1 comments about Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival.

1. Track listing is out of sequence. Performance varies from fairly energetic but not exactly rocking, to woozy. I expected something folkier. Snappy take on "The Yip! Song", cute a cappella harmonizing on "Uncorrected". When the band takes on its well-played, medium-slow, shiny, langorous groove, the words don't stand out quite enough, and the music loses me, as is typical in Robyn Hitchcock's post Soft Boys bands; "Globe of Frogs" works with this treatment, the rest is just okay.

No comments about Stolen Car.

4 comments about Talula.

1. The tornado Tulula mix is fine, and I would agree with a previous reviewer's comment that Amazing Grace/Til The Chicken is fair. But, BT's synethasia Tulula really brings this disk down. It's rhythms and samples are quite ordinary for a dance mix. For a really really long time, they painfully surround vocal samples of Tori saying "Chasing Tornadoes". Tori's work is beyond wonderful. This disk is not.



2. The Talula mixes I really liked, the 2nd one was an extremly long BT mix, but its worth the listen But the nessecity to Ears with feet is Amazing Grace/Til the Chicken. The amazing grace is a look into toris religious upbring but half way thru she changes (smoothly of course) to a song she wrote about an incident while cooking chicken at Trent Reznors house. A must have.



3. No Tori Amos recording could be ranked at anything other than 5 STARS!!! These are some truly fabulous mixes of Talula.



4. It's good and all, but the mix is bloody long and the songs with Goerge Porter are nothing special. But there are cute snippets of conversation between Tori and Goerge

5 comments about Jupiter: Swallow The Moon.

1. This is an amazingly nice collector's piece and CD-single, and to believe it's not even an import! At first when I heard the radio version, I thought it sounded too overproduced and generic, compromising Jewel's real and unique sound, and not demostrating her powerful vocal abilities. But then the remix really started to grow on me, partially because of the totally wicked video! Now I like it (but I still think the album version's better; it's more her), but the main reason I bought this was to own the song "Emily" , which I've never heard before. I expected it to be really good and exciting like her Pieces Of You album, but it wasn't. It's still a really good song though, kind of a sad tune about perhaps a loss of a loved one, though I'm sure Emily and even the narrator are entirely fictional. She really hits you when she beautifully sings the line "Love no longer has a house, or residence in flesh". I never would have expected this, but my favorite of the three tracks was the live version of "Deep Water" performed in Melbourne. It's quieter and slower, but more moving and emotional. She even plays with words by replacing the original line "And you try to find yourself in the abstractions of religion and the cruelty of everyone else" with "And you try to scrape yourself up but you keep seeping out like cheap gin from a broken cup". If you're a Jewel fan I must recommend owning this if you're going to purchase any single. FYI the Australian version is just like the American one (same cover and everything) but there's a minor difference in the track listing. Instead of "Emily", the album version of Jupiter is included. The US version is more worth owning, because you don't need the album version when you obviously already own Spirit, and "Emily" is a rare song.



2. Now, first off, I have to say that I absolutely LOVED the original album version of "Jupiter" (in fact, It's the reason I bought the album, and is still my favorite one). The remix of "Jupiter" isn't *great* exactly, but to be honest, I think it was made for the music video. And let me tell you, the video is AWESOME! I mean, powerful, stunning, absolutely fantastic! if you haven't seen it, you can download it at jewel.detour.net. But, I'm getting off the subject. Anyway, the jupiter remix is okay, but not really that good. The "Deep Water" live version is more raw and emotional; I think it's better than the album version, because in essence, it is a heavily emotional song. It's nicely done. But "Emily" is the star of this CD. I'm assuming that it was originally supposed to be on "Pieces of You," because it's dated 1995, but I could be wrong. It's a sad, beautiful tribute to an entity (or a real person, I'm not sure which) named Emily. So all in all, it's a pretty good recording.



3. I love this! Totally different from the version on the "Spirit" album. Much more chart-orientated, uptempo recording of the song. I think I actually prefer it to the album version. Pity it hasn't been released in the UK as I think it might give Jewel the breakthrough hit she deserves over here.



4. The only problem I have with my "Jupiter" single is that I was lucky enough to have Jewel sign it, so I'm afraid to put it into my CD player too much! Seriously though, great stuff! The Jupiter remix is incredible, it reminds me of the good old "Pieces Of You" days. The instrumental mix on the track is superb. "Deep Water" is a live song and sounds great, although I must agree that the part about "making love to a wall" is a bit... er, clumsy. "Emily" is also cool, it's not the best song by Jewel, of course, but still keeps one coming back for more. If you don't like Jewel in general, don't get this. On the other hand if you're a fan, this is a must!



5. Still undercover set tight we'll be together soon. Love President Sinclair

No comments about This Is Love.

3 comments about The Way I Were: 4-Track Demos 1986-1992.

1. I've been a fan of Freedy's since his first record and am happy to hear some NEW, OLD songs. The sound is raw and emotional and the songwriting is, as usual, excellent...Enchanted Car, Love Songs About Girls, I Do I Do, Man with the Four-Stroke Heart are some of my favorites. The feeling of the record is intimate - like being at a great live show. Buy this record if you loved Can You Fly.



2. Although I have been a big fan of Freedy's previous work, he has clearly evolved in a more mature direction, with an emphasis on craft. That stuff's great, but I can't deny that I have missed the youthful exuberance of his earliest recordings (or what I thought were his earliest recordings). That is why this collection is such a welcome addition; it's clearly the result of someone who's having fun and not taking himself too seriously-and it all works perfectly. This man can write songs-and they come across with a splashy immediacy on The Way I Were. All his styles are in the house here- Straight up rock songs with bizarre stories and shovels of lyrics shoehorned in, appalachian porch torch songs, bent country, gorgeous ballads, and always the beautiful losers who we've come to love from his other records. But this time with a crazy, refreshing spontaniety. A keeper.



3. Since this CD wasn't reviewed I incorrectly thought it was a new cd from one of my favorite performers, Freedy Johnston. It is a collection of old demo tapes from the eighties to the early nineties instead. The sound quality sounds like the original demo tapes and the material is not refined and sounds mostly like fractured ideas instead of songs.

5 comments about Brushfire Fairytales.

1. The Jack's smooth voice and his music, simple and pleasant, can be addictive. In fact, I bought all the other Jack's albums after hear this vinyl. It's a very good album, it isn't pretentious and that is indeed what attracts. Everyone needs Jack after a hard work day.



2. I have every other Jack Johnson cd and needed this one. I just totally love his mellow voice and the songs are very meaningful to me. I totally recommend it to everyone.



3. Wonderful music! My daughter found this artist on Pandora Radio we will probably buy many more of his CD's



4. makes you want to close your eyes and smile, not to mention marvel at how simple can be so beautiful



5. This CD is true to the talents of Jack Johnson. I was not disappointed with the music/songs on this disc. If you like previous CDs that Jack Johnson has done, you'll love this one too.

5 comments about Trad Arr Jones.

1. John Wesley Harding gives us his rendition of The Little Musgrave on this CD. I have heard several versions of it previously, most notably Joan Baez' version, but I was captivated by this version the moment I heard it. He gives a depth of emotion to the song that lasts long after it is over (one of those things that has to be experienced). This version is a bit more stark and realistic - and poignant as the dickens!! Oh yeah... he has some other nice songs on there as well... :) But seriously, get the album, if only for that one song - it is well worth it!
   
   Interestingly, Harding does not read a lick of sheet music - just plays.
   
   So.. give it a listen - let me know what you think...
   
   I highly recommend!
   
   All the best,
   
   Jay



2. Instant goose bumps. Think Elvis Costello or a young Graham Parker singing Childe ballads, seaman songs, English plainsong, and folk rounds with spare accompaniment (variously guitar, mandolin, accordion). Think punks singing their tattoos away at the end of a night of beery-good fellowship. Think Manchester street toughs finding grace and a way home to a world before machines, struggling wity heightened human feelings of yearning, frailty, heartbreak, and about death. Think a regular guy finding English folk in his blood, but no standard folk way to let it out.
   
   Tracks 12-15 use a full electric band and are characteristic of his other work. But they work well here too. [73:18]



3. A total waste of possible talent, this CD is just awful on so many levels. Wes is off-key in many of the songs, and his voice is unconvincing and irregular. In theory this album is a good idea, but the execution is so painful. I've really tried to get into this CD, but in the end, I taped it to the ceiling in my office, so nobody has to listen to it.



4. I have been a fan of Wes for years, but this album exceeded my expectations. These songs are incredible, giving credit to Nic Jones, and the interpretations are wonderful as well. Now I want to go get more of the original work of Nic Jones, if it weren't out of print.

   Buy this album - you won't regret it.




5. I first heard Litle Musgrave on KPFT, Houston Community Radio, on the way to work. So different, a wonderful story line, perfectly executed. I immediately ordered two copies of the CD, one for myself, one for my son-in-law as a Christmas present. The entire repertoire on this album is to the same high standard as Little Musgrave. This has been a wonderful introduction to the Nic Jones style and I shall be delving further into this type of music. Highly recommended!

2 comments about Original Music From GBH.

1. This is as good as it gets, folks. It's easy to understand, as you listen to this complex stunner, why Elvis Costello is one of the most treasured songwriters of his generation. Elvis plays to his strengths on this masterful release: tight song structures and a feeling of impending emotional erruption. A mindblower!



2. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS WARNING: NEVER LISTENT TO THESE SONGS OR IT WILL TAINT YOUR IMAGE OF COSTELLO FOREVER

1 comments about Tear off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution).

1. This CD single arrived in my mailbox about a week ago. I have yet to even listen to it. A slightly more recent Elvis Costello release, titled 'Cruel Smile', contains all the b-sides on this single.