Customer Reviews

Unforgettable

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was a little hesitant to purchase this cd since I saw that it was remixed/remastered and generally you don't want to mess with something if it ain't broke. But the remixes were welcome enhancements to old songs and the mix on this cd is excellent, with some old covers, "I'll Be There" and "Sea of Love," and of course his staple, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which is a very refreshing and different remix of the original. My wife and I named our son after Iz, and this is his favorite cd at only 2 weeks old.

The version of Over the Rainbow was different than the one I had hoped to purchase and I didn't like it as well as the other version I have heard from this artist. I wanted the simple one with just him playing his ukelele.

This is my review of the new cd 'unforgettable' Israel Kamakawiwo'ole & The Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. In general, I LOVED it as I do all of the Iz cds. I found it to be very smooth and soothing, love the backgrounds and the selections. I usually prefer Hawaiian music to be in the native language but when Iz sang 'I'll be there', 'Sea of love', 'You don't know me' and 'I'll remember you' he made them sound like Hawaiian love songs. The bonus to this cd was the 'newly found' release of 'Paper Doll' originally written in 1915, a hit by the Mills Brothers and Frank Sinatra and put to a new arrangement by James Studer of Kailua/Los Angeles. It is always wonderful to find a new gem by a beloved artist. The one thing I didn't love on this cd was the first track, "Over the rainbow." With Iz having recorded the sensational version that we have all come to know and love, this version was too raw for me where the other tracks were 'smooth like buttah'!

What a disappointment. If I didn't know it was IZ I would not have recognized his voice. The instrumentation overwhelmed his voice and the strong drum beat ruined the style I associate with IZ. Even the smooth beautiful voice of IZ was gone from the songs.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was a wonderful singer, a tremendoss loss to the music world when he passed. My brother Chuck got me hooked on his music a few years ago, and I've been a fan ever since. Once you hear him, you never forget him.

I totally enjoy this mans voice. It is so very relaxing! I like to listen when driving or taking a bubblebath to just calm me. Worth every penny!

At least not the hawaiian music environment. I didn't have high expectations for this collection. I love Iz and the Makaha Sons. These selections are taken from the period when Iz and his brother were the foundation of the Makaha Sons of Niihau. They did some wonderful stuff. Then Iz went on his own and the Makaha Sons of Niihau became the Makaha Sons. And they all made wonderful music. So, go back to the original collections of the Makaha Sons of Niihau and skip this disk. Yes some is good but most is only okay and sadly you'll even find one or two that are poor. And I guess I'll keep buying anything "new" from Iz and probably continue to be disappointed.

Great compilation CD with IZ and the Makaha Sons of Ni'Ihau. It includes some the the Classics IZ made famous, as well as some I had never heard before, and some with his original group that IZ began his career with! I love "I remember You"! Melts me every time!

The CD is truely unforgettable. His voice is very soothing. I listen too it over and over. He is a wonderful artist.

Nice cut. The "Over the Rainbow, Wonderful World" compilation was better on a later album though. However, you can't go wrong with IZ. And if you want a little Hula, here's the album.