Valley of Rain & Ballad of a Thin Line Man [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
UK twofer combines the alt-country pioneers first two albums, 'Ballad Of A Thin Line Man' (1986) & Valley Of Rain' (1985), both are unavailable domestically. 18 tracks. Diablo Records. 2003.

Product Description

Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Loudon Wainwright III and Rupert Holmes all share the distinction of having a song grow to such epic proportions that it casts a career-wide shadow. But even before liking piña coladas and getting caught in the rain became a national pastime, Rupert Holmes had a successful career as producer, performer and songwriter. In fact, the New York Times called Holmes "one of the world's greatest storytellers in song." Over the course of seven years, Holmes released seven albums on five different labels. All of them are included on this box, as well as a Japanese-only album called Scenario from 1994. As if that weren't special enough, we've also compiled a disc of rarities to go along with the album reissues. Add to that extensive liner notes, rare photographs, a flotilla of song lyrics, and notes from the artist himself, and you have a truly dazzling package. All of the discs have been painstakingly remastered in 2005, and approved by Rupert. In fact, he went back into the studio and cut four songs especially for this release, including his version of the only charting song that had cannibalism as its subject: "Timothy." He also performs a version of a hit he wrote for the Partridge Family, "Echo Valley 2-6809." After four successful Broadway shows and multiple Tony Awards, and creating and writing 56 episodes of the critically-acclaimed television series Remember WENN, Holmes is currently promoting his latest novel, Swing, published in March by Random House. [The New York Times called it "smart and impressively elaborate."] His first novel, Where The Truth Lies (recently released in paperback), has been made into a film starring Kevin Bacon and directed by Atom Egoyan. After its recent Cannes debut, the film was lauded as terrific by Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times and a big, slick and sexy mystery by Ray Bennett of the Hollywood Reporter.

Customer Reviews:

an astonishing body of work--this is one-stop shopping for the music of Rupert Holmes, a songwriting genius.......2005-08-10

There are undoubtedly folks out who would think, "A five CD box set of Rupert Holmes? Are you kidding me?" Of course though, these would be the words of someone who doesn't know better.

If you're a genuine fan of Rupert, and realize how much deeper his body of work goes than just "The Pina Colada Song", this limited edition box set is a dream come true. Entitled "Cast of Characters: The Rupert Holmes Songbook", this is indeed a 5 CD set.

The first 4 CDs contain every song from all of his proper albums, going in chronological order by album and retaining the original song sequencing, with none of the songs from any particular album being "stranded" on a separate disc. In other words, each of the first four discs are twofers--disc one contains 1974's "Widescreen" & 1975's self-titled album; disc two contains 1976's "Singles" & 1978's "Pursuit Of Happiness"; disc three contains 1979's "Partners In Crime" & 1980's "Adventure"; and disc four contains 1981's "Full Circle" & 1994's "Scenario", the latter album of which was previously only released in Japan. For the absolute diehards, it's worth pointing out that some minor "trimming" of songs was done in order to squeeze these albums onto 4 CDs; this is somewhat unfortunate--for instance, you lose a memorable snippet of Dean Bailin's song-ending guitar solo on "In You I Trust" due to a slightly early fadeout--but overall it's really not a major gripe. Much of this material has been extremely pricey/ extremely difficult to come by on CD, if not impossible, and great care has been taken here with the remastering, with Rupert himself being very much involved with bringing this set to life.

There is simply an enormous amount of great music on this set--it's an absolute treasure trove. Rupert is one of the most talented melodicists that music has ever had, and this fact is proven again and again and again over the course of these discs. As a lyricist, Rupert's often devastatingly witty and filled with humor, yet often heart-tuggingly sentimental as well. He's proven time and time again to be a terrific, expressive vocalist with a Brian Wilson-style flair for layering his own vocals to create a one-man-choir. And there are also his talents as a producer, as a keyboardist and saxophonist, and as an orchestral arranger.

His first album "Widescreen" has been released on CD twice by Varese Records including a "Collector's Edition"--each of these discs feature tracks from his follow-up album as bonus tracks. Also, 8 of the 10 tracks from his self-titled album and 7 of the 10 from "Singles" are on "The Epoch Collection" CD, also a Varese Records release, although it looks to have gone out of print at some point. I believe that this box set gives the 'neglected' tracks their first appearance on CD.

In the US, "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" hit #1 in late 1979, and the subsequently-released "Him" also hit the Top Ten--the parent album of these two classic tunes is the often whimsical/ sarcastic masterpiece "Partners In Crime" which made it to #33 and became Rupert's first (and presumably only) gold album.

Somewhat amazingly, his next album "Adventure" didn't even make the US top 200, and it seems to have previously only been released on CD in Japan. It does have a slick, synthesizer-heavy sheen, but it really works, and the album contains such gems as the "Day Tripper"-ish riff-rocker "Crowd Pleaser"; the sumptuous ballad "Morning Man"; and the humorous stomper "I Don't Need You". Also superb are the title track and "The Mask" which are wildly dynamic and incredibly catchy songs that, to put it loosely, reflect on the idea of wanting the most out of life.

His next album, "Full Circle", proved to be his last for many years and in the meantime he pursued interests in theatre and screenwriting. I had never seen this album, or even a single track from it, officially available on CD prior to the appearance of this box set. "Full Circle" traces the ups and downs in the relationship of one couple, and includes such gems as the catchy mid-tempo pop-rocker "Loved By The One You Love"; the amusing, yet wonderfully charming "You Remind Me Of You"; the title track with its bracingly emotional chorus and excellent trombone soloing; the dreamily reflective "Love At Second Sight"; and the wonderfully bittersweet album-closer "One Born Every Minute".

Going beyond the call of duty is the 5th disc in this set which brings together non-album tracks, previously unreleased material, and newly recorded tracks--to call this disc a boon to collectors would be putting it mildly. "Magic Trick" is here, a song that seemed damn near impossible to locate previously. There's the fascinating "The Law Of The Jungle", which is basically the backing track of "Escape" with the same melody, but a completely different set of lyrics written before Rupert cooked up the new ones which resulted in the infamous classic "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)". There's also "You Got It All (Over Him)", a demo which ultimately became a huge hit for the Jets in 1986/ 1987--I was flabbergasted to learn that Rupert wrote this song!

Rupert himself contributes really interesting liner notes that reflect upon each album. His notes seem rather rushed at times, but at the same time, perhaps he didn't want to seem overly self-absorbed and was resisting the temptation to write a novel--after all, there is such a large quantity of music here. Printed lyrics are included for every song in the set, and thorough musician credits are also supplied.

To call this box set a pleasant surprise it a major understatement--if you're a fan of soft rock/ great pop-rock songwriting, you simply can't go wrong with this incredible 5 CD set. This is easily one of the best multi-disc sets ever assembled, and a HUGE thumbs to Hip-O Select for releasing this.

Average customer rating:

Thunderstorm
nature sounds, rain on a roof Thunderstorm
Manufacturer: Peaceful Valley Productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Thundering Rainstorm
Solitudes: Thunderstorm in the Wilderness
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Thunderstorm and Rain Sounds
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ASIN: B000ACJHI4
Release Date: 2004-04-04

Tracks:

Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder
Rain & Light Thunder

Product Description

This is a restful, relaxing CD containing subdued thunder and rain increasing and decreasing throughout the 74-minute CD. There are no human sounds and no music on this CD.

Old and New Fangled Tangos/Folk Songs Around the World

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A Magical Musical Journey Around the World with Mantovani.

Old and New Fangled Tangos/Folk Songs Around the World

Manufacturer: Dutton Labs UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Ultimate Tango
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Strauss Waltzes

ASIN: B0006840K2
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)
Blue Tango
Tango Delle Rose
New-Fangled Tango
Music Box Tango
Adios Muchachos
Besame Mucho
Hernando's Hideaway
Blauer Himmel (Blue Skies)
Takes Two to Tango
Rain in Spain
Orange Vendor
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Folk Songs from European Countries: Au Clair de la Lune/Fr Jacques
Folk Songs from the British Isles: Greensleeves/When Love Is ...
Two Guitars
Moon on the Ruined Castle
Hava Nagila

Customer Reviews:

A Magical Musical Journey Around the World with Mantovani........2005-02-23

The soaring strings of the original orchestra led by the late great Mantovani are once again presented in this brand new Vocalion release of two of the maestro's masterpiece recordings first released in 1964 (Folk Songs) and 1968 (Tango). Folk Songs from Around the World will charm and excite listeners with melodies as diverse as Aura Lee (what Elvis sang as Love Me Tender) and the sizzling sounds of Hava Nagila. The highly disciplined orchestra under the baton of Mantovani perform spectacular arrangements of "Two Guitars" from Russia and folk songs from Japan, Europe,and the British Isles arranged with such artistry that they will readily evoke from each listener intense emotions. The splendid orchestrations found on the Tango tracks also evoke a variety of emotions, with Whatever Lola Wants, Hernando's Hideaway and Takes Two to Tango, offering playful amusement, and such tracks as Blue Sky, Orange Vendor, and Tango Delle Rose combining captivating tango rhythms with time honored melodies made ever more delightful by the unique, cathedral sound identified exclusively with Mantovani. In an interview at the time of the Tango album's release, the ever perfectionist Mantovani expressed his delight with the musical outcome,noting that he tried "blending fine melodies with exciting rhythms to produce a sound that is stimulating.." Acquire this two CD-set, and new and old Mantovani fans will know the maestro was right on the mark in his assessment of this incomparable musical journey.

Anne Sofie von Otter - Wings in the Night (Swedish Songs)

Average customer rating:

I wish I was Swedish
A feeling of discovery

Anne Sofie von Otter - Wings in the Night (Swedish Songs)
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger , Sigurd von Koch , Wilhelm Stenhammar , Ture Rangstrom , Emil Sjogren , Anne Sofie von Otter , and Bengt Forsberg
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GRT
Release Date: 1996-03-26

Tracks:

Nothing Is Like The Time Of Waiting
When I Walk By Myself
Like The Stars In The Sky
In The Month Of Tjaitra
Of Lotus Scent And Moonlight
The Wanderer
A Ship Is Sailing
Maiden Blond And Maiden Brunette
A Seaside Song
Wings In The Night
The Farewell
Pan
Come Little Buck To The Boy
The Sun Shines Prettily In The Evening
If You Love Me
Spring Night's Rain
Mankind's Lot
The Wild Swans
The Forest Is Asleep
I Kiss Your White Hand
In The Maple's Shade
Jutta Comes to the Volkungs
Old Swedish
Melody
Supplication to Night
Boljeby Waltz
Return
You Look At Me With Silent Questions
I Broke Off A Little Rose For You
I Should Like to Hover over Valley and Hill
Aspaker's Polka

Customer Reviews:

I wish I was Swedish.......2006-06-10

This is simply my favorite disc of song out there. As a recreational singer, it's wonderful to come across a disc like this and be given an entire new world of song that you can't even find music for. The songs by Sigurd von Koch, who spent some time in Asia, are beautiful enough to dissolve your brain! In The Month Of Tjaitra and Of Lotus Scent And Moonlight are so full of beautiful imagery and wonderful music I can't see why people sing anything else. And the folk-inspired Pertersen-Berger songs are loads of fun too, although of course not as moving.

A feeling of discovery.......2000-09-23

The songs on this wonderful Swedish anthology may not be familiar to most listeners but they occupy an idiom not so dissimilar to the world of Grieg. (Otter and Forsberg's Grieg recital from a few years earlier is also indispensible.). The nostalgia-tinged melancholy (or is it wistful joy?) of Wilhelm Peterson-Berger's folk-inspired songs, for example, convey a hint of Grieg's art yet are distinctively Swedish. There are nine selections by Peterson-Berger, out of 31 total, and they all exemplify this composer in full melodic flower. The other composers offer something closer to what we think of as art songs: somewhat rarefied, reserved, melodically rich and often evocative. The piano accompaniments are always first rate. This treasury provides a rich and varied 74-minute overview of Swedish song.

If the quality of the Swedish literature as a whole is half as good as what's presented here, let's hope that this is only an introduction from Otter and Forsberg, who would seem to have this repertoire to themselves although one could not hope for more understanding interpreters. After all, they are Swedish! All of imagination of their earlier Grieg interpretations is present here as well. There is all the necessary depth of characterization without affected artsiness.

If that's not enough, this disc also won the coveted Gramophone Award.

Finney: Chamber Music - Songs
Average customer rating:
Finney: Chamber Music - Songs

Manufacturer: Master Musicians Col
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004AFX
Release Date: 1995-12-13

The Coming Rain
Average customer rating:
The Coming Rain

Manufacturer: Green Valley
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0007WLR9Y

Product Description

The 10 tracks of wonderful Contemporary Christian/Christian Rock Music are: Fly, Small, Never Let Go, Holy Are You Lord, This King, Mama's Song, Best Intentions, Carry Me, Surrender, and Give

Valley of Rain/Ballad of a Thin Line Man

Average customer rating:

Put your arms around a memory

Valley of Rain/Ballad of a Thin Line Man
Giant Sand
Manufacturer: Diablo Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Swerve

ASIN: B000003BTD
Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

Down On Town (Love's No Answer)
Black Venetian Blind
Curse Of A Thousand Flames
Artists
Man Of Want
Valley Of Rain
Tumble And Tear
October Anywhere
Death, Dying And Channel 5
Torture Of Love
Thin Line Man
All Along The Watchtower
Graveyard
Body Of Water
You Can't Put Arms Around A Memory
A Hard Man To Get To Know
Who Am I
Desperate Man

Album Description

UK twofer combines the alt-country pioneers first two albums, 'Ballad Of A Thin Line Man' (1986) & Valley Of Rain' (1985), both are unavailable domestically. 18 tracks. Diablo Records. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Put your arms around a memory.......2003-03-27

The first two albums by Howe Gelb's Giant Sand certainly warned of the singular oddness that was to come. In a weird way, both "Valley of Rain" and "Ballad of a Thin Line Man" have a relation to country & western in their wild west imagery and palpable sense of the Arizona desert. But that's typically twisted Giant Sand country and western, which means forget about any simple two-steps and nasal drawls. Instead, push play and hold on to your socks.

For the early Giant Sand, songs were merely launching pads for Howe Gelb's equally flamboyant flights of lyrical fancy and guitar pyrotechnics. On the sophomore album ("Ballad of a Thin Line Man"), in particular, epics like "Thin Line Man", "A Hard Man to Get to Know", and "Desperate Man" absolutely burn with axe-shredding momentum, while comparatively sedate ruminations like "Graveyard" and "Body of Water" bring the peyote to the party.

That album also features interesting covers of Dylan's (by way of Hendrix) "All Along the Watchtower" and Johnny Thunders' "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory". It speaks sufficient volumes that Gelb decided to pay tribute to that unholy trinity of precursors, because Dylan's lyrical ambitions, the guitar heroics of Hendrix, and the messy spontaneity of Thunders were all overt elements on these albums.