5 comments about x.

1. Being a huge music fan, i can guarantee that you fill find it difficult to find a cd that comes close to this. Maybe with the exception of One twelve-part 3, which i am also obsessed with. This album has inspired me in aspects of my life. I often find that waking up listening to this sensational music not only gets me thinking back on great times and experiences i have had but also gives me a feeling of satisfaction. What i have found through listening to it is the more you listen to it and give it a chance the more you will understand where i am coming from. I originally had heard just 'crazy' and 'thuggin you thuggin me' but for all the songs to be at a similar standard to this was quite surreal. Track number 8 is called 'all the things i should have known' and has turned out to be my favourite, each word sung is sensational and has made a positive impact on my life. I believe that this is an essential must have cd in every RNB fans collection. I am devoting my life to try and find a concert in England that Kci and jojo will attend.



2. I think the album "X" should stand for the unknown, as in, what unknown force could have caused some of the top producers in this here game to pump out D-Grade material for the Hailey Bros?

   After using mostly unknown producers on their first two albums, the brothers finally decide to flex their muscles with the some of the best producers, like Timbaland, Teddy Riley, Babyface, and DeVante Swing. Even the late 2pac's (R.I.P) vocals are reunited with the Haileys on this album. However, what could have been the musically defining album in the Hailey Bros discography is instead a medicore afterthought as all the songs came off as regrettably unforgettable. Considering what could have been, it's a shame that this album turned out to be very uninspiring.

   The only tracks that stopped the heart for a few precious moments is the Jodeci hidden track "Slip N Fall" and the bonus track "I Just Can't Leave" found on the Japanese CD. "Slip N Fall" simply oozes wicked attitude as listening to it conjures up memories of days long gone when you could say Jodeci and get a reply like, "Those thugs can sure sing the panties off those song!". "I Just Can't Leave" starts off with a fan inquiring about K-Ci past relationships (i.e Mary J. Blige), to which good ole' K-Ci takes the high ground and tells them to leave it alone "cause she done all told you one time". After that humorous intro, K-Ci does his best "I B Goin' Solo Won't U Come and See Me" impression and belts out one nutty song that has him singing to his a) stalker on why he can't leave his girl then b) declaring his love forever, to his lady and finally c) sanging to the both of them at the same time. A nice little ditty from K-Ci that leaves you wanting more. Heck, after listening to both bonus tracks one is left wondering why they even bothered with the album "X" when a new Jodeci album or a K-Ci solo album sounds more appealing.




3. If this album came out now, I would give it three stars. In fact, K-Ci & JoJo's first album Love Always was the only album they made that was great no matter how many times you played it. THIS album sounded great upon first listen, but after I listened to it again I realized it isn't as good as it could have been.

   There are some obviously good songs like "One Last Time", "Crazy" and "Something Inside Of Me". But then there are also some songs that don't sit right with me. "Suicide" flows well, but you have to admit that "I never thought of suicide/Until you took your love away" is a little extreme. There's also filler like "Thug N U Thug N Me" and the Timbaland-produced "Game Face"; and the hidden track, the ironically-titled "Slip And Fall", should have never been found. Speaking of which, since when are hidden tracks found BEFORE the end of the album?

   It's rather disappointing that K-Ci & JoJo keep experimenting at times and give us some tracks that don't sound like them. Let's hope their next album can compare to the classic that Love Always is.




4. THESE HAILEY BROTHERS ARE JUST UNBELIEVABLE SINGERS,AND PEOPLE TALK BOUT THERE BACKSTREETBOYS AND N SYNC AND THEY ARE NO WAY ON THE SAME LEVEL AS KCI & JOJO,BOYZ2MEN DRU HILL,THESE ARE WHAT U CALL TRUE TALENTED SINGERS,NOT MANUFACTURED LIKE THEM POP GROUPS,THE ONLY EFFORT THEM POP GROUPS GIVE IS THE SMILE 4 THE CAMERA,ANYWAY THIS ALBUM IS JUST TOP QUALITY EXCEPT 4 THE 'CRAZY' REMIX,ITS JUST PURE NOISY AND WHOEVER PUT IN THE MUSIC 4 IT SPOILED A GOOD SONG,COZ ITS NOTHIN LIKE KCI & JOJO WOULD HAVE ON THERE ALBUM.PART FROM THAT 5 OUT OF 5



5. k ci and jojo fans will love this, some wish jodeci would unite, well even if they did it will still be about k-ci, and jojo anyway, anyway some smooth ballads suicide is a trip some girl must have really caused kci to even think about that.

5 comments about 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Joe Cocker.

1. when i ordered this cd, I knew what I was getting into. I contacted seller to make sure this was of the original songs joe Cocker came out with. when I got it in mail, I listened to it and it was just what i ordered. it tells you right up front the amount of songs you get. not a problem. i remember when my older brother listened to him on an original 33 1/3 lp. try a little help from our friends was a master piece. if any of you got to see the movie about woodstock in the late 60's, you would have got to see him perform in his early days. quite a musician.



2. this eleven track cocker compalation from the millenium collcection is like most others in the fact that it only takes up half of the max. cd space. But! all of the tracks on here are essential cocker and its sure to please.



3. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this eleven-track Milliennium Collection is actually somewhat worth it! Granted, some Millennium Collections are very bad ideas (listen to those by the Who and B.B. King, for instance--better yet, don't). But somehow, this one works. I don't know, maybe the presence of With a Little Help From My Friends (Cocker's best song) has clouded my visions, but this is actually somewhat GOOD!!! Granted, I would've loved to have heard the versions of Bathroom WIndow and Delta Lady from Mad Dogs and Englishmen, as well as a couple other selections from that LP (namely LEt's Go Get Stoned) but I already own Mad Dogs in the first place, so why am I complaining? Especially when it's got Cry Me A River and the Letter from that concert? Not to mention the flat-out rocker High Time We Went and Traffic classic Feelin' Alright.
   Sadly, there are a couple tunes that don't work. You Are So Beautiful is the most overproduced thing Joe pulled off...possibly ever. His vocals are a big plus, though, And Up Where We Belong never really did much for me. But this collection isn't half bad!



4. The obvious negative is that this CD has only 11 songs of fairly standard length, which is an especially lousy practice for a greatest hits album. They could have and should have added at least 1-2 more, like maybe "Let's Go Get Stoned." On the positive side, it had every song I wanted by Joe Cocker, including his lesser known hits from around 1970, like the radio versions of "The Letter," "Delta Lady," and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window."



5. Although I have a couple Joe Cocker albums, and I love 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen,' I still regard myself a newbie. This album is a great start, and 'The Letter' makes up for any shortcomings. I can't believe that song doesn't get the airtime it deserves. However, but the last couple tracks are pretty cringe-worthy compared to the soul of the first six, mainly because of the limp accompaniments.

2 comments about Blue, Jazz and Swing.

1. This one has a lot of great info that you can use. Duke gives good explanations of what he's doing and ties it all together. His playing alone would be worth the price!



2. Awsome hot licks video. Duke covers a wide range of styles and players like charlie christian and les paul. The nice thing about the item is that the examples and techniques etc. that duke explains are instanly applicable to musical situation w/ a band. He explains everything vry clearly and there is a lot to be learned from this video.

No comments about The Complete 50's Chess Recordings.

5 comments about Billboard Top Hits: 1981.

1. I bought this album for "Bette Davis Eyes" and didn't really pay attention to what else was on it when I purchased it. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the whole collection is great! I was not around in '81 but with music like this I wish I was. Anyone else 21 or younger ought to check out this CD for a great introduction to 80s variety! My favorites are "The One That You Love", "The Tide is High" and "9 to 5".

   I will never forget my big tough brother-in-law belting every word to "9 to 5" as my sister and I watched in laughter. Buy this CD if not to get a great introduction to '81, then to laugh at the ones who know all the words! It's worth it either way!




2. NOTES: Rhino's Billboard Top Hits series features ten popular songs from a given year. They may not be the exact biggest hits of the year (due to licensing restrictions from some major artists, etc.) but, more or less, provide an accurate snapshot of the year in pop music.
   
   THIS REVIEW IS FOR 1981:
   
   This was the year MTV was officialy launched. Despite it not getting big for a couple more years, this is where the 80's started to gain their own sound, though it still retained quite a few traces of 70's pop. Singer-songwriters, pop ballads, country crossovers, and (so-called) corporate rock, as well as the emerging new wave were the most popular styles of the day.
   
   1. "Bette Davis Eyes" Kim Carnes -- The series gets going with one of the signature songs of the decade; combining a steady, mid tempo synth line over what sounds like a slowed-down pop/disco beat.
   
   2. "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield -- The then co-star of General Hospital launched his music career with this power pop/rocker. Despite all the bashing he might get for his teen idol status, the song rocks, similar to what The Romantics or Loverboy might do.
   
   3. "The One You Love" Air Supply -- This is one of the few clunkers here. Not that it's not a very heartfelt pop ballad, but it feels too dramatcially sad and not musical or melodic enough to be interesting.
   
   4. "Tide is High" Blondie -- This mid tempo, slight new wavish ballad slightly recalls the girl group sound of the 60's is one of the strongest (and last) hits of her career.
   
   5. "Physical" Olivia Newton-John -- One of the sillier tunes on here. This dancable, synth pop number is just about as far as you could get from the sound of her early soft country ballads, and was (appropriately enough) used as an aerobics anthem at the time.
   
   6. "9 to 5" Dolly Parton -- Upbeat pop and another more novelty-type song from the usual country singer, and also the hit to the funny office worker's comedy of the same name (which Parton herself starred in).
   
   7. "Queen of Hearts" Juice Newton -- The third song in a row that either is from a country singer or has some roots in that sound. Although it may seem like a little too much at once, this is far superior and manages to combine a (then) current country sound with fun pop/rock.
   
   8. "Kiss on My List" Hall & Oates -- The hitmaking duo of the 80's gives us one of their strongest songs with this extremely catchy pop/rocker that commonly gets mistaken for an uptempo love song (even if it does somewhat sound like one).
   
   9. "Being With You" Smokey Robinson -- The soul master gives us a more old-time, slightly uptempo pop/soul ballad with a relaxing background sax.
   
   10. "Celebration" Kool & the Gang -- The second incarnation of the band has them moving far from their funk. R & B roots for their first in a string of 80's hits - with this happy pop tune that gets played at just about every party or wedding to this day.
   
   Although this collection still isn't perfect (no year of the 80's can possibly be summed up with just ten songs), but it's a definite improvement over the 1980 series, accurately presenting the exciting changing trends in music at the time. "The One You Love" and "9 to 5" are the only two I could've done without.
   
   As for missing songs: Foreigner was big that year, so I would've picked either "Waiting For a Girl Like You" or "Urgent." Pop ballads, like "Arthur's Theme" and "Endless Love" as well as funk/pop, such as "Super Freak" would've all been welcome over the two mentioned above.



3. Rhino has remastered 10 classic pop singles from one of pop radio's last great years. Before radio splintered into half a dozen different (but very strict) formats, the top 40 stations of the time played whatever their listeners wanted to hear, be it pop, rock, R&B or country. This disc is a great cross section of the glory that was Top 40 radio during Reagan's first term of office. Kim Carnes had the record of the year and it still sounds great today. Rick Springfield started his comeback and Air Supply had yet to grow stale. Smokey had possibly his all time greatest solo hit this year. Dolly Parton sang a great song that topped both country and pop lists. Blondie continued to show their diversity. Hall and Oates were at the top of their game. Olivia Newton-John plateaued in popularity. Juice Newton came roaring back with a string of hits. Kool & The Gang released the party anthem of the century. Not bad for a year that is generally regarded as "bland" for being post-punk and pre-new wave.



4. If you like 80's music and want to really move to these songs buy this one its great!



5. I think that if you like the 80's kind of music you'll love this c

2 comments about Shake.

1. This album, despite the title, is more contemplative and melancholy than its optimistic title might suggest. certainly "Baila" and "Shake" are true to the title, but its real strength lies precisely in the slower songs I believe. Some of my favorites in this respect are "'Rossa Mela della Sera"' and "Dindondio", perhaps the fines track on the album. Zucchero once agin confirms his artistic autonomyand has been able to create an album with music that is surely to be popular, but without compromising its style to commercial considerations. He is perhaps best comapred to Joe Cocker in the English singing world both in style and voice. For those of you that might be concerend about songs in a language other than english, Zucchero often mixes Italian and English and regulalry features blues and gospel type choires in the background in a very effective and original way.



2. Very nice album. Although some songs can make you feel down, most of the music is perfect. It has a little bit a Moby style.

5 comments about Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions.

1. I've heard it, and I've seen her and she doesn't get it yet. Now it's a bit unfair to judge someone of such a tender age, but this girl is just not ready to be out there yet. I saw her at the Chicago Blues Festival a few years back and: 1) I was outraged that the organizers would see fit to put her up on the stage with so many other great players that live in this town available 2) I was embarrassed for her as she was clearly in WAY over her head. She was being billed as a blues player , but she didn't have a clue. Now most of us don't want to be judged by what we did in our teens, but I didn't tell her to get out there this soon. If this was a high school talent show, sure I'd be impressed- but it's not. Maybe she'll grow into something , but my suspicion is that it's not going to happen, as there's no evidence here to make one think that she will pan out.



2. Dakota-born blues-rocker Shannon Curfman is an extrordinarily talented musician as this, her debut album, will readily attest. A wonderful mix of originals and fresh-arrangements of such covers as "The Weight," and "Hard To Make a Stand," make this an interesting album from beginning to finish; there is not a bad or boring cut on the entire disc. Her original "Playing With Fire," an an in-your-face ode to Jimi Hendrix, captures the fierce energy of the late guitar legend, and the outro-solo makes tactful reference to Jimi's use of the whammy-bar.
   
   But aside from Shannon's amazing voice (think of a young Bonnie Raitt) and her edgy guitar-playing, the production values on this album are absolutely superb. Many of the guitar parts are recorded "dry" and are placed front-and center in the mix. If I wanted to record an album of my own work, I would use "Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions" as the sonic template.
   
   I have been waiting with baited-breath for Shannon's follow-up to "Loud Guitars" for several years and, frankly, it's been a long time comming. I only hope she is able to secure the services of the same production-engineer team that put this blues-rock masterpiece together. Either way, I think it's safe to say that Shannon Curfman will be making beautiful music for many years to come.



3. I bought this after it came up as an amazon recommendation and I have enjoyed it so much that my husband and I drove a couple hours to see her play in Davenport, Iowa! Now we are both fans and can't wait to hear her new CD hopefully coming out this summer.



4. To quote another reviewer, holy smokes! Just by comparison, I thought about what I was doing when I was 13. Then I listen to this amazing album and I feel SO inadequate. "True Friends" rocks like crazy and she channels a just barely younger Janis Joplin - but more polished, and with tons of star potential. These days, Shannon is grown up and is still tinkering with her followup. But I can wait. Because when a young lady is this good, it will be worth it. If Boston can do it, why can't Shannon? Excellent album and worth whatever you pay for it.



5. I was introduced to Shannon's music when I saw her open for Lennon on their Acoustic tour in early 2006. It was just her and her guitar, with Paul Lamm on bass and she blew the roof of the place. This woman is amazing and she will be huge next year when her new album comes out!
   
   Yes, she was 14 when this album was released, but don't let that discourage you from picking it up, because she's not the teenage female signer you may have come to expect/dread. LGBS is track for track one of the best albums in my collection. Shannon sings with the power of someone twice her age and plays guitar like she's been playing it for decades.
   
   If you love Blues and Blues-tinged Rock & Country - by all means seek her out on tour, you will not be disappointed. She is also extremely approachable after her shows and genuinely enjoys chatting with her fans. Keep up the amazing work, Shannon, 2007 will be your big year!
   
   --K
   
   PS Check out her website for tour dates and to purchase her new EP, "Take it Loke a Man" - if you think she sounds amazing at 14, wait until you hear her at 21!

3 comments about Geronimo: An American Legend - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. I was very disappointed to find that the soundtrack did not include the last musical piece played in the movie. It was a hymn and I think the title was "Deal Gently with Thy Servants, Lord". That is the main reason I purchased this soundtrack. Does anyone know why it is not included?



2. I can't believe this album is no longer in circulation. This is one of my all-time favorite film scores. Ry Cooder has put together a magical piece that combines the Native American spirit with the big brass of the Union military. With contributions from R. Carlos Nakai, this is a brilliant album that captures the essence of the film. It's not 'dinner-music', but rather a complicated, artistic piece that requires your attention from beginning to end. Tracks such as the Main Title, Cibeque, Judgment Day, Embodus, Yaqui Village and Train to Florida emphasize the magic this album has to offer. This score ranks up there with other such epic gems such as The Last of the Mohicans, Thunderheart, Braveheart, The Crow, The Piano, Far and Away, The Ghost and the Darkness and Crimson Tide. Brilliant and beautiful, the film score to Geronimo is perhaps the most diverse mix of cultural music ever compiled on one album.



3. At first I was not sure that the contemporary American music from Geronimo's time fit with the brilliant native music hear, but it works.

5 comments about Blink of an Eye.

1. Who'd thought this would be a Michael McDonald album with two African American kids on the cover. He does speak against his children and family in general in many of the songs ("I Stand For You", "Blink of an
   Eye", "Matters of the Heart",etc.) Sadly this album missed out on the charts. There were two singles released "Matters of the Heart" with Vince Gill (as a duet, here he sings backing vocals with Alison Krauss)
   and a cover of Freddie Scott's "Hey Girl" featuring the ever popular Kirk Whalum on sax. Perhaps he wanted to move away from the so called AOR
   synthsized sounds of his earlier work and stay with the times.
   I do agree with All Music Guide's review that he is the "Godfather of Blue Eyed Soul"



2. I found this CD to be all that I expected. As usual, I received prompt service from Amazon. I am enjoying it immensely.



3. Michael McDonald is the finest vocalist to hit popular music in the last 25 years. After an enormous run with the Doobie Brothers in the late 70's, (the Minute By Minute CD is an inspired piece of music), Michael got extremely hot as a solo artist, songwriter, co-lead and back up contributor for others like Christopher Cross, Patti Labelle, Kenny Loggins and Aretha Franklin. Other artists were copying his style. He even had a hugely successful appearance on Saturday Night Live in which his first 2 songs were so good they invoked the "Eric Clapton Rule" and asked him to come back out for a 3rd song!! It semed like he was everywhere and I think this overexposure actually hurt his career.
   
   Most of his solo work has not had the same commercial success, despite some absolutely great songs and performances. Blink of an Eye is the finest of all his solo works, even surpassing the great If That's What It Takes.
   The title tune is a killer, with great vocals, fabulous hot guitar by Warren Haynes of the Allman's and a really cool slightly off time percussion beat. The cover of Hey Girl is so georgeous it can bring tears to your eyes, More to us than That rocks. The only negatives are a couple of very mopey overlong atmospheric ballads.
   It is really a shame that this Cd and Michael in general are not much bigger and more popular to this day. He is a supreme talent.



4. I recalled my first purchase of this album in 1993 in cassette tape format. I was still a university student at that time. Jazz and R&B are my most prefered music, especially comtenporary jazz but I must say this album is an exception among my R&B collection (which are not so many). I was very glad that I can buy this album again in CD format from Amazon since it's impossible to find it now in Thailand.
   At first, what this album attracted me were the name 'Blink of an eye' and the picture of 2 boys which I felt it might have some connection while the name 'Michael McDonald' was still a stranger to me (as a Thai boy). But after listening, I got the cassette replayed and replayed until it degraded and it was left at my home after I graduate and went to Bangkok to work. Now I get it back again from Amazon in CD format and the magic is still there!!! It's a great work from Michael McDonald.



5. It has been 10 years since I first heard BLINK and until recently I did not appreciate the greatness of this R & B,blues,soul classic. HEY GIRL is an all time heart breaker,Mr. McDonald always stops the show at his concerts when he sings this timeless King/Goffin piece. I never understood why this didnt get the play it deserved..Mr. McDonald has a voice fromthe angels and will always be up there with Jackie Wilson, Luther Vandross, SamCooke, Jeffrey Osborne and Otis Redding with his fantastic arrangements of love songs.....the man cando no wrong musicially. If you do not have this one...run to a music store or get on line and buy it and listen with your heart, your soul and you spirit over and over...you will fall in love. Peg in SD

No comments about All the Best: Video Collection.