Amazon.com

For a man who gets his biggest kicks surfing the waves and strumming his guitar on a lonely beach in native Hawaii, singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has carved out quite a remarkable career on the mainland. His 2003 album, On and On, debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 and subsequently went platinum on the back of hit single "The Horizon Has Been Defeated." The follow-up, meanwhile, seems destined to shine even brighter. The drifting chords and soft voice are still in place, only now Johnson's instinct for melody has sharpened alongside his ability to self-edit. These small concessions make third album, In Between Dreams, his most conspicuous, particularly on tracks like the three-minute relationship drama, "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing," and "Breakdown," a song he originally recorded for Handsome Boy Modeling School's White People album remade here to reveal its full stripped-down loveliness. Imagine all the coconuts it will buy. -- Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (190)

nice to listen to at work, study, etc...yet not truly epic
The positive thing about IN BETWEEN DREAMS is the very easy going style in which Jack Johnson executes the disc. This appeals more to adults than say teens.His style is very subdued, yet very refined.Like most adult alternative artist what is admirable about the musicality of this type of music is the subdued guitar, which never overpowers the overall arrangement.On one of the better tracks, "Better Together", the sound produced by the rhythm section is almost of that of a jazz combo with a vocalist adding a nice tice on the tier of the arrangement.

The bad news is that unless you are say a "hardcore" fan of adult alternative that always likes to listen to such a subdued disc, then you are probably not going to fall in love with this disc.You may, even if you are in love with that genre of music, love somebody like John Mayer better, who sometimes comes over as too "subdued" or even too "pure" at times.My reasoning for saying that is that the disc isn't really epic or exciting.Johnson grows too subdued to really empower a disc that is going to give you chills.

Sure, "Better Together", "Banana Pancakes", and "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing" are all great cuts, along with some others, but the rest of the disc drabbles in very unexciting adult alternative tracks, making this no more than an average easy listening disc.I recommend this for work, maybe for studying or something, or even to fall asleep to at night (and that is not an insult).It is of good quality, but when listening from a musician's standpoint, I always feel that IN BETWEEN DREAMS is lacking excitement and climax that every CD of any genre should have. 3 stars.

Great relaxing album
Just bought it yesterday and listened to most of the CD today. I was very impressed by Brushfire Fairytales and this one measured up nicely to it. The music is light and relaxing from when you need a moment away from the hectic pace of everyday life and need to get away from it all, even for a little while. This one will be staying in my iPod for quite a while.

FANTASTIC
Absolutley great.... album of the year in my books

it's worth it just to hear 'good people' but the whole album is excellent!

It will be stuck in my CD player for a very long time to come

Jack Johnson watch out...
Rising Star Alert!, JJ is good but check out this guy (description taken from official website):

Every once in a while a true, grassroots buzz is born at the fingertips of a vastly talented musician. Using nothing but an undeniable charm and an unstoppable musical mind, Teddy Geiger has created a captivating frenzy of fans worthy of the most mainstream artists.At 16, Teddy writes songs that wear the weather heart of an insightful artist far beyond those years. Teddy seasons his songs with the chewy cutting edge of new school pop sensibility and the musical sophistication of a soul that's lived through rock's glory days.With looks like he was just peeled off the set of "The O.C.," his deep blue eyes offset by a shag of black hear will pull you in with as much force as his lyrics. Teddy writes of his friends: "We walked so slow / over ladders and through windows that let in the snow / that we have no reason to cut our time in half."After a national performance as of the Finalist on VH1's "In Search of the New Partridge Family," Producer Billy Mann, the industry's go-to guy for artists like Sting, Pink, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson, and Kelly Rowland, became Teddy's champion. Bill was so passionate about Teddy's talent that he jumped on board to secure the Teddy Geiger debut album on Columbia Records....www.teddygeigermusic.com

greatest hitssss
Hi...i was just wondering if anybody could give me a kind of greatest hits list for jack johnson...if you could send it to dollface10288@aol.com thats be great ... Read more

Amazon.com

Marked by a distinctly more middle-aged melancholy than her previous releases, Aimee Mann's The Forgotten Arm is a successfully conceived story album, following a couple through the life of their relationship. There is much for old and new fans here, as Mann lifts vignettes from the love-and-hate affair of a boxer and his girlfriend like sepia-toned snapshots from a county fair. In fact, it is in just one of those sticky, hot fairground parking lots where the romance blossoms and progresses "in the back of a Cadillac, that's her asleep in the mirror in back." The syncopated, bluesy melodies and strong ensemble of musicians make for a polished effort, and Mann’s gimlet eye doesn’t miss much--from the seductive pain of addiction, bout-induced memory loss, and finally to the inevitable discussion about having (or not) a baby. If indigo is the mood for most of Mann's work, then The Forgotten Arm may be closer to lavender, given the seasoned humor and perspective evident in standout tracks such as "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" and "She Really Wants You." This one's a keeper. --Megan Halverson

Best of the Largo-ites

Bachelor No. 2, Aimee Mann	I Heart Huckabees, Jon Brion	XO, Elliott Smith
Heartbreaker, Ryan Adams	Virginia Creeper, Grant Lee Phillips	When the Pawn..., Fiona Apple

... Read more

Reviews (42)

Quality everywhere to be found
Listening to her is like turning on the radio in the seventies and hearing great singer/writer cuts that exude warmth and naturalness. The writing as always is trenchant and the production is superb. As if that weren't enough, the cd packaging is in book form replete with artwork / lyrics and a photo of Aimee on the back that is as beautiful as the music contained within.

The unique Aimee Mann has done it again.
Let's just say from the start that I have given up trying to be objective about Aimee Mann a long time ago. I fell in love with the woman's voice and songwriting abilities the minute I first heard "Voices Carry" in 1985 (which she recorded with her former band Til Tuesday) and followed her around ever since, through thick (the long overdue success of the "Magnolias" soundtrack) and thin (the strangely impersonal and generic "I'm with stupid", her only small misstep in a 20 year career as a recording artist). Her recordings have never ceased to amaze me for two very simple reasons : 1) This woman can WRITE songs that are at once compelling, memorable, catchy and deeply emotional 2) This woman has a singing voice that doesn't sound like anyone else's - the minute you hear her, you KNOW it's her.

This said, anyone who'll take a close listen to her latest album "The Forgotten Arm" will know that Aimee is still one of the most arresting artists of her generation. The album loosely follows the ordeals of two lovers on their path through addiction and alienation, and the music is the key that holds it together : a straightforward, earthy production that echoes vintage rock and roll, all the while sounding totally contemporary. Aimee has stripped down some of the chubbier production tricks of her previous solo albums, and delivered an album that's both richly textured and minimalistic. Of particular interest is the fact that she has been using the piano a lot more than before, and not just on ballads, giving back this underrated instrument its rightful place.

The songs are all amazing, but some of them are of particular interest. The debut single, "Going through the motions", is a clever and catchy pop-rock affair; however the real potential smash single is "I can't get my head around it", a song that will lodge itself in your brain forever. "I can't help you anymore", "King of the jailhouse" and "I was thinking I could clean up for Christmas" arejust as deserving, and the album finds its emotional core with the one-two punch of the achingly beautiful "Little bombs" and "That's how I knew this story would break my heart". "Dear John" and "Goodbye Caroline" are strong rockers and "Beautiful" concludes the album with lyrics that are both mournful and hopeful, leaving the listener to make up their own mind about the way this story ends.

Some will find that this album lacks the emotional depth and sonic adventureness of "Lost In Space", its predecessor; and while it's true that nothing here quite rivals songs like "Invisible Ink" (Aimee's crowning achievement as asongwriter), "It's Not" or "The Moth", this album succeeds exactly by NOT trying to imitate what has already been beautifully recorded. Aimee is a truly challenging artist and "The Forgotten Arm" is a great reminder of that.

That's Actually 3 and a half stars...
Aimee Mann makes me wish that records were still pressed on vinyl. I'd love to be able to look at the artwork and the lyrics in big print while I listen over and over. And as another reviewer noted, you have to listen over and over to get the hooks, which this cd has, but not as many as usual for Aimee. There are a couple of great songs on here ("Going Through the Motions" and "Video"), and a lot of really good ones ("King of the Jailhouse," "She Really Wants You," "I Can't Get My Head Around It" and "Little Bombs"); but this cd hooked me only about as much as "Whatever." If you're an Aimee Mann fan, you may find that this collection pales in comparison to the last two (but I'm a freak for "Bachelor No. 2," and "It's Not" from "Lost in Space" is the MOST PERFECT Aimee Mann song ever). Even a pale comparison, however, is better than 98.9% of what's on the market musically today.

A Cotton Candy Knockout

"The Forgotten Arm" has a melodic and harmonic beauty matching Aimee Mann's all-time best offerings.

There is a real sense of time and place to the sound here.The songs flow.If "I'm With Stupid" was a wintery Londonesque album this is a summertime Americana album, harking back to her Virginia roots, evoking a time and place with both the sounds and the imagery she employs right from the opening line: "Cotton candy was king on the midway that spring..."

Her voice has never been richer, delivering those trademark "low notes" right when it counts and showcasing her heavenly upper range on "Beautiful" and "That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart" - one of the most quietly tender and beautiful ballads she has written since "No One is Watching You Now" or "Ray."

Joe Henry deserves a lot of credit as well for his imagination in helping shape the sound.The injection of a little new blood makes a world of difference on "The Forgotten Arm," with great guitar work from Jeff Trott, punchy drumming at faster tempos, and a very tight core band that you can tell has been touring together for a while. The mix is fantastic with some extremely bold, shimmering, explosive sonics for a "stripped down" album.

For all the justified attention Aimee Mann's lyrics get, her music might just be even better.Nobody is writing catchier songs, and she is often at her best here.Though her songs are mostly about off-kilter relationships, even the cynical observations are wrapped in layers of humor, vivid imagery and sticky sweet music.The difference is in her cleverness and details.Nobody delivers a musical and lyrical combo punch as well as Aimee Mann.

As alongtime Mannlistener and Largo visitor
I find this album consistant with Mann's work...especially with what she has done apart from Jon Brion.Consistancy has it's good and bad points.If you are looking for beautiful melodies and well-constructed lyrics, you will not be disappointed.Every song is a pitch-perfect performance.
But maybe Mann is too consistant?In some ways it is all almost too controlled, too perfect.It would be nice to have her break out and let loose.Brion seemed to tap her impovisational spirit a bit more than her current producers.And the result was less consistant, but also less predictable.Even live Mann is consistant, each song sounding eerily likeher recording of it.Maybe that is what crowds want: the familiar.But I miss the exploration of the unmined spaces of a song that people like Brion (or Dylan, or Lucinda Williams)provide...and Mann sometimes allows herself and her audience. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jack Johnson has found himself a groove. Indeed, the Hawaiian surfing champion turned alternative pop-folk star really hasn't changed things one iota for his sophomore release. Fans of Brushfire Fairytales should be delighted with the results. The groove is a mellow one--most of the 16 tracks here are semi-acoustic--and that easy-going spirit filters into Johnson's lyrical philosophies. "What will be will be / And so it goes" he sings on "Times Like These," the opening track. Thankfully, Johnson is never too mellow, and there's a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe to most of his music. "The Horizon Has Been Defeated" even has a pseudo-reggae feel to it. Although classified as an alternative musician, the singer-songwriter's compositions owe much to past hits. "Traffic in the Sky" is reminiscent of Jim Croce's "Operator" and Looking Glass's one-hit-wonder, "Brandy." On the splendid "Taylor," Johnson sounds an awful lot like Donovan. And "By The Way" recalls the Lovin' Spoonful. -- Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (206)

Means Well
Jack Johnson's sophomore effort is good; it's nothing more, nothing less. He continues on with some pretty creative songwriting, but fails to take it to a new level. Lyrically he's the same "loveable, I'm a really nice person trying to please everyone" Jack that we grew to love on "Brushfire Fairytails". Some lyrics are quite confusing, for example, a lyrical excerpt from track 2, Jack boldly states "Hallelujah Zig Zag Nothing". Could anyone tell me what that means? Another insightful lyric from track 8, "The children were playing cricket with no shoes." Where does that lyric fit into an acoustic pop album? However, there are several stand out tracks on this album that will no doubt grab your attention. All in all, it's a good album to chill to, but it won't hold your attention for too many listens. One thing definitely remains clear...this guy loves surfing.

a genius work that i wish i could better describe
frankly, words don't do justice...
I liked Brushfire, but i cannot get over what an incredibly RICH album On and On is! I cannot take this album out of my cd player: at home, in the car, at work, back in the car, and finally at home again. you get the point.

those who don't see the genius in Jack's soulful simplicity are missing the point. sure, at first, one might think "geez, it's all a bunch of somewhat repetitive chords and basic rhythm structures." well, my advice is that give the lyrics, beats, and melodies a very close listen - a collection of textures and moods that conveyed so beautifully, they'll move. This is one diverse and talented assembly of musicians. These songs are the raw and genuine goods - no additives. There's a time and place for the hoochie-mamma bump-n-grind Miller commercials, this sure ain't it. Amen. this album will remind you what is born of true human thought and talent.
Please, do yourself a favor and buy this album - then, sit and take in the smoothness of this hawaiian bruddah. pure rapture. Thank you sooo much Jack Johnson for this wonderful gift. You've earned yourself a lifetime of good swells on whichever beach you happen to be surfing. Ikaika brah!

Great CD
Jack Johnson's On And On is a great CD to just chill and listen to. Has great guitar and vocals throughout the whole CD, not just a few good songs like most. My favorites are Gone, Taylor, Holes To Heaven, and Wasting Time. Also, most of the lyrics on his songs hit deep and actually mean something. I would recommend this album to anyone who likes Ben Harper, John Mayer, or OAR. They all have that mellow and laid back vibe.
1. Times Like These-great song, i love the verses in the song, not a great chourus
2.Horizon Has Been Defeated-great sound, not great lyrics but good to listen to
3.Traffic in the Sky-one of my favorite songs on the album, I believe that many people who wanna mellow out will enjoy this.
4.Taylor-great guitar, decent lyrics, one of my faves and shows a good message if you pick up the subtext
5.Gone-in my opinion the best song on the CD, great lyrics and decent music
6.Cupid-good song not my fav but still good
7.Wasting Time-decent sound but GREAT lyrics i love how he points out "Everybody else"
8.Holes to Heaven-good guitar, good lyrics, good vocals, good bass, and good percussion, all around good song
9.Dreams Be Dreams-like this song because I think Jack shows your part of himself and what he is feeling
10.Tomorrow Morning-starts kinda slow but still a good mellow out song
11.Fall Line-again not one of my faves but still easy to listen too
12.Cookie Jar-nice'n slow
13.Rodeo Clowns-a little more upbeat kinda reminds me more of ben harper with a little less bongo
14.Cocoon-very slow and a nice chorus
15.Mediocre Bad Guys-doesnt sound like typical Jack Johnson but I love the chourus
16.Symbol in my Driveway-good way to end a CD and I think its a nice song
Anyone I have ever entroduced this CD to has loved it. No matter the age, sex, race, or anything everyone from my dad to some of my friends we all love it and I would reccomend it to ANYONE

the best
this cd is mello and relaxed but at the same time it is interesting and ear catching and it is great for repeated listening. it has a simplistic style that cannot be touched is is by far the greatest thing i have heard in a long time.
im going to go see them in tahoe in august and i can not wait!!!

overwhelmed with overhyped and underfed lyrics
when jack johnson's audience turned the corner from cult surfing followers to AAA radio america, he didn't change anything and that, right there is a positive. regardless of genre, whenever that corner gets turned on its preverbial head, the music changes - mostly for a poppier and more horid direction. so congrats to jj for staying away from the trap. however, just because he stayed away from the trap, does not validate the critical calls of "classic!"

cries of deep lyrics are pseudo back handed. when compared to many of his contemporaries, songs like "cookie jar" may hold some weight, but overall this album still enduces those frat boy party mentalities. which, in all honesty, is the audience around the corner - doing a keg stand. it still remains that the height of lyricism remains from the hungry unknowns. if the minimalistic acoustic driven rock is your fancy and you need some lyrics worth a second thought, my you might want to check out Blue-Eyed Son's "West of Lincoln." i heard "The Tide" on a local college station and at first was appauled that his voice reminded me so much of Elliott Smith, but all was soon forgotten with the catchy hooks and wonderful melodies. i broke down and bought the CD and was happy. And if you're reading this review, you might want to think of turning another artist's corner - or at the very least, checking it out.

there are positives to say about mr. johnson. sure, you throw it on at a party and the guy pouring the shots at the ice luge might hit you with a double b/c of his fascination with this surfing/acoustic ape of an artist. but please, don't fool yourself into thinking that this is some of the greatest song writing of the last century, its not even the best over the past five years. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fans of Willy Porter, Ben Harper, and G. Love will all want to check out Jack Johnson's engaging folk- and blues-inflected pop. Born in Oahu, Hawaii, Johnson, a former surfer and film-school graduate, has a knack for acoustic ballads whose calm surfaces hide a subtle but strong lyrical undertow. "It seems to me that 'maybe' pretty much always means 'no,'" sings Johnson on "Flake," which features crony Harper on slide guitar. Production by J.P. Plunier (who also handles Harper's recordings) is simple and uncluttered: acoustic guitar and drum tracks share the foreground with Johnson's easygoing vocals, which evoke everyone from G. Love (who recorded Johnson's "Rodeo Clowns" on his Philadelphonic album) to Nick Drake to Willy Porter. And while Johnson may not have Porter's guitar chops, these songs have a relaxed beauty and understated depth that reward repeated listening.--Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (415)

Incredible album from a mellow fellow
I have owned this cd for quite some time now but only recently has America decided to jump on the Jackwagon. You will be seeing and hearing "Flake" on tv and radio but the real essence of Jack Johnson can be found throughout the album. The thing that sets this artist apart from everyone else is the mere fact that Johnson could care less about being a rock star or selling music, but in writing and delivering his personal songs, he has become just that. But I promise you there is no one better to choose as a role model. Just listen to "The News", a tune about how we broadcast violence in society, or put on a smile and groove to Johnson's "Bubbletoes", a catchy jam inspired by his wife, Kim. (Many thanks to Kim, for rumor has it she is an inspiration for many of Jack's songs.) Those were only two examples but the list could go on and on. Every song is AWESOME. I never could get sick of this album, NEVER. If I could recommend this album to everyone, I would. And I guarantee if more people lived by the principals of Jack Johnson, we would not have to worry about world peace.

Slow down, everyone, you're moving too fast.
This CD is terrific. Where did this Jack Johnson guy come from?

I bought this on the recommendation of a friend, for I work in a music store and had seen people, mostly teens in Gothwear, buying it. I thought it would be your usual, angry-rock, run-of-the-mill crap. Boy, was I wrong.

Jack Johnson's self-titled CD is one of the most fun, studied pieces of pure, instrument-and-rhythm-driven music that I've heard in ages. When it begins, "Inaudible Melodies" is soft, folky, but then the drums come in, the rhythm kicks it up a notch, and Johnson, with his earnest, skilled delivery of the most complicated, tongue-twisting vocals, just wins over your ears.

And every song on the CD is that good.

It wasn't until I listened to the whole album that I realized that this is the guy who sings that "Bubble Toes" song. I loved that song whenever it came on the radio, yet I bought the album featured on it without even realizing I'd done so.

That, in its own way, speaks to Johnson's talent over his hype. I bought this on a lark, and I'm very glad I did.

Awesome.
This guy has an incredible amount of talent, both of his cd's have struck me well. You can listen to all of his songs, and be content. Their all good in their own way. Highly recommended.

AWESOME ALBUM
I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS I HAVE EVER HEARD. NO MATTER IF YOU LIKE ROCK, HIP HOP, POP, WHATEVER. IT IS JUST INSANELY GOOD.

I am a METALHEAD!
I am a hardcore metalhead (Shadows Fall, Megadeth, Dimmu Borgir, Slayer, Opeth...) but I love this album. This album is beautiful. So good. Buy ... Read more

Amazon.com

After Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos' 2002 ambitious sonic travelogue that took her to all 50 states, penning love letters to America along the way, the fiery earth-sprite has fashioned another high-minded concept album, tying her 19 songs--and one not-so-hidden track--into a garden motif that's part a retelling of Alice In Wonderland, another A Little Shop of Horrors. The Beekeeper chronicles her rather autobiographical protagonist's journey through what seems to be an overgrown labyrinth of the subconscious as she experiences a series of life-altering events and emotions. In addition, living in Cornwall for the past decade has certainly had an effect on Amos, she even takes inspiration from Daphne Du Maurier's classic novel Jamaica Inn, which takes place on that rugged seacoast, but the greatest change is the grit in her voice; on a song like "Hoochie Woman," she sounds like she's channeling Chrissie Hynde--a welcome change from some of the preciousness of her earlier work. She also surprises with the steely, eloquent resolve on a song like "Goodbye Pisces" one of the better break-up songs in recent memory.The Beekeeper returns the quirky singer to the same whimsical terrain of 1992's Little Earthquakes, but with much stronger storylines, and a much more assured and nuanced voice. Her best yet. --Jaan Uhelszki

Recommended Tori-phernalia

Tori Amos: Piece by Piece	Tori Amos - Welcome to Sunny Florida	Little Earthquakes
Under the Pink	Tales of a Librarian	Scarlet's Walk

... Read more

Reviews (248)

Can't get enough of Tori!
I love Tori. What more can I say? Seriously, though, it's not my favorite ablbum, but a great one none-the-less.

Consider it her 'stagnet' genius.
Tori 'n' I go back...
Sunset Blvd.. Gazarris.. Selma...
This record disapoints.
Complaintaincy? Husband? Tash...
Is it the end?
Remember the hardwood floor my friend,
Sprout an earthquake again!

Devon

One of Tori's Best.
The CD starts with 'Parasol,' a straight forward track that doesn't waste anytime in showing what the album is about, in most cases the album seems, to me, more upbeat than her previous records. Almost every track is performed with a full band - in fact the beautiful 'Original Sinsuality' is the only song to just feature Tori and a borsfendor.

Each song the album is different, though one can see the logic for Tori's Garden categorizations upon hearing the tracks. There are many moods represented here on the album. One can bop along to tracks like 'General Joy' and 'Cars and Guitars' or be entranced by the blissful serenity of 'The Beekeeper' and yet still not have full grasp of what can be found on the rest of the Album.

This album is a great addition to the Tori catalogue especially as a parallel to her earlier, sometimes down-trotten (but brilliant) albums. Another exciting progression is Tori's use of the Organ, which lends a new energy not explored on many of her previous albums. (I had the honour of seeing Tori in concert a few weeks ago - just her a Piano, a keyboard and and Organ. Brilliant.) Tori has made a brilliant album that has taken progressive steps in her sound while maintaining the songwritings standard that had made her one of my favourite artists.

Lacking passion, but full of quirk
As has been thoroughly noted, "The Beekeeper" as a whole lacks punch. Tori's words sounds angry, but her music sounds subdued. A woman scorned does not sing like that. Her voice is generally lacking passion on this CD.

It's often lyrically and musically predictable. Take this line from the first single, Sleeps with Butterflies: "Are you having regrets about last night? I'm not." Do you want more lyrics from other songs? Are you sure? Okay, how about "Take a walk down memory lane, past a watermelon stand on the way" or "The sexiest thing is trust." I cringed at many of the lyrics, which were repetitive and obvious.

Musically, it's got a little jazz, a little funk, a little gospel, which shows that she's not done taking risks. I'm not sure if all the risks worked out for her this time, though. "Sweet the Sting" is a gorgeous, groovy song, one of the best on the album. But on other songs like "Cars and Guitars" and "Ireland" she makes some weird noises like she's impersonating musical instruments like ,"ch ch ch cha" and "shnanana." It's a little awkward. Both those songs could easily be put in a car or travel commercial.

Other songs are completely forgettable, like "Mother Revolution" and "Ribbons Undone." She could have made this 19-track album a little more tolerable with a little editing. Many songs were also overproduced - and Tori is best straight-forward and raw.

Still, those who are ready to toss her out because she's no longer the feminist icon that she was in the early 90's are really missing something. She's matured, changed, yes, but her songs are still weird and at times mesmorizing. The title track, "The Beekeeper," is a complete masterpiece. For those unsure whether to invest in this album, I would recommend downloading the title song and "Sweet the Sting." If you 'get' the songs, try "Parasol," "Marys of the Sea" and "Witness." If you're feeling particularly weird, try "The Power of Orange Knickers," which despite its odd title is pretty smart.

Anything else I need to say? Hm... the album is divided up in six parts from "elixirs and herbs" to "rock garden." I have no idea what that means. I guess that's why it's a concept album, though it screams pretentious to me. I also heard that the six parts represent the six sides of a honeycomb and six parts of femininity. Huh? She's still in her own world, that's for sure.

Pages From A Cornish Scholar's Diary
Feb. 27th [2005]. Gretchen came down. Brought The Beekeeper with the supplies from London. Fresh salmon frying and the tide rolling in.

Feb 28th. Sat up late with The Beekeeper. Quite pleasant, you know. 'Barons of Suburbia' a bit like 'Carbon,' isn't it? 'Toast' a bit like 'Gold Dust,' isn't it?

March 2nd. While at darts last evening, the boys at the Umber Lion [were] all over The Beekeeper. Bertie says Amos has "lost her poignancy." Davy tried to convinced Old Simon that The Beekeeper is among Amos' best. I concurred.

Too much ale. Hammering from the tin mines kept us awake until dawn.

March 4th. A puffin defecated on my head while [I was] bringing in the mail. Father Callaghan says it brings luck. Rain all day. Wrote for five hours without interruption.

March 5th. 'The Power of Orange Knickers,' 'Ireland.' Each different from anything Amos has previously done. Therein lie their appeal.

Biddy Early stopped in to listen to 'Garlands' on my DVD. Proclaimed it the best thing on [The] Beekeeper. Said it's typical Amos--keeping the best tracks off the albums. Had me play it over and over until she could confidently hum the melody. I watched her from the doorway until she disappeared over the hill, her vegetable basket swinging on her arm.

The well dry again. Shall I get a bird to keep Bishop and me company? A parrot, a pair of finches, a myra bird?

March 10th. Colin and Martin shouting "Who knew the Middle of the Road was located in Cornwall?" while walking through the village. Laughter, astonished looks. A man I didn't recognize yelled after them in Gaelic, "Cornish waters are not that shallow!"

'Jamaica Inn' a bit like 'Martha's Foolish Ginger,' isn't it?

March 13th. Played The Beekeeper for Mrs. O'Casey, the charwoman. Somber reflections on better days as the peat crackled. Christina, Mrs. O'Casey's young daughter, quoted an Amazon reviewer: "The Beekeeper sounds like a CD you'd find in your mother's SUV."I said, "Oh, no, not at all, not at all." But the three of us fell asleep during 'Ribbons Undone.' When we awoke, it was after three a.m. Mrs. O'Casey was embarrassed no end.

March 17th.Stopped in at Mawnan Churchyard at twilight. Copious notetaking. John Curtin, the sexton, has a theory. He says that seven of The Beekeeper tracks sound like children's songs, more or less. Thinks Amos is unconsciously writing for children, due to her daughter's presence in her life. Aleister, the grave digger, shouted over, "Frothy and accessible pop songs are not what Amos' constituency require. Look what happened to Joni Mitchell after Mingus." During confession, elderly Father Dwyer whispered through the screen, "The Beekeeper has no teeth."

Trying to put my mind on other things. The hammer [has] gone missing again. In a dream I asked for cabbage, and the clerk said, "Sir, it's sold out." What could it mean?

March 19th.Another tourist believes he has spotted Mowgawr off the coast. Craning necks aplenty. The chimney's blocked up [for] the third time this season.

Bishop caught a hare by the rocks.

Little Christina playing Candy Land in the courtyard with the local urchins. "The songs on The Beekeeper hopscotch all over the place like the squares on this game board," I heard her say as we passed. I found myself staring down at the linear path of colored cubes, entranced.

March 20th. Finished the chapter on piskies while playing Bach, Satie, and Wizz Jones. The Beekeeper. No catharsis. Johnny Kelly the sheep herder calls it "formulaic." There is not one thing in life to make it bearable.

March 22nd. Gretchen here. I said, "I am convinced The Beekeeper has already surrendered all its secrets." Gretchen: "They were few, anyway."

I ran into old Michael Barrett down by the culvert. He called 'Sweet The Sting,' 'Witness,' and 'Hoochie Woman' "pastiches." He predicts a late spring.

I thought Thomas would get a mug of ale thrown in his face when he called 'Goodbye Pisces' "merely pretty" at the Lion last night. But Kate Cloran only yawned, and Mary Creevy said she still had a morning's washing to do.

March 24th. A sense of coitus interruptus in 'Sweet The Sting,' when surely a sense of inflagrante delecto is what's required? The climax of 'Barons of Suburbia' falls flat--why does the narrator say she "is piecing a potion"? And concerning "she is risen"--has "she" risen because the potion has been pieced? It's a muddle.

Played Under The Pink and Boys For Pele through. Instantly transported. Then 'Cooling,' 'Purple People,' 'Playboy Mommy,' 'Lust,' 'Strange,' 'Indian Summer.' Gretchen asked for 'Tombigbee.' We made love on the hard wood floor.

March 26th. The stained-glass widow on the north side has a substantial crack in one pane. The wind coming in. Thatch in my corn flakes this morning. Positive word from Thames and Hudson. 'Parasol' a bit like 'Amber Waves,' isn't it?

Something in The Times about Amos and "granola feminism." Gretchen got a jolly laugh over that. Bishop did his business over the thing before I was able to finish [it].

I dreamed I climbed the ladder to the attic and found "Come back, Kate, all is forgiven" scrawled across the east wall. What could it mean?

March 27th. Patrick O'Hagan borrowed the Saab for a trip to Ireland while the Beekeeper was in the deck. Shall I have Gretchen send down another [copy]? No. I can hum the better tracks, and I still have 'Garlands' in the DVD, which sounds a bit like 'Yes, Anastasia,' doesn't it?

There was some kind of a ruckus in the village. Gretchen passed some of the locals burning a figure in effigy. Nasty business.

Sat up late reading Strindberg's Ghost Sonata. So good, some parts.

[Here the record ends]
... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

This plunge into blues and roots Americana stands with This Year's Model and Imperial Bedroom as Costello's greatest work. Ryko's repackaging is immaculate, natch, and this time Elvis contributes a fascinating 3,000-word essay about the recording and its dismal fate at Columbia's hands. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Place Were I Made My Best Mistakes
Without a doubt, KING OF AMERICA was one of Costello's strongest releases in the 1980's. And that's saying alot in light of albums like GET HAPPY, IMPERIAL BEDROOM & the underrated TRUST.Next to ALMOST BLUE (& now DELIVERY MAN) this is Costello's most Country & Folk oriented album. It's also his most acoustic. Though The Attractions play on a few cuts, they basically sat this one out. Suffice it to say, they were less than thrilled to be blown off in favor of the stellar line-up assembled here. It's enough to make your jaw drop. Legends like James Burton, Jim Keltner, Earl Palmer & Ray Brown. Just as stellar are the songs. "Indoor Fireworks" & "Poisoned Rose" are among the finest he's ever penned. Right up there with classics like, "Almost Blue". The bleak majesty of "Little Palaces" & "Sleep Of The Just" will haunt you in your sleep. And things don't get any more scathing than the likes of "I'll Wear It Proudly" or "Suit Of Lights". As for the rest, "Brilliant Mistake", "Jack Of All Parades" & "Big Light" all go to show there really isn't a dud on the album. I suppose Costello best sums it up in "Our Little Angel"---"this is the place where I made my best mistakes". He also does well on his choice of covers. His raspy take on "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is as brooding & menacing as it gets. On "Eisenhower" he wisely lets his guest stars blow off some much needed steam. Of course, the real clincher for fans is the bonus disc. "Having It All", "Suffering Face" & "Deportee" capture Costello at his maudlin best. "Shoes Without Heels" & "King Of Confidence" would have only improved the original album. His covers of "True Love Ways" & "End Of The Rainbow" are priceless. As for the live cuts, things like "Tears Me Up" are gut wrenching to say the least. For those who found SPIKE's "Tramp The Dirt Down" a bit too preachy, meet the Pop version,"Betrayal". Sadly, this is reputed to be the last of the Rhino reissues. Well, on KING they give you the royal treatment.

Crown jewel in Costello's 80's releases comes to CD again
"King of America" stands as the crown jewel in Costello's late 80's output. Rhino has finally issued this stellar gem in a deluxe edition that puts the previous version released by Ryko to shame. Although the first edition had a bonus disc with a handful of live tracks and bonus tracks, it lacked the deluxe grandeur of what this reissue deserved. This edition has all those bonus tracks, live cuts plus 14 previously unreleased tracks. The bonus tracks have all been relocated to the second disc (like all the re-releases)presenting the original album on the first disc alone.

Personally, I would have loved to see this released as a 3 CD deluxe set with a disc devoted to most of the concert the live tracks are drawn from. I always felt that the live tracks were little more than a teaser for a much bigger, better album that was never released. Since this is the last in the Rhino remasters that's going to be released (unless they put out the limited edition 5 CD live album that was put out in the 90's), I would have loved to see a limited edition 3 or 4 CD set not unlike the Rhino Handmade releases of this terrific album with additional outtakes and live tracks. Oh well, one can always dream. At least we have this fine album finally in a deluxe edition the way it should have been released in the first place. One of Costello's least appreciated but finest albums finally gets its due.

Loaded with a great set of liner notes discussing the making of the album and the bonus tracks, Rhino and Costello have done a great job at putting this classic album together for re-release. The remastered sound does sound better than the previous versions although some of that could just be the way this remastered version was tweaked. My only complaint is that, unlike some of the other notes for the other releases, it seems like we get less information about the additional bonus tracks here compared to some of the other remasters. Oh, and more importantly for Costello fans, we do get the complete lyrics for all the songs written by Costello.

saving the best for last
As all Elvis Costello fans know, this is the last of his works to be reissued by Rhino with an extra disc of demos. outtakes and live tracks.It is also the very best, both because the original album is so good and because the extra disc is brilliant.The Ryko reissue had only a handful of extra tracks.This version, by contrast, has over 77 minutes of additional music.However, it is more the quality, not simply the quantity, of the music that makes this disc special.The solo acoustic demos which open the new disc are some of Elvis' very best work.They almost make up an album in themselves, and make one wish that Elvis would record more solo material.The Coward Brothers material is excellent, but not new.The disc closes with an exceptional live set, which ranks among the best ever live recordings Elvis has released.Buy this record! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Posthumous releases fall into two categories: those which the artist was working on at the time of their death, and those which are gathered from every nook and cranny to keep fans enthused and cash registers ringing. Elliott Smith's from a basement on the hill is of the former variety. It was close to completion at the time of his untimely death. Over the course of the set's 15 songs, Smith's powerful songwriting and production skills are shown in their full breadth. From thickly interlocked chordal guitar riffs ("Coast to Coast") to shimmering melancholia ("A Fond Farewell"), the songs are each brought to their own particular focus by whatever means were most appropriate. There are lush background vocals, keyboard washes, pounding rhythms, and heart rending balladry. This disc is a sad goodbye to richly emotive artist. --David Greenberger ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Very nice surprise
I picked up this CD on a whim from a local store on a "new releases" rack just because the sepia toned packaging caught my eye. I looked it over and thought "Hmmm, this looks interesting." I put it back down and two days later I went back and got it and I wasn't really sure why other than I was very curious. Especially about the two songs "Underwater Love" and "Thicker Than Water." I have heard of G Love and Jack Johnson, but hadn't heard any of their music before. On first listen I was incredibly pleased at the music on the CD. The song "My Guru" is by now memorized in my head as is "Underwater Love." The song "Thicker Than Water" is really, really beautiful and fills my head with visions of waves and sand and warm air during a dreary and cold Indiana winter. This is the coolest CD I have bought in a long time and came across it by accident. The only problem is now I have to go track down the Smoke City CD's because I am in love with the sound of the lead singer's voice and her vocal stylings. I recommend this CD very highly. It's a great CD to just chill to. You could call it music to nap by, but I prefer to call it music to imagine by. This has become the soundtrack to my daydreams. Try it!!!!

Good driving music
This is an excellent CD to listen to while driving up and down the California coast. Jack Johnson seems to be getting better and better. And The Voyces have a very interesting sound. G. Love delivers as always.

Road Trippin
I didn't hear of Jack Johnson until I heard On and On at a bar one night and I was floored. After I bought On and On I went out and bought Thicker Than Water and was equally impressed. At first I was thrown off by all these different artists, most of which I never heard of, but after hearing it I was sold. I recently made a trip from Tampa to Boston and back and I listened to this record and On and On for a lot of the trip. The songs are so smooth and put you in a good place.

great music, lame soundtrack
i gav ethis a one star because it only includes about 1/3 of the actual soundtrack from the movie (which includes the music from the awesome extra footage). they should have made this a two-disc soundtrack, because they left out some GREAT tracks. i expected better from jack johnson and the malloys. the stuff thats on here is great though.

The Voyces are in my head.
A friend of mine showed me this movie a while back and I liked the music in it so much that I had to buy the soundtrack. The Voyces song reminds me of Cat Stevens back when he was good. The title track is really good also. I do skip over some of the songs but I will still recommend. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Resembling at times a soft-sung Robert Plant, Buckley was an intuitive vocalist capable of dizzying arabesques and choir-boy sweetness. He is joined here by a tight band for 10 tracks highlighting his stylistic range--Pearl Jam bluesy on "Eternal Life," impossibly serene on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," art-school noisy on "So Real," Led Zep daring on "Mojo Pin." Unorthodox, this was the debut of '94. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (418)

Jeff Buckley: lives on in "Grace"
Jeff Buckley's debut album "Grace" evokes the strongest of emotions every time I listen to his intense lyrics and dramatic voice. How can an album be anything less then beautiful with such truthful lyrics as, "I remember the smell of the fabric of your simple city dress..." and "lover, you should've come over, it's not to late..." Everything he writes comes from the heart, nothing is ever embellished or overdone. An indescribable feeling comes over me when I listen to "Grace." It strikes an intense emotional chord that has never been duplicated by any other artist. Jeff Buckley was one of the few original artists with both attributes of talent and a ethereal voice. It saddens me that I will never have the opportunity to see him live or hear other genius melodies that I'm sure he would have released. Jeff Buckley's life and career ended too soon when he left the world in 1997. Though he is gone, his honest words and beautiful, confessional music lives on in "Grace."

Best debut by anyone---would have been #1, one day.
Grace is an album that young musicians hope to make and experienced musicians hope they can be remembered by. He certainly left his mark on the singer-songwriter world, influencing popular acts such as Lisa Loeb and Radiohead front-man Thom Yorke. Grace is deeply rooted in the classics, (Led Zeppelin etc...) and makes no attempt to distract anyone from Jeff's golden pipes with feeble attempts to sway an ever-changing audience. His confidence is overwhelming seeing as though he choose to cover Lenoard Choen's Halleluiah and the old standard Christian carol. His band, led by the soft yet convincing hands of drummer Matt Johnson, is certainly nothing to sneeze at considering Jeff co-wrote some of the songs with them. His live show was the perfect complement to this soon-to-be quintessential 90's album. It was complete with broken srtrings and spitting,and swearing, and the music was well above the standards of any youngster in that room. (July 15, 1995 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, Ontario) God rest his talented soul.

Excellent
This is undoubtedly one of my favorite discs. When the album originally came out I was overwhelmed by the range, ecclecticism and rawness of Buckley's voice and lyrics. His covers are also adeptly rendered.

Buckley's talent is lost on some, but anyone with an appreciation for creative and daring musical exploration will enjoy this collection. Years after first buying the album I still have it in "active rotation." This is not for everyone. Buckley seems to be a love him/hate him artist, but he managed to indelibly mark the musical landscape and is often cited by other illustrious artists as a point of inspiration and reference.

haunting, sweet, heavy, light, flawless, broken
Any attempt I have made so far to describe this album to those who have never heard it has fallen far short of the power of actually playing it, but I must try again, I always do... it is not music for the background, or for a party... It is haunting, it is sweet, it is perfect and flawless and yet broken and, at times, heavy with the emotion of a sinner. Yet also it is light, in songs such as "Hallelujah", a constant favorite. Every song is full of various emotions, and they are not simple or wonderously happy. They are the feelings of one who lived a life, however short, full of misery and yet found a way to leave that behind. Buckley was different from the rest of us, its true. Everything he felt was hundreds of times stronger than a normal person should feel. And yet, his music is not complaining, it is just feeling. You can adapt the beautiful lyrics and quavering,(perfect) voice to any feeling you may be having, and be immediately lifted by the beauty you hear.

It is beauty. It is perfect. It is also ironically indescribable.

a classic!!!
anyone that would call this cd crap is a goof and that is what he ate for dinner.what a fool!long live jeff and tim.now go home and listen to boy george!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jam Nation hero Ben Harper tones down his lap-slide guitar flash in favor of the holy spirit for this blend of originals and gospel classics, his first full-length album with the historic singing group. They've worked together before, on the Blind Boys' excellent Higher Ground and Spirit of the Century, but here the pairing that Harper has termed "a spiritual soul movement" sounds like an outright tent-revival mission. His fevered wah-wah strutting and sweet high voice take their places in the chorus alongside the raw-throated howl of Blind Boys leader Clarence Fountain and his fellow bass George Scott, who plead for salvation like powerful old lions on "Take My Hand." The group's alto, Jimmy Carter, sails over the funky, hiccupping blues beat put down by Harper's Innocent Criminals on the classic "Satisfied Mind." The best cut may be Harper's "Picture of Jesus," a country-music-informed adventure in old-school church harmonizing with the passionate power to touch souls. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ben Lee has been a mainstay on alternative rock airwaves; it’s hard to believe the Australian singer/songwriter is still only 26. For album number six he comes full circle on a decade of recordings, working with producer Brad Wood (Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins) who spearheaded the sound of Lee’s debut record Grandpaw Would in 1995. Awake… follows a comparable blueprint of 2002’s Hey You Yes You: uncomplicated, unassuming, no-gloss pop songs. But there is evidence of a newfangled wisdom in Lee and his sketches of songwriting dexterity, which include the distinctive pop-rocker ("Catch My Disease"), the persuasive ballad ("Get Gotten"), the adoring folk number ("The Debt Collectors") and an indulgently experimental nine-and-a-half minute opus ("Light"). Code one could be the riff-fully sanguine opener ("Whatever It Is") in which the author proposes we chase our instincts, then verifies on the ensuing 13 songs that he does just that. "They might tell you that you shouldn’t," sings Lee, "But do it. Whatever it is." --Scott Holter ... Read more

Reviews (10)

In response to Human "Master Critic"
After reading your review of Ben Lee's `Awake is the New Sleep', I was so taken aback by its stupidity and short-sightedness that I had to write a response.
I don't think it is valid to criticize music purely on the grounds that it doesn't conform to "certain rules of songwriting and music in general that must be obeyed".Should we be calling the police?
For your information HMC, good music ignores what it popular, what it expected and what is safe.Luminaries from Mozart to The Beatles to Eminem defied expectations on what music should be and as a result, changed the face of music for the better.
If we don't have artists who break these "rules", either by trying to fit five words where only four will fit or using non-scale notes and chords or fusing discordant styles of music, nothing changes and as a result music becomes stale.
Don't criticize an artist for trying something different, for trying to be individual.
And what's all this about non-western scales sounding strange to our ears?How is this relevant?
"Hmm, I was thinking of buying the new Ben Lee CD but after reading all this about non-tonal pentacostic scales, I think I'll buy something by an accomplished artist".Please.This seems to me as someone may have taken a music course at community college and wants to show off.
Awake is the New Sleep is a solid pop-rock album that is evidence of a songwriter not scared to wear his heart on his sleeve.It is sure to please Lee's solid fanbase.For new listeners, it won't change your life but it does have its moments.

Pleasant Surprise
I hadn't heard of Ben Lee until I saw a review for Awake Is the New Sleep in a magazine, and I gave it a listen on my Napster to Go account. It's a catchy, captivating album with some great songs (Whatever It Is, We're All In This Together, Begin, Catch My Disease).

I'm a big David Gray fan, and this reminds me a little of his style. Not his sound, but his style.

I'll have to hear some of his other stuff before I determine whether this measures up to it or if he's "trying too hard" as others have said, but I do know this is a well-produced album that I keep listening to again and again.

He sucks...read more to find out why
Ben Lee sucks.When you listen to his songs, you can tell that he takes his "craft" much too seriously.I've pinned down the primary reason why his songs are so bad.Here it is.His lyrics aren't actual lyrics, they're more like bad poetry forced to fit in a song.Let me explain.It seems like Lee sits down and writes a poem, or some lyrics (if you can call them that) and then tries to force the lyrics to fit a certain tune that was also written separately.So his songs don't sound like actual songs, but rather just words sung to some music.Lee's songs lack cohesion.Many of the words don't rhyme or fit the structure or precedent set by the words which came before.I'm an accomplished musician, and there are certain rules of songwriting and music in general that must be obeyed, or else the result sounds strange to ears that are used to the norm.Yes, originality is good, but it must exist within the confines of the rules, or else the result suffers.Have you ever wondered why traditional music from other parts of the world sounds just a little but off to our Western ears(think music from India, the Middle East)?It's because those cultures use a different tonal scale in their music.Instead of having the familiar "do ray me" scale based on octaves, they have a pentatonic scale or something even more radical.That's why their music often sounds a little strange to our ears.Lee does use the octave scale, but it's his lyrical flow that's off.The words and the music don't get along very well together.He simply says what he wants and forces it to fit the music.Lee truly sucks.I hope he rots in hell for innumerable centuries.

Trying Too Hard
I saw Ben Lee last night at the Independent in SF. While I enjoyed his show, the songs he played which were all off of this CD were not as great as anything he's done previously starting with Noise Addict (Meet the Real Me, Young and Jaded) through his first 2 solo efforts (Grandpaw Would, Something to Remember Me By). As he said of his first solo album " i didnt try very hard to make good records in those days, and thats why they are so good i guess. pop pop pop. songs about girls. sunshine. sadness."
-Ben Lee
I think on this album he IS trying too hard. Maybe that's why it's not his best effort. I still think lyrically he is a great songwriter...i.e. very personal, witty and heartfelt... musically this album repeats itself a bit much for my taste. Having seen him 4 times now, even while I was watching him I kept thinking this song sounds too much like the last song. I would not recommend this album except for diehard fans that must have all of his stuff. I am however still a fan of Ben Lee!! No mistake about it.

"Surrender" to Ben's Disease
ben lee is just amazingly talented and I was just gobsmacked when i first heard this album (and haven't been able to stop listening)
I would list my favorite tracks, but there really isn't any that I don't love.
Ben Lee is all about surrendering.Surrendering to love, surrendering to faith.His music is about opening your heart and "awakening" yourself to truly live life.There are risks, you will get burned, he sings, but the joy and peace that comes from surrender is worth everything. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Even after 15 years of releasing albums on her own Righteous Babe imprint, it's hard to know what to make of Ani DiFranco. Some see her as a folkie-punk-bisexual-feminist-radical-crap-kicker, while others reckon she's merely Alanis Morissette with better lyrics. On her 15th studio album the truth just might be somewhere in between. She does dysfunctional family portraits ("Studying Stones") and broken affairs ("Lag Time") just fine, but she also manages to leave room for rambling, autobiographical beat poetry ("Parameters"). And then there is the music. Matching acoustic guitars with earthy funk rhythms and soft moonlight moods with out-of-leftfield song arrangements, it reconfirms the one label everyone can agree upon: fiercely original. --Aidin Vaziri

Recommended Ani DiFranco Discography

Out of Range	Not a Pretty Girl	So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter
Little Plastic Castle	Revelling/Reckoning	Living in Clip

... Read more

Reviews (26)

Ani's still great, and that Kevin guy who gave her 1 star?
This isn't my favorite Ani album, but, like all of her albums, each song has it's moment and application to my own life.I shaved my head once (although, sadly, it I don't have the head for it), found myself wanting to angrily lash out at unrequited love (which is why I absolutely love Dilate), and am now growing a bit older and wiser, which I see happening in her work.And I love the fact that she's still giving the man the finger; it reminds me that I need to give up a bit of comfort for honesty, too.

And, as for Kevin, the fellow who gave the album 1 star.Well, I'm sure he didn't even listen to it as, if you check out his record of reviews, all he does is write reviews with one star.This indicates to me that he is either a bitter, lonely man sitting in his basement blindly raging against some unknown enemy (could it be his own stunning inadequacy?) or he's just a hack who thinks he's being witty by trashing other people.Either way, I do feel sorry for him and hope that he finds some joy in life, before he bites the big one and the only thing proving his pitiful existence will be some pithy amazon.com reviews.So, Kevin, if you're reading this, take a shower, get dressed, and go meet some people.Or take up a hobby.Do something.You need to find some joy in life.

The Fine Ani As Always
Over the last fifteen years, the politically outspoken Ani DiFranco has made a name for herself as a fiercely independant artist.She's created a large cult audience that have followed her every move.Through everything, she's received rave reviews for her music including a Grammy award (2003's "Evolve").Her poetry and her melodies have always stood beyond the test of time despite little radio airplay.This folk-rock artist has often experimented with other genres with her signature sound: punk, funk, jazz, blues, and others.She's never recorded anything below her top potential.Therefore, she's maintained the respect as an artist and as a person.This has influenced many artists who have come after her (Pink, Dar Williams).

In 2005, she changed some traditions with her album "Knuckles Down".Surprisingly, she hired a producer, Joe Henry, to assist in her music.This collaboration resulted in a more folk-pop sound with quality that continues her run as a phenomenal artist.This album shows a more mellow side of Ani.Yet, she never loses her signature musical edge.The melodies and the rhythms flow greatly through the instruments, namely her guitar.The various instrumental line-up keeps this album interesting; yet, the album flows smoothly.Her poetry continues expressing her deep thoughts.This album expresses more of her recent personal turbulances in a less outspoken fashion.Despite, her artistic stance never loses itself.Such quality shows great artistic evolution that makes this album shine.

This allows her performances to remain expressive.As always, her musical talents give her music the heart and soul it deserves.Her performances show her poetic side greatly.Her expressed sadness never loses its emotion.This album shows a more mature side that has never been heard previously.Her passion leaves listeners in a trance.In every song, she slides her listeners to a deeper sense of her theme.Her indistinguishable performances leave a longlasting impact on everybody.All her songs stand out in the modern folk industry.

Through the dying mainstream music, Ani DiFranco always prevails.Her music defines true music."Knuckle Down" is no exception.This album is a great escape from the often-selling-out mainstream music heard too often on the radio.She has never sold out.She remains true to herself and everyone else.Therefore, this album is sure to please new and old fans.

***Expect Ani DiFranco to receive at least two 2005 Grammy nominations: Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Recording Package.

Knuckle Down is a must-have..
'Knuckle Down' was my first foray into the musical world of Ani DiFranco, and has quickly become one of my favourite albums of all-time.If you're tired of the generic, manufactured music so common to modern network air waves, this disc is for you.The songwriting is developed and well-thought out, and the tonality of the album is warm and inviting.Do yourself a favour, buy this album.

Back To the Fold
I've read several of the reviews below, and some are very good.My review of this album won't be quite as technical and thorough as those I've read, but I'll give you my honest opinion.This is a great cd.I've been listening to Ani for about 11 years now....I came in around the "Out of Range" and "Not a Pretty Girl" days.I was a very "devoted" fan (read crazed) for much of my late teens and into my early twenties...sometimes driving as long as 10 hours for a concert.I've loved several of her cd's along the way....Dilate, Little Plastic Castle, To the Teeth, Revelling/Reckoning, Evolve.But as life kept on going, and I got older, I became less and less crazed.Not because of her music, but because I had more going on.....more important things to worry about.I didn't even buy Educated Guess (I didn't even *gasp* realize that she had released it!)But after seeing her perform "Studying Stones" on, of all places, the CBS Saturday Early Show, I was intrigued about "Knuckle Down."So I got the cd, and expected to go through my usual Ani routine.Listen to it, think "hmmmm this isn't anything like Little Plastic Castle or To the Teeth or Evolve....I'm not sure I like it," and then a few weeks or months later listen to it and think "OH!I get it, this is awesome!"But I haven't been able to stop listening to it since it arrived in the mail.This cd has snapped me back to that old place.I'm not sure how, and I'm not sure why....but that's what's happened.I absolutely love this disc.It's really hard pick a favorite song (okay, maybe I like "Studying Stones", "Paradigm", and "Sunday Morning" a little more than the rest.)I'm not saying everyone will love this as much as I do.But if you've kept listening to Ani through the years, through all the different bands and styles and personal experiences, I think you'll dig this cd.

not good
This effort, I have to say, is simply not good. I used to like Difranco's stuff quite a bit, but something's missing here, and it's a substantial enough problem that it compromises the entire work.

On a side note, I must defend porterhouse from lucibuis' attack. First, it's not like porterhouse is off the mark. The comments about the music notwithstanding (with which I happen to agree, at least concerning this album, but that's beside the point), all porterhouse did was call it like he or she saw it. Honestly, any objective observer couldn't really disagree. But what is truly absurd is Lucibuis' hypocrisy. Lucibuis purports to give us all a lesson about what makes a great American citizen and why Difranco is just that, right after calling for Amazon to censor porterhouse. Nice. I guess it's good old fashioned stuff like liberty and free speech, but only for those with whom you agree, right Lucibuis? Twisted. ... Read more

Amazon.com Music Reviews

Blessed with the voice of a wispy angel, Elliott Smith creates sad little pop songs, which, like the work of Nick Drake (to whom he's been compared) threaten to disappear into the night air. Several of the tracks here were featured in Gus Van Zant's movie Good Will Hunting, and they're among the album's best (though "Miss Misery," nominated for an Academy Award is only available on the soundtrack album). "Angeles" and "Say Yes" are bittersweet laments that feature Smith's idiosyncratic guitar picking, which is well served by the album's decidedly low-fi production. --Rob O'Connor ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Where Have I Been?
I have to thank Spin magazine for my purchase of Elliot Smith's Either/Or. I saw the album located as one of the best albums of the 90s and decided to go purchase the album. SPIN WAS COMPLETELY WRONG. This album should have been way farther up than the rating it got. Where have I been? How come I had never heard of Elliot Smith before this? I love every song on this album. Beautiful melodies and flowing intelligent lyrics - Either/Or is one of the most haunting and elegant albums I have ever heard. Speed Trials is glorious and so is Alameda. Ballad of Big Nothing is without a doubt the highlight of the album. Between the Bars, Pictures of Me, No Name No.5, Rose Parade, Punch and Judy, Cupid's Trick, 2:45 AM - all GREAT songs. Say Yes and Angeles are other highlights. Elliot Smith has a ethereal voice and combined with his guitar- creates an experience that can only be heard. I haven't heard XO or his self-titled. But from some people I've talked to - they say XO or the self-titled is better. How can you top this? I can't wait to find out.

elliott smith's best album!
i didn't know a whole lot of background information about elliott smith when i first heard his music, and i still haven't seen good will hunting, but after a friend introduced me to his incredible music he has become my favorite musician! his voice is just plain beautiful! i can't describe it any other way.

either/or was the first cd i heard by elliott smith, and is probably my favorite out of all the elliott smith albums. every song is pretty emotional and full of feeling. the tone is really mellow, and not abrasive like most of the music of today. i personally love "depressing" emotional music, and it makes me feel good. either/or is perfectly blended between sad and beautiful music. this is one of the few albums that i can listen to the whole cd straight through. my personal favorite tracks are: "between the bars", "angeles", "2:45", "speed trials", no name no. 5", etc. i love every track!

this is somewhat sad music, but it doesn't really make you sad. i am really amazed that this truly gifted artist exists! really, this is beautiful music that everyone can appreciate!!!

Hauntingly Beautiful
Elliott Smith's music is so sincere and brutally honest that just him and his acoustic beat all those mainstream fishooks out there today. The acoustic fingerstyle does conjure up the ghost of Nick Drake. The album has great dual layered vocals on songs like Angeles and Between the Bars which are reminiscent of the best harmonies from Simon and Garfunkel. This truely is the work of a fine musician and will make a nice addition to your collection.

love, love, love this record.
i highly recommend this album if you like the honesty and passion of artists like john lennon, kurt cobain, or leonard cohen. you know what i'm talking about. elliot smith is one of the few that can touch me on such a deep level. this record has a sound of its own and it's truly haunting - even more so now that elliot is gone.

Own this now
I love this cd and have listened to it at least once every day since I bought it. One of those great albums you never forget. Everyone needs to own a copy of this. I dont think I oculd find one person who can honestly say they dont like it (people that do are just lying). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Take one part This Year's Model, mix with a bit of Almost Blue, and top off with a healthy sprinkling of King of America. Voilà, The Delivery Man! Elvis Costello's first album for Lost Highway finds the musician deftly exploring American roots music, from rock 'n' roll to country to soul, with assistance from the Imposters (stalwart Attractions Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas plus ace bassist Davey Faragher) and thrushes Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams. It also finds him back digging around in the ashes of a failed relationship. One of the collection's most affecting songs is "The Judgement," a reflective collaboration with Costello's second wife, Cait O'Riordan. Meanwhile, the album is dedicated to his third wife, jazz star Diana Krall. Hmmm. Romantic upheaval may color these songs, but no more than Costello's musical restlessness. For every elegant, wistful ballad ("Nothing Clings Like Ivy," "The Scarlet Tide") there's a raucous rave-up ("Button My Lip," "Bedlam"). The Delivery Man won't make anyone forget his best work; it'll help them recall what they loved about it. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Amazon.com

On her second solo album, Amy Ray pulls no punches. As she sings in "Rural Faggot," "I know you want to know the truth, and I'm the dyke who will give it to you." It's an anthem worthy of Bruce Springsteen (one of the many here) within a song cycle that revisits high school rites of passage in the South while coming to terms with sexual confusion, desire, and identity. For all of Prom's ambitious thematic sweep, much of the material combines a punk-rock urgency with the melodic catchiness of new wave, with little of the folkie earnestness that flavors Ray's collaboration as half of the Indigo Girls. There's a musical progression over the course of 10 songs, with the opening "Put It Out for Good" and "Driver Education" seeming to channel the hard-riffing energy of Ray's high school days, as if the music were the soundtrack of her adolescence, while the reflective maturity of the acoustic "Rodeo" and the rousing affirmation of "Let It Ring" that close the album suggest her graduation into an Indigo Girl. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Disc
my Ray, one half of the folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, is back with her second solo album, Prom. Released on her indie rock label Daemon Records, it represents both a departure and return to form. With her first solo album, Stag, Ray revealed an indie/punk rock side to her musical life that she had only previously hinted at on Indigo albums. Prom is very similar to her previous outing, and is all the better for it. She continues to deal with her anger towards homophobia and her own difficulties with relationships. The recordings are still somewhat lo-fi, and most have the sort of sloppy feeling of doing it all in one take. At 32 minutes, Prom's 10 songs fly by; never out staying their welcome. It will definitely leave you hitting the repeat button again and again.

Rocks Relentlessly
"Prom" is a delightful solo disc.Amy Ray rocks relentlessly.The greatest pearls come at the end of the disc with 4 excellent tracks.On "Sober Girl" Amy & Donna Dresch have a two-woman duel with electric guitars that is a sonic shock."Pennies On the Track" has an original melody with Michelle Malone, guest on guitar, bolstering one of Ray's most emotionally powerful vocals, "Damn all the cost of the assault."The slow acoustic ballad "Rodeo" stands out because it is a beautiful melody and because it is so different from the rest of the "Prom" tracks, "My daddy was a grifter & I was in my momma's way.So I drifted for a while because I could not stand to stay."The CD ends with Ray's quintessential anthem "Let It Ring," a stadium-filler with a great melody, blasting guitars & Ray's pyrotechnical vocals, "Let it ring to Jesus 'cause he'd sure be proud of you; you made fear an institution & it got the best of you."Other tracks like "Give In" & "Driver Education" are strong.The booklet photography of Amy dressed as a band member playing a flute, a plaid rocker, cheerleader, football player, nerd, hippy, and both genders of a prom date show versatility."Prom" tackles gay themes on many tracks without apology, but "Prom" is a great disc because it rocks relentlessly.Enjoy!

Near flawless
I just bought this CD today, and it's awesome...I've listened to it about five times in a row so far this morning. It may even be better than her last CD, Stag.

Amy expresses all her edgier musical and political sensibilities on her solo CDs. This stuff shows up in the Indigo Girls' music, but it's definitely restrained. This is a full blown queer punk/rock album, and it's consistently good. Give it a listen, kids.

Amy Ray's done it again!!!!
I am always amazed at Amy Ray's ability to tie social awareness into all of her songs yet make it in a way that's fun and keeps us hanging on for more, and PROM is her greatest accomplishment to date.With catchy tunes like "Driver Education," and emotionally charged songs such as "March," and "Rural Faggot," I cannot stop listening to it!I have read reviews for this album, and I expect that the excellent reviews will keep pouring in!Amy tackles a lot of issues that she and most of us have experienced in high school and throughout different stages of our lives, such as our sexuality, discrimination, love, addiction etc...One of my personal favorite songs on this record is "March."This song gave me chills the first time I heard it with Amy playing the mandolin as if her life depended on it and with lyrics such as, "Let it ring to Jesus, coz I know he loves me to, I get down on my knees and I pray the same as you, Let it Ring."Amy's message to the radical Christian right is not one of meanness or hatred but rather a message that tells them, you don't own Jesus, you cannot control who he loves, he loves everybody, the same way he tells us to "love our neighbors.""Rural Faggot," tackles homophobia in rural areas against gay men in particular, yet another amazing song that pulls at your heart strings.Amy never fails to get her points across in her songs, yet it's in a way that you don't feel "preached at," instead you feel empowered and inspired to get involved with issues that are near and dear to your heart, even if it's just discussing different issues with your friends and families.However I do not want to scare off the light-hearted listeners who may not be interested in the political realm, because it's a great CD to listen to regardless of your belief systems.The bottom line is, if you want a great CD, which differs from the generic studio created, "boy bands," and the latest "pop stars," then buy PROM, you will not regret it.If you liked "Stag," you will LOVE "PROM!" ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Still developing
Howie Day is a great singer songwriter and an upcoming performer. "Stop All the World Now" seems to be a snapshot of a developing artist, still on the upswing.

The CD has many moments of brilliance. "Collide," "Numbers For Sound" and "Come Lay Down" stand out to me. However, Day seems a little inconsistent in his songwriting and his delivery. At times he's almost Bono-esque in his vocal performances, at other times very "white-bread" generic. The same is true for his songwriting. "Sunday Morning Song" shouldn't even be on the same record with "Come Lay Down" - it sounds like two different artists.

Lyrically he's off and on. "Brace Yourself" feels like a very generic attempt at a single, while "Collide" expresses profound ideas in a brilliantly understated way.

The production is generally quite good. The addition of live strings peppering the album brings it to a different level. It's just the right amount - not overdone. At times, though, the guitar work is a little sloppy. He might've done well to have some studio players perform the touchier acoustic parts for him.

The problems are two-fold for me. First, there is the lack of one killer song. I'm noticing this more and more on records like this - overall a great record, top to bottom, but lacking that one out-of-the-park song to make it all worthwhile. Although there is nothing on SATWN that significantly hurts it, there is also nothing that makes it shine in any spectacular way.

Secondly, the record is a little too eclectic for me. At times it sounds like Radiohead's "O.K. Computer" (Come Lay Down) and at others it feels like John Mayer's happy side (Sunday Morning Song). His sound is obviously still developing.

I recommend this record. It won't change your life like, say, "Vertigo" from "Jump Little Children" or the aforementioned "O.K. Computer" will, but it does provide an easy-to-listen-to record full of great moments. Unfortunately, those moments are a little too spread out to merit 5 stars.

Better than DMB, IMHO...
OK, maybe not better than DMB in every way, but better in many ways. Smooth coherent and meaningful lyrics supported by great melodies help make Howie Day a joy to listen to and that voice and super guitar playing only add to the whole experience.

None of the songs on here are bad, but some are just plain standouts. Unfortunately, most of these standouts probably don't stand a chance on commercial radio because they just aren't catchy or glitzy enough for the general public. Hopefully the buzz surrounding Perfect Time of Day will help get Howie more exposure and expand his ever-increasing fan base.

I'll try to lend my opinion about these songs and point out what I think are the standouts, so here goes...
1. Perfect Time of Day - nice catchy, good radio choice, great bass feel and cool lyrics make it a keeper.

2. Trouble in Here - Solid everything here. The lyrics are the key here.

3. Collide - STANDOUT - easily one of the best songs on this album. You could justify buying this based on this tune alone.

4. Brace Yourself - expect to see this as the next song for airplay. Nice catchy tune, great lyrics and vocals.

5. Sunday Morning Song - sweet little ditty.

6. I'll Take You On - Pensive!Howie at his best. This one's a standout but is probably the most unassuming song on the playlist.

7. She Says - great tune...it gets better with successive listenings. Could be another great radioplay tune!

8. Numbness of Sound - STANDOUT!!! - Clearly the BEST song on the album and outranks most every song on any album this year by any artist. Pure Perfection! This very subdued song causes tunelock with me ALL the time....and the lyrics are hauntingly beautiful..

9. End of Our Days - nothing special. Probably weakest tune.

10. Come Lay Down - solid and haunting

11. You and a Promise - nice closer! Reminds me of U2 on the sound of this one...Howie thows a lot of feeling into this one...great tune!

A must have CD
Stop All The World Now is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time. Howie Day is an extremely talented songwriter and musician and is an artist you should definitely see live, whether he is playing his solo act or with his band. I highly recommend this CD as well as his first release "Australia".

Howie is amazing
Howie Day is most definitly one of the most amazing artists i have ever heard. I found out about himon the radio, i heard his song perfect time of day, and fell in love. I would listen to this station hoping to here his song. I would listen intently forever hoping they might say his name so that i would know who he was, and could buy his CD. He is that good. When i listened to his CD, i found songs that were just as good, even better then perfect time of day. You wilkl be amazed. He has a gorgeous voice. It is deep, and rich, and full, and it reaches out to you and grabs you. Wow, this is an amazing album. When i hear his lyrics i feel as though he is singing for me, and that is one special feeeling. He can capture feelings in sound, and he is able to discribe these feeling in simple yet beautiful ways that are able to reach out to you, and share with you. You ,will not be disapointed, buy this CD. Howie Day has not yet been ruined by to much publicity, LOL.

Howie Day Strikes Back
"Stop All The World Now" is an incredible collection of songs for any age group. These songs reflect on many topics and aspects of life. Any individual can relate to Day's lyricism. The cd opens with "Brace Yourself", an acousticy song, that is perfect for a mainstream radio single. "Perfect Time of Day" is already working its way up the charts successfully. My favorite song would have to be "Come Lay Down", a "ballad" in which Day sings, "Follow me and don't look down, you're alright.", those lyrics reached out to me and drew me into this song at first listen. Although all of the songs on this cd are not mentioned in this review, this is a cd that will stay forever in your cd players, and accompany you on those long drives, wherever they may lead. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bachelor No. 2 is the product of a woman whose 40th birthday looms months ahead, and it illustrates how a little seasoning has paid off creatively for Aimee Mann. Always an incisive lyricist, the eloquent singer-songwriter further hones her wordplay to a razor-sharp edge. Her subjects are so adroitly sliced and diced that little blood is shed, though they're permanently cut down to size. "Calling It Quits" targets some cad who is "numbering himself among the masterminds 'cause he's hit upon the leverage of valentines." Not that Mann spares herself from a steely assessment: "I know I had it coming / From a Caesar who was only slumming" she admits in "The Fall of the World's Own Optimist." Though this 13-track collection borrows three songs from its immediate predecessor, Mann's soundtrack to Magnolia, its musical ingenuity and consistency (notable considering five different production teams are credited here) make the scattered redundancies irrelevant. Mann's artistic growth has been evident with each new release, and Bachelor marks her biggest leap forward to date.--Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (141)

Great Bachelor,Miss Mann
Aimee Mann's Bachelor No. 2 is a real musical masterpiece. From the infectious Nothing Is Good Enough (the instrumental version is featured in the Magnolia soundtrack), to the wonders of the Magnolia tracks (Deathly, Driving Sideways and You Do), to the excellent Ghost World and the spectral splendour of Satellite and It Takes All Kinds, Bachelor features the magnificence of the song-writing skills of the underrated Aimee Mann. Reading the lyrics of any Aimee Mann song is like reading a story, and this album offers many reasons why Aimee's songs inspire extremes of adoration and obsession. If Miss Mann's name is absent from the next Grammy Awards, then it will truly be one of the greatest injustices in music history.

Aimee Mann Bachelor #2
Aimee Mann's Bachelor #2, coming on the heels of the Magnolia soundtrack,and previous albums I'm With Stupid and Whatever, plus the albums she made with her band Til Tuesday continues the string of wonderful songs and albums Aimee has made since having a hit with Voices Carry from Til Tuesday's first album. Just about every song has something to recomend it, from the first song, How Am I Diffrent, which has a quiet power missing in so much of toddays music, to the melodicly heartbreaking Red Vines, to the anger of Deathly, to her touching tribute to Jeff Buckley on Just Like Anyone, and the ending of the album, You Do,which is sadness at it's most wonderful. I strongly recomend buying this album so you can discover one of the best songwriters around today that you've never heard. True, now that Save Me from Magnolia was Oscar nominated, that may change, but it can't come fast enough. If you've had enough of whiny alterntive rockers, sexist rap/metal men, and just pap in general, check this out, it's the cure for that.

Brilliant.
It figures that another genius--Juliana Hatfield--is featured on this magnificent album.

helps us get through
i'm going through hi school, which as everyone says is a hard time in different ways for each person. but aimee's album, both melancholy and uplifiting, one can use to control a mood, surprise, awaken. not only are the lyrics original and catchy, the arrangements are her most creative. this album inspires me to write songs quickly. to try to make up the day-changing tunes like those that she leaves behind.

It's good medicine
It's my belief that if everyone owned a copy of Aimee Mann's "Bachelor no. 2" this world would be a much more peaceful place. This is my feel-good album. Seriously, I went through a really awful depression a couple of years back and when I would listen to this album it was like a ray of sunshine. It's a sonic antidepressant. Works better than anything the doctor can prescribe to you.
Something about the combination of the music, and the lyrics, and Aimee's voice. It's golden. Buy buy buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After Scarlet's Walk, Tori Amos' 2002 ambitious sonic travelogue that took her to all 50 states, penning love letters to America along the way, the fiery earth-sprite has fashioned another high-minded concept album, tying her 19 songs--and one not-so-hidden track--into a garden motif that's part a retelling of Alice In Wonderland, another A Little Shop of Horrors. The Beekeeper chronicles her rather autobiographical protagonist's journey through what seems to be an overgrown labyrinth of the subconscious as she experiences a series of life-altering events and emotions. In addition, living in Cornwall for the past decade has certainly had an effect on Amos, she even takes inspiration from Daphne Du Maurier's classic novel Jamaica Inn, which takes place on that rugged seacoast, but the greatest change is the grit in her voice; on a song like "Hoochie Woman," she sounds like she's channeling Chrissie Hynde--a welcome change from some of the preciousness of her earlier work. She also surprises with the steely, eloquent resolve on a song like "Goodbye Pisces" one of the better break-up songs in recent memory.The Beekeeper returns the quirky singer to the same whimsical terrain of 1992's Little Earthquakes, but with much stronger storylines, and a much more assured and nuanced voice. Her best yet. --Jaan Uhelszki

Recommended Tori-phernalia

Tori Amos: Piece by Piece	Tori Amos - Welcome to Sunny Florida	Little Earthquakes
Under the Pink	Tales of a Librarian	Scarlet's Walk

... Read more

Reviews (248)

Can't get enough of Tori!
I love Tori. What more can I say? Seriously, though, it's not my favorite ablbum, but a great one none-the-less.

Consider it her 'stagnet' genius.
Tori 'n' I go back...
Sunset Blvd.. Gazarris.. Selma...
This record disapoints.
Complaintaincy? Husband? Tash...
Is it the end?
Remember the hardwood floor my friend,
Sprout an earthquake again!

Devon

One of Tori's Best.
The CD starts with 'Parasol,' a straight forward track that doesn't waste anytime in showing what the album is about, in most cases the album seems, to me, more upbeat than her previous records. Almost every track is performed with a full band - in fact the beautiful 'Original Sinsuality' is the only song to just feature Tori and a borsfendor.

Each song the album is different, though one can see the logic for Tori's Garden categorizations upon hearing the tracks. There are many moods represented here on the album. One can bop along to tracks like 'General Joy' and 'Cars and Guitars' or be entranced by the blissful serenity of 'The Beekeeper' and yet still not have full grasp of what can be found on the rest of the Album.

This album is a great addition to the Tori catalogue especially as a parallel to her earlier, sometimes down-trotten (but brilliant) albums. Another exciting progression is Tori's use of the Organ, which lends a new energy not explored on many of her previous albums. (I had the honour of seeing Tori in concert a few weeks ago - just her a Piano, a keyboard and and Organ. Brilliant.) Tori has made a brilliant album that has taken progressive steps in her sound while maintaining the songwritings standard that had made her one of my favourite artists.

Lacking passion, but full of quirk
As has been thoroughly noted, "The Beekeeper" as a whole lacks punch. Tori's words sounds angry, but her music sounds subdued. A woman scorned does not sing like that. Her voice is generally lacking passion on this CD.

It's often lyrically and musically predictable. Take this line from the first single, Sleeps with Butterflies: "Are you having regrets about last night? I'm not." Do you want more lyrics from other songs? Are you sure? Okay, how about "Take a walk down memory lane, past a watermelon stand on the way" or "The sexiest thing is trust." I cringed at many of the lyrics, which were repetitive and obvious.

Musically, it's got a little jazz, a little funk, a little gospel, which shows that she's not done taking risks. I'm not sure if all the risks worked out for her this time, though. "Sweet the Sting" is a gorgeous, groovy song, one of the best on the album. But on other songs like "Cars and Guitars" and "Ireland" she makes some weird noises like she's impersonating musical instruments like ,"ch ch ch cha" and "shnanana." It's a little awkward. Both those songs could easily be put in a car or travel commercial.

Other songs are completely forgettable, like "Mother Revolution" and "Ribbons Undone." She could have made this 19-track album a little more tolerable with a little editing. Many songs were also overproduced - and Tori is best straight-forward and raw.

Still, those who are ready to toss her out because she's no longer the feminist icon that she was in the early 90's are really missing something. She's matured, changed, yes, but her songs are still weird and at times mesmorizing. The title track, "The Beekeeper," is a complete masterpiece. For those unsure whether to invest in this album, I would recommend downloading the title song and "Sweet the Sting." If you 'get' the songs, try "Parasol," "Marys of the Sea" and "Witness." If you're feeling particularly weird, try "The Power of Orange Knickers," which despite its odd title is pretty smart.

Anything else I need to say? Hm... the album is divided up in six parts from "elixirs and herbs" to "rock garden." I have no idea what that means. I guess that's why it's a concept album, though it screams pretentious to me. I also heard that the six parts represent the six sides of a honeycomb and six parts of femininity. Huh? She's still in her own world, that's for sure.

Pages From A Cornish Scholar's Diary
Feb. 27th [2005]. Gretchen came down. Brought The Beekeeper with the supplies from London. Fresh salmon frying and the tide rolling in.

Feb 28th. Sat up late with The Beekeeper. Quite pleasant, you know. 'Barons of Suburbia' a bit like 'Carbon,' isn't it? 'Toast' a bit like 'Gold Dust,' isn't it?

March 2nd. While at darts last evening, the boys at the Umber Lion [were] all over The Beekeeper. Bertie says Amos has "lost her poignancy." Davy tried to convinced Old Simon that The Beekeeper is among Amos' best. I concurred.

Too much ale. Hammering from the tin mines kept us awake until dawn.

March 4th. A puffin defecated on my head while [I was] bringing in the mail. Father Callaghan says it brings luck. Rain all day. Wrote for five hours without interruption.

March 5th. 'The Power of Orange Knickers,' 'Ireland.' Each different from anything Amos has previously done. Therein lie their appeal.

Biddy Early stopped in to listen to 'Garlands' on my DVD. Proclaimed it the best thing on [The] Beekeeper. Said it's typical Amos--keeping the best tracks off the albums. Had me play it over and over until she could confidently hum the melody. I watched her from the doorway until she disappeared over the hill, her vegetable basket swinging on her arm.

The well dry again. Shall I get a bird to keep Bishop and me company? A parrot, a pair of finches, a myra bird?

March 10th. Colin and Martin shouting "Who knew the Middle of the Road was located in Cornwall?" while walking through the village. Laughter, astonished looks. A man I didn't recognize yelled after them in Gaelic, "Cornish waters are not that shallow!"

'Jamaica Inn' a bit like 'Martha's Foolish Ginger,' isn't it?

March 13th. Played The Beekeeper for Mrs. O'Casey, the charwoman. Somber reflections on better days as the peat crackled. Christina, Mrs. O'Casey's young daughter, quoted an Amazon reviewer: "The Beekeeper sounds like a CD you'd find in your mother's SUV."I said, "Oh, no, not at all, not at all." But the three of us fell asleep during 'Ribbons Undone.' When we awoke, it was after three a.m. Mrs. O'Casey was embarrassed no end.

March 17th.Stopped in at Mawnan Churchyard at twilight. Copious notetaking. John Curtin, the sexton, has a theory. He says that seven of The Beekeeper tracks sound like children's songs, more or less. Thinks Amos is unconsciously writing for children, due to her daughter's presence in her life. Aleister, the grave digger, shouted over, "Frothy and accessible pop songs are not what Amos' constituency require. Look what happened to Joni Mitchell after Mingus." During confession, elderly Father Dwyer whispered through the screen, "The Beekeeper has no teeth."

Trying to put my mind on other things. The hammer [has] gone missing again. In a dream I asked for cabbage, and the clerk said, "Sir, it's sold out." What could it mean?

March 19th.Another tourist believes he has spotted Mowgawr off the coast. Craning necks aplenty. The chimney's blocked up [for] the third time this season.

Bishop caught a hare by the rocks.

Little Christina playing Candy Land in the courtyard with the local urchins. "The songs on The Beekeeper hopscotch all over the place like the squares on this game board," I heard her say as we passed. I found myself staring down at the linear path of colored cubes, entranced.

March 20th. Finished the chapter on piskies while playing Bach, Satie, and Wizz Jones. The Beekeeper. No catharsis. Johnny Kelly the sheep herder calls it "formulaic." There is not one thing in life to make it bearable.

March 22nd. Gretchen here. I said, "I am convinced The Beekeeper has already surrendered all its secrets." Gretchen: "They were few, anyway."

I ran into old Michael Barrett down by the culvert. He called 'Sweet The Sting,' 'Witness,' and 'Hoochie Woman' "pastiches." He predicts a late spring.

I thought Thomas would get a mug of ale thrown in his face when he called 'Goodbye Pisces' "merely pretty" at the Lion last night. But Kate Cloran only yawned, and Mary Creevy said she still had a morning's washing to do.

March 24th. A sense of coitus interruptus in 'Sweet The Sting,' when surely a sense of inflagrante delecto is what's required? The climax of 'Barons of Suburbia' falls flat--why does the narrator say she "is piecing a potion"? And concerning "she is risen"--has "she" risen because the potion has been pieced? It's a muddle.

Played Under The Pink and Boys For Pele through. Instantly transported. Then 'Cooling,' 'Purple People,' 'Playboy Mommy,' 'Lust,' 'Strange,' 'Indian Summer.' Gretchen asked for 'Tombigbee.' We made love on the hard wood floor.

March 26th. The stained-glass widow on the north side has a substantial crack in one pane. The wind coming in. Thatch in my corn flakes this morning. Positive word from Thames and Hudson. 'Parasol' a bit like 'Amber Waves,' isn't it?

Something in The Times about Amos and "granola feminism." Gretchen got a jolly laugh over that. Bishop did his business over the thing before I was able to finish [it].

I dreamed I climbed the ladder to the attic and found "Come back, Kate, all is forgiven" scrawled across the east wall. What could it mean?

March 27th. Patrick O'Hagan borrowed the Saab for a trip to Ireland while the Beekeeper was in the deck. Shall I have Gretchen send down another [copy]? No. I can hum the better tracks, and I still have 'Garlands' in the DVD, which sounds a bit like 'Yes, Anastasia,' doesn't it?

There was some kind of a ruckus in the village. Gretchen passed some of the locals burning a figure in effigy. Nasty business.

Sat up late reading Strindberg's Ghost Sonata. So good, some parts.

[Here the record ends]
... Read more

Amazon.com

The debate over whether he is punk or new wave is long over; today Elvis Costello is less likely to be found on a list with Strummer and Scabies than he is with Bacharach and David and Jimmy Webb. Lauded initially for his energetic and literate attacks on the social ills of Thatcher's England, he has become a peerless master of the popular song. The evolution of Costello's craft as a songwriter and performer, from the early high-octane polemics, through his stylistic experiments with country and soul, and on to standards written for others, is splendidly documented on this elegant two-disc set. Chronology is ignored in favor of a thoughtful program that catalogs the jewels from his prolific output and a sprinkling of covers that demonstrate the maturing of his singing voice. The 42 tracks here lean generously to the first 10 years with the Attractions, but also collects the best of his subsequent collaborations with the cream of America's session musicians and on through to "She," his contribution to the soundtrack of 1999's Notting Hill. --Rob Stewart ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Only a fraction of "The Very Best...", but a good start.
As an introduction for the Elvis Costello novice, this is definitely the best "Best of" to date, but I think this "Very Best of" labelling of Costello's work is frankly ludicrous. Although I realize the point of this release is to sell a reasonably priced and affordable overview, I would have preferred Rhino issue the 2-CD set as "The Very Best, Volume One" (with Two, Three, Four & Five to follow), as any singular "Very Best" compilation (even two CD's worth) of the most prolific genius in modern music is bound to be lacking, to say the least. As for this compilation, I applaud Rhino for including some of Costello's lesser known gems (although there are many, many more). However, there were several surprising omissions of better known songs. "King Horse," "Party Girl," "Love Field," and "You Little Fool" are a few that come to mind. And I felt that many of the chosen tracks simply were not the VERY best song or songs from those particular albums (among the very best, yes, but certainly not THE very best). For example, why was "I Want To Vanish" picked over the title track "All This Useless Beauty"? And why was the album "The Juliet Letters" completely ignored? I think "The Birds Will Still Be Singing" is one of the most beautiful songs Costello has ever written, and it is nowhere to be found! Were these songs bumped by "She" and "That Day Is Done"?! Okay, so am I for the most part nitpicking ? Sure! But I have a list a mile long of the "Very Best" of Elvis (probably a ten CD box set's worth)! Anyway, if you're new to Elvis definitely pick up this "Very Best of " CD. Then rush out and buy every album Costello's ever made!

Truly the Essential Elvis!
I have owned quite a number of Elvis Costello anthology albums. The first was back in the late 80's, a "Greatest Hits" LP put out by CBS/Columbia. In 91 I purchased "Girls, Girls, Girls" a triple CD collection, & recently found a budget priced cassette called "Extreme Honey: the Best of the Warner Bros. Years". Each of these had songs I liked, but often contained more that I didn't.

Now I have purchased "The Very Best of Elvis Costello" & for once I can say this album absolutely lives up to it's title! In 2 CD's we have an overview of the extraordinary career of one of the most prolific & multi-faceted songwriters of our time. It's wonderful! Everything is here, from the chilling "Watching the Detectives" & supersonic "Lipstick Vogue" of the early albums thru the jazz & country-tinged experiments of the late 80's up to his latest collaborations with the Brodsky Quartet & Burt Bacharach. There isn't a single song that tempts me to hit the "forward" button on my CD player.

Curiously, Rhino has opted to put the material in a non-sequential order. Most greatest hits collections start with the earliest songs, working their way up to the latest. "The Very Best of..." was organized by someone who had their mind on creating an emotional mood rather than a history of the artist. Although normally I prefer the time-line approach, in this casse it works quite well. If you want to hear the developement of Costello's song-writing, Rhino has included original release dates in the credits so that you can sequence your own order. Other than song titles & lists of musicians, this is about all the information you will discover inside the jewel case. This is about the only weakness I can find to this package. Personally I would have preferred some type of liner notes included.

If you only own 1 Elvis Costello album, make it "The Very Best of..." . I guarantee you won't regret it!

could've used a chrono-scrambler
but it's amazing anyway! if you haven't given elvis costello a chance yet, you owe it to yourself. so many pop masterpieces. this guy may be one of the most widely acclaimed, yet underappreciated artists in history. what a shame...these songs--all 42 of them!--are simply fantastic. i'd heard maybe four of them before taking the plunge and dishing out the 20+ bucks for this double cd set. favorites: "oliver's army," "accidents will happen," "veronica," "lipstick vogue," "alison".

one has to admit, however, that the more ballad-centric second disc is far, far weaker than the more energetic first disc. if i'd done the compilation, i think i would have scrambled the chronology a bit to even things out.

Great if you're new to E.C.
If you are a new fan of Elvis Costello (we all were at some point...) then this is a good CD to start out with because it spans a good deal of his career and can point you in the right direction of if you like his earlier music or latest music. If you are a long-time E.C. fan and have most of his albums, then there is really nothing new here for you. As a greatest hits collection, it was an excellent selection of songs considering they had to keep it down to only two CDs--and its a better deal then a box-set would be. Give it a try.

A great representation of a great career
What DECADE was for Neil Young, THE VERY BEST OF ELVIS COSTELLO is for E.C. While it is representative of a longer span of time, T.V.B.O.E.C. leaves very few gaps in Costello's long and varied career. It covers the huge range of musical styles that influenced Elvis and that he incorporated so engagingly: reggae, punk, country/western, pop, Mersey, ska, classical, and Frank Sinatra-type music (whatever that is called). Listening to some of the older tunes, like "Watching the Detectives" (one of my favorites) and "Pump It Up" reminded me of how impressed I had been by this guy's singular sound and individuality during an era of copy-cat punk/new wave bands. And the newer tunes just seem like a logical procession of this man's songwriting ability. This cd is well-worth having in your collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tidal is the debut album by Fiona Apple, a New York singer-songwriter-pianist who was 18 years old at the time of its 1996 release. Apple is obviously talented--she has a dark, smoky alto and a knack for an arresting turn of phrase--but she's still several years away from realizing her potential. For every fresh lyric she writes ("Daddy longlegs, I feel that I'm finally growing weary of waiting to be consumed by you"), she provides two examples of embarrassingly precious schoolgirl poetry ("Adagio breezes fill my skin with sudden red," from the same song, "The First Taste"). She also has yet to refine her moody piano chords into actual melodies, though "Shadowboxer" comes close. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (253)

Better w/ Each Listen -Classic Alt Rock CD
Fiona Apple was the "Alica Keyes" of alternative rock music back in the mid-90's - a young, gifted singer who led a band from her piano and produced a critically acclaimed debut.

On 'Tidal', Fiona produces a raw, melodic CD which is often transcendent in a way which reminds me a bit like 'Abbey Road'. No, she is NOT the Beatles here. She was an 18 yr old w/ a burning muse, unpolished and instinctive her first time out, not technically brilliant and nearly flawless as the greatest rock band ever on their last recorded studio album. But though there are some strong standouts ('Criminal', 'Sleep to Dream', 'Shadowboxer') its the whole that transcends its often undeveloped parts after repeated listenings which leaves the strongest impression. Where the Beatles wrote complex novels, Fiona writes slam poetry -a young woman's angst filtered thru not-always-developed bursts of melody. The lyrics are sometimes inept and its hard to pick up any semblance of continuity at times, but there is a sultriness in her voice and an unselfconsciousness in her delvery that carries through to the end.

Back in the 'Lilith Fair'-era of alternative rock's heyday in the 90's, when artists like Tori and Alannis and Jewel were omnipresent, "Tidal" was a quiet classic that holds up well today. Highly recommeded!

Tidal
Fiona Apple is one of the best song writers to come around in years. The lyrics are powerful and oh so poetic. Every track is a masterpiece. She plays piano wonderfuly and has great insturmenatlist on the album. Her vioce is one of the best out there. Her vioce has so mutch felling and power in it. It realy moves me. The album starts with "Sleep To Dream" a great song musicaly but probably the worst song lyricly on the album. The next song "Sullen Girl" is a song about how she was raped when she was twelve. Its a very sad but beuitiful song more on the jazzy side. The next song "Shadowboxer" is more on the the soulish/blues side. Another great song. Criminal is the most rock orientated song on the album. I love her vocals at the end of the song. "Slow Like Honey" is a great lyrical song with great music as well. "The First Taste" is one of the best songs on the album. The song just brings poetic thoughts into my mind everytime I hear it. Good instraments too. Than comes one of my favorite songs "Never is a Promise". The strings are great, the pianos great and the vocals go right along with the song. You just have to hear the song! "The Child is Gone" is the worst song on the album but you still should listen to it good. "Pale September" has very devious pianos and is a very relaxing song. "Carrion" finishes the album off the right way with what eles a great lyirical, musical and vocal song!!! This is one of my favorite albums. I put it right up there with the classics and at least for me, will stand the test of time. Her lyrics inspire me so mutch, and hearing her music is one of the best ways for me to forget my problems. Pick this up I just don't see how you won't be inspired and love this album. I expect Fiona to be remebered as one of the best songwriters of our generation.

Where are you Fiona?
Was Fiona Apple really so young when she released this album? Was she already such a great composer, vocalist, pianist and producer? Amazing! Is there a single song on here that is not hypnotic? Absolutely not! Sullen Girl, Shadowboxer, Criminal -- these are all glorious tracks that should make anyone wonder where this girl came from (and especially where she has disappeared to) and where she developed such a seasoned view. She's like the Rickie Lee Jones or Joni Mitchell of the 90s. Fiona, please come back and give us some more great music.

Auspicious Debut Album.... from (then) 19 yr old Fiona
Fiona Apple was signed to a major label in 1995 on the strenght of a demo tape of a few songs. She was 18, and a major label signing an unknown teenager was possible only because we now know (in retrospect) that 1995-96 were the heydays of the "alternative music" scene, and anything was possible.

"Tidal" (10 tracks, 51 min.), released almost 8 years to the day, was auspicious in many respects. The confessional writing style, the jazzy-smokey pop (don't even think Norah Jones, but more a jazzier Tori Amos or Aimee Mann), it all struck a cord. And a few killer songs helped tremendously of course. "Shadowboxer" became a breakout hit, and justifiably so, it still sounds good today, 8 years later. Other oustanding tracks include the opener "Sleep to Dream", "The First Taste" (with great lyrics like "Darling Just Start the Chase/I'll Let You Win/But You Must Make the Endeavour"), and "Pale September", featuring the vibraphone which is used throughout the album, very effectively. However, the very best of them all "Never Is A Promise", a haunting ballad.

Since "Tidal", Fiona has released only one other album (1999's oustanding "When The Pawn"), but supposedly we will finally see a new album later this year. Meanwhile, "Tidal" is aging quite nicely. Strongly recommended!

We Need More Music Like This.
Now this is some truly, honest to God gorgeous music, you can just relax to it and let it take you away. Fiona A. is one talented woman, and quite sensual in her songs. Although I love Tori Amos myself, Fiona's music is very different despite some similarities (a.k.a piano, having been raped)

High Points: I'm in LOVE with her sound, it is very unique in my opinion and has a dreamy, moody quality to it. Her voice is also awesome, it can sweep down deep and sultry and then soar high and sweet (wish there was more singers like that). AND not ONE song is bad (although I usually skip Pale September and Carrion for some reason). Favorite songs are Sullen Girl (the piano is beautiful and the lyrics are my favorite out of all the songs "but he washed me shore and he took my pearl, and left an empty...shell, of me."), The First Taste (this really would be great to dance to, the vibe is awesome and her voice just glides through it), Slow Like Honey (sooooo seductive, Fiona tells why her man can't resist her.)

Low Points: Hmm...can't think of any haha! This whole album stays pretty consistent in feeling and sound, but if you have no patience for slow songs than you had best stay away.

This piece is really a stand out to me, and I wish there was more music out like this, in fact, I think we need it. To get away from having to be all edgy and beautiful and pumped up... and just chill. Yeah, that would be cool. ... Read more