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Celtic Woman

Fueled by healthy public appetite for traditional melodies and quasi-ethnic roots, the crossover genre continues to flourish with this debut release from Ireland's Celtic Woman ensemble. The brainchild of Sharon Browne, Dave Kavanaugh (founders of Ireland's successful Celtic Collections label) and young Riverdance touring company musical director David Downes, CW's five young women musicians and vocalists offer up an ever pleasant, Eire-savvy fusion of folk, pop and classical influences. Avoiding the intrusive, club-beat/sex kitten window dressing of Bond, the ensemble tackles material that ranges from the expected (spare, lovely covers of "Danny Boy" and "Ave Maria") to more adventurous fare like "Nella Fantasia" (Ennio Morricone's vocal adaptation of his rapturous theme from The Mission) and Enya's "Orinoco Flow." Elsewhere, "The Butterfly" offers up fiddle-fueled take on their Riverdance parallels (which also get a workout on the live bonus tracks), if renditions of Downes' originals like "One World" and "Send Me a Song" and "Someday" from Disney's animated Hunchback of Notre Dame hew slavishly to the middle of the road -- which largely seems the album's easy-listening intention. --Jerry McCulley

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Customer Review:

Eire de Toilette

The most revolting piece of Irish drivel since the onslaught of the execrable Enya, this dreary, detestable piece of Irish goop inches slowly to gold status thanks in no small part to the profusion of PBS. Their animism naive, and the soft-core eroticism snares the male demographic for all its perky refrain. My grade: D

More than a fad ... delightful renaissance of musicianship and melody

You've seen these world music phenomena happen before: a sudden interest in some exotic fare such as Cuban music or teen opera or tap dancing or pretty Asian violinists, and all of the sudden, millions of suburbanites are rushing to keep up with their neighbors and the newest musical trend. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But CELTIC WOMAN is so much more than a fad and so much more than a token of the listener's trendiness.

These ladies have spine-tinglingly lovely voices and their interpretations add new life to many familiar tunes and cast a warm glow on some tunes that are not as familiar. The traditional Celtic instrumentation is rich, but restrained and played flawlessly. However, "flawless" doesn't mean "soulless." In fact, each singer and musician brings a great deal of passion and loving care to this presentation.

Standout cuts...and it's tough to choose because they are all good...would include: "Harry's Game," "May it Be," "Nella Fantasia," and the standard "She Moved Thru the Fair."

This is a Must-have CD. Not because your neighbor has it. But because you will find a great deal of comfort and inspiration each time you hear it.

One thing this release proves (as well as some of the other PBS-fueled phenomena in the past) is that American audiences are very hungry for classical melodies, stellar musicianship, and thoughful vocals.

PBS scores!

This CD is an excellent example of why some of us have stopped contributing to PBS. Why do I bother to review something I find so irrelevant? Only because the term "classical" is used by the Amazon reviewer and others. There is nothing remotely approaching classical music in this compilation of dental office Muzak; no potential buyer should be conned into thinking there's classical music here. Even Lawrence Welk would have been ashamed to put his name on drivel like this.

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Keywords: Celtic Pop; Celtic/Irish; Contemporary Celtic; Int'l & World Music; Pop; Television Soundtrack;

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Youth

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Futures

Enhanced;

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Customer Review:

opposite of blender

Personally, I can't stand Blender. But Youth is a great album. I love it. Under Heaven Skies really should be a single, its a great song. But This song has a ton of great songs: Home, Satellite, General Attitude, How Do You Love...This is up there with Dosage and self titled in my opinion. This CD is nothing like Blender, so don't listen to those ppl, I don't know what they are talking about....

You guys that diss Youth, you have no freakin idea

All you guys that think Youth is just a part 2 of Blender you guys are on crack cocaine. Come on, you wouldnt even know good home grown rock if it hit you in the face, most bands around know are all a bunch of washed up indecent losers that sing about doing drugs and having sex and murdering people, thats retardism for you guys. Collective Soul is the best Rock band out there, i saw them for the first time live today and they blew the roof off the place, you guys just dont know how to appreciate good rock-n-roll, thats what its all about dudes and babes. I'm trying to see things from your point of view but i cant get my head shoved that far up my butt so maybe try me back when you actually learn to appreciate collective soul, theyre gonna go far in the business and they already have and they'll go farther. I dont see you guys who are dissing them out making music as good as collective soul's, why dont you go show them how much better you can do, but i doubt it will happen. You guys that are dissing them you guys suck. long live collective soul and good homegrown rock and roll. Youth is a great album, they go back to what makes them a band, youre all doing too much drugs to take the time to notice it.

Better Now is the Closest thing to Gel

When I popped in this CD, Better Now attacked my speakers like a stripped down Bowie song. The horns are a great addition to the normally tech sounding riffs of CS. The album overall is strong, I just wish they would dump all of the cheesey ballads which I never liked (I understand that others love them) If they would go for a full album of hard-powered rock tunes, they would reestablish themselves as one of the only survivors from the 90's (with Green Day, Foo Fighters)

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Keywords: Alternative Pop/Rock; American Trad Rock; Hard Rock; Pop; Post-Grunge; Rock; Rock/Pop; United States of America;

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Got You on My Mind

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Customer Review:

A real breath of fresh air!

2 albums in 9 years??! I couldn't imagine what Madeleine Peyroux was up to!
Than a newsletter arrives & informs me of GOT YOU ON MY MIND. What a treat!! William Galison & Madeleine are a great match. How I would've loved to see them live!
This is just one wonderful recording!

Got This Album On My Mind

"Got You On My Mind" (Waking Up Music) is the musical collaboration of William Galison & Madeleine Peyroux featuring a series of standards and original genre pieces. The subject of the album seems to focus on relationship ideas, positive and negative, collectively spinning through a multitude of styles to reach its final destination. This album was recorded prior to Peyroux's own sophomore effort "Careless Love," during a time that the two shared a romantic and artistic relationship. Legal issues with Peyroux's current label prevented the immediate release of this compilation, which thankfully offers multiple pieces of interest for the appreciative audience

The opening track is a delightful cover of "Back In Your Own Back Yard" that is sizzling good swing superior to a multitude of previous versions of this standard. As always, Madeleine Peyroux sounds like Billie Holiday reincarnated for a modern audience. Her voice is a wonder to behold-and if anything, Peyroux's vocals offer slightly more whimsy than those of the great Holiday. The pairing with Galison and his excellent multi-instrumental skills focusing here on the harmonica and guitar, gives this track, along with many others, that Django like sense so popular with the current dance crowds. "J'ai Deux Amours" allows Peyroux to offer cheer to a lover with delicate French chanteuse styling, and great tempo changes in the musical tapestry. "Flambee Montalbanese" is a Viennese Waltz brought to the listener by way of a covered gypsy wagon--an excellent fast-paced instrumental piece with an eastern European feel. The album's title track "Got You On My Mind" is a slow bluesy riff that gives the artists the opportunity to blend vocals, and knowing the origins of the album, becomes a strangely fitting and contemplative recording on reflection.

Other provocative selections on this compilation include "The Way You Look Tonight" played in a folksy-style with a bossa nova pulse under Peyroux's magical singing, and Galison's repentant lead vocals in the deeply bluesy "Shoulda Known," featuring Carly Simon as the Scorpion. There's a bit of a tribute to John Lennon with the slow and pensive "Jealous Guy," and a bit more comedic musical background entertainment with Galison's "Rags for Madi." The album's closer, "Heaven Help Us All" which gives the listener another duet from the artists, reaches out with a plea for the saving of mankind, but based on the overall themes presented, it may be a request for salvation from the things that exist in all of our hearts and our constant struggles with how we relate to each other.

Peyroux & Galison Make Magic On This Superb CD!!

Vocalist Madeleine Peyroux, who has become one of my favorites, collaborates with multi-instrumentalist musician William Galison in this outstanding CD recorded in 2003. The combination of Ms. Peyroux distinctive voice, and Mr. Galison masterful accompaniment on the harmonica and guitar, make this album a must have. As a team the duo conjures-up pure magic! The chemistry between them is absolutely palpable. There are three solo instrumentals on the disc, original compositions by Galison. His virtuoso work on the harmonica is superb, and the mournful "Jealous Guy" is one of my favorite cuts. The two are backed by some of the industry's top musicians, including drummer Shawn Pelton, Bob Dylan's bassist Tony Garnier, and Rod Stewart's bassist Conrad Korsch. Carly Simon makes a delightful cameo appearance in "Shoulda Known."

The opening track, "Back In Your Own Backyard" simply swings. Josephine Baker's sultry "J'ai Deux Amours is updated here, and Ms. Peyroux's rendition of Jerome Kerns' "The Way You Look Tonight" is performed with extraordinary depth, as is the title track. Galison and Peyroux sing a duet in "Heaven Help Us All" to the sound of Jean Baptiste Bocle's Hammond B3. Songs made famous by John Lennon and Stevie Wonder are also featured.

I first heard Madeleine Peyroux sing when I bought her highly acclaimed CD, "Careless Love." I was enchanted by her voice and her selection of songs and wanted more. Thus, "Got You on My Mind" joined my CD collection and certainly enriches it. I have heard many people couple Ms. Peyroux's name with Billy Holiday's. I don't want to be contrary, but I don't want to compare her smoky smooth sound to anyone else's either. To me, there is no other like "Lady Day," nor does there have to be. Madeleine Peyroux, who brings a husky, full-throated sensuality, along with joyous spontaneity and, at times, a romantic languor to her songs, certainly does not have to stand in another vocalist's shadow. She clearly stamps the music with her own special style - and a very classy one that is.
JANA

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Keywords: Jazz; Pop; Pop Vocals; Rock/Pop; United States of America; Vocal Jazz;

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Barrio Fino

Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee balances dance music with philosophical tunes on this 21-track CD. The engine driving this collection is the smash single "Gasolina," with its basic reggae beat and its catchy chorus "Dame mas gasolina!" ("Give me more gasoline"). Also highly danceable are "No me Dejes Solo," featuring guest singers Wisin y Yandel, and the English-language pop-reggaeton tune "Like You." But Daddy Yankee also reflects on his barrio on "Salud y Vida" ("Health and Life"), a rap tune that questions society's endless pursuit of material things. Like fellow raggeton artists Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee admires big-band salsa. Among his influences he counts noted singer Andy Montanez, who guests on the track "Sabor a Melao." Montanez's distinctive gruff vocals add a soulful flavor to the track. --Ramiro Burr

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Customer Review:

an energy boost!

About the album well is amazing isn't the best album of reggaeton, but isn't the worst, THIS IS THE ALBUM that make a place for reggaeton in the world. "lo que paso paso" "Gasolina" "Corazones" "Salud y vida" the man is amazing.

About reggaeton for the people that don't know anything and spoke a lot of s**t about, well let me tell u this is the heart of the people of the ghetto in Puerto Rico, is the mix of the sounds of our latin culture, reggaeton is DANCE isn't about social problems, that's why u listen salud y vida or corazones = HIP HOP and not reggaeton, the topic of the sex is in all kind of latin music, when I wanna listen a good album of hip hop talking about social problems I listen 79 but when I Wanna enjoy a good time with my girl in the disco I listen Da-ddy Yan-KEEE! About the song Gasolina of course is stupid, but man the music, the chorus, IS AMAZING who cares about the lyric of this song or everyone was talking trash about the vengaboys for the stupid song "UP N DOWN" in the 90's, these are songs created with one objective "Dance" another question about the new latin movement? Reggaeton isn't reggae isn't HIP HOP so don't try to judge the movement, just enjoy it.

Hot Daddy Yankee

i love his cd barrio fino it is the bom my favorite song on is "no me dejes solo" and he is so hot i say my self i might be able to go to one of his concerts some day and get his autograph.

This Man Is So Fine.

I went to a concert of his,and i couldn`t keep my eyes oh him, and his music is catchy and club banging.
You should tottaly buy this,along with don omar`s cd totally tight.

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Keywords: Latin; Latin Pop/Rock; Reggae; Reggaeton;

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