Amazon.com

Good things come to those who wait. During John Prine's nine-year interval between albums of original material, fans who hailed his recovery from cancer wondered whether he'd ever return to full creative speed. Here, Prine puts doubts to rest with an album that ranks with the finest of an inspired career. The big heart of "Glory of True Love," the socially conscious bite of "Some Humans Ain't Human," the reflective grace of "Taking a Walk," the wry whimsy of "Crazy as a Loon"--the hallmarks of Prine's artistry are reaffirmed on Fair & Square. The album also reflects Prine's first attempt at producing himself, with the warmth of his rough-hewn vocals finding a comfortable fit among the organic, largely acoustic arrangements. Though Prine penned 12 of the 14 cuts (including two bonus tracks, one recorded in concert), a pair of covers prove revelatory: Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons" sounds like it could well be one of Prine's own (with a melody that recalls "Hello in There" and a lyric of renewal that sounds like personal testament), while A.P. Carter's "Bear Creek Blues" carries an electric charge as the traditional song rocks harder than anything else on the album. With a generous selection of close to an hour of music, the album stands as a creative triumph for Prine, a fully satisfying effort that rewards the patience of his loyal fans. Welcome back. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (18)

A Comfortable Couch
A good set of songs, most of them written by Mr. Prine. He's in a good mood and moody and estranged....Original music for the most part, kinda low key...at times appropriately qwirky, nice steel guitar, many of the melodies sounding like some of the better cuts from "The Missing Years"..."My Darlin Home Town" is my favorite."Bear Creek Blues" by A.P. Carter is an upbeat backwoods Irish Import from days of yore...."Morning Train" sounds fine...None of this is up to the quality of Prine's orignal American music from the first 3-5 albums..but in view of the music biz today its a breeze one can breathe... authentic, tunes that are not unlike a comfortable old couch, wine stained and unpretentious...

Not *bad*, exactly...
It's probably not possible for John Prine to make a bad album.But it is possible for him to make one that is not up to "John Prine" or "The Missing Years", or even "Common Sense".This disc, while of course containing many of Prine's well-known strengths, suffers on a few counts.

First, Prine's voice is not in good form.There are reasons for this, of course, but, well, there it is.His voice lacks the flexibility to properly emote.

Second, his famous and necessary sense of humor is rarely in evidence.

Third, and most telling, where Prine at his best is oblique in his social commentary, usually getting more than one bird per stone, in this one he is direct, as if he feels he doesn't have the time any more for subtleties.This condescension is unbecoming to an artist of his stature.

I'm still looking forward to his next, and am hoping he'll be back to his regular form.

John Prine - 'Fair And Square' (Oh Boy)3 1/2 stars
As one of America's best singer/songwriters,Prine penned these songs just as he always has with past efforts;with insight,grace and heart.He even has a female vocal talent on a couple of cuts here,country/folk fellow songwriter Mindy Smith.A couple of tracks that I was semi-impressed with were "Some Humans Ain't Human",his tribute to couples married for many years "Other Side Of Town" and "Clay Pigeons".Keep in mind this is not even close to any of my favorite genres,I just thought I'd review this disc as it's my very first listen I've ever had of John Prine.He's very good at what he does.

Prime Prine-it doesnt get any better!!!!!
This is some of John Prines best music.
You just put it on ,and his lyrics and beautiful music will
take you away--and it gets better everytime you listen
to this masterpiece. --The music is simple and
the lyrics are genius. His sense of humor does come out in safety joe. All tracks have a unique and memorizing quality to them. Its gratifing to see excellent music come out
from different styles this time ,instead of the same old crap from the newer artists of today.

Mars

Long long long term Prine fan.
I have been listening to Prine for almost 30 years. I've been to see him many times.

Bluntly, I wasn't impressed with this album. The melodies are recycled and the lyrics are maudlin. I missed the wit that others have identified.

I'll be going to see him this Summer if he comes back to Wolftrap, but I hope he sticks to his standards.




... Read more

Amazon.com

Irish troubadour Damien Rice doesn't so much reinvent the folk genre on this lush, impossibly mature debut album as push its boundaries in several compelling musical directions at once--all the more remarkable considering the album was largely self-produced and home-recorded. His songs revolve around familiar, bittersweet concerns of life, love and their attendant frustrations, but delivered with conspiratorial intimacy on melodic wings that (like on the graceful "Cannonball") Rice seems almost embarrassed to share. If there's anything like a template here, it's "The Blower's Daughter," the song that first attracted the interest/stewardship of film composer David Arnold (whose guest production provides "Amie" with expansive cinematic elegance) and became a massive Irish hit. His plaintive vocal, embroidered by the mournful solo cello of Vyvienne Long, is suddenly brightened by an instrumental flourish and Lisa Hannigan's vocals--before just as quickly wafting on the breeze. With touches that range from "Day in the Life"-styled string collages to the dizzy, exhilarating neo-operatic excesses of the 16-minute "Eskimo," Rice's musical palate here is as adventurous as his songs are grounded in emotional intimacy. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (154)

Haunting and Beautiful
Damien Rice has a beautiful Irish tenor voice. And it works wonderfully in his folk aranged album. He also has a female companion who harmonizes with him, and she is a fantastic vocalist. This album is composed of guitar, the two vocalists, some percussion, and generally a cello or small strings arrangement. That makes for a wonderful album to listen and relax to.
The song-writing on the album is amazing. Rice writes songs like conversations and uses the wonderful (and beautiful if you've seen the video) female to sing the response. Many songs are about lost love or bad love or just love, but they are not just simple, stupid, pop love songs. They are incredibly crafted lyrics that can stand alone without music, which says a lot about Rice's songwriting skills.
Buy this album if you enjoy folk/pop music. James Taylor, Angie Aparo, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Gark Jules and David Gray are a few musicians I would say if you like you'll enjoy Damien Rice.

The most beautiful album I have ever heard...
Searching for words to describe this album are like trying to count the stars in the sky. (I know it's cliche, but it works). This album is amazingly beautiful.

Back in May I picked up a friend of mine in Chicago after she spent the semester in Ireland and the whole way home (a 3+ hour drive) all we listened to was O. After we arrived home, I decided I had to have the album. I ordered the import off amazon and before it arrived, I got to see Damien back in Chicago at Schubas. If the album itself doesn't amaze you, go see him live and you'll fall in love. Just a few more weeks until he plays Chicago again.

This album ranges from soft ballads (The Blower's Daughter) to heart-wrenching rock (the second half of I Remember). Unlike many albums from folk singers, I think this one is best listened through all the way at once. While there are great standout tracks (Amie, I Remember, Delicate), the whole album tells a story. There is a gradual almost epic-like progression throughout that sends the listener on a roller-coaster of emotions.

One of the greatest things about this album is the fact that Damien recorded this (mostly) in his basement over the course of a year. Instead of being thrown into a studio for a month to record the album using manufactured emotion (having to record on days you don't feel like it), Damien recorded each of the songs when he was "feeling it". That's why all of the emotion in these songs are SO real, so genuine. There is nothing manufactured about its sound. Another magnificant thing about it is the range of instrumentation and musical genre used. As I said, there are the slow, soft ballads, and rocking songs as well as Operatic elements (Eskimo)and beautiful orchestration in "Amie" and "Cold Water".

From listening to the album and several live shows I have, I can tell that Damien does not have a powerful, controlling, confident voice. Rather his voice sounds strong at times, but is usually more reserved and cautious. This cautious tone makes the album all the more believable, showing it is true emotion that has not been overproduced or forced.

I really can not say enough good things about this album and if I could give 10 stars, I would. As I said, my favorite tracks are #1 Delicate, #6 Amie and #9 I Remember, but there is not a bad song on the album.

As one other reviewer already said, my only complaint is that the last song (Eskimo) has 2 "hidden tracks" [Prague, and Silent Night (a song set to the tune of the traditional Silent Night Christmas song, but with different lyrics)] that should have been seperate tracks finishing off the album with 12 instead of 10. But as my only complaint, I must still recommend this album.

E-mail me if you have any questions whatsoever.

Loved it!
Damien Rice is such a talented musician. His music never gets old, you can listen to it over and over again. His soultry voice is always nice to listen to. I highly recommend it!!

Fearless
This is my first review of anything on Amazon, though I am a constant reader. I simply had to talk about this album.

The best way to describe this album is fearless. He takes the road less traveled by other up-and-coming singer-songwriters. While the new batch has had some very good singers, nothing compares to this album. They seem more interested in making a "clean" album, while this album seems like he is alone in a room baring his soul.

Though the strange thing is about the album s that you know he could not have been alone in a room. There is so much going on, so many chances taken that it is hard to descibe. Simply saying that it is an acoustic album is wrong. The album brings in much more.

Fearless in his atempts to expand beyond just him and his guitar. Consider how at the end of Amie, out of nowhere comes what sounds like an entire orchestra. It sounds beautiful and it becomes almost impossible to imagine the song without it. Then the gorgarian (sp?) chants that enter into Cold Water. By the end of the album it seems only appropriate to have an opera singer at the end of Eskimo.

But the wonderful things about the album is that it doesn't rely on these tricks. They are simply used to enchance the songs. Cannonball is simply him and his guitar, and it is one of the best songs on the album (a song friends of mine have confessed crying to when they heard it).

Another huge difference between him and others is the feeling involved. I have yet to hear another singer coming out now who you can feel their pain so clearly and identify with it(Howie Day is close). The only line in the chorus of The Blower's Daughter is "I can't take my eyes off you..." The way he sings it and the passion in his voice make the line more romantic and meaningful than an entire boy-band album.

Just the other night I went outside with my CD Player to sit on the front porch and listen to music while I smoked a cigarette. I started at track one, and became so engrossed in the songs, I just sat there until the album finished. It is THAT good. And it is that feeling that is put into every song that gives me the impression this album will age very well.

I agree with others that he brings back memories of when Jeff Buckley was around. They invoke the same spirit. And that is nothing but a compliment, because if there is anything music needs now, it is someone who can do to people what Jeff did. Even though Jeff died too soon, people are still listening to his music because it means so much to them. I have the feeling that this album will do the same. It is Damien Rice's "Grace".

My only concern is the same as others. How in the hell is he going to follow this up? But here is the fun part, imagine if he somehow makes a better album?

Finally...
When I first heard Damien Rice I immediatley felt pleasantly confused and relieved, thinking to myself, "Finally someone new with passion and true emotion".

I highly recommend this CD and hope more people discover this wonderful collection of songs. A true music fan will appreciate this one. Damien Rice's music is honest and full of heart. His backing vocalist, Lisa, is a purely gorgeous angelic voice that compliments Rice perfectly. The comibation of acoustic guitar and cello is simply beautiful. This CD has a refreshing classical feel that is delicate but full of power. The album was made to be heard loud from the first track all the way to the end. The songs are ordered to perfection and have a lot to give out to its audience. Don't miss out.

We need more artists like Damien Rice and it's wonderful to know true artists are actually creating good sound somewhere. It's difficult to believe this is Damien Rice's debut CD, the possibilites are endless for a follow-up. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Few songwriters are as cinematic as Robert Earl Keen. In the tradition of Keen's classic "The Road Goes on Forever" and "Merry Christmas from the Family," his eleventh album finds the Texas troubadour transforming indelible characters, vivid description, and narrative drive into movies for the ear. He delves into the surreal with "The Great Hank," a spoken-word barroom vignette that features Hank Williams in a time warp (and in drag). He turns a fable about animals into a tale as dark and twisted as film noir in "Mr. Wolf and Mama Bear," and enlists a vocal cameo from Ray Price and a serenade from Mariachi Estrella to provide the soundtrack for the droll story of cantina overindulgence in "A Border Tragedy." Even the tender title song, about the touring musician missing his wife, shows his eye for evocative detail, with one of Keen's warmest vocals to date. Produced by his bandleader/guitarist Rich Brotherton, the album's musically expansive arrangements match the ambition of the storytelling, with guest banjo from the Bad Livers' Danny Barnes, a lovely soprano sax by John Mills on the title cut, and Celtic pipes from E.J. Jones on "The Traveling Storm." Keen may well expand his audience along with his musical range, as the uptempo "The Wild Ones" could pass as a John Hiatt cut, while "Broken End of Love" has an echo of Tom Petty. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Great American Songwriter, Singer and Performer
I bought this cd at a recent live show by REK that I attended and have to say this one's a good one.He performed some of the songs on the cd at the show and everyone there was very accepting, especially when he sang the Hank song.REK is one of America's treasures, a great songwriter, performer and vocalist.Get this one, you will not be disappointed.

A MUST HAVE
This is REK's finest album yet.Some instant classics that will be must plays at all of his concerts - For Love, What I Really Mean and Broken End of Love.The whole album from start to end is a winner.Buy it now!You will not want to take it out of your cd player.

REK returns to form
I cant tell you how happy I was when I first listened to this CD.
REK is back in good form. good songs and good production. Highly recommend it.
This is a very happy surprise after his last 2 releases.
Gravitational Forces had BAD production and decent songs.
Farm Fresh Onions had BAD production AND Bad songs.

yeeehaahes back and Im loving it

REK you did it!!!!!!!!!!!
FANTASTIC!!!! BUY THIS ALBUM!! Ever sInce Gringo Honeymoon REK has been working. Searching. Trying different things. I applaud his efforts and have always loved the music, but let me say Robert Earl Keen has finally done it. This album is fantastic. This is the first album I have listened to each track TWICE before moving on to the next song. His songwriting is superb. This CD has the old school REK that we all fell in love with but with that twist he has been working towards for nearly 10 years. He is NOT the pluck pluck yuk yuk performer that he was afraid of becoming. Superb. You just gotta buy this CD. Sit back with a cold one and enjoy. What I really mean is this possibly the best REK album yet!

What I Really Mean is Buy This CD
I have been listening to an advance copy of this album for almost two months. I have played it so often that my wife wants me to leave the house. She thinks I have a weird sickness for REK music, which I probably do. That said, I can tell you that this is an amazing CD and probably the best effort of Robert's long career. I think it could be the break out album for the premier singer songwriter from Texas.

Although I liked Farm Fresh Onions, I am really a bigger fan of some of his earlier stuff. Several songs off Bigger Piece of Sky, especially Paint the Town Beige and Crazy Cowboy Dream have always been my favorite REK tunes. I still listen to Picnic often. My favorite songs on it are: Over The Waterfall, Running With The Night and 4th of July.

If you share my love for those early songs, you are really going to like What I Really Mean. The song writing is vintage REK, and the band is excellent. Rich Brotherton may be the most under rated guitar player in the world. The rhythm section is as solid (game) as always on every song. The addition of Danny Barnes on banjo adds nicely to the sound of several tracks.

My favorite cuts on the CD are the title track with its catchy sax, banjo and wonderfully descriptive lyrics. I also love Broken End of Love. Even Bob Dylan hasn't written a song that uses the word metamorphosis. I also like the last cut, Ride, with its bouncy kind of rhythm and great lyrics.My 3-year-old daughter, who is a huge REK fan, likes Ride the best, along with Mama Bear.

If you are already a fan or just curious about Robert's music, you need to buy this CD. You will not be disappointed. Buy it and tell a friend. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Songbird cherry-picks tracks from the three locally released albums of Eva Cassidy, whose hauntingly beautiful vocals went virtually unheard outside her native Washington, D.C., during her short 33 years with us. Lost to melanoma in 1996, Cassidy sang with an unaffected purity and an astonishing ability to make both classic and contemporary songs sound like they were written just for her. Sting's "Fields of Gold" finally lives up to its title through the alchemy of Cassidy's transcendent rendition, while other tracks on this anthology showcase her ease in the realms of pop (Christine McVie's "Songbird"), soul ("People Get Ready"), gospel ("Wade on the Water"), and traditional standards ("Autumn Leaves" and "Over the Rainbow"). Framed by understated jazz and pop arrangements, Cassidy's clear, soulful voice and exquisite phrasing make her that rarest of vocalists whose interpretations are a complement to any song. A fine introduction to a true talent. --Billy Grenier ... Read more

Reviews (496)

from Solo Piano Publications
I usually review piano and keyboard CDs, but this album is so good and is making such a stir that I decided to throw in my two cents. One of my adult piano students gave me this CD for my birthday, and I had never heard of Eva Cassidy, so I was a little skeptical. Just goes to show that there are still new wonders to discover! Compiled from three previously-released albums, "Songbird" clearly indicates the many facets of Cassidy's voice and the incredibly natural way she was able to use it to convey such depth of emotion. From standards ("Autumn Leaves", "Over the Rainbow") to gospel ("Wade in the Water", "Wayfaring Stranger", "Oh, Had I A Golden Thread"), rock ("Fields of Gold", "Songbird", "People Get Ready"), and gorgeous ballads ("I Know You By Heart", "Time is a Healer"), she slips effortlessly from one genre to another with a voice as pure and honest as a Judy Collins or a Joan Baez. On the gospel and R&B songs, she gets down with the best of 'em! Could this really be a slender, painfully shy, white girl? And then she goes on to a simple ballad and her guitar, and the sweet-voiced folkie returns. The backing instrumentation (usually bass, guitar, and drums) is simple and fully enhances the vocals. It is such a tragedy that Eva Cassidy's life was cut short at the age of 33, but God bless Chris Biondo for recording her singing whenever he could so that her gift and talent can live on and grace us all.

This really deserves six stars
This is the best voice I have ever heard. Eva Cassidy easily ranks with Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and Billie Holliday in the ability to express pure emotion through voice. You probably know her story, and it is tradegy. This album is a compliation of previous recordings. Several tracks are live, and the album's producer chose to edit out the applause. You won't be able to tell the the studio from the live tracks unless you look at the CD sleeve. That's impressive. There is no bad track on this disk. Song styles range from folk to gospel to ballad...it doesn't matter what she's singing or what your musical preference is, if you HAVE a soul, her voice will hook you and reel you in. Sting's "Fields of Gold," is the first track, and it somewhat showcases her ability to make a song hers. She does this by putting her soul in her vocal. After hearing this rendition a couple of times, you'll forget that some other guy wrote this song. "People Get Ready," a popular popular cover tune, really shows the range of her voice. Man, she can belt it out. My favorite song on the album is "I know You By Heart." This is the most beautiful/sad song I have ever heard. Period. My wife has a hard time listening to this disk because it is so sad, between the power of emotion Miss Cassidy sings with in addition to her tragic demise. This collection of different genres is ultimately the blues, sung with passion only rivaled by the greats mentioned earlier. I hope she can here all of us listening to her music and have the ability to understand the depths her music is able to move its listeners.

This one's a perfect ten
I believe I'm writing this more for myself than for readers who can look at five hundred previous reviews. I was so moved by Eva Cassidy's songs that I want to share my thoughts with everyone. I recieved a copy of 'Songbird' from my sister in law. I rarely prefer a second version of a familiar song so I was hesitant to even listen to this CD which included some old favorites. Then I had to take a long drive and had nothing new to listen to, so I listened to Eva. I was stunned. The music really got to me and I had not seen her or heard Eva's tragic story. I've since purchased all Eva's CDs and enjoyed each as much as the first. It is difficult to describe the impact of listening to Eva Cassidy for the first time. I doubt anyone will ever forget the experience. She is amazing!

Perfect
Just listened to "Over the Rainbow" again. Wow. That's just about as well as a mortal can do it.

6 stars out of 5.....
The beautiful, irreplaceable Eva Cassidy died at the young age of 33, leaving behind a treasury of beautiful and bluesy songs she reinvented with her beautiful voice, guided by an intuitive grace. SONGBIRD is like no album I have ever heard. It has a quiet strength, not unlike Eva herself, that sets it apart from all folk, jazz, blues and pop albums.

The first cut, "Fields of Gold," was made completely unrecognizable from Sting's original. The words took on a different meaning for me, and Eva's melancholy voice made me think of those moments of solitude in the early morning before life begins to emerge, where you can truly be alone with your thoughts in introspection. Eva also has an amazing talent for pumping even more soul into the blues, R&B, gospel and jazz songs she interprets on the album. ("Wade in the Water," "Wayfaring Stranger," "People Get Ready,")
Of course, one of the most well known tracks off of this collection is her arrangement and interpretation of "Over the Rainbow." This truly brought tears to my eyes! When I finished listening to it, the yellow brick road and Dorothy were nowhere to be found.......all I could see was Eva, surrounded by her beautiful light and energy that permeates throughout this recording.

This album will change the way you think about music. Please listen to the samples and make your call. Believe me, this will become a frequently-played part of your CD collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

During the "folk music-scare" of the early 1960s, a bunch of white middle-class youths with names like the Greenbriar Boys and the Even Dozen Jug Band discovered the mountain music of the Stanley Brothers, Skillet Lickers, and Uncle Dave Macon and set about introducing it to the country's college kids. Four decades later, the members of OCMS fit the profile of those early revivalists, yet if anything they have tapped deeper into the primal elements of an American art form. As demonstrated on their debut, they have assimilated not just the sound--banjos, harmonicas, acoustic guitar and bass--but more importantly the haunting spirit of music that was made to keep hard times at bay. How else to explain their ability to take a well-worn chestnut like "CC Rider" and infuse it with an energy that reveals once again why it is a classic? Not content to live completely in the past, they wrote "Big Time in the Jungle," which, though it is about Vietnam, could easily be transposed to 2004's desert conflicts. Kindred spirit and producer David Rawlings (Gillian Welch's longtime collaborator) has kept their energy intact, but one can only wonder what sort of magic they must deliver live. --Michael Ross ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Like Gravy
I love seeing this band live--it is a soulful experience. And yes, long-time fans will have heard more rollicking versions of several of the songs. But the Old Crows prove on this record that they can convey a range of emotion, sing and write different kinds of songs, evoke different kinds of feelings and memories--all while staying true to the music of the past. For those who might hesitate to buy this record because of comparison to some bluegrass CD currently annoying the masses, don't fear--this is something entirely different--something that, in stripping off the polish/varnish that makes most most contemporary musician's voices and music sound exactly the same--strikes at something that is (for lack of a better word) real. From fast-paced, energetic songs like "Tear it Down" to the transcendent original tune "We're All in This Together" this album stands apart. It is excellent, and has not left my CD player since it arrived last week.

Good, but not so good.
These guys are still one of my favorite bands, but I agree with an earlier review that Nashville has really damaged this group. I'm sure this is going to be a hit record, but the album buying public will never know how good this band has been in the past. The energy of their live show and other albums is completely missing. Those of you who've never heard this band should definately buy this. However,if you're and old fan, you should be in mourning. Goodbye Old-Time Punk, hello O'Brother. Can't blame record exec's for wanting to make a buck.

How are they live?
The review wondered how Old Crow was live- I had the pleasure of seeing them this spring, and I can say they were fabulous. Spontaneous, fun, energetic- David Rawlings went to joing them half way through the set, and the chemistry was great. The album's great, they're the best 'new' bluegrass I've heard in a while. Buy the album, then find them live!

Maybe the band wants a buck too
The album is great. Haunting and feels like my old house.
Change and evolution are an inevitable part of life, and blaming record execs for a band's album not sounding like/or having the energy of a live show is just plain tired. Nothing ever stays the same, let go and enjoy the growth.

Asheville
I went to see this group in Asheville, NC. They started with CC Ride and got better all the time. I thought that each song was just unbelievable, the way they built you up and the ending song was Wagon Wheel. Not to get too involved but "Butch" did a wonderful fill on the guitar and vocals. If you here this album you will really want to go and see Old Crow Medicine Show in person. This is a group that on the cutting edge. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Two discs of music don't exactly provide for a thorough overview of four decades of recording, particularly if the subject of the retrospective is one of the most important and prolific performers of his time. So The Essential Bob Dylan definitely skates over the leagues-deep oeuvre of Dylan, summarizing his monumental first half-dozen years in disc one and skirting over the following 34 years in disc two. Delving into Columbia's three Dylan greatest-hits packages (though curiously purging "I Want You," a genuine hit single in its day), Essential offers only a few surprises, opting for The Basement Tapes version of "Quinn the Eskimo" over the Self Portrait remake that made it onto Greatest Hits Volume II and tossing in "Things Have Changed" from the Wonder Boys soundtrack for completists. But this 30-track overview is designed with newcomers, not Dylanologists, in mind. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Not essential really...
Bob Dylan has enough essential recordings to fill 3 CDs and more. But, lets face it, in 4 decades, Bob has had his up's and down's. This collection tries to pick some recordings from all periods of Bob's recording carrer, and unfortunately, Bob has had made some lousy albums and for CD 2 they did not picked the greatest songs and included some preety average songs, to represent some periods in his recording career. I am glad they included 'dont think twice', but I miss something like 'masters of war', 'with god on our side', 'its allright ma', 'a hard rain's a gonna fall', which show a side of Dylan that this collection fails to represent. On the other side, 'quinn the eskimo' and 'I'll be your baby tonight' although are some of his greatest hits, are pretty lame songs. But overall, CD 1 is as good as it can get. CD2 sounds sometimes like a collection of B-sides: 'if not for you', 'you aint going nowhere', 'forever young', 'jokerman', 'silvio', 'not dark yet' , 'everything is broken', could have traded places with 'license to kill', 'I believe in you', 'foot of pride', 'love sick', 'series of dreams' or include more stuff from the 60's, when he really pulled all the stops and changed the face of popular music forever: 'memphis blues again', 'just like tom thumbs blues', 'to ramona', 'hatie carrol', etc.

Mediocre song selection, particularly on disc 2
I can't really give this collection less than four stars, can I? Most of this music is superb, showing both the breadth and depth of Bob Dylan's talent, and the huge impact he had on popular music.

But I do believe that the compilers could have made a considerable better record than this one. Dylan's seminal "Blood On The Tracks" album is almost ignored, and the last twenty-five years of his career is (mis)represented by only six songs, most of which aren't among his best.

Sure, most of the classics are here, including "Mr Tambourine Man", "Lay Lady Lay", "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", "I Shall Be Released" and "Tangled Up In Blue", but "The Essential Bob Dylan" isn't really all that essential. If you are just starting your Dylan collection you should pick up either his two original Greatest Hits-albums, "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits" from 1966, and 1971s excellent "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits vol. 2" (the double-disc version), or his two best records of the 60s, "Bringing It All Back Home" and "Highway 61 Revisited". That'll get you started in the best possible manner. And remember - "Blood On The Tracks" is a must-have either way!

bob dylan is great
this is one of the most beatiful box sets of one of the most talented singers of all times and most of his gems find a place here like times there are a changing,mr tambourine man and blowin in the wind.this is highly recommended for the first time listener who wants an overview into dylan

Aw for chrissake people!!
Aw for chrissake people!! Just spent 10 or 11 bucks a pop on the newly released and remastered original albums. ITS BOB DYLAN!! There are plenty of superior album tracks on the original albums that these cuts are culled from. For example, you can't have appreciated Bob without ever having heard "Visions of Johana."

Essential
The key word is essential in many ways. It was a smart move no to call it "The best of" or any of those hokey catch phrases for someone's idea of sample mix.
There is enough Dylan to satisfy just about anyone. The first hand full of songs were also made famous by other singers and you have to get over trying to compare, unless like me it has always been Dylan first. Later you get to the good songs; He may not have personally thought so, but many of the songs struck a cord with me such as "Subterranean Homesick Blues."
To understand most of theses songs it would be best to buy a biography or watch one fro A&E. However with out knowing the man behind the song they will still standout in your mind for years.

Still "The Times They Are A-Changin" ... Read more

Amazon.com

On her first studio album since 2001's Clock Without Hands, Nanci Griffith hearkens back to her best early albums, particularly the Jim Rooney-produced work of the '80s. Whereas her '90s music veered off into arch or uncomfortable pairings with lofty-minded producers and members of U2 and R.E.M., here she takes stock and strives for, as the title of the leadoff track says, a "Simple Life." Griffith was wise to assume the lead as her own producer (with Pat McInerney), scaling back to a more organic, folk-singer approach ("Last Train Home," a 2002 song which appears here, would have fit well on her first Philo albums) and reuniting with guest vocalists Mac McAnally ("Rise to the Occasion") and Jimmy Buffett ("I Love This Town"). While the material draws on a variety of influences, Hearts in Mind wraps its thoughts around two themes: Exploring the hopeful beauty of the romantic heart, and honoring soldiers and civilians lost in the wreckage of war ("Heart Of Indochine"; "Old Hanoi"; "Big Blue Ball of War"; and the exquisitely sad, Julie Gold-penned "Mountain of Sorrow," inspired by the events of 9/11). Throughout, Griffith stretches herself as an artist: "Beautiful," a tribute to her stepfather, marks a lively, clarinet-accented departure from her usual repertoire, while only her delivery lifts "When Ted Loved Sylvia," Le Ann Etheridge's intriguing take on the relationship between Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, above its lyrical shortcomings. The singer makes fine use of her lower register at times, and continues to push for a fuller voice than the feathery vocals that marred her freshman efforts. The end result is her most accessible album in years, one that deeply satisfies on both a musical and an emotional level. --Alanna Nash

Recommended Nanci Griffith Discography

The Last of the True Believers	Other Voices, Other Rooms	One Fair Summer Evening
Once in a Very Blue Moon	Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful)	The Complete MCA Studio Recordings

... Read more

Reviews (15)

Voice in the Wilderness
In an era where the President of the United States betrays the trust of the American people by taking them into war based on fictitious intelligence resulting in over 1,650 American casualties, the most since Vietnam, and packages as patriotism the effort to prop up oil business buddies with American blood, it is refreshing to see an artist like Nanci Griffith -- a country artist -- take a strong anti-war stand.Her composition that compares our Earth to a "Big Blue Ball of War" is effective as a philosophic statement & as a musical one, "Almost a century the blood has flowed; We've killed our men of peace around this ball & refused to hear their ghosts....These men of evil deed can be proven wrong if we join hand to hand with Abraham so not a soul falls off."Griffith's voice has never sounded braver, crying out in the American political wilderness.Griffith does not confront the current conflict, but instead takes a more indirect (and probably more effective) approach by focusing on the Vietnam conflict."Old Hanoi" focuses more on the regression and polarization of that war, "Where is the eloquence of the ladies on their bicycles?Dressing in their au dias in the lotus flowered nights of Indochine; They rode to progress; They've flown away.""Heart of Indochine" likewise revisits the horrors of conflict, "Oh, deliver me to the river of souls."On her lovely CD, "The Girl I Found," singer/songwriter Julie Gold sounds more like Carole King on "Mountain of Sorrow," a post 9/11 elegy.Nanci Griffith gives the song a powerful reading with her expressive vocal, "How high the top must I climb?Ever blue ... when can I stop & be fine, knowing I'm over you?"

"Before" written with Le Ann Etheridge is delightful Cajun-flavored track that is a repeater in my changer.My very favorite is Clive Gregson's "I Love This Town" with Jimmy Buffett on guest vocals & the insistent toe tapping beat, "Still we can do just as we please, as long as no one's watching."Tom & Jennifer Kimmel's "Angels" that I have on an early 90s lp by John Farnham is remade into pure gold with Nanci's glorious chorus, "We're lifted up by angels, higher than the world."Co-writer Keith Carradine does a guest vocal on the set's closer "Our Very Own" that boasts a charming melody."Hearts In Mind" is musically successful and a gutsy statement from this excellent musical artist.Bravo!

Her Best In YEARS
After several years of tinkering with the style of music that put her on the map (with usually decent, but mixed results) Nanci Griffith returns with her best album of mostly original material in more than 15 years.Yes, this album is her best of original material since "Little Lover Affairs" back in 1988.

Kicking off with the song "Simple Life," co-written and sung with up and comer Elizabeth Cook," the album finds Nancy touching on many of the same themes that she has explored over the years.Her interest in Vietnam continues with "The Heart of Indochine" and "Old Hanoi".Long term Nanci fans will delight in the literally reference that later song makes to the great writer Graham Greene as well as to the Sylvia Plath inspired "Back When Ted Loved Sylvia."

Wonderful produced by Griffith and pat McInerney HEARTS IN MIND has a host of guest artists including Jennifer Kimball, Jimmy Buffett, Clive Gregson, Mac McAnally and the aforementioned Elizabeth Cook.That a gorgeous jazz flavored track like the appropriately titled "Beautiful" can find a home on this album without seeming out of place rings as a real testament to the fact that Nanci's muse is well on target.

bad
nanci needs to get back to her roots. I would just like to hear some new work from the "old" nanci. This cd is terrible

Beautiful!
This may be Nanci's best album/CD ever.I love it.I have tried to choose a favorite song from the CD, but there isn't one song that stands above the rest.It is complete as a collection of songs.And although many of the songs deal with war, after I listen to this CD (while commuting in my car) I feel calm and content and joyful.Even the sad songs are sprinkled with hope.

Griffith Mindful of "Hearts"
Prime Cuts:Old Hanoi, Mountain of Sorrows, Before

Some songwriters with a few musical vignettes could paint some provocative pictures of faith, love and compassion that even the nullifidian would take notice.Nanci Grifiith is such an example of the highest order.With her easy, yet heartfelt storytelling style, Griffith has the proclivity to take simple tuneful melodies and bring her characters to life.Taking the themes of war and love as her conversation pieces, this Texan native returns to the mother milk of her art: rustic country story songs with compelling messages.Digging deep into the song's tissue, Griffith's take of Julie "From a Distance" Gold's "Mountain of Sorrows" is stellar.Though written as a visceral response to the 9/11 tragedy, "Mountain of Sorrows" has such a transcendent message of healing that it extends beyond the Twin Towers menace.Collorary to "Mountain of Sorrows," Angels" is an uplifting ode of hope with an almost spoken verses perhaps played at an octave too low for Griffith.Nevertheless, it's a fetching piece that complimentarily brings out Griffith's vocal nuances.

Inspired by her recent trip to Vietnam, Griffith's pacifisms is brought out through acutely observed songs.Case in point is the surging anguish twang of the dobro-rich album opener."Simple Life" presents a moving plea from a mother who laments over the devastating effects of how war can deprave her of her husband and her children. Contrary to Toby Keith's in-your-face jingoistic approach, Griffith's political views are acutely presented through the gentle sounding ballad "Heart of Indochine" where there's a longing for peace in a city besieged by blood stained and foreign powers."Old Hanoi," with its gentle strumming of the guitar, finds Griffith in search of any vestige of culture in a city that has been pillaged by progress.With a simple plaintive nostalgia, but this time with the focus on the US, "Before" is another catchy ballad bemoaning the truculent effects of loss and changes.

But war and nostalgia are not the only concerns of "Hearts in Mind."In a celebratory note, Griffith (dueting with Mac McAnally) metered out a more joyous disposition on the blissful "Rise Above the Occasion" written by Blue Moon Orchestra's Ron Davies.While the bluegrassy feel of "Last Train Home" (which first appeared on Griffith's previous "Winter Marquee" CD) certainly makes one thankful that Griffith has returned to using the country card.In returning favor to Griffith for singing on the parrot's latest CD, Jimmy Buffett joins Griffith on the doop-woop Tropicana-infused jaunty "I Love This Town."

Out of Griffith's twelve studio CDs of new songs, "Hearts in Mind" ranks loftily as one of this singer-songwriter's best.However, there are a few minor tarnishes: the tetchy feministic bent of "Big Blue Ball of War" is uncalled for.Also, despite its sentiments, "Beautiful," a tribute to Griffith's step dad, with its jazzy inclinations is a tad out of place in a country-hued CD.Other than these quibbles, "Heart in Mind," is an album abounds with heartfelt moments; it is one CD that is highly endorsed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Patty Griffin's considerable promise is fully realized on Impossible Dream, her fourth studio album. Dixie Chicks fans who loved the trio's cover of Griffin's "Top of the World" will find the blueprint take here, but it's just one of several standouts. "Useless Desires" and "Don't Come Easy" show Griffin in her prime as a heartfelt folk-rock singer-songwriter, while "Love Throws a Line" and "Standing" offer intriguing bluesy/gospel counterpoints. "Kite" nearly floats away on a subtle piano breeze that personifies its mood of Sunday-afternoon solitude. The zenith is "Mother of God", an emotionally wrenching seven-minute masterpiece that begins as a heavy-hearted rumination before transforming midway into an abstract refraction of pure musical radiance and lyrical reassurance, like the cocoon setting loose its beautiful butterfly. --Peter Blackstock ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Literally took my breath away the very 1st time I listened
I have NEVER bought an album before that literally took my breath away. Not to mention it gave me chills and almost made me cry...at the first listen. I just kept waiting for a song that I would skip past, and there are none on this album. Patty is a lyrical genius, her voice is amongst the top female voices out there, and she can't write a bad tune. Every song on this album not only is entertaining and beautiful, but it takes you somewhere and makes you have all kinds of feelings. All the songs are unique and have a different flavor from each other. Patty can do folk, blues, gospel, and she still rocks. Kite Song and Rowing Song are like child hood lullubyes, Cold as it Gets is pure and raw folk, Useless Desires and Florida send you soaring and everything else cuts you deep.

Antidote for the Musical Blahs
For those like myself who find Norah Jones' music bland, here is an alternative. Patty Griffin sings as though her life depends on it, and perhaps ours too. These songs contain memorable melodies and penetrating, at times mysterious lyrics, and it's one of those albums where there's no filler. I get goose bumps from certain music, when a combination of melody and voice somehow transforms what I'm hearing into more than "just music". It doesn't happen often. The classical composer Gustav Mahler is good at giving me goosebumps. Likewise, I get goosebumps in several places on this album. Mahler and Patty Griffin have almost nothing in common musically, but listening to both I feel as though they put me in direct touch with something beautiful, unsettling, and deep.

impossible to get out of my changer
I now know what it must be like to be heroin addict. Since buying this cd a month ago, I have been unable to keep from hearing it at least once a day. I am particularly addicted to
"Useless Desires" and "When it Don't Come Easy". I do not believe I have ever heard two songs on the same cd that have ever had this effect on me. And now, sadly, I am discovering how great the remainder of the album is. I may never be able to get it out of my changer. At least I still have five other slots.

The combination of Patty's writing and vocalizations is something
so rare, I can't think of any current singers other than Don Henley who compares. Buy this cd and you will surely be compelled to explore more of Patty's undeniably brilliant work.

Holy Mother of God, this is great
I have been a fan of Patty's since Living With Ghosts, and I must say that this album contains some of the best songs she's ever written. Patty knows the power of interesting lyrics entwined with emotionally charged music. Just listen to Kite Song, Useless Desires, or When It Don't Come Easy, and you'll be hooked. Flawless album...buy it!

She's brilliant
Geez...Did Michael E Chase listen to the same ID as me?

I would think even a music listening novice would recognize the effectiveness of repeating a word or phrase in a song, especially when that word embodies the spirit and meaning of the song. It's not always clever and cryptic lyrics that make a song great. Cripes... How many times did Mick Jagger say "I can't get no satisfaction" anyway?

Still, Patty writes amazing lyrics (Useless Desires, Florida), Michael E Chase's opinion notwithstanding. So if you're thinking of purchasing this album, don't let one man's opinion change your mind. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

David Gray's glorious fourth record explodes in a wellspring of spacious, electronica-tinged folk-pop. He uses his bright growl of a voice to memorable effect, chewing on vowel sounds while spinning odes to lost love, the resiliency of young hearts, and the pain of experience. Gray's work finds the universality at the heart of folk music and tweaks it just enough to make it relevant for alternative audiences. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (350)

Wish all current singers were as real as this guy
David Gray has always impressed me with his ability to remain completely genuine in his rise to fame. His music, and especially his lyrics, have never suffered in order to make himself more palatable to the pop-listening masses. "White Ladder" is his most "studio" album to date, yet the instrumentation is still spare enough to not be overpowering. You can really feel the lyrics in his voice, starting with the opening track, "Please Forgive Me", a great rolling song with a pace just subtle enough to ease you into the rest of the album. Two different versions of his biggest U.S hit, "Babylon", are listed here - both with a different enough sound for the listener to appreciate each. The mood on the album is introspective and at times melancholy, but upon finishing the album, the listener never feels depressed or drained. You still finish the CD with a smile on your face - a testament to David Gray's incredible talent as a singer, songwriter, and musician. A definite thumbs up.

AN OUTSTANDING ALBUM
I know, I know. You're thinking, "This can't can't be the same guy who listens to Mudvayne, Nothingface, and Slipknot, can it?" Well, it is, and yes, I really did like this album.

Through guitars, keyboards, pianos, and more, David Gray is able to construct some artistically creative and poetic songs. Some of my favorites are, "Please, Forgive Me", "Babylon (I and II)", "This Year's Love", and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye". Sure, this is a album that has some very soft songs, but they're good and are not like some of these tasteless, commercial-friendly pop songs. There are real instruments playing, and real feeling to it.

This is a great album, although there are times where I don't feel like listening to it because of it being so soft, but I do like to listen to it a lot. Don't let the "soft" image fool you. Hey, you're looking at a guy who listens to nothing but Nothingface, Mudvayne, and Slipknot. Just give it a chance and form your own opinions. Listening to a soft CD won't kill you. All in all, I feel that "White Ladder" is a very good album with very poetic songs. This album gets a four our of four stars in my book.

Leaves you emotionally stimulated
After hearing the song 'Babylon' on radio, I decided to buy this cd. I was thinking to myself, there will be only one good track on this cd. After I listened to it, I realized David Gray has to be one of the greatest songwriters of our decade. All the tracks are brilliant on this cd, and each song will touch you emotionally in one way or another. The experience of this cd will leave you thinking a long time about life and life experinces. One track, I particularily love, called 'Silver Lining' made me realize that I was not the only one that viewed our world's plight filled war, sickness, and hate is something we have no control over. We can cover the good up with fake smiles, fake rhetoric, and corrupt governments but the real problems still exist, and David really touched me with this emotional tune.

Every track is like a rollercoaster ride, and you never know where David will take you. I can assure you, that this cd will be one of the best you ever experienced. Buy this one, because every track is good, well written, and the haunting melodies will leave you breathless.

Who was that?!!
My husband and I, like another reviewer, were driving along the highway fat, dumb and happy when I heard a song very faintly playing over the radio. I thought "hmmmm" and turned it up and we listened to David Gray for the first time ever (as far as we know). The song was "Sail Away" and when it was over we both said "Who was that?!". It sounded like Bob Dylan a bit and we loved everything about it. Thank goodness, FOR ONCE, the DJ actually said who it was (do you find that if you hope and hope they say who the artist is that they never do?!)-he asked if we people out there listening had heard such good music on the usual stations...gotta say "NO" to that question! We don't listen to pop at all...we're "old" after all....grew up during the Led Zep days and love Steve Earle, etc. Anyway, we still had 100 miles to drive and once we got home I went online to Amazon to see what I could find out about David Gray. Sounds like many others have felt just like we did today. I look forward to listening to all of his work.

Yet Another British Gem
I remember first hearing David Gray on the radio and thinking that he was amazing. His sound was refreshing and different from the bubble gum pop and rap that had begun to take over the radio waves. I quickly went out and bought the CD and found that the entire CD was song after song of wonderful lyrics and great music. I was so glad to have found him and now own quite a few of his albums. They are all wonderful and I recommend that if you are looking for something with a little more heart, definately check him out. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Warner Bros. did with the CD release of the 1970 vinyl LP 10 Years Together: Best of Peter, Paul & Mary what every label should do with CD reissues of vinyl compilations. They took into account the longer length of CDs and added tracks. The original release of 10 smash hits has been fleshed out here with three additional tracks, including a melodic take on Dylan's Basement Tapes rarity "Too Much of Nothing." Otherwise, it's hits and nothing but hits, ranging from definitive folk interpretations ("If I Had a Hammer") to pop ("I Dig Rock 'n' Roll Music") to Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot covers that compete with the originals and first brought such material to the mainstream. Only "Cruel War" is missing. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Wonderful Compilation Of Their Biggest Hits!
My introduction to contemporary folk music was through my immersion in the innovative music of Peter Paul and Mary early in the 1960s, as they first came to prominence with songs like "The Lemon tree" and "Blowin' In The Wind". Of course, with the advent of the anti-war movement a few years later, they became quite involved, just as they had been in the struggle for civil rights in the American South quite early on. Yet Peter, Paul, and Mary were much more than urbane and well-educated Jewish intellectuals singing traditional and avant-garde folk music. They introduced a whole generation of young Americans and Europeans into a whole welter of cultural ideas and issues that both they and others like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Paul Simon were also dealing with as performing artists. Yet what is central to remember is the fact that the music of Peter, Paul, and Mary came first.

They acted as the forerunners and popularizers for the work of artists as diverse as Dylan, Baez, John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, and Tom Paxton. Their early albums were filled with what became standard contemporary folk classics like "500 Miles', "If I had A Hammer", and "Stewball". Yet they also had a number of top-ten hits, the biggest being "Puff, The Magic Dragon', which despite their stringent and consistent denials is about the joys and hazards of smoking dope. They also scored with "Day Is Done" late in their career, and had success with "I Dig Rock And Roll Music", "Leaving On A Jet Plane", and "too Much Of Nothing".

Also included here are their quite classical covers of songs written by others but made famous as album grist for them, including "For Loving Me" and "Don't Think Twice". Unbelievably, they are still touring, with Peter and Paul now in their seventies, and I am sure they are as terrific on stage now as they were when I first saw them in the Boys' Club gym in my home town one snowy Friday night in December of 1963, about three weeks after JFK was assassinated. They are a part of American history, and this album serves up a wonderful dollop of their original recordings for your listening pleasure and cultural edification. Enjoy!

This is the type of music that made the 60's the 60's
The harmonies of "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young", "The Mammas and the Pappas" and "Peter, Paul and Mary" were the cornerstone vocals of the "love and peace" movement. Many of PP&M's songs don't come to mind until I hear them on some oldies station. Then I once again hear that simplistic innocence of yesteryear flood the air waves with the heartfelt idealism that created these masterpieces. When I hear "500 Miles" and "Day Is Done" thirtysome years later, the time warp of today's digital world vanishes. These two are folk music at its very best. Then we have the pop hits "I Dig Rock And Roll Music" and "Leaving On A Jet Plane" and it's the late 60's and early 70's. Both are as fresh today as they were thirty years ago. "Blowin' In The Wind" is Dylan's song. PP&M give a harmonic interpretation but this one needs the cutting edge of Dylan's sarcastic vocals. "Lemon Tree" and "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" have their place but have never held my attention. "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" works well with their style. "If I Had A Hammer" still rings true and right! "Early Mornin' Rain" and "For Lovin' Me" are two of those campfire folk songs that sound good even without the harmonies and snap, crackle, pop of a campfire.

Peter, Paul and Mary have been a great gift to us all!
This CD is one of those rare times a single CD can demonstrate all the incredible beauty of a powerful group like Peter, Paul and Mary! The CD offers very thoughtful and beautiful classic ballads such as "Blowin' In The Wind," "Stewball," and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." "Blowin' In The Wind" is also an example of the group's being willing to take a stand on social and moral issues facing our society. The group's versatility is demonstrated with the song about "Puff (The Magic Dragon," which, although it's a children's song, can easily be enjoyed by adults as well. Although they are mainly folk singers they also celebrate rock and roll music with the song "I Dig Rock and Roll Music;" many thought Peter, Paul and Mary were making fun of rock and roll with this song but they insist they are paying tribute to it-and I think that they are. The CD ends with the song "Day Is Done" which is defiant of the evil in this world. This song includes a good sized chorus and adds a triumphant flair to the end of the song set.

The artwork on the CD is very good; but unfortunately the only photo we get of the group is very tiny on the front cover. The sound quality is excellent. There is a brief history of the group although it about them in the 1960s when these songs were originally recorded. I only wish that lyrics had been included!

I recommend this CD for Peter, Paul and Mary fans as well as fans of folk music. This is also an excellent choice for music lovers who want a superlative introduction to the group if they are as yet unfamiliar with their work. We are better off for having their music and Peter, Paul and Mary should be congratulated as well for not being afraid to deal with social and moral issues throughout their long history!

PIECE OF GARBAGE!
How can people actually call this piece of garbage music? It is disgusting. NOne of them , not Peter, not Paul, not Mary can sing. This is idiot music! Puff the magic dargon, indeed! I can't believe anyone over the age of 3 liking that dummy song. Come on, there is such a thing as music in the world, why buy this? This is only for cheesebrain old geezers who actually remember when the age of music was like this. STAY AWAY!

Don't Think Twice- - -It's Alright To Buy This CD!!!
The Folk Era of the early '60's is long behind us, most suitable these days for parody (such as the recent Christopher Guest movie A Mighty Wind), or for good old fashioned reminiscing. It's easy to see that the (relatively) few folk artists that have stood the test of time had real talent, whether lyrically (Bob Dylan, of course), musically (Joan Baez) or both (The Kingston Trio). After almost fifty years, the music of Peter, Paul and Mary still sounds to these old jaded ears as fresh as, well, a new breeze blowin in the wind. This trio of course had loads of talent, both lyrically and musically, and helped not a few songwriters along the way (John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, and the aforementioned Mr Dylan). On furthur reflection (having enjoyed this album in LP form for many years), it seems to me that the songs that have best stood the rigors of time are those sung by Paul Stookey. "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright", "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" (featuring hilarious parodies of Donovan and the Beatles, and especially, the Mamas and the Papas. Mary does a perfect Cass impression!), and most glorious of all, "Early Morning Rain," with Paul's lowdown and dirty (yet smooth) delivery making the most of Gordon Lightfoot's lyrics. Outasite!!! Mary Travers is limited to just two lead vocals, but both are outstanding: the lyric, whistful "Leaving on a Jet Plane," and the achingly beautiful "500 Miles" (later covered splendidly by Bobby Bare). Peter Yarrow's songs are not as strong, with the exception of "For Lovin' Me" and that most fabulous stirring ballad about "Stewball," the racehorse worthy of a king. Brilliant! However, "Puff, the Magic Dragon" is quite charming, but not great, and "Day Is Done" is almost forgettable. Luckily, all three members of the trio take the lead on several songs: the rousing "If I Had A Hammer," "The Lemon Tree" (OK, well maybe just Paul and Peter sing lead on that one), "Too Much of Nothing," and the unforgettable classic that started it all for Mr. Bob Dylan, "Blowin' In The Wind", still utterly moving after all these years. Fabulous!!! So, get Best of Peter, Paul, and Mary right away- - - and don't think twice about it!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Austin City Limits tends to bring out the best in the musicians it showcases, and Richard Thompson is the sort of artist that the series reveres most. The veteran British folk-rock troubadour remains an instrumental virtuoso, a soulful singer, and a songwriter whose depth and emotional complexity rival Dylan's. This 15-song set provides neither a career-spanning retrospective nor a greatest-hits rehash, as Thompson's selection of some of his lesser-known material shows that he's incapable of writing a throwaway. The rhythm section of bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Michael Jerome gives his guitar plenty of room to maneuver on the acoustic numbers that dominate the performance before the set builds to the electrifying climax of the lacerating "She Twists the Knife Again" and the explosive "Shoot Out the Lights." On "Uninhabited Man," Thomspon combines a guitar progression that recalls the Byrds with a lyric that gives a sinister twist to the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, while the pensive, sinuous "Ghosts in the Wind" extends his exploration into the recesses of the psyche. Though Thompson's droll humor typically provides a change-of-pace respite from the dark intensity of his material, this disc edits out all the between-song patter in favor of more music. --Don McLeese

Recommended Richard Thompson Discography

Fairport Convention, Unhalfbricking	Fairport Convention, Liege & Lief	Fairport Convention, Full House
Richard & Linda Thompson, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight	Richard & Linda Thompson, Shoot Out the Lights	Hand of Kindness

... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best singer/songwriter of our time
The other day, my best friend, whose name happens to be 'Rich',
was trying to explain to me how much he liked this song, "1952 Vincent Black Lightning." I had never heard it before. Odd, considering I've been an avid Richard Thompson fan for over 30 years, since seeing Fairport during their last tour - in 1976 - before Sandy died. At any rate, Rich went on to tell me how he had found out the song was written by Richard Thompson. And he said, "Man, does that guy write everything??"


The more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that Richard Thompson has written every song with any meaning that I've heard for at least the last 15 years. From the haunting "Just The Motion," with its rocking guitar solo and suicidal edge, to the venerable "Genesis Hall" (a song RT performed at my request twice); from the wonderfully manic
"Little Blue Number", woven with an out-of-the box krummhorn accompaniment that just isn't allowed, to the intense rocker "Living On Borrowed Time," this gifted musician is neither predictable nor limited, and he gives a hell of a performance, besides!


It really doesn't get better than this. Oh, by the way, I finally got to hear "1952 Vincent Black Lightning." Kinda like Dylan -- only better!

A lively, muscular sesson
I think nearly everyone has heard a Richard Thompson recording, seen him in concert, or both, so many folks may bypass "Live from Austin, TX," figuring why do I need this one? To do so would be a mistake, even for those with a stack of Mr. Thompson's CDs.

This performance, which was recorded live to tape for the "Austin City Limits" PBS show, features songs from throughout Mr. Thompson's long and steady career, some of which are not as well known as the tracks 1952 Vintage Black Lightning or Shoot Out the Lights. But throughout, Mr. Thompson brandishes his guitars like a weapon, ripping off searing solos or letting his fingers do the talking to convey emotional nuances. He is equally adroit on his vocals, conveying pain, adding a dash of humor, underscoring a turn of events with a bit of a sneer or a sustained note.

Every track has its merits and its own story, from the self-effacing Walking the Long Miles Home to the undeterred love-struck soul in Persuasion. Hearing Mr. Thompson take an image, such as the jackknifed truck in Easy There, Steady Now, and using that as metaphor for lost love makes one appreciate what a fine writer he is. The angst that builds through She Twists the Knife Again mercifully culminates into a fiery guitar finale, making one wonder if the strings are infused with magnesium.

Much of Mr. Thompson's work is as a solo artist, and while that work is enduring, hearing this collection performed with the excellent rhythm section of Danny Thompson on bass and Michael Jerome on drums is a revelation. This trio of veteran musicians never sounds at cross purposes but displays a subtle interplay equally effective with on the jazzy Al Bowling's in Heaven or the punchy rocker Crawl Back (Under My Stone).

The sound quality is excellent, but Mr. Thompson's typical onstage banter (if you have seen him live, you know what I mean) and enough of the applause has been snipped out---which I think improves the overall flow and energy of this lively, muscular session.

... Read more

Amazon.com

Though he rose from the ranks of journeyman '60s folksinger to become apotent and consistent '70s hit maker, Canadian singer-songwriter GordonLightfoot's stock in trade was as much hard-eyed, dispassionate observation asromance or poetic whimsy. Perhaps that's why his songs have been covered byeveryone from Elvis (thisset's "Early Morning Rain") toDylan. If there's such athing as an alpha-male folkie, Lightfoot certainly fits the bill. Spanning thetongue-in-cheek chauvinism of 1965's "For Lovin' Me" and the cheatin' ways of"Sundown" to more introspective fare like "If You Could Read My Mind" and"Beautiful," this 20-track collection presents a concise primer on Lightfoot'scareer and craft. After his career peaked with one of the most unlikely top fivehits ever, the gloom-laden 1976 narrative "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,"Lightfoot's production tailed off sharply, though this anthology's "Stay Loose"('86) and "Restless" ('93) are testament to his enduring skills as a songwriterand performer. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Terrific Compilation Of Gordon's Greatest Hits!
I have always been a fan of Canadian Gordon Lightfoot's music. From the first time I heard Peter, Paul and Mary's wonderful covers of Lightfoot songs like "Early Morning Rain" and "For Loving Me", I knew anyone who could write songs like that was a huge talent. So when I got turned onto his own voice and music I was astonished by just how good he was (and still is). This is a perfect album because it traces the course of his rather singularly spectacular career so faithfully. T the song cycle presented here is unforgettable, because it has so many terrific Lightfoot songs back to back. From the first song in this incredible four CD collection, he shows why he is so famous and so popular. And likewise he threads his way through twenty something beautiful and memorable songs, from the early works like to later works like "Sundown", "Rainy Day People", and "If You Could Read My Mind'.

And so on with each of the songs here. My personal favorites are "Sundown", "Carefree Highway", and "Beautiful", but I really love them all. There are literally way too many to list here, so I will resist the temptation to list them all. In addition, one gains access to a number of lovely later songs such as "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald", "The Circle Is Small", "Baby Step Back", and one of my all time favorites, "Race Among The Ruins". If one listens to all of the similarly terrific albums Lightfoot put out over more than a decade one comes up with literally dozens and dozens of wonderful and memorable songs that fill this great compilation, which wonderfully summarizes Lightfoot's long and illustrious career. This guy was far more prolific than anyone else producing work in the sixties, seventies and eighties. Buy this compilation album, and after listening to it for a week or so you will be back for "Sundown", "Don Quixote", "Summertime Dream", "Cold On The Shoulder" and "If You Could Read My Mind". They are all great. Enjoy this one of a kind artist and his amazingly consistent flood of terrific and appealing mainstream folk albums.

The Greatest From The Greatest
OK, I'm a devoted fan. I admit it. But this 20 song collection is just the best single CD hits collection there is. Of course, when you look at the song titles, you will know that it has to be.

It is the first Lightfoot single CD greatest hits collection to have the original version of all of his top charting songs, and also his original recording of songs that were hits for others before he was well established as a singer. So you find If You Could Read My Mind, Sundown, Carefree Highway and Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald - the original recordings - as well as beautiful early recordings of such folks standards as Early Mornin' Rain, For Lovin' Me and Canadian Railroad Trilogy. In the only departure from "original" recordings, The Circle Is Small is the rerecording from Endless Wire, but this is the recording that charted. And, in his inimitable style, Lightfoot personally selected the final cut, the song Restless from the out of print 1993 album Waiting For You. Lightfoot loves the song, and when you hear it - perhaps for the first time - you will too.

So, put together, you have an outstanding single CD collection - for the casual music lover or for the devoted Lightfoot fan. Even if you have all these songs on CD already (and the devoted fan probably does), you don't have them sounding like this! The remastering is unbelievably exquisite; it is almost hard to believe, but some of the songs sound even better than on the Songbook boxed set! There are four songs here that aren't on the boxed set, and these sound much better than on the original CD. Also, two of the hits are from the single (vs. album) mix, so they really are somewhat different.

The single mix of If You Could Read My Mind includes harmony vocals (by Lightfoot) that are not on the album version. The boxed set used the album version of every song (that had been on an album ever), while here Bill Inglot (who did the remastering for both Rhino Lightfoot releases) went to the single. The single version was also previously used on Gord's Gold, but the sound doesn't compare.

And for Sundown also, Inglot went to the single. I still don't have a definite explanation of the difference, but you have only to listen to this cut and the one from any other CD and you will know you are hearing something different. And really great.

Finally, Rhino has packaged this new greatest hits CD in their characteristic loving manner: full of photos, biographical text, and complete track notes. Thane Tierney (who co-produced the boxed set with Lightfoot), is the producer of this collection and he has done himself proud.

If you don't have it yet, what are you waiting for?

Sad song selection
I was so diasappointed by the selection of early UA trax on this CD, it now sits in the used CD section of my favorite CD store. What could have been an awesome CD, is only mediocre at best... Sorry Thane. Where are his best UA songs, Did She Mention My Name?, I'm Not Sayin or Ribbon of Darkness??? Several songs on here are below Lightfoot average -- why Go-Go Round (very amateurish) & Pussywillows (peraps the most boring song ever written). A great opportunity -- lost...

Complete Canadian Class - Terrific
One of my favourote singers of all time. The is a marvellous collection of classic Lightfoot tracks. All the hits that this very underrated singer-songwriter had, either himself or by others' interpretations, are here from "Early Morning Rain" through "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Sundown" on to "Restless". OK, there are some obvious omissions which other reviewers have, quite rightly, pointed out.

Lightfoot was one of those who had the tag of "the second Bob Dylan", which is like having a monkey on his back. They are very different writers, with Lightfoot being a dispationate observer and reporter of love, the wonder of Canada, great events and all with a wonderful baritone voice.

His usual band - Terry Clements, Red Shea, Rick Haynes, John Stockfish and Pee Wee Charles - deserve a mention. They hold it all together and enhance Lightfoots delivery.

Lightfoot's recent (September 2002) illness and long (many months) hospitalisation will have shocked and horrified his fans. However, they will be relieved that he it is reported that he is on the way to full recovery. More good news is the imminent release of his 20th album at the end of April 2004.

As for this collection, it shows just what a top class artist he is. If you are new to Lightfoot, you have the choice of albums to introduce yourself to his music. You could buy the 4-CD box-set "S