Bird

Amazon.com
York's sultry vocals and songwriting sensibility bring to mind Portishead and Everything but the Girl. As with those groups, she weds acoustic instrumentation with heavy rhythmic grooves and mixing techniques invented by dub, techno, and dance recording artists. The understated, rolling funkiness and spiky, heavily processed guitar heard here also recall U2's Achtung, Baby. Lyrically York tackles difficult subject matter (a child's obsession with firearms in "Bought a Gun," a runaway teenage girl's sexual awakening in "Open Wider") with sensitivity and intelligence. Ultimately, Bird is exquisite--from the opening track to the lulling, emotionally abundant denouement of "Breathe Deeply." --Michael Wells

Product Description
Sensual, smoky, groove rock. Great lyrics, unpredictable melodic hooks. Voted one of the "Top Ten Emerging Artists" by the Editors of Amazon.com.

Bird

Bird,Bird York,Blissed Out,Groove based music - mixing textural sounds, smoky vocals, melodic hooks and great lyrics. Named one of the top ten best discoveries by Amazon.com.,Rock/Pop

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Bird

Average customer rating: polished I wish he would learn to play the freakin' guitar! Not to my taste An Antti Keisala Comment: Tales Of The Mysterious Moon memorable 'apocrypha'

Armchair Apocrypha Andrew Bird Manufacturer: Fat Possum Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Retro Swing | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs The Reminder Sound of Silver Sky Blue Sky ASIN: B000MV9A1C Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Fiery Crash
2. Imitosis
3. Plasticities
4. Heretics
5. Armchairs
6. Darkmatter
7. Simple X
8. The Supine
9. Cataracts
10. Scythian Empires
11. Spare-Ohs
12. Yawn At The Apocalypse

Amazon.com

Strip away the music of an Andrew Bird song, and you're left with brilliant prose ("across the great chasms and schisms and the sudden aneurysms"), vignettes about mentally fending off plane crashes, infiltrating characters like the kings of Macedonia and Lou Dobbs, and titles such as "Yawny at the Apocalyspe." It's hard to believe that, really, his music reigns, but when Bird adds understated acoustic guitars, Wurlitzer and Rhodes, and his own mesmerizing pizzicato violin, his songs take on a progressive mood all their own. The Chicago Bird's tenth album (and his debut for extraordinary Mississippi blues label Fat Possum) is perhaps his most diverse, expansive, and resourceful yet, catering to a half-dozen genres of music while exploring storylines that are naïve ("Dark Matter"), candid ("Fiery Crash"), and blatantly comical ("Armchairs"). Making no palpable effort to crack the conventional with overflowing melodies and love songs, Bird instead latches up the intellect to create tiny packages of literature that make always leave you thinking--and snapping your fingers at the same time. --Scott Holter

Customer Reviews:

polished.......2007-07-26

You can't find Andrew Bird's uniquely melancholy whimsy easily anywhere else. I'm always pleased by his albums, but they pale compared to his live performances (in small venues). Bird live compared to his albums is like original Van Gogh compared to its poster print.

I wish he would learn to play the freakin' guitar!.......2007-07-20

First of all, let me offer my support of Invisigoth. A very well-balanced and thoughtful review (which maybe didn't match with the 1-star rating).

Secondly, I refuse to join the bandwagon of Andrew Bird worship. Especially around here (the Twin Cities), he gets played very frequently on indie rock stations here (namely, The Current), and the DJs seem to adore him. While I freely admit he's incredibly gifted as a musician, most of his songs seem to boil down to about 2 quite uninteresting chords. And anybody's who's ever plugged in an electric guitar at the music store could sound like his guitar. He seems to have no idea of how to nuance a guitar and amp to really get the richness that is possible. And I'm sorry, but "Fiery Crash" is just plain boring!

He can do better than this, and I hope he does on his next album.

Not to my taste.......2007-07-14

Based on the reviews I read, I was really looking forward to hearing this. The artwork featuring a bird is very eye-catching. I just couldn't get into the music. I've listened to it twice, hoping that it would improve with familiarity. It didn't. The lyrics might be good but, the musicality of Andrew's work escapes me. There's nothing catchy here and most of the songs are downright depressing.

An Antti Keisala Comment: Tales Of The Mysterious Moon.......2007-06-02

Some people go by the charts, but I belong to the other group that has found out that for them the most rewarding process in finding new music is indeed in the search itself. Some of the music I know are recommendations from friends, but quite a bit is based on the same kind of research-like relationship I have with cinema, where IMDb helps quite a bit. An example: you start from a Béla Tarr and end up being introduced to a Polish cameraman or his assistant who had worked with David Lynch on Inland Empire. I can't think of a funnier or more rewarding experience of finding new music and taking it actually into our life.

I am new to Andrew Bird. This I'm ashamed to confess, but better late than never; I only stumbled on him at the time of the release of this album a few months back, then had to get The Mysterious Production of Eggs, Weather Systems and his work with the Bowl of Fire. I came to him pretty straight through the usual companions, Sufjan Stevens and Jeffrey Foucault, and I don't know how I've managed so far without him: he's a part of the new wave of post-indie rock channeled through self-conscious resurgence of American folk music culture. But that's only part of where he's rooted: there's some of The Arcade Fire and some Jeff Buckley, and yet transcending comparison and forming a recognizable entity on his own.

Bird is a great musician and the live recordings, the three Fingerlings, should give some weight to this argument about his sense of using the instruments; he's like the young Warren Ellis of violin. He's also absolutely hilarious; his humour is witty and ironic, and his lyrics and singing completely complement the mood the song sets musically. The album opener "Fiery Crash" opens like a trashy garage rock song and evolves to an immesurably sophisticated pop song, almost echoing a Belle And Sebastian composition; but this is pop music that isn't pop music; it has twists and turns that continuously shape the direction the song and album are going to. Every time my mind grasps a hook and settles onto it for continuity, Bird changes the direction. I've scarcely had so much fun whilst listening.

A gem that's special. Have fun.

With best regards,
AK

memorable 'apocrypha'.......2007-05-21

After seeing Andrew Bird live playing this new material I've really grown to appreciate this new album. He is taking his music in a new direction, and I for one like it a lot. My advice: buy the album, see him live, experience all the wonderful colors and lyrics that he has to offer.

Average customer rating: Perfect for kids/adults alike... Another great choice for kids and adults! Hasn't left our CD changer since we got it I adore this CD Very sweet album

You Are My Little Bird Elizabeth Mitchell Manufacturer: Smithsonian Folkways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Folk Music | Children's Music | Styles | Music Smithsonian Folkways Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: You Are My Sunshine You Are My Flower Catch the Moon (Book & CD) Meltdown! Catch That Train! ASIN: B000GKZN9M Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

1. Little Liza Jane
2. Whos My Pretty Little Baby
3. Zousan (Little Elephant)
4. Little Bird, Little Bird
5. Three Little Birds
6. What Goes On
7. Pom Na Tu Ri (Springtime Outing)
8. Buckeye Jim
9. Peace Like a River
10. Los Pollitos (The Little Chicks)
11. Winters Come and Gone
12. Little Wing
13. Lily Pond
14. The North Wind
15. If You Listen
16. Down in the Valley
17. Grassy Grass Grass

Amazon.com

Elizabeth Mitchell is to children's music what a band like True Love is to indie rock: an insider's darling. Which can only mean one thing: any day now, she's going to blow up huge. You Are My Little Bird, Mitchell's third kids' CD and her first on the well-respected Smithsonian Folkways label, hews closely to the folkie-but-never-hokey sensibility she laid out so beautifully on the first two records. Here are 17 short, soft, sweet, homespun-sounding songs, some of them easily recognizable ("Peace Like a River," "Three Little Birds," "Down in the Valley"), some of them inexplicably obscure (Neil Young's "Little Wing," Gillian Welch and David Rawling's "Winter's Come and Gone," Francois Hardy's magical "If You Listen"). Throughout, even on tracks where her young daughter joins in, Mitchell's warm whisper of a voice compels a close listen, not just because the production is so spare you can practically feel her breath on your cheek but because there's something in her phrasing that suggests an old, wise soul. Miraculously, the bird concept never gets clunky; two exotic foreign-language songs--one Korean and one Japanese--help, but the real credit belongs to this all-around superb disc's sole stab at the subversive: Mitchell's stamp on "What Goes On," the Velvet Underground favorite, practically sails off the disc with its sunniness. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

This CD features homespun renditions of songs by Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, Vashti Bunyan, Gillian Welch, and more. Elizabeth Mitchell stands consciously and directly in the tradition of children's music that Folkways has carried for nearly 60 years. Her lovely voice brings a fresh sound to cherished American folk songs and other melodies from around the world. In a peaceful yet powerful way, she reintroduces us to the songs we thought we knew so well. This CD is 34 minutes and includes a 28 page booklet. Includes songs such as Little Liza Jane, Three Little Birds, and Buckeye Jim.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect for kids/adults alike..........2007-07-08

We love this album! It has a fabulous folk sound and I enjoy it as well as the kids as the tunes are not condescending to children. The album consists of a variety of classics including a few from other cultures. Mitchell's voice is lovely and unpretentious. A perfect album to any children's collection.

Another great choice for kids and adults!.......2007-06-24

This is another great album by Elizabeth Mitchell. We have several of her CD's now and they are filled with songs that your kids will enjoy and so will you. Mitchell's voice has such a nice quality to it and your kids will want to sing along to this collection. If you're looking for something different that won't make you feel like you want to stick a screwdriver in your ear (like some of the music geared toward the preschool set), then this is a great choice.

Hasn't left our CD changer since we got it.......2007-06-05

My 3-year-old and I first found Elizabeth Mitchell when I bought her fantastic CD with Lisa Loeb, "Catch the Moon," so I was excited to hear she had a new release. My daughter loves it so much, this CD hasn't left the changer in my car since I got it last year. And best of all, Mommy likes to listen to it, too.

I adore this CD .......2007-05-19

This is our third Elizabeth Mitchell CD, and I cannot get enough of it. All of her songs are so melodic and soothing. I appreciate the history of the music as well. Ms. Mitchell tells why she chose the songs she did on the insert included with the CD. She points to the great singers and songwriters of our past and helps us see how the music then is still relevant and enjoyable today. I highly recommend all of her CDs, you will not be disappointed.

Very sweet album.......2007-05-09

We helped the Easter Bunny buy this for our daughter. She's 7, and our middle one, so new kids' music is a must every now and again. This is a lovely album.

Average customer rating: Charming, Catchy, Timeless Tunes you WANT to have in your head all day! lovely listening happy, gentle music Love it! You Are My Sunshine

You Are My Sunshine Elizabeth Mitchell Manufacturer: Little Bird Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: You Are My Little Bird You Are My Flower Catch the Moon (Book & CD) House Party Catch That Train! ASIN: B00007LB2W Release Date: 2002-12-10

Tracks:

1. So Glad I'm Here
2. Skip To My Lou
3. Ladybug Picnic
4. Hey Bo Diddley
5. Crawdad
6. Alphabet Dub
7. Car Car
8. Ooby Dooby
9. You Are My Sunshine
10. Goin Down the Road
11. Black Jack Baby
12. Jubilee
13. Here Comes My Baby
14. Three Is the Magic Number
15. Froggy Went A Courtin
16. Irene Goodnight

Amazon.com

Elizabeth Mitchell is a smidge less locked into the no-frills folkie formula on You Are My Sunshine than on her debut, You Are My Flower. In fact, if you subtract the A-list collaborators (and, OK, the dulcimers, mandolins, and human beat boxes), Mitchell starts to look a lot like the female Dan Zanes. The same rootsy sensibility rules both artists' recordings, as does a reverence for tried-and-true folk tunes ("Good Night Irene," "Skip to My Lou") and clean production. More significantly, slivers of Zane-like adventurousness shine through here: "Alphabet Dub" set the ABCs to a reggae beat; "Hey Bo Diddley" tips its hat to the rock & roll pioneer; and the kids are called in to spice up "Crawdad." Counting kids' artists who are genuinely cool still requires fewer than 10 fingers, but with Flower and Sunshine, Mitchell proves she's among the elite. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Charming, Catchy, Timeless Tunes you WANT to have in your head all day!.......2007-07-13

I love this album, and her other two also. I listen to her music in the car sometimes when I don't even have a child around! Elizabeth Mitchell's voice is amazing. The guitar music accompaniment is great. There are multiple songs on her discs that have become a permanent part of our bedtime song ritual. My son especially loves "Ladybug Picnic", and I like her version of "3 is the Magic Number". For all parents annoyed by obnoxious kids music, this album is a wonderful oasis.

lovely listening.......2007-04-13

I bought this when I was looking for something that my 2.5 year-old daughter and I could both enjoy. It's been a big hit for our daily commute.

happy, gentle music.......2007-01-10

I find Elizabeth Mitchell's voice very soothing and pretty, and my kids like it too. Great for car rides.

Love it!.......2006-12-31

I started singing You Are My Sunshine to my son when he was born(07-29-06) so I thought I should get a cd with the song on it and this version is the best. I keep it in the car mainly and when he starts getting a little fussy I pop in the cd song number 9 and he quiets right down and falls asleep. Its a godsend.

You Are My Sunshine.......2006-12-22

I heard this song on the series finale of Queer As Folk and I thought it was fantastic. On the cd I purchased this version is unnumbered and the last track. Elizabeth is a fantastic folk artist and as President and CEO for the reactivated Cashbox Magazine I am looking for her to move forward in her career.

Average customer rating: Innovation and Musicianship, It's A Beutiful Day PATTI SANTOS was the original vocal! Two Great Cuts, One Nostalgic Cut, and a Lot of Garbage Memories I don't know about "the San Fran sound", but I know IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SOUND...

It's a Beautiful Day It's a Beautiful Day Manufacturer: San Francisco Sound ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Marrying Maiden Happy Trails Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus Surrealistic Pillow Quicksilver Messenger Service ASIN: B000000DPF Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

1. White Bird
2. Hot Summer Day
3. Wasted Union Blues
4. Girl With No Eyes
5. Bombay Calling
6. Bulgaria
7. Time Is

Amazon.com

Yes, the original version of that FM oldie "White Bird" is included on this CD. Formed in 1967 by former symphony violinist David LaFlamme, this popular group plowed through all of the San Francisco Sound's clichés at once: organ, fiddle and drum solos; epigrammatic sayings about love, time, and dreams that are so cheesy they would make a Hallmark hack blush; the soft-part-that-heads-steadily-toward-the-crescendo part; incongruously pieced-together prog-rock songs that plod on for way too long; off-kilter male and female singing; and a near-total lack of soul. This 1969 recording, then, is a clear blueprint of what not to do in psychedelic rock--with the exception of "White Bird," which retains a sheen of innocence and melodic oomph despite its daft, repeated utterance that "she must fly!" This reissue has a bright, clear sound and excellent separation; it will more than please fans of the original LP. However, those looking for an equal to the best works of Moby Grape, Quicksilver, and the Dead are encouraged to seek elsewhere. --Mike McGonigal

Album Details

The Classic Band of the Sixites Embraced by San Francisco and the Love Generation, the Legendary First Album featuring White Bird. One of the Original Ten San Francisco Groups Produced by Matthew Katz who Produced Jefferson Airplane.

Customer Reviews:

Innovation and Musicianship, It's A Beutiful Day.......2007-07-22

David LaFlamme was one of the first, if not THE first to use an electric violin in rock music. This is an outstanding example of the vast range that "rock" music encompasses and how musicians of that era, (the late '60's), were willing to push to envelope of the time in regard to what was "acceptable" for radio. Three minutes was pretty much the time limit of anything that could get airplay. Also, the use of a violin as anything but a "sweetener" was pretty much unheard of. While not every song on this album is a top forty smash, they all have some redeeming qualities and some, most notably "White Bird", "Hot Summer Day" and "Girl With No Eyes" are extremely good for both their musical quality, vocals and the ability of the band to create a genre that simply didn't exist before them. While "White Bird" may seem a bit tired to some ears in this day and age, it is most likely because of all the airplay it has received over the years, and there is a valid reason for that...it really is that good. For an excellent feel for the Woodstock era, this is a must have for anyone interested in good music.

PATTI SANTOS was the original vocal!.......2007-07-14

PATTI SANTOS Santos was the original vocal on the original recording. Her voice was so unique and beautiful that no one since her untimely death will EVER be able to duplicate. For some reason, there is NO mention of Patti in any of these reviews OR on LaFlamme's website. I wonder why that is? PATTI SANTOS was what made It's A Beautiful Day what it was. Yes, the violin is very pretty, but I can always listen to Jean-Luc Ponty. I'm afraid that without PATTI SANTOS on vocals and percussion, IABD will never be the same. Just a good example of how it's never as good as the original. I do, however, think all of IABD's albums are excellent masterpieces. The LaFlamme solo albums are good too. Fortunately, we have the beauty of PATTI SANTOS' vocals on those albums. It's kinda like trying to recreate "Close To You" by the Carpenters with another singer other than Karen Carpenter--it can't be done. These were unique, beautifully gifted artists who were one of a kind and are still missed to this day.

Two Great Cuts, One Nostalgic Cut, and a Lot of Garbage.......2007-07-13

Great cut: Hot Summer Day: unique, superb mix of instruments (violin, harmonica, keyboard, and electric guitar), nice vocals (the lyrics are kinda dumb, but that's part of the 60s), fantastic build up...everything that characterizes a great 60s song. The last few intensive notes end this song beautifully.

Great cut: Bombay Calling - a wonderful violin driven instrumental that makes you bounce in your seat.

Nostalgic Cut: White Bird (yup. I'm that old). Great to hear it, but it makes its point and then pounds you to death with it

OK Cut: Girl with No Eyes (what is this song trying to tell us?)

What's with the rest of this junk? It's either painfully harsh or just downright boring. Amazon reviewer Mike McGonigal hit the nail on the head. This album is everything that's right and wrong with the 60s music.

Memories.......2007-03-19

I had one of the songs off this CD stuck in my head for weeks. I finally got my song fix and it was great!

I don't know about "the San Fran sound", but I know IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SOUND..........2007-02-23

This album was recorded well before I was born so this review will not be based on subjective and biased memories...though I wish I could have experienced this band back in that era because a lot of great music was created back then. I am not familiar with the so-called "San Franscisco sound" but I do know of other bands in this era such as Jefferson Airplane, the Doors, King Crimson, and Procol Harum (these are bands I mention because I think elements of their sound can be heard in It's a Beautiful Day).

BEAUTIFUL!!! That word really does describe this album better than anything else in the english vocabulary. The cover of the album reminds me of the movie 'The Sound of Music' and the music is pure genius. Take a typical 4 peice 60's band (bass, guitar, drums, vocals) then add keyboards with psychedelic sound effects, a very talented violinist, a female vocalist, and a variety of other instruments...combine all this with gorgeous melodies, poetic lyrics, and progressive song compositions = BEAUTIFUL!!!

I won't take the time to dissect every song but I will make mention that "White Bird" really is as wonderful as all the other reviewers have made it out to be. Other highlights for me were the psychedelic and very catchy melodies of "Girl With No Eyes", the distorted guitars and upbeat tempo of "Wasted Union Blues", the guitar licks and harmonies of the instrumental song "Bombay Calling", and the diverse and crazy "Time Is" (almost 10 minutes in length and includes a great percussion solo). There is really no filler on this album and David Lafamme's voice is just as moving as his violin. As the lyrics of "Bulgaria" suggest: "Open up your mind!"

BEAUTIFUL!!!

RECOMMENDATION: As mentioned earlier in my review - fans of the Doors, King Crimson, Jefferson Airplane, or Procol Harum should dig this music. If you are already familar with It's A Beautiful Day then those aforementioned bands should be part of your music collection as well. Also highly recommended is the band Camel's 1975 instrumental masterpiece entitled 'The Snow Goose'. See my profile for more suggestions.

Average customer rating: Light without being too sappy...love it! this is great music The Bird and the Bee is Buzzing with Tropical Excitement Haven't taken it out of my CD Player!!!! Mismatched songs and lyrics/vocal range

The Bird & The Bee The Bird & The Bee Manufacturer: Blue Note Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Retro Space Age | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Electronic Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Blue Note Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: All Rise The Reminder Back to Black The Good, the Bad & the Queen Alright, Still ASIN: B000LV63SG Release Date: 2007-01-23

Tracks:

1. Again & Again
2. Birds and the Bees
3. F*cking Boyfriend
4. I'm a Broken Heart
5. La La La
6. My Fair Lady
7. I Hate Camera
8. Because
9. Preparedness
10. Spark

Amazon.com

As intoxicating as a Brazilian breeze and ironic as a David Lynch night in L.A., the Los Angeles duo the Bird and the Bee make a soothingly hip, deliriously cool blend of pop. Inara George is a breathy singer who channels Astrud Gilberto via Julee Cruise. Although still little known, she's the daughter of the late Lowell George of Little Feat, and she already has recordings out with a couple of other bands. Keyboardist and producer Greg Kurstin has worked with Beck and the Flaming Lips, among many others, and the duo share a passion for that brand of art pop along with the more whimsical indie strains of Le Tigre. The album is overflowing with references from '60s pop harpsichords to girl-group choruses. You half expect Lesley Gore to come out singing harmony on "I'm a Broken Heart," an homage to "It's My Party." A jazz aficionado, Kurstin has put all kinds of jazzbo touches in here, including some unlikely chord changes and tropicalia moods. Only "F*cking Boyfriend," with that phrase chanted in the chorus, seems artlessly out of place on an album that revels in sly innuendo and emotional ambiguity. --John Diliberto

Album Description

Made up of vocalist Inara George, who has been aptly referred to as "a modern day Audrey Hepburn with the voice of an angel," and keyboardist/producer Greg Kurstin, who has lent his talents to records by Beck, The Flaming Lips, Lily Allen, Peaches, and many more. The Bird and the Bee take elements of everything from the Beach Boys to 60's Brazil electronica, spinning them into this irrepressible collection of ten sunshine-drenched, semi-psychedelic ditties.

Customer Reviews:

Light without being too sappy...love it! .......2007-06-16

I love The Bird and The Bee. Inara's voice is enchanting and the songs are unlike anything else you'll hear around. I'm no music guru, but I do love their sound. F*ing Boyfriend is probably my fave song. You wouldn't expect the lyrics with the mood of the song, but that's what I love about it.

this is great music.......2007-06-14

so wonderful for so many reasons. atypical arrangements and melodies, clever lyrical turns, beautiful stacked vocal harmonies, fun modern/synth-based sounds, an obvious and healthy love of THE HOOK and jazz standards, sweet, optimistically pessimistic, emotive, straightforward (as opposed to slackerly ironic). really one of the best records i have heard.

The Bird and the Bee is Buzzing with Tropical Excitement.......2007-06-02

Basia meets Sergio Mendes. That's how this cd sounds to me. It is brimming with tropical flavor. It's the kind of music you would expect to hear on the streets in Rio. Great songs and interesting chord changes. The only downside to the cd is one smutty song ("My F*en Boyfriend".)Other than that,I recommend this cd to anyone who likes Sergio,Basia,Shakatak, The Carnival, Sandy Valentino,etc.

Haven't taken it out of my CD Player!!!!.......2007-06-01

I was able to catch The Bird and the Bee at a Lily Allen show a few months back. Unfortunately I got into the show a little late and only heard about 15 minutes of their set, but what I did hear was unbelievable. I knew I had to have this CD!

Mismatched songs and lyrics/vocal range.......2007-05-23

The music itself is fairly well-arranged overall. However, the lyrical aspect leaves much to be desired. The one song in particular is f*cking boyfriend - while the music behind it is of good quality, the lyrics are not. In short, they don't match the song or the people producing it. The often repetitive phrases seem to be more "filler" than not (and in an apparent way); taking some of them out or improving the word choices would improve the overall feel and impact of the song(s). Their style is quite interesting when one considers the style of chords and "flavor" of both instruments and vocals and was the initial attractant which prompted a purchase, but again - high quality music should also incorporate high quality lyrics. In some instances the liberal use of vocal autotune is also quite apparent - indicating that the main singer is not as talented as necessary. In conclusion, The Bird & The Bee has a good musical foundation and could go much further with complementary lyrics. Three Stars.

Average customer rating: Playful and rich Such smart music it makes feel lesser. intricate and satisfying Delights at every turn Fantastic

Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs Andrew Bird Manufacturer: Righteous Babe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Weather Systems Armchair Apocrypha The Swimming Hour Oh! The Grandeur Thrills ASIN: B00070Q7VY Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

1. untitled
2. Sovay
3. A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
4. Fake Palindromes
5. Measuring Cups
6. Banking on a Myth
7. Masterfade
8. Opposite Day
9. Skin Is, My
10. The Naming of Things
11. MX Missiles
12. untitled
13. Tables and Chairs
14. The Happy Birthday Song

Amazon.com

His beginnings as a violinist long behind him, Chicago-born Andrew Bird has been sculpting ever more complex and convincing musical worlds since his first album in 1997. On his fifth release, Bird offers up no answers to the mysteries in the world around us, but does take on the thornier elements with poetic verve. The instrumentation is bracingly inventive, but never for mere shenanigans or showmanship. The songs are each a perfectly formed vignette. And he's a world class whistler; not the loud summoning blast, but the supple and nuanced vibrato-laced melodicism of a master. There is no shortage of utterly riveting songs here. They work their magic on their own believable terms, without a hint of cloying nostalgia or riff-fueled seduction. - David Greenberger

Album Description

Andrew Bird is a previously unimaginable combination of songwriter, violinist, guitarist, vocalist and whistler. His unfailingly unique and striking music has been dumbfounding us for years. Bird's first studio album in nearly two years, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, is his second on Righteous Babe Records. The album follows Weather Systems, his critically-acclaimed mini-LP, released in spring 2003.

The recording sessions for Mysterious Production saw Bird scrap the album three times and travel between studios in Chicago, Los Angeles and his own home studio on a farm in Northern Illinois. The album took final shape with the production help of David Boucher, whose credits include Paul Westerberg, Lisa Loeb, and Randy Newman. Bird plays most of the instruments on Mysterious Production, and is joined by a handful of special guests complimenting his already lush sonic palette. The results are magnificent, a powerhouse of a record dealing with nothing less than the mysteries of childhood, creativity and modern science - epic in scope and minute in detail.

Equally impressive is Bird's solo live show at which, with the aid of a sampling pedal, the songwriter takes his often dense, orchestrated recordings and rewrites them anew each night, adding hypnotic layers of instruments to his vocals and other-worldly whistling - you have to see it to believe it.

Customer Reviews:

Playful and rich.......2007-01-16

This album really comes alive with repeat listens. Look up "Sovay" and you'll find that it refers to "traditional English folk song about a young woman who dresses as a highwayman in order to test her lover" (Wikipedia). Re-listening to the song in that context gives it another layer, but the richness and layers aren't needed to appreciate the gentle vocals, lilting whistling and healthy doses of violin. Track 3 ("A Nervous Tic...") is catchy enough that you'll find yourself whistling along. The rhymes (six rhymes in three lines, all matching "swapping your blood with formaldehyde" in "Fake Palindromes") and metaphor ("so we're taking all our myths to the bank") will keep bringing you back if the lush instrumentation doesn't.

Like this album? Try listening to the Kings of Convenience--they're mellower but worthwhile.

Such smart music it makes feel lesser........2006-12-02

This album holds such diverse music! It varies from the upbeat sound of "Fake Palindromes" to the slower sound of "Master Fade". I randomly ran across this album at Best Buy and bought it based on the album art. It looked interesting enough and I was right. This album has been very good to me over the years.

intricate and satisfying.......2006-11-04

This is an album worth listening to just for the beautiful carefully-orchestrated melodies, and also an album worth just reading for its poetry.

The instrumentation is delicate, layered, modest and surprising. Whistling solos suddenly soar out from the vibes/violin/keyboard/guitar harmonies. Bird playfully juxtaposes folk, orchestrated pop, 60s beat poetry, gypsy rock, jazz.

The lyrics are unexpectedly clever, yet sung gently and offhandedly. Bird's themes tend to be a bit apocalyptic. He gently and gracefully describes how we'll be blown back the 70s (by "the whole board of trustees, all those Don Quixotes") in Sovay, how we destroy ourselves with self-conscious neuroses in Measuring Cups, and what the end of the world will be like in Opposite Day. In Fake Palindromes he gravitates to more of a stream-of-consciousness style, which is brilliantly continued in the interlude at the end of Opposite Day. He throws in a tidbit of gospel in the ending of Masterfade when he sings "when you're lying on the ground / staring up at that inverted compass / I mean Christ who Knows?"

Andrew Bird brings together disparate strands of inspiration from unlikely sources across genres, and the result is uniquely moving. How he is able to so gracefully pull this off is a mystery. One thing we do know though, is that at the end of the world, there will be snacks.

Delights at every turn.......2006-10-08

It's such a pleasure listening to an album unfold, and to an artist gracefully inventing his own idiom. These songs have an unassuming beauty that makes most pop music (including that of artists I genuinely like) seem cliched or overbearing. The musical variety here does not undo the coherence of Bird's sound. A stunning CD. I will make a point to hear him live.

Fantastic .......2006-08-24

My favourite of 2005. Every song is musically complex, layered and interesting - yet so easy on the first listen. The lyrics also appear to be quite simple and whimsical but are actually dense and impenetrable - difficult to fathom without concerted mental effort and a spoonful of intuition. Then you might begin to get some kind of clarity, something may take shape, though still elusive and curious, a puzzle that might not actually have been intended for resolution - perhaps in order to avoid certain classification and inevitable sorting into an appropriately sized shoe-box where it can be neatly stamped "case closed" and pigeon-holed, ah! problem solved!.

Average customer rating: Check out Other Versions. Don't be swayed by Others' Reviews. beautiful music for a haunting story..... Man of LaMancha As Good As Ever Don Quixote Magnificent voices

Man of La Mancha: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Album (Original 1965 Broadway Cast) Mitch Leigh , Joe Darion , Richard Kiley , and Joan Diener Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast) Man of La Mancha Fiddler on the Roof (1964 Original Broadway Cast) My Fair Lady (1956 Original Broadway Cast) The Music Man (1957 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B00005A8KE Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Man Of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)
3. It's All The Same
4. Dulcinea
5. I'm Only Thinking Of Him
6. I Really Like Him - Joan Diener
7. What Do You Want of Me - Joan Diener
8. Little Bird, Little Bird
9. Barber's Song/Golden Helmet
10. To Each His Dulcinea (To Every Man His Dulcinea)
11. The Impossible Dream
12. The Combat (Previously Unreleased Reissue Track)
13. Dubbing (Knight of the Woeful Countenance) - Joan Diener
14. The Abduction
15. Aldonza - Joan Diener
16. A Little Gossip
17. Dulcinea (Reprise) /The Impossible Dream (Reprise) /Man of Mancha (Repr - Joan Diener
18. Finale (The Impossible Dream) - Joan Diener

Amazon.com

Man of La Mancha, the show that introduced "The Impossible Dream" to the world (and lounge singers everywhere), was the hit of the 1965 Broadway season. Richard Kiley is magnificent in his career-defining performance as the deluded wannabe knight Don Quixote. His leading lad Joan Diener sings the role of the kitchen wench Aldonza with just the right balance of dignity and vulgarity. Irving Jacobson turns in a fine comic performance as the Don's faithful squire, Sancho Panza. The score, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, was revolutionary in its time. The orchestra had no violins--just brass, woodwinds, percussion, and flamenco guitars. Man of La Mancha is one of Broadway's most inspiring musicals and it well deserves its high reputation. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Check out Other Versions. Don't be swayed by Others' Reviews........2007-06-09

I've never seen this show on stage and my first exposure to the music was the Sony CD Man of La Mancha featuring Placido Domingo, Pandy Patankin, and Julia Migenes-Johnson. Despite lackluster reviews of the disk, I enjoy it, and when I saw this version at a second hand book/music store, I decided check it out too. My initial impression was that the Sony version was the better disk but decided to compare both versions by setting up a playlist in Media Player, playing tracks from both version back-to-back.

After that test, I have to agree with the reviews here that Richard Kiley is the superior Don Quixote. Domingo's voice is, of course wonderful, but Kiley acts the role better on the CD and Domingo's accent is a major distraction.

In the role of Aldonza - no contest. Julia Mingenes-Johnson's singing and performance on the Sony version is far superior to Joan Diener's. I didn't have to hear the tracks back-to-back to realize that. Ms. Diener's performance just grated on my ears from the beginning.

Bucking the crowd, I prefer Mandy Patankin's Sancho (Sony version) to Irving Jacobson's. I may be biased, having had more exposure to the Sony version, but Patankin seemed to be trying to inject a bit more feeling into the character. Jacobson, singing in an annoying, scratchy voice, came across almost like a cartoon trying to fit in among live characters. It seems like most people either like Patankin or hate him. Guess I'm one of the former.

The Orchestration does seem brighter/clearer in this version compared to the Sony version, but, in general, the tempo on most tracks seems slower than the same tracks on the Sony version. I preferred the up-tempo, Sony versions of "The Barber Song", "Little Bird, Little Bird", "The Dubbing" and "A Little Gossip".

In Summary: For Kiley's Don Quixote, you'll probably want this version, but for tracks featuring Aldonza (and maybe Sancho) you'll want to check out the Sony version. Since I have both disks, I will probably come up with a mix of my favorite tracks, in general, favoring the Sony disk but substituting the tracks that feature Richard Kiley's Don Quixote where I can.

beautiful music for a haunting story............2007-06-07

I remember reading excerpts from Cervantes' DON QUIXOTE, as a Spanish student, way back in junior high school. The saga of the madman fighting windmills and pursuing his illusions [and delusions] was very sad, but very romantic at the same time. When the musical adaptation, MAN OF LA MANCHA, was brought to the stage in 1965, Richard Kiley (as the title character, Don Quixote) absolutely transfixed the audience with his sensitively heartfelt portrayal of the tragic madman. The plight of Don Quixote, who travels on horseback, with his faithful companion, Sancho Panza (Irving Jacobson), and absolutely lovestruck by kitched wench Aldonza (Joan Denier), is alternately pathetic and profound. Perhaps one of the best known (and most remade) songs in the repertoire from LA MANCHA, is "The Impossible Dream." Richard Kiley really make it his own, here, and after you hear his version, it's hard to listen to others' versions of it. It's just not the same. Though, this story is anything but joyful, the music will glide through your ears and carry you on a surrealistic journey through attempted triumph and (ultimately) tragedy.

Man of LaMancha As Good As Ever.......2007-05-07

Very pleased with ourchase of this item. Quality is great as was the price. Delivery was timely. Easy transaction! A++++++++

Don Quixote.......2006-09-14

Back in High School my band leader, Mr. DeYoung, decided (agianst much opposition from those of us in the band let me tell you) to have us perform select pieces from this musical

I hated the idea. But when we began to play, he even had us watch the musical, I fell in love with the melody. The many songs of a man who believes the best in the world. YOu find that in Dulcinea, The Impossible Dream, etc.

From one maginificently rendered song to another, you can be lost in its melodic elegance.

My favorite song is the initial rendition of 'Little Bird, Little Bird'. It's a soft song, sung as a love ballad. In the musical you discover it's being sung to a local whore by a bunch of randy men. Despite that, I still like it.

This along with others are among the great works of the stage!

Magnificent voices.......2006-07-05

Voices and music make a revival of this beautiful play. Full of passion.

Average customer rating: Moody and evocative Antony & The johnsons A great voice, unusual Either good or bad, this will affect you A Bride on Fire

I am a Bird Now Antony and the Johnsons Manufacturer: Secretly Canadian ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Chamber Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man Martha Wainwright Let It Die Fox Confessor Brings the Flood Feels ASIN: B000777J2S Release Date: 2005-02-01

Tracks:

1. Hope There's Someone
2. My Lady Story
3. For Today I Am A Bouy
4. Man Is The Baby
5. You Are My Sister
6. What Can I Do?
7. Fistful Of Love
8. Spiralling
9. Free At Last
10. Bird Gurhl

Amazon.com

It's not often that an album released in January gets called one of the best of the year in near-unison, but the second full length by Antony and the Johnsons is so startlingly beautiful that it simply has to be. Like his friend and compatriot Devendra Banhart, Antony is a super-talented singer-songwriter with a flair for dramatic artsong. But the cherubic Antony is so original he must get mistaken for an alien quite often; he sings like a bluesy opera singer and switches timbre from masculine to feminine in the space of a breath. The only vocal comparison that comes close is Nina Simone. Antony's honest lyrics deal with deep wounds and troubled desires with matter of fact poetry and subtle humor, as in a short story by JT LeRoy. Aided and abetted by a versatile band that's often closer to chamber orchestra than rock act, Antony delivers a visionary album with I Am A Bird Now. Oh yeah: Rufus Wainwright, Devendra, Lou Reed and Boy George all appear on here, too. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

Moody and evocative.......2007-06-08

Got a bit of Nina Simone going on here and if you are into Nina you're likely going to enjoy this. It's torch music that's a shade or three sadder.

I bought this on hearing 'You are my sister' on Letterman. Loved that tune, but a whole album of basically the same thing may be a turn off for some folks - it can be a bit tedious.

It's a love it or hate it sort of thing. Not for everyone, but that might be why it's so special.

Antony & The johnsons.......2007-05-19

I couldn't be more pleased with the speed of service and quality of the product.

A great voice, unusual.......2007-05-12

I had been recommended this singer and the music by family abroad. It came up to the glowing reports they gave of it. Thanks!

Either good or bad, this will affect you.......2007-04-12

You can't listen to this and not feel something. Whether it's confusion, annoyance, or awe you are feeling - it's anything but your run of the mill music.
I can't stop listening to Fistful of Love. It gives me chills and makes me want to cry every time I hear it. It's not often you come by music that powerful.

A Bride on Fire.......2007-04-10

It's been a long time since I last felt the desire to share my thoughts on an album. True, I've never been a prolific reviewer. In the past, however, I was more receptive of things musical. Or should I say I was more easily enthused? Quicker at becoming attuned to the ways in which a textual object would lend itself to interpretation? Perhaps I was a keener semiotician then, or liked to think that I was. Perhaps I was more naïve and confident that I could grasp the complexities behind art, or at least that I might be able to uncover (and then convey) one possible meaning treasured within a work of art. Sadly, a lot has changed in my life over the past two and a half years.

Most significantly, I have been through an experience which seems to me to be so close to the one Antony describes incredibly well in I am a Bird Now, by means of the lyrics and the singing style employed. Does he really describe it though? I can't positively say. It sometimes seems like a fallacy on my part, like an easy projection of my life onto suggestions which are polysemous and poetic more than they are specific to any one situation. However, this realization would lead to self-censuring and self-castration. So let's for a minute pretend I'm right. Let's assume that I am a Bird Now is about Loss, about Grieving, about finding Reason or at least Hope and some Beauty in the midst of personal tragedy. Let's presume that it talks about the suffering of someone who doesn't feel at ease in their environment, both physical and psychological.

That Antony is a gender-bending artist is a given. That there is ample use of metaphor in his lyrics is likewise undeniable. While this contributes to making the songs feel painfully sincere, it doesn't strike me as central. Beyond Antony's gender-defying verbal and vocal renditions (which account for my lax use of pronouns), there seems to be a core topic, that of abandonment and loneliness, the sense that something has happened to place the bird in a cage, making it unable to fly. That's how the album starts off. If I am a Bird Now is indeed a story about survival and widowhood, as I like to see it, then it seems also to be a story about communication with those who have left us. There are many instances in which I see the unrequited monologue of the widow to her (my) loved one and her (my) faith that silent answers can be heard through unexpected channels. That's how pain and love become inextricably intertwined well beyond common masochism. Ultimately, the narration seems to develop toward some kind of solution, although it is more about resolve and wishful thinking than it is about actual recovery. It's an animal-like instinct to move on to a new prey, not by virtue of a predatory urge in and of itself, but for the sake of life over death. The most innocent of impulses, the one that truly allows for the bird gerhl to fly and then go to heaven.

Is it all a fallacy on my part, or is I am a Bird Now really to be taken so seriously? I do not know, nor do I care. What I do know is that listening to it made me cry those tears that I had been withholding up until then. That it stirred me and made me feel like someone was expressing the emotions that I myself was unable to express, even though I wanted to and needed to. What I do know is that this is the one CD that I have been wanting to review since I first listened to it, breaking my two and a half year reserve. While this doesn't make my assumptions any more accurate, it does pay honour to Antony and the Johnsons and to I am a Bird Now. This is a thank you, as well as a heartfelt five-star review.

Average customer rating: The classic Maynard album Maynard Ferguson - Live at Jimmy's Pilates4me Finally! At last, this epic perfomance is on CD.

M.F Horn 4 & 5 - Live at Jimmy's Maynard Ferguson Manufacturer: Wounded Bird Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: M.F. Horn 3 M.F.Horn 2 & The Ballad Style of Maynard Ferguson M.F. Horn 2 Wow! The Formative Years M.F. Horn, Vol. 1 ASIN: B000LRZ052 Release Date: 2007-02-27

Tracks:

1. Teonova
2. MacArthur Park
3. Left Bank Express
4. I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
5. Two for Otis
6. Stay Loose with Bruce
7. Nice 'N Juicy
8. Fox Hunt
9. Got the Spirit
10. Blue Birdland

Album Description

This 1974 release from this legendary Jazz trumpeter, reached #40 on The Billboard Jazz Albums chart. This was originally a two record set, now contained on a single disc. The best of his Jazz-oriented recordings for the Columbia label, Live At Jimmy's features Ferguson ably assisted bay Lin Biviano, Andy MacIntish, Ferdinand Povel, Pete Jackson and Bruce Johnstone. Wounded Bird. 2007.

Customer Reviews:

The classic Maynard album.......2007-05-16

As this album influenced my jazz tastes through junior high and high school, and into college, I spent countless hours listening to these tunes. Through 30-plus years, I've worn out three of the original albums and at least six tapes before this CD was released. To sit with headphones on and listen to the live atmosphere from Jimmy's takes me to the days of live concerts where high school and collegiate jazzers would sit in awe of the Master's stratospheric work, and the interaction of the musicians. All of the charts are outstanding, including the classic McArthur Park. Nice and Juicy is a fun chart, the Fox Hunt just kicks and Got the Spirit is the perfect closing for a great set.
Perhaps the best words for this album were uttered by Maynard himself as the band played "Blue Birdland" at the conclusion of the album: "I hope we get one hell of an album out of this."
You surely did, Mr. Ferguson, you surely did.

Maynard Ferguson - Live at Jimmy's.......2007-05-12

This is Maynard's greatest live album and possibly his best album period.

Pilates4me.......2007-04-13

This is such an incredible cd. I feel it's one of his best. I've been waiting for a long time for it to be put on cd and so happy that it finally has been. Worth every penny! I listened to the record(aging myself!) growing up and could listen to this everyday for the rest of my life! Got the Spirit is a song that inspired me to play the sax! There's none better than it!

Finally!.......2007-04-11

My records (yeah, remember those?) were stored for a couple of decades, so I was thrilled to unpack them 2 years ago. The first ones out of the box were MF Horn 4&5. It was a fantastic experience and brought tears to my eyes, even through the crackles, pops and distortion caused by what was probably thousands of playings.

Going through my collection, I found this set was THE most worn out of ALL the MF recordings I had (Chameleon, MF2, etc) which says alot about the quality of the recording, the music selection and my preference for live vs studio.

I was really excited to learn this was coming out on CD so I could finally hear a clean version. After waiting an extra couple of weeks beyond the initial promised shipping date, then another 2 weeks of being away from home, I finally got my hands on it yesterday. Whoohooo! It played all day yesterday in my office and on the way home from work.

I agree wholeheartedly with the other reviews, that this is a recording for the ages and would even suggest that, from a layman's point of view, if you have room for 1 MF album, this is the one. He gives Teo Macera credit for recording it ON THE STREET IN A MOBILE VAN, for cryin' out loud, so the quality of the sound is even more amazing. This was no over-miked, multi-take recording with the applause superimposed, but a "you are there" snapshot of a master at work with one of the tightest and most talented bands he ever had backing him up.

I was fortunate to go to the tribute concert held after his death last year in St Louis where alumni from his band rotated through (soon to be on DVD- don't miss that one!). Many of the musicians on this album were there and THAT will be one I watch for.

In life, all we ultimately leave behind is our legacy and he left one of love, teaching and incredible but humble talent.

RIP Maynard, they broke the mold after they made you.

At last, this epic perfomance is on CD........2007-04-09

I wholeheartily concur with the other reviewers. This is Maynard Ferguson and his band at their best. After listening to the CD, I'm even more impressed with the recording quality of this live album. It is a better than most of the live jazz recordings made today -- more than thirty years
later.

I've had the original record since it came out when I was in high school.
Maynard and his band were a huge influence on my friends and me. Several
of my classmates went on to be professional horn players. For me, Maynard
helped spark a lifelong appreciation of jazz and particulary big bands.

Sidenote: What became of Bruce Johnston? I think his bari solos on this
recording are some of my favorites of all time.

Average customer rating: I like it a little more each time I listen I like it a little more each time I listen Just fabulous Nick's changed but he's still the best A CLASSIC OF CRAFTED GEMS!

The Impossible Bird Nick Lowe Manufacturer: Upstart / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dig My Mood The Convincer At My Age Party of One Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe ASIN: B000003NOZ Release Date: 1994-11-29

Tracks:

1. Soulful Wind
2. The Beast In Me
3. True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
4. Trail Of Tears
5. Shelley My Love
6. Where's My Everything
7. 12- Step Program ( To Quit You Babe)
8. Lover Don't Go
9. Drive- Thru Man
10. Withered On The Vine
11. I Live On A Battlefield
12. 14 Days
13. I'll Be There

Amazon.com

As a member of both Rockpile and Brinsley Schwarz, as a producer for Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, the Damned, and the Pretenders, and as a solo artist with his own Top 20 hit, Nick Lowe seemed to have his finger in every pub-rock pie there was. Unlike so many of their punk pals, the pub-rockers had a sense of craft and tradition which enabled them to outlive the moment, and that's why Lowe is still making strong, fascinating records nearly 20 years after the heady days of 1976-'78. Lowe's 1994 The Impossible Bird is a low-key, easy-going album which has a lot more to do with 1956 country music than with 1978 punk. Nonetheless the 13 songs--10 Lowe originals and three country chestnuts--are marked by the sort of no-frills arrangements and unpretentious passion that made pub-rock so special in the first place. When Lowe sings a ballad such as "The Beast in Me," "Withered on the Vine," and "Lover Don't Go," the arrangements are so minimalist--just a hint of guitar and drums behind the organ--that the song lives or dies by the vocal. Fortunately, Lowe pulls off the difficult trick of sounding lonely and desperate without sounding self-pitying. Whether it's a tongue-in-cheek rocker such as "12-Step Program (To Quit You Babe)" or one of the many ballads, Lowe and his musicians have stripped away every extraneous element that might get between the listener and the song. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

I like it a little more each time I listen.......2004-06-08

This is definitely Nick Lowe in full country mode, and I find more to like about it each time I listen to it. Gentle melodies and heartfelt lyrics are found throughout and while the occasional bit of rockabilly creeps in (Particularly on "12-Step Program" which would not have been out of place on CRUEL TO BE KIND)this CD would not be out of place on anyone's "Best of" country list. Tales of love and loss are here as are fairly common topics for country albums, but Lowe puts his own spin on them so they sound anything but cliched. If your looking for the Lowe of the 70's, this isn't him. This is an artist who decided to pursue a different route to finding his muse, and this recording shows that he is finding it with success.
PS. I know it's Nick's song, but Johhny's version of "Beast in Me" has so much more going for it that I almost wish I hadn't heard Nick's version. It pales in comparison.

I like it a little more each time I listen.......2004-06-08

This is definitely Nick Lowe in full country mode, and I find more to like about it each time I listen to it. Gentle melodies and heartfelt lyrics are found throughout and while the occasional bit of rockabilly creeps in (Particularly on "12-Step Program" which would not have been out of place on CRUEL TO BE KIND)Tales of love and loss are here as are fairly common topics for country albums, but Lowe puts his own spin on them so they sound anything but cliched. if your looking for the Lowe of the 70's, this isn't him. This is an artist who decided to pursue a different route to finding his muse, and this recording shows that he is finding it with success.
PS. I know it's Nick's song, but Johhny's version of "Beast in Me" has so much more going for it that I almost wish I hadn't heard Nick's version. It pales in comparison.

Just fabulous.......2003-01-24

My single favorite cd that I own. What else can one say then.

Except for his next two cds are almost every bit as good as well.

Nick's changed but he's still the best.......2001-06-09

How many people would wonder, "who is this?" if they were lucky enough to have it grace their ears. Or would they instead ask you if you had any of that cool, pretentious Moby to put on instead.

Is anyone else flabbergasted that the sections for albums of this quality say, see all six reviews while garbage music has lines such as see all 625 reviews?

A CLASSIC OF CRAFTED GEMS!.......2001-04-02

This album is incredibly articulate and inventive, offering 13 melodic gems without a single filler track.

Hooks abound, but this is not just simple pop or country, as every song is infused with great emotional and musical substance to lure the listener back again and again.

My favorites include Lowe's own compositions The Beast In Me, Where's My Everything?, Lover Don't Go, Withered On The Vine and 14 Days, but the covers of True Love Travels On A Gravel Road, Trail Of Tears and I'll Be There are superb too.

If you like poetic lyrics set to beautiful melodies, you'll love this album. I do not even miss the absence of punk-influenced rockers at all, although I still love his first album "Pure Pop For Now People."

This is my absolute best musical discovery of 2001, thus far. It's rare to find such quality and talent on a single album.

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6. Distillation
7. E2 - E4 [Import]
8. Elvis '56 [Original recording remastered]
9. Ether-Electrified Porch Music
10. Even My Sure Things Fall Through [Enhanced] [EP]

Rap Music

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