Classical music reviews

This magical album crosses oceans and centuries and puts me in touch with my Irish ancestry. The title song tells a story similar to my greatgrandmother's and even though I've heard it many times now, I still weep for her.

Long a fan of Irish music, I have turned to a series of artists to satiate my appetite. Bing Crosby and John McCormick have been succeeded by the Irish Tenors.

This CD has a bit more of an Irish American theme as "Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears" and "God Bless America" illustrate. Interspersed among these tunes are traditional Irish tunes such as "Macushla" and "Croppy Boy", along with newer songs, such as "The Green Fields Of France" and "How are Things In Glocca Morra?"

The singing is excellent, the words understandable. I appreciate the inclusion the lyrics of the songs contained on the insert of the cover. These are songs you will want to learn, whose stories you will want to research. I have. Listen again and again!

Long a fan of Irish music, I have turned to a series of artists to satiate my appetite. Bing Crosby and John McCormick have been succeeded by the Irish Tenors.

This CD has a bit more of an Irish American theme as "Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears" and "God Bless America" illustrate. Interspersed among these tunes are traditional Irish tunes such as "Macushla" and "Croppy Boy", along with newer songs, such as "The Green Fields Of France" and "How are Things In Glocca Morra?"

The singing is excellent, the words understandable. I appreciate the inclusion the lyrics of the songs contained on the insert of the cover. These are songs you will want to learn, whose stories you will want to research. I have. Listen again and again!

Another typical concert with lots of "i love you all's" and "i'm the mad man's". Still, it is a pretty good overview of his career with the essential early ozzy and early sabbath hits all here.

I think if you have this album and speak of the devil, it is all of the live ozzy you would need. the sound on the remastered album is really cleaned up, and the packaging has lots of interesting information

Tribute (Recorded circa 1981, released 1987.) Ozzy Osbourne's first recorded and second released solo studio album.

INTRODUCTION:
Even though Ozzy Osbourne's solo career remained successful following the death of Randy Rhoads, the young Quiet Riot guitar virtuoso, no fan of his could deny that nothing he was doing afterwards was topping those two classic albums. These were different times - times back when Ozzy actually listened to his fans. Accordingly, he compiled a series of live recording featuring Randy, and created a double-LP live album. This was Ozzy's second solo album to be released as a solo artist (the first of which was the often-forgotten Black Sabbath cover song live album, Speak Of The Devil.) So, how does Ozzy's testament to the fallen Randy Rhoads fare? Read on for my review of Tribute.

OVERVIEW:
Ozzy Osbourne recorded these concerts circa 1981, and released in this double album in 1987. The band formation on these recordings, in addition to the obvious Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads, also included drummer Tommy Aldridge, keyboardist Don Airey, and bassist Rudy Sarzo. Ozzy produced the album. The tracklist consists of I Don't Know, Crazy Train, Believer, Mr. Crowley, Flying High Again, Revelation (Mother Earth), Steal Away (The Night) [with drum solo], Suicide Solution [with guitar solo], Iron Man, Children Of The Grave, Paranoid, Goodbye To Romance, No Bone Movies, and Dee [studio outtakes.]

REVIEW:
I'm not going to lie. I had serious doubts about this album. Live albums are usually just cash cows released by their respective artists in order to make a quick buck. I figured Ozzy would probably just be using Randy's name and his death to make more money. One listen to this album changed my mind, though! This is a more than fitting tribute, and it lives up to what it was intended to do. Many of the songs surpass their studio counterparts, and thanks to the fact that the release was originally a double LP, it is nice and lengthy (the CD format puts both records onto a single CD.) Let's look at the tracks and see how they fare!

-SIDE A-

-I Don't Know: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. I said it once and I'll say it again - The Ozzman knows how to start off an album. Here he uses a minute-long intro with a pre-recorded orchestral arrangement and chanting, along with audience screams, to gain the attention of the listener. After the intro, Ozzy and his band get right into performing this classic tune that originally kicked off Blizzard Of Ozz. This version slays its studio counterpart dead, which is saying a lot since I absolutely loved the studio take on it! There is no better way Ozzy could have kicked this album off.

-Crazy Train: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. This here is the Ozzy song that everybody loves, Ozzy/heavy metal fan or not. You probably thought the studio version of the song couldn't be topped, and that's not a bad assumption to make, assuming the studio version was a masterpiece. But just the same, Ozzy and company DO surpass the studio version! Randy Rhoads' guitar playing just sounds better live, and it's a shame his work got no live representation outside this release. This one must be heard to be appreciated.

-Believer: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's second solo studio album, Diary Of A Madman. One thing you may notice quickly about this album is that it is heavily intensive on Blizzard Of Ozz tracks, and not so much so on the Diary Of A Madman stuff. However, the few Diary tracks that Ozzy did choose for this release are performed very well, and Believer is no exception. This song is very similar to its studio counterpart, and that's a good thing. Yet another solid performance from the Ozzman.

-Mr. Crowley: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. Ozzy manages to take another one of his solo classics, and make it even better! Don Airey's classic organ-style introduction sounds better than ever, and I can definitely say the same for the instrumental mastery of the other members of the band. This live recording captures Osbourne, Rhoads, Airey, Aldridge, and Sarzo in their primes. I shouldn't have to tell you this one surpasses its studio counterpart.

-SIDE B-

-Flying High Again: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's second solo studio album, Diary Of A Madman. Once again, Ozzy manages to do a solid live performance of one his quintessential live classics. It's a tough call as to whether or not this one surpasses its studio counterpart, being that the studio version is the song that got me into Ozzy in the first place and one of my favorite songs he ever did, but one thing is for certain - this performance flat-out rules.

-Revelation (Mother Earth): Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. I had always thought this was one of the most underrated songs on Blizzard Of Ozz, and it brought me great pleasure to hear Ozzy would have a live rendition on this album. Essentially, this live version is right on par with its studio counterpart. Once again, the Ozzman and company serve up a damn fine live performance.

-Steal Away (The Night) [with drum solo]: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. Much like on Blizzard Of Ozz, Revelation (Mother Earth) is immediately followed up by this classic hard rocker. And live, the tune sounds as good as ever. This version is followed up by a drum solo by Tommy Aldridge, and I shouldn't have to tell you that, being the drummer he is, he serves up one hell of a solo.

-SIDE C-

-Suicide Solution [with guitar solo]: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. The studio version of this song was one of my favorite Ozzman solo songs, and this version blows the original out of the water! Randy Rhoads is in his prime on this one, and to make things even better, he dishes out a guitar solo following the main portion of the song! And I shouldn't have to tell you it will blow you away. Probably my favorite song on the album.

-Iron Man: Originally from Black Sabbath's second studio album, Paranoid. I was a little confused as to Ozzy performing these Black Sabbath songs in his new solo band, but he actually fares fairly well with them. Randy Rhoads is no Tony Iommi or vice verse, but giving these songs the eighties metal sound actually works pretty well. This version lacks the last verse, but it's no big deal.

-Children Of The Grave: Originally from Black Sabbath's third studio album, Master Of Reality. Any Black Sabbath fan knows that this song is one of their finest compositions. And giving Randy control of the guitar parts makes for an interesting listen, combining the old and new sounds alike. In the end you get one hell of a fine rendition of this classic tune.

-Paranoid: Originally from Black Sabbath's second studio album, Paranoid. Essentially, what I said about the last two Black Sabbath covers is also true here. It sounds drastically different from the original version of the song Ozzy did with Sabbath, but the new, updated sound works surprisingly well. This is one of Ozzy's favorite renditions of this song, and it isn't hard to see why.

-SIDE D-

-Goodbye To Romance: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. I never thought Ozzy would have put this song on the album, being that it was mostly a testament to the hard rock that he and Randy put out. Nonetheless, I am glad to see it here. The song allows you to see the melodic side of the music the twosome created - Randy's most underrated side. And this rendition is right on par with its studio counterpart.

-No Bone Movies: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz. Here's that underrated classic from Blizzard that people never really gave the proper credit to, often dissing it as the weakest piece on the album. I never agreed with any of that to begin with. And this live version blows the studio one away! Randy absolutely shines on his guitar parts here.

-Dee [studio outtakes]: Originally from Ozzy Osbourne's first solo studio album, Blizzard Of Ozz The album doesn't end when the concert ends! As an extra of sorts, we get to hear Randy Rhoads rehearsing the classic acoustic piece he put on Blizzard Of Ozz. This is NOT a bonus track; it has been on the album since its initial vinyl release. It makes for a nice way to close the album, because it makes you miss Randy all the more.

OVERALL:
Overall, this is a solid album from start to finish. It stands as the ultimate pinnacle of the work that Ozzy Osbourne and Randy Rhoads did during their short union together. If you are at all a fan of Ozzy's solo work, you would be doing yourself a real favor picking up this album. It's not one of those cash cow live albums so many other artists have released over the years - it's a tribute to a great musician. Highly recommended!

EDITION NOTES:
With most Ozzy albums, there are several different editions of the album and I have comments on each. Not the case with Tribute. Basically, all three editions of this album are the same, other than the liner notes and little differences in sound quality. There is the original CD issue, the 1995 remaster, and the 2002 remaster. Each version puts both records onto a single CD. I personally recommend getting the 2002 remaster, as it is the most readily available version of the album, and in my opinion, the best-sounding one as well.

First off this is a great CD. Anybody who loves great guitar playing, especially great LIVE guitar playing, will love this album. Randy Rhoads was a really great guitar player that had a big impact on 80's guitar playing and that whole shredder attitude. The soloing on all the songs are exceptional, highlights including:Crazy Train, Mr.Crowley, and Suicide Solution with one of the most memorable unaccompanied guitar solos ever. But after scanning the other reviews, I saw very little comments about Revelation Mother Earth. This is one of the best songs on the album and the solo is damn great! The only downer is the Dee outtakes which are just boring until he really gets to some playing. But this is a great CD for some great Randy Rhoads, some great Ozzy vocals, and early 80's hard rock at its best.

Great music. Each number is worthy of singing to! West Side Story should be a classic in every musical home collection.

Other classics not to forget about are:
Mary Poppins
My Fair Lady
The Wizard of Oz
Chitty Chitty Bang Band
The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Sound of Music
Oliver
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof
Singing in the Rain
The Wiz
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
The King and I
Oklahoma
The Music Man
South Pacific

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!

So many great numbers in one show, May 28, 2006
Reviewer: S. Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews

'West Side Story' has so many great numbers in one show. It has two of the most beautiful ballad love songs , 'Maria ' and 'Tonight Tonight'. .The 'Officer Krupkee'number has humor. The whole score is rhythmically strong .
The music is as exciting and beautiful today as it was when the show first appeared many years ago.

This isn't Joseph. This is his oldest daughter.

I love this soundtrack! It's so beautiful. Now I'll rate my favorite tracks:

3. Jet Song - 100/10! This song has me dancing and singing along everytime. The energy is infectious.

4. Something's Coming - 1000/10! Richard Beymer's voice is excellent and this song is soft yet upbeat at the same time.

5. Dance At The Gym - 100/10! Great Rhythm.

6. Maria - ONE MILLION/10! My favorite song! Richard Beymer sounds beautiful on this track, and the scene is constantly on repeat when I watch the movie!

7. America - 1000/10! Very upbeat and humorous song. Bernardo and Anita sound great!

8. Tonight - 100/10! Very pretty.

9. Gee, Officer Krupke - ONE MILLION/10! This song is my second favorite. Riff's charisma is electrifying and I find my self laughing at this track.

11. I Feel Pretty - 100/10! Good! I find myself singing with this track too!

13 Quintet - 1000/10! - Beautiful and Energetic

14. The Rumble - 1000/10! Very suspenseful.

16. Cool - ONE MILLION/10! My third fav. This song has me doing the routine from the movie (or at least what I know).

17. A Boy Like That/I Have A Love - ONE MILLION! My fourth fav. Anita and Maria sound great. (Though I've heard that that's not really Natalie Wood singing.)

This is such a beautiful song. The harmonies are so perfect. This is one of their best songs.

The lyrics are gorgeous and the sound is just so great. It's perfect for long distance couples who need reassurance that they'll always been together.

Giddy Up is also on this cd. Of course, Giddy Up is just a fun, sexy song. It just makes me want to get up and dance.

There is also a song called Some Dreams (or Sundreams). It's not on any other *NSYNC cd that I've seen. It's a really good song. Soft sounding with a bit of beat. Very cool. I wish they had released it on another CD. I guess I can live without it on multiple CDs in my collection. Hehe.

We I frist I seen it I thought it would be bad but it was really good I think NSync is my faverent CD ever.

This is probably my favorite *NSYNC song that wasn't released in the U.S. It's so touching...just makes me get that warm, fuzzy feeling. Okay, I know that's corny, so I'll stop!

Honestly though, this is a great song. I played my CD so often when I was away at school--it reminded my of my boyfriend back home. If you have the chance, I'd highly recommend grabbing a copy of this single--or if you can find it, the entire European album. This song makes it well worth it! It's definitely my favorite single in my collection... and I'd say, my 1st or 2nd favorite *NSYNC song (depending on my mood, it shifts between TA and This I Promise You).

Stay *NSYNC!

This is a good compilation, and Sutherland was captured at the right time, before she went completely mushy dictionwise and lost her vocal sheen. The remastered sound is very good, too, spectacular for a recording from the 1960s.
However, after digesting this CD for several weeks, I still have a mixed response to all these Stupendous vocalistics.
The beginning is the main sour note- Arne is tired, with often imprecise, behind the beat coloratura, quite unlike the rest of Sutherland's output, and Let the Bright Seraphim is unbelievably leaden- the orchestra in particular sounds awful, and clunky. I can't comment on ornamentation here because I didn't detect any. This is a poor man's Seraphim, only impressive if you never heard any other versions, and Sutherland's voice is wasted in this piece.
This CD really picks up with Casta Diva, a dazzling showcase for Sutherland's voice. I was very impressed with Sutherland's performance as Norma in this recording- what happened to her in later years, when her "acting" was limited to, as she herself described it, wearing a "generally pained expression" and singing without much color or feeling?
Pieces from I Puritani are great, then we get excellent Rossini, wonderful Jewel Song, and then sparkling Juliet and very effective, beautiful and dramatically involved Desdemona.
And then- another fly in the ointment, Marten Aller Arten. This is one of my favourite arias and I can be very unforgiving when it comes to its performance, plus I like Konstanze to be really angry and wired, which is sort of opposite of what Joan does. This is a pretty, chirpy Marten, and she works hard on her German- way too hard actually, she seems to be slowing down trying to pronounce it, and still "Ich verlache" and "mich" turn into "Ich ve-ayee" and "meeeh", plus she does not sound as secure on top as I would expect, with a metallic high C. She picks up at the very end, putting some feeling into the sound, then topples again... This is a hit and miss one.
Fortunately the rest of the CD is filled with sparklers more in Sutherland's vein. Violetta is really great, with a fantastic high E, Ophelia is nice, Lakme is vocally one of the best I have ever heard, the dull Meyerbeer aria is made interesting and shimmery- that fabulous trill is finally put to work after many tracks of underuse- and then it all ends with a most charming Gilda.
It's not the greatest vocal performance ever put on vinyl/plastic/megabites, but overall, a good, historical set to add to your collection of opera recitals and soprano specials.

The first thing I ever heard by Sutherland was the Bel Raggio and I was floored. The voice sounded huge but I wondered if it was a technicians trick. I heard her on stage many times. Recordings do NO JUSTICE to the hugeness of the voice. Her diction was weak and her line sometimes droopy but the warm, huge, fexible voice was amazing. I don't think she or anyone else was the Voice or Singer of the century- no voice or singer could sing every role in the repetoire. Sutherland could no more sing Brunnhilde than Flagstad could sing Lucia.

In her repertoire, JS was one of the greatest voices with an incredible technique and style that ever made recordings. This is a great CD - but some others which were issued on vinyl but to my knowledge not on CD help round out the Sutherland greatnes, viz., Command Performance, The Age of Bel Canto and the French Opera Album. She did a 2 disc set called "A Festival of Baroque Operas- There is an aria called "Barbaro, Barbaro" which is mind boggling for the speed and clarity of its coloratura. Even in 1977 at 51 yrs old her video performance of Lucrezia Borgia is amazing - it is one of the greatest performances she ever did- exciting, tender and again with that huge voice and flexibility. The last scene is amazing.

Flawless-NO Unique-WITHOUT A DOUBT!!!!!

There is not much to add to the encomiums of previous reviews. This is one of the most astounding vocal recitals, if not THE most astounding, ever recorded. It caught one of history's greatest singers in her absolute prime, before the well-known defects - mushy diction, cloudy tone, sliding into notes, enervated rhythmic sense - began to compromise her singing. (Well, ok, the diction here is not crystal clear, but mostly quite acceptable and MUCH better than it later became.)

One wonders if any other soprano in history ever sang so fast, so high and so loud while always preserving such a full, golden, round sound. Sutherland was a genuine vocal phenomenon, and even those who don't generally care for her singing surely must find their jaws on the floor repeatedly during this recital. Every selection has something treasurable. My personal favorites: "A soldier tir'd," "Bel raggio lusinghier," "Qui la voce," "Come per me sereno," the "Hamlet" Mad Scene, the Bell Song, and "O beau pays."

The remastering is superb, enabling us to hear Sutherland's voice in all its pristine glory. The engineers have even managed to mitigate the rumble of Underground trains (the Picadilly Line?) that were a perpetual problem in Kingsway Hall, although I was glad to hear that the loud yell in the distance one hears during the "Croce e delizia" section of "Ah, fors'e lui" is still there; by now it is an old friend, and I would miss it.

Hardiman's style is similar to Enya's with the snap and crispness lost in her latest releases such as "Amarantine." "Love Song" is the best and everything else on this CD is wonderful as well. The music stands up to repeated listening without being tiresome. In the CD liner notes is a blurb that reads, "Ireland has long been recognized as a principle source of original and innovative music." That is very true. I wonder why it took so long in getting to America. This CD is a great addition to anyone's music collection. Try out the samples to see if you don't agree.

I've had this CD for almost 6 years now and it just keeps getting better and better. All the tracks are perfect and seamlessly merge into one another. The female vocals are ethereal and the music heavenly.
This music will evoke soft emotions, induce a warm feeling, paint a surreal soundscape and make everything beautiful.
Track#3: Dreaming is awesome.

The lead singer has a lovely voice and the songs are done in an individual manner. so many celtic bands just play the music loud and fast and lose the beauty of the music. Solas has not done that here. The flute playing is just beautiful and I love the fiddle playing. What more can be said?

Even more than "Music for Airports" and "Plateaux of Mirror", this album is the definitive collaboration album from the Budd & Eno archives. A groundbreaking classic of the ambient genre, this disc just gets better with time, especially in an era when the New Age and ambient genres have been overrun with imitators and dilettantes.

Subtle, gorgeous piano and synthesizer work features throughout, with a richness and emotion that is hard to find on other ambient albums. When it comes to "relaxation" tunes, this one has the field beat, and I've spent many an evening, in bed, under the stars, with my wife or alone, letting the quiet, spare beauty of this disc spirit me away from the troubles of the everyday world.

Anyone seeking to find the roots of true ambient should look no further. Budd & Eno were doing it long, long before most others, and they were doing it with a style and a gentle grace that has come to typify their collaborative efforts.

this is the one. His other ones are great, but this one of restrained paino and Eno's light effects of slight warbles that may make you feel like you are on a quiet beach or perhaps looking in a goldfish pond leave one in a trance. This is the cd that inspired me to start playing the piano. This is the Erik Satie cd of ambient.

Beautiful and gorgeous. The music has a less “soundscape” style to it and is more structured (probably due to the piano). Simple chords introduce every track before the piano starts playing a hunting and beautiful melody. Every single song from this album creates a calm, enchanting atmosphere and wakes melancholy in the listener.
Most opinions about The Pearl that I’ve read claim it to be a masterpiece of ambient. After the very first listen I couldn’t agree more with them. The Pearl not only serves excellent as background music, but also as an exquisite listening experience that requires your attention.
Highly recommended!

I've always enjoyed Nakai and this album is no exception, but while reading some of the customer recommendations posted on this site I discovered a group by the name of Mehdi (pronounced meddie). After an online search I found their site (SoothingMusic - Com) and listened to the samples...
I was instantly blown away by the quality of this music and so I gave it a try and now that I have listened to these CDs several times, I really must say that although I'm still a Carlos Nakai fan, I find Mehdi to be a great addition to this CD. I have them both in my multi-disc CD player and love the way they compliment each other. I highly recommend that you give this artist a try or atleast just go listen to the samples, I have a feeling you'll be glad you did.

I am a massage therapist and use this CD often - clients love it and ask for it again and again. The CD is meditative and wonderful for grounding yourself whenever you need it most.

This CD is well worth buying. Out of all the Native American Flute Music CD's I own, this one is my favorite. The best word I can properly use to describe this CD is soothing.

This is probably the hardest review I'll ever have to write. Why you ask? Well, this happens to be my favorite album of all time. There are so many things that make this record so incredible for me. First there is there excellent guitar playing of my favorite guitarist, Michael Romeo. His riffs are both heavy and catchy. His solos are just extremely clean and fast, as many people have mentioned already. Even his acoustic playing is great. He also adds the right amount of feeling and emotion everytime. Especially noteworthy solos are during "Of Sins and Shadows", "Sea of Lies" and all throughout the title track. Next there is the best keyboard player in all of metal, Michael Pinnela. Everything he touches turns to gold. Some of his best work is featured in "The Accolade" and the title track as well. As far the the rhythm section goes, there are absolutely no complaints at all. Thomas Miller and Jason Rullo are both top notch musicians. Last but no least, vocal god Russel Allen. He is surely among the elite class of singers today. It's no wonder this is my favorite band seeing as how 3/5 musicians in this band rank as my favorites.
The final thing I must mention are my two favorite songs on the album. "The Accolade" is possibly one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Russel Allen sings his heart out and Pinnela's keyobards are just immaculate. The title track is also one of the best songs ever written. Over 20 minutes of musical bliss.
I'm still certain I haven't been able to express all I have to say about this album in words, but it's the best I can do for now.
If you consider yourself a music fan, your collection cannot be complete without this album.

Symphony X's masterpiece, Divine Wings of Tragedy, surpasses every other prog metal group I've heard. I don't even like the whole CD. In fact, a few songs I can't even stand to listen to. But several are absolutely incredible. The Accolade and the title song alone are entirely worth the cost of the CD. Those certainly aren't the only good songs on the CD though. In addition to the others, Of Sins and Shadows and Sea of Lies are both VERY well made. A few of the songs' lyrics seem a little forced to me. Almost like the lyricist is trying too hard. Aside from that, I recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys music with a solid foundation of complex, well-written compositions.

The reason for such a good rating is the fact that this album by Prog Metal band Symphony X is pure gold. Every song is amazing and the song writing is the best we've heard from Symphony X thus far. For metals best guitar, key, bass, drum, and vocal work pick up Symphony X's The Divine Wings Of Tragedy. YOU WONT BE DISAPOINTED!

I came across Deep Breakfast in its original LP form - the cover was pink then and yes I'm that old...All hyperbole aside, this is probably one of the best albums I've ever heard. Every track is just outstanding. I'd still like to know how he did the sound for the beginning to "Tiny Geometries."

If you haven't heard Ray Lynch, you owe it to yourself to listen. Music like this does not come along that often (unfortunately).

I worked for a record company back in the 80s when this album came across my desk for a listen. I absolutely loved it the first time I ever heard it and kept a cassette version after the turntable died. Now, almost 20 years later, I was on hold at the insurance company and one of the tunes was playing. I immediately did a search and found the cd and ordered it. I can't wait -- I've missed Deep Breakfast!

Before hearing this album, whenever I heard the term new-age, I thought of hippy-chicks (and Gypsies) smelling of Patchouli, buying crystals, and other like-minded "weird" stuff. I also assumed it was the Devil's music, because that's what my church taught me. So isn't it ironic that it was on a church outing almost 15 years ago that I first heard this album, shattering my misconceptions about new-age music.

Imagine a pop artist making classical music using 80's keyboards. Then take that mental-image and improve the quality of the music by a hundred-fold and you would have a very loose idea of what this album is like. This is not an album of whale calls, ocean tides or anything of that ilk. Right now scroll to the top of the page (or go to the first page of this listing) and listen to the sample of "Celestial Soda Pop"; if you are like me, you will be sold on this album in 10 seconds.

This album ranges from intelligent melody driven songs like "Celestial Soda Pop" and "Rhythm In The Pews" to the ambient outer-space sounding "The Oh Of Pleasure", which reminds me of Space Mountain at Disney World for some reason. I can listen to it while driving, falling asleep, reading...you name it, it is the perfect all-purpose listening album.

Maybe the best way to explain this album is like this: whenever I listen to "Deep Breakfast" I feel like I am transported to another world (to use a hackneyed phrase); it evokes feelings within me of far-off non-earthlike places, and that there is something out there bigger than I am (not in a physical or religious sense). So, basicaly, it's quite hard to describe, but it definitely hits an emotional center within me, because listening to this album always puts me in a mood. Not a good mood, not a bad mood, just a mood.