1 comments about Handel: Messiah (Highlights).

1. Sin lugar a dudas este es uno de los mayores, mejores y mas populares oratorios de la historia de la música. Y todo ello, hace que la tarea de llevarlo a una grabación sea dificil y posiblemente ingrata, la comparación entre muchas otras grabaciones es un largo camino, lleno de halagos y fuertes críticas. Pero bien, empecemos por los halagos, esta es una gran referencia musical para este oratorio, tenemos sin duda a solistas de gran nivel, tenemos a un gran coro y por cierto a la gran orquesta de Filadelfia bajo la batuta de Eugene Ormandy, sin duda lo mejor de lo mejor, este CD es un "highlights" una selección de lo mejor y se nota, empezamos con "and the Glory of the Lord" y ya nos damos cuenta que es grandioso, Lipton y el coro se hacen cargo de "behold, a virgin shall conceive" "o thou that tellest..." memorable, tenemos el "for unto us a child is born", "Glory to God","Aleluya" y "worthy is the lamb that ..." coros insuperables, tenemos arias increibles "he was despised" y "why do the nations so furiously...", sin olvidar las trompetas y el canto genial de "the trumpet shall sound".
   Si alguien quiere quejarse de algo es que no sea el oratorio completo, y por cierto algo de ruido debido a que es una grabacion de 1960, pero remasterizada y digitalizada.
   Ormandy, el coro del tabernaculo mormón, la orquesta de Filadelfia y los solistas hacen de este CD un logro, una genialidad, Handel en su punto maximo.

5 comments about Andrea.

1. Whenever I listen to his voice, especially for his pop music, I think of a saying, "Let me surround you with my love, and give you warmth and freedom." He fills my heart with warmth, and I feel I'm flying in the sky. He lights up my imagination and fantasy, I can see the sun rising on the horizon, the star shining in the peaceful night, I think there is so much hope in my own life, and so many beautiful things in the world.



2. WOW Andrea is truly a Beautiful CD. This is Andrea's 6th "pop" release (4th In the USA) and it is really his most "pop" album to date. The others are more "POPRA" a combination of tenor singing and POP, while this CD, Andrea, is pop through and through (with the exception of In canto, which is classical). It really shows Bocelli's versility to not only be a wonderful tennor but aslo a wonderful pop singer. Its one beautiful song after another.
   hear is a song by song look at the CD,
   1) Dell'Amore Non Si Sa Love it very melodrma-ish, it will be a HIT for sure.
   
   2) L'Attesa. A very pretty song and very radio friendly
   
   3) Un Nuovo Giorno. Has HIT written all over it, nice pop style singing.
   
   4) Tu Ci Sei. Very Good song; ladies this is like Bo singing in your ear while your dancing with him :) Just picture that when you listen to this song. Great vocal control to sing so high and soft at the same time.
   
   5) Sin Tu Amor. This is done in spanish, I LOVE IT, love the blend of vocals with Reyes (Of the Gypsy Kings) and the Guitar work. BIG BIG hit in latin areas for sure.
   
   6) Liberta. very good but no con te partio, still very pretty.
   
   7) Per Noi. very good, I like the way it goes up and down a scale. Its a Very romantic song.
   
   8) Le Parole Che Non Ti Ho Detto. I LOVE it; its my favorite on the CD. One of his best chores' in music History, for sure, a beautiful song.
   
   9) Sempre O Mai. Love it, very popish, very radio friendly, very familiar.
   
   10) In Canto. A very Pretty song, very romanza-ish.
   
   11) Quante Volte Ti Ho Cercato. Great song, it goes up and down a scale as well, my second fav on the CD.
   
   12) When A Child Is Born, a good song also in english. It is in a westen sytle but ends with a heck of a good tennor note.
   
   13) Go Where Loves Goes. In english, a beautiful duet with a yong new comer named Holly Stell, it will be huge.
   
   Overall Andrea is a beautiful CD, you can put it on, sit back and get lost in the hills of Tuscany. This is a must have essential Bocelli CD.



3. I felt like I was transported to another realm when I was listening to his singing. His strong tenor voice is captivating and surely embodies squillo. There's too much to say. This cd is a must-have for classical listeners or "pop" listeners who enjoy ballads. This cd presents beautiful and soothing music that touches your heart. I'm still in shock from the music that I'm hearing in this cd.



4. I found this to be a another great CD by Bocelli. Great to listen to anytime and anyplace. The man has a beautiful voice.



5. I enjoy the singing of Andrea Bocelli and have most of his CDs. Listening from his earliest to this, his latest, it's remarkable to notice how his voice and delivery have strengthened and matured. Like his other pop albums, Andrea contains a series of new songs in a romantic vein. His English has improved to the point that he is now willing to record a bit in that language. Listening to his Italian selections, unless you speak that language, is a very musical experience in that you hear pure voice, melody and nuance in a way uncluttered by lyric and its literal meaning. The music on Andrea is beautiful and a pleasure to return to again and again.

3 comments about Christmas Time Again.

1. Based on the reviews for this CD I decided to buy it without having sampled it. Big mistake. I love, among others, Marshall Crenshaw, Don Dixon and Peter Holsapple, but what happened here? This was so not fabulous.



2. There might be 2 clunkers on this disc but most of it is quite enjoyable. For power-pop fans that might enjoy Christmas tunes. Not necessarily for Christmas fans that might enjoy power-pop. 4.5 stars.



3. Chris Stamey Group released "Christmas Time" in 1986. Collectors Choice release "Christmas Time Again" includes many of the tracks from that set and expands with added selections. Marshall Crenshaw works up a sweat on "Lonely Christmas" with a boy scout vocal wringing the most from the track. Big Star's "Jesus Christ" has a good religious sentiment, "With love they did rejoice, fine & pure of voice; & the wrong shall fail & the right prevail." The dB's "Holiday Spirit" satirizes commercialism, "I've got that holiday spirit, gimme, gimme, gimme." Whiskeytown with Ryan Adams on vocals relates a sad story, "I found a bunch of letters, they were written for the fellow who broke your mama's heart." Ted Lyons does a parody of Gene Pitney's "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" on "The Only Law that Santa Claus Understood" casting Santa as a gunslinger. Don Dixon provides a jazzy bass-thumping version of "I Saw Three Ships." Musically, Wes Lachot's vocals recall the Beach Boys on a song with a sad message, "Christmas is the only time I think of you." Cathy Harrington's "Sha La La" sounds like the Go-Gos channeling the Crystals, but unfortunately, Harrington's voice is not one you want to hear again & again. With his warbling vocals, Alex Chilton sounds like he's trying to make fun of Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire). "Christmas Time Again" is a varied set with a few nuggets & a few clinkers. It fills the spot for those not wanting to hear the same old thing at holiday time. Enjoy!

5 comments about Personal Christmas Collection.

1. If you're a child of the 50's or 60's, this Christmas CD will absolutely delight you. No matter what your music preference is, Andy Williams drums up the best memories of Christmas. This CD will definitely put you in the mood for Christmas. My children fell in love with it!



2. When I was growing up, Andy Williams' "red" yuletide album was the quintessential Christmas record. The instantly recognizable opening chords of the joyful number "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" always greeted us first thing Christmas morning.

   Mr. Williams' "Personal Christmas Collection" combines the best of the red album (simply titled "Christmas Album") with hits from his very popular green album (entitled "Merry Christmas"). The Collection is a merry combination of both secular and sacred favorites, and an enthusiastic ode to some of the best holiday music ever written and recorded.

   Pick up a copy and start a new tradition of your own!




3. Can't decide on whether to pick up 1963s "The Christmas Album" or 1965s "Merry Christmas"? Well then this collection, from 1994, may be the way to go. It pulls together many of the best tracks from both those classic releases plus another four tracks from his 1973 third and final holiday release for Columbia, "Christmas Present". Andy Williams has always been a wonderful interpreter of Christmas music, able to handle both the contemporary standards and traditional numbers. His definitive recordings of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season" are included here, along with other numbers that seem linked to Williams forever: "Silver Bells", "My Favorite Things" being two examples.

   My only wish is that they had included a few more tracks - while 15 selections may seem like a generous offering, with most of the songs clocking in under 3 minutes we're still left with less than 40 minutes of play time. Certainly there is room for frantic "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells", "Some Children See Him", and the touching "Sweet Little Jesus Boy". Better yet release both "Andy Williams Christmas Album" (aka the "red" album) and "Merry Christmas" (the "green" album) on one CD. That's the ticket!

   Still this is the best of the best from one of the true voices of Christmas and certainly the way to go if you're only going to get ONE Andy Williams Christmas CD.




4. My husband surprised me with this record before Christmas and I absolutely love it. If you grew up in the 60s, it's hard to imagine a household from that era that didn't have at least one of Williams' holiday albums to enjoy. This one is such a nice combination of secular and sacred Christmas music and we just love it. I'm so glad that we found this record so that we can pass on the holiday tradition to our own children. What a great way to celebrate the season!



5. Add a little class to your holidays. Andy is as Andy does and he does
   bring cheer and a touch of yesteryear with this album.

No comments about Party Tyme Karaoke: Christmas.

1 comments about Hammered Dulcimer Christmas.

1. This is a nice enough collection. The CD itself is quite short, and the songs include only dulcimers. It's not exactly what I wanted, but it will serve.

5 comments about A Santa Cause.

1. It's worth buying. Acceptance kicks ass. The CD is awesome, it's a must have.



2. I love christmas music so i was excited when i picked this up. Even though i wouldnt exactly call this a "punk rock" christmas cd, theres lots of good emo/pop/punk bands on it. I do enjoy the 12 days of christmas song. This cd is filled with emo/pop/punk bands playing there own christmas songs and some holiday favorites. I enjoy listening to this but i like my christmas cd's i make better but i would get this if u like christmas music done by emo type bands and some pop/punk bands.



3. When I think "punk", I think Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, Ramones, Crass, Operation Ivy, Subhumans, that sort of thing. Even casting this 'punk' net widely, most of the songs on this CD do not belong even to the periphery of the category. The rap song that starts the CD is more punk than some of other songs on there. This is not to say that the music is bad, exactly, but if you're looking for punk in the sense I've characterized above, you will be sorely disappointed. Buyer beware.



4. BTW, Nerf Herder's great goof, "Santa's Got A Mullet," is included here as a hidden track. Originally released on "High Voltage Christmas Rock" - according to the band, a "low budget, half-assed Christmas EP recorded (while drunk) to give out to our friends." In 2001, Nerf Herder had 1000 copies of the "Christmas Rock" CD pressed up professional-style for general consumption.



5. This is a compilation album of mostly punkish bands performing Christmas songs to benefit children with AIDS. Most of the performances are good. I particularly like the contributions by Blink 182, Fall Out Boy and New Found Glory. It's cheap and it's for a good cause, why not buy it?

No comments about Hugs for the Holidays.

5 comments about Solstice Live!.

1. I wanted to love this cd but only ended up liking it marginally. About half the songs have a new-age sound to them, the other half are more like folk songs. The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is primarily the audio quality. Some songs were recorded at really low levels so you have to crank it up then others are really loud. On others the clarity just isn't there. The songs don't really flow together very well in my opinion either. There are some chants, some gospel singing, some bagpipes, some synthesizer, some group songs. Note that this was recorded live so there is clapping between songs too. Sounds like the audience really enjoyed it. Better solstice cds I've found are Beautiful Darkness, Winter Solstice Carols and A Winter Garden.



2. I've been to Paul Winter's Solstice concert in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine a number of times, and this CD represents it superbly. The first time I attended, I was struck by the sense of participating in the telling of a great creation myth. Everyone in the cathedral is swept up in the narrative of rebirth, and I've never known anyone who left without feeling exuberant and enlivened. All of that is marvellously captured in the selections on this CD (the only thing missing is the "Howl-elullah Chorus, the pinnacle of audience participation). The selections themselves are well-chosen, from, I believe, more than one year's concerts. As several other reviews note, the sound quality is quite spectacular and true to the setting. It's very "world" and "new age," so if you don't enjoy those things, don't bother. Everyone else should enjoy it immensely!



3. We live in Michigan, get to spend some time in Tucson. After hearing a live broadcast on NPR, we got tickets, used frequent-flyer mileage and flew from Tucson-NYC-Tucson to see this spectacle. Didn't let us down; as the narrator on the live broadcast had described, at a climactic moment, this 5- or 6-foot gong at the back of this enormous cathedral is hauled up 100 feet, with this guy in a bosun's chair being hauled up with it, whacking away at it with a gong. It's all inspiring, entertaining. After, we walked down Amsterdam 30 blocks and heard folks around us singing and howling (the Howleluja Chorus). Not a review of the CD? Yes it is, the CD admirably invokes being there, even without the Howls. It's Dec. 22, 2004 and I can't find the CD and it's not on my iPod or in my computer and I can't get it delivered in time for Christmas, let alone the solstice. More to the point, Solstice Live is a grand recording, entirely representative of the performance. And if audio is sometimes a little quiet, consider that fixed microphones are sometimes recording processions down a very, very long aisle. That's Solstice Live!



4. I had this CD stolen with my car stereo and didn't realize it until too late last year. When this December rolled around, I had to get it back. Having seen the Winter Solstice concert, it meant even more to me. Inspiring, heartfelt, meaningful music regardless of your personal and religious beliefs. Those who worship the Solstice, Christianity, Muslim, Judiaism or any other belief can stand with Mr. Winter and his group of eclectic musicians. And if you get a chance to see this in person, don't miss it. A 40' diameter gong rising to the ceiling of a gothic cathedral is not to be missed!



5. Solstice Live! right?!?!
   
   This is mostly innocuous then BAM! a jesus myth song about the murderers who justify extermination by their supposed spiritual superiority.
   
   Boycott them and their kind!

1 comments about Conway's Corner.

1. There must be something in the water in Lubbock, Texas, for it has produced an amazing amount of musical legends, like Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Terry Allen and even Buddy Holly. Now we have RC Banks, a true original. Conway's Corner is Banks' fourth album and his first for the new Austin label Loud House Records. RC Banks handles the vocals and plays guitar, harmonica, accordion and the hammond organ. He's accompanied by Jim Starboard-drums, Mike Robberson-bass, Woody Price-guitars and steel guitar, Dee Lewellen and Bevis Griffin-background vocals, and Booka Michel-percussion. Booka also produced the album and is the founder of Loud House Records.

   On Conway's Corner, RC Banks encompasses a number of musical genres including blues, roots rock, cajun and he can slip the odd ballad in as well. Conway's Corner features thirteen original songs from the soulful pen of Banks. The album kicks into gear with the catchy Texas shuffle I Got Love, then it's straight into a bluesy track called Courthouse with a meaty slide playing in the background. The mood changes with Walking On Air, a twangy country number before he slips on the accordion to give you a taste of cajun music on Jenny Jones. Every track on this CD is an absolute gem and one of my many favorites is the slow blues of More Than The World To Me that really tugs on the old heartstrings.

   I don't know if I should call this a blues album or an americana album, or maybe I should just stick to Texas Music! Look! Whether you're into blues or whatever DON'T miss out on getting yourself a copy of RC Banks' Conway's Corner. This is definitely one of the best albums I've heard this year.