Returning Jesus

Returning Jesus

Track Listings

1. Only Rain
2. No Defence
3. Close Your Eyes
4. Carolina Skeletons
5. Outside the Machine
6. Returning Jesus
7. Slow It All Down
8. Lighthouse
9. All That You Are

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Reissue of No-Mans highly regarded studio album first released in February 2001 by Tim Bowness and Steve Wilson (Porcupine Tree). 9 tracks. Hidden Art. 2002.

Returning Jesus,No-Man,United States Dist,Alternative Dance,Experimental Rock,Pop,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop


Returning Jesus

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • I waited for this for five years
  • Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
  • ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
  • SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
  • A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
  2. Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration
  3. The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
  4. Evita (Original London Cast)
  5. Andrew Lloyd Webber - Masterpiece (Collector's Edition) (Bonus CD)

ASIN: B00005R5UJ
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

  1. Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  2. Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
  3. Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
  4. Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
  5. Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
  6. Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
  7. Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
  8. Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
  9. Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
  10. Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
  11. Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
  12. Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
  13. Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
  14. Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
  15. Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
  16. Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
  17. Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
  18. Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
  19. Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  20. Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

  1. Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
  2. Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
  3. Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
  4. Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
  5. Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
  6. Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
  7. Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
  8. The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
  9. The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
  10. The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
  11. The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  12. The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
  13. The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
  14. Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
  15. Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
  16. Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
  17. Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
  18. Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
  19. Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

  1. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
  2. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
  3. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
  4. By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
  5. By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
  6. By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
  7. Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
  8. Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
  9. Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
  10. Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
  11. Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
  12. Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
  13. Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
  14. Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
  15. Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
  16. The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  17. The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
  18. The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
  19. The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
  20. The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

  1. Oh What A Circus - David Essex
  2. Memory - Betty Buckley
  3. The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
  4. All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
  5. Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
  6. Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
  7. Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
  8. As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
  9. The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
  10. With One Look - Petula Clark
  11. You Must Love Me - Madonna
  12. The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
  13. A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
  14. Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
  15. No Matter What - Boyzone
  16. The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
  17. Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
  18. Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

  1. Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
  2. Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
  3. I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
  4. Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
  5. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
  6. Try It And See - Rita Pavone
  7. Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
  8. Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
  9. John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
  10. What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
  11. Disillusion Me - Gary Band
  12. The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
  13. Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
  14. It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
  15. It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
  16. Magdalena - Tony Christie
  17. Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
  18. Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  19. Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
  20. I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
  21. I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
  22. Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

4 out of 5 stars ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.


Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

5 out of 5 stars SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

4 out of 5 stars A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!
Returning Jesus
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Tim Bowness & Steven Wilson's Utterly Emotive Project
  • # 1
  • So beautiful...
Returning Jesus
No-Man
Manufacturer: Hidden Art
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Flowermouth
  2. Together We're Stranger
  3. Speak
  4. Stupid Dream
  5. Fear of a Blank Planet

ASIN: B00008J2RB
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

  1. Only Rain
  2. No Defence
  3. Close Your Eyes
  4. Carolina Skeletons
  5. Outside the Machine
  6. Returning Jesus
  7. Slow It All Down
  8. Lighthouse
  9. All That You Are

Product Description

1. Only Rain
2. No Defence
3. Close Your Eyes
4. Carolina Skeletons
5. Outside The Machine
6. Returning Jesus
7. Slow It All Down
8. Lighthouse
9. All That You Are

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Tim Bowness & Steven Wilson's Utterly Emotive Project.......2005-02-11

No-Man is the side project of Porcupine Tree mastermind Steven Wilson (instruments) and the multi-dimensional artist Tim Bowness (vocals). You may have heard of No-Man only recently (due to Porcupine Tree's success in prog circles) but No-Man is no newcomer. The project has been active for over ten years now, and Returning Jesus is their much accomplished fourth studio release. Vocalist Tim Bowness plays a very integral role in No-Man, as he writes all the lyrics and half of the songs. Steven Wilson is responsible for the music, instrumentation, mix, and production. As previous No-Man albums, there are several guests contributing to this album (Robert Fripp guested on the band's Flowermouth album), among whom are Ian Carr of Miles Davies fame on trumpets, Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree) on bass, Steve Jansen (David Sylvian) on drums, and some others I'm not familiar with. Here's the exact lineup: Ben Christophers - acoustic guitar, Ian Dixon - trumpet and flugelhorn, Rick Edwards - percussion, David Kosten - synths, and Theo Travis - saxophone, flute. That said, whilst the guest performers certainly give this album an extra edge, they don't seem to have contributed to the music's structural substance.

It should be noted that No-Man sounds absolutely nothing like Steven Wilson's other bands/projects. This is a very slow-paced disc, with strong emphasis on ambience, multi-textured song arrangements, introspective songs that are shaped by pop sensibilities, and additional non-rock instruments (violin, trumpet, horn, etc). Touches of soul music, classical, light jazz, and trance abound the compositions never sticking out too much and taking away from the songs' ambient textures. Tim Bowness' lyrics create the focal point for the band's romantic love songs, whilst Steven Wilson is the one who carefully composes the gorgeous and somewhat mournful music. Tim Bowness has a warm voice which is often laid over the delicate synth sounds like a soft blanket. He sings in a very low tone most of the time, kind of like he whispers the words, but the timbre in his voice is full of intensity and emotion.

The songs are essentially (80's) pop but they draw upon jazz and experimental influences. The tunes are embellished with saxophone, trumpet, jazz piano, acoustic and electric guitars, and percussion. Slow cadences combine with Floyd-like guitars with slowly descending melodies as Bowness relays his sad, romantic lyrics and lulls the listener into a deep, bittersweet dream-like trance. When you listen to songs like "No Defence" or "Outside the Machine", you'll hear him engaging in utterly emotive vocal melodies (and lyrics), whilst multi-instrumentalist Steven Wilson creates spacey atmospheres and lays down restrained minimalist instrumentation. The eight-minute "Lighthouse" could be the musical apex of Returning Jesus; it's so beautiful I don't even know what to say. Sustained notes are joined by the use of horns and a nice freeform improvisation provides a refreshing tapestry of sound. "Slow It All Down" is the album's only instrumental piece. It's a great song with a rich hypnotic backdrop.

It could be argued that Returning Jesus is too monochromatic, too slow and mellow. It may be the kind of music you might want to hear before you go to sleep or put on as a very relaxing piece while reading or working on your computer. However, if you can get into its inner depths like it's meant to be, you can also listen to it on a set of good headphones and get lost in its sheer aesthetic beauty. I once read that Steven Wilson said Returning Jesus, of all the albums he's done so far, is by far his most favourite work. I think this album might be a good point to get into No-Man, but I also highly recommend Flowermouth (because of Robert Fripp guesting on a couple of tracks). Wild Opera, well, I still need time to digest it. These are the three No-Man discs I own so far, and they're all certainly very wide musically and extremely diverse.

4 out of 5 stars # 1.......2004-02-04

What a pleasure to hear an album as refreshing as this one. S Wilson and P bowness keep plowing away w amazing music. Let s say that Wilson, making most of the musical efforts at writing the 'music' side of the songs has grown and matured like I never thought before. Bowness still keeps growing as well with his beautiful words. I think Wilson and Bowness have no other compatible mates for making music, other than the Porcupine tree for SW and Henry fool for PB.

At first listen I was taken by the beautiful trumpet of Ian Carr on the opening song.

The rest of the album flows perfectly as a mamoth musical genius that pours out of your speakers and begs you to make birthday and holiday gifts for friends of this album.

One of the best releases in 2002.

anonymous

"Every silver lining has a Touch of Grey"

R. Hunter

5 out of 5 stars So beautiful..........2003-10-28

Of the 1000+ cds I own, this is one the most beautiful things I've ever heard. So simple, but so intricate and sweeping... this is the music of my heart.
Returning Jesus
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • JESUS HAS INDEED RETURNED
  • Lush
  • Strange title, superb music
  • So beautiful...
  • Give it a try
Returning Jesus
No-Man
Manufacturer: United States Dist
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Together We're Stranger
  2. Flowermouth
  3. Speak
  4. Blackfield
  5. Loveblows and Lovecries: A Confession

ASIN: B00005A7O3
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

  1. Only Rain
  2. No Defence
  3. Close Your Eyes
  4. Carolina Skeletons
  5. Outside the Machine
  6. Returning Jesus
  7. Slow It All Down
  8. Lighthouse
  9. All That You Are

Album Description

Long-awaited album from experimental pop duo, their first since 1996's Wild Opera, Their most ambitious and timeless e ffort to date, it combines influences from chamber jazz and classical music (Miles Davis/Steve Reich) to experimental pop (Eno/Talk Talk/Pink Floyd) with a singer-songwriter intimacy and intensity. Guest performers include Steve Jansen (Rain Tree Crow/Japan) and Porcupine Tree's Colin Edwin. Standard jewel case. 2001 release.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars JESUS HAS INDEED RETURNED.......2006-06-10

WOW what an incredible release! How do you even begin to explain this to people! RETURNING JESUS..maybe they named it this because its the feeling of AWE that you would have gotten if you were standing there and saw JESUS RETURN!

You can get technical and cross compare to other things but how can you compare this to something else..its absoluely stunning release! Sultry....Classy....heavy and jazzy! This music has AIR...it has CLIMATE and the climate is as high as EVEREST! Listening to this collection of music by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame is unlike anything i have heard by him yet.

I have heard a lot of stuff by him and even have some of this on other releases. BUT this release is by far my favorite..not to overshadow FLOWERMOUTH but....its equally fantastic.

I am still processing this music after the first listening and i am sure it will grow more beautiful.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as i do!

BEST!

Mike

5 out of 5 stars Lush.......2006-04-05

Turning away from the looped beats and driving pop-dynamics which comprised a large part of their earlier work, No-Man dive headlong into territory which will be familiar to listeners who have hear Talk Talk's legendary final albums. Concretely, they employ sparser, more open arrangements, eschew verse/chorus structure in favour of mood and texture, but glue it all together with Bowness' assured pop delivery (his voice is simply incredible), carefully buried hooks and soulful, direct lyrics.
Each track is engineered and played to perfection. 'Lighthouse' and 'Close your Eyes' ebb past as gentle, evocative epics that hit home with powerful emotional peaks and troughs, 'Only rain' has a stunning about turn half way through, descending into minimal, jazz like interplay. 'All that you are', the final track, has an impassioned vocal performance and is so bold and simple that it is utterly engrossing.
In recommending this album I would say that _Flowermouth_ is the best starting point for the band, but this album is highly regarded among fans and possesses a delicate beauty which is appealing, as well as being curiously addictive. The style of the music is miles away from conventional rock however, and veers nearer to the 'Post-rock' bands (except Bowness' voice which is way, way better than most of those guys) and late Talk Talk.
For fans of forward looking music with real depth.

5 out of 5 stars Strange title, superb music.......2004-05-20

It's hard to understand why they titled the album as such, but don't let that stop you from hearing the music. This record sits halfway between the art-rock-folk of "Flowermouth" and the slow melancholy of "Together We're Stranger." It's fertile ground at this crossroads, and this might be No-Man's best album. It's certainly the one that will have the most appeal to Porcupine Tree fans. The songs are particularly melodic and have a great deal of musical detail, akin to the style of David Sylvian or "Spirit of Eden"-era Talk Talk. Steve Jansen's contributions on drums are critical to the overall sound, and this album is not dissimilar to Rain Tree Crow in its use of melody and space.

5 out of 5 stars So beautiful..........2003-10-28

Of the 1000+ cds I own, this is one the most beautiful things I've ever heard. So simple, but so intricate and sweeping... this is the music of my heart.

5 out of 5 stars Give it a try.......2003-08-21

This is a truly beautiful CD. I got into this band via Porcupine Tree (Steven Wilson is in both bands)although its quite different to PT - more like later Talk Talk. Tim's voice is quite incredible ... just get the CD and if youre like me you'll be scouring the marketplace for their back catalogue.
Returning Jesus
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Returning Jesus
    No-Man
    Manufacturer: Hidden Art
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B0000793ZH
    Release Date: 2006-08-01

    Tracks:

    1. Only Rain
    2. No Defense
    3. Close Your Eyes
    4. Carolina Skeletons
    5. Outside The Machine
    6. Returning Jesus
    7. Slow It All Down
    8. Lighthouse
    9. All That You Are

    Album Details

    Features Steve Wilson and Clin Edwin of Porcupine Tree, Steven Jansen of Japan and Tim Bowness.
    ...Returning Love
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      ...Returning Love

      Manufacturer: Tender Heart Publishing
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD
      ASIN: B000F2TEKA
      Returning Jesus
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Simply beautiful
      • Simply beautiful
      Returning Jesus
      No-Man
      Manufacturer: Third Stone
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
      Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
      Experimental RockExperimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      Alternative DanceAlternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B00005B2X3
      Release Date: 2001-03-27

      Tracks:

      1. Only Rain
      2. No Defence
      3. Close Your Eyes
      4. Carolina Skeletons
      5. Outside the Machine
      6. Returning Jesus
      7. Slow It All Down
      8. Lighthouse
      9. All That You Are

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful.......2002-11-18

      So...there's not much to say (to write). I'ts just the most beautiful album of year 2001. World would be better if all people listened every night to Returning Jesus. Before sleep.
      The best no-man album, and another which gives a proof that Steven Wilson is a music genius, and Tim Bowness can sing anything, only important thing is his voice.
      If You like....good music...full of feelings, of peace, sometimes of sadness...it's for you. However, it's not easy music that you will like after two listenings...but you will also never get fed up with Returning Jesus. It's impossible.
      One of my best cds.

      5 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful.......2002-11-18

      So...there's not much to say (to write). I'ts just the most beautiful album of year 2001. World would be better if all people listened every night to Returning Jesus. Before sleep.
      The best no-man album, and another which gives a proof that Steven Wilson is a music genius, and Tim Bowness can sing anything, only important thing is his voice.
      If You like....good music...full of feelings, of peace, sometimes of sadness...it's for you. However, it's not easy music that you will like after two listenings...but you will also never get fed up with Returning Jesus. It's impossible.
      One of my best cds.
      Returning Jesus
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Returning Jesus

        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000ERVJG8
        Release Date: 2006-02-21

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