Reviews (27)

What are box sets for?
The point of box set compilations, like this one, is to provide the listener with an overview of a particular era or type of music. It's impossible to include everything everyone, especially completists would want or even expect. The questions to answer then are "Does this set provide you with a insightful look into 70's punk?" and "When I'm finished listening, have I learned something useful?" The answer is yes, resoundingly. If you were around in the 70's, you will hear and remember some old stuff that you have probably forgotten, and if you weren't around then, you can see how punk morphed into new wave and then devolved into the pop music that often passes as "punk" today. (Devo was right!)

If you like to show off your knowledge of obscure punk bands, or if you think hair gel and a trip to Hot Topic to get a Blink 182 shirt makes you a punker, then this box set isn't for you. It's for people who are interested in, not obsessed with the music and who at least know the difference between punk and "punk." Enough said.

Great Primer on Punk's roots, no Misfits.
This is a great intro. to early Punk Rock. Nearly every early act is represented, with a few notable exceptions.

The MC5 are right up there with the Iggy and the Stooges and The New York Dolls for paving the way. They aren't included. Though the stuff they recorded in the early 70s wasn't their best, the seminal "Kick Out the Jams" came out in 69'. It could've been included because afterall, Punk is about ignoring the rules.

The Misfits recorded plenty of material in the late 70s and are very deserving of a place here. "She" "Bullet" or "Teenagers from Mars" would've been good choices. Perhaps rights issues etc.(like with the Sex Pistols) prevented this?

Also, someone mentioned Social Distortion not being here. Though the band was together in the late 70s, their first single didn't come out 'till '81. Nitpicking aside, the collection gives you a better intro. to the roots of punk than anything else on the market. If you're thinking about getting this, Buy it. Also consider picking up the Sex Pistols "Nevermind the Bollocks" The Misfits "Static Age" and The MC5 "Kick out the Jams".

Stop hesitating
This is an excellent box set of an odd era. When music labelled as "punk" came out, it seemed kind of dangerous and anti-establishment. The loud guitars, short and fast songs, and dangerous band names like The Clash, The Jam, The Ramones, and Television were pretty scary. The funny thing is that many of the songs on this box set have memorable melodies, good harmonies, and fine instrumental work.

As with any box set from various artists, it is easy and fun to second guess the track selection. For example, I think LA punk is completely over-represented. Also I would have liked Plastic Bertrand's Ca Plan Pou Moi and something by the Bizzaros. And where are the Suicide Commandos?

Nonetheless, even if you own half of the songs, stop hesitating and buy the set. It's another quality Rhino product with great sound and a great book.

I Was A Punk Before You Were A Punk - Birthdate: 11/10/57
In choosing to document punk rock, whose very boundaries are still blurred nearly 30 years on, it's certainly forgivable to think that Rhino may well have embarked on a mission that was doomed to failure from the start, both from a philosophical and practical standpoint. Time constraints, licensing snafus (John Lydon purportedly refused to permit the inclusion of any Sex Pistols' tunes - Rhino rates the purchase of "Never Mind The Bollocks" as more essential than this one anyway), and a lot of hand wringing were all undoubtedly obstacles to be hurdled in compiling this four-disc box.

Despite such a daunting task, Rhino for the most part manages to come up all aces on "No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion," dancing a razor's edge by adopting an approach which allows for the inclusion of bands that were originally tagged with the more palatable "new wave" label, crusty, true believers in the cause, and record collector geek-fodder alike. In order to buy into what Rhino is selling, you may have to suspend some of your beliefs as to what "punk" actually is/was.

It's inevitable that most of the attention is paid to the nerve centers of New York and London and except for the Sex Pistols, all of the usual suspects are present and accounted for. The Clash, Ramones, The Damned, The Heartbreakers, The Buzzcocks, Richard Hell, The Stranglers, Television, and Generation X all take a bow (or two) and rightfully so, but kudos to Rhino for looking to other places on the globe, like Ohio (Dead Boys, Devo, and Pere Ubu), Australia (The Saints), Ireland (Boomtown Rats, The Undertones, and Stiff Little Fingers), and Scotland (The Rezillos). Shame on them for including so many songs that were previously available on their "D.I.Y." series back in the early 90's.

"No Thanks!" also lifts a pint to bands without whom this compilation wouldn't even exist, like The Stooges, The New York Dolls, and yes, The Dictators. On the other hand (are you sitting down?), where's the MC5? Another sticking point, for me anyway, is the inclusion of Californians like Black Flag, Fear, Dead Kennedys, The Dils, and The Germs, all worthy of the "punk" brand, but their staunch nihilism is somehow out of place here. I say that disc space would have been better filled with Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi," The Professionals' "1-2-3" or "The Magnificent," Chelsea's "Right To Work," or anything by Radio Birdman. Of course I was also fooled by the first few Buster Poindexter albums, so proceed with caution.

Arguing over what rightfully qualifies or doesn't qualify as "punk" may be part of the attraction of a compendium like this. Obvious margin walkers would have to include Nick Lowe, Mink Deville, The Runaways, Blondie, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, The Soft Boys, and Joe Jackson, all of whom made the cut due to either an abrasive attitude, enduring cult status, a snappy wardrobe, or the right haircut. As for the Talking Heads, I still say the world would have been a better place had they never entered a recording studio.

At the end of the day, though, we should all genuflect to Rhino for their single-minded and undying devotion to their subject matter. And when it comes to packaging and reissues, there is simply no one better. "No Thanks!" contains a 100-plus-page booklet crammed full of essays by producer Gary Stewart and Billboard's Chris Morris, quotes from several of the culprits responsible for the noise, photos galore, and a track-by-track analysis by Ira Robbins and Dave Schulps, whose Trouser Press took up the slack heroically and brilliantly in the late 70's when Creem was going down the tubes. Add to all of this the fact that this box contains tracks by the likes of the Rich Kids, Subway Sect, The Mekons, Alternative TV, and The Pop Group which are getting harder and harder to find stateside, and what you're left with is a no-brainer. At this point in my life, that's a godsend.

Filling In the Blank Generation
I'll keep this review succinct: while one can certainly quibble about the inclusion of this song or that band, "No Thanks" provides an admirable overview of early Punk that spans several continents and stylistic trends. More critically, this isn't some "Greatest Hits" compilation designed to sell CDs and little else -- whoever chose these songs knows the genre intimately. How else to explain the presence of such unknown but deserving artists as Alternative TV, the Mekons, the Dils, the Saints, and Johnny Thunders? If you never got around to picking up the 45s way back when, "No Thanks" will fill many gaps in your collection. And if you were too young to have made it past the bouncers at the Rat or the Mab or CBGBs, "No Thanks" gives a welcome feel for the three-chord catharsis that at the time could only be found in risk-taking dives like these or on a scattered handful of radio stations. For the rest of us: nostalgia for an age yet to come. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Soothing and Wonderful
When I first saw this CD in the store, I thought it sounded silly. Then i came across it on amazon and actually listened to the first few tracks. I was hooked. These tracks are so relaxing, more so than any other relaxation CD I have tried. I fall asleep to it every night. I highly recommend this album to those seeking a little bit of peace, because I find it while hearing these crystal bowls. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A rare beauty
It is hard to believe what an enormous effect could be achieveed with so little. This is minimal music. Like a Mondrian painting, like a buddhist temple, like Satie. Or maybe, like listening to the rain, watching the ocean or hearing your beloved one breathing lightly next to you. It is so simple one might be tempted to think "oh, i might do this too", but no you can't, not unless you're Brian Eno, a genius able to get as close to the truth as one can, able to move you as very few can, with one chord only. Open your heart and float in. You could listen to it with your focus on it or just have it at your side while you do the dishes, eat your weekend late breakfast or cuddle in bed and make love.

Brian Eno's "Thursday Afternoon".
When the CD format first began to take shape, legendary producer/composer/ambient pioneer Brian Eno jumped at the opportunity to create a piece of music specifically for the medium. The end result is the 1985 masterwork "Thursday Afternoon" which still stands strong as one of ambient music's shining moments 20 years later.
"Thursday Afternoon" is a single continuous 61-minute piece which remains unchanging in mood despite its epic length. Throughout its hour-long running time, there is a quiet single chord which is held through the entire piece. Single piano notes, bell-like tones, subtle chord washes and a light drone all settle themselves around the main central chord creating a lush beautiful landscape in sound. There is nothing compilicated or difficult about this piece. It is built with the most basic musical elements and is kept at its most simplistic form throughout. This is what makes "Thursday Afternoon" such an intruiguing work - its beauty of simplicity without becoming boring.
As mentioned above, "Thursday Afternoon" continues to be a pioneering ambient effort 20 years after its original release. Surely, it ranks among Brian Eno's best instrumental work and fits in perfectly with other works such as "Music For Airports", "Discreet Music" and his other hour-long ambient/minimalist opus "Neroli" which he would create in 1993.
An Essential Ambient Masterpiece!!


... Read more

Album Description

Change is a constant in life and it’s this key factor that has informed the recent adventures in sound for Tosca. With their upcoming fourth artist album J.A.C. the theme of fatherhood is the tie that has bound these two men together in a newly recharged musical kinship. Between the release of their last acclaimed album Dehli 9 and their new masterpiece, the two have become fathers.

This album is the most consistent formulation of both the carefree and the melancholic aspects of Tosca. The melodies quicken, the grooves are both fun loving and laidback. Huber and Dorfmeister have found both a fresh understanding of the art of understatement and a newly reformulated, breathtaking musical authenticity. Like the new life around them, J.A.C. similarly breathes new life into the characteristic sound of Tosca.

Besides the ever-present and celebrated Tosca mood, this new sound resonates with the vibrations of live instruments translated with a liveliness that captures the immediacy of creation and improvisation at its peak.It’s this live, real instrumentation that marks the sound of the new Tosca album the most significantly.

The duo brought in a cast of new artists to perform vocals on the songs including Samiah Farah from Paris, Chris Eckman, lead singer of Seattle based band The Walkabouts, former Rockers Hi-Fi MC Farda P, Londoner Earl Zinger of 2 Banks of 4 and Austrian rock legend Graf Hadik all appear on the microphones.

J.A.C. is full of music that is light-footed and melancholic, cheerful and deep, relaxed and energetic. It’s a sound that can be enjoyed everywhere, at any occasion. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Released in 1981, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is a collaboration between ambient pioneer Brian Eno and Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. On Ghosts, the two strong-willed musicians manage to come to a meeting of the minds, blending Byrne's herky-jerky funk with Eno's atmospheric sound sculpting. More than anything, this is a large album, intent on pushing itself to the front of the listener's consciousness. Abundant percussion (everything from booming tribal drums to eerie electronics) reverberates in the background while Byrne and Eno toss all manner of found sounds, field recordings, and radio broadcasts into the mix. What results is a groundbreaking album that introduced a generation to the dazzling possibilities offered by electronic recording techniques. Highlights include "The Jezebel Spirit," an electro-funk workout that uses a recording of an exorcism as its focal point, and "Very, Very Hungry," a mysteriously ethereal display of electronic percussion and large-scale sonic architecture. --S. Duda ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Wow
The immediate post-punk music scene of the late '70's and early 80's was unquestionably the most musically inspired era of our time. Up until that time, Rock & Roll had stratified and corporatized and there was virtually nothing worthwhile playing on the radio. Into that creative void leapt pioneers like David Byrne (then still with Talking Heads) and Brian Eno (formerly with Roxy Music). The two came together on a series of collaborative efforts - every single one of which has stood the test of time (note also the "Catherine Wheel", Talking Heads' "More Songs About Buildings and Food", "Fear of Music" and - of course, "Remain in Light"). "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" is their penultimate effort. Bizarre and sublime at the same time, virtually every track on what was then Side 1 on vinyl is a singular achievement.

The herky-jerky, and twisted, "America is Waiting" (Track 1), the menacing (and paradoxically humorous) "Mea Culpa" (Track 2), the haunting "Regiment" (featuring a Lebanese folk singer accompanied by electric guitar - Track 3), the wonderful "Help Me Somebody" (sampling aviary noises accompanied by the impassioned pleas of a black preacher - Track 4), and the skin crawling intensity of "Jezebel Spirit" (sampling voices from an exorcisim (!) with an unstoppable beat - Track 5) are all (for better or for worse) forever etched in my mind.

The remaining tracks traverse much more ambient terrain (and are not nearly as intense as Tracks 1 through 5 - almost a welcome relief, especially after "Jezebel Spirit"). Unlike a lot of ambient music, though, Side Two is not musical wallpaper.

"My Life in the Bush of Ghosts" has got to be heard to be believed.

Required listening
O.K. , so maybe I'm a bit prejudiced, being a Talking Heads fan, (actually, in the 80's when they were popular, I didn't "get" them, couldn't get past David Byrne's voice) but I feel this recording is to the 80's what the "White Album" was to the 60's. To clarify, the influence it had on musicians changed the way people thought about modern music. Anyone involved in Techno, Jungle, House, etc. owe so much to this record. It's influece was HUGE but although it influenced many musicians, it never really reached the ears af the average pop listener because it was too ahead of it's time for 80's FM radio. One thing that amazes me is that the "samples" used were done the hard way, with tape and a razor blade to splice then in among other things. Now anyone with a halfway decent computer could do the same but most still don't sound as fresh and thought provoking as this masterpiece.

Why Qu'aran is not in this CD ??
From São Paulo, Brazil !
This album is excellent, but a song called Qu'aran, (one of my favourite)is not on this CD ! political reasons ? I don't know.
Fortunately I have a vinyl version. If you don't know this song, try to find in vinyl, the bass line is great !

cool
Awesome stuff. Two very important musicians come together, who could say no? To all of the reviews about "found sound," what about the voices on Dark Side of the Moon? Maybe it's not so revolutionary in that regard. Still really good, such a cool combo.

A glimpse at the future - but thumbs down to WB/Sire
Listening to this album at a distance of more than two decades, it becomes a peek at what was coming in the 1990s with artists like Moby and DJ Shadow. With Eno's knack with establishing moods and Byrne's love of rhythm, it's an arresting recording. But I withhold the five-star ranking because, somewhere along the line, one track on the album has been changed. "Very, Very Hungry" is a nice track, but the original LP contained a track in its place called "Qu'ran," which contained a recording of "Algerian Muslims chanting Qu'ran" (as the original LP notes). I'm assuming the track was removed for political reasons - understandable in these charged times but very disturbing nonetheless. (Since I don't speak Arabic, I don't know what verses from the Qu'ran the Algerians were chanting - something "inflammatory"?) It practically amounts to censorship, and I'm incensed at the suits at Warner Bros/Sire who (I'm sure) approved the change. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A watershed '90s release, Screamadelica was the most convincing marriage of overground rock and underground dance music yet. With one foot in Beggars Banquet-era Stones (the gospel-rock "Movin' on Up") and the other in the trippy soundscapes of rave culture (the Orb-produced "Higher Than the Sun"), Primal Scream caught the mind-blown euphoria of Ecstacy better than anyone.Frontman Bobby Gillespie had no singing voice to speak of, but his vision of cosmic hedonism made him a drugged-out Pied Piper for the acid tribes. From the incantatory anthems "Loaded" and "Come Together" to the sinister rendering of the 13th Floor Elevators' "Slip Inside This House," Screamadelica was a modern psych classic. --Barney Hoskyns ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Snapshot of it's era.
Part of 'Screamadelica's critical acclaim may have more to do with its cultural impact rather than it's musical one. It's fusion of a traditional rock 'outlaw' image with the then contemporary dance scene was bound to attract critical enthusiasm. Dance music by its very nature is mostly non-image based, the stationary DJ playing their lyric-free records. Bands like Primal Scream and the Stone Roses helped to bring dance music to an alternative rock/indie audience. In the late 1980's rock in the U.K. was increasingly becoming marginalised, beaten back by the all-consuming rise of pop creators such as Stock, Aitken and Waterman. In contrast dance music was at the cutting edge of youth culture and if British guitar bands wanted to retain some sort of street-cred, they'd have to jump from the sinking ship on to the bandwagon pretty quickly.

On 'Screamadelica' this fusion of styles can be seen in the band's choice of producers, Jimmy Miller and Andrew Weatherall. Most of the album sounds like 12-inch remixes of the original guitar based songs. A process which has become standard for a lot of British guitar bands' C.D. singles. For anyone who's ever been at a rave most of the tracks on 'Screamadelica' make perfect sense as an aid to an ecstacy high, the slow long drawn-out build up adds to the sense of euphoria that occurs at the track's zenith.

As an all-out fusion of rock and dance I think 2000's XTRMNTR was a more inspired effort, but 'Screamadelica' was the beginning of Primal Scream's music experimentation. 'Screamadelica' is frequently listed on British music mags top 100 lists. However in the cold light of day 100 years from now, without cultural reference to the time it was created, pop music historians maybe slightly bemused as to why an album built around repetitive riffs should be lauded in the same way as the expressive, original song structures of 'Revolver' and 'Pet Sounds'.

Great
This is a seminal album from 1991, blurring the boundaries of rock and dance and epitomising a whole culture. Loaded alone tranformed Primal Scream from rockstar wannabes into the vehicle for one of the greatest euphoric dance tracks ever. Other songs such as the gospel-tinged Movin' On Up, the trance of Higher Than The Sun, the bluesy comedown chillout of Damaged and I'm Comin' Down, and the epic closer Shine Like Stars make this an essential recording from a great year in music that also produced the likes of Nevermind and Achtung Baby.

The record works really well as it progresses in pristine order from the setting of the opening tones of euphoria to the really dance-based tracks in the middle of the album to the comedown towards the end. Screamadelica was the first essential record by the Primals, and they didn't make another till 2000's polar opposite Xtrmntr, a dirty hell of white noise, industrial trance and electro-punk, but somehow the perfect companion to the blissed-out sounds of this party classic.

lets get loaded
now..how do you review this album without being a least a bit biased...watershed release etc. but, listening to it now..10 yrs after its release, the songs still make you want to groove. the scream moved on to expand their horizons, but this may truly be their greatest album.

Relevant But Dated
Hailed as one of the key dance albums of the nineties, "Screamadelica" is indeed an important and challenging record, even if its "classic" status seems a bit over the top. True, it mixes a lot of different musical styles and references and delivers an impressive combo that includes electro, gospel, pop, soul, rock, shoegazer, funk and a little of everything else. Yet, it has its share of filler moments as some of the songs sound too dated today (the ordinary dance number of "Don`t Fight It, Feel It" or the tedious "Damaged" and "I`m Comin` Down"). It`s a well-crafted album nonetheless, and a couple of parts truly shine (the hypnotic and dazzling "Higher Than the Sun", the infectious "Come Together" or the urban hymn "Loaded"). All in all, "Screamadelica" still sounds somewhat fresh and appealing nowadays, even if it has some flaws, and proves the vitality of one of the most innovative bands around.

Impressive enough yet far from stunning.

90's Classic - Still Kicking
I love this album. I can remember being introduced to their single- Loaded- when clubbing in London in the early 90s and decided to grab a copy of the album. To my surprise- Loaded was probably one of the least listenable singles overall.

Primal Scream has gone on to produce wonderful music over the past 10 years- stretching their themes and artistry to new heights while keeping one foot planted on their roots. Before exploring these other options, however, experience Screamadelica and understand where they came from and why so many listeners rave ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

If you ever wondered what ambient music is all about, you could do worse than listen to the soundtrack by Brian Eno that accompanied the stunning visuals of NASA's Apollo missions to the moon. Created with an intoxicating mixture of acoustic and electronic, the music makes the now-classic space travel images more magical and memorable, introducing a dreamlike element to scenes of cold reality. "An Ending (Ascent)" is about as close to an actual tune as you'll get, but, as with every track, a shining example of what ambient music reveals about itself--slowly and carefully. --Paul Clark ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An extraordinary album
I have owned this album in LP form (which regrettably warped!!) and then found it again a few years ago on CD (not this reissue). It's an amazing piece of music- I wouldn't really regard it as ambient music (in the sense of being best as background) so much as a simply gorgeous piece of "space music", perfect for just zoning out to, while listening closely (and it's an awfully cool album if your senses have been enhanced a bit....). Anyway, any serious music lover should own this.

Ambient does not equal New Age
This is a must have for both lovers of classical and electronic music. Excellent music to work by with headphones. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

If techno ever does become the sound of young America, don't expect Richard James to be its poster boy, deserving though he may be. A native of Cornwall, England, James is obsessed with the mechanics of music making: As a kid, he took apart and reassembled the living room piano. Under the names Aphex Twin, Polygon Window, AFX, and other aliases too numerous to mention, he showed that he could make entire tracks with the sounds produced by tapping on a Coke can. Like the indie rockers of yore, he revels in his marginality because of the creative freedom it gives him. His full-length U.S. debut, Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994), includes some of the most serene sounds this side of the Orb, but his favorite hobby is the not-at-all-blissful pastime of driving a Daimler Ferret Mark 3 tank through his parents' backyard.

None of his recordings have captured the competing impulses to lull you to sleep and blast out your eardrums as well as Richard D. James, his third and best album. As the title indicates, James has turned inward for inspiration, painting aural pictures of real and imagined scenes from his west country childhood. "Goongumpas" is a fanciful, playful tune that wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As his adventures with the family upright indicate, James was a bit of a devil even as a child. "Beetles" is the sound of a boy frying bugs on the sidewalk with a magnifying glass, and "To Cure a Weakling Child" shows flashes of the sort of sadism found only on preschool playgrounds. If you still doubt that young Richard developed early on, the romantic Nino Rota-style strings on "Girl/Boy Song" are just made for passionate seductions, and the tune appears in three mixes, each one hot and hornier than the one before.

The raucous undercurrents of even his calmest tunes and the sources of many of his most common sounds are what link James to the rock tradition. With Richard D. James, the artist solidifies his position as an electronic music mastermind who has earned a spot beside such well-respected innovators--whether or not he's destined for stardom. --Jim Derogatis ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Just a note:
Richard D. James Album is the first ten tracks of this album:

1. 4
2. Cornish Acid
3. Peek 824545301
4. Fingerbib
5. Corn Mouth
6. To Cure a Weakling Child
7. Goon Gumpas
8. Yellow Calx
9. Girl/Boy Song
10. Logon Rock Witch

When bringing the album to America, the record companies decided that 32 minutes was too short for an album and added on the (entertaining, but IMO inferior) 5 tracks from the Girl/Boy EP.

11. Milkman
12. Inkeys
13. Girl/Boy Song [£18 Snare Rush Mix]
14. Beetles
15. Girl/Boy Song [Redruth Mix]

Those five tracks are BONUS TRACKS - they are NOT part of Richard D. James Album. Please consider this when reviewing the album.

As for my opinion, RDJ Album is a masterpiece of Drill n Bass, which is the term for the lightning quick, spastic drumming that is so prominent in this work. Note that this rather up-tempo drumming isn't always intense...it can actually be quite soothing (For the best example of this, see Flim from the Come to Daddy EP). For this, I couldn't do anything but give it 5 Stars. Once again, Aphex Twin has released something completely alien to my ears and I love it.

Absolutely Amazing.
I recently purchased "I Care Because You Do" and this album and already I'm addicted to the work of Richard D. James. Although this album is somewhat short, it still packs an immense impact on your ears.

Songs like "4" sound like he took music from the nintendo game "Zelda: The Adventure of Link" and completely rearranged it and added some fast, happy beats. "Peek ..." is my favorite song by far, however. I can't explain it except that it is chaotic and beautiful at the same time - which I can only imagine is hard for any elektronik artist to acheive. "Corn Mouth" is insane - enough said - but I do like it. "Cornish Acid" and "Fingerbib" are great as well - and "Milkman" is HILARIOUS. "Logon Rock Witch" is a compilation of noises and bings, bongs and rings. It's cool. "Girl/Boy song" is cool - but actually, it's one of my least favorites. Sorry.

Also, the import version of this album ends after "Logon Rock Witch." The American version of this album has added the "Girl/Boy EP" after track ten which includes tracks 11-15. I hope that that clears up some questions. Also, to find out why RDJ is a genius - play this music on a disc player and put in headphones. When the albums over with you'll know why he's a genius... but - only if you have an open mind.

way too overrated
the sound of this cd is incredible. Aphex Twin made it off of his analog studio but where did he get this sound. If you read the back of squarepusher's "Feed Me Weird Things" Richard D. James gives him all the credit. I love this cd but i don't like the fact that all of his songs are under 4 minutes. He couldn't hack it. Here he is doing drum loops on an 808 through a filter bank while squarepusher has cruddy equiptment making the most out of it and doing 6 minute long drum solo's. Thats talent.

Richard D. James: A Genius Of Electronica
I bought this excellent CD a long while ago, and I still love this album. Even though it falls short compared to his earlier works (ex. Selected Ambient Works 85-92), this frenzied fusion of ambient, drum n' bass, drill n' bass, and some hardcore techno elements make this album a must buy. But this album should be heard only by people who are accustomed to the Twin's sound, otherwise newbies might like it, but think, "Good Lord, this is crazy!" It's such a shame that A great country like America is bogged down by (in my opinion) foolish, pop-rap. Techno should get a much bigger recognition. It's about time people listened to more competent music.

My feet, my arms and my ears....ARE MELTED OFF!
I was introduced to the Aphex Twin after I saw the videos on the Chris Cunningham DVD...and was blown away. I couldn't breath after I heard and saw the "Come to Daddy" video. I knew after that, I had to find all of his music. This was the first album I bought because according to most, it is his best. Some people call him a musical genius, perhaps even the next Mozart. I believe it. Richard D. James and his self-titled album are spellbinding. He is a true visionary. James' songs not only have amazing drum and bass beats but have heart and soul. Each track connects the listeners with a different aspect of his psyche and even his soul. I cannot express how much his music has touched me. The Aphex Twin is one of the most influential musical talent that exists on the earth today. Each track is terrific but these are the ones that stand out to me:

4
Fingerbib
To Cure a Weakling Child
Girl/Boy Song
Logon Rock Witch (Most original musical composition I have ever heard)
Milkman

It is a must buy for those who wish to experience the masterful voice of the Aphex Twin. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Deep Relaxation for the Mind
I was recently diagnosed with a panic disorder that was brought on from the high stresses of my job. Since I'm unable to take medication, I need to find alternative ways at controling the anxiety attacks. I stumbled upon this cd and have recommended it to several friends who are equally as happy. Listen to this cd in the morning while doing light breathing excercies or even yoga and you will find that it will clear your mind and prepare you for the day. Listen to the cd at night, let the music wash over you while doing relaxing breathing excercises and you will find yourself in a state of deep relaxation. I recommend this cd to anyone who is under a lot of stress or suffers from anxiety, get this cd...it really does help and it does a body good!

Massage
I'm a massage therapist and I find my clients falling asleep to the music (and I end up yawning, or getting heavy eyes!). Perfect for relaxing.

Vacation for the mind
I use this CD nightly for meditation and relaxation. It allows me to quickly retreat into a peaceful calm space.

Highly relaxing
I was going thru a difficult time when I purchased this album. I listen to it at work when I am under stress and find it relaxes me almost instantly. The calming Asian influence touches a depth with the soul and connects me to peace with the universe.

Calming
I listen to the Tao of Healing when doing my morning yoga. Its peaceful and calming melodies are soul soothing. I use it to start my day in a meditative mood to deflect the stresses of the day. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Adagio follows in the rosin-dusted footsteps of The Impressionists, A Different Mozart, and A Different Prelude. As with those releases, it was produced by Dawn Atkinson and features many of the same artists. The results are as varied as the musicians. Violinist Tracy Silverman cuts one of his patented echo-delayed pizzicato violin arrangements of a Bach arioso, while Patrick O'Hearn drapes a somber keyboard shroud around the Adagio from Rodrigo's Fantasy for a Gentleman. Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning find the Celtic air in the Adagio from Handel's Sonata in G, while Philip Aaberg discovers infinity between the notes of Barber's ubiquitous Adagio for Strings. He stretches the melody across his piano in finely drawn lines, subtlety filled out with synthesizer undertones. Subtlety is a casualty on Philipe Saisse's bongos, bells, and synth arrangement of Bach's Air on a G String. It's also sacrificed in a corny confection of Handel's Sarabande by Paul Schwartz. His ham-fisted electronic keyboards would've sounded dated even before Switched-On Bach. But Adagio features plenty of musicians who are willing to surrender themselves to their elegiac themes, including guitarist Steve Erquiaga, Mike Marshall, and Edgar Meyers. --John Diliberto ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Simply Gorgeous !
This is the first Windham Hill compilation I've purchased in a long, long time, and I am thrilled with the music.
The artistry is stunning, the artists bring themselves to the music while at the same time maintaining the integrity of the original piece.
My favorite is Grieg's Nocturne, arranged and performed by Steve Erquiaga. I have been in love with his music from the moment
I heard his CD "Cafe Paradiso" (Imaginary road Records). It is absolutely stunning!
When I saw that he was on "Adagio" I went for it. I'm so happy that I did ...
Other hightlights for me are Philip Aaberg's "Adagio for Strings", Tracy Silverman's "Arioso" ..... they're all beautiful.
Thank You for this wonderful music. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Another nice "sampler" from Nettwerk
The latest in this Chillout series from Nettwerk is another nicely balanced sampler that manages to mix tracks by more familiar artists (Chemical Brothers, Bjork, Delerium, Radiohead) with cuts by less heralded artists (Alpinestars, Motorcycle, IIO). My personal favorites are the remixes of Massive Attack's "Butterfly Caught" and Conjure One's "Center of the Sun" (I'd buy the CD just for this track alone - the vocal by Poe is amazing and makes me even more anxious for her next release!). Yes, there are more adventurous downtempo compilations out there (try the Ministry of Sound series or the Buddha Bar series if you're looking for something a bit more "underground") but the Chillout series has its charms. I also recommend Nettwerk's Ultimate Chillout 2002 and, especially, Ultimate Chillout 2003, which has LHB's impressive "Olivia Newton Christ" - a track that is hard to find on a non-import.

An amazing compilation
This really brings out the best songs of a poorly defined genre. It sounds like Sirius's channel Chill (64) running for about an hour. The more popular artists on this CD (Bjork, N.E.R.D., etc.) are the tracks I tend to pass over for the standouts like Motorcycle, Alpinestars, BT (the original of this is great, too).

Some tracks could have been left out, as most people who buy this probably would have gotten the CD in its entirety anyways (specifically, Massive Attack, the quintessential trip-hop group).

My major complaint is with the choice of the U.N.K.L.E. track; the CD has a couple of really great songs, especially "Lonely Souls," "Bloodstain," and "U.N.K.L.E. Main Theme" that greatly overshadow the "Rabbit in Your Headlights," which is also a bit redundant for the sake that the singer on that track is the lead singer of Radiohead, who also have a track on this album. Had one of the aforementioned tracks off the "Psyence Fiction" CD been selected, this CD would definitely merit a 5 stars.

In short, highly recommended. I especially recommend it for studying; listening to something like this, I find my college work infinitely easier.

good one
Cool mix. I am surprised no one mentions "One too many Mornings", by the chemical brothers as a fav. It is such a cool song I think. I also dig "As the rush comes", "Butterfly", "At the end", "center of the earth", and even this "weak become heroes song" by whoever the Streets are...
There are a couple of bad songs out there (UNKLE and NERD uhh), but other than that most of the songs are pleasing and cool to listen to. And I think the fact that you fall asleep with a chillout CD should be a plus...that is the point, right??
Fell asleep nicely with this one a few times...even though I didn't mean to...

Later,
El Dundee.

Chilling
This is a cool album (pun intended). Hard to place it in a genre. It is not quite psychedelic, not punk or retro, not pop. Kind of a mix of Miami Vice, Roxy Music, grunge, soft soul, mood, and synth. Not a brand-new genre, but certainly done well on this album.

However, I would have left out tracks 2, 13 and 14. Although not bad in their own right, they just do not fit into the theme of this album. I usually just skip over those. Some tracks are not my favorites (e.g., 4, 5, 8), but are tolerable. With all the tracks mentioned, you might think I do not like this album, but I do.

Overall, a good album that is done decently and should be given a try.

Cool mix
If you're looking for a mix that's more interesting and up-for-it than most chill-out stuff...than this is the CD for you! I listen to this all the time--before going out, after going out, at my desk at work, etc. Go for it. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Minimalist meditation music
This third album in the "Ambient" series seems definitely influenced by the minimalist movement; quickly-repeated, slightly varied motifs skirled by a very metallic-sounding harp. In contrast, Ambient 1 drifts and seems rather more song-like in its format. I like the concept of minimal music and its almost visual or textural effect created by the slight variations in sound that are built by repetition. So I enjoyed this a lot, but it's not for those who find this type of music stupifyingly dull.

I was excited by the glistening sound of Laraaji's harp in "The Dance". The harp mixed with a percussive sound on some strings or with another instrument, but this percussive sound never overpowers the rhythmic beat of the harp motifs. This work is in three parts, similar sounding, but with variation in dynamics. "Meditation" is more spacey and dreamy, much more what you'd expect from Brian Eno. Deep notes mix with etherial harp, bell and string sounds. In short, if you like minimalist music, you will love this. Otherwise, think twice or hear a sample first.

Not complete without it
"Music for airport" was unobstructive music, Ambeint 2 was music to travel to, Ambient 4 was a tour into sound of the silence ... and Day of Radiance was a tour into the ancient world of Buddhisim.

The repetive strings of Laraaji in the dance tracks are like the chants of the Buddhist monk, music in seemily noise. Rythmes in non Rythmes. While Meditation is exactly that ... a buddhist believe in peace in focusing on a single point words or chant ...

After reading much criticisim of the album, I almost gave up buying it, but to complete my collection of Brian Eno's Ambient series, I took the risk. And I am glad I did it.

Brian Eno's Ambient series was the most exciting project in Music history. The journey reflects how music playes in unconventional ways could inspire, Brian Eno has been challendging all music listeners with the project, so for one to criticise the DOR is not understanding Brian Eno's intent.

Truely, the tracks are more unorganised and could border on the line of noise, but its a challendge to the listeners to listen to the music behind the noise, and then it evolves to a journey into mediation and of course then to total silence in Ambient 4.

...bathing in thousands of bright tones...
Stunning! I don't agree with the people who claim this is the weakest album in the Ambient series. I find this one to be so utterly beautiful and exciting. Day of Radiance is such an appropriate name for this album. Laraaji has a way of constructing complex and fast melodies that yet retain a remarkable sense of space. Melodies within melodies. Higly recommended!

Laraaji's radiant day
A brilliantly glistening lake in an ocean of sound. With much input from uber-producer, Brian Eno, Laraaji has created a trance-like wall-of-sound from his multi-tracked zither. The music on this CD is far more insistent than on Eno's other ambient releases but offers its own rewards after repeated listenings. An under-rated and over-looked masterpiece.

soothing music
Eno is a highly gifted musician , and the ambient series is a breakthrough even many years after its release , however , in My humble opinion this is the weakest link of all ambient records .
Seems that the harp repetiotions are not as gripping as the piano \ synth & sound effects and samples of the rest of the records . ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Doesn't really qualify as a "greatest hits" album
I empathize with the AON fans who once owned the illustrious "blue cover" version of this title. I'm fortunate enough to still have my copy which, to set the record straight, is basically the 12" mixes of most of the titles on this release. It is true that removing "Moments In Love" from this album is a crime, but I also believe that the original version of "Legs" was a much better single for Art Of Noise than its evil twin, "Legacy". Finally, I have never been able to locate a CD with the original version of "Beat Box" (the version on the Into Battle ep). Even the Daft CD, which compiles Into Battle, the Moments In Love ep, and (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art Of Noise! left this version out, which should have also been included on this compilation of their 7" singles. Keep your eyes open for the hard-to-find "blue cover" version.

Good collection not great
In the early 90's "The Best of The Art of Noise" was released with a blue cover. I wish that was the extent of changes to the CD. For some insane reason "Close to the Edit"(the song that first brought them attention) has been removed. The version of "Peter Gunn" is now the regular mix instead of the Twang remix. This is a good CD and I would recommend it to anyone but if you spot an Art of Noise greatest hits with a blue cover-jump on it. That one is the real deal and a 5 star collection.

Bring on Da' Noise
The original (blue cover) version of this collection, loaned to me by a friend, was my introduction to this group. I was instantly enthralled by the incessant rhythm and the touch of whimsy (most notably in "Paranomia" and "Dragnet"). Now, around ten years later, I am at last able to get my hands on a copy of my own.

Almost.

The two significant changes are the addition of "Yebo" and "Instruments of Darkness". The first is a welcome addition blending AON's trademark drums and electronic loops with vocal chanting into a sort of techno-tribal melange. Unfortunately, the second is an incredibly disappointing remix of the In Visible Silence track with the music sped up to unrecognizability and the original political undercurrent blanched away.

With that one exception, this CD whisked me back to my college days with its organized anarchy and brought back a nostalgic look at the future. A good deal of fun.

A place where art and noise do belong in the same sentence
One of the off-beat bands to hail from the UK was the trio of Ann Dudley, J. J. Jeczalik, both keyboardists, and Gary Langan doing various instruments and sharing production chores with Jeczalik, while Dudley handled the arrangements. Billed as the Art of Noise, their music can be classified as experimental keyboard music using bizarre sounds, sound loops, and computerized vocals. The material on this compilation takes the group following their departure from Trevor Horn's ZTT Records and onto China Records.

An example of their unconventionality can be heard in "Opus 4," in which the phrase "nous sommes, das", "nous nous" are repeated over and over and overlapped for the first couple of seconds, and the same process is repeated with different phrases and many of them while a keyboard melody is played.

"Yebo" has a running and throbbing Jan Hammer-like rhythm, with some African vocals and words rapped and later sung, while a long-drawn Steve Lukather-like guitar is played.

"Instruments of Darkness" is an exercise in early 90's rave, with the words "all of us are one people" and other rave shouts included. Also noteworthy is one of the producer/arrangers: Liam Howlett, later to form Prodigy.

A complete contrast can be seen in "Robinson Crusoe," with its saccharine high-pitched Percy Faith-like string arrangements.

The years 1986 and 1988 were two of their better years. Their rendition of the Henry Mancini-penned Peter Gunn theme, with Duane Eddy's surf-guitar, and weird squealing sound fills for the main rhythm, became a UK Top Ten hit.

"Relax, you're quite safe here," says a sensuous female voice to Max Headroom (those who remember the computerized spokesperson for New Coke who bore a strong resemblance to Red Dwarf's Kryten) in "Paranoimia," which features the usual keyboard while Max performs a spoken stream of consciousness soliloquy to a lightly swaying rhythm, and even his shot at poetry: "come sweet slumber and shroud me in your purple cloak. Doesn't rhyme."

And then: "DRAGNET! THEIR JOB--TO ENFORCE THE LAW AND PRESERVE THE SAFETY OF DECENT CITIZENS. DUM DA-DUM-DUM!!" Their instrumental exercise on the Dragnet soundtrack for the Dan Aykroyd/Tom Hanks movie is not the version on the soundtrack or the one used on MTV, but an extended mix with more vocal samples that are looped, particularly Aykroyd ("My name is Friday. I carry a badge", "Just the facts, ma'am.") and Hanks ("You got a lot of repressed feelings, don't you, Friday?") amid a sea of keyboards, drum machines, and other effects going amuck.

"Legacy" is a bizarre mixture of odd vocals, keyboards, drums, and samples that's also in place on a Yello album.

A song with mixed results is a cover of Prince's "Kiss," with Tom Jones on vocals. It strips down the original to drum machines and keyboards to a minimalist sound. But the backing vocalists and bursts of brass work somewhat, with a brief improvisation on the Peter Gunn theme included.

"The Art of Noise is weird" says a female voice on "Something Always Happen." An A for truth on the other tracks, but not for this exercise on drums, airy synths, vibe-like synths, which is more conventional.

Following their dissolution, Anne Dudley would go on to work on soundtracks as well as a collaboration with Jaz Coleman on some Middle Eastern music, Songs From The Victorious City, more exotic, but less conventional than the material in this collection, a testament to the noise...I mean the art present in the Art of Noise.

Best beat ive ever known
Best album, very dificult to find in Mexico, was first purchased by (I must say)my mother, a tom Jones fan, some old parts, I was interested first qhen Iheard Peter gunn, some similitude to C64's spyhunter. when y heard this cd fopr the first time (complete) it got me. incredible remix, e4ven a little old. I only have problems with the first and last songs, but I must include... all in my favorite, just I need to find the other albums. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By turns mournful and mystical, these 14 Celtic lullabies performed by musicians from around the world give voice to the experience of mother and child in haunting, evocative folk songs. "More often than not," veteran Irish singer Nóirín Ní Riain writes in the liner notes, "a true lullaby is more indicative of the mental state of the mother than of her wish to lull her child to sleep, and so often her frustrations find a legitimate voice through song." Celtic Twilight 3: Lullabies will become a bedtime favorite, both for its lulling pull to sleep for baby and the numinous, soothing tones of old-country songs for parents winding down at the end of the day. --Stefanie Durbin ... Read more

Reviews (24)

This music is a blessing to mothers and babies
I received Celtic Twilight 3 Lullabies as a gift and have been playing it for my son since his birth. He's now a year old and has come to expect it's soothing sounds at naptime and bedtime. If the CD isn't handy, I only have to sing "Castle of Dromore" to him, and he drifts off to sleep. You would think having heard the same music several times a day for a year, I would be sick of it...but I'm not, and we both enjoy it tremendously. I have recommended this CD to several friends and have given the CD as shower gifts.

Beautiful lullabies
I purchased this CD because the first two Celtic Twilight CDs were wonderful. We listened to this CD moments after the birth of our first child. Each hospital attendant that heard the CD wanted to know about the beautiful music. Some tracks still bring tears to my eyes while I am holding my son as he falls asleep. I believe this will always be my favorite CD. This would be a perfect gift for any expecting or new parent.

Can't Live Without it!
I received this CD as a shower gift, as well as a number of other lullaby CDs by various artists. This one is our absolute favorite. My daughter goes to sleep to this CD every night. It's beautiful melodies are very soothing, and I never tire of hearing it, and neither does she, and she's now almost 18 months old. I even find myself humming a couple of the tunes at work. It's not your typical lullaby CD by any means. It lasts about an hour, and even through those nights where she's up sick and doesn't sleep well, we play it over and over again.

relaxation
I have MAJOR trouble relaxing.
It normally takes something like a 90 minute massage, a very long walk, or an hour soak in a hot tub.

Before I found this CD, I did not know of ANYTHING that could instantly relax me. Yet, with this CD all I need is 10-15 minutes, and I am back to a happy, relaxed person. This CD, Celtic Twilight 3: Lullabies, is an absolute must for me (as well as the cd by an artist named Meav). It has helped me refocus and return to tranquility after a stressful day at work. It's so important, I have 2 copies of it. ( Just incase I break or loose it.)

Now, as if being good for me wasn't enough, my two extremely active kids love it. This CD instantly puts my 10 year old daughter and 2 year old son asleep for a nap or in the evening. Both even ask for it if they need a "little time-out alone".

All around it's a WONDERFUL CD!!

My Granddaughter Called This "MY CD"
I bought this CD for my granddaughter when she was a few months old. I'm not sure she has ever heard the entire CD, as she always fell asleep by the second or third song. Before Celtic Lullabies, it was hard to get her to lay down for a nap unless I stayed with her, but this music was a great replacement and she even looked forward to it. It was so relaxing for me to listen to while I caught up on chores as she slept. I somehow lost the CD when she was around three and a half years old (she's now almost five), but want to replace it. I know she'll love it today and I want to save it for her and her future children. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Autechre's Sean Booth and Rob Brown are firmly rooted in the British hip-hop and electro scenes of the early 1980s, their music is experimental, mathematical, and precise; electro is used merely as a starting point for further exploration of synthetic sounds. On Incunabula, their contribution to Warp's Artificial Intelligence series, the roots of their sound are laid bare. Electro beats are tranquilized and obscured, shifted into alternate time signatures, and used as anchors for repetitive synth hooks and dense layers of effects, resulting in a sound that is exquisitely cold and mechanical. The title, which means "beginning," couldn't be more appropriate: as the years passed, Autechre's music became more dense and oblique; hence, a quick listen to "Incunabula" is essential to decoding the plot. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (48)

At their most elegant and melodic
One of their first releases, this was released as part of Warp's wonderful 'Artifical Intelligence' series.

It's the sound of Autechre before they got harsh and too robotic. What most people call 'classic Warp', this would sum it up. People say electronic music sounds too cold and distant. Sure, this album is defintely cold and distant, but conversely it's also one of the most beautiful ambient electronic albums available. Though it sounds machine-driven, it sounds beautiful. It's proof that machines make sweet music too.

On here the exquisite 'Bike' is just beautiful to listen to, and 'Basscadet' with it's clashing, stuttering beats and manic handclaps is easily proof that Autechre could make both challenging and beautiful songs in one.

My favourite Autechre album.

Halcyon + on + on
Autechre's debut album gets excellent reviews for good reason. Entering the UK charts at #1, it also was a well-deserved commercial success. Still, there some distinct musical differences to Autechre's later-era output. The rhythm constructions are more fragile, subdued, and fluid, and tracks like "Bike" and "Lowride" even expose Autechre's hip hop roots. "Incunabula" comes up with very beautiful and aesthetic melodies which never seem to be trite, formless, or trashy. Rather allied to '70s electronic pioneers like Brian Eno, Kraftwerk, and Tangerine Dream, "Incunabula" is also a work with concept character. From "Eggshell" on, Autechre take you on a plesant, neverending journey through time and space. Listen to "Windwind" and imagine a moonlit mountain range covered with shimmering ice and snow. I never thought that electronic music could have such an emotional power and quality. This is excellent trance music without the boredom of many other new age or ambient records. Unlike many of Autechre's other efforts, this album is palatable for everyone, even for people who usually don't care about techno music.

excellent dive into autechre
My favourite Autechre tracks are the more accessible and melodic ones, like Eutow off Tri Repetae ++ and Lowride featured here. If you think Autechre is a hard listen(or unlistenable), check this album out. Lowride shows a nice hip-hop influence, a funky piano and a catchy melody - my favorite here. Autriche and Bike are also nice and tuneful.

Their best disc.
If you're new to their music, start here. Complex, mathematical and presicse, "Bike," "Autriche" and "444" are my favorites, but the entire album is amazing.

Autechre's more melodic approach to music started here...
Autechre's debut album is worlds away from the precise Glitch & fractured Techno that they went on to become accomplished producers at. This is an album of stark metallic sounds that sound conventionally at odds with the melodic song structures, that are entirely instrumental. Something else worth noting is that each songs gradually unfolds and uncompresses itself, moving between brooding arrangements and rhythmic drum pattern backed by synth & organ tones. It's strangely compelling in the way that over the course of the frequent six minutes plus tracks, that you'll find yourself growing in appreciation with each strikingly precise track. Think a more detached and synthesized alternative to 'Board of Canada' and you'll not be far of. This is galvanising, Cerebral ambient techno music, and along with the sophomore release "Amber" would mark Autechre's more subtle compositions before their successive albums slowly moved into more (although equally accomplished) 'Glitch' electronica....unquestionably recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Mastering Mistakes
No, I haven't purchased this yet as I'm waiting for Virgin/Astralwerks to correct their mastering mistakes.As has already been pointed out "Climate Study" is not on here but is in fact "Approaching Taidu".Also "Fuselli" unless it's a different mix that I can't detect from the sound sample is "Patrolling Wire Borders" and "From The Coast" is in fact "Quartz", both from MUSIC FOR FILMS.Let's hope they replace these repeats with "Dover Beach", the long version of "Signals" and both versions of "Always Returning".On a positive note the actual audio quality sounds promising from the samples I listened to (finer detail).

Very Familiar, Strange...
Most of the tracks here sound very familiar, being either remixes of earlier instrumental tracks or tracks that were already released on the "Instrumentals" boxed set.

I'd probably give the set 4 or 5 stars if these were the first I'd heard of them, but anybody who half-follows Eno's career will find this a deja-vu experience.

great music, but arrrghhh.!!!.. AGAIN a mastering mistake
Indeed very frustrating that it happened again with an Eno release...:

Thinking of buying More Music For Films? EnoWeb advises caution. Two people have e-mailed us to say that on their CDs, track 18 -- which should be "Climate Study" -- is in fact "Approaching Taidu"; track 20 is again "Approaching Taidu": you get two of those rather than any "Climate Study"s. This is the case on EnoWeb's copy too. It might be worth delaying your purchase until we have some information on how widespread this situation is (probably after Easter), so you don't have to put up with the kind of problems that beset purchasers of the defective Another Green World last year.

Excellent Companion To The Original 'MUSIC FOR FILMS', excpt
Most if not all of the exclusive tracks from the oop 'INSTRUMENTAL' box set are on this compilation. I need to point out that there is a track repeated twice by mistake. Track 18 which is listed as 'CLIMATE STUDY' is actually 'APPROACHING TAIDU', which also happens to be track 20. It seems Astralwerks has screwed up again like on the first pressings of 'ANOTHER GREEN WORLD'. You may want to hold off on buying this until a second pressing is done to add the correct track.

"More" Music, Not Really "New" Music for Films
When I saw that this was coming out, I was immediately excited, since the original MUSIC FOR FILMS was such a unique collection at the time of its release. This latest version (and some of the tracks are just that -- versions of earlier releases) doesn't break any new ground, but fans of Eno will likely want to have a copy for their collections anyway. The pieces vary but all possess a somewhat cinematic approach (not as in John Williams and action movie soundtracks), setting a mood and a tone that can be calming or jarring. Most of the pieces are in the "incidental" vein, lasting only a minute or two. It works as an extension of the original MUSIC FOR FILMS, but certainly doesn't build much on the promise of that ground-breaking release. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

It's SUPPOSED to be different than Karma!!!
When I first listened to this album I was a bit disappointed by the much-mentioned pop influence on this. But a more openminded listen through really made all the difference in the world. I found myself really liking this album a lot. There is such a broad range of talent and experience on this album that after listening to it I feel sated, full, and content. I feel as though I have been taken from awe to passion to ecstasy to fear to sadness to contemplation.

I feel bad for those who can't get beyond comparing this album to Karma. Yes, Karma was great. Yes, Kristy Thirsk and Sarah McLachlan have wonderful voices. Yes, Poem is a bit more conventional and radio friendly. But there is much to be appreciated on this album if you give it a chance. All the singers have simply beautiful voices. The music is still very much the lush sweeping world-spanning style that we have come to expect from Delerium. There are still many ritualistic danceable songs, as well as shivery thought provoking instrumentals.

My favorites on this album are track one, which is just so awe-inspiring, and track 8, "Daylight" with MAtthew Sweet. But opinions will vary. Simply put, this is a favorite of mine, alongside Karma, and in my opinion Delerium is still as delerious to the mind as ever.

An Album for "Silence" Lovers
I'll direct this review at those of you who fell in love with "Silence" from Karma. "Silence" was great because it mixed expert electronic music with the intense, angelic vocals of guest singer Sarah McLachlan creating a captivating musical experience. Delerium must have known this was the sweetspot of Karma and so they decided to make Poem, an entire album devoted to songs with talented guest vocalists. (There are a few pure music tracks on the album, which are still very listenable.) In the end, while not having anything that outdoes "Silence", Poem has at least 5 songs that hit the nail on the head with the same formula. Kristy Hawkshaw, Jenifer McLaren, Joanne Stevens AND Rani Kamal are amazing vocalists, and the very well-crafted electronica on this album fits their voices perfectly. It's a crime to do anything but close your eyes and drink in the sound when these songs are playing. The two other songs with guest vocals deviate from the pattern slightly as Leigh Nash and Matthew Sweet have less 'angelic' voices, but are still excellent songs.
So buy this album and 'drink up'! And if there are some of you who don't 'get it' right away, do give it a few listens as I guarantee there are songs you will like as much (or nearly as much (hey "silence" was amazing))) as "silence".