Knock Knock [Import]

"Oedipus Tex," the title piece, is a stunning parody of (of course) Sophocles "Oedipus Rex" - from the line "the gods are ticked off and now someone must pay" to the ending chorus of "the eyes of Texas are upon you" (set to the tune of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"), the piece is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

"Classical Rap" - this track alone is worth the whole cost of the album. This "Yuppie" rap combines the stereotypes of rap music with Vivaldi and Bach, and has as its setting the upper West side of Manhattan.

"Knock Knock Cantata" - some of the worst jokes you'll ever hear set to some of the worst music you'll ever hear. The combination of text and setting is really hilarious - talk about form meeting content.

"Birthday Ode for Big Daddy Bach" - the more you know about music, the funnier this piece is.

BUY THIS CD.

Irreverent hilarity.......2002-08-09

Oedipus Tex is both my favorite Country/Western ballad and one of my favorite oratorios!

Classical Rap is, IMHO, the only Rap piece worth listening to.

This is one of "The Bad Boy of Classical Music", Peter Schickele's best recordings.

I am a PDQ junkie!.......2002-08-08

This was my first PDQ recording and it has kept me coming back for more.My father who hates music even LOVES it!It does take a special musician or music lover to appreciate the genius of such a man as Peter Shickele. Being a musician, I have performed numerous PDQ works in the past and they are extremely difficult.Oedipus Tex is by far the most ingenious album created, in my belief, in as far as its contents and musical professionalism.

Brilliant parody.......1999-10-16

Oedipus Tex is a brilliant parody... I had a teacher listen to it once and then it circulated around the entire English department. "Classical Rap" is a wonderful piece as well.

Average customer rating:

GREAT CD
Knock on Wood - Hottest disco song ever!
ami stewart the original queen of disco
This is more like it.
DANCIN' FOOL

The Best of Amii Stewart: Knock on Wood
Amii Stewart
Manufacturer: Hot Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Disco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Amii Stewart The Greatest Hits
Ring My Bell: Definitive Collection
Funkyworld: The Best of Lipps, Inc.
The Best Disco in Town: The Best of the Ritchie Family
Color My Love: The Best of Fun Fun

ASIN: B000001QLR
Release Date: 1996-07-16

Tracks:

Knock On Wood
You Really Touched My Heart
Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven
Bring It On Back To Me
My Guy, My Girl
Get Your Love Back
The Letter
Paradise Bird
Jealousy
Right Place, Wrong Time
Step Into The Love Line
Why'd You Have To Be So Sexy
Where Did Our Love Go
Friends

Customer Reviews:

GREAT CD.......2005-05-04

NICE COLLECTION ...WHAT HAPPENED TO "IMAGES " ?
ONE OF HER BEST WORKS

WHY DID NOT INCLUDE "ROCKY WOMAN" ?

IMAGES 1983 HANSA PRODUCTION, TRACKS :

WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO ?
GREAT BALL OF FIRES
MY GUY/MY GIRL
DIGITAL LOVE
LOVE IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH
ROCKY WOMAN
WHY'D YOU HAVE TO BE SO SEXY
TONIGHT
PREMIERE
SAVE THIS NIGHT FOR LOVE
DON'T LET GO OF ME

Knock on Wood - Hottest disco song ever!.......2004-06-17

.
"Knock on wood" with Amii Stewart!

Hottest disco song ever - it still always crowds the disco floors everywhere!

Hottest in 1979 - still hottest!

*****

ami stewart the original queen of disco.......2002-02-06

this lady was doing her thang long before disco became truly popular.Her voice can belt out a tune with true diva like style or can produce the most calming pretty tune. This album is excellent because it demonstrates these qualities in genorous amounts.Light my fire will always belong to this lady, she made it her own.Paradise Bird is just so seventies it isn,t true,Her voice floats and glides sexily over a lush tropical forest backdrop complete with a melody that lifts you away with her. Bring it on back to me is one of those catchy songs that gets inside your soul and puts modern day tunes to shame. Knock on wood takes you back to the seventies school discos so many people remember with such affection. And the album finishes superbly with the haunting and beautiful track friends. Those of us who remeber her television appearances will always recall her amazing visual performances and stunning looks. One gifted lady.

This is more like it........2000-04-19

This is a real treat-all the full length dance hits from Aimii Stewart's brief appearance on the disco scene. Her version of "Knock on Wood" has become one of the all-time disco standards, and is here in all its glory, together with 12" versions of "Light My Fire" and "The Letter". The album also includes the best tracks from Aimii's two disco albums, such as "Paradise Bird", "Jealousy" and "Step Into the Love Line", each one as good as the released singles. It wisely misses out all the duff tracks from her albums, although I could have done without the lame cover versions that do not showcase her belting vocal talents at all. Sadly, the cracking "He's a Burglar", has been omitted, which would have made this the absolute, ultimate collection. Oh well.... there's still no better Aimii Stewart CD on the market, so go get it!

DANCIN' FOOL.......1999-07-07

Amii's back for more! 'though her selection seems beneath her obvious talents as a vocalist, she gives it all she's got in these pleasant dance renditions of familiar tunes. Yes, at times she sounds like she is singing from inside an aquarium - in fact, she may be!

Average customer rating:

She-lipping a bit
SHeDAISY try something new..
Why wasn't this more Popular exactly?
BORING
Give knock a chance

Knock on the Sky
Shedaisy
Manufacturer: Lyric Street
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Whole Shebang
Sweet Right Here
Fortuneteller's Melody
Brand New Year
The Whole Shebang: All Mixed Up

ASIN: B000068OO5
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

Mine All Mine
I'm Lit
Man Goin' Down
Get Over Yourself
Rush
I Wish I Were The Rain
Repent
Everybody Wants You
Now
All Over You
The First To Let Go
Turn Me On
Keep Me

Amazon.com

Perhaps no female group marketed out of Nashville is as puzzling as Shedaisy, the Mormon siblings who named their trio after an American Indian word for "my sisters." Wrongfully compared to the banjo-and-fiddle-driven Dixie Chicks upon the release of their debut album, The Whole Shebang, in 1999, the Osborns emerge on this follow-up in all their full-blown poppiness, leaving not only the Chicks behind, but also such vaguely country performers as Faith Hill and Martina McBride. Far more beat-heavy and rhythm-based than the album that produced the hit "Little Good-Byes," Knock on the Sky showcases more of their impressively intricate harmony vocals and attitude ("Get Over Yourself"), the latter finding more in common with Britney Spears and her ilk than any Nashville counterparts. It says a lot that Richard Marx shares a writing credit with chief songsmith, Kristyn, on one of the album's most memorable and melodic tunes, "All Over You." But while much of the program gets the blood pumping, the majority of songs have the depth of a birdbath, and often sound constructed, not written, with a reliance on hokey sound effects such as a scanning radio dial and a not-too-credible tent-revival preacher. Granted, Shedaisy court the younger audience, but why should a teenager settle for mere grooves and harmony, no matter how skillfully it's layered? --Alanna Nash

Customer Reviews:

She-lipping a bit.......2007-07-25

This is another good pop/country CD from SheDaisy, but it is not as good as their first album, All Mixed Up. This album has some good tracks, but also a number of tracks that are pretty trite. Some of the uptempo tracks come off as more noisy and less smooth than was the case in All Mixed Up. Sound effects appear in some songs that kind of break those songs up, make a disconnect. So overall this album doesn't grab the listener as much as did their first album. There's still quite a bit of good ear candy throughout tho. Good tunes:

I'm Lit
Man Goin' Down
Everybody Wants You
Turn Me On

SHeDAISY try something new.........2007-06-17

The start of this cd, "Mine all Mine", is a beautiful song to begin with.. however it's very different from their previous stuff, with lines such as "it's been a long night chasing ghosts" and "But the chance has come and gone". It's clear that this album is about regrets, missed chances and heartbreak. However, there are a few funny, tounge in cheek songs, such as "Get over yourself", and "Man goin' down". The best songs on this album are ones that talk of feeling "the rush of love" (Rush), "Seductive highs, destructive lows" (I wish I were the rain), and "'Cause there's no resolution Or clear cut conclusion" (The First To Let Go). SHeDAISY try something different here, and while it works on some songs like "Rush", "Mine all Mine", "I wish I were the Rain", "Keep Me", and "The First to let go", the other songs are not up to par. However this is a must-have album for any SHeDAISY fan. It's raw and heartachely beautiful.

Why wasn't this more Popular exactly?.......2006-10-31

SHeDAISY's first album, "The Whole SHeBANG" was incredibly popular but this one wasn't.. They called this their "experimentation" (or something close to that) album.. it turned out good! But I guess people weren't liking the Pop sound it had to it and I think a lot of people were turned off by the Remix CD they made of The Whole SheBang. I don't understand why this wasn't more popular, especially after The Whole Shebang was such a smash debut album.

My two favorite songs on this CD are "I'm Lit" and "Get Over Yourself". The rest of the songs are excellent except for "Rush" and "I wish I were the Rain" (they are good, but not overly great) but I can listen to every song on this album because Kassidy has such a awesome voice and Kelsi and Krystyn have such good harmonies with her. This CD, like every other SHeDAISY CD/Song, is a winner!

Also, FIRST TO LET GO is a GREAT GREAT song!

BORING.......2006-05-28

Shedaisy does NOT have the staying power. In a few years everyone will be saying "Shedaisy WHO?" Their music is very forgettable!

Give knock a chance.......2004-11-17

I'm a huge Shedaisy fan, and I had very high hopes for this cd and when I bought it I was not disappointed! I know that the reviews it has had said it was awful but I really don't see where they got that from, every song on the cd is beautifully written and performed. I gave it a chance and I love it.

Average customer rating:

Callahan as Kafka...
Bill is his real name
I HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY
Like staring into a dark, wonderful abyss.
Best Record Of The Decade

Knock Knock
Smog
Manufacturer: Drag City
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Lo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

A River Ain't Too Much to Love
Woke on a Whaleheart
I See a Darkness
The Gulag Orkestar
Kicking a Couple Around

ASIN: B00000G1IU
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

Let's Move to the Country
Held
River Guard
No Dancing
Teenage Spaceship
Cold Blooded Old Times
Sweet Treat
Hit the Ground Running
I Could Drive Forever
Left Only With Love

Amazon.com

One of the more hauntingly visionary indie-rock artists, Bill Callahan, a.k.a. Smog, writes sparse, poignant songs that shimmer with solipsistic grandeur. His sixth full-length disc, Knock Knock, shivers with restlessness, recounting forlorn tales of imprisoned convicts ("River Guard"), disenfranchised country boys ("Hit the Ground Running"), and unrequited love ("Left Only with Love"). Smog is too well-produced to qualify as lo-fi anymore, but the rich strings, chiming piano, and baleful strums of Knock Knock never detract from the workingman's loneliness of the disc. Like Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, only without the nasal vocals, the album is serene and sedate but nonetheless unsettling, as if the collective scene Callahan creates is merely the calm before the storm. Fortunately, when the melodies seem to drift too close to comatose, the shuffling beat and drifting feedback of "Held," the distorted chug of "No Dancing," and the jangly strum of "Cold Blooded Old Times" keep the needle from flatlining. --Jon Wiederhorn

Customer Reviews:

Callahan as Kafka..........2005-12-14

I'm referring to the beautiful third track, River Guard. In it, he makes every sparse poetic line jump out in importance. He begins by "taking the prisoners swimming," which immediately puts him in the role of providing comfort to all of us having been found 'guilty.' That is the condition as K., Camus and countless other writers have suggested. We're born, hence we're condemned. Callahan's guard later sits "in the tall grass" and looks "the other way." He shows a wonderful simplicity here and is conscious of being in an embarrassing situation, not wanting to be constantly watched. It's a song of reprieve. But it's not all about the lyrics. The melody, texture, attitude and overall recording is beautiful. With the philosophy, it's aproaching a contemporary masterpiece. The chorus seems to ask the question, would we even know the definition of freedom if we weren't born into this very difficult existential situation? Like those writers before him, he suggests that without the suffering, freedom would have no meaning. He continues the theme within the guitar crunchiness of No Dancing: "there's always some bird dog snufflin'... always some turtle snappin'." Later in the album he sings, "I don't know where I'm going/All I know is I'll hit the ground runnin'." It's the secularist singer/songwriter at his very best. Listen to this album along with his other moments of brilliance found on the albums Rain on Lens, Dongs..., Supper, The Doctor..., A River..., and Red Apple... Not only does he continue these same themes, he does it in a very catchy, musical, emotional and often rocking way.

Bill is his real name.......2005-04-05

Yep. That's right folks. Bill Callahan to be exact. The man who calls himself Smog on all his records. A hero to the lo-fi world. An obsessive four tracker in his early days. A soothing easy listening singer/songwriter as of late. Most people don't know that he's been making albums for the past 15 years. A very prolific artist indeed. This album, in particular, is his pinnacle. The best overall work by him. He's come full circle from the early days of the Julius Ceasar LP. I'm not sure what the highlights are to me. Each song flows so well, it almost works as a rock opera epic to me. If I had to pick one I'd say its "Teenage Spaceship." Although being downtrodden it has this tender feeling that not many other Smog recordings have had in the past...or future for that matter...since I'm writing this now and not when it came out. This album is one of his more eclectic works in his extensive collection. He has a band backing him on some songs this trip around. We hear a childrens choir, bill dabbling with alt-country, sax's, and strapping on that plugged in electric. He often gets described as a depressing artist, but this is his most hopefull release or certainly in the running for first place. I don't think Bill will ever dissapoint me. Which is fightening not only from a musical standpoint, but for my wallet as well. If you haven't bought a Smog record yet, make this your first.

I HAD TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.......2004-11-11

In the past, Smog has created dark and introspective releases, relying too much on meloncholy and self absorbtion to try and convey emotion. On this album, he takes a witty, almost cheeky, approach to much of the subject matter.

Definitely his most accessible and most light hearted release, Smog brings together his best collection of tunes on Knock Knock.

His southern drawl and lazy performances give the album a real personality, but dont detract from the obvious enthusiasm he has for his work.

Callahan (on this album) kinda comes off like a Bonnie Billy who takes himself less seriously. This can be a welcome change in the alt. country genre, and lifts Smog outta the pack and shows him up to be the crafty songwriter, and character, that he is.

Like staring into a dark, wonderful abyss........2004-10-02

Smog is not a band that can be explained. Instead you must simply experience Bill Callahan's world for yourself. The music is haunting; it is chilling; it gets under your skin; it's like an infection...but in an an indescribably good way.

While the likes of Cold Blooded Old Times (High Fidelity anyone?) and Hit the Ground Running might be the most accesible they are not necessarily the best songs on the album. For me, River Guard is the second best song because it paints the most beautfiful scene in my mind of calm water reflecting moonlight back into the dark night while black trees press in from the banks. And the crowning jewel is Teenage Spaceship. This song ranks in my list of top 10 (maybe even top 5 if I think about it hard enough) all-time best songs. It is perfect. It is a summation of so much: life experiences, maturation, beliefs and dreams as they live and die, and more.

Smog is not an "easy" band. But moment you "get it" is truly a moment of serendipity.

Best Record Of The Decade.......2003-04-19

Picking my favorite Smog album is much like asking someone to select their favorite child. For more than a decade, Bill Callahan has put out some of the most compelling (and often under-appreciated) music, period. Knock Knock takes everything great about his past output and melds it seemlessly into easily my favorite record of the nineties: A sly sense of humor; experimentation that doesn't come off as needlessly self-indulgent; beautiful, haunting melodies and a sense of space between the words and notes that is just as important as the music itself. Callahan's lyric's are full of poetically clever, but very, very real analogies and specific life-altering moments from his character's (his?) past that can make even the most jaded listener re-think a universal subject such as love or childhood memories. The song, "Let's Move To The Country," is a classic album opener, setting a hopeful tone you just know will gradually be marred by life's dissappointing reality by album's end (This is also my 2-year old niece's favorite song, with its childlike innocence: "A goat and a monkey, a mule and a flea"). All along though, Mr. Callahan tells it with a knowing wit, driving spikes into our hearts with personal details in his narrative and subtley-unique touches in the music rarely found in popular music. For my money, there is no more perfect record.

Average customer rating:

ah, jimbo, why can't you win?
Soild effort
Enthusiastic electric
Mathus' Talent Shines

National Antiseptic
James Mathus and His Knock-Down Society
Manufacturer: Mammoth / Pgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Play Songs For Rosetta
Stop and Let the Devil Ride
Knockdown South
Old Scool Hot Wings
Christmas Caravan

ASIN: B00005QK6U
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

Call Your Dawgs Off
Take A Ride
Snake Drive
Drinkin' Antiseptic
Stranger
Innit For The Money
Shake It And Break It
Rock Of Ages
Boogie
Issaqueena St. Shuffle
Spare Change
Chicken Town
Hambone
Back To The Bottoms
Nightingale

Amazon.com

James Mathus made his name playing kitchen-sink ragtime with North Carolina's Squirrel Nut Zippers, but beneath that dapper zoot suit beats the heart of a Mississippi mauler with tobacco in his cheek and a porch beneath his boots. Dirty, Southern- fried, and gritty as the river that takes its name from Mathus's home state, National Antiseptic is pure blooze rawk powered by whorehouse keyboards and greasy guitar, and peopled with drunks, losers, highly questionable menu items and, of course, those infamous Southern women for whom a fret-burning corker such as the Knockdown Society's "Call Your Dawgs Off" is as close to a love-song dedication as they'll ever get. Second cousins of the similarly raunchy Southern Culture on the Skids, Knockdown Society's National Antiseptic scores one for Delta backwaters with a wink and a hefty dose of boogie. Somewhere, a pickup truck with a gun-rack has found its soundtrack. --Kim Hughes

Customer Reviews:

ah, jimbo, why can't you win?.......2007-02-14

really, skip this half-baked jam session and go buy "Stop and Let the Devil Ride" (which inexplicably sells for like $28 or whatever on here). that's the album that will make you realize jimbo mathus is the unsung hero of drunken southern boogie rock. this album, however, just ain't got the grit, man, the swagger of that other gem.

Soild effort.......2002-11-09

This is a fine album somewhat in the vein of The North Mississippi All Stars. Mathus' album is produced by Jim Dickinson, amonth other things father of 2/3 of NMAS and Mathus himself appeared on Buddy Guy's superb "Sweet Tea" album. And therein lies the rub. While this is a solid affair and Mathus' guitar and voice are solid, it doesn't have the driving bottom end of the NMAS releases or Guy's album. Even with a cover of RL Burnside's "Snake Drive" this isn't quite as slamming a Mississippi hill/country blues affair. To be sure a lot of that is by design and it's not as if there aren't some moments where a monstrous boogie is achieved. But if you expect NMAS or Burnside/Kimbrough stomps look elsewhere. While those artists offer a mammoth groove on almost every track, Mathus lays back a little more, tends to keep the bass a little quieter and takes on more country stance. It will grow on you as an album too. Just accept it for what it is. The idea expressed in other reviews that it's a back porch affair is right on. As such the laid-back vibes is appropriate and it is certainly the work of someone making the music they love.

Enthusiastic electric.......2002-08-24

This CD is one of those that just keeps growing on you. After his success with Songs for Rosetta, Mathus follows the acoustic album with a hard-driving electric one. Songs for Rosetta was a tribute album and one where Mathus explores his roots. National Antispetic proves that Mathus can do what all good artists have to--grow on those roots. This seems to be a natural progression.

Mathus played electric guitar long before the success of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and he is shortchanged often by listeners who place him in a particular genre or style. He is a lot more than a "retro player;" he is a vibrant player on the regional and national music scene, and a guitar player and vocalist of amazing skill (he has also played the piano, trombone, mandolin and banjo in recording sessions before).

National Antiseptic is an album which seeps an enthusiasm and joy of music--what it can do to you, what you can express with it, and what makes it important. And part of that comes not only from Mathus himself, but from his band, Knockdown Society, who play with that same vitality and then can stop on a dime.

Mathus' Talent Shines.......2002-03-04

The eclectic talents of James Mathus take center stage on his second solo release, National Antiseptic. Mathus' primary band, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, remain a popular band from the swing music resurgence of the mid 1990's. Though the Zippers, who Mathus fronts, were the most creative and talented of the pack, they still have faced tough competition in the land of teen pop and pretentious rap/rock. As a result, Mathus has taken several side projects, including a stint as Buddy Guy's guitarist a solo project, Play Songs For Rosetta, and now National Antiseptic.

Mathus' greatest strength is his flexible voice. He croons like Harry Connick Jr. on tracks such as "Rock of Ages." He then shifts to a hard-edged bluesy howl, wonderfully exhibited on "Take a Ride" and "Hambone." Finally, Mathus gives the listener a twangy country voice on tracks such as "Back to the Bottoms" and "Innit For The Money." In all cases, his voice has a depth and character that immediately entices the listener.

Another standout musical element is Mathus' guitar playing. Though primarily a blues album, Mathus' rockabilly and swing guitar style is evident throughout National Antiseptic. The fusion makes each song interesting, even simple folk songs such as "Nightingale."

James Mathus made every track intricate on National Antiseptic. Even the most simplistic blues songs, such as "Boogie" have wild drum beats, melodic guitar lines, and pumping bass lines. Mathus' version of blues is more akin to Jimi Hendrix than B.B. King. The eclectic collection of songs also makes the album solid from start to finish. As his tastes vary, so do his songs. The listener is treated to country, folk, and swing songs in addition to blues.

The best songs on National Antiseptic include "Take a Ride,"Snake Drive," "Rock of Ages," and "Back to the Bottoms." Each has a distinctness about it that makes it jump off the album. Weaker tracks consist of "Innit For The Money," "Spare Change," and "Chicken Town." They rely too much on instrumental jams that inhibit Mathus' vocal ability.