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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
great collection, November 3, 2005
Aaliyah - Rare Tracks and Visuals cd/dvd combo is a great buy. The cd has 3 classic Aaliyah Songs and 8 remixes of some of Aaliyah's greatest songs. But the dvd is the same one as on "Aaliyah Ultimate" (just region 2 ntsc encoded and not region free). If you already have "Ultimate Aaliyah" then, the dvd portion of this cd/dvd combo is probably completely useless. Also, 7 of 8 of the remixes are dance remixes. The "D'Jam Hassan" Remix to Try Again happens to be a rap remix. If you're not into DJ Dance remixes, then this may be a waste of money. But if you are, this is worth every penny.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Aaliyah Rarities Truly Classic & Timeless, September 28, 2009
Aaliyah is a shinning star, an inspiration, but most of all a legend overall entertainer who achieved in a small time span what famous artists take years to accomplish. Her memory lives on through her music rhythms, singing, and visuals. This double disc Special Edition includes rare tracks nicely mixed/remixed in disc 1 and a "heartfelt" "touching" documentary on the second taken from Ultimate Aaliyah. Extra visuals include full length videos in between the documentary plus Aaliyah, her family, friends, and team talking up close! The second disc is viewable outside the US or in Apple Computers that now include compatibility for PAL/NTSC 2 and other regions. It's a most definite worthwhile purchase for disc 1 alone for those who can't view the second. Disc 2 is viewable in the 3-disc Ultimate Aaliyah release.
The mixes/remixes are like no other sound ever heard. Aaliyah's vocals glide smoothly transitioning through the melody to enhance the listening experience as the effects are much more emphasized. "Rock The Boat" Club Mix by Mixzo [5:19] stands out for it's refreshing blend of laid back soft grooves, bouncy rhythms, and boom sounding whirl winds of echoes-- quite unique in bringing Aaliyah's most accomplished video and last to be extraordinary, impacting, and smashing! The Club Mix by Doug Lazy of Rock The Boat utilizes more synthesizers, strong repetitive bass-lines, and thumpin' dance club anthems. Electronic-a elevations, swirls, and thunderbolt type sounds prevail along Aaliyah's soft sweet "on the ears" vocals are projected. This song was one of Aaliyah's more mature creations she felt very proud of. A more edgy, risk taking side of her that she wanted her fans to see as she grew up in the spotlight.
"More Than A Woman" Maw Main Mix [8:50] stands out for it's extensive club sounds as well as other long mixes/remixes. "Try Again" Timbaland Remix is a true favorite for it's bounce, unique rhythms that only the true master of sounds like Timbaland can do. His chemistry with Aaliyah was definitely stated by Aaliyah. Her love for him was definitely apparent as she mentioned their friendship to be strong, close, and very much in chemistry, and like magic as they worked.
Hip-hop junkies play track 9, "Try Again" (D'Jam Hassan Remix) [5:00] the rap blended with the R&B, funk, and bass are off the chain hot. This sounds fresh, new, and SO amazing. I've never heard this type of remix--totally unique. Timbaland ends in the remix with his nice deep vocals. The bounce, beats, and "Tim" touch are out of this world.
The documentary is taken from Ultimate Aaliyah as it has those credits listed in the end. Aaliyah's brother Rashad speaks about how much his sister means to him, he gets emotional on some portions, and quotes some of her sayings. He also mentions [and is viewed on the video] how she held his hand to go up with him to give her thanks--as she was awarded best video"Try Again" in the Video Music Awards because she wanted to share her happiness with him. She looked at the audience speaks, and then looked at him and said, "You are my everything." They were tightly close and the way he expresses his love for her brings the viewer closer to getting to know Aaliyah. There are clips of Aaliyah talking, laughing, singing, and even mentioning how she'd like to be remembered. That to me was hard to listen to without wanting to shed a tear.
The narrator presents an array of producers, music artists, friends, and important people. Missy Elliott speaks regarding her close friendship in the studio and out, Timbaland is seen overly emotional barely able to speak, and her boyfriend and love of her life Damon Dash also makes quite a touching impact. Damon states that through Aaliyah you can see how you can achieve your dreams, and if you fall still be able to pick yourself up and try again as well as stay true to yourself and being beautiful. Her mother was briefly shown, her aunt, uncle, teachers, vocal coach, Editor of VIBE Magazine Emil, etc.
Famous celebrities aside Missy, Timbaland and Damon would include Mary J Blige, Diddy, Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Christopher John Farley Aaliyah : More Than a Woman, Static, Steward and Erick, J-Dub, Quincy Jones, Kevin Taylor, Delroy Lindo, Joel Silver, Russel Wong, Barry Hankerson [uncle], Eric [make-up artist], Fatima, Diane [Aaliyah's mom], Gladys Knight [aunt], Trecon and Derek Lee to name a few.
The documentary has an array of photos from the gallery extra to the actual footage. There's Aaliyah happy singing, as a youngster in Star Search, alone talking about her signature moves, and dancing. She is extensively seen expressing her goals, dreams, and musical direction. For Aaliyah it was about being an all around entertainer [off the documentary but from books I've read she admired Janet Jackson]. She wanted to sing, dance, and act. She trained for everything and said she learned in life that if you take a fall you have to "dust yourself off and Try Again.
Interesting to mention, a close friend [make-up artist] expresses how Aaliyah was not overtly sexual in her moves. It was something natural she had and not something she went out of her way to portray. All throughout my viewing of this documentary, readings, and close research I've found Aaliyah to be one of the few if not [the only] who never put her values, morals, or compromised them for anything in the show-business or entertainment world. That is rare nowadays and many commentators were expressing that too.
Her films were briefly mentioned with the videos that go with it and their viewing. The Try Again Video was discussed by Aaliyah as being stunts she actually did "do" in the movie Romeo Must Die and in the video. Also, "Journey To The Past" was spoken by Aaliyah as being something she enjoyed as animations were something she liked. From the movie, Doctor Dolittle Are You That Somebody was also talked about.
When Damon Dash met Aaliyah he states that he liked her qualities since most girls he had met were always on and about she was more of a girl that liked to stay indoors and just be cool about it. It was moving to see how he expressed his love for her and how much he valued her goodness while sometimes in the real world most guys would actually like the bad girl instead. At times I got teary eyed from the beauty in the inside of Aaliyah, her fans, friends, team, and others.
*This does not have any of Aaliyah's videos to choose from in a menu, this does not have all the track number videos in their entirety. The DVD portion only has the documentary and photo gallery which is region NTSC 2.
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