Compilations Music

Yes, it's another of the Ultra-Lounge discs for our party entertainment. This time it's Mambo! Exotica of the 1950s and 1960s offered up to our hip, retro-selves. Party on Desi.

Love this kind of music - can't get enough - have most all of the CDs. Excellent New Jersey-based company with excellent foresight and retro-understanding for the best party and jazz combos. Excellent choice for any kind of day or evening, party or relaxation time.

The Ultra-Lounge series is overall is GREAT. I bought a couple of these CD's at first to try out, and also because I wanted to have some nice background music for a dinner party. I immediately purchased 3 more after that, and I'm really pleased. The songs are cool and set a really nice atmosphere if you're having guests over.

The sound quality of the Ultra-Lounge series is excellent, even though the songs were recorded mostly in the 50's and 60's. Capitol Records packs each CD with carefully chosen tracks consistent with the theme of the particular volume in the series. Many of the selections that appear here aren't available elsewhere, either because the original album on which the song appeared is out of print, or because the song was issued as a single and never collected in an album. A few 'previously unreleased' tracks also appear here. This series is a wonderful introduction to the music of a by-gone era, and each album includes detailed notes on each track (artist, writers, date recorded, how released, etc.). I heartily recommend it to anyone who has an interest in this type of music.

Ultra-Lounge, Vol. 2: Mambo Fever is a solid installment in this CD series of lounge music mostly from the 1950s and 1960s. The quality of the recordings is excellent; they've been polished up nicely. The artwork is wonderful; and don't forget to look for those drink recipes in the liner notes!

Don Swan & His Orchestra start things off with their cha cha version of "Hooray For Hollywood (Cha-Cha)." This really sounds great and it's still perfect for dancing with your sweetheart late at night in the privacy of your living room all alone. The melody gets a lot of strength from the drums and percussion, too. Jackie Davis and his musicians perform a lively rendition of Peggy Lee and David Barbour's "Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me)." "Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me)" sounds very strong with the organ leading the musical arrangement and it's a fun tune to hear even when there are no vocals.

Luis Oliveria & His Bandodalau Boys perform a rousing version of "Chihuahua;" this sounds so good you'll be dancing for sure! There's also The John Buzon Trio, one of my very favorite groups from this era of lounge music, doing a great job on "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me." The group's trademark use of the organ works wonders for this tune and the percussion also adds a lot to the melody. I love it!

"Mambo Jambo (Que Rico El Mambo)" by Dave Barbour and his buddies sounds very much like Mexican music from that era; it's also great for dancing. "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans Mambo" by Van Alexander & His Orchestra has a fresh and new flavor to it and again I think you'll want to jump up and dance practically wherever you are--it's all THAT good.

Billy May's Rico Mambo Orchestra weighs in with their rendition of "Hernando's Hideaway;" they never miss a beat and it all works very well. "Hernando's Hideaway" is easily one of the highlights of this album. "Malambo #1" features the vocals if Yma Sumac--she was never really my favorite but you just might like this very much as she was popular back in the day.

Jack Costanzo & His Orchestra perform a wonderful tune called "Can-Can Overture;" they really do this one up right! The album also closes nicely with Terry Snyder and his buddies performing "Oye Negra." This strong tune makes the perfect ending for this CD!

If you like lounge music from the 50's and 60s, you're going to love this album. The Spanish influence upon these classic tunes enhances their beauty quite a bit; and I recommend this for people who enjoy classic Spanish music as well.

It seems like this year has failed to deliver a great down-tempo album until this great release. There are a bunch of great singles out there but no great full length. This Om album is great. Especially Samantha James new track titled Amber Sky. If you are looking for a great album to chill to then this is a must have. I'm a big Samantha James fan and the great news is that she is finishing up her second album. So new full releases from Samantha James,Colette,Blue Six,Aya and 4hero would make my summer.
Maurice..Aka..Underground Music Junkie...

When reviewing a song/CD, I ask myself a few questions: 1. would I pay to download it from iTunes or Amazon? 2. If I got it free (for example, as a gift), would I load it onto my iPod? Obviously, tastes vary a lot (see all the prior reviews) esp. between genres (e.g. country vs. rap vs. rock). For compilations such as this CD, one would expect more really great songs than an average album by a single artist. And, I have to admit, this is true here (but barely IMHO). I've also heard NOW 26, for example, which has many more songs I like than NOW 23. As has been pointed out by others, this CD has many songs that were not big hits--unknown to many reviewers--kind of a cop-out if you ask me. Personally, the only songs I'd pay to download are:
#2 Promiscuous: (I already had it in my iPod), an interesting mix of 2 artists with a catchy beat--but nowhere near wonderful Nelly Furtado's best song. My fav is "Like a Bird"
#12 Unfaithful--Rihanna has a nice voice but could have sung this one better--but at least she doesn't overpower this one with so much repetition
#13 Too Little Too Late: pretty good, worth listening to
#19 Far Away--a solid Nickleback song--their singles are usually great though their album "B-sides" can be pretty awful

So, 4 out of 20--not so hot but better than a lot of 1 or 2 out of 12 song albums. Certainly, your taste will differ from mine, but there you have it--"different strokes for different folks."

The NOW cd series is good for kids becuase all the songs are clean and edited. For adults it is a compilation of the most over-played music on the radio. Not worth the new-in-store price, but worth $10 or less on Amazon or similar online retailer.

If you want to hear lots of hits compiled on to one cd, then this is a great buy. I think the NOW cd's are great.

I just wanted a few chart songs to add to my MP3 player. This fit the bill. Of course it comes with the standard songs you have no interest in, but that's par for the course with these types of CDs.

This is a very good addition to any NOW fans CD collection or anyone's,
in general, as it has a good variety of music. I will do a track-by-track
review:

1. Fergie-London Bridge: Fergie is okay solo. This is not a great track,
by any means, but it is better than "Fergalicious". And it has a good beat. B-

2. Nelly Furtado feat. Timbaland-Promiscuous: Finally, Furtado releases
a decent song. This and "Say It Right" are awesome tracks and I'm glad she
finally showed her dancier side. A

3. Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg-Buttons: I hate all Pussycat Dolls
material, and this is no exception. As before, a guest performer always helps add strength to a song by the Dolls. C-(for Snoop Dogg).

4. Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland-SexyBack: I love this song, even though it was overplayed. It just has an excellent hook and Timbaland is
great, too. This is GREAT. A++

5. Christina Aguilera-Ain't No Other Man: Some funky beats elevate an
otherwise average Aguilera song. So-so. C+

6. Beyonce feat. Jay-Z-Deja Vu: Like Aguilera's addition, some good beats
help this song, as does Jay's rapping. It's an okay song. B

7. Cherish feat. Sean Paul-Do It To It: This song is really annoying, but
now I've got it stuck in my head. Note: It's not the Sean Paul you think.
D

8. Kelis feat. Too Short-Bossy: This song is kind of funny and has a good
hook, so I like it fine. B+

9. Chingy feat. Tyrese-Pullin' Me Back: This is an okay Chingy song, since
he's not as annoying as he usually is, thanks to Tyrese. It has a good
backbeat, albeit a repetitive one. A

10. Lyfe Jennings feat. what's-her-name-S.E.X.: This is an average song,
at best. It's a little too slow for me. C

11. Ne-Yo-Sexy Love: This is an okay ballad, but that's all it is. Nothing
to get excited about. C

12. Rihanna-Unfaithful: This is a bad song, with an annoying chorus and
Rihanna's singing sounds disjointed. Ugh. D-

13. JoJo-Too Little Too Late: It's surprising to find teen pop on NOW again. Not that I really like it. C

14. Nick Lachey-I Can't Hate You Anymore: I don't think this was that big
a hit. It's not as good as "What's Left Of Me", and that song is pretty
bad, too. C-

15. Teddy Geiger-These Walls: I like this. It's heavier than "Confidence"
and Geiger sounds better on vocals this time around. Nice. A-

16. Jessica Simpson-A Public Affair: I like this song because of its
bouncy hook, but Simpson's voice gets annoying at points: A-

17. OK Go-Here It Goes Again: As you probably noticed, I am a rock fan,
and this song is very good. It's a great rock song, overall. A+

18. Hinder-Lips Of An Angel: I usually despise rock ballads, but this is
okay for its guitar solo and because the singer actually sounds sincere.
A

19. Nickelback-Far Away: This is a good ballad, too, even though it is
Nickelback and I usually don't like their stuff. A

20. Keith Urban-Tonight I Wanna Cry: I hate wuss country. F

This is a good NOW CD, even though none of them have been really bad.

Great collection of hymns we all hear every Sunday. The sound quality is great as well as the musicianship. Highly recommend it.

A beautiful collection of classic church and worship hymns- orignally released by Madacy(budget)music label as a single CD of only 33 tracks(disc 2 of this complete 3 disc set). Performances by 1001 strings, Joslin Grove Choral Society and others- contains the classics "Sweet Hour Of Prayer", The Church's One Foundation", "Redeemed", as well as a few nice intermedi pieces like the intro to Handel's Messiah. Highly recomended for the Christian music library.

More than just a expanded version of "Epitaph For A Legend" this is a 3 CD document of the short lived International Artists label which was home to the 13th Floor Elevators, Red Krayloa, Bubble Puppy and others groups involved with the emerging psychedelic scene in Texas. All the tracks have a better sound then previous releases but then sound quality was never IA's strongpoint. The first CD compiles almost every single from October 1965 to 1970. Therefore, as far as a cross section of talent it is very comprehensive. The second CD collects key album tracks from the main stable of artists. The third CD collects all the leftover miscellaneous items as well as IA's attempts in other music genres. The set also comes with a comprehensive booklet detailing most of the major artists and detailed discography. Also included is an in depth interview with producer and later owner of IA, Leland Rogers.

As with any anthology involving a label, there are a lot of hit and miss items here. In other words for every "Your Going To Miss Me' or "Hot Smoke And Sassafras" there is a "Quest For Beauty" but then again you can let your tastes be your guide.

Malt Shop Memories was compiled and issued through time life inc.
There are 4 disc to this compilation.Each disc contains 18 tracks of the original artist performing their orignal songs.
I am completely satisfied with the collection.When orginally offered it sold for considerably more money,this collection is priced just right and I felt like I received a great deal.

This multiple CD set is a mixture of great hits. With the variety of artist songs it's a pleasure to pop in the car CD and sing-along. It will bring back fond memories for everyone that grew-up with parents from the 50's and 60's. My parents keep MY Malt Shop Memories in THEIR car. So great a set of music, I'll have to order a second set.

Just so you know i think the reason why 9 Crimes wasn't included in the soundtrack was because of the lyrics. It's a kids movie remember. The lyrics talk about cheating and uses the analogy of a gun and how the reciprocated offense is like pulling the trigger and if it's Alright to do the same. It's a beautiful yet very sad song. I don't think Dreamworks would care if you chose to find that song elsewhere yourself. Then again, the artist may appreciate it more if you go out and get his CD.

This is good overall. But, where is 9 crime as other people asking the same thing? It is not included!! I am a bit disappointed in that.

The Shrek soundtracks are always fantastic because they include every amazing song from the movies. This soundtrack is fun with a definitive retro flare, but the the fact that Damien Rice's "9 Crimes" (from one of the most touching sequences of scenes in the movie) is missing leaves a gaping hole!

I like the songs that are on here, but I have to agree with the other reviewers. Why was 9 crimes left off? I heard it in the movie and LOVED it,so I got the soundtrack looking for it, but it wasn't there! Then I read the reviews and looked up 9 crimes, and it was the song I had heard and loved. Thanks fellow reviewers!

I agree with a previous reviewer about the omission of "9 Crimes" by Damien Rice. The song has explicit lyrics, and the producers may have felt it was an inappropriate choice. However, why they chose to keep it in the movie we can only guess! I got the song from iTunes. Beautiful!

Good condition. Description was accurate. Recieved shipment in a reasonable time. Was well packaged to protect the item.

Finally I have received this DVD and I think is a MUST for every kind of drummer,this DVD hosted by Carnine Appice is a classic example of what every drummer would like to see............ to learn everything !!!
Classic and cool rock drum solos by wonderful artists: Ginger Backer,Danny
Seraphine,Carl Palmer,Ian Paice,Neil Peart,Cozy Powel and more......
For me the greatest solos are by two legendary Heroes of the drumming:
DON BREWER (Grand Funk Railroad) and STEVE SMITH (Jurney),however this is a great DVD !!!
Thank you Hudson Music and Producers Siegel,Wallis and Klauber.
Armando Lomagistro (ITALY)

Vinnie Appice has gathered an impressive and unbelievable collection of archive drum solo performances. The disk includes what is possibly the only filmed solo by Keith Moon, a clip of Iron Butterfly's Ron Bushy from an old German TV show, a British TV interview with Ginger Baker when he was with Cream, a black & white clip of The Ventures playing "Wipeout" at a concert in Japan, a clip of himself playing with Lesley West on the old 1970's "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" TV show and more. He even includes the Santana/Michael Shrieve segment from the Woodstock movie. Something that I assumed would have been contractually impossible. He also includes lesser-known drummers like Jethro Tull's Clive Bunker and the late Cozy Powell. Appice knew most of these artists, including the great Sandy Nelson, and introduces each clip while sharing a personal story about his acquaintances. This DVD is so well done that it is not only a must-have for any percussion enthusiast, college music departments should add it to their film collections.

Carmine Appice was the perfect choice as a host for this collection of rock drum solo clips. He adds the right amount of background, stories, and respect for nearly all of the drummers featured here. He was there when most of these guys got started or made it big. As a rock drummer and a fan of classic rock, this was worth the wait. Some may have seen these clips on YouTube - get this DVD so you can watch them any time, and with much greater clarity. I hadn't seen the clip with Ian Paice before, and I thought I'd seen them all. The Carl Palmer solo is just incredible, and it's from the early days of ELP, when he played a Gretsch round badge kit. The interview with Ginger Baker is hilarious; the solo by Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker may be the best thing on the disc, and that's including Neil Peart's mesmerizing solo from 2004. Bring on Volume II!

Wow....... never knew this was available, till now. The old Master of the Guitar! After all, it was the first song played during the movie, Forrest Gump!

I bought this CD for my Mom, who is related to Duane Eddy. She loves his music and says the sound quality is incredible.

Very good album. Original music--not re-recorded like some groups do. Anyone into 50's R&R needs this album.

he has been my favorite from the fist time i heard movin and groovin in 57. I have colected many lp's and wont part with them and i bought the 2 cd antholgy when it first came out. it is the one of the best that duane has ever put out and has all the goodies and more. check out zephyr cove and road race, really cool and im 65 yrs old!!
buy it enjoy it and if you like duane eddy you'll love the duo's he had made with [...] excellent

Duane Eddy... will release a CD (Artifacts of Twang) of all new Music in the Summer of 2009. Brian Setzer, Phil Everly and Griffen House join Duane Eddy on his first CD of all new material in 23 years.