Oracle

Oracle

ASIN: B000024C70

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Given the obvious classical influence on bassist Gary Peacock's opener, "Gaya," guitarist Ralph Towner's exotic and exclusive use of nylon and 12-string acoustic guitars, and the 20th-century modernity of the melodies and harmonies all over Oracle, it's easy to miss the serious swing going on here. Of the utmost relevance for Oracle is Towner's work with his group Oregon--inadvertently instrumental in the rise of New Age and World Beat music, though the band operates in a much more rarified artistic atmosphere than most of the music in either of those genres. As a guitarist, Towner tends to slip under the radar that made his contemporaries--John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, and Pat Metheny--icons of their instrument. But one listen to "Tramonto," a waltz in the style of Peacock's former employer, Bill Evans, easily establishes the equality of his jazz credentials. The interplay throughout Oracle helps define another genre that Towner (with ECM) and Peacock helped create: "chamber jazz." --Michael Ross

Tracks:

Care Of Cell 44
A Rose For Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park
Brief Candles
Hung Up On Dream
Changes
I Want Her She Wants Me
This Will Be Our Year
Butcher's Tale
Friends Of Mine
Time Of The Season
Care Of Cell 44
A Rose For Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park
Brief Candles
Hung Up On A Dream
Changes
I Want Her She Wants Me
This Will Be Our Year
Butcher's Tale
Friends Of Mine
Time Of The Season
A Rose For Emily (Alternate Mix 2)
Time Of The Season (Alternate Mix)
Prison Song (Care Of Cell 44 Backing Track)

Product Description

1. Care Of Cell 44
2. A Rose For Emily
3. Maybe After He's Gone
4. Beechwood Park
5. Brief Candles
6. Hung Up On A Dream
7. Changes
8. I Want Her She Wants Me
9. This Will Be Our Year
10. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
11. Friends Of Mine
12. Time Of The Season
13. Care Of Cell 44
14. A Rose For Emily
15. Maybe After He's Gone
16. Beechwood Park
17. Brief Candles
18. Hung Up On A Dream
19. Changes
20. I Want Her, She Wants Me
21. This Will Be Our Year - Stereo Version
22. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
23. Friends Of Mine
24. Time Of The Season
25. A Rose For Emily - Alternate Mix 2
26. Time Of The Season- Alternate Mix
27. Prison Song (Care Of Cell 44 Backing Track)

Format: CD

Amazon.com

The Zombies were perhaps the most British-sounding of all British Invasion groups, and yet they never scored a hit record in their native U.K. The band released three great singles over here, including the wonderful "Time of the Season," which concludes this 1968 masterpiece, frequently called Britain's version of Pet Sounds. This 30th anniversary edition presents both the stereo and mono versions (and there are substantial differences) of the melancholic, keyboard-dominated pop that flowed from Rod Argent and bassist Chris White. The Zombies' main songwriters explored "psychedelic" themes from odd angles. Here songs address a letter to a girlfriend in jail ("Care of Cell 44") and war ("Butcher's Tale"). There's even a "flowers-in-their-hair" hippie anthem (the gorgeous "Hung Up on a Dream"). Totally of its time, and, nevertheless, a timeless classic. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

Do you distrust critics like me? .......2007-07-09

Generally I find that the critics "lost classics" were lost for a good reason. This album is one case where they got it right. This album should have been a huge hit - it's a crime that it got such little play back in the day. I can't guarantee that you'll like it as much as I do, but I can guarantee that it's top quality vocal pop/rock from the time when the music scene was exploding. Stir up the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Kinks and get a totally original treat.

An indispensible Sixties masterpiece.......2007-07-05

The Zombies really never got their due in their time, however, that has changed. They were a great singles band, and in this, their magnum opus, a great album band. Very Sixties, very pop, very good songwriters and performers, and ODESSEY AND ORACLE (purposely misspelled) stands alongside PET SOUNDS and SGT. PEPPER as one of the best albums of the era. The track everyone knows is "Time Of The Season", but every song on ODESSEY AND ORACLE is as outstanding. Ten perfect pop classics, flowing together like melted butter, with "Season" as the dessert. If you have not heard this album, you are in for a treat! Dense, beautifully harmonized vocals with the breathy Colin Blunstone in the lead, gorgeous keyboard work from Rod Argent, intricate and inventive bass guitar from Chris White, equally inventive drumming and percussion from Hugh Grundy, swirling, shimmering guitar from Paul Atkinson, and tremendous songwriting from Argent and White make ODESSEY AND ORACLE a must for any library.

And this CD, from Big Beat UK, presents the Thirtieth Anniversary Edition, with an enlightening booklet, beautiful remastering, and, both the MONO and STEREO versions of the album, with three bonus tracks appended!

A must-have for any Sixties Pop aficionado.

Fresh even now!.......2007-05-12

I had never heard this album before. I bought it on recommendation from a friend who read a review which praised it. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the musical depth of this remarkable band! The musicianship has all the hooks but those vocals will really grab you especially on the tracks: "BRIEF CANDLES" (my personal fave), "HUNG UP ON A DREAM, "CHANGES" and "FRIENDS OF MINE". There are some very mature themes explored here such as "CARE OF CELL 44" a letter to a girlfriend in jail and "A ROSE FOR EMILY" a heartbreaking account of loneliness. I've always liked the British rock sound much better than the American counterparts of the time even though it was American rock and roll that inspired most of these British artists in the first place. This album version has both the stereo and mono versions as well as extra tracks. The purists will like the mono tracks and they do sound good. When I collected 45's and had a stereo record player, I always thought the newer stereo recording sounded better. No exception here. If you've heard only the mono version and liked it, you should hear this one. If you are a fan of the 60's sound and never heard this album, your collection is missing a real gem! Buy this album!

"It gave me peace and blew my mind...".......2007-04-30

One of the many great albums of the sixties that don't get nearly enough recognition, Odessey and Oracle is a truly beautiful record, a scintillating rainbow of psychedlic pop and subtly unique rock n roll. The songs are all masterful, each one posessed of its own distinctive sound and style: "Care of Cell 44" is an exuberant, soul-tinged classic, based around a melodic rush of pianos and a sturdy, propulsive backbeat. The lyrics are an excellent example of what sets the Zombies apart from their contemporaries: Who else would think to write a love song about seeing your girlfriend for the first time in years- because she's been in prison? "Beachwood Park," a dense, moody, indirectly uplifting minor-key rocker, is built around a warbling, watery guitar line and some eerie keyboards. "Maybe After He's Gone" is a heartbreakingly beautiful gem, with a rousing, poignant chorus. Meanwhile, "Friends of Mine" is a catchy burst of sunshine pop with another wonderfully unexpected lyrical reversal- it's a song about how wonderful it is to know people who are in love. "Butcher's Tale" is a haunting anti-war song that positively drips with tension and emotion. "Brief Candles" and "A Rose For Emily" are oddly poetic explorations of lonliness and self-sufficiency, and "Time of the Season" is an expertly crafted soul-psych churner that grooves along on a fantastic stop-start guitar line. The electric piano solo is awesome. My personal favorite moment on the album is "Hung Up On A Dream," a haunting, hypnotic, and stnningly gorgeous bit of psychedlia- the lyrics wistful, beatiful, and as dreamy as the title suggests, while the melodies are uncanny in their emotional intensity. The whole record really is great, a fantastic additon to any decent music library.

The Greatest Album Ever Made.......2007-04-19

I know how bold a statement that is, and I don't take it lightly. But the whole thing is a song cycle about the death of a relationship, rebuilding after the breakup, and that moment where you're ready to get back into the game. "A Rose for Emily" is a gorgeous piece of piano-pop, and few genius tunes are as distinctly British as "Maybe After He's Gone." You all probably know "Time of the Season" from its incessant play on oldies radio; but it doesn't really make as much sense out-of-context, without the lead-in of the weird but happy "Friends of Mine."

And that's just the tip of the iceberg with this record. Shifts in mood are frequent, just like the ups and downs of being on the receiving end of a really bad dumping. "Brief Candles" details what everybody goes through, trying to convince themselves that things WILL get better with time, that the wounds of the broken heart will heal given enough time. Really, it's the Zombies' version of the classic Beatles tune "For No One." That song, off the Beatles' masterpiece Revolver, is a gorgeous, heart-wrenching tune that will break anyone's heart; and the Zombies somehow best it.

But the most amazing track of them all comes smack-dab in the middle of the B-side: "This Will Be Our Year." With a stunning, almost blue-eyed soulful vocal performance by Colin Blunstone (back when he could still sing), the song packs the most hope possible into two minutes. Simple lyrics abound, but sometimes, simple lyrics are the most profound: "I won't forget the way you said / Darling I love you / You gave me faith to go on / Now we're there / And we've only just begun." And if you don't get goosebumps when Blunstone's voice cracks slightly as he sings, "The warmth of your smile / Smile for me, little one," you just don't like heartfelt music.

Average customer rating:

An Ode to wizboy....
i want to slap the person that told me to buy this cd
My First Exposure To Metal
Junk

Oracle
Kittie
Manufacturer: Artemis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Rock | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Spit
Until the End
Safe
Funeral for Yesterday
Paperdoll

ASIN: B00005QEYH
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

Oracle
Mouthful of Poison
In Winter
Severed
Run Like Hell
Pain
Wolves
What I Always Wanted
Safe
No Name
Pink Lemonade

Amazon.com

On Spit, Kittie's 1999 debut, the just-out-of-high-school all-female quartet were an anomaly, giving the male-dominated metal scene a run for its money thanks to the Canadian lineup's near death-metal heaviness. On sophomore outing Oracle, minus original guitarist Fallon Bowman, Kittie rock harder than ever, yet lack the memorable songs required from a band of any gender or genre. In songs like "Mouthful of Poison," Morgan Lander's often ethereal, decidedly feminine vocals contrast with bassist Talena Atfield's death-metal growls. That, along with ferocious double-bass drums and extreme aggression, are the band's hallmarks, broken up by a Kittie-ized cover of Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell" and "Safe," a spare, spooky and excellent departure in a sea of heavy sameness. Ultimately, Oracle's most redeeming quality is that of a role model for frustrated teenage girls, proving that, indeed, women are allowed to vent their rage and compete with men on the same playing field. --Katherine Turman

Album Description

Kittie's 2001 album on Artemis Records was produced by GGGarth (R.A.T.M, Red Hot Chili Peppers & Testament).

Customer Reviews:

An Ode to wizboy...........2007-06-15

"Funeral for Yesterday" may be a bad Kittie album, but it is GOD compared to "Oracle." This CD is just the epitome of bad. I have no idea whether to just review it or stop typing right now and smash my [burnt] copy of this album with a hammer. Like.... with "Funeral for Yesterday," you expect it to be an improved, mature CD because it's the fourth album the band has released (but it's not). But... this is Kittie's second album, and it is no better than the first CD (which is possibly the most annoying album I've ever listened to). The music didn't get better, it actually got worse (WOW!). The lyrics were just the same ol' "I HATE YOU!!!!" cr@p that was on the first album, and the vocals were still unbearable! I mean, I'm wasting my time just reviewing this, and that's something I don't say often. You know, this just isn't worth the typing. I'm just going to stop here. The album and band sucks, simple as that!

Oh, and for those that don't know who wizboy is, just check the comment box for my "Funeral for Yesterday" review.

i want to slap the person that told me to buy this cd.......2007-03-03

i bought this album(i think i was about 17) hoping beyond hope that it would be atleast half as good as most people were telling me,but it wasn't at the time.so,i've taken another listen,yet i still can't see why so many people loved this cd. all the 'non-bitching and moaning' that was supposedly absent was there, it was just covered under the lead vocalists inaudible growls and grunts.

you know,i think i have a new respect for the bands people call emo, because while they might be whiney and sometimes trite atleast they are whiney and trite clearly. i'd personally recommend listening to cannibal corpse or arch enemy if you just have to listen to guttural lyrics with a dark edge.

.......2006-10-20

This is my favorite Kittie album. The song "Mouthful of Poison" is arguably their best song. This is the type of album that grows on you with time. I don't like "Pink Lemonade" much because it builds too slowly after the onslaught of "No Name." I tend listen to this CD alone in my car rather than as background music.

My First Exposure To Metal.......2006-07-18

Back in 2002 I was very new to Metal and Kittie shocked me with their 2nd release "Oracle". Much more mature then Spit, with better lyrics,vocals and instrumentation. To this day "Oracle" has not woren off as many other bands have.

This is probably THE Kittie album to get. Even though Kittie is in the studio right now recording their 4th release which will be gold, no doubt. But none the less "Oracle" was a huge mile-stone for Kittie and they take no prisoners. You can here Oracle's presense on their 3rd release, "Until The End" but "Until The End" had much more melody, while "Oracle" is straight up Metal. A definite buy!

Junk.......2006-07-18

Kittie is a horrid metal band. I am not biased for the fact that they are women, but for the fact that they just arent talented. The singer is awful, and her vocals dont fit the type of music that they are playing. And if you want to talk about the music, ughhhh, horrid power cords that sound like a bunch of 4th graders could play. If you want to hear a great Female vocalist for a metal band then I highly recommend Arch Enemy. Once you hear them, you will ditch all you Kittie albums, and hear a talented female vocalist, with some great musicans.

Average customer rating:

Beyond mere music
Michael Hedges - Oracle....BRILIANT
A beautiful album with hippie twist
No wonder this won a grammy!
Hedges Returns to finger-style.

Oracle
Michael Hedges
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Aerial Boundaries
Taproot
Breakfast in the Field
Torched
Live on the Double Planet

ASIN: B000000NLT
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

The 2nd Law
Ignition
Baal T'shuvah
Dirge
Jitterboogie
Oracle
Gospel
Tomorrow Never Knows
Theme From HATARI!
Aura Muunta
Jitterboogie (Family Version)
Sofa No.1
When I Was 4
Bonus Track

Amazon.com essential recording

Michael Hedges's last album before his untimely death is one of his best. The 1996 album opens with "The 2nd Law," a quietly intense and introspective piece, and moves on through the percussive "Ignition," the sprightly "Gospel," and two variations on the same piece, "Jitterboogie" and the playful "Jitterboogie (Family Version)." The sole vocal piece on the album is a nice turn on the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," with Hedges backing himself on guitar and fretless bass. There are two other interesting cover choices, Henry Mancini's "Theme from Hatari!" and Frank Zappa's "Sofa No. 1." Oracle won the 1998 Grammy for Best New Age Album, and the award was richly deserved. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews:

Beyond mere music.......2005-12-17

Who was Michael Hedges? One of the greatest acoustic guitar players ever, for sure, and a brilliant composer, but much more than that. His total mastery of technique enabled him to transcend the boundaries of his instrument and to speak with a direct connection to his soul. Not a striving to reach such a state, but the outpouring of a true master, of one who has attained it. I hear his music and no longer wonder about the reason for existence. Not to say that all of his music attains this lofty level, but a great deal does. Oracle might not be his best work, (although it is my personal favorite) but it's definitely in the top three.

Michael Hedges - Oracle....BRILIANT.......2005-11-14

Always wondered how you would answer the question "if I were stranded on a deserted island, what music would you take?" This one is without a DOUBT at the top of my list. Michael's untimely death STILL wracks me to this day. The man was just beginning to blossom. I can say without hesitation that this CD is the single most important piece of modern acoustic guitar ever made. The emotion laid forth on each and every song is unmatched. Strong enough review for you? Buy it, and if you do not like it, I WILL BUY THE COPY FROM YOU!!! If I had 100 copies of this album, I would be fine with that!
(...)

A beautiful album with hippie twist.......2004-02-18

I live in Santa Cruz, CA, and it's hard for me to listen to this album without thinking of the extremely artsy young hippie types that one used to frequently see wandering around the ocean front or downtown on Pacific Ave. I'm picturing the kind of young white person who wears his hair in dread knots and usually has a long thin face and colorful loose fitting clothes.

I realize that such an introduction is likely to put a lot of people off, but that simply is the persona that Hedges projects on this wonderful acoustic guitar album. I never really know whether those young men and their long skirted women really are as creative as they so desperately want to appear, but there is no question that Hedges had an abundance of inspiration flowing freely when he made this album.

The songs are generally melodic, and can be used if not for background music, then for a quiet accompanyment when puttering around the house. However, the album is so moody and introspective that it is best appreciated in a darkened room where the focus is on the music.

Hedges strikes me as a very good, but not quite superb, guitarist who is especially conscious of the resonance of his instrument. As a result, hearing this album on a very good stereo system straight from disk, or in a very high quality MP3, is probably best. You need to be able to hear the way his wooden acoustic guitar echoes to fully appreciate these songs.

As I've already implied, there is something very quirky about Hedges music on this album. The "Theme from Hitari," for instance, is not exactly a likely choice in music for most musicians. But Hedges makes this Henry Mancini song his own by giving it a lonesome, introspective air that is full of lush melancholy.

Ignition is another type of song. It is an obvious riff on the sound of a car starting up that has a sharp edged percusive energy to it that is at once humorous and somehow emotionally evocative.

Hedges doesn't have George Winston's great melodic gift, or Alex di Grassi's extraordinary technical felicity. Nevertheless, this is a good album straight from the heart of the best of the Windham Hill tradition. This is not likely to be considered the best disc in your collection, but it is one that people who have a little bit of the new age hippie in them are likely to enjoy.

No wonder this won a grammy!.......2002-02-07

This was the first Hedges cd I heard and I went on to get most of the others afterwards. The first three tracks are simply gorgeous as is "Gospel" and "Sofa No. 1" a nice addition for the Zappa fans...

But by far the stand out track is "Baal T'shuvah", an absolutely warm, well-rounded, fingerstyle song that is beyond description. Essential.

Hedges Returns to finger-style........2000-05-30

This album marks a return for Hedges in finger-style technique. Known for his earlier efforts, "Ariel Boundaries"/"Breakfast in the Field", that demonstrated finger-style playing....Hedges followed up with some collaborative efforts and non-finger-style albums.

Tracks:

Care of Cell
Rose for Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park
Brief Candles
Hung Up on a Dream
Changes
I Want Her, She Wants Me
This Will Be Our Year
Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
Friends of Mine
Time of the Season

Album Description

Alongside Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds, there is Odessey & Oracle. A timeless classic that belatedly attained the recognition it so thoroughly deserved. And now, in 2007, it garners a fresh and massive batch of publicity as the track 'Time Of The Season' features in the prolific current TV ad' for Magners Irish Cider.

Customer Reviews:

On an odessey.......2007-06-26

Many bands (the Beatles, the Beach Boys) at least dabbled in psychedelica, but the Zombies are often overlooked. For the 30th anniversary of "Odessey and Oracles," the Zombies' best album was rereleased in a new form, proving that their enchanting psychedelic pop has aged exceeedingly well.

The Zombies were unusually good at taking perky, sweet, lush music and wrapping it around a more serious song, such as the upbeat "Care of Cell 44" (guy writing to his jailed girlfriend), or the lovely "A Rose For Emily," a poignant little song that tells of a lonely woman doomed to stay lonely. "And as the years go by/she will grow old and die/The roses in her garden fade away/Not one left for her grave..."

But the Zombies aren't all sadness wrapped in happy music. There are perky songs about being happy in love, losing a love and hoping she'll return, and reminiscing about "golden days and golden summer nights." The album ends on a reassuring note with the laid-back "Time of the Season," which sounds like the ultimate hippie anthem.

I have no memories of the 60s, since I was only born in the eighties. But "Odessey and Oracle" gives a rosy glow to that era,. Psychedelic flair minus the hazy, and every song is a gem. Though "Time of the Season" was the sleeper hit from the album, it's not the best or catchiest song on here -- it's just one of many excellent ones.

Rod Argent was definitely an outstanding songwriter. He was able to create atmospheric and beautiful songs with very simple writing ("Brief candles in her mind/bright and tiny gems of memory"). Perhaps his finest moment here is "I knew he when summer was her crown/and autumn sad/how brown her eyes," as a kick-off to a colorful look at a woman compared to all the seasons.

Colin Blunstone's vocals were well-suited to the music: a bit husky, quite pleasant and mellow. The music itself was generally based on guitar, gentle drums, pretty piano, and wavering Mellotron, with a bit of accordian coming in in one song. There's a rich interweaving of many instruments, in all sorts of pop music. Some is almost classical in tone, some is uptempo stuff that is perfect for the radio.

The Zombies were in peak form in "Odessey and Oracle," churning out some of the purest pop music ever. As sweet and exquisite as it was in the 1960s.

The String Quartet Tribute to Rush's 2112

Average customer rating:

Intermission music
How could you "tribute" Rush with this? It's a disgrace!
wow...
my favorite RUSh tribute!!
Exploitation or not...

The String Quartet Tribute to Rush's 2112

Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Exit... Stage Right: String Quartet Tribute to Rush
Subdivisions: A Tribute
Chamber Maid: The Baroque Tribute to Rush
The Piano Tribute to Rush
Rush: Chemistry

ASIN: B0007PAM4C
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

2112 Overture
The Temples Of Syrinx
Discovery
Presentation
Oracle: The Dream
Soliloquy
Grand Finale
A Passage To Bangkok
The Twilight Zone
Lessons
Tears
Something For Nothing

Product Description

1. 2112 Overture
2. The Temples Of Syrinx
3. Discovery
4. Presentation
5. Oracle: The Dream
6. Soliloquy
7. Grand Finale
8. A Passage To Bangkok
9. The Twilight Zone
10. Lessons
11. Tears
12. Something For Nothing

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Intermission music.......2007-06-26

Just letting you know that on the Snakes and Arrows tour, Rush is playing this music during their intermission.

How could you "tribute" Rush with this? It's a disgrace!.......2007-04-27

Three thumbs down! One from Neil, one from Alex, and one from Geddy I'm sure!!! My God, I can not wait until Vitamin Records either goes out of business or wake's up and starts doing recordings with real talent. These sound like midi files - and not just the Rush, but everything I've heard from them. The Iron Maiden disc is pathetic, as is the new Dream Theater.
Be warned, do not buy this CRAP! That's what they are putting out. If there are real players playing this, they sound like they're on the middle school level. It's quite a shame. There is some beautiful music that these great musicians in these bands wrote and vitamin records is wiping their butts with it and laughing all the way to the bank. Do NOT support them and spread the word.

wow..........2007-01-17

i honestly only bought this for comedy purposes, but i had no idea what i was in for!

this is possibly one of the worst CDs ever produced, tribute or otherwise. the orchestration is incredibly sub par, and hugely aggravating.

i was also largely disappointed to discover that it was put out in 2005. i was REALLY hoping for some late 70's/early 80's action. i should have paid more attention, i guess.

also, from the sound of things, the only song with actual violin instrumentation (beyond the first violin) is passage to bankok (which is one of the dumbest songs ever written anyway). the rest of them reek of synthesizer (i think i actually have some of the same string samples!).

and lastly, at virtually no point is the instrumentation actually a string quartet.

i would really like to hang out with the two dudes who made this. i am betting that they are supremely insane. this one is definitely getting played at parties when i want people to leave.

my favorite RUSh tribute!!.......2007-01-03

This one is the cool one! Hearing the classic RUSH tunes performed by a quartet will give you a whole new appreciation for the compositions and arrangements the wonderful trio from Canada have given to us.

Exploitation or not..........2006-11-05

Exploitaton or not, it's still an interpretation of some of my favorite, formative music. I'm one of those geeks who listened to Rush so much as a teenager that just hearing a brief melody from one of their songs causes a truly visceral reaction.

I had always said that in 200 years, people will still listen to Rush and hearing the work interpreted through a string ensemble only strengthened that belief.

Of course, I'm also a big fan of "tribute" albums. Some of my favorites being the "Ecomonium" tribute to Led Zepplin, the "Moody Bluegrass" Nashville tribute to the Moody Blues, and the "Fire on the Mountain" reggae interpretations of the Grateful Dead. Oh yeah, I'm also one of the few that really got a kick out of Rush's own tribute album, Feedback.

In summary, if you love Rush and you enjoy tributes, buy this album. If not (on either account), skip it.

Average customer rating:

Easy Soundtrack
Great record
Great Find
Grant goes solo

Ladie's Love Oracle [Bonus Track]
Grant-Lee Phillips
Manufacturer: Zoe Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mobilize
Virginia Creeper
Nineteeneighties
Strangelet
Mighty Joe Moon

ASIN: B00006FDR7
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Tracks:

You're a Pony
Heavenly
Squint
Luke the Drifter
Flamin' Shoe
Folding
Lonesome Serenade
Nothing Is For Sure
St. Expedite
Snow Flakes (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

On his debut solo effort, Grant-Lee Phillips proclaims, "Sometimes a sketch says more than a mural." Although it would be a mistake to dismiss Ladies' Love Oracle as merely a collection of sketches, that idea helped inform this set of acoustic guitar-driven ballads. The material found here isn't so much sketches of songs as of the songwriter himself--pieces of the artist as he reinvents himself in the wake of an artistically and critically (if not commercially) successful career with his former group, Grant Lee Buffalo. Ladies' Love Oracle finds the artist exploring unrequited love on "Lonesome Serenade" and perhaps reflecting on his place in the music world on "Nothing Is for Sure." The songs are fleshed out with simple arrangements on the harmonica, piano, and whatever other instruments Phillips seems to have picked up while recording in producer-musician Jon Brion's (Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple) basement studio. The result is an intimate view into the soul of a uniquely gifted singer-songwriter as he takes inventory of his life at a crossroads. --Michael Wells

Customer Reviews:

Easy Soundtrack.......2006-04-20

Several of these songs--Heavenly, Nothing is for Sure, Snowflakes, and Folding--are on the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed movie, "Easy", starring Marguerite Moreau and Brian O'Byrne. The Grant Lee Phillips music really makes the film. I really enjoyed the soulful ballads on this album that I discovered when I viewed the film.

Great record.......2005-05-11

This is Grant Lee Phillips' first solo cd and like the next two (Mobilize and Virginia Creeper), this one is original, unique and amazingly crafted. Grant Lee is one of the best songwriters in the U.S. today. The only thing better than listening to the cd is catching him live. I've had the pleasure of seeing him in Amsterdam, Denver, D.C. and Boulder and lemme tell ya: he is tremendous on stage.

Great Find.......2002-12-27

I stumbled across this CD just a couple of weeks ago. I'd never heard of Grant Lee Phillips before, but decided to give it a try after a qucik listen at the store. This is a GREAT CD. Very mellow, great vocals and a nice blend of simple instrumentation. I haven't stopped playing it. I'm looking forward to hearing more of his stuff.

Grant goes solo.......2002-09-25

I know this album has been released for a while but nobody has written anything on it yet so I thought I would give it a shot.

I have been a long time fan of Grant Lee Phillips. From the days of Grant in Grant Lee Buffalo, I have closely followed his music career. Armed with a twelve string acoustic guitar and his incredible voice of scratchy low whispers to high floating falsettos, Grant once again proves that his singing and songwriting hasn't fallen with Grant Lee Buffalo. Ladie's Love Oracle is a much more stripped down version than the earlier GLB sound. Usually with only a piano, guitar, and vocals, LLO is a much more organic sounding album. While listening, you almost feel that Grant is right in the room playing and singing for you playing these great new songs. The album really exposes Grant in respect to his voice and songwriting ability due to such sparse instrumentation. The direction of LLO still holds true to Grant's style of folk/rock songwriting. And what better person to help in his solo project than with Jon Brion.

Tracks:

Care Of Cell
A Rose For Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park
Brief Candles
Hung Up On A Dream
Changes
I Want Her She Wants Me
This Will Be Our Year (Mono Mix)
Butcher's Tale (Western Front)
Friends Of Mine
Time Of The Season
I'll Call You Mine (Stereo Mix #1)
Imagine The Swan (Stereo Mix #1)
Conversation Off Floral Street
If It Don't Work Out (Overdubbed)
Don't Cry For Me (Overdubbed)
Smokey Day
She Loves The Way They Love Her
Time Of The Season (UK Mono Mix)
I'll Call You Mine (Overdubbed)
Imagine The Swan (Stereo Mix #2)

Customer Reviews:

Great Zombies.......2005-12-13

The Zombies were almost ignored by the record buyers through most of their relatively short career from 1963-68. They only managed to release two albums and about a dozen singles, of which only three hit the charts. Almost everything they did record was of very high standards.
This album, their second, from 1967 is usually considered their best recording moment; and it really is a great album. Both songwriters Rod Argent and Chris White contribute strong material.
Except for "Butcher`s Tale" for which I never really cared, there are no fillers here.
Then to the extensive inclusion of great bonus tracks.
Chris White`s "I`ll Call You Mine" was the B-side of the "Time of the Season" single and as such a very logical choice. A great recording
The White/Argent collaboration single "Imagine the Swan" was the follow up to their world-wide hit; unfortunately it failed undeservedly. It was recorded after Colin Blunstone had left the band; in fact they did record an album`s worth of material which recently has been released in Japan titled "Rest in Peace" which was the origal working title for their never released follow-up album. Most of these recordings are featured here as bonus tracks. Most of these recordings are up to the same standards as "Odessey and Oracle".

Besides "I`ll Call You Mine" and "Imagine The Swan" songs like "Smokey Day" and "I Could Spend the Day" are all-time Zombies favourites of mine.

Take an "Odessey".......2005-01-01

Sheer, unmitigated brilliance........2004-12-29

Found this album at a garage sale when I was 10, fell in love with it, & now years later am thrilled to find that it exceeds even my youthful enthusiasm. I've never before been moved to write a review on this site before, but this album is the exception (I'm listening to it as I type). Think about a "Something Else" -era Kinks infused with "Carrie Anne"ish Hollies vocal harmonies and "Ummagumma"-era Pink Floyd production values and you'd be starting on the right track - but there's so much more to "Odyssey" than that. "Time of the Season" is the radio track, of course, but a moody masterpiece like "Beechwood Park" and the immense, spacious, otherworldly "Hung Up On A Dream" actually put it to shame. Apart from the dreadful "Butcher's Tale," there isn't a bad cut in the bunch - and you can hear threads of the remainder of the disc woven throughout rock history from '67 onward. "Influential" doesn't begin to describe the impact of this disc; basically, the entire history of '60s britpop is rewritten in the course of 40 minutes by this sadly underrated band. "Odyssey" also benefits from seeming somehow timeless - despite some incredibly naive lyrics (to 21st-century ears) this is incredibly forward-looking music. And still, it oozes late-'60s England with every chord. And just _try_ to play along with it...never has sophistication so moved you to snap your fingers...

As Good As It Gets.......2004-11-28

The Zombies 'Odessey & Oracle' (with bonus tracks) may well be the best CD I've ever heard. I can't honestly say I've ever enjoyed a CD more. My son (age 17) picked it up on a whim, (he liked Time of the Season), last August, and I've been playing it ever since. I'm addicted to 'Odessey & Oracle'. I've listened to it countless times since then, like once or twice a day, nearly every day. It's the singing, the vocals. Euphoric! They are just so happy, just so glad to be there! This is a CD in which the band just loves to sing - joyous, baroque, harmonious Beach Boys Beatles Barclay James Harvest Steeleye Span-like, they just love to sing! The lead vocals, the harmony vocals, the second harmony vocals, the background sounds, the oohs and ahhs and Beatlely little accents and touches permeate the disc - this band just loves to sing. Euphoric, that's it. Every cut is a musical journey, every cut has something special to offer, including the bonus tracks, (on which they also love to sing). I have no idea how I missed this when it was new, but I did. It's magnificent. I'm forever indebted to my son for finding it for me. (good thing I had him!) If you don't have it, GET IT!!! NOW!

See, there is a God.......2004-09-18

There's no way this minor group - nearly broke, on the way to breaking up in 1967 and seemingly stuck in an artistic rut - could have been expected to produce such a masterpiece. The songwriting, the harmonies, the performances are exquisite. This album caught more of that evocative summer than anything outside of Sgt. Pepper. Not one clinker in the bunch. There's a reason why this album was ranked #82 in the Rolling Stone Top 500 albums of all time and why some music giants today consider this album one of the most influential ever. This reissue is as low-fi as the original recording. You can almost hear the scratches from a cheap turntable. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Some of the most essential hot jazz from New Orleans...

Recorded in New Orleans 1925-1928
Oscar Celestin
Manufacturer: Jazz Oracle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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

King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band: The Complete Set
Breaking Out of New Orleans 1922-1929
Marie Laveau
The Complete Set: 1923-1926
Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930

ASIN: B000000O5W
Release Date: 2000-06-28

Tracks:

Original Tuxedo Rag
Careless Love
Black Rag
I'm Satisfied You Love Me
My Josephine
Station Calls-1
Station Calls-2
Give Me Some More
Dear Almanzoer
Papa's Got The Jim-Jams
As You Like It
Just For You Dear I'm Crying-1
Just For You Dear I'm Crying-3
When I'm With You
It's Jam Up
The Sweetheart Of T.K.O.
Ta Ta Daddy
Steppin' On The Gas
Everybody's Talking About Sammy
Mobile Stomp
Sing On
Short Dress Gal
Bogalousa Strut
Down By The Riverside
Over In The Glory Land

Customer Reviews:

Some of the most essential hot jazz from New Orleans..........2000-10-13

Here on this exellent CD are all of Oscar "Papa" Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra recordings from the 20's. Celistin's legendary big band was the hottest group(only second to Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives & Sevens) to record in New Orleans in the 30's. Celistin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra was probably the 1st jazz band to record in New Orleans, and his band was HOT. Also included are all of the recordings done by the absolutly hot Sam Morgan's Jazz Band, which is just as hot and essential as Celestin's. This is essential, historical, and joyful New Orleans/Dixieland Jazz, and some of the earlist and greatest music recorede in New Orleans. These bands are legendary. This is essential for all, especially Dixieland and New Orleans collectors. A MUST BUY!!!

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
Mesmerizing
Fly Onward!!!!~
An Aural Odyssey
Pool of Dreams

Pool of Dreams
Oracle
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003G9L
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

Dive Deep
Jacob's Pillow
Teardrop In The Sun
Beyond The 9th Wave
Where Michael Furey Lay
Phantom Queen
The Selkie
Pool Of Dreams
Amairgen
To Eireann

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2004-01-31

If you have Scots blood in your veins, or in your heart, this is it...Incredible, thought provoking...must have

Mesmerizing.......2001-07-10

Just beautiful. In every respect. If there is one, just one, drop of Celtic blood in your body this album is for you.

If you have a son, well, then, this album is a must.

Fly Onward!!!!~.......2000-09-26

This is ethereal, even ecstatic! - The ageless soul of this most beauteous poetry~~it enlivens me, and even oncemore....

Any enhanced soul may absorb the beauty of "Jacob's Pillow" and "To Eireann." ~ And any frost-bit spirit may find heat in tunes such as "Dive Deep" and "Teardrop In The Sun."

I have many-times listened to these in my search for musical rhythm beating the pre-disposed metronome to my own shadow-tinted heart! And herein, I assure you, I have found it!

An Aural Odyssey.......1999-12-18

For those who enjoy the contemporary Celtic sounds of Clannad or Capercaillie, this disk will delight. Beautiful female voices against a tasteful yet charming and mysterious instrumental background, with a compelling mythological theme. The haunting Jacob's Pillow is the high point for me, and alone is well worth the price of the disk. But it's all sublime.

Pool of Dreams.......1999-12-08

An exceptionally well-crafted mix of contemporary celtic, and modern dance, with a few interesting twists. A highly recommend listen for anyone interested in Irish mythology and history.

Average customer rating:

Another (barely) classic psychedelic pop album from the 60's!
"Oracle" tells all
The most under-rated band ever
A Classic + a Great Lost Album!
The ONLY thing wrong here is the spelling..."Odessey"!

Odessey and Oracle
The Zombies
Manufacturer: Repertoire
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Classic Rock | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Pop | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Begin Here
Groovin'
Singles A's & B's
The United States of America
The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society

ASIN: B00005B0PU
Release Date: 2001-04-09

Tracks:

Care of Cell
Rose for Emily
Maybe After He's Gone
Beechwood Park
Brief Candles
Hung Up on a Dream
Changes
I Want Her, She Wants Me
This Will Be Our Year
Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
Friends of Mine
Time of the Season

Album Description

German digipak reissue of the British Invasion act's 1968 album with 16 bonus tracks, 'I'll Call You Mine', 'She Loves the Way They Love Her', 'Imagine the Swan', 'Smokey Day', 'I'f it Don't Work Out', 'I Know She Will', 'Don't Cry For Me', 'Walking in the Sun', 'Conversation Off Floral Street', 'I Want You Back Again', 'Gotta Get a Hold of Myself', 'Goin Out of My Head', 'She Does Everything For Me', 'Nothing's Changed', 'I Could Spend the Day' and 'Girl Help Me'. Digipack. 2001 release.

Album Details

Digipak reissue with 17 bonus tracks. Completely different than the US version on Big Beat.

Customer Reviews:

Another (barely) classic psychedelic pop album from the 60's!.......2006-01-04

The 60's were indeed a great decade - SO many classics came out it's pretty staggering. The Zombies' "Odessey and Oracle" is but one of many timeless albums released in that decade, and it doesn't disappoint (though it's barely a classic). It's extremely accessible for most people and definitely fun and interesting to listen to (it also features the timeless hit "Time Of The Season"!). The singer is usually dead-on as a psychedelic pop singer - he has pretty good charm, although in some songs he's a little iffy (like on "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)"). The harmonies on this album are notably great. The lyrics are unfortunately not all that great. Musically the album is also fantastic. This is primarily a psychedelic album, but it DOES cover a little R&B and pop rock. The audio quality is also very very good considering it was recorded in 1968. I'm pretty sure everybody can enjoy this album along with other classics like, say, The Lovin' Spoonful's "Greatest Hits". I think I would've given this a "4.5", but its historical influence, the classic "Time Of The Season" and all the bonus tracks pushes it to a "5". Highly recommended!

Highlights include:
the entire album (except for probably "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914")

"Oracle" tells all.......2005-02-05

The most under-rated band ever.......2004-12-27

I don't understand why The Zombies aren't up there with The Beatles and The Beach Boys. I love listening to them for the same reasons I love listening to The Zombies: First of all, the music is just fantastic with no explanation needed at all - it's just fantastic. And Second of all, for the fun, clever, beautiful melodies and masterful harmonies. The Zombies are still uniquely original with there smooth cool vocals, jazz influenced style, there own version of production perfection, they've got Rod Argent on the keyboards, I don't know, the album speaks for itself. I've put the CD on for different people and because it's so timeless they thought it was some new band that was bringing a new sound or something. I think that timelessness is possibly the best trait a piece of music can have. And this totally has it.

This version of the album is the best I've found. Or the Zombie Heaven box set. But if you're not into the whole demo version thing, this CD and Begin Here with the German bonus tracks is a great combo and gets all the released tracks pretty much covered. That's a fantastic CD too. Both are musts, but Odessey & Oracle is a must more. No. Wait. Get both. But get Odessey & Oracle first. A greatest hits won't do. You would really miss out if you just got one greatest hits CD. Each song is truly great. That's something that's really rare. The album itself is a masterpiece and the bonus tracks are a must have. You'll understand when you get the CD. The more you listen to The Zombies, the more you fall in love with their music. Eventually you'll run out of Zombies songs to individually obsess over and you will be sad. But then you'll remember that you have both Begin Here and Odessey & Oracle with all these bonus tracks and you will be happy once again. The end.

A Classic + a Great Lost Album!.......2004-04-04

The British 1960's band the Zombies seemed to have all what it took to be a success. Two unsually gifted songwiters in Rod Argent and Chris White and two outstanding singers, Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent (again). What they may have lacked was a little more "edge" to balance their melodic music and "nice school-boys" image.

They actually did have early success with their 1964 single "She's Not There". But in spite of several strong singles were recorded and released during 1965-66, they somehow were not able to follow-up their early success.

So in early 1967 the band had not had a hit-record for more than two years, and it seemed that their time was over. They decided to record a final "real" album before they'd split up. The result was the highly acclaimed "Odessey and Oracle" which they recorded during the second half of 1967.

Of course they had hoped that one of the two first singles taken from these recordings "Friends of Mine" and "Care of Cell 44" would bring them back into the charts. And since this did not happen they assumed their time was over, so they disbanded before the album was actually released in April 1968.

Another single was chosen to promote the album, and the succeeding big success of "Time of the Season" in America came as a complete surprise. The album itself also reached the lower parts of the charts in the States.

Their music has proving its viability over the years, and this album contains some of their finest moments, with great tunes from both Argent and White.

After their unexpected 1968 "comeback" effort were made to secure a Zombies re-union. But Rod Argent and Chris White were already deeply involved in gathering a new band, which eventually would become "Argent".

In this transition period Argent and White were persuaded to do a final "Zombies" album which was given the title "R.I.P."

The album was supposed to consist of earlier out-takes and demos, ( with new overdubbings ) combined with new recordings.

This 12-songs "new" album was for release some time in 1969 but the album which had been given the title "R.I.P." was never released.

This was a big shame, as it would have been a great album.

In recent years this album has actually been released in Japan and all songs have been released released on various compilations. Here among the bonus-tracks you'll 11 of these songs of which most equals on the actual album. The box-set "Zombie Heaven" contains all 12 songs.

6 of these "R.I.P." songs are original Zombies recordings from 1964-66, featuring Colin Blustone on vocals. He was called in to record new vocals to "Walking in the Sun" which is the earliest track, from late 1964, but he is not involved in any of the "new" 1968 recordings. Rod Argent, who is also an incredibly fine singer, takes over the vocals on these tracks. All these 1968 songs / recordings are great. "Imagine the Swan", "Smokey Day", "Girl Help Me", "I Could Spend the Day" are outstanding songs. "Imagine the Swan" was released as a single and was a minor hit in America.

The earlier recordings featuring Colin Blunstone are equally strong. "If It Don't Work Out" was written for Dusty Springfield in 1965. The song was also released as the Zombies' final single in July 1969.

So apart from the one missing song ( "I'll Keep Trying" ) this highly recommed CD contains two great Zombies albums.

The ONLY thing wrong here is the spelling..."Odessey"!.......2003-11-08

O.K., nothing terribly witty or mindbendingly profound here. The others have said what had to be said. Virtually every track will have you marveling at the Zombies ability to play WITH music. Listening to this CD refreshed memories of thought and feeling that I thought were forever lost. "Brief Candles," "Smokey Day", and "Walking in the Sun" will renew your innocence... and, YES, that feeling just might provoke a tear or two. One of the top 5 albums of all time? It just might be. Just close your eyes and listen.

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music