International music reviews

Este volumen lo escuche cuando tenia 19 a�os. Me gusto bastante la cancion "Crisis". Que habla a la juventud de Hoy a no desanimarse sino a seguir adelante. Me gusta Eros Ramazzotti por ese mensaje simple y profundo. Creo que muy poca gente valora su contenido ya que tenemos escapismos. Uno de los grandes escapes que el joven busca en la musica es el ritmo y no prestar a tencion en el Contenido de su mensaje. En Eros Ramazotti no encontraremos musica para bailar pero para meditar.

I own this CD by Eros in both single and double CD releases and I must say, I had no idea this guy existed until a good friend introduced me to "Eros In Concert". It is definitely extraordinary. Listen to it once and you'll also want to own it. you won't need to know Italian, to understand what this music makes me feel. Go out and get it then let me know what you think.

This Cd contains over 20 songs and 2 inedit ones! if you are a fan of Ramazzotti. you MOST have this Cd with his greatest hits live!!! a must have!!!!

I'm sorry I missed Kim when she performed in my hometown of Roseburg, OR. Great reports from that concert convinced me to pick up this album, and I'm sure glad that I did. This showcase of her original material clearly indicates that Ms. Angelis is a superior classically-trained instrumentalist. Besides her expert attention to violin technique, she plays with a purity and sweetness of tone that is also charged with much emotional electricity. Her eight accompanists hail from around the world, and they very ably embellish her enchanting repertoire and arrangements. (Joe Ross)

Another great album that is a must to have. The first 3 pieces comprise the California Concerto which has a decidely spanish flavor. Kim's creativity and incredible technique have resulted in an album which produces a lot of smiles. Excellent production contributes to its appeal.

I love this CD! Incredible violin playing, wonderful melodies. If you want to hear beautiful, emotion-filled music get this CD - you won't regret it!

The boys from Columbia just keep cruising. Their "Etnia" CD is as fantastic as any of their albums.
How do these guys keep doing it? I'm referring to the consistent quality, energy, total productions of their music. Listening to Grupo Niche perform makes you want to fall in love again. One just can't get enough of this very talented orchestra.
The lead vocals are superb, the background harmony is perfectly accompanying.
As for the orchestra, the trumpets are stinging, trombones soothingly counterpointing, the percussion keeps you wonderfully interested, the bass? pleasurably outstanding!
The arrangements are creatively great, although I wouldn't mind hearing more keyboard soloing when the orchestra is in overdrive!
I just can't say enough about this extremely talented group.
Again I will happily give the green light and say go get this great CD at any cost! Its a Niche gem.

La mejor m�sica rom�ntica llevada a la salsa que jam�s se haya podido crear. El Grupo Niche es parte de la Historia Real de la Salsa de todos los tiempos, y uno de sus CD con m�s ventas fue precisamente "Etnia"

i have been a grupo niche fan for many years now,and i have bought practically all of their music since the beginning,but i have to admit this is one of their best so far,eventhough all of their recordings are magnificent.

Why 5 stars? Well, one star just because I'm an Arsenal fan; two stars because I watched the DVD and although it was very loosely based on the book, at least the author himself, Nick Hornby no less, writes the Introduction in the cd sleeve telling us how much involved he was in selecting the tracks himself!.

3 stars because of the great packaging: great photos from the film in the cd booklet and the cd itself is made to look like a soccer ball while the backing is a picture of a field; looks very cool believe me!

4 stars because of the quality of the sound recording which is very good and much more than I've come to expect from soundtracks and finally 5 stars because of the quality of the song selections.

How can you go wrong when you have Van Morrison, the Who, the Pretenders, Lisa Stansfield and most importantly, the La's "There She Goes!" all on one disc! Thanks for making it unnecessary for me to buy albums full of fillers just to get this song plus "Been Around the World."

If you liked the movie, (not so much the book as explained why earlier)this is a good cd to get. If you are an Arsenal fan like me, what are you waiting for? Get the cd! : )

talk about music to fit the movie! this one has just what it takes. it is a sensational compilation of hits that make you want to relive the decade, and just beautifully underscores the movie.

Having watched the movie nearly a dozen times, I decided to track down the soundtrack. I wasn't disappointed at all. All of the songs in the movie (as far as I can tell) are on the disc. It's funny to hear some of the blurbs from Colin Firth, and I think that they are a cool addition to the soundtrack. If you love this movie, you need to own this soundtrack.

In the hands of Alicia Svigals: the violin sings, weeps, laughs, cries, and otherwise mimics the human voice ... Alicia has shown the klezmer fiddle to be of equal value to the clarinet in this genre. The Jewish tunes are haunting, lively, energetic and beautiful! She has mastered her instrument & uses multiple playing styles and techniques: a virtuoso. Although klezmer is *most* often dominated by the sounds of the clarinet: there is no playing "second fiddle here"!!! She is a "primas" or "first fiddler" in every sense of the words!!! :-) Other instruments which are the 'supporting cast' to the violin: are the tsimbl (cimbalom), accordion, occasionally a second fiddle, a bass, and drums. Most of the music is traditional & orginates from Romania, the Ukrainian, Turkey, Greece, Moldavia, & Bessarabia (former Soviet Union). There is a tremendous composition that Alicia herself created for a musical play: it fits all the criteria for great klezmer. Most of the tracks are her interpretations of originals from 78 records of the 1920s - 1950s. Some tracks are wedding music, others are of Hassidic origin, others are music for the Sabbath. There are bulgars, doinas, horas, freylekhs, a zmiro (hymn), a hora batuta and a hybrid "bulgarish-frelekh". The liner notes state the Greeks adapted the last one into a hassapiko. The liner notes are very extensive and helpful. They explain technical details related to the typical musical scales used in klezmer: the "Ahavo Rabo" and Ukrainian scales. The latter resembles the music of the Aegean coast from Greece & Turkey, going all the way up the Balkan peninsula to the Ukraine. This is very special cultural music that allows for a wide range of improvisational capability by the right musician: Alicia Svigals has proven to be among the best! This CD is magnificent! Erika Borsos (erikab93).

I love this CD. The music is very enchanting. Several songs have an intriguing simple syncopated rhythm, and others have a nice plucked background rhythm from a stringed instrument. Pieces range from very _normal_ klezmer, to interesting new melodies, even one or two that are reminiscent of Celtic melodies.

The audio samples here can sound a bit squeeky, but on a real audio system, Svigal's violin has surprising voice. Similar to Giora Fiedman's clarinet.

This is one of my favorite CDs. I listen to it almost every day, and my seven week old son loves it, too!

Alicia Svigals, who plays fidl with The Klezmatics, has created an amazing solo album. It ranges across the landscape of human emotions with stunning musicality and sensitivity. Some of the tunes are her arrangements of the traditional, and some are original. All are stunning. I think Alicia has led the revival of the fidl as a 20th, and 21st, century klezmer lead instrument, taking its rightful place again alongside the clarinet.

I've just been surprised again by Yordano. I've always loved his lyrics because they show real true feelings and this CD reconfirms it once again. His music's style has improved, I think it is a tasteful mix (jazz, blues, caribbean music)If you are one of Yordano's lovers, you will certainly enjoy it!

If you are a fan of Yordano's music you will not be disappointed with his latest CD. And if you are a fan of jazz or blues, you should give this a listen. There is a variety of Venezuelan folk influenced melodies combined with jazzy rhythms that also provide vivid imagery through the lyrics. At the same time, it is soothing to the soul and I listen to it over and over and over, easily lost in another place.

Este disco demustra una vez mas el talento venezolano, de las baladas caribenhas, para mi mas que un disco es un poema acompanhado de la armonia de la musica.

EMERALD ROSE is walking a tricky path. Part of their popularity is generated from the reputation they're acquirung (and rightly so!) for being a genuine "Pagan" band with considerable talent in the Celtic Folk-rock genre.
With the live cd FIRE IN THE HEAD, they succeed, if not excell on both accounts, dispite a few weak points/potential pitfalls.
Homeages to PAGAN philosophy abound in the title track, Freya Shakti, Summerland, Merry Mayfolk, and the awesome,understated chilling A PICT SONG.
The Celtic influences really stand out in Star Of County Down, Drowsey Maggie..., and Donald McGuillary. The track Calling Me Home falls somewheres inbetween.
Vampire Girl from Orn is a fun sci-fi romp full of risque innuendo and a Celtic flaire if you really listen.
Chicken Raid is the longest track at 7:30 minutes and though for "insiders" it is said to be full of myth analogies and whatnot...for me it's just blarney and condescends some of the other music with goofy "we're a friendly, sunshinee bunch-a-blokes" sympathies. I could care less about the Celtic warrior/chicken inferences.Yeesh.
Through several of the songs (too much work to extract here) there is subtle lyrical interplay between socially sanctioned established beliefs (ie christianity) and the "back-to-nature/Pagan/Wiccan/Celtic warrior" folks who are certainly part of the live Georgia(?!) audience, and they enthusiastically respond with the band throughout.
The only real PAGAN pablum here (or risk in the future) is the song 'Never Underestimate (A girl with the Goddess in her eyes)'. To me this track is just juvenille tripe (albiet very musical)catering to female teens. A weak conjuring invoking a skewered feminist empowerment, almost politically correct and parent approved!!!!!
Please EMERALD ROSE, stay away from becomming a Pagan version of Christian M-O-R. If you want my 2 ducats worth, the direction indicated in 'A Pict Song' is the way to go.
As a PAGAN myself (or portion thereof) I like my music mysterious, tribal, "filkish", and even more than a bit sinister. Parents be damned.
Closing, I find the studio albums much better in overall execution. The versions duplicated here have better sound from the studio, and the PAGAN flow is more consistant. Blessed be.

Fire in the Head is my second ER CD (I own Bending Tradition as well), and I must say, it was a wonderful choice. The CD combines Celtic, Pagan, and some just plain weird songs in a wonderful combination of music. Also, as a lover of live CDs, I can appreciate the small audience interaction. For a quick review, this is an awesome CD!

Star of the County Down - Wonderful music and a nice little story to accompany it.

Fire in the Head - This is arguably the greatest track on the entire CD. This live version is about 300x better than the recorded one from Bending Traditions, and its virtues cannot be extolled enough. Absolutely amazing music combines with a Pagan theme to create one of ER's best songs.

World's Wedding - This song gets a bit slower, but Logan's voice is truly shown off. Although not among the greatest tracks on the CD, this is certainly a wonderful song.

Drowsy Maggie / Morning Invention / Green Groves of Erin - Fire in the Head's three-song collection of Celtic music. You just can't go wrong with it. Great music. Morning Invention especially is very exciting and fast-paced, with guitar, bodhran, and whistle.

Merry Mayfolk - This was one of my favorite songs from Bending Tradition, and I don't think that the live version meets the quality of the studio one. That said, it is still a good song to hear.

A Pict Song - A very slow and mournful song, I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but rest assured that you will enjoy hearing it.

Vampire Girl from Orn - Opening with "That doesn't sound very Celtic", this is definitely among the oddest songs I've ever heard (though admittedly, Chicken Raid of Cymru beats it). This is a funny story of an alien vixen who lands in a small town. Very funny, and VERY enjoyable. I especially love the way in which certain lyrics are said, that adds a whole new level to the song. This is certainly among my favorite songs on the entire CD.

Summerland - This is a more serious song that is more of a ballad than a folk song. And while it's not among the CD's best, this track is still very enjoyable to hear.

Call Me Home - If there was one song that I had to say was my least favorite, this would be it. Featuring mostly a singer, it just doesn't hold my interest. It's not nearly as exciting as some of the other songs, and while the music is good, the lyrics don't hold my attention.

Never Underestimate - A small combo of a good song and a bit of social commentary, this is the story of a Christian who comes to a Pagan gathering and tries to preach to them. A catchy tune with a little humor thrown in, this song is also among my favorites.

Chicken Raid of Cymru - The single weirdest song I've ever heard. Ever. This is also the longest track on the CD. This is the story of a Celtic warrior who fights with "a teeny weeny little itsy bitsy wooden shield, and a chicken." It's full of lunacy, and though it doesn't stand out in its lyrics or music, the comedic commentary more than makes up for this.

Freya, Shakti - This song will likely become a staple of Wiccan learning at some point in the future. As if the studio version was not powerful enough already, this live version adds the energy of an audience into it. I still shiver everytime I hear the live version. There are no words to express how wonderful this song is, and I cannot recommend hearing it enough.

Donald McGuillivray - A great song. The lyrics are nice and musical, but the true catch of this track is the music. The drums here are absolutely amazing. The vocals also simply have the sound that fits perfectly with this sort of song. Another great song.


All in all, this is another CD that I can listen to nonstop, several times over. I cannot recommend it enough.

Some bands are better in the studio, and some are better live. Emerald Rose is great either way, but they shine their brightest when playing to a live audience. I own all of their CDs, and they are all wonderful, but this one captures more of the energy and zest of their live concerts.
Yes, many of these songs (not all of them) are available on studio recordings. Personally i like to listen to both versions, live and studio, but the energy and tempo in this CD really make you wan to get up and dance... or fall over laughing...
The songs on this CD range from traditional Celtic songs, although played with more energy and beat than i usually hear, (Star of the County Down)to the comedic (Chicken Raid of Cymru).
There are some of the obviously Pagan songs like "Freya Shakti", "Summerland" and "Never Underestimate" as well as the wonderfully funny, very weird, "Vampire Girl from Orn", so this isn't the CD to play for your non-Pagan-friendly friends or family.

(If you want a CD that is NOT obviously Pagan from them, i suggest "Celtic Crescent" which has more of the traditional folk songs on it)

1.A flor de piel
2.Vivir(I need)
3.Dicen
4.Manuela
5.Un adi�s a media voz
6.Te quiero as�(And I love you so)
7.Por el amor de una mujer
8.Desde que t� te has ido
9.A�n me queda la esperanza
10.En cualquier parte(Another time, another place)

The song "Manuela" became No.1 at French Hit-Parade.

Here is the heart-healing voice of the young Julio before the US discovered him--before Willy Nelson, before the perma-tan, before the over-orchestrated cheese. You can still imagine the timid young soccer star wannabe who took up guitar while an injury healed. Wish you could all have experienced the excitement of discovering Julio when he was still a $4 ticket playing hotel ballrooms (he was already the biggest seller in Europe and Latin America)and the gratitude he showed audiences in those days.

If you like good old music,then this CD is the perfect one for you.

I am fresh from a concert presentation of gryphon-like beast the bazantar. The versatility of this instrument, in Mr. Deutch's most able hands, is quite remarkable. This recording is superb in its ability to place one inside the music. From this recording, from the concert, one gets a sense of vast possibilities and expectations for this instrument.

Fool is a musical exploration of a life as a spiritual path, one version at any rate, a rather saturnine version. I look forward to Mr. Deutsch putting out further recordings so he can expand the mystical vision with some of the irreverence of which he is also capable. Mysticism demands deconstruction to transcend itself. Fool is also a lesson in musicality. Part of the joy of this music is that it feels both unique and connected. We love to place things in categories (we cannot not do this in fact) and while I sit with this I have both the Baudelairean sense of plunging into the abyss of the new yet resonance with and anchoring to many traditions and expressions. As I am writing this I notice the second movement is playing, titled Persival. It includes a golden-ratioed figure-eight-like symbol. Interesting conjunction. Pesrival means "through the middle" or living in the points of conjunction, Whitman's "both in and out of the game. The bazantar is itself a point of intersection.

This music is unique and certainly difficult to describe with words. But I'll give it a go: With his Bazantar, Mark masterfully creates sound and timbre that entwine the exquisite aural resonance with cryptic mystical conjurings, beckoning the mind to relax and open and explore a transcendant tapestry of emotive texture and visionary trance.

By the 4th movement I found myself far removed from my sense of self in the room. The space around me grew very large and intense. This music is very interesting and penetrating. The fact that this music is of solo performance it astounding to me!

I was very, very disappointed in this CD. I bought it based upon the recommendations here at Amazon, but it makes me wonder....I recommend from now on to listen to a snippet before you buy. Her voice just sounded very, very amateurish to me. It sounded like so typically of somebody singing at a small town country fair. I wish her luck, but I think she will have an appeal to people looking for the same ol', same ol' small town overly trilled voice.

Like any truly resonant work of art, this music not only evokes the experiences of the creator, but creates an alchemy in the mind of the audience, calling forth one's own dreams and memories. Many of these songs weave such strong moods that I can listen to them over and over.

"The Quiet Lands of Erin," one of my favorite tracks, is haunting and evocative. I have a lovely version on an old LP, but I prefer Kristine's new rendition. The simple sounds of water, birds, and the laughter of children set the scene of a pristine, isolated, rocky shore imprinted deep in the memory, and a love of place as romantic as any human love. The mournful harmonies of Kristine's voice and gentle, unobtrusive instrumentals fuse perfectly with the melancholy longing of the words.

In "One Is the Sun," the exotic drone of a didgeridoo quickly pulls you into a sort of child's rhyme/environmental prayer, combining the reassuring simplicity and soothing tunes of lullaby with all-too-observant words warning of the danger of our present path, as "two-hearted people," and a heartfelt Cheyenne prayer from Kristine's adoptive grandfather adding spiritual resonance.

"Winds of Time," my other favorite track, for me paints a strong, poignant picture, half imagination, half memory. The subtle percussion seems to echo raindrops on the window pane or crackling fire in the room behind, pressing one's face against the cool glass pane, looking out into a dim present scene and still seeing and feeling the emotion for a love from the past. Here again, a synthesis of mood, melody, instrumentation, and the meaning of the words show a true artist at work--one whose future creations I look forward to.

Reading some of these reviews reminds me once again of how subjective taste is, especially in the aesthetic area, and what it is I think a review should hopefully accomplish--point out the strengths and weaknesses of a work for the benefit of artist, but more particularly, for the audience. I.e., it is all very well to express one's love or hate for something, but more useful to help others figure out whether they will love or hate it.

The dislike of reviewers who criticize this lovely CD for being what it is, rather than something else, seems rather pointless to me, but I do agree with one thing: The best way to know if you will enjoy Kristine's music is to listen to the available audio samples before buying. In fact, I rarely buy a CD anymore if audio samples are not available. On Amazon, you can get free downloads of three of the songs that are fairly representative of the different types of music on this album--an original, contemporary piece (By Your Side), a Celtic piece (Quiet Lands of Erin), and an original, Native American-themed piece (Sacred Night). However, in my opinion, Sacred Night is not the strongest such piece on the album; the lyrics are not as interesting as in other original songs. I prefer One is the Sun (see detailed comments above) and the title piece, Everchanging Tides. Samples of more of the songs are also available at the CD Baby website, including those two, as well as Seacht n'Dolas na Maighdine Muire (The Seven Sorrows of Mary), one of the traditional Celtic songs sung in Gaelic. There is also more information available at the artist's website (which I accessed directly via CD Baby), including a link to a new online video to the song One is the Sun, which I also really enjoyed.

There's something extraordinarily exciting about finding a new talent, especially in unexpected places. I first heard Kristine's voice at a Celtic faire and thought, "I love this woman's voice. I hope she records someday." Three or four years later, my wife brought home Kristine Robin's EVERCHANGING TIDES. My first thought after hearing it for the first time was, "This is surely a voice that was shaped by angels!" It was obvious that Kristine had matured and perhaps had some great voice training since I first heard her. This was far better than I remembered. There are several places in this CD where Kristine's solos soar exquisitely, and in soaring they carry me as if on wings. I dislike that overused word "transformative," but it accurately describes what I experience. Coming from many different influences, from Native American to Celtic, this CD has a special texture all its own--which may puzzle or even confuse some purists. But when you take this CD in as a whole, it actually showcases the wide range of a singer and song writer whose talent cannot be confined to any single tradition. My wife and I have purchased over 20 copies of this CD over the past year or so, to give to friends. All I ever hear is raves from the people who've received these gifts. If you are excited by discovering new talent, I highly recommend this artist. The production itself is highly professional in every way, from the cover to the notes to the recordering quality itself.