Elf-Music [Import]

Elf-Music [Import]

Track Listings

1. Accept Your Life

2. Sweet Secret

3. Tales From The Inner Silence

4. Tales Out Of The Deep Forest

5. Echoes In The Mountain

6. These Crazy Tales

7. Nimbus Al Nimbo

8. At Creation Firsts Day

9. Secret Tales

10. Sounds Of Gratitude

Tracks:

Hoochie Koochie Lady
First Avenue
Never More
I'm Coming Back For You
Sit Down Honey (Everything Will Be Alright)
Dixie Lee Junction
Love Me Like A Woman
Gambler, Gambler

Customer Reviews:

Elf - self-titled (Sony).......2006-09-30

Originally released in 1972, this was Elf's first lp(produced by Roger Glover and Ian Paice). As most of you are aware of it, Elf was the band that Ronnie James Dio was in before joining up with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. This is more 'heavy blues rock' than any thing else. Somewhat inspiring tunes here are "First Avenue", "Sit Down Honey"(maybe it's just me, but this reminds me of like a rough Rod Stewart song) and "Love Me like A Woman". Do keep in mind this is VERY different in style from Dio's solo work, or his music with Rainbow or Sabbath for that matter. Might appeal to fans of Cactus,Samson,Iron Butterfly and possibly April Wine.

I was a Dio fan and didn't even know it!.......2006-08-18

In high school I heard this album at a friends and went out and bought my own. This is one of my favorite albums and I've got a fairly large and diverse collection. Rock does not have to be complex to be good listening. At the price, you have to check out "Sit Down Honey" and "Hoochie Koochie Lady" although there's not a bad track on the cd!

DIO Good as ever!!!!.......2006-08-10

Ronnie James Dio at his best at the begging of his career and as good as ever. What can I say - if you are a rocker you must have this CD in your collection, what you are waiting for!!!!

One Of My All Time Favorites.......2006-02-18

This is one of my favorite albums of all time.

Great piano player.

What ever happened to these guys ?

Jeff Marzano

The Beginning of Greatness!.......2005-11-04

I have always been a fan of RJD, and I stumbled across this album via Never More...I was so blown away by the rawness and magic of the sound that I had to hear more!!! Elf puts Deep Purple to shame. I recommend this to anyone.....True Nitty Gritty Rock & Roll. The Guitar of Feinstein is rich and overwhelming at times, brilliant! Mickey Lee's Piano is the best Blues Piano I have ever heard, and compliments Dio's vocals, Driscoll's Drums and Feinsteins Guitar like a feather on a hat!

Do yourself a favor and get this CD while you still have ears to listen to it!

Average customer rating:

you need to remember..
Elf - 'Carolina County.. / Trying To Burn ...' (Connoisseur)
Two hard-to-find albums are united
This is one CD that desperately needs to be remastered.
5 stars for the music 3 stars for the transfer

The Elf Albums
Ronnie James Dio & Elf
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Elf
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
Rising
Strange Highways
Lock up the Wolves

ASIN: B000005REW
Release Date: 1998-06-30

Tracks:

Carolina County Bail
L.A.59
Ain't It All Amusing
Happy
Annie New Orleans
Rocking Chair Rock 'n' Roll Blues
Rainbow
Do the Same Thing
Blanche
Black Swampy Water
Prentice Wood
When She Smiles
Good Time Music
Liberty Road
Shotgun Boogie
Wonderworld
Streetwalker

Album Description

UK collection brings together Elf's second & third albums, Carolina County Ball & Trying To Burn The Sun (1974 & 1975), featuring Ronnie James Dio, before Rainbow. 17 tracks with fold-out sleeve containing detailed notes & photos. Connoisseur Collection.

Customer Reviews:

you need to remember.........2007-02-11

that Dio is one of the longest lasting pioneers of harD rock. He truly delved into the innermost ricHes of the creative process tO bring us colaborations oF long lastinG signifiganCe anD prowRess.DuDe..Ritchie Blackmore teamed up with ELF (ProgRess, ProWrEss..) to forM RainBow.Ronnie's wife is chairman of CHildren of the Night, an organisation devoted to helping prostitues Ages 11-17.

Elf - 'Carolina County.. / Trying To Burn ...' (Connoisseur).......2005-03-23

A good 2 lp's-on-one CD release of Elf's second and third albums,'Carolina County Ball'('74)and 'Trying To Burn The Sun'('75).A should-have for most Dio fans.One thing you need to keep in mind is that the material here isn't as well written or as strong sounding as,say his solo efforts or the CD's he'd done with Rainbow or Sabbath.It's decent early '70's hard rock.Some of the tracks I thought were impressive were "Annie New Orleans","Do The Same Thing","Black Swampy Water","When She Smiles" and "Liberty Road".See what you think.Line-up:Ronnie James Dio-vocals,Mickey Lee Soule-keyboards,Steve Edwards-guitar,Craig Gruber-bass and Gary Driscoll-drums.

Two hard-to-find albums are united.......2005-02-12

Elf Albums. A twofer combining Elf's latter two albums.

Long before Ronnie James Dio became a rock and roll/heavy metal legend, he played in a blues rock band called Elf. Although he'd played in many a band prior to Elf, this was the one that caused him to get the recognition that would ultimately be required in order for him to become a rock legend. Deep Purple took notice of the up and coming blues rock act (Roger Glover even produced their records!) The band only released three albums, and the latter two have been combined onto an import twofer. Read on for my review of the Elf Albums.

If you're looking for rock similar to Dio's late Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and solo material, don't even bother with Elf - you're just gonna be disappointed. But if you're a Dio die-hard who wants to experience some of his early work, or you just like blues rock a lot, Elf will be right up your alley. This twofer combines the group's latter two records, Carolina County Ball AKA L.A. 59 and Trying To Burn The Sun. It's a common consensus among Elf fans that these records were improvements over the first one, and I strongly agree (although the first one was quite the accomplishment in its own right.) The former album contained in this set is, by far, the best of Elf's three albums. Many a classic is featured on that record, as you'll discover when you listen to this package. The latter record, Trying To Burn The Sun, is also excellent. It was the group's swan song, and before they evolved into Rainbow, they shelled out some of the finest blues rock tunes of their career. While they didn't top their second album with their finale, they still made a great record.

Unfortunately, this twofer isn't readily available in America, since it was originally released as an import. Likewise, the sound transfer could have been done better. Still, these are great albums, and this is by far the best way to get these albums. If you see this and you're a die-hard fan of Dio who wants to experience his early, little-known work, this is worth buying.

And after these albums, Elf was no more. Ritchie Blackmore would join up with the members of the group and Rainbow would be formed, but after one album, Blackmore fired all of the (non-Dio) members of Elf. If you want to truly experience Elf, though, this twofer is the best way to do it.

This is one CD that desperately needs to be remastered........2004-11-07

This terrific CD's only letdown is how poorly it was transferred from its original source tape to CD. Ronnie James Dio and company have created some of the best feel good southern blues rock this side of Lynard Skynard. The ballad When She Smiles could have easily been a Top 40 hit had it been released as a single. Mickey Lee Soule's piano playing is very good. The guitarist on this album is an improvement over the one on the first Elf record. Ronnie should get with old pal Roger Glover and obtain the original source tapes for a complete remastering job. This music is definitely worthy and would probably be bought again by everybody who already owns it. Apparently Ronnie or somebody at Rhino was able to track the original source down because there is a remastered version of the song Carolina County Ball on his Stand Up and Shout Anthology. Spitfire records would do many Dio fans a great service by rereleasing this CD as part of their Masters series.

5 stars for the music 3 stars for the transfer.......2004-03-26

These two albums are definitely among Dio's best work,along with rainbow and a couple of the Sabbath recordings.Both are better than the first Elf album..It has more diverse styles of music than any of the other bands mentioned.Boogie shuffles to blues-rock to soothing spacey ballads to swaggering beats.The problem with this release is that there is a glitch at the beginning of Liberty Road.This is an official release so the only excuse for this is if something damaged the original master since the original release.If so ,I think it should be easy enough to fix by lifting that second or two of music from later in the song as it is repeated ,or from a copy of the vinyl.I have the original and it doesn't have that glitch.Any way it's pretty much inexcusable for an official release.Although personally, out of all of the songs from the Tryin'to Burn the Sun album ,liberty road isn't particularly a stand out so I'll only deduct one star over all.

Elf: Music From The Major Motion Picture

Average customer rating:

Good Christmas Classics
Elf CD
Elf Soundtrack
Best soundtrack ever!
Guaranteed to make you smile

Elf: Music From The Major Motion Picture
Various Artists
Manufacturer: New Line Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Original Sound Track Recording Of The CBS Television Special
Elf (Infinifilm Edition)
Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas [Remastered]
Now That's What I Call Christmas, Vol. 3
Christmas with the Rat Pack

ASIN: B0000DIZT4
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

Pennies From Heaven - Louis Prima
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Lena Horne
Sleigh Ride / Santa Claus Party - Ferrante And Teicher/Les Baxter
Baby It's Cold Outside - Leon Redbone/Zooey Deschanel
Jingle Bells - Jim Reeves
Nutcracker Suite - Brian Setzer
Christmas Island - Leon Redbone
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Winter Wonderland - Leon Redbone
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Eddy Arnold
Nothing From Nothing - Billy Preston

Amazon.com

It takes a pretty deft touch to make us believe towering Will Ferrell as a displaced human cum Santa's elf, Ed Asner as St. Nick and make a Christmas movie that's as loopy/sassy as it is seasonally sentimental. Yet that's what director Jon Favreau has done with this unlikely little holiday gem, and his hand-picked song score underscores its warm heart and comedic smarts with charm to burn. Suffused with a New York sense of traditional cool, Favreau turns his soundtrack into an upbeat secular Christmas classic, a sort of Swingers-Meet-Santa collection that convinces us that performances as diverse as Louis Prima's rousing take on "Pennies From Heaven" and the pumping soul of Billy Preston's "Nothing From Nothing" are as season-friendly as the performances of more traditional Christmas pop fare by Ella Fitzgerald, Jim Reeves, Eartha Kitt and Eddy Arnold they bookend. The edited Ferrante & Teicher/Les Baxter medley is a lounge-y inspiration, while a trio of laconic Leon Redbone crooners anchor the film's dizzy, if often bittersweet emotional foundations. Co-star Zooey Deschanel duets with Redbone on "Baby It's Cold Outside," her bluesy performance a welcome surprise that recalls nothing less than a young Peggy Lee. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Good Christmas Classics.......2007-02-21

Loved the movie, really like the CD. It's good music that makes you remember the movie. Perfect addition to a holiday music collection.

Elf CD.......2007-01-23

The CD is wonderful - everything I expected and more. I particulary liked Leon Redbone and there are more than one songs by him on there. I particulary bought the CD for his version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" and was pleased to find other songs by him on there.

Elf Soundtrack.......2007-01-18

Excellent soundtrack. If you love the movie then this CD is worth buying!

Best soundtrack ever!.......2007-01-18

I loved this album! All the songs are great and take you back to scenes from the movie. It was certainly a change from the normal Christmas Carols in our house over the holiday season.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants something a bit different for Christmas.

Guaranteed to make you smile.......2007-01-16

I bought it for the version of "Baby it's cold outside" but ended up loving the CD. It's a great mix of upbeat, secular Christmas music.

Average customer rating:

A veritable cornucopia . . .
A sick antidote

Now I Understand
Club d'Elf , John Medeski , Reeves Gabrels , and Gerry Leonard (Spooky Ghost)
Manufacturer: Accurate Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dub | Reggae | International | Styles | Music

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Out Louder
III
Live - Tonic, NYC 5/26/04
Scotty Hard's Radical Reconstructive Surgery
Zen of Logic

ASIN: B000H5U6C0
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

Introduction
Bass Beatbox
Hungry Ghosts
Quilty
Vishnu Dub
A Toy For A Boy
Luminous Things
What Would Cthulhu Do?
Now I Understand
And Shadow Saw The Gods
Wet Bones (Extended)
Vision Of Kali
Just Kiddin

Album Description

"Club d'Elf combines the roaring avant-funk of electric-era Miles with the legato drift of the Grateful Dead ... heady music that doesn't neglect the tail." - Time Out New York

This legendary underground dub/jazz/Moroccan/trance/electronica group led by bassist Mike Rivard (Morphine, The Story) has held an eight-year residency at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge. The group has garnered critical praise, drawn sold-out crowds, and topped local polls in jazz, DJ, electronica, and jam band categories. Features John Medeski & Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood), DJ Logic, Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie), Mat Maneri, Duke Levine (Shawn Colvin), Alain Mallet (Paul Simon), Mister Rourke (Soulive), and more.

Customer Reviews:

A veritable cornucopia . . . .......2007-02-21

. . . for the ADHD, video game, generally aesthetically overloaded generation.

This musical gallimaufry, to me, sits there like a congealed, two-day-old bad stew that never achieved lift-off. Admittedly, it's almost certainly not aimed at baby-boomers such as myself.

But that doesn't mean it's palatable.

For anyone.

The problem for me--and I don't think it's just a generational thing--is that there's no res here. Yes, there's lots of (semi-appealing) Activity, but not much of consequence: North-African, Dub/Club, World-jazzish, electronica ephemera strew themselves about abundantly, without ever (at least for me) achieving anything of consequence. Where's the Authentic Voice emerging out of this cacophony? Show me one memorable melodic statement, one bit of musical poignancy. Even the way-out jazz avant-garde rather regularly achieves these.

If you dig the latest string of hip musical jags parading themselves before your aural palette in a not uninteresting fashion, this might be the disc for you. But don't blame me if the high fades precipitously: I really doubt you'll be listening to this rapidly decaying half-life music six or even two months from now. If you don't care, that's OK. But someday, you're gonna have to move on to Real Music.

Call me when you're ready: I'm sure I'll have some suggestions for you.

A sick antidote.......2006-11-30

A sick, sick antidote for a musical world where albums get lost in the iPod shuffle. This album is worth listening to end-to-end, going on the whole 70 minute journey, and don't forget your dancing shoes.

Take the brilliant strings and horns of many, many genres - electronica, funk, jazz, drum n bass, dub, Indian classical - and tie them all together with a big ecstatic Moroccan bow, and you might begin to unwrap what Club d'Elf presents in its live albums. "Now I Understand" takes that live energy and polishes it down to a smooth, refined, and deeply dirty sound.

One thing that stands out about "Now I Understand" is its psychological depth. Unlike albums that hit only one emotional note, with Club d'Elf one minute you're grasping the pain of the universe and the next song you're happy as a cat in the sun, and dancing in the kitchen with the blinds up. Mike Rivard's skillful and detailed transformations will take you by the hand across some deep landscapes, be ready! There's not one musician on the album that isn't at his peak, and it's like being in some funky playground where all the kids are musical Einsteins. Medeski's organs will make you laugh. Brahim Fribgane's oud strings will make you swoon in the old-fashioned North African way. And the whole album will pull you into the world of trance, where you can hear something old, something new, something genuine, something sexy.

Average customer rating:

At least it's unique compared to the rock mainstream.
Another psychedelic rock classic by the famed elephant 6 band!
Dream in sound
This album will get you beat up at school!
Not the Elephant 6 I love

A Dream in Sound
Elf Power
Manufacturer: Arena Rock
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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When the Red King Comes
Creatures
Walking With the Beggar Boys
Back to the Web
The Winter Is Coming

ASIN: B00000IMIL
Release Date: 1999-05-11

Tracks:

Will My Feet Still Carry Me Home
High Atop The Silver Branches
Wilony Man
Olde Tyme Waves
Jane
All The Passengers
We Dream In Sound
Carnival
The Well
Noble Experminent
Simon (The Bird With The Candy Bar Head)
Rising And Falling In A Little World
O What A Beautiful Dream
Bonus Track

Amazon.com essential recording

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, and often discussed in the same breath as psychedelic upstarts Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel (since they all operate under the loose umbrella of the Elephant Six collective), Elf Power are an eccentric rock quartet that perform engaging, subtle music with a sonically subversive underbelly. On the band's third full-length release, songwriter Andrew Rieger shows a penchant for clever wordplay on tunes like "All the Passengers" and "O What a Beautiful Dream." Along with band members Bryan Helium, Aaron Wegelin, and Laura Carter, Rieger takes the listener on a quirky musical journey that is as surreal as it is smart with unconventional instrumentation and random noise filtering throughout. With cameos by Athens alt-rock royalty, this marks the dawning of a new psychedelic underground. --Mitch Meyers

Customer Reviews:

At least it's unique compared to the rock mainstream........2006-01-27

With this 1999 release Elf Power have an interestingly detailed and certainly bold, albeit cloying record.

Most of the time, Andrew Rieger (vocals) is content to whimper in a syrupy, Jeff Buckley's-sickly-little-brother-with-asthma falsetto, though his voice would hold pitch better and soar beautifully if he'd breathe better and project more. I realise that he does this on purpose as a matter of aesthetics, but he sounds a bit like the Prince of Swamp Castle in Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail.

The guitars tend to slip beneathe the drums and layers of atmosphere in places, and it detracts from the band's sonic profile. The melodies wander to and fro from sweetly catchy to grating, the latter of which is made worse by Rieger's aforementioned vocal tendencies. The keyboards tend to be a bit annoying and garishly stark. Certain moments conjure the impression of cheesy christmas themes.

It seems that every other song on ADIS is either interestingly catchy and fey (Will My Feet Still Carry Me Home, Jane, We Dream In Sound, the Well, Simon, O What A Beautiful Dream) or embarrasingly sappy and juvenile (High Atop the Silver Branches, Olde Tyme Wayes, Carnival, Noble Experiment, etc.) It's like a giddy Radiohead hosting a daytime children's show on public television in the late 1970's.

Another psychedelic rock classic by the famed elephant 6 band!.......2005-12-29

Elf Power is one of the best indie rock groups around. If you don't believe me, listen to this album, "Creatures" and "Walking With The Beggar Boys". The lyrics may not be very interesting in the long run (though they are indeed very catchy and memorable which helps if you wish to sing along), but boy is it entertaining! Every song on this album has great instrumentation and is extremely fun. Andrew Rieger's vocals are, once again, very soothing and dreamy (though it varies - "Creatures" is way more dreamy sounding than this one). Every person I've played these two albums for ended up has humming or singing the choruses right after. If you're a music collector or even just a fan of rock music do yourself a favor and buy this album.

Highlights include:
the whole album!

Dream in sound.......2004-09-22

No, it's not the kind of elf power that we saw in "Lord of the Rings," with the rings and the river and so on. It's one of those deliciously weird names that Elephant 6 bands frequently use. And in "A Dream in Sound," Elf Power magicks up a sweet, vaguely psychedelic batch of catchy pop tunes.

Expect to be hooked in by "Will My Feet Still Carry Me Home," a catchy, light little tune, because then it's off into the even catchier "High Atop The Silver Branches," a wistful yet bouncy melody, and the rollickingly staccato title track. This tendency peaks with "Simon (The Bird With The Candy Bar Head)," which is augmented by playful horns and birds twittering.

But don't expect Elf Power to be all brightness and fun. "Willowy Man" establishes a handful of aching, bittersweet ballads, like the melancholy "Jane." And "Carnival" is pure fun -- horns, sparkling twitters and fast drums establish a wonderful circus atmosphere, before dying out with a horn blat into the psychedelic-rocker "The Well."

Okay, who could resist checking out a band with a name like Elf Power? They don't measure up to sister band Neutral Milk Hotel, as few other Elephant 6 bands can. But taken alone, Elf Power is refreshingly fun, catchy, and has the talents of other Elephant 6 alums like Jeff Mangum to give it some extra flavor.

Their sound is more like Britpop, and less like the eerily strange creations of their sister bands. Instead of sounding surreal, they opt for catchiness. They start off with the obvious guitars and percussion, but also use lots of organs, horns, distortion and weird sound effects to make it sound just a little psychedelic.

Andrew Rieger's vocals are not stellar, but his airy lilts are somehow soothing, trying out the singsongy approach in "Will My Feet Still Carry Me Home," then murmuring in counterpoint to Laura Carter's even more lovely vocals. The songwriting isn't too amazing -- at one point, Rieger actually sings "tra la la!" -- but it's pleasant enough. "It took a thousand light years/for you to trip down into my eye..."

Elf Power has a power all its own. Don't compare it to its more highly-regarded siblings. Instead, appreciate it for its beautiful, catchy, and thoroughly addictive pop melodies in "A Dream in Sound."

This album will get you beat up at school!.......2004-04-09

I saw them live in New Orleans. They were awful. They opened for Wilco, what an embarassment for the Chicago natives. I lived in Athens just long enough to realize that this is the sort of poser music that only Athens can produce. I almost fell into the trap of thinking these guys were worth a crap until it dawned on me - this is the type of music that will get you beat up in school. // The tracks on this album are whiney boy pop rock, aspiring for something which I don't really seem to know...I don't think they do either - so, "hey! lets call it ART!!! They'll be sure to buy it then..." - Don't get caught wasting your money.

Not the Elephant 6 I love.......2003-01-15

I am a slavish devotee to the Elephant 6 Collective, but I may have to rethink that after listening to this release of Elf Power's. Maybe I didn't give it the time it needed to grow on me, but I can honestly say this album grated on me more than any album I have listened to this year (and I listen to a lot). It was just too sparse. Most of the tracks seemed to lack a melodic center. And the words just bounced off of me. For my money, you would be much better off with Olivia Tremor Control, The Apples in Stereo, or Beulah. Even the Red King is to be preferred to this one.

I know people have rated this album off the charts, but I just have to say that it really does not do it for me. Let this be a voice of warning and/or dissent.

Magical World of Harry Potter
Average customer rating:

very disappointing

Magical World of Harry Potter

Manufacturer: Music Club Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Harry Potter Collection

Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire

Music from the Harry Potter Films

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

ASIN: B00063339Q
Release Date: 2004-11-01

Tracks:

Prologue
HarryS Wonderous World
Arrival Of Baby Harry
Letters From Hogwarts
Platform 9 & 3/4
My Longbottom Flies
Hogwarts Forever
Quidditch Match
Invisibility Cloak & The Face Of Voldemort
Finale: HedwigS Theme
Prologue Book Ii/Escape From The Dursleys
Chamber Of Secrets
Gilderoy Lockhart
Knockturn Alley
Dobby The House Elf
Moaning Myrtle
Fawkes Is Reborn
Meeting Tom Riddle
Dueling The Basilisk
Renunion Of Friends
Finale: HarryS Wonderous World
Prologue: Lumos
Aunt MargeS Waltz
Knight Bus
Apparition On The Train
Buckbeats Flight
Window To The Past
Secrets Of The Castle
Petronus Light
Forward To Time Past
Dementors Converge
Finale: Mischief Managed

Album Description

Following the successful Themes from the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Music Club have commissioned recordings from the phenomenal series of Harry Potter movies. High in quality and impressively packaged this single CD features key music from three of the finest children's movies of all time, Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone, The Chamber Of Secrets & The Prisoner Of Azkaban. 2004.

Album Details

High in Quality and Impressively Packaged the Single CD features Key Music from Three of the Finest Children's Movies of Our Time.

Customer Reviews:

very disappointing.......2005-08-02

Promo says recorded by "Big Movie Orchestra" but it sounds more like a couple of synthesizers. The "strings" are OK but anything on brass or wind sounds AWFUL. Some tracks are not even on pitch. Seller would not refund, either - adding insult to injury! Now it's a handsome coaster for my desk!
:-)

Average customer rating:

A mediocre effort ruined by obnoxious drumming
No Advantage in sub par Record.
Another great cd by The Advantage
Better than the 1st?
Just as good, if not better, than the last album

Elf-Titled
The Advantage
Manufacturer: 5 Rue Christine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Zelda: The Music (Nintendo Sound History Series)
Total Bugs Bunny on Wild Bass
i am 8-bit: Art Inspired by Classic Videogames of the '80s
Mario & Zelda Big Band Live
Nintendo Sound History Series: Disc System Rare Selection

ASIN: B000BDIZBM
Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

Batman - Stage 1
Contra - Alien's Lari & Boss Music
DOuble Dragon III - Egypt
Sucktails - Moon
Metroid - Kraid's Laur
Air Fortress - Not Fat Iced Caramel Hazlenut Soy Latte With Extra Whipped Cream
Bomberman 2 - Wiggy
Castlevania - Intro + Stage 1
Solar Jetman - Braveheart Level
Goonie 2 - Wiseman
Double Dragon II - Mission 5
Forest Of Death
Castlevania III - Boss Music
Megaman II - Stage Select + Metal Man
Castlevania II - Woods
Guardian Legend - Corrider 1
Wizards & Warriors - Tree Trunk, Woods, Victory

Album Description

This follow-up to their 2004 self-titled debut is an 8-bit instrumental Nintendo cover record, recorded in big fat analog. The Advantage are serious dudes who rock with good intentions.

Customer Reviews:

A mediocre effort ruined by obnoxious drumming.......2006-09-24

Anyone who has played just about any of the games showcased in the tracklist knows the music in these games was sensational, and given the fact that the music was produced by the NES soundchip is even more remarkable. So for someone to come along and recreate these renditions with full, genuine instrumentation seems like a splendid proposition. And it is, by the dozens of other people who actually know what they're doing. The Advantage's self-titled album was mediocre, because while not necessarily flawed it was simply a pedestrian effort in which they added nothing to the original composition (and I'd still rather listen to the original anyway). This time around they actually seemed to have gone out of their way to ruin all of the songs they are attempting to arrange by having dominant, horrible drumming that drowns out the original melody. Every song sounds like someone is banging on a garbage can lid every couple of seconds. It's unforgiveable and unlistenable. Make no mistake, their original CD had drumming as well but it actually flowed with the songs. Due to the fact that the guitarists are usually playing the right notes, however, I gave the CD a "2". Still, even without the horrendous drumming this would be a rather uninspired effort. If you've never heard a game music cover band before, you might be able to find some enjoyment out of this CD, otherwise stick to good cover bands (minibosses, OneUps, and Chromeloden) or better yet import albums like the Konami Battle CDs to see how this type of music is supposed to be done.

No Advantage in sub par Record. .......2006-07-22

Several of the reviews on this page claim that the Advantage's second effort, "Elf Titled" is just as good as or even better than the original self titled release. Unfortunately, this album isn't half the album the original release was, literally. This sophomore set contains almost half the amount of songs as the first and there's more filler such as long pauses and feedback, seemingly in an effort to camouflage this fact. The song picks are more random and less infectious and some songs seem to be superfluous remakes from the original release. The first album is perfect for it's time and place and that's probably why Elf Titled is a let down. Like one reviewer comments, this album is more produced that the original and I believe that is one of its greatest flaws. It feels to me that some of the fun and nerdiness was lost in the process. However, despite its overshadowing predecessor Elf Titled is still a landmark of genius musicianship, but to anyone thinking about buying an Advantage album for the first time I highly recommend picking up the self titled release.

P.S. We're still waiting on the Super Mario Bros. theme. We know you play it in the studio.

Another great cd by The Advantage.......2006-03-04

Being a fan of both Generic and The Advantage, I can say I was not disappointed with the new release. The production quality is way up on this second cd too. Highly recommended to anyone that is into the video game music genre and likes straight covers.

Better than the 1st?.......2006-02-17

I think arguably it is. The CastleVania & Contra songs they picked are pretty much the best ever released in the series, and the music for Megaman games were always well put together. And even you haven't heard the music before (never own or played Wizards and Warriors) the songs all seems to stand much better on their own than the song selected for the 1st album. Fans of Castlevania/Megaman/Double Dragon should pick this up.

Just as good, if not better, than the last album.......2006-02-08

I never had a whole lot of time with the 8-bit generation, but I know how great Mega Man, Super Mario Bros., and Contra are. The music to these games are more memorable than anything today (maybe because they repeated to infinity). While the titles on this album are much more obscure, they still sound just as great as any Super Mario Bros. theme. And really, you don't need to have even played the games in order to appreciate the covers present here. To the untrained ears this sounds like a great indie rock band, but you do get a sort of feeling hearing a song from your childhood.

So, in short, while the titles on the last album were more varied, this CD is no sloppy sophomore (or however that expression goes).

Average customer rating:

Folk elves
Ye olde sonick shoppe: spiffed up, slicked down
www.undressmerobot.com review:
Haunted by Three Ghosts

Back to the Web
Elf Power
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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

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

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

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000EMSU24
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

Come Lie Down With Me (And Sing My Song)
An Old Familiar Scene
Rolling Black Water
King Of Earth
Peel Back The Moon, Beware!
23rd Dream
Somewhere Down The River
The Spider And The Fly
Forming
All The World Is Waiting
Under The Northern Sky
Back To The Web

Amazon.com

Since 1994, this Athens, GA-based act have been one of the most misunderstood rock bands in the U.S. Far more straight-ahead musically while lyrically interested in singing about gnomes and wizards (unironically), they didn't necessarily fit in so well with their more out-there Elephant Six contemporaries. And while they definitely had a strong taste for fuzzy pop recorded on the fly and inexpensively, they really were never much of a lo-fi band, either. On their eighth album, while the rest of the indie scene can't get enough of long-haired troubadours with mystical leanings, Elf Power deliver a crisply recorded and vaguely medieval set of songs with nary a Tolkeinist element in sight. Vocalist Andrew Reiger's songs have never been this folksy and ruminative. It might take a few listens before the full weight of this album kicks in, but it's worth your time as this just might be their most rewarding album. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

On April 24th, Elf Power return with their Rykodisc debut, Back to the Web, a haunting, twisting journey weaving its way through heavy psychedelic haze, to soulful, melodic folk, to stomping T Rex-styled rock. Back to the Web is full of the band's signature, lovely pop melodies, but a distinct progression is evident in the songwriting and the lush, full production. The folkier tunes are laced with strings and the heavier ones scream psychedelia; influences of Bob Dylan and Wall-era Pink Floyd can be detected. Singer/songwriter Andrew Rieger comments, "I was listening to a lot of middle eastern folk and gypsy music when I started writing these songs and I tried to emulate some of those sounds by combining 12 string acoustic guitar with violin and accordion. Our last album was more of a straight ahead rock record, so in reaction this one came out as more of a dark, orchestrated folk rock album." Formed in Athens, GA in 1994, Elf Power was spawned from the legendary Elephant 6 collective that also produced Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal and Apples In Stereo. The band has spent the past twelve years making albums and touring the globe, sharing bills with the likes of R.E.M., Dinosaur Jr., Wilco and Guided By Voices.

Customer Reviews:

Folk elves.......2006-11-10

Elf Power is one of the bands that survived the collapse of the Elephant 6 collective, and still sticks to that wonderful, fuzzy psychedelic sound. "Back to the Web" is a bit of a departure for them, with a sort of dusty folky sound, but still quite pleasant in a low-key way.

"Lovely daughter/this was just where I wanted to be... nothing spoken/just the sound of the rain on the sea/come lie down with me/and sing my song," Andrew Rieger murmurs, over a Renaissance-faire folk tune. It's a drowsy, pastoral little song, and while it's not psychedelic or very fuzzy, it is enchanting.

They continue in that vein, although they add more of a fuzz sound in some of the songs. There's swirling indie-rock, haunting ballads with a ghostly sound, catchy acoustic pop, and shimmering little pop tunes that harken back to their best psychedelica. Not to mention a really jarring banjo interlude.

The whole album is sort of pleasant and relaxed, like lying on a grassy field during a sprinkling rain. While Elf Power seems to be taking some cues from REM and the college rock sound, they sound a lot more laid-back than most such bands. And no, they haven't totally abandoned fuzz-rock or sweet folk.

The music relies heavily on soft acoustic guitar, and buzzing basslines running under everything else. It's catchy, but not in a dancey way. And there's plenty of rippling keyboard and smooth, twining strings to keep the music from getting boring. The big weak spot is that bloody banjo. No matter how prettily you play it, a banjo is too sharp for this mellow music.

Rieger's smooth voice flows over the music, with a childlike quality that keeps the lyrics from seeming as twee as they could. "I thought I heard you say/the end is on the way/I thought I heard you sing/a million lovely things," he croons over a catchy melody, apparently channelling a folkier Wayne Coyne. Not bad at all.

Elf Power is in good form in "Back to the Web," and while this isn't as fascinatingly acidic as their previous albums, it is pleasant folky-rock music. Worth checking out.

Ye olde sonick shoppe: spiffed up, slicked down.......2006-07-04

This takes a while to sink in, and against their whole discography it'd be more like 3.5 stars, but since the other two reviews (a five and a three) average to 4, I balance the norm! However, direct in its delivery and relative economy as it is, this is not their strongest album. Not until the final track does the earlier sound of EP return, the quasi-minstrel side with layered and exotic instrumentation. Honestly, the difficulty I think holds back EP from wider acclaim still has always been too much reliance on Andrew Riegen's lead vocals--on single songs they can be tolerated, but for me they tend to get whiny-sounding over the course of an album, even one as short as this at 35 minutes for a dozen songs. The songs seem to take their time despite their brevity, and there is depth lurking in the grooves; it's just that the offerings on BTTW feel more polished so as to appeal to a wider crowd of passers-by--as if window displays--whereas early albums were akin to the amateurish looking but adeptly assembled curios what you'd find tucked away dusty at the back of ye olde sonick shoppe.

I can't blame any veteran indie band for this. Yet I must point it out to those expecting a reprise of an Elephant 6 ambiance from a decade ago. This is simpler music. Here, the instruments seem more downplayed, not surprising to listeners of "Walking with the Beggar Boys," an album that showed them breaking their earlier mold in favor of more of an REM evocation--not an imitation...although on "Back to the Web," a couple of the catchiest tunes are soundalikes for that other band from Athens GA. While the "Creatures" album showed the band in that transitional stage between their earlier folk and their incorporation of a brighter, pithier, and more accessible pop-folk sound that cleared some of the cobwebs that made their earlier music both more challenging and more muted. On "Back," the band does not assert itself as much; like the previous two albums, they have stripped away some of the veneer that I liked, but that probably kept some listeners at a distance from what may have sounded to them too twee or fey a style of folk-rock.

EP are one of my favorite bands, and it's gratifying to hear them still at it after so long and after the trends have moved on. This album does hold its best for the last few songs; the others are paced with not enough regard for sequence, and tend to blur more--again given the vocalist's limitations and the greater prominence given singing over playing in this production--into more generic-sounding efforts. I do wish the band well, and it sounds like they still have some stamina in them--the last track rewards your patience with the earlier and sometimes slicker (by comparison only!) songs. I may sound more critical than praising, but if you're reading this you may already be pleased by EP's earlier career anyway! I merely wanted to explain how this album compares to EP's past product. This album (like its two predecessors) may be a good place, however, for a newcomer to EP to begin, for it is an easier listen, and from here working backward might draw a casual consumer into a faithful fan.

www.undressmerobot.com review:.......2006-06-23

The Elf is Weak!

For me, Elf Power's always been a band that's only had one or two incredible songs on an album while the rest define the essence of mediocre. That was a pattern that is clearly seen on their last two releases, Creatures and Walking with the Beggar Boys. They did not stray far from this pattern on their 8th full length, Back to the Web.

They emerged out of the now defunct record psychedelic pop label Elephant 6 along with Apples in Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel and Olivia Trebel Control. Their music is similar to those and all the other bands on the Elephant 6 label - singer Andrew Reiger even has a nasally voice - but their music always seemed to me a little more folksy-pop than the rest, probably because of their inclusion of stringed and other more traditional instruments, ones they include a lot in this release.

Taking into account their experience for music making, I was really excited to hear this album. Unfortunately, they have disappointed me once again with their lack of consistency. All the songs on the album are at least OK just like they were on the higher intensity album Walking with the Beggar Boys. But this time the album is more mellow and there are only two standout tracks: "An Old Familiar Scene" and "23rd Dream" because, well, they have exceptionally catchier melodies than the rest. The rest of the tracks don't really encourage me to listen to them ever again because they are simply boring, and that's consistently Elf Power's problem.

The first Elf Power song I ever heard was "Let the Serpent Sleep" off of Creatures. It was a really addictive and engaging combination of catchy pop, psychedelia and lo-fi fuzz. Every other song I've heard since is a disappointment, including those on this album.

Haunted by Three Ghosts.......2006-05-20

Three ghosts haunt Elf Power's "Back to the Web."

The first is the ghost of sixties exotic psychedelia. It conjures up that time when the gods inspired heroic mortals to make epic journeys to the east. These heroes brought back with them unfamiliar tunings, new instruments, and complex polyrhythms and time signatures. George led the Beatles to India ("Within You and Without You"). Led Zeppelin traveled to Morocco ("Immigrant Song," "Tangerine"). The Rolling Stones recorded "Paint It Black." They inspired everyone from Donovan to the Hollies. This ghost gives "Back to the Web" its edge.

The second is ghost of Pet Sounds Brian Wilson--sweetness and sonic experimentation.

Over it all hovers the ghost of Elephant 6--the now-dead collective that made music like it was 1969 (only way, way cooler). Their music is easily categorized as lo-fi, Brian Wilson, experimental, psychedelic, sixties, ambient, folk, noise, singing-saw pop. If you don't know what I mean, pick up "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel or "Black Foliage" by the Olivia Tremor Control.

Now that E6 is dead, who carries the Elephant 6 banner? After listening to "Back to the Web", I believe that Elf Power is the true heir. First, the line-up has enough first-tier E6ers to secure its bloodline. Second, with this CD, Elf Power has the depth, complexity, generosity, and experimentation that characterized the best of the Elephant 6 classics. This ain't no Bird-with-the-Candy-Bar-Head Elf Power (I loved that Elf Power too); this is a deeper, more durable Elf Power--and band with more to say.

Those three ghosts (exotic sixties psychedelia, Pet Sounds, and Elephant 6) explain most of the success of "Back to the Web," but not all of it. Another key element is that Elf Power is (and always has been) a drums and percussion-driven band. (This distinguishes them from the rest of E6.) When you buy "Back to the Web," listen to the drums. They are mixed to the front of most tracks, creating a driving foundation for whatever is laid in on top.

Elephant 6 is dead. Long live Elf Power.

Average customer rating:

Lift off

Liftoff
Mark Elf
Manufacturer: Jen Bay
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000EULSB6
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Tracks:

Liftoff
Thanks For The Memory
Deception Blues [Baritone Guitar]
Chuy's Challenge
I've Never Been In Love Before
How Low Can You Go
Fundingsland Waltz
Left Hand Corner
Deception Blues [Guitar]
Liftoff [Alternate Take]

Customer Reviews:

Lift off.......2007-01-10

Elf providess a straight ahead approach to the guitar, nice tone with good technic and ideas. I am happy to see a young group of guitaists carry on the jazz tradition.

The Piano Works of Nikolai Medtner, Vol. 7

Average customer rating:

The Piano Works of Nikolai Medtner, Vol. 7

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000059LXA
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

Three Dithyrambs, Op.10: III. Andantino Innocente
Two Fairy Tales, Op.20: I. Allegro Con Espressione
Two Fairy Tales, Op.20: II. Pesante. Minaccioso, Sempre Al Rigore Di Tempo E Sostenuto
Four Lyric Fragments, Op.23: I. Allegretto Commodamente
Four Lyric Fragments, Op.23: II. Andantino Gracile
Four Lyric Fragments, Op.23: III. Tempo Di Valse
Four Lyric Fragments, Op.23: IV. Andantino Tenebroso - Animato
Four Fairy Tales, Op.26: I. Allegretto Frescamente - Giocoso - Tempo Primo
Four Fairy Tales, Op.26: II. Molto Vivace
Four Fairy Tales, Op.26: III. Narrante A Piacere - Piu Mosso - Tempo Primo
Four Fairy Tales, Op.26: IV. Sostenuto
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Theme. Allegretto Grazioso (Tempo Di Menutto)
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var I
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var II. Allegro
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var III. Allegro (Al Rigore Di Tempo)
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var IV. Intermezzo. Allegro Leggierissimo E Giocoso - Meno Mosso - Tempo...
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var V. Largamento, Lugubre, Ma Non Ritadare
Theme And Vars, Op.55: Var VI. Allegro Molto
Two Fairy Tales, Op.48: Elf Tale. Con Moto Flessible
Two Elegies, Op.59: Andante Largamento - Tranquillo - Andante
Two Elegies, Op.59: Andante Con Moto, Sempre Cantabile

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