Album Description

Canadian version of the UK 'War Child - Hope' collectionentitled, 'Peace Songs' is a two CD set with a number ofdifferent tracks. It's a joint venture between BMG & Sonythat will benefit a Canadian charity for children who arevictims of war. Artists that are contributing tracks tothis collection exclusively include, Leonard Cohen'Anthem', Elvis Costello 'Everybody's Cryin' Mercy', BryanAdams 'Don't Drop the Bomb on Me Baby', Michelle Branch'What the World Needs Now is Love', Sheryl Crow'Redemption', Eurythmics 'I Saved the World Today' & otherexclusives from Billy Brag, Jann Arden, Bruce Cockburn, Our Lady Peace, Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, Garou, K-OS, Chantal Kreviazuk, Kyprios, David Usher & many more. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Arvril needs to stick to pop
hearing her cover "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was painful at best. having some of her caliber cover Dylan is horrible.

This a CD worth buying but...
Avril Lavigne singing "Knockin' on Heavens Door" was Great and so was many of the other songs. But some of the songs were kinda boring and have no meaning too. Well that's all.

great cd
a great cd about peace . it's good to see a bunch of artist come together and record these songs . My favorite song on this cd is "knockin on heaven's door" , by avril lavigne . I highly reccomend this cd for anyone ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Spanish Sophistication (4.5/5)
Scott Herren, the man who has acquired several musical aliases, is easily one of the most well respected and talented artists making music today. This year will be no exception. Keep in mind that last year saw the release of two highly respected albums, One Word Extinguisher and the quick follow-up Extinguished: Outtakes. With the critical success of both, we began to realize that Herren is not only extremely talented at his craft, but he's also quite prolific at churning out one exceptional album after another. That's quite refreshing when you think about how many of your favorite artists only manage to release material once every two or three years. With Herren, however, it's obvious that he has so many outlets he needs to work through to get his inspirations out on record. Therefore, we get many different projects with many different styles and flavors. Whether it's the glitch-hop of Prefuse 73, the ambient-glitch of Delarosa & Asora, or the sophistication of Savath & Savalas, we're always given handsome insight into Herren's fortitude of sounds.

More times than not, I find myself in amazement that Herren can create a multitude of albums with the same intensity, yet somehow they're always devoid of monotony. The downright awe-inspiring new release from his Savath & Savalas moniker, Apropa't, is arguably some of his best work to date. For me personally, it's my favorite album he's released; and that was concluded after only one listen. It's certainly his most elegant and focused work thus far, while also his most unrecognizable. Ultimately, he's proven once again that his talent and devotion to his art places him head-and-shoulders above the rest of the producers in his field.

Herren spent nearly a year and a half in Barcelona, Spain for personal reasons and in that time became acquainted with Eva Puyelo Muns, a Catalano singer, who lends her vocals to most of the album. The sounds of the culture are prevalent throughout the entire recording of Apropa't. They are sounds of pillow-y soft sophistication and simplicity just on the cusp of floating away. Only on rare occasion, like "Why She'd Come?" and "Victima Belleza," do we find even the slightest subtle remnants of tape manipulation that has become the main element of Herren's work. The rest is sublime placement of everything from classical guitar to harps.

"Te Quiero Pero Por Otro Lado" immediately shows Herren at his most flawless minute on the album. Following closely behind is the introverted tranquility of "Ultimo Tren," which is a rhythmically enticing masterpiece. Also, one of the strongest characteristics here is Herren's ability to be completely subtle with his drum samples. They never take over the songs, but act as a tempo controller. From the start, all of these songs bare a striking resemblance to each other, but are individually strong enough to allow for a perfect listen.

Ultimately, what Herren has accomplished with Apropa't is a collection of songs that pay great respect to Catalano music. Its effortlessness will leave most people extremely happy that they came across this beautiful piece of music. With every consecutive release, Herren seems to raise the bar just a little bit higher for him and his peers. Without question, the bar has been raised yet again; and I can't help but fantasize about where he will go next. Apropa't should be around for quite some time. But while it may be the most unfamiliar work of Herren's discography, it's still one of the year's first great albums.

Original Waves of Sound
Now here is a cd that will never reach the masses but one that is utterly original. Complex arrangements that sound effortlessly blended create a sublime atmosphere perfect for a cocktail party, brunch or just hanging out and taking the car for a long drive with the top down. The beautiful cover art and graphics on the insert perfectly match this gorgeous music.

Lusharmonicousticalicious
Keeping true to previous Savath + Savalas releases, Scott Herren again creates
sleepy washes of sound which slip effortlessly into deeply moving melodies.
Reminiscent of Bebel Gilberto and Nina Miranda, the addition of Eva Puyuelo Muns's lullaby vocals seeps into the mix to amazing effect. Rich with atmosphere, Apropa't has the sensibilities to raise the hair on your arms, the intoxicating track 'Dejame' worth the price alone.

Masterpiece!!!
Right on the heels of One Word Extinguisher, G. Scott Herren has given us a masterfull gift with Apropa't. Beautifully combining his Spanish heritage with signature avant beats and combining the vocal talents of his new friend Eva Mun, Herren has accomplished a work of subtle beauty and lush atmoshphere. Herrren has made the best album of his career. This album is for everyone that searches for true and meainingful sound!!

impressive - 4.5
Fans familiar with Scott Herren's (a.k.a. Prefuse 73) other works might be surprised with his newest release. In Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives and One Word Extinguisher, critics were wowed by his innovative and wildly original music. Beats were heavily tweaked, and pops and static were transformed into carefully planned hip hop symphonies. Savath & Savalas is, for the most part, void of all boom-bap. This, however, is not Prefuse 73. Blending an eclectic mix of Brazilian Psych, Afro beat, Cuban, and other South American influences, this album comes off like a Bebel Gilberto album without the pop influences. Much of the album sounds like live instrumentation and it is very difficult to say what was sampled. This is one reason this album will appeal to hip hop heads (How did this guy do this?). It will also appeal to people not accustomed to the sporadic and unconventional beats on some of the more experimental hip hop (Anti Pop Consortium, early Aceyalone). It's hard to say what is so great about the album, but I found myself completely captivated by the first minute of the second track (when the almost hip hop beat drops on a chilling instrumental arrangement). Most of the album is quite delicate, however, and Scott's usual rapid fire snares are replaced by brush strokes. Standout tracks are almost impossible to pick on this album, as the album begs to be played in its entirety (only about 40 minutes). Check out the tracks "A La Nit," "Ultimo Tren," and "Um Girrasol da Cor de Seu" for a few of the more memorable moments. Fans of modern world music will rejoice at both the original and traditional elements this album contains. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Underrated
I suspect that Hitchcock's own disaffection with the initial release, and general griping about how this record was produced have predisposed too many fans to dislike it. If you're looking to expand your Hitchcock collection, this is not one to dismiss.

In the form of "Groovy Decoy," Hitchcock's revision of the original album, this is as worthy a Hitchcock record as most of his others, and there are some I'd part with sooner than this one. With a cd player, it's easy enough to avoid the egregious "Groovy Decay" versions.

For starters, the songs are mostly quite good and sometimes great; I would not call this a sub-par set of compositions at all. "Fifty-Two Stations," "America," "It Was the Night," and "The Rain" strike me as major songs in the Hitchcock canon, representative a more serious turn in his writing. There are two interesting reworkings of Soft Boys tunes into heavier, funkier form, both quite effective. Two of the four "joke" songs are wonderful ("How Do You Work This Thing? and "The Cars She Used To Drive"), and even the odd funk number, "Grooving on an Inner Plane," is a hoot (if too long). That leaves only two songs I'd call disposable, and that's probably true of most of his albums.

Moreover, Hitchcock's revision of "Groovy Decay" into his preferred "Groovy Decoy" (both included on the current release) is *not* terribly marred by dated production; he got rid of all the truly egregious versions ("Groovy Decay"). With the exception of a few unimaginative mechanized drum tracks, "Night Ride to Trinidad," and "Midnight Fish," this album seems no more dated in production than many other (terrific) Hitchcock albums (everything from "Element of Light" '86 to "Perspex Island" '91 sounds very much of its sonic moment).

The strange sequencing of the current cd is unfortunate, but think of it as a great 45 minute album with a lot of disposable bonus tracks and I think you'll find it a thoroughly satisfying addition to your Hitchcock collection.

Not bad considering it's Robyn's worst
The production of Groovy Decay is totally unsuited to Robyn. And it doesn't help that the songs are generally sub-par. Even so, the demo versions aren't bad, and there are a few top-notch tunes here ("52 Stations," "St. Petersberg,"America"). For die-hard Hitchcock fans it's worth having. Otherwise, avoid.

Forgettable, Regretable, Unbelievably Bad
I once HAD to have a everything by Robyn Hitchcock. I bought this CD and after a couple of years, sold it. No longer a completist, and proud of it. Versions of the somewhat listenable songs can be found elsewhere (particularly Gotta Let This Hen Out). The other reviewer lists the specific merits by song. Picture a rock/folk icon leaning toward disco, but it's not even funny. I can't think of a good reason to own this CD.

Don't Scream, It's only "Gravy Deco!"
So, how does a rabid Robyn fan (such as myself) approach an album the aforementioned Mr. Hitchcock would love to see gone forever? Hmmm... A guy below did a track for track of "Groovy Decay" which this has all of plus "Decoy"(oh yeah, this is a "compilation" of the demos issued by Robyn as "Groovy Decoy" in 86 after being so traumatically disturbed by the low quality of the original, and the original). Well, why not?

1. The Rain: Decoy demo: Not bad, but it grows off of you. Decay: Boring...vastly inferior to original. Robyn sounds bored.

2. The Cars She Used to Drive: Decoy demo: Groovy, but done up much better on the live "Gotta Let This Hen Out!" which you need to own NOW! Decay: Horrible. Avoid at all costs!

3. It Was the Night: (1 version) Boring, period.

4. Young People Scream: Decoy: good till the chorus, which sends it crashing down in early 80's hell. Decay: Even better beginning, even worse chorus.

5. How Do You Work This Thing?: (1 version) Funny idea. Okay at best song.

6. When I Was A Kid: Decoy: Not a killer Soft Boys tune to start with, it suffers even more here. Why this one, I wonder? Decay: A bit funkier, buy ohhhh that damn sax!

7. Midnight Fish: Decoy: Sounds unbelievably like a cross between Prince and William S. Burroughs. Fortunately, Robyn left this direction behind. Decay: Needs to be PERMANENTLY left behind!

8. Night Ride to Trinidad: Praised by some, not by me. Silly and avoidable. Disco version: MUST to be avoided, as is the even WORSE remix of the classic "Kingdom of Love"

9. Fifty Two Stations: (1 version) FINALLY!!! A Great song! Must have for all Hitchcock nuts.

10. America (1 version): Groovy song, but much better, again, on "Gotta Let This Hen Out!"

11.Grooving On An Inner Plane: (1 version) Totally unfunky funk tune. Robyn sounds dead. He does not sound great. Proceed immediately to the original version on "Black Snake Diamond Role"

12. St. Petersburg: (1 version) Once again, a great song. Second (and last, except for rabid fan curiousity) reason to own the album. Very eerie, in a pretty sort of way.

So all in all I have to wonder why I did the above, save to prove that this album has its moments, but is best left to time. Glad we CAN have it, though. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Freedy Johnston's best songs can convey more in a single detail--"And these pills won't even let me cry," mourns the haunted narrator of "This Perfect World"--than most artists can express in an entire album. There's nothing quite so poignant on Right Between the Promises, Johnson's fourth album for Elektra and sixth overall. In fact, the album's most aching sentiments are reserved for something not at all human, as the riffy verses of "Back to My Machine" melt into a chamber-pop chorus with Johnston crooning "Oh how I wish you were real." Tasteful string arrangements also complement Johnston's melancholy vocals on "That's Alright with Me," "In My Dream," and the gorgeous "Arriving on a Train," while "Radio for Heartache" strips the formula down to its essence, just Johnston and his ukulele. There's also a pleasant, if not particularly revelatory, cover of the 1970 Edison Lighthouse hit, "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)," but with the entire album clocking in at just 38 minutes, more of Johnston's original hook-filled heartbreak would have been welcome. All in all, a must for Johnston followers, but newcomers may want to start out with This Perfect World and work their way forward. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Another solid one from Freedy
I am a huge fan of Freedy's (although I have never heard his first album - has anyone?), and this album is great because it builds on all of the strengths of his previous albums. For example, there are great ballads like on BDBN, excellent rockers (This Perfect World/Can You Fly) and even a bit of country is mixed in (Never Home). The reason I am not giving it 5 stars is two-fold: (1) the album is too short - 38 minutes (what happened to 12 songs like on his previous albums?) and (2) there are a couple "fillers" on here, particularly Back to My Machine (great lyrics, but the song drones on and never really goes anywhere)and Save Yourself City Girl, which is pretty much a throwaway. Everything else is fantastic especially Broken Mirror, Love Grows and That's Alright With Me. Freedy is an incredible storyteller as almost every line of his song lyrics is rich with meaning, an extremely rare feat with today's "music." This album will more than satisfy Freedy fans and would likely win him some new ones if the radio would ever play anything by him besides Bad Reputation. Get it - you won't be sorry!

Another fine album from FJ
One of the best yet from Freedy - altho' all of his records are so good it's tough to pick one that tops the others. This time he delivers an impressively diverse collection of original songs - straight-ahead rock, indie folk, blues, pure pop - plus one superb cover tune ("Love Grows," originally a hit in 1970 for Edison Lighthouse). Throughout the CD, Freedy's vocals are consistently smooth, and the musicianship and production are both top-notch. The tunes are mostly all quite hummable. This is a disc I will be coming back to many times in the future.

Something lacking...
Freedy Johnston earned the right to be called "an American original" by Rolling Stone when he released "This Perfect World". It followed on the heels of "Can You Fly", and in tandem, these are two of the best singer-songwriter records you'd ever want to buy. The imagery inherent in the lyrics, the power of the story telling and the melody that tied it all together left you wanting more.

Unfortunately, this album doesn't hold up to the standards Freedy set for himself. He almost sounds like he's gotten lazy, ripping off his own, now tired chord changes. The stories sound as though he rushed his way through the lyrics and the New York edge that spun through "Perfect..." and "...Fly" is gone.

I love Freedy and wish he'd awaken to his former self.

A Good Listen
I'm a long time fan of Freedy, and I'm enjoying this mellow CD. I find myself humming songs from it frequently. I'm having difficulty rating Right Between the Promises without comparing it to Freedy's past recordings. My response has been a sigh of relief that the CD is comfortable and good, rather than a WOW! what a brilliant project.

Not too good...
I love Freedy Johnston. But I am woefully disappointed by this CD. I loved "This Perfect World," and also enjoyed "Never Home" very much. But this CD is simply not very good. It sounds like an artist who is trying to fulfill a record contract. There's nothing to get excited about unless you consider covering an old Edison Lighthouse song exciting. For first-time Freedy listeners, stay away! Buy something else. For long-time fans like me, I think we deserve much better than 38 minutes of filler! ... Read more

Album Details

Japanese Version Re-issued with Bonus Tracks. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Opel, A Crazy Diamond in the Rough
During the 1970s, right after Pink Floyd got big with Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, it was said that once a week Syd Barrett used to walk down to his record label and pick up his royalty cheques. Every week they'd ask him if he had plans for a new album, hoping to further cash in on the Floyd phenomenon. Every week Syd told them he had no plans. The label and his fans waited in hope. Sadly, he never got round to it.

Instead, the people at Harvest and EMI gathered the best scraps from Syd's first two albums, "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett", very subtly tweaked the production, and released "Opel" in 1988.

Being an outtakes album, the sound is even more stripped down than The Madcap Laughs. Often it's just Syd and his guitar. There's something intimate about that. It's like Syd is performing just for you, a bedroom concert perhaps. It's a feel you don't quite get on his other solo albums. I love it.

The alternate songs vary in quality. "Golden Hair" and the rockier version of Octopus "Clowns and Jugglers" aren't as good as the originals, but are fine performances as far as Syd goes.
The demo versions of "Rats" and "Wined and Dined" are freer, uncluttered by the choking production the offficial versions had. I don't really like "Wouldn't You Miss Me?", the alternate version of "Dark Globe". It doesn't have the urgency of the official release, rather Syd sounds sedated and his timing isn't quite as right. The Golden Hair instumental is pretty pointless too, in my opinion.

The unreleased songs are exciting, probing further into Syds little world. "Opel" is the best, Syd just the way fans like him. Evocative lyrics, unexpected time changes and a warm, jangly guitar. The way Syd sings "I'm trying to find you" toward the end of the song is so eerie and haunting, it left me with chills down my spine. The other unreleased tracks aren't as powerful, but they're good enough. "Dolly Rocker" begins as a relationship song in the vein of "I Never Lied To You" and "Love Song", before Syd's lyrics go all surreal in the middle. "Word Song" shows a side of Syd we haven't seen before, spouting totally random words in a humbled, fragile voice. The surf rock tinged "Swan Lee", a song about an indian brave, though with bedtim story lyrics like "Scarecrow" or "The Gnome", isn't quite like any other song he'd written. "Birdie Hop" is could cute, silly or morbid, depending on how you listen to it. Could be about World War II, could be about an acid trip, could be about nothing. Who knows. Let's Split could be Syds attempt at a pop song, but his madness twists it into the bizarre. For instance, he whistles as a solo, then stops, turn a page, then keeps whistling. Can you read whistles? The instrumental "Lanky" harks back to Pink Floyd's psychedelic jamming, though it doesn't touch "Interstellar Overdrive". "Milky Way" is pretty standard as far as Syd goes. Not good, not bad, not very memorable, but it's a nice closer.

If you can, get an import version (European or Japanese) with the extra tracks. These include rawer, sneering alternate version of "Gigolo Aunt", a drumless version of "Clowns and Jugglers" and a kind of dull run through of "Effervescing Elephant". The real treats are the two alternate versions of It is Obvious and the Late Night instrumental, as they shed so much light on the making of originals. Take 3 of It Is Obvious is bluesier than the version on "Barrett" and features Syd's deep mumble singing that he used on "Maisie". Take 5 is folkier with Syd singing very high and delicate, with an sarcastic tone to his lyrics. Even without the vocals, Late Night holds up on it's own as a beautiful piece of music.

I'd only recommend this to the hardcore Syd Barrett fans, as it's probably the most inaccessible of all his recordings. It's music you really have to focus on rather than have play in the background. If you want to get into Syd Barrett, try the Madcap Laughs first. If you really like that, you should like this too. If you're favourite album by Syd is Barrett or Pink Floyd's Piper at the Gates of Dawn, you might not enjoy this as much.

There is more rare stuff out there, like "Bob Dylan Blues", "Ramadan", "If You Go", "Scream thy Last Scream" and "Vegetable Man", so lets hope there is a sequel to Opel one day. Or of course old Syd could walk to his record label with an idea for new album...

The Ousted Madcap Laughs
This is all the GOOD Stuff from Madcap Laughs. These are basically outtakes and other versions of songs off Madcap Laughs. This really shows Syd in his real light. Not the polished finished albums but the raw stuff off old albums. It is not as clean and shows Syds true musical Tallent. which may be hard for some to listen to, but if that is you you probabbly don't like Syd anyway. True fans must have.

Not bad for a so-called barrel scraping disc
Syd Barrett's rarities album Opel was released in October of 1988. The album was songs not used on Syd's two solo album from 1970 The Madcap Laughs and Barrett. Many people scoff at this compilation. However, this was the first Syd album I ver got on CD in May of 1994. The title track is one of the highlights on this album. Other songs that were not issued previous were Dolly Rocker, Birdie Hop, Let's Split, Swan Lee(an excellent song about Indians), Lanky(pt.1) and Milky Way. Some of the earlier takes of Octopus(here as Clowns and Jugglers), Golden Hair and Dark Globe(here as Wouldn't You Miss Me) are way better than the finished versions by a longshot. On the European issue of Opel, which was originally part of the Crazy Diamond box set, there are more alternate takes of songs like Gigolo Aunt(with full band of Syd on guitar and vocals, David Gilmour on bass, Rick Wright on organ and Jerry Shirley on drums), It is Obvious(one with Syd singing in a low octave on electric guitar then an acoustic version with Syd in a falsetto voice), Late Night(without the vocal or overdubs) and Effervescing Elephant. This collection is a great rarities collection and is recommended!

Wild inconsistency obscures a few lovely gems
The collection "Opel" was released in the late 1980s and consists mostly of outtakes from Barrett's two solo albums as well as a few alternate takes. Most of the tracks had not even seen the light of day for years before their release, and the fact that Syd had this many songs left is really quite surprising considering that he only recorded two albums during his solo career.

First off, I am a huge Syd Barrett fan (see my reviews of his other albums for proof of this), but I feel that this outtakes collection is extremely inconsistent. Many of these songs weren't finished at the time of recording, and it shows as Syd fumbles through a few of them. "Opel," despite being the long-lost cult classic, is a great song in theory, but it just goes on for way too long while Syd fumbles around aimlessly with the chord progression. Some of the lyrics are very chilling and evocative, but overall this isn't his best work. "Clowns and Jugglers" (aka "Octopus"), presented in a slightly faster electric version here (again featuring the Soft Machine on backup) is just plain painful to listen to. The overdub-less version of "Rats" is interesting, but still doesn't represent Syd at his best. "Let's Split" starts off really well, but falls apart somewhere in the middle, "Birdie Hop" is embarrassing, while "Word Song" just doesn't do it for me.

Most of the songs that I just mentioned are the only real "rocky" spots on the album that warrant skipping, everything else should be smooth listening from here on. "Swan Lee" is another one of Syd's "storytelling" songs (see "Here I Go" form "The Madcap Laughs"), and is very interesting because Syd relates the story of the title charcter, who is a Native American warrior. Among all of the references to "wigwams" and "canoes," it is interesting to point out that some of the guitar work here is very reminiscent of the Ventures with its echo-laden surf-rock twang. A curious listen indeed. Syd makes a complete left-turn on the instrumental piece "Lanky (Part 1)." Rather than use an acoustic guitar and a simple strum like he tends to do sometimes, here he picks up his electric again and actually attempts to play it in a lead guitar jam fashion not heard since the Pink Floyd days. In fact, "Lanky" is highly reminiscent of two of the Floyd's best Barrett-era jams: "Stoned Alone" (aka "Reaction in G") and the now classic "Interstellar Overdrive" from the "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" album. The closing track, an instrumental take on "Golden Hair" is a bit inessential but a fascinating listen nontheless.

Here are the real gems that make owning this collection worth it. "Golden Hair," although not too different from the version used on "Madcap" (save for the lack of keyboard and cymbal embellishments) still sounds great. The demo version of "Wined and Dined" here features Syd unaccompanied, and works really well. "Wouldn't You Miss Me" (aka "Dark Globe") is by far the best version of this song ever, and outdoes the "Madcap" version by a long shot; this track alone is well worth getting this album for. Outside of the alternate versions that I just mentioned, two previously unreleased tracks stand out here as being two of the best that Syd ever did: "Dolly Rocker" and "Milky Way." "Dolly Rocker" in particular is an absolutely beautiful song, one that's definitely worth singing to your girlfriend (she'll instantly love it). When Syd stops to turn the page, and then goes into the "Oceans may travel" section, it beautifully affecting, and truly makes me want to cry, it's just that beautiful. A must listen. "Milky Way" is one of Syd's best kept secrets; unlike some of the material here, this is Syd at his absolute best! Great chord progression, great rhythmic guitar playing from Barrett, and above all, a joy to listen to. One of Syd's best songs, hands down.

As I've said, this affair is extremely hit and miss in the truest sense, and should only be approached AFTER you have already bought Syd's two proper solo albums. The handful of really great tracks ("Dolly Rocker," "Milky Way," and "Wouldn't You Miss Me" in particular) make up for any lackings elsewhere, and show proof that even at this stage, Syd could occasionally pull it all together and create a song that is just pure magic. Even casual listeners would be smitten with songs like "Milky Way," but as an album I can only recommend this to the diehards who have everything else Syd ever did. Approach "Opel" with caution, but don't pass it by, either.

Great because he's mad
It's sad to me to read some of these reviews that long for "what could have been" with Syd Barrett. The man was little off and that's what made his music, his singing and his lyrics so great and original. If he'd been like the other glam-pop acts of the seventies, he would've just written shallow overproduced radio cotton candy crap that melts in your brain as soon you hear it and sticks, not because it's sincere, but just because it's intentionally catchy, and ultimately without much heart and soul. That is one thing that Barrett had in spades without really seeming to try, yet very evidently paying for it. Listen to the end of the title track "I'm trying to find you," repeated over and over and tell me you don't feel his sincerity and anguish. I've listened to a lot of music in my days, and I don't hear that kind of heart anywhere. Barrett pours out his soul and it makes you want to cry for him, for yourself for the whole bloody doomed race of man. He remains one of the most original singer-songwriter, artist, musician, mystery, tragedy whatever you want to call him and he's always a consideration in my mind. Opel is a great collection of rough tracks - the best way to hear any musician - with great gems like Clowns and Jugglers (aka Octopus); Rats; Wouldn't You Miss Me (a thorazine-laden version of Dark Globe); and Milky Way. Also on this collection are just plain weird songs like Dolly Rocker, Word Song and Birdie Hop. "Birdie hop, he do, he hop along." That always makes me bust out laughing. You're only as mad as you don't realize. Maybe Barrett wasn't so crazy after all. Maybe he just had real artistic integrity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although ostensibly an EP centering around the song "Swing," starring Maceo Parker from last year's To The Teeth, this Ani DiFranco collection of musical bits and pieces has a thematic consistency, as well as several great covers, which make it interesting. After the song "Swing" itself, here presented in both its original version as well as a funked-up, abbreviated "radio set," a radical take on To The Teeth's title track adds a lithe beat and an active bass line to her blunt attack on America's gun culture. After that, there are three socially aware covers, from Woody Guthrie's testy "Do Re Me" to Phil Ochs's plaintive "When I'm Gone" and the Bob Dylan classic, "Hurricane." DiFranco continues to find new ways to express old ideas, as she uses the slight hoarseness that's crept into her voice in recent years to lend gravity to her interpretations, accompanied by her effortless virtuosity on her ever-present acoustic guitar. The EP ends up sounding not at all like an afterthought, but like crucial listening for any fan of DiFranco's more politically oriented material. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (21)

sWay you'll be there.
Ani DiFranco's second e.p. [following "More Joy, Less Shame" in 1996], is "Swing Set", a 7-track collection of previously unavailable songs that don't fit on actual albums or some reason or another. "Swing" is presented in two versions. One is the album version in it's complete six minute plus ten second glory, the other the just under four minute, cutting the original's rap. Also included are cover's, a live "Do re me" [originally by Woody Gutherie] with Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and Bo Ramsey; and "Hurricane", once considered for Denzel Washington's "The Hurricane"'s soundtrack but later left off in favour of the original Bob Dylan. "To the Teeth" is completely redone in it's "Shoot-Out Remix". It's effective nonetheless. There is also "When I'm Gone", from the film, "Steal this movie!". It is very quiet and is probably the only of the non-album tracks that could've fit comfortably on the album.

In total, it's for those who have at least heard "To the Teeth", the album, as most of it is in that style. It's a funky thirty-minute-plus ride for those who think Ani's new incarnation is refreshing which, as you should know, always are.

ANI DIFRANCO SWINGS INTO SOME HITS & MISSES.
I love this lady, she is original, refreshing and completely beyond the norm of pop.

However her latest "Swing Set" an EP with 6 songs, 2 of them are an album version and radio version of "Swing" falls a little short.

"To the Teeth" is a really good remix, as for the song "Hurricane", but the live version of "Do Re Me" is a little short of embarrasing and the other cut "When I'm Gone" seems poorly produced.

A little disappointing but if you are a DeFranco fan "Swing" and "To The Teeth" make up for it.

Better buy a new CD player
'Cause you're going wear your old one out, especially the repeat button. When I'm Gone is *the best* remake of the song I have ever heard. Hurricane is another great update of the classic Dylan version, and the remix of To The Teeth is better than the origional (hard to believe suc ha thing could ever be said about a remix, huh?). A must have for any DiFranco fan.

CORRECTION !!!
....I especially love the track "While I'm Here" and don't wish any one to be misled into not buying an album they could potentially love based on a false review. Thanks for reading this. Sorry about the mix-up.
- Elena

Good Mainstream-capable Ani
I'm sure nobody would argue that Ani is at her best live, but being in the studio she sure manages to produce some great works. This is a fantastic EP that has some songs that definitely have mainstream appeal on it. Nevertheless, a good listen/buy for a hardcore Ani fan, too. If it had a few more songs on the same level as Swing, it could have been a large mainstream success. In any case, great compared to the rest of what's out there, even if Ani has done and will do better. ... Read more

Album Description

Audra Kubat’s influences — Joni, Miles, Billie and Nick Drake — come through like a coat of many colors woven into a beautiful and haunting style all her own. Her new CD, 'Since I Fell in Love with the Music,' is the latest step in her musical evolution. Organic, ambient, quiet, moody and powerful, with bare and very imaginative production, 'Since I Fell in Love with the Music' is a darker album than its predecessor, yet still stands as a truly inspired collection that will appeal to fans of rock and acoustic music alike. Like her last effort, 'Million Year Old Sand,' it was recorded as a collaboration between Kubat and Gold Cash Gold’s Eric Hoegemeyer, illustrating what happens when two singular artists put their hearts and souls into one project. ... Read more

Album Description

Live album (Luka's first) recorded in concert at TheaterKoninklijk Carre, Amsterdam on February 11th, 2002.Digipak. Evolver. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Almost as good as live!
I first heard Luka Bloom open for the Pogues at the Fillmore in San Francisco in the late 80's. I came away with ringing ears (3 days!), one broken rib and a new musician to love! I would go see him whenever he played in less strenuous venues around town, and he was always astonishing. The power and beauty he can pull out of his guitar is sublime, his singing haunting, and his stage performance charming. I never felt like his studio albums did justice to his live performances, until this one. While no CD can simulate the wonder of Mr Bloom singing 40 feet in front of you, this is a fine substitute until he comes to town again!

fantastic
Luka Bloom is an incredible singer whose deeply emotional and convincing vocals are fully intact, and even more animated live.
Buy this CD.

A wonderful concert
Leaving the Carre Theatre in Amsterdam after Luka Bloom's magical performance that night in February 2002 the only sad thing I felt was that I could not replay the evening again at home. As the sleeve notes to the album say, the audience had no clue the evening was recorded. 'Amsterdam' contains a wonderful live selection of songs from his earlier albums, and the intimacy of the evening can be felt throughout the entire record. Definitely a 'must have'.

almost great
Tracks 8 to 12 are alone worth the price of the album. It's pure magic. His energy, vocals and pounding guitar make it all worth it. I only wish he selected different songs for the first half of the album. Quite frankly, I'm tired of "Sunny Sailor Boy" and "Pablo." Such a slow start, why not Blackberry Time or Accoustic Motorbike? Oh well, it's still a keeper.

A magical night captured on tape....
Since Mr. Bloom's early NY days in the late 80's, there's been one thing that music aficionados agree on; he's AMAZING live. More than 15 years later he's still proving this to be true (and long may it be soo!!). And after all this time, the only thing aside from his clear vocal and instrumental prowess that makes his shows so unforgetable that I can figure, is how much FUN he's having while he's up there. How much passion he honestly delivers in his music. And how well he can connect with an audience. He makes an audience feel as if they are part of the performance, and indeed on that night in Amsterdam, a magical connection with the audience provided us all with the opportunity to hear Luka recorded live. Throughout he is performing at his very best, an excellent crossection of songs which starts with the dream-like
'exploring the blue', has the audience singing their hearts out on 'Sunny Sailor Boy' and 'Fertile Rock'...and the audience is still singing as he takes delirious to new heights..while 'hating this bit'...(the difficult guitar solo)...in it. (: And wraps it all up beautifully and quietly with Gabriel. This is a DEFINITE DON'T MISS!!!! It's well worth the every penny! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Having left Pink Floyd in 1968 after a daily LSD habit had taken its toll, Syd Barrett's first solo album finally appeared two years later with ex-Floyd sidekicks David Gilmour and Richard Wright riding shotgun with him in the studio. The Madcap Laughs is a brilliant but brittle album, with every strum of the electric guitar seeming to take its toll on Barrett's increasingly frayed nerve strings. On songs such as "Love You," his state of mind is well concealed beneath the sort of jolly jangle-pop Blur would later indulge in. On "Dark Globe," however, the strain is palpable: "Please lend a hand ... won't you miss me? Wouldn't you miss me at all?" he pleads, ominously. The best tracks are "Octopus," which possesses all the controlled mania of early Floyd, and "Golden Hair," a still moment of musical rapture whose lyric is taken from a James Joyce poem. --David Stubbs ... Read more

Reviews (13)

a gem
Along with Skip Spence, Roky Erickson, Sky Saxon, and Arthur Lee, it is near impossible to discuss the overall legacy of Roger "Syd" Barrett without slipping in at some point his "madness." As a fan of all of these men, it is sad to hear more about what they allegedly did or how they acted versus what their musical output sounds like.

"The Madcap Laughs" is an album of legendary status. The songs on it are a tad eccentric, yes, but still evidence that even in 1969, as he was allegedly going mad, his songwriting was heads and tails above that of his former Pink Floyd mates (compare these songs to the solo efforts presented by the Floyd on "Ummagumma," their effort of the same period of time).

The performances, featuring members of Dave Gilmour's former band Joker's Wild in a case or 2, are excellent, as well. Most feture only Barrett with his acoustic guitar, and the intimacy works in most cases, especially on the gorgeous "Golden Hair," and the eerie "Feel."

The album, alas was marred with production problems. Syd did live in his own time space world, and as the recording dragged on, Harvest became fidgity, unsure that Syd could deliver the goods on schedule. Under pressure to get the lp out on time, Malcolm Jones, the original producer, (un)wisely handed the producer's reigns over to Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters with the idea that Syd would work better with his friends and get the lp out on time.

The results were disasterous, and only served to fuel the Barrett is crazy legacy. The songs that Gilmour and Waters worked on (tracks 5,7-12) were in many cases not ready, and sounded rushed and awful- with Barrett singing out of his vocal range and sounded confused. In more than 1 case, it was clear by the turning of pages and his pauses that Barrett was working on them for the 1st time. In their defense, the Floyd mates were gaining popularity and had to schedule Barrett's sessions around their increasing touring and the fact that they were completing their "Ummagumma" lp at the same time.

For whatever reason, those takes were included on the lp, and stick out like a sore thumb. The tracks that Jones produced find Barrett in great form- relaxed, within his vocal range- and were excellent tracks. It can be assumed that had Barrett had more time to properly complete the Gilmour/waters produced tracks, they would have been as good.

The legacy of the lp are those few tracks, alas. They are cited as proof that Barrett was going mad and should not have been in a recording studio. I disagree. The rest of the lp shows that with patience in the studio that Barrett created quality tracks ("Golden Hair," "Terrapin, " "Late Night," and "No Good Trying" show Barrett in very fine form) and was in control in the studio.

The circumstances under which the lp were made have to be understood in order to fairly look at this lp. Yes, it is uneven, but still, it is an amazing debut and is a gem.

Extra Tracks Along a Madcap Path
Kicked out of Pink Floyd because of unstable mind, Syd Barrett dissapeared from the music scene for a couple of years. Several years later he returned, stripping down his sound, turning from experimental psychedelia to a sort of acid folk. He went into the studio to record, helped by former bandmates and very patient friends.

The Madcap Laughs is the result. The first (and best) of Syd's two proper studio albums.

There's not a bad track on it. There's "Terrapin" with it's hypnotic drift. There's "Love You" with its poppy melody, chirpy piano and verbal diorrhea lyrics. There's emotional moments like "Dark Globe" and "Late Night", which Syd would never have tried on Piper at the Gates of Dawn. There's guitar fuzz on "No Man's Land". "There's No Good Trying", a loud piece of psychedelia with great drum work, "Here I Go" is Syd's reaction to being kicked out of the Floyd, "Golden Hair" is poetry in motion (literally), "Long Gone" could have sat well on a Pink Floyd album, with its wailing choruses and organ. Even the out of tune "If It's In You" is loveable. It's so bad it's good. You can hear what he's trying to do and how he's doing his best. It shows how difficult it was to record Syd, given his delicate mental state.

This isn't your average pop, rock or folk music. This is a journey. A journey inside a broken mind. Syd Barrett is still whimsical, he's still kind, he's still humourous. He's just a little hurt and a little confused here. Creatively, he's as good as he was on "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", if not better.

I recommend this album to Pink Floyd fans, and those looking to try something out of the ordinary. If you are a music fan who likes every note played perfect, every word on key, an even tempo and polished production, you'd better leave this record alone. It's ragged, but such a wonderful ragged. Even though Syd isn't quite all there, he does the best he can, with humour and with honesty. Good on him!

(The import release is worth it for the bonus tracks. The take of Octopus, an acoustic version, is pretty strong as far as Syd goes. The alternate "It's No Good Trying" is a lot more delicate and jangly that the fuzzy official version. Without all the drums and overdubs, you can hear the chords pretty clearly, which is good for all those musicians out there wanting to know what makes Syd tick. The two takes of "Love You" show just how very different Syd played the same song each time, and just how much of his madness was actually rehearsed. "She Took a Long Cold Look at Me" has a few false starts tacked on the front, and shows Syd struggling to keep level headed. The album ends with a ethereal four track take of "Golden Hair" that features fragile harmonies from Syd. It's better than the takes on Opel by a long shot. Hardcore fans will appreciate these tracks the most.)

Disintigration On Vinyl
Ok, so it's more like disintigration on CD these days. Syd Barrett's first solo album is the work of a man completely falling apart. As the founder of Pink Floyd, Barrett ingested enough LSD to drive a medium sized country mad, and by 1968 and 1969 (when this album was recorded) his mental state was very schizophrenic. Even with these problematic mental disorders (or maybe becasue of), Barrett managed to create a classic.

Following Barrett's dismissal from Pink Floyd in early 1968, the band's managers followed Barrett, assuming that the band could not survive without their creative light (oops). While time has obviously proved them wrong, they soon set Barrett to work with producer Malcomb Jones and the trippy combo The Soft Machine to create a pop album. Barrett's performances soon proved to be erratic and strange, and it was soon apparent that the music was not going to set the teen scene on fire. The sessions were shelved (although temporarily as many tracks are included on the album) and "Octopus" was unleashed as a single. It unsurprisingly did not go far.

Cut forward a few months and former bandmate Roger Waters and Syd's own replacement David Gilmore wheel Barrett back into the studio for some more fun and games. These sessions were acoustically based, and allowed Barrett to do pretty much whatever he wanted to do, even if it was endlessly strange.

The final album is a somewhat daunting listen, but quite phenomenal if you can get your mind into Syd's world, where things like rhythm are rather amorphous. "No Good Trying," "No Man's Land," "Octopus," and "Late Night" are strange but amazing masterpieces of psychedelic rock. On the first two especially, the backing musicians sound like they're furiously trying to keep up with Syd (no good trying?) and the music is always on the verge of flying apart at the seams in a wonderful and interesting sort of way. "Terrapin," "Dark Globe," and "Golden Hair" are the more acoustic classics.

Now I'm guilty of a bit of blasphemous resequencing in regards to my own copy of "The Madcap Laughs." I've taken out "Feel" and "If It's In You," which I think qualify as acoustic shambles, and replace them with "Opel" and "Silas Lang." These are outtakes from the Malcomb Jones sessions that I think are amazing (especially "Opel") and bewilderingly left off the album. They can be found on the otherwise hit or miss odds-and-sods complation "Opel."

Although more expensive, I heartily recommend the EMI reissue of this disc. The remastering is far superior to Capitol's disc, and the alternate takes are illuminating. Barrett never played a song the same way twice; that was likely part of his madness. Better yet, get all of Barrett's remastered studio legacy in the "Shine On Crazy Diamond" box set (which may be a bit difficult as I think it's out of print).

Long gone.
Well, I've been enjoying this album, along with the other two Syd Barrett albums for a few years now. If you like one, you'll like them all. Syd Barrett was NOT a genius, but a very talented songwriter who "lost himself a bit", shall we say?

I try to imagine walking into a pub late one night, and suddenly faced with this guy just playing his spacey music to a pair of drunks, a few empty bottles and a bartender smoking a cigarette. Pure magic. The unique music from a guy who seems to have fallen down the rabbit hole and may still down there for all we know. I remember hearing once he was alive and sort-of well, writing a history of art never meant for public consumption. It would be a strange come-back for sure. However, these albums somehow leave blanks for the listener's imagination to fill in.

I've heard REM do a cover of "Dark Globe" - and if nothing else, it amplifies the uniqueness of Syd Barrett. It was less REM taking a song and making it their own, and more of REM trying to capture the mood of the source material by walking into Syd's territory. I've heard Skip Spence's album OAR several times; in comparison to MADCAP LAUGHS, it's musically richer and grounded in something closer to his peers. But somehow Syd Barrett's music has a charm that the other loonies of rockdem lack: It's kind of childish, it is kind of love-lorn, sort of romantic tipping back into the tragic. The albums capture that delicate balance perfectly - amidst all the imperfection.

"Dark Globe" is the definitive Barrett composition - not necessarily the best. If you need clarity and meaning in music, if you need demographic, if you need a genre and something that is identifiable as this or that - Syd is not for you. This is one of those curious albums that you come across very rarely. Like finding an old record in your grandmother's attic and listening to it constantly - a sonic snapshot of a few random moments that will never be again.

Sparse Musical Merit; More Of an Answer to "What If...?"
The story of Syd Barrett has been repeated countless times, but I'll repeat it again anyway. After becoming addicted to hallucenogenic drugs, the original leader of Pink Floyd pretty much lost all of his musical talent, not to mention a good deal of his mental stability. The remaining members of Pink Floyd made a wise, necessary move when they dropped him from the line-up in 1968, but two members (David Gilmour and Roger Waters) would reunite with their estranged colleague briefly to produce his first solo effort, "The Madcap Laughs."
Not surprisingly, the music within is just as mind-numbing and painful to listen to as some of the work he did with Pink Floyd (that in which his mental decline was apparent anyway). Of course, Gilmour and Waters do their best to improve it, but the task proves to be impossible. There is no musical merit in "The Madcap Laughs," just the same predictably confusing tunes and lyrics one would expect from someone on a steady diet of LSD. I don't say that to be insulting, but it remains true that the music within contains no solid point or quality. Although some tracks have become cult fan-favorites, like 'Golden Hair,' 'Octopus,' and 'Terrapin' (which even David Gilmour has performed live on occasion), this album is unbearable, and at times painful and sad, to listen to.
One redeeming aspect of "The Madcap Laughs" is that it provides an answer to the question "What if Syd Barrett had continued writing for the Floyd?" Here, the answer is obvious--their music would have suffered severely and they ultimately would have disintegrated. But although Barrett certainly had a limited influence on the rest of the band musically, he still made an impact in subject matter, as felt on such Pink Floyd classics as "Wish You Were Here."
Some credit is due to Barrett however, as this album is not a mere exploitation of his dementia, such as the available film of his first experience with acid. Although most of us see right through it, "The Madcap Laughs" is essential for actual fans of Syd Barrett (those who are left anyway), the man who is living (in physical form) proof that no matter how shoddy your music is, you'll always be called a genius if you go insane. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

--
I don't know the complete story behind this record in reference to it being a hoax or a put-on or who played what. What I do know is that it's my favorite John Fahey record, and if that makes me less enlightened than the average Fahey fan, I can live with that.

I don't think it's important that this record spends less time spotlighting Fahey's guitar virtuosity than is normally the case. This is a record that's about a certain ambience created by collage, and the fact that Fahey uses unknown accompanists and found sounds makes it no less authentic or personal than his other guitar-only recordings that the Byronic Fahey enthusiasts long for. What's essentially important about the record is that Fahey was responsible for it, assembled it, and that it was born out of his head, if not always his hand. That's why it's valid.

As much of a purist as Fahey could be - perhaps wishing that he were around 40 years earlier to learn first-hand from his influences - he wasn't an irrational purist. By that I mean he wasn't afraid to like or use technology. He didn't use technology as paint, so to speak, but rather as his brush, and 'Voice of the Turtle' was his most complete technological statement. It was extremely rare that Fahey used an electronic sound in his music, yet the way he assembled certain songs - and the the entire 'Voice of the Turtle' album - was influenced by modern technology in the form of found sounds and the occasional electronic drone or squak. The third and fourth 'A Raga Called Pat's on 'Voice of the Turtle', as well as the first two on 'Days Have Gone By' are not adventurous because they abandon his roots, they're adventurous because they express his roots and vision differently. Instead of simulating an environment, an era, or a mood on guitar, Fahey gives them to you - straight-up - and then does his musical thing, whether it be guitar or something else, on top of it, making those pieces into virtual field recordings, and what's more 'Fahey' than a field recording? That's right - nothing. His roots and vision did not change on those pieces.

By saying that 'Voice of the Turtle' was Fahey's most complete technological statement, I don't imply that he necessarily used more technology than on any other record. It has to do with the coherence of the technology and how it brings the record together rather than isolating certain songs as in the case of 'Days Have Gone By' and 'Requia'. The way the 'A Raga Called Pat's, 'The Story of Dorothy Gooch, Part 1' and the drone that opens and closes the record work against the more traditional material is purposeful, not merely experimental. The above songs give the more upbeat traditional pieces an interesting subtext of menace that suggests that even in good times, trouble is never far. They also re-inforce the doom-laden crossroads mythology that Fahey liked to play with in some of his delta blues pieces.

I can understand how 'Voice of the Turtle' can be lost on some who appreciate Fahey's technique first and foremost, but what I can't understand is why Fahey's technique is first and foremost. He was one of the greatest artists of his time, avoiding retro by taking the time to understand history and then coming back again into the present to show us what he found and how it's really the same.

Impossible to describe, but I will try anyway
This album wasn't the first I heard by John Fahey, but it was the first music that I listened to SERIOUSLY. At the time, I had no choice. Fahey did a number of remarkable things in his early career, but with this album he created a world that is more like a theatrical illusion--as opposed an artist simply performing on a guitar. Its a collosal prank, to be sure, but, the joke isn't immediately apparent. When I first heard it, 34 years ago, I absolutely did not know how to interpret or comprehend it--it just broke down all of my cognitive categories. It was truly liberating. The thing resonates on so many different subtle levels. At that point in my life, I lived in a little shack in the canyons of northern CA, had a little old record player, and about 3 records that belonged to a girlfriend, one of which was The Voice of the Turtle. I listened to it over and over, became obsessed with it, studied every detail of the album liner notes. Tacoma Park, MD, Fahey's boyhood home, is frequently referenced in his song titles. Back in the 40's and 50's when Fahey was a kid, steam engines hauled freight and passenger trains every few minutes through the heart of Tacoma Park, spewing white steam and black smoke. They kept it up into the 60's by which time Fahey had transmigrated to Berkeley, CA. Tacoma Park had a real rural character back then, and many of Fahey's songs mythologize familiar places along the right of way through that neighborhood. For example, Fahey has a song on one of his albums titled, "The View East from the Riggs Road B&O Railway Trestle". I spent many days rolling by that location when I worked for the B&O--made a tape recording of the song and went there to listen to it--looking East, of course. Even though Voice of the Turtle was the recording that piped me into the Magic Mountain, it is not necessarily my favorite of Fahey's recordings. That would have to be Volume 6, although I love everything he ever released. Either this music speaks to you, or it doesn't. If you like the convergence of chanting monks and temple bells with locomotive whistles and thunderstorms swirled with archaic, primitive, blues guitar, that could serve as the soundtrack for Steamboat Willy, then do yourself a favor and tune in.

a little style and humor goes a long way
John Fahey was truely a marvel, rediscovering, performing and recording traditional country blues with a precision and dedication unmatched by any other artist. So it might seem a little heretical to suggest that after any number of volumes of this work that there was a sense of extreme focus, or even a clinical approach. This album goes along way in rebuking that notion, showing the artist's wickedly droll sense of humor, along with a welcome experiment with some decidedly psychedelic tinge, indulging in the powerful counterculture zeitgeist.
It is this unexpected quirkiness that adds real personality and affection to the steady underlying brilliance. This is a very interesting project, and highly recommended to those who would prefer their Fahey clothed with a little offbeat style.

Outrageous
"That whole record was a hoax. On all the songs that say it's me it isn't and vice versa." - John Fahey A lavish autobiographical fantasy, an absurd exercise in self-gratification, or self-deprecation, hard to tell; a labour of love for sure, a financial disaster, definitely, a grand folly, a lovely indulgence, a holiday from seriousness, a mosaic of diverse musical traditions and a discographical nightmare; "The Voice of the Turtle" is all these things. The most rococo expression of Fahey's sense of the absurd, with its lying notes, self-mythologising and lunatic picture book, this is a serious joke. With those notes, and that picture album so lovingly subtitled, the sleeve in all its gatefolded glory - "the author age 17" , the quote from the Bible which everyone including Fahey knows means turtledoves, not turtles, this record comes at you like a conceptual piece, a bold encryption of a dream of a possibility. Fahey, I award you the Turner Prize for 1968. ... Read more

Album Details

An Excellent Overview Of, and Introduction To, this Prolific Young Artist's Already Substantial Music Catalolge. Includes Songs from Solo Albums, Group Appearances and Collaborations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dan Bern's obsession with Bob Dylan (and, to an extent, Elvis Costello) is easy to stomach because he takes himself so humorously. "If you must put me in a box, make sure it's a big box, with lots of windows," he sings, before declaring himself the Messiah, on the talking-blues opener "Jerusalem." He also wonders what would have happened if Marilyn Monroe had married Henry Miller, not Arthur Miller, on the catchy "Marilyn Monroe." The singer/songwriter's debut occasionally drags, especially on long songs like "Wasteland" and "Rome," but this disc hints at a career worth following. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (11)

An original, enthralling album.
Dan Bern really has distinguished himself from all the rest with this album. His lyrics are totally random, yet somehow captivating. "Wasteland" is one of the best songs I have ever heard and this album is truly amazing. It is such a relief to hear something that you can't really fit into a category for once. Wow!!!

This is good, but he's better live.......
I first saw Dan Bern play at a local coffee house and was blown away. Despite his slightly annoying Dylan-wannabe voice, his lyrics were witty, funny, and insightful. The live show seemed to be very spontaneous, very Springsteen-esque, with stories and all. After the show, I was so enthralled with him that I bought this album then and there. Unfortunatly I was slightly disappointed. There are some artists who simply cannot convey their talent on a studio album, they must be seen live. Dan Bern seems to be one of these artists. Even though they are not AS good, they are still some excellent songs on this album. "Wasteland" is a look at the crumbling world around this middle aged man. He observes his friends who have abandoned their dreams, and a society of people obsessed with being the "in-crowd" and losing their sense of individuality. A very interesting song. Other highlights include "Jerusalem," which many consider to be his finest work, and "Marilyn," a hilarious look at Marilyn Monroe's life if she had married Henry Miller. I would recommend this album to fans of folk-ish rock, but I would recommend to EVERYONE that you see him live! I promise you, he won't disappoint.

Hmmmmm......I'd think twice next time.
Bought this on a whim. Next Time, I'd do my homework a little more thoroughly. If I could, I would give this a Zero star rating. This is guy is a joke. What the heck is he trying to pass off as music anyway.

I've been tempted to mail the CD back to him, and ask him for the 13.99 I paid for it back.

wow.
He's funny, he's thoughtful, he's vibrant and pithy and... well, everything I could ever want out of an artist. When I heard the first minute of "Jerusalem," I knew I had to hear more. It was partially a gut reaction to the resonant chords he uses, I think, but then when I heard the words --- yeah. Wow. I love his colorful, expressive voice and ragged acoustic sound, which I think is particularly evident on the second track, "Go To Sleep," which I also love for its punchy rhythm and acute (but somehow amusing) commentary on our (over-)commercialized lives. "There's some tomatoes/ Chemically engineered/ They come out square/ To fit in boxes./ There's some people/ Chemically engineered/ They come out square/ To fit in boxes." Yeah - I think we all know a few "squares" in our lives...

The next song, "Wasteland," mourns the loss of one of his relationships, but it also focuses on the loss of our idealistic dreams and the sacrifice of our soul to the gods of practicality and "real life." The Amazon "official" editorial review says that the album "drags" on this track, but I fervently disagree. Yes, it's a long song. But I feel like it's a necessary break between the frenetic pace of "Go To Sleep" and "Marilyn." Besides, it's not exactly a dirge. It hits a universal chord with lines like, "And I watched as the best of my generation/ Abandoned their dreams/ And settled for making a little money." Plus, it's still kinda makes you laugh, or smirk - "But she kept driving / 'Cause everyone else kept driving / And cause gridlock is evil / And not knowin' your way is evil."

The rest of the CD is just as good - although I would say that the first half is more catchy than the last, but *all* of it is good. (And so are all of his other albums, if you're curious, although some might find that Ani DiFranco's production aesthetic on "Fifty Eggs" gets a little tiring after several listens. Personally, I think his other albums are more faithful to Dan's "sound" than "Fifty Eggs," and therefore, better, but I still got hooked on to Dan after hearing "Fifty Eggs," so that just tells you how much soul this guy has.) Dan Bern is amazing, and this, his first full-length album, reflects a good chunk of his ability.

Awesome!
Great emerging artist!

This guy is going far. ... Read more

Album Description

2003 album for husband & wife duo featuring 13 songs aboutWal-Marts, lovers who chase the fire in the streetlights,the madness of very deep holes, a lake that can be visitedin dreams, and the shadows that whisper inside a modern,office building. It is the Handsome Family's 6th CD withCarrot Top Records. Lyrics included in the sleeve. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Murder Ballads
Husband and wife duo the Handsome Family has been making music for almost a decade that is somewhere between alt-country and traditionalist music. Brett Sparks is from Texas where he studied music. He moved to Chicago with his wife Rennie Sparks, a fiction writer originally from Long Island. Their music deals with dark themes and dark humor.

The Handsome Family's debut album, Odessa, was released in January 1995. This folk record was a home recording with a punk influence. Their second record, Milk and Scissors (1996), led to tours with Wilco, and more shows in Europe. Years later Brett was hospitalized with depression. Through the Trees (1998), the Handsome Family's third album was written and recorded in the aftermath of this time. This became their most successful record yet.

Around this time, they quit their day jobs and worked on their music full time. The result was In the Air (2000), which was another great record. The Handsome Family played several tours of America and Europe. A live record was released soon after. In the last part of this past year they released Singing Bones (2003). This record returned to early sounds and expanded their audience. It was voted as one of the best records of 2003 by Free Williamsburg.

Rennie Sparks is the Gabriel Garcia Marquez of alt-country
What else can I say? Her lyrics contrast visionary, sometimes somewhat morbid settings with closely observed, incongruous detail. My favourite narrative from this record is "Song of a Hundred Toads," in which a string of disasters ---

Round a hairpin turn
The wagon tumbled o'er
And down the jagged rocks
Bill fell with all I owned.

--- leaves a man stranded in a desert, only as his final night falls to be greeted by the epiphany of the title: the song of a hundred toads. "The Bottomless Hole" strikes an H. P. Lovecraft note, but Lovecraft with a difference: it seems it's -useful- to have a bottomless pit behind your barn, even if you end up obsessed with the urge to explore it.

Moving to New Mexico seems to have added some new, somewhat more upbeat "western" seeming rhythms and chord changes to Brett's music. There are occasional touches of Spanish guitars, and on one song even a trumpet. The musical saw on "24 Hour Store" is another instrumental highlight.

Support this band!
If you like your country music with rousing, beautiful harmonies and a gothic edge, then look no further! This talented husband & wife duo record in their home in New Mexico and find the time to respond personally to their fans. Use your dollar to support their "cottage industry" ...

Simple, Spare and Powerful
For me this is the most satisfying Handsome Family CD the Sparks' have yet released. Moving from Chicago to New Mexico seems to have broadened their unique, but sometimes claustrophic vision. If the lyric themes remain constant (and they do -- there are plenty of dead people singing), they are packaged in a consistent sound that could have been lifted from an old Marty Robbins record and speaks of space, solitude and often harsh beauty. Conspicuous desert imagery drives several cuts, including the wonderfully sad Gail with the Golden Hair, Far From Any Road and The Song of a Hundred Toads.

The Family's world is at once colored with our thousands of ordinary moments, inhabited by the collective experience of those who have preceded us on the planet (Fallen Peaches), and drawn to the alluring not-yet-known, that sense that there is another world just at the corner of your vision. Thus, in 24 Hour Store, ghosts open and close the automatic sliding doors. On The Bottomless Hole, Rennie gets off one of her best lyric turns, "My name I don't remember/Though I hail from Ohio/I had a wife and children/Good tires on my car...," as the singer's obsession leads him to, literally and with his wife's quite willing assistance, cut away all ties to earth's surface and tumble "in a claw-foot tub" through a pit with no end. And just in case after all this you have any remaining doubts that Handsome Family's vision is not exactly short-term, they very kindly make it explicit for you in their terrific cover of the spiritual Old Bones and, even more, the twin pieces If the World Should End in Fire and If the World Should End in Ice.

Back to their roots...in a way
Any Handsome Family album is worth your while. This is their first album since leaving Chicago and moving to the Southwest. The change is noticeable in the fact that they seemed to have gone back to simpler melodies and arrangements.Subject mater is still vitage stuff from this brilliant duo. Overall, it seems like an old fashioned Handsome Family album. Gets better with every listen. My current favorite is the haunting, "A Shadow Underneath." If you are already a fan, you won't be let down. ... Read more

Album Description

Having laid down a whole catalogue of classics during theeighties on Cherry Red & then Creation, Felt came to El toassume something of the label's style. A surprisinglyenigmatic record known only to the band's hard-corefollowing, but indeed essential to any with a weakness forthe inventive guitar pop propagated by this group.Originally issued in 1989. Features ten tracks packaged ina gatefold paper jacket. Cherry Red. 2004. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A world of their own
This is probably my 2nd favorite Felt album of the 5 or so I've bought (1st is the debut, third is probably Poem of the River).

It treads the oft-trod intersection of country and rock in a pretty fancy fashion--nowhere near as gritty as the Rolling Stones's forrays into that terrain, it's a much more polished and reverb- and chorus-laden.There are steel guitars and background singers--I guess it's kind of Nixon-era Lambchop-ish in that sense--but Lawrence is just off in space the whole time...and although it seems like he is striving to be intentionally quaint and cute, I have no problem with it here.Because the songs are all extremely odd but clever and catchy, and, as usual with Felt, THE GUITAR PARTS ARE FANTASTIC.

as unique a guitar persona/identity as Verlaine or Manzanerra, excellent solos, varied styles.I think it's kind of like what would happen if Oscar Wilde or Corky St. Clair (Guffman) came to Nashville and decided to make a country album.

I say buy it.

a neglected pop band
This was felt's last album, winding up the 1980's.Ten albums and ten singles in 10 years is how the story is usually told.There seems to be a renewed interest in felt due to their name being dropped by Belle and Sebastian, a good thing in my opinion.I like both bands.Chances are if you like B&S you'll like this, you can pick up elements of felt in their sound and in the iconography they use.

This record is the least sparse sounding of all the felt records and production wise sounds the most like B&S.The pedal steel, fender rhodes piano, mellotron, hammond organ and arp string ensemble add nice touches outlining and enhancing lawrence's songs.Lawrence's voice sounds a bit like lou reed and little like bob dylan.

There's a nice mixture of mid tempo and upbeat numbers here, the general mood is melancholic but without a descent into self pity so common with indie bands of today.Felt was a literate and intelligent pop band, their music and album sleeves created a world that was both mysterious and compelling. Its recommended.

a neglected pop band
This was felt's last album, winding up the 1980's.Ten albums and ten singles in 10 years is how the story is usually told.There seems to be a renewed interest in felt due to their name being dropped by Belle and Sebastian, a good thing in my opinion.I like both bands.Chances are if you like B&S you'll like this, you can pick up elements of felt in their sound and in the iconography they use.

This record is the least sparse sounding of all the felt records and production wise sounds the most like B&S.The pedal steel, fender rhodes piano, mellotron, hammond organ and arp string ensemble add nice touches outlining and enhancing lawrence's songs.Lawrence's voice sounds a bit like lou reed and little like bob dylan.

There's a nice mixture of mid tempo and upbeat numbers here, the general mood is melancholic but without a descent into self pity so common with indie bands of today.Felt was a literate and intelligent pop band, their music and album sleeves created a world that was both mysterious and compelling. Its recommended.

fuzzy felt flowing freely from fluffy fretboards... duh
if you like felt you need this. but then again if you like felt you probabaly already have this. duh.. all songs are like buttah

Felt flows through my soul...
listening to anything by felt is a little like a silent day next to the danube. if only you are deaf. this like all albums by felt play's soft through "an unclutterred" mind as belle would say. id recommendgoing to college instead of being obsessed with these folk. it is alwaysthe right choice. the songs are not over 20 minutes and if you like feltyou'll like this. but then again if you like feltyou own this.... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nearly perfect
Efo is as unclassifiable as any band out there. Their blending of folk, rock, ska, jazz and country/gospel seems so familiar and comfortable while also making you sit up and take notice. Nobody recording today can out sing Julie Murphy Wells. The band's intelligent sense of humor and gift for capturing a moment in an image is unpretentious and clever. Efo at their best, "Big Noise" will make you a believer. Buy all of their albums, catch them live and see why this band has survived for 10+ years playing small venues across the country. The Best.

BUY THIS CD and Become an EDhead
I am one of the fortunate ones who have seen EFO live! I was so overwhelmed by the show I picked up this CD. I put in on RealPlayer and I just keep playing it over and over. So many great tunes, from the tight harmonies on "Gravity" to the catchy storytelling of "Observation" - there is so much to the CD. EFO has it all - great music, intricate lyrics and great performances - see them live for the full effect.

Wow
Possibly the best thing to ever come out of Northern Virginia. Captivating. Fun. Reflective. Energetic. Haunting. I could break out the old Thesaurus and look for more words but you get the idea. These songs will make you smile and think repeatedly and become a part of your life- not a bad deal for a few bucks. The ending harmony of Gravity sends chills through me. Great, great stuff...

A great introduction to the band...
I've been a huge fan of Eddie from Ohio since seeing them play live at a Friday night outdoor concert in Herndon, VA four years ago. I'd heard a lot of buzz about the group, but never heard them, and it's worth a trip to a local club--without a doubt! The best thing about this group is their combination of folk sound and truly intelligent lyrics--songs like The Train Song draw on folk (and, in this case, bluegrass) roots while still bringing a modern sensibility--EFO is never too serious for their own good! I recommend buying The Portable EFO Show first, then buying this album. And once you see them in concert, you'll be buying the older discs, too! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A nice find in the bargain bins
After finding it in the bargain bins of the [local store], it was interesting to see that it's only available on Amazon as a high-priced import. It also looks like a lot of her stuff is tough to get, and that's a shame. I first became aware of Michelle Shocked by getting 1988's "Short Sharp Shocked" on LP, which I still own. I was happy to see she had a hit video with "On the Greener Side" a few years later, but for some reason I never kept up with her career. Which is strange because I played "Short..." over and over and over again. So I snapped this one up as soon as I saw it to see what else she's been doing.

I've pretty much stopped doing "Best of.." albums for Amazon, as they are a no-win situation. I could trash the work, like I did with Styx, and all that happens there is that tons of fans trash you by finding the review "Not Helpful". Or I could praise the album, like I'm tempted to with Dire Straits, but am I going to say anything that a fan doesn't already know?

This, on the other hand, is worth writing about, mostly because most people have never heard of her, and her stuff is tough to get. This album contains three songs from "Short..." ("Anchorage", "If Love Was a Train", "When I Grow Up", plus "On the Greener Side", which is all I'd ever heard. For those that only have this, I would highly recommend "Short.." as it has several more great tunes.

Where the "Short..." Songs were mostly folky stuff, and they're great, I was delighted to find a wide variety of styles here, which makes me want to check out the availability of more of her works. "On the Greener Side" is a great uptempo pop number. "Quality of Mercy" is a nice smokey blues number. "Street Corner Ambassador" is very jazzy. I'd put "Too Little too Late" in the Patsy Cline category. "Over the Waterfall" has an Irish accompanyment, and "Holy Spirit" is a flat-out spiritual. The rest can go into the folky category, and that's OK. I can do without some of the wailing on "Stillborn", but as a guy, I'm not supposed to identify with such things.

Right now I'd have to say this is the most enjoyable album I've listened to all year, and will definately seek out more "product" from the lady.

Music Lover from Winston-Salem
The music has a wide range and is difficult to describe. From the bluesy "If Love was a Train" to pop hit "On the Greener Side" to folk, and even gospel. Whatever you classify it as, it is great to listen to.

If you ever get a chance to see her in concert, go. We've been to see Michelle 3 times and each time has been very different. Her live performances give you the story behind the song, and that really make it even more interesting.

All we're going to get for awhile
This is okay if you can't find her albums, but it's no substitute for any of them.

Classic Shocked
If you like her voice and want a single CD then this is great. ... Read more

Album Description

The Green World is the Dar Williams of the 21st Century collecting the musical, inspirational and emotional elements she developed over the last three albums and taking them all one great musical step further. The songs on The Green World shine. Recorded in Woodstock and in New York City, Dar has added a new dimension to her work by using producer Stewart Lerman and a host of ace studio musicians. Their dramatic arrangements showcase not only her appealingly complex lyrics but also her growing musical and vocal maturity. Dar has added a new dimension to her recorded work.

A DualDisc is a two-sided disc made up of a CD on one side and a DVD on the other, DualDisc’s breakthrough technology allows one disc to have it all. A full album on the CD side. All sorts of special material on the DVD side, including the full album in a 5.1 Surround Sound, exclusive video content and lyrics. DualDisc work wherever you play CD’s and DVD’s, including car stereos, PC’s DVD Players, game consoles and CD players. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

what the....???
Um, for an album supporting abortion rights, isn't the cover for this cd a little inappropriate? or perhaps it's TOO appropriate...either way it's pretty gross.

but the madonna track kicks!

Just say whaaattt?
This cd is really bad with one exception...the rare Madonna single "Goodbye to Innocence." This track is great, it's a precursor to the famous techno/electronic albums Madonna has recently made. The lyrics interweave elegantly with the digital soundscape of the song. It really is a great track...buy it only for this single if you are a die-hard Maddie fan!

If you like Danelle Dax...and even if not....
I found this album at a mucic store in Berkeley last time I was up there, listed under Danelle Dax. I'm not too sure why it was listed under her, but she is the reason I bought this album. Most of the songs are a bit mainstream, but this is an over all good mix of style, with a good message behind it. I personally have a liking to female vocals, and Kristian Hersh and the Waterlillys fill that hole well. Doubleplusgood is very interesting, and it took a while, but I've really gotten into their fun style. But again, the selling point for me was Danelle Dax's song "Defiled", for all us fans who wonder what happen to her after Pop Eyes, here she is. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Gillian Welch has captured the ethos of mountain music in a way that few lowlanders have managed, and that's just a little disconcerting. Outsiders aren't supposed to be able to infiltrate tight-knit clans. Producer T-Bone Burnett creates intimacy by recording Welch live with a small cast of supporting players, including Welch's partner, David Rawlings. While many of the songs are built around duo acoustic guitars and two-part harmonies, Burnett spices up a few of them up with some neat tricks, mixing an upright bass above the vocals on "Pass You By" and getting a fat, dirty sound out of three instruments. Welch's vocals, meanwhile, are stoical and matter-of-fact as her songs, which are infused with a repressed dread and contrition that's utterly convincing. White gospel tunes like "Orphan Girl" and "By the Mark" feel as if they were culled from hymnals, yet they were written when Clinton, not Coolidge, was president. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Gillian Welch; powerful artist
Thanks to Amazon, I found Gillian Welch via their "customers also bought" information bar while purchasing an Emmylou Harris recording. Ms Welch posesses a sincere and refreshing approach to "country" music. Her soul searching lyrics are brought together with her haunting voice as a Hermann Hesse novel. They both express the human life experience. Ms Welch's diversity is far reaching with "Paper Wings" (Billy Holliday would love this song) to "Acony Bell" (a sweet and precious song). I used to write and play similiar songs to my daughter Amber Faith. If you desire an experience with soul searching music, purchase this recording.

One I can't live without...
I walked into a record store one day and heard the first few songs off of Revival over the store speakers and they stopped me in my tracks. I immediately bought it (and I'm not the impulsive type) and my husband and I played it just about every morning for the first month we owned it. Gillian and David have somehow managed to channel the ghosts of Appalachian oldtimers through their souls and onto this disc. This music is as real and haunting as it gets. I can't say enough about it, it just gets under your skin and stays there. If you ever get a chance to see them live, you'll understand how incredibly gifted they are. If you like alt country or twangy folk, this is a must have!

Essential Gillian Welch
Forget the hype of 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Forget about "alt-country". Forget about "mountain music". This is the debut album from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. And its an experience.

How can you NOT mention Rawlings every time you talk about Welch? It is only together, that they've created some of the most beautiful, haunting, melancholic songs I have ever heard. I've been fortunate enough to see them play on two occasions, they're also outstanding live musicians and they had the audience spellbound for the entire length of the concert. This is the perfect record to start your GW/DR collection with...

Beautiful alt-country debut album.
It's hard to believe this is Welch's first album: the songwriting is unbelievably solid, and the music is hauntingly reminiscent of early bluegrass and country music. She came from a musical family (her parents scored the music for "The Carol Burnett Show"), and she attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where she met her musical partner David Rawlings.

Welch's and Rawlings's voice and instrumentations blend beautifully, and one of the standout songs on the album is "By The Mark", where you can hear Rawlings clearly echoing and harmonizing with Welch's voice. Other songs worth mentioning are the mournful "Annabelle" and "Tear My Stillhouse Down".

It should be noted also that Emmylou Harris was so impressed with Welch and with this album that she later covered "Orphan Girl".

Disappointing
If this is her best (as indicated by many others here), I'm incredibly disappointed. I bought this CD because I heard one song (from "Soul Journey") that I liked on the radio. After reading the reviews, I chose this CD because it was the most raved about.

Three of the songs on this CD sound just like her tune on "Oh Brother..." The rest of the CD is, well... mediocre. There's absolutely nothing original or touching here. I don't care about Gillian's background, I just want to listen to great music. This is not great music. She sounds like any other mediocre country-folk artist.

... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Best Bit isn't the revelation its predecessor, Trailer Park, was. With that eye-opening debut, Beth Orton was marked as an uncommonly promising newcomer. Best Bit represents a rest stop between records. That said, the five-song EP is of value, if for no other reason than it unites the Londoner with American folk-soul stylist Terry Callier, who duets with Orton on his own "Lean on Me," as well as a cover of Fred Neil's "Dolphins." The title track provides another highlight; just as with the strongest tracks on Trailer Park, Orton here reinforces the notion that she's the long-sought offspring of such rich-voiced '60s thrushes as Bobbie Gentry, Jackie DeShannon, and Dusty Springfield. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Beautiful Beth
This brief bit of Beth Orton's magic really cannot be missed. Each of the five offerings is, in my opinion, "amazing" (in the words of another reviewer). But possibly the best track is "Lean On Me," written by Beth, of course, and sung with her jazz buddy Terry Callier.

This short but infinitely sweet EP is a must for any Orton fan, and a good introduction to her voice and talents. I never tire of it. Ever. Which is about the highest compliment I can give. Order it yourself and find out!

Churning out the hits!
I have been a Beth Head for about four months now and have bought up almost everything I can find by Ms. Orton. The song Best Bit is an obvious reference to her mother, whose passing apparantly has affected her music in every way. The second song, Skimming Stones is probably the only cut on this EP which could be considered as filler. It, however, is quite infectuous in its own right. The two collaborations with American folk singer Terry Callier are outright fantastic! Callier's voice on Dolphins is strong and controlled and Beth just follows along nicely with him. Lean on me is a powerful tune that some day will become a folksinging legend. All this leads us to the final cut on this short but great album; Touch Me With Your Love is a re-recording of a song from Beth's first album, Trailer Park. The song is no nonsense music. Beth Orton at her best with just vocals and guitar. If I had to play one song by Beth to someone who had never heard of her, that would be the one. I would recommend this EP to anyone who is fond of folk music with a lot of soul. Beth's music just keeps getting better and better.

Got to have it
I've never written a review on Amazon before, although I am a frequent shopper, but this cd is incredible. If you never heard of beth orton or terry callier, who cares? Give it a try. The music is so moving, you won't be able to stop listening to it. Trust me on this one.

Just hanging out & jamming
This collaborative work with the great Terry Callier was an interlude following "Trailer Park", while "Central Reservation" was still gestating. Callier is an icon in folk circles, and Orton celebrates his influence in the "Trailer Park" liner notes. Small wonder, then, that she seems to be having so much fun jamming with him on this release.

Though Orton includes some original tunes on this EP, the middle cuts are the centerpiece. Here, Orton shares vocals and guitar duties with Callier. The result is a burlap collaboration of sweet guitars and plain-jane harmonies. They sound for all the world like they're hanging out in the living room, having a blast. We are lucky enough to watch and listen. The "best bit" is their rendition of Fred Neill's "Dolphins", which I've only ever heard another cover of, that by Linda Ronstadt on the Stone Poneys' "Hand Sown, Home Grown" album. Orton and Callier let the lyrics carry them and they follow along with wonderfully open results.

A common criticism of Orton is that her vocals tend to reediness or wander off-key. Whilst I don't hear the off-key bit much at all, I think the reedy quality to some of her vocals adds to her essential appeal as a "folk" singer. We have become so exposed to slick, highly produced music we seem to forget that most music is organic, hand-made and tends to be messy. The squeak of fingers changing chords, the trail of a note on a last gasp of breath, the sharp inhalation between phrases or notes -- this is the stuff of music. The "rough edges" on these tunes are their beauty. Enjoy!

GREAT!
This is a must for all Beth Orton fans. All the songs are absolutely great (excluding the slow dragging 'Dolphins') and Terry Callier's duet with Beth on 'Lean on Me' is amazing. Buy this or be sad. ... Read more