Amazon.com

Virginia exile Jason Mraz grew up listening to Dave Matthews and Agents of Good Roots, local heroes whose frat-friendly influences are much in evidence on his major-label debut. Producer John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer) augments Mraz's SoCal cohorts with Agents' rhythm section, dramatically expanding and polishing songs like "Curbside Prophet" and "You and I Both," which previously appeared in looser, less developed versions on Mraz's self-released live recordings. But fans from the singer-songwriter's coffeehouse years need not despair. Mraz's witty lyrics and easygoing folk-blues stylings (think Jack Johnson on Prozac) are still very much in evidence. He's also in fine voice and, on two standout tracks--"Who Needs Shelter" and "Absolutely Zero"--rivals Neil Finn in his ability to invoke the spirit of Paul McCartney. Waiting for My Rocket to Come showcases an artist who, while still finding his own direction, is clearly off to a great start.--Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (312)

Pure talent -- gorgeous voice and beautiful songs
While Jason Mraz's music sits in the genre of acoustic, singer/songwriter, he has a definite cool unique sound and style of his own. First off, he is surely a "boy with a voice" and a great songwriter to boot. The songs are diverse with some slower, serious songs mixed up with some up tempo songs with an almost hip hop style. "You and I Both" and "Sleep All Day" have a dreamlike, wistful quality, while "The Remedy" and "Curbside Prophet" are high energy/upbeat. And Mraz has a way of scatting that's completely addictive to listen to. I'm a huge fan of John Mayer, Edwin McCain, Pete Yorn, David Gray, but I have to say, Jason Mraz is my definite favorite. And if you ever catch him live, he sounds even better -- the live show showcases his unique brand of humor and amazing talent at performing.

Buy the record -- you won't be sorry!! (And check out his website: jasonmraz.com, to buy an older recording of him live -- fabulous!!)

Thick as thieves...
Waiting for My Rocket to Come is overproduced and gives listeners only a fraction of what this guy is truly capable of. I'm not a big fan of John Alagia - I think he screwed up Mayer's first album when it was rereleased and I think Mraz got the same kind of treatment. Nonetheless, this is what most people will here first when it comes to Mraz, and he's a talented cat. Jason Mraz uses his voice like a lead guitar - he's got incredible range - those American Idol idiots would do well in taking some lessons from JMraz. Highlights of this disc include "Sleep All Day", "Curbside Prophet", "You and I Both" and "Who Needs Shelter". Some of Mraz' best tracks are missing here unfortunately - seek out other songs like "1000 Things", "Unfold", "Did I Fool Ya?", "Common Pleasure", "Zero Percent Interest" or "Dreamlife of Rand McNally" and you'll be even more impressed. His live show showcases these songs and the album cuts in a raw, acoustic format, normally with just bass and acoustic percussion accompaniment. Hopefully a second album will come sooner than later - one where he and his homies are at the controls - there's nothing worse than a new artist resting on their laurels (i.e. the missing follow up to Room for Squares by one John Mayer - I think Guns N Roses had a quicker follow up album).

I should have just burned the money
Before purchasing this cd I read alot of reviews talking about how Jason Mraz was a combination of Dave Matthews and others. He is not. He's not even close. I think the only demographic that would enjoy his music are under 16 year old girls and people who think John Mayer is too deep for them. The first single "The Remedy" is the best song on the cd. Overall it's not a very impressive effort.

Great
I really didn't even like "The Remedy" when it was getting lots of radio play, so what posessed me to pick up this CD I'll never know. But whatever it was, I wish I could thank it personally. I just love this CD, Mraz has an amazing voice and I love his personality as well. I'm not sure where some of those remarks that he was full of himself came from-- check out his journal on his website and you'll get a dose of his funny, sweet personality. Although it's a bit sugary at points Mraz's wonderful voice really makes up for it. And I'm not sure where those Dave Matthews/John Mayer comparisons came in....they really don't have much in common except a guitar and good voices. My favorite tracks are You and I Both, I'll Do Anything and Absolutely Zero. A must-buy, but DEFINITELY pick up his live CD, it's even better.

Incredible artist!
We heard Jason Mraz on Austin City Limits 11/03, and I ran to the computer to order the CD. Upon the 1st listen, I was thrilled to have found a great new artist. The songs have hints of bluegrass, reggae, indie-pop, even a couple of rap riffs. Mraz reminds me of Sting with his almost poetry-like lyrics -- my favorite being "Are you in the mood for some dude, are you in the mood to be subdued...." He duplicates that interesting choice twist of words lin most (if not all) his songs. Add cool guitar and a bit of banjo (!), and you have a fascinating (and I hope long-lived) young, innovative artist. Listen closely to track 7, "Too Much Food"--great wordplay! ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Recommended Ani DiFranco Discography

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

... Read more

Reviews (26)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Album Description

Reissue of the late British folk icon's final full-lengthalbum, released in 1972. 11 tracks. Slipcase. Island. ... Read more

Reviews (214)

Raw. Dark. Inspired.
Nick Drake has been an underground hero for musicians for many years now but only recently got any real public attention because of a VW commerical. There's nothing wrong with VW using his song, it's just a shame that commercial success never happened for Nick when he was alive. He deserved the attention he has received in 1999 way back in 1970.

Nick was an incredible acoustic guitarist with a diverse fingerstyle technique with great finger-rolls and clever melodies woven throughout complex harmonies and various tunings.

Pink Moon is raw and dark but absolutely pretty at the same time --and precisely played with just one acoustic guitar and an occasional piano. His baritone voice is delivered in an often slurred and breathy haze with lyrics that convey a sense of despair and emotional nakedness. The chords in his songs will weave a Minor progression of almost hopeless despair then break into a Major bridge and rising vocal melodies that brings a hope of soaring transcendence into the light - only to have it dashed back down to the ground. Beautiful.

My favorite track is "Parasite." His guitar line brings a sense of calm and reassurance -even thorugh lyrics filled with personal inadequacy and despair. "Pink Moon" is the lead-off track that was used by VW and gave Nick life after death. If this album came out today, it would sound completely fresh and new, unlike many other folk albums from the same time. Timeless.

The best of a genius
I "discovered" Nick Drake in a roundabout way, through the fiction of his fellow Brit, author Phil Rickman, who seems to have been profoundly affected by Drake's music. The only album of his that I could find in print way back then was "Way to Blue," a sort of "Best of" collection. And I thought that Pink Moon was the best of the songs. when the CD was remastered and released, I bought it,and although this phrase is trite and overused, I was blown away. I've listened to his first two albums, and read about arguments with his producer about whether or not to add the (unnecessary, IMO)horn and string sections. Nick, quite correctly, felt his music could stand alone. Why he was not successful in his lifetime, I'll never know. I don't think he was having a breakdown as he wrote and recorded "Pink Moon," I think he was finally allowing himself to speak without euphemisms or too much symbolism. It is Nick being Nick, and it is his best. Finally, you can hear his guitar clearly. Listen closely, and you'll see that he has been sadly underrated; I believe he was the best acoustic guitarist in the 20th century (no offense to Robert Johnson and Eric Clapton fans). The song "Which Will" is my favorite track from the CD; the theme of love lost and watching the beloved move on is not unusual, but what he does with it is magical. I also love "Pink Moon;" some months after hearing it, I learned that in British superstition, the sight of a pinkish or reddish full moon means that someone is going to die. Perhaps a foreshadowing of "Black-Eyed Dog"?

If you only buy one Nick Drake album, make it this one. You won't regret it.

My favorite CD by my favorite musician.
This has to be the most beautiful album ever created. I have probably listened to this CD 75 times, in full, since I got it, and every time I am almost put in a trance by the beauty that is Nick Drake's music. Nick Drake uses differen't tunings for his guitar that sometimes make it sound as if a mini-orchestra is playing on his albums, but is just the sweet, melancholy tunes of a hushed voice singing out lyrics and the strings of a lone guitar slowely winding an environment of peace and serenity around your life, letting you fully relax, and see the beauty in things. I may sound like a hippy, but this is no exaggeration, you must get this CD now, and cherish it forever, for once you hear these beautiful songs your life will never be the same, it will be better.

Let's get one thing straight about this record.
Its average -- heh, virtually unanimous -- rating of five here probably has something to do with this: Nick Drake died, not certainly but quite likely a suicide, about two years after its release, and in retrospect this sounds like his suicide note, whether it was or not. It also has something to do with a car commercial that came out about 26 years too late to help Nick.

And none of us should be ashamed of this.

The facts of an artist's life are an inextricable part of his work. We've known this, cherished it in fact, since the first artist put a voice into music, or drew pictures and made gestures that expressed thoughts without words. Nick Drake was one depressed dude at the end. Either he killed himself deliberately or the drugs that did it -- and they were antidepressants -- were powerful enough to do it by accident.

I got "Pink Moon" about five days ago and have played it about 35 times. The title track and the final one ("From the Morning") move me about as much as anything I've heard. Everything in between establishes a mood that could be interpreted as heavily flavored by sadness, if not dominated by depression. Even "Morning," a song of hope and uplift if ever was, is tinted by the small, haunting ache that attends the knowledge of death as an inevitable part of life. And the death that's on our minds is, unavoidably, Nick Drake's. It matters not why and how he died; it was too soon, this was his last record before it happened, and it colors -- unavoidably and rightly -- what we hear. When one knows how an artist's pain worked itself out in the artist's own life, it has an inevitable impact on how one receives the record.

I join the people who thank Volkswagen for this record. I never saw the VW ad; I don't watch TV enough to do that. But I sure read enough about it here; and I only recently found that the wonderful lavish sounds I'd been hearing as sign-on music back in the early-mid '70s on good ol' WMAL-FM were Nick's own "Bryter Later." So I can claim to be one of the fogies who Knew Him (sorta) When. But only the one piece. That and the VW ad -- what's all this about a damn ad? -- prompted one of my best album purchases ever. I'm torn -- just run back to the store where they have his other two studio releases, nine-ninety-nine the pop? Or spring for "Fruit Tree"?

Drake's first two albums are lusher, more lavish, more produced, more, well, what? optimistic. Then this one. Nick, his guitar, and a smattering of overdubbed but perfect piano. It would be interesting to have heard "Pink Moon" AFTER his first two records, instead of hearing it first. The contrast between those discs and this one is startling enough as it is. If you want to hear folk guitar played about as well as it can be, accompanied by a voice that, light and almost airy as it is, seems to triple the weight of the lyrics, Do not pass Go. Head straight to this record. If you don't have "Pink Moon" yet, and kind of wish there wasn't quite so much production on those two lovely Drake discs you do have, pick this one up. 'Cause the production is, well, not. I think it's wonderful that we got to hear not only as much of Nick Drake as we did, but as many different sides. I wouldn't want the first two records without the overdubbed strings and keyboards. This one, likewise, is perfect, just as is. Stark, painful, full of despair and full also of hope and appreciation for the beauty the artist saw in the world. It's just as in the first two records, but expressed differently and just as spot-on beautifully.

Don't feel bad that you first heard about Nick Drake from a car salesman. Carlos Santana was right: It's getting it, not how, that counts. You have the music now, is what matters. The world is beautiful and it's OK. Play "Pink Moon" again, and again. That's Nick, telling you so.

Buy two copies
It is a damn good thing that this man is not alive today. His purity and ethics would have left him in an even deeper state of depression if he were to suffer the fandom his music has earned him as well as the use of his music for commerical purposes. People this sensitive are gifts to the world, but they usually implode and lack the coping mechanisms to survive in modern society. Nick was a walking open wound, a raw exposed nerve and one listen to his art will reveal this. What an amazing thing that he was open enough and talented enough to bear his soul in a way that makes us feel ours so.

The second track, "Place to Be" makes my chin quiver every time and cry most of the time I hear it, and I am not ashamed to admit it. There is something exquisite, decadent and enlightening about indulging in this artist's "dark" music. Depressing and melancholy? Yes, certainly. Beautiful, nuanced, and intimate? More so. I can say, as a heterosexual male that if I had a time machine, I would go back to 1972 and embrace this guy, tell him everything will be alright, and take him of a road trip through the wilderness. And I'd bring a tape recorder. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mary Chapin Carpenter's first album of new material in three years has been hailed as a fine example of pop music for adults. This is both true and misleading. In changing producers (from John Jennings to celebrated piano man Matt Rollings), the literate singer-songwriter has slightly broadened her sophisticated Americana sound, and although it's less rhythmic as a whole, her acoustic-folkie approach remains at the core of her classic style. And while "Between Here and Gone"--which addresses the theme of travel and transition, the fragility of life, and the ephemeral nature of happiness--might be said to concern itself with grown-up issues, most of Carpenter's writing has always done just that. Yet this stunning album, informed both by her 2002 marriage ("Elysium," "River") and by the events of 9/11, is more introspective than much of her early work. The alto-voiced singer is compelling throughout, but never so much as on "My Heaven," inspired by Alice Sebold's novel, The Lovely Bones, or on "Grand Central Station," in which a New York City ironworker, standing on the bucket brigade at Ground Zero, hears the voices of the dead, desperate to find their way home. In moments such as these, Carpenter reestablishes herself not only as a world-class poet, but as an artist of the first order. --Alanna Nash ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Poetry set to music
What better way to describe a Mary Chapin Carpenter song than as poetry set to music? "Between Here and Gone" is full of songs that are so beautifully and meticulously written the lyric booklet could be published alone and taught in college poetry classes. In a stellar collection full of knockouts, "Grand Central Station," "My Heaven," and "Goodnight America" are obvious standouts and among the best-written songs of the past few years. And if country radio can get past its obsession with "Nash Vegas" style drivel and broaden its horizons a little, "Beautiful Racket" and "What Would You Say to Me" would make welcome additions to the airwaves.

In a lot of ways, Carpenter is the Stanley Kubrick of modern music: a meticulous artist (and maverick) who isn't afraid to take years to craft albums that strive to be masterful works of art. Like Kubrick, she sometimes misses, but when she's on, she's the best songwriter there is. And she spurns commercialism in search of greater truth and vision in her work, which obviously sets her apart from her contemporary country artists. "Between Here and Gone" may not top the charts commercially, but like most of Kubrick's best films, it's destined to rank high on the year-end "best of" lists.

"Between Here and Gone" is a collection to savor long after today's shallow superhits have been forgotten.

Buying Tips
Don't buy this album if you think Shania Twain is a musical genius. Don't buy this album if you don't like to read or hear, (rather than just listen to) lyrics. Don't buy this album if you think music has to be uplifting, (Jeez-Louise!) to be worthwhile.

Now, if you can get by all those things, there's a lot of brilliance here. While Chapin's lyrics have always been consistently great, the songs here are particularly poetic. My Heaven, Goodnight America...WOW! Grand Central Station is an absolute masterpiece. No, there's not a "Down At The Twist And Shout" in the collection, and while I love that song and the vast majority of this artist's prior work; I'm not in the same place I was back then and it's fairly obvious the artist isn't either. Like Emmylou Harris, Springsteen, and only a handful of other artists, Mary Chapin Carpenter's music has evolved with less and less regard for commercial success. Does anybody remember integrity?

And Yet More Georgous
It is important to remember the purpose of am Mary Chapin Carpenter album. This is not back ground music, this is music to focus on and think about. As good as they were in their time, Stones in the Road and Come On Come On were recorded at a time when there was still potential for Carpenter to be played on mainstream radio. Room for intelligent and grown up voices doesn't exist anymore, and so, like many others Carpenter seems to have stopped caring. And, like so many others she has found her true voice in that vauge collection of music that has become known as Americana. These songs pull you in and let you think about life, love, loss and self--all the things that mainstream outlets seem to want give us easy answers. Carpenter doesn't profer the answers, in fact, she almost never seems to know them. However, unlike the mainstream, she seems to have figured out the questions.

Superb - Heart & Soul, Subtlety & Brass
There's a problem facing any musician who's been in the business as long as MCC - what comes next? Do you stick to what's worked in the past, or do you change as time changes you? Admirably, she's chosen to change. Though some have certainly damned her for it, that was inevitable anyway.

There is no equivalent of "Shut Up And Kiss Me" or "I Feel Lucky" to grab both your earlobes and jerk you into 3.75 minutes of perky pop hook heaven. As fierce and fine as such songs are, it's just as well. BHAG is indeed slower and more sparse than earlier work, but it also spares us the spectacle of a talented singer and writer in her mid-40s trying to recapture who she was nearly 15 years ago.

Instead, there's the charm of "Luna's Gone", the twangy bounce of "What Would You Say To Me" and "Beautiful Racket", a clanging, shimmering mid-tempo number. "Girls Like Me" is the quietest song here, but absolutely piercing, walking the right side of the line between sentimentality and clarity (I saw her perform it live last week and it was riveting - you literally could have heard a pin drop during the number). Finally, there's "Elysium", as lovely, insightful and hopeful a love song as she's ever written.

This disc may not be quite the Mary Chapin Carpenter you expected, but I'd encourage you to jump in. The road may wind a bit, but the ride is smooth and the views are magnificent.

Count me among the disappointed
To say that MCC diversified her sound on this album must mean that adding a violinist to songs that do not depart from her previous slow and slower recipe counts as a major step forward. I don't want to have to write this because I love most of her previous work, but c'mon. I don't understand the blind loyalty and glowing reviews posted here. It makes me wonder if I got the wrong copy of this album and am hearing something different. To be fair MCC is always a first-rate lyricist, but she really needs to work at coming up with more interesting and diverse music instead of repeating her less inspired performances. "Stones in the Road" came close to suffering this same fate, but at least that album had "Why Walk When You Can Fly" and "Shut Up & Kiss Me" to break the monotony. This release is a chore to sit through in its entirety. Go for "State of the Heart", "C'mon C'mon", "Small Town Girl" or even "Time*Sex*Love" before this one. Even great artists miss the mark sometimes. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With her song selection, stately piano accompaniment, and even the soft-focus cover photo, Judy Collins channels the spirit of her 1960s artistry on her first studio album in eight years. Over the decades, her alto vocals have neither lost any of their warmth nor gained much in the way of expressive range. Much of what results is predictably pretty, as Collins's reading of Joni Mitchell's "That Song About the Midway" could pass as a follow-up to her signature rendition of "Both Sides Now," while her revival of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" evokes similar feelings of folk-era nostalgia. On her own "Singing Lessons" and the a cappella "Wedding Song (Song for Louis)," she delves into New Age spirituality ("I thanked the gods and goddesses for bringing you to me," she sings on the latter) before building to the seven-minute, orchestrated, spoken-word recitation of Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." For those who loved Collins's albums at her popular peak, this release represents a return to form. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (12)

VOICE PURER THAN EVER
Being a french fan since 1964 I am bewildered by this extraordinary voice. Unbelievable ! How can Judy surprise me after all these years ?
"Singing Lessons" and "Wedding songs" were already in her book "Singing Lessons". The other songs are all perfect.
Judy reaches first class quality with generally the minimum accompanyment.
"That song about the midway" is a good reminiscence of the beginnings of her friend Joni Mitchell.
"Sally go round the roses" goes far beyond the first version.
"I can't cry hard enough", "Liberté" (thank you for the french word) and "How can I keep for singing" are real masterpieces.
All the other songs are great and versatile.
Any frenchman with a good ear to whom we present Judy (not enough known in France) thinks she is a wonderful singer. A rare singer who knows how to sing well.

Please put the front picture with Judy with open eyes instead of the back picture. Judy with her so beautiful eyes deserves it !

Thank youso much, dear Judy.

A new classic album from Judy Collins
It has been several years since Judy Collins has produced an original album, but Portrait of An American Girl is worth the wait.It is a hauntingly beautiful album that is contemporary in its content and classically Judy Collins in sound and feel.That Song About the Midway, I Can't Cry Hard Enough, and Pacing the Cage are standout tracks in their own right, but following her son's suicide, Singing Lessons, Voyager, and Checkmate are personal introspections that let us into Judy's thoughts and help the listener reflect on his own.Lincoln Portrait is a beautiful recitation based on Lincoln's words, and it is a powerful statement about the state of our world today.

Although every singer's voice changes over time, Judy's voice sounds as clear and radiant as ever.I don't know of any other singer who has been producing music for as long as Judy and whose voice has remained so pure.Some production tricks give us Judy harmonizing with herself and the sounds of an orchestra or single instruments that aren't really there at times, but these effects complement the arrangements rather than detract from them, and I'm glad these choices were made to make the most of these songs and Judy's voice using today's technology.Throughout the album, her own piano playing accompanies most tracks beautifully.

Any Judy Collins fan should listen to this cd, and anyone who wants a comforting and empowering album should give it a try.Judy has a remarkable way of turning her difficulties and sorrow into hope and inspiration and sharing it with her listeners.That is what she has done again with Portrait of An American Girl.

A Disappointed, Yet Hopeful Fan
I have been in love with Judy Collins for over 30 years, so when I saw this new CD of her own material, I was excited.However, as much as I tried to like all her songs, they were uneven and somewhat repetitious.Her voice, that sweet, unerring, pure soprano is still remarkably the same as it was years ago (contrast her voice with Joni Mitchell's that has dropped an octave or more), but on certain songs, her pitch seems off and her phrasing is not self-assured.My favorite song on the album is the a cappella "Wedding Song" but even that song becomes tedious after awhile.Judy Collins invented and perfected the "art song," a classically arranged popular song with complex poetic lyrics.The album "Wildflowers" is an extraordinary example of this genre.Judy Collins is brave soul, a trouper, who continues to grace our lives with her talent.Unfortunately, it is because she was so good that this album suffers by comparison.

a little different
I admit I haven't been listening to Judy much in recent years. My tastes changed & the compilations seemed to signal the end of her recording career, though she still performs constantly. This is a pleasant surprise and a delight for the most part.

Standouts are That Song About The Midway and I Can't Cry Hard Enough. Those and Pacing The Cage are pure classics. Judy is better using her chest voice and the mix on these songs with her head voice is perfect.

I was afraid of Sally Go 'Round The Roses but what a great vocal arrangement!! Is this an old folk song or a 50's oldie? Can't Buy Love is an overdone theme. She might have saved it with a full band though.

I wish she had followed Lincoln Portrait with her rendition of America The Beautiful. (At least the synthesized orchestra here is well done) There is some puzzlement from other reviewers about the Lincoln Portrait. Listen to Abraham Lincoln's words...they are a totally current message about the state of our country, war, and a message for our current government. I think Judy is making a great statement with it!

Beginning the album with Singing Lessons and ending it with How Can I Keep From Singing is another statement. Judy is humble but not about to stop--a testament to a very long career that is not over.

Not the Judy of old
As a die-hard Judy Collins fan for 30 years or more, I must say that I am disappointed in this eagerly-awaited album of new material.It's very uneven and I wish Judy could capture her sound from the 60's and 70's.Then her voice sounded more sincere and it had real depth to it.Her song choices were impeccable, unlike today's.One thing that really annoys me about this new compilation is the use of an electric piano or synthesizer on many cuts.It makes what could be marvelous songs sound like they belong in a wedding band or something...very cheesy, in my opinion. I don't know why she uses this "instrument" so much -- is it her own choice or that of her musical director?Whatever the case, I think it's ill-advised.I also think "The Lincoln Portrait" is totally out of place and sounds forced.I don't think Judy's own compositions hold up that well, either -- too many sound the same and I prefer the songs written by others.I do, however, disagree with the person who disliked "Drops of Jupiter."I think that was a surprising and great song choice for Judy, and I think she does wonderfully on it.I also disagree that her voice sounds weak on this c.d.I think her voice sounds better than ever, unlike the shrillness on previous efforts, and I'd be hardpressed to tell whether her singing on this c.d. was recent or from 30 years ago.That's pretty amazing in a singer.On the whole, I'm not very impressed with this c.d.I yearn for the Judy of earlier times -- her more recent efforts just don't have the same resonance or emotional impact. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Riot on an Empty Street
Okay, let us get real people, the only similiarities between Simon and Garfunkle and the Kings of Convenience are that they both use acoustic guitars and sing in triads. Honestly, that's about it. Moving on to the album...it's good, quite good in fact. That's all I have to say, and it should be enough considering the fact that this comment came from me, a rather fickle pickle.

Music for a lazy afternoon
It must be tough to follow up a success such as "Quiet is the New Loud", and many people feared that Kings of Convenience would be a one-off as the band members each got stuck into other projects - Erlend Øye went solo with an ambient project, and Eirik Glambæk Bøe concentrated on his studies (in psychology, I think). But here it is: The long awaited follow up. And it's a very pleasant listen.

This sort of subtle, acoustic music never really goes out of style. You could just as easily give this album to your mother or even grandmother and they'd probably enjoy it just as much as you do (yikes!). That doesn't much sound like a good recommendation for a pop record ... but it is. The crisp clean production and first-rate musicianship makes this a treat to listen to, even though the harmonies are the oldest in the book, but also probably the most immediately pleasing for exactly that reason. This time the duo invite a French female guest writer and vocalist Feist for some variation - which works really well.

Take Simon and Garfunkel - add a bit of jazzy stuff here and there and a bit more melancholy in some places, and you have a pretty good general idea of what this record has to offer. I don't understand, though, why some reviewers find this only mopey - but then again I am familiar with Erlend and Eiriks home town where the weather is always rainy. We do nothing but stare out of rainsplashed windows all year (well, almost). And I know that this is when you want something as soothing as this on your stereo: While you make a cup of hot tea and read the paper, or invite some close friends around for a quiet, home-cooked meal. But it's equally good to rest your sleepy head to on a sunny, lazy summer afternoon: "Gold in the air of summer", indeed.

I'm also already waiting in anticipation for the Röyksopp dance remix of "I'd rather dance" - probably the catchiest uptempo tune on this record. (Röyksopp, can you hear me??)

soulful, sensitive, Scandinavian
The Kings Of Convenience: soulful, sensitive, Scandinavian (tick all that apply).

Norwegian duo Erlend Øye (the earnest, bespectacled one) and Eirik Glambek Bøe (the enigmatic, hunky one) channel Simon and Garfunkel in Riot On An Empty Street, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut Quiet Is The New Loud.

In fact, Homesick and Gold In The Air Of Summer capture the melodic spirit of the folk duo so uncannily and so beautifully, that for a moment I thought I was listening to the wrong CD. Either that, or to a Simon and Garfunkel covers band.

The gentle strumming of the acoustic, nylon and steel string guitars set the offbeat, folksy mood as the duo sing together, one 'high voice', the other 'low voice', of the usual melancholy and suffering for love and art, with cut-out-and-stick-on-your-fridge axioms like "a song for someone who needs somewhere to long for" (Homesick), "love is no big truth, driven by our genes, we are selfish human beings" (Love Is No Big Truth), and the "summer child that sits by the water, weaving sunlight threads in his hands" (Live Long).

Interspersed between the occasionally austere folk songs are fleet-footed melodies and whimsical words, but the messages remain consistent: gentle advice ("A friend is not a means you utilize to get somewhere", Misread) and sepia-tinted, idealised memories ("These canals, it seems, they all go in circles, places look the same, and we're the only difference", Cayman Islands). A guest appearance by the current-toast-of-Paris/Jane Birkin-look-a-like Feist on Know-How only cements the album's chic-ness.

The Kings Of Convenience have an undeniable appeal to those who adore fruit-infused tea, minimalist furniture and staring out through blurred windowpanes on dreary rainy days. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Six years in the making, Car Wheels somehow lives up to its lofty expectations because of Williams's direct songwriting and her wonderfully unaffected vocals. With assistance from cohorts such as Steve Earle, Williams uses the acoustic accents of Dobros, mandolins, slide guitars, and accordions to add color to her grooves, whispers, and rumbles. Her lyrics are undisguised as she presents to us the travelogue of her memory. We can't wait for 2004! --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (247)

Two great songs, lots of lousy filler
This album contains perhaps the broadest range in music in recent memory, ranging from fantastic to unbearable slop. "Can't let go" and "Joy" are excellent songs and since this is not a one-hit wonder cd, you probably won't go too wrong buying it just for those two songs, which are great hard driving blues songs with nifty slide guitar work. However, the bulk of the rest of the album is incomprehensibly boring, slow, dreary country pop. This album is a prime example of why so many women musicians fail to live up to their real potential: instead of devoting a whole album to her strengths - as a blues guitarist and singer with the ability to really belt some tunes - Lucinda Williams spends most of the album playing silly folk-country-pop like dozens of other currently trendy female artists, essentially sounding like a Jewel single played at 33 rpm instead of 45. If Williams had the guts to try to rock, instead of settling for pop mediocrity, she would be one of the best acts around.

Superb--soulful with an understanding of human frailities.
This is truly a very good CD by a great artist. Her voice and her music are both unique, but with roots in well recognized folk, rock and blues genres. She sings a Louiana version of folk and blues with a voice that sometimes has to stretch and strain. Her music doesn't fit easliy into predescribed categories. Sometimes it's quiet, sometimes its loud. Sometimes its blusy and sometimes it's just plain "folk". Usually its a blend. If you want sharp crisp Madison Avenue packaged lyrics that fit perfectly into tight little melodies, this is NOT your CD. Her music and lyrics are often rough around the edges. But if you've ever left or lost a lover, ever felt "lost" or even "found", and like --or hate-- the emotions those memories recall, or if you have a soul that understands the human journey through life, you'll like this CD. For example, the lyrics in "Lake Charles" don't rhyme, don't alwys fit exacly into the music, and are sung by Lucinda in a voice that sounds like Janis Joplin in a quiet mood. But this haunting and tender song about a dead lover/friend also invokes the feeling that the singer has come to grips with the loss as well, and teaches more about remembering your loss and letting it go than any other song I've ever heard. The chorus of "Did an angel whisper in your ear? Hold you close, and take away your fear, in that long last moment?"still affects me, in a way I don't understand, whenever I hear it. Maybe it reminds me that someday I'll face a "long, last moment", too. This is the first Lucinda Williams CD I've listened to. I gave the CD 4 stars simply because the CD tells me that this is an artist capable of even greater heights. If you want to know my tastes in music, they're probably not much help. I was raised on rock n' roll with an emphasis on the Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen--but I always had a collection of quieter folk music lying around, too --Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Bob Dylan. Springsteen's quieter releases--"The Ballad of Tom Joad" and "Nebraska" remain my 2 favorites of his CD's. Today I listen to just about anything--Frank Sinatra, Garth Brooks, Patsy Cline, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen being my mainstays. These singers and their music have very little in common--except that each can evoke some facet of the human condition and put it into words and music. Lucina Williams is the same.

Lucinda's Got It All
Trying to find the words to praise this album is difficult. It is without a doubt one of my top 5 albums. Her lyrics show her soul and sometimes my own. One has to wonder about the life she's lead when one listens to her music. Much pain and much happiness! Contradiction...I think if you had to describe her music...that would be the word. She is bar none one of the greatest songwriters of our time...and her concerts are not to be missed!

Lucinda Wms
Awsome Vocals Catchy Tunes The Female Bob Dylan In A
Singer/Songwriter Kinda Way She Jams

One of the best albums ever
I had a few Lucinda Williams albums, including "World Without Tears", before I finally bought "Car Wheels".

I was totally unprepared for the perfection of this work.

If these lyrics don't move you, if the music doesn't get your foot tapping, then you must be dead. I guarantee that three listens to this collection and you'll have at least one of the songs stuck looping in your head, but it is impossible to say which song, because all are nearly perfect. And the title track may just be as close to a perfect transference of a feeling from a song that I've ever experienced. This isn't country, folk, rock or blues, this is m-u-s-i-c at its finest.

The listener and critical reviews for "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road", here or on any other site or forum, show this to be perhaps the most consistently well-loved album in history. To the few who gave it two or three stars, I'll communicate with you at your level: Duh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Reviews (60)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

... ... Read more

Amazon.com Music Reviews

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

Reviews (96)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amazon.com

Bruce Springsteen followed his muse on this haunting 1995 release. Perhaps that's why it barely made a dent in the marketplace, even while it thrilled the faithful who were willing to take another dark, Nebraska-like journey with him. It's abundantly clear that Springsteen had been soaking himself in the work of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie during the writing of The Ghost of Tom Joad, but their combined influence is found on more than just the title track. It's all over these windblown songs (including the haunting "Dry Lightning" and "the seminal "Youngstown") and their hard-scrabble protagonists. Not the Boss's biggest record, but certainly one of his best. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Reviews (83)

A Stunning American Classic
Don't get me wrong, I am primarily a maniacal fan of Bruce's rock 'n' roll masterpieces and his stupendous live shows, but his acoustic work shows equally important facets of his genius as a songwriter/musician/poet. These "Tom Joad" recordings have the haunting quality of Appalachian folk songs with the lyric depth of the poems of Federico Garcia Lorca or Dylan Thomas. I honestly can't think of another musical artist that has captured the heartbreak, complexity and hope of the American experience in the way that Springsteen has. "Galveston Bay" talks with quiet irony of way in which our nation of immigrants tends tragically to discriminate against each latest wave newcomers. And yet, by the end of the song, the antagonists finally relent and allow new blood to reinvigorate and replenish the American dream. "Across the Border" captures the mix of hope and illusion that draws so many to "El Norte." "Youngstown" speaks achingly of the betrayal of the American working man and woman. "Dry Lightening" paints a word picture of the itchy, discomforting freedom promised by true love and the unending horizons of western plains. I could go on and on. I never tire of this album. It still has the ability to change my life just a tiny bit for the better each time I hear it. If you don't love "Tom Joad" on first bounce, play it again and let its power seep into your soul. You'll never be sorry.

There won't ever be another CD like this
When 'The Rising' came out I went back and bought all of Springsteen's past collection. I came across 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad' and sat down to listen to it, not really knowing what is was about. It really blew me away, and for the first time I actually felt like I was pulled in to the album, thanks to Bruce's brilliant song writing. You listen to an album like this, which is so beautifully crafted, and then listen to basically any song from pop bands, you will be put into a new light. This is how music is suposed to sound, intimate, fun, and emotional. I can honestly say, if you buy this record you won't be sorry.

Out on a limb? It's artistic genius!
Bruce Springsteen's a reliable rocker. His lyrics aren't always the best, and his voice could use a little touchup, but people love him anyway. Why? He sings about the common man. And he's talented as hell.

On "The Ghost of Tom Joad," Springsteen finds himself at his peak--even if he had to leave the rock arena to do it. Sure, his electric guitar-fueled rockers are superb (find one rocker who's had a more lasting impression on various generations, past and present, than the Boss; and if you say McCartney, I'm gonna hit you). However, these gentle (mostly) acoustic numbers are sublime--graceful folk/country songs that sound the bells for the downtrodden (and Springsteen's multi-instrumental talent).

"Straight Time," for example, deals with a former criminal who can't seem to live a decent life; "Highway 29", about a fateful Bonnie and Clyde couple; "Youngstown," about a factory worker who needs a reprieve; "The Line," about a border guard who falls in love with a refugee; "My Best Was Never Good Enough," a darkly humorous tune about a man who just can't win, no matter what advice he's been given; and several other songs, most about immigrants and their troubles.

Yeah, it's a little opressing at first. Springsteen can be that way, when he's writing from his soul. And the album never really picks up, tempo-wise. It's not something you're gonna party to; but if you want good quality music, that'll make you think about yourself and the world, and shine a better light on your relations with others, then "The Ghost of Tom Joad" is your album.

A Masterpiece
As far as I am concerned, this is the best album Bruce has ever made. As I own practically every album he has released, I am speaking with some knowledge.

An amazing sequel to Nebraska
The Ghost of Tom Joad is one of the most haunting albums I have ever listened to. It was in fact listening to this album that I noticed the tremendous influence he has had on so many of our great singer/songwriters. The music on Ghost is tremendously affecting. It is Springsteen without his pop-enthusiasm. The songs are bare, and his tremendous talents as a songwriter really stand out for all to see. Ghost is a great album that showcases the considerable talents of one of our great songwriters. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most striking debut albums ever released, this disc instantlyestablished Chapman as a musical force, and with good reason. Immediacy, integrity ofpurpose, and unqualified artistry are apparent in nearly every song. And while "Fast Cars"remains Chapman's best-known work, "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" is that rarest breed: asong which is both topical and timeless. Any exploration into Chapman's work shouldbegin with this at times stunning effort; it's a disc of remarkable uniformity and claritythat Chapman has yet to improve on. --Wayne Pernu ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Absolute perfection
I genuinely don't think this disk could be any better. There is not a single song on here that isn't a work of art. I owned this on tape initially, but I had to get the CD because the tape was getting worn out, because I listened to it constantly - particulary to Baby Can I Hold You, Why, and Talking About A Revolution.

Chapman's voice is stunning, particularly on the a capella Behind The Wall, which never ceases to bring a chill down my spine. I always thought I didn't like folk music, but Chapman has made me reconsider that belief. Her lyrics are meaningful, and the collection of songs come together to form an overall feel, a mood, that is extremely moving and empowering. She exemplifies how music can bring people together and be an impetus to change, ala the greats like Bob Dylan. Make no mistake -- this is a political album and Chapman wears her left wing leanings like a badge of honour. If you can't tolerate her political views, you probably won't like the album as much as her core fans. That said, her voice and the music itself may make it possible for you to give it at least an intial listen. Chapman is more than a singer and musician - she's a poet, and her message is one that I believe we all need to heed.

I highly reccommend this album to everyone. Even if you don't agree with her politics, hopefully she'll make you think. At the very least, you'll be listening to one of the purest, best voices in modern folk/r&b/soul around today.

Tracy tingles your soul with her lyrics & voice
Tracy Chapman's first album "Tracy Chapman" shows depth & bredth of an artist with at least 20 years more maturity and experience. The lyrics to her songs are deceptively simple yet manage to touch deep social issues and provoke contemplations on your world-outlooks. The songs "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" and "Fast Car" were her big breakout hits, but the entire album is stellar. A special standout is her chilling acapella " Behind The Wall"--if that doesn't wound you to the core, then turn in your membership card to the human race!

Time to call it a classic
I think enough time has gone by that this album should finally be called a classic.

With a voice this expressive, lyrics this blunt, and a musical sensibility this exciting and haunting ... Tracy Chapman deserves legendary status for this album alone -- even though she's made more good ones since.

Hard to imagine anyone going through teenaged years without lying in bed and listening to this at least once or twice. It's gritty and honest -- brutal, yet strangely comforting all at once. Made a whole generation want to buy guitars and make up their own songs!

One of the essential albums of the 80's!
Winner of 3 Grammys in 1988 for Best New Artist (one of the few winners that were the best of their years), Pop Female performance (Fast Car), and Folk Album. It was also nominated for Album of the Year, and Best Song & Record. I was shocked to find out that she lost Best Song to Bobby McFerrin for "Don't Worry, Be Happy". While I remember McFerrin's song, it has not aged well. But "Fast Car" still sounds relevant, with its telling lyrics about people who reach for a better life. A theme in her album is a cry to the lowly to try to rise above their conditions. While she doesn't give an answer how, she gives words of encouragement to let others know that there is hope.
On this album a lot of musical genre influences can be heard. You can hear things from Pop (Fast Car) to Reggae (She's Got Her Ticket). This was labeled as Folk music but it has such a blend of styles that you really can't categorize it. It's a great album and is mentioned many times when people talk of great debuts and great albums of the 80's.

Unparalleled
After almost 16 years and over 7 million copies of this album sold, each of these songs still bears an importance to just about anyone who is willing to listen carefully. Tracy Chapman tells stories, sometimes entertaining, always emotional, through her songs. Whether she is singing acapella or with accompaniment, her voice, lyrics, tone, and just about every facet of her tracks are inspiringly unique. Tracy Chapman is without imitation or contenders, for this album is truly without flaws. Besides being a work of art, it is excellent listening as well. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Minus all the machinery that the music industry can put behind an artist, Eva Cassidy sang bewitchingly in Washington, D.C. and then died without fanfare in 1996, when she was a mere 33 years old. And then the world began hearing Cassidy, thanks largely to Songbird, a posthumous collection of locally released album tracks that went on to garner media attention, critical praise, and commercial success. This collection gathers both live and studio cuts delivered within warm, mostly acoustic settings; often it is simply Cassidy, her voice, and her guitar. Inside are some of Cassidy's best-executed covers, beginning with Paul Simon's "Kathy's Song" and ending with a stellar rendition of the traditional gospel "Way Beyond the Blue." In between are heart-wringing versions of Bill Withers's "Ain't No Sunshine" and Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." What distinguishes Cassidy so completely is her offhand ability to transform songs beyond their initial character with a voice that brilliantly mixes an airy floating quality and an edge that you know can pop open to reveal a belt-it-out strength to rival the best in the singer's trade. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (101)

Beautifully Mesmerizing
When God gave us Eva Cassidy he blessed us with a voice so implicitly perfect it seemed to shine like a beacon from Heaven. Eva's was a voice that came from such an innocent place that it simply came and stayed a while and then left us with only its haunting memory. Although Eva Cassidy died of cancer in 1996, her life continues to bless us through this beautiful CD.

Equally at home with jazz, folk, blues, rock, or folk, she was a woman who colored outside the lines and refused to conform to any boundaries in her art and music - boundaries that most of us take for granted every day. It was not just her voice that captivated and moved people, it was the texture and color of it and the way it made every little word seem to take a breath and have a life of its own.

Most of the songs on this CD are colored with simple often acoustic arrangements - some with just Cassidy's voice and guitar. Her version of Paul Simon's Kathy's Song will now forever be the definitive version for me. Also included is a jazz inflected version of Bill Wither's Ain't no Sunshine recorded live at Blues Alley.

In the CD's closing song, Eva sings "Oh Lord do you remember me way beyond the blue?" Yes Eva he does, and so do we in your special place singing with the Angels.

It's A Gift To Be Simple
I have listened to several of Eva Cassidy's albums over and over. I've studied them, and I've listened to them as background music. Because I'm interested in voice, I've listened closely to how she sounds when she sings with a blues style or with a soft, ballad style. I have to honestly say now that I am much more of a fan of hers when "less is more". This album stands out, in my opinion, over "Songbird" because there are many songs where she is not trying to hard to have "soul". My absolute favorite on this album is "Penny to My Name". Her voice is so beautiful because it is gentle and soft, and she truly speaks for the yearnings of a girl who becomes a woman and must live with the realities of a very drab existence. I love "At Last" and "Time After Time" (which I did catch on "Smallville" as well), and I could mention others, but my wish would be (were I more technically proficient!) to capture all of her soft moments on one CD- "Songbird", "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", the songs I mentioned above, "Kathy's Song", "Fields of Gold" come to mind, I'm sure there are others I have neglected to mention. When she sings some higher notes in a more blues-oriented style, she almost has a harsh tone to her voice, and not necessarily the depth of a woman born into blues.
I love the sweetness and the softness of Eva's rendition of ballads.

A Wonderful Talent Who Left Us Too Soon
I discovered Eva Cassidy's "Time after Time," and I was blown away by her talent and ability to sing a wide variety of songs.
Simply said, Ms. Cassidy had a wonderful voice, one that was strong and one that could elicit emotion, all at the same time. She puts her stamp on such standard popular songs like "Kathy's Song," "Ain't No Sunshine," "Time After Time," and "Woodstock." The other songs on the CD are equally amazing.
Get this CD. You will not be disappointed.

EVA and GENIE are the best
Time after Time is not my favorite Eva album, but I think you should have all of the albums by EVA and Genie.

I would get this one and Songbird and get WILDFLOWERS by GENIE.

Just Between Us
This is Eva's best album. "Songbird" is fine but I prefer the songs on this CD. Isn't it amazing that "Time After Time" and "Songbird" have remained ranked so high on Amazon sales and have retained their resale value so well? Maybe not so amazing when you consider the wonder of Eva Cassidy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

San Diego is not exactly known as a hotbed of contemporary bluegrass music, but then again, Nickel Creek are a far cry from most bluegrass bands you've ever heard. On their Alison Krauss-produced debut, they serve up a lilting, ethereal fusion of bluegrass, Celtic, modern folk, and even classical influences, offering exquisite harmonies that would be more at home at a Crosby, Stills & Nash tribute than at a musical salute to the late Bill Monroe. Yet it makes for delightful listening, all the same. The three principals (Sara Watkins on fiddle and vocals; her brother Sean Watkins on guitar, mandolin, and vocals; and Chris Thile on mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, and vocals) are either barely out of their teens or still in them. Individually and as a band, they've already won a slew of awards and notoriety on their respective instruments. The three prodigies (joined by Thile's dad, Scott, on bass) really strut their eclectic hot licks on a few soaring, skittering instrumentals, but even more impressive are Nickel Creek's graceful, heartfelt harmonies on the many lovely ballads. Hot licks, when you get right down to it, are a dime a dozen; this sort of pluperfect tunefulness is a much rarer thing. --Bob Allen ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Acoustic Music at its Finest
Like others, I first encountered Nickel Creek via a video on Country Music Television. I've long been a fan of acoustic music focused on tight harmonies, quality musicianship, and heartfelt emotion. This can surface under the categories of folk, country, bluegrass, or whatever. Nickel Creek is not easy to slot, but is very easy to listen to. The 3 artists are instrumentally exceptional, vocally evocative, and write much of their own stuff. The CD contains a mix of soulful ballads, unique stories, and traditional songs done with a flair that will keep even the most jaded interested. How often do you hear a song in which the "narrator" is a tall building with a light on the top - and find that the lyrics and music make the song incredibly compelling? "The Lighthouse" is just the first of a number of welcome surprises waiting for a first time listener. And you won't stop there - the CD demands listening over and over. Perhaps one of the stronger indicators of how wide a net this music casts is that my 18-year-old has hijacked my copy and I'm having trouble getting it back! Don't be put off by whatever label you hear associated with Nickel Creek. Give them a listen. You'll be glad you did.

Wow! Amazing!!!
These kids can play! Their performance at the BlueBird Cafe in Nashville is what inspired me to make this purchase. Normally, I just surf past CMT, but their lively performance and fresh sound demanded that I stop and give them a listen.

Thile makes the mandolin sing on the dramatic instrumental "Ode to a Butterfly" and on their arrangement of the Traditional "The Fox". The originals "The Lighthouse's Tale", "Sweet Afton" are very well written songs, musically and lyrically. "The Hand Song" brought me to tears, the first time I heard it...the lyrics were so moving.

I can hear the Celtic, Classical influences as well as modern-day folk music cleverly intertwined into their own unique bluegrass style.

Be sure to add this one to your collection, especially if this is going to be your first Nickel Creek CD.

One of the most stunning debut albums of any genre
Nickel Creek has described their music as "contemporary Bluegrass", and that title fits as well as any single title, but their musical abilities and material choices transcend any easy classification.

At a young age Sara Watkins demonstrates one of the most pleasant female voices on the "Country" side of the house, not to mention that she could fiddle Charley Daniel's Devil (the one that went down to Georgia) right into the ground.

Sara's brother Sean is a gifted vocalist and an ambitiously talented guitarist. He also contributes to the group as a composer.

Rounding out the trio is Chris Thile on mandolin and vocals. I read a review of a performance given by Nickel Creek in Chicago about a year ago, and the reviewer described Mr. Thile as a "Force of Nature". Christ Thile is not just "talented" or "gifted". He has one of those rare talents that is as stunning as a thunderbolt. A true prodigy, he won the national mandolin championship at age 12 and recorded an album of virtuoso instrumental music shortly thereafter - MUCH of the music written by the pre-teenager himself. Chris has grown as a composer and instrumentalist since then, and has added "swooningly good vocalist" to his resume as well. Get this CD and take a listen to Chris on "The Fox" or "The Lighthouse's Tale".

Mixed in with these stunning vocals and soaring harmonies (the mark of producer Alison Krauss can be heard throughout) are original instrumental pieces that are as lively as an Irish jig, as complex as a Beethoven symphony, and as full of fresh inventiveness as music could be. All of the solos are stunning, and when Nickel Creek goes into harmony mode it boggles the mind. Then, when your mind has been boggled as much as you think it could BE boggled, Chris Thile goes off on a solo spree with notes that come as fast as a machine gun, yet ringing as clear as a bell. He is every bit the virtuoso on mandolin as, say an Eddie Van Halen or Eric Johnson or Al DiMeola or Mark O'Connor.

What will Nickel Creek be in a few years when they're all 30? I can't wait to find out.

Outstanding!
For years, I only listened to rap, rock, and punk, and closed my ears to bluegrass, and other variations of the genre, but after I listened to Nickel Creek, I have a new-found appreciation for their style of music.

Not only are there brilliant vocals and exquisite guitars, but they also give you a feeling like there's something more behind the music. Nickel Creek obviously isn't a run-of-the-mill bluegrass band, they have something special that just made me want to listen to them. Why do they appeal to me, someone who never listens to this style of music? I don't know, but since they did that they get a 5 stars from me.

Excellent display of acoustic music !!!
I must say I am not a fan of blue grass or country music. This Nickel Creek doesn't even sound country to me and I'm from Texas. I see them more in the category of Traditional Folk music along with Gaelic Storm and Fairport Convention. The music they play almost reminds me of music I heard in a pub in Australia. It also reminds me of when I was a teenager and I would go to the Rennaisance Fair with my friends and we would just celebrate a simple life not thinking of school, church, politics, and the negative things of teen youth. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This two-disc retrospective traces the Canadian bard's musical maturity from poet and novelist who sang a little to multidimensional artist whose oracular vocals and increasingly rich arrangements are every bit as compelling as his verse. Even when Cohen came to prominence through the 1960s songcraft of "Suzanne" and "Bird on a Wire," the "folksinger" tag never really fit. Later highlights ranging from the deadpan drollery of "Tower of Song" and "Everybody Knows" to the apocalyptic anthemry of "First We Take Manhattan" and "Democracy" suggest that other labels might be more appropriate: cabaret surrealist, spiritual gadfly, sensual prophet, agent provocateur. Cohen chose the selections, drawing more than half of the 31 tracks from three landmark albums--his 1967 debut Songs of Leonard Cohen, 1988's I'm Your Man, and 1992's The Future--along with four from 2001's Ten New Songs. The collection justifies its title as deep as it goes, though it's a shame that Cohen's commercial profile couldn't justify the more elaborate box set his artistry warrants (one that would at least include lyrics and musician credits). Those who sample the consistently inspired music here might come to the conclusion that everything Cohen records is essential. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Is There Such a Thing as Non-Essential Leonard Cohen?
LC, I'm your fan. Have been since I first heard Suzanne going on four decades ago. I used to sing it walking down Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley; it was a phenomenal song then and it still is. This 31 song double CD covers Cohen's career from Suzanne taking your hand and leading to the river to Alexandra leaving with her lord. There is nothing that should not be on this collection, unlike many so-called Essential collections when there is almost always one or more "what the heck is THAT song doing here" moment. My only complaint is that it could easily have had 7 or 8 more cuts; Songs from a Room is badly underrepresented -- where is the unbelievably sad Seems So Long Ago, Nancy and the Hours-like Tonight Will Be Fine, with its lyric that captured Cohen then and does now as well, "I choose the rooms I live in with care/the windows are small and the walls almost bare?" And while I'm mighty happy to have Cohen's version of Famous Blue Raincoat, why not his definitive Joan of Arc? Oh, well, enough carping. Those who have most or all of Cohen's work may not need this -- although popped into the CD player it is a magnificant overview of how consistently strong his work has been for decades, none of the Dylan peaks and valleys. But for those who have only a couple of the albums or are looking to get introduced, this CD is definitive and, oh, yes, essential.

essential Cohen
From such early classics as "Suzanne" and "Sisters of Mercy" to such recent gems as "Democracy" and "Leaving Alexandra," Leonard Cohen has been a consistently stunning songwriter and the best of all the song-writing poets. His singing is perhaps an acquired taste - some love it and some hate it - but it complements the songs.

Any Cohen fan will argue with some of the choices here - the albums _Recent Songs_ and _Death of a Ladies Man_, in particular, are underrepresented, and the classic "Joan of Arc" is left off - but every song is poetic and thought provoking. Listening to this CD has renewed my interest in some songs that I hadn't noticed much before, such as "Night Comes On" and "Everybody Knows."

This CD is a major release by an important artist. Cohen's songs will be remembered long after 98% of our contemporary pop music is forgotten.

The Essential Leonard Cohen [LIMITED EDITION] [ORIGINAL RECO
The Essential Leonard Cohen [LIMITED EDITION] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]~ Leonard Cohen is an amazing collection of cohens awesome tallent for lyric writing and his scrappy but loveable vocals. He is a serious man: yet it is never pretentious or boring. Which often happens with other vocalists of his God given tallent.

cheatin' and stuff
Leonard Cohen is the one man I would cheat on my husband with. Yes, ma'am.

Potrait of An Artist As Both A Sage and Sinner
The beauty of Leonard Cohen is he has always followed his own eccentric path and I see no duality between Cohen, the young romantic rake who ages into the embittered sensualist. It was always clear that Field Commander L. Cohen was going to dance us to the end of love, regardless of the consequences. Wheter it's the young revolutionary partisan, or the world weary cynic railing against the excesses of "democracy", Cohen has never been satisfied with the political or moral status quo. His career is based on dissatisfaction with the things as they are. For Cohen, redemption is impossible without wallowing in the mire. I can't imagine living the last 35 years of my life without the music of L. Cohen. It is the autobiography of a man unafraid to be both master and slave to desire. There is no contradiction between Cohen the folk singer and Cohen the post-modern electronic poet, just as it's difficult to draw distinctions between Dylan the folk singer and Dylan the rock and roll star. Two sides of the same man that coexist as complimentary halves of the same man.

Cohen may well be the most poetic songwriter of his generation. Well before he ever released "Songs of Leonard Cohen", he was a published poet and a literary icon in Canada. His more recent appeal among younger Bohemians for his existential honesty, differs from first generation hippies who celebrated Cohen as the embodiment of Eros and free love. His minmalist musical approach is a stark counterpoint to his poetic text which is lush with imagery, double meanings and ambivalent wordplay. "Sisters of Mercy" can be read as either a celebration of the good works of, either nuns or prostitutes depending on your viewpoint. "Hallelujah" makes a holy sacrament of uninhibited sexuality. Cohen always challenged the notion of duality in his themes by equating the sacred with the profane. His life's mission his been afflict discomfort on those who see the world in mutally exlusive terms of moral postivism.

Cohen was the reckless romantic who spent several years in a Bhuddist monastary and now he has returned as an aging Siddartha to challenge our conventional wisdom about life, love and morality. "The Essential Leonard Cohen" is the journey of a seeker of the truth beginning with a potrait of an artist as a young man, and ending with jaded musings of a sage and sinner who discovers the more he learns about life, the less he really knows. This is Cohen the zen-master who has nothing left to prove. We are wiser people for Cohen's long jouney into the heart of darkness and if you want the unadulterated truth about love and life, Leonard Cohen will be the first to step forward and fearlessly proclaim, "I'm your man." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Few folk albums indulge in mood swings more severe than the ones on Defying Gravity. "A woman my age, sittin' here cryin'" are the first words Cheryl Wheeler sings on her first album of new material in six years. During the next four older-but-sadder songs, bittersweet is as chipper as it gets. Even the comparatively sunny "Summer's Almost Over" finds the veteran troubadour confiding "I'm crying but I don't know why." But then comes the Caribbean lilt of the title track--written by Jesse Winchester--and the mood lightens, as the instrumental "Clearwater, Florida," and the jazzy syncopation of "Here Come Floyd" continue to chase the clouds away. By the time the album shifts into a couple of live tracks of Wheeler regaling the audience with the cell-phone absurdities of "It's the Phone" and the travails of air travel in "On the Plane," she has her crowd on the verge of tears of laughter. As the reflective "Alice" and redemptive "Blessed" attest, Wheeler is a folksinger for all emotional seasons. --Don McLeese ... Read more

From Amazon.ca

Like a Great White North-ern version of Johnny Cash, Ian Tyson is a walking legend, the lines on his weathered face roadmaps to his historic life.Tyson started making indentations in the '60s as a folk musician (one half of Ian and Sylvia) whose music has been covered by everyone from Neil Young and Judy Collins to Suzy Bogguss and Gordon Lightfoot. Songs like "Four Strong Winds" and "You Were Always On My Mind" were among Ian's contributions to Canadian musical history. He also hosted his own TV show, won the Order of Canada, and temporarily quit the music industry, preferring to be a rancher and rodeo rider.

Tyson could've played it safe on Songs from the Gravel Road by bringing in straight-up country pickers, but he decided to shake things up with the inclusion of respected jazz musicians, including Guido Basso on trumpet and Phil Dwyer on sax. As a result, straight-ahead country melodies like "So No More" become jazz-backed twang. That cut leads straight into a traditional cover of "One Morning In May", a song made famous by James Taylor; the tune is high on charm, complete with an exemplary fiddle solo and whimsical delivery. Tyson's great players also breeze through a host of other tunes, everything from songs infused with Spanish undertones ("Silver Bell", "Always Saying Goodbye") to a reggae track, "Range Delivery". That song is the disc's most charming cut, attributed in part to the tune's co-vocalist, Cindy Church (one fourth of the country group Quartette).There is nothing out of left field on the album, just an hour of country-laden comfort from one of Canada's most enduring roots legends. --Denise Sheppard ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Inevitably, when critics praise a new Dylan album, they label it the "best since Blood on the Tracks," and with good reason. Inspired by a crumbled marriage, and recorded after a tour with The Band had apparently re-ignited his creativity, Blood is among Dylan's masterpieces. The album's epic songs are well known, but its real high points are the shorter numbers--"You're a Big Girl Now," the flawless blues "Meet Me in the Morning," and the sweetly devastating "Buckets of Rain." These are songs of "images and distorted facts," each expressed through tangled points of view, and all of them blue. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (43)

The best record I own
That's right.
I have a lot of CDs, enough for me to have lost count a long time ago, but this one I keep coming back to.
I'm not saying that this is necessarily my all-time favorite album, although it is certainly one of them. But I do believe that it is the best.

A quiet, understated album, "Blood On The Tracks" is dominated by strummed acoustic guitars, perhaps a piano, and once in a while a drummer playing a gentle rock shuffle.
The melodies, and the lyrics, too, are among the best things that Bob Dylan have ever written. Lovely and melancholy all at once, and production is superb.

And there is literally not a weak track on this entire album. It opens with the wonderful "Tangled Up In Blue", Dylan singing softly and pleasently, accompanied by a shuffling backbeat and gently ringing guitars, one picked, one strummed.
"Simple Twist Of Faith" is just a bass and two or three acoustic guitars, and a superb, slightly folkish tune, almost a ballad.
And the sparse, acoustic instuments work perfectly. These tunes are too beautiful to be buried beneath layers of electric guitars and pounding drums.

The slow, mellow "You're A Big Girl Now" starts of with an immediately catchy guitar intro, two acoustic guitars playing Spanish-style melodies, and sports a similarly Latin-tinged tune.
And then follows the eight-minute "Idiot Wind". Dylan sings without pause for seven minutes and three seconds with not a single instrumental break, accompanied by drums, organ and guitars (still acoustic). The chorus is lovely, superbly melodic, yet the lyrics are whithering:
"Idiot wind / blowing through the flowers on your tomb /
Blowing through the curtains in your room /
Idiot wind / blowing every time you move your teeth /
You're an idiot, babe /
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe!"

"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" is a fast, country-like song with lots of harmonica, one of only two songs on the album less than four minutes long. It is followed by one of the few lesser-known songs off this album, "Meet Me In The Morning" (again, great job arranging those guitars), a genuine blues, A-A-B and everything. I mean, who doesn't love a slow, bluesy groove and an acoustic slide guitar?

"Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts", an up-tempo folk rock song, goes on for sixteen verses and almost nine minutes. "If You See Her, Say Hello" is a gentle tale of lost love set to a simple, yet very pretty tune. Kudos again to the superb studio musicians who backed Dylan on "Blood On The Tracks", guitarists Charlie Brown, Barry Cornfield and Kevin Odegard among them.
And if you've only heard "Shelter From The Storm" played live, you'll be surprised how pleasant and melodious it sounds here, as does the closing number, the bluesy "Buckets Of Rain", which opens with a groovy bass riff and a clanging guitar figure.

All the tunes on this magnificent album, every single one of them, are musical and lyrical masterpieces. I have never heard a finer collection of songs than "Blood On The Tracks".

His Best?
in my mind BLOOD ON THE TRACKS and HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED are perfect albums.
i'd like to think of them as equal.

"tangled up in blue" is an undisputed masterpiece, and it's the perfect opening track for this album (5/5).
"simple twist of fate" is a slower song that is filled with knowing sorrow. like many of the songs on this album, dylan is blindly moaning in pain. no, he is collected and reflective, and this is what makes this song (like many of the songs on this album) so painful (5/5).
"you're a big girl now" has, perhaps, the most beautiful melody i've ever heard. the lyrics are also amazing; the "bird on the horizon" verse is especially magical (5/5).
"idiot wind" is something to behold. it's been said that it is in the same vein as "like a rolling stone," but "idiot wind" is much more bitter and sharp. whether it's actually better than "like a rolling stone" is impossible for me to decide, but the fact that it deserves to be mentioned alongside it should tell you something (5/5).
"you're gonna make me lonesome when you go" is one of the more playful tunes on the album. only dylan can be so profound and silly at the same time (5/5).
"meet me in the morning" is dylan singing the blues. one could easily argue that this is dylan's greatest blues song (5/5).
"lily, rosemary and the jack of hearts" is quite a tale. the only song on the album that doesn't seem like it is an almost direct reflections of dylan's personal life, this is nothing short of amazing (5/5).
"if you see her, say hello" is the most depressing piece of music i have ever heard. the line "she might think that i've forgotten her, don't tell her it isn't so." will make me cry under the right circumstances (5/5).
"shelter from the storm" is another undisputed masterpiece. one of those moments bigger than music that dylan is so known for creating (5/5).
"buckets of rain" is sad enough. the last verse is as reflective as other point on this album . . .

"Life is sad
Life is a bust
All ya can do is do what you must.
You do what you must do and ya do it well,
I'll do it for you, honey baby,
Can't you tell?"

amazing song (5/5).

pain has never been so beautiful.
BLOOD ON THE TRACKS is one of the top five greatest albums ever recorded.

A Lyrical Masterpiece
Few artists can match the impact that Dylan has had on the music industry and Blood On The Tracks is simply on of the best albums ever made. No one before or since has been able to match the passion and the brilliance that Dylan demonstrates on this record. "Idiot Wind" is one of the best written songs of all time and "If You See Her, Say Hello" still manages to stop me in my tracks whenever I hear it...possibly my favorite of all Dylan's songs. This record should be a cornerstone in every music lover's collection and is the perfect place to start for those who are new to Dylan. Quite simply the perfect album.

Amazing does not even begin to describe this....
My mother has always been a big fan of Dylan and I liked a few of his songs (i.e. Hurricane, Shelter from the Storm) but it wasn't until I heard the entirety of Blood on the Tracks that I truely appreciated Dylan's genuis. The album starts out with one of the most deeply moving and thoughtful ever. Tangled up in Blue is really food for the soul following a young man's on and off romance with a girl. The other excellent song is Idiot Wind. I must've played this songs more time than any other. It's amazing that a song could you keep your intrest for 7:50 minutes. Idiot Wind is a rant against the self obsessed but still makes you feel, and thus is a masterpiece. I have heard people complain that Bob Dylan's voice ruins what otherwise could've been a very good album. I have but one thing to say, no one else has felt what Dylan has felt and therefore no one could put the same emotion and passion in to his songs.
Buy this, you won't regret it.

One of Dylan's masterpieces.
Great great recording. I'd give it a 10 if possible. The best thing Dylan did in the 70s. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Prine's 1971 self-titled debut set the tone for the rest of his career. A critical smash and a commercial disappointment, the record contains many of his best known compositions. Proving himself capable of tackling folk balladry, country, and rock with ease, Prine seems to spring into being as a fully formed singer-songwriter at age 24. Lyrically diverse,Prine offers topical songs such as "Sam Stone," the tale of a drug addicted Vietnam vet, achingly sad songs, such as the oft-covered "Angel from Montgomery," and, of course, his trademark wit gets ample time in the spotlight. Produced by the legendary Arif Mardin (Aretha Franklin, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Hall and Oates), the record is understated, letting Prine's comfy voice drive things. When needed, the famoushouse band at American Recording Studios in Memphis kicks in tasteful backing. --Ian Landau ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Give John His Due!!!!!
Here is how brilliant John Prine is. Bette Midler covered Hello in There" and it still comes off well!!! I remember seeing this album in a stack of vinyl when there was only vinyl. It was the era where flag decals were given with copies of Reader's Digest. I remember hearing the song "Flag Decal" and thinking how awesome it wass that I understood the song. Last year I bought the tape of John Prine for my car. I hadn't heard it in twenty five years...but it seems as relevant today as it was twenty five years ago. Songs laced with pathos, sardonic humor, and most importantly.,heartbeats of the human condition, John Prine is a treasure still, managing to be both a time capsule, a record of the time is was written in and a current event lesson. I listen to alot of music and am not a John Prine head, nor am I a John Prine groupie. I have this album, and this one only...but it is an exceptional one. I say hooray to all kinds of music, but let's give folkies like John Prine his due. Here is one fabulous songwriter that deserves a listen

One of the greatest, if immensely unheralded, debuts ever!
When one thinks of Paul Anka, they immediately get visions of the bright lights and sequined costumes of Las Vegas. This may be the prevailing image, but little do people know that if it wasn't for Anka, we wouldn't get the tremendous talent of John Prine. Until Warren Zevon came along, Prine would be the lone voice of quirkiness among the singer-songwriter movement of the 1970s. But while Zevon's music bordered on the mean-spirited, they were no dark sides to Prine's humor, and whenever he got dark, it was deeply honest. JOHN PRINE was released when he was only 24, a time when some artists are barely finding their feet as creative people. But his first album is the work of a fully-formed, young but not precocious talent. The songs on here are some of the first that come to mind when one thinks of Prine: "Illegal Smile" (the closing seconds are some of the most humorous ever recorded), "Hello In There" (sad-but-true account of aging), "Sam Stone" (an anti-Vietnam War anthem which will have new recruits thinking twice about their enlisting), "Angel From Montgomery" (Bonnie Raitt's theme song it seems), and "Donald & Lydia" (a heartwarming tale of young love, and soon-to-be romance). Songs like this make JOHN PRINE every bit of an unofficial greatest hits album, and one of the rare first albums that new fans ought to buy the first time out. Unlike another folkie favorite of mine, Joni Mitchell (whose albums would always be quite consistent), John Prine's catalog is not exactly perfect and would occasionally slip up a time or two in his career. But this early, Prine could hardly do any wrong with this debut that probably contains more soon-to-be-covered songs than any I can think of. Thumbs up to Paul Anka for bringing us this wonderful artist.

Heck of a strong debut from 1971...
I bought this LP when it was first released, and I've heard a heck of lot of John Prine tracks in the past 33 years. I still think this is his most successful album overall. His voice here is young and full of raw vigor, and his songs mix humor and tragedy in a balanced fashion. In recent years John has moved closer to traditional country material, and he does it well. This one, however, is the folk/protest/social commentary record that pretty much capped the '60's for me. If you like John's later work but have not heard this, you are missing some of his finest writing and singing.

John Prine "John Prine"
"Illegal Smile" 5/5
"Spanish Pipedream" 3/5
"Hello In There" 5/5
"Sam Stone" 5/5
"Paradise" 4/5
"Pretty Good" 4/5
"Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" 4/5
"Far From Me" 3/5
"Angel From Montgomery" 4/5
"Quiet Man" 4/5
"Donald And Lydia" 5/5
"Six O'Clock News" 4/5
"Flashback Blues" 4/5

The amazing self titled debut by the father of Americana, John Prine. Features timeless songs like "Hello In There" and "Sam Stone." There are no real flaws on this album.

Overall rating: Four stars

Where have you been all my life?
My great musical regret is that I somehow missed this album growing up in the 1970s. It might have changed my life. Prine can be witty, moving, or irreverent, and never patronizing. Some of the most intelligent music I've ever heard, and his understated delivery will have you tapping your toes. A true gem and original. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The considerable promise carried forth on Gillian Welch's first two albums is thoroughly fulfilled on Time (The Revelator). Welch has traded the guidance of her previous producer, T Bone Burnett, for the sympathetic studio skills of her longtime guitarist-harmony singer David Rawlings, who loosens the reins just enough to allow moments of spontaneity to sparkle within the duo's spare, eloquent playing. "Revelator" is an instant classic, perhaps the first great folk song of the 21st century. "I Want to Sing That Rock and Roll" is three minutes of Louvins/Everlys-style bliss. "April the 14th, Part 1" haunts its historical context with an achingly melancholy melody. It all leads up to the epic 14-minute "I Dream a Highway," one of the finest closing tracks ever put on record. --Peter Blackstock ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Simple and beautiful...who needs a band?
This is the best new releases I've heard in a while.

On one end of the musical spectrum, you have all the stuff that comes out today sounding really over-produced and over-edited. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether the artist you're listening to really sounds like how they're portrayed on the CD you buy. "Can she really sing like that, does his guitar really sound like that, or are those studio 'tricks of the trade' I'm hearing?"

On the other end of the spectrum, you have Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, both on guitar and vocals. No effects...not even any electric instruments. True "roots" music. It doesn't get much simpler than that. The whole CD is so sparse and desolate sounding. You can just tell it's all real. Gillian's vocals (as well as her lyrics) leave you with this haunting feeling, particularly "Revelator," "Dear Someone," "Elvis Presley Blues," and the long and driven out (maybe a bit *too* long) "I Dream a Highway."

I'll definately be checking out her other works soon; I like this style.

Beatuful, sparkling music!
Gillian and Dave have done it again! They have created an album of simple, early American style folk music, and churned out an album, timeless in quality and as attention grabbing as an album can be.

First, all 10 songs here are arranged for the duo of two accoutsit guitars (the second track, "My First Lover" substituting a banjo for a guitar). There are no effects (or so it sounds like) and a few tracks sound as if they don't even have windscreens on the microphones; all of these tracks, it is safe to guess, werer recorded with no overdubs. (Of course, track 6, "I want to sing that rock & Roll was recorded live at the Grand Ole Opry on what sounds like one and only one stage microphone).

All of this, on another record, could add up to real crap, but on a Gillian Welch record, I could imagine it no other way. It sounds as if the two are literally playing these in your living room and when you think of that possibility, your heart breaks because you wish they truly were.

And what about substantially? My favorites are "My First Lover", a strange mix of appalachian banjo-like bluegrass and 70's rock sensibility; "My Dear Someone", a complete and sparkling throwback to the old country ballads a la Patsy Cline; "Everything is Free Now", a more modern folk tune with bobbing-and-weaving lyrics that I suspect are about napster; and last but not least "I Want to Sing that Rock & Roll", which appeared in a studio version on the CD of music inspired by "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou".

A favorite of most listeners is the 14 minute ending track called "I Dream a Highway". It consists, really, of one chord progression with lyrics that gradually and sweetly unfold to reveal a Dylan-like landscape (almost a story but not quite). While it is a great track that can easily put you in a achingly sweet trance, it is not quite a favorite of mine, particularly as its already slow pulse gets periodically slower as the track was recorded without a click-track. If that makes me snobby, my apologies.

In conclusion, I first heard the album last week and have yet to get most of the songs out of my head for any more than an hour at a time.

Hold your breath...
This is a gorgeous album. Like many people, I first learned about Welch & Rawlings through their work on "O Brother Where Art Thou" and "Down by the Mountain." Despite having little previous interest in bluegrass, I was instantly hooked. I finished collecting their albums this year, and was delighted to find out that "Time (The Revelator)" was the best of a very good body of work.

I'm especially fond of the eerie title track, "Revelator," a contemplation of Welch's own success. The songwriter successfully walks a fine line between invective and self-pity, and her refrain -- "Time's the revelator" -- is at once fierce yet chilling. Rawlings's guitar accompaniment is equally fantastic; he's an astonishing musician. Together, they make the song into a small masterpiece.

(Incidentally, I saw the two of them play this at a venue in Atlanta several months ago. When they got to a particular four-letter word towards the end of the song, the seemingly grave audience cheered with delight).

Other highlights:
The sweetly seductive "Elvis Presley Blues" will get to you even if you've never cared for Elvis. It seems like pure heartland at first, but has a touch of Lou Reed-like suggestiveness.
"I Want to Sing That Rock And Roll" was the first Welch/Rawlings tune I ever loved, and it's still a good one. Like other reviewers, I wish they had re-recorded the track for this album; the ovation at the end is a little disconcerting.
"My First Lover" is the album's most leisurely and enjoyable song; thudding power chords recall a lazy, stupefying roll in the hay.
"I Dream a Highway" is the album's other masterpiece, a 14 minute ballad with a narcotic, haunting intensity. Despite its length and repetitive melody, it never gets boring; instead, it invokes an eternal road trip through loneliness and revelation. It's a great song -- the thrillingly slow finish to a marvelous album.

instant melancholia / addictive, haunting poetry and music
Welch's voice and Rawlings' guitar sound as intense, beneficent and honest as music can get. I enjoy an extremely addictive mixture here of haunting poetry and music that comes straight from the heart, in an American country/folklike-style that reverberates and finds refuge in my soul immediately. A music of 'instant melancholia', or, if I may borrow some of Welch's own beautiful lyrics here- a music that's like '(..) morphine' that 'will be the death of me'. Very impressive and highly recommended!

Gillian Welch is vvvvvvvvvvvvvs!
Hearing her music is like hearing the calls of an extinct bird, or the passionate cries and moans and laughs of the men and women who inhabited the old lands, the wild frontiers, the shotgun shacks of the hill countries, who lived on the back of Ford pick up trucks chasing the seasons round the country, like a bunch of people sitting round a campfire in a desolate wilderness, yet it has a modern day twist which makes it sound relevant in today's world that has moved on in leaps and bounds from those early days, which makes it sound like she's singing about today's troubles the same as yesterday's troubles the same as last year's troubles the same as the troubles of all men and women who came before and will come after. Gillian Welch taps into all that, yer. ... Read more

Album Description

Reissue of the late British folk icon's 1969 debut album.Ten tracks. Island. ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Autumnal Beauty
Looking for an album to go with your favorite sunset? Nick Drake's debut encapsulates a mood of tragically transient beauty. The acoustic guitar style drifts between folk, country blues and Celtic flavored finger picking (I'm not much of a musician, so that's kind of a guess-ta-mite), with accompanying instruments that are simple and subtle: piano riffs, conga drums, and the occasional bass. On several tracks chamber music string sections and various wind instruments add a surprisingly effective and eerie compliment. Mostly, however, the album's mood and tone is created and sustained by Drake's ethereal voice. Only several notches louder than a whisper, it sounds as if it comes from a half remembered dream or a nineteenth century opium haze. "Three Hours" and "The Cello Song" are particularly haunting. A playful piano part belies the uncomfortable lyrics of "The Man In The Shed" that sting of the depression that would eventually consume him (he committed suicide in 1974). Drake released only three studio albums, his second "Bryter Later" contains a number of good songs, but many of the jazzy arrangements don't work as well. On his third, "Pink Moon", he is alone with his guitar; it's an excellent album, but his vocals take on a harsher more pained edge, which can be a little uncomfortable considering his previously mentioned exit. On "Five Leaves Left" all the elements come together in a gorgeous sonic whorl. Percy Bysshe Shelley would have dug this album.

"Time has told me you're a rare, rare find.."
Whether you know it or not, you've heard Nick Drake before. Maybe it's from his other albums, maybe it's from that VW commercial, maybe it's just the sound of that quiet bleakness we all feel when sadness comes to the door and doesn't want to leave. This music lives with all of us. It exists in quiet lonely nights, chilly autumn evenings, and the muted grey of the world when it's been raining all day. During his too-short musical career, Nick used music to look at those little feelings we all have and give them an exquisitely beautiful voice.

Ok, fine, I'll start talking like a normal person now. I realize those comments seem a little silly. It's easy enough to describe how this music sounds, but it's not as easy to convey the emotional impact it might have. Everything about this 40-minute jewel is beautifully composed, elegantly performed and topped off with Nick's simple understated lyrics, which read as well as poetry. His voice and guitar (pretty tricky guitar work, too) are backed up by changing accompaniments: some electric guitar and bass at times, some flute, some quiet conga percussion at others, and most often a smooth string section providing just the right bittersweet background. It's quiet folk melancholy with an addicting quality that can't really be explained. Not everything here is quite as sad as "Way to Blue" or the eerily prophetic "Fruit Tree," either. "Saturday Sun" adds some relatively upbeat jazzy piano, although it remains low-key to the end. "Time Has Told Me" is uplifting in its timeless simplicity. "Man in a Shed" is a wistful boy-girl tune, but the theme is as un-cliched and downright humble as I've ever heard it.

Five Leaves Left was Nick's first album, and overall the most realized - he took over a year putting it together after all. If you don't like the sound of strings and flutes you'll probably want to hear the later Pink Moon instead, which is basically just Nick and his guitar. Either way, just make sure you check him out somehow. Any Drake offering is a treasure not to be missed.

boy this guy could write a song
A lot has been said about Nick Drake. I recall a Rolling Stone quote calling him "The saddest songwriter ever" or something to that effect. I think the fact that he died so young, possibly by suicide, tends to make people comment on how sad he was and how dark his music is. Well, some of his music may be dark, like Three Hours or Black Eyed Dog, but much of it is light. So don't expect this to be a depressing album.

With that said, this is an incredible album, although I feel it pales slightly in comparison to Pink Moon. While some people have said the strings hurt the album, I have a feeling they are only looking for a guitar shred-fest. While Drake was an excellent guitarist, his music was not based on technique and thank God for that. Most of his best stuff (on Pink Moon) was a lot simpler, guitar-wise. I for one think that the string arrangements really help some of the songs.

The words perfect, beauty, and sadness weaved into song.
This is one of three albums by the best musician, in my opinion, to ever step within this world of confusion, rushing, and absence of relaxation. Nick Drake may have made this album in the 1960's but the sounds have not aged at all, and will remain forever in my mind as the most beautiful songs ever recorded. This would go perfect for sitting alone at night, relaxing in light afternoon sun, or watching the hazy colors of a sunset replaced by the black calm of night. Get this CD, my friend, you will not regret it.

First of too few leaves...
...in the book of Nick Drake, "Five Leaves Left" is one of two fairly lush (by folk standards) records he committed to the listening public - such as it was, for him, at the time - before (as legend has it) mounting depression over his lack of commercial success played its role in the creation of the bare-bones guitar beauty "Pink Moon," his final record before dying of an overdose of antidepressants in 1974 at age 26.

My first Drake record was "Pink Moon." Within a few days, and about 35 listens, I'd rushed back to the store to liberate this record, "Bryter Later," and the just-released "Made to Love Magic." Such is the power of Drake's melancholy grip on the dynamics of wispy voice, intricate guitar, wrenching lyric and mood-perfect accompaniment. I'm still listening - I've heard every record at least twice - but the jury is no longer is out in my mind: the world overlooked a genius here, just as he predicted it would in this record's second-to-last cut, "Fruit Tree." He wasn't, one thinks, singing of himself, although he did that almost too well. But he might as well have been: "Safe in your place deep in the earth/That's when they'll know what you're truly worth.../They'll all know/That you were here when you're gone".

"Five Leaves Left" has painful, hopeful, joyful (too few), and despairing bolts like this all through it. "Time Has Told Me," the opener, celebrates a great love while already lamenting its future loss, Drake's and Richard Thompson's guitars weaving a beautiful country atmosphere: "Time has told me/Not to ask for more/For someday our ocean/will find its shore." The second song, "River Man," is apparently overproduced for many, but I found the background strings but a natural extension of the emotional strain Drake's voice always seems just too slight to hold. It's too easy to confuse his vocal treatments with lack of emotional commitment, I guess; it's the only way I can explain the rare such accusation I've heard. I simply consider it the best voice at conveying soul-empty ache bound up with wonder that I ever heard on a record. At the end of "Cello Song," he does an almost-perfect vocal duet with the title instrument, such that I at first couldn't tell one from the other. I could go on; you could read most of the rest of the day. I haven't come up with favorites yet. I thought I was about to, then every one I didn't get on first listen suddenly started striking home. Nick Drake is like that, at least he is when you didn't fall in love with the song on first listen. Which seems to happen less than half the time. Given that I'd consider this far from "easy" listening, that's nothing short of remarkable. His stuff draws you in; it seems to fit the mood. Play this record, wherever you are, and it will work to draw out the best - and the most beautifully painful - of wherever you are and whatever you are doing. I don't tear up often when listening to music. I am happy, really, to say that Nick is making this a rather common occurrence. The pain you hear in his records, you've felt many, many times. It just never had a soundtrack before.

You just have to hear it. You just have to hear this record, the next and last two he made - in short, all the Drake you can lay your hands on. (There's so little that your excuse just got eliminated.) I don't think anyone came closer to creating a complete record collection with so few albums. Nick Drake is that good. ... Read more