Revival [Import]

Revival [Import]

Track Listings

1. Intro Interlude

2. Bring Back Our Love

3. Good Love

4. Been Thinking 'Bout You

5. Love To Love You Baby

6. These Are The Best Days

7. Don't Dog Me

8. Revival

9. We've Got Tomorrow

10. Special

11. I Wish

12. Soulfully Yours

13. Outro Interlude

14. Revival ('Bad Boy' Remix)

Tracks:

Icky Thump
You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)
300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues
Conquest
Bone Broke
Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn
St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air)
Little Cream Soda
Rag And Bone
I'm Slowly Turning Into You
A Martyr For My Love For You
Catch Hell Blues
Effect and Cause

Amazon.com

Bagpipes, a song written as the soundtrack to a Michel Gondry music video, Patti Page's musical shadow, and Jack and Meg co-narrating a scavenger's rummages: It must be time for Icky Thump, the many-flavored riposte to 2006's Get Behind Me Satan. The duo starts big with the title track--Jack's fast-tumbling, falsetto-tinged lyrics jagging on hyper keyboard-sounding segues and Meg's pounding drums. They rarely shy from an idea, invoking acoustic Bob Dylan to frame "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues," but interjecting a series of distortion-laden guitar paroxysms for good measure. The end of Icky, on "Effect and Cause," is where Jack's trademark vocal warble and spare, quick acoustic strums meet Meg's single-minded beats. Everywhere on Icky giant riffs leap and shout, with Flamenco horns and those eerie bagpipes and rhythmic shifts and Jack's impatient vocal kinetics, marking new territories even as the White Stripes again populate them with vintage ideas. --Andrew Bartlett

Album Description

The White Stripes are back with the most bombastic album they've ever produced! While revealing the band's roots in American folk music, Icky Thump is an explosive, revolutionary assault that brings together garage rock, every blues style of the past 100 years, nouveau, and flamenco. This is truly a modern rock and roll masterpiece!

Customer Reviews:

Icky Thump, Who'd-a Thunk?.......2007-07-24

For the longest time the White Stripes were my guilty pleasure. Saying their name around musicians is like uttering the name Charles Darwin among Christians or George Bush among Democrats. However, the Whites seem oblivious to outside praise and criticism. They are an anomaly: A two piece band who reduces genres to their bare essentials to see how many ways they can twist, hammer, and shape it into something viable. They do this without an ounce of flash or technical abilities. Jack's near juvenile guitar playing, and Meg's "trained monkey on drums" abilities are among the worst in all of music. The Stripes are essentially an exercise in maximization through minimalization. The variations and nuances they're able to saturate this simplicity with is extraordinary. The results are endlessly surprising and rewarding.

They also seem to alternate - album wise - between interpretations on traditional forms (rock, pop, folk) and experimentation: Although these two sides - the traditional and experimental - are almost always integrated, the focus usually remains on one. De Stijl was their most traditional blues/pop album, with Elephant being a logical progression on that concept that expanded the overall palette. White Blood Cells is perhaps their quirkiest, as it leaped into vast new territories and styles, with Get Behind Me Satan being a focused, refined, near perfection of that stylish mishmash. Now to Icky Thump: At once a return to tradition and complete perfection of it. The spiritual precursor to Icky is Elephant - not the experimental Get Behind Me Satan. The first three songs epitomize this concept:

The title track is monumental, crushing rock. Featuring a towering riff from Jack White, A pulsing "thud" beat from Meg. Along with a vocal delivery that teeters on the edge of manic breakdown and complete control, spitting venom the entire time. "You Don't Know What Love Is" is a foray back to De Stijl and pop in its purest form with no excess. It's also perhaps (and I say this tentatively) the best pop song Jack has written. From electric and eclectic to calm with aplomb (bad wordplay, I know) we get to "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues" (I have to gasp just saying it!). This song evokes Bob Dylan like nothing else I've heard from the White Stripes or anyone. The reiterated acoustic lick is absorbing in its meditative restraint. The electric breaks only provide a contrast rather than a driving force to the track.

Then we head into the experimental grasp of Jack again. "Conquest" is pounding and incessant, with its horn flourishes evoking a definite Mexicano vibe. From Mexico to Ireland (or Scotland) we get "Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn". An acoustic, Irish (Scottish?) clog dance that's as charming as anything Jack has done. "St. Andrew" provides a kind of epilogue to "Prickly Thorn' with its accelerating rhythm being lead by a lively bagpipe and miniscule female vocals. "Little Cream Soda" continues the 'Little' tradition, returning to the metal tones of "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" with a distortion drenched riff from Jack that's as good as any he's produced. "Catch Hell Blues" features a tumultuous slide riff that's vaguely reminiscent of "Little Bird" from De Stijl, but more hellish and electric. Jack also hasn't lost his sense of humor. Both "Rag & Bone" and "Effect & Cause" are as whimsical as anything he's done. The former being a rhythmic, comical take on requesting people's unwanteds and the latter being a country-esque romp on refusing to accept the consequences of one's actions.

What catapults this album above the previous Stripes' efforts is Jack's transcendent leap in his lyrical and vocal stylings. I normally don't care for lyrics, but Jack White forces you to pay attention to his due to the inventiveness at which he writes and the originality in which he delivers. The title track being a prime example: At first it sounds akin to a rapper's delivery as Jack rhythmically blurts out variations on "ump", while expanding on this concept throughout. Jack wrenches, bends, twists and distorts syllables; emphasizing serpentine rhythmic drive over melody. This is similar to The Beatles' most experimental vocal work, and Dylan's flow of delivery. Jack's variety of emotive abilities are among the best in all of modern music. If the idea of song is the fusion of music and words - where one acts to enhance the other - then The Stripes may personify that idea better than any other these days.

This album only 'fails' - a better term would be "fail to surpass previous efforts" - when Jack doesn't push himself. Reverting back to comfortable territory. "Bone Broke" is an attempt to return to their punkish, garage days - but it is no Fell In Love With a Girl. Both "I'm Slowly Turning Into You" and "A Martyr for My Love for You" are decent, but lacking in the freshness the rest of the album permeates. However, their inclusion is welcome as they're too good to be considered filler.

If any Stripes albums could truly be called serious, then Icky Thump is the furthest away from that definition. Rather, this is Jack and Meg at their most playful and fun. Confident in what they can do, they produce songs that effortlessly fit within their respective abilities. As always, variety is key. Acoustic, electric, and ultimately eclectic, Icky Thump isn't a radical departure for the Whites, but just an assured, adept execution of their wealth of styles and ideas. It's the nuances that reward repeated listens. This isn't musically dense material, but it's subtle music all the same. Perhaps the only other fault is that in the Stripes' refusal to strive for eminence they may also never reach the heights of albums like Highway 61, Sgt. Pepper, or Born to Run (insert your applicable favorites). If Icky Thump is their peak (and it may be), then I only wonder where they go from here.

The White Stripes have transformed me from a hesitant supporter into an avid one. If Get Behind Me Satan was my acquiescence, then Icky Thump was my revelation. No longer do I consider them my great "guilty pleasure". I could solely appreciate the fearlessness at which they tackle everything. Most bands walk on eggshells afraid of failing, but The Stripes seem apathetic to the notion that they could - with any misstep - ruin their popularity. Instead, they seem rather insouciant about the entire thing - likely wondering how a quirky garage band ended up being hailed as the 'saviors' of pop music. They seem to belong to a bygone era. One in which bands pushed themselves into uncharted waters - daring themselves to improve - growing and evolving in the studio instead of behind closed doors. Perhaps, most importantly, they seem to produce everything with a real sense of passion and honesty, completely lacking any of the contrivances and pretenses in modern pop and rock music.

In the end, I can only echo what Steve Vai (I believe it was) said about them: "Out of tune. Out of time. Beautiful."

Average, at best.......2007-07-24

If this were an EP and the album ended after track 7, than I'd really enjoy it. The 2nd half of the album just sounds like filler. At least the price was right. It's a shame the music of today lacks the heart and energy of the artists in the late 60's & early 70's.

White Stripes Best Album In Years - Rock N Roll Is Back For Jack.......2007-07-23

This album is worth the $9.99 price if only for songs 9-12. ("Rag and Bones", "I'm Slowly Turning Into You", "Martyr For My Love For You" and finally "Catch Hell Blues" are the aforementioned songs 9-12). "Catch Hell Blues" quickly became my favorite Stripes song ever and will really remind of you the older White Stripes album "De Stijl". But don't let my love of this 4 song block distract you from the rest of the album. The only "weak" part in my opinion are songs 3, 6, and 7. The bagpipe sounds like a good idea but I personaly hate those 2 songs.

If you are Stripes fan and love their older work you will love this album.

Stripes Have Faded.......2007-07-23

It's been almost two months now since Icky Thumps release and that time has not afforded the White Stripes newest any more favorable results. Let me first state that yes, I am a fan of the duo. However, with that said I do think that as a fan that does not mean they are immune to critisism. I will not just love "whatever" they (or Jack White) decides to put out.
I realise that these forums of feedback are usually fans who praise even though it is not warranted, and I just as much as you are always hoping for the best from our favorites but this White Stripes release does not add up for me.
I think the time has come for the group to stop worring about what their new "look" for the cover and current tour is going to be and concentrate more on getting back to the garage band idiology that started it all. In other words, bring back the guitar Jack. Yeah, "Bone Broke" and "Catch Hell" are where it's at, but "Conquest"?? Big mistake and entirely unlistenable. As is "You Don't Know What Love Is". I was so happy when the writer of the Village Voice made the comparison of this song with the one written by Bad Company called "Shooting Star". And the title track itself sounds much too similar to Rage Against The Machine's "Born As Ghosts".
Now to show that I am not being all "oh this is just someone who can't appreciate an artist branching out and trying something new" I will say that I think the tracks "Prickly Thorn" and "Slowly Turning Into You" are a couple of the Stripes best!
In the end however, I am dissapointed. It has not turned out to be the summer favorite of mine that I was hoping for. I am not turned off from the band, the prior releases from them with the exception of this one and "Get Behind Me" make up for any wrongdoing and I will continue purchase whatever they put out. Sincerely, Thumped.

Dig it.......2007-07-22

The new white stripes delivers on every aspect of music enjoyment. A good number of old stripes style tunes along with some cool exploration of new sounds. Jack rips, meg lays it down. Get it!!

Average customer rating:

My sort of music
CCR
great stuff
Gets me going in the morning
Soundtrack of an era

Chronicle, Vol. 1: The 20 Greatest Hits
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Manufacturer: Fantasy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Chronicle Vol. 2: Twenty Great CCR Classics
Bob Seger - Greatest Hits
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Eagles : The Very Best of
Lynyrd Skynyrd - All Time Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000000XB9
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Susie Q
I Put A Spell On You
Proud Mary
Bad Moon Rising
Lodi
Green River
Commotion
Down On The Corner
Fortunate Son
Travelin' Band
Who'll Stop The Rain
Up Around The Bend
Run Through The Jungle
Lookin' Out My Back Door
Long As I Can See The Light
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
Hey Tonight
Sweet Hitch-Hiker
Someday Never Comes

Amazon.com

Few bands of the 1960s retained as much a sense of the roots of rock and roll as did Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their music is rife with country, rockabilly, and R&B influences, a combination that produced several hit singles--most of which are present on this collection. These include "I Heard It through the Grapevine," "Lodi," "Up Around the B ," "Who'll Stop the Rain," and of course "Bad Moon Rising." This is an excellent greatest-hits collection, and a perfect introduction to the music of a band that has been enduringly influential. --Genevieve Williams

Album Description

Recorded 1968-1970 and includes 'Susie Q', 'I Put a Spell on You', 'Proud Mary', 'Bad Moon Rising', 'Lodi', 'Green River', 'Commotion', 'Down on the Corner', 'Fortunate Son', 'Travelin' Band', 'Who'll Stop the Rain', 'Up Around the Bend', 'Run Through the Jungle', 'Lookin' Out My Back Door', 'Long as I Can See the Light', 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine', 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain?', 'Hey Tonight', 'Sweet Hitch-Hiker' & 'Someday Never Comes'. Fantasy label. 1991.

Customer Reviews:

My sort of music .......2007-07-12

As Im in my sixties you might think Im to old, but this is my sort of music.I reckon " john fogerty " is a great singer. Just listen to find out. Hope you like it the same as I do.

CCR.......2007-06-28

An excellent greatist hits CD, I used a handful of songs to burn a CD with other related style of music.

great stuff.......2007-06-27

listening to this CD makes you realize how great john fogerty was back in the day. great songs, great sound.

Gets me going in the morning.......2007-06-27

I've been listening to this CD for 2 weeks in my car on the way to work.

Soundtrack of an era.......2007-06-15

This is an excellent compilation of CCR's tunes from the late 60s, early 70s. There's a reason why Credence tunes kept popping up in movies and commercials. It's great music and evocative of the era from which it comes. No need for me to review the individual tunes; anybody with a radio has head most of them. A must-have for any music fan.

Average customer rating:

Simply Amazing
Another Great Album!
a great album
not bad
THANK YOU!

Paper Walls
Yellowcard
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000R7I2U6
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Tracks:

The Takedown
Fighting
Shrink the World
Keeper
Light Up the Sky
Shadows and Regrets
Five Becomes Four
Afraid
Date Line (I Am Gone)
Dear Bobbie
You and Me and One Spotlight
Cut Me, Mick
Paper Walls

Amazon.com

Add Yellowcard to that very short list of spirited pop-punk acts that made the transition from an indie to a major label and got better in the process. The SoCal by way of Florida band's brand of strident, post-emo pop has only improved with each release, even as their sound grew more anthemic and radio-friendly (and reached double platinum status). Their first album since founding guitarist Ben Harper split the group, Paper Walls has been described by the band themselves as a sort of group therapy attempt, an effort to "tear down obstacles and heal old scars" amongst the five members. Unsurprisingly, the lyrics are direct and honest, while they've broadened their sonic palette to allow a tad more dissonance in with their urgent and propulsive pop-punk. The songs "Shadows and Regrets," "Paper Walls" and "Five Become Four" mix thoughtful lyrics with a sped-up, catchy violin in a way that's both "mature" and the ideal soundtrack to your next extreme sports adventure. --Mike McGonigal

Amazon.com

The album title Paper Walls comes from the song of the same name, which begins "Let's burn a hole so we can climb out of these paper walls in this empty house." It's a reference to the barriers that built up between the band members over the years and everyone's desire to tear down the obstacles and heal old scars.

"If you really love each other as much as we do, you want to knock those walls down and get back to the place where you enjoy being with each other and making music together," says Key. "The song is basically saying let's get back out there and remember why this is important to us, why we love being on stage and why we love making records."

Album opener "The Takedown" starts with a shot - an indelible guitar hook and ferocious drums charge forth as Yellowcard's trademark mix of airtight vocal harmonies, entwined guitar lines and flourishes of violin crackle with energy. "Fighting" brings together the band's many strengths - tight, melodic, propulsive riffs gather steam before launching into an epic, undeniable chorus. And bruised but beautiful lead single "Light Up the Sky" has an even more massive payoff, its refrain won't leave your head in this lifetime, but allows for some ringing dissonance beneath it all.

Yellowcard Photos

More from Yellowcard

Ocean Avenue
Lights and Sounds
Beyond Ocean Avenue DVD

Customer Reviews:

Simply Amazing.......2007-07-22

This is Yellowcard at their best, the CD is jam packed with songs that could all be radio hits. "Shrink the World" in my opinion is the best track on the album, along with "Light up the sky". Though really the entire album is note worthy. I actually bought this CD twice (one was for an autograph)! If you loved Ocean Avenue, you'll love this album. This is the most solid album I've had in years.

Another Great Album!.......2007-07-22

Another great one from Yellowcard... Not only with great upbeat songs but a sweet ballet.

a great album.......2007-07-19

I am a huge ocean avenue and hated lights and sounds but when I saw this in the store I bought it hoping that they snapped out of the whiney emo punk sound that they tried out. I am glad I purchased it.
I like all the songs on this album except for a track where there is this old man talking through it, he sounds like he is under water. It was like a musical version of the notebook. But besides the talking it is a very good song.

Buy this album

not bad.......2007-07-19

it is deffinatly a rock album, not one full of emo junk. drummer is still amazing. good way to lighten up from all of the heavier rock. honostly, nothing sounds that different from ocean avenue, but if you've had that album for a couple years and know all those songs to well, paper walls is worth a few bucks

THANK YOU!.......2007-07-18

YES! I am so happy to finally have this album blasting through my speakers! I liked Lights & Sounds despite public outcry against it, although they could've toned down the politics. But forget that, Paper Walls is amazing! From front to back this CD has everything I've ever loved about Yellowcard, the violin is finally back in action and the drums are key on this cd. Most notably though, the songwriting is up to par to old school Yellowcard. This is definitely one of the best summer albums this year!

Average customer rating:

Pure Folk
Excellent for country song lovers
Fab Folk Trio's Best
One of the best Folk groups in America..
Peter, Paul, &Mary

The Very Best of Peter, Paul & Mary
Peter Paul & Mary
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0009YA39U
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Tracks:

Early In The Morning
500 Miles
Lemon Tree
If I Had A Hammer (Single Version)
Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Puff, The Magic Dragon
The Cruel War
This Land Is Your Land
Blowin In The Wind
Stewball
Dont Think Twice, Its All Right
For Lovin Me
For Baby (For Bobbie)
The Times They Are A Changin (Live)
Early Mornin Rain
Leaving On A Jet Plane
I Dig Rock And Roll Music
Too Much Of Nothing
The Great Mandala (The Wheel Of Life)
Day Is Done (Live/Single Version)
El Salvador
Wedding Song (There Is Love) - Noel Paul Stookey
Follow Me - Mary Travers
Weave Me the Sunshine - Peter Yarrow
Dont Laugh At Me

Album Description

One of the most enduring acts in American music, Peter Paul And Mary both defined and transcended the 1960s folk revival. The trio's passionate commitment to peace and social justice made them the conscience of an era as they soulfully communicated political concerns through music in an unprecedented way. At the same time that they reached millions with their social message, they acheived phenomenal mass popularity.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Folk.......2007-07-21

Loved this CD. I grew up listening to this group and they sound wonderful on this record. "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" and others make this a great listen. Mellow out with P, P, & M.

Excellent for country song lovers.......2007-07-05

Songs are of high standard. However, the quality of the CD is substandard to the ears of an audiophile fan. Background of the recordings has a bit of noise, not absolutely clear. Overall, a good CD for a sunny day.

Fab Folk Trio's Best.......2007-06-20

You know you're gettin' real old when you have a conversation with 20-something (or even 30-something) friend and you mention Peter, Paul & Mary and the person just gives you a blank stare. I got to thinking about the Fab Folk Trio because the political climate is...well, let's just say--unfortunate (with eerily similiar 1960's overtones.) I also got to thinking about Peter Yarrow's song "The Great Mandala" (on this CD.) Trouble was, for some reason I thought Richie Havens wrote it & that P, P & M were chorus backup--so I kept looking for the original and for lyrics with all the wrong information (yes, sometimes I am prone to air-headedness.) Once again, Amazon comes to the rescue in the end. In fact, I'm beginning to feel like a walking billboard for Amazon--hint, hint--any comps gladly accepted.

Anyway, I held back a star just because there were a couple of songs omitted, such as the trios' haunting rendition of "Polly Vaughn" that I would really have like to have seen included. Oh well, I've been told 'you can't have everything." How 'bout 4 and 1/2 stars?

Hearing "The Great Mandala" again made the search well worth while. It is one of Peter, Paul & Mary's most dramatic & uncompromising hits.

Peace.

Blonde on Blonde
Reflections in a Crystal Wind
High Flying Bird
We Shall Overcome: Complete Carnegie Hall Concert
Readings by Jack Kerouac on the Beat Generation
Step Forward: The Next Generation
The Best Of The Beat Generation
The Essential Dave Brubeck

One of the best Folk groups in America.........2007-05-17

This is one of the best folk groups in our country. The best in the world although, goes to an Australian group that did everything better than Peter, Paul, and Mary. The Seekers.

I remember listening to PP&M in 74-75. The songs had a magic quality to them, and they are still good. Time hasn't dimmed their quality much.

Peter, Paul, &Mary.......2007-05-13

This is by far The Very Best of Peter, Paul, and Mary. I enjoyed every cut, and often found myself singing along. ( in the privacy of my car ) I would recommend this album to any baby boomer and to their children and grand children

Average customer rating:

Do not hesitate to buy if you were disappointed with ASH
Disappointing comeback
Best Alternative/Indie/Rock Album This Year
Absolutely gorgeous, top-notch
Wow- New Music that actually lives up to its reputation?

Because of the Times
Kings of Leon
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Favourite Worst Nightmare
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Aha Shake Heartbreak

ASIN: B000MRA3NU
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Knocked Up
Charmer
On Call
McFearless
Black Thumbnail
My Party
True Love Way
Ragoo
Fans
The Runner
Trunk
Camaro
Arizona

Amazon.com

Aha Shake Heartbreak may have blown open the doors of fame for Kings of Leon, but their third full-length album (named for a United Pentecostal Church ministers' conference) could well usher the Nashville foursome directly to rock and roll's zenith. There's hardly a change in plans for the three Followill brothers and their cousin, and that means producer Ethan Johns, a smorgasbord of musical influences, and a cacophonous ensemble of guitar, bass, and drums. A trio of relentless rockers--"My Party," "Camaro," and the sarcastic "Charmer"--are sure to pacify those familiar with the Kings' blueprint, yet there is ripening in the band's approach heard, in several of the record's 13 songs. Reverb guitar and vocals and a "woo woo" chorus add a sinister aspect to "Trunk," and "Knocked Up" features a laissez-faire Caleb Followill crooning "She don't care what her mama said/She's gonna have my baby." The seven-minute revelation of fatherhood that opens the album leads into the U2-influenced "McFearless," a reggae-splashed "Ragoo," and the rambling English blues of "Black Thumbnail." It's a rogue element that has always left every record fresh, and this time it has Kings of Leon teetering on the edge of rock renown. --Scott Holter

Album Description

Third album from the rockin' American quartet whose previous albums (2003's Youth And Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak from '05) have earned them a large worldwide following. Consisting of three brothers and a cousin, the Kings Of Leon mix their own brand of Southern Rock with touches of Garage, Punk and Alternative swagger. RCA.

Album Details

Their third full length album.

Customer Reviews:

Do not hesitate to buy if you were disappointed with ASH.......2007-07-11

I thought Youth and Young Manhood was excellent, thought Aha Shake Heartbreak wasn't that good and therefore wasn't gonna pick up Because of the Times. But my husband had read good reviews and purchased it. Wow! What a coup/comeback for the Followill boys! I think this is their best so far; a very strong disc. I don't think there is a dud song on the whole album. I almost blew out the speakers in my car cranking up Black Thumbnail and My Party over and over and over. Moody, diverse, rockin' - love it! Buy it, you will not be sorry you did.

Disappointing comeback.......2007-07-07

Maybe it's just me, but I haven't been able to get into this. I loved their first album, thought their second one was okay, but this one may be worse than the last one. I can't really give too thorough of a review since I didn't get past the fourth song on the first listen, and haven't listened to it since, even seriously considered trading it in.

I got this CD after reading a stellar review by Q Magazine appauding it. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Best Alternative/Indie/Rock Album This Year.......2007-07-05

If you're reading this review, you probably know to some extent who the Kings of Leon are - a relatively young indie-rock band out of Tennessee whose appeal is said to come from equal parts youthful energy and wisdom-beyond-their-years.

Their debut was a southern-fried scramble of distorted guitars and yelping vocals that seemed to delight in its own unholiness. On Because of the Times, the guitars are still distorted, the singer's still yelping and the themes aren't necessarily wholesome - see 'Knocked Up', in which singer Caleb belts "She don't care what her mama says, no she's gonna have my baby" - but at times there's a beauty to the arrangements that's almost divine.

That's not to suggest that the band has forgotten to rock, though, because they haven't; in fact, at this point in their career the band has the musicianship to back up their ambition, and the result is some of the most fulfilling rock you can hear on the indie scene today.

If you like either of KoL's previous two albums, you'll love this one. If you're looking for an introduction to the Kings of Leon's work, this is as good a starting point as any.

Absolutely gorgeous, top-notch.......2007-07-01

It's been a while I am aware of KoL. I saw them opening The Strokes and found them interesting. Their first singles were intriguing. But with this album they have reached a summit of musical expression. Sure their sound is certainly more polished, more produced than before, sometimes dangerously sounding U2ish but this CD is simply a beauty of universal soul music. The singer has such an extraordinary soulful voice and melodies and orchestration are captivating. Easily one of the best CDs of 2007 and already lining up for best of 2000s!

Wow- New Music that actually lives up to its reputation?.......2007-06-30

This is a really good CD. I was surprised b/c I have heard them described as the Skynrd Strokes. I am not really a big fan of the Strokes and living in Ohio, you hear Skynrd everytime you turn the radio on. But, this album is unique and doesn't seem packaged. This album has a lot of soul. Buy it, learn the lyrics and sing as loud as you can while in the shower.

Average customer rating:

Didn't see this coming!
THIS is my summer album
Gritty Retro
YEAH!
SO FREAKIN CATCHY.

Costello Music
The Fratellis
Manufacturer: Cherry Tree
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Good, the Bad & the Queen

ASIN: B000MXPE74
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Henrietta
Flathead
Whistle For The Choir
Chelsea Dagger
Gutterati?, The
For The Girl
Doginabag
Creepin Up The Backstairs
Vince The Lovable Stoner
Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night
Baby Fratelli
Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy

From Amazon.co.uk

There's nothing terribly complicated about the Fratellis' debut album, Costello Music, but that's by no means a criticism. Rather than inject their songs with complex chords, or steep their lyrics with their political and social agendas, this Glasgow trio have instead focussed on writing 13 songs that are pure, unabashed entertainment. And it's a pace--and an attitude--that doesn't let up, from the jumpy opening bars of "Henrietta" to the groupie-reminiscing of "Ole Black'n'Blue Eyes". In many ways, Costello Music sounds like a return to the hedonistic rush of early 1990s Britpop, with its exhilarating guitar riffs and arrogant swagger--"Chelsea Dagger" somehow applies the attitude of early Oasis to the pop catchiness of Great Escape-era Blur. But the Fratellis also know their history: the ska-punk of "Cuntry Boys & City Girls" and "For the Girl" has the Fratellis sounding like the cheeky offspring of the Clash, or a less-irritating Madness. But all this analysis kind of misses the point of Costello Music: this is music for dancing, not for contemplation. It's loud, fast and in-your-face, exactly what you'd expect from three young men with guitars. --Ted Kord

Customer Reviews:

Didn't see this coming!.......2007-07-15

Wow, i can't believe i came from heavy death metal to this upbeat poppy music- but this is the exact type of music that would make you want to change.
Other than the main hits such as Chelsea Dagger and Flathead- this album is full of amazing song. Nothing short of a must buy if you like indie or pop; or if you were like me, looking to lighten up your atmosphere. And that's exactly what this does- it just makes you happy; makes you want to dance even if you can't.

Every song is filled with an incredible rhythm, ranging from mosh pit punk to bob your head and go with the flow. Songs such as Henrietta and Whistle for the Choir are full of constantly changing riffs, so you can't expect what to hear next. So it never gets old.

The lyrics are quite interesting, the way he tells his stories are such that you can just close your eyes and watch the colors dance when you're feeling down or getting you and your friends amped for the trip to the game. One thing i should address for the parents is the cover art, it can seem slightly provocative- but nothing more than you'd see openly on TV nowadays.

Ok, so if this whole makes less than any sense to you- lemme just sum it up into one sentence.
"You will not regret this buy!"

THIS is my summer album.......2007-07-01

Fun! Fun! Fun! Three guys with guitars! Say what you will otherwise about this CD, but when it comes down to it, this thing is 100% pure unadulterated fun. I heard one song on the radio (#4, Chelsea Dagger) and had it stuck in my noggin after that- it was very annoying! The next day, on a hard-fought whim I finally bought the album at Best Buy. I have never regretted this! Really it was out of desperation, since all the music out "all sounds the same nowadays". Come on... you've said it too. It's not just that you're old- 99% of what's out there right now sucks a$$.

That's certainly not the case here. This is the very, very rare album that's actually worth buying. There's not a bad track on here. When's the last time you said that about a CD? Buy it... you will not be sorry!

Gritty Retro.......2007-06-13

With their hit single, "Chelsea Dagger," the Fratellis successfully recreate the glam sound of T-Rex. The song even starts off with a yell similar to T-Rex's "20th Century Boy." The Fratellis pull off having a retro sound, but with a gritty sound ala Mando Diao whose latest album Ode to Ochrasy is out now.

YEAH!.......2007-06-13

This a great CD!!! Definitely way above a one-note band. Multi-layered songs with great vocals that work with the music. To be honest, I don't really understand the lyrics BUT I really don't care as the music is sooo good.

SO FREAKIN CATCHY........2007-06-09

none of the songs make sense. it's loud. it's fast. IT'S BRILLIANCE BEYOND BELIEF. Get this cd. That's all I can say. It can't be described in words. All I can say is.... you'll wanna strip and dance naked around your house. It's that good. Seriously.

110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

Average customer rating:

110 in the Shade
Pure pleasure
audra is definitive
110 In The Shade Revival CD - Next Best Thing to Being at The Show
Wonderful Cast Album

110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)

Manufacturer: P.S. Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
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ASIN: B000PMG9GW
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Another Hot Day
Lizzie's Comin' Home
Love, Don't Turn Away
Poker Polka
The Hungry Men
The Rain Song
You're Not Fooling Me
Cinderella
Raunchy
A Man and a Woman
"She Walked Out On Me..."
Old Maid
Evenin' Star
Everything Beautiful
"Stay and Talk..."
Melisande
Simple Little Things
Little Red Hat
Is It Really Me?
Wonderful Music
The Rain Song (reprise)

Amazon.com

More than four decades after its Broadway debut, the Roundabout Theatre's 2007 revival of 110 in the Shade is a glorious showcase for soprano Audra McDonald, and an eloquent statement for an underrated and neglected work. Based on N. Richard Nash's play The Rainmaker, 110 in the Shade tells the story of a Texas town stuck in a blistering heat wave. Lizzie (McDonald), the daughter of a local widower (Broadway veteran and TV star John Cullum), has resisted all suitors, including the sheriff (Christopher Innvar), until a potential huckster named Starbuck (Steve Kazee) arrives in town promising to bring rain ("The Rain Song"). Just like Marian the librarian, Lizzie thinks she sees right through the scam ("You're Not Fooling Me"). McDonald shines in her solos ("Love, Don't Turn Away," "Old Maid"), but Cullum, Innvar, and Kazee also get their moments either in duets with McDonald ("A Man and a Woman," "Simple Little Things," "Is It Really Me?") or by themselves. 110 in the Shade is obscure compared to Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's most famous work, The Fantasticks--none of its songs ever entered the popular culture like "Try to Remember"--but it's a beautiful, evocative score that is tailor-made for McDonald's rich voice. It's also much more sumptuous than The Fantasticks, even in Jonathan Tunick's pared-down, Tony-nominated orchestrations. (Also nominated were McDonald, Cullum, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind, and the show itself for Best Revival of a Musical.) P.S. Classics puts out its usual first-rate package, with color photos, introduction by Peter Filichia, synopsis, and libretto. --David Horiuchi

Description

Four-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald triumphantly returns to Broadway in the role she was born to play: Lizzie Curry in 110 in the Shade, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's heartrending musical adaptation of N. Richard Nash's classic play The Rainmaker. Amidst a heat wave in 1930's Texas, Lizzie - despite her wit, intelligence and homemaking skills - is on the verge of becoming an old maid, until a charismatic rainmaker named Starbuck enters town and her world is shaken. 110 in the Shade originally premiered in 1963 - Jones and Schmidt's first Broadway musical following their unprecedented off-Broadway triumph with The Fantasticks. Joining McDonald for the new Roundabout Theatre Company revival are two-time Tony Award-winner John Cullum and, fresh from Spamalot, Steve Kazee as Starbuck. PS Classics and the Roundabout previously collaborated on Grammy-nominated and top-selling recordings of Nine: The Musical and Assassins; this latest CD is sure to result in another definitive Broadway cast album, this time headed by one of Broadway's brightest crown jewels.

Customer Reviews:

110 in the Shade.......2007-07-20

This recording is superb. I recently saw the show in NYC and found that this recording does the show justice. It is a great show and recording.

Pure pleasure.......2007-07-19

Couple of days ago, I saw "110 in the Shade" on Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre revival. At intermission, in a trance of emotion, I went straight to the souvenir stand to buy the cast album (available at a non-ripoff price of $20, I'm glad to say). This is something I hardly ever do, but I had just seen and heard Audra McDonald and Christopher Innvar sing the duet "A Man and A Woman," and I had to have that music. Been playing the score ever since. It's a delight and I like the orchestrations very much. McDonald is an utter joy, but Innvar was an unexpected discovery and on the strength of his performance, should have had bigger billing.

audra is definitive.......2007-07-18

Though the score of 110 IN THE SHADE is modest in musical scope, Audra McDonald sings it with all the passion, conviction and care that one could hope for. The other performances on the recording are good, especially Steve Kazee, whose Starbuck feels lighter and more expressive than Douglas Horton on the original cast recording. Bobby Steggert makes the most of every one of Jimmy's lines. Christopher Innvar sounds far better on this recording than he did in the theater. There is a great deal of dialogue on the CD, which may be more enjoyable to those who have seen the production than to the casual listener. The reduced orchestrations are in many cases more imaginative and expressive than the originals, which tended toward bombast in telling this intimate story. They often are reminiscent of Copland's "Appalachian Spring", and I would imagine that's not accidental. If you are an Audra lover, buy this immediately, you'll never hear a finer version of Lizzie's numbers than are offered here.

110 In The Shade Revival CD - Next Best Thing to Being at The Show.......2007-07-15

Any fan of 110 In The Shade will appreciate this recording; it is very well recorded and features the stunning vocal performance of Audra McDonald. This CD more than holds its own when compared to the studio cast version of 1997 and it is head and shoulders above the original cast recording of 1963.

If you have seen the recent revival at Studio 54, or you are a fan of the show, you will definitly want to have a copy of this CD

Wonderful Cast Album.......2007-07-13

Saw a number from this show on the Tony Awards and ordered it immediately. Was not disappointed. The whole album is wonderful.

Average customer rating:

American Genius
Fair
Who Cares what people say!!
A whole new Green Day!
Great music, bad tech

American Idiot
Green Day
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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International Superhits!

ASIN: B0002OERI0
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
City Of The Damned
I Don't Care
Dearly Beloved
Tales Of Another Broken Home
Holiday
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Are We The Waiting
St. Jimmy
Give Me Novacaine
She's a Rebel
Extraordinary Girl
Letterbomb
Wake Me Up When September Ends
The Death Of St. Jimmy
East 12th St.
Nobody Likes You
Rock and Roll Girlfriend
We're Coming Home Again
Whatsername

Amazon.com

For its first new set of music since 2000's Warning, Green Day tears up the blueprint and comes up with something unexpected: a punk rock concept album built around elaborate melodies, odd tempo changes, and a collection of songs that freely reference classic rock warhorses like the Beatles and Pink Floyd. "She's a Rebel" and "St. Jimmy" might sound like vintage Green Day, but the rest of the disc finds the Northern California trio trying on a variety of different guises: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a cliché-strewn Foo Fighters-style power ballad; "Extraordinary Girl" floats on Indian strings; and the hushed "Wake Me Up When September Ends" wouldn't sound entirely out of place on a Jessica Simpson record. It doesn't always work. "Dearly Beloved" eerily resembles the Alarm's "68 Guns," while the title track eerily resembles something Green Day has already done far too many times. But, overall, American Idiot represents a promising step forward. --Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

The first original album since 2000 from modern rock superheroes Green Day, American Idiot is one of the most anticipated and controversial albums of the year. Scathing yet self-effacing as it tells the tale of Green Dayâ€™s Billie Joe Armstrong, American Idiot is the punk rock epic. "A bold, polished punk opera." (Entertainment Weekly) "They're the biggest, most successful, punk band the world has ever seen. What's more, Green Day's next album may well be their masterpiece." (Kerrang!)

Customer Reviews:

American Genius.......2007-07-08

There is a lot of excellent music here. "Holiday," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "Wake Me Up When September Ends," and of course the title track are destined to be Green Day classics. It is obvious these guys ave something to say, and this album spares no risks in delivering that message. It challenges us, as Americans, to look at ourselves and society. I love music like this. It has meaning. Green Day has reached their peak with this album. They will never sound this good again.

Fair.......2007-06-30

I'am Not Usually Not A Big Fan Of Green Day. Really I Pretty Much Hate All Of There Album's. But For Some Reason I Actually Like This Album Ok. I Don't Know It's Like It's A Step Of Good For Green Day. It's Actually The Only Green Day Album I Own. I Proabably Recomend This One, But It's The Only One I Would.

Who Cares what people say!!.......2007-06-29

I bought this album about 2 years ago when it came out. Being an old school Greenday fan some of this album was new to me,but is changing really a bad thing. Everyone says GreenDay sold out with this LP but does growing up musically really considered selling out. If that was true than great bands such as Pink Floyd would be considered sell outs. Being a true GreenDay fan I will say some of the songs on this album sort of have the album "Warning" sound to it. So if you like good concept music buy this album!!

A whole new Green Day!.......2007-06-15

Leaving their goof ball punk days behind,American Idiot sheds new light on new light on Green Day that we have noty seen before.At the risk of abandening fans,Green Day new album has a totally different style shift from the latest album Warning.The base line is still very simple but produces and amazing rythim.Billy Joes vocals are amazing espeally on songs like Holiday or St. Jimmy.Green Day shift from punk to rock is simply there best decision in there lenthly carrer.

Great music, bad tech.......2007-06-05

The album itself is excellent, but I refer you to the other reviews for why. However, it isn't Red Book-compliant, so I had difficult playing it at first on GNU/Linux.

Average customer rating:

amazing one of the best cds i own
June 2003
people who bought this also bought Fingernails on a chalkboard
The first song/single is good - the rest; garage band filler with cringe-inducing "lyrics"...
THE BEST BAND EVER!!!

Elephant
The White Stripes , and White Stripes
Manufacturer: V2
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The White Stripes
Icky Thump

ASIN: B00008J4P5
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Tracks:

Seven Nation Army
Black Math
There's No Home For You Here
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
In The Cold, Cold Night
I Want To Be The Boy...
You've Got Her In Your Pocket
Ball And Biscuit
The Hardest Button To Button
Little Acorns
Hypnotise
The Air Near My Fingers
Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine
It's True That We Love One Another

Amazon.com

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' British album, Elephant is scattered with cultural references that give away the fact it was recorded far from home. Just listen to the lyrics on "Seven Nation Army" ("From the Queen of England to the hounds of Hell") or the album outro, in which someone chips in, "Jolly good, cup of tea?" But while there are new twists here, from Meg White discovering her voice to a tongue-in-cheek threesome with Holly Golightly, Elephant is no great departure for Jack and Meg White. They still push their creativity (and the boundaries of their eight-track) to new heights. Check out the startling, Queen-inspired "There's No Home for You Here," while the deep bass line on "Seven Nation Army" makes it a classic indie dance track. But while some songs fly off into new realms, there's plenty of their trademark straight-up bluesy rock, notably the overtly sexual "Ball and Biscuit." And there's Jack's plaintive, resolutely modest and yet theatrical voice. --Caroline Butler

Album Description

Double colored vinyl. One white. One red.

Customer Reviews:

amazing one of the best cds i own .......2007-06-28

wow the white stripes elephant what could i say about this album ok when i first encountered them i saw the hotel yorba or fell in love with girl video i thought it was realy good then they mad this everthing for jack to make his guitar to have the bass fell was amazing ball and biscuit there 7 minuet song is truly the best song on here i fell that this is prolly the greatest cd ever i bought a red guitar becayse of this album i dont think that will b a cd this good for a long time icky thump is veary close though u should by that one to

June 2003.......2007-06-27

I bought this album years ago and I still love most of the tracks. A great buy for ten bucks or under.

people who bought this also bought Fingernails on a chalkboard.......2007-06-20

The one star is just to have my review seen. I can't seriously review inaudible noise. You really need to listen to the sounds this band is totally ripping off in an offensive way. Pick up a guitar and you'll learn these songs in 2 minutes flat and never want to play them again. Death to retro rock!

The first song/single is good - the rest; garage band filler with cringe-inducing "lyrics"..........2007-06-19

The rest sounds like he's just making it up in the studio, especially the childish attempts at lyrics. Here's a profound sample;

"The smile on your face made her think she had the right one
Then she thought she was sure
By the way you two could have fun
But now you're scared"

WOW...

I still think Weird Al Yankovich is more diverse a comic/musician, plus a better musician/lyricist.

THE BEST BAND EVER!!!.......2007-06-12

Elephant 2003
The White Stripes

Elephant is the White Stripes fourth album and one of the best. It has fourteen songs of alternative rock for all ages. Some song like Seven Nation Army and Black Math are faster than songs like In the Cold, Cold Night and Ball and Biscuit.
The White Stripes may only be a two-person band but Jack White (vocals, guitar and piano) along with Meg White (percussion) can think up some awesome songs. Some of those songs are Seven Nation Army, Black Math and The Hardest Button to Button. Not all CDs are perfect though. In the Cold, Cold Night, The Air Near my Fingers and You've got Her in Your Pocket don't appeal to me.
My cousin and I are huge White Stripes junkies. We both think that this is one of their best albums. There is just one thing. If you are strictly a Korn, Green Day, Metallica, Rob Zombie etc. fan, you aren't going to be into this CD as much. It has its fair share of slower songs but great guitar.
If you want to try the White Stripes, listen to their previous albums. They are The White Stripes, De Stijl and White Blood Cells. Their newer CD's are Get Behind Me Satin, Walking with a Ghost and Icky Thump Which comes out June 19, 2007.
Give the White Stripes a try. I promise you'll love them.

Average customer rating:

Do yourself a favor
Revival Musical Hits the Mark
Check out Company!
This recording disappoints, especially in relation to the live performance
GOOD COMPANY

Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
110 in the Shade (2007 Broadway Revival Cast)
A Chorus Line - The New Broadway Cast Recording (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B000LV6R4G
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Tracks:

Opening
Company
The Little Things You Do Together
Sorry-Grateful
You Could Drive a Person Crazy
Have I Got a Girl for You
Someone Is Waiting
Another Hundred People
Getting Married Today
"What did I just do?"
Marry Me a Little
Side by Side by Side
What Would We Do Without You?
Poor Baby
Barcelona
The Ladies Who Lunch
"You have a good third husband, Joanne"
Being Alive

Amazon.com

There may be no original Broadway cast recording more iconic than 1970's Company, with its funky organ sound and Elaine Stritch's not-quite-there high notes, but the December 2006 Broadway revival makes its own mark. For Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's piece about a single man observing the benefits and follies of marriage, director John Doyle borrows the same controversial concept he used for his 2005 Sweeney Todd: the actors playing instruments on stage (now referred to in many circles as "Doyle-izing," and not always with affection and delight). But when you're listening to a cast recording, as Bobby would say: What do you get? For one thing, you'll have to adjust to some different sounds created by Doyle and his music supervisor, Mary-Mitchell Campbell. It's a benefit in "Side by Side by Side," which begins with a jazzy double-bass line. It's a drawback in "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," in which the trio's doo-doots are replaced by their saxophone lines. You also get "Marry Me a Little," cut from the original show but by now very familiar and welcome, as well as a lot of the contextual dialogue before, between, and even within numbers. Finally, the strong cast led by Raul Esparza makes this the best-sung Company we've ever gotten (and they play very well too), and Stephen Sondheim's score is still a landmark in musical theater. There will never be a replacement for the original Broadway cast recording, but this revival recording can stand on its own and in some respects may be more flat-out enjoyable to listen to. --David Horiuchi

Album Description

Maverick British director John Doyle, a 2006 Tony Award winner, enjoyed a surprise Broadway hit last year with his radical reworking of Sweeney Todd. He dispensed with the pit orchestra and handed all the instruments over to his on-stage performers, who doubled as musicians in between their turns acting and singing. Doyle has taken a similarly unorthodox approach to his revival of another Stephen Sondheim classic, the revered yet notoriously difficult to stage Company. As with Sweeney Todd, the results of this theatre-as-concert have entranced both critics and audiences. Linda Winer of Newsday called it "the very best revival that Broadway has ever seen of Stephen Sondheim's landmark 1970 musical."Variety described it as "striking, revelatory and thoroughly compelling." For Sondheim fans, the recorded score to Company has long been as much an object of adoration as the six-time Tony-winning play itself. Company on disc functions as a deeply moving song cycle, even apart from George Furth's libretto, about the vicissitudes of marriage and the joys and trials of the single life, seen through the eyes of the coolly dispassionate Manhattan bachelor Bobby on the occasion of his 35th birthday. This is truly the stuff of sex and the city - wry, sophisticated, painfully honest and deeply melancholy, even in a comic seducing-the-stewardess duet like "Barcelona." As with Sweeney Todd, which featured a bravura performance from lead actor Michael Cerveris, Doyle has found in rising star RaÃºl Esparza (Cabaret, Taboo, The Normal Heart) an extraordinary singer and actor who, in the words of the New York Times' Ben Brantley, gives Company "the most compelling center it has probably ever had." "Mr. Doyle and his invaluable music supervisor and orchestrator, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, have shaped Company into a sort of oratorio for the church of the lonely," says Brantley. He also praises the work of the entire ensemble - playing five married couples, three single women and one deeply ambivalent, unmarried man: "It's their work as a team that sounds new depths in Company in ways that get under your skin without your knowing it." Variety's David Rooney concurs: "Angel Desai's `Another Hundred People' nails that quintessential New York song; Heather Laws lands every laugh in the mile-a-minute `Getting Married Today' with amazing speed and clarity; and Barbara Walsh is bone-dry as brittle, world-weary Joanne. She reveals the emotional hunger beneath the character's hard shell and adds fresh nuances to `The Ladies Who Lunch,' a song indelibly associated with Elaine Stritch." As Time Out New York put it, "Sondheim's expert musical etchings, his acid craftsmanship, remain unmatched." Sondheim fans will note that this new version of Company, to be released by Nonesuch and PS Classics, restores the original act one closer, "Marry Me A Little," which was dropped from the show before its 1970 Broadway debut; the song has since taken on a life of its own as an orphaned Sondheim gem. The Company cast album is produced by PS Classics co-founder Tommy Krasker (Sondheim's The Frogs, Saturday Night, Assassins, and Sweeney Todd, among others). Along with Company, Nonesuch has also released the original cast album to Doyle's 2006 production of Sweeney Todd and the Tony-nominated A Light in the Piazza, which features a score by Nonesuch artist Adam Guettel.

Customer Reviews:

Do yourself a favor.......2007-07-14

Don't think, just because you have all the other versions of 'Company', you can do without this version. It has additional dialogue and superior sound. Highly recommended!

Revival Musical Hits the Mark.......2007-07-13

Raul Esparza's performance in this revival makes the album a must have. What a talent! What a show! Well worth the cost.

Check out Company!.......2007-07-11

I fell in love with this show when I saw it in NYC and I promptly bought the cast recording upon my return. This was one of those shows that I'm sure will resonate with me for the rest of my life. Although the show doesn't seem to make much sense by listening to the cast recording, you understand what its about and even though this show was written more than 40 years ago, its still relevant today. The theme of marriage and domestic partnership is still something that remains in the minds of all people; whether married or single. This cd airs out all of the thoughts that we all have likely heard or felt in our lifetime.
This cd is truly beautiful and by far one of my favorite Broadway cast recordings of all time.

This recording disappoints, especially in relation to the live performance.......2007-07-07

I am going to assume for a moment that anybody reading this and the other reviews is already a fan of Sondheim and Company. I am also going to assume that most people reading this are familiar with multiple recordings of this show and, hopefully, multiple performances. This is the best and truest means of judging a show, its score, and its recordings. Of course this isn't always possible, but in regards to this show, I have to say this new recording of Company is probably the weakest of the bunch ESPECIALLY after first seeing the show live. I also saw the "Doyle" Sweeney last year and think the new orchestrations were brilliant and translate well to recording. Imagine my surprise when I recently saw the new Company and found it to not only equal but SURPASS the impact of the Sweeney staging. I had purposely delayed the purchase of the new cast recording until I had first seen the show live and unfortunately the CD doesn't contain the excitement, originality, and freshness that was portrayed by the actor/musicians on stage. I think Company is nearly the ideal show for this minimalistic approach but on the recording, it just seems... empty? The listener is also drawn to shortcomings in the musical performances (instrumentally) that I didn't notice (or forgave) when I was in the theatre because the experience in and of itself was so moving and direct. I also don't want to get caught up in an argument of whether this is the best sung version or not, because it all depends on your personal preference/prejudice. The singers in this show may be the best *trained* from a technical standpoint, but the passion portrayed by the singers of the OBC will never be paralleled. All in all this is a decent recording but certainly not definitive and not the one I would recommend to someone who has never heard the show before.

GOOD COMPANY.......2007-07-01

If you're a Sondheim fan, or if you just like lyrics that challenge the listener, this version of COMPANY is a must. I saw this production on Cincinatti before it moved to Broadway, and it was perhaps the most enjoyable theater experience I've had. The soundtrack is a great listen, even if it's all familiar, much of it having been covered by other artists since the show's first soundtrack in 1970. It all builds to a powerful emotional climax when Raul Esparza sits down at the piano and sings "Being Alive". Magical. Buy it--you won't be sorry, only grateful...

Music:

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