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

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

Their setup was primitive enough--guitar, Autoharp, and vocals--but in the late '20s the trio of A.P. Delaney Carter, his wife Sara, and his sister-in-law Maybelle would change (chart?) the course of country music forever. They did it with haunting harmonies, incredible guitar playing (thanks to Maybelle's driving strums on her Gibson L-5 guitar), and a vast repertoire that included murder ballads, gospel tunes, love songs, and Appalachian folk tunes--many of which would be covered by musicians for decades to come. Unlike their musical peers in the late '20s and early '30s, the Carters weren't just playing "hillbilly" music; this was, quite simply, country music, and their timeless output still resonates with listeners today. JSP's bargain-priced, five-CD collection is easily the most complete, essential collection of their music available, capturing and remastering their RCA Victor recordings (their later, less-seminal sessions for Decca and the American Record Company are not included). Hearing five CDs' worth of music from the Carter Family is almost sensory overload--from the initial 1927 Bristol sessions, which Johnny Cash hailed as "the single most important event in the history of country music," to their depression-era recordings. Even today, Sara Carter's voice sounds aching, yet empowered. Whether they're yodeling through "The Foggy Mountain Top," singing a feminist anthem like "Single Girl, Married Girl," or harmonizing with Maybelle on "Worried Man Blues," you can hear the Carters' profound influence on country music. A must-have. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The real song catchers, dont miss this at this price!
This is just about 1/2 to 2/3 of the hundreds of records that the Carters made between 1927 and 1941. Sara Carter later remembered they had made more than 600 records during those years. At the end of 1941, they all went their separate ways: Sara just to get out of the music and live with her new husband in Central California. AP returned to Maces Springs to run a general store and to try to get his relectant sons and daughter to play and sing music. Maybelle and her daughters kept playing Carter Family music until daughter June passed away last year.

I have just listened to every CD on this set one by one. Even though I have been playing this kind of music since the 1960s, even though I have had this or that single disc Carter Collection, even though I am judged as some kind of expert on old time music by some, I was shocked at how many tunes that I know as old time music tunes or bluegrass tunes identified with other artists were Carter Family versions of those tunes.

The Carters performed an immense service for the history and preservation of traditional American music, black and white.
They were not allowed to record already copywritten and published songs since Ralph Peer who recorded them for Victor Bluebird only got paid for publishing rights and could take only tunes he could claim publishing rights to. At the beginning the Carters were not such great song writers, although in the later 1930s when they began living in Del Rio Texas and broadcasting over Mexican border radio, they did write a number of great songs.

AP Carter traveled up and down the hills and hollers, mountains and valleys of Southern Virginia, Tennesee, North Carolina, and Kentucky asking Black and white working people, farmers, musicianers of all kinds, if they had songs for them to record. During the times late in the years covered by this set, when AP moved to Detroit to get cash paying work, and when his brother Eck and his wife Maybelle moved to DC where Eck got railroad work, they asked Southern people in those towns for songs.

During much of this time AP travelled with Leslie Riddle a black blues guitarist so that they were able to find songs African Americans as well as whites had in their hearts and minds. The Carters accepted Leslie as an equal. He lived in their home like a family member defying the Jim Crow Ettitique of the times. The Carters were all solid anti-confederate Lincoln Republicans. AP's dying words were "Don't vote Democrat" which in 1960 in Virginia meant don't vote Dixiecrat.

Old AP used to delight in the relatively small royalty checks all these songs brought him in the 1950s which he dutifully divided with Sara and Maybelle, even though all the songs were in his name. It is too bad he died in 1960 just before the folk revival brought all these songs back onto hundreds of records by folk singers, then by bluegrassers, then by country Western artists. Those checks would have gotten a lot bigger.



People brought these songs to the Carters, mostly to AP and Leslie Riddle, singing them on their porches, or in juke joints, or often when AP would stop after hearing a rumor that used saw mill parts could be obtained at a good price, something he was obessed with. Some folks did bring them the songs in yellowed old sheet music with crackled paper from the 19th Century, or as pages cut out of poetry books published deep in the past. Some of them would go back stage at the little school house and church shows the Carters did in the mountain towns during the depression and gave an old ballad not sung since their grandparents time. Some of them would request a song that the Carters didn't know, and AP might ask them to sing the tune right then and there.

On top of this, of course, AP Carter had been known since he was a boy for singing songs, teaching singing schools, being willing to walk all day up and down the Southside Virginia mountains to find a good singer or good music. This is how he found Sara Addington, his wife who was a hell of a singer. Then when AP's brother married Maybelle Addington who was known as the best guitar and banjo picker in the valleys around there (and no slouch on the fiddle and mandolin too)since she was a teenager (and she was only 18 when the Carters began recording) they were set. This may have been a plot, because a lot of the time AP would go up and over the mountains up and down walking all day to court a reluctant Sara, she would be sitting in the parlor singing or playing the autoharp, or learning guitar chords, along with her cousin Maybelle's guitar, banjo, or fiddle.

AP Carter was the real song catcher. These were a few of the hundreds of songs he caught, a few that were written by himself, Sara, and Maybelle.

So this is, in fact, an encyclopedia of the songs that were sung by Black and white working folks, farmers, musicians, rounders, up and down the mountains of Viriginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentcuky and the songs migrants took with them to Washington and Detroit. This is a treasure trove for anyone wnating to return to the lost world of those people, or to find songs from those years that speak to our lives and problems. Besides they are pretty good to listen to!

One good thing about this collection is that you hear a lot of the tunes they did in finger picking and slide guitar styles that Maybelle learned from Leslie Riddle. A lot of modern performers do them just flat picking, or the thumb and strum style Maybelle is best known for.

At this price, everyone with ears needs this.

If at all interested - PURCHASE!!!!
This collection is simply one the best bargains you can possibly get - The music is great obviously and the price and the sound are tops - I can not reccomend this set more highly

Great price, great content!
I listened to these CDs in one sitting, it was so captivating. JSP has done a very good job at remastering, and if you want a comparison then go to www.honkingduck.com, click on 78s, then click on Artist, then click on C to get to the Carter Family. They have entire songs from original 78 records as well as from tapes from original records. Listen to the samples on Amazon and compare them to the originals. The remastering is so good that you can hear Maybelle's nails on the strings of her guitar, and you can hear Sara's autoharp ringing in the background.

This set is 100% recommended.

If you want to listen to the roots of our musical heritage, listen to the Carter family!

Musical History
I read the book "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?" by Mark Zwonitner which is an outstanding history of the Carter Family. The Original Carter Family broke up when I was 5 years old so I had only heard very little about the Orginal Family but became very familar with Mother Maybelle and her daughters. After reading the book I shopped around and found this 5 CB set of the remastered RCA recordings. By the time you get to the #5 CD you fully understand what an impact the folks had the music industry. A.P., Sara, and Maybelle probably never realized how good they were at the time these songs were recorded. All these recording were done with primitive equipment and I would imagine most all were done on one take using a single microphone. There are several songs included in these recording that will absolutely knock your socks off if you listen to them a couple of times and listen closely. If you enjoy the music of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff and other legends do yourself a favor and get the Carter Family RCA recordings.

Unbelievable value!
This is one of those stunning bargains which leaves you with gaping jaws and a big smile, if that's possible. For the price of TWO cds you get FIVE instead, all packed with 70 plus minutes of Carter Family gems, all in chronological order, and with fabulous sound quality which is BETTER than the American Rounder releases (and those releases only have about 45 minutes of music - I know, I bought some of them!). Can this really all be true? YES! It's true. The only thing you don't get in this dirt cheap box set is decent sleeve notes, but I'm not going to complain!
As for the actual music, it's unmissable early country music sung and played by Sara and Maybelle Carter with the help of A P Carter, husband of Sara. It has a deep magic about it - try a few if you never heard them, they'll hypnotise you. The harmonies are splendid, the guitars are luminous, it's pure like a mountain stream. You cannot go wrong with this one! ... 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

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Celtic fiddles, Irish reels, old-time banjo, gospel vocals, and Latin percussion forge a common spirit within the uncommonly vibrant fusion of the Duhks (pronounced "ducks"). The young band from Winnipeg casts a wide net over traditional influences, breathing fresh life into the age-old balladry of "The Wagoner's Lad," generating a dynamic tension between the soulful depth of Jessica Havey's vocals and Tania Elizabeth's fiddle on a pair of spiritual standards ("Death Came a-Knockin'" and "True Religion"), and keeping the dance floor jumping with their sprightly instrumental medleys. Though the Canadian quintet doesn't feature much original material, they extend their interpretive reach to contemporary songs as well, with the desperate edge of Ruth Ungar's "Four Blue Walls" providing a bracing change of mood, while the bittersweet rendition of Paul Brady's "You and I" (with the songwriter on harmony vocals) carries the musical interplay beyond the traditional realm. (Their attempt at fellow Canadian Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" represents a rare misstep, lacking both the droll humor and the dark fatalism of the original.) Banjo iconoclast Béla Fleck coproduced the album, championing the Duhks as fellow trailblazers who use traditional elements to create a sound all their own. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Phenomenal!
I was flipping channels one day and came across the Duhks video for "Mists of Down Below" on a country music channel and became completely blown away.I had to hear more.I logged on to Amazon to hear samples of the rest of the songs and instantly fell in love.I knew I had to have that cd the same day.I have not felt that connect with a group and song since I ran out and bought Tracy Chapman's debut album after hearing "Fast Car".I should have bought 2 copies because I usually can't wait to leave work so that I can hear it in my car.Love every bit of it!

Duhks Explode!
Duhks explode on their self titled CD with delightfully infectious "Death Came A Knockin'" with Scott Senior's percussion making the track pop & crack as Jessica Havey's lead vocals send this track through the roof."Four Blue Walls" written by the Mammals' Ruth Ungar is a powerful soulful bluesy acoustic track about family secrets with Havey's vocals snarl with passion, "He told her she was looking for trouble & she said, "That's right.""True Religion" is another traditional track that the Duhks polish to a wonderful luster.Duhks take Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" and supply great musicianship with Leonard Podolak taking a turn on lead vocals making this a classic interpretation of this great songwriter's work.The French track "Du Temps Que J'Etais Jeune/Gabriella's Jig" transports us to Quebec.Sting's "Love Is the 7th Wave" is sung in medley.Duhks has great energy and showmanship that makes this a great recording.Bravo!

Wonderful even for Folk-ignorant listeners
I don't know anything much about folk music, but I really love this.I saw their video on a late-night cable country music channel, loved the song, and looked them up at one of the online music download stores.I was going to buy just that song (Mists of Down Below), but they had more than three that I liked, so I ordered this CD.I'm pleased to say that I love all of it, even the instrumental pieces. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.I love Jessica Havey's voice and the fast, intricate instrumentation.If this folk-ignoramous likes it this much, it has real cross-over appeal.

Formerly Scruej MacDuhk
I SAW THESE GUYS TWICE AT THE WINNIPEG FOLK FEST(ONCE UNDER THEIR FORMER NAME, WHICH THAT EVIL CORPORATION DISNEY MADE THEM CHANGE), THEY FREAKIN ROCK

Acoustic bliss!
I've been watching the Duhks live and been a listening fan for a couple years. These "kids" can rock/jam/and beat some fine rhythyms! They are individually and singularly talented musicians. Keep em coming!! ... Read more

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With her impeccable musicianship and consummate taste, Alison Brown takes the banjo far from its rural traditions. If this is roots music, it no longer has any dust on its boot heels, as she engages in sophisticated interplay with Stuart Duncan's soaring fiddle on "The Sound of Summer Running," takes a Celtic romp with Sam Bush's sprightly mandolinon "The Magnificent Seven," and fashions a tone poem of atmospheric impressionism in "The Pirate Queen." Though instrumentals dominate, guest vocalists include the Indigo Girls on a revival of Simon and Garfunkel's"Homeward Bound," Beth Nielsen Chapman on a spiritually radiant rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Angel," Andrea Zonn on the folk ballad "One Morning in May," and Mary Chapin Carpenter--billed as "Thigdalia Boomchick"--backed by a female chorus of Boomchicks onBoo Hewerdine's "Prayer Wheel." Brown's eclectic synthesis of bluegrass/jazz/classical/folk/new age is closer to NPR than Grand Ole Opry, more fitting for Sunday brunch than a Saturday night hoedown. --Don McLeese ... Read more

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Less than a year after the release of CSN's groundbreaking debut, the group returned with Stephen Stills's former Buffalo Springfield cohort/rival Neil Young augmenting the threesome. The result is a less concentrated but more kinetic creation; Young swims through the celestial harmonies of rock's best barbershop trio like a fly in consommé. While somewhat dated ("Almost Cut My Hair"? Wait a while, David, it'll fall out), Deju Vu is teeming with early '70s FM staples, including "Helpless," "Teach Your Children," and "Our House." --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (79)

Rock Classic
For the release of Deja Vu, the already powerful trio of Crosby, Still & Nash became even better by adding a fourth, Neil Young. The album is a great collection of songs, played by artits at the peak of their powers. Although some of the themes (i.e. "Almost Cut My Hair") are heavily dated, CSN&Y's harmonies are timeless. Their vocalizing on "Our House", "Teach Your Children" and Neil Young's brilliant "Helpless" is absolutely gorgeous. The album brings forward each of the members' individual stylings from Stills' folk-rock to Nash's ballads to Young's country-rock to Crosby's hippie-rock and blends them seemlessly on the album. "Carry On" opens the album with a kick, "Deja Vu" adeptly captures Crosby's state of mind at the time, "4+20" is a short but powerful song and the scorching "Woodstock" is the hippie generation's anthem. It would be 7 years before CSN would release a studio album and almost another 20 before the quartet would release one(the awful American Dream). They never again would match the creative and commercial power of this album.

perfecto mundo
Deja vu is the quintessential album of the 1960's counterculture. No less than 7 cuts from the disc, 'Carry On', 'Teach Your Children', 'Almost Cut My Hair', 'Woodstock', 'Our House', 'Deja vu', and 'Everybody I Love You' can be considered poster children for all the New Left stood for and aspired to in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It is a remarkable disc, equaled only by the debut Crosby, Stills and Nash LP in its social relevance, and in pioneering and defining the folk-rock genre.

Each of the four artists in this, the quintessential rock 'supergroup', contributes two of the most essential compositions in their careers. The album was particularly noteworthy for the writings of David Crosby ('Almost Cut My Hair' and 'Deja vu') and Graham Nash ('Teach Your Children' and 'Our House'), and the stunning background vocal contributions they provide on the Stills and Young compositions, excepting the solo acoustic '4 + 20'.

Stills, who played most of the instruments on the debut CSN LP, backs off a bit to leave room for Dallas Taylor on drums and Greg Reeves on bass. Jerry Garcia and John Sebastian are also credited with instrumental contributions. In addition to the stark '4 + 20', Stills reaches back into his past, culling lyrics from his Buffalo Springfield classic, 'Questions', to serve as a coda on the opener, 'Carry On', and springs forward into his future to graft lyrics that would open 'Know You Got To Run' from his second solo LP into 'Everybody I Love You'. Neil is given a rare co-songwriting credit on 'Everybody...' with Stills (can you name another?). In spite of their long association, they weren't exactly Lennon and McCartney!

Despite all the aforementioned blockbuster songs, CS&N were apparently insecure in releasing the disc without adding Y. Neil offers the classic composition 'Helpless' and the underplayed medley 'Country Girl', which stands high among Young's finest works. Top off the collection with the hyper, grinding, high-flying rendition of the Joni Mitchell anthem, 'Woodstock', and you have one of the finest rock albums ever produced.

The album is a near perfect mix in terms of musical styles and subject matter. Though thought of today as somewhat stereotypical in personifying the 'hippie mystique', the album 'Deja vu' is representative of the ideals youth held, or at least liked to think they held, in the midst of the various social revolutions going on around them. It is nothing short of essential to any comprehensive collection of modern rock music, and to an understanding of the era and a generation.

A sign of the times, and their best offering.
Though they have released other fine albums, this is the best from these four legends. What else would you expect from former members of "The Byrds", "The Hollies", and "Buffalo Springfield"? Included are the classic tracks "Carry On", "Teach Your Children", "Our House", and "Woodstock". The others are all good too however. If you looking for this same quality of record without "Neil Young" (why would you do that), check out the debut from "Crosby Stills & Nash", it's just as good. Also the short but great "So Far" collection is roughly the best of these two albums. All of these releases will make you feel like you're in the 70's again. I think that's called "Deja Vu".

A quintessential album
This set may be well considered the best work of this unforgettable ensemble.
This album contains the real essence of the seventies. Filled with inspiration, and overall, commitment. This quartet was one of the top ten notable bands in USA , original sound , lyrics and wildness, charming and rebelness , country folk and wonderful songs . Think in Our house , a superb ballad , in contrast you have Woodstock .
This work is a must in your collection and in my personal opinion , one of the twenty most influyent albums in the rock music in any age.
Don't forget this team worked out in Woodstock and became one the most shinning stars in that unique musical meeting in 1969.

This Album Is CSNY's Defining Statement
DEJA VU is Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's defining statement. With Neil Young having overcome three handicaps (epilepsy, diabetes, polio) to add a little muscle to the original trio, this album combines hard rock and ballads with enormous success. This album defined not only CSNY, but a whole post-Woodstock generation, and is essential to any folk-rock collection. ... Read more

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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

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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 "Songbook" - 5 hours of glorious Lightfoot. Or you could buy "Gord's Gold" (the first album - not Vol. 2), which has some of other tracks; or you could have this. Personally, I would have them all, as the man is a genius. In fact, spend some serious money and buy ALL his albums.

I could play this from sunrise to "Sundown".
Seems like it would be hard to better "Gord's Gold", but this did. This collection is perfect for the average fan. 20 tracks including "Carefree Highway", "If You Could Read My Mind", "Beautiful", and the excellent "Sundown". Also here is "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald", which other collections miss. Something about "Gordon Lightfoot" stood out among the other 70's singer/songwriters. Be it his looks or voice, he was gentle, yet more masculine than others in the genre, and some of his songs even had a western vibe to them. Dare I call him cool? Highly recommended. ... Read more

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When Eva Cassidy is swinging her way through "Cheek to Cheek" and getting down and bluesy on "Stormy Monday" on this live set from 1996, it's nigh impossible not to get swept up in her voice's vast, barreling force. Her full range, though, becomes most obvious--and soul-shaking--on the slower side, as with Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water," Buffy Sainte-Marie's "Tall Trees in Georgia," and "What a Wonderful World." On these latter tunes, Cassidy's mix of aching clarity and rich warmth has a melting quality, speaking through the body to some evanescent presence that she seems to know all too well. She improbably makes Sting's "Fields of Gold" an emotional powerhouse just as easily as she makes Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow" an offhand declaration of feeling equal to nearly anything in the jazz vocal canon. In doing so she earns her place among the great singers--artists who could take any song and stamp it indelibly as their own. What Eva Cassidy had in her short life was an unbelievably perfect voice and a musical soul that grasped gospel, folk, blues, jazz, and all points in between as if they were mere stops on a single train ride. Alas, her ride ended in 1996, tragically early. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Reviews (109)

this cd will rarely leave your cd player, it's that good.
the first time i ever heard eva cassidy was 3 years ago, on a local dc jazz station (which, sadly, has since gone off the air). it was the song "what a wonderful world," which i normally find cloying. but eva's clear, strong, beautiful vibrato cut through my work day and made me sit back and listen. wow. when i went to buy the cd at the store i was looking for an african-american woman on the cover. i was shocked to see a blue-eyed blonde, looking folkie and meek, on the cover. but my god, the woman has the soul, depth and power reserved for the best of the best, including mahalia and 1960s aretha.

this cd, all covers, ranges from swinging jazz to traditional folk to blues. eva handles it all with incredible control and taste, with real singing and not the pyrotechno crap you hear on the radio these days. her range inspires awe, especially on "golden thread," in which she reaches a note that would give anyone else a hernia. her interpretation skills are amazing; she manages to breathe new life into songs that have been covered hundreds of times. particular standouts are "autumn leaves," "tall trees in georgia" and "fields of gold," all of which will make you cry; "golden thread," which is as spiritual as any hymn; and "fine and mellow" and "cheek to cheek," which are fun and sexy. the band is also in top form, keeping the sound tight and crisp while giving eva the spotlight.

eva's passing robbed her of what surely would have been a big, long career, and us of an enduring talent. buy this cd and you will not be disappointed.

Not the best Eva recording but still something truly special
At this stage, what is there to be said about the genius of Eva Cassidy that hasn't already been said a thousand times before?

All I can add is that you have never heard Ms Cassidy's voice before, I PROMISE that you will love it. Absolutely and completely fall in love with it. Eva's voice bypasses the head and instead goes straight to the heart. Once it is there you won't be able to remove it.

This CD was my introduction to Eva Cassidy and while I think the selection of songs could have been better, it is clear that she is a unique talent. I don't want to give the impression that this isn't a good record - quite the opposite; it is on occasion truly magnificent with Oh, Had I A Golden Thread and Tall Trees In Georgia being among Eva's best recordings and two of the most moving songs I have ever heard. It is a great place to start your Eva Cassidy collection - buy this CD, fall in love with it, then move on to Eva two crowing artistic acheivements Eva By Heart and Time After Time. That's the way to do it!

I don't joke when I say that the music of Eva Cassidy has enriched my life more that I thought any singer ever could and I am sure it will do the same for you.

If God wants you to own only one disc, THIS IS IT.
Hands down, the best music recorded ever, and i believe, eternally and a day.

The Artist/s. Eva Cassidy is so impressive and versatile on this disc. Words are not enough to describe her. She massages and caresses each and every note that would make your hairs literally stand from your skin (I call this a hairstanding ovation). But wait, unlike other Eva discs, this Blues Alley recording puts the other musicians (Chris, Lenny, Keith and Raice) right smack there in the center. A total BAND effort. And that makes it more exhilirating for me. The drums, the guitar licks, the bass, the piano . . . all were perfect.

The record. Another thing that makes this record such enjoyable is that it is recorded live in a very HOME-y set-up. You go to your house, put the disc in, you sit in and close your eyes and youll be mesmerized as the music comes alive, complete with a FEW claps from the relatively small Blues Alley (unlike in massive concerts). So, you'll get the feeling that they are REALLY performing at your house/room when you close your eyes. The recording is so great that the disc is now being used as a tester for branded speaker companies.

The songs. The songs herein would fit for almost any person. I love rock, and there's song #11. But I also love blues, so there's song #2. And man, song #3 or Bridge Over Troubled Water, now that's what I call sensuality in spirituality! You got to hear it. Then there's the songs Cheek to Cheek, Fields of Gold, What A Wonderful World and a lot lot more. Each song, perfect.

Overall, this disc WILL MOVE you in a way you've never felt before. To quote from someone, it's the "best glimpse of heaven yet." And it sells as how much? $30 was it? Nahh, this is priceless. Buy this, thank me later.

If you haven't bought any Eva disc yet, start with this, then American Tune.

Amazing
I first heard of Eva Cassidy in 1987 when I performed in the DC area... She was amazing then, and I wish to God she were with us today.

I have bought this CD for countless friends and family members, and they have all been bowled over. Everyone that I purchased this for is in the music business. Contrary to one reviewers opinion...Eva Cassidy embodies soul, and I love Ella, and Louie and many other great performers from yesteryear, but again, contrary to another reviewer, if Eva were alive today, she WOULD be at the top of the charts month after month.

Everytime I hear her rendition of a popular standard or cover tune I think..."it will never be done any better than that!"

Please order this, and as many of her other albums endorsed by her family as you can...you will NOT be disappointed. She is truly amazing.

wow.
I cannot tell you in words... how this cd moves me. There are a handful of songs on this cd that are sung with such depth and soul... you cannot help but fall in love with it.

I get a chill down my back just listening to the cd right now. If you want a cd that will touch you right there - right there on your heart - music that speaks to YOU as if she is singing directly to you.... this is the cd to have. ... 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 hope