Traces

Traces

ASIN: B00008ETO0

Track Listings

1. Desperately

2. Easy Touch

3. Come from the Heart

4. Running Out of Reasons to Run

5. I Wouldn't Be a Man

6. Looking Back

7. Till I Can't Take It Anymore

8. Another Place, Another Time

9. Old Coyote Town

10. You Love Me Through It All

Tracks:

All About Me Intro
My Little Secret
Softest Place On Earth
Do You Know
One Of Those Love Songs
The Arms Of The One Who Loves You
I Will
Your Eyes
All I Need
Am I Dreamin'
The Runaround
Hold On
All About Me (Reprise)

Amazon.com

Two years from the two-triple-zero and there's still a huge gap between the musical tastes of black folk and white folk. Case in point: Xscape. Despite having gone platinum and being two CDs deep (Traces of My Lipstick is their third), chances are that their music and names would register a big head scratch in most melanin-challenged homes. Part of that may be image--these ladies have been known to look a tad, uh, rough--or that the Atlanta-based group has been handed songs (usually by the unctuous Jermaine Dupri) that aren't as slick or pop-friendly as some of those other gals' hits. Not so on this CD, which finds the women mainly concentrating on sexy ballads, most of which have to do with playing around or being played on, and decidedly mainstream material like "The Arms of the One Who Loves You." Written and produced by Diane "That's a Hit!" Warren, the track is all blown-up passion and ersatz soul: all the better for breaking Xscape's strong and sultry harmonies out of the confines of black radio. --Amy Linden

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as I thought it was.......2007-01-20

I wanted this CD so bad, but that i got i realized that it is not as good as i thought it was my favorites songs on it is:
1.My Little Secret
2. Softest Place on Earth
3. The Arms of the One who loves you
4. All I need
5.Hold On
6.All About Me
And thats itthe rest of the album just isnt songs you can listen to over and over again, back to back.

Prmopt and wonderful service.......2006-08-02

My order was shipped almost immediately. It was in wonderful shape and I was extremely pleased doing business with this vendor.

GREAT CD.......2006-07-10

Xscape is definitely a group of talent females, their voices are so smooth & strong. When I listen to "Traces of My Lipstick" the lyrics often make me reflect about memories in my life, the ballads are so so true. I wish Xscape had a DVD with their performances.

Ok...It's Ok.......2006-07-02

I really love some tracks in it,No.2.3.5...But the others didn't do anything to me...so,it's ok

Amazing Ballads Make The CD Work.......2005-11-29

Xscape really matured with this album by showing their range and vocal ability. The song that really caught my attention was My Little Secret and the lead singles Am I Dreaming, The Arms Of The One Who Loves You but my favorite slow jam off is Sofest Place On Earth. This album finds Jermaine "JD" Dupri behind the boards for four tracks, including "All About Me" and "My Little Secret." Other producer/writers on the project include Diane Warren ("The Arms of the One Who Loves You"), Daryl Simmons ("The Runaround") and Babyface ("Your Eyes"). The vocals of Kandi Burruss, Tamika and LaTocha Scott and Tameka "Tiny" Cottle are mature, reaching far beyond the massive teen appeal that surrounds them. TRACES OF MY LIPSTICK finds the girls soft and sultry at times ("Softest Place on Earth"), while the Jeep-beat stomp of "Do You Know" shows their vocal diversity. With this brilliant recording, Xscape avoids the pitfall of urban music's "here-today-gone-tomorrow" syndrome by providing solid vocal performances of groove-steady compositions.

Average customer rating:

Patchy, but that's what you'd expect
5 stars for disc one, 2.5 for disc 2
Great B-Sides
A Feast for Manics Fans
wow, their bsides are better than some a sides

Lipstick Traces: A Secret History Of
Manic Street Preachers
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lifeblood
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Gold Against the Soul
Forever Delayed
Send Away the Tigers

ASIN: B0000AN11G
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Tracks:

Prologue to History
4 Ever Delayed
Sorrow 16
Judge Yr'self
Socialist Serenade
Donkeys
Comfort Comes
Mr Carbohydrate
Dead Trees and Traffic Islands
Horses Under Starlight
Sepia
Sculpture of Man
Spectators of Suicide
Democracy Coma
Strip It Down [Live]
Bored Out of My Mind
Just a Kid
Close My Eyes
Valley Boy
We Her Majesty's Prisoners

Tracks:

We Are All Bourgeois Now
Rock & Roll Music
It's So Easy [Live]
Take the Skinheads Bowling
Been a Son
Out of Time
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
Bright Eyes [Live]
Train in Vain [Live]
Wrote for Luck
What's My Name [Live]
Velocity Girl
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel?
Last Christmas [Live]

Album Description

Subtitled - A Secret History Of. The Manics follow 2002's greatest hits album 'Forever Delayed' with a B-sides collection. Features 20 B-sides & 15 cover versions, the previously unreleased track '4 Ever Delayed' and live tracks. Epic. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Patchy, but that's what you'd expect.......2005-08-14

The Manics, while producing some great music, have always struggled for quality control, with The Holy Bible being their only truly consistent effort which sustains top-drawer songwriting throughout. So it's pretty unsurprising that their B-sides and rarities album would be somewhat patchy. There's some good stuff here: notably the two 'new' tracks: '4 Ever Delayed' blends driving synths with an Everything Must Go-era anthemic quality to good effect, while 'Judge Yr'self' is simultaneously intense and accessible, like a bubblegum version of The Holy Bible, which is better than it sounds, and makes for an awesomely savage track. Of the B-sides, highlights would be the would-be single 'Prologue To History', a catchy, driving, piano-led rocker and 'Just A Kid', which is gorgeous and aching. Elsewhere 'Comfort Comes', 'Donkeys' and 'Sepia' are reasonable tracks, though they replicate the typical formulas of their respective periods. Beyond this, though, quality dips drastically, from the awful ('Socialist Serenade' - political Manics at their worst) to the simply boring ('Horses Under Starlight', an ill-fated attempt at instrumental chillout).

The covers disc adds very little, consisting mainly of either faithful tribute band performances (their initial idols of Guns and Roses and The Clash: here 'It's So Easy' and 'What's My Name' respectively) or complete murderings (their savage assassination of Chuck Berry's 'Rock and Roll Music'; the sheer inappropriateness of James Dean Bradfield trying to do Paul Robeson on 'Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel'. Ironically, it's only when they drop their desire to choose trendy tracks and cover Wham's 'Last Christmas' that they actually hit upon genius, transforming it into a tear-soaked acoustic ballad that suits Bradfield's tender voice perfectly. In conclusion then, some interesting material for fans, but certainly not for the newcomer, and for all but the totally undiscerning rabid fan, wildly varying in quality.

5 stars for disc one, 2.5 for disc 2.......2005-04-11

This is a b-sides and covers compilation from the Manics. CD 1 contains the self-penned b-sides, and wow, are some of them great. Prologue to History, 4 Ever Delayed, Donkeys, We Her Majesty's Prisoners....the entire disc is as good a Manics album as you'll hear. Fantastic. CD 2 rarely gets played by me...some interesting yet painful-to-listen-to cover, including some uncharacteristic kitsch from the Manics. But this is worth it just for disc 1, so if you can find it, check it out.

Great B-Sides.......2005-03-05

I have always thought that the Manics b-sides were as good as their albums songs, and in alot cases, I've liked their b-sides even more than some of the album songs. In any case, if you don't own all of the Manics singles, then I highly recommend this album. My only reason for not giving it five stars is that they left off so many other great b-sides that fans would want, and that's a real shame. It seems to me that if their going to release a B-Sides compilation, they might as well put all of them on there. I can understand that they were probably thinking that they wanted to put what they thought were the strongest songs, and also the fact that putting them all on there would make the album cost twice as much, but if you factor in how much it would cost to buy all of the singles instead of one compilation album, the cost would be huge, making the one album much more economically sound. Buying all of the singles if you live in America would cost even more because of the fact that they're all imports. Anyway,as far as songs that were left off,for instance, "Too Cold Here"(Revol b-side),is one of their most beautiful songs ever, but it is sadly absent on this compilation. Thankfully, "Comfort Comes", which is easily their best b-side and one of their greatest songs in general, is on this album. So despite the absence of some other great songs, this is still a great album to own. Particularly essential if you are a Manics fan.

Also- their covers are largely great, and the proof is on the second disc. Their cover of McCarthy's "Charles Windsor", Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes" and many more are fantastic.

A Feast for Manics Fans.......2005-01-31

Disc One gets 5 stars. It's better than a lot of the songs that made the regular studio albums. Certainly better than 95% of Know Your Enemy! It's a MUST for MSP fans!! Disc Two is less impressive - mainly a bunch of cover versions - kind of fun, but by no means necessary. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, but the first disc makes it worth it, and I figure the second disc is just kind of a bonus disc, so that's why I give the whole set 5 stars.
Most bands don't have enough great B-sides and rarities for even one great disc, so this proves what a truly great band the Manics are! I am VERY pleased with this!

wow, their bsides are better than some a sides.......2004-11-06

it was very surprising to me how good this album was, even though the manics are an amazing band, and they can do no wrong(sarcasm intended, know your enemy was pretty bad)anyways, the manics never really cracked the american market, probably for the better though, so i can have a band that I, and only I like. The songs here stand up much better than some of the tracks put on the albums these rarities were recorded for. donkeys should've been included on gold against the soul, instead of something like symphony of tourettes. same with sorrow 16, bored out of my mind, democracy coma, and strip it down, all of which would've been better on generation terrorists then tracks like damn dog, natwest barclay midlands loids, tennessee, or repeat(US). but then there are songs that would not have gone well on the albums, but stand up good on their own terms, like sculpture of man, would not have fit in well with the holy bible. the 2 best tracks on this disc though, seem to be relatively new:4ever delayed, and judge yr'self, the latter written, lyrically speaking, by the still missing richey edwards. in whole disc one is very good, not great. this album does not deserve the title of great. that is reserved for albums like the holy bible, the third big star album, or jeff buckley's grace. but this is a fantastic listen. the second disc is not even a good album, but just, entertaining. their cover of wrote for luck, by manchesters happy mondays is on par completely. better than the original. but the second disc isn't much. in conclusion, if you're a fan, you either own it already, or are starving to have it. if you're not one of the dedicated yet, buy it. it would be good listening for a beginners ears. this is one of the few pieces of manics music available here in teh states, meaning that getting your grimy paws on the richey era albums is a difficult task. but new fans, search for the holy bible. if you don't seem succesful at that, buy this or everything must go. thank you for your time and attention.

P.S. tracking down the holy bible is worth the time and money.

Average customer rating:

I absolutely love this new recording
Save your $$, don't buy.
GLAD THAT HAVE THEM BACK !!!
the Voices, the Musicianship, the Songwriting, the Spirit !
Excellent reworking of some of their classics!

Traces

Manufacturer: SCHR, LLC
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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Diamond Girl
Today
Summer Breeze
Seals & Crofts - Greatest Hits
Horizontal Fall

ASIN: B000CAG48K
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Customer Reviews:

I absolutely love this new recording.......2007-01-24

And have purchased several copies as gifts for friends.

Here's a short description from the CD Baby website:
"In this CD of all new recordings, produced by Jack Hale of Hale House Productions, Seals & Crofts were able to utilize the latest in recording technology, to breathe new life into the classic hits as well as new material. Now you can hear their music, as they always wanted it interpreted. Featured on this collection are Lua Crofts (daughter of Dash Crofts), and Juliet Seals (daughter of Jim Seals)."

So, go and check out the longer (2-minute) song samples over there. You won't be disappointed.

Save your $$, don't buy........2006-12-22

I had high hopes for this CD, I was / am a S&C fan. The quality of the recording and the arrangements of the songs suggest that this must be what it's like to hear S&C in a club that has poor acoustics. The first five songs are classics, the balance are new songs that are forgetful. I'll make you a deal, give me $10.00 and my copy is yours. Save your hard earned money and buy their greatest hits CD. You will be able to remember this first class duet as they should be remembered.

GLAD THAT HAVE THEM BACK !!!.......2006-09-09

This is the First Release from Jim & Dash in DECADES and thank goodness Folks, They are Back!

What we have here in this CD "TRACES" are Brand New Versions of 6 of their best known tunes: "Summer Breeze", "Get Closer", "Diamond Girl", "We May Never Pass This Way Again", "Hummingbird", and "Euphrates" (re-done with new lyrics that reflect what is going on over there right now). The Digital Sound & Production is a 10, the vocals of James Seals & Dash Crofts are a Stellar 11, AND the Talents of Lua Crofts and Juliet Seals (Daughters of Proud Fathers) are a Welcome Surprise.

Not to slight the NEW Songs: "Not Be Found","Change The Cooper Into Gold", "Paint You" & "Love Takes No Prisoners" as they are as Wonderful as anything this Great Duo released way back in the 1970's . I can't say enough about how GOOD this is.... BUY IT NOW whilst it's still in print and Let's Pray the Record Companies...RHINO, RHINO, RHINO...see the light and FINNALY release the Whole Seals & Crofts Catalog on CD with BONUS TRACKS, and don't Forget that JIM & Dash DESERVE a BOX SET RELEASE of at LEAST 4 CD's...

This is a GREAT CD... Don't hesitate to Grab this one up... FIVE STARS...

the Voices, the Musicianship, the Songwriting, the Spirit !.......2006-06-08

Are the voices still great? Yes. Is the guitar, mandolin, and fiddle work what we expect? Yes. Have they stayed true to all that put them in a category of their own while creating new renditions of earlier songs plus new songs? Yes!
The songs:
Summer Breeze - a hint of the mellowness of age comes through here; the joys described are more familiar now, and thus even sweeter because, yes, it can still be this good.
Get Closer - Lovely vocals by Lua Crofts and Juliet Seals are just part of the re-invention of this song.
Diamond Girl - a bit jazzier version.
We May Never Pass This Way Again - oh, but we hope they will, on tour, please? I'd love to go to another of their concerts. Their legendary harmony is evident here.
Hummingbird - awesome a cappella intro - then I'm tapping my foot, and by the end I feel like I've been taken on a spiritual journey.
Not Be Found - sung as if sharing precious secrets.
Change the Copper into Gold - a new masterwork with east meets west instrumentation and impeccable vocal intricacies.
Paint You - new, mature, gentle love song.
The Euphrates - what?! Hit the replay. Wow. Hit the replay.
Love Takes No Prisoners - a new song of love and longing. And then they run away.
An independent production by Jack Hale for Hale House Productions.
Each of their albums must be remastered and issued on cd. I'm waiting for that and the next work they hint at on these liner notes. Come back, we want more!

Excellent reworking of some of their classics!.......2005-11-19

I don't profess to know why their label wouldn't consider working with them in remastering their body of work into an all-encompassing "Ultimate Collection". All I do know is there are a great number of people who would love to replace their worn out LPs and noisy CDs with a first-class remastering of their work. I am one of them. I have all their CDs, including "Traces" and long for more.

"Traces" is a great improvement over their "Greatest Hits" CD release for the absolute absence of any tape hiss, the rich harmonies and perfect delivery of many of their 70's hits. "Traces" can only be found "new" on a small independent online label: [...], or perhaps once in a gray moon "used" here on Amazon. This CD release is of exceptional musical quality, having lush back up vocals by their own daughters, and a crystal-clear deliverance of many of their past hits. I am not a professional critic, nor a musician any more. But, I recognize quality when I hear it and this CD is a first class project.

I know you will enjoy this CD as much I do. I only wish they'd consider touring again.

Average customer rating:

Yes...
love love love it
Good Adult Pop Music
GREAT!!
Beautiful voice...elegant cd

Leaving Traces
Rachel Gaudry
Manufacturer: Virt Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Corrinne May
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ASIN: B00006IQGK
Release Date: 2002-09-10

Tracks:

Take Me To Ride
Song For Matthew
Don't Push Me In
Come Away
When Fortune Has Gone Dry
Sunshine In My Pocket
Love Is What I Need
Does Anybody Hear Me
Loose Inside My Head
Tonight

Customer Reviews:

Yes..........2002-11-28

This chick can really sing. Many of the songs have a pop tinge to them, but it's definitely worth giving her a listen.

love love love it.......2002-10-24

Rachel has an amazing voice, just beautiful. I saw her play live at The House of Blues and thought she was great then i bought her CD and am a new fan! This CD just oozes warmth and honesty and she really has one of those voices you could listen to all day. I highly recommend this album to anyone who loves great music.

Good Adult Pop Music.......2002-10-21

Rachel Gaudry starts off this CD with "Take me to Ride" which is an immediately likeable song. I found it running through my head one day after only hearing it once.

The rest of the CD follows up nicely. It's filled with songs of love, both lost and found. Rachel has a lovely voice that blends perfectly with her piano playing and other instrumentation.

"Sunshine in My Pocket" is a stand out for me. It's got a great catchy melody and great lyrics.

On "When Fortune has Gone Dry" the piano is a gorgeous stand out. It makes me feel like I'm in a piano bar sipping a martini, it has a little bit of an old time feel to it.

She rocks out a little more on "Love is What I Need" and "Inside my Head" and it works...quite well.

This is a first class album, a collection of solid songs that are well written, well performed and easy on the ears.

GREAT!!.......2002-09-25

I happened to hear Rachel play at a club in NYC and immediately became a fan. I bought the album right away and found it to be as impressive as her live performance. She has one of the best, most beatiful voices I have heard. 'Don't Push Me In' and 'Take Me To Ride' are probably my favorites, although the album has a number of songs that I can't stop singing. It's no wonder she is already a hit in Australia.

Beautiful voice...elegant cd.......2002-09-12

The word which best summarizes this cd is elegant. Rachel has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in quite a long time. That, combined with her superb piano work and the rich production of Chad Wackerman (Frank Zappa's old drummer...go figure!) leads to 10 outstanding tracks. My favorite has to be Take Me To Ride, which has a great chorus and melody, which I haven't been able to get out of my head. I also really like When Fortune Has Gone Dry, which is more of a lush ballad. If you're looking for something more upbeat, I'd suggest Love Is What I Need. All in all, a fantastic debut.

Average customer rating:

Harmonia 76 - 'Tracks & Traces' (Rykodisc)
Gel?
True masters work together...masterwork? Not necessarily....

Tracks & Traces
Harmonia 76
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Deluxe
After the Heat
Musik Von Harmonia
Zuckerzeit
Flammende Herzen

ASIN: B0000009RQ
Release Date: 1997-11-04

Tracks:

Vamos Companeros
By The Riverside
Luneburg Heath
Sometimes In Autumn
Weird Dream
Almost
Les Demoiselles
When Shade Was Born
Trace

Customer Reviews:

Harmonia 76 - 'Tracks & Traces' (Rykodisc).......2003-12-08

Talk about your exclusive release.This nine song longplayer was recorded in fall,1976 by members of Harmonia.Ambient music pioneer Brian Eno joined the band to assemble this wonderful piece of krautrock.For certain reason(s),the master tape for 'Tracks&Traces' got misplaced and was recently discovered in someone's closet,sock drawer,basement,stash box,foot locker,etc.Cuts here "By The Riverside" and "Sometimes In Autumn" are unlike anything I've ever heard before."Vamos Companeros" and "Weird Dreams" also show just what is so extraordinarly cosmic about Harmonia.If you haven't heard of this band,don't feel bad.It's made of Roedelius and Moebius(of Cluster)and Michael Rother(of Neu! and early Kraftwerk).Recommended,if you enjoy this genre.So,the only thing left for me to say is happy trippin'!

Gel?.......2003-07-25

The other review does no justice to this valuable puzzle piece within the Krautrock diaspera. Part of the beauty of Krautrock is that it does not always (and doesn't pretend to) "gel." It is experimentation at its finest , and that comrades is what art and artistic integrity are about. Buy this album!

True masters work together...masterwork? Not necessarily...........1999-06-24

Harmonia, the collaboration between Cluster duo Roedelius and Moebius, and NEU!'s Michael Rother, meet up with studio and electronics master Brian Eno on this release. Now, while there are later Cluster + Eno works that're top-shelf work, and while Cluster did appear on Eno's "Before and After Science", _this_ outing seems extremely tentative, and much of what appears here doesn't really gel. In fact, in light of other things appearing around this time by the players involved, I'd have to characterize this as something of a disappointment, although its archival value cannot be denied to scholars of the German experimental pop scene. For completists.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful melodies, exceptional voices,
The American tradition of the poetry of great spaces
Strangely mysterious and often haunting
A distinctive sound
A Search for Paradise on Earth

Comfort for the Traveler
Utah Carol
Manufacturer: Stomping Ground
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Wonderwheel
Rodeo Queen

ASIN: B00005N7AL
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Tracks:

Airplanes
Misfits
Silver Space Rocket
See the Sun
Find a Way
Angel
When We're Apart
Soda Fountain
Promised Land
Wandering Eyes
Nellie
Mr. Rogers
Dandelions
Cowboy Pop Song
Way of the Buffalo

Amazon.com

What Jean Dubuffet is to abstract painting, Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis are to Americana. On their second release, Birkenbeuel and Davis's small songs, as vibrant as they are childlike, initially seem like the dabbling of musical dilettantes, but their shifting modal harmonies, inventive arrangements--flugelhorns, chimes, synths, and pedal steel provide subtle colorings--and pretty pop images of sunshine, space rockets, fresh air, and smiles offer a gentle, playful comfort that's sweet rather than saccharine. The closing song "Way of the Buffalo," with its vision of trees and green seas gone forever, even gestures towards dreams more political than personal. Imagine the Handsome Family on Paxil or Beck producing a children's album and you'll approximate, but not exhaust, the quiet, mirthful expressionism of Utah Carol. --Roy Kasten

Album Description

"Comfort for the Traveler," Utah Carol's follow up to their 20-song debut "Wonderwheel," is haunting, mysterious and melodic. The 15 well-crafted, country-tinged pop melodies are about longing, unrealized dreams, lost love and the endless search for something that is forever just out of reach. Utah Carol has created a dreamy, hypnotic and sometimes spooky landscape with layered orchestral instruments, vintage organs and keyboards, electric guitars, acoustic bass and the unique vocal harmonies of JinJa and Grant.

"Comfort for the Traveler" is an enhanced Digipak CD that contains a short film animation based on an excerpt of "Angel," the sixth song on the album. The animation short was produced by Utah Carol and directed by Eun-Ha Paek of The Milky Elephant in San Francisco. The animated film is in QuickTime format.

The album packaging was art directed and designed by Utah Carol and features paintings by New York City artist Lisa Krivacka and photography by Photonica, NYC. This title is an "ENHANCED" Digipak version of the album with a Quick Time video and accompanying software and installation instructions.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful melodies, exceptional voices,.......2001-12-29

Utah Carol, as you can tell from their name, hail from Utah, United States. An unknown corner of the planet to most, it is known to many people from the Utah Jazz, the basketball team. So, too, Utah Carol are unknown to us also, as they have not acheived a following here, unfortunately. Accoustically, the prose which blossomed in the past year like Kings of Convenience, come close in the new disk to putting things in order, with the words Utah Carol themselves pen with mastery.

Country, blues, folk and rock ballads which sometimes meld into gospel and also psychedelic, Donovan and Dylan, Grateful Dead, Simon & Garfunkel emerge in Comfort for the Traveller in its beautiful melodies, exceptional voices, revealing for us an incomparable unkown from the other end of the Atlantic, which unfortunately noone cares to bring to our shores.

The American tradition of the poetry of great spaces.......2001-12-29

With the first listening of the second self-produced album of this duet of Chicago, the listener tends already to pass by again in loop the title of opening: "Airplanes," with its rhythmic hopping, its vocal harmonies XY and its pop obviousness could have been reproduced on the "Buildings and grounds" of Fritas Fritas - in whom it would have largely exceeded all the remainder besides. To stop there would raise however of the professional misconduct, so much this disc impresses finally by its melody facility, its discrete elegance and its smoothness of interpretation. Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis, the thinking heads of Utah Carol (the name of the group comes from a song of the cow-boy of Nashville Marty Robbins) do not hide their membership of the American tradition of the poetry of great spaces: "Angel" for example sounds like a ballade old-time of the Appalachian Mountains subtly electrified and "Promised Land" is completed by a gigue with the accordion as one can hear some in make-dodo of Louisiana (probably played synthetizer but what imports). And the parts of violin and pedal-steel do not play as often enluminures but provide to the songs a hypnotic melody architecture which forces admiration ("Find a Way," "When We're Apart", you will complete the list yourself). Add with that in the pop register with guitars impeccable "Airplanes" already quoted and "Silver Space Rocket" and you will have an idea of an eclectic without being hold-all and traditional disc without being a passeist. The comparisons are consequently easy: of Walkabouts with the feet separated of the clay, Yo Tengo of "Fakebook" (disc of bedside for full people and finally for me also) and productions of Nitszche Jack for Neil Young on "Way of the Buffalo," ultimate point of organ of an album which leaps of peak in peak with the lightness of its soles of wind. Marvellous surprised and a very beautiful revelation. (French to English translation by Altavista.)

Strangely mysterious and often haunting.......2001-12-29

Comfort for the Traveller is the second album release from Chicago based duo Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis. Strangely mysterious and often haunting the album shows a strong progression from their debut album release "Wonder Wheel". Varying layers of orchestral sounds tinged with the luscious voice of JinJa Davis creates a vintage collection of surrealist dreamy melodies which as the album title suggests provides comfort for the weary traveller.

The album opens with the childlike lullaby "Airplanes" which has a tinge of "Fairground Attraction" mixed with a country beat. The core is undoubtedly country but steers away from "Hillbilly yipping and Ye hawing" for a more sedate dreamy pop vibe which works brilliantly complementing JinJa's subtle vocals. Catchy upbeat melodies, acoustic guitars and girly harmonies come together throughout the album on songs like "Silver Space Rocket" and "Angel". A more rustic country core appears in songs such as "When We're Apart" and "Dandelions". These contrasting styles blend seamlessly on the album with a clear clarity and focus.

From the boy meet girl perspective you cant beat the passionate and dreamy "Find a Way" which epitomises the albums direction. Strong yet simply lyrics lending beautifully to JinJa Davis's serene and calming vocals and backed with vibrant instrumentals.

On a whole "Comfort for the Traveller" is the perfect long journey accompaniment. Sublime vocals and the right blend of backing makes this record a true tour de force for Utah Carol.

A distinctive sound.......2001-12-29

Wonderwheel, the home-grown debut by this husband-wife team named after a Marty Robbins cowboy hero, was one of my favourite albums of the summer of '99, its addictive blend of bittersweet Americana and art-pop sounding like a hillbilly fairground taken over by a couple of kids on mushrooms. More than two years on (it takes time with no budget, a home studio and the determination to enhance the CD with a short, dreamy animation film), second album Comfort... retains their distinctive sound on even stronger songs. There's a sense in their often floaty melodies of goind around and around, like eddies in a stream (When We're Apart, The Way of the Buffalo). And the cantering Promised Land and easy-riding Misfits evoke cowboys on a carousel horse.

A Search for Paradise on Earth.......2001-09-10

The fragile Wonderwheel, the first cd by Utah Carol, was an exercise for the astoundingly beautiful Comfort For The Traveler, Utah Carol's second album. Pop, folk and Americana melt together and give a dreamy sound because of the drawling community singing of Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis (think about lounging buzzing bees) who comprise Utah Carol. The best thing about it is no one sounds like Chicago's finest. We hear the past: Beach Boys, British wave combo Young Marble Giants, a glimpse of country lifted up into the modern presence, including a little hip hop scratch. Some instrumentals with nice titles such as (the funky) "Soda Fountain" and (the film music of) "Cowboy Pop Song" give this album some relief. Personal favourites are the love song "Find A Way" (with a beautiful guitar line), the jangly pop of "Silver Space Rocket," "Angel," (is this the album's single?), the pop tune "Airplanes," the tragic song "Misfits" and the almost polka "Promised Land." I notice most of the songs I mentioned are on the 'first side' of the cd and that has to do with the fact the the second part is a bit more experimental. Comfort For The Traveler is a search for paradise on earth and therefore a hymn of praise to nature and love--although there is not a happy end. The last song "The Way Of The Buffalo" is about killing nature. At that time also love breaks up. A sad end, but doesn't sadness often lead to beauty? The first 500 copies have a little bookwork.

Traces Of Death III: Dead And Buried - Original Documentary Soundtrack Compilation

Average customer rating:

ATTENTION: PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Worth picking up
one hour of relapse and nuclear blast bands jamming together
compilation of all compilations... next to _Gummo_'s s/track
once you hear this get the movie too

Traces Of Death III: Dead And Buried - Original Documentary Soundtrack Compilation
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Relapse
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Compilations | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Vol. 3

ASIN: B00000112H
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Tracks:

Regina Confessorum - Dead World
Brainpan Blues - Pungent Stench
Traces Of Death - Mortician
Frozen In Time - Kataklysm
Slaughtered - Hypocrisy
Stained - Purge
Sadistic Intent - Sinister
Violent Generation - Brutality
Skin Her Alive - Dismember
Into The Bizarre - Deceased
Low - Gorefest
Vanished - Meshuggah
Open Season (The Story Of Hunter Slaughter) - Exit-13
Nightstalker - Macabre
Blood Everywhere - Dead World
Down On Whores (Leave Them All For Dead) - Benediction
God Is A Lie - Hypocrisy
Bodily Dismemberment - Repulsion
Darkened Soul - Core
I Lead You Towards Glorious Times (Edit) - Merzbow

Customer Reviews:

ATTENTION: PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2001-05-25

ATTENTION: This CD only costs $5 if you order it from Relapse records! WWW.RELAPSE.COM

Worth picking up.......2000-10-23

I was quite impressed with this cd. Theres a lot of talent on here. My personal favorite is Violent Generation by Brutality. It's easily the best instrumental i've ever heard. It's a shame they didnt make a soundtrack for Traces of Death II which in my opinion had better death metal. But in any case, this is worth buying. Get the movies too!!!

one hour of relapse and nuclear blast bands jamming together.......2000-05-07

this cd is awesome! one hour of relapse and nuclear blast bands jamming together. if you like mtv, stay away!

compilation of all compilations... next to _Gummo_'s s/track.......2000-05-02

The only movie soundtrack that tops this one is the _Gummo_ soundtrack. This has tracks by three of my favorite bands: Repulsion, Mortician, and Pungent Stench. This is the only Repulsion song that you're going to find that is still in print. That alone makes this a required purchase.

once you hear this get the movie too.......1999-12-05

awesome bands on this disc and goes long well with the movie i got this first hard to believe then the movie to see them scenes put to the background o fmusic like this its truly amazing thanks

Average customer rating:

chaotic organism
Unique with a side of wierd...
nice stuff, good live show, eventually gets monotonous
Shake it baby

Sur Les Traces de Black Eskimo
Les Georges Leningrad
Manufacturer: Alien8 Recording
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Deux Hot Dogs Moutarde Chou
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

ASIN: B00031TYCQ
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

Missing Gary
Sponsorships
Black Eskimo
Nebraska's Valentine
Umiarjuaq
Wunderkind #2
Supa Doopa
St. Mary's Memorial Hall
Pekin Pekin
Richard
Fifi F.
Comment Te Dire Adieu?

Album Description

The sophomore album is without a doubt catchier than their debut, boasting a number of potential hits. Black Eskimo mixes elements of post-punk and noisy improv to deliver a completely unique hybrid. Latest effort, Sangue Puro, released by Tomlab.

Customer Reviews:

chaotic organism.......2005-02-20

lgl are a wall of sonic violence on stage. a ripsaw of chaos theory interpreted in sound. dressed in costumes, keeping beats like a metronome on a railway car, and screaming and at times (if your lucky) beating each other. you will not be disappointed. and you will find yourself asking, "do you wanna come out?... eskimo?"

Unique with a side of wierd..........2005-01-05

I picked up this album on a whim after hearing they played an amazing show in LA. This is an eclectic and at points disturbing album that features a ruthless creative energy that does not disapoint. Although never melodic or even organized music these quazi songs are still memorable and provacative.

nice stuff, good live show, eventually gets monotonous.......2004-12-07

i saw this band play at a small underground club in new orleans. they had amazing, cave-man, swing-from-the-rafters energy, and goofy costumes, and the tightest drummer i have ever seen [seriously], so i bought this CD. i like it, it's interesting and it reminds me of their live show, but it's not on my everyday listening list. they have an intersting, carefully-crafted sound but for me, it doesn't 'grow on you' like a new CD sometimes does . i'm still glad i saw the show and glad i have the disc; it'll get play at the house once in a while.

Shake it baby.......2004-11-17

This is the second album by that weird band from Montreal. They are a little like The Unicorns. They are older and probably take LSD. Their first record was uncompromising. The second one has more pop songs and potential singles. There is a lot of freaky artwork in this record. I am not sure if this is a pop band or what. I am going to see them play at CMJ this year and I'll let you know what I think. They are too good.

Average customer rating:

Very good.
Simply Amazing
"A mess of good ideas"
This is not melodic death metal.
The reason the negative reviews are wrong --

Traces of the Past
The Forsaken
Manufacturer: Century Media
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Arts of Desolation
Manifest of Hate
A Celebration of Guilt

ASIN: B00029LNOG
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

Time to Die
One More Hill
Acid With Acid - Piece by Piece
Glitches Will Tell
Traces of the Past
Serpent's Tongue
God of Demise
Massive Machinery
Empire
First Weapon of Choice
Blackened [*]
Creeping Death [*]
Spirit in Black [*]
You'll Never See [*]
Project: The New Breed 666 [*]

Customer Reviews:

Very good........2005-10-27

First off, I am the same person who wrote the review below by "sepulhead". Since then my opinion has changed slightly, and I am also bothered by the incredibly low average customer rating for this album which I do NOT think it deserves.

I still stand by most of what I said in my previous review, except now I am not so sure that this is a worse album than Arts of Desolation. I would say that overall, Arts of Desolation is more intense, but with what is lost in intensity a bit is gained in the songs themselves. Contrary to what a lot of reviews would suggest, the songs on here are actually somewhat varied. The songs go from blistering fast blast sections in the vein of Angelcorpse (black/death), to melodic neo-thrash riffs (although executed much more interestingly than most neo-thrash bands, like carnal forge or dew-scented), to geuninely heavy thrash riffing. The songs contain a lot of brilliant harmonized soloing that makes me nostalgic for the days when the Ammot brothers were actually writing good material.

I'm not sure why I initially thought this was a worse album than Arts of Desolation, I would say they are both good in their own ways. Arts of Desolation arguably contains the better riffs, but suffers even more so than this album from the too-many-riffs-per-song syndrome. Many songs on here have parts that set themself apart from the others.

There are plenty of parts to this album that are no less than brilliant, like the opening to "Acid with Acid, Piece by Piece" which changes rhythms unexpectedly and merges perfectly into the next crushing riff. There are plenty of slower parts to this album, by death metal standards. Again, by death metal standards, the drums are sufficiently varied. There is a variety of blasting, thrash beats, and double bass rolls from the very fast to the ploddingly rhythmic. There are even some very groovy beats and riffs on this album that make you bang your head involuntarily. But don't expect more drum variation than this, this is death metal after all.

I really like this album a lot, and it seems clear to me that it must not be reaching the right people. If you want to hear boring death metal that never changes tempo, listen to krisiun for god's sake. I would really like it if anyone who thinks this album doesn't change enough would go download a krisiun song and hear how they NEVER change the tempo or style of their drumming. Another band like this is Hate Eternal, yet if you look at reviews of either of these bands it is nothing but 5 stars. Why, I don't know. The metal world is unjust.

Simply Amazing.......2005-09-15

Picking right up from where Manifest of Hate left off, The forsaken never cease to impress me. No one comes close to The Forsaken's style of metal. Reading reviews with them next to In flames makes me laugh. Boils down to this. Awesome Screaming/Growling vocals, hyper-fast death metal drumming, and extremely well crafted twin guitar attacks. For fans of Melodic death metal that actually has DEATH metal in it. Very well-crafted stuff. On my top 3 with Arch Enemy's Black Earth and Children Of Bodom's Hatebereeder. Kinda have some Arch-enemy gothenburg stuff, but just enough to get by. All in all, completely original. MUST HAVE (check out manifest of hate too! 5 stars)

"A mess of good ideas".......2005-07-12

3.5 stars. I read a critical review that stated this album is "a mess of good ideas." I completely agree. The vocals are nothing extraordinary being of the sometimes growling, sometimes shrieking variety; and the drums are, as another reviewer here so aptly pointed out, not all that different from one song to the next (i.e. blast-beats are all over the place). But the guitar work is amazing! The guitar interplay is incredible, and the stop-on-a-dime-and-shift timing is outstanding! The problem for me is that I prefer a Heavy Metal groove to being left breathless at the end of a song. I prefer a handful of memorable riffs on a song rather than a minimum of ten different riffs on a single song! But there are plenty of Metal fans out there who relish that sort of thing. The Forsaken have combined Death Metal with Progressive Metal and sprinkled in a little Melodic Death for an oftentimes exciting yet unusual brew that will appeal to fans whose eyes go wide and jaws drop at the sound of highly proficient guitar interplay. The shredding and lightning-fast solos (both in speed and length) are certainly impressive enough to raise an eyebrow or two in interest. As far as the bonus tracks are concerned, the only cover I liked was "Blackened" from Metallica. The remainder is more of a thankful nod to their heroes than any sort of attempt at redesign (i.e. fun but nothing special). The Forsaken is for a select group of Metal fans dedicated to the proposition that not all guitarists are created equal. These guys can play!

This is not melodic death metal. .......2005-04-25

The problem with this band is that they're being lumped in with bands like in flames, dark tranquillity, arsis, enforsaken, etc. The typical melodic death bands. It's cool if that's your thing but the forsaken really doesn't play that style of music. The Forsaken plays something more along the lines of fast death/thrash. Sure there is some melody in the guitar playing but the songs themselves are not melodic. This is closer to death metal than it is to melodeath, in fact you'll hear a good amount of high speed double bass and blasting. Of course you are going to think that this sounds like garbage if you are into stuff like arch enemy and cradle of filth (mainstream metal, ironic that the previous reviewer was pointing a finger at mainstream bands while listing those acts as favorites.) If you are a fan of DEATH METAL than you won't have a problem with the speed of this album. And a few of the songs actually ARE slower than the others.

This is not a bad album, it's just reaching the wrong audience. If you are a fan of in flames, arch enemy, etc. than sorry but this is just too heavy for you.

For those of us actually into EXTREME metal, this is pretty good. Granted that their could be more variation in songwriting and tempo, but still a solid album. Of course this is no Capharnaum, but they are one of the best bands ou there today.

I give Arts of Desolation a 5 star review, easily. That album was incredible and it made me very excited for this one. Traces of the Past simply isn't as good as that one. I would have also preferred more of the low growls that were present on that album, this seems to be dominated by the higher screams which isn't necessarily a bad thing but the growls are missed.

All in all I think this style of death-infused thrash would meet much better reviews from the extreme metal/death metal scene than it has from the mainstream metalcore/melodeath scene.

The reason the negative reviews are wrong -- .......2005-04-01

The problem with this Forsaken album is that when its good, it is exceptionally good. When its not good, it isn't "bad" - its just dull. But the parts that are good are so good that its hard not to give this ablum a good rating.

Track 1, Track 3, Track 6, Track 9 and the covers are outstanding, with track 3 being one of the best songs in metal today. The focus on this album is on the guitar work which is interesting and fresh, particularly on these tracks. And I also need to say a word about the sound quality - these guys have a tone to their guitars and an overall mix that is just stellar.

Comparing these guys to some maintream pop metal band like Killswitch is disingenuous to say the least. They are nothing like that at all. But to be fair, the album is hit or miss. When I put the CD in I listen to the tracks I mentioned and I love them as much as the greatest metal out there -- but I skip other tracks which are forgettable.

My personal opinion is that I would recommend getting the ablum becuase I believe the good tracks are so good that its worth it. But I would also strongly recommend the bands previous album, Art of Desolation, over this one. That CD has some PRICELESS music on it, reflecting a much broader range of talent. The song Embedded Insanity is quite possibly one of the best metal songs around.

Let me rate the Forsken Catalog:

Manifest of Hate: 2/5 - poor production, sloppy percussion, a couple good songs

Art of Desolation: 5/5 - the bands best overall album, excellent production, many memorable tracks, great sound

Traces of the Past: 4/5 - a couple individual tracks are some of the band's best yet, overall half the songs are great while the other half are forgettable. The great songs are worth the price, though.

Average customer rating:

The Front Porch Swing Band
Another masterpiece from Claire and the band
It's "String Band" not "Swing Band"
good effort
Neglected Classic

Lines & Traces
Front Porch Swing Band
Manufacturer: Rebel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Front Porch String Band
Moonlighter
Silver and Gold
New Day
Friends for a Lifetime

ASIN: B000000277
Release Date: 1994-08-25

Tracks:

Hard Times
I Found You
Natchez Trace
Looks Like Rain
Medley: New York To Dixie/Welcome To New York...
Kennesaw Line
How Much Does It Cost To Ride This Train
In Your Eyes
Some Morning Soon
Home Folks
Kemp's Jig
Will You Be Lonesome, Too
Where Dear Friends Will Never Part

Customer Reviews:

The Front Porch Swing Band.......2007-05-20

"Lines and Traces" the 1991 album by the Front Porch Swing Band is a beautiful collection of bluegrass tunes with Claire Lynch's clear and compelling voice on lead vocal in most of the songs performed here. A must have for all bluegrass enthusuiasts.

Another masterpiece from Claire and the band.......2004-03-11

Claire Lynch has long been my favorite bluegrass singer and this yet another example of her brilliance. Mostly, she records under her own name but sometimes she records as a member of the Front porch string band (as on this album), although her band musicians often appear on her solo albums anyway. The other band members - Larry Lynch (husband, multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist), Andy Meginniss (vocalist) and Herb Trotman (banjo and guitar) provide excellent support.

The set opens with the traditional Hard times, sung in a traditional style adapted to bluegrass. Fans of Dolly Parton may recognize this song because Dolly re-interpreted the song, called it Hush-a-bye hard times and included it on her 9 to 5 album in 1981. The two versions of the song are very different but excellent in their own way. Another wonderful version can be found on Appalachian journey, a curious but fascinating album of classical music with country influences.

Several of the other songs are also covers but none are especially well known. There's an instrumental medley of three Bill Emerson tunes (the medley is titled New York to Dixie), a Michael Johnson song (In your eyes) and a Delmore brothers song (Will you be lonesome too).

Elsewhere, Kennesaw line tells the true story of a Confederate soldier. Train songs remain popular despite their peak years being long gone. One is included here - How much does it cost to ride this train.

If you enjoy modern bluegrass, you'll love this. Claire does not get the same attention that is lavished on Alison Krauss or Rhonda Vincent, two other wonderful bluegrass ladies, but if you enjoy their music you'll surely like Claire too.

It's "String Band" not "Swing Band".......2003-03-24

Don't buy this if you were looking for "swing". Somehow this band has been misspelled here and on some Internet CD databases.

This is bluegrass, and very good bluegreass at that. Claire Lynch has had a great solo career after leaving this band, and her vocals are the best reasons to buy it. The playing is sound, though not as flashy as some of the other BG bands out there. But it is solid, and you can hear Claire do her stuff which is all the reason you need.

good effort.......2002-09-07

They have a good sound here but not as good as their first album. The inside credits do give a good biography. If you are trying to decide which FPSB album to purchase first buy their original one first. In my opinion this has more of a country sound than bluegrass. Overall this is not a disappointing CD.

Neglected Classic.......2000-06-12

What a shame there is no customer review for this CD, so here is one. Perhaps this album is neglected because it is not identified as a Claire Lynch album. She is the main vocalist here, along with husband Larry Lynch. Claire is now one of the true geniuses of bluegrass, but this earlier album also consistently rises to the top of our collection. The song "Where Dear Friends Will Never Part" is worth owning the CD, and was indeed the reason I originally bought it. But the whole album is a gem. Claire Lynch simply has one of the greatest voices currently singing American music.

Album Review:

Album Review

Album Review