Customer Reviews

American Spirit

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

My personal experience with Mannheim Steamroller has always
been that the Fresh Aire and Christmas albums are the best
of their work, and their other albums tend to lack in
comparison.

Unfortunately, this one follows that pattern.

Not that its a bad album; I did enjoy listening to it.
Some of the songs, I think, appeared on some of their
other albums. Their rendition of "Fanfare for the Common
Man" sounds like every other recording of Copland's
classic I've ever heard; there's nothing at all "Steamroller"
about it.

And while its amusing to see C.W. McCall and Chip Davis
"reunited after all these years", "Convoy" is available
on several compilation albums. Sure, this one is digitally
remastered, but its a novelty song from the Seventies and
hardly worthy of special treatment. The other C.W. McCall
song, "Wolf Creek Pass", is kinda cute, but nothing special.

If you're a Mannheim Steamroller completist -- I am,
pretty much -- you'll want this album. But don't expect
it to be the quality of classics like my personal favorite,
Fresh Aire V.

I have been such a fan(as are most people)of the original and exciting arrangements that Chip Davis is famous for.
This MS recording fell way short of what I have come to expect--and maybe,I was expecting too much;but when I saw the ad,I was excited to think that our American hymns were going to get that creative makeover that MS was famous for.
There are a couple of tracks that are good music but NONE are the variations that are the MH signature sound--most are the traditional tunes with a little tech-tweak.
'Fanfare...' is good but sounds like any other orchestra."Battle Hymn..." is well done but has an irritating drum cadence throughout that sounds as though the microphone was too close.
They even slipped a couple of trucker tunes in try to fill space, I guess.It would seem that there are plenty of inspirational and uplifting American tunes that would have benefited from the Chip Davis magic without needing to raid an oldies file.
Oh well," I guess that you can not hit a homerun everytime!"

Reunited again? They never were apart. If you remove the novelty songs this would be a 3 to 4 star. With them it is barely a two. Buy it used.

This is a horrible collision of a Florida Theme park and Convoy (yep breaker 1 9)> I have loved every Christmas CD but this is a DOG. The Star Spangled Banner is a wimpy electric piano, and there are several "songs" that are read scripts that really sound like a poor copy of what you might find at a theme parks story of the US Presidents. At about the time you are ready to slit your wrist "America the Beautiful" comes along and you think that this isn't the worst you have ever heard. Convoy, the next song... is the worst. Fanfare is OK but get the real version from Boston Pops (Williams) America the Dream goes on or Telarc's American Jubilee (Kunzel)

Over all a complete dissapointment!

For Steamroller fans who enjoy their unique style, there is some of that here, but even the better is borrowed from previous efforts like "Yellowstone Morning" and "Cloudburst."

The unique Americana pieces are not quite up to Steamroller efforts that I'm use to, however, "Heritage" is well done with various melting pot themes going through it, as well "Fanfare for the Common Man" is nice.

Could have left out the C.W.McCall stuff.

Arrangements of Country Spirit numbers are strong, powerful additions to gathering catalogue of timely contemporary renditions.

This CD is very nicely put together. The songs I like the best are the star spangled banner, amercia the beautiful, and the battle hymn of the republic. This Cd is great for the fourth of july.

Was Chip on vacation when this CD was made? This reflects nothing of his work. I am a loyal MS fan!!!! I saw them in concert when they were in town. I own all their Fresh Aire CD's and Christmas CD's. I own several of their other CD's as well.

I was hoping on a really cool rendition of common songs for the fourth of july. What happened Chip?

This is the biggest let down. This CD should not even have Mannheim Steamroller on the title.

If you play any of their Christmas songs to a blindfolded person who is familiar with their work, they will know it's MS. If you play any track from this CD, they would never know. It was not done in the traditional Mannehim Steamroller fashion.

Chip, I beg you, please, create a truly unique Patriotic Album as only you and MS can do.

Don't waste your time or money or the plastic the CD and its case are made of.

I bought this on a whim, just before the 4th of July. My kids and I listened to it in the car on the way home. We like our Christmas CDs by Mannheim Stamroller - but this was a total disappointment. Its a dud.

I'd send you my copy for free, but it wouldn't be worth the shipping costs, or the efforts of the postal workers. Not worth the space it takes on my CD shelf, not worth the space it would take up in the landfill...what to do with it? I guess I'll burn it...nah, that would just make thick black smoke. Hmmm.

Maybe I'll leave it where someone will steal it. It will serve them right! Maybe people in hell will have to listen to it...over and over...aaagh!

Did I mention I don't like it at all?

You've been warned.

I'm a staunch Steamroller fan with a complete collection of their stuff. Sad to say, this album just does not meet their normally grand standards. Fans of "Battle Hymn of The Republic" and "Home On The Range" will be sorely disappointed. The arrangements are very weak by comparison to any of their other stuff. This album was just released a few days ago, and there are already two people offering copies of it used. There are three good cuts on this album, so all is not lost.

This wasn't a bad CD, but it was NOT what you typically think of when you think of Manheim Steamroller music. I was expecting electronica patriotic music. I got a kinda old trucker country sort of music. No wonder it's so cheap compared to the other MS cds...