Alternative Folk Music

This set has the origional Tigerlilly cd and a second cd with 5 songs:

1. Jealousy (REMIX EDIT)

2. Sympathy for The Devil (live)[the same as the B-side on the Jealousy single]

3. Baby I Love You/Son Of A Preacher Man (live)[NOT the same as the 'Baby I Love You' on the Wonder single]

4. Take a Look (live)

5. The Work Song (live)

As a devouted Natalie fan, I had to have it even though it only has two songs I don't already own. The booklet containing the lyrics has the lyrics written in several languages, although the actual cd is in English. The actual cd is completely green, instead of green and orange like the original.

For devoted Natalie fans, it is a must have, still, for those just becoming interested in her, save yourselves the money and buy the original Tigerlilly.

This 2-CD set is a real bargain, costing about as much as a domestic single CD; imports are usually exorbitantly priced.

Anyway, regarding the topic of this comment, I really liked Nat's rendition of the famous Stones song, though, I had to listen twice to really appreciate it. It's a tad annoying that she sort of slurs the lyrics, seems to skip one verse altogether and, by the sound of it, ad lib some lines, but Natalie sounds so sultry and smooth, you can't help but overlook it. I tell ya, damnation never sounded so sexy.

If you're a casual Natalie fan or are just getting into her music, stick with the original Tigerlily. If you are a huge fan of the woman with one of the most beautiful voices in popular music today, get this! In my opinion, Tigerlily is Natalie's weakest album (I love Ophelia and Motherland equally) but it's still an amazing piece of work and the bonus songs are a great addition to this great album! The original version of Tigerlily rates a 4 out of 5 but this special bonus edition rates a perfect 5.

This CD is a double CD set, the first including the full length album of Tigerlily, the second CD releases her spellbinding voice live in concert performing songs like Sympathy for the Devil, Baby I Love You/Son of a Preacher Man, Take a Look, and The Work Song. No Natalie fan can be without it. Even if you aren't a full Natalie fan, THIS IS A NECESSITY! Her smooth voice sets the mood, sometimes rock, sometimes blues, but every song is excellent. If you buy any CD this summer, MAKE IT THIS ONE!

If you're wondering whether to buy this CD, go for it! Whether you already have Tigerlily or not, this CD is worth it! It is a double set, with the beautiful, amazing album Tigerlily on the first disc and a bonus disc that features the radio edit of Jealousy, plus live covers of Sympathy for the Devil, Baby I Love You, Son of a Preacher Man, Take a Look, and The Work Song. This disc is great for showing off Miss Merchant's live charisma, and her voice is perfect for the blues-y, rocky songs she sings!

As you will gather from my other reviews of her work, Loreena McKennitt is a very special musician. There are no others like her, period. Somebody close???........perhaps Enya, yet they are far apart, in truth.

I discovered Loreena at an acquaintance's house in 1995 in Pennsylvania where I had gone for a weekend. The album I was "introduced" to was "The Visit", and the song that hooked me was "Lady of Schallot". When I came home, I looked for the album, and could only find this one by her, so I bought it.

Instantaniously, I fell in love with this album, and here, which I do not usually do in a review, songs will be singled out.

Listen to "Blacksmith", "Carrighfergus", "Banks Of Claudy", and "Lullaby"...simply wonderful, soul-moving, music that cannot fail to touch the heart.

Again, best listened to with the lights either down very low, or completely off, and, preferably with a warm cup of Earl Gray! ~operabruin

This is Loreena McKennitt unplugged, on what is--to my knowledge--her first album. These are gentle, wistful songs, primarily minor in flavor and performed in a fairly traditional manner. "Elemental" is a short CD, only about 33 minutes long. Eight of its nine songs are vocals--mostly Loreena singing in her sweet, lilting voice to her own harp accompaniments, although gentle additions of acoustic bass, accordion, synthesizer, cello, guitar and occasional multitracks of her own voice sometimes enhance the pieces as well. "Carrighfergus" is a duet with singer and guitarist Cedric Smith, and Lullaby is a poem by William Blake, read by Douglas Campbell and accompanied by McKennitt's vocalise and instrumentation. Other guest artists include cellist Pat Mullin and acoustic bass player George Greer. There's none of the bodaceous intensity and world music instrumentations of McKennitt's later work (like "The Mask and the Mirror" and "The Book of Secrets") but a delicate, dreamy magic drifts through this album that is delightfully restful and soothing. And her deft, delicate, evocative arrangements of harp and harmony, even at this early stage of her career, stand out as something special. Follow Loreena McKennitt's development as a musician and composer by collecting all her wonderful works! Her next release after "Elemental" was "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," followed by "Parallel Dreams." Try also the work of Kim Robertson and Aine Minogue, two more elegantly innovative harpists and composers.

It's hard to decide which CD of Loreena McKennitt's is my favorite. I have decided that she is my favorite performing/recording artist. If you like peaceful yet powerful; mystical music that takes you away to other lands -sung by someone with a voice that can not be described (although pure, angelic,and magical come to mind) then try this album. Her music transgresses generations. The newer albums could be included in with the works of Peter Gabriel for their mystical Eastern flavor. This CD should be a staple for any fan of Celtic music...ok I'll stop now or I'll run on and on about how great she is...

Loreena McKennitt is always good, her music never disappoints. There are three highlights to this CD, the first three songs.

She starts with her interpretation of the traditional "Blacksmith" followed by a haunting version of "She Moved Through the Fair".

However it is the third song that soars. Loreena has put William Butler Yeat's classic poem "Stolen Child" to music and the poem takes flight with her orchestration and vocals.

The lyrics remain crisp and emotive with such lines as:

Where dips the rocky highland
Of sleuth wood in the lake
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water rats
There we've hid our fairy vats
Full of berries
And of reddest stolen cherries.

Come away oh human child
To the waters and the wild
With a faery hand in hand
For the world's more full of weeping
Than you can understand.

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light
By far off furhter rosses
We foot it all the night
Weaving olden dances
Mingling bands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles
whilst the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above glen car
in pools among the rushes
that scarce could bathe a star
we seek for slumbering trout
and whispering in their ears
give them unquiet dreams
leaning softly out
from ferns that drop their tears
over the young streams.

Away with us he's going
the solemned eyed
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
or the kellte on the hob
Sing peace into his breast
or see the brown mice bob
round and round the oatmeal chest.

For he comes, the human child
to the waters and the wild
with a faery hand in hand
for the world's more full of weeping
than you can understand.

McKennitt makes this wonderful poem come alive for a new generation. That alone is worth the price of the CD.

With a voice as clear and lovely as a moonlit winter's night, "Elemental" introduces us to Canada's Loreena McKennitt. And as beautiful as it is, this is one introduction you'll not soon forget.

"Elemental," is Loreena McKennitt's 1985 debut release and is surely one of her finest. Although her style has become decidedly more complex over time, "Elemental" displays some of the now familiar aspects of that style. Here, as she does on later recordings, Loreena McKennitt combines the singing of traditional Celtic songs alongside her adaptations into song, of well-known poetic works.

A look at McKennitt's website produced some interesting information that seems to explain the dramatic style evident in most of her work. According to the website, McKennitt was the recipient of a talent search award in 1978, representing her country that year and again in 1985 in international events. During those years she also distinguished herself as an actress/singer/composer in Canada's Shakespeare Festival.

Thus, against this backdrop, the nine-track "Elemental" was recorded. Listen in and see how Loreena McKennitt draws us irresistibly into an enshrouded world wherein lost love and tragedy mercilessly await their moment.

The album opens with McKennitt's adaptation of a traditional piece, "The Blacksmith." In an achingly pure voice, her subdued playing of the harp as the main accompaniment, McKennitt sets the theme with this song of love betrayed.

Next, against a starkly laid backdrop of birdsong and softly ringing bells, McKennitt dazzles us with her interpretation of "She Moved Through the Fair." Though often thought of as a traditional piece, this lovely tune was actually written in the 20th century (though based on an older work).

The next song, "Stolen Child," is Loreena's adaptation of a poem by the renowned Irish poet, W.B. Yeats. McKennitt's interpretation immerses the listener in an eerie atmosphere of mystery and sorrow.

The fourth track, "The Lark in the Clear Air," is done as an instrumental, beautiful in its grace and simplicity. McKennitt's playing of the harp is perfectly suited to this short piece.

"Elemental" next features another traditional Irish song, "Carrighfergus," with McKennitt in a duet with tenor Cedric Smith. The style here is quite well done, with Smith as the regretful love to the sorrowing McKennitt.

The next three songs, "Kellswater," "Banks Of Claudy," and "Come By The Hills" are also McKennitt's arrangements of traditional pieces and are all strikingly beautiful. I had not actually heard of "Kellswater" before now, but it seems on the surface to be another song of love that may never come to fruition, made sadder still by the unwavering faith of its author. "Banks of Claudy" seems perhaps to be a variation of "There Was A Lady," and/or "Pretty Little Miss In The Garden." Aside from McKennitt's lovely vocals, the song is distinguished by its "lack" of tragedy.

"Come By The Hills" is a poetic ode to the land itself, elegantly done, invoking a sense of yearning for such a place.

The last track, "Lullaby" is an eerily, foreboding arrangement of a poem by William Blake, with McKennitt's calming vocals contrasted by the dark poetic recitation. It is dramatic and well done, anything but a lullaby.

The appeal of "Elemental" to me is its simplicity of arrangement and the uniqueness Loreena McKennitt brings to each track. Beautifully sung, brilliantly chosen.

Featuring Alison on the gut and wire string Scottish harps and on the cello, and her guests:

Christine Primrose (vocals); Alasdair White (fiddle, whistle); Mike Katz (whistle); Robin Morton (concertina); Ann Heymann, Charlie Heymann.

Also includes a bonus DVD featuring Alison's visual artwork, as well as musical performances.

Dirty Linen (p.52) - "Rarely have such ancient themes been so successfully meshed with modern images, techniques, and technology. This is truly a groundbreaking project, fully realized with great artistry."

All Music Guide review:
The Silver String shows that there's more to Alison Kinnaird than music. Along with the CD there's also a DVD detailing her exquisite work with glass (there's also footage of her playing both harp and cello). The CD illustrates the breadth of her musical abilities. Featuring her on three different kinds of harp -- the gut-string, the clarsach, and the most remarkable bray harp -- on a mix of traditional and original material. She's helped out by a couple of members of the Battlefield Band, along with Ann Heyman, who often plays harp with her, and vocalist Christine Primrose. Certainly the most interesting piece is her own "Psalmsong," a recent composition for an art installation where Kinnaird plays the glass to unusual effect. It all adds to the album's diversity and beauty. The focus is very much on the traditional, however, and Kinnaird brings a full quarter-century of experience as a Scots harpist to bear on the material, giving each tune a jewel-like, thoughtful setting. A wonderful disc indeed. Chris Nickson

"From That Far", though not yet offered by Amazon, is my favorite collection of Wheeler's songs. The Harvest is growing on me, but the twang in Wheeler's voice is not nearly as intriguing as the soft songster I fell for six or so years ago.

Erica Wheeler is far removed from the sticky mainstream American Idol clones we constantly have foisted upon us. She is an original, honest performer who is also an outstanding songwriter. The Harvest is her masterpiece.

Top marks to Erica Wheeler for eleven superb songs and Laurie Lewis for tasteful uncluttered production. Wheeler manages to cast a spell on you with her clear unnaffected voice and lovely guitar work. The lyrics are superbly visual and real, sad, wistful, personal without being self obsessed or maudlin, often lightened with self deprecating humour. Excellent playing and singing by Lewis, Rozum et al. Wheeler's style defies categorization - it's simply wonderful music you want to play again and again.

Since I happened across this album and bought it on the strength of hearing 'Sprit Lake' (the second track on the album) I've had difficulty listening to anything else as regularly. It's diverse, touching, witty, understated and gloriously produced. Probably undersold as 'folk' in most music stores, this is the sort of album which should be slipped into as many sections as possible in order to raise the chances that people will find it.

A highlight for me has to be 'Sober Harley Guys', about Harley riders high on coffee. Great in every way. The album has a few weaker songs, but I find they're needed to give me time to get my breath back.

Erica Wheeler is refreshingly difficult to compare with any other artist I know, but if you like Lyle Lovett, Tracy Chapman, Slaid Cleaves, folk or country, then you should like this.

I discovered the Webb Brothers through internet radio. I heard the song "Low-Grade Fever" and was so thoroughly impressed that I decided to take a chance and order this album.

I'm glad that I did. This album is REALLY good. These guys have a real knack for writing catchy, interesting melodies. Their music isn't breaking any new ground or trying to prove anything- they're just really good, catchy songs. What more could you ask for, really? If I had to list one complaint, I would probably say that the lead singer does not have the most amazing voice. Not that he is a poor or inept singer, because he's not at all, what I mean is just that the timbre of his voice is not the most pleasing I've ever heard. But it's not enough to detract from the overall quality of the music. I give this album 5 stars and 2 thumbs up.

After a long stint of listening to many albums over the course of the year, I had to finally come to terms with what I thought was at the top of the heap. This album stood out from the rest. Don't get me wrong, I give the Shins- "Oh, Inverted World," it's due for being one of the finest pop albums this side of the millenium, but pound for pound, Maroon has a song for all seasons. From it's beginning excerpt from Renamore, a track that is found on a b-side of one of the Brothers' singles, to the closing track titled, "Sleep While You Can" , the listener is taken on an aural journey that comprises the rise and fall, and minor crescendos, of socialites and their quest for acceptance and yes, love amongst the ruins of their tawdry lives. That is just my personal interpretation of this album, though it does serve well navigating through tracks like "Flourescent Lights," and "Liar's Club." I won't jade you with anymore of my personal interpretations of this wonderful album, isn't it time you checked it out yourself?

I buy lots of music of all styles every Tuesday and have found "Maroon" to be an album that holds up upon repeated listening. It has risen through the quagmire of albums that are quickly sold back to the used CD store and has landed itself on my permanent playlist. I've had the album for more than a year and love to slip it into the CD player while driving -- despite the fact that the lyrics focus on somber topics (all very tongue-in-cheek and quite funny) the lush singalong melodies and inventive arrangements never fail to put me in a great mood.

The album is solid. My only gripe is the song "Summer People," (the one song on the album the brothers didn't write). Try as I might, I just don't like it. But to enjoy 12 of 13 tracks on one CD makes for a great album. I hope the Webb Brothers come out with something new soon. I'll be the first in line to buy it.

What's most striking about this record is its ability to sound just like someone else (Ben Folds, Elvis Costello, even, strangely enough, Steve Miller and Joe Walsh at points). It's at points catchy and never offensive, but unfortunately, it all sort of slips right by me. Nothing grabs me so much that I feel the need to ever hear it again.

On "Maroon," Christiaan and Justin Webb blow up the mini multiplex vistas of their debut, Beyond the Biosphere, into a wide-screen panorama, fleshing out their tunes with blinding technicolor details. Much like the epic sweep of classic songs like "MacArthur Park" - written by none other than their famous father, songwriter Jimmy Webb - "Maroon" takes unexpected turns and twists that are as fun as they are jarring. With its sleigh bells, careering violins and ringing pianos, the album could overload on its own orchestral sugar high, but instead is underpinned with bleak moods and dizzying aural sensations that make for an extremely uneasy listening experience. With its extravagant shades of dark and light and its odd combination of surreal kitsch and lyrical brutalism, "Maroon" tills a sonic landscape that's truly unique. Call it muzak noir.

Ani's new cd is full of great songs well written and enjoyable to listen to i dont get tired of this cd .To me these are some of her modern day classics.

Just as good if not better that NMA, Justin takes it on his own and delivers a whole album of good songs, not just one or two like most bands.

Navigating by methods unconventional, seated quitely with a storm brewing, listening. The ocean tells the tails of the road of a solitary wonderer, depths of conscious immemorable. Thick fog illumined by lights from the shore. Justin Sullivan brings the listener to the shore of their experience and asks them if he can mirror thier depths.

I was astonished by this album. It truly takes you to a different place. A place of cold, biting winds, of tides and waves alive with natural energy, to a quiet, grim coastal town adrift from modern metropoli. Mix that visual impression with gorgeous melodies, hushed vocal delivery, clear, clean instrumentation encompassing stand up bass and orchestral peaks and you have a magnificent soundtrack to the sea.
It is intimate yet distant, warm with a human glow yet fighting against the cold, cold elements of port life.
Added to that, there are Justin's intelligent, intuitive, insightful, inspiring lyrics.
And heart warming tunes.
It's like all the best 'sensitive' New Model Army (Justin's band) - poignant, meaningful and heartfelt.
Listen to it on headphones with your eyes closed. It's quite moving and a totally gorgeous 50 minutes.

I have always been drawn in by New Model Army's "no holds barred" lyrics. This solo record certainly shows a softer, less political side of Mr. Sullivan, but the song writing brilliance is still present. A haunting and incredibly addictive record. It's too bad that real artists like Justin are destined to relative obscurity while mindless trash like "the Black Eyed Peas" gains top 40 popularity.

We are a sad species.

I have only very recently started to listen to New Model Army, which led me to this album by Justin Sullivan. (He is NMA's lead singer.) This album has been in my player on repeat for the last three days. I cannot recall the last time I enjoyed an album as much as this one. I cannot attest to the musicianship on this disc, as I have no training or experience in playing any instruments. But it "feels" good. It really expresses emotion, mood and feeling. There is a darker, or shaded cast to the mood of the songs. A hint of loneliness, regret, hope and longing. I highly recommend you check this album out, and his other live disc as well. Good stuff!

Either you have a taste for Vic's wonderful and eclectic musical journeys with her distinctive delivery -- or you don't. This album has some "standards-influenced" songs amongst other catchy americana offerings. It's been enjoyed by many of my friends, and it finds its way into the playlist more often than I expected.

This is not a bad place to jump into Vic's music, if you haven't experienced much before. If you are already even a mild fan, you ought to pick it up, for sure. Also, don't forget to stop by Pappy & Harriet's to enjoy Victoria live (semi-regularly) along with a wonderful cast of talented fellow hi-desert musicians.

None of my friends can stand Victoria Williams' music...and I can see their point. Her voice is, well, unusual, and she seems to not care how she sounds. Her often lazy songs about birds, flowers, love and assorted happy topics would be hard to stomach for those who want angst, conflict and depression in their music. But only Victoria can pull it off without sounding syrupy or precious. Her music is part pop, part jazz, part folk and all endearing...

Which brings us to Water to Drink, a release that follows a pattern. After the acclaimed "Loose", which probably contained her best collection of songs but was hindered by full-on production values, Vic released the rudimentary and enchanting "Musings of a Creekdipper", seemingly a conscious effort to strip off all high-end production. So it follows that Water to Drink would get the full treatment. Her voice is couched in multi-tracked back up singers much of the time which, while helping to bring her vocals back between the lines, takes a way a little of her magic. This is not one of her best releases--Swing The Statue, Loose and Musings Of A Creekdipper are better--and I could live without the covers of the standards Young At Heart and Until The Real Thing Comes Along. I'm not averse to Victoria covering standards, but I would like to see her add something to them (as she did with Nature Boy from the Creekdipper CD), rather than just perform faithful renditions. Gladys and Lucy, The Joy of Love, Lagniappe, Grandma's Hat Pin and, especially Little Bird (a sweet little song that collapses in on itself before it drifts away) are stand outs.

I always describe Victoria Williams to people by saying you'll either love her or hate her, because some people can't take her very unusual voice. Anyway, I fall in the first of the 2 aforementioned categories. This CD fits nicely in with "Loose" and "Musings of a creek dipper". All her work is very eclectic, but this one surpasses them all. Here, she even goes Brazilian, which has become quite fashionable lately, even though David Byrne turned the world onto it 11 years ago. The CD goes from Joni Mitchell influences to Neil Young folksy psychedelia to Billie Holiday style songs. Somehow, it all fits together. Someone above said you should see her live show. I couldn't agree more. When she came to Charlotte, right in the middle of the show she says "Excuse me for a minute, I gotta go pee...is the bathroom back that way?". And she went to pee, while the rest of the band stayed on stage, shaking their heads and tuning their instruments while the audience waited. She puts on a really great show, but while you wait for her to come to your town , check this CD and the 2 previous ones out.

this might be among my favorite albums of the year. i'm drawn to it like no other recent release; perhaps it's merely an antidote to the iommi solo album or the deftones. i first saw victoria on the "happy come home" tour. i've got all her albums since; anybody who tours with her dog is a good person in my book and worthy of support. fortunately, victoria deserves the support with unique yet addictive songs. and i think this album comes in a close second to "loose." "joy of love" is also one of her best songs. victoria -- especially her quavering, backwoods voice -- is an acquired taste. if you like folkie-pop sometimes accompanied by big string arrangements, then "water to drink" is definitely worth checking out. and please note that she never falls into the cliches of other folkie-pop people.

More immediately accessible than her previous work, Musings Of A Creekdipper, but by the same token, its very accessibility keeps it from brilliance. Less risks taken = less moments of brilliance. That said, the title track, "Water To Drink", has me compulsively tapping my feet. It's far from a let-down; fans old and new won't be disappointed in purchasing this album.

If you're a Deadhead you should love Donna the Buffalo. This is a great jam band with wonderful musicians that play really well together and enjoy each other's company. Apparently they are huge on the East Coast, but have yet to make it out here to the Left Coast.
Great energy, good vocals and a wonderful crowd presence make this a "must have" for those who enjoy this genre of music.

Donna The Buffalo provides a young-blooded backcountry twist to the American South. Their new double-album "Live From The American Ballroom" illustrates their ability to capture an audience, and shows how an accordion and washboard can truly make a band unique. "Live" was recorded during Donna The Buffalo's spring tour of 2001, incorporating country melodies and rhythms against rock and a touch of Zydeco. "Ancient Arms" and "Come To Life" stand alone against the rest of the album. The lineup features Jim Miller on guitar/banjo, Richie Stearns on organ, Jed Greenberg on bass, and Tom Gilbert on drums. Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear take care of writing the material, adding their expertise on guitar and fiddle/washboards respectively. "Live Form The American Ballroom" will satisfy the hayseed hippie in anyone regardless of age. The band's official website lays the foundation for the music, providing links to their mp3's and breakdowns of the equipment and set materials. Check it out at www.donnathebuffalo.com

Donna The Buffalo is good times music. No matter what your mood, put on some DTB and you're gonna smile and feel like shufflin' around the floor. In particular, Tara Nevins is a fine fiddler and a singer in a vein similar to a young Emmylou Harris.

DTB are some of the best songwriters in the jamband scene, they write songs with great hooks and they can sure mine a beat. Unfortunately, what doesn't come across as their strong suit on this release is their relatively limited ability to stretch out and jam. If you're looking for great instruemental solos, this one is likely to leave you lacking.

Normally, I prefer live releases over studio discs by any given artist on any given day, but this one just didn't do it for me. DTB has three excellent(!) studio releases in "Rockin' In the Weary Land", "Positive Friction", and "Life's a Ride", all of which get more listens (and smiles!) from me than this one.

Sure, listening to this you can tell the audience was having a party - but their studio albums will have you dancin' and grinnin' even more than this one.

The music of DTB absolutely WILL make you happy, but I'd start with their other releases first. 2 1/2 stars.

I was at Bonnaroo when I first heard the sounds of the acordian as I was passing by one of the many stages, I asked who it was and becuase of the busy schedule of the festival could not stick around so I later came to buy the CD here on Amazon and was not as impressed I was was hoping.I will give them some credit on thier instrumentation, the acordian, wash board and fiddle, all played by Nevans,acompanied by keys drums bass and two guitars, give the group some flavor, but they don't do much with it. The melody lines are bouncy and cheerful for the most part but they never go anywhere with the jams, and you end up getting only the repetitive arodian melodies stuck in your head wich might also be due to poor mastering.Nevans vocals are sweet sounding but almost too sweet, a mix between Sarah Mclachan and Edie Brickell, which is good i just have a hard time rocking out to such a sweet female voice. As far as the other lead vocalist which I think is one of the guitar players, he has kind of a Bob Dylan sounding voice but again isn't mixed well and is just plain hard to understand. Don't get me wrong, seeing them live could very well be a good time and as far as the CD goes will be good backround music to beer and cards on a Saturday night, but unless I hear something different coming from the buffalo this will be the last CD of donna's I buy.

I really, really like Donna the B. This is the band that brought me out of my post Garcia blues, the first band that wrote songs that were so engaging I played the discs over and over again. I wore out, literally, Positive Friction and bought a second copy. This double live LP is less good, but still definitely worth owning. The recording is a little lifeless from a technical standpoint, but then it's live, and maybe they didn't have the best sound that day. Or those days. But be that as it may, this is wonderful, happy jam music, highly recommended. I know they aren't the Dead, not by a mile, nor do they wish to be, but this music made me perk up my ears when nothing else did.

Good set of female Urban-alternative-Folk music.
A set of talented singer-songwriters.
For me it was an interesting compilation of music... slowly becoming a top in my music collection.

Don't let that comment full you... if you enjoy Alternative-Folk music (which may also be called new-wave country, progressive country) then you just find find this collection tugging at your,too.

Because I am a big fan of RESPOND I was both anxious and excited to get RESPOND II after it was released. During many hours listening to both CDs on my commute to and from work each day I can say with confidence that it lives up to the brilliance of RESPOND. Unlike the first volume which focused exclusively on women singer-songwriters from Boston, this volume spans geographic boundaries to include both familiar and unfamiliar names in women's music. Some of the artists are well known (i.e., Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Suzanne Vega, Sarah McLaughlin, etc.) while others are not. This greatly attributes to the advantage of this compilation; the opportunity to sample new artists. This phenomenon has benefited me. Perviously I have heard good things about Aimee Mann but have never personally heard any of her music (except for the music of 'Til Tuesday from the 1980's). After listening to RESPOND II I'm now a *big* fan of her song "Lost in Space" and even found myself repeatedly humming it's catchy tune throughout my work day. RESPOND II is a great compilation for a very worthy cause. All proceeds go towards their family violence prevention fund. If you're a fan of quality music by women, you might just enjoy this CD as much as I have.

It's a hope-inducing collection of music, and sounds like the answer for an ailing world - including the world of music. Yes it is possible to be totally rockin' and still put a good message out there. (Sorry Eminem!) Respond II has become the soundtrack to my life. And it's a plus that all the money goes to an awesome cause, addressing domestic violence.