Curse

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
The Fiend's 1990 LP with six additional bonus tracks to give 15 cuts of the group at their most eccentric best. The superb 'Now I'm Feeling Zombified' 45 is included alongside the four part epic 'Katch 22' on what is generally regarded as one of the band's strongest studio outings. Bonus tracks - 'Mad Daddy Drives A U.F.O.', 'Wuthering Wind', 'Radio Jimi', 'Hands Of The Silken' & 'Blessing In Disguise'.

Tracks:

Fog Bound
The Medallion Calls
The Black Pearl
Will and Elizabeth
Swords Crossed
Walk the Plank
Barbossa Is Hungry
Blood Ritual
Moonlight Serenade
To the Pirates' Cave!
Skull and Crossbones
Bootstrap's Bootstraps
Underwater March
One Last Shot
He's a Pirate

Amazon.com

Loosely based on the popular Disney theme park audio-animatronic ride, one might expect a modicum of good-natured "Yo-ho-ho-ing"--or maybe a little rousing Korngold/Errol Flynn/Captain Blood orchestral romanticism--here. Instead composer Klaus Badelt initially entices us with some sparing Celtic folk charm, then unleashes a furious broadside of symphonic and choral thunder to rival his ominous score for K-19. The composer's fellow German mentor is an obvious influence throughout (the album is credited with a wink as "Score overproduced by Hans 'Long John' Zimmer") but Badelt brings his own muscular instincts to bear throughout. Perhaps shrewdly realizing that genre cliches are nothing if not for reinventing, Badelt delivers his rhythmically nervous Eurocentric sensibilities--sort of Holst duels Shostakovich on the Spanish Main--with the subtlety of a scorching cannonball. It's seasoned with a little romantic respite in the final act, if a bit gingerly, and could no doubt profit by some of Korngold's sparkling melodic verve. But it's a loud, unabashed Summer Blockbuster score at heart; alert the neighbors. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Music review Pirates of the Caribbean.......2007-07-18

I loved the movie, but I love the music even more. This is an excellent CD with only one problem - the last song (which is my favorite) is not long enough. It's easy to picture scenes from the movie while listening to each song. If you enjoy the symphony you will enjoy this CD. Happy listening!

Great music.......2007-07-08

A great soundtrack from a wonderful movie. Too bad the second and third pirates movies weren't as good as the first. Regardless, great soundtrack.

This soundtrack will make you feel like a pirate.......2007-07-07

i saw the movie which i recommend to buy now from amazon,i recommend to buy the three movies and have all the selection of pirates of the caribbean,this soundtrack is something that put you in the movie,words can't describe this cd,click,buy and you will see

yes, all true, but the sound!!!.......2007-06-28

I agree with the other reviewers about the music, which is fine, but also want to point out that this is a terrific work-out for sound systems with REAL sub woofers (not the scrawny boxes that say they are, but aren't). If you have a room shaker system, down to like 15 Hz, this is for you. The deepest and most sustained bass I have ever heard.

Secret - listen for hints of Gladiator and Mission Imossible. He helped with those films - maybe they are little inside jokes?

awesomee.......2007-06-21

I'm not a huge fan of classical music, but many of the songs in this soundtrack melted my heart. :) Some were not *that* good, but some were just very incredible, which makes it worth five stars !

Average customer rating:

big disappointment...
What???
A Worthy Album
Different, Deeper, and Really Good
Great band, only so-so album

A Blessing And A Curse
Drive-by Truckers
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Dirty South
Southern Rock Opera (Dig)
Decoration Day
Pizza Deliverance
Drive By Truckers - Dirty South - Live at the 40 Watt

ASIN: B000E97X6G
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Tracks:

Feb 14
Gravity's Gone
Easy On Yourself
Aftermath USA
Goodbye
Daylight
Wednesday
Little Bonnie
Space City
A Blessing And A Curse
A World Of Hurt

Amazon.com

Known for two big-idea concept albums, Southern Rock Opera (dedicated to Lynyrd Skynyrd) and The Dirty South (a 70+ minute exploration of their Alabama roots), the Drive-by Truckers here go economical with a 45+ minute rock album. Three singers (all guitarists, to boot) ensure that moods shift often, even with every voice bearing a sand-blasted quality that grit-pocks everything. Patterson Hood tackles most of the tunes, sounding like a roughed-up Faces on "Aftermath USA," detailing drugs and deterioration against boogied-up guitars, and sounding a more sensitive side on "Goodbye" and "Little Bonnie" (another in a line of Truckers' funeral tunes). With a barrel-chested croak of a voice, Mike Cooley runs down the rudderless-ness of love and desperation on "Gravity's Gone" and slow, acoustic tenderness on "Space City." The loudest guitarist, Jason Isbell, takes on two tracks: "Easy on Yourself" and "Daylight," where he alternates between wry fury and a yearning pine for more time, more space. Isbell basks in an array of slide-guitar throwdowns, always leaving a signature sound the way Skynyrd's Allen Collins and Gary Rossington did in their glory days. All in all, this is a calmer Truckers set, less ragged and more polished--but rest assured: Their live sets still smoke like their 40 Watt Club DVD from 2005. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

You hear about "the greatest band in the world" being dropped on many a group, desperately given this medal in hopes they'll use it to "save rock-n-roll," whatever that means. But no band that has had to suffer under this artificial responsibility has succeeded so triumphantly as Drive-By Truckers. Equal parts back porch historians, runaway drunken firecrackers, and poets of the hard life and how to live it; they came on the scene and set the bar higher for what you can do with the music we love. The songs on this record illustrate the triumphant struggle it is to survive and thrive in this world. It's not only a great record, but an important statement delivered honestly and passionately without any sugar coating or details spared. It's a refinement, a honing, and a focusing of what you've always loved about them, what makes this band the greatest band in the world.

Customer Reviews:

big disappointment..........2007-02-01

after reading glowing reviews of the DBTs I picked up three of their cds. While some of the lyrics are strong, the songs have no melodies whatsoever. Most of the arrangements consist of guitars blaring over a terrible singer. They're reputed to be carrying on the tradition of Skynyrd and the Allmans. But those bands weren't just loud guitars...they had memorable tunes and great singers. DBTs are a huge letdown.

What???.......2006-12-26

I don't get these other reviews. This disc if beautiful, deep, and clearly fits into the direction that the band is heading. There are several poignant songs (check out Gravity's Gone, Goodbye, Daylight, and ESPECIALLY Little Bonnie). To say that these are poorly written songs is unbelievable.
DBT continues to look at real life situations straight in the eye, and lay all of the emotional cards on the table.
Clunkers on this disc? There may be a couple- I don't like Track #1.... And if you like the really hard stuff (Sink Hole, Careless, Lookout Mtn), you might be put off- it might be a bit mellower than what you're used to.
Overall, though, just another masterpiece from the boys from Alabama.

A Worthy Album.......2006-11-17

Most of the reviews here make a whole lot of sense to me, even the bitter ones. This is NOT in the same league as SRO, Decoration Day nor Dirty South. I was expecting something of that calibre but was very dissapointed when I heard it for the first time. Not a heck of alot of depth here, what happened to the songwriting? I couldnt believe all 3 DBT songwriters went into the songwriting tank at the same time. How could this happen to 3 brilliant writers simultaneously?

What I am finding now after about the 50th listen is that although the songwriting is not as interesting, its a fun album to groove to for music itself. The playing on this album is WAY beyond any of there previous outings, it is slick and polished but it sounds great. The guitars duel the drums kick and the vocals are first rate. The songs are good... not great... but you get used to them after a while and find yourself singing along.

Check it out

ML

Different, Deeper, and Really Good.......2006-10-09

Here DBT experiments a little with being mature. Which means more reflection and, this is the key to why many didn't like this album, more 1st person and less stories, the latter of which has made for some of their better stuff. The music is also notably discordant, almost grating in places, but musically so. The strong hooks and licks are still there. Especially the multi-guitar work that helps define their sound.

The songs may be missing that little bit of wrong that their earlier albums have, but there's little playfulness ('Valentine' and 'Gravity's Gone' and places in others). That said, once you listen to this album a few times, you can't turn it off. It's sad, it's different, but it is darn good and chokes me up a little. Not much music can do that to me. Isbell's two songs in particular ('Daylight' and 'Easy on Yourself') really get me. His work usually does (can you seriously sit through 'Outfit' or 'Emmanuelle' without feeling something). I know fans might have been expecting something else, but stop looking for gold and appreciate the gems. Hood contributes the bulk as usual, and a good bulk, but Cooley shows well, especially on 'Gravity's Gone'.

All in all, a must for DBT fans. For others, start with Decoration Day, move onto the others (Southern Rock Opera and Gangstabilly I recommend second) and eventually get to Blessing and a Curse. By then you'll love DBT too much to ignore it.

Great band, only so-so album.......2006-08-28

This album is not nearly as strong as the three that came before it, but it is still pretty solid. I agree with the reviewer before me in regards to Jason Isbell: what was he thinking with these songs? Compared to the classics he contributed to the last two albums, his additions to this album are pretty lame. I can only guess he is planning a solo album and saving his good stuff for that. Mike Cooley has slowly become the best songwriter in the group, and his two songs on this disc rank with its best material. Again, not a bad album, but by DDT standards, it's pretty forgettable.

Average customer rating:

Blueprint 2 is Jay's Nastradamas..................
A Gift On One CD & A Curse On The Other (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars)
A solid album by the Jigga Man
Blueprint 2 - The Gift And THE CURSE!!!!
One of the better modern Hip-Hop Artist

Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
Jay-Z
Manufacturer: Roc-a-Fella
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

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The Blueprint
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter
Vol. 2, Hard Knock Life
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000

ASIN: B00006ZCFI
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

A Dream (featuring Faith Evans and Notorious B.I.G.)
Hovi Baby
The Watcher 2 (featuring Dr. Dre, Rakim & Truth Hurts)
'03 Bonnie & Clyde (featuring Beyonce Knowles)
Excuse Me Miss
What They Gonna Do (featuring Sean Paul)
All Around the World (featuring LaToiya Williams)
Poppin' Tags (featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike & Twista)
F**k All Nite
The Bounce
I Did It My Way

Tracks:

Diamonds Is Forever
Guns & Roses (featuring Lenny Kravitz)
U Don't Know (remix, featuring M.O.P.)
Meet the Parents
Some How Some Way (featuring Beanie Sigel and Scarface)
Some People Hate
Blueprint 2
N***a Please (featuring Young Chris)
2 Many Hoes
As One (featuring Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns, Peedi Crakk, Sparks & Rell)
A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier
Show You How (bonus track)
B****s & Sisters (bonus track)
What They Gonna Do Part II (bonus track)

Amazon.com

Do you want in on hip-hop's dirty little secret? Well, not even rap's greatest icons have been able to pull of a memorable, fast-forward-free double disc--2Pac's All Eyez on Me and Wu-Tang Clan's Wu-Tang Forever included. On this follow-up to part one, Jay teams up with Destiny's Child's Beyoncé on "03 Bonnie & Clyde," a so-so remake of 2Pac's "Me and My Girlfriend." The Dr. Dre-produced remix to "The Watcher," featuring Rakim, reveals that, in addition to expanding his audience, Jay is interested in appealing to his tried-and-tested demographic--East Coast hardrocks. He rounds out the first disc with "I Did It My Way," sampling Paul Anka's version of "My Way" and equating his Rap Pack (Kareem Burke, Dame Dash) to the Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Dean Martin. Don't laugh. The stronger second disc contains some pleasant surprises. The Lenny Kravitz-fuelled braggadocio of "Guns and Roses" titillates, while Jay's Jeru the Damaja-like "Bitches and Sisters" is sure to stir up accusations of misogyny. In the end, not even Jay can tear through 11 hot tracks, much less 25. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews:

Blueprint 2 is Jay's Nastradamas.........................2007-04-04

The first Blueprint was layered in soulful samples and bangin beats. Jay went for a more worldly sound on BP2 and threw a lot of fans for a loop. Too many ambitious songs and not enough hits. Plainly put.

A Gift On One CD & A Curse On The Other (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars).......2007-03-07

Almost a year after "The Blueprint 1" Jay decided to throw a double disc of his material and make it the sequel called "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse". Given to some, "The Blueprint 1" was a classic and made the best rap CD of 2001 and received accolades from all over. "Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse" could have been an excellent follow up to the predecessor, but didn't exactly, This CD had mass amounts of filler tracks and not enough material of what was expected from Jay-Z. As if all the songs that were scrapped from "The Blueprint 1" ended up on here.

Disc 1: The Gift

Majority of this CD, Jay holds his form. "The Watcher II" featuring Dr. Dre and Rakim is an excellent track to me. "Excuse Me Miss" was the second single of the album and was another great song for the maturing Jay. A few more songs that I thought were good were the bouncy "All Around The World" and the fast pace "Poppin Tags" with Twista, Big Boi, and Killer Mike. He shows the lyrical and bragging side of him on the last track "I Did It My Way". There are tracks that didn't hit like others, like "F All Nite" with Pharrell and the lead single "'03 Bonnie And Clyde" with Beyonce. If I had to pick between the two CD which was the better one, I would choose "The Gift" over "The Curse".

Lyrics: B
Production: B
Guest Appearances: B+
Musical Vibes: B
Overall: B

Disc 2 (The Curse):

The second CD "The Curse" has most of the skip material. There are a lot of songs I had very little care for, such as "Diamond Is Forever" and the awkward sounding "Guns & Roses" with Lenny Kravitz. Some songs I find Jay to be at his worst, as if he just threw lines together aimlessly, like on the first verse on "Guns & Roses". The first good track was "You Don't Know (Remix)" that hits just as good as the origonal. "Somehow, Someway" is good with Beanie Siegal and Scarface. Sort of reminds me of "This Can't Be Life" from the Dynasty album with the Kanye West beat. Then there is the title track a weak diss to Nas that people will only hear once. Next are a few club track like "***** Please" with Pharrell and Young Chris, as well as "2 Many" with Timbaland. Afterward we get the entire Roc-A-Fella cloab with "As One". The bonus tracks are solid. I say the best one was "What They Gonna Do 2" with is good as the first.

Lyrics: C
Production: B-
Guest Appearances: C
Musical Vibes: B
Overall: C+

Overall this double disc has a lot of filler tracks, as well as some good ones. If you were expecting a sequel to "The Blueprint 1", you're in for a dissapointment. This album does make a few hits with it's formula but not as consistant, especially with the second disc. That is usually the case when it comes to double discs, some empty sounding tracks to fill it up, and that was what Jay had on this album. If you're a fan of The Source Magazine, you'd know that this was the lowest mic rating he received on all of his albums 3.5 mics.

The Gift: (8 out of 10- -4 stars)
The Curse: (6 out of 10- -3 stars)

My favorite Tracks: The Watcher 2, Excuse Me Miss, What They Gonna Do, All Around The World, Poppin Tags, I Did It My Way, You Don't Know (Remix), Somehow Someway, As One, What They Gonna Do 2

Honorable Mention: The Bounce, 2 Many

Peace Everyone!!!!

A solid album by the Jigga Man.......2006-08-03

8.5 STARS OUT OF 10

I realized last week that there isn't a decent album to listen to in the world. I decided to look old school, so I shuffled around my disk collection before throwing in Blueprint 2. I gave it a few spins for the first time in a year or so, and I still say I really like this album.

A lot of people hate on this album and call it the worst in Jay-Z's impressive collection of stellar cd's. While I agree that it is not nearly his best work, this album is far from bad and is a few steps up from Volume 3 which I think is Jigga's worst album.

It is comprised of two cd's. Disk 1 is the Gift, while Disk 2 is the Curse. Personally, I think the Curse is the much superior and deeper disk. Don't sleep on the Gift though. While it has the more radio friendly songs, there are still 6 or 7 solid tracks NOT featuring Beyonce or Pharrell. And even those two songs were decent when the album first dropped a few years ago.

Are there a handful of subpar songs? YES.
Could the album have been trimmed down to 18 of the best? YES.

Still not bad though for a DOUBLE album that was supposedly thrown together in two months.

Blueprint 2 - The Gift And THE CURSE!!!! .......2006-05-19

The title cover says it all "The Gift and The Curse", where not even Jay-Z can pullout a classic double album, though it does contain some of it's finest moments, such as the Dr. Dre produced ("The Watcher Pt. 2") where "Dre", "Rakim" and "Truth Hurts" show up for a help in hand. The remake of "2Pac's" classic noir ("Me And My Girlfriend") featuring Beyonce and also the open track "Dreams" where "Faith Evans" sings the chorus and they add an old recycled "Biggie" track to add on a verse. We know "Biggie" was your man, how many time do you have to remind us. With all those mentioned above, there are just too many fillers that made the cut for Blueprint 2 and truth be told, it would have been more prestigious and would have gained more acclaim, such as the previous year's "Blueprint", if the album was presented on a single CD rather than having a 2 disc set. "Pharrell of the Neptunes" shows up for "Excuse Me Miss" where we see a more matured "Jay-Z", but with cuts like "Poppin' Tags", "B*tches and Sisters", we can see he hasn't changed much, which is not necessarily a bad thing. On a postive note the album does improve with superb production work, supplied by "Kanye West", "Just Blaze", "Timbaland" and many more.

One of the better modern Hip-Hop Artist.......2006-02-03

I was very suprised to see that some of the reviews of this album got 1 and 2 stars. Even though I will agree that this isn't his best work, The Blueprint 2 still manages to be a solid effort. Some say that Jay-Z has sold out and just isnt putting out quality material. Yet I tend to look at it from a different point of view. Today's Hip-Hop is so much different then it was in the 80's and 90's. There are sooo many different hip-hop artist, and I think way to many are being given record contracts, cause half of them dont have an once of talent. Just because you can lay down some rhymes, doesn't mean you deserve a record contract. Most of these artist dont even write their own material. Jay-Z can is an exception as he writes his own material, does his own sampling, and produces his album. I believe he is one of the better Hip-Hip artist of the modern era, and I really enjoyed The Blueprint 2. The songs on this range from all different types of genere, from some hardcore, to some laid back tracks, to some "poppy" material, and I really think its a solid effort. Jay-Z proves that not every song has to be about guns and pimping and wanting to be a ganster. (kinda like the no talent 50Cent) I really like the beats and sampling that Jay-Z uses on this release to, and the last three bonus track on this CD, have some unique style and some great beats. NO, its not as solid as previous releases, but its still a very solid effort. If we had more hip-hop artist like Jay-Z, and less like 50Cent and Juvinile, then the music world we be a better place..ENJOY

Average customer rating:

amour
Too short yet so delicious...
Excellent, eclectic, innovative, energizing
Curses!
Short, and cheaper than a whole CD :-)

Curse Your Little Heart
DeVotchKa
Manufacturer: Ace Fu Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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

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Similar Items:

How It Ends
Una Volta
Supermelodrama
Little Miss Sunshine
The Gulag Orkestar

ASIN: B000F1HHEG
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

I Cried Like A Silly Boy
Curse Your Little Heart
Last Beat Of My Heart, The
Somethin' Stupid
Venus In Furs
El Zopilote Mojado

Amazon.com

After three albums where each was an improvement on the former, indie-cabaret darlings Devotchka continue to move forward. Capturing all the drama inherent in Eastern European folk styles and pairing it with the more dramatic end of indie rock (think Arcade Fire or Calexico), Devotchka carve out a rich little niche for itself. The band tips its glass to a number of influences on this six-song E.P - along with the original title track, the band offers up covers that range from Siouxsie And The Banshees' "The Last Beat Of My Heart" to the Velvet Underground's "Venus And Furs" to the Sinatra tune "Something Stupid." Regardless of the source material, the band wholly remakes each tune, skillfully playing a mariachi band on "El Zopilote Mojado" or the moody troubadour on the title song. It all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle with no pieces missing, proving that this band's interpretive skills are just as strong as its compositional ones. -- Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

amour.......2007-07-19

Friends of mine have been into DeVotcha for a long time, but I never got into them until recently. I had seen Little Miss Sunshine about 4 times before I looked up the soundtrack and realized DeVotchka was responsible for a good portion of it. Investigating further, I heard "I Cried Like a Silly Boy". I was instantly hooked, downloaded all their cds from Ruckus and have been sold ever sense. It's a good band to fall completely in love with annd they have a great combination of sounds (not wholly original but borrowing beautifully). Enjoy it.

Too short yet so delicious..........2007-06-05

... like one of these miniature French pastries: one superb bite that keeps you asking for more. So, take your time to savour it.
Perfect following to How it Ends, Curse Your Little Heart is a fun, eclectic mix of very different songs and styles the band makes their own perfectly. My favorite "reprise" is definitely Venus in Furs, with a quite intoxicating beat and gorgeous string arrangements. It mixes the punk music undertones of the original song with the band's own sounds.
I find the voice of lead singer Nick Urata quite improved over the previous album, more in control. As some said before me, it is not perfect, but I think that's what's seductive about it.
As different and somewhat strange the music of Devotchka might sound to some, once you get acquainted with their work, it becomes quite addictive. It has become one of my favorite bands, probably because of the scope of their influences and talents.
Check Una Volta as well (and the inevitable How it Ends, of course, if you don't own it already) for their early work.

Excellent, eclectic, innovative, energizing.......2007-01-09

This music is such a departure from mainstream, or from anything I've heard yet (though I'm no expert). Each song is a slightly different mix of rock, russian folk, burlesque, bluegrass, and some other things I can't name, possibly because it's just so... different. Yet every song seems to communicate directly with my body. I love this album, as well as the rest of their music, especially the album How it Ends.

Curses!.......2006-12-17

Gypsy-Spanish indie-rockers DeVotchKa have gotten better with each album they produced, ranging from rough-hewn ethnic music to a sweeping, smoother sound.

And the EP "Curse Your Little Heart" is very much in the vein of their last album musically, though the songs are mostly someone else's -- Sinatra, Velvet Underground, Sousxie, with one lone song they made themselves. It's a fun, polished little offering that should keep fans satisfied until their next album.

It opens with the swooning fiddle and peppy tune of "I Cried Like A Silly Boy," which sounds like a song that should be sung under ivy-twined balconies. "You wrote me letters I didn't read/I know I didn't, you know I didn't/still I caressed you, sang you to sleep," Nick Urata croons in his mellow voice, as the fiddle twists around.

Then they merrily ratatat into the sinuous, sensual melody of "Curse Your Little Heart," followed by the dramatic guitar folkpop of "Last Beat of My Heart," which could have been a B-side from their last album "How It Ends." It has the same melancholy, expansive sound. A rather tongue-in-cheek version of "Somethin' Stupid" -- seriously, imagine Sinatra as a gypsy -- followed by the hard, dark, haunted sound of "Venus in Furs," and finishing up with mad mariachi tune "El Zopilote Mojado."

DeVotchKa is one of those bands that you listen to once, and who manage to stick themselves in your brain after that. Their lively mix of traditional Eastern European and Spanish music with the indierock vibe is getting better with time, and this time around they seem to be having fun with some odder choices. (Seriously, Sinatra?)

Urata and Tom Hagerman take the front with lots of trumpet and brassy Sousaphone, powerful guitar and a flexible violin that can twist itself around the other instruments, such as the exquisite, sweeping intro to the third song. And Shawn King plays some really wicked drums on the second song.

And at the heart of it is Urata's soulful voice, which isn't perfect, but that really erupts with power and emotion. He also tries out different vocalizations here: a slightly stuffy nightclub sound, a concerned lover, a more nasal Lou-Reedish sound, and the usual heartfelt wails.

"Curse Your Little Heart" is another winner for DeVotchKa, a colourful little EP that tries out various sounds for size. And most of them even fit, too.

Short, and cheaper than a whole CD :-).......2006-10-25

I didn't know at first if I wanted to buy an album of mostly covers, but I've listened to this as much as the other DeVotchKa I have. They make the songs their own, in their unique style, and Nick's voice is as passionate and versatile as ever. The Last Beat of My Heart is just gorgeous. I can never listen to it loud enough. If you like How It Ends and Little Miss Sunshine, you'll like this as well.

Average customer rating:

Awesome...
A Definite Masterpiece of our time!
A Definite Masterpiece of our time!

The Curse
Atreyu
Manufacturer: Victory Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Suicide Notes & Butterfly Kisses
A Death-Grip On Yesterday
Frail Words Collapse
Shadows Are Security
They're Only Chasing Safety

ASIN: B00073K8CK
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Blood Children (An Indtroduction)
Bleeding Mascara
Right Side Of The Bed
This Flesh A Tomb
You Eclipsed By Me
The Crimson
The Remembrance Ballad
An Interlude
Corseting
Demonology And Heartache
My Sanity On The Funeral Pyre
Nevadas Grace
Five Vicodin Chased With A Shot Of Clarity

Tracks:

Right Side Of The Bed (Video)
Crimson (Video)
Lip Gloss & Black (Video)
Aint Love Grand (Video)

Customer Reviews:

Awesome..........2007-05-13

This was the third Atreyu album that I've bought and it might be the best. If you like raging, intense screaming alternated with awesome melodies, then you'll probably like Atreyu. And if you're an already established Atreyu fan, you'll probably love this album. Definitely a worthwile purchase either way. And if you're a metal fan--metalcore especially--then you definitely want to check out Atreyu.
And even if you've never listened to much metal--heck, I had literally never listened to metal except for two Atreyu songs I bought off of iTunes before I bought my first Atreyu CD, and I love it.
So, anyway, The Curse is worth buying. Buy it. Now.

The best song off it is probably The Crimson--totally awesome. Melodies (and screaming) that have you yelling along, amazing lyrics, and everything else done just right.

The songs on this album, I thought, covered a wider range than on Suicide Notes, and were as a whole better than on Deathgrip.

Yeah. Awesome album AND band! Can't wait for their new album to come out! (Not Best of Atreyu, the one they haven't released the name for yet.)

A Definite Masterpiece of our time!.......2005-11-27

Hands down this cd rocks. The bonus DVD is also a cool additition. I'm an old skool metal fan and it's a breath of fresh air for Metal today. These guys will be around for a long time!!!

A Definite Masterpiece of our time!.......2005-11-27

Hands down this cd rocks. The bonus DVD is also a cool additition. I'm an old skool metal fan and it's a breath of fresh air for Metal today. These guys will be around for a long time!!!

Average customer rating:

Adiemus IV
whaaaaaat?????
Good...Although two of the Songs are on my Ipod...
New Age with an eclectic blend of styles from across the musical map!
Unimaginative

Adiemus IV: The Eternal Knot

Manufacturer: Higher Octave
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Celtic New Age | New Age | Styles | Music

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Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Adiemus III: Dances of Time
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
Songs of Sanctuary
Vocalise
The Journey: The Best of Adiemus

ASIN: B00004WC6I
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Tracks:

Cu Chullain
The Eternal Knot
Palace Of The Crystal Bridge
The Wooing Of Etain
King Of The Sacred Grove
Saint Declan's Drone
Salm O 'Dewi Sant'
Connla's Well
The Dagda
Children Of Dannu
Ceridwen's Curse
Hermit Of The Sea Rock
Isle Of The Mystic Lake
Math Was A Wizard

Amazon.com

When British composer Karl Jenkins launched Adiemus with the Songs of Sanctuary album in 1995, it was a fresh and exhilarating take on global music. Jenkins used choral vocals similar to Enya's, but spiked with a language of the imagination (merging African and Latin phonemes) and stoked by Jenkins's pastoral arrangements. Never wholly original--Lisa Gerrard and Elizabeth Fraser had already worked out fantasy vocal designs and the 1960s African mass "Missa Luba" effected a similar choral/African/Latin sound--Adiemus nevertheless found a new take on English composers' penchant for choirs. However, after six years and four albums mining this vein, Jenkins's sound rings more hollow with each recording.

The Eternal Knot is drawn from Jenkins's soundtrack to a BBC documentary called The Celts. You might recall that Enya also evolved her sound in the late 1980s doing a soundtrack for another documentary called The Celts. Taking his titles from the Celtic legends that populate the documentary, Jenkins orchestrates cinematic landscapes full of swelling crescendos and dynamic cadences. Less oppressive than the heavily orchestrated Adiemus II, The Eternal Knot still wears thin. He casts Miriam Stockley's voice into a boys-choir register, turning her staccato phonemes into incessant prattle. But when she's in her warmer middle range, her layered voice is enveloping. Despite the theme of the album, Celtic music is only used as an occasional touchstone, with uilleann piper Davy Spillane, a few bodhran-style percussion grooves, and harpist Catrin Finch providing some relief from Jenkins's string-laden classical pretensions. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Adiemus IV.......2007-05-07

This is another celtic cd which stirs the blood to your core. It has great melodies and wonderful arrangements to compliment the vocals. I will look forward to purchasing more of Adiemus in the future.

whaaaaaat?????.......2007-01-06

that was the first thing that popped into my head when i heard this album. i loved `songs of sanctuary' and was heartily disappointed not to also love this album. while it is obvious that the music is celtic-inspired, it is *only* the music that is so. the vocals seem to float along on their own with no relevance to the instrumentals beneath them. the language, which is the same play-language as `sanctuary', is blatantly out of place here. while with `sanctuary', despite the make-believe quality of the words, the quality of the vocal sound was instantly recognizable as south african. but those nasal tones and front-of-the-mask, brassy notes don't translate well to a celtic sound. (in fact, the whole album sounds like a clash of two cultures. as if a south african choir accidentally got routed to the shannon airport and collided with the chieftans.) on the whole, a disappointing album. if you want celtic music, buy a putumayo collection or *anything* by narada, clannad, celtic woman, etc. don't buy this album.

Good...Although two of the Songs are on my Ipod..........2006-01-24

My favorite songs are "Cu Chullain" and "Math was a Wizard". Cu Chullain is a good song for a ballet performance.

By the way, I own these two songs on my Ipod!

Meghan :)

New Age with an eclectic blend of styles from across the musical map!.......2005-11-23

Some earlier reviewers would suggest that this isn't up to the standards that Karl Jenkins achieved in some of his earlier output. I couldn't respond to that because this is the first Adiemus recording I've ever heard and, frankly, I loved every second of it. I'm thrilled that other listeners think the earlier recordings are better because I've now got something to really look forward to.

For me this recording evinced a blend of emotional responses - quiet contemplation, relaxation, toe-tapping, a satisfied smile, that whole body moving response to a driving rhythm and a joyful sense of participation in an all-encompassing musical experience. The recording is an eclectic blend of styles that cover an enormous range - Celtic rhythms and fiddling tunes in the style of River Dance; hard rock and steady beats that took a page out of Enigma's play book; a beautifully blended chorus of female voices that might well have included Enya, Diane Arkenstone and Loreena McKennitt; orchestral backgrounds that ranged from lush full orchestral accompaniment to pizzicato violin arpeggios that would have done Tchaikovsky proud in The Nutcracker; simple but effective, pleasing blues style acoustic guitar; full-bodied high speed choral sections that might have been penned by Karl Orff as part of the unforgettable Carmina Burana; and, a very effective seven beat piece that reminded me of the rhythms of Dave Brubeck's Unsquare Square Dance or Moe Kaufman's Swingin' Shepherd Blues!

Well, to each their own I suppose. It's certainly possible that this CD suffered by comparison to the quality of his other works but as a first time listener, I've got nothing but praise for it!

Paul Weiss

Unimaginative.......2004-06-14

Unlike 'Songs of Sanctuary', this album lacks imagination and invention. It comes across as somewhat monotonous and overly 'camp'.

Cu Chulain is a reasonable start but even there the urgent contribution by the violins comes too early, and by the end of the 'song', the concept becomes tiresome. The title track seems to be depicting something monumental in its climatic outbursts but if so, the effect is more visual (the documentary itself) than aural. It's odd how there is apparently no language used here yet 'Palace of the Crystal Bridge' manages to sound like some clueless surfer-girl taking herself way too seriously.

'The Wooing of Etain' is a beautiful instrumental and one of the very few pieces on the album that is thought-provoking, as is 'King of the Sacred Grove' (which is mellow and sounds suitably regal)....this is more of what I've come to expect/appreciate in Jenkins. Even so, he could have done more to build a climax towards the end of this, the third longest piece on the album.

'Songs' such as 'The Dagda' would be interesting diversions/fillers for the album if it wasn't for the synthesized, mass-product result of the album overall. Less 'ethnic-sounding' and more towards 'tacky' (e.g., the duo separated by 1 octave sung in unison at the end of 'Hermit of the Sea Rock'), this isn't as moving an experience as some would laud it to be.

A Haunting Curse
Average customer rating:

See them live.

Satisfying

I can't believe how hard this album is.

Rising Stars of Extreme Metal

This disc does a lot for them and the genre

A Haunting Curse
Goatwhore
Manufacturer: Metal Blade
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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The Eclipse of Ages Into Black

Suffocation

Stench of Redemption

With Oden on Our Side

The Blackening

ASIN: B000H30BPE
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Tracks:

Wear These Scars Of Testimony
Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof
Alchemy Of The Black Sun Cult
My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos
In The Narrow Confines Of Defilement
Forever Consumed Oblivion
A Haunting Curse
Silence Marked By The Breaking Of Bone
Diabolical Submergence Of Rebirth
Of Ashen Slumber
I Avenge Myself

Customer Reviews:

See them live........2007-07-24

A Haunting Curse is a very solid Goatwhore release. Vocals are less harsh, production more crisp, and it's plain to see that the band has gravitated toward a more aggressive and direct death metal sound, rather than the inverted goat raping blitzkrieg of their past albums. None are "black metal" in the traditional 1994 "let's wear corpse paint and stab members of other bands" sense, in spite of the lyrical content and art which may suggest otherwise. You'll find no graveyards and dead angels here, but if you like your metal with less cheese and more testosterone, this is the Goatwhore album for you.

Goatwhore sound okay on record, but they're incredible to behold in a live setting. Ben Falgoust is one of the most charismatic frontmen in the history of live metal, despite the fact that he wears the same outfit (including gauntlets) to every gig.

Satisfying.......2007-05-24

Is it just me, or has black metal gotten really melodic and even somewhat commercial in recent years? Brutal bands like Mayhem, Immortal, and Gorgoroth were the only black metal bands around in the early 1990s. But then, Norway and England started taking interest in the genre, and pretty soon thereafter, melodic and symphonic black metal bands took the genre over. Now, there's absolutely nothing wrong with, say, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Old Man's Child -- they're all great! -- but most purists would tell you they're no where near as heavy, raw, or offensive as the bands that came before them. And when some of today's bands site the likes of Pink Floyd and Yes as major influences, one has to begin to wonder if the definition of "black metal" has been stretched a bit too far.

But here in America, we do things differently. Goatwhore are 110%, pure, homegrown Americans (they're straight out of the Bayou -- Thibodaux, Louisiana), and their music is the exact opposite of symphonic black metal. Thus, it is devoid of any experimentation or sweet, uplifting melodies, like keyboards, acoustic guitars, and clean singing.

The most prevalent sound on Goatwhore's third full-length release, 2006's "A Haunting Curse," is old school-inspired blackened death and thrash metal, but strong sludge, doom, grind, punk, and hardcore influences are also present throughout. (Or, in other words, think Venom meets Slayer meets Mayhem meets Soilent Green, and you'll get the idea what this album sounds like.) The result is eleven very intense, unrestrained tracks of rip-roaring destruction. They ooze with caffeine-abetted energy, blinding speed, primal urgency, crushing heaviness, abrasive rawness, harsh dissonance, great visceral impact, and uncompromising brute force.

Insanely fast riffs, smoke-inducing leads, murderous blast beats, and frontman Ben Falgoust's Hellish, retching screams are the name of the game here. The only time the pummel ever lets up is when the band toss in an odd tempo change, thus sending the song into a slow, doomy dirge. "A Haunting Curse" isn't the kind of album that you'll walk away from humming a melody or catchy chorus, and since the guitar work is so ridiculously fast, there aren't really any "hooks" or individually memorable riffs, either. A few catchy parts pop up here and there, such as the abrasive, mid-tempo groove and churning, rusty-sounding guitar lead that backs "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"; the booming, Slayer-esque power chords and vocal hook that begin "In the Narrow Confines of Defilement"; and the Deicide-esque vocal patterns on "Silence Marked By the Breaking of Bone." And there are other standout tracks, too, like the steamrolling "Wear These Scars Of Testimony", the walloping, machine gun blasts on "Bloodletting Upon The Cloven Hoof", and the jackhammer insistence of "My Eyes Are The Spears Of Chaos." But overall, this is the kind of record that you put on from beginning to end and just let consume you, without worrying about discerning one song from another.

"A Haunting Curse" doesn't break any new ground for black or death metal, but that fact is easily overlooked because it's just so refreshing to hear an album this unrepentantly mean, nasty, caustic, and brutal in this day and age. It's a very satisfying listen, and an essential purchase for listeners who want to remember brutal black metal's glory days.

I can't believe how hard this album is........2007-01-06

This album is so hard it's unbeleivable. The drummer never ever quits and it's mainly the drums that makes this album great. Sometimes you don't think the guitars can keep up, but they do. There are some decent guitar riffs here and there, but they don't take center stage that often. The vocals aren't as varied as previous Goatwhore albums, where they would switch from hiss to growl to doom to some kind of scratchy demon voice. Here it pretty much sticks to growl, but every once and a while the hiss will be thrown in. The best song on the album has to be Forever Consumed by Oblivion, but I'm sure you'll find your favorite. Remember, this album is extremely hard and very fast metal.

Rising Stars of Extreme Metal.......2006-12-05

I've always liked things I've heard from Goatwhore, but it's finally on "A Haunting Curse" where they bring all of the elements together - songwriting, musicianship, vocals and crystal clear production. The result is one of the heaviest, meanest, yet very catchy, listens of the year.

This is a criminally underappreciated band and album, but with a recent appearance as in studio guests on Headbanger's Ball, bigger touring gigs and more press coverage they are finally on the verge of breaking out as stars leading a new wave of brutal modern extreme metal.

Musically, the band is proficient in all areas, and completely relentless. No respite from the constant pummeling will be offered as you listen. Sound could be described as aggressive black metal influenced death metal, with a dose of their southern heritage and New Orleans attitude thrown into the mix.

Vocally, Ben Falgoust delivers a very strong performance. It's a rarity in extreme music where the vocalist is integral enough to almost out shadow the band, but this is the case with Ben's vocal delivery. Sinister throaty yells and death metal growls act as another instrument terrorizing every track with malevolence. This guy really gets it done behind the mic. Killer vox here.

If you are a fan of the ever evolving brutal music scene, I would think it would be difficult to not like this record, and this band. Highly recommended, and buckle your seat belts.

Recommended track for testing the Goatwhore waters: "Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult"

This disc does a lot for them and the genre.......2006-10-14

Goatwhore's newest cd is hands down their best. The Guitar riffs are amazing, as well as the drum patterns and the bass sounds phenomenal. This is probably the best produced death metal cd you're going to get nowawadays. Ben Falgoust's vocals are more mid ranged, and Sammy's aren't as high as they were on previous releases, so it's easier to listen too. My Favorites off this so far are "Alchemy of a black sun cult" and "In the Narrow confines of defilement", because it's got a killer riff in the end of the song. There really isn't a lot to say about this disc other than it's a great death metal release that's going to do a lot for a new direction in the genre. Let's hope this pushes Goatwhore to the forefront, I'm giving this a 4.5

Average customer rating:

Excellent Material for Ms. Upshaw.
Keeps Getting Better
The Barber alone is worth five stars
Buy this disc...twice!
Dawn Upshaw, vocal actress extraordinaire

Knoxville Summer of 1915

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy
Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
Voices of Light
Barber: Knoxville Summer of 1915/Dover Beach/Hermit Songs/Adromache's Farewell
Angels Hide Their Faces: Dawn Upshaw Sings Bach and Purcell

ASIN: B000005IZ3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Knoxville: Summer Of 1915
The Old Maid And the Thief: Act I, Scene 6: What A Curse For A Woman Is A Timid Man
Mirabai Songs: I. It's True, I Went To The Market
Mirabai Songs: II. All I Was Doing Was Breathing
Mirabai Songs: III. Why Mira Can't Go Back To Her Old House
Mirabai Songs: IV. Where Did You Go?
Mirabai Songs: V. The Clouds
Mirabai Songs: VI. Don't Go, Don't Go
The Rake's Progress: Act I, Scene 3: No Word From Tom

Amazon.com essential recording

Barber's Knoxville, Summer of 1915 is a setting of a lovely chunk of prose text by James Agee describing an evening from his childhood. An accomplished singer himself, Barber's vocal writing is expert, and this work must rank as one of the finest examples of the art of word-setting in any language. Barber perfectly captures the conversational quality of the text, while at the same time clothing the words in an atmosphere of gentle nostalgia. It's a masterpiece that Dawn Upshaw sings with keen insight and lovely tone. The remainder of the program is creatively chosen as well, making this one of the finest vocal recitals available by an American singer. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Material for Ms. Upshaw........2006-04-26

'Knoxville: Summer of 1915' is a performance of a selection of operatic pieces by Americans such as Samuel Barber or Europeans transplanted to the United States, such as Igor Stravinsky. Ms. Upshaw shines with material, which is good for her, since she is just slightly out of her league with the material covered by the likes of Renee Flemming on the operatic front and Ute Lemper and Lotte Lenya on the Euro/American popular musical stage.

Like any good sampler, this recording's strongest draw is the fact that it makes one interested in tracking down the complete works by Barber, Menotti, Harbison, and Stravinsky. And, while the package includes all lyrics, everything is in perfectly clear English. A perfect addition to other American classics such as 'Porgy and Bess'.

Keeps Getting Better.......2005-03-02

I have had this disc for years, and I'm more impressed with it as the years roll by. I bought it for Barber's "Knoxville, Summer of 1915" which is a glorious piece of music caught here in a luminous performance. I didn't initially warm up to the Harbison songs, but they have grown on me over the years to the point that I listen to them far more often than the Barber now. I think it just took me a while to absorb Harbison's style and understand how deftly and ingeniously he uses it to take the listener into Mirabai's world. Not to be missed!

The Barber alone is worth five stars.......2004-01-16

People are always saying that they find a particular piece of music is "haunting." For me Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" is such a work. Dawn Upshaw's reading of this great American masterwork is the best I have yet heard. She won her first Grammy Award for this recording - and deservedly so. If you're a fan of either Upshaw or Barber you'll want to add this beautiful CD to your collection.

Buy this disc...twice!.......2002-07-20

Extraordinary!! This has got to be the definitive Knoxville--rich, touching, elegant and as close to perfect as it can probably ever be. Upshaw has the perfect voice for this work, and she gives it all the loving attention that it requires. This is a performance of Knoxville that will make you weak in the knees. For the Knoxville alone, buy this disc....twice! There is, however, just a little bit of downside here. The other works on this disc just aren't very captivating.

Dawn Upshaw, vocal actress extraordinaire.......2002-01-01

This is the CD that made me fall in love with Dawn Upshaw's singing. I had heard her before and admired her work, but this disc made me a real fan. As it's one of her early recordings, her voice is somewhat "fuller" than on later work; she later started moving the voice "forward," simplifying the sound. Either way, her immense talent for communicating the essence of the text is the outstanding aspect of all her work. It's amazing how she can sound angry, desperate, hopeful, melancholic, all while producing a beautiful sound and tackling all the vocal challenges of the music she's singing. She inhabits the characters, the narrators, of each of the pieces on this disc, and makes it more than just a collection of songs or arias.

I want to make special mention of the Harbison _Mirabai Songs_, as it seems to have been maligned somewhat in other reviews here. This was the work that most kept me coming back to this disc when I first bought it. I think it is a masterpiece, and one of Harbison's best and most important works. (Apparently I'm not alone in my admiration of the piece, because I've heard it on a number of live concerts in recent years, so it seems to be having a successful performance life.) Harbison's song cycle is by turns exciting, sensual, driving, longing, beautiful. The orchestration for the small ensemble is masterful (as Harbison's efforts at scoring always are), and Upshaw expresses all of Mirabai's complex emotions enchantingly.

The _Rake's Progress_ aria also deserves individual comment. In this engrossing example of Stravinsky's neoclassical style, Upshaw assumes Anne's air of fierce determination, and brings the disc to an absolutely thrilling climax on a concluding high C.

All of the music on this terrific CD is very accessible, and the performances are stellar. The recorded sound is very clear and immediate, as one would expect from Nonesuch. It's one of my favorite discs in my entire collection, and would probably be so for the Harbison and Stravinsky alone.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Average customer rating:

Claymation Symphony

Magic

British Classical Music is not Dead

Wallace & Gromit: CotWR

A SUPERB PIECE OF BRITISH CULTURE

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Original Soundtrack , and Julian Nott
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Widescreen Edition)

The Corpse Bride

Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Creature Comforts - The Complete First Season

ASIN: B000B8I8UA
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

A Grand Day Out
Anti-Pesto To The Rescue
Bless You, Anti-Pesto
Lady Tottington & Victor
Fire Up The Bun-Vac
Your Ladyship
Brainwash & Go
Harvest Offering
Arson Around
A Big Trap
The Morning After
Transformation
Ravaged In The Night
Fluffy Lover Boy
Kiss My Arrrtichoke
Dogfight
Every Dog Has His Day
All Things Fluffy
Wallace & Gromit

Amazon.com

Composer Julian Nott has been associated with Wallace and Gromit since their beginning in short films, so of course his signature theme for the duo pops up in the Were-Rabbit soundtrack (try figuring out how many times Nott sneaks it in). This time around, he gets a much bigger orchestra, which perhaps explains the involvement of Dreamworks go-to scorer Hans Zimmer as producer, and also the musical contributions from Rupert Gregson-Williams, James Michael Dooley, Lorne Balfe, and Alastair King. Unlike Wallace and Gromit themselves, who escaped the transfer from short to feature-length film unscathed, Nott's music has lost a bit of its intimate, veddy British charm in the process. This is most obvious in "actiony" tracks like the generic-sounding "Fire Up the Bun-Vac." Sometimes, bigger isn't better. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Claymation Symphony.......2007-06-13

Often soundtrack recordings disappoint by being more electronic keyboard than real orchestra. This CD is quite the reverse. The characters in the movie may be only made of clay, but they get the full symphonic treatment, not just an orchestra, but choirs as well. A great sound. No point in trying to match the tracks to scenes in the movie, just sit back and enjoy. The superb big sound is so magnificent at times it's funny!

Magic.......2006-08-08

In 2005, Nick Park and Aardman studios did what no one thought possible - they created the world's first vegetarian horror movie! When poor Wallace is turned into a were-rabbit, he becomes a terror to the local villagers who are preparing for their annual giant vegetable contest. It's a hilariously funny movie, chockfull of that great British humor.

The soundtrack to this great movie is a real joy to listen to, bringing back the magic of watching the movie itself! My wife bought me this CD, and I am sure glad that she did. I loved the movie, and I love the CD, and I highly recommend both!

British Classical Music is not Dead.......2006-06-28

A blend of Elgar, Britten, Herrmann, Copeland. Too bad the themes are so short. I would love to hear Nott write a full symphony. His marches are so invigorating. After believing that real classical music was dead for so long, it now seems that it lives on after all, in the soundtracks of popular movies like this one.

Wallace & Gromit: CotWR.......2006-06-03

While I missed seeing this movie in theater due to NO BODY in my family wanting to go see it with me, and being forced to babysit my lovely little daughter during the time it was in theaters... my just due came about. My little girl (now 1 year and 8 months now-during the review as of June 2006), does NOT watch Barney, she does NOT watch The Wiggles, she does like Sesame Street some, but what we hear from her the most is "Wat Walice! Wat Walice" Which translates into "Watch Wallace!". So we're graced by watching most of this movie nearly EVERY DAY. She sits unmoving to my favorite duo's plastasine HBO short's new movie nearly non stop, yes, EVERY day! So, while I have the soundtrack on order through here... I feel like I have the soundtrack already memorized! And Nott has done a "smashing" job through the movie with the original heavy-tuba theme we all fell in love with in the late 1980's. Yes, it HAS been that long. From the open title track to the intense thematic music during the "dogfighting" sequence, to even the snazzy "cheeky" verion of W&G we hear as Gromit dances in the van! The music is classic material and just a delight to hear... over and over and over again. While we notice new details in the movie with our DAILY viewings, I've also noticed new details in the score as well through the movie as far as instrumentation and the different styles used. Considering they only recorded about 3 seconds of footage a day, how they mixed the final movie with the music is just simply amazing beyond belief. So until the next movie comes out, I guess I'll be enjoying this soundtrack for years to come, or until our daughter grows out of Curse of the Were-Rabbt... eh, maybe not. I'm 34 and STILL enjoy Nick Park's wonderfull duo! Wonderful music for such a wonderful movie. It's a 5, chuck!

A SUPERB PIECE OF BRITISH CULTURE.......2006-03-16

I donn't know if cd's are getting destroyed when you listen to them frequently (as the plder vinyl records did).If so,i am afraid i have to buy an additional copy of this O.S.T as i listen to this several times a day!
We are talking about a brilliant main theme (we were familiar with this from the three previous short films of WALLACE & GROMIT-A close shave,The wrong trousers,A Grand day out).But the whole O.S.T. consists of "catching" melodies,that make you want listen to the cd again and again.
It is one of the few times that music is "getting married" so succesfully with the movie.
A brilliant piece of British culture.

Phase 4 Stereo: Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore / D'Oyly Carte Opera Company

Average customer rating:

Great CD's
A much maligned joy!
A Pinafore performance that deserves more acceptance
A good Pinafore, bird, boards and brine included
A fun, lighthearted, well-done musical comedy.

Phase 4 Stereo: Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore / D'Oyly Carte Opera Company
Arthur Sullivan , Arthur Jackson , Thomas Lawlor , Ralph Mason , Valerie Masterson , Donald Adams , John Reed , Christene Palmer , John Ayldon , Pauline Walkes , James Walker , and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Gilbert & Sullivan: The Pirates of Penzance
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HMS Pinafore: or The Lass That Loved a Sailor Vocal Score

ASIN: B0000042GK
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

HMS Pinafore: Overture
HMS Pinafore - Act I: We Sail The Ocean Blue
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Hail, Men-O'-Wars' Men
HMS Pinafore - Act I: I'm Called Little Buttercup
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Aye, Little Buttercup - And Well Called
HMS Pinafore - Act I: But, Tell Me - Who's The Youth?
HMS Pinafore - Act I: The Nightingale Sighed
HMS Pinafore - Act I: A Maiden Fair To See
Ah, My Poor Lad, You've Climbed Too High
My Gallant Crew, Good Morning
HMS Pinafore: I Am The Captain Of The Pinafore
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Sir, You Are Sad!
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Sorry Her Lot Who Loves Too Well
HMS Pinafore - Act I: My Child, I Grieve To See
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Over The Bright Blue Sea
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Now Give Three Cheers...I Am The Monarch Of The Sea
HMS Pinafore - Act I: When I Was A Lad I Served A Term
HMS Pinafore - Act I: You've A Remarkably Fine Crew
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Ah! Sir Joseph's ATrue Gentleman
HMS Pinafore - Act I: A British Tar Is A Soaring Soul
HMS Pinafore - Act I: It Is Useless - Sir Joseph's Attentions Nauseate Me
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Refrain, Audacious Tar
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Can I Survive this Overbearing?
HMS Pinafore - Act I: O Joy, O Rapture Unforeseen
HMS Pinafore - Act I: This Very Night
HMS Pinafore - Act I: Let's Give Three Cheers For The Sailor's Bride

Tracks:

HMS Pinafore - Act II: Entracte
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Fair Moon, To Thee I Sing
HMS Pinafore - Act II: How Sweetly He Carols Forth
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Things Are Seldom What They Seem
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Incomprehensible As Her Utterances Are
HMS Pinafore - Act II: The Hours Creep On Apace
HMS Pinafore - Act II: A Simple Sailor, Lowly Born
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Madam, It Has Been Misrepresented To Me
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Never Mind The Why And Wherefore
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Sir Joseph, I Cannot Express To You My Delight
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Kind Captain, I've Important Information
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Dick Deadeye - I ank Yoiu For Your Warning...Carefully On Tiptoe Stealing
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Hold! Pretty Daughter Of Mine
HMS Pinafore - Act II: In Uttering A Reprobation
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Now Tell Me, My Fine Fellow
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Farewell, My Own
HMS Pinafore - Act II: A Many Years Ago
HMS Pinafore - Act II: Then I Am To Understand
HMS Pinafore - Act II: O Joy, O Rapture Unforeseen
The Pirates Of Penzance: Hold, Monsters
The Pirates Of Penzance: I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
The Pirates Of Penzance: With Cat-Like Tread
The Pirates Of Penzance: When the Foeman Bares His Steel
Ruddigore: Ruddigore - There Grew a Little Flower (Dame Hannah) (Sir Roderic Murgatroyd)
The Mikado: A Wand'ring Minstrel I
The Mikado: A More Humane Mikado
The Mikado: Three Little Maids From School Are We
The Mikado: On A Tree By A Willow, 'Tit Willow'
The Mikado: The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring

Customer Reviews:

Great CD's.......2005-09-20

I love the versions of "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General" and "When I Was A Lad". The lyrics were fairly easy to understand and the vocals were fun and spunky, just as Gilbert & Sullivan should be:). I have no complaints (even the price was right); all in all two great CDs.

A much maligned joy!.......2001-01-20

This recording dating from 1971 is now realised on CD with superb sound quality. The cast was probably the last great line up of the late years of the former D'Oyly Carte Company.

John Reed does appear tired and stale, this is due to the closeness of the recording making for a 'radio broadcast' effect. Thomas Lawler as Capt Corcoran (at the time husband of Pauline Wales, Cousin Hebe) is excellent. I remember seeing this cast in performance, minus Valerie Masterson, who was brought in as guest artiste for the recording. They were superb then, with particular mention of the brilliant Christene Palmer (a fantastic Katisha in The Mikado), Arthur Jackson who had a great presence on stage and was a superb Pooh-Bah, his round tones suit admirably the role of Carpenters-Mate.

Ralph Mason, as Ralph Rackstraw (pronounced as Rafe, a Victorian English idiosyncracy) made a superb attempt at all the parts he played in repertory, of particular note being Earl Tolloller in Iolanthe.

This recording is worth the purchase to recall or find for the first time the last glimpses of this much lamented troupe. Except for the weak John Ayldon, Dick Deadeye, who does not have the satanic glitter of the late Donald Adams or Darrell Fancourt, the rest are superb. A pity the newer, yet fresher company does not have the subtlety of tradition or performance quality. Ah well, lack-a-day! we can't have everything...Can we?

A Pinafore performance that deserves more acceptance.......2000-11-25

Ever since D'Oyly Carte made this wonderful recording of Pinafore in 1971, it has been given somewhat unfair critiques, including one that called it "infamous." That criticism came about because of the distorted sound on the original LP issue, but things seem to have improved with this CD reissue, allowing the performance to be heard more clearly. Nevertheless, the artistic distinction of the performance still manages to shine through brightly, and this alone can contribute to the winning appeal of its admirers.

Even despite the fact that John Reed gives a memorable performance of the Ruler of the Queen's Navee, his portrayal seems to have deteriorated a little bit. This is due to the obvious staleness of his voice (well, it was a feature of all the D'Oyly Carte recordings that were made from the 1968 Pirates onwards, so you mustn't blame him!) and his deteriorating diction. Some of the words were not pronounced clearly, as in his character's famous comical autobiographical song, and there is evidence of sloppiness of hte notes in places. The other major drawback is John Ayldon's Deadeye. Like all D'Oyly Carte recordings to which he contributed, this one was ruined by the unpleasant gruffness of his voice. His portrayal seems not to match Donald Adams on every level. However, for the rest of the cast, there is much to please the ear. Thomas Lawlor makes as first-class a Captain as Jeffrey Stitch, Gordon Sandison or Thomas Allen, but even though he has a slightly heavy and dark-timbred voice, he nevertheless manages to remove it from this recording. He is certainly better suited to this role than to Deadeye, the role he played on the New Sadler's Wells recording. Ralph Mason makes a heady-toned Rackstraw, and he certainly is a joy to hear on record, determined to win the hand of Josephine, who is memorably characterised by the best G&S prima donna, Valerie Masterson. She sings with a full-blooded mature soprano voice with which she gives a melancholy air to her opening ballad and blood to her grand operatic scene. She is certainly better than Jean Hindmarsh, if only by a small margin, even though the twitter in the latter's voice does not hurt at all. And lastly, I would like to highlight the underrated Christene Palmer's fruity portrayal of Little Buttercup, which is on par with Gillian Knight and Felicity Palmer. The rest of the cast is splendid, the choral singing as well-disciplined as the orchestra, and James Walker paces the tempi nicely, with some small quibbles that don't matter a lot. The recording has transferred well to CD, and the sound effects kept to a minimum, to help give a sense of atmosphere. The dry recording is also characteristic of all D'Oyly Carte recordings made from their 1968 Pirates onwards. The major complaint is the Spectacular fill-ups which don't seem to fit in with Pinafore, as they are too improperly chosen and the tempi too slow. If the CD ends with The flowers that bloom in the spring, it does not give a definite sense of an ending.

Overall, I would safely say that while this is not necessarily a first-choice, its artistic merits shine through compellingly to make it be one. Let me advise you to ignore the Spectacular items by programming them out. Anyone who wants a standard D'Oyly Carte performance will be well pleased with this.

A good Pinafore, bird, boards and brine included.......1998-09-30

This CD release of an early 70s recording has been given something of a reprieve from the original branding of it as "the most infamous Pinafore". The added sound effects of seagull, creaking timbers and the sea sloshing against the ship's sides seems mostly to have been forgiven. These aural props are only present between songs and when present provide a pleasant theatrical quality to the recording. D'Oyly Carte is in good form here and the close microphone Phase 4 recording makes audibility excellent - something Gilbert would have appreciated if the Savoy had offered anything as good.

A fun, lighthearted, well-done musical comedy........1998-09-24

This recording of Pinafore is well done. The listener can really get a sense of the enjoyment the singers experience in this show. It brought back pleasant memories of my own cast experience.

Music: