Reviews Written By: AY12DBB0U420Bprovided by Amazon.com |
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 | Cuisinart DBM-8 Supreme Grind Automatic Burr Mill | |
 | "A Fine Grinder." | 2009-10-25 |
| I used one of those little blade coffee grinders for years and years. I remember it costing ten bucks. Alas, it gave out. By then I owned a Cuisinart Coffee Maker and bought this Cuisinart Coffee Grinder because they made a nice mated pair for the kitchen.
The Cuisinart Grinder has worked flawlessly for almost four years now and my complaints are very minor. One, it's very noisy, especially early in the morning when I'm the first one up and want my coffee before the others awake. Second, the plastic parts are fitted together very precisely and if any joint gets just a little bit clogged with coffee grains, the device won't work. I've gotten used to this problem. Third, the calibrations seem somewhat off. For example, if set it for four cups, it will grind enough coffee to easily make 8 cups of rich coffee. I've gotten used to this one too. In any case this grinder does a fine job of grinding coffee to the desired fineness. It has preformed flawlessly in every way and my complaints are very minor. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Fisher Price: Laugh n' Learn Kitchen | |
 | "Nuisance Outweighs Benefits." | 2009-10-14 |
| We've given our young son a variety of toys. He seems to prefer toys which involve music so we got him this Fisher Price - Laugh n' Learn Kitchen. We now regard this as a mistake and are looking for a way to get rid of it.
The play station has way too many gadgets and few are appreciated. The whole concept of the toy doesn't make good sense. The design and arrangement is nonsensicle. It plays music from a variety of sources, but it's not particularly good music. Some Baby Einstein musical toys are much better, for example. The boy plays scant attention to this rather expensive toy and spends most of his time listening to music on much smaller, much less expensive toys. Before buying this toy, you ought to consider the space available. Our baby has his own room measuring 10x11 feet. Of course there's the crib, the changing table and a chair in the room. The leftover part of the room is open to toys and whatnot all. Well this Fisher Price thingy is large and awkward wherever it is put. Furthermore, it slides around on the wood floors as the baby plays with it. My wife and I are constantly having to move it around to the point where it has become a source of irritation. I'd say that any benefits are outweighed by the nuisance. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook | |
| "An Important Milestone." | 2009-10-12 |
| About five years ago I met and started to date a young Russian woman. When my birthday came around, she gave me a copy of PLEASE TO THE TABLE: THE RUSSIAN COOKBOOK. It was quite a tome. Not only did it have 100 recipes from all of Russia (actually, not only Russia but also all the other countries of the old Soviet Union), it also had interesting information about the various regions, the food and the people. It presented rather interesting information for me in that the parents of my mother immigrated to the U.S. from Russia (now known as Ukraine) in the early 1900s. Many of the recipes resemble many of my mothers favorite dishes that I remember fondly from my childhood. All in all, I would say that this cookbook was a bit overwhelming, but a rather high quality paperback book.
I was single for over 50 years beyond the time of leaving home. Of course, I could do a certain amount of basic cooking (i.e., frying eggs, Crock Pot casseroles, bar-b-cue, sandwiches and other simple fare), but this cookbook stretched my talents and required ingredients and procedures I have never used. In short, it presented a great variety of wonderful recipes, but was a bit intimidating. Well, we got around this hurdle by having my Russian friend prepare a number of fine Russian dishes from the book for me to sample and enjoy. I aided in the preparation, but she was a much better cook than me. To greatly shorten a much longer story, she is now my wife and we have a wonderful year-old baby boy. The Please to the Table cookbook now occupies a prominent place in our kitchen area and my wife puts it to good use from time to time. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Fiskars Bypass Metal Pruner | |
| "Crude, but Effective!" | 2009-09-15 |
| I've owned about a half dozen pruning shears over the years. I've never worn any out. Mostly I lose or misplace them and then I buy a replacement. About 2 1/2 years ago I was picking up some new tools in a garden shop and I bought a pair of Fiskars pruning shears. I'd never heard of the brand, but the clerk assured me that Fiskars made good garden tools. (I might add that Fiskars was about the only brand the shop sold.) Well, I purchased the Fiskars pruning shears and a Fiskars lopper and I've been very satisfied with these particular garden tools, much more so than other brands I've owned.
The Fiskars Pruning Shears are somewhat crude in appearance but they're ruggedly built and maintain a sharp cutting edge. I've put these shears to a lot of use and they've yet to be sharpened. Plus, the blades seem to be absolutely stiff and don't bend under forceful use. I can cut green limbs up to about 3/4" with these. I'd say this is the best pruning shears I can remember using, certainly much better than the last two brands. I can't help notice "Made in U S A" stamped on one side of the tool. I hope this is still true. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Plastair PUWE650B94H SpringHose 3/8" x 50' Coiled Watering Hose | |
| "Think Before Purchasing." | 2009-09-11 |
| A couple years ago, we needed a new hose and my wife wanted a reel to go with It. I didn't want the reel. We compromised and got this 50-foot Spring Hose at our local home warehouse store.
This garden hose has not been a good buy and I would hesitate to recommend it except for special circumstances. First of all, It looks like a good idea, but it's very hard to use. It might be 50 foot, but we have difficulty stretching it out more than 25 feet from the spout. If we attach a sprinkler to it, the sprinkler gradually creeps back toward the spout because of the coils. Plus, the coils are very easy to get all entangled and hard to untangle. It's a very awkward apparatus and hard to manage anywhere in the yard. One time I turned the water off at the hose nozzle. That was a mistake. Our water pressure then produced an aneurism in the hose and it finally popped. Time for a hose repair kit. Then my wife did the same thing and it responded in the same manner elsewhere on the hose. This time our neighbor had to come over and turn it off because we were not home. Now it's starting to crack in a third place. I'll now be glad to get rid of it. Think twice before purchasing this hose. Gary Peterson | ||
 | 18in. Bulldozer Push Broom | |
| "Works Rather Well." | 2009-09-08 |
| The last time I bought a push broom was when I bought our house over 30 years ago. Almost needless to say, the old push broom was just a vestige of it's former self. I had been meaning to buy another one for at least the last decade, but you know how those things go. Finally, we were in our local hardware store and my wife picked out a new push broom and ordered me to buy it.
Our new broom is a Quickie 18" Bull Dozer push broom. I gave it a good workout this afternoon. It's made completely out of various plastics, and I'm prone to like the more natural materials. We'll see. I'd say it works rather well for both heavy debris and finer dust. I guess this ability is provided by two different kinds of bristles and I'd have to regard it as well designed. The handle can be installed in two different directions, so the brush can be worn evenly and not develop a distinct asymmetry as my old one did. My only criticism would be that it cost too much, but maybe it'll be worth it in the long run Gary Peterson | ||
 | Baby Einstein Takealong Tunes | |
| "Neat Toy, Good Value!" | 2009-08-12 |
| We discovered very early that our new baby boy liked music. So, we outfitted him with a variety of musical toys. Some were for the crib. Some were play stations. One was the small Baby Einstein Takealong Tunes device which we use primarily in his stroller. He loves it. As we walk along he is constantly pushing the button and changing the tunes. Sometimes he'll do this for the entire 2- to 3-mile walk. Fortunately, the tunes are classical numbers, and very attractively done. A lot of baby tunes quickly give me audio fatigue, but I enjoy the selection of tunes on this toy. I should add that the little tike is still somewhat spastic and tosses the device out of the stroller from time to time. I wince as I hear it clunk onto the pavement, but it evidently is quite durable and we've had no problems with damage. Plus, it seems to be gentle with batteries. This is a great little musical toy, and it's very inexpensive. Good value! Gary Peterson | ||
 | Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History | |
 | "Every Science Needs a Gould." | 2009-02-27 |
| I teach a junior-level (university) course having to do with fossils and the history of life. It's for non-geology majors and I've taught it off and on for over 20 years. It's a fun course for me to teach and I enjoy getting students thinking about the history of the Earth and the history of life. I use a textbook called "History of Life (4th ed.)" by Richard Cowen and I like it very much. Every year, I also call students' attention to other paleontology books, not so much as an assignment, but as source of interesting information that they might benefit from reading if they have the interest. One of those books is "Wonderful Life: the Burgess Shale and the Nature of History" by Stephen Jay Gould. The Gould book has been around for some time (1989) and seems rather stale and dated to me but beginners would never know. In the book Gould belabored ideas that were considered old and outdated when I was in graduate school (early 60s), but he carried on and on patting himself on the back all the way. I've never met the man, but I've seen him on TV and I've read his book and I'd say he came across as a somewhat pompous windbag. Please don't take that as a totally negative comment; I actually rather like the book and find it useful or I wouldn't recommend it to my students. Furthermore, I'm somewhat envious that I couldn't come up with such a tome. I imagine he was a popular professor with a big following, and I'm envious there too. Well, such is life. In any case, I think it's an excellent book for beginners and it gives them a good feeling for fossils, paleontology and paleontologists. The Burgess Shale is one of the most important fossil finds in the world and Gould's account is quite good. However, I have reservations about it as a scientific treatise and I'd be hesitent to recommend it to advanced level students or colleagues. Stephen Jay Gould is sort of the Carl Sagan of the Earth Sciences, if I might put it that way. Every science needs that type of person. He's entertaining, informative and amusing. Gould, or Sagan, can speak to the populace in a way that few scientists can, and they both have wide followings. One part of Gould's book that I particularly like are the scientific illustrations of Burgess Shale fossils by Marianne Collins. First rate! Collins studied the two-dimensional carbon prints and constructed three dimensional shaded drawings which really brings the critters to life. These are the some of the best illustrations I've ever seen in a paleontology book. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Sony 700 MB/80-minute 48x CD-R | |
| "Very Satisfied." | 2009-02-18 |
| I have three computers: an office iMac, a home iMac and an iBook G4. I'm rather satisfied with the office iMac and the iBook, because I'm not particularly adept with electronic things. Not long ago, I need another pack of recordable CD discs. Not knowing any better, I bought the Sony CD-Rs listed here. I've always been impressed with the quality of Sony products and have never been disappointed with the brand. They may be a little more expensive, but I'd say they're worth it. Well, I've now been using the Sony CD-Rs on all three computers and they've performed flawlessly. I use them mainly for recording large PowerPoint presentations which I use for lectures. I feel fortunate in that I've had troubles with a couple of other brands. No problems here. I bought the Sony CD-Rs first and then read the reviews by other people. I was somewhat taken back by many of the negative reports. I double checked and, sure enough, it's the exact same same product. I've had no problems at all. Not even a trace. Did Sony have a flawed batch go through? Well, from my own experience, I could only give this product 5 stars. I'm very satisfied. If I start having problems, I'll be back to amend my opinion, but at this moment I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone in need of purchasing discs. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Crest Whitestrips Premium - 28 strips | |
| "A Good Improvement." | 2009-01-19 |
| When I first met my wife, it wasn't too long before she suggested that I might have whiter, bright teeth and a better smile by using "Crest Whitestrips." Whiter teeth? Moi? I brushed my teeth twice every day and had them regularly cleaned twice a year. Yet, close inspection indicated they were indeed a bit yellow and stained, and I always assumed it was just my age. Or maybe it was the coffee or red wine. So, if a new girlfriend suggests Whitestrips, then Whitestrips it is. Several days later we went to a pharmacy and purchased the "Crest Whitestrips Premium" packet. I followed the instructions as closely as possible. It was a bit difficult getting started with getting the strips on and then holding them in place for the suggested time. I finally worked out a routine wherein I would fit them in prior to driving to her place. When I'd get there, I'd discard them. When I'd head back for home (about a 20-minute trip), I'd put a new pair in and take them out upon arrival. I'd make the round trip about every couple days so it took a little longer for the total whitening treatment but the arrangement worked fine and didn't waste any time. Plus it was easy to remember. We began noticing the whitening after about three or four days. It was very subtle and gradual at first, but by the end of the packet, my teeth were noticeably whiter and brighter. It was a good improvement. The whitening agent was applied, of course, only to the front teeth, but those are the most noticeable and it works out fairly well for my smile. I'd say if you want whiter, brighter teeth this is a reasonably good product and not very expensive. It's not perfect, and I may try a few of the other whitening methods. It's also not permanent and I've now got a third kit for another go at whitening. Using the procedure about every year to 1.5 years seems to work best for me. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Rival SCVP600-SS 6 Quart Smart-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker in Chrome and Stainless | |
| "Great Appliance!" | 2009-01-10 |
| I purchased a Rival Crock Pot when they first came out. I've had it in the kitchen for three or four decades. I used it a lot at first but my use gradually tapered off. I guess one of the problems was that it was too hard to clean (crock could not be removed for washing). Also, the controls were too primitive. It was difficult to get perfect results. My wife suggested that we get rid of it if it wasn't being used. So, reluctantly, it went to the local thrift store and I purchased this new model a few months later. Boy, what an improvement over the old one! This new model is a snap to clean. The heat and time control are excellent. Every dish I've tried has come out perfect. My wife is amazed at my cooking ability. Well, there's not much of a secret. I simply put the recipe in, set it for the time I want and all dishes have come out to perfection. In reading over the other user reviews, I just don't understand quantity of highly negative reports. I've had no trouble of any kind. Perhaps my decades-long experience with my original Crock Pot has helped out. It's always possible that Rival turned out a defective batch, and they should recall them if that's the case. Fortunately, none of this seems to affect me. I'd say this Crock Pot is a far superior model to the original, and I've had no problems and I'm looking forward to trying a wide variety of recipes. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Various Artists - Atlantic Soul Classics | |
| "Classic, Indeed." | 2008-12-21 |
| I purchased this CD in the mid-80s (1985 recording). I was putting together a small library of 50s and 60s rock 'n' roll music as it became available in the new CD technology. This particular disc, "Atlantic Soul Classics," fitted into my collection particularly well. It's a terrific assemblage of recording artists and the songs couldn't be better. Whoever put this compilation together should get an award, and maybe they did. The artists are first rate, the songs are excellent and the transfer to the digital CD format is well done. The sound quality is excellent. It doesn't surprise me at all that this CD is still in print. I was particularly pleased to get Joe Turner's "Shake, rattle and Roll" and Booker T. & the MG's "Green Onions," but all of the others fit my needs well. It's great to find a compilation CD of this quality. Classic, indeed. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight | |
| "Roll Over Beethoven!" | 2008-12-18 |
| I first heard Chuck Berry in 1955 when his record "Maybelline" came out. It was totally unlike any song I'd previously heard and I just had to have it. I've been a fan ever since. I once saw a documentary on Chuck Berry and his music. He explained that he was just trying to present his rock 'n' roll music, a term that had just barely been coined, to white audiences who seemed to like that kind of music. Of course, in the background was an entirely white audience sitting there stiffly, but obviously enjoying the music. Well, Mr. Berry, you certainly succeeded! Here's a good recording to remember those times, "The Great Twenty-eight." This is a great record and it's a cherished part of my collection. You can get larger collections, but these 28 are exactly how I wish to remember Chuck Berry. Twenty-eight songs on one CD seems like a lot, but many of Berry's songs were barely two minutes long. And what a wonderful collection of little stories. The man was a master song writer! And the rhythm is so solid and so moving. How did those early audiences ever manage to sit still? I just love this stuff. Every song's a winner! Roll over Beethoven! Actually, I'll bet even he'd like it. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Eagles - Eagles - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 | |
| "A Keeper!" | 2008-12-16 |
| I very seldom buy "greatest hits" albums. Usually, if I like an act I already have much of their music and a greatest hits album becomes somewhat redundant. I've always liked the Eagles, but, strangely enough, I had none of their records. So, when "Eagles - Their Greatest Hits:1971-1975" LP was released in the mid-seventies, I bought it in an instant. It was a great, great album and I all but wore the LP out. When the CD version came out in the 80s, I bought it. I only very seldom buy CDs of albums I already own on vinyl, so it's a high compliment. Now, I lent the CD out and it wasn't returned so I'm faced with the third purchase. Grown. Well, the album is good enough that I'll do it! Everything about this album is outstanding. It's soft and easy going, yet it's somewhat edgy. It's humorous. It's all acoustical and the sound is great. The lyrics are outstanding. The voices and harmonies are excellent. Personally, my favorite songs are "Take it Easy," "One of these Nights," "Lyin' Eyes" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling" but all of the songs are exceptional. They call it California Country Rock, but it really defies classification. I'd say it's mostly like old fashioned western music I knew as a kid but with more modern lyrics. Whatever you might categorize it as, it's exceptional music and the CD merits playing over and over. Let's put it this way, I own about 400 LP/CDs and if I were forced to give up all but 50, this Eagles' CD would be one that I'd save. It's a keeper. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Neil Diamond - Classics: The Early Years (1966-67) | |
| "Classic Diamond." | 2008-12-14 |
| In the early 80s, I was putting together a collection of classic rock 'n roll music, primarily from the 50s and 60s. Such music was being re-released on compact discs, a new technology of that time. I bought up a couple dozen discs and one of those was "Neil Diamond Classics" as released on Columbia Records. This CD is excellent, one of the best compilation discs I obtained and I'm not at all surprised that it is still in print. To be truthful, I've never particularly been a Neil Diamond fan, yet I've always liked and appreciated his music. He's a really outstanding song writer and an excellent singer. He has had hit after hit on his own, and his songs were covered by a host of other artists, who also had hit recordings with them. I understand he still sells out concert after concert right down to today. Surely, this man must go down as one of the greatest pop artists of the past century. The "Neil Diamond Classics" disc is excellent. I wish all compilation discs were so good. Personally, I think Diamond's early years were his best and this disc presents an excellent selection of songs from that era. There's not a poor song on the disc. The sound reproduction is excellent. The disc seems a little short and could have included a few more songs, but otherwise it is excellent. It has become a cherished part of my CD collection of materials from the 50s and 60s. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Dr. Brown'S 8Oz Natural Flow Wide Neck Bottle, 3 Pack | |
| "We're Satisfied." | 2008-12-11 |
| During the first two months after the birth of our baby boy, we selected the Avent 4-ounce bottles and nipples. However, our boy's growing needs now exceeds the bottle's capacity. It was time to move to a larger 8-ounce bottle. My wife was talking to a friend and she suggested the Dr. Brown's Natural Flow wide neck bottle which she recommended highly. We bought a three pack for trial. We both like these new bottles. I like the fit and feel in my hand. My wife praises the inner gizmo and says it gives the baby less gas to deal with. Hmmmm. Well, we do have a somewhat gaseous baby and he releases such gases at both ends. Just like Daddy, my wife remarked. I do most of the feeding with the bottle. I like the new larger bottle and it's indentations fit the hand well. With regard to the less gas claim, I can't see much of a difference. I still burp him and he can still usually get off a couple pretty good belches after feeding. I don't mind. I'm trying to improve his tone and volume. As he gets a little older, I'll see if I can get him to burp his ABCs. With regard to leakage of gas from the other end, I can't see a difference here either. The guy is just gaseous, but I don't see that it's doing him any harm, other than embarrassing guests. All in all, I'd say these bottles are fine and I prefer them over the Avents. Gary Peterson | ||
 | The Coasters - The Ultimate Coasters | |
| "Yakety Yak!" | 2008-12-09 |
| Whatever happened to the Coasters? I haven't heard any of their music played over the airwaves for at least the last two decades. Evidently, they're one of the early rock 'n' roll acts to fade into the music archives and history books. In the late 50s and early 60s Coasters' music seemed to be everywhere. They graced both the R 'n' R and R&B charts with song after song. It was hard to find a juke box without a few Coasters' songs on it. Every pop radio station seemed to play their music. And they had some great songs, too. Who would ever forget Charlie Brown, Yakety Yak, Poison Ivy, Along Came Jones, or Smokey Joe's Cafe? Well, almost all of their songs were written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Lieber and Stroller also produced the records and even acted as musicians, arrangers and vocalists on the recordings. The four vocalists who fronted as the Coasters were variable from time to time. Actually, the Coasters were not really an authentic R & B act, but were a Lieber/Stoller concoction that supplied R & B/R 'n' R music to a hungry audience. Well, that's OK. There were a lot of groups like that in early Rock 'n' Roll. What about the Monkees? In any case, the music was upbeat and enjoyable. It was fun listening and could be very humorous in places. "The Ultimate Coasters" is a CD which brings much of the Coasters back to your stereo and can provide fun listening. Anyone wanting a library of early Rock 'n' Roll should have this disc as a component. It has most, but not all, of the essential Coaster recordings and the reproduction is of good quality. Of course, the recording is out of print but a good quantity of used discs are available. I find that listening to the whole CD, song after song, is just too much to bear, but I enjoy the individual songs. I like to put early Rock 'n' Roll programs together and play them on shuffle mode on my iPod. What could be more characteristic of an early Rock 'n' Roll mix than the Coasters? Gary Peterson | ||
 | Nortec Collective - Tijuana Sessions Vol. 1 | |
| "Bravo!" | 2008-12-05 |
| A few years ago, I stumbled onto "The Tijuana Sessions: vol. 3" by Nortec Collective. I was interested in electronica and this album was just sensational, in my opinion. It was electronica, all right, but was unlike any other electronica I'd ever heard. Then I purchased a number of other Mexican techno discs and all proved interesting and worthwhile. Finally, I'm back to "The Tijuana Sessions: Vol 1." Well, it's excellent. I can easily see how it gathered such widespread critical note. The music on "Volume 1" is simple and straight forward. There are no fancy tricks or bells and whistles that you hear on many other dance-oriented electronica. It's refreshing. Good rhythms. Repetitive, but not overly so. Good melodic lines of sound. Somehow, it sounds less techno and more human than a lot of the European techno stuff. The music lacks lyrics and voices so, although it's out of Mexico, there is no language barrier. It's just straight-forward sound progressions that might be enjoyed by any listener of any culture. The music relies more on conventional musical instruments and less on strange electronic sounds, so it seems more like an orchestra rather than a fancy studio recording trick. And, it's all nice danceable stuff. "The Tijuana Sessions: Vol. 1" is much softer and more mellow than I would have anticipated. A lot of it is very easy listening, almost background music. If you prefer something more adventurous or radical, go to "Tijuana Sessions: Vol. 3," "Panoptica" or "The Tijuana Sound Machine." Also, you might try the offerings of the Mexican Institute of Sound. However, "Volume 1" is a bold venture and, hopefully, will lead to abundant future Mexican electronica. Bravo! Gary Peterson | ||
 | Stars & Stripes: Marches, Fanfares & Wind Band Spectaculars | |
| "Probably Excellent." | 2008-12-03 |
| I first bought a compact disc player in 1984. It was an expensive new technology and cost about $400 for the cheapest Sony model. Groan. Then there was the problem of getting recordings that could utilize the capabilities of this new technology. Well, at that point I discovered Telarc Records. They specialized in digitally recorded music made specifically for audiophiles with compact disc players. Their recordings were excellent, some of the best available at that time, and I bought a variety of things including the "Stars and Stripes" CD by Frederick Fennell and the Cleveland Symphonic Winds. The "Stars and Stripes" recording is excellent. The problem is I don't really care for this type of music. Oh, it's OK and brings back memories of sitting in the Boulder City Park and listening to this type of concert at the bandshell. Or then there were the parades and the marching bands! I enjoyed them all. But this is a record intended for sitting in the living room and listening. What was I thinking? It's one of those CDs I've played once and then stored away. Oh, I bring it out now ad then just to use it as a demonstration disc on my stereo. So, how do I rate this disc? Well, the music is excellent. Very well done. The sound is superb. The album presents a good range of classic selections. I can't find anything wrong, except that I don't particularly like listening to this type of music on my stereo. Well, that's certainly not the recording's fault. I'll give it five stars. If you like this type of music, you'll probably find it excellent. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Papa Doo Run Run - California Project | |
| "Marvelous!" | 2008-12-03 |
| Do you like Beach Boys' music? If so you may greatly enjoy this record. I purchased it in 1986. My main reason was that I had put together a moderately expensive stereo system with a compact disc player. CD players were costly in those days and it was hard to find recordings that took full advantage of their capabilities. Telarc records were all digitally recorded and designed to appeal to audiophiles. "California Project" was a recording put together by Papa Doo Run Run, the house band at Disneyland for many years, and Telarc Records. It featured the music of the Beach Boys, all those marvelous hit songs from the mid- to late-60s, and even had some of the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean as consultants. The "California Project" recordings are marvelous. The sound quality is simply superb. Papa Doo Run Run serve up an astonishingly good job of presenting 15 of the Beach Boys' most popular songs. The music sounds so much like the original Beach Boys that most people could never tell the difference. Well, there is a difference; the Telarc recording is much more pristine and vibrant than anything available by the Beach Boys. When almost anyone hears this recording, they remark that this is the best Beach Boys' music they have ever heard. I fully agree. I own the "Endless Summer" album by the Beach Boys and the "California Project" cover songs are uniformly better sounding. Much better. I liked Beach Boys' music in the sixties, and I still enjoy it very much. But let's face it, the quality of their music has faded and they can no longer maintain that 60s sound, no matter how hard they might try. All right, you can buy the 60s recordings. But it you really want a highest fidelity rendition of Beach Boys 60s songs, try the "California Project" recording. It's marvelous! Gary Peterson | ||
 | Ludwig van Beethoven ,Don Dorsey - Beethoven Or Bust | |
| "Enjoy!" | 2008-12-02 |
| I initially discovered Don Dorsey and his "Bachbusters" CD in the mid-80s while I was looking for audiophile demonstration pieces for my new stereo system. I loved the recording from the first listen and it became one of my all-time favorite CDs. Thus, when I found "Beethoven or Bust" a few years later, I bought it instantly. No asking or listening or anything like that. At first play, I was somewhat taken back and didn't like it nearly as well as the earlier "Bachbusters." Well, that first impression gradually changed and now I'd rank it right along with "Bachbusters" as outstanding.
It's fun to muse about what Bach or Beethoven might think about these recordings. Hmmmm. My guess is that they'd like them. They'd marvel at the new instruments and the pristine sound reproduction and be somewhat amused and taken back by Dorsey's arrangements. Some of the humor, such as the auto crash (track 4), would escape them, of course. In any case, I love their music and these rollicking and humorous renditions by Dorsey are delightful, in my opinion. One of my reasons for buying this disc is for the quality of the sound reproduction. Telarc Records is known as an audiophile label and these two discs really deliver. The sound is clear, pristine and dramatic. I couldn't ask for anything more and these recordings are 20 years old. They've aged extremely well! Give it a spin, keep an open mind with a sense of humor and you'll probably be delighted. Personally, I like the rocking "Rage Over a Lost Penny," "Moonlight Sonata," "Presto from Sonata #6," "Fur Elise" and "Sonata #18," but all tracks are excellent. Enjoy! Gary Peterson | ||
 | Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien | |
| "Outstanding CD!" | 2008-12-01 |
| I'm uncertain where and when I became aware of Joe Satriani and the "Surfing With The Alien" CD. I must have read a review somewhere, because I'd never heard of him but I really enjoy instrumental rock 'n' roll. Well, I just couldn't be more satisfied with this disc. I've had it now for umpteen years and I just don't burn out on listening to it. "Surfing With The Alien" ranks in the top tier of my CD collection. Ever since the beginning of rock 'n' roll, I've always enjoyed the instrumentals. In my opinion, there aren't nearly enough of them. Even with most rock music with lyrics and vocals, I'm listening mostly to the music behind the vocals. To me, the instrumental music is the essence of rock and the vocals are the extras, sometimes annoyingly so. Well, I guess that's a little harsh, but I'm just trying to make a point. In any case, if you enjoy the instrumental part of rock, this album would be hard to beat. Satriani presents ten tracks on this CD and I honestly cannot pick a favorite. Every song is first rate. Satriani's music is edgy and urgent, but at the same time is extremely melodic. This guy doesn't just play a guitar, he lovingly massages it and he's backed by an excellent percussion ensemble. I can listen to this CD over and over, then put it away for months or years. When I return, it still sounds fresh and new. If other CDs were this good, the music industry would be in serious trouble as there would be no need to buy anything else. Gary Peterson | ||
 | The Crew-Cuts - Best of the Crew Cuts | |
| "Early Rock 'n' Roll?" | 2008-12-01 |
| I once read a critic who stated that the Crew Cuts should be considered one of the earliest practitioners of rock 'n' roll. The statement surprised me. Yet, in thinking about it, the Crew Cuts were one of the first vocal groups doing cover versions of black rhythm and blues artists. Sh-Boom, Oop Shoop and Earth Angel come to mind. Well, from my own experience, I can remember that during the summer of 1954 Sh-Boom suddenly rose on the top hits charts and was widely played over the radio. I loved it! It was simply unlike anything I had ever heard. I became an instant fan of this remarkable Canadian vocal quartet and I bought all of the records they released over the next two to three years. There was no rock ' n' roll when Sh-Boom was released, but when the r 'n' r genre was firmly established a few years later, my interests turned in that direction. Were the Crew Cuts one of the first rock 'n' roll acts? Hmmm. You know, I'd be inclined to say that they were, but their sound was quite a bit unlike that of the later-established artists in that genre and most of their music was definitely not rock 'n' roll. It's fun to think back on this era. In 1956, a friend and I drove to Denver to see the Crew Cuts who were playing at one of the amusement parks. When we tried to get in, we were required to rent ties (at $1 each plus deposit) in order to be admitted. The concert was in a dance hall and the audience was totally white. The people were both listening and dancing to the music. The Crew Cuts were accompanied by a small backing band. Most of the music was more like the conventional pop music of that time, except for the covers of the R&B songs. A rock 'n' roll concert it was not. It was, however, a rather enjoyable experience. The Crew Cuts presented pleasant and easy listening vocal arrangements. I'd say most were soft and mellow rather than rocking. As rock 'n' roll came in, the Crew Cuts faded. Many critics treated them with contempt and panned their R&B cover songs. Well, they certainly didn't deserve that. They brought wonderful R & B songs to an audience that was not ready for the original versions. Now, I notice that a number of Crew Cuts compilation albums are available. This "Best of the Crew Cuts" compilation is a good one. Should they be considered some of the first rock 'n' roll? Well, listen for yourself and decide. It's excellent, well-crafted, mid-fifties music, if nothing else. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Johann Sebastian Bach ,Don Dorsey - Bachbusters | |
| "5+ Stars!" | 2008-11-29 |
| I purchased "Bachbusters" by Don Dorsey in the mid eighties. I had several reasons for doing so. First, Bach is one of my favorite classical composers. Second, I had put together a moderately expensive stereo system and had added a CD player, a fairly new and expensive component at the time. The "Bachbusters" CD was digitally recorded and put out by Telarc, a recording company that catered to audiophiles. I expected a pristine and dramatic recording and got it. "Bachbusters" was excellent and has aged well. It still reigns as one of the favorite discs in my CD collection. Let's put it this way, if this CD had been a standard LP it would have been worn out long ago. The "Bachbusters" CD came to mind again recently. I have a new baby boy, now eight weeks old. My wife and I purchased a combination mobile/music box for his crib. We use it all the time. We've noticed that the little tyke pays only moderate attention to the somewhat silly mobile, but seems to enjoy the classical selections by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. Of the three composers, I'd say he prefers the selections by Bach. Interesting. We're wondering what this might lead to. Well, after listening to this simplified music box for umpteen times, my wife and I are sick of it, and he may be sick of it as well. So I took the kid out into the living room and played some Bach selections for him. He seems to enjoy them, and particularly likes the Don Dorsey disc. Purists are going to complain about this disc. So what? I think the "Bachbusters" CD is wonderful. I love the "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" and use it to impress new visitors with my stereo system. The other selections are quite good, also. I'd say the CD has two contrasting parts. The "Tocatta" is bold and bombastic, and I love it. All of the other selections are relatively soft and melodic, and I love them too. It's an almost incongruent mixture on a single disc. If I had any criticism, I might say that Dorsey should have produced two discs. I'd buy them both, of course. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Redmon Weigh-to-Grow Deluxe Digital Baby Scale | |
| "Works Well, Plus a Bonus." | 2008-11-23 |
| We felt the need to outfit our infant's room with a baby scale and purchased this model. It fits nicely on our dresser top when in use and stores easily in the closet at other times. It seems to work fine, as long as you can keep the baby still for a while. I have nothing with which to check the accuracy, but it seems to be consistent in multiple weighings. The scale has a ruler measuring scale in inches across the top. Unfortunately, it only goes up to 20 inches and our boy was 22 inches at birth. Oh well, we have a measuring tape. In any case, the scale is easy and convenient to use. It's nice looking and easy to store and we have no complaints as to flaws. I noticed from the other reviewers that many people use the scale to weigh their pets, especially cats. Well, I hadn't thought of that at the time of purchase, but we have a couple cats and it works very well. I guess this could be counted as an unexpected bonus. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Nature's Way - Fenugreek Seed, 610 mg, 100 capsules, Buy it at The Vitamin Shoppe and Enjoy FREE Shipping on $75 purchase - Limited time offer! | |
| "Worth a Try." | 2008-11-17 |
| Our baby was born in early October. My wife wanted to feed him the way nature intended and we were visited by a lactation nurse at the hospital. She advised us and said that if we ever had problems with obtaining enough milk, we might try Fenugreek, a supplement available at health-food stores. Of course, we forgot the peculiar name shortly thereafter. Well, my wife started to have difficulties a few weeks later in keeping up with the baby's growing needs. We mentioned the problem to a young couple who had a recent child. The woman said she had the same problem and told us to get Fenugreek. She said it had worked for her. There was that strange-sounding word again. We purchased Nature's Way Fenugreek shortly thereafter. Strange stuff. It's an herbal supplement in capsule form, but the label doesn't say what it's for. I guess you just have to know. Evidently, it's one of those things that takes a certain amount of faith. Anyway, since we heard about it from two completely independent sources, my wife started taking it. Well, it wasn't a miracle. There was no immediate change. However, my wife gradually began to keep up with the baby's needs and has kept up ever since. Was it the Fenugreek? Perhaps. Maybe she was just adapting to the new baby. It's hard to tell. However, if anyone is having this problem, I'd say the Fenugreek is worth a try. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Lil' Professor Baby Pacifier | |
| "Sorry, Guy." | 2008-11-12 |
| When my boy looks back on his baby photos a few decades from now, he's probably going to think his father was a weirdo. That's OK. Who knows, maybe he'll get a laugh out of them? Certainly a lot of other people do. Hmmmm. I wonder what the kid thinks when people look into the carriage and laugh at him? When does he develop his sensitivities anyway? I guess I better not use these things overly long. In any case, I've noticed various versions of these Billy Bob Teeth, and I just had to try them out. Sorry, guy. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Two Front Teeth (Pink Lips) Baby Pacifier | |
| "Sorry, Guy." | 2008-11-12 |
| When my boy looks back on his baby photos a few decades from now, he's probably going to think his father was a weirdo. That's OK. Who knows, maybe he'll get a laugh out of them? Certainly a lot of other people do. Hmmmm. I wonder what the kid thinks when people look into the carriage and laugh at him? When does he develop his sensitivities anyway? I guess I better not use these things overly long. In any case, I've noticed various versions of these Billy Bob Teeth, and I just had to try them out. Sorry, guy. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Chomp Baby Pacifier | |
| "Sorry, Guy." | 2008-11-12 |
| When my boy looks back on his baby photos a few decades from now, he's probably going to think his father was a weirdo. That's OK. Who knows, maybe he'll get a laugh out of them? Certainly a lot of other people do. Hmmmm. I wonder what the kid thinks when people look into the carriage and laugh at him? When does he develop his sensitivities anyway? I guess I better not use these things overly long. In any case, I've noticed various versions of these Billy Bob Teeth, and I just had to try them out. Sorry, guy. Gary Peterson | ||
 | Two Front Teeth (Red Lips) Baby Pacifier | |
| "Sorry, Guy." | 2008-11-12 |
| When my boy looks back on his baby photos a few decades from now, he's probably going to think his father was a weirdo. That's OK. Who knows, maybe he'll get a laugh out of them? Certainly a lot of other people do. Hmmmm. I wonder what the kid thinks when people look into the carriage and laugh at him? When does he develop his sensitivities anyway? I guess I better not use these things overly long. In any case, I've noticed various versions of these Billy Bob Teeth, and I just had to try them out. Sorry, guy. Gary Peterson | ||
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