Twin

Twin

Track Listings
1. Make U Feel Good
2. My House
3. Beyond Ectasy
4. Kickback & Unwind
5. Flava (Interlude)
6. Gotta Get With U
7. Give Me Ya Number
8. Love Storm (Interlude)
9. All I Need
10. Way That U Make Me Feel
11. Promise Me
12. Situation
13. In Your Eyes
14. Beyond Ecstasy [Cary's Groove Remix]

Twin Peaks (TV Soundtrack)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Best Soundtrack EVER!!!
  • Eerie, Melancholy, and Riveting
  • Hypnotic!
  • A must have for Twin Peaks' fans!!
  • Atmospheric Smooth Jazz
Twin Peaks (TV Soundtrack)
Angelo Badalamenti
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack)
  2. Floating into the Night
  3. Twin Peaks - The Second Season
  4. Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me
  5. Twin Peaks - The First Season (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000002LMM
Release Date: 1990-08-31

Tracks:

  1. Twin Peaks Theme
  2. Laura Palmer's Theme
  3. Audrey's Dance
  4. The Nightingale - Julee Cruise
  5. Freshly Squeezed
  6. The Bookhouse Boys
  7. Into The Night - Julee Cruise
  8. Night Life In Twin Peaks
  9. Dance Of The Dream Man
  10. Love Theme from Twin Peaks
  11. Falling - Julee Cruise

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Best Soundtrack EVER!!!.......2007-06-02

I love anything by Angelo Badalementi. I bought this soundtrack in junior high. It was my first all instrumental album. I used to listen to it as I was falling asleep.

It's so eerie and melencholy. I LOVE it! All of the music from Twin Peaks was awesome!

5 out of 5 stars Eerie, Melancholy, and Riveting.......2007-04-02

If you were a fan of the series, this CD is surely for you, but even if you were not, the tracks on this CD are quite compelling.

5 out of 5 stars Hypnotic!.......2006-03-24

An amazing score to an amazing show. The music is a blend of 50's pop music, modern jazz and I don't know what else. It just works. Its quircky, fun, mysterious and melodic. Julie Cruise sounds like an angel. It is the perfect voice for this material. David Lynch lyrics are great. I love it!

5 out of 5 stars A must have for Twin Peaks' fans!!.......2006-02-25

This soundtrack is an interesting addition to any eccetic music collection, even if you are not a Twin Peaks' fanatic. David Lynch has incorporated an innovative and alternative soundtrack to his hit TV show. Fans will love the delicate yet erie sounds that are familiar to them from the show. Music lovers will enjoy the alternative jazz and blues-inspired tracks that are reminiscent of an evening lounge.

5 out of 5 stars Atmospheric Smooth Jazz .......2005-12-02

This soundtrack has it all- totally brings back the weirdness of the tv show but also stands on its own as this hip cool jazz soundtrack. The music is moody, and you can't help but sway to the beat. I esp like the track Freshly Squeezed- includes some great drum work.
Twin Cinema
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Pure Pop Perfection
  • It takes more time to appreciate this one
  • Not my cup of tea
  • So far above the fray it's almost unfair
  • New To The Indie World And Love This Recording
 Twin Cinema
The New Pornographers
Manufacturer: Matador Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
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ASIN: B000A2H880
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Tracks:

  1. Twin Cinema
  2. The Bones of an Idol
  3. Use It
  4. The Bleeding Heart Show
  5. Jackie, Dressed in Cobras
  6. The Jessica Numbers
  7. These Are the Fables
  8. Sing Me Spanish Techno
  9. Falling Through Your Clothes
  10. Broken Breads
  11. Three or Four
  12. Star Bodies
  13. Streets of Fire
  14. Stacked Crooked

Amazon.com

Imagine a loose consortium of musicians who combine the lilting melodies of the Zombies with the driving hooks of the Kinks. Sure, it's what all the kids are doing these days, but Vancouver's New Pornographers are one of the few--along with the Shins--to get the balance right. Their third full-length offers more of the same smart power-pop that made Mass Romantic and Electric Version instant classics, plus some surprising new moves. As singer/songwriter Carl Newman (The Slow Wonder) has noted, "You can't play ebow without sounding like Eno," and indeed, Brian Eno's sublime early recordings are evoked on this more introspective offering. There are also strong new vocalists joining Neko Case: Nora O'Connor (the Blacks) and Newman's piano-playing niece, Kathryn Calder. If there was a flaw with previous efforts, it was that the contributions of Dan Bejar (Destroyer), fine as they were, sounded somewhat out of place. Just as they're better integrated this time around, Twin Cinema offers every member of this insanely talented ensemble the chance to shine. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Album Description

The third album from Vancouver's pop maestros continues to feature Neko Case and Dan Bejar (Destroyer), as well as new vocalists Kathryn Calder and Nora O'Connor. These songs veer more toward the rocking and the personal than the sugar of earlier works. Chief singer/songwriter A.C. Newman has absorbed not just the mechanics of classic songwriting, but the heart, while indulging his admiration of demented current bands like Fiery Furnaces and Frog Eyes. Expect to hear influences from The Moody Blues, Tubeway Army, Wings, Eno, The Stranglers, 10cc, and other greats, all filtered through Newman's warped worldview.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Pure Pop Perfection.......2007-07-13

Absolutely the best cd Ive heard in years for pure musical craftsmanship. The hooks are relentless and come at a blistering pace... initially they seem overdone and in-your-face, but after a few listens everything just clicks. I'll be the first to admit it took a couple listens to get into at first, but now this cd is like an addiction. I just have to listen, its no longer optional. The songs, and the album as a whole, just fit together perfectly. Its not often that I discover a cd thats so good that I feel compelled to write an online review (This is only my 2nd or 3rd Amazon review).

Neko Case is the icing on the cake, Im a huge fan of her solo work, and her contribution here makes the songs that much better. Do yourself a favor, pick up this cd and give it a few spins. Soon you wont be able to remove it from your cd player. And check out Neko Case's "Blacklisted" cd, the style is completely different from NP, but you'll be glad you did.

5 out of 5 stars It takes more time to appreciate this one.......2007-06-12

When I first got my hands on this hotly anticipated 3rd release from the NP's it didn't "hit" me like the first two. After a year of low rotation in my collection I'm now listening to it over headphones and it's just now striking me what a great disc this is. It's as good as their other discs and in a lot of ways even better. The Bleeding Heart Show is such a great tune. Don't give up on this one right away. Put it away for a month or two if you don't get it right away and then pull it back out on a rainy day and give it another try - you'll get it.

3 out of 5 stars Not my cup of tea.......2007-05-29

I guess it all depends on the type of music you like. I was drawn to The New Pornographers through Neko Case, and sad to say was dissapointed by the band. Not that they aren't a supremely talented band, but the droning voice of A.C. Newman wears thin on me, as is the case with Colin Meloy of The Decembrists. In fact, the two bands sound a lot alike, but Meloy brings a deeper literary flavor to his music that makes the songs much more enjoyable to listen to, at least for me. I much prefer Neko Case in her own element, singing her reverb-heavy folk ballads with a voice hauntingly familiar to Patsy Cline.

5 out of 5 stars So far above the fray it's almost unfair.......2007-05-16

If CDs ever become extinct and scientists need to extract their DNA thousands of years from now to recreate them (a la Jurassic Park), "Twin Cinema," the perfect pop-rock concoction, had better be the disc they use. My question is, who says heavy electric guitars are mandatory to make the perfect rock record? The New Pornographers prove that several great singers, some piano, unique songwriting and a penchant for the perfect pop melodies from song to song will carry a band just fine. Of course, the lush, bountiful quality to these songs qualifies them as more than mere pop tunes. Calling these songs pop is doing them a disservice.

The opposite of stodgy would be upbeat, and that's what "Twin Cinema" is, even on the slower tunes, which have a tendancy to transform to livelier jingles by the end. The title track begins the CD like a blast of fresh-air power pop, a feature many of these songs share. Yet the New Pornographers seemed to create this album with the knowledge that people like to download songs that suit their individual tastes these days. Thus, there is a diverse feel to the record, almost as if more than one band was involved in making it. The album is fluent throughout, yet diverse and creative enough to keep you on your toes. "Twin Cinema" never feels dull, because the tunes take unique turns every step of the way. The snappy songs are enhanced by crisp production, quirky lyrics and superb drumming, which might get a little lost amid all the ultra-catchy sounds.

Neko Case has the best female vocals in rock. Such songs as "The Bones of an Idol" and "These are the Fables" are nothing less than elegantly beautiful. "Broken Breads" sounds like Syd Barrett (see The Madcap Laughs) performing a tune in 2005. The vibrating guitars on "Three of Four" is pure swank, reminiscent of a few songs on R.E.M.'s Monster from 1994. The chorus on "Star Bodies" has the lushest-ever vocals by Case (double-tracked), for a sound that is irresistable. Finally, "Stacked Crooked," the last song, has the defiant sound of redemption, looking forward with a sense of hope and positivity, despite the screw-ups of the past: "Stacked crooked all along but now I'm on my way."

Who knows where the New Pornographers will take it from here, but it's hard to imagine they will ever top the brilliance of this album.

5 out of 5 stars New To The Indie World And Love This Recording.......2007-03-29

I started surfing around on Amazon about 4 months ago and discovered this recording. To preface, I have a very diverse music background and like everything from Miles Davis to Led Zeppelin to Neil Young to the Minutemen to the Grateful Dead to the Sex Pistols, etc.

This recording is so unique that I've listened to at least parts of it almost daily since I bought it 2 months ago. Very diverse range of sound, great lyrics, and very well produced. I highly, highly recommend it.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Creepy just as I like it!
  • very hard to explain > captivating
  • Dreamy, Dark, Brilliant
  • Creepy cool.
  • Horror jazz
 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack)
Angelo Badalamenti
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Twin Peaks (TV Soundtrack)
  2. Floating into the Night
  3. Twin Peaks - Fire Walk with Me
  4. The Voice of Love
  5. Twin Peaks - The Second Season

ASIN: B000002MF9
Release Date: 1992-08-11

Tracks:

  1. Theme from Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me
  2. The Pine Float
  3. Sycamore Trees - Jimmy Scott
  4. Don't Do Anything (I Wouldn't Do)
  5. A Real Indication - Thought Gang
  6. Questions In A World Of Blue - Julee Cruise
  7. The Pink Room - David Lynch
  8. The Black Dog Runs At Night - Thought Gang
  9. Best Friends - David Lynch/David Slusser
  10. Moving Through Time
  11. Montage from Twin Peaks: Girl Talk/Birds In Hell/Laura Palmer's Theme/Falling
  12. The Voice Of Love

Amazon.com

The music for Fire Walk with Me, David Lynch's brooding feature film follow-up to the groundbreaking TV series Twin Peaks, again uses the talents of Angelo Badalamenti to create a chilling backdrop to Lynch's dark psychosexual thriller. Film noir is once again the touchstone for this perfectly pitched score, and these 10 tracks stand repeated listening in their own right. This is in part due to the use of some top notch jazz players such as Buster Williams, Grady Tate, and Vinnie Bell, as well as vocalist Jimmy Scott's haunting delivery on "Sycamore Trees." Sax, vibes, upright bass, and percussion set a smoky atmosphere, and the eerie synthesizer and string arrangements augment the general spine-tingling melancholy and menace. Singer Julee Cruise also appears, lending angelic repression to "Questions in a World of Blue"; Lynch contributes compositions and percussion throughout this exercise in bleakness and love gone awry. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Creepy just as I like it!.......2006-10-19

I loved Twin Peaks when it was on television. I think I bought this and the television soundtrack because I loved the sound and the music so much. It is fitting that I write this before Halloween. Twin Peaks USA is a unique fictional town where the inhabitants are strange creatures themselves like the log lady among the others. Anyway, the sound here for the film is similar to the soundtrack. I like the sound and think it's appropriate for Halloween.

5 out of 5 stars very hard to explain > captivating.......2006-01-15

The music contained in this soundtrack as well as the soundtrack from the tv series is in a word "amazing" ... the theme song from the series soundtrack is on a level of it's own as far as "tranquil beauty" goes.... that is however... only until you are able to be absorbed by the hauntingly striking ballad > "questions in a world of blue" with Julee Cruz providing eerily soothing vocals...... when I heard a small part of that song when watching the dvd "Fire walk with me" ... I became almost hypnotized by the beauty of the ballad, knowing I had to have access to this soundtrack over and over again... tremendous movie ,,, wierd for sure ... in a unique way.... this soundtrack and the soundtrack from the series are must haves for anyone who likes music... and everyone who wishes to expand their horizons and in many cases surprise themselves... this music is unbelievable!

5 out of 5 stars Dreamy, Dark, Brilliant.......2005-12-21

Overwhelmingly moody. This is the best soundtrack since The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Had a bad day? Let Angelo's soothing sounds put you at peace.
5 stars

4 out of 5 stars Creepy cool........2005-09-14

Despite the fact that every other movie seems to have it's own soundtrack, few match the mood of the film as well as "Fire Walk With Me" does. The theme here may not be as recognizable as the one from the TV show, but it's just as enjoyable. Truth is, this soundtrack is even stranger and darker than the other, yet just as good. The majority of this music is prime stuff for old smokey clubs, the kind with pianos playing, horns blowing, and fingers snapping. The kind that rarely exist anymore. That's what the movies tell us anyway. One track is a bit jarring, "A Real Indication". The music is good, but it's spoken word with a few near screaming parts. However, afterwards comes "Questions In A World Of Blue", which should lull you back into a pleasant coma. Overall a very wonderful album, even if you haven't seen the movie. If you really love this, I also suggest the TV soundtrack, and anything from Julee Cruise.

5 out of 5 stars Horror jazz.......2005-06-06

A lot of people don't get this record and are probably better off buying something by Enya or Enigma. This is not new age BS! It's not a conventional soundtrack either. Angelo Badalamenti and David Lynch created an entire new genre: horror jazz! It's cool, groovy, jazzy...but something's horribly wrong. Midnight music for when the ghosts come out. From tranquility to insanity.

Unfortunately horror jazz never really took off. I know of only one pure horror jazz track outside Badalamenti's work: 'Venus Velvet' by the Bobby Brown Quartet from the mid-1960s.

I want more horror jazz. I love it.
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Does it get better than this?
  • A Classic
  • Discotheque Music
  • One of my favorite CDs
  • Although electronic music has been around for decades, I believe that IDM began right here with Aphex Twin
 Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
Manufacturer: Play It Again Sam Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2
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ASIN: B00005Y1TL
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

  1. Xtal
  2. Tha
  3. Pulsewidth
  4. Agiespolis
  5. I
  6. Green Calx
  7. Heliopsphan
  8. We Are The Music Makers
  9. Schottkey 7th Path
  10. Ptolemy
  11. Hedphelym
  12. Delphium
  13. Actium

Album Description

Reissue on Play It Again Sam America.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Does it get better than this?.......2007-07-15

Selected Ambient Works 85-92 is, in a word, brilliant. I've only recently discovered the genius that is Richard D. James, and though I am also a fan of his later stuff, I think this release is not only the best Aphex Twin album but quite possibly one of the best electronica albums out there right now.

For those of you familiar with his later work, let me get this out of the way and let you know that you won't find any of RDJ's trademark schizophrenic percussion or use of creepy children's voices here. SAW 85-92 is haunting, ambient, otherworldly, yet strangely nostalgic and familiar-- the best way I can describe it is it's kind of like an underwater acid trip.

If you are a fan of electronica, the best advice I can give to you is grab this album, turn off the lights, find somewhere comfortable to lay down, put on your headphones (this is important-- something seems to get lost when you play this over regular speakers) and let SAW 85-92 take you on a journey through the corridors of Richard D. James' brain. You won't regret it.

5 out of 5 stars A Classic.......2007-07-02

This Album is an all out classic. It is arguably the greatest Ambient album of all time. I highly reccomend it. Each track although sounding similar are very different. the only track that doesn't fit here(and I am not alone) is green Calx, it's much too abrasive, almost like something from James' other moniker Caustic Window

If you want a piece of electronic history I think it's a must have. If you enjoy BOC and early Autechre and Seefeel work than it is also a must have.

1 out of 5 stars Discotheque Music.......2007-05-10

"Selected Ambient Works"...Helloo...This is not Ambient music! "Pulsewidth" move your right shoulder back.."Ptolemy" bring your left one out.."Delphium" pivot on your heel and boogie. Shallow monotonous eastern european night club music. I agree with Spotlight Reviewer - Hannaford (5/7/03) "it's definitely not a challenging record". Devoid of emotion, cold and obsessed with repetativness. "Schottkey 7th Path" is a standout on this CD: an anguished curved disturbing contemplation.

5 out of 5 stars One of my favorite CDs.......2007-01-17

This is, in my opinion, Aphex Twin's finest work. The songs are energetic, but at the same time, very relaxing. Aphex Twin always uses strange song titles, and this CD is no exception. My favorite songs on it are Xtal, Ageispolis, and Heliosphan. Almost all of the 10 other songs are great as well. I recommend Aphex Twin to all of my friends, who normally listen to hardcore and metal, and they love it.

4 out of 5 stars Although electronic music has been around for decades, I believe that IDM began right here with Aphex Twin.......2006-10-30

Many years ago, when I first heard this CD, I thought that it was rather empty, bleak, and just dull cold electronic music. There wasn't much like it around at the time, so when I played this CD a few times, I got tired of it rather quickly. I even ended up giving it a way to a friend.

Then, a few years later, I saw a movie called "Pi". It was a low budget black and white film based on the subject of intelligence and insanity, and the soundtrack that supported this film had a series of artists that I have never heard of before. Watching the film, I just loved all that strange electronic music playing in the background, so I knew I just had to find the CD soundtrack of the film "Pi".

On the soundtrack, I saw that Aphex Twin had a track on it. I don't remember this track in the film "Bucephalus Bouncing Ball", but I sure loved this bizarre electronic collage of dissonant noise. Plus, this CD soundtrack introduced me to alot of new artists, all making a new sound in electronic music that I have never heard before. This new music is called IDM, which means "intelligent dance music". But, I think it should be called ADM meaning "addictive music", because that's what this new music has become to me. I have a hard time listening to regular music anymore. This IDM is very motivational music to listen to. This music gives me all sorts of nervous energy which has turned me into a healthier, more physically toned, workaholic. When I'm in an IDM music euphoria, I can't sit still. After buying the soundtrack of "Pi", I ended up buying this Aphex Twin CD once again and listened to it with a more optimistic, more educated awareness, of what is being played here.

But, you know, you can't just allow yourself to be satisfied with this one CD. You have to let yourself explore more music like Aphex Twin. And I'm not too crazy about all of Aphex Twin's CD's (Selected Ambient Works: Volume Two is actually a very boring double CD to have to listen to, and it's nothing like this Volume One). However, if you don't have a lot of music like this, than it can seem to become too repetitious and become tiresome rather quickly if you let yourself play this CD too much. Even I don't care to sit through the entire playback of just the one CD. But, I have determined that this music from Aphex Twin should be played within a mix of other Ambient Dub and other various glitch and IDM related electronica. To just play these 13 songs over and over, end to end, can get dull quickly. But if you listen to these songs mixed in with about another hundred IDM instrumentals than you will truly appreciate Aphex Twin's participation in the overall bigger picture of today's electronic instrumentals. Today's IDM.

I have this Aphex Twin CD shuffling amongst others in my 200 CD carrousel. These tracks by Aphex Twin are being mixed up with tracks by Autechre, Gescom, Squarepusher, Pete Namlook, Biosphere, The Orb, The Higher Intelligence Agency, Phutureprimitive, Sounds From the Ground, Electric Skychurch, Plaid, Boards of Canada, and various other similar artists of which Aphex Twin belongs with.

I also have these songs and other IDM and Ambient Dub tracks burned onto ATRAC CDR's that is made through the SonicStage program made available only by Sony. (Check out some of Sony's ATRAC CD players and find out why burning hours of your favorite tunes onto a single CDR is better than just loading an ipod with mp3s) Burning hard copies is definitely better than just floating your music in a temporary storage unit like an ipod. (You can make 32 hour CDR's, and as many as you want from all your CD's and mp3s. How many songs can your single ipod hold?)

Anyway, Kudos to you for discovering this particular Aphex Twin CD, but now, explore some of the other artists I've mentioned above. You will love this new world of sound that you've discovered. It is more vast than you could ever imagine.
Twin Sons of Different Mothers
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Beautiful Album that's a Pure Pleasure to Own.
  • Twin Sons of Different Mothers
  • i want "Night Rider!" released on CD
  • NOTICE THIS!
  • easy listening at it's best
 Twin Sons of Different Mothers
Dan Fogelberg , and Tim Weisberg
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Nether Lands
  2. Souvenirs
  3. Phoenix
  4. Home Free
  5. Captured Angel

ASIN: B0000025D3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Twins Theme
  2. Intimidation
  3. Lazy Susan
  4. Guitar Etude No. 3
  5. Tell Me To My Face
  6. Hurtwood Alley
  7. Lahaina Luna
  8. Paris Nocturne
  9. Since You've Asked
  10. The Power Of Gold

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful Album that's a Pure Pleasure to Own........2007-05-21

I'm so happy, after all these years, to have finally broken down and bought Twin Sons of Different Mothers rather than debate it for 30 years. Liking all kinds of music, I have a special place in my heart for "muzak," particularly world and smooth jazz, so whoever has been giving all of the other reviewers here neggies for liking it, go ahead and get mine over with right now as well.

True, you hear several tracks from this wonderful collaberation in the halls of shopping centers and on very light stations, but I also find it easy to listen to in the car and quite romantic all at once. Weisberg's flute is a major attraction for yours truly, and Fogelberg's acoustic guitar playing compliment's his style perfectly. Best tracks are breezy "Lazy Susan," exotic Brazilian "Guitar Etude No.3," haunting "Paris Nocturne," a lovely remake of the old Judy Collins song, "Since You've Asked," and the powerful, wonderfully pretentious "Power of Gold."

If you like your music to be muzak from time to time, I definitely recommend this disc to take the edge off a lousy day or just because you're mellow. Good stuff from two talented musicians whose styles really aren't that far apart in the first place.

4 out of 5 stars Twin Sons of Different Mothers.......2006-11-04

I purchased this CD way back when it first came out and over the years and several moves later it "disappeared". I'm glad I deceided to buy it again. This is great "drive music" from two like minded free-form artists. Upbeat and refreshing are the keywords here. I'm no music critic as you can tell, but I know what I like in music and this fits the bill.

4 out of 5 stars i want "Night Rider!" released on CD.......2006-09-30

Mr. Weisberg or whoever controls the rights to your outstanding late-1970s album "Night Rider!", please consider releasing it on CD. "Won't be comin' back" is one of my very favorite songs. Thanks.

5 out of 5 stars NOTICE THIS!.......2006-02-06

For those of you who haven't noticed, this extraordinary album has finally been remastered (the sound is great!)and is now available as a Japanese import that comes housed in a beautiful, mini vinyl sleeve. I hope you true Dan Fogelberg fans out there will buy this, so that Sony Music (Japan) will continue to remaster Dan's backcatalogue. Can't wait to get my hands on the remastered versions of "Nether Lands" and "The Innocent Age".
Great job, Sony Music (Japan)!

4 out of 5 stars easy listening at it's best.......2006-01-16

I have'nt heard this music in decades. As soon as i started playing the CD, I was back in high school again with my high school sweetheart. Good music, good memories. A good buy at a good price.
Fun Learning Songs
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Shekinah's Mom
 Fun Learning Songs
Twin Sisters
Manufacturer: Twin Sisters
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Children's Music | Styles | Music
CompilationsCompilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music
EducationalEducational | Children's Music | Styles | Music
4-for-3 Classical4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 Children's Music4-for-3 Children's Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. ABC's & 123's
  2. Super Silly Songs
  3. Gross Songs Kids Love To Sing
  4. Little Language Songs for Little Ones
  5. One Little Sound - Fun With Phonics And Numbers

ASIN: B0007XL3CO
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Tracks:

  1. First I'll Learn My ABC's
  2. Old MacDonald's Letter Farm
  3. Singing The Alphabet (The ABC Song)
  4. Days Of The Week
  5. Sing Through The Year
  6. Colors
  7. Look Up High, Look Down Low
  8. B-I-N-G-O
  9. Say "Please" And "Thank You"
  10. Something About Alligators
  11. Did You Know That Monkeys Like To Swing?
  12. Eensy Weensy Spider
  13. Learning My Shapes
  14. Let's Draw Our Shapes
  15. Two Is Safer Than One
  16. Ten Little Bumblebees

Product Description

GENERAL FEATURES: Fun Learning Songs by Twin Sisters begins with "Now I'll Learn My ABC's" to "Say Please and Thank You." Twenty fun songs in all that teach as they entertain. Twin Sisters product #524CD. Lyrics included. For preschool age children.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Shekinah's Mom.......2006-07-20

This is a tape that "sings" many important preschool concepts. Singing makes the learning process easy for preschoolers. My daughter is 3 and in her preschool environment she has learned and is learning many of the concepts "sang by children" on this tape. I use this CD to review the concepts that she knows and to further acquaint her with skills that she is acquiring. Song # 8 is BINGO ... I used this song to teach my daughter how to spell her name. After your child has learned the BINGO song, substitute the letters in her name into the medley and your child will learn to spell their name in no time flat. We listen to Song # 5 "Sing Thru the Year" a couple of times a week. In her preschool class they are learning the months and me further reinforcing the months through the song on this CD is accelerating the learning process. She knows her shapes. But soon we will use tract 13 and 14 to help her draw her shapes. I think this is a great took in the hands of a Mom that wants to facilitate their preschoolers/kindergarteners learning and retention of these vital concepts.
Live at Jittery Joe's
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Mangum's Voice is One of a Kind
  • I would pay whatever it took to see Jeff Mangum perform.
  • the song as poetry, and other reasons people are windbags
  • great atmosphere
  • Jeff Mangum's "lost work"
 Live at Jittery Joe's
Jeff Mangum
Manufacturer: Orange Twin
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (33 1/3) (33 1/3)
  2. Everything Is
  3. The Crane Wife
  4. Volume 1
  5. 5 Songs

ASIN: B00005M09D
Release Date: 2001-09-18

Amazon.com

Live at Jitter Joe's is a long-rumored recording of the Neutral Milk Hotel lead singer performing at an Athens, Georgia, coffee shop in early 1997. His set includes selections from On Avery Island and In the Aeroplane over the Sea (the latter of which would not appear for another year), a generous portion of B-sides and unreleased tracks, and a heartfelt cover of Phil Spector's "I Love How You Love Me." It's enthralling to hear these songs in such a casual, unadorned setting: one envies the small crowd in attendance. Mangum's clearly having fun, joking with the audience and asking for requests. It's particularly revealing when he refers to "Two-Headed Boy, Part II" as a song that "will probably never come out or anything," and spontaneously decides to merge a short hymn to Jesus with "Up and Over We Go"--a medley that would later turn up on record as "King of Carrot Flowers, Part II and III." Also included: a QuickTime video of the entire set shot by video director Lance Bangs. It's just Mangum in almost complete darkness, with a few colored lights hanging behind him and a small child cavorting in the background. The visuals are sweet yet mysterious--the perfect accompaniment to these brilliant songs. --Mike Appelstein

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mangum's Voice is One of a Kind.......2006-04-27

I loved Aeroplane Over the Sea and some of Avery Island, but this album is just great. Just his voice, a guitar, and some background sounds. Great Phil Spector song. I wish there was more Neutral Milk Hotel out there.

5 out of 5 stars I would pay whatever it took to see Jeff Mangum perform........2005-12-08


If you told me Jeff Mangum would be playing again for a few friends at a coffee house in Athens, Georgia: I would leave before you finished telling me. I would pay just about whatever price it took to get there. I would ride forty hours on a bus. I would drive through two nights. I would take rides from truckers who listen to nothing but Neil Diamond.

And I would do it just to hear Jeff perform again.

You see, by the time I first tuned in, the Jeff-Mangum-Neutral-Milk-Hotel-Elephant-Six train had left the station. By then, all chances of seeing Jeff and NMH perform live had long since dried up. This is why "Live at Jittery Joe's" is such a gift.

"Live at Jittery Joe's" offers a glimpse of an artist on the brink. Jeff is about to paint his masterpiece. He will record "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" within the next year or so of this performance. The fascination of "Live at Jittery Joe's" is hearing that all the elements are there--waiting for Jeff (and NMH and Robert Schneider) to bring them together.

There is a haunting beauty and an emotional ache about "Live at Jittery Joe's." At no moment is it deeper than when Jeff sings Phil Spector's "I Love How You Love Me." We ache because we know the end of the story; NMH records "Aeroplane," tours, tours some more, and then Jeff falls of the map. Perhaps for good.

For me, the most poignant moments come in watching the Quicktime video of the evening (included with the CD). In some measure, Jeff's music is about childhood, innocence and the loss of that innocence. During the video, Jeff fades into the darkness and the camera follows a two-year-old girl, playing in the background. Her image matches and intensifies the effect of the music.

Realistically, this shouldn't be your introduction to Jeff's music. Buy "Aeroplane" first. Digest it some. Buy "On Avery Island." Then you will be ready for "Live at Jittery Joe's."

5 out of 5 stars the song as poetry, and other reasons people are windbags.......2005-04-02

What's your idea of a song? Personally, I do want good musicianship; I don't want to hear a garage band who can't keep time try to play songs that were awful in the first place. But more importantly, I look for good lyrics. I think what makes good lyrics is whether they can stand on their own, basically as poetry. A song should be the extended form of poetry.

Having said that, I have read a few reviews, on Amazon and other places, where the writers criticize Mangum's lyrics because they don't get them, or because fan they have spoken to don't understand them, and thus, by logical reasoning, they must be completely nonsensical ravings of a "pretentious" artist. But does misunderstanding mean a song, or a poem, is not any good? I would guess that the majority of people do not understand The Wasteland, but still it is considered to be the 20th century's greatest English language poem. Who has labeled it in this manner? Scholars who have studied poetry a lot more than me.

If literature is not understood the first time it is read (heard), or even the second or third, and is thus labeled as garbage, we might not have The Wasteland, or Ulysses, or Gravity's Rainbow, or hundreds of other works that actually take time and brain power to understand. Although I understand that most popular music today is made for people who have developed incredibly short attention spans and have the incessant need for immediate payoff and understanding, it doesn't mean that all music has to be made this way, nor does it mean that if someone does not follow this formula it immediately forces the work into the category of uselessness or gibberish. So, if you hate Mangum's work because you don't understand it, I can understand that, as you've been accustomed to being treated as a nonthinking fool by so much music, but I still don't believe it to be valid reasoning.

And I've heard complaints of the recording quality. Well, this is a LIVE recording. It was not recorded in a studio. Live recordings are never as good as studio recordings (well...hardly ever). If you expect perfect sound quality from music and cannot stand anything less, don't get this cd. However, if you trade or dabble in live bootlegs, or even go to shows, it is an average, perhaps a little above average recording. Yes, you can hear the crowd, and yes there is a baby in the crowd. Big deal. That is what live means.

4 out of 5 stars great atmosphere.......2004-12-09

Personally, I think Jeff Mangum is great, but I will agree that his stuff is not for everyone. He writes beautiful songs and performs them like no one else could, but you have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy it. I guess it all depends on what you want out of your music, if you just want a good beat and something to sing along to...then maybe you should turn on TRL and catch today's countdown of the top ten most unartistic and uninspired songs around. However, if you like music that's artistic, sometimes challenging, always honest about the human condition, and don't mind it coming out of the mouth of scratchy throat poet who will never be a pop star, then you might find much to enjoy in Jeff Mangum/Neutral Milk Hotel.

Now about this album, it's many of the Neutral Milk Hotel songs we know and love, but played acoustic, in a small venue (a coffee house I would assume). The atmosphere of this album is fantastic, there's background noise: a kid crying, a handfull of people paying very close attention to what he's doing, and other people who don't seem to realize they are in the presence of indie music royalty. It's almost sad at times to imagine the people walking in and out of the coffee house while he's playing, like it's any other day, and not stopping to listen for a while. These are the people that are getting their coffee and go home and turn on TRL, but they're not important here anyway, the important thing is the music, and it works really well in this setting. Anyone who enjoyed the other neutral milk hotel albums will enjoy this one. Plus there's a video file you can watch on your computer that is basically a video of the whole show. It's a pretty low quality video, but it's a very nice bonus nonetheless.

4 out of 5 stars Jeff Mangum's "lost work".......2004-04-06

Jeff Mangum is the frontman of the acid-weird indie-rock group known as Neutral Milk Hotel. "Live at Jittery Joe's," a recording made at a Georgia coffeehouse between Neutral Milk Hotel's two albums, is a casual, offbeat little live recording. It's not astounding, but it's pleasant.

In it, Mangum takes requests and plays various songs from both albums -- a faster version of "A Baby For Pree," the enjoyably weird "Engine," a cover of Phil Spector's "I Love How You Love Me," and versions of ""Where You'll Find Me Now" and "Two-Headed Boy Part 2" that alter the original lyrics ("In my dreams you're alive/And you're crying..."). A few of Mangum's songs stumble: "I Will Bury You in Time" is weak by comparison, and songs like "Gardenhead" suffer musically from a lack of fuzz guitar.

Mangum tends to create strange, tangled, vivid songs, and they don't lose their punch because he's playing acoustic music in a coffeehouse. "Live" feels very casual and relaxed, as if he's really enjoying what he's doing. "Live"'s sound quality suffers somewhat, since it is basically a bootleg. It could use some tighter editing and some cleaning up. (Will no one take the baby out of the coffeehouse?)

It's also nice to hear some alternate versions of already existing songs ("Baby For Pree"), as well as unreleased material ("Engine"). Not to mention some spur-of-the-moment changes -- mashing together a song about Jesus to a Neutral Milk Hotel song, for example. It's weird, but it works.

But the brilliant guy behind Neutral Milk Hotel is in fine form here. Mangum's flawed voice is solidly poignant, very strong and emotional. His acoustic guitar playing doesn't have the texture of his band's electronic/fuzz sound, so expect something more folkie than indie. His guitar playing is strong and pleasantly quirky.

Despite subpar sound quality and some songs that don't work, Jeff Mangum's "Live At Jittery Joe's" is intimately odd. A curiosity for fans of Neutral Milk Hotel.
Floating into the Night
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Haunting
  • The most dreamy, surreal album I've ever heard - dazzling
  • The Ultimate Dream Music CD!
  • HEAVEN
  • songbirds
 Floating into the Night
Julee Cruise
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Dream PopDream Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Traditional PopTraditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Voice of Love
  2. Twin Peaks (TV Soundtrack)
  3. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (Soundtrack)
  4. Mulholland Drive: Original Motion Picture Score
  5. Blue Bob

ASIN: B000002LH4
Release Date: 1990-05-09

Tracks:

  1. Floating
  2. Falling
  3. I Remember
  4. Rockin' Back Inside My Heart
  5. Mysteries Of Love
  6. Into The Night
  7. I Float Alone
  8. The Nightingale
  9. The Swan
  10. The World Spins

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Haunting.......2007-03-12

The music on this Cd is haunting, mysterious and enchanting. The qaulity is suberb and Amazon's great prices and fast shipping made it all possible.

5 out of 5 stars The most dreamy, surreal album I've ever heard - dazzling.......2006-09-27

Given that David Lynch is my favorite director, it's really no surprise that I love Julee Cruise's FLOATING INTO THE NIGHT. The world was introduced to Cruise when she sang "Mysteries of Love" at the end of Lynch's critically-acclaimed masterpiece BLUE VELVET, released in 1986. That song is on Cruise's debut; it's probably the weakest of the songs contained in the album. That's good news, though, because "Mysteries of Love" is a pretty fine song. It pales in comparison, however, to the new material Cruise recorded for FLOATING INTO THE NIGHT - 9 utterly delightful compositions that redefine the word "dreamy".

Let me attempt to describe the album to someone who's never heard any of Cruise's songs. Imagine those old laid-back jukebox tunes from the 1950s. Take those tunes and add a dash of shadiness, then inject that mixture with a narcotic. That's what Cruise's songs sound like. Despite the album cover's depiction of a naked woman floating off into the darkness, the songs on FLOATING INTO THE NIGHT glitter like a case of diamonds. True, they're dark; but they're dark in the same soothing way that sleep is dark. Indeed, the songs on FLOATING INTO THE NIGHT are like dreams converted to music. Take "I Remember", for example. The song rolls along tranquilly at its beginning, but around the midsection it suddenly circles around like a merry-go-round - an eerie surprise that only lasts long enough to throw us off guard before the song metamorphosises back into a 50's rock number. But honestly, what else would you expect from David Lynch, one of the most controversial directors in the film industry? Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti, the immensely talented composer who has worked with Lynch on nearly all of his productions, produced the album. Lynch wrote the lyrics for the songs (which are surreally beautiful and make the bold decision not to rhyme), while Badalamenti wrote the wonderful music. It's filled with tight drumming, strong bass, and anything else you'd expect from the dream pop of the late-1950s and 1960s.

Not surprisingly, most of the album's fans are also fans of David Lynch's work - in particular, TWIN PEAKS, Lynch's brilliant TV series about a mysterious town in Washington and its wacky inhabitants. Julee Cruise actually appeared on TWIN PEAKS in a few episodes to sing some of the songs on this album, namely the be-boppin' "Rockin' Back Inside My Heart", the unnervingly mysterious "Into the Night", and "The Nightingale". The song will attract the most attention from PEAKS fans is "Falling", an instrumental version of which wound up becoming the show's instantly-recognizable theme song; the album version of the song also wound up in the show's second season.

One of my favorite songs on the album is "The Swan", a song with an opening like something straight out of a nightmare. There's an eerie calm through the rest of the song as well, but it gradually becomes more upbeat; still, there's something unpredictable and unnatural about the melody, the lyrics, Cruise's singing - the whole song. It's a very unusual composition that disturbs me - and impresses me - every time I hear it.

I simply love this album. I would call it an essential album. If you don't own it, then I would most certainly recommend that you correct that error and give it a spin in your CD player of choice. David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and especially the wonderful Ms. Julee Cruise really hit it big with this dazzling masterpiece. If ever there was an album more surreal or dreamy, I can't imagine what it was like. This is a gorgeous record. Purchase it and dream on.

5 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Dream Music CD!.......2006-02-19

Twin Peaks may be gone and forgotten by many but the collaboration between singer Julee Cruise composer Angelo Badlamenti and writer David Lynch will live forever as a timeless collection of surreally beautiful songs.Filled with romantic longing,Cruise's haunting voice and Badlamenti's atmospheric music and completely avoiding trip hop electronic posturing for pure 50's dream music.If you're a musiclover this is as good as it gets for romantic dream music.After owning this cd for 15 years it still hasn't lost it's ability to cast a magical spell over anyone who hears it.

5 out of 5 stars HEAVEN.......2005-10-23

JULEE'S VOICE IS LIKE BEING KISSED SOFTLY OVER & OVER BY ONE THOUSAND ANGELS WHILE LYING ON A SMOOTH BED OV SILK FLOATING ENDLESSLY THROUGH THE CLOUDS UNTIL THEE END OV TIME.. AHHHHHHHHHHHH..

4 out of 5 stars songbirds.......2005-09-24

quite simply, if you are a fan of Twin Peaks, then you need this album. it's lovely nighttime music that is spooky and serenely beautiful with flourishes of jazz and new age. Julie's vocals are sweet and tender and float right over the music. you can't help but think of scenes from the Twin Peaks television series when you play this cd at home. everytime i hear it, it makes me want to break out my old vhs box set, make some coffee and cherry pie, and watch the whole series from start to finish.
Chosen Lords
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Taking Control of The Drum Machine
  • The best Aphex Twin album since 1992?
  • title
  • A surprisingly focused and well done compilation of the Analord series
  • Ah, yes.
 Chosen Lords
Aphex Twin
Manufacturer: Rephlex
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ElectronicaElectronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
IDMIDM | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Experimental MusicExperimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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  1. Hangable Auto Bulb
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  5. Hello Everything

ASIN: B000EHRAXY
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Tracks:

  1. Fenix Funk 5 - Aphex Twin
  2. Reunion 2
  3. Pitcard
  4. Crying in Your Face
  5. Klopjob
  6. Boxing Day
  7. Batine Acid
  8. Cilonen
  9. PWSteal.Ldpinch.D
  10. XMD 5a - Aphex Twin

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Taking Control of The Drum Machine.......2007-07-15

Chosen Lords, the full-length album by AFX / Aphex Twin, is built from 2005's Analord series (that being an eleven volume, forty-one track, 12" vinyl collection). Richard D. James selected ten Analord tracks and arranged them to play as one cohesive album. Yet, Chosen Lords never once sounds like a compilation as all songs flow from one to the next as if they were always intended to.

In an interview with The Japan Times, Warp Records founder Steve Beckett comments on the current state of electronic music. In the interview, Beckett argues that Aphex Twin (Richard D. James), along with other artists, have done all there is to do in terms of creating new sounds. There is nothing left that hasn't already been heard. Because of this, Beckett speculates that songwriting is returning to a more traditional framework.*

Chosen Lords supports Beckett's theory. With this album, James shifts from his ridiculously intricate and mathematical beats and compositions for something a bit more classic. He doesn't abandon his entwined complexities, but does downplay them. A few quiet alterations occasionally hit, a couple of subtle cuts and breaks sneak to the forefront, but the weight of the overall album is smooth.

Most of this album is tribute to the retro-analogue. Crying In Your Face, for example, begins with a simple snare and 303 bassline. A series of sequencers and synths touch acid as they work alongside a soft, melodic, yet heavily distorted, vocal sample. Layers of music are added, stripped and reprised. The resulting composition, which is one James' most emotive piece on the album, bounces from simple to complex without flaw.

If Crying In Your Face has James flirting with acid house, then PWSteal.Ldpinch.D has him fully embracing the sound. PWSteal.Ldpinch.D (/V4em3|> 4|=73|? 4 [0em|*v73|? \/!|?v5) is carried by a steady 4/4 beat and supported by classic analogue synths. It is a deceptively simple track that relies more on melody than on changing rhythmic patterns and beats.

The other songs on Chosen Lords ride along the same track: vintage sounds blended with fresh compositions and strong melodies. Fans looking solely for Aphex Twin's digital trickery may be disappointed. Chosen Lords does not focus on high-tempo drills, clicks, and whirrs. It does not push anything new, but instead refines what it old.

Richard D. James is, once again, taking control of the drum machine.

[...]

4 out of 5 stars The best Aphex Twin album since 1992?.......2006-11-23

You might have read somewhere that Chosen Lords, Aphex Twin's first album in five years, has a kind of "retro" sound. This is true. The tracks sound like they're made on analog equipment from the early nineties. The heavily processed bass and squelching sound effects come straight from acid house. But this isn't really a retread for Aphex Twin. Actually, his early music sounded much more organic than acid house. That was a large part of his originality at the time. So he's not really repeating himself now. But the self-imposed limitations on the production do weaken him in a way, since they don't allow him to write warm, deep bass lines like in "Ageispolis" from Selected Ambient Works 85-92.

If this album is "retro," it's in the way it emphasizes melody. Aphex Twin has finally abandoned jungle. He's also suspended his snide attitude towards his listeners. Recent Aphex releases might contain one or two good songs with pretty melodies, and follow them up with histrionic jackhammer percussion, or erratic synthesized noise, or the infamous disturbing sexual overtures of the "Come to Daddy" period. Or he might make a track which displays a grotesque self-portrait if you play it using a program that draws images based on sound frequencies, but which of course has few musical virtues on its own. For some reason, he always got away with this. If he released a bad song, people would chuckle and interpret it as a hilarious joke of the kind that are permissible to musical geniuses. Probably this was because he always seemed so confident of his brilliance.

Chosen Lords is very different from that in the sense that all the songs here are listenable, even the weaker ones. And they all have the same production, so the album actually sounds like a coherent work of music for once. And lest you take that as faint praise, some of the melodies here are AFX's best work in years. "Fenix Funk 5," the first track on the album, is a prime example. It starts off with a noisy part similar to his recent style, but then it brings in soft synthesizers. In the break, the percussion almost completely disappears and gives way to a chiming sound with the kind of light melancholy that used to define Aphex Twin's music. Unlike most of AFX's compositions, which usually alternate two different melodic segments from beginning to end, this song even continues to develop after that. Towards the end, a darker bass sound appears to contrast with the other instruments.

But even though AFX isn't repeating himself, he is visiting an old style here, not creating an entirely new one. Somewhat to my surprise, "Pitcard" sounds exactly like Black Dog Productions circa 1993. There's the same kind of polyrhythm, forced into a steady dance groove, but layered, complicated, and impossible to follow in one's head. Moreover, the melody that appears in the second half of the track evokes the exact same sort of feeling as Black Dog's "Caz" and "3/4 Heart" or some of the short vignettes from Bytes. It's a good song, by the way. If Black Dog really had written it, probably it would have been a high point of Bytes.

The middle of the album is the weakest part. "Klopjob" is the album's most aimless-sounding song. The keyboards sound slow and meandering. But after that, the album quickly picks up again. "Boxing Day" is structured like a slightly simpler take on "Fenix Funk 5," but it has the most immediate keyboard line on the whole album, with a very clean sound. As the song goes on, this phrase retreats into the background for other synthesizers. It's followed by two very simple but very memorable songs. "Batine Acid" has only one melody against a steady beat and various rhythmic acid sound effects. But this one melody is an atypically fragile, spooky synthesizer drone. Even recently, Aphex Twin's music contains lots of synth-strings, but they were getting to sound boring, precisely because they were always played in the same way without this kind of nuanced, subdued atmosphere. "Cilonen," the next track, has a more typical presentation of its own synth-drone, but gives it a harsh production that adds power to its slow movement.

"PWSteal.Ldpinch.D" is the most fun Aphex Twin song since "Pulsewidth" in 1992. He made a lot of jokes since then, but most of them were more painful than funny for the listener. But this song (named after a computer virus) has the kind of beautiful keyboard lead that once led people to seriously compare Aphex Twin to Mozart. It's written in the classic Aphex Twin style, with two different melodic segments alternating. The second melody sounds more nervous, which makes it so great to hear the first melody come back after each time. And you can even dance to it, since it's got a great house beat.

The last song is closer to Aphex's more formless works. It has a slightly off-key piano sound reminiscent of Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2. Actually, the closest reference point for it is "SAW2 Cd1 Trk2 (Original Mix)" from 26 Mixes For Cash. The keyboard textures together with the acid beats create a queasy atmosphere. But halfway through the song, a slow, rhythmic grind of bass and synthesizer emerges from nowhere and creates a more agreeable conclusion.

These ten tracks might not all be the best of the Analord releases, but I think it was a good decision to pare the series down to a selection of ten, rather than release another bloated double album. As it is, I'd say that Chosen Lords is the best Aphex Twin album in a decade, but actually that's not saying much, since he only released one studio album in that time. But by shedding some of AFX's excesses and returning the focus to songwriting and melody, it makes for a great return to form.

5 out of 5 stars title.......2006-11-22

ooohh Lorrde, geev us sum morr, wes haevant gut plasstek plaer. and how generous of him on the "every day" track..mmmhhmmm, Holden must appreciate it ;D

4 out of 5 stars A surprisingly focused and well done compilation of the Analord series.......2006-11-06

Chosen Lords is technically not a new album from Richard D. James; it is actually a compilation of songs off his "Analord" series from last year. The series was a 12-part vinyl collection that had several new (or possibly old) Aphex Twin/AFX tracks on them. James later took apparently his favorites off the Analord series and placed them onto Chosen Lords. This being said, it is quite surprising how balanced Chosen Lords turns out to be.

Part of Chosen Lords' balance stems from it's usage of supposedly entirely analogue synths. James also went to the trouble to edit the tracks somewhat to give the album more flow. The result is a compilation CD of his own work that sounds more like a true "brand new" AFX/Aphex Twin album (especially to listeners who did not purchase/hear any of the Analord vinyl's.)

The sound on Chosen Lords is surprisingly mature and does not have the goofy/industrial samples that Aphex Twin has been renowned. Rather, the sounds is more refined and reeks of some of Richard's best moments at playing with acid techno. He still uses break beats on this album, especially on tracks such as Cilnoen, so fans of his "IDM" should not fret. If there were a similar AFX/Aphex Twin work that Chosen Lords could be compared to, the obvious choice would be "Analogue Bubblebath"... but more modern and up to date.

Chosen Lords is deffinently one of the best electronic releases to get this year, especially if you have not purchased any of the Analord vinyls last year. The only qualm that one might have with Chosen Lords is the sparse offering of material. While it is possibly Richard's "favorites" off the Analord series, it is roughly only a quarter of all of the songs that are floating around. This complaint aside, Chosen Lords fares very well on its own, and is a great "return" for Richard after Druqks.

5 out of 5 stars Ah, yes........2006-09-04

Very cool. Tracks sound a bit old (because they are), but it's nice to have some of them on a CD. Now if RDJ would only release the whole Analord catalogue on a CD set...
Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Magnificent
  • My favorite ambient CD
  • Unique and mesmerising
  • Unparalleled atmospheric ambient.
  • Aphex Twin Fans will be delighted...
 Selected Ambient Works, Vol. 2
Aphex Twin
Manufacturer: Sire / London/Rhino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

AmbientAmbient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Richard D. James Album
  2. I Care Because You Do
  3. Drukqs
  4. Geogaddi
  5. Windowlicker

ASIN: B000002MNZ
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

  1. cliffs
  2. radiator
  3. rhubarb
  4. grass
  5. mold
  6. ropes
  7. circles
  8. weathered stone
  9. tree
  10. domino
  11. steel plate

Tracks:

  1. blue calx
  2. parallel stripes
  3. metal grating
  4. windowsill
  5. b+w stripes
  6. siding nails
  7. corrugated tubing
  8. lichen
  9. leaves
  10. tassels
  11. rusty metal
  12. b+w stripesII

Amazon.com

British electronics wunderkind Richard James (alias Aphex Twin, AFX, Polygon Window, etc.) claims he heard the compositions on Selected Ambient Works, Volume II in lucid dreams. Like abstract paintings composed of shades of a single color, James's resonant explorations of specific timbres linger close to a central idea on each cut, incorporating just enough variation to remain disturbing. While its predecessor, Selected Ambient Works '85-'92 drew on seven years' worth of material, the uniform quality of these untitled tracks, plus their judicious sequencing, suggests they were assembled over a shorter period. Clocking in at over 150 minutes, the double-disc set (if this is "selected," how many hours of outtakes remain?) provides an exemplary introduction to the quieter facets of James's expansive, idiosyncratic aesthetic. --Kurt B. Reighley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Magnificent.......2007-02-15

This quiet, deeply introspective album is full of stunning sounds and textures, alternately beautiful and creepy. That music produced electronically can be this rich with emotion is an incredible achievement. I have listened to this album hundreds of times and it never fails to soothe my soul. It would be at the top of my list of desert island discs.

I'm puzzled by those who label it experimental. It's different from other electronica, granted, but many artists were making this type of music long before this album came along. I can't consider this a challenging record since it is so easy to listen to. You just put it on and float in it.

5 out of 5 stars My favorite ambient CD.......2006-12-31

I've heard the name "Aphex Twin" for quite sometime now and was finally introduced to the ambient side of this artist through the internet animation "Salad Fingers." -- I decided to check out this album as I've been wanting to get into ambient music a bit more and I was completely surprised on what I was hearing through my headphones. Every track is something different. Another blank canvas that, by the end of the song, has a landscape painted so vivdly you could reach out and touch it. I definately recommend this album for anyone who is a fan of ambient music or would like to see what this genre is all about because this album is classic.

If you're still antsy about purchasing this album, here are some stand out tracks:
disc one: Cliffs, Rhubarb, Radiator
Disc two: Blue Calx, 2 Twig, Hexagon, Lichen

5 out of 5 stars Unique and mesmerising.......2006-12-17

Aphex Twin's second compilation of ambient works is, in my opinion, vastly superior to the first release. Straying away from the more rhythmic focus of 'Selected Ambient Works 85-92', volume 2 is an aurally sparse and contemplative journey. The story of Richard D. James' inspiration (a series of vivid dreams, according to him) may be a myth, but all the same, this ambient masterpiece seems to tear you from your surroundings and throw you into a dream-like soundscape. It is a rare sort of album that, I have found, demands the listener's attention, and rewards it by taking complete control of their senses.

'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' is an unsettling album, combining synthesisers and samplers to form dark, barren soundscapes. Needless to say, it bears no semblance to the structure of popular music, and is characterised by long, repetitive tracks that unfold over a long period of time. They really have to be listened to in their entirety to be truly appreciated. That being said, the tracks, clocking in at 6-7 minutes each across 2 CDs) never try your patience. On the contrary, the masterful compositions reward patience, with their subtle changes and textural variations. In fact, for most of the album, I found myself wishing that the songs would not end. 'Radiator', 'Steel Plate' and 'Tassels', to name a few, stole my imagination and never let go and, for me, the fading out of the tracks signified an all-too-soon departure from an altered reality.

These may sound like exaggerations, but 'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' has a rare and profound effect upon me, and is one of the few albums I own that bears no likeness to anything else. To label it 'electronica' is too broad, and utterly meaningless. 'Ambient', however, doesn't seem to do justice to its effect. The only way I can describe it is as an experience, for it seems to transcend the effect that music I like would ordinarily have on me. A drug, perhaps?

Of course, like every album I absolutely adore, it is just shy of perfection. There are some tracks that seem out of place with the general aesthetic of the album, and even jarring. The album therefore lacks the feeling of continuity that one may find with, say, Tim Hecker. However, I do not believe that this was Richard D. James' intention, and I could not imagine the album without the seemingly out-of-place tracks. Furthermore, it is astounding to think that this album is simply full of compositions that take control of the listener's imagination, and transport them to a vividly surreal and barren place. This is a must buy album for anyone who likes electronic music, and is willing to invest a bit of time into it.

5 out of 5 stars Unparalleled atmospheric ambient........2006-04-10

More mature, organic and complex than '85-'92 and less abstract than some later Aphex. The repetition and strangeness of the tracks require dedication from the listener, but the reward is atmospheres rarely experienced in ambient music or otherwise. I've heard that sleep deprivation and isoloation were ingredients in early Aphex Twin, both seem to come through in this excellent release. If only electronic artists would start releasing back catalogue in 24/96 dvd-a (or similar). This release certainly deserves it. If you like electronic ambient music, you probably already have this in your collection... if not, you should.

3 out of 5 stars Aphex Twin Fans will be delighted..........2006-03-01

I thought volume 1 of Aphex Twin's selected ambient works was a superb album, so I bought Volume II, thinking I would find more great stuff. I found the Volume 2 CD is "far out" compared to Volume 1, in that it is more like one long series of weird sound effects. How do you put that into words? This stuff is more akin to Tangerine Dream than their first album, which is more "dancy" and more epitomises the sound of ambient house sound of the 90s.

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