3 comments about The Winnowing.

1. The CD is less than memorable except for their version of Auld Lang Syne. If you wear a kilt, it is enough to make you cry in your single-malt and is worth the price of the disk.



2. I thought I was buying this CD for one song, Step Dancing, but lo and behold every track is a stunner. The Winnowing moves one through the emotional scale from joy to sorrow with amazing skill. I laughed, I cried, I danced, and I know this will be a favorite forever!



3. Rich, haunting, traditional Celtic ballads and instrumentals with pure vocals. This music lingers in the mind.

5 comments about Aerial.

1. YAWN! This is some of the most boring music I have ever heard. And from Kate Bush no less. I'm almost ashamed that I own it.



2. 'Aerial' creates one long sustained feeling of deep, loving warmth. Just put it on & let it envelope you in sonic "honey". Stop looking for the past. This music is like a great dream - if you try to analyze it, the effect is ruined.



3. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RUWUZCWXF402H My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



4. A simple stunning masterpiece. Her voice has matured beautifully and the production is top notch!



5. I was introduced to Kate Bush when I first saw her video for "Cloudbusting" Hounds of Love. This was sometime in the 80s. Donald Sutherland plays a father, an eccentric inventor on the wrong side of the government somehow. Kate plays his daughter. Cloudbusting is about Wilhelm Reich (The Mass Psychology of Fascism ) the astoundingly brilliant psychoanalyst and fringe researcher. The song is fantastic. I was hooked.
   
   Kate is a beautiful woman, and a fantastic singer and artist. She is an experimenter with sound and style, too. She is much more than a pop artist, she's a little girl stuck in a woman's body. She never loses touch with her inner child and it's always there, in the front or in the back, but it's there. This quality of childishness makes Bush very insightful. The Sensual World, The Dreaming and Lionheart were all fantastic records, and the Hounds of Love, even better. And it's been a long time between records, almost ten years I'd guess, but I never forgot about Kate. I was excited to listen to this record much like I was with Joe Jackson's Rain (w/ bonus DVD). While I was delighted with the former I was disappointed with the latter.
   
   Kate Bush walks a fine line between many styles. She can be straight ahead poppy, very artsy, very avante-garde, too. Her voice can be almost annoying shrill and elegantly sultry and dark and sexy. The lyrics in this record one reviewer compaired to Steely Dan's for their silly obscureness. One song in particular spends a great deal of time on washing machines. It seems silly, and it is, but I didn't care. Much like Steely Dan's lyrics can be silly and absurd one generally doesn't care as the arrangements and the quality are so fantastically good.
   
   "How to Be Invisible" is particularly driving... it keeps moving forward with Bush's vocals going up and down. "A Coral Room" is beautiful, reminding one of "And Dream of Sheep/Under Ice" from Hounds of Love. Kate is still a force to be reckoned with here. This album is a real pleasure.
   
   On first listen I really liked it, but felt challenged in particular by "King of the Mountain's" minimalism. But even that song grew to something much bigger. Building upon the spare openings of that song Kate created a massive sound assault that works so well. Kate does all kinds of vocal jumping and games in "Bertie". She is an artist and demands some patience and acceptance from the listener. But in the main, this album is so spare and so haunting as to make it very special. It is one of my favorite Kate Bush records. I hope she makes many, many more!
   Brava!

5 comments about The Whole Story.

1. I have always liked Kate Bush.This will not hurt to have in your collection Igive it the thumbs up at 9 out of 10



2. I got into Kate Bush by way of Peter Gabriel's music, and I found this 1986 compilation a pretty good introduction to her work. She's a little theatrical, a storyteller and her work features a subtle twist of innovative production, which adds to the unique atmosphere of the songs. Have to be in the right mood for Kate Bush, but it's interesting music, with subject matter going everywhere from a Bronte novel (Wuthering Heights), the aftermath of a nuclear bomb (Breathing), wives deceiving husbands in strange ways (Babooshka) and academics who wants status quickly (Sat in Your Lap).
   
   It's a pretty decent spread of tracks. Here's what you get:
   
   2 songs from "The Kick Inside" (1978, though "Wuthering Heights" here has a re-recorded vocal from 1986)
   1 song from "Lionheart" (1979)
   2 songs from "Never for Ever" (1980)
   2 song from "The Dreaming" (1982)
   3 songs from "Hounds of Love" (1985)
   
   and
   
   1 song (Experiment IV) that is exclusive to this album.
   
   There isn't anything from "The Red Shoes" or "Aerial", as the compilation was made before they came out. The tracks aren't in chronological order on here, which would have been nice. Ah well...



3. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2UVGEVEDM5CJ2 My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician (check me out on Amazon!) and retro music enthusiast. If you enjoyed this review make sure to check out my Amazon user profile to check out my other reviews. I am always up for making new friends and discussing the music I love!!!



4. This album was my introduction to Kate Bush. I heard it in my friend's mother's car and could not stop laughing. The songs were bizarre and this woman's voice was the strangest thing I'd ever heard. We struggled to contain our laughter for the whole car ride.
   
   Fast forward 2 years. On a whim, I found the same CD in a used bin in a store and bought it, just for a laugh. I was blown away when I put on some headphones to give it a listen for the first time in years. The chorus of Wuthering Heights practically drove me mad with its intense odd rhythms and frighteningly pretty melody. I soon found something unique and beautiful in each song that followed, and immediately went back out into the cold and back into the CD store to buy some more Kate Bush. I got the Dreaming and Hounds of Love, and I can truly say that Kate Bush became my favorite musician of all time overnight.
   
   This is a very good starting point for Kate, but it really only shows a glimpse of her work. She has many, many better songs than a lot of the ones offered here, but I guess it is quite a challenge to assemble a Best Of album for an artist like Kate. Start here, give it many spins while wearing headphones, and you'll hear what so many other people hear. Then it's just a matter of going out and buying all her other CD's. You won't regret it.



5. If you ever catch the video for "Experiment IV", you'll see a young Hugh Laurie (from "House") in the video.
   
   This is a similar collection to The Cure "Standing On A Beach" collection, where it ends in the mid 80s. But their fans wound up with a followup collection.
   
   In 1986, this collection covered the first 5. My opinion is that they're all worth getting, even "Lionheart", if you can find a copy of "This Womans Work" box set, you have to get it, unless there are plans to rerelease it to contain everything up to now. In 2007, a year after "Aerial" was released, we're now wondering when she's going to put out a 2 CD collection of songs from this as well as b-sides, remixes, live cuts ("James and the Cold Gun" esp) , duets with Midge Ure and Peter Gabriel ("Don't Give Up" and one she did with him for a TV special in the late 70s that's just as good), and "Sensual World" and "Red Shoes".
   
   Comparisons to Tori are ridiculous. The "Little Earthquakes" cover was seen as a big time KB rip off of the "Kick Inside" album cover (there's 2 versions of that cover), and there are some influences, but Tori's built her own sound and style.
   
   I think that you could hear a lot of Joni Mitchell's influence with the voice and Del Palmer's bass playing does remind me of the stuff she did around the mid to late 70s with Jaco... but considering Kate was only 18 when she put her first album out, it's pretty mindblowing the stuff she was writing. When she turned 21 she was pretty much self-producing her albums. The musicians on her albums have always been the best, and she seemed to try to go for all sorts of sounds.
   
   But when I hear this, stuff like Wedding List, Moving, Violins, Infant Kiss, Don't Give Up, This Womans Work, Moments of Pleasure, Them Heavy People, James and the Cold Gun, Pull Out the Pin, and I could keep going... but there's a lot that she's done that would fare better on a 2 CD collection that would cover a lot of favorites in 2 1/2 hours.
   
   This does capture the different styles, so no complaints there.

5 comments about Immortal Memory.

1. First of all, i'm a 15 year old boy in love with lisa. The song i first heard from her was sanvean and fell in love with her voice. I have the cd and is totally one her best works. It's just so calming and relaxing! All of the songs are outstanding. One thing i can say is that it is totally different from Dead Can Dance style so I guess if you enjoy more Dead Can Dance music, this is not for you. If I could give this more than five stars i would.



2. I first heard the title track from Immortal Memory on uTube and knew that I had to have the CD. Of course my local music store didn't carry it so I searched on Amazon. The entire recording from Lisa Gerrard and Patrick Cassidy is amazing! Hauntingly beautiful, seductive and completely thought provoking. A great CD to play for a romantic dinner or meditation, or whenever one needs to come down from a stressful day



3. This is one of those CD's that keeps you guessing about its meaning. Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance, 2 solo CD's, & several movie theme CD's joins forces with Patrick Cassidy to create an antithetical sound scape of what maybe my interpretation about the history of Celtic Spirituality on the island of Ireland.
   
   The 1st song "The Song of Amergin" is about Amergin, a Celtic leader who according to legend is the 1st to set foot on Ireland to battle the "god's" for possession of the land.
   
   The 2nd song "Maranatha" (Come Lord) maybe about Saint Patrick bringing Christianity to Ireland or maybe the cry of the land to free itself from the ancient pagan gods.
   
   The 3rd song "Amergin's Invocation" makes the final cleansing of the land & the 4th song "Elegy" mourns the death of the pagan gods.
   
   The 5th song "Sailing to Byzantium" is the 1st form of Christianity to come to the Celtics. Historically the Celtic Christian church was semi-independent from the bishop of Rome (later Pope) & was more Eastern Byzantine Christian to almost Coptic (Egyptian) Christian Mysticism that expressed the love of God & nature rather than the philosophy or logic of dogma.
   
   The 6th song is the most interesting on the CD; "Abwoon" which is Aramaic for "Our Father" in English. Lisa Gerrard sings with a deep alto using the Aramaic language that Jesus used for his "How to Pray" prayer when he was on the Earth.
   
   The 7th song "Immortal Memory" maybe about the universality of ancient Christianity or how God remembers all things? Or maybe this being the theme song is an overview of the rest of the songs?
   
   The 8th song "Paradise Lost" maybe about the overtaking of the Celtic Church to conform to Roman Catholic doctrine & practice by Bishop Augustine 600 A.D. (not Saint Augustine of Hippo 400 A.D.) or about how modern Ireland has forgotten its true spiritual roots.
   
   The 9th song "I Asked For Love" is plainly about getting the opposite from prayer until one just asks for God where he or she may receive freely.
   
   The 10th song "Psallit In Aure Dei" is Patrick Cassidy main score from the words of Thomas of Celano, who was a disciple of & wrote a biography about Saint Francis of Assisi.
   
   Try to come up with your own interpretation of this intriguing CD.
   
   Well produced to bring out Lisa Gerrard's most unique singing style, but not as original as her 2 solo CD's "The Mirror Pool" & "Duality". Reading a few reviews below I agree that at times the music from this CD sounds like "Gorecki's 3rd Symphony" or something like Arvo Part to John Travener but it is done in good taste. Therefore a "4" is given for lack of originality.



4. Paradise Lost is darker than Hell itself; my stomach churns and writhes in knots every time I hear it. I love it.
   
   Amazing album, haunting, and worth every penny for Paradise Lost alone. There are a few tracks that aren't very memorable, but all in all this is a five-star album.



5. Although these compositions are characterised by pleasing tonalities recorded in richly reverberant ambiance, they are altogether lacking with regard to melodic development or musical substance. There is nothing memorable about "Immortal Memory." Emotionally flat, this disc is positively dreary. This CD contains 57 minutes of excessively introspective, monotonous music that inspires nearly as much emotion as contemplating drying cement. An antidepressant medication may be necessary after listening. A disappointing addition to my musical library.

5 comments about Parklife.

1. Never in my life have i heard such a terrible album. First of all, it's annoying. Second of all, it's boring. It's not trendy, not unique...i can't find anything good about it. I picked it for $10 and i want my money back. I was hyped up about getting into Blur, hearing top stuff about them, but this was just a horrible experience. I'm not picky with music either...i barely throw back anything, and i listen to a huge variety of music including alternative rock, punk, ambient, electronic music, acoustic music, electronic music, doom/drone metal, jazz, blues, funk, rap, JEEZ the list goes on and i hope to never hear Blur again.



2. It seems I have some explaining to do right from the get go: for all those who claim that Blur's Parklife is the beginning of Brit Pop, there are just as many--maybe more--who would place this "movement" if not squarely at the release of Suede's first album, or even Oasis' "Definitely Maybe", then surely the its inception is more vague, consisting of a slow build, and based upon several releases and a general change in attitude. One thing for certain, there is at least some good reason to believe that Brit Pop is somewhat reactionary, as an antidote to the imported grunge rock coming from the states, and the general "Americana" that had suddenly eclipsed what was by all accounts a major British music movement that never seemed to reach stateside with the intensity it had in England, that being Madchester, representative of bands like Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, The Farm, Flowered Up, and the New Fast Automatic Daffodils, among others. Even the first Blur album, "Leisure", was to some degree associated with the Manchester sound.
   
   But truth be told, the naissance of Brit Pop belongs to all of the above. As with any "movement" there are all sorts of reasons converging and catalysts a plenty. Nevertheless, I hold steadfast in my assertion: Parklife is the Beginning of Brit Pop. But why? Why not other bands, or even previous releases by Blur? Surely Modern Life is Rubbish should be considered! It is, after all, quintessentially English if not more than a little anti-American. But if Brit Pop is to be remembered as more than a one dimensional idea qua philosophy replete with an attitude, style, and general mode of being its crystallization must be found in once source, and that source is Parklife.
   
   Unlike previous Blur albums and certainly the other great albums by Brit Pop's elite, Parklife mixes its metaphors and is an interpretive history of all that is and has been noteworthy within popular British history: Mod, Punk, Northern soul (subtly its there), James Bond cool, Pub dirge, a show tunes a la Noel Coward. And with guest appearance from Phil Daniels of "Quadrophenia" fame, as well as Lætitia Sadier from Stereo Lab (never mind she's French) it marked itself as a timeless as well as timely remark on why it was much cooler to turn on to a style that was ostensibly slick as opposed to turn off and be disenfranchised and angry, or maybe indifferent, which was what, essentially, American music was offering--or at least it seemed that way at the time. Whereas the Seattle scene was donning flannel and ratty jeans, Brit Pop was about wearing trainers, football jerseys, and haircuts. It sounds superficial now, but if you were listening to The Smiths, The Bunnymen, etc. in the eighties, then the Manchester and Shoegaze bands of the late eighties/early nineties, American grunge was disappointing.
   
   But all this is not to trivialize Blur or Brit Pop. It was, and is, certainly not just a style without substance. To the contrary, its substance and content are rooted in its context, and Parklife is the seminal expression of the convergence of all of this. In short, Parklife discloses the mood and feel, dare I say optimism, of the early to mid-nineties.
   
   Listen to it with an old copy of the NME, Melody Maker, or a Select, and you will know what I'm talking about!



3. Quite honestly, playing this album makes you want to like... Walk through the streets of the UK toting your guitar case headed towards band practice while wearing your union jack bearing leather jacket in the chilly november air. It's inspiring. While listening to it, you're wishing you could make music like this. I love blur. I think it's always been a close tie between them and oasis, but blur always comes out on top because of Albarn's voice. Definitely one of the best albums of the 90s, definitely one of the best in my personal collection, and definitely one of blur's best. you get this, you won't regret it and you'll play it everyday for about 2 months.



4. Parklife is a fantastic album, it really is. The songs are all impeccably well-crafted, the lyrics are clever without being full of themselves, and the playing is peerless. Opening track "Boys & Girls" is a wonderful dance track, finding the mid ground between Britpop and Hip-Hop (Kind of. I just liked how they rhyme). The only downside to the album is a matter of location. Starting with their second album, Modern Life is Rubbish, blur were known for their ability to capture the feelings and emotions of the time and place where they were. Parklife is revered as Mid-90's England captured in song, and while I like the album very much, I feel like I missed something because I didn't hear it in it's own time. A small grief, but a grief none the less.



5. Hailed by many as Blur's best album, "Parklife" was my first sampling of them. After many years of being a huge fan of 90's alt/rock, I decided to check this band out. What do I think of this album? read on...
   
   I was familiar with the first song on this album, "Girls & Boys" from seeing the video on Vh1 classic late one night. This song was the reason I got the urge to check this band out, a very catchy tune. The album continues next with "Tracy Jacks," and the comparisons to the Who and the Kinks come to mind with this certain song. "End of the Century" is one of the albums highlights. This song should be up there with the likes of Radiohead's "High and Dry." The next song, "Parklife" is more fun brit-pop, I'm not much for spoken word, but this song comes through with its catchy chorus.
   
   The next four songs bring down the album just a tad bit, "Bank Holiday" is a quick punky song. "Badhead" is a great mellow song, but it seems out of place between "Bank Holiday" and the instrumental "Debt Collector." "Far Out" is a short, more experimental song. I like this song, it reminds me of the psychedelia of Syd Barret, and early Pink Floyd. Its a shame the song is so short.
   
   The album picks up again with "To the End," this is easily one of my favorite songs on the album. Its a very british song, and I love the chorus. This song has a more epic feel, which I like.
   
   The rest of the album is hit or miss. "Clover Over Dover" is one of my fav's from the album. More of a downer of a song with its depressing lyrics, and thats what I like. "This is a Low," the longest song on the album, and its many peoples favorites. I have to agree because its a very well written song, and its a good way to close out the album.
   
   Blur's "Parklife" was better than I expected, and I'm ready to dive deeper into Blur's other albums. It's a great start if your a blur noobsause like me.
   
   Blur's "Parklife" - Final rating: 77%

5 comments about Ferment.

1. If you have ever had a deep sensual feeling you can't go wrong with this album. This dude singing reaches deep and paints it out for us to emote with him. If you never could express certain feelings then you can get help with this band. This album is an essential sensual rocking shoegazing bonanza.



2. This is an awesome CD and an awesome band. The 90's were definitely the decade where I became musically aware, and most of my favorite bands are from that decade, but somehow I never heard - or even heard of - Catherine Wheel until 2007. Man, I was missing out. I actually fell in love with them via "Crank," a song from CW's second album, Chrome...but by now, I like Ferment even better than Chrome.
   
   If you have always wished that Radiohead would make a sequel to The Bends, then check out Catherine Wheel. And after going through Catherine Wheel's catalog, you might check out The Autumns for a current band that makes this (EXACT!) kind of music. Also, obviously, get The Bends if you don't have it yet. Enjoy.



3. A very impressive debut album from a band that will help shape and shift the landscape of the British underground. Compared to other Catherine Wheel albums, Ferment is very raw in it's production and is the main reason that they were lumped into the shoegazer category. Beautiful pop melodies that are twisted around a vaccuum of distorted fuzz to create a powerful collection of tunes. Catherine Wheel has always had the ability to make you weep with their frailty and then rip your face like an emotional juggernaut. It all starts with Ferment. Rob Dickinson begins to develop his signature breathy vocals. His voice truly is another instrument. Brian Futter drops bombs of ambient distortion. Neils Simms and Dave Hawes anchor the songs so that they don't sail 10,000 miles over the moon. Over time, Catherine Wheel would develop and refine their sound even more but this is the album that started it all. Outstanding.



4. Anyone who knows the early sounds of the 90's would hear every trick in this outstanding album produced by Catherine Wheel. A great example of the 'Manchester scene' that captures those distinctive wayward guitar rifts and catchy melodies, a must for anyone who wants to bring those days back to life.



5. ...is the one in which those four sixthteenth-note snare hits rocket us out of the moody interlude of "Black Metallic" at the 6:03 mark and back into that impeccible guitar-drenched finale. You want catharsis? This is catharsis.
   
   The rest of the album isn't exactly bad either.

5 comments about The Full Monty: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. I like this music on a limited basis. I've purchased several movie sound tracks recently and enjoy them as I drive my car.



2. This is an awesome CD! I bought it for the Tom Jones version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On". I love dancing along with (almost) all of these songs!!



3. Whenever I have this CD playing I have to be careful that my teenagers aren't around because it embarrasses them to death to see me bumping and grinding in the kitchen while cooking their dinner. Yes, it's that kind of CD. I'm not into stripping myself but this album certainly makes me want to move. The songs are mostly all oldies from the 70s and 80s but the sort that you can listen to (and holler with) again and again (excepting The Zodiac, which really does remind you of 1960s England). I take exception to others' reviews of Tom Jones remake of "You Can Leave Your Hat On." I originally bought this soundtrack for that song alone and think it surpasses the original. I've seen the movie three times and play this soundtrack whenever I need a lift or am feeling slightly wild. It's a lot of fun.



4. I enjoyed the movie a lot the one time I saw it. I have owned and enjoyed The Full Monty soundtrack CD for years now.
   
   Almost every track on this CD gets my feet moving, whether to walk, run or dance! I didn't burn "The Zodiac" or "The Lunchbox Has Landed" into my iTunes playlist, but otherwise this is a collection of keepers.
   
   Under the influence of the soundtrack CD I may even rent the DVD and experience the movie again.



5. The truth is, this is a great disc to have if it's your favorite movie, or if you just really love to strip. Most of these tracks are well known, and each one is more fun to dance to than the last. There's a few oddballs here, but most of it's oldies/disco era tunes, and all likely to put a smile on your face, and a jump in your step. My favorites are "You Sexy Thing", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Rock N' Roll, Part 2". Of Course it's hard not to like "Hot Stuff" and the "Flashdance" tracks too. After this, all you need is a good stereo and a stripper's pole.

5 comments about The Man Who.

1. There are two major versions of the CD, one includes three bonus tracks total- "Blue Flashing Light," "20," and "Only Molly Knows." The other one includes just "Blue Flashing Light." I think "Blue Flashing Light" is meant to be a hidden track on all versions of the CD. It is not clear which CDs have the extra two and which ones do not. It's best for a seller to list the actual tracks on the CD in this case.



2. This was a band that I knew nothing about until they were going to be at a festiful that I was going to in 2005. After hearing their music I am so mad that I didn't know about them sooner. They are amazing and I like everyone of their songs. They are one of my favorite bands. I am so happy that I found out about them and hope they never stop making amazing music!



3. I discovered Travis about 4 years back with their then latest album The Invisible Band.The album quickly became a favourite with its intensely personal songs.
   This earlier album is equally wonderful.Travis lead singer Fran Healy once said they prefer to remain "invisible" and let the music speak for themselves.Well this album speaks voulumes of their talent.The quiet anguish of Fran's voice perfectly fits the sombre tone of the songs each of which is a gem.
   The album can get quickly addictive and you might find yourself listening to it all the time !!
   Highly recommended.



4. This is a group whom I never hear anyone talk about. I love there music & this one is there best album. Coldplay sounding.



5. a powerfully addictive album that showcases the skills of a band that seems to combine some of the best qualities of Radiohead and Dave Matthews - while leaving out the bad behaviors and formulaic leanings of an Oasis.
   
   Scotland produced a fine band, indeed.

5 comments about Amnesiac (2-10" LPs).

1. A lot of people hate this record and its predecessor, "Kid A". I mean, they really HATE them. I know Radiohead fans who threw them out after a week. That's understandable, if rather drastic. In the '90s, Radiohead were dependable for a great alternative rock anthem. They were good at it -- maybe too good. "Pablo Honey" is a good (not great) record and "The Bends" is better still. But when "OK Computer" hit, everyone went crazy. It got saddled with "Best Album of the Decade" tags. It mixed Radiohead's established strengths with considerably better lyrics and just enough experimentation to please those who were bored with the more conventional formulas of the band's previous two albums. No doubt about it, "OK Computer" is a master piece of an album. It's rare that a record can have twelve songs that are all memorable, potential singles even, and still retain as much artistic merit as "OK Computer" did. But with a pedigree like that, who can blame Radiohead for maybe freaking out a little when it came time to do a follow-up?
   
   So they retreated into the studio and came out in 2000 with "Kid A", embraced by critics as another masterpiece and dividing the fan base straight down the middle. On one side: the people who liked Radiohead as they were, and wanted more standard Brit rock-pop. On the other: the people who recognized the merit of the first two Radiohead records but felt that the experimental flourishes of "OK Computer" were a step in the right direction. Given that "Kid A" eschewed traditional rock structure and instrumentation in favor of dense electronics, atonal horns, and eerie, filtered falsetto vocal work, you can guess which side love dit and which despised it. Personally, I fall into the second camp, those who embraced it. It's my favorite Radiohead record -- not as immediately awesome as "OK Computer", but over time revealing its beauty, intricacy, and poignancy.
   
   Which brings us here, to the much-maligned "Amnesiac". I get the hating on "Kid A", but to be honest, I'm surprised that this record hasn't gotten more love. It's pretty much a compromise for everyone -- still very experimental, but bringing back the elements many missed most on "Kid A": more conventional song structure and, um, you know, guitar. Opener "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box" sets this tone well, as Radiohead openers tend to do, composed mainly of electronics but following traditional structure (and featuring an addicitve refrain of "I'm a reasonable man, get off my case"). The strings-n'-piano number "Pyramid Song" is beautiful enough to mesmerize the less adventurous Radiohead lover, but the real fun lies in its weirder side, especially the way the piano swaggers drunkenly around, trying and failing to find a steady beat until the drums come in and help it out. The rest of "Amnesiac" mostly follows these songs' lead. "You and Whose Army?" is a lovely cut that expands from paino ballad to full-band rocker. "I Might Be Wrong" is the closest Radiohead has come to a dance song, and is very accessible, and "Knives Out" is a standard rock number that plays like a direct bid to regain fans lost as a result of "Kid A". All of these songs find middle ground between the divided fan base, applying the electronics found on "Kid A" to more accessible song structures.
   
   But there are other songs that inspire as much division as anything on "Kid A", suggesting that Radiohead, while recognizing that some fans wanted easier-to-digest alt-rock, intended to keep moving forward with their experimentation. "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" is one of these, and although it might seem forbidding to some, it's actually a pretty awesome song, blending elements of techno and industrial music to a great drum-and-bass combo line, and featuring weird but not grating treated vocals reminscent of "OK Computer"'s most experimental track, "Fitter Happier". Closer "Life in a Glasshouse" is a piano ballad tricked out with a very drunken horn section, furthering the forays into jazz begun on "Kid A" songs like "The National Anthem". It's a great song, unexpected but not out of place.
   
   Then there's "Hunting Bears" and "Morning Bell/Amnesiac". I really like this record a lot. It's pretty great in my opinion, up there with "Kid A" and "OK Computer". I like rock music as much as the next guy, and as much as I love "Kid A" is still appreciate the effort Radiohead put into making these songs more accessible. But these two tracks are serious detriments. "Amnesiac" is comprised of tracks from the "Kid A" sessions, but these are the only two moments where you'd know it. It's a solid record but for them. "Hunting Bears" is a reprise of "I Might Be Wrong", except that it's just Jonny Greenwood on the guitar and nothing else. It's given grating production treatment and doesn't do anything "I Might Be Wrong" doesn't do. In fact, it does a lot less and is no fun to listen to. "Kid A" had an interlude called "Treefingers", and I get the impression that this song is trying to do the same thing, but where that track was beautiful and a great segue, this one is annoying, dull, and doesn't connect the songs bookending it. "Morning Bell/Amnesiac" is just a new version of "Morning Bell" from "Kid A" with a short intrumental appended to the outro, but the production is messy and lacks the grace of the earlier version. This cut and "Hunting Bears" cause "Amnesiac", an otherwise excellent batch of Radiohead tunes that show them blending their experimental tendencies and their songwriting skill, to feel a bit like a "Kid A" B-sides collection when it deserves to be heard as a beautiful, complex, and just plain awesome piece of music in its own right.



2. I rarely give ANY product this kind of review - but Amnesiac is one of those rare CD's that can be listened to in entirity. Moody, extremely layered, sad, whistful.
   
   Listen to it once and you will be hooked.



3. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE CD AND THESE GUYS ARE AWESOME LIVE!
   LIKE SPINNING PLATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



4. Rock music does a lot of things extremely well, but one emotion that it seems to have difficulty capturing is despair. I'm not talking about the blues. The blues involves reveling, often in a kind of self-satisfied way, about one's awareness of how badly one's life is going. There's nothing smug or self-satisfied about despair: it is a prelude to the death of hope, the reaching of a point from which one can't "come back." "Amnesiac" captures despair better than just about any rock album I can think of (another great entry in this abject sweeptakes would be Fleetwood Mac's masterpiece "Then Play On").
   
   "Amnesiac" is to most music dealing with misery as opening up a bottle of whiskey in a darkened room with a loaded gun on the table, alone and with the phone disconnected, is to a bragging drunkalogue delivered to a crowded AA meeting. If you don't understand what I'm talking about consider yourself fortunate. If you do, get "Amnesiac." It does perfectly what it sets out to do, with no compromises or gratuitous bows to commercial acceptance or normal rock and roll conventions. It couldn't be the high art that it is if it had been done in any other way.



5. I remember listening to this album while reading at the library on cold winter days somewhere in upstate New York when the sun did not shine (which was often). These songs have a haunted feel that perhaps matched my surroundings and my mood. I agree that this album is maybe not right for every single occasion, but I feel I have to defend some songs on this album that have been pounded on by others. In my opinion, this is one of the best albums in terms of interesting music that you can actually enjoy listening to. I have listened to this album (as well as all of the other Radiohead albums) from start to finish many times, and for some reason, Amnesiac is the most fun. As for the disjointed sound, who is bothered by this now? How many people have not gotten used to listening to a wide range of music on iPod shuffle mode? I am not one of those guys who defends avant-garde art because it's daring or clever. I actually like these songs for what they are. In terms of favorites...
   1.Life in a glass house--like being drunk in an old French wine bar on a wet night walking home with your crumpled hat and clinging to a telephone pole for support. I was shocked to see other people don't like this song. It gives me chills every time I hear it. But hey different strokes.
   2.Pyramid song--driving through an unknown mountain town on a cold still night alone. I like how this song builds into that dreamy, melodic nowhereness.
   3.You and whose army--I like how weak his voice sounds in contrast to his big words--overall it gives me the feel of a weak person reminding someone who is tormenting him that we are all weak and there is strength in numbers. Do not mess with us!
   4.Hunting bears--as a post-apocalyptic source of nutrition, bears will be hunted. It will be a sad time. This song will make it sadder.
   5.Spinning plates--probably not good enough to listen to on repeat, or maybe not ever, what the hell, skip this one.
   6.Knives out--sounds more like a Radiohead song than anything else on this album, and it's good, but not as good as some of the other songs on Amnesiac.
   Anyhoo, if you don't like this album I can't help you. It's not worth trying to change someone's opinion regarding music anyway. (Have you ever tried to recommend something you are super excited about to someone and they are like, eh..) I feel that way about this album. I'm just glad I have it and can listen to it on my headphones so as to not annoy those around me.

5 comments about Return Of The Grievous Angel: A Tribute To Gram Parsons.

1. This is a really good album with artists doing Gram Parsons' work better than he could do it himself. Not that Gram Parsons was a bad performer --but the diversity of talent performing this material is truly outstanding. OK....it's not for the purists but it will appeal to those who really like Gram Parson's music and it is a fitting tribute to an artist who was lost before his full potential was realized.



2. The guiding hand of Emmylou Harris is in evidence on this fine tribute album to Gram Parsons ,an influential country rock icon who is held in awe by proponents of that genre .He left an indelible stamp on the genre ,from his first group of note ,The International Submarine Band through his stint with te Byrds ,and the Flying Burrito Brothers and culminating in his solo career .On both of his fine solo albums he duetted with the then relatively unknown Emmylou Harris who ,on relaunching her own solo career in 1973 used many of the musicians who played on the Parsons solo albums .She made no bones about the influence of Parsons on her own life and work and she is very much involved with this 1999 tribute album .She sings on 3 of its tracks and oversaw the project as Executive Producer
   
   What does leap out of the album is the excellence of Parsons as a songwriter ,something often overlooked when people discuss his influence on music --the man left a legacy of good songs many of which are featured on this album
   Two of the featured songs are from the Byrds period .Wilco despatch "One Hundred Years From Now "with some verve and panache ,although no great subtlety and there is a quite stunning version of "Hickory Wind "by Gillian West,one which captures the longing and melancholy with which the song is suffused .Its an album highlight .
   The Burrito Brothers period is represented by a number of cuts .There is Sin City" done here in a duet between Harris and Beck which stands comparison with the seminal original ,but the same cannot be said of the version of Hot Burrito Number 1 by the Mavericks -its good but rather skates on the surface of the song .Emmylou returns ,duetting with the divine Sheryl Crow on Juanita ,whose key line "a bottle of wine and some pills on the shelf" seems to stand in some ways for the fatal problems in its author's hedonistic lifestyle
   From the "Burrito de Luxe "album we get "High Fashion Queen" in a version by co-author Chris Hillman and Steve Earle which is good if not outstanding ,and also from the 1976 album " Sleepless Nights " we hear an Elvis Costello version of the title track .This benefits from a committd vocal and a deft arrangement making dexterous use of the vocalist's skills on piano ,vibraphone and celeste .
   
   Then ,the solo albums .From "GP"there is a strong album opener ,She by The Pretenders and Emmylou Harris ,and the beautiful ,mournful A Song For You performed exquisitely by Whiskeytown .There are 4 songs from the second solo album "Grievous Angel",.Unfortunately one cut features current music's biggest waste of space and studio time the useless Cowboy Junkies whose anaemic crawl through Ooh Las Vegas is soporific beyond belief .However relief is at hand with the Julianna Hatfield -Evan Dando duet on $1000 Dollar Wedding (excellent) and the Lucinda Williams -David Crosby take on ,what for my money is Parson's finest song "Return of the Grievous Angel,
   Completing the songs from the second solo album is In My Hour of Darkness performed by an alternative country "supergroup"=consisting of Buddy and Julie Miller,Jim Lauderdale and Mark Olsen (formerly of the Jayhawks)
   
   I regret the lack of songs from the International Submarine Band era but overall this is a fine tribute to a key rock figure and one that should be in the collection of lovers of alternative country and country rock



3. This album is very good cosmic country rock. The originals are classics, but this album respectfully covers them and even adds to some. This tribute has some outstanding tracks. Whiskeytown, and Ryan Adams, carry on the tradition of Gram more than anyone would imagine such a young, precocious, yet talented songwriter could do. Evan Dando and Juliana singing $1000 wedding is priceless! Buy it! It has been in heavy rotation for years.



4. You know an album is good when people disagree so vastly on the best part. For me, it was The Mavericks and Raul Malo's soulful tenor that got me (maybe because I've long felt they were the best band to two step to). My mother was taken by Ohh Las Vegas and had all kinds of questions about the Cowboy Junkies. The album filled the house and set the tone for a weekend (along with homemade biscuits). Highly recommended to anyone who likes soulful rock or country. Strangely, I found myself singing Willie, Waylon, & Me when we left the house. Hey.



5. The Cowboy Junkies are so great on this, they manage to make `Ooh Las Vegas' sound good. Sometimes a song strikes me as not being very good musically. I did not like the original version of Warrens Zevon's song `Ain't That Pretty At All.' When I heard him do it live, it sounded better. Having a tribute for Gram Parsons is like taking Warren Zevon back to Paris with a whole gang of people who want to go to the Louvre Museum, get a good running start, and hurl themselves against the wall, because we would all rather feel bad than not feel anything at all. The big irony for me is that I never wrote a review for this CD before. I've had Emmylou Harris's version of five of these 13 songs since I bought her 1990 `Duets' CD, and I even have the 3-CD box set, `Emmylou Harris Portraits' (1996), which has five Gram Parsons songs plus the trio's version of an old hymn, `Farther Along,' which Gram Parsons probably sang with the Byrds on the `Sweetheart of the Rodeo' album. Only in 2006 did I make an effort to find out more about him and get most of his songs.
   
   Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris jointly get credit for writing the song `In My Hour of Darkness,' which is nicely placed as the last song on this CD. It has three verses, with a tragedy about a young man and a deadly Denver bend in verse one, another young man safely strumming his silver-stringed guitar in verse two, and an old man, kind and wise with age in verse three. People ought to listen to this one like "He read me just like a book, and he never missed a page."