Best Classical Albums of 2009, so far: John Eccles - "Judgment of Paris"
4:30 PM PDT, July 16, 2009
This "Paris" is special because it shows Eccles trying to shunt musical theater in an all-English direction, and move it out of the shadow of the dominant Italian and French traditions.As Lindsay Kemp points out in verbose but thorough liner notes, the word settings, or underlay is for English speech rhythms and the score focuses more on line and melody that decoration and ornamentation.This is a Maske, so it feels much more like music from a play than an opera. Amazon.com Widgets The score is a theatrical and musical treat, lived up to in this vibrant and energized performance, conducted by Christian Curnyn and sung by the Early Opera Company.The soloists are well cast, lucid and each of them really grasp the difference between this and opera. The Three Mad Songs that end the program are just that, set pieces from various English plays where the heroin loses it, usually because a man has done her wrong.One song each is given to our Paris soloists, Lucy Crowe, Claire Booth and Susan Bickley, so Curnyn presents the listener with a latter day "Judgment," with us playing Paris. Currently I'm awarding the apple to Ms. Crowe for her rendition of "Restless in Thought..." from "She Ventures, and He Wins." Lastly, I save praise for Nicholas Anderson and the recording engineers.Chandos tout their 24-bit recording as giving greater dynamic range, and on this disc (along with attentive mike placement) this really seems to work.This listener feels right in the middle of the action.-- Hugo Munday John Eccles: The Judgment of Paris / Three Mad Songs Christopher Curnyn / Early Opera Company & Soloists Chandos Early Music
In topics: Music Addict
Michael Jackson hits the Road
12:24 PM PDT, July 15, 2009
For a band that's done an unbroken stretch of 130+ shows, I have to admit they sounded very "there." At the end of one of the hottest days of the year, so far, I don't think anyone would argue if I gave the MVP award to the sunset. Truly spectacular, as it often is in this part of the world, adding another dimension to this brand of euphoric anthem rock. Mother Nature did all the mind-altering that was needed. -- Hugo Munday Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney Music Video
10:08 AM PDT, July 13, 2009
I've had both the Beatles and Michael Jackson on the brain lately, so I thought I'd see if I could dig up any related video content. I ended up finding the music video for Say Say Say, a duet between Jackson and Paul McCartney. It's thoroughly entertaining--check it out below.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube if you can't see it above. --Bri Nguyen
In topics: In the Media
The Beatles: Remastered and Rock Banded
3:34 AM PDT, July 10, 2009
Everyone knows their story, of course. And everyone has their own Beatles stories. I remember singing "Help!" at the top of my lungs while my Mom's old vinyl record played in the background (I was three) and learning the story of John Lennon's life and death for the first time (I was, perhaps, five). "Yesterday" was the first song I ever karaoked. My first boyfriend recorded "Norwegian Wood" on a cassette tape and gave it to me as a gift (this was before the era of CDs!) And when I first heard the song "Eleanor Rigby"--well, my breath caught in my throat. So the thought of being able to hear the original Beatles catalog remastered is just--wow. The Beatles remastered catalog will be released on 09-09-09, and will coincide with another highly anticipated event: the release of The Beatles: Rock Band. For the first time ever (another first!) fans Luckily, we have plenty of Beatles-related fun going on in the meantime. In honor of worldwide Beatles Day, we've tricked out our Beatles Store and we're kicking off a Beatles celebration that will last for the next two months--right up to the release of the remasters and Rock Band. Visit the store to check out the remastered albums, preview The Beatles: Rock Band, watch videos, and test your knowledge of the Fab Four. And check back often--we'll soon be counting down our favorite Beatles albums of all time. Are you as excited as I am? (Watch the trailer for the Beatles Remastered in the Beatles Store if you can't see it above) --Bri Nguyen Kid-Tested: SpongeBob's Greatest Hits
5:03 PM PDT, July 9, 2009
But don't take their word for it. For opinions that matter, go to the experts. So we did. An informal poll of two Seattle youngsters suggests that the new SpongeBob's Greatest Hits is the year's front-runner. Since the blogosphere can be a pretty punishing place, we've omitted their real names, but here, in their own words, are the kids' opinions... MC International Metamorphosis Coco W. SpongeBob's Greatest Hits comes out next week, but meanwhile, give your own spawn a taste of the music with this video featuring the inimitable P!nk. Finally, scurvy is fun again! You can also sample the whole album here. --Jason Kirk
In topics: Music Addict
The Best (And Bestselling) Music of 2009, So Far
12:48 PM PDT, July 9, 2009
Editors' Picks: Best Songs of 2009, So Far Amazon MP3 Bestselling Songs of 2009, So Far -- Jeff Reguilon Sing If You Wanna Go Faster!
9:31 AM PDT, July 9, 2009
When you’re rollercoasting along a track at breakneck speed, heart in your mouth and adrenalin coursing through your veins, is there a song that would make the perfect soundtrack to your fear? Until now, you never had the choice, but those thoughtful people at Universal Studios have decided to change all that. The new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, at Universal Studios Florida, offers a choice of 30 songs across five genres with which to accompany your white knuckle experience. Individual riders will be able to choose a song to be played directly into their ears, with artists represented including Mötley Crüe, Daft Punk, Dwight Yoakam, Cypress Hill and Donna Summer. Some of the most fearful riders may find it quickest to pick the encouraging sentiments of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” but for the rest, choosing a tune should take some of the boredom out of waiting in the long queue for the ride. It’s not known whether the songs in the jukebox will be changed or added to at any time, nor whether the park owners are taking requests for the future; if they do, what song would you most like to see on their playlist? Or conversely, what songs would you definitely not want to accompany your Rockit ride?
Here's the full selection of songs available: RAP/HIP-HOP "Don't Phunk With My Heart," Black Eyed Peas POP/DISCO "Bad Girls," Donna Summer CLUB/ELECTRONICA "Busy Child," The Crystal Method CLASSIC ROCK/METAL "Born to Be Wild," Hinder COUNTRY "All Night Long," Montgomery Gentry --Hazel @ SoundUnwound SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Michael Jackson Dance Tribute in Sweden
12:40 AM PDT, July 9, 2009
Michael Jackson's influence was truly global. Check out this flash mob dance performance to "Beat It" in Stockholm yesterday.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube if you can't see it above. --Bri Nguyen
In topics: In the Media
Best World Music Albums of 2009 So Far (Including Imports)*
10:51 AM PDT, July 8, 2009
*A word of explanation about this list: while the majority of my picks can be called world music, a couple of them (Emmy the Great, Little Boots) are imports which don't necessarily fall into the world music category. I'm including them here because: 1) they've been released in another country, and 2) I couldn't resist sharing them (seriously, they're that good). But keep in mind that you probably won't find either of these artists categorized under world music in our music or MP3 stores.
1. Coeur de Pirate, Coeur de Pirate (CD) I practically swooned the first time I heard this tiny, tattooed French-Canadian chanteuse. With a voice like honey, Coeur de Pirate ("Heart of a Pirate"), otherwise known as 19-year-old Béatrice Martin of Quebec, has crafted a rich, whimsical, and utterly stirring debut album imbued with a vein of nostalgia and maturity that far belies her years. While songs on the album are driven primarily by Martin’s magical piano playing, Martin weaves in string arrangements, horn interludes, and accordion accompaniment with a thoughtful, nuanced touch. Each melody is as finely crafted as spun silk. The album sounds like it could have been made in 1920's France or used in the soundtrack to the film Amélie. The buoyant “Ensemble” (“Together”) makes me feel like dancing down the street, while the pensive “C’était Salement Romantique” (“It Was Terribly Romantic”) fills me with longing for something that I can't quite define. Listen and imagine yourself wandering the winding, cobbled streets of some old European city. You don’t have to understand French to love this album.
If you can't see the embedded video player above, click here to watch a YouTube video of Coeur de Pirate performing "C'etait Salement Romantique." 2. Issa Bagayogo, Issa Remixed (MP3) I was blown away when I first heard Issa Bagayogo’s Issa Remixed. Rarely have I heard West African music infused with house-style dance rhythms so successfully—and so infectiously. Originally from Mali, Issa grew up playing the ngoni (a three-stringed lute popular in West Africa), but rather than sticking to traditional music, he’s infused his albums with elements of jazz, dub, and funk. Hybrid albums like this can often go wrong, but Issa’s compositions are masterfully done, and Issa Remixed is no exception. Who knew that West African chord structures could mesh so well with electronica and sound so natural? Amazon.com Widgets 3. Emmy the Great, First Love (CD | MP3)
Amazon.com Widgets
Amazon.com Widgets 5. Little Boots, Hands (CD)
If you can't see the embedded video player above, click here to watch a YouTube video of Little Boots performing "Meddle." --Bri Nguyen Best Americana Music of the Year... So Far
5:38 PM PDT, July 7, 2009
We’re halfway through the year already, so it’s time to present half of a Top 10 list for our Best of the Year So Far. The following top 5 picks are the standouts in the ever-growing americana genre that pulls from all brands of alt country, bluegrass, folk, rock, and blues music. Each of the following titles fall somewhere in that spectrum, if not covering all of them in some cases.
Arriving on the scene in her early teens on the strength of her own written material, 18 year old bluegrass singer/songwriter Sarah Jarosz already has the right voice and music for anyone to notice that the young songstress has bluegrass in her soul and can express it with just the right tone. Offering listeners a brand of musical honesty and depth that’s mature beyond her years and mixing it with the rustic reflections of an observant troubadour, Jarosz holds her own with an apparent comfort and ease that bodes well for what she can do for years to come. Playing on the album with some venerated bluegrass greats (including Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, and Samual Grisman of the David Grisman Quintet) but not content to rest on the shoulders of such giants, Jarosz wrote all but two songs on the album herself, with interesting cover choices of Tom Waits and Colin Meloy (the Decemberists) on the other two tracks. This rising bluegrass singer has laid down a solid foundation on Song Up in Her Head and is poised for great things to come. Let’s hope she will continue to burn as brightly as she has out of the gate.
Long-time fans of Neko Case will be happy to know that dark and obscure themes continue to rule the day in her musical world. Neko’s signature caterwauls and crooning refrains call like a siren beckoning listeners to come to her shores in a perilous world filled with fairy tale creatures whose purpose as either friend or foe is not always apparent. That’s to say that Neko’s off-center lyrics keep the listener just out of reach of her inner circle. There’s a continuous sense that her songs are intentionally obscure as if offering more literal insights might expose her to too much intimacy with the listener. Instead, she offers broad lyrical strokes that give an impressionistic feeling that remains compelling, if not always clear. With a litany of cameo appearances on the album from some great artists including members of The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Calexico, Giant Sand, The Sadies, Visqueen, and The Lilys, not to mention those in her own band, the volume of talent around her manages to thankfully remain in the pocket of the album instead of overflowing into it. Ultimately, we’re left to scrutinize the finer points of Neko Case’s songs to see what clues they can offer about her fairy tale worlds, but we love hearing her sing about them nonetheless.
Singer/Songwriter Slaid Cleaves
has been building his musical momentum for a while. And by some accounts, this is the album that defines the best of all 8 of his
albums to date since the mid-90s. Speaking of some accounts, partly
because it’s close to deadline, and more because our customers know
the music AND how to write, I’m highlighting a few lines from
our customer reviews to
help explain why this album is here. I’ll just add that the even keeled blend of folk, country, and
blues with a hint of rock is what propelled this into my list. Fans of Son Volt, T-Bone Burnett, Whiskeytown, and The Jayhawks (all on elevated status in my world!) will gravitate to this release and its
amalgamation of all things Americana. And now for some customer raves:
Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, self-titled, (CD, MP3) Fans of Dave Alvin, who know him from his years with The Blasters and all the goods they delivered in equal turns of blues, rockabilly, and vintage country sounds, should fall nicely into the groove of his latest CD. It offers the added twist of an all-star line-up of some of the biggest female stars in folk and bluegrass yesterday and today. Dubbed The Guilty Women, the group consists of Americana scene vets Christy McWilson, Cindy Cashdollar, Nina Gerber, Laurie Lewis, Sarah Brown, and Amy Farris. Alvin’s gruff baritone mixes with rich female harmonies and plenty of bluegrass string work from violins, lap steel guitars, and mandolins to fill the bucolic scenes and stories that come to life on each track. Here’s hoping that the ubiquity of female talent lingers a little longer to work with Dave on similar projects in the future, too.
Easily capturing the moniker of most-whimsical band on this list, the rough and tumble sounds of The Devil Makes Three leave their mark sounding like a jug band high on hay fever during a night of partying at the county fair where their music shuffles along in shades of half-sober Dixieland and Cajun styles. With lyrics that are peppered with references to all-nighter pop-offs, it’s fun to imagine what could happen during one of their set breaks: “No one’s getting arrested / no one’s having any fun / doctor’s orders for your heart beatin’ / go ahead and take you one / now you’re dumber than a singin’ saw playing ‘Uncomfortably Numb,’ it’s a thorazine work party with free fluorite bubble gum” and: “You drink a cheap malt liquor from a 40 ounce bottle / a fifth of bourbon and some pills if you got ‘em / but you know you’re goin’ to come down every night / and there ain’t no way that it’ll ever feel satisfied.” If you’re looking for a little entertainment under-the-influence, no prescription needed, check out Do Wrong Right. You won’t have to worry about a hang-over, but be aware of the quick onset of do wrong fun.
More contenders for Best of the Year: Just to keep things interesting and honest, here are a few more albums that may very well end up on our final best of the year list, but for now they are worth noting to round things out.
And with that, we wait for more to come in the second half of the year, including those sleepers in the ranks and some anticipated releases later in the year.
--Lucas Hilbert
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About this blog
The Amazon Music Editorial team:
Gabi Knight Renata Sadunas Lucas Hilbert Jeff Reguilon Alan Wiley Jason Kirk Though she's fascinated by all kinds of music, GABI KNIGHT'S current and future preferences can be summed and projected with this handy questionnaire: Beatles or **Stones** / **Lennon** or McCartney / **Syd Barrett** or Roger Waters / **Public Enemy** or NWA (TOUGH one!) / Britney or **Christina** / **John Prine** or Kris Kristofferson (Prine, baby! All the way!) Some of RENATA SADUNAS's musical preferences have stood the test of time better than others. Her first 45 was "My Sharona" by the Knack, arguably still a good song. Her first CD was Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True", and, unfortunately, girl, that IS true. First digital download: "Gold Lion" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Her present musical tastes range from international pop stars to music commonly heard in dive bars. Our Managing Editor, LUCAS HILBERT, has been turning dials in multiple musical realms for almost two decades including music performance, studio recording, retail/supply chain systems, and writing/editorial work. As his preferred genre of choice would dictate, Lucas wants everyone to ROCK ON with Amazon, but his musical tastes wander far and wide from Pop to Country to Hip Hop and Dance/DJ, too. One time, JEFF REGUILON proposed marriage to his copy of Beulah's When Your Heartstrings Break, but was disappointed to discover man and property aren't legally allowed to wed. It's just as well, really, as he would've never been able to remain faithful to only one album. He spends most of his time now listening to an ungodly amount of music in the hope that he can shield you from the junk and expose you to the gems, but it's also entirely possible he's just looking for his one true musical love. Cranky but kind, JASON KIRK fled the merciless Midwest winters and a rather flaccid trajectory in academia to pursue the fickle joys of performing and writing about music on the West Coast in 2003. Thick-skinned and quick to laugh, he regrets little and sleeps less. Having spent his entire life surrounded by music, ALAN WILEY has diverse experience writing, performing, producing, listening to, and writing about music. Some of his favorite things are: indie-pop, free jazz, playing the tuba and baritone ukelele, crocheting, and Yahtzee. Other contributors include Chris Brucia, David Horiuchi, Ben Lukoff, Mari Malcolm, Tom May, Julie Van Arcken, and Leah Weathersby. Our favorites
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