Thursday, November 20, 2003
LET IT BE...NAKED?
Well, read if you will the USA TODAY luke-warm review of this (actually double CD) and then the NEW YORK POST (nypost.com) review that was fairly glowing, and they are both right.
BUT it is for Hard-Core-Beatle-Fans-Only in my book.
I actually prefer the beautiful orchestrations of the Phil Spector original LET IT BE than the current stripped down show. And the cute little sayings, like at the end of the album where Ringo says, "I hope we passed the audition" are long gone on the new arrival. Pitty, it gave it a nice touch.
You will hear the songs "cut" to be single entities, in an album that was supposed to be raw studio work sounding, and yet, the music IS raw sounding with Ringo up front on most cuts and nice (amazingly reproduced given the year of the original) acoustic guitar strumming.
I guess you will have to be the judge. LET IT BE is one of my 3 favorite Beatle albums of all time (the others being ABBEY ROAD and SGT PEPPER). And I don't think this new arrival is worth the hype, or lends itself to any real improvement on the original.
NOTE: McCartney, who supposedly kicked up a stink about Phil Spector's final product the first go-round DOES play the songs in his solo shows VERY much like the Spector versions. Hummmmmm, Paul in need of a little more cash, no, it's probably Ringo.
LET IT BE...NAKED gets 3/5 stars
LET IT BE (the original) is a 5 star CD in my book. More later,
Zeph, out.
Well, read if you will the USA TODAY luke-warm review of this (actually double CD) and then the NEW YORK POST (nypost.com) review that was fairly glowing, and they are both right.
BUT it is for Hard-Core-Beatle-Fans-Only in my book.
I actually prefer the beautiful orchestrations of the Phil Spector original LET IT BE than the current stripped down show. And the cute little sayings, like at the end of the album where Ringo says, "I hope we passed the audition" are long gone on the new arrival. Pitty, it gave it a nice touch.
You will hear the songs "cut" to be single entities, in an album that was supposed to be raw studio work sounding, and yet, the music IS raw sounding with Ringo up front on most cuts and nice (amazingly reproduced given the year of the original) acoustic guitar strumming.
I guess you will have to be the judge. LET IT BE is one of my 3 favorite Beatle albums of all time (the others being ABBEY ROAD and SGT PEPPER). And I don't think this new arrival is worth the hype, or lends itself to any real improvement on the original.
NOTE: McCartney, who supposedly kicked up a stink about Phil Spector's final product the first go-round DOES play the songs in his solo shows VERY much like the Spector versions. Hummmmmm, Paul in need of a little more cash, no, it's probably Ringo.
LET IT BE...NAKED gets 3/5 stars
LET IT BE (the original) is a 5 star CD in my book. More later,
Zeph, out.
Friday, November 14, 2003
MANDY MOORE's LATEST....
http://www.mandymoore.com/video/havealittlefaithvidfull_100.asx
Highlight, and paste the above link in your browser to see the new MANDY MOORE video, "Have a Little Faith in Me" from her new CD "Coverage." It's a great collection, of great (mainly 80s) classic songs. She does a wirlwind version of "One Way or Another" (original by Blondie of course), and Ms. Simon's "Anticipation."
This COVERAGE is a BUY at 5/5 stars if these songs are new to you, and perhaps a respectiful 4.5/5 stars with kudos to the original artists on these great tunes.
Now, go out and get MANDY MOORE "Coverage" NOW!!!
Zephy, out....more later
http://www.mandymoore.com/video/havealittlefaithvidfull_100.asx
Highlight, and paste the above link in your browser to see the new MANDY MOORE video, "Have a Little Faith in Me" from her new CD "Coverage." It's a great collection, of great (mainly 80s) classic songs. She does a wirlwind version of "One Way or Another" (original by Blondie of course), and Ms. Simon's "Anticipation."
This COVERAGE is a BUY at 5/5 stars if these songs are new to you, and perhaps a respectiful 4.5/5 stars with kudos to the original artists on these great tunes.
Now, go out and get MANDY MOORE "Coverage" NOW!!!
Zephy, out....more later
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
R.E.M.
In Time: The Best of 1988-2003
Briefly, this is EXACTLY what it says, but get the 2 CD "deluxe" package with an additional CD containing an hour of oddities, capped off by an acoustic live version of "The One I Love" which twists the original melody somewhat and is alone worth the extra few dollars for the extra disc. Note Disc one, which is a great back-to-back pop collection, with the essential REM difference--reallly meaniful lyrics/emotions/issues, runs about 75 minutes!
Now, note it's onlly 88-03. If you want a more complete collection you have got to buy another disc. In the USA for a reasonable price there is EPONYMOUS, but I suggest instead the German Import "The Best of REM" out in 1991. It is longer and contains more music and better edits of the songs. It runs about 60 minutes as well.
If you know anyone going to or living in London, England, you can buy it at a place called Music Zone near the corner of Oxford Street and Newman Street (just past the Virgin Megastore on the way to Oxford Circus, on the same side of Oxford Street as the Virgin Megastore, for a BARGAIN price of 6 British Pounds (well under 12 US Dollars, including tax).
Note, Virgin Megastore will have a MUCH MUCH MUCH better selection of music (and DVD and even a great new musical instrument/sound system shop in the basement), but on the one or two odds and ends, Music Zone is much cheaper.
Music Zone's URL is www.musiczone.co.uk. I don't know how their web operation is, but I can tell you, IF (and only IF) you are willing to spend the time to look around in the above shop, you WILL find bargains, even by USA standards.
So the bottom line is the deluxe 1988-2003 alone gets a solid 4/5 stars, but add the Best of REM import and the 3 discs together run up the score to 5/5 for a wonderfully complete (albeit abridged) REM instant primer.
Note: there is also an REM "singles" collection on single disc (available at HMV and Virgin and Music Zone) that contains 20 songs. BUT many are edited, for example "The One I Love" is cut down, as is "The End of the World as We Know It" and I would avoid this disc. At least one "song" (which is a trivial piece to this Zephyr's ears) is under 2 minutes.
If the German import of the first phase "best of" is outrageously expensive, the USA Eponymous is a rational second choice to get a REAL FEEL of REM.
--------------------------------------------------------------
As promised....
ROD STEWART
GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK 2...
Oh well, he said on the ABC TV broadcast "the View" he would not repeat his first Great American Songbook effort, but THAT was 4 million CD sales ago...and well Rod has alot of women and children (and no doubt lawyers) to support.
The 2nd edition is weaker than the first. The duet with Cher proves neither one of them can carry this material very very well. I wish he had just sang the songs with more feeling. Yet the music DOES hold up and is enjoyable, for it's genre. Remember these are largely from the 1930s. Great songs that endure, make this a buy, but qualified to taste of this only. Get the 1st disc first and IF you like that, ok, plunk down for the new this year 2nd volume.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
More later friends,
Zeph, out
In Time: The Best of 1988-2003
Briefly, this is EXACTLY what it says, but get the 2 CD "deluxe" package with an additional CD containing an hour of oddities, capped off by an acoustic live version of "The One I Love" which twists the original melody somewhat and is alone worth the extra few dollars for the extra disc. Note Disc one, which is a great back-to-back pop collection, with the essential REM difference--reallly meaniful lyrics/emotions/issues, runs about 75 minutes!
Now, note it's onlly 88-03. If you want a more complete collection you have got to buy another disc. In the USA for a reasonable price there is EPONYMOUS, but I suggest instead the German Import "The Best of REM" out in 1991. It is longer and contains more music and better edits of the songs. It runs about 60 minutes as well.
If you know anyone going to or living in London, England, you can buy it at a place called Music Zone near the corner of Oxford Street and Newman Street (just past the Virgin Megastore on the way to Oxford Circus, on the same side of Oxford Street as the Virgin Megastore, for a BARGAIN price of 6 British Pounds (well under 12 US Dollars, including tax).
Note, Virgin Megastore will have a MUCH MUCH MUCH better selection of music (and DVD and even a great new musical instrument/sound system shop in the basement), but on the one or two odds and ends, Music Zone is much cheaper.
Music Zone's URL is www.musiczone.co.uk. I don't know how their web operation is, but I can tell you, IF (and only IF) you are willing to spend the time to look around in the above shop, you WILL find bargains, even by USA standards.
So the bottom line is the deluxe 1988-2003 alone gets a solid 4/5 stars, but add the Best of REM import and the 3 discs together run up the score to 5/5 for a wonderfully complete (albeit abridged) REM instant primer.
Note: there is also an REM "singles" collection on single disc (available at HMV and Virgin and Music Zone) that contains 20 songs. BUT many are edited, for example "The One I Love" is cut down, as is "The End of the World as We Know It" and I would avoid this disc. At least one "song" (which is a trivial piece to this Zephyr's ears) is under 2 minutes.
If the German import of the first phase "best of" is outrageously expensive, the USA Eponymous is a rational second choice to get a REAL FEEL of REM.
--------------------------------------------------------------
As promised....
ROD STEWART
GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK 2...
Oh well, he said on the ABC TV broadcast "the View" he would not repeat his first Great American Songbook effort, but THAT was 4 million CD sales ago...and well Rod has alot of women and children (and no doubt lawyers) to support.
The 2nd edition is weaker than the first. The duet with Cher proves neither one of them can carry this material very very well. I wish he had just sang the songs with more feeling. Yet the music DOES hold up and is enjoyable, for it's genre. Remember these are largely from the 1930s. Great songs that endure, make this a buy, but qualified to taste of this only. Get the 1st disc first and IF you like that, ok, plunk down for the new this year 2nd volume.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
More later friends,
Zeph, out
Sunday, November 02, 2003
BIG NEWS!!!
Avril Lavigne's new DVD will be in USA stores on (this) Tuesday November 4th!!! For those of you who have never seen her in concert, this IS the DVD of the season to get and enjoy, and makes a wonderful holiday gift for any music fan.
ROCK ON!
Zeph, out
Avril Lavigne's new DVD will be in USA stores on (this) Tuesday November 4th!!! For those of you who have never seen her in concert, this IS the DVD of the season to get and enjoy, and makes a wonderful holiday gift for any music fan.
ROCK ON!
Zeph, out
