Reviews Written By: A3HSH8SA2TOMQIprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964 Film) | |
 | "Excellent album now in stereo." | 2009-10-24 |
| This album features songs from their first motion picture. It's also the first to utilize four-track technology and the first in which every song was credited to Lennon-McCartney (John writing 10 of the tracks, Paul with 3). The hits off this album are "Can't Buy Me Love", the title track and the single "And I Love Her" released in the US. Of all the tracks, only "I Should Have Known Better" appears in stereo for the first time.
The Fab Four were still fundamentally a rock group at this point showing traces of their roots.`This is arguably their third best album of the Beatlemania era only behind "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver". A truly essential album. | ||
 | The Beatles - Please Please Me | |
| "Just the beginning" | 2009-10-18 |
| What makes the Fab Four's debut album special is that 10 of the 14 tracks took less than a day to record. The other four: "Love Me Do", "P.S. I Love You", "Ask Me Why" and the title track had already been recorded several months before. Here, like their next album and "Beatles For Sale", eight tracks are their own compositions while the other six are cover versions. One track, "Do You Want To Know A Secret" was written by John and sung by George. Since this was recorded with just two track technology, many of the songs feature the vocals on one channel with most of the instrumentals on the other. However, the stereo mixes of "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" no longer exist so they are presented here in their mono versions. The stereo versions of those songs on the 1965 US album "The Early Beatles" were actually fake stereo. Finally, the original liner notes have been reprinted as well as recording and historical notes.
This is definitely an essential album. They weren't rock pioneers just yet but that would soon change. The music here is as simple as it gets but the best was yet to come. TT 32:31 | ||
 | The Beatles - With the Beatles | |
| "Still just the beginning" | 2009-09-28 |
| It's great to hear the British version of The Fab Four's second album in stereo, although this isn't the first time these tracks have been issued as such (all these tracks already appeared in stereo on "The Capitol Albums Vol. 1"). Like the first album, half the tracks are their own compositions-one by George this time-while the others are cover versions of songs that influenced them early on. There were no singles from this album since "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was their then-concurrent hit single although "All My Loving" is a very popular track.
For any rock fan, this is a great album to have even though it may not be quite as essential as many of their later albums would be. With this album you're listening to a band that's still growing. As George says at the end of the mini-documentary, wait until '64, '65 and '66. | ||
 | Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour | |
| "Perfect companion to "Sgt. Pepper"" | 2009-09-26 |
| The remastering here is fine even though it uses the exact same mix as the original version. The first half of "I Am The Walrus" is in stereo, but the second half sounds like it's in duophonic whereas on the 2006 album "LOVE" it's entirely in stereo. Also, "Baby You're A Rich Man" and "All You Need Is Love" fade a little earlier. But if there's a real reason to get this version it's because of the booklet and the enhanced section. The mini-documentary shows clips of the Fab Four's TV film of the same name and part of the "Strawberry Fields Forever" music video. The interviews sound like they were taken from the Anthology. The booklet shows practically all of the photos and illustrations that appeared in the original LP. It also has historical and recording notes.
By the way, I noticed at the back cover it says Magical Mystery Tour mini-documentary but on the disc itself it says Let It Be mini-documentary (!) Someone at Capitol Records obviously goofed. At any rate, this is a great collection of songs featuring five hit singles. If you liked "Sgt. Pepper" you'll like this album too. total time-36:32 | ||
![Yes - 90125 [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/1392000/1392986_thumb.jpg) | Yes - 90125 [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "One of the 80's best albums" | 2009-06-03 |
| Originally released in November 1983, Yes' eleventh album features the hits "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1984 and the Top Forty hit "Leave It". Other noteworthy tracks include "Hold On", "It Can Happen", "Changes" and the instrumenal "Cinema". With Trevor Rabin joining the fray, this album marked a shift from progressive rock to synthesiser pop. The bonus tracks definitely make this a worthy purchase. If you like eighties music, you'll definitely like this album. TT 77:12 | ||
![Foreigner - 4 [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/167000/167242_thumb.jpg) | Foreigner - 4 [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "Fourth album, four members" | 2009-05-04 |
| This album represents Foreigner at its commercial and artistic peak. It features the hits "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Urgent", and the Top 40 "Juke Box Hero". "Night Life", "Break It Up" and "Luanne" were minor hit singles. Since the band were down to four members, they are augmented by a few session players-among them Junior Walker who plays the sax in "Urgent" and Thomas Dolby who plays the intro on "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Aside from the bonus tracks-acoustic versions of two of their hits-there's hardly a weak track here. I'll recommend this only to anyone who is a Foreigner and/or a hard rock fan. If you get just one album from them not counting compilations, this should be it. If you're a casual fan though, this would be only a suggestion. TT 48:41 | ||
 | Foreigner - 4 | |
| "Fourth album, four members" | 2009-05-04 |
| This album represents Foreigner at its commercial and artistic peak. It features the hits "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Urgent", and the Top 40 "Juke Box Hero". "Night Life", "Break It Up" and "Luanne" were minor hit singles. Since the band were down to four members, they are augmented by a few session players-among them Junior Walker who plays the sax in "Urgent" and Thomas Dolby who plays the intro on "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Aside from the bonus tracks-acoustic versions of two of their hits-there's hardly a weak track here. I'll recommend this only to anyone who is a Foreigner and/or a hard rock fan. If you get just one album from them not counting compilations, this should be it. If you're a casual fan though, this would be only a suggestion. TT 48:41 | ||
 | Foreigner - 4 | |
| "Fourth album, four members" | 2009-05-04 |
| This album represents Foreigner at its commercial and artistic peak. It features the hits "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Urgent", and the Top 40 "Juke Box Hero". "Night Life", "Break It Up" and "Luanne" were minor hit singles. Since the band were down to four members, they are augmented by a few session players-among them Junior Walker who plays the sax in "Urgent" and Thomas Dolby who plays the intro on "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Aside from the bonus tracks-acoustic versions of two of their hits-there's hardly a weak track here. I'll recommend this only to anyone who is a Foreigner and/or a hard rock fan. If you get just one album from them not counting compilations, this should be it. If you're a casual fan though, this would be only a suggestion. TT 48:41 | ||
 | The O'Jays - The Essential O'Jays | |
| "Sing a happy song" | 2008-08-27 |
| Having recently been expanded from a one disc to a two disc collection, this is now the most comprehensive O'Jays collection spanning 1963 through 1995. In addition to their hits there are also a few album cuts here as well. There's also a 2008 single version of "Ship Ahoy" ,the title cut from their '73 album. And there's "Wind Beneath My Wings" sung by Eddie Levert with his son Gerald. Whether you're a long time fan or a new one, this will be a memorable listening experience. Get on board the Love Train and enjoy the ride. Total Time Disc 1-74:43;Disc 2-78:37 | ||
 | Styx - Come Sail Away: The Styx Anthology | |
| "A top-notch collection" | 2008-07-27 |
| Formerly known as "Come Sail Away:The Styx Anthology", this is the definitive collection of Styx's best known hits and selected album cuts. It also includes material from their Wooden Nickel days (pre-Tommy Shaw) so you get the original version of their first Top Ten hit "Lady". The set ends with a track from the '03 album "Cyclorama", their first album after Dennis DeYoung's departure. Since there's no boxed set from them (yet),this is the place to go for the ultimate Styx collection. (because the hits "Why Me" and "Don't Let It End" were left off, my rating is actually 4.75 stars) | ||
![Billy Joel - Piano Man [Remaster] [ECD]](product_images/162000/162491_thumb.jpg) | Billy Joel - Piano Man [Remaster] [ECD] | |
 | "Well we're all in the mood for a melody" | 2008-04-26 |
| This is Billy Joel's second album but his first with Columbia Records. It's also the first of two albums recorded in L.A. before returning to his native New York. The title track (his signature song) became one of his popular hits before the "The Stranger". According to Joel, the characters in that song were actuial people while he was a lounge singer in L.A. There's the seven-minute anti-drug song "Captain Jack" which wasn't a single but became popular through some airplay. "Travelin' Prayer" and "Worst Comes To Worst" were singles but were minor hits. Other noteworthy tracks include the historically inaccurate "The Ballad Of Billy The Kid", "You're My Home" about his then-wife (she's the "waitress" in the title track") and "If I Only Had The Words". The enhanced portion of the CD features a live version of the title track performed at Yankee Stadium in '89. I first purchased this title on cassette years ago and then on CD three times. It's one of the few titles in my collection in which I liked every track. I found it interesting though that the other musicians and singers were not credited. At any rate, I'll recommend this to any rock fan in general. If you're a die hard Billy Joel fan this is definitely essential. Total Time-43:32 | ||
 | The Beatles - The Beatles 1 | |
| "In a word: timeless" | 2008-04-16 |
| I've had this album for over seven years and I never get tired of it. And if you're someone who appreciates good music, neither will you. Whether you're a casual fan, a die hard fan or even just recently a new fan, this will be a very worthy addition. For the new fan, it's the perfect introduction to one of the most influential bands in music. You can actually hear them grow with each track. Yet as superb as this album is, it only scratches the surface. The albums "With The Beatles", "Sgt. Pepper" and The White Album are not covered because there were no singles off those albums. "Nowhere Man" from "Rubber Soul" was released as a single in the U.S. but only went to #3. This undermines the fact that some of their most popular songs didn't top the charts or were not released as singles. For the long time or die hard fan this is worth getting for the packaging. The liner notes feature different picture sleeves for all the singles as well as release dates. Finally, all the tracks except the first three are in stereo. John, Paul, George and Ringo have definitely left their mark on the world. This collection is proof of that. Total Time-79:08 | ||
![The Beatles - Revolver [UK]](product_images/183000/183386_thumb.jpg) | The Beatles - Revolver [UK] | |
| "A pivotal album in their careers" | 2008-04-01 |
| The Fab Four continued experimenting in the Abbey Road studio which they prefered to do and this became their finest work to date. In fact, during what turned out to be their last tour in the US, they didn't perform any songs from this album because the songs were now more complex. If you're a Beatles fan and/or a rock fan, this album is truly essential. TAXMAN-One of George's stronger compositions talking about one of life's inescapable realities. ELEANOR RIGBY-Paul's tale about a lonely spinster. I'M ONLY SLEEPING-Featuring backwards guitars, it's John "dreaming his life away" LOVE YOU TO-A song by George featuring all Indian music as the rhythm track. HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE-A ballad by Paul. YELLOW SUBMARINE-Written by Paul and sung by Ringo, this became one of their most popular chart toppers. SHE SAID SHE SAID-John said this came from an encounter with an actor who told him he knew what is like to be dead. GOOD DAY SUNSHINE-A feel good song wriiten by Paul. AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING-A composition of John's that he didn't think much of. FOR NO ONE-A song by Paul featuring a clavichord and french horn solo. DOCTOR ROBERT-John's song about drugs and pills. I WANT TO TELL YOU-The piano and Ringo's hard drum playing highlight this George song. GOT TO GET YOU INTO MY LIFE-Is this Paul song about a girl or about drugs? Either way it's one of the best cuts here. Capitol released this as a single in '76. TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS-This still sounds amazing four decades later. Even though it's the album's last track, it was the first song recorded. In 1980, John said he took a phrase that Ringo said as the title "to take the edge off the heavy, philosophical lyrics." | ||
 | Depeche Mode - The Singles 86>98 | |
| "Essential DM" | 2008-01-26 |
| I first purchased this album on double-length cassette when it came out almost ten years ago and it's still one of my favorites. This great compilation covers the albums "Black Celebration" through "Ultra". Even if you had all five of them, this is still an essential collection. Some of the tracks here are different from the original album versions. One noteworthy omission was "But Not Tonight" which in the US was flipped with the "Stripped" single, but it wasn't successful anyway. There's one previously unreleased track, "Only When I Lose Myself"(this track also appears on the CD/DVD version of "Ultra"). "Little 15" from "Music For The Masses" seems a little out of place near the end of the collection but it was only released as a single in France. The album ends with a live version of "Everything Counts" from the 1989 live "101".
Whether you're a die hard fan or just a casual one, this will be a great addition. It's a true testament to their longevity. The first disc runs just under 42 minutes the second 55 1/2 minutes. | ||
 | Gordon Lightfoot - Summertime Dream | |
| "I liked every song on this album" | 2007-07-22 |
| Like many albums in my collection, I originally had this title on cassette before recently purchasing the CD version. This is Lightfoot's twelfth album overall. Replete with drums and electric guitars, this album has a more pop oriented sound to it. It's a nice mix of upbeat songs like "Race Among The Ruins" and gentle ballads like "Protocol". The big hit off the album of course was "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"- peaking at #2. It's about an ore carrier that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on 11/10/75 taking a crew of 29 with it. The ship's bell was recovered in 1995. There isn't a track to really single out because I enjoyed the entire album from start to finish. It runs just under 38 minutes. If you liked any of his previous albums then this will be a great addition. It ranks right up there with "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown". | ||
 | Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind | |
| "Mellifluous melodies" | 2007-07-22 |
| I've had this CD for almost ten years and it's still one of my favorite albums. This is Gordon Lightfoot's first album with Reprise after five with United Artists(later renamed Liberty)Records. The title track was a big hit and is now a classic. Here he is augmented by Randy Newman, John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful and Van Dyke Parks. This album is almost entirely acoustic with one track, "Baby It's Allright" featuring drums. The only track not written by Lightfoot,"Me And Bobby McGee" became a hit for Janis Joplin. The album as a whole is a great listen with great instrumentation. When you play this album,sit back, close your eyes and enjoy the ride. | ||
 | Now, Vol. 1 | |
| "Where it all begins" | 2007-04-17 |
| I bought this album when it originally came out in late 1998. Even though it's a good compilation for the most part some of the songs were already over a year old when this album was released. This would be corrected however in later volumes. Some of these artists aren't around anymore and some still are but this is definitely a good sample what was playing on the airwaves back then. By the way, notice how this album is totally devoid of hip hop music. | ||
 | The Beatles - The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 | |
| "For nostalgia fans only" | 2005-04-08 |
| Its hefty price tag notwithstanding, this is the type of set to have only if you grew up listening to these recordings (like I did) before the CD versions came out in 1987. These are the albums Capitol put out in the U.S. during the height of Beatlemania not counting a documentary record called "The Beatles Story" still out of print. Capitol had a habit of reshuffling Beatles songs for American releases (often called "cannibalized" or "bastardized" versions). In addition to the different covers and sequences, most of the original mono recordings were remixed into duophonic giving the impression the songs were in stereo. Mono versions were available too. Interestingly, only four tracks from their film "A Hard Day's Night" are included omitting the title track, "Can't Buy Me Love" and "I Should Have Known Better"-"I'll Cry Instead" was not in the movie. Another LP "The Early Beatles" wasn't released until March 1965 so songs like "Love Me Do" & "Please Please Me" aren't here. You'll notice Beatlemania taking its toll on "Beatles '65".
My only complaint is the way it's packaged. There's another box inside that folds inward with the CD's on one end and a booklet on the other so if it's held the wrong way the contents may fall out. To avoid this, set the box down on a table or desk when removing. If you knew these albums when you were growing up then this will be a great purchase. Otherwise, just get the original CD versions. That's how it was released in the U.K. and it's lighter on the wallet (or credit card). | ||
![Chicago - Hot Streets [Remaster]](product_images/227000/227550_thumb.jpg) | Chicago - Hot Streets [Remaster] | |
 | "It has its moments" | 2005-03-30 |
| Chicago's twelfth album released in October 1978 is an album of several firsts. It's their first studio album not to be numerically titled. It's the first to feature a group photo on the cover. It's the first album without James Guercio as their manager/producer. It's also the first album without Terry Kath who passed away nine months earlier. There were two singles: the upbeat "Alive Again" and the Peter Cetera ballad "No Tell Lover" which both reached #14 on the charts. There was a third single "Gone Long Gone". The Bee Gees sing background on "Little Miss Lovin"-two Chicago members in turn played flugelhorn on their hit "Too Much Heaven". The album isn't bad at all but I recommend this only to Chicago fans. It's not one of their better remembered works. The band's earlier material including even some of their later material sound better than this. | ||
 | U2 - Zooropa | |
| "Still one of my favorites" | 2005-03-24 |
| I purchased this album on cassette when it originally came out in the summer of 1993. I hadn't listened to it in several years until recently when I got the CD version on sale.
After all these years, I still find the album as fascinating now as I did then. It was a best selling album as well as a chart topper featuring the hits "Numb", "Lemon", and "Stay Far Away So Close". Other noteworthy tracks include the title track, "Babyface", "Daddy's Gonna Pay..." and "The Wanderer" with Johnny Cash singing lead with U2 in the background. There's hardly a weak track on this album. Anyone new to the band should try this if they haven't already. Whether or not this is as good as previous albums like "October", "The Joshua Tree" or "Achtung Baby" is a matter of opinion. But without question this is has to be their most daring. It had only been a year and a half after "Achtung Baby" was released and this follow up proved they were still at the top of their game. | ||
![Men at Work - Cargo [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/163000/163027_thumb.jpg) | Men at Work - Cargo [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "Essential for '80s fans" | 2005-01-31 |
| Men At Work's second album was released in the Spring of 1983 when their debut album was still in the Top Ten. And while "Business As Usual" would prove to be a hard act to follow, the success of this album was enough for them to avoid the dreaded sophomore jinx.
"Cargo" yielded two huge hit singles: the creepy "Overkill" and the anti-nuclear anthem "It's A Mistake" along with the minor hit "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive". Other noteworthy tracks include "Settle Down My Boy" written and sung by Ron Strykert, "No Sign Of Yesterday", "Blue For You", and "High Wire". Unfortunately there are at least two tracks here worthy of being called filler: "Upstairs In My House" and "No Restrictions". The bonus tracks are interesting at best. The humorous "Shintaro" and the mostly instrumental "Till The Money Runs Out" were B-sides while the last two live tracks, the reggae sounding "Fallin' Down" and "The Longest Night" haven't appeared previously on a Men At Work album until now. Differences in songwriting & management took its effect on this album resulting in two members leaving a year later and eventually their breakup but this album proved that they could still make good music together. "Cargo" may not be quite as solid as "Business As Usual" but if you grew up in the eighties listening to MAW like I did, then I strongly suggest you add this to your collection. Because they may have been together for only a short time, but they accomplished so much in that short amount of time that they've become one of the most memorable bands of the eighties..maybe of all time. Okay, maybe not. | ||
![The Doobie Brothers - The Best of the Doobies [Warner Bros.]](product_images/186000/186108_thumb.jpg) | The Doobie Brothers - The Best of the Doobies [Warner Bros.] | |
| "A good sampling from their early years" | 2004-10-17 |
| Although the "Greatest Hits" album released in 2001 far surpasses this 45 minute disc, it's still a collection that still stands well on its own. It covers five of their first six albums from "Toulouse Street" up to "Takin It To The Streets"-Michael McDonald's first album with the band. The track "Jesus Is Just Alright" is in its original album version and "Listen To The Music" is a slightly longer than the single version though it's not the album version. "South City Midnight Lady" is a nice ballad.
I haven't played this album in a while since the "Greatest Hits" collection was released in 2001. But listening to this album again just recently it's not hard to see why this is now a 10x platinum album. If you want just the best of the Doobies from their hard rock years with a brief glimpse into their R&B/soul years, then this is the album to have. | ||
 | Johnny Mathis - The Essential Johnny Mathis | |
| "Play Misty For Me" | 2004-08-02 |
| My relatives were Johnny Mathis fans when I was growing up. I liked his music then so I was curious to hear this double-album. Not surprisingly, I'm glad I got it.
The forty tracks on this compilation cover 1956 through 2000. To the new listener, it's an excellent introduction to a legendary artist. To the long time fan, it's a very impressive collection with tracks not found on previous Jon Mat compilations. The first eight tracks are mono. Most of his early hits like "Chances Are", "The Twelfth of Never" and "It's Not For Me To Say" were performed with Ray Conniff. Other hits include "Wonderful! Wonderful!", "A Certain Smile", "Gina" and his popular duet with Deniece Williams "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". There's one Christmas song: "Sleigh Ride". "99 Miles From L.A." was originally from the 1975 album "Feelings" but here it's a live version. "A Time For Us" is actually the Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet. He also sings songs from Broadway shows such as "Gypsy", "Cats", "West Side Story" and "Evergreen" to name a few. He also has a few movie tunes here as well. There are also several cover songs including most recently "Unbreak My Heart" and "Because You Loved Me". A few album cuts and some minor hits make up the rest of the album. The booklet has no essay; instead there's a track listing with recording dates, chart positions and some photos. If you're just getting familiar with Jon Mat, you found a great place to begin your collection. If you have other collections already give this some consideration since it covers slightly more material. If you want just one Johnny Mathis compilation, this is it. | ||
 | Seals & Crofts - Seals & Crofts - Greatest Hits | |
| "When will this be remastered?" | 2004-07-01 |
| Of the five albums the tracks on this disc were taken from, only one, "Summer Breeze" is still in print. That's too bad because even though this album is very worthy of its title, it's only a small sample of what this duo have accomplished as singer/songwriters. Of course their two most recognizeable hits "Summer Breeze" and "Diamond Girl" are here along with the Top 40 hits "Hummingbird", "We May Never Pass This Way (Again)" and "I'll Play For You"."Castles In The Sand" was also a minor hit. The track "Ruby Jean and Billie Lee" was written for their respective wives. They also had a controversial hit called "Unborn Child" which isn't here but "King Of Nothing" from the same album is. The other tracks "When I Meet Them" and "East Of Ginger Trees" are album cuts. "Get Closer" was a hit after this collection. I've had the cassette of this album for over ten years and just recently purchased the CD version but I can only imagine how much better this would sound if Warner Bros. or Rhino would step in and remaster this along with the rest of their catalog. It's been done with other artists already and for this duo it's high time. | ||
![George Harrison - Gone Troppo [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/1366000/1366230_thumb.jpg) | George Harrison - Gone Troppo [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "This album has been a cement mix." | 2004-05-29 |
| This album was originally released in October 1982, when songs like Hall & Oates "Maneater" and Toto's "Rosanna" were dominating the charts. It reached only #108 on the Billboard charts. Wake Up My Love-This was the first single off the album reaching #53. It's heavy on synthesizers but overall it's very lightweight. That's The Way It Goes-One of the stronger songs; it's about accepting things as they are. I Really Love You-Written by Leroy Swearingen in '61; it was the second single off the album but it didn't chart at all. Greece-This is credited as an instrumental but George sings a few inaudible lines in this one. Nothing special here. Gone Troppo-This is a fun song to listen to even though the lyrics are a little amateurish. Mystical One-Not sure who he's talking to here but the lyrics are beautiful. Unknown Delight- Judging by the lyrics, George is talking about his son, Dhani here. Baby Don't Run Away-A slow song. You might have trouble staying awake during this one. Dream Away-This was featured in the 1981 film "Time Bandits" starring John Cleese. This has a nice chorus (oh ry in eye ay, oh ry in eye key ooh lay...). Circles-The message here is that life is a series of cycles. Mystical One Demo-This is a little interesting. He's chatting with his wife Olivia at the beginning and the sound of rain can be heard throughout the entire track. He also does some humming as not all the lyrics have been written yet. Overall, this is not one of the Dark Horse's better albums but there's still some good music to be found here. If you want an album that's not essential but still a good listen, I give this one a minor recommendation. It's not bad at all, but he's put out better results than this. | ||
 | The Beatles - Let It Be... Naked | |
| "Not that much different from the original" | 2004-03-26 |
| For this review, I'll just give a track by track analysis comparing each one to the original 1987 CD Version: Get Back- Same as the original only with a clean ending. Dig A Pony- Same as the original without the chatter at the beginning or at the end. For You Blue-The rhythm track is the same except the intro and George's vocal are different. The Long And Winding Road-Completely different version with slightly different lyrics. Two Of Us-It's the original without John saying at the beginning, "I dig a pygmie by Charles Hawtry and The Deaf Aids..." I've Got A Feeling-It's different from the released version though it sounds almost identical. One After 909-Same as the original without the chatter at the end. Good sound quality here. Don't Let Me Down-Totally different. The version on "Past Masters Vol. 2" is arguablly better. I Me Mine- Remove the chorus and the orchestra from the original and you have this. Across The Universe-No chorus and slightly speeded up. Let It Be-It sounds the same but there are certain parts not heard on the original. "Fly On The Wall" is a disc full of sounds of the group talking and rehearsing in the studio. It's interesting but expendable. | ||
 | Air Supply - Ultimate Air Supply | |
| "The only Air Supply compilation you'll need" | 2004-01-08 |
| This is the only compilation to cover both their Arista and Warner Brothers years from 1980 to 1995. Considering that most of the other compilations are imports or out of print this would be the only album to own from this duo from down under. | ||
![Santana - Welcome [Bonus Tracks]](product_images/174000/174702_thumb.jpg) | Santana - Welcome [Bonus Tracks] | |
| "The Journey Continues..." | 2003-10-10 |
| This is Santana's fifth album originally released in November 1973. A mixture of fusion and blues, it's also the only studio album to feature jazz artist Leon Thomas on vocals (he sings on three of the tracks). As far as the content ,it's not dissimilar to its predecessor "Caravanserai" in that it's mostly instrumental and has no hit singles. It's the kind of album to be played straight. "Mantra" is bonus track with a great rhythm. The title track was written by John Coltrane. "Flame-Sky" was co-written with John McLaughlin and runs eleven minutes. If you liked "Caravanserai", you'll have no trouble listening to this album of mystical and spiritual tunes. Why this album had been out of print is beyond me. | ||
 | Santana - Caravanserai | |
| "Spiritual Odyssey" | 2003-10-06 |
| After three successful albums and a few hit singles, Carlos Santana decided to go in a new direction. He'd been fascinated with jazz fusion and also began following a spiritual path thanks to Indian guru Sri Chinmoy. The differnece in musical interests within the band was taking its toll as well. Put this all together and you have an album totally different from previous ones and two of its members(Rolie and Schon) bailing afterwards. This is apparently an attempt at a concept album since there were no major hits off it and several of the tracks crossfade into one another. Also, almost all the disc is entirely instrumental and the few that do can't really be sung to anyway. Since the album's central theme seems to be spiritual jazz fusion there are no upbeat tracks here except maybe "La Fuente Del Ritmo" (future member Tom Coster plays on this track). The last track "Every Step Of The Way" runs nine minutes. If you get this album, sit back and relax. You can even close your eyes if you want. Unlike Santana albums before and even many since, this is an album to be listened to, not sung to. | ||
 | Stan Getz - Captain Marvel | |
| "Captain Marvelous" | 2003-09-28 |
| Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz's career had already spanned three decades by the time he recorded this incredible album with Chick Corea. Getz had been in Spain for a couple of years and was looking for a new group to play with him at a series of performances in New York. Enter Corea and his Fender Rhodes piano. The former Miles Davis Quintet member had his own band called Return To Forever and contacted Getz. Along with Corea, there was Tony Williams on drums, Airto Moreira on percussion and a young bassist named Stanley Clarke. After a few gigs at the Rainbow Grill this masterpiece would be recorded on March 3,1972. Corea wrote most of the tracks except "Lush Life" which was by Billy Strayhorn and "Day Waves" which he co-wrote. Corea also wrote new liner notes for this remastered album. This disc opens with the very upbeat "La Fiesta" and maintains a Latin groove almost all throughout. The three extra tracks including "Crystal Silence" co-written by Corea bring the the total running time to 68 minutes. The original liner notes have also been reprinted. Part of his legacy is that he was always willing to try new things. If you are a fan of Stan Getz or jazz-fusion in general then consider adding this masterpiece to your library. Because the seventies may not have been his most vital period, but he still had plenty left to give. This album represents a small yet important chapter in his remarkable and outstanding career. | ||
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