Fate : by Dr. Dog

Review: By john hubner "hubner73"
If you're reading this, then you are familiar with Dr. Dog already, so please go buy this album. Buy several copies and pass them out to the uninitiated. Buy more copies and leave copies in your neighbors mailboxes. Buy even more and send them to our boys in Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other armpit of the world our soldiers may be. If you're new to Dr. Dog, please buy this album.

Then buy 'We All Belong', then buy 'Easy Beat'. And if you can, go see them live. This is an absolutely beautiful album. Army Of Ancients is like a conversation with a loved one long dead. Savoring every word, knowing at some point you will wake up and they will be gone. The Breeze, Hang On, and The Old Days come at you like an old photo album you thought was long lost in a fire years before. The Ark is like a lost Abbey Road song that Lennon/McCartney wrote in a alternate universe where they grew up in Philly instead of Liverpool...From first song to last, this is soul-cleansing music. Music only once heard in your dreams and in childhood memories that may or may not have happened...if music could save us, this would be that music...Dr. Dog, thank you!!!

7" : by Pinhead Gunpowder

This is a great return from a great band. While the recordings sound a bit muddy (even for Pinhead Gunpowder), the songs are great. It's pretty cool to get two version of On The Ave. as well. You can tell the songs were recorded analong... which is always a plus. All around, great release.

Some Mad Hope

Review; By Matthew W. Paradise "nutmegs"
I had heard most of these songs from his concert and bootlegs, but unlike his last ...Fireworks CD these tracks are just as good as their live versions.

Make no mistake though, it's not because they sound the same. They sound totally different. A Matt show has all the great acoustic comforts of an intimate coffee shop, personal musical outpouring, accompanied with great crowd rapport and overall fun. This CD captures the essence of what makes those Matt live songs so great, takes it, refines it, shines it and purifies it, bottling it up in a nice package for us to consume at home, all without the loss of any of the elements that make his live songs so great. And the additives, while noticed, go well with the traditional raw Matt Nathanson flavor we've all come to to know, love and even get addicted to.

If you love acoustic coffee shop style heartfelt music, then you will love this CD. When you go to the concert and hear the songs live later on you will enjoy them even more.

I am thrilled that the production version came out so well.

Chemical Chords :

Review: By Piers Moktan "Piers Moktan"
I have been eagerly anticipating the new Stereolab album for some time, intrigued by Tim Gane's tantalising account of the creative process that led to 'Chemical Chords'- of a batch of his own musical doodles from which the groop developed the final, fleshed out tracks in the studio.

So yes, as one would expect from Stereolab, 'Chemical Chords' is a lushly orchestrated album (Sean O'Hagan's arrangements add wonderful texture, especially the strings on 'Cellulose Sinshine' and 'Self Portrait With Electric Brain'), but each track bears the succinct imprint of a singular idea perfectly realised, unlike previous albums where some tracks feel like two or three condensed into one. The synergy between the musical elements makes this another Stereolab album that will continue to reward repeated listens. It's really only just beginning to sink in for me, and so far 'Daisy Click Clack','Self Portrait With Electric Brain' and 'Cellulose Sunshine' have particularly infected my musical consciousness.

The Stereolab formula is evident, but sufficiently tweaked to engage the fans- I can't imagine they will be disappointed. This is a great album, and it's certainly not bereft of candidates to add to your selection of favourite Stereolab songs. It also has an infectiously cheerful quality that might just dispel some mental rainclouds- even those with that mood of restless yearning don't stray too far towards melancholy.

N.B I highly recommend getting the version with extra tracks- 'The Nth Degree' and 'Magne-Music' are both awesome, the former with its insistent bass and crackling electronic inflections, the latter with its rhythmic electronic bubble sounds. The US version provides 17 tracks with 'Spool of Confusion' whereas the UK extended version only has 16 (but isn't much more expensive)

Riot! : by Paramore

This isn't the runner-up, this is the real thing. Hayley Williams and her band don't crumble (like most bands do on their sophomore effort) under the pressure to be the next big thing. They stay true to what made them awesome on the first go-around and here we have Riot!. Amazing album with song after capturing-from-the-first-verse song. Buy it.

Bee Gees' Classic Song: "One Night Only"

Description
Brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb made musical history for close to four decades with their magnificent vocal harmonies and ever-evolving styles. Masters of orchestral pop, blue-eyed soul and R&B, dazzling dance grooves, and disco fever alike—as well as uniquely blended hybrids of all these genres and more—the Bee Gees delivered album classics and top chart hits throughout their enduring career. On this newly remastered edition, the amazing genetics of their harmonies shine, as does the ongoing artistic evolution that’s made them one of contemporary music’s most successful and legendary acts.

"One Night Only" is a good a masterpiece of live recording as 1977's "Here At Last...Bee Gees...Live" was. All the great songs are here, plus a few odd album cuts that truly make this set shine. Highlights include, "Grease" with a thunderous crowd roaring approval; "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away', a true tearjerker with prerecorded Andy Gibb singing with his brothers and "Immortality", with a wonderful Celine Dion backed by the brothers. The CD is crisp, clean and clear. It is amazing to hear such fantastic producers who's studio recordings sound the same in concert. This is a classic CD!

The old Song by Bee Gees entitled "Saturday Night Fever [SOUNDTRACK] "

Review: By Pieter "Toypom"
This masterpiece has lost none of its appeal after all these years, proving the critics wrong and the BeeGees right. Part of its popularity must be due to the clever mix of fast dance numbers and lovely soaring ballads. The frenetic pace of e.g. Staying Alive and Night Fever is balanced by the serene pace of How Deep Is Your Love.

For fans of the old-style BeeGees ballads, this new direction with the edgy falsetto vocals and the nervous beat came as a shock initially, but those hits like Jive Talkin' and You Should Be Dancing soon enough swept one up in the disco fever. I love Yvonne Elliman's poignant ballad If I Can't Have You, while the tracks by Kool & The Gang, MFSB and KC & The Sunshine Band are great too.

But the real underground classic here is Disco Inferno by Trammps, nine minutes of burbling, bubbling, stomping, storming, gripping funk that is as anthemic as any great rock song by for example Bruce Springsteen. Come to think of it, most of the BeeGees tracks here can also be considered as anthems of the disco generation.

Besides serving as bridges between the classic hits, the filler tracks like A Fifth Of Beethoven and Salsation add authenticity to the overall listening experience and serve to strengthen the ambience. This album and the movie took disco out of the underground and reinvented it as a mainstream phenomenon.

While rock music was going through the convulsions of the punk and new wave revolutions, disco was having the party of the decade. And this album, along with the music of Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chic, Giorgio Moroder, Boney M, Village People and others, provided the soundtrack to an era.

Best of Bee Gees

Review : By Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan"

This is a straight re-issue of their earliest hits compilation, containing most of their UK hits up to mid-1969. It stops just too soon to include either Saved by the bell (a Robin Gibb solo) or Don't forget to remember (my favorite Bee Gees song) but the can be found on volume 2

Their impact on the American charts in this period was somewhat patchy, but most of these reached the UK top ten, while Massachusetts and I've gotta get a message to you both topped the British charts. To love somebody was a huge UK hit for Nina Simone. On this collection, my favorite is First of May but Massachusetts, Words and World are not far behind. The songs cover a variety of themes - reflective songs, sad songs and even death songs. If you are looking for bright, cheerful music, you won't find a lot here.

Death songs were common in the sixties - remember Leader of the pack (Shangri-Las), Terry (Twinkle) and Tell Laura I love her, just to name a few - so the Bee Gees were just carrying on the tradition by recording the two that appear on this album. I've gotta get a message to you is about a man facing execution, trying to pass a final message to somebody. New York mining disaster 1941 is actually about a disaster elsewhere in the world, but changed to obscure its identity - I believe it may really be about a coal tip that caused a landslide on to a school in Aberfan in 1966. The actual lyrics only refer to a man searching for his wife after the landslide, so the song could be applicable to any landslide disaster, anywhere in the world. If it was about Aberfan, I can understand why the Bee Gees didn't want to put it in the song title when they were still looking for their first UK hit and Aberfan was still topical. The song gave them their first hit, peaking at twelve in the British charts.

The remainder of the album, though often reflective or sad, is not really that depressing. Massachusetts, for example, has brilliant, atmospheric music, so you may not take any notice of the lyrics.

There are many excellent songs here although many of them can be found on later compilations that also cover later aspects of their career. Great as they are, it is sometimes nice to be able to focus on one aspect of their career - in this case their sixties music. We still await a definitive collection of their folk-pop music but until then we have this and Best of Bee Gees volume 2.

Bee Gees' 1st [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Description
BEE GEES' 1st, originally released in 1967, is a harmony-heavy, rock flavored masterpiece that instantly put the group in the forefront of hit music coming out of the U.K. The album reached #7 on Billboard®'s Pop Album chart and delivered a trio of top 20 smashes: "To Love Somebody," "New York Mining Disaster 1941," and "Holiday." Disc 2 features 14 previously unreleased tracks, include alternate versions of most of the album cuts plus the recording debut of "Gilbert Green," "House Of Lords," "All Around The Clock," and other ultra-rarities.

Track Listings

Disc: 1
1. Turn Of The Century
2. Holiday
3. Red Chair, Fade Away
4. One Minute Woman
5. In My Own Time
6. Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You
7. Craise Finton Kirk Royal Academy Of Arts
8. New York Mining Disaster 1941
9. Cucumber Castle
10. To Love Somebody

Disc: 2
1. Turn Of The Century
2. One Minute Woman
3. Gilbert Green
4. New York Mining Disaster 1941
5. House Of Lords
6. Cucumber Castle
7. Harry Braff
8. I Close My Eyes
9. I've Got To Learn
10. I Can't See Nobody

Still Waters

Description
Brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb made musical history for close to four decades with their magnificent vocal harmonies and ever-evolving styles. Masters of orchestral pop, blue-eyed soul and R&B, dazzling dance grooves, and disco fever alike—as well as uniquely blended hybrids of all these genres and more—the Bee Gees delivered album classics and top chart hits throughout their enduring career. On this newly remastered edition, the amazing genetics of their harmonies shine, as does the ongoing artistic evolution that’s made them one of contemporary music’s most successful and legendary acts.

Review: By Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF"

"Still Waters" closed out the Century as the Bee Gees last studio album. Featuring the big hit "Alone"; cuts "I Surrender", "Still Waters Run Deep" and "Smoke And Mirrors" could all have been big hits. "Irresistible Force" brings the famous trio in to a round-robin vocal that is truly unique. "My Lovers Prayer", "I Could Not Love You More" and "I Will" harken back to the power ballads the guys are so famous for. "Closer Than Close" and "Miracles Happen" seem out of step with the rest of the CD, but, hey, it's all good stuff.

Last Note: If you can find the CD single or IMPORT CD with "Rings Around The Moon" and "Love Never Dies" you are in for a real treat.

Best of the Bee Gees, Vol. 2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com

Of the 2 best-of discs covering the Bee Gees' pre-disco pop hits, it's the first volume that's the definitive collection. But, this 14-song follow-up is a nice companion piece, boasting several prime examples of the Gibb Brothers' emotion-drenched, vintage songcraft. Alongside "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart," "Lonely Days," and "Run to Me"--all hits from the tail end of the threesome's original run at the charts--Best of Bee Gees, Vol. 2 features such sumptuous standouts as "Melody Fair," "Morning of My Life," "And the Sun Will Shine," and Robin Gibb's gorgeously melodramatic British solo hit "Saved by the Bell." --Scott Schinder

Review : By Thomas Lapins

This collection makes me want to hideaway from the world and be left alone. "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" is perhaps my favorite Bee Gees song. The intro is classic. Some of their best lyrics (to me they were better known for their melodies and harmonies rather than their lyrics). "I.O.I.O." is one that I don't like at all. "Don't Want To Live Inside Myself" came from an LP that I really liked. If I remember correctly, every song was a downer (I say that in a positive way.....but each song was a steak knife to the heart). Every song pulled you inward, then kind of ripped your heart apart, feeling sad and sorry for yourself, which is ok once in awhile. Melody Fair" this one sounds like early Beatles "Please, Please Me". Very pleasant like the Beatles' first two years, but sounds a little dated. "My World" is another one of those rip your heart apart songs. Great a.m. radio song! "Let There Be Love" another knife to the heart. "Saved By The Bell" how many knifes can the heart take? "Lonely Days" hints at better things to come, their "Main Course" LP. "Lonely Days" has a great spontaneity about it. The harmonies, lyrics and the upbeat melody make for one of the 70's best songs. "Morning Of My Life" ok but a little too sweet. "Don't Forget To Remember" this one reminds me of Eddie Arnold (another good song writer with heartbreaker after heartbreaker hit)."And The Sun Will Shine" this one is only a butter knife to the heart. "Run To Me" almost as good as "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart". It has been recorded a hundred times. One of those songs destined to be a romantic standard. "Man For All Seasons" continues in the same vein as most of the others. Not one to pass by. "Alive" this one reminds me of some of their later ballads of the 70's. Nice arrangements. Well, like I said, if you need to curl up on a raining afternoon and get lost in lost love, this is the cd for you.

Madonna: GHV2 (Greatest Hits Volume 2)

Review : By Daniel Jolley "darkgenius

As a teenager in the 1980s, I absolutely loved Madonna; I refused to go a single day without listening to at least one Madonna song. By the time the 1990s rolled around, the obsession had faded and, while I still liked Madonna, I really didn't keep up with her music (or pop music in general, the poor quality of which finally pushed me over to the oldies stations on my radio). For me, GHV2 is a perfect match. My previous exposure to most of these songs ranged from a little to none whatsoever, so I basically rediscovered Madonna when I bought this collection. Madonna has never gotten the respect she deserves for her music; all I heard about her for many years were criticisms of her movies, jokes, etc. Most of the critics seem to dismiss her music altogether, yet she unleashed some huge hits (not to mention impressive albums) during the 1990s, most of the best of which are included in this retrospective collection. Now I know that Madonna is larger than life and that her music is really only a part of her persona. Many people have disapproved of some of her antics over the years, including myself on occasion, but I have always loved and admired her strength, resolve, and undying commitment to be a complete individual and do whatever she wants to do. It's easy to get lost in all the ephemeral nonsense that surrounds the woman, but her very foundation is her music, and this collection shows what an amazing performer she really is.

Madonna has been around quite a long time now, as hard as that is for me to believe. The reason she is still turning out hits while many other artists from the early 80s are gone and forgotten comes down to her unmatched ability to completely recreate herself. Not only does she adapt to changes in the musical scene, she leads the charge for change herself. Over her career, this has allowed her to excel across a wide spectrum of song types. I'm no dance music expert, but Madonna lays down the most infectious dance beats I know of in songs such as Deeper and Deeper (featuring a brilliant bridge into a part of her earlier song Vogue) and the totally funked up Music. Beautiful Stranger is another great dance song (but I'll never be able to hear this song without conjuring up images from the music video featuring Austin Powers). Of course, Madonna has her naughty side, as revealed in the edited versions of Erotica and - depending on your state of mind - Bedtime Stories. Madonna never looks back or has regrets, a trait I greatly admire, and she makes this fact pretty clear in the sexually mischievous song Human Nature. What It Feels Like For a Girl makes the point even more convincingly as it points out the ways in which men and women are judged by different standards.

Madonna is also the voice behind some of the best love songs of the 1990s. Classics such as The Power of Goodbye, Frozen, and Take a Bow are just beautiful, featuring some of the most moving choruses I've ever heard in pop music. The lyrics, for those who stop to listen to them, are really quite poignant and touching - you won't find any bubble gum pop on GHV2. Then there are the great songs I find hard to classify: Ray of Light is almost cosmic in its appeal and manic in its musical expression. Drowned World/Substitute For Love carries a life-affirming beat in support of its unusually touching message. Then there is Don't Tell Me, a song I like more and more each time I hear it. I remember hearing it for the first time on the radio, as the deejay assured the audience that the "skips" we were about to hear in the early moments of the track were actually supposed to be there. In the 1990s, Madonna was still taking chances, still taking music in new directions, and still turning out some of the best music in the business. GHV2 is a great joy for Madonna fans and ample proof to all the disbelievers out there who deny this remarkable woman's musical talent.

Ray of Light : Madonna

Review: By John Jones "Musician"

Family matters have always been a good forum for Madonna. After all, 1989's "Like a Prayer," dealing with the breakup of her marriage, her mother's death, and her complicated relationship with her father, shattered the notion that Madonna was an artist best relied on for singles; the deep and expressive set made for a mature album that could be enjoyed from start to finish. Unfortunately, subsequent recordings weren't as sharp: "Erotica" and "Bedtime Stories" definitely had their moments but just as surely had their share of filler. Luckily for us, "Ray of Light" picks up on the flip side of "Like a Prayer": this time around, Madonna's the parent, and the topic of family provides a springboard for musings on love versus fame and what a grown adult considers truly important. Adding to the mix is her collaboration with electronica producer William Orbit, making "Ray of Light" one of the most mature and satisfying albums of dance music you're likely to ever hear.

And while the opening track gets things off to an unexpected start with a hypnotic slice of slow rock, the lyrics of "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" set the pace of the record: "I traded fame for love/without a second thought...I found myself in crowded rooms/feeling so alone." Halfway through the song the music backs off and Madonna distances herself from side-effects of fame: "no famous faces, far off places/trinkets I can buy/no handsome stranger, heady danger/drug that I can try." As the list continues the decibel level grows until both Madonna and her music are at an in-your-face level, clearly declaring that fame may be nice but enough is enough.

The club-happy "Nothing Really Matters" is another summation of her new point of view; singing to her newborn daughter, the onetime Material Girl admits that she once "lived so selfishly," but now "everything's changed because of you/nothing really matters, love is all we need." The concept is simple but nonetheless a touching one. It could even be argued that the album's first single, the entrancing "Frozen," holds a deep premise. Lyrics like "you only see what your eyes want to see/how can life be what you want it to be/you're frozen when your heart's not open" could have easily been written from her daughter's point of view, as if Madonna realized during pregnancy what changes in outlook her child would need from her and decided to set it to music.

Not all the lyrical content is parental, however: the slow hip-hop of "Swim" offers a grim look at current events with a nonetheless optimistic plea for change, while "Shanti/Ashtangi" sets her spiritual beliefs to a funky, computer-laden rhythm. And then the midtempo "Power of Goodbye" and the near-Bossa Nova "To Have and Not to Hold" are flat-out love songs, albeit doomed ones. Still other songs appear to be about nothing in particular: "Candy Perfume Girl" is a trippy electronica workout laced with seemingly random poetry, while the frenetic title track has a lyrical spin that is either about Mother Earth, the downscaling of celebrity, or something in between.

And while the drum-and-bass lullaby "Little Star," a blessing to her child for a contented life, may come off feeling a little lightweight, the album's only true stumble is the spooky closer, "Mer Girl." Whereas "Like a Prayer" offered a moving account of a young girl missing her desceased mother in "Promise to Try," "Mer Girl" is instead a dreamlike sequence in which a new celebrity mother is still in search of the mother she didn't have long enough. It may sound like a touching idea, but lyrics like "I smelt her burning flesh/her rotting bones/her decay" are too dour and heavy after twelve tracks of mostly dance music. But all in all, "Ray of Light" marks her most successful connection with dance music and her most compelling efforts as a lyricist. It's a relief to know that, years after enjoyable ear candy like "Holiday" and "Like a Virgin," Madonna grew up and matured over the years just like the rest of us. As she observes on "Sky Fits Heaven": "isn't everyone just travelling down their own road/watching the signs as they go/I think I'll follow my heart/it's a very good place to start." Very good? Some would say brilliant.

Confessions on a Dance Floor : Madonna

Description
On Confessions of a Dance Floor, Madonna, the most popular and significant female artist in pop music, returns unapologetically to her roots. A stunning blend of musical styles with one foot in early disco and the other pointed toward the future, Confessions On A Dance Floor "is all about having a good time straight through and non-stop," says the Material Mom, who co-wrote and co-produced every track. For Madonna and music fans everywhere, the all-dance, no-ballad Confessions on a Dance Floor is a welcome guilty pleasure.

Review by : Porfie Medina "Porfie Jr. Medina"
MADONNA is back with her new album Confessions on a Dance Floor and it is an amazing album and one of her best!

HUNG UP - This is the first single off of the new album and is a huge hit in the clubs. The song has a sample from ABBA's song Gimme Gimme Gimme (which I have never heard) and has MADONNA singing about someone she is hung up on. The song has a very great groove and it's definitely the most commercial song on the album. With the chorus line "Every little thing that you say or do I'm HUNG UP, I'm hung up on you." and lines like "Ring , ring, ring goes the telephone, the lights are on but there's no one home" the song gets stuck in your mind and you find yourself singing these catchy lines. No Madonna song has as catchy lines since "INTO THE GROOVE" which had Madonna sing "At night I lock the doors and no one else can see". Very strong single that will keep the dance club crowd on there feet.

GET TOGETHER - This is a great up- beat song (inspired by Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You) with a very laid back trance like feel to it. The song has Madonna singing to a person she really likes asking "Do you believe in love at first sight?" Even if it's an illusion she states she don't care. "Can we get Together? I really, I really want to be with you. Come on check it out with me, I hope you, I hope you feel the same way too." Put some head-phones on and close your eyes and the Great retro dance beat along with the trance feel take you to another world.

SORRY - This is rumored to be one of the new singles from the album. Madonna sings "I don't want to hear, I don't want to know please don't say your SORRY." to someone she is probably never going to forgive. The songs chorus sounds similar to the bass line from The Jackson's' 1981 hit Can You Feel. Sure to be another huge club and commercial hit.

FUTURE LOVERS - This is one of my favorite songs on the album. This song also has a retro vibe to it with another trance like feel. This song has a lot of stuff going on musically and it is inspired by Giorgio Moroder/I feel Love by Donna Summer. The song has some spoken vocals for the first minute and a half, then it breaks out in to this awesome dance song. She sings "In the evidence of it's brilliance" talking about love. This song is going to be HUGE in the clubs.

I LOVE NEW YORK - Great dance song that has MADONNA telling us how much she loves NEW YORK and hinting towards George Bush and his home state. Singing, "If you don't like my attitude then you can just f off. Just go to Texas, isn't that where they golf." Very awesome dance song with a very punk rock feel to it. This is also rumored to be a single off of the new album.

LET IT WILL BE - this is a song that has a raw feel to it with a funky house groove and a retro 80's feel to it. This song sounds similar to the string opening (played on a synth) from her own song PAPA DON'T PREACH. This song has MADONNA singing lines like "Now I can tell you about success, about fame, about the rise and the fall, of all the stars in the sky, Don't it make you smile? Let it will Be. Just let it be. Won't you let it be?"

FORBIDDEN LOVE - This is one of the slowest dance songs on the album and one of the most beautiful. The song has computer generated, and vocoder style vocals and has another 80's feel to it. The song is the closest thing to a ballad on the album. MADONNA sings "Once upon a time there was a boy and there was a girl. Hearts that intertwined they lived in a different kind of world. Forbidden Love are we supposed to be together? Forbidden Love we seal are destiny forever."

JUMP - This is one of my other favorite tracks on this album. This song has a great beat and classic MADONNA vocals. This is one song that will make the club crowd JUMP and remind anyone of classic MADONNA. Madonna sings " We learned our lesson from the start my sisters and me. The only thing you can depend on is your family. Life's gonna drop you down like the limbs of a tree. It sways, and it swings and it bends until it makes you see. Are you ready to jump? Get ready to jump. Don't ever look back oh baby. Yes I'm ready to jump. Just take my hand, get ready to... are you ready?" This would be a great single and in some countries is expected to be released as a single.

HOW HIGH - This song has a great beat to it and is another song that has computer generated, and vocoder style vocals. This is a song that has lyrics (similar to "Drowned World/Substitute For Love) about Madonna analyzing and evaluating her fame and success. She sings "How HIGH are the stakes? How much fortune can you make? Should I carry on? Will it matter when I'm gone?" Another great song!

ISAAC - This is another beautiful song on the album. Despite the early controversy this song has spawned, this is s song that has a very beautiful Jewish chant with strings and guitars that envelope you and take you on an emotional journey. This has some of the most beautiful lyrics MADONNA has ever wrote. She sings "Wrestle with your darkness. Angels call your name. Can you hear what they are saying? Will You ever be the same?" People may not like this song because of the spiritual vibe, the Jewish chant, and because it is different, since some people don't like things that are different. I love this song!

PUSH ME - This is a great inspirational song that she probably wrote for her husband Guy. Very Uplifting beat that some people say samples a slowed down section from her own hit "LIKE A PRAYER." Madonna sings "You PUSH ME to go the extra mile. You push me when it's difficult to smile. You push me a better version of myself. You push me only you and no one else. You push me see the other pont of view. You push me when there's nothing else to do. You push me when I think I know it all. You push me when I stumble and I fall." This is a great song that reminds us all how much our lovers/partners love us and push us to be better.

LIKE IT OR NOT - This is another great song influenced by her own cover of her hit FEVER. This is for all those people who for what ever reason don't like MADONNA and always put her down. She once again analyzes herself and says, like it or not this is who I am. She sings: "You can call me a sinner, you can call me a saint. This is who I am, You can like it or not, You can love me or leave me, But I'm never going to stop." Awesome song and some great advice from a strong women who just keeps going on her journey no matter what people think of her. Cleverly this last song closes this beautiful future-disco album with an acoustic guitar.



I have to say it's very sad to see some of these reviewers post reviews about how much they hate Madonna or like other artists better. The reviews they write have nothing to do with Madonna's new album and yet they give her 1 star all because they don't like her. After reading the reviews I can tell most of them have not even heard the album because the reviews they wrote are so far from what the songs are about. I guess MADONNA is still a huge threat to them and they have to post such hateful things about someone they don't like all because she is MADONNA. In a MADONNA like fashion I will not get bitter toward them, I will forgive them and ask that God Blesses each and every one of them.

And should any of you good people out there be the target like MADONNA and find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!


MADONNA once again leads while the rest will follow. This is the best MADONNA album since RAY of Light!

The Immaculate Collection : Madonna

Here are just some of Madonna's early classic hits. When this compilation was assembled, Madonna already had too many hits to include them all on a single CD, hence the omission of Angel, Dress you up, Gambler, True blue and all the hits from the soundtrack, Who's that girl? Because of her continuous success in the years that followed the release of this compilation, a comprehensive Madonna hits collection would now require a triple CD. That is a measure of her brilliance, sustained over a very long period of time.

The set begins with three hits from her debut album, of which Holiday is the best but Lucky star and Borderline are also wonderful. Then come Like a virgin and Material girl, two of the singles released from her outstanding second album. Crazy for you, an excellent ballad, and Into the groove, a superb dance song, come next. Although the title track is omitted, four other major hits from the True blue album (Live to tell, Papa don't preach, Open your heart, La Isla Bonita) can be found here, each one of them a classic but very different from each other. Three major hits from Like a prayer include Express yourself and Cherish. Vogue (from I'm breathless) and two tracks not available on any previous album (Justify my love, Rescue me) complete the set.

Anybody who does not understand why Madonna has such a huge fan base only has to listen to this compilation to find out why. Catchy pop tunes with interesting lyrics (for those that bother to listen to the words) are Madonna's trademark, yet she manages to avoid becoming formulaic. Madonna has continuously changed her style, so you don't hear the same sound over and over again.

There is no definitive Madonna compilation yet but we may have to wait a few years for that. Until that time, this is the best introduction to her music that is available.

Give It 2 Me (Maxi-Single) [SINGLE]

Here is the correct track listing.

01. Feddie Le Grand Remix - 6:40
02. Oakenfold Extended Remix - 6:59
03. Oakenfold Drums in Mix - 5:44
04. Eddie Amador Club - 11:05
05. Eddie Amador House Lovers Mix - 7:52
06. Tong & Spoon Wonderland Mix - 7:35
07. Jody den Broeder Club - 9:33
08. Sly and Robbie Bongo Mix - 4:54

Wow, all the mixes are excellent. I love the Feddie Le Grand Remix, Oakenfold Extended Remix, the Tong & Soon Wonderland Mix and the Eddie Amador House Lovers Mix are the best. The super long version of Eddie Amador Club is also great too. Get the US maxi single, instead of the import singles!!!!!!!

ADRIENNE MILLER Says as follows:
Give It 2 Me by Madonna is a hot summer single, I have the album Hard Candy as well. When I first heard this hot track I was singing my heart out, I just adore this fun, danceable song. This single contains 8 remixes and boy they are creative, catchy, and brilliant. Madonna is the queen of Pop, I highly recommend this purchase and Hard Candy, enjoy!

Hard Candy : Madonna

Description
Japanese pressing of Madonna's 2008 full-length album includes one bonus track, 'Ring My Bell'. Hard Candy is a brilliant uptempo collection that adds a hip-hop beat to the cultural icon's club sensibilities, thanks to collaborations with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Nate "Danja" Hills. Hard Candy punctuates the first 25 years of the album career of the most successful female artist in history with a musical exclamation point. 12 tracks.. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review; By Y. Collado

I am a HUGH Madonna fan and I do listen to all kinds of music. Her last album, "Confessions..." I thought had a European feel to it,very house/trance-like sound. I loved the fact that she just completely switched it up and created a more hip hop feel to the Hard Candy album, she worked with Amazing Producers and Writers such as the WORLD renowned Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake, and switching her style from album to album does not make her a "Sell Out" it makes an amazing artist who knows how to target all kinds of audiences from different Genres, not too many artists have been as successful. You can tell the songs that were produced by P. Williams, they're very heavy influenced w/ hip hop beats, where the ones co-written by Justin Timberlake are more pop songs. My favorite songs (and I have many) have to be "Miles Away" "She's not me" and "Incredible"...but to be honest I truly love it all. I HAVE TO SAY I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ALBUM, and everyone who I lend my copy to loves it as well.

Horizontal [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] : Bee Gees

Description
1968'S HORIZONTAL boasts adventurous arrangements and production and features the signature hit "Massachusetts," a chart-topper in Britain that went to #11 in the U.S. Also features the standouts "World" (a global hit), "And The Sun Will Shine," "Harry Braff," and the psychedelic title tracks. Disc 2 features thirteen rarities including nine previously unreleased tracks, among them "Out Of Line," "All My Christmases Came At Once," plus the seasonal medley "Silent Night/Hark The Herald Angels Sing."

Track Listings

Disc: 1
1. World
2. And The Sun Will Shine
3. Lemons Never Forget
4. Really And Sincerely
5. Birdie Told Me
6. With The Sun In My Eyes
7. Massachusetts
8. Harry Braff
9. Day Time Girl
10. The Earnest Of Being George

Disc: 2
1. Out Of Line
2. Ring My Bell
3. Barker Of The U.F.O.
4. Words
5. Sir Geoffry Saved The World
6. Sinking Ships
7. Really And Sincerely
8. Swan Song
9. Mrs. Gillespie's Refrigerator
10. Deeply, Deeply Me

Saturday Night Fever [SOUNDTRACK] : Bee Gees

Review : By Pieter "Toypom"
This masterpiece has lost none of its appeal after all these years, proving the critics wrong and the BeeGees right. Part of its popularity must be due to the clever mix of fast dance numbers and lovely soaring ballads. The frenetic pace of e.g. Staying Alive and Night Fever is balanced by the serene pace of How Deep Is Your Love.

For fans of the old-style BeeGees ballads, this new direction with the edgy falsetto vocals and the nervous beat came as a shock initially, but those hits like Jive Talkin' and You Should Be Dancing soon enough swept one up in the disco fever. I love Yvonne Elliman's poignant ballad If I Can't Have You, while the tracks by Kool & The Gang, MFSB and KC & The Sunshine Band are great too.

But the real underground classic here is Disco Inferno by Trammps, nine minutes of burbling, bubbling, stomping, storming, gripping funk that is as anthemic as any great rock song by for example Bruce Springsteen. Come to think of it, most of the BeeGees tracks here can also be considered as anthems of the disco generation.

Besides serving as bridges between the classic hits, the filler tracks like A Fifth Of Beethoven and Salsation add authenticity to the overall listening experience and serve to strengthen the ambience. This album and the movie took disco out of the underground and reinvented it as a mainstream phenomenon.

While rock music was going through the convulsions of the punk and new wave revolutions, disco was having the party of the decade. And this album, along with the music of Donna Summer, Grace Jones, Chic, Giorgio Moroder, Boney M, Village People and others, provided the soundtrack to an era.

Track Listings
1. Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees
2. How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees
3. Night Fever - The Bee Gees
4. More Than a Woman - The Bee Gees
5. If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
6. A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy
7. More Than a Woman - Tavares
8. Manhattan Skyline - David Shire
9. Calypso Breakdown - Ralph MacDonald
10. Night On Disco Mountain - David Shire
11. Open Sesame - Kool And The Gang
12. Jive Talkin' - The Bee Gees
13. You Should Be Dancing - The Bee Gees
14. Boogie Shoes - K.C. And The Sunshine Band
15. Salsation - David Shire
16. K-Jee - M.F.S.B.
17. Disco Inferno - The Trammps

Very Best Of [IMPORT] : Bee Gees

This CD was released approximately the same time as the four disc box set, but only in Europe. It covers the years of 1967 to 1979 with only the major hits. It's a nice greatest hits CD if you don't want to be bothered with the extraneous minor hits and album cuts of the Box Set. It was already well mixed at the first printing - but this remastered version is amazing!

Song List:
1. New York Mining Disaster 1941
2. To Love Somebody
3. Massachusettes
4. World
5. Words
6. I've Gotta Get A Message To You
7. First Of May
8. Don't Forget To Remember
9. Saved By The Bell
10. Run To Me
11. Jive Talkin'
12. Nights On Broadway
13. You Should Be Dancing
14. How Deep Is Your Love
15. More Than A Woman
16. Stayin' Alive
17. Night Fever
18. Too Much Heaven
19. Tragedy
20. Love You Inside Out

Bee Gees - One Night Only (DTS Edition) (1997)

Description
Track Listing: You Should Be Dancing, Alone, Massachusetts, To Love Somebody, I've Gotta Get A Message To You, Words, Closer Than Close, Islands In The Stream, One, Our Love (Don't Throw It All Away) (featuring Andy Gibb), Night Fever, More Than A Woman, Still Waters, Lonely Days, Morning Of My Life, New York Mining Disaster 1941, Too Much Heaven, I Can't See Nobody, Run To Me, And The Sun Will Shine, Nights On Broadway, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart, Heartbreaker, Guilty, Immortality (featuring Celine Dion), Tragedy, I Started A Joke, Grease, Jive Talkin', How Deep Is Your Love, Stayin' Alive, You Should Be Dancing.


Review: By Martin A Hogan "Marty From SF"
The Bee Gees have always been great performers, but this is their career topping concert. Four decades of songs are showcased here with impeccable harmonies and a first class band. The highlights are the guest appearances whether ala 'Nat King Cole' style or real like Celine Dion. Yup, Franki Valli and a tear-jerking Andy Gibb can be heard here as well as the Celine highlight. There is too much and too little as great songs like, "Nights On Broadway" and "Guilty" are cut short, but the typical 'Bee Gees song medley' and the 'Night Fever/More Than A Woman' segment made up for that. In retrospect, the concert could have had more lighting effects, but, geez, the sound is just so good, you wonder if it really makes a difference. This was a historic event.

Their Greatest Hits: The Record : by Bee Bees

Description
The individual voices of the legendary Brothers Gibb—Maurice, Barry, and Robin—are each wonderfully distinctive in their own right. In combination, they lock together for extraordinary harmonies, perfectly blending and magically complementing each other. This vocal wizardry is at the heart of their phenomenal success, which spanned five decades and transcended multiple genres with chart-busting glory. From their Beatles-esque ‘60s roots and the subsequent flowering of their own progressive pop-rock songwriting and performance style through their blue-eyed R&B superstardom and Saturday Night Fever disco-era domination, the Bee Gees constantly evolved and never stopped delivering timeless hits. The trio’s beautifully crafted, sonically enchanting work is one of the cornerstones of contemporary popular music, and this hit-packed compilation spotlights their career-spanning best.

Track Listings

Disc: 1
1. New York Mining Disaster 1941
2. To Love Somebody
3. Holiday
4. Massachusetts
5. World
6. Words
7. I've Gotta Get A Message To You
8. I Started A Joke
9. First Of May
10. Saved By The Bell

Disc: 2
1. Stayin' Alive
2. How Deep Is Your Love
3. Night Fever
4. More Than A Woman
5. Emotion
6. Too Much Heaven
7. Tragedy
8. Love You Inside Out
9. Guilty -- Barbra Streisand With Barry Gibb
10. Heartbreaker

Review: By a music fan
The Bee Gees created some pretty remarkable music with catchy melodies during their time together as a group; and this two CD set will please any fan. This is an excellent retrospective of the work.

The first CD starts with "New York Mining Disaster 1941," an early hit for The Bee Gees. The guitars work well as the group harmonizes well. "To Love Somebody" became more popular than the first track; "To Love Somebody" has excellent orchestration for that classic Bee Gees sound. The strings, drums and percussion play well as they sing so well about unrequited love. Moreover, "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" gives us The Bee Gees crying out about reconciling with a woman they loved after a bad breakup.

"Lonely Days" is one especially tender piece from The Bee Gees; it begins with a Beatlesesque sound that eventually gives way to a more disco beat. They harmonize to perfection; and "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" stays in that same mode as they deal with unrequited love. Great!

"Jive Talkin'" gives us a terrific disco tune about people who tell too many lies; and "You Should Be Dancing" is yet another disco tune from the Bee Gees about partying. Great! They could really do a disco tune well! And, if you really like disco, listen for "Stayin' Alive" on the second CD; this was written for the movie Saturday Night Fever.

"How Deep Is Your Love" reverts to a more traditional love ballad style in which they sing of a man who wants to know if his woman loves him as much as he loves her. Terrific percussion and strings! "Love You Inside Out" swings back into disco as The Bee Gees flawlessly sing of a man's love for a woman who doesn't treat him right at all.

"Guilty" features Barbra Streisand singing with Barry Gibb; they do a magnificent duet of this number with great backup vocals. "Alone" has a great musical arrangement as The Bee Gees sing flawlessly once again; and listen also for "Spicks & Specks," the last track on the second CD. The simple arrangement for piano gradually gets enhanced by the drums and more as The Bee Gees sing without a superfluous note!

The liner notes include an essay about The Bee Gees; and we get some nice black and white photos of the group. We get recording and release dates for almost all of the songs, too.

The Bee Gees deserve a lot of credit for creating music that helped people forget their worries, get out on the dance floor and have themselves a good time. They had a unique sound that remains appealing to many people today; and I am certain that their music will be available for quite some while to come.

At Folsom Prison [EXTRA TRACKS] [LIVE] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] : by Johnny Cash

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Johnny Cash had been breaking new ground for a decade when At Folsom Prison suddenly made the world at large take notice. The interaction of a volatile prison population starved for entertainment and a desperately on-form Johnny Cash was electrifying. His somber machismo finally found a home. The songs, which included every prison song Cash knew ("I Got Stripes," "The Wall," "25 Minutes to Go," "Cocaine Blues," plus his own "Folsom Prison Blues") were tailored to galvanize the crowd. This set is all about atmosphere. Live at the Grand Ole Opry this ain't. The 1999 version drops the San Quentin portion of the original CD reissue, instead adding three cuts to complete the full and uncensored Folsom show. --Colin Escott

Review : By kresnels "kresnels" (Culver City, CA United States)

The impact of Johnny Cash's proto bad-boy on country, blues, and rock is inestimable, which doesn't even speak to the fact that the man is a great entertainer. If you are a serious music fan, your musical education isn't complete without Live At Folsom Prison.

This isn't a singles record, this is an album; you put it on to hear the whole thing. The performance itself is tight and structured, just like the venue. The recording is especially atmospheric - the reverb bouncing off the concrete walls, the sounds of doors slamming in the background, and an interruption by a prison announcement. Cash and the band (which includes the brilliant Luther Perkins, and his brother Carl - think Blue Suede Shoes) seem unflappable and completely at ease, belying the actual tension of the gig.

This reissue restores the original recording to its raw, warts-and all-feel, in direct contrast to the sanitized version that I grew up with: four songs have been restored to the set due to increased available length, plus Cash's interaction with the audience and the profanity (tasteful by today's standards) has been re-introduced, revealing the incredibly gritty nature of this record. Plus, the packaging is incredible: the handwritten note from Cash, describing why he felt compelled to make this album, the liner notes, and an appreciation from Steve Earle round out the package to create not merely a reissue, but a full restoration.

If you are hungry for something more substantial than the latest Cla

What Am I Waiting For : by Heidi Newfield

Description
Formerly the lead singer of Trick Pony, Heidi Newfield steps into the next career chapter with her solo debut, What Am I Waiting For. The album features six tracks co-written by Heidi including the album's crown jewel, Johnny & June. Of the album, Heidi remarks, I really was only interested in cutting a record that was going to step out and have some relevance in this day and age, when we are head-to-toe in pop culture, videos and imagery...we don' t always listen with our ears anymore, we listen with our eyes. The album s depth showcases Heidi' s trademark vocals in the stunning despair of Wreck You, the inspiring title track What Am I Waiting For and the raucous and hilarious Knocked Up.

Review : By E. K. Riley "musichead" (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Heidi Newfield decided to take the leap and go solo, after being with the great band Trick Pony. This cd has a little bit of everything, not like the cookie-cutter junk that passes for country music these days.
The disc opens with Can't Let Go, one that starts off with just a few instruments, then the whole band kicks in and rocks it up a notch. When Tears Fall Down comes next, a mid-tempo song with layered background vocals that flow very smoothly with the song. Next we have the hit single Johnny And June, a song about finding that one true love, and already a fan favorite at Heidi's live shows. The title track, What Am I Waiting For, comes next and was co-written by ex-bandmates from Trick Pony, Ira Dean and Keith Burns, with help from Jeffrey Steele. A song with lyrics about taking risks and doing what you really want to do, and set to a bouncy melody. The fifth song is Love Her And Lose Me, a ballad about adultery and wondering about the other woman. Cry Cry ('Til The Sun Shines) is next, and is a catchy song, more of the country/pop variety. Next we have Wreck You, a very haunting and beautiful song that definitely stays in your head. Nothing Burns Like A Memory recalls the type of music that Trick Pony did, and Ira Dean is one of the writers on the song. Next is All I Wanna Do. A very slow song, and Heidi's voice has never sounded sexier than it does here. The cd closes with "Knocked Up", a song that has single potential, and is a fun song. I love this whole cd and have been listening to it contantly since it came out.
Heidi really sings on this cd in ways we didn't get to hear when she was in Trick Pony, and also was one of the writers on six of the songs.This cd is an amazing start to Heidi's solo career, and you can hear the effort she put into this.
Watch for Heidi opening some show for Brooks and Dunn this summer, and also touring solo.

Wynonna : by Wynonna Judd

Review; By GoldenGateGirl "S* Star" (Sacramento, CA)

I bought this CD about 10 years ago and it's grown on me. I listen to the nuances and inflections in Wynonna's voice and I think she is one of the best country vocalists around today. I'll review each song individually since they are all that special.

1. What It Takes- Wynonna sounds grounded and confident singing about maintaining personal happiness and peace of mind. She sounds wise and determined.

2. She Is His Only Need- A very endearing and moving song about what a man will do for love. Wynonna's a wonderful storyteller and she delivers the song with sensitivity and displays that country soul in her voice.

3. I Saw The Light- I like Wynonna's interpretation of this song because she sounds surprisingly upbeat, spunky and mischievious in her response to a cheating boyfriend. I got the impression Wynonna's take on this song is about a woman who keeps her dignity intact and remains true to who she is after her man has failed her.

4. My Strongest Weakness- This displays Wynonna's tender side. Here is a woman who is asking God to help her heal her broken heart after her beloved betrayed and walked out on her.

5. When I Reach The Place I'm Goin'- Here momma Naomi teams up with Wynonna to sing a great song. The song has a lot of spiritual connotations attached to it. It can be interpreted many ways because it implies somebody finding meaning in their Earthly journey or it could be seen as a gospelish ballad.

6. No One Else On Earth- I really love this song because it is Wynonna at her rousing best. You can hear all the passion, letting her guard down and sexual tension in this song.

7. It's Never Easy To Say Goodbye- It's hard not to get choked up when listening to this song about letting go of the ones you love. I like how she compared saying goodbye to a person to the death of someone dear in your heart. This shows Wynonna and her songwriter's breadth of emotion.

8. A Little Bit Of Love Goes A Long, Long Way- This is the only song I would say is out of place. Wynonna's soulful and rich voice doesn't always match up with the sometimes lighthearted and whimsical lyrics to this song. She still gave it her best though.

9. All Of That Love From Here- I thought this was a real sweet song providing great images of the South, but it sounds a bit unrealistic for the South in the 1990's. Unless Wynonna's singing about another era in time. It's just that the visuals of the old man in the cotton field putting the girl's belongings in her trunk sounds like something of yesteryear. When I hear of Southern cottonfields I can't help but associate with poor black people and at first the song rubbed me the wrong way because I thought the song was implying that those were the good ole days. Based on what I've seen about Wynonna, she looks like an open minded person and didn't think this was some kind of underhanded prejudiced comment.

10. Live With Jesus- This song is interesting because it is so short, but expressive in its 2:18 minutes running. The song's subject is obvious based on the title. It is about a woman knowing she'll be with Jesus in the end after all the trials and tribulations. It is gospel, country, rock and blues all in one.

In short, that is how diverse and interesting Wynonna's voice is. She is very underrated in country music because she does her own thing and because she doesn't lose weight to stay on top. I think country music needs Wynonna right now in the sea of pop country dollies with limited talents as vocalists.

On The 6 : by Jennifer Lopez

J.Lo is one of the few people in the world who can be so good in to many things. She acts and she does it very good, when she sings and happends the same thing, she is a business woman and the business grows.
Talking about her music I can say that all her albums are very good but this one is my favorite.
"On the 6" peaked at #8 in the Billboard 200 albums and has the #1 hit single which was Jennifer's first song "If you had my love". There's also one duet with MarcAnthony, the song was sang in spanish, the song also became a #1 hit in the Latin Charts of Billboard, the song is "No me ames".
One of my favorite songs is "Let's get loud" and "Waiting for tonight" which were also hits around the world.
Her following cd's J.Lo and This is me...then are very good but they don't match with this one.

J To Tha L-O! The Remixes (Explicit Version) : by Jennifer Lopez

This is a great collection to have for any Jennifer Lopez fans. Included is all of her greatest hits including the new versions of I'm Real and Aint it Funny with Ja Rule. Standout tracks include the funky remixes of Play, Lets Get Loud, and Waiting For Tonight. Unfortunately the other songs are not really remixes, more like variations of the songs, such as on Love Don't Cost a Thing and If You Had My Love. this does not matter, for its nice to have an album from J Lo that I could listen to all the way through without skipping tracks, which is what I found myself doing on her 2 albums. There is not one bad song on the album, and even the new ballad Alive is very beautiful and is by far her best effort vocally. Forget about her 2 albums, and get the remixes.

J.Lo [Explicit] : by Jennifer Lopez

J.Lo has done it again! Only this time it's better! For all fans of "If you had my love" and "Waiting for tonight" there's "Love don't cost a thing", "Play" and tons of other similar hits. There's even something for everyone like "Carino'" who liked her Latin and dance mix singles. Fabulous #1 tracks and great singles different from her other hits include the catchy "Ain't it funny" and of coarse the #1 Billboard R&B hit "I'm Real" featuring Ja Rule. That is probably the song that makes the Cd one to buy since you don't get this track in the normal version. It also makes it a CD for all Mary J. Blige and Ja Rule lovers. Also her dance mix singles are better than anyone else's hits. Also if you don't really like Steps, you'd love this CD. This Cd is probably great for it's fast catchy hits not counting the "I'm Real Remix" which isn't fast but is great! Although some of her slower singles aren't that good, in the first album if you liked "Feelin' so good" you might also like this. This is one CD that is worth buying. A great artist with a great album! It has something for people with all kinds of Music Tastes!

This Is Me...Then : Jennifer Lopez

Details

* Original Release Date: November 26, 2002
* Label: Epic
* Copyright: (P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
* Genres: Latin Music/General, Pop/General, R&B/General, Latin Music/Latin Pop, Pop

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, "Eroica", piano transcription, S464/R128: III. Scherzo: Allegro vivace

Details

* Performers: Konstantin Scherbakov
* Composers: Franz Liszt
* Original Release Date: November 30, 2005
* Label: Naxos
* Copyright: (C) 2006 Naxos Rights International
* Song Length: 5:36 minutes
* Genres: Classical/General, Classical/Instruments, Classical/Instruments/Keyboard

Prelude in E minor : by Fryderyk Chopin

Details

* Original Release Date: January 12, 1999
* Label: Domo Records
* Copyright: 1999 Domo Records, Inc
* Song Length: 3:20 minutes
* Genres: Classical/Forms & Genres/Concertos, Classical/Historical Periods/Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, New Age, Classical/Forms & Genres/Suites, Classical/Historical Periods, New Age/General, Opera & Vocal/General, Classical/General

Beethoven : Symphony No.9 in D minor Op.125 : IV Presto - Allegro assai - 'Ode to Joy'

Details

* Performers: Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Charlotte Margiono, Birgit Remmert, Robert Holl, Rudolf Schasching
* Composers: Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
* Conductors: Nikolaus Harnoncourt
* Original Release Date: January 1, 2003
* Label: Rhino
* Copyright: 2003 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK
* Song Length: 24:24 minutes
* Genres: Classical, Classical/General

Leo Arnaud: Olympic Theme: by Frederick Fennell & The Cleveland Symphonic Winds

Details

* Composers: Leo Arnaud
* Original Release Date: October 25, 1990
* Label: Telarc
* Song Length: 0:59 minutes
* Genres: Classical/General, Classical/Historical Periods, Pop/General, Jazz/Swing Jazz, Classical/Forms & Genres, Classical/Historical Periods/Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Pop/Easy Listening, Classical/Forms & Genres/Symphonies

Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf, Op. 67: by Richard Stamp

Details

* Original Release Date: February 14, 1995
* Release Date: February 14, 1995
* Label: EMI Classics
* Copyright: (c) 2003 a unit of EMI Music. This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (c) 2003 a unit of EMI Music.
* Song Length: 28:29 minutes
* Genres: Classical/Chamber Music, Classical/General

- If I Ain't Got You : by Alicia Keys

Details

* Original Release Date: April 20, 2004
* Label: J Records
* Copyright: (P) 2003 BMG Music, a unit of BMG Music
* Genres: R&B/General, R&B/Contemporary R&B, R&B, R&B/Soul

- As I Am : by Alicia Keys

Grammy winning singer/songwriter, poet, philanthropist and visionary Alicia Keys proceeds to outdo herself with AS I AM, her third and finest album, to date. This 2007 release showcases her range as a musician. Keys is a classically-trained pianist, as well as being a true soul/r&b artist, and the album kicks off on a beautiful note with her original song "As I Am (Intro)," a classical piece. From there, we hear the influences and inspirations that guide this great musician to combine her poetry and eloquence as a lyricist with her flare for hooks and ear-catching instrumental (with a little help from her friends). Some of the best cuts include "Superwoman," (co-written with Linda Perry and Steve Mostyn), an anthem for strong women everywhere and an ear-catching chorus that will get you singing along, the beautiful, reggae-inspired "No One" (co-written with Kerry Brothers, Jr. and George M. Harry), the first single from the album and "Wreckless Love" (co-written with Matthew Kahane and Harold Lilly) which sounds like a throwback to the Motown soul era of the 1960s.

On another note, Alicia Keys' voice has never sounded better. It's deeper and raspier, but, that only adds flavor to her delivery of the more poignant pieces (particularly, "Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise)"). This young woman has been blessed with many talents and we are lucky and privileged that she is sharing them with the world.

- Unplugged : by Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys has revived the MTV Unplugged franchise with her show and this album. Ms. Keys doesn't go the traditional unplugged route of stripping the songs down to their acoustic base, but she gives a stellar performance. She doesn't alter the grooves from the studio versions, but she lets the songs breath and flexes her voice muscles without going over the top. "Karma" and "Heartburn" perfectly segue together in a funky mix. "Fallin'" has a haunting violin and the combination of Gladys Knight & The Pips' "If I Were Your Woman" and "If I Ain't Got You" is the best moment on the album. There are several other covers on the album and they are hit and miss. The Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses" is a duet with Maroon 5's Adam Levine that never gels while her take on Brenda Holloway's "Every Little Bit Hurts" is a high note. Ms. Keys burst on the scene in 2001 with much fanfare and she has more than lived up to the hype.

Songs In A Minor - 10th Anniversary Edition (Deluxe Edition) [Enhanced]

Alicia Keys is a 20 year old singer. But unlike the other young singers that populate the musical landscape these days, Ms. Keys, doesn't want to be the next big thing on TRL, she aspires to higher goals. Influenced by the r&b giants of the 70's, she has a silky smooth voice and big range. She also can play a sweet piano. "Fallin'" is a tremendous song that has become a big hit and "Mr. Mann" has a jazzy feel to it. The album took many by surprise by debuting at number one on the Billboard Top 200, but it is a pleasant one. Ms. Keys has a bright future ahead of her and hopefully she can continue to build on Songs In A Minor's potential.

- No One (Curtis Lynch Reggae Remix) : by Alicia Keys

Details

* Original Release Date: November 6, 2007
* Label: J Records
* Copyright: (P) 2007 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
* Genres: R&B/General, R&B

- The Diary Of Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys arrived on the scene back in 2001 with her No.1, multi-platinum debut album "Songs In A Minor." The Grammy award winning album made Alicia a worldwide superstar and a true force to be reckoned with in the music industry. Her debut album was ever so slightly overhyped which then made the follow-up, "The Diary Of Alicia Keys," ever so slightly over-anticipated upon its fall 2003 release. The album went straight to No.1 in its week of release shifting some 610,000 copies. Alicia has staying power, and this proved it.

Since that infamous debut album, Alicia Keys has brought in a unique and shockingly mature dose of talent to the music industry. Amongst her entrance was the arrival of Nelly Furtado and Norah Jones, two equally talented super powers who enjoyed record sales beyond their wildest dreams and a following like no other. Such success, however, can cloud the illusions of those experiencing it, no matter how deserved it is. Alicia Keys could have easily fallen into the trap of an artist who took herself too seriously (the dramatic title of the album suggests this) but, thankfully, there is no need to worry; The Diary Of Alicia Keys is another masterpiece...

On this sophomore effort, Alicia has avoided the frequent trap of crumbling under pressure on how to follow up a stunning debut. She has matured her style slightly with a superb collection of lush and dreamy soul-tinged, R'n'B influenced tracks that highlight and complement her remarkable vocals. Everything about the album is incredibly mature and real. Even the song titles are beautiful, staring off with the intro "Harlem's Nocturne." This piano opening soon breaks out with a soulful beat in a similar vein to the intro on the album's predecessor. This swiftly moves into "Karma," a superbly beat-driven song that uses Alicia's vocals to the optimum. "Heartburn" has a fantastic drum beat and strumming guitars with a sizzling beat and brilliant production. It's a new style for Alicia, and it works well. Some may dislike it, but you gotta give the girl props for being creative. "If I Was Your Woman/Walk On By" is a superb cover version which has been altered to suit Alicia's vocal range and musical style. This is swiftly followed by "You Don't Know My Name," the album's lead single. Obviously Alicia couldn't compete with her debut single "Fallin'" on her comeback single, so what does she do? She releases a six-minute, future-classic love ballad masterpiece with spine-tingling piano trickles and a full-on telephone section, remeniscent of Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say I Love You!"

"If I Ain't Got You" displays Alicia's superb vocals perhaps better than on any other track. Alicia really sells the song and this is the second single. Meanwhile, the gorgeously-melodic "Diary (Featuring Tony! Toni! Tone!)" is a definite album highlight. The gentle piano creeps in here and drops to offer superb lyrics; "Just think of me as the pages in your diary." "Dragon Days" is one of the album's highlights. Alicia sings of the dragon days when the fire was hot, like a desert needing water, baby! Her soulful voice totally complements the song's mature mood. "Wake Up" is yet another highlight with Alicia displaying her vocals once more in an up-tempo track about relationship troubles. Done a million times before, but still sounds fresh by Alicia. "So Simple" is one of my favourite songs on the album, but a lot of people can't stand it because of the little squeaky voice in the background of Lellow chanting, "It could be so simple!" The song has a rather isolated mood to it, but this only serves as the genius behind it.

"When You Really Love Someone" is an up-tempo song with a moody and confused intro that highlights the realism of a relationship and what each partner must do to love one another. "Cause a man just ain't a man if he ain't man enough," cries Alicia, sounding similar to how she did on "A Woman's Worth." "Feeling U, Feeling Me (Interlude)" is a superb section that breaks the album up slightly. The beat just relaxes the hell out of you whilst also managing to make you feel so sexy with its seductive mood as Alicia whispers her (short) lines. "Slow Down" is not one of the best tracks on the album and Alicia could've been forgiven for leaving it off the album. Luckily things pick up with the sparkling "Samsonite Man." What a beautiful song title! And Alicia's not wrong as she sings "Packing his bags, gotta go, gotta go, packing his bags, gotta go," to a shimmering beat that raises the mood. "Nobody Not Really" is a DAMN fine song that is just way too short. It only just makes the third minute but should've been at least one longer. The song opens in a flurry of excitement with its piano as a saxophone breaks it down whilst Alicia sighs in the background. The way her vocals are drawn out through the verses is just really superb and is a perfect closer to a brilliant sophomore effort.