Customer Reviews

Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(3 & 1/2 stars) With 2 CDs and 35 songs, it was inevitable that there would be some good and bad aspects of a benefit collection such as Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now. Overall, it's a decent enough effort and one that certainly goes toward a worthy cause.

Among the many good songs on this collection, I especially like Coldplay's live version of "Fix You," with thousands of Dutch people singing along with every word. (The song is only slightly marred by the farewell words sung by Chris Martin at the end, as the song was apparently the last number in the show.) I also enjoyed the songs by BB King and Bonnie Raitt. Then there are agreeable songs by people I would not ordinarily expect to get into given my tastes, including the songs by "Diddy" and Barbara Streisand. A great orchestral arrangement on the latter tune. I also like the fact that there is a New Orleans music theme to the collection, including many real N.O. musicians spread throughout the whole thing.

Unfortunately there is one huge glaring problem that does detract from this album being quite as good as it could have been. It's the three sickly-sweet all-star songs, "Heart of America," "Tears In Heaven," and the title track. These slick, schmaltzy productions carry on the very unfortunate tradition of songs like "We Are The World" and primarily the awful "That's What Friends Are For." Basically they succeed at "Hollywood-izing" the songs, removing any genuine emotion and replacing it with extreme blandness & artificiality. [There is one other all-star track that I did not include in the above list of shame because it IS authentic, Dr. John's "Goin Back to New Orleans," made with a big group of N.O. names.]

Here are a couple of other aspects of Come Together Now that are worth noting. With such a wide and diverse roster of artists contributing songs, it should be no surprise that there are some very JARRING and abrupt transitions between songs, such as switching from Coldplay to Clint Black! Sometimes these artist combos produced some interesting mixtures of names, with an Elton John song right after DOCTOR John (both "Johns" are stage names of course) and the unrelated Angie Stone and Joss Stone singing on the same cut. (The family Stone, I guess...)

This CD is mistakenly listed as a single CD. It is, in fact, a 2 CD set. The second CD track list includes such venerables as Bonnie Raitt, James Brown, Barbara Streisand, the Winans, etc. There's a lot of truly inspiring music on this CD. Start with Raitt's "I will not be broken" and end with B. Kelly's "Let your light shine." This is a truly generous offering for music lovers and one I think would make a valuable addition to any collection.

This two disc set is one of my all time favorites!! I have had it since very late 2005/early 2006 when it was released and it continues to be one of my most listened to. That says something about its staying power. I absolute love the variety and depth to the CDs. There is such soul and feeling to the performances and all are top-rate and few will be found in any other location. I also cherish the collaboration of artists some of which are so unexpected (John Mayer & Aaron Neville, Norah Jones & Wyclef Jean etc) I was suprised at the performances of some of the artists and how much I appreciated all the variety and there is first rate variety in this two disc set. There is no better blend of jazz and blues, spirituals, modern mainstream etc than this set. I am just glad that you cannot wear out CDs! Granted like any album there will be songs that will become your personal favorites for whatever reason and there are ones on this 2-disc set that are more my favorites but NONE are bad. I CANNOT think of a better value!!

For the record, the other reviews on this page refer to another CD that was for Katrina relief... but the song on this page is Come Together Now, a song written by Michael W. Smith, David Mullen and Cindy Morgan - and produced by Bryan Lenox - to remind people of the need to help those in Haiti. (see: [...] )

In the vein of We Are The World, this is a beautiful and uplifting song with a number of great Christian artists involved and the profits go to Samaritan's Purse and The Red Cross to help the people of Haiti.

This is a great example what a benefit/relief effort is all about; people from all loctions focused on one goal. Many genres of musical talent helping one key national crisis. A personal friend and favorite in the Arizona Music Scene is the great Jerry Lawson who teams with his new a capella venture, "Talk Of The Town" and the magnificent Rod Stewart on Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".

Every cut on this cd is wonderful. Our entire family loves it, and we have jazz/pop/hip hop/rap fans! I bought it for one song and was shocked to see so many great songs...it is well worth the money. I had never heard a few of the artists, but I am now a loyal fan. The songs with huge choirs of singing stars were such a bonus. Sadly, I couldn't find any of the words for the songs on any lyric site on the Internet or in the CD. It would be nice to have those lyrics...that's my only criticism. Great music!

Purchased for a relative that wasn't able to find the product themselves. It was what they was looking for because of a particular song that was only put on this cd. They was very happy I was able to find it.

I had recently heard part of this cd at a party and enquired as to what it was. I found that it was a two cd compilation of songs by many artists to be dedicated to the Katrina hurricane victims. All the proceeds from this cd went to a few places, such as habitat for humanity and others related to assistance to the people of New Orleans. Many of the artists were from Louisiana. This is an excellent eclectic musical ride and two fold in that it is helping the devestated people and area.

Will buy just about anything that is related to Katrina recovery! This is very good.

I am a product of the 1970's. I graduated HS in '79 and my musical tastes reflect that era. That said, I got the CD b/c Harry Connick, Jr was on it.

Had someone told me I'd be listening to and enjoying P Diddy, R Kelly, and Kanye West I'd have not believed them.

My fave track has to be "What Would Jesus Do" by the, unknown by me, Chris Thomas King. He, apparently, wrote this after evacuating from the city and it really moved me. Made me think esp. these lines:
Tell me America what would Jesus do?
Tell me what would Jesus do
If he had to walk a mile in my shoes?

Would he steal the food to feed the hungry and the poor?
If a child needed shelter, would he break down a door?

Would he take a moment's rest
would he have a moment's peace
with all His children still in misery?

I am surprised nobody mentioned Chris or his song

This CD certainly led me to some artists heretofore unknown to me & that was worth the price of the CD for sure