Has

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Born in Africa of Ebo decent, and raised in the States, a true progressive artist, Has uses today's technology to write, arrange, perform and produce all of his own material. A classically trained singer whose sounds invite comparisons similar to Peter Gabriel, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Lenny Kravitz, George Michael and Billy Idol.

"This record is purely about me facing my fears, and pushing through, persevering and becoming stronger", HAS includes. "I had a very bizarre childhood, so my outlook has always been about survival and hope and seeing the cup half-full when it’s really empty. I’ve learned that you have to keep on gaining experience, growing and applying what you’ve learned in-order to forge ahead."

The songs on his debut album HAS, self titled, clearly displays his uncanny finger-on-the-pulse approach to music that can be attributed to his love of classic rock, pop and soul combined with the hip-hop culture from his club days.

HAS is dynamic on record and simply amazing live. He is a singer whose instrument needs no processing, whose skill is more powerful acappella. He is truly not the norm, a trained singer who can rock out and move you to tears, all the while keeping your feet grooving. Has is pleased with the CD. Don’t be shy when a song from the disc starts to tingle up your spine and eventually grows into an inescapable urge to loose all self-control.

As a teenager, he became the founding member of bands such as "The Lost", "Tick Tock", "Covenant", "Flux" and "Stimulus". During his association with these bands he opened for such acts like; "Erasure", "Book of Love", "Duran Duran", "Red Flag", "Push-Monkey", C.C & The Music Factory, and "Anything Box". After recording albums with "Tick Tock", "Covenant", and "Flux", HAS caught the songwriting bug and struck out on his own.

The songs on the album are exotic and laced with an upbeat tempo that supplies all the goods for HAS to show his skills. "This album is musical. I was lucky enough to grow up while listening to all these different sounds. I wanted music that flips the old Rock classics, while touching on life subject matters and fueling them with tight groove beats." HAS concluded.

Album Description
Finally, new music that will open your sense of exploration and adventure and take you into a world where you will find other-worldly vocals supported by laid back hip-hop and dance beats, eclectic string arrangements, guitars, and rock percussion.

An End Has a Start
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great, but the fire is missing a little
  • Very ambitious album is not as urgent as "Back Room"
  • Retreat! Retreat!
  • REACHING FOR A BIGGER SOUND (3.9 stars)
  • Unfairly Criticized.
An End Has a Start
Editors
Manufacturer: Fader Label
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000PUAZDW
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

  1. Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
  2. An End Has A Start
  3. The Weight of The World
  4. Bones
  5. When Anger Shows
  6. The Racing Rats
  7. Push Your Head Towards The Air
  8. Escape The Nest
  9. Spiders
  10. Well Word Hand

From Amazon.co.uk

Editors were not the only band suckling on Joy Division's bleak teat in 2005 when they released their debut The Back Room, and they never initially seemed the ones most likely to succeed either. They were like a pencil sketch of gothic depression, too tidy, too clean, too neatly attired to attain any lasting emotional credibility. But there was just one problem with that cursory diagnosis; the incendiary skinny-ribbed barrage of short, sharp, repetitive and achingly insistent singles, titled with an absolute maximum of two syllables as if to ram that point home. There was zero puppy fat on Editors' bones, but what they did carry was toned and worked to perfection. But even considering that discipline, the competent grandeur of its follow up, An End Has a Start, takes you aback. Awash with constellation-scraping omnipresence, opening track "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors" seems all around you at once, building, lifting and frankly doing a better impression of late '80s U2-sized epic than Coldplay mustered on X&Y. The album rebounds between that sense of rounded, accessible awe and the more industrious pounding in the engine room that they perfected on their debut, the latter particularly demonstrable on the title track and a truly hammering "Escape the Nest". Tom Smith's rudimentary lyrics and forced baritone may lack some of the poetic depth that the music craves, but like their overall style he directs what he does possess with admirable precision. --James Berry

Album Description

Following the debut release 'The Back Room', the English indie-rock band is back with their 2nd album. Their brand of sweeping indie rock is frequently compared to the sound of bands such as Interpol, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen, Franz Ferdinand, Kitchens of Distinction, The Chameleons, Big Country and U2. 1st single: Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors. Sony/BMG. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great, but the fire is missing a little.......2007-07-25

Editors return with a very solid album that is sure to garner even more attention to Editors than The Back Room did. Count me as one that is surprised they haven't been bigger in the US, but maybe this one will catapult them into that stratosphere.

This is a very solid album that shows a matured group that is still not at peace with the world. All of the tracks will cause grinding of teeth, heavier hearts, and a hope for things to be better in life.

I do think that there is something missing from this- urgency. While there are some faster-paced songs, they are missing some of the urgency that fueled The Back Room. Songs like Munich, Blood, Bullets, and Fingers in a Factory fueled and drove The Back Room, causing the slower, quieter songs to be even more of a respite than they already were. This one does not quite have that. The range of emotion in this seems to have gotten a bit more focused, and I miss that.

4 stars for a still very entertaining album that has been on rotation a lot since I got it, even if it is missing some of the aggression...

4 out of 5 stars Very ambitious album is not as urgent as "Back Room".......2007-07-22

Editors stormed onto the UK music scene in 2005 with several singles and then their impeccable debut album "The Back Room", which was released in the US in early 2006. Now comes the eagerly awaited follow-up album.

"An End Has A Start" (10 tracks, 45 min.) starts off with "Smokers Outside the Hospital Room", a departure yet ambitious tune which I find a curious choice as the album's first single, as there is no immediate hook. The title track follows, a hard charging song that ranks among the band's best. A pattern seems to follow for the remainder of the album: slower song, followed by an upbeat song: "The Weight of the World" is an epic song (reminding me of Big Country, with its searing guitars), followed by the best track of the album, "Bones", with an irresitable guitar-and-drum hook (and which seems to me to have been a more obvious choice as the lead-off single). Other highlights for me include "The Racing Rats" and "Escape The Nest". The album falters a bit towards the end, and it is clear to me that Tom Smith (singer-main song writer) wanted to reach out for the stars and become more ambitious, which is fine, but the bottom line is that this album doesn't match the immediate urgency that was on display on "The Back Room".

I've seen Editors in concert a number of times, and was particularly intruiged by a then-unknown and new song they played at last year's Coachella festival, which now shows up on this album: "Bones". Editors are one of the better bands to come out of the rich music UK fertile grounds in the last couple of years. While I like "The Back Room" better, this is a pretty good album too, and I can't wait to see where Editors go from here. Highly recommended!

3 out of 5 stars Retreat! Retreat!.......2007-07-18

I was very impressed with Editors' excellent debut album "The Back Room" and have been anticipating their second release for the past two years to see what they would do, and if they could top the first outing. Sadly, I am definitely underwhelmed by "An End Has A Start".

Much of the edginess, menace and urgency of "The Back Room" has been ditched in favor of a fuller, more anthemic (almost Coldplay-ish) sound and more blatantly mopey lyrics (running heavily to broken hearts/bones). More unfortunately, the catchiness quotient has gone down quite a bit, and the songs start to sound the same after a while. The album is heavily frontloaded and starts to run out of steam halfway through.

It's certainly not a bad album - I can truthfully say that I like it, but I really wanted to LOVE it. Despite some very good moments (basically tracks 1-4) and some nice soaring guitar work, much of the material is just not very memorable. I won't be shouting out these choruses with my friends like we do with most of the songs on "The Back Room". Still, I will keep listening to it and maybe it will grow on me, and I will be looking forward to their third album.

I would give this album 3-1/2 stars, but I can't bring myself to round it up to four. Overall, "An End Has A Start" is a disappointment for me. Sophomore slump? Yes indeedy.

By the way, I could apply much of the above commentary to Interpol's "Our Love To Admire", another decent but somewhat disappointing effort.

4 out of 5 stars REACHING FOR A BIGGER SOUND (3.9 stars).......2007-07-17

We've seen this a number of times this year, and it can be a tricky proposal for some. In attempts to broaden and enlarge one's sound, bands can straddle the fence between a big sound and a bland bunch of recordings. On their second full length, An End Has a Start, Editors definitely reach for some of those loftier goals, and while it may miss a few here and there, the record on the whole gets plenty right in the process. The band keep their sound very much intact and only try to improve what has done before.

Leading off with the first single, Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors, the record does in fact sound bigger. The single is a good starting point but it clocks in a bit too long and as some have pointed out, is a little too Coldplay-ish, but I find it still pretty good none-the-less. By the time the second track starts up, you can notice the step up in production. The production on the entire record is rich and full, with a rather large nod going to producer Jacknife Lee. Adding things like a stronger vocal mix for Tom, string sections, and even a choir attest to this bigger, fuller sound.

So how are the "tunes" though? In short, much like (their debut) The Back Room. About half of An End Has a Start can point to a "sister" tune off of the Back Room. Bones for example, is the new Munich while the pacing and sound of Escape the Nest is pretty much what is found on Camera or Fall. Similarities aside, a fan of Editors is going to love the new album. I somehow find it dynamic without it being as hook driven as their first release. There are a couple of forgettable songs on here, but the overall quality of production and songwriting far outweigh any shortcomings. It's a bit of a "grower" as they say, but over time, I'll be happy to mark the doorframe.

P.S.
Anyone thinking about the deluxe package of An End Has A Start, might want to pass unless they HAVE to have it, as it really doesn't have much to offer than an over-sized bound book type of package. There isn't any lyrics or extras photos or anything. Just an FYI.

5 out of 5 stars Unfairly Criticized. .......2007-07-17

I just did a search for The Editors here and I think it is kind of funny that Interpol's new CD turned up four positions down on the page result because the only reason an old guy like me has even heard of this band was due to my conducting a search a few weeks ago regarding the release date for Our Love to Admire. I came across an article in which the reporter claimed that The Editors were a rip-off of Interpol. Whether that is true or not I cannot say although the influence of the great band on The Editors is undeniable in the tracks of An End Has a Start. That they may possibly be derivative is irrelevant to me, however, as I love these songs and love this album. I am not surprised that another reviewer had a line from "The Weight of the World" as his title because the tune is both haunting and excellent. Really, the first time through I thought this was an uneven CD and one that I would give three stars to but I was totally wrong. I now appreciate every song and think they range from excellent to above average.
A New Day Has Come
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • New Day for Celine's Career -- Emotion over Commercial Appeal
  • love it
  • There's a reason she's a diva
  • Fantastic
  • A Masterpiece for Music
 A New Day Has Come
Celine Dion
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. All The Way...A Decade of Song
  2. One Heart
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ASIN: B00005YXZI
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

  1. I'm Alive
  2. Right In Front Of You
  3. Have You Ever Been In Love
  4. Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)
  5. A New Day Has Come (Radio Remix)
  6. Ten Days
  7. Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)
  8. Prayer
  9. I Surrender
  10. At Last
  11. Sorry For Love
  12. Aun Existe Amor
  13. The Greatest Reward
  14. When The Wrong One Loves Your Right
  15. A New Day Has Come
  16. Nature Boy

Amazon.com

Doubters who expect little from Celine Dion but turgid ballads will be surprised by her return to recording after several years. On A New Day Has Come, the big production numbers most associated with the Canadian superstar's name ("My Heart Will Go On," "Because You Loved Me") are evoked by the two versions of "I Surrender" and somewhat lifeless covers of "At Last" and "Nature Boy." At the same time, though, Dion shows her willingness to stretch on the classic-house homage "Sorry for Love" and the unavoidably catchy "Right in Front of You" and "Ten Days." The album's unexpected, often low-key production allows Dion to emote in a straightforward way that gracefully skirts the chest thumping of past days, and the relative subtlety works in her favor. Still, New Day will hardly prove a shocker for her many fans. Crowning the conservative Dion a forward-thinking diva seems a bit premature, but this agreeable record opens the door to such a possibility. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars New Day for Celine's Career -- Emotion over Commercial Appeal.......2007-06-23

In 2002, a year after her son Rene-Charles was born, Celine Dion offered the album which marked an interesting change in her career. While in the 1990's she gradually rose from a talented, already successful singer (witness the 1992 eponymous album) to the superstar of the highest high rank (thanks to her best ever "Falling Into You" and blockbusting though too saccharine Titanic-propelled "Let's Talk About Love"), this CD appeared after a hiatus of over two years. This interruption was initially planned to last longer, but the songbird clearly could not wait to return to the studio and share her fresh-mommy joy with the world.

The album debuted on No.1 slot of the US chart alright and in other countries it was also expected with feverish anticipation (too many of us missed her), but received rather a cold reception from the critics and, interestingly, did not get a single Grammy nomination. Despite this, Celine's "New Day" was really new -- in a positive sense!

Put simply, Dion's new situation life obviously helped her infuse the generous set of 17 songs with an incredibly believable dose of palpable emotions. Beside the title track, an ode to the relationship with the new baby, this is nowhere more evident than in the ode to motherly love, the Mutt Lange-penned "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)", where Celine, the youngest of 14 siblings apparently draws from a relationship with her own mom. Dion's singing on ballads is less melismatic (and thus less annoying -- this was a problem with "Let's Talk About Love"), ballads are sublime, many of them truly beautiful ("Have You Ever Been In Love", "Prayer"), and faster songs are more numerous than on "Let's Talk About Love", making the record varied and not too long even at almost 73 minutes (European version) of playing time. Nice, if not particularly memorable are the diva's shots at two standards -- Etta James' "At Last" and "Nature Boy", fresh off the then film-hit "Moulin Rouge".

A year after this, Celine put out another, this time a too ordinary CD for her standard, "One Heart", and her devotion to motherhood cause continued on Anne Geddes mono-thematic collab "Miracle". None of the two achieved the overall quality of "New Day", which, although employing less-known songwriters and having spawned no major hits, still remains the best Celine Dion CD of the new millennium so far.

5 out of 5 stars love it.......2007-06-11

This has turned out to be the best CD i own. All the songs are awesome. I listened to celine before but never bought a cd of hers. Now i want to buy all of them. It came quickly and it's amazing

5 out of 5 stars There's a reason she's a diva.......2007-03-11

It's because she's good. Celine Dion has become one of the most famous diva popsters of all time, and this album showcases some of her most satisfying and memorable songs, from the soaring "I Surrender" to the rivetingly catchy "I"m Alive" and "Right in Front of You". Her hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" is an enduring classic, and virtually every song on this disc can be played over and over without losing its flavor. She does descend into showy histrionics a few times("At Last" and "The Wrong One Loves You Right") but overall an intensely satisfying and glorious collection. Her "A New Day has Come" and "I'm Alive" are two of my favorite songs of all time, with their rhythmic affirmation of life and hope. A good introduction for new fans and a must for any old one.

5 out of 5 stars Fantastic.......2007-02-17

Celine Dion at her best. That's all I am going to say! This is one of my all time favorites.

5 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece for Music.......2007-02-08

This is Definetly My Favourite Album from Celine Dion, From 2002, and Ultimatly One of my Favourite Albums of All Time...
The Album as a Whole is Extremely Solid, with not just Great singles, but Great music throughout the Album.
This Album was obviously very personal to Celine. This was the start of a New Chapter in her life. The Song "A New Day Has Come" is about the birth of her baby son, whilst tracks like "Goodbye" is about the loss of her mother. This is one of the reasons why it is such a Masterpiece, because Celine felt the songs and because the songs were personal they are able to touch the people listening to them, who may be in the same circumstances.
I Am Writing this Review as I listen to the album and here is my rating of my fave tracks - 15 out of the 17 Tracks on the Album.

1."I'm Alive" - This song is just that. It makes you feel Alive. It is Upbeat and Uplifting. It has a Beautiful Melody and Rhythm. The lyrics are also beautiful, and it's no wonder this song became a single, as it is one of the best on the album. It's my 2nd Fave on the Album.
It talks about the feeling you get when the one you love is around you and you get an energy of them. The Song captures this Feeling Perfectly.
"When You Call On Me. When I Heare You Breathe.
I Get Wings To Fly. I Feel That I'm Alive.
When You look At Me I Can Touch The Sky.
I Know That I'm Alive
When You Last A Day. I Just Drift Away.
All My Wrorries Die. I'm Glad That I'm Alive" 5/5

2. "Right In Front Of You" - Is Another great song about having faith to find love in your life. It just sounds great and uplifting like the previous track. "Love Can Withstand A Storm. In The Final Hour We'll Find The Joy In Living." It sounds very Canadian. 4/5

3. "Have You Ever Been In Love" - This is a Beautiful Ballad and a single from the Album.It sounds very Jazz type and has A Beautiful Melody. The Lyrics are Even more beautiful
"Have You Ever Been In Love. You Could Touch The Moonlight.
When Your Heart is Shooting Stars.
You're Holding Heaven in Your Arms
Have You Ever Been So In Love.
Have You Ever Walked On Air.
Ever Felt Like You Were Dreamin'
When You Never Thought It Could. But It really Feels That Good.
Have You Ever Been In Love" 4/5

4. "Rain Tax" is a good Pop Song. The Lyrics aren't great, but it has a good tune. It's Inevitable she would fall in love with the man in the song she is singing about. "When You See What I Want. What I Want Is You" - 4/5

5. "A New Day Has Come" - This is the Radio Version, and is my Favourite version. My Favourite Track On The Album. Its A Pop Ballad, and has A Wonderful message. It talks about the Birth of her New Son. It has the Most Beautiful Lyrics
"Let The Rain Come Down, And Wash Away My Tears.
Let It Fill My Soul, And Drown my Fears.
Let it Shatter The Walls For A New Sun.
A New Day Has Come.
Where It Was Dark. Now Theres Light.
Where There Was Pain. Now Theres Joy.
Where There Was Weakness. I Found My Strength.
All In The Eyes Of A Boy" - 5/5

6. "Ten Days" - This is Quite A Good song. It's not the best on the album, but it's good. - 3/5

7. "Goodbye[The Saddest Word]" - This is a song about Celine's mother, who passed away while she was recording this album. The song is Beautiful, but I Can't help but feel sad when I Listen to it.
"Goodbye's The Saddest Word I'll Ever Hear.
Goodbye's The Last Time I Will Hold You Near.
Someday You'll Say That Word.
And I Will Cry. It'll Break my Heart To Hear You Say Goodbye."
There is Also a Great Spanish Guitar Instrumantation. This Song Captures the way we All feel about a Lost one at some point in our life. 5/5

8. "Prayer" is a Beautiful song that says how Children are Our Future, and how they should rejoyce and cherish life. Even though Sombre at times it is still Happy and Uplifting, with a Blatant Message of Hope. 4/5

9. "I Surrender" is a Good song about Surrendering everything to have A New Love, and Begin a Better Life. It's A Pretty good song. Geline Sings Well In It Too. 4/5

10. "Super Love" is Quite A Good Song, that Borders on Pop and Dance. It Talks about not settling for less in a relationship. "Some People Never Find Out, How It Feels To Be Feeling No Doubt" It's Not Great, nor Is One Of The Albums High points, but It's not Worth Skipping either. 3/5

11. "Sorry For Love" is one Of The Albums High Points. It's A Great Dance Song, and has A Great bridge where Celine holds a Powerful note for at least 10 seconds. One of My Favourites. 5/5

12. "Aun Existe Amour" is a Beautiful Spanish song. Celine's Vocals sound beautiful in this song. It also has Beautiful Instramentation. Beautiful Piano Chords and Sounds very Spanish and Lush. Beautiful is the only word that will describe it. This is Another Favourite of Mine. 5/5

13. "The Greatest Reward" is Another Beautiful ballad. The Lyrics are also Heartfelt.
"Now The Greatest Reward. Is The Light In Your Eyes.
The Sound Of Your Voice. And The Touch Of Your Hand.
You Make Me Who I Am."
A True Essence Of Love Is Captured In This Song. 5/5

14. "When The Wrong One Loves You Right" is A Good Pop Song. 4/5.

15. is The Original Version of "A New Day Has Come". This Version is Beautiful, But I Preffer The Radio Remix.

Overall This Is A Great Album, and ALL CELINE DION FANS AND MUSIC LOVERS SHOULD OWN IT. The Best time of Day to Listen to this Album is The Early Morning, Just as The Sun Is Rising. A New Day Really Has Come When You're Listing to this Record...And You'll Be Glad To Be Alive!

Has Been
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Capn Kirk at his best!
  • An excellent album - lay aside your preconceptions and give it a listen
  • Came for Folds, stayed for Shatner
  • A Gem to the Mix
  • Nice
 Has Been
William Shatner
Manufacturer: Shout! Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002RUPH4
Release Date: 2007-01-08

Tracks:

  1. Common People (featuring Joe Jackson)
  2. It Hasnt Happened Yet
  3. Youll Have Time
  4. Thats Me Trying (featuring Aimee Mann and Ben Folds)
  5. What Have You Done
  6. Together (featuring Lemon Jelly)
  7. Familiar Love
  8. Ideal Woman
  9. Has Been
  10. I Cant Get Behind That (featuring Henry Rollins)
  11. Real (featuring Brad Paisley)

Amazon.com

After his rendition of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" on the infamous Golden Throats album (though it first appeared on the Transformed Man LP), one could argue that the world needed a new William Shatner album about as much as it needed a big-screen remake of TJ Hooker. But Shatner's back all the same with an intriguing, introspective collection of mostly spoken-word tracks that are all the more compelling when it becomes clear that Has Been is, in fact, no joke. Ben Folds played on and produced the record, creating rich, melodic, and varied pop musical backgrounds to Shatner's world-weary, boozy-suave yet thoroughly impassioned delivery. Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, Brad Paisley, and Adrian Belew also stop by to lend their divergent talents. Highlights include the Rollins/Shatner rant "I Can't Get Behind That" and the Folds/Mann/Shatner collaboration "That's Me Trying", which tells the painful story of an attempted family reconciliation. Shatner mixes a healthy amount of self-awareness with a just a dollop of self-mockery and then combines it all with plenty of raw vulnerability to create an effect that is surprisingly touching, highly entertaining, and unlike any music you've ever heard. --John Moe

Amazon.com Exclusive Footage
William Shatner was recently caught on tape by paparazzi responding to reports that some people hadn't yet heard his new album. See him read Amazon.com customer reviews of Has Been as he makes his case: high bandwidth, low bandwidth.

Album Description

From pop-culture icon William Shatner comes Has Been, an album unlike anything you've ever heard before. Produced and arranged by Ben Folds and featuring numerous notable guest appearances, Has Been is the result of the collision of two great creative forces — a surprisingly pop-driven, lyrically potent collection of songs to enlighten and entertain.

Throughout Has Been, Shatner's own insightful lyrics are masterfully woven into perfect pop melodies written and arranged by Ben Folds. Giving Shatner and Folds a hand on the project is an incredible lineup of singers and musicians, including Jon Auer, Adrian Belew, Matt Chamberlain, Joe Jackson, Lemon Jelly, Aimee Mann, Brad Paisley, Henry Rollins and Sebastian Steinberg.

Highlights include the poignant "That's Me Trying," penned by Ben Folds with High Fidelity author Nick Hornby, a brilliant version of the Pulp Britpop classic "Common People," featuring vocals by Joe Jackson and closing track, "Real," a duet with country star Brad Paisley, written exclusively for this project.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Capn Kirk at his best!.......2007-06-08

If you like Willam Shatner you will love this cd, lots of fun and the duets are excellent. Great cd for a nice car ride.

5 out of 5 stars An excellent album - lay aside your preconceptions and give it a listen.......2007-05-26

My brother sent me a copy of this saying more or less the same thing as the title above - just try it, go on, just try it. I'm glad I did. Listen to the opening track and make up your own mind from there.

By the way, if you like this CD you will love Ponderous by 2nu.

5 out of 5 stars Came for Folds, stayed for Shatner.......2007-05-15

I acquired this album solely because one of my favorite artists, Ben Folds, was producing it. I wasn't a fan of The Transformed Man, but I had to give this a go; musically, at least, it was sure to please. I was surprised to find Shatner's rendition of "Common People" to be exceedingly listenable (and in fact enjoyable!), but not as surprised as I was to find the whole CD to be good. Not just good, but excellent. William Shatner has made an album that is emotional, intentionally funny in some parts, and a marvelous listen. Folds fleshed out the tracks with excellent production and backing, but the writing and even, yes, the delivery are stand-outs. Truly, the music is just a backdrop for the spoken-word poetry that this record is all about.

This album is a rewarding listen. It is unfortunate that so many would dismiss it simply because it's a William Shatner record.

4 out of 5 stars A Gem to the Mix.......2007-04-17

William Shatner, the world renowned genius and space extraordinare, takes the wheel of a Mini Cooper and literally drives up and down California, hitting every nook and cranny in his long and fruitful existence. Has Been, the long awaited follow up to Shatner's decidingly tasteful music career, is one of those albums that one might toss aside or value next to The Rolling Stone's Exile on Main Street.

Why?

Take the fundamentals of lounge, the rocking soul lessons from piano and guitar guru Ben Folds, and the swagger and style of William Shatner... it's priceless originality. The man, Shatner that is, is bold enough to go where no one will go, and further.

"Common People", a cover nonetheless, opens Has Been with monumental proportions. Shatner's spoken word glides carelessly over punk rock anthemic chords and once Folds' vocals layer over, it's musical chocolate. "It Hasn't Happened Yet" is relaxing, even if the musical undertones scream Light FM.

"What Have You Done" is moving, to say the least. Shatner speaks from a dark room, away from his own self embodiment and gives a confession. There is no music, but his voice carries something that likens to Jim Morrison on American Prayer.

"Together" and "Familiar Love" are the highlights of the album, sounding more Moby, Jon Brion, or Burt Baccarach than anything else.
However, "Ideal Woman" kicks high gear into that familiar Shatner territory with ingenius and comical lyrics, though you can see his expressions even if you're not watching him.

Contributions from Henry Rollins is a positive facet to Shatner's now growing collaborations; however, "Real" with Brad Paisley stinks of cheese and ends the album on a ridiculously sour note unfortunately.

Shatner is win or lose with people. His style is non linear with what music is expected to be like today, which is what makes the idea of him so appealing. Has Been is a collection of some great stories that were turned to killer songs on behalf of Ben Folds.

Thank you.

4 out of 5 stars Nice.......2007-04-04

Surprisingly well done. I bought it on a whim, and really like it.
The Time Has Come
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best ever
  • calido tesoro
  • Time has come today By The Chambers Brothers
  • Psychedelic Perfection
  • Psychedelic masterpiece
 The Time Has Come
The Chambers Brothers
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Time Has Come: The Best of the Chambers Brothers

ASIN: B00004XSVQ
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

  1. All Strung Out Over You
  2. People Get Ready
  3. I Can't Stand It
  4. Romeo And Juliet
  5. In The Midnight Hour
  6. So Tired
  7. Uptown
  8. Please Don't Leave Me
  9. What The World Needs Now Is Love
  10. Time Has Come Today
  11. Dinah
  12. Falling In Love
  13. Love Me Like The Rain
  14. Time Has Come Today (Single Version One)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best ever.......2007-07-16

This is an OUTSTANDING album. It sounds as fresh today as when it was released almost 40 years ago.

4 out of 5 stars calido tesoro.......2007-03-02

realmente los 60 fueron una caldera inagotable de sensaciones, estilos,excesos, propuestas... que dificilmente puedan tener parangon...he aqui una muestra muy valiosa de esa confusa y hermosa realidad..gospel, funk, rock, psicodelia....versiones como "in the midnight hour","people get ready" te vuelan la cabeza.....muy buen disco, ademas tiene esa joya perenne como "time has come today"..que mas queres??

4 out of 5 stars Time has come today By The Chambers Brothers.......2007-02-24

One of the First albums too talk about the Homeless. One of the first R&B/Gospel groups too cross over to the Rock genre. The Chambers Brothers are one of the Icons of the early Rock Movement. Two songs (The Time Has Come Today & People Get Ready), are must haves for Any Fan of early Rock.

5 out of 5 stars Psychedelic Perfection.......2006-10-13

"Time Has Come Today" is one of the best psychedelic rock recordings ever produced and is a "must have" for any 60's rock aficionado. I heard it for the first time in 1968 on WABX FM in Detroit. I had a 10th grade Enlish teacher who would let us listen to the radio in class while doing our writing assignments. "Time" was one of the songs on the free form ABX playlist that got me hooked on rock and blues. Get this album!!!

5 out of 5 stars Psychedelic masterpiece.......2006-04-06

You simply cannot talk 60's psychedelia and not mention The Chambers Brothers! Their harmonizing and far-out sound (blending many musical elements to create their own unique sound) make this album a treasure.

I, too, have this primarily because of the full eleven minute version of "Time Has Come Today" but I love the majority of the album, most especially "So Tired" (second fave on this album) as well as "Dinah" (an extra track on the cd that was not part of the album).

This goes hand in hand with Iron Butterfly's seventeen minute epic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." Put those two cuts along with Grand Funk Railroad's "I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home," The Steve Miller Band's "Space Encounter/Fly Like An Eagle," Neil Young's "Cowgirl In the Sand," Eric Burdon and The Animals' "Sky Pilot" and anything else you can squeeze in (considering those tracks' combined running time will go over the time limit of a standard 74 minute disc) onto one CD and fly away! - Donna Di Giacomo
An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ring introduction critique
  • FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE
  • Welcome back to a classic analysis
  • Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle
  • Very Functional
 An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Ring of the Nibelung

ASIN: B00000424H
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

  1. Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
  2. The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
  3. Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
  4. A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
  5. A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
  6. So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
  7. The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
  8. The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
  9. Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
  10. Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
  11. The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
  12. Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
  13. In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
  14. Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
  15. Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
  16. Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
  17. Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
  18. The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
  19. When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
  20. A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

  1. The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
  2. There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
  3. The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
  4. One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
  5. The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
  6. Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
  7. Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
  8. Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
  9. Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
  10. One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
  11. One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
  12. There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
  13. These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
  14. Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
  15. Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
  16. Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
  17. In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
  18. Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
  19. Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
  20. This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

5 out of 5 stars FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

4 out of 5 stars Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

5 out of 5 stars Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

4 out of 5 stars Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.
Let Yourself Go
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best ever!
  • Kristen Chenowith
  • Has its moments
  • Great CD!
  • This woman has what it takes, and then some...
 Let Yourself Go
Kristin Chenoweth , Jule Styne , George Gershwin , Richard Rodgers , Jeanine Tesori , Kurt Weill , Jerome Kern , Vincent Youmans , Ricky Ian Gordon , Richard Dworsky , Lawrence Ellington Duke / Brown , Harry Warren , Bobby Troup , Jason Alexander , Irving Berlin , Rob Fisher , and The Coffee Club Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000059T4T
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Tracks:

  1. Let Yourself Go
  2. If
  3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
  4. My Funny Valentine
  5. Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
  6. The Girl in 14G
  7. I'll Tell the Man in the Street
  8. I'm a Stranger Here Myself
  9. Nobody Else But Me
  10. Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
  11. Should I Be Sweet?
  12. He's Just an Ordinary Guy
  13. Going to the Dance with You
  14. On a Turquoise Cloud
  15. You'll Never Know
  16. Daddy

Amazon.com

Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24

Do I mean the best album or the best singer? You are correct if you said both! I saw Kristin Chenoweth on a PBS show "Broadway's Best at the Pops," (though it was not the first time I had heard her) and decided to check out the offerings here. This is a collection of the kind of music and performances I love. She has a great range, a precise pitch, and a great style that is at the same time true to the music and to herself. In an era when singers try to outdo each other re-interpreting the composer's original work, not usually with great success, she is a blessing!

5 out of 5 stars Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26

I bought this CD for the Girl in 14G. Yes, it's that good...

4 out of 5 stars Has its moments.......2007-02-19

After watching Candide endlessly and going to see Ms. Chenoweth in The Apple Tree, I was hungry for something more portable to listen to. At times this fits the bill, but what surprised me the most is how thin her voice comes across on this recording. Perhaps it was the joy of seeing her live that has ruined this listener; perhaps I need to upgrade my aging music system. Then again, maybe the recording is just not as good as Ms. C singing Bernstein or as good as staring at Ms. C command a Broadway stage.

4 out of 5 stars Great CD!.......2007-01-19

I truly enjoy listening to this CD. Kristin Chenoweth's vocal style and abilities are very well-matched to the songs selected for this album. If you enjoy classic, older-style Broadway/popular tunes, I would highly recommend this CD. Ms. Chenoweth has a bright, expressive voice and does a fantastic job with this material.

As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.

5 out of 5 stars This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12

Kristin Chenoweth brings new life to some timeless Broadways tunes while introducing a few wonderful new ones. This high pitched vocal goddess effortlessly provides for a nearly flawless and easy listening experience. I definitly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys jazz vocals, showtunes, or just a new spin on some old classics.
Music Has The Right To Children
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Modern Classic
  • Strange and beautiful
  • Excellent....
  • Music Has the Right to Children
  • An Album that Transcends Time and Space
 Music Has The Right To Children
Boards of Canada
Manufacturer: Warp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001RVTWA
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

  1. Wildlife Analysis
  2. Eagle in Your Mind
  3. Color of the Fire
  4. Telephasic Workshop
  5. Triangles & Rhombuses
  6. Sixtyten
  7. Turquoise Hexagon Sun
  8. Kaini Industries
  9. Bocuma
  10. Roygbiv
  11. Rue the Whirl
  12. Aquarius
  13. Olson
  14. Pete Standing Alone
  15. Smokes Quantity
  16. Open the Light
  17. One Very Important Thought
  18. Happy Cycling

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A Modern Classic.......2007-07-13

I have been into "new age" music since the 1980's, then I discovered ambient/electronica and chill out. "Music has the right to Children" is definitely a blend of the latter, well worth the purchase price. I suppose if you took a little bit of Tangerine Dream, David Lanz, Paul Speer, Freedom, Biosphere and mixed it together, and added a heavy dash of Francois K., The Starseeds and just a touch of Klaus Schulze, you would have this work by Boards of Canada. Modern, contemporary and having no pretenses of tinkly-winkly, star-trekky new age chrystal waving activists, "Music has the Right to Children" is a naturally free-flowing, sonic mix of the band members doing what they do best.

This album in the background inspires me to write better, to relax, and more importantly, to make me feel that I am over the year 2000 hump. I can see listening to this album 20 years from now with the enthusiasm I had when I bought it. (I sampled the tracks at Silver Platters beforehand, so that I didn't end up with only two or three good tracks, and the rest mediocre). I wish I had waited and bought a used copy, but, that doesn't really matter. My favorite tracks are #2, "An Eagle on Your Mind" and #4, "Telephasic Workshop," where the synchopated, off-beat rhythmica develop nicely with the harmonious keyboard scaled tremelos in the backdrop. A few muddled voices with the crisp high-hat percussion add to the variety, making this album a true keeper. I look forward to acquiring more of their work. Good job, fellows!

5 out of 5 stars Strange and beautiful.......2007-05-25

Before I ever heard this album, I was listening to punk, rock, pop, anything you could find on the Disney channel. But I made friends with people who don't watch tv, and ended up a bigger fan of BoC than them. I don't think of BoC as "New Age," "experimental," "ambient" or "trip-hop."
The best word I can use to describe the three LPs that I am aware of (MHARTC, Geogaddi, and The Campfire Headphase) is Elemental. Go ahead, listen again.
MHAR: Air. Light, floating leads like dust particles, spacey pads, kind of like floating on a cloud.
Geogaddi: Fire. Crackling, distorted vocals, music like smoke after a fire has been watered.
And speaking of water, how about The Campfire Headphase? Samples of waves, undulating progressions, sounds like being out at sea, all alone floating without a care in the world.

But if your sign is an air sign, give this one a try!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent...........2007-03-11

I really love this album......:-) No further explanation needed. Enjoy! & CHILL!

5 out of 5 stars Music Has the Right to Children.......2007-01-20

Adam Wiltzie, former bassist for post-rockers Windsor for the Derby, once said that their band tried hard to emulate visually in their album covers what the music on those albums indicated aurally. That seems to be becoming less relevant these days, as fewer and fewer people actually buy CDs, but the cover of BoC's "Music Has the Right to Children," depicting a turquoise, washed-out photograph of a 1970s family with their faces erased, perfectly encapsulates the album's effect, whether desired or not. On paper, Boards of Canada's M.O. lumps them in with the rest of the IDM movement circa 1998: mid-tempo beats, lush synth washes and a bit of turntablism. Yet the music proves to be far greater than the sum of its few integral parts, especially with repeated listens. For a lot of music writers who spent their youth in the 1970s, "Music" exhumes their childhood memories with a blurry, greenish tint, marked by weathered decay and intrusive vocal samples that sound as though they're coming from domineering parents, public announcement systems and educational videos. Like Liz Phair's "Exile in Guyville," Boards of Canada's debut album was so good that it became the band's death knell: their subsequent albums, while accomplished, paled in comparison to "Music"s puzzling brilliance. It's a testament to the album's je ne sais quoi specialness that so many musicians have attempted the BoC sound with far more diminutive results.

5 out of 5 stars An Album that Transcends Time and Space.......2007-01-20

Ok, the title of this review is a bit odd and possibly even idiotic-sounding but I must say that this album is one of my top aural delights of all time. On this album you will find great beats, some catchy melodies, vintage keyboards, and a lot of variation (yet the album is very cohesive) and interesting music. This is tied with Aphex Twin's classic Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (which I highly recommend also!) for being the best electronica album ever. This is great stuff.
Drifter Like Me
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • a fan
  • Sweet High Lonesome
 Drifter Like Me
Becky Schlegel
Manufacturer: Becky Schlegel
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007YA2F2
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

  1. Drifter Like Me
  2. Drive On
  3. So Embarrassing
  4. California Night
  5. Tell Me Now
  6. These Hard Times
  7. Cheyenne
  8. Windmill
  9. Never Did Fit In
  10. No Angel
  11. Let It Ride

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars a fan.......2005-08-27

I just saw Becky, Gordon Johnson, Brian Fesler, and Susan Christianson play live. Amazingly this CD does not quite capture Becky live. Becky and her band are truly talented. I like this CD, Drifter Like Me, California Night, and Cheyenne are great songs on the CD. They have a bluegrass feel and have beautiful harmonies.

4 out of 5 stars Sweet High Lonesome.......2005-05-15

The high and sweet-voiced bluegrass singer from Minnesota is back with another lovely album, DRIFTER LIKE ME. She appears to still be searching for a stable group of musicians to support her poignant style of high lonesome singing-only one of her players (Gordon Johnson on bass) appeared on her fine 2002 effort, RED LEAF. She's an interesting mix of indie-style songwriter and bluegrass composer. She appears to be influenced by Alison Krauss-as many are these days-and sings with great style and sophistication. Talented musicians here include Brian Fester (banjo and guitar), Clay Hess and Richard Nunneley (mandolin) and Becky herself (guitar). The banjo is a return to the sound of her first album: Becky Schlegel and True Blue's THIS LONESOME SONG. Interestingly, RED LEAF had no banjo player and there is no fiddle on any of her albums. While her players are not as awesomely talented as those in Union Station, Becky's effort has a distinct and personal feel due, perhaps, to her having written every song. Notable among the fine songs here are "Windmill"-a sort of celtic/bluegrass combination-and "No Angel" with an amazing guitar/vocal duet. One additional small point-Becky's song here, "Tell Me Now"," is entirely different than her "Tell Me Now" which appears on RED LEAF. Same title-two different Becky Schlegel compositions.
The System Has Failed
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Megadeth delivers an OK album after Two Duds
  • Great Album
  • The System Has . . . Suceeded!
  • Boring,.,,
  • A solid effort.
 The System Has Failed
Megadeth
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Rust In Peace
  2. Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?
  3. So Far, So Good...So What!
  4. Youthanasia
  5. Cryptic Writings

ASIN: B0002SPQ1I
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

  1. Blackmail The Universe
  2. Die Dead Enough
  3. Kick The Chair
  4. The Scorpion
  5. Tears In A Vial
  6. I Know Jack
  7. Back In The Day
  8. Something That I'm Not
  9. Truth Be Told
  10. Of Mice And Men
  11. Shadow Of Deth
  12. My Kingdom

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Megadeth delivers an OK album after Two Duds.......2007-07-23

Most will think that Megadeth's 1999 album "Risk" might be their worst album. I happen to think it is more then bad, its just sad. Experimentation is a good thing, but you better make sure that if you are going to do it, then do it right. 2001's "The World Needs a hero" wasnt much better. Three tracks were good, but the rest just seemed like they were in the direction of "Risk" Finally we get to 2004's "The System has Failed" While its not perfect, it certainly picks up a little pace, without so much of the boring drab of the other two releases. Dont get me wrong, being slow can be just as heavy and brutal then being fast. Bolt Throwers newer material proves that, but when it gets to the point when it doesnt even define Hard Rock, and is more on the point of pop, then it just gets me a little bitter. AS I said, there is much less of that on this album, and Four of the tracks (Blackmail the Universe, Kick the Chair, Back in the Day, and My Kingdom) really hit hard. There are another two songs that are OK, nothing special, and the rest just isnt to my liking. So its not a total disaster, which is a good thing, and its still a bit better then the new release "United Abominations" Megadeth has gone in a different direction. Maybe they will suprise me and deliver a full album of outstanding material. Until they do, this will just have to do.

4 out of 5 stars Great Album.......2007-06-24

Good album... better than their latest "united abominations". After Cryptic writing and Risk this album was most welcome.

5 out of 5 stars The System Has . . . Suceeded!.......2007-06-07

Upon first listen to Megadeth's 2004 release ' The System Has Failed ', it was pretty apparent to me that this was no ordinary Megadeth album. Sure, there are plenty of good old Megadeth touches throughout the album... but claims of this album being the next 'Rust in Peace' were quickly dismissed. It wasn't until multiple listens to this album that i started to really pick up on what Megadeth was offering - a very good Megadeth album, arguably the best in years, with plenty of fresh, modern touches packed with just enough old school 'Deth vibes to keep the people coming back for more. Don't write this album off because it doesn't live up to your expectations of older Megadeth classics like i did at first. Megadeth probably will never release an album outclassing ' Rust in Peace ' or ' Peace Sells ', but that's not to say that they aren't capable of putting out a worthy release like this one.

2 out of 5 stars Boring,.,,.......2007-05-19

4 and a half star average customer rating are you freakin kidding me? Megadeth has got to be one of the softest and the weakest thrash metal bands that exists at the moment bar none. The only reason why Megadeth became popular is because Dave Mustaine used to be in Metallica. This album is in reality a real snoozefest in comparrison to hundreds of other metal bands out there that are blessing the scene today! Definitly avoid this album espicially if your looking for heavy thrash metal, if your looking for heavy thrash metal I suggest Kreator, Testament, Sodom, Destruction, Metal Church,Overkill, and Voivod. Leave this band be unless your looking for really soft metal solos that almost sounds like rock solos.

4 out of 5 stars A solid effort........2007-05-14

I looked through the reviews and read both the negatives and positives. The positives generally say that this album is amazing and the negatives say that it's crap and it should be skipped for Rust in Peace or Countdown to Extinction. I'll agree with both people here...kind of.

While many positives say that this is among Megadeth's best or that it's simply incredible, I won't take it that far. I do think this is a very good CD with it's own gems but it may be a little much to say that it's one of their best.

The negative reviews then say skip it for Countdown or R.I.P. I'll agree, those albums are better and if given the choice between one of those and this, go with those. However, it's not fair to be comparing every CD that a band releases to their classics. What makes those albums good is different from what makes this one good (although not by a huge margin).

To sum up, this is a very good album. I'll agree that if you don't have Rust in Peace or Countdown to Extinction, go ahead and skip this one (for now) until you have at least one of those. If you are totally new to Megadeth go with the greatest hits CD. That way you'll get a feel for Megadeth's music and some songs off their various albums and make a decision on what album (if any) is right for you. If you have a pretty decent Megadeth collection, however, this CD is definitely worth a listen.

A final note: The only major complaint I have about this album is the cover art. On it are likenesses of both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush- politicians Dave Mustaine has admittedly voted for. It smacks of bandwagoning to put people that you vote for on your CD and declare that the system has failed.

And that's it. It may not be a classic Megadeth album but hell, it's good in its own right!
Paper Wings & Halo
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • dang that gal can sing!
  • glad i picked better together because they are
  • Very nice..
  • Muffled
  • Love it!
 Paper Wings & Halo
Lori Mckenna
Manufacturer: Signature Sounds
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Pieces of Me
  2. Bittertown
  3. Bittertown
  4. Unglamorous
  5. Story Of Ruby Bridges, The (bkshelf) (Scholastic Bookshelf)

ASIN: B000066RLJ
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

  1. As I am
  2. What's One More Time
  3. Paper Wings and Halo
  4. Ruby's Shoes
  5. Would You Love Me Then
  6. Hardly Speaking A Word
  7. It's Easy When You Smile
  8. Paying The Price
  9. Swallows Me Whole
  10. Don't Tell Her
  11. Holy Water
  12. Never Be Back
  13. Not In This Life (Live and Previously Unreleased)
  14. Josephine (Live and Previously Unreleased)
  15. Paper Wings & Halo (Live and Previously Unreleased)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars dang that gal can sing!.......2006-03-10

i was already a fan of lori mckenna when i saw her on oprah with faith hill. personally, i think lori's version (the original) of the song 'fireflies' is waaaay better than faith's rendition. i also like lori's voice better - sorry to any faith fans! mckenna's voice has a folksy, fluttering sound that draws you in - her voice catches and your heart feels that ole pull. her songs are so breathtakingly real and down-to-earth, yet they are lyrical and poetic at the same time.

beautiful work!

5 out of 5 stars glad i picked better together because they are .......2006-01-30

was not going to get this cd and then i saw the better together and it was a good price so i got then i am very glad i did this a
great album Ruby's shoes and paper wings and halo are great songs i realy glad i got tis album

5 out of 5 stars Very nice.........2006-01-11

This is a very nice work of music. I recommend it!!!

3 out of 5 stars Muffled.......2005-10-05

I just learned of Lori McKenna from the Oprah show with Faith Hill. I typed in her name in "keyword" and was amazed that she was so popular and had made several albums!
From reading about her, she is an amazing person and I really wanted to own all of her albums, but I can barely understand what she is saying, however, I still plan to buy at least one just because I can relate to her depth, her sincerity, her
honesty, her perception of life.
I regret saying this, but I hope someone down the line continues to make her songs (like Faith Hill did) so that we can fully understand and appreciate them. Lori is a wonderful person, so
this, in no way, is meant to be offensive.
I just can't make out much of what she is saying.

5 out of 5 stars Love it!.......2004-05-01

I love the music on this CD. I find myself playing it over and over. If I have my MP3 player on random, I always stop to listen (and sing) whenever one of these songs comes on. I first heard her on NPR, and I have loved every song from her I've heard. Her voice takes some getting used to, but the songs grow on you the more you hear them. Paper Wings and Halo and Would you Love Me Then are two of my favorites.

Music:

  1. I Still Feel You
  2. Incog-Neato
  3. Indie Choice 2002
  4. Infotainment Scan
  5. Inside, Looking Out
  6. Juxtapose
  7. Keep It Like a Secret
  8. Last Cup of Sorrow Pt. 2 [CD-single]
  9. Let the People Have Their Say [CD-single]
  10. Licensed to Ill (Limited Edition)

Music

music

Music

Fuzz, Flaykes, & Shakes, Vol. 3: Stay Out of My World

Piano Recital (Eduard Stan plays Bach, Busoni, Chopin)

Luciano Berio: Many More Voices

Me & Chet/Me & Jerry

Words for the Dying

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunow

Moonlighting

Lebendige Vergangenheit: Gitta Alpar

Legendary Dolly Parton [Import]

Love Notes

Long Division

Love Journey [Import]

Mastercuts Chilled: Mellow Vibes For Evenings In

American Sonatas

Half Past Autumn Suite