import]

Track Listings
1. Stuck In The Middle
2. The Lie
3. Butterflies And Rainbows
4. First Love
5. Idenity Crisis
6. One More Try
7. Sprung
8. Crush
9. A Guy Like You
10. Download It
11. Mind Games
12. Pretty Little Bad Girl

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Debut album from UK pop act made up of four finalists of 'Popstars - The Rivals'. Features 12 tracks including the hit singles, 'Stuck In The Middle' & 'Download It'. For fans of Girls Aloud & The Sugababes. 1967. 2004.

Identity Crisis,Clea,Wea,Pop,Rock/Pop


Identity Crisis [Import]
Crisis? What Crisis?
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Every song is great!
  • Ecstatic to Rediscover This Gem!
  • 4.4 essential Tramp
  • So so
  • The songs were out of order
Crisis? What Crisis?
Supertramp
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000068FXR
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Tracks:

  1. Easy Does It
  2. Sister Moonshine
  3. Ain't Nobody But Me
  4. A Soapbox Opera
  5. Another Man's Woman
  6. Lady
  7. Poor Boy
  8. Just A Normal Day
  9. The Meaning
  10. Two Of Us

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Every song is great!.......2007-05-13

I loved every song on this cd. It made me remember why they became so popular, because the best of their collection, I feel, is on this cd.

5 out of 5 stars Ecstatic to Rediscover This Gem!.......2007-03-18

Several other reviews go into great and insightful detail, so I won't be redundant. Suffice it to say that as a young man I wore out a cassette of this album with my Panasonic "portable" player and its single bud headphone! I knew nothing about music then, but was mesmerized by the cleverness and imagination in these songs. Now, as an older music junkie, I'd really forgotten about this until a chance hearing of "Poor Boy" in an old record store. What a joy to hear it all again in this re-mastering! Sure, the nostalgia was a big part of it, but now I can really see the genius in the composition, usually using just a couple of instruments (varied from song to song) to create the heart of the tune. Yes, use headphones (I recommend the TWO bud variety) to get the full richness and clever additions to each song. I like almost all of Supertramp's albums, but for me this is the one that moves more out of the pop/prog zone and into an area that's really unique. It's one of the few in my collection that I can't play too much.

4 out of 5 stars 4.4 essential Tramp.......2007-02-15

Even as a 20+ year metalhead, I love this cd. Many different sounds emerge. From the cool vibe of 'Aint Nobody but Me' to the heavier sounding 'Sister Moonshine' with everything in between., this album brings back the fun of the 70's that only Supertramp could provide. They definately were one of the best alt/rock bands out in that decade and are sorely missed. Just good pop that stands the test of time. Must Have.

3 out of 5 stars So so.......2007-01-14

This contains the great song Ain't Nobody But Me (the reason I gave it three stars was for this tune alone) and then it does nothing else for me. Crime of The Century and Even in the Quietest Moments for the best that Supertramp has to offer.

4 out of 5 stars The songs were out of order.......2006-06-01

When I first heard this album as a young man, it seemed to have a 50ish type of quality to it. It certainly was a positive album when compared to the preceding dark masterpiece entitled, "Crime of the Century." The integrity of the songs are certainly maintained as in the prior one, but I think more thought should have been put into the order that they were played. The bluesome style of Rick Daves always seemed to keep Roger Hodgeson's pop in balance. As a result, Roger seems to be represented too much in the album and it goes a bit over the top towards the end. By the way, I read that they cut a demo of this album in a single day, while sitting in the middle of the busy offices of the recording company. They really impressed the music executives, with their genius and musical capabilities.
Crisis
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Only Band Ever
  • Really Good Band
  • great AOF
  • Alexisonfire at their best
  • "The line-up seems endless, underneath the salvation signs...."
Crisis
Alexisonfire
Manufacturer: Vagrant Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Post HardcorePost Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000GW8PY0
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Tracks:

  1. Drunks, Lovers, Sinners And Saints
  2. This Could Be Anywhere In The World
  3. Mailbox Arson
  4. Boiled Frogs
  5. We Are The Sound
  6. You Burn First
  7. We Are The End
  8. Crisis
  9. Keep It On Wax
  10. To A Friend
  11. Rough Hands

Amazon.ca

"This is from our hearts" is the impassioned declaration that opens Alexisonfire's third CD Crisis. Longtime fans of the Ontario emo-core group would never doubt that claim; the 5-piece delivers a powerful one-two punch via their juxtaposing vocalists, from the screams of co-lead George Pettit to the melodic intensity of fellow frontman Dallas Green. Their pairing is absolutely perfect: Pettit's primal wail would on its own be too extreme to appeal to the masses, while Green's emotive vocals (not unlike Amy Lee of Evanescence) would not merge as fluidly with the group's heavy guitars and metal-influenced drum beats. Together, their fans adore them: the group pushes the boundaries of 'pop' music, with Crisis debuting on Canadian charts at No. 1, although, ironically, very few tracks can actually be played on pop radio. Overall, the disc is more extreme than their past efforts, both harder and softer than before. The strong, crisp production further enhances that appeal, especially on the caustic first single "This Could Be Anywhere in the World" and in the gothic sounds of the closing track, "Rough Hands." Much of the CD stays true to AOF's unique style, save for "You Burn First" which is dangerously reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails. The quiet-to-loud sonic implosion halfway through the cut, however, creates a forgivable, discordant highlight. --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Only Band Ever.......2007-04-16

You may say that the title of my review is a statement that takes huge shoes to fill (it's actually a reference to their website, www.theonlybandever.com), but I believe that Alexisonfire has large enough feet to fill those shoes.

Hailing from our northern neighbor, Canada, the likes of George, Dallas, Wade, Chris, and Jordan deliver some of the best, if not the best, post-hardcore ever heard by human ears. George's chaotic screams, along with Dallas' beautiful melodic contrast and Wade's frequent punk-like vocals make the best combination of vocals the overpopulated genre has to offer. All backed up by awesome, articulate hardcore instrumentals.

Now, on to the main subject of the review. Crisis is an excellent album. Excellent lyrics, vocals, instrumentals, everything. The opening track, Drunks, Lovers, Sinners, and Saints is a full blown metalcore assault at it's beginning, but turns into a more melodic, punk track later into the song. The album then goes to This Could Be Anywhere In the World (my personal favorite) which showcases Dallas Green's unbelievable talent. The album then follows suit with perfect order tracks Mailbox Arson and Boiled Frogs, followed by the great mosh worthy melodic hardcore piece, We Are the Sound. The album then suddenly changes tempo with Wade on vocals in the song You Burn First, which sounds a lot like a Trent Reznor produced track. However, the album brings the tempo back up to speed with We Are the End, which has an awesome break down, Crisis with an awesome sing-a-long worthy "1-9-7-7" chant, Keep It On Wax, an actually pretty mean song about the band's former drummer, To A Friend which ends with a harmonous acapella provided by Dallas, and finally Rough Hands, which I would consider Alexisonfire's ballad about lost love. This song features Dallas at his finest with George providing the contrasting, but rather soft, screams.

Basically this is the Canadian post-hardcore outfit at their finest. I have been a fan of this band for a while now, and have always loved the overall fresh sound they provide to the aging genre. I recently saw the band in concert and was equally amazed with the bands live show. I actually met Wade and Chris, and I do have to say that they are two genuine, awesome guys. Alexisonfire is anything, and everything a person could ask for in a post-hardcore band and I highly recommend Crisis. I also recommend the band's self-titled debut and Watch Out!. Both are excellent albums as well. But for people who have never heard Alexisonfire, I recommend Crisis as a great way to start. I have had the album for months and still listen to it frequently. A++

4 out of 5 stars Really Good Band.......2007-04-07

I would call myself a pretty avid rock music fan and this is, in my opinion, one of the better bands out there. I have never been so much into what I would call death metal, which is what I call it when the lead singer does nothing but yell nonsense into the microphone leaving everyone thinking to themselves...."what the hell is this guy saying??" Much like beer, I have acquired somewhat of a taste for the "lead" singer of this band (who does his fair share of yelling) although I do personally think the band would probably be better off without him. The unique thing about this band though is that they really have 3 singers. Dallas Green, who is vocalist/guitarist for the band, is really the back bone of this band. Without trying to sound cheesy, this guy radiates talent. On top of that he honestly is one of the best male vocalists I have ever heard. That in part makes the band unique because you have one guy singing/yelling like he is pissed off with the world and this other guy comes right behind him with this harmonizing voice almost like taking a sip of Red Bull and the chasing it with a sip of wine. If you feel you do not like the sound of Alexisonfire I would highly suggest you check out Dallas Green's solo project, City and Colour, if you are more into a raw acoustic guitar with great vocals. Ok, I have made this review entirely too long, but bottom line is if you are a rock fan I think you will enjoy this cd. For some it may take a few listens for it to catch on, but if you are anything like me it will and at this point it has not left my cd player since I bought it.

5 out of 5 stars great AOF.......2006-12-14

this is the best Alexis ive heard yet, if you like both albums combined into one this is it right here, the progression is insane

5 out of 5 stars Alexisonfire at their best.......2006-10-30

(im not relly a kid, i am 13 yrs old, so i am a teenager)

This album is great! I suggest it obviously to Alexisonfire fans, because this is definitely their best album, in my opinion. In sound quality, lyrics, I think the drumming is really good too. Every song on this record coul probably qualify for a single.

1. Drunks, Lovers, Sinners, And Saints (9.5/10) Great to start off with. Kinda scared me when I first turned the thing on. Very energetic, and slows the mood a little in the chorus. The screaming just goes too well not only with this song, but with every song.

2. This Could Be Anywhere In The World (13/10) Omg I love this song. I first heard it on countdown on much and I just loved it. It caught my attention cuz I heard screaming. It was great. Not just great to listen to, but really well done. Like the guitar, drums, vocals, screams were top notch. I love the video. It's dark and spooky, like the song's mood. Great Job, Alexisonfire!

3. Mailbox Arson (7.9/10) Weird song about mail. Best part is chorus, when George just screams "YOUR MAIL'S NOT SAFE IN THIS TOWN!" Sounds pretty cool.

4. Boiled Frogs (10/10) Love the title. Nice poppy song, I like the beginning riff. The verses are kinda upbeat, and then tempo kinda slows in the chorus. Nice controlled song. I think this could be the second single.

5. We Are The Sound (10/10) Cool song. It's great. Slows down alot in the chorus, kinda similar to Helena (MCR) or Girl's Not Grey (AFI).

6. You Burn First (9.4/10) Complete change in tempo, and moods. It's slow, and pretty sad. Drumming is excellent on this song. Love it. It's short, but effective.

7. We Are The End (8.1/10) Nothing too special about this song. Reminds me of 37mm (AFI) It's a cool song, just not very likable.

8. Crisis (10/10) Now here's a really cool song. The beginning riff sounds so awesome, even though it's so simple. It's upbeat, and very exciting. It just basically describes the cover art. It's sick when they sing ONE! and then wait like 8 sec and then it says NINE! I just count in my head one to nine. Sick song.

9. Keep It On Wax (11/10) Great! It's not that popular, but I really like it. I read somewhere the song was about one of the band members leaving and like spreading bad rumors or something, but screw that, I didn't pay attention to the lyrics. The song is just great. I like the chorus.

10. To A Friend (11/10) Doesn't start off that great, but believe me it gets alot better. Kind of a slower song in the album, still one of my favorites. I love it when Dallas sings "It's nobody's battle but your own"
Sweet!

11. Rough Hands (12/10) I love this song. Good way to end and album like this. It's slow, and kinda sad. Kind of a weird chorus, but the verses make up for it. George is really good with his screaming. He makes it sound so soft, even though it is screaming. GREAT love the ending too. This could actually be another single.

Best album from Alexisonfire. It's great, buy it. I'd rate it probably 89.8/100. All I can say is...It's a great album.

5 out of 5 stars "The line-up seems endless, underneath the salvation signs....".......2006-10-26

Okay, so generally I hate screaming bands, but after I heard "This Could Be Anywhere in the World", I was immediately excited for more, so I bought Crisis, Canadian band Alexisonfire's third studio album. I definitely consider it a worthy purchase, even if some of it was weak. The first song, "Drunks, Lovers, Sinners, And Saints" rips right through you immediately, with a passionate fast paced confidence that really got me excited for the rest of the record. Wade McNeil, Dallas Green and George Petit really compliment eachother's sounds in this song, and on the entire record, despite the contrast in vocal styles. You see, Alexisonfire really has three singers, and without eachother this band would be much lesser. Not a lot of these kinds of bands are doing this these days, and it's nice to see a band that incorporates elements from different genres, leaving them opened up to a larger audience than there'd be if it were simply Petit screaming each song.

From here, the album goes at a strong, fast pace. It doesn't let up until "You Burn First", a track that feels way out of place on this album. Wade McNeil has a good voice, but I found the song just a bit out of place here. But the album quickly picks itself up and dusts itself off with "Crisis", the title track.

Of course, all of this just leads up to the absolute best song on Crisis, "Rough Hands", which showcases Dallas Greens' vocal prowess. It also incorporates a lot of piano and drum. "Rough Hands" has the most melody out of any of the tracks on Crisis, and an Epic Factor that supersedes even "This Could Be Anywhere in the World".

The album shot to #1 in Canada at release, thanks in part to the strength of the first single. Let's hope Alexisonfire continues to hone this style into something possibly even revolutionary. Until then, I'll be waiting patiently.
Instruments of the Orchestra
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
  • Beginner or Expert
  • Very Informative and Enjoyable
  • Frank's view
  • Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra
Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

  1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
  3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
  4. Hungarian Dance No.7
  5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
  6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
  7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
  8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
  9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
  10. Csardas Music
  11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
  12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
  13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
  14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
  15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
  16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
  17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
  18. Tzigane
  19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
  20. Caprice No.24
  21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
  22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
  23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
  24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
  25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
  26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
  27. The Violin Muted
  28. Clair De Lune
  29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
  30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
  31. The Pizzicato Violin
  32. Pizzicato Polka
  33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
  34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
  35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
  36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
  37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
  38. Hungarian Dance No.4
  39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
  40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
  41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
  42. Bolero
  43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
  44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
  45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
  46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
  47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
  48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
  49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
  50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
  52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
  53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
  54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
  55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
  56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
  57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
  58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
  60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
  61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
  62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
  63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
  64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
  65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
  66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
  67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

  1. Introduction To The Viola
  2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
  3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
  4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
  5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
  6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
  7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
  8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
  9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
  10. Cypresses (No.9)
  11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
  12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
  13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
  14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
  15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
  16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
  17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
  18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
  19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
  20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
  21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
  22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
  23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
  24. Elfentanz, Op.39
  25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
  26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
  27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
  28. Flamenco
  29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
  30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
  31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
  32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
  33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
  34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
  35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
  37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
  38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
  39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
  40. Capriccio Di Bravura
  41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
  42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
  43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

  1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
  2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
  3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
  4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
  5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
  6. Sa'Dawi
  7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
  8. Chamber Music No.II
  9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
  10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
  11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
  12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
  13. A Variety Of Techniques
  14. Chamber Music No.II
  15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
  16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
  17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
  18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
  19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
  20. Naelden, Naelden
  21. The Bachian Oboe
  22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
  23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
  24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
  25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
  26. The Swan Of Tuonela
  27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
  28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
  29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
  30. Bolero
  31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
  32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
  33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
  34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
  35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
  36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
  37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
  38. ...And Quite Low.
  39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
  40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
  41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
  43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  44. Introduction To The Saxophone
  45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
  46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
  47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
  48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
  49. Bolero
  50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
  52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
  53. Sax-O-Phun
  54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
  55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
  56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
  57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
  58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
  59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
  60. Bolero
  61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
  62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
  63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
  64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
  65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
  66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
  67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
  68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
  69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
  70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
  72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
  73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
  74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
  75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
  76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
  2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
  3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
  4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
  5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
  6. Fanfare For The Common Man
  7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
  8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
  9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
  10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
  11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
  12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
  13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
  14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
  15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
  16. Billy The Kid
  17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
  18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
  19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
  20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
  21. The Birth Of The Trombone
  22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
  23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
  24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
  25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
  26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
  27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
  28. Hosannah
  29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
  30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
  33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
  34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
  35. The Horn And The Hunt
  36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
  37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
  38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
  39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
  40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
  41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
  42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
  43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
  44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
  45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
  46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
  47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
  48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
  49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
  50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

  1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
  2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
  3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
  4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
  5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
  6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
  7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
  8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
  9. Den Hoboecken Dans
  10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
  11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
  13. Gymnopedie No.2
  14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
  15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
  16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
  17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
  18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
  19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
  20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
  21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
  22. The Birth Of The Bongo
  23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
  24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
  25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
  26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
  27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
  28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
  29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
  30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
  31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
  32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
  33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
  34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
  37. Ravel And The Xylophone
  38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
  40. Introducing The Vibraphone
  41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
  42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
  44. Folk Dances
  45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
  46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
  47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
  48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
  49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
  50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
  51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  52. Introducing The Celeste
  53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
  54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
  55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
  56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
  57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
  58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
  59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
  60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
  61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
  62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
  63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

  1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
  2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
  3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
  4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
  5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
  6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
  7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
  8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
  9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
  10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
  11. Mahler's Sleighbells
  12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
  13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
  14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
  15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
  16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
  17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
  18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
  19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
  20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
  21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
  22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
  23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
  24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
  25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
  26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
  27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
  28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
  29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  30. Nocturnes
  31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
  32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
  33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
  34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
  35. The Oboe As Duck
  36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
  37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
  38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
  39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
  40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
  41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
  42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
  43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
  44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
  45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
  46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
  47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
  48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
  49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
  50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
  51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
  52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
  2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
  3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
  4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
  5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
  6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
  7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
  8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
  9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
  10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
  11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
  12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
  13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
  14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
  15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
  16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
  17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
  18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
  19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
  20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
  21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
  22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
  23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
  24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
  25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
  26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
  27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
  28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
  29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
  30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
  31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
  32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
  33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
  34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
  35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
  36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
  37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
  38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
  39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
  40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
  41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
  42. Canzon 28
  43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
  44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
  46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
  47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
  48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
  49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
  50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
  51. Images (Gigues)
  52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
  53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
  54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
  55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
  56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
  57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

5 out of 5 stars Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

5 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

3 out of 5 stars Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Earth Crisis
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Give Thanks!!
  • Rock with the pulse...
  • Under-Rated UK Band That CrossedOver With This CD
Earth Crisis
Steel Pulse
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary BluesContemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Reggae | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Reggae | Compilations | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
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  1. True Democracy
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ASIN: B0009I7NLW
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

  1. Steppin' Out
  2. Tightrope
  3. Throne of Gold
  4. Roller Skates
  5. Earth Crisis
  6. Bodyguard
  7. Grab Education
  8. Wild Goose Chase
  9. Steppin' Out (Dub Version)
  10. Steppin' Out (Extended Version)
  11. Roller Skates (Remix Version)
  12. Roller Skates (Dub Version)

Album Description

Mixing impassioned political and social protest with stellar Rasta bats, these sons of Jamaican immigrants-led by David Hinds-rose out of humble Birmingham origins to become one of the U.K.'s all-time greatest reggae acts and a globallyl revered band. Their live shows-both headlining and opening for Bob Marley and others-are legendary. Steel Pulse's Elektra debut album, True Democracy, ranks as one of their strongest, and Earth Crisis further built on their legacy as musical innovators and human rights advocates. Often fusing elements of jazz, dancehall, hip-hop, and Latin music into a roots reggae base, Steel Pulse will forever remain icons of the genre.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Give Thanks!!.......2005-11-02

Listen!!This is a wicked message based melodic album.My particular favourites are as follows:
Wild Goose Chase
Throne of Gold
Earth Crisis
The rest of the album
Get on board people.This is classic roots reggae at it's finest.You should see them live if you can as well.Blessed love to everyone reading this.Give thanks to the messengers of JAH!!Switch on!!

5 out of 5 stars Rock with the pulse..........2005-09-26

Steel Pulse is one of the truest reggae groups currently on the circuit. I saw them at a fabulous show in Tucson, AZ of all places, and was deeply impressed by the band's committment to continually playing good music at shows. "Earth Crisis" came out after Steel Pulse hit a rough patch with cheesy '80s rifts that sounded like fake reggae coming out of the elevator speakers in the Waldorf Jamaica. Luckily, they crept out of the shadow that the music industry seemingly imposed upon the entire genre, directing the massive popularity reggae music saw in the 1970's into some electronically-dependant wraith in the next decade. After apologizing profusely in their albums, Steel Pulse regained their foothold as a band that plays amazing music with meaingful lyrics in an age where reggae music fans are few and far between. To understand the real message behind the music, look no farther than Steel Pulse.

5 out of 5 stars Under-Rated UK Band That CrossedOver With This CD .......2005-09-19

This CD despite the somewhat seriousness of the CD's theme ranks as a milestone in Reggae and remains a somewhat happy tuneful upbeat affair,with added version tracks.The band's tight strong structures,melodies,rhythms struck a chord in the USA when this hit and put them on the map which surely spurred the growth of this genre of music..This CD arguably ranks possibly as the groups finest "commercial"effort coming after their 1st Elektra release,moving over from Island Records who brought forth so many of the classic early reggae bands..Pulse are/were foremost a band delivering solid musicianship addressing politics and liberation all within a sophisticated band structure with musicians playing excellently behind David Hinds,the major guitar songwriter, who is best known for his dreads reaching straight up a couple of feet in the air..Hind's songs are a mix of social commentary,love songs, with added touches of studio wizardry...their use of brass, harmonies,overall tightness of the band and it's songs should be enjoyed by those favouring bands like Burning Spear,Aswad(more balladry though)Bob Marley(the Godfather)..
I saw the band play a couple of years ago at a free show in Brooklyn and many of the songs,the title track,Rollerskates,Steepin' Out remain hallmarks of their live set.
China Crisis Collection: The Very Best of China Crisis
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • What an odd name...
  • Very Impressive Collection
  • Unknown/unappreciated by US listeners
  • But where is Volume 2?
  • Not quite the VERY best
China Crisis Collection: The Very Best of China Crisis
China Crisis
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New WaveNew Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000000HQK
Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

  1. African And White
  2. No More Blue Horizons
  3. Christian
  4. Tragedy And Mystery
  5. Working With Fire And Steel
  6. Wishful Thinking
  7. Hanna Hanna
  8. Black Man Ray
  9. King In A Catholic Style
  10. You Did Cut Me
  11. Arizona Sky (Full Length Mix)
  12. Best Kept Secret
  13. It's Everything
  14. St. Saviour Square
  15. African And White (Steve Proctor Mix)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars What an odd name..........2006-10-12

...for a superb band. African and White is one of my fave all time songs - mesmerising beat and bass riff. A truly creative duo proving that poms have the edge over the yanks by just that little bit. A compilation is your best starting point, but if you get the itch go right back to Difficult Shapes... album and feast your ears.

I recently got the DVD of a live set and found out they sound just as good. I wish Australia wasn't so far from their next gig...

4 out of 5 stars Very Impressive Collection.......2006-03-22

Just about every track off of this collection is great. You can hear alot of "Steely Dan" influence in their music. Most enjoyable tracks for me are "African & White", "No More Blue Horizons", Working With Fire & Steel", & "You Did Cut Me". If you have an open mind for various 80's music, this collection would be a good purchase.

4 out of 5 stars Unknown/unappreciated by US listeners.......2006-03-03

China Crisis was a great UK band. Unfortunately like many UK bands they got little rotation and airplay here in the states. The only problem with this collection is it's missing "Diary of a Hollow Horse", which is a beautifully melodic "Best of" song.

4 out of 5 stars But where is Volume 2?.......2005-05-01

In Europe, three is a volume 2 to this collection with hits like "A Golden Handshake for Every Daughter", "Some People I know To Lead Fansastic Lives" and the classic "The Gates of Door to Door" (this was the theme song to the VH1 show "Sunday Brunch" back in the 80s).

But the 1st disc is awesome. One of the few "best of" collections that actually is the best of their work.

4 out of 5 stars Not quite the VERY best.......2003-06-09

Very good but not BEST only because of the glaring omission of "Highest High". It was the first Crisis tune that got any recognition on NY alternative radio due to it's alterna-pop accessibility for the general masses. It was the song that got me listening to them. So good to see that there are other people out there who appreciate this band.
Identity Crisis
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Comes across as anything but an identity crisis
  • Treasure-Trove
  • What a GOOD album this is....
  • sounds like...
  • Call me Ms. Lynne
Identity Crisis
Shelby Lynne
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Suit Yourself
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ASIN: B0000C0FF8
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

  1. Telephone
  2. 10 Rocks
  3. If I Were Smart
  4. Gonna Be Better
  5. I Don't Think So
  6. I'm Alive
  7. I Will Stay
  8. Lonesome
  9. Evil Man
  10. Buttons And Beaus
  11. Baby
  12. One With The Sun

Amazon.com

Shelby Lynne wrote, sang, produced, and played all the guitar parts on her mellow, moody, and sonically stripped-down eighth album, Identity Crisis. Surely the title ironically refers to Lynne's eclectic career itself rather than this slow-burning, excellent album, with its lyrics so personal and honest, one feels like a voyeur at times. Identity sounds like a living room session; the demos made for the big album before the hot-shot producer came in and ruined everything. Lynne's voice is as relaxed, assured, and richly emotive as ever, buoyed by acoustic bass and guitars, electric piano, and minimal percussion. Notable deviations from the candlelit vibe include the mid-tempo rocker "Gotta Be Better" (which sounds like PJ Harvey jamming with X), the gospel chorus that peaks through on "10 Rocks" (the record's sole hokey tune), and of course "Lonesome" (a gorgeous old school Nashville-sheen tune that expertly evokes Patsy and Kitty with multi-tracked vocals and sweeping strings). The story goes that a lengthy phone conversation with Willie Nelson led to the lovely, uplifting last tune, "One With The Sun." Which is cool, because if this album is reminiscent of anybody, it's Nelson ca. Red Headed Stranger --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Comes across as anything but an identity crisis.......2006-12-21

Identity Crisis comes across as anything but an identity crisis, instead finding Shelby Lynne in top form, focused, and sounding great. OK, maybe the crisis here is that Ms. Lynne runs the gamut from raging rock `n roll to laid back introspection and whatever else lies in between.

Her voice is strong and clear, and her accompanying crew of musicians is clearly on board with her vibe and vision.

I cannot see any value in offering a play-by-play recap of the songs here: just take the time to give this one a few listens and you can supply your own adjectives. Most of them will be quite positive, I suspect.

4 out of 5 stars Treasure-Trove.......2005-04-30

"Identity Crisis" is a good set from Shelby Lynne. The diversity of musical approaches makes the title appropriate. "Gotta Be Better" is an excellent track with some blazing electric lead that lashes the speakers & Lynne's infectious vocals, "And did you ever think you'd ever walk on hallow ground? Don't you like to think that things are lost & never found? Discover all the secrets & head out for the sound. Did you hear the voice that makes your fever?" "I'm Alive" also has a delightful rocking groove, "Oh if I don't get you back, I'll cover up my bloody tracks with sorrow, hopes & hide my dying pride." The dreamy Shelby Lynne does Nick Drake track "If I Were Smart" communicates a soft gentle sadness that Shelby fills exquisitely. "Telephone," "10 Rocks" & "Baby" are all great tracks. With "Suit Yourself" about to hit the market, "Identity Crisis" is still a treasure-trove. Enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars What a GOOD album this is...........2005-03-07

Wow, what a nice surprise. It's the Shelby Lynne album I been waiting for. This album rocks, swoons, gets down like your'e in church, and then some....

Shelby does what she pleases n this album, and it shows. She sounds comfortable with each song, and sounds like she's having fun singing them. A nice stripped down acoustic approach suits these songs perfectly. I fell in love with the coo of her voice a long time ago, and it's all over this album. She hasn't sounded bettter, vocally as she does here. "One with the Sun" has to be the most beautiful track on here. And "Gotta get better" rocks like nothing else I've heard her do. The churning strumming takes you in right away and really rocks. Amazingly there is little percussion on this album and it seems to work just fine. The introspection of "If I were smart" here she examines a situation of the heart, shows a she can still turn a phrase to get her point across.

Now I'm sorry but I don't understand the review calling "10 Rocks" hokey. It's a great song. Why can't Shelby Lynne do a gospel shuffle? Lyle Lovett can and no one says anything. In any event she shows that she has the ability to pull it off.

This album shows the many facets of an amazing artist. An eclectic collection of songs make up a strong, cohesive work. Her talents shine here. The best part is that she produced and played the guitar parts herself. It was as if, to make a really good Shelby Lynne record, she had to do it herself. Good for her! It worked!

(Personally I'd like to hear her re-do "Love Shelby" to sound as pure as this record does. There were some really great songs on that album that could use a personal touch.)



3 out of 5 stars sounds like..........2005-02-11

One night on PBS I heard a girl named michelle shocked doing a country blues set and went out and bought it, at a time when buying a CD meant something, only buying the ones that I thought I would listen to for forever. And I did, for quite a while, the southern style and interesting takes were refreshing. Oddly enough, there is alot of similiar sounds on this CD by Shelby, who I have enjoyed through all her hair color changes. I really thought the previous albums gave a more original, listen to me and throw your head back songs.

5 out of 5 stars Call me Ms. Lynne.......2004-12-22

The first time I saw Shelby Lynne she was on some award show with Sheryl Crow several years ago. She was out singing her and sexier and trashier and all that. She was kicking [...] and Crow was like she always was, pretty flat singing but technically great of course and rather dull. Back then Shelby was more Gretchen Wilson than Gretchen Wilson is now. Then I went out and bought that album with Shelby on the front in cutoffs and all tanned and blonde. Love, Shelby. Yes, sir. The cover was a lot better than the music, I thought.
Then awhile back I saw this woman on television. The Directv screen said it was Shelby Lynn. No, it wasn't. Shelby Lynne was that singer who looks like the most attractive single mother in that bar across the street from the Chrysler Plant, cigarette in hand, and she bends over a pool table.
The woman Directv said was Shelby Lynne looked like an androgynous Bell Hop in a fancy New York hotel. That couldn't be Shelby!
There was no tan on this woman. Her hair was white, not blonde. What a transition! But then I bought Identity Crisis. What an album! It blew that cheap-o album produced by Mr. Morrisette,( what's his name?) out of the water.
Shelby's transition was probably less a fear of skin cancer than the types of crowds she was drawing. (Hey, boys! Shelby's up there! Got some chew?)
This album brings Ms. Lynne to the place she should be. Bluesy, and country. Shades of Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline and even a little Buddy Guy.
Shelby's identity crisis is our musical windfall. This is a textured, brilliantly understated album that shows just how talented Shelby is. She goes back to her roots or maybe just discovers her roots. 6 stars. (But does she really say Flo for floor?)
Identity Crisis
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing for a low budget album
  • Thrice times champion! Wicked Album
  • Not very tight, but AMAZING!
  • "Feeling better!" the airs say
  • my first Thrice album, and still among the top 10 albums ever
Identity Crisis
Thrice
Manufacturer: Sub City Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005A878
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

  1. Identity Crisis
  2. Phoenix Ignition
  3. In Your Hands
  4. To What End
  5. Ultra Blue
  6. As The Ruin Falls
  7. The Next Day
  8. A Torch To End All Torches
  9. Unquestioned Answers
  10. Under Par
  11. T & C

Album Description

Their 2nd album, released in 2000, defines the sound that Thrice is striving for-the dynamics and emotion of hardcore with the melody and harmony of pop-punk. The 12-track CD has a little something for everyone, ranging from the harmonies of 'In Your Hands', to the pseudo-metal 'Torch to End All Torches', to the post-hardcore feel of 'To What End'. Sub City Records.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Amazing for a low budget album.......2006-08-17

Identity Crisis is my favorite Thrice ablum. Yes it is not as tight and polished than those that followed but that is not due to the band. This album is plagued by crappy production and obviously was recorded by someone who didnt care about the album. In interviews with thrice they are quoted as say the guy who recorded Identity was "more interested in play video games than recording music." With some recording knowledge I completely agree with this statement. If the engineer/producer gave a crap Identity Crisis would have been Illusions of Saftey a year earlier. T & C, Identity Crisis, Ultra Blue, and As the Ruin Falls are the best tracks altough all are great.

5 out of 5 stars Thrice times champion! Wicked Album.......2006-06-24

This is their most gooderest album yet. It doesn't have the best song writting in all but it is their most punkiest album and every song kicks butt. If you like punk, pick this up, if not, pick up all their others. Slow and emotional but the song writting in those albums is phenominal. Up to u. Anyways, this CD rules and you should by it this second. Great album thrice!

5 out of 5 stars Not very tight, but AMAZING!.......2006-03-09

I first heard "To What End" on a compilation a while back and was amazed but also positive that the rest of their music couldn't possibly be as great. Up to that point I had heard so few punk songs (I'm not going to play the genre game- call them screamo or whatever if you want, but if bands like Sum 41 can be called punk I certainly think Thrice can too) that were as meaningful and well written as that song, and I assumed that it was them at their best and would be found on an album full of medicore filler tracks. When I eventually obtained a copy of Identity Crisis I found out just how wrong I was.

I won't say that this is Thrice at their best, but its damn close. Thrice's later work was much more tight than this but I have to say that I really don't mind the guitar solos being all over the place and the lack of song structure. On the one hand its usually a sign of a band lacking maturity to lack a tight structure but in Thrice's case their lyrics and general songwriting do a lot of negate this impression. At the very least it kept things interesting. While in many ways Thrice was playing punk music, their not using the verse/chorus formula along with their use of guitar solos definately contributed to making this more memorable than most punk albums. Generic three cord punk rock this is not.

But more importantly than the structure of the songs or the genre was the songs themselves: they were simply some of the best written songs out there: the opening track with its soft verses and shouted choruses, "T & C" with its great guitar intro, "Ultra Blue"'s guitar work, and a "Torch to End All Torche" and "To What End"'s lyrics. Meaningful lyrics, great music backing it up, and a sound that stands apart not only from other Thrice CD's but from most other punk/posthardcore/screamo- a more than worthy first (full length at least as far as I know) effort.

Now for the bad news. There's isn't much, mostly just the above mentioned lack of song structure which unfortunately makes it sound less mature, but perhaps thats just because people have come to associate tight songs with mature musicianship. The songs also might sound like an early effort because of the contrast between this album's production and that on their later releases. Thats not fair to Thrice, and in the end it doesn't really take anything away from this release. This is essentially Thrice playing punk rock with some hardcore influences which makes it sound more primitive than the post-hardcore sound of later Thrice but which, like the production, doesn't take anything away from this release's quality. A few of the songs are also somewhat weak, for example "A Torch to End All Torches" doesn't get really good until the end. The first part is a sort of generic punk song but then its slows down and after a fairly long instramental Dustin comes back with a completely different sounding ending and lyrics that are as Christian as you can get without sounding overbearing, though its possible that those unfamiliar with Christian imagery won't even recognize it (but "by his grace I am sustained" gave it away for me). A few others aren't quite as amazing as some of the above mentioned ones, though none of them are bad or worthy of skipping.

This was the first Thrice CD I ever heard so I can't say how fans who have heard newer Thrice first will react but at the very least they will like if they don't love it like I do. Its good music, do yourself a favor and buy it.

5 out of 5 stars "Feeling better!" the airs say.......2006-02-03

If I were the real Jesus Dustin Kensrue would be an imaginary best friend voicing lost albums Black'd.

5 out of 5 stars my first Thrice album, and still among the top 10 albums ever.......2005-12-09

I love their playfulness, their jumping from Maiden like guitars to punk back to early Metallica. All this in an own way, the Thrice way. the singing gives me the goose bumps and the energy kicks me. I just love it. You have to BUY that album, you have to have an original!
Crisis? What Crisis?
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A shining example of "Art-Pop"
  • Supertramps' fine follow-up to Crime of The Century
  • The light (yellow sleeve) album.
  • Crisis: Often overlooked but essential
  • Supertramp's finest hour.
Crisis? What Crisis?
Supertramp
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002GD8
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Easy Does It
  2. Sister Moonshine
  3. Ain't Noboby But Me
  4. A Soapbox Oper
  5. Another Man's Woman
  6. Lady
  7. Poor Boy
  8. Just A Normal Day
  9. The Meaning
  10. Two Of us

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A shining example of "Art-Pop".......2001-05-10

This is their fourth release and is once of the better in their catalog.

Standout tracks are "Sister Moonshine" (beautiful 12-string acoustic guitar) "A Soapbox Opera" (One of Roger's finest compositions) "Poor Boy" (brilliant clarinet solo from John...right out of the 40's) and "The Meaning" (a moody art-rock piece.)

The cover art is also one of my favourites. Too bad it has been reduced to a dinky 5" square...

if you still aren't sure about this one, listen to the samples, and I'm sure you'll be hooked.

4 out of 5 stars Supertramps' fine follow-up to Crime of The Century.......2000-10-19

This album is fun and innovative. The lead vocals are destinctive, different and compliment each other. Its a keyboard, guitar, and woodwind based album. The best cuts are Sister Moonshine, Poor Boy, Lady, Just A Normal Day and The Meaning. Yes The Meaning is a fun high energy rocker guys! I can't believe all the negative comments about it. Actually all the cuts are good. I'd say this Supertramp album is second only to Crime Of The Century (which is a masterpiece).

4 out of 5 stars The light (yellow sleeve) album........2000-08-15

Supertramp leaders Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson compliment each other brilliantly on this album. As Rick in his style is too earthly and practical, Roger in his is too heavenly and dreamy. Together they strike up a balance in their music. "Crisis? What Crisis?" is a surprising sequel to their masterful "Crime of the Century", a heavy, subtle album which kept a very talented but often too over-the top Roger Hodgson in check. Towards the end of "Crisis?", Roger does go off a little too much and gets too mushy. Perhaps a rearrangement of the songs or another song added by Rick before its release would of helped this album. Nevertheless this is standard Supertramp with full orchestration--wonderful woodwind, stunning guitar and acoustic guitar playing, keyboards with imaginative organ work, with adequate base and fantastic percussion. The lyrics are imaginative and intelligent and the backup strings and choir create a dynamic effect.

4 out of 5 stars Crisis: Often overlooked but essential.......2000-08-11

When discussing Supertramp, "Breakfast in America" and "Crime of the Century" are usually mentioned as this group's best efforts -- "Breakfast" certainly wins by virtue of sales, while "Crime" gets the nod for its rich, dense, art-rock sound. It's a shame that "Crisis" doesn't get more attention. Sure, it lacked a radio hit, but it's a great listen from start to finish, continuing (and perhaps even exceeding at times) where "Crime" left off. There's a full range of emotions here, marred perhaps by "The Meaning" which was positioned right at the climax of the album. Standouts include "Ain't Nobody But Me," which builds wonderfully and dissolves into "A Soapbox Opera;" "Lady," sounding very much like the album's hit single with its similarity to "Dreamer" from "Crime;" and "Poor Boy." There really isn't a dull moment here. If you own and enjoy any Supertramp albums, you should own this one as well -- it stands head-and-shoulders among their best and keeps rewarding after repeated listenings. It's a personal favorite as well.

5 out of 5 stars Supertramp's finest hour........2000-06-06

This is the most musically dense of the Supertramp releases. The complexity of the arrangements and Ken Scott's production give Supertramp more muscle than is evidenced elsewhere. There is also a greater emphasis placed on guitar work and Rick Davies proves to be quite adept on the instrument. Some of the band's finest and more fully realised compositions are present as well. A Soapbox Opera, Sister Moonshine, Another Man's Woman are particularly strong. After this recording the band began to assume production responsibilities themselves resulting in a softer, more pop-styled sound. Highly recommended...Simon
Slither * [ECD]
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Earth Crisis - 'Slither' (Victory)
  • Rawk!!
  • Absolutely Amazing
  • What happened?
  • crazy bob n his thoughts
Slither * [ECD]
Earth Crisis
Manufacturer: Victory Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004T2HC
Release Date: 2000-06-20

Tracks:

  1. Loss Of Humanity
  2. Slither
  3. Provoke
  4. Nemesis
  5. Agress
  6. Biomachines
  7. Killing Brain Cells
  8. Arc Of Descent
  9. Mechanism
  10. Behind The Wire
  11. Mass Arrest
  12. Hairtrigger
  13. Escape

Album Description

Almost 10 years and 6 releases later, Earth Crisis has yet to slow down. Their new offering "Slither" is the most progressive to date. Earth Crisis have adated their sound, but without loosing what makes them one of the foremost bands in the underground metal/hardcore scenes. Old and new fans will not be disappointed.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Earth Crisis - 'Slither' (Victory).......2005-09-02

Problem with 'Slither' is that it doesn't cover any new ground.I mean,it's on okay release by the metal band,just nothing special.Noticed that mainman Karl Buechner has toned down his rather menacing growl to include cleaner vocal arrangements.That COULD actually work here.Tunes like "Loss Of Humanity",title cut "Slither","Biomachines" and "Hair Trigger" appear to be decently penned out.See what you think.Might appeal to some fans of Fear Factory,Korn,Machine Head and Biohazard.

5 out of 5 stars Rawk!!.......2004-03-12

This incredible album shows how much eXc has grown and progressed as a band. I love being able to clearly hear the powerful message in their lyrics!!! It's awesome to see a band so dedicated to a great cause, never straying or selling out, and being such a positive influence on so many people, some who might never have been exposed to sXe, veganism, etc before. I hope their music continues to reach people and change the world for the better now that eXc has called it quits. A great way to end it guys, but you will be greatly missed.

(Even on their worst day, with pneumonia, broken arms, broken legs, strep throat, and out of tune instruments, eXC could NEVER EVER be compared to Wimp Soggy Bizkit or Stinkin Dog Crappin Park like some reviewers compared this album to - SUCH an insult to a band as great as eXc).

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing.......2001-09-13

I've had this album for a little while, and it LIVES in my CD player. I rarely take it out, and I listen to it ALL the time. Usually I get sick of cds after awhile, but I am nowhere near sick of this album, and doubt I ever will be. There is not one bad song on this album. My favorite is Slither, but Nemesis is also awesome...Go buy this album and you will know what I am talking about. I PROMISE that you will not be disappointed.

2 out of 5 stars What happened?.......2001-06-12

What the heck happened to one of my all time favorite Hardcore bands? Once a tough, growling, ripping S**T up band, now a metal, melodic, rappy band!! Sure this is album is solid, well if you review it as itself and not compare it to past EC releases. Guitars are very well done, trading licks and riffs back and for. Bulldog is tough on bass, pounding away with hardcore fury. Drumming is sick as usual. But here is the bad part. Karl once a great hardcore singer.....raps and sings. This is not Earth Crisis, i really dont know what made them take this path...maybe they thought this would make them a huge band..Well they were huge, well,in the hardcore scene. I give the 2 stars for the effort and for the great artwork on the CD. If you want classic EC, buy "All Out War", "Firestorm" or "Destroy The Machines". My personal favorite is "Gommorah Season Ends" which is a hardcore classic.

5 out of 5 stars crazy bob n his thoughts.......2000-09-29

AWESOME!!!!!!!! THANK YOU EARTH CRISES FOR BLESSING US WITH YOUR MUSIC
Diary of a Hollow Horse
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Diary of a Hollow Horse
    China Crisis
    Manufacturer: A&M
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    New WaveNew Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B00008ENVH
    Release Date: 1990-10-25

    Tracks:

    1. St. Saviour Square
    2. Stranger by Nature
    3. Sweet Charity in Adoration
    4. Day After Day
    5. Diary of a Hollow Horse
    6. Red Letter Day
    7. In Northern Skies
    8. Singing the Praises of Finer Things
    9. All My Prayers
    10. Age Old Need

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