5 comments about Talking Timbuktu.

1. As a fan of the Tuareg group "Tinariwen', I couldn't resist buying this CD when I saw that another famous native of their region hooked up with Ry Cooder. If you've ever listened to Ry's soundtrack works or his wonderful stuff on 'A Meeting by the River' or "The Buena Vista Social Club' then you'll know why he is such a great match for a veteran like Mr. Toure. Ry's son , Joachim, is a good addition with his drum work too!
   
   Both of these men share a love of guitar music and it shows in every track of this CD. Similar to the effect generated with listening to 'Tinariwen', Talking Timbuktu transports me to the barren- but beautiful- expanses of the Saharan regions. It doesn't matter if its Mali, Niger or Algeria- the effect is the same. If you are familiar with the region, you'll get my meaning. Its haunting and mesemerizing at the same time.
   
   This is an absolutely gorgeous CD. It also makes for fantastic 'road music' for when I take road trips. Trust me, its a good companion when the long trails of New Mexico and Arizona beckon and you want music for along the way. BTW- there's a good hour's worth of music here. This is no short trip! ;)
   
   Talking Timbuktu definitely TALKS to me! It is not a waste of money at all!



2. I bought this CD because of Ry Cooder. I've loved his music since first hearing on the soundtrack for "Paris Texas." I'm also very much into indigenous and ethnic music and am happy to have discovered Ali Farka Toure in this CD. Sometimes slow, sensual, hypnotic, and bluesy like the songs Amandria (my favorite) and Ai Du, and sometimes more rhythmic with a strong beat that you want to get up and dance to, the music on this CD grabs you every which way. Ali Farka Toure's rich voice also adds another dimension to the quality of this CD, on top of the music itself. And every song is top notch. It's rare for me to like every song on a CD, but I love every song. It doesn't disappoint on any level.



3. "Talking Timbuktu" is one of those CDs where you have an aha moment. Oh yes, you have heard this music before and yet, not quite. Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure play beautifully together and truly bring the Mali's music straight to us. This is an extremely listenable CD and well worth the price.



4. This is really good music. A combination of blues, African, something I cannot put a description to. Each person has to experience this to see what it means to him (her).



5. As usual, this is another spectacular disc, only made better by the addition of Ry Cooder.

5 comments about Colorblind.

1. I really liked this album. Yes, it goes into a more pop direction...but it still has the RRFB magic in it and god forbid a struggling band should try to get a little success...jesus. I also don't get the lyric bashing from some of these reviewers. I'm not sure what fantasy world they live in, but in reality...not every good song has amazing lyrics. Some songs are just fun to listen to because of the beat or the guitar riff it has. If you guys want music with just solely good lyrics then I would suggest bob dylan or neil young, even though I seriously can't stand neil young at all.



2. I first heard Robert at Claptons Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2004. He blew me away. I bought Wetlands. A few weeks later, I saw the Family Band live at a small outdoor venue. They were fantastic, high energy and relate to the crowd...literally. Robert and bassist Danyel Morgan came out into the audience high fiving and shaking hands, LONG before the end of their gig.
   
   I own all three of their offerings and am awaiting this fall's new release. By the way, they are presently opening for Eric Clapton's Tour 2008. I suppose the 1-2-3 star people understand music better than "Slow Hand Clapton"?!?



3. Man , this is a horrible effort from young Mr. Randolph.
   
   Remember when he burst onto the music scene and played pedal steel guitar in a blues/rock vibe instead of the traditional Nashville country way? It was awesome! The Live at the Wetlands CD gives a very good feel for what it was like to hear music in a totally new way. To see him live was even better.
   
   So he gets some success followed by his 2nd CD (not as good as 1st, but OK he's working on it) followed by the current mess. The songs are WAAAAAAAAY over-produced and worse, they're not at all what made people take notice in the first place i.e. the blues/rock. As another reviewer said this is a "run-of-the-mill disposable mainstream pop release" - I totally agree with that. On top of that we can't hardly hear the playing of the pedal steel.
   
   8 of the 11 songs are co-written by Robert himself. Boy, he needs some help here. And not the kind provided by the current group of amateur collaborators.
   
   message to Robert: you need to fire your executive producer (if you can) and hire a new team of songwriters - I'd suggest the people who worked with Kenny Wayne Shepherd on his "Trouble Is..." release.
   
   And I'm holding out hope this waste-of-time CD was the doing of the record company for "commercial reasons" and is not where your true musical direction lies.



4. Robert Randolph and The Family Band caught my attention when I saw them perform on Eric Clapton's CROSSROADS II. The energy that Randolp plays with is the key. You know that the group has to be great just to be at CROSSROADS, but to then open for Clapton's '08 tour only adds credence to the group's combined abilities. "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That" adds the energy to The Discovery Channel's latest TV ads...providing further testimony to where these guys are headed.



5. I am always pleased with the prompt service that I always receive on all the order that I have made. Thank-you

5 comments about Simply Red - Greatest Hits.

1. This man has such talent! He writes a majority of his songs and they are all good! Simply LOVE it!



2. If you can imagine being trapped in the most awful, hideous cheese and wine party surrounded by chinless shallow yuppies with no taste or interest in real music then this is music from hell playing on their stereo to bore all their guests to sleep or insanity. A very bad record by a very bad singer, go check out Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding or Sly & The Family Stone to hear real soul music.



3. We were very pleased with the CD-Simply Red Greatest Hits. We have been a fan for many years and was happy to get his best hits. There were many of these I have heard and didn't realize they were his. If you want to listen to some great hits done as only he can, this is a great purchase!



4. Simply Red was on Satilite TV and I really enjoyed it. He was performing in Sicily. The music was great and I believe he really loves to perform. It shows. I like it when he gets into the music by dancing to it.



5. "For Your Babies" is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful melodies these ears have ever heard. Amazing in its simplicity.

5 comments about Now.

1. Maxwell will make you fall in love.(with him):-) He is very open to expressing the feelings men go through, not hiding anything. The best music out today, closest artist we'll ever get to Marvin Gaye.



2. I absolutely loooove Maxwell!!! What can I say other than this CD made me fall in love all over again.



3. Maxwell is the type of artist, who for me, as soon as he releases an album, I'll go out and purchase it without first hearing any of the album's tracks. That is how much confidence that I have in his talent and ability. So I was rather disappointed when I first listened to this album. Quite frankly, it seemed rather mediocre. It was not something that I expected from someone with his caliber of talent and ability. Initially, I had considered filing this album away or selling it. But I decided to give it another chance and I EVENTUALLY grew to like it-which was the problem I had with this album. At times I wish he would have pushed himself farther and been a little bit more adventurous as he had been on "Embrya" (a criminally underrated and unappreciated album). But I guess he was still reeling from the chastening he received from critics on his last album, and perhaps he decided to keep it simple. Overall, it's a decent album-not mind blowing, not spectacular-just a decent album. Some of the stand out tracks are, 'Lifetime', 'Get to Know You', 'W/as My Girl' and 'This Woman's Work' (a classic Kate Bush track, from the She's Having A Baby Soundtrack).



4. this was a great CD for me and my wife. bring back wonderful memory of our love to each other



5. because of the style of song writing and music but, I think all his cd's are good.

5 comments about Pay Me No Mind.

1. The service from this supplier was very prompt!
   
   This is a very talented group, would love to see more from them.



2. My husband and I saw these kids at the Pittsburgh Blues Festival they are awesome incredibly talented for such a young age. The guys have signature guitars and the 9 year old drummer can keep the beat with the best of them.



3. What an amazingly talented family.
   So good to hear old-fashioned blues in a new package.



4. This is a great album. It is hard to believe that these musicians are just kids,they are amazing. Expect to hear a lot more from them in the future.



5. Three very talented young kids give it a listen you won't belive they are only 9,13, and 16 years old.

5 comments about Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - The Real Deal: Greatest Hits 2.

1. Double Trouble is an outstanding collection of Stevie Ray's songs. I am a relative newcomer (5 years) to his music and I love it more and more with time. This isn't necessarily his best, but there are some real tasty ones on this album.



2. What can I say?? It's Stevie Ray... typical great guitar playing, Double Trouble is fantastic. My favorite is Scuttle Buttin'....really shows Stevie's talent on the guitar. Would reccommend this CD to anyone who loves the Blues!



3. There are some great songs on this album, it's a shame he died too young. His style of guitar will be missed.



4. My husband complains that Stevie Ray stole his guitar playing from Hendrix, but I'm amazed anyone can play guitar the way he does, much less master the Hendrix style. Everything on this CD is great if you are a blues fan. Double Trouble is an incredible band.



5. Well, I guess if your a real fan of SRV, then you will love this. I am new to his music, and although he is obviously an accomplished muso, it was not quite what I wanted. It has not sold me on him, but he does have a couple of good tracks. Maybe just not for me.I will not purchase any more SRV if this is representative of his work

5 comments about Peace, Love & BBQ.

1. Excellent CD, not her very best in my opinion but it's excellent in that there isn't a single tune on the CD you don't want to hear again. I just dislike CD's where there's a song on it that you just wonder why it ever got recorded. Very good, still a Marcia Ball fan!



2. A Marcia Ball fan. It is more of the same southern blues, Marcia style.



3. This is a first rate CD by Marcia--admittedly my fave contemporary artist. If "Where Do You Go" dosen't move you emotionally you must be dead! Marcia is the most soulful voice I have ever heard in decades of music listening--and that's the idea--in a now world of cookie cutter singers and musicians Marcia Ball is a unique expressive vibrant talent-I have played her CD's for years for people and have dragged them to see Marcia in person and I never have a negative response! why Marcia isn't even more well known has always been beyond me--



4. Loved this album; great songs, really good backup band and that NO musical flavor sung with a "marcia ball" style. If you like her tunes you will really enjoy this one.



5. I found this to be a diverse, but consistently well crafted music CD. Marcia Ball has a great voice, terrific keyboard skills and plays with a talented band of musicians.

5 comments about Luther Vandross: Greatest Hits.

1. As with any Luther VanDross Cd, this one was fabulous. Most of his greatest hits were on it, with the exeption of just a couple. All in all,
   I would recommend this CD to all Luther fans.



2. This is an excellent CD. It has most of my favorite Luther songs on it. I love it.



3. This CD is a terrific collection of some of his best songs, with one great classic after another and it's put together well.



4. It arrived in excellent condition - sealed, although for the shipping fee rate I would have expected it a little sooner.



5. I was never really a Luther Vandross fan because my sister played him so much. I do have to say that this is a Great CD and he was a wonderful singer. I would buy more of his CD's.

5 comments about Keb' Mo'.

1. My first cd from kebmo, no regrets!!! very well made, good recording,great songs!!! I recommend.



2. I enjoyed this album even though I had only heard a couple of his songs in the past. Only a couple few make my playlists but its enough



3. This is my first and definetely not my last... what awesome talent!



4. I just love Keb' Mo'. This CD is classic Mo'. It does not have the unevenness of the Scorsese collection, which included the impromptu "Letter to Tracy," --a mistake to include. All of the tracks on this collection have individual strengths that enhance my overall view of Keb'Mo's virtuosity.
   
   His lyrics are so contemporary, yet, he places them in a comfortable folksy/blues ambience that feels very comfortable.



5. Keb' Mo' sings in a deep, mellow voice and plays a beautiful guitar, including a National; he has a special way of immediately capturing your attention and not letting go till he's done. He is at his absolute best when staying within the old blues tradition (12-bar, down-home tunes, just him and his guitar): his version of Robert Johnson's KINDHEARTED WOMAN is a perfect example of this. It goes right to the gut emotionally, but is still lyrical and melodic. Other highlights are EVERY MORNING and LOVE BLUES (he also blows harp on this last mentioned tune).There are a couple of duds on the CD, but the better performances are so good they make up for them. Worth checking out.

5 comments about The Best of Van Morrison.

1. Van listened to the old bluesmen in his youth back in Ireland. You can hear those influences when Van sings. This CD is excellent because it has all of the songs that van is famous for.



2. People who complain about this collection- pointing out that no single disc compilation can give a definitive portrait of Van Morrison's entire career, that it tends to ignore the man's more challenging and artistically minded work, that its haphazard sequencing makes it hard to get a feel for his evolution as a musician, etc.- seem to be ignoring one thing: this disc is a wonderful listen. No, it isn't definitive. It doesn't even try to be. It's supposed to be an accessible introduction, a way into Van Morrison's large and often daunting discography, a means of convincing you to drop your hard-earned cash on records like Moondance and Tupelo Honey and Astral Weeks and perhaps even the early albums when Van was a member of the garage band Them (thanks to the inclusion of the stunningly cathartic "Gloria," which epitomizes rock 'n' roll in its rawest form while conveying the feeling of unbottled teenage angst- it should give anyone who was or is a child goosebumps). And in that, it's incredibly successful. This disc is so fun to listen to that you're probably gonna want to run out and get at least three more Van albums before you've even listened to half of this thing. And honestly, how can you resist a single collection of songs that includes "Bright Side Of The Road," "Gloria," "Moondance," "Baby Please Don't Go," "Have I Told You Lately," "Brown Eyed Girl," and "Sweet Thing?" And that's just the first seven songs! The album does lose a bit of energy after that, and it is admittedly missing a few classics, but for the most part it's a great listen. You'll love it, trust me.



3. This compilation has arguably Van Morrisons best work. My personal favorites: Moondance (of course!!!), Brown Eyed Girl, Sweet Thing, Warm Love, Jackie Wilson Said, Full Force Gail, Here Comes The Night, Domino, and Whenever God Shines His Light. There are a number of other great songs as well as those I listed. The one song I love that is not on this CD is Crazy Love. It is on the CD titled "Moondance" which also has some other great songs like Caravan, Into The Mystic, and Glad Tidings.
   
   I put this CD in and I just feel good. Van Morrison just does that to me.



4. The best thing about this album, eh CD, is that you may buy it for the hit songs that are included. If you do, you are in for a wonderful discovery, the other music on this CD is even better then the hits!! I have read this was produced without Van's help or even approval. Much has also been written about the "flow" of the songs. In the end it's all about the music, and this is a GREAT CD. Unless you do not like this genre of music at all (I guess metal heads beware), you will find much to like and possibly love about it. As someone else said in their review, I have given it as a gift frequently, and it's always been appreciatted. So if you are still on the fence, jump in and buy it. Signed Don Morrison (Van's brother). JK



5. There's no organization to the music on this cd which has always been one of the great joys of a Van Morrison release where one song seems to lead to another and the sound as a whole is like listening to one inspiring arrangement but even with that in mind this collection is wonderful. Rather then having one large spiritual experience, you get 20 small spiritual miracles. Because to me, Van's music has always been so full of soul it is like a spiritual ride.