Reviews (17)

The definite Streisand album!
Of all of the many Streisand collections, GREATEST HITS Vol. 2 is the absolute best. If you only wanted to buy one Streisand album, this is the one to get. Streisand had more success (as a recording star) in the seventies than any other decade. With this album, you can see why.

The album opens with the Oscar-winning, #1 smash "Evergreen," which has a beautiful melody (written by Barbra herself) and a almost haunting delivery. The love theme from the EYES OF LAURA MARS, "Prisoner," features an amazing arrangement and gives Barbra the chance to perform a rock ballad. Two more #1 singles, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (with Neil Diamond) and "The Way We Were," are also included, as well as the oddly beautiful "Superman" and the tear-jearking "Songbird."

In the live melody version of "Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead," Barbra proves she can sing other artists' work (in this case Carole King) as they never could themselves. The rocker "Stoney End," her first top 10 of the 70's, brings the album to a nice end.

Simply wonderful, the entire album is full of highlights.

Greatest Hits truly is GREATEST!
Barbra's Greatest Hits Album Vol.2 is one of the best if not the best album Barbra has ever recorded. She is at her peak in the recording industry and songs like "Evergreen" and "The Way We Were" are with "People" (from her first Greatest Hits") are the songs for which she is most remembered today. Her voice in the underrated "Songbird" is just that and her duet with Neil Diamond in the immortal "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" is perfect. Don't forget "Stoney End" and "Superman". Even the forgotten "Prisoner" is a terrific tune by La Streisand! Every song on this album is special and is a very accurate summary of that point in her career just like her first greatest hits displays her talent of the 1960s and her Greatest Hits and more album summarizes her work in the 1980s.

I like the music, but this cd is terrible
Why only 1 star and why do I say this cd is terrible? The mastering, that's why. This cd is so thin and shrill sounding that it's difficult to listen to. The original edition of this disc (before it got labeled with "digitally remastered from the original tapes" or something like that) was no sonic masterpiece, but it definitely sounded better than this. I would really, really discourage anyone thinking about this disc.

For a good hits collection, the newer 2-disc "Essential Barbra Streisand" disc is good. It sounds SO much better than this disc and contains most of the tracks available on this disc (and many, any others).

Streisand's best compilation.
As far as simply collecting the big hits of the time, GREATEST HITS, VOLUME TWO is still the best compilation album of Streisand's career. Covering the years 1970-1978, the ten-track sampler covers most of Barbra's biggest and best-known singles. The record hit #1 when originally released and sold well over five million copies in the US alone.

This kind of success is unusual for a compilation, but Volume Two's sales skyrocketed due to the enormous success of the sole new track: the #1 Platinum single "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," a classy and moving thematic duet with Neil Diamond. The disc also contains the huge hits "Stoney End" (#6 Pop, #2 Adult Contemporary) and "The Way We Were" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) as well as the then-recent smashes "Evergreen" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) and "My Heart Belongs To Me" (#4 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary).

The track sequencing is non-chronological (which I find irritating), however this is easy to forgive since there is only ten tracks, and since most of the songs were recorded and released within a few years time span. VOLUME TWO also contains several lower-charting singles that aren't as well known as the big hits, but are equally splendid. This includes the lovely "Songbird" (#25 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) the overwrought-but-fun Laura Mars theme "Prisoner" (#21 Pop), Streisand's amazing cover of Stevie Wonder's "All In Love Is Fair" (#63 Pop) and the stunning live medley "Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead" (#37 Pop). The runtime is fairly short and there are a few noteworthy tracks missing (nothing from 1971's BARBRA JOAN STREISAND or 1975's LAZY AFTERNOON?), but listeners looking for a compilation that contains many of Barbra Streisand's biggest hits will not be able to find anything better.

Evergreen, it grows on you-Marilyn Monroe(Garry Hixon)
This is a pretty decent album. When people first heard evergreen in 1977, I think it was basically for adults, but through the years it is obviously a classic. This is the title song on this short album, a short song but a cute one. The way we were doesnt get the airplay that evergreen does but it is an Americana song, and people think of the movie. My heart belongs to me is a good song, which gets a lot of am radio airplay. Barbara Streisand is supposedly retiring in one way or another, but her best stuff has not even been realized yet. When you realize that only a few of her songs are really hits, you see what I mean. She doesnt even listen to her own stuff. I hope she retires gracefully, shes earned a long rest.-To Barbara and Paul Williams-love-GAR ... Read more

Reviews (23)

The Ultimate Collection You Should Own
I have been a Captain and Tennille listener for over 25 years now dating back to 1975. I have attended many of their shows and have also held a special place in my heart for their music and philosphy. They are simply irresistable and likeable.

I have always hoped that one day we may get their entire collection of music released on compact disc. Over the past 10 years most of their music has reemerged though mostly on Japanese imports of their A&M years. I hope that one day the "Make Your Move" and Keeping Our Love Warm" albums will be released on CD. Even if they were on one compact disc. These albums displayed a new attitude and different music style that the Captain & Tennille displayed during the 1970's. It reflected an adult oriented sound and most of this music still sounds current today.

This collection captures the image and sound of the Captain & Tennille. I recommend this collection over the 1977 Greatest Hits collection which I feel was issued too soon into their career. The "Ultimate Collection contains some songs that are truly lost gems such as "Song of Joy", "I'm On My Way", "Love on A Shoestring" and "Keeping Our Love Warm".

I give this a 5 star review because it is beautifully packaged although it contains a discrepancy regarding the song "Don't Forget Me" in the liner notes. This song was never released as a single. Ironically, the song still didn't make it into this collection. The song that should have been included was "This Is Not The First Time" that was written by Toni Tennille and issued as a single back in the fall of 1980. It was originally written for Cher as was several other songs on the "Keeping Our Love Warm" album. Toni remarked at the time that Cher turned down the song "This Is Not The First Time" because it wasn't "rock enough" If you ever have an opportunity to listen to this track you will definately hear a very rock oriented sound from the Captain and Tennille. I wish that this track was included because then it would have been completely "ultimate".

A couple of my other favorite songs that never made it onto CD are: "Never Make A Move Too Soon", "Since I Fell For You" and "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)" The ultimate collection could have displayed one more track in honor of Daryl Dragon, which should have been "Song For My Father". It is perhaps his best solo work on the Captain and Tennille albums and unfortunately is another lost gem.

Enjoy this collection and share it with some friends. It will bring back fond memories and great conversation. If you ever get the chance to see the Captain and Tennille/Toni Tennille live in concert make sure you see them. They are a class act!

Play that to me one more time
Listening to Universal's recent 22-track compilation of the squeaky-clean Toni Tennille and her captain Daryl Dragon is the essential stroll down memory lane. The musical duo epitomised the adult-contemporary scene of the mid-seventies, and they even scored a few big cross-over hits which became staples of seventies FM radio. Admittedly, their single releases (nearly all of which are compiled here) are largely mid-tempos or ballads, so fans of the group's 1979 disco/pop album 'Make Your Move' might be safer with the more uptempo compilation CD 'Scrapbook'. However for those wanting to relive their youth or people like me who can appreciate an age of musical innocence and lyrical naivety, 'Ultimate Collection: The Complete Hits' is a good place to start.

It's difficult to fault this compilation in terms of what it is. I would mourn the loss of the silky disco tune 'No Love In The Morning' or the R'n'B-infused 'Until You Come Back To Me', but as this is explicitly a hits compilation it's a relatively futile exercise. For the casual fan, all the big songs are here in shimmeringly clear, digitally-remastered quality - 'Do That To Me One More Time', 'Love Will Keep Us Together', 'Lonely Night (Angel Face)', even the semi-hideous / semi-beautiful 'Muskrat Love'. For the slightly more versed fans, their more moderately-successful singles such as 'Can't Stop Dancin'', 'The Way I Want To Touch You', 'Shop Around', 'You Need A Woman Tonight' receive another well-deserved outing here. And for all Captain & Tennille diehards, tunes like 'Love On A Shoestring', a disco reading of 'Happy Together (A Fantasy)', and 'Keeping Our Love Warm' round out this comprehensive compilation.

The combination of Daryl's production with Toni's deep vocals and lyrical know-how made for some of the best songs of their era. I was hoping to find something wrong with this collection to at least warn people about, but it's a class package from top to bottom. A very complete tracklisting, lovely artwork, and a bumper booklet with photos, comprehensive write-ups and even snippets from a new interview with Toni and Daryl makes 'The Ultimate Collection' the perfect introduction to new fans and a fitting tribute to long-time fans for their loyalty.

This is not my cup of tea(or in this case poison)
The msuic here sounds incredibly dated now, and not at all timeless, but at least Toni sings s=no jazz standards here liek she seems to be doing a lot lately, if you want to hear toni in her element then this si the cd to buy.

Better Hits Compilation
This collection has everything you will always want from Captain & Tennille. Even if you have their original "greatest hits" album from 1977, you will still want this. Although they are considered "MOR" artist along with Barry Manilow, The Carpenters, and Neil Sedaka, this compilation makes this an enjoyable album to listen. Essential.

Memory lane never sounded so good! The one to buy!
This HIP-O RECORDS release is a vast improvement, both sound and selection wise, over A&M's "Captain & Tennille's Greatest Hits," which was first released in CD form in 1990. Although this 22 song collection (versus 12 in the aforementioned) may be too much music for most non-hardcore fans, one thing that can't be argued with is how amazing the remastering brings all their songs to life.

In remember that C&T were huge when I was in junior high and of course I never admitted to being a Captain & Tennille fan as these two were kind of hokey with their ultra-vanilla TV variety show (which I loved! With its show ending "We Never Really Say Goodbye") and the whole Captain shtick, which as fans will remember included sailor caps and the keyboard sounds in songs like "Muskrat Love" (which I also loved). Listening to these songs now, I can clearly see that C&T were much more than a guilty pleasure as they put out some brilliant singles and Toni Tennille (who I recently learned, toured with the Beach Boys AND sang background vocals on Pink Floyd's "The Wall)" shows some major soul chops in many songs, especially "Disney Girls." Among my favorites are the sexy "The Way I Want to Touch You," the irresistible "Love Will Keep Us Together," the infectious "Lonely Night (Angel Face)'" the ultra-cheesy ballad "Muskrat Love," their earnest versions of a 1970's AM staple "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)," and "Come In From The Rain", and the list goes on. These songs will take you back to a simpler and more innocent time and although that is not always what is on one's musical menu, it's nice to have this collection. Even the "Grease" meets The Brady Bunch meets Meatloaf "Can't Stop Dancing'" brings a huge smile to my face.

There are also some lesser known songs that are quite a nice addition versus the 1990 release (such as the soulful "Song Of Joy)" and a couple of gems that were initially overlooked in that release, such as "Do That To Me One More Time" and "You Never Done It Like That."

Of course like most things in life all is not perfect as more is not always better. There is some filler towards the end of the disc and a truly awful Spanish version of "Love Will Keep Us Together" that will make even non-Spanish speakers cringe; notwithstanding this CD easily earns its 4 starts as it has all the essentials and the remastering makes them all sound better than they ever have. Of course almost anything tops the sound of my favorite AM radio station (KFRC) at the time these songs came out. If you want to make this a 5 star release, I suggest doing what I do many times when a release has all the goods and some filler, which is to record my own curtailed version that has all my favorites. If you liked C&T in the 1970s, this is THE release to buy. On the other hand if you never liked them and thought that they were the devil incarnate, nothing here will change your mind. I am really happy that I bought this and listening to my curtailed version as I write this, I am floored by the shelf-life of many of these soft rock (without shame) gems. Enjoy!

By the way, it should be noted that Hip-O's "Ultimate Collection" series are among the finest collections around and they don't skimp on the inserts. This release in particular has so much great stuff that it actually felt like true historical account of the band, instead of the junk that sometimes is passed for inserts. ... Read more

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Actress Jennifer Lopez's debut album fails in its attempt to provide a worthy musical backdrop to her much-discussed diva-esque image. Over the course of 13 songs, On the 6 displays barely a glimmer of the verve, poise, and sensuality of her screen performances in the likes of Out of Sight. With little vocal talent to rely on, Lopez generally seems content to ape Madonna's middle register like any happy radio listener. Similarly, several of the tracks here seem too rooted in the Latin-lite clichés of "La Isla Bonita." With practice--more Lopez CDs will surely follow in the wake of 6's success--the star might develop into a singer worth reckoning with, but for now she stands as a wonderful actress and a musical artist with an unengaging album to her name. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (556)

Jennifer Lopez - On The 6 (Spanish Version)
This CD isn't really that different than the regular American version. It Has pretty much all the same songs (only 6 are in spanish) But anyway the tracks are as fallows :
1. No Me Ames [Duo Con Marc Anthony] 4:36 (original spanish)
2. If You Had My Love [Si Tuvieras Mi Amor] 4:26 (original)
3. Una Noche Mas 4:06 (original spanish)
4. Should've Never [No Debiera] 6:15 (original)
5. Es Amor* 4:41 (previously un-released)(spanish)
6. Let's Get Loud [Pongamonos Estridentes] 4:00 (original)
7. It's Not That Serious [No Es Tan Serio] 4:16 (original)
8. Amar Es Para Siempre* 3:53 (spanish vers. of "Promise Me You'll Try")
9. Too Late [Demasiado Tarde] 4:28 (original)
10. El Deseo De Tu Amor* 3:38 (spanish vers. of "Open Off My Love")
11. Talk About Us [Hablemos De Nosotros] 4:25 (original)
12. Could This Be Love [Podria Esto Ser Amor] 4:26 (original)
13. No Me Ames (Duo Con Marc Anthony) [Remezcla Tropical] 5:03 (original)
Like I said all of the tracks are the same as the US edition of this cd the only differenc are trakcs #5, #8, & #10. Tracks 8 & 10 being covers of her english songs, they sound just like the english versions, (but sound way better in spanish than in english), # 5 is an original recording in spanish, its a ballad. Over all this cd is basically the same as the original release (thats why I give it 4 stars) and all the songs are in english except tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, & 13.

kool gear
My big sister says to me when you buy all her albums Jennifer will invite you for a romantic evening and night so I bought them all I hope she calls soon

This cd defines "corn & onions"
Stick to acting, Jenny, cause your music sucks!

Amazing debut album
Jennifer lopez is definitely a super star. She is beautiful, sexy and she has talent. When i heard IF YOU HAD MY LOVE i said that i have to buy "On the 6". And i bought it. It is a great album with a lot of good songs. My favourite song is "Waiting for tonight" and "no me ames". The first one i love it because every time i listen it i dance. The second one because i love that tone and it is a good slow song. Other masterpiece of that album is "Lets get loud", "If you had my love", "Feelin'so good", "Baila", "Talk about us", "Promise me you'll try", "Should've never", "Una moche mas" etc. In the beginning i put 4 stars on that album but after i remember the very good pictures and artwork of that album. also inlay you will find the lyrics. Jennifer lopez is the best. (...)

A Charming Surprise
I really didn't know much about Jennifer Lopez when Her debut album and smash single debut a #1. At that time no one could tell me how much I would love her music as much as I do. But after hearing Tracks like Feeling so good, Waiting for tonight I was hooked and the rest is history. Its a great cd . ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Fantastique"
Comme Daniel dit si souvent c'est "FANTASTIQUE". Je ne me fatigue pas de l'écouter. Je le recommande à tous ses fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Was Bette Midler playing on the title of Dinah Washington's The Swingin' Miss D when she named her 1972 debut? Washington would've been proud of this album's tune stack, which makes a sensuous slow-jam classic of "Do You Want to Dance?" by Bobby Freeman, salutes the Andrews Sisters' "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," and produces signature pieces of John Prine's "Hello in There" and Buzzy Linhart's "Friends." Midler might not have set out to reinvent the wheel, but on her first try, she outdid Barbra Streisand in taste, wit, and yes, sophistication. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Joyously Alive
The Dixie Cups recorded Chapel of Love; Superstar was best know as a top 40s hit for The Carpenters; The Shangri-Las did Leader of the Pack. Every one from Tanya Tucker to Helen Reddy had a hit with Delta Dawn, and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy is an Andrews Sisters classic. In fact, at the time this recording was released, there was very little on it that was strictly identified with the then-unknown Bette Midler, and although THE DIVINE MISS M received critical accolades it didn't exactly fly off the record store shelves.

But to my mind it remains the best Bette Midler album. Oh sure, Midler has done wonderful things since--great recordings that will stand the test of time--but in terms of overall success THE DIVINE MISS M is IT. And although most of these songs were made famous by other artists, once Midler gets hold of them she makes them her own. Delta Dawn becomes a mixture of pathos and unexpected sassiness, completely unlike any other version you've ever heard. The often-recorded Am I Blue, a staple of every torch singer that ever lived, suddenly belongs to Midler and Midler alone, and the Carpenter's version of Superstar seems almost dispassionate in comparison. She easily bests the Dixie Cups and the Shangri-Las, and even The Andrews Sisters are tossed about in the tide, with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy both hommage and reinterpretation.

Crowning all this are two versions of Midler's signature tune Friends. The first version is a cute throw-away with a children's chorus, the second one begins in darkness and explodes into light to finish the album. Everything about this recording is beautiful, joyous, brilliant, passionate, and intensely alive. If there is such a thing as the artistic heir to the late, legendary Judy Garland, it is beyond doubt the equally legendary Bette Midler, and THE DIVINE MISS M offers her in all her youth, energy, and beauty. Your stereo is calling out for this one; don't wait. Strongly recommended.

Well-Rounded Album
This is Bette Midler's first and finest album. It's filled with standards, ballads, rock and pop songs. A great retro album that's retro itself!

Here the version of SUPERSTAR that inspired the Carpenters to record their slower and mellower version. Listen to the smooth DO YOU WANT TO DANCE? Sing along to BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY and FRIENDS (2 different versions produced by 2 different people--one fo them being Barry Manilow!).

This is definitely a fun album that you will be listening for years!

Simply Divine...Simply Miss M
Well kids, who knew the girl from Honolulu, the outsider, would record such a timeless collection of hits and standards. There is not one debut album that I can think of that is as incredible as Bette Midler's "The Divine Miss M." This is Bette at her best, singing torch songs such as "Am I Blue," or knocking your socks off with a rocker such as "Hustler," or just having some kitch-y fun with "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "Friends." In March of 1999, I had the great fortune of meeting Miss Midler and having her sign my vinyl copy of this timeless record. As we were talking, I commented about how this was her best album and she was flattered that someone so young (I was 13 at the time) could appreciate such a classic album. Buy this incredible piece of work by an incredible artist! You won't be sorry! And just remember...
"You can like me the way I am or you can...KISS MY BRASS!"-a quote from the Divine Miss M's latest and greatest concert tour!

Seminal influence
This is one of the absolute best first albums by a pop artist to date. I remember sneaking my older sister's "Divine Miss M" album out of her room when she wasn't around and playing it on our "stereophonic hi-fi." (We're talking back in 1972 after all.) Imagine a 12-year-old girl from the 'hood crooning along with Bette Midler's "Am I Blue" and totally getting it! When I listen to this CD now, I'm still amazed at how she renders all the covers on that album as hers and hers alone...every single note, every single riff...

To any and all Bette Midler newbies...get this album.

The title of this debut album is actually an understatement
I first remember Bette Midler as this high energy insane woman who would show up on "The Tonight Show" and having Johnny, Ed and Doc be her backup singers on "Teenager in Love." Years later she was Johnny Carson's final guest, and having seen her live in concert I am here to tell you he could not have made a better choice because nobody performs better than the Divine Miss M. The title of her 1972 debut album put that persona in the public's mind and it remains not only the first but the most definitive Bette Midler album because everything she has done can all be traced back to the eleven tracks collected here. Along with "Songs for the New Depression" and the soundtrack for "The Rose," "The Divine Miss M" is a 1970s Bette Midler album that you have to own in your music library.

The song that caught the public's attention was her second single, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," the old WWII Andrews Sister's song that Bette took to #8 on the Billboard charts (which is actually better than the original did). Midler did all the singing voices and while her singing ability has always been greater than her voice, this is the song that establishes her ability to maximize what she has and sell it like few in the business ever have. With "Chapel of Love" and "Leader of the Pack" on the album as well, it was easy for Midler to carve out her niche as the queen of retro kitsch, but she goes for much more than that with this album. This is why the other key song is John Prine's "Hello in There," where Midler provides the poignancy that would be a key part of her most successful ballads. The other song that stands out for me is her cover of "Delta Dawn," not so much for the version she sings here, but because when I saw her perform life this was the song that ended the first act and it was the surprisingly most memorable moment of a magic evening. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With her combination of jazzy cool and kittenish charm, it's probably safeto say that JessicaMolaskey has entered the realm of "phone book singers," i.e., those whoyou'd pay to hear vocalizing anything.As anyone who remembers her "Stars and the Moon" from Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World knows, Molaskey made her name in musical theater, and it's those roots she returns to in Make Believe after her previous solo albumscovered the Depression eraand '50s jazz.That includes chestnuts like "All That Jazz," which though familiar and obvious, still sound great, and representations from Broadway's new generation: Adam Guettel duets on Rodgers and Hart's "Glad to Be Unhappy," Brown arranges a frenetic combination of the Lambert Hendricks and Ross favorite "Cloudburst" and Stephen Sondheim's "Getting Married Today," and Ricky Ian Gordon cowrote with Molaskey "Cradle and All."As usual, husband-guitarist John Pizzarelli accompanies and vocalizes on a couple tunes, and Sondheim's gorgeous "So Many People" is another highlight. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

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Despite her conspicuous absence from most media (save the tabloids) inthe year 2000, the Celine Dion industry rolls on with her second repackaging job in two years. The Collector's Series Volume One culls a dozen cuts from previous U.S. releases, including "That's the Way It Is" from Dion's 1999 greatest hits CD. TwoSpanish-language numbers, a previously Japan-only multilingual version of David Foster's "Be the Man(on This Night)," and a song from the 1996 Olympics opening ceremony fill outthe disc. Guest appearances by Streisand ("Tell Him") and Bocelli ("The Prayer") remind us and her that, time off or no, she's still a star. Bingo--the perfect holiday gift for the Celine fan on your list. --Park Slope ... Read more

Reviews (64)

The Collector's Series Vol.1
To me, Celine always releases the best albums in English and French. But I wish she could've released abit more French CD's, before her retirement. Oh well, now that Celine is back she'll continue once again to release more albums! She's already has released over alot of albums, and her newest one is A New Day Has Come. Anyways, back the CD hehe!! There are a mix up of languages sung on here, such as English, French, Spanish, and Italian. All songs sung by Celine!! There are 2 duets on here also. One is "Tell Him" Duet With Barbra Streisand, and the other is "The Prayer" (Part English and Part Italian) Duet with Andrea Bocelli. Another language of 2 songs in Spanish on here, which are All By Myself (Spanish Version), this song is made in English, and now it's in Spanish..> Sung beautifully!! And there is also this other Spanish song called Amar Haciendo El Amor, it was on the Mexican & Canadian & Euro version of the album "Let's Talk About Love" So that song isn't really new. Her other hits are on here also, like Where Does My Heart Beat Now? and That's The Way It Is. Also featured on here is the song The Power Of The Dream, as performed at the "OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 1996 ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES!" Myself, I can't really get into this song for some reason, but it's a great song anyhow. The French song Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore is on this CD, which there is also a English version to it called If That's What It Takes on the "Falling Into You" album, I like the French version better, well both hehe. There is a song sung in Japanese and some in English (Abit) too, it is called Be The Man (On This Night)! I love this song, and there's a English version for it too, it is only on the Euro version of "Let's Talk About Love"! Well, since you've read my review, have you thought about getting the CD? I hope you have, cos this CD is the very best!!!!!!!!!!! BUY IT!

Yet another awesome example of Celine's talent.
1. The Power Of The Dream -5/5 stars.
2. Where Does My Heart Beat Now -I ADORE this song. 5/5.
3. Us Listen -I also LOVE this song. 5/5.
4. The Reason -SO good. 5/5.
5. Seduces Me -4/5.
6. With This Tear -Hmmm...I LOVE this song as well! 5/5.
7. Falling Into You -4/5.
8. Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore -5/5. "If That's What it Takes" in French.
9. Un Garcon Pas Comme Les Autres (Ziggy) -4/5.
10. Be The Man (On This Night) -3/5.
11. Tell Him -5/5.
12. The Prayer -3.5/5.
13. All By Myself (Spanish Version) -5/5.
14. Amar Haciendo El Amor Jaunty. -5/5.
15. Only One Road -4/5.
16. That's The Way It Is -4/5.

This CD made a delightful holiday gift for a fan like me. Such an awesome album. So recommended.

The Collector's Series Volume 1 (2000)
In 2000, Celine had already started her first of the two-year hiatus she decided to go on, so she and Renee could start a family of their own, so she could spend more time with Renee after learning of his illness, so she could see her own family more often. On October 24, 2000, Celine Dion's album, The Collector's Series Volume 1 was released, containing the hits that didn't make it onto her '99 album All The Way... A Decade Of Song. This is yet another amazing album and it's an album only Celine could put together.

THE POWER OF THE DREAM
Performed at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Nothing less than beautiful.

WHERE DOES MY HEART BEAT NOW
From the album Unison (1990). Where Does My Heart Beat Now was Celine's first single ever and it is one of her absolute best.

US
From the album Let's Talk About Love (1997). Not bad.

THE REASON
From the album Let's Talk About Love (1997). Not bad.

SEDUCES ME
From the album Falling Into You (1996). Okay.

WITH THIS TEAR
From the album Celine Dion (1992). Even though this was written by Prince, who I loathe with a passion, this is a beautiful song. I only credit Prince for his exellent ability to write. He is only a great lyricist.

FALLING INTO YOU
From the album Falling Into You (1996). Not bad.

POUR QUE TU M'AIMES ENCORE
From the album The French Album (1995). This is the French version of the song If That's What It Takes. The English version of If That's What It Takes can be found on the album Falling Into You (1996).

UN GARCON PAS COMME LES AUTRES (ZIGGY)
From the album Dion Chante Plamondon (1994). Okay.

BE THE MAN (ON THIS NIGHT)
Previously unreleased. Not bad.

TELL HIM (with Barbra Streisand)
From the album Let's Talk About Love (1997). From Barbra Streisand's album Higher Ground (1997). Both Celine and Barbra have beautiful voices, but when you put them together, you are guaranteed to cringe with chills. Their voices together on one song are nothing less than beautiful.

THE PRAYER (with Andrea Bocelli)
From the album These Are Special Times (1998). Beautiful song. Andrea Bocelli has an amazing voice. This is added to the "dedications" list of mine.

ALL BY MYSELF (Spanish Version)
Previously unreleased. The English version is better.

AMAR HACIENDO EL AMOR
Previously unreleased. Okay.

ONLY ONE ROAD
From the album The Colour Of My Love (1993). Not bad.

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS
From the album All The Way... A Decade Of Song (1999). Great song.

This is an album that everyone should own. Buy it and you'll see that you'll enjoy it.

Awesome Céline!
I luv this cd of Céline, she releases the best music with the best voice to complete it! I reccomend you buy this album today it's very good! If I could I'd give it 10 stars. Rock on Céline!!!!!

the collector series celine dion
i loved it very much.she has got one of the best voices i have ever heard.she is also very beautiful. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Guilty may well be Barbra Streisand's best pop album. At the peak of her late-'70s popularity, she hooked up with the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb, who himself was basking in his Saturday Night Fever glow. Gibb wrote and produced most of the material on 1980's Guilty, and he supplied background vocals as well as co-leads on two tracks. The results are still completely bewitching. "Promises," for instance, is a lounge-like dance number and Babs sounds simply fabulous--sexy, lighthearted, passionate, playful--all at once. "Life Story" is a wild epic, and "Make It Like a Memory" keeps soaring up and up into a stratosphere of shag-carpeted luxury. Even Gibb's wavering vocals are great--and not a little like a disco version of Mandy Patinkin. And of course, the hits are out of this world: "Woman in Love" and "What Kind of Fool" are titanium-plated classics the likes of which Streisand has not topped since. A guilty pleasure, sure--just indulge. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Everything a contemporary pop album should be.
Her biggest selling album, GUILTY is easily Barbra Streisand's best contemporary pop effort to date. Barry Gibb's skilled production hand gives GUILTY an added sense of cohesiveness, something that was sorely lacking from many of Streisand's late-seventies pop efforts. Gibb (along with Albhy Galuten and brothers Robin and Maurice) also had a hand in writing every one of the nine melodic songs and even duets on two of them.

Their pairing produced a monster hit with the riveting title track (#3 Pop, #5 Adult Contemporary), however it's actually the other Streisand-Gibb smash duet "What Kind Of Fool" (#10 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) that proves to be the disc's show-stopper. Gibb's production and voice are an inarguable key to GUILTY's success, but it is Streisand's magnificent vocals that provide the album with it's soul, that's right soul. The chart-topping smash "Woman In Love" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) was the leadoff single and stands a slice of pure pop perfection, with Streisand's performance as thrilling as any ever captured on record.

Amazingly enough for a pop record, the remaining six tracks more than hold up to the three big hits. The restrained ballads "Run Wild" and "The Love Inside" are absolutely gorgeous, while the seven minute-plus "Make It Like A Memory" plays out like mini-pop symphony. Barbra even ventures into dance territory with "Life Story" and the international hit "Promises" and really brings these tracks to life with a sexy exuberance. Even the slightly dated light funk of "Never Give Up" is a slinky delight. GUILTY was a massive hit upon release, hitting #1 on the Hot 200 and achieving Quintuple Platinum status in US sales and selling nearly 20 million copies worldwide. This success is hardly surprising as GUILTY is simply everything a pop album should be.

"Guilty" is Barbra's best Pop Album...
-------------------------------------------------> In 1980, following her #1 duet with Donna Summer ("No More Tears/Enough Is Enough"), Barbra released the first single from her new album... "Woman In Love". It quickly rose to #1 and was certified gold. Shortly thereafter, the title track "Guilty", a duet with Barry Gibb, was released and rose to #3. It also went gold and won a grammy for best pop vocal duet. Then came the #10 follow-up duet with Barry Gibb "What Kind of Fool", and then the #48 single "Promises".

"Promises" was remixed as a 12" single. It was released again in the late 80's as a part of Columbia Records "Mixed Masters" series and was backed with Barbra's 12" version of "The Main Event". It's a great track and I only wish Barbra would have it re-mixed for the 90's!

What is so special about "Guilty" is not only Barbra's voice being in peak form, but that these songs are a departure for her. The lyrics break from her self-stated style of being... "a story - with a beginning, middle and an end". The lyrics are often vague and esoteric and open to all sorts of interpretations.

On the plus side: To date, this is Barbra's best selling album. Barbra is cosidered by many to be the greatest female vocalist of the the 20th century...this album shows you why.

On the minus side: One reviewer likened Barbra's "Guilty' duet with Barry Gibb as sounding like a duet between Mae West and Don Knotts. "What Kind of Fool" was originally planned as a solo, and should have been. "Never Give Up" is pure forgettable bubble-gum.

Sadly, "Guilty" was Barbra's last hurrah at main stream Top 40 radio. Aside from her very next single, the #11 "Comin' In & Out of Your Life", Barbra has never had another Top 30 solo-single. Maybe her last album of the 90's, the forthcoming "A Love Like Ours" will change that!

Best cuts: Woman In Love, Run Wild, Promises, The Love Inside, Life Story and Make It Like A Memory.

"Guilty" Pleasure!
Admittedly I am much more of a Barry Gibb/Bee Gees fan than a Streisand one, so much of the appeal of this album is based on Barry Gibb's instantly recognizable songwriting and production style. However, this is a rare instance where a truly first-rate vocalist takes her shot at pure pop music. The results, to put is simply, are spectacular, and a once-in-a-lifetime classic.

Streisand found Barry Gibb at the absolute top of his game as a writer and producer, and added a strong and sure voice to the laid-back, butter-smooth melodies and harmonies of the Brothers Gibb. How he was able to reign in some of Barbra's occasional vocal excesses remains a mystery, but it is not just Streisand's best album, it is arguably the best one Barry Gibb ever produced, too.

Although "Guilty" and "Woman in Love" are the most-well known tracks on the album (the latter being of the absolute best pop songs of the late 70s/early 80s), most of the tracks are strong performers. Except for perhaps "The Love Inside" which drags somewhat and "Run Wild", which isn't sure where it wants to go, that is.

The real sleeper here is "Promises". It was released as a single, and was little-noticed, but in its own way, it is the pinnacle of the album. The easy-going groove is easy to get lost in, and one of the handful of tunes I can play endlessly without tiring of it.

"What Kind of Fool" is an exercise in meloncholy, but is a vocal gem.

"Make It Like a Memory" is the last, and longest track. Starting off slowly and gently, it builds in both drama an momentum until it explodes in a classic Bee Gees-style stomp, leaving the listener feeling like he or she just had a whole pan of double-fudge brownies. A completely "Guilty" pleasure!

MOR FM Pop Gloria In Excelsis
The late 70s/early 80s white-hot streak of pop heaven the Bee Gees were associated with was already mentioned by a previous reviewer. I suppose radio listeners probably grew tired of that fluffy, warm cotton swab soundscape, but listening to "Guilty" after all these years is still so much of a rapture i can't manage to escape the thrill!
I have no patience for Barbra and her "classy popular performer" appeal. I like her when she is the vessel to someone else's thoughts and ideas: she is far 2 conventional 2 be truly appealing on a deep level. But her voice soaring above the celestial lounge-funk of these tracks is like a polished operatic blues singer engraving gold on every word and clearing ambiguities with her special kind of hypnotic subtlety.
There's gorgeous funky pop - "Guilty", "Promises" - and amazing slow burners - "Life Story", "Run Wild". "Life Story" is an amazing paranoid accusation of jealousy: everytime i hear it i immediately long for the bridge - "Deeper than your valleys, longer than your memory, I go to your story's end" - and tremble at the recognition that it hits the spot everytime! I'd call "Run Wild" cosmic, but i suppose it translates into something laughable. Yet cosmic is exactly what it is. "Make it like a Memory" is simply blues meets opera with a somewhat complex structure - ok, it's not Stravinsky, but it's way above most pop/rock. Her duets with Gibb - "Guilty" and "What kind of Fool" - are perfect vocal marriages; "Love Inside" is heavenly and nostalgic with almost Platonic tinges.
Finally: the number one single, "Woman in Love", is like a carousel you get trapped in notwithstanding attempts to avoid getting caught in the dizzy giddiness of it. Barbra pushes the song to higher and higher levels and it seems to extend itself beyond the material and into the metaphysical.
This is really a rare album, one i started listening to during my childhood thanks to my cousin, and has never exhausted itself throughout repeated listenings...

Pop Perfection
For anyone who enjoys popular music, this collaboration between Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb is sheer perfection. For the type of music it is, it couldn't possibly be any better. It is thoroughly enjoyable, supplying ballads, athems, and dance music. Barbra's voice is alternately delicate and strong, sexy and angry, gentle and powerful. Her voice is, in a word, sensational. The compositions sound as if they were written specifically for her (and all but "The Love Inside" were). Her duets with Barry Gibb, though perhaps unexpected by some, are pitch perfect. This is pop perfection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Andrew Lloyd Weber's favorite leading lady will quickly make her mark as a pop artiste. Vocally, the Kate Bush analogy is accurate, but Brightman is far less adventurous and hence more accessible. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (110)

A different but amazing side of Sarah!
Okay, this is Sarah's first pop album. I've read all these other reviews and it virtually beckons me to write one too. Alright, so Sarah Brightman started her music career off with Hot Gossip and had her hit techno/dance song "I lost my heart to a starship trooper" which is an incredibly good song. That was her beginning, I mean yes she was raised singing classical/showtunes and dancing ballet but she started off with pop. After her Andrew Lloyd Webber age, she moved on to this and "Fly" with her boyfriend Peterson (who is phenomenally talented). Really, "dive" is a pop song with an aquatic theme, the lyrics are not very well done but they are pleasant and are not meant to be analyzed but rather to seep into your mind as you listen to this hauntinly beautiful music. This CD is definitely worth buying, every song is awesome especially La Mer (techno), Once in a Lifetime, and Second Element. This just proves yet again that SB can do any genre. She is my favorite vocalist and may be one of the greatest that has ever lived. She can do anything: opera (nessun dorma, doretta's dream, dvorak's silver moon (luna)), classical (alleluja, time to say goodbye), pop (second element, once in a lifetime, you take my breath away), pseudoclassical (no one like you), spanish songs (tu quieres volver, naturaleza muerta, tu, hijo de la luna), musical theatre (think of me, her entire "Songs that Got Away CD", Memory (in italian), rock/alt (how can heaven love me). She rules, she can even do hip hop (I loved you) and jazz (mr. monotony, macavity). She is by far covering every genre with incredible vocal agility and ease. She is a coloratura soprano opera singer, a chest voice alto in pop, and a ethereal soprano on anything else. Buy this CD, you won't regret it. Thanx.

Dive Into Sarah
This, much like La Luna, is a concept album. But instead of the moon it's the sea. She talks about being friends with a whale and even touches on animal cruelty. But worry not if this sounds absurd. Sarah can do and sing just about anything and still make it beautiful and chilling...

There's sadly no operatic pieces here, as it's a departure into pop, just as Fly was to rock, but instead of today's bubblegum pop it leans moreso towards light dance, ethereal, and even some new age. It opens up with whale sounds in the background as Sarah reads from the book "Whale Nation" by Heathcote Williams on the intro to "Dive" which glides into one of my favorite tracks here, "Captain Nemo" with her voice in the ending chorus erupting powerfully thanks inpart to the help of The London Community Gospel Choir. Then comes The Second Element. There's actually two versions of this song with different lyrics, but The Second Element II has more of an acoustic sound. They're both wonderful, though...

I really don't understand why everyone seems to think that "A Salty Dog" is tiresomely simple and corny. It's probably one of the deepest and most emotional songs on here; the feeling just building as it progresses... Other favorites include her Kate Bush impression on Johnny Wanna Live, the sexy dance tune "Once In A Lifetime", the new agey "Island", the stormy dance track, "When It Rains In America", "By Now" (which my absolute favorite!), and "La Mer" with the panting backdrop of Enigma's Sadness and her spoken somewhat breathy words on the verses, such as: ancient unknown mammals, on a stormy sea, like Buddha in the water, a velvet energy...

I recommend this album full-heartidly. Next to La Luna this is my favorite CD by her. But be warned. It takes several listen to really appreciate, just because it's so different.

P.S. - I've seen some wild pictures by Sarah Brightman before but nothing prepared me for this. It's an innocent yet scandulous picture of her wearing (or not wearing) a near-translucent dress and golden cross! Only Sarah could get away with something like that.

probably her best
I recommend this disc to anyone who loves Brightman. I feel this is her best disc. The most touching performance and the sound is great.

A different but amazing side of Sarah!
Okay, this is Sarah's first pop album. I've read all these other reviews and it virtually beckons me to write one too. Alright, so Sarah Brightman started her music career off with Hot Gossip and had her hit techno/dance song "I lost my heart to a starship trooper" which is an incredibly good song. That was her beginning, I mean yes she was raised singing classical/showtunes and dancing ballet but she started off with pop. After her Andrew Lloyd Webber age, she moved on to this and "Fly" with her boyfriend Peterson (who is phenomenally talented). Really, "dive" is a pop song with an aquatic theme, the lyrics are not very well done but they are pleasant and are not meant to be analyzed but rather to seep into your mind as you listen to this hauntinly beautiful music. This CD is definitely worth buying, every song is awesome especially La Mer (techno), Once in a Lifetime, and Second Element. This just proves yet again that SB can do any genre. She is my favorite vocalist and may be one of the greatest that has ever lived. She can do anything: opera (nessun dorma, doretta's dream, dvorak's silver moon (luna)), classical (alleluja, time to say goodbye), pop (second element, once in a lifetime, you take my breath away), pseudoclassical (no one like you), spanish songs (tu quieres volver, naturaleza muerta, tu, hijo de la luna), musical theatre (think of me, her entire "Songs that Got Away CD", Memory (in italian), rock/alt (how can heaven love me). She rules, she can even do hip hop (I loved you) and jazz (mr. monotony, macavity). She is by far covering every genre with incredible vocal agility and ease. She is a coloratura soprano opera singer, a chest voice alto in pop, and a ethereal soprano on anything else. Buy this CD, you won't regret it. Thanx.

Very, very good!
It was The Phantom of the Opera that first drew me to her music, and La Luna that convinced me that she had a lot more to offer. Having had both La Luna and Harem before Dive, I was at first sceptical, but nonetheless eagre to try. I was not disappointed! Took a bit getting used to, but after the third time, I was thoroughly hooked by the glorious lyrics and the marvelous melodies that have become her trademark, IMHO! The theme strategy works fine and gives the album a cohesion that takes you on a journey, down into the sea and upon it! It is another magnificent effort by one of the world's most gifted artists!

Encore! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Love her or loathe her, uber-diva Jennifer Lopez knows how to deliver on record. She understands how to make the most of her limited vocal range, choosing to surround herself with able producers Rodney Jerkins, Timbaland, Big Boi and Cory Rooney, who oversaw Lopez's first album, On the 6. The mix makes Rebirth far more enjoyable than it should be, coasting on midnight-groove ballads and polished dance tracks. Lopez's fourth studio album offers little insight into her much-gossiped-about persona, but it's an undeniably fun ride anyway. A blaring James Brown horn riff drills first single "Get Right" into your head almost immediately, and soon enough, you'll find yourself bopping to the beat. The Middle-Eastern flavor of "Step Into My World" is undeniably seductive, and it's actually enhanced by Lopez's wisp of a voice. "Whatever You Wanna Do" and "Cherry Pie" are solid dance tracks, the kind of grooves JanetJackson made before she became a Superbowl afterthought. Elsewhere, the album is peppered with R&B ballads, much like Lopez's 2002 opus, This Is Me ... Then. Rebirth is hardly a groundbreaking affair, but it continues to showcase Lopez's skillful trend of producing solid, catchy, R&B-laced records. Nothing here ever sounds forced or canned, and in the world of MTV and radio edits, maybe that does make Lopez a bit of a revolutionary after all. --Joey Guerra [Note: This DualDisc version includes: CD AUDIO SIDE: Entire AlbumDVD SIDE: Entire album in enhanced stereo and exclusive video content only available on Dual Disc:1. Rebirth documentary 2. Get right video 3. Get right video fet fabolous This disc is intended to play on standard DVD and CD players. May not play on a limited number of models.] ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Half-Baked Pop Product With Few Fun Moments
As with her last album, "This Is Me, Then," Jennifer Lopez's latest foray into music is a half-baked pop product with few fun moments to offer. The reason for this is quite obvious: Her lack of talent.

The few pieces of listening pleasure on this disc are certainly not owed to Lopez, who also did not pen any of the tracks, which is certainly a peculiar thing, since she referred to herself as a musician on her official website only a short while ago. Indeed, its the studio players who make lead-single "Get Right" the lovely piece of pop confection that is, what with their urgent, funky jazz horns.

Other tracks that are enjoyable, or at least listenable, are the lyrically sour "Cherry Pie," which nevertheless has a an awesome hook, and "Whatever You Wanna Do" which has rambunctious production and a savory melody that makes the most of her wisp of a vocal range. "I, Love" is also digestable, but only due to its rhythmic drumming.

The rest of the tracks are lazy, mid-tempo, anemic R&B that is unadulteratedly trashy. Even "Step Into My World," which has an infectious Middle-Eastern groove, falls flat. "Hold You Down" is extremely contrived; who does she think she's fooling?, and "(Can't Believe) This Is Me" tries to be the show-stopping ballad of the album. All it manages to underscore is that Lopez can't sing.

In short, if you absolutely must purchase a copy of this album, you are on the page for the correct version to buy; the DualDisc version. The video for "Get Right," which is included on the DVD side, is downright hot; it's impossible to keep your eyes off her. Isn't that what it's all about, anyway?

Don't buy this CD!!!
I am one of the few people that buys all of his music (instead of illegal downloading) because I want to support the artists that I like. When I buy a CD I always make a copy so I can burn a back-up, play it in my portable player, make my own mixed cd,etc. These new "Dual Discs CANNOT be copied/ripped on a computer!!!!! I have tried 4 different programs and it wont work. In my opinion it ruins the way that I want to use the music I purchased. I will NEVER again buy a dual disc. What sense does it make if you cant listen to the music the way that you want to enjoy it.

BE WARNED. BOYCOTT THE DUAL DISC!

a masterpiece only in a certain reviewer's mind
rebirth is the perfect example of the depths the music industry has plunged to where the record companies unleash such crap as music.you have to really tone deaf to enjoy this music.THIS REEKS.it is obvious that this awful woman just cant sing for nuts.this is even more worse than her previous lousy albums .A MUST AVOID.get the dark side of the moon from pink floyd instead.minus one billion stars for this disaster.

JLO's rebirth..The BEST!
This is the best cd I've ever heard from JLO..I really love the Step Into My Worldsong..

Another Jennifer...
I had the marvelous oportunity of listen to it before it come out, and I bought it recently. This album contais great R&B, Ballads and Hip-Hop samples, It's a great comeback, althoug it had several critics. I like it. Respect Usher's problem I don't care "Get Right" has had good critics, and y'all know what really happended. If people likes it, nobody can do anything
I must say this is a new Jennifer, she has matured
Tracklisting:
GET RIGHT +5/5
A groovy R&B track I loved it since I heard it at that amazing audition party
STEP INTO MY WORLD +5/5
A mid-tempo song similar to Come over, Amazing
HOLD YOU DOWN +5/5
A Hip-Hop ballad, Fat Joe does a magnificent work here, the lyrics are inspirational and amazing
WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO +5/5
Perfect, sounds like Eazy-E and Ice Cube
CHERRY PIE 2/5
Odious, I don't know how she recorded this horrible song, the beat is bad. I don't like it
I GOT U +5/5
Another mid-tempo with a great flute.
STILL AROUND 4/5
It's just good
RIDE OR DIE +5/5
Kinda melancholic, I love it
I, LOVE +5/5
One of the best songs of the album
HE'LL BE BACK 4/5
Just good
(Can't Believe) THIS IS ME 5/5
Produced by Marc Anthony, one of her best melancholy tunes to date
GET RIGHT Remix +5/5
Both songs are awesome, this is a great resaon to become a Fabolous fan.
The DVD contains a mini-documentary about "Rebirth" and the videos of "Get Right" ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Look past the tacky, sad-clown velvet painting on the cover (a Grammy-winner for album design in 1959!), there's nothing cheap or sentimental aboutthis record--the bleakest and blackest album of popular songs ever recorded, soquietly powerful it can leave you slumped in your chair with the ice cubes stillrattling in your glass. Every single "suicide song" (as Sinatra likedto call 'em) on Only the Lonely is a stunner that will take your breathaway.Nelson Riddle's arrangements are like shadows, almost colorless andmotionless, so that all you hear is the ache in the singer's voice."AngelEyes" and "One for My Baby" each deserve an album to themselves-- so exquisitely moving that at the end of three minutes you feel like you've justheard a lifetime of loneliness.My only regret--and it's a big one--is thatthis flawless masterpiece doesn't include Billy Strayhorn's "LushLife," which truly belongs here; Sinatra put it into an already overcrowdedrecording schedule and, when fatigue and the difficulty of the song defeated himafter a couple takes, he gave up and never attempted it again. We got thechillingly lovely "Willow Weep For Me" instead, so I'm really notcomplaining--but that just adds to the pang of loss that this album expresses sovividly.Drink up! --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Cultural Landmark.
There's Sinatra the Swinger, Sinatra the Concert Artist, and Sinatra the Balladeer. "Only the Lonely" certainly epitomizes the last Sinatra and deserves its high critical reputation as one of Sinatra's several best albums ever. Despite the presence of classics such as "Angel Eyes," "One for My Baby," and the bonus cut, Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When," the highlight of the album is "When I Hang My Tears Out to Dry." Of his several recorded interpretations of this tune, this is the one to own. Another reason for owning the album is that these "concept" albums, as they were called, constitute related variations on a theme. They are living, organically whole works of art, not simply "collections" of various songs. People who purchase the "best-of-Sinatra" anthologies-- whether RCA, Columbia, Capitol, or Reprise--are getting only bits and pieces. Would you purchase a single album comprising Beethoven's best melodies from the 9 symphonies? Thank goodness, most of the original Sinatra albums are still available in the form the artist himself intended.

Best of Sinatra
Only the Lonely" in my opinion is Frank Sinatra's greatest ballad album. Even in the opening few seconds of the first title track, the gliding piano and strings will send shivers down your spine! Sinatra's voice is smooth as velvet, as always, throughout each and every song. He really delivers the emotion more than any other singer could ever be capable of doing. You feel that he's singing to you, and that he's been down that road before. All the songs on this album are quite depressing, but you'll be in utter amazement of Sinatra's beautiful voice and Riddle's lush arrangements. Perfect for listening deep into midnight, when you want to relax, or when you just want to hear the greatest vocalist of all time do his thing. My personal favorites on this album are "Angel Eyes," "Willow Weep for Me," "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry," and "Where or When." "Only the Lonely" shows the poignant side of Sinatra that will leave you in wonderment.

stunning artistry
if one conjures up only the popular images of sinatra as a mafioso, right wing bully who sang smaltzy vegas songs, then one is apt to be stunned upon encountering the sheer amount of artistry found in many of his recordings.
only sinatra could wring so much emotion and beauty out of material like this.
and upon listening to that voice one realizes all too obviousley that the dean martins, sammy davises, and tony bennetts that came after him could not, even in their best hour, even approach the art of sinatra.
this is the darkest of his conceptual albums and paradoxically one of the most memorable. the visual images of lost love and autumn loneliness will stay with you and haunt you long after the last track has ended.
essential

The Pinnacle of the Sinatra/Riddle Partnership...
Though Sinatra can be said to have reinvented "swing" in the 1950's with his string of stellar recordings for Capitol, his artistic powers were maximized in his treatment of ballads. Nowhere are these abilities better showcased than in the present offering. Nelson Riddle prepared the darkest, most brooding, and haunting arrangements of his career, framing Sinatra's performances ideally, which combine his richest vocal timbre with interpretations that are thoroughly assured and convincing, but with the vital tinges of fragility suggested in the songs' lyrics. A number of these songs in this collection are, to my mind, the "definitive" vocal versions, amongst these "Angel Eyes", "What's New?", "Spring is Here", "Willow Weep for Me" and "One For My Baby." Some lesser-known songs also score big here, especially "Goodbye" and "Gone With the Wind." Riddle's contribution cannot be overstated here. I believe this to be his finest work as an arranger. All in all, this is a "must" purchase not only for Sinatraphiles, but for those wanting some of the best of the Great American Songbook.

Sinatra Gives The Lonely Some Comfort
Loneliness is a state we all find ourselves in at some time or another, for many different reasons. If you've ever experienced loneliness in your life, then this magnificent album by the legendary Frank Sinatra is for you. Sinatra's 1958 opus "Only The Lonely" is an achingly beautiful masterwork. With Nelson Riddle supplying the orchestrations, Sinatra magnificently takes the listener on a stroll through 14 songs all having to do with the theme of loneliness. Every single one of them is perfectly & beautifully sung by Frank, with Riddle's orchestral accompanyment the perfect light wind that carries Sinatra's performances along. There are so many outstanding, emotional songs on this album. My personal favorites include the title song, "Angel Eyes," "It's A Lonesome Old Town," "Willow Weep For Me," "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry," "Spring Is Here," and, what is one of Sinatra's all-time signature classics, the ultimate saloon song, "One For My Baby." With Sinatra's voice so calm, so rich & so smooth, and Riddle's orchestrations so lovely, "Only The Lonely" simply floors you with it's emotional power. It's as if Frank is sitting right there with you, sharing a drink and patting you on the shoulder, as if to say, "It's okay, pal. I feel lonely sometimes, too." Quite simply, "Only The Lonely" is a most classic, most heartfelt Sinatra album. Thank you, Frank. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

A Swingin' Affair! is as perfect as records get. Sinatra sounds near to bursting with self-assurance on this 1957 release; even on the laments "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans" and "No One Ever Tells You," this is a Frank who's at the top of his game and isn't shy about letting you know he knows it. Nelson Riddle's upbeat arrangements are among his smoothest, and the varied program (which also includes "Night and Day," the wiseacre "I Wish I Were in Love Again," and "I Won't Dance") makes for one of the best-conceived Sinatra concept discs. The CD also includes "The Lady Is a Tramp," cut during the same sessions, as a bonus track. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Sinatra/Riddle at their best
This is one of the very best, one of those Ur-Sinatra masterpieces, in Gary Giddins' phrase. Every bit as good as Songs For Swingin' Lovers and even more exuberant, from the flag-waiving "Night and Day" to an almost delirious "Oh! Look At Me Now." There's a bonus track stuck on the end, "The Lady Is A Tramp," more appropriate than usual in that it was recorded during the Swingin' Affair sessions but was left off the album at the last minute for inclusion in the soundtrack to Pal Joey. It's nice to hear it, but you may want to make a tape with "Tramp" somewhere in the middle because "Oh! Look At Me Now" is the perfect ending to an album so well programed it seems almost like a suite. The few ballads on this album don't dampen the celebratory atmosphere one whit; in each case they build and build in loudness and swing as they gon on, as if Sinatra just can't contain himself. Even "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" does this, though it goes quiet again at the end. Make no mistake, the word "swingin'" is in the title for a very good reason.

I think Nelson Riddle's arranements reached a peak of color, taste, and cleverness here. He had perfected and seemed to revel in his patented subtle fade-in ---- listen to the beginnings of "Lonesome Road," "From This Moment On," "You'd Be So Nice to come Home To," and "Oh! Look At Me Now" to see what I mean. If you want to see how good Riddle was, compare this album to almost any other Sinatra Capitol record arranged by Billy May or Gordon Jenkins. You'll miss Riddle.

Finally, so many of the Sinatra/Riddle Capitols of this period were not only astonishingly high quality in song selection, sequencing, arranging, and execution, but were amazingly generous in sheer number of songs. Fifteen on Affair as well as Swingin' Lovers, SIXTEEN on the all-ballad In the Wee Small Hours. Back then, the average for most LP's was ten or eleven songs, twelve tops. Also, the new 20-bit remastered edition recently released---it's supposed to be a sonic mess. Get the older CD or a vinyl import.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE!
Where to begin. Many people put Swingin' Lovers ahead of this as his best, but I don't this because the songs are more varied in tempo and emotion. Nelson Riddle's arrangements are also in top form on this release. Another reason I love this album is it's superior song selection. Every song is a classic standard from the best writers (i.e. Porter, Rodgers/Hart, Gershwin, etc.) They are (rated from 1-10, 10 being the best:

1. Night and Day- exuberant and powerful. evrything an opener should be. **10**

2. I Wish I Were in Love Again- a lite swinger, the best on the disc. Best lyrics I've ever heard. **10**

3. I Got Plenty of Nothin'- solid. **10**

4. I Guess I'll Have to Change...- Another great lyric (too bad he didn't do the verse). Really picks up at the end. **10**

5. Nice Work...- The Basie version can't compare. Great song to play on piano, by the way. **10**

6. Stars Fell on Alabama- Listen for Sinatra's lyrical embellishments toward the end. Starts at an almost ballad tempo. **10**

7. No One Ever Tells You- EXTREMELY underrated blues number. **10**

8. I Won't Dance- a Sinatra classic. **10*

9. Lonesome Road- the album's low point. Too gospel-ish for FS. One to skip. **7.5**

10. At Long Last Love- Luckily the low point doesn't last. Another amazing song. **10**

11. I Got It Bad...- Starts off as ballad, but picks up. **9**

12. You'd Be So Nice...- Not the greatest arrangement on the disc, but works just fine. Another Porter lyrical masterpiece. **10**

13. From This Moment On- Really strong finish to this song. **10**

14. If I Had You- Not my favorite songever written, but by this team, they can't really go wrong. **9.5**

15. Oh! Look at Me Now- Great closing song. Suave, clever lyrics, and Riddle's backing beats the Dorsey version by a mile. **10**

16. Lady Is A Tramp- Quality bonus track, but tepid compared to later version on 'the Sands' album. **9.5**

There you have it. Waste no time in making your purchase.

Night and Day
Released after "Songs for Swingin' Lovers". Nelson Riddle's arrangements are absolutely fabulous. And Sinatra's voice is great.

R&R Blinked - Ole Blue Eyes Didn't
Frank Sinatra was one of just a few singers from the 1940s/early 1950s who were able to carry on regardless in the face of the phenominon known as Rock And Roll, joined by Perry Como, Nat Cole, Doris Day, and Dinah Shore. Each, for the most part, contined to sing in the style that made them famous , with only Perry dabbling a bit with the new sound.

From the beginning of 1955 to the end of 1959 - the first half decade of R&R - Frank put no less than 27 selections onto the Billboard Hot 100 charts, ten of them Top 20 and 15 Top 40, and not one of them even remotely close to R&R.

He also continued to sell albums in the millions, including this one from 1957, by sticking to the music of Cole Porter [tracks 1, 10, 11, and 13], the Gershwins [tracks 3 and 5], Rogers & Hart [track 2], Jerome Kern [track 8] and Duke Ellington [track 12], in addition to some other lesser known composers.

As a bonus, this 1991 AAD CD version of the original album gives you an added Rogers & Hart classic - The Lady Is A Tramp. All 16 selections had the backing of long-time Capitol collaborator, Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra.

No Sinatra collection would be complete without this volume.

It doesn't get much better than this!
...And as a Sinatra connoisseur, I ought to know! This album is a stunning demonstration of the magic that was made when FS and Nelson Riddle collaborated together; the songs speak for themselves! Furthermore, "Swingin' Affair" consists of many pop standards written by some of America's greatest songwriters (Porter, Gershwin, Rogers & Hart, Kern, etc.). Frank takes these standards, and, as usual, makes them his own, from Cole Porter's "Night & Day" on down the list of tracks. As one of Gershwin's tunes inquires rhetorically, "who could ask for anything more?" Does one need any more convincing to buy this CD? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

THIS is how Cole Porter 's music SHOULD be sung
Well - I listened to the recently released "De-Lovely" soundtrack a couple of times and it left me empty so I went looking to fill my cup and found what I was looking for in my stack of cd's. If you REALLY want to hear Cole Porter's stunning music at it's very best get this cd. There is a reason why Frank Sinatra has 550 available items here in music at Amazon.com. You won't feel so empty after seeing the movie if you fill your soul with music from these tracks.
Sinatra sings:

"Night and Day;"
and my favorite Cole Porter tune: "Begin the Beguine;"
"I Get a Kick Out of You with" a kick;
the most loveliest of lovely -"I Love You;"
Medley: "Easy to Love/I've Got You Under My Skin;"
"Don't Fence Me In;"
"I Concentrate on You;"
"Why Shouldn't I;"
"Just One of Those Things;"
"Why Can't You Behave?" - Phil Moore Four;
"So in Love;"
"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" - June Hutton;
"Cherry Pies Ought to Be You" - Rosemary Clooney;
"You Do Something to Me;"
"I Am Loved"
"You Don't Remind Me"

These beautiful songs deserve this special treatment.

YOU'LL BE ASKING FOR MORE
After all the collections,bests of and others pieces of nostalgia available under the name of FRANK SINATRA,we could ask ourselves is their anything left worth buying?Buy judging with this cd,it seems that the COLUMBIA vaults are still full of hidden treasures.These are not leftovers,they are worthwhile recordings that will pleased both FRANK SINATRA and COLE PORTER fans.Those radio era recordings have a spontaniety that make them special.The duet with ROSEMARY CLOONEY:CHERRY PIES OUT TO BE YOU is certainly the highlight because all the other songs if you except YOU DON'T REMIND ME are of course well known by PORTER devotees.Don't be ashamed to buy this,you should not regret it.My little finger tells me that the collection won't stop with PORTER and GERSHWIN...

"classic sounds of radio recordings ~ Sinatra"
Another winner from an ongoing series from Columbia/Legacy "Sinatra Sings Cole Porter", all the brilliant songs from Porter done in the Sinatra style. Listen to the swooning and screaming girls in the audience when Frank sings the tune "I Love You", you can relive all those wonderful moments through the magic of digitally remastered original recording sessions.

Stand outs are "I CONCENTRATE ON YOU", as Sinatra's lyric interpretation grabs you and your heartstrings are being tugged ~ "WHY CAN'T YOU BEHAVE", featuring the Phil Moore Four and Frank's laid back style with a hint of Johnny Mercer coming to the surface ~ "SO IN LOVE", haunting arrangement by Axel Stordahl as the power of the vocalist is right on.

Highlight has to be "CHERRY PIES OUGHT TO BE YOU", featuring a singing duet of Rosie Clooney and Frank give out a super-duper performance, sounds as if they enjoyed themselves...I know we did.

And Sinatra fans, when Frank sings "I AM LOVED", we know what he's trying to say...we loved you Frank, and still do and always will...you have left us a legacy that will go on forever ~ great job Didier C. Deutsch, Charles L. Granata and Andreas Meyer are the folks who compiled this wonderful selection of tunes that we are enjoying ~ a must have collectible collection for all Sinatra and Porter Fans!

Total Time: 53:17 on 18 Tracks ~ Columbia/Legacy 61058 ~ (7/22/2003) ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Great for during your pregnancy, too!
Great for pregnancy and baby - I played this lullaby music all of the time while I was pregnant with my daughter Casey and now she loves it! I like to listen to it, too! Linda has a beautiful voice and I love the way she turns even regular songs like "We Will Rock You" into lullabies. The soothing words of "Dedicated to the One I Love..." help reinforce feelings of bonding towards your baby, even before he or she is born. The beat of the music seems to be at the same speed of a person's breathing as he or she is drifting off to sleep, and there is often a heartbeat-like percussive sound throughout. I highly recommend this CD for every baby and mother!

My 2-month old baby started smiling!!
I have a 2 month old son who has done almost nothing but cry and scream, due to being colicky. After I got the CD, I popped it into the CD Player in his room and we listened to it. I had tears in my eyes and he started smiling! We listened to the whole CD and he never stopped throughout. Recently I have bought another CD with the sound of a heartbeat in the background, that was supposedly clinically proven to stop babies from crying. It didn't work at all. I had already given up hope, until we listened to this CD. Thank you, thank you, thank you Linda!!I find this CD to be very soothing for both adults and children!

Babies love this!
My twin sons are a month old and love this cd. They calm immediately when I put it on. It has bought me time almost every day and that makes me love this CD as well!! Beautiful version of Devoted to You that makes me cry every time I sing along to my boys! Every nursery should have a copy of this one.

A LULLABYE CD!!!!!
I cannot believe I was totally unaware of this cd until recently! I have collected Ronstadt albums since I was in high school, in fact she was the very first live concert I ever saw (that I wanted to go see)! This cd is one you can put on and fall asleep to and enjoy it the entire time, fooey on the bambino's needing music, this cd is for me! I love it!

I don't know if it's that I'm getting older or what but I really enjoy cd's that I can put on and listen to over and over either during the day or to sleep to. Don't miss out on this one, it's not every day that Linda Ronstadt sings you to sleep.

"Before you go to bed my baby, whisper a little prayer for me my baby".

A great CD!!!
We received this as a gift when my daughter was born. We put it on for her every night when she goes to bed. We have been doing that for 5 years and 9 months now!!!!

This is such a good CD for getting a child down at night. And heck, it helps get me down at night too!!!

When this first came out, the MSRP was a lot higher. Now at this price, how can you refuse. A great, great purchase for new parents!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Harry Connick Jr. has a rare gift for summoning the style of classic 1940s saloon singing, hinting at Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and especially Dick Haymes, without engaging in actual impersonation. What's more uncanny still is his songwriting, an idiomatic command of the standards that often summons some of the rhythmic ease of Gershwin, the tunefulness of Jerome Kern, and the wit of Cole Porter. Both his singing and songwriting talents are evident on this CD, recorded in 1990 when Connick was just 22. Its emphasis is squarely on the subject of love, both on the ballads and some harder swinging tunes, and Connick's voice shines on original songs and the standards "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and Porter's "It's All Right with Me." Connick's voice and piano are ably supported by bassist Ben Wolfe, drummer Shannon Powell, and a string section, while there are some good jazz solos by regular associate Russell Malone on guitar and guest Branford Marsalis on tenor and soprano saxophones. --Adam Rains ... Read more

Reviews (16)

One of the Best!
This was the very first CD I ever bought. Not just Harry CD, CD in general. I love this man. And this is the CD that started it all for me. It is fabulous. Every single track is golden. His voice, his style, they are just wonderful. I bought this CD about 10 years ago and I haven't stopped listening to it since. It is a timeless classic. All of his CDs are good, but this is a good one to start with if you are new to Harry. Recipe For Love, A Nightingale Sang, I've Got a Great Idea are my favorites. This is one of those VERY RARE CDs that you can put on a listen to all the way through. Great backgroup music for a cozy dinner party. Buy it. Buy it right now.

Good Old Harry!
I think this is my favorite because it was my first HCJ purchase. I played it so much it fell apart. A modern but smooth voice manages to escape those somewhat over-sized and clumsy lips, and still, he remains enchantlingly charming and reachable! And then there's his piano playing, and what he can act too?
I love the songs on this CD, my favorites being A Nightingale Sang In Berkely Square and We Are in Love. His voice and demeanor never fail to cheer me. For anyone who likes standards and jazz, this is a great CD.

The New Standard: Harry Connick Jr.
I have been enjoying this CD for several months now and I have truly grown to love every track on it. His unique style and interpretations harkens back to a time when the songs were beautifully written and the performers were masters of there craft. Almost single-handedly Harry Connick Jr. has managed to create a new fresh awareness to jazz music as a whole, and even now in 2004 he continues to reacquaint the world to the beautiful songs from the past.

If you LOVE listening to GREAT CROONERS and are in the mood for some Bigger, Brassier, Swingin' versions of tunes from the Great American Songbook, I would also recommend MONTE PROCOPIO "SWINGIN' WITH STYLE" CD. He is also a Great Crooner that can really SWING and deserves a listen. Buy both these CDs, you can't go wrong!

the king of jazz
buy it.......
sit back and listen.............
appluade the genius of harry connick jr!!!!!!!!,.......
......enough said

the jazz god
this album is the greatest album by harry, and thats going some
it is unfortunate that this music genius is not more well known,you can listen to his music for any number of reasons because it is all so varyed,and we are in love(the single)is prob the best song i have ever heard
i want you all to buy this album now and applaud the genius that is harry connick jr!!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The Best Helen Reddy Collection available from Amazon.com!
I have found this to be the third best collection available. There are two others that rank higher because one includes songs from her movies "Pete's Dragon", "Airport 75", and the love theme from "Continental Divide" and the other includes 3 hits from her I AM WOMAN album (This Masquerade, Where is the Love, and And I Loved You So). However, for the "Top Tens & more" you'll be very happy with this selection!

The Best Helen Reddy Collection available!
I have found this to be the third best collection available. There are two others that rank higher because one includes songs from her movies "Pete's Dragon", "Airport 75", and the love theme from "Continental Divide" and the other includes 3 hits from her I AM WOMAN album (This Masquerade, Where is the Love, and And I Loved You So). However, for the "Top Tens & more" you'll be very happy with this selection!

Passable early 70's ear candy
Helen Reddy was not a dynamic influence on popular music. She was a barely passable singer with some interesting footnotes to early 70s pop. Yes, 'I Am Woman' was an important song. And everyone was shocked when Ms Reddy referred to God as "She" at the Grammy's. And "Peaceful" was even a good follow-up. But then there's her version of "Delta Dawn". Anyone who has ever heard either Tanya Tucker or Bette Midler do this number will shake their head at the popular success of Helen Reddy's version. And why would you want to hear her do "I Don't Know How To love Him" when Yvonne Elliman literally made audiences cry with her version. In fact, although not representerd here, all of the numbers Ms Reddy covers on her LPs were done FAR better by others..just listen to her sing "A Song For You" from her first LP, then listen to Karen Carpenter do it. And then there's "Angie Baby". The only thing that excuses this song is the time period--after all, we were just turning on the lights that had gone out in Georgia. Enough said---some of these songs may bring back memories if you grew up when they were popular, but let's not pass them off as anything but the wispiest of pop fluff.

She is woman, hear her sing her hits (and more)
I usually never make it all the way through this CD because it is so heavily frontloaded. All of Helen Reddy's "Greatest Hits" show up at the beginning. I guess that means that the album provides exactly what the title promises, beginning with all of her "hits" and then filling up the rest of the CD with the "(and More)" part. Reddy's spot in pop history was secured by the album's first track, "I Am Woman," which became an anthem for the Women's Lib movement. However, I do not think I ever knew that Reddy was one of the writers of the song. This is probably because we first heard Reddy as a cover artist, doing "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from "Jesus Christ Superstar." Deciding about this one is pretty easy: look over the first six, seven tracks and if you see three or four you want to hear again, then add this album to your music collection. Final Note: If you like Reddy's version of "Delta Dawn," then you should hear Bette Midler sing it live some time; it was the high point of her concert. But I, as everybody well knows by now, digress.

Keep On Singing!
During the explosive early days of the women's liberation movement, this dynamic female member of the British Invasion dove head first into the controversy, becoming an outspoken and often harshly criticized spokesperson for the emotionally charged issue.

However, no matter what anyone thought of her politics, no one could deny that Helen Reddy was a superior songstress, possessing a vibrant voice and a dynamic delivery. Her music remains as magical today as the day it first hit the airwaves.

Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits (and More) is without question the finest collection of her material available. From the powerful I Am Woman, the cross-over smash Delta Dawn (equally successful for Tanya Tucker on the country side), and the provocative Angie Baby, to her brilliant cover of You're My World (arguably better than the original), this disc offers hit after hit after delightful hit. The mastering of the disc is exquisite, and the sound is bright and clear.

Anyone who followed the pop/rock music of the early and mid-seventies can give you several reasons why Helen Reddy was a major musical force during those years. This disc can give you fifteen. Don't miss it! ... Read more

Album Description

The esteemd Canadian jazz pianist's 1993 debut album, her sole release before signing to GRP in the U.S. 'Stepping Out' features John Clayton on bass, Jeff Hamilton on drums and Krall both singing & playing the piano. The 11 tracks consist of both originals & covers, including 'This Can't Be L ove', 'Straighten Up And Fly Right', 'Between The Devil An d The Deep Blue Sea' and 'I'm Just A Lucky So And So'. De leted in the U.S.! 1993 release. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Don't miss this great jazz trio:Krall,Clayton&Hamilton!!
I BECAME A DIANA KRALL FAN WHEN I FIRST HEARD HER SING (AND PLAY). SHE IS SUCH A GREAT ADDITION TO JAZZ! THIS HAS REALLY BECOME MY FAVORITE DIANA KRALL ALBUM, IT SEEMS MORE SPONTANEOUS (ie: Jazz!) HANGING OUT WITH JOHN CLAYTON & JEFF HAMILTON AND OF COURSE RAY BROWN -- WOW, WHAT COMPANY! THIS RECORDING IS A PLEASURE TO LISTEN TO AND ENJOY. I HOPE DIANA CONTINUES TO PLAY AND NOT JUST SING; HER CHOPS AS A PLAYER REALLY COME THRU ON THIS CD. GREAT! BUY IT! ADD RICHNESS TO YOUR COLLECTION.

GLENN C...

Rave reviews from a fellow jazz pianist and vocalist
I'd like to add my enthusiastic praise for this album, from one who has been influenced musically by Diana Krall. My group, the Jonathan Feldman Trio, has an album out (Straight Ahead and Blue), and we perform jazz standards and Chicago blues. Since I both play the piano and sing, I naturally turned to Diana Krall for ideas, and I have not been disappointed. I never get tired of listening to this album, and we now perform three selections from Stepping Out in our gigs (including As Long as I Live, the Harold Arlen tune -- I agree with the reviewer from Kalamazoo who mentioned what a great tune this is). The two things that I love most about this album: first, the joy that she and her trio bring to the music. You can tell that she loves the music, and that joy is infectious for the listener. Second, she is a very bluesy piano player (with Oscar Peterson influences), and I find her bluesiness the perfect approach to these selections. In sum, a great CD, and one from which her fellow musicians can really gain inspiration.

classy
Diana Krall is class. You can check out extended clips of her at http://www.vervemusicgroup.com

Fun to go back to the beginning
I found and bought this CD after collecting the subsequent 4 recordings. I thought it was great fun to go back to the beginning. I love the slightly "rough" quality of this CD - I agree it is more playful, the piano tracks have more bounce and with Hamilton/Clayton, they must have had great fun recording this, because that's the quality that comes through. All For You may be my favorite to date however.

All Krall
If you're interested in undiluted Krall and not the Cosmo cover girl, this session is the ticket--her most swinging, inventive, spirited album. Whereas on her subsequent albums, she would keep to "contained" Nat Cole melodic lines and Bill Evans chord voicings, here she reflects some of the exhuberance of Oscar, the rhythmic space of Ahmad, the playfulness of Monk, the funkiness of Silver. Vocally, she covers a greater expressive range as well, though admittedly her tones are often harder, more forced and pinched, than on her later, more popular recordings. But don't be surprised if, 5 or 10 years from now, much of the Krall in evidence here resurfaces. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Plucked from a wet afternoon of busking Bizet and Puccini to passersby on the Piazza in Covent Garden in the spring of 2001, soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo Karen England soon found themselves singing in slightly larger venues: the FA Cup and Champions League soccer finals. That the management company doing the plucking had recently performed a similar Cinderella crossover act for Russell Watson offered portent, and indeed the Babes--the moniker began as a joke--were soon on their way to this recording debut. The marketing shtick and its soccer connections may offend purists, but it's the football hooligans that the Babes are trying to win over here; can Borodin soothe the savage Manchester United fan? Their classically trained voices mesh gloriously, with England's warm mezzo showing particular character in her solo turns.

The repertoire choices here cover material that may already be familiar to fans of Charlotte Church (i.e., Delibes "Flower Duet") and other crossover acts, but they do include some pleasant surprises, like Offenbach's Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann and "You Live On in My Heart," a reworking of Ennio Morricone's enchanting Cinema Paradiso theme with lyrics by Knight. But in a rush toward the musical middle of the road, it's the productions themselves that sometimes overwhelm the Babes with bathos ("Ave Maria"), hollow thunder ("Aida 2002"), and electro club kitsch (the 'Vibe Tribe' mix of "Flower Duet"). Former Art of Noise mainstay Anne Dudley's tastefully restrained coloring of Tchaikovsky's "1001 Nights" is one of the notable exceptions. They're babes, they sing opera--with fair promise--for the masses, and if they turn one in a hundred from football hooliganism to a well-mannered appreciation of Grieg and Dvorák, won't it all have been worth it?--Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Not sure
From reading all these reviews, you get a idea that this CD is a classical crossover album. I am a huge fan of Bond, who do a major classical crossover with beats of different music: dance, house, trance, salsa, etc. So, I bought the CD with the intentions of listening to a somewhat similar tracks.

Let me tell I was extremely dissapointed. I do appreciate their voices, do not get me wrong. Their voices are very beautiful. I may not be completely entitled to say this because I am not a fan of opera and I do not critic much opera songs, but I am a musically diverse person, I listen to trance, rock, classical, you name it; I probably heard it somewhere. I like some opera, the melodies of the violins and instruments with the beautiful vocal work of the singers is amazing at times. This CD, for the more general listeners, is more opera, than well, opera. This is nothing of a crossover, but more of a fresher opera. New age yes, but still opera. Perhaps it is due to my love of beats of rock, electronica, and classical, but opera is unique in the way that it really does not have a beat; the focus is moreso on the vocal works.

All I can say is, the songs are familiar you will have a good time listening to some. A CD filled with relaxing, put-you-to-sleep music, but not something I recommend people other than opera fans to listen to on a listening basis. This is nothing of a crossover, and the only thing that you can consider one is on the bonus track CD, with the Lakme H20 (Vibetribe Mix), which is the worst re-mix I have heard. The beat is exactly like hip-hop, three beats, that repeat the entire song. The only thing that changes is the vocals of course, but the mix added did nothing for the song. Just by looking at the cover and the cheap graphics, you get a feeling of unsureness.

Don't get me wrong they have beautiful voices, but it's not an easy-listening CD for the general audience. Once again, this is a fresher sound of opera, but I would never consider it close to a crossover.

An amazing, beautiful album
I thought this was an incredible cd not only because their voices are so beautiful, but also because of the songs that they sing. People are considering this as a crossover album, which is not true. The reason I don't like Bond or other such groups is because they are too close to pop music or something. However, Opera Babes is not what I would call crossover, but in fact a great classical opera album.

overall a good performance
I am not usually interested in female vocalists but when I listened to this CD at Borders', I was mesmerized by it. The duo have very nice voices which complements one another. The songs, although most are versions of familiar songs, sounded "new" with their revised accompaniments. Overall, quite enjoyable.

A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
This album promises to deliver and truly does not! The 'rags to riches' story is cute but their delivery of music is far from that. With so many wonderful albums now available to classical and classical crossover music lovers - such as AMICI FOREVER, JOSH GROBAN, MARIO FRANGOULIS - all with a unique, honest sound and with lush orchestrations, yet true to their roots I fail to understand how your reviewers can rate this album! I can only assume they have not bought any of the others I mentioned so I seriously suggest they do!

Terrific First Effort
This CD is excellent! Two of my favorites are Lakme and Aida, and these singers do a superb job. Then there are others from well- to lesser-known pieces which receive the ladies' best singing efforts. The arrangements are fresh but remain true to the composers' works. No cacophonous horn bleats, no singers wailing off-key, no calling it "interpretation", just good, solid performances from all. One might not usually think of an operatic CD as a "foot-tapper", but this one pulls in the listener to forget that word "opera" and just to enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (649)

Clay is Magic
Being a life-long music lover of every genre, I was totally excited about the show American Idol, but never would I have imagined that someone would come out of that show that would move me the way Clay does. It's a wild ride. His tenor voice is amazingly powerful yet he can sing in the lower ranges and also has an endearing falsetto. Solitaire is the perfect song for him as it showcases all of the above. I've listened to it at least 50 times and it's simply amazing; it's what singing is supposed to be, pure, strong and from the heart. I happen to have a deep love of Judy Garland, she's one in a million and I never thought I'd be moved by another performer in the same way; yet when I watch Clay perform I'm drawn in to the same degree. I feel like a magnet is pulling me toward the TV or the stage, so at 31 I've finally really grasped what the word magnetism means and what it can do to a crowd of eager fans. Clay is simply magic and if anyone on the planet had somehow managed to miss that fact after he sang This Is The Night and Bridge Over Troubled Water..well here's another shot....Solitaire....a thing of beauty

Fantastic Single
I bought this after hearing an amazing live performance of Solitaire. I'm not a fan of pop music at all, the bands I listen to are The Beatles, Rush, Led Zeppelin, and what not. But Clay Aiken definitely has a unique sound in his voice that I bet not too many people in this world have, his vocal range is truly unbelievable, which he proves on "Solitaire" his best song by far, which is also a cover. Anyway, the single "The Way" is also a great song, so this CD definitely is worth checking out, if you like it, try previewing "Measure of a Man" in a store before purchasing it, since it's a little different than "Solitare" I give props to Clay, he definitely has great talent, and hopefully a wonderful future in the music industry.

Sensational!!!
Beautiful, emotional singing on two spectacular, meaningful, exciting, entertaining songs!!!

MUST HAVE!!!!!!!!!!
This is the only place to buy 'Solitaire' and it is the most emotional, wonderful song you will ever hear. 'The Way' is a great love song. Combined, this has got to be one of the best singles ever produced. Two great hits.

Amazing!
What more can I say except that Clay really has amazing voice. He can hit the low not as good as his high not. Superb. I hope that his next CD can also show his breathtaking voice.

By the way, I am 28 years old. So for those who love to critic this CD only fit for 40 years old ears or grannys ears, come on. Be fair! ... Read more