Gelatin and Bright [EP]

gelatin and bright [ep]

Track Listings

1. A Long Time Ago

2. Dead Lavender

3. Samuel The Flying Pig

4. Gelatin And Bright

5. Eager Fools

6. Red Transparency

7. Valley Of Planes

8. Bill Budd

9. Bleeding

10. My New Address

11. All The Best Things Come In Pills

12. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk

13. Wholesale Delusion

Gelatin and Bright,Pure Joy,Book Records,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Gelatin and Bright [EP]

Average customer rating:

Cassadaga by Bright Eyes
Perfect
A Fun Trip to Cassadaga
I am so glad to make Mr Obert's musical acquaintance...
I'm not sure what's wrong with me ...

Cassadaga
Bright Eyes
Manufacturer: Saddle Creek
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sky Blue Sky
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New Moon

ASIN: B000N60HCW
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Clairaudients (Kill or Be Killed)
Four Winds
If The Brakeman Turns My Way
Hot Knives
Make A Plan To Love Me
Soul Singer In A Session Band
Classic Cars
Middleman
Cleanse Song
No One Would Riot For Less
Coat Check Dream Song
I Must Belong Somewhere
Lime Tree

Amazon.com

On their sixth and most straightforwardly clean album, Nebraska's Bright Eyes once again integrate a revolving cast of players to the mix, including Portland tunesmith M. Ward and alt-country queen Gillian Welch. But the band remains at the helm of forever-wunderkind Conor Oberst, and the fruitful songwriter has one-upped 2005's I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning with a proficient and accessible ensemble of expansive pop orchestrations and ornate folk songs that chronicle his traverses across the American panorama. Oberst's voice quakes and wanders through South Dakota lore and Sunshine State chicanery, always the perfect vehicle for his threadbare lyrics. "Take the fruit from the tree/Break the skin with your teeth/Is it bitter or sweet/All depends on your timing," he forewarns in "Cleanse Song," a psychedelic merry-go-round of a soundtrack that joins the Scottish-tinged "Soul Singer in a Session Band" and singalong single "Four Winds" as Cassadaga's finest. The 13-song-record is certain to open more doors for a band whose recognition has soared with every release since Oberst was just 14. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Once tagged "rock's boy genius" by the music press, Conor Oberst turns 27 on February 15th and even without that in mind it's hard to listen to Cassadaga without hearing a newfound sophistication to the Bright Eyes sound. Producer, multi-instrumentalist and permanent band member Mike Mogis has crafted a swirling, euphonious record, at times bursting with bombastic confidence and country swagger, and at others loose-limbed and mesmeric. Trumpet and piano player Nate Walcott, a Bright Eyes player since 2003 and now the third permanent member, is responsible for the cinematic string arrangements. Other than a handful of live appearances and the release of a collection of B-sides & rarities, Bright Eyes kept mostly out of sight in 2006 after the busy 2005 which saw the simultaneous release of the sister albums Digital Ash In A Digital Urn and I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. Should you have looked for them you'd have found them tucked away in various studios around the country. Recording for the first time outside of the Lincoln, NE studio belonging to Mogis, the Bright Eyes cast of players were busy in studios in Portland, OR, New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. The result is the band's most confident work so far, an album so full of soaring strings and female harmonies that it feels almost buoyant in comparison to previous releases. While many latched onto the smattering of political commentary in 2005's I'm Wide Awake..., Cassadaga is less blunt in its depiction of youthful exasperation in the Bush era. References to Hurricane Katrina, holy wars and polar ice-caps may crop up, but they're buried deep amongst the ruminations on life, love, history, death and the afterlife. If I'm Wide Awake... was "the New York City album", then Cassadaga is "the America album", in which Oberst diaries his travels around the country and articulates his sense of history in the landscape. In first single "Four Winds" he is "off to old Dakota where genocide sleeps/in the Black Hills, the Badlands, the calloused East/I buried my ballast, I made my peace." Cassadaga itself crops up in the same song. The town, a community for psychics in central Florida, is visited in order to "commune with the dead". This wandering spirit is crystalized in "I Must Belong Somewhere" a song which was already a staple of live shows by the end of the 2005. "Hot Knives" is particularly spirited, bringing to mind the true energy of a Bright Eyes show. Likewise, "Soul Singer In A Session Band" - a rousing paean to an oxymoronic profession - enlists all of the elements which make the Bright Eyes live band such a euphoric experience. "Make A Plan To Plan To Love Me" is Bright Eyes at their most playful; a straight-up love song, replete with girl group vocals and Burt Bacharach strings. Oberst, the fumbling guitarist whose impassioned prose tumbles out under stark stage spotlights, is still recognizable in every track, but the songs are rich with elaborate production, cinema-sized orchestration and, at times, sprawling, almost psychedelic, atmospherics. The line up of Bright Eyes players includes Andy Lemaster (Now It's Overhead), Ben Kweller, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater Kinney), Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley), John McEntire (Tortoise) M.Ward, Maria Taylor and Rachael Yamagata.

Customer Reviews:

Cassadaga by Bright Eyes.......2007-07-09

This is a very good CD. I had some difficulty getting used to the intro on the CD, but I'm getting more used to it now with each listening. I like the arrangement and enjoy hearing his unique voice.

Perfect.......2007-07-04

I absolutly love this album, Bright Eyes is incredible and this album is just as good as the rest of the Bright Eyes albums... the song I Must Belong Somewhere is so incredible I simply can't get enough of this album!

A Fun Trip to Cassadaga.......2007-07-03

A very good album that will have you stomping your feet and humming along to the many good songs here. "Four Winds" is awesome and so are the first 7 tracks. I was under-impressed at first, but repeat listens make this a much better experience. Great lyrics and great playing by the band!

I am so glad to make Mr Obert's musical acquaintance..........2007-06-25

This is the first CD I have bought of Bright Eyes and I am very happy that I did.

When I first saw the video for Four Winds I didn't get it. I thought the video was clever set in a county fair pavillion. Then the more I watched it the more I listened to the lyrics. Holy Cow! THe lyrics of this song alone is so well smithed that the country sounding backdrop started to melt away, which usually is a distraction for me (since I listen to more electronic based music). I broke down and bought the album after reading the rave reviews here.

The CD in its entirety is an amazing treat of sonics and feels. The lyrical genius shines through on each and every track. The music is so well composed and executed that I feel right in the music every time I listen to the CD. Absolute brilliance.

And the mixing and production on this gem is top notch as well.

My favorite tracks have got to be Four Winds, Soul Singer In A Session Band, Coat Check Dream Song and I Must Belong Somewhere, although every track has a distinctive merit.

I'm not sure what's wrong with me ..........2007-06-19

I swore I really didn't like this album at first. I had devoured the double release of I'm Wide Awake and Digital Ash, so when I heard this was out I was really excited. So, I went out bought it and decided I didn't like it, put it on the shelf and didn't listen to it for about a month. THen a friend of mine told me how great he thought the album was ... so I gave it another go.

I was wrong, this album is really fantastic! I guess I'm just slow.

Average customer rating:

"My best friend's a butcher, he has sixteen knives."
This album has 286 5 star reviews and it's still comes up as a 4 star album!!!!!!!
It's like learning a new language...
freaking love this album
If Edgar Allen Poe were alive and wrote music now....

Turn On the Bright Lights
Interpol
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Back Room
The Bravery

ASIN: B00006BTCA
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Untitled
Obstacle 1
NYC
PDA
Say Hello To The Angels
Hands Away
Obstacle 2
Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down
Roland
The New
Leif Erikson

Amazon.com

Interpol create literate, atmospheric, moody, trashy post-punk music that recalls '80s faves the Psychedelic Furs. And this is definitely a good thing. While most young bands are content to rhyme "make it" with "fake it," Interpol pens melodramatic tales of tortured and tortuous urban relationships that are truly refreshing. Like their peers the Strokes, they're bright, sophisticated, and meticulous enough to build stirring soundscapes. Turn On the Bright Lights is a must for anyone who missed Echo & the Bunnymen, the Furs, and Joy Division the first time around. --Dominic Wills

Album Description

Australian version of the absolutely stunning full-length debut from New York's Interpol. Think Joy Division meets Psychedelic Furs, Echo & the Bunnymen and the Smiths. Includes the bonus track, 'Specialist'. Matador. 2002.

Album Details

The Stunning Debut Album that Incorporates So Many Postpunk Influences: Joy Division, Television, Morrissey, . Includes the Bonus Track "Specialist".

Customer Reviews:

"My best friend's a butcher, he has sixteen knives.".......2007-07-13

Interpol makes music with repetitious guitars and bass accompanied by slightly off-kilter vocals delivering nonsense lyrics. It's better than that sounds, but maybe not as great as some critics would think. Turn On the Bright Lights is a fun album to listen to. It's never boring, and they create some deeply affecting melodies that are really quite enjoyable. There's rarely a dull moment throughout. I just really don't see how it's much better than similarly catchy/non-varied music that is labeled as punk and generally ignored. Interpol is about as good as that general kind of music gets, but I think they get a ton of acclaim because they sound more mysterious, not because they're actually that superior musically.

The first track is my favorite. The piano blends with the guitar and works well with the rest of the sounds. "Obstacle 1" is a good single, since it encapsulates their sound quite well and is one of the better songs. "NYC" is a slower song and fairly enjoyable. "PDA" is another good single that represents the band well. The thing is, most of the songs do a good job here, because they all sound pretty similar. "Obstacle 2" has catchy vocals and nice interaction with the instruments. Towards the end there are a couple tracks over six minutes long that show a bit more range from the band as they experiment a little. "Roland" might be the hardest track, with a good riff in the chorus. All in all, not a whole lot about the album really stands out from the rest but it is a consistent, good album.

This album has 286 5 star reviews and it's still comes up as a 4 star album!!!!!!!.......2007-07-09

Ok , the title says it all , nuff said. This is one the greatest albums i've ever heard in my life , it flows perfectly from start to end and the musicianship is outstanding. Why is it still only 4 stars , why????!!

It's like learning a new language..........2007-05-29

For the longest time I kept telling myself I really oughta write a nice review for Interpol on Amazon, and tonight's the night. This is my ode to TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS by the amazing New York band Interpol. I had bought the CD the year it came out and decided to take it with me on a road trip from LA to Vegas. I should say I absolutely dread driving to Vegas, most Angelenos do. What is supposed to be a 3-hour trip usually turns out to be a 5-hour bumper to bumper nightmare and the road leading to Sin City is not exactly scenic, with nothin' but desert and all, I mean, how many cactus can one admire in an endless open field of cactuses? But I sensed this trip was different, and I knew the instant I heard the opening track to this flawless debut of an album.

What's more, with each song I grew increasingly interested in the music and slowly drifted from my environment, finding myself enjoying the ride. The road rage that I had started slipping away with each passing of familiar street signs. Imagine a perfect harmony of landscape blended with poetry for my ears. Surely this can't be one of the rare albums that I can listen to throughout its entirety, I pondered, and anticipated. In the end I wasn't let down. With each repeated listen (that's the trick I think, one would have to give this multiple consecutive hearings in order to fully appreciate it), I realized I started developing feelings for the album.

Feelings?

Ah, but let me tell you why.

Each song tells a story, and when I'm told a story, I want it to be as intoxicating, as dreamy and as atmospheric as each song is on this album. It evokes a mood that's long lost along with childhood, the mood of being afloat, being weightless, being innocent with a sense of discovery. As soon as you hear the opening words, you'll know you're being transferred to a place where you wish time stood still. It's mesmerizing, this album, to say the least. And it is dark, and ambient, and very moody, in all good sense of the words. It is music that evokes the very feelings in me, the longing, the fears, the hopes and the dreams. Whenever I'm in a bad mood or have had a tough day, I play this album and instantly feel better. It has over the years become my best friend, my confidant, my haven, a way to relax and enjoy this thing called life. This album is excellent throughout and that's how one should listen to it, in its entirety, but like anybody else I have my own personal favorites:

The beautifully lush opener "Untitled" really paints a picture for the rest of the album. This song makes me want to renew old friendships with long neglected school chums, "I will surprise you sometime, I'll come round.." It reminds me of the carefree, more fearless days of my youth.

"Obstacle 1" and "PDA" were singles I had heard on the radio that propelled me to buy the album. Both are fast with great guitar and drums. I thought if the rest of the songs sound like the two, it'd be money well spent. Turns out I got every pennies' worth and then some. This record really was the best 13-dollar investment I've ever made.

An early favorite is "Hands Away." This is perhaps the most melodic, most hypnotic song on the album. I was cast under its spell upon hearing the beginning riffs. "Will you put my hands away, will you be my man?..." This song is kinda like "Untitled" in that there are only a handful of lyrics to both the songs but the impact they'll hit you with is immeasurable.

My absolute favorite song in the Interpol catalogue is the wonderfully sexually blatant, yet tender and romantic 7-minute opus called "Stella Was a Diver and She's Always Down." It's flawless, this song. There is not a part in this epic song that I don't like. From the music to the lyrics, it's like a dream, and a nice way of spending seven minutes of one's day, loving "Stella" the way Paul Banks does:

"when she walks down the street, she knows there's people watching
building fronts are just fronts, to hide the people watching her
she once fell through the street, down the man hole in that bad way
the underground drip, was just like her scuba days..."

The last song on the album is called "Leif Erikson" and I find out he's one of the first European settlers to set foot in the States. I don't know what that has to do with the song really, cos to me this song conjures up all kinds of notions and ideals of romance. From Paul's voice and the lyrics to the dreamy surreal atmosphere of the drums and guitars, this the most mesmerizing song of all:

"she says it helps with the lights out
her rabid glow is like braille to the night
she feels that my sentimental side should be held with kids gloves
she doesn't know that I left my urge in the ice box
she swears I'm just prey for the female
well then hook me up and pull me babycakes
cause I like to get hooked

the clock is set for nine but you know you're gonna make it eight
so that you can take some time and teach each other to reciprocate..."

If you're still reading this then tonight's the night. Get romanced by a lil' Interpol and who knows, maybe you'll start harboring feelings too.

Afterall, they're nothing more than feelings.

freaking love this album.......2007-05-18

I got into Interpol by seeing them at a few festivals in 2004... and after they joined the Curiosa festival I was hooked. They are an amazing band, and if this isn't a perfect first album, I don't know what is. And they keep getting better and better.

I just saw them in Las Vegas and they did about four of their new songs off the upcoming album - and everything sounds fabulous! This is going to be a great year for this band.

If Edgar Allen Poe were alive and wrote music now...........2007-02-12

For some reason, whenever I hear this cd I think of Poe. The lyrics are creepy but also beautiful, which is why I think it reminds me of him. I didn't instantly love this album, but the more I listen to it, the more I like it. It's not something catchy that quickly becomes annoying; it's quite the opposite. My favorite tracks are Untitled, NYC, PDA and Obstacle 1, but the album works better together than apart, in my opinion. I think some people might find Antics easier to listen to (it's faster paced), but there's something about this cd that draws me to repeat listenings. If you're looking for something different than what you hear on the radio now, I'd recommend giving this a try.

Average customer rating:

one of my top five albums of all time
Whatever you do
read my future on the Amazon.com review board
great sound
"I guess you'd call that painting in a cave..."

I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning
Bright Eyes
Manufacturer: Saddle Creek
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Z
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ASIN: B00070FV0M
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

At The Bottom Of Everything - (with Jim James)
We Are Nowhere And It's Now - (with Emmylou Harris)
Old Soul Song (For The New World Order) - (with Emmylou Harris)
Lua
Train Under Water
First Day Of My Life
Another Travelin' Song
Landlocked Blues - (with Emmylou Harris)
Poison Oak
Road To Joy

Amazon.com

Conor Oberst is running on dangerous ground: getting his first Dylan comparisons at age 12, frolicking with Winona Ryder, releasing two separate albums at once. Didn't he learn anything from Ryan Adams's mistakes? It's a good thing he can write such haunting, intimate songs. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (released simultaneously with Digital Ash in a Digital Urn) is the album the Omaha native has always threatened to make, channeling his country rock influences into articulate, witty ballads that come to life with gorgeous harmonies supplied by Emmylou Harris. The tumbling "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" might be his first actual masterpiece, while the words of album closer "Road to Joy" ("I could've been a famous singer if I had someone else's voice/ But failure's always sounded better") indicate that Oberst might have his head screwed on right after all. -- Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst continues to earn his reputation as our most respected young troubadour with almost frightening ease. For the past few years he's been tagged "rock's boy genius" by the music press. These albums are a soundly articulated slice of modern life rolled into two very different records, both bursting with all the heartfelt poetry for which Bright Eyes' records have earned their acclaim. Of course, the rough edges haven't gone away - the palpitation of a splintering note, the crack of a voice as it overextends, the clumsy thump of a misplaced thumb. It's all still there. But there's a glorious new level of depth, a maturation of texture, writing and delivery. His best work yet.

Customer Reviews:

one of my top five albums of all time.......2007-06-01

quirky, and perfect.

there isn't a track i don't like

crass, a bit bitter, a little drunk.... this album captures the soul of a young man like no other record i have ever heard. this is his document of what it means to move into lower manhattan. this is how it is for him. this is how he sees the world: he questions, he listens, and he looks. (it is called literature)

i am not yet tired of this record, it is full-bodied. it is honest. it is part of my own story as well, only with better background music.

Whatever you do.......2007-02-19

... do NOT miss buying this CD.

This album is a feat for Oberst - an excellent folk album that everyone can relate to, sing along to, listen to, and love. If you like folk, slow music, Conor Oberst, indie, or life, you've got to listen to this album.

From claustrophobic storytellers ("At the Bottom of Everything") to sad, sweet folkies ("Lua") to simply happy tunes ("First Day of My Life") to joyful/miserable I-love-and-hate-life songs ("Road To Joy"), this CD has something for everyone that's ever felt ecstatic, down, confused, bitter, torn, smitten, terrified, or alive. Bottom line: it's got everything.

Heartfelt, incredible, rich in emotion, and downright brilliant - I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is Oberst's best work to date. If anything of his that comes out surpasses this amazing album, I will die, come back to life, and buy it.

Let's just say that this would be one of the albums that I'd choose if I ever had to answer that stupid "If you were on a desert island and could bring only five CDs, what would you bring?" question.

read my future on the Amazon.com review board.......2007-02-16

I think we could write his next song here. Conor will make it work.

The pen is mightier than the sword, I read my future on the Amazon.com review board. People log in to say what they think of me, praise, rag, bitch, and moan for free. Did we buy his s--t at the record store, or just download music for free once more. That's all right, its fine with me, just shut your face and buy the CD. I spill my guts, have done it for free, so praise your God and steal my CD.

Come on Conor, we know you read this stuff. Post a review and write your next song.

great sound.......2007-02-03

His sound is so relaxing and cool. He sings with feeling. Great cd.

"I guess you'd call that painting in a cave...".......2007-01-30

This is easily one of the best new-folk albums of the last decade. Loaded with imagistic lyrics and social commentary, Conor Oberst shows why those "New Dylan" tags have been lobbed at him by critics probably old enough to be his grandpa. There are plenty of story-songs here, from the spoken word introduction to "At The Bottom Of Everything" to the stunning current event lyric, "we made loveon the living room floor with the noise in the background to a televised war." In an age where protest songs are few and far between (and seem to only come from elder statesmen like Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen or Steve Earle), it's refreshing to hear someone sing about something other than bling and beyatches.

I would probably not be so quick with the Dylan comparisons. I'd probably be more apt to call Oberst kin to Gram Parsons or Jackson Browne, where confessional lyricism was more the point of the song. I also take issue with the emo tag connected to Bright Eyes albums by underage metalheads without the maturity to make the distinction. This is folk music in the seventies sense, maybe a bit more stripped down but still a close cousin to "Late For The Sky" or James Taylor's "Mud Slide Slim." "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" belongs on the same pantheon as those albums, even with the age difference.

I've also been lucky enough to see Oberst play (in a song circle with Jim James - wow - and M.Ward -eh) at the 2005 Newport Folk Festival. Far from a gallery of screaming teenaged girls that some of the more virulent negative reviews would lead you to think are his core audience, Oberst captivated a huge ADULT crowd of concert goers. The songs from "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" resonated with this crowd with the same rapport the audience shared with other acts that weekend, including such stalwarts as Arlo Guthrie and Nanci Griffith. They are the kind of company young Conor is peer to. Although this CD came out in 2005, it still gets strong rotation in my stereo.

Average customer rating:

Great Stuff
A great Ep
Time to shine on his own
Blown to...
ONE MAN'S TRASH

Four Winds
Bright Eyes
Manufacturer: Saddle Creek
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
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Icky Thump

ASIN: B000MTPAKY
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Tracks:

Four Winds
Reinvent the Wheel
Smoke Without Fire
Stray Dog Freedom
Cartoon Blues
Tourist Trap

Album Description

With the once revolving line-up of musicians settled on the three constants of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott, Bright Eyes spent much of 2006 in the studio working on their follow-up to the acclaimed simultaneous releases Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. The first single from these sessions, "Four Winds", is presented here along with 5 exclusive B-sides. Retaining the simmering glow of its predecessors, Four Winds is full of the magic that brought Bright Eyes to international attention. Carefully played, deftly poetic and quietly enchanting, the release has a wandering country charm and all of the story-telling seductiveness of earlier work. The Four Winds single is the precursor to the new Bright Eyes album - Cassadaga - to be released in the US on April 10th. Four Winds and Cassadaga were recorded in various studios in New York City, Los Angeles, Portland, OR and Lincoln, NE. The sessions included a host of guest performers including M.Ward, David Rawlings, Gillian Welch and Janet Weiss of Sleater-Kinney.

Customer Reviews:

Great Stuff.......2007-05-17

I love this album. Track 2 is impossible to get out of your head.
The use of the steel guitar and mandolins and kinda twangy stuff might turn some people off but I thought it was tastefully done. Think of the Wide awake album and replace the blues influence with country/bluegrass influence.

A great Ep.......2007-03-29

This is a good ep from Connor, even though if, from what I've heard of Cassadega, it may contain some better songs than his upcoming album. But, nevertheless, this is great, and I really hope further listening will make Cassadega come alive for me. I don't know why, but, even with the folkish greatness of Four Winds, Connor has chosen to pursue the country side of his sprawling LP, Lifted or The Story Is In the Soil Put Your Ear To the Ground, rather than the beautiful folk/indie stuff from his earlier, more brilliant Fevers and Mirrors and Every Day And Every Night. He explores a little of that on Cartoon Blues and Reinvent the Wheel, but he seems to be countrifying his new stuff. Which, frankly, is a little disapointing, because, while every Bright Eyes song is a work of genious, he seems to be teetering a little too close to the country side of American radio for my liking. But, like I said, I hope it does get better than my initial perception is telling me. Buy this ep and his older stuff and hope for the best.

Time to shine on his own.......2007-03-19

It is always scary to hear the hyperbolic comparisons journalists love to give certain musicians when they've accomplished what may be their best work to date. In Conor's case it was also a curse that he ahd to get rid of.
By sampling only the tip of what Cassadag awill be, Four winds EP gives us a new respire and new reasons to believe Bright Eyes cannot and will not be tied down to allegories of "the new this" or "the young that" that its lead singer received two years ago.
Opening track Four winds is a more upbeat song if we compared it to anything included in I'm awake it's morning", while 'Smoke without fire". duet with M. Ward takes us back to the times when he was relatively unknown and his ballads sounded like a cry more than a song/ 'Stray dog freedom" explores more the sound of southern rock with louder guitars and a more proper verse-chous-verse structure. Closing track "tourist trap" proves to be the real gem, like in most of his previous EPs.
Although a tease for those of us waiting for the complete album, this EP is worth every penny. Get it, enjoy it, and find out why Bright Eyes music makes the fans rave and passionately love them.

Blown to..........2007-03-17

Apparently someone turned on some vintage rock'n'roll around Conor Oberst, because the Bright Eyes' latest EP is very different from their last two albums. Instead, the "Four Winds" EP embraces an entirely different sound -- countryish, folksy, and with a dash of music-hall at times.

"Your class, your caste, your country, sect, your name or your tribe/There's people always dying trying to keep them alive," Oberst sings in the title song, tearing through a dour song over a rootsy fiddle and guitar, Mexican girl murals, long shadows, the US's existance, and crumbling society.

It's followed up by the strings and alt-rock of "Reinvent the Wheel," and the quietly folksy "Smoke Without Fire." But then it's off to rock'n'roll-land, with the sizzling slow-burn riffs of "Stray Dog Freedom," distorted country-rock of "Cartoon Blues." And he finally finishes it off with a sort of ghostly folk song, full of harmonica and tapping feet. It sounds like a ghost town's theme song.

Conor Oberst always seems to be diddling around with new sounds -- the last two Bright Eyes albums were basically in two entirely different styles. And "Four Winds" shows us a more uptempo, country-inflected side of the band, without losing the doom'n'gloom sociopolitical lyrics.

The music is pretty straightforward -- lots of acoustic guitar, some strings that can shimmer or twang, and the occasional bit of harmonica. And some rapid-clashing piano in music-hall style. And he diddles around with distortion that twists an otherwise ordinary song into a bizarroworld pop tune, with a "baby" voice echoing his.

Despite the upbeat note of most of the music, Oberst always sounds on the verge of tears. No wonder, since his songs predict America's collapse, mocks those who call him a poser, contemplates drugs and "something changing the world/like a new constitution/a thief I would have to pursue/at all times/at all costs/the truth!"

Bright Eyes has a new album coming out soon, and if this "Four Winds" EP is a representative sampling of what's ahead, it's going to be a good one. Different, but enjoyable.

ONE MAN'S TRASH.......2007-03-12

After listening to the new CD single "Four Winds", I am so wet for the forthcoming Bright Eyes album CASSADAGA!

There are 5 non-album tracks on the single. All of them bloody brilliant. The things Conor throws away would make a Dylan out of Robin Thicke!

"Reinvent The Wheel" is among the finest songs Oberst has ever written. Lines like..."the TV sets will tell us when someone reinvents the wheel / till then I'll have a million conversations about s___ that isn't real' ...cut to the bone atop a bed of bouncy pop guitars, Springstonian harmonicas & Opry strings.

A collaboration with M. Ward on "Smoke Without Fire" is dark and brooding.

I was among the few who preferred "Digital Ash" over "Wide Awake". One reason was the line..."my stray dog freedom / let's have a nice clean cut / like a bag we buy and divvy up". Here he offers up "Stray Dog Freedom" in a whole other context. With a sublime guitar lick that is rooted in mid '70's AM rock, Conors' dog is a Cerberus beast that faintly resembles the smoldering remains of the "American Dream". Again, it's among his best work ever.

As is "Cartoon Blues", proving for the umpteenth time that there is nothing this kid cannot do.

The "Four Winds" disc is beyond a shadow of a doubt the finest CD single I have ever heard.

I can't wait for this album!

Average customer rating:

A Legendary Singer.
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's Bach: The mind of God revealed!!
Glorious singing to treasure for decades
Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (1954-2006), supreme Handelian
The Stellar Hunt Lieberson

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias

Manufacturer: Avie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Cantatas BWV 82 and 199
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Lorraine Hunt - Handel Arias
Bach - Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook (highlights) / Hunt-Liberson, McGegan

ASIN: B00022LZW8
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Ah! Whither Should We Fly...
...As With Rosy Steps The Morn
O Bright Example Of All Goodness!...
...Bane Of Virtue, Nurse Of Passions
The Clouds Begin To Veil The Hemisphere...
...Defend Her Heav'n!
Lord, To Thee Each Night And Day
She's Gone, Disdaining Liberty And Life...
...New Scenes Of Joy
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Cantata
Se Bramate D'amar, Chi Vi Sdegna
Frondi Tenere E Belle...
...Ombra Mai Fu

Amazon.com

If you think you've heard Handel's "Ombra mai fu" (known as his "Largo") so often, and in so many different arrangements, and sung by so many different voices, that you can no longer be moved or surprised by it, think again. This CD of Handel arias, mostly from his Theodora or the cantata La Lucrezia, ends with "Ombra mai fu," and as sung by Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, it is so tender, so beautiful, so impeccably shaded, that you'll think you're hearing it for the first time. But that's only four of this disc's 67 minutes---a follow-up to Hunt Lieberson's extraordinarily successful CD of Bach cantatas. There's not a dull or disinterested moment to be heard anywhere. As the violated Lucrezia, Hunt Lieberson alternately rages against the man who raped her and turns her grief inward; the former is terrifying in its intensity, the latter makes us almost feel as if we're eavesdropping. The five arias for Irene, Theodora's friend, confidante, and the upholder of Christian beliefs are all magical prayers or statements of faith, and from Hunt Lieberson, they become real, with each word honestly conveyed and colored. The voice itself is unfailingly beautiful---warm, lush, never forced, agile when necessary---and her breath control is stunning. She is backed ideally by Harry Bicket and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the string soloists in the ensemble---the viola da gamba player, lutenist, etc.---are as gifted as she is. If you want proof that Handel was a great dramatist with a special gift for communicating emotion, all while listening to sublime sounds, this CD is a must. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A Legendary Singer........2007-03-07

I simply don't have the heart to review Mrs. Lieberson's works.
If we call Ms. Bartoli a 'great' singer, then the description of 'legendary' more aptly depicts Mrs. Lieberson.
If ever a truly good artist lived, Mrs. Lieberson is one such.
The only singer that could be recalled singing in such style is Teresa Berganza; but still, they are different.
This is one of my favourite interpretators of Haendel. Having been 'treated' by those coloraturas of arias of Haendel's period by Ms. Bartoli and others, I find the singing of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson a great relief - at last, this is what Haendel would want it to be. And I equally enjoy the singing of soprano arias by Mrs. Lieberson - the timbre is warmer, but still with all the shimmer - so different from the dark mushy tones of other celebrated 'lyrical soprano' around.
Don't want to say more. Mrs. Lieberson's leaving last year is too heavy a news for me.

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's Bach: The mind of God revealed!!.......2007-01-06

These deeply felt performances of two of Bach's most moving cantatas show this transcendent singer's combination of emotional honesty and profound musicality, all combined to reveal the very mind of God through divine redemption from suffering. The disc is to be treasured even more in light of the Ms. Lieberson's recent untimely death from cancer. I'm an agnostic, but this music makes me envious of those who can believe. Roy in Pope Valley, California

Glorious singing to treasure for decades.......2006-07-11

By any measure, America's Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is at least the equal of Italy's premier diva, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, although she does not have the same superstar status. It is difficult to recall past mezzos with clearer enunciation of English text, (as favoured in nine excerpts from Theodora), the richness of voice, displayed in full-throated fortissimo and sharply contrasted pianissimo of utmost delicacy, evokes fondest memories of the tragically doomed Kathleen Ferrier. Masterfully chosen to display every facet of Hunt Lieberson's consumate command of Handel's dauntingly difficult music, the disc's repertoire - recitatives and linkig arias from the operas Theodora and Serse, and the cantana La Lucrezia - is stunning. An unsung mezzo who makes the senses tingle!

Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson (1954-2006), supreme Handelian.......2006-07-06

I have never heard a voice purer of tone, more flexible in phrasing, and so gorgeously produced in a homogeneous column of sound such as this artist in Handel's repertoire. It is very tastefully sung (unlike a certain person whose name begins with R and ends with enaaay Fleming) and so dramatically touching that one could not help but feel that this repertoire finally has found its instrument. And how sad it is to know that this instrument has passed away two days ago. Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson died two days ago in her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico of breast cancer. It is such a huge loss to the opera world, as she is an artist who is still experiencing the prime of her career. The voice is just so beautiful, the tone so pure, that I lament that we can no longer hear any great roles from this artist. She will be missed.

The Stellar Hunt Lieberson.......2006-03-19

Simply put, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson is one of the very best classical singers alive. She combines vocal elegance and purity with an emotional delivery that raises her above the crowd of technically proficient singers who just don't possess her depth of musical understanding or emotional commitment. Hunt Lieberson is a true artist who resists easy classfication except to say she is perfect in what she does.

Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground

Average customer rating:

just wow.
Wow
Lifted, or the Story Was Daniel Johnston's
SCREW ALL THE BAD REVIEWS
Broad scope of Oberst's narrow view

Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground
Bright Eyes
Manufacturer: Saddle Creek
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One Jug of Wine, Two Vessels
Plans
From a Basement on the Hill
Home, Vol. 4
XO

ASIN: B00006FRN7
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

The Big Picture
Method Acting
False Advertising
You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will
Lover I Don't Have to Love
Bowl of Oranges
Don't Know When But a Day is Gonna Come
Nothing Gets Crossed Out
Make War
Waste of Paint
From a Balance Beam
Laura Laurent
Let's Not Shit Ourselves (to Love and Be Loved)

Amazon.com

Nebraskan wunderkind Conor Oberst writes songs so naked and heartfelt they make you feel like a voyeur just listening to them. This precocious singer-songwriter croons with the astonished intensity of a homeless Robert Smith singing for his supper. And his band's fourth album is every bit as lyrical, sprawling, and pretentious as its title. The production is notably brighter and crisper than previous efforts, with some songs, notably "Nothing Gets Crossed Out," lushly swathed in sweet-sounding strings. When Lifted is great, as on the slow-churning anthem "From a Balance Beam," it's superb, visionary pop music, on par with Jeff Mangum, Phil Elvrum, and Daniel Johnston--and on occasion, Dylan. Unfortunately, half the songs sprawl on too long or revisit the same themes too frequently. Still, anyone who can operate a fast-forward button will find much to enjoy on this vital, messy masterpiece. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

Full title - Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. Born in 1980 in Omaha and recording since he was 13, Conor Oberst owns a voice that quakes with the tumultuous energy that only youth can produce. Slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

just wow. .......2007-05-31

I bought Lifted on vinyl recently and I have to say it must be one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Every song just pours warbly emotion and honest yearnings. The lyrics can be cuttingly blunt and oddly abstract, but they hit you where it counts. Conor's voice is an instrument in and of itself; I guess one of my favorite singers can't really sing, but it wavers with the intensity and earnestness you don't often hear from musicians.

Buy this. From start to finish it's endless poetry to music.

Wow.......2007-03-22

Give this one a few listens and it will stay in the rotation forever...having come late to the Bright Eyes party (after seeing him post-Wilco on Austin City Limits a few months ago) - and ignoring tremendous reviews in Paste, et al - I've got to say that Conor Oberst is outstanding.

Heartfelt is an understatement -- terrific music (even occasional steel guitar) -- lyrics to rival anyone...

I'm Wade Awake still Bright Eyes' best album, but believe me, give this a shot - you won't be disappointed (regardless of your politics).

Anyone with a remote interest in Ryan Adams, Gillian, Wilco, Sufjan needs to give Bright Eyes a try...

Lifted, or the Story Was Daniel Johnston's.......2007-01-03

Lyrically this album is near unparallelled in its blunt honesty. You've got to have a taste for the type of vocalization of Oberst's, a warbly jitter, or you'll instantly dislike the album. The music behind the lyrics ranges from Country (along the lines of bluegrass) to semi-industrial ("Lover I Don't Have To Love"). It has recordings that are pieced together from a lo-fi singalong to brilliant studio quality.

I have to say though, that the most compelling plotline of Bright Eyes' work here, or through their other albums to this one, is that Oberst has captured a page from the semi-obscure musician, Daniel Johnston. Agree or not, you can hear the resonance of Johnston's work, a decade later in the work of Conor Oberst's early works. I'd have to believe that if Johnston hadn't drown in obscurity and mental illness he'd sound a lot like Bright Eyes today.

"Lifted" is, in my opinion, currently, the definitive work of Bright Eyes. This is a great place to start if you are delving into their catalogue.

SCREW ALL THE BAD REVIEWS.......2006-06-28

Having listened to this album from a band I had never heard before I was at first uncertain, but it was listed as "inspirational" on eBay from a seller I liked. I listened to it on a plane headed for my new destination. The album took me on a musically/lyrically beautiful path. The songs have a soul and heart unlike 99.9% of most music out there. I can't compare it to their other albums since I have not heard them, but that shouldn't discourage someone from buying this cd. Indie music isn't mean to be rhymically perfect or rhyme. It shouldn't have to answer to any review on it because it stands as a testiment of music that must be heard and played. It is meant to save us from ourselves and this hell we live in(no matter where in the world you live). Even if it only makes you happy when you hear it, it has done its intentions. Music shouldn't have rules and if you want it to, then listen to every other kind of music they is regurgated by the corporate industries, but leave indie be. It just might save a wretch like me.

Broad scope of Oberst's narrow view.......2006-05-23

This weighty album finds Bright Eye's at his most eclectic with lush, sometimes over-produced instrumentation guiding the tortured vocalist through his trademark soul baring lyrics. The songwriting, while perfectly competent, even eclectically intelligent, does often become mechanized under it's plodding pace. Also, when Oberst fails to restrain his need to convey his awkwardly exploitive, emotionally fragile demeanor in the most bluntly pathetic manner it can often cheapen and disservice his overwhelming talent for such a young folk prodigy. Despite many overbearing faults this is an impressive effort that hints at the potential this artist has still only begun to hopefully realize.

Average customer rating:

John Rutter Collection
Typically gorgeous Rutter
Wonderful!
To sample Rutter's best music, this is the one.
The Best

John Rutter Collection
Rutter , Cambridge Singers , and London Sinfonia
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The John Rutter Christmas Album
Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers
Be Thou My Vision
Distant Land: The Orchestra Collection
Gloria: The Sacred Music of John Rutter

ASIN: B00006LIEZ
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

For The Beauty Of The Earth
The Lord Is My Shepherd
All Things Bright And Beautiful
Shepherd's Pipe Carol
The Lord Bless You And Keep You
Open Thou Mine Eyes
My True Love Hath My Heart (From Birthday Madrigals)
Esurientes (From Magnificat)
Gloria Patri (From Magnificat)
Out Of The Deep (From Requiem)
Pie Jesu (From Requiem)
What Sweeter Music
A Choral Fanfare
A Prayer Of St. Patrick
O Be Joyful In The Lord
Behold, The Tabernacle Of God
O Praise The Lord Of Heaven
A Gaelic Blessing
Angel's Carol
Matthew, Mark, Luke And John (From Five Childhood Lyrics)
Sing A Song Of Sixpence (From Five Childhood Lyrics)
Go Forth Into The World In Peace

Customer Reviews:

John Rutter Collection.......2007-02-19

This CD is one of several that features Rutter directing his own choir. It has a good cross section of the John Rutter compositions, and is a good starting place for someone who has not heard Rutter's music before. I think you will be "hooked" if you really love choral music.

Typically gorgeous Rutter.......2005-12-20

I love John Rutter's music. Especially the "For the Beauty of the Earth" that is on this CD. Rutter is not the most inventive or varied composer of modern music, but if you have a taste for traditional choral writing with some angelic children's chorus singing, then you will probably share my enjoyment of Rutter's writing. Unfortunately I cannot give this CD 5 stars when it seems there is a drum set tapping annoyingly away on several of the songs. I do not understand this at all and am bothered by it every time I listen to those songs. It's a shame, because otherwise I love the music, and think it is lushly written, and simply but beautifully performed. I would highly suggest listening to sample track 3 before purchasing -- you can hear what sounds like a ride-cymbal right at the very end of the sample. This sound occurs in several of the songs on this recording.

Wonderful!.......2005-12-03

I am a huge John Rutter fan. The lilting melodies, the poignant lyrics and the lush orchestrations make his music not only accessable but also uplifting. This compilation, although drawing from many other previous recordings, is a great composite of his wirk. The sound is exquisite. Even if you own other recordings of this music, this is worthwhile.

To sample Rutter's best music, this is the one........2005-06-30

I purchased this CD as an introduction to the music of John Rutter and went on to purchase many more of his compositions. Still, this remains my favorite collection. It is choral music at its absolute finest. Far from "just church music", this CD has songs of faith, a few Christmas carols, a Celtic song for lovers, and even a child's tune or two. While most of the pieces are peaceful, warm, and thought-provoking, a few are up-tempo and lively. In my opinion, it is a perfectly balanced collection in which one song flows beautifully into the next with no sense of a jarring change of pace. If you have any interest in choral music, begin with the best...John Rutter... and this superb arrangement. Highly recommended.

The Best.......2005-04-29

The John Rutter Collection in my opinion is one of the finest and most perfect works I've ever heard. The Cambridge Singers demonstrates the best vocal discipline and style of any vocal group in the world.

Sidney Vaught

Wynton Marsalis - Baroque Music for Trumpet

Average customer rating:

A blast of brass
Old school Wynton
fabulous
Amazing talent

Wynton Marsalis - Baroque Music for Trumpet

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classic Wynton
Wynton Marsalis: In Gabriel's Garden
Kathleen Battle · Wynton Marsalis ~ Baroque Duet / Anthony Newman · Orch St. Luke's · Nelson
Baroque Trumpet Concertos
Trumpet Concertos

ASIN: B0000025XP
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Trumpet Concerto In D Major - 1. Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major - 2. Largo
Trumpet Concerto In D Major - 3. Allegro (moderato)
'Let the Bright Seraphim' From Samson
Sonata A 5 For Trumpet & Strings, T.V. 3
'Sound the Trumpet' from Come Ye Sons Of Art
'Chaconne' from Come Ye Sons Of Art
'Entrada' from The Indian Queen
'Trumpet Air' from The Indian Queen
'Trumpet Tune' from King Arthur
'Trumpet Overture' from The Indian Queen
Sonata A 5 For Trumpet & Strings, T.V. 7
'Eternal Source Of Light Divine'
For Solo Trumpet And Strings, Concert No. 2 - 1. Allegro
2. Adagio
For Solo Trumpet And Strings, Concert No. 2 - 3. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

A blast of brass.......2005-08-18

I first encountered this on cassette, quite by accident. It later became the background for my work at morning at the easel painting watercolours. But this is no wallpaper music. The technical genius of matching separate recordings of different trumpet parts is surpassed only by Marsalis's bright and lively technique. The masters would be pleased. As for the watercolours, I can now stand before them and see the music's influence on paper. Well worth the listening...

Old school Wynton.......2005-08-12

This cd features a lot of Wynton's earlier piccolo playing, which, while perhaps not as brilliant as you'd hear on his Gabriel's Garden album, is slightly more refined and appropriate to the repertoire. That isn't to say he doesn't embellish; The Fasch concerto has some tastefully inserted ornaments. "Let the Bright Seraphim" is as well played with soprano Edita Gruberova as it is in Wynton's later recording with Kathleen Battle. The Purcell selections on the album are probably the best examples of good piccolo playing I've found, particularly the trills. One only need listen to the "Entrada" to see how delicate and refined the playing on the whole album is.

fabulous.......2003-09-28

Marsalis' prodigious talent coupled with the greatest of Baroque brass composers is a combination that cannot be beat! Of course, Anthony Newman takes everything (less the slow stuff, of course) at his characteristic "lively" pace, but Marsalis keeps up. His execution of the ornamentation is awesome! Gotta have this one!

Amazing talent.......2001-04-22

Without doubt, the birthday ode to Queen Anne (Eternal Source of Light Divine) is one of the loveliest pieces ever. Couple that with two of the most accomplished talents in the world, you have a near spiritual moment. Even those with even a passing interest in the classics will find this a stirring expierence. this is true candy for the ear and food for the soul.

Average customer rating:

A watershed recording
A Classic
This is the One To Have
Breathtaking ...
Jazz Trio 101

Bright Size Life
Pat Metheny
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Watercolors
Pat Metheny Group
New Chautauqua
Offramp
As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

ASIN: B0000261L9
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Tracks:

Bright Size Life
Sirabhorn
Unity Village
Missouri Uncompromised
Midwestern Nights Dream
Unquity Road
Omaha Celebration
Round Trip / Broadway Blues

Amazon.com essential recording

Larger ensembles may have provided Pat Metheny with his most visible successes, but he's repeatedly fired up his most fluid and personal playing in leaner trio settings, starting with this, his 1976 debut as a leader. Bob Moses brings both delicacy and effortless dynamics to his drumming, but it's the late Jaco Pastorius's lyrical electric bass that clinches the guitarist's coming-out party: with Metheny already displaying the liquid tone and exquisite touch that define his sound, old friend Pastorius radiates a sympathetic lyricism and unerring sense of swing. Metheny would match, but not transcend, this level of interplay in justly celebrated troikas with Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins (on Rejoicing) and Dave Holland and Roy Haynes (on Question and Answer). --Sam Sutherland.

Customer Reviews:

A watershed recording.......2007-03-16

A watershed recording, and the first as a leader by Metheny. And the amazing thing is that some of these tunes were actually exercises that Metheny wrote for his Berklee jazz guitar students, after he segued from student to instructor.

A Classic.......2007-03-14

While I'm a long-time jazz fan and sometimes performer, I've only lately come to appreciate Mr. Metheny's playing. This is a must-have in the library, not only for the guitar work, but Bob Moses and Jaco are on fire as well.

This is the One To Have.......2007-02-15

If you could only own one Pat Metheny recording, it would have to be this one, his freshman outing. The opening seconds of "Bright Size Life", with Pat's odd-interval-ascending melody and Jaco's first ringing chord are one of the most memorable beginnings of any recording I have heard. The rest of the record is a brief but astonishing tour through the mind of a great trio that only came together in the wonderful studios of Eicher's ECM. Thank god Gary Burton picked Metheny out of Missouri, and that Metheny teamed with the meteoric Jaco before he left us. At least we have Bright Size Life to cherish over and over.

Breathtaking ..........2006-09-19

I'm not really a kid, but I never write reviews so making an account on amazon doesn't make any sense. I never write reviews but this time I can't keep my nouth shut.

What a brilliant album this is! It's quiet, intropective, and delightingly beautiful. Metheny has all the emotions at his fingertips, and brings them to the audience in a quiet and honest way. I especcially like the quieter tracks, like "Unity Village" and "Midwestern Night Dream". This is just plain beautiful stuff, honestly. Everyone can like this cd, may it be on occasion, late at night with a good drink (very recommendable), or just all day long (for jazz freaks only). Very highly reccomended. Everyone should've heard this once in a lifetime.

Jazz Trio 101.......2006-07-08

This is required listening for all jazz and fusion musicians! In the art of music as language Jaco and Pat 'talk' to each other in a way most musicians don't really comprehend. BSL presents the music at the early peak of two of the most important jazz musicians off all time without synths and post-production filler. It's raw and intensely beautiful with only the instruments themselves for reference.
For the reviewer that rated this a `1', you seriously have some music history to learn. Practice your own instrument more and you'll understand what genius is represented here.

Average customer rating:

A Masterpiece
Desert Island Disc
Strong, consistent music
Two Bright Lights from N. California
The best thing I can say about this album...

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Richard & Linda Thompson
Manufacturer: Ume Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shoot Out the Lights
Liege & Lief
Unhalfbricking
Rumor and Sigh
Mock Tudor

ASIN: B0001N9ZKW
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

When I Get to the Border
Calvary Cross
Withered and Died
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Down Where the Drunkards Roll
We Sing Hallelujah
Has He Got a Friend for Me
Little Beggar Girl
End of the Rainbow
Great Valerio
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight [Live][#][*]
Together Again [Live][#][*]
Calvary Cross [Live][#][*]

Album Description

Full title - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight. The British folk-rock duo's 1974 masterpiece, digitally remastered, featuring 13 tracks including 3 previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded live at The Roundhouse, 'I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight', 'Together Again' (Buck Owens cover), & 'Calvary Cross'. Packaged in a slipcase with 12-page featuring full lyrics & sleeve notes. Universal. 2004.

Album Details

2004 Digitally Remastered Edition of the Thompson's Tour De Force Album which was Originally Released in April 1974 on Island Records. It Stands as One of the Great Masterpieces of English Folk Rock. For this Remastered Edition, We have Taken the Opportunity to Add Three Previously Unreleased Live Performances Captured at the Roadhouse, London on September 7, 1975.

Customer Reviews:

A Masterpiece.......2007-07-06

When Richard Thompson released this album, his first with his wife Linda, he had already a relatively long recording career behind him. As a founder member of Fairport Convention he was the group on their first five albums. His characteristic guitarplaying style can also be heard on Sandy Denny¨s early solo albums and he had released his own soloalbum "Henry the Human Fly" in 1972.

During his time with Fairport Convention Thompson matured a lot as a songwriter and many of the band's early favourites were either written or co-written by Thompson. His inspiration by traditional British music also became still more clear. Many of the songs on "Henry" and "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" actually sound like they were traditional folk-songs.

His collaboration with Linda lasted for 8 years and resulted in 6 great albums. This their first is often regarded as the strongest with Richard's songwriting extraordinary inspired and varied, and his distictive voice blends beautifully with Linda's on these great songs.

The terrific opener "When I Get to the Border", sung by Richard, is catchy with optimistic lyrics. A little unsual for Thompson, whose lyrics often are dark and sad.

Equally cathcy ( and optimistic ) is the title track which deserved to be hit beautifully sung by Linda.

Heartbreakingly beautiful is also the sad ballad "Withered and Died", sung by Linda in way that makes you think of her friend Sandy Denny.

The dark side of Richard's songwriting become apprent on songs like "Down Where the Drunkards Roll", "Has He Got a Friend For Me" and especially "The End of the Rainbow" . Even the cathcy "We'll Sing Hallelujah" has some pretty dismal lyrics.

The budget for this album was supposedly very limited, but it does show anywhere. Great arrangements, crisp sound and best of all strong songwriting and palying from first track till the closer "The Great Valerio".

The bonus-tracks are 3 1975 live-recordings - nice to have but some may find that they disturb the very consistent feel of the original album, which I won't hesitate to call a masterpiece.

Desert Island Disc.......2007-03-07

My partner and I have over 4,000 CDs (all types of music), and if I could only keep 10 of them, I'd keep this one.

Strong, consistent music.......2007-03-07

Even for an album released in 1974, on the surface "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" seems deeply unhip. In the year when glam rock was at its peak and punk godmother Patti Smith released her first angry single, Richard and Linda Thompspon put out this album of English folk music. Some of the songs, such as "Down Where the Drunkards Roll" or "Little Beggar Girl" are so deeply rooted in the Anglo-Celtic folk tradition that it would easy to imagine they date from the eighteenth century. And yet this is part of the strength of this remarkable album. Largely unswayed by the fashions of the moment, the Thompsons produced an album of beautifully crafted and performed folk and folk-rock songs which have stood the test of time.
This is not the kind of album that has one knock-out punch. Yes, "The Calvary Cross" and "End of the Rainbow" are especially strong tracks but really this album's greatest strength is its consistency. There is not a single weak track here. Another strength is its variety of approaches and styles. "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight" is a comparitively upbeat track. It is almost a rocker compared to some of the folkier arrangements. But then there are moody, haunting ballads like "The Great Valerio", which showcase Linda's exceptional voice. And some of the tracks showcase Richard's virtuosity on the electric guitar but, unlike so many mainstream seventies rock acts, never to excess.
This album will appeal to anyone who likes intelligently written and heartfelt music. It will no doubt still be around when a lot more faddish albums have dropped by the wayside.

Two Bright Lights from N. California.......2007-01-21

RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON are prolific artists whose talent has spanned several decades and is still going strong. They are proficient in any number of styles--folk rock, blues, Cajun, etc. Both have distinctive, appealing voices and their lyrics convey a refreshing honesty.

The best thing I can say about this album..........2006-09-22

Even though it's been in my record collection for many years, I recently listened to it OBSESSIVELY for about a month, every single day. How many albums can provoke that sort of obsession? Every single song is a thriller, a masterpiece. Some songs (particularly Calvary Cross) grew even richer with live-performance development over the years, but that just shows what marvels they were from the start! Other songs, like "The Great Valerio" and "Poor Beggar Girl", appear so richly performed that there's simply no room left for improvement.

Additionally, the balance of Richard's twanging electric guitar, earthy acoustics and mandolins, Linda's dry unaffected alto, and clean, simple production really add weight. The whole thing feels quite natural and timeless.

Timeless. Yeah, that's the best thing I can say. Well, that, and it provokes strange obsessions.

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