Vinyl Classics reissue of his debut album comes as a vinyl look-a-like CD that’s packaged in a die-cut see-through Slipcase. Columbia. 2005
Before I begin, let me just address the majority of people who gave “Illmatic” a 1 star rating:

I have to ask…why? Why hate on NaS’ first album, which ended being a major contribution to hip hop/rap in general? Why do you say you are true hip hop fans when you show such ignorance to tight rhymes and stellar production? Why do you turn your reviews into a gossip section and/or a place to say such and such artist is better than NaS when the focus should be on the album? And then, why do you make such pathetic attempts at bashing his lyrics and how the tracks sound like? You are not hip hop fans and you will never appreciate a great MC. Do us all a favor and go crawl back under that rock you used to live in and never come out.

Now on with my thoughts:

I remember ordering this CD from Columbia House Back then, I haven’t heard of him at all but I ordered it because I heard some kids talk about how good it was. The word “good” was such a understatement. This couldn’t be a more perfect example of what a classic album is. He was already making the rounds in the underground rap scene as a great lyricist. He had a guest spot on the awesome Main Source track, “Live At the BBQ” and had one of his songs featured on the “Zebra Head” movie (Halftime.) So when it came for him to work on his first album, he had what any up and coming rapper dreamed of: the opportunity to work with some of hip hop’s finest producers.

DJ Premier, Large Professor, L.E.S., Q-Tip and Pete Rock all produced great tracks and because of that, the singles “It Ain’t To Tell”, “The World is Yours” and “One Love” were released and quickly made everyone realize hip hop has another great MC to call its own. And yet, while “Illmatic” did not sell as well as it should have at first, word of mouth was all he needed for everyone to look forward to his next album, “It Was Written.” Nas was able to carry “Illmatic” practically by himself with only one guest MC (AZ) on “Life’s a Bitch.” From start to finish, every track is worth listening to with absolutely NO FILLER at all. So when it was done, you just listen to it all over again and again. Many other reviewers went into the details of his lyrics, flow and dynamics of the tracks overall so I won’t add anymore to that.

This was an album you HAD to listen to back in the days. If you loved hip hop, you already bought it. If you love and support classic hip hop, you already bought it. But if you haven’t listened to it yet and you want to own a piece of hip hop history, please get this masterpiece ASAP. You will not regret it.

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Willie Nelson goes back to his roots with a songbook of classic Americana. Country Music was recorded in Nashville, TN and produced by T Bone Burnett. Nelson wrote one track on the album, “Man With The Blues” and, with T Bone Burnett, co-arranged three traditional songs, “Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down,” “I Am A Pilgrim,” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” The album also features many popular old-time/bluegrass/folk songs including Ernest Tubb’s “Seaman’s Blues, Merle Travis’ “Dark As A Dungeon,” and Doc Watson’s “Freight Train Boogie”. Willie Nelson collaborated with many musicians on Country Music including old-time banjo master Riley Baugus, double bassist Dennis Crouch, and T Bone himself, all musicians featured on Raising Sand, the 2009 Grammy® award-winning Album of the Year by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.
I love this CD. I have loved Willie Nelson for many years. He is a real country artist, although his music transcends musical boundaries. His voice is unique, and so is his guitar picking. I can always recognize his guitar playing. These selections are all beautiful and make me emotional. I have listened to it over and over this week, may 9 or 10 times so far.

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ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS : The Modern Rock #1s are “Give It Away,” “Soul To Squeeze,” “My Friends,” “Californication,” “Otherside” and “By The Way” (also Top 40 Pop). The Top 20s are “Higher Ground” and “Suck My Kiss.”
I definitely concur that this cd has a good medley of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Hits. I also love that there are a wide range of songs for different emotions such as Under the Bridge when a someone wants to listen to something to calm their emotions and others such as “Give it Away” when you want an emotional energy boost. The following are a rundown of the songs and a brief info on each:

1. Under The Bridge 10 out of 10 – A song that is about feeling alone, but having the consolation of living in L.A. I also like how Anthony Kiedis sings a creative mini narrative at the end of the song’s chorus when he mentions about what happened when under the bridge downtown.
2. Give It Away 10 out of 10- A RHCP classic about being generous and giving with what you can in life with happiness and enthusiasm. He then energetically sings about what he has to give away. This is a high energy song to listen to when you need an emotional boost, and the song is good for working out to or running a couple miles to as well.

3. Californication 10 out of 10- A strong song about some of the symbolisms of California culture and what makes it a state worth dreaming about.

4. Scar Tissue 10 out of 10- A very dramatic song about sharing with the birds a lonely view, from what I take the references made are metaphoric.

5. Soul To Squeeze 10 out of 10- From what I take in this song, there are some very deep emotions that are being released and expressed, but that he is also going to take it easy along the way.

6. Otherside 10 out of 10- A very dramtic number about going through some psychological and other life challenges and the thoughts of what are being experienced.

7. Suck My Kiss 10 out of 10- A major makeout song with creatively put together sexual innuendos. It is an upbeat song, but also one that a person would want to use discretion in playing around someone younger than 13 years of agel

8. By The Way 9 out of 10- A fast energy song involving metaphoric adventures of people that are to be met and places to go.

9. Parallel Universe 8 out of 10- This is a very creative number about an emotional journey that the singer is going through that is making way for a spiritual rebirth.

10. Breaking The Girl 10 out of 10- A very good song about a special woman who has impacted the singer’s life, but simultaneously had her heart broken.

11. My Friends 10 out of 10- A great song about how he learned the meaning of happiness from a little girl who taught him to express his love unconditionally at an important time when people in his close circle were striving to feel better emotionally.

12. Higher Ground 10 out of 10- A Stevie Wonder inspired masterpiece about perservering and to keep going on life regardless of what happens.

13. Universally Speaking 8 out of 10- Another song about adventures that he has with someone.

14. Road Trippin’ 10 out of 10- This is about taking enjoying the journey in life in general, and when he (the lead singer) mentions go get lost, I think he means to just let go and peacefully accept and enjoy where one goes in life.

15. Fortune Faded 8 out of 10- A song about coming out of adversity in life as a much stronger and resilient person.

16. Save The Population 9 out of 10- A well constructed song involving how the actions of one person or multiple can affect the group of others (hence save the population)

This cd is very enjoyable and can definitely make you think because of the metaphorical meanings. I do agree that there are some hits that could have been on this cd. Two of the favorite songs I would have like to see are “Aeroplane” and “Around the World”. However, this greatest hits collection is a very well crafted put together compilation nonetheless.

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As foreboding a figure as Johnny Cash was, his son John Carter Cash writes in liner notes to this excellent CD, he was also a big kid: “a fun-loving, easygoing, laughing man.” That’s not to say he was more inclined to skateboard over the line than to walk it, only that given his mesmerizing voice and his gift for storytelling, he had an enviable way of relating to kids. Thirty years on, parents who pick up this disc will find not a lot has changed: In 15 songs never before released on CD–four of which are bonus tracks not included on the 1975 classic–the Man in Black melds the silly with the sweet, the madcap with the meaningful, and emerges as a country-folk Pied Piper any kid would kill to have for an uncle. “Nasty Dan,” the opener, will be familiar not only to those who grew up singing along to the original LP, but also to subsequent generations of “Sesame Street” watchers (Oscar duets on a later version). But for most, the rest will arrive as pure revelation. “Old Shep,” a dog song, deserves placement on a disc of classic pet tributes, if such a thing exists; “Tiger Whitehead” treads fearlessly through wild bear territory; “Ah Bos Cee Dah” is nonsensical noodling with the language at its most brilliant; and “I Got a Boy and His Name Is John,” a duet with the great June Carter Cash, steers the modern listener to a long-lost place where love of family was enough for a kid to get by on. –Tammy La Gorce
I really dislike most children’s albums. I think they’re so sterile & cheesy. That said, we love singing children songs together and doing all of the gestures. Some of our favorite albums are Curious George, Catch the Moon (Elizabeth Mitchell & Lisa Loeb), Songs to Grow on for Mother & Child (Woody Guthrie), & Leadbelly Sings for Children.
Johnny Cash’s Children’s Album is my boy’s favorite- we especially love I Got a Boy and His Name is John and Grandfather’s Clock. It’s beautiful to hear the love in Johnny’s voice for his kids- that’s what makes this album extra special. He’s not trying to sound kid-friendly or upbeat (hate that)- he’s just singing from his beautiful heart. For people who want their children to have a rich and varied taste in music, this is a great bet.

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No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: MOUNTAIN
Title: BEST OF MOUNTAIN
Street Release Date: 04/15/2003
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP

What’s the secret around Mountain’s sound that has allowed them to become a referential example about consistence and solidness over all these years ?

First at all the employment of all the instruments in symphonic mood. The febrile tension and committed resolution given to every piece they played conferred them that coveted indemnity since the first accords. All the instruments plus the very voice of Leslie West worked out like a watchmaker’s mechanism. This capacity of integration without losing expression and always keeping West’s the riffs, or Felix Pappalardi in the bass, the formidable Corky Lang in drums and Steve knight in the keyboards were simply an indestructible entity. And you can realize how even in their ballads (the mythical Theme for an imaginary West or Nantucket sleighride) or in their vibrating heavy Mississippi queen, Never in my life Don’t kook around or Roll over Beethoven the admirable cohesion and his dynamic rhythm were the fundamental factor that explains not only to have signed with golden letters an enviable place in the Pantheon of the Rock immortals bands, but the fact that Jack Bruce (Cream bass) had decided to make the famous trio West, Bruce and Lang, few years after. It’s to say Bruce plus half Mountain.

So, for all this new generations of listeners, that just have heard about them, come on and get close to the sound of one of the most original and powerful bands the Rock has ever had.

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Louis Armstrong, The Definitive Collection
I wanted an album of Louis’ songs that included “Give Me a Kiss to Build a Dream On”, so chose this compilation, but was surprised at the quality and range of the other songs also on this CD. This is “Sunday-brunch-on-the-balcony-in-the-sun-with-mimosas” kind of a CD and I enjoy it every weekend!

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Canadian version of 2002 live release includes one exclusive bonus track, ‘Charmed Life’ & the U.S. bonus track, ‘Just The Way You Are’ (Studio Version/Billy Joel cover). The first-ever live concert recording from Grammy winning vocalist/pianist Diana Krall, recorded at the Paris Olympia Theatre winter 2002. Here finally, captured in amazing audio quality, is an album showcasing the magic of Krall’s concert performances. Krall & her band – perform some of the tunes from Krall’s studio recordings, such as ‘East of the Sun (West of the Moon)’ & ‘Devil May Care’. Joined by special guests John Pisano (acoustic guitar) & Paulinho DaCosta (percussion) for several tracks, including the Gershwin’s ‘S’wonderful’. The Orchestre Symphonique European, conducted by Alan Broadbent with special guest conductor Claus Ogerman, is featured on the upbeat ‘Let’s Fall in Love’ & a haunting interpretation of ‘I’ve Got You
A nice live recording by Diana Krall, the great jazz vocalist and pianist whose sultry, sexy voice makes any song she sings a special occasion. Diana is just wonderful as she delivers her standards such as “Let’s Fall in Love” and “‘S Wonderful” to an enthusiastic audience, backed by an all-star band. The encore of “A Case of You” is perhaps the highlight of the recording, although the studio version of “Just the Way You Are” could have been omitted. No matter, this is a great session that features one of jazz’ best talents today.

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No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: PRINCESS COLLECTION
Title: PRINCESS COLLECTION
Street Release Date: 03/12/1996
Domestic
Genre: CHILDREN’S
I want to start off by saying that if you’re looking to buy only one Disney Princess CD, this is the one to get. This CD contains 12 tracks featuring 7 princesses (at the time that this CD was made, Mulan did not yet exist, in fact, the Disney Princess line itself did not exist). Unlike many other Disney Princess CDs, this one contains a *complete* collection of princess songs. That means that all the songs that any Princess actually sings is on this CD. No, not every song from every Princess movie is on here, but I wouldn’t expect them to be, nor do I think that they’d even fit onto this CD. Something that’s nice about this CD compared to some of the other Disney Princess CDs is that there is no subversive advertising. That means no mediocre songs from Cinderella V or the Little Mermaid X are on it. There aren’t even any songs sung by non-Princesses, all the songs that are sung partly by others are at least partially sung by a Princess as well. One of the most interesting things about the album, in my opinion, is that it contains ‘Home’ by Susan Egan as Belle. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle has no large solo songs of her own, so they included this track from the original 1994 cast recording of the Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical. This addition makes the CD more interesting and does not at all detract from the quality of the CD.
Again, if you are looking to buy only one Disney Princess CD or just find the best one, I would encourage you to buy this one. The selection of songs is complete and there isn’t any annoying, mediocre album filler. I highly recommend this Disney Princess CD.

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CD > POPULAR MUSIC > WORLD
I bought this CD a few months ago and listen to it a lot in the car with my 5, 3, and 1 year old children. It has great variety in the genres of the music – some very jazzy, some more bluesy. My kids especially love the Belly Button Song, but they are all terrific and not ones that you find on other kids’ CDs. Also, although it’s “international” all the songs are in English.

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Eclecticism has been a hallmark of Richard Patrick’s career in Filter, and it’s administered with crushing efficiency on The Trouble With Angels. Fans weaned on the industrial outbursts and corrosive beats of 1995’s Short Bus and 1999’s Title of Record will be ecstatic to hear Patrick’s unmistakable scream and unflinching honesty dominating the new album.

On the surface, leadoff single ‘The Inevitable Relapse’ details a shattered man succumbing to addiction, but can be read as a study of love lost, consumption or obsession, depending on your perspective. ‘…it’s really a love song’ says Richard.

Filter’s The Trouble With Angels contains Richard Patrick’s strongest, most aggressive songwriting yet.

*Deluxe CD Features 4 Bonus Tracks and added package content*
This release took two solid weeks of consistent listening to grow on me – and become for me a superior album, marking THE welcome return of Filter (and a mature Richard Patrick – with his continually evolving and ever-more polished vocals), after the serious letdown of “Anthems”.

I agree with several reviewers on two points: (1) “Angels” isn’t a revisiting of SHORT BUS (I’ll address this in turn); and (2) “Angels” doesn’t immediately grab one by the throat upon initial listening (however, neither did Tool’s TEN THOUSAND DAYS, but after living with the album, its alchemical magic convinced us all that we were in the possession of legitimate musical `gold’).

“Angels” is on par with both “Title of Record” and “Amalgamut,” and this is high praise indeed! I will even go beyond this – because of Patrick’s stint in “Army,” concomitant with his general maturation as a musician (and human), his song-writing skills have improved greatly, and this latest Filter album benefits from this fact (and is all the better for it).

Yes, there is a reflective-reflexive nature to a majority of these compositions, but I found nothing pretentious nor presumptuous about this autobiographical approach to songwriting by Patrick.

I always refrain from a track-by-track review of CDs. Suffice to say, there’s an ample amount of slamming-hammering songs, with infectious grooves, created by drums and serpentine guitar-riffs, for the most ardent Filter devotee (which are quasi-reminiscent of “Bus”)!

But, if you’re expecting a so called `miracle,’ in the form of a resurrected “Bus” for 2010 – You’re going to be seriously let down – (Caveat – buyer beware!) thus, I recommend, in this case, do not purchase this album. It is not the hallowed second-coming of this classic (yes, I said `classic’) album, but in all truth, I don’t think that’s what it’s intended to be – and further – why the hell should it be?!?

If you have patience, and you are a `meditative’ listener, then this album will not let you down. Remember, all great art, if it is `sublime’ art, also requires work on the part of the spectator, observer, and listener – music as art – is always a two-way street, a co-creative effort.

If you’re not a complete ‘obsessive’ type with respect to “Bus,” purchase this CD, live with it, and allow it to work its magic.

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