5 comments about Raising Sand.

1. Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss is a wonderful musical event that may be explained as a Hegelian synthesis of ostensibly opposing ideas....see http://www.aquilaarts.com/plantkrauss.html. Five stars...highly recommend it.



2. Well of course both of these artist alone are musical genius. You certainly can't go wrong putting two geniuses together. I love Led Zep. and although I've never been a "fan" of Blue Grass, I have been an Alison Krauss fan. Of course this CD is closer to Blue Grass than hard rockin' Led Zep. But, it works. They work. I can't wait for their next album! (My favorite song on this is 'Please Read The Letter'. In this song is where you will find your Led Zep. "flavor".)



3. Two great artists but they just croon... effort came out vapid and flat. Too Mellow.



4. two people I've followed individually have made this supremely heavenly album that I simply cannot qualify; it reflects an amalgum of strange purity that exceeds a mere collaboration. Words fail me...



5. A beautiful, relaxing album with plenty of interesting sounds. I've become addicted to it!

5 comments about Keep It Simple.

1. Yes! YES! The best album Van's put out since A Sense of Wonder, and it might even be better than that, which would mean this is his best album since Veedon Fleece, which at this point is thirty-four years old. That's not to say he's been in suck-ville for the past three decades (unlike someone we know - hi, Santana!), because he's made good records in between those two. A Sense of Wonder! Poetic Champions Compose! Enlightenment! Back on Top! Magic Time! Irish Heartbeat's probably good, too! And all of them are better than Avalon Sunset! Ha! But anyway, this isn't any more than Van going over territory he's been down several times before. The difference between this and the similar Down the Road (if you haven't heard it, don't bother - it isn't bad or anything, but that's about all I can say for it) is that Van's actually putting loads of effort into this one. In fact, the first three songs are all pretty much classic Van. "How Can a Poor Boy?" has a great chorus hook and fun horns. "School of Hard Knocks" has a great guitar hook and, most importantly, Van sounding youthful and invigorated on the vox again. "That's Entrainment" has a bit of jazz, a bit of country and a bit of soul. It sounds really good, too! I just wish it had been a bit longer, so Van could do his signature romantic ad-libbing. The next song, "Don't Go to Nightclubs Anymore," sound a bit too nightclubbish for my tastes, but hey! It's not bad at all! In fact, there's only one bad song on this album, which I'll get to in a moment. Anyway, the downbeat "Lover Come Back" is quite enjoyable. So is the acoustic-blues title track. And the guitar solo on "End of the Land." Then you get that aforementioned weak track, "Song of Home." It's country, and I don't like country. Another thing I don't like about this album are the lyrics. Van's mostly whining about how bad the industry has treated him, something he's been doing for quite a while now ("Soul," which still has another great guitar solo, this one electric and rock-oriented, title track, "School of Hard Knocks"), though he's also sometimes spewing clichés ("End of the Land," "Lover Come Back"), or trying and failing to make a reasonable hook out of "Blah, blah, blah" on the otherwise enjoyable "Behind the Ritual." I've never been a huge fan of Van's non-Astral Weeks related lyrics in the first place, but here they're just banal and stupid. Still, lyrics aren't everything, and I like the music here so much that it's a moot point.



2. I am such a die hard vanfan. Van Morrison is a musician and a poet. That voice of his just does something to me. The way he sings about sunsets, foghorns, spirit and lost love is just incomparable. Once you start getting lost in his music, you cannot stop.
   Van Morrison is the only one whose new releases I will buy unheard.
   His only album which does nothing for me is "A period of transition".



3. Other than "Moondance" which came out when I was in high school and includes the song "Moondance" as well as a copy of Van Morrison's greatest hits, that was all I owned by him. Thanks to Amazon.com's feature of being able to listen to "snippets" of songs from each CD, I liked what I heard and ordered this CD. Van Morrison still has a good voice and each cut is good and it's not like you want to skip a couple. It's a little more bluesy that I remember his older music to be. I recommended this CD to several of my friends and relatives.



4. Ivan...I LOVE'ya man, but you gotta ROCK again!! I mean, flat out, shake the walls ROCK & ROLL! You are VERY capable of it, and YOU KNOW IT! We're waiting.....



5. Typical, incredible Morrison. As always, the more I listen the deeper the meaning . . . 'stretching time stretching time . . .'

5 comments about From the Reach.

1. I HAVE BEEN A SONNY LANDRETH FAN FOR MANY YEARS, AND I HAVE SEEN HIM LIVE MANY TIMES. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CD, "FROM THE REACH," RANKS UP THERE WITH MY FAVORITE CD, "SOUTH OF I-10." AS ALWAYS, THE GUITAR WORK IS MASTERFUL, AND THE SONGS ARE WHAT I WOULD EXPECT FROM SONNY. WHAT I ENJOYED MOST ABOUT THIS CD IS THE COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN SONNY AND OTHER GREAT MUSICIANS SUCH AS ERIC CLAPTON AND ROBBEN FORD(AMONG OTHERS). A GREAT CD FOR LANDRETH FANS AND GUITAR-HEADS ALIKE.



2. I've known about Sonny Landreth since my days as the entertainment editor at the Lafayette, Louisiana newspaper. He was always a great musician, but he has really come into his own here. And the fact that high-profile, high talent musicians respect him enough to play back-up on this album is high praise indeed. Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Dr. John and Jimmy Buffett are on board but play second fiddle to Landreth. Don't miss this one!



3. when you're talking about slide-guitar greats, you have to include sonny landreth.
   dwayne allman,george harrison,ry cooder,lowell george,robert johnson and roy rogers are among the best ever and i'm here to say that sonny is at the top of the list.
   different styles i know, hard to say who's best?
   not for me.
   i think i've seen him and the goners live about 40 times or so(i lived in new orleans)and each time he's seems to just get better.
   this new one is still growing on me,i'm not sure it's gonna be one of my top favorites yet.
   hearing "south of i-10"(his sgt pepper), i thought he could'nt get better,but he is way out front of anyone else.
   i've always thought of him this way.
   sonny is just plain "outside the box".
   i think,the greatest guitarist alive today,maybe of all time.



4. Sonny's latest is very good. Anyone making this purchase will not be disappointed. His guitar playing is awesome along with his guests. His all original songs are quite good also.



5. This is absloutely top notch record. Wonderful choice of songs, arrangements and guests. Beautifully produced. This album moves Landreth to another level!

5 comments about Self Portrait.

1. I've perused some of the reviews here and, not that it matters to me, its just amazing how some folks negatively perceive something so completely different from the obvious consensus. Don't get it twisted, yes: everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But statements like, "a bit too hip-hopish", "Lalah now sounds like everybody else", "few of the songs hold up", "sounds like it was recorded 7 or 8 years ago" proves not only that you can't please everyone, but that some folks JUST DON'T GET IT!, DON'T HAVE A CLUE or perhaps they are just TONE DEAF or HEARING IMPAIRED (not to insult the hearing impaired in any way).
   
   The truth is that this has got to be the best work of any artist this year!! And yet, since she ain't a Mary J Blige or Biancé the shallow pop music industry will likely not recognize her work. But, this is Lalah at her best and then some. Every track is inviting. Initially I only liked tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 & then 2 & 10 grabbed me too. I admit I was not as moved by tracks 5 & 6 but 5 has now grown on me too. Hey, when you get a CD that has more than 3 or 4 great songs, that's sayin' somethin! In this case, almost every track is a veritable masterpiece.
   
   Someone here compared her to Angie Stone. In my opinion its the other way around - Lalah is the standard to which others of her era should be compared. Her performance, as always, is flawless & the music compliments & provides the perfect back-dropped balance and contrast against her beautiful alto timbre. Some of the tracks do have a non-hardcore hip-hop sound while others are in the neo-soul vein while still others have that classic r&b sound and in either case it sounds good on her. The fact that she is able to do so without compromising her own unique musical identity is a testament to her wonderful craft. But, the bottom line is Lalah is not bound by any labels - call it r&b, soul, neo-soul, jazz or whatever - She knows just what to do and how to do it. That voice alone is enough to melt you!
   
   And - so what if she sounds a bit like her dad, that's a good thing - let's face it, good apples don't fall far from the tree. I mean -- let's be realistic here, she is her father's child & there's bound to be some genetic traits that are inherited - so she can't help that any more then she could change her skin color. But, again, it's clear she has her own unique style and its called, LALAH. BUY THE CD!!!! It's bound to be considered a classic.



2. Lalah's voice could soothe a wild animal. Sensual. Supple. Sexy. I'm so glad she took her time and did it right!



3. Lalah Hathaway breathes fresh air into the regenerated Stax label with what is possibly her best album to date. It's definitely my favourite already. If you're anything like me, and you wonder where all the good music has gone, aghast at the ever-increasing paucity of deep meaningful soul and the ever-increasing dominance of superficial, gimmicky R&B, then this CD might reassure you. Lalah's lineage is not only clear in her warm vocal tone, style and phrasing but also in the kind of music she chooses to make. Donny would undoubtedly be proud.
   
   Hathaway writes a great deal of the album herself (with co-writing credits mainly going to her producers) and Rex Rideout, who had critical success last year with Ledisi's Lost & Found, takes care of the majority of the production work. He and Hathway had worked together before but not to this extent. Hathaway herself takes up the rest of the production with help from Kenneth Crouch, Terrace Martin, Paula Gallitano and Manuel Hugas & Wiboud Burkens.
   
   The album kicks off with the obviously radio-intended "let go", co-written and featuring vocals by my man Rahsaan Patterson and while a pleasant enough mid-tempo head-nodder (though personally I could have done without the vocoder), the song only hints at the magic to be found within the album. My personal favourites include the smooth jazz-influenced ballads "on your own", "for always", "that was then", "learning to swim" (which features fretless bass by Marcus Miller, no less), "little girl", (which actually contains the spoken voice of the great man himself; an interview excerpt from the album These Songs for You, Live!), "what goes around" and the brilliant album closer, "tragic inevitability".
   
   Noteworthy if not a firm favourite right now, is "1 mile". It also sounds like it might have radio in mind. It certainly has a definite hip-hop/r&b edge and contains a rap I thought was by Andre 3000 when I first heard it but is actually by a dude called Andre Edwards aka "Bokie".
   
   This is definitely high quality music - in my opinion of course - with deep, steamy bass lines and jazzy keyboard chords, and I say a huge thank you to Lalah Hathaway for giving us something decent to listen to for a change. Decidedly recommended.
   
   Also highly recommended: 2004's Outrun the Sky, 1999's The Song Lives On (with Joe Sample) and even 1990's Lalah Hathaway. For me, the Gary Taylor ballad "i'm coming back" and the Angela Winbush one, "i gotta move on" are worth the price of that last CD I mentioned, all on their own.



4. Been a fan of hers for years. I was a little scared to get this new album...almost afraid she wouldn't be as good as her first projects.
   
   I will gladly eat this crow. Absolutely no need for fear. This album is truly an example of "things becoming better with age." Her voice is like hot chocolate made with real milk and butter. Sweet, lush. It coats you...all the way to the inner most deepest parts of you. Truly powerful.
   
   Don's sleep on this...if you do you will have nightmares full of regret for not getting it.



5. I've purchased every cd that Lalah has recorded in the past but this one is not up to her past standards. Her performance is just as good as ever but very few of the songs hold up. What made me a fan were good song writing and great melodies. Much of that is lacking on this cd.

5 comments about Hymn for My Soul.

1. Joe Cocker's got the best voice for singing gospel. That rough burr just sends chills down your spine. IMHO, this is one of the best Cocker collections ever. He's borrowed sidemen and sidewomen from everyone from Ray Charles to Jimi Hendrix and the covers he's chosen couldn't be better.
   
   It's hard to pick a favorite from this soul soaring collection. "As Long as I can See the Light" has been a favorite of mine since CCR, but Cocker's version is in many ways even stronger than John Fogerty's.
   
   "One Word Peace" comes from the very underestimated New Orleans based band, The Subdudes. This is one of their finer songs and I'm hoping Cocker's cover will get them a bit more attention, too.
   
   "Just Pass it On" is a gorgeous message and the chorus will get you up standing up and cheering.
   
   Of course, the ending track is "Come Together" from "Across the Universe" which was one of the best songs from that movie. It's not gospel per se, but it gets the message across and this collection has 'message' everywhere!
   
   Rebecca Kyle, July 2008



2. Joe Cocker is a legendary great whose artistry has grown so much over the years and this awesome set of incredible performances is one of his very finest! A truly amazing production with Ethan Johns a perfect choice for producer as he assembled an extraordinary collection of cream of the crop musicians plus famed background singers such as Julia Waters, Oren Waters, Tata Vega, Jim Gilstrap, and the legendary Merry Clayton! Opening supremely funky with a Stevie Wonder gem "You Haven't Done Nothin", Joe cuts loose and really does let it rip on this great song making it clear that he would be perfect doing a "Stevie Wonder Songbook Collection" as this definitive version could be a huge hit if given exposure at all on the airwaves. "One Word (Peace)" is a stunner and a moving & timely plea for peace that is a glorious anthem that needs airplay as this universal message is a must for all to hear in these strange & alarming times where so many seem to be against those different from themselves and it is amazing they haven't learned the universal & simple message of live and let live yet...great love songs are always a pleasure & "Love Is For Me" is a passionate & exhuberant celebration while the soulful plea of "Don't Give Up On Me" is riveting classic soul at it's very finest! Joe gives a haunting & deeply soulful performance in "Long As I Can See The Light" while George Harrison must be smiling down on Joe for making "Beware Of Darkness" a haunting classic all over again. "Just Pass It On" is another wondrous stirring celebration with an unique arrangement making it clear by now this masterful collection of great songs and tremendous performances is filled with the best music can offer and hopefully radio will rise to the occasion and give this masterpiece the exposure it deserves! A old classic "River's Invitation" rocks out and is a cooker here while a sublime Dylan "Ring Them Bells" is deeply spiritial deserving a "Grammy Award" nod as it is breathtaking & brilliant to experience. Closing with a rocking and funky "Hymn 4 My Soul" it is clear that this is the tour now to see the legendary Joe Cocker on and I have tickets to experince this musical wonder once again live in concert!!! Original Import release ended here but the new U. S. version feature a awesome bonus track "Come Together" making this the collection to have...Joe once again makes a "Lennon/McCartney" classic his own and this version is fresh, exciting and Joe really nails it!!! Bravo Joe



3. I don't believe anyone can do a cover quite like Joe Cocker can. His performance of "With a Little Help From My Friends" at Woodstock is still one of my top ten favorites. Though he doesn't surpass that here he is in rare form. If you like Joe then this CD is for you. Beautiful.



4. Love this new Cocker album, but would have liked to hear some of the new titles before purchase, but am not disappointed. I have all Cocker albums and carry them in my car.



5. Don't get me wrong - I love Joe Cocker's music and look forward to each new album. But I was very disappointed in this one. Most of the songs are average. I only really liked two of them. I have most of his CD's (going all the way back to when he was using the name Vance Arnold) and I paid a lot of money to be sitting at a front row table at one of his concerts in his Heart & Soul World tour in Milwaukee a couple of years ago, so it pains me to say, I could have skipped buying this one and not missed much. I hope his next one will be better.

5 comments about Sketches of a Man.

1. Everytime I listen to this CD, I end up with a new favorite song! This CD is a wonderful mix of neo soul, funk, and R&B. VERY rhytmic and creative.
   
   One thing I really like about Dwele's songs is he tends to vary the mood/tone during each song, making each song interesting. A song may start funky and get super mellow half-way through. The harmonies are on point!
   
   "Brandi" was a real nice surprise, with a very east coast, "Digable Planets" feel to it. His falseto of "Open Your Eyes" is BEAUTIFUL! I spun that track about 30 times. A lot of the tracks are upbeat, but still smooth. His interludes are on POINT too as usual, not just track fillers.
   
   I could go on and on about the tracks on this CD, but you'll have to hear it for yourself. As any Dwele fan will tell you, you can't get the "effect" of a Dwele song from a 30 second clip...



2. Now I love me some Dwele; I loved "Subject" because it was down to earth, had some jams and some uniqueness to it. I love "Some Kinda" not only because it played like a move with the segue-ways and the background effects (voices, traffic noise) but it was smooth and a chill record. Both records had structure and were both different from one another. I read the reviews for this album before I got to it, and some people seem to be overly eager to give it 5 stars; I'm not there.
   I listened to it and tried to get into it, but I couldn't. I give Dwele alot of respect for being true to his craft and himself and his vocals are never questionable.
   For one thing, the album is way too long given that most of the tracks are less than 2 minutes long, I wasn't really sure where he was going with this album. The last album it was about the club, he went to the club, ran into a girl he was feeling, took her home, played her some instrumental music he was working on, phone rang, the other girl called him, he serenaded her, got caught, and by the 6 or 7th track, he was on his knees begging. With this album, people praise him for his experimental take on the album which is pretty good but there is a fine line between experimental and laziness. After two solid albums, I was expecting a bit more solid tracks. When I heard he did a remake of "Open Your Eyes", I got excited. But when I heard it, it didn't really move me to push Repeat after I heard it. The material pretty much ran together, nothing really popped out at me but it was another chill record which I like the most but perhaps it was tooooo chill, tooo relaxed.



3. Dwele is one of the most talented and underrated artists out there. I eagerly awaited the release of "Sketches of a Man." Initially, I though it wasn't as great as the previous two. I was wrong. One of the reasons I initially missed how awesome this CD is was because I kept listening to "Working On It," "Brandi," "Cheating" and "If You Want To." Once I listened all the way through I realized how great this CD is. Dwele's voice is amazing, his lyrics are so smart and with regard to relationships, he's mature beyond his years. I truly hope that he gets the recognition he deserves. Buy this CD!



4. I DONT KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT DWELE THAT CAUSES HIM NOT TO GET MUCH PROMOTION BUT HE IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE NEO SOUL ARTIST!! HIS CD'S JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!! THIS ONE IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE!! I LOVE THE LIVE SAMPLING OF J-DILLA HE DID!! EVEN IN DEATH HE IS STILL A LEGEND IN THIS GAME!! I LOVE DWELE AND I HOPE AND PRAY THAT HE CONTINUES TO PUSH FORWARD!!! LOVE THE HORNS!!!



5. This is the best of his 3 releases, hands down. Album of the year.

4 comments about Exclusive-The Forever Edition.

1. The cd has several new songs or remixes making it a better verison than the previous release the dvd portion is lacking and is pretty boring though seeing parts of his tour are kinda cool but he is'nt very interesting to listen to when he is speaking



2. Chris Brown definitely grew up on this album. He's coming into his own. You can listen to every song on the album from beginning to end, which doesn't happen often when it comes to today's music. It was money well spent on my part.



3. What was the point in this? I mean we all agree he gave us a song and dance with the Album the first time around, but I don't think anyone is going to buy another copy - especially if the songs are well below average, and one is a remake of Picture Perfect which wasn't one of my favorites in the first place.
   
   To be honest, artists should not bother re-releasing their albums, just start to work on creating new music. People want something fresh, I thought it was fairly obvious.
   
   I'm not going to be 'sad' and compare this with Rihanna's CD re-release because there's no point. However, I will go on to say that she had 3 fresh songs on there, which made it worth purchasing. But her album was fairly weak the first time around - so I guess its all 50/50 really.
   
   Also, putting additional footage of the concert on the CD is not going to boost sales. I'm sure you've heard of YouTube by now, or even release a Concert DVD???
   
   Initially, I was going to give this a 1 star because it is pointless, however I enjoyed the initial album; with songs such as 'Lottery', 'Throwed', 'I'll Call Ya', 'With You' and especially 'Down' - amongst others, this was my fav. album of the past winter.



4. He just keeps outdoing himself, definitly worth the money. Even the bonus dvd is amazing. Its definitly worth every cent. 10/10

2 comments about What Love Will Do.

1. No wonder Janiva has repeated as Female Blues Artist of the Year! From start to finish this album is absolutely incredible. Janiva pours her heart into every note and it is a moving experience to listen to. I recently saw Janiva with her terrific band at the Rythym Room in Phoenix. She is a great performer - very personable, totally positive, and so comfortable in her own skin. Not only is Janiva a great performer, but she is also a wonderful role model!



2. This is her best CD yet, every song is soooo goood! Janiva has a unique and beautiful voice, seems to get better with age. I highly recommend this CD for all blues lovers, and those who just love music. She is not female blues artist of year for nothing! Also a great performer, be sure to catch her show when she is in your area.

5 comments about Shine.

1. Estelle's hit "American Boy" received lots of airplay and, though everyone may not be fond of the song, they should appreciate the fact that it is much different and more experimental than most of the other music on the radio today. Upon first listen, I regarded it as an okay song. However, the more I heard it, the more I appreciated the craft within it. Adding Kanye West to the track was a genius move on Estelle's part because he has made a name for himself and most know that he is partly responsible for the success of the phenomenal John Legend. Because of that, Estelle will probably receive more recognition for the simple fact that she is affiliated with them both.
   
   As the tracks from this album played, I realized that Estelle sounds like a mixture of Floetry, Chrisette Michelle and Corrine Bailey Rae. That's not a surprise because Floetry and Rae, like Estelle, are from the United Kingdom. Estelle has a very appealing singing voice. She uses a few handfuls of profanity, does her share of rapping, and is very experimental, but I enjoyed all of that. The vast majority of these numbers range from mid-tempo to up-tempo so ballad-lovers beware. "Back in Love" and "Come Over" are two mid-tempo cuts and they are definitely two of the best songs on this album. Her harmonies are really nice and the lyrics are good, too. "Pretty Please" is nice as well. It has a 70s feel and that's always nice to hear.
   I had a good time with this album.
   
   I highly recommend it to R&B music lovers and those that enjoy that UK sound a la Floetry and Corrine Bailey Rae. Estelle should be applauded for a job well done. I predict that she will has a successful career!
   
   Mikeisha's Top 5
   
   1. "American Boy"
   2. "Come Over"
   3. "You Are"
   4. "Shine"
   5. "Magnificent"



2. She had a hit called "1980" a few years back but I dismissed her as a one hit wonder and to be honest I wasn't blown away by her raps. When I heard she was working with John Legend I decided to sample it at the music store and realised that I had been completely wrong about her, she is a singer who raps not the other way around. More than that is that she has a beautiful voice.
   
   When I heard the George Michael sample on "No Substitute Love" it was over, I had to get the album. The album is so nostalgic to me, I don't know if it is the samples e.g. Bob Marley on "So Much Out The Way" or it is the fact that she reminds me so much of Lauryn Hill.
   
   The multitasking (rapping, writing & singing), the eclectic sounds (Reggae, Rock & Hip-hop influences) certainly justify comparisons to Lauryn Hill. But Estelle is her own woman. Her songs are not as heavy and are meant to be enjoyed without being taken too seriously.
   
   The production on the album is top notch, not surprisingly given names like Will.I.Am, John Legend, Swiss Beatz & Mark Ronson. A criticism that might be levelled at the production is the over abundant use of samples but as stated earlier it adds to the nostalgia.
   
   Overall the album is definitely a winner, the revolution of British soulstresses is in full swing. Estelle has something that the others ( Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele, Joss Stone etc.) do not have and that is a street sensibility and a light-heartedness.
   
   Noteworthy tracks include the ballad "Come Over", "No Substitute Love" & the duet with Cee-Lo "Pretty Please", which sounds like a duet between Diana Ross & Aretha Franklin (Cee-Lo playing Aretha).



3. This is one of the best cd's I've bought in a long time. I can honestly say that I love every song on the cd. Don't hesitate to pick up a copy...you won't be disappointed.



4. This product was great and I must say that I was a little surprised because I was expecting it to be good but it turned out better.



5. I LOVE THIS CD, EVERY SONG, I BELIEVE WILL BE A HIT. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF OLD SCHOOL FLAVOR THAT I ENJOY.

No comments about Year of the Gentleman.